The Sun. — London, England, 1841-02-23 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION lions which had fallen from him (Lord Morpeth) when opposing a motion made in 1839 for assimilating the fran chise in the two countries. Now it was true that he had opposed that proposition, but he did not think he was acting inconsistently in now bringing fur ward the proposition contained in the Bill under discussion.—( Cries cf " Oh, oh," and laughter.) At all events, he had not attempted to deceive tho House, as was evident from the language then used by the Hon. and Learned Member for Bandon (Mr. Sergeant Jackson). That Hon. and Learned Member said that he ( Lord Mor peth) admitted that although ho then opposed the mation the time would soon come when it would be necessary to entertain it. He had not held out expectations to the House which he was not prepared to realize.—( Cheers. ) The Noble Lord said they were calling upon the House to legislate upon a momentous question without information hear)—upon a question of the utmost import ance' the information re3peeting which he had been able to lay upon the table of the House only a few days ago, and some only so late as that day.—(Cheers.) He could only assure the House that he was anxious to communicate to it all the information in his possession.— (Cliceriag from the Opposition benches)—and: whether be thought all the specific statements bore against him or n it , at least, he had used no conci almcnt in bringing t rein before the House.-( Che. ) But, to return to the information not being full, satisfactory, and compre hensive, he would remind the Hon. Member ft r Mona ghee, who appeared to be ratio r difficult to pl -use, that be bad merely read an extract from his speech, without ell ring any comment en it ; that his ohaervatienx fully bore out his ( Lord Morpeth's) a , guinctits. The Hon. Member approve] of the prin_ ciple of providing the elective franchise on some to apish iadepen catty of th oath . of the (lector, and it did not ap pear to him that the ohaetvations quole I from the spce:ii f the Hon. Membe: fir Mallow at all bore against his propositi m. The lion. Members for Mallow and Mo naghan n ieht have other views as to the amount at which the qualifisation was to be fixed, but ui,:on the principle of so fixing it, he flettered himselt he had the sanction of the re two high anthorit ea.—( Hear, hear.) Now, whene% e• the prop coition had been urged on the Go v he had al ways held, :idle distinctly notify i tig his assent to the principle, Ch it he looked to the test of qualification in some extrinsic document, and more particularly the Pootl-laws ; but be had at the same time expressed his opinion that the time was not yet ripe to adopt that test; that out I the Poor laws were better known, until the appeila had been heard, and the rates les ied, they could not legislate with fell adv, ntage upon the subject. —(Hear, hcas. ) The Noble Lord asked why they now called upon the House to ',sacra to the proposition ? But he (Lord Morpeth) would like to know at whose doer that charge lay?--(Bear, hear. end chrering.) To whom were they indebted for the necessity for the present legislation ?—( Renee ed cheers.) The delays of the Government were looked upon acme repretexts.--as putting off the evil day—and bols:ering up the present system. AN these were alleged against the Government, but, not content with even that. they must needs have a measure of their own. Of the Noble Lord it might be said " No joys to him pacific sceptre3 yield; War sounds the trump, he rushes to the field." —( Loud chee?s and laughter.) Ho sighed eves the me mory of farmer Arms Bills and Coercion Bills.---(" Oh, oh.") He had challenged them to the fight, and had rendered it any longer impossible far them to remain tacit spectators—(" Hear, hear," from Lord Stanley, and loud cheers)—of his follies and blunders iti the arena of legis lation. The Noble Lord had thrown down the gauntlet and they had not hesitated to take it up. The Noble Lord said they might have confined themselves to regis tration, and omitted all definition of the franchise ; but it was just there that he (Lord M.) found himself . most at issue with the Noble Lord—it «a 4 on that point that he found his principle faulty, and his practice pernicious. Fraud, and trick, and abuse, and perjury of every de scription, were the terms most frequently used by the opposite benches. The notion that a parliamentary seat could be obtained unfairly seemed to have sat heavy upon their minds.—(Cheera.) How did the case stand? The Government had brought forward a measure, putting out " of sight its other properties, whether good or bad, which would:entirely, and from the root, remove and cut off ever, - thing in the way of trick, and fraud, and perjury • and, in the words of the Hon. Member for Coleraine, under that Bill fraud, personation, and perjury would be no more. Now be would refer the House to the evidence of Mr. Fosbury, one of the barristers appointed to superintend the original working of the Reform Bill, a Conservative in politics, and that gentleman, before a Committee of the House of Com mons, distinctly stated that it was desirable that there should be some test of the franchise besides the cads of the party. He could refer them to other authorities on the same point, but it was unnecessary ; and he would merely observe that it was in pursuance of these opinions, and the experience of the working of the present system in Ireland, that the Government had brought forward the present mea sure. But what bad the enemies of fraud and perjury on that side of the House done ? They had brought is a Bill, vaLich, besides its enormous faults and objections, bad a system of arbitrary registration, encumbered notices, and complicated machinery. So far from going to the source of the evil—so far from shutting the door against fraud and perjury, he most 'truly and unfeignedly be lieved that its real effect would be to increase' those evils which it was so ostentatiously put :forward to check. --(Loud cheers.) And why din they say that ? because it left the main point of the contest is dispute wholly un checked and untouched. All the disputes which came on in the Registry Courts—all the questions for protracted inquiry before Committees of that House, had turned upon the subject of value ; and it was that subject which had not only divided Parliament, the Leach, and the bar, but Lad made itself felt in the remotest Registry Court, as well as before every Parliament Committee.—(Cheers.) No one could take up a newspaper without setting the lamentable disputes...-the dead lock to which there dis putes had led. Since he had had the honour to bring in the present Bill, there had been another speech from the bench in answer to an opposing one. Was that a satisfactory state of things to go on ?—(Cries of " Hear, Bear.") They left the franchise in all the doubt and uncertainty which bad been hitherto so loudly and, to some extent, so justly complained of. That franchise was to be established by the evidence of opposing parties and con flicting witnesses, subject to the different interpretations of Judges and Barristers, and fraud and perjury were too frequently the result. He would refer the House to the evidence taken before the Fictitious Votes Committee, in which it was stated that there bad Leen the greatest con tradiction and discrepancy between the testimony of the witnesses examined in support of, or against, the franchise. It was true, that the Bill of the Noble Lord imposed many rcstrictims, and threw many difficulties in the way of seeking the f anchise, whether fairly or unfairly, aid that was what he complained of. He belie% ed that the Bill of the Noble Lord would, in a great =Ay instances, effec tually drive away from the registry many an honest and bona fide claimant, as well as the unqualified and fraudu lest claimants. Nay, more, paradoxical though it might seem, there would be many instances in which th 3 Bill of the Noble Lord would have more the effect of deterring— that was of disfranchising—good and fair claimants, Scan it would have of detertieg dishonest and per jured ones. And he said so for this reason, that persons of the latter kind were more easily induced to make speculations in such matters, quite re gardless of the consequences. They were ready pre par, d to run the gauntlet of all the Noble Lords' vexatious and intricate measures. Whilst on the other hand well. intentioned persons, perfectly well qualified to vote, would prefer giving up thoir right to running the gauntlet. The Noble Lord, in the course of the speech which he made that night, seemed to impeach in some degree not merely the amount of rating here proposed, but the pledges which are to be g iven in proof of the qualification itself. The Poor-law val uation established one uniform scale, but he admitted that that was liable to some exceptions. The Poor-law valuation had arrived at that point of pre cision and information which he thought it was possible for any point of human legislation to arrive at. He con ceived that this uniform, invariable scale of precision was necessary to establish a basis for any qualification. It was not absolutely requisite that the basis itself—for instance, in