The Sun. — London, England, 1842-03-10 00:00:00

• a... :ad alto eaesed...sgiven to agriculture a power and an effic envy wh . eh el.eu that of every other country, and he trusted that the eliculturists would go on horn year to year iticre.•sing the en e)? of the soil, by the means which they applied to it. • Rig Hon. Gentleman adverted to a topic which had With e very trite, w i t h a lll w h o were acquainted 4%1 the 1 ,. „ law th e debates, namely, the operation oe;:Corn -laws in hampering the trade of foreign countries. iwLtlat here repeat what he ventured to state on a former e tt• The Right Hon. Gentleman said that if they had ab ed clutY on corn that would lead to a fixed importation— isilett importation would lead to a fixed trade, and that would 1 1 7,V 0 an increased demand for manufactures. He (11r. G.) t a 7° Over the fact that the Right Hon. Gentleman begged tiliquestion, the important question, that . the impor.• of corn would be followed by an increased demand „i• ht ma corn of " Hear, hear.") Perhaps long,' period of time such a result would fol it Is,lloPposn cheers.) He said in a long period of time 4 0 47 1 0 have thr effect. But let them look to what existed, lia l e" going forward at the prevent moment. There was A ltr which sent tallow and hemp and other articles, but Tydid not take th e manu f ac t ures i n exc h ange . Hate. Mestaen— She does indirectly. >ylr, GLADSTONE (in continnation) But she did be t b onything like the extent to whi h we imported from etes ""Itssia did not take their goods to more than 35 per 'Of the amou tto which they took goods in return from si a , He did no wish to discourage a fixed trade as far as it teal.eeloPetent with other interests. The Right Hon. Gentleman h yi : not deny that the extent of a fixed duty must be limited tarter' erage demand. Suppose they wanted two millions of 1114naf wheat, a fixed trade might enable them to procure :"„ e °t", and they might also pay for them with manufac- Rap e I° 4 - But how would it operate in present circum r l'or the last three or four years they had had bad t ea ~,t,a and there was a deficiency of corn to the amount of Ile a ' ll °T l quarters, and how, he asked, yield such a deficiency 4 Plthod by a fixed duty? In such a cse, a sudden demad itt see „,,a,tod which th e ordinary market a may not be prepared kalli ct 7HY, and they must then offer high prices, and pay in Via and the same result as that wh i ch now took place under kittent system must ensue . The Hon. Gentleman, the fa fec Liskeard, took a different course, and allured id.----tret of the Corn-law in diminishing the demand for kee n ; It was incident to their discussions that fallacies tdi a , h. ° current on both sides, and there could be no greater itaalban th a t which promised cheap bread. He thought it hear, itted in the House that cheap bread meant nothing iti nit g i al to the l a b our i ng c l asses .—( C r i es of " N o, no. " ) th att ,oe read in the speeches of Honourable Gentleman we' liv e were not to look to the money price, but to the rela -411,.°110f food. Th at was the question, and it was cornea .l4 : U nimportant w h a t th e money pr i ce was , prov id e d t h ey _.lfaetreletive command o f th e necessar i es o f lif e .—( Ch eers. ) ibi t israinly did h ear l ess i n th e course o f t h e present d e b ate 2lea tn ,",° used in former years, about the danger of the British 'cures being undersold by their foreign competitors. • klatier ee Might be the distress prevailing amongst British esinjotttrers at the present time, so far was it from being ela by our f ore i gn compet i tors, t h at i t was an unquestiona -14 n et that th ose suffered much more from our compet i tion . sa te t o did fro * Ports of cottom theirs. It had been shown this year tt .t t a te n goods were increasing at the time that he idnit9tio n at home was also increasing ; and, therefore, itettltte l i ,d e appear . to him most unjust and detrimental to de t th e in energies of English agriculturists, he would add pleas Was rejoiced, on patriotic grounds, to find that our trele tota to tear than in former years, from the efforts of foreign ale tition. He would admit that the competition of foreign ! tea l „ e l eass formidable i n some b ranc h es — nor wou ld h e to weaken any argument that had been used to show manufactures were entitled to some remedy against 4katif°fthose disadvantaoes ; but he would affirm that British et'es t ,ettirera, taken as 'a whole, were able to beat their oppo -Ibsll4l almost every country of the world.--(Cheers.) But blitGentleman sa id t h e e ff ect o f t h e C orn -l aws was to titsh."'o demand for labour. He spoke of the great hardships litei„,.P r esent state of things , . and alluded to the report of Mr tad ' - ts who stated that in one place 32,000 persons were ktriPkrtially employed, and 17,000 without employment, 1 1 4 111 :„ 52 ,000 persons out of work. Undonbtedly t * ,, - " u a lamentable state of things, but the real question ' 4 4 1 11 ; "muse to consider' was, would a repeal of the Corn- G tch,,Tnedy h.? (heers.) Now, setting aside all questions 'stet regarded and foreign competition, and looking to the sub l'ehe garded the labouring classes, be would ask, did each re, in really believe that a repeal of the Corn.laws would , 11 * efi l d sll ,. t ile number of unemployed labourers ?—( Cheers. ) 'Vets " e t lay of the number of labourers unemployed W as a- PostiO_res, but those of all classes —(Hcar, hear.) it °KC that any man could suppose, whatever might be his 1 %1 4 ;4 of the ultimate 'effect of the repeal of the Corn-laws New w ag it possibl e an y man cou ld b e li eve th a t a repea l o f . `botts - i' -l aWs would not diplace a vast means of agricultural tellitieL;i;d7o(rilsieers.) This had been, to a great extent, treated question, but he thought that, for the present a tel• ea „ Plti °,o, at least, was more of a labourers' question.— "at I -) Now the most approvedauthorities on land, de this Wiles " 1 ' as the surplus produce the land yielded after the yis cultivation and the maintenance of the cultivator. If hob Were , considerine the many classes of land cultiva taOtitCtgh.,t be said that the lowest class yielded no rent, or at price me returns were exceedingly small. If you raised of agricultural produce in any country, you would ' e ta et 14 ° 0 1 wider extent of land into cultivation, and there ittesr e Poorer so il s would b e t i lled ; and i f the poorer soils it* Malt s y were cultivated through the rise . of the price of tv e , Produce it followed that if you diminished prices b-eighttittll throw die poorer soils out of cultivation. This :I"ise,'"onish rents but in the present extent of cu,tivation is e tf4 N tlealtrivtahlaitonieyou, reducedtat rents,the same by throwing certain lands lime time, throw out of ern that t a great ,you m f u la'bourers.—(Hear.) It was also said hsiAthhe_aCotrn.law: were e repealed the agriculturists, instead of 1 7te r , , e r t 0 the present . extent, would turn their fields into dein 'ins was another view of the question . .. It was said that Ob t lr iri t is his the landlords would maintain their rents; perhaps - "e Ar e it not at least clear that the transfer from . eto lose-,lose-, huLould throw a vast number of labourers out of work __ Os ` 41. , and eoUnt ry cheers.) It was evident, then, that throughout Ato ne _ 0 support o f the agricultural labourers would 1 ; :str of . endangered by a repeal of the Corn.laws than the 'li ttle • sne landlords —( Hear, hear.) He hoped now that the tt4ii tl , 41 result of those considerations would be to induce the House 1 ap ka L b this question in the calm temper recommended to them e t speaker. Of all things he (Mr. Gladstone) would de. a an 0 41, 1 be "Y v iolent legislation on this su bj ec t, b ecause th e effect %k ilt to distu r b the enormous mass of capital embarked in agri. ,aridloll Pllrsuits, to spread a panic a m ong ,t th e cu lti va t ors o f th e ; 1.2 to diffuse, perhaps, in consequence of mere apprehensions 1.7 0 :' 'Mich misery through the community.—(Hear, hear) L i t tt -`tenl and Learn e d M em b er f or L ss k ear d sa i d, t h at one o bj ect ' et to preserve that security to the farmer which we did L tSin 44t0 other interests, by excluding foreign competition in cer- Orem Rea of the corn mar k et . But the Honourab le and Gentl eman• a should recollect that they attempted this Zget no, could already secure to other i n ter es t s what they ."`re 'le the f armer—that was, that while they could se %let ° e ther interests a uniform legal protection, they not i n the opinion of nine-tenths of the gentle. ' tk _ ir `kiv at i)r . es .ent, do this for the farmer; and, therefore, b that the stale could not compensate the farmer for • r t : "ens on the land in proportion to the proteetion given to 'lib, 'Hre to z•-q h . 6 a, nothing could be more fair—the policy of the Act tr kn ,"` the inability of the State should be compensated by ex. ti t tlsh. -7 l egal privileges. The Right Hon. and Learned Gentle- Zak i'Poke last, said that in the markets of the country, under lh " 'the consumer derived no benefit from the Is. duty when t h !th er h vea s 73 1. • that the foreign ho:der derived all the profit ; Aie .4k4 tei , os. duty arnourit about 2,000,000 of quarters, would come in as' wader the present law, and that at prices tat cal ; „, 14 OW, in the first place, they ought to guard against t w 7ree admitting the defective working of the old law, he ea iie , i 'uat the new law, as shown in the course of the de declared by eminent mercantile authorities, in. tCati nw - en of alt p art i es , would have t h e effect ofpermanently Pee4 wt e r at least of materially diminishing, the defects was Ott yore s Y'tem. But the Hon. and Learned Gentleman 'rh e "! the dead, while he claimed too much credit for a fixed %it') h jp°ll. Gentleman said that at the price of e6s. the to ib to ° ; e r of corn would be as much Induced to bring Oars W m glarld as at 725. But was it natural that the fo- N k, a . Q uid go to such a distance, pay as much for transpor ., t . , Nahercite pri nch to the original cultivator for 50s. as for 7- e„-et eß . Ls Ito refutation. But the new law would give good 1001 --re ent to the foreign holder, and great relief to the t • al s c r at at home. The Hon. Gentleman calculated on a most sk.; el b e io 'e . When he said that three hundred thousand pounds sat tot' to the consumer in the quantity of corn returned by n Vectors, who, in fact returned only one-fourth of the N4, 1 %1 • a at ces ao this might be multiplied by four. But those ht, „ at t4,willtTet.beyremuch the highest sales in the country, and Ite tales mostly from hand to hand, the reports did not entheea.fide votes.—(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Gladstone) ha s 114 4 L ;Peat pleasure the able and temperate speech of the th t iete t ° ,.:7' the Member for Sunderland But now the House at a .l 4 ll-1:,.. 4e d hY an overwhelming majority against , a repeal of s, and against a fixed duty, what then were they dis. 'Pr " t he Hon. Gentleman, who last spoke, called the new oovaer.firsor of ultimate change, and quoted . Burke, to show crow'sli tw "r 'rnent ought not to tamper with Provision-laws. But did not tamper with a subject when it brought for a% nie asn _ (eh white w le, admit ted to be practicable, which . could . be carried ; ati: t e rs a nd lasee ot a speculation, or a mere political manoeuvr. . hot , t hat th ghter.) He did not mean to ray that the measure 5 tw - ' ""°nlth introduced under suspicious circumstances, was of "ca-.,Tand conscientious measure • but the word tamper was le t ;e otf t , - ; ‘!eaPon, and it bore sharply ' certainly en the proposition ssrW e bt G o ; "e• - --- (Cheers and laughter.) He aLlrmed that the tir ak , l 4 ~e n tneent did not tamper with the Corn-laws in bringing i'easttre which was allowed to be a relief and to be prac . - te '' l: l : 4 sp eet r k e e the Noble Lord, the Member for Sunderland, in his th a the ral',;_se_hile stating that ' he did not believe the Corn-laws *fibPre, `. or the principal cause of the present . distress, said 14,ni t r alteration would be very substantial . benefit, fe fo t r_it q t. % % a gate the restrictions, and diminish the evils . Hon. n r „ b ei tl , r it t , b °ogh he had no objection to vote th o uw is he .-Lanier for Warrington, because he believed it woul d (li n ill, not i k t netit, but If he believed the junction would be to reject in wi ti llit et - "int on earth would induce him to give his vote.- 44 t 4ble a d " cl ' ee rs.) This wag the declaration _of one of the e rott he (etr!