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

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM TEE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. GLOBE.--Mr. Feargus O'Connor, addressing his Chartist admi rers th e ot h er d ay in iNlaryielsone said, the "cry was th a t th ere were too many mouths to feed. But if the Corn-laws were repealed to-morrow, no good would accrue to the working classes, who would not have bread one halfpenny cheaper. The only good it would do would be to make the manufacturers and the millocrats greater tyrants than they were at present. —(Loud cheers.) Instead of going to foreign countries fir corn, they could grow it all at home on the unculti vated land, and give employment to the surplus popu lation." We might find our apology for noticing lan guage like this in the fact that it is not at all worse than the House of Commons hears with complacency. But we have a better reason for noticing it than any qua lity of its own. It expresses apprehensions which find some echo (though a weaker and weaker) in the minds of many of the working classes. The repeal of the Corn laws presents itself to their minds as calculated to ag gravate that competition of labour emigrating from the rural districts, which is already complained of in the towns, and to depress still farther its already de. pressed and precarious remuneration. We have said that this apprehension shows itself less and leis actively in opposition to the repeal of the Corn-laws, and, indeed, seldom shows itself at all in any spontaneous expression from the lips of the work ing c l asses . Yet it is a key which may be still struck with some effect, though in general the direct and palpable pressure of the Corn-laws on the workini , classes now outweighs their fears of indirect evils from their repeal. It may not, therefore, be useless to point 'out what the work -people apprehend from the repeal of the Corn-laws is precisely what is taking place during their continuance! It is very true that the sudden and total repeal of the Corn-laws might produce that sudden and extensive deprivation of em ployment in the rural districts, which would send their labourers to compete with the already de pressed labour of the towns. This effect, if pro duced, would be the consequence of a panic amongst the farmers, which, however excessive, we should think it highly impolitic to create. We are not, therefore, for the sudden and total repeal of the Corn laws. We are convinced that no augmentation of our imports which could possibly take place would make up the deficiency which would be caused by any considerable reduction of our home-growth.,The fears of our farmers greatly magnify the available sources of importation. We should be more in dan ger of dearth than excess from any sudden and sweep ing measure. STANDARD.—Lord Campbell introduced into the House of Lords last night three Bills relating to Law Reform. These Bills may be very good Bills (we think that some of their provisions are impracti cable), but they will fall very far short of satisfying the public expectation of a reform in the administra tion of the law. Lord Campbell's measures merely contemplate some changes in the exercise of the appel late jurisdictions of the Privy COuncil and the House of Lords, matters about which 999 out of every 1,000 of the people do not care, and have no reason to care, one farthing. But thus it is always—" the fly on one's nose eclipses the distant mountain ;" and Noble Lords and eminent lawyers think nothing so important as what concerns themselves, or what comes wider their immediate cognizance. Accordingly, Session after Session we have Bills for the reform of the appellate jurisdiction and the higher Courts of Equity, while the monstrous abuses of the inferior departments in the law are left untouched. From Lord Lyndhurst and Lord Brougham, however, we expect something better ; they are both, in the ho nourable sense of the phrase, men of the world ;" they have seen, and are capable of judging, of mat ters beyond the limits of the particular courts in which they have practised or presided. The law, or rather the unreformed administration of the law, is, however, a tyrant, and the only tyrant in this country ; it fulfils all the conditions of ty ranny—no "man's liberty, or property, or fame, is safe from it ; and it goes beyond the evils of other tyranny in this, that its cruelties and op pressions are not the suggestions of individual caprics, which must be to a great extent limited in its activity, but the suggestions of the caprice, the cupidity, or the malice of thousands. This is the enemy with which a law reform must grapple, and it is an enemy not unworthy of the arms of Sir Robert Peel, Lord Lyndhurst, and Lord Brougham. The people may not clamour for law reform as for other re forms ; but this is because the habitual clamourers are of a class already ruined, and who have nothing to fear from tyranny, whatever they may hope from dis order; while the classes above them are ashamed to confess their hostility to the administration of the law, lest they be suspected of having suffered from it in a country where " poverty is infamous." It is this dread of confessing poverty which guards the mon strous extortion to which persons in humble rank, and in circumstances in the last degree embarrassed, are exposed in England more than in any other country in the world. The feeling is not a dishonourable one, and it has proved eminently useful as a stimulant to frugality and in dustry ; but it exists here in a far higher degree than elsewhere, and therefore it is the duty of the British legislature to protect from extortion and. oppression those who are ashamed to complain, and without complaining cannot protect themselves. Such protection, however, cannot be afforded without a severe revision of the details of the administratiOn of the law, and an unsparing removal o f a ll th e instru ments of rapacity that time and the arts of greedy and dishonest men have accumulated ; without, in short, a thorough reform of the administration of the law through all its departments, and all its subor dinations. This we expect from Sir Robert Peel's Government ; and we expect it with more anxiety from the conviction that, if Sir Robert Peel decline the enterprise, no other statesman will ever embrace it, and the country must wait for the worst of all pos sible remedies. What that is it is neither necessary nor pleasant to say. STATE OF TRADE. (From the Manchester Guardian.) MANCIIESTER.—The announcement of advances by the Bank of England at a lower rate of intervst, which was expected by many parties to exercise a favourable in fluence upon our market, has, so far, produced no effect whatever ; for prices still continue to droop, and goods and yarn were both sold yesterday on lower terms than were ever known before. The concessions thus made by the spinners had some little effect in bringing pur chasers iTito the market, and a rather increased amount of business was done at the reduced rates. For goods, on the contr.try, the demand was extremely limited ; and, notwithstanding the extremely low prices, pur chasers seemed disposed to take nothing but what was necessary to supply their immediate and pressing wants. ROCHDALE FLANNEL MARKET, MONDAY, FED. 28. We have had a remarkably still market to-day, and the little business that has been transacted has been done at very lo►v prices. Thera is no change in the wool mar:iet. B UDDE R FIELD 111 A BEET, ifARCII 1. —So little change has taken place in this market, that parties, were divided in opinion to-day ; but, we are glad to - gtatC', that, on the whole, there was a slight improvement in the demand, especially in low-priced fancy woollens. Business in the warehouses still drags on wearily, al though, perhaps, with a little more animation than for Foam time past. Wools are heavy, and cost price diffi cult to realise. THE NING OF PRUSSIA.—We mentioned a few days since, that a tea service of plate was in preparation, by order o f his Majestyi the King of Prussia, as a present to Mr. Owen, High Constable, of Westminster, for his services during his Majesty's shY-t s jouru in this country. The piste has now been completed by Mr. J. Woodbill, St. Paul's Church-yard. It consists of a silver coffee-pot, tea-pot, sugar •basin, and jug, bearing the following inscription :—" The gift of his Majesty Frederick William the Fourth. Kim; of Prussia, to mark his sense of the at _ untion of Mr. Foster Owen, high Constable of Westmin ster, during the King's visit to the metropolis, 4th February, 1842. - The, other side bears engravings of the shield and crown of the royal arms of Prussia, together with the arms of the city of Westminster. The crest of Mr. Owen is encircled by a garter, with the motto—" Fear God. Honour the King." DEATH FROM AN OVERDOSE OF LAUDANUM.— On Monday an inquest was held at the Green Man, Man- Whitechapel, before Mr. Baker, on the body of Mr. Robert William Rodgers, aged 40, a solicitor, of North ampton. George Morris, landlord of the Green Man, said that the deceased arrived in London from Southampton about two months ago, and engaged lodgings in witness's house. lle came to London on professional business. On Friday night last, at about twelve o'clock, witness went to deceased's bedroom to ask him if he had done with the candle he hail borrowed to light himself to bed. Deceased repli-d that lie had not quite done with it, but that he should ha7o it instantly. Deceased then gave it to him, and witness then saw anti spoke to him fur the last time De ceased had recently complained of want of sleep, and it was witness's opinion that he had taken laudanum as a sedative, and had by accident, an t not by design, taken as overdose. The Jury, after a short deLbe ation, returned a verdict " Th a t the deceased died fr om havin take n ' an overdose of laudanum, but whether by accident or - design there was not sufficient evidence to prove." EDINBURGH AND • GLASGO W RAILWAY.—WE un derstand that the minority of the shareholders intend to pre sent a bill of suspension and interdict to the Court of Ses sion against the resolution of the majority, sanctioning the running of a moining and ev ening train on Sunday. This application will necessarily b e f oun d e d on sumo of the old Scotch Acts as to the cornpu'sory ob:;er ranee of the Sabbath Day, and must ope n „p a wide tield of discussion, as many of the statutory injunctions of that period on this subject have fallen into desuetude , t,e majority antieipa ton of such an appeal to the Court of Session, re tained th:, Solicitor-General and MR r. utherfu r d. The mino rity were also anxious to secure the aid of t hese eminent coma sal; and subsequently sent them re t ain er s , w hich of course they had to decline. —Edinburgh Advertieer, of Tuesday, lairna.