The Sun. — London, England, 1849-05-15 00:00:00

i' Mr. J. O'CONNELL said he should regret the use of any languag e th at was unpar li amentary, an d s h ou ld, therefore, withdraw that expression. But the Hon. Gen tleman spoke of persons Em ili e .. t h emse lves gentlemen. Was it right that a Member should insult his Irish fellow -Members without some stop being put to it? The Hon. Member had made a comparison between the two countries, but he would ask were there any schools in Ireland in which there were children who were ignorant of their Redeemer, and who knew not the way of salvation ? Had they, in Ireland, any professors of political economy who wrote for public newspapers which were patronised by the Government, and who held out the blasphemous doctrine that the people of Ireland should be starved down to what the diminutive capital of that country could allow for them, and that they should not interfere with the will of God, who had visited upon them a great "'amity, or to attempt to save them from death? Was it not cruel that people who were perishing without ebaying committed one single outrage, who went to the and after receiving the sacrament, going back to lin e ger in the agonies of famine, should be crushed in such a harsh and reckless manner ? They had shown wonderful fortitude and had sub mitted with admirable resignation to the trials which Providence had inflicted upon them, and was it just that they should be made the subject of any attack or slander in that House? It was Irish money as well as English money that had been given to them, and not, as stated by the Honourable Gentle man, English money alone. If the House gave them the management of their own affairs they would not ask for any money; but the House had taken upon itself the management of their affairs, and they would notnow submit to meet the consequences of their own acts. He had not intended to take any part in this debate, but he had thought it necessary to say thus much in answer to what the Hon. Gentleman had said.—(Hear, hear.) The Government had acted niggardly tewards Ireland, but at the same time he must do them the justice to say that bad they proposed large grants, the House would not have supported them.—(Hear, bear.) It was too bad then to attack Ireland fur her misdeeds, which the policy of the House and Government had goaded her people on to, and he trusted they should hear no more of these misdeeds, if misdeeds they could be called.—(Hear, hear.) . _ _ Sir H. W. BARRON - was surprised that any English Member should have evinced so bad a spirit towards Ireland; but the Honourable Gentleman the Member for Sheffield, in his opinion, had completely contradicted himself. The Honourable Gentleman, in his opening, said the landlords of Ireland ought to drain their estates with their own money, and In the next breath he said the land ought to be culti vated for the benefit of the people. Why, good God, this could not be done without the aid of public grants. He denied that the money voted by the House went into the pockets of the landlords ; and as a proof of this he might mention that during the last year the landlords had subscribed 1,600,0001. for the relief of the Irish people.—(Bear, hear.) These attacks, then, were most unjust, and he regretted them the more becaus e they were lik e l y to d ry up t h e c h ann el s of charity in this country, and leave the people of Ireland to die of abso lute starvation.—(Hear, hear.) Lord JOHN RUSSELL remarked that the Hon. Member for Sheffield having been absent from the House for some time had of course a much keener appe tite for Irish subjects than the majority of other Hon. Members.—(Laughter.) The House, however, had heard so much during the present session of Ireland that the Honourable Gentleman's speech was nut so much relished as it might otherwise have been.—(Hear, hear.) lie would not attempt to defend the Irish land lords, he would leave that to themselves, but with regard to the labourers of Ireland, he thought the Hon. Gentleman was unjust in his attacks on them.—(Hear.) Re thought it was an unjust reflection upon the Irish labourers to say that they were unwilling to work. He believed that, in many instances, the labourers in Ire land were willing to work only for their food. It was not, therefore, to be said that they wanted any lesson of the kind given by the Hon. Member for Sheffield. The Bill before the House was to establish a system of drainage, with other improvements in land, by aid from that House. The sums to be advanced were laid out, in the first place, on labour, and, in the second place, on the production of food by improvement of the land; and, M the third place, there was every prospect that those interest.— (Hear, would be fully repaid, principal and (Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for Waterford (Sir W. Barron) had truly said that many sums had been advanced for various purposes to English and Scotch proprietors, and these sums had been regularly repaid. e did not see any valid reason why that house should Withhold from Irish proprietors who required it, that assistance which they had been in the habit of giving to the proprietors of this country.—(Hear.) Mr. HORSM AN said he did not believe that the Sources of private charity in this country were yet dried up. If capital and labour were driven out of Ireland, they must in a great measure attribute it to past English legislation. He sympathised with many of the Irish landlords, who for years past had received no rent. — (Hear.) He did not object to aid Ireland, but he ob jected to do it by a system that was pernicious in itself. They had already tried this system, and still they were told that nothing but immediate grants could save the lives of thousands. Grants of 5,0001., and 10,000/, and other sums were from time to time repeated; but had that system improved Ireland? No; on the contrary they were told, that upon the stoppage of these remit tances, the unfortunate people of Ireland must perish by thousands. Some of the Commissioners' remonstrances were very strong, and they desired, upon receiving no ,answer to their applications for money, to be relieved from all responsibility. They must assume, that from the conduct of the Government, in declining to send Money, and the statements of the Commissioners, that the mortality was very great. In the face of Europe, that was a disgraceful state of things. He was surprised how those who were responsible could sleep in their beds. Sir G. GREY said that they had advanced the money given them for the purposes of relieving Irish distress, and when Government asked for 100,0001. more for that purpose the Hon. Gentleman voted against it.—(llear, hear.) As for these grants, they were secured upon Irish property; but the observations made had no refer ence to the Bill before the House. Since the 50,0001. bad been exhausted, 26,0001. more had been sent over to Ireland, and in expectation of the relief asked for by Government being granted, his Noble Friend (Lord J. Russell) had stated that he would not feel himself bound to refuse further aid.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. KEOGH said that the Noble Lord (Lord J. Russell) had added to the sneer of the Hon. Member for Sheffield when he spoke of an Irish debate as a thing to be censured, and had deprecated the observations of the Hon. Member for Sheffield. The tones of that Honourable Member's voice appeared to have been very unwelcome tones to the Noble Lord—" Thrice in these Irish debates had the Honourable Member (Mr Roebuck) spoken, and," the Noble Lord had added, " Thrice the brindled cat had mewed." He (Mr. Keogh) thought that these remarks should not be in dulged in against Irish debates by the Noble Lord, or against Irish Members and the Irish nation by the Hon. Member for Sheffield. When next he indulged in his severity and satire on Irish Members, he hoped it would be when those were present who were able to reply to them. He was very far from thinking that the Hon. Gen tleman represented the feeliegs of his countrymen at , lare e e He would rather look to the acts of the English nation than to the'bitter words of the Hon. Member fur Sheffield. As, however, the Hon. Member had wound up without any motion, he thought it probable, after all, the Sheffield blade was not so dangerous a weapon.— (Laughter.) He hoped that the English people would distinguisli between the patriotic statements of an Eng lish senator and the bilious acerbity of a spiteful self-tor nsentor.—(Hiar, and laughter.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he thought it was unjust to charge his Noble Friend (Lord J. Russell) with adding to the sneer of the Hon. Mem ber for Sheffield against Irish landlords, because he de precated the renewal of an Irish debate, or rather the renewal of the personalities which result from the speech of the Hon. Member for Sheffield. He trusted that the time of the House would not be o ccu pi e d w i t h personal attacks. Colonel DUNNE was understood to say that Irish Members should not be censured as asking for loans, when so out of the m h a d vote d aga i nst this measure,' and only 19 for it. Mr. MOORE said that the speech of the Hon. Mem ber for Sheffield amounted to an elaborate distillation of all the bad feelings and worst passi ons w h ic h prevailed amongst the worst mene e of their fellow- su bj ects . I t h a d h been said that all the evils of Ireland h a d b een attri buted to landlordism: esp e c iall y in Connaught. He could only say, as a Connaught man, that no con c l us i on could be more unjust or more untrue than that to whi c h they had come i on this subject. far from being idle or improvident. The peasantry were Their indus try, i n t egr i ty , t h r iftiness, and earnestness in seeking after work, wherever it cou. id be found, were well known, and to apply such terms to them was one of the g rossest perversions o f l a nguag e. It would bo re famine, and yet in membered h ow t h e y h a d s uffered from the spring of 1848, while suffering from destitution, and livin g upon halt rations, they sowed a greater breadth of . . e said to I land than a t former periods. They mig ht be have li terally sowed these lands with th ei r own li ves .