The Sun. — London, England, 1841-10-06 00:00:00

EVE N ING Stl N those goods might afterwards be used in the slave trade—yet, supposing they were of a kind which might be used in the innocent corninerae of Africa, although they might be used in the slave trade, he mast state it as his opinion that that did net aneeint to slave trading. Whether it was conies - . entilecl to tip . proved—whether it was a proper manner of employing, capital, was quite a different question ; but whatever might be the opinions entertained on that head, in his opinion such couduct (lid not amount to an act of slave trading. If the g oods sent out were of such a descrip tion that it could be by no means doubtful whether they were to be used in the slave trade or not—if, for instance, a person wore to send out to a slave factory a cargo of fetters, or of any other articles which could only be used in the slave trade, he did not mean to say positively that • such an act =minted to an act of absolute slave trading, butt it was certainly an act of a very doubtful -character. But if either one kind of ( - roods or the other, if either • .goods which might lawfully ' be employed in carry ' tag on the innocent commerce of Africa, or goods concerning which there could be no ambiguity, were exported, and the price of such goods were made to depend, as the petitioners had asserted it had been made to depend in many instances by contract, on the :slave trade in which such goods were to be employed, they he would state it deciddly as his opinion that that was an act of slave trading, and that any party so ex porting',such goods, under such a contract, was guilty of felony according to the English law. There was an . other consideration, and one more important and exten . _tier? in its application. It was the act of holding pro perty in foreign colonies, cultivated, if plantation, or worked, if mines, by the labour of slaves ; and of being, 'as holders of. such property, parties to the purchase of slaves. Then the question arose, did the slave abolition law affect those-parties? There seemed to be an opinion —he did not undertake to say how. ehat opinion arose— that this was a dealing in slaves to which the abolition . law did not apply. That opinion seemed to have been held by a, number of respectable persons ; it appeared to have begn extensively acted upon ; and had induced many to invest their capital to a large amount in such PropeiVe and others to lend their capital to a large amount. But he thought, when their Lordships came to the law, they would not have any reason to entertain Very grave doubt as to the illegality of those proceed ings. It was clear, indeed, that holding such property was lawful, as the Act of 1833 did not prohibit Bri tish subjects front holding slaves in foreign countrie§, in the same way as the previous law for the abolition of the slave trade forbade them to be engaged in that trade. The question was, had it been lawful, since the Law for the abolition of the slave trade, to purchase shtvee or to sell them in a foreign country ? He had been, he believed, misrepresented—indeed, he was sure he had been misrepresented—as having said that it was lawful so to do. He was sure he `had been so mis represented, for he had received letters from per sons who were themselves engaged in such transactions, or who had friends who were so engaged, com plaining that they were amused of acting un - lawfully, and asking whether he had not said that these things were not contrary to the law ? His opinion wai that it was not legal—he had never a doubt about it—and he would state the grounds of his opinion. A very great change took place in 1834, in the abolition law, as then existing. • The Noble Lord opposite would recollect that law, werein both Houses of Parliament concurred in treating the slave trade as a crime. It was by that law declared (if committed within the Admiralty jurisdiction), that slavery, or the seizing of slaves, should be punishable by fourteen years' transportation, and a lesser punishment was inflicted when committed out of the Admiralty jurisdiction. The first section of the Act having declared all such slave proceedings to be unlawful, they are declared felony by the 10th section, and transportation is the penalty de creed, except in the special cases afterwards mentioned et" Provided that if any such person should deal, trade, purchase, sell, barter, or transfer, or contract to deal for, trade, purchase, &c., any slave, or person intended to be dealt with as a slave, he should be taken to be guilty of felony ; and if convicted of being guilty of a felony, that he should suffer fourteen years' imprison ment." The 13th section provided that " nothing herein before contained shall be taken to prevent any person dealing, trading, purchasing, selling, bartering, or transferring, or contracting to deal for, trade, purcase, , - &c., any slave or slaves, lawfully being within any is e• land, colony, dominion, fort, or factory, belonging to a e i t s possession of his Majesty, with the true intent of employing such slave or slaves in such colony in which he may be at the time?' And then came the 14th section, which gave the power to remove, by land or sea, any slave or slaves from one part of any such colony in possession of his Majesty to any part of any such colony inposses sion of his Majesty, either by land or sea ; but if that other part of the colony happen to be another island, theiV being several islands in his Majesty's dominions, then such person shall only be allowed to transfer the skive from any island to another, being first licensed, and having obtained from the Governor of the colony a preof that the slave is only intended to be removed from au estate, the property of such owner, to another part of the property of the same owner. The 13th and 14th motions referred to these special cases in which felony was riot committed. It .was upon those grounds that he was at a loss to know on what view of the law those partit; had been advised to proceed, who had embarked in those speculations, and become owners of slaves by purchase, or, which came to the same thing, had, by flair agents, purchased, sold , transferred, or removed thiete slaves in Cuba or Brazil. It was made felony by the 16th s ection, knowingly and wilfully to lende or ad vance money, goods or abets, employ, b ern pb,:ed "in accomplishing any of the objects thereie declared, those objects being baying, selling, or in any manner dealing in slaves. How, then, any person could be advised to advance capital for such a ?avow he was unable to comprehend ; however, that such advice had been given, and such a view of the law *ken, there could not be the least shadow of a doubt, beCause, as he had stated, a number of wealthy and-res pietable individuals were understood to have embarked their capital, and advanced their money to be employed in purchasing those foreign possessions. What then ye s-sae/tied to be done ? He hoped and treated that his Friends opposite would apply early their attention to the subject, would see whether there did exist any i?eubt, sad if there did,- would come to Parliament as stood as Parliament again met, to have that doubt re moved. If the result of the inquiry should be, as ho confidently expected it would, that there existed no doubt that those acts were unlawful, then the must satisfactory course, as regarded the uncertainty of the law, and the fairest course towards the indivi duals themselves, would be to notify by proclamation what the state of the law was—to:give-the general notice which a proclamation was likely to carry to all persons who had got unwarily into the predicament to which he had adverted that the sooner they removed themselves from that predicament the better, and, at all events, to prevent the possibility of any persons hereafter embark ing in the same speculations, by . stating what the inevi table consequence must be of their so embarking. The course which the Legislature had taken in dealing with the slave trade was well worthy of their Lordships' at tention. In the year 1806 the first et for the suppres sion of the slave trade was brought in ley Sir Arthur i'igott, who was then Attorney-Gutsral. This Bill, the 4G:h of Geo. 111., which afterwards pessed into a law, prohibited the foreign slave trade, and the lending of money or goods, or the embarking of capital for that purpose. The foreign slave trade alone was then forbid den. The year after, Lord Grey, thee in the House of Commons, brought in an Act which made all slave trading by British subjects every lettere liable to ruinous pecuniary penalties. Nos thing but the vow advanced period of the Session, could prevent him from taking the course he had formerly taken—namely, that of moving a resolution, pledging the House, at an early period of the next Session, to take the subject into its consideration, with a view to the prevention of such da:ing violatione o the law. The resolution which he had formerly moved, seas agreed to unanimously ; and it was in consequence of that resolu tion, that the Felony Bill had been passe I. If their J.osdships should have any objection to the passing of a rsiuiiker resolution, he should be unwilling eo press the :subject upon their attention ; or, at all events, he would be satisfied with a declaration, upon the part of his Noble Friend at the head of the Board of Trade, that he would )030 no dine. upon the termination of the present Ses eion, in drawing- the attention Of the l.sw oilisers of the Crown to the 4tibkicrt; and dealing with it in the manner which, after a due inquiry into the matter, might be is ov ot the most effectual for executing the law. He t ,„ ara:too(' that the Govern men t h a d rece i ve d a Report wee , the auljeot from Dr. M widen, but that there was 5 ,4„,„ (o,:,:aetion to laying • that Report before the House. At.tri even`-, whether the Report were produced or row grsnted that the Go vernment Ir to ~e t upon the rec omniendations it nt • Ikkjt'itl lie lmitwkrail m annee they might think a d v i s . contained, i n -t able. lie would next call t i tle attention of his Noble w ith Inch; (Loy d o Ellenborough), "hien(' connected to theastate of s hivery and of the d i s ta a d re al trat . le i n t h at part of the wield. Hie Noble Frien • mated the other evening, if lie (Lord