—We have reason to believe that the d e . spatchea received from the Indian Government give a worse account of the state of affairs in Affghtthistan th3o the privat e letters. The ennrage o f the troops at Cabul was daunted by the fearful odds around them, and overtures had been made for capitulation ; hot it !cecina that the terms demanded by the natiy,• chiefs were nothing short of the surreneer of Shah Scojah himself, and the abandonment of the guns of the British army. To accede to these conditions would be to expose the array to the almost certain Violation' of them. The artillery is the iast resource • • 3 Doefrtgeand.roownhout nothing, can be fUreseen but a masslcre t LATE EXPLOSION IN LAMBETH. INQUEST ON THE BODIES. An inquest was held befor e Mr. Car ter , the Coroner for Surrey, on r y John Johnl inll, Public-h ouse , Tyler street,G ?orge D'E rnst, a li as Ernest, John Whiting , George Tebbut, and Ann 'Ham 're ibe at le the ) di es of shere, the four tanfortanate persons who lost their lives in the above awful explosion. The first witness called was G. Johnstone, who stated himself to a labourer, in the employment of Mr. Miller, the proprietor of the Lion 'Brewery, Doughty-street, Lambeth-walk, which was situated directly opposite the late Mr. D'Ernst's premises. On Monday last the de ceased Georg!. Tebbut, who was en an errand-boy, in the employment of the late Mr. D'Ernst, passed through the brewery towards the fire-work factory-, and, in reply to witness, said it was twenty minutes to twelve. He observed, while speaking to deceased, that lie carried a :Alin fuse about five inches long in his hand, which was ignited at the end and emitted a few sparks. When he was gone witness recollected that he had promised him an order for the Adelehi Theatre, and in consequence watched 'Min until he entered a house which Mr. D'Ernst used as a store-house, within about a yard of the wooden building where the firework's were manufactured, at which moment the fuse was still burning, and in about a minute after wards the witness heard a report like that of a cannon, and then a scond and much louder one when a quantity of things fell upon the brewhouse. He ran out Mame diately and saw the factory on fire, and tried to open the large gate leading into it, but failing, he got in by a wicket leading to the private house, and there saw the body of Tebbut driven with great violence against a wooden paling, with which it tell at his feet. It was quite naked, with' the exception of a small piece of a red comforter around the neck, and although the extremities were con siderably injured, tha trunk did not seem much scorched. There was a quantity of mucus exuding from the mouth, but no signs of life were apparent. Witness got a pail of water and threw it over the body, soon after which it was removed to a stable adjacent. The body of Whiting was found at the back of the premises, and Mr. D'Ernst near the outer-gate, both quite dead, and frightfully mutilated. By the CORONER—Often saw the deceased, Tebbut; Come to the parlour attached to the brewery, for a light, and used sometimes to see Mr. D'Ernst and his men try firevorks in the brewery yard, which was about fifty paces from the manufactory. Had no definite idea as to the cause of the fire, but thought from the direction in which the body of Tebbut was driven when he first saw it, he might have fallen when entering the factory from the side door of the house, which was about a yard from it. William Cotton having deposed to the identity of the bodies, as they lay in the dead-room of the workhouse, said he was a firework-maker, and he had been for four years in the employment of Mr. D'Ernst, which was one of the most extensive in his trade in London. Shortly before twelve o'clock on Monday, as the witness was leaving his residence in Ship-lane, for the purpose of going to the factory for some fire-works, which were to be used at the Adelphi Theatre that evening. lie heard the explosion, and having a presentiment that it had occurred at Mr. D'Ernst's. he ran there and found the place a heap of ruins. Mr. D'Ernst had an order from Portsmouth for some fire works to be let off in honour of her• Majesty's visit to that town, and they were preparing them in the factory for some days previous, so that a greater quantity of ma roons, coloured lights, &c., were on the premises on. Monday than usual. By the CORONER—An oven or stove was used for drying the composition sometimes. About I cwt. of gunpowder and combustible materials were generally kept upon the premises. In his opinion the fire originated in the oven, where, after he had examined the ruins, he found a pa n with the dross of some kind of coloured light, which had evidently exploded. At the time of the explosion there were 100 score of maroons on the premises. • . Henry Mortram, in the employment of the deceased Mr. D'Ernst, said the order from Portsmouth had been countermanded by the Corporation of Portsmouth, as they had determined to expend the money in illuminatens, but a small quantity of star-lights were ordered to be sent down. In his opinion the combustion arose•from the spontaneous ignition of one of the maroons, which have small beads filled with detonating fluid attached to them, or from one of those beads, of which some might have fallen upon the floor, being trod upon. Mr. Theodore F. D'Ernst, the deceased's brother, was examined, but nothing material was elicited by his evidence. The Jury retired, and returned a verdict at half-pa six, of—" Accidental death." LAW INTELLIGENCE. ROLLS!. COURT, March 1. DAY V. CROFr. This was a petition praying his Lordship's approbation of a scheme for the establishment of a charity fund. It appeared that the late Mr. Day, of the firm of Day and Martin, had by his will devised to certain trustees, upon trust, a sum of 100,000/. for the purpose of forming out of the interest accru ing thereon a fund, to be called " The Blind Man's Friend Charity," which was to be disposed of in annuities to such blind persons as should be properly recommended as fit objects of charity, and the present application was for an order of the Court approving of the scheme, as detailed and set forth in the petition. A point was raised by Counsel on behalf of the trustees, as to whether the charity should be confined to England or ex tended to the United Kingdom. It was contended that the testator being an Englishman, and requiring by his will that the trustees of the Charity Fund should see that no improper persons were admitted to the charity; and that though he had not particularised England, yet there would be great difficulty in the trustees detecting cases of imposition, if the charity was made to extend to either Scotland or Ireland, and as there was no scarcity of applicants in England, the charity should be confined to this country. His LORDSHIP conceived that the intentions of the testator would be best carried out by extending the Charity to the United Kingdom. He accordingly overruled the objection, and granted the order sought by the petitioners. IN RE BROOKSBANK AND FARN. The arguments in this cause were concluded to-day. Lord LANGDALE, in giving jtidgment, said that the peti tioner, the Duke of Brunswick, had employed the respondents as his solicitors from the month of February, 1838, to the month of November, 1841, and in respect of the business done there had been four bills of costs delivered up. As to two of them, there could be no doubt the petitioner was entitled to have them taxed. The whole question in the cause arose upon the alleged right of the petitioner to have the two first bills of costs taxed. They were paid in July, 1840, and it was alleged that there was a right of taxation. Notwithstanding the payment of them, and notwithstanding the remarkable cir cumstance that after thelength of time during which the bils were in the possession of the petitioner, not one error was alleged or shown, his Lordship thought that he could not comply with the prayer of the petition, as far as related to those bills. There should be an order, of course, to tax the other bills, The costs of the petition to be paid by the petitioner. The Court rose shortly before four o'clock. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. OLD COURT. John Dudycon, aged 21, and John Poarch, aged 30, were indicted for stealing, and Edward Platt, 25, for receiving, well knowing it to have been stolen, a quantity of horse-hair of the value t f 101., the property of John TOSS% ell. This was an extremely long case, but was one merely of ordinary felony p s<essing no features of public interest. The robbery was committed by the prisoner Dudgeon (the case failed in proof against Poarch), and was then sold to the pri soner Platt at a price enn.iderably under half its value. The Jury found the two prisoners, Dudgeon and Platt, Guilty, and they were sentenced the former to ten years' transportation, and the Fitter seven years' transportation beyond the seas. Barnard Josephs, alias Barnett Josephs, 30, was indicted for stealing a quantity of old metal, the property of William flaybone of Clerkenwell. Mr. d. Jones conductel the prosecu'ion, and Mr. Clarkson defended the priscner. This was a case of constructive felony. The prosecutor stated that he was in the habit of dealing with the prisoner in the old metal business. On the 29th of Dec., the prisoner came to his (witness's) place in Clerkenwell to purchase some copper. Their usual mode of doing business was by barter. When the primer came to purchase metal, he paid for it with other metal, such as copper, zinc, &c., and when any surplus arose on either side, that surplus was made up in money. 'They never gave each other ctedit. On the day in question the prisoner came with a cart to purchase some copper, saying be would pay for it in money. The copper was weighed, and put into the cart. The ac count was made out by the prisoner, and the witness signed the receipt. but received no money. The prisoner coolly walked out of the place with the receipt. He did not call out to him to come back. The RiconnEtt—l suppose you were so lost in astonish ment that your voice w as gone . Witus:s3 —Well, I don't think you are wrong. (This answer caused a roar of laughter throughout the Court, and in which the Recorder heartily joine I. ) Examination continued—Saw the prisoner after the above transaction, when the witness asked him to return the metal, but the prisoner answered that that was impossible, as he had sold it before he had Irnight it, adding, that it was a most sin gular thing, but he had lost his pocket-book.