The Sun. — London, England, 1841-10-02 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Oct. 1. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at Five of Clock. The Earl of MALMESBURY and the Earl of SHEFFIELD took the oaths, and their seats. The Lunatics Bill, the Navy'Pay Bill, the Frogmore Lodge Bill, and the Royal Gardens Bill, were severally read a third time, and passed. A Message from the Commons brought ap the Pont 's:ion Payment Bill, which was read a first, and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow. On the motion otLord BROUGHAM, the production of certain Correspondence relative to slavery in Malacca and Cellea4 was agreed to, after a few observations from Lord Ellenboroag h. CORN-LAWS. _ _ The Earl of RADNOR said he had several petitions to present, playing for the immediate and entire repeal of the Co laws. The Noble Earl expressed his dismay at the inttion of Government to have Parliament pro rogued without taking the question of the Corn-laws into consideration. Such a course appeared to him not very consistent with the vote that House had come to on the first ay of the Session. It appeared to be con teary to the address that had been carried in answer to the Speech from the Throne, which pledged4Parliament, if not in words, at least in substance, to enter into the immediate consideration of the sui'ject. He could not understand on what ground Ministers should say they were not prepared to consider the question. It Par liament were to be prorogued till February, and the subject then referred, as seemed to be intended, to a Select Committee, they all knew enough of the pro ceedings of Committees to be aware that a long time would elapso before they should come to any settle ment of the matter, and that in fact, by adopting the course Government meant to pursue the question would be left unsettled for a year and a half. With respect to a fixed duty, he had on a previous occasion stated his decided opinion that all duty on corn ought to be removed.—(Hear.) As to the arguments adduced in favour of the sliding rale by these who asked how could a fixed duty of Bs. Be exacted, when the price of corn was 70s. or 80s. per quarter, in iesply he should state that it was un foreign ce4u, which was comparatively cheap, that that duty would be imposed ; 40s. 6d. was the average price at which foreign corn was intro duced into this market, and the price the consumer paid was 70*. or 80s., thus paying a duty of 31s. Gd. It was most astonishing to him that when the people were suffering the greatest possible distress, Parliament should disperse, no one knew why or wherefore, without doing any thing at all. lie happened to have been in the reuntry when the House of Commons met after the short recess, and he was disgusted (for he could use no other word so expressive of his feelings) to find that, meeting under such circumstances, their first votes were to appoint a Committee on the ventilation of the House, and similar measures, leaving quite out of the question the distress of the country. —(Hear, hear.) But there was another consideration: the Noble Duke had told them that it was not possible to enter into the consideration of this subject in the present Session. He (the Earl of Rad nor) did not know why the present Session should close so suddenly. The distress of the country was not denied, though papers were produced which, if they were meant to show any thing, meant that there was no distress at all. But still the existing distress was not denied. Then there must be some causes for it, and would it not be worth while to institute inquiry into the cause, if nothing else was done. The people would then, at least, have the consolation of thinking that those intrusted with the Government of the country did not admit their sufferings without endea vouring to relieve them. It was not only gross folly, but gross cruelty, to prorogue Parliament under such cir cumstances. The Noble Duke might remember that when he was in office 12 years ago, the same distress prevailed, there wer e th e same hi g h prices of corn, and agricultural distress, and nothing was done by the Go vernment ; they took no steps to remedy the evil, and the conntry was in a blaze from one end to the other. He (the It of Radnor) thought that ought to prove to the Government that the laissez faire system, the trusting to the chapter of aecidents on these subjects was not Safe. Looking to the state of the country, he thought the Government would be incurring a fearful respon sibility if, without taking any steps to remedy the pre sent state of things, they should advise her Majesty to prorogue Parliament. The Noble Earl concluded by presenting the petitions. The Duke of WELLINGTON said he would not now enter into a history of the Corn-laws, but he thought that if any body considered• this subject calmly and dis passionatsly they would see that it was utterly impossible that any inquiry should be made at the present moment that would lead to any practical result. He admitted that in parts of the country distress prevailed, but this was no real distress from want of food. The Noble Earl had stated that he (the Duke of Wellington) had said on the first night of the Session that there ought to be inquiry. The Earl of RADNOR observed, that what he had stated was, that the Noble Duke had stated that he should have no objection to inquiry, provided it went re gularly through a Committee. The Duke of WELLINGTON said it was quite plain that it was impossible at the present moment to have an inquiry that would result in any good. For his own part be had no objection to take upon himself the r,sponsibi lity of Arising her Majesty to prorogue the Parliament before any inquiry was made on the subject of the Corn-laws. In stating that, he admitted at once that inquiry was most important, but it ought to take place when there was more time for it. He did not think that the public would feel any inconvenience from the postponebsent of the inquiry. The Earl of RADNOR said that the House was at that moment fuller than it usually was, and that if busi ness of importance were brought forward there could be no doubt but that there would be a full attendance ; he had known business of importance—and no business could be of greater importance than the consideration of the distresses of the people—he had known, he repeated, business of importance discussed at this time of year, and the attendance had always been full in such cases. NEW HOUSES OF PASLIAMENT. Lord WHARNCLIFFE brou g ht up the Report of the Committee appointed to consider the subject of the Ventilation of the New Houses of Parliament. THE MANSFIELD CHARTISTS. The Duke of PORTLAND moved for copies of eel.- twin correspondence which had taken place between Lord John Russell and the Magistrates of Mansfield, the Marquis of Normanby, and the Duke of Portland. The Magistrates of Mansfield had received information that on Aug. 12, 1839, it was probable there would be an eruption of Chartists into the town. The Magistrates had met, and a Mr. Unwin, a Magistrate, had told them that he had certain information that in many houses there were arms concealed for treasonable purposes, and that if those houses were searched they would find them. Now, the Magistrates had great doubts as to whether they possessed any authority to search for arms, and the Cletk to the Magistrates gave it as his opinion that they had no such authority. The apprehended meeting of Chartists took place. They were dispersed without difficulty, and some of them were taken up, but in the evening constables, under the superintendence of Mr. Unwin, a Magistrate, welt to the house of Joseph Broughton, in order to search for arms. No arms were found, but many letters signed Pitkeithley, which Mr. Unwin considered to be of a treasonable na ture were seized, copies of which he forwarded to Lord John Russell; and Mr. Phillips, by the desire of Lord J. Russell, acknowledged the receipt, thanked the-Ma gistrates for their zeal, but stated that the Noble Lord had no direction s to give them. Not one word was then said against the perfect legality and order of the proceed ings teien by them. Two months after that, Broughton gave notice of action agaiast Mr. Unwin, and that (Sentleman applied to J ord John Russell to under &eke his defence. Mr. linwin was now dead, but there never was a m re active Magistrate. He certainly was no partisan a her Majesty's late Govern anent ; on the contrary, he was strongly opposed to them ; but, had he been. their warmest adherent, he could net have. dyne more to repress Chartism. In answer to his application at the Home-otlice, he received a letter from Mr. Phillips, by command of ti Marquis of Normanby, in which the Noble Mar "pis regretted that the Magistrates had proceeded to the sea rch of any house Without havin g had a sworn infor mation before them, • or without pre viously communicat ing with the Secretary of Stat e , as it wa s at variance with his previous instructions to the Magistrates. Before that period not one word had ever been said against th e conduct of the Magistrates. fo his opinion it was the duty Of the Secretary of State set all times to support the Magistra c y ; b ut i n this case Noble Marquis had gone out of his way, and had im . ented f ue ts—(Hear) —in order to cast blame upon them. Tiaio wag a most extraordinary case, and one which, he a ss's_ po a s, deserving their Lordships attention. The lirsatte Duke concluded by reading his motion. *The Marquis of NORMANBY characterised the mo tion which the Noble Duke had brought forward a s a most extraordinskry one. He vv on ca polite state ould leave it to th e good : sense of their Lordships , 'wits, as had been brought under their atten tion, they should grant tho se papers—whether , without any knowledge of the g rounds on which those trials took place without any knowledge of the Judges before whom they were tried — their Lord ships would t a k e u pon themselves t h e _ responsi bilitya of advising the Crown to grant those pers. p Me was pl ace d i n a mos t un pl easan t situation, as he wou ld have to remark upon the conduct of one who was now no more ; but he could assure the House that in any course be might think proper to adopt he would take care not to say anything that would be painful to any friend of Mr. Uuwin. The Noble Duke had stated that the pro ceedings were founded on the letter of Lord J. Russell. Such NV a 3 not the fact. Lord John Russell never had been told that a search had been made for arms till after the action of Mr. Broyle was tried. The letter of the !2d of August was inaccurate in many respects, espe cially with respect to the statement that the house was searched under the warwnt of the Magistrates ; such not being the case. The noble Duke might view the pre sent subject with a microscopic eye with respect to Mans field, but he could assure hum that there was great un easiness at that time through th vOsole country. He could not. help believing that the whole of the.'