The Sun. — London, England, 1849-03-06 00:00:00

FRAN CE. The state prisoners at Vincennes were transferred to Bourges on Sunday. They were guarded by a strong escort, who had orders to prevent, at any cost, the_prisoners from being rescued. Two notes from the Prince de Schwartzenburg, dated Vienna, 25th ultimo, were received on the instant by Baron Thom, the Austrian Minister in Paris, who communicated their contents to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The first of these notes refers to the Roman ques tion. In it the Prince reminds the Minister of the fears of Austria with respect to the conduct of the rope in the commencement of his reign, and obserobser ves that, although the Imperial Government had antici pated that the system of reform inaugurated by Pius IX. would ultimately produce disastrous conse quences for the repose of the Italian Peninsula, and though well aware that the adulators of the Pontiff (who had always been conspirators against society) would in the end turn against him, and treat him with the basest ingratitude, neverthe less Austria considered herself bound to support the temporal power of the Pope, which had been conse crated and ratified by a duration of ten centuries ; and, moreover, guaranteed by the Treaty of Vienna, signed by all the powers of Europe, and by a subse quent convention, dated January 12, 1832, signed by France, Austria, Prussia and Russia. The note goes on to say, that it is an error to suppose that the question is one which merely interests Italy. It is a question which in terests every power in Europe; as there is none in whose dominions are not found members of the church of which the Pope is the head. It is time, therefore, that the powers who are parties to this last convention should adopt measures to enforce its exe cution, and put an end to the anarchy which is dis turbing the tranquillity of Europe, and in this Austria is ready to co-operate. The second note relates to Tuscany. Prince Schwartzenburg insists upon the right of Austria to interfere as ahe thinks proper, the Grand Duchy being governed by a Prince of the house of Austria. The note makes particular reference to a treaty con cluded in 1735, and confirmed in 1736, between Austria and Louis XV., by which the latter bound himself I R his own name and that of his successors to defend the right of the Duke of Lorraine to the possession of Tuscany, which had been transferred to kim in exchange for Lorraine, which was then annexed to France. The 100th article of the Treaty of Vienna and subsequent conventions had restored the Duchy to the Arch-Duke Ferdinand of Austria. The Kings of the Two Sicilies, Sardinia, and Spain, and the Germanic body had concurred in those conventions, and were bound, as well as France, to defend the rights of the reigning house of Tuscany. Such is the substance of the notes communicated by Prince Schwartzenburg to Baron Thom, and ordered to be laid before the French Government. It is probable that copies of the same will have been communicated to the other European Governments alluded to in them. AUSTRIA. The battle of the 11th ult., at Buski, did not end as the Vienna papers stated, in the defeat and death of Bem ; on the contrary, he completely routed Puch ner, compelling him to retreat to Hermanstadt, where he must wait for reinforcements. The whole of the open country is in possession of the Magyars. Serious disturbances have broken out at Cracow. The Kolner Zeitung has a letter from Berlin of the 2d inst., in which it is stated that the English Cabinet has issued a note, in which the interference of the Russians in Transylvania is approved of. It would appear that the Russian Government, previous to its troops entering Transylvania, dispatched a general note to the Cabinets of Europe, declaring that Transylvania must be occupied by Russian troops; that the Hungarian war was intimately connected with a conspiracy in Podolia and the Danubian prin cipalities, and that the Russian Government, however averse t;• interfere in the affairs of other nations, was merely guarding its own and dearest interests by opposing the successes of the Hungarian insurgents in Transylvania. The same paper gives some particulars of the battle of Deva, which took place on the Oth ult., and in which the Imperial troops were defeated by Gene ral Bem. The fight was bloody in the extreme. It lasted from 8 in the morning till 6 o'clock in the afternoon, and ended with the flight of the Imperi alists, one of whose regiments of foot was almost literally cut to pieces. Another battle was fought in the night of the 12th ult. with the right wing of the Imperial army, which had managed to keep its ground after the battle of Deva, but which was likewise driven back and dispersed in this encounter. The fugitive Imperial troops rallied on the 12th ult. at Herrnanstadt, when the Russians protected them from further pursuit. ITALY. The Grand Duke of Tuscany arrived at Gaeta on the 24th ult. The Alba of the 24th ult. publishes the following decree of the Roman Assembly : "In the name of God and the People : The Roman National Assembly declares that the whole Republic is accountable for all the losses the generous Ferrara or - 0 other portion of the Roman territory may suffer from Q . e invasion of Austrian oppressors. *l ' (Signed) " GALLETTI, President of the Assembly. " FILOPONTI, Secretary. I, " Rome, Feb. 21, 1849." LAW INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF LORDS, Mareh 5. The House sat to-day to hear Scotch appeals. The Peers present were the Lord Chancellor, Lord Milford, find the Earl of Enneskillen. DYKE V. STRUTHER. The further arguments in this part-beard appeal from the decision of the Court of Session occupied their Lordships the whole day, and had not concluded when the hearing of appeals was adjourned. DoNNAR v. MACDONALD. The judgment in this case was postponed till to morrow (this day). NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. MALTA, FRI. 25.—A private of the 44th, named James Alexander, will be shortly brought to trial for an offeece which, under one of . our laws of the 19th of November, 1785, renders him liable to the penalty of death. Prisoner, being on guard, and armed with his musket and bayonet (which brings him under the law above), accosted a Greek, from whom ho begged money. This being refused, he seized on him, and by main force took his handkerchief, valued at 10d. only, and which was afterwards found on him. He has been committed for trial, and the full rigour of the law has been invoked by the Crown Advocate. The United Stases steam-frigate Princeton has left port for Messina. Her Majesty's ship Hibernia, which at present carries the flag of Vice-Admiral air W. Parker, is reported to be ordered home, and is daily expected in Malta. His flag is to ,be shifted to the .Queen, and the Admiral is re-confirmed to the appointment of Commander-in-Chief for a further period of three years. Since Friday last we have not bad ' one arrival of _steamers. The mail from the Levant is due to-day, and will proceed to Marseilles a few hours after her arrival. Her Majesty's steamer Antelope, long expected in • Malta, has left Naples under sealed orders, supposed to be ordered to Civita Vecchia. The French steamerlthamsea, due here on the 15th or 16th inst.; only arrived this morning. She was delayed by bad weather, and obliged to put into a port near Tripoli, where she remained four da3s. She had on bvard eighty-two liadjis, on return home after a pil grimage to Mecca, where is the tomb of their prophet. Her Majesty's steamer Locust, from the lonian Islands and Greece, arrived this morning. Her Majesty's steamer Medina, with the India mails, is in sight. The French steamers from Marseilles, and from Mar seilles and ports of Italy, arrived this morning. The arrivals to-day have been the only ones since the 15th inst., and their entry was anxiously watched. On Friday last a p rivate of artillery committed a des.perate act. He plac ed a loaded carbine under his chin, and blew it off. The ball passed through the upper jaw, coming out on the left of the upper part of hThee poor nose, i but without injuring the e y e or forehead. 7 fellow is n ot dead, but it is thought mposst . l3 -e he can survive. The cause of the desperate act seems to have been a fear of being reported by creditors, of whom ho bought goods for re-sale to his messmates, and being disappointed of the receipt of the amounts due by them to him, he could not pay, and this affected his brain. He was a man of excellent character. Last night, at .a quarter-past nine o'clock, a private of her . Majesty's 69th Foot, named Hussey, whilst on guard on the landing of the Palace, leaded his gun, and, placing it to his lett breast, shot himself. The ball passed in a slanting direction, and issued at his shoulder. The poor fellow is not dead, but his wound is mortal. PORTSMOUTH, SUNDAY.