The Sun. — London, England, 1841-05-06 00:00:00

MORNING EDITION .• chire to these freeholders residing within the district; it would have the effect of disfranclesing many voters ; an'l be also thought that all the voters ought to to reeis•ered. He moved that the words " residing within such district" be left out. Mr. HUME objected to the omission of the wcrds. The retention of those words would tend to diminish the - the expense of out-voters. When the Bill was introduced he had objected to disfranchising any persons who had the - right-of voting for coronet.. He believed that at the pre - -sent mo-nent coroners were elected by Universal Suffrege. He proposed to give the right of voting to all persons ' ,. .rated to the poor, which would give a constituency 90E . eiently extensive aed would secure a register unconnected either with town or country register. The poor man had as great an interestin the election of coroner as the rich • are, and he should move an amendment to the effect that the coroner should be chosen by all persons rated to the poor in the district. He had no objection to have the person . rated for three months ; what be desired was that in taking • up the overseers' book to the booths, and it should consti tete a list of electors and a check upon the voters. Colonel T. WOOD objected to the Hoe. Members proposition as a swamping of the freeholder?. He should • • press his amendment before the 11011. Members was put. Mr. HUME objected to retaining the outvoters, and hoped the Hon. Member would not press his amendment to a division. Mr. PAKINGTON suggested that they should dis cuss the amendment of bis Hon. and Gallant Friend first, and he must object to it as his great object would be de feated if the words were left out. Mr. WA K LEY was glad to hear what had fallen from the Hon. Member who spoke last. He considered it the most important provision that the Bill contained, and one that would tend more than anything else to diminish the enormous expense of elections. Mr. ESTCOURT supported the amendment of the Hon. Member for Middlesex, and hoped the Hon. Gene tleman who had the care of the Bill would consent to his proposition. Mr. FOX NIA ULE supported the clause as it stood in the Bill, because the small amount of disfranchisement it would cause would not be so great an evil as the enor mous expense of bringing up out-voters. He trusted the Hon. Gentleman would not consent to withdraw the words. Mr. WARBURTON supported the clause. Mr. BARNEB Y thought the clause ought to run in such a manner as to give the franchise for the coroner to whoever held it for Parliamentary purposes. Mr. JOHN JERVIS supported the clause, as the bring ing up of out-voters was a very great evil in the election of a judicisl and ministerial officer iike the coroner. Of two evils he would choose the least, and would therefore support the clause as it stood. Lord DUNGANNON supported the amendment. He could nct see the justice of the proposition. Upon the same principle they ought to say that no freehold,er should vote for more than one Member of Parliament. He pro tested against such a monstrous doctrine—it was tatting away the rights of property. Mr. BR OTHE RTON supported the clause. It would save great expense in the election of coroner, and prose a great benefit to the officer and all concerned. Mr. WARBURTON said that if it was true, as was asserted, that the wishes of the landlords were generally followed in elections, what more could the Hon. Member for Oxford desire? The Hon. Member would have a vote fur the county in which he resided, and in the county in which be might have property he would have influence through his tenants. After afew words from Mr. JERVIS, Colonel WOOD, and son e other Members, strangers were ordered to with draw, and the House divided, when there appeared— For the amendment —.- Against it Majority Mr.' ',HUME then moved as en amendment to in. s e r e the words " as shall at the time of such election have beet wed fur six months for the relief of the poor in any parish iu such district," so as to give every rate payer the right t r vete. Mr. PAKINGTON opposed the amendment. Mr. FOX MAULF. said he could not think there was any office in the country in which the lower classes were so much interested as in the office of coroner, and be should therefore support the amendment of his Hon, Friend. He objected to the franchise of the dance, because it would substitate the present franchise, which was almost an eni venal franchise, far a more restricted one, ( hear, hear.) Mr. J. JERVIS felt obliged to vote against the amend mete, thinking the right of voting should be confined, as it always had been, to the freeholders of the county. The freeholders were, by the c tmmon law, responsible for the conduct of the cororer, and it was now proposed to give to a diff•rent class—the rate-pavers—the power of electing that officer. The whole of the law on the sub ject of the office must be altered if this amendment were adopted, and immense difficulty would arise in many cases affecting the liberties of the people, such as outlawry, &c. Questions connected with these subjects were already sur rounded with many perplexities, which the legal profession found a dlicult to resolve, but they would be icfir multiplied by this pr iposition, Mr. AGLIONBY supported the amendment, because it ,would do away with a great deal of perjury and simplify the qualificatior, besides extending the franchise. Mr. WARBURTON agreed with the Right Hon. Gentlemen the Under Secretary to the Home Department, that it was most desirable to extend as widely as possible the franchise for the election of popular rergistrates. The Coroner was the most popular officer in t-ie State, and derived his title from the words de corona populi, because it was contented he should be elected by tee crowd of the people. Under the present system, the elections were .carried by corruption ; and every person who could be brought up to swear that he was a freeholder, was per. milted to vote. The Hon. and Learned Mi niter was mistaken in his antiquarian lore. If the coroner did wrorg, and was fined by the Court cf Queen's Ber ch, then, in hit default of payment, the fine must be paid out .of the county razes, which were contributed, not by the freeholders alone, but by the class of persons which his flee. Friend the Member for Middlesex proposed to en franchise. Colonel THOMAS WOOD was surprised to hear a me.nber of the Government defend a franchise from the abuse of it.—( Hear, hear, and a laugh.) He opposed the amendment. Mr. WILBRAHAM supported the amendment, be csuse the original clause would tend to disfranchise exist ing voters, and the amendment would enlarge the franchise. Mr. HAMILTON expressed his determination to vote with the Hon. Member for Chester (Mr. Jervis), and against the amendment of the Hon Member for Kilenny. After some further discussion the House divided when there appeared, For the amendment 4B Against i. 63 Majority against the amendment —ls On our return to the• gallery we found Mr. JERVIS on his Clogs proposing an amendment to retain the old class of vatiTl l . St 'angers were then ordered to withdraw, but no divi sion took place. On our re-admission to the gallery we found Mr. 1 4 7 AKLEY on - his legs, expressing his wish that the Hon. ' and Learned Member would withdraw his amendment, as it would tend to limit the constituency materially, wbercas the clanse itself would greatly in crease it. The Committee then divided, when there appeared-- For Mr. Jervis's amendment Against it 3O 40 Majority in favour of the amendment —4B On our re-admission, we found Mr. PAKINGTON inquiring whether the amend ment having been carried, the Hon. Member proposed :that the franchise should remain as it was now, or did be propose to disfranchise the out-voter freeholders ? Mr. JERVIS did not mean in any way to limit the franchise. Be thought every freeholder of any kind and every kind should have the franchise. Mr. WAKL EY said the House did not know what they were about. The amendment of tl.e Hon. Member for Cheshire bore the most outrageously disfranchising di a. racter of any he had cv: r sewn ; because, in a previous part of the clause, it was declared that the franchise should .be confined to ret•idonts. The effect of it was to reduce the constituency of West Middlesex to 4,000, whereas, by the Bill of the Hon. Member for Droitwich (Mr. Rile. ii.gton) it wAold 'each 27 000. Mr. GISBORNE defended the amendment of fee Hon. Member for Chester. Why should th, nearly last privilege of the 40s. freeholders be taken away ? Mr. GODSON suggested as there was such a di,: r -4,:ty of opinion on this clause, it would be better to post -7,10e it till another n'ght, when they might settle it upon to o:. rood understanding. Th e Committee then divided upon a formal amendment, move d by Mr. JERVIS, for the purpose of carrying out his former amendment, when there appeared_ For the amendment 75 Agair:st it 97 Maj ,, rity c wrn to the gall ery we f ound On our r WO OD . Colonel moving that the Chairman report prc gres?, and Ask lyh'eloNsitoageairi. Mr. PAK ING Tv_ 1 3 e sed the motion. Although he thought tbe BM waA injured by the d ec i s i on at w h ic h .the House bad just ate ive4. neve:tneless if h e succee d e d in carrying the ;Leasure he would, he c once i ve d , e ff ect a great imp ro vement in the subjt.lt , to which it re f erre d . Colonel WOOD was prepar. d . to do w h atever t h e general s en s e of the House might L'irect. His object was that the House having come to the determination what the franchise should be they should enahl. the lion. Member to tike time to see how he could best carry his views into effect. Mr. PAKINGTON did not want time.—(A laugh.) Colonel WOOD then said that he would withdraw his motion.—Motion accordingly withdrawn' Mr. WARBURTON then moved an amendment to include the class of voters which would have been included in the Bill as it originally stood. Mr. Jeevis and Mr. AGLioNBY opposed the motion, 'which was withdrawn. Mr. T. EGERToN and Mr. E,TCOURT Said they would o p?, .ac the clause. m, . GODSON advised his Hon Friend to withdraw the e l as ese, and bring uo another with the Report. Mr. VOX NI A ULE was of opinion, that residence was essential to carry out the principle of the clause, in (.+s our of which he i:ati already voted. After a few , words from Mr,.J..i),i;sz., strangersvand Nlr.J w et e v r T e rs o i r n . explanation, am i dst vice of dered to withdraw, and the House divided, when the numbers were-- For the clause. 