The Sun. — London, England, 1848-04-04 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. TiLortztich, April 3. MID L /VD GIB . CEl_l7'.7- (Lef ore Chief Justice, NY ILDE.) TROI3ECIITION OF DR. LEE, BISHOP THE tf • GITTTERIDGE. oF - OA I4CS . 7 The trial of this indictneut, which has excited so much interest, • came on to-day. Thevase i 3 0 . well known, by, the-voluminous reports published by us of the proceedings in London, that it is hardly-necessary for us to give the present in detail. Mr. Whitehurst, Q.C., bir Humfrey, Q.C., anti Mr. Waddington, were for-the prosecution. Mr. Gutteridge conducted his defence in person. The information charged that at the time of the printing the libel, he (the prosecutor) was a clergy man of the Church of England , and the Head Mas ter of _ the Free Grammar School at Birmingham, and, as such, had the education of many youths under his care, and there was a certain other school called , A The Bluecoat Charity School," but that the defendant, intending to wilfully, 31c; did, on the 24th day of Decembers, 184 6, publish a-scandalous libel, to wit— "He (meaning - Dr. Lee) eagerly sought to connect himself - with every public establishment here (meaning Birmingham), whether of charity, literature, or science, and almost everywhere, by exhibiting a most officious, insolent, and domineering behavioni', and an intriguing and ill-nc.tured disposition, _which dishonoured Ms cha racter as a clergyman, • „lie insulted and disgUStecl the most respectabe and respected supporters of our public institutions; and, further, pursued with spite and bitter ness many of OV3n the persons of their elfldree:wht [dared to act with independence and spirit, so far as to resist his advances, &c. Also, on the 30th May, 1846, in the defendant's printed report of the meeting, he reiterated those charges, and upon other occasions, the charges made by the defendant, in fact being, that Dr. Lee was a person of overbearing manners; that he had been guilty of intoxication, and of conduct generally such as to threw an odium- -upon the .Church and on himself as an unworthy member of that Church." The defendant, by his plea, justified -the principal charges. Mr. WHITEHIIRST; in his opening address, observed, the Bishop of Manchester had very reluctantly been compelred to bring the case into court to vindicate him self from the libels; the result of the defendant's malignant enmity. But though he (the prosecutor) felt reluctant to, and abstained from prosecuting the author of the libels upon himself whilst he remained at Bir mingham,-where ha was -known, yet now that he was promoted to the high station he then. filled, it became absolntely necessary he shOuld do so, unless he wished to limit - his sphere of usefulness in his diocese.. Dr. Lee was formerly Second Master of Rugby School. from which he was promoted to - the Head Mastership of King Edward's School, at Birmingliain, and since his master ship of it, the school.had.become second to none in re pute, and some of the most distinguished scholars bad been sent fro m thenc e to- both..the Universities,. where they had taken the highest honours. Dr. Lee had lived in Birmingham, beloved and esteemed by all who knew him, and being desirous VI extend his usefulness. to the charitable institutions in the town, he-was led to become h a governor of th e H os pit a l, and a member of t h e government of the Bl uec oat School, where he exer ted himself himself to rectify an d r e form abuses. No dou bt created. in the minds o f many. On the 24th of. Deteember,. 1845,--there ..was that pu blished i n . • a pamphlet which foamed-part of the libel complained wof ; certain pa were not justified by the pleas. (T he Learned Counsel read the matter charged as libellous at length - , - and, as this -has already appeared in our columns, we abstain from reiterating it.) These libels being pub. lished, Dr. Lee took the advice of his friends as to the propriety of prosecuting them. Their advice being that he shou,ll, observing " He_was well known, that every body loved and esteemed himond that nobody believed a single syllable of .whet was. uttered in his dispraise." On May 19th, 1846,..Mr. Gutteridge called a meeting together, by placard, the object being stated to be, "To take into consideration the state of the public charities, especially the Hospital and King Edward's Free School." At that - meeting 5,000 people attended. Mr. Gutteridge addressed them, and reiterated his previous charges. When Dr. Lee was named_ . for the bishopric, the defen dant addresied a circular letter to the Archbishops, Bishops, and, all the great officers of state, remonstrating against the appointment. Dr. Lee feeling that now, elevated as he was, his-usefulness would, be much nar rowed unless he disprov e d suc h charges, obtained a rule for a criminal information, thus giving the defendant an opportunity of putting what he did know upon oath. Mr. Gutteridge made no affidavit whatever, neither he or Ms friends, and the rule was made absolute. Though the case was coining down for trial, Mr. Gutteridge, on the Bth March, addressed a meeting, reiterating the charges, and attacking Lord Denman. The Learned Counsel passed an eloquent eulogium upon the conduct of Lord Denman, both as an advocate and judge, alluding to his fearlessness of offending those in power when duty to his client urged him on, reminding the Court and jury of a--particular instance of the latter on a memorable trial in the House of Lords, alluding also to the generosity of the - Prince, who, when on the Throne, chose to forget all that had passed at that time. The Learned Counsel concluded by expressing a firm belief. that _none of the charges th e d efendant had justified would he be able to sustain, and that in the result there must be a conviction.. his advocacy of such a cause before the proper authori ties. He had not the slightest doubt as to the result, and he approved of the promptitude with which the cir cumstances were thus publicly made known by the Rev. Gentleman who had called his attention to it. There appeared to be rational ground for expecting the kind co-operation of the similar institutions in the metropolis, and he should feel it his duty to communicate with Lord Ashley and other members of the committee on the sub ject next day. His Lordship received in the course of the day the sum of 161. 18s. from the elergyman who officiates at the French Protestant Church in St. Martin's-le-Grand, as the collection at that place of worship on Sunday, in be half of the British workmen expelled from France. A great number of the members of the Stock Ex change, merchants' clerks, professional men, and trades. men, were sworn in as constables. The volunteer con stabulary in the city of London is now so numerous that the protection in every street, in the event of any enterprise of the window-breakers and thieves, will, it is considered, be effectual. All the arrangements made in the City for complete co-operation with the metropolitan force in preserving the peace are said to be perfect. Tirana s Fletcher was brought up, charged with having stolen a diamond pin from Mr. Howard, of Bil lingsgate. The complainant had come to London-bridge in a stettrn%ibssel, and as he was departing from the vessel, in the midst of about 100 others, the prisoner slipped the diamond pin out of his shirt. The complainant caught the fellow by the hand, and would not let him go until an officer appeared. The prisoner struggled to get away, and offered all the money he had for his liberty, but the temptation was resisted. He was remanded for further examination. WESTMINSTER. Henry Holder, a dog fancier, was finally examined, charged with having assaulted and very severely injured Jaines Edgeson, 112 V. The prisoner had been remanded from Wednesday upon the evidence of two respectable .persons, who saw him struggling violently with the constable, and observed hit give the latter a fall which caused a seve r e w o un d onlhis head, and prevented his attending against the ac cused when first brought before the magistrate. Irby constable, whose head was enveloped in a linen bandage, and who appeared to be extremely weak, stated that between eight and nine o'clock on the even ing of fait Tuesday week, his attention was attracted by a Oise' as of persons quarrelling, near the Goat and Bctots, ittrLittle Chelsea, and on going to the spot he foand the prisoner and another man standing on the narrow footpavement, with a large dog lying at full length between them, so that the:path was completely ob stiiticted, and persons were obliged to walk in the road to Ipass.. Complainant requested the prisoner to move on with his dog, at the same time observing that he cotiid carry on the conversation in which he was en gaged on his way. Prisoner immediately applied very filthy language to him and refused. Complainant passed on! for a minute or two, when, finding the obstruction still continued, and the prisoner and the other man were talkingin.so'loud a tone of voice as to excite the atten- Skin of passengers, he again asked•the prisoner to move slay, but with no better sUccess than before. He waited another minut e or t wo , an d th e n' said • that if they did noo mo ve t h e d og, w hi c h was w ith them obstructi ng th pavement, be must: ; Complainant then took h d of the chain held by the prisoner, which w s fastened to the dog's collar, and pulled the animal in f o the road, when the prisoner instantly struck com pl inant two blows, one on the cheek