—The Eleetra, 14, Comman der Bouverie, is dismantling prior to being paid off. We stated on Saturday that the violence of the gale which this vessel rode out on Wednesday and Thursday tore ont the " bits," but still she held fast, and whilst very many vessels came in with loss of anchors, hers held the grwiotniad u a r nd saved the :ship. We find she was supplied ter's anchor at the special application of her commander, who, it is but fair to presume, did not like ) ..'oto risk his ship with no better hold-fast than the treache rous" mud-hoOkleu e sually supplii d to ship. We are in formed that the Electra did not bring the Forth's mails ; and further, th a t the Severn left Bermuda three days a fter her, and then the Forth had nut been heard of. The following iti(ann a tions in gunnery e n hoa enr r e a c ently passed their exami- Excellent ;--Messrs. Acting-Lieutenants, and Wright, Actin-I. ' i e euteliant s , first class ; Mr. Russell, Mate ; and N,lssrs. Nieholl, Trevennen, Hoskins. Simpson, Rawlins, Parrott, Scov e ll, an d Cam pion, Acting Mates. The Dauntless new steam-frigate is to be docked and immediately fitted fur service. Admiralty orders have been received here this morn ing to dock -the na val transport Adventurer, Mas ter - Commander -Wellington, which vessel received so much damag e in the late ia.es as to render that operation no tn-ssary, she having sprung a srious leak, causing her while at sea to make 10 inches of water an hour. Sh e will be docked to-morrow. The Driver steam-sloop, Commander C. R. Johnson, sailed yesterday morning for Devonport, with a dredging machine vessel in tow. She is to complete fuel at De vonport, and then proceed for the Pacific. The Fearless steamer, Second Master-Commander Wills, sailed yesterday with supernumeraries for Plymouth. The Stromboli steam-sloop, Commander Lord A. W. Beauclerk, is ordered immediately on her arrival at this port (where she is momentarily expected) to be dis patched to Sheerness to be paid off. The Janus steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Powell, arrived this morning from Woolwich to complete coals, &c., and be paid advance. The Superb, 80, Captain E. Purcell, and Sappho, 12, Commander R. C. Michell, are to leave the harbour for Spithead to-morrow. The Rodney, 92, Captain E. Collier, C. 8., and the Electra, 14, Commander F. W. P. Bouverie, are ordered to be paid off next Thursday. PLYMOUTH, MARCH 2.—Her Majesty's steam-frigate Gladiator sailed on the 28th ult. for Portsmouth and Woolwich. Her Majesty's ship Caledonia, 120, Captain Sir T. W. Carter, will go to Malta in about a fortnight, to relieve her Majesty's skip Queen, 110, Captain H. W. Bruce. Orders were received yesterday morning to get her ready as soon as possible. She shipped 70 hands in about 2i hours; 450 hands were wanted to complete her comple ment :of 950, including 200 marines. It is said that if necessary 700 hands might be had at once, in conse quence of so many men having collected here in the ex pectation of being required for small vessels of war. Letters dated at Wouhoo have seen received from the Plover discovery ship, Commander Thomas E. L. Moore, gone in search of Sir John Franklin. The officers and crew of the Plover are all well. Orders have been sent by the Admiralty to the De vonport Dockyard for a return of the ages and servitude of all the officers and men employed in that arsenal. Nine shipwrights and one ropemaker were yesterday examined by the surgeon preparatory for superan- nuation. THE YACHT BRIG ARlENlS.—Yesterday morning, about 9 A.M., the Sir Francis Drake steam-packet was brought near this vessel with an intention to get her off the rocks under the citadel, but in consequence of the northerly wind having cut the tide no effort was then made. In the course of the day her topmasts were taken down, a large portion of the iron ballast thrown over board, and a number of casks placed in and around her. About ten o'clock last night her Majesty's steamer Con fiance was attached to the brig, and every effort again used, but in consequence of the continuance of the northerly wind, and the unexpected shortening of the tide, this attempt was also unsuccessful. She has a great quantity of ballast yet on board, some of which is ce mented in between the timbers and floors, and there are also several iron tanks containing ballast. The tides continue to decrease for a day or two, and all expec tation of floating her must therefore be deferred for the present. It' in the mean time a gale come on from the southward, she will be most probably beaten to pieces. Wind, northerly; fine. WOOLWICH, MARCH 4.—Captain Lord John Hay, C. 8., one of the Lords of the Admiralty, and Captain Ellice, Comptroller of Steam Machinery, visited Wool wich Dockyard yesterday afternoon, and accompanied by Commodore Henry Eden, Mr. Lang, master ship. wright, and Mr. Humphries, chief engineer, went on board the Sampson steam-vessel, at present fitting in the inner basin. The Sampson has been ordered to be got ready with the greatest dispatch, and relays of workmen are to be engaged upon the ♦essel night and day during the next fortnight. A small steam machine has been constructed for this yard for the purpose of boring the cylinders, without taking them out of the vessel. The plan has been found to answer well in private establishments, and was yesterday tried on board the Sampson. It is of importance when cylinders ate bored that no stoppage takes place, as the expansion and contraction of the metal by the different degrees of heat would prevent that great degree of nicety required in the baring of cylinders to preveat the escape of steam when working. The Gladiator steam-veasel,Commander Robb, arrived here on Friday eveninz, and has brought home the crew of the Volcano ateam-vessel, and thi y are to be paid off on Tuesday next. The day for paying off the Gladiator has not been fixed. Captain Smith, of the Rattler steam-vessel, and a deputation from the Harwich Company, who have pur• chased the four wooden steam vessels, Adder, Dotterel, Otter, and Zephyr, and the Torch and Myrmidon steam- vessels, visited Woolwich Dockyard on Friday for the purpose of inspecting them. It is said they have been sold to the company for 24,0001. Six men have been dismissed from the factory depart ment during the last week for idling at the time they should have been working, and one boy for having a tobacco pipe in his pocket, the strictest injunctions having been previously issued against taking tobacco pipes into the yard on any pretence whatever. PLYMOUTH, MARCH 3 —THE DOCKYARD.—MT. Hop per, clerk of works at Haulbowline, is appointed to this yard, vice Churchward. The superannuation allowance for smiths having undergone revision, the following is the scale adopted:—Forgemen at 6d. 6d. per day; Ist class firemen, at ss. 3d; leading men at testing-house, and all leading men made previous to 1846, 241. to 341. per annum; smiths, at 3s. 6d. per day, or from 201. to 24/. per annum; hammer• men, at 3s. per day, or from 151. to 201. per annum. All general service labourers, entered since 1833, will not be allowed superannuation under any circumstances. After the contemplated reductions in this yard are fully completed, we learn the following will form the complement of men who will be employed:—Singe station men, 13 ; leaning men, 36; apprentices, 125; shipwrights, 576; trenail makers, 5:; oar maker, 1; caulkers, 70; pitch heater, 1; oakum boys, 15; joiners, 120; turners, 2; wheelwrights, 2; cooper, 1; smiths, 166; millwrights (metal men), 43; brazier tinmen, 3; locksmiths, 3; plumbers, 6; engine keepers, 5; stokers, 4; workmen at saw mills, 21; bricklayer, 1; masons, painters, glaziers, and grinders, 25; sawyers, 90; estab lished labourers, 190; day labourers, 175; riggers' boats' inspectors, 7; sail makers, 48; tailor, 1; spinners, 115; key bearer, 1; house boys, 17; women, 13, storehouse men, 17; messengers, 8; police, 73; teams, 9. The Belleisle, 72, fitted as a troop ship (and a most comfortable ship, too), is to be immediately commis sioned at Devonport, to carry a regiment to India. DOCKYARD REDUCTION.—After the contemplated re ductions in Devonport Dockyard aro completed, the working staff of the establishment will consist of 2,236 men, women, and boys. The guns of the following calibre have been ordered to be discontinued in the naval service :—The 68-pounder of 112 cwt.; the 56-pounder of 85 cwt.; and the 42- pounders of 85, 75, and 66 cwt. each, respectively. The Magicienne, steam-frigate, building at Pembroke, is to be launched to-morrow and navigated to Woolwich to be completed and fitted for sea service. WooLwreg, MARCH s.—Admiral Sir Edward Cod rington, G.C.8., visited Woolwich Dockyard for the purpose of witnessing Mr. Cochran's machine for saw ing futtock timbers into the required shape for the frames of ships steam vessels at one operation. The men were at work on the arrival of the Gallant Admiral in converting timbers for the Brisk steam-vessel, which is progressing rapidly in building, owing to the quan tity of work which can now be executed in a short time by machinery; and he appeared much interested and pleased with the correct work pertormed by the machinery. The saw mills in Woolwich Dockyard are now of the most complete description, and capable of producing a great quantity of the very best work in a limited time for building new vessels or for repairs. The Atholl troop-ship, Master-Commander Pearn, was taken into dock to-day to have her bottom ex amined. Although entirely built of fir grown in the forests of Atholl, and subjected to considerable service, she is reported to be very dry, and a comfortable troop-ship. The Jasper steam-vessel was taken out of the dock to day, and will be taken into the basin to-morrow. The Myrmidon steam-vessel is to be taken out of the basin to-morrow, preparatory to being tried down the river, and the Adder, Otter, and Zephyr are to be taken into the basin to-raorrow,the Government having under taken to deliver the six ♦essels sold to the Harwich Company for 24,0001. in working order, and the neat fittings of the vessels formerly employed on the Holy head station are to be left on board. The Janus, steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Powell, left Greenhitho on Saturday for Portsmouth and Gibraltar. It is expected several additional regiments will shortly be sent to the East Indies, and it has been suggested that the guns should be taken out of the Blenheim and Ajax ships, fitted with screw propellers, each of these vessels being capable of conveying 1,000 troops with ease to In dia, with the probability that they would accomplish the vnyage in much less time than sailing vessels without the aid of steam. WOODEN BARN FLOORS AND RTsB may be made impervious to bu r i a l ts by followingth k e .— RATS.