The Sun. — London, England, 1849-04-18 00:00:00

• bytre SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock. THE WEATHER. At five o'clock this afternoon it commenced snowing, sith the wind more round to the west. The baro meter has fallen ten points. At seven o'clock the wind vered round to the south-west, with every appearance of a wet night. There is no truth in the report of cholera being at or near Inverness; it was quite a false report. We have letters to-day from medical gentlemen on the subjtct. The new bridge over the Ness will be complel the end of June. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS .DAY.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock. PUBLIC ROADS FILL. Petitions against this Bill were presented by Mr. Fuller, Sir H. Halford, and an Hon. Member from places in: Gloucestershire and Wilshire; Lord Henry Bentinck, Mr. Brotherton, and Lord Brooke, from a number of places in Warwickshire; Mr. W. Patten and an Hon. Member from places in Chester and Carmarthen shire; Captain Egerton, from places in Wiltshire and Cheshire; and Mr. Muntz, from the Birmingham Canal Company. MARRIAGE BILL. Colonel BERESFORD presented a petition from Essex against this Bill. ARBITRATION. Mr. EVANS presented a petition from a place in Pembrokeshire in favour of arbitration instead of war. PETITIONS. Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from Ross shire against Sunday travelling. Colonel SALWEY presented a petition from Stoney Stratford praying that all international disputes might be settled by arbitration. Admiral GORDON presented a petition from Aber deen against the Registration Bill. Mr. H. BERKELEY presented a petition from Bris tol against the Public Roads Bill. orr Mr. WADDINGTON presented several petitions from various nlac , s to the same effect. Mr. M. GIBSON presented four petitions from Man chester, and one from Bury, praying for a general sys tem of secular education. Mr. W. EVANS presented petitions from Derby and several other places in favour of the Public Roads Bill. Mr. PACKE pre,ented petitions from Ashby-de-la- ZAich, and other places in Leicestershire, against the Public Reads Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from Dundee against the Lunatics (&otiand) Bill. Mr. CARDWELL presented a petition from Liver pool, praying tor an alteration in the Passengers Bill. Mr. II EADLAM presented petitions from Newcastle upon-Tyne, praying that international disputes might be settled by arbitration; also a petition from the same place for the abolition of slavery. Mr. E. ELLICE presented petitions from Warwick against the Public Roads Bill. Mr. SOTHERON presented petitions from Devizes to the same effect. Mr. B. DENISON presented similar petitions from various places in the West Riding. General LYGON presented a petition to the same effect. - _ _ Sir J. PAKINGTON presented similar petitions from Worcestershire. Mr. SPOONER presented seventeen petitions from places in Warwickshire, and ten from places in Worces tershire, all ap inst the Roads Bill, and praying that it might not pass into a law. Mr. HOPE presented petitions to the same effect. Mr. CHAPLIN presented a petition to the same effect from Salisbury. Sir J. Y. BULLER presented a large number of si milar petitions from places in Devonshire. Mr. HUME presented several petitions from places in Scotland against the Marriage Bill. Mr. GODSON presented twelve petitions from places in Worcestershire against the Roads Bill. Colonel THOMPSON presented a petition from Brad ford against the Roads Bill. Mr. NEWDEGATE presented a petition, signed by the Mayor of Bristol, to the same effect, and several like petitions from Warwickshire. Mr. AGLIONBY presented a petition from the El ders of Staple's Inn against the attorney's certificate duty. Mr. COBDEN presented a number of petitions from places in the West Riding against the Roads Bill. DROPPED NOTICES OF MOTION AND ORDERS. The Dropped Notices of Motion and Orders of the Day were re-appointed. ROAD BILL. On the question that the order of the day for the se cond reading of this Bill be now read, Mr. PUSEY objected to the motion, and moved that another order be read. Government had Mondays and Fridays, and this week Thursday was granted to them; and if they were allowed to place their Bills first on the orders for Wednesday, independent Members had no chance whatever of bringing forward their measures at all, unless it were at two o'clock in the morning, after a Government night, when their attempting to do so was invariably objected to. Now he had an important Bill on the orders fcr today, but it was was quite hopeless hr him to expect to bring it on if this Roads Bill were proceeded with, and he therefore felt that he had a right to make the motion he had done, however troubles ;me or inconvenier; it might be to Govern ment.—(Hear, hear ) Sir J. PAKINGTON perfectly agreed with what had fallen from thy Hon. Gentlemen, and had great pleasure in seconding his motion.—(Hear.) Now that the Go vernment lass deferred the Bill, there can be no doubt shortly there will be an attempt made to take every Thursday for the Government, and he did think that independent Members of the House ought not to be de prived of the few privileges which they now possessed. After a few wards from Mr. B. DENISON, who la boured under some misapprehension respecting the na ture of the Bill, in which he was corrected by several Hon. Alemb rs around him, Sir G. GREY said that he certainly thought that it was not right that even if Government measures were placed upon the paper at all for Wednesday that they should not take precedence of the other orders of the day in which independent Members of the House were interested.—(Dear, hear) It was certainly true that there might be measures of importance in the hands of private aletnb rm which should take precedence of others of less consequence, but as a ru e that which had been made a general order should not be departed from. In Bills to which there had been no opposition no difficulty could possibly arise, but in a case like this, where there had been considerable dissent expressed, he thought the better course would be to come to some decision one way or the other, if not to-day, at least at a very early peeled. Mr. WILSON PATTEN was very anxious to enforce upon the Government the necessity of leaving Wednes day inviolate for private business, and as there was evi dently some difficulty in the way, he recommended his Hon. Friend to withdraw the Bill now before the House. After some words of explanation from Mr. PrsEY and Sir G. GREY, Mr. SOTHERON recommended that the Bill should be referred to a Select Committee.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. 11. HERBERT thought, that as this Bill was a matter which largely interested the public, a fair die cu-sign ef the matter ought to be held. Mr. FIUME most sincerely trusted that the order of the day for leaving Wednesday entirely open to the business transacted by private Members would not be in fringed. With respect to the - Bill now before the House, he thought that it was imperatively necessary that they should come to some decision. Mr. DI.iRAELI protested most earnestly against the doctrine which bad been thrown out the other night with respect to this Bill. The Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Department had pro pounded that the Government were not responsible fur the principle and details of any Bills which had been in troduced by independent Members, but afterwards adopted by themselves.—(Hear, hear.) Agsinst this he must most earnestly protest.—(Hear, hear.) The Bill now before the House came precisely under that category. Sir G. GREY and Mr. LABoIICITERE both declared against any disclamation of liability. Mr. DISRAELI—But that was the principle broadly laid out, and which ought not in any way to be en tertained. The SPEAKER then put the motion for the order of the day for the second reading of the Bill, but was in terrupted by . Mr. PUSEY, who said that the object of his motion was to set aside the second reading altogether. The SPEAKER explained that it had been p erfectl y competent f or the Hon. Member to move an amendment on the motion for passing to the orders of the day, but he had not done so, and he (the Speaker) had con sequently put the second reading of the Bill. Mr. PUSEY, on the suggestion of several Hon. Mem bers, then moved that the second reading of the Bill should be taken after the other orders of the day. After a few words from Sir C. DOUGLA S, Mr. PUSEY withdrew his amendment, and Mr. B. DENISON rose to move another amendment, to the effect that the Bill be read this day six months. The Hon. Gentleman proposed by the Bill to accom plish two objects : first, to reduce and pay off the mort gage d e bt upon ail turn ttik , t trusts;; alid secondly, to put the management of all turnpike reacts under different machinery. He would deel with the first propositien, and in doing so, he would ask whether that wts the most happy time that could be selected to pass a measure to pay nil' these debts which, if it would not afrect severely the pockets of the occupiers of property, would, at all events, severely irritate them. He thought that the present time was exceedingly unfit to introduce such a measure. There was a general notion prevailing, th a t itt con sequence of the formation of railways the se curity upon turnpike trusts was very much injured, and that, in point of fact, the tolls collected; or likely to be collected, would not be sufficient to pay ' off all the debts. It was very desirable that a clear and _ ...... .qepurate understanding should be come to upon thi s EWSPAr int, and f o r t hi s p u rpose he would quote from a q!"------- -- -----;e:. eirliamentary paper (No. 492) which was published e e e eee in - 1848. Ile found that in 1836 the tolls received throughout the United Kingdom amounted to 1,449.0001, t i —_•,, ;,- and the repairs t o 800 ,000 1 ., leav i ng - a balance of 58 9 ,0 001 . ii, e : :,.. : eee for the payment of i n t erest, an d for t . , _ :-„, p a ying off the per ratment debts. The balance in 1841 was 561,0004 and in 1846, 577,0001., and although the receipts had fallen, since the formation of railways, 200,0001., the 1 repairs had fallen in equal proportion.—(Hear, hear.) There was another important feature, which was, that 1 in 1836 as much as 113.0001. of the trust debts had been been raid off, while in 1841 107,000 L, and in 1846 167,0001. had also been paid off.—(Hear, hear.) He had, therefore, a right to assume that turnpike trusts were not at all in a desponding state, and that they were tolerably well managed, for a large sum of money was paid off annually. What the House had really to do with was the bonded debt which the Hon. Gentleman opposite proposed to pay off by means of a sinking fund. But now he would show the House in what a position the rate-payers would stand. By ‘ the Bill as it stood it was proposed that 7 per cent. should be taken as the first fruits of the tolls, not 7 per cent. of the tolls, but of the debt. He did say, therefore, that, unless the Honourable Gentleman could show that there would be a decided surplus after payment of the repairs and all the establishment charges, it was clear the rate payers of the kingdom would have to sustain the burden of all the contingencies.