The Sun. — London, England, 1870-02-09 00:00:00

SitETCIIES IN PARLIAMENT. TUESDAY. Notwithstanding that, on the ground of ill-health, the Queen was again unable to open Parliament in person, considerable interest was evidently taken by the outside public in the proceedings attendant upon the open ing of a session in which, according to the in dications conveyed in the Queen's Speech, and according likewise to the rumours that have dAring the recess been afloat, very eventful matters are to be brought forward. Not only was Westminster Hall crowded, but the precincts of Palace Yard were occupied by several hundreds of persons, who had the appearance generally of belonging to the working class element. A strong posse of police was in attendance and had no difficulty in preserving order. As the mem • hers of Parliament arrived they were cheered, but no occasion arose for boisterous demonstration, as neither Mr. Gladstone nor any other member of the Cabinet put in an appearance. Mr. Stansfeld and Mr. Glynn were the only members of the Government, in fact, that attended the opening ceremony. The former took his scat on the front Ministerial bench shortly before prayers ; the latter not until after players. As each passed through Westminster Hall to the priv,ate entrance for the CillberS he was loudly cheered, as was alFo Mr. Baines, who, during the recess, at Leeds and elsewhere in the North of England, has distinguished himself by his educational, speeches; and Mr. Candlish, whose determination to sift to the bottom the expenditure- (which he considers, extravagant) impelled him to snake a special journey to India during the recess and personally reconnoitre the ground where the money was squandered. With these exceptions, hardly any other member was noticed, otherwise than with silent curiosity. In the Lords the peers began to assemble a few minutes before two o'clock. They consisted, for the most part, of accessions since last session. The only one of note a mongst other constituents of the house was Lord Penzance, who, since his elevation to the peerage has been present before at only one sessional sitting. The fresh accessions who attended, and afterwards took the oaths, were the Bishops of Winchester, Bath and Wells, Oxford, Salisbury, Carlisle, and Exeter, and Lords Buckhurst, Balinhard, Hare, Howard of Glossop,Castl t wn, Robartes,andGreville. But in addition to these, there were the Bishops of London, Gloucester, Hereford, and Rochester, and Lords Dunsany, Redesdale (that most indefatigable member of all others in the Upper House) Bandon, Fortes vie, and Landsdale. On the ministerial front benches not a single individual appeared. A minute or two before two o'clock the Lord Chancellor entered the House, preceded by the Mace Bearer and the Usher of the Black Rod, and passed through to the robing-room, whence presently his lordship emerged, accompanied by the other Lords Com missioners—Viscount Sydney, Earl Kimberley, the Earl of Bessborough, and Earl do Grey and Ripon. Having taken their seats in front of the throne, attired in their robes, the Lord Chancellor commanded "Black Rod' to summon the Speaker and the gentlemen of the Commons to hear her Majesty's Commission read. In a few minutes, the gentlemen of the Commons crowded up to the bar of the House, but their entrance was unmarked by that confusion and uproar which, a session or two ago, was commented upon in a very unfavourable light generally by the Press and the public. For once their behaviour was most decorous. In some measure this was doubtless owing to the large bevy of peeresses, that occupied the back benches. The Commission having been read by the Clerk at the Table, the Lord Chancellor proceeded to read the speech from the throne. The Commons afterwards withdrew, and the Peers, spiritual and temporal, whose names are mentioned above as being fresh accessions to the Upper House, proceeded to take the oaths, the Bishop of Winchester (late Oxford), being the first so to do and to make his obeisance to the Lord Chancellor, The sitting afterwards was suspended until 5 o'clock. In the House of Commons the first arrival was Colonel French, who in the view of securing a good seat appeared on the scene so early as a little before 12 o'clock. The deposit of his hat in the place associated for some sessions past, with the burly form of Mr. White, was done with a precision of manner that would have excited roars of laughter had anybody else been present. After him came in Mr. McCullagh Torrens, Mr. Baines (who invariably distinguishes himself by his punctuality), and Mr. Muntz, each gentleman following in quick succession. Then there was a lull for a few moments, when Mr. Hubberton joined the little knot now gathered on the floor of the House and presently came Mr. Locke-King, Mr. Pim, Mr. White —who was naturally nonplussed, if not indignant, when he found his customary seat already occupied. Now the members increased rapidly—so rapidly, indeed, as to make it a matter of impossibility to specially identify all. There were Viscount Milton, Dr. Brewer, Earl Percy, Mr. Dodds, Mr. C. Glynn (who as yet was the sole member of the Government in attendance), Alderman Delahunty Sir John Hay, Mr. Walter, Mr. Charles Buxton, Sir C. W. Mike, Bart., Mr. C. Reed, Mr. Helms, Mr. M`Arthur, Mr. Dent., Sir Rainold Knightley, Bart., Mr. Candlish, Sir George Jenkinson (who was received with a titter), the late Lord Mayer, Mr. R. Crawford, and a host of others. They formed in knots in all parts of the House, and the conversation was of the noisiest and most hearty character. Shortly before two o'clock the Speaker, preceded by the mace bearer, and fol lowed by the new chaplain (the Rev. Henry White), entered the House, and the strangers having been ordered to withdraw, prayers were said. After prayers the con versation was resumed, and at exactly five minutes past two, Black Rod was announced, and Colonel Clifford approached the table. He delivered his summons, and the Speaker proceeded to the other House, followed by the faithful Commons. On their return, the sitting was suspended until four o'clock. The first business of the Lords on reassembling was to swear in more members, amongst whom was Lord Derby. At five o'clock the debate on the Address in answer to the Speech from the Throne was opened by the Marquis of Huntly, who, in hie uniform as officer of the 42nd High landers, presented an exceedingly interesting am ear ance, and, as well, by the noble manner in which, for one so youthful, he delivered himself, drew upon him all eyes. The House was unpre cedently filled. The front Ministerial benches were occupied by Earl Granville, Earl de Grey and Ripon, the Duke of Argyll, Earl Kimberley, &c., while the Opposi tion was represented mainly by Lord Cairns, Lord Derby, and the Kr: of Malmeabury. The Earl of Fingal seconded the Address, and when he had sat down Lord Cairns rose, and delivered one of those incisive speeches for which he is celebrated. While criticising some points in the Ministerial pro gramme in a prejudicial spirit, he had the candour to admit there were matters contained in it which afforded him satisfaction, and which, in fact, _had he himself been entrusted with its preparation, he could not have dealt with in language more appropriate. The course of the debate presented no special features, but it is a rare occur rence that an assemblage more brilliant or contemplative is witnessed. The Commons was unusually crowded, and the tone of the 1 r xeedings throughout indicated business. The first half hour was occupied in the ordinary way—with the swearing in of new members, and a perfect Babel of tongues. Directly the hands of the clock pointed to half-past four, th e Speaker's voice was heard calling for notices of motion. In quick succession member after member rose, and, supposing their good intentions were carried out by the end of the session, we may expect the constitution of the country will rest on a totally different basis to what it does now. Mr. Watkin Williams, for instance, proposes to do with the Established Church, as regards the Principality, the same as was done last session with the Irish Church. We are to have colonial law consolidated and amended. The National Debt is to be got rid of in a different way to what it has hitherto been; savings, banks are to be put on a different footing; and friendly societies are to be subjected to fresh legislation. All this is to be undertaken by Government, the Chancellor o f the Exchequer having given notice of Motion on the several subjects. Mr. Glad stone, whose entrance into the House, as well as his rising to address it, was the signal for ringing cheers, moved that the House declare Mr. O'Donovan Rossa incapable of taking his seat on account of his conviction as a Fenian. Cheers and counter cheers followed the announcement - , and the same occurred when Mr. G. IL Moore immediately afterwards moved as an amendment that the whole subject of Mr. Gladstone's motion be ram-NI to a committee. The debate on the Address was unmarked by any striking novelty. Titz PEroum OF TIIT PRIVY COUNCIL.