—(Laughter.) Air. C. JONES --1 suppose you thought that was a do? Wit ness—You are right.—(laughter.) Did not see the prisoner again till he saw Lim in Whiteeross-street prison. Cross-examined—Did you get a summons against the pri soner? Witness—You must not use your hlent to confme me, Mr. CLA RKSON—I am afraid the fit of confusion is coming over you again. Witness—Why, perhaps, it i+; but you arc making me confused ; but then you are well paid for causing confusion.—( Loud laughter.) Mr. CLA RKSON—When you applied for the summons did you see my friend (pointing to the prisoner) there? Witness (with a countenance expressive of great surprise)—What ! is he a friend of yours ?_(Roars of laughter.) Has dealt with the prisoner some time. When the prisoner was coirmittedp he obtained bail immediately. Several other witnesses were called to corroborate the evi dence, but John illapp, 29, was indicted for stealing in a dwelling hous-, 651., the property of John Ricardby Bousfield, and others, his masters, and one snuff-box, and other articles. Mr. Bodkin prosecuted, Mr. Phillips defended the prisoner. It appeared that the prosecutors are lame salesmen, carrying on business at 126, ilounclsditch. The prisoner was em ployed by them in the capacity of porter. It was part of the duty of the prisoner in a morning to open the iron safe which was in the office, and take out the books. In the safe was a drawer in which money was usually kept. On the day in question the clerk of Messrs. Bousticht went W . the office at the usual hour, and on his proceeding to the safe for the purpose of taking out the money, he discovered the drawer to have b en broken open, and the money, consisting of 25 sovereigns, 35/. in silver, and a Si.• Bank of England note, gone. The case had proceeded thus far, when the prisoner said he wished to retract his plea, and plead Guilty. Mr. PHILLIPS made an appliestion to the Court to postpone its judgment till to. morrow, in order that lie might have an opportunity of producing before their Lordships a highly re spectable witness, a magistrate, who would speak to the cha racter of the prisoner. charge of prisloanrcoerny only.her s intimated that he pleaded guilty to the The case was then proceeded with br Mr. Bodkin, for the purpose of m a ki ng oat a 'charge of burglary.A -witness was then called who proved that he found a skeleton key upon the prisoner, and which locked and unlocked the drawer in the iron safe of Messrs. Bousfield. The 5/. note, which was identified, was traced to the possession of the pri soner, he having changed it at a neighbouring public-house. The Jury found the prisoner Guilty of stealing only, and not "stealing in a dwelling-house."—Sentence deferred. George Thompson, 22, was indicted for stealing three watches, two pairs of sugar tongs, and twenty spoons, of the :clue of 201. and money to the value of 21. , the property of Edward Burch, of the Bell Ta vern , lireolwieh. It appeared 'that this robbery had been committed at the time the King or Prussia - embarked for the Continent. The prosecutor's house was much crowded. On the day in ques tion, the 4th February, a policeman, who was there in plain clothes, was at the Bell, where he Faw two persons standing at a bed-room door on the first floor. From suspicion he en= tertained he went to the landlord, and spoke to him on the subject. The landlord went up stairs, and one of the per sons on the landing immediately ran down. The witness, hearing a cry, secured the man as he came down stairs. A gold watch, chain, and seal, were - found upon him, but on his being brought before the magistrate, h • was discharged. The prosecutor stated, that on his proceeding up stairs, he met the prisoner coming out of the room. The spoons in question, were deposited in that ro.m. The prosecutor immedi ately seized the prisoner, and cried out " murder, thieves !" The bed-room door was then open, and a person inside, and unseen by the prosecutor, struck at him. • The wife of the pro. secutor with the assistance of the maid servant, secured the prisoner. The bed-risorn was all in disorder, and lie missed the articles from the chest of drawers. Five of the tea spoons were picked up from the stairs ; the locks of the chest of drawers were all picked. The prosecutor's wife heard the live spoons fall near to the prisoner on the stairs. The spoons were thoFc she had deposited in the morning in the bed-room. The Learned Judge having summed up the evidence, the jury re: urned a verdict of Guilty. Tim SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY. EVENING, MARCH 3, 1841. only from his conviction that the measure of 'the Government would not give satisfaction; and would effect nothing towards allaying the restlessness and . discontent that had already began to show themselves, that he was induced to over come his reluctance to address the House. He had no doubt but that, if the question had been merely between him and the Right Honourable Baronet oppo site, their difference would be found to be a narrow one. The Right Honourable Baronet admitted, with him, that the agriculturist should be protected to a certain point only ;. but the Right Hon. Baronet went further, and said that when corn had reached a certain point the interest of the consumer only should he consulted. The main point at issue between him and the Right Hon.' Baronet w as , as .t o w h et h er. t h e d uty should become fixed when the price rose to a certain amount. That was the question at issue between him and the Right Hon. Baronet ; but the question between him and the Right Honourable Gentleman the Member for Dorchester, and the Right Honourable Baronet the Member for Kent, was much narrower ; they said that a fixed duty would be the best plan, provided it could be maintained. He (Mr. E. Buller) had to slew that a fixed duty could be maintained. But as he had undertaken to bring forward a scale and place it in competition with the scale of the Right Hon. Baronet, he felt it his duty to point out what he considered to be the defects in the Right Hon. Gentleman's scale. The great difference between the scale proposed by the Right Honourable Baronet, and his (Mr. E. Buller's) was, that whereas the Right Honourable Baronet proposed to withdraw the duty when the price of wheat rose to 695., he (Mr. E. Buller) proposed that it should be maintained. The Right Honourable Baronet admitted that the present law had acted with undue se verity on the consumer, and had held out sufficient in ducement to make the holders of corn in bond withhold it from the market ; but he said that the plan which he proposed would effectually reduce that inducement to fraud, and that the new proposal would net therefore have the effect of the old law. Here he (Mr. E. Buller) joined issue with the Right lion. Gentleman, and he would tell the Right lion. Gentleman that though he had lowered the in ducement to fraud, yet, inasmuch as he had left the maximum of price, and the minimum of duty where they were_ before, - he had afforded no assistance what ever to the consumers when prices were high. The Right Hon. Gentleman said that corn would be in troduced when it was wanted, and not until then. He said the reservoirs would be always kept full, and never overflow ; but such was the language held by all the advocates of former sliding scales. It was the language of Mr. Canning in 1827, and of the Noble Lord who brought forward the present scale in 1828. He (Mr. B.) was of opinion that the present scale would hold ma no greater inducement than the one it was intended to supersede. On comparing the two scales, he found that when the price was 715., an inducement was held out under the one scale, to the holder of corn in bond, to keep back his corn, because he had a prospect of ss. gain in the duty, and of ono in the article. Now, in the one case, there was a prospect of gain of 55., and in the other there was a prospect of loss ; and he would ask would not a prudent man be as likely not to bring corn to the market in one case as in the other. The only difference was, that the trade would be carried on to a greater extent. In 1841 the price was 725. Bd., the duty 2s. Bd. There were at that time in bond, no less than 1,500,000 quarters of eorn ready to come int') the market. Of that quantity, only 8,000 quarters were introduced at a duty of 2s. Bd. On the 6th September the price was 725. 11d. There was at that time on board, ready to be brought into the market, no less than 1,200,000 quarters ,• but of that quantity 28,000 quarters only were introduced at a d u ty of 2s. Bd. In November, 1831, there were in bond 200,000 quarters ; the price regulating the duty was 725. 6d. the duty was 25.. Bd. but 1,000 quarters only were introduced. In the first week of Nov., 1828, the price governing the duty was 725. 2d., the duty itself 2s. Bd. There were at that time between 400,000 and 500,000 quarters of corn ready for the market ; but out of that quantity only 1,000 were introduced. These facts showed that the pros peet of the gain of 2s. Bd. was sufficient to coun teract the effect of the Right Hon. Baronet's scale. Perhaps it might be said that that was not so much .owing to the amount as to the certainty with which the corn dealers can engage in their trade. It might be said, too, that this certainty arose from the combinations that at present existed among the corn dealers,but when the law was altered corn would pass through a greater number of hands, and there would not be so great an inducement to combine, while combination would be more difficult. He (lid not believe in the combination of the corn-dealers ; he did not think it possible that they could combine, so as to produce this result. At the same time the effect of the law was precisely the same as if the combination did actually exist, and the re sults that looked like combination would equally exist un der the law of the Right lion. Gentleman. He would venture to say that whenever the price rose to a certain amount, it indicated a necessity of a foreign supply, and that the duty must fall to the lowest point. He would ven ture to assert that 665. was a price that indicated the necessity of a foreign supply. There was not a single instance in which, when the price had reached 665. it had failed to rise to the maximum price. Before the last harvest, in 1838, on the 19th of July, the price was 665. 6d. ; on the 18th of October it was 665. again ; on the 17th of of December it was 725. ; on the 20th of August, 1841, it was 745. 7d.