-rocates of a fixed duty. Now, those were tamperers Is, lin 101.21 thought with the Corn and Provision-laws who 0, 4 .'4 tint 'yard a measure which they knew they could not carry. bo4 t i i n eal agrresation their intentions ; but if they knew so little of _So !the ron l, e r of their position, as te deal with a question in. lea,„‘od 1 ‘ vital interests of society, and agitating the country h eat ,adio g tirid, those who attempted to deal with such a question ete 105 t.% .° utmost strength of a Government long after the y . we t:l e t t to en' stre ngth , and without a hope of bringing their s a ; a ri e nnclnsion the Government who so acted r ega rd ta meerers ' with the Corn.laws.—(Loud cheers.) 111 .11 . t° a graduated scale, he should be ready to show, to e : con eei Tare at this stage of the discussion, that it was p os. . %l ut e :tien t , e a graduated scale which might operate without iii irawd eller 4w,1 t rade. and be in every way, beneficial both to the ho n i niete e .„Poditeer. But he must content himself with re this' that th o u ght ighs Hon. Gentleman, and those who thought with of a l ehje rt here was no such . thing as ideal perfection on D'lldt h Ott ther e db t _ sc ale Was great Parliamentary authority on behalf vtit h ltard to it . and if the agriculturists had been in a delusion vet t s, n, ethi n . he would ask the Hon. Gentleman to view them l ate , . compassion and sympathy, when he recollected Pos, tt natt er Y w lte had been a partaken in their delusion. Surely it (ti e ee ' a _ ed jo_thy their consideration that the landed interest to wli r il /r ear.) shar e in the representation of the country.- 1 te, s '"nat ed Hon. and Learned Member for Liskeard . het th e w a ßric ultu ".'s Right Hon. Friend at the supposed uneasiness hae f icul tiarist. r4r !' 11 '1'4 if ever there was a time in which the "'era!' ad done themselves honour by th e . feeling they w Y h ad Y eXhibited (Ghee ige neran 'by the good sense and practical prudence ead regard Yor with but rare exceptions displayed in the atiir.)ed this matter , the et nt was that time.— time eu lt t e was antra • age °1°( )Ic at in that declaration ; he thought it tie .multurist the ils of the Present law, and not see that t di tt n ef England w ere W 5 not ere making a considerable sacrifice. gier e „ 5 far from th at they were sacrificing too much— ' ere t han , C ontending that the y were sacrificing te e n e - t it h to tiwnerrn.se:ial and other i terests of the country had tl 0;1 Political j 3 excitement,itata time when parties bad been shar inch' a tenet (- ti los al elec t i on had been pitted together - in the had been hea'ed by every stimulant l e wh e ought ti eSe oiret :the n have known better could app )1- 111 • `"os' comedeered the exaggerated views that, from ld riL t hat ir c.:`anees, partie s had been led to entertain, he wou ld itrheactohepierilltZ,nro_urab.leto the .. agriculturists of England . that _ e tight an as r e... c e ot proposition aed supported it, and carried vPtle2heititeht,a..t malinthdurnmerlotfy t he ef e timing law. Let those who but bou nd In the po s i t . - 'es. was a prohibitive .. duty,. let t here with t he Corn.l ton of those who thought their interests ..asston e it. awa. He did not ray that it was so, Was it no material change, instead of a "11 Wlthi the price, to ce t tlitPresent scale r instead of the protection that the law had given them for the last hundred and forty years ? ( An Hon. Member expressed across the 'able a doubt whether the present laws had existed 2'o long. ) It the Hon. Gentleman would examine the documents that had been published on the subject, he would find that Corn-laws bad existed for the last hundred and forty years, from the beginning of the last ci ntury ; and now that the maximum duty imposed on wheat was •::Ois a quarter, it was a fair subject of praise to the agriculturists that they had surrendered nearly half of their protection. He did not beiieve that the agriculturists surrendered too much.— (Hear, hear)—he believed that they could,afford to part with a portion of their protection, but he would say that it was laudable and 'honourable in them, standing in the position they did, both in the country and in Parliament, to have made that sacrifice to the other classes of their countrymen. But, after all, the question was as to this stmposed tampering with the Corn.laws. It might be like taking a brick out of a wall, but if that brick was mouldered away, and they took it out and put in a round one, he was not sure bit it was an improvement. The Noble Lord opposite (Lord Hetrick) bad said Oat this was but the precursor of ulterior Change; far be t from him to say that in matters of trade and production it was possible for Parliament to exercise the gift of foresight. if they looked back on the course of their history, they would find that they had hardly ever had a period of ten, fifteen, or twenty years, without some new law relating to corn. The Noble Lord had also objected to it, that it was not a practical measure; and he came forward with his old chimera of a fixed duty. Was not the doctrine of a fixed duty a chimerical propo *lion ? if anything could be called chimerical, it was the duty of 45. or ss. a quarter supported this year by the Noble Lord. He had alleged, also, that this was an unsettling measure, and not a final one. All finality was comparative, but what was the finality of the Noble Lord, the Member for Sun. derland ? (Hear, hear.) Last year it was Bs., but this year it was 55., and before two years were passed he was afraid it would vanish altogether.—(Loud cheers.) But suppose, if he might make such a supposition, that Parliament should adopt the principle of a fixed duty ; let them suppose, if their imaginations were elastic and bold enough to do so, that Sty some incomprehen sible means a law should pass in the present Session similar to the measure proposed by the late Government, what would have been the consequence? Who would be pledged to maintain ? What body would support it? What would be the general conviction of the country with regard to it ? Was it not clear as the sun at noon-day, that ott the Corn.laws the country was di, tided into two parties, one objecting to all protection, the other attacted to the principle of a graduated sca'e ? Who then were the few solitary champions of a fixed duty? Was it not common in that House to hear lion. Gentlemen declare, as the Hon. and Gallant Member for Marylebone had done, that they liked a fixed ditty, as it was the way to arrive at no duty at all ? _ _ :Hear, hear.) If they could divide the House in the same way as :hey sometimes took the notes in another Chamber over the water— if they could take a poll of the House on the questions of no duty at all, of a graduated scale, and of a fixed duty, did they beileve that one-sixth of the House would vote for a fixed duty 7 (Hear, hear.) And how did the few ohan pions of a fixed duty stand among themselves ? What was their consistency on this vital point ? He saw three of :hem opposite; the first, the Noble Lord the Member for London, was for a fixed duty, descending suddenly to one shilling at a famine price; the Hon. and Learned Member for Liskeard said that the descent to a minimum duty was the very spring of a sliding scale ; the Noble Lord the Member for Tiverton held the doctrine, that a protec tion duty was not applicable at all, but that if a duty was levied it ought to be a duty for revenue.—(Hear, hear.) Now, a more ex traordinary proposition than this had never reached his ears, nor one of which the Hon. Member who 'imposed it (light to be more ashamed. When they laid a duty on a forei E n article, which came into competition with a corresponding British article, would it do to call it a revenue duty ? The Noble Lord held the doctrine of a revenue duty in words, and contradicted it in fact ; but he did not believe that any genuine free trader would be content with the Noble Lord's abandonment of the word, and his retention of the thing. Here, then, were three champions of a Axed duty, and all of them quite at issue with each other as to the amount of it, and the mode in which it should be levied. Ile had troubled the House much longer than he had in tended, but he would now come to a conclusion. The plan proposed was a measure that practical men might adopt ; on its details it had not, perhaps, the unanimous, but the general con currence of the agricultural and commercial bodies. It wi.s a measure •f considerable relief, which had been declared even by its opponents to be a material improvement of the present law. . . . It wds a measure against which the most able and most resolute of those who were about to vote against it had said he would not take any step in opposition if he did not know that that opposition would be unavailing.----(Loud cheers.) Could anything more justify the position , in which her Majesty's Government stood, as supporters of a measure which they believed would be acceptable to the country at large, and all the great and varied interests in it.—(Cheers.) Lord JOHN RUSSELL said, that the Right Hon. Gentleman, with all the ability which he had devoted to the subject, had no doubt felt extreme difficulty in defending the Bi,l then before the House.—(Hear, hear.) He was sure if he had not so felt he would not have resorted to that mixture of political crimination and ac cusation of various kinds against the late Government, which was totally unnecessary for any other purpose except to dis guise his defence of the present Bill.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") That Hon. Gentleman knew well that a fixed duty, which he said had so few supporters, was, in the opinion of a Noble Lord who voted for the present measure, and who was the representative of the great commercial town of Liverpool, the best measure.—(Hear, hear.) It was well known that it was a measure which reasonable men, without distinction of party, greatly approved. Feeling the pressure of that opinion, therefore, he was obliged to have recourse to political imputations, in order to disguise the weakness of his case, in attacks on the late Ministry. He knew that with re- Bpect to the distress of the country it had been said that the present measure would afford no material relief; yet, without arguing or discussing the objections to the measure, he had spoken of it as one generally approved of by the House and by the country, and op posed but by few. He had said that he should like to test the opinion of the House regarding it, as they did in some foreign Chambers, as he should like to know how many would he for a graduated scale. how many fur a fixed duty, and for a total re peal. 'Why, if they came to that mode of expression, he (Lord J. Russell) should like to know how many there would be on the op. . . posite side of the House who would be for the proposed graduated scale, and for the present law.—(Cheers.) Ills Noble Friend who had spoken most ably on the question that night, had said _ . that if there was a coalition of parties against any change whatev e r, _ _ _ by which the present measure might be defeated, he should not be found opposing it; but that was very different from what had been stated by the Right Hon. Gentleman. The Hon. Gentleman had made ♦arious charges against tht late Government, as having been guilty of a political manoeuvre, and of having brought forward a Bill which they had no expectations of carrying. He would tell . . the Right Honourable Gentleman that hi; opinion was, if he brought forward a measure founded on sound principles of free trade, and if he did not immediately succeed in carry lug the greater part of that measure, if he did not immediately succeed with respect to the Corn Bill, yet that public opinion would be so favourable to a change, that finally they should be enabled to carry a sound measure on the subject. That was his opinion on the subject. The Hnn. Gentleman might invent motives for the late Government with reirpect to their Corn Bill, but that he declared was his expectation with respect to the proposed change. He felt, and he believed every Member of the Government flit also, that in proposing measures founded on the principle of free trade, they could not touch sugar and timber, and leave untouched the great question of corn. They had felt that it would not be just to the country to leave the Corn laws in their then state, and they had felt that it would not be just to the agricultural interest to bring forward their measures on the question of timber and sugar, and reserve for future con. sideration the measure which they might deem it expedient to propose on the sul.ject of the Corn-laws.—(Cheers.) Now how had they been met ?