—The ramous of reform of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council are again current It is expected that in the ensuing sereien a large measure of reform of the Judi chi Committee will be brought forward by the Govern ra3nt. It is said that considering the immense interests involved in appeals from India and otherplaces it is neces sary to establish a paid tribunal. Among Cm rumours uue Cu, t sir It. Palmer, Mr. Forsyth, Q.C.. and Mr. Leitl. are lixely to take scats en the eummittie under tl:c new 711CaS11 re. THE " TrPTON SLASUER."—Tho commiseratioil cf the sportin,7 public may have been excited by the stork of Wm. Perry, tho " Tipton Slasher," having so fallen iron his high estate as to be an inmate of the Gateshead Work house. Another William Perry now writes indig nantly to declare that he himself is the real " Slasher.' and the pauper only a designing imposter. He wishes to be confronted with the soi-disant " Slasher," for the public to judge between the merits of the two. The occasion, however, must be a benefit for him, the real Simon pure, and he requests that his expenses will be paid to the N9rtb, proulifoixj Ellis volt§ iy3Yfi• hhn. • ! tt . MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. Tin SPZEOIt. The epeeoh from the Throne yesterday, instead. 61 being 64 extrem9ly long," as one journal prophesied, is only of moderate length. It states that the con dition of the revenue has been good, and that the expenditure charges will show a reduction. The land laws of Ireland will be amended in a manner "adapted to the peculiar circumstances of that country : " There will be an enlargement, "on a com prehensive scale," of the means of national educa tion. There will also be a Naturalisation Bill, a University Tests Bill, and measures for extending the incidence of rating, the amending of the licensing laws, facilitating the transfer of land, and removing the disabilities of trade unionists. The state of Ireland is said to give her Majesty great concern. She "places her main reliance on the permanent operation of wise and neces sary changes in the law. Yet she will not hesitate to recommend to you the adoption of special provisions, should such a policy appear, during the course of the session, to be required by the paramount interest of peace and order." SICK STATESMEN. Thoso persons who believe that Mr. Bright makes an inefficient President of the Board of Trade will be surprised to learn that he is seriously indisposed through overwork. The ri g ht h on . gent l eman has been advised change of air and recrea tion. Mr. Bruce, too, is suffering from bronchitis, and Mr. Disraeli is also ill, though less seriously. ARMY CHANGES AND REDUCTIONS. The Pall Mall Gazette says that there seems at last to be some chance of the long-expected reorga nisation and reductions at the War Office being car ried into effect. It believes that the Accountant. General of the Army, Mr. William Brown, C. 8., will retire with a full pension and knight hood. The Director of Clothing retires, that department being further reduced, and the greater portion of its work will be transferred to Pimlico or Woolwich. Nothing is as yet finally de cided as to the amalgamation of certain branches of the military offices at the Horse Guards with the corresponding divisions at Pall Mall. About one-sixth of the gentlemen at present employed in the latter office will shortly be invited to retire on the exceptional rates of pension which the Acts of Parliament and the Treasury minutes grounded on them allow in case o reduction. All these changes may be looked for on the Ist of April next, when the financial year com mences, and they might be expected to point to the form which the regenerated War Office is to take. WATERFORD. Polities at Waterford, consequent upon the un seating of Sir H. Barron, are becoming very cJinpli cated. Mr. Purcell, who first came forward, has retired again ; but Mr. Osborne has appealed to the electors, and so has Mr. Creane, whilst Sir John Ennis and Mr. James Esmonde, brother of the county member, are spoken of, and Mr. Smyth, form er ly connected with that hournalistic light, the Irishman, i s thi n ki ng o f o ff er i ng imself on national principles. Amid all this confu sion one gentleman is very favourably looked upon. Election forecasts are notoriously untrustworthy, but it is argued with some show of reason that if Sir Henry Barron, the head of an old and powerfnl political coterie, who have disposed of the repre sentatation of the city since the time of Catholic emancipation, could beat Mr. Bernal Osborne by only sixteen votes, and that too with the aid of bribery, the chance of the latter cannot be a bad one. TIPPERARY. Ungenerously counting upon O'Donovan - Rossa's expulsion from the House of Commons, the Natio nalists are thinking of putting up Mr. Butt. Q.C. This course is favoured because if the contest lie between Rossa and Mr. Heron, the latter will very probably be elected, as the priests will this time throw their whole influence into the scale. Now, the Nationalists do not regard Mr. Heron with any favour—they think him weak and vacillating ' • and they seek a man who will prove acceptable both to themselves and the clergy. This is Mr. Butt. LONDONDERRY. At Londonderry there is a prevalent rumour to the effect that Mr. Sergeant Dowse, M.P. for that city, has accepted the Solicitor-Generalship of Ireland. Mr. Baxter, of London, commenced to canvass on Monday in Londonderry in the Conserva tive interest. The election will, it is said, take place in about three weeks. THE CLERGY AND EDUCATION. The Bishop of Salisbury has followed the example of his brethren, and has held an educational con ference of the clergy and laity in his diocese. Dr. Moberley told the assembly that by means of the ruri-decanal gatherings of the clergy and laity of the diocese he had ascertained that they were strongly in favour of maintaining the existing connection between religion and education, that there was a decided feeling for a plan of indirect compulsion, and that a conscience clause was considered an inevitable concomitant of a national system of education, although it was not deemed desirable. The meeting decided to support the present system, but, if neces• sari, to accept an arrangement, leaving perfect liberty of instruction to the teacher, and liberty of with• drawal to the parent. CLERICAL DISABILITIES. The inability of a clergyman to enter any other profession, with few exceptions, has been the subject of a memorial to Mr. Gladstone, forwarded by Pro. fessor Rogers. The Premier, in a letter to the Pro. lessor, pronounces decisively against the law. "For my part, I am decidedly of opinion that the existing law cannot be defended, and the Government would, I think, be inclined to favour any well-digested measure for relief from the grievance of which come plaint is made. I wish that we were in a condition to undertake the duty, but in the present state of the lemands upon us, and in view of the labours of the !owing session, I am sorry to see that I could not with any propriety enter into any engagement with reference to this matter." TILE LICENSING SYSTEM. The amendment of the laws which regulate the ?ranting of licenses for the sale of spirit uous an d fer mentedliquors is one of the points " recommended" to the Lords and Commons in the Queen's Speech. The question, therefore, will be considered, a,nd it is to be hoped, and reasonably expected, that the Government, taking advantage of the expressed opinions of local bodies and persons Df individual experience, will succeed in passing a measure calculated to conduce to the increased welfare of the public. At a conference held in the Town Hall, Birmingham, under the presidency of the Mayor, .t memorial for presentation to the Government, has been adopted, embodying the following suggestions: 1. Ratepayers to have the power of preventing the ?ranting of additional licenses. 