The Sun. — London, England, 1849-01-24 00:00:00

~...,.......---______ NEW NOVEL, BY THE AUTHOR, OF " EMILIA WYNDHAM." Now reaey, at all the Libraries, in 3 L L ; vols. MORDA UNT ' OR, A SEPTEBER NIGHT. ICA. M -:. By the Author of " EMILIA WYNDHAM," "ANGELA," &C. Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Mariberough-street. ----- Now ready, in crow Bro., with numerous Comic Illustrations, price 12s. bound, MARTIN TOUTROND; A FRENCHMAN in LONDON in 1831. From an Unpublished French Manuscript. *Mara I , l4ottley, New Burlington-street. ST. JAMES'S THE A T 11,E. season 1849. Tilantell PLAIITSIS and OPERA COMIQUE. T EVENING, The Performances will commence at Eight o'clock precisely, vhth LE MAITRE DE CHAPELLE. Barnabe, M. Beauce; Benetto, M. Chateantort ; Gertrude, Mdlle. Gulchard. To conclude with the popular Opera Comique, entitled LE DOMINO NOIR. Boraca, M. Couderc ; Angele, Mdlle. Charton. Mr, begs also *o announee that, notwithstanding the in creased expenses of the present entertainment, the prices of admis sion are determined as follows: Boxes • • • • • • • • .. S. Od. Pit • • • • .. 3, pd. A m phitheatre .. • • 2s. Dd. Sabsoriptions for the season may be arranged at Mr. 3fitshell's Boyal Library, 33, Old Bond-street; Mr. Sams', St. James's-street; Mr. Andrews', ]yew Bond-street 1 and at the Box-office of the Theatre, which is open daily from eleven till five. THEAT I RE ROYAL, LEAYMARKE Mr. B. Webster, Sele Lessee and Manager. Old Ilrompton. The public is respectfully informed that this Theatre has, during the recess, undergone very extensive repairs and alterations and the whole re-decorated. THIS EVEN NU, Will be performed HAMLET. Hamlet, Mr. C. Kean ; Queen, Mrs. Warner ; Ophelia, Mrs. C. Kean. To conclude with an Arabian Nights' Entertainment, entitled CAMARALZAMAN AND BADOURA ; or, The Pert who Loved the Trince. Characters by Messrs. Bland, Keeley, Mrs. Keeley, Miss Horton, and Miss Reynolds. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI. Under the direction of Madame Celeste- During the Recess this Theatre has been entirely re-decorated, the Original designs by Digby Wyatt, Beg , executed by Mr. Sang. A new Stage, Curtain, Act Drop, and Chandelier. An approved sys tam of Ventilation, Ikc., &c. The Private Boxes enlarged, Backs added to the Seats, and Stalls rendered mo r e e comfortable. THIS EVENI Will be performed a new Drama, founded on Mr. Dickens's Christ mas Book, entitled THE HAUNTED MAN. Mr. Redlaw, Mr. Hughes : the Phantom, Mr: 'O. Smith ; A. Tetterby and Ce , Mr. Wright ; the Boy, Miss E. Chaplin; Milly, Miss Woolgar ; Mrs. Tet terby, Mrs. F. Matthews. To be followed by THE ENCHANTED ISLE. Alonzo, Mr. Paul Bedfbrd ; Prospero, Mr. 0. Smith ; Ariel, Madame Celeste. To conclude with a new Farce called SLASHER AND CRASHER. Mr. Slasher, Mr. Wright ; Mr. Crasher, Mr. Paul Bedford. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestris. Sole Lessee, Mr. Charles Ma' he -Ns. 4 THIS EVENIN(,. Will be performed a new and original petite Comedy, entitled WHO SPEAKS FIRST After which, a new Fairy Extravaganza, entitled THE KING OF THE PEACOCKS. Characters by Messrs. Harley, John Reeve, Selby, H. Hall, Marshall, and H. Marshall ; Miss Kathleen Fitzwil 'lam, Miss L. Howard, Mrs. Macnamara, Miss Marshall, Miss L. Marshall, Miss Coleman, and Madame Vestris. To conclude with AN APPEAL CO THE PUBLIC. Dress foxes, ss. • Upper Boxes, 4s. ; Pit, 2s ; Gallery, Is. No 'self-price to any par t of the house. The New Sox-office, No. 2, Wellington- street, is open to the public every day, from Ten till Six. PRINCESS'S THEAT►iE. Mr. J. M. Maddox, Sole Lessee and Manager. During the Recess this Theatre has been re-decorated and embel lished in a superb and costly manner ty Mr. Ilurwitz. A new Chan delier has been fitted, and the best atraft4t men ts have been made for the due Ventilation of the Theatre, and the conuort and convenience of the audience. THIS EVENING, Will be performed a new Ballad Opera. entitled ROBIN GOOD; FELLOW. Characters by Messrs. Charles Braham, Weiss, Honey, C. Fisher ; Miss Poole, Miss G. Smithson, Miss Keuworthy, Mrs. Weiss, and Miss E. Stanley. To conclude with a new grand Pantomime, entitled BLUFF KING lIAL ; or, Harlequin and the Charmed Arrow. Harlequin, Mr. Bologna; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo ; Clown, Mr. Flexmore ; Sprite, Mr. De Barr ; Columbine, Miss Fawcett. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor, Mr. W. Batty. TO-MORROW a Grand JUVENILE NIGHT, being the Last. Under the Patronage of her Mesty the Queen, his Royal Highnees Prince aj Albert, &e. Enormous success of the Holiday Novelties, the most astoundinein the Metropolis.—A gorgeous Spectacle.—Miss Woolford on the Tight-rope.—Brilliant Scenes of the Arena.—A new comic Pan tomime. THIS EVENING, The curtain will rise at a Quarter to Seven o'clock Inkcisely to the magnificent Spectacle of the WARS OF THE JEWS ; or, The Fall of Jerusalem. After which, 3Liss Woolford on the Tight - rope. To be followed by an inimitable display - of SCENES IN THE CIRCLE, supported by the first Equestrian talent of the day. To conclude with a new Equestrian Pantomime, entitled BOLD ROBIN HOOD ; or, The Pretty White Horse and Enchanted Prin cess of Sherwood Forest. Boa-office open from Eleven till Five. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. TO CORRESPONDENTS. No communication can be attended to unless autheati , cated by the name and address of the writer. Rejected communications cannot be returned. THE WEATHER—SUN OFFICE, JANUARY 24. Tnemmomirrzu, Lowest, 43; Highest, 51; Noon, 50. BAAOMETEIX, 30.52. WIND W.S.W. fresh rates and squally. num WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tali DAY —Morning, 59 min. after 1 I Evening, 17 min. after 2 To-Mouaow—Morning, 36 min. after 2 I Evening, 55 min. after 2 .cto • ~ 4.4 ipatiV t deL 641117 ,1h . 4 1 '' . 4l " iti, ISltgb ‘ , , 1,11, 6 z , ek ebtnin4 LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1849. Whatever differences of opinion may prevail in Ireland on other subjects, there is at least one point on which the utmost unanimity exists. Persons professing all shades and varieties of political opinion, of every creed and class, most cordially agree that some great and comprehensive alterations must take place in the poor-law system—that radical changes must be introduced, and that speedily, or that the nation will be involved in the most disastrous cala mities. Much suffering has already been sus tained, and it is impossible to predict what may be the ultimate consequences, if the law should re main in its present condition for another session. Energetic protests against the working of the code are promulgated daily, and it is impossible to take up an Iri-h journal without finding the greater por tion of its columns filled with the most gloomy vatici nations as to the future prospects of the country, and the most positive assertions as to the utter im possibility of sustaining the overwhelming burdens by which the industry of the nation is paralysed. It is a national movement, and something must be con ceded to the wishes of an united people. Meetings are held in every district to petition the Imperial Parliament, and sounder views as to the duties inci dental to the possession of property than those hereto fore entertained, are generally expressed. The land• lords feel that they cannot evade the responsibility of providing for their own poor ; that the po verty of the nation is a tax upon its property, and that nothing can be spared for the superfluities of any until the necessities of all have been provided for. They are also beginning to learn the great fact, that it is on their own ex ertions that they must chiefly rely for extrication from the difficulties by which they are surrounded ; that, althoug h En g land will gladly assist those who strentously endeavour to ameliorate their own condi tion by their own