Brotigh.ani) Oat the legal exit cried' of slavery In Al-0 1 10-Ihad been rather doubtful. Bu t all eve nts it could not mitch longer exist, because, by a unanimous re cluottnioentoofinaltliltehme giltgiltprietors of slaves in the settlement, of November, 1829, they bad resolved to liberate all thew slaves upon the 31st of pecernbe.r,gl.oBo4dl.o..p.plotrat,up-: peered to him that such a resolution gave A ity for an Order in Council fur dthsielsoutiirirteasksetotnhaott slavery An that colony. His Noble Friend Into his consideration ; and he wouild ta,licovvrinheicmtendex,itittioi call his attention to the dreadful :acat Nlztvevy upon the Continent of India. lie beet} t i l ea vess to a Report which he understood -had _madea by a hotly of Commissioners to Lord .Auckland, bid which had noayet been published in this country. Lord ELLEN:BOROUGH said the Report in q uestion hart been received in this country in April last, It had been' then I:id before the House of Commons, and it was in print for a vo'sasideeable time. Lord BROUGHAM was not aware of that fact. But be was about to read to - t•heir Lordships extracts fr'7l33 the Reports of those Comunissioners upon the conse quences of slavery in India. That Report described the practices resorted to by certain gangs of individuals, for the purpose of supplying the slave market. Those gangs it appeared took their families with them in their expe ditions, and the females were employed in inveigling travellers who might fall in their way. They intro duced those travellers to the gangs, and then prevailed upon them to accompany them to some place suitable for their designs on therm, where the parents were murdered by the men, while the women took care of the chil dren. An account is there given of the examina tion of parties who belonged to those gangs, One of them said that their trade was to murder tra vellers for the purpose of getting possession of their children. Another of them, on being asked whether - they were not afraid that the children would dis close how they were seized, and thereby bring them into trouble, replied that they invariably murdered their vic tims at night, first taking the precaution to put the THE SU', LONDON, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1841. children to sleep, and in the morning they told them they had purchased them from their tarents, who had left them. It having been observed that they seemed to be , in the habit of selling children, and the witness being asked how they avoided being apprehended, that witness replied that the children were seldom aware of the fate of their parents, and in general they were sold to persons well acquainted with the nature of their pursuits. Another person, a Zemindar, or commander of those gangs, said, that after the cap ture of Bhurtpore, five 'patties came to him with four travellers and thtiir four children, inviting him to partake in their murder, which ho 'consented to do ; and with the assistance of his gang they strangled the whole of them, preserving the children, whom they sold for a sum of 120 rupees, equal to about 12/., half of which was divided among the members of his gang. The witness said, that after that affair, he had resolved on selecting for his victims the poorest class of travellers, whom he murdered for their children, for whom there was so great a demand in all the great cities, since which, he had committed a number of murders, which number he gave. Another Zemindar said that he had left home with a gang of 40 ; they succeeded in seizing two men and two women with their three children ; the four older travellers were murdered. After throwing the bodies into the river, he took the children to an encampment near the village, where he Ald the two females for forty rupees, and the male for five rupees ; so that the murder of these four persons had been committed for a sum of about 41. Anothet witness stated that he and his party encamped near grove where several travellers were inveigled. Among , the rest was a father with three daughters ; a Brahmin with his wife and daughter ; another Brahmin with daughter twelve years old, and re son three years old. They then went to the village, and two hours after nightfal one of them proposed that they shoirld go down• to the sacred stream of tlia Jumna. ; they all went down, and murdered seven men and women, throwing their bodies into the river. They then took,,away the nine children, who cried a good deal after.their' parente.but they quieted them the best way theY qould with ,sweatmeats and caresses. They then came to 'a 'village and encamped in a grove. The dapgliter'and e sen of the Brahmin were extremely beautifuLeand low they left for sale ; a woman who kept a heuse of prostitution came 'and purchased all the children. ' Such .were the statements contained in the Report. human. language sank under-the vain attempt to give utterance to the, mingled feelings 9f pity and of horror _ffhieh must: arise in every !egotist on reading such atrocities :as ,ateree there detailed. Me defied any man to devise - Oinks more strange, more revoking, than those narrated in the simple statement of thii wretches themselves. But , these crimes e weie 'the fruits of that infernal slave traffic still carried on. by the Spanish and Portuguese, with the connivance of nations more civilised and humane. Africa itself never presented a more appalling example of the proneness to take away human life of that utter indifference to take away human life with which the traffic in human beings ap peared to blight the heart in every region where it was permitted to degrade our speciee.. They ought, on hearing those details, to reserve part al" their indignation for that system which had given rise to atrocities such as these; and their Lordships might be assured that so long as it was possible to hold human beings in slavery, the dealing in slaves could not be emit down, and atrocities such as those which he had mimed it his painful duty to lay before the House would, in one shape or another, never cease to exist., He had no doubt whatever but that the advice given by a Noble Friend of his, formerly Secretary to the Colonial De partment (Lord Glenelg), a few months before he hid left office, with regard to the acceleration of the eman cipation of the slaves in Ceylon—he had no doubtimit that the advice contained in his despatch of tlui menth of November, 1838, had been taken into mature and:barly consideration by his Noble Friend at the head of the India Department; and he fondly hoped that some means would be taken for insuring the total abolition of slavery, which was the only real and effectual remedy against the recurrence of such atrocities as those he had described. —(Hear, hear.) The Earl of RIPON said that he had not been pre viously aware of the facts which his Noble and Learned Friend had detailed, and his only object in rising on that occasion was to advert to the statement of his Noble and Learned Friend at the commencement of his speech, re lative to a matter of which he (the Earl of Ripon) was more personally cognizant. His Noble and Learned Friend had asked whether there would be any objection to lay upon the table of the House the Report which Dr. Madden had made to the Colonial Secretary. He could assure his Noble and Learned Friend that he felt so anxious that every information should be given on the subject that it was not without considerable regret that he was bound to state, upon a very attentive considera tion of the document, its common with his colleagues in the Government, that they did not think it would be ex pedient to lay it before the House. The statements it contained were of an exceedingly confidential nature, relating to a great variety of most important matters con nected not only with the state of different settlements belonging to us upon the western .coast of Africa, and alluding, among other things,' to - the particular state of their defences against external attack, but also involving matters very intimately connected with our relations with other countries. Besides, many of the statements related directly to particular individuals ; and he was sure that under those circumstances his Noble and Learned Friend would see that it was impossible, without great public inconvenience, to produce the document in question. He felt that its production would defeat, rather than forward, the object which the Government had in view of making the most minute and particular inquiry into the subject, in order that they might judge of the operation of the present state of the law. The attention of his Noble Friend at the head of the Co lonial Department had been specifically directed to an inquiry into all those points relating to the legal bearings of the different. Acts now in force, and of course it would be for her Majesty's Government, when in possession of the necessary information, to see how far it would be prac ticable to amend the law in order to bring within its operation cases which in spirit required as much to be legally dealt with as those other cases upon which no legal doubt could be entertained. That was the utmost he could say for the present, and he hoped that upon the assurance of the intention of the Government to con sider the subject as speedily and as effectually as possible his Noble and Learned Friend would see that it would not be advisable either to move for the documents to which he had referred or to call upon the House to take any steps upon the subject for the present. Lord ELLENBOROUGH expressed his surprise that his Noble and Learned Friend, who took so deep an in terest in every thing connected with the slave trade, had not been aware that the Report from which he had quoted, had been laid upon the table of the House of Commons, and printed some time since. His Noble and Learned Friend would see that it was a very inconve nient thing to read a few extracts only from a Report containing 900 pages. A very valuable and interesting Minute had been yesterday placed upon the table of the House, written by his Noble Friend Lord Auckland, the Governor-General of India, to which he wished t o direct the particular attention of his Noble and Learned Friend. He knew the high value which his Noble and Learned Friend set upon the opinions of Lord Auckland, and he (Lord Ellenborough)entertained a similar