2. Public-houses to be closed on Sundays entirely. 3. And on other days the hours for the sale of drink to be from eight to ten. 4. Increased protection for young persons by the sup pression of abuses connected. with laces of entertain ment. And, 5. Disqualification of public-houses for the holding of committee meetings at elections EMIGRATION. Sir George Grey, in conjunction with Mr. George Potter, again enforced the necessity for State-assisted emigration at a Leeds meeting on Monday night. There need, he said, be no fear as to this country being drained of artisans and labourers. The popula tion increased at so large a ratio that " weeding" was rather a beneficial operation than other wise. By sending surplus labour abroad we should prevent the working clmses from indulging in vice and immorality, and from falling into the poor-house. In Australia and New Zealand there was no possibility of failure except through idleness or bad conduct. The inhabitants of these countries were the owners of the land they tilled and the houses they built, and when he compared their condition with the squalor and wretchedness of many a home in England, his heart was oppressed with heaviness. THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES ACT. The Social Science Association, with the assistance of several ladies, discussed the Contagious Diseases Act on Monday night. Mr. Biggs opposed the exten sion of the measure—not on the moral ground, for he considered it foolish to refuse treatment to the disease because it was the result of sin—but because it did not seek to remove the malady, but only to obviate its effects. It attempted merely to make an infamous calling more decorous. It only dispersed the women affected ; it did not reform them. Dr. Drysdale said the measure was wrong, and that the marriage of soldiers ought to be promoted. Dr. Chapman thought the Act had not been in force long enough to permit a decision as to its effects; and Dr. Druitt p o i n t e d out t h e danger of the pol i ce abusing their power. Mr. Holland, on the other hand, supported the measure, saying that whilst the causes of the e v il wou l d require centuries to remove, its effects were combatted by the Act at once. IMPROVED DWELLINGS FOR TUE POOR. Some years ago a co m p any was set on foot in London for the improvement of the house accommo ton of the labouring classes. The principle of the work was to be partly co mmerc i a l , partly philanthro pic. A meeting has been held at the Mansion house to consider the last h a lf- year ' s report. The public estimation of the value of the under taking is shewn by the fact of the whole of the capital being subscribed, to the amount of £125,000 in shares. A further sum of £125,000 is now to be raised, making in all £250,000. Besides this, loans to a large amount have been arranged, and thus the work of erection and improvement is enabled to nrozress,farauxahl.v. .Five.._blorlat of bnildimuiro rHE SUS, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 9, 1870. being erected in Pimlico, on the estate of the - Mar quis of Westminster, to contain about 110 tenements, accommodating about 600 people. The rent received from the previously-built tenements is very satisfac tory, and the enterprise seems to be beneficial to the workin c r , classes, who are thus enabled to live in clean and well-built houses at a moderate rent, and also to the shareholders, who have been granted a divi dend of 5 per cent. TELEGRAPHIC PUNCTUALITY. A. correspondent of the Evening Standard com plains that the new telegraphic authorities exhibit too much zeal in the delivery of messages the instant they arrive. The mischief such a letter aims at, and is actually calculated to accom plish, is not concealed by the veil of flimsy jocularity with which the writer describes how he was roused in the night to receive a telegram, the consequent negligent conduct of the housemaid, the inability of the cook to perform her accustomed duty with regard to the eggs and bacon, all the accompaniments of the fearful ordeal of having to get up in the night, are related in a man ner that cannot fail to convince the public that the only remedy for poor " W. C." is to agitate for the speedy abolition of such an iniquitous system. Now, this narrow mode of reasoning might cer tainly apply to the delivery at night of a business telegram of an ordinary character, but all telegrams are not of this description. If it is annoy ing to be roused up . in order to hear that sugar in Edinburgh is quiet, or corn in York flat, it is of not the less importance to know that it is indispensable for the receiver of a message to leave his place by the first train, or that he has only a few hours' chance to see a dying relative. Such a want of interest in the punctual delivery of a telegram might easily lead to less alacrity on the part of those to whose care it is entrusted. The notion is hurtful, and if anything can equal the almost culpable folly of anyone complaining of too much zeal on the part of the new telegraphic authorities, it certainly is the weakness of a journal devoting a leading article to the cqvide:ation of such a complaint. FIYANCE COMPANIES. (From the Angles American Times.) The Report of the London and Brighton Railway Co. is worth reading, and keeping, for future read ing. The first question it suggests is—Were the old directors selected from a lunatic asylum ? The next —Were the shareholders idiots, and the directors smart men ? That the latter were not smart appears on the face of the report, if it is to be credited, for every one seems to have lost. But did all lose? Could £4,000,000 sterling have been so invested as to entail on the company an annual outlay of £35,000 to keep the work going constructed by the four millions ? Were any American asked to believe that an ordinary board of directors could have carried out such a business without profit to a single individual he would laugh derisively, well knowing that all un derneath must have been a mass of dishonesty and corruption, of that cruel, relentless, voracious charac ter wh'eli sacrifices everything to the one object of immediate and personal gain. It matters not that the money is worse than wa-ted, entailing an annual charge instead of making a return, if only the con tractor can extract a large profit; and SmiTir and BROWN on the direction are mainly interested in what their pickings are to be. Yet if these people could realise the result of such work many of them would be touched with compassion, and, like JUDAS ISCARIOT, throw down their ill-gotten gains and go and hang themselves. But they are mainly composed of two classes; those utterly callous, per haps having a fiendish enjoyment in the ruin, and those who have no imagination, therefore not com prehending the work till it presents itself in some ap palling form, when their object is to escape the sight, to dispel the horrid phantom. Strange, too, the public have little or no sympathy with the ruined families, and on the whole rather support the fraudulent directors. The reason is, that, when such people are brought to account, their distress and suffering being forcibly depicted and presented to public gaze in individual cases, move compassion, while the victims are an impalpable multitude, nowhere to be seen ; and to excite sympathy there must be in dividuality. The directors, too, are an active body, who work hard in their own interests, and know how to move the Loudon press. In consequence, acts as disgraceful as any committed by the Erie clique have been carried on in London iu defiance of English law, or rather in connivance with it ; indeed, little less so than with the celebrated New York Board. We are glad to see a periodical like the Quarterly Review* come out as it does in the Janu ary number with these telling remarks :—" Sup pose that a great blunder has been committed, a great loss incurred, and that the shareholders pro pose to bring the directors to book. The directors can at once release themselves of their office by sel ling their shares, and thereby disqualifying them selves as directors; or they may resign their seats, and there