—(Cheering, and counter cheering.) Gentle. men who were attached to the Government on general principles— he would mention Mr. Handley as an instance—(Hear, hear) — declared that as they were attached to the existing Corn-laws they should be compelled to vote against the minority on the sugar question—(Cheers)—because the carrying of that question would lead to a change in the Corn-laws. Now what return had those Gentlemen met with ? They had been taunted with their attachmepat to the Ministry which sought to change the Corn. laws. Their constituents were called upon to deprive them of the honour of a seat in that House, not becaesc they had supported or would support any measure fur a change in the Corn Jaws, but be cause they had acted in general in support of a Ministry which had proposed a change in those laws—(Cheers)—and their successors had been chosen upon pledges given to maintain the existing Corn laws.—(Cheers.) He would venture to say, that the agriculturists of Lincolnshire, who were for the maintenance of the present Corn-law, would have been more efficiently represented by his Noble Friend near him, and by Mr. Handley, who had both voted for maintaining the present Corn.law, than by those who voted with the Right Hon. Baronet, who was now seeking to change the Corn law So much with regard to the Right Hon. Gentleman's speech in reference to the pofitical character of the measure. The late Ministry had proposed a change in the Corn-laws because they had thought the circumstances of the country required it. Lord Melbourne had always declared that the question of the Corn-laws was a question of circumstances, and that whenever the circumstances of the coun try should require an alteration, he would be ready to take the sul ject into his consideration. That time he thought had arrived, and accordingly he had proposed a change. Those who were op. posed to them had carefully concealed th e i r i n tentions of altering the Corn-law s. They had stated their opinion that it would be right to maintain the existing Corn-laws, and the greater number of their supporters for the agricultural districts had been returned pledged to vote against any alteration.—(Cheers, :nd cries of " No! No!") He had not the newspapers by him to refer to the pledges which had been given by Hon. Members at the last election but he had heard his Noble Friend the Member for North Lin colnshire quote the other evening, and he had never heard that any contradiction had been given to them. The Right Hon. Gentleman had, among the various particulars to which he ha d referred respecting this question, said We approach this question after four successive bad harvests." For his past he (Lord J. Russell) must doubt the accuracy of that statement.—(Hear, hear.). The Right Hon. Gentleman had said that it was their duty, in discussing that question, to seek to avoid eery fallacy, and he (Lord J. Russell) could not but consider the statement that we had had four consecutive bad harvests as a fallacy. He knew that during the course of some of those years he had often found that in certain districts the harvests had been good, in certain other districts it had I eon an average harvest, and in others it had been unfavourable : but, upon the whole, it had been found that the harvests had been insufficient for the maintenance of the population during the last four years. But it should be recollected, that as our population had increased, it had become necessary to cultivate wheat on lands which were less la vourably situated, both with regard to soil and climate, than land formerly cultivated.—(Hear, hear.) The consequence was, that a larger period of fine weather was required to get in the harvest than had been formerly.—(Hear, bear.) Now that was a conse quence of the Cot n-laws. It was not an occasional occurrence, but it was a permanent cause, affecting all average years.—(Cheers.) The Right Hon. Gentleman had said that this was a labourer's question rather than a landlord's question, or a farmer's question. He (Lord John Russell) believed that with respect to the effect that would be produced upon the agricultural labour by an alteration in the Corn-laws, great exaggeration had been practised. Even if the Corn.laws should be totally repealed, he (Lord John Russell) did not imagine that any great extent of land would be thrown out of cultivation. The population of this country had increased to such an extent during the last twenty years, that ill America writers of authority had calculated either that an immense im provement must have taken place in the productive powers of the land formerly in cultivation, or that 2,400,000 additional acres of land must have been brought under cultiva tion, to support the addition which had been made to our population between 1838 and 1841. Now if that was the rate at which our population increased, although a greater importation of corn might be required front foreign countries to support our additional population, it by no means followed that any large extent of land would be thrown out of cultivation—(Cheers) —and with a moderate fixed duty he entertained no such appre hension.—'Cheers.) Now considering this a labourer's question, if no groat quantity of land were thrown out of cultivation, the ad ditional quantity of corn which would be provided for the con sumption of the country from foreign countries woi.ict be of great advantage both to the agricultural labour and to the artisan. There fore, looking at it as a labourer's question, he was (f opinion that as a change in the Corn-laws was very desirable for the labourer engaged in agriculture, was with respect to food, in the same condition as the artisan in the manufacturing towns.— (Cheers.) Now what was the state of the country at the present moment ? The Right Hon. Gentleman had said that they had beard less of foreign competition as affecting our manufactures. H e (Lord J. Russell) believed that it would not be denied that for a great many years past, foreign manufactures had increased, fo reign machinery had been Improved, and now capital in Continental countries had been devoted to tnanufact ures.—(Hear, hear.) Could they forget the oft.quoted assertion of Mr. Huskisson in the year 1630, that England had 'no means of meeting foreign com petition but by diminishing either the wages of la bour or the cost of production ? One means of diminishing the cost of production, was by the introduction of machinery as a substitute for manual labour.—(Hear, hear.) Another means was to lower the wages of labour. Mr, luskisson was right in his principle. The English manufacturer went to the - foreign market but he could not demand for his broods the price which he might choose, but he must reduce the cost of the production of his mall'. facture to the cost for which the foreign manufacturer could pro. duce a similar manufacture, and in that way the English ma nufacturer and artisan suffered.—(Hear, hear.) It had always been said in former debates, that the manufacturer could trust to the home market ; that would supply all deficiencies in the foreign market, and that in the home market the manufac turer would find his best safety. But when, in consequence of the Corn-laws, corn was at such a price that the labourer was obliged to spend t he greater part of his earnings in food, then the diminution in the sale of manufactured articles was so great that, in some districts, they found thousands of artisans, as was the case last year, were reduced to a state of the greatest possible distress.— (Hear, hear.) Thus there were two causes operating to produce distress, the first, foreign competition, which was gaining on us year by year; and secondly. the diminished quantity of food in the country, as compared with the population—(Hear, hear) — and both these circumstances ter.ded to produce distress among the people of this country. With such causes existing it was to be expected that the effects would not have been wanting, and un. happily they knew too well of the existence of intense distress at the present moment, unhappily they knew too well that in certain districts of the country there were thousands of persons wanting em ployment, and whose ciminished means enabled them to consume only so much food as with difficulty kept them alive.—(Hear, hear.) While such was their condition, it was the duty of the Legislature to provide some remedy that should be potent, immediate, and effectual, and what could be a more important remedy than an alte. ration in the import duties on corn ?—(Cheers.) He could not agree with the Right Honourable Gentleman in his his view of the state of the country. It seemed that the Right Hon. Gen tleman considered the present was one of those ordinary transitions in commerce and manufactures in which, after a period of great trade and production, distress naturally followed. He (Lord J. suds a disadiantage as Dantzic and " some other places. He wished in what he now stated, considering the length of the de bates, to co dine himself to the particular subject they had dig. cussed, the relative merits of the fixed duty, and the fluctuating scale, and if the Noble Lord had wished to enlighten the House upon the subject he would have explained what he meant by justice to the agriculturist. The Noble Lord stated that he did not expect that a is. duty would diminish the price of corn — how, therefore, he would ask, could it be considered as a settle ment of the Corn.laws ? Those who were for the repeal of the Corn-laws said that the Bread.tax was odious and unjust. The Noble Lord told them they did not think that a fixed duty would materially reduce the price. It, therefore, could not be expected that such a proposition would act as a permanent settlement. The Noble Lord who spoke early in the debate, the Member for Sunderland, not only admitted that the proposition was an improvement on the old system, but that it would be productive of an increase to the revenue; he also drew a favourable contrast between the proceedings of the present and the late Government, in re. spect to the measure now before the House. Having determined on the alteration of the Corn.laws, he (Sir R. Peel) had thought it his duty to put it in her Majesty's Speech, and they had brought it forward as early as possible; the question affected great interests, in respect to which the minds of. lion. Memhers were divided. In dealing with the question, he felt that it was desirable to bring it to a practicable conclusion. He did not wish to bring forward a measure stating general principles, which, upon consideration, could not be carried into effect. wished to bring forward a measure, not to give universal satisfaction, for of that he despaired, but to give to the rational portion of the community—(lronical cheers from the Opposition, and cheers from ttlie Ministerial side of the House.) Yes (continued the Right Honourable Gentle_ mars), and I have done it; and what make your debate so dull, it is because the country has decided in its favour. But he was speaking of the agricultural community, and be be lieved that among the trading, manufacturing, and commercial classes there was • strong conviction that the measure whioh he proposed, looking to the distressed state of the couutry, was a fair and just arrangement.—(Loud cheers.) If it had been other wise, he would have found the debates in that House carried on with vigour and a little more courage—(Continued cheers.) Well, the question was, what should be done with this law upon the second reading of the Bill. The proposal was to reject the Bill. Why, the division that night would be no indication of opinion on the subject of the Corn.laws, because it would be his mis. fortune to find opposed to him those who were with the Noble Lord in favour of a fixed duty. Was that the fixed duty of last session or the fixed duty of this ?—(Loud cheers and laughter.) He would tell the Noble Lord that when he said he spared his agricultural friends from being threatened with the ghost of the late Govern. ment in " Palace-yard," if that Government were an indication of the present Government, the apparition would not be an uncem. lovable one.—(Cheers and laughter.) Would the Noble Lotd, when lie made that offer, tell him ? As he said before, when'the Noble Lord made that offer, he was bequeathing to him (Sir Robert I'eel) one of those legacies the late Government on their death bed left to an admiring couutry. He did not tell him (Sir R. Peel) whe. ther he meant the fixed duty of Is., which was to he the amount proposed by the late Government, whatever might be the pr ice of corn, in order to insure a permanence of commercial ar. rangements, or whether it was a modification of the fixed duty, which it appeared the Noble Lord bad proposed, in the course of the next Session—the present one, which adopted the average—for it was necessary to the working of the system, and which provided that when corn should arrive at 735. there should be a sudden drop in the scale from Ss. to a nominal duty. Therefore the Noble Lotd, when he made that offer, should distinctly explain the nature of it. He was saying whom he should have the misfortune that night of having opposed to him, and who were the advocates of a fixed duty. All those who thought there ought to be a fixed duty as counter. vailing the burthens on land; and those who were with the Noble Lord, the Member for Tiverton, thought there ought to be a bread tax upon foreign corn imported, not for the purpose of protections but for revenue.