The Sun. — London, England, 1849-01-25 00:00:00

must rem .ita ir, the I 0„ , r. The following are the names is iew Aieore, .NLisono, S Salisbury, Coiling,vooi, 'Clarence, Trafalgar, Vi Wrterloa, Princes, George, Canning, Salthouse, Dings, Union, Cubourg, Brun=wick, Toxteth. The Tarquin, Moody, arrivtd here this day from Mobile, making water all tLe rassage, having struck on Mobile Par in com'ng out. MARKET NEWS.-( THIS DAY.) NM'ATOIX'Z'E A"ATI) Those markets were in a very sluggiAi state to- , lay, and prices were with difficulty suppurVad.—Bee, from 2; 4d to 3s Gd; Mutton, 3s 4d to 4s 4d; Veal, 3s 4d to 45 4d; and Pork, 3s to 4s 6d per Sibs, by the carcase. XVIA72..ILMES. SOUTHALL, JAN. 24.—. Although the supply of Fat Ftocic on offur in to-day's market was but naudir,:ta, the general demand was in a sluggir h state, at barely last eek's auotations. Beef from 33 to 4..; Mutton, 3s 43 to 4s 8d; Veal, 3s 8d to 4s 43; and Purk, 3s 8d to 4s 4d per Blbs., to sink the offal. ROMFORD, JAN. 24.—Prime Beasts and Calves were mostly disposed of at full prices; otherwise the demand "was in a very inactive state.—Beef, from 3s to 4s; Mut ton, 3s 63 to 4s 83; Veal, 3s 63 to 4s 43; and Pork, as 4d to 4s 4d per Slbs. Suckling Calves, 183 to 255; and quarter old store Pigs, 16s to 20s each. LEWES, JAN. 23.—We had a heavy market to-day, for each kind of stock, as follows:—l3eef, from 3s 4d to 4s; Mutton, 3s 10d to 4s 103; and Pork, 3s 103 to 4s 4d per albs. SEAT TEAUX ET S. SMITHFIELD.-Meadow Hay, 2/ 8s to 31 12s; Clover ditto, 31 8s to 4/ 133 ; and Straw, 1/ 2s to 1/ 9s per load. Supply modorate, and trade rather dull. CUMBERLAND. — Meadow Hay, 21 lOs to 3/ 15s ; (!lcier ditto, 3/ 8s to 41 10.; ; and Straw, 1/ 3s to 1 / lOs per load. A fair averago supply, and a sluggish domand. WHITECHAPEL. Meadow hay, 21 8s to 31 12s; Clover ditto, 3/ 10s to 4/ 18g; and Straw, la 2s to I/ 9s ler load. Trade rather dull, at the above quotations. CORN AVERAGES. GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN For the Week ended Jan. 25. 1848, made up from the Returns of the Inspectors in the different Cities and Towns in England and Waks per Imperial Quarter. WHEAT. I BARLEY.' OATS. RYE. BEANS. PEAS. PRICE .• 145 s 4d 29s Id 173 Id 28s 4d 131 s Id 348 Pa DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN. WHEAT. I BARLEY. 1 OATS. 1 RTE. I BEANS. I PEAS. 103 Od 2s Gd 4s 0,1 2s Gd 2s Gd 2s Gd QUEEN'S BENCH.-(TIIIS DAY.) (Sitting g in ainco.) SMITH V. THE QUEEN IN ERROR. Mr. HODGES was heard in reply to the argu runts advanced by Mr. Welsby, who appeared for the Crown. The question involved is whether prisoners could be tried at the ordinary quarter sessions whilst the courts of assize are sitting, the Learned Counsel contending, on the part of the plaintiff, who was con victed at the Quarter Sessions at Manchester, in April last, and sentenced to ten years' transportation, when the higher court was sitting, that the c,nviction was bad. Ile held that at such a time the jurisdiction of the lower Court was suspended. Lord DENMAN intimated that the Court would take tim e to consider the points raised for its consideration. BAIL COURT.-(THIS DAY.) LEECH V. FOSEROOK. Mr. COWLING applied to the Court for a rule nisi alling upon the defendant in this action, an attorney. nt - law, to show cause why a writ of privilege, which he had caused to be sued out, should not be set aside. The , action had been instituted in the Lancaster County Court to recover a debt, but the defendant contended that he ought to have been sued in a superior court, and the case had been stopped by a writ of privilege. Mr. Justice ERLE held that an attorney might sue in ''is ow❑ court in the capacity - of a plaintiff, but as a ' d efendant he was liable to be sued in any court. Rule nisi accordingly. ROBINSON V. NICHOL. Mr. OGLE moved for a rule to show cause why a writ of prohibition should not issue directed to the Judge of t he County Court of Hertford, to restrain him from 'taking any further proceedings in this ease on the ground that he bad no jurisdiction. The plaintiff was a cattle tlealer, and the defendant a farmer, in Hertfordshire. "Lorne time ago the plaintiff had a quantity of sheep grazing on the land of a person named Lip•combe, whose Areunds adjoir.ed those of the defendant, and the fences 1 , s paratiug the two properties which ought to have been kept in order by Lipscomb° helm , in a very defer he state the sheep strayed on to the trefendants land where t hey were distrained and driven to the pound. The sheep !en:Ai:tied in the pound for several days, an? the de- Jendaait neglected to supply the sheep with food as pro- Vided by the sth and 6th of William the Fourth, cap. 59, I'vbereby he had rendered himself liable to a penalty of a day, recoverable by summons before a ir legishrate. Eventually the sheep were released uponthe plaintiff paying the defendant 1/. for t he damage they had done to his land, and then the Vaintiff commenced the present action in the County Court, to recover the penalty, together with damages, fr cirn the defendant, for his refusal to deliver up the ! u eeP when the 1/. was first tendered. At the trial of "e cause it was contended that the penalties were not l ' e coverable in a County Court, but only before a ma gistrate, while the defendant lost all control over the sheep Nvhen they were impounded, and the only party wQO could legally authorise their delivery was the lord of the manor. Nevertheless, the Court found for the I " )l aintifi, notwithstanding the-matter was not within the Jurisdiction of a County Court. Mr. Justice ERLE said it appeared to him that the Court had jurisdiction, but the judgment ought to have 1 3 , 4 ssed for the defendant. Before, however, he granted rufi2, he would take time to look into the authori 'les ben ring on the case. 11 IERIFFS' COURT.-(THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. Undersheriff BURCHELL.) WAVELL V. ROWBOTTA3I. The plaintiff in this action sought to recover the sum f or 470 /. 14s. 3d., for money paid on account of the de fendant. There was no defence to the action—evidence was a dduced to show that the money had been advanced by 13 Vreents of debt and costs in different actions brought A gainst defendant. A verdict was given for the amount. ATTWOOD AND OTHERS V. WINNE. The plaintiffs are bankers in the City, and the action has brought to recover the sum of 2761. 10s. 4d. Iv An admission of the debt was put in, and a verdict as given for the amount. PARKER V. CLARK AND DADKIN. n Th e plaintiff is an attorney, and the action was brought i— recover 3/. 10s. 6d. for work and labour done. The defendant Clarke suffered judgment to go by de- A ult, but Badkin pleaded that he was not indebted. th Mr. CROUCH called the plaintiff's clerk who proved at he had seen both defendants at the plaintiff's office ;)other and had directed a lettor to him, " C. Badkin, 4(1. ) 9 , Foster-lane, City." It was the custom for him to ! c ‘9l)Y the letters in the book and to post all the letters so Ti la 4 ter ed, but made no entry, but made one when he de ercd th em —h e h a d no d ou b t o f h av i ng p os t e d it, but 4, 2, 41 c1 not swear. The Learned Counsel then tendered a TY of the letter written to Mr. Badkin. 1 Mr. PRENTIS objected that it was not shown that , f eedant li ve d a t the above addresF, or that he had i e in Consequence of any letter. b„'4 T he UNDER-SHERI FF thought the letter admissable, would take a note ot the objection. The witness, howeverßadkin, not being able to prove any conver,ation with the Learned Under-Sheriff said there was no ev idence to go to the jury as to Badkin. Mr. CROUCH said he would be nonsuited. The UNDER-SHERIFF said it must be a verdict for the ee nnd defend a nt, or th e wr it mus t b e w ithdrawn without t nY damages. Mr. CROUCH then tonic a verdict against Clarke only. 11, •'EFRESENTATION OF Sou ru STAFFORDSHIRE.— ' 4II3I INGTIAM, WEDNESDAY.— Nu candidate has yet been an nounced in opposition to the return of Lord Lewis- It is said that his Lordship delayed offering him :elf as a candidate until he was assured that gentlemen :he it was presumed had prior claims upon the confi dence of the manufacturing intercs:s of the division de t'ieecl caning forward. ta . C OST OF THE PASSAGE TO CALIFORNIA. — The co=t 1 ; getting to S : r i Franck,co by the Chagres route, using l L e Mail steamers, is about 375 dolls.; say, 150 dolls. to e "agres, 20 dolls. across the Isthmus, and 200 from Pa zrtlEt to San Francisco. By taking second-cabin pas s t g cl es,, however, the cost will be roduccd about 80 dolls; eh n bY taking sailing vesse instead of steamer to No; gee, the passage may be made for 250 dolls. The '4 1 0g9 via Vera Cruz and Acapulco may probably be ~ict.e.)in rather less time, but not cheaper. The passage Yuri will probably average 35 days from . New 41 1 : 4 • The distance from Panama to San . Francisco is tz t u t o t 3,3 00 miles. The prices of passage in the United 114 %0d .., ships from Panama to the ports respectively en the Pacific coast are as follow: _ State-rooms. .9, 6 4 .9125 Miles. 