73 Ag .inst the clause 4 Majoeity for the clause —2s The clause was then ordered to stand part of the Bid. aClatres 7,6, and 9, were agreed to without any of , p ,_ - . sifitli. NEi i . S I A i t plAuses 10, 11, 12, and 13 were then agreed to. i .. , . __ Oa Clause 14 being proposed, Mr. TATTON EGERTON moved an amendment, ze b 4: - . te em a p d o a r ee ti o ng f a th w e ita c e o a ro , n a e a r i to ie is: a u s e e ehfisrewfearsraainttefoirmtpbreisaeta 1. —, . * ~1 / 4 7 1cItly ;. him. .._. The_amendment was oppos e d by Lord Dungannon, Mr. :a--- 7 :Jervis, aiid Mr. Godson. e .• ----,, Mr_ fr ASTCOURT would not object to the imposition 411 44 ; of a fine for non-attendance, as in tbat case there would be a power of appeal, but he could not agree to the ame►id ment. Mr. PAKINGTON said he would recommend his Hon. Friend to withdraw his amendment, S and instead of it to raise the fine for nos-attendance from 40s. to 6/. Mr. \YAK LE Y said he believed that coroners had power to compel a . tendanc.s, if they had sufficient energy of mind to exercise it; but as lawyers of repute had given an opinion to the contrary, be approved of the proposal of the Hon. Member for Droitsvicb. Ile objected to the two last lines in the clause, which provided that the fine imposed by the coroner might be appealed against at the Quarter Sessi ms. If the coroners were enabled to inlet a fine, the magistrates ought not to have the power.of remit ting it. The provisions of 6 George IY. had determined the manner in which those fines should be enforced ; they were similar to those in the clause, except that there was no such proviso in that Act as the one to which he objected. He beseeched the House not to undermine the authority of the coroner by consenting to any such proviso. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL thought that every thing should be done that could be done to enforce the attendance of witnesses in cases of murder. He had no doubt but that the coroner already possessed sufficient poser for that purpose, and he should rather leave the law as it was without imposing any fine, for to talk of fining or imprisoning a witness for a month who refused to give evidence in a case of murder would bear no comparison with the motives actuating persons to abstain from giving evidence.—( Hear, hear.) He was not prepared to state ail it means the coroner possessed for en forcir g attendance, but he was satisfied that such:power did exist, and he thought it better to leave the law as it was thin to fiz a maximum of puni,Liment for non-attendance by this Bill. Mr. GODSON said the coroner could indict a per son for refusing to give evidence, and he thought by im posing a fine it would be taking away that remedy. It would be better to leave the law as it was. Sir CHARLES BURRELL hoped that the Member for Finsbury would explain in what this power consisted of enforcing attendance. Mr. WA KL E Y said if be found a witness was contu macious he should issue a warrant for hia apprehension, and if when he came before the Court he should be in contempt he should have no hesitation in committing him at once, without waiting for an indictment. Mr. JERVIS would have no hesitation in bringing an action against a coroner who should so commit him for contempt.—.(A laugh.) The question as to the power of a coroner was of considerable doubt. There was nothing new in giving the Quarter Sessions the power of rrmittii g 6ces. Mr. WAKLE Y would test the accuracy of the posi tion which he bad taken in the person of the Hon. and Learned Member, if he would give him the opportunity. If a party were in contempt before the coroner, the co roner, as the judge of his court, had the power of com mitting him. Mr. GODSON thought it would be better to strike the word " witness" out of the clause, and if that were done the clause would 1)2 a most useful one. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL moved that the clause be postponed. If the coroner had not the power of sending for and compelling the attendance of witnesses, it was one be ought to have by law, but he was fully of opi nion be already enjoyed it. The clause was postponed. Clause 15 was agreed to. On clause 16 being proposed, which gave the power to the coroner to appoint a deputy, on obtaining the assent and certificate of two Justices o, the Peace, Lord G. SOMERSET objected to the words, "being a barrister or attorney." He moved that these words be omitted. Mr. M'LEAN did not see shy a coroner should not have the uncontrolled power of appointing his deputy, on being made responsible for the deputy's acts. Mr. GODSON hoped the clause would not be amen ded at all, but omitted. Our liberties had been secured by the non-appointment of any deputy to a judicial office more than by anythiog else. Why? if any of the Judges could not appoint a deputy, why should a Coroner ? If he could not perform his duties he ought to resign. Mr. WAKLEY was decidedly opposed to the amend ment of the Hon. and Learned Member for Oxford. The question was, would they place county coroners in the po. sition in which coroners fur boroughs mere, b r not. The commencement of the clause stated that in case of ill ness or other unavoidable absence, the coroner might be empowered," &c. &c. The coroners objected to the word " unavoidable" being intro , iuced into the new clause. It had given rise to great difficulties hitherto, and had often defeated the ends of justice. Mr. PAKINGTON suggested that he would withdraw ' the clause altogeth r, arid that his Hon. and Learned Friend could give notice of a clause to be brought up on the. Report. Mr. MACLEAN agreed to that proposition. Mr. WAKLEY adverted to the propriety of county coroners being allowed to appoint deputies in such cases as when twelve inquests occurred in one day, as happened on one occasion in his (Mr. Wakley's) district, or where inquests were to be held at places remote from each other. .Ir. Gell, the coroner for the City of Westminster, ap pointed Mr. H ggs as deputy, for his district, and Mr. Higgs, who was coroner in thief for the Duchy of Lan caster, also appointed a deputy for his disirict. Colonel SIBTHORP said he thought that a coroner, who had so many duties to attend to as the Hon. Member fir Finsbury, ought not to have a scat in that House. Mr. GODSON said the Hon. Member for Finsbury had shown good ground why the freeholders of Middlesex should petition for the appointment of fife or six additional coroners. He thought allowing the coroner to appoint a deputy would lead to abuse, and that be should either per form iht, duty himself or resign the office. Lcrd GRANVILLE SOMERSET said he would wi.hdraw the moti,o. Sir C. BROOKE VERE objtcted to this clause bring withdrawn. Mr. PDX MA ULE thought the coroner should be able to appoint a deputy in case of illness, cr other such contingency, but not to the extent proposed by the Hon. Member for Fin bury. He ( Mr. F. Maule) would pro pose to amend the clause by moving to omit the proviso. After a very desu tory discussion, in which Lord Gran vil'e Somerset, Mr. Wakley, Mr. F. Maule, and several other Members took part, the Committee divided. llfe numbers were— For the clause . Against the clause Majority against the clause —3 The clause was consequently struck out. Clauses 17, 18, 19, and 20, were agreed to without any division. On clause 21 being put, Captain HAMILTON moved that the travelling allow ance should be raised from 9d. to 18d., and not merely to a shilling as proposed by the clause. lie did not think that 18d. would be too great an allowance, considering that coroners had to bear the expenses of post-borses. Mr. GRANTLEY BERKELEY secondedtheamend ment. Mr. GISBORNE was opposed to any attempt at raising the mileage from 9d., which was the sum now allowed. The expenses of coroners were already a great burden en the county charges. Lord G. SOMERSET said that a shilling would be amply sufficient as an allowance to the coroners. Lord DUNGANNON was in favour of the allowance of IR. 6d. par mile. Mr. F. MAU LE said that if the coroner wes to have 1. 6d. per mile, he should propose that that sum be paid only for any distance beyond two miles from his residence. —( Hear, hear.) place of Mr. GODSON concurred in these views. Sir R. INGLIS was opposed to any increase. Mr. CHARLES DOUGLAS supported the suges tion of the Hon. Under Secretary. It went fully to meet the wishes of the coronets with whom be had consulted. Mr. W A KLEY was at a loss to understand what the Hon. Baronet the Member for Oxford meant by describing the office as one of professional advan tage. He ( Mr. Wakley) was a medical man. Did the Hon. Member imagine be could pre scribe for the dead, or that he was to dis sect them ?—( A laugh.) Whenever an office was in the gift of the Crown. they always heard from. b th sides of the House of the necessity of paying the officers well to secure efficient talent, but the rnon.eot they came to c.insider the amount cf remuneration to be paid to an 4 flicar appointed by the people, they became most parsimoeious.—( Cries of •‘ Oh, oh I") It v, as the truth, and it vsa, because the truth was painful to them that they exclaimed against it. Toe coroner was the most ill- paic officer in the hir gdotn. By giving only this inefficient rate of mileage, taey were giving the coroner a direct interest to neglect his duty, in cases of deaths from ne glect occurring at a distance from his residence, and w. re impairing the efficacy of the office. He trusted that the coroners would receive, in the other House of Parlia ment, that justice which was denied them here. Mr. EVANS had never heard of an instance in which an individual had complained of a coroner not perform ing his duty ; but he had heard many instances of coroners holding useless inquests. The present remuneration had been found sufficient to secure a choice of competent persons for the situation, and he thought Lb* proposition of the Hon. Member for Worcesters Lire was a very liberal one. Captain HAMILTON found so many Members wero in favour of the Is. 6d. a mile that be should certainly press his amendment to a division. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw. The Com mitte divided, when there appeared— Ayes 35 Noes 6B Majority During our absence from the gallery it was understood that an amendment was proposed to the effect that is. 6d. should be the amount of mileage paid to coroners. The Committee divided, when there appeared— For the amendment 5B Against it 43 Majority .... Mr. FOX M AUL E moved to add at end of the clause, " Pio‘iied always that no charge for mileage shall be n ade fltir any distance within two miles of the usual place of aLode of such coroners." Godson, M•. Wakley, and Mr. Pakington opposed the motion. Mr. 'MINES thought it would be better to insert the word " additional" before " charge for mileage." Mr. FOX M A ULE said Le had no objection to the insertion of the word proposed by his Hoo. Friend behind him. The Committee then divided, when the numbers were— For the clause 43 Against it . 33 Majority The CHAIRMAN reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Hal'-past One o'clock. S p- -T. _ ETERSBURGH, APRIL 24.—Thetiourna/ de St. Petersburah of this date contaihs the certmonies to be observJd on ine marriage if the Grand Duke A.exan dtr and the Princess Mary, which is fixed for the 28 th cf this montb.—Excharge on London, 23d April, 38 11-16, THE SUN, LONDON, THUASDAY, MAY 6, 15441. WEST INDIA PROPRIETORS. A mei ti, g of West India Planter-, Merchants, and others interested in the West India coloi ies, wits held y, teeth) , at the Ti arched House Tavern, St. Jeree,'s-sireet, pursuant to advertisement, to take into consideration t'- , e Government proposi ion for reducing the duty on foreign sugars. The Right Hon. the Earl of Harewood tRI the Chair at two o'clr ck. The meeting was very thinly at ' tended. Amongst those present we noticed several gen tlemen connected with the West Indies. The NOBLE CHAIRMAN rose and said that however often they bad n.et on other matters connected with the West Indies, that on which: they were called together that day was of the moat paramount importance. Since the Noble Lend at present at the head of colonial affairs bad been ap pointed to that department of the Government—althougn be ( Lord Harewood) could not speak cf his own knowledge, yet he had been informed that he was surpassed by none in talent and unremittir g exertion.—( Hear.) He therefore hoped that after the eggravatioras—for so he was compelled to term them— that had been practised on the Wett Incise Colonies, particularly on Jamaica, there would have been a more favourable era, and not have found their best interest, threatened with ruin. With respect to- the project of the Government, it appeared to him kirly impossible that it cculd be intended to go en. They talked of free trade— free trade to whom ? to everybody but to ourselves. They kept their own duties whilst they took off the duties paid by other countries. They had already paid, he (Lord H.) could not say how much, but large as the sum was which had been paid to the West Indian Proprietors for their sacrifices by the Negro Emancipation, this country had been put to equal experee by payments to other countries, and in supporting a navy to stop the slave trade. Could those now supporis g this measure at any future reriod say one word about stop ping the slave trade, if they went and dealt with those colonies worked by slavery, and where the importation of slates was carried on to a frightful extent? What was the moment seized upon for doing this? The West In dian colonists were now beginning to recover from the shock consequent upon the emancipation, and to find the way to the payment of money to the labourers, while the population now generally were returning to a sense of their duty, and the whole system was working well, when the proposed measure is put forth, which would throw the lands out of cultivation, stop the progress of civilization amongst the negroes, and coupling the different means of ra:sieg money for the expenses of the civil departments, including moral and religious edu cation, all these were to be shaken to their foundations because the interests of the consumer were to be con sidered. He (Lord Harewood) granted that the interests of the consumer should be considered, but not to the ruin of the producer. This will not do either in the ques tion of corn or sugar. Was the producer to be overwhelmed by importation from the slave colonies, or was be to have fair profit on the capital be employed ? The proposed measure was supposed to come from some who re commended what is called free trade. He con• eluded that it did so, because he could appeal to his Honourable Friend Mr. Burge, with whom he had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the Treasury, whither he (Lord Harewood) went with out any intention of speaking, but his spirit being roused he said to the Right Honourable Gentleman, that from what he heard he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) meant to bring in foreign slave-grown sugar to the market ; and the answer was, that nothing which had transpired could lead to that opinion—that the East Indies had disadvantageous duties as well as th, British Colonies. :.'tigar would be introduced in forcigr ships, and for what object ?—that manufactures might be introduced to Brussels and such places in return. He was not speaking now in Yorkshire, but if be were be would speak as he did now—that the great crime of this country was in overstocking the market, which tempted men to the greatest dishor.eity. The Anti-Slavery So ciety bad not, as yet, announced their intention of joining theta, but if they acted up to their principles be bac a good opinion of the success of the objects they had is slew. The Noble Lord resumed his seat amidst cheers. The SECRETARY read a letter from the General Shop •Owners' Society, addressed to the Noble Chairman, whici. stilted that in consequence or the intention of her Majesty' Government to atter the duty on corn, sugar, and ttmLer, which would be highly detrimental to the interests of :host trading with the British cttlonies, and amongst the rest t , the trade with North America ; they felt bound to exer• their utmost energies in furtherance of the objects for which the meeting was coiled. The • SECRETARY . was then about reading petitions t( both Houses of Parliament, embodying the views of th, int eting. when. Mr. RIDGWAY said the more proper course for the meet. irig to pursue would be to move a resolution, to which an . ; person dissenting might move an amendment, as ther• might be many present who entertained different view from those contained in the petition. I Mr. Buiturz said that in order to affird an op portunity to any gentleman to speak, he (Mr. Burge) should move a resolution, and in doing so he should slat, his reason for calling on that meeting to adopt a petitioi praying both Houses of Parliament not to adopt a mea sure which would entail ruin on all those colonies in th! east and west, where cultivation was effected by Ire labour. His proposition was, that this meeting shoul - endeavour, by all means, to resist the attempt of her Ma jesty's Government to reduce the duty on sugar. There were connected with the consideration of the objects 01 the present mee irg , consequences so momentous that be might be allowed, in a few wotds, to submit some of then• to the meeting, as furnishing the grounds on which the . , were called on to appeal against the measures of be Majesty's Government. The very fact of tEe exthetio. or slavery 1 rought difficulties of a peculi it charactei difficulties which he believed would, in a short time, b. surmounted, but which pressed with peculitr force on tie colonies during the time following that extinction, and re quired. on the part of the Government, a system a con ciliation for the relief and removal of their difficulties Now, on the part of the colonist, the sacrifices they bar made to continue the cultivation of the lands in tht colonies, had been of such a natute, and of such an ex tent, that they particularly needed the protection el the Government, and being protected against any mea sure that would tend to increase the difficulties attending them. A great difficulty pressing upon them wan the great supply of free labour requirel for cultiva tion. But they submitted to the difficulty on the faith that there was, on the part of the Government, a deter mination to give effect to the great measure of Slave Emancipation, and to protect the colonies from any at tempts which would have the effect of subjecting them t. additional difficulties in the cultivation of their estates. Bte not only were the' e individual difficulties, but the colonist, subject -d themselves to increased burdene, which the na ture of the emancipation imperatively called for. net bad increased their churches,—they had made large grant, for the religious instruction of alt branches of the people without sectarian distinction.—( Cheers.) The addition. which Jamaica made to the annual expenditure for these purposes, for the administration of justice, for emigration, and various others connected with the extinction of slavery, amounted to 200,0001. On the part of the colonists, the' had done their part in giving effect to emancipation, which alone its success depended. Now, let them sec what the Government had done. He agreed with thi Noble Lord that up to this time, and but for this messure there was no man who could refuse paying to the Noble I Lord the Secretary for the Colonies a tribute ot the high est admiration. He (Mr. Burge) had been, since 1812 intimately acquainted with the government of the colo nies, and never during that time saw a Secretary for the Colonies more worthy of respect or admiration than that Noble Lord. He (Mr. Burge) was not of the Nobe Lord's political principles, but he was attached to the colonic?, and therefore tie man who did most good fur them, let him be Whig or Tory, net with his warm ap probation. Of tie conduct of the Noble Lord the Se cretary ot State for the Colonies, as such, be had invari ably heard the language wee. But that conduct only matte the present more appalling and dreadful in contras! with the other. Lord John • Russell was now bringing forward a measure for the increase of the slate-trade ano the destruction of these colonies, worthy of the imitatioi, of all others, as, notwithstanding all difficulties, showing that free labour could be mace ',Venable to the nation,: prosperity, and that there could be no pretext for the con tinuatton of stave labour. No man living could doubt late that the effect of a 'eduction of the duty on foreign sugar would be to hold forth a premium and protection to sla very and the slave