and the other on th breast. Complainant then -took him into custody, w en prisoner resisted violently, and in the scuffle both th i t hat's fell off. Prisoner asked to be allowed to lead hi dog, and . complainant consented, but continued his h dof the prisoner. The latter then suddenly stepped b ore him and struck him again about the face, sad ki king up his heels they both fell together. They got 1 ti when the prisoner continued his resistance, struck hi again, and ultimately swung him round and threw hi with his head upon the pavement. Complainant re eived a severe wound on the head - from the fall, and in which state he was i ediately became insensible, to en to Mr. Goodrich, a surgeon, who dressed the wound, which was very severe, and from the effects of which complainant had been in, a very bad and weak state ever since. In his cross-examination by a solicitor, who attended for the prisoner, the complainant distinctly denied that h kicked the dog off the pavement and thrust the ac cused at the same time into the road. Mr. BRODERIP observed that the case was of too sef ,s 1 tom a nature for him to deal with summa r ily. It was i ite clear that there was an obstruction, and th e police n u was only doing his duty in removing it. A v i o l en t a ault was the result, and the constable had received a v ' y serious injury. He (th e worthy mag i s t ra t e ) wou ld n t try the case, but send it to the sess i ons . - If, how e r, the prisoner wished to make any reply to the ease h was ready to hear him. The prisoner's solicitor said he would rather not. He sliould reserve his defence until the trial. Mr. BRODERIP ordered the prisoner to find two sure ties in 251. each, for his appearance at the sessions to agswer the charge of assault. ißail was immediately put in, and the accused was liberated. - The evideuce.was proceeding when we were obliged to close our dispatch. The case will prol..bly occupy three days. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. NEW COURT. (Before Mr. Commissioner BULLOCK, Alderman FARE BROTHER, and Mr. Sheriff HILL.) The Learned Commissioner took his seat in this court at one o'clock yesterday. James Ryan, 27, a cabinet-maker, was indicted for stealing 100 lb. of manufactured tobacco, value 181., and 51b. of American soda biscuit, the property of the Lon don Dock Company, from their dock. It appeared from the evidence, which was very com plicated, that on the evening of the 26th of February, when it was quite dark, a young man, named Dyke, observed a cab drive up to the eastern boundary wall of the dock, where two persons were walking up and down. They gave a signal, and in a minute after wards a large heavy parcel fell from the dock wall, the two persons hurried into the cab, which ra pidly drove away. The next morning the prisoner I was found in the warehouse, concealed behind a bench ; and on being asked how he came there, he said he worked in the dock, and had got through a hole from the East Q uay to sleep. On the following morn ing the foreman found that a hogshead of tobacco had been broken open, and a considerable quantity taken. It was found that the prisoner did not work in the docks, and accordingly it was thought that he was im plicated in the removal of the tobacco. He was taken into custody, and in his pockets were found some pieces of biscuit which it was proved had been taken from a hogshead which stood near to those from which the to bacco had been stolen; in addition to which, a piece of a brace and a brace button were found on the to bacco hogshead, and on examining the prisoner's dress, that piece of brace and the button were found deficicient, the prisoner's other brace corresponding exactly. Some days after the robbery, an exciseman, named Lewin, saw a man carrying a parcel in a very suspicious manner, and on a , lung him what it was, the man threw it off his bead with such force as to knock down the exciseman, and the other managed to escape. The parcel was found to contaii the tobacco which had been stolen from the docks, several of the duck officers swearing to the identity. The ease- for the • prosecution wise, that the prisoner bad secreted himself in the warehouse on the Saturday a prec.)neerted sc h eme, handed they afternoon, and, by tobacco over the wan to the persons who were seen on the look out, and that he had intended to slip away the next morning when the gates were opened. Mr. PAYNI:, for the defence, denied that there was any evidence upon which his client could be convicted. The jury. found the prisoner Guilty, and The Learned COMMISSIONER sentenced him to be transported for seven years. John Esberry was convicted of pocket picking. The prisoner had been convicted before, and was also known to the police as _a thief.—Sentenced to_ seven years' transportation. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. M ANSION-HOUS E. The Rev. Robert Lovett, minister of Meubceuf Chapel, in Paris, waited upon the Lord Mayor, for the purpose explained iu the following letter, addressed to his Lord ship by : that gentlem.an:— " April 3, 1848 T.or' l —Having obtained from the committee fur "My— ' • from France through the ~. the relief of English refugees kindness of Lord Ashley, the means .r o u f m reti l i ,a o r v i i s tig a t n h t e i British orphans under Orleans, and intending (I ) . V') to return to Paristhis week, charge f week, and to seml over the children, without loss of time, ono giest object which I had in view in proposing " 1 eallint4,cou your Lordship is accomplished , and I our Luriship's kind patron agehave only now to entreat and pr o t ection for those destitute children .when they shalt have arri ve d in London. .• There are thirteen have for many y ears - . , boYs and nine girls whom we exclusively in path. maintained by funds r y a : i:!ec_l lish residents, an d ti r c departure of i' ng visitors, from whom the means t f supporting the British Orphan Asylum, and dam r Y •ree-sch schools for poor BritiSh children, was derived, compel the ° ,, ,, 5 ” • cf those institutions to close them, and noth-te. -i-e-1:e-iNt7frtslo; them, under the peculiar circumstances of-tile times, than are all to .bring the orphans over to EnglArd. British subjects, and considering their hel ' l lleY gether with their national claims, I du trustP"'Ter to Lordship will be pleased to give them the bn,tfit'to-fly.(,))utirr official influence in obtaining fur them ' • . . win protection when 1 they arrive. " I have the honour to be, my Lord, " Your Lordship's most obedient, humble servant, 1 " ROBERT LOVETT, " Minister of Nlouboauf Chapel, Paris." Mr. Lovett, who was accompanied by Mr. Joseph Soul (the Secretary to the Orphan Working School), of Havesstock-hill, stated to his Lordship, on his subse quent interview, the urgent grounds of his application, and said he was convinced that the heads of institutions in London would feel deep interest in the caw, which he apprehended had no alternative, Mr. Soul said (as our reporter believed) he should take the liberty to suggest the necessity of applying to the various institutions in the metropolis in which the interests of children formed a prominent part of the system, to extend their benefits to the expelled orphans, until some arrangement could be made for their more permap j eptpsdvantage. He did not precisely know to Nl' l ,' , whiWixte4the director s o f th e i ns ti tut i on to which he .belCliged - might feel thems e l ves a t lib er t y to go in the " distributicn of its privileges, but h e was conv i nced that r""" -...- they would co-operate most cheerfully with the other ,-- inatitatiohs in rendering service to, the poor children. ~. .4V , - The Loeb MAYOR said the gentlemen - might 'rely u p on . , - . ~~ THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 4, 1848. punctilious system of betting did not exist in the highest circle of society than was observed by the proprietors of those public-houses where such sweeps were held. 11, was authentically informed that 30,0001. had been de posited as bets in those houses, and that the people, whether winners or losers, were always satisfied that they had been dealt fairly with. He knew that if they met with any injustice that they had their own resource, namely, to go to another house ; but such never occur red, except in one case,:where the proprietor of the house withheld the money deposited, and was soon obliged to leave his establishment in consequence of such an act. He did not think that the Government should interfere with the people in such a case, lest they might exaspe rate them; nor did be see, why the middle classes of society should not have their places and opportunities for betting as well as the aristocracy. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that he was not prepared to answer the question of the Noble Lord (Lord Ly ttelton). lie, however, mainly agreed in the observations made by the Noble Lord (Lord Eglintoun). He added, that the Government had no intention to take such steps as those required by the Noble Lord. Their Lordships then adjourned shortly before seven o'clock. ROUSE OF COMMONS, April 3. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'clock. NEW MEMBER. Captain SOMERSET took the oaths and his seat for the county of Monmouth, in the room of the late Lord Granville Somerset. BIRKENHEAD DOCKS. On the motion of Sir P. EGERTON, after a few words from Mr. CARDWELL, it was ordered that the evidence given before the Committees of this House in the sessions of 1844, 1845, and 1847, on the Birkenhead Commissioners Dock Bills and the Birkenhead Company's Dock Bill, be referred to the Committee on Group 10 of Private Bills. The reports on the Small Tenements Rating Bill and the Leicester Cemetery Bill were further con sidered and agreed to. Several petitions were presented against private Bills. The Earl of ARUNDEL and SURREY presented petitions from York in favour of the Roman Catholic ,Relief Bill. . Mr. HENRY presented a petition from Lancaster, praying that an Act might be passed to authorise a general system of secular education throughout the county of Lancaster. FROST, WILLIAMS, AND JONES. Lord C..MANNERS presented a petition, from Loughborough, praying for a free pardon for Frost, Williams, and Jones. Mr. MOODY presented a petition against the Factory Act. Lord R. GROSVENOR presented petitions from the journeymen bakers of Middlesex, praying the House to take their grievances into consideration. The Noble Lord gave notice of his intention to-mor row to move that the petition be printed with the votes. Sir CHARLES DOUGLAS reported that in the Committee GrOap No. 4 Mr. Chaplin was not in at tendance to-day, and the Committee, therefore, could not sit. _ _ On the motion of Mr. GREENE, Mr. Chaplin was ordered to attend in his place in the House to morrow. _ _ a.ord CASTLEREAGH presented a petition from thp county of Down, praying for a modification of the Poor-law in Ireland; also a petition against the national board of education. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL presented petitions from Kerry and other parts of Ireland for an alteration of the Poor-law in Ireland. _ _ Mr. HAMILTON presented petitions from differ ent parts of Ireland against the national system of education. _ _ _ Lord H. VANE presented a petition from Stockton upon-Tees, praying for the removal of the legacy duties on charitable bequests. Leave of absence was given to Sir Alexander Wood for ten days, on urgent private business, and to Mr. Roche for six weeks, on urgent business. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr. OSBORNE gave notice that, on Monday next, he would move for a Select Committee to in quire into the management of the Courts of Chancery and Exchequer in Ireland, with the view of ascer taining how far the system of managing the estates under their control was conducive to the happiness of the tenantry. SOCIAL CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE. Mr. HORSMAN said, seeing the Hon. Gentle man the Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Mr. Hindley) in his place, he wished to ask him if it was his intention to bring on the motion which stood first on the paper for to-morrow ; namely, to call the attention of the House to the state of the industrious classes of the country ? He asked the question, as he had an important motion lower down on the paper, with the bringing on of which it would much inter fere—namely, for doing away with the distinction between the episcopal and common fund. Mr. HIND LEY replied that he had been requested by several Hon. Members to defer his motion. He intended to accede to their request, and to postpone it until after Easter. He might take that opportunity of stating that his address would simply refer to the moral and social, and not to the political, condition of the people ; that was a matter which he intended to leave to future consideration : it would, therefore, have only reference to their social condi tion, in doing which he should call the attention of the House to the admirable way in which the working classes had conducted themselves during seasons of great privation and suffering, and to suggest the pro priety of the House adopting measures to alleviate their sufferings. THE PUBLIC HEALTH BILL. _ _ Lord 31ORPETH presented petitions from Brad ford, Warwick, Aylesbury, Leeds, Exeter, Hull, and other places, in favour of this Bill. Mr. CARDWELL said the amended copy of the Bill had only been placed in the hands of Hon. Members that morning, and as it was one in which the large towns felt great interest, he would suggest the propriety of the Noble Lord postponing the Com mittee which stood for to-day until those who would be affected by the Bill had had an opportunity of making themselves acquainted with the alterations that had been made in it. Lord MORI'ETII replied that it was quite right the parties interested should have an opportunity of discussing the provisions or the Bill, and with that view it was not his intention to propose that the Bill go into Committee this week ; he should, however, move that the House go into Committee on the Bill this day week. CII A RITA BLE INSTITUTIONS. Lord mourETH presented a petition from Hull, praying that charitable institutions might be ex empted from the payment of the legacy duty. DUTY ON POST-HORSES. which complainingthey . were subjected, which, o f of taxation Manchester, owing to the Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from the post masters of the great and increa s i ng com p e tition amountt e ga t of railways, had proved ruinous to a great many ill their business. They prayed for the relief the Government promised them, but had not yet fulfilled, and for the repeal of the assessed taxes upon all carriages, &c. ' used for trade pu r p oses . COURT OF EXCHEQUER (IRELAND). In answer to a question put by Mr. OSI3ORICE, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that he was afraid that he should he compelled to give the same answer as he had done on previous occasions with respect to other measures, as he was not aware what course the Government would be able to adopt with respect to the introduction of a measure fur the regulation of the Court of Exchequer in Ireland. 110 RS LIA ELECTION. Mr. MONSELL wished to know what course the Government meant to adopt with respect to the issue ° of the writ for the borough of Horst.am. • Lord J. RUSSELL said that it was his intention to move for leave to bring in a Bill for the purpose of instituting inquiries into the corrupt practices alleged to have been committed in that borough. The Noble Lord then gave notice of his intention to move to morrow for leave to introduce the Bill. OATHS OF MEMBERS. On the motion of Mr. GOULBIJRN the follow ing Members w ere appointed to const itute the Corn mittee on Oaths o f Members :—Mr. G oulhurn, Sir Robert Peel, the Att orn ey-General, Sir Frederick Thesiger, Lord Seym o ur, Sir George Clerk, Mr. Bernal, Mr. Ilenley,• Mr. Morgan John O'Connell, Mr. Cardwell, Sir William Ileathcote, the Judge Advocate, Sir Robert Harry Inglis, Mr. Thornely, and Mr. Ord. DERBY ELECTION. Mr. HUME gave notice of his intention to move, to-morrow, that the minutes of evidence given before the Derby Election Committee should be printed and laid upon the table of the House. NAVIGATION LAWS. Mr. BAILEY wished to know whether it was the intention of the Government to bring forward any measure on the subject of the navigation laws before Easter, as it was most i m portant that such m e asure , if proposed, sh ou ld b e b roug ht on at such a period as to afford ample time for receiving not only the due con sideration of-lion. Members, hut also of the country. LABOUCIIERE said that the Government ' could not bring forward any Bill upon the matter of the policy until after the 'louse had passed a resolution upon CARGOES O of r the subject. Such resolution could not pass until the Government had entered fully into the whole ques tioninl o A t t -l e h r r e ' n m p ß o e ß r n t t i G o e f ( l , l ll: r l i d a vb:nNe. wished and he did not think that they would be able to do that before Easter. the co government n A e n rr t on n A th v e ll su E b . ject, tdols schoome niNupi; measure a e t fsr t ruyherere. the allowing several ear,o es of Clittoll Nvhicli were now by this ii tinitcd States, to be brought , i e n al l o o trpiottne MARYLEBONE. Corporal William Jones, of the Ist Regiment of Life Guards; was placed at the bar before Mr. Broughton, f re•examination, on the charge of havin g b ro k en o en a box in a room in th e R egen t' s -p ar k b arrac k s , ci o 4 d stolen therefrom upwards of 221. in gold and silver, belonging to Troop Corporal Major Henry Jones, a part of whose duty it is to pay the men of his own troop. The particulars of what transpired upon the first ex amination have already appeared, and it will be remem bered that at the period of the cash being missed, the prisoner had gone down upon a day's leave of absence to Windsor, in which town he had paid several sums of money to tradespeople. The circumstances under which the robbery was committed had a strong tendency to show that the prisoner was the perpetrator thereof, and shortly after his arrival in town (his leave of absence haying expired) he was taken into custody by Inspector Haines of the detective police. ;It was yesterday shown that other robberies had been pqrpetrated at the barracks, and that suspicion had been entertained for some time past as to the prisoner being the guilty party. The prisoner stands com m itt e d u p on t wo c h arges, b ut will be brought up again on Monday next. WORSHIP-STREET. IA young man named Thomas Bailey, well known to thie police, was placed at the bar before Mr. Hammill, charged with having been concerned with two other mkn, not in custody, in assaulting and robbing Mr. Henry Haynes, a brassfounder, in Chapman-street, St. George's in the East. lit appeared from the evidence that the prosecutor was passing through Wentworth -street, Whitechapel, on his way home, at a late