13ananaa to Realejo 7OO di tto Acapulco 1,500 ditto S a n Bias ditto Mazatlan ditto San Diego 1-'„ s ditto San Francisco 3,500 $250 froth a g,, e in the lower cabin at a reduction of one- fifth . tro th - ~,`"e above rates. Passage in the forward cabin, (101 F. a• - anarna to either of the above-named ports, 100 Pay i n a d vance i n a ll cases .— Washington Union. R(it, ItILI-T RE OF TWO BANKS IN WREXHAIII.--.The 4 1Io un j a inhabitants of Wrexham have been quite ded by the stoppage of the two old banks—those Itt i ,,f•, -, Cendrick a n d o f Mr. Lloyd. The bank of Mr. l'ecii - t r ' e k Was flr:`, closed, and an offer was made to his th era of 14% in the pound. After several meetings bo cr editors, it was ascertained that 14 e. 6 d. might d, and accordingly the creditors have gt nerally )let ; - cd their acceptance of that dividend. Mr. Kend :)F 4 1 3 „ 1 : i abilities are under 22,000/. The astonishment -1 14 inh abitants was b e y o nd all bounds when they were gte ° a - t illE d that th e b an k o f M r. R . M. Lloyd was closed. So 14 pul w as the beli e f i n hi s so lvency that many persons to Thenot b e li eve there was a stoppage un til they went ba nk!otA ie t and a scer t a i ne d the fact themselves. w ` t % t ( ' tce reposed in Mr. Lloyd was unbounded •, he tongr,,,eti4urer and banker for nearly all the clubs in the t4 ' 5 fi n r ," n eighbourhood. One club alone had upwards 4 8,06;,` (1 / , with him. His liabilities are upwards of tha t l 'fi• and his assets are very trifling ; it is estimated i kt,,,, t 21 s estate will not realize 2s. 6d. in the pound. The d depression exists in the town and neighbour rootle . 48 Many p ersons were who ll y d epen d ent u p on the ;) thpoAted in his bank. Both gentlemen were ic,4 o . n str a for the county oi: Denbigh,—North Wales A BUDGET FOR THE MILLION, :60110Luii FROM RIGBY WASON, ESQ. Gentlemen,—A grateful remembrance of the kind ness I have always experienced at your h;nds, for a period of fifteen years, induces me to Isy More you a new-year's offering. Like all other gifts its value will depend far more on those who receive it than upon its intrinsic worth : if you esteem it, you lave the power of imparting to it that life which wilt secure for the industrious people of these realms that to which they have a right—of which they have been robbed by the rapacity of an oligarchy. Let me in the first place a!kk you to bsnr in mind the difference between an aristocracy and an oligarchy. The former yf;it will often find surrendering their opinions and their interests to the desire of the people; the latter never, until compelled. Take Sir Robert Peel as the beau ideal of an oligarch, Lord Stanley as that of an aristocrat—both lately belonging to the same party, nay to the same Cabinet, and you could not find two more apposite examples of an aristocrat and of an oligarch. _ _ _ In the constant struggle in which aristocrats and oligarchs are continually engaged with the people ; the former, whether victorious or otherwise, are often objects of personal respect—the latter of senti ments of a very different character. That which I am about to offer to you will be violently opposed by the oligarchy ; it would not surprise me if it was to be favourably received by the aristocracy. My offering consists of a plan to emancipate the industrious classes in this country from that excessive taxation, which has been, as I will prove to you, most unjustly imposed upon them by thuse who have made the laws. Ido not condescend to say, that I propose to keep faith with the national creditor. Quis vitu peravit ? was the proper reply to an uncalled-for eulogium on a heathen god; and to any shout that may be raised in favour of national honesty, the pro per answer is, who entertains a contrary opinion? It is clear that, unless we are prepared to operate upon the National Debt, it is rot possible for the in• dustry of the country to be effectually relieved from excessive taxation ; the best proof of which is, that in the plans now before the public Mr. Cobden proposes to repeal only one•fifth of the burthen, or ten millions, while I\lr. Macgregor does not believe it practicable to strike off more than one-tenth or five millions. Suppose it possible to adopt Mr. Cobden's more extreme views, the unjust income-tax would be left in all its hideous deformity. The assessed taxes, de priving of employment many an industrious artizan, would still remain—tobacco, the luxury, if not the necessary, of the poor man, loaded with an impost enormously greater than on wine, the luxury of the rich—then the stamp-duties only too notorious for their unjust inequality : these and many, many others, would still remain. This brief enumeration which you are all capable of extending, from articles used in your morning's meal to those of your evening repast, will I hope satisfy you and all sincere reformers, that a national struggle for relieving the industrious classes from the taxes which bear heavily and unjustly upon them, ,oust be far more extensive than those based merely upon economical reductions ; and you will not fail to remember that I have taken the most extensive re duction which has been proposed. If Mr. Mac egor's estimate should prove to be more correct, which I fear must be the case, then you must add other taxes to those I have mentioned, to the extent of five millions. I am not one of those who would diminish to a very great extent our naval end military force; economise it us much as you possibly can—alter its constitution, so as to give greater facilities for the promotion of deserving subalterns ; but as few think of attacking the powerful, so a well-appointed force is, I believe, the best possible guarantee for peace. I will, therefore, take Mr. Macgregor's and not Mr. Cubden's plan of reduction of expenditure ; and he calculates that the naval, army, and ordnance expenditure miOit be maintained with full efficiency for 14,250,000/., and he adds about 7,000,000/. for civil expenses. Well, be it so. This sum of 21,250,000/. I would propose should be raised from the articles enumerated in the following table, and it will be for yuu and the people of England to say whether the industrious classes would not be be nefited, beyond the most sanguinary expectations, if the following were the only taxes levied in these realms : Spirits, both Customs and Excise (pro duced last year) ... ... £7,500,000 Tobacco, one quarter the present duty (which produced last year,4,253,762/.) 1,500,000 Tea, at Is. the pound (Mr. Macgregor's estimate) .. 3,000,000 Sugar, half the present amount (pro duced last year, 4 404,8371.) .. 3,000,000 Wines, at lowest duty, compatible with highest revenue (Mr. Macgregor's estimate) 2,000,000 Legacy duty, or personal property (pro duced last year) 2,000,000 Legacy duty, extended to all other pro perty (Mr. Cobden's estimate) ... 1,500,000 Unredeemed land tax .. 1,200,000 Stamps—striking off, as Mr. Macgregor proposes, from the sum produced last year, those on marine and fire in surances, and on stage carriages, 1,587,668/.—would leave 6,083,755/.: but these should be equalised and re duced one-half, or 3,000,000 Post-office—not a proper subject for revenue—its revenue -. should be ex pended in increasing accommodation at home and abroad, instead of nar rowing it, which is now often the case. £24,700,000 My offering to you consists of a plan for paying off, in an honest manner, the National Debt— to begin this year, and to be completed—as far as taxes are concerned—before its close. Pay off the National Debt ? I hear some of you exclaim, "It is im possible ! ! " Now that word impossible ought to be banished from our language. Everything that is just and proper to be done can be accomplished, if people are determined that it shall be done ; and I propose to prove to you three propositions, each of which will perhaps excite nearly as much surprise as the pro posal to pay off the National Debt. While you are reading this letter, it will be useful to bear in mind two facts which are passed :- Ist. That if a measure similar to that which I pro pose had been adopted, as it honestly ought to have been, after the termination of the war, or previous to Robert Peel's Bill of 1819, every property which thou contributed to the payment of the debt, would be far more valuable than it is at present. 