trade, as bringing deslruction upon those colonies where freedom was first established. It was well known that with a population so small as thsr in the principal colonies it was "sot possible that the pre' duction of tree labour could compete with slave labour He begged those who telt an interest on that subject ti remember that when Clarkson and Wilbetforce first be gan their labours the number of slaves in St. Domingo dir. not exceed 70,000; at present the amount necessary to supply Cuba and the Brazils, whence the product was to come, by the measure now introduced by her Majesty's Government, was 150,000. That fact ought to tell in language which no man could resist. The measure Waf calculated not only to ruin the colonist, but to destroy the iairest hopes of the British nation. Were millions to be spent on foreign nations? Were vast sums to be expen ded in the Niger expedition for the extinction of slavery, and the civilization of Africa, and at the very moment when this was bring done a measure was proposed to the nation, and to the British Parliament, which afforded a premium on that barbarous trade ? The petition, which it was one of the main objects of the meeting to adopt was to impreis as strongly as possible the fact that the proposed meow e would have the effect cf putting out of cultivation the great commodity of the West Indies, and of putting the colonists completely out of the market, and leaving them no motives tor cultivation of their estates. The moment that there measures became law that moment would the colonies become a wilderness, and what then would become of the negro population that had been emancipated ? They could not advance into civi lization, as upon, the cultivation of the estates depended that. He could not but believe that those great and good men, Lushingtori, Buxton, and others, would be found holding up their hands in opposition to that measure of the British Guvernment, which was to perpetuate the fo reign slave -trade. In conclusion be would add, that the utmost ease had been bestowed in drawing up the petition by the West Indian Committee and the Hon. Member ( Sir A. Grant) on the left of the Noble Chairman, and he, therefore, moved its adoption. Sir ALEXANDER GRANT said before seconding the motion of his Honourable Friend be thought it ne ct.ssary to say a few words. His Hon. Friend bad ad dressed them with muck' eloquence, but the meeting should bear in mind the object for which it was convened. They were a meeting of %Vest Indian proprietors, and their objects were to consider the effect which the pro pcsed resolution of the Chancellor of the Exchequer would have on their property. He entirely concurred in what had fallen ofrom his Hon. Friend upon the effect the proposed measure would have in rendering nugatory the large sums of money which had been granted for the extinction of the slave trade. Still, strongly as be f.lt on the matter, it did not appertain to the objects of the meeting ; what they were to look to was the Chancellor of the Exchequer's proposal , and it would require no de clarationi the meeting were constituted according to thy terms in which it was called, as West India proprietors. No one who came here actuated by other motives had a right to attend.—( Hear, hear.) The question w th h e er 7;: r. - cellor of the Exchequer proposed wa s i n direct cotitradie tion to the arguments us. d in lost session. Ewart brought forward his motion for the equalisation of duties. The question the Chaacellor of the Ex, hsquer proposed was that the duty on British colonial sugar was to amount to what he termed "245. plus 5 per cent." He stated that be proposed to reduce the duty on other sugar of course ; on slave labour from 565. to 365. plus per cent. There were practical gentlemen present, and he (Sir A. Grant) would wish to know whether the na ture of the emancioetion in the colonies by which they paid high wages for veryfew hours of labour, did not produce these results, namely, whether the cost of manufacturing one hundred weight of sugar is not larger than 123. on the part cf those using free labour, than on those who use, and who use unsparingly, the labour of sieves? If that were so, they bad no protection whatsoever, but rather the contrary, for the protection was all on the site of the slave grower.—( Hear, hear.) When the .Chancellor of the Exchequer was asked by Mr. -Goulburu to explain his intentions on the subject now under the consideration of the meeting, he replied that he was totally unprepared to state the means by which this end was to be effected, but it was intended that there should be an alteration proposed iu the duties, by which the ' , turns to the revenue would he increased from 700,0001. to 1,000,000/. Mr. Goul burn again inquired how that was to be done? when the Chancellor of the Exchequer replied, he was not then prepared to state the machinery by which it was t be effected. The fact was, that on Thursday the Right Hon. Gentleman knew as little of the proposal he made on Friday, as any one in that assembly.—( Laughter.) The Hon. Baronet concluded by seconding the motion. The petition was then read, but it was merely an echo of the preceding speech. Mr. lavnao said he considered it bad policy to attend co the in erests of the consumer independent of those of the producer, because, if the latter suffered from any par ticular cause, the former would soon experience the call, by a rise in prices. There were many commodities which would allow of a little increase in price, and amongst these was sugar, and for this he rr ferred to a certain Report, published some time back. That paper was first published under the authority of a Committee of the House if Commons, for the sake if Laing the public know what were the opinions of the House on that subject. Now what was the opinion of Mr. M'Gregor, to which so much weight was attached? It was that the plan would produce to the revenue 6,000,0001. a-year.—( Hear, bear.) But what was the Charicelor of :he Exchequer's opinion? What did he think he would lain by sacrificing the West Indian interest ?—( Hear, near) —by sacrificing our whole colonial system, which had for ages been regarded as our gre west source of strength and wealth ?—( bear.) Why, he expected only 700,0001 ?—and, for that sum, be would sacrifice the greatest colonial system that ever existed in the. world—( Cheet s)—a system which produced a revenue to this country of 7,800,0001.—( Cheery.) All that was to be sacrificed for 7,000,0001. of revenue, and a chance of 3,850,0001. from tie trade with Brazils.—( Hear, 'tear.) Mr. Labouchere stated the other night, in the House of Commons, that he bad presented a petition from the most respectable merchants in thecity of London. But he ( Mr. hying) could assure the meeting that many of those who signed that petition did so through missppre oension, and sere prepared now to sign the pal:on to .which be believed that meeting was about to agree.— ( Cheers.) He (Mr. I.) knew a gentleman who was highly eulogised when the City petition was presented, and whose signature gave it great weight. That gentleman, he could tell the meeting, had since changed his mind, and was now determined to sign their petition. And, as it was advisable in their present position to make Known any circumstance that tended to afford consolation, he would tell them that he bad reason also to know that the gentlemen called the Anti-Slavery Society would sup aort the greater part of the petition now read..—(Che ers ) He concluded by moving that the petition be adopted, arid that the members of the West India body in London ie requested to sign it immediately, so that it might be ready to be presented on Friday night. A GENTLEMAN requested permission to address a few curds to the meeting Wore the question was put. He tid net come there, he said, to interrupt this tneetai g, or o oppose their peal. ion. He was a person intsieeed n the West Indies, and in all the colonies, and most of all in this great nation itself, whose welfare eas involved in this question. It was true that 20,000 000/. iad been paid fur the extinction of slavery in the Wi at Indies; but it was also true that it was not yet extinguished there.--(Much disapprobation and laughter. Cries of a Not true.") Sir A. GRANT said that the meeting ought to be in 'ormed of the gentlemen'e name, and whether he was cot.- iected with the West !adieu interest. Lord HARR woo]) said the gentteman had handed le m a card, from which be learned that his name was Ridgvia:, end that he lived in Leicester-square. He (the Chairmen) did not know whether he was interested in the West Indies. But he did not think it would be for the credit of :he meeting that any gentleman who thought that the mca ures of the Geverament now under their consideration el tected the interest if the colonies of the nation at large, •hould not be allowed to express his sentiments. Sir A. GRANT—The gentleman says he has an interest as the West Indies. I beg to ask him in what relation ? Mr. RIDOWAY-A will not answer that question. _.(Oh, .h, and laughter.) He presumed to say that with respect o the slave-trade in Brazil, it was perfectly notorious that t was carried on to a greet extent by British capi al.— (Oh, oh, arid cries of " What has that to do with the question.") He thought that the British people had a ht to bay in what way they would be taxed themselves, tor the 20,000,0001. was what they bad paid for the eman •ipation of the slaves in the West Indies. As he saw ihare was an indisposition to heat him, he would not tres pass further.—( Cries of " Go on, go on.") Several gentlemen appealed to Mr. Ridgway whether, in fairness, he was not bound to acknowledge there was every disposition to give him an attentive he firing as long is he chose to speak—(Cries of " Go on")—nut he re mained silent. Mr. C. BARKLEY thought that the gentleman bad no - fight to say he was not heard with attention and c urtesy, Ile (Mr. Barkley) could assure him that he was in error in supposing that slavery existed in the West Indies iii any form.—(Cheers.) He was a Radical, and expected aeon to au to the bustiegs on Radical principles, and he bad z. a lously supported the emancipation of the negroes In -very stage of the struggle.—(Cheers.) But he could mot hear it asserted in that room that slavery still existed in the West Indies without denying it, because he knew tto be false.