exertions, it is but a vain and futile expectation to suppose that she will a ga i n undertake the task of supporting myriads of able bodied labourers in unproductive idleness. They therefore declare their readiness to discharge those imperative duties, but they demand of the justice of the Legislature of the United Kingdom that the law sh ou ld b e so modified that those who are willing to respect their obligations should be enabled to do so. An important end numerou3ly attended meeting of the inhabitants of the county of Westmeath was held at the Court-house, Mullingar, on Monday last, for the purpose of petitioning Parliament for an im mediate alteration of the poor-law, at which senti ments were expressed, and resolutions adopted, worthy of the highest upmmendation. It is true that we cannot agree with all that fell from the speakers. Some few took occasion to chant a dirge over the tomb of monopoly, to laud the prin ciples of protection, and to ascribe the evils ender which the nation has groaned to the removal of the impediments to her trade and commerce. We shall, however, let these observations pass ; the Ist of Feb ruary is too nearly at hand to criticise too severely their bucolic lamentations. The Marquis of WEST. MEATH and Mr. Mica MORGAN TUITE may, there fore, for the time being, be treated with forbearance and even compassion. We are too well satisfied with the triumph of free trade to exult over its vanquished opponents. The High Sheriff of the county, who presided over the meeting, offered some sensible observations, worthy of the utmost commendation. He said— ------- " Why should we not agree? Is there any one in this court who does not agree, that if by the dispensa tions of Providence any of our neighbours are placed in the position of the infirm, the sick, the aged, the orphan, or the widow, those who are blessed by Providence with means should be bound to support them. On that point I hope we will be all agreed. It may be said that would be doae by ♦oluntary charity; but human nature is too frail and feeble to rely on that; and when people will not do their duty, thsr a must be a means to compel them to do it. I ►ill say also, .that if the able-bodied man be THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 24, 1849 unable to maintain himself by reason of not receiving e mployment—if, I say, he be on the verge of destitution, it is the duty of his neighbours to save him from that starvation. lam now approaching the difficulty of the subject. We say any country must be ruined which maintains its able-bodied population in idleness and not in employment. That is true; but how are you to main tain these peorie in employment? I say at once, what ever may be said by the English Government or Legis lature, there are no such difficulties in this country, or rather in tho , e parts of Ireland with which I am ac quainted. There are means, and there is wealth in this country, which would maintain in employment every able-bodied man in it. There are two views taken, cer tainly—the one called a property or townland system of taxation; the other a combined system, which would cause a rate to be struck partly on the union and partly on the townland. Now, I confess I do not assent to the property area of taxation; and I will tell you why : I cannot conceive it just that my demesne lands, or those of any gentlemen in this country, should escape taxation. Of course, it would be a great benefit to us, but I am sure no gentleman here will set his own private in • terest against the general interest of the country in a matter of this nature. On the other hand, is it just that the resident proprietor should not only employ his own full proportion of the able-bodied labourers, but should also have to employ or support the tenants of his neigh bour the absentee. Therefore, I say that we must en deavour to steer a middle course in these matters. The subject is rather a difficult one to deal with, and it would be great presumption in me to attempt to solve it. It appears to me that there may be combined a system of union rating with a system of townland rating, which will not let off the owner of grass lands, nor yet tax the resident employing proprietor beyond such proportion as he ought fairly, and reasonably, and in justice to bear. I say, then, that we have a right to demand from those statesmen who are paid by the State, and from the Le gislature, to carry out the details, when we place before them the principles which it is our desire to have em bodied in legislation." • These are just and humane opinions, and, still bet ter, they have truth for their foundations. The in firm, the sick, the aged, the orphan, and the widow, must be supported by those who are blessed with the ability to do so. They must not be abandoned to the precarious resources of voluntary charity. They must have a legal claim to a maintenance. It could not for a moment be tolerated that the feeble and the helpless should be suffered to perish by a lingering and painful death. The man who is able and willing to work, who is ready to comply with the Su preme command, and to earn his daily bread by the sweat of his brow, possesses an equal claim. He offers a full equivalent for his support, he tenders his labour—his only capital—and it can not be rejected. The Honourable Gentleman's views on the property area of taxation are equally correct and equally honourable. Why should rich and fertile lands, from which humble occupants have been ever studiously excluded, evade the general contribution ? Why should grass lands be exempted ? Is it because the occupiers, by retaining them in pasture, avoid giving employment to the surrounding population, and thus cast a heavier burden on their names, that a premium should be offered to others to act in a similar manner ? On the contrary, it would be desirable to subject such lands to a higher ratio of taxation, in proportion to their value, than the lands under tillage in the vicinity. Is the abominable clearance system to be encouraged—the extermination of the wretched peasantry to be promoted ? Forbid it Heaven I and yet such would be the result of " individualising the responsibility," and rendering it " conterminous with property." That iniquitous and disgraceful sys tem was justly characterised by a resolu tion, unanimously adopted, as being " in some measure the cause of the pauperism, the out rages, and the calamities of Ireland." It would indeed be unwise and impolitic to afford encourage ment thereto, while it would be inequitable and un just to tax the inhabitants of towns for the support of the ejected cottiers driven from the estates of the neighbouring proprietors, who might well rejoice at the results of " narrowing the area of taxation," when they were enabled thereby to transfer the burdens from their own shoulders to those of their civic neighbours. There was perhaps no part of the proceedings with which we were more truly gratified than by the fifth resolution, in which the views of Mr. RIGBY WASON were fully adopted. That resolution declared—" That the present system of valuation `under the poor-law is unjust, and is a cause of pre venting improving landlords and tenants from em ploying the destitute, inasmuch as by any new valua•• tion they will have to pay in proportion as the lands are improved, and thus it has the effect of discourag ing proprietors and occupiers who would otherwise be inclined to give employment to the able-bodied, who are now a burden on the State." We congratu- late the inhabitants of Westmeath on the course they have adopted. If the example they have afforded be followed throughout the entire country, the Imperial Parliament must bow to the general feeling, and recognise the voice of public opinion. It seems to be assumed as an axiom by all the writers of the reactionary party, that whatsoever is done by kings is absolutely right, that whatsoever is done