2d. That we have paid, since the termination of the war, in interest, a sum more than sufficient to have paid off the National Debt. I will now prove to you,— First—That it is discreditably dishonest not to pay off the National Debt. Second—That it would be very easy to pay it off. Third—That it would be profitable to pay it off. IST. That it is discreditably dishonest not to pay off the National Debt. The first question which naturally arises is,—For what purpose was the National Debt incurred ? I do not ask the question with the intention of telling you that if it was borrowed for an unjust purpose it ought not to be paid ; for it is a dishonest act not to pay a debt which has been incurred, merely because the money has been improperly spent. Neither will I take the answer from those who were always opposed to borrowing the money, and who said, that it was a mean trick of a borough mongering oligarchy, to prevent the spread of reform principles to this ciuntry. No ; I will take the answer of those who proposed that the money sh(,uld he borrowed. It was this— " That the money was borrowed to carry on a war on the Continent, which was the best means of pre venting the invasion of this country." Am I not correct in saying that this was the answer given by those who borrowed the money at the time they bor rowed it ? And this, you will remember, repeatedly said, not by obscure persons in low places, but in both Houses of Parliament—from the Throne, and the National Church : there can be then no honest doubt who borrowed the money, and for what purpose it was borrowed. And the desired end was obtained—the country was not invaded; and the next question comes,— Who should pay the expenses which were incurred ? The answer which every honest man whether peer or peasant would give, must be—Those who reaped the benefit from the successful eflbrt to prevent the in vasion. And who did reap the benefit ?—the industrious portion of the people, the skilled artizan, the agricul tural labourer, or the bricklayer's hodman ? Will any oligarch, or their servile press, point out what would be the difference to these parties were Louis Napoleon now King of England, having succeeded to his father ? Would their daily toil be more severe ?—their pay less ?—their homes less comfortable ?—their families worse clothed or fed ?—Truth replies—lt would be impossible ! 1 Would the professional man who alle viates the sickness of a French peer, receive a less reward than he does for attending an English baron ? Would those who, by their mental toil, now add to the comfort and happiness, or alleviate the sorrows of English society, be less richly rewarded then if their powers were exerted with a foreigner on the throne ? Again Truth replies,—No. Turn then to the owners of property of every de scription, and let Truth say what would have been their lot had the efforts to prevent invasion been unsuccessful. Lock at their position in classes— whether landowners, fundholders, owners of houses THE SUN, LONDON, 7T manufactories, or of any other description of pro- A Ereuen thargLai might have tiund Tamworth a comfortable residence, end its rent•roll a convenient reward for his exertions in conquering the country. The fundhoider could not have expected any other return for having done all in his power to prevent the success of the invader, than the sponge; he played his game, 10-t it, and must bear the consequences. The owners of all property would have been subject to forced contributions, rapine, and confiscation. A Davoust in London, Liverpool, Manchester, or Bris tol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Dublin, would have committed precisely the same acts which Davoust did at Hamburgh. For whose benefit then was it that the invasion of the country was successfully resisted ? " For the owners of property," will be the answer of every honest man; and who but a dishonest one would say that they ought not to pay the price of their suc cessful efforts? Admitted that in the breast of every Englishman, Scotchman, mid Irishman, there exists a feeling that their cou.itry shall not be invaded. Did they not freely shed their blood to prevent it on many a well fought field; and is it just to make their relatives and friends also pay for the same objects for which they died ? The Gallic Lord of Tamworth would have em ployed the labourer, and must have given him wages sufficient - to support himself and family, or it would be physically impossible for him to perform his work. What more does he obtain under the existing state of things ? Have I not thus established my first proposition ? Have I not proved that the owners of property reaped all the benefit from the non- invasion of the country ? Have I not proved thatit is discreditably dishonest in them not to pay the cost of their success ? 2d. lily next proposition is to prove that it would be very easy to pay of the debt. 1 will take Mr. Macgregor's estimate—as good an authority as any—of the annual value of the realised property in the United Kingdom, at 220,000,0001. — it may or may not be exaggerated—l have an ample revenue, and could throw off many millions, and yet attain my object of paying off the debt. This property is worth from ten to thirty years' purchase, and therefore I will take an average of twenty years. The two hundred and twenty millions, at twenty years' purchase, would produce four bil lions four hundred and forty millions. Many of you will ask, what is a billion ? it is a million millions ; look at the figures : £220,000,000 annual revenue from realised property. 20 years' purchase. £4,400,000,000 value of rcalizod property. Now, only five per cent. on this sum would produce more than sufficient to pay off the National Debt. Five per cent. only ; and I would give the parties liberty to pay it either at once, or by annual instalments spread over ten years, with interest in the meantime at 4 per cent. Now, have I not proved my second proposition ? That it would be very easy to pay off the debt. I will not now trouble you with figures, showing how a portion of the debt might be converted into an cuities, or how the annual instalments would be ap plied to the extinction of the debt ; these are matters of detail which would be ;_easily arranged by men of business, but I will now proceed to prove my third proposition, which will probably astonish you more than the preceding. 3d. That it would be very profitable to pay off the debt. Yet this proposition will be most clearly established merely by a Dr. and Cr. account of an individual contributor, showing what he would have to pay on the one side, and the benefit he would receive on the other—figures which every one of you are capable of checking if erroneous. Take the case of a person possessed of landed pro perty, with a rental of 1,0001. per annum. This, valued at thirty years' purchase, is 30,0001. ll's quota of payment would be five per cent. on this sum, or 1,500/. Supposing that he was unable to pay this sum, he would have either to sell a portion of his land or borrow the money, or pay it off by annual instal ments in ten years, with four per cent. interest until it was paid. Some would prefer one mode and some another. There would not be the least difficulty in borrowing the money at four per cent., probably less, in conse quence of the number of those fuudholders, who being paid off, would desire another investment without purchasing land. By the subjoined table you will see that if he bor rowed the money at four per cent., his annual inte rest would be 601. per annum ; and on the other side you will see, that at this moment he annually pays 60/. on three articles in direct taxation. DR. Interest on 1,5001. it 4 per cent. .. CR. .f. Present Property Tax, 3 per cent. upon his income of 1,0001. per annum ... .. .. .. 30 Assessed Taxes .. .. .. .. ... 20 Window Tax .. .. ... ... .. 10 £6O You see he would be no loser if he paid only the above taxes, and they were repealed when he was as sessed five per cent. to pay off the debt ; but you well know the large sum an individual with 1,0001. per annum pays for taxes on articles in the list 1 have ennumerated, and which would be reduced to such an extent ! Then consider these articles—malt, hops, soap, paper, wood, insurance stamps, &c.—the duty on which would entirely cease; and what a sum he would save in consequence of those he employs having their taxes so much reduced ! In diminished poor's rates alone, the inevitable result of the employment necessarily consequent upon such a measure, he would save a large sum. Tell me then honestly, have I not proved beyond doubt that it would be very profitable to pay off the National Debt ? Yet I have kept the most important item to the last. I believe none who have studied the subject will be disposed to deny, that if the National Debt was fairly paid off, land and every description of pro perty would rise enormously in value. Forty years' purchase would be more easily obtained with no debt, than thirty years' as at present; and if this were so, then deducting the 601. per annum which he has paid for his contribution, his 9401. per annum would at forty years' purchase produce 37,6001., 0r7,6001. more than its present value. Is not honesty the best policy ? The fundholder would be in the same position— his Dr. and Cr. account precisely the same—he would obtain the same benefit from the taxes which were repealed, as well as from those which were reduced. Ile would purchase land at thirty years' purchase with the money with which he was paid off; and this, in a few years, would be of much greater value. And the owner of railroad property : it is hardly too much to expect that he would receive a far greater benefit than either. Little remains for me to say : speaking of in dividuals, I have, I think, proved the three propo sitions : Ist. That it is dishonest