counties, they used the assessment, for the purposes of County-cess in Ireland. What was wanted was that the, basis for the qualification should be fixed in some stable, uniform, ascertained manner. It should be fixed on such distinct and ascertained grounds that it should not shift according to any passing external influence—with the caprice of landlord s , or the breeze of popular favour, but should have in itself a certain check against the admission of fraudulent votes. Such a basis on the whole they found the Poor-law rate to be. He did not contend that it was satisfactory in all thi ngs . He knew that plausible extreme cases might be urged against any measure which could be brought for ward. In some cases it might be represented that the landlord would wish the tenant to give his vote as ho pleased, and would put up die elective franchise at auc tion, and to effect that would pay the whole rate himself. He did not believe that there was any test by which it could be so well proved whether any attempts were made to put fraudulent voters on the roll or not. He did not indeed recommend the rating under the Poor-law as an unerring standard, but he recommended it as removing all doubt and all opportunities of fraud. It should also be remembered that any departure from the spirit or letter of the Poor-law Act which could be detected was uniformly found to have a tendency to lower, not to raise, the qualification. The Noble Lord here referred to statements which had been made in the previous part of the evening respecting the proceedings which had taken [dice in the union of Balruddery in support of the view which he had urged, and then proceeded to say that it was quite plain whether it was by a period of ten or five yaars, or by a qualification of tel. or 51., the Committee on the Bill and not the second reading of the Bill would furnish the fittest opportunity of definitively fix ing the points respecting the rate. But he wus new pushed to assign the reason which induced him to adopt the sum of 5/. 23 the amount of rate. He had not heard any one reason on that Light which would dispose him to recede from the proposing such a rate. They (the Minh ters) had marls up their minds with a view to obviate and render improbable the recurrence of those evils which have so often presented themselves in the system of rsgi , - tration now existing in Leland. In adopting the Nor law rating as the qualification, it became necessary for them to fix an amount of rate which would afford reason able evidence that they meant to give the franchise which it was intended to be conferred by the Reform Ac'. To effect this they availed themselves of all the information to which they had access, and they found if they adopted, for instance, as was suggested in the returns of the Reform Bill, the 101. rating, that in all the Unions to which they bad access for obtaining information it would have the effect of disfranchising a very considerable number of those persons on all sides who he believed were now in a perfectly valid Red legitimate manner placed upon the electoral roll. Therefore it was very clear that the rating which would form a reasonable equivalent for the fran chise which they meant to give, should be below the sum of lot. They found also that there were many registered electors who, if they did not adopt the rating proposed, would be excluded from that registration. In consequence of that appearing, and that there was an almost uniformly rated value of 5/. annexed to t he possessi on o f s i i or seven acres in some circumstances, eight or nine acres in other instances, in many cases more, but never less than I five or six acres--taking into consideration the effects of the valuati ;n, which whenever it was ascertained was con siderably lower than the amount of rent paid by inhabi tants, they thought it but fair to place the rated value at Si., and give the present franchise as it was contem plated by the Reform Act. The franchise was that which was carried into effect by those very persons who put the law into operation under the original appoint ment, and under the continued superintendence cf the Noble Lord opposite, when he filled the place in which ho (Lord Morpetb) succeeded him. With respect to the gloss which was put on the franchise subsequently, he would only refer for the effect it would have on the registration of voters in Ire land, by mentioning what was stated relative to the Union of Longford by a person appointed to inquire into the circumstances bearing upon the subject in that union. The Noble Lord here proceeded to read the statement to which he referred, the purport of which wee, that he could not find one solvent tenant who would be able to pay 101. over and above the amount of his rent. Now he ( Lord Morpeth) owned he had -.much repug nance to bring forward any proposition which should have the erica, either directly or indirectly, of raising the elective franchise in Ireland. When he addressed the house the ether evening, he quoted some compara tive statements of the numbers of the constituency in this country and Ireland, and his object, with respect to Ira Ind, had perhaps been misunderstooe, certainly mis represented. He had never attempted to convey the opi nion that they ought to base the qualification on mere numbers. or in any way recede from the principle of the Reform Bill; but when he found such glaring dispropor tion between the number of voters in the three countries, when he found that the ratio proportion sea; in England one in eighteen and a half, in Scotland one in thirty, and in Ireland one in seventy-;even, he did think such a State of things required a remedy.—( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for Monaghan thought these calcu lations ought not to be taken into account, but if they %sere to have ti.e electetal body answer it; constite tinnal purpose, he ( Lord Morpeth) elid think it was necessary to enter his emphatic protet against raising directly or indirectly Vie elortive f a terl ire in Ireland, and still furth; r paring down its a'ready contracted, and, is spite of wha. I been said on the ether side, be maintained its fast-dimiaist ing constituency.—(Cheers.) The Noble Lord hal deck on the largo addi ion ti .e present proportion would gai r, and had repre sented the effect cf giving the franchise to the 51. rated tax payers as having a tendency to prevent the landlord.; from giving any more leases to their tenants. The Noble Lord had indulged in some disquisition on the rehire duties of landlord and tenant—(Cheers)—respect ing which he (Lord Morpeth) would observe that it was not such as he should have expected to have heard from one who had done such distinguished service to their cause as the Noble Lord. —(Hear, bear, and cheers.) He (Lord Morpeth) had no objection, in common with the Noble Lord, because be could not counteract the tendencies and feelings of the human bosom—he had no objection that a landlord should hope or expect to have his tenants voting with him, but what he protested against was, that they should be subjected to his feelings of ill will for doing otherwise.—( Cheers.) He did not know whether the Noble Lord admitted a wish to bring the electoral constituency of Ireland to that prise, that whatever were their feelings--whatever was their sense of the treatment they received, they should be bound in all political matters, merely to reflect and re echo the sentiments of a dominal party.—( Cheers.) When it came to that pass the Noble Lord was willing to give his consideration to that case—( Cheers)—and he (Lord Morpeth) was glad to find that in spite of the sacrilegious hand they had put to the sacred ark of the Reform Bill, there were circumstances and contingencies that might induce even the Noblb Lord to become a forerunner in the work of re-model ing an innovation.—(Cheer:.) But the proof on which the Noble Lord rested that the time was not yet come—that the landlord did not withhold leases to such an extent as to diminish considerably the number of electors—the docile meat on which ho seemed to rely for these inferences was a return laid on the table of the House during the pre sent Session, of the registered el ec t ors i n I re l an d, w hi c h the Noble Lord quoted as proof that at the present mo ment the constituent body had increased of late years—that it was formerly 50,000, and latterly 80,000, but that now it amounted to 99,000—the Noble Lord quoted this as proof of the number of the present constituent body in Ireland, overlooking the fact of the different heads of the documents that he quoted from a list of the electoral body before the elections in 1838, and that every person regis tered in 1832, had no longer a place in the register of voters. This document the Noble Lord had neglected to read, but had, nevertheless, quoted, and he (Lord Mor peth) really thought . thet before the Noble Lord founded arguments on such statements, he ought to be convinced of their truth and accuracy.—(Cheere.) This return con tained the total number of registered electors for the year 1839 and 1840, or the total number entitled to vote, at the date of this order, the 25th Fe bruary, 1840, at which time the registration took place, and the registry of 1832 would be still in force, and which, unless renewed, had all now expired.