The Sun. — London, England, 1849-02-28 00:00:00

THE LEGAL TITL E ASSURANCE COMPANY. (Proyisionally Registered, January 17, 1 84 9.) Capital, 2,000,0001., in 80,000 Shares, of 251. each. Preliminary Deposit, 2s. 6d. per Share. Prospectuses and full information may be obtained at the Tempe z.a,:y Offices of the Company, 13n, Cannon-row, Westanielster, ap pit cation to G. F. BOWE, Hon. Sec., pro ten. Now ready at all the Libraries, in 3 'Nis.' THE NEW NOVEL. OCKIN cr 11 A M; Or, THE YOUNGER BROTHER. Henry Celburn, Publisher, 13, Great 31arlborough-street. Now ready at all the Libraries, in 3 vols., AD VENTURES of CROMWELL DOOLAN; LIFE IN THE ARMY. By the Author of " Echoes from the Backwoods." " One of the pleasantest and most spirited novels that have lately appeared. The sketches of Life in the Army are full of point aid character." —Morning Herald. " A very clever , entertaining, and instructive work—full of ye- Tiety and incident, and highly amusing."—Jerrold's Paper. Full of life, frolic, fun, and humeu."—Nval and Military Gazette. Hoary Celbura, Publisiser, 13, r Great aMarlberough-slreet. 6 . - . 2 T. JAMES'S THEATRE. 0 Season 1849. FRENCH PLAYS and OPERA COMIQIIE. THIS EVENING, The Performances will commence at Half-past Seven o'clock, with Beieldieu's popular Opera, LE NOUVEAU SEIGNEUR DE VILLAGE. To conclude with the popular Opera Consique, entitled L'A ADR [CE. Mr. Mitchell begs also to announce that, notwithstanding the la creased expenses of the present entertainment, the prices of &dais -11011 are determined as fellow. : 'loxes •• •• •• •• •Gs Ott • Pit ea. Amphitheatre .. • • • • • • 25. Od. Subscriptions for the season may be arranged at Mr. Mitchell's Royal Library, 33, Old Bond-street ; Mr. Sams', St. James's-street ; Mr. Andrews', New Bond-street; and at the Box-attics of the Theatre, which L 9 open daily from eleven till live. TEI BATRE ItO TALL. LIA YMARK E • Mr. B. Webster, Sole Lessee and Manager. Old Bromptoi. The public is respectfully informed that this Theatre has, during the recess. undergone very extensive repairs and alteration and the whole redecorated. THIS EVENING, Will be peformed OTHELLO. Othello. Mr. J. Wallack ; lago, Mr. Charles Kean ; Desdemena, Miss Laura Addison; Emilia, Mrs. Charles Kean. To conclude with an Arabian Nights' Entertainment, entitled CAMARALZAMAN AND BADOURA ; or, The Pert who Loved the Prince. Characters by Messrs. Bland, Keeley, Mrs. Keeley, Miss Morton, and Miss Reynolds. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPIH. rnder the direction ot Madame Celeste . During the Recess this Theatre has been entirely re-decorated, the original designs by Digby Wyatt, Es, executed by Mr. Sang. • new Stage, Curtain, Act Drop, and Chandelier. An approved sys tem of Ventilation, Esc., Sec . The Private Boxes enlarged , Backs added to the Seats, and Stales rendered more comfortable. TILLS EVENINt. Will be performed COCKNEYS IN CALIFORNIA. After which, the original Drama, called HARTEST ROME. Principal characters by Messrs. H. Hughes, Lambert, Wright, P. Redford, 0. Smith, Madame Celeste, Miss Woolgar, Mrs. Frank Matthews, Miss Turner, &c. Te conclude with JOHN JONES. Guy Geedluck, Mr. Lambert Eliza Melton, Mies E. Chaplin. ROTA.L LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestris. Sole Lessee. Mr. Charles Ma•hews. THIS EVENING Will be performed SHAVE TOO DIRECTLT. After which, a new Fairy Extravaganza, entitled THE KING OP rim PEACOCKS. Characters by Messrs. Harley, John Reeve, Selby, 11. Hall, Marshall, and 11. Marshall; Miss Kathleen Fitzwil ,iam, Miss L. Howard, Mrs. Maenamara, Miss Marshall, Miss L. Marshall, Miss Coleman, and Madame Vestris. To conclude with U S ED UP. Dress llozes, 55.; Upper Boxes, 49. ; Pit, 20. ; Gallery, ii. No half-price to any part of the house. PRINCESS'S THEAT,:R. Mr. J. M. Maddox, Sole Lessee and Alanager. During the Recess this Theatre has beau re-decorated and embel lished In a superb and costly manner ty Mr Hurwitz. A new Chan delier has been fitted, and the best arran.;ements have been raade for the due Ventilation of the Theatre, and the coui.ort and e,enyeaienc• of the audience. THIS EVENING, be performed the Romantic Opera, entitleu LEOLINR. Fount Adelmar, Mr. Charles Braharn; the Senesehll, Mr. H. Hera onstlo ; Frantz. Herr Mengis ; Matilda, Mrs. Weis; Leoline, Miss Fools. To conclude with a new grand Pantomime, entitled ISLIrFr KING HAL; or, Harlequin ann lh (Charmed ♦rrow. Harlequin, Mr. B•logna; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo; Clown, Mr. Fie:more ; Giprite, Mr. De Barr ; Columbine, Miss Fawcett. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor, Mr. W. Batty. Under the Patronage of her Majesty the Queen, his Royal Ilighttesa Prince ♦lbert, &c. Mr. Batty respectfully announces that he has entered into an en gagement with the celebrated American Equestrian Young Hernan dez, who has just arrived in this country, and whose talent has gained for him the title of the first rider in the world. lie will make his first appearance on Monday, March sth. THIS EVENING, The curtain will rise at a Quarter to Seven o'clock precisely to tie magnificent Spectacle, by Fitzball. entitled CORA SCO ; or, the Warrior's Steed. To be followed by an inimitable display of SCENES IN TR CIRCLE, supported by the first Equestrian talent of the day. To conclude with a romantic Melodrama. Box-office open from Eleven till Five. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. THE WEATHER.—►SUN OFFICE. FEBRUARY 28. THCRMOMETER, Lowest, 35; Highest, 46; Noon, 43. BARONET/ER, 29.45. The Barometer has fallen 63 points since yesterday. WIND S.S.W.—stormy, with heavy squalls and continuous rain. tilua wATltitt AT LONDON isttlbol,. THIS I)LT • orrinz, 19 min. after 5 I Event= , 42 min. after 5 To-Moscow—Morning, 3 min. after 6 I Evening, 25 min. after 6 ~... 7'-' 1;cor A _) i . ,a dr ifek . ..„ .. 6 r .. - 1,1' 1 •.4. , E,.. 4, `1 - INP:' , : 1 1r,rZ,- 4 5''' , .;.44. 1 --- ;:: -. r' ' .40- 4 . - e 0r.i,, ; '„ .... ', . ..... i... ~••, . -; ' -.... 4,1,!•0w • $ -- ~.. ..j.4il;';•••,i. , tr'4,,'" ) '' ' • '''' ",; ' 5 4Pl' - • . litti,* - #llttrflaa tme LONDON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1849. Mr. STUART WORTLEY'S Bill for the amendment of the law of marriage, by removing the absurd and useless prohibition against marriage with the sister or niece of a deceased wife, was yesterday read the first time in the House of Commons, and the second reading is fixed for Tuesday, the 13th March. The Right _Hon. and Learned Gentleman is entitled to much credit for the clear and able manner in which he brought the subject under the consideration of the House, and the unanswerable arguments adduced in support of his views, when asking leave to introduce the measure. The Report of the Commissioners ap pointed " to inquire into the state and operation of tha law of marriage, as relating to the prohibited de gree of affinity, and to marriages solemnized abroad or in the British colonies," was perfectly conclusive on the subject. It removed the only grounds on which restrictive enactments could be justified. It showed that the Divine law was not in any degree violated, that no social inconvenience was occasioned, that the restriction only led parties of the highest moral character, honest and worthy citizens, delibe rately to oppose a law which most unnecessarily inter fered with that civil and religious liberty to which, as Englishmen, they felt themselves to be entitled. The report proves this to be the case ; it says that "among the parties contracting these marriages, since as well as before the Act of 1835, there are to be found many persons of station, and property, and of unimpeachable character and religious habits." It i s no light or trivial matter to bring persons of thi s description into open and undisguised disobedience to the law. It is an evil of the greatest magnitude. The law should be respected not merely for the pe nalties with which its violation may be attended, but still more for the general assent to its propriety. But in this case that general assent is altogether wanting. A large majority of the people recognise the absolute inutility of such a provision, and the only penalty falls upon the innocent and helpless offspring, who are unfairly punished, by being rendered illegitimate, and in many instances stripped of the inheritan ce t o which they might otherwise have been entitled, d,by the operation of this most unjust and impolitic statute. And, eui beno, for what end or object has it been enacted ? Merely to gratify the bigoted feelings of those who desire to exercise a jurisdiction over the consciences of others. If they entertain religious scruples on the question there is nothing to in fringe thereon ; they are not compelled to enter into such connexions. But they de sire to legislate for others to control the opinions which equally