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") lie would tell the lion. Gentleman candidly that he thought some alteration ought to be made in the manage ment of turnpike roads—(" dear," from Mr. C. Lewis) — and he would give the Hon. Gentleman his best and ut most exertions in framing such a Bill as he thought would meet the exigencies of the case.— (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. B. Denison) contended that with the agricultural community in the state in which it now was it was in the highest degree injudicious to introduce such a Bill as that before the House at the present moment, which would operate most prejudicially against them. That was the burden of the statement contained in the petition which he had presented from the West Riding of Yorkshire, and which was signed by magistrates, landowners, and a great number of the inhabitants. If the Honourable Gentleman chose to make an arrangement with the mortgagees, aid would give them security that they should be paid annually the interest of their debt, there would be no occasion for a sinking fund as was proposed, and the parties would be satisfied. Why were they to pay 7,000,0001. for the relief of persons who were to live after the present generation, in 1880? He did object to that part of the Bill which refused to pay off the debt except by a sinking lund ; and it was impossible the debt could be paid off by a sinking fund, and on that account he thought it was injudicious to bring such a Bill forward at the present moment, and he could see no occasion for such a Bill. He would now go to another part of the Bill, which proposed to place the management of the highways under an entirely different machinery from the present. The proposal in the Bill was that there should be a committee of management varying from eight to twelve in each eueisty .sits..,,ference to the size of the county, who were to lay down rules by which the roads were to be managed. To that central committee each board of guardians was entitled to send one member, and, therefore, it would happen in some districts that there would be more poor-law unions than the number of twelve, and the consequence would be that the guardians would swamp the magistrates ap pointed ou the central committee. However, that cen tral committee was to consist of eight or twelve magis trates, and, added to them, a member from each poor law board ; and they were to lay down general rules fur the management of all the roads. Having laid down certain rules, then the management fell on the present guardians of the poor, and they were in point of fact to supersede all the trustees of the turnpike-roads. They were to have the privilege, according to the Bill, of appointing a surveyor, who was to have the superintendence, management, and mendirg, and making of all the roads; and looking at the union with which he (Mr. B. Denison) was acquainted, in the vicinity in which he lived, he found the surveyor for that district would have the disbursement of between 4,000/. and 5,0001. a year, which was at present expended there in repairing the high roads. There was no doubt at all, that with respect to the turnpike rate, it was clearly to be a union rate, and not a parish rate. Well, then, the surveyor so appointed under the Bill would have the management of all the roads, and he would have to raise the money from the different pa rishes by a union rate based on the. county rate, not according to the existing exigencies of each particular parish, but according to the valuation at which it stood to the county rate. He contended that that was au unfair proposition.—(Hear, hear.) By that arrange ment he was, in point of fact, to repair his neighbour's roads, and his neighbour was to repair his.—(!tear, hear.) In the union to which he (Mr. B. Densioe) belonged the cost of the highways was 5,060/. a-year. He was not prepared to put into the hands of any one in tividual the application of that 5,0001. a-year, and he thought it would be putting a great temptation in the man's way. lie would, perhaps, give security for the discharge of his duty, but he (Mr. B. Denison) defied a poor- law auditor to examine that man's account so as to satisfy himself that the money had been expended. He was quite sure that part of the Bill would never an swer. 1 hen the machinery of the Bill was to be placed in the hands of the poor-law guardians. Now he knew enough of poor-law guardians. to know that they would say that they bad enough to do already. It was utterly impossible that they would get them to act. The latter portion of the Bill would alter the whole of the existing machinery and would act most injuriously. The Right lion. Gentleman the Secretary of State for the House Department had expressed no decided opinion on the Bill, and had intimated that if a strung opinion was ex pressed against it by the county Members that he should ' nut, on the part of the Government, press it. He suggested to the Hun. Gentleman that he would do well to withdraw the bill. As he entertained a strong and de cided opinion against the measure, he begged to move that the Bill be read a second time this day six months. The motion having been seconded, Mr. RICE rose to support e the Bill. lie concurred in the statement of the Honourable Member who had just sat down, that the Bill had been pressed upon the Government. It appeared that the ex penditure in respect of turnpike trusts had been vastly increased of late years. Another Bill would im prove the present system of management, and at the same time reduce the expenditure. That was an additional reason why the Bill should pass. Then with respect to the auditing of accounts. Now, as a county magistrate. he was prepared to stare that the accounts were not properly audited. Many ware passed without the intervention of auditors. Then the lion. Member said the Bill would throw an additional burden upon the counties. if he could bring himself to ;believe that this would be the case he would not support it. He believed that the expenditure would be reduced. The counties were bound to make up the amount of the tolls if "deficient, but inasmuch as the Bill would introduce an improved and less expensive system of management, he considered it would be beneficial rather than injurious. In West Kent, for instance, he believed the system which the Bill would introduce would meet with approval. Sir J. PAKINGTON would support the second read ing of the Bill, although he felt ouund to admit that it had excited an alarm throughout the country that was totally uncalled for. lie admitted that it was most desirable to consolidate the various turnpike trusts, but he doubted the efficacy of the Bill to effect so desirable an object. He thought the consolidation of turnpike trusts would tend to the gradual liquidation of their debts, and if such a measure was introduced, he would give it his support. If the measure was to be carried he thought it wou'd be better to divide it into two Bills—one for the highways and the other for turnpike. roads. He thought many of the provisions of the Bill were most harsh and unfair, especially that part of it which dismissed parties without any compensation what ever. Sir W. JOLLIFFE was favourable to the principle of the Bill, but he was decidedly opposed to the manner in which it was proposed to carry it out. Many of the details of the Bill were calculated to afford great dissatisfaction to the parties interested in turn pike trusts. The railway system was making great inroads upon the interests of those par ties, and notwithstanding what had been said by the Hon. Member for the West Riding, he still thought that turnpike trusts were in anything but a flourishing condition ; but of this he was certain, that some o: the roads were kept in anything but an efficient state of re pair. He concluded, therefore that many of the trustees were unable to obtain funds to repair their roads. The objection of the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Droit wich to this Bill was, that the Bill itself was not divided into two; but he (Sir W. Johiffe) altogether differed with him in that view. The subject of these roads ought to be d sposed of in one large and comprehensive measure ; but while he sail that, it must not be understood that he was of opinion that no difference ought to be made between a first and second class road.—(Hear, hear.) There was a wide difference between the two so far as their wear and tear were concerned, and he thought that an equal difference ought to be made in the amount of taxa tion which each inflicted in the localities through which they passed. (Hear, hear.) With regard, hOwever, to the question of compensating officers at present engaged in the management of turnpike trusts, he understood that the majority of them followed other occupations, which were not interfered with by the duties the roads demanded of them, and he did not think they were entitled to any compensation. With regard to the matter which bad been mooted by his Hon. Friend the Member for Droitwich, there was little doubt but that most of the details would be best considered in Committee; but it was idle to • suppose that any good could possibly arise from taking any such measure as this into a elect Committee, when it was clearly evident that this Bill was intended to merge in some larger measure, and he thought that it was absolutely necessary at this stage of the proceeding, that the Government should come forward and give some explicit declaration as to their intention with respect to future emergencies. He thought that by far the better course to pursue would be that prescribed by his Hon. Friend the Member for D roitwich, namel y , to take the ob ject of the Bill in its two definite and most important sub jects—those of the turnpike trusts and the highways. Separated even thus, the matter to be laid before the parties invested with the authority to carry out the objects of the Bill would be so surrounded with the difficulties which had always beset this matter, that he, for one, could never see his way clearly through it. One point, fur instance, did appear to him to be ineurruounteble. How could they amalgamate insolvent trusts with those whieh were solvent in any general measure? If this system was to be pursued, and centralization were to be tee order of the day, they must appoint commissioners, and, so far as he could see, the only object which they seemed to desire to carry out was, to give those commissioners plenty to do, Seeing, then, the number and amount of these difficulties, de did think that the Govern ment were bound to give some explanation ot the mode and the end to which they intended in future to proceed. Mr. C. LEWIS said, that when he had introduced this measure; to the House he had expressly stated, that althou h the Bill proposed to deal with great and important interests, yet they were not such as came properly per se under the cognizance of Government. They were under the supervi sion of local trusts, and such as, properly speaking, ought to be dealt with by those trusts , and it was upon that concep tion, and that conception alone, that he bad in a' y way that which implied that the Government were not respon sible for the details or for the principle of the Bill. How far the Government felt themselves responsible had been already explained by his Right Hon. Friend to-day. Having made this short explanation, he should pass to the allegations and ob iectinuswhich had been made to the House during this discus- TIIE SUN, LONDON, sion. In the course of last session the Government introduced I a measure with respect to highways, excluding turn pike trusts. The measure was referrred to a Committee, who made various amendments, and the Bill was reprinted and submitted to the house. It was then found that the period of the session would prevent the Bill from being proceeded with, and the Bill was not pro ceeded with, it being under.