respect for his great abilities, nail, at the same time, for the kindness and good sense which he was sere he would apply to the consideration of the question. He should observe, in relation to one part of the speech of his Noble and Learned Friend, that if he were to go to any particular part of the world, even to the most civilised ecuntries, he could find particular instances of atrocity, equal perhaps to those read that evening by his Noble and Learned Friend. He believed that Scotland was generally considered the most moral part of the United Kingdom, and yet in Scotland a very few years ago persons had been murdered for the value of the dead bodies, He believed, too, that if his Noble and Learned Friend would look more closely into the matter, he wonld find that those atrocities had much more connec tion with what was called Thuggee than with slavery. It was well known that there was now a body of men in India, whose passion it was to commit murder, for the benefit they thought it would confer on the par ties murdered, Those persons seemed to think that the best thing they could do. fur people was to send them into another world ; and although the whole force of the Government had been directed against the system, it had not, in all cases, been entirely suppressed. His im pression was that many of the cases to which his Noble and Learned Friend had referred, might be traced to that system. He (Lord Ellenborough) thought that much more likely, because the value of the children was lite rally nothing at all ; and the value of the bodies of the fathers and mothers would have. been far greater. He would again direct the attention of his Noble and Learned Friend to the minute of Lord Auckland, which would throw some light upon the subject. His Noble and Learned Friend was aware that the Parliament of 1833 had directed that the Government of India should take into its consideration the subject of slavery, with a view to ameliorate the condition of the slaves, and ulti mately to extinguish slavery itself. The subject had been referred to the Lords Commissioners, who had made their Report, and the matter was now under the consideration of the Government of India, Parliament having, as he (Lord Ellenherolegh) tlloll4llt wisely, directed that te th rE e ar i ou n r i o tia tt t oh iv edi e era sh llo o wc u ai l t d lh bketnhot:wklsee:dbgjbeeye subject the Indian nnwdteil the i G n ° fini r te n l n y w b n e t t ' authorities in this country, But whenever any legis lative measure might be forwarded in this country by the Government of India, his Noble and Learned Friend might depend upon it that it would be taken into im mediate consideration by the Government here, and with every disposition to carry it into effect. f i ord BROUGHAM said that after the statements of his Noble Friends, which were very gratifying no doubt, he would not bring forward any resolutions upon the subject of Dr. Madden's Report. He had to observe that he did not agree with hie Noble Friend who had first addressed the House upon the subject of those atro cities, to which he (Lord Brougham) had called the attention of the House. His Noble Friend would find ,""at the profit to be derived from the sale of the chil dren sva4 the main Inducement with the guilty parties. He was well aware of the exisltieinicehoefllidiuegigt6d m oe ; but t the murderers in the ease wtoaspaartrt4iceuoldairnzglayn),ursn.lucH:,)is. Noble Friend, in the reference h h h e e av ih a should u e m l l cl o a n d s g e aY t d , o atrocities formerly committed in Scotland. The facts referred t o favoured bis (toed Woe;h em's) u c tri s t a u n i d to the connection between these m and the expediency of effectually h from which they til sl r a e v g er a y r , l preventing this recurrence b y extin g uishing slavery nd had kindlydirec ted that to which his Noble Frie have found any i ns t anc e more favourable to had their rise. In deed he could nut his position his attention. It happened strangely enoug h tha t three or four years befope those eereere hed ogenrred several friends of his had been discussing thp enormous prices which anatomical subjects fetched at the time, when he (Lord Brougham) ventured to predict to his Honourable Friend (Mr. Smith) the late M.P. for Medhurst, that while dead bodies fetched 201. or 25/. if something was not done to remedy that defect .and to procure subjects at a lower rate they would be sure to have murders committed upon poor persons for the sale of their bodies. He recollected that his Hon, Friend had' afterwards called his attention to that conversation after the atrocities alluded to had taken place. There had been a great want of subjects, and the enormous temptation afforded to unprincipled men to obtain such subjects had given rise to those horrors ; and precisely in like manner, the stave market being always open in which these children would always fetch a certain price, not a very high price perhaps, yet he believed a prime for India not much less than that which being given for subjects in Scotland had led to the murders to which his Noble Friend had alluded—it was the fact of the slave market being ever open which had led to the perpetration of those enormities. Instead of being an argument against him, it was an argument in his favour. Let them act in the present ease as he had done in the one to which the Noble Lord had alluded. They had brought in a Bill which had had the effect of enabling anatomists to pro cure subject? at a reasonable rate in a legal manner, and there had not been; the slightest repetitions of those atro cities since. Ile had not been aware that that Report had been laid on the table of the House of Commons so early as April, but he had rot returned to England until two months after that period. He had never heard of it until about a week or ten days ago. He should have great 'satisfaction in examining the documents to which his Noble Friend had - alluded ; and after what had fallen from him he would not press his motion. The motion was then withdrawn, and their Lordships adjourned at a Quarter after Seven o'Clock. THE' CORN LAWS AND COMMERCIAL REFORM. CHELTENHAM ANTI-CORN-LAW MEETING. On Monday evening a meeting took place at the Music hall, in Regent-street, to consider the propriety of addressing her Majesty at the present crisis, begging her Majesty not to consent to a prorogation of Parlia ment until the distress of the country had been consi dered. F. MUNRO, Esq., President of the Anti-Corn-law As soCiation, was called to the chair. The CHAIRMAN said, we are met here, in a constitu tional manner, to do what lies in our power to stay the plague which is sweeping through the length and breadth of our land. We 1091( round us, and what do we see ? We see thousands of our fellow-creatures pining with f ,.want, and weitre led to inquire what is the cause of such a" state of things.—(A. cry, " Class-legislation.") 'Exactly so ; it is a system of class legislation, and we areinet here to propose a remedy for that legislation ; and the way to do so is to remove the Corn-laws, one of the most deplorable effects of this one-sided system of legislation. 'We are told that the agricultural interest wants protection ; _but I ask, why should the strongest and most powerful interest need most protection ? The word of God says that every herb bearing seed shall rbe for the sustenance of man. The law of human legis •lation says that we shall not avail ourselves of the bounty which God has vouchsafed to the world.—(Hear, hear.) Before I conclude I will just glance at the state of our relations with America. Fifty years ago not a single pound of cotton was imported into this country from America • now the importation of that article averages three hundred millions of pounds annually, or upwards of four-fifths of our whole consumption. See the effect of this: we are brought into the closest commercial rela tion with the slave-growing States of America, but de barred from trading with th northern and free States, although they have an immense quantity of corn they would willingly exchange for our manufactures. The Chairman sat down amid loud cheers, and called upon the Rev. Mr. Parkyn to propose the first resolution. The Rev. N. PARKIN, Minister of the Cheltenham Tabernacle, on rising, said—l have but recently left Rochdale, the very heart of a manufacturing district, where I have had abuadant opportunity of witnessing distress to a frightful extent. No Government, what ever the station, rank, or wealth of its Members may be, can long succeed in ruling over a starving population. In passing through our great seats of manufactures you will find factories, which formerly gave employment to hun dreds and thousands of labourers, no longer resounding with the din of bustling industry, but empty, and de serted, and silent ; and what is the consequence ? This depression of trade is followed by a corresponding mea sure of want and misery. The consequences are not only felt by the labourers themselves, but extend to the tradesmen as well, who, instead of selling by the pound, are content to sell by the ounce, and instead of taking shil lings of their customers, they are content to take the pence. I have seen thousands walking about the streets with out the luxury of shoes, their clothes in rags, and, of necessity, those who formerly supplied them with clothing must suffer severely from the change. I was myself in company with an ironmonger in Rochdale, who assured me his takings were now 601. per e eek less than when the labouring portion of the inhabitants were in a better condition. But, however trying to the tradesman, it is on the poor operatives themselves that the distress chiefly falls ; they are those to whom any change for the worse brings absolute destitution, if not starvation, and it is on their behalf we are now assembled.—(Cheers.) The condition of the hand-loom weavers at the present moment is harassing in the extreme. I have been in conversation with many of them, and, on inquiry into their moans of living, I have found that oatmeal and water formed their chief article of diet.—(Shame.) No bread, no butter, no animal food. —no potatoes even ; but oatmeal and water was the in variable diet for breakfast, dinner, and supper.