conscientious men may honestly entertain upon the subject. This. was part of the system, now happily obsolete in other respects, when any dissent from the doctrines of the Church by law established was attended with civil and reli gious disabilities. The law prohibiting marriages within certain degrees of affinity is , a remnant of intolerance, and it must be swept away so as to re move every trace or vestige of the code. That it was not contrary to Divine law was proved by its constant occurence:among the Patriarchs and the earlier Jewish and Christian Churches. The only text that could be cited bearing on the question is the 18th verse of the 18th chapteri of Leviticus, and that only forbids the marriage during the lifetime of the first wife. "Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister to vex her . • . beside the other in her lifetime ." Here the prohibitio n is expressly limited in its oho roc ter, and, therefore, by a fair implication it appears that it was not otherwise objectionable. If it were to be forbidden at all times, and under every circum stance, the latter part of the verse would have been omitted. It would not have been prohibit e d merely " during the wife s lifet ime," and thi s v i ew of the case is further confirmed by th e fact that there is no such addition i n any other verse. It may, therefore, bet a k en, that: so) far from being forbidden by the Scrip ture, it is expressly sanctioned after the first wife's death. Again, on the question of social convenience, it is shown that the law occasions tenfold the inconve nience that would arise, if parties were perfectly free and unfettered on the subject. The effect of the prohibition was clearly explained by one of the wit nesses, who said that, "in the families of the poor, the result of the death of the wife, when a sister was domiciled in the household, was, either to turn that sister away, out into the streets, or if she remained, to bring about, if not marriage, at least cohabitation with the widower." The same witness added, " Mem bers of poor families are thrown into such immediate contact, that if they had 7W hope of marriage they would probably continue to live together with out it." Which state of facts then is the most desirable, whether to have a legal and binding marriage that cannot be set aside, that renders the husband bound to support his off spring, and subject to punishment if he commits bigamy, and which gives the innocent children the rights of freeborn citizens ; or that which leads to illicit connexion that may be dissolved with impu nity, and under which, the unfortunate children are branded with shame, a shame that should rather fall upon the legislators that enacted a law so unjust and so impolitic. But there is another reason, no less cogent, why that law should be repealed. It is practically useless, and of no effect. The Commissioners say— " We cannot avoid the conclusion that the statute 5 and 6 William IV., c. 54, has failed to attain the objects sought to be effected by its prospective enactments. It has nut prevented marriage with the eister or niece of a deceased wife from taking place in numerous instances —whether more or less numerous than before the pass ing of the statute we have ,not, as we before observed, sufficient data to enable us to form an opinion. But without reference to any comparison of this description, the number of such marriages is so great as to justify us in saying that the provisions of that statute rendering them null and void have not generally deterred parties from forming such connexions.. . . . . On a low computation such marriages must amount to thousands; but from the nature of the con nexion, and the secresy that often attaches to it, their number cannot be ascertained. The evil is great; for as beyond all reasonable doubt such marriages, when cele brated in England or Ireland, are void, the consequences are disastrous to the parties and their issue, at once affecting all the relations—duty and obligation, as well as the rights dependent on status; nor less pernicious in a public view, as exhibiting avowed disobedience to law, by the open assumptio❑ of a sacred character which the law expressly denies." These are clear and powerful arguments why there should be an immediate repeal of the obnoxious statute. The opinions of the Commissioners were fully warranted by the evidence adduced before them. They found from inquiries instituted in five detached districts, of very different characters, agri cultural as well as manufacturing, that no less than 1,364 such marriages had taken place since 1835 which were absolutely void under the provisions of the statute. As those districts in which the investi gation took place bear a small proportion only to the population of the entire country, it is more than probable that Mr. STUART • WORTLEY'S calcu lation was not above the mark when he said that perhaps from 10,000 to 50,000 of such prohibited marriages had taken place since the passing of the Act, and if the usual average of children had followed, there would be from 90,000 to 150,000 rendered illegitimate under the law. Is not this, then, a great moral and social evil that should be redressed, and that without a moment's unnecessary delay ? Expunge the useless law from the statute book, and pass an Act rendering all such marriages that have hitherto taken place valid and indisputable, and legitimatizing the issue thereof. Such Acts have been passed for the benefit of members of the aristocracy. Let Parliament legislate for all, and extend that justice to the poorer classes which would not be denied to the richer and more powerful. Gradual and almost imperceptible as the progress of the negotiations at Frankfort appears to have been, thei have nevertheless advanced, and are still advanc ing, slowly and surely, towards an ultimate settlement. Another diplomatic note from the Berlin Cabinet to the Prussian Plenipotentiary at the seat of the Central Executive—a note which was published in our im pression of yesterday—marks the exact point at which these remarkable negotiations have arrived. It shows that although impediments have arisen to retard for the time being the onward movement, those impediments are not wholly and stubbornly insurmountable. Prussia still adheres to the prin ciple announced in the proclamation issued by leer SOVEREIGN on the 18th of March, 1848—the principle which tends throughout Germany to the transformation of a State Confederation in a Confederate State. It will not have been forgotten that that memorable pro clamation appeared simultaneously with the thea trical procession of King FREDERICK WILHELM through the streets of his capital, wearing the Ger manic tricolour, black, red, and gold, in his helmet, and riding on horseback under the shadow of the na tional gonfalon. Subsequent occasions have damped and very nearly extinguished the credence of the multitude in the patriotic enthusiasm of the Monarch. The people cannot fail to see from his recent pro• ceedings, that his fair speaking at the moment must arise from some very powerful stimulus, rather than from any disinterested anxiety to promote the cause of the population of fatherland. They must be startled into a suspicious mood by the abrupt recurrence of the Prussian Government to the democratic sentiments enunciated shortly after the French Revolution of February ; and their suspicion ',lust acquire a forcible corroboration from the re membrance that the imperial diadem of the Confederate State has yet to be bestowed by the representatives. For that diadem FREDERICK WILHELM is an aspirant. He enlarges through the Ministerial document transmitted to Frankfort-on the-Maine, for the guidance of his plenipotentiary extraordinary, upon the sacrifice which Prussia is prepared to make for the advantage of the aggregate nationality. He dilates with self-sufficient emphasis upon the capacity of his own kingdom to remain in its present vigorous isolation, and insists that in joining with the other Powers of the Confederation to construct a homogeneous empire out of a chaos of heterogeneous principalities, Prussia is conceding, a vast deal, without obtaining anything that can be fairly termed a compensation. " Prussia," says the Note, " needs not, on its own account, this Confederate State. Its greatness, its political consistency, enable it more than most other states in Germany to suffice for itself; and, in case of necessity, to defend itself. It seeks ne aggrandizement in power or influence. If, upon its side, it desires a Con federate State, it is for the sake of Germany, not of itself. The sacrifices which it brings to Ger many, the burdens which it takes upon itself, it brings and bears for the sake of the community." What a marvellously Pecksniffian assumption of mag nanimity l What a very threadbare robe of pride— revealing throughout