-(Cries of " Divide.") His object in referring to these fluctuations was to show that under the scale of the Right Honourable Baronet, when the price was 665. there was an inducement to the holder of bonded corn to keep it back until the price .reached 735., so that the Right Ho nourable Baronet must fail in his calculations. There was an artificial inducement of ss. to keep corn in bond, under the proposed measure of the Right Honourable Baronet, and that was sufficient to force the price up to 735. It was clear that the operation of the sliding scale at the present moment was to force the price up to 735., and the proposed scale would undoubtedly have the same tendency ; and if they wished to afford any relief to the consumer, and at the same time to maintain the sliding scale,.the only way to do so would be to lower their maximum price. There were, in fact, four locks on the'door keeping corn in bond, and the master key unlocking the whole of thein, was the maximum price. The Right Honourable Baronet had removed two of the locks, and contended that by so doing he was facilitating the opening of the door. He (Mr. E. Buller) contended that the two locks remaining would be amply sufficiently to keep the property secure, and that under the new sliding scale, as under the "old one, the door would only openon the application of the master key, which was the maximum price and the minimum duty. He would next say a few words on the scale of the Right Hon. Baronet. If that Right Hon. Gentleman still adhered to the views he had expressed on a former occasion, this scale would not only not benefit the consumer, but would fail in the other ob jects which it had it in view. His (Mr. Buller's) propo sition of having a duty of 6s. when wheat was at 345. a quarter, would have the effect of giving to the country the absolute advantages of a free trade in corn. His proposition would materially improve the scale of the Right Hon. Baronet, inasmuch as during the time the country was supplied from the home growth the highest price was 645. He could not propose a fairor test of his proposition, and the measures of the Government, than to show what would have been their comparative effects in the last year. In the early part of-1841 the price of corn was gradually and steadily rising, but not 'a quarter of corn was let into the market, nor would there have been if the Right Honourable Baronet's • scheme was in full operation. But there were at that time 558,000 quar ters of corn in bond, which had been bought at Dantzic for 40s. a quarter, and which, with the cost of freight and other charges would have been sold in the British markets for 565. exclusive of duty, and the whole quan tity would have been let in. The revenue and the consumer would both be betiefitted by the scale which he submitted for the approval of the the House ; and the markets would be relieved at an earlier period. He confessed that the proposed law would be as oppressive as the present one, and if they were to fix the time when the duty was to vanish, it would have precisely the same effect as the scale laid on the table by the Right Hon. Gentleman, for it would have the effect of forcing prices up to a point where the duty would vanish. If they adopted the scale which lie (Mr. E. Buller) proposed, corn would be ad-' mitted at 6s. when the price was 645. Most Hon. Gen tlemen had read Mr. M'Culloch's work, and they must admit that it was his opinion that the 6s. duty should be maintained for the interest of the consumer. Now, if they looked to the state of agriculture in the year 1816, they found that great distress existed. The average im portation was not more than 400,000 quartet's, and the average price was 755:.10d. In 1817, when corn was at the unusually high price of 945., . there were wily 1,070,000 quarters imported. In 1818 the price was' 845., and only 1,700,000 quarters were imported. If they turned to the state •f the Corn-laws, -in 1839, when the price was 665., there were 2,700,000 quarters smported. In 1840, when the price was 61s. 7d,. 2,287,000 quarters were imported. In 1841, when the. price ranged from 61s. to 735., the importations were upwards of 3,000,000 of quarters. They; therefore, had' no reason to expect that the proposed scale would be. any relaxation of the -law. He feared that he wearied the House-(Hear, hear) 7 -but it was impossible to bring forward such statements as these without weary ing the House. He knew that statements of figures were never ' listened to with patience by the House, and his: address had been almost tirely composed of figures.-- , (Hear, hear.) He hoped he had strictly confined himself to the sub ject; and, however inefficiently lie might have introduced the subject, he felt it to be his duty to call the attention of the House to it. The Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving the following scale, as an amendment to that proposed by the Government Under 510. , Duty 20s. 51s. and under 525. -19 i. 525. - 535. -18 s. 53 , 3. - 545. -17 s. Ms. - . 555. -16 s. 555. - 565. - - 15s. 565. - i7s. -14 s. 575. -58 s. . - 13s. 58s. - 595. -12 s. 595. -60 s. • -11 s. 60s. -61 s. -10 s. Gls. - 625. _ - 9s. 625. - 635. - Bs. 635. - 645. - 7s. 645. and upwards - 6s. Mr. HUTT, as we understood, after some time, seconded the motion. Sir R. PEEL said that, althotnzh the Hon. Gentleman had said that his (Sir R. Peel's) scale pleased nobod . t, his own could not be very satisfactory, as he had found such difficulty in obtaining a person to second it.—(A CORN-LA WS. Yesterday evening a numerous and most respec►able meeting if the inhabitants of the borough of Lambeth, Was held at the Horns Tavern, Kennington-common, for the purpose of con sidering the present alarming state of the country and the un principled conduct of her Majesty's Ministers in opposing the just demands of the people for the repeal of the Corn-laws. Mr. Casa (a Member of the Society of Friends) took the Chair at six o'clock, amidst loud acclamations, and sa d that although there might be some points submitted to the meeting this evening, upon which he hail not made up his mind, and some opinions propounded from which he dissented, yet be felt bound to obey the unanimous call of the meeting, and he trusted he would receive its support in his endeavours to fulfill his duties as Chairman. air. RICIIARCSON rose to propose the first resolution, as fol lows:—" That this meeting has seen pith indignation the propbsi lion of her Majesty's Ministers, for an alteration in the Corn laws, by which all the evils of the old system are perpetuated, whilst the prayer of the multitudes fur cheap bread has been scornfully rejected. 1 hat this meeting is of opinion that the total repeal of the Corn-laws is called for by every feeling of religion, Justice, and humanity, and will never rest satisfied until every vestige of the present iniquitous laws are swept away. '1 hat having no confidence in the Government, or the House of Commons, as at present constituted, and desiring not only the repeal of bad laws at present existing, but also a guarantee fur good Government for the future, and feeling convinced that no efficient remedies will be applied without a full, fair, and free representation of the people; this meeting is of opinion that the elective franchise ought to be forthwith extended to every man arrived at the age of twenty-one years, of sane mind and unconvicted of crime, together with the Vote by Ballot, and such other matters of detail, as may be found necessary to the honest and practical working of the system." Experience had taught him that but little hope could be en tertained of an amelioration in the condition of the people from the House of Commons, as it was at present consti tuted ; and therefore he was a strenuous advocate for Univer sal Suffrage and Vote by Ballot. The meeting was called for the purpose of denouncing the measure proposed by Sir Robert Peel, and to memorialise her Majesty to dismiss her present Ministers, for, so long as they remained in power, there was no hope that the condition of the people would be bettered. If he had no helms of the eventual repeal of the Corn-laws, he would have left this country long since, fur he was sure that, between their operation and the taxation now pressing upon the people, this great country would, ere long, become an in significant island, dependent upon some neighbonring Power; because he was sure, if the Devil were to devise a scheme to effect the ruin of the commerce of this country, he could not hit upon a better one than the system of taxation and class legislation adopted in this country. It had been stated that it was impossible for the landed interest of this country to compete with that of Denmark, because the tax imposed upon the land there was much less than what it was here. This was a most Jesuitical and Peel-like argument, for the wealth of the landlords of this country exceeded that of Denmark, or of any other nation in the world. The Whigs and the Tories knew full, well the advantages of free trade, but, influenced by self interest, they held out against it as long as they could. As he said before, he knew well they had no hope from the Legislature as at present constituted, and he was sure there was not the slightest use in petitioning against it, or in passing resolutions, without they united hear and hand with the working classes.—( Hear, hear, and cheers.) If the middle and the working classes united cordially, they would wring from the aristocracy by fear what had been before asked humbly. He would not inflict upon the meeting unnecessary statistical details, but he who 'chose to inform himself on the subject might refer to " Marshall'sStatisties," where he would find the amount of land-tax paid in France, Holland, Belgium, and other continental States. In Holland the people could live one third cheaper than in this camtry, because, although the taxes were heavier there then here, yet they fell upon the wealthy instead of upon the poor man. There the tax was upon pro perty, and not upon labour, and, unless a similar system were speedily adopted here, this country would be a dependent and insignificant island; He would say to the Chartists, of whom he understood a number were in the room, that it was often very difficult to do away with long held prejudices, if they found the middl e c l asses w illi ng to go with them in • all the points of Chartism, except two, and those two points of detail, upon which they them selves were not quite agreed, they would not be acting wisely if they refused at the present crisis the right hand of amity and fellowship that was held out to them by the middle classes.—. (Hear,.hear, and loud cheers)—and he would therefore ear nestly beseech those who he was told were about to move an amendment committing the meeting to all the principles of the Charter, to pause ere they did so, as, if they carried it, it would be an additional feather in Peel's cap.