— (Shame.) Whatever may be our political feelings or opinions, if we could but see their miserable condition, we should require nothing else to induce us to condemn this atrocious system. Sir, they are literally starving. My residence was in a secluded part of the town, and I may safely say the number of beggars soliciting charity at our gates would exceed belief ; whole families were depending on the sympathy and charity of the public. I have witnessed robust men pining away for the want of the necessaries of life ; females with emaciated and care worn countenances, bearing about their wretched off spring, who had learned thus early the sad lesson or misery and privation.—(Cheers.) Last winter some of the inhabitants of Rochdale established a soup kitchen, and I firmly believe but for that salutary measure, pesti lence, the usual attendant of famine, would have ravaged the town, and laid hundreds in the dust. Between two and three thousand persons daily availed themselves of this means of sustenance, and came to carry the welcome meal home to their starving families. We cannot suppose men will much longer see their friends and those who are dear to them go down to the grave without putting out their hands to help dim. No ; we have struck the fetters from the black slave, and I hope ere long we shall burst the white man's chains also.—(Cheers.) His advice to the meeting was meet and petition, petition and meet—use all constitu tional means for the furtherance of their object, and they may yet live to sing with the widows and father less, " Monopoly is fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen to rise no more." The Reverend Gentleman sat down amid loud cheers. Mr. WELLS seconded the resolution. After the passing of a second resolution, a proposition was made that the words class legislation should stand part of the resolution, which was adopted by the meeting. Mr. S. OXLEY moved an address to the Queen, in conformity with the objects of the meeting ; which, having been amended to meet the spirit of the amend ment introduced in the last resolution, was unanimously agreed to. The meeting then separated. PUBLIC MEETING AT PAISLEY. A public meeting of the inhabitants of Paisley was held in the Old Low Church, on Wednesday evening, for the purpose of addressing the Queen, praying her Majesty not to prorogue Parliament till both Houses of Parliament shall have taken into their serious consider ation the existing distrws of the country. Provost Bis set was called to the Chair by acclamation. The first resolution was moved by the Rev. Mr. KEN NEDY, seconded by Baillie MURRAY, and carried una nimously. 1)r. BURNS, of St. George's, on rising, was received with load cheering. After assigning reasons why Clergy men with propriety might take an interest in such pro :ceedings, he said:—Mr. Chairman, I am amazed at the apathy which has led so many either to shut their eyes to the existing suffering altogether, or to disregard the claim it has on considerate humanity. It is not with the old impotent poverty of Scotland we have now to do ; and to talk of the abundant relief of the poverty, the alms of kirk-sessions, and heritors, is to add insult to injury. We have now to mourn over society as in a diseased state, in consequence of the inability of respectable, able-bodied, and well-disposed industrious men to obtain the means of supporting themselves and their families. This ought not to be in any free country under heaven, and, least of all, in a country so favoured as Great Britain. It originated in something essentially wreug somewhere ; and policy and public duty called loudly for a searching inquiry into its nature and. causes. I am not one of those who trace all the evils that afflict the world to ORC source ; neither do I expect that one solitary panacea shall be ever found out as the cure. There are many considerations to be taken into view ; but sure I tun that the system so long acted on, of com merce restricted by the most unreasonable and absurd impositions ; of friendly feelings among men outraged and destroyed by short-sighted monopolists and selfish policy ; of taxation to an enormous extent on the bread and the provisions which are essential to the sustenance ao the f men r ; e t e h at of h these,that t e d with their ; andattendant tthat, a evils,lie cure,g reatlya ll impediments in the way of an honest man's labour being turned to the best account possible ought to be swept away, all class monopolising - put down, and every encouragement that is possible afforded to the open ing of new channels of commercial industry, and that the labours of the industrious may receive an adequate reward. Such facts as the following speak volumes as to the necessity of a change in the ex isting system of things. From the Report of the " Hand-loom Commissioners," a document which I have Perused with the deepest attention, and which I hesitate not to pronounce (notwithstanding the sneers of the Tinies), one of the most business-like, talented, and im partial documents which modern times have witnessed in the shape of Parliamentary reports, it appears that from every part of the kingdom, with one solitary ex ception, and that owing to Chartism (which, after all, is not in opposition really), all the witnesses examined do notince4l opposition z- ft 40'17 1 94 ER ql , f* egtlan of the exist ing distress, and their repeal or modification demanded as the first and most effectual remedy. Mr. Symons, the Assistant-Commissioner for Scotland, particularly states that " by the manufacturers and weavers, as with one voice, the duties on the importation of foreign corn are alleged to be the chief cause of the depcessiou ha all the depaFtments of mannfactiiring i4criistry, I:mt more espe cially that of hand-loom weaving; as being the weakest, and therefore the first to suffer, It is repre sented by both parties as the great incubus on the Qom coerce of the country; ate pernicious influence of which the mighty progressing machinery and the energy and skill of her artisans have hitherto alone and wonderfully enabled us to withstand. They state, moreover, that the sarne'vantage ground which these elements of superiority have hitherto afforded us in the commercial relations of the world can no longer be obtained ; that the Corn laws prevent our receiving the chief wealth which the continental merchants have to give in repayment for our goods. By accumulated evidence they show that, in con sequence, we are forcing corn-growing countries, less adapted for manufactures, to erect factories of their own, whilst the low price of provisions enables them to work at low money wages with comfort to the i 'operative."—(Report page 52.) It is a curious fact with regard to some manu factures that are liberally protected—the linen and silk manufactures, for instance—that these two branches of industry have been more frequently in a greater state of distress and misery than any others. In Saxony, too, with a population of more than a million anti a half, the import duties are very trifling, and it is a valuable fact in commercial legislation that in Saxony, a country by no Means naturally rich, yet there, without any protection whatever, manufactures have thriven more than in any other part of the continent of Europe.—(Hear.) As to the Continent, we know very well that so long as its chief nations were the seat of war, and many hun dreds of thousands of its best inhabitants were yearly drafted to the army, and all things wore a military cast, agriculture and manufactures were both neglected, and Britain gained by this, though in a way not favourable to national morals ; but since the battle of Waterloo, agriculture and manufactures have both been attended to, and England has consequently been the sufferer. There is not a more intelligent nation on the face of the earth than Prussia, and if you will read the geo graphy of it. or if you will cross over and ask every in telligent Prussian you meet with, you will receive the same answer in every case ; you compelled us to manu facture. Our farmers now sell to our manufacturers, and are certain to get on without you. Go to a German ma nufacturer, ask the most intelligent of that class anywhere on the Continent, what it is they really want, and they will tell you that it is the repeal of the Corn-laws of England, for that will cover the Continent with British goods. Ask the cause why so many of the finest lands in the interior of Europe and on the banks of the Da nube lie waste, and you will get for answer that the English Corn-laws prevent an outgate for the. produce, and that there is enough already grown for all that life requires. With regard to our American colonies, Mr. M•Greger, the author of the " History of the British Co lonies in North America," gives it as his deliberate opinion, that if the restraints in the trade of those colonies were removed, and the Custom-houses put down, protection' to timber would become unnecessary ; and he states a fact, that is disgrace ful to us, namely, that the colonies are not allowed to import one pound of tea from the United States of America; but they either get their tea direet from this country, or else by smuggling from the United States. Another example of the same cursed policy is, that the Canadians send vessels from the colonies to Madeira and other parts with fish, but they cannot brine. back ashes in return without paying a high differentiarduty. The same intelligent statesman, who has resided at the Courts of nearly all the kingdoms of Europe, tells us in his evi dence that so far from the contin en t a l na ti ons b e i ng averse to free trade with Britain, the universal cry was against the English tariff as the death of all international commerce. Some terms in that tariff are exceedingly funny. If you wish to import from the Continent a donkey to amuse the ladies at the Paisley races, you must pay 10s. of duty, which is p er h a ps fair enough; but if you want an honest pawky of a milch cow, you cannot get her at all ; she is prohibited I If you want a mule you have to pay the same as for an ass; but if you take a fancy for a sheep or a pig from Saxony or Hol land, you must keep your fancies to yourself ; nothing of the kind. A horse you may have on paying 205.; but the less magnificent animal called a goat you cannot get at any price. A barrel of ale you cannot get without paying 535. For - coffee and cocoa you must pay 15d. for every pound. If you wish a bit of smoked beef, you must pay at the rate of 20s. the hundred weight; or a slice of tongue, 4d. a pound must be laid on as duty. Of fresh butcher's meat abundance may be brought by the steamers ; but, alas ! it is all prohibited ! Various garden seeds our horticul tural and florist societies would like to import and to natu ralise even in Paisley, but there are duties amounting to 50, 100, and sometimes 200 per cent. that stand in the way ! Some persons may think the language of the resolutions strong. We are now arrived at that state of things, Sir, when nothing but strong language will suit the case. No one will attend to you if you don't use strong language. They don't think you in earnest. The crisis is exceedingly momentous, and every man in his station, whether in the church, or in society at large, must take an interest in it. Let us go to the throne, and tell her Majesty the reality of the case ; and let us go to Parliament and demand that they shall do their duty to the people whom they represent, and to the na tion at large.