by the people is absolutely wrong, that English intervention is everywhere a crime, but that Russian intervention is all right and proper. Hence it is that FERDINAND of Austria, who was born an idiot is represented by the writers of this party as a modern SOLOMON, • and that the " bloated Bourbon," who misrules Naples and fraternizing with the Lazzaroni, the thieves and vagabonds of his capital, incites and aids them to massacre and plunder the more respectable portion of his subjects, is held up as the model King. These writers would have described TIBERIUS as a paternal Sovereign, of retiring habits and peculiar tastes, and NERO as a young gentleman of high spirit, whose love of art occasionally led him into the commission of amusing but harmless eccentricities. Of late these writers seem to have been employed in endeavouring by every species of misrepresentation to get up a feeling against the Sicilians as anarchists, and in favour of the King of NAPLES as a liberal and con stitutional Sovereign ; more especially has it been their object to represent English inter vention in the affairs of Sicily as an intru sive mediation, forced upon the King of NAPLES by Lord PALMERSTON, in violation of treaties. It is a curious fact, that one of these writers, while condemning Lord PALMERSTON for his interference in the affairs of Sicily and Naples in 1848, expresses his " disapproval of the policy by which, in 1816, the English Minister at Naples sanctioned a gross violation of the Parliamentary rights of the Sicilians, and allowed a royal ordinance to supersede imme morial constitutional rights which had very recently been restored under a new and improved form." If the policy of 1816 is to be condemned—and we cordially agree with this writer in the condemnation he passes on the acts of the then British Minister at Naples--then surely the policy of the Cabinet of 1848 cannot but be commended, inasmuch as it endeavours to remedy the evil produced by the diplomatic careless ness, or something worse, of 1816, by interfering in the question, he purpose of ins accord with another powerful nation, for preventing war and bloodshed, and proposing a mediation for restoring to the Sicilians their immemorial const i tut i onal r i ghts. I t re mains, then, to be considered in what manner this mediation sought for, be it remembered, by the King of NAPLES himself, has been conducted by those engaged in it. And here it will, perhaps, be as well to correct a misrep resen t at i on which has of late been extensively circulated. It has been stated that Lord MINTo suggested to the King of NAPLES the expediency of reverting to the condi tions recommended thirty years ago, and it is added that not only was this suggestion acceded to, but that those conditions were solicited by the King o f NAPLES : SO far, however, is this from being a correct statement of what really occurred, that when Lord MINT° came to Naples at the solicitation of the KING himself, his suggestions and the terms proposed for the settlement of the Sicilian question were not only refused but scorned by the KING and his advisers, though the E ng li s h Mi n i s ter had, through his official influ ence and personal exertions, obtained from the Pro visional Government of Sicily a consent that the Crown of Sicily should rest on the same head as the Crown of NAPLES ; thus abandoning a fundamental rule established b y t h e C ons ti tu ti on o f 1612, which forbids the kingd om o f Si c il y to b e un it e d w ith any o ther kingdom or province under the same Sovereign. The charge, therefore, that has been brought against Lord PALMERSTON, of not submitting those terms to the king of NAPLES, falls to the ground they had already been submitted to the Monarch and rejected by him ; besides, the stat e o f a ff a i rs b e t ween Naples ond Sicily has greatly altered since the time that Lord MINTo obtained from the Provisional Go vernment of Sicily a conditional assent that the Crown of Sicily should remain on the head of the King of NArLEs. At that period the Sicilians be lieved that the good faith of the King of NAPLES might be relied on ; he had not then violated his promises by the massacres of the 15th May, nor had the Sici lian Parliament declared his claims and those of his family to the throne of Sicily forfeited ; but after the events of the 15th of May, and l i after the bombardment of Messina, it became abundantly evident that no trust could be placed in a Monarch who,: having granted through fear a con stitution to his Neapolitan subjects, took the first opportunity of violating it and leagued with the thieves and vagabonds of his capital, of slaughtering and plundering those whom he had sworn to defend and protect. Under these circumstances no other course was left for Sicily but to stand upon her rights; and it is for a restoration of her rights, and only for a restoration of "?.r rightA, that she is in arms. In this case it is tiloh 411NG who is in rebellion against Sicily, not the Sigitians who are in rebellion against the KING. All that the Sicilians require is the restoration of the Constitution of 1812, which was not a constitution ectroyee, but a convention entered into between the then King of SICILY and his subjects, and guaran teed by Great Britain, as the Protectress of Sicily. And here it is necessary to correct another misrepre sentation of the reactionary party, a misrepresenta tion which has been so frequently repeated that it has been received in many instances, without inquiry, as a truism. It has been asserted over and over again that the King of NAPLES has distinctly declared his intention of restoring to the island all the rights and privileges of the Condtitution of 1812 ; this is abso lutely false, for if he were to restore to the island all the rights and privileges of the Constitution of 1812, not only would he withdraw all the Neapolitan troops from the island,l but he would also be compelled to abdicate the throne either of Naples or of Sicily. On re • ferring to the Constitution of 1812, we find that Art. 17 of the Chapter of the Succession runs thus— " Should the King of Sicily reconquer the kingdom of Naples, or acquire any other kingdom, he must send his eldest son to reign in the new dominions, or leave his son in Sicily, granting the kingdom to him; declaring hereafter the kingdom of Sicily independent of Naples, or any other kingdom or province." The Royal assent was in such words— " Agreed (Placet) for the independence, all other matters to be settled between the King and his son, at the general peace, to know which of them ought to reign in Sicily." After this distinct declaration on the part of the KING, " agreed as to the; independence," how can it be contended that the King of NAPLES can be at the same time the legitimate Sovereign of Naples and Sicily, or that he can be allowed to hold a Neapo litan army in Sicily, in order to put down by military power the national rights that he, like his ancestors, has ever detested ? But it; may be said, admitting all this to be true, it is no reason why Great Britain should interfere be tween the King of NAPLES and the Sicilians. That it is not only the right but the duty of England to interfere in support of the liberties of the Sicilian people; that Great Britain is and has a right to be considered the " Protectress and Supporter" of those liberties, we will now proceed to prove by quoting from an official memorandum of Sir WILLIAM A'CouaT, Minister of Great Britain to the Court of Sicily, addressed to the KING and the nation on the 20th of October, 1814, when the British troops were evacuating the island, where they bad been received and enter tiined from the day that the King of SICILY, expelled from Naples by the French, had been received with open arms at Palermo, up to the time of the conclu sion of the general peace, during all which period Sicily had been one of the most useful, as