—(Hear, hear.) Those who opposed the Noble Lord, and were for a fixed duty of 55., and those Ho. nourable Gentlemen opposite who opposed any duty whatever. Then he was afraid he should be opposed by those who, differing with him in the details of the measure because they thought that his propos.J' endangered the prosperity of agriculture. Then he was afraid he should be opposed by some of the lion. Gentlemen ftorn the sister kingdom—(Laughter—who are the loudest advo. cates of free trade, and who gave the support to the measures of a Government when it was only the ghost of a free trade principle. The Noble Lord had proposed a duty of 3s. 2d. on oats, when the price was at the highest, and yet his (Sir R. Peel's) measure was considered inadequate, and pregnant with danger to the interest of the grower ; at any rate, the protection he offered was prefer. able to that of the Noble Lord. Now, he asked Hon. Gentlemen entertaining these different opinions if they could agree with the Noble Lord. He did not think the Noble Lord would vote willingly, for he knew that he was in a minority. He thought the advocates of increased pro tection in Ireland, and those Gentlemen who thought that there should be increased protection to wheat—although they might think he did not go far enough, yet they would see in the present state of parties, and the state of the public mind, it was not possible that any increased protection would give general satisfaction. If they found amongst the most intelligent of the agricultural community an opinion that increased protection could not be maintained, he hoped they would add their influence, and that his Hon. Friends, if not agreeing in the details of tie measure, yet he hoped they would themselves give it their support. The Noble Lord ridiculed the prejudices and ap. prehensions of the agriculturists. Now the Noble Lord ought to be sparing in his ridicule. He was perectly right. He ( Sir Robert Peel) did not question his right to corn. plain, but he ought to do it in a manly and courageous manner on those men of more extended views. The Noble Lord ought to have some mercy on the ignorant farmer who had prejudices and apprehensions as to agricultural affairs, because if ever there was a public man who wrote in a manlier calculated to excite those apprehensions, that man was the Noble Lord. The Right Hon. Member for Dongarvon was all for oats.—(An Hon. Member on the Ministerial Benches here made a suggestion to Sir R. Peel, which was understood to be to the effect that the prese .t Member for Dungarvon was representative for Tipperary at the time the Right Hon. Baronet alluded to.)—That was exactly so (continued Sir Robert Peel); the Member for Tipperary was then all for oats, and the Noble Lord (J. Russell), then Member for Huntingdon,hire, was all for wheat. Other Hon. Members had their agricultural partialities, and the maxim of each Hon. Gentleman would sppear to have been trbque prior, its pares—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) What would be the consequence if the measure then proposed by him (Sir It. reel, was rejected, he offered, immediately upon the passing of it, a great mitigation in the amount and wet': of distress at present suffered throughout the country. Reject that Bill, what other would be proposed. Was the Noble Lord opposite (Lord J. Russell) able to propose or strong enough to carry out any other measure.—(Loud cheers and counter cheers.) Was there any other party able or strong enough to carry out a better measure than that now before the House.—(Cheers.) No, —the only result, if it was attempted, would be that the question might remain the subject of long discussion ; that it would dis turb that connexion which should subsist between landlord and tenant, making it impossible for any man to know what were the circumstances in which he was placed. Upon the whole he be lieved that the measure he proposed was as large as any man could propose. He believed that the agriculturists of the country were anxious for the passing of that Bill, and that they were anxious for a practical proof of the working of it.—(Hear.) That being the case, although he could not anticipate the support of Hon. Gentlemen opposite, he did hope that the Bill would have the support of a majority of that House on the present and future readings.—(Cheers.) Russell) attributed the distress to the operation of causes, which would not pass away in that manner. He attributed that distress 'to the operation of the present Coin-laws, and of the sliding scale, and he could only look to the remo►al of that cause for an efficient remedy.—(Hear, hear.) The Right Honourable Gentleman had seemed ♦ery anxious throughout the discussion to weaken the force of the argument respecting the trade in corn with America. He had felt the great disadvantage under which the corn trade of America laboured ascompared with the corn trade of other countries : he had felt the impo: t once of nut discouraging the corn trade with that country, but he had lelt likewise that the sliding scale was a great obstacle to that trade. With a duty of eight shillings a merchant might be enabled to send his corn to this country, and to obtain g profit on the transaction, but if on its arrival in this country he found a duty of 18s. or 2115., he could not enter it for consumption except at a loss In order to get rid of that difficulty, the Right Hon. Gentleman had been obliged to make allusion to voyages of unexampled raai dity which had taken place two years and a half since. Under fa vourable circumstances, it might, no doubt, be possible occasionally to make the voyage in time, but he would ask the llouse if the better way would not be not to make a law interposing a difficulty. There were largeland fertile regions in the country producing corn in abun. dance, from which the starving multitudes in this country might be: supplied, which was anxious to supply us and to take our manufactures in return. What must be thought then of the Par liament sitting here and of the Congress in America—of the Ugh.. latures of the two most free and enlighted nations in the world legislating as if their objects were to interpose obstacles to prevent the enjoyment of those blessings?—(Cheers.) The Right Hon. Gen. tleman had spoken of a price of 725. offering a greater inducement to the importer than could be offered with a fixed duty of Bs. But if at the price of 565., with the duty of Bs., the merchant could import corn so as to obtain a profit equal to that which he would obtain on any other commercial transaction, was it to be supposed that he would abstain from doing so?—(Cheers.) No doubt the Honourable Gentleman's 725. would hold out a great induce.. ment, because he might make one hundred per cent. profit by that transaction, while by the next he might lose fifty per cent. (Hear, hear.) That was not the trade that oughtto be encouraged.—(Loud cheers.) The Right Honourable Baronet was right to hold out that inducement with the sliding scale. It was the only way in which the Bill could do good ; be. cause the merchant would calculate that though upon one transac. Lion he might ba obliged to sell at a loss, another time he might be enabled to make an immense profit. But this was the very foot. ing on which they ought not to put it. It was the very induce. ment which they ought not to hold out. He must beg pardon for referring to what had been the policy in 1804. It was to have three duties—one a prohibitory, the second extending over a large number of prices, and another which was merely nominal. But looking backwards he found that in the year 1703 the duty was Bs. 6d. from 555. to 82s. That was the rate of duty in the reign of Cl•arles the Second. But in 1774 a change was made, by which the duty was reduced to the nominal one of 6d.—(Hear, lie.ir)—and during the period of 134 years, from 1640 to 1774, the rate of duty was under 9d.; and in that period the price of corn remained more steady than it ever had been since. Instead of a sliding scale, the policy of all former times was to have a fixed duty of about 85.—(Hear)—and now the Right Hon. Baronet pro. posed an average duty of 18s., coming down to 75., which lie called a modification of the law.—(Hear, hear.) It was to be remembered that when the attempt was made, in 1815, to raise the protection, it was in a depreciated currency— (Hear, liear)—but now that by the Act of the Right Honourable Gentleman (in 1819) the country had got a currency payable in gold, they ought to go back to as liberal a principle as their ancestors had pursued. But he would ask, why cid they think It ne cessary that in these days it was necessary to uphold a protective system ? It had been for a long while the favourite principle of politicians to extend protection to every part of industry. But Mr. Huskisson and Lord Ripon abandoned that view, and saw that it was a mistaken policy to continue such protection. They chancel the system of protection in respect to cotton, silk, gloves, and other articles of manufacture, and instead of injury, those engaged in the manufacture cf those articles had ul- timately derived the greatest advantages.—(Hear, hear.) Those who proposed such changes were not deterred by the apprehensions _ .. of the manutacturers.—(Hear, hear.) Neither ought the Legisia• Lure now be deterred by the apprehensions of some of the land- holders from applying the same principle to the production of core—(Hear, hear)—for in the end these would find their into• rebts as little damaged by the change as were those of the mauu- _ tacturers by the change to which he had referred.—(Hear, hear.) With respect to the agriculturists:themselves, who had been the _ . . effect of modifying other protections which they had enjoyed? One of their valued protections was that of the duty upon _ _ the importation of foreign wool. His Noble Friend the Duke of Riehn.ond—(Hear, hear)—applied himself to that subject, and assisted in procuring a repeal of the duty; and so far from a dimi nution of the value or quantity of the home production, there had been a great increase. —(Hear.) Why, then, was it not possible that all which theory taught, and all that experience confirmed in respect to other products, should not be verified in the case of corn ? There was, however, an objection to the pet feet ameliora. tion of the law, which depended more upon political than commer_ cial considerations. It depended more upon the state of parties and the wishes of the Right Hon. Gentleman to conciliate his sup. porters, than upon any commercial grounds.—(Opposition cheers.) The Right Hon. Gentleman had to some extent carried an altera. tion of the law, wl.ich many of his supporters disapproved. But by what argument was it carried ? Nut on account of the impolicy of the law; not became, as the Right Honourable Gcntletnan " ' himself had admitted, the present law was, to a certain extent, a cause of the distress of the country, and of the manufactures especially, but because the failure of the Bight Honourable Gentleman's proposition would cause what was worse :till, another change of Government.— (Hear, hear, and laughter.) That class of the Right Hon. Gentleman's supporters were told, that if the measures of the Right Hon. Gentleman were not car. tied, they could not pass through Palace-yard without meeting the ghost of the late Government.—(Hear, hear, and great laughter,) It was by such argument that Gentlemen opposite were induced to support the proposition. If such argu • ments were good for anything, they would be good for another and a better change.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) If such a change could be made, then the late Government would be glad to remain in abeyance until it was carried through.—(Cheers and laughter.) A gentleman in Liverpool had said that the ques. Lion at the general election was not whether the late Government should remain in power, but whether the Right Hon. Baronet, even under the auspices of the Duke of Buckingham, would be able to form a Government.