—(The Reverend Doctor sat down amidst loud cheers.) A person in the body of the meeting attributed all the existing distress to the evils of class legislation. The meeting was afterwards addressed by Mr. Hen derson, the Rev. Mr. Cairns, Baillie Ritchie, Baillie Barr, and others. The resolutions were unanimously agreed to, and the meeting separated. EDINBURGH.—MEETING OF THE GUILDRY. On Thursday there was a numerous meeting of the Guildry called by requisition, ld in the Merchant's hall, to consider the propriety of itioning her Majesty not to prorogue Parliament. sbine able - speeches a petition was agreed to unanimously, and directed to be forwarded to Lord Melbourne, to be by him presented to her Majesty. have said, " we have come to your Majesty through elec tion bribery—(Cheers)—we were ricier than the Whigs, and we bribed higher—we had more power, and we used it for the purpose of intimidation to a greeter extent.- - (Hear, hear.) We have come to tell your Majesty that the people shall still eat dear bread, and use bad timber. We will religiously preserve all abuses, we will not allow the Whigs to abolish one of the many iniquitous laws we glory in."—(Loud and long-continued cheering.) After some further remarks upon the shuffling and blinking policy of the Peel Cabinet, as regarded every branch of their policy, and deprecatory of the now rapidly increa sing Chartist tumult, the Gallant Gentleman concluded, amidst loud applause from the great majority of the meeting by seconding the resolution. After some confusion, occasioned by amendments put by the Chartists, the resolution was carried by the Corn law repeaters, amid the most tumultuous outcries from the Chartists. After the Chairman left his position, the Chartists remained in possession of the Hall, and an nounced their intention to oppose another anti-Corn-law meeting, to be held in the district this week. ST. MARTIN'S-IN-THE-FIELDS. The Churchwardens of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, in pursuance of a requisition, numerously and respectably signed, have convened a public vestry meeting of that parish, for the non-prorogation of Parliament. POPLAR. A public meeting of the inhabitants of Poplar was held on Friday, at the Poplar Literary Institution, when a memorial was adopted for presentation to the Queen. CHRISTIAN MINISTERS AND THE CORN- L AWS. The Christian ministers of Paisley, Stockport, and other towns, in which distress exists, have agreed upon solemn addresses to the Queen. At almost every anti- Corn-law meeting we find ministers of various denomina tions delivering animated and effective speeches. We regret extremely that the crowded state of our columns prevents us from enriching them with such eloquent speeches as those delivered at Exeter, Southampton, Li verpool, and many others that might be named. At Manchester a large meeting of lay church officers is about to be called to promote the same object. We have no doubt that the example will be universally followed. NORTIIWICII. An Anti-Corn-law tea party was held here on the evening of Wednesday last, after which a public meet ing was held for the purpose of petitioning her Majesty not to prorogue Parliament until they have taken the state of the nation into their consideration. The place of meeting was the Tabernacle, a place of worship be longing to the Association of Methodists, which was crowded in every part by the neighbourhood. E. WORTHINGTON, Esq., of Winnington Hall, was called to the Chair; and in his opening address, in an swer to the objection to holding such meetings in a place of worship, alluded to the fact of a flag having been raised on the church steeple, and the church bells rung after the defeat of the late most worthy Member for the southern division of the county, Geo. Wilbraham, Esq„ and said " he hoped that the next time a flag was seen floating from that steeple, and the bells rune for any po litical object, it would be for the repeal of the Corn-laws, for Universal Suffrage, and Vote by Ballot." The meeting expressed their agreement with him by cheers. The Rev. W. LAMB .moved the petition to the Queen in a spirited speech. Several Anti-Corn-law meetings had been previously held in the town, and well attended, but this was by far the most important, as well in its object as for respecta bility, numbers, and unanimity. On Thursday, Mr. Heyworth and Mr. Jones addressed a numerous and attentive audience in the Market-place, on the evil effects of tho food and other monopolies, and the duty of the people on the present crisis. HINDLEY. The inhabitants of Hindley and Ashton-in-Macker field, are not asleep to their best interests. A Corn law Association has been formed in each of the above villages, and meetings are held almost every evening. The Ministers of religion are taking an active part. Last evening a public meeting took place in the rooms of the Mutual Instruction. Society, 16, Great Tower street, London, for the purpose of hearing Sidne% Smith, Esq., lecture on the present Corn-laws, at which a large number of the members attended. A memorial to her Majesty, praying that she would not prorogue the Par liament till the Corn and Provision-laws were first taken into consideration, lay for signature in the room, which was subsequently signed by nearly all present. ALL-SOULS AND TRINITY DISTRICTS, MARY- LI:I3ONE. A public meeting was last night held at Mr. Graves's Aucton-rooms, lortimer-street, for the purpose of taking into consideration the measures necessary for the repeal of the Corn-laws. The attendance was very numerous, the large room being; completely filled, and great interest was manifested in the proceedings. On the motion of Mr. PEEKS, seconded by Mr. ULPIL MT. SODDEN took the Chair, and in a short but neat and forcible address, opened the business of the meeting. Mr. HEARN proposed the first resolution :—" That in the opinion of this meeting, the Corn and Provision-laws, by their operation, diminish the comforts and increase the privations of the great body of the community ; and that they are the chief cause of the present depression of trade and the aggravated distresses consequent thereon." Dr. BOWLING seconded the resolution. He 'said he felt no small satisfaction when he left those who said they were the representatives of the people, but who were deaf to their prayers, to come among the people themselves.—(Hear, hear.) The House of Commons was a house of incredulity. Night after night they were told of the distresses of the country, but they were told in vain, and the real representatives of the people were about to return to their constitlents, and tell them that •in the House of Commons there was no hope for justice to the sufferi ng an d to ili ng masses . Th e p eop l e h a d ap plied to the Queen for relief: She answered the appeal in the language of benevolence.—(Cheers.) She called. on her P ar li ament to l i sten to t h e cry o f t h e suffering millions. H er P ar li ament re f use d— t h ey as k e d f or f i ve months' delay—five months, while the people were star ving—fiie months of hope deferred. To :address the present House of Commons was just as unnecessary as to address the House of Lords. To-morrow they were to be dismissed, to tell the people the sad story of their being helpless and despairing. Helpless, did he say No, the question of cheap bread was beginning to be un derstood. When this state of things was in existence, redress must be at hand. Sir B. Peel demanded five months' tranquillity. He would not get them.—(lieur.) Mr. KEASELY supported the resolution. Mr. SIDNEY SMITH addressed the meeting in favour of the resolution, During Mr. Smith's speech the Chartists caused some interruption, but were eventually silenced. Sir CHARLES NAPIER, M.P., spoke in favour of the resolution, b u t encountere d th e same systemat i c oppo sition which had been put in practice against his pre decessor. He remarked that public meetings were either good or bad, as they were conducted, but he felt con fident that Englishmen, whatever might be their poli tical sentiments, would hear both sides of the question. —(Hear.) He fully concurred in the resolution which was before the meeting. Parliament did rAckt represent the feel ings of the people at large. Can the first evening on which Parliament I'DA 'Ow ls Member of the House had come fb,rwarkl i and said that the Queen had sent the late Parliament to the country to ascertain the feelings of the people ; and that the House he was then a Member of had assembled to answer the appeal. Now he did wish that the Ministerial party had uttered a more candid and a more truthful statement. Had they done so they would BRECHIN. A requisition, signed by the most respectable mer chants, manufacturers, and other inhabitants of this town, having been presented to the Chief Magistrate, praying him to call a public meeting of the inhabitants, the meet ing was held in the Town Hall on the 27th ult. The attendance was very numerous, comprising the most in fluential gentlemen engaged in manufactures, millspin ning, and other branches of trade, and most of the other respectable inhabitants of the town. Resolutions were moved, and unanimously agreed to, expressive of the distress among the manufacturing