—( Applause.) He bad supported the Eman cipation, although he held the first mortgage on three large estates in Jamaica—( Hear, hear)—aud his interest was equal to the whole value of those estates, as might be mower from the fact that the trustee could not pay hioa— ( Hear, bear, and a laugh.) It bad nothing to do will :his question, whether or not the slave-trade in Brazil was cavilled on with British money or not. If it was so :he British capitalists were guilty of felony, and ought to be punished.—( Hear, hear.) As to the subject of their petition he could only express his opinion that it would ruin the colonies. It would cause the necessity for an Agrarian law in the West Indies, or lead the negroes to imitate the conduct of their brethren in St. Domingo. The Eat]. of HAREWOOD said that in all s'sernblies in which the interests of men were concerned, a littls warmth of temper was to be expected.—( Hear, hear,) But he thought it was right that (very gentleman should be al lowed to express himself, however his opinions might differ from the majority of those present. He was glad hat Mr. Ridgway had made the statement respecting the amployment of British capital in the Brazaien slave •rade. It was certainly one thing to know a fact, and another to be able to prove it; but if Mr. Ridgway could make good his charge he would do service to his country, and credit to himself. The resolution was then carried unanimously, end 'hanks having been voted to the Chairman the meeting separated. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE —As we antici pated, Grisi's execution of the concluding scenes of Anna Bolena on Saturday was too fine not to yield us theperformanee of the whole of that opera. Its two acts were played on Tuesday to a numerous though not a very crowded house, and gave all the pleasure that was to be expected from such a work en trusted to such singers. Signora Grancha personated Gio vanna Seymour ; and Mademoiselle Ernesta Grist, whim we were sorry to see looking indifferent in health, the page and minstrel, Smeaton. A new ballet, in two acts, was afterwards produced, under the title of La Fille de ['Exile. As the subject is taken from Madame Coffin's well-known and deservedly popular tale of the young girl Elizabeth, who wandered from the remotest part of Sibetia to Moscow, in order to imploie the Emperor's clemency in be half of her father, we need not enter into any detail of the plot. Madame Guy Stephan, who was entrusted with the heroine's part, and acquitted herse f of it with much intelli gence, was very near meeting a serious accident as she was ueseending, 4‘ exhausted and almost dying, the banks of the frozen Volga." In compliance with the libretto, at this part of her journey, a band of savage Cossacks, in quest of plunder, meet and insult Elizabeth, and their leader is about to lay hold of her, when the stream breaks forth from its boundarie-, 'and, while the inundation puts the Cossacks to flight, Eliza beth is carried away with a wooden cross, beneath which she has sought a refuge. Under the cross, therefore Madame Stephan sheltered herself, but it afforded her anything but pro tection. Owing, se em i ng l y, to some rope breaking whilst it was rising, she exp er i enced a h ea vy fall or heavy blow which some loud shrieks denoted. The curtain was dropped as fast as it could be brought to a horizontal position, whist the Vol ga's Madame Stephan. At billows proved th at i t was their debut at her Majesty's Theatre. A very pr o t racte d i n terval ensued, general anxiety being expres s ed as t o w h at h a d befallen length, when the call for M. Laporte was fast increasing, the curtain rose again, and the heroine came forward .tamidst the I loudest demonstrations o f sym pathy, and fortunately reached Moscow in such manne r as t o make everhody hope that she adapted t n o o d t t o a t s b u e ffe a r c e t r i o f e . parts very pr e tty. M any oamodtihoesoamcceident. The music i s we ll of the costumes deserve praise likewise. A recent decision in the Court of Exchequer, I pregnant with most serious consequence. to the common brewer& of England, is. we understand, about to be brought under the notice of Parliament, with a view of obtaining redress. By the decision just alluded to, which is neither more nor less than a new construet:ort of the laws, revers ingg practice of immemorial date, the whole Fcperty f brewers vestpd in barrels is placed in imminent peril, those barrels bi log liable to be seized and sold wnenever the landl, rd of a public-house has occasion t t distrain upon his tenant. Throughout the country districts, where the trr(vailing distress of the times is peculiarly felt, the brewers feel there is no certainty whatever in their tran • dered liable for th e i r customer 's rent to an extent double ! sections, while, by suc h a d ec ision, their property is ren. that of any other tradesman who is accustomed to send out goods upon credit. The subject has therefore been warmly taken up by the principal provincial towns, and a 9 frivat number o f pet i t ions are now in town awaiting a fa vourable opportunity for presentation by the respective clearly set forth, and its Itaraships piopeTly reposed, in 811 Members. The case o f t h e b rewe rs in f!is instance is very appeal to the Members of both Houses of Padisment. by the agent en t rusted wit h t i e rcpt sentatit.ti of tor br, w. rs' claims, of which we shall give further particulars la, fore the question comes on for discuseion, Morning Advertiser, SHIP MA WREC RINERS' El) Fi ENEVO SHE LENT RMEN AND SOCIETY. The Toird Anniversary of this Institution pas held last evening, at the London Tavern. It was founded with th view of giving rell.l and as-i“ance to the widow - % and orphans of fishermen, and of mariners, members of this Socie'y, who lose their lives by storms and shipwreck, on any part of the coasts of the United Kingdom, while en gaged in their lawful occupations; and also to render ne cessary aid and assistance to such mariners, soldies, or other poor persons, as suffer shipwreck upon the said coasts. The Queen is Patroness, Admiral Sir George Cockburn, President, and the Institution is supported by the first men in the country. Last evening the Earl de Grey took the chair, and was supported on his ligSt by Sir George Cockburn, and on his left by Sir George Murray, be tween whom and the venerable, independent, and con sistent Member for Middlesex, George By ng, Esq., sat Sir Charles Napier, the hero of St. Jean d'Acre, and the representative of England in the gallant warfare which took place on the Syrian coast. Among others present wee Sir August Dalrymple, Captain Marryat, Sir J. Adtlphus, Sir J. Seale, aid M. Hebeler, the Prussian Consul. On tl e cloth Feing rem: red the Noble Chairman said he woulti propose a toast, which he knew every man and every woman would respond to, " The health of their Illustrious Q_:een." When they were presided over by a woman he was sure every Englishman would do his duty..--( Loud cheers.) . , `• God save the Qa,en," was then sung by Mr. Hawes' company, and responded to by the most unanimous cheering. Tt e CHAIRMAN said—The next toast I have to give is " Prince Albert," and I give it without delay, because I wish to separate Prince Albert and her Majesty front one another as short a time as possible.—( Great cheering and laughter.) From what the gentlemen preent had heard, and, he might say, the country in general, they were aware that Prince Albert patronised almost every charita ble institution in England. He was not aware, however, that he hod yet patronised this institution, bat, if they were to believe the newspapers, no institution had, better claims on him ; for, on one occasion, he had been masrly drowned in Buckingham Gardens, and, on another, he had saved the life of a fellow-creature in the neighbourhood of Greenwich.—( Great cheering and laughter.) The toast was drank with great applause. The next toast was " Tee Queen Dowager, and thereat of the Royal Family," which was duly honoured. In proposing " The Army and Navy," the CHAIRMAN said—No marl could be more fortunately situated than be w a s. He was flanked by two representatives of the army and navy that would do honour to any country, and when either of the Sir Georges were called upon, he knew there were n 9 men who would more readily and more bravely perform their duty.—(Great cbeeriug.) Sir GEORGE INIURRA Y said, in rising to return thanks on that occasion, he took precedence from his seniority, but from no othrr cause. The two services were intimately connected in feeling and spirit—they were alike distin guished for their zeal and their common love of their country.—(Cheers.) It was easy for him to go back to the days of former times—to the days of Nelson and Wellington (Loud cheering) but he would pass them over—they were already inscribed in the records of history—and allude to achievements of more recent date. lie would allude to what had been performed by the people of this country within the last twelve months, when they were all but threatened with a foreign war, and yet amidst all the noise and bustle of a neighbouring coun try they remained in perfect tranquillity and exhibited every symptom of good fellowship, forming a striking con trast to the sensitive inhabitants on the other side of the Channel. But when the time came to strike the blow they were ready. The blow was struck with effect, and to t.o one was the country more indebted for the admirable display of British skill and bravery on thet eventful occasion than to the gallant officer on his left, Sir Charles Napier—(Loud and continued cheering)__ whom he was happy to call his friend and proud to call his country inan—( Continued cheering)—whose arm was pe culiarly effective in striking that blow which settled the :affairs of the East. and whose vigour and decision recalled to his memory the words of Caesar, Vera, vidi, vici. His gallant friend showed the same promptitude of decision, the same vigour ia effecting his purpose, and the same triumphar t success.—(Cheering.) lit conclusion, he would simply ad vent to the great object of the meeting that evening—the support of the orphans and widows of the brave mariners aid filierrnen, who formed the main support, and, he might say, were the pillars of the B; itish navy ; and he trusted that with such patronage as he witnessed that even ing, they would yet look up, and not in vain, to their countrymen for protection and support.