—(Cheers.) And he (Lord Morpeth) did want some practical proof of the view he had taken, and which could not be compared with the return of the Ist February. By the later docu ments he found that the number of voters in Cork, which appeared on the face of that return as 5,735, had dwindled t o 3,795_( Cheers. ) In the county of Tipperary they amounted on the face of that return to 4,143, but had since decreased to 2,463. In Queen's County the number stated in the return was 2,536, but it now was only 1,689. In Roscommon the number was put down at 2,192, but the number now was only 1,059—( Cheers.) Stress had been laid on the manner in which it was proposed to deal with the town fran chise. Now he admitted this was not open to the same ambiguity of construction, and that they were less impe ratively called upon to remodel in this respect the pre sent provision; but whereas it would appear, as it must to any person who referred to the evidence given before the Fictitious Votes Committee, that there were many controverted points even with respect to the settlement of the franchise in towns, and that in order to ascertain the proper constituency of towns they must have recourse to the oath of the voter, and the conflicting evidence of adverse witnesses—that the present scale between this country and Ireland did not make the discrepancy so considerable as it would at first appear; and as they had no other means of bringing the whole electoral law under the same uni form system, he thought it preferable to apply the same basis as well as the same qualification to the towns and cities as well as the counties. —( Hear, hear.) Now the main superiority of the Bill which he (Lord Morpeth) humbly but earnestly hoped the House would sanction and prefer to that of the Noble Lord, was that it removed doubts—that it put an end to disputes —that it met at once and removed all the evils complained of—that it extinguished the disputes, controversy, and perjury so loudly arraigned—that it counteracted all the mischiefs so much felt in Ireland, without creating any of those Anxie ties and embarrassments so much and so justly complained of in that country.—(Cheers.) There were also other points of superiority which he thought entitled it to pre ference. That the voter should retain the facility of establishing his claim at all times in the year, and before the tribunal to which that class of voters was accustomed to resort, he (Lord I Morpeth) thought was better than taking away that facility, and limiting that opportunity to ono time. He thought it would be preferable to confine the annual revision to matters of jaw, and to exclude from it matters of fact which already there had been opportunities of inquiring into. He also thought that it would be better riot to make the Judges of the land the ordinary tribunal.—( Cries of " Hear, hear.") These were points copiously discussed before, and, as the Noble Lord opposite had already reminded the House, they would have an oppertunity of considering them sepa rately. But the House, in passing its deliberate judg ment between the rival schemes, would be guided by the Engl-h Reform Bill and the Brit of 1832._(Cries of " Hear, hear.") They would see that the Bill of the Noble Lord, under its seeming horror of perjury and fraud included in the same series of doubts, objections, and vexations, alike the fictitious and the bona fide elector. It would have undoubtedly the effect of still further pinch. irsg and paring down the elective franchise of the people of Ireland ; and in the meantime it left the acknowledged evil without a remedy, and the main cause of the dispute still untouched, uncared for, and unredressed. —( Hear, hear, hear.) Whilst the Bill which he had the honour to propose would at once remove the whole train of doubt in dispute, giving and not denying facility towards the acquisition and enjoyment of important pnblic rights—(Cheers) —comprising at the same tirae,'not as a distinct aim, but as a collateral means, some farther fu ture enlargement of the popular franchise, and some pros pect of an equalisation with those whom they are encou raged to call telt it fellow-citizens.—( Cheers.) In sub mitting those considerations to the House, and expressing his hope that it would lean towards the side of the alterna tie e to which he was inclined, he was far from wishing to use any language, or suggest any view which, i n t h e mind of any one, might be supposed to trench upon threat or menace. He would not allude to existing circumstances or to the fears and feelings of the times in which we live; and he nal sure that the Members of the benches opposite did not entertain a deeper sense of those circumstances and feelings than he did ; and he had never, on that or any other occasion, held lightly of the gravity of those elements of milts wi ich were gathering round us; he believe I it was enough fir him to empress his hope that the me Bute which he hal introduced, and the prin. ciple cf which commended itself to their judgments by de tails founded on the hest informeton, was the best suited to the present condi ion of Ireland.—( Cheer,. ) He believe i that its adoption by the Lrgislature, if it happily took place—both consider ing it in itself, and as an evidence of kindness and a conciliatory feeling—would be eminently auspicious to the future prospects of Ireland.—(Loud cheers.) It could not be dissembled—however Hon. Members opposit r might treat it—that the greatest an xiety was felt in Ireland on this question. ( Hear, hear, hear.) He did net think that the people o f that country ought h have such boding suspicions of deJigns entertained against them—( a., hear)—kt he was compac 1 to say that gicat apprehension Fit exist atm ta; them.—( Hear, hear)—and if he migi t quote from a classical authority, he would say--" Et Prcvincia"—he did not use the word offens:vely—(Cheers)—" si ad Belli utilitatem nut peels dignitatcat respicias initio ctlamitatis est dcfeadenda."—(Cheers.) He did not look with ap prehension to any demand for a repeal of the Union, but he believed that ne better opportunity could offer than the present for substituting feelings of amity for animosity and alienation—(Cheers)—for rivetting the union with links more durable than law, and more firm than force could give—(Cheers) —an opportunity on which states men would do well to ponder, and which patriots would not easily be tempted to despise. The Noble Lord re sumed his seat arnid,t repca'ed cheers. On the motion of Air. BROTHERTON, the debate was then adjourned till to-morrow. The other Order s of the Day having been disposed of, the House adjourned at a Quarter - Twelve. past Baron Billow transacted business with the Pre sident of the Board of Trade yesterday.: " THE CHINA SUN, " Which was lately RE-PUBLISHED, IS NOW ON SALE. Price SIXPENCE. Orders received at The Sun Office, No. 112 Strand. IN PROGRESS, THE RAILWAY SUN. 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JARDINE, Chairman. Bank of Asia Offices, 34, Great Winchester-street. Now ready, in 2 vols. Bvo. with Portrait, 28s. bound, THE COURTS OF EUROPE At the CLOSE of the LAST CENTURY. By the Late HENRY SWINBORNE, Esq., Authot of " Travels in Spain, Italy, &c." Henry Colburn , Publisher, 13 , Great Marlborough-street. To be had of all Booksellers. Just ready, in 3 vols. post Bvo THE ENGAGEMENT A HOVEL. Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street. To be had at all tho Libraries. Now ready, in 2 vols. post 8v0.,. with Portrait, 21s. bound, THE . LIFE of BEETHOVEN With A SELECTION from his CORRESPONDENCE. Edited, with Introduction and Notes, By IGNACE MOSCHELES, Esq. The best of the Lives of Beethoven. Its author was long and intimately acquainted with the great composer, and Mo schelles is eminently qualified by personal know ledge of him, and more by an intimate acquaintance with his compositions, to enrich his biography with many valuable facts, documents, and criticisms. The work is pregnant with interest and in strectien."—Spectator.* Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street. Just ready, in 2 vols Bvo., with Portraits. MEMOIRS of the COLMAN FAMILY. By R. B. PEAKE, Esq. Including their Correspondence with the most Distinguished Personages of their Time. Richard Bentley, New Burlington-street. Publisher in Ordinary to her Majesty. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1841 be printed on the 29th of January, and was not printed till the 26th of February, because the Colonial-office had had it for revision. The irate Prelate wished to have the printer called to the bar, but contented himself with saying he would ask an explanation to-day. Their Lordships then adjourned. In the Commons a considerable number of pe titions were presented, many of which were against Lord STANLEY'S Bill, while Lord STAN LEY. presented one from Liverpool, signed by 27,000 persons, for the Bill, and objecting to Lord MORPETH'S franchise. We are afraid Mr. O'CoNNELL is right. At least, wherever bigotry obtains an ascendancy, as at Liverpool, there his countrymen are hated and politically persecuted. He and they cannot cannot expect justice as long as the influence of our intolerant priesthood is in the ascendant. In reply to Mr. MILNE, Viscount PALMER STON stated that Colonel STODART, detained at Bokhara, was not yet released, though he might have been, had he not declined to profit by the intervention of the Envoy of a foreign Power, not knowing that it was sanctioned by his own Government. Mr. LABOUCHERE gave notice of a motion on March 8, relative to the Customs' duties on the produce of our North American and West India C o l on i e s, we presume to remove the improper restrictions which now exist on the conveyance of that produce from one colony to another. In answer to Lord MAHoN, Viscount PAL MERSTON stated that the negotiations about in ternational copyrights had not yet led to any results. In reply to Lord ELIOT, the Noble Viscount said, 1:e believed a note had passed from the Aus trian Minister to the Swiss Diet, relative to the suppression of Convents in Switzerland. On Lord MORPETII moving the second reading of the Irish Voters Bill, Lord STANLEY moved that it be read a second time that day six months. Lord STANLEY spoke for three hours against the Bill, and in favour of his amendment. His opposition was chiefly founded on the en franchising clause, which was tacked to the re gistration. Of course the Noble Lord was vitu perative of the Government, clamorous against the Bill, and insulting as usual to the people who would not patiently submit to his odious tyranny. One passion was visible from the beginning to the end of the Noble Lord's speech—hatred to the Catholics of Ireland ; one object was palpable throughout, that of replacing them under the hateful domination which they have since 1829 been gradually- throwing off. Formerly the Irish were persecuted, and denied political rights, because they were Catholics. Lord STANLEY would now take away theirrights, and deny them any reasonable franchise, because they are poor, and, as he says, perjurers. The details as to rates, the number of voters, &c. &c., into which the Noble Lord largely entered, making: almost imperceptible mole hills into mountains, to arrest the march of justice, are less useful, and not half so pleasant, to read as the fic tions of a novelist. The Noble Lord avowed that the landlords of England were ready to give votes to their tenants, because they can command their votes, and they are the landlord's slaves, while he objects to giving votes to the tenants of Ireland, because they are not the serfs or slaves of the Orange landlords. The soil of Ireland, as has been said, is Protestant, the peo ple are Catholic ; and Lord STANLEY avows that he denies justice to the living people for the sake of the dead Protestant clods. In fact, the land owners claim the whole community, people and all, as theirs, and ask, by the mouth of Lord STANLEY, if they may not do what they like with their own. The Tories are, of course, quite de lighted with Lord STANLEY, he spoke after their own hearts, lie bravely expounded their own principles, and they cheered him vociferously. Mr. C. WOOD having last year opposed the Government, had great pleasure this year, as he approved of remedying the greater evil of an un defined franchise, as well as the lesser evil of an imperfect registration, in supporting the Bill. HiA candour served to reflect light on the per verse malignity of Lord STANLEY. He professed himself not friendly to an indefinite extension of the franchise, and intimated that he only voted for the principle of founding the franchise on being rated to the poor, and left the amount at which it should be fixed to be settled in the Committee. He had no wish to disturb the ar rangement of power settled by the Reform Act ; but he was not to be pinned down to its four cor ners. He thought it most unwise to legislate against the feelings of a people, and thought the Noble Lord should allow the Bill to go into Committee. Mr. LITTON opposed, and Mr. FITZPATRICK supported, the Bill. Mr. LUCAS explained that he had never meant to recommend a rating to the poor as the basis of the franchise, though he had been so under stood. The Honourable Gentlemen also found out a new principle in political science, namely, that the best way to secure a perfect representa tion is to have a very small number of electors. Lord MORPETII followed Mr. LUCAS, and made a powerful and amusing speech in favour of his own measure, and against that of Lord STANLEY. He very happily ridiculed the Noble Lord sighing over lost Coercio n Bill s , an d hurrying to a fight, because he had no joy in a civic sceptre. He justified the attempt to settle the franchise by referring to existing disputes, and noticed the recent speech of Judge CRA MPTON in reply to the speech of some other Judge, as a convincing proof that things could not remain as at present. When the Noble Lord brought his observations to a close, Mr. Bno- THERTON moved the adjournment, and at a Quar ter past Twelve the House adjourned. The public at large will read with melancholy regret the account of the loss of the outward bound American ship Governor Fenner, by a collision with the steamer Nottingham, and the loss of 122 human beings, hurried to an instant grave. It appears by the accounts, that the Governor Fenner was on the larboard tack, under double-reefed topsails, the wind blowing fresh from the S.S.W., when she saw the Nottingham on her weather bow. The helm of the Gover nor ;Fenner was immediately put to port, or to windward, so as not only to turn her head from the steamer, but also to bring the wind more aft, and increase the velocity of the ship during whatever small interval might elapse between the first putting up the helm and the collision. Unfor tunately, however, the helm of the Notting ham was put to starboard, which had a similar effect on her, and both ships came into contact under an increased impulse. The dreadful con sequence is before the readers, _ _ SVe are afraid that this accident may be in part traced to the rules in existence. It is one of them, that ships sailing with a fair wind are to give way for those sailing on a wind, that steam-ships are to be considered as vessels sailing with a fair wind, and therefore to give way to sailing vessels. Acting on this rul e , we presume the Nottingham put her helm tO starboard and bore away, meaning to make way tbr the sailing ship. But there is another rule, that vessels on the starboard tack shall keep their wind, and vessels on the larboard tack bear away ; and in com pliance with this rule, the Captain of the Gover nor Fenner, not knowing, perhaps, that the Nottingham was a steamer, or thinking only of the rule for ships on the larboard tack to bear away, put her helm a-port, and bore up. E ac h vessel was guided according to a rule pre scribed, and the collision ensued. Far be it from us to blame any parties under such dis astrous and terrible circumstances ; we would only observe that the responsibility in such cases rests in part with those who prescribe the rules. One safe direction, which seems almost univer sally applicable, namely, that when collision is apprehended, velocity should as speedily, and as much as possible, be diminished, was, we are afraid, violated by both vessels, for both seem to have paid off, bringing the wind more aft, and so increasing their speed. The people on board the Nottingham hailed the Governor Fenner to starboard her helm, which was not done. Now, one of the general regulations of the Trinity-house is that steam vessels shall pass each other on the larboard tide, while the Nottingham meant to pass the Gover nor Fenner on the starboard side; and we recol lect that when those regulations were promul gated last year, a letter appeared in the papers, stating that a different rule was already eztab fished amongst the vessels in St. George's Chan nel. By the people of the Nottingham calling to the Governor Fenner to put her helm a-star board, they seem to have been acting on the old rule, as well as on the rule of steamers making way for sailing vessels. We hope that no ambi guity of the rules, which ought to be simple, clear, and few, contributed to the great disaster. In the darkness of night and thick weather it is extremely difficult to act rightly with sufficient promptness when two vessels approach each other; and though some general rules are indis pensable, they never can be wholly substituted for watchful, intelligent discretion. It is at the same time clear that any rules which exist should be prescribed by one authority, which can cause them to be universally followed. W e may add, indeed, that the strongest of all motives 1 —that of self-preservation—influences all ship masters readily to adopt and acquiesce for the THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT GARDEN. UNDER the MANAGEMENT of MADAME ViSTRIS THIS EVENING, FEB. 23, Will be presented Shakspere's Comedy (with Music) of THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. Sir John Falstaff, Mr. Bartley ; Master Slender, Mr. C. Ma. thews ; Ford, Mr. Cooper ; lenton, Mr. W. Harrison ; Mrs. Ford, Mrs. Nisbett ; Mrs. Page, Madame Vestris ; Ann Page, Miss Rainforth, Mrs. Quickly, Mrs. C. Jones. After which, Will be acted the New Comedy, in Two Acts, entitled THE WHITE MILLINER. Lord Ortolan, Mr. C. Mathews ; !ustice Twilight, Mr. W. Farren; Robert Conway, Mr. J. Vining ; Saul Sneezum, Mr. Keeley ; Lady Ortolan, Miss Cooper ; Albina, Madame Yes tris ; Mrs. lilellowpear, Mrs. C. Jones ; Betty Furbelow, Mrs. Humby. To-morrow there will be no performance. Doors to be opened at half-past Six—the performances to co►amence at Seven o'Clock. Dress Boxes, 7s. • Second Price, 3s. W.; First and Second Circles, ss. ; Second Price, `.2s. 6d. ; Pit, 3s. ; Second Price. is.; Gallery, Is. Tickets and places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr. Grogan, ac the Box-office, from Ten till Four, where Season Tickets oe had upon application. Private BOVA to be had so'ely of Mr. Andrews, bookseller 167, New Bond-street. ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. Entire Change.—Greater attration than ever.—Eng agement of Mr. Collins. Sec o nd tim e the se F our Y ears o f" " Paul Clifford, with the splendid Romance of " Tne Tower of London ;" the most powerful attraction that can be offered. THIS EVENING, FEB. 23. Will be acted the Operatic Drama of PAUL CLIFFORD. Paul Clifford (with all the Original Songs), Mr. Collins. After which the Domestic Drama of MARTHA WILLIS, THE MAID SERVANT. To conclude with the Grand Historical Romance, f.undod on and entitled THE TOWER OF LONDON. NEW STRAND THEATRE. Increasing Popularity—Raptures of Applause—Gratified Audiences. OPEN EVERY EVENING DURING THE WEEK. The celebrated Mr. JACOBS, the Royal Ventriloquist, Modern Magician, and English Improvisatore, continues to attract very large and highly respectable audiences, who nightly testify their approbation in the mo s t ma r k e d an d decided man ner. The Preis has unanimously pronounced him the best Ventriloquist since the days of Monsieur Alexandre. The Tricks surpass all that have been introduced by the Wizards or Magicians who have preceded him ; and the Exsemporaneous Song, on subjects proposed by the audience, elicits thunders of pplause. Boxes, 2s. 6d. ; Pit, 6d. ; Gallery, Is. Doors open at Seven o'clock, and covamence at Half-past. Second price at a Quarter to Nine o'clock—Boxes, Is. 6d. ; Pit, Is. ; Gallery, 6d. - Carriages to be in waiting twenty minutes past Ten. Mr. Seguin, 12, Regent-street, Pall Mall, is appointed sole Agent for disposal of the Private Boxes. HIGH WATER. AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORRO W. M0rning......34 minutes after 3 i Evening 10 minutes after The Publication of the Evening Edition of THE SUN COM.. manned at 10 minutes after Three. Tht LONDON: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1841. The Peers met yesterday in their legislative capacity, and received from the Commons the Exchequer Court and Tithe Composition (Ire land) Bills. Lord WHARNCLIFFE expressed a wish to have what the LORD HIGH STEWARD said on the late memorable trial put on record and published, as it would put an end to much of the nonsense, the Noble Lord said, that was talked on the subject. We presume, therefore, that the speech deli vered by Lord DENMAN, during the exclusion of strangers, has been very satisfactory to the Peers, and means will be fbund, we hope, to enable the public to share that satisfaction. and come to as dear a conviction as their Lordships possessed that they were perfectly justified m pronouncing a verdict of acquittal on their ho nour, when the fact that the Earl of CARDIGAN did designedly wound a person in a duel was clearly proved. Lord W HARNCLIFFE also gave notice that he would bring in a Bill to clear up doubts as to a Peer pleading privilege, for the . credit of their Lordships. Lord BROUGHAM, in presenting; some petitions, took the opportunity to ask whether the Govern ment of Ireland had refilsed to nominate Mr. ROCHE as Sheriff for Cork, because he was fa vourable to the Repeal of the Union, and to ex press his opinion, though he was opposed to Repeal, that such a mode of proceeding was not the right way to put it down. The Marquis of NORMANDY had no official in formation on the subject, but he believed the fact was so. The Earl of RIPON brought the state of our relations with Persia before their Lordships, and blamed the silence which had been observed concerning them by the Government. He also blamed the conduct of the Government and of our Ambassador, and concluded by moving an address for correspondence between our Govern ment and Persia. Viscount MELBOURNE stated that all out dif ferences with Persia had been accommodated, except one relating to the possessions of the for tress of Gourcal, belonging to Herat. An officer had been sent to see that it was restored, and as soon as that was done our Ambassador would re turn to Teheran. The motion was agreed to. The Bishop of EXETER complained of an ordi nance relating to Canada, which was ordered to tA A # v te a .4.47 • 1.4"44 WNWV. common good in whatever rules may be ordained or generally agreed on. The Governer Fenner is said to have been wretchedly crazy. it appears that she was thir teen years old, which is not a great age for a ship originally well built of good British oak. What it may be considered for a ship built of American oak or pine, we cannot say ; but there is a reason, in the destruction of the Governor Fenner, to believe that she was in a bad condition. She struck the steamer a-midships, the weakest part ot the steamer, with her bow, the very strongest part of the ship ; and yet the Governor Fenner, not the steamer, instantly sunk. A carelessness or an utter disregard of human life, when put into competition with making money, or gratify ing the hateful thirst for gold, is one of the cha racteristics of this age ; and we hope that no ac cusation of the kind will lie against the owners and captain of the Governor Fenner. It will be impossible, however, to satisfy the relatives and friends of the lost passengers, and impossible to satisfy the public, that a great fault, not to say a great crime, has not been committed, unless it can be distinctly proved by LLOYD'S books, by premiums of insurance, by the surveyors who examine vessels, that the Governor Fenner was a perfectly sea-worthy vessel. THE WEATHER. ROYAL GALLERY OF SCIENCE, ADELAIDE STREET. NOON. FEB. 23 , Barometer 30.4 h. Thermometer Highest 43 Lowest Wind S. E.—Freezing Point 32 Deg. NEWSPAPER STAMPS. Extract from a Return to an Order of the House of Commons, dated 2d February, 1841, for the following London Papers, from the Ist of July to the 31st of December, 1840, inclusive : SUN GLOBE 526,000 STANDARD COURIER ........ 111,000 WONDERFUL CIRCULATION OF NEWSPAPERS 1 MARVELLOUS CREATION OF READERS ! ! Our excellent Contemporary, the Morning Advertise•, in commenting on the disputed circu lation of the other Morning Journals, gives the following edifying, yet modest, account of its own extensive circulation. It is as follows : " We destroy no stamps—we export no paper to Hamburg with stamps cut off, ours is a genuine sale—and when. we add that this journ a l is read by forty to one of any journal published in Lon don, or within 25 miles of it, which we are ready to prove, the boastings of these journals, and their quarrels, are not worth a moment's coniii deration. " Circulation 380,000 in three months. "Annually, ONE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND, which, being multiplied as above—or only leave the half of our statement to- be correct—gives a circulation in point of readers which no journal can boast !" Boast indeed !—it would be hopeless for any Journal, not even excepting the Times, or " the great Globe itself," to boast of any thing compar able to such a circulation of readers—unless, perhaps, it be the memorable garrison of Gibral tar, under the renowned Elliot, who Made the soldiers pass round and round in review before the Spaniards, till they thought the muster-roll would never end. And so with the Morning Advertiser circulation—we can hardly reckon it up with tolerable correctness; let us see—One million four hundred and forty thousand--what beautiful alliteration ! But come to figures —or, as our learned Contemporary would say, to the scratch— Circulation . Multiplied by 1,440,000 40 Gives This is really astounding !—so much so, that our worthy friend seems rather posed himself— •' And back recoils, he knows not why__ E'en at the sound bimsclf had made!" For in his exultation he generously offers to knock off one half of his readers, (we wish he would give them to us!) and yet he will have a circulation " of which no journal can boast "—for see—the half of fifty-seven million six hundred thousand is somewhere about 28,800,000 readers, being about the amount of the interest of the National Debt !—Twenty-eight millions of read ers!—bless their learning! We never could satisfactorily account for the march of mind be fore ! But here it is, as plain as a pikestaff. However, there is no glory without a drawback. Envy h ill follow merit as its shade-- And a wicked wag has just thrown a huge blue book on our table, 'ycleped Population Returns for the three Kingdoms, defying us to find out the readers, which he says do not exist—the po pulation for the three Kingdoms being only twenty-six millions ;—and he modestly doubts if they all can read—certainly not the wild Irish, who are to be struck out of the new Registra tion Bills. This is a sad dilemma; but hold— " you have forgotten the increase in the popula tion, which the next returns will show." Good, good ! this proves the circulation beyond doubt, and we wish our friend joy of his numerous readers—barring a million or two ! JOHN TUOROGOOD.