The Sun. — London, England, 1841-05-03 00:00:00

EVENING- _ErwrioN• THE TIMBER. DUTIES There seems to be some doubt as to the pro position made by the- Chancellor of the Exche quer relative to the Timber Duties. Some of the Journals , have stated that he meant to reduce the duties on Baltic timber ss. the load; others have - said 155.; but all agree, we believe, in saying that hee - meant to follOw Lord Altborp's Scheme. Now Lord Althorp proposed to reduce the duties on Baltic timher..lss. the load, but he spread the reduction over three years. The re solution on which he was defeated went to reduce the duty on Baltic timber from 555. to 49 5. on January 1, 1832; to :13s.'on January 1,18:33 ; and to 40S. on the Ist of January-, 1834, making a total reduction of 15s. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, as we understand his proposition, is to reduce the duty 155., but to make that reduc tion at one period. • COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, SUNDAY. —Ye;terday afternoon her Majesty and Prince Albert, the Prir.c., and Princess of Leiningen, and the Royal Suitt, arrived at the Castle from town, ei corwd by a party of the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards. The Royal Standard was hoisted upon the Round Tower at he o'clock, the time the Royal party entered Windsor. This morning the Queen and Prince Albert, the Duchess Of Kent, the Illustrious Visitors, and the whole Suite, at. tended Divine Service in the Chapel Royal, St. George's, the gentlemen wearing the Windsor uniform. The Rev. Mr. C. Knvvett cbaunted the first part of the Service, and the Hon. and Rev. Mr. Moore, and the Rev. Mr. . Proby, read the C3mmunion Setvice. The latter gentle man preached an el Arent sermon from the Ist verse of the 14th chapter of St. John—' Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe us ; God believes also in me." The musical part of the Service was as follows :—" Te Deum and Jubilate, Kent's. in C. ; the Sanctus awl Kyrie Eleison, Dr. Elvey ; the Creed, King's, in C. ; the them, " Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake," (Partant). Dr. G. J. Elvey presided at the organ. Thia afternoon her Majesty, accompanied by the Prin cess of Leiniegen, and attended by the Countese es of Mount-Edgcumbe and Erroll, took an airing in a pony phaeton and four; in another phaetnn were the Earl of Erroll and Lady Ida Hay, Lady C. Cecks, and the Hon. Miss Cavendish. The Earl of L's•owel, Colonel Wemyss, and Sir F. Stovin, attended on horseback. Prince Albert preceded the Qeeen on horseback, at tended by Colonel Wylde, Mr G. E. Anson, and Captain Francis Seymour. The Princess Royal was taken an wring, and returned before the storm commenced. The fine Band of the Ist Life Guards attended in the Grand Music Room in the Castle last evening, and in the course of the night played the following pieces :-1. " Re veille des Grecs " ( Broudell) ; 2. " Tremolo," Walzcr (Labitzsky); 3. " Pas de Trois" (Rossini); 4. " Qua. drille des Druids" ( Despreau); 5. " Polonaise" (Wad dell) ; 6. " Alb:na Gallop " (Kleise). A new organ, built by Gray, of London, and just put up in Eton College Chapel, was this afternoon used for the first time in Divine Service, and a very splendid instrement it proves to be. We have not time to go into its different merits and beauties, but must content ourselves with saying that Mr. Gray has paced another grar.d instrument in a cathedral church. Mr. Mitchell presided. The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by their Serene Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Leiningen, left town at ten minutes past three o'clock on Saturday af ternoon in an open carriage-and-four, escorted by a party of Hussars for Windsor Castle. Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal was in another carriage-and.four, with her attendants, and the Roydl Suite occupied three of the Royal carriages ;in the first were Col. Wemyss, Equerry in Wait ing, and Col. Wylde, Equerry in Wa ting on Prince Al bert ; in the second carriage was the Countess of Mount- Edgecumbe, Lady in Waiting ; Lady C. Cocks, and the Hon. Miss Cavendish, Maids of Honour in Waiting; and the Earl of Listowel, Lord in Wai•ng ; and in the la3c cha riot and four were Sir Frederick Stovin, Groom in Wait ing, and Captain Francis Seymour, Groom in Waiting on Prince Albert, Her M jesty and the Prince, on leaving Buckingham Ptlace, %ere conducted to their carriage by the Lord Chamberlain, the Lord Steward, tho Master of the Horse, the Groom of the Stole to Prince Albert, and the Vice- Chaniberlain. Her Majesty, before leaving town, gave audience to Vis count Melbourne. In the forenoon her Majesty and Prince Albert walked in the garden of Buckingham Nine. Colonel Wylde has relieved Colonel Bouverie in the duties of Equerry is Waiting on his Royal Highness Prince Albert. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Anne Maria Dawson, left her residence, Clarence House, St. James's, at half-past three n'elo2k. on Saturday afternoon, on a visit to her Majesty at Windsor Castle. The Duke of Cambridge, attended by Lieutenant-Colo re! Jones. left town on Saturday for his residence at Kew. His Royal Highness honoured Viscount Sidmouth with his company at dinner in the evening, at his Lordship's r esidence in Richmond-park. The Hon. C. A. Murray, left Buckingham Palace on Saturday for All Souls, Oxfotd. A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday afternoon at the Foreign-office. It was attended by all the Ministers. T.:'e Council sat two hours and a half. A L'eputation from a great number of Railway Com panies ,waited on the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Saturday, in Downing-street, to procure an alteration in the mode L. f levying the Railway Passenge r Tax. The Deputation vk as supported by ihe following Members of Parliament, 11. Ir. Loch, Mr. Chalmers, Mr. Bell, Mr. Robert Steuart, Sir Hesketh Fleetwood, Mr. Hodgson Hinde, Mr. Broaollly, Mr. Wallace, Mr. Oswald, Lord James Stuart, Sir 11,inry Pa-nell, Sir William Rae, Mr. Hastic, Mr. Houston, Mr. George Wilbraham, Mr. Den niston, and Mr. Lockhk rt. A Deputation, consiOn,,,o . 'of William Allen, Joseph Neatby, Josiah Forster, George Stacey, Samuel Fox, John Hodgkin, jun , and TLomas Norton, jun., had an in terview with Lord John Russtsll on Saturday, at the Colc nial-office. The Duke of Argyll, the Pori of Belfast, Mr. Dun. combe, M. P., and Mr. James, 'V1 . ..P., had interviews with the Marquis of Normanby on Saturday, at the Home-office. A Deputation to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the subject of the defalcation of Mr. Abbott, the Official Assignee, consisting of Messrs. Josiah Wilkinson, Adam Murray, Clement George, J. George, Edward Pain, Pater Bruce Turner, Samuel Tudcr, John Wheelton (late Sheriff,) and Gruodry, had an interview with the R.ght Hon. Gentleman, on Saturday, in Downing -street. Mr. Dean, Chairman of the Customs, bad an interview on Saturday, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. • ISLia OF WIGHT. - FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Norris Castle and Estate are, we hear, about to change hands; a gentleman of large fortune is in treatyfor the purchase. A NEw Tows.—A company of London speculators has, we hear, purcha•ed the estate of Mr. Chamberlain at East Cowes, adjoining the Earl of Shannon's, and propose build ing,. a number of detached villas. The spot selected is admirably adapted for the purpose, and if carried out according to the proposed plans, will have a very se -rious effect on the new town of Ventnor, which from the mildness of its situation, is thronged with visitors, particw• larly consumptive patients, who derive great benefits from their visits to this English Madeira. East Cowes Park has the same aspect, and a greater facility of communication, it being Within lour hours of London, while Ventnor takes nearly double time to reach it. Whatever may be said of the beautiful situations of Cowes, Ryde, and Norris, they have all the same very serious drawback, being ail exposed to the keen north and east, and therefore are not fit for the winter residences of per sons in a weak stale of health. The new site is beautifully si tuated, and open only to the south and west, the views are delis h!ful, the air mild, genial, and salubrious. The plan (on paper) particularly pretty, and the landing good at all times; but we have seen so many of these fine projects vanish like castles in the air, that we must see something of a more substantial nature before we can calculate on the population of East Cowes being much increased. Ti e steamers are to make seven trips from Southampton to Cowes daily, as follows :—at 6,9, P o 3,5, 6 ; from Ccwes to Southton at 7,9, 11, 111, 2,4, 6, to meet the rail road train, which will leave Southton at 6,9 i, 12, 1%, 4, 61, and Lc ndon at 7,9, 11, I, 3,5, 81, commencing about the 10th restart. The complaint of the excessive charge made for parch Is still continues they charge as much from Southamp. ton to Cowes as from London to Southampton. SOUTHAMPTON.—AIajor-General Rufane Shaw Donkin, .C. 8., M.P. for Sandwich, destroyed himself at his residence, .Portland-street, Southampton, en Saturday; he had been con sidered for some time not to be in sane mind, and had been _ . •watched by his - attendants, but in their temporary absence he hung himself. ' l ` 33 We hear that the Earl of Cardigan is up to be billotted for at the Senior United Service Club on Tues. day next. We are well informed as to the influences set .in motion to proeure the admission of this unfortunate person ; but for the present we abstain from more pointedly alluding to them.