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

FRANCE. Napoleon Bonaparte presided on Friday night at a meeting of the Bonapartist Central Committee in the Rue Chabrel. There were at least 5,000 persons present. The address of the President was received with the utmost enthusiasm. Napoleon Bonaparte commenced by reading his letter to the electors, which has been already given, in which he gives the most ample explanations of his late conduct. He apologized fur taking upon himself so serious a duty as that of presiding at so numerous a meeting of the electors of Paris, seeing that he was the youngest member of the National Assembly. He denounced, in the fiercest manner, the men who compose the Club of the Rue de Poictiers, whom be denominated as renegades and cowards ; and he declared that the name of any candidate pro posed by such people ought to become an object of execration with the public. He rejected with in dignation the imputation cast on him of selfish motives for his opposition to the Ministry. He ad mitted that he was ambitious, but it was the ambition of serving his country which influenced his conduct. He called on his hearers not to be such fools as to imagine that the two Emperors who were at little more than 48 hours' distance from the French frontier, were occupying themselves with so small a Republic AS that of Rome. the subject of their meditations and of their plans was the great Republic—the Republic that France had established, and which they were determined to destroy. He declared that it was the duty of every French citizen to be prepared to defend, at the cost of his life, the institutions he had established. He denounced the absurd principles promulgated by the Socialists, while he admitted that society as it at present existed required an extensive reform. He regretted that he had been obliged to sepa rate himself from those who .were the nearest and dearest to him ; but he considered that his duty to his country was before every consideration, and that duty he was determined to perform at all risks. To the cries of " Viva la Republique," and " Vive Napoleon," which repeatedly interrupted him, he said, that as for " Vive Napoleon," it was of very little consequence in comparison with the cry which preceded it. His address lasted about two hours, and was repeatedly cheered. The meeting was attended by delegates from all the branch Bonapartist Com mittees in Paris. ITALY. The following telegraphic dispatch was published at Rome on the 2d inst.:— " THIRD BULLETIN. " The French army is encamped at Castel di Guido. It is believed tbat it consists of 5,000 men. Nothing new. The country round Rome is tranquil. Nothing can be seen from Rome, but on the other points there are agents who have a view of passing occur rences. " Forty minutes past ten o'clock A.3l.—The French troops are moving towards the west. " 23 minutes past 11—Colonel Mosi announces that he is watching the French troops. "30 minutes past I—Garibaldi must be at Malagrotta. " 15 minutes past 4—The enemy are striking their tents. " 15 minutes past 6-100 of our dragoons,. with Gari baldi and his corps, are to be seen at Santa Maria de la Ripera. " 5 minutes past 7—A column of the French troops is seen at St. Seven. Others at Prati. The fog impedes our communications." The Italia del Popolo of Rome, of the 3d inst., con tains an insulting article on the Neapolitan army : " Surround, surround Rome," it says, " with a circle of fire; still Rome will resist as long as she retains a spark of lice. If we are vanquished, it will be after our death! Up brothers ; to arms l avenge the ambassadors of P.►lermo and Messina. Up; God is with us!" • - The Commission of the Barricades at Rome pub lished the following proclamation on the 2d inst.:— "General Oudinot promised to pay for everything in cash. Let him, therefore, pay for the pictures of Raphael perforated by French bullets. Let him pay for the in jury and the insult inflicted on Michael Anlzelo. Napo leon carried off the Italian works of art to Paris, but we had at least a compensation in the admiration bestowed on them by foreigners. At present the French Govern • meat invades our territory, and such is their love for Rome that they wi,•ll to destroy it ? A letter from Rome of the 4th inst. says— " The capital is tranquil. It appears that the Nea politans are approaching our walls. The Commission of the Barricades have ordered all the blacksmiths to pre pare iron hooks to be used against the cavalry. Prepara tions have been made to. meet the enemy. The Trium virate, whilst announcing to the people the approach of the Neapolitans, escort them to defend their sovereignty to the last extremity. Considerable reinforce ments of infantry and artillery had arrived to tho assia. tance of the Romans. The first division of the Neapo litans is said to amount to 8,000 men; the second to 2,000." The National publishes the following letter from 1 M. Peacantini, late Envoy from the Roman Republic to the French Government : " The French have come to bombard the Roman Re public through love for the Pope. Whilst they were en deavouring to scale the garden of the Vatican, and were bomb❑rding the palace, I was on the terrace with several representatives. I replied to the bombardment, and to the assault, by ordering the band of the Carabiniers to play up the Mardeiliai,e.' The same evening I aeci,m panied a Frenchman to visit the barricades of the Porta del Popolo, and showing him the oheli,k of Sesostris, the most ancient in the world, I could not avoid sayini to him, "Look at this obelisk—it is extremely old. It is, we are told, 6,000 years old, but it never witnessed any infamy equal to that of the conduct of the Government of the French Republic against the Roman Republic.' Speak • ingof M. Drouyn de Lhuys, he says,' If you see the Minis ter for Foreign Affairs, tell him that he was wanting in good faith tome.' Beltram and [have proved by our sepa rate votes, and by our collective declarations, what great confidence we felt in the French Republic, and how far we would go in point of coucessiocF. We were far from thinking that he would have replied to us by the crime of fratricide." A rumour is in circulation in Paris, that the Neapolitans wire beaten by Garibaldi before the gates of Rome, in an affair said to have taken place on the stb. NEWMARKET RAIL WAY. The adjourned half-yearly general meeting of the Newmarket and Chesterford Railway Company was held yesterday at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate; Lord George Manners in the chair. The report of the Committee of Investigation ap pointed at the previous meeting was read. It was a long document, but the following extracts will convey its spirit :—" The company was projected in 1845, during the prevalence of the railway excitement. The original design was, as your committee believe, not to make a line merely from Chesterford to Newmarket, which would have been absurd, but to make that line as part of a scheme, which was ultimately to em brace extensions to Tnetford and Bury St. Ed munds. The actual proposal however, as pre sented to Parliament and sanctioned in July 1846, was to make a line from Cheaterford to New market only, with a branch to Cambrid4e ; and for this purpose power was obtained to raise 350,0001. in share capital, and to borrow 116,000/. on debentures. This snm, economically managed, would have amply sufficed to carry out the design. Uncortunately your directors appear to have assumed as of course that the ex tension Acts would be obtained, and that capital would be forthcoming to carry out the more extended plan; and in anticipation of this they directed expen sive surveys to be made of the proposed Thetford and Bury lines, entered into heavy prospective contracts for the purchase of land, and ordered a vast supply of loco motive engines, passenger carriages, and trunks; they even sanctioned the erection of a double station at New market, which would probably have cost upwards of 50,0001. All this occurred between 1846 and the meet ing of Parliament in 1847. Meanwhile the railway excitement had subsided, and it had uecome evident that capital, indispensable fur carry►ng out the extensions, could not then be obtained; nevertheless your directors adhered to their original views, and after spending an immense sum in overcoming a Parliamentary oppo sition, obtained their Extension Acts, which have ever since remained a dead letter. Fortunately the execution of the original design as to tlse double atatioa at New market was abandoned, and a more moderate building, though still too costly, was erected, after an expenditure of about 2,0001 From the contracts relating to rolling stock it was too late to escape, and you have been in consequence burthened with a plant which cost upwards of 88,0001. Part of it has since been sold at a loss, and the remainder is at this daoment useless to you. The line was now in this position. Owing to mismanage meat it did not earn 10/. per mile per week ; and the committee now suomit the following as the result of their deliberations:— _ _ " 1. They recommend you, if no suitable offer be made by the Eastern Counries Company, or any other company, to abandon, for the present, all thoughts of selling or leasing your railway, and to concentrate all your energi.