. formation as to arms was of the description to which he had alluded. He would direct the attention of their Lordships to the information of Ephraim Sills—it was after all mere hearsay ;--lee said that if certain houses were searched he should not be surprised if arms were f oun d. If t Noble Duke would look back to that pe rilar nis of N ormanby) had no doubt but th ect that the Magiatrates of Mans- NM' kipe - natant state o f a l arm b y these un /40ini&d repor t, s . ' .Magistrates had failed in their - 'search for arnaSiAl44 y gave as the reason for their failure that triopethad had sufficient time to secrete : 3 their arms, izt conseo ce of the notice th e y h a d had of the Magistrates,' ntion• Now, he did not suppose that the Magistrates had published at the Market Cross their intention:of searching the houses at Sutton or Ashby. The fact was, they had•acted on inadequate information. No communication had been made to the Home office until the action had been commenced.—(Hear, hear.) It was obvious, from the letter of Messrs. Parsons and Bell of the 15th of November that the Ma gistrates felt that Mr. Unwin had acted wrong. In that letter it was admitted that, in the peculiar situation in which the Magistrates had been placed, they had, per haps, exerted a rigour beyond the law. That letter never stated that the Magistrates considered that they had acted under the authority of the Government, and that letter had enclosed a document, on seeing which he had directed Mr. Phillipps to write the letter to which the Noble Duke had alluded, in which he had stated that the Government could not interfere. That docu ment was the declaration in the action brought by Mr. Broughton against Mr. Unwin.—(The Noble Marquis then read the declaration, which set forth that it was an action of trespass, brought against the defendant for ille gally breaking into and entering, and illegally searching, the house of the plaintiff.) It was on the proceeding of Mr. Unwin that their negative was founded. Messrs. Parsons and Bell sent a copy of the notice, and also a copy of the warrant, under which the search was alleged to be made. But the search was not made under that warrant, and it was so admitted by the counsel at the trial. The warrant was not used. It did not agree in terms with the information. The informa tion stated that arms had been collected by these persons, but where ? There was no information respecting that. It not even state that they were in their possession. When, therefore, application was made to the Home-office respecting the trial, the answer given was, that under these circumstances the Government could not take part _ _ in the business, nor advise respecting it; but that if a ver dict was given for the defendants, they might take the whole case into consideration. He (the Marquis of Nor- Inanby) justified that part of the letter by the information he received. It showed that he was willing to reconsider the whole matter, provided Mr. Unwin could make out a better case, but every fact that had come to his know ledge since then, convinced him more and more that Mr. Unwin had acted on that occasion rashly, inconsiderately, and illegally, and that the verdict in no respect turned on his having acted in conformity with his instructions. The Noble Duke had alluded to the charge of Justice Littledale, but lie did not allude to that which had been delivered by Lord Chief Justice Denman. The Magis trates never conceived that they were acting under the direction or special authority of the Government until the action was brought. And why did he (Lord Nor manby) say that they thought so ? Because they never stated that they were acting under any such special direc tions. Lord Denman, who had heard the whole of the case, stated that Lord John Russell's letter was not law ; and even if it were, it did not go to the extent to which Mr. Unwin went. The charge of the Lord Chief Jus tice on the trial bore him out in saying that Mr. Unwin had overstepped the powers given him by Lord J. Rus sell. It appeared from the evidence that Mr. Unwin, whose only duty it was to search for arms, exclaimed when he had found some papers, that " these were what he had been searching for." The Noble Duke had not, in his opinion, established a case against the conduct of the Home-office.—(Cries of " Hear,") He did not wish to throw suspicion on Mr. Unwin's motives, but he thought that gentleman had very im prudently taken the law into his own hands. He would take that opportunity of putting it to the present Govern ment whether it would not be advisable that they should confirm an appointment which he had formerly made ; and whether it would not be advantageous to the public service that there should be a solicitor to the Home office? There might not be much occasion for such a functionary at the present, but on occasions of difficulty it would be found of the greatest benefit, that the Home office should have a professional gentleman like Mr. Vizzard to consult. He had only to repeat, in regard to the case to which the Noble Mike's motion referred, that he had taken the course which he thought was re quired under the circumstances. Lord WHARNCLIFFE did not find fault with the conduct pursued by the Noble Marquis who had just sat down, or the Home-office, but he must allow him to say that upon the present occasion, as in the sister kingdom, there appeared to be a bias in his mind against the county Magistrates. He thought he could show that he had failed in his duty in that respect, because he (Lord Wharncliffe) considered it to be the duty of the Home Secretary to put himself in confidence with the Magis trates. That had not been the case pith the Noble Marquis, and he asserted that no Government could efficiently govern a country in which that confidence did not exist. His Noble Friend, in alluding to the present case, had stated that there was no warrant. Now, sup posing such to be the case, he (Lord Wharncliffe) asserted that Mr. Unwin had acted in a manner in which he was justified. He thought he should be able to show his Noble Friend, that upon the present occasion the charge of the Learned Judge who tried the case had been greatly distorted.—(Hear.) The Noble Lord had then referred to the charge of Mr. Justice Littledale, in which that Learned Judge stated that Mr. Unwin had a right to pursue the course he had done. With respect to the papers, he admitted it was doubtful whether, in searching for arms, Mr. Unwin had a right to search for papers. He thought in strictness he had not a right to do so ; but it must be recollected, that, in the county in which this took place, there was constant arming and organization, and under such circumstances, he thought the course Mr. Unwin had adopted was justified ; and even if it was not, his conduct ought not to be viewed with that strictness which it appeared to have been. As to the papers, the Learned Judge had stated that he did not think Mr. Unwin had a right to take them. All the circumstances of the case showed that Mr. Unwin had the right to search for arms, and that the Govern ment were not called upon to show a want of feeling towards the individual. He thought the course that had been pursued by his Noble Friend was unworthy of the high station which he held as head of the Magistrates of the country. Upon the best consideration he could give the case, he thought Mr.. Unwin lid not committed any very great offence. With respect to the Noble Duke's motion, he thought it was impossible for the House to interfere, and he would recommend him, therefore, not to push it to a division, but satisfy himself with what had passed upon the present occasion. Lord BROUGHAM said, that after the observation of the Noble Lord who had just sat down, it was almost unnecessary for him to say a word in justification of his objection to the motion of the Noble Duke. He wished, however, to remind their Lordships that the law threw around magistrates the most ample protection, and that if they made bona fide errors they were more lightly visited than any other class of men. He must object to the motion on general grounds. Lord J. Russell did not seem to have mistaken the law; in fact, there was no material difference between his views of the law, and that of the Judge who tried the cause. The informa tion hardly gave them the right to search for arms. It said not a word about papers, yet it was only for taking papers that the action was brought. Neither did Lord John Russell's letter say one word about papers. Even although there had been, it would have been no justification for the Magistrate, but it did not. The Magistrate took the whole matter on his own shoulders, and surely the county ought not to be called upon to pay the costs. The motion was unprece dented, and he hoped the House would not agree to it. The Duke of PORTLAND then withdrew his motion. A Message from the Commons brought up the Poor law Commission Continuance Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time to morrow. The Expiring Laws Continuance Bill was read a se cond time. The House then Adjourned till to-morrow at Twelve o'Clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Oct. 1. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'Clock. Colonel the Hon. Dawson Darner took the oaths and his seat for Portarlington. Lord G. SOMERSET brought up the Report of the Select Committee on Private Bills, and gave notice that he should on Monday next call the attention of the House to the subject of the Report. Sir H. FLEETWOOD presented a petition from Preston, praying for the removal of de restrictions on trade and commerce. _ . Mi. LITTON presented a petition from a tido-waiter in Dublin, stating that he had been dismissed from his situation, and praying for inquiry. Colonel ACTON presented a petition from Sir 11. Lees, complaining of the designs of the Jesuits, and praying for their expulsion from the British dominions. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE GREEN PARK. The Earl of LINCOLN in answer to a question from Mr. Divett, stated that it was the intention of the Govern ment to carry into effect the proposed improvement in the Green Park with respect to the removal of the house of Lady Gordon. Steps had been taken to remove the house as soon as possession was given up by the repre sentatives of Lady Gordon. Mr. COBI)EN presented a petition from Salisbury, praying for a repeal of the Corn-laws. Mr. C. BULLER presented a petition from Lord George P aget , re l at i ve to th e recogn i zances t o th e peti tion complaining of an undue election for the borough of Carnarvon. The petition was ordered to be printed, the Hon. Member having given notice of his intention for calling the attention of the House to the subject on Wednesday next. Sir F. TRENCH gave notice that he should, early next Session, move for a Select Committee to consider the practicability and expediency of a plan for improving the navigation of the Thames, and for erecting a railroad on the embankment on the north of the river. The Hon. Member having proceeded to state in his notice the advantages of those undertakings, The SPEAKER obser ve d that the Gallant Officer could not embody an argument in his notice. Mr. A. CHAPMAN moved for returns of the number of foreign ships entered inwards into the po r t s o f Lon don, Newcastle, and Leith, from any foreign part, from the Ist August to the Ist of October 1840 ; also similar returns of British ships, during the same period.— Ordered. ANGLO-PORTUGUESE CLAIMANTS. Lord SANDON moved for Returns of the date of the disbanding of the respective naval and military Anglo-Portuguese forces ; of the date of the Mixed British and Portuguese Commission, appointed to examine and decide upon the claims of British sub jects who served in the army or navy during the War of Restoration in Portugal ; copy of the rules for the guidance of the Commissioners ; Returns of the date of the installation in office of the Commissioners ; of the date of the decision of the Belgian Minister on the question of contracts ; of the date of the commence ment of the reception of claims ; of the number of days, and of hours per day, during which each Commissioner respectively has been engaged in the labours of the Commission ; showing whether any accounts have been examined by one Commissioner in the ab sence of the other ; of the number of claims received, and the number, if any, investigated and adjudicated upon ; and of claimants to whom notice of such adjudication has been given ; of the number of se cretaries, clerks, or others, employed under the Commis sion, the dates of their several appointments, with their respective salaries ; of the salaries of the Commis sioners, and from w hat source paid ; together with an account of all other expenses incidental to the Commis sion.—Ordered. . COMMERCIAL TARIFF. Mr. GLADSTONE brought up certain returns which had been moved for relating to the Commercial Tariff, which were ordered to be laid on the table. The• Hort. MEMBER then moved that the Order of the House made on the 27th of last month, relative to the return of the prices of wheat, be discharged ; which, having been ordered, the Hon. Member moved that an humble AddreSs be presented to her Majesty, praying that she would be graciously pleased to direct that there be laid before the House a return of the highest and lowest average prices of wheat in each of the three years, 1834, 1835, and 1840.—Ordered. EMBANKMENT OF THE THAMES. Sir F. TRENCH then gave his notice relative to the embankment of the Thames, in an amended form, so as to be in accordance with the rules of the House. PARK FOR LONDON AND FINSBURY. Mr. WAKLEY presented a petition, signed by 250 of the most respectable inhabitants of the north of London and of Finsbury, stating that those parts of the metro polis were so densely populated and so much built upon that the health of the inhabitants suffered in conse quence, and praying the House to take an early oppor tunity of devising :ome means for clearing open spaces to furnish the inhabitants with the means of exercise and recreation. DISTRESS. Mr. GIBSON presented a petition from Manchester complaining of the present distressed condition of the country, and praying the House for relief. COMMISSIONS IN THE NAVY. On the Order of the day for the bringing up the report of the Exchequer Bills Funding Bill being read, Lord INGESTRIE said he had intended moving for a Return of all the Commissions (with the names at tached) signed by the Board of Admiralty since the 4th day of June last, up to the issuing of the patent of the present Board of Admiralty, distinguishing those Commissions signed after the 30th day of August ; also, Return of the Ships put in commission during the same period, making the like distinction, and of the probable date of each ship being ready for service ; but if the Secretary to the Admiralty had any objection to grant it, he would not press the motion. Mr. S. HERBERT said it was not usual to grant such returns, and it might create an inconvenient precedent. Lord INGESTRE would not press his motion.—Mo tion withdrawn. EXCHEQUER BILLS FUNDING BILL. The Report on the Exchequer Bills Funding Bill was then brought up, and the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. EXCHEQUER BILLS BILL. The Report on the Exchequer Bills Bill, with the ap propriation clause, was brought up, and the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. POOR-LAW COMMISSION. On the Order of the Day for the third reading of the Poor-law Commission Bill being moved, Mr. FIELDEN rose to make the motion of which he had given notice, but the Hon. Gentleman spoke in so low a tone, that it was perfectly impossible to hear him. We understood the Honourable Gentlemen to say he believed that, as the perseverance of the late Administration in continuing the Poor-law was the cause of their downfal, so would it also be the rock on which the present Government would split if they continued their resolution to carry it out. The Hon. Gentleman quoted the opinion of Sir J. Scarlett (now Lord Abinger) and other lawyers as to the unconstitutional power of the Commissioners. It was in his (Mr. F's.) opinion, a tyrannical power, unsuited to the tastes of the people, and he would never consent to it. He could not understand how such an unconstitutional authority should be sanctioned by the Constitution of England. The Conservatives ought not to forget the great exertions they made on the late elections, and that they owed much of their strength to the feelings of the people against the new law ; and he wondered that so much disregard was exhibited to their complaints on the subject by the present Government. The Hon. Member proceeded to state the number of petitions in favour of the amendment of the law, and the number of those presented against it, to show the degree of public support which the measure had received. He believed the local boards, being better acquainted with the actual state of the poor, were far better qualified to administer relief to them than any central authority could possibly be. If the owners of property had discharged their duty there would have been no necessity for this law. The people were not to blame, nor were the old laws to blame for it, but the owners of property. He knew it was said that the poor of this country were idle, and that they had no one but themselves to blame for their dis tress. He rebutted the charge. It was a libel on the character of our countrymen. The labourers of this country were the most industrious in the world. Having had seven years' experince of the Commission, whether the House were able to judge of it he did not know, but the people of this country thought they were able to do so, and their opinion was that their acts were oppressive and unconstitutional. The conduct of the Commissioners had been so arbi trary as to make the law much worse than it really was, and obliged even the rate-payers to complain of it. It appeared to him that the condition of the poor had been gradually deteriorating under the operation of the present law. It was no later than that morning that he had received a letter from Manchester, stating the deaths of two persons from actual starvation and the horror of a workhouse. He thought these were cases requir ing immediate investigation. The Honourable Mem ber proceeded to read a comparative table of returns from various parts of the country to show that, under the present system, there had been an increase of mortality ; but ho spoke in so low a tone that we could not catch a sin gle statement with any degree of distinctness. The Hon. Member concluded by moving that the Bill be read a third time that day three months. Mr. S. CRAWFORD seconded the motion. Sir C. DOUGLAS thought that the Hon. Mem ber for Oldham ought not, upon the third read ing of a Bill for the continuance; of the Commission, to have entered into a general discussion on the subject of the Poor-law. He understood that the Government would hereafter bring the general question under the considera tion of the House; and he thought it would be factious to oppose them upon the present occasion. He should add, however, that he disapproved of many provisions of the law, although he did not think that was an occa sion for urging his opinions. Captain PECHELL was glad it was not necessary for him to enter at length into the reasons for voting with the Hon. Member for Oldham as well as against the third reading of the Bill. He never made it a party political question. He had more than one reason for voting against the Bill. He conceived it gave the Right Honourable Gentlemen opposite more power than was necessary. Had Parliament met in the month of November there would be no occasion to renew the power of the Commissioners.