—Sunday Paper. We read yesterday-in the 'limes these words : "_What the Premier in 1840 designated as a measure which none but a madman woald think of, the nominal leader of the House of Commons proposes in 1841." This is said on the subject of the Corn-laws, Now we chal lenge our Contemporary for its proof of the truth of its assertion Well knowing that it was false, we did, never theless, look back to the Parliamentary report of the last Imo or three sessions. When speaking on the subject of the Corn-laws, we find Lord Melbourne expressly " re aserving to himself his own opinions as to any modification in the existing laws which might hereafter be deemed i ncoper or expedient." Again, we find his Lord hip saying that this Corn-law question ought to be looked at as a question of revenue and finance. I-Fie Lordship was disinclined to change fur the more sake of change; but he over and over declares that he is ne t ibigated to the present system. To show mere elm arty the natfairness (a mild word) with which tlte Tories misre present the declaration s of Viscount Melbourne, we give at full lengtii the passag e upon which tie " false hood is fouocled. His Lordship says, " Assuming the pos sibility of our being in a situation in which we might legis late with a tc.bula rasa —a blank sheet of paper before us, I will suppose t bat we had no-interests to protect, and that vie were told that this was to be a great manufacturing coun try, great in wealth, in prosperity, and in populati3n ; and I should even Oleo very much doubt whether it would be wise to establish Taws which must make a large manu facturing population dependent upon foreign countries for a supply of corn. But when I consider the situation in which we stand--when I consider the various and com plicated interests which we have to protect—when I con sider the peculiar miture of our financial position, and find any Noble F r i en d pro p o sing to throw th e whole agrieul tural interest WITHOUT PROTECTION, I declare before God that I think it the wildest and maddest scheme that ever entered into the imagination of man to conceive." Thi s was spoken in the session before last. Now the case is this--.1%0rd Melbourne declared himself opposed to the abo &iota 631' all protecting duties whatsoever; Lord J. Russell 'is about' to propose protecting duties; then what brazen liars arq factious Tories I— Observer. LITERATURE. SIR WALTER SCOTT'S POETRY. Caaell, London, 1841 The poetical works of Sir Walter Scott have been hitherto inaccessible to a numerous class of readers, in consequence of their being published in not fewer than twelve volumes ; we here find them,- however, comprised for the first time in one octavo volume, which contains, besides, all the author's latest prefaces and introductions, to gether with a variety of useful notes which were appended by the Editor, Mr. Lockhart, to the edition of 1832. The volume, considering the uncommon elegance and distinctness of its type, and the very superior manner in which it is got up—apparently, without the slightest regard to expense—can scarcely fail to drive all its prede cessors out of the market, and reimburse Mr. Cadell for the heavy outlay to which it must have subjected him. Twenty years ago the poem of " Marmion" alone could not have been procured for a less sum than twelve shillings; but now, the entire poetry of Sir Walter Scott, including even his minor poems, and those beau tiful little gems which are scattered throughout his unrivalled novels, may be purchased fbr one guinea! Verily, if this be not cheap literature, we know not the meaning of the term! The vo lume is embellished, by way of frontispiece, with Raeburn's celebrated full-length portrait of the illustrious Baronet, and also with a picturesque view of his favourite country-seat, Abbotsford, admirably engraved by Miller, from one of Tur ner's masterly designs. SELECTIONS FROM THE DESPATCHES AND GENERAL ORDERS OF THE DUICE OF WELLINGTON. Murray, London, 1841. " The Despatches of the Duke of Wellington," says Colonel Gurwood, in his preface to this vo lume, " have been published ; but the expense of the work has placed it beyond the reach of many persons anxious to possess it. The com piler has, in consequence, made a selection from them, that may extend to a larger sphere of readers." This selection, as far as we can judge, has been made with tact and judgment; none of his Grace's Despatches on affairs of moment have been omitted, but those only have been curtailed —or, rather, left out—which possessed little or no decided public interest or value. ' As the volume contains an immense mass of miscel laneous matter, a copious index has been pre fixed to it, so that the reader may turn at once, without being compelled to wade through the whole contents, to whatever particular fact he may be anxious to know, on the subject of his Grace's numerous campaigns. The work, inde pendently of its value as an authentic record of great national achievements, possesses exceeding interest as giving us some insight into the pecu liar structure of the Duke of Wellington's mind. We read the leading traits of his character as dis tinctly in his Despatches, as we read those of Napoleon in his Bulletins. Throughout them his Grace shows himself a man of calm, far sighted sagacity ; of strict, methodical business habits; confident—but not unduly so—in his own mental resources; patient under reverses ; quick to profit by opportunity ; a judicious, rather than a brilliant, commander; severe in his no tions of discipline ; and never depressed or daunted by whatever difficulties may oppose themselves to his projects. Napoleon, in his Bulletins, appears in many respects quite the re verse. Instead of a calm, business-like state ment of facts, he indulges in gross fictions; be trays frequent spleen and irritability ; vaunts and swaggers to a most ridiculous extent ; and indulges in such bombastic rhetoric, as the so berer judgment of his illustrious rival would re ject with disdain. The equable tenour of the Duke of Wellington's mind, which never allows itself to be warmed into enthusiasm, is no where more conspicuous than in his Despatches dated the morning after the battle of Waterloo. Though he had achieved, but a few short hours before, the greatest and most decisive victory re corded in modern history, and over the most re nowned warrior of the age--or indeed of any age—he betrays nothing- like exultation, but shows himself as cool and collected in his state ments as if he were detailing the merest com mon-place exploit. Occasionally he exhibits somethinc , like sensibility, as when writing to the Duke of' Beaufort to acquaint him that his brother has been severely wounded in the con flict, he says—" The losses I have sustained have quite broken me down, and I have no feeling for the advantages we have gained;" but, generally speaking, his Despatches on this glorious occa sion, are remarkable for nothing so much as their cold, laconic, and methodical character. Nevertheless, we have read them throughout with the deepest interest, and so will all who know how to set a proper value on the produc tions of a mind of a high and rare order. LIFE OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. PART xa Bailey, London. 1841. With this Part Mr. Maxwell closes his Life of the Duke of Wellington, which—as we have more than once taken occasion to observe—is the fullest, and apparently the most authentic that has yet issued from the press. The Part com mences with an account of the battle of Tou louse—a conflict as useless as it was sanguinary, since Napoleon had abdicated the throne of France, some days previously to its having been fought; and closes with the crowning victory at Waterloo, which the biographer—who has Min self been a soldier—describes with infinite gra phic vigour. The Part is illustrated with two plans of the battle-field; an engraving, from a spirited design by Cooper, of the last grand charge of the Guards upon the dispirited French troops; and a full-length portrait of the Duke of Wellington, in the attire of a private gentleman, who is represented as just entering the House of Lords. This portrait is a good likeness—that is to say, the features can at once be recognised ; but the expression of the countenance is much too grim. We suppose it was taken at that pe riod so disheartening to the Tories, when the Re form Bill was under discussion in Parliament; and if so, the dismal cut of the Ducal phiz is at once to be accounted for. Mr. Maxwell termi nates his biography with a comparison between Napoleon and Wellington, which we subjoin, for it is penned in a discriminating and impartial Fpirit : In estimating the military talents of Napoleon and Welling.. ton—for to compare either with any other commander of the age would be absurd—to the former, a superiority has been generally conceded for the decision with which he followed up a defeat, and the important consequences which always were attendant on his victories. Both were admitted to have pos sessed an inimitable skill in handling masses of men, with the same facility that ordinary commanders directed the move ments of a brigade. Their combinations were beautiful— their conceptions grand—they were not the laboured efforts of military art, but the outbreakings of military genius— formed in a moment—executed as rapidly—changed, should circumstances require, and adapted to meet the emergency that might arise. If Wellington did not push his victories