-s on the improvement of your property. If properly improved, it will fetch a good price at the proper time. " 2. Remodel your system of direction. Whilst con demning the past, your committee feel disposed to at tribute your present position rather to the directorial system than to your board of directors or any of its members. The directorial system is, as they think, faulty in principle. It does not impose particular duties on particular individuals, and we ail know that what is everybody's bilsine,;s is nobody's, and is net done with business-like attention or energy. But whether that system be a faulty one in all cam or not, your com mittee are satisfied th a t it i s i napp li ca bl e to a small undertaking like yours. Su c h an un d erta ki ng oug h t to b e managed chiefly by one responsible person. Your com •mittee, therefore, recommend you to— o 3, Appoint a managing director , a pp ro p r i ate t o hi m all the remuneration you can afford, and let that remu neration be by A per- centago on net profits. Remunera tion by net profits will probably induce y our manag i ng director to make every effort to increase your revenue, and diminish your expenditure. Hitherto your revenue has been but little cared for, and your ex penditure has not been kept down. Many disputes which y our com mittee cannot but think thiv, a managing director, in 'terested in keeping down outgoings, would, by his personal interference, have settled at once, h ave been left to ripen into expensive lawsuits, in which many hundreds have been spent. The con trac, with the Electric Telegraph Company . has I particularly attracted the attention of your committee, as it involves a permanent burtben of not less than 3001. a year. Certain it is, that although large railways, with enormous revenues, may be remunerative, notwith standing some waste, small railways cannot bear heavy charges. Of course the !managing director ought him self to be under superintendence, and should on all occa sions of importance, act only with the sanction of other directors. Your committee are therefore of opinion that you should— " 4. Appoint five other directors, who should act gra tuitously uutil the funds of the company will admit of their receiving remuneration." Mr. FANS, the chairman of the committee, moved the adoption of this report, and after some discussion, it was agreed to. Mr. SHEPPARD, another of the committee, moved that the nomination of the directors be entrusted to the com mittee and the Noble Chairman, which was also agreed to, and the proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the committee and chairman. ADULT DEAF AND DUMB INSTI- TUTION. A meeting was held yesterday in the Board Room of this excellent charity, 26, Red Lion-square, Blooms bury. Frum the sixth annual report it appears that the superintendents of the several ctspartments have had occasion to give the most encouraging reports as to the progress of the pupils in learning the Jiff: rent trades carried on at th- institution. There are at present twenty inmates, and it has been found advisable, during the past ear, to separate the older workmen from the youths; the former are therefore supplied with leather and cloth, which they manufacture at their homes, and bring the article after completion to the institution, whilst the youths work in the institution, thus as much as possible preserving the inmates from evil communi cations from without. A few of the elder workmen cannot wholly support themselves by their labour, and therefore receive tempo rar y re li e f f rom t h e funds of the charity. Upwards of 180 deaf and dumb persons have received temporary relief during the past year, either by giving them clothes or money, and all who apply receive casual assistance in the various difficulties into which the deaf and dumb are peculiarly liable to fall. It was stated that since the printieg of the report some of the inmates had left the asylum fully qualified to support themselves by their own labour and industry, while others had been received in their place. The ap plications for admission, however, were far more nume rous than the committee could entertain, owing to the want of funds, and a hope was expressed by the meet ing that the co-operation of the benevolent would be ade quate in extent to the nature and requirements of the charity. THE POISONINGS AT GUEST- LING, IN SUSSEX. HASTINGS, AIONDAY EVENING —This morning, at ten o'clock, Mr, Kell, coroner for the Rape of Hastings, re newed an inquiry at the White Hart Inn, Guestling, touching the deaths of Richard Geering, aged 56, and his sons George Geering, aged 21, and James Geering, aged 26, who died from the a fftcts of poison, alleged to have been administered to them by Mary Ann Geering, the wife and mother, who is in custody at the gaol of this town, awaiting the result of the investigation. While the inquest was proceeding this morning, the prisoner Mary Ann Geertng underwent another exami nation at the Town hall, when Professor Taylor, the eminent analytical chemist, of Guy's Hospital, deposed to arsenic being in the fluid, which the lad Benjamin Geering discharged. The poor fellow had a very narrow escape. In two ounces of the fluid about half a grain of arsenic was discovered. Mr. John Lucas Pocock, surgeon, of Winchilsea, ex amined—l attended at the request of one of the family. On my first visit I saw the deceased and his wife. - He complained of chills, fever, cough, difficulty and pain of breathing, sickness, pain in the abdomen, and sweating. I saw his wife, who informed me her husband was dead; that he died about a couple of hours before I called. I expressed my surprise, and some conversation took place, which induced me to think I had mistaken the symptoms of the case, and she stated that other members of the family had died suddenly in the way her husband had. She stated an increase of the difficulty of breath ing and the cough, and I concluded from what she de scribed as his symptoms that be must have died from an affection of the heart. I formed that conclusive opinion frum what she described. I afterwards certified it to the registrar of births and deaths. 11r. Frederick Ticehurst, surgeon, of Hastings, was next examined. On the 201 of April I assisted in making a post mortem examination of the body of the deceased, Richard Geering. I took out the liver, intes tines, stomach, heart, and lungs, placed them in a jar, duly sealed and marked, and forwarded them to Profes sor Taylor, of Guy's Hospital, London, for analysation. The upper part of the body was much decomposed. The external part of the abdomen was in a good state of preservation, and of a light brown colour. On opening the abdomen there were no marks of decomposition in the intestines. The smaller intestines, in places, were of a pink colour, in patches. They were of a peculiarly pink colour. Tke pericardium and heart were apparently healthy. Mr. Alfred Swaine Taylor, of 3, Cambridge-place, Re . - gent's Park, London, 'Professor..of Chemistry at Guy's Hospital, was next called, and read an elaborate .report. which he had drawn up, describing the, appearance of the heart, liver, stomach, and inteatiaaes of the de ceased, and stating that arsenic was found in the coats of the stomach. The proceedings, at a late hour, were adjourned until to-morrow. UNIVERSIT Y INTELLIGENCE. _ OXFORD, MAY 12. MERTON COLLEGE.—An election of three postmasters in this college will tyke place on Friday, June Sth. Can didates are desired to call on the Warden on Monday, June 4, before six o'clock p.m., and to bring with them testimonials of good conduct, and certificates of baptism. In the election of one of these postmasterships a pre ference will be given to attainments in mathematics. TRINITY COLLEGE.--There will be an election in this college of two scholars on Monday, June 4. Candidates must be above sixteen and under twenty years of age; and will be required to present in person to the President certificates or baptism and testimonies of conduct, together with a Latin epistle to request per mission to offer themselves, at nine o'clock on Wednes day morning, May :30, when the examination will begin. THE ELDON SCHOLARSHIP.—The election for ►his scholarship will take place on Monday, the 4th of June next, at the residence of his Grace the Duke of Rich mond, No. 51, Portland-place, London, previous to which day all applications must be transmitted to the honorary secretary, sealed up and endorsed "Eldon Scholarship, candidate's application," and with the candidate's name also endorsed. Tne forms of certificates and declarations required, to gether with the rule 3 and regulations relative to such election, are deposited with the senior tutor of each col lege and ball, and with trie registrar of the University. Tne scholarship is tenable for three years, and is of the annual value of 2001. NEW COUNTY GAOL AT BOSTON, U.S.—A new goal is about to be built in the city of Boston, from the designs of Mr. G. J. F. Bryant, architect. It differs greatly from any arrangement yet adopted in England. The building will be cruciform in plan, and will consist of a centre octagonal building, having four wings radiating from the north, south, east, and west sides thereof ; the north, south, and east wings will contain the cells for the use of the pri soners, and the west wing will bo appropriated for the jsilor'a family, officers' quarters, and the necessary inc - dental offices and apartments required for the building, together with a chapel and hospital. The three wings containing the cells are to be construcid upon the " Auburn plan," so called (being a prison within a prison). The " centre octagonal building" will measure seventy feet square, and eighty-five feet in height above the surface of the ground. It will be but two stories in height, the lower one of which will contain the great kitchen, scullery, bakery and laundry, and will be on a uniform level with the lower story of cells in each of the three wings which contain the same. The upper story will to finished as one "great central guard and inspection room," reaching from the ceiling of the first story up to the roof of the building; this room will measure 70 feet square, and will contain the galleries and staircases connected with the galleries around the outside of the cells in the three wings. All the areas around the outside of the cells of the north, south, and east wings will receive light from the great windows in the exterior walls of the wings; these windows will be thirty in number, and yield an amount of light to the interior of the cells pro bably four times as great as that in any prison yet con structed upon the Auburn system. The cost of this prison is estimated at 150,000 dollars, bat according to our informant. it will probably cost three times that amount.—Builder. ROYAL FBMALE NAVAL SCHOOL.