for property not to pay off the National Debt. 2d. That it would be easy to do so. 3d. That it would be very profitable to do so. Who will 'deny the advantages the nation would receive in a national sense? Who ventures to attack the strong ? And what nation can be stronger than that in which every individual finds himself and family in comfortable circumstances ; instead of being the heaviest, the subjects of these realms would be the lightest taxed persons in the world. It is unnecessary to trouble Sou with those details which would be necessary to facilitate the carrying out the measure—important no doubt, but still a mere matter of business—easily arranged. Let the public shout for the payment of the National Debt, and I will show you how easily my plan could be worked. A parting word to the owners of prop er ty, espe cially the aristocracy. Ido not say the handwriting is on the wall, but there a r e p ar ti es , an d power f u l ones, desirous of fixing upon you the payment of the greater part of the taxes. The Liverpool Financial Association was formed for this specific purpose. It is yet in its infancy ; it has not yet used the argument that the war having for its end the protection of property, the expenses ought to be paid by property—when it does, it will attain a giant's growth with a giant's strength. Put not your trust in the oligarchy—confide not in red -tapists ; or again will be played over the game of catholic emancipation, the loaded dice of the corn law. Act in public as you do in private life--if a debt be honest discharge it yourselves instead of em ploying an attorney. Mr. Macgregor, an able financier, one who has studied the subject, and not a man of extreme views upon any question, has proposed that you should pay five per cent. upon your incomes—a mild beginning. Will any of you, who have studied history otherwise than as an old almanac, not infinitely prefer the adop tion of my plan, and the country without a National Debt ? Five per cent. upon property would take from the party whose case I have stated in the preceding remarks 50/. per annum ; and he would still be loaded with his share of other taxes to the amount of forty-one millions. By the plan I propose he would only pay 60/. per annum—the country freed from the National Debt, and himself only liable for his share of a taxa tion very little exceeding twenty millions. And then how easily the five per cent. might be doubled or trebled ! Believe lie, Your very faithful and obedient servant, RIGBY WASON. THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 25, 1849. LITERATURE. iII_EMOIRS of CHATEAUBRIAND. Written by _Himself Parts 11. and The admlrable translation of thin great master piece of ;autobiography, now publi4hing from month to month in "lburn's Standard Library," is not to be idly classed among the productions ordinarily sub mitted to our criticism. We review it in an almost reverential spirit as the last utterances, D'outre Tombe, of a genius such as the earth does not acknowledge twice in a century. Extravagant as the eulogiums pronou: ced upon these memoirs by M. Jules Janin may have appeared before they had been submitted to our examination, those eulogiums can scarcely be regarded as over• coloured now that we have listened to the voice of Chateaubriand himself, telling us the history of his woes and vicissitudes in a strain as im passioned as an ode, as plaintive as an elegy, as graceful as an idyll, and as solemn as an epic. The poetical character of the language in which the narrative is writen will not be matter of surprise to those who have lingered over his "Natchez," or have drunk in the melodies of " Atala." But the beauty of the work as a purely rhetorical composition is of com parative unimportance when contrasted with the charms of the book as the revelations of a long life's sufferings. Beyond this, the chapters abound with delineations of an epoch and of a race of beings that have passed away together. It matters not whether Chateaubriand is in Europe or America, in a garret in London or in the regal saloons at Versailles, in the forests Of Canada or amidst the soli , tudes of the Atlantic the the tribune, Floridan savages B y r o nin or eiahreoa watchingsing theatre,w i s t l h ee l t p i h r i e a n b g p e a a a m u r s o i n aa in g demagogues, posting from Dover to St. James's as the French Ambassador to the Court of his Britannic Majesty, or paddling across the vast'lakes of the New World as an adventurer in quest of the North-West passage—there we are with the shadow of his youth or the reminiscence of his mature years, wherever the will of the Dead Man decrees that the soul of his reader shall wander. The vividness of his most casual descriptions is something absolutely marvel lous. A sentence of his —and we are wafted away across fifty years, or beyond a distance of a thousand leagues. In addition to this the narrative is crowded with epigrammatic sentences that condense a thought into the most portable dimensions. Thus, speaking of the three great revolutionary period s , he says that out of so many reputations, actors, events, and ruins, only three men (one belonging to each epoch) remain —" Mirabeau to the aristocracy, Robespierre to the democracy, and Bonaparte to despotism." Again, speaking of the celebratad financier, M. Necker, he observes that he was " one of those old-fashioned per sonages who came before the curtain to explain the piece to the public, and disappeared when it rose." Alluding to Louis XVI. he exclaims in words worthy of one who had called himself a Bourbonist by birth, a Royalist by honour, and a Republican by convic tion—"the respect which should be inspired by the virtues and misfortunes of the saintly and martyred King renders any human judgment upon him almost sacrilegious." As affording the imagination a ghastly glimpse of the sanguinary days of the Revolution, a glimpse caught through the crevices of memory, the following possesses a terrible fascination : " I was standing at the window of my apartments with my sisters and a few countrymen, when we heard the cry, • Shut the doors! shut the doors!' A ragged group appeared at one end of the street, bearing two standards, which at that distance we could not well dis tinguish; as they came nearer we saw that they were two heads, with hair dishevelled and countenances dis torted, borne on pikes by these forerunners of Murat— they were the heads of MM. Foulon and Berthier. Every one retired from the window except myself: The assassins stopped when they saw me, and held up the pikes, singing, capering, and leaping up to bring the pale heads as near me as possible ; in one of them an eye had fallen from its socket, and hung on the livid cheek ; the pike was fastened into the open mouth, whose teeth bit the iron. • Murderers,' cried I, unable to contain my indignation, it thus you understand liberty?' If I had had a gun I would hive fired un these wretches as I would on wolves. They replied with howls; and beat violently on the great gate, with the intention of breaking in and adding my head to the others. My sisters were much alarmed; the cowardly proprietors of the house overwhelmed me with re. proaches. The murderers, who were being pursued, had not time to break into the house, and moved off. The sight of these heads, and of others which soon after greeted my eyes, changed my political dispositions; a horror of these cannibal festivals seized me, and the idea of quitting France for some distant land began to gain strength in my mind." In a different mood, Chateaubriand speaks thus sadly and repentantly of the period when his mind was darkened by the mists of scepticism : " I had now become an esprit fort, or to speak more truly, an esprit foible. This change in my religious opinions had been produced by reading books on philo sophy. I truly believed that on one side a religious mind was as it were paralysed—that there were truths which could not reach it, however superior it might be in other ways. It was this foolish pride which effected the change in my mind; in a religious spirit I supposed a deficiency, an absence of faculty, which in fact exists in a philosophic spirit; a limited intelligence imagines it sees everything, because it keeps its eyes open; a su perior intelligence consents to shut its eyes, because it sees everything within." Hear bim again singing of the glories of a ship—a vessel isolated in mid-ocean : " The ship alone forms an object of iaterest; sensible to the slightest movement of the helm, a winged steed, she obeys the hand of the pilot, as a horse yields to the hand of the rider. The beauty of the masts and cordage, the activity of the sailors in climbing the shrouds and handing the sails, the different aspects under which the ship presents herself, sometimes heeling under the power of a contrary gale from the south, and sometimes running all sail set, before a northerly breeze—combine to form of this almost intelligent machine, one of the greatest triumphs of human ingenuity. One while the surge with its foam breaks and dashes against the hull —at