The Sun. — London, England, 1849-05-02 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,' 92bition CHESTER RACES. (THIS DAY.) CHESTED CUE'. Mahon ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Cossack ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Loupgarou ... •04 ... •• • •• • 3 Twenty-eight ran—won by a neck. LLOYD'S SHIPPING—(THIS DAY.) LONDON, MAY 2.—Wind N.N.W., light breeze and dull hazy weather. The Allen Potter, Hutchings, of St. Stephen's, New Brunswick, sld. from Baltimore Bth November for Liver pool, and has not since been heard of. GUERNSEY, APRIL 28.—The Robert Bradford, Jersey to Liverpool and East Indies, was assisted into this road stead yesterday, having carried away her masts above the tops. _ _ LIVERPOOL, MAT I.—Wind S.S.E.—Arrd. 30th ult. Princess Victoria, Johnston, Maranham; Birkenhead, Phelan, New Orleans; Mary Caroline, Delano, Mobile; Aun Hall, ditto; Jessie, Ford, Apalachicola; Naomi, Wright, Savannah. May 1, Joshua Waddington, Walkin, Talcuhuana; El Dorado, Thompson, New Orleans; Corea, ditto; Samosit, Tucker, Charleston. Sid. 30th ult. Hannah Codner, Leghorn; Trout, Buenos Ayres; Carl Ernie!, St. Croix; Senator, New York; Albion, Newfoundland. May 1, Bonita, Pernambuco; Countess of London, New Orleans; Mersey, Savannah; Margaret, New York; John Walker, Restigouche; Ca ledonia, Quebec ; Edward, Newfoundland; Mary Ann, ditto. Off port, M. J. Ward, Trott, Mobile; Arat; Rap pahannock. LONDONDERRY, APRIL 26.—Arrd. Azof, Furbie, New York. Sld. 28th, Lord Maidstone, Philadelphia; Gar land, ditto; Mary Campbell, Quebec; Abercrombie, ditto. ;.LIMERICK, APRIL 30.—Wind S.—Acrd. Great Bri tain, Wilson, Philadelphia; Alexina, Platt, ditto. 61d. Faithful, ditto; Anna Maria, ditto. OFF HASTINGS, APRIL 30. Kezia, Mauritius. OFF DOVER, APRIL 29.—Jeantina, Renkin. Surinam. Conic., APRIL 30 —Wind S.S E.—Arrd. Stranger, Barbadoes; Ready Rhino, St. John's. Sid. 29th, liar- Barbadoes. DUBLIN, Aram 28.—Arrd. Odessa, Laverty, New York. Sld. Defence, New York. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Mdlle. Parodi appeared last evening, in the character of Leonora, in I)uuizetti's opera La Favorita, and it is not too much to say that those who have not seen Mdll-. Parodi in Leonora have not seen the opera. Former representatives of this character have been content to sing the music of Dimizetti more or less correctly—to appear in a succession of various costumes, and to act the character either not at all, or as that of a mere walking lady. They have been either unable or afraid to sound the depths of passion which lie beneath the surface of the character, and to represent Leonora as she really is, is being of intense feeling, energetic will, ungovernable impulses, tint yet who loves—loves ardently, impassionedly, loves as only the children of the South can love—with all her soul, and all her heart, and all her mind, and all her strength. Those depths of passion have, however, been sounded by Parodi; and her Leonora is one of the most wonderful pieces of impassioned acting ever seen. Her countenance expresses Each change of passion in the most marvellous manner, and her. voice is at times choked as it were by emotion. Her opening scene with Fernando was a delightful representation of the fondest and most impassioned love, and then her scent, when informed that Fernando is to be her husband, was superb. Never has the con flict of contending passions been more artistically represented; and in the finale to the tbird act, when Fernando breaks his sword and renounces his allegiance, she seemed the impersonation of, the wildest horror and despair. The last scene in the cloister was a perfect triumph of art. Who could see the heart-broken creature listening to the voice of her lover as he takes the monastic vows—who could see her fall at his fe. t in abject supplication—who could see her die in his arms without feeling for her and him, and cursing the Kiug who had been the cause of all this misery? Mdlle. Parodi has now vindicated her right to the throne of lyric tragedy. She is, without exception, the greatest actress on the stage; she has made the character of Leonora, and with it, that of the opera, which will hence forth be La Favour ita not in name only, but in deed and in truth. She was called on several times during the course of the performance, and at tho con clusion she was three times called on, and on each occasion bouquets were showered on her from all parts of the house. The cast of the opera was exceedingly strong—Gardoni, who was in excellent voice, was the Fernando, Co:Qui Vie Alfonso, and Lablache the Monk Balthazar. The house was very well attended. ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA. _----- Lucrezia Borgia was performed here last evening, for the purpose of enabling Mademoiselle Angri to appear in the character of Orsini, the character in which Alboni has fur the last two seasons created such a furore. A great deal of curiosity existed about the Orsini of Made moiselle Angri, and speculations were rite as to whether or not she w..uld obtai❑ the double encore in the Brindisi, which with Albuni had become stereotyped. The result was favourable to the new contralto, who has already ac quired great popularity with the public. It is true that in the Brindisi we had net; her the exquisitely sustained shake on the high G, nor the glowing and mellow lower notes, to which her admirable predecessor had accustomed us, but their place was supplied by an immense deal of energy and feeling, which the audience took i❑ good part, administering their applause with liberal una nimity, accompauied by the double encore in question. In the earlier scenes Mademoiselle Angri made the part of Orsini unusually prominent, and ob tained considerable applause in the romance, Nella fatal di Rimini." In the second act she in troduced a❑ air, with roulades, we believe by Pacini. On the whole her talent shines less conspicuously in this opera than in either Seinirarnide or the Barbiere. Grisi, as Lucrezia, was as magnitic,nt as ever; and Mario tad Tamburini, who sustained the other principal charac ters, were both in excellent voice. The band and chorus displayed all their accustomed excellence, and the ani mated " Banda a ce triste immagini," in which all the principals juin the chorus, with striking effect, was► en cored with acclamations. Grisi, Mario, and Tamburini were compelled to re-appear before the curtain at the end of each of the three acts. Her Majesty and Prince Al bert honoured the performance with their presence. MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS. NU34IIER OF DEATHS FROBI ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1849. Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases ...233 Diseases of Uncertain Seat 43 Tubercular Diseases ... ••• ... 197 Diseases of the B ra i n , N erves, and Senses... ... 127 Diseases of the H eart an d 8100d -vessels ... Diseases of the L ungs, and other Organs of 42 Respiration ... 194 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion... ..• ••• 65 Diseases of the Kidneys, & c . Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &I. 9 Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles Diseases of the Skin, ..• ... Malformations... 1 Premature Birth Atrophy Old Age ••• •.• 44 Sudden ..• ••• ... .• ... ••• 144 Violence, Privation, Cold, or Intemperance ..• 23 Causes not specified ... ... ••• ... •.• 17 DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES ... ... 1,058 l'opulation Average weekly Deaths Enumerated, Deaths, 1844-8. in the 1841 Five Springs. Week. West Districts... 300,711 • . 14 5 ... 179 North D.,tricts.. 375,971 .. 185 ... 198 Central Distr.zts 373,653 ... 168 ... 195 East Districts ... 392,444 ... 207 ... 201 South Districts.. 501,190 ... 258 ... 285 Totals... ..... 1,948,369 ... 963 ... 1,05 E __ _ Males • . ... ... ... ... 533 _..... ... 525 Females ... ••• .•. BIRTHS IN THE WEEK. Males ••• ••• ••• ... 776 Females ... ••• .•. ... 752 •.• Total.,, „, „, 1,528 *ln this number are included 1 case of death by Cholera, 47 by Scarlatina, and 34 by Typhus Fever. HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTION AND DISEASES OF THE CH EST. — Yesterday evening the general annual b) , :eting was held at the board-room of the above insti tution, Captain Joha Gladstone, R.N., in the chair. The report of the past year having been read, and unanimously adopted, thanks were voted to the chair trio], and the meeting was adjourned to the 21st of next month. The sevenih anniversary dinner will take place this day, at the Albion Tavern, Benjamin Disraeli, Esq., M.P., tin the chair, supported by DI. Guizot, the et minister of France. COURT CIRCULAR. MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEW.. CITY, QUARTER TO 7'HREE. The sales of Cotton at Liverpool yesterday were esti mated at 6,000 bales, and comprised about 4,000 American at 31d. to 61d., 2,000 Bahia at 41d., 300 Surats at 3 , 1. to and 30 Sea Island at 9d. to 9-,td. The transaction included 500 American on speculation. The market closed more firmly. Railway Shares were quiet. In Mark Lane to-day trade generally is flat, at Mon day's prices. The arrivals include 13,210 quarters of Foreign Wheat. The Colonial Markets are very dull to-day, and with scarcely any public sales. From Manchester we have received a report on the state of the textile markets, during the past month, furnished by Messrs. McNair, Greenhow and Irving, from which we take the following extracts : " The outward appearance of this market during the month has been indicative of gloom and depression, save when occasional cheerfulness was produced by the favourable accounts by the Overland Mails, and by the genial and welcome change in the weather. Though we are unable to furnish you with an animated report us to its condition, it may, considering the opposing causes in operation, be viewed more satisfactorily, as regards actual transactions, than what you may have been led to expect. It may be