during the whole of the war she had continued to be one of the most faithful of the allies of Great Britain. In this most important document, with the contents of which it is evident the members of the British Cabinet must have been perfectly well acquainted before its pre sentation to the King of SICILY, Sir WILLIAM A'CouxT says : " The sacrifices which Great Britain has made for the safety and prosperity of this island entitle her to expect that her suggestions should be received with rebpeet and attention. " It is unnecessary to go back to the causes which led to the general expression of the nationsl desire for a reform in the constitution of the country—causes which may be found in the progressive advancement of civili zation " But, although the wish for a change was almost unanimous, the definition of the precise limits which ought to be given to the proposed alterations, was at tended with considerable difficulty. In this emergency it was not unnatural that the nation should turn its eyes towards a country which, possessing an extent and po pulation comparatively small and unimportant, was not only herself affording a successful opposition to the tor rent which had overwhelmed the most powerful monar chies of Europe, but was extending the hand of succour to those who were oppressed or menaced in every part of the world. "To the wise and excellent institutions of that country it was supposed, and very properly supposed, that its splendour and prosperity were to be attributed, and a hope - was entertained that by the adoption of a similar form of government the same advantages might be secured to Sicily, whose insular position and early institutions offered a certain degree of re►emblance to those of its more powerful ally. " England could not be insensible to the appeal which was made to her, and whilst she charged herself with the protection of Sicily from any foreign invader, she, at the same time, lent herself to the invitation she had received, and became the PROTECTRESS and SUPPORTER of alterations, founded upon principles so just in them selves, end so creditable to those from whom they had originally emanated " The different position in which the two countries are necessarily placed by the conclusion of a general peace has dre.vva from tho representative of Great Bri tain this general declaration of the views and sentiments of his Government. The interference of Great Britain in the domestic policy of Sicily has never sprung but from the purest motives of disinterested friendship. She will be amply compensated for all the sacrifices aho has made if it be eventually found that her exertions have contributed to the welfare, happiness, and prospe rity of the Sicilian nation. " WILLIAM A'COURT. " Palermo, October 20, 1814." So long as Sicily was contented to submit to Bourbon misrule, and to permit the King of NAPLES to violate those constitutional rights which he had solemnly sworn to preserve, it was not, perhaps, to be expected that England should interfere ; but when, having thrown off the intolerable yoke of Naples and asserted her constitutional rights, Sicily looks to Great Britain, in her declared character of Protectress and Supporter of those rights, for aid and friendly interference, Sicily only asks for the performance of that which England must recognise as a generous duty imposed upon her by the declara tions of her representative, Sir WILLIAM A'CouRT, to the Sicilian nation. tion before the Assembly that it might decide in the 1 , plenitude of its power. These were not t mes when the interests of justice could be trifled with. They had heard some of the most eminent jurisconsults cf the country vindicate the course that had been taken, end he had no doubt of the vote to which the Assembly would come. M. J. Fevre opposed the Bill. Several merob.rs of the Assembly, whilst doing homage to the motives which had induced the Government to bring forward the Bill, were inclined to doubt the opportuneness of the measure. He was, he confessed, one of that number. He considered that the establishment of the High Court of Justice would be the cause of considerable embarrass ment; and that, whatever determination the Assembly came to, that decision would not in any way change the opinion of France.—(Murmurs on the Right.) That court would undoubtedly be considered a political insti tution, and as such would be an object of attack from parties. lie did not hesitate to say that the High Court of Justice would be less at liberty to act than if that discussion bad not taken place; for if it declared itself competent, it would be taxed with political compliance.—(Loud interruption; cries on the Right of " Order, order!") If, on the other band, it declared itself incompetent, its deci sion would be construed into an act of opposition—ho might say, almost of rebellion.—(Agitation.) The High Court of Justice existed by the side of another ju risdiction of common law. and the competence of the new jury would certainly not be contested. The juris diction of common law, subsisting by the side of an ex ceptional jurisdiction, could only take cognisance of crimes committed at the period when it existed. The constitution handed over to the exceptional jurisdiction certain attacks against order and public security, but it had not defined the formaof procedure. That would be determined by a future law, but, in the meantime, he warned the Assembly not to act on dangerous hypo theses. He was, he said, totally opposed to the argu ment of retroactive principle. He could not conscien tiously support the proposition of sending the accused before the High Court of Justice, It would be consi dered as an aggravation of their position. Such a de cision would be regarded as one of rigour and severity, and he would rather have the Assembly indulgent than severe. The general discussion was then declared to be closed. The PreAdent—l have no occasion to consult the As sembly as to the propriety of passing to the discussion of the articles; that course follows as a matter of course from the declaration of urgency. I shall now read Art. 1, on which a division will take place:— " Art. 1. The authors and accomplices of the attempt of May 15, now ordered, on January 16, for trial, by the Court of Appeal of Paris, are sent before the National High Court of Justice." The following was the result of the division:— Number of voters 754 Absolute majority For the adoption 468 Against it Majority —lBo The Presideat—ln consequence, the article is adopted. " Art. 2. The National High Court of Justice shall meet at Bourges in the month following that in which the present Bill is promulgated." M. Durand proposed, as an amendment, that within a week the committee of legislation should present a Bill on the formalities to be adopted at the trial. This was rejected, and the article adopted with the substitution of the words " in forty days" for those "in the month." M. Odilon Barrot it was who proposed this change. "Art. 3. The Minister of Justice is charged with the execution of the present Bill." —Adopted. The Bill was then adopted in its ensemble. The Assembly rosa at a quarter to seven o'clock. The election of Colonel of the Ist Legion of the National Guards of Paris has terminated in favour of General GOURGAUD who accompanied the EMPEROR to St. Helena. On the second ballot which took place on Sunday, neither candidate obtained the ab solute majority, a third ballot between the two highest on the poll accordingly took place on Monday % i nn there appeared— For General Gourgaud.. 3,494 For M. Lucien Murat ... .2,459 The election for Colonel of the 2d Legion of National Guards of the Banlieu has terminated in favour of M. NAPOLEON BoNAPARTE the son of JEROME. The numbers were — N. Bonaparte ........... • 3 962 Michel .... 