will probably be an end of the matter, so far as they are concerned. Thus some of the most disgraceful blunders and extravagances of recent times have been committed. Let the attempt be made to 'attach blame to individuals—to fix respon sibility somewhere—and see what will be the re sult ? The unfortunate directors will receive gene ral sympathy ; they will be dismissed from the presence of the judge with congratulations, perhaps with cheers ; and, though a thousand families may have been ruined, it will usually be found that no body was to blame ! Not only joint-stock blunders, but positive frauds have come to be committed with impunity, under the presidency, and with the ap parent sanction, of men of the highest rank. But sitting as one of a number upon a Board, seems, as it were, completely to alter the character of men. In disposing of their own money they may be most scrupulous, but in dealing with the money of others they will be found risking it upon schemes in which individually they would not risk one farthing. Men cf honourable position shrink from telling a lie, but collectively they are found affixing their names to accounts that are inaccurate and deceptive, if not positively false. Indeed it has almost come to be recognised that there is one standard of morality for private persons, and another for the directors of public compauier. The exposures that have taken place during the last few years, more particularly in connection with railway and finance com panies, would furnish ample proof, if proof were needed, that this is no exaggerated statement." The companies it is our intention to discuss are those financial concerns to which the Quarterly alludes, more especially two, whose half-yearly meetings are about to be held. One of the excrecences produced by the inflation which ended so disastrously in 1866 was the establishment of such concerns as the Lou don Financial, the Imperial Mercantile Association, and the Credit Foncier, one of which has disas trously failed, while the other two drag on a miser able existence, practically in liquidation, having for years ceased to pay dividends. They were heralds dto the world as the bright dawn of a new financial era ; our fathers in commerce had been unmitigated fogies, through whose thick atmosphere but few rays of any science of economy had ever penetrated. The first glimpses long ago fell upon Mr. LAW, shed ding their lustre over Paris, but the darkness in which the world was then shrouded could not by them be dispelled ; that was reserved for the directors of these financial luminaries. They were not young enthusiasts who led in pursuit of this ignuus fatuus, indeed such would not have suited the floaters of any mere bubbles. JOHN BULL requires heavy re spectability ; the heavier, the greater the confidence, and nothing could exceed in weight the ponder ous humanity around these boards. The heavy re spectability of the London Financial became pro verbial, and the reply to any doubt, to any asper sion, to any questionable transaction, was the re spectability of the direction. Through promises which ought to be read by the side of the performances to understand the difference ; through prospectuses altogether at variance with the workings promised; through annual statements and addresses, neither more nor less than misrepresentations; from a pre mium of 100 per cent. down to a discountwhich swal lowed thepaid-up capital, and call after call as quickly as made ; from dividends of 20 per cent. per annum to these calls following one after the other in total disregard of all assurances to the contrary, and leav ing a wide track of ruin behind—this company held on its disastrous road, covered the whole way by its respectability. " The gentlemen directing our establishment are no Admirals and Generals, Baro nets and Honourables, who do not understand busi ness, but experienced and respectable City men, unlikely either to be deluded or to mismanage what they undertake." The Imperial Mercantile had a still stronger board of City men, as it re presented two amalgamated companies. it was established in 1864, and paid dividends till within three months of its disastrous failure; indeed its last meeting was the most encouraging of all, 20 per cent. being divided, and a fair sum carried to the reserve, figures and talk bespeaking a flourish ing business and ample resources; yet, could a share holder have paid three times the amount he had in vested in the company to have had his shares can celled cn the spot he would have made a good bar gain. The Cr6clit Foncier is the best known of these concerns from its outspoken, audacious announce ments. The Directors, with the utmost confidence, were in the habit of forecasting the financial future, and sketching the financial horizon. Dividends of 40 per cent. were freely forwarded, beautifully wrapped up in papers containing the words of wisdom. The delighted shareholder treasured the brilliant pro spects, the gratifying results of his own foresight in selecting such a company and in upholding such managers. In big letters was laid before him, " the effect of these measures will be practically to make our shares a minimum 20 percent. stock;" and although 20 per cent. was little over half the cust ornery dividend, yet it was only the minimum which he might calcu lateon, as the funnolder on his Three per Conte., for were not thefuuds whereon the company relied, real iz d? These were the financial lights which dazzled London, though really emanations from Paris, and the instruments used were the old, " well known, and highly respectable citizens of London." The Impe rial Mercantile vanished in its utter rottenness, and it is worth the while of English investors to preserve the names of the men who formed the Board, for future reference; for these people will again be coming up when they imaginethatwhat the Quarterly calls " their * Quarterly Review. January, 1870. "On Life Asourance Companies." disgraceful blunders and extravagances" have been forgotten. The public, however, may rest assured that there wassomething more disgraceful than blun ders in this work. Lord REDESDALE gave the clue to all concerned shortly after the establishment of these companies. Of course he was called an old Tory fogey, long behind his day, but he happened to be the Chairman of the Peers Railway Commit tee, and he happened also as a man of discernment and practical knowledge of the world, to have an insight into some of the under currents of villainy, when he bluntly told what these Finance Companies were. It is remarkable, and worth noting, that on their being analysed, they are found to be linked with bankrupt railways, chain within chain, wheel within wheel. The public had no notion what rail ways had to do with Finance Companies, therefore men were slow to believe the truth of Lord REDES DALE'sstaternent, that these electric lights, promising so much and stirring the hearts of the investing English public were neither more nor less than the creations of a set of railway contractors, notorious schemers, corruptionists, and speculators, to use as reservoirs for drawing the money of the public, to give them the greater facilities for the construction of such lines as ruined the London and Brighton Rail road, naturally one of the most valuable and profitable of English properties. Our space is too limited now fully to sketch the career of any of these Financial As sociations, which we will reserve for another number. Indeed there are a few facts connected with their his tories which ought to be impressed on the public mind, for it is , a truth which cannot be too often re peated to use the words of the Quarterly; " it has almost come to be recognized that there is one standard of morality for private persons, and ano ther for Directors of public Companies." POLICE INTELLIGENG'E—Yesterday. THAMES. THE ROBBERY IN THE Dock.