unnecessary to re mark that the cht•ordered relations of political matters on the continent of Europe have engen dered much distrust, and are . ogain exercising a very prejudicial influence not only upon the trade of this district, hut upon that of many other manufacturing localities, us well us upon commerce generally; and that so long as they remain unadjusted their effect will become more injurious. Another important drawback arises from, and is consequent upon, the comparative absence of purchasers of any magnitude for the country trade, which is generally admitted to be in a very depressed condition, owing principally to the low prices obtainable for agricultural produce. Valuable us low pro visions unquestionably are to the great mass of the community, in purely agricultural districts, the consumption of manufactures cannot be otherwise than at present, materially interfered with. It is pro verbial that the drapers who have been in the market during the month have purchased very sparingly. Their complaints are uniform. The retrograde aaoyement in prices has likewise not been without its effect, operations having been limited to existing wants. Allowing for these drawbacks, we look upon the aggre gate transactions as being very extensive. Prices, as you will have observed, of nearly every staple article have again declined. Stocks of goods generally, if we except those of domestics, and one or two other descriptions, aro very light. Some descriptions of yarns too are heavy, but these are matters which will be best ascertained by a reference to the details." The above report is certainly more favourable, under all circumstances, than might perhaps have been ex pected. At Amsterdam on Saturday stocks were rather lower. Dutch Two-and-a-Half por Cents. 49f. By express and telegraph we have advices in anticipation of both the East and West India mails. The political and commercial information contained in the former appears to be favourable. The money markets of Bombay and Calcutta were easy, and the markets for European goods were moderately active. We await further details. The steamer from the 'West Indies, brings over 80,000 dollars, besides some amount in British coin. By this opportunity we shall have the Chilian mail, but no dispatches from Mexico. The directors of the Eastern Counties Railway have published to day a statement in answer to the report of the committee of investigation. Upon the gravest points it does not seem to touch, however, or rather there is an assertion that the board of direction has only recently exercised its functions. It may fairly be observed that the excuse put forth is not tenable, because had the board strenuously objected to the charging of expenses to capital, Mr. Hudson was not likely to hare persisted in his views. In one point we cannot but coincide, how fifer,' viz., that it is to a great extent the fault of the shareholders, who were willing to give unlimited support In the declaration of high dividends, though obviously not earned, and that the depreciation fund was nega tived at the general meeting of February, 1*46, though previously in existence, and was subsequently absorbed. Finally, ought all the amounts charged upon the half year's revenue to be so charged? This is a matter for grave consideration as it affects the dividend. The company undoubtedly owe the 97,364 L, or say the bulk of it, but part arises from former arrears, and part, as the Directors affirm, ifefor new carriages, or such as might be considered new; while the cost of relaying the permanent way, 13,5381., should stand over to the next half year. Hall this can be established, there may be some ground for a modification of the views of the committee; but we understand that the latter, who are stiil sitting, will speedily reply, and that as the liabilities hare been in curred, they must be met from some other source than capital. Having attended yesterday, like very many others, from curiosity far more than coincidence of opinion, the meeting of Protectionists, we deem it advisable, however much politics should be eschewed under this head, to state that the free-traders must not be apa thetic. From our knowledge of City men, and of all the ramifications of ' trade, we feel warranted it: as serting that the parties who appeared upon the platform yesterday are men who have long profited by monopoly, and who, as such, do not represent the non-protected and laborious classes. Thousands of persons have been benefited by the new channels opened through free trade, and in the very stronghold of monopoly, among the shipowners and colo nists themselves, must the triends of proeross have a counter demonstration. The response wilt be such as not to make them regret the trial. Stocks are more . buoyant to-day. Consols 91i to 921, and now about 92 The foreign Lows reads better. Exchequer-bills are 445. to 475. premium. Bank Stock has ranged from 1921 to 194 i. India Stock is at 246. The Foreign Securities are quiet. Spanish Three per Cents. 33. Mexican have touched 32 and 321. Brazilian New are 78. Dutch Twoeand-s-Hulf per Cents. are 501 I. Shares are all better again, and with more disposition to do business. Lord Brougham's speech has excited much attention. ONE CLOT(. P ti. 1 OF tSEITIMII FUND. O'CLOCK PRICES Bank Stock 31,er Cent. Reduced Ar_ns ...... 3 per Cent. Console Annuities 92 9174, 92 92* o i New 311 per Cent- Ann 5....... ..... , 911 % 3 4 913 / 4 Long Anne. to expire J an. 1860 -16 8 3 i 8% Ditto, 30 years, Oct. 10.1859 -16 $ 5-16 India Stock India Bonds, 1,0004 Ditto under 1,0001... ...... .- 7O 67 South Sea Stock Ditto Old Annuities I 'Ditto New Annuities Consols for Account..... Exchequer Bills. 14d. & 2d. 1,0001. June ...... .......... 5001. June Email. June PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS ONE O'CLOCK. E 9 I, i 89 , ,i 92% 44 p 47 p 4 Ip CLWING nucEs. Brazilian Bonds Ditto, New, 1829 and 1839 Ditto, Account 79 Equador Bonds Mexican, 5 per Cent. 184 F, with Coupons 32% 32 3? 321, 4 v s 32% Ditto, Account, Ditto, Ex Coupons Ditto, Account . 29% Peruvian Bonds, 6 per Cents 6G 66 17 Spanish 5 per Cent. 1840. . . Ditto, 3 per Cent 33 Ditto, Account Venezuela Bonds, 2 1 / 4 per Cent 24% 24 % Dividends on the above payable in London. French, 3 per Cent Exchange 2sf. 30c. 25f. 30 c . Dutch 2% per Cent., 12 Guild 5O % % 3 A, 50 3 4 Ditto. 4 Der Cent. Certificates 77% 77% PRICES OF PAID. ROSINESS DONE CLOSINt; RAILWAY SIIARES. AT ONE. O'CLOCK. P RICEsi 50 Aberdeen Do. Preference Amber. Nott., Boston, and Eastern Junction 21,4...... l i i, % Berke & Hants Extens. 6 ..... .. (Gt. West. Per.s para.) 5 .. 59% xd Bristol and Exeter 1 Ditto, Thirds ... ...... 9207%.••• .• 17 16 i Caledoni an 191.' ...... 6% 6% LDo. Quarters ••••••••• ' l ' 4 .11 4 / ,', ..... ." ll% Do : New 10/. Pref..... 10 .... .. , 16 Chester and Holhead... 50 ...... lb, !is, 1 11 ._ 13 Ditto, Preference ...... 15 ...... 13 2 A 13 6!%. Dublin and Belfast June. 37%,..... o ii East Anglia, 251., L. & 3 1 ,4 E. and L. an d 1 D...... 25 E 1 Vi••• B astern C ounties ........ '2O Do. Nevr,Gua.6 per ct. 10 East Lincolnshire ...... 'ls 42 Edinburgh and Glasgow 50 • •••••• ........ - 1 Exeter Yeovil, Es Dorch. 2.; , 13 l% Great Northern ... 10 1(. Do., - 1 1 A Deferred ... 12 1 / 2 ...... 4. i4 G rea Do., 1, 4 B 6 per Cent... 7 1 / 2 6 5 7 4 . t Western 100 ...... 91 89% • DittO, 1 f ,4 Shares SO Ditto, .14 Shares Ditto, Fifths .. .. 20 . "..••• 18 17 1 / 2 .... ..... Ditto, New 171... ..... 15 ... and Selby .. ...... 50 ......100 .. . Lan Ditto, Half Shares ... 25 ...... 493/4 Dcashire & Yorkshire 93 . ..... itto, ditto ............ SG ..... V ..•... Do. Fifths.— ........ ... 10 Do. New Guaranteed 6 per Cent..... ...... 10 Do. (W. Riding Union) 9 •••• „, 3% - y,' ........, , 37/ Leeds and Bradford..... 50 ..... 100 100' . bl London& Blackwell ..... . 12% ....... 5 . * - -I,i3A ... London, Brighton, and. a' South Coast..... ... 50 I , 5 , Ditto; New 51.,.. gu ar , '''' BJ2 "' 7 2 78* ...... - 6 per cent. .... ..... 5 .... OA ... London and N. Western 100 ...... 131 130 ......—iii2 1:111% Ditto, New Quarters.. 7 ....... II 103• 1 1 ,i; / 3 --- Ditto,Fifths ..... .. .. 2 .„.„, 7 1/2 6 ° , . '78••• 11% Do. 101. (Di. & B.) C. 1 ..... 4 ....... ." 8 Long. &S. Western 5O ...... 351,,i .. .. .. .. ......."''' 4 Ditto, Thirds 161.135.1d.... 5!, 4 di 5 7 . ....... ."" 35',41 .. 51 ,4 dis. Manchester • B ua t on , an d .. Matlock 4 4 1. 11,4 ............... • tda.nehester, Sheffield, Ditto Lincolnshire 100 ............... Pitt% New 101. Praf Midl an d ...... .......... .1 0 0 „, 1 1 ) ) °, do., 50/. Shares-. 25 ... Nortl; Bl3irliniti „ o h and Derbyl 2 oo s tto, thirds .. 81 4 North Statrordsh* - - *. ^ /4 .. - • 1 ,- i3 1737 Oxford,. Worcester, and li 'il 1173344... .. ..:.4 173/4 R Wolverhampton '... 60 enadeiignatg,eG.uihltord, and Shr,,wmtniry...l .. d . .... .. ..... 11 -57f3 ....... ..- 1531'4 Ditto, New G c6 narau n' te - e . d • 8 B.4th Stattor hixe ...... 11 , /I .. .. tote. I• 11 31,,i 49 4314 13% 4 1314 21 , 4 Syath Easter, .. . 3318 20:! !i 214 ....„ Do., No. 1 Do., N 0.2. Do.. Registered No. 4 10 Vale of North ... .. ...... 6 York, Newcastle, and Berwick. .... .. ......... 25 D. Newcastle Eaten. 20 Do. U.N.E.Preterence 8 ... 5' 3a ... 5% York and North Midland 50 ..... 33 36... ... ..... 36 Ditto, Preference Do. East and West Rid ing Extension FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Boulogne and Amiens... 20 Central of France (Or- Vierzon ) East Indian ... 3 ,,i — ......... ..... 3 , 4 x.i Great Indian Peninsular 5 Northern of Frauce. Orleans and Bordeaux.. 7 . Paris and Orleans ...... 20 Paris . and Roucn .... 2O ...•« -7- Paris and Strasbourg ... 10 4. - ,;. - .. ...... Sambre and Meuse 2O ... .. 3 . 5 i, 37 ,4 . Tours and Nantes „ 11 ' , ' MINES. Australian 6 l /2 Brazilian Imperial Do. St. John Del Iley 15 ...... 12% 13 JOINT STOCK BAN KS. Colonial 25 London Joint Stock . 10 London & ‘Vestrninstur. 20 Union of London... lO .. . 