hour on the preceding night, when the prisoner and two other men suddenly rushed out from a dark passage, and one of them instantly struck him a stunning blow between the eyes, which caused the blood to gush from his nose, aid felled him to the ground. Before he had doe to recover himself, they all threw themselves upon him, and commenced rifling his pockets, from which they extracted all the loose silver he had about him, acid darted off in different -directions. His cries of "!Murder" arrested the attention of Police constable Powlei, who was hastening to his assistance, when ho slim the prisoner, who had been walking rapidly from Oat direction, enter a low lodging-house in the neigh bburhood, to which he immediately conducted the pro cutor; and, upon milking their way into an upper Qom, -they found the prisoner in the act of changing s dress, and having been instantly recognised by the osecutor a 3 one of the thieves, he was taken into ens dy- There were several beds in the room, occupied characters of the worst description, and in one of v s e c red h cronchrp g hicla:the prisoner declared that he had been sleeping; t, vii turning down the another man was dis tat li i l l t e es ..and the i beneath' them, with his boots and all prOsecntor expressed his belief la m e w '-` 1 • all " ) - mle of the robbers, although he was ironer, some money weal un i r upon him, correspond s with part of that takei positively to identify h . Upon searching the so a silk handkerchief - hich . the officers entertained" _ The prisoner positively 1 ( another robbery. :fT t on t a he th i e n p it r i o:s ls ecu „ to H r . , it a . n , d ,, dehied all knowledge of the no doubt was the produce / • , bbery, but it was _too eonaliiiively established to admit ' any doubt, An d -- Mr. Ilamauta. ordered him ..to be Sally ' - committed to etc. %tra tor . trial_.... - ...... - A- middle-aged man; named Samue l . Le wis , ww , isr,,,r n ed with ha v i ng cruelly maltrea te d Le d o - iildren, and. also - with cuttiegsrMd wounding eof his a married -oman,. named Williams, who. interfered for its peac e . oa. prosecutrix, : It_appeared from the evidence of Ithose, wrist was covered with bandages , that the neigh. e sequencewh o ltour h od o wia. was thrownhe violent iat ‘Coanladruinctamf excitementth ,6 5 seen to dash his child's. head roitclocatthedl).s•targeeati.nstTthhee her 1 i l w p i o t n h the his loor, and, finally, to fling it out. into ii w r i u tu t aeisistyr when e o n t ht(h.res prisoner, risoTiremonstrateder, after assailing withlli c il es ci tt h o3 e, caught up a knife, and madea v . i hi o nivf e le. a r t etd s d ta t b o at her through the window pane, which he pieces, and . before she had" time to escape, frightful gash in her wrist, Wh - .cli had since depriv 'c ed e h a of the use of the arm. The witness was conveyed to the er surgery of Mr. Wildbore, by: whom her wounds were d resse d, and the policeman who captured the prisoner, upon searching his place, discovered a knife, which he produced in court, much blood stained. • The prisoner generally denied the charge, declaring th© prosecutrix had caused the injury by dashing her hand through the window. But this was positively contradicted by a witness named Smith, and the prisoner's own wife havingclaimed __the a. ,lroteetion of the Magistrate for herself and children a se : i,n t net t iiittn h i,a r unb hi fiu s i b .rt a e n h ;s hda v d i t o ha l a e gt nce, which she represented as o, continual r r. occurrence. completion oford're the • d him to ai b int e evidence. wouldar n o I n opportunitytded most probably ofexc b r e . for the formal ELECTION COMMITTEES. 11 01)MIN. (Continued f rom our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) After the examinati on of two other witnesses, the Committee o'clock to-morr adjourned at t h e usual hour, till eleven The height of the throne for the Archbishop of Canterbury is nearly forty feet, and the cost of its erec tion about 1,200/. Who ;pays for this splendid gim crack? If it is erected at the expense of the Chapter, it is manife,t they have more money at their disptsa• than they"know how to make a ( - rood use of.—Sheffieid,, Independent. CHARTIST MEETING ON CLER- KEN WELL GREEN. A numerous meeting of Chartists was held yesterday afternoon onClerkenwell green, for the purpose ofelecting three delegates to represent the metropolis in the Chartist Convention, which is about to hold its sittings at the Literary Institution, John-street, Tottenham court-road. Before the hour appointed for com mencing the business of the meeting an indivi dual named Salmon took upon himself the task of explaining the six points of the Charter, and detailing the regulations that would be adopted next Monday in conveying the monster petition to the House. He then moved a resolution, pledging those who were present to join in the procession that would accompany the petition, armed each with trun cheons or thick sticks, to preserve order, and prevent unnecessary interference on the part of the police. At the close of the preliminary proceedings a waggon was drawn up in the centre of the green, and a Mr. Dixon was voted to preside. The esentmAN, having briefly exhorted the meeting to observe order in its proceedings and support the chair, proceeded to introduce a number of well-known Char tists, who proposed that Messrs. Cuffay, Tapp, and Child should be elected to represent them in the delegation. The CHAIRMAN asked if anybody wished to propose any one else ? Mr. SALMON, the party who had before enlightened the meeting on the merits of the Charter, said he would propose that Mr. Bronterre O'Brien be elected a delegate. The motion having been duly seconded, A Mr. JENNINGS proposed that Dr. M'Docram. be elected a delegate. Mr. CLARKE said the Doctor had already declined to sit on the delegation. The names were then put to the vote, when The CHAIRMAN declared the show of hands to be in favour of Messrs. O'Brien, Cuffay, and Child. The meeting was then addressed by Mr. ERNEST Jorras and several other fiery Chartists, after which the assembled multitude quietly dispersed. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, April 3. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at Five o'clock. PETITIONS. Lord STANLEY presented several petitions from members of Odd Fellows' Societies, praying that their societies might fie legalised. The Earl of FALMOUTH presented several peti tions against the imposition of legacy duties on charitable bequests. Lord Campbell, Lord Redesdale, the Earl of llardwicke, and Lord Beaumont, presented several petitions praying for the legalisation of Odd Fellows' Societies. ODD FELLOWS. Lord' BEAUMONT gave notice that to-morrow he should bring in a Bill to legalise Odd Fellows' Societies. • INCREASE IN THE EXPENDITURE. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH, in allusion to the subject on which he had addressed the Ilause on a former evening, complained again of the increase which had taken place in various departments. The Earl of AUCKLAND again explained the cause of the increase in the Admiralty department. The Earl of .ELLENBOROUGH complained of the appointment alluded to by the Noble Marquis the other evening of an old woman, as letter-carrier in some remote village, for unless she carried 2,401 letters additional per "annum, her, appOititmetNt was a loss to the public. ` After a few words from Earls Gain' and ELLEN- BOROUGS, - The MarqUis of LANSDOWNE defended the appointment of " the old woman," as conducing to the accommodation of the public, more particularly of the poorer classes. The subject then dropped. AUSTRIA AND SARDINIA. The Earl of ABERDEEN begged to remind their Lordships that a copy of a declaration made to the Austrian Government by her Majesty's Government had been laid on the table of the House, in which it was stated that her - Majesty's Go vernment would not look upon any aggres sion in the territory of Sardinia with indiffer ence. He knew not if a declaration had been made to Sardinia of a similar nature, but it ought to have been made. The King of Sar dinia had been the first power who had violated the public law of Europe, invading the country •f an ally without provocation; and he thought that this ought not to be passed unnoticed by those who wished to preserve the public peace _of Europe. It should be remembered that Lombardy had been under the Government of 'Austria for three cen- turies, and therefore Austria could hardly be con sidered as a usurping power ; and he wished to ask if her Majesty's Government had expressed to the Sar dinian Government that any aggression of this de scription could not be ♦iewed by Great Britain with indifference ? The Marquis of LANSDOWNE would not follow the Noble Earl in his general observations, but in an swer to his question he would state that the advice given to the King of Sardinia had been thought to ob serve a perfect neutrality. He would also state that the King of Sardinia had not interfered uptil it had been almost certain that the Austrians could not maintain themselves in Lombardy, and it was not for him to say whether, if the Austrians could not maintain themselves- there, it would be advantageous to Europe for tits King of Sardinia to continue in his interference. Lord STANLEY said he thought it desirable that that House should have been afforded an opportunity of expressing its disapprobation of conduct which, it gene rally imitated, would lead to the most fatal consequences, by establishing a system