—(Hear, hear.) His next reason for voting against the Bill was that the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary for the Home Department had stated that the Biil would not interfere with the Unions under the Gilbert Acts, but he (Captain Pechell) would undertake to say that the Poor law Commissioners were unceasing in issuing rules and regulations to those unions. Th ese rules and regula tions prevented the poor people from going to Church on Sundays, and made their confinement much worse than those who were shut up in Chelsea, and other hos pitals.—(Hear.) The Commissioners had on left those unions the power of getting out-door relie f; and their rules and regulations gave dissatisfaction to the guardians, the rate-payers, and the receivers of the rate. He considered these strollg grounds fur limiting the power of the Poor-law Commissioners.—(Hear, hear.) They had not ventured to issue such rules and regulations for the place which he had the ho nour to represent, but they had tried to impose upon them a paid chaplain, whom they refused to pay. Those unions were interfered with by the Poor-law Com missioners, and he considered it his duty to oppose the continuance of the Bill. He considered these reasons good and valid for opposing it, and ho would on every occasion express his opinion against it whenever the sub ject was brought forward. Mr. BORTHWICK begged leave to make a few ob servations. He had been sent to that House unpledged, and he thought it on that account the more incumbent on him not to leave his vote unexplained. He did not entirely concur with the Hon. Member for Oldham, be cause his objection did not lie against the administration of the law, but struck at the root and first principle of the Bill. It was stated that the object of the Bill was to create in the minds of the labouring classes the most important of all social virtues—inde pendence. But h: considered that the effect of the Bill was directly the contrary. The Bill proposed to invest dependence with so many repulsive characters, that the most miserable independence would be preferred to it. But it made no distinction in the application of the principle between the industrious and high-minded peasants and the idle and dissolute. On the contrary, the law treated the man—who might be actuated in his humble sphere by as noble an ambition as that which the Right Hon. Member for Tamworth avowed a few evenings ago to 'be his governing principle—as a criminal. He entreated the Govern ment not to pledge themselves to any . party in the House on this question, •but to give it the most cautious and solemn consideration. The next principle in the law to which he objected was the principle of centralisation—a principle which took the management of the interests of the poor out of the hands of the Magistrates and local authorities and placed it in the hands of a Commission sitting in the metropolis. The principle of centralisation was liable to this further objection, that it invested the Commissioners with unusual and unconstitu tional power, thus creating an imperium in imperio. The reason Ni by he voted against the amendment of the Hon. Member opposite was that her Majesty's Government had appealed to the House for its confidence, and had asked for a short time to enable them to mature plans of a general nature. He (Mr. Borthwick) gave the Government his fullest confidence ; and on these grounds he should not offer any opposition to the course which they had proposed to adopt. Mr. C. WOOD was ready to admit that the decla ration which fell from the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Dorchester was, that he would adhere to the general principles of the measure, and he felt that those who had to administer till the next Session of Fat-- liament were entitled to such a declaration to enable them to carry on their duties in the manner they ought. He thought it would have been exceedingly unreason able to press fer„any further statement of the plans of the Government, so that they might be perfectly un fettered to consider any amendments they might think necessary to propose in the next Session of Parliament He believed the great portion of the evils that had been. complained of had arisen more from the defects in the administration of the law than from defects in the law itself. Ile did not, however, stand up to contend that there were defects in the law which might not be altered. Mr. B. BALDWIN, like his Hon. Friend the Mem ber for Evesham, was not pledged either to support or oppose any measure—he was left to exercise his judg ment. lie was opposed to many provisions of the Act ; but he trusted the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary for the Home Department would, next Session, introduce such a measure as would enable him to give it his cor dial support. Mr. HINDLEY did not know whether he was quite in order or not in alluding to a former debate—(Cries of " No, no")—but he trusted the House would allow him, as it was, to defend himself against a charge made against him by the Right Hon. Baronet of having exaggerated a case of distress. He would not complain of the Right Floe. Baronet in his absence reading a letter from an anonymous Magistrate. ono who would not give his name, in contradiction to his statement ; but what did it amount to ? Why, that the Magistrate, who was anonymous, was told by the overseer that there was no foundation for the statement. He was in the coun- try when the report of the Hon. Baronet's speech reached him, and he immediately went to the house of the family to which he had alluded, and found that they were not in receipt of even ls. Gd. a week. The woman told him that she had been cursed repeatedly by the overseer. That might be true or false, hut that was her statement. During the last six weeks the man had been in work five, and the woman had been reeling with one master for a month and another for six weeks, but last Saturday her master failed, and both of them were now out of work. She assured him that last Thursday she was reeling all day, and that was heavy work, it was not assisted by the steam engine, and went home, and all the refreshment she had to take was potatoes and salt, and on the Friday after the same work she went home and did not even get that. He was told by the person who-visited a grocer, that while three years ago he was worth 3,00 CI„ a large stun for a person in his business; yet such was the state of destitution in the country, that his trade declined, and he was reduced as low as his neighbours. He candidly told the Right Hon. Baronet he did not come to that House to make false statements. The Right Hon. Gen tleman read a letter which he received from, he believed, a Mr. Mills, a Rev. Magistrate—(Hear, hear)—den3 ing some statements made by him (Mr. Hindley), and he Legged to read to the House a letter which he received only a few hours before from his solicitor, whom he re quested to inquire into the facts. The Hon. Gentle man then read the letter, which stated that the writer had inquired into the facts from the woman herself, and she confessed she had received from the overseer es. on the 7th of April, 3s. on the 16th, and 2s. on the 24th, for which small sums she travelled three miles ; that he asked the Bench of Magistrates for a copy of her deposition, which was refused. He (Mr. Hindley) thought it would be but common courtesy to give the deposition of this person. He could assure the House he did not wish to exaggerate any statements. He had in his hand letters from individuals expressing astonishment that such a statement as he made in that House should create any suspicion. The writers stated they knew many indivi duals similarly circumstanced. He did not say this for the purpose of increasing the Anti-Corn-law cry. He would not endeavour to obtain an alteration of those laws by having recourse to such means. He thought the Poor-law and Corn-law did not want any such aid, and might well rest on their innate merits. Captain POLHILL wished to make a few observations on the question before the House. He hoped that a Bill would, next Session, be introduced in such a form that all objectionable parts of the present system would be removed, and that there could be no opposition to it. The Right Hon. Baronet had the cards in his own hands, and could secure a lasting popularity by a thorough amendment of the existing Poor-laws. For his own part, his constituents bad expressed unanimous approba tion of the votes which be had hitherto given on the question of the Poor-laws, and he should now vote against the motion of the Hon. Member for Oldham. Mr. COBDEN would not go into the discussion of the general subject of the Poor-laws, but he would offer a few remarks in explanation of the vote which he was about to give, in support of the motion of the Hon. i Member for Oldham. In truth, he believed that the Bill was passed to evade the repeal of another law— (Hear)—and its effect had been to show more obviously the necessity for repealing that other law.—(Hear, hear.) He had no objection, nor had the labourers, that the latter should be obliged to maintain themselves by their own exertions ; but the market of their labour ought not to be restricted—(Hear, hear)—and they should be allowed to exchange the products of their labour for food with all the rest of the world.—(Hear. hear.) He then read an extract from the debate upon the Corn-laws in 1815, in which it was argued that, although in other countries, the wages of labour did not rise with the price of provisions, yet in this country the Poor-laws afforded a protection to the labourer, and secured to him that, when his wages were not adequate to his support, the deficiency would be made out of the poor's ? rate ; and, in fact, a provision to that effect was introduced into the Poor-law. at that pe riod. But the compact was not kept with the la• bourers when the landlords found that the operation of the Poor-law tended to counterbalance the advantages which they had secured by the Corn-laws, and they broke faith with the people, and dissolved the partner ship.(Cheers.) There was only one means by which the Bill before the House could be maintained, or the labourer truly relieved from dependence, and that was by allowing a free interchange of commodities with all the nations of the world.