-tood that the subject should be duly considered by the Government during the recess. But in the course of the discussion that arose after the BEI came from the Committee, a general opinion was expressed that the Bill was not sufficiently explanatory, that it did not go far enough. and that the Government had made an important omission by leaving out of the Bill any mention of turnpike roads, and particularly with respect to insolvent trusts. He appealed to those who opposed the present measure, and who had heard that discussion, whether this was not so ; and further, whether the Government was not blamed for not having had the courage to deal with a question of so important a nature. During the recess his attention and that of his Right Hon. Friend had been ear nestly directed to it ; and it was thought, in deference to the opinions of the House, and out of respect to the Com mittee, on which the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite served—it was thought desirable to engraft upon the Bill certain provisions with respect to turnpike trusts. It was indeed the opinion of all who had turned their attention to the subject, that on the whole the two classes of roads would be benefited by their consolidation. He would not, however, go into that question now. Under these circum stances the Government determined to lay before the House a measure which comprised both classes of roads This was the answer he had to make to the lion. Gentleman opposite. Let the House bear in mind that turnpike roads were no more than roads arbitrarily taken by persona locally connected, legalised by an Act of Parliament, and placed under the management of trustees; and when the funds of the roads were insufficient for their proper manage ment, recourse was had to the highway rate. Those roads were selected many years ago, in consequence of the course of the traffic, and might be styled as affording the means of arterial communication. Since rail ways had sprung into existence, the principal roads had sunk into roads of a secondary or tertiary character.—(Bear, hear.) Such had been the effect of railways upon those roads, that many of them of a minor character, especially those near railway stations, had be come of great importance. The principle of the Bill to which the House was asked to assent, and of which those voting for it would approve, he understood to be this, to combine the management of all roads of the company, both turnpike and highways Every Hon. Gentleman who voted for the Bill would assent to the proposition that the disparity of management between turnpikes and highways should not longer exist— that the system should either be changed at present or prospectively. The present Bill did not propose to repeal local Acts. Each county would be divided into districts, and would make provision for the management of the roads in each division by the appointment of local boards. It also involved a plan for the extinction of the existing turnpike debts. These were the principal rcaiiiicz, 4.4.1 every suggestion, and to adopt every one that was prac ticable and likely -to be useful.—(Hear.) The Honour able Member for Dorsetshire had said, " Why don't you deal with the best class of roads separately," and the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Droitwich made a similar obser vation, suggesting, therefore, that two Bills should have been introducea—one for each class of roads. To that he would answer, that that mode of proceeding had been already tried, and had not, in truth, given more satisfaction than had the Bill before the House. One Bill for such a pur pose was introduced by the Right Hon. Gentleman then Secretary at War (Mr. F. Maule), 13 years ago. It would have dealt with turnpike trusts. Then the Right Honourable Baronet the Member for Ripon (Sir James Graham) had introduced a Bill which would have dealt ith turnpike trusts separately from highways. Since theta a Bill had been introduced with respect to highways; but none of them had been so fortunate as to meet with the ap proval of that House, and, therefore, it could not be said that the subject had not been fully investigated, and the best remedy devised for existing evils that could be. It was true there were many difficulties in the way. For instance, turnpikes had no boundary, they were not territo tial divisions, and they could not say the name of the parish where the boundary of a turnpike trust be gan and terminated. Their exact limits could not be de tined—it could only be done arbitrarily.— (Hear, hear.) There was another difficulty quite insurmountable, which was the extremely small size of some of the turnpike trusts; some of them were only a few miles in extent, and their size was extremely unequal. It appeared to him impossible to frame any measure for the management of the highways which should be operative in the management of the turn pike trusts as the basis of such a measure. He thought the House had hardly considered the extent of the highway expenditure, as compared with that of the turnpike tusts.—(Hear, hear.) He believed if it general they were to ask which of the two was the greatest exi,enditure, most people would gi ve an online answer that they believed the turnpike revenue was considerably greater than that of the highways. Now it appeared by a return lately presented and laid on the table of the House that the expenditure tor the highways in England (exclusive of Wales) in 184 was 1,668,1341. The return from Wales was imperfect in consequence of some of the local officers not having fur nished their quotas to the account, but the estimate, so far as it went, was about 50,000/. ; in fact, it was 4.1,.•400/., which made a total for the expenditure of the highways in England and Wales of 1,717,000/. The total expenditure in 1846 for the highways and turnpike-road: amounted to 3,061,0001., and of that sum the larger portion was contributed by the highways. Now, he believe,: it was scarcely necessary for him to state that the management of the highways was, on the whole, much less economical, much less efficient, and much less per- fect,:than:that of the turnpike trusts. He was perfectly Will ing to pay that tribute to the trustees of the turnpike-roads. The Hon. Member for the West Riding made some remarks as to the time of introducing the present measure. Is answer to that, he would first say that this Bill was promised at the end of last session, that the Govern ment considered itself bound in deference to the expressed wishes, and partly in consequence of the promise made at the end of last session, to introduce a general measure on the subject in the beginning of the present session. Thw measure was considered by the Government during the recess, and it had been introduced at the beginning of the session without any reference to the temporary or existing distress.—(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. C. Lewis) entertained the strongest opinion that this measure would impose no new burdens on the agricultural interest, but, on the contrary, he believed it would lead directly and indirectly to the gradual diminution of those burdens. Tht Hon. Member for the West Riding had asked why was the present generation called on to make sacrifices for the payment of the turnpike debts. It would be a consolotary doctrine, he (Mr. C. Lewis) admitted, if they could dispense always with the payment of the principal of a debt, both with respect tt public and private debts ; but with regard to workhouses. public goals, shire-halls, prisons, and lunatic asylums, he could show that the Legislature could in every case fix the term for the extinction of the debt. He must say that the principle was a sound one, and although it implieS a present sacrifice, he thought it was a sacrifice which was due from us to our posterity. He looked on tba. legacy of six millions and a half of turnpike debt, together with the million and a halt of interest on the debt, as a legacy which had been bequeathed to us by the improvidence of (err predecessors. The Hon. Member also urged that this Bil, would impose additional burdens on the country.—(" Hear. hear," from Mr. B. Denison,) Now, it the turnpike trust were, as they had been truly stated to be, a solvent concern. and if there was at present an excess of means beyond the payment of the principal and interest of that debt, he (Mr. C. Lewis) was at a loss to see how the arrangement which it was proposed to make could throw any considerable addi tional burdens on the country. The interest paid in 1846 or, the existing trusts was 272,1331.; and the principal paid was 163,526/., nicking altogether 440,0001. The improvements during the last year were 57,0001., and the salaries and lan charges were 113,0001. But that did not properly come it question here. The Bill called on the turnpike trusts to pa) 71. per cent. on the bonded debt of 6,809,0001. ; 71. pet cent. on that amount would be 462,639/., and there fore, as compared with 440,000/, the only addition he should make would be 22,0001. Then he took particular counties; and first, in Lancashire, which was one of the 34,6581., d largest counties,an the rin the interest paid p onwaaids2 t;l o3 at 97l. ac t m coun a t kn w i a; 62,000/. odd.