10t, His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horse back, attended by Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon, and honoured the Duke of Wellington with a visit at Apsley house, to offer his congratulations to the Noble Duke on the auspicious return of his natal day. His Royal Highness the Duke Augustus of Saxe Coburg Gutha visited the Queen and Prince Albert on Monday, at Buckingham Palace. The Queen, accompanied by their Royal Highnesses the Princess Royal and the Princess Alice, and attended by Lady Caroline Cocks, took an airing yesterday in an open barouche and four. Major-General Wemyss at tended on horseback. Her Nlajesty and Prince Albert honoured the per formance of the Royal Italian Opera with their presence yesterday evening. The royal suite consisted of the Marchioness of Douro, Lady Caroline Cocks, the Earl of Morley, General Wemyss, and Lieutenant• Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon. Ths Earl of Morley has succeeded Lord Byron as the Lord-in-Waiting to the Queen, and Captain the lion. J. ' Denman has succeeded Colonel the Hon. A. N. Hood as the Groom. in- Waiting to her Majesty. Colonel Wylde, having completed his month in wait ing on his Royal Highness the Prince Albert, has been relieved in his duties as Groom-in-Waiting by Captain Francis Seymour, ; and Lieutenant-Colonel Seymour has been relieved in his dUzies as Equerry-in-Waiting to the Prince by Lieutenant Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon. Colonel Backl-y has been relieved in his duties as Equerry-in-Waiting to the Queen by General Wemyss. Her Royal Highne:s the Duchess of Kent took a drive to Frugmore-house yesterday, returning to town in the afternoon. The Duke of Cambridge arrived in town yesterday from Kew, and went to Buckingham Palace. his Royal Highness visited the Duchess of Gloucester at Glouces ter. house, and in the afternoon returned to Kew. Their Serene Highnesses the Countess Erbach and the Princesses Amelie and Elise of Hohenlohe Schil lingsfurst took leave of her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent on Monday. Yesterday afternoon, at four o'clock, their Serene Highnesses took leave of her Ma esty the Queen Dowager, and proceeded to the London bridge terminus, travelling by the South-Eastern Rail way to Dover, on their return to the continent. A deputation on the Sheep and Cattle Bill, consisting of Mr. Bourke, Colonel Taylor, Colonel Dunne, Mr. Hamilton, and Mr. Keogh, had an interview with Sir George Grey on Monday. Mr. Assheton Smith and Mr. Robertson had also interviews with the Right Hon. Baronet on Monday. E PRIVY COUNCIL. The Queen held a Court and Privy Council at three o'clock yesterday afternoon at Buckingham Palace. At the Court a deputation from the Society of Friends had an audience of the Queen to present an address oa the subject of the African Slave Trade and Slavery. The deputation consisted of Samuel Gurney, William Forster, George Stacey, and Peter Bedford. Her Majesty was accompanied by his Royal Highness the Prince Albert. The deputation was introduced by the Right Hon. Sir George Grey, her Majesty's Princi pal Secretary of State for the home Department, and presented the following address in the Royal closet:— "To Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the dominions thereunto be longing. " May it please the Queen— " We, the undersigned, thy dutiful and loyal subjects, representing the religious Society of Friends in Great Britain and Ireland, desire respectfully to approach the Throne, and, in love to man, and, as we reverently be lieve, in our duty to God, to lay before thee a matter deeply affecting the well• being of a large portion of the great human family. " More than a century has elapsed since our religious society first believed it to be a Christian duty to advo cate the rights of the natives of Africa and or those held iu slavery in the western world. With reverent thanks. giving to Almighty God wo recur to the successive acts of our Legislature abolishing the slave trade, met subse quently releasing the slaves in our colonies from a state ut cruel bondage. " The continuance of the trade in slaves as prose cuted, contrary to either law or treaty, by the inhabi• tants of other countries with all the wickedness insepa ruble from this unrighteous traffic, brings us into sorrow and distress. It engenders war in its direst forms, breaks the bonds of social life, reduces those who may survive the horrors of their transit by land and'sea to hopeless slavery, and withal prevents the spread of the religion of our holy Redeemer. " We feel for the sufferings of the unoffending and helpless victims of these abominations, and we feel for the wrongs and miseries of the multitudes still living in slavery, and subjected to its cruel hat dships and uncom pensated toil, and we deeply deplore the degradation and the guilt which attach to the man stealer, the slave holder, and the dealer in his fellow men. " In consideration of the magnitude of this complicated iniquity, we are emboldened to ask thee, our gracious Queen, in thy intercourse with the rulers of those na tions which are involved in these things, to use the in fluence of thy exalted station for terminating by every pacific means this desolating evil on the continent of Africa, and for cont . ( rring immediate awl unconditional freedom on all those held in slavery. And we ask per mission humbly and plainly to declare our conviction that it is only in the extinction of negro slavery that we can have any security for the utter termination of the African slave trade. TH " May the Lord of Heaven and earth bless thee, our beloved Sovereign, and thy Hoyal Consort, and may His blessing rest upon ail thy house. We pray that, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord, He rniy give thee wis dom and strength to open thy mouth for the dumb, to plead the cause of the poor and of him that hart no helper; that he may prosper thee in thy work of righ. 7 teousness; and that, if it please Him, thou mayest live to see the day in which negro slavery and the slave trade shall be abolished throughout the earth. " London, 3d mouth, 12th, 1849." Her Majesty, having received the address, was pleased to return the following most gracious answer:— " I have received your address with much satisfaction. I fully appreciate the benevolent efforts of the Society of Friends on behalf of the suffering and oppressed. " I am deeply sensible of the wrongs and evils inflicted by the slave trade, and my endeavours will continue to . be directed towards its extinction," The deputation then retired from the Royal presence. The Privy Council was attended by his Royal High ness Prince Albert, the Lord President, the Lord Privy Seal, the First Lord of the. Treasury, the Secretaries of State for the flame, Foreign, and Colonial departments, the Jhanceilor of the Exchequer, the President of the Board of Control, the President of tho Board of Trade, the Lord Steward, the Lord Chamberlain, and the Mas ter of the Horse. The lion. William Bathurst was the Clerk of the Council in waiting. The Queen gave audience to the Marquis of Lans downe and Lord John Russell. Tha Court was attended by the Earl of Morley, Lord in Waiting; Lord Combermere, Gold Stick in Waiting; the Treasurer of the household; the Comptroller of the• Household; and Captain the lion. J. Denman, Groom in Waiting. DEPARTURES OF THE FOREIGN AND COLONIAL MAILS FOR. MAY. The following are the dates on which the Foreign and Colonial mails will be made up at the General Post . office during the present month, and when tho return packets will be due at Southampton, Liverpool, and Falmouth:— For the British and foreign colonies in the West Indies (except Honduras, Nassau, Bermuda, and the Havannah):—Venezuela and Jacwel, on the mornings of the 2d (this day) and 17th inst., via Southampton ; Bermuda, Nassau, New Orleans, Mexico, Honduras, and Havannah, on the morning of the 2d only; Madeira, Grey-town (San Juan de Nicaragua), New Grenada, Chin, and Peru, on the morning of the 17th inst. only —due on the 7th and 22d inst. at Southampton. For British North America and the United States, on the evening of the 4th inst., via Liverpool, Halifax, and New York; on the evening of the 11th inst. to Boston ; on the evening of the 18th inst. to New York; and o❑ the evening of the 25th inst. to Boston. Next plackets due on the 2d inst. (to-morrow) from Boston, 17th New York, 23d Boston, and 31st New York, at Liverpool. For Madeira, Brazil, and Buenos Ayres, on the even ing of the 4th inst., by her Majesty's brig Peterel, via Falmouth. Her Majesty's brig Penguin, overdue; her Majesty's brig Express, due on the 28th inst. Por Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Madeira, via Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gibraltar, on the morning of the 7th, 17th, and 28th inst., via Southampton—due on the 6th, 16th, and 26th inst. For the Mediterranean, Malta, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, Mauritius, India, Hong• Kong, and China, on the even ings of the 7th and 24th inst., by the fortnightly over land closed mails, via Marseilles—due on the 2d and 23d inst. Gibraltar, Malta, Greece, the lonian Islands, Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, Mauritius, &c., on the evening of the 19th inst., via Southampton—due the 28th Inst. at Southampton. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Van Diemen's Land, and New Zealand, by private ships as they may sail. France, &c., twice daily —morning and evening (ex cept Suadays)—by steam-packets, via Dover and Calais —due daily. Belgium, &c., every evening (except Sundays), via Dover and Ostend —due daily. Hamburgb, &c., Tuesday and Friday evenings —due Tuesdays and Saturdays. Holland, &c., Wednesday and Saturday mornings— due Mondays and Thursdays, by the General Steam Navigation Company's packets, via the Thames. Mails will be made up in London on the evening of the 4th inst. for Madeira, San Nicolas, Cape de Verde Islands, Portendic, Sierra Leone, and the Island of As ct,insion, to tie forwarded by tvq. Majesty's sloop Heroine, appointed to sail from Devouport on the morning of the sth inst. Letters to Madeira, &c , will be charged a postage of Is. 10d. per halt-ounce; newspapers, 2d. each, which must be pre-paid. Sierra Leone and Ascension letters, Is., newspapers free of postage. ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE. Yebterday mottling, at an early hour, some excite ment was occasioned in the neighbourhood of Lime. house, in consequence of a coalwhipper named Daniel George Holmsden, having attempted to murder a female, named Martha Jane Bryden, by cutting her throat with a razor, and afterwards attempting his own life in a simi lar manner. It appears that Holmsden had been cohabiting with Bryden during the last nine years as man and wife, and she bad two children by him. He had frequently pro mised,her marriage, but when the day arrived he never made his , appearance. Same Sundays since the banns were published in Litnehouse church, and' last Sun day was appointed for their marriage. They bad saved up a suli:icient sum of money to defray the expenses of the wedding, and it was placed in the care of Holmsden. On Saturday last he was out all the day. When he returned .home a quarrel ensued petween him and Bryden, who declared she would live with him no longer.. She separated from him, and it was agreed that be should allow her a maintenance .for the hesu i p n gh p N oritotingfale herself .la en a , nd h e r children. She took lodgings morning, about eight o ' c l oc k, during yesterdaythe:helthou r he was allowed for his breakfast, he visited her, and par took of some coffee. lie endeavoured to persuade her to live with him again, and become his wife. She re plied that she would not, and he instantly rose from his seat, and grasped her violently by the back of her neck, and before she was aware of his intentions, he opened a raz , )r, which he took out of his pocket, and dashed it across her neck. She screamed violently, and succeeded in escaping from him, and ran into the street. She bled most profusely, and ran upwards of 150 yards, with the blood streaming down her clothes, when she fell sense less to the ground. She was removed into a house by a neighbour, and means were applied to stop the bleeding. llolmsden followed her, with the open razor in his hand, and finding that she had escaped from him, he drew the to r thersezao razor ncross his own n ec k w i t h suc h f orce as to divide ne arly all h cno e dyein r,b principalanut insensiblearteries state, his and throat. the lie bloodfell flowed copiou s ly f rom his wound. Bot h were imme diately convey e d t o t h e hospital. Holtasden is not ex pected the injuries sustained by the woman are slight. D g T E Ykk A 3 IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, May 1. RAILWAYS. Lord BROUGHAM (in continuation from our Thirl Edition of last night), said—He knew another instance, where a large capitalist in the City managed , by well known contrivan ces , to l ower the mar ket price of the shares of a certain railway company, and then, having purchased a large quantity of shares on his own account, by the attraction of a 10 per cent. guaranteed dividend, raised the price of the 'shares 20 per cent. What fol lowed? Mr. Holdfast got rid of all his shares, two thousand he believed, and thus cleared 40,000/. He would refer to a friend of his, Mr. Hutton, of Bristol, who succeeded as legatee or executor to a person who died worth 50 shares. His friend properly considered that those shares should be inquired into, and thereupon requested of the rail Way directors to allow him to see ' their books. They for some time hesitated, stating that they had a clear balance of thirty-two thousand pounds in the hands of their banker. He (Mr. Hutton) however persevered, and went to Plymouth to examine into the condition of the property of the deceased; stud what was the answer of those directors to him? In allowing him to see the books after considerable trouble, said that they would not permit him to make any extracts from them. However the result of his in spection of their books was, that instead of the 32,0001. clear balance, they had only 2,5001. in the hands of their banker, and the remainder was represented by bills not worth a single farthing. The question then was, how did these over-due bills come to be placed to the credit of the company ? The solution of this question tended to throw new light on the mode in which these share mongers kept up the apparent value of the stock for their own private purposes. Of that deficit of 29,0001. the sum of 11,000/. was owing by the solicitor—he was sorry to say the bead of what he had always considered a respectable house in the city of London ; and ho had the other Great calls, Western and i t Railway, Mr.Ssunders, paid thes e bad bills, which were over-due and nev e r paid, as his calls when they were , demanded of hi m . This led to further inquiry, and his friend proceeded t t u o rn a ed ask e a u bo t u t t ha th the who enjoyed the sad sum of 3,0001. ' a year tor hi s s e rvices as secretary to the Great Western Company, had been allowed to rue in arrear of his calls of 13,000/. ; he had only paid 2,0 001 . out of the 15,000/. that the payment secretary of calls which had been made upon him.—(Hear, hear.) Good God! could anything be more disgraceful than the conduct of these directors, who were appointed to act as trustees for the body of shareholders ? Could anything be more disgraceful than such collusion, if not fraud, as that of allowing their own well-paid secretary to run in arrear for his calls, when they pounced upon the poor widow, or the guardian of the orphan, and ruined them by enforcing the payment of their calls?—(Hear.) The other gentleman, the attorney to whom ho referred, and whom he would not name, owe d to t h e company 190,0001., he having received from the c ompany , at va rious times, different large amounts , to p a y for the land required for the purposes of the railway. At different times he was allowed sums of 20,0001', 40000/" , 'eel so on, from the company , with o u t having b enca upon to show any vouchers for the money he had e GOOOO/ paid. might be asked why the company did not sue the party for the amount? The answer nas clear. The attorney was not worth a halfpenny, and it would on l y have be en an additional expense to the company if they had done so. There must be an end to any further concealment of the mischievous maecouvres of such men, for his motion would put an end to such practices as he had detailed, now and for ever, for the concerns of railroads would be made plain to Parliament and to the country. Ile had one more statement to make which was not immaterial, and he meant in the case of two lines in the hands of the same directors, the mode they had of adding to one concern . when the capital of it was insufficient, which system he considered to be fraught with fraud and deceit. Those directors, after they had received the bills of the engineers, parliamentary agents, and other., make appli cation to Parliament to obtai n power to ena bl e ot h er persons to take sh a r es , f or t h e purpose of getting more money; and for the p ur p ose o f i nducing persons to take shares they crea t e new ones, which they call preference shares, a v e ry great di sadvantage to the old shareholder?, guaranteed for the pref e r ence s h are h olders were • d 5 per ten'., and in m an y cases were paid out of the capital.— t t t didtthey e y l fellold fa t o s t a keep e thosee discount, when a e (Hear.) Now th ese two agents, to whom he bed before alluded, b a d p re f erence shares; as long as they consi dered it to b e a source of advantage to them—so long and n momento i called on t o p ay f or their preference shares, they turn round and ra y, we h ave been all, of us fraudulent, and are not, th ere f ore b ound to pay. Such bad been the act of the s oli c it or to w h om he alluded. He should like one thing for me re curiosity —he s h ou ld lik e that an-. rs they but were the other House of Parliament, not, the one in this, but in another country, would take his hint, would institute an inquiry into the expenses of railroads in their country. He wished that the Canadian House of Commons, which he highly respected,,would act thus. In 1837 ho ob tained the concurrence of their .Lordships to a standing order, which put railroads on a far different footing from what they had b een prev i ously; and he asked if that measure had been b ene fi c i al to England, why not in Canada? Why, he as k e d, should not the Ilouse of Commons of Canada, th e faithful re p resen tatives of the good people o f C ana d a, i nstitute a similar inquiry. —([hear, hear.) He had some time ago suggested to some of the representatives in the Canadian Commons, that if that course were adopted by them, that it would work well. But when they returned to their respective seats in that Home they changed the tone of their opinions, and said it would not by any means work well. They admitted that it was good for England, but thought that it would not do for Canada. It was known that their elections were often very expensive, and that their constituents frequently required employment through their influence, and they considered that the best and cheapest mode to procure such employment was to vote for such and such railroad Bills, and thus save their own coffers, and up hold their influence. He had used every exertion for suppressing the mischievous system of those ga mbling speculations, and a t l engt h, a f ter seve n years, had H degree. ha succeeded in effecti ng hi s d es i re in some g this He knew that th e House of Commons country had done it s d u ty, but what he wished should inquiry as 'to what took place before those Bills were passed by them, and that it al so then occurred.became the Parliament of this country to know what makefor was, that the