another, the peaceful waves yield a ready and easy passage to the prow. The flags, streamers, and sails complete the beauty of this palace of Neptune; the lower sails, in all their extent, are bulged out like vast cylin ders; the upper ones crossed in the middle by the bunt line, resemble the bosom of a Siren. Driven on by a powerful wind, with her keel she furrows the field of the sea, as with a ploughshare." After telling us of his interview with - Washington, he says—" There is a virtue in the glance of a great man !" One more quotation we must be permitted to make : it is a comparison by Chateaubriand of NAPOLEON AND WASHINGTON. " Washington does not, like Bonaparte, belong to that race who outstrip the standard of human measurement. Nothing amazing is attached to his person; he is not placed on a vast theatre of action; is not engaged in ter rible combat with the most skilful generals and the most powerful monarchs of his time; does not hasto full speed from Memphis to Vienna, from Cadiz to Moscow; he stands his ground with a handful of citizens in a country adorned with no peculiar celebrity, within the narrow circle of their domestic hearths. He fights no battles which revive the triumphs of Arbela and Pharsalia; .he overturns no thrones to build up others with their ruins; he does not say to the kings at his gate— Qu'ils se tont trop attendre, et qu'Attila s'ennuie.' "An air of silence envelopes Washington's actions; he acts slowly; as if feeling that the liberty of the future is in hands, and fearful of compromising it. This hero of a new race manages and directs, not his own destinies, but those of his country; be does not allow himself to toy with what is not his own; but from this profound humility what brilliancy now bursts forth! Traverse the woods where Washington's sword flashed to the light; what will you find? Graves ?—No ! a world ! Washington has left the United States as a trophy on his battle • field. Bonaparte has no trait in common with this grave, calm American; be combats noisily on an old theatre of action, in an old country; he thinks only of building up his own fame, takes charge only of his own destiny. He seems to know that his mission will be short; that the torrent which falls from such a height will quickly be exhausted; he hastens to enjoy and abuse his powerilike a quickly fleeting youth. Like Homer's gods, he longs to reach the extremity of the world in four steps. He appears on every shore; hastily inscribes his name on the records of every nation, and throws crowns to his family and: his soldiers; he is in haste in everything, in his monuments, his laws, and his victories. Leaning over the world, with one band he overturns kings, with the other crushes the giant revolution; but in overcom ing anarchy he stifles liberty, and finally loses his own on his last field of battle. _ _ " Each is rewarded according to his deeds; Washing ton raises a nation to independence; a magistrate in the repose of domestic life, he falls asleep beneath his own roof, amidst the regrets of his fellow -countrymen, and the veneration of nations. " Bonaparte robs a nation of its independence; a fallen emperor, he is cast forth into exile, where the terror of nations still looks upon him as insufficiently imprisoned, even under the guard of ocean. Lie expires; the news, published at the gate of the palace before which the con queror caused so many deaths to be proclaimed, neither arrests nor astonishes the passer-by ; what had the citi zens to regret? " Washington's republic still exists; Bonaparte's em pire has fallen to the ground. `'Washington and Bona parte were both nursed in the lap of democracy ; both born of liberty, the one was faithful to her, the other betrayed her. " Washington was the representative of the wants, ideas, intelligence, and opinions of his times ; he se conded, instead of opposing, the movements of th public mind; he willed what it was his duty to will, the thing to which he was called; hence the coherence and perpe tuity of his work. This man, not striking because in his just proportions, mingled his existence with that of his country ; his fame is the patrimony of civilization ; his renown stands like one of those public sanctuaries whence flows a fertilising, inexhaustible stream. " Bonaparte had it equally in his power to enrich the common domain . ; he had as material in his hands the most intelligent, the bravest, and most brilliant nation on earth. What would not now be his rank in the esti mation and reverence of men, had he added magnani mity to the heroic qualities he possessed ! if, Washing ton and Bonaparte in one, he had named liberty the tun versa' legatee of his fame! " But this giant did not link his destinies with those of his contemporaries; his genius belonged to a modern age, his ambition to an ancient ono ; he saw not that the miracles of his life outshone the value of a diadem, and that this Gothic oinnment would ill suit his head. Sometimes he piceipitated himself on the future, at others tell back on th e p as t ; an d w hether going against or wilh the stream of the age, draw with him or re pulsed the waves by his mighty strength. Men were in his eyes but a means to power ; no sy - mpathy un!t«l their happiness and his : he had premised to deliver the m, and he fettered them ; he isolated himself from them, and they became estranged from him. The kings, of Egypt built their funereal pyramids, not amidst ver dant fields, but amidst sterile plains of sand; these vast tombs rise like eternity in solitude—Bonaparte followed their example in erecting the monument of his renown." With this grand historical parallel, worthyln dignity if not in truthfulness, of the pen of Plutarch, we cannot better conclude our observations upon these memorable posthumous confessions. EL BUSCAPIE. By Cervantes. Translated from the Spanish by Thomasina Ross. It is difficult to say which portion of this volume is the more interesting and„attractive, that which con tains the " Buscapie," or that which relates the his tory of Cervantes. The history of Cervantes as here detailed, is almost as marvellous and eventful as are the adventures of the Knight of La Mancha himself, as a brief epitome of his fortunes may testify. Destined for one of the learned professions, the young Miguel was educated at the University of Salamanca, where he distinguished himself by some poetical com positions. His education completed, be entered the service of Cardinal Acquiviva, in whole suite he visited Rome. He some time after entered the army as a private soldier, and was ,present at the battle of Lepanto. Although suffering from fever, he insisted upon taking part in the action, and gloriously distin guished himself. He was severely wounded, and lost his left arm on this occasion, but nevertheless " the memory of this day," says his biographer, " the 7th October, 1571, was to Cervantes like a ray of light beaming through the clouds of this past re collections." Cervantes was twenty-four at the battle of Lepanto. In 1675, while returning to his native land, having in the meantime continually taken part in the enterprises of Don John of Austria, Cervantes was made prisoner by the Algerines, and spent five weary years in captivity at Algiers. The narrative of his attempted escapes—escapes planned with so much skill, and undertaken with so much courage as to cause the Dey of Algiers to exclaim, "he should consider his slaves, his barks, and the whole city of Algiers perfectly safe, could he but get rid of that one-handed Spaniard"—is given in such an interesting manner by Miss Thomasina Ross, that we will not diminish its attractions by ab breviating it. Suffice it to say, that after many cruel disappointments, and many imminent perils, Cer vantes returned to his native land at the close of five years' captivity. Here his literary history begins, but even this, the most tranquil period of his life, is crowded with extraordinary incidents—at one time he is thrown into prison on an unfounded charge of embezzlement, on another occasion he writes a prize poem and is rewarded with three silver spoons; and again he is arrested on suspicion as a homicide. For a further detail of these very inter esting adventures we must refer our readers to this newly published volume. One incident, however, is too curious to omit quoting. " Don Quixote" on its first appearance created such general eucitement, even in royal circles, that King Philip, standing one day in the balcony of his palace, and happening to observe a student on the opposite bank of the Manza nares earnestly reading, who at intervals struck his forehead with his hand and burst into fits of laughter, exclaimed, " That student is either crazy or he is reading Don Quixote.'" The King's conjecture, on inquiry, proved correct. This very interesting biography of the great Spaniard is prefixed to a translation of "El Buscapie," a work which is in deed a curiosity of literature, for, after having baffled the researches of the learned, it has been introduced to the public for the first time, more than two cen turies after