—Barn rn ebei floors p tion in the g roun d (in contraddili s g ti n th e a ti t on h as to i t t b s e f s o e u n s u d p a : method .—Di g aroun d the ported on stone or brick pa p v ie e r t t adry area, say 14 inches t o plainh a building. wide by 9 inches deep, e 4 tilesi- inch er work, alatea bottom with brick fists, whilst the other has a course o the side furthest from the building nailed to the, outside surface of theAs this is finished, fill in the area with the earth d c ti,„ out. The rats will endeavour to make their entrance by burrow ing, but they will invariably work themselves out at the surface, as they cannot effect their object, try how or where they will, and, cunnin g as they are, - they never t ey never commence burrowing away from the building, but close around it. This plan has never failed. Rid your self of the iti,,ide members, and no outsiders can enter. The doorways may be similarly secured by carrying up a dwarf wall along the opening.—Builder. EXTRAORDINARY LEAP OF A lIARE.—One fine morning lately Mr. George Grave, of Broughton,Newby bridge, was astonished to find a hare dancing about on the warm limo that was burned down to the bottom of the kiln. how it happened that poor puss fell in is un known. George Graves, jun., descended with the in tention of securing pussey ; but, wonderful to relate, she sprang clear out to the top, leaving the young man dumb. foundered. The height leaped by the hero was seventeen feet four inches. The inside of the kiln is lined with brick, and no fissures or projecting stones. This is no fancy sketch, but the testimony of several hard-working honest men.— Westmoreland Gazette. RATS.—These loathsome and destructive vermin swarm to so great an extent in and around the wharfs and stables of the Adelphi, that from five to ten of them in the course of the morning are discovered dead, amid the straw which is thrown down for the horses' litter, being literally crushed by the latter while in the act of turning and moving their bodies during the night. During the last high tide, which reached the above premises, the rats were flooded out of their fastnesses, and hundreds were to be witnessed at one time immersed in the Thames, with their heads only above water endea • which youring to escape from the ruthless element, hurried them dually perished. DESPERATE BURGLARY. ONE OF THE BUti.GLABSSHOF DEAD. Our readers have of late been almost surfeited with accounts of burglaries and highway robberies. We do not think that we have had for years to record so many successful deeds of villany as within the last few months. But an cccurrence has just taken place which will pro bably tend to put a stop to the proceedings of the lawless gangs who have infested this district so long, and so greatly disturbed its peaceable inhabitants. Last Thursday morning the inhabitants of Littlebury, Chesterford, Saffron Walden, and the neighbourhood, were excited to a remarkable degree by a report that a desperate attempt at burglary had been made at a lone farmhouse, about two miles from the Chesterford station, and that one of the burglars had been shot dead by the owners of the premises. The report turned out to be strictly correct. The premises (Streathall Hall) upon which the bur glary was committed constitute the residence and farm-house of Mr. Nehemiah Perry, an opulent and highly respectable landowner and occupier. They are situated in the parish of Streathall, about two miles from Chesterford, the whole of which parish is occupied by Mr. Perry, part of it belonging to himself, and part to the archdeaconry of Durham. The house is an old-fashioned building, placed in a lonely position upon a hill near the church, and at some distance from any other houses or cottages. Indeed the whole population of the village does not exceed twenty persons, so that Mr. Perry's pre• misea may well have been thought to favour the wicked designs of midnight desperadoes, and other vile charac ters, who abound in the neighbourhood, especially as it was known that the only individuals in the house were Mr. Nehemiah Perry himself (an old man above sixty years old), his brother, Mr. Thomas Perry, and one fe male domestic. On Wednesday night these three parties retired to rest between tan and eleven o'clock, leaving the doors and windows perfectly secure. A little before one in the morning they were roused by a noise below stairs ; and the servant, fancying the cat had upset something, was about to go and see what mischief had been done, when she was met by Mr. Perry on the landing, who told her there was some one in the house, and by whose direction she returned into her bed-room. We should here state that Mr. Perry is a man of a great deal of coolness and courage. He has been in the habit, in consequence of the loneliness of his residence and the frequency of robberies of late, of keeping three double-barrelled guns ready loaded in his bed-room, and has frequently ex pressed his determination to giro any thieves a warm reception, if they should hare the audacity to attack him. Upon this occasion he took his stand at the top of the stairs, armed with a loaded gun, and scarcely had be done so when a man appeared at the bottom of the staircase, with a lantern in one hand, and a bludgeon or pistol in the other, and a piece of coarse cloth over his head and face, with two apertures cut for the eyes. We need not dilate upon the ghastly appearance presented by such an apparition at such an hour of the night. But Mr. Perry was nothing daunted, either by the appearance of the robber, or the instigation of two companions behind, who urged him with some such words as these—" Go on, you are all right." But not so, for upon the scoundrel attempting to ascend the broad, old-fashioned staircase, Mr. Perry levelled his gun at him and fired; the man fell, and, as it afterwards appeared, was shot through the heart. One of the robbers, seeing his companion fall, cried out, " Where are my pistols ?" " Come on with your pistols," responded Mr. Perry ; "I am ready for you." And calling to his brother, who was now on the scene of action, he added, " I have snuffed his candle for him. You keep ready while I load again." Disregarding a renewed request to " come on," the robbers, cowed by the vigorous measures taken against them, removed their dead companion to the kitchen, and finding that no breath of life remained, they decamped, leaving the corpse there. The Messrs. Perry, not knowing what might await them down stairs, kept their post till the horsekeeper came, about four o'clock in the morning, when the alarm was given, and the premises were searched. Upon the kitchen floor, quite dead, was found the body of the luckless wretch who was for leading the way up stairs. He had on, as already stated, a course bag drawn over his face, and tied with his hand • kerchief, with two eye holes in it ; a blue shirt, such as railway labourers wear, was drawn over his dress ; and over his shoes were a pair of worsted stockings, so that he might go more noiselessly about. By his side lay a small ash-stick. It was now seen that an entrance had been effected by the removal of part of a scullery window, immediately under which stood a moveable plate•rack, which the rob bers appear to have knocked over, and the fall of which awoke the inmates, and led to the fatal occurrence which we have described. It seems probable that the robbers assembled first i❑ a barn about two fields distant from the house, and that their number was five or six, for the footsteps of at least four were distinctly traceable from the barn to the house. Various officers and others have seen the body of the dead man ; indeed, on Thursday and yesterday, hundreds of persons visited the place ; but no one bas been able to identify him, although some assert that he has been in the neighbourhood during the past year with a nut-stall and target. Ho appears to be about thirty years of Eige ; five feet four inches in height ; sallow complexion ; dark hair ; the whiskers appear to have been worn large, but ha►e re cently been very closely trimmed, and left very narrow. ' He appears to have been quite clean shaved within a short time of his death. His right eye-tooth is out. He had on a white shirt, black and white neckerchief, one white cotton stocking, blucher boots tied in three holes, cord trousers, drab cloth double. breasted waistcoat, stout blue cloth coat with pockets inside, black Paris hat, appa rently bought at Peterborough; a large pair of worsted stockings, as we have stated, were drawn over his shoes, and this plan seems to have been adopted by the whole of the gang. The courage and firmness of Mr. Perry are the theme of universal comment. Doubtless if others of the gang, had had the hardihood to advance, they would hare shared a like fate with their deceased companion.— Cambridge Chronicle. An inquest was held upon the remains of the de ceased man on Saturday, when, after receiving all the evidence that was attainable, the jury returned a ♦erdict of " Justifiable Homicide," which they accompanied with an expression of the high est admiration of the intrepidity displayed by the Messrs. Perry ; and this sentiment was warmly re sponded to by the coroner and by the asembled neigh bours, who cheered loudly when the result of the in quiry was made known to them. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN. The following reply to the memorial presented to the directors of the London and North-Western Railway, showing the innumerable inconveniences of the through traffic on the line being diverted from this town and carried by the Trent Valley, .has been received from Captain Huish : " A memorial, numerously signed by the inhabitants of the districts contiguous to the original or main lines of the London and Birmingham and Grand Junction Railways between Stafford and Rugby, has been laid before the board of directors. The importance of the request contained in the memorial, and the respectability of the signatures attached to it, call upon the directors to assign their reasons for their being unable to accede to the wishes of the memorialists. The Trent Valley Railway was neither originated nor promoted by the London and Birmingham or Grand Junction Companies. On the contrary, they resisted it (successfully for a time) as an unnecessary outlay of capital for objects not at all commensurate with the expenditure it would entail. The demands of the public, however, and the determina tion of Parliament to shorten the route between London and the north overweighed these and other considera tions, and the line was granted. It became necessary, of course, to incorporate it as part of the Amalgamated London and North Western scheme. The directors are not aware that the reasons which induced Parliament to pass the Bill, viz.—the reduction of the distance between London and the whole of the North of England, Scot land, and Ireland, have lost all their force; and they feel satisfied that, were an attempt to be made, as the memo. rialists suggest, to close the Trent Valley Ine for through traffic, it would be resisted by memorials from a population very much larger in the aggregate than that represented by the memorialists; while as regards the railway companies to the North, it would be objected to as injurious to their traffic between London and Scotland by the West coast. The memorialists admit that fifteen minutes would be lost on each through journey—prac tically the loss would be more—but taking this calcula- tion, it will be seen that every traveller between London and Liverpool, and Manchester, Ireland, and Scotland, would sacrifice that time for the benefit of a compara tively small section of the public. With regard to the accommodation now given to the dis tricts between Stafford and Rugby via Birming ham, the directors are not prepared to admit that it is diminished. On the contrary, it has in many re spects been improved and enlarged. A passenger leaving London by the 5 P.M. express train can now alight at any one of the second class stations between Birmingham and Stafford; a convenience which could not have been enjoyed under the old system. Other reasons might be assigned to show the impracticability of reverting with all the through trains to the old route, but it may be sufficient to remind the memorialists that the principal through trains (with the exception of the express) are the mails, and that before any change could be effected it would be necessary to obtain the sanction of the Go vernment. Entailing as it would an average delay of nearly half-an.hour upon a very largo proportion of the whole correspondence of the kingdom, it is questionable whether the Postmaster. General would, under any cir cumstances, consent to the change. In conclusion, lam desired to add that the directors are fully sensible of the importance of the districts represented by the memori alists, and it will always be their desire to study the iv convenience as far as it can be done consistently with the obligations they owe to the other interests claiming their consideration as connected with the entire London and North-Western Railway."—Birmingh am Gazette. We are informed that the works on the Birken head, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction Railway, be tween Chester and Moore, are to be resumed immediately and prosecuted with all possible vigour. CORONERS' INQUESTS COSTS.-It appears from offi cial returns made to the Financial and General Purposes Committee of the Middlesex Bench, that from the let of January to the 6th of February, in the present year, Mr. Wakley (the coroner) held 128 inquisitions upon dead bodies, the charges for fees, mileage, and disbursements on which amounted to 390/. 1 la. 10d. From the Ist ofJanuery to the 10th of February, Mr. Baker held 148 inquisitions, the like charges on which were 4891.3 x. 4d. In the month of January, Air. St. Clare Bedford, the coroner for Westminster. held 23 inquisitions, the charges on which were 75/ Os 10d. Total—lnquests, 299; costs, 954/. 16s. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 6, 1849. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, March 5. The LORD CHANCELLOR. took his seat upon the Wool sack at Five o'clock. The Duke of RICHMOND presented several petitions against the Scotch Registration Bill. The Earl of CAMPEttDOWN presented several petitions with a similar prAyer. The Earl of EGLINTON presented a petition from some town in the county of Edinburgh against the Scotch Registration Bill. The Earl of ABERDEEN presented several petitions with a similar prayer. SCOTCH MARRIAGES BILL AND SCOTCH REGISTRATION BILL. _ . Lord CAMPBELL moved the third reading of the Scotch Marriages Bill. The Earl of ABERDEEN said that he had received several letters complaining of the haste with which these Bills were hurried through the House, notwithstanding the numerous petitions presented against them. This was not a party question ; it was one which affected the social condition of the whole people of Scotland, and the only justiacation offered was the wretched object of rendering more perfect a system of registration. In England they had been obliged to authorise persons to contract matrimony before the re gistrar; but the necessity did not exist in Scotland, because those persons might be married before whom they liked. If a man in Scotland gave a written contract to marry that was considered a marriage, and it was perfectlyjust that it should be so. By this Bill they were holding out an indemnity for seduction. Seduction was much more frequent in England than in Scotland, in conse quence of the difference in the marriage-laws of the two countries. This alteration would lead to incalculable misery in Scotland, and ho could not but deprecate the levity with which it was proposed to interfere with a law which had existed in Scotland for 300 years. It should have had a Commit tee of Inquiry, and have ascertained the feelings of the people on the subject. The Scotch were exceedingly at tached to their own system of jurisprudence, and had supported a proposition of his Noble and Learned Friend to prevent clandestine marriages, but since then his Noble and Learned Friend had become more reckless, and he could not join him in supporting this measure. The laws of marriage in Scotland had been frequently referred to in both Houses during the debates on Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act, and also during those on the Registration Bill in 1835, but no one had ever thought of proposing any alteration in them of the nature now proposed. He felt bound to protest against the measure: Lord CAMPBELL said this was the third session during which these measures had been before the House, and the Bill had been already referred to a Select Com mittee, where it had been considered clause by clause. He thought, therefore, there was was no foundation for the accusation brought against him of hurrying forward the Bill. It was certainly material for the sake of the wife and the offspring that there should be some certain method of ascertaining whether marriage had been contracted or not. There was no means of ascertaining it under the present system. Surely if the law required certain solemnities to make valid a contract for the sale of a small portion of land, it ought to take the same care to make valid a contract for marriage. In no part of Europe was a marriage valid without a written contract. In France the civil contract was entered into before the mayor, and that was necessary to render a marriage valid, and Scotland was the only country in Europe in which any such un certainty could exist as to whether or not persons were really married, and in a great majority of cases brought before the Scotch courts within the last few years the evi dence was so uncertain that to this day the parties did not know whether they married or not. He hoped the Bill would meet with no further opposition. The Bills were then read a third time and passed. Lord BROUGHAM postponed until to-morrow the presentation of the petition from the contributors to the Dublin Savings' Bank. Lord STANLEY presented a petition from some union in Ireland against a rate in aid. The Noble Lord also gave notice of a question on the subject of certain aims removed from her Majesty's stores for the avowed pur pose of being handed to the Sicilians. Tho Noble Lord also expressed his surprise that notice should have been given fur going into Committee ou the Bribery Bill on Friday, more especially as a Noble and Learned Lord who had taken part i❑ the discussion on the second reading was on circuit. The Lord CHANCELLOR was willing to postpone the Bill if the House wished it. Lord BROUGHAM hoped his Noble and Learned Friend would not object to proceeding one stage with the Bill, after which he hoped the further proceedings would be postponed until the Chief Justice should be present. Lord REDESDALE urged the postponement of the Bill. The LORD CHANCELLOR would postpone the Bill until to-morrow week. After a few words from Lord STANLEY, the subject dropped. VICE-GUARDIANS OF UNIONS (IRELAND). The Marquis of LANSDOWNE moved the second reading of the Vice-guardians of Unions (Ireland) Bill. Lord STANLEY would not oppose the measure, be cause he felt that it was necessary that the Poor-law Commissioners should, for the present, possess the power of appointing vice-guardians ; but it was an evil, and he hoped the system would not be continued one moment longer than was necessary. It was impossible that these vice guardians should possess a sufficient degree of Isical knowledge to perform their duties satisfactorily to the ratepayers. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE explained. The Earl of WICKLOW said that any sugges tions that the Noble Lord might wish to make would be considered in the Committee on the Bill. He considered the whole responsibility should rest either on the guardians or the vice-guardians, but he objected to a divided responsibility. Both systems were liable to great abuse, but the abuse would be aggravated by the mixture of the two. Lord MONTEAGLE considered that nothing more objectionable in principle had ever been proposed than the present measure for vesting immense powers in the hands of the vice-guardians who possessed the power of taxing districts with which they had no local connexion. He, however, acknowledged that the necessities of the cese required the adoption of anomalous measures. Admit ting, however, the necessity of appointing vice-guardians, he was compelled to state that persons had been ap pointed who were quite unqualified fur the performance of their duties. He would not oppose the Bill, but he trusted that great judgment would be exercised in appointing the persons to whom were to be confided the exercise of these enormous powers. The power of determining that most difficult question as to whether or not there should be a union rating was confided to the vice-guardians. This was a power they ought not to possess. Parliament alone should deter mine questions of such vast importance. The Bishop of CASHEL supported the Bill, and bore witness to the admirable way in which the vice-guardians in his district had performed their duty, in a manner which contrasted most favourably with the conduct o f the guardians ; and he felt thankful to those who had sent such honest, painstaking mei, to supersede the guardians, and both the ratepayers and the poor felt exceedingly grateful to them. These paid guardians had, by their efficient management, more than saved their own salary, and he only regretted that the measure was a temporary one, and was not extended to the whole country. He should wish to see paid guar dians in every union in Ireland. The Earl of LUCAN thought that some inquiry should be instituted before: an elected board of guar diens should be dismissed, and he was not at all prepared to say that an application to the Court of Queen's Bench should be necessary to remove an elected guardian. He complained of the manner in which the vice-guardians had exercised their powers. The Bill was then read a second time. RELIEF (IRELAND) BILL. The Marquis of LA NSDO WNE moved the second reading of the Relief of Distress (Ireland) Bill. Lord BROUGHAM considered it a grievous thing that there should still exist a necessity for proposing another grant for Ireland. 'These grants were to small to afford efficient relief and too large to be granted. He objected to accustoming the people of Ireland to look for relief from anything except their own exertions. A. national polity was in a most diseased condition in which the people were taught to rely habitually for their living upon anything, save upon their own exertions. He blamed uo one in particular for the present state et things. He hoped some better resources for the relief of Ireland would be found. He hoped all impediments to the purchase of land would be taken away, and that the diseased craving for small plots, which must beggar any country, and which was a curse to Ireland--(llear, hear)—would be cured. In conclusion he could only say that he trusted this would be the last application for money from Ireland. After a few words from the Marciais of LANSDOWNE, which were quite inaudible in the gallery, the Bill was read a second time. BUCKINGHAMSHIRE SUMMER ASSIZES BILL. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE moved that this Bill be read a second time. The Noble Marquis accompanied the motion with a few observations, but in so low a tone as to be almost inaudible in the gallery. W e under stood the Noble Marquis to say that the object of the Bill was to remove the summer assizes of the county of Bucks from Buckingham to Aylesbury. The motion was agreed to, and the Bill read a secon d time and ord ere d t o be committed. Their Lordships adjourned at 20 minutes to Seven o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mareh 5. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'clock. TAXATION OF RAILWAYS. Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from the sncLreholddrs of the Manchester, Sheffield, and Li nco l n shire Railway, praying for a supervision of the preen system and an equalization of the taxation on all rai' ways. THE PEACE MOVEMENT. Mr. MCNTZ presented a petition very numerously signed by th e i n h a bi tan ts of Birmigham at a p u bli c meeting, in which they say that the system of war h a d been declared in a variety o f ways to be anti-Chri s ti an and impoli t i c f or a ll peop l e , and praying that the Hou,e would take th e su bj ec t into consideration, and t o i n • quire how far the system of arbitratiou c , uld he carried out, and praying further, especially, that the House would take the matter under their especial at tention. NAVIG ATION- LAWS. Petitions Were presented against the repeal of the navigatio❑-la ws by Mr. Meagher from Waterford, Mr. Bouverie, Mr. Buck, and the Hon. Mr. Talbot, in favour of the repeal; by Mr. Ellis from the corporation • f Leicester. and also from a public meeting for the same ';;j e o= ; P. fr,Hm 11 - 1,1 b k rr, CAA from the inhabitants of Liverpool in a public meet ing assembled, presided over by the Mayor, praying that the Bill for the repeal of these laws should not be passed into a law. INLAND FISHERIES (IRELAND). Mr. FAGAN presented petitions from the city of Cork, from the magistrates of the county, and from other re sidents of the county, complaining or the formation of, .reirs in the riv, r above the fords, the destruction of the salmon in consequence of the formation of those weirs, and praying that some measures may be adopted in the House for the rectifying of an abuse which was greatly calculated to injure the welfare of the country. SANITARY LAWS. The Earl of LINCOLN presented several petitions praying for an improvement of the sanitary laws of the country. POOR-LAWS. Sir G. STRICKLAND presented a petition from Preston complaining of the administration of the poor law, allowing that its principles were good, but expressing a conviction that its benefits were neutralised by the system of centralization which had been adopted. DUBLIN CORPORATION. Mr. REYNOLDS presented petitions from the Cor poration and citizens of Dublin, complaining that their ehArter had been violated, and that the right of electing their ow•n sheriffs had been taken away from them, al though it had been enjoyed since the time of Henry 11., and praying that their privileges might be restored by the Cro:vn, which had unjustly usurped them. The Marquis of GRANBY presented a petition from Gainsborough against the repeal of the navigation-laws. Mr. ROBINSON presented similar petitions from the borough of Worcester, and also one from the shipowners of London to the same effect. SECOND READINGS. The following Bills were read a second time, and ordered to be committed: — Alford and Boston Road. East Lancashire Railway Acts Amendment and Devia tion (Connecting Lines in Preston and Walton-le-Dale, &c.) Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, and Wilsontown, Morn ingside, and Coltness Railway Amalgamation. General Land Drainage and Improvement. Company (In corporation and conferring of Powers). Great Northern Railway (Amendment of Acts, Deviations and Enlargements at and near Boston, Bentley, Lincoln, and King's Cross). Irish South-Eastern Railway (Amendment of Acts). ➢larylebone and Finchley Turnpike Roads. New North Road (Continuation Act). River Dun Navigation Company (Purchase of Stainforth and Keadby Canal). Sheffield and Tinsley Road (Extension of the Tinsley and Doncaster Turnpike Road to Sheffield). Truro Turnpike Roads, Penryn and Redruth Turnpike Roads (Consolidation of Trusts, Alteration of Tolls, Forma tion of New Roads). KENSINGTON AND HAMMERSMITH. Mr. MACGREGOR gave notice of his intention to move, on the 15th instant, the following resolution— " That in consideration of the parishes of Kensington, Chelsea, Fulham, and Hammersmith, containing a popu lation of about 120,000 inhabitants, residing on an area not exceeding 8,000 acres, and comprising also above iB,OOO houses, of the annual value of 10/. and upwards; and further, in consideration that there is no other dis trict in Great Britain with so great a number of inha bitants and houses unrepresented directly in this House, it is expedient and just to incorporate, by an Act of Parliament, the parishes of Kensington, Chelsea, Ful ham, and Hammersmith, into a Parliamentary Borough, empowered to return two Members to this House, to fill up the vacancies caused by the disfranchisement of the late borough of Sudbury." AGRICULTURAL BURDENS. Mr. lIUME gave notice of his intention to move, as an amendment to the motion of the Honourable Member for Buckingham, " that if the regular taxation of the country pressed un equally on property, of which there was no proof afforded, that it ought to be immediately removed, but with a view to grant speedy relief, it was the opinion of the House that the Excise duties ought to be immediately removed, especially the duties on malt and hops." TRANSPORTS. Mr. ROBINSON gave notice that to-morrow he should put a question to Government relative to the treatment of transports on board ship. NAVIGATION-LX\VS. Mr. HERMES presented a petition from the Chamber of Commerce at Waterford against the re peal of the navig,ation-laws. IRISH COURTS OF RECORD. Mr. REYNOLDS gave notice that on the 13th of Nlarch he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to alter and amend the laws relating to the proceedings by attachment in the Courts of Record of the city of Dub lin and other boroughs i❑ Ireland. LIGHT AND DOCK DUES. Mr. \YAWN wished to ask the Right Hon. the Pre sident of the Board of Trade, whether it was the inten tion of the Government to bring in a Bill to abolish the payment of doub!e dues to corporations, companies, or individuals for foreign vessels which, under treaties of reciprocity, or other wise, are admitted into the ports of the United Kingdom, for light dues, dock dues on ships or merchandise, pilot age, or otherwise. It appears about 650,0001. have been paid out of the consolidated dues of Customs on ac count of double dues. Mr. LABOUCHERE replied that in cases where foreign ships, by treaties of reciprocity, were allowed to enter the ports of these corporations on equal terms with British ships, payments had been made out of the Con solidated Fund in the way of compensation for the loss of their dues.