1,951 Barbes . . A Socialist Democratic banquet took place at the Salle Valentino on Monday, MM. PIERRE LEROUX and M. DAIN were present. In the course of the evening Ch. BERNARD declared that were any aria• tocratic movement attempted it would be the duty of every Republican to arm himself and to forget the generosity and clemency which they had shown in February. The Finance Committee of the Assembly has re jected the proposition of M. CIIAVOIX for reimbursing the tax of 45 centimes. The election of two representatives in the National Assembly for the department of the Vienne, took place on the 14th instant. There were 33,751 voters. M. PROI had 20,723 suffrages; M. HENNECART, 17,557 ; M. BOURLON, 8,832 ; M. DEMARCY, 7,841 ; and M. FRADIN, 6,926. MM. PROA and HENNECART were proclaimed representatives. The preparations for the Toulon expedition bare, it is said, been discontinued. An arrangement has been come to by M. V.tviN, the Liquidator of the Civil List, and M. DE MONTA LIVET, who represents the interests of the ex-KING, that the liquidation shall be terminated by the month of July. BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE. JAN. 23. Luxembourg (10/.), 258—Northern of Franae, 73a ex div. Orleans and Bordeaux, 2 1 4—Rouen and Havre, 9:Y 4 Sambre and Meuse, 3-„. SPAIN. Madrid journals of the 17th have arrived. Loco Da TOGORES, the Minister of Marine, had somewhat recovered from his apoplectic attack, but was not considered out of danger. MADRID BOLSA, JAN. 17.—Three per Cents., 20 cash ; after Bolsa, 19j 15-16 cash, 20 paper. Five per Cents., 1 0 Paper ; after Bolsa, Ai 10 cash. Passives, 4 paper after Bolsa, 3i cash. Bank of St. Ferdinand, 56 cash, 58 p a p er . T reasur y- bills, GO cash, 70 paper. Exchange on London, 49 10 paper. damage h:!s been repaired with the utmost rapidity.— Swabian Mercury. PRUSSIA. It was currently reported in Berlin, on the 19th, that BRANDENBURGU had retired from the Ministry, and had been succeeded by CAMPHAUSEN. The state of siege of Dusseldorf was raised on the 20th. N10::'-4EY and COMMERCIAL NEWS. Lnds Thirsk I'Y, Q IER TO THREE. i At Lict - rpt - iol yesterday the sales of Cotton were 5,00 Live _ ;tl, hales, at firm rates.—ln Raitway Shares a fair busines s - was one. ;.dun , , s, There are numerous arrivals to-day from the colonies Newest l and foreign parts, but s' me are of earlu r dale than was previously to hand, and others furnish nothing of general interest. In Belgium the weather has agate become so mild that the navigation of the canals is entirely open. The consideration of economical and financial ques tions will occupy so much attention during the ensuing session of Parliament, that some particulars of the posi tion of this country in regard to its debt may not be un acceptable. It is stated in a little pamphlet upon the " National Debt and Public Funds Simplified," by Justin Brensn, that— " The numbers holding stock in the Government Funds can be only roughly guessed at, by reason of the constant variations If one sell out 1,0001. stuck it may be bought by five persons wanting only 2001. each, thus making four additional holders, or five if the seller still retain some stock. On the other hand, the stock of dit , ferent persons may be bought by a single individual, and lessen the number of holders proportionably. Some suppose the total to be, as well as the never-ending changes permit a calculation, between 280,000 and 290,000, but a list is occasionally published by authority up to a certain day, and I utelei stand that the last, which 1 have not seen, makes the number greatly above 300,000. Those not receiving more than Si. annual interest or " dividend," are said to be near 100,000, : and those not receiving more than 50/. &scut two-thirds of the whole; so that the persons in middling circumstances would appear to form the great majority of fundholdcrs. Consols are decidedly the favourite, for they com monly bring 10s. or 155., and even sometimes 11. more than the Three per Cents. Reduced, though in point of real value and security there is no difference whatever between the two funds. Nay, Con • sole are often higher than the Three-and-a-Quarter, which carry ss. a year more interest; but as they are more readily disposed of than any other stock, they are deemed the most eligible for those who do not intend permanent investment. Should the Government be, however, at any time unable to pay the interest, they would sot show favour to one more than another—all the Funds would suffer alike. The Consols form nearly half the amount of the National Debt." We may add to the above, that the Government should attend more to these matters, revise the ter minable annuity tables, make the advantages they offer more known to the public and better appreciated, for not one fundholder in a thousand understands, that fur every 5/. of permanent annual annuity, he could, by sinking his capital, obtain, on Government security, a good deal more. The general impression is that there is no resource but an insurance office, and most frequently the resolve is, that a paltry 31 per cent. shall be received from stock. Were the terminable annuity system pushed a little we might have a greater present burden, but every year or two would lighten the amount of the national indebtedness, which, being not tar short of 800 millions, could bear no increase in the event of war, Without exposing us to the risk of being crushed altogether. The Funds are very firm this morning. Consols, 90 to 901 for Transfer, and 901 to 90/ for Account. The New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents. have bt en 901 to 911, and the Reduced Three per Cents. 90 to 90ih Bank Stock is firm at 191, and India Stock at 240. Exchequer-bills have been at 465. to 48s. premium for those of June. In the Foreign Market the transactions have been very restricted. Spanish Five per Cents. are 151, Por tuguese Four per Cents. nominally 261 to 271, and Bra zilian 77 to 79. Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. are at 45. Mexican have been 26/ to 4. The West India mail is not expected until the 26th or 27th instant, and has a good deal of specie on board, bat whether any thing for the dividends is not known. In Railway Shares a moderate business is doing, and , generally at full prices. Caledonian are firm, and also Aberdeen. South-Eastern, the York, the Midland, and North-Western are rather higher. Brighton anti North Stafford scarcely so good. ON r, CIi37ING p ;.- r ~ I trrtt4}4 FILNDs O'CLOCK. yr ICES Bank Stock l9l 192 Cent. lienuce , l Anus 9O 90',1i i % 90A 3 pez Cent. Consols Annuities 9O 90 1 -A 4 90 v New 3 1 4 per Cent. Aren5....... 9l 91% 3 90% 8 91' 91. 1 % Long Anns. to expire Jan. 1860 India Stock for Account... ..... 245 245 'Lola bona., 1,0001. Ditto under 1,0001... .. 45 48 p south Sea Stock Ditto New Annuities Consuls for Account 9O VA E:cchequer Kills. 244 d. & 2d. 1,0001. March ... 43 46 p 1,000/. June 46 4i p Small. June PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS crNE O'CL Lonclon Do. 1,: Equador Bonds Grenada Bonds, 1 per Cent. — Ditto ex over-due Coupons — Mexican, 5 per Cent. 1846 — Ditto, Account 26A% Peruvian Bowls, 6 per Cents — 4Sp 87 CO'!, 43 p 48 p 46 p cLosiN• rya:Es. 15% Ditto. Account ..... ..... Russian Bonds ... Spanish 5 per Cent. 1840 Ditto. Account 15% Ditto, Passive Ditto, 3 per Cent ....... Ditto, Account . Dividends on the above payable in London. Belgian, 2 1 / 2 per Cent - 45 Dutch 2 1 h per Cent., 12 Guild 49 1 / 9 49 Ditto. 4 her Cent. Certificates 26t / 48!4 105 15% 3 1 i :, 28 28% 45 49 1 A 78 1 / 4 PRICES OF BUSINESS DONE CLOSING RAILWAY SHARES. PAID ' AT ONE O'CLOCK. PRICE-. Aberdeen 5O 9.111.•• Amber. Nat., Boston, and Eastern Junction 4 1 / 4 Ayrshire and Galloway.. 7 1 ,4 1 — Belfast & County Down 20% Berks & Hants Extens. (GLlVest. Per.s per ct.) 5 Birmingham and Ox turd Junct., calls duly paid, cr with a guaran. 20 Do, withoutguarantee 20 Birming, Wolverh'ton, and Dudley, calls duly pd, or with guarantee 10 ..... 