--( Cheers ) But he should not so much complain of that course of electioneering policy, if he could see a sound commercial principle introduced in legislating upon other questions which at the present time were before the House, —such as the law of marriage, Ike. The object was avowed to be the removal of an evil. But in legislating upon this subject, the argument was that corn ought not to be reduced so low as 43. a quarter ; that it was horrible for food to be provided from foreign countries in too great abundance. For his part, it was not his wish that corn should be at 545. or 565. ; but that it should be at the lowest price at which it could be obtained with due protection to the home producers of this commodity. He would not have the farmer bring his corn to market loaded with imports, to which those of other countries were not subject. But, lie thought that, without lowering the remuneration to the farmer, there would be a great increase of trade, and all the financial diffi culties we had to contend with would be overcome.—(Hear.) He hought that with such an increase of trade, the landlord; themselves would greatly benefit. S'r R. PEEL then rose to address the House amid much cheer ing. He must first offer his acknowledgineats to the Noble Lord for the liberal off..r he had been good enough to make him of the Bs. duty.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord had said that he was perfectly welcome to take possession of it,and that probably, if he adopted it, his Friends and supporters would be compelled to sanction it. He would not adopt it because he totally disapproved of it. He disapproved of it when in Opposition, and he disapproved of it now. The Noble Lord was no doubt aware that he (Sir 11. Peel) would, in the present session, propose an alteration in the Corn.laws, and he therefore need not taunt him with inconsistency in bringing forward the measure he had done. If he (Sir R. Peel) had proposed the Bs. duty, he could not defend it on the principles of the Noble Lord, because he had told the House that he did not wish corn to he lower in price than was consistent with justice to the agrieul. turista. Now, having made that statement, it was, in his (Sir R. Peel's) opinion, incumbent upon the Noble Lord to inform tie House what he considered to be justice to the agriculturists. He apprehended that, in coing so, he would labour under pretty nearly the same difficulty that he (Sir R. Peel) laboured under, as he was not aware of the distinction in principle between himself and the Noble Lord. He had been blamed for stating that corn would probably vary between 545. and 585., and the Nobie Lord had said would be any material difference in the price of corn. he did not apprehend theme that if he adopted his Bs. duty, Sir CHARLES NAPIER rose amidst loud cries of " Divide, divide," and gave way for Lord WORSLEY, who addressed the House in a very inaudible tone of voice, said lie would not have hesitated to give way to the Right Hon. Baronet, but that he was anxious to move for the ad. journment. He (Lord Worsley) might have adopted the same course last year, but he felt that he should no'. have been acting as H e was confidence fter war d an independent Member of P ar li ament i f he vote d for t h e mea . sure proposed by her Majesty's Government. called Inconsistent, because he recorded hvote to oexpress in the Government, arid when h e was asked b y hi s cons ti t uents if he would withdraw his confide nce from the then Governmen t, h e said he would not, because, fr om w h at he knew o f th e p o litic a l a conduct of the Right Hon. Baronet, he could not be depended upon. It might he said now that the House hart pledged itself to inquire into the subject of the Corn-laws ; but who made that pledge I There was an amendment to the address, moved by the Right Hon. Baronet. It stated a willingnes; to inquire into the subject of the Corn-laws. It was moved by the Hon. Member who before with the single excepti on of the Right Hon. Baronet, those who objected to the measure proposed b y h er Ma j esty ' s Government, opposed that measure did so on the ground that there should be no alteratirn in the Corn-laws. This Bill, in his (Lord Wors- Icy's) opinion, was not calculated to promote the interests of the agriculturists, and he did not think that the manufacturers con sidered it as contributing tiwards their welfare; and then it could not be denied, and it was the general feeling throughout the country, that this would not be a final measure. But the Right Hon • Baronet said that the country was equally willing with himself to adopt this measure; but that was only because the cceintry knew that the Right Honourable Baronet had power to carry any measure he brought forward. He (Lord Worsley) did not think that the Government of the country showed that interest in its welfare which had hitherto characterised its proceedings. It had been said that if Gentlemen could trot agree to the measure of the Right Honourable Baronet, they must either take the fixed duty, or revert to the old law. He (Lord Wortley) wanted to ensure a plentiful supply of corn in this country, but unless they put on such a duty as would prevent corn coming in when there was plenty at home, they would be doing that which, whilst of little benefit to the consumer, would greatly injure the honest grower of corn at home.—(Hear, hear, hear.) He had received a letter from a gentleman at Manchester, recommending this Bill on two grounds—first, because it would lower the price of corn on the Continent, and secondly, because it would not secure a regular supply here; but these were the very grounds on which he (Lord Worsley) thought this Bill ought to be opposed, because if It were enacted, and if such were to be the results, much of the land In England now employed in agriculture, would go out of cultivation, and the agricultural labourers sufhbring in consequence, would be driven to the manufacturing districts, and universal distress must ensue. The Noble Lord concluded by withdrawing his motion. The SPEAKER having put the question, Sir C. NAPIER said that he wished to observe, in reference to the papers for which he had moved the other evening, in the pas sage from Liverpool to America and back, fißy.one days would elapse before the merchant's order for corn could be executed ; why, then, he wanted to know, should not the duty be paid accord ing to price that existed when it was shipped.—(Cries of " I)ivide, divide." The House then divided, when there appeared — For the second reading ............... 284 Againstit ................................. 1 7 6 RAILWAYS BILL. Majority for the second reading (Hear.) In speaking of the present price of corn he could not go along with the Noble Lord, because his opinion was, that under his proposition a considerable re,luction would take place in theprice of earn He (Sir R. Peel) should not have thought it necessary to have adverted to the speech which he made in bringing forward this measure if the Noble Lord had not taken notice of it. He (Sir It. Peel) had been told that in bringing for ward this measure he had stated that he did not contemplate any relief to commerce from it. Now, this was what he did state ; he had not corrected it, but he must express his surprise at the fide lity with which reports had been falsely given in that House. He found from the document he held in his hand that be stated that when he brought forward the Corti laws that he found great attempts had been made to create excitement by declaring that distress was attributable to the Corn-laws. Ile found that there was great distress, and that efforts had been made to inflame the passions of the people with the cry of the Corn-laws, and that the distress in the great agricultural interests of the country was inflamed for the purpose of keeping up the Corn-laws. Now the language which he made use of was this, that he felt it to be his duty to declare, that he could not re commend the proposal he was about to make by stating that it would tend materially to mitigate commercial distress ; and the Noble Lord stated that iti that respect he took a view not materially different from his (Sir It. Peel's). Ile then went on to say that he thought he should practice a delusion if he stated that if an alteration ig the Corn-laws he proposed would make a material alteration in commercial distress. He then added that lie mbnitted the existence of commercial distress, and deplored the sufferings occasioned by it, yet he felt bound to declare that he could not attribute that distress to the extent to which it was sup posed by some to be caused bp the operation of the Corn-laws'. Such was the statement he made, and he adhered to i'. Ile t h ou ght that the effect of the Corn.laws had been greatly exaggerated. He stated that there were many other causes o f t h e d i stress, but that he did not despond. That was one of the misrepresentations which, in the course of ten nights' debate, had been made with respect to what had been stated.—(Hear, hear.) It was said that he had brought forward the measure without the slightest hope that it would do any good. Then with respect to the importation of corn, the Noble Lord had said that he (Sir It Peel) had taken a practical instance with respect to the imports from the United States. He admitted that he did take an instance of imports from the United States for a short period, and the Gal. lant Commodore, the Member for Marylebone, wished to have same p York in 1841, and the ft i n f o rmation with respect to the period which v esse l s took i n com i ng from ou New (Sir R. Peel) had an ac. nt of l-ork vessels to iLiverpool. sailed Now from he New v that er averag e duration of each voyage was twent y . t h ree days. Now if th a t was the case—if they permitted, by an alteration of the duty, a more regular trade in corn than under the existing l a w, he thought t it would appear clear that the United States watt not placed at count thirty - 108 To be rep rinted in the mean This Bill went through Committee, pro f o rma, and is to be The Orders of the Day were then proceeded with, and the House t t i a m ke e t . i into consideration on Monday. adjourned at Two o'Clock. ROLLS' COURT, March 9. !THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 10, 1142 COURIER.—The Bombay government was stated , to have been in the receipt of various despatches from the northern frontier ; but their contents were not suffered to transpire ; " the most rigid secresy " had been maintained respecting them. The fact is of bad omen, for if the intelligence so communicated had been in any way encouraging, it surely would have been al lowed to find its way to the public, if only to alleviate the poignant anxiety of so many families in that city who had friends or relatives among the forces in Cabool. The only favourable feature in the news from India now received, if so purely negative a fact may be s 6 considered, is that General Sir R. Sale still main tained his ground at Jellalabad, and from accounts would be able to maintain himself there, but nothing more. Such is the deplorable scene of disaster and disgrace which winds up the melodramatic horrors of that tra gedy of Affghanist,an, the joint composition of the Whig Board of Control, headed by Sir John Cam Hobhouse, the " juvenile" Whig Foreign Secretary, Lord Palmerston, and that very staid and soft-looking personage the (now) Earl of Auckland. That tragedy opened with a deafening flourish of trumpets; gorgeous was the spectacle ; orientally blazing the decorations ; the managers excellently well 'entitled to placard themselves as having spared neither pains nor expense in getting up a show that should' astonish the world. And the world will be astonished as much as the Bri- STATE OF TRADE. (From the Manchester Guardian.) SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. LATEST BETTING AT MANCHESTER-TUESDAY. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, March 9. The LORD CHANCELLOR sat in Lincoln's Inn Hall. SPRIIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. GLOBE. —We are glad to see the attention of Parliament at length called, with a serious purposei to the shocking and swelling nuisance and danger 4of interments in London and other large towns. And we are glad to find Sir James Graham admit ting that " the time has arrived when some legis , lative interference upon this subject is necessary." We only hope that the measures which have be ' come imperative will be made efficient. In Mr: Mackinnon's motion for a Select Committee to consider the expediency of framing some legisla tive enactments for the abatement of this nuisance (which the City of London, and many other places, have at length become sensible of,) a proviso is in serted for due respect to the rights of the clergy. We corceive that the clergy can have no vested right in pestilence, though the doctors may ; and, indeed, it is the latter learned profession in our principal towns, that we should have supposed chiefly interested in keep: ing open that foes etfomes veneni,which multiplies death and disease in the whole vicinage of city church yards.' The shafts are invisible, and therefore the pest has been deemed non-existent, so long as it was possible to shut the other senses against it. This is no longer possible ; and the excess of the evil will at length, it may be hoped, force the remedy. We do not for a moment disguise our own conviction that the cure should be made more radical than, we fear, is at present likely. We look upon the enclosures around places of worship as, from that very circum stance, the most unfit places possible for the purpose of sepulture. Churches and chapels are always built either where a large population exists, or as near as possible to considerable numbers of people. They form natural centres of population, the nucleus of enlarged neighbourhoods. To make them receptacles, to an in definite extent, of the relics of mortality, is to secure that the remains of the dead shall be intei :eel as near the living as possible, when the objeCt of wise regulations should be to remove them to the greatest practical distance. Xliere is, therefore, a radical vice in the very selection Of church-yards as grave-yards. We know that, in country places, this objection is less palpable ; and that a great deal of sen timent, and a great deal of superstition, is arrayed in favour of the practice. We protest against sentiment being mistaken for sound feeling, or superstition for religion. STANDARD.—How is it that the Whig party never possessed office without drawing some signal and enduring disgrace upon the nation—the expedi tion to the Dardanelles, the capitulation of Buenos Ayres, and this last and worst disaster ? How is this war in Central Asia to end ? Let those who embarked the nation answer. They ought to be made to answer. Although we could have much to say of the condition of the army at Jellalabad, as described in Sir Richard Sale's despatch, our atten tion is called to the other Whig-born war, the war in China. Accounts from Macao, to the 13th of December, describe the British forbes, naval and mi litary, as inactive, waiting for further re-inforcements. That is to say, we are at an enormous expense maintaining a fleet and an army at the other side of the globe, which are inactive because they are too weak to act with any rational pros pect of success. What does the Chinese Government care for their presence ? What Motive can this alone supply for coming to terms of accommodation ? We may in this way exhaust the whole resources of the empire, without in the slightest degree improving our position. But then this fleet and army will be re-inforced. Sir Robert Peel's Go vernment must make the best 'of the disastrous legacy bequeathed to them. This fleet and army will act, and act successfully. What then ? Suppose them to reduce in succession all the great towns and cities upon the coast—and we are not to expect, or to fear, that Sir Robert Peel's Govern ment will play the Affghanistan game by hazarding a British army at a distance from the coast—all the great towns along th e coas t re d uce d in succession ; again, what then ? The fate of Canton, once more preparing for resistance, proves that we cannot count upon their continued submission unless we occupy them. But this is, happily, impOssible, from the number of troops that would be required, and the distance. Still what then ? We have proof that unless utterly pros trated, the Chinese Government will not yeld a jot ; and this not stupid obstinacy, which we might hope to overcome by perseverance and continued persecu tion. It is sound policy. The prestige of pre-emi nence and invincibility are the Emperor's title; let him abandon that, in however slight a degree, and his Crown is not worth a day's purchase. Such is the second legacy of the Whigs ; but we have no pleasure in dwelling upon such things. fish nation is now scandalised and humiliated, when the bill of particulars shall come to be published of commencing triumphal processions and parades, end ing in the mournful consummation of the wreck and ruin of military enterprise, with the blood-stained scene of the finale on which drops the curtain of Whig recklessness, rapacity, and imbecility, never we hope to be raised again. The Affghan piece, the crowning achievement of Whig-Aadical misrule, is damned to everlasting infamy. MANCHESTER.—We regret to say, that the depression in this market continues, without- the slightest abate ment ; and prices, both of goods and yarn, gradually recede from day to day ; the decline in nearly all des 7 criptions of yarn since yesterday fortnight, amount ing to a full farthing per pound, with a corres ponding reduction upon most manufactured fabrics . ; and, even at these miserably low prices, the demand is exceedingly limited:' We understand that a large spinning and manufacturing firm in this town have decided on stopping their factory on Friday next, by which upwards of a thousand hands will be thrown out of employment ; and it is to be feared that, unless a favourable change should speedily take place, their example must be followed by many other concerns, and the consequences to the labouring classes will be most disastrous. The gloom which prevails here has recently been increased by one or two failures in the town, and by one at Belfast, with respect to which some rather exaggerated statements have been circulated. We un derstand that the debts owing in Manchester—which have been represented as amounting to 30,0001. or 40,00 CL—do not really exceed eight or ten thousand ; and this is divided amongst so many parties, that no very serious loss will be sustained by any one firm. . ROCHDALE FLANNRL MARKET, MONDAY, MARCH 7. —The flannel market has been thinly attended to-day, and, if possible, less business done than on the preceding Monday. In the wool market there is no change. CH ESTER Cur.-7 to 1 agst Lanereost (offered)-11 to 1 agst Marshal Soult—l2 to I agst Vulcan (t)-15 to 1 agst The Squire-16 to 1 agst Alice Hawthorn-13 to 1 agst Bet lona-20 to 1 agst Rhodanthe-25 to 1 agst Satirist-30 to 1 agst Disclosure-30 to 1 agst Rory O'More-30 to 1 agat Johnny. DERBY. —9 to 1 agst Attila (t)-23 to 1 agat Dirce c (offd) —25 to 1 agst Chatham-30 to I agst BaUankrole-35 to 1 apt Auckland (t)-45 to I agst Meteor-50 to 1 agst Joanna c (0-4,000 to b 0 apt Canadian (t). OA ICS. —9 to 1 agst Passion-10 to 1 apt Syren (t)-13 to 1 agst Adela f-13 to I agst Sister to Yorkshire Lad. IN THE MATTER OP THE CLARENCU RAILWAY. The arguments in this part-heard case wire resumed and con cluded today. The LORD CHANCELLOR said he should take time to consider his judgment. CLARKE P. TIPPIN. This case came before the Court On demurrer. The case is of no interest except to the parties concerned, and the arguments were not concluded when his Lordship rye. JOHNSON V. TOLD. The arguments In this cue were resumed to.day, and engaged the Court to the time of its rising. HIS LORDSHIP rose at half-past three o'clock. VICE-CHANCELLORS' COURT, March 9. (Before Vice-Chancellor WIG RAM. ) No case involving any feature of general interest was heard In tbia Court up to its rising. EVSOLV.ENT DEB TO t?S' COURT, March 9. The Court was occupied during the greater part of the morning i n hearing bail cases, of which th ere were seventeen town and five country cases. Most of the sureties offering themselves were re ceivedi a nd the insolvents lib era t e d until the day of hearing. Not the slightest feature of general interest appeared in any of them. RE THOM&S MILDNAY. The insolvent, who described himself as a student of medicine, was opposed by a tailor, named Wilson, for a trade debt amount.. ing to 27/. WE. The names of several other creditors appeared LLOYD'S SHIPPING. moderate.—Arrd. 13elvi (S.11.1Vd.,;ick, New York; Calcutta, t e i r il d 'cl' ani for Surinam. Arrd. from thu LONDON, MARCH 9.—Wind this day at noon S. W. Enchantress, River (‘Rlveeipl.:eteiA,Ca:r'adJ'icol:uhltnZAtaoßd;ußliai‘ar‘lB:lee.lll—titi,°nltgVl fur Mauritius; Arbreapain, Rio; yres, sailed 24th Dec. ; fresh.—Arrd. January 8, and 3SGihalLamrnly,bn, Somerville, , r 0 13 o em udlcaa; MARC", c l u s ti a t a n s, d .s e; leld, i ßarbadoes ;,frdomlltrhsc. lalir;e, , St. Helena 23; Jas. Mattheson, Branscourt, Valpairaso, sailed Forester, do. anßhaumen;os Sunflower, 3d Dec. C c n a 0 1 . 7 0, y i3ro i‘ w i a n r , sailed 30th Jan. ; Isabel, Griffith, Lord Maidstone, '1 aylor, George, Victory, 13rooks, Lord Seaton, and Treason, Mor rison. New Orleans; Siren. Monde'', Brunswick, M'Manus, anti Josephs, Leitch, Mobile ; Solon, New York, sailed 15th ult. Put back, Rosalie, for Rio. Arrd. off, Mexican 1 acket Laguna, Pinenix, Thodo , ia, and Winwick, PORTSMOUTH, MA Berl 8 . Wiud S. W. Ares!. H.M.S. Athol, Barbadoes, sailed 10th ult. Jane Clark, Lawson, from Shields to Naples, was in contact with the Athol, 7th inst., the Lizard N. by E. 21 miles, and sank, crew saved. Mem H. nl. steamer Driver will proceed on Thursday next for China. COAL. MARCH 6.—Arrd. A lice Brown, Donald, Monte Video ; Westmoreland, wa4er, St. John's ; Veracity, Dick son, Aux Cayes. RAMSGATE, MARCH B.—Sid. Amelia,- Mulholland, and Fattan, Mauritius. BRInFORT, MARCH B.—A quarter-board marked Dorothy, Cales, was picked up yesterday. GUERNSEY . , MARCH s.—Sailed John, Havannah. FALMOUTH, MARCH 7,—Wind S. to S. W. fresh gales and Equally.—Arrd. Memnon (steamer), London for China. Sld. Liverpool (steamer), Vigo. in his schedule, but none of them appeared in opposition. It was alleged by the insolvent that the debt with the opposing creditor was contracted at a time when he (the insolvent) was under age, and that many of the articles supplied were not actual necessaries, and that the charge had been much beyond their actual value. The Court held that there was no grounds for remanding the insolvent, and he was consequently ordered to be discharged forthwith. ASSIZE: INTELLIGENCE. HOME ClRCUlT.—Chelmsford, March 9. (Before Mr. Baron ALDERSON.) James Lewis, 23, Joseph Double, 32, William Chappell, 22, Sa muel Bennett, 21, John Taylor, 25, and William Twaitss, the last mentioned prisoner being a gamekeeper to Lord William Paget, were indicted for having feloniously entered the preserves of John Dickenson, Esq., at Nustley, armed with guns, and in search of game, and also with violently assaulting John Parker, a gamekeeper, and other persons. The Jury found all the prisoneas Guilty, and Mr. Baron Alderson sentenced Twaites, Chappell, Double, and Lewis to be transported Cur fifteen years, and Taylor and Bennett were ordered to be impri soned and kept to hard labour for two years. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. The LORD MAYOR stated that he felt very great pleasure in pub licly-mentioning that he had received the following communica tion from some gentlemen at the west end of the town, who had interested themselves most humanely and actively for the benefit of the distressed people of Spite Meld, : " My Lord,—The Secretary and two of the Committee of Trades. men, at the west end, have exerted themselves to get up a ball, in aid of the Rinds collecting for the distressed Spitalfields' weavers, which took place at Willis's Room•, King-street, St. James's, on Tuesday, the 22d of February, and well knowing the interest your Lordship has taken in their behalf, have taken the liberty to wait upon you to solicit your kind advice as to the method it will be necessary to adopt for the distribution of the proceeds, viz. 163/. Os. 6 d..