—(Hear.) With regard to the question itself, as to whether Government intended to introduce a Bill to abolish these dues, he begged to state that Govern ment had no such intention. UNITED STATES AND THE NAVIGATION • LAWS. Mr. Alderman THOMPSON inquired of Viscount Palmerston if any answer had been received from the Government of the United States of America to the letter of Mr. Crampton, of the date of the 16th day of January last, respecting the proposed relaxation of the British navigation-laws. Lord PALMEItSTON said that no official communi •ation had been received from the Government of the United States, but he had no doubt, when an answer came, that it would be couched in the same conciiia tory spirit as that which was expressed in Mr. Ban crott's last communication, METROPOLITAN POLICE. Mr. LUSHINGTON said it appeared from an account of the expenditure of the Metropolitan Police that there was a balance on the credit side of 63,0001., and he wished to know in whose hands the custody of that money was placed. Sir GEORGE GREY said the receivers of the police rates had the custody of the money, but they were re quired to give ample security, and to deposit the money in the Bank of England, from which they could not withdraw it without a chequo countersigned by other parties. LATE DISASTROUS OCCURRENCES IN INDIA Mr. HUME, seeing the Noble Lord at the head of the Government in his place, said—l wish to ask him a ques tion, but I feel considerable difficulty in shaping it in such a way as to obtain sufficient information. But, Sir, after the statements which we have seen in the Gazette of Saturday last, and in the Gazette prior to that, rela tive to the affairs of India, the state of that country can no longer be a matter of indifference to every man who looks to the future.—(Loud cries of" Hear, hear.") I should be sorry to prejudge any man, and particularly one who is not present to answer any statements that might be made, but certain facts, which are disclosed in the dispatches which were received four weeks ago, without any relation whatever to the late moat melancholy transactions that have taken place, authorise me in inquiring whether her Majesty's Ministers have taken any measures to ensure to the army in India such command as shall obtain the confidence of the min, and also all those ad vantages of art and science which we, as a civilized na tion, p)ssess for the purposes of warfare? It appears from recent dispatches that those advantages had not been used, and I do hope, therefore, that her Majesty's Government will state what measures they have taken to ensure better success for the future.—(Hear, hear.) Lord JOHN RUSSELL rose, amidst profound silence, and said—Mr. Speaker, there can be no doubt that the state of our military operations in India is not only not a matter of indifference, but a matter of the deepest interest to every ono in this House.— (Cheers.) I can, however, only state at present that her Majesty's Government, after considering the intelligence which has been received, have offered to her Majesty that advice which they think best calculated to meet the present exigencies of that part of our dominions. But we have not as yet received her Majesty's reply to the advice which we have humbly thought it necessary to give. However, as soon as that reply is received shall make no delay in communicating it to the House. —(Loud cries of " Hear.") ECCLESIASTICAL FUNDS. In reply to Mr. BOUVERIE, Sir G. GREY said a Bill on this subject was in pre paration, and it would depend on the state of public business when it was introduced. NAPLES AND SICILY. Mr. URQUHART inquired if the Noble Lord the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs would have any objection to lay on the table the correspondence that had taken place relative to the presence of the squadron under the command of Sir William Parker, in the Bay of Naples, in the month of July last? Lord PALMERSTON replied that he had no objec tion to lay on the table an abstract of the correspondence that had taken place previous to the arrival of Sir William Parker at Naples; but ho should object to lay on the table the whole of the correspondence that had taken place between Sir W. Parker and the Sicilian Go vernment. Fie hoped, however, in the course of a few days to be able to lay the greater part of the correspond ence on the table. Mr. URQUHART expressed his satisfaction. ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS. In reply to Mr. HORSMAN, Sir GEORGE GREY stated that a measure was in progress for the alteration of the management of these courts. It was in an advanced state. He could not then state its exact features. Mr. HUME said the Hon. Baronet would confer a favour on the House if he would state whether the Bill proposed the repeal of these courts? Sir G. GREY replied that the Bill was not certainly one of that character. Mr. J. O'CONNELL said he held a letter in his hand from a Mr. Berwick, who denied that he had any share in tho framing of the Bill introduced the other ni,,rht by tb( , Tim). 71c7-` S frr 4.-11 p city ••! (Sic H. THE NAVICiATION LAWS—QUEbEC. Mr. HERMES said some time ago a petition against the navigation-laws was agreed to at Hamilton, Quebec, and presented to Lord Elgin for transmission to the Home Government. He wished to know whether his Excellency had transmitted to this country that address, and if so, why it had not been laid on the table of the House. Mr. HAWES said all papers on the navigation-laws that had been received by the Government had been laid on the table. He. would, however, make inquiry, and reply to the question of the Hon. Gentleman to-morrow. IRISit POOR-LAW-RATE IN AID. Colonel VERNER presented a petition from the unions of Armagh and Down against the proposition of the Government respecting a rate in aid. IRISH OUT-DOOR RELIEF. An HoN. MEMBER presented a petition from the guardians of the union of Ballinasloe, itflreland, against the system of adminstering outdoor relief in Ireland. IRISH POOR-LAW—RATE IN AID. Mr. J. H. HA MILTON presented a petition, signed by the sheriff of Dublin, on behalf of a meeting of the inhabitants of that county, against a rate in aid. Mr. MONSELL presented a similar petition from the grand jury of the county of Westmeath, assembled at the spring assizes. 1 5 001 t LAW (IRELAND) BILL-ADJOURNED DEBATE. On the order of the day being read for the House going into Committee on this Bill, .. - Mr. OSBORNE said, whatever differences of opinion might exist in the House as to those resolutions brought forward by the Noble Lord, he (Mr. Osborne) thought there could be no dispute that the case had been very fairly put before the House by the Noble Lord; and that, divested of all rhetorical verbiage, the question amounted to this—that the poor-law had entirely broken down i❑ the western districts of Ireland, and the Noble Lord now called on the House to levy con tributions on the north and south of Ireland in support of the poverty of the west. He (Mr. Osborne) for one protested that if he saw the Noble Lord and his colleagues entertained any clear conception or any general knowledge of the great difficulties with which they were surrounded — if he thought they had any mast 'ry over the details of the measure before the House, he would refrain , from making any observations on what he thought at best must be considered an ex ceptional amendment; but, after the speech of the Noble Lord and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he thought nobody could resist the conviction that they were . not able to deal with the tremendous difficul ties with which the subject of Ireland was sur rounded. He could see no chance of their laying down any permanent foundation for the establishment of a better state of society in the western districts of Ireland. This Bill could do nothing more than feed the distemper, instead of attempting a cure, and it became the House to pause before it entered upon a course of policy which would not communicate any per manent benefit to the western parts of Ireland, whilst it would exhaust the southern and northern districts. He protested against the system of levying rates for the purpose of giving eleemosynary relief to the paupers of the west of Ireland, but before entering into the details of the resolution before the House, he wished to state expressly to the House that ho for one could not sympathise in the opposition offered to this measure by the Hon. Members more immediately connected with the north of Ireland. It seemed to be forgotten that there were provinces in the south of Ireland whose loyalty, although they themselves might not be in so thriving a position, and he might say their religion and virtue, were quite on a par with any other portion of Ireland. " Their loyalty is still the same, Whether they win or lose the game." —(Hear, hear.) There were landlords who would not throw up their commissions, and there were tenants who would not take up their muskets in the event of the House passing this Bill. Now, what did the Noble Lord do? He simply gave them to understand that the men trust yield either their money or their lives, and in that way did he perform the promise which he had rendered to the country. The Noble Lord might declare that he had done all that in him lay to fulfil his promise originally; but he (Mr. Osborne) for his own part conceived that the House had a right to consider what amount of discretion had been exercised in the ful filment of the duty which the Noble Lord and his Government owed to the country. The Noble Lord had said that the only plan for the relief was to draw a sum from the Consolidated Fund for the relief of the people, and he had proposed to the House a grant of 50,0004 from that source. But in re• spect of this grant the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Ripon had asked a question, and put a position which, as coming from him, was peculiarly significant. It was well known that the Right Hon. Baronet and the Noble Lord had been in treaty for the former to take a place in the present Cabinet, and the question, therefore, of the Right Honourable Baronet was particularly effective, when he inquired as to whether this was to be the last grant of the same kind.