— (llear, h ear.) With respect to the landlords, to be th e rule to act on the old proverb, "flit them it seemed them bard, been they h ave no friends. " But whatever might have .., their faults they were only pari passu with the legisl , a- e tion of this country. The evils of Connaught might 13 . traced as far back as the plantation of Connaught, for it had a plantation as well as Ulster, a plantation very much against it and in favour of Ulster, and while the whole policy of this country had been directed to de grade and debase the people of Ireland, it was not to be wondered at that the landlords had not taken much pains to improv e the country. Ile admitted that since that policy changed they had not done so much as they might have done, and he now called upon them to come forward and do their duty as owners of the soil. But it was not the landlords of Connaught alone who were responsible. The landlords of Ulster d England were equally so. They had no right and ) brother's keeper." Those who ItadstooslaoUg"rAulinedl in the landlords people in a selfish sectarian spirit, escape retribution. When the Irish thuspect" w th e e re tual abused by Hon. Members, were they aware of state in which many of them were placed, and that th a t' had paid away more money to mortgages than they had received from their estates. He had no desire to excuse the landlords where they had really failed in their duty; but, at the same time, he objected to the indiscriminate censure that was cast upon them. The SPEAKER having left the Chair, the House went into Committee. On the first and second clauses being read, Mr. HORSMAN said he wished to know whether the advances to be made by this Bill were to be for a limited time, and what security there was against their misap plication? With respect to the charge of ignorance Made against him by the Right Hon. Gentleman (Sir G. Prey), all h e cou l d say was that the facts upon which he founded his statements were in the Right Hon. Gen tleman's own blue b.,oks, and he begged to tell the Right Hon. Gentleman that he was not to be deterred by the terror of his language. He knew his power in debate, which was as great as his defects in administra tive ability. Sir G. GREY declined to follow the Honourable Gen tleman into an irregular discussion. He would merely say that he objeeed not to any facts, but to the Hon. Member drawing from his own imagination charges against the Government which were utterly unfounded. He understood him to say that the Government were calling upon Parliament to advance more money when they had some not yet disposed of, and also that the gran:s had been double in some cases what was asked. He admitted that the Government had advanced more money in some cases than was asked. The Govern ment felt themselves hound to do so under the circum stances, and would again, if the necessity for doing so arose. Mr. lIORSMAN briefly explained. Mr. ROEBUCK whiled to make an explanation. The way in which Honourable Gentlemen had alluded to him was net of the gentlest kind, bet it it was merely meant as a joke, he had no objection to it. It was no answer to his objections. These were that for three years they knew there had been great distress in Ire land. They knew the cause of it, and they were called upon to apply a remedy. They asked the Government to do so, and the Noble L )rd, acting upon his sensibili ties, had pursued a policy which he, in that name, was justified in designating as unstatesmanlike. The Noble Lord had not met his charge, which was that he had had large sums of money entrusted to him for the improvement of Ireland, and had left the people worse than he had found them.—(Hear, hear.) Passing over the personal attacks upon his frail body and bilious temper by the Irish Gentlemen, he would repeat his charge against them—that they had misapplied that money. He asked them why they could not keep their fingers out of the public grants.—(Hear, hear.) With respect to his charge against the Government, he would say that when it had ten or twelve millions placed in its hands as it were in one hour, that if it had been em ployed properly they might have set the people to work on their own soil, and replaced the lost potatoes. By the course they had taken, they had flung that immense sum away. They had spent it mischievously. That was his charge, and to that he adhered Lord J. RUSSELL had objected to the former speech of the Hon. Member, that it had no reference to this Bill, but was rather an exposition of the Hon. Member's views on the policy of the last four years. He had de clined to follow him into these subjects, doubting the indulgence of the House; but his repetition of the attack would force him to go into details: The Hon. Gentle man forgot the extent of the evil which the Government had to deal with, and the circumstances by which it was accompanied. As to its causes there was now no doubt. The mode in which the landlords let their farms, the payment by the farmers in plots of potato ground, in stead of wages, and the acceptance by the peasantry of these grounds, in preference to wages, were at the root of the evil. There was no doubt about these things.— (Hear, hear.) They knew they had existed, and they knew they had been stopped by the calamity sent by Providence, which took away the potato, and was the cause of all these advances. Whether the sum was five millions, or any larger amount, which was required, no one could tell at the time, because no one knew exactly the amount of food which had been lost, and which re quired to be supplied. The landlords and farmers were unable to find the means to employ and support the people, because the same evil pressed upon them, and cut off their ordinary means; and the Government were bound to afford assistance either in one way or another. In the first instance the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) repealed the corn laws, and he agreed with the Hon. Member for Sheffield, that measure had been of great benefit to the people; but it did not relieve the people of Ireland. Indeed, it was in some senses the contrary. It reduced the price of corn, and of course was not favourable to those who had corn to sell.— (Hear.) The Noble Lord proceeded to state the course the Government had adopted on coming into office—the organization of measures, and giving the baronies power to present public works for the approval of the Govern ment, which were afterwards carried on by public ad vances. These works had been injudiciously suggested in many instances, from the natural fears of the gentry, arising from the famine.—(Hear.) The Government found that this mode was suoject to abuses, they then reduced largely at once, and gradually afterwards the persons employed on public works, substituting food depots for them. He did not say that other persons might not have devised plans of a different character, but he did say that no Government could tell, until the cir cumstances occurred, what amount of relief would be re quired, although he did not stand up to defend that sys tem of relief as one founded on provisions which could not be controverted. He should say that he did not, many as were the suggestions made by Hon. Gentlemen on both sides of the House, hear any that were likely to be accompanied with evils of a less magnitude than those which were to be found connected with the Go vernment measures. If they adopted the plan of the Honourable Member, namely, to employ the pro ductive labour of the country on the improve ment and cultivation of the soil, they would interfere with private capital and private enter prise, and in order to act effectively, not ten million but thirty million would be spent in that operation. It was quite true that every system of relief diverted persons from industrial pursuits. Every kind of poor law would be accompanied by that evil which tended to reduce the stimulus inducing men to support themselves and procure food. Such a want of industry and inde pendence would be tenfold increased if the State di rectly interfered in the employment of labour for the cultivation of the soil. With respect to the measures adopted in later years, lion. Gentlemen seemed to sup. pose that the Government should have calculated the extent of the failure of the potato crops in 1846,1847, and 1848; but no Government could have told, with an) thing approaching what would h a v e b een t h e resu l t of the harvest of those years. They, of course, had to consider the calamity before them—but as to the exact nature of the harvest, or the quantity of the produce of potatoes, it was utterly impossible tor any Government to form an opinion not having means or data sufficient before them. Durin the last half year more than a mil lion of money had been raised in Ireland for the destitute poor of thatcountry. When Hon. Gentlemen spoke of the unwillingness of the occupiers of the soil in Ireland to afford relief to the suffering Irish, he begged to state that with all their diminution of resources and limited means, they had contributed upwards of one million in half a year, and he said that while he thought they were justified in imposing the burden on Ireland, the mode in which the collection had been made—he could not say the willingness, but the obedience to the precepts of the law xhich induced men to pay for the support of their suffering fellow-countrymen, was highly creditable to those liable to the payment of the poor-rate, and cer tainly should diminish somewhat of the acerbity and bitterness of invective of those by whom it was at tempted to be contended that the Irish proprietors and occupiers of land were not willing to make any effort of their own for mitigating the sufferings of the distressed people. The Incumbered Estates Bill of last session had not been found to confer the benefits and advantages it was intended, and the Government accordingly had in troduced during the present session a measure to invigo rate that Act, so as to facilitate the transfer of land to those who were able to lay out capital on its proper cul tivation. They had been taunted with taking up the suggestions of the light lion. Baronet the Member for Tamworth respecting the subject. If