--(Hear, hear.) According to this Bill, the annual payment would be 50,6941., being 12,0001. less than was now voluntarily paid. He did not, therefore, see how Lancashire would:be a sufferer. He had been asked what would be the effect in South Wales of the valuation of the debt and of other similar measures contemplated by the Bill. From the official state ment of the superintendent he found that the repairs, the payment of interest, the debts paid off, and the other charges, amounted in lii43, which was previous to the introduction of the present system, to 35,4821., and 1848, which was subsequent to the change in the law, to 35,010/. The difference between tee two amounts, it would be seen, was very small. But there was this difference, with regard to South Wales, an additional burden was thrown upon the county-rate. for which no equivalent was given. In one county the additional charge was three halfpence, in another a penny three-farthings, and in others a halfpenny and two-thirds of a penny; and although those charges were not heavy, they were not compensated for by an) equivalent. The Hon. Member ( Mr. B. Denison) had objectee to the constitution of the county board, on the ground tha; certain members were to be elected to it, viz., one from eael board of guardians, who would have it in their power to control the magistrates. In the first that was submitted to the House each board of guardians was empowered to elect two of their body to the county board, but in the presentßili the number had been reduced to one. He ( Mr. Lewis) thought that in most cases the guardians would be disposed to elect their chairman, and he could not see that any practical influence would be infused into the county board by the election of such members to it. There could not, he considered, be any valid ob jection to the election ofone guardian, but if the House thought .that another constitution of the local board and another division of the districts were preferable, he was quite read) to modify the Bill in those respects.—(Hear, hear.) 1, had been suggested that the magistrates at the pett) sessions might have the management of all highways with out any admixture of the elective principle whatever, but he doubted much whether suck a principle would be assented to by the House. He was quite ready to admit that the question as to the substitution of other persons for the guardians at the county board was open to con sideration, -- and, as he had said before, he would consent to any proposition which the majority of the House might think proper. Some Hon. Members seemed to prefer a separate parochial rate for highway purposes. but it seemed to him that an union rate was on the whole prefable, and in reference to that part of the sub ject, he would make this one remark—that the main reason for constituting turnpike trusts, which began in the reign of Charles 11., and which had been at different periods modified and altered by the successive Actsof Parliament, was the ineffectiveness of aparochial rate for such purposes. It was found that several parishes could not maintain a great corn tnunication through a country without some additional assist ance, such as tolls being levied on travellers and passengers. There was a discretionary power in this bill to en able the county board to assign the district that should support certain roads, and there was a district boaru to carry out the intentions of the ,county board. It was intended by the Bill that the county board should exercise a general superintendence over the whole roads in the county, and that the district boards should only take cognizance over the roads in their charge. Now two classes of person mainly opposed this Bill—the mortgagees and the clerks, whose offices would be put an end to by its provisions.— (Hear.) With respect to the Mortgagees, he did not think they objected thouh t mig to of s ; nor id he ,to the prin ci p le of the B 11, g hey that the measure ht had acme created its thatdetail a larm among believ the bond e holders of these trusts that had been represented. The officers and clerks of the existing trusts certainly strongly opposed the measure. He admitted that the officers and clerks were a highly meritorious class of persons, and he fully admitted their claim to the con sideration of the Government and the House.—(Cries of 4 , Hear, hear.") Before the withdrawal of the former Bill on this subject, he had heard little of the claim , of the officers and clerks, but recently, and since the House had adjourned for the recess, he bad received to very tem perate statement of their rooms why they ought tQ WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 18, 1849, fixed the maximum and minimum rates. But if they were inadequate, the loss must be made up from the county rate, which would he manifestly unfair.—(llear. ) At this late hour he would not go into the whole of the arguments. At present the turn pikes cost 421. a mile for management, whil,t the high way cost but 16/., which would create a strange anomaly, and throw an unjust burden upon many parties. The bill;, as calculated to throw additional burdens upon the county rat( s. Besides, the period it had been brought forward was peculiarly ill timed. .He should support the ain,ndment. After a few words from Mr. MANGLES, Sir GEORGIE GREY said, after the endeavours of the Governments of the last fifteen years to legislate upon this matter was not ♦ery encouraging.— (Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for Cockermouth advised the withdrawal of the Bill, yet he said the county with which he was connected would never be satisfied until a sweeping change took place (Laughter.) The opinion of the House had been folly taken with re spect to the Bill, and that opinion was averse to it.— (Hear, hear.) The object of the Bill was to combine the management of the highways and turnpikes, but if the House were to agree to the second reading of the Bill pro forma and refer it to a Committee, the House would in some measure commit itself to the opinion that combined management was desirable. He thought he would not act fairly to the House if he allowed this Bill to go to a Select Committee, because if lie rightly collected its opinion, it was adverse to the principle of the Bill.—(Hear.) He thought therefore, the best course to pursue would be to withdraw the Bill, and in doing so he felt bound to state that he could not hold out any hope that the Government would bring in any other measure upon the subject. The order of the day for the second reading of the Bill was then discharged. INDICTABLE OFFENCES (IRELAND; BILL. This Bill as amended was further considered and ordered to be en grossed. SUMMARY CONVICTIONS BILL. _ The further considerations of this Bill was postponed till to-morrow. LANDLORD AND TENANT BILL. The Committee on this Bill was postponed till to-morrow. AFFIRMATION BILL. Mr. P. WOOD moved the third reading of this Bill. Mr. GOULBURN opposed the motion. The Bill had, it was true, a most plausible title. but he thought its principles were most pernicious. He thought the Bill involved a dangerous principle, and likely to prove an impediment in the way of administering justice. He was one of those who felt that oaths properly administered were well calculated Ito secure truthful evidence, and, except in the case of parties who entertained objections to the taking an oath on the ground that it was opposed to the tenets of the sects to which they belonged, no one ought to be exempted from doing so. Lately they had seen in courts of justice Pro testants and others objecting to the taking of an oath, for which they were properly punished, but the Hon. and Learned Gentlemen, by this Bill, declared that snch parties, although uau ll) LLIC a, 1.1,1 w In Lilt. ,111.11C11 aw luteu uauin !vv., in accordance with the Scriptures should be allowed to make affirmations, providing they were people of good character. But how was it to be decided that their characters were good e t e r r t i s fi c w a t e e r s e of v egoodry doubtful? character passed, it would in ustice and prevent the inae given n3s ? , a itHde caseso w tpha o er f ndt t ie e ef n set ha h ta at whose d t t hi h fe e they echnshi Bill truth being arrived at. The Bill provided that every person liable at present to take an oath, should have power to go before a magistrate and prove he was of good moral character, and he should be entitled to a certiticaie, enabling him ever afterwards to be heard upon affirmation instead of an oath? Now, would not such a legislation, besides impeding the progress of justice and truth, tend to demoralise many branches of society. The man who took an oath felt more disposed to tell nothing but the truth than the man who did not; but pass this Bill, and that great mral influence would be destroyed, and many vin dictive and dishonest people would have an opportunity of swearing away the lives and properties of their victims with out being liable to a prosecution for perjury.— (Hear, hear.) He bad stated to the House the principles and provisions of this Bill. He would have done so at an earlier period had not indisposition prevented him, but he did trust that those who bad charge of the administration of justise in this country would oppose the exercise of the principle which it involved with the whole of their influence. The Hon. Gen tleman concluded by moving that the Bill should be read a third time this day six months. Mr. PAGE WOOD regretted that the Right Hon. Gen tleman had not given his opposition in an earlier stsge of the Bill, as the principle by the second reading had been af firmed, and its details had been recognised by the discussion in the Committee. In the time of William 111. the Quakers had become a very considerable body, and they had then been exempted from taking the oath of allegiance; and by the 7th and Bth William 111. they had been rtlieved from the necessity of taking an oath in civil cases. S 3 the matter remained until the time of George IV., when an alteration was made as to criminal affairs. But although so long an interval bad passed, it bad not pessed without serious objections. In a case tried before Lord Mansfield, for the recovery of damages—a qui tam action—an action, therefore, in the nature of a criminal proceeding—he had laid it down as a principle that the affirmation of au individual, who was a Quaker, ie criminal as well in civil proceedings.—(Hear, hear.) He had himself presented several petitions both from the Mora. vians and the Separatists. The former of those bodies of Dissenters had been readi y relieved, and if the latter there were only three congregations in England, four in Scotland, and sixteen in Ireland. Now, it was a fact, that each of these congregations only consisted of three indivi duals, so that in a community consisting of nine in England, twelve in Scotland, and forty-eight in Ireland, the whole of the relief was granted. Yet, notwithstanding these facts, relief was denied to those persons who had conscientious ob jections, were subject to grievous penalties. A person had nothing to do more than on his stepping into the wit ness-box to say that he bad been a Quaker, or he had been a Moravian, and he was immediately exonerated from all the liabilities which this Bill was intended to remove. Was there ever a greater premium for dissent? There was a sufficient proof that the only persons who were at all likely to be affected by this Bill were those who acted from conscientious motives, and not those who entertained but few scruples respecting the sacredness of an oath. The fact was, that the public were the losers, for they lost the evi dence frequently necessary in judicial iliquiri s, and the right decision was thus frequently lost in matters of the last impor tance. The Honourab e Member then referred to several cases in which the criminal was acquitted and the wit ness committed, because the latter had conscientious scruples to taking an oath ; and was that a state of the law which the House was prepared to sanction?