—(Cheers.) Sir GEORGE COCKBURN leiurned thinks for the Navy, and contused in everything teat had been by his Gallant Friend on the left of the Cnairman. He had hate to add, but what he had to add was to the honour of his Gallant Freud Sir Charles Napier, who, in 113 ex ploits on the coast of Syria, had covered himself with glory. He had known him lung. 'rite first time he saw him was nhe was lyii g wounded on a couch—k Hear, hear).— in coast que nee or a cunt, st in ele:ence of his c,untry, and to his eiedit he had but just finished his noble ex pi its on the Syrian coast when he came among them the t evening ready to assist the widows and the orphans of the mariners and fishermen who formed the strength of the Briti , ll navy.—(Cht cis.) The next toast was "The Clergy of all Denominations who lent. their tort to the Charity." Dr. BUitNETT returned thanks in a very long speech amidst much interruption. The Noble CHAIRMAN then gave " Success to the Be. nevoteet Society of the Shiperec kei Fiseermee and Me rin.. rs," which, he was happy to say, was going on with increased sutras. It had existed for only three years, and while in the first year there were only 146 Auxiliary Societies, at present there were not less than 400. The SECRETARY then read the Report fur the last year, from which tee following is an extract:— `° The tremendous storms of the last winter were pro ductive of numerous wrecks, and of the destitution and misery which are ever their attendants, even when the lives of the wrecked fishermen or mariners are preserved. When the painful accounts of those accideuts, and the still more distressing details of the widow and the orphan having to mourn the stay and the support which had been taken from teem, were daily, and almost hourly, brought under the notice of the Central Board, they thea felt the inesti mable advantage of a Society which could, in some de gree, alleviate and soothe such poignant sorrows ; and they rejoiced that, as it pleased God thus to visit our shores during the winter of 1840, His merciful Providence had ordained that this Institution should previously have beer. projected and established One hundred and twenty six widows, 436 children, and 87 aged parents, have been relieved ; 1,007 shipwrecked persons have been ait'ed, and forwarded to their homes ; and 205 families have received assistance, who were left destitute, in consequence of ex treme distress occasioned by storms—making a total of of 1,861 persons who, during the past year, have partici pated in the benefits of this Society." He then announced the subscriptions, among which were the Duchess of Gloucester, 51. ; the Earl de Grey, 20/. ; the Duke of Argyll, 5/., and five guineas annually ; the Duke of Northumberland, ten guineas; Lord Arden ten guineas; Sir Gee. Murray, live guineas; Gee. Byng, Esq , M. P., ten guineas ; the Prussian Consul, 5/., alto gether amounting to nearly 800/. for the evening. The Eail DE GREY then rose and said, that it afforded him great pleasure to propose the next toast. The Gala lent Officer to whom it referred had been alluded to in the course of the evening. He had been alluded to a, an officer in the navy, but his abilities were not confined to that department. He could fight at sea, as all knew, and when he went ashore, they all possibly knew that he could command as well as a general. He gave the health cf their tele:mote; guest, Sir Charles Napier.—( Great cheer. ing, which continued for some time.) Sir CHARLES NAPIER then rose, and was welcomed with the most euthustastic applause. He said if there was any thing in the whole world that was more gratifying than another to a military officer, it was a favourable reception in his native land. He could therefore assure the meeting that if be Lad deserved any honour or credit from his coun try for the part fir had taken in the operations en the coast of Si ria and in Egypt, he had been amply repaid by the reception he had met. with at Liverpool and Alanches ti r. Wh n he was on the Syrian coast he was placed under peculiar circumstances. He had not only t r per form his duty as an efficer in the navy, but be had also to command Turks, Engl.snnien, and Austrians, on land, and he was happy to say that he had received a little in struction in 'hat line in the Peninsula when he served under the illustrious Wellington—(Great cheering)—and also under his Galls t Freud on his right, who during ! these eventful campaigns distingehhed himseif as they all knew in the admirable performance of his duty as Quarter. masts r- General. In their operations in Syria the British w. re successful, as they all knew. The sailors and the soldiers together succeeded, though the force was very small, in reeeuing Christians and other sects from as great a tylartny as ever existed. In saying se, he did not make any invidious distinction. Mehemet Ali was brought up in an oriental school, and he followed the lessons which he had received. They had all braid of the expedition to St. Jean d'Acre, and he believed they would all Admit that the British Navy had done its duty there, and in a glorious manner toe.—( Great cheering.) They had also heard a great deal about the deficiency' of the British navy ; they had read in the newspapers of the felling off in that main bulwark of this island ; but, not. withstandieg all that had been said and published, the English could not fail to admit that, on the coast of the British navy', with only a peace establish ment, had accomplished as great deeds as at any time they had ever accomplished in war.—(Loud cheers.) He agr,ed with the Duke of Wellington that we ought not to carry on war with a peace establishment, and that we should take care that on a war breaking out we should not be caught in that condition. The French Government hadpaid great attention to their navy, and he thought it was the duty of the Government of this country more especially to suppoit the navy, and keep u p th.t farce which firmed the grew bulwark of England. He had during the late campaign served frequently ashore with soldiers as well as sailors, and though the allied forces altogether did not exceed 8 000 or 10,0(10 mt.n, they sent back 60,000 of their opponents g ; ;;:pt, where they ought to remain.—( Laughter and cheers.) When that was d o ne the Sultan was relieved from all fear of the Egyptian 4 , my, Arid under snob or eum:t inces he hoped the Governor of Egypt would be I. ft, if not independent as any Sovei eign, at all events so independent as to form, what he had already been, the right arm of the Turkish empiee. With regard to Mehemet Ali, he would only say, from all the interviews he had with hint, that he believed him to be a great man— ic might add, Mehemet Ali was perhaps the best and the greatest man in the Eastern world.—( Loud cheers.) He governed under the oriental system, but he governed with great atiiity and success. Having made these few re mark-, he crewel conclude by thanking the conipan, for the compliment they hod p id him, and tl e noble Cr * lrma, fee the tnaerier in whiel proposed lis cheetine.) A number of other toasts were given, aid about twelve the company separated, LW:girl; '" THE BUDGE T ANI) CORN-LAWS. Such are the measures proposed to Parlisment—the substitution of a moderate fixed duty on corn for the flue. to ting dutj, a lowering of the clerics on foreign timber and sugar, rind a raising of the duties on colonial Nothing was done with the quesriens further than to teak a great de at about them, and the principal discussions will take place when the Bills to carry them into effect shall be introduced. We almost doubt whether they will ever be brought in ; for, from the temper shown by the Tories and their present possession of almost a majority, it seems to be supposed that they will take some steps to bring matters to a crisis with the Minister and firce them to resign or have recourse to a dissolution, It is, we find, a prevalent opinion that the Ministerial plan is intended for them to go to the country on ; and, therefore, we would have all our readers who are interested in elect ons to he prepared for a dissolution. We do not regard the proposed changes with to much favour as the bold and manly langu .ge, throwing aside con cealment, which they provoked from both sides of the House. The Chancellor Of the Exchequer, Lord John Russell, Lrrd Howick, Mr. Labouchcrc, Mr. Villiers, and Mr. Hume advanced the broadest principles of Free Trade, and made it quite apparent that our commercial and fi-eel restrictions were deeply injuring, and would ultimately destroy, the prosperity of the country The Tories only spoke the language of bitter mortification. To promote prosperity by restrictions is their plan, and is new proved to be as complete a failure as their now ex ploded and contemptible attempt to make men Protestants by political persecution. We shall have future opportu nities to advert to these subjects; we must now content ourselves with informing alt whom it may concern that great changes are et hand.—Brighton Guardian. CORN -LAWS. —On Monday evening, at eight o'clock, a meeting was held at the Brewers' Arms to consider of the propriety of adopting a petiti in to Parliament, praying for a repeal of the Corn-law. Mr. N. Hammond was voted to the Chair. A. R. Briggs, Esq., then moved the first resolution," That this meeting adopt a petition to Par liament praying for a total repeal of the Corn-laws." Mr. B. dwelt at great length oe the effects of the New Poor law, and .Isu stated it as his decided opinion that if the Corn-laws were repealed, we should not require any union houses. He deprecated the shutting out of supplies of foreign corn, because he was sure that the English farmer could not grow sufficient corn for the population. Mr. John Bates seconded the proposition, and stated that whilst the rich man rolled in luxuries, the poor man was starving from the high taxation to which he was sub ject and from the want of steady employ. Mr. A. Stro nach begat► by stating that he had been brought up in the Tory school, where he was taught that the many must work for the benefit of the fen ; but as he grew in yt ars his , eason told him better, and he then joined the Whig party. But he was sorry to say he found, after a few years' experience, that he had not gained by the change. Mr. G. Cooke said, the repeal of the Corn-law would benefit not only the manufacturer, but the artizan. Mr. W. Acton moved the adoption of the petition which he read. The speaker introduced some very excellent re marks, showing the injurious effect the Corn-laws were inflicting on our manufacturers in Continental markets. Very good observations were also made on the " Import Dirties' Evidence," as given before a Committee of the House of Commons, proving that all excessive import duties are an injury to the revenue, as they cause smug gling to increase, and injure the fair dealer, who could not compete with the smuggler. Mr. Acton also alluded to the high price of sugar, caused by the present rate of duty, 635. per cwt., which, he was glad to say, the Chan cellor of the Exchequer had stated his intention to lower, arid which, he aid riot doubt, would be the means of caus rng cmsich rabic increase in the consumption. Mr. Lem priere briefly seconded the motion, which was carried una nimously.