of interference in the internal affairs of other countries, under the pretext of assisting them to reform their institutions, and thus recognising a propagandism which could only result in a general and sanguinary war. He hoped that the House recollected that he had called their attention to a late Act passed in Canada,:relative to emigrants under the Passengers Act, and particularly as it affected Ireland so much; for every adult has been obliged to pay hitherto the sum of ss. to the Canadas, and 7s. to New York. He thought it most unjust that such a charge should be made on all, without any distinction of age; but when he looked upon that as un j ust , h e wou ld as k their Lordships how much more unjust was it now, when 20s. was to be paid per head after the 10th of September, 30s. after the 30th of September, and 40s. beyond that time, and that the master of the ship is obliged to give a bond of 201. that he will not take any person who has not relations in the country, capable of giving him support i w f iiiefi n r e ue c ex right . s t a e r y m i llgenrp T ilsrrni h t:t o tptese u hie g ereatos h disneungag h tlthh e sptoathrth c feoco o rtmhos n eemes s ee i de d cltiml e h.lael r iegn e sgas d r,dfaraain t aonn h tnmdsy a: tytwdh t oe h iaeost e rteehgate c rhste o eoesas l oh o tot n hu ie al nd s t ex orbitanth say av e t that he ihnne spre adtcho sys tem of emigration, so long beneficial to the Canadas, will be thus put an end to. H e t h ought it highly un just that the colonies should inflict such a heavy taxa tion on their fellow-subjects. He wished to know whether her Majesty's Ministers intended to assent to such penalties being imposed on British subjects who might emigrate? Earl GREY said, that at the time of the lest discus. sion relative to the Passengers Act, he did not think that any such barrier would be raised against emigrants from this empire, and therefore did not allude to the Oanadas. Lord STANLEY said, that in the case of emigrants who were deaf or blind, or affected with any disease that might incapacitate them from working or supporting themselves, the Custom-house officers were, by the Act to which he alluded, obliged to investigate whether they had relatives capable of supporting them, else the master of the ship was liable to a penalty of 51. for having taken them out. He thought this a hardship, because the master of the ship could not know the peculiar affections of each passenger, nor whether they had relatives able to support them. Earl GREY said that he knew nothing more respect ing Canada than that he had received a dispatch from Lord Ebrington that this Act, to which the Noble Lord (Lord Stanley) alluded, had passed the House of As sembly, and that it was likely it would pass the Legisla tive Council. He, for his part, thought that it was a very unjust and injudicious Act, especially as far as it related in the firth section to the masters of ships. He was well aware that the sum of 70,0001. had been contributed by this country, through the income-tax, for defraying the expenses incurred by the Canadians for the relief Of emigrants. He admitted that there were many sufferers in the persons of the clergy, the officers of customs, and the mayors of different towns; and that, the - ref , re, it was natural they should protect themselves against a recurrence of such diseases; yet he did not agree that under such circumstances, so heavy a tax should be imposed on emigrvnts. He certainly consi dteetienrdietyill;etthts:htiostuhAledeust,iu:vsietrsbncr.meypoeinn;tl what it should be, but was satisfied that it would not continue more than ono those objectionable clans e , rrae t bg h tr a ,,, t tsth i e t adr w eto o o u fs l we d eea b tihe, aht of thetow theuld recommendN obl Lard t o (Lordalter f the Canadas, because emigrantsblicearer F leaving benefit tthis British Legislature would be jle e co s u t n a t t r: s .. , adopting Much more restrictive measures tha'antanaisiy"o•efrtehs not even excepting New Yolk, and he therefore hoped yet received as u r ed that the Canadas would m i a s k s e ,) t i h m e uerfo o e s in. s t a a r ts y haht h e w alterations. ould allusion to it at present. but . lie should also told, that the informnactei , e o l t a t m i v a e k t e o a t o h ) i . s • the House that as soon as tho dispatch arrived that lie l would lay on the table every particular respecting it, for n the consideration of the House, ot eethc;ffinrii efficient tdwei tiehdatlhtt altering that ag i Lord MONTEAG LE said, though he strongly dP pr ested such an act, yet tie felt confid ent t h at her M:: jesty's Government would do all in their power to con• travene its evil effect, and should they prove inefficient, he was pleased to be assured by the Noble Earl (Earl Grey) that it would not op e S rate WEEPS. more than for one y ear . Y I Lord LYTTELTON asked the Government whether they intended to take any steps to prevent lotteries, palled " Racing Sweeps," being held in public-houses? no considered them contrary to the law, and he was ;supported in that impression by the opinions entertained by some eminent lawyers. He wished to know whether the Government intended to introduce any measure for the suppression of those " Racing Sweeps." Lord EtiLINTOUN said that a more honourable and Mr. LABOUCHERE said, that he apprehended nothing could be clearer than that it was impossible, under the present navigation-laws, to import cargoes of cotton from Havre in any ship whatever. The object of the navigation-laws, to afford to British ships the benefit of "the long voyages," would be entirely defeated if cotton were to he al lowed to be imported from Havre. He did not think that the Government would be justified in setting aide the navigation-laws in order to allow cargoes of cotton to be imported into this country from Havre. EMIGRANTS TO CANADA. In answer to a question put by Mr. MONSELL, Mr. HAWES said that, since he had answered the questions recently put to him on this subject, accounts had been received from Canada of the passing of an Act imposing , higher taxes upon all emi grants arriving in that cou , ltry ; it imposed he believed a tax of 10s. per head upon all emigrants, whether able-bodied or not ; there were also other severe provisions in the Bill. Up to the present time, however, the Act had not been received in this country, and until it had been formally communicated to this Government he could not state what course would be adopted by the Government with respect to it. In the present state of the province with reference to emigration he could not hold out any hope that it would be possible to disallow the Act. An expense of nearly 100,0001. had been imposed by this country on Canada for emigration. ACCIDENT AT LEEDS. Dr. BOWRING wished to know from the Secre tary of State for the Home Department whether he had received any official information of a dreadful accident, accompanied with loss of life, at a colliery near Leeds, and if he had, whether he intended to allow a commissioner to go down to inquire into the subject. Sir G. GREY had not received any official infor matioti subject; when he did he would take care that proper inquiry should be instituted on the subject. SURVEY OF THE METROPOLIS. Lora LINCOLN wished to know from the Chan cellor of the Exchequer whether the suspension of the survey of the metropolis had taken place, as was rumoured ; and if it had, whether it was in conse quence of any alteration in the plans of the Govern ment ? He also wished to know whether the ex pense was to be paid out of the public funds? The CHAN CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that he entertained the opinion he had already ex• pressed that not more than 1,0001. of the expense• ought to be paid out of the public fund, and he could not sanction a greater expense. THE BISHOP OF EXETER. Mr. CHILDERS wished to put a question to the Attorney-General relative to certain proceedings of the Bishop of Exeter. The Lord Chancellor had appointed a clergyinan of the name of God dard to a living in the diocese of Exeter; and the Bishop of that diocese, after having that gentleman under examination for eleven hours, had refused to induct him to the living on the ground of his want of, orthodoxy. He was, therefore, desirous of knowing whether the Government intended to take any steps on the subject in order to set aside the acts of the Bishop of Exeter. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that the subject was under the consideration of the Govern ment, in order that the best course might be adopted. SEWERS. LOrd MORPETH, in answer to a question from Sir B. Hall, said it was intended by the Commis sioners of Sewers, that the expense of making out the plans of the sewers of the metropolis should be paid out of the sewer rates collected in the metropolis. TAXATION. Mr. EWART said several Hon. Members, like himself, had notices of motion on the books relative to the taxation of the country, and it would per haps save the time of the House, by these motions being rendered unnecessary, if the Noble Lord at the head of the Government would state whether it was his intention to take into his consideration the general subject of taxation in the country.