—John Jones, aged 30 years, a dock labourer, was brought before Mr. Lushington, charged with stealing four ounces of tea in the West India Dock. The prisoner was stopped by Peter Smith, a dock constable, as he was leaving the dock at the import entrance, and he was ordered to take off his boats. in which four ounces of tea were found. The tea wits perfectly clean, and did not consist of sweepings. There acre thousands of chests of tea on the quays, and some of them were broken. The Pri- : over —lt's all true what the officer says. Mr. Lushington—You have been led into temp tation, which you should have resisted. I sentence you to 21 days' imprisonment and hard labour. DA RING ROBBELCY IN A SEAMEN'S LODGING-HOUSE. —William Everest, a sailor boy, aged 16 years, was brought before Mr. Lushington, charged with stealing 255., the money of Henry Coffin, a seaman of No. 260, Cave-street, St. George-in-the-East. The prosecutor slept in a room last night in which three other meu and the prisoner were sleep. ing. He got up this morning at five o'clock and left the room for a few minutes. On his return he discovered that his trousers, which he left on the bed, had been displaced, and were on the floor. He missed a sovereign and two half crowns from the pockets. The boy was in bed close to the prosecutor's bed, and he was at once suspected and accused of committing the robbery. He stoutly denied having touched the money. An immediate search took place, and the two half-crowns were found under the prisoner's bed and between the bed and the mattress. A police constable named Soper, 43 K, was called in, and he asked the boy what he had done with the sovereign ? " Sewn up in the bed," was the prisoner's reply, and it was found in the bed among the feathers. The prisoner pleaded guilty. Lushington—You are young, and take warn iag. You will find it does not answer to commit acts of dishonesty. You are sentenced to three months' impriso: ment and hard labour. WESTMINSTER. DEFRAUDING A RAILWAY COMPANY.—James Whitehead, a boy about 15 years of age, was charged with travelling from Birehington to Lon don, without having previously pail his fare, and with intent to avoid payment thereof. Mr. Francis, o❑ behalf of the company, said the prisoner paid his fare from Margate to Birching ton, 31, and then came o❑ to London, a ss. 10d. fare, without any money in his pocket. The com pany did not wish to press the charge, but rather thought he had run away from home, and should be sent back by the parish. In answer to the Migistrate, P, ironer said a man told hint h e cpuld get work in London. Mr. Arnold reprimanded the prisoner and dis charged him, tAiing Mr. Francis he could give him no assistance in the matter as to sending him wine. BUDGET OF PE nsoNAL.—The Hon. It. C. Schenck, of Ohio, is the present "Father of the House."—At Hud son, New York, Mrs. Mary Ann Rivers has received a verdict for 63,500 against her father, henry G. Beecher, for slander. -- In Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 14, J udge Un derwood released from custody a coloured man, named Samuel Baker, under sentence of death, for murder, on the ground that the court which sentenced him was illegal under the Reconstruction Acts.—On Jan.ls E.W. Allen presented his credentials to the President as Minister from the Sand wich islands.—Rev. Benj. J. Bowie, a Baptist Minister, committed suicide at Grasshopper Falls, Kansas, Jan. 11. —Mr. Sumner, in his late speech invented the now word "ridiculosity." Mrs. John Morissey is very ill in New York.—P. I'. Barnum is meditating a visit to Cuba.— Brigham Young is preparing to put in operation a cannon foundry, with a powder mill. lie isgetting ready for the Con • gressional anti-polygamyßill.-Illere is a sample of the kind of men women select for their husbands. Francis Mills fatally stabbed his second wife in Brooklyr, New York, on the night of Jan. 16. He bad served a term in the State Prison for killing his first wife.—Pechter must bo indeeda remark able actor. A New York critic in a recent notice said of him :—" Mr. Fechter, who had played very quietly throughout the first two acto, made a burst in the third act."—Captain George J. G. M'Dougall, of the Danish navy, has arrived in New York, commissioned by his Government to examine the navy and navy-yards of the United States.—Mrs. Scott- Siddons has hit on a good way of utilizing a gift from the Queen. She has placed on exhibition in a New Orleans jewellery shop a brace let presented to her by Queen Victoria, after areading to the Royal Family at Osborne Palace. It is of solid gold, in the form of a coronal, studded with thirty diamonds and fourteen rubies.—Miss Emma Webb and Miss Laura de Force Gordon are to have a public discussion in San Francisco on Woman's Rights. Miss Webb takes the Con servative side.—T he lion. Sam. S hellabarger, United States Minister resident at Portugal, and family, and Bishop Cox of Ohio, arrived at New York from Europe Jan. iS.— Jeremiah D. Peabody, Esq., of Zanesville, Ohio, on his way to attend the obsequies of the late George Peabody, his brother, was, while at New York, "the guest of his two sons, George H. Peabody, residing at the Gramercy Park House, and Arthur J. Peabody, at the Brevoort," but we are not informed how ho managed to divide him self between them.—Bishop Lynch of Toronto is to be created Roman Catholic Bishop for Ontario.—Governor Geary's inauguration took place at Harrisburg, Jan. 17. The President nominated Henry B. Swope to be U. S. Attorney for Western Pennsylvania, Jan. 17.—The fund for the benefit of Edwin M. Stanton's family has reached 100,000 dollars.—The New Orleans Republican says that General Mower died poor, and his family are left without the means of support.—Miss Fre, derika. Rollin edits, publishes, sets up, and works off a weekly newspaper in Norteltja, Sweden.—A Maine soldier has had his name removed from the pension rolls, saying he has regained his health and does not need the pension. Commissioner Van Aernam wrote to him that his name "should go down into history as a worthy ex ample for the coming generations."—The Hon. William Gleason, Long Island, formerly a member of the Legisla ture, and recently a candidate for Congress, has announced his intention of retiring front the practice of the law, and engaging in the Christian ministry.—W. R. Babson, of Brooklyn, has been appointed Inspector of Customs by Collector Grinnell, in the place of Alvin Sturtevant, re signed. Frederick Douglass is proposed for Governor of of the now territory of San Domingo.— The lion. Israel Washburn°, the father of the fatuous Washburne family, is dangerously ill at his home in Maine. His age is 83. General Canby-, Jan. 19, directed James C. Taylor, Attor ney-General elect of Virginia, to assume his office, Con gress having removod his disabilities. -Dr. Jolt❑ H. Carnochan has been appointed Health Officer of the Port. of New York by Governor Hoffman.—Gan. Gilmore li is arrived in Europe on a two months' tour, for the purpose of making engineering investigations for the Gove,rnment. Mrs. Augusta J. Evans Wilson, the sensational Southern authoress, was serbusly if not fatally injured by a rail road accident near Cleveland, Tennessee.—John Allen, the " wickedest," is training fighting pups.—Daniel Pratt has challenged his groat competitOr for the Presidential nominatio❑ in 1872, George Francis Train, to a discussion of the tariff and cognate questions, at the New York Aca demy of Music.—Ex-Governor English, of Connecticut, is again to be nominated for Governor by the Democrats of that State.—On Thursday, the '27th Jan., at Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, by the Right Rev. Bishop Rosencrans, Kenelm Thomas Digby, M.P. for Queen's County, Ire land, was married to Elizabeth, the second daughter of, the Lion. W. Groesbeck. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENf lIOLSE OF LORDS-LAST EVENING. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. The Marquis of HUNTLEY moved, and the Earl of FINGALL seconded, an address to her Majesty in answer to her most gracious Speech. The noble lords in doing so referred to the various paragraphs containel in the document, and ex pressed a hope that the bills to deal with the ques tion of the tenure of land in Ireland, education, and the removal of the tests in the Universities would all be of such a character as to meet with the approval and sanction of their lordships. Lord CAIRNS then entered into a minute exa mination of the Speech, and expressed his opinion that, although it was not all that could be desired, it was of a nature that did not call for any amend ment. Passing lightly over the measures recom mended in the Speech, he criticised with some severity the paragraphs relating to the present state of Ireland and the existence of a2ratian outrage. He quoted statistics of crime in 1869 to show that out of 59 cases of murder or other heinous offences, including 18 assassinations, in one only had the criminal been discovered and committed for trial. He reviewed the declarations made by Mr. Glad stone, Mr. Bright, and Lord Clarendon during the last fourteen months, and the encouragement thereby offered to agitation ; then, passing from the expressions to the conduct of the Govern ment, he asserted that during the last twelve month they had abdic.tted the first duty of a Government—to repress outrages and enforce security for property and life. The sad truth was that there was no country in Europe in which property and life were more insecure than in Ireland at the present moment. He then referred at some length to the case of Mr. Madden and the Lord Lieutenant of Leitrim, and concluded by a solemn protest against a Government which had failed to secure the first end and object of civi lisation. Earl GRANVILLE expressed his sincere grati fication in seeing Lord Cairns again fill the post which he occupied last session as leader of the Conservative party in that House. Ile defended the absence of any allusion to the colonies on the ground that it was unnecessary, and said, however bad the state of Ireland might be, it had been worse in former years, and he instanced the years 1833, 1847, and 1852. Avoiding as much as pos sible the language of recrimination, he gratefully accepted the declaration of the Opposition leader that their lordships would disregard party feeling in dealing with this most grave subject of the tenure of land iu Ireland. Earl GREY agreed with Lord Cairns that there had been for some months in Ireland a suspension of all law and of all security. The Address was agreed to, and their lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock, at which hour both sides of the House was very fully attended. NEW MEMBERS. The following new and re-elected members took their seats : —Mr. Ayrton, Mr. C. Brooke (East Cheshire), Cap tain Greville-Nugent.(Longford), Mr. Holland (Merioneth shire), Mr. J. li. Shuttleworth (Hastings), Lord C. Hamil ton (King's Lynn), Mr. Gordon (Aberdeenshire), Mr. W. H. Gladstone (Whitby), and Captain Seymour, for Antrim. At 20 minutes past four Mr. Gladstone entered the House, and was received with loud cheers from the Go ♦ernment side of the House. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr. GLADSTONE said that on Thursday, the 10th inst., he should move that the Hou-e do resolve that Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa being adjudged guilty of treason he is incapacitated from sitting in that Hcuse on his election for Tipperary, and that Mr. Speaker do issue his warrant for the election of a member. STREET TRAMWAYS. The rapidly extending tramway movement has been freed from one burden. Hitherto street tramways have paid a tax of five per cent of their gross receipts. as in the case of railways. The directors of the Staffordshire Potteries Street Railway, however, recently submitted to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue that a street or tram railway did not come within the meaning of the Act authoriz ing the tax, and the Commissioners have admitted the soundness of this opinion. They say they will no t t insist upon duty in the case of tramways made upon a public highway, and on which carriages are " drawn by animal power only ; " hut the proprietors must "take out licenses under the 32 and 33 Vict., 14, for all horses, carriages, &c., kept for working such tramway." Thus the street tramway is no longer to be considered a railway, but each of its vehicles will rank as a carriage. SHEFFIELD'S DARLING. It is announced that Broadhead has returned from America to Sheffield. Surely it is not because he is unable to gain a livelihood amongst the nation which boasts of its ability to take and support all who choose to cast in their lot with it. Broadhead is a useful man—a very useful man ; and out in the Far West, especially in California, there are communities of individuals who would just suit him. Even if the right sort were not to be found in Californian hells, we are told that the navvies of the Union Pacific Railway are of a very superior class—the scum of the earth in short. But is it possible that the Americans have decided that Broadhead is too bad for them, and have sent Sheffield her own back again ? It will be curious indeed if the land which rejoices in Fisk and Vanderbilt, and in corrupt judges, not to speak of the aforesaid navvies, has rejected this choice specimen of English humanity. But it is quite conceivable that the man so highly esteemed in Sheffield has met with a very inadequate compensation elsewhere. THE BANK-NOTE ROBBERY. The offer of a reward of no less than £l,OOO for the recovery of the notes to the amount of £9,950 stolen on Saturday from a clerk in the bank of Messrs. Bar nett, Hoare, and Co., of Lombard-street, will probably have the effect of leading to the discovery of the thief. With all the modern appliances for the tracing of a felon, and taking into consideration the value of the notes stolen on this occasion, the good fortune of the thief will equal his dexterity if he manage to escape, or to make any use of the money. No person can re ceive a note of £l,OOO without being, struck with the largeness of the amount and having his eyes - wide open to every circumstance of the transaction. The numbers have been published, and are known by this time in every capital of Europe. Thus a means of detection is afforded with out which such chances as those presented daily in the City by clerks walking from bank to bank with hundreds upon hundreds of pounds in their pockets would be continually tempting men to gigantic robberies such as this. It would be well if the arrangements of ordinary banking houses were rendered less clumsy, by some method of sorting the customers, instead of allowing them to stand all together in a mass, and offer facilities for theft in the general confusion. REOPENING OF AN OLD QUESTION. A Mr. Hampden, of Swindon, is of opinion that the world is not round ; and has staked MO on the result of a scientific investigation. A. Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society has covered the amount, and a survey will be made in the county of Cambridge before the 15th of March. If the £5OO will recompense the Fellow all well and good ; but it may bo observed that many surveys have been made before, and it is not likely that the one by which this wager will be decided can add anything to our knowledge on the subject. ➢lr. Hampden can believe what he likes, but there is really no more need for scientific inquiry than there was need for starving the Welsh fasting girl to learn whether she could exist without food. It is impossible to prove that the world is round any more precisely than has been proven already. ARREST OF M. ROCHEFORT. The arrest of M. llenri Rochefort to undergo the six months' imprisonment to which he has been sen tenced for calling upon the Parisians to revolt, caused a tremendous uproar in the French capital. lle was taken at a public meeting. The mob straightway assailed the commissary of police—a functionary who presides at public meetings in France—dragged him out of the room, and for an hour menaced }um with threats and insults. lie was rescued by the polies agents. The appetite of the mob for disturbance was by no means satisfied, however. Attempts at the formation of barricades were made, and in one place six omnibuses were overthrown. PROTECTION IN AMERICA. The progress of free-trade principles in the United States is shown by a contest which has just taken place in the House of Representatives. A. resolution, condemning the levying of duties except for pur poses of revenue was rejected by only 89 to 77. This narrow majority of 12 for the Protectionists shows that free trade has made great progress of late, COURSE VP' EXCII AA'G E. Amsterdam Short ... 1118} ... 11 18} Do Rotterdam ... 12 1 ... 12 1 Antwerp ... 25 34 ... 25 42 Brussels — 25 37j ... 25 42 Hamburgh — ... 13 10 ... 13 10, Path Short ... 25 15 ... 25 25 Ditto Marseilles Frankfort-on-the-Main 120} ... 120 i Vienna — ... 12 65 ... 12 70 Trieste ... 12 65 ... 12 70 Petersburg Copenhagen.. ......... 9 20 ... 9 23 Berlin .271 Madrid.. Uadiz — ... 49 ... 49* Leghorn Milan — ... 26 37f ... 26 42. Genoa ... — ... 26 371 .., 26 42 Naples Palermo —. ... 26 371 ... 26 421 Messina Lisbon — ... 514 ..,. 