to grand results, let us inquire the causes; and when Napoleon's mili tary improvisation is declared unequalled, let us see how far Wellington's was behind. The circumstances under which these two great com manders conducted their campaigns, were different ; for Na poleon had never Wellington's difficulties to contend with. The former was a free agent. His battles were delivered to clear away obstacles that impeded an advance, while Wellington's were generally received to enable him to maintain a position in the country. Napoleon, when victorious, had always the means in hand to push his success, and secure the fruits of conquest. - Wellington's battles were frequently defensive ; and the heavy repulses which masterly combinations enabled him to inflict, were unadorned with the trophies which accom pany a bold advance ; and often his most brilliant fields were followed by regressive movements, which always follow a de feat and rarely attend on victory. That Wellington possessed within himself the rapid re sources and daring confidence which mark a great commander, his conduct when placed in dangerous positions, or at the crisis of a doubtful day, will best establish. What operations could be more masterly than his retreat across the Tagus, or his ad vance across the Douro? What act more daring than to hold the height of Guinaldo with two weak divisions, within can non-shot of an army strong enough not to defeat, but to anni hilate him? Look at the sudden ruin inflicted on Marmont at Salamanca—the seizure of Arinez—the counter-stroke at Sau roren. Follow the footsteps of the peninsular army from Rolica to Toulouse. Commence his history at Assaye, and close it on the night at Waterloo. Test his military character by his acts— let him then dispute the palm with Napoleon—and who will pronounce him second to any General of the age? JOAN OF ARC. 3 VoLs. Colburn, London, 1841. We have read this tale—for which we are in debted to the pen of Mr. Serle, the dramatist — with as much avidity as some years ago we read Dr. Southey's poem on the same exciting sub ject. Like that highly-wrought work of genius, it abounds in impassioned scenes ; local descrip tions characterised by infinite truth of detail; and incidents which, startling and romantic as they are, all wear the impress of probability. Mr. Serle has shown great good sense and judg ment in adhering, as far as was in accordance with the purposes of fiction, to historical truth in his narrative ; his outline is scrupulously founded on fact; it is in the filling up only, and that not often, that he has availed himself of the privi leges of the novelist. Nothing can be juster, or in better historical keeping, than his full-length portrait of the enthusiastic, high-minded " Maid of Orleans." He pourtrays her just as she has been handed down to us by the traditions of the time—patriotic, imaginative, religious almost to fanaticism, and overcoming fbrmidable obstacles by sheer force of will, and unbounded confi dence in her own mental and physical energies. The scene where Joan is first introduced to the King of France; her behaviour at the san guinary conflict before the city of Orleans; her youthful fancies and prophetic reveries ; and her final capture, trial, and death, by order of the English commander, under the persuasion that she was in league with evil spirits ;—all these various incidents are described with a dramatic vigour worthy of the most striking scenes in the author's play of the - 6 ' Merchant of London." The only defect we find in the present romance is, that the heroine, Joan, is not brought soon enough on the tapis ; she is scarcely heard of till towards the close of the first volume, the earlier portions of which are, in consequence, somewhat tedious, ,notwithstandinc , that we have an ani mated account—too much protracted, however — of the siege of Orleans by the English army under the command of the Earl of Salisbury. The story is supposed to be recited by an old Frenchman, Jacques Alain, who was in the first flush of manhood when the circumstances re corded took place. THOMPSON'S POEMS AND PLAYS. Smith, London, 1841. In addition to his popular " Seasons," we have .sere Thompson's tragedies; his " Castle of In dolence"—decidedly his chef d'oeuvre; and his declamatory and somewhat prosy poem on " Liberty," which, though it found special fa vour in his own partial eyes, was but coldly re ceived by the public, and is now all but liwg4t ten. We do not wonder at this, for Thompson was ill-qualified to write on such a theme. His Muse was far too indolent and good-natured to cliaunt, with becoming fervour, the praises of Freedom, and those who had fought and died in its defence; and could not muster up active energy enough to anathematize Tyranny and tyrants, in the way best suited to make an im pression on the reader. Thompson's tragedies are failures, for pretty nearly the same reason. They are devoid equally of passion and pathos, substituting for these main requisites, without which the drama is a mere caput mortunnz, ver bose, declamatory dialogues, wherein it seems to be the chief object of the different speakers to vie with each other in loquacity. " Tancred and Sigismunda" is the best ; but even here, the ac tion is languid throughout, like the long, mono tonous course of a Dutch canal; and the charac ters have nothing of "mark or likelihood" to recommend them. They are eloquent gene ralities, nothing more. Yet there are several beautiful touches of poetry scattered throughout Thompson's dramatic productions —as, for in stance, in his •' Agamemnon," where Areas de scribes to his friend Melisander the desert island on which he had been left at midnight by order of Egisthus ; but these are, or should be. minor considerations with a tragic poet, whose first at tention should be devoted to character, and whose next care should be for action. Of the well-known " Seasons" we need say nothing, for the poem has already taken its station, and de servedly so, as the best of its kind in the lan guage. The present edition is cheap, elegant, and as complete as it is possible to be, for it con tains every scrap, in the shape of verses, that Thompson over penned. CRABBE'S TALES. Smith, London, 1841. This is another of Smith's compendious repub lications, and contains some of Crabbe's best poems. Among them we find, his " Patron," which was a great favourite with Sir Walter Scott; and should be got by heart—for the use ful lesson it conveys—by every aspiring youth of genius, who thinks that his talents alone are sufficient to raise him above all the stormy vicis situdes tof life. In this impressive poem it is manifest in every line that Crabbe drew from his own personal experience. REGULUS—A TRAGEDY. Miller, London, 1841. We learn by the title-page that the author of this play, Mr. Jacob Jones, is the same gentleman to whom we are indebted for " Spartacus"—a tragedy which contains some spirited scenes, and exhibits in places poetic as well as dramatic ex cellence. We cannot, we fear, say so much fbr his present performance. It is, in truth, a very so-so affair, abounding in dialogues whose lan guage is specially ridiculous and extravagant, and in incidents which seem put together without the slightest regard to propriety. We subjoin a brief, hasty sketch of the plot. The play opens with a conversation on the Exchange of Carthage between several merchants, from which it ap pears that the leading commercial man of that city, one.llives, has had some ships taken by the Romans, which he, is of course, anxious to have restored to him. Accordingly, he applies to Regulus, who is at the time confined in a Car thaginian dungeon, and offers to allow him to return to Rome, if he will exert his influence to negotiate a peace between the rival cities. Pre viously, however, to this interview, a remarkable, andsomewhat desultory, conversation,which leads to no result, takes place between two of the sub ordinate characters, Parocles and Phylas, re specting the murder of Asdrubal, the Cartha ginian General, who has been crucified by order of Dives, for having been unfortunate in a recent engagement with the enemy. Alluding to this painful theme, Parocles observes, " This is no time to laugh, or I could roar;" whereupon, Vulpex, a soldier and a comical sort of a fellow, who just then enters with a huge flask of wine in his hand, abruptly bursts forth in the following highly poetic style : "I am brave always, but when fierce with wile, I could flog Hercules, and ride the Sphynx !" The reply of Phylas to this lively remark is ap propriate and emphatic in a high degree— " I tell thee there's a ghost—l cannot drink!" This refusal greatly annoys the anti-tee-total Vulpex, who instantly addresses himself to the supposed apparition, observing;, " tombless Shade ! Come and get drunk with us!" After some further sprightly conversation on various matters of business, &c., between this bright couple, they each drink the following philanthropic toast : VuLrEx—Here's suffocation to all gaolers—drink. PHI' LA s—Here's to all gaolers. VuLP EX— Suffo—suffocat ion. PRY LAS—Suffo—suffo-cation. VULPEX—WeII done !" The scene shortly afterwards changes to the chamber of the Supreme Council, where Dives and the other Carthaginian Elders are assembled in solemn conclave, to decide upon the fate of some prisoners. One Elder beneficently says— " Let them have their choice, • We'll flay them or impale;" to which Dives replies, with uncommon felicity, " Perplexing scheme 1 A puzzling choice !" We are now transported to the walls of Rome, where Regulus has