—CHear.) Lord J. RUSSELL said he had stated on a former occasion that Government were prepared to go into the subject, but it was impossible for him to say when they would be in a position to bring it under the con sideration of the House. GALWAY GAOLS. Mr. P. SCROPE;vished to know from the Right Hon. the Secretary of • State for the Home Depart ment whether it was true that the county gaol of Galway contained 755 prisoners, when it was only built to accommodate 154. Of the former number no less than 108 had died since their confinement within the last three months, while eleven others died within twenty-four hours after their imprisonment. Fever and dyssentery were rife in the prison, and it was stated that the ordinary bridewells of the town were in a no better con dition.—(Hear, hear.) Sir G. GREY said, if the Hon. Gentleman had given him notice of the question, he would have been prepared to answer it, but he could state at once that the gaols of Galway were in an overcrowded state, and measures were being taken by the Irish Govern ment to get rid of the evils which had resulted from this state of things.—(Hear, hear.) STATE OF IRELAND. _ _ On the motion being put for reading the order of the day for going into Committee on the Jewish Dis abilities Bill, Lord JOCELYN rose and said, in putting the qustion of which he had given notice relative to the state of Ireland, he felt it was impassible for him to do so without violating the rules and regulations of the House by prefacing it with a few words of expla nation. In order however that he might be in a situation to crave the indulgence of the House in that respect, he had given notice that he would put the question on taking the order of the day, and he therefore hoped the House would have no difficulty in conceding to him the indulgence which he asked.—(Hear, hear.) He thought it right to state to the House that, lo'oking to the present state of things in Ireland, he felt it to be his duty, not only as a matter of justice to the Government, but to enable the Noble Lord to consider the subject before he was called upon to answer his inquiry, to state to the Noble Lord at the head of the Government the purport of the ques tion which he wished to put to him. Indeed it was impossible that he could have done otherwise than put the Noble Lord in possession of that information, for he felt that this was not the time when men could wish to embarrass Government, or check the present administration of the affairs of Ireland, and he had to thank the Noble Lord for the permission he had given him to put the question. He could assure the House that the answer to the question he was about to put was looked for with great interest by all her Majesty's loyal subjects in Ireland. He believed that the attention of the public, and every Member of that House, must have been directed, within the last few weeks, to the mischievous and traitorous con- duet of certain people in Ireland. He believed there was not a single Member in that House who had not seen with indignation and disgust the language that certain mischievous and traitorous men had ad dressed to the people of Ireland avowedly for the purpose of overturning the institutions of the country a;d levying war upon the Crown, by inciting the p ople to overt acts of rebellion.—(dear.) With a;milar feelings had the public of this country seen tsat men had been found in Ireland so devoid of their own and all national honour as to be at this moment asking from a:foreign country for the loan of arms to carry out their nefariousand traitorous objects, and he as anirish man, but the representative of an English constituency, fClt it to be his duty, though he did it in sor row, to call the attention of the English representatives in that House to the effect which this mischievous language and traitorous conduct would have upon certain dissatisfied individuals in the country. But the majority of the subjects of the country, he was lipppy to say, were loyal and patriotic, but still this language of these mischievous persons in Ireland must be checked, or it would sap the loyal feelings of even the people of this nation.—(Hear, hear.) The Lord-Lieutenant had been enabled by his policy to rally round him persons of all ranks and of all persuasions, but he had been unable to put down this rebellious language of these mischievous Men. Feeling as he did, with thousands of his e i ountrymen, that such conduct must lead to blood shed, though they did not fear the result so far as the safety - of the institutions of the country were concerned, •yet they deplored the consequences which must ensue if they remained unchecked. They had in their memories the recollection of the Wood that had been shed in civil contests in Ireland, and wishing to see civil war driven from her shores, apd in their name he asked the Noble Lord Whether he thought there was sufficient power still vested in the Executive to crush this rebellious spirit at its birth, or whether he did not think the time had come that some alteration should be made in the law which allowed the instigator of rebellion tp escape, whilst his unforti•nate victim is doomed to condign punishment, and, further, whether he thought the time had not c3ine when the Executive should be *lowed with power to act with more vigour and eFect whenever any emergency might occur. Lord J. RUSSELL then rose, and proceeded to ad cl.ress the House amid pro f ound silence. He sa i d —Si r, I se with consid era bl e anx i ety to answer the quest i on the Noble L or d. I t i s quite true t h at l anguage o the nature th a t h e h as d escr ib e d has been sed in Irel an d--l anguage exc iti ng to rebel s n against the Crown—language exciting the eople to a c t s o f v i o l ence aga i ns t p erso n s and pro -Tv, and with th e v i ew t o es tabli-h Ireland as •a 'pirate nation, i n d e p en d e nt of the Crown of these ations. S uc h l anguage ma y a t s o m e p e ri o d s b e assed Over a s th e mere r a vings of a distemp ere d ncy, which may h ave no d ang erous eff ec t. Un rtunately it is not so at the present moment. (Hear, hear.) I have to look at the effect pro duced—partly to the excitable nature of those to whom such language is addressed—partly to the very great distress which has been felt by all classes now during three years—distress which natu rally induces them to listen to any desperate remedy, and thirdly, to the great excitement occa sioned by the events which have recently taken place in France and in other parts of the continent. .13ut, to whatever cause that language is to be attributed, it certainly has been followed by the manufacture of pikes, by the formation of - rifle clubs, and other preparations, which are openly avowed by a portion of the press of that country, with a view to create civil war. Now, Sir, I cannot but agree with the Noble Lord, that, viewing these pro ceedings as the causes and instigations of civil war, it is not so much her Majesty's Government—it is not so much the institutions of the country that are in danger as the peace of Ireland, as well as the well being of all classes, especially those classes engaged in the occupations of trade and commerce. My belief certainly is, that those who have used the language to which I have adverted have done so for the purpose of raising themselves, careless of the bloodshed and ruin they may occasion. —(Hear, hear.) Sir, it is, however, a most difficult and most delicate matter for the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland to consider what steps ought to be taken. The Noble Lord has, I think, paid a just tribute to my Noble Friend now at the head of the Government of Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) And I hope I need not assure the House that, while he is anxious to put down disaffection and rebellion, it is his earnest wish to listen to and promote, as far as he can, remedy and amelioration for any distress or evils which afflict that country. With respect to the means now at the disposal of the Government of Ireland for the purpose of meeting the conspiracy to which I have alluded, he has been in constant communication with my Right Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department and with myself. He has informed us that, while on the one side there were evident preparations for rebellion ; that on the other he has received the most gratifying assuarances of loyalty and support from the members of all classes—from the members of all creeds—from landlords as well as merchants—from Pro testants as well as Roman Catholics, and from all parts of the country. (Hear, hear.) Sir, the Noble Lord must excuse me, if at the Fe sent moment I decline stating what further measures are in contemplation by the Lord-Lieutenant and her Majesty's Government. f trust, therefore, that he will be satisfied with the asssurance that we have, both in Ireland and in this country, most carefully looked into the law affecting the case —that we have entered into most constant daily com munication with the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and should he be of opinion that further powers are necessary, which have not yet been obtained, the Go vernment will be prepared to accede to them. I should then feel it my duty—being convinced that such measures as we might wish would be no more than necessary for the occasion—l should then feel it my duty to come down to the House and ask the House to entrust the Government of the country with such further powers.