15% Do. withoutguarantee 10 Bit ming.,Wolverh'pton, and Stour Valley 13/. 145... Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire June.— 10 Boston, Stamfd & Birm. 5 ...... Bristol and E xeter 9O ... .. Ditto, Thirds Luckinghamshire... 16/. 4s. Caledonian - Ditto, Quarter Shares 11 1 4 ...... 5 Do. New 101. Pref..... 7 %...... 8 5 ) Ditto,ClydesdaleJunc 50 Chester and Holyhead... 50 Ditto,_Preference Clarence Do. Ist Class, 6 per Ct. 10 Do. 2tl Class, 5 per Ct. 10 Do. Government Loan, 4 per Cent. Direct London & Ports- mouth Dublin and Belfast June 35 Dundalk & Enniskillen 22% East Anglia, 25/., L. & E. and L. and D... 25 Do., 18/., E. & H lB ...... Do., 31. 103. Eastern Comities.— Do. New Guaranteed 6 per Cent... lO ...... 11% Ditto, Extension, 5 per Cent., No. 1 6/.135. 4d.... % p Ditto ditto, No. 2...61. 13s. 4d... Do. North. & Eastern 50 Do., 5 per cent. Do. Quarters Do. New Eastern Union, Class A (late E. U. Shares) 25 Ditto, Class A, ditto... 3 Ditto, Class J 3 (L & _ and J 3) . _ Ditto, Class C, ditto... 20 . .... Do. Scrip (6 per cent.) 20 ...... ...... .. Ditto (C. & E.) guar. _. . 5 per cent 21/s ..... East Lancashire Ditto, New Ditto, New Quarters 614 Do., 6 per Cent. Pre ference Quarters ... 6 1 A - ......... East Lincolnshire ...... 25 Edinburgh and Glasgow 50 Ditto, Half Shares ... 20 .. ••• Edinburgh and Northern 25 Ditto, Newport Exeter,Yeovil. & Dorch 2% Exeter and Exmouth... 218. Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle Glasgow,Kilmar., & Ayr 50 ...... 15% 14% - 5% 11% ny2 % P ..... 18% 26% - •••••• • ••• ..... Do.Preterenee Consul. Great Northern Do., 1 12 A Deferred ... 12 ...... 4:j 4 % x.i 43 x.i. Do., I ,i s 13 6 per Cent. guaranteed ... ..... 6% ...... Do. Extension 2 i i i ...... •.. 3reat South. and West (Ireland) Great North of England. 100 ...... Ditto, New, 401 4O Ditto, ditto 25 Ditto, New, 30/ 3O Ditto, New, 15/ l4 .• .. —....—... ...... Great Western 100 Ditto, I ,ii Shares Ditto, 1 4 Shares Ditto, Fifths ...... Ditto, New 171..... ~ 15 ... .. 14 Huddersfield and blanch. 30 Ditto, Thirds [lull and Selby Ditto, Half Shares ... 25 ...... Ditto, 1 4 Shares Lancaster and Carlisle 5O ...... 54% . -... Ditto, Thirds Lancashire & Yorkshire 93 Ditto, ditto Ditto, 1i Shares Do. Quarter Shares l 7 l /2 — ••• Do. Fifths.. Do. Sixteenths 6 1 ,4 Do. Thirds (Beg.) ..... 13 Do. New, Gua. 6 peril. 7 1 /i ...... — Do. [Avert). and Bury 43 ...... Ditto [A (late Hud dersfield and Shed) 43 Do.(Wakefield,Ponte tract, and Goole) ... 50 Do.( W. Riding Union) 7 .. ••• Do. (Preston & Wyre) 25 Do. 1 / 4 Shares (A)... 914 14!", Leeds and Bradford Leeds, Dewebury, &e.... 50 . Do., Half Shares 25 Do., (blue) Scrip...... 2 1 ,x..., — X 7l %z 19 , a 5 43 / 4 ~:~:~;~. - , 1 .Fll 40 •• ••••• 3 1 4, - ... 5F,.8d.... 5 5 1 ) - 3 •• • • 2 - 4 . ( ,'•2 •••• • 1 2 ..... 35 x.cl pet t. t.., tt 1)o. l'rel. C ,, 11. i,pef et. 50 Ditto, I 552 . 7,.) Ditto, New 51., guar. 6 per cent. ...... 5 Lo., don and Urtenwich 12/15s 4d 9%....., !lay), Pret•-t:lice .. . '2'o 1.011 , 10i1 and W.ot•rn 100 132 133 (L.) i'•.) 7.2 Ditto, New ...... .. 7 1) ;to, .. 2 ...... 8% Do. e• ) Do. 101. ( .)A.L' 10 .• ......... Do. 10i. (L. )1/. 10 Do. 101.4 C. 1 Lon e .o ;;,„ Do. New ..... DT c. enths (Con..oi. )50 Ditto ditto .... Ditto. .... . ... 15 Do.. New `,..-=ct ip, 134; . , Prsi. 7 per I on Deposit, and 5 per Cent. onr. , 5 ••, ...... ••••., Linthal, aLti YQovil Lon , lonterry&C, :„tai 1, 30 Londonderry ;Inc; anis ki 1 Lowestoft (4 per et.) Ditto (6 per et.) 13 Manche,ter,Bui.t , n,aud Matlock . 4 l /2 .. Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoinshire...loo Do. Quarters, (No. 1) 18 Ditto ditto (No. 2)... 25 Ditto ditto ( No. 3) ... 11 1 / 4 ..... ••• • • •• • Ditto, New 101. Pref... 10 Ditto, Gt. (iririf , by ... 40 Ditto ditto . 13 Ditto ditto . 81 , S ...... Ditty Sh:.t:iild and Lincolnshire Do., Grimsby Dock 2O Manchester and Lincoln Unien. 41.2 s Midland ... ...........10 92 1 93 92 93 1 / 0 92% Pref.loo Do., do., 7.0:. Shares... 25 ... 19% DerbytOU th.. ..... ••• Do.Consoi. Bristol and Binning., 6 per et.... 100 Ditto, i',r4st. CloctAr. 40 ...... Ditto,,Lel,est.& Swan nington, 3 per et. guar. 100 Midland Great 'd extern Irish 111 , t1tilesbro' and Iledcar, 6 per cent. kuar. 50 Newcastle and Carhsle.loo Do. Quarters 25 wmark et Do. Extension ...... 125.... ew port, Abergavenny, and Hereford 6 : , ;wry and Enniskillen 7 N awry, War ren point, and Ito:,trevor 2O Norfolk 100 00. New 20/. Do. Guaranteed 5 p et. '2O Do. Guaranteed 5 1 / 2 pe. 5 Ito. do. avemey 1 al. 2 N 7 - them t..:olhities Union 4 ...„. North l ,l3ritiO•:, . ~.• ... 25 Ditto, Doh, es .. Ditto, Quarters Ditto, Extension ..... ....... B' /4 ... orth & StAttli-Western 2 North Staffordshire l5 ... 1 - 2 11:V s : , orth Wales . N of th-W extern Oxford, Worcester, and 35% 9 xd. 49 x.d. Wolverhampton Reading, tiuinitord, Reigate lO Royston and Hitchin ... 2 sottish Central .... ..... 25 Scottish Lidland.. Ditto, New Sheffield, Rotherham, & Goole (Nor. Div.) ... 10 Do. do (Sou. Div.) ... 5 ...... Shrewsour) std Birm... 9 loitto ditto. Clvss B. .5 Ditto, New Guaranteed 8 Stirewg,bury :td lieretd. 2 ...... t hrewsbury tiz Chester (Nor. W. Min.) lB Ditto Halves ... ditto 9 .....,, ..„ Ditto o.iwestry Ditto sew .. .._ __ Do. 8 per Cent. Pret. 10 Shropshire Union ....... 5 +outh Devon... ••• Do. Prefern ce oath StaitUrthilire...... 7t 4 4% South Eastern Do., bio. 1 zB Do. ZNo. 2. Do. Registered No. 4 10 ...... 7%% ex. int Do., Sccip No 4 South Wale, S 'nth lo: I:shire, Dou cao•er, and tioole 6 Swans. & imaglior & Ca nm.on'.s Sun. C0a1.... 6 raw Vale Extension ... 8 Tl4alues Haven Dock and ItAilway . Vale at Neath Waterford 4nd Kilkenny 17 LA ',Vatertord :.td Limerick 47 1 / 2 Wraterid,Wxfid,Wicklw, and Dublin Wear \'allty ti per Cent. Guatanteed Do. Do. do, do. ... 10 W est Cm:wall West London Do. D 9. Ist Class ... 20 Do. Do. 2d Clms . 20 A hitehavejt 8,- Furness 14 Nindsor, Staines, and South We ..... 12 ..... Sontersa,& Wey mouth W s fork, N: urea: and Berwick..... 28th L:o. Onginal 2.ew anti 11 , Twick ... .. .. 25 ..... 27% 28 Do. No. 1. ...... 20 7 / 8 21 Do. (1,,. . 20 Do. G.N.L.Prilerenee 8 iiiiu,?.nd 50 ..,... 56 3 / 4 ......, Dit!o, Preference liu.East vat Kin- Extension FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Anglo Italian (late Ita han and Austrian).... 5 11 1 4 81/2 4 1 i ... Boulogne and Amiens... 20 Central of France (Or leans and Vierzon) ... 17 Ceylon Demerara Dendre Va11ey........... 4 Direct Bombay and Madras Dutch Rhenish • East Indian ... 34 - ...... - ••.. • Great Indian Peninsular 1 / 4 Louvain ala Sambre ... 7% — Luxembourg 7 l / 2•..•.. . Ditto Madrid and Valentia 2 ...... Namur and Liege Northern of France...—. 12 Orleans and Bordeaux... 7 Paris and Lyons ll .•• .. — , Do. Do. . Paris and Orleans Paris and Rouen Paris and Strasbourg Rotten and II avre Sambre and LiClise Strasbourg and Basle ... 14 Tour:, and Nantes .. 9 ...... Tournay, Jurbise, Lan den' and Hasselt ...... 20 Vest Flanders JOINT STOCK BANKS. Australasia British North American 50 London Joint Stock.-- 10 Provincial 01 Ireland ... 25 Ditto New... Colonial - 1314 11 1 / 2 Commercial ct London 20 London & Westto_in,,u..r. 20 National Prov. England. 35 10 MINE& 92% 19% 67 12 1 4 24 Anglo-Mexican lOO Asturian Mining Com... 14 Australian... 3 _ 3% x 1 1 x.l 9% 144 4 1 , 14. 2% X.l 41 25474 12 1 A - . 7% x•I 7 3 4 z. 14% 284 21 20% 56% 27X , . r- , . 73/4 %• 0, 2 , „ ..... .• 2% 10 334 154 41st 0.. l• ..-• , 6IA LLOYD'S SiIIPPING.—(THIS DAY'/ LONDON, JAN. 24.—Wind this day at noon W.S." fresh gales t,tA ,qua!ly. DUNDALK LAY, J AN. 21.—Arrd. Acadian (surposecnt Gardner, St J,ht.'s, N.B. LEITH ROADS.—Arrd. Mired, Ford, St. John's, ~,T I S t I 3. DUBLIN BAY.—Arrd. Lydia, Darker. St. John's . 17 "- -- a. DI UMBLES, JAN. 23. Wind W.—Arrd. Harriet, 01W erbridge, Cuba. BBISTOI„ JAN. 22.—Arrrl. Richard, Newfoundlancli,,c FALMOUTH, JAN. 23.—Wind W., fresh breezes.