—lbid. LEWES. —The notice given by Lord John Russell, on Friday, respecting tee Corn or Starvation-lases was re ceived here with evident dismay by the Conservative cl'que, who little expecte 1 so sudden a "damper" on their new born hope;. All who de ire the prosperity of the country must wish for the abolition of all restrains's upon trade. So elated with joy were the Tories on Friday at the defeat of the Ministers on the Irish Registration Bill that a select party of the leaders assembled at one of the public-houses in the evening to drink the certain re turn of their friends to office; and the strength of the li quor proving too strong in several instances, some were seen careering homewards Bachi pleni. We beli, ve it may Ire confidently asserted, that, in the event of a dissolution of Parliament, two gentlemen of the neighbourhood have signified their intention to contest the borough on the Li beral interest. —lbid. CORN-LAWS. —Had the Scorpion let the' Irish franchise alone it would base been made by a slow process what he would make it be by a violent one. Well, he made Re peal the charter of Irish politics. His fury has also, we perceive, driven Lord J. Russell upon the repeal of the Corn laws, and the Aristocracy will accordingly have another obligation to his Lordship. The two repeals once begun, can now never cease but with their accomplishment. Cheap bread for England, and a property-tax with a do mestic Legislature for Ireland, will immortalize this petu lant Prince of all Repealers. —Dublin Pilot. Tett Corte-Laws.—We congratulate our readers on the cheering announcement which Lord John Russell made in (he House of Commons on Friday evening, of his in tention to propose an alteration in the Corn-laws, by the substitution of a moderate fixed duty for the present sliding scale, which combines all the evils which can possibly be found in a protecting duty, without having one single good quality to recommend it. The present law compels us to pay an enormous price to foreigners for the corn that we require ; that it deranges our currency, in the most dange retie manlier ; that it ncoureges foreign, in preference to 13.iti,h shipping ; and that, though burthensome to the consumer, it is comparatively unproductive to the revenue. Ought such a law, then, to he continued. Certainly nor. We therefore call upon the people of this manufacturing di -trier, whose prosperity,—eay, whose existence, almost depends upon the proper settle ment of this question, to bestir themselves, and to give their most z alous and streeetous assistance to Ministers in their- endeavours to rid the country of an im post, which, in its present form, hangs like a millstone round the necks of the industrious classes, without afford ing the slightest benefit to anybody. The present is a time peculiarly favourable for a consideration of the sub ject, inasmuch as the Governments of several other nations are shut t) revise their own tariffs, and to decide on whet terms, our manufuctures are to be admitted for consumption by their subjects. Our com merce with Spain. with Germany, and with our hest customers, the United States of America, depends, in a great degree, upon a modification of our Corn-laws. If we persist in our present mischievous system, not only shall we gain no new customers; we shall greatly endan ger our connection with old ones, and we leave those who are acquainted with the present condition of our staple manufactures to judge how far they could bear the loss of one or two of our most important markets. We think it must he obvious to all who consider the subject, that, without a considerable extension of our foreign corn meree, our manufacturers and artisans must suffer great evils ; and that a serious contraction of it would produce consequences which are frightful to contemplate.—Man chester Guardian. JONATHAN WYLDE. Amongst the old manuscript petitions in the Town- Clerk's office, where all the ancient records are under going examination at the present time, is the following from the notorious Jonathan Wilde. It will be observed that in the document of which the following i 3 a verbatim et litelatim copy, the name of the petitioner is spelt in three different ways. The petition was probably written by the petitioner's clerk, and the iist of the names of the tnieves who returned from transportation by some other as sistant, and the signature to the petition by the hero hirn f. To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen. " The humble petition of Jonathan Wild, showeth— That your petitioner has been at great trouble and charge in apprehending and convicting divers felons for returning fiorn transportation since October, 1720 (the names of whom are mentioned in an account hereto annexed). " Til4t your petiii , ner has never received any reward or gratuity for such his service. That he is very desirous to become a freeman of this honourable City, wherefore your petitioner most humbly prays that your honour will, in consideration of his said set - vices, be pleased to admit him into the freedom of this honourable City. " And your petitioner shall pray, "JONATHAN WYLDE." An account of the per Ams apprehended, taken, and convicted, for returning from transportation, by Jonathan \Vylde since October, 1720, for which he has received no reward, viz , Juhn Filewood alias Violett, William Bond, Charles Hinchman, Samuel NVhittle, Martin Grey, James Dalton, Robert Godfrey alias Porkings, Old Harvey, alias Henry Williams, Henry Woolford, John Morse. Several others have been taken by him, and afterwards went abroad, viz., M,41 King, John Jones, &c , who were notorious stre,:t robbers in the City of London. On the back of the petition were the official words— " Mr. Jonathan Wyide's petition to be free ; read January, 2, 1724. In 1720, two doctors, Mead and Woodward, fought under IL! gates of Gresham College; the latter slipped his foot and fell. " Take your life,"exclaimed Dr. Meade; " Anything but your physic," replied 111,_ prostrate Woodward; and the affair ended with the joke. There is a vacancy in the East India Company's Direction by the death of Mr. Edtnonsto; C. Four candi dates were in the field, but three of them have retired in favour of General ll,bertson, THE ROYAL SPITALFIELDS RALL.--Appll cation h.virg been made to the Committee for tickets for t h e Pall patronized by her Majesty, which takes place on the lath inst., we are requested to state that tio more than the limited number of tickets can be issued, in consequence of her Majesty and Prince Albert having graciously signi fied their intention of being present. The few which are still undisposed of remain to tbt hands of the Ladies Pa trone3seQ. The late lessee of the Bath Theatre, Mr. Woulds who has lately suffered su c h unmer i ted reverses and die ficultiea, is just conveyed to polie:ter Gaol, for contemp of the Ecclesiastical Court, at the suit of Mrs. Woulds* He is, in consequence of this, obliged to leave his ch:Hre unprotected, and is totally depriied of the means of prop idiog La them. —Bath Journal. A correspondent has directed our attention to a subject of considerable importance to part es intruding to emigrate to our possessions in North America. It has re lation to the comparative value of money here and on the other side of the Atlantic. For instance, if an emigrant takes out i t. in shillings and sixpenny pieces, the currency value of IL in Upper Canada will be 255. The same amount in silver crowns or half-crowns will pass 'current fur 245. The value of a golden sovereign is Toed at 24i. 4d —so that, taken altogether, the migrant of limited ca. pit i all Ond ito profit to provide himself with an am pie stock of shiiling and sixpenny piece.. ‘,% hile touching on this topic, we may retn.ak, ;hat at Prince Edward's Island, 191. 41. in silver is equal to a sovereign in gold, Greenock Advertiser. MORNING EDITION. OVERLAND MAIL. (From the Herald.) Great dissatisfaction appears to prevail at Canton, an d it is said that the Emperor will not ratify the Elliot Coa• vention. Ihe accounts from India are not satisfactory. Our affairs in Lahore and Affgbanistan are not progress" ieg favourably. All quiet at Alexandria. . ( From the Calcutta Courier, of March 19.) News from China, of a date as late as February 16 reached us to-day ; but we must content ourselves at PO sent with a plain uncommented narrative of facts. 