—The prosecution threat ened two or three weeks ago against the above martyr to conscience, for another Church-rate, has been abandoned ! After some strong threats of enforcing the rates of 13s. 6d. Mr. Thorogood was informed on Thu rs d a y last that the rate was paid by some person or persons unknown—very possibly the Bishop ! The proprietor; of Waterloo-bridge have acted wisely in adopting the proposition for re ducing the toll for foot-passengers, so often pressed upon them by Mr. Morgan, one of the largest Shareholders. They will benefit them selves as well as the public by the change, in crease the value of property on the Surrey side of the River; and in time will be the means of rendering the neighbourhood of the two theatres more healthy and more respectable. The public, it is often said, have no idea of gratitude; they suit only their own convenience ; but if there was an occasion on which they were bound to exercise that noble quality, it is this. A Company of private indivi— duals have erected at an enormous expense bridge which is justly the pride of the country; vast sums have been sunk never to be reclaimed, and though many of the Proprietors have doubts as to the result, they nevertheless have boldly ventured on the experiment. We wish them, as they well deserve, ultimate success. The Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock Railway Bill, "to eriavalt The Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock Railway Company' to raise a further sum of money, arid to amend and enlarge the powers and provisions of the Acts relating to the said Railway," was presented and lead a fist time, and ordered to be read a second time. The Metropolis Improvements Bill, " to enable her Majesty's Commissioners of Woods, Forests, Land Re venues, Works, and Buildings, to make a new street front Coventry-street, Piccadilly, to Long Acre, and also a new street from the east end of East Smithfield to Rosemary lane, and fur authorizing advances to he made towards other improvements in the Metropolis," was presented and read a first time, and referred to the Select Commit ee on Petition; for Private Bills, with instruction to the Com mittee, that they do examine whether the Standing Orders have beet, complied with, as in the case of a petition foi. a private Bill, and under the same rules and regulations. The Bill was ordered to be printed. THE INUNDATION AT BRENTFORD.—The fifth and last day's inquiry into the circumataecea con nected with t!:e death of the lad Spruce at Brentford took place on Thursday. Af. er a very long i.qeiry the Jury reti:e.l, and on t'le folloairg mernieg, aft. r having been locked up for eleven hours and a half, they retui ned a special verdict to the etroet, as we read it, that the loss rf life was caased by the we :k and defective state of Vie wills of the reservoir belonging to the 11,g-cot's Canal Company. It begins in the following strata :—" We find thst William Spruce being then and there on board a cer taithen ac n barge," &c., and repeats eight times the sa id wor d s d there" in the ve r di ct. SOCIETY IN INDIA. --Stories illustrative of Eastern lifo and marinas have long formed a most at tractive bia'ich of general reading; and we have now to add to the amusing works of this class, a work which has just m a d e i ts appearance under the above title, rival ling in interest and entertainment all preceeding efforts. It is the production of a distinguished English officer, who has lived many years in our possessions in the East, and in a singularly pleasing story he has exhibited the exptrience h 0 ha; acquired of the peculiar habits and cha racteristics of the natives of Hiedostan of, different ranks, and pourtrayed a ll t h e vor i et i es of the English resident to be found in the " best circles " of that part of the %voile. The title, " Society in India," is a most appropriate o ne , fn. th e wor k may b e cons id ers 1 as afferoing the most p:c turesque and co m pl e ' e ill us trations of Life in the East ever published. ARMY ESTIMATES. The estimates of the effective and non-effective Army services, from the Ist of April, 1841, to the 31st of March, 1842, have been laid before Par ment, together with a comparative abstract of the estimates of Army services for the year end ing the 31st of March, 1841, and the year ending the 31st of March, 1842, of which the following is a summary : ALL RANKS. 1841-42. 121,121 82,472 03,593 29,070 174,523 2,819 1840-41. Totals—Effective Services ~ Non-effective ...... 83,871 Deduct India 204,983 27,641 Totals Less in 1842 177,342 PROBABLE CHARGE. For 1840-41. 1841-42. Totals—Effective Services £4,815,251 £4,870,476 Non effective 2,356,857 2,320,805 7,172,108 894,155 7,191,281 932,975 Deduct India Totals Decrease £19,647, and increase of appropriations £7,897 Total decrease ••• £27,544 T. B. MACAULAY. War Office, February 12, 18-11. THE MARKETS.-(THIS DAY.) COLONIAL MARKET. The demand for Produce was dull, owing to the late ex tensive arrivals, and Prices inclined to recede in many instances B.P. Sugar was a shade lower, and the transactions confined to the bare wants of the consumers; Brown, 70s. to 745. bd. ; Yellow, 755. to 80s., and fine, 81s. to 85s. per cwt. Mau ritius and Bengal were also rather cheaper, and the public sales went off. with considerable heaviness. Coffee very dull of sale, and Is. per cwt. lower. Cocoa steady at previous rates. Rum firm, but in limited request. TEA MARKET. There was little business done, in Free Trade, but former rates were supported at a small public sale. Company's Con gou steady at Is. eqd. for cash. TALLOW MARKET. 'I he market was in a dull state, but prices were supported, viz., 465. 6d. for P. Y. Candle. WHITECHAPEL HAY MARKET. Moderate supply, and trade good. Clo ver f rom 5/. 10 3 . t o 6/. Meadow Hay 4/. 15s. to Si. Straw in limited supply, and the demand brisk ; prices were 2s. per load higher, viz. 375. to 465. MONEY and COMMERCIAL .NEWS. CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK By the arrival of the Lisbon Mail this morning, brought by the Royal Tar Steamer, the intelligence is of more interest than usually received. In the Sitting of the 9th inst., one of the Deputies asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs whether it was true that a Commercial Treaty was on the point of being concluded with England, the stipulations of which were highly prejudicial to Portugal? His Excellency replied that some steps had been taken by the Portuguese Government towards the formation of a Treaty with England, which he hoped would be of much advantage to this country, but that it was yet very far from being concluded. The intelligence also states that the finan cial prospects are looking more gloomy than ever. For further particulars we refer our readers to another part of the paper. Extract of a letter from Dublin, Feb. 21, posted at the North and South American Coffee-house : " DUBLIN, FEB. 21, 1841.—1 am sorry to hear by this dly's arrival that the Nottingham was pussed last night in tow of another steamer, she having been run foul of. The Birmingham reports that this morning at seven A.I. they saw the wreck of a large ship about 16 miles west of the Skerras, apparently split in two parts, the sides floating up, and held together by the wreck. Cargo, of course, all out of her. Captain Church went on board or her, and found two men dead in the rigging, apparently not long so. Ile saved a trunk, which I now have here. From the contents I should say the vessel was bound to New York. This trunk contains amongst many other things some testimonials of a gardener, named John Ill'lntyre, who has been in the service of several noble Irish families. There were some watches in the trunk, which, with the rest of the contents, I will keep for the present. The stern of the vessel was gone, and no name to be seen. It has been admitted by the mate, on an examination to-day, that she had no lights hoisted, and that the crew saw the steamer twenty minutes before the vessel struck ; the time between their striking and the sinking of the Governor Fenner did not ex ceed five minutes. The dreadful consequence, however, may no doubt be referred to the circumstance of the Governor Fenner carrying no lights, which has been admitted by the mate. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET , MONDAY, FEB. 22.—The Sales to-day are 5,000 bags, of which. 300 American, are on speculation. The market is more quiet than on Saturday, but prices are very steady. Sales, 200 Peruvians, 9t093 ; 100 Bahias, 8* to 81 ; 200 Maranhams, 7 to ti*; 250 Egyp tians, 9* to 121 ; 100 Sea Islands, 18 to 24 ; and 700 Surats, 41 to 51 per lb. No communication with the telegraph owing to the fog. Marren Ewalt STOCK EXCHANGE, FEB. 22.