it was written ! The importance of the work is naturally enhanced by the mystery which has hitherto enveloped it. It was originally intended as an explanation and defence of "Don Quixote," which work has, however, fought its way without the assist ance of "El Buscapie." "El Buscapie" is composed of a dialogue between two travellers who meet in the course of their wanderings. The conversation, which is lively and sarcastic, turns upon the merits of ro mance and romantic literature in general and of " Don Quixote "in particular. It is well worthy of perusal for its own sake, while the .circumstances under which it was written and preserved considerably increase its interest. The little work written to support " Don Quixote " owes its own existence, at this day, the celebrity of " Don Quixote." It is not the first time that the patron has been patronised by the protegee. The elegant little volume containing Miss Ross's admirable translation is adorned with a very beautifully engraved portrait of Don Miguel de Cervantes. It appears from this biography that Cer vantes died on the same day as-Shakspere. POPULAR BRITISH ORNITHOLOGY. By P. X. Gosse. This little volume professes to give a familiar and technical description of the birds of the British Isles, and seldom are professions better carried out. Every British bird from the sparrow to the peacock is here described in the most attractive manner possible. The various peculiarities of each and all are set forth technically and familiarly, so that the student of natural history may gain information, and the general reader may derive amusement from the same work. Not the least attractive contents of this volume are its illustrations. It contains no less than seventy birds, admirably drawn and beautifully coloured. To juvenile readers this work will be invaluable. AUSTRIA. By E. Y. Thompson, Author of "Life in Russii" At the present moment when the political reor ganization of the Austrian empire is the object of general attention, this work will be perused with especial interest. It gives a brief but graphic expo sition of the actual state of Austria. An enumera tion of its various chapters will sufficiently show the character of the work. It begins with the "Extent and Population of Austria," proceeds to consider the " State Policy," " The Statesmen of Austria," " Edu cation," "Religion," " The Army," " Peasantry," " Middle Class," " Revenue and Statistics," " Vienna and the Viennese," &c., &c., until the postcript, which treats of the " Present Position and Prospects of the Empire." The writer's tone is, in general, sufficiently liberal, but he, like too many Liberals, seems to fear that the newly revolutionized countries may become " a prey to anarchists and mob legislators," forgetting that the perils and difficulties of revolution are almost inevitable accompaniments of tf. e state of transition from, despotism to constitutional liberty. ADVENTURES IN BORNEO. 1 Vol. This is not a " book of travels," as its name would lead us to expect. It is a fictitious narrative, simple in material, but interesting in detail. The hero, who relates his own story, is a youth of tender years, the son of a poor curate and a high-born lady, whose family "give her up" on her ill-assorted marriage. With the exception of a few years of peaceful retire- , ment, the fate of the curate and his bride is sorrow ful in the extreme. He ultimately obtains a foreign appointment, and, with his wife and childrenoets sail from England. Shipwreck and all its attendant hor rors befit' the unhappy family. Some parts of the narrative are terrible, and their melancholy effect is only heightened by the natural pathos with which they are suffused. POLITICAL TRACTS OF MENENIUS. The political tracts of Menenius relating to Ire land are here collected and republished. The name assumed by the writer is the best illustration of the spirit of the work. " Menenius" has borrowed his name from the Roman citizen who arrested a papular insurrection by relating a fable of the mutiny of the in: nbers of the body, " because they had all the labour while the belly lay at ease in the midst. They resolved to do nothing to contribute to its support, but found that by so doing they weakened them selves, and recognised at last that it was owing to the belly that they all had strength to work or courage to mutiny." The application of this fable as intended by the modern Menenius is obvious. The volume is well worthy of perusal. LONDON and PROVINCIAL MEDICAL DIRECTORY for 1849. The " London and Provincial Medical Directory" now takes its stand as a permanent and most useful addition to our annual books of reference, and the present edition is a great improvement upon those which have gone before it. The work is now con fined more strictly to the intentions and objects of a directory than it has hitherto been, an alteration which cannot but meet with the approval of the pro fession. There is much more matter added to this edition, and the arrangement of the work is more lucid than heretofore. TVHO'S WHO IN 1849. Edited by H. R Addison, K.G.S. To be published Annually. This is one of the most complete, most useful, and most elegant books of reference which has ever been presented to the public. It fulfils its title to the letter, containing as it does, in addition to an almanac and the list of the Royal family, a list of The Royal Household—Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber—The Ministry and Chief Officers of State —The Privy Council—The House of Peers, showing the Political Bias, the date of Creation, and Number of Descent of each Peer—The House of Commons, showing the Political Bias of each Member, the Place he represents, and the Population of each place so represented—The No bilit y of the United Kingdom, their title, rank, age, family name, and heir—List of Peers who, being minors, await their coining of age to take their seat in the House of Lords—List of the Peeresses, distinguishing those who have become so by creation, and those by descent—The Judges— Archbishops and Bishops of the United Kingdom, with their family names and dates of creation—Colo i.ral Bishops, ditto, ditto—Scotch Lords of Session— Titles borne by the Eldest Sons of Peers, and the superior titles to which they are heirs—Baronets of the United Kingdom, Scotland, and Ireland, their ages and dates .of creation—The Knights Civil and Military of the United Kingdom, their order of knighthood, and date of creation of each—Field Marshals of the Empire—General Officers in the British Army, with the dates of their commissions— General Officers in the East India Company's Service, ditto—Admirals in the British Navy ; ditto—her Majesty's Corps of Gentlemen at Arms—Military and Naval Knights of Windsor—Directors of the Bank of England—Directors of the East India Com pany—Directors of Railways having a terminus in London—Directors of Joint-Stock Banks in the Me tropolis—Directors of Metropolitan Insurance Com panies—Managers, Secretaries, and Actuaries of Me tropolitan Insurance Companies—The Institute of Actuaries—List of London Bankers—Official Super scriptions to Letters Table of Precedence— alphabetically arranged, so that the possessor of this work can ascertain who's who in a moment. It is elegantly got up, and will be as elegant as an orna ment on a drawing-room table as it is useful as a book of reference in the study. MACA ULAY'S HISTORY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR,—No impartial student of English history will, I think, depart from the opinion your reviewer has expressed as to the manifest unfairness of Mr. Ma caulay's statement of the character of James 11. True, James was a hard, stern, and bigotted man, but he was far from the irredeemable monster painted by Macaulay. He had, as all men have, some good qua lities, and among them was a patriotic care for the naval glory of his country. Now Mr. M. dilates with great force and truth on the lamentable contrast which the state of the British marine at the com mencement of the reign of Charles 11. affords to its glory in the days of the Protectorate. But he en tirely omits to state that no sooner was the Duke of York (whom he ranks with " a clerk in Chatham Dockyard" !) raised to the post of High Admiral, than the navy again became most efficient and com manded the respect and envy of neighbouring coun tries. Not one word has Mr. M. to tell us of the gallant battle of Solebay I It was the spirited energy of James which, in effect, restored our naval supremacy, and won for us in after days the 'victo ries of La Hogue and Vigo. The evident party spirit which pervades Mr. Macaulay's otherwise magnificent work, will prevent it from ever taking its stand as a correct historical treatise, by the side of the less eloquent but more impartial histories of Lingard, Tytler, or Alison. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, S. V. P. MR. WILSON'S ENTERTAIN MENTS IN PHILADELPHIA. (From the Philadelphia inquirer of Dec. 22.) The tenor singer Wilson, well remembered in this city from his operatic performances in association with Miss Sheriff and Seguin, and who, since the period of his being here, has been giving his entertainments on the Songs of Scotland throughout Britain with unparalleled success, made his reappearance on Wednesday evening in the Musical Fund Hall, when he was honoured with all the elite of the city. No entertainment ever seemed to give greater delight, or was received with more hearty en thusiasm, and there can be little doubt that on Saturday night, when he will give his famous:," Nicht wi' Burns," there will be a goodly assemblage of all who have a taste fur poetry and song, for melody and:poetry combined. Wilson's performance is not a mere tickling of the ear—the heart and mind are interested, and his songs ,are given with all that purity of tone and just appreciation of the poet's feelings, which have gained him so high a reputation. It would be difficult to mention one of th e songs o f W e d nes d ay night as being superior to another; there was abundance of variety, and in all phases he was equally at home, whether as Bruce addressing the Scottish army at Ban nockburn, Captain Cleveland singing the serenade under the window of Minna Troil, or in the pathetic strain of " The Land o' the Leal," or the humorous chant of" Get up and bar the door." " Lord Ullin's Daughter," by Campbell, which he sang in addition to the evening's list, was one of the finest performances we ever listened to. The appropriate accompaniments—the storm, the galloping of the horses, the splashing of the waves, aided much the masterly delivery of the poem. Mr. Wilson is charmingly accompanied by his daughter. These performances cannot fail to be highly attractive." WILSON'S NIGHTS Wl' BURNS. (From the America* Courier, Philadelphia, Dec. 22.) These entertainments, given] by the celebrated Scot tish vocalist, Mr. Wilson, at the Musical Fund Hall, are among the most charming and intellectual treats of the season. His daughter, an excellent pianist, accompanies him with grace and effect. The following lines to the vocalist we find in a Boston paper:— TO JOHN WILSON, SCOTIA'S MINSTREL. By one who has been " lang awa' frae his sin countrie.' Come, sing me a sang o' my sin countrie, Where a heedless callant I roved! Sing ane that will speak o' her hills and her streams, And the braes and the glens I loved. Oh, I love them still, the sweet bonnie braes Where aft wi' my lassie I've gene; And whispered the breathings o' luv in her ear, And pressed her to be a' my sin. Oh, sing me a sang o' my sin countrie. Oh the time's lang gane, since my Jeanie and I, Auld Scotland left, and her braes; But the Minstrel's sang will awake in our hearts The sweet thochts o' our youthfu' days. For the heart maun be cauld, that winna aye warm, Wi' the sangs o' its native land, And the ear maun be (lull, that winna be cheor'd With the Minstrel's accents bland. Oh sing me a sang o' my sin countrie. Oh sweet are the sangs o' our Minstrel at hame, But sweeter when warbled here, To the hearts and the ears o' them far awa' Frae the land that's t o them sae dear. Then, Minstrel, sing us our sin sweet Bangs, The sangs o' our doer countrie, And we'll ming:e our hearts wi' your winsome notes, And our blessings we'll a' gie thee. Come, sing me a sang o' our ain countrie. His Excellency the Brazilian Minister and Madame de Lisboa have arrived from Brighton for the season. PRINCESS'S THEATRE.—The attractions at this house, instead of abating at the close of the holidays, is on the increase—every part of the theatro is nightly over flowed. The boxes present a coup d'cril of beauty delightful to witness—royalty, dukes, earls, lords, and their ladies are constantly in attendance—indeed all London seems attracted by the pantomime of Bluff King Hal, which certainly is worthy of its success. The opening is a complete burlesque of itself, the scenery, masks, and ap pointments beautifully executed; and the acting, particu larly that of Mr. Honey ; as the sweet amorous monarch, excellent. We think people might live without eating if the old proverb be true, " Laugh and grow fat"—no one can see this pantomime without laughing. Flex.. more's cluwn is inimitable; he is ludicrous without vul garity, excites laughter without offending, and his dancing has no parallel—he eclipses all the grotesques we ever beheld. His Flexmorean imitations of Duvernay, Cailotti C-risi, and Perrot are applauded to the echo— this one scene is enough to draw all the sight-seers in the world. Paulo, Bologna, and the graceful Miss Fawcett acquit themselves admirably. We predict a long and brilliant reign to Blull King Hal. THE COMMERCE or LIVERPOOL.—The greatness of the commerce of Liverpool was exemplified yesterday in the tact, that every dock belonging to the port was so full that several inward-bound vessels had to anchor in the river. Tn SALE OF LORD SUFFIELD'S ESTATES.—The fine estates of this nobleman at Middleton and Thornham were put up to auction by Mr. Fisher on Thursday, at the Palatine Hotel. Mr. Fisher opened the proceedings by stating, in a brief and business-like style, the capa bilities and qualities of the property, and then called for biddings. The first sum offered was :00,0001., by Robt. Ashton, Esq.. of 1.13 de. The auctioneer afterwards offered on the whole 200,000/. as a reserve bid, and stated that he would take any advance on this of 1,000/. The property was ultimately withdrawn at 200,0001. We are told that the gross annual rental is 10,0001. per annum, and is capable of improvement, the average charge per acre at present not exceeding 345. 63. We understand that the property is likely to be brought into the market again in smaller lots, as the whole must be sold, includ ing the advowson of the rectory of Middleton and the manorial rights.—Maneltester Examiner. SIR JOHN GERARD, BART.—A. painful rumour was prevalent here on Saturday, that Sir John Gerard, Bart., of New Hall, in this county, had suddenly ex pired. The report is happily untrue. We are sor: to say, however, that the worthy Baronet is indisposed, though we understand not seriously.—Liverpoo/4vo ° the THE GROCERS' COMPANY.—Yesterday ir__a..,in Wor shipful Company of Grocers distributed at tmhbeerli " of their the Poultry, upwards of 100/. amongl h a e ,Id)Birboiyen,a.mrstrs. Jam n a u mount appor poor members and their widows. d by tioned to each individual was regulate of their respective cases. AID AND BENEFIT or ASSOCIATION FOR THR . Yesterday a meeting e e t Viscountess tli e DRESSMAKERS AND MILLINT e s the exigency above association, was of the ladies' i i t z:t e i C e n li o tfor s i d ep . L s p t ae re dry e te t James Canning, Lady h Lou re i .k) C h t i ll a t e t ss theirG r o e ffic y lne p s7 c.V a d __% ch , Port stated that, during the past Taylor, &c. satisfactory Although there had and encouraging. . been a declen sionin the pecuniary resources, yet a decided ad year, the progress of of the society was highly had been made in the realization of the prin cipal of work prevailing,,ominp cipal object of the . society, viz to pr many instances the young .. . , reduce the inordinate Compelled to labour from six tfeemenalteoseeimghptleoeynedhobuerinsgper day. The result of the efforts a rn h ad o and the h h e y e the ehh tcommitteecountry to s h( (although l v t e been, h ou g h therethat both yetin lu.onnhdaop npily numerous excepti ons ) taken place. Th e report a m proceededarked t aomeli stateo r a t t h i l on t h t h a e s other branches of the institution—the registration sys tern, by which many hundreds are provided with situa tions; the medical relief fund, and a provident fund for investing savings —were also increasing in prosperity. Many deserving eases of distress had been relieved with pecuniary assistance during illness or temporary diffi culties. The funds are at present low. GRAY'S INN, JAN. 24.