—(Hear, hear, hear.) There were many of the gentlemen present w h o ac:cdas dele gates at the Anti-Corn-law League, and concurred in the spirit of the resolution now before the meeting; and if the Corn-laws ' were not repealed before another twelve months, they would find not only them, but thousands of others, jlining th e ran k s o f t h e Chartists.—( hear, hear.) The Rev. Mr. Maaams, in seconding the resolution, said he regretted that sonic person more competent to do justice to a resolution so important had not come forward. There could be no difference of opinion amongst them as to the first part of it, for it was replete with all the evils of the old system, with out even a chance of alleviating the misery and privations the people were now suffering. They were not anxious to be in dependent of foreign nations, but even if they were the example should be set by those who preach the necessity of such inde pendence, yet, nevertheless, chiefly consume the products of foreign countries in pampered luxury. They were all agreed that both justice and humanity demanded that the Corn-laws should be at once and for ever eradicated from the Statute. book, and therefore there could be no doubt as to their unani mous want of confidence in her Majesty's present Ministers. Ile fully concurred in the sentiments expressed by the Gentle man who preceded him, that nothing was to be hoped for from the House of Commons as at present constituted. It was not the House of the people ; it was the House of those who bought their seats. Something like two millions of money had been paid by the aristocracy, for the purpose of keeping themselves and the people in their present relative positions of maters and slaves.—( Loud cheers.) But they should not forget that there was blame to be attached to those who sent persons, not representing their opinions, to Parliament, but those who paid them most. All those who desired the welfare of the country should forget all petty differences, and stand shoulder to shoulder, in order that they might battle with and conquer the aristocracy. The question was, were they to have an union of the Reformers in the borough of Lambeth ? They came prepared to join with those &signaling themselves as Chartists, and there many amongst the middle cla‘ses who had made con cessions, for upon some points in the Charter they were not fully decided. The Rev. Gentleman then entered at some length upon the details of the Charter, in the leading points of which he expressed his concurrence, and concluded by entreating the Chartists present not to allow themselves to bi led away by pas,ion, but to recollect that the qu es ti on was w h et h er there should be unanimity of action and purpose amongst the Reformers of the great metropolitan borough of Lambeth. • The CIIAIILMAN having put the resolution to the meeting, Mr. ltnowN said he did not think lie uuuld be doing his duty to the great cause he advocated, nor to the Chartists who formed so large a majority of the meeting, if he did not rise to propose an amendment to the resolution just read. No man could say but the principle contained in the People's Charter, was founded upon Christianity and justice. The Corn-laws could not be repealed without their means, and they found they other night, that both Whigs and Tories united against Mr. Villiers' motion. After cemmentiag, at great length, upon the five points In the People's Charter, he 'concluded by movinv an amendment to the following effect That it was the deliberate opinion of the meeting that corrupt legislation was the grand cause of all the evils which afflicted the country ; that the Corn-laws were bad in their operation, but arose from class legislation; and the House of Commons, being composed of persons who are opposed to the rights and liberties of the people, and the sons or relatives of the lords of the soil, sitting in what was railed the house of Lords, the meeting believed the only remedy was to be found in what was called the People's Charter. '1 he meeting, there fore, pledged itsel; by all lawful means, to struggle for its ac complishment." Mr. HUGGIT seconded the amendment. Mr. M. P. HAYNES supported the original motion, in a very able and talented speech. Several Chartists having addressed the meeting, The CHAIRMAN put the motion and amendment, and upon show of hands, declared the amendment is as carried by a small majority. The meeting soon afterwards separated. SOUTHWARK SACRED IJARMO MC SOCIETY. A om di Solomon, lo w u m s s sie.l:rsfutltriZiflrders oratorios, h e S a a t n n t a s t o e n u r a s n o t f i the Southwark Literary institution, consistin g of about eighty vocal and instrumental performers, b e f ore a respe , tabl e testified audi ence, win, to the numb er o f three hundred; their gra. tification by applause. Notwithstanding the commendable style of ringing and exe. maim] on the occasion, a reason of a more remote nature en. hances exhibitions such as- these, arising out of the gratification which cannot fail to visit the reflective mind at beholding a cote. pany of men and women, composed of the middle and lower classes, listening with attention and delight to such elevated comrositions as were performed last night. When the compara tively uneducated of our land open unbidden the doors of their hearts and understandings, therein to admit Milton with his high warblings, and Handel with his harmonies, and their spirits evince unsophisticated tokens of the pleasure an d pressions created by these, it may be safely argued that a salutary and regenerative process is working to some effect in ordinary minds, and that if such means do not prove instru mental in kindling the superior virtues, they will, nevertheless, have the effect of humanizing and softening the minds upon which they are fortunate enough to operate, rendering their possessors better members of society, and creating in them new and more amiable capacities fur enjoying domestic and social life. The various recitatives; airs, and choruses were for the moat part very creditably executed, and the two leading trebles, Mrs. Fentum and Miss Cubitt, who we believe, are professed singers, were encored. A more smoothly melodious voice than the former lady's, is perhaps, seldom to be heard, and in her invitation song, " Men of Gaza," to come forth on the festival, her voice was winning and volubly sweet. Miss Cubitt's is na turally pitched in a higher key, and h a d muc h o f the clear ring ing of a lute. Of ,ma le voices, composing th e -* c hoir itself, it may bewell to o " . ye that some few should with advantage DC more moderately telopered—straining after effect is always bad, and it should be kept in mind, that the true mastery of art lies in the concealment of art, so that, while the power of the singer is felt and acknowledged, all study and exertion are to'ally kept out of view. The performance altogether of these two difficult oratorios and their accompaniments, however, as performed by this• Society, avenlitreflect- credit on much more practised musicians. Mr.. Pringle led, and Mr. F. S. Davis conducted the movements with IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS, MARCH 2. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'Clock. Lord HOWICK took the oaths and his scat for Sun derland. SOUTH EASTERN RAILWAY. The South Eastern Railway Bill, was read a second time, and ordered to be committed. SEVERN_ NAVIGATION. An HON. MEminm, on the ministerial side of the Iloase, presented a petition from the Mayor and Cor poration of Tewkesbury, against certain clauses in the Severn Navigation Bill. METROPOLITAN -BRIDGES, The Earl of MARCH presented a petition from the inhabitants of St. George's, Bloomsbury, praying fin• the opening of Southwark, Waterloo, and Vauxhall-bridges. PRESBYTERIAN MIXED MARRIAGES. Sir R. 'BATESON presented three petitions from the coun ty of Derry and elsewhere, on the subject of Pres byterian Marriages in Ireland. Mr. SUTTON presented a petition from some place in the north of Ireland on the same subject, and another petition from a private individual,'praying for an exten sion 'of the suffrage. — (Laughter.) CORN -LAWS: Mr. JERVIS presented fifteen petitions from various places in Chester, praying for the repeal of the Corn-laws. An HoN. MEMBER presented a petition from the landowners of the county of Cambridge complaining that the measure proposed by Sir R. Peel, relative to the Corn-laws would be very detrimental to the agricul turists, by putting large portions of the land out of cultivation. Dr. BOWRING presented a petition from the town of St. Mame, in Cornwall, praying for the total and irri- Mediate repeal of the Corn-laws,• and as the petition re presented the feelings of hundreds and thousands of people, he requested that it should be read at length by the Clerk at the table. The petition was then read by the Clerk. Mr. FOSTER presented a petition against the Corn laws. Mr. HORSMAN presented a petition to the same effect ; also a petition against the Government measure. An HoN. MEDIBER presented a petition from a con gregation of Wesleyan Methodists to the same effect. Mr. HAWES presented a petition from the Company of Proprietors of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal Navigation ,against the Severn Navigation. Sir W. CLAY presented a petition from 850 inhabi tants of Blackwall, praying for a total repeal of the Corn-laws. Lord JOCELYN presented a petition from the mi nister and members of a Presbyterian congregation at Newry, praying that all marriages in Ireland may be definitely settled by Act of Parliament, founded on the basis of religious liberty. Mr. M. PHILIPS presented a petition, signed by the chairman, on behalf of a public meeting of no less than 2,000 persons, consisting of merchants and manu facturers assembled at the Exchange, Manchester, against the existing Corn and Provision-laws. It was a spontaneous meeting, not called by any circular ; and the petition stated that to these laws the meeting ascribed the great prevailing distress, while they believed them to be depreciating to an enormous extent the value of capital invested in trade and manufactures. They con sider the proposed measure of the Government as nothing better than a mockery of the people, and they pray that all laws restricting the importation of corn and provisions may be totally repealed. The Hon. Member presented another petition from a place in Lancashire to the same effect, stating, also, that the petitioners felt no confidence in the House of Commons as at present constituted, and praying for a complete suffrage. Mr. WALLACE presented a