—(Hear.) Colonel HAMILTON had not changed his opinions on the subject. He agreed in the principle of the Bill, and he thought that the Commissioners of Somerset house ought to be retained, in order to protect the working classes from being at the mercy of the Local Board. But he thought there were many serious ob jections to the present law, and that out-door relief ought to be afforded in many instances in which it was refused, even in the Union in which he was Chairman of the Board of Guardians. He considered this a Con servative question—(Cheers and laughter)—for if the working classes did not see their interests attended to in that House, they would easily be persuaded by the agitators for universal suffrage that they were not re presented.—(Hear, hear.) With a -perfect confidence that the Right Hon. Baronet would next Session intro duce a satisfactory measure, he would vote against the motion of the Hon. Member for Oldham. Mr. RENNIE said, it was quite clear that the Hon. Member for Oldham would receive apologies only from those on the other side, from whom he might expeot votes.—(Hear and a laugh.) The Bill was calculated to undermine the good understanding which ought to exist between the aristocracy and the labouring classes. If the administration of the law, as it at present stood, was persevered in, the lower classes would feel themselves so ill-used, that the institutions of the country (as we under stood) would be in danger. Mr. WAN-LEY, who rose amidst loud cries of " Di vide, divide," said he would only detain the House a few moments. He had expected a long debate, and the ex treme satisfaction of hearing many express their hostility to the Bill ; but the die was cast, and the principle of the measure would be upheld. In the unpleasant situation in which he was placed—(Cheers and laugnter)— he might be allowed to state the course which his party would take.—(Laughter.) In this he would follow the example of the Right Hon. Baronet. Indeed, their cases were much resembled.—(Renewed laughter.) He, like the Right Hon. Baronet, had a united Cabinet, and all his colleagues were united—(Great laughter)—and he, like the Right Hon. Baronet, was determined that he would not propose• any measure in that House which he did not conscientiously approve of, and that he would not be deterred by any opposition, or persuaded by any entreaties, from stating his convictions to the House. — (A laugh.) No man had been more cordially abused for not changing his place, as if remaining in the same place was a proof of mutation of mind. The treatment he had met with on this account was most unjust, for it was well known to the House that he first took his seat on the Opposition side of the house, and from those benches he moved for the release of the Dorchester labourers. The Right Hon. Baronet was then in power, and afterwards, when the late Administration:succeeded him (Sir R. Peel), he, with Mr. Hume, Mr. Roebuck, and Mr. D. W. Harvey, continued to sit in the same place. Could he now, as a Reformer, devoted—earnestly de voted—to'the cause of the people, aid by any act of his to restore to power a party that sacrificed all public confidence ? He would take no such course, and he would exhort the people of England, as a Reformer, to keep that faction in its present impotent position.— (Ministerial cheers.) What would become of that fac tion ? Their shattered forces, if not their broken legion, would dwindle into small groups of various shades, some of them holding Tory principles, and some of them re taining. Whig opinions. But let them not have two aristo cratic parties to contend against. If there was to be a strife, let it be between the aristocracy and the democracy. That was his reason for not going across the House and making common cause against the present Government. He hoped in God that the Whigs, as Whigs, would never again be restored to power—(Hear, hear, from the Ministerial benches)—but that did not prevent his de sire to get out the Tories as soon as possible.—(Laughter.) They should candidly and fairly consider every subject brought before the House, and if the measures proposed by the Right Honourable Baronet were good he would, as he had stated he would do before the Right Hon. Baronet came into power, consider his measures as though they were brought forward by a friend.—(Hear.) That was a duty he owed to the Constitution, to the people, and to the great national principles of the country.—(Cheers.) He considered that no factious opposition ought to be carried on against any Minister ; he considered such a course would bo paltry, mean and disgraceful, and such a course he would not pursue. He thanked the House for the patience with which they heard him, and for giving him an opportunity of explanation, after the gross mis representations to which he had been subjected. Mr. CALLAGHAN, who rose amidst cries of " ques tion," begged leave to make a few observations, and to explain, his reasons why ,having on a former occasion given his vote in favour of the Commission, he now felt himself called on to adopt a different course. When he had voted on that occasion the Poor-law had not yet been introduced into Ireland — it had not been introduced, at least, into many parts of that country—and where it had been introduced it had been found to work very badly. The Hon. Gentleman then read a portion of a petition from Cork, complaining of the administration of the law in that city. He felt himself warranted, from the words in that.petition, to change the opinion he once held, that the appointment of the Commission would be beneficial. He felt himself the more strongly called upon to state that, in conse quence of what had fallen the other night from an Hon. Member who was looked upon as a great authority by the Right lion. Baronet, that the system had worked well in Ireland.—(Hear.) He could only say that the dis eontent was almost universal in Ireland on the subject of the law.—(Hear.) The greatest possible confu sion had been introduced into the meetings of the Boards of GUardians from the conflicts between the rural and city districts, each striving to throw upon the other the burden of maintaining the poor. The law of settle ment had been established in England and introduced into Ireland ; and for that and for the other reasons he had stated, he felt himself bound to vote against the con tinuance of the Commission. _ _ _ Mr. S. CRAWFORD, amidst loud cries of "Ques tion," said that he would not detain the House more than a few moments. The Hon. Gentleman then ex plained the reason why he voted for the motion. The people of Rochdale were afraid of the provisions of the Bill being introduced into their locality. After a few words from Mr. WARD, the House divided — For Mr. Fielden's motion... Against it 133 Majority —lls The Bill was then read a third time and passed. The House then adjourned till Twelve o'clock to morrow. THE CORN LAWS AN]) COMMERCIAL REFORM. A portion of the following only appeared in part of our impression of yesterday : LIVERPOOL. THURSDAY MORNING.—A requisition to the Mayor, requesting him to call a public meeting to memorialize the Queen not to prorogue Parliament, signed by above 3,500, has been fixed for Saturday evening, at seven o'clock, in the Amphitheatre, by the Mayor. ANTI-CORN-LAW OPERATIVE SOCIETY.-011 Friday evening a meeting of the Anti-Corn-law Operative As sociation was held in the Music Hall, Liverpool. The time announced for commencing business was half-past seven, at which time the hall was densely crowded. After several good speeches from the Chairman and some ()pi, ratives, resolutions in conformity with the object of the meeting were carried amidst enthusiastic cheering.—Li verpool Chronicle. GIiEAT MEETING OF THE WORKING CLASSES. EXETER, SEPT. 28.—A public meeting of the working classes and inhabitants generally was convened by the Working Men's Association, and held at the Subscrip tion Rooms yesterday. About 1,000 persons attended, although the night was exceedingly inclement, and the rain fell in torrents. W. Wilkinson, Esq., formerly Mayor of the city, presided. Mr. SHEEHAN, a member of the Working Men's As sociation, moved the first resolution. The Rev. Dr. PAYNE was received with great cheer ing. He said lam here to-night in the character of a visitor. I heard with great satisfaction that the work ing men of this large and populous City are manifest ing the deepest sympathy with their fellow brethren all over the world, and I wish to join them in a meeting of that kind.—(Hear, hear.) Ido not know, Sir, that I can more properly introduce the few remarks that I intend to make to this meeting, than by quoting the words of a very famous, if I may not add a very distin guished man. As it is of importance to quote that lan guage with accuracy, I will take care to do so. That language is as follows :—" The paramount duty of every Government is attention to the interests of the community, of which the labouring population must form a great majority. The right of property is instituted not for the good of the few who possess wealth and honours, but the many who have them not. If the majority be deeply injured, the public peace is in dan ger ; if the majority be in want of bread, private pro perty becomes a nuisance."—(Great cheering.) Sir, these last words are very strong ones—perhaps I should have hesitated to have expressed them myself, but as they are the words of another, the responsibility does not rest upon me, but upon that other. That gentleman is one of her Majesty's present Ministers—(Cheering)— one of the monopoly Ministers—no less a man than Sir James Graham himself.—(Great cheering.) I do feel, however, and that I am ready to stand forward and say, that the permanent duty of every Government is atten tion to the interests of the community, of which the labouring population form a great majority. That feel ing has brought me hither to-night. I know that the great body of the labouring population of this country are in a state of the greatest suffering, and I felt that it became me as a citizen, as a minister of the gospel of Christ, to come and express the deep sympathy I feel for them under their present pri vations.—(Loud cheers.) I believe, Sir, with Sir James Graham, that the public peace is in great danger—l believe that the present is a time of greater peril to the country than any which the oldest man in this assembly has ever witnessed.