—James Fallon, Esq., was this day called to the degreo of barrister-at-law by the llonourable Society of Gray's Inn. 61 II •••,t, ' 4 ' Si Niqi BURNING _DOWN op Tr ‘V AY S fATION AT HATFIELD I'EV.EtiEL. On Thursday night the railway station at the vil lage of Hatfield Peverel on the Eastern Counties line, about three miles from With am , was destroyed by fire, and the following are the facts which we have been able to glean from sources of authority :—The clerk of the station was engaged therein at the time the mail train went down the line, which was about ten o'clock (the mail does not stop at Hatfield), and he continued there until about twenty minutes past ten, when he put the lamps out as usual (there being no light left during the night here, in con sequence of the night trains not stopping), and left the station to go to his lodgings. About twenty minutes after this, as a young ,farmer was passing over the bridge by the station, and in the direction of Hatfield, he discovered the station to be on fire, and called out loudly several times in order to see if the porter, or any one connected with the line, was near. Finding he could make no one hear, he rode into the village (not more thin several hundred yards distant) and gave the alarm, and a number of persons repaired to the spot, but by the time they reached the station the fire had gained so much hold that there would have been but little chance of stopping it, even if a supply of water could have been obtained on the spot. As it was, there was neither water nor engine, and to have procured the latter they must have sent to Witham. However, the station being small, and built of wood, it was speedily reduced to ashes, together with books, tickets, and everything belonging to it, the brick chimney only being left standing. The fire was seen plainly at Witham, but was supposed to have been much further off than it was. The wind blew furiously during the time of the fire, and therefore hastened on the work of destruction. How the fire originated remains still a mystery, but we are glad to be able to contradict a report which was very generally spread—namely, that the clerk was suspected of having been the incendiary. No such suspicion exists with the authorities on the line, and if the station was wilfully fired, it was no doubt by some mischievous lounger or passer-by. The general opinion with them, we believe, is, that a spark from a lamp was the cause. It might have been a cinder from the mail train, but it is not very likely, as the mail passes on the line of rails furthest from the station. It is rather remarkable that the company had been contemplating taking down this station, in con sequence of a great deal of the former traffic having beeen taken off by the opening of the Maldon branch line ; but as considerable hostility has been shown, and very naturally, by the inhabitants of Hatfield to a measure calculated to put them to such incon venience, the company had deferred taking any de cisive steps. It will now be a question how the Hatfield people may fare, after such an abrupt and unexpected demolition of their little station.— Ipswich Express. THE POOR OF ST. PANCRAS. Yesterday a special meeting of the directors of the poor of St. Pancras took place at the new vestry rooms; Mr. Churchwarden Healey in the chair. Mr. PITT read to the board the verdict of the co roner's jury in the case of Joseph John Carter, in which the jury strongly censured the board of directors for not having entered into a proper con tract with Mr. Drouet in farming out the pauper children. Mr. T. 11. SMITII complained of the reports and the comments in the public papers attacking the direc tors with regard to the children. Mr. BAKER said all that possibly could be raked up against the guardians had been done, whilst all that was in their favour had been omitted by the journals. Mr. CLARE observed, that so far as the directors of the poor of St. Pancras were concerned, they had been exceedingly anxious to do all they could for the benefit of the pauper children ; but what were the facts ? The workhouse had become so over-crowded that they were compelled to fall back upon the prac tice adopted by other parishes, and farm out the chil dren to create room for adult paupers, who were crowd ing upon them. They would have sent the children to Aubin's asylum, but that gentleman had no room, and they were obliged to send them to Mr. Droners. Why, however, should the Poor-law Commissioners try and get out of the responsibility—(Hear) —when it was actually :upon the representations of Mr. Tufnell and Mr. Hall, of the Poor-law Board, that the directors of St. Pancras were induced to send theii girls to Tooting ? They did not contend for price. They gave Mr. Drouet the price he asked, and if he had not fulfilled his contract the blame rested with Mr. Drouet. Mr. BRETTITGH►M observed that although he was prepared to admit that starvation and want of clothing amongst the people were predisposing causes of cholera, still exceeding care should be taken how they made all these great changes in the dietary which were proposed. In the first place, if the board were to increase the diet so much it would be an admission that they had been starving the people for a long period of years. They had been paying Mr. Drouet 4s. 6d. per week for the support of these children, whereas there were hundreds of poor ratepayers who could not afford to spend 2s. 6d. per week upon the keep of each child. Although they were bound to have a proper degree of anxiety for the recipients of parochial relief, still they were bound, notwithstanding the agitation which this Tooting affair had created, also to exhibit an anxiety for the poorer class of ratepayers, who, as it were, were only an inch off themselves from the walls of the workhouse. He would move " That a com mittee be appointed to draw up a report for publica tion throughout the parish in answer to the verdict of the coroner's jury, and other allegations against the board of directors, detailing all the circumstances under which the board were compelled to farm out the pauper children with Mr. Drouet." Mr. SMITH seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. THE CALIFORNIA GOLD MINES. Letters from California state that further dis coveries had been made in the gold region, which yield even a more abundant supply than the previous diggings. According to the latest accounts the gathering amounted on the average to about 100,000 dolls. daily, and was constantly increasing, without apparently an exhaustion or any limit to the supply. There was a great amount of distress among the diggers from the want of the common necessaries of life, and attended with very extensive sickness and mortality. Men loaded with gold appeared like haggard vagabonds, clothed in filthy garments of the meanest kind. To show the value at which liquors are estimated it is stated that one man had two barrels of brandy sold them at the mines by the small wine glass at rates which realised him 14,000 dolls. in gold. Everything, and particularly articles of food and raiment, were at most unheard-of prices ; for gold was so plentiful in the possession of every one, that it seemed to have lost its value. Daily addi tions are being made to the numbers employed in digging. No portion of the vast flood of emigration from the United States had arrived. A party of Mormons had collected large quantities of gold in the neighbourhood of the Salt Luke; while on the journey one of them lost a mule with 1,280 dolls. worth of gold on its back. The animal being frightened ran off in the midst of a vast plain, and was irretrieveably lost. A person lately returned from the "diggings states that cattle wer e pl en tif u l i n the country,_v_ was a considerabl e q u an tity of flour at that Sutler 's in. He also fruit Fort, and large quantities were pouringat all ggerates There was generally s carce , an d very little _exa says that he has read no account t a either the quantity or quality of the gold. He further dry ravines as well as those covered with water. states that gold is found P. erson s who collect w ith three times the quantity of any kind of system anywhere d do. A were exploring . adry A party of some 2 0 dust and ore mountain suppose d led to a.to be ravine that precious ore ; when rich with the P nen near its m• suddenly base, they ca upon a spot which sa:nawsosrho go digging gold dust d with go and ore, caused by t h e washings as those was hings from t he mountains . In an instant every threw himself upon the ground man where lay scat tered the treasure, and sprawling out his arms and legs , claimed a right to that portion of the earth. The t itle was regarded by eac h as good, and the average yield in a short time was Accounts rec e i ve d from f 3s, Emit a u pwards of 300 dolls. n inform us that ves sels had arri ve d there of which had from California with gold, some been assayed, and found to average 21 carats. Her AlajestY ' surveying brig Pandora, 6, Woo Lie utenant James s Wood Commander, had taken 280,000 d o ll s. worth in all, and was to land it at Panama, to be se n t across the Isthmus to Chagres, and by the mail steamers to Southampton. It is stated in the New York papers that the Government had recently received very late advices from the gold region of such a glowing and glittering character, as even to justify the withholding of particulars from the public. The New York shipping lists exhibit a large number of vessels up for California, and numbers were sailing daily full of passengers and goods. Messrs. Howland and Apenwall, of New York, are having a vessel constructed in three sections, so as to be transported on shipboard to California. VISIT OF THE QUEEN TO .MANCTLESTER.---It highly probable that her Majesty will pay a visit to Manchester during the present year. The period will be in the autumn, after the close of the ensuing session of Parliament, during the progress of her Majesty to or from Balmoral Castle, in Scotland. —Manchester Paper. IMPORTANT QUESTION. —If men can earn 18 dol lars per day in California, bow will it be possible to keep Congress together to fatigue themselves with public business at eight dollars per day ?—South Carolina Hem:gang. GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY.—The works are proceeding vigorously from Doncaster, via Bawtry and Uctford.