—On Saturday the ninth annual meeting of this excellent institution was held at Willis's Rooms, St. James's, the Right Hon ;Earl Manvers in the chair, supported by Lord Colchester, Earl Waldegrave, Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Malcolm, Sir C. Coghill, and other persons of distinction connect ed with the naval service. The Rev. Mr. White having opened the proceedings with prayer, the report of the committee was read, detailing the operations of the in stitution during the past year. The report stated that the progress made by the pupils in their education was highly satisfactory, and the total number belonging to the school in December, 1848, was 83 (consisting of the daughters of necessitous naval and marina officers of and above ward-room rank), 56 of whom are admitted on the reduced scale of 121. a-year, the remaining 27 being pupils under law the sixth, at 35 guineas per annum. At the annual election at Midsumm - r laat, nine candidates, out of a list of 34, were admitted, and three more hare been added since. The appli cations to admit pupils under law the sixth aro more numerous than the vacancies occurring permit the com mittee to accede to. The income of the financial year ending the 31st of March last, had been sufficient to pro vide for the current expenditure, but until the endow ment fund is considerably increased, the committee state that the establishment cannot be said to be placed on a safe or permanent footing in a pecuniary point of view. During the last year his Grace the Duke of Northumber.. laud has consented to b,come the vice-president of the institution, and presented a subscription of 100 guineas to the funds; and the Duchess has also, as a vice. patroness, presented a munificunt donation. Tho balance sheet for the year showed the total receipts to have been 4,259/. 18s. Old., of which 1,2771. 18s. is annual subscrip tions, and 1,673/. 4s. 2d. payments by pupils. There is a balance in hand of 5521. 10s. 6d. The report was unanimously adopted, and ordered to be printed ; and after electing the committee and the other officers, and disposing of some further routine busiuess, the meeting septrated. -- -.~ IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, May 14. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at Five o'clock. The Bishop of LONDON presented several petitions in favour of the Bill for the protection of women. The Earl of STRADBROKE presented several peti tions praying for a repeal of the malt tax. Lord WIIARNCLIFFE presented a petition from Sheffield against the proposition for giving the Commis sioners in Bankruptcy a criminal jurisdiction. His Noble and Learned Friend bad promised to give to the prayer of the petition his best consideration. The subject had been already mooted in the Committee. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from the Liverpool Association for Protection of Trade with a similar prayer. The Committee bad that day heard the evidence from Manchester and Leeds on this point. The Earl of CARLISLE presented several petitions from places in Yorkshire against giving a penal juris diction to the Commissioners in Bankruptcy; also, seve ral petitions in favour of secular education. PORTPATRICK AND DONAGHADEE. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY asked whether it was the intention of the Government to continue the communication between Portpatrick and Doneghadoe. The answer of the Marquis of LANSDOWNE was quite inaudible in the gallery. TheMarqeis of C LAN RICARDEwouId not shrink from taking upon himself the responsibility of having ordered the removal of the packets between Portpatrick and Docaghadee; by that removal there had been a saving of 4,0001. a year to the public, while the communication between Scotland and Ireland had been better carried on by other channels. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said that when the railroad should be comjleted to Portpatrick they would regret having given up that communication. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 15, 1049, AFFAIRS OF ROME. Lord BEAUMONT, in rising to put the questions of which he had given notice with regard to the intervention of the French, the Austrians, and the Neapolitans in the affairs of Rome, besought their Lordships to keep silence in order that, as he suffered from severe hoarseness, he might be heard. On the accession of the Supreme Pontiff, misgovernment had brought Rome to the verge of rebellion. During the reign of Gregory XVI. hundreds had been executed, and the prisons were filled to over flowing. On the accession of Pius IX., it was deter mined to reform the institutions, in order to prevent an outbreak; but to such a height had abuses grown that it was seen that the attempt must lead to the separation of the temporal from the spiritual power, but it was made in a manner which in sured its failure. It was attempted to govern the country with the advice of secular councillors without sacerdotal supremacy. These secular councillors were deprived of the initiative in legislation. At this time revolutions took place in the other states of Italy, and the Roman people claimed for themselves those liberties which had been conceded to the people of the other Italian states. To the granting of these concessions the whole body of the Cardinals was opposed ; for they believed that no concession could be made to the people without a con cession of all. The Pope would not allow a secular education to be given to the people. (The reasons were given by Lord Beaumont, but as we did not hear them, we leave all conjecture as to the nature of those reasons to the imagination of others.) When we wero again able to hear his Lordship, ho was contending that the circumstances which he had detailed clearly proved that all that Pius IX. had granted to the people was given against his will, and against the advice of the cardinals, and with a certainty and conviction on his part and theirs that it would lead to the consequences which bad happened, and which many of them foresaw; and also with the reservation (he was not speaking of any reli gious mental reservation), that whenever a fitting oppor tunity occurred every step which they had taken in ad vance should be retraced, that the supremacy of the clergy in the Roman state should be maintained in all its original vigour, and that the laity should be deprived of and remain without any of the privileges which had been conceded to, and were enjoyed by the clergy. Con formably to the advice which he had received from foreign Courts, the present Pope called to the head of his councils, not a man who deserved his confidence from his knowledge of the constitutional course recommended by civil liberty well understood, but a man who had been exiled from Rome, who had been branded as a rebel, who had been excommunicated as a churchman, who had abandoned the Catholic religion and professed another, who had forsaken his own country and had be come the inhabitant and citizen of another country, and who had been employed as the ambassador of that country to that which it considered a foreign state. That I person, with such qualifications, bad been recommended to the Pope as his alieister by a foreign state; but his advice soon appeared to be as unwelcome to the Pope and as adverse to his views as it was as unwelcome to the Cardinals and adverse to their views. His first attempt wat to retrieve the finances of his country, and he saw no other mode of accomplishing that object than by mortgaging the estates of the Church; and, with that view, he was proceeding to enter the Capitol, when he fell by the hands of an assassin, and thus brought unmerited disgrace on those who were opposed to him as Minister. He (Lord Beaumont) d.plored the death of M. Rossi, and deplored it deeply. It was an event which stood by itself—it was completely isolated; and though he must admit that some joy was expressed in Rome at this monstrous crime (and he ad mitted that all who expressed that joy must be consi dered as participators in that monstrous crime)—yet he had evidence to convince the most incredulous of their Lordships that not one of the men who afterwards suc ceeded to power evinced any joy at that atrocity. On the contrary. they lamented it deeply—not only for the sake of M. Rossi himself, with whom they were in habit s of intimacy, but deo because they saw that it was an event which would delay the success of that cause in i which they were embarked. The m )ment that M. Rossi felt the cardinals endeavoured to retrace their steps and to rtgaiu the privileges which they had been obliged to abandon, a plan was drawn up and agreed upon which had no other object, out fortunately it was discovered in time. The people rose in indignation. They did not wish to drive the Pop from his throne—they went to the steps of the Vatican and implored him to stay in Rome, asserting that if he would, they would sacrifice their lives rather than a hair of his head should be injured; but they asked him at the same time to send away the foreign forces on which he relied; they insisted that be should disband the Swiss regiments, and that he should renew the oath to stand by the constitutional form of govern ment which then existed. The Supreme Pontiff de clined to do this; for that form of government allowed laymen to take the initiative and propose measures, and he saw the results to which such a measure would lead, and therefore he rightly in his own conscience refused to do any such thing. He was then advised by some of the parties by whom he was surrounded to quit Rome. His flight, if he had given notice of his intention, in all probability would not have been prevented. No attempt beyond entreaties would have been made to arrest it. But, instead of ascertaining the wishes of his country men, he adopted other advice, and fled from Rome in dis. guise, which showed a strange want of confidence in his subjects. Lord BROUGHAM—Had the assassins of Rossi been arrested at that time? Lord BEAUMONT bad heard the observation of his Noble and Learned Friend. Though generally he re spected what fell from the Noble and Learned Lord, he regretted to tell him that on this occasion, as indeed on many others, it was impossible for any man to fathom his motives. His assertions, one after another, were in consistent with themselves and all contrary to feet; and it would not be long before he beard from those whom he had slandered that his assertions were falsehoods, and before he would be called upon to contradict or retract them .