it were any degra dation on the part of a Minister of the Crown to receive suggestions and the development of a plan of the highest importance from the light Honourable Baronet, or any other Member, he was quite willing to submit to that degradati ,n, or humiliation, and prepared to hear any taunts that might be thrown .on him for having in that great peril and crisis of Ireland taken up what others had devised. The Hon. Member for Sheffield and other lion. Gentlemen seemed to think it was a sorry result of all their measures, that the people of Ireland still suf fered severe distress. Now he could not imagine those remediet—he had not heard those plans proposed even by Gentlemen most intimately connected with Ire land powerful, so omnipotent he might say, which would provide remedies for a people whose ordinary suffer ings and privations were materially increased during four continuous years of famine. Notwith standing, as he believed, the dispensation of Provi dence was intended for the good of Ireland. The social state of Ireland, as decribed by the Poor-law Commis sioners in their report of 1833, was one that could not lea read without exciting feelings of pity and lamenta tion, and it was his firm conviction that in the end it would be improved by the calamity. If any measure in troduced by the Government tended to alleviate the sufferings of the people of Ireland, he certainly should step,—bei con bthy t e e ym n t ee ao could e h ps ac t va h er a rt t iheecdo, waytincol u t t s io i n o a n ob ; nee b t t u )e, t er ao i r f : , dbe b ur e t y op o f r n so d occe t i ee h dt a y. t ing bit by bit, that social state could be improved, he certainly would feel proud at the attainment of such a result. lie wished that those who had influence on the public mind in Ireland would not report that those who were in the councils of the Government—at present the Legislature of the country—manifested indif ference to the evils which desolated the Irish population. Dr. M•Hale, in au add ress pu bli shed in the Dublin Freeman's Journal, acknowledging the receipt of various sums of money contributed from private sources for the relief of distress in the western district of Ireland, stated that the generous and timely conduct of those donors was a humiliating lesson to the Minister of the day, who looked on with calm indiffer ence at the deplorable., destitution. realms. , of N th o e w s , u o bje b c e t h s a o lf f designated that state ment as a gross calumny. Majesty's Ministers, her Nlaesty's ha rt, . o th f a i t ler portion of The destitution of the Irish people had b the Cabinet a source of the grea t es t anxiety. Theyw were well aware on the one saes sentence that if they aff hand, that it they re fusedall o relief f p to eris t h h i o ug p ; oo a r n , for them it would amoun t to the other hand, they were ' 3 : are, inatcly, it would increase relief lavishly' and indiscriminately, the apathy which existed .r a that part of Ireland. The while applying the They should endeavour, po s itions.hand,to meet the Government endeavoured to steer between these two calamities of Ireland, so that they . g of increased food, imperial resources with no niggardmi ht years a source of improved condition, of welfare. They rove in future of habits of industry, and of greaterthe should endeavour, while bearing on one taunts and reproaches of those who charged lavishin g t h e f un d s o f this country, and, on them withtha the other hand• the iuvectives of those who told them they were indifferent to the suffering , * of the Irish population — they should endeavour to lay the foundation for the com plete unic,n of that portion of the United Kingdom with England. His belief was thatinter course with Ireland would tend much to that result. He greater and improved th ought, whatever might have been the reproaches cast on Irish landed proprietors in former years, the majority of those proprietors were now wholly anxious to find , country, a r by which they could improve the condition of the u and by which they could provide for the main-. tenance and employment of those around them.—(Hear.) He trusted that those who, during the last three years, had done nothing for the improvement of their e,,tates, would now be shamed into exertion, and would follow those who aet them a glorious example. However it might please Hon. Gentlemen in that House to lay the blame on the Government and on the Imperial Parlia ment, his belief had been, was, and would be, that unless harmony was created among all classes in Ireland—un less religious animosity was assuaged between different sects—unless the enmity prevailing between the landlord and the tenant gave way to good understanding— unless all classes united in endeavouring to ele vate the country, it was useless for Government to propose measures, or for the Parliament to adopt them, as they would turn out miserable failures. He believed that the commercial jealousy which so long induced England to withhold from Ireland the means of prosperity was at an end. He believed that that politi cal ascendancy which, during the last century, had made the governing masses in England look to the support of the minority only i❑ Ireland, had become extinguished— beliering that those circumstances would in time, and by the operation of natural causes, finally have their effect, he trusted they should at length see, and that tneir chil dren would see more clearly than theinsdves, that the case of Ireland wai not hopeless, and that the people of Ireland, who were reproached for their idleness and im providence, had been burdened by adverse circum stances, and that they were as willing to labour, and were us much endowed with those physical and moral attributes which led to success, as any people in the empire.—(Hear, hear.) Colonel DUNNE gave the Government credit for good intentions, but expressed his conviction that their mea sures were totally unsuited to Ireland. So long as the present poor-law was maintained in Ireland, they could not expect to improve the condition of the people. Mr. V. snail hoped that the money advanced under the present Bill would be expended on immediate employment, and not spread over a number of years like former loans. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the amount in:ended for the improvement of the land would be expended within a given time, and that designed for arterial drainage within a year. Mr. HORSMAN expressed a hope that landed pro prietors who borrowed under the Act, would be com pelled to give employment at once, and not permitted to hold over the amount of their loan until they thought proper to make the improvements they considered neces sary. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that what the Hon. Member for Cockertuouth thought ought to be done, had been already done. Mr. OSBORNE bore testimony to the good effect produced by former loans for land improvement and arterial drainage. Mr. BANKES asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer where was the money to come from which it was in tended to advance as a loan for land improvement in Ireland. He also wished the Right lion, Gentleman to inform the House when he proposed making his usual financial statement. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, in answer to the first question, that having in consequence of the dema n d s u p on the reasury to make up the ex penses of the Kafir war, been obliged to borrow two millions of money to replace the sums taken from it to pay those expenses, he had been able, after making up these, to appropriate the balance of the sums so borrowed to the advances made on account of Ireland. These ad vances would therefore be made without being obliged to touch the Consolidated Fund, and the Hon. Member for Sheffield would not be troubled with the tax-gatherer coming to his door on account of those advances. As to the second question, he had stated sometime ago, in an swer to the don. Membr for Montrose, that he was anxious to make his financial statement at as early a period as possible, but that previous to doing so, he should be in possession of data, to enable him to make it as accurate as possible. He confessed that had he done so at that time, ho would have been able to make a more favourable statement than he would now, as the blockade of the northern ports had considerably injured the trade of the country.—(Hear, hear.) Ile would therefore have to request some further delay, but would assure the House that he would make his statement as early as cir cumstances would permit of him doing so. Mr. ROEBUCK said he had heard a good deal of late about " cooking" accounts in connexion with a certain railway, and he thought the Chancellor of the Exche quer iu these advances to Ireland was adopting some what of the same system. The Right Hon. Gentleman had said the tax.gatherer would not come to him for money to pay, those advances, but he had told the House that he had borrowed money for the purpose of paying them, and as he believed, that like every honest man, he intended to pay his debt, though the tax-gatherer might not come to him this year for the purpose referred to, he would thenext, as the money must be raised by means of taxes. Mr. FRENCH said, Hon. Members not connected with Ireland were too apt to think that everything done for that country was an additional tax upon England, but the fact was, that Ireland bore a higher proportion of taxes than did England. In reply to Mr. GROGAN, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that there was no intention on the part of the Govern ment of altering the system of distribution of the funds for the purposes of drainage in Ireland. Mr. ARK VVRIGUT pressed the Right Hon. Gentle- man to give the House some idea as to when his finan cial statement would be made. He had stated in reply to the Hon. Member for Dorsetshire, that he would do so as early as possible; but would it be six weeks or a month hence? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—Cer tainIy before six Iw-eke; I hope within a mouth. Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL said as the Noble Lord at the head of the Government had alluded to a statement of the Archbishop of Tuam, he thought that it ought to be stated: that the censure the Noble Lord had alluded to, was as much levelled against those connected with the Roman Catholic Church as it was against others. The Archbishop of Thant lived in a district where the distress was most severe, and had it not been for his ex ertions, all the assistance given by the Government would have fallen far short of what was required. He thought it therefore but just to say that no one had exerted them selves more than Dr. M•Hale had done in alleviating that distress, and that hundreds had been saved from starvation by the exertions he had made. The Bill then passed through Committee, was re ported without amendment, and the House resumed. TAKE SUN, LONDON, 'rUESDAY EVENING, MAY 15, 1819. PARLIAMENTARY OATHS BILL On Lord J. RUSSELL moving that the House go into Committee on the Bill, Mr. SPOONER presented a Bill from the Lay Asso ciation of Birmingham against it. Sir R. PEEL had hoped that it was the intention of Government to place the Jew on the same footing in regard to civil and military matters, as well as in regard to Parliamentary privileges, as some other classes. With respect to Protestant Dissenters and other classes, an oath or declaration was taken previous to their being admitted to their offices, but which, containing as it did the words " on the true faith of a Christian," the Jew could not conscientiously take. The Noble Lord re lieved the Jew so far as his admission to a seat in Par liament was concerned, but he left him debarred from being admitted to any civil or military office, in conse quence of the prescribed declaration referred to. He would not embarrass the measure by introducing any new clause into it to carry out his intentions, but he hoped measures would be taken to place the Jew in the possession of all the privileges, civil and parliamentary, enjoyed by other classes. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said by the Bill introduced by him last year, which was lost in the House of Lords, the Jcw was admitted to all the privileges, civil and parliamentary, which other classes were. The present Bill was framed on a different footing, having as its main object the revision of the oaths taken by Mem bers of both Houses of Parliament, Jews as well as others, and he did not think such a clause: as the Right Hon. Gentleman referred to could be introduced into it. If, however, the measure passed, he conceived there would be no difficulty in carrying through a measure which would confer upon the Jew the means of admission to civil offices, and believing that they were entitled to that privilege, ho should propose a measure conferring it upon them after the passing of the present Bill, Mr. BANKES had no objection to the first part of tho measure, namely, a revision of the oaths taken by Members of that lions° other than Roman Catholics, but when in Committee he would support the amend ment of the Hen. Member for Surrey against allowing the Jews to have a seat in that House. As to allowing the Jews to sit as magistrates and hold civil offices he had no objection, and already they officiated as sheriffs and aldermen; but as to giving them a seat in Parlia ment he decidedly objected. Sir R. PEEL, in explanation, said that which he had stated was with reference to civil and military offices, and not municipal. In 1845 the Jews were released from certain disqualifications, and placed upon the same footing with other subjects as regarded imunicipal offices. ➢ir. GOULBURN thought the Noble Lord (Lord John Russell) might give them some explanation with reference to the course he proposed to be taken by the Jews in the present Bill. In the former Bill he had proposed that the Jews should take the same oath as the Roman Catholics did, namely, that they would not do anything to injurejthe Protestant Church. In the course of twelve months the Noble Lord had, however, changed his mind, and he did Rot now propose to exact those pledges which were demanded of the Roman Catholics. After a few words from Sir R. Howard, Mr. J. O'Connell, and Mr. Law, The House resolved itself into Committee. On the question being put that the first clause should stand part of the Bill. Mr. VERNON SMITH rose to move the amendment of which he had given notice, namely, the omission of the following words in the first clause:—" And that I do not believe that the Pope of Rome or any other foreign Prince, Prelate, Person, State, or Potentate, hath or ought to have any temporal or civil jurisdic tion, authority or power, within this realm, and that I will defend to the utmost of my power the settlement of property within this realm as established by the laws, and I du make this recognition, declaration, and pro mise, heartily, willingly, and truly upon the true faith of a Christian." As to the first portion of the passage, which he wished to see omitted, he (Mr. Vernon Smith) could ❑ot understand why any Protestant or Jew should be called upon to subscribe to it.—(Hear, hear.) As to part, making it necessary to say " upon the the slightest necessity for retaining the words at all, and ho would necessity a Christian," he could not see altogether omitted than retained for and then omitted in the oath pro p Christian Members,b members of the Jewish perpsua posed to be taken y it would bo much better to He thought, indeed, that faith could be taken by all classes o f ro rttrhaitel: ve t them trame an oath Catholic,—(Hear, hear.) sive to wry high-minded_d by moving his amendment. The Hon. Member concluded 1 arOOd at present, Lord J. RUSSELL said, as the v Pro testants and Catholics, instead of retaining words Wren- there were three classes of Christians admitted to that House. The Protestant took the oath of supremacy and the oath of abjuration. There were, however, a class of persons known by the name of the Society of Friends, who, in their affirmation, did not take that part of thu oath of abjuration " on the true faith of a Christian," other words being substituted. The Roman Catholic Members took an oath in which the words, "on the true faith of a Christian," were also omitted. That oath was framed under the Act of 1829, which admitted their Roman Catholic countrymen into Parliament. Now it was proposed that for the three parties generally there should be a s i m pl e f orm o f oa th. It was argued that the oath now t a l cen did not a pply to the present time, and the Ri g ht H onoura bl e Gentleman (Mr. Vernon Smith) th ere f ore p ro p ose d that there should be a short declaratio n , w hi c h wou ll ans wer for Catholics as well as for Protestants. Now he (Lord J. Russell) thought it would not be wise to disturb an arrange ment which had been made in the Act of 1829, and with which he believed the Roman Catholics were content.—(Hear, hear.) With reference to the oath proposed to be taken by members of the Jewish persuasion in the present Bill, he had framed it in ac cordance with the suggestions of the Commissioners who made their report to Lard Lyndhurst, then Lord Chan cellor, in May, 1845. With regard to the omission of the words " on the true faith of a Christian," they were not introduced into the oath taken by the Roman Ca tholics, nor in the affirmation made by the Society of Friends.—( dear, hear.) With regard to the proposition of his Right Hon. F r i en d (Mr. V. Smith), that there should be one oath for all denominations, he would admit that it would be very desirable that such an oath could be framed, but he did not think the matter could be easily accomplished. He thought it would not be ad visable, for instance, to interfere with the form of oath taken by Roman Catholics as in the Act of 1829 the oath was framed, and was made the foundation of the settlement of the Catholic question.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. GOULBURN agreed that it would not be advis able to alter the Roman Catholic oath. As to the oath proposed in th e present Bill, the Noble Lord bad told them that it w as t h e form of oath which was framed by the Commissione rs in 1845 them why he had c h ange d his mind since the introduc tion of the Bill of l as t year. Mr. BOUVERIE said he tb wutas at a loss to attach any the e oath by which they had not explained to he definite meaning to th at part of bound themselves to defend; o the settlement of property within utmost of their power by the laws. the realm as established Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he believed that the words were introduced with reference to the Catholics, and to certain offices which they f i lled in Ireland, an d they wero introduced on the ground of certain charges made against them, that they wish e d to disturb, not only religious property, but the settlement of civil property also. The Hon. Member, however, would observe that the words were "as established by law," whatever that law might be, which the Legislature had the power to alter as it might become necessary. Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL quite agreed in the defini tion which the Noble Lord had given of the Catholic oath. The doing away with all sorts of religious esta blishments he thought would be a benefit, although he had not advocated such a proposition, nor did he mean to do so. Mr. ANSTEY said he attached very little importance to these words, but if they were like the suggestion of the Commissioners in the report, they ought to go farther, and adopt the whole of the report of the Com. missioners. He did not agree in the view taken in re spEct to the Church question by the Hon. Member for Limerick. For himself he would say thathewouldnevetor consent to the spoliation of a single shilling of Chur c h property.—(Hear.) Mr. W. J. FOX said the absurdity of attempting bind men's views by the imposition of oaths was strongly illustrated by the contrary opinions expressed on the subject of the Catholic oath by the Honourable Member who spoke last. In passing, he must observe that he thought the constituents of the Honourable and Learned Member for Youghal would not be very well satisfied with the course which that Honourable Gen tleman intended to pursue in respect to questions re lating to the Established Church.