that very greed of power and influence which is so ostentatiously repudiated 1 The whole is too transparently a bait thrown out for the Imperial sceptre. It reminds one of the compla cency with which Louis XTI. announced to the States-General, the readiness of the nobility and the clergy t o foreg o th e i r privileged exemption from taxation, as i f in so doing they were spontaneously be s t ow i ng an alms upon the Tiers Etat / The KING, through his diplomatists, impresses upon the mind of Germany the magnitude of the sacrifices made by Prussia in furtherance of the national welfare ; but he whispers not a word about that regalia, which he is:notoriously known to covet as the recompense of his concessions to the Germanic multitude. It will be well, however, for the Central Execu tive at Frankfort to avail themselves of the selfish motives of the Prussian Monarch, in the furtherance of their own aspirations. It will be most judicious fur the really patriotic representatives in the National Parliament to receive the co-operative efforts of the Berlin Cabinet, as the Prince LOUIS NAPOLEON has received those of the reactionnaires and counter-revolutionists—allowing them to labour se dulously in his behalf, under the delusion that he would prove merely the preparative for some power more congenial to their tastes. By imitating the PRESIDENT of the French Republic in this particular the Members of the Central Germanic Diet will be forwarding, in the most effectual manner, the wishes and interests of the people ; and when all shall have been g en definitively accomplished, th e Mi n i sters o f t h e of PRUSSIA will find themselves as agreeably disappointed as Messrs. Timms and MOLE, who have found in Bonapartism not the mere perishable efflo- EVENING, FEBRUARY 28, 1849.1 rescence of an idle and ephemeral popularity, but the 183'i, the period of the great war against Poland. The conviction, the vitality, and the energy of the French Im purist Guard would arr i ve , b y t h e Ist o f M arc h . at Republic. tb.e extreme frontier, h av i ng a l rea d y reached Willie. iNhere are these immense forces direeted ?" One sentence in the Prussian note is of conspicuous It was said in Paris yeste r d a y, th a t thi s movemen t truth, and its exactness may be almost said to Ise of Russian troops was intended to guard the northern touching from its embarrassment. The sentence is frontier of Austria, and to crush the Hungarians, Poles, and Techeke s , i n or d er t o ena bl e A ustr i a to simply this—" The situation of Germany requires a peur l the , whole N of , her army into Italy. speedy decision." We say that this declaration is touching from its embarrassment; and assuredly an y of the Assembly yesterday the discussion the e electoral tel laws was continued. On the one who cordially sympathises in the movement. of 87th clause being re a d, M. R Auncer pro the German race towards the consolidation of its posed that the indemnity to be allowed to nationality, must allow that our remark is more tl tan representatives should be reduced from ,0009 justified by the urgency of the Germanic question t ind francs, as proposed by th e C omm itt ee , t o by the difficulties that still obstruct its settlement. 6,000 francs. M. Moare at the same time proposed Before anything satisfactory can be accomplished that the indemnity should b e sus p en d e d w hil e th e re . presentateres were absent o n cong e , and during the this end the problem which has been raised in regard intervals of the session. B o th amen d m ents were re to Austria must be solved; we mean the problem as jetted. It was also resolved that the indemnity of a to the manner in which a vast Germanic Power like representative should not he seizable by creditors, and that a representative could not ced e it t o ano th er p er - Austria—the principal power in all Germany—may , be closely united with the rest of the Confederation son. The discussion was still going on at four o'clock, without loosening in any degree the bonds connect- The Marquis of NORMANBY gave a grand fete on evening, which was honoured with the pre. ing it with its non-German provinces. There is no sence of the PRESIDENT of the Republic. question but that the natural effect of such an union It appears that the absence of the members of the between Austria and the rest of Gee- corps diplomatigue from the ceremonial for comme many would lead inevitably and immediately to morating the anniversary of the Republic, on Satur da , was occasioned by the neglect of M. Dame the emancipation of the Sclavonic races, of , •., • • DEL Hues, the Minister for loreige Affairs. He the Tyrolese who belong to Switzerland, and of the had omitted to invite them. Lombards who belong to Italy. But it is equally The PRESIDENT of the Republic, on the report of certain that nothing but absolute necessity will induce the Minister of Commerce, has published the follow the Imperial Government of Vienna to relax her hold ing decree relative to the payment of annuities on upon those superb and wrongfully subjected states. Patents " Considering the law of July 5, 1844, on patents, and Great events must therefore take place before Austria that of February 25, 1848, which says—' Inventors who is forcibly disembarrassed in this regard; and before hav e taken out patents,who shall not have since the 22d of Germany is thereby relieved from one of the mo s t fixed ts forfeiture by t h incurrede this month paid up in Paris the annuities on their patents formidable obstacles to her regeneration. When r w el t i h ev in ed tn iro e d m e llaw .a j c u e ' o Y r n 5. 1 g 84 t 4 0 t it h h e a pl tt o ) e t- Hungary shall have achieved its independence, visions of the said law, by justifying the payment of those when Lombardy shall have acquired its rightfito be annuities before a period which shall be hereafter fixed;' numbered amongst the divisions of the Italian the Th d e plateau, d lB e c 4 r s e essh—a shall te.a• cease The have d ecre effecte offrotmhe July of lB l 4 - 'e 9 bru , ag e , peninsula—then, and not till then, will Austria find annuities which have fallen due sinc y e February 22, the difficulties of her position as a Germanic and a 1848, and not been paid, shall paid before the same non-Germanic empire removed—then, and not till period. the annuities of which will fall d h ae then, will the Central Executive at Frankfort receive abovedelay to stipulated, makea st y • m ill e a n i t s . o have Art 2. Th e the withinlst July, A cordial co-operation in their glorious exertions from Minister of Commerce and Agriculture is charged with the Government of Vienna. When these things the execution of this decree. shall have occurred—and, whatever may happen, they " L. NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. are ultimately inevitable—Prussia will find th e Elyse° National, Feb. 23. Iwo days ago the police entered the shop of M. golden circlet slipping from her fingers. For the Juarms in the Passage Choiseul, and seised a re antipathy expressed by the Baron DE C ETTO , the gister con t a i n i ng t h e names of persons who had representative of King Maximmare to the Court of undertaken to collect subscriptions for a brace of St. James's, is not peculiar to Bavaria—the vast pistols to be presented to the Duke of BORDEAUX : majority of the people of Fatherland look with joy metiers will be ary club in the Rue de 1 There is s o m e pr o bability that ,. the reaction upon the prospect of a Germanic empire, and with broken up, in consequence of the serious dif dismay at the notion of having King FaEDERICK ferences which have broken out between the Le- WILHELM as the Germanic Emperor. gitimatists and Orleanista on the subject of the for mation of the Election Committee. At a meeting held at the residence of Count Mom:, on Sunday, M. DE LAROCEEJAQUELIN demanded, on behalf of his party, that half of the Electoral Committee should be composed of Legitirnatists ; had the Orleanists in tended fairly, this most reasonable demand would have been at once acceded to, but fair play has no charms for LOUIS PPIILIYTE, who having with great difficulty succeeded in procuring the assistance of the Le gitimatists immediately, like a tree Orleans, attempts to over reach them, and accord ingly the Orleans rump, acting from the in spirations of Claremont, refuse to accede to the proposition of M. De LAROCEEQUELIN, and demanded that the Orleanists shall have the appoint ment of the majority of the Committee. The Legi• timatists, of course, like honourable men as they ar e , immediately seceded, leaving the Orleans tricksters to themselves. We read in the Presse— " The petition demanding the suppression of the passport-system between France and England has been presented to the President of the Republic and the Mi nitter of the Interior, by the directors of the Northern, the Boulogne, and South-Eastern Railways. The Presi dent of the Republic has lived long in England, and no one better than he is in a position to see the inutility of passports. They are in tact an obstacle thrown in the way of the liberty of circulation, and not a guarantee given to public security; passports and railways are in fact contradictory terms The Journal de .illisinds et Loire, of Angers, repre sents that the thread and cotton spinning mills at Cholet and Mortagne are in full activity, and that the weavers are no longer out of work. The quantity of handkerchiefs taken to the hall at Cholet for the last several Saturdays has increased rapidly, sad there was every appearance of a rise in the prices. ; BOURSE—PARIS, TUESDAY, FEB. 27. TIME?: o'CLocs.