—(Order, order.) Lord BROUGHAAI—I have allowed the Noble Baron to go on without interruption in one of the most irregular speeches which I ever heard delivered in this House. The Earl of WICKLOW (we were told)—There is no irregularity. Lord BROUGHAM—No irregularity? The Earl of WICKLOW—Not in his speech. Lord BROUGHAM—There is irregularity, and the gross irregularity is this—the Noble Baron puts a ques tion, and prefaces it by a long speech, which is perfectly irregular. The Earl cf WICKLOW—It is done every day. Lord BROUGHAM—The only office of a speech is to introduce a question and make it intelligible to the Go• vernment which has to answer it. But to make a long speech, and to refer to former debates, and to say that any Noble Lord's assertions are falsehoods—(Hear, hear)—is a course so irregular that I never saw it taken in this House before; and I receive the statement just made, from whomsoever it comes, with the most absolute contempt.—(Hear, hear.) Lord BEAUMONT—I am now doing what the Noble and Learned Lord admits that I am strictly entitled to do. lam making a statement to render my question in telligible, and, if my speech be longer than it otherwise would have been, it arises from the erroneous statements of the Noble and Learned Lord. _ _ . Lord BROUGHAM—My Lords, I ask whether it is either regular or orderly, even according to the laxest rule of order, for any Noble Lord, on the information of an Italian, I know not whom,ito accuse another Noble Lord of having delivered falsehoods to the House. I will pin the Noble Lord to that expression of falsehood. He may either explain it, or retract it, or apologize for it; not, indetd, to me, because I despise it, but to the House, whose orders he has violated. Lord BEAUMONT—I certainly did use the word fahhood; and said that statements were put forward which were false; but I never thought they were the falsehoods of the Noble Lord. Whatever may be the violence of his language, I have too much respect for my Noble and Learned Friend himself, even in moments like these, to say he would state anything which was false, knowing it was false. Falsehood is too strong, perhaps, but if I had used a milder form of expression, still the meaning would have been the same. I think falsehood is not a word which ought to be used, and if it did escape me lam the first to retract it, as I do not even wish to use such language, and if I have offended the Noble and Learned Lord I willingly apo logise t' him. My only object was to show that many of the statements put forward before the public were not in accordance with the truth. The Noble Lord then proceeded to say that no attempt what ever had been maile by the Government of the Sove reign Pontiff to arrest the assassins of Count Rossi; and the first step for that object was taken by the Provi sional Government of Borne. Different schemes were then suggested at Gaeta, fur Austria was said to allow Spain and Naples to interfere, and that France and her self should be neutral. Gaeta was then the scene of self-interest between these powers. and during their dis cussions thereon the Roman Republic was proclaimed, and all who supported that form of government should be thought to have spoken the will and voice of the Roman people; tor, though the number of Republicans might not be very numerous, yet it was the wish of the people that laymeu should haYsl a bare J r administration of their political affairs. In this state of things it appeared that France suddenly sent an expedition from Toulon to Civita Vecchia, which deceived the Roman people, for, according to their proclamation, they made these people believe that their object was to prevent the entrance of the Atistrians, 'and were consequently received by them as friends; but when the contrary appeared manifest, in that their intentions were to restore the Pope, they (the Roman people) acted as became them, by opposing the French soldiery.—(Hear, hear.) He felt that he was speaking the opinion of the Roman Catholics of all countries who were anxious that their religion should not be stained, when he stated that it was now impos sible for Rome to go back to pure absolutism, and that the time had arrived when the temporal and spiritual power of the Pope should be separated, and that their government should no longer continue as it had been. He therefore wished to know from her Majesty's Go vernment what were the intentions of the French Go vernment in sending out their forces to Italy; whether it was for the good of the Pope, or for the peace of that country.—([fear, hear.) He should say, with regard to the other two questions, first, with respect to Austria, he did not think that Austria bad violated the Roman States, fur though and should n o t, t h ere f ore, b e un j ust l y they entered Tuscany , yet that was no port i on o f t h e charged ienia with t Roman States, States hat act; and, secondly, the King of Naples, who should be the last to attempt auy undue interference between the Sovereign Pontiff and the people of Rome, as he strongly disclaimed against any interference what ever between himself and his suffering subjects, the Si cilians. It was well known that he has violated the in dependent States of the Church, and was now marching with a strong force into Rome. He wished to know whether her Majesty's Government had any communi cation relative to those extraordinary proceedings; and whether the Government had taken any part in those proceedings? The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that he did not wish to interrupt the Noble Lord (Lord Beaumont) in his preface to his questions ; but from what fell from him he should say, that the present was not a suitable time to enter into a discussion on events takennot say whether ac cura t e ly or no t, as place in Italy, a s s t a t e d by t h e NobleL anyre da'she would not at pre sent necessary. But he would that h such was short badr to received ary communi ca ti on f rom th e French Government as t o t h e l a tt er ' s i nter f er i ng i n Italy, by sending out for ces t h ere . On th e 21 st Ap r il last, he (the Marquis give a Government of Landowne) had received a com munication that they (the French Government) intended to send out forces for the preservation of the peace of Italy, and for the restoration of a constitutional and re gular Government, He should add, that he belived that the march of those French forces on Rome was owing to the orders of the Commander-in• Chief; and not through any instructions from the French Government. Ile could not answer any more with respect to the interfe rence of France. Next, with regard to the assumed in vasion of Austria, he did not know that any such inva sion took place, and he assured their Lordships that no communication whatever trick place between Austria and Naples with this country. He should also say, with regard to the works of art, that he had no information whatever on the subject. The Earl of ABERDEEN said that he thought that their Lordships should expect more information on the important questions put by the Noble Lord (Lord Beau mont) than had been given in the reply. When the Noble Marquis (Lansdowne) stated that 20,000 French troops took possession of the heart and centro of Italy, for the purpose of preserving peace and of restoring a constitutional Government, be (the Earl of Aberdeen) thought that there should be more information than that given to their Lordships on so important a question. He had no wish to criticise and speak hostilely of the French Government; but when he had heard that the Prime Minister had publicly stated that the French forces were to remain there until peace, and a regular Government would be established, he would ask, how long would that be? for to all it was a matter of doubt when that legiti mate power would be established.—(Hear, hear.) The French Government also stated that it was to prevent foreign powers from interfering, but be would ask, are not the French as much foreigners to the Roman States as the Austrians ? He thought that they were more so, for the Austrians are closer and more inti mately connected with the Roman States than the French, and therefore it could not be a matter of in difference to that House or the country that such pro ceedings should take place withcut their mature con sideration; for when he looked to the declaration of France on that occasion, he should say that it appeared to him that France bad not spoken the truth. He be lieved that the interference of the Austrians was through a friendly feeling towards the Pope, and also that France interfered to prevent the invasion of any foreigner. But i that reminded him of the declaration of mg John, when these two Powers went to Angier south,s— -" Oh prudent discipline, from north and " ' Austria and France shoot in each others mouth. He asked, was that the issue of the British Govern ment's great and extraordinary mission, that 20 000 , French soldiers should he brought into the centre of Italy? He believed that the mission of the Noble Earl (Earl Minto) was most fatal to Italy. Earl MINTO said that he did not mean to enter into a long discussion on those questions, but should say, with respect to his conduct on that great and extraordi nary mission, as it had been termed, that .no person could doubt that he was for the expulsion of the Austrians from Italy, and he denied that any such de duction could be drawn from anything he (Earl Minto) either said or did on th .t occasion. There was one thine which he said, and that was that the British Government were desirous of preservin g the peace of Italy, and that no change could be made in the territorial