and trading popula tion, and an address to her Majesty adopted. Petitions were also resolved on to both Houses of Parliament to the same effect. An address to the Queen has been forwarded to Lord Melbourne for presentation to her Majesty, nearly 1,000 signatures having been adhibited to it. YEOVIL, SOMERSETSHIRE. A public meeting of the inhabitants of this town was called on Friday last, and a memorial to the Queen unanimously adopted. . . . An Anti-Corti-law Association has been established at Barnard Castle, whiMi will continue to hold its meet ings every fortnight till the alteration of the Corn-laws is effected. The Society already can boast of 300 mem bers. Such Associations should be formed in every con siderable town. Their influence would be fatal to Peel's G overnment. —Tyne Pilot. ELECTORAL REVISION IN MID DLESEX. The Revising Barristers, Messrs. Walpole and Shad well, held their Court yesterday, for the County of Middlesex, at the Vestry-room, Limehouse, for the pa rishes of All Saints, Poplar, St. Anne, Limehouse, Rat cliff, St. Paul, Shadwell, Bromley, St. Leonard, and St. Mary, Stratford-le-Bow. Agents—Messrs. Coppock, James, and Anderson ap peared for the Liberals ; and Messrs. Adey, Turner, and Payne for the Tories. (Before Mr. WALroLE.) In the case of JOhn James Collis and others, who claimed as trustees in the receipt of rents and profits arising from tho freehold Baptist chapel, Blue Gate-fields, who was objected to by the Tories, Mr. Adey contended they had no right to the elective franchise. Mr. Coppock, at some length, defended the claim, lea►ing it in the hands of the Learned Barrister to de cide the point at issue between them. Mr. WALPOLE delivered his judgment as follows: John James Collins has claimed to vote as a trustee in the receipt of the rents and profits of a freehold Bap tist chapel. There is no question about the facts. The only question is upon the point of law, or rather upon the construction which ought to be given to the Act of Parliament. In considering this question it ought always to be borne in mind that no trustee was entitled to vote before the Reform Bill was passed, for by the statute of Henry VI. (8 H. VI. c. 7) it was expressly provided that " he which could not expend forty shillings by ;he year should in no wise be a chooser of the Knights for the Parliament." And it was as expressly declared by the 18th George 11. c. 18, that no person should vote nn less he was in the actual possession of the property, or in the receipt of the rent and profits of it for his own use. Now both these statutes are still in force, except so far as they are repealed or altered by the Reform Act, or unless they are ineonsistent with the provisions thereof (2 W. IV., c. 45, c. 75.) But is there anything in the Reform Act, which has repealed or altered these previous statutes? Is there anything in its provisions which' can be called in consistent with them? The 22d section is relied upon to show that there is. But that section is not a new one, for it is a transcript from the statutes of W. IV., c. 7. and 8, which was in force at the time when the Reform Bill was passed; and it is qualified and controlled by the 26th section which is also not a new one ; for it is a transcript from the 18th Geo. 11. to which I have already referred, and which was also in force when the Reform Bill was passed. Now, it is admitted, and, in deed it cannot be denied, that these two sections when they were contained in two Acts of Parliament amounted to a disqualification of all persons who had no beneficial interest—and how can they have a differ ent operation, because they aro combined in the same statute. If a trustee was prohibited from voting on account of them in 1830, how can he vote by virtue of them in 1841 ? It is impossible for any subtlety to make out the distinction. I was given to understand however, that these votes have been allowed for se veral years in the county of Middlesex ; and it therefore becomes a most serious question, whether it would be right or proper for me to disturb it. Per haps I should, if I were sitting alone. But as Mr. Shadwell has always taken a different view, which he is still inclined to adhere to, I will nor give rise to the monstrous anomaly that a qualification which is good in one parish is bad in another. For these reasons, and for the sake of uniformity, I shall adopt the decision which has previously been made. In Mr. Shadwell's Court, no case of interest to the public occurred. The following was the result of the day's business : I imehouse.—Liberals, 7 objections taken, 3 sustained, 1 withdrawn ; Tories, 10 taken, 4 sustained. Poplar.—Liberals, 6 taken, 6 sustained. Shadwell.—Liberals, 2 taken, 2 sustained ; Tories, 11 taken, 6 sustained. • Bromley.—Tories, 5 taken, 3 sustained, I withdrawn. ltatcliffe.—Liberals, 4 taken, 4 sustained ; Tories, 13 taken, 7 sustained. Stratford-le-Bow.—Tories, 6 taken, 3 sustained. The trustee cases objected to by the Tories, and ad journed from Monday for the Barrister's decision (Mr. Walpole) were yesterday all allowed. The Court will be held this day at the King's Head, Enfield, for the parishes of Edm.,nton, Tottenham, En field, South Mims, Hadley, and Frier Barnet. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. WOOLWICH GARRISON RACES-TUESDAY. The higher powers being at length propitious, the officers of the garrison have resolved on the permanent establishment of their races, and as the " sinews of war" are abundant, and the course as well adapted for the pur pose as it is pleasantly situated, we see no reason why they should fail. The experiment commenced yester day, and, albeit the weather was showery and the coin men little better than a swamp, t very good company attended, consisting, however, of civil and military resi dents. The racing commenced at one o'clock, and as neither the Stewardsnor the jockeys had the fear of Lord George Berland: before their eyes, it was spun out until five. It began with The Garrison Stakes of 3 soya. each, and 40 added. Mile and a-half Heats. Lieut. Price's b g Abel, 5 yrs, 12st 2lb Lieut. Gambier's Winona, 2 yrs, 9st 6lb Lieut. Montresor's Ada, aged, I Ist I Ilb Capt. Warde's Norgrove, aged, 12st 41b 4 dr Won in a canter. The Hurdle Race Stakes of 2 sovs. each, and 40 added. Mile and three quarters. Lieut. Cocks' ch g Syntax, aged, 12st (Lt.Wellan) 1 1 Lieut. Thomas' Imperial, aged, 12st 2 2 Capt. Warde's Azalia, 6 yrs, 12st 3 ~ 3 The first heat was closely contested, and the second was won easy. _ _ Sweepstakes - of 2 sovs. each, and 23 added. Mile heats. (Five Subs.) Limit. Montresor's Ada, aged, 11st 1 llb Lieut. 'Mundy's Kitten, 4 yrs, lOst 41b 2 2 Lieut. the lion. C. West's Matilda, 6 yrs, 1 Ist 91b 3 dr Won in a canter. THE OLD ENGLISH GENTLEMAN, A SPORT ING NOVEL.—The reading world will hail this new production with unusual delight, for it possesses that greatest of attractions, the charm of novelty. We have had fashionable novels, satirical novels, nauti cal novels, and nearly all other sorts of novels without end, but we are here presented with the original of what promises (judging from the success of this first effort) to be a very numerous class—" The Old English Gen tleman"—a Sporting Novel. The author is well known in the sporting circles, and he has made this interesting story (pourtraying the habits and peculiarities of " a fine old English gentleman") the vehicle for the most racy and energetic descriptions of all our English Field Sports, from the highest to the lowest, that have ever, perhaps, appeared in print. The absolute novelty of the subject, and the stirring nature of the incidents) and characters of the work, will make it eagerly run after by all classes of ordinary novel readers, while the sporting sketches are so striking, spirited, and true, that every sportsman in the kingdom must at once join in he tallyho ! EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL.—Her Majesty has appointed Lord Wharncliffe (Lord President of the Council), the Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel, Bart., the Duke of Buckingham, the Right Hon. Henry Goulburn, Lord Stanley, Lord Granville Somerset, and Sir James Graham, Bart., to be Members of the Committee on the su bj ec t f Education. THE .CHURCLE OF SCOTLAND. HOW THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND MAY LE EXTRICATED FTIOM HER PRESENT UNSEEMLY POSITION, WITUOUT OFFENCE TO EITHER PARTY. Lord Cunningham, in the case of Cambusno.than, has given a pretty intelligible hint, that all the acts of the Church Courts, since the introduc tion, by the Church alone, without consent of the State, of the quoad sacra Ministers, are vitiated by the presence of an element making no com ponent part of the Church Courts, as by con stitutional law established. Let this doctrine hold good, and the veto law itself, with all its consequences, is swept from the records of the Assembly, and the Strathbogie ministers in particular are in stain quo ante helium. The field being thus cleared of all obstructions, and of that increasing obstruction in particular—deposi tion by the majority inflicted upon the minority from time to time as disobedience occurs—the parties may shake hands ; and, in the attitude of mutual obedience to the law, petition the Legislature for such measures as by i mutual concessions may be condescended upon. Some of the more violent in the ranks of the majority may deem such an admission of illegality as doubly Erastian, and therefore may be disposed to consider the cure pro posed as worse than the disease. They may instance the various regulations which the Church has f-om time to time adopted by consent of presbyteries, without any di rect sanction from the civil power sought or thought of. But in answer to this I observe, that regulations of dis cipline and constitutional changes are widely different. The Church has a charter, sanctioned by the Union, in which her constituent parts are minutely described, and fixed by the law of the land, as well as agreed to by the Church herself. She consists, for example, and must consist of Church Courts, viz., sessions, presbyteries, synods, and general assemblies, and these courts must consist again of parish ministers with cures of souls and stipends, together with lay elders, whose qualifications axe likewise pointed out