—The appearance of affairs in Italy is so serious within the last few days, as to have caused great alarm on the Bourse. The entrance of the Aus trians into Ferrara is considered particularly serious, at it is supposed that the movements of the Russian troops towards the frontiers, announced by the German papers, are connected with the projects of Austria on Italy. The consequence was a very serious fall to-day, both in French Rentes and Railway Shares. Exchange on London (30 days), 25 20; ditto (90 days), 25 07k. BUSINESS DONE Li FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE LONDON 67,:,9CK-EXCHANGE, Fes. 27. Thanks to the exertions of Mr. BERNAL OSBORN), aided by Mr. GEORGE Tuoscrsom and Sir W. CLAY, the perpetration of a gross clerical job was yesterday pre vented, and the inhabitants of the parish of St. Mary's, Whitechapel, were saved from the imposition of that 0 mystery of iniquity," a rector's rate. It appears that, the rector of that parish claims a right to levy certain large sums upon his parishioners as tithes and Easter offerings, but that he cannot get those large sums without instituting a Chancery suit, at a great expense to himself as well as his parishioners, but which Chancery suit, according to Mr. GLAD STONE, is sure to be decided in his favour—(it would appear as though Mr. GLADSTONE had of late been studying judicial astrology as well as controversial divinity)—when he will be enabled to enforce certain large and undefined claims, the which he is willing to compromise for 1,0001. a year cer tain, to be paid out of the poor-rates. To this proposition the :parishioners very properly demur ; there had been already frequent litigations on the subject, and those litigations had always terminated (pace Mr. GLADSTONE) in cutting down the rector's claims ; and for that which was seven years back valued at 3001. a year, and which last year only actually produced 1411., the corpo ration of Brasenose College, Oxford, the patrons of the living, actually now sought to ob tain by the intervention of Parliament 1,0001. a year certain, and facetiously entitled their Bill " a Bill for extinguishing the rights of the rector." Mr. Os- BORNE, however, would not accept of an extinguisher upon such terms ; he, like a worthy son of the Church, insisted upon the maintenance of the rights of the rector, whole and intact. It was in vain that Mr. GLADSTONE extolled the Christian liberality of those who were willing to accept 1,0001. a year certain, in lieu of 1411. a year, and claims of a large and unde fined nature, it was in vain that he was pathetic in his appeals to the House to spare the parishioners the expense of litigation—the parishioners had no objec tion to litigation, seeing that they had always here tofore beat the rector; it was in vain that he spoke of some Dissenters and a Jew being in favour of the Bill, the House would not sanction a measure degrading the rector into a pauper receiving out-door relief lrom the poor-rates, and the Bill was rejected by a majority of 19. On this occasion Mr. OSBORNE, Mr. GEORGE THOMPSON, Sir W. CLAY, and Sir DE LACY EVANS did their duty admirably ; they all spoke, and they all spoke well against this gross attempt at jobbery on the part of the Fellows of Brasenose College, Oxford, who are the prime movers in the affair, with which we believe the actual incumbent, Mr. CHAMP NETS, has little to do. We cannot, however, extend our praise to Sir EDWARD BUXTON, who gave , the measure his support. It ill becomes a soi - disant member of the liberal party, to return whom to Parliament the Liberal voters of a county constituency have encountered all the risks which Liberal county voters invariably incur, when they vote according to their conscience— it ill becomes a representative so returned to swell the ranks of the clerical jobbers on such a question as this. Boulogne and Amiens, 9 3 / 4 —Central Frary:e (Orleans and Vierzon), 13—Namur and Liege, 9%—Northem of France, MIA— Orleans and Bordeaux, 4W,—Paris and Rouen, 21 1 ,4—Paris and Strasbeurg,4 , A—Rouen and Havre, 1374—Sambre and Meuse, s%—lours and Nantes, 3. SPAIN. Madrid journals of the 21st have arrived. In an engagement between the band of PIMENTERO and the QUENN'S troops at Recuenco, in the province of Cuensta, that chief and nine of his followers were slain. MADRID BOLSA, Fax. 21.—Five por Cents., paper; Three per Cents. 23 for account. Exchange on London, 49 55. GERMAN Y AND THE NORTHERN STATES. FRANIFORT. At Frankfort, on the 24th inst., on the invitation of M. DB GAGaRN, the Plenipotentiaries of the Ger man States met in the Palace of the Diet to ren der to the Ministry of the Empire the declaration of their respective Governments respecting the constitu tion, and to request that this should be laid before th• National Assembly. The declarations of the 26 states, and among them Prussia, are identical, or rather they have made a collective declaration, and they represent 22 millions of Germans. Austria alone has held back ; she wishes the second reading of the constitution to be postponed for some weeks; but it is not likely the Assembly will acquiesce in this desire; and most probably the second reading will take place within a short period, as the majority are reported to be desi rous that at the latest the 15th March shall be fixed for that purpose. THE FRENCH REPUBLIC We have received the Paris papers of yesterday. The Patrie, the recognised official organ of the French Government, announces the entry of the Austrians into Ferrara, in the following terms : " The news of the entry of the Austrians into Fer rara, and that they were marching directly on Rome, was given to-day as official." The lioniteur du Seir has the following on the subjwct of the agents accredited by the Roman to the French Republic : " It is known that the Roman Republic has sent two agents to Paris to negotiate the recognition of this Re. public by the French Government. It is said that the President of the Republic, and the majority oj his Cabinet, have decided that the two Roman Envoys shall not be received. The intervention of the Secondary Powers for the reestablishment of the Pope in Rome is still under consideration." The National, in commenting on the above officia; announcement, says— " Thus the invasion of the Roman territory by Austria is an accomplished fact—an invasion without pretext, and with tho avowed object of crushing the Roman re velation. What will the French Government do in pre-. sence of this violation of a friendly country by a foreign array? Such a question ought to answer itself; and yet our disquietudes are great. The language of the Minis terial journals is not of a nature to re-assure us as to the intentions of the Cabinet. The calm tone with which the Patriej registers a fact calculated to make all hearts bound, and the satisfaction it seems to express at the taking of Rome by the Austrians, are alarming symptoms. Have we arrived at such a position as to make us regret Casimir Perrier? Is the young Republic less proud than was the Monarchy of July? The French govern ment ought at once to send a fleet to Civita Vecchia, and into the Adriatic." Reviewing the events of the last few months, this paper calls to mind, that the Government had resolved on an expedition, by way of precaution against a danger which now exists, in point of fact, and calls vehemently on all parties to join in assert ing the honour of France, which would be for ever tarnished if Austria be allowed to crush the Roman Republic. In conclusion this paper observes that the Piedmontese were to have entered Tuscany on the 19th, the day the Austrians crossed the Po, ■nd it suspects that we shall soon learn the fact of the Neapolitans having advanced. The National then recall to the recollection Pre3ident Louis NA POLEON BONAPARTE thepart of which he himself took in the R o m an i nsu rrection of 1831, in which his brother was killed, an d quotes the words of M. ODILON BARROT, who said, in re ply to CASIMIR PERRIER, in 1832, that France would be degraded if she did not interfere to prevent Austria putting down, by the bayonet in Italy, those principles of liberty which France had consecrated by hvr revolution. The Assemblee Nationale contains the following paragraph : "The Bourse was much occupied to-day with the official news of the departure of the Imperial Guard from St. Petersbargh. This guard, composed of 52,000 raen_of troops d'elite, has not left St. retersburgh since into the facts that have given rise to these enormous pre tensions, to reply thereto with fictin2 digniiy, a deputa tion, headed by the Cardinal Aictibishop, is about to wait again upon the General, to demand a modification of the evils imposed upon us. " The town, as yet, remains tranquil. (Signed) " The Governor, MATER CA RLO." The news of the occupation of Ferrara by the Austrian troops caused the liveliest sensation at Bologna. The Governor of that town immediately convoked a Military Council, consisting of four staff officers, and established a commission of public safety. Considerable uncertainty exists as to the state of affairs in Piedmont. According to one account, CHARLES ALBERT has accepted the resignation of GIOBERTI, and refuses to interfere in the affairs of Tuscany ; according to another and a more probable account, he has commissioned GIOBERTI to form a new Ministry, and has ordered his troops to invade Tuscany, in order to restore the Grand Duke. SECONDARIES".