arrived, Dives hoping, by his powerful influence, to get back his captured ships. The news of the great Roman's return soon spreads throughout the city, and his wife and his younger children are, in consequence, all as frisky as kittens. The former, turning to one of the latter, remarks— "We will not sleep to-night ; your sip will watch." The child thus addressed makes answer in these exact terms, which shows how singularly preco cious in intellect some children are— " And poor old nurse will snore." A few minutes afterwards, we find Regulus's eldest son describing the joy of the citizens at his father's restoration, in language eminently ori ginal and beautiful. We quote this descriptive gem : " The youths and maidens in the Forum dance ; The children climb, and clap their little hands ; The mothers venture with their babes at breast ; I picked a cripple from the Ares: myself, And heaved him to a niche ; anen, his crutch Thumped on our shoulders !" To say nothing of the exquisite happiness of the expression, " picked 'a cripple"—just as if the speaker had been picking a gooseberry—what a humiliating idea does not this passage convey to us of the flagrant ingratitude of humanity ! Here we find a young lad " picking" a cripple from the crowd, and " heaving' him for safety to a niche ; and how is he rewarded for such benevo lence ? By the scamp anointing his philanthropic shoulders with a crutch ! Shameful! Had the New Police Act been in force then, the fellow would have been carried instantly to the station-house; and might have considered himself lucky in get ting off with a month at Brixton! The tragedy now hurries towards a close. Regulus, on being ushered—together with Dives, who had accom panied him from Carthage—into the presence of the Roman Senators, advises them not to make peace, but vigorously to pursue the war; which so enrages Dives, who in consequence finds him self done out of his ships, that he insists on the illustrious Roman going back to Quod, which the latter heroically agrees to, and the drama closes with his death, and that also of his tormentor! In the above hurried sketch, we have given merely a slight outline of the tragedy, which is altogether unworthy of its author, whose " Spartacus" really showed some promise, and was deservedly successful on its representation at the Bath theatre. A CONTROVERSIAL DISCUSSION. Andrews, London, 1641. We have here an authenticated Report of a Controversial Discussion that took place about a year and a half ago in the British School-room at Harr►mersmith, between the Rev. John Cum ming and Mr. Daniel French, a Catholic barris ter, on the subject of some of the leading tenets in their respective religions. We cannot say we approve of these public discussions on mat ters of faith, for they rarely produce con viction, and not unfrequently tend to un settle men's minds. On the present occasion— as indeed on almost every one of the sort we have ever heard or read of—neither of the dis putants was satisfied with the other's arguments, THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY. MAY 3, 1811. but each retired more firmly persuaded than befbre of the - truth of his own opinions, Mr. French closing the controversy by, what he called, " a smasher" for his " reverend antagonist ;" and Mr. Ciunmirq expres sing, in reply, his perfect unconsciousness of having been smashed in the slightest degree. The Discussion forms one thick, closely-printed octavo volume, and is as dull as ditch-water, and as dry as a ship-biscuit. COMIC TALES AND SKETCHES, 2 Vols. Cunninyhans, London, 1841. These volumes consist of republications of cer tain tales and sketches, in prose, that have al ready appeared in Fraser's Magazine, the New Monthly Magazine, and the Comic Almanack. As they were much liked at the time of their ap pearance, and the majority of them were re printed in the United States, the author, who styles himself Michael Angelo Titmarsh, has done wisely to collect and republish them. The bet of them is an extravaganza, entitled " Some Passages in the Life of Major Gahagan," which is full of the broadest drollery, and con tains, besides, some smart, pungent hits at the present rage for memoir-writing. We should be glad to see Mr. Titmarsh try his hand at a satiri cal novel, for, if we mistake not, he would suc ceed admirably; posessing a shrewd and caustic wit, and a quick apprehension of the peculiari ties of character, as he has abundantly shown in his first production, the " Paris Sketch-book." FINE ARTS. PLAN OF THE MILITARY AND NAVAL OPERATIONS UNDER THE COMMAND OF WOLFE AND SAUNDERS. BEFORE QUEBEC. W gide, London, 1841. This Plan, or Map, which is upon an exten sive scale, and illustrates the naval and military operations that led to the capture of Quebec, and the closing triumph of General Wolfe, has just been published by Mr. Wyld, the Geo grapher, of Charing-cross. The plan is the pro duction of Mr. Alfred Hawkins, who has care- fully compiled the typographical portion of it from original surveys, and laid down with equal accuracy the operations of the English naval and military forces. B e has . represented also the de fences of the French under Montcalm, and in deed omitted not one single point, however mi nute, that may serve to explain the proceedings of the attacking and defending parties. The field-works of the British troops at the island of Orleans; the entrenchments and line of battle of the French army ; the redoubts, batteries, and other defences, which extend t o a distance of nearly nine miles—all these various explanatory details, are delineated with a skill and accuracy that is truly astonishing. The plan is still fur ther embellished with an exquisite miniature copy of West's celebrated picture, the " Death of Wolfe on the Field of Battle," and with a sketch of the troops in the act of ascending the lofty precipices to gain the heights of Abram. This sketch is one of the most spirited things of the sort we ever remember to have seen, and gives a vivid idea of the perilous nature of the achievement. A vignette, in the corner of the Plan, represents Britannia, supported, by the lion, pointing out to the victorious troops the citadel of Cape Diamond; Wolfe's name is in scribed on her shield, on the rays of which are emblazoned the names of the gallant regiments which shared the glories of the day. The plan is inscribed to the Members of the United Ser- vice of the British Empire, and as illustrating one of the most heroic conflicts that has taken place in modern times, and which startled Eu rope like a thunder-clap, the odds having been at least ten to one against the English army, will, no doubt, obtain a large circulation among mili tary and naval men. As an engraving, the work does infinite credit to Mr. Wylde, who has exe cuted it with a taste, and vigour, and distinct ness that no artist of the day can surpass. LIBERTY OF SPEECH. The Birmingham .Journal reports a curious example of the perversion of Magisterial authority ; and it in volves a nes species of aggression upon popular rights. At an adjourned vestry meeting in the Town-hall, where a violent contention had arisen relative to the le gality of the proceedings of the Church-rate party, a Chartist delegate, named White, claimed the privilege of speaking. Clamour and cries of "No Chartists" drowned his voice, but he persisted in his endeavour to make himself heard. The Chairman (whose authority to act in that capacity was disputed by a portion of the meeting) told the speaker that " he could allow no in terruption to the business, and would not," when Mr. Alston, the Magistrate, who at the moment entered the organ-gallery, entered into some conversa tion with him, which, however, could not be heard. Mr. Gutteridge stood up, and as well as we could catch his words, calk! upon Mr. Alston to temove White out of the place, when presently a police-officer entered by one door, and Mr. Shaw and other officers by another, and, taking hold of White,_ they removed him forcibly out of the gallery, amidst the mort deafening cheering and clipping of hands of the rate party, and groaning and hooting of the other. A scene of greet confusion ensued—a portion of those in the body of the hall ran outside, but they were met by a body of police, who were stationed all the morning in and about the build ing, and they returned to the hall. White was con veyed into the committee-room. The polling W3i at the time going on. The meeting broke up, after which White was discharged without being conveyed to any station." The Chartists have set the example of warring against the liberty of speech at public meetings, and now a Chartist is the first to suffer in his own person by the "carrying out" of his own principle. It must go hard, indeed, with the Tories if they do not " better the instructions" they have received. The violence of the Church-rate party in Birmingham is but a natural ' sequence to the violence of the Corn-law Chartists in various parts of the country. The means of suppression employed by both parties are characteristic. The Chartists act only upon the force of their own lawless and arbitrary wills ; the Tory Church supporters act upon the same dictates, but em ploy lawful agents to give a colour of authority to their proceedings. The Chartist clamourers trust to their lungs and cat-calls ; the Tories use the same instru ments, with the addition of a detachment of police. The unwritten law, which recognizes freedom of speech at public meetings legally assembled, the Chartists set aside ; the Tories do this likewise, but at the same time, being