- --- ' buck, lit gica, Biyth, for Buenos Ayres, with bob-stai curried away. AIILFoRD, JAN. 23.—List night it blew a gale fray S.S.W. until 10,,r when it chunged to N.W. , _ . tend( d with violt.nt squalls and hail. DEAL, JAN 23.--V, it'd W.—Arrd..England's Ql ee h t Alien, China; Ursula, Ridley, ditto; Isle of Wl,g,„ - a i Dan'ord, AL:uritius; t7usan Crisp, Holdsworth, lite Lard C,,tden, S;. wart, ditto; Caroline, New .",, r n l Arni. Iron, the River, Arno, Weatherley, Coqu„.inf Peal ison, Valpamis,o; Richard Brown, DerEcrara; Victoria, Al• Bride, St. Vincent's; SP ar ti Bro.nt J..na.iea The Jt.l b annes Marinas, which gole':0 to• day for 10tw.gate, leulty, has put back, an d cowcfl to ti River. n tGiVif b Orr flul<GEr.Ess, ,TAN. 19.—Occan, Decker, xia-- for Ativ ie. CORK, JAN 21.—Arrd.Columbine Petra, Rio GrandAe! Lot d BL.rbour, Llgut: u a, with hiss of t C ot fi e ld B e nga Lor d ;t`+ r u b,c P,),,ilah, ditto; lludbr:,ok9 ditto; , 1), o; John 13n. w,r, Bombay; Ttilloch JAN. 22,--t-IJ. Sion, Coquimbo; An n ' Dadra and North America; Jane, ditto. THE FRENCH REPUBLIC The National Assembly was crowded on Monday, as it had been announced that should the Ministry be beaten on the adjourned debate, on the proposed de cree for transferring the trials of the prisoners of the 15th of May to Bourges, they would resign. The debate was opened by M. DUPoNT DB Buss Ac, who replied to the legal arguments which bad been ad duced by M. Durm in the discussion of Saturday. MM. BONJEAN, Doris, Bouaza, and CEEMIEUX followed on the point of law, and then M. Odilon Barrot rose, and expressed his regret to witness the opposition that had been made to the High Court of Justice, for it tended to throw discredit on the constitution from which it had emanated, and because the creation of this court was one of the fiuest works of the Assembly. The committee of the constitution had taken the greatest pains to secure that justice should be purely administered through the instrumentality of this court. He then proceeded to remark on the manner in which the court was const i tute d . T he j udges were se lected from th e C ourt o f C essat i on. The j ury o f 36 taken from th e d e p artmenta l councils, which was, in fact, to say that they were selected from the country at large. —(Cries of " No, no," from the Left.) Every guarantee that the advocates of the prisoners could desire was afforded, so far as the composition of the court was con cerned, which court he argued was but the continuation of the recognised permanent principle of penal jurisdic tion. To deny the right of Governme n t to send the criminals before the High Court would be a denial of the principles of law and an injury to public morality. He then went on to show that, under all forms of government, the right of the State to choose the tribunal for the trial of conspirators had never been contested. The regulation of this matter had always been left to the Legislature. Had they not au example in the councils of war created without question a after the insurrection o f J une? These Courts had been by the Assembly on the 25th, although some of the persons tried had committed offences on the 23 d. There was no objection then, because every one ad mitted the course to be a just one, and that it was lOUdly called for by the circumstanc es that ,existeii•Why, then, object to sending these prisone rs before the High Court of Justice, when the circumstanc es were so much alike? He had thought it his duty to bring the ques- GERiVIANY AND THE NORTHERN STATES. AUSTRIA. Letters from Kremsier of the 12th state that the Ministers BACII and STADION have resigned, the President of the Council having persisted in his wish to dissolve the Diet. Accounts from Vienna of the 18th give fearful accounts of the havoc produced by the overflowing of the Danube. A letter from Vienna of that date, published in the Prussian State Gazette, of the 21st, says, the ice on the Danube and the Danube Canal, which, in consequence of the sudden thaw, began to loosen during the night, so completely from blocked the aides banks, Canal, that the water rushed and soon laid the suburbs of Leopoldstadt completely under water. At one o'clock many of the streets near the Danube were seven feet under water, and the basement stories, shops, stables, and cellars, were completely flooded. Several craft, floating down the Danube, were shattered to pieces against the masses of ice ; and at the chain bridge the blocks of ice were piled up almost as high as the bridge itself. Eye-witnesses assert that the impending danger is as great as that of the awful devastation of 1830. Great apprehen• sions are entertained for the night. Several lives have been lost. Foul o'CLocK, rai.—The waters have unhappily not abated. The Jazerzeile and Leopoldstadt are flooded to a great extent, and the people are going about from one street to another in boats, there being no other possibility of communication. One of the pillars of the large bridge on the Danube has been carried away, and injured four of the pillars of the railway bridge. The Wiener Zeitung, of the 18th, gives a detailed account of this event, and states that, on the night of the 17th the water, providentially, began to sink, and hopes are entertained that it will pass off without causing much more damage, which, as may be sup posed, has been very considerable. In many houses in the suburbs the water reaches the first storey, and whole families have been plunged into ruin. In the neighbourhood between Vienna and Presburg the ice also shows indications of a rise. The Austrian Lloyd says—" The ice, which had scarcely become firm, began to move yesterday morning, when it stopped below Vienna, and so filled the canal, that only a narrow stream of water ap peared between the masses of ice near the Ferdinand bridge. The entire of Jazerzeile was two feet under water. On the Rothen Thurmther the water stood a foot high. Several piles of the Danube bridge were carried away. As the water continued to rise up to half past three, the utmost anxiety prevailed, especially among the inhabitants of Leopoldstadt. At six o'clock the danger was even yet more ap palling, but towards morning the water sunk ; never theless, at noon-day, it has risen so high that the fish-market is under water. BAVARIA• NUREMBURG, JAN. 15.--In consequence of the sudden thaw, the Pegnitz arose at midnight to a height not remembered by the oldest inhabitant be fore. Many lives, it is said, are lost, and the damage sustained by the warehouses lying along the banks must be very considerable. - URTEMBURG. STUTTGARD, JAN, 16.—The unusually high stand of the water in the Neckar and the neighbourin g rivers caused th e b urst i ng o f a brick drain to a depth of 15 feet, by which the railway communication be tween Nordheira and Heilbronn was stopped. The HAMBURGIL HANtnurtorT, JAN. 20.—A southerly wind and a fine mizzling rain suddenly set the ice on the Elbe afloat. The booths and tents were removed with all possible speed, but many articles had to be taken up out of the water. There are large masses of ice, with considerable spaces of clear water between them, so that in several places the Elbe is crossed in boats. Here the ice is not yet drifting, but in order to secure a passage across to Wilhemsburg it is nearly broken up by machinery. At Slaade an.l Ottendorf there has been a great deal of animation on the river amongst the small craft. The Elbe, as far as the eye can mark, is clear of ice this morning. RUSSIA. ST. PFTERSBURGII. Private letters from St. Petersburgh say that the cold had increased to 28 deg. NORWAY. BERGEN, JAN. 4.—The cholera, up to this morn ing, has attacked 125 persons of the poorer classes, 85 of whom have died, and only two persons have as yet recovered. The weather is remarkably fine, with 4 deg. cold.