—There has been a fair inquiry for Shares to-day, but owing to the scarcity of Stock few transactions have taken place : —Hull and Selby, 44 ; Manchester and Birmingham, 241 ; London and South Western 58 ; North Midland, 74 to 75 ; Lancaster and Pres ton 321' to 324 Ditto New 20 to 20* ; Manchester and Leeds 75 to 761 ; Ditto Halves 324 to 33. Mauritius papers have been received at Bordeaux to 21st Nov., which state that island to be in a great agit owing to an order from the Governor Sir Lionel Smith all Frenchmen inhabiting the colony must prepare to leave it. We are informed that the bills on Messrs. Morrison, drawn by the United States Bank, have bee n d u ly accepted, and a portion of them subsequently discounted by the Bank of England. _ . By the last advices from Philadelphia there was great ap prehension that the above bills might not be honoured, which had the erect thore of causing the late depression of the prices in the shares of the United States Bank. THE FUNDS. Consols opened at the same quotations as they left off, 881 g for Account; Money the same ; Bank Stock, 165 167; Exche quer Bills, 4 6 prem. ; India Stock, 247 248. In the Foreign Market the prices are also the same as they left off; Spanish Active, 23[1 z ; Portuguese, 31i 4 ; Three per Cents., 191 4 ; Deferred, 12i i ; Passive, 5i 6 ; Brazilian, 711 721 ; Chilian, 62 64 ; Colombian, 22i 23; Mexican, 27i 4 ; DutchTwo-and-a-Half per Cents., 50i a; Five per Cents. 99k. Shares.—Great Western. 24 25 pram. ; New, 11 12 prem.; London and Brighton, 87/ di4. ; Blackwall, 51 5 dis. ; Bir mingham and Southampton, 57 55 per share; Croydon, 114 12,i per share ; Greenwich, 8i 4 per share ; Manchester and Birmingham, lt4 154 dis. PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE. RAILWAYS. Paid. Per Share. Great Western Ditto New Ditto Fifths London and Birmingham Ditto i Shares Ditto Thirds London and Greenwich ..... ...... 20 - to London and South Western Bsi s7l— .. to Loudon and Croydon (Trunk)... 131 /24.- to HA LF-PA ST ONE. Thursday next being settling day, in the British :Market the brokers and jobbers are preparing their accounts against that period. It is stated in the City that Ministers will have a majority on the Irish question of about 7 or 8. The Briti,h Funds continue in the same state as in the early part of the morning, and it is not expected that any operations of consequence will take place until after the settlement of the account. Consols are a shade lower ; at present 881 for the Account ; Marley 881 a with scarce anything doing ; Exchequer Bills, ( 4 premium ; Bank Stock, 16611; India Stock, 248; India Bonds, 10 15 discount. In the Foreign Market Spanish Active 23-i, a shade lower; in Portuguese nothing done; Chilian 631 64 ; Danish 774 ; Three per Cents. 194 ; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. 5q ; Five per Cents. 994 3. tqlares are lower. Great Western, 881,; New, 64 ; Fifths, ; London and Birmingham, 166 ex.-div. ; Quarter Shares, 261 ex.-div. ; Thirds, 56 ex.-div. ; London and South Wes tern, 571. Portuguese Three per Cents., 194 ; nothing done in the Five per Cents, TIIE IRISH IN 1840, BY N. P.WILLIs.—"BiIt what shall I say of the human habitations in this (so called) most thriving and best conditioned quarter of Leland ? If I had nut seen every second lace at a hovel door with a smile on it, and heard laughing and begging in the sarne breath every where, I should think here were human beings abandoned by their Maker. Many of the dwellings I saw upon the read-side looked to me like the abodes of extin guished hope—forgotten instincts, grovelling, despairing, nay, almost idiotic wretchedness. I did not know there were such sights in the world. I did not know that men and women upright, and made in God's image, could live in styes like swine; wills swine, sitting, lying down, cooking and eating in such filth, as all brute animals, save the one unclean,' revolt and avoid. The ex traordinary part of it, too, is that it seems almost alto gether the result of choice. I scarce saw one hovel, the mud floor of which was not excavated several inches below the ground level without ; and as there is no sill or raised threshold, there is no bar, I will not say to the water, but to the liquid filth that oozes to its lower reser voir within. A few miles from Drogheda pointed out to my companions a woman sitting in a hovel at work, with the muddy water up to her ancles, and an enormous hog scratching himself against her knee. These dis gusting animals were everywhere walking in and out of the hovels at pleasure, jostling aside the half.naked children, or wallowing in the wash, outside or in ; the bast conditioned and most privileged inmates, indeed, of every habitation ; all this, of course, is matter of choice ; and so is the offal-heap situated in almost every instance directly before the door, and draining its putrid mass into the hollow under the peasant's table." In another piece, he says—" God's image so blasted, so defiled, so sunk below the beasts that perish,' I would net have bereved was to he found in the same world with hope." THE LAW OF DZI3TOR AND CREDITOR.— One of the striltiag defects in the present law of deLt br cud c editor is the absence of a power to enah!e debtors to give up their property o ithcut going to prison, unless all the creditors agree to an arrangement ; and a nuniLer of uses have occurred of persons who. in order to prevent one creditor sweei.ing away the whole of their property, have procured friendly arrests, and submitted to from two to three months' imprisonment, with the view of equal!) , benefiting the whole of their creditors. It was at one time expected that the appointment of " superintendent of the Royal nursery " would have been conferred upon the Baroness Lehzen, who at present holds no recognised situation in the household of the So vereign ; but, whatever the intentions of her Majesty, in this respect, might have been, they have, it is said, been abandoned at the instigation of the King of the Belgians. Her Majesty, in clef , renee to the judgment of others, eon s: quently gave up all idea of conferring the appointment upon the Baroness. The lady who has since been sc lected to fill the office is a highly -respectable widow, named Southey, the sister-in-law of tEe celebrated Dr. Southey, residing at Canterbury. Her husband was the late Captain Southey, in the Royal navy. The amount of salary is stated to be 300/. per annum. EVENING FDITION; THE ICE ON THE RHINE• (Extract from Letters.) N EAR GORCLTU, FE8..16'. These are very criticrl aaments, aad the uneasiness r of e ; people is manifest. Betwe,n six and eleven o'clock the / , has risen several feet. At eleven o'clock the ice broke win,,,,, tremendous crash, and ple I itself in such a manner on r' .. Schaardyke as, I beeve, has never been recollected be" fore. The ice is above a man's height the cl);k e ' on _, lnir so that even the foct passengers are prevented P" th ' e along. Notwithstanding this immense pressure, ris i n g 5 dyke has kept in good condition, though the water was in all quarters : expresses wore despatched to the various. st e 3 a tions,—and the tidings from Heteren (between Wage nin otitisth stop and Arnheim) were as follow:—in consequence pages of ice, the water streamed since three o'clock son' ing over the dyke ; we anticipate every moment one or . ,7 . , ruptures; such spots as appear weak have been sup piles, baskets of earth, and other means to withstand any acts of and t h ey appear to be giving We have o pro - way. n escape except FEB.e removal of the ice •,ke, FLisrmaEw, l7.—The water is running over the (1: , . and there ale and we are doing our bet to save ourselves, so O n• seven dangerous, points to loot( after, but the ice i s not aiderable, and the water is falliug. oter LIENDEN, FEB. 17.—Evening, Nine o'Clock. The . rou_ . ran this afternoon at different places, more than one fot ri d i e a T, over Ihe dyke, since which it has fallen rai idly. Ac cur " .'u we begin to entertain hopes that all will go off well. 4 11 te' The danger is passed at the Lek, but the Waal i 5 S ', l o f ported to be in a bad state, both these rivers are brancrfor, the Rhine. The r i vers are k nown to our travellers. th mer e passing Arnheim, the latter Gorcum and Nyrynl en. A TRAVE LLEit MIIIIF•Ia!INWT.~..... Ti I Y.) LLOYD'S SHIPPING—(THIS 4#--- • LONDON, FEB. 23.—Wind this day at noon E., fin e ' the Michael's v: F aE e r n illi . uzarn 2 b 2 ,et . fh — i Wind N. N. W., light.—Ar rived St. line, Limerick; Hibernia, m F r aNiiecsev Quin,ol% i r a l N e l,r a ,sa t e t ti s e ; efsor; Britainji don N ,: . E h w a s P b ° e n e T n ' got o n Dovnt, FEB. 22.—Atrived ' the Hope, Janes, from L i rick ; and Rapid, 111iller, Waterford. the G ff . 21. e —The d M a a u ni d s ttoonue.e,dCi iiljai;l7elsileitCn:coe(;°,l;oll,e:ri. PORTLAND ROADS, FEB. 22. Arrived a Dine, Pearce, from Valencia. St. SWANAGE, FEB. 21.—Arrived the Jol:an Julus, from Thomas ; and Ilepi,ens, Zwarting, Surinam. Cal' CORK, FEB. 20.—A rr i ve d th e C o p e land, Sims' 'rjirliitby, cutta ; Nelson packet, illedhurst, Newfoundla nd Wellbank, Lombock. Leghorn. PETERIIIAD, FEB. 20.—Aivee rie, froulf,'-c, OP. FOLKSTONE rr , FED. 21.—A smad the a F ' ck, pparentlY r r.„nh T ' terlogged, and rig g in g hanging alongside. was passel .? ve j ill day off St. Catharine' s P o i nt by the Francis Yates' the Downs. A tn j l l , u r LIVERPOOL, FEB. 22.--Wind S., light..