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord knew too well that he could give no such guarantee. And what was the effect of the Right Honourable Baronet's suggestion, that the Noble Lord should come down with some comprehensive measure, and some effectual relief for the people. He came down with the information that the com prehensiveness of his measures would include wide dis tricts in the nerth in the ruin of the west, without saving any of the community in the distress in which they were involved, and that the grant of 50,0001. would save the people from absolute starvation only for a few weeks. —(Hear.) He would ask the Noble Lord what the Members of that House had continually foretold, and he would tell him that the Government were responsible not only for the future, but for the want of foresight and prudence which ought to have been exercised.-- (Hear, hear.) For himself, he should say that as a Itlember of Parliament he was not satisfied with such replies, and he could tell him neither would that House be.—(Hear, hear.) It might be all very well to ask the House what more could be done ; gut he must respectfully tell them that so long as the present system continued, no improvement could possibly be ex pected.—( Hear, hear.) So long as the members of the Carlton Club were unable to drive out or control those of Brookes', so long would this evil continue and increase. —(Hear, bear.) It was, in fact, adopting the old adage, Date oitolum Bellisario.—(Cheers.) I he Noble Lord was willing to grant a Committee of Inquiry, and he ex pected to obtain the repayment of the grant by a rate in aid (Hear, hear) but he could tell the Noble Lord that no man in his senses in the west of Ire land ever expected to realise this amount through a rate in aid, and he must warn the House, whatever might be said, that they would never realise more than 2,000L0r 3,0001. from any such source. In fact the system must be alto • gether altered or no benefit could possibly accrue. When the plan for a Committee had been proposed last year the whole of the Irish Members to a man had voted against it, with the exception of Lord Portarlington, and the Committee was to all intents and purposes a caput mortuum. He knew of no precedent except one in Gil Bias for the course pursued by the Noble Lord at the head of the Government. He must now say one word on the rate in aid. The House supposed they were doing something like charity on this subject, but he was sure they were doing no such thing. The Noble Lord had referred to twenty-one unions that would be thrown on this rate in aid, but he did not tell them how many other unions would be throw upon it. The House might depend upon it, if this measure passed, they would have more than three times twenty-one unions thrown upon the rate. He did not believe that the Noble Lord bad given this measure a proper consideration, and he trusted, therefore, he would recon sider it. It might he asked what other objections he had to the measure? To that question he would an swer in the words of Lord Hule, "that the plaster was not so large as the sore."—(Hear, hear.) He catied upon the Noole Lord before the resolution passed to state to that House how these unions were to be supported when the rate in aid was worn out, and the landlords of the north and south of Ireland were eaten up by it. The Noble Lord had said that the landlords of Ireland were exempted from income-tax, and therefore they must pay a 6d. rate. Adam Smith's canon was, that the people must pay to the rates according to their income ; he joined with him in that opinion, but he asserted that tt was no argument to say that, because Ireland was exempted from the income-tax, that, therefore, the landlords were to be subjected to a 6d. rate. The proper course to pursue was for the Noble Lord to propose the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the subject. The Hon. Gentleman the Member for Cork called upon the House to tax the landlords, for they had no friends, and were the only parties who could pay this rate in aid. —(Hear, and laughter.) But the lion. Gentleman, when he talked in that way, did not take into his consideration what these unfortunate landlords, who had no friends, had been going through.—(Hear, hear.) He called upon the House to lay an additional taxation on the rateable property of Ireland which had gone through the privations of three successive famines, and had suffered by that means a loss amounting to no less than 16,000,0001. Was the Honourable Gentleman aware of these things when he talked of taxing the landlords only, or was be aware that these very landlords at the present moment were not receiving a quarter of their rents ?—(Hear, hear.) He knew a gentleman, a Member of the House, who in the course of the last year had paid no less than 5,000/. to the poor rates of his parish, while many others had paid 8001. and 1,0001., and yet the Honourable Member for Cork came down to the House ready to tax these unfortunate landlords because he said they were accustomed to it and ought to pay. Do not tax any other property, said the Hon. Gentle man, but he (Mr. Osborne) was convinced that if the poor law was to succeed in Ireland it must be remodelled and revised, and the rates must be levied upon all pro perty that could be made available for the support of the poor, no matter whether it was composed of land, mort gages on land, or money in the funds.—(Hear, hear.) The fundholder must be compelled to pay in the same proportion as the landholder, but the House ought to take some guarantee that the rates to be so levied should not be spent :in eleemosynary grants, but that they should be directed to the pur poses of home colonization and assisting the people to emigrate to some of cur flourishing coloniee. —(Hear.) In fact care must bo taken that the money was not thrown into a bottomless pit, as hitherto it had been, leaving the people still wretched, and the country still in a state of pauperism.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to this rate iu aid itself; he wished the English . Members to bear in mind that the principle of a national rate was very cinch fancied in this country. Apply that principle to Ireland, and some good • might be accomplished, but, at all events, if they persisted in thvowing the whole burden of the poor upon the land the tin ►e would soon come when Ireland would be entirely de peulent upon England.—(Hear, hear.) He agreed with - 7 R ~~ .i r • • ; •;••• these coo d be o doubt that more were certain districts labouring from what the Noble Lord properly called "local con gestion," which resulted from the circumstances of the people of those districts having hitherto sub • misted almost entirely upon the potato, an ( the failura of the land in producing that ror t had rendered it incapable of supporting tea masses that were congregated upon it.—(llear, hear.) Mr. Ott,ay, one of the witnesses examined before the Poor-law Ctmmittee, bore out this view of the case. That gentleman was asked how he amounted for the destitution of these districts, and his answer was that the land was insufficient to support the poor upon it. An HoN MEMBER—And a foolish answer it was. Mr. B. OSBORNE proceeded—Some Hon. Gentle man remarked, " And a foolish answer it was;" but if that Honourable Gentleman would take the trouble to reflect that the land had become too impoverished to grow anything else but potatoes, he would see at once that it was quite reasonable to sup pose that it could not produce food enough to support the people upon it.—(Hear, hear.) If the Noble Lord's Government deserved the name of one it ought not to throw itself on the charity of the House, but ought to come forward with some definite plan which would do away with eleemosynary relief, and place the people of Ireland in a situation to maintain themselves, and by which those enormous sums of money which had been wasted by the House might bo saved to this country. The poor-laws did:not add to the resources or the capital of the country, but tended rather to diminish them. Ho had himself been obliged to discharge a number of labourers in consequence of having been obliged to pay last year 1,0001. for poor-rates, and yet they were told the property of Ireland must support the poor population. That was a most dangerous doctrine to promulgate, and they might talk of Louis Blancism; and, speaking of that gentleman, he would do him the justice to say that he did dot support the ateliers nationaux ; and they might talk of Poulett Scropism—(Laughter)—but he would say that the doctrine that property was responsible for poverty was nothing but a system of legalized communism. —(Loud cries of Hear, hear.) There must be other measures besides a poor-law, and he would ask the Government what were they to be ? The Noble Lord was bound to introduce a Bill to enforce the sale of those lands which did not pay their portion of the poor-rates.