by law. Now, in all her Char t•r, Confession of Faith, or Form of Process, there is not one syllable said on the subject of the quoad sacra ministers. These are only of about nine years stand ing, but of sufficient antiquity to obliterate as with a sponge the proceedings of Assembly since 1833. Let us suppose, by way of reductio ad absurduni, that the General Assembly, under the regula tions of the Barrier Act, were to direct that in future all schoolmasters were to be members of Church Courts, and to have votes accordingly, would not such an act be illegal ; and if proceeded upon, would it not vitiate all Church Court proceedings, unless sanctioned by an Act of Parliament? The moment you overstep the boundary in regard to church constitution, established and defined by law, you are no longer an established Church ; you have broken the contract without consent of parties, and you may abolish as well as alter. you may reduce your Church Courts to three instead of four, to two instead of three, to one instead of two, or you may have no Church Courts at all ; and will not this be accounted not only a breach of contract, but an anni hilation of your very existence as an Established Church? How was the principle applied during the civil wars in the reign •f Charles 1., when no General Assemblies were held at all ? Why, on this very account all the proceedings of the Church during that period are re garded by the Church as of no authority whatever— they are null and void. The Act against Symony, the Barrier Act, and the subsequent Act against Pluralities, &c., are of a very different descrip tion ; these are merely internal regulations, whilst the constituent parts remain unchanged. And these, and such Acts as these, are fairly and fully within the power of the Church herself ; she is not overstepping her power in making them, but in adding a new class and description of members to her Church Courts she is manifestly trangressing. True, the Church may be extended—two ministers may be substituted for one, and two lay elders for one, but not without the concurrence of the civil power. Yet this extension does not alter the nature of her Courts—they are still as by law defined—but your only half Ministers, or quoad sacra class, are without the pale, they are proselytes of the gate, and may not, cannot, legally enter her Courts. Now, upon the supposition that both parties were convinced, as Dr. Chalmers in the candour of his nature has acknowledged, that a great mistake has been com mitted in the enactment of the Veto law, and that, with out any effort on either -side, or on both sides, of the Church herself, the Veto law were declared a nonentity is there not here a beautiful ground of friendly and kindly agreement betwixt the two contending and vitu perating parties. Look at things as they are at present —wild beasts tearing and worrying each other, rather than Christian ministers of the gospel of peace. " You are an Emden I and are attacking me ; yes, you are threatening to have me, and the majority who act with me, turned out of oar livings." " You, again, on the other hand," says the Moderate, " you are a rebel against the law, and are proceed ing against us from time to time, even to our deposition, in as far as in your power lies, from the office of the Ministry." " You began it," says the one. "It was you," says the other. " Who began ?" says the public—very much (if I may be permitted the allusion) like the story of the Boy and the Bull, who, when he was holding on by the tail, and administering chastisement, kept constantly admonishing the bellowing quadruped that it was he who began the quarrel— Quid rides ? mutate nomine de to Fabula narratur. Now, is this a desirable attitude for a reformed, a Presbyterian Church, to be placed in ? What must be, what has already been, the incalculable injury which religion has sustained, and must yet sustain, if this most lamentable state of things con tinue ? Our blessed Saviour's name introduced to sanction, as it were, the most uncharitable, unchristian inventives ! The wrath of man may ulti mately be converted to the praise of ' God, but in the meantime it operates confusion and disseverment. Both parties avow their wish to have Me law of patronage as it now exists altered, and to have such checks adopted as shall prevent intrusion upon any congregation against the will of the majority. The only question then is—How is this will to be ascertained and taken ? Chalmers says, there may be twenty ways ; why then dot condescend mutually upon one out of the twenty, and, side by side, Cook with Cunningham, and Candlish Witt Mearns, ait upon Sir Robert Peel, or whoever may be Prime Minister, with a coalition measure for a Parliamentary enactment ? But we voted, some may say, for the admission of these quoad sacra ministers into the‘Church in 1833, and how can we, in 1842, submit to have our proceed ings vitiated ever since on account of this our own vo luntary act ? Why, the writer of the3e remarks did the same ; and he voted not only for these, but likewise for the Veto Act itself at the following As sembly, and yet, in perfect consistency, he can re nounce both. The admission of the quoad sacra ministers he was then made to believe to be competent tor the Church to do ; and ,if not competent, he was told that an Act of the Legislature would be obtained ; and the Veto law he considered (and publicly avowed this opinion), merely as an experiment of a similar nature, to be law only till challenged and proved to be incompetent. Now, as [the Veto law has been declared, by what he conceives to be competent authority, to be ultra vircs, and as the quoad sacra chapels have not only no sanction from the Civil power, but are likely to be challenged by this same power, he considers himself entitled to make the above proposal, on the supposition that such chal lenge shall be made good, and on that supposition alone. The writer of this article may be incorrect in his views ; if so, he should be glad to be put right by argu ment, and not by ridicule. lie conceives the matter now—on all hands, and on both sides—to have assumed an awfully serious aspect ; and most fervently does lie join with the well-wishers of the Church on both sides in praying that a Church which has long been the or nament and the defence of the State, at the same time that she is deep-rooted in the hearts as she was foun ded in the blood of the people—that the Church of his forefathers ever since her foundation—a Church, too, as an humbleminister of which helms spent the best and the happiest part of his life—that the Established Church of our native land may not only survive her present sufferings, hut come out of the furnace purified from all t hat is objectionable in patronage as it now stands, and bearing down through centur.es yet to come the motto, " No Intrusion." G. St. Andrews. WRECK OF A SEVERN TROW, AND LOSS OF FOUR LIVES.—We grieve to have to record the fol lowing melancholy catastrophe. The Severn trow Sis ters, Joshua Goulding, of Arlingham, in this county, master, employed to convey timber from Bristol to Bridgewater, for the Exeter Railway Company, left Bridgewater, on Monday last, on a return voyage to Bristol, with a very fair wind. On arriving at the Holmes, a fresh breeze sprang up, which caused the peak halyard to part, and the trow ran before the wind, with the main and foresail up, when a squall came off the land, and drove her down almost in an instant. The persons on Board consisted of the master, his wife, and two children, a passenger, and four crew, in all nine ; and of these we deeply regret to say, the woman, the two children, and the passenger, all met a watery grave. Mrs. Goulding was standing on the hatchway at the moment the trow began to sink, and it is supposed that with the natural in stinct of a mother she rushed below to drag her children from their bed, and endeavour to save their lives, when, before she could return, the vessel was engulphed, and she perished with those she meant to save. The passenger was also below at the time, and shared the same fate. The captain and crew clung to the boat for several minutes before they could get on board of her. A tremendous sea was running, and they were driven before the wind across the Channel, into Newport river, expectin g th a t every moment wouldd be their last ; but they happily es caped with their lives, having, except the clothes they wo re, lost everything they possessed. The trow was the property of Mr. Paul Legge, of this city, t o w h om h er loss is a serious calamity, as she was not insured. She w as only on her fifth voyage when she was wrecked.-- Gloucester Journal. ----- HOUSE FLlES.—These troublesome little in sects may be effectually destroyed without the use of poison. Take half a teaspoonful of brown sugar, half a teaspoonful of black pepper, and one tablespoonful of cream ; mix them together, and place it in a plate in the room where the flies are troublesome, and they will soon disappear. Naik4 EVENING SUN MONEY MARKET and CITY NE WS. FitoM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DA]' Ti AI —() of the ohs, , rvations made lar' t the house of I,,r:is by the Duke el Wellin*,ll touched f -upon that vulnerable point in our financial sptem, which arises much of the embarrassment which the Whigs, unable to deal with it themselves, have liancted _. over to their successors. His Grace said that 2,5_00, 000/ . " was not the only deficiency ; there was a large wool!! of arrears to be' provided for by some means or other. Nothing can be more culpable or more mischievons.than the course pursued of late years, of limiting the effort the cur to the meeting the estimated deficiency rent year, and making no provision to cover the ar rears, which, unfortunately, are - not a .subject of " out h o esti mate" merely, but a matter of certainty, and al l. suffered to accumulate with as little concern a s the final settlement of them were put off for ever. Any merchant or banker who pursued such a system well': soon be ruined, and though that cannot well happen to a country so rich and powerful as this, .the injury Ott,. results front it is by no means of a n a ture to be despise!: One great aggravation of the evil, however, is the foß',. in which the public accounts are kept, which e xhibl • only the excess or deficiency of the current year, a ll do not bring forward the deficiency of the years that gas past. If his Grace, who now holds no office, and . more time probably at his disposal than any member;.e.i. the Cabinet, would direct his powerful mind to arel n ganization of the. finance accounts, and to the inost), into them of some of that order by which his owe 1- 3 . nagement during his great military campaigns, wa s • tinguished, he would confer a service on the colluder and on the Administration to which he belongs, ber. l3 all price.. it POST.