petition from a place in Ayrshire for a. repeal of the Corn-laws. Sir H..DOUGLAS presented some petitions from Liverpool to the same effect. Mr. LITTON presented some petitions from Cole raine and several places in the county of Antrim, .pray ing for a higher protection for oats than that proposed by the Government measure. PRESBYTERIAN MARRIAGES. Mr. LITTON presented a petition from the county of Londonderry, praying the Government to settle the question of Irish Marriages , and to legalise those al ready celebrated between Presbyterians and Episcopa lians by Ministers of the former persuasion. MAIL BETWEEN SCOTLAND AND IRELAND. Mr. LITTON presented a petition from several per sons in Coleraine, praying for the establishing of an expeditious mail communication between Scotland and the North of Ireland. METROPOLITAN BRIDGES. Captain WOOD presented a peti4 n from a place in the County of Middlesex, praying that all the bridges in the Metropolis be thrown open toll free, NOTICES .OF MOTION. Mr. HOME DRUMMOND gave notice that on Tuesday he should move for leave to brin g i n a Bill t o alter the laws regulating the Court of Session in Scotland. Mr. G. BANKES gave notice that on. Tuesday, the Bth of March, he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to authorise Magistrates holding petty ses sions, in certain cases in which prisoners manifest a desire to plead guilty, to pass the sentence of the law upon such prisoners, in order to shorten the period of imprisonment, and to avoid unnecessary expense. Mr. MENZIES - gave notice that on Thursday, 17th March, he should move a resolution relating to the dis posal of the balance of the money received as a ransom for the city of Canton, after the payment of the dif ferent sums awarded by her Majesty. The SPEAKER said the Hon. Member could not give his notice for so distant a day as Thursday, the 17th of March. Mr. MENZIES would give the notice then for Tuesday. Sir CHARLES NAPIER gave notice that on an early day, he should call the attention of the House to the state of affairs in the Levant. Mr. WALLACE gave notice, that on an early day, he should move for returns relating to the Sheriffs' Courts in Scotland. Mr. SHIEL gave notice that on Friday, on the Order of the Day for the House resolving itself i n t o a C omm i ttee of fStipply being read, he should move f or a copy of any despatches of the Earl of Aberdeen, relating to the con versation between the Noble Earl and the French Am bassador, on the subject of the occupation of Algiers by the French. On the motion of Mr. AGLIONBY , l eave o f a b sence until Easter, was given to Mr. P. Howard, on account of the illness of a near relative. Leave of absence till Easter, was also given on the motion of Mr. HORSMAN, to Captain Wemyss. RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN THE ARMY. Mr. O'CONNELL wished to know from the Right Hon. Gentleman, the Secretary -at-War, whether he had any objection to furnish the particulars of the applica tion of a sum of 12,0001., which he saw was appropriated to religious instruction in the army ? Sir H. HARDINGE said he had no objection what ever. Mr. O'CONNELL would then give -notice of a motion for a return of the particulars of the mode in which 11,000/. (1,0001. had been appropriated to the purchase of books) had been applied to the purposes of Divine service and religious instruction in the army. T URN PIKE ROADS. In answer to a question from an HON. MEMBER on the Opposition benches, Mr. M. SUTTON stated that the Bill which was to be brought in for the regulation of Turnpike Roads would apply only to England and Wales, and would not a xtend to Scotland. CHALLENGING JURORS (IRELAND). Mr. O'CONNELL, seeing the Solicitor -General of Ireland in his place, wished to know whether there was any difference between the instructions given by the pre sent Attorney-General of Ireland and the late Attorney- General, with respect to challenging Jurors on Circuit. Mr. Sergeant JACKSON said that the present At torney-General of Ireland had given orders that the in structions given by the late Attorney-General should be followed. REMOVAL OF TROOPS FROM ABERDEEN. Mr. FOX MAULE, seeing the Lord Advocate ofScot land in his place, wished.to ask him a question relative to the report that was prevalent of the movement of troops from Aberdeen to Huntley. If that re moval had taken Place; he wished to know Whether it had been adopted upon the repre sentation of the Sheriff of Aberdeen. He' wished also to know, if the Sheriff had mad e suc h representat i on, whether he iad accompanied it with the declaration that he had reason to anticipate a disturbance in the parish of Glass upon the induction of a minister to that parish. The LORD ADVOCATE wished the Right llon. Gentleman had delayed his question until his Right Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Home De partment, had been in his place, as it was upon his ad vice that everything had been done. (Sir James Gra ham here entered the house.) Mr. F. MAULE then repeated his question. Sir J. GRAHAM said lie was somewhat surprised at the question which had been just put by the Right Hon. Gentleman, considering his official experience. —(Hear, hear.) In answe r t o th a t question, he would state that it was true that certain • troops had been removed, but as to the object of that removal, or why it had taken place, he must decline giving any answer. Hex ' Ma jesty's Government were responsible for the peace of Scotland. AFFGHANISTAN. Mr. MANGLES wished to ask the Right Hon. Gen- Jeman, the first Lord of the Treasury, whether it was rue that her Majesty's Government were in possession of any later information with regard to Affghanistan, than that which had been already laid before the House. neLit,rbvijeoeydee:dor consider from Cabul or Candahar, in possessiodof the Govern- SiriOBERT PEEL said there was no ace bi o nu u t n p t r d tihv ir au e st c; ment, of a later date than that already before the public. but further accounts were every day expected on the subject ; there were, o fr in oin cial C in a r l c c ur u ni tt a a tion o_f the a y later however, accounts wa s, however, reason to accounts from Calcutta were not fouithdeedcottlonn not t ir l e a c y t a l letters. Although anxiety,i-k i th a o s u g t h h e t y h the afforded e r a e ffo n l r ' o ' d e t erodeffiacci period, ! them before the House. There believe, that in a few days there would be accounts direct from Atrghunistan. Mr. MANGLES asked the Bight Hon. Baronet whether there was any negotiation made for a capitula- ' tion with the Affghanistans, or whether there was any probability of a surrender. ' S►r ROBERT PEEL . said there were no accounts of any negociation for a capitulation having been entered into, and still less fur any surrender. CORN-LAW REPORT. Mr. GREENE brought up the Report of the Committee of the whole Ifouse, on the Corn-law Bill. - On the motion that it be received,: Mr. EDWARD BULLER wished to impress ' upoit 1 the House the great importance of bringing the ques ; tion of the Corn-laws to a speedy termination, It was laugh.) He hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman or • the House would not attribute it to any disrespect if, after the lengthened discussions which had already taken place, he declined to enter upon the subject anew.— (Hear ' hear.) It was for the public n'lvantage that these discussions should cease—(Hear, hear)—and if they delayed successive nights upon the question, the only result would be, that they would have to travel over the same ground to be followed by the same effect.— (Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman proposed that the duty should be 20s. when the price was under 215., and that the duty should be 6s. w hen the price was 645. By his (Sir R. Peel's) scale the duty was to be 65., when the price was 665., but the Hon.Gentletnan would have his duty of 6s. a fixed' one, without any reference to the price of corn, and his duty under certain circumstances would be, therefore, higher than his (Sir R. Peel's). He thought that the sense of the House had been already taken upon the subject of a fixed duty, and if the Noble Lord, the Member for London, were present, he could not acquiesce in the views of the Honourable Gentlemen, because,when he proposed a duty of Ss., he also proposed to provide for the cessation of the duty in cer tain circumstances. When the Bill was in Committee Hon. Gentlemen would then have an opportunity of dis cussing the question with him, but at present he felt that it would be much for the public advantage that a limit should be put upon the discussions ; and though he (Sir R. Peel) could not place any limit to the extent of their discusSions, he felt he could not be a 'party to them. They had already nine nights' debate, and in every stage of the Bill there would be ample opportu nities of objecting to his scale ; and, under these circum stances, he must be excused for not now entering on the discussion. Mr. BULLER addressed some further observations to she House, which were almost inaudible amid loud cries of " Spoke, spoke." He was understood to say, that he had understood if any reasonable plan were proposed by way of compromise, it would have been accepted by her Majesty's Government.— (Order, and Spoke.) Sir 11. PEEL said he was really surprised to hear that he had ever been understood to have said a word to the effect that if any scheme should be proposed in the wit ) , of a compromise, it would be cheerfully accepted.