-(THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. Secondary JAMES.) NORTON AND ANOTHER V. GROTE. This was an action to recover the suns of 2311. 6s. 3d., the amount of an attorney's bill. The defendant had taken out a Judge's summons for the delivery of the bills and a cash account, and the above sum was found to be due, not paying, however, the present action WAS brought. Defendant not having pleaded, a verdict was given for the mount. THE STATE OF THE COURT.—Numerous complaints have been made of the inconvenience and discomfort of this court,:which is dark, dreary, and cold, and is cons-- quince of the skylight and windows, in ord. , r to gt t light, the draught frequently rushes in, north, east, south, and west. Since the last court-day, two gentle men have been laid up in bed from cold and fever caught at a window opened for ventilation. SUNDERLAND, FEN. 27.—Wind S.W.-26, Sld, Emma, Tti , .mpson, N.-.w York. KINGSTOWN, FEB. 26.—W had N.W.—SId. Alert, TarnOcu ; JoNhua Hunt, Barbadoes. DUBLIN, FEB. 25.—S1d. Coronet, New York. CLYDE. FEB. 21.—Sld. Marion, Grenada. 23d, Ca,kot, Jamaica ; Bro iksby, New York. SWANSEA, FEB. 27.—Wind N.E.—Arrd. 26th, Pearl, Collins, Cuba. Sld. 27th, Minna, Monkhouse, Jamaica. GREENOCK, FEB. 24 —Arrd. Queen Pomare, Wise man, Savantah ,• Emulous, Moore, Barbadoes. 25th, Rowley, Ring, Demerara. Sld. 24th, Packet, Antigua. Struan, Miller. Cape of Good Hope ; Elizabeth, Trini dad ; Hannah, Trinidad. FALMOUTH, FEB. 27.—Wind N.N.E.—Arrd. 26th Jamaica, Selkirk, B a hi a , f or Hamburgh, sailed 30th Dec,, their pine. Such was the effect of the present Bill, and he should therefore oppose the second reading of the measure. Mr. HENLEY hoped the House would adopt the course recommended by the Hon. Member for Somer. setshire (Mr. W. Miles), and postpone the second read ing of the Bill for r fortnight. It was true the Bill wee greatly different to that which was at first proposed; it was greatly improved, but there was still considerable objection to it. Sir G. GREY, in supporting the second reading of the Bill, said that its going into Committee pro forma would not prevent any Hon. Member from discussing its principles on the motion that the Speaker should leave the chair, when the time should arrive for its being con• sidered in Committee. Mr. NEWDEGATE objected to the principle of making the county rates collaterally liable for the failure of the tolls in turnpike trusts. (LEFT WPEALING.) EASTE!.N COUNTIES RAILWAY. (Tills DAY.) --- The usual halt.yearly meeting of the proprietors of the EaAtrn Counties Railway was held this afternoon at the London Tavern. At one o'clock the directors, headed by Mr. 1). Wad' dington, entered the large room of the taverisf which was densely crowded, and that gentleman took the chair amidst a scene of the most indiscr liable confusion , and cries of " Where's Huthon?" " off, off." Tufo them out." When silvnce was restored. The CILAIRMAN proceed. d to explain the cause of Mr. Hud, , oo's ab-ence. Nobody was more surprised at thil gonfiemal.'s absent e than him se lf ; b ut, i n the absence o' a the chairman (if the hoard, it was his bounden duth though it might be a pi.inful one, to preside on this 07, castoff, and he hoped h e s h ou ld h ave the support an d patient attention of the meeting.— (Hear, hear.) The first time that he heard of Mr. kludscn's intention 11 °. 1 to be present was on Monday, when it was communt* cated to him in the following letter : " Newby Park, Thirsk, Feb. 25, 1849. My dear Sir,—As I feel I cannot go strongly along with you in reference to the steam-boat question, I hs lB made up my mind not to attend the meeting on Wed; nesday next. I sincerely wish you well through it. hope if any attack is made on me you will, if you OP' defend me with reference to your company. I unfortw nately hold a large stake, and bought at a very greet price, and lose terribly by the concern; they invited Ilef they were in a ruined condition both as to stock sad credit. " I shall resign whenever it may suit YOU and the board. By not attending I shall avoid the Norfolk gee" tion, which I could not but throw over. " I am yours, very truly, (Signed) " GEO. HUDOONe n To this letter he had sent the following answer, be' whether Mr. Hudson was from home he knew no t, bet he had not condescended to send any reply:— "London, 26th Feb., 1849. " My dear Sir,—Upon receipt of your letter I con' vened a meeting of our directors residing in Loncia' and read your letter to them. It leaves us all in eon, derable difficulty as to the best course to be pursued, be' my impression is, that as the steam-boat matter is er proved of in the report of the board, and as no vote op the Norfolk amalgamation will have to be telfg l3 at the meeting, it is difficult to exPlai e d your absence from the meeting on any groa t , stated in your l etter . B es i des which I ref`i, your letter, as not wishin g y our op i n i on on these f t ; matters to be brought forward, lest they should distal; the action of my se lf an d t h e b oar d at the meeting, 11,, emtertaining oppo s it e o pi n i ons. I t appears therefore It: us, that as you ha ve d e t erm i ne d on resigning your sets it would be better for you to do this previous to P o meeting. Should you concur in this, i le d send me the resignation, to be at the beer prior to the meeting, you can give Aleb reasons for the step as you wish, and I will make tb e il known. The feeli ng o f a ll i s one of regret that we e b lose the valuable services your experience and kno . f l ; ledge enable you to g i ve to every company with wb,le you are associated. I w ill not ta il to notice the Peo named in your letter if you are attacked. "I am, dear Sir, yours very truly, " DAVID WADD/NGTON• _ A Inquiries bad been made .to ascertain if this letter .17 reached Mr. Hudson, b u t no informition could be °'" tamed on the subject. Th e e l ectr i c telegraph bad i t e, ' put in motion for thi s p urpose w i t hi n t h e last hour, °.,"s the answer return e d was t h at t h e York wires would n °; work.—(Roars of laughter.) He trusted after this el . planation the proceedings of the meeting would be P r tened to with attention, and without unseemly inferr u r tions.—(Hear and cheers.) (The meeting was proceeding when our report left) • SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. LIVERPOOL SPRING MEETING. „ t LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY A FTERNOON, F IVE co'CLe' . The following horses have arrived for the Steeri e ; chase, additicn to tho se enumerate d i n ou r is s parcel :—Sir John, Peter Simple, The Victim, Je ff i' Tipperary Boy, Sparta. Prince George, Proceed, and Chandler are in .01 ,1 neighbourhood. Subd uer , L a S y l p hid e, St. Leger, Ile Lancer, Vulture, Thur ga rt on , and Mignionette are Dc' g likely to come. It is re p orte d that nearly twenty-6"; will come to th e p os t. Oli ver , i t i s said, met with a ba t : accident at Cheltenham y es t er d a y, an d i s i n gre at clang! All are here for the Spring Cup except Prince Charlie; who is exp ecte d, and Roon e y, w h o met w i t h an ac cident on the road, and is gone back. The Welter Cup is not unlikely to be a walk over P r Postilion. Sir Richard, Penthesilia, and probably Tre 6 ; sure will show for th e K naws l.. y. and all that were name: last night for the Trial and S e lli ng S ta k es, except JO"- ney, will start. The weather is delightf u l, an d t h e ground i n ex cel• lent order both for flat and steeple racing. ENTRIES ON MONDAY NIGHT. The Trial Stakes—Sir Riaard, 3 yrs—b cby r gtf , Isaac, out of Reb ecca , 3 y rs —P ba l ms i nger, aged—r• ch 3 Mary, 3 yrs—Rodney, 3 yrs—Lillie, 3 yrs—Ferule' yrs—Voyager, 4 yrs. The Selling Stakes—Mogador, 6 yrs—Jack CE I6 aged—Wiseacre, 5 yrs—Lismoyne, 4 yrs—Susann ah ' 4 yrs. LIVERPOOL—TUESDAY NIGHT. STEEPLE• CHASE BETTING. 