—Awaiting your Lordship's reply, we are, my Lord, your obedient, humble servants, " H. P. PORES, 3, Spier-street, Leicester-square. " EDWARD J. CUTLER, 8, Hanover-street. " P. FIRMIN, 153, Strand." The money was forthwith transmitted to the Committee. Richard Hitchcock, who was last week charged with having de. frauded Mr. Hinton, formerly of the house of Taylor and Hinton, Queen.street, Cheapside, of various sums of money, amounting to upwards of 1,0001., under the pretence of carrying on a suit in Chancery on behalf of a man who had strong claims to an enor. - mous_ property, was brought up for final examination, Mr. Bozon attended as solicitor for the prosecution, and Mr Pelham appeared for the prisoner. The prisoner, who is the husband of Mr. Hinton's wife's mother, applied. as was stated upon the first examination, to the prosecutor to advance the means of carrying on a suit in Chancery for a man named Walls, who resided at Ingatestone, he (prisoner) well know ing that the business had been long terminated, and the proseutor, put upon his guard, continued to supply the cash required by the prisoner, who regularly pocketed it. and made his dupe be lieve that the case had been decided in favour of. Wall, to whom hundreds of thousands was to be handed over, and also was to re ward most liberally the kind individual who had supplied him with the means by which success had been secured: Sir Chapman Marshall, who presided when the first examina tion took place, remanded the prisoner, in order that Mr. Taylor, of the firm of Shaw and Taylor, solicitors, might be called upon to attend, to give evidence upon thesubject. Mr. John Taylor attended accordingly. The witness stated that the prisoner brought a man, whom he represented to be a Mr. Wall, to their office in Feachurch.street, and said that Mr. Wall was entitled to several hundred thousand pounds, and had been ad. vertised for a few years before in the public papers. The prisoner then expressed a wish that witness would take the business in hand. Witness desired to see the advertisement, and after having seen it, called upon Messrs. Teasdale and Simes, of Fenchurch. street, solicitors, who had put in the advertisement, and was in. formed by them that it was all at an end. Witness then returned to the office, and told Mr. Wall, in the presence of the prisoner, that he had better go home and till the ground, for there was nn. thing for him. This occurrence took place, to the best of witness's recollection, in 1839; but he had taken no memorandum of it whatever. He was however sure that the prisoner heard him tell Mr. Wall the result of the inquiry. He never afterwards saw the prisoner. In answer to Mr. Pelham, the witness said that a person, whom he believed to be Mr. Hinton, called upon him about, as well as he could remember, twelvemonths ago, and spoke to him on the subject, and his answer was that he had nothing to do with any property of the kind described, and that he knew uothing of any such property. Witness did not hear that Mr. Hinton had ad. vaneed large sums of money for carrying on equity proceedings. Mr. Pelham said it appeared from what had been stated in the course of the examinations which had taken place, that the prose cutor had advanced money to the prisoner even after the interview had taken place with Mr. Taylor. Mr. .Hinton said there was no foundation for stating anything of the sort. • In answer to a question from Mr. Boson, Mr. Hinton said that he was induced to draw his money from his bankers, and hand it over to the prisoner, in consequence of that person's solemn assurances that all was right, and that the immense property was becoming, and at last did become, the property of Mr. Wall, He was sorry to say that the prisoner's wife joined in car rying on the deception. The prisoner was then committed for trial. WORSHIP-STREET. MAKING AWAY WITH • BENEFIT SOCIETY'S FUNDS,- Ye sterday, Robert King, late landlord of the Blue Bell pnbaie-houre in Bell court, Long-alley, was re-examined before Mr. Baouotreosr, the silting Magistrate, upon a charge of making away with upwards of 70/, the monies of a benefit society called " The Independent ;" which is termed a " Birminghara".Society, the members of which contribute a certain sum weakly for mutual benefit, and at the end of each year make an equal distribution of the funds in hand. The accused had since the first examination been out on bail, his own recognizance in 2001. and two sureties of 1001. each. Mr Doane, barrister, was retained for him, and Mr. Hurst, solicitor conducted the case for the prosecution. The prisoner, himself a member of the society in question (and of other societies, held at his house), was charged under a clause of the act 10 Geo. IV., c. 56, which, if an officer or member, or other person connected with a benefit society, fraudulently get possession of monies belonging to the society, or having possession of such monies and unlawfully appropriate them, empower a magistrate upon proof and conviction, to order him to pay double the amount, and in default, to commit him to the House of Correction for three months. The case in hand had evidently excited intense interest, and in the course of the discussion various points were raised of the utmost importance to Benefit Societies generally. The facts already proved were the foil swing , The officers of the society had been in the habit of handing sun-a of money to the prisoner to be by him conveyed to Messrs, Meux and Co., the brewers, who paid 5 per cent interest upon monies de posited in their hands. and the prisoner's signature in the Society's book was taken as proof of his having so deposited the mo nies. Some time since, however, it was discovered that he had not deposited with the brewers upwards of 79/. intrusted to him last year for that purpose, although he had so entered it in the book. When called to account for this by Mr. Clarke, one of the Trustees, the prisoner told him not to be uneasy about the d--- money, which he promised should be forthcoming at the next meeting night. The day before that meeting took place, however, be left the house, and was succeeded in the business by his father- In.law. Last week he was apprehended in the City, and taken he fore the Lord Mayor, who sent him to this Court in custody of a City policeman. Mr. Clarke, the Trustee and the Secretary, also proved the receipt of the monies by the prisoner, and his entries in the books. Mr. Shurg, Megan. Meux and Co.'s cashier, attended with his books, and proved that the prisoner had not paid any such sums of money to their house in 1841, nor any sums in fact since 1839. • The Learned Counsel for the prisoner pointed out that the Acta relating to such societies specified the way in which their monies was to be invested, namely, in " Public Securities," and not in private hands, and made other provisions which had not been complied with, and he stated other objections which, how ever, were disposed of at a former examination, and the case , was 'theu, adjourned for further proof of the enrolment of the society, and production of a certified copy of the rules. Yesterday Mr. Clarke produced a copy of the rules, the same which had been returned to the Society after enrolment, with a certificate written upon it by the Deputy-Clerk of the Peace, au thenticating it as a true copy of the rules which had been ap proved by the Justices in Session, and placed on the rolls of the Court. Mr. Domse observed, that this was a printed copy, and not a transcript of the original in writing, such as, he condended, the law required. The 4th section of the Act to which he referred stated in exact terms that previously to enrolment, a transcript fairly written on paper or parchment, signed by three members of the society, and countersigned by the Secretary, should he taken to the barrister.at-law, appointed for that purpose, who, after finding them unobjectionable in law, should give his certificate to that effect, the rates to be then forwarded to the Clerk of the Peace, and npon approval by the Justices, to be put in the rolls of the Court, and;the Clerk of the Peace was then required to write his certificate upon a duplicate copy provided by, and to be returned to, the society. By a subsequent section, it was enacted that a transcript, a true copy, examined with the above, and proved to be a true copy. sheet, be received as evidence in any case. He submitted that a manuscript was what was required, and not a printed copy. Mr. Hunt contended that a transcript did not necessarily mean a manuscript, and that the copy produced was sufficient evidence. The copy had originally been sent, as repuired by Mr. Tidd Pritt. the barrister, who gave his certificate, and atterwatds tiled by the Clerk of the Peace, upon approval by the Justices„ and here was produced the copy which had been retureed to the Society from the Session, with the written certificates of the Deputy-clerk of the Peace. An adverse decision in this case was to place no less than 600 societies in jeopardy, for their proceedings were the same. Mr. BROUGHTON, finding the matter to be of such serious im. portance, adjourned the case for a week, and the defendant was ad. milted to bail as before. The Solicitor informed the Magistrate that if the prisoner should be discharged from this, he should next week have to prefer a fresh charge against him, of making away with a still larger amount of money belonging to another Society that had been held at his house. BOW-STREET. A good-looking girl, about twenty years of age, very meanly clad, who gave the name of Ann Tod, was placed at the bar Wader the following rather singular circumstances : A Gentleman, whose name was not mentioned, but who stated that he was a Corn.chandler, residing at No. 13, Drury.latie, said that yesterday morning about seven o'clock, his servant informed bins that there was a woman up-stairs in one of his rooms; he immediately ;Proceeded up-stairs to the second floor front room, where he saw the prisoner lying under the sofa. He asked her how she came there, and she replied that she did not know, but that she got in on Tuesday night. There were a good many valuable things about the room, but he did not observe that any of them had been touched or moved out of their places. It was very likely that she might have get in on Tuesday, as the same dour which leads into the shop communicates with the dwelling-house; but witness does not think that she could have got out again the next morning without having been seen. The girl, in her defence, stated that she lived at Grove-place, Mile-end, and that she was very sorry to have been found in such a predicament, but having been out with two or three people, she had partaken rather too freely, and had indulged in " pota. dens pottle deep," which took a strange effect upon her, and caused her to feel so stupid and drowsy that she did not know but that she wag at home; she knew she lived up two pair of stairs; up two pair of stairs, therefore, she went, and not knowing the difference between the snugly furnished apart. ments (gibe worthy corn-chandler and her own no doubt miserable habitation in Grove.place, Mile-end.road, she ensconced herself under the sofa, and there, undisturbed by the cares of this sublunary world, unconscious alike to joy and sorrow, she laid her down and resigned herself into the arms of Murphy. These, the girl stated, were the facts of the case. She had no intention what. ever—oh dear not the slightest in the world ; how could she?— of meddling with the prosecutor's property; and if the Magistrate would only forgive her this once, she would warrant that such another mistake should never occur again. Mr. JARDINE remarked that her tale appeared very improbable, though it might be true. The fact, moreover, of there being cots. siderable property in the room, and none of it having been touched, was strongly in her favour, and as the was not known to any of the police, he should discharge her this time; but he reminded her, that if ever she were brought tip again, charged with any similar offence, this would be remembered against her, and she might depend upon it that she would not escape so easily. MA RLB OR 0 GH- STREET. Mr. Magisttate, on taking hi s sea t on the bench Hlß y esterday,cllt,th e mentioned presin that ho had ju s t rece i ve d b y post four communications from benevolent persons, who, however, l dg did not attach their names, each inclosing a sovereign for the as. • sistance of Mr. Annesley. The amount of subscriptions received I at this office is now 271. 10,5 AN I:lemmata BIEQOAR.--Jane Gaylor, a young Irishwoman, with an infant in her arms, was charged with Stopping several gen tlemen in Regent-street, between eight soli citing charity, and when she was unheeded persisted lock in , a to n i d iowinc Is ut stateshpe John oimfirhe. metropolis. tll p i a HaoA r t: t oos i „D e ll ws site :Joe. tas o— e enn ffide fd theetchr officer erw b ml beenoe belongingmot committed n distance. w tn. f hr i n cor r ig ible e beggars be l g e n d g i e thatiut ypuiSifc,eil:etto infested sixty times. She generally spent eleven months out of the twelve in prison. Mr. HARDWICK sentenced her toone month's imprisonment and hard labour. The prisoner, on hearing this, was with great difficulty pre.. vented from "clawing" the officer Horaford, She struggled vio lently to get at him, but, finding herself overpowered, began a strain of wrathful abuse of the worthy Magistrate, whom she called " A ti—al b—y jumped-up ghost." MATERNAL INramv.