— (Hear, hear.) Having gone over the scale, and suc ceeded in retaining every figure of it, he could only say, that if the Hon. Gentleman really meant to propose his alteration as one likely, to be accepted by him, the Hon. Gentleman must be more credulous than, from his Par liamentary experience, he could have supposed him to be. Mr. WARD said, if the motion was . proposed as a compromise, it would perhaps be quite as acceptable to many gentlemen on his side of the House, as the mea sure of the Right Hon. Gentleinan. He could not sup port the motion, as it proposed a sliding scale at one end of the scheme, and a fixed duty at the.other. The motion was then withdrawn. Mr. HASTIE rose to propose the motion of which he had given notice, viz. :« That as it appears from the returns laid upon the table of this House by her Ma jesty's Government, that at an average of years with average crops a sufficient quantity of corn is not pro duced in this country for the food of the population, the deficiency, amounting to about one million quarters of wheat, two hundred and fifty thousand quarters 'of bar ley, and two hundred and fifty thousand quarters of oats ; that in each year, and before the scale of duties comes into operation, the following quantities of grain shall be admitted for home consumption at a duty of one shilling the quarter ; viz., 1,000,000 quar ters of wheat, 250,000 quarters of barley, and 250,000 quarters of oats." He said he did not anticipate that her Majesty's Government would oppose his motion. —(Oh, oh.) If they did not oppose it, he should not detain the House with any long remarks, but if they did, he must detain the House while he explained how he proposed that the duty of Is. a quarter should be levied. He augured from the silence of her Majesty's Govern ment, that they did not intend to accede to the proposi tion. He must remind the House and the Government of the injurious effects of any scale which had in it a pro hibitory limit. One of the consequences of a prohibitory duty was, that in case of a sudden demand arising from a deficiency in the harvest, there would be an immense quantity of bills circulated upon the Continent, and 'the' exchanges thrown against the country. The farmer was not benefited hy. the present system of prohibition, for foreign corn was admitted and kept in store against him to answer the objects of the speculator. This often caused derangement of commerce and loss of capital to merchants and manufacturers, and loss of employment to workmen. His motion would cure the evils consequent upon the jerks of the present, or of the new scale, and the quantities of which it would ensure the importation would .regulate the exchange of commodities between us and other oeuntries ; and as when wheat was below 50s. none but the very best foreign wheat would be intro duced, that would be mixed with the second class of English, and greatly improve it in price and quality. If such times should arise as had arisen in 1835, when the average price of wheat was 455., the agricultural in terest might say that the introduction of such a quantity must have a tendency to lower the price, but such would not be the case, for wheat would, under those circum stances, be at so low a price, that we -could afford to ex port it, and supply the Brazils with wheat, and in that manner we should get rid of our surplus quantity, and give employment to our shipping, while, by supplying our ships with food at a cheaper rate, we should be enabling our shipowners to compete with the shipowners of foreign nations. If the proposers of the sliding scale had endeavoured to devise a scheme, which, while it held out a large nominal protection to the farmer, should af ford him no real protection whatever, and should at the same time derange the currency and ruin commerce and manufactures, they could not have succeeded more effec tually. He would not trouble the House further, but he could not sit down without expressing a hope that the Government would accede to his proposition. Sir ROBERT PEEL hoped he had not said anything that would lead the Hon. Gentleman to think that he (Sir R. Peel) would accede to the scheme now proposed by the Hon. Gentleman. Ile (Sir R. Peel) trusted that the lion. Gentleman was not labouring under the same delusion which the Hon. MeMber who had spoken be fore him seemed to be. Of all the proposals ever made, that of the Hon. Gentleman seemed to him (Sir R. Peel) the most extravagant. That proposal was that every year a certain fixed quantity of wheat, oats, and barley should be admitted into this country at a duty of Is:per quarter, no matter what were the necessities of the country, no matter was the price of corn. Exactly the, same quantity was to be admitted free o f d uty eac h year, without reference to circumstances-1,000,000 quarters of wheat, 250,000 quarters of barley, and 250,000 quarters of oats. And this was to be once , in each year. Of course it would be necessary to define the year. They must state from the Ist of January in one year to the Ist of January in the' next. Supposing there were 2,000,000 quarters of wheat in bond, the holder of 1,060,000 would be entitled to the immense advantage of having his wheat admitted free of duty. Who was to determine which of the two holders should be entitled to the advantage ? Was it to be deter mined by lot or how ? Mr. HASTIE said lie meant to give precedence to that corn which had been first entered in bond for consumption. Sir R. PEEL—Let them. suppose what effect the introduction of the corn free of duty would have on the holder of the other million quarters. Supposing corn to be at 565. a quarter, .the remainder of the bonded wheat would be entitled to be introduced at 16s. duty. Suddenly they would thus pour into the market one mil lion quarters of corn in January, when there might be no great demand, and the consequence would be that. they would immediately depress the price of wheat. It would probably depress the price to 505., and raise the duty to 20s. ; and how the Hon. Gentleman could propose the measure he had done as a mitigation of the sliding scale lie could not understand. What would be the position of the United States under such a preposi tion ? The Hon. Member said he wished to give facili ties to 'trade with the United States ; his proposal would have the opposite effect to that, becruse the nearer ports under it would have the advantage of the more distant. The proposition - of the Hon. Member that there must be a necessity for the introduction of a certain quantity of corn free of duty was vicious in the extreme. He could not understand in what manner the Hon. Gentleman's proposal could benefit trade ; lie thought it would greatly cripploit, and aggravate whatever evils there existed in the sliding scale. For these reasons, he could not give his assent to the prop osa l o f th e li on . Gentleman: Mr. HASTIE said it was quite evident from the man ner in manner in which the Right Hon. Baronet had explained his views of what he (Mr. Hastie) had said, that the Right Hon. Baronet did not precisely under stand what he meant as to there being at any one parti cular period two million quarters of corn imported. No such thing could arise. For instance, the whole quan tity impor:ed this year did not exceed 700,000 quarters. Sir R. PiEL would beg leave to ask for an explana tion from the Hon. Gentleman. Suppose there was no corn in bond, and that the 31st of December had ar rived without any quantity being imported, according to the Hon. Gentleman's proposition the two million quar ters should then be imported free of duty. Surely that would be giving an immense advantage to the nearer countries over the more distant--an advantage of which the more remote countries must be altogether deprived. Mr. HASTE, after a few observations, said he would not press his motion on the House. The motion was then withdrawn. The. Report was received and a Bill ordered to be brought in. VAN DIEMEN'S LAND BILL. The Order of the Day having been read for the third reading of this Bill. Mr. MURPHY complained that this measure was likely in its present form to operate injuriously to ii client of his of • the name of Hackett, a distiller, in Vail Diemen's Land, He . hoped that the Act would not be made retropective so as to deprive his client of any com pensation to which he might be entitled. . Lord STANLEY said that what had been stated by the Hon. Gentleman formed :no ground for objecting to the passing of the Bill. The Hon. Gentleman had not in all probability had so much correspondence on the question as it had been his fortune to have, and he should be happy to show it him in the records of the Colonial office. - He could assure him that these boxes (striking the boX on the table, could not contain the letters that had passed on the. subject. The peculiar claims of Mr. , Hackett arose from Sir John Franklyn (not Sir G. Arthur) having a short time ago prohibited distilling in in Van Diemen's Land. Mr. Hackett claimed and , ob tained compensation for a distillery he had set Up; he was dissatisfied with the amount of that compensation, and it was upon that loss, not upon the question which was the subject of this Bill, that Mr. Hackett had en tered into his voluminous correspondence with the Colo nial-office. Previous, to 1829, all public duties were levied by proclamation from the Governors, and levied correctly. In 1829, an Act was passed for levying these duties, by order of the Government in Council ; but from 1829 to 1834, the duties were from error still levied by pro clamation from the Governor in the usual - Way.' 1834 this error was discovered, and an Act was passed for giving legality to those irregular orders from 1629 to 1884. A doubt had been started whether the Coun cil of Van Diemen's Land had the power to remedy this error by their own act, and the object of the present Bill was to prevent parties from bringing vexatious ac7° tions for the recovery of the amount of duties paid 11 41 them from 1829 to 1834, un d er th e id ea that they hit° paid them legally, The object of this Bill was to cor rect a technical irregularity, which . Rivas supposed Ilia been corrected before 1834, but as to which some doubt had since arisen as to whether it had been properly corrected by the Colonial Legislature. Mr. WARLEY 'objected •to the insertion •of the clause. It was stated in this clause, that after the Adl had passed, all proceedings should be stayed, conse quently the injured party would not only be deprived of the opportunity of obtaining redress at law, but W ould be required to pay hi,own costs. It might turn out too, that in levyin g th e d uty t h ey m i g h t h ave seize. , more than they were j us tifi e d i n taking. He though t 11 better under the circumstanc es , th a t . no sad , clause should be inserted in the Bill. Lord STANLEY said the Bill applied only to irre• gularity previous to 1834.—8i1l read a third time. A. On the motion of Sir JAMES GRAHAA Queen's Prison Bill went through Committee. COLONIAL PASSENGERS BILL. This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to committed on Friday. • SUPPLY. The Committee on Supply was postponed till Friday, MARRIAGES (IRELAND) BILL. On the motion that this Bill be reacia.third time, Mr. MURPHY asked if a clause respecting second marriages was introduced, or whether (as we understood) compensation would be given to the wife of a man wh ° had been forsaken by him, he marrying another woman' when he heard the decision of the Judges against the va lidity of his former marriage by a Presbyterian minisleri Mr. Sergeant JACKSON sa id t hi s was a v ery he r ` { case, but they had determined that they ought not to le gislate upon it, nor had the Government introduced o n l respectingclause marriages entered int o by persons ' ready married before the decision. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD was desirous of ing the attention of the House to the injudicious 4 4 tion of the fi rs t c l ause . R e li e f , i t appeare d , was on ly'- tended to be given in cases in which marriage"' had been celebrated by Presbyterian ministers hetWee: l l members of their own congregations, and of the Establish° Church. Now it had been understood in Ireland for years that all marriages celebrated by Presbyterian ministers were legal, and many instances had occurred in Wld eil two members of the Established Church had been n'a l "a tied by a Presbyterian minister. Now it was very ba r that persons so circumstanced should be precluded frl i relief. It was cruel t o illegiti ma ti se familiv a s, merelY I . r Consequence of such a mistak e on th e p a rt of he' parents. Relief by such a Bill as this ought not to h e n it stinted, but it should be e x te n d e d t o a ll ca ses in 'wh r ,. parties had married under a mi sa pp re h ens i on of the tan,, a He had understood that there were many cases in Irelan., of marriages celebrated by Presbyt er i an ministers hvo tween members of their own congregation and mou be ,a of the other sects; he wished to k now from the Lear n ` re Gentleman opposite in what situation th ose parties weer placed by the decision of the Irish Jud ges , and whea' such marriages were valid in la w ? H e thought that art marriages solemnised by a Presbyterian c lergy ni o , h should be made valid. He would, therefore, 1110" all the words in the first clause, between the on i r , " reader," in the 11th line, and the word " 5113 ' t; in the 23d, be omitted. Mr. FOX MAULE said he was sure that her ga jesty'a Government would be disposed to give the 611 41 gestion of the .Hon. Member every consideration , lie would not think it right to press it upon their att e b , tion at the present moment. While he was on the sa st ject he could not sit down w ith ou t en t er i ng his pr°tetia against rendering the second marriage lawful ins t , e hi of the first.—(Hear, hear.) But he did not see they could not take such measures as would, at all eve n provide for the interests of the children of both inarriagy; Mr. SHAW protested against the doctrine laid dtt. by the Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. S. Crawfort.'e/5 Hon. Gentlemen seemed not to know, that the liar u ti e „, were aware that they were running some risk when t t. ",,a entered into such marriages. With regard to what Jr ) fallen from the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. F. Mat l ' e ',; he (Mr. Shaw) did not intend that the second marrial4- should be invalidated. Sir R. PEEL trusted that the Hon. Gentleniall stba had brought forward his amendment, would not ree t 4t risk of taking the sense of the House upon it ; he meant, that he would not run the risk of hall% A t negatived. It was i m p oss ibl e f or any person : t o lee 0 the law relating to marriage, without feeling that it ( w i ., altogether defective. In his opinion, the General riage Act ought to be touched with very great cantl ° be For his own part, he thought nothing o ught to the done without inquiry. It was the intention of t Government to apply themselves to the subj ee t he and, in his opinion, the House of Lords iv.a a „ .d ge best tribunal to undertake the subject, P e ‘al that House had the great advantage of high i", g he authority. When the subject was introduced hoped that they would not make any alteration to law of marriages, in regard to Ireland, without consid er able inquiry. t to Mr. WAKLEY would advise his Hon. Friend n° re risk having his proposition negatived. He was quite siV o , his Hon. Friend (Mr. Sharman Crawford) would yield to the opinion of the House, by not then pressing his motion to a division ; probably it would be Bui l a n wow convenient to the House that the Hon. Gentivin root consent to an adjournment of the question till to-mor there. ,he night, or the night after.—(Murmurs of dissent from 01! Opposition benches.) The questien was one of "17_ considerable import ance , and was entitled to conside7o tion. The Right Hon. Gentl eman , th e R ecor d e r fo r le city of Dublin, had not addressed to th e H ouse o ne s ll 4 c , remark upon the subject of the m o ti on . 1•In ( .M. Wakley) was very glad that his Hon. Friend ( 31- ` O . o f Crawford) had brought the qu es ti on un d er the notic e the House ; but it appeared to him that it would ; much better that it should be adjour n ed till to-nierr° night. .1 to Lord ELIOT hoped the House wo uld not twee"! the proposition of the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Wa litel b The greatest anxiety • ,at prevailed in Ireland upon tbe ject, and all unnecessary d e l a y s h ou ld b e deprena.', o The table of that House had b een covere d with peti ts froth all parts of Ireland, and none of them, so far as ht (Lord Eliot) could see, adverted to the case brotig forward by the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Crawford). of Sir R. PEEL said there might be a great dea ir danger in going beyond the c ase a ff ecte d b y the late u ro , cision of the Judges in Ireland. Th e H ouse s hould P. ceed to legislate upon the su bj ec t w i t h t h e grea test P ° sible caution. case Mr. LITTON said that he did not find that th e i alluded to by the Hon. Gentleman opposite (in, l :: no s Crawford) had been referred to in any of the pcildd presented to that House, or at any of the meeting, it ' , ( 1 upon the subject by the Presbyterians of Ireland' , to . they did not seek for any remedy fur the evil allude co, The motion was then withdrawn, and the Bin read a third time, and passed. Tali s BUILDINGS REGULATION AND BOROu - IMPROVEMENT BILL. c iog On. the motion of Mr. FOX MAULE th e fo °3 to Hon. Gentlemen were appointed a Select C om mittee , r o which to r e fer th e B u ildi ngs R egu l a ti on an d I3or ° p. Improvement Bill :—Mr. Fox Maule, M r . George gr. Ham Wood, Mr. Manners. Sutton, Mr. Hawes , Beckett, Mr. Tufnell, Lo r d A s hl e y, Si r M a tthew I ,de, Viscount Sandon, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Hodgson W o o Mr. Duncan, Mr. Hogg, Mr. Murat; a nd C o l o nel Th° Wood (Middlesex). The House then adjourned at Eight o'Clock. MESSRS. HOPKINS AND DREWETT'S BANiat u " „„.„, 10 at --Mr. Drcwett, being confined to his bed by serious il lPc m -5 0 0 Peppering, was visited by the Commission e r s i n hi s bed-r °° l, o 4 o Thursday, who there took his examination. The O s Twith finally having consulted, expressed themselves fully satis6oo uP it. At this period of the proceedings, Mr. Hopkins deli v lllor his watch, purse, and 511. 12s. 4d. (including a Al. note th be kins and Drewett's), being, with 95/. previously given 11 , 1 :160 1 * money he had at the time of the fiat issuing, and two stun , of and 50/. since received from Mr. Edmonds. On the 10°4° pre' Mr. Halliday, the sum of 101., with th e wa t c h an d p u rse, _, tier, rented to Mr. Hopkins. A similar sum was vo t e d by o: D irlf to Mr. Drewctt ; but Mr. Robert Drewett on his father's bbate declined accepting it. The bankrupts were then declarcd passed. led A numerous deputation from Manchester, he3t hod by Mr. Mark Philips, M. P., and M r . B ro th er t o n, i, l the a long interview with Sir J. Graham yesterday morniugr Home-office. , i f — Sg -- SILVER PLAT 'D, CORNER Dls „ h g ,1 4 A. B. SAVORY a n d SONS - : - Manufacturing Silversl ol :i i the Cornhill, London, opposite the Bank of England, O b i t - 14P prices of the f o ll ow i ng pattcrui of strongly-plated CO kis for DISHES, with silver handles and edges, and s ilver shi e engraving the crest or coat of arras : - Four The Gadroon Pattern. The ei Flower , Four strongly-ilated corstrongly'ner Dishes and Cov ers ...Eß, 10 plated extra torwr P paitstheer 10 Four extra strongly-pl a t d arid Ci.vers ................ CornerDishcsandtovers 12 12 • thatN.B. The Covers are ma d e w i t h movea bl e handles, sanded they form extra di s h es . D raw i ngs o f t h e a b ove are fore' to any part of Great Britain or Ireland, postage free. —...._ . IRTS. On the 24th t ilt., a t Liv B erpool H , Mrs. J. W. Seaburne 1;131, of a On e i e rso o o the 19th ult., at Paris, the lady of John Foster Gi Esq., of a son arid heir. . t ladY a On the 26th ult., at Cross Deep, Twickenham , l George Barnard, Esq., of a daughter. Cairns , On the 26th ult., at Liveopool, the lady of Nathan Esq., of a daughter. fo $ •On the 27th ult., Mrs. G. R. Herron, I3ermondseY, daughter. V/r. 11' On the 27th ult., at Leeds, the wife of the R ev. Teak, of a son. off' On the 27th ult., in Curzon-street, Mayfair, the wife .;1 - fawkins, M.D., of a daughter. MARRIED. irlcV• On the 24th ult., at St. George's Church, by the A' t:i Fredrick Bridge, Mr: Robert Graves, jun , StephenCie . • Bessy, eldest daughter of John Power, North i street, Mount Joy-square, Dublin. On the 28th ult., at Margate, Mr. Wilkinson, d London, 1° Catherine, daughter of Mr. Mills, Buenos A 3 res. Alarg te, On the 24th ult., at St. Eihelburga-within -Bisho s sg : Malcolm Ross, Esq., of the Island of Tobago, les t ° Maria Elizabeth, daughter of the late W. Searle, EsT_____..--- - ' West In DIED. , k Nor thonl - On the 27th ult., at Lesbury House near .Alnwte berland, the Pee. ohn Herdman, 111. D., aged 7 8. Eiv, late On the 24th ult., at Brompton, Kent, W. Pay ee ' Master Attendant of Chatham Dockyard. Richar d On the 16th of December, in Upper Canada, Morgar , , in get only son of the Rev. Morgan Walter Jones, Vicar ei Kent, aped 21. , On the 23d ult., at Bown es , W es tmoreland, the "°'" ter. beth Carpenter, widow of C a pt a i n the Hon. .Charles Caryer_ol, R.N., and mother of G eorge , t hi r d Earl, and of John 1) fourth and present Earl of Tyrconne', aged 73. - A• S. On the 2.5 th ult., at Doncaster, H. Bower,l7lLL._,.. G ° London.: Printed and Published by AIURDO YOUN G 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. 1 3, 12, Str the County a y°, of Middlesex, Thursday, March /642. 811,71, AL A tones' in t h e w e, nt THR EE lerest .* Pe r . Deposit. T ° I tneil or T a o . , to o l evy ii. P; l l e . en h d eve l y at t e l o i n ee AN'ijt ' 4 ' vie n r g Y , a 1 to a ,,, e 7et bee; Le viz., ' 1 " , er it ), and th P e m v , Th„ e Ruleslid rn w herel +xi s NATI LIF E Ass .10J T. . Elliot 11 4 !' 11 ` 1 4t er ritl — gOrg, Ln P cofe. norm 1 - A„,"4 /° tlcr roas, liANit, At, tki kt 4 NTA, Tyr 4 ? ('‘third aeo n. rqt a p 2.1.11 an nuk 6,l'nli; 11 ' btst t i ` "(t e +nt' Polic 1 9 Is . • ti %) , . 4 !:' ,1 it 5 t Rader e,- l tt ;t at ; biSSE) 62 (E r n j klziUw 6 . Ici:lNs6 't d ailu; an d th t pettio ei,!cAt i 9 - ( ,;' !I' 441Z',4S t t: 44i 14 p re kti eit : fl y V, } ..j:( l d m • tii:!- INi°,tre-t`' o'4 e bi A g xe• 111.%