—(Hear, hear.) One was that of a cabman who was charged with running over and causing the death of a person, but the only individual who saw the occurrence not taking an oath, he was committed and the prisoner dismissed.—(Hear, hear.) He also alluded to several civil cases, in which the result was precisely the same viz., a wit ness being committed and the action being lost ; and asked if such a state of things ought to be allowed to exist in a civilised country?—(Hear.) It had b en stated by an Hon. Members that persons affirmed things which they would not swear to upon oath, but to that he would answer that there was not a single instance on record of a person of a bad or villainous character refusing to take an oath, whilst there were many instances of persons of good character doing so, and of giving their evidence upon affirmation.— (Divide.) Mr. HENLEY said it he had previously entertained any doubt with respect to the propriety of the Bill, it had been removed by the speech of the Hon. Member for Oxford, who, he thought, had not brought forward one single answer to the objections which had been made to it. A great many persons made statements more loosely and highly coloured in merely stating them than in making them on oath. Under the sanction of an oath they gave their testimony more carefully. Why did they not exempt persons from serving on juries who did not like to serve? He could sce no distinction between them and persons who did not like to take an oath. If the Hon. Gentleman's Bill should become law, the Noble Lord, the Member fir the City of London, might withdraw his Parliamentary Oaths' Bill altogether from the consideration of the House. He did think, taking the balance of conveniences and incon veniences, respecting the taking of oaths, if they recognised the principle of this Bill, they might as well do away with the taking of oaths altogether.—Cries of "Di vide," in the midst of which the Hon. Member resumed his seat.) The gallery was then, at a few minutes before six o'clock, cleared for a division, when there appeared— For the third reading ... 70 Against the third reading 46 Majority for the Wild reading ... —24 The Bill was then read a third time, but not passed, it being Six o'Clock. The House then adjourned. CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.) TILE JOINT STOCK WINDING-UP ACT-TIIE AGRICUL TURAL CATTLE INSURANCE COMPANY. This case stood in the paper today for judgment, but his Lord.hip on taking his seat this morning said that he had not been able sufficiently to consider the affidavits, and he would, therefore, postpone giving judgment till to-morrow. THE JOINT-STOCK WINDING UP ACT-THE L , NDON AND MANCHESTER DIRECT INDEPENDENT RAILWAY COMPANY (REKINGT. N's LINE).-JUDGMENT. - - - The LORD CHANCELLOR gave judgment to-day in this case, which came before him a few days sit.ce upon appeal from the decision of the Vice- Chancelor Knight Bruce, dis missing a petition with costs, which had been presented under the Winding-up Act for the dissolution of the com pany. His Lordship said that the principal ques tion in the case was wh€ther the company came within the meaning of the Winding-up Act, and he was clearly cf opinion the company came within the mean ing of the Act, and the prayer of the petition must there're be granted. The result of this decision is to reverse the judgment of. the Vice-Chancellor Knight Bruce. TEMPEST V. THE NOII.III-WENTERN RAILWAY COMPANY. The further arguments in this part heard appeal motion occupied the Court the remainder of the morning. ROLLS' COURT.-(THIS DAY.) The Master of the Rolls was occupied the whole morning with petitions and causes of no general interest. VICE-CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.) (Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR of ENGLAND.) Causes and farther directions of no interest occupied his Honour the whole morning. (Before the Vice-Chancellor Klncur BRucx.) His Honour was occupied the whole morning with bank rupt petitions. (Before the Vice-Chancellor WIGItAM.) LUCAS V. JAMES.— JUDGMENT. His HoNouß gave judgment in this case, in which the bill was filed for the purpose of compelling the specific per formance of an agreement to take the lease of a house. His Honour, after going at considerable length into the case, ordered the bill to be dismissed with costs. WILKINSON V. GODSON.—JUDGMENT. His HONOUR also gave judgment in this case, in which the only question was, whether an objection taken for want of parties was good. His Honour decided that it was, and al lowed the objection. QUEEN'S BENCII.—(THIS DAY.) (Sittings iu Panco, before Mr. Justice ParrEsos and Mr. Justice ERLE.) TIIE UNION BANK.— KEEMER V. LAURIE AND OTHERS. This was an action against the defendant, Sir Peter Laurie, the trustee of the Union Bank, to recover compensation for the injury the plaintiff had sustained iu consequence cf the improper payment by them of a bill for 421. 10s., which he (the plaintiff) had accepted. It was an action brought by a customer against his banker. It appeared that the bill was made payable at the bank, in whose hands he bad but 2 45., and as he had given no notice of dishonour, and as the bank be lieved the plaintiff had a sufficient sum in their hands to meet the bill it was paid After it had been paid a clerk from the bank called upon the plaintiff to receive instructions with respect to the bill. He told him not to pay it—it was an ac commodation bill, and it was to his interest that the drawer Should become a bankrupt. The clerk did not say it had been paid, and esAltayourecl to get the money back agate, but with. out avail. Lord Denman, who tried the case at the last sitting at London, directed a verdict for the defendants. Mr. CROW DER now moved for a rule to show eau,,e why the verdict should not be set aside, on the ground that the defendant had no authority to pay the bill; indeed it was most important to the plaintiff that it should not be paid. He held that no banker ought to pay a bill unless authority was distinctly given by the customer to do so. Indeed the defendants had stepped out of their way, as they had only a snrall fund in their hands ; and if they chose to advance the money, they did so upon their own re sponsibility and at their own risk. The COURT was of opinion that the plaintiff bad been guilty of great negligence in not giving the defendants notice that he wished the bill to be eisbonoured. The making of the bill payable at the bank was a clear authority for its payment. It was a common practice fur bankers to pay the cheques of creditable parties when their accounts were over drawn ; and it seemed strange that a parson thus accommo dated should complain of being injured. If he was injured, it was his own fault. Rule refus,d. EXCHEQUER.—( 'THIS DAY.) (Sittings in Banco.) COLE V. BRADLEY AND OTHERS, EXECUTORS OF COUNSEL. This case, which was of a rather singular description, was tried at Gloucester, before Mr. Justice Coltman, at the last assizes, when a vemict was found for the plaintiff for 1001. Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD now applied fur a rule to show cause why there should not be a new trial, on the ground that the verdict was against the evidence. The action was brought in forma pauperis, by a jobbing brewer at Gloucester, against the two executors of Mr. George W. Counsel, who practised for a great number of years at Gloucester, as an attorney, and who died at a very advanced age in 1844. The action was in assumpsit to recover for the services of the plaintiff's wife in reference to the testamentary dis positions of the late James Wood, the banker of Gloucester, who died in 1836, and which were de scribed in the particulars of demand, as services rendered by Mrs. Cole between Jan. 1837, and August 1841, for the purpose of substantiating Mr. Counsel's claim to a legacy bequeathed to him by Mr. Wood. The amount claimed was 2061. 51, being at the rate of 2s. 6d. a day, excluding Sun days and holidays; but there was a further claim for ex penses, which it was alleged Mrs. Cole had paid out of her husb..nd's money for Mr. Counsel. Some time after the death of Mr. Wood a remarkable circumstance occurred. A Mr. Help, of Balham Hill, Surrey, received a paper pot.- porting to be a codicil to the will of the deceased, by which large legacies were given to several parties, viz., 6,000/. to the corporation of Gloucester, 50,0001. to Mr. Phil potts, M.P., 30,000/. to Mr. Helps, the gentleman who received the codicil, and 10,0001. to Mr. Counsel, and various sums to other persons. The will and the codicill were, how ever, both repudiated by Sir H. Jenner Fust, the Judge of the Ecclesiastical Court, in February, 1839, but on an appeal being made to the Privy Council that judgment was reversed, and both the will and codicil were considered valid, and were received. Consequently Mr. Counsil received his legacy, out ne men soon atm., anus. Tnc y astisa were then anxious to ascertain who it was that had sent the codicil, for it was undoubtedly in the handwriting of the deceased, but it had been partly burnt and defaced, and it was understood that by a former codicil, which could not be discovered, as much as 200,0001. had been left to the Corpo ration. Rewards of 5,0001. end 10,0001. were offered respec tively by the legatees and by the Corporation for the disco very of the person who had sent the codicil, but they never Succeeded in finding him out. Various persons in Gloucester were induced to incur great trouble, and sometimes expense, in endeavouring to entitle themselves to these rewards. Mrs. Cole was an illiterate woman, not being able to write her name, but she wes nearly related to James Wood, and, it appeared, had made herself very buisy in the matter, aLd it was in evidence that Mr. Counsil had said to the town-clerk of Gloucester, that Mrs. Cole was a very useful woman, and that he did not know how he should have done without her. It was also stated by witness that Mr. Counsil had said that he would give her 3001. when he got his legacy. The Learned Sergeant stated, however, although that she had taken much trouble in the matter, had gone several journies to get paper and information, that every claim she had against Mr. Counsil had been fully satisfied. The CIIIEF RARON interrupted the Learned Counsel in his statement, and said the Court was of opinion, taking tne evidence which had been laid before it sad the report of the Learned Judge, that the question, if any, was not one of right but one of quantity, and that it could scarcely be rigui o grant a new trial in such a case and incur futher expense. The application was accordingly refused. BAIL COURT.