arrangements ratified by the treaty of Vienna. On the occasion of Charles Albert entering Lombardy, there was no person more against that line of proceeding than himself. He at that time saw that there was cuiniderable danger for the peace and security of Italy, end he felt deeply anxious to avert it as much as possible; yet it could not be said that he by any word or act, sanctioned the expulsion of the Austrians from Italy. Lord BROUGHAM said that that if the Noble Earl (Earl Minto) wished to keep Italy free, he could not congratulate him, when 25,000 French soldiers were now in the centre of Italy. He recollected how the Ministry with which he had the honour to be connected were attacked when the French entered An cona, and thought such should serve as a guide to the future conduct and policy of the British Government. He looked upon the present question as a most important one, and perfectly concurred with the Noble Earl (Earl of Aberdeen) in expressing his astonishment that the Noble Marquis (Marquis of Lansdowne) should consider that their Lordships should be satisfied with his state ment. The Noble Marquis (Marquis of Lansdowne) said that ho did not expect that the French troops would march from Civita Vecchia to Rome, or that they would offer any opposition to the Republicans at Rome. How, he asked—how, in the name of God, could they offer opposition to the people of Civita Vecchia, when, they made no resistance whatever? Bow could they produce a constitutional and wholesome Government for Italy without war, when they knew that the people of Rome were determined to carry out their plans to the last? He did not know the motive of the French Government in sending out that expedition, but he believed that it was to obtain some glory, not for th people of France, but for the people of Paris. He looked upon the matter as a most extraordinary one, and hoped that her Majesty's Ministers would not allow their Lord ships to continue much longer without the necessary in formation. Next with regard to the works of art, he should say that he (Lord Brougham) had received a letter from the Financial Minister of France, stating that the French had not taken away any of those works of art, and that he (Lord Brougham) suggested to him to petition their Lordships, which would not by any means be an irregular course, stating his denial of having taken from Rome any of those works of art, that be (Lord Brough a m) would present the petition, and that stick would be satisfactory. There wa s a precedent for such a line of proceeding in the case of Mr. Saunders, the other day; and such a course, he considered, would be most satisfactory. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that her Ma jesty's Government were cognizant of the fact that the Pope had made earnest applications, not only to France, but to various other continental powers, to throw a force on the frontiers of the Roman territory, with a view to that which, in the opinion of the Pope, would restore good government to the Roman States, end undoubtedly the circumstance of that earnest application was not foreign to the circumstance which afterwards came to the knowledge of her Majesty's Government of an expedi tion professing to be undertaken in that view. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said. ho was of opinion that the great desire of the French Government and of the individual who presided over it, was the pre servation of peace; and, therefore, he could not but regret that those questions had been brought forward by his Nobl e Friend. lie thought them, to say the least, premature, and that it was highly indiscreet to have put them. The answer of the Noble Marquis must be satisfactorily received, and his Noble Friend should wait patiently to see the result.—(Hear, hear.) For his own part (the Marquis of Lond mderry's), he had a better opinion of the internal state of France, and of the general prevalence of good feeling in that country. He was satisfied that the great body of that nation desired to act rightly ; and although their Lord• ships were in favour of a monarchical form of Govern ment, still that ought not to prevent them from assisting to sustain the French Government, merely because the form of that Government was at present republican.— (Hear, heat.) The head of the French Government had, • he thought, manifested sagacity and prudence which would rarely be met with under circumstances of such trying difficulty as those by which ha had ken surrounded.—(Hear, hear.) It was impossible for him, of course, to congratulate General Oudinot on the suc cess of his expedition ; but, on the other hand, he could state it upon good authority, that the moral state of the French army was much better than was supposed, and that it did not contain above 300 or 400 Socialists. There was a great desire for peace in France, and if anything could attest it, it was the cordiality with which the recent English visit had been received there, as his Noble Friend near him could attest (Lord Brougham) as he believed he had available himself of that mode of reaching the French capital.—(Great laughter.) Lord BROUGHAM said he begged leave to give the most complete contradiction to the statement or the ru mour, whichever it was, that he had accompanied any set of men to, France.—(Reuc-wed laughter.) There was not the slightest foundation for such an assertion; for although he certainly did go over the same day, yet it was by a different conveyance.—(Laughter.) He would take occasion to express a strung and decided opinion which ha entertained upon the subject of those international visits. He deprecated beyond everything as fatal to the peace of the country, that any communi cation of the kind should ever bo held between any fo reign country and this country, except through the Government. It was a safety principle which should bo kept inviolate; because, it any 0 '1 3 440 1 4 I of this sort was to be taken to be a national expedition, though once or twice, or three times, no harm might result—and no harm had yet taken place from this cause; for everything had certainly gone off in the best feeling, and the visit itself had been received with the most perfect cordiality by their neigh bours—yet, on another occasion great and serious harm might result, as a collision might take place between large bodies of the two nations, which would lead to bad blood between them, and end very probably in the most mischievous consequences. Therefore, however unne cessary the caution might be deemed, he certainly enter tained the opinion that on all future occasions it would be expedient to allow these expeditions to take place under the sanction of Government. The subject then dropped. The Duke of ARGYLE presented several petitions praying that the privilege of substituting affirmations for oaths in courts of law, now enjoyed exclusively by Quakers, Moravians, and Separatists, should be extended to oth:n. sects. The petitions Were from various sec tarian places of worship at Dalkeith, Fife, Edinburgh, and Dunbar, and also from 1,200 of the inhabitants of Edinburgh. Lord NELSON brought in a Bill to regulate the ap pointment of chaplains at foreign ports and places. The Bill was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Thursday week. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented several returns. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY presented a peti- tion trom Newton Ards, in the cou❑ty of Down, against the Poor•law (Ireland) Rate in Aid Bill. ELECTORAL DIVISIONS. The Duke of WELLINGTON said, that before their Lordships resolved themselves into Committee on the Rate in Aid Bill, he should wish to ask the Noble Mar quis, the President of the Council, whether any pro gress had been made with the Bill to alter the size of the electoral districts in Ireland? The Marquis of LANSDO WNE said that no Bill bad yet been brought into Parliament to effectuate an altera tion in the size of the electoral divisions in Ireland; and the reason was, that though it bad been the intention of her Majesty's Government for some time past to intro duce a measure on the subject, yet the Committee ap pointed by their Lordships to inquire into it, had not yet made its report, neither had the Committee appointed by the other House, for the same purpose. So far, however, as the mere alteration of the size of the elec toral divisions was concerned, the Commissioners bad full power to vary them. The Earl of WICKLOW said he did not believe that any Act of Parliament was necessary to alter the size of the electoral districts, as the Commissioners had full power over it. YOOR•LAW (IRELAND) RATE IN AID BILL. The Earl of CARLISLE having moved that their Lordships should resolve themselves into a Committee on the Poor-law (Ireland) Rate in Aid Bill, The Earl of MOUNTbASHEL said that, in conse quence of the great agitation which now prevailed in Ireland with regard to this measure, and its undoubted tendency to render disloyal the most loyal parts of that country, he should earnestly recommend the House not to hurry its progress. In consideration of those points, he should propose that their Lordships postpore the Committee. _ The Earl of MINTO said, that as an understanding had been come to between both sides of the House that the discussion should be taken at a future stage, although the Noble Lord had a perfect right to submit a motion to that effect, he hoped he would not now offer any opposition to the progress of the Bill. The Earl of MOUNTCASHEL said that he was not till then aware of any such understanding, and would not otherwise have proposed a postponement. Their Lordships then went into Committee on the Bill, The Earl of WICKLOW said be objected not only to the principle of the Bill, but also to the manner in which it was drawn up; both being, in his opinion, very unjust. He should propose, in order to meet the views of many of his Noble Friends in that louse, that a provision should be added to the Bill, to empower tenants to de duct from their rents the amount of the rate. The Earl of MOUNTCASHEL said he