—(Hear, hear, hear.) I know, Sir, that tens of hundreds, and tens of thousands, of our fellow-countrymen want bread.—(Hear, hear.) I know that many are eating grains and potato peelings, and I dread—l acknowledge that I contemplate with affright and alarm the deeds of violence which the worst of all rebellions—as it has been somewhat forcibly and etnpha tically said—the rebellion of the belly, and gaunt po verty and reckless despair, goaded on by . disappointed hope—may perpetrate, if that consideration should be delayed till February.—(Hear, hear, hear.) Sir, if the Government of this country can do anything to allevi ate the pressure upon the labouring part of the commu nity, they are clearly bound to do it—not to do in Fe bruary, but to do it now—(Hear, hear)—for who would venture to take the responsibility which must rest upon them—the responsibility of the delay ? When the employmert for the poor is not half sufficient to meet the demand of the labourer, and his sufferings are conse quently increasing, and when hundreds and thousands are wanting breae—ender these circumstances, I dci say that the country has a right to say to the Government — for we ought at all times to recollect that the country does not exist for the Government, but the Government for the country—(Cheers)—the country has a right to say to the Government, You must not prorogue Parlia ment until the state of the country has undergone your most anxious and most deliberate attention. Sir, it is to me one of the most frightful features of the present time that there is a diminished confidence on the part of the poor in the kindly feelings of the rich—a diminished confidence on the part of the poor in the Government and Legislature of the country to consult their interests in political measures and movements. A conviction is, I fear, pervading the great body of the people, that legislation in England has but one eye, and that eye is constantly fixed upon the rich and the great.— (Cries of " Hear, hear," and loud cheers.) A con viction is pervading the body of the people, that the aristocracy, that the Government and the Legislature generally, or rather that the extensive landowners, are sighing after their long-lost feudal privileges ; that they hate commerce, because it has destroyed predial slavery, and converted the serf attached to the soil into a Briton and a free man.—(Cheers.) I do not say that this is my opinion. I believe better of human nature. Ido not think it possible for men to withhold their sympathy from the suffering part of the population, if the state of the country were known and believed ; but I fear that that state is not known—l fear that there is the averted eye, the incredulous ear, and the unbelieving heart. I believe that there should be no legislation for a class— (Hear, hear)—that the Government ought not to legis late for one class against another ; therefore I should object to a protective duty even against the rich in favour of the poor ; but when that system is reversed—when there is a protective duty in favour of the rich against the poor—when it goes to take the pittance from the latter to swell the riches of the former—(Hear, hear) — when it goes to interfere with the free exchange of labour—l say that it is so monstrous, that the nation should rise as one man, with one voice, and demand that the blot should be wiped away.—(Loud cheers.) The CHAIRMAN put the resolution, which was carried unanimously. Mr. BESLEY moved the adoption of a memorial to the Queen, which he read to the meeting. Mr. STANDLAKE, a member of the working class, se conded the memorial, which was unanimously agreed to. The Rev. H. ACTON rose, and after some preliminary observations, said, addressing himself to the Working Men's Association—Yea complain, and to me, it ap pears, very justly, of the intimation which the present Prime Minister has given that he does not intend to bring forward this important question for five months —not in the present Session of Parliament. Gentlemen, I scarcely know how decently to express myself on this subject. I scarcely know how to characterise this pro position of Sir Robert Peel. I call it a cheat, and a most shameful cheat, on the country.--e(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Most of us who have read the news papers must remember what Sir Robert Peel stated. He said that he thought a dissolution ought to take place im mediately, and,l.that there should be no delay, because the country would be very anxious to have the Parlia ment meet together again to know the decision on the questions brought forward by the late Government, and that the commercial world might be relieved from the embarrassment of uncertainty. Well, all this has taken place, the dissolution was immediate, there was not a single hour lost ; and there was no blame to be attached to the late Government for not 'calling the Parliament together again when elected. Well, then, when Sir R. Peel is there with the Parliament newly called together,and has such a majority as enables him to do what he wishes —does he bring forward these questions ? He does not.. Gentlemen, I know not what course of policy the present Government may be disposed to adopt next Februaay. Some persons think they will bring forward a modifica tion of the very measures they have opposed. Ido not expect anything of the kind. I rather expect it to be a contrary course, by which they will soon cause them selves to be driven from office.—(Hear, hear.) The Rev. Gentleman concluded by reading the resolution that the memorial be sent to Mr. Divett for presen tation, &e. Mr. HAILLYN, in rising to second the resolution, said that he stood in a singular position, as he was not an in habitant of the town, and was a landlord.—(Hear.) He hoped he should not be the worse received for that. He was a landlord—but he hoped and trusted this had never influenced him in his conduct on the Corn ques tion. He was happy to say that in the neighbourhood where he lived he did not believe any parishes had sent up petitions in favour of it.—(Hear, hear.) The real truth was, that his agricultural friends had not given' that attention to it which they ought to have done, for if they did they would not have talked of its being a protection to the farmer.—(Hear, hear.) I grant (said the Hon. Gentleman) that it may be something to the landlord, but it is a very uncomfortable protection when he hears that there is a starving nation.—(Hear, hear.) The landlord forgets this, thatl if we lose the manufac turer we shall lose the best customer we have ; if we do not fail in corn we shall fail in horn. The deuce a bit of wool can we get rid of when manufactures are de pressed.—(Hear, hear.) The point which ought to be discussed is whether the Corn-law is beneficial to the public. The Hon. Gentleman seconded the resolution, and sat down amidst enthusiastic cheering. The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, which was car ried unanimously Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, aid the meet ing dispersed. DISTRESS IN PAISLEY. We insert the chief part of a copy of a petition to the Queen on the subject which was agreed to at the meeting of ministers of all denominations, held at Paisley on Monday. From that petition, it will be observed that the appalling statements of distress made by Mr. Stewart, the Member for Renfrewshire, on the evening referred to, are fully borne out ; and it is also proper to add that amongst the ministers of Paisley who were present and agreed to the subjoined document, were Dr. Burns, who had been for thirty years a parish minister there, and the Rev. Dr. Baird, who has been settled in Paisley not far e.or, of twenty years. Both of these gentlemen formed part of the deputation which came to London, as a deputation for their distressed townsmen, in 1837, and both of them should be good judges of the truth of the the statements they have set forth : After setting forth in general terms the deplorable condition.of the Paisley operatives, and fervently impor tuning a revisal of the whole British Commercial Code, and deprecating the effects of delay any longer so to (10, the subjoined clauses follow, particular►zing the distress of Renfrewshire, Greenock, Johnston, &c.:— " May it please your Majesty,—While all of us are personally and officially connected with a manufacturing community, several of us are also very much interested in the condition of the agricultural and landed interests, and we would press it on your Majesty's serious consi deration that the landed interests are beyond question vitally concerned in the commercial prosperity of the country, and in the securing of the means of a comfort able subsistence to those masses of industrious operatives in such large communities as this, who form the best customers for agricultural and dairy produce, and without whom the pasture and arable lands in our vicinity would be of comparatively little value. Indeed, the whole of Renfrewshire may be said to form a teeming population dependent on manufactures and commerce, and the exten sion of machinery and public works of all kinds, not only to Greenock, hitherto an entirely commercial town, but to many of the country districts where the ad vantages of water power are enjoyed, cannot but ren der all commercial questions doubly interesting to our people, while it demonstrates the impolicy of separating from one another the kindred interests of agriculture and manufactures. We may also notice to your Ma jesty another very ominous feature in, the present state of our community, that whereas a short time ago it was extremely difficult to find any number of families ready to emigrate to other lands, of late the number of emi grant societies in Paisley, composed not of aged and decayed persons, but of respectable and able-bodied men, has rapidly multiplied, and the reason assigned by every one of their members, without exception, is the inability of a poor working man, however inclined, to provide his family with the bare necessaries of life. " Nor is it the operative part of our people only that are suffering under the present depression. May it please your Majesty—out of fourteen cotton factories in one district of our locality, one half aro shut up; and as the town of Johnston mainly depends on cotton-spin ning, the distress there has been greatly increased in consequence. Other factories