—Money was more in demand to-day tal li the has been, but no particular caus e w a s assigned for 09 change. It is, perhaps, in part attributable to the c • made within the last day or two upon the banking ini; . ; rest for the increased accommodation needed by O good at, chants in order to make their monthly engage maturing on the 4th. But several failures here, is the Continent and elsewhere, have taken place, and ";, not unlikely that this may have had its effect in a 111 ,1 c i considerable degree. A woollen house at Iludders i '!_a is named as having stopped payment f o r a large stun, "", which will, it is supposed, en t a il' h eav y losses 11 PC.' firms in the same line of business at Leeds-and s other parts of Yorkshire. The stoppage of first-rate Spanish house, at Lisbon, that of pus, Garcia, and Co., with liabilities to -111 :140 150,00 d, is also anno unc ed. Thi s i s begot affect English interests to a serious amollet*n-- American firm carrying on b us i ness at Antwerp,' a ". in active correspondence with on e o f th e fi rs t ,house. London of the second class, has likewise been una ee necessity of suspending payment. A firm in this in the Mediterranean trade, but one of less import4iii is said to have been reduced to a like extremity ; two others, in the tallow line, have so far comproo"f._ their credit as to require the temporary indulge Me • those to whom they have come under acceptance , -o. , a a mand the result of which has vet to be ascertained , 1 " -- rst which would appear to be quit e u n c e r t a i n . Theth - eil case of all is that of the respectable and l o ng-estl" , 4. - ' banking-house of Halford, Baldock, .and Co., of CaeAr -, bury, drawing on the London establi s hment of itlea"i bed • . Prescott, Grote, and Co. This Kenti s h firm has • compelled, from causes at present not stated, to close be, doors, and the fact, when a knowled ge o f it came ~,t4 1 10., obtained, had a visible influence on p r i ces at the P!''',"!. Exchange. beel l SUN.—The increased pressure f o r mone y that has Au g felt since Saturday, coupled with the expectation' T o the payments for the New St oc k w ill b e complet f t s * early as to bring it upon the mar k e t b e f ore the Jou"; dividends become due, has cause d some fl a tness ie' English Market. The failure of a private bank at,,„‘''';; terbury, besides one or two min o r stoppages in- din, 6. w - departments in the City, has occ as i one d ra ther a git ' feeling, which the somewhat improved accounts from dr verpool can hardly counterpoise. For present tranaw. Consols realise 891- to 89, and for Account 89 to 89i The market closed rather heavily. Exchequer Bills were at 14s. to 12s. premitite , ,..,.. - India Bonds at par to 2s. premium. The New and-a-Half per Cents. are 984- to s. d Speculation in Spanish Stock has rath e r decrease L the quotations are supported. M ex i can Bonds re fallen to 24! and 24i, the account s t o h an d a day °l. '" - re since being considered unfavourable. Colombian steady at 204 to and Cuba at 67, but Braziliari from 62 to 60, which, how ever , was more o f a iler a .ai i • h price, only one bargain having been effected. SP ll ,t Actives were at 23 to -4, and Portuguese Three r e : Cents. at 19 to 1. Dutch Two-and-a-Half were 5 1 1., r i e , The business done in Shares was limited. a Brighton have not recovered th e , depression occas ) 7 oo by the accident ; they were 64 to 7-4 discount 1 1 - o and Birmingham, however, advanced to 69 •a11r.,„ 2 premium ; Great Western, New, were 44 preen York and North Midland 27 premium ; And Western 12i premium. London and Westminster Ps-- Shares were to eium. In the Foreign Exchanges we are happy to notiee P ,be.' arP' . existence of considerable firm ness a t p res ent, and - was even a shade better to day. Th e rates were th e rs r —Paris, 25f. 65c. to 70c. ; Amst e rdam, - 12 4Lt° Antwerp, 12 3i- to. 11; Hamburgh, 13 101 to 11 ; fort, 1494 and Trieste, 952 to 53. The following are the official returns of the rtS bullion from the Port of London for the week end" Thursday last : Silver Coin to Rotterdam Hamburgh I9,E 4 Macao ,068 it Calais Silver Bars to Hamburgh REMARKABLEfore , OCCURRENCE. on the noon of Thursday, the 16th ult , during a very thunder shower, a considerable ' number - of small fiP et ; fi. ' fell from the clouds, a t th e T own -hill, a b ou t a m ile no, 0 , . east from Dunfermline. They were in general front 3? inches in length; and, although they must havell. l o- . from a considerable height, many of them were after they fell, and jumpi ng among the grass.--- 5 burgh Courant. --- __ PLATE.—A. B. SAVORY and SONS. 11 ', a do facturing Silversmiths, No. 14, Cornhill, London (opPostoe; Bank of England).—The best wrought Fiddle-Pattern t b s. Spoons and Forks, at 7s. 2d. per ounce. The following sve .e. uter , weights recommended, but the articles may be had HIP - ' heavier at the same price per ounce : .c o+ ti'''' oz. sd. .",., 0 ifr 12 Fiddle Pattern Silver Table Spoon s 30 at 7 2 ..• 1 , 1 34 12 ditto Dessert ditto 20 at 7 2 ••• ' 0 0 ' s , i 12 ditto Table Forks 30 at 7 2 10 ••• 12 ditto Dessert ditto 20 at 7 2 ..• ' 7 . 1 1, , i l , 2 ditto' Gravy Spoons 10 at 7 2 ..• : i f 9' 1 ditto Soup Ladle... 10 at 7 2 .•• u 1 611 4 ditto Sauce ditto... 10 at 7 8 ... 3 e 0 -„ 4 ditto . S lt a Spoons(gilt strong) ilO e o .., 1 ditto Fish Slice . 318 a ,t 12 ditto Tea Spoons... 10 a t 7 o ••• 0 lb e 1 ditto ~ . Pair Sugar Tongs (strong) te a Or ~ N.B. A price current, stamped as a ne ws paper, illestlil n drawings, and containing every inf orma ti on re lative to the ee P ,f e , chase of silver or Sheffield plate, may b e hail en applica ti.P ... A will be sent into the country. free of postage, in a nswer paid letter. ------ 1 0 1 C. J. DENT begs to acquaint his Friend! t ie , the Public that he has just had the honour of receivi n g subjoined letter from the Admiralty (Copy.) I Al• " Admiralty, 29th September , f her it Sir—The annual trial of chronom e t ers for the use n o tty Majesty's Government having now t erm i na ted, I st° re orb mended by my Lords Commi ss io n e rs o f th e Admiralty t ot e fel' you that their Lordships have directed me to purchase t 00 lowing chronometers at the various prices specified again st respectively, •iz. : Dent, No. 1,571 55 guineas Dent, No. 1,606 Dent, No. 5,621 (pocket) 3O guineas eh t he " Their Lordships having been pleased, in order to n i 7 on elli superior performance of 1,571, to assign to it a proportt enclosed price to that usually given. "I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, " 1 .. " F. I3EAUFORT, HydrogNlP "To Mr. Dent, Chronometer Maker, 82, Strand. t o t° Out of 80 Chronom e t ers , b y var i ous M a k er s, suhie n o f the the late trial by order o f th eir L or d s hi ps, t h e choice Oa above three, with two selected for the Niger Ex others, enables Mr. Dent to affirm that he believes he 1 1 0 9 r OP year supplied their Lordships with more Chronometer, _ O ll ~.. use of the Royal Navy than have been furnished to tli n ' any other Maker. peditio n ' t bli t it I It affords Mr. Dent additional pleasure to state tit onot e . '! to their Lordships' high recommendation he owes the.4 o . A ,. ''' having made a Gold Chronometer, presented to the -r . ' ,4 pedition by his Royal Highness Prince Albert. ttv uni., , Wate.. - A to Dent's Lectures on Chronometers, Clocks, and be obtained at 82, Strand, price one shilling, but presee te " I , customers gratuitously. Present price of Two-day Chronometers, 40 Gttl.e.____-•••'as. ti i customers grad uttousiy. Present price of Two-day Chronometers, 40 Guints;osto., I? I R TH S. ria On the Ist inst., at W oo d v ill e , near Doug-g' la 14° ° i t . , Od e ' the lady of James Alartin, Esq., late Capt-ainßitle of a daughter. I><a9On the 2d inst., at F ran t, near T un b r id e-wells, t he of Robert James il e bd en , Esq., of a son. g T. Job? On the 3d inst., a t St. Mary's, Bedford, Mr s " Gre On , of a son. the 3d inst., at Denmark-hill, Mrs. Frederick - G of a son, still born. 0 : On the sth inst., the lady of Mr. J ose ph Taylor, of C ' en : e of lane, Lombard-street, and Trinity-square, ) S" thwar-' dau On h gter. th° the sth inst., at Grove-end-road St. John's- •-°°d Hon. Mrs. Charles Lennox Butler 0. On the sth inst., in Hanger-lane,of a m 'S s t i am . ford -hill, Lennox, of a da ug hter. MARRIED. cher On the 4th inst , Octavus Undecimus Trezevant, ol y ter-terrace, Regent's-park, to Maria Dorothea d'Arg• H s s elgrano, of Buenos Ayres. o bert On the sth i nst., at St. George's, Hanover-squareLerine King, Esq., of Chester -street, Grosvenor-place, to Frances, eld es t d aug ht er o f Li eutenan t-General Sir j 0,11, Cornwallis Eustace, K.C.H. and C. 1.3 o f Stamfor" Essex. aste rd , ts" .l On the sth i ns t., a t S unn i ng -hill Church, John P. n -". 3 5 ' . Esq., Royal Horse-Guards, eldest son of the la te Cap tan], to Anna, daughter of the late Jacob Ricardo, E,q'charles On the 5t14 inst., at St. Clement's Church, Mr. Iluefield, jun., of Hastings, merchant, to Miss Jes s y Let to of the same place. DIED. F On the 22d ult., at Thornton Lodge,:Yorksh ire, lip Berldingtield, Esq., of Ditchingliarn Hall. ° ra f On the Ist inst., Eliza, the wife of Mr. George Hermitage-bridge, Wappini. On the 28th ult., at Chipping Norton , John Kingdt°ens: CO" On the 3d irst., at Albrighton, Salop, Richard ~a • ° late of London, aged 8 4 . On the 4th inst., at Greenwich, Susannah Maria, the Rev. T. Hitchin, aged 70. On the 4th inst., at Leamington, Zaccaria. Laureoolie'rfoo-0 On the 4th inst., at Cheshunt, Herts, William E s q., Queen's Counsel. WO ° 10 London : Printed and Published by MURDO - 10 04 No. 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. 1 12, the county of Middlesex, Wednesday, October 6. 184 ;.•~' -