disapproved of that proposition altogether, the landlords having enough on their hands already. The Earl of CARLISLE said that the suggestion of the Noble Earl near him (Wicklow), though made iu his usual liberality of spirit towards Ireland, was wholly un constitutional, and could not be entertained. Lord MONTEAGLE said he had to propose a clause which, he thought, might have the intended effect. Its object was to have a distinct account kept of the applica tion of the rate in aid within twelve days after the 31st of December in each year, to which the Bill referred, together with an account of the amounts l ev i e d , an d of th proportions in which it bad been raised. After a few words from Lords Campbell, Glengall, Monteagle, and the Earl of Carlisle, The Earl of WICKLOW consented to withdraw his motion. Their Lordships having gone through the clauses, The Earl of CARLISLE intimated that the report on the Bill would be brought up to-morrow (this day), and that upon an understanding that there was to be no dis cussion taken upon it before Friday, which he should name for the third reading, until when Noble Lords might reserve any observations which they might feel disposed to make on the Buil. Lord MOUNTCASHEL protested against those un derstandings to which the Noble Earl (Carlisle) had alluded, and thought that it was not desirable to enter into any such arrangement as the Noble Earl suggested, seeieg that on the evening fixed all the power of the Go vi,rnment might be brought forward against the oppo nents of the Bill—a Bill, he must say, which would only place Ireland in a worse position than she was even at present in. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 14. The SPEAKER took the Chair a few minutes before Four o'clock. THIRD READINGS. The following Bills were read third time and passed:— Caledonian Railway (Purchase or Lease of Wishaw and Coltness Railway). York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway and Mary port and Carlisle Railway (Lease and Amalgamation). York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway (Newcastle upon-Tyne and Carlisle Railway Lease and Amalgama tion). SECOND READINGS. The following Bills were read a second time:— Louth Markets and Improvements. Westhead's Patent (for Improvements in Manufac turing Fur into Fabrics). CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS. The reports upon the following Bills were considered and agreed to:—_ Charing-cross Bridge (Amendments of Acts, Powers to alter authorised Approaches, &c.). London Gas Light Campany (Amendment of Act). PETITIONS. Sir R. H. INGLIS presented a petition from several clergymen at Warwick against the Parliamentary Oaths Bill. Mr. J. BAILEY presented a petition agreed to at a large public meeting at Hereford, praying for some relief to toe agricultural and trading interests of the country. Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from Dundee praying for the alteration of the game-laws. Mr. EVANS presented a petition from the Indepen dents of Derby against the continuance of the Regium Don um grant. Mr. FERGUS presented a petition frcm a place in Scotland against the Scotch Sanitary Bill. Sir J. WALMSLEY presented a petition from Bolton in favour of an extension of the suffrage and vote by ballot, both as regards Parliamentary and municipal elections. Mr. P. WOOD presented a petition from Oxford in favour of the poor-law superannuation fund ; also a pe tition from farmers and others, praying that free trade might be carried out by the repeal of the duties upon malt and hops. Lord BROOKE presented a petition against any alter ation in the Parliamentary oaths. Mr. HILDYARI) presented a petition from Bridport against the alienation of tithes from spiritual purposes. Mr. 0. GORE presented a petition from Clerkenwell praying for the removal of Smithfield Market. Mr. STANSFIELD presented a petition against the paper and advertisement duty. Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition in favour of an ex tension of the suffrage, several petitions praying for the liberation of the Rev. Mr. Shore, a petition in favour of international arbitration, and a petition from Edinburgh, praying for the abolition of the gams-laws. Mr. FREWEN presented a petition from Sussex against the Parliamentary Oaths Bill. Mr. COBDEN presented several petitions from Lan cashire in favour of Parliamentary reform. Mr. CAYLEY preserved a petition from Melton, praying for some relief to the agricultural interests. EMIGRATION. Mr. J. O'CONNELL gave notice that to-morrow, when the Hon. Member for Limerick brought forward his motion on emigration, he would move as a substitute that emigration was a most expensive remedy for the relief of Ireland, and that it is more immediately neces sary at present to check the disasters of emigration than to promote it. PUBLIC EXPENDITURE. Mr. H. DRUMMOND gave notice that, on the first Tuesday after the holidays, he should move the follow ing resolution:—" That a greater amount of taxation was levied on the people of this country than was necessary for good and efficient government ; and whereas large sums are extended for supporting need less places and extravagant salaries, and the pre sent taxation of the country presses he.►vily on all classes, it is expedient that this House should forth- with adopt means for reducing the expenditure of the Government."—(Cheers.) OFFICERS IN THE ARMY. Mr. EWART moved for a copy of any instructions which may have been issued by the Commander•in- Chief respecting examinations to be required on the admission or promotion of officers in the army.— Agreed to. DENMARK AND GERMANY. Mr. DISRAELI said he inquired of her Majesty's Government, some time back, whether, in consequence of the recurrence of hostilities between Denmark and Germany, they had any objection to lay on the table of the House copies of the negotiations that had taken place; but the Noble Lord stated that, notwithstanding. the recurrence of hostilities, the negotiations were still pending. He (Mr. Disraeli) took this opportu nity of now inquiring from her Majesty's Government whether those negotiations had been pursued under the mediation of the British Crown,ard whether any negotia tion had been broached by her Majesty's Government to the Plenipotentiaries of Denmark and of the Central Powers of Gerrnany,and whether that proposition had been ac cepted by both or either of those pow ales ? Lord PALMERSTON said that the proposition for a limited armistice was still under consideration; and as that was so, he felt it would not be fittivg for him to go into particulars. THE BISHOP OF HONG-KONG. Mr. OSBORNE said he had noticed in the Gazette that Hong-Kong had beets erected into a bishopric.--(Laughter.) Ho wished to inquire of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hawes) what was the amount of the bishop's salary, and from what fund it was proposed to pay the Bishop of Hong-Kong; secondly, whether the outfit, and transport, and palace of the bishop, or any part of his expenses, were to be defrayed from the public Exchequer of this country? Mr. HAWES begged to state that it was quite true, as the Hon. Member had represented, that Kong-Kong had been created a bishopric--(Hear, hear)—but the bishop was paid from the Colonial Bishopric Fund—a fund entirely private, and arising out of private contributions.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) his salary, therefore, was of no importance to the House, and was in no part paid out of the Exchequer. Neither had the Colonial-of ice any knowledge of the Bishop's outfit. It had hitherto been customary for the Government to pay a Bishop's passage out, and he did not think that rule would be departed from in this instance. ANNUITY TAX (SCOTLAND). Mr. COWAN inquired when the Government in tended to bring forward their promised measure upon this subject. The report of the Commis*ioners appointed to inquire into and report on the subject had been pre sented some time. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said the report in question had only been recently received. The propositions con tained in it were now under the consideration of the Government, and so soon as the course to be adopted had been decided upon leave would be sought to intro duce the Bill. Mr. COWAN—Cannot the Noble Lord " fix the day ?"—(Laughter.) Lord J. RUSSELL intimated that he could not. THE MARRIAGE BILL. Mr. STUARP WORTLEY referred to the conversa • tion that had taken place with respect to the fixing of a day when the adjourned debate upon the Bill could be proceeded Nvi tb , and moved, with that view, that orders of the day have precedence of notices of motions on Thursday. the 7th of June next. Mr. OSBORNE moved, as an amendment, that private motions and orders have precedence of orders of the day, on Thursday the 14th of June next. If the Ministers did not intend to bring forward any more measures, he was satisfied they ought to give back the Thursdays which they had taken from the House, as several Hon. Members had several important measures to bring for ward. For instance, an Hon. Member had had a motion on the books for /mice intervention for the last three months, and had repeatedly baliotted during that time for a day, and he had been ballotting for the last six weeks for a day on which he should be enabled to bring on his motion with respect to the Irish Church. The taking of the Thursday by the Government prevented any private Member from bringing forward any motion. The SPEAKER having put the motion, Mr. DISRAELI said, notwithstanding the reasons adduced by the mover of the amendment, instances had occurred of lion. Members not availing themselves of the opportunities afforded them of bringing on their motions. For instance, the Hon. Member for the West Riding was called upon to proceed with his motion, but he declined to do so, perhaps on account of the present state of Europe.