—(Hear, hear.) Now, ho contended that the whole of the Members of that Home were entitled to vote upon all questions—whether they related to the Church or not —which came under their consideration. Was he, because he was not a member of the Church, to be re strained from giving his vote upon a class of questions which had relation to the Church? If he were so, be would compromise the duty which he owed to his con stituents, all of whom—whether Churchmen or Dis senters—contributed to the support of the Church, and were, therefore, entitled to have their opinions respecting it given effect to in that House. He had no doubt the oaths taken at the table were conscientiously subscribed to; but what was their value, if the person taking them did not feel the force of the words which they contained? in co r m es e pe t e o t by o bound in qestions likely to come under the consideration of the House. But he should be glad to know why they were I w t bi w e a b s esearitdaitohpateritnieslBw29erea tcoombepabcot to be bound by a compact made years ago? Since leaders had changed their previous opinions. —(Hear, then new leaders had arisen in that House, and old hear.) The evil of the matter was this—that the ambiguities of the oath in question were such, that it subjected many Honourable Members to taunts which it was painful for them to endure, and was equally painful to others to be auditors.—(Hear.) This fact was in itself sufficient to warrant the House in having the oath altered. Then with respect to the wordy, "On the truth faith of a Christian," what did they mean by them? They surely did not mean to im pose a particular creed on those who took the oath in which these words ',appeared. Each person who took gthioeuos belief oath was waswa tbrranetedin truthfa assumingitbof a tb at Christian.his own Therel o w a h t o h b i n e cludethose l ieyed d tbe le a w s t h . o In a believedcthe country try where and those retberewas such a diversity of opi n i on on religious matters i t was the duty of th e L eg i s l ature, to check its gro w th, an d instead of fostering bigotry, with this view he should vote for the amendment. Mr. ANSTEY, in explanation, said there was a per fect underst an di ng b etween himself and his constituents on the Church question. He had explained his views to them, and they assented to them.—(Hear.) Mr. BRIGHT would vote for the Bill now under con sideration, because it did not increase the number of oaths, and because it was intended to let a class of his fellow .subjects into that House, which he was anxious to see as free as he was himself. If any stranger should have entered the House the other evening, he would have seen a Roman Catholic, a Protestant, and a member of the sect to which he himself belonged, at the table, subscrib ing to three different forms of declaration; and he would have supposed that these gentlemen represented classes that were antagonistic to each other, and that they were taking oaths against one another, when these forms were meant with the view of sustaining institutions, which, being worth preserving, did not require the aid of such declarations to uphold them. He thought the amend ment would simplify the oath, and he should, therefore, vote for it. He thought that all persons in that House ought to have the power of voting upon every question that came under their consideration. It was painful to see from forty to sixty Members leave the House when certain questions came before it. He was in favour of a declaration, and he thought that a regard for truth would be greater if the principle of taking oaths was given up. He would vote for the amendment. Mr. HENLEY wished an explanation of the words in the oath. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said that the words were intended to bind Roman Catholics in respect to 1 Church property. Mr. HENLEY—I am speaking of the Protestant oath. The SOLICITOR- GENERAL said, these words were originally introduced to apply particularly to Roman Ca tholics, and subsequently were made to applY to alllo Members gene ra lly. Mr. DISRAELI sa id, th e fi rst t i me the expression, " settlement of prop er ty," was use d, wa s by the Prince of Orange, and it had th en a re f erence to Woburn Abbey. —(Laughter.) That was a s e ttl emen t which the Noble Lord would not desire to alter. When they were called upon to alter the oath, they ought to be precise in the form of the terms. He hoped the Government would not press the clause as originally constructed. Mr. WOOD said he rejoiced that an oath should be terms abolished which had no definite mea n i n g. • Lord J. RUSSELL said that o bj ec tion s h a d b een taken ot . the oath, h to all p parts of ehad ad the pt el i t tl h e regard erm s proposed to the wording e t ; ru but eiai h th o by the Commissioners, but, after w h at had been stated in the House, he did not think it n ecessary to retain the s words a,y n o w r i e t with regard son to excludeto the authority words,of,, the on the Pop of a Christian." Mr. WALPOLE said he thought they ought to con sider the objects for which the oath was imposed. First, it was proposed as a test of allegiance; and, ,4econdly, to define and explain as well as could be what that alle giance was. The first part of the oath was a declara tion of allegiance to the person of the monarch, and that the Protestant religion should be maintained , and as t h e country wished it should be maintained they ought not to dispense with the religious sanction of the oath. This was eif.cted by the oaths of allegiance, supremacy, and abjuration—the oath of allegiance to the pers on o f th e monarch, of supremacy as a declaration of undivided allegiance, and of abjuration as of allegiance to the fa mily of the Queen in succession. Sir R. PEEL said he was glad the Noble Lord had consented to the omission of these words. Th e y were introduced into the Acts for the first relaxation of the laws against Roman Catholics. The settlement of pro perty had reference to the declaration in 1660, by Charles 11., which was restored by him, and which was after wards ratified by the Act of 1662. The Act of Settlement ratified the royal declaration. The Catholics gave an assurance that they acquiesced in that settlement. In the Act of 1829 it was continued from the Acts of 1773 and 1775, and was to express the acquiescence of the Roman Catholics of the settlement of property in Ire land in 1745, The main object now was to admit the Jews to a participation of enlarged rights, and to ask now for any declaration with regard to the settlement of property in this country would be useless. He thought the Noble Lord had acted wisely in omitting the words which referred to the Pope. The object was to admit the Jews, and ho would advise them with that view not to be too critical as to the terms, but to regard the great object they h a d in, view, Ns hich was to admit t o c i v il rights a highly respectable mass of persons. Mr. S'PENVAR 1' said he considered there was great force in the observations of the Member for Midhurst. All the w o rd s p roposed he admitted would apply t o t h e subject. of educ a ti on , w hi c h was spiritual, civil, an d ec clesiastic, as exemplified in the interference of the Pope with regard to au Act passed by that House. lie con tended that even b e f ore the Reformation the common law of England excluded the spiritual supremacy of the Pope, and he wished to know from the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth, or the Noble Lord at the head of the Government, whether that law would be considered still in existence? Sir R. PEEL observed that the Hon. Gentleman completely mistook his view of the oath. He had taken the oath with a sate conscience ; he believed that the i Pope had no temporal or civil power, ecclesiastical or spiritual authority or jurisdiction within this coun• try. But if he omitted the words " ecclesiastical or spiritual," and inserted " temporal or civil," he would give rise to a notion that such ecclesiastical authority existed. He recognised no such spiritual power; ho believed it did not exist, nor could it be lawfully exercised or recognised, and he would therefore say he would much rather omit the words altogether, than call on him, for the first time, by his silence., to approve of it. He denied that the Pope had any spiritual or ecclesiastical authority in this country; that he had any jurisdiction in a court of law; but he did not deny that others recognised it. What he meant was, that he had no cceactive authority, and had no means of enforcing it. He conceived the authority of the Pope to be like the Dissenters in America, or We'ileyan Methodists, binding on those alone who re cognised it, and not on him who rejected it. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he was perfectly satisfied with the interpretation of the oath, that the Pope had no authority to exercise his power within this king dom; but others were not so, and among the rest two Noble Peers—Lord Clancarty and Lord Radnor—dif fered iii opinion with him; they refused to take the oath; rind he proposed to make the alteration. Ile wrote to Lord Clancarty to ask it his Lordship had any objec tion to take the Catholic oath. to which he replied that he had not; and it was thus, therefore, the words " tem poral and civil" were introduced. He thought that the reasons given by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman as to the common law were of no importance. The supre macy of the Pope not being allowed by common law, he (Lord J. Russell) would remind the Hon. and Learned Gentleman that that common law would exist whether there was an oath administered or not. Sir R. H. INGLIS contended that what they omitted from the oath would be taken as an amendment of it, and therefore the retention of the words " temporal or civil authority of the Pope" would be a recognition of those principles which placed the present Royal Family on the throne. He also spoke to the suddenness which the Govern ment evinced in omitting those words, and he therefore trusted the House would not consent to such a proposition. Mr. GREENE contended that if they omitted the words " hath or," and leave in merely " ought to have," it would answer all objections. Mr. V. SMITH was anxious that the Bill should not be lost, or any obstructions thrown in the way. He would, therefore, consent to that portion of the amend ment which the Noble Lord at the head of the Govern ment approved of—namely, " That no Pope, Potentate, or Prelate ought to have temporal or civil jurisdiction, and that he would defend the settlement of property within the realm." He would have these words omitted from the oath, but should retain the words which fol lowed, and should now object to the manner in which the question was put to the House. The Right Hon. Gentleman did not withdraw the motion as originally proposed, oploer tgioune a srt n ei d ot an , i t nm h e eie st f o b r e e , e b i y t h e t r h e p r u u t l e s o r o f the withdrawn, House, and IMr. SCOTT asked whether the Noble Lord intended to support the oath in the Bill, or as proposed in the amendment.