52* Oporto — ... 52 ... 524 Rio Janeiro New York ...... — .. a__ ••• biIADVERTISEMENT. I —Consumption, and all nervous, ious, stomach, alai i es: complaints in every stage are only aggravated and acc3l?rated by drugs of every description, but perfe tly curable by Du BARRY'S health-restoring Revalenta, Arabica Food, as proved by thousands of cases which had been considered hopeless; such as indigestion (dyspepsia), cough, asthma, consumption, h bitnal constipation, diarrhoea, all gastric derangements, haemorrhoids, liver complaints, flatulency, ner vousness, biliousness, fevers; sore throat, diphtheria, catarrhs, colds, influenza, noises in the head and ears, rheumatism, gout, impurities, eruptions, hysteria, neuralgia, irritability, sleepless ness, acidity, palpitation, heartburn, headache, debility, cramps, spasms, nausea and sickness even in pregnancy or at sea, sink ing fits, bronchitis, scrofula, fl fitness of the chest, pains at the pit of the stomach, and between the shoulders, &c We quote a few: -The Pope's health restored by Du Barry's Food. Cure No. 68,413 - "Rome, July 21, 1806. The health of the Holy Father is excellent, especially since, abandoning all other remedie s , h e h as confined himself entirely to Du Barry's Revalenta Arabica Food, of which he consumes a plateful at every meal. It has produced a surprisingly beneficial effect on his health, and his Holiness cannot praise this excel'. n food too highly."—From the Gazette du Midi, July '2 •. Cure No 46,,711. Mr. James Roberts, timber merchant, of Frimley, Surrey, of thirty years' diseaFed lungs, spatting of blood, liver derangement, and partial Curt N 0.1,77 . Lord Stuart do Decies, Lord-Lieutenant of Inuterford, of many p a •-e dyspepsia. —No 49,83 "Fifty years' indescrib able agony Isom dyspepsia, nervmsness, asthma, cough, co stipation, flatu'ency spa : ms, sickness, and vomiting. Maria Jolly " Important Caution.—Beware of the many unsavoury and more than sloppy imitations to which, without authority; Baron Liebig's name is most audaciously attached. In tins, at Is 1;d; 11b 2s 9d; 2 lb Is 6d; 5 lb Ils; 12 lb 22s : 24 lbs 4 s.— A lso t U BARBY's RDNALENTA a RABICA CHOCOLATE POWDER is packed in tin canisters: for 1: cups at 2s, for 24 cups at 3s 6d, for 48 cups at 6s, for 2cB cups at 30s, for 576 cups at 55s —being about one penny per cup. The 30s and 55s tins are sent free of carriage in England on receipt of Post Office Order.— Anal' Do BARRY and Co., No. 77, Resent-street, London ; and a (+men and Chemists. LAND TENURE (IRELAND) BILL. Mr. GLADSTONE gave notice that he should, on the Lith of February, move for leave to introduce a bill re specting the occupation and acquisition of land in Ireland. WAR OFFICE. Mr. CARDWELL gave notice of his intention on Tues dayonext to move for leave to introduce a bill to provide for certain alterations at the War Office. PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS The Marquis of LIARTINGTON gave notice to move for leave to introduce a bill to provide for the conducting of Mun'cipal and Parliamentary elections. M!NFS. Mr. BRUCE gave notice that on an early day he thould move for leave to introduce a bill for coniolidatiog the la w with respect to wines. EPPING FOREST. Mr. FAWCETT gwe notice that on Monday he should move au hun►ble address to the Queen praying that Epping Forest might be preserved as an open space fur the recreation of the public. ANNUITY TAX. Mr. M'LAREN gave notice of his intention to move for leave to introduce a bill to repeal the annuity tax. _ _ THE REFORM BILL. Mr. HARDCAS PLE gave notice of his intention to move for leave to introduce a bill to repeal the minority clauses of the Representation cf the People Act. _ _ _ THE BALLOT. Mr. LEATHAM gave notice that on Monday next ho should move for leave to introduce a bill directing that the votes at Parliamentary elections be taken by ballot. TIIE CASE OF MR. MADDEN-. Lord C. J. HAMILTON gave notice that on the Ist of March he would call the attention of the House to the dismissal of Mr. John Madden from tho magistracy of Ireland. UNION RATING. Mr. 3PgAHON gave notica of his intention of asking what course the Government intended to take with re spect to union rating. WASTE LAND. Mr. COWPER gave notice of his intention to ask for leave to introduce a bill to deal with waste lands. Mr. CA VE gave notice that on an early day he would move for leave to introduce a bill to deal with life assur ance companies. PAYMENT OF MEHBERS. M r . p. TAYLOR said, in order that all parties might be represented in that House, he should, on the Bth of March, ask the House to revive the ancient privilege of payment of members of Parliament. OPENING THE MUSEUMS ON SUNDAY. Mr. CANDLISH gave notice that that day four weeks an hon. member would move that the public institutions be opened on Sunday. THE PUBLIC FINANCES. The CHA.NCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said on an early day he should ask for loave to introduce bills to amend the law with respect to the national debt, tho coin • age, and savings banks. O'DONOVAN ROSSA. Mr. MOORE gave notice that on the motion with re spect to Mr. O'Donovan Rossa being brought forward ho should move that the matter be referred to a select com mittee. Mr. GLADSTONE said on the occasion referred to he should move that a copy of the conviction of Mr O'Dono van Rossa be laid on the table of the House. THE GAME LAWS. Mr. P. TAYLOR gave notice of his intention on an early day to move for leave to introduce a bill to abolish the Game Laws. THE CHURCH IN WALES. - _ Mr. HIBBERT gave notice of his intention to call the attention of the Hous?to the condition of the Established Church in Wales. THE ROYAL SPEECH—THE ADDRESS. The SPEAKER having read the Royal Speech on the opening of Parliament, Capt. FRANCIS EGERTON rose to move an Address to her Majesty in answer to her most gracious Speech on the opening of Parliament. He said he regretted that the duty had not fallen on a younger and more eloquent member of the House. He felt sure that the cause which had prevented her Majesty from meeting Parliament would be the source of general re gret, but the hope was universal that the cause was but temporary, and that a life so valuable would long be spared to the country. (Hear, hear.) It was highly satis factory to know that the state of the relations of this great country with other nations were satisfactory, and that the spirit of resorting to friendly allies to settle differences would result in nothing but good. The measure that was promised with respect to the question of land in Ireland, he felt certain would 1)1 one that had been well considered, and one which he hoped would receive the support of the moderato members of both sides of the House. The promise of a bill o❑ the subject of national education was most important, as it was most desirable, and it seemed to be agreed by every person that the children of all classes should be educated, The groat difficulty that had hitherto stood in the way would in the present case not prevent the bill becoming law. The next two ►neasures which would re— sult he doubted not iu the most beneficial results were thOse to deal with the sale of spirituous liquors and trade combinations. The first measure would require much consideration, as the result would be to interofore with an immense capital invested in the trade ; and with respect to the latter, the dealing with the question of strikes would be almost certain to bring about a state of things much more beneficial than that which at present existed. The pro posed measures with respect to the War Department would occasion much discussion, but he felt certain that in all that was done by that House the strength of the country would not be weakened or brought down to a state that would interfere with the power of such a great country. He felt that the attempt of the Government to prevent the recurrence of those agrarian outrages which had been, he regretted so fearful of late, would meet with the support of the House, and thanking the House for the patience with which they had listened to him, he bogged to move the Address to her Majesty. The Address, which was an echo of the Speech, having been read by the Clerk at the table, Sir C. W. DILKE seconded the motion. He thought the paragraph dealing with the foreign relations was highly satisfactory, and much better than the usual formal lines