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Lord Clarendon has to consider in any proposal that he may make, and in any wish that he may express, that if it should appear, or even bear a semblance, that he was favouring any one class of religionists, or of one particular class of the country above another, that he would thereby lose a great deal of the support which he has hitherto obtained in the country—(Hear, hear) — because, Sir, as I have. already stated, the landlords and members of the Protestant profession, clergy men of the Protestant profession, priests and members of the Catholic persuasion, have all joined in giving him their best support ; but the Noble Lord may rest assured that it is the full determination of her Majesty's Government, having the utmost confidence in Lord Clarendon's adminis tration to do all in their power to support the loyal people of Ireland, to main tain the peace of that country, and that we shall not shrink from asking for further powers upon the subject. NAVIGATION LAWS. Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE said that it was with ex treme regret that he had heard the Right Hon. the President of the Board of Trade make the statement he had with respect to the navigation-laws. This measure had been announced with others in the Speech from the Throne ; all, with the exception of the navigation laws, had been brought under the consideration of the House, and of that they had heard nothing until within the last few days. It was now announced that the Act for the amend ment of those laws would not be introduced until after Easter ; the non-introduction of this measure until after Easter meant that the question would not be disposed of during the present session. He did not think that the country would be satisfied with that proceeding upon the part of her Majesty's Government. Any measure introduced early in May could not possibly be passed during the present session, and he thought that the Bill now before the House might even be made to give way to ti e more important subject of the navigation-laws. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he did not think that the complaint of the Right Honourable Gentlemm were well founded, considerin; what were the means which the Government hap at their disposal for the consideration of public business. He (Lord John Russell) certainly could not have allowed the Income-tax Act or the Mutiny Act to expire, in order to bring the subject of the navigation-laws forward. There might also be other urgent measures required with respect to the state of Ireland, and he did not wish to be precluded by the navigation-laws from considering that subject. The Government had but a few days at their disposal and the press of public business was very great. Sir R. INGLIS said that if the Government required more days in the week, the House ought to grant them that indulgence immediately after the Easter recess. Mr. HUME said that he thought it most im portant that the question of the navigation laws should be speedily settled.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. RICARDO deprecated the delay that had taken place in bringing forward the measure. Mr. WAWN did not think it fair to press the Measure at the present moment, considering that there Was a Committee then sitting on the shipping interest. : Mr. ROBINSON was of the same opinion. He thought the Government had exercised a wise dis• cretion in not touching the navigation-laws at present. Mr. LABOUCHERE felt convinced they would do no good by bringing on the measure before Easter ; but he trusted that shortly after the reeess the Govern ment would be enabled to bring in a measure on the subject of the navigation-laws which would meet • with the approbation of the House, and be productive of great good. Mr. HUDSON trusted, whenever the Bill was brought in, it would not be allowed to pass into a law in the course of the present session. i Mr. BRIGHT asked if it had not been the custom in time of war, &c., to grant licenses to introduce cargoes which, under the navigation-laws, could not be intro duced at other times? He asked this question specially with reference to the cargoes of cotton at Havre. Gen tlemen opposite, he was sure, would not oppose the issuing of such licenses, as they would afford employ nient for British shipping. Mr. LABOUCHERE knew very well that there was cotton in Havre which was not wanted there, and which could not be brought here under the present law. But, ibasmuch as that law existed, he held that it would be quite impossible, and far from just, to evade its pro visions by the issue of licenses. Mr. CAI DWELL said the state of affairs was this : we were in want of cotton; there was at Havre a con siderable surplus supply. Now all that was asked was, that our merchants might import that cotton to England in British ships. British workmen would be employed ib its manufacture when brought her^. Those were the facts. They also had before them the Queen's speech, in which a revision of the navigation-laws was advised; but when her Majesty's Ministers were asked whether they intended to follow up that recommendation, the tone of their answer was such as to afford great reason for doubt. And yet, in the face of these facts, the Go vernment refused to permit our import of cotton, which was clearly shown to be so likely to prove beneficial to the country. Mr. BRIGHT said the cotton he referred to had never been unshipped at Havre, in consequence of there being no one there wilting at present to receive it. Lord 11. VANE hoped the Government would intro duce a very short Bill suspending the navigation-laws, so as to permit the importation of that cotton. Mr. P. SCROPE said such a measure as the Noble Lord advised might be properly compared with the mea sure of last year suspending the navigation-laws in re spect of the admission of corn. There was a dearth of cotton now, as there was a dearth of corn then. Mr. IL BAILL/E said a great deal of virtuous-indig nation appeared to . be expressed about nothing, for if we were to pass such a law as that recommended by the two last speakers, we might depend on it that the Provisional Government of France would prohibit tha exportation of the cotton referred to, in order to prevent their own artisans from being thrown out of employment by a want of the raw material. Alderman THOMPSON thought such a Bill as that referred to would be a very bad and unsafe precedent. He thought her Majesty's Government ought at once to take some decisive step respecting the navigation- laws. Either they should give up their intended proposal alto gether, or else introduce a Bill at once. ' Mr. KERSIIAW pressed on the earnest considera ation of the Government the desirability of doing some thing for British cotton-spinners. Mr. EWART thaug,ht the Government ought to Attie the question one way or another. Te leave our colonial interests in a state of doubt was exceedingly wijuSt.' Mr. T. BARING said if the necessity of rep.alin g or r'claxing the navigation-laws was to be tested by prices, lin could only remark that the price ()I' cotton was at present very low in England. lie felt that to admit tin I4avre cotton in the mode proposed would only be to get it side wind.—(Ll ear ) rid of the navigation-laws by Lsisl J. RUSSELL—I only just get up ts: ray tha b iOre the House adjourns for the Easter holidays I will either fix a day for istrolocing a mea sure on the subject of tile navigation laws, or I or my Right llon. Friend will make some clecalsd statement on the subjstct. The (location that the orders of the day be read was then agreed to. JEWISH DISABILITIES BILL. On the motion that the Speaker do leave the chair, in order to go into Committee on this Bill, Mr. GORING rose to move, by way of amendment, that " so long, at least, as the House of Commons exer cises the authority which it at present exercises over the Established Church, no Jew ought to possess the fran• chise, much less be allowed to sit in this House." The Hon. Member said that at present they were in the posi tion of a man who set fire to his neighbour's house whilst praying that it would not burn. Christianity was so interwoven with our institutions, that it was utterly repugnant to place any but a Christian in a position of authority in this country. Suppose there was a Com mittee of that House on the subject of the Church,woult they exclude a Jewish Member from serving on it? It seemed to him that a Jew in that House would be much in the position of a Christian in India required to bow the knee before a graven image. It was not fair or right that the Church, if governed by that House, should have among its governors men who were not Christians. But there were other grounds on which he opposed the admission of Jews. The men whom it was proposed to admit to place and power were the jobbers and gamblers of the Stock Exchange—men who reaped their richest harvests in times of political disquietude and panic. Was it for the interests of England to introduce such men as these to the councils of the nation?—(" Oh.") One of the apostles of Christianity inculcated that they "should not receive into their house" a man who did not believe in the words of Christ, and yet they were about to admit the 'eviler of that Christ into their national Legislature. —(" Oh, oh.") If they did so, he feared they would in consequence draw donn upon themselves the wrath and vengeance of the Deity.---(Renewed cries of " Oh.") He concluded by moving his resolution. 6t The amendment having been put, Lord JOHN RUSSELL said the Honourable Member seemed to think that this was a debate upon the prin ciple of the measure. As that debate had taken place upon the second reading, he trusted the House would not now re-open it.