—(Laughter.) These days having been liberally given up by the House to the Government, which would otherwise have been at the disposal of private Members, it should he thought be left to the feeling of her Majesty's Government as to restoring them. If it was understood that the Government did not intend to bring forward any further measures—(Laughter)—he thought they should appropriate more days to the use of private Members, which were certainly granted to them for other purposes than the one assigued.—(Hear.) Mr. HENLEY drew attention to the fact, that they had only proceeded a little way with the Committee of Supply—the miscellaneous estimates, for instance, were not yet upon the table—and that whilst this was the case it would , not be well for the Government to give up the day in question. The Government should not give way because important measures had yet to he introduced by Hon. Members ; indeed almost every Hun. Gentleman considered that his own measure was the most important of al!.—(Laughter.) If' the Government gave way they would get into this state —that on every night when they ought to go into a Committee of Supply, private Members would bring ou their motions, and the real business of the Government, and of the country, would in consequence be postponed sine die. Mr. COBDEN denied that he was called upon at an early hour to bring forward his motion. He wag not called upon till a quarter past eleven, and he put it to the House whether that was a proper hour to bring forward a motion of so much interest and importance to the country.—(Loud cries of Hear, hear.") Government, in his opinion, ought to give up one of their nights to the Marriage Bill. It would be far more convenient to them to do so ; for if it were taken on a night appropriated to independent Members, many motions would have to be moved as amendments on going into Committee of Supply.—(Hear, hear.) After a few words from Mr. GOULBURN, Lord J. RUSSELL said be felt great objection to an order of the day being taken first on a motion night, while he felt equal objection to breaking through the rule which the House established before Easter, of giving up every alternate Thursday to Government.—(Hear, hear.) The Honourable Memb,r for Middlesex and the Honourable Member fir Oxfordshire had made some ooservations with regard to the pntent state of public Bills. Now he begged leave, in the first place, to say that it was not to be inferred that the number of Bills before them were all that it would be thought necessary to introduce in the present session. It was not to be in feired that Government had no other Bills ready— (Hear, hear) for it had been cJnsidere.l more conducive to the dispatch of public business not to introduce a great number of Bills at once, so that the House might the more easily confine its attention to the measures immediately under consideratiou.—(dear, hear.) Then with regard to supply, the Hon. Member for Oxfordshire was quite right in stating that they were late with many votes of supply, but with respect to the votes relating to the army, Government had been waiting to see whether the Select Committee appointed by the a ouse would make any report upon this branch of the supply. He had now, howev, r, a communication from the Committee, stating that they should not be able to make an early report, and, therefore, Government was now in a position to proceed regularly with the votes of last year. Ile should wish, therefore, as soon as the House had disposed of some early ques tions of pressing importance, to ask the House to con sider the question of supply.—(Hear, hear.) Having said thus much, he hoped the House would not break through the arrangement made before Easter. He had already suggested that the Marriage Bill might be taken on Wednesday, the 6th of June, or if the Right Hon. Gentleman preferred it he might take Wednesday, the 13th, when Government would be willing to forego their orders of the day. Mr. OSBORNE said, of course, after what had fallen from the Noble Lord, he should withdraw his amendment. The amendment was accordingly withdrawn. Mr. S. WORTLEY said he would take Wednesday, the 13th, and withdraw his motion. The motion was accordingly withdrawn. STATE TRIALS. On the motion of Lord J. RUSSELL, the minutes of the arguments taken before the House of Lords in the case of the Queen a. Smith O'Brien were ordered to be laid on the table. LAND IMPROVEMENTS AND DRAINAGE (IRELAND) BILL. On the qnestiou for going into Committee on this Bill, Mr. ROEBUCK said before the Speaker left the chair he wished to take the opportunity of addressing a few words to the House on the subject of Ireland. He wished to express his opinion with regard to the honesty —if he could attach the word to such proceedings —of the Government measures relating to Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) Having paid great attention to the pro ceedings of Government with respect to that unfortunate country, he was unable to give them any praise, because they did not inform him what Go vernment intended to do with respect to Ire land.—(Hear, hear.) Money had already been spent laviahly for the purposes of that country, and they were now called upon to expend more under the plea that Ireland was in a state of distress.—(Hear, hear.) Ireland had been in a state of distress of this sort for the last three years—(Hear, hear)—and he did not dispute it.—(Hear, hear.) They were all by this time well ac customed to it. —(Hear, hear.) A remarkable description, however, of distress had arisen in Ireland in consequence of the failure of the potato crop. Some three years ago the Government of the Right Hon. Baronet opposite was informed of the probability that there was about to be a famine in Ire land—that the potatoes were likely to be destroyed in Ireland—and that those who lived upon the root would be unable to maintain themselvt.s.—(llear, hear.) The Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth, fearful of the uulavourable aspect before him, proposed the repeal of the corn-laws, which he succeeded in Carrying. Had the Right Hon. Baronet not succeeded, he thought the peace and tranquility that now reigned in the country, and the comforts now felt and enjoyed throughout a certain portion of the community, would not have been seen at the present time.—(Hear, hear.) There was the provident proposal of the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir Robert Peei) which saved Ireland from the dire calamity with which Providence had visited it. The Right Hon. Baronet, however, seceded from the post which ho held, the Noble Lord (Lord John Rus sell) succeeded him. Now, what did the Noble Lord do ? The landed proprietors had been wasteful in their expenditure, they had been accus.tomed to go far beyond that which they derived from their pro perties, they had burdened their properties in order to maintain their vanity; and they did one thing more, and here wa s th e sore spot of Ireland—they divided their properties into small holdings, and the te nants to whom they were let were only able to pay their refit by living on the lowest species of food which man could derive from the earth—tie potato. At length that unhappy accident arrived by, which the potato crop failed, and the landed pro prietors were found in this condition—they had an enor mous population upon their land who were accustomed, as he had said, to live on the very lowest species of Toed, suddenly deprived of their means of subsistence ; and the Noble Lord was called upon to meet that extraordi nary emergency. Now, what did ho do? It was not every one in Ireland who was in distress, but he would take it that a large portion of the agricultural population were. Now how much money had they expended already, and in what state had they left the population or Ireland ? When he spoke of the Irish population, he meant from the highest to the lowest, becan e he did not find a particle of difference between any of them, and would say, with respect to the population generally, that there wu a detain to acquire MO).- out labour.—(Cries of "Oh ! oh !") It was all very well to .cry " Oh ! " but it was they who should make use of that cry to those who would not pay. That demoralisation extended to all portions of the population, and if he wanted any certain means to de monstrate the demoralisation which existed among the Irish people, he should desire no better documents to prove his case than those returns which had been made of the manner in which the loan from England bad been expended.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") If their generosity had been expended for the poor, or if it had been laid out to relieve their necessities, he would be one of the last to complain; but it was not the poor who were relieved, for the money went to bolster up system which was in the highest degree injurious to Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) The tact was, that the treasure had been poured from this country into one vast golden heap, and there was a regular scramble amongst all classes to strive who should get the most.—(Hear, hear.) It was just such a scramble as he had seen to get into the opera—a struggle who should soonest arrive at the heap, and who should get most of the treasure.—(Hear, bear, and laughter.) He would tell them what it was.-- (ilea:, hear.) It was nothing more nor less than an attempt to live upon other people's labour —(Loud cries of " Hear, hear," and " Order, order")- - a total want of that independent spirit, ho might call it of that enthusiastic desire, to realise a livelihood without the labour that was necessary to earn it.— (Hear, hear.) lie had, however, heard one Irish Member open his mouth upon the subject of Ireland, but there was a coil' bullet cry of somebody must do something, but that somebody was never toemselves—(" Hear, bear," and laughter.) What he asked, then, seas it they intended to do and when ? Did they intend to allow : the Irish to help themselves?