—(Hear.) There seemed to be an idea in the House that the poor-law would promote the sale of estates in Ireland, but that was one of the greatest fallacies in the world. The produce was liable, but not so the fee of the land. The Noble Lord ought to have shown some of the legislative boldness which was said to be his eharacteristic, and proposed such a measure as that now suggested. One reason as signed fir the non- coil, viols of rates was that the pro perties were under the management of' the Court of Chancery. The rental of property under such manage ment was upwards of 1,000,0001., and not more than 2,0001., or ss. per cent, per annum, was laid out on the improvement of those properties. As regarded a portion of rent , amounting to 100,0001., not one single sixpence was laid out on improvements. The Hon. Member for Limerick, who was a Repealer, and therefore more likely to be asked his opinion than an independent Member, recommended an indiscriminate rate between pasture and arable land. He (Mr. Osborne) would not adopt such an antediluvian system as should compel a man to put a piece of land in grass. Ireland had been described as a country with aristocratic institutions , but without an aristocracy. In the printed papers a case was mentioned of a large landed proprietor in the west of Ireland who had been reduced to support his family on the milk of two cows. They were seized for debt, but, having been redeemed by a friend and restored to him, they were seized again for Fer rates. If matters were come to such a pass, the Govern ment ought to afford facilities for making land an article of sale, should simplify the process, and reduce the ex pense of transferring it from one holder to another. The consequence would be, that the land would fall into the hands of those who would turn it to the best advantage, not only for themselves, but for the country. These measures might be too bold for the Noble Lord, wile might rather be disposed to content himself with coming to Parliament for an occasional dole; but it was for the House to adopt measures which would be adequate to meet the circumstances of the case. He knew not Whl iS effect the Noble Lord's dream of the future might have on the minds of Hon. Gentlemen. The Noble Lord had said he had no doubt that Ireland was in a state of trap sition ; and that at no distant period she would be pros' perous. The Noble Lord told the House that, when the starving people should crawl like famished rats on the barren soil, new modes of cultivation would be intro' duced, and spontaneous harvests would follow. Lord J. RUSSELL—I said nothing like it. Mr. OSBORNE continued—He had come to the cheerless conviction that, as long as the destinies of tbie empire were swayed by the present combination of par' ties, so long would Ireland have no hope but in looking to the root which had caused her present destitutio n . and England would have no protection from the painf ul effects of that union which infused the infection of paw' perism into her more healthy and less corrupted frame' He should vote against the proposition on the press occasion, though if the Noble Lord had come forwar with some plan suited to the urgency of the occasions no man would have been more ready to give it bi support. Sir ROBERT PEEL—Sir, without one word o f preface, I shall address myself immediately to the two main questions submitted to our consideration' its the present state of Ireland shall we leave the peopl e to be supported exclusively by the resources of th e , union or electoral division within w hi c h th e y live' and, secondly, it we are of opinion that some trinsio aid is necessary, from what source shall that std be derived? Sir, I cannot reconcile myself to give 11 ( vote which shall throw the sustenan ce o f th e people 0 Ireland, in the present condition of that country, 11 1 3°1 : the individual unions. I have read th e s e papers—lhe „ '; seen the exertions that have been made in man y of the s i , unions to contribute to the support of the poor. I thi n e great injustice has- been done in this country Bet h landed proprietors in many part s o f I re l an d.—( s ,' hear.) I find conclusiveevidence that, at least in We% parts of Ireland, the most strenuous local exertions bs v ; been made; speaking of many unions there has hee n n o willing submission to the law; and if the whole alne n e ;i of rate has not been levied it h as b een f rom a phyl° impossibility.—(Hear, hear.) Therefore I think t' attempt to create a prejudice ag a in s t I r i s h proprietf ire on the part of this country is most unjust. Not tha t am prepared to deny that in many cases there has 13 1 0 great impropriety, and that indi v id ua l s h ave trie df escape from a burden they ought to have borne. Int not a word in respect to the syst em o f ev i ct i on , whic h is utterly impossible in many cases to p reven t. Ont b 0 must say anything like indiscri m i na t e censur e of ! oh landlords of Ireland and the strenuous exertions have been made in many parts would be most unjust" 00 (Hear, hear.) lam satisfied by this e v id ence that if i lia do refuse any extrinsic aid the consequence must be loss of life by famine, and by the spread of disease e rt r o i pling the energies Of those who escape from se t-„ 0 starvation.—(Hear, hear.) I cannot believe, whate v e r I may think of our past policy, that a British Hotts e ,, e , Commons will consent to adopt that p a i n f u l a lternati the —(Cheers.) I may be quite willing to admit that tree t system of indiscriminate relief has the lamentable e".„i of destroying the habits of self-reliance, of preventti, the exertion of industry, of teaching men an to work, and particularly Irishmen able to work, tl• it is much better to rely on charity than on strentl ° „,, and continuous exertions for their own ma i n t e na , ,r 1 "O Bat, granted that our policy in this res p ect has Pl'ol wrong, what answer have we to make to the individ n 4o sufferers ?—what answer h ave we to make to tbslr whom we have taught t o re l y on c h ar i t y and not on tbe, own exertions ? If th e p o li cy b e wrong we are re se sible. 'Those who are now su ff er i ng f rom actua l itun,,oo i ie s are not parties on wh om we can w i t h any j ust i ce iel b s the penalty which bel o n gs t o our own po li c y. At 01 same time when we speak of the inipolicy of our P O5l contributions for the maintenance of the poor, we 133 4 . never forget that the country has been placed in a e,:e r s dition during the last three or four years to which t° r. ) is no parallel in the history of Europe.—(Hear, blot The subsistence on which millions of people relied e , for three or four successive years, contrary to boP e r: perhaps unwise hopes, contrary to rational ex t pec _atte 4 been swept away. You have had millions throve v it s your hands, not from idleness, not from unwilling to work, but in consequence of the failure ct : t „ e il species of food upon which they had exclas," to relied ; and therefore we have been compelle d 031 f a course which, had there been the o pportaind, of exercising a deliberate judgment, we should stn h i ously have avoided. But th en t h e peop l e are ta ugh , 4ir our past example and our past conduct to rely for t r Pr o r subsistence upon our benevolence and charity; and, 03 4 one never can consent, from wh a t ever sourc e ai d be derived, and whatever the ultimate consequee n t ag teaching continued reliance upon it, in s t ea d of on t t o resources of industry—l for one never can consen t l e adopt the horrible alternative of exp o sing those Pe to death by famine.—(Cheers.) I th ere f ore voted for lo s the 50,0001., and if there were no other means of P o o viding aid, whatever other measures I mi g ht advise t o il, adopted tor the purpose of miti gat i ng t h e f u ture ro , and preventing such demands on t h e n a ti ona l rese n t aer I don't hesitate to say I should giv e anoth er vote ° t iers than leave those people to disease and start' s o lio Updn that ground, under th e p resen t extra 2, nary circumstances in whi c h I re l an d i s 0 0 700 shall give my vote for continuing some assistance to other sources than the property of the un ion trt those who administer relief to the poor in that con e re, —(Hear.) The second ques ti on i s , f rom what se°l3t, shall that aid be deri ve d? N ow , I must sa y Irani- 0 11 think other parts of the empire have a fair right t ,„ ° the on Ireland for a st renuous e ff ort to rescue us fr°7, present di ffi culty.—(L o ud Ch eers .) I d on 't rest to. , 00 01 wand upon Ir e l an d f ur t hi s strenuous e ff ort o n ae n „a it of the poor upon the ground that taxation in Ret eat s) unequal as comp are d w i t h t hi s country .—(Hest' h a red It you rely upon the argument that Ireland as ccn!„t e ls with England i s unequa lly t axe d, th e con clusion w oo m to logically you m us t a d o pt i s — a pply eq ual talat l io t ig both.—(Bear, hear.) It is impossible to deny t ob t to the fair result. It lam satisfied that Ireland one c o bear the assessed taxes, and the duty on bricks Odd 0 0 5 or ought to be subject to the property-tax, I v _ en tri° consent to let Ireland off from her obligation to „ 0 bum equally with England to the public necessitie s , utioo rate of 6d. in the pound charged on a certain deserf e etit of property. I think that Ireland ought to make ' o 'l the effort to meet the tremendous evils arising outr_ this o present distressed condition of that country; cou ntry when a union is manifestly . unable sub) the poor within it we adopt the principle of stl°). the vicinage to the burden of co nto f ' say to that object. We do not, in such a case, 7%5 Of Ireland " Distress prevails in some of the tbeif Devonshire and Cornwall, they cannot supPorti poor, and therefore we call upon you, the people