that were usually employed. Ile thought that the services of allies in the settlement of differences was a great step, especially as where that friendly interference had taken place war had been prevented. He felt that the services of ur own conut.ty would bo most referred to, be cause there was not another country whose decision wes mole looked to and respected than that of England. (Hear, hear.) Tho bills pronounced by the Speech were perhaps the most numerous that had ever been promised in a Royal lh 6peeeh to Parliament, and he felt that it could not be denied that each ono enumerated was of the uttnest importance. The tenure of land was a question of the utmost importance, and then the measure that ho proposed to deal with—thu religious tests in the Univer sities of Cambridge and Oxford—was equally urgent, and the sAtlemeut of these question could not but result in good to those for whose benefit both had been framed. Tho question of education was highly important, and he did hope Cat the session would not be allowed to pass without the matter being dealt with finally sad satisfactorily. (Hear, hear.) With respect to Ireland, he hoped the intimations contained in the Royal Speech would tend to restore that tranquillity which was so necessary to the prosperity and wellbeing of the country, and if they could only effect that, Fenianism would become an impossibility. (Hear, hear.) On the SPEAKER putting the question, Mr. DISRAELI rose and said that, although the speech contained the promise of scene many important mea sures, the present was not the most convenient time for House to enter into a consideration of them, but hoped, when they were under discussion, they would be found adequate to the emergency. The mention of the state of Ireland in the Speech he characterised as inadequate and inaccurate, and he entered into a long and elaborate exami nation of the causes which have led to the recent exten sion of agrarian outrages in Ireland. The old causes which had been assigned in former times --mal-administra tion of justice, Protestant ascendancy, a seditious priest hood, organised agitation, and foreign influence—no longer existed, and the tenure of laud sometimes assigned was just the same asunder the Duke of Abercorn's Go vernment, when these outrages were unknown. What had happened was a spontaneous combustion—a riotous hallucination in the minds of the Irish people as to the designs of the Government. The occupiers and peasantry had misinterpreted the intentions of the Government, had assumed that they meant something which they never did mean, and the Government had taken no steps to un deceive them. This hallucination had occurred on two questions—the amnesty to the Fenian prisoners and fixity of tenure, which he designated as the transfer of property from one class to another. With regard to the first, he argued that the manner in which the partial and therefore injudicious amnesty had been proclaimed, and the impres sion created by the Government that the Fenian con spiracy had precipitated the fall of the Irish Church, had excited mischievous anticipations which the Government could not fulfil. On the second point he asserted it was a natural interference from the Irish Church Bill that an analogous policy would be pursued with regard to the land. Repeating that the language of the Speech in re,,,ard to Ireland was inaccurate and inadequate, Mr. Disraeli nevertheless deprecated an amendment to the Address. Mr. (.../I.ADS TONE commenced by admitting that after recent events in Ireland the debate on the Address must give rise to more criticism than had been usual for some years past, and expressed his deep gratification that Mr. Disraeli, by the tone of his speech, had indicated that he was aware of the importance of the questions between Ireland and the Empire, and that ho had declined to re commend the employment of coercive measures. Has tening to remove the ambiguity of which Mr. Disraeli complained, he stated, amid general cheering, that there was nothing " contingent" in the notion the Govern ment entertained of their duty. Anxious though they were to give the first place to remedial measures of permanent operation, they acknowledged that there might be circumstances calling for immediate action, and occa sions on which Iliey might be compelled to suspend the prosecution of great measures for the purposes of the future, in order to meet the wants of the moment. Passing to Mr. Disraeles speech, he laughingly suggested that it was not a serious attack, but a demonstration got up for the occasion to amuse his followers, and he congratulated him on the success he had achieved out of the very scanty ma terials at his command. Reply ieg to his criticisms on the conduct of the Government, he denied that they had at any time encouraged wild auticipatious either on the amn2sty or land question, and iu difcussing the charge that the treatment of the Church suggested an inevitable infereneJ as to the character of the Land Bill, he expressed his great anxiety that this last measure should be discussed apart from anything which had gone before. Deploring the recent iucrease in agrarian outrage, he attributed it partly to the natural activity of the bad men in the community in a time of excitement, partly to the desire of the Fenians to divert the House from pass ing remedial measures, which would be the most effectual blow to their conspiracy; and he did not deny that in the hope of a possible change in the :incidents of their tenure occupiers might have been stimulated to acts which they imagined would lessen the chances of eviction. After a short discussion the Address was agreed to, and the House adjourned. LONDON GAZETTE—L ,st Even ng, LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, ST. JAMES'S PALACE, FEB. 7. Notice is hereby given that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales will, by command of tho Queen, hold a Levee at St. James's Palace, on behalf of her Majesty, on Thursday, the 3d of March next, at two o'clock. It is the Queen's pleasure that presentations to his Royal Highness at this Levee shall be considered as equivalent to presen tations to her Majesty. Notice is hereby given, that the Queen will hold Draw ing -rooms at Buckingham Palace, on Wednesday, the 9th of March next, and on Tuesday the 22d of March next, at three o'clock. Notice is hereby given that her Majesty will hold a Levee at Buckingham Palace, on Friday, the 11th day of March nest, at three o'clock. CROWN OFFICE, FEB. 5. MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THE PRESENT PARLIAMENT. Borough of Mallow.—Henry Munster, of Abbey View, Cashel, in the county of Tipperary, Esq., in the room of the Right Hon. Edward Sullivan, who has accepted the office of Master of the Rolls in Ireland. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. BIRMINGHAM RACES-YESTERDAY. HUNT CUP. Titterstone 1 Oakapplo 2 Iron Mask 3 I an ran. SUTTON PLATE. Meerschaum Teesdale Christmas Fare 1 3 Four ran. HUNTER'S PLATE. Charlie 1 Tom Rosary Eighteen ran. MAIDEN PLATE. Thankful .......... Slaughterer ... The Shuff 3 Five ran. ERDINGTON PLATE. Chaddington 1 Vulcan Ada 3 Eleven ran. BIRTHS. CIIATIERIS —On the Bth inst., at Claughton, Tulse-hill, the wife of Charles Chatieris, Esq., of a son. HuTcnissoN—On the Gth inst, at Seafield, co. Dublin, the wife of John Rely Hutchinson, Esq., of a SOIL MARRIAGES. SEWELL—OTTLEY—On the Bth inst., at South Hampstead, Fitzroy H. S. SSewell, 18th R o y a l to Georgians, the fourth surviving daughter of the late Rev. Canon Ottley, of Ripon. WRIGHT - ALLCHIN On the sth inst., at Hornsey, Chas., youn . ; ,:est son of the late Geo. Wright, Esq., Wood-lane, ifigh;2:ate, to Anna Maria, granddaughter of the late C. Al chin, Esq., of Finehley-conunea. DEA7'IIB. tannisoN—On the Bth inst., Thomas Harrison, Esq., of 42, Gower •street, and 5, Wallbrook, aged 85. MACKENZIE —On the 7th inst., at Edinburgh, James Mac kenzie, Esq., W.S., son of the late Henry Mackenzie, Esq., author of the "Man of Feeling," aged 90. London: Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDREWS, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE Sure Office, Is o. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in tho County of Middlesex Wednehday, February 9, 1870. ~~1~ O so? han L Th s Pri e A gold thl Age m.i DVA cold ft 10 w F rms . -i Es I' recei and Pupi T 1 Mani whe ness othe