—Sarah Levy, a middle aged widow, with an infant in her arms, and Matilda Levy, her daughter, a very pretty, fine grown girl, between 16 and 17 years of age, were placed at the bar together, having been apprehended on a warrant obtained against them at the instance of the parochial authorities of Sr. James's parish, for keeping a house of ill fame at No. 14, Coven.. try. court, Ha: market. A witness proved that the elder prisoner had far a long time past been in charge of the house in question. The daughter also assisted in the management of the house, opening the doors to admit visitors, and attending on them. Mr.• HARDWICK said the infamy of the mother was truly horrible The defendants in default of sureties were committed. UNION-HALL. Robert Fitzgerald was charged with stealing seven Sovereigns and a half, and six pairs of shoes, the property of William Tate, a boot and shoemaker, in the Blackfriars-road. The prisoner went Into the complainant's shop en the preceding evening and remained in conversation with him for :• .st time. They then left the shop together, and retired to an eating house to have some supper, and, while there, complainant saw a pair of new shoes protruding from the prisoner's pocket, upon which lie charged him with robbing him, and when he was subsequently searched six pairs were found in his possession. The prisoner had also taken seven sovereigns and a half out of complainant's cash. box.—Committed. GRAND STEEPLE UiiASE AT OXFORD. (FROM a. CORRESPONDENT ) The Royal Prince of Wales Handicap of 200 cove., added to a Sweepstakes of 25 soya. each, 15 ft., and only 5 ifdeclaied, &c. ; the it cond horse to save his stake, and the winner to pay 20 soya. towards the expenses. Three horses to start, or the 200 sovi. will not be given. This event, which from the celebrity of the horses entered and the value of the stakes, has caused so much interest in the sporting world, came off on Tuesday. The weather in the early part of the day was very favourable, whicia cloned a great influx of visitors into the quiet village of Yarn ton (about four miles from Oxford), near to which spot .tbe start was to take place. Three o'c!cek was the time fixed, but it was nearly four o'clock before they were all saddled and ready at which lime the following horses came to the post :—Mr. Elmore's Gay Lad, Marquis of Waterford's Columbine, Baron Rotlisehild's Consul,_ Mr. Ekin's Luck's-All, Mr. Lewis's Tallyho, MarqUhrof Watclibrd's Usurper, Captain Evans's Jemmy, ditto Heythori; Mr. Quarterman's Roderic Random, Mr. Verges Little Tommy; Mr. W. Robertson's The Pony, ditto Memento; Mr. J. Tellies's Little Ctmberton. The ground was thronged with thousands of horsemen and carriages, well filled with spectators, anxiously waiting the coming event; in fact, we heard many of the oldest sportsmen declare, that they never saw so many horsemen at any one time before. The line chosen was from Beybrok-hill, over four notes of very heavy country, having some good stiff fences with double ditches, brook five yards wide, with a stone wall, finishing in a field to the left of Yarnton church. The lot got well off together, taking the first fence in gallant style ; Roderick Random slightly in advance, Consul second, Gay Lad third, the rest well up. In this order they kept till they came to the brook, which they charged, Roderic Random clearing it in gallant style, nine of the remainder being immersed in the cooling stream. Gay Lad getting out first, rapidly gained groupd on Roderic, but went the wrong side of the post, but returned, chal lenged Roderic, and won by half a neck, after one of the finest races ever witnessed. The distance was run in twelve minutes. Gay Lad (Mason) 1 Roderic Random. (MlDonough) 2 Consul Amongst the company present we noticed—The Duke of Marl-. borough and Sons, Lords Ducie, Dillon, ClonbroOk, G. Bentinck, Marquis of Waterford, Hon. Mr. Hastings, J. S. Phillips, J. Morrell, J. G. Walker, and J. S. Browning,•Esys. Too much praise cannot bo bestowed on the stewards for the able and disinterested manner in which they acted throughout the whole of the proceedings. EVENING CONCERT. Mr. Beuler's,Annual Concert was given at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, Strand, on Tuesday, and was fully attended. Mr. Basler corn: menced his entertainments with some observation on song.writing, the gist of which was to show that health was greatly imProvible by indulgence in the pleasures of comic song and hurhour. He proceeded al.o to comment on the mutability of favourite songs, and among them instanced " My Pretty .lane," and " Oh no, we never mention her," which in their day were excessively popular, and tang in every house and street, but are now never heard. Mr, Morgan prOduced much merriment by the happy manner in which he executed the songs of " Ould Ireland ;'' and Mr. A. Smith gave two or three airs in a very stylish manner. Mr. ltlewitt also de lighted the aiudience with his little ballad, " What's in a Kiss ;" and Mr. Ransford sung, with powerful effect, " The King of the Sea," and the " White Cliffs of England." DISTRESS IN RENFREWSIIIRE.—We have great pleasure in stating, that at the conclusion of the county meet ing held in the t. ounty Hall, Paisley, on the 3d instant, of which we gave a brief account on the sth, Mr. P. M. Stewart, M.P. for the county, announced the follow , ng liberal sub scriptions for the relief of the distressed operatives of Paisley and the adjoining districts : —Her Majesty, 1501. ; Sir Robert Peel, 501 ; Lord Stanley, 50/. ; Sir James Graham, 25/. ; and the Duchess of Somerset, 501. The subscription paper was afterwards handed to several of the gentlemen present, when there was subscribed 251. by Mr. P. M. Stewart ; 1501. by Lord Kelburne ; 1501. by the Chairman, for Sir M. S. Stewart: 1001. by Lord Blantyre ; 50!. by Sir John Maxwell , 501. by Ludorick lioustoun, Esq. ; 40/. by Sir W. M. Napier, being his third subscription ; and 501. Icy Mr. Spear of Burnbrae. The whole sum subscribed amounted to 9701. A • meeting of gentlemen connected with the Anti- Corn-law League, composing the business committee, took place on Monday, at the office of the League in the Strand. Amongst those present were , Dr. 13ovvring, M.P., Colonel Thompson, R. Ricardo, Esq.,Mr. Sidney Smith, the secretary of the League, &c. &c. The secretary gave an account of the proceedings of the branch a sociati , ms, and of the progress of the cause, both of which wet e highly favourable. Dr. Bowring stated that any Al. P. could present a memorial to the Queen on her Majesty's levee days, and the districts of the metropolis were recommended to memoralize her. Majesty immediately to t ismiss the Ministers, and refuse her signature to the new law for starving the people. Colonel Thompson and others deprecated the proposed union with those mischievous persons who have been disturbing all public meetings as likely to be at once injurious and * derogatory to the Anti-Corn-law League cause. DUNBAR.—The common here was let on Tuesday, the Ist instant, to be ploughed for a crop of oats, at 81. 15s. per imperial measure. The &rad is about 44 acres. A Cabinet Council was held at the Foreign -office )esterday at two o'clock. All the Ministers were present. Letters of the Gth January, from Candahar, state that the country round had risen in general insurrection ; that the Prince has pitched his camp at Dahla, about 40 miles off, near Khelat-i-Ghilzie, the nucleus of rebellion ; and that, from the east and south particularly, the Dooranee tribes are all flecking to his banner and that of Atta Mahomed. The people of Candahar, however, seemed secure in the protection of the Brit sh troops. Horsemen arc reported to b e galloping in every direction about the country, endeavouring to excite the tribes, and have ventured even into our forts. Lieut. Terry, Bombay Artillery, had arrived safe, and Lieut. Pattenson, who received eleven severe wounds when Captain Golding Was murdered by his Janbaz, was out of danger. Captain Hart's Janbaz remained firm; 40 of Golding's, after the regiment mutinied, were killed by them and Leeson's horse, and 50. wounded. THE LATE MAJOR-GENERAL ELPHINSTONE, C.B. —This gallant and lamented officer, whose unexpected demise is confirmed by the overland mail, was the second son of the late Hun, Will:am Fullerton Elphinstone, and grandson of Charles, tenth Baron Elphinstone, and cousin to the present peer. He distinguished himself at Waterleo, and many of the Peninsular engagements, and his commission as Major- General was dated 10th January, 1837. He was on the eve of resign ing his commission, and returning home, having been sue ce, ded -by Major-General Grey. General Elphinstone was in his 60th year. DOST MAHOMED.—AII sorts of rumours .have, during the progress of the late unhat py events, pined currency in reference to the ex-Ameer. Dost Mahomed Khan is at present at Saharunpeor. He is strictly watched and guarded. but otherwise under no particular restraint. He is, on the whole, cheerful and ceosis enough. So from from having been detected in correspondence with his former subjects, or sus pected of exciting them against us, he seems to be severely and deeply annoyed at the conduct of his son. Colonel Grogan, whose seizure in Vermont and imprisonment in Montreal, made such a noise last autumn in the United States, died on the 7th of last month at Champlain. DOVER, MARCH 8, 1842.—his Royal highness the Duke Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, accompanied by his Sons and suite, arrived last evening from Brighton at Payn's York Hotel, and embarked this morning in her Majesty's steam.packet Beaver, Capt. Mudge, for Calais, under the usual salute from the Western Heights. THE RECENT DEATR FROM FIGIITING.—The ad journed inquest on the body of Thomas Hamlyn, who was killed lait week in an affray between some Brighton and Plymouth fisher. men, was resumed on Tuesday. No additional evidence was how. ever adduced. The statement made by Mr. Wm. Rattenbury, surgeon, as to the cause of death, was confirmed in every particular by ,Mr. B. Gidle), surgeon, who was present at the post mortesis examination of the body. The Jury returned a verdict of man slaughter against John Humphries, rlias Lammas, as a principal, and George Allen as an accessory, warrants for whoseapprehenslon were then issued.—Plymouth Herald. BODY FOUND IN TILE BlVER.—Tuesday the body of 'a young woman was found near the north steps of London Bridge. She appeared to have been recently drowned. She had on a Wad. merino dress, with black stockings, and black laced boots, a coloured silk bonnet, a dark green cloak, and a white apron. A paper was found in her pocket, with the names of Emily Noble and M. N. Batey written on it. The body was take nto :4t, Magnus' church to be owned. Married on Saturday, the sth instant, at the parish church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, in the county of Middlesex, by the R. H. F. Skrimshire, rector of St. Andrew's, Hertford, M.A., the lion. Nicole Marino Pignatorre, of the island of Cephalonia, in Greece, Doctor of Laws, to Katherine, eldest daughter of George Nicholson, Esq., of Hertford, and of No. 21, Abingdon-street, Westminster. On Tuesday a person of the nam e o f B en j am in Burn, a resident of Soeth Shields, was killed by a train of coal. waggons when crossing over the Stanhope and Tyne Railway, near South Shields. Deceased, who was by trade •a bookbinder, was occasionally employed in distributing bills. On Tuesday he had been circulating same bills put out by the Board of Gtiardians, and met with Isis death as he was returning home.—Sustderland Herald. We regret to find that the suitors in the Brighton Court of Requests will be sufferers by the unfortunate failure of the week, Mr. Clement Wigney being the Treasurer of the Court* and Mr. I. N. Wigney his surety. Mr. C. Wigney received his at' „Ire, ',ointment at the General Quarter Sessions h e ld at Lewes is 1840, from the Country Magistrates ; and the Chairman (Lo rd Chichester) approved of Mr. I. N. Wignty, as his surety.—/ing ton Guardian, ble last tWelve EXTENSIVE FLOOD.—Bath has again n Visited by another high flood, making the fourth within the bee foreseen, months. The calamity having, in some me asure, aFe; wa s it its height time was given to secure property. Theinw of Northgate. t fro che m r, which time It about twelve o'clock on Thursday gradually began to subside. Mr. Terre , • lost twenty-one sheep.—..., street, has been a heavy su ff erer. having Bath Journal. the authorities were proceedifig A few days ago, as ts in a room, on the first story of to draw lots for army thernecrui Tarn-et-Garonne, the floor gave the mavory at Lavit, I whole of the assembly were overwheltied in the morning, way, and the ruins. M o y were severely injured, and seine Were kill e d, b ut tn how many of the latter is not yet known. one . s tew. raatohl: he re ; n~uf:" Gen•