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. C. BRUCE, despite the Noble Lord's appeal, must venture to say a few words. On two former occasions he had expressed his opinion against this Bill, and he had heard nothing to induce him to change his views. The grounds of his opposition might, indeed, be summed up in one sentence, that the Bill tended to unchristianise the country. He could conceive that, for the pos sible attainment of some great and practical good, conscientious men might be inclined to support on some eccasions measures of which they could not fully ap prove. But so far as the attainment of any practical good was concerned he could conceive no measure more absolutely useless than the present. It removed no prac tical grievance. All he could find in it, in fact, was a practical renouncement of the highest allegiance of the nation. Politically, he did not think the Jews would do any harm by being admitted to that House, except in so far as they would doubtless desire to separate the Church from the State. He should have thought that the history of the Jewish race for centuries and centuries past would, from the blighting influence which the wrath of heaven had cast upon that race, have afforded a warning against the admission of any inch principle as that now sought to be introduced. The Scriptures abounded with ex hortations to nations, and to the governors of nations, to cleave unto the Son of God, and to reject all association with every race whose tenets rejected the Saviour. He should have thought that the experience of only the last two years might have afforded a proof to the British nation of the immediate punishment attending national sin. But two years since the whole nation had given itself up to the worship of mammon, to the idolatry of covetousness, and he would ask whether the punish ment of this national sin had not already been felt throughout the land?—(" Oh, oh.") For the sake of a halfpenny or a farthing saved in the pound of sugar the people of this country had consented to the ♦iolation of national faith, to the destruction of the West India in terest; the punishment had long since manifested itself. —(" Oh, oh.") He had all due respect for the Jewish people in their personal characteristics, and he would give them all due protection and due justice in their personal character, but he would not consent to . go beyond this point or to act counter to the will of God. He could not support the immediate amend ment of his Honourable Friend, because he did not think it just to deprive the Jews of the elective fran chise which they now enjoyed; but to the Bill itself he should give his decided opposition at every stage. Mr. GARDNER said that, to suit the views of some Hon. Gentlemen opposite, it would really seem desirable to appoint a Committee up stairs of controverted doc trines as well as a Committee of controverted elections. He cordially supported the Bill as a measure absolutely essential for the due accomplishment of civil and politi cal liberty. He denounced the Church of England as having, for a mess of pottage, surrendered her birthright to the State. The damage that at the present moment threatened the Church, as the Church, was not the ex tension of religious liberty to other creeds, but the rottenness which existed in her own bosom. For the sake of the Church herself, he earnestly called upon her to withdraw the pretensions she had so long put forward and so far carried into effect, of maintain ing the Imperial Parliament, not as a Protestant Parlia ment, not as a Christian Parliament, but as a Church of England Parliament. The vindication of our common Christianity was not a pcculium of the high Church party, or of the Church of England; it was a matter in which the Methodists, the Baptists, the Unitarians, Roman Catholics dissenters and Protestant dissenters, e ere ( qually interested, and as heartily. Where, then, were the petitions which these bodies had found it ne cessary to send forth against this measure? There were none such, or scarcely any; and the reason was, that these bodies had not the loaves and fishes to struggle for—the real rationale of the enthusiasm of the Church upon this and similar subjects. He himself was wholly opposed to all church establishments whatever; he re garded the connexion between Church and State as wholly incompatible with the spirit of the age, and was thoroughly convinced that sooner or later it must be abandoned. The lamp of old Nonconformity was not yet hurried out. Mr. SIMEON should oppose the introduction of Jews to Parliament, but he a mld not consent to withdraw from them the privileges a hich the wisdom of former Par liaments had thought fit to accord to them as British subjects. The hostility which the Hon. Member who spoke last manifested to the Church of England was an additional argument against the admission to the House of a fresh race of Dissenters. Mr. URQUHART supported the Bill. Ho could not understand the exclusion of the Jews from an assem bly to which Dissenters of every possible description were admitted. Sir W. VERNER could not assent to the argument of the last speaker, which went to prove that, because Roman Catholics had been admitted to Parliament, the Jews ought not to be excluded from it. The qualifica tion required for a Member of Parliament was, that he must be a Christian. The law had formerly excluded some classes of persons, notwithstanding they were Christians ; it had, however, been relaxed in their case. He was of opinion that no further relaxation ought to take place, more particularly in the case of the Jews. The proposition to admit Jews into the House was guarded by the declaration that they were to take the oaths on the same footing that the Roman Catholics did —namely, that they were to stand engaged to do nothing to injure the established religion of the country. Now, could it ba pretended that, ever since the Roman Catho lics had been admitted into Parliament, they had not done all in their power to injure the Church of England —and would the Jews observe their engagements any better than the Roman Catholics had done? He felt it to be his duty strenuously to oppose the Bill. Lord D. STUART vaid that the question before the House was whether they were to pursue those principles of toleration which were advocated by so large a propor tion of the people, and the universal acknowledgment of which had been so advantageous to the best interests of mankind. To those who snapped their fingers at the expression of popular feeling which had been manifested in favour of the emancipation of the Jews, he woul only say, let them remember their own appeal to the same authority, which they had made on the same subject before Christmas. They then pointed to the disparity of numbers in favour of and against the ad mission of the Jews to Parliament, and, certainly, he (Lord D. Stuart) admitted that the number of persons who petitioned _Parliament before Christmas against the admission of the Jews to Parliament was as 13700 com pared with 6,600 in favour of their admission, or, as nearly as possible two to one against the present Bill. But itliat had been the result of the appeal that had since that period been made to the people on the present question ? There were 56,000 persons signing petitions v than o u r o 3 r O t o h , e OOO had s a , e e r , s i e p t e o t t t i h o e n s J c s , i w n s c , e whiles chri s t m n o a s f i e n w a fa r eman cipation of the Jews, and the counter. petitions had been got up at hole-and-corner meetings, whereas the friends of he Jews agitated openly in f avour o f t h e i r views. li had a the important towns in the kingdom had shown decided feelings in favour of the measure. Lon don, Dublin, Manchester, Bristol—all the great consti tuencies of the empire—had publicly avowed their opinions to be for the emancipation of the Jews, and only two places had petitioned against the measure, namely, Jedburgh and Sudbury. One of the argu ments against the Bill urged by the Hon. Member for Oxford (Sir li. Inglis) was, that though the Jews were few in number, they might by their wealth influence many constituencies to return them to Parlia ment. That was a strange argument to hear from the LI m. Baronet, who he recollected had always in the un reformed Parliament advocated the rights of wealth to influence constituencies in returning Members to that House to protect property. He denied that there was any feeling throughout the country against complete toceration; on the contrary, he believed that the great and growing feeling was in a directly contrary direction. He should give his most earnest and hearty support to the measure before the House. Mr, HORN BY, in opposing the measure, denied that the recent election for the City of London was to be taken as a conclusive test of public opinion on the subject. H believed that never on any occasion of a similar kind lied greater bribery or intimidation been practised. —(hear, hear.) He should not be at all surprised if at the next electien four Jews were returned for the City of London. He would oppose this or any other measure teticleil to increase the number of the enemies of E eallished Church in that House. Sir R. in reviewing the epinione of the epeelsers who had preceded him in debate, complained strongly of the hostility which the Hon. Member for Leicester lc di , played towards the Established Mire!). The sentiment's which that Iron. Member keel %pressed gave the House a very fair sample of what they might expect from him when he got his new allies into Parliament. For his (Sir part