lovers of order, they wrest the powers of the magisterial office to the purp'ses of tyranny. It the advocates of the Charter have not hitherto understood the spirit of practical Toryism, it can hardly be expected that the arrest of their brother Chartist in Birmingham will instruct them. But surely they will ask whz.t offence Mr. White committed at, this vestry meeting, and why be was dragged out by tie police, detained in custody until the meetinr , broke up, and then set at liberty, without even the ceremony of an accusation, or the form of an inquiry! Men are consigned to the charge of the police for what they do say at such meetings, but here a man is deprived of liberty for attempting to speak. The Chartists, unable to answer the denouncer of the Corn. laws, put him down ; the Tories, afraid to hear the denouncer of Church-rates, take him up. If such proceedings have a tendency to stifle discus sion and prevent public meetings, they may also have a tendency to render preaching inefficacious, and to shut up churches. It is difficult to deny that the Church is in danger, when we see what props its friends prefer, and find them wantonly exasperating men otherwise wcll-disposed to that institution. Among the persons who addressed the Birmingham magistrate on the occasion adverted to, one said— .. " 'You, Sir, have done to-day what never was done in my time in Birmingham. You are the first man who has ever had • the audacity to bring a policeman into this ha'l, and arrest a man for no other crime than speaking, and who never injured you.— (Cheers.) I have been a constant attender at Christ's church, bitt the bigotry I have witnessed to-day by your party, and the unchristian conduct of you, a ma gistrate, has forced me to this conclusion, that I never will attend the Church again. I never will contribute to it one penny, and I never will rest until its power to injure tha people is destroyed. You have done to-day what will not be forgotten. You have created a feeling which all the Toryism and Church-of•Englandism in the town will never put down. We will begin in earnest." done to the Ch urc h, may b e coun terbalancedTbeinjury thus yt u h s e benefit of the moral lesson rendered to the Chartists, if the outrage committed upon their delegate, the opponent of . Church -rates, shall teach them who their real en em i es are, and r e -produce in their minds the old and just conviction, that the coun tenance of Toryism and the preservation of popular privileges—even the privilege, it seems, of public speech in public vestry—are utterly incompatible. The esta blishment of a Tory Government would not exactly tend to discourage the Tory m ag i s t racy f rom pursu i ng the new expedient of introducing policemen into town halls, as praetidal censors of o ratory an d op i n i ons. This proceeding merits the strongest reprobation, and should not be allowed to pass without other censure than this. Once permit the tyranny, and it is impossi ble to say where it may end.--Rwmincr. THE CORN-LAWS—THE BUDGET. The announcement of Lord John Russell's notice of motion for a Committee of the whole House, to con sider the Corn-laws will be received with satisfactio n and joy in every quarter wher e th e i nterests o f cona merce, the interests of the industrious classes, and the interests of consumers are intelligently felt. Govern ments has now shown its intention to grapple with the great incubus ou the industry of the nation in the most enormous and the most mischievou s tax to which any people were ever subjected ; and all who feel the great ness of tLc grievance—and who except the monopolists do not ?—will strain every nerve in support of the Ministry which has now staked its existence for the re lief of the natiot from the intolerable evil under which it labours. Coupling Lord J. Russell's announcement respect ing the Corn-laws with the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement, we see that Government propose to deal with the three great questions, " Corn, Sugar, and Timber." The alterations pro posed upon the two latter are calculated to benefit at the same time the revenue and the consumer. The ,enormous differential dUty in favour of Canadian timber is reLced ; Baltic timber is to be admitted at 50s. in stead of 553. per load; whila the duty on Canadian is raised for the benefit of . the'revenue from 103. to 20s. The estimated , gain to the revenue is 600,000/. per On sugar the step is t iken of substituting " protec tion" for " prohibition." Foreign sugar is no longer to be absolutely excluded, but admitted at a differential duty of 50 per cent. in favour of . the colonies. The amount of protection is very high, but it is a step of incalculable importance to admit foreign sugar at all. Tne benefit to the consumer will be great, as the differ ence of price between foreign and colonial sugar exclu sive of duty is upwards of 100 per cent., and the gain to the revenue will be great. It is impossible not to look upon this Budget, as preliminary to an entire reform in our Tariff. Of course, in a Budget those alterations only are pro posed which are made for the sake of revenue, and alterations made on the ground of commercial po licy must be looked for in the Customs' B►ll of the year. Bat the real difficulty lay with the great articles which are now dealt with, and there can be no doubt that the various minor reforms in the Tariff, to which no powerful interests or considerations of revenue are opposed, will soon follow. There can be no doubt, also, that when the principle that all taxation is to be imposed with a vies to re venue is once admitted, it will be carried out fully, and We do not therefore feel disposed to criticise the details of the Ministerial scheme, though undoubtedly their scale of duties is higher than strict principle would justify. Oa the wh3ll, it rests with the country now to say whether they will have free trade or not. If they allow the Ministerial measure to be defeated, the alter native is obvious, and the deficiency of five or six millions must, in that case, be made good by increased taxation. The choice is, the reduction of existing taxes, or impo sition of new ones. The Ministry proposes reduction ; should the Tories be alloved to defeat them, Sir Robert Peel wil come in to lay new burdens on the country.— Examiner. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD, APRIL 29.—A congregation was this day holden for granting degrees, &c., when the following were conferred : Masters of Arts.—M. H. S. Champneys, Brazen• nose College ; Rev. W. R. Hall, BANo! College ; T. B. Cornish (Fellow), Oriel College ; G. H. U. Fagan, Oriel College ; C. Carey, Oriel College ; Rev. G. Tal bot, S►. Mary Hall ; J. Barney, Magdalen College ; C. H. Walker, Worcester College ; Rev. F. R. Nixon, St. John's College ; Williams, Jesus College ; E. S. Mount, Magdalen College ; W. R. Bawds (Fel low), Magdalen C,-liege. Bachelor of Arts.—D. S. Ker, Christ Church ; Hon. F. Charteris, Christ Church ; H. Mitchell, Lincoln Colle;e ; C. P. Carey, Wadham College, The Regius Professor of Hebrew has given notice that he will continue his Lectures on the Minor Pro phets during the present term on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays ; to commence Monday, May 3, at two o'clock. The Professor of Botany has issued a notice that he will begin a course of Lectures on Tuesday, May 4, at the Botanic Garden. The Reader in Experimental Philosophy has given notice that he will begin his Lectures on Electricity, Magnetism, &c., on Monday, May 10, at one o'clock, at this Clarendon ; continue them on Mondays, Wednes days, and Fridays. The Reader in Geology has given notice that he will Lecture on the Structure and Composition of the Earth, during the present and next terms, to begin on Saturday, May 1, at two o'clock, at the Clarendon, and continue Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. CAMBRIDGE, APRIL 28.—At a congregation held this day Vie following grace passed the Senate : To confer the Degree of Doctor in Divinity upon the Very Rey. Charles Hughes Terrot, Master of Arts, of Trin;ty College, by Royal mandate. At the same Congregation the following degrees were conferred : Doctor of Medicine.—J. C. Snawball, St. John's College. Bachelor of Civil Law.—S. Taylor Bartlett, Clare Hall. Bachelor of Divinity.—Joseph Pullen, Corpus Coll. Masters of Arts.—Henry John Hodgson, Trinity College ; John Winamson Fuller, Trinity College ; George Henry Hooper, Trinity College ; Charles Laing, Queen's College ; Charles Gipple Prowett, Caius College ; Joseph George Venables, Jesus College ; Charles Style Drake, Jesus College ; John James Ha vart, St. John's College ; Charles Alexander Wilkin son, Kirig's College ; David Pooley, St. John's Col lege ; John Thomas Walker, Caius College. Bachelors of Arts.— Buchan Warren Wright, Clare Hill ; Martin Ware, Trinity College : Henry Vivian, Broughton, Pet. College ; Thomas Gam ' sten R tgland, Corpus College ; William Richard Ick, Sid ney College ; William Samuel Symonds, Christ Col lege ; Henry Lewis Diston, Caius College ; Augustus Adam Bagshawe, Corpus College ; George Campbell Gordon, Corpus College ; George Francis Radner Weideman, Cath. Hall ; Matthew Booth, Corpus Col lege ; Benjamin Maddock, Corpus College ; John Wil mot Neat, Corpus College. ST. JOI-IN'S COLLEGE, Voluntary Classical Examination, 1841. First Class.--Aingor; BAbington, Burbury, Gifford, Sheringham, Vidal, J. H., Vidal, 0. E., Wilson, Wolfe. Second Class.—Alston, Balmer, Girling, Hardesty Holcombe, Light, Maul, Mills, Molesworth, Robinson, Slade, Slater. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. ( From the Hampshire Independent ) PORTSMOUTH, MAY I.—The Bellerophon, Implacable, Edinburgh, and Hastings, are ordered home from the Me diterranean. The Polyphemus steamer will proceed to-day for South ampton to have her engines inspected by Mr. Brunel, and to receive Captain Brandrith, R. E., and Mr. Scamp, of Woolwich Yard. She will then go to Plymouth and Malta, taking supernumeries for the squadron. Orders have been received to expedite the building of the Thunderbolt steamer, recently laid down in this dock yard, upon the lines of the Driver, and the greatest ex ertions are now being made in order to launch her during the ensuing summer. The Imaum, under repair in one of the docks in this yard, is orde ed to be reserved for harbour duty. She will, therefore, shortly be fitted as a reeeivieg ship, in the room of the Blake, or, Swiftsure ; these vessels being greatly decayed. It will be in the recollection of our reaers that the Imaum is the ship presented to his late Majesty William IV., by the Imaum of Muscat. Commodore Sir Charles Napier arrived at his seat at Horodean on Monday last; and on Wednesday the cecen trio but gallant old sailor, was seen " steering" with his accustomed nerve and sang froid, a four-in-hand on Sober ton race-course.. Although " King Time" has not altoge ther spared him l ; he appeared to be in excellent health and spirits. The QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY. —Orders are received at this port for celebrating ber Majesty's birthday, on the 21st of May, in the present year, instead of the 28th as here totne. (From the Hampshire Telegraph.) PORTSMOUTH, MAY I.—The Bonetta brigant►ne, Lieut. Austin, arrived on Saturday from Sheerness, and sailed on Wednesday, for the coast of Africa. The Cockatrice, schooner, Lieut. Oxenham, arrived on Wednesday from Chatham, destined for South America. This vessel will doubtless be detained to convey to Rio Janeiro the decision which our House of Commons, in justice both to this nation and the Brazilian Empire, must come to, on Monday night next, with regard to the Sugar Duties, To Brazils it will be a matter of great import ance, but as regards our manufactures it is a matter of still greater consequence. The Albert, Captain Trotter, and Wilberforce, Com mander Allen (iron steam vessels) sailed on Tuesday for Plymouth, and the Bonny River, on their way to explore the Niger River. At Spithead the Albert steamed round the ships, and, as a compliment, they manned yards, and gave her three cheers. Her Majesty's packet Lyra has arrived et Falmouth from Cape Henri, St. Domingo, March 29, furnishing Jamaica dates to the 23d, and from St. Thomas's to the 24:h. Her passengers were H. H. Anderson, Esq., from Trinidad, and N. Joseph and Patrick Morgan, Esq., from Jamaica, with Mr. Samuel Browne. R.N. The follow ing naval medical changes had occurred in the West In dies : —Mr. Bayne, vice Stoddart, deceased, to the Jamaica Hospital ; Mr. Moxley, to the Victor; and Mr. Duke, vice Thompson, to the Sappho. The Success hulk has been again taken to Spithead, preparatory to the resumption of operations on the wreck of the Royal George. Colonel Pasley to-day engcged 36 pensioners to assist him, giving a preference to such as served with him last year. The sappers and divers are on their way from Chatham in a steamer. A report has been propagated, but we cannot trace it to any a uthority, that the Beagle surveying vessel has been lost. We do not believe it. The last letter from her was dated August 2, from Timor, and it mentions that a report had prevailed to the above effect ; at that time she was then watering anti collecting provisions, and intended to go round the west side of New South Wales, and call at Swan River, and thence to Sydney, where she ex pected to be in December. The Polyphemus steamer sailed to-day for Southamp ton, wi;h Mr. Brunel on board, who is to ascertain, by ex-. amination, if a similar vessel is adapted to be fitted with the Archin►edian screw At Southampton she will takes on board the Surveyor -General of the Navy, Sir William. Symonds, and Captain Brandreth, Civil Engineer for Naval matters, and convey them to Malta, for the purpose of seeing to the efficient construction of a repairing dock at that The Fair Rosamond, fitting in this harbour, is destined for the coast of Africa. The Harpy revenue cutter, Lieutenant G. Drew, R.N. Commander, seized on the 26th ult„ near the Mew Stoll e, off Guln, 112 half-ankers of foreign spirits, sunk only the night before. The Hon. Admiral Bouverie is gone on leave of ab sence ; be proceeded on Wednesday in the Avon steamer, Lieut. Pritchard, to Plymouth and Cork. The remains of Admiral Sir Laurence Halsted are hourly expected from Plymouth, for interment in the family vault in Gosport Chapel-yard. PLYMOUTH, THURSDAY, APRIL 29.—The Acorn, 16, Commander J. Adams, having had her damages repaired, whieo she sustained by striking on a rock in the West Indies, was taken out of dock on Friday last, and will soon be ready to return to her station.—The Mercury, tender, sailed on her return to Portsmouth on Monday last. —The Avon, steamer, Lieut. Pritchard, returned to this port, from Portsmouth, on Wednesday..—On Wednesday the Albert, steamer, Captain Trotter, and Wilberforce, steamer, Commander W. Allen, arrived from Portsmouth, and it is expected they will proceed for the Niger on Sa tureay or Sunday. La 13:11e Alliance, transport, Lieu tenant Denston, agent, sailed frr China on Thursday. In Harboar--Caledonia, San Josef, Cornwailis, Acorn, Avon, Wilberforce, Albert, and Carron steamers. In the Sound—lmpregn,ble and Belleisle. PROMOTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS, .PROMOTlONS.—Lieutenant —Mr. Wm. Hcnry Bridge, Mate of the Indus (1830), to the rank of Lieutenant. APPOINTMENTS--Mister and Pilot—Charles A. Cole, to the Acorn, vice Frampton. As3istant•Surgcon—T. F. Henry, to the Caledonia. Chaplain—Rev. J. A. Burtougb, from the Impreg nable, to the Cornwallis. Mates—Philip Hudson, to the Caledonia ; R. L. Cur. to the Queen; C. K. Jackson, to the Cornwallis ; E. J. Voules, to the Fair Rosamond; F. D. Rich, to the Herald. Midshipman—J. E. Parish, to the Indus. Voluutzer ist Class—A. Breen, to the Cornsvall:s. Second Master—John to the Calcutta. Gunners—Joseph Woodman, to tho Acorn ; David Volume, to Cockatrice ; William Wicks, to Nautilus.: Mr. W. H. Millicioael, to the Excaent, to qualify for Naval Instructor. IMPORTANT LETTER FROM PRE- SIDENT TYLER. The following letter from Governor, now President, Tyler, to Colonel W. Robinson, jun., will ba read with peculiar interest at this moment. His views on the im portant queitivn of the tariff—the di-tribution of the pub lic lands, and incidentally on the subject of the currency, are briefly but clearly indicated. His reference to the co incidence of sentiment on these important topics of public, interest between General Harrison, Mr. Clay, and him self, leaves not a doubt as to the general course of his w.!-- ministration of the Government. Under-the Lereavement with which it has pleased Divine Provideace to visit our country in the death of our beloved President, we have reason to bless His mighty name that he has left us an an chor of safety in " honest John Tyler."—Pittsburg Ad vertiser. " Walliamsburgh, Va., Oct. 17, 1840. " My dear Sir,—Your letter and its enclosure reached here a few hours after my own arrival. I confess myself not at all surprised at the gross perversion of all truth on the part of cur opponent;. This is not confined to Pitts.. , burgh. The leading editor of the Locos in this State is busily engaged in the same dirty work, but takes good care i to make representations precisely the opposite to those made by tie allies with you. His correspondents repre sent me as having held at C!airsville a vet) , different lan gnsee from thet ascribed to me at Pittsburgh. Thus the et e plays his game desperately for the south, and the other for the north. Our friends ever% where should, as far as practicable, be made to understand this. Here the admi nistration party are open-mouthed against the compromise. They would annihilate it entirely ; and this at the me- I mt•nt the manufacturing interest becomes deeply interested in its preservation. With you the tone is changed, and while Mr. Van Buren is here sustained as a friend to free trade, the effort is now making at Pittsburgh to induce the belief that he and his friends arc the exclusive friends of industry. " My opinions were fully expressed at St. Chfrsville, and at Steubenville. At both place; in r gard to the questien, What are your opinions as to the tariff?' I an swered that I was in favour of sustaining the compromise That it contained the principle of retroaction, the moment the duty attained its minimum, which forced up the protec•ion eo instanti, to what was equivalent to 40 per cent. That the change which it effected in the place of valuatiou, and the mode of payment, was fully equal in my dew to 15 or 20 per cent., and that pith a cess+tion of the war upon the currency, which had paralysed the industry of the country, I was sanguine in the hope and the belief that prosperity, would be speedily restored. That in connection with this, I would take occasion to say. that I was in favour of the distribution of the proceeds of the sales of the public lands among the States, and in favour of raising the revenues by du ties or, imports in opposition to a resort to a system of eiseet taxation, as every way onerous to the people, unpro ductive to the Treasury, and