Canadian. Parliament He had seen some of their Bills, and fully believed that the money was not accounted for. He should at the same time state that he believed that the solicitor s engaged were honest, that is, that they did not pocket the money, but he felt assured that they placed right shares in the right places. When some six Members of that House had any Interest in a Bill, they induced others to vote with them, and it was to prevent that system any longer that he pressed his recommendation. He said that if those proceedings were sifted, it would throw great light on the mode adopted in the Canadian Com mons of carrying Bills through their Parliament, and also their mode of voting. A friend of his (Lord Brougham), a second, and a third, had stated to him that they had been offered 5,0001. if they would lend their names to be railway directors, In fact, the Canadian House of Commons has a strong objection to such an in quiry, or to allow any investigation into matters of bribery or corruption. It should be considered that if there was anything disgraceful discovered, that it would not attach itself to the House of Commons, but to the guilty individuals. The whole of the matter, required the interposition of Parliament; for a remedy must be ape plied to check those unworthy members of society from falsely and fraudulently manufacturing railway shares, and from their shameful system of gambling. He thought that giving absolute publicity to such proceedings would tend very much to prevent them, and saw no other course that Parliament should take than that suggested Hepecl discouragedho that uld by him. Hi s N o bl e F r i en d ( L or d M onteagle) bad in troduced a m easure, very useful b oth to England and Ireland, f or o b taining certain audit of railroads. He hh s the therefore N in o c b 0 1 Noble Lianyog forwardr his d motion (Lord again oMonteagle)a with th e histatable, mle n would t n o o nd t . would wish, es he understood that it would require w o a u n l x d b e e u g s i t n h t a h t e t g h s o r o e d s w h u o u r k l d a s h e s o n o u n d a e s l a y p o sy s s h i b a l t e n , v f e o r r , many month s to procure the necessary information, that washthees• for it was moat essential that that giant evil of gambling should be suppressed as soon as possible. What he tad stated were facts, and if any Noble Lord doubted those facts, be fel , prepared to furnish him with all the papers to prove the accuracy of his statements.—(Hear, hear.) The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that he hoped that their Lordships would agree with the proposition of the Noble and Learned Lord (Lord Brougham). He should at the same time say that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to procure all the necessary information at once, but at the same time fully concurred with him, that as little delay as possible should be offered to so useful a proposition. The time has now come. when re sistance must be offered to such proceedings . as the Noble Lord (Lord Brougham) strongly and truthfully alluded to. Ile also hoped that the Noble Lord (Lord blonteagle) would again introduce his Bill, and assured him that Government would give it their best support; and that if he gave it up, the Government would feel it their duty to introduce a similar Bill, yet ho hoped that the Noble Lord (Lord Monteagle) would introduce it, as he believed that it could not be brought on with more success by any Noble Lord than by his Noble Friend (Lord Monteagle). Lord MONTEAGLE said be could not refrain from expressing the satisfaction he felt at finding this subject taken up so earnestly by the Noble Lord. When their Lordships came to consider the probable effect it would have upon commerce, he thought it would be deemed im possible to Overrate its importance. It was beyond the reach of legislation to prevent the imprudence of man kind, but he believed that if- the recommendation of a Noble• Friend of his, now absent, had been remembered there and elsewhere, the consequences of imprudent speculation which they had recently witnessed, might, to a great extent, have been avoided. Lord Dalhousie recommended that a selection should be made of those lines which the public had most confidence in, and which were most likely to prove round speculations. That recommendation had been avoided, and unfortu nately most of the evils had occurred which his Noble Friend had foreseen. The powers which Parliament had given from time to time, for the indefinite perpe tuation of a fraud,iby raising dividends to a suppositious value, upon the faith of which purchasers bought, ought to render Parliament responsible for the results; at any rate, whilst that ground of complaint existed, there was no occasion to complain of the acts of persons out of doors. In this way many of the companies had contrived to clear 100, 150, and even 200 per cent. upon the purchase of their shares, which, had it not I been for the private information they were able to ob:ain possession ot, would have found its way, as it ought to have found its way, into the hands of the parties who were dealing with them. The subject was deserving of the greatest attention, because it had now become a com mon practice to allow powers to the trustees under a marriage set Cement, for the investment of capital in railway shares. The audit of railway companies' ac counts, as at prevent managed, was a perfect farce. Lord BROUGHAM - .observed that his chief object had been to point out how great facilties for fraud and abuses bad been afforded. At the same he would remark that the completion of 4,000 miles of railway, eleven times the distance between London and Edin burgh, was some evidence that many of the schemes were substantial, and intended to be pursued to completion. Lord GRANVILLE acknowledged that the present system of auditing railway accounts was extremely im perfect. The Government would give its assistance in remedying it. The motion was then agreed to. The Rate-in-Aid (Poor-law, Ireland) Bill was read a first time. Their Lordships then''adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 1. PUNISHMENT OF DEATH. (Continued from our Third Edition of last night.) Lord NUGENT seconded the motion. Sir GEORGE GREY believed that the time was yet far distant when they could with safety dispense with the extreme penalty of the law in cases of the crime ot murder.—(Hear, hear.) It should, he considered, be borne in mind, that since the year 1841 not a single per . son had been executed, unless for the crime of murder. —(Hear.) In one observation which his Hon. Friend gave expression to he entirely concurred, namely, that this question did not rest upon theological grounds. He was convinced that there was nothing in the written word of God which precluded the State from inflicting this punishment, if deemed necessary for the preserva tion of human life; but it was said that there was nothing imposed on rulers, as a moral obliga tion, to deprive persons of life even in cases of murder. Now if -that were right, as well might it be said that the State had no right to transport persons, nor to deprive them of their liberty, for the purpose of gratifying a vindictive feeling. The only justification of Government in inflicting the punishment of death was to be found in 'its object to protect life, and that protection was in a great measure afforded by the terror which the punishment of death inspired. If the State had no right to inflict severe punishment, where, he would ask, was the safeguard of society? He appealed to his Hon. Friends whether he did not think it m ees eery for the protection of human life and of property. that there should be a power in the hands of the Go vernment to impress terror on the minds of persons who might otherwise have recourse to the commission of the most enormous crime. He believed that the punishment of death tended to inflict terror, and to keep down, to a great extent, the crime of murder. Be was not prepared to say that men who committed the crime ot murder ought to be put to death recklessly, but the punishment of death doubtless operated to diminish the crime. The Honourable Gentleman referred to Belgium for an example of the effect of the absence of capital punishment. He also stated that in the best times of the Roman Republic, there was not capital punish • went, and murders were infrequent ; and further, from the relaxation of our own criminal law to the pre sent time, that crimes had diminished. Whatever result might appear from the returns of last year with regard to burglaries, the effect had been that there was an increase of the crime since the relaxation of the law with regard to its punishment. It was argued that, iu consistency, the same regard ought to be extended to the protection of pr: perry as of life, if the infliction of capital punishment was justifiable and productive of be neficial effects in repressing crime. The fact, however, was, that aggressions on property were not regarded in the saute light, and when capital punishment was in flicted, juries found the parties accused guilty of the minor offence, to avoid its infliction. In the case of sheep-stealing, not one in a hundred of those tried for the offence had been executed, and the uncertainty of the punishment operated in removing the check upon the commission of the offence, which the certainty of the punishment would prevent. The certainty of death as a punishment did attach to murder, although in some cases, where there were mitigating circumstances, the sentence was not carried into effect. The ordinary rule was, that the. law was allowed to take its course, and the criminal and the public had an assur ance that death was the penalty the offender had to incur. The lion. Gentleman offered a certain punish ment, but did not state what it was. There was the case of a poor woman whos from the pressure of poverty and distress, had deprived her child of life. In such u case as that it was right to recommend the party for mercy, not, however, that such un act could be Justi fied, but it might be considered to be perpetrated with mitigating circumstances. The pamphlet upon which the lion. Gentleman relied to sustain his own statements, and to impugn his, led his Hon. Friend into ert or. Ca pital punishments had been withdrawn from those of fences against the person which were not attended with violence endangering life. Such offences bad been for merly punished with death, which had been since removed, and the effect had been that this' description of offences bad increased.