-(THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE.) WINEIALL P. FETHERSTONHAUGH AND ANOTHER. Mr. WHEATTEY applied to his Lordship for a certiorari to remove an indictment for perjury into this Court. The indictment had been preened, and found before the grand jury of Worcestershire, and it arose out of a suit in Chancery, which the plaintiff had instituted for the recovery of an extensive and valuable farm near to the city of Worcester, and which had been decided against himself: The perjury was alleged to be c,,ntainad in the answer to that suit, but the real object of the indictment was rot to bring a guilty party to justice, but to gratify the vindictive feelings of the..plaintiff himself, who had kept his name out of the indictment in the hope of being summoned on the jury to try the case. That reason, coupled with the fact that the indictment was likely to involve points of law and intricate matters, the defendants were anxious to hare it tried in this court. Mr. Justice COLERIDGE granted the application, and di rected the writ to issue on the defendants putting in bai themselves in 1501. each, and two sureties in 501. each. 1N RE EDWARDR. Mr. PRASIILEY moved for a writ of conscience to bring up the order of the Middlesex magistrates, adjudging a Mr. Robert Edwards to be the father of a bastard child, and an order of sessions awarding the costs of an appeal with the view of their being quashed, on the ground that they were bad and informal. The bastardy order was bad, inasmuch as it did not state that the evidence upon which it was founded was not taken before the defendant or his solicitor, while, with regard to the order of sessions awarding costs, it was clearly bad, as no appeal was heard. The de fendant gave notice of an appeal, but an objection was taken to the form of the notice, and the objection being held good, the appeal fell to the ground. It was clear then that no appeal was heard, and tho Court of Sessions had, therefore no power to award costs to the mother of the child. Mr. Justice COLTEIDGE granted a rule nisi. DAVIS V. LLOYD. Mr. PEARsos applied to his Lordship for a rule to show cause why an attachment should not issue against the plaintiff for disobeying an order of the Court. The case itself was an indictment foo perjury, but the defendant being ignorant of who his accusa was, he obtained a rule in February last requiring the complainant to furnish him with the nature of his pro fession or occupation, or quality and description of his place of abode. The rule required the information to be supplied within three days after its service, but although it had been served so far back as the 28th of last February, no notice whatever had yet been taken of it. Mr. Justice COLERIDGE granted rule nisi. COMMON PLEAS.—(THIS DAY.) (Sittings in Banco, before the Lord Chief Justice WILDx, and Justices COLTMAN, CRISSIVELL, and WILLIAMS.) SAINTIiII. V. II:MI:SON. _ _ Mr. Sergeant CHANNELL said, in this case, which was tried before Mr. Justice Cresswell at Chester, and a verdict found for the plaintiff for 5001., he had to move on the part of the defendant for a rule to show cause why a nonsuit should not be entered, or for a new trial, on the ground of mis direction, or to arrest the judgment. The result of this application would depend on the construction to be placed on a short agreement entered into between the plaintiff and defendant. The agreement was in these words, " In consideration of Joseph Denbigh Sainter, of Maccles field, surgeon and apothecary, being willing to engage me, the undersigned W. E. Ferguson, as an assistant to him as a surgeon and apothecary ; I, W. E. Ferguson, promise the said J. D. : 4 ainter. that I will not iv any time practise in my own name, or thot of any other person or persons, as a sur geon in Macclesfield, or within seven miles thereof, under the penalty of 5001. ; and 1, the undersigned J. D. Sainter, do agree to engage W. E. Ferguson as an assistant to me as a surgeon and apothecary on the terms aforesaid.' One point which he (Mir. Segunt Channell) had to submit on that agreement was, that the contract, supposing it were otherwise binding, was a contract which only restrained the defendant from practising as a surgeon during the time he was in the employ of the plaintiff. Secondly, he submitted that this agreement was a void agreement, upon the ground that it was in restiaint of trade, and not supported by a good consideration, and for want of mutuality ; and the objection he made was, that there was no obligation on the part of the plaintiff to employ the defendant, so as to consti tute a good consideration. Ile submitted that the declaration which set out this agreement was bad, inasmuch as the con tract was nudum pbctum. The COURT refused the application. SECON VARIES'.-(THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. Secondary Porrait ) SURILIDOE V. ELLIS. This was an action to rec , ver the suf; of 191. 15s. on a bill of exchange, and for goods sold and delivered. The defendant put in pleas denying the acceptance, and also that he was indebted, but no evidence was given in support of the pleas; but the defendaUt's attorney was pre sent to watch the proceedings, in order to apply to the Court above to deprive the plaintiff of costs, the debt being under 20/. The Learned SECONDARY said he had nothing to do with that question. A verdict was then given f. r the amount claimed. This was the only cause on the list. THE METROPOLITAN STAKES. The bell has rung on Epsom Downs, The saddling's o'er, the course is clear, As each horse can►.ers past the stand Admirers back him without tear. The distance tells, the course is long, As long again as Oxford•street Thu' ev'ry year the three-year olds Have won this stake, at last they're beat. Frank Butler, on that first-rate mare Canezou, will have a struggle there; Flaicatcher, rode by Thibinson, Oe'rcowes that struggle at the chair. FLATCATCHER wins, just by a neck, With Canezou second, Lugar third. Beware to lay against the ware, Fur she can fly like any bird. HORSEPICK. STATE OF TRADE. (From the Manchester Guardian of this day.) lifitscitE:TEß, APRIL L7.—Since our last report, nothing whatever has occurred to aflhrd the slightest relief to this market ; the general dulness has, consequently, become greater, and the pressure of a production not sensibly diminished by a local interrnption, has caused a further subsidence in prices, except as regards certain articles for which the makers are under contract; and for these the inquiry has fallen off. No understanding has yet been come to between the operatives and their em ployers at Stalybridge. 1)• LE, APRIL 16. There has been very little doing in the piece market to-day ; few sales have been effected, and prices have been extremely low. The wool market has been quite as dull as that for pieces, and prices are rather in favour of purchases. IluDDEitsrfELD, AAxir. 17.—The market to• day varies little in the woollen department from those which have pre it for some weeks past. In our Cloth Hall the wollen trade continues brisk. We have also a decided improvement in our fancy trade; many orders have been given out, and almost all the weavers are fully employed. The stock of wool in the hands of the staplers is generally reported to be low; and persons are anxiously looking to the next sales. LIALLFAX,A,nuL 14.—The disturbed t 3 tate of the continent has had its effect upon our market, and the demand for worsted goods, both plain and figured, is less active than it was ; but prices not having risen equally with those of the raw material, have sustained no diminution. Yarns have receded a little in price, and the blockade of the German ports cutting otf all export, the shipping houses are quite out of the market. The spinners, however, are still fully employed on old orders, and the principal firms will probably be so for some weeks to come. 'there is not much doing in wool, and prices are looking downwards. LEEDS, APRIL 17.—The market for woollen goods is rather better than last week; and there - is more business doing in the warehouses. receive compensation uncle! the Bill. He was pre p ired to admit that no distinction ought to be made between the claims I clerks of turnpike trusts to compensation and othe: cfficers whose offices had been abolished, and it would lecome matter of consideration tie House what course it would pursue with respect to that. For himself, he was not prepared to submit any plan upon this subject for tla consideration of the House. After the fullest consideratsn he could give the sub ject, it was his firm belie that the Bill, if carried, would effect the greatest improvement in the admi nistration of highway and tirnpike trusts.— (hear, hear.) He was anxious that the Hotse shculd fairly consider this question and the difficulties tlat surrounded it ; but at the same time there was no wisi on the part of the Govern ment to urge the House to a precipitate decision. The eresent might not be tilt most favourable moment for dealing with this quesion, but the condition of many of these trusts woe not solvent, and the question ought not therefore b be delayed to any extent. At the end of every session of ?arliament Government was called upon to renew a large nutaber of local Turnpike Trust Bills, but owing to the case; he had just mentioned, many Acts were compelled to be excep:ed, which gave rise to a good tied of objection on the part of those who were interest-6:1 in them. Now that was a difficulty Government were snsious to get rid of ; and he thought, therefore, that if some general measure were not passedi this session, it would certainly- be necessary for the House to take some steps with regard to the insolvent trusts that were demanding of Goverment a renewal of their sill. lie was perfectly aware of the invidious duty Govern ment would have to undertake in deciding which were solvent and which were not, but if the Boise were prepared to adopt his suggestion, Government wre bound to undertake that discriminating duty, whatever might be the consequence of it.—( Hear, hear.) No doubt many Acts had been renewed which ouglt not to have . been, and no doubt upon the recommeidatiou of the Government, but the only way to remove that evil was fur the House to take the question into its own hails. He stated the principal difficulties which surrounded thii matter; but if the House would assent to the principle it contained, he was quite ready to read the Bill a second time, and then refer it to a Select Committee. The question; relating to highways had difficult part of the sub dready been considered by a Select Committee , but turnpike roads, which perhaps formed the most di iect, had not, but the House might refer the Bill to a Select Committee, who should be instructed to go into the general question of dealing with turnpike- roads and highways:together. Apologising to the House for having detained them so long, he should resume his seat in the full hope that the sug gestion he had made would meet with the approbation of all parties who were anxious for the settlement of this ques tion.