expensive in the collection. Tt:at in these views I was pleased to believe that I con curred with Mr. Clay and General Harrison, s•a tha there existed a prospect, in the cvant of General flarrisan's election, that a permanent system would he introduced in place of a fleeting and ever-varying system, which pro , milted one thing today and produced another to-morrow. " The above, as well as I can now recollect, was in sub stance what I said at Clairsville and Steub ovine. I see in it nothing to retract, and nothing to exp'ain, and should have repeated the above at Pittsburg, but for the fact that those around me exclaimed, That is enough !' when my answer was given. " I think that our friends need entertain no fear of harm from what I said among them. My opinions upon all sub jects of general interest are well known here and in the South ; and Virginia, Nortb Carolina, and -Georgia, have itespondel in no equivocal language. Alabama and Mis sissippi wilt not fail to class themselves alongside of their Southern sheers. " I aro, dear Sir, truly yours, "JOHN TYLER." COMMERCE AND NXVIGATION. CONVENTION OF COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN ON THE ONE PART, AND PRUSSIA, BAVARIA, SAXONY, WURTEMBURG, BADEN, THE ELEC TORATE OF HESSE, THE GRAND DUCHY OF HESSE, THE STATES FORMING THE CUSTOMS AND COMMERCIA I. UNION OF THURINGIA, NASSAU, AND FRANKFORT, ON THE OTHER PART. - . Art. I.ln consideration of the circumstance that British vessels are admitted, together with their cargoes, to entry in the ports of Prussia and of the other States of the afore named union of customs, when coming from the ports of all countries, and in consideration of the concessions stipu lated in this present convention for British trade with all the States of this union of customs ; in consideration, also, of the facility . which the application of steam power to inland navigation affords for the conveyance of pro duce and merchandise of all kinds up and down rivers; and in consideration of the new opening which may by these means be given to the trade and navigation between the United Kingdom and the British possessions abroad, on the one hand, and the States now composing the union of customs o.i the other ; some of which States use, as the natural outlet of their com merce, ports not within their own dominions; it is agreed that, front and after the date of the exchange of the ratifica tions of this present convention, Prussian vessels, and the vessels of the other States forming the said union of cus toms, together with their cargoes, consisting of all such goods as can be legally imported into the United Kiegdom and the British possessions abroad, by the said vessels from the ports of the countries to which they respectively belong, shall, when coming from the mouths of the Meuse, of the Era, of the Weser, and of the Elbe, or from the mouths of any navigab'e river lying between the Elbe and the Meuse, and forming the means of communication between the sea and the territory of any of the German States which are parties to this Treaty, be admitted into the ports from which such vessels may have come, as aforesaid, were within the dominions of Prussie, or of any otherof the States aforesaid ; and such vessels shall be permitted to import the goods above-mentioned upon the same terms on which the said goods might be imported if coming from the national ports of such vessels ; and also that, in like manner, such vessels proceeding from Great Britain and her colonial possessions abroad to the ports or places thus referred to, shall be treated as if returning to a Prussian Baltic port : —it being understood that these privileges are to extend to the vessels of Prussia and of the States aforesaid, and to their cargoes only in respect to each of the said ports in which British -vessels and their cargoes shall, upon their arrival thereat, and departure therefrom, continue to be placed on the same footing as the vessels of Prussia and of the other States of the Union. Art. 2. His Majesty the King of Prussia, in his own name, and in the name of the States aforesaid, agrees to place, al ways and in every way, the trade and navigation of the sub jects of her Britannic Majesty, in respect to the importation of sugar and rice, upon the same footing as that of the most favoured nation. Art. 3. In the event of other German States joining the Germanic union of customs, it is hereby agreed that such other States shall be included in the stipulations of the pre- I sent convention. . _ Art. 4. The present convention shall be in force until the Ist of January, 1842, and further for the term of six years, provided neither of the high contracting parties shall have given to the other six moths' previous notice that the same shall cease to be in force cn the said Ist of January, 1842; and if neither party shall have given to the other six months' previous notice that the present convention shall cease on the Ist day of J anuary, 1848, then the present convention shall further remain in force until the Ist day of January, 1854, and further, until the end of twelve months after either of the high contracting parties shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the same, each of the high contracting parties re serving. to itself the right of giving such notice to the other ; and it is hereby agreed between them, that at the expiration of twelve months after such notice shall have been received by either party from the other, this convention, and all the pro 'visions thereof, shall altogether cease and determine. Art. 5. The present convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications thereof shall be exchanged at London at the ex piration of two months, or sooner if possible. In witness whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have si pied the same, and have affixed thereto the Seals of their arms. Done at London, the second day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-one. ( L. S.) PA LM EASTON. (L. S.) IL LABOUCHERE. FATAL ACCIDENT AT WATERLOO-BRIDG E. —Yesterday afternoon, at half-past one o'clock, the followi i ng fatal accident occurred under one of the arches on that dlesex side cf Waterloo-bridge, to a young gentleman 1 e sent unknown. He had but a few minutes previously_ hired a boat for an excursion on the river, and on reaching Waterloo bridge a violent gust came on, which suddenly upset the boat, , and he being unable to swim, was drowned. The drags were procured, and every effort made to obtain the body , but it had I not been found at a late hour last evening. Ti r t e h s s t g o rumalsl.s front Both Ntvheree,sohuoiNhvi VIOLENT STORNE.—Yesterdny afternoon the metropolis was visited by two s ever, of short duration. neither having lasted' more than a quarter of an hour or twenty.minutes. The first, which was chiefly confined to heavy rain, west, and a distant peal of thunder, took place at forty-five minutes past two o'clock, p.m., and t h e s econd, which was more violent than the first, occurred at a quarter past four o'clock. During the short continuance of the second, the rain, mingled with large hailstones, fell in torrents, accompa -9 APRIL 30.—The Di'dbblytlls'iTiOelt g S us U ts G o A f R wi M nd. ARKET disposition to purchase sugars, which the reduced ' ilas to sell has produced a the week. psuribeseisdaedre;and Neared nel ire ve of ' fi v e 2tv anxiety .v of f d tse. recently, importersduring al). f t u h r e th p e r r es d s com pletely nominal. EVENING EDITION. PORTUGAL. FALaioutn, MAY I.—The Royal Tar steamer arrived here this morning from the Peninsula, and, after landing h er ma il s , proceeded to S o uth ampton . She left at Gibrattar, on the_ ltd ult., the Briti s h men o f war S corpion and Lizard and transport. Sailed from Cadiz the 23d, Lisbon, the' 26th, Oporto, the 27th, and Vigo the 28th: • There were lying_ at Lisbon the Trincul o an d t h e F renc h corvette Coquette; and in Posse des Arcos Bay the EsPoir:--Passengers : Messrs. White, Muir, Wnrhead, Foster, 'Ghissop, Shee, El- - vington, Keates, J. Ellis, A. Anair, Ga=kett, Janson, F. Baywootl, R. Cozen, A. Winton, N. Seal, Fleming, and Major Neltz. The steamer Oriental, h as arr i ve d from Liver pool for to-morrow's mail for India, and is now receiving on board her supply of coals. Admiral Sir William Parker has arrived to take his passage in her, and also amongst the pas sengers by this splendid steam-ship are three panees (mer chants and snip-builder:) returning to Bombay ; we under stand that they have been in England for the list three years; their principal residence has been at Chatham. Wind easterly for the last three days. The Royal Tar brings Lisbon Papers of the 28th ult. The conditions ~f the commercial trca!y negotiated with England had not transpired, but it was current that they had been trans mitted home ty Lord Howard de Walden for the consideration of his Government. - The Septembrista Papers, as usual, con tinued their vo;:iferations against the treaty. of which they ad. mit they know nothing. It would seem as if the object of the Serembi Lta press-was to prove themselves nm; e Spanish than the Spaniards theatselyc;, and to excite the 111 feeling of their neighbours against the treaty, at whatever risk of sacrificing the interests of Portugal to their foolish hatred of England. The large smuggling trade that goes on between the land frontiers of Portugal and Spain, cotton goods and silt being imported from Portugal into Spain in spite of all prohibition, and Spanish corn to an immense extent, passing regularly into Portugal from Castile, is to be put en end to by a change of system, and the legalising a traffic which cannot he prevented, and not by anti-commercial leagues. The average revenue derived from the articles of food, &e., consumed in Lisbon, amounts to about 800contos, or 200,000/, and it augmented by the new imposts proposed by Senhor Flo rido, is computed at 1,000 contos. Baron Tejal had succeeded in finding money to pay off a portion of the arrears due to the officers of the army, and had transmitted considerable sums to pay the troops in the Algerves and elsewhere. The Bark had made a further advance of 150 contos. The contrac• s for the new Treasury Bills were to be open till the end of the iftrnth. The guerillas in the Algarves had again become troublesome, and continued their career of robbery in increased numbers. The Coun:ess of Durham and family came from Gibraltar to Cadiz in the Royal Tar, and were expected at Lisbon. There were tumours at Lisbon that the Ministry would be completed by Senhor Florido's coming in as Home Minister, and Senhor Franzint as Minister of Marine and Colduiec. THE WEATHER.