—(Loud cries of " Oh, oh.") Would Hon. Members who interrupted him speak their sentiments u, d i p dL o non Lord d t t n J o n O r d a w ar o ti u t a l d nßd t u h ses ?—(Oh,E vo L t Le oh.) said q h u e e a s t h i o o n u l d w c h o i c n h s e n t they to the omission of the words proposed by the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Northampton. Mr. SPOONER moved that the Chairman report progress and ask leave to sit again. Lord JOHN RUSSELL hoped the Committee would proceed. They had discussed the question in excellent temper during the evening, and many Hon. Members were heard, and he wished, thererore, the question to be decided. Mr. SPOONER said he really did not understand what the question before the House was. The amendment was then pat as corrected by the Hon. Mover. Mr. PLUMPTRE complained of being taken quite by surprise, and he thought it was much too important a matter to decide it so suddenly. He heartily concurred with the motion of his Hon. Friend the Member for Warwickshire. Sir GEORGE GREY confessed he did not see how any one could understand why it was that the question could not be decided at once. The matter had been put in as clear a manner as possible. After a few words from Mr. John O'Connell, Lord John Russell, and Mr. Law, Sir W. JOLLIFFE said he was much indebted to the [lon. Member (Mr. Roebuck) for his explanation.— (Laughter.) However, he should say that it was mere nonsense to leave out part of the oath and retain other parts, far neither the public nor the Hou s e would under stand the meaning of the oath. Mr. BROTHERTON said that he wished to put the i matter in its proper light—(Laughter)—and therefore the question to be put should be that the words " I be lieve not "—(Latighter)—should be omitted. Mr. MILES said that he considered that the question was put in, a very intelligible light by the Chairman, but he considered that the question was of such importance that it should not be precipitately carried, particularly when such an alteration was made in the oath. lie therefore thought that the amendment of the Honourable Member for Warwickshire (Mr. Spooner) should be agreed to, as no fewer than eight words were omitted out of twelve. He therefore thought that the sense of the country should be consulted, and that, as such alterations were made, the Government should withdraw this Bill, and introduce a more intelligible one. The Committee then divided, when there appeared— For progress being reported Against it Majority -119 The Committee again divided on the amendment that the Chairman do leave the chair, when there appeared— For the amendment Against it Majority -114 Lord JOHN RUSSELL then agreed that progress be reported. The St. John's (Newfoundland) Rebuilding Bill was read a third time. The Grand Jury Cess (Ireland) Bill was read a second time. On the motion of Lord PALMERSTON leave was given to bring in a Bill to legalise marriages in the houses of British Consuls abroad. His Lordship said, the Bill which he proposed was to legalise marriages in the house of a Consul, and to put these marriages upon the same footing as marriages celebrated in the house of an ambassador. The House then adjourned at ten minutes to One o'clock. THANK GOD FOR SUMMER. (From Eliza Cook's New Weekly Journal.) I loved the Winter once with all my soul, And longed for snow-storms, hail, and mantled skies; And sang their praises in as gay a troll As Troubadours have poured to Beauty's eyes. I deemed the hard, black frost a pleasant thing, And Fo r logs wild b i b r l d a s z e c d a m e high, wt a h n d t a h m o e r s a e n s d ' hoofs gentle rung g o u t ; To eat the bread my young hand flung about. But I have walked into the world since then, And seen the bitter work that cold can do— Where the grim Ice King levels babes and men With bloodless spear, that pierces through and through. I know now, there are those who sink and lie Upon a stone bed at the dead of night. I know the roofless and unfed must die, When even lips at Plenty's Feast turn white. And now when e'er I bear the cuckoo's song In budding woods, I bless the joyous comer; While my heart runs a cadence in a throng Of hopeful notes, that say—" Thank God for Summer!" I've learnt that sunshine bringeth more than flowers, And fruits, and forest leaves to cheer the earth; For I have seen sad spirits, like dark bowers, Light up beneath it with a grateful mirth. The aged limbs that quiver in their tabk Of dragging lite on, when the north wind goads— Taste once again contentment, as they bask In the straight beams that warm their churchyard road. And Childhood—poor, pinched Childhood, half forgets The starving pittance of our cottage homes, When be can leave the hearth, and chase the nets Of gossamer that cross him as he roams. The moping idiot seemeth less distraught When he can sit upon the grass all day, And laugh and clutch the blades, as though he thought The yellow sun-rays challenged him to play. Ah! dearly now I hail the nightingale, And greet the bee—that merry-going hummer— And when the lilies peep so sweet and pale, I kiss their cheeks, and say—" Thank God for Summer!' Feet that limp, blue and bleeding, as they go For dainty cresses in December's dawn; Can wade and dabble in the brooklet's flow, And woo the gurgles on a July morn. The tired pilgrim, who would shrink with dread If Winter's drowsy torpor lulled his brain; Is free to choose his mossy summer bed, And sleep his hour or two in some green lane. Oh! Ice•toothed King, I loved you once—but now I never see you come without a pang Of hopeless pity shadowing my brow, To think how naked flesh must feel your fang. My eyes watch now to see the elms unfold, And my ears listen to the callow rook, I hunt the palm-trees for their first rich gold, And pry for violets in the southern nook. And when fair Flora sends the butterfly Painted and apangkd, as her herald mummer; " Now for warm holidays," my heart will cry, "The poor will suffer less! Thank God for Summer!' ELIZA Co 01C. CAUTION TO TRAVELLER3.—In disembarking yes terday (Sunday) from the Albion steam vessel, just at:- rived from Boulogne, and at the moment of the exami nation of the baggage, an individual, taking advantage of the pressure, and aided by a companion, put his hand into the pocket of a gentleman from Paris, but was for tunately discovered by the gent leman when just in the act of seizing his purse, containing 700 or 800 francs in gold, which had probably been observed by the pick. pocket when the gentleman paid his passage money. Having failed in his object the fellow suddenly retired, and probably ',changed :some part of his dress in order to aid his escape, for at the request of a spectator a po liceman had been sent for, and the vessel was searc h e d in vain—he could not again be recognised. These men we re first-class passengers, and appeared t o b e no d ' s t ran gers to England, although they coaverse with eac h otherin Italian. PRESENTATION TO DR. W. W. FORBES. The handsome silver vase, lately mentioned by us as subscribed for by a number of the electors of this town, and gentlemen in the neighbourhood, to mark their sense of his services in the Town Council, was presented to Dr. Forbes, at a large meeting of the subscribers, hell in the Union Hotel, on Saturday, 128th ult. ; A. T. F. Fraser, Esq., of Abertarff, in the chair. The list of subscribers contained 180 names, among whom, besides the chairman, were those of Mr. 'Forbes of Culloden, Mr. Duff of Muirtown, Mr. Macgillivray of Dunmaglass, Mr. Chas. Fraser, Balnain, Mr. Duncan Forbes, Culloden ; together with professional gentlemen, clergymen, merchants, and others in town. Of the subscribers not a few took this opportunity in paying a compliment to the son, to record their feelings of regard for the memory , of his father, a gentleman well known in his neigh bourhood for his medical talents, and whose whole family have ever shown much kindness to the poor. ABERTIRFF, in presenting the testimonial, ob served that he had felt proud when they proposed to him that he should present to 1)r. Forbes in tiv2ir name this handsome testimonial of his services during eleven years as a member of the Town Council of In verness. He regretted, however, that they had fixed upon him (Mr. F.), ms these matters tr.ad not come much under his personal notice ; were the circumstances otherwise, he would have had unqualified pleasure in undertaking the duty; but it was of the less conse quence, as it must be well known to all present what Dr. Forbes had done in this respect, and he had heard enou g h t o sa ti s f y h i m, that in Dr. , Forbes they had a mast energetic opponent of every species of abuse.—(Applau se .) Af ter referring to the inscrip tion on the piece of plate, and to the increased number of subscribers, Mr Fraser continued—H e was satis fied that many, in j o i n i ng th e su b scribers to this ,3iece of plate, had another re ason th an s i mply the Doctor'si services in the Town Council ; for independent of his services at that board, Dr. F or b es h a d b een generally useful in attending to other l oca l matters that arose from time to time. He might add much more to what he had already said, but he did not wish to make use of any panegryic in the Doctor's own pre sence, and he would only th ere f o re, i n name o f t h e 180 subscribers, request Dr. Forbes's acceptance of the vase, and long may he be spared to enjoy its posses sion, and afterwards may it be handed down as an heirloom in his family.