—(Hear.) He had been contin ually told that English legislation interfered with Irish legislation. He wished in this case most certainly that it had; and he would affirm that if the maintenance of Irish poor had' not been thrown on the British people, that the Irish people would soon maintain their own poor, and that there would then be no further appeal to England in the name of religion. The whole fact was, that this was the case of the Irish proprietors—and a very Irish sort of proprietorship it was—proprietors living upon the rents of lands to which they had no more right than he had who did not possess a single acre.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") Among all the Midi complaints he had , never heard of any complaint from any Irish proprietor of being directly over. , taxed—(" Hear, hear." and laughter.) If a land" lord; was reputed to have 10,000/. a year, and bill estates were mortgaged to the extent of 9,0001., you never heard an Irishman asserting that he had only 1,0001. a year to live upon, notwithstanding the alleged griping influence of the new poor law—(Hear, hear.) Ali that must now be stopped. But when the difficulty' was propounded, and he complained of the draught from the taxes of Britain, all the reply he could ob tain from the Chancellor of the Exchequer was the alternative of a rate in aid.—(Hear, hear.) Last Friday, he thought it was, be had heard the soft re medy of the Attorney-General propounded in a s peech which had certainly captivated his imagination, but which had certainly failed to convince his judgment. He had desired to avert all the evils of Ireland by an amelioration of the practice of the Courts of Chancery.—(Hear, hear.) And such was the end. The fact was, the whole fault arose out of the faulty mein' sures of the Ministers of the British people. The evil lay in their legislation. The only justification for one bad act of legislation was that it was made necessary by two others that were worse, which had preceded it. As an amendment, and be pre sumed some pretence for justification for the line of con" duct the Ministry had pursued, the Chancellor of the Exchequer told him that he expected to ge t the whole of his money back.—(H ear , hear.) BY what law, he wou ld lik e to know, would they would be able to do that; and if they did it would only be an aggravation of the evil of which he complained+ and a permanent increase of the miseries of the people of Ireland. Eventually this money would prove a national incumbranco, and he for one would be no party to nixing the British people for the support of persons who refused to labour for their own subsistence. .talk of capital! He (Mr. Roebuck) did not deny the necessity for making roads in Ireland. Why did they not offer 15 or 16 millions for making roads in Ireland when it was proposed three years ago by Lord George Bentinck ? instead of dribbling on day by day under the pretence of supplying the miseries of Ireland. The one and the other w as the same ; it was the application of the funds of the country to individual enterprise. In that case it was a large and well-conceived scheme ; and if they were to apply the money of tile State to general purposes, he (Mr. Roe" buck) would rather have voted, for the plan of the Noble Lord, now deceased, instead of the present procedure; He (Mr. Roebuck) was told " you got your money back: That was no answer to his question ; be was out of his money when he paid his taxes; and he asked what Was the concerted scheme—taking it as a scheme—which the Government had when they brought forward this single measure for the relief of Ireland? He would allow that the,Chancellor of the Exchequer every now and then took the opportunity of asking to give a deal of money for the Irish people. He allowed that ; but why, .he asked, could that money in any shape be considered as means of employing the starving people of Ireland ? Ile asked the common sense of this country, if it was not under the gu i se o f as ki ng f or money to suppor t the poor of Ireland that they were lending money to the l an d e d proprietors ?—(Cries of Hear, hear. ) Did any b o d y b elieve that 300000,000/. could in any way reli eve the di stress of the country ? Now, he wou ld ask, what ou g h t to have been done?—(Hear' " hear)— and he must say, as f ar as regarded Irish Gentlemen in that House. it was a question that he had often asked of himself—What would they do for Ireland?-- - (Hear, hear.) One talked about the area of tax ation being too large. Ile heard a conversation bandied about that House this very day. One Iloe• Gentleman asked the other, " Did you not go to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ask to have these people paid ?" "To be sure I did," said the Honourable Mein' her for Dublin. (Laughter.) That Honourable tuber used a happy phraseology which he (Air' Roebuck) would in vain attempt to imitate ; but it marked the feeling of the Honourable Member so strongly that he (Mr. Roebuck) should never forget it. " I wanted to have a pull at the Chancellor of the Exchequer," continued the lion. Member for Dublin; but when the pull at the Chancellor of the Exchequer failed when they found the Chancellor of the Exchequer would not bite, an Honourable Gentle' mini opposite said—" Let the corporation of Dublin pay." " The corporation of Dublin pay ! Why you are a set of cormorants"—(Laughter) —said the Hon. rde rn , ber for Dubli n . [H ere Mr. Roebuck so happ i l y e imitated th e I r i s h b rogue as to elicit roars o f laughter.] "Y ou are a set of robbers, " sa i d the Hon. Member fur Dublin. Now what was th e meaning of that lang uage o f th e H on. Gent l ema n' Why, that he was the advocate of those gentlemen who wanted compensation. But there was a Right Honour able Gentleman who came from Yorkshire, and he said, " Not at all; I am not willing to permit .ye t ,', to have a pull at the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Fie would not say more; but they quarrelled among themselves.—(Laughter.) They were told that it was! regular practice to have a pull upon the Exchequer, bel that the debt was a dishonest one when the landlords hs" to pay it themselves. He took a lesson from what had oe' curved at the debate, and determined they should also de' rive a lesson from it on the first opportunity, Th e y came there to hav e a p u ll u p on t h e Exchequer, and that Bill he termed pulling upon the Exchequer. The Exchequer was filled by our hard-working countrymen, men wb,. ° laboured at their vocat i on w i t h an honest and upr ig h t spirit— w i t h a virtue, lie must say coolly, with an indign an t v i rtue; and when they cons " dered th e d emands thus made upon the pro needs of their labour. He had of late seen the working men of England assemble in their thousaht , and he told th em , t h ough they had been often misled, that the first v o i ce h e should raise in the Commons e : England would be against the rapacious desires of th e _, extravagant landed p ropr i etors and gentry of Irelsow But, in the strict sense of the term, they were not landed proprietors ; let them, therefore, get rid e l the name; let them go abroad and earn their own sub" s:stence; the land does not belong to them, and the rate ought not to be paid to them. Let them act like We il whose capital was in their bare hands.—(Hear.) It ryas on these ground s th at b e entered his solemn pro test against this Bill, which was part and parcel of the mischievous policy adopted by the Governinee 4 in which he saw nothing that was likely to redeem froze a renewal of the same tax hereafter. Many country gentlemen were around him—what did they say to he, called upon year after y e ar t o f ee d th e I r i s h nat i on ? . 6 !, the harvest neared the prospect blackened-11 the next few month s wore on t h ey wol hear more of the awful sufferings of w people of Ireland. Hero they h a d b een f our Years ~f legislating how to meet the d e fi c i enc i es an d d e f ec ts Z the harvests of Ireland. Four y ears ago t h e Righ t ; e , ' Hun. Gentleman opposite (Sir R. P ee l) t o ld t h e land' lords of Ireland that unless th e y set a b out i n earn est toe cultivate the soil, the evil s th e H ouse was then B uy seeking to cur e mus t recur hereafter. '''o instead of obtaining the aid of practical nie and tilling their fertile land, the advice was not ache upon. What was given to the poor was seized by t he rich; and the consequence was that the people of Bnc land had b ecome di sgus ted.—(Hear.) A revere s friend of his wa s i m pl ore d b y t h e m i nister of a parish Ireland to solicit cont r ib ut i ons from his flock in oat' - the suffering people of the parish. He did se, and transmitted ov er a sma l l sum, but a large one, ,C 01 , 1 t : sidering the means of the people who. contribute", What was the reply? " God bless you for your on ritable donation—we are quite happy—all the rents are paid!" Why his friend sunk almost into a swoon. (Laughter.) Was it for this that he had begged from d e " ? 0, door, preaching charity to men, women, and children? No! It was to relieve the starving people of Irelatt--as not to pay the rents of grasping proprietors. It " 0 .. taken by those who ought to have been the almoner', ' rat , stead of the receivers of the gifts. If such a court, were pursued they would dry up the sources of ober'er would altogether—(Cries of " Hear, hear")—nod h e te nt. be amongst the first to preach with that itt uo The Government must originate a better and ad rigid system of the dispensation of the money thus e , yarned. If they did so Ireland might be retrlevue:_d, fit two years; and England, in any future period of nee d+ n ot would not fail in her aid. If the Government _ do this, s uc h Bill s as t h ese, ow i ng to their inefbol would be only tr ea t e d w i t h scorn and contumely.war,d Air. J O'CUNNELL said they by the newspapers for some time back that m th o ulf. o , belt was about to fall on them, and it had C r )_ . had be a en . _ A u er. them that evening from the lion. Member fo o ,.S1 1 2 4 : 00 . id a eeech characterised by all therimaces t " Order, order," " Chair, chair.") member for thank, and all the spite of a baboon.—(Loud cries of The SPEAKER informed the Hon. Limerick that the expressions he used with urcaruse the Lion. Member for Sheffield were quite P mentary, reference to