—Hamburgh Borsenhalle, Jan. 20. SICILY. Letters from Sicily, of the 14th state, that the defences of Palermo have been so strengthened that the Neopolitans have given up all thoughts of attacking it. By a decree of the 27th of December, the Sicilian Parliament had raised the loan ordered by a decree of the 20th of December, 1848, from 500,000 ounces to 1,000,000 ounces. General ANTONINI issued a proclamation to the Sicilians on his arrival. It stated that his principles were democratical, and that he firmly believed that Sicily would be able to form a close fraternal cum • pact with the rest of liberal Italy. He recom , mended the formation of a complete regular militia, the procuring powerful financial means for the Go vernment, and, lastly, fraternity of action. ITALY. We read in the Contemporaneo of Rome, of the 12th instant, that the Tuscan clubs having sent a deputation to the Electoral Committee of Rome, for the purpose of inviting them to induce the Govern ment to direct the electors to confer on the deputies the mandate of making the Roman Constituent As sembly form the nucleus of an Italian Constituent Assembly, the committee have declared that it belonged only to the absolute sovereignty of the Assembly to decide that point. The Speranza of Rome, of the 12th, announces the return from Gaeta of the Sardinian envoy extraor dinary to the POPE. It appears, by letters from Gaeta, that his mission has not been successful, that he was received by the POPE only in his private character, and that the POPE had even threatened him to recta his Ambassador from Turin, on account of a suspicion that the Sardinian Cabinet was in relation with the Roman Government. The threat of excommunication has produced no effect in the rural districts, and the people are uni versally determined to vote in the election of the Constituante. Father VENTURA celebrated Grand Mass on the 12th, in the Sicilian Church in Rome, in commemo ration of the victory of the Sicilians and the defeat of the King of NAPLES at Palermo last year. At Naples the inhabitants have commenced an " Anti-cigar and anti-lottery " movement, of a simi lar character to that which was so successful last year at Milan. It was rumoured in Leghorn that an attempt had been made to shoot the King of NAPLES. Our direct accounts from Naples do not mention such an occur rence, and there is apparently no foundation for the rumour. IRELAND. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) DUBLIN, TUESDAY EVENING.—In the Queen's Bench, this day, on the motion of the Attorney- General, the argument on the application to admit Mr. Duffy to bail was postponed to Thursday, in order to give the Learned Gentleman time to read over the affidavits put in on behalf of the prisoner. GOGARTY IN ERROR V. TUE QUEEN. In this case, in which the prisoner was tried, com mitted, and sentenced to seven years' transportation, for illegally tra ining and drilling under the pro. vision of the 60th of George 111., cap. 1, he was this day brought up in custody for the arguments in support of the assignments in error. It was con tended by Messrs. Fitzgibbon, Q.C., and Stretch, that the indictment was bad as it did not follow the word ing of the statute; and for the Crown it was urged by Messrs. Baldwin, Q.C., and Leigh, that it was correctly formed. The Court postponed judgment until Wednesday. There was a better demand for wheat at the Corn Exchange to-day, but no alteration in prices of any article since Friday. HAYMARKET THEATRE. The tragedy of The Stranger was performed here last evening, with the same cast as at Windsor Castle on Friday. The Stranger of Mr. Charles Kean is a most artistic performance, so full of pathos and feeling, so beautifully eliminating all the good, and so artfully throwing into the shade all the dis gusting points of this most unnatural character, that we almost feel inclined to sympathise with the Stranger, and not to treat him with the contempt with which we have hitherto been inclined to regard him. Certainly, if any excuse could be afforded for his maudlin sentimentality, it would be the Mrs. Haller of Mrs. Charles Kean, which is so full of tenderness, beauty, and goodness, that it is almost impossible to believe in her guilt. Those who admire the German school of sentiment will be delighted with The Stranger as it is at present performed at the Haymarket. Never before has this play been so effectively cast, but for ourselves, we are free to con fess, that with us The Stranger has never been a favourite. The farce of Twice Killed followed, so that the performance of last night at the Haymarket was the fac-simile of the performance on Thursday at Windsor Castle. The house was crowded. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. BETTING AT MANCHESTER—TUESDAY. CHESTER CUP.-25 to 1 each agst Blucher (t)-30 to 1 agst Geraldine-30 to 1 agat Cossack-33 to 1 agst Inheritress-35 to 1 agst Dacia-40 to 1 agst Ellerslie (t) —4O to 1 agat Farewell (t)-50 to I agst Ballinafad (t). THE METROPOLITAN HANDICAP.-7 to 1 agst Cane zou (take 9 to 1)-10 to 1 agat any other. THE DEREY.-9 to 2 agst Flying Dutclanan-7 to 1 agst 'l'admor-12 to 1 agst Honeycomb-20 to 1 agat Osterley-25 to 1 agst any of Scott's lot. OAKS.—No betting. HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. Heydon bds., Sat., Spring Plantatien-9. Tiudale hds., Thurs., Belsay-104. F. B. hds., Fri., Croft West-10f. H. H. Thurs., Bradley; Sat., Medstead Green. Baron Rothschild's stag hds., Thurs., Wing-11. Cheltenham stag lids., Sat., Foss Brdge —l2. South Berkshire hds., Fri., Unhill-101. Carmarthenshire hds., Fri., Passby-10. Sir John Cope's lids., Fri., White Waltham-10f. Eggesford lids., Fri., Calves Bridge-11. East Essex hds., Thurs., Kelvedon Angel; Sat., Notley Gate-10i. Essex and Suffolk hds.. Fri., Boxford Street. Essex Union hds., Sat., Stock-10f. Lord Fitabardinge's lids., Thurs., Redcomb; Sat., Broadway-11. Hambledon lids., Fri., Preshaw House. East Kent lids., Fri., Black Mill-10f. Mr. Littleton's hds., Fri., the Kennel-10f. Mr. Lualington's lids., Fri., Otterden Meadows-11. Mr. Marshall's lids., Thurs., the Kennel; Sat., St. Stephen's Down. The Address in the Lords will be moved by Lord Bruce, and seconded by Lord Bateman. SMITHFIELD MARICET.—Mr. J. T. Norris, one of the leading members of the Corporation, has given notice of the following motion in the Court of Common Council. Great interest is excited on its approaching discussion :—" 'I hat a market for the sale of live cattle in the midst of a city is incompatible wit h the conveni ence of persons resorting thither for the purposes of business; that the present market of Smithfield in situation; insuf ficient in space as well as objectionable situation; that the safety and health of the inhabitants demand its immediate removal; and that therefore a special ward committee be appointed to consider what steps shall be taken to remedy the existing ev ils b y providing a suitable market place." MANCNESTER.—STATE OF TRADE.—The commer cial news received from India has stimulated the market of to-day. Rather higher prices have, been obtained in yarns and cloth. A brisk business has been done for the Levant, &c., at the same prices as last week. Im provement in the silk trade continues. Figured goods hare had a large demand, which promises to be still greater, Many manufacturers are getting new machines, and taking on new hands. The great improvement in the India market is said to be the principal cause of the present bright prospects. The works of the Paris and St ras b urg R a ilway to Chalons are being . rapidly pursued, and the line is ex pected to be opened m the spring of this year. Engl Irish Fore sale to u sam Sus: 2/ 1 way slug 3s ( and visit ealle whi pari 305., the I Was. In v, Ougi who trau 9por defer the 1 rally been and 1 that beta in th begg the 1 RI and tend lug Lev( in th th e Lon gals Gre) of tti boos che r , sat t tend d aY, inch Si r and liver day Ti Pos(-1 Veb. M utts 1 le ge, n.e. teir n New len next Aiag duri retu gran ahoy du s Yes dot 136