—Arrtv--, onn sell, from N a t c h ez; Al exan d er Ed mon d, Strong, °t.,y,iney, Neiv Brunswick. Sailed the Margaret, Tornkinslt„;llll4 New South Wales; Pal m y ra . Croat, Demerara ;_,.. w orlea o ! Stewart, Antigua; Lord Maidstone, Taylor, . I w' eg liote' Nonpareil, Harding, St. Michael's ; Syren, Fosters Lady Scott, Forbes, St. Marks ; Hannah Grayson' r a pnini Malta. The Baboo upset uhis morning i n the `(„ l i t Graving Dock. The wreck of a ship, two, with stern gone and cargo all out, was ftdi c j i shertili yesterday morning, about 16 miles w cstward of the 10, 0 4 by the Birmingham (steamer), arrived at Pu b • ,g, boarded her, and found two men dead in the rigg i ,Th e took from her a trunk containing watches, &C. /,‘ above is supposed to be the Governor Fenner. , n,„ In t MILFORD, FEB. 21.—Sailed the John 13entle, 11 ! le :s0 e "' apparentlY Savannah ; Gen. Wiltshire, Wilson, Liverpool; to Deans, Swansea ; Ariel. Borough, London. publ iti , e s PROLTHETI, FEB. 20th. —The Sheldrake F o rster , has bt Newcastle, put in here last night to stop a leak wh ich „, fro'- stopped, and she is ready to proceed. roa ,, .KIRSCLIDBRIG HT, FEB. loth.—The Hectorine , SP, - , or ing t A Drindalk to Glassondock, which went on shore in ex " . .„" 9 o' 7 ' o place on the 13th instant, has floated off and renla'od bound. The Silius, Coulton, of this port ran 0 0 the e j. is Weyton Bay on the 13th instant and sunk ; crew sa c , i, off BELFAST, FEB. 20. —The Prince of Waterloo, Wt'agsleo port, half laden with coals, struck on the Bar durittg,dairaiec:, the 18th, but was got off this morning without unit Tut G N UTII, FEB. 20.—The sloop Mary 4 — : 1 , 110, 1 -0 ' 5 , 8 0 Shoreham to Runcorn, which was run on ?hove G" :ba r Shoe, has been got got off and brought into the Ja j repair. „ n ieth e p l o i s YARMOUTH, FEB. 22.—The Trent, Delande,of;' 116 has been assisted in here with boats, stove, &e., ' lDg • NO in contact with the Sea Bird of Shields last ' night., ,i, e :t„ s r WEXFORD, FEB. 19.—A1l h o p es o f the safety bun' . have ceased, her boat having been driven on shore in , poeh, rs t : Ba H y. ' n ari EDCAR FEB. 20.—The P erc i va l, r os ter, of - - :„1 ;0 1 on the rocks near this place, but was ass isted off 091-1 Hartlepool. the 919 The St. Ives, Qui c k, t o G eneva , was s tranded e l " t instant crew saved. ilth tao The Stafette, Schildwach, was wrecked on the • d, going into St. Übes ; crew and part of materials sareo,sl9ol, The Planet, Wrangles, from Corunna to Oporto , 0 0 0 " doned near Ville de Conde o n th e 11th i ns tant; c rew terials saved. Al J eli 0 , 410 VESSELS SPOKEN WITH .— The North Brrtoar I to Cork, lat. 14 S. lon. 33 W. ; Jenny, Llordea"s:illit.or Cruz, 6th inst., let. 42, lon. 21, by the l'auliae' co sit if ; arrived at L'Orient her Majesty's ship 11 ° 1 ', 1 ,,,, 1 6 1 0 'n , Guinea to Ascension, Dec. 24, lat. 4 N., 1 " 4. -. 1 , ; , ,/ c fr Persia, Stevens, London to Ceylon, 3:st, 16 t. itCh l ; f eil 22, by the Nepslennia, arrived at Niew Ceylon to London, off the Cape, by the Carla ° Da at St. Helena. Oudcriteming front ,13ctsit ; , Cor e ' Clarke and F o rth, from Calcutta, eadwrrd by the Sarah, arrived at SI. Helena. Rhoo , S. Ha‘ra to Valprrriso, N o v. 12, let. 56 S 1 7 -, 6 59 Rimar, Sproule, Liverpool to Vali- a.aiso, lon. 79 W. c ol 1.5° HER MAJESTY'S NAVY. By a st 3ts ;; P.P e A , e i r ; sued from the Admit alty on the 1 , I NAVY.--By tbat there will be required to be beyond voleid or n de r ; - siso'" f the excess of the r.:Nal expenditure the year ended March 31,1840, the su Y f 29, 6- air March, n' I " *IP' and for the year ending 1841, the su as dgf The Rev. Joseph Rapier Stephen s rate.] on Monday, the Ist of February', fr° l-11 01• 1 ' . Castle. This lit eeation took place eight dal e e° the term of his scnteric , .. * IV ( We regret to hear that Mr. Clleraft , t ack ° her for Wareham, is labouringre st-- under a sae the scarlet fever. BURGLARY AND SUICIDE. Ass( 11 and Mary Ann Chapman, two well- e d s r t e eijrielatl e l4ol:::: who have been in custody for a week, on a c f i g o g 4 , 1 1 ); log in their possession a quantity of p pert/ ' ll l2, Me,srF. Drayson and Sons, draer-sreat San "„,- 1e r5 . „. 4. 1 which had been stolen from their p premise' . he - e lr'", e ; place d at the bar, before Mr. Henry - the--10it, as " i t' Magistrate. From the evidence it appeared t t. ° B gesf:l; night of the 16th of January last, the shop of w t " e to 0 7 - %, Drayson was cede ed, and property a mountTb r y the dt 4 4001. carried away. Some time after the rob°e,,;veoe bands. of . both the prisoners, who had ben 6"- i - 0 06 r, committing the robbery, were taken at a p ublic' obv - ' cAsequenee of their being overheard to ofP lB ''„ tbe ° fre e. of a gentleman in the vicinity, and a (losn uti WI " c ol, b:eak'ng implements being found upon t he t l a i r barl o g o s o; committed fur three months each to Car. where one a them (Chapman) hung himself 01 /h e ed : e ll ( ' ing of Friday vt St rgeant Smith hav inr ti . c tri esr c i i'l the prisoners as the wives of the suspected s di the house of each, and found the p Pert' Pr eu rtle ° e rn lam Grcarson attended from Sai;d r w e le,, and it ePi rise ti-6 property. Mr. Henry directed Suit)'. to take t"" • f 11 ' 9 and property to Sandy. i.h. • ne o Lird RURAL POLICE.—A special m eet' , ° be 5 :1 3 Hertford Magistrates took he yesterday ' fOr'",: Hall, Hertford, for the purpose of e considering w 'L -t ° '' ^ e l steps should be taken in reference to a resolutl;-peas" e stab A l is el obli s b b ; Cuurt, made II few weeks back, for the the rural in the county. The propose" - boot mcrt has c tuned very great excitement throug f gag e entire cnunty, and an unusually lar ge_ n umber ° in i f tae, Ryder, g ,l\l ar t . h v e c m , 1,01111 7 "p e 7 r re, the tl m i e u .,,p 73' 2 1 ,r a l r o g sf u j i g g r e e on g li co ll tr.ten was present, there being p ards of P r i '4 5 - G er L C o . o r u i cl t :ll fzy c A l d and a number of other gentlemen of . rank and in ti i,caslt s the e•iunty. L ang, and occasionally an gry, we tio ob ' en took placa as to the lega!ity of a former mending tlrt the establishn cot of a rural policgPi.the✓ Marquis of Salisbury moved the adjournment °' d Ss'w amid loud cheers, and cries of a .• brave, °Y. Lord cs d r : bury.'' On the question being put, the r ootO a do', ried by a m a j or i ty o f 51 to 41. The Cbairinfo re JO' ingly left the c h a i r , an d t h e f ormer preceed ir g g virtually rescinded. ites" pafr STEEL FIRE-IRONS, with BroOr ty of t he Iss. per Set, Bronzed Fenders, 9s. A v t ,ili P ri ftre 6, terns and prices, from the above to 30g. at es ' -' fenders are particularly handsome, with splend id scr ei 051 richly intermixed will] steel, the ends are steel, ad: ye•i r° porters for the fi re - i rons b ronze d . P o lished W e ' cie of from 4s. per set. Fu C n a ii t s a h lo i, g ,g tnis ro g n r m at o is n , ge c r o y n . taining the prices of ev ery , Wells-stree t , O Xfor". gr eet " RIPPON and BIJR:TO N Establi;lied 1820. B IRTHS. Lady, °f On the 21st inst., a t Ho/gate House, near Y°l.l‘' the is a y o f the Hon. W. S tourton, of a son : „the On the 15th ir.st., at Duks - eldo • rf Rh , o n the 'i' e ' ,J a cho Rau" George E. Salomons, Esq , of a (laughter. On the 19th inst , at Be • dford, the wife of Captain , lA' of a daughter. • Ren t s' On the 19th inst., at No. 2, Chester-plac e ' „ adi _Mrs. Edward H. Smith, of a daughter. ... , A ,. le w` i On the 20th inst., at the Clifton Villas, all'''''' l3 ' ei of M. P. Guimararns, l'sq , of a son. On the 7th inst, at Pari s , the widow of E• Ir°ll6l.tie' FA.' „ w ool , a daughter. n ear On the 18th inst., at Siam Hall, Newton ' the lady of T. L. Tiffen, Esq., jun., of a dau,„ollter' On tim 15th inst., at \ M AT -I [ff R------- M F: 1 °f SValthaingt°' Ari Jane Adams, eldest da ' 4 l lite e r , of T. ' Addy , .' Esq' G. 11 ' On the 18th inst., at Si Margar et's, Airestminster, rof s. IN rt 9 Henry Bran. On the 20111 inst at IV' irksworth,Derbyshire, • sg t 0 11 Jr.cer',v,ei::ll,7:,(ll:: ilolf.l,.tilsington., to Agnes, eldest Fsq., o f s , " Southampton -street, Fitzroy-square, maw, of AVirksworth aforesaid. -------------- --- de ughte -- DIRD.f his s°ll in-law, Captain inst.,o Real ...Admiral Lor d Mar ultl9eitehbwy at Ball's Park, Ilerts, the seat o Georg On the 21st ina l s i st i s .b, o t ii i ..n r n s t 3i m .aal a s., ; ih r s i t ag ol Aci S lui t ai l O i ls. a q i : ou t f . t is h .B e llis Lordship was the youno-est son of the late resen t M. A., of Jesus College, Cambridge, aged 84. ir, Oa test On the 14th of December, at Kingston, Jaxaaics, •'• ~,e 1 ;i:7: 8 : 1 0) ul.dareu,newle.te rtrebiel fol., Esq., son of Mrs. Oates, of Sion - hill , Bath, age d 6 - 4 * 3.10 0 ' On the 28th ult., at Berne, in Switzerland, Anna daughter of 11. Shuttleworth, Esq., aged b. On the 27th ult., at Lowestoft , Suff olk, J. Elph,Esq'v o riv . On the 15th inst., T. E. Dyson , Esq ., of Willowfield, ' shiro, aged r 35. gnarU es ' On the 16th inst., at Stoke, near Guildford, 1J r• -- .. ar l, °- On the 17th inst., Sarah, the wife cf Mr. T. Woo " Camaby-street, Golden-square, aged 66. new,. a,scarynaras..,...verst... ,,...n.orz N o. 112, Strand, a on ; Printed andt Th Publ e Sishun by MIT NIo. ID 112, StBra o O " pd i L ed Office,. the county of Middlesex, --.Tuesday , Febr uary 23' i A ) ,_ lo Ppli ke,. tL Jazni SJ ~Ra ~ le,, k' V* , ~~ 1~