5 to 1 agst Prince George. 13 to 2 agst The Curate. 10 to 1 agst Knight of Gwyune—taken. 10 to 1 agst Wolverhampton—taken. 100 to 6 agat British Yeoman—taken. 20 to 1 apt Alfred. 20 to 1 agst Victim. 25 to 1 agat Chatham—taken. 25 to 1 agst Jerry—taken. 25 to 1 agst Mulligan—taken. 50 to 1 agst Sparta. 50 to 1 agst Napoleon. Oliver arrived this evening, a n d, it i s sa id , w ill be Wel l enough to ride the favourite. BETTING AT MANCHESTER.—TUESDAY.. LIVERPOOL STEEPLECHASE. —6 to 1 agat Pr l . ll o George (t)-7 to 1 apt The Curate (t)—ici to 1 •l 1 1 Wolverhampton (t)--16 to 1 agst N apoleon ( t ). tour backed freely, but nothing done upon any otheri ....4 LIVERPOOL SPRING CUP.— 7 to 2 agst M oga d o r (t) 11 to 1 apt Prince Charlie (t)-9 t o 2 agat Reality (t)-- to 2 agst Farewell (t). POST OFFICE NOTI CS .—O n an d a f ter the 14g March next, the following offices will be open e d for tr issue of money orders : —A m l wc h , Anglesey; Blael : pool, Lancashire ; Brighouse, Yorkshire ; B r i er ly Staffordshire; Broadstairs, Kent; Caintor, Lincolnsbi o/ Dowlais, Glam organs hi re; Easingwold, Yorkshire; Glossop, Derbyshire; Herne Bay, Kent; Hailsbsoh Sussex; Long Sutton, Lincolnshire; Nailsworth, G l 3, cestershire; Ottery St. M ary, D evonshire; Paizso'co., Gloucestershire ; Paignton, Devonshire; Pad l4 %, Cornwall ; Ramsey, Huntingdonshire; Sedburgh, shire; Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire • St. Ives, C°l!. wall; Stratton, Cornwall; Th orn b ury , 'Gl oucester shir;: 'N Wbitcl( sea, Cambridgeshi re; W a l ton - on -N aze , E 9 se Wragby, Lincolnshire; em, Shropshire; Winsfor u, _ a Cheshire; Wotton B asse t, Wilt s hi re; Whit s t a bl e , Kep t ; . Scotland—Banchory, Ab er d eens hire ; Dalbeattie, _t, cudbrightshire; Wishaw, Lanarkshire. BIRTHS. :f . of On the 25th inst., at York- ga t e , R egen t' s - par k, t h e yr.— T. Fox, Esq., of a son. . 1 . „• —f On the 26th inst., at the G rove , B a lh am, the la dy W. Winstanley, Esq., of a son. On the 26th inst., at Wilt on - p l ace, the wife of A. +. ur B" n ie* Esq., of a daughter. On the 23d inst., the wife of R. H. Major, Esq., of Albio n ' place, Canonbury, of a daughter. On the 23d inst., a t U pper G rosvenor -street, the fl°ria Mrs. Robert Peel Dawson, of a daughter. (WW I Onthe 23d inst., at Brighton, the lady of Captain C. - Grey, R.N., of a daughter. „or On the 24th inst., at Lo wn d es - s t ree t, Belgrave-ei„r Mrs. Newton S. Scott, of a daughter. _..---- MARRIED. Pr• On the 17th inst.. at St. Ma r y' s Church, Marylebone'iste Hale, of St. John's-wood, to Ann, eldest daughter of th° R. Warren, Esq., of Glocester-place, Portman-square. or On the 20th inst., at St. u.tartin's Church, DorkingtG e ; Curtis, Esq., of Dorking. to Ann, eldest daughter of Bothwell, Esq., of the same place. 0 On the 21d inst.. at Union Ch a p e l, I s li ngton, Mr. It, D, M. Holborn, jun., to Sarah, fourth daughter of the late Curling, Esq., both of Canonbury-square. DIED. On the 25th inst., at Cloudesley-aquare, James bridge, Esq., aged 65. On the 25th inst., at Hammersmith, H. C. Wright• fl2r# merly of Tavistock. street, Covent•garden, aged 71. pr. Oa the 26th inst., at K eppel-street, Russell-square' - Leonard Stewart, aged 51. wife On the 26th i nst . , at C am b r i dge-terrace, Mary Ken t ' of W. Lucas, Esq., aged 60. On the 24th :net., John Smart, Esq., of Countess ho On use, near Exeter Devon, aged 63. the 23d inst ~ at Bideford, aged 87, Sarah, widow 0- (tile late Zachery Bayly, Esq. lace' On the 2 2 d i ns t, i n B eaumon t- stree t, D evons hirel- Sarah , the el inbt rict of S. Talor, Esq. On 23d ~ at y Albany-street, Regent's-park, C. u s rlea W. Francis, aged 26, only son of J. Francis, Esq. IT lanc e ' On the 23d inst., at Sittingbourne, Kent, W. •a l Esq., aged 87. On the 23d inst., at Battersea, Mrs. Sarah F r eemare% nor On the 23d inst., at Holford-square, Mrs. Sarah El e "" Devonshire, aged 57 tatirae r ' On the 24th inst., at Camberwell-grove, John Esq., of Headington, near Oxford. On the 22d inst ,at Peckham-rye, Christian Hoe ftl39ll4 Esq., aged 63. _ _ prlia London: Printed and Published by MURDO No. 112 , Strand, Print er , a t 7724 Sun ONce, Na ai Strand, it the Precinct of the Savoy, in the eOgsw Iddlesesi Wednesday, Ifebniary 28, SO PRUSSIA. The Allgemeine Zeitung contains a remarkable pa ragraph, stating that the Chevalier BUNS E N has b e en notes which have lately been authorised by the Prussian Government to publish, if he thinks tit, the exchanged by the Cabinets of Berlin and 011mut z , from which, it is said, it will appear that the Aus trian Government has entered into a close alliance with Russia for the regeneration of the Confederacy of German States, w hi ch alliance Prussia was invited to join. The Prussian Ministry is now complete, and is composed as follows : President of Council Count de Brandenburg. Foreign Affairs ......... Count de Arnim. Interior .......... ••• M. de Mantetifel. Commerce and P. Works M. vaii der kleydt. Finance M. de Rabe. Justice War .. General de Strotha. Ecclesiastical Affairs and Public Education M. de Ladenberg. T A Y • THE AUSTRIANS IN FERRARA. The intelligence of the entry of the Austrians into Ferrara is c on fi rme d. It is announced in the follow ing letter , which bears the signature of the Governor of Ferrara :—. s , Ferrara, Feb. 18, 1849. "My fears were but too well founded—this morning, about seven o'clock, the Austrians passed the Po at several points. So soon as I was informed of this move ment, I formed a governmental and municipal deputa tion to the General in command to demand an explana tion as to the entrance of these troops. General Haynau's answer to the deputation was that he would receive it on the esplanade of the fortress. The troops entered at mid-day, and shortly afterwards the deputa tion was received by the General, who gave in writing a declaration as to the intent of the movement of the Austrian forces. This declaration says that reparation is demanded for the cutting off of the communication s with the citadel, for the murder of three Austrian soldiers on the 7th instant, for the affair of the Austrian Consul, and, finally, fur the proclamation of the Republic. " The conditions imposed by the Austrian General are as follows:- 1r 1. The surrender of the gates of the town "2. The delivery of the authors of the above murders in twenty-four hours. " 3 . The destruction of the barriers. " 4. The maintenance of the troops, said to amount to 10,000 men, during the time Of their remaining. " 5. The g i ving up of the military hospital. "6. The payment of 200,00 0 crowns, and 6,000 crowns indemnity to the Austrian consul. " 7. Restoration of the Papal arms. " 8. Siz citizens to be delivered up as hostages for the fulfilment of the conditions. "whilst Igm endemurOg t 9 obta I imighc CRIMINAL COURT.-(THIS DAY OLD COURT'. The Lord Mayor, Mr. Justice Cresswell, and severs, Aldermen took their seats on the bench shortly after ten o'clock. CHILD MIIRDE/L---Mr. BODKIN said he was instructed to apply to his Lordship for the postponement, until next session, of the trial of John Copeland and Eliza Copeland, his wife, who had been committed on the charge of murdering their child by setting fire to its clothes. In consequence of certain representations which had been made to the Government, the Solicitor to the Treasury had been directed to prosecute, and having only yesterday b een a bl e to o b ta i n copies of the depositions, he found from the nature of the case that it would be impossible to be prepared with the necessary evidence during the present sessions. Mr. Justice CRESSWELL—In fact you want the re cognizances of the persons who were bound over to pro secute released until next sessions? Mr. BODKIN—Yes, my Lord; and the reason of the application is that a new state of facts arose on the examination before the magistrate to those that came out at the coroner's inquest. Mr. Justice CRESSWELL intimated that he could not entertain the application until the court was furnished with the usual affidavits with respect to the grounds upon which it was made. POST-OFFICE ROBBERY.