- Taking the seven years which preceded the abolition of capital punishments, as compared with the same period which followed, offences had more than doubled. He did not mean to argue that this increase of crime had been occasioned by the mitigation which had taken place in penal punishments, and he only made the statement to show that statistical facts could not be relied upou as a criterion to form a judgment on the sub ject. The relaxation of punishment with regard to forging documents for the delivery of goods was attended with the same result, as forgery had increased. With regard to rho statement which he had made last year, with reference to burglary, he had been charged with making a wilful mistake upon the statements he had of fered to the House, and yet it had been proved with re gard to burglary, that offences of that description, since the penalty of death was removed, had taken place be tween nine o'clock at night and six in the morning, more frequently than before. He did not, however, rely upon figures, but asked the House to consider the sub ject upon principles of common sense, and to say whe ther the time had come when it would be safe to do away with capital punishment?—(hear.) Next, with regard to treason—it was argued that it was not a crime to which capital punishment should be extended, and it was described as an act of cold ctuelty to de prive the offender of life; but ho would ask the House whether such a description could apply . ' to the case of a party who entered upon a course which would in volve the country in bloodshed, and, in its consequences, lead to results that would deprive thousands of life?— (Cheers.) His Honourable Friend said he hoped they would not yield upon this question to the vindictive feel ings of the public. He, however, thought it was must desirable that the public should be impressed with a consciousness that the law, was strong enough to protect them, and that they were not required to protect them selves. lie was of opinion that if capital punishment was abolished, it would give rise to acts of private re venge which were at present kept down by the convic tion of the power of the law to inflict adequate punish ment. The Honourable Gentleman then adverted to the practice of public executions. With regard to them, he thought that nothing would be more injurious than the anxiety to witness these executions, and the facilities which were afforded, for the sake of gain, to witness them. lie begged, however, it might be understood that public executions were not essential incidents to capital punishment, as might be inferred from the practice in foreign countries. It was alleged that certain judges were favourable to the abolition of capital punishment; but it should be taken into con sideration with regard to this allegation, that the majority of the judges examined before the Lords' Com mittee on this subjeet were in favour of retaining it, and that the Committee, after hearing the evidence of the judges, were unanimous against the abolition of capital punishment. He hoped the House would not allow the Honourable Member to place the Bill upon the table of the House, and not encourage any illusory expectation of the abolition of capital punishment. Mr. BRIGHT said that it was well known that the early Christians.did not inflict death, and it was known that a Roman Emperor removed Christians from the office of Preetor, because they could not carry the punishment of death into execution ; this was the prin ciple of Christians for-the first ages of the Christian re ligion. In Belgium, Tuscany, Austria, and Sweden, the punishment of death was but rarely inflicted, and mur ders were much more infrequent there than in Spain or Ireland, where capital punishments were not infrequent. Could they believe that any punishment would deter such a man as Rush from his grave offence? It was premeditated, and every precaution taken to escape detection , and was deliberately perpetrated. • Take the case at Bristol; that was not o premeditated; but the fear of death di d not preventth perpetration of the crime. With reg ard to public exe cutions, people were collected together to see these exe cutions for example; but there were none of the persons who went to witness these scenes who wire not injured by the exhibition. Then, with regard to the execution at Bristol, what could hav e been more disgusting than to see six or seven men dragging a girl of sixteen to the scaffold, and the clergyman coaxing her to go quietly to execution? Then there was an execution at Brecon, and when the sentence of death was passed upon the man, a companion in the court cried out, " Now, Jew, die ame;" and he did die game, as they considered it. g The effect of this suggestion was that he wits preparing his mind to brave the law, and was more intent upon that than in a ttending to the instructions of th e c l ergyman. Why, he would ,ask, did the newsp a p ers g i ve such lengthened accounts of these executions but that there • WAS a desire, QLI the part 9f the public, to read thes accounts, from a morbid feeling of curiosity to know what was connected with the death of a criminal, arising from what was, in some respects, a sentiment of sindic tiveness against the convict? He had seen cases of that kind which were very striking. Some time ago a young man at Stockport shot a young woman with whom he had been living, and was hanged at Liverpool. Shortly after another stabbed a young woman els.), and he suf fered death; but shies that another murder of a similar description was committed at Leeds; two in different parts of the country, following each other in such rapid succession, that ho believed the effect of the notoriety given them was to create the offences.--(Hear hear.) If the punishment, for example, were perpetual imprison ment, they could relax it in the case of a deserving cri minal, and continue it to those .who did not deserve such relaxation. Besides, the present system often in duced men to commit murders, because juries often seized on objections which were not valid, and fre quently acquitted the most notorious criminals, lie himself had seen a letter from a medical man, in which be stated that to his own knowledge four persons were acquitted, and then at large, who were notoriously guilty of murder, but escaped in consequence of the state of the law. The Right lion. Baronet must recollect the case of the two men at Dot ham last year, charged with the murder of the Duke of Cleveland's gamekeeper. One of those men was found guilty and hanged and the other acquitted, on the ground that he did not fire the shot which deprived the man of life, whereas at that moment it was believed that the man acquitted was really the person who fired the shot; and what was more-, two persons were now in gaol for another murder arising from motives of revenge out of the murder of the gamekeeper- Indeed it was well known that so great was the terror inspired on the occa sion, that many witnesses examined for the prosecution had to leave th e country, lest they m i g ht b e murdered for giving evidence. Now he would ask the Right lion. Gentleman, why was it that Annette Meyers was respited, and Harriett Thomas executed? Both were equally guilty of murder in its most dreadful form. He (Mr. Bright) rejoiced that Annette Meyers was not executed, and, indeed, at the time, he received a letter from the family of the soldier, which did them much credit, expressing a wish that he should state to the House their anxiety that she should not be executed. These things evinced how perfectly impossible it was to be impartial in these cases. He (Mr. Bright) really had commiseration for the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary for the Home Department. He had a veto in all those cases given him by the law— the whole responsibility almost fell on him when he had to take each case into bis consideration, after they were adjudicated on by judges and juries, and his difficulties were every day increasing. He had been in the habit lately of referring cases el that description to the judges, and without venturing even to insinuate anything dero gatory to those eminent personages, differences of opi nion might arise from feelings entertained on the subject before the House. In one case a deputation waited on a judge, and stated as their reason for asking a commu tation of punishment, that they were opposed to capital punishments altogether, and his reply was that he could not listen to such a reason, but that he should be happy to hear any which he could consider, as he was most anxious the execution should aot take place. Deputa tions of that description were of frequent occurrence, and it was hardly necessary to say that they indicated the anxiety of the public mind on the question. Then there was a case at Monmouth, where a memorial was presented to the Right Hon. Baronet. Sir G. GREY—Not on the merits. Mr. BRIGHT—Not on the merits, certainly, but praying that it should not take place at Monmouth. Then, at Bristol, 3,500 women sent up a memorial in favour of Harriet Thomas, and five different religious congregations for the same object. The Mayor and corporation of Gloucester did the same, showing that public opinion was running hostile to the system now pursued. An intimate friend of his *(Mr. Gilpin), whose name when the question was settled would be ever remembered with gratitude for his exertions in the cause, informed him, that at upwards of fifty meetings at which lie attended, in various parts of the country, he had never witnessed before, no matter how exciting or interesting the aulject might have been, any question which gathered together larger assemblies, or filled larger rooms than the present, not to condemn pas sionately or foolishly the abolition of punishment by death, but to consider and discuss it, calmly and dis passionately, and from these meetings all but unani mous declarations in favour of the principle of the pre sent motion were come to, which was a good test of what the public feeling was on the subject.