—NOON, MAY 3. ROYAL GALLERY OF SCIENCE, ADELAIDE-STREET. Barometer Thermometer 43.5 I Highest 75 I Lowest ... 44 Wind N. E. —Freezing Point 32 Deg. • HOW . TO GOVERN THE MASSES. (From the Nonconformist.) A short way and a vigorous one, of dealing with famished miPions, is that in fashion at Sr. Stephen's. Drive them trona every common in the kingdom by En closure Acts—have they not the roads ? Worry them with dame-lasts—are the sports of gentlemen to he abandoned? Wring from them half their scanty wages by taxes upon their articles of food and clothing—hem them about on all sit'.e; by restrictions, that they may carry their Lbour and their skill to the lowest markets —prevent them frern buying bread et any but the 1 dearest. When, by such means, they arc deprived of all power to stave off want, break up their homes— shut them up in workhouses—separate husband and 1 wife , children and parents—set over them low-bred, 1 domineering masters—pay chapla;ns to pleads Christian patience to them—and, if nature rebels, off with them Ito blackholee, fled starve them into submission. This is the approved method of governing " the masses !" I if there be justice in Heaven, as assuredly there is— although heattiess rulers mcy forget it ; if there be a God above us, whose prerogative it is to right the op pressed, and judge those who " grind the face of the poor," these things cannot last. The abetters of this fearful tyranny—Whig, Tory, or Radical—aristocrat, mercantile, or trading—may hope in van to escape re m tribution. Tae storm is brewing. Thickening lurid clouds skirt the horizon. Commerce declines. Trade l cannot regain its wonted elasticity. Sources of pros perity are, one after another, drying np to appear is other lands. All things betoken the slow, but. certain approach of a universal smash. I But this New Poor-law—have not all parties spoken well of it ? Do not all agree—all, who bare not sinister designs to answer—that it works well? I Yes! ail but " the masses'—considerably above one. half of the nation. Were the lion the painter, a Istrangely different picture would be drawn. What I • thee I Are the poor "to eat up," in the language of i Lord Brougham, .‘ their Lordships' estates?" Little need, we think, to ask that question, would their Lordships forbear to prey upon the estates of the poor. Must not idleness be discouraged, must not real pro . verty be discriminated by a searching test ? What else is.proposed—what other object is answered by this all-applauded Bill? We answer with another query. Is it not a right principle that all men should provide honestly for their own? Wall in, now, some dozen men, and coop them up within a paddock, a few yards square. Tell them to get their living by their labour— preach to them tbat our mother earth is bountiful, at the same moment that you take from them their best tools. Bid theta give you half their produce, and does not the principle, which is intrinsically good, become totully it applicable ? a practical tyrannizing falsehood? It mskes all the difference, whether contentment he urged as a duty before or after dinner. There is another mode of governing " masses," not so much in vogue 'tis . true, but one which the sooner our Legislators adopt, the better for all parties. The soul of it is, tI at wen have rights, as well as property. Landowners and tundholders little dream of this. Tie heavy burdens, their own despotic tendeecies created, they have mainly cast upon the back of poverty. To swell their own enormous incomes, labour is forbiddun to sell its fruits at this market, hunger to satiaff itself at that. Give hack the poor their rights, rights rudely snatched frcm them at the point of the bayonet, lay upon them only their equitable proportion of tsxstion ; give their industr: " a fair stage and no favour ;" suffer them to buy and sel las they list without State-inter meddling, an I when this is done, praise the new Poor-law, if you will, ns a marvellous statesman-like measure. The poor will object to it no longer. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR-If I mistake not, your columns have advocated the exclusion o+ the Bishops from the House of Lords. Perhaps not so frequently as if there had appeared any chance of that change being effected ; for, it is clways discouraging when there is no prospect of any attention being paid to that which one upholds and recommends. I am somewhat surprised, Sir, that none of our lawyers have ever pointed out a simple, and a pelfeclly legal course, whereby, as the Bishops die off, their successors might be przvented ent :ring the House of Lords ; and so, by degrees, would the number of parliamentary Bishops decrease, until no snore would be le't. . . Tile Bishops sit. in Parliament, not in virtue of their bishcprics, but of their baronies. Those baronies in vest the Bishops with their temporalities ; and it is quite optional with the Crown either to grant the temporalities or to withhold them. Let the experiment be tried on the appointment of the now vacant see of Worcester, and the question would be brought to an issue at once. When tl-,e new Bishop shall make the accustomed application for the tzmporalities held by his predecessor, and for the accumulation since his de cease, let the tem Bishop be told that the temporali ties, &c., have been handed over to the Consolidated Fund, for the augmentation of the public revenue, and that the like is intended to be done hereafter as the other bishoprics fall vacant. The election of a Bishop is wholly a matter of grace and favour on the part of the Crown, for there is no obligation upon the'part of the Suv....reign to issue a conge d'elire to the Chapter The adored Protestant Queen Bess used to Increase her revenue by keeping bishoprics vacant several years, and what Dizabeth did could not be condcweci by any true Church of Englandists of the present day. It is scarcely possible to conceive any act which would be half so popular as that which I have recom. mended. It would immortalize the name of the So. vereign who should first try it, as w ell as stren g then, lause ich beyond the power of calculation, the Administration who should recommend and u p hold it. That our youn g and excellent Queen nay be the Sov h ereign*sil who shalt reap the full quantum of app l be inse parable from the course above recommended, i s t h e ardent wish of one of her most loyal subjects, who has the honour to subsc ribe yo himelf, u r v s ery obedient servant, Mr. Editor, ril 30, 1841. BRIT AN N ICUS. London, A was extinct., ebxeetinnet._ _SUI , CIDE OF GENERAL SIR F b O U R R % s E A Y N O D E v v. G ic E LI NERA T L h. OF THE O RD . cer and talented gentleman, who for some time N R A II N NF c AI E NE . EL A N A'S : P N C I I°EIN:I: °fli i n a desponding state, and was under the care of a medicalgentleman and two keepers, contrived , in their temporary absence, to hang himself to the bed-posts of his 5 , Portland -street, Southampton; his unfortunate and desperate act was not discovered until life An it quest was to be held this afternoon.-- Hampshire r gallanttit A , a t No. Tflegraph cf Saturday. [The gallant General who was eighty years of age, was Colonel of the 11.112 Foot, t ) which he was appoictcd in 1837. He was at the. taking of INlartiniqur, Guadaloupe, and St. Lucie;, wound at Ostend, accompanied the expedition to C 0 .. Penh 'gen in 1607, and received a modal for Talavera. He sat for the borough of Berwick from 1832 to 1837, when he was defeated by his Tory opponent by a majority of 26 votes. In It'39, he was returned for Sandwich.] A SINGULAR CASE.—The Pittsburgh Ame rican states that a man in Lewiston was supposed to have died :rom over rating and drinking, and from some awkwardness in putting him in the coffin, which had been procured, he wait suffered to fall on the floor, The shock had the effect to I knock life into him, f o r he immediately rose to inquire w h at they were about. I-Ie has refusnd to pay the funeral expenses, and the coffin maker and others have brought suits against him for their bill!._ _ _. a. • •• SENDING NEWSPAPERS BY POST.--The ppst: master of Lerwick, in Shetland, says, "I had occasion to re ' turn from 30 to 40 newspapers at a time to the dead letter office,' without covers whatever; I would recommend that ad dresses of all paters be written on the papers themselves." (TVs is a very wise suggesti on; but if the newspap e rs w ere " without any covers," w e should like to know how they hap • pened to getito Shetland ?)