of the same description, of which there are many in our town and county, are going upon half time, and such as are kept up at full work by their owners are sustaining a very heavy loss. In this way proprietors as well as labourers are suffering under the pressure of the times, and thus the ability to keep the distressed poor is diminished, and is rapidly diminishing every day. The bankruptcies of late, in this place, have been to the unprecedented number of nearly forty houses, and the money invested in them amounts to nearly 700,0001. Nor can we believe that the present distressed condition of our manufacturers is only temporary. For years past there have been un doubted symptoms of decline, while at present the pros pect is more gloomy than ever. May it please your Ma jesty, the time is past for concealing, or attempting to coneeal, the disease which is consuming the vitals of our national strength." The petition then closes with importuning her Majesty not to allow the patience of her people to be further tampered with, for fear of disorganiiation and distur bance, and concludes with the customary prayer. SLATEFORD. The members of Colinton and Slateford Anti-Corn-law Association, held a meeting on Saturday last, and agreed to memoralise her Majesty. The memorial is forwarded by this post to W. G. Craig, Member for the city of Edinburgh, for presentation. KETTERING. Petitions have been sent from this place to both Houses of Parliament, signed by upwards of 900 per sons, fur free trade and a repeal of the Corn-laws ; that to the Lords by Earl Fitzwilliam ; to the Commons by the Honourable G. Wentworth Fitzwilliam. A memo rial is in course of signature,- to be preserited to the Queen. This is decidedly an agricultural district, but several petitions are in course of signature from the villages, against these unjust laws. ST. PAUL, DEPTFORD. Last night a meeting of the rate-payers of this parish was held at Addey's school, in Church-street, to con sider the propriety of petitioning the Queen not to pro rogue Parliament. The petition being seconded and carried without a dissentient voice, was signed by the Chairman on behalf of the meeting. and it was decided that it should be forwarded to the Anti -Corn• law Association to present. SOUTHWARK. Last night a most crowded meeting took place within the large theatre of the Southwark Literary and Scien tific Institution, Borough-road, for the purpose of hearing Mr. Sidney Smith lecture upon the Corn-laws ; for expediting the progress of the signing of the memorial to her Majesty, lately adopted by the Institution ; and for promoting in general the advance of free-trade principles in the district. The large lecture-room of the Institution, which is capable of containing nearly a thousand individuals, was filled to overflowing ; indeed, hundreds were obliged to leave for want of room ; and the utmost enthusiasm was manifested as the lecturer. proceeded. PARISH OF ST. MARYLEBONE. THE CORN AND PROVISION LAWS.—PETITION TO THE QUEEN, AND DEPUTATION TO THE DUKE OF SUSSEX.—Yesterday a special meeting of the vestry of St. Marylebone, which was numerously attended, took place at the Court-house, Marylebone-lane, for the purpose of taking into consideration the confirmation of a resolution passed on the previous Saturday to petition the Queen, praying her Majesty not to prorogue Par liament. Mr. GIBSON—He was happy to see that the pa rishioners of Marylebone were equally, with their re presentative Vestry, at work in this great and impor tant struggle for the rights of the poor. Meetings and petitions were being held and sot up in every quarter and district of the parish ; and it was also gratifying to learn that the Anti-Corn-law movement was to be led on by Royalty itself.—(Hear, hear.) He regretted the ab sence of Mr. Waymouth on the present occasion, but that gentleman had requested him to put the Vestry into possession of the fact that her Majesty had appointed a day next week, he believed Thursday, for receiving the petitions praying her not to prorogue Parliament until the distress of the country and the important question of the Corn-laws had been discussed. This, Mr. Way mouth stated, had been brought about by the Queen's uncle, the Duke of Sussex, his Royal Highness having had an interview with her Majesty. It was his Royal Highness's intention to head a deputation of Peers of a similar way of thinking with himself upon the question of the Corn-laws, and present all the petitions to her Ma jesty on the subject, which it was understood would be between 200 and 300 petitions from the metropolis and its suburbs, and between 500 and 600 from the pro vinces.—(Loud cheers and cries of " Hear, hear.") It was not his (Mr. Gibson's) intention to call upon the Vestry to comply with the request of the " Anti-Corn law Associetion, ' that all petitions should be sent to their office for presentation. He hoped to see a deputa tion appointed to wait on his Royal Highness and place the petition of the Vestry into his hands themselves ; they would then be sure of its reaching her Majesty. The petition was then adopted without a single dissen tient, and immediately put in course of sigriature ; and Messrs. Waymouth, Gibson, Thomas, Bushill, and the Chairman, Mr. Joseph, having been appointed a depu tation to carry it to his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex for presentation, the meeting separated. WHITECHAPEL AND MILE-END. A meeting was held on Wednesday for the purpose of memorializing the Queen on the subject of the Corn laws, at the Grave Maurice Tavern, Whitechapel, and shortly after eight o'clock, P.M., they were both crowded' to suffocation by the most respectable inhabitants of the neighbourhood, as were also all the avenues leading to the place of meeting:: Mr. G. WEST proposed, and Mr. CROUCHER seconded, the resolution, agreeing to memorialize the Queen ; and a third resolution constituted the meeting into the Wliitechapel and Stepney Anti-Corn-law Association, and several gentlemen were elected as the Committee. The meeting, which was one of the lar g est held upon the subject in Whitechapol, then separated. MEETING AT PLYMOUTH In compliance with a requisition to the Mayor, signed by upwards of 190 voters for the borough, a public meet ing took place at the Guildhall, yesterday, " to con sider the propriety of memorialising- her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, praying her Majesty not to suffer the Parliament to be prorogued until the house of Commons has adopted some measure calculated effectually *to alle viate the present alarming distress of the working classes •f the community." The Hall was numerously and re spectably filled. The MAYOR having taken the Chair, read the notice convening the meeting, and expressed his willingness to receive any proposition. Captain PHILIPS rose and said, that when he signed the requisition requesting the Chairman to convene the meeting, he had no intention of speaking on the subject, thinking it might preclude other more able and compe tent speakers, by occupying the time of the meeting. But having been requested to propose a resolution, ho felt it an imperative duty to express his sentiments. They had met without respect to party.—(Applause.) It was a meeting to promote the prosperity, and to do jus tice to the country. It was also a meeting of humanity, to afford relief to suffering and starving thousands. They were told that other nations were unwilling to give them food for clothing, but those who said so were unwilling to give that right, or he would say that privilege. But had they not a living witness, Mr. Curtis, who had come as a delegate from America, to tell them that there was great abundace of. corn there, and that the exchange would make the English people and the people there mutually happy? Then was it not a:most atrocious pro ceeding that the happiness of two nations should be sa crificed to support the monopoly of this country. He then read some extracts from a pamphlet written by the Rev. Baptist Noel, entitled " A Plea for the Poor." Captain Philips concluded his observations by moving the first resolution. T. W. Fox, Esq., said he held in his hand a resolu tion which it was his intention to propose to the meet ing ; but he would confess, before he did so, that he bad great hopes after Parliament met that they should have deard the intentions of the present Ministers with re 3pect to the Corn-laws, on which subject he wok it they were that day assembled.—(Hear, hear.) But from what had passed at the re-elections of several Members of the Government, it was much to be apprehended that at the end of five months the Ministers would not bring forward any measure which the country ' night thin k would afford sufficient relief from the present unwi se, im politic, and unjust Corn-laws.—(Hear.) lie coul d not believe that the heads of the Government were awa re of the real distress existing in the country—nor wou ld he believe that if they were, they would hesitate to bring before Parliament some Bill for the admission of foreign corn into the country before they could deliberate ) Y dis cuss the question ; but the time was not distant, be lieved, when the Ministers would be aware of the state of the present crops, which at that moment was only known to a few. But it was daily gaining credence that the crop was as small if not much smaller than in anY year since 1816. He spoke as a person interested in the trade—he had spared no pains nor expense to obtain correct intelligence, and he found that the further the farmers got into their crops the worse they found them. He thought they were met there as Englishmen, irre spective of politics—(Hear, hear)—and he should con t sequently throw all political feeling. over board. I appeared to him that the opinion of her Majesty L s Government was, that before the whole of the grain which had been recently admitted jute the country would be consumed, the country would be able to use its own corn and no more foreign grain be required. The fact was, how ever, the contrary, for from a failure in the great gro win g counties it was doubtful from whence the supply could be got to make good the deficiency, unless prices became's° high as seriously to lessen consumption. Much of the new wheat was either too damp to Use at present, or unfit; and whilst it was selling as low as 50s. per qu6r ter, fine foreign was worth nearly 80s. per quarter —s° that the poor man must either use very bad bread, or F a y a price for good, which his wages were unequal to. 311. ' Fox also referred to the wages of the poor man remaining stationary, whilst prices of flour fluctuated from 1 05 . or 20s. per sack. The duty, now 2s. Bd., would soon be 20s. Bd., which amounted to a prohibition. It was the opinion of many that the low duty would be aga in brought about to meet the consumption of the peoli i , e 4 ! but was it not most unjust to be constantly kept in t"'"' see-saw way ?