—(Hear, hear.) Sir ROBERT PEEL said, whatever opinion might be held in the House with regard to the merits of this measure, brought forward under the auspices of the Hon. Gentleman who bad just sat down, there could not be a doubt of the obligation they owed to him for the great attention which he had paid to this question, embracing a subject not necessa -' 'acted with the Executive duties of an office already overb—dened wltil pnonc uuties. inn same praise was due to him, too, for the perfect fairness and candour with which he had dealt with the objections urged against this Bill; but in dealing with"the objections raised by this measure, he had omitted altogether the objec tions which had been urged by parties of a different character to those of whom they had heard so much. The objections they had heard were urged on behalf of the mortgagees and the clerks connected with the trusts, but there were other parties who objected to this measure, and whose objections he represented himself. They were parties who certainly had no personal interest in the .natter like that he had just mentioned, but they were urged by gentlemen who had undertaken functions of an important and rather arduous character, which were imposed upon them by the Act of Parliament relating to the admi nistration of turnpike trusts. He would put a case to the House which would illustrate the objection of these gentlemen. In many of the manufacturing districts the roads were kept in the best possible state of repair for the conve nience of the public, while, perhaps, in some adjoining agri cultural districts the highways were in a bad state : was it -al • now to call upon the manufacturer to repair that too as , cell as their MR ?—(Hear, bear.) Now that objec tion appeared to him to be far more important than hose which were urged on behalf of mortgagees and clerks to trustees. It was said that since the reign of Charles 11. there had been a distinction between turnpike roads and aigh ways, but that they ought now to be made the subject of the same law. Ile, however, did not view the matter in that light. He did not agree with the proposition ,hat because the establishment of railways had rendered some of our highways unprofitable, they had a right to be supported by a general rate extending over the whole country.—(Hear.) Ile observation, as it appeared to him, amounted to this, that wherever a district had proved deficient, its short omings were to be made up by the receipts from other dis tricts; so that, wherever a trust had been successful in discharging its obligations, it was to be mulcted for the deficiencies of others in which the responsible parties had been unable to carry out their duties. Thus, where any trust in the south part of the country had been so unfortu nate as to fail in the discharge of its liabilities, the deficiency was to be made up by the superior advantages of some district in the north.—(Hear, hear.) Now that seemed to be just the of ject of the Bill. That was just the objection which had been made to him, and had been urged much more strongly than even he had felt it ; but the more he examined it the more powerful it appeared to be.—(hear, hear.) He trusted that if this Bill were to be carried i to Committee, that this was a point which would on no account be neglected, and he could not help expressing his opinion that this was a matter which ought to be most fully gone into.— ( Hear, hear) But his Honourable Friend had not held out any reason to suppose that this mischief was at all likely to be remedied.—( Hear, hear.) He had no reason to suppose that there was to be any insti tution analogous to a county court, or that there was to be any interposition of the county courts.—(Hear, hear.) In the - , econd place, he could not perceive that his Hon. Friend held out any hope that the principles of the Bill could in any way be adapted so that the evils could be avoided and benefits re tained—but for this be did not hold out any ground.—( Hear, bear.) This advantage could certainly not be obtained in the coarse of the second reading ; but the clauses might be so arranged in Committee, that every interest might be duly considered and provided for. Unless this was done, or some thing tantamount to this, he should most certainly oppose the Bill on its third reading. But that the Bill might go into Committee he decidedly desired, for there were many points in it which deserved their consideration. Ile was not aware whether there had been a sufficient distinction made between highways and turnpikes. If the roads were to be subjected to some person competent to undertake their super eision, such as sn ordinary surveyor, or other person of si milar capacity, much of the difficulty would be overcome; out that they should be snbbjected to the di rection of the poor-law guardians was a rule to which he never could accede. He was not, in all this, ar guing against the institution of poor-law guardians, or against the principle that they should have cognizance of matters the expenses for which were to be paid out of the local rates. But he did see great difficulty in making these highway dis . rids consentaneous with the poor-law unions _(sear, hear.) He thought that the poor-law guardians had quite business enough to transact without having to give their attention also to the highways. Neither could he conceive that thehighway districts could, with any likelihood of convenience or business dracticability, be equalised with those of the poor-law unions. fo attempt any such classification Was in fact to throw the Highways into the po. r-law unions.— (Hear, bear.) He laought that the general feeling of the House was this— that it was necerary some great alteration should be made with respect to the highways, but that there should be a sufficient distinction drawn between the solvent and the insolvent trusts in any legislation which might be carried into effect concerning them. Unless the distinction were made, he must any that he could not consent to the passing of the Bill, or to the ad option of any principle in which such a regulation was not involved. Mr. CORNEWALL LEWIS said that he would not enter late a consideration of the numerous objections which had been made against the measure, either in the House, or in the numerous notices which he had received objecting to the Bill, but he might say, in reply to the remark which had just been made, respecting the position which the several trusts would assume after this Bill was passed. —(H ear. ) In reply to that remark, he might o b serve, that i t was no means intended that the whole of these trusts were to be thrown into botch potch, but the property of each trust was to be valued, and the market price havieg been ascertained, the several bondholders would have debentures of 100/. each issued to them, and these would be the securi ties on which their property would be based. Mr. HUME was rejoiced that the House had at last taken up and evinced so much interest in the important subect of turnpike roads. Forty years ago he had endeavoured to obtain a consolidation of these trusts; and when, in 1826, hr brought the subject before the House, it was a matter of deep re gret to him that the whole question had not then been settled. He submitted to the Government, after the valid objections which han been made —and which had not been answered— the Bill could not b e carried.—(Hear.) Bt the same time a C o mmittee should be appointe d t o in q u ire into and repor upon the subject. He admitted that the landed interest were too heavily taxed on account of the maintenance of the highways. and would support any reasonable proposition brought for ward with the view of alleviating them. He urged the Government to withdraw the Bill. Mr. SPOONER complained that roads in a good condition were joined with roads that were insol vent. Trustees in such case had a strong reason to complain. Parties in the district with which he was con nected had subscribed to roads, not for profit, but fcr the be qefit of the public. They expected at any rate not to be c.mpelled to lose their money, which would be al most the case if this Bill were passed, since the money which they bad advanced would not be received upon th e particular roads on which they had advanced it—it would go into a general fund, and would be repaid in instalments extending over a period of 30 thirty years. The clerk of the roads in his neighbourhood had intimated to him that they did not oppose the Bill from interested motives, is they wereawilling to forego their claims—( Hear)— but with view to have their clients interests properly attended to. Hehad presented a number of petition from North Stafford shire against the Bill, and objecting to local management being taken out of their hands. If the House were to peruse the evidence of Mr. M'Adam, they would see that the fears of the gentleme n w h o oppose d t h e Bill were n o t groun dl ess. He took it to p ay the interest which was not now paid, and therefore a p p li ed that money f or th e repa i rs o f the roads, and thee the repairs of the roads were to be kept up by the district rate. He had numeroth, petitions sent to him against this Bill from various parts of the country ever since the Bill had been in contem plation. At all events the country was against the measure. He should most decidedly support the amendment of the Hon. Member for the West Riding. Mr. AGLIONBY hoped the Government would conset to withdraw the Bill—(Hear)—principally out of concession to the general expression of opinion against it from one end of the country to the other. Cumberland, the borough which he represented, and all the northern counties, refused to have the Bill on any consideration. They objected to it first on account of its mixing up the turnpikes and high ways. He (Mr. Aglionby) did think that was a reasonable and valid objection. But the stronge-t objec tion with the inhabitants of those counties was that it laid on them a heavier degree of taxation, and added en addi &nal burden to the county rates. They could not understand why they should be saddled with debts contracted with respect to turnpike roads by improvident turnpike trustees. Much of the money had been thrown away extravagently by the ignorance and inca pacity of those intrusted with its management. Upon there grounds he hoped the Government would not press the mo tion to a division; at all events, he for one should vote against the measure. Mr. HENLEY hoped the Government would 'Withdraw the Bill—(IIear, hear)—for he really thought there was no thing left of it to go to a Select Committee, The Govern ment did not show that they had any mind on the subject, but the blouse was pledged to some unknown concitions.— ( Hear, hear.) The Honourable Gentleman said with regard to the county rates, there would be no charge on the county rates worth speaking of; he ( Mr. Henley) knew gen tlemen in office thought a sum like 1,0001., which was of some importance to a small county, was a mere bagatelle. The Act would net continue the rate of the existing tolls, but new ones, according tcl a schedule iu On Act, which AUSTRIA. General Weldan left Vienna on the 13th in hot baste for Hungary. It appears that on the 10th the Hungarians attacked Waitzer, the most important point of the position of the Imperial army, and that after an obstinate fight they com pletely defeated Windischgratz, and advanced to Comorn, where they have dispersed the besieging forces and effected a juncture with the garrison. The Imperial General Gutz was killed at Waitzen: It was rumoured in Vienna that the Russians had again entered Transylvania. THE COUNTRY MARKETS. HULL, A FAIL 17. • Messrs. Taylor and Bright's circular states—Our farmers brought a very moderate supply of wheat to-day, Ind were asking a smart advance upon the current rates of last week. This checked business, millers generally being indisposed to follo,s a great advance, and consequently the actual transac tions; were limited, at 2s to 3s ever last week's top sales. A good many foreign samples were withdrawn, or offered at rates above the ideas of buyers. Business was restricted to im mediate wants at an advance of 2s to 3s per qr. The best d. scriptions of malting barley are is dearer, and grinding qualities are generally held for more money. Beans are fully 2s dearer this week, an no low sellers now on the market. More inquiry for both oats and peas at full rates, but not many offering. The business in linseed has been at about is per qr advance—the noted import is from Memel. Cakes are not so good to buy at our currency. Nothing to report in rape seed, and rape cakes are worth about the following quotations. For cattle bones the market is firm. The following are the present prices of grain— s. S. 1 5. 