—(Applause.) Dr. FORBES returned his most sincere thanks for the high honour conferred upon him, and in a manner so flattering and kind, by so numerous and intelligent a body of electors and citizens of a!1 classes in his native town, and of gentlemen residing in its vicinity. He accepted the vase with feelings of gratitude and pride, and he would regard it as most precious to the last day of his life. It was most gratifying to him that his services in the town council, however humble, were honoured with their approbation. The Doctor then briefly alluded to a few of the more prominent matters with which he had been connected in the town council, especially to Dr. Bell's Educational Trust, and the Harbour and Police Bills. He was happy to tell them that the stand which he had made, in conjunction with Bailie A. Mackenzie, respecting the management of Bell's Trust, had already led to great improvement, and would soon result in the full benefit intended by the donor being secured to the humbler classes. The Harbour Bill, as amended in Parliament, was a good measure ; but the Muni cipal Bill, which he had opposed, was most defective, and in some respects injurious in its enactments. It contained no provision for the town drainage, the bridges, markets, and many other important matters. Its promoters had incurred a great expense without securing the advantages which a local Act should confer. Had they waited until now they would have, without expense, the benefit of the Government Police and Health Bills. After adverting to the capabilities of Inverness for various manufactures and works, the Doctor then gave his hearty support to the scheme of sewerage suggested by Dr. Sutherland, and concluded by again expressing his sincere and grateful thanks, and assuring them that it always had been and would be his desire, in or out of the Town Council, to pro mote the prosperity of the town of Inverness. The Doctor's sentiments elicited much applause. After a service of wine and cake, and an additional bumper to the health of the chairman, the meeting se psnited.—From the Inverness Courier of 10th May, 1849. PROTECTION OF LIFE FROM FIRE. Yesterday afternoon the annual meeting of the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire was held in the Council Chamber, Guildhall. the use of which had been granted by the Right llon. the Lord Mayor, who pre sided. His Lordship having called the attention of the meeting to the paramount importance of the society, as illustrated by several frightful accidents too recent to require a particular detail, Mr. Harker, the toastmaster, read the report of the committee. At the close of the year, ending 31st March, 1549. the society had increa , ed to 26 fire escape stations, and during the year their escapes had attended 223 fires, and saved 31. lives, making a total of 771 fires attended since the founda tion of the society in 1844, and 79 lives saved. The income for the year, including the annnal (lunation of toL, from her Majesty; 1001. from the Corporation of London and the contributions of 71 parishes. amounted to 1.999/. Gs. 2,1., and the expenditure had fallen short of that amount by 751. 7s. 93., which sum remained as a balance. The official expenses or the society amounted to only 19S1. 19s. 4d. The report then set forth at length the details of several very courageous actions of their conductors and others in saving several lives from fire, and the following persons were called forward by the Lord Mayor, and rewarded for their exertions as follows:—Fire-escape conductor Chapman, No. 6, in the service ; police-constable Smith, 240 G. and con.luctor Sunshine, No. 1, fur exertions in saving several lives at the fire on Holborn-hill; Chapman, the society's silver modal (exceedingly well executed, and weighing nearly two ounces) and a sovereign; Smith, the silver medal; and Sunshine a framed testimonial and a sovereign; conductor G. Low, No. 17, a testimonial; City police-constable Russell, No. 69, a testimonial and half-a-sovereign; conductor Chapman, No. 6, called a second time and awarded a testimonial and half-a-sover eign for exertions at a fire in King-street, Blooms bury, in saving lives; and police-sergeant Fowler, E 5, for exertions at the same fire, a similar reward; con ductor Wood, No. 4, a testimonial and half-a-sovereign, for saving lives at a fire in Friar-street, Blackfriars road. The next case was that of a young woman, named Ann Cullen, who saved the lives of two children, at considerable personal risk, at a fire in the house No. 112, Gray's Inn-lane. The Lord Dlayor presented to her the silver medal, expressing at the same time his sense of her humanity and courage. Mr. 'F. R. Taylor said that no pecuniary reward was made in this case, as a separate subscription had been opened, by which the sum of 115/. had been resilised towards the relief of those who suffered by the fire. Amongst the list of donors to this fund he saw the name of his late and lamented friend, Mr. Horace Twiss, whose humanity and benevolence were conspicuous on this occasion, as well as on many others wh e r e th e w id ow and orphan were to be relieved. A handsome sum had been pre sented to Ann Cullen for clothing, and the sum of 38/. 7s. 10d. was invested for her use in a savings' bank.—(Applause.) W. Trail rd, p lice con stable 344, was then called forward, and awarded the silver medal for his exertions at a fire in College-place, Camden -town; and the medal wan also awarded to con ductor Christianson, No. 9, now ill in a hospital. The medal is to be forwarded to him. Conductor Chapman, No. 6, was again called, and awarded a testimonial and a sovereign fora third instance of courage in saving lives from fire. The society's medal was given to conductor Wilson, No. 15; a testimonial and half-a-sovereign to conductor Clements, No. 30; and a similar award to con ductor Smith, No. 29, for prompt attendance and active exertions at several fires; and lastly, a testimonial and half a-sovereign were awarded to police-sergeant W. Wood, 18 E., fur exertions, in conjunction with conductor Chapman, at a fire in Tottenham-court-road. Resolu tions promotive of the object and extension of the society's operations were then put, and supported by observations from the Rev. Mr. Piny, Mr. J. Llbouchere, Mr. Sheriff Finnis, Mr. H. Pownall, Mr. W. Barker, Mr. C. Young, and Mr. Deputy Obbard. Mr. Payne, atrsid of having his ideas anticipated, had taken the trouble to write some lines descriptive of a fire and the arrival of a fire escape, and with these few observations he seconded one of the resolutions, to the great amusement of the meet ing. After a cordial expression of thanks to the Chair man, the meeting, which was unusually well attended, quitted the Council Chamber, several gentlemen leaving with Mr. S. Lowe, jun., the secretary, substantial marks of their approval of the society and its exertions. In the square outside of Guildhall were stationed several fire escapes, properly manned. The conductors went s through some clever though rather dangerousevu —ascending and descending from the windows evolutions —ascending roofs of the lofty buildings, and exhibiting considerable steadiness of nerve as well as dexterityson rac i ri w orking the ponderous apparatus. A copy of m Lions to persons whose premises take fir p ean ti ti c y al b d e iree- ob tained, free of expense, from the secretary, on the application of any householder. COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT. (111031 OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) MAY 14, 1849. D E ATII OF GENERAL THE LION. SIR EDW ARD s E t L a S t Et )a ti ti O t nlT t ll o L d . g — e This veteran soldier E re ß a N t O h ß e breathed s C I East Cowes Park, on the 13th inst., after a long and PAGET, G.C.B.Golb ainful illtn!si, in his 75th year. The Countess of Or mondp and Sir Edward's other children and his amiable l a dy were present. Drs. lletimeister and Cess were in constant attendance, indeed for the last wet.k the former gentleman remained at the Lodge day and night. At Moor Green Cottage, West Cowes, in his 73d year, died James Alford, Esq. Arrived—The United States frigate, St. Lawrence. ROYAL NAVAL SCHOOL, NEW C ROSS .—N e iII Mal colm, Esq., h as presented the munificent sum of 1001. for the purchase of four debentures qualifying him to nominate the sons of naval and marine officers as pupils of the institution. We understand that several of the former pupils, following the example of other large public schools, have associated themselves together, with the vi , :w of testifying the estimation in which they hold their school, by attending the ensuing anniversary din ner, u:ld©r the prezilmcy of the Lord Mayor. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S.—YESTERDIT. Nearly all the Derby horses enumerated below were Lacked; the principal outlay, however, was on Elthiron and Chatterer, the former rising from 16 to 10 to 1, and the latter from 25 to 18 to 1. The investments on El thiron were very heavy, but with no other influence on The Flying Dutchman's position than to change the 2 to 1 against him from " takers" to "layers," his ad mirers refusing to go on at less than 9 to 4. Nunnykirk was a shade worse, and no one would take less than 8 to 1 about Tadmor; The Knout also gave way. In the Oaks betting the only feature was an improvement in Sister to Arkwright. The general prices at the close stood as follow: DERBY. 2 to 1 agst Lord Eglinton's The Flying Dutchman —take 9 to 4 9 to 2 agst Mr. A. Nichol's Nunnykirk-5 to 1 taken 7 to 1 tgst Colonel Peel's Tadmor 10 to 1 agst Lord Eglinton's Eltniron—taken 10 to 1 agst Sir C. Monek's Vanguard—taken and afterwards offorei 1S to 1 agst Mr. Watts's Chatterer—taken 20 to 1 agst Sir J. Hawlev's Vatican 25 to 1 agst Mr. Bowes's The Knout 30 to 1 agst Mr. Pedl.y's Old Dan Tucker 30 to 1 agst Lord Clifden's Honeycomb 33 to I gst Mr. Disney's Montague 50 to 1 agst Mr. Farrance's The Old Fox 50 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Drakelovve ,000 to 10 agst Mr. Pedley's Langton-10,000 to 50 laid once 000 to 10 agst Sir C. Cockerell's Thibault—taken 500 even on the field against the two favourites. Montague arrived at Epsom on Sunday night. OARS. 6 to 1 agst Mr. Wreford's Wadastra filly 7 to 1 agst Mr. Payne's Glauca—takt n 8 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Sister to Arkwright 10 to 1 agst Mr. F. Clarke's Lady Tryphena 15 to 1 agst Lord Stanley's Caricature 15 to 1 agst Mr. Cuthbert's Emma Donna 20 to 1 agst Count Bathyany's Eva—takeu RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, MAT 14. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The Share Market is still dull and inactive. The only transaction which took place was in Great Western, Quarters, at 6yi die. LIVERPOOL, MAY 14. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The Share market continues depressed, and prices are lower, with a tendency downward. The sales are— Bolton, Chester, and West Yorkshire (B), guaranteed 6 per cent., 17 %—Caledonian, Preference, 11 %—East Lancashire, Preference, Quarters, 7% —Lancashire and Yorkshire (M. and L.), 26 dis.—Ditto, P ifths, 4% dis.—Ditto, Halves (L. and B.), 14 dis.—North lJnioa (B), 154 —London and North-Western, 126—Ditto, New Quarters, 13s. 9d. p.—Ditto, Fifths, 5 p.—Midland, 65%—Ditto, Halves, 12% dis.—South-Eastern and Dover (No. 4), 6%—York, Newcastle, and Berwick (Original N. and B.), G N. E. Purchase, guaranteed 6 per cent. till 1850, dis. MANCHESTER, Mar 14. STOCK EXCHANGE.— The transactions to-day were as follows : Manchester and Birmingham (C), Quarters, 2% p.—East Lan cashire, Quarters, 4—Leeds, Preference, 111 4 —Ditto, Fifths, dis. —Sheffield and Lincolnshire, 14 9-16 n. d.—London and South- Western, Preference, % p.—borer (No. 4), 6 . %—Wharfdales, 2% dls. BIRMINGHAM. MAT 14. Sromt EXCHANGI.—The following are to-day's transactions:— North Staffordshire, 51. Bs. 9d dis.—Shrewsbury and Birmingham (B), 4X, dis. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, MONDAY.—The Arrogant, 46, auxi liary screw steam-frigate, Captain B. Fitzroy, which arrived on Friday night at Spithead, was to hare come into the harbour on Saturday to be docked, for the pur pose of examining the state of her main shaft, in which a flaw had been discovered previous to her departure by the chief-engineer, Mr. Andrew Murray. After more than two-thirds of her powder had been got out on Saturday afternoon, and every other preparation made for her, a telegraphic message was received from the Admiralty, ordering the powder to be put aboard again, and the ship to remain at Spithead for the pre sent. This step was supposed to have reference to the present disturbed state of Europe. The political atmo sphere must, we presume, have brightened since Satur day, as to-day again she was ordered into harbour, and accordingly discharged powder, &c., and .came in, and was docked. The Sphynx steam-sloop, Commander R. S. Hewlett (acting), is ordered to be ready fur bailing on Tuesday morning. The Scourge steam•sloop, Commander Wingrove, was unmasted on Saturday, and will be paid off to-morrow. The ship Fifeshire arrived this morning from the river and proceeded off Cowes to embark a draught of the 20th Foot on Wednesday, for Canada. She then proceeds to Cork to embark detachments of the 71st and 79th Regi ments for the same place. The St. Lawrence, 56, American frigate, Captain Paulding, arrived at an early hour this morning from the Tagus, and passed through Shithead on her way to Southampton. She anchored in Cowes-roads before seven, ♦.M., to wait for the tide, and got under way again at two, P 31 , proceeding direct to Southampton. The Columbia steam-surveying vessel. Commander P. F. Short land, arrived here this evening from Chatham. Wind—W.S.W., moderate breezes and hazy weather. PLYMOUTH, MAY 13.—This morning, about twelve o'clock, her Majesty's ship Queen, 110, Captain Henry W. Bruce, rounded Penlue Point, with a fresh breeze hum south-west, under her three topgallant-sails, top s his, and courses. On approaching the harp )ur she lowered her topgaliantsail,, and when inside the break water saluted the flag of Port-Admiral Sir William Hall Gage with seventeen guns. She then shortened canvass, and anchored inside the breakwater to the west of the Camber. She bail,el from Palermo on the evening of the 27th of March, when the Admiral, in the Hibernia, was leaving fur Naples. The Queen arrived at Gibraltar on the 19th of April, :aid found there her Majesty's steamer Janus, Lieutenant. Commander Richard A. Powell. On the 30th of April, at noon, the Queen left the Rock with twenty military invalids from the garrison at Gibraltar, and four naval invalids from the squadron at Palermo; two of these have died of consumption on the passage home. Wind, S.W.; stiff Freeze. WOOLWICH, MAY 14.—The Niger steam-sloop, when she went down the river to Greenhithe on Friday last, worked remarkal ly well with her engines, and the valves have been remedied and now make comparatively very little noise; the speed of the vessel was also greater than had been previously attained. Both the Niger and Basilisk were to leave Greenhithe this morning for Devonport, and alter touching there will proceed to sea, and will be ab,ent, it is said, on trial, for about three weeks or a month, that the respective merits of the vLasels may be fully tested. Mr. Laen, master-attendant at Pembroke dockyard, has hoisted his pendant on the Gladiator steam frigate. but her departure from Woolwich has been deferred, and Friday next Is now named as the day on which she will leave for Devonport and Pembroke. Mr. M'Callum, boatswain of Woolwich dockyard, died yesterday after a short illness. He was a most active and zealous servant, and greatly respected by all classes. WOOLWICH GARRISON, MAY 14.—The whole of the troops of the Royal Horse Artillery, under the com mand of Lieutenant-Colonel 811, with Captain and Adjutant Maude; the whole of the battalions under the command of Colonel Cruttenden, attended by Captain and Adjutant Doraville, and Captain and Adjutant Wil lett; the right division of the battalions under the com mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Bent, with Captain and Adjutant Cannon; the centre division under the com mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Furneaux, with Captain and Adjutant Radcliffe; and the left division, under Lieutenant-Colonel Clarke, with Captain and Adjutant Devereux; the field batteries, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Anderson, with Captain and Adju tant Thompson; the battalion of pensioners, under the command of Major Forbes; and the whole of the Royal Marines formed into two battalions—the right, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Cory ton, with Lieutenant and Adjutant Foote; the left, under tt.e command of Lieutenant-Colonel Gillespie, with Lieutenant and Adjutant Hambly—assembled on Wool wich-common, at ten o'clock A.m. to-day, and about ten minutes past ten o'clock Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Downhatn, C. 8., K.C.11., arrived on the ground, accom panied by his staff: consisting of Colund Brereton, C. 8., Ell., Royal Horse Artillery, Lieutenant Colonel Palmer, Lieutenau t-Colenel Evans, Lieutenant-Colonel F. Warde, Lieutenant-Colonel lugilby, Lieutenant-Colonel Story, Lieutenant-Colonel Palliser, Lieutenant-Colonel Mac bean, Lieutenant-Colonel Ciarstin, Brigade-Major Bingham, Captain Tylden, Deputy-Assistant Quarter master-General, and all the adjutants off duty. The Commandant was received by the troops with the usual salute, and with his staff, role down the front of the line and up the rear. The whole of the troops then marched past at slow and quick time, the Royal Horse Artillery again at lull gallop, and a second time at trot and full gallop. The troops afterwards formed in line across the c n o e !n d mon the Royal Horse Artillery on the right, and . 1 forward to allow of room to extend . assembled on the occasion. The upwards of 3,000 troops bat teries on the extreme lett, the left wth i e ng lin9 b , e t i h n e g re or b d e e i r n e g d o th p e en m or o d v e e r . menus, which of an troops them. then At advanced tb. cxiinu conclusion o n n e in open and salutedth o e cc L u ie pi u e Lc d n' a i b n o t- u C t l t e w n o cr i a l l o ' hours, tae ban tr d o s up p : a broke ng the whole national d y into o p eT n h c e ol i u t m oy n a a l n: lar m in a e r s ch: re d re to ab th o e u i t r b6aororasctlritsmgle, and tin d front. the colours and band of the corps were present. The pensioners were about 400 strong, and the precision of the movements of the men was the theme of admiration amongst all who witnessed them. The Roval Artillery mustered upwards of 2,000 men, and a finer body of able and efficient troops could not be found in any country. The whole of these troops will assemble again on Satur day next, at twelve o'clock at noon, with the companies of Royal Sappers and Miners, to celebrate her Majesty's birthday: Rush's PISTOL.—A man who gives us a real name and address, writes to us as follows:—" On Sunday last, May h, passing through a field near Potash Farm, I found a large double barrellett pistol bedded in the ground, with J. B. Rush engraved ou the guard over the trigger, and a bunch ut skeleton keys. You can mention this circumstance in your pop r if you think proper." 01 course we cannot say whether the above is a hoax, or a serious matter of tact; but we have put it in train for investigation.—Norfolk Chronicle. THE BOMBAY STEAM-VESSEL.—The Lords of the Treasury have caused a communication to be made to the Commissioners of the Customs' Department, by Mr. Parker, one of their Lordship,' secretaries, acquainting them—with reference to their secretary's letter of the s'h instant, relative to the release of the steam-ship Bombay—that their Lordships have cummunieated to the solicitors to the Minister of the Two Sicilni at this Court, that no further evidence having been furnished, their Lordships see no reason to alter the decision to which they have come respecting the further detention of the vessel mentioned. MIDLAND RAILIVAT.—S. Beale, Esq., late Mayor of Birmingham, has been elected deputy-chairman of the Midland Company, in the room of Mr. Ellis, a e r,, chtiinaau, `'ice Airs LlvAbou, mor, ) lotigued.