—Edward B TOOMC, a post man, aged 40, was indicted with stealing a letter, con taining a half-sovereign and sixpence, the property and moneys of the Postmaster -General. From the statement of Mr. BODKIN, who attended for the prosecution, and the evidence of the witnesses, it appeared that the prisoner had been in the service of the Post-office, as a letter-carrier, for fourteen years, and that his duties were chiefly confined to the office at New cross, Deptford. Several complaints having arisen in that district with respect to the loss of letters and their contents, means, which had already received the approval of the Court, were had recourse to for thedetection of the guilty parties. On the 10th of February a letter was put into the office at New-cross, containing a half-so vereign and a sixpence, which had been previously marked, addressed to a gentleman at Ripon in York shire. It was posted at five o'clock in the afternoon, and should have reached the London office about six o'clock the same evening, but on the bag being examined, that and another letter were found missing. Two officers were immediately sent to the prisoner's lodging at Dept ford, and on searching him the half sovereign and six pence were found in his trousers pocket, and the envelope in acoat pocket. Upon being questioned be said, when he called at New-cross for the letters, he put the one in question separately into his letter-pouch, and, as a man had given him a ride in a cart which had no springs, he supposed that the jolting must have shaken the money out of the letter. He also said that he would have given up the money, but did not discover it in the pouch until he had left the office. Mr. DIINIIAN addressed the jury for the defence, laying weight upon the fact that the prisoner had never been known to be guilty of any crime or of any profligate habits. His conduct during the fourteen years that he had been connected with the Post-office had been marked by industry and integrity, and in his humble sphere he had secured the adherence and confidence of all who knew him. He submitted that the prisoner's ac count of the way he became possessed of the money was extremely probable. The practice of sending what was called " test letters," with marked money in them, was well-known to the prisoner, and it was not likely that he would risk himself and his family for halt-a sovereign. Several witnesses, some of whom had known the pri soner from his childhood, gave him an excellent cha racter for honesty, sobriety, and industry. The Learned JUDGE having summed up, The Jury found a verdict of Guilty, with a recommen dation to mercy, on account of his long connexion with the Post-office, and bis previous good character. Sentence deterred. AEU" COURT. (Before the COMMON SERGEANT and Mr. Alderman LAWRENCE.) Nicholas _Holliday, a young man, 22 years of age, de scribed as a policeman, was indicted for stealing a 51. bank note, the property of Elizabeth Coleman. The prisoner pleaded Not Guilty. Mr. lorry prosecuted, and Mr. Ballantine defended the prisoner. Ii was proved, on the part of the prosecution, that on the night of the 9th of January the 5/. note in ques tion was enclosed in a letter by the prosecutrix, and put into the post office at West Ilam, in Essex. A witness on the part of the prosecutrix swore most dis tinctly that he put the letter containing the note into the post-office ; the letter never reached its destination, and shortly afterwards the note was found in the possession of the prisoner. On the night in question the prisoner was a policeman on duty at Stratford Broadway; and the suggestion on the part of the prosecution was, though there was no proof of it, that the prisoner must have extracted the letter containing the note from the box of the post office by inserting a cane into the box having its end split. The story of the prisoner, when taken into custody and asked to account for his possession of the note, was that he found it wrapped up and lying in a lane on his beat. The prisoner lodged in the house of a brother policeman and his wife, both of wh o m d e p ose d to hi s prev i ous good character and to his good reputation in the police force. It appeared that the prisoner on his return home oa the morning of the 10th of January, told the policeman's wife, with whom he lodged, that he had found the not*, and he afterwards got her to accompany him when he went to get the note changed ; but it was alike re markable that the prisoner when procuring change for the note did not endorse it himself, but got the police man's wife to do it. Mr. BALLANTINE, in addressing the jury for the prisoner, said be had certainly been guilty of great in discretion, on his own confession, in not seeking an owner for the note on his having found it, but contended that there was no proof of the prisoner having taken the letter containing the note from the letter-box. The circumstances were peculiar, and the evidence, such as it was, was almost entirely supplied by the prisoner himself. The prisoner was a policeman, and a man of great respectability ; and he was wander ing about the neighbourhood in questio❑ in the course of his duty, and therefore he was exactly the person if anything was lying upon the ground to find it. He (Mr. Ballantine) did not think if a man found a 51. note, that it was a robbery if he put it into his pocket. The COMXON SERGEANT, in summing up the case, said there could not be a shadow of a doubt that if any man picked up a 5/. note in the street, and did not seek fur as owner fur it, it was a larceny. Did the prisoner do anything to find the owner? Instead of that, he went with the policeman's wife to get change for it. Why not go himself? And when the prisoner changed the note, he did not endorse it himself; but got the po liceman's wife to do it. The jury found the prisoner Guilty of finding the note and appropriating it to his own use. The COMMON SERGEANT told the prisoner it was fortunate for him that he had been found guilty only of finding and appropriating the note, fur had he been convicted of extracting the letter and note from the letter-box, he (the Common Sergeant) wo u ld most as suredly have transported him. Uner the circumstances, the sentence would be comparatively light, and was, that he be imprisoned for three months, and kept to hard labour. LLOYD'S 6HIPPING.—(THIS DAY.' Loicaori, FEB. 28.—Wind this day at noon, S.S.W., fresh gale and squally. DEAL, FEB. 27.—Wind N. to S. and S.E.—Arrd. Jacob Ceats, Beaman, Batavia, and sailed for Amster dam; Lady 91`Dotiald. Elder, Calcutta, and sailed for London; Austerlitz, Allrick, Havannah. Dovort, FEB. 27.—The Sainte Marie, which sunk off Dangeness, 23d instant, after being in contact with the Diana of Liverpool, has been taken into Folkestone harbour. SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. 27.—Sid. Sultan (steamer), Con stantinople; Jupiter (steamer), Gibraltar. PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 27.—Wind S.E.—Sld. Joseph Bushby, China; Prince Albert, Meyer, New York. BRISTOL, JAN. 27.—Wiud S.S.E.—SId. Nora Creina, Antigua; Emerald, Barbadoes ; African Queen, Africa. LI'EIIP•OL, FEE. 27.—Wind S.-26, Arrd. Liver pool, Raisbeelc, Savannah. Sld. Douglas, St Thomas; Stranger, Leghorn; Agnes, Nassau; 27, Inglboro, Cal cutta; Meg of Meldon, ditto; Christiana, Singapore; Maypo, Africa; Coquette, ditto; Eiiza Johnston, Bahia; Laura, Demerara; Leonora, ditto; Elvira ditto; Man dane, St. Vincent; Ino, Antigua; Daniel, Port-au-Prince; Josephine, Tampico; Genoa, New Orleans; Tarquin, Mobile; Geo. Thatcher, Philadelphia; W. Jarvis. New York; Atlantic, Mize. Off p or t—E ng land' s Queen. WARREN POINT, FEE. 27.—Wind W.N.W.—SId. Ayrshire. New York. PETERHEAD, FEB. 26,-.—W .W.-51(1, Union, 119bertS0D, Greenland. MARKET NEWS.-(THIS DAY.) CORN EXCHANGE—WEDNESDAY. The present week's arrival of English Wheat for our market, coastwise, has not exceeded 1,020 quarters; by land carriage it has been small in the extreme. To-day the show of samples was small. Selected qualities ruled firm, at prices quite equal to those paid on Monday. The middling and inferior kinds moved otf slowly, at late rates. Upwards of 15,000 quarters of Foreign Wheat have come to hand since Saturday. That article was a very slow inquiry, but we have no further decline to notice in value. Malting Barley was held at extreme rates. Grinding and distilling sorts were a dull sale, at barely stationary prices. Su Hale was doing in Malt that the quotations were almost nominal. Although the supply ot Oats wa. small, that grain ruled hcavy. at Monday's prie-s. Bean 4. Fe s s, Indi a n Corn, and Meal, were quite neglected. No change took place in the value' of the test town made Flour. Ship qualities were easier to purchase. ARRIVALS THIS WEEK. Wheat. Barley. Oats. I Flour. 1,020 qrs. 2,610 qrs. 4,600 qrs. I 2,190,L, 3,430 I -- English Irish. s'oreign ...... 15,490 i -- Malt. 4,570 qrs. BOROUGH BOP PIARICET. Our market to Lily was firm for the best Hops, at a trifle more money. All other kinds were steady, at full prices. New Hops—Sussex pockets, 214 s to 21 16s; Weald of Kent ditto, .2/ 12s to 31 8s ; Mid and East Kent ditto, 31 5s to 61 lOs per cwt. WHITECZAPEL. The general demand was heavy at our quotations. Beef, from 2s 2d to 3s 2d; Mutton, 2s 6d to 35 8d; Veal, 3s 8d to 45 8d; and Pork, 2s 8d to 4s 2d per slbs by the carcase. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS DAY.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock. RUSSIAN COMPANY. Certain papers were presented to the House from the Russian Company. RATE IN AID (IRELAND). Mr. O'FLAHERTY presented several petitions from landholders in the county of Clare, against a general rate in aid. CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. Mr. MACKINNON presented u petition from nume rous inhabitants in the neighbourhood of Manchester, praying for the introduction of a Bill for the protection of animals from cruelty. THE SLAVE TRADE. _ _ Mr. G. THOMPSON presented a petition from the inhabitants of Tobago, praying for the annulling of an ordinance which had received the sanction of the At torney -General in that island, which they believed would have the effect of encouraging the slave-trade, and that it aright have no effect as regards slaving vessels,whether brought from Sierra Leone or elsewhere. DUTY ON PAPER. Mr. REYNOLDS presented several petitions from different places in Ireland, signed collectively by up wards of twelve hundred persons engaged in the manu facture of paper for the abolishing of the duty on that article. Mr. BROTHERTON moved for and obtained a re turn of the aggregate number of stamps issued for news papers in each year, from the Ist day of January, 1842, to the Ist day of January, 1849, in England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, respectively; distinguishing the number at one penny and at one halfpenny (in conti nuation of Parliamentary Paper, No. 412, of session 1‘4,2). INSOLTENT MEMBERS BILL. Mr. GREEN, on the motion being put for the Com mittee on this Bill, said that he felt it involved so many nice points of law that he could not be satisfied without its being referred to a Select Committee up stairs. Sir G. GREY said that, having understood that there was some understanding had been arrived at respecting the Bill, he had not brought down the amendments which be intended to submit, and he had therefore no hesitation in moving that it now be referred to a Select Committee. Mr. MOFFATT said that, seeing the feeling which prevailed in the House respecting the measure, and con ceiving also that the investigation of a Committee would be likely to render the law more permanent and sound, he should have no objection to such a course. Mr. GOULBURN said that, having much more fully considered the enactments of the Bill since its second reading, he telt assured that it could not be properly passed without the examination of a Select Committee. After brief remarks to the same effect trom Mr. Mac- EINNON, Mr. HENLEY, and several other Members, the Bill was referred to a Select Committee. PUBLIC ROADS. On the motion being made for the second reading of this Bill, Mr. NEWDEG ATE presented petitions from diffe rent places in Warwickshire in favour of the Bill. Mr. CORNEWALL LEWIS then said, that as this Bill was one which was purely one of general utility and bad no political character whatever, he hoped that Ihe should have the support of Honourable Members on both sides of the House.—(Hear, hear.) Be proposed in the first place, to meet the debt on the highways by a county rate; but he was aware that it would to many seem to be very objectionable, especially at the present moment, when agriculture was labouring under peculiar difficulty.—(Hear, hear.) But that diffi culty, to a certain degree, vanished when it was recol lected that the advances from the county rate was al ready more than a million and a half. The whole or the debts owing by the several trusts was 6,609,000/. To meet that he proposed that certain Commissions should be appointed to act under the authority of the Secretary of state, into whose hands the money derived from the county rate should be paid, and they should have the power to deal with the different bondholders. He proposed that there should be a rate levied which would be sufficient to meet a rate of interest of 6 per cent. The commissioners were;then to allow the bondholders interest after the rate of 4 per cent., and that a sinking fund should be formed of the rest, which should be applicable to the discharge of such debts as should be requested to be discharged. These he did nut expect would be many. The aiouey then required for the interest would be 396,540/.• ' for repairs, 673,000/. ; a nd h e b a d a ll owe d 57,0001. for improvements. This made a total of 1,126,5401., and as he would have an income of 1,297,000/., besides 31,0001. which would be derived from another source, they would be able to discharge the whole of the obligations of the highway trusts in twenty. eight years. The present cost of salaries, and which he had at present left out of view, was 165,000 L, which, with law charges, amounting to 14,0001., made a charge of 179,000/. that formed a continually in creasing weight, if any interest was to be paid at all. There was, besides the continually recurring expenses ; he was sorry to say, also, a large arrear of unpaid interest. This he proposed to meet by an equitable adjustment, which the Commis sioners would be empowered to make, and he had an example for a precedent to rely upon, there having been a similar arrear in 31 of the trusts of the six counties of South Wales, where a composition had been accepted of somewhat less than 27 per cent. All the interest, which was more than ten years old, he proposed should be altogether sunk and abolished.—(Hear, hear.) Why, was nut that but just to both stdes?—(Hear, hear.) They would not think of asking for interest that was sixty years old.—(Hear. hear.) Some limit must be put, arid he thought ten years a very lair period. All the highways as well as the turnpike-reads be proposed to place, so far as their government was concerned, under the direction of the county magistrates. There being a separate highway board for each particular union, and a cek.tral board fur the whole county. It was true that they could not always control these local boards, and prevent them at every time from travelling out of their proper duties, but the tendency of legislation of late had been to diminish this evil, and he hoped that on the whole they would not be productive of any very great mischief. The Hon. Gentleman then gave the instance of Stoke Church, a purely agricultural parish, to show bow his system would work. He then concluded by moving the second reading of the Bill, assuring the House that there was no disposition on the part of the Government to press the matter on with any haste. Mr. W. MILES said he had come down with the express purpose of opposing the Bill, because he thought it was intended to impose au imposition on the county rate, but the objectionable parts of th'e measure having been removed, what he would ask was that the second reading of the Bill should be postponed, in order that the Bill, as altered, might be reprinted, to enable Members to judge of its provisions and their efficacy. Mr. RICE said the Bill should be read a second time in order that it might be reprinted. He believed that the Bill could not be reprinted before first going into Com mittee upon it. He trusted, therefore, the Hon. Mem ber for Somerset would not persevere in postponing the second reading of the Bill. Mr. WILSON PATTEN had come down for the purpose of opposing the second reading of the Bill, but, in consequence of the course that had been adopted by the Government with respect to it, he should give no opposition whatever to the second reading of the measure, in order that it might be brought before the House, and printed in the amended shape. He thanked the Hon. Member for the pains he had taken on this subject, and the extent to which he had removed his previous objections to this measure, which had been very strong indeed. Mr. BRIGHT supported the second reading of t h e Bill on the understanding that it WAS only to go into Committee pro forma, and that a distant day, say three weeks or a month, should be fixed for its consideration in Committee. Mr. CHRISTOPHER supported the second reading of the Bill, in order that it might be printed, and pointed out several cases in which in its present shape it might give rise to great hardships in particular localities. Sir G. STRICKLAND thought it would be better to try to improve the existing institutions of the country than is ()Teri *Mr Rnd ;1411 forward °Ono 173 very/ iu ia. Th e 1 or the / notic e will be tract l Th Wi th re Pelle slop fur trrailab 14 ", on itit4re The • at the. sixth bi 0 11 cad A____ •,, . __ _-.... GEN , the , ° U PRI , expr many c Itztrit rn inconv I LJ N^^ R eenre ( 65 . b 21, 1 ~~ a: r ~~ 20 1 4 30 2 , 40 I , In ter n re s lth °win A --te SO Om The , b ° for; The rti At:i> JGl arle i n 1 John ( This II:lost a The these 4 eqt U Years, W ith t: obt Pi Ny, ; ; u3 " (11 e u r a 9. wi se more Qq%