11 . preliminary negot i a ti ons h ave cont i nue d s i nce our las t all vices, and were so far satisfactorily concluded, that the tvi° plenipotentiaries considered that there was no longer all reason to refrain from apublic demonstration of the friendly relations existing between the two nations, and an inter' view was consequently determined upon. The following is the animated description furnished a l by cur Cotreliondent in a letter dated Hong- Kong' January 27, 1841 :—. " H. C. War -steamer Madagascar. Since last addressing you we have had a grand turn up—nothing less than a meeting between the Plerripotee tiary and the Irni eras} Commissioner Keshen ; i t took place yesterday at the second bar in the Canton Rise r ' The Nemesis steamer had on board his Excellency CaP; thin C. Elliot, Plenipotentiary, with a select party, a a r the Madaga , car, a party of rnarreee, amounti ng t o 70, wit" the Lands of her Majesty's ships Wellesley and Caliop e ' and a large party of gents from the squadron, Cepto ° Herbert, of the Caliope, commanding the whole. To Caliope, Larne, and Hyacinth, anchored at the B o gus; on the steamer passing her Majesty's ships, his Excellency was saluted with 19 guns from the Caliope, and on passing the Rogue Forts each battery saluted with three gulls; which is a M an d ar i ne ' s sa l ute o f t h e hi g h est ran k , anu all the forts were manned with Chinese soldiers 0 a mark of respect to hie Excellency ; in passing these , texts ocr bands were playin g , an d we h a d a very fine dal for it indeed ; on our ariivirig off the second b a r, boats came off to point out where his Excellency was to &sop' bark. The party, with the marines and band, was trans' fe red to tee Nemesis, oh eh steamed into as shoal seater as possible; in fact, grounded when the boats from belt s steamers landed the party. The marines were drawn uP, in a landing pl a ce m a d e f o r t h e occas i on o f b am b oos an d planks, and covered ever with cloth, with leni,ehs of tree s and flowers ieterepersed here and there, which gave 16 a very good appearance ; from the lauding place up t i ° the Imperial Comnri,sioner's te n t s was a goo d roa d made of planks. His Excellency on landing was accompanied Captain Herbert and Captain Dundas, and on li la putting his foot on shore the Lands struck up and pre c i sented arms from the marines, arid his Excellency proceed' towards the tents of the Imperial Commissioner. Oa ar riving there, Keshen came to the door at the tent a nd r e " ceived his Excellency the Plenipotentiary eery gracious } ' when all the party was introduced by Iris Excellency tul be Imperial Commissioner, among whom wa; a young !Ilia' of her Majesty's ship Herald, about 12 years of ag e : Kesen inquired his age, and after being informed, ft remark was " he had much Letter study his b oo k 01 bo brought up to the a rt o f war. " Af ter t hi s s l ' under the rank of a Commissioner wcse requested to withdraw from th e I m p er i a l C omm i ss i oner ' s teat , 8n I being one among th e p arty , we v i s i te d t h e Hong we r • chants, who had a tent close by. I saw Howqua, w h d is a very old man ;—indeed this is the principal anri most wealthy man a mong the H ongs . T ea was s e'd up to us in very goo d sty l e , an d t h e cups we W e o f the very best china I ever saw. I should very much like to have walked off with the whole set. This occupied ab°, l half an hour, when we were all invited into the lair Commissione r 's t en t, an d sat d own to a most sumpt uea" , tiffite at one o'clock—we had a real gorge ; there were foul tables spread with all kinds cf Chinese delicacies, partridges, birds' nest soup, partridge soup, she, ks' D a l ; dressed in all kinds of w a y s , pl overs ' eggs stewed vsito mushrooms, ducks with apple sauce, and as fast as Y l ° e emptied your plate you were supplied with somthing but never twice of the same thing : in fact, the varied',, was so great that after an hou r an d a h a lf' s gorging d began to cease, and some of us took ourselves off for „ walk but the Chinamen were sur prised th a t on our retar d we would not commence again ; the wines were very g °° l indeed, also the sarnshoo. Tiflin being over, the Imr' a Commissioner expressed a wish to see two of the marines' consequently two of the l arges t were picked oat, ea ch SP' feet three in height, and unde rwen t an i nspect i on by h, e c i Shen himself; he examined v e r y m i nute l y t h e mus k e t w' t e the bayonet, the cross-belt with cart ouc h-b ox , an d then . b b felt their arms to see if their jackets w ere s t u ffed w i., cotton, and very much to his surpri se f oun d a ll was muse and no mistake. The marines then were put through the manual I n a , platoon exercise in the presence of the Imperial Coil b i o sioner, who expr e s se d hi mse lf hi g hl y gratified. 4,, ground occupied by the m ar i nes was o f sma ll exten t, "''; sides which there was a body of Tartar troops drawn uP td the rear of the marines, and on the word of COinip as e being given, rear-rank take open order, each marine ckupii upoa the toe of the T artars t o t h e very amusement els; around, and I can assure you there was no small e O5 OO tidy of Chinese spectat o n, I should think at least tr 50,000 to 60,000. After this the marines marched dosseP3 to the boats, the band playing ; and em bark on the Madagascar steamer with all the pa rt, excepting his Excellency Captain C. Elliott, PleniP „, tentiary, who remained with the steamer Nemesis , n o . his Excellency's accommodation, to settle with tbe„ o f perial Commi ss i oner , t h e f o ll ow i ng d ay, the deta''",a 'he arrang emen t s l ate l y entered into. The Mao4'-fe car proceeded back to the squadron and disernharke the whole party to their respective ships. K e shen' the Imperial Commissioner, is a titre, i e rel , ig° 3 i ; shrewd-looki ng man, rather corpule n t, an d a bout D l l feet in height, and very affable and polite ; we lie were highly delighted with our day's excursion. co are now at Hong-Kong, the island being by t he %, arrangements ceded to the British Crown ; the has been hoisted and the island taken possession of, an the Chinese war is now at an end, and we are all 10001 out to be sent back to Bengal very soon. Orders br o , gone up to Coloi.el B urre d t o g i ve up Ch usan an' et bring the whole force t o this pl ace . Th e tra d e i s not sell going as yet, the blockade being still kept up, but this up be only fora few days. I have now given you all the ness to the present da'e. I can assure you I was m uch gr a , fled at bring present at the meeting of Pienipotentiar' c i t and would not have l ost th e opportunity for anyt hi n g '„o being the first St a t e meet i ng that ever occurred bet we' the Chinese and any European nation." th We have rece i ve d another Macao letter, dated II I , February, by way o f M a d ras; it appears that it was taken there by her Majesty's sloop Larne:— " MACAO, FEB. 11. —The preliminary arrangements , nounced in my last are still is suspense, and with the ef most uncertainty as to when th e y m a y b e reopene d ; t"b ,e, ought to have been on the 2d i ns t. K es h on ' s arr sofi merits are exceedingly unp a l a t a bl e t o t h e l oca l autherit'adg, and people of Cant o n, who h a v e a ll a l ong confidently st at ; ; that they would not be sa nc ti one d b y t h e E m per° 4 which is strongly confirmed by th e war lik e operat i ons g o' a on at Canton, and it is now said that a new Commissi °ll , i il is on the way' to supers e d e K es h en. H e hi mse lf 5 , keeps up a friendly app earance w i t h Captain Ell'°0: who left this yesterday t o mee t hi m w i t hi n the B ogue , P r o ,. fessedly for the purpose of concerting final arrangemeut a do the management of business at C an t on . B ut i t is "ba general opinion of the community that matters come t ill arranged for some time yet, and that more fighting possibly be required. " The smuggling of tea goes on with increased but the quaint es brought down are inferior and prices e•i ro ceedingly high. The Chieft a i n an d P arroc k H a ll a r; nearly laden for England with t eas o b ta i ne d i n this Ina° n , e b " We can state positively th a t up to F e b ruar y 14 ' nothing was finally settled." 0 CALCUTTA, MARCH 22.—The Viscount Melbourn e 11 d arrived from England—all well, but experienced very ba weather, especially off the coast of Portugal. (From the Post.) The Great Liverpool arrived at Malta April 27,1", Alexandria the 23d ult. The Prometheus left 3 1 r , with the overland India mail th e 27 t h , an d reac h e d stilles the Ist inst. Da•es—Bombay, April 1; Cale utl , March 22; Ceyl o n, M arc h 20; Macao, Feb. 12 ; ,r a t, san, Jan. 24 ; Canton, F e b . 7 ; Delhi, March 17 ; Feb. 6 ; Lahore, Feb. 22; Madras, March 23 ; NeP auh Feb. 10 ; Scinde, M arc h 15 ; Si ngapore, Feb. 20 ; laide, Dec. 8 ; and Sydney, Dec. 15 • 0 On the 27th of Jan. C a pt a i n Elli ot had an interne, with Keshen, and on the 30th of January he issue d circular that negotiati ons were proceeding satisfacto rlh o but he did not think it advisable for British subjects ye return to Canton. vro' On the 9th cf February Captain Elliot issued ° if clamation, reserving he r M a j esty ' s r i g h ts i n t h e i s land Hong-Kong, and declaring th a t th e population should go%eri,ed by their own laws and customs. Priv,iie letters state that Keshen, the Imperial Compt i6 ; siorier, was travelling to fulfil his engaements. I t reported that an Imperial edict had arrived from P c'' - hostile to the British, i n consequence of the capture of t"h, Chinese forts. Scinde and Affghanistan in an unsatisfactory slate. J The fort of Kajuck, Sebee, was unsuccessfully Margie. on the 20th of February, and Col. Wilson and two othe r ' killed. The enemy afterwards evacuated the fort. Army moving towards the Bolan Pass to meet the dui eulties ari s i ng i n Cabool. Herat expected to be attacke d " intetv.ntion favourabl e i n the Punjaub. ~ Lab° l :, the scen e o f r i ot an d bloodshed. Trubles in the Carnat i over by the seizure of Nepannee. LEVANT NEWS. d .-- t e Mehemet Ali still re sisted th e h a tti sherdf which rayatr e himutotuarbsoflirsohmall Colonelmono polies Hodge,. at Constanti no ple, S ta that he gill return to Alexandria in a few days. Dates from Constantinople 17th and Smyrna 19th. The last advices from London, says the Malta T" of April 25, received by the Porte, r e p resent t h e Eact e ' o question ai essentially settled. T a bi r P acha was ge tll°' the Turkish fleet ready fur sea. T(1 0' he last accounts from Trebi son d represent the e cul!ics tetween the Shah and Gnat Britain as still to I/ in a fair way of settlement. Advices from C.india st a t e t h at the Turkish Council had resolved on attacking the insurgents. SPAIN. Our Madrid advices of the 27th ult. are of some ;11 :; portancc. The Scria'e has app rove d o f t h e report of t a Maim! Commission, and many Senators have deci sr t i c that they sacrifice their p ersona l o pi n i on t o F et `i 4 speedily the questi on o f the Regency, On the 20de was exceeted th a t t h e C hamber would meet and d e ci 0 t as to the numbe r o f t h e Regency, and on Monday last o probable th at t h e fi nal votes as to the Regent or Reg - n was taken. m l'h rra s, l4 n i n th ir g er r s e a a r t y r , :: c oi Q ciunegLs n . Christina w as ce l e brated Late accciints from Catalonia establish the fa.s..i the reports in Madrid as to the return to Spain of Carl" Ch'efs. Thr Leipzic Gazette, under tho bead, of Vieno2a 0 4 1 1; that every H o p e wa s entertained Wert: of the deco . ' 1 Satisfactory manner. : Mused by the Sultan's &nun b e i ng s h ort l y set tled ill