—(Hear, hear.) The Right lion. Baronet had, however, one difficulty in considering this question ; he was under the impression that the opinion of the House was against such a propo silion. Such may be the notion entertained jn the House of Lords, where it was said by some one, on the presentation of a petition from Lancashire in its favour, that its prayer ought be granted as a punishment to tho people of that district, fur their tenacity in seeking it. But such was not the case in that Hpuse. He believed fire.sixths of Hon. Members never considered the ques tion at all; and he was also convinced that, it the Right Hon. Baronet proposed a measure for the abolition of capital punishment, scarcely a Member in the house would be found to oppose it; or, if so, only to the length of limiting the duration of the measure for a few years. For the grounds stated he implored the Right Hon. Gen tleman to give the question his best consideration; and for his own part he should support the motion of his lion. Friend the Member for Dumfrie,. Mr. HOME DRUMMOND regretted to see on every side increased sympathy for murderers. Murders had increased in intensity, and he believed it was so in con sequence of the debates in that House, and the sym pathy shown:for murderers elsewhere, so that the people thought that murder, after all, was not so great a crime, and so it was thought as little of as during the middle ages. The Honourable Gentleman said they c ,uld mitigate and modify the punishment ; that they could modify in soma eases, and, in tact, in others let them out altogether. Mr. BRIGHT observed that the Hon. Gentleman mistook him altegt•ther. What he said was, that in oertain deserving eases the punishment might be miti• gated, but in no case whatever would he consent to have a murd-rer return to society. Mr. DRUMMOND begged the Hon. Gentleman's pardon. He should, however, give the motion every opposition in his power, convinced, as ho was, that— " Whose aheddeth man's blood, by man should his blood be shed." Sir E. N. BUXTON could not agree with the Hon. Gentleman who had just addressed the House, in the interpretation he put .on the text which he quoted, or its bearing• on the subjsct then under discussion. He was not, however, prepared to voto for the motion of his Hon. Friend, became it seemed to him that they had not at present arrived at that point in which they could say there was any uncertainty or difficulty in obtaining convictions when murder was committed. On the other hand, it appeared to him that there was an increasing dislike, growing up to convict in capital cases. lie had seen it in the county which he had the honour to repre- sent, in the instance of some must atrocious cases. About two years ago a woman was tried for poisoning her hus band, and, notwithstanding the evidence given, she was now at large. So convinced was the prosecutor of her guilt, that she was tried again. A second indictment was preferred against her, but she was acquitted, one of the jurors subsequently stating that she would have been convicted but for the punishment of death. In the fol lowing year another woman was tried and convicted, bat in the present a third was tried and let off. He (Sir E. N. Buxton) certainly did think it was right they should watch the course taken by jurors, and if they found there was an increasing difficulty in getting a conviction in cases of murder, he certainly should be prepared to support the question. Although he could not then con vince himself that he should be acting right in voting fur the motion, yet, as to the expediency of putting an end to the present mode of public executions, he had no doubt whatever.—(Hear, hear.) A person was no doubt publicly tried in a court of justice, but it pas in a room, and it was impossible that more than a limited number of persons could be present. Executions might take ph -co within the precincts of a gaol, for example, so that, while they maintained the principle that the ends of justice should be satisfied, only a certain number of persons, as witnesses, should be present to see the law carried into effect. On these grounds he could not vole for the motion of his Honourable Friend ; but he con fessed he came to that conclusion after much difficulty , and doubt. Mr. BROTHERTON should support the motion of the Hon. Member for Dumfries, and as to what bad been said by the Right Hon. Baronet and others, that the time was not as yet come to make the proposed change, he wished to know what sign they were to have when it should come? The great end of punishment was refor mation; but capital punishments did nut prevent crime, and demoralised rather than improved those who wit nessed them. Sir G. STRICKLAND said he hoped to live to see the time when capital punishments should be abolished altogether. From the infirmity of human tribunals the innocent had often, he was convinced, suffered as guilty. Then be thought that they should not have recourse to a punishment which never could be recalled. Colonel THOMPSON said he did not think that transportation had all the effect attributed to it, but he thought that expatriation, under hopeless circumstances of ever returning, might, in many instances, he substi tuted for threepenny-worth of rope and the hangman. —(A laugh.) At present transports were buoyed up with the hope of returning home, or of obtaining a par don, or at least a material mitigation of the severity of their punishment; but if the murderer were deprived altogether of that hope and banished for ever to some far distant country, that :he believed would be a safe substitute for the degrading system of public executions. Sir GEORGE GREY said he hoped that, from the tone of the debate respecting the punishment of trans portation, an erroneous impression would not beconveyed to the country.. No Governor had th e pow er of exer cising the prerogative of mercy, nor could any the exercise es cape the severity of his sentence, t xcept by of the prerogative of the Crown. Lord NUGENT said that capitalpunishm on t s h a d a tendency to increase crim e , and therefore th e punish to. lit of death was unnecessary and unj t the ustiti a ab bo le l . itio l'h o e f majority of the Jud ges were favourin o this punishment. Several eminent criminal lawy e r s Nero of the Sane opinion, and their reason had suffered death n s was ue t r h e a d t within thei r knowledge several persons death who were innocent.— iosu subject,ld . entreatto Hon. Members, if they had any doubt this remember that if thethought there was an thing in the argument in favour of abolition,laeevery year was a year of unjustifi a bl e bloodshed.—(Hear.) Sir 11. VERnot could ,t )•e r i ) make up his mind to abolish th e punishment altornblic executions were abhorre n t t o th e feelingsghef humanity, and some other mod e o f executing criminals should be devised, if that pun is h ment was to 'be continued. A gentleman nho had seen Rush executed had informed him that he was convinced if a criminal w as seen no more after sen tence of condemnation it wou r l e d n = y3 a teua greater effec upon the public mind than the present:}stem. _ Tho House then divided, when there appeared— For the motion ct ••• _ _ - Against it ... Majority The motion was consequently lost. CROWN PROSECUTIONS IN IRELAND. Mr. KEOGH proceeded to call the attention of the House to the general management of Crown prosecutions in Ireland at assizes and sessions, and to the expendi ture incurred in those prosecutions. The expense of those prosecutions to the country in 1847 amounted to 71,0001, while in 1830 it amounted only to 3 , , 1 .00 showing an increase in the intermediate period of 34,0004 per annum. There was no effectual check upon this ex penditure, and the uncertainty attending the ~trials was so great that offenders speculated upon an acquittal. It was perfectly well known that extensive alterations had of late b(eu made in the criminal laws; and, therefore, the counsel taking charge of criminal prosecutions should have a good knowledge of these alterations. He had moved last session for a return as to the conduct of criminal prosecutions in a certain county in Ireland, but that return had not yet been made. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said it had been laid on the table. . . Mr. KEOGH said he should have been glad .ta hate seen it before it had been laid on the table. . The ATTORNEy-GENERAL said ho had not been aware of the circumstance till now. Mr. KEOGH continued, and said that a great portion of the duty of the Crown solicitors devolved upon the stipendiary magistrates, who were not, from many cir cumstances, qualified to perform the duty.—(llear, hear.) The consequence was, that the people felt there was shat was tantamount to a denial of justice, for the people were astute enough to ace that, where the chances of escape were so numerous, justice was but im perfectly administered, and the matter, therefore, called for immediate investigation. Ile thought be had laid sufficient grounds to induce the Government to grant an inquiry, and he was of opinion if a Committee were granted, that a system might be devised which would give them a cheaper and certain system of admi nistering justice in Ireland. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought that the matter might, be safely left in the hands of his Right Hon. Friend the Irish Attorney-General. His Right Hon. Friend came into office in '4B or in the latter end of '47. As the Crown Solicitors were paid by fees, it was not to be wondered at that they should be desirous of increas ing the number of counsel, and of course the number of briefs. The Irish Attorney-General, in 1835 (Mr. Blackburne) bad his attention called to this abuse, and he issued an order limiting the counsel to the number of two, allowing that in certain cases an additional counsel should be called in. The Right Hon. Gentleman then went on to explain in detail the mode which the fees of the Crown solicitors in criminal cases in Ireland were under the old system so largely increased. When the present Attorney-General (Mr. Monahan) came ,into office, or soon after July, 1848, he issued an order that the practice should be uniform on all the circuits, and -, directing other arrangements as to the employment of counsel, namely, that in certain cases one counsel only should be employed. There were other minor arrange ments for reducing the expenses of Crown prosecutions, and he,(the Attorney-General) thought that the arrange ments which had been made by his Right Hon. Friend the Irish Attorney-General were highly honourable• to him. He held in his hand a return which showed that in the season before the new arrangements came into operation, 375 Crown prosecutions bad been carried on, at an expense of 3,2231. lOs. Since the new arrangements bad been acted upon, the return showed that 348 cases had been tried, at an expense of 8761. The House would, therefore, see the great re duction which had been . effected already by the Irish Attorney-General, and when he heard his Right Hone. Friend blamed for the mode in which:be bad conducted the prosecutions, he was happy to be able to refer to the opinions of men who were well acquainted whirl: 6o conduct, and who gave that conduct their decided -ap. proval. The Hon. Member (Mr. Keogh) had alleged that there was a failure of justice, because the Irish At torney-Generel would not prosecute for petty larcenies; but he thought his Right Hem Friend was quite right in acting upon that principle.—(Hear, hear.) He was of opinion he had sufficiently answered the statement of the Hon. and Learned Member (Mr. Keogh), and he trusted therefore he would withdraw the motion. Mr. KEOGH explained. Mr. O'FLA HERTY was glad to hear of the reduc tion of the expenditure which bad been effected, and hoped it would be continued. Mr. HENLEY felt that the statement which had been made of the former practice in Ireland in Crown prose cutions was so startling, that there was great reason to rejidet , that the reform bad been carried so far, and he trusted it would be still cirried farther. Sir W. SOMERVILLE said a few words, after which the motion was withdrawn. CORPORATION OR LONDON. 75 ••• -24 On the motion of Mr. I)IVETT a return was ordered of all money% paid to the Chamberlain of the City of London by persons. either nominated or elected to tho office of Sheriff of London and Middlesex, with the date, cause, and amount of each payment, and the names and addresses of the respective payers, from the lit of Ja nuary, 1800, to the present time; stating also the amount received in each year, the sues total, and the purposes to which the money was applied by the Corporation of, London. ~~ ~ 1349:- IRISH RAILWAYS. Mr. IiEOOI.I asked for leave to bring in a Bill to fa cilitate the. transfer of land to railway companies for • railway purposes in li - elm:A.—Leave given. . 'The SOLICITOR-GENERAL next obtained leave to bring in a Bill granting relief against drfecta•in leaa(a made under powers of leasing in e,rtain .• • ,; The House then adjourned at Nine o'cleek. -,%014•0;&:-.4 THE CoUNTH Y IviARKETS. HULL, MAY 1. Messrs. Taylor and Bright's circular states : The past week has certainly been the most inactive, as re gards the gener.-.1 business of this port, of any previous one of this year. Exports of manufactured goods are seriously affected through the blockade of the diffetew Germin ports, and from the same cause our imports of foreign grain are on a most limited scale, and will now fall tiff much more, as up to the 30th tilt neutral vessels were allowed to leave the ports where they might be at the commencement of the blockade, our infor mation lead us to believe that there is only a moderate quantity on passage to this port. It may be going beyond the province of a trade circu ar, but we cannot refrain from expressing our , unfeigned regret that the Government of the country does not, at once , and actively i n t er f ere t o p reven t th e sa d consequences which must accrue to every branch of our commercial interest front the present state of affairs; such interference '‘vould effectual, and we doubt nut as to its practicability. This morn ing's letters look less like peace than ever. During the week' the grain trade has been most inactive ; notwithstanding stocks in warehouse and fresh arrivals being very small, they - axe for the present beyond the necessities of millers, and they of course avail themselves of this ; not many factors, are, how. ever, disposed to give way in foreign grain, and such (espe cially wheat of first quality) is for the most part held at the prices of a fortnight ago. We had to day a small supply of reheat from our farmers, and a very quiet market, without any notable alteration upon last week's prices. In foreign the transactions were very limited, holders being equally disinclined with buyers to alter their ideas, but there sNas certainly more inquiry on the part of millers. Spring corn of all kinds a good deal neglected during the week as well as to-day. Linseed is fully as dear, but cakes are easier to buy. Nothing new in rapeseed, while rape cakes are the turn dearer. Bones support late prices. Vie following are the present prices of grain : s. s. Wheat, English, red 42 to 46 Do. white Dantzic and Ko- 8. 8. 'Peas, white and yel. 25 39 Do. grey ....... 24 :16 Linseed, Black Sea. 39 41 Do. I'etersburgh ... 31 IDo.lligati:Arehngl. 33 -- 37 iDo. Konigsberg .... 32 35 nigsberg 4B 50 1 Pomeranian and llamburgh DaniAi, Holstein, & Per ton. Linseed cakes, Hull 71 121 tid Do. line foreign Do. interior foreign.-- 51 5i Rapeseed Rape cakes 9os Od Tares, English .oos ()Os Do. foreign 20s 265 Guano 6/ to 91 10a Bones, do 95s Od to 97s 6d Rve meal 61 111.ar I. 'Y Frie;land Itus,ian and Odessa 3G 44 Oats, English ..... 1.5 17 Do. Vanish l4 16 Do.Friesland 1 .6 ; 18 Do. Russ. & Odessa 14 Barley, nalting 24 26 Do. grinding 2O 22 Beans 2B 32 Do. foreign ...... 26 :31' IPS IV ICII The Isheat trade is again ver made without a reduction of corn no alteration in prices. dovi nwards in price. heavy, and sales could not be sto I's per quarter. Spring Malt very dull. Flour looking FEE ItUARTF.R.' rex QUARTER. Wheat 4os to 49s Beans ........ Barley .... 22s to 31s Peas Oats l7s to 21s Malt . .....•.. ..... 478 to 53s Rye AVERAGES FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL 25, 1849. Wheat 579 „ 295. Bd. Barle y OO „ 00s. ud. Beans ... ......... 46 ~ 28s. Id. Peas .. . ... LIVEKrooL, MAT I.—This morning's market was not so well attended by buyers from a distance as of late, still a fair sale was experienced for wheat, at a decline of Id per bushel on all qualities from last Tuesday. American dour was 3d to 6d per barrel lower, with a slow sale. Good mealing oats, b e ing scarce, were id per bushel dearer, but inferior samples were neglected. Oatmeal fully supported late rates. Barley , beans, and peas were unaltered in value. The principal busi ness of the day was in Indian corn , for which noted t a h b erewa activ e competition, and the decline of Frid ay, noted fi ove, was fully best American yellow, and 315 Gd for best white. sin recovered ; 33s 6d per 4Solbs was figure for the IC t E h l e T r l e i were siA L l44 l‘l b A ag ß s K I d:: m Th aD e rk r A e eLt were also 5 bags of p ut M A Ca r l ß , IL and 3o l . o — or ba th rl i e s ym dg e2 sold ; oatmeal same on th e h t op, barley it, market, which was not but down 6d per bag on the second and third qualities ; arleymeal up 3d per bag on the second price. Oatmeal, per sack, of 280 lbs. First Second Third imperial .. . ... 27a (Id 2.f;s 6d 25s 6d Barleynteal "' , per ditto ... 20s Od 191 9d 19s 6d Peasemeal ••• .. ... —s Od —s ocl —5 Od Flour ... ... ... ... —s Od —s Od —a Od ' Pot, barley ... ..• ••• '—' Od —s °(1 ."—'' Od Coax, APRIL 30.—Flour.-Firsts 14s to 1436 d; extra 15.6 d; seconds, 13s cud to 13s Gd; households lOs to 12, ; thirds Bf , PP I 'a per cwt. Oatmeal 12s to 1246(1; Indian ,real s 6d to 9s ; wueat meal, lOstid to Ils per cwt. Indian corn 8. `.2s, 6dto 6/10s pm ton. Bran 41 to 4/ - 5s per ton. Hay—Farmers 28.. s 6d to 41s; averago Os; dealers 42s to 48s ; average 45s Od per ton. Stiaw—Farmer/ 16, Od to 29s 4)d; average 235; dealers ON Od to 00, Od; average 00s Od per ton. Bread—Wheaten loaf 6d to 61c1; household loaf 5d to sid per 41b. Fresh butt er, li d to . 9.1 per lb. Coals—Newport I6s; Lydney 17s; Landore 16s; ]lest Neat: Culm 14s per ton. Tallow 43s 6d to 44s per cwt. Whisky, 25 0. p., 6s Od per imperial gal. lon. Meat—Beef 4d to 7d; Mutton 5d to bid; veal O'A to 7d ; pork 4d to 50; bacon 7cl to 8d ; sausages 6:1 per lb. Hors tit los per cwt. Bangor s l a tes 3/ 2s 6d to 31 5s per ton. Bark—B ar b ar y 8/ to 8110 s; Valonia 01 t o 01 ; F renc h 71103; Engli s h 0/ p e r ton. Fleece Wool lOs to 12s per stone. Hemp 31/ to 36/ per ton. Fish— Scotch herrings 18s to 19s ; red ditto 26s to 28s per barrel ; Newfoundland 10/ 10. to 121 per ton. Timber—New Memel 4/ 10s ; old scarce; red pine 3/ 15s ; yellow pine 31 per ton ; deals, first quality, '201; second 1 quality 171 per 120. Hides—Market 103 to 16s; salted 11s to 16s per cwt ; calf skins 2d to 20; market 2d to lid per lb. Potatoes, white 10d to 12d; Minions 18d to 20d; Guano— Peruvian, 1.1/ to 11110 s ; Ichaboe 9/ per ton ; Tar. Archangel, It's per barrel. Eggs, la to 4: :id per hundred 1 r