0; Wheat, English, red 42 to 46 Peas, white and yel. 25 30 Do. white ...... . 44 —4B Do. grey ... 24 —26 Dantzic and Ko- Linseed, Black Sea. 39 41 nigsberg... ...... 48 50,D0. Petersburgh ..„ 34 —39 Pomeranian and Do. Riga & Archngl. 35 —37 liamburgh . 42 48 Do. Konigsberg .... 32 36 Danish, Holstein, & Per ton. Friesland 4O —45. Linseed cakes, Hull 71 5 s Od Russian and Odessa 40 4d Do. fine foreign Oats, English Do. t ianish. l4 16 Rapeseed 261 to 301 Do. Friesland l6 18 Rape cakes B2s 6d Do. Russ. & Odessa 14 16 Tares, English oos 006 Barley,malting 24 26 Do. foreign 20s 265 Do. grinding.. . ..... 20 22 Guano Beans,... Do. foreign 26 30 Rye meal 61 IPSWICH, Aram 17. We had an improvement in the wheat trade to-day, and prices advanced 2s per quarter. Barley, oats, beans, and peas are each rather dearer. Flour a more ready sale. No varia tion in the price of malt. PER QUARTER.I PER 11/DARTER. Wheat 415 to 49s Beans Barley ... Oats l7s to 21stAlalt 47s to 53 6 Rye AVERAGES FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL 14, 1849. Wheat ...... 1,180 quarters at 435. 3d. Barley Oats Beans, 24 „ 295. 2d. Peas ...... 10 ~ 30s. Od. LIVERPOOL„ APRIL 17.—Our arrivals from Ireland and coastwise during the week have been very trifling. Front foreign ports also the supplies are on a more limited scale than for some time past. Our exports in the same time continue to show a gradual increase, and comprise 1,948 quarters of wheat, 9,199 barrels of flour, and 21, , 67 quarters of Indian corn. The trade has been extremely brisk, and wheat, barre flour, and Indian corn have met with a free sale, at an advance of 3d per 701 b, Is. per barrel, and 3s per quarter. Barley. beans, and peas have also been in more request, and were the turn Bearer. Oats and oatmeal have not attracted much at tention. The weather has been cold and unseasonable, arid, this morning we have had a fall of snow. At this day market, with a good attendance of the town and country dealers, only a moderate business was done in wheat, at se advance of 3d to 4d per 701 b, on prices of this day week. Oats were lid per 451 b, and oatmeal is per load dearer. In barley and peas no alteration can be noticed; but bean , brought 1s per quarter more money. Barrel flour was held at 25s per barrel, which checked sales, and a reduction of 6d per barrel was submitted - to towards the close of the market with' out leading to much business. Sack flour was not in much request, but an improvement o f is per sack must be noted. The satart advance we experienced during the week for Indira corn was not well maintained, and 33s 6d per quarter for One yellow, and 32s per quarter for white must be considered the extreme quotation. Yellow Indian meal realised 15s per barrel. LEEDS Aram 17.—We have had a small arrival of wheat to-day, which, in consequence of the Baltic ports being block' aded, must be quoted 2s per quarter dearer than this del se'nnight. Barley, eats, and beans are rather dearer, but Iv° do not think it necessary to alter quotations. Coax, Aran. 16.—Flour—Firsts 143 Od to 1456 d; extra 1 5 1 seconds, 13s Od to 13s 6d; households 10: to 12s ; thirds tis to Lie per cwt. Oatmeal 11s to Ils 6d; Indian meal 85 toss 3d; wrest meal, 10s 6d to I lsper cwt. Indian corn 7/ 1030 d to 8/ pe: ton. Bran 41 to 4/ 5s per ton. Hay - Farmers 2s to 40s; average 381; dealers 41s to 48s ; average 00s Od per ton. Straw—N miner. - g3a Od to 32s Oth ; average 00s; dealers 34s Ott to 00s IA average 00s Od per ton. Bread—Wheaten loaf 6d to 6idi household loaf 5d to sicl per 41b. Fresh butter, 8d to 10d per lb. Coals—Newport 16s; Lydney 17s ; Landore 16s; Best Neath Culm 14s per ton. Tallow 43s 6d to 44 °, per cwt. Whiskey, 25 0. p., 6s Od p er imperial 110; lon. Meat—Beef 4d to 7d; Alutton 5d to bid; yea' bid to 7d ; pork 4d to sid ; bacon 7cl to 8d ; sausages 641 per lb. Hops 6/ 108 per cwt. Bangor slates 312 s 6d to 3/ 5s pe r ton. Bark—Barbary 71 to 81; Valonia 141 to OW; Frenc h 71; English 71 per ton. Fleece Wool lOs to 12s per stone; Hemp 351 per ton. Fish— Scotch herrings 18s to 19s; re" ditto 26s to 28s per barrel • Newfoundland 10/ 10s to 12/ per ton. Timber—New Memel 4/ lOs ; old scarce; red pine 5 1 15s ; yellow pine 31 per ton ; deals, first quality, 201; woo quality 171 per 120. Hides—Market 10a to 16s; salted 116 t° Itis per cwt ; calf skins 2d to 2 ; d; mar k e t 2d to 2 ; d i per lb . Potatoes, white 10d to 12d; Minions 18d to 20d ; Guano' Peruvian, 10/10s; Ichaboe 9/ per ton ; Tar—Archangel, 18° per barrel. Eggs, 4s to 4s 2d per hundred. NAVAL IN TELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY..—The Arrogant, 46, Captet o Fitzroy, was docked this morning, to be examined, W lll/11 the extreme end of her screw shalt was found to be defee' tive. This vessel has been reported "ready for sea," wherenf some vital parts of her machinery are at Blackheath. S° 3l3e part of her small engine gear broke when on trial last week, in consequence of cast iron having been used for its con; struction in lieu of wrought. The vessel was to have e iarte ° for Cork to-morrow, but here she is in dock, and whetb k er . she will be trusted out in the pr esen t defective state of t".; screw-shalt before mentioned at once , or rema i n i n doc k repair damages for about a month, we are at present unh " Y formed. All that can be done for he r w ill b e d one by length of the Superintendent-Engineer, wh o w ill go t h e lengi of putting to sea in her present state, if necessary. The pay-books of the St. Vincent, la), Captain C. Dacreet t were returned from the Admiralty yesterday, but ow ing ' . 1 ; is said, to some very serious errors made by th e Sontag- house officials, had to be sent back again last night for cot' rection. As no further work can be found for the men to perform, the ship being unmasted, her hold clean swept n, whitewashed, and stores all returned, general leave has be granted to-day for 48 hours, by th e expirat i on of wh i c h it is hoped the pay. books may be again returned correo'• The gentlemen whose careless ness or i gnoranc e has occas ioned this inconvenience and expense would look rather foolish they had to make good the loss. A number of convicts from the hulks at this port were put on board the Randolph this morning, and th a t vesse l 5° under way immediMtely for Cowes. The Penelope steam •frigate and the Polyphemus swill' sloop were placed in the steam-basin. Wind fresh breezes and squally, with snow showert Woo'mien, Arstix. 17.—1 t h av i ng b een decided that the Basilisk s ould have a preliminary tri a l, i n or d er to asc ertil 4 the working of her engines p rev i ous to her trial of spe edy and other qualities, with the Niger steam-vessel, the forme` left Woollen this morning at 6.30 A.m., in charge of Lieute; pant Robertson, assistant to Captain Austin, C. b., and WA , ' oa board Captain Halsted, R.N., severaluf the officers start isg steam at the factory at Woolwich, Mr. Humphries, Cbt; Engineer at Woolwi c h D oc k yard; Mr. Casey, eng i n eer Captain Austin's department ; and Mr. Miller, of the thin of Miller, Rawnhill, and Co., the constructors of her engine' The basilisk, on starting from her moorings. made 17.6 111f0, lutions per minute, having 6 feet stroke, and her draught °, water being 14 feet 8 inches forward, and 15 feet 10 inclit aft. The true speed of-the vessel, as ascertained by ton runs matte between the Nore and Mouse light-vessels, W 10.598 knots per hour; the mean revolutions of the engir, being 18.6, or nearly' the full contract number, which is During the whole of the trial, from the time the left Woolwich until litr return, the engines had not a b ° l • bearing, but in every r espect worked as satisfactorily 115010 they had been yea rs i n t h e service. The engines are of 4‘.., horse power, on th e same principle as those fitted II the swine firm in the Bombay and Ganges steam-Ve 96 „., e e d with the air pump s b etween t h e cy li n d ers on an inciwri plane, winch we re pateut'.d by Mr. Mill er , and sb now generally used in steam-vessels_ The engi ne -b e ams sr not fixed to the deck, as they used to be, detached plate only being fixed to the deck, and thi beams of the eegi ll a s cured in such a manner as to yield in the event of to vessel touching the ground or straining so as t o b e liable injure engines fixed on the usual plan. One of How's ss th c nometers has been put up in the engine. room, to shoal e 0 degree of density of the salt water in the b o il ers; the P l ber is very simple, being merely to have a co mmon hydrome'ea with a graduating scale calculated for water at 204 clegre d of heat, 1,32 d being the designation of pure salt water, s n „ up to 4-32ds, denoting when it c annot b e used without Ch". crusting the boilers. The Basilisk has all h er guns and a quantity of s h o t 00 board. Her armament cons i sts of 1 10-inch gun of 84c1gi 1 68 pounder gun of 9:Jcwt. mounted on pi vo t B lida 11n ~t, carriages, and 4 32-p oun d er guns. of 42cwt. each. Shej turned to Woolwich o f a quarter-past six o'clock 7.31., t-ee a very satisfactory trial. HULL, APRIL 17.—The Anne and Elizabeth, Barker, NY- I , d sailed hence 12th inst., san k th e f o ll ow i ng morning, g 4.- being in contact with a schooner; crew saved. BIRTHS. On the 14th inst., at Guy's, the wife of Dr. Gull, of daughter. of On the 13th inst., at Beaum on t- s t reet, M rs. Hamp ton, a daughter. rat' On the 13 h inst , at Ll an bl e thi an - cottage, nea r bridge, Glamorganshire, the wife of Hirt Jenner, Esq a son. MARRIED. On the Ith inst.. at S t . George's, Hanover-square , 11 ,.. / r e; Donald Chri s h o l m , Of I nverness, to Sarah Tenbrocke Dee" eldest daughter of the late Mr. E. R. Deeble, of Londo On the 18th inst., hi George-street, Portman-eq ui C Camilla, relict of th e l a t e J o h n U n d erwoo d, E s q., Mew — of the Medical Board, Madras, aged 73. taiA On the ! 2th i ns t.. a t B e th, L uc y A t h er t on , w ife of CaP Cracknell. Of London Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNiig, No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Unice, of Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in tka 0 010 w" Middlesex, Wednesday, April 18, 1549.