—(Hear, hear.) He considered it a onn strous evil to delay for five months an inquiry into the present system, which ought to made in less than fl", days.—(Hear, hear.) Perniciously as the system 1 '?" worked, he believed that its operation fbr the next , i si x months would still be more so. Mr.. Fox then move d '"" second resolution. SAMUEL BERRY seconded the resolution, and said h is feelings were so overcome by the heart. stirring facts which had fallen from Mr. Fox, that it was with (lit culty he could find words to express his sentiments. more fearful position could not possibly be presented to them, and he wonld charitably hope . with Mr. Fox, t hn h the Government could not be aware of the distress wili r A existed in the country, and which was likely to elteilv throughout the nation. On the motion of Mr. Ginsort a Committee was 8 ,_1 3 :: pointed to draw up and address her Majesty, pr a l wb that her Majesty will be graciously pleased to continuo the deliberations of Parliament until measure e ho . adopted for securing to her people the most plentiful supply of food at a cheap rate, and thus conduce to Oa general interest of the whole community. h J O 'The address was unanimously agreed to, and t - meeting separated.—(From the Plyntouth J ournal 0£ Thursday.) SPORTING INTELLIGENCE• FIFE HUNT RACES.—WEDNESDAY. Plate of 501., the winner to be sold for 2001. Heats, once round and a distance. Hon. J. Sandiland's Moleskin, 4 yrs, Bst 91b Mr. Maitland's Defiance, awed, Bst 111 b Purse of 30/., added to a awed, of 5 sous. eaclY four yrs, llst 61b ; fivo yrs, 12st 41b ; six, land a g ed, 12st 81b ; half-bred horses allowed 71bs ; mares, 86C " 3lbs. Once round and a distance. Gentlemen riders.i Mr. Maitland's Defiance, aged ...(Mr.Wardrope) Lord Glenlyon's Confusion, aged 0 2 The first race was a dead heat. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (LLOYD'S.) VESSELS SPOKEN WITH.--The George Canning' bound to Denia, 12th ult., off Almeira; Beau Ideal, New foundland, to•Syra, by the Denia, arrived in the Creeic• Ann, from Africa to Liverpool, July 27, lat. 2 S., I ° ll ' 20 W. ; Catharina Afindar, Cadiz to Pernambile°, 31st, lat. 1 N., lon. 24, by the Rapid, arrived off Sci Quebec packet, of Aberdeen, from Laguira, Aug. 3, la" 21, lon. 82 ; Paragon, of Whitehaven, 26th, lat. 33, lone 74 ; Hope, Dublin, to Quebec, 14th ult., lat. 45, lon. 51 * by the Bridget, arrived at Cork. Most of our readers are not, perhaps, a ware t h at it is contrary to law in France to take even a pitcher o r water from the sea, lest it should be evaporated for the sake of gaining an ounce or so of salt, and avoiding the payment of the salt-duty. The Sentinelle des Pyrc nees informs us, that a servant who was taking a of water from the sea, at Briarrits, a few clays ago , for a bath for a child who was ill, was perceived by s Custom-house officer, who instantly compelled her to throw it back, and return with the empty pail. PRINCE ALBERT'S HORSE•BRUSI I.—NEW INVENTlON.—Patronized by her Majesty and H. R . H. Prince Albert.—A. Davis, sponge merchant and brurh Manufacturo. by special appointment to her Majesty, H. R. H. Pr iele l nel bert, their Graces the Dukes of Mont r ose , Northura ber4.- And Argyle, the Dowager Duchess of B e dford, and ilu t°er°lls nobili t l families of distinction, 33, Strand, begs to acquaint the ew and gentry that he has constructed a horse-brush upon. a a n d principle, suitable for race horses, hunters, and chargers , a ll horses of all descriptions: It cleans with half the usual labour' This unique invention has the power of laying the coat besliti; fully smooth, at the tame time producing a gloss like velvet• has only to be tried to be fully appreciated. By its use the horse has a proper circulation of blood, without troublesome , irritation. Also, a newly-invented mane brush , forho r s es' msee d and tails, to supersede the use of mane combs. Noblemerl ap gentlemen, in town and country, supplied at the wholesale prir. and sent carriage free any distance, with the following article for the use of horses and carriages, at a saving of at least 40 p e w cent. under any house in England. Horse and carriage briar, of every kind. Sponges of the best quality, at half the s adder prices. Chamois horse clothing of every patter n. blankets, head stalls arid reins, stirrup leathers, saddle girt u l composition for harness, carriage wool mats, bandages, ain: every requisite for the use of the stables and house, a t wh t e sale prices. Lists of prices forwarded by a post-paid 11131)1'''''' tinn, 33, Strand. their Majesties AND HEARlNG.—Patronized L uy -ir Majesties the King and Queen of Hanover, and their BIZ Highnesses the late Princess Augusta, the Princess Sorb her Serene Highness the Princess Esterhazy, the Princen" .. Mary and Rosa, her Grace the Dowager Duchess 01 ; ford, and their Graces the Archbishop of Canterbury, an d ~ Dukes of Norfolk, Devonshire, Manchester, and Marlborougr; Marquises of Hertford, Londonderry, Sligo, and Thoniond, rolfr of Shaftesbury, Tankerville, Harewood, Powis, Bradford, low, Verulam, Harrowby, Buckinghamshire, Meath, Soalers;: i ii, ford, Lisburne, and Ferrero, Bishops of Exeter, D ian na. Lincoln, Cork, Elphin, and Kildare, Lords Hill, Cowley, kc • In addition to the above distinguished patronage to the Ne tci le Invented Spectacle Lenses and Sound Magnifiers 1 101 ' 1 4 9, Operative Voice Conductor, Messrs. S. and B. Solomou s o 96, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, opposite the York Hotel, and King William-street, City, state that their valuable inventions h e t ;, also gained the sanction and unqualified approbation of above f°e„, hundred of the principal members of the medical profession. lot a diately these Newly-invented Spectacle Lenses are pieced be i. ':p extremely imperfect vision, that mist and dullness W"be" appear before the eyes is at once removed, every *Went comes clear and distinct, so that the meet aged imperfect sight 7, , comes bright and brilliant, and is brought to its youthful, nato_rtgo'r and original state. Their Invisible Operative Voice Conduc_or Sound Magnifiers for deaf persona, is not the least perceptib le uncomfortable ; they give immediate relief to old standing ex is cases of deafness, and the faintest whisper at a public a ssembl ye : heard with exact distinctness.—S9, Albemarle-street, opposite .Sri York Hotel, and 76, King William-street, City.—No c onnect° with persons of the same Ramat S SILVER TEA SERVIC .11 —T. COX SAVORY, Working Silversmith, 47, Corp ht. the London, seven doors from Gracechureh-street, submits,g.. prices of the following SILVER TEA and COFFEE VICES. The Cottage Pattern is plain, standing on Isbell The the tea and coffee pots with a flower ornament on the lids. 0119. King's Pattern is richly embossed with flowers and o r The shape of either is new and elegant. COTTAGE PATTERN. KING'S rATTICSI4• s .. . 32 0 Strong Silva. Tea-pot ...12 0 Strang Silver Tra-po t • 7 10 Ditto Sugar Basin 6 It) Lit'o Sugar 13esi" 6 JO Ditto Milk "Ewer: 410 Dit o (7rearngw cr i b 0 Ditto Coffee-pot.. 15 0 Ditto coffee- pot • An 0 Complete .£3B 6 A variety of upwards of fifty Tea an C ti ) be seen in the Show-rooms, where may be selected everTrata elf, of silver requisite for the sideboard or plate-chest•__ticies, phlets of prices, illustrated by sketches of the various .'" acia a. g rat's, and forwa-ded, postage free, to any part of the k li ?dooti T. COX SAVORY, No. 47, Cornhili,London, seven from Gracechurch-street. mpl (office e te ..................... BIRTHS. of lkfl u° 0 On the 26th ult., at Queen-square, Bath, the lady Baskerville, Esq., M.P., of a son. hire, th On the 29th ult., at Quedgeley House, Gloucesters lady of J. Curtis Hayward, Esq., of a daughter. ,ilbertsolls On the 29th ult., at Hertford, Mrs. James 1%!. of a son. RE On the 13th ult., at SAG o ID. rg 's Church' Hanover-s(lter:i Mr. W. D. R aw li ns , of Islington , to Mary, e ldest daug h W. F. Ross, Esq., of Highbur ichiel O aln n act t ee h rys e .i 2 ra l tvvi s d t i u lli l i t a. ., in Itatlifa Y r . nham Church, Franeig ''' lli • q t; Esq., third son of the late Thomas Ellis, Esq. , I"asterr in dvAl ate in the Rolls Ireland. S r i . ' William 3 f l o a r c l) ll e la b h li o n n , , te ßa L r e t e ., is A a l ' as s t e t e.rwoti. On the 25th ult., at llolyroed Church, Southampton, ;,,s,i. Watts, Esq., to Mary, third daughter of Daniel Gosset , i - a ' formerly of Lang-hedg e Hall, Edmonton. it r' I l l ' On the 27th ult., at St. Paul's Church, Liverp, b. 111-ngworth, bookseller, Wakefield, to Katherine, elooldest dtug ter of the late J. Estill, Esq., of London. Knig ilt ' On the 30th ult., at St. Luke's Church, Mr. Thomas Mr' jowl of Lambetb, to Charlotte, youngest daughter of -----"" Treadway, of Islington DIED. , of At Frankfort-on-the-Maine, Rosalie , y oun g ost doug , '`" Robert Koch, Esq., her Majesty's Vice-Consul. w ife On the 10th of July, at Sierra Leone, Fanny flosesso C ourt mof Thomas Hoseon, Esq., Registrar of th e Adtniralty cver 'and Colonial Secretary, and daughter of Mr. Clarke , a l ' ab, 'I, Grosvenor - place; and on the 23d of the same L' l " n '' Hoseason, Esq., the husband. r, On the 1 Ith of August , at Munich, Edward Grainge .654.' of Tywysogg, Denbighshire. Wet' On the 23d ult. , Ge or g e Falconer, Es q ., Newman's Commander in te Royal Navy, aged 75. At Camden-roadh Villas, Camden-town , Walter `veld' Esq., aged 78. inklat a London: Printed and Published by MURDO d 10 No. 112, Strand , at The Sun Office, No. 1121 Strata I the county of Mapes, Saturday, October t 3, 184' ,~ i , tj w: *; ~~:'~: : 7 EVENING SUN THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1841. EVENING SUN