The Sun. — London, England, 1849-03-16 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE AT A RAIL W,aY (From the Manchester Examiner.) A most extraordinary and unprecedented scene oc curred yesterday morning at Clifton station, about five miles from Manchester, and the point where the East Lancashire line, midway between Bury and Manchester, forms a junction with the Lancashire and York shire Company's lines of rails from Manchester to Bolton, Preston, and Liverpool. The East Lancashire Company pass over the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company's rails between Clifton and Man chester, paying toll, and it appears that some misunder standing has arisen between the two companies as to the means of ascertaining the proper amount of toll. The East Lancashire are in the habit of running several up-trains to Manchester, past the Clifton junction, without stopping, and afterwards making a declaration to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company of the number of passengers the trains con tained, and for whom they will have to pay toll. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Company object to this plan, and demand that the trains shall stop at Clifton, so that the number of passengers can be counted, and give up their tickets. The East Lancashire Company say, that in addition to their declaration, the other parties have access to all their books, and to the returns of their (the East Lancashire Company's) servants ; and that the demand to take tickets, or to count, is only one of annoyance and detention, adopted since the two companies have become competitors for the traffic to Bradford. Towards the close of last week the dispute assumed a serious aspect, by one of the Lanca shire and Yorkshire Company's agents at Manchester (Mr. Blackmore) threatening that he would blockade or stop up the East Lancashire line, at the point of j unction, with a large balk of timber. The East Lancashire Company got out a summons against Mr. Blackmore on Saturday; but, notwithstanding this course, the Lanca shire and Yorkshire Company's managers proceeded, yesterday morning, to carry the threat into execution, and despite also the presence of a large body of the county police from Bury, and of a second body from the Pendleton county police-station, near Manchester. From ten to twelve o'clock in the morning, in addition to the police, bodies of the directors and servants of both companies arrived at Clifton. The immediate neighbourhood is far from populous, but as the lines of railway from this point pass over rather lofty embank ments, it could be seen from seme distance around that there was an unusual commotion, and numbers of people were attracted to watch the proceedings. The East Lan cashire early trains were allowed to pass upon the Lancashire and Yorkshire line without obstruction, and run to Manchester; but at half past ten in the morn ing, as the next East Lancashire train to Manchester was one which would not stop at Clifton, but attempt to pass on to Manchester, so as not to allow the Lanca shire and Yorkshire Company's servants to count the passengers, the latter began to take active measures to stop up the East Lancashire line, and raise a sufficient obstruction to the passage of trains to their own line. A number of labourers were set at work for this pur pose under the direction of Captain Laws, managing director of the Lancashire and Yorkshire line ; Mr. Blackmore, superintendent of the traffic on the Bolton line; Mr. Hinmers, superintendent of the goods traffic; and Mr. Hurst, superintendent of the locomotive department. Their first step was to lay down across the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company's down-line of rails to Manchester an immense balk of timber—laying it close to the points of the East Lancashire Company's rails forming the junction, and opposite the Semaphore signal house of the East Lancashire Company. Behind this balk of timber, at either end, were driven down into the bed of the railway two heavy, long iron crow-bars, to hold it to its position. Then again, behind this balk of timber, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company brought up a train of six empty carriages, with its engine at the Manches ter end; and this may be said up to this time to have completed the blockading scheme. The train of empty carriages was understood to have been for the double purpose of blockading the line, and of carrying forward to Manchester any of the passengers from the East Lan cashire train who might choose to leave it and go for ward, over the Bolton line, to Manchester. The East Lancashire train was due in Manchester about 10 40, but it was nearly that time before it came up to Clifton, and when it came in sight it was signalled to stop, of course, rather than allow the engineer to break his own and the passengers' necks by running upon the obstruction. Immediately the East Lanca shire train stopped, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Com pany's servanis went and demanded the tickets from the passengers. This demand, however, was fruitless, in asmuch as the East Lancashire parties had taken the tickets from their passengers at the previous station— Ringley—a course which they are said to have now fol lowed for three months past. This was the signal for retaliatory measures by the East Lancashire party, who had till now walked in silence on either side their own line, as the servants of the other company had done on their own property. The police, meantime, looking on at both, from the window of the railway station-house, situated in the cleft of the fork formed by the two railways branching off to Bury and Bolton. The first act of the East Lancashire Company's servants was to remove the balk of timber, and this they did without hindrance. The next proceeding of the East Lancashire party was to run forward their train and attempt to force be fore them the Lancashire and Yorkshire blockading train. This, however, the others appeared to have anti cipated, and having put on their breaks and brought another engine up in front of their train, which they had detached from an express train from Manchester, that had come up while the previous proceedings were „Ding on, they were able to maintain their ground. The East Lancashire Company by this time having brought up a heavy train laden with stone, on their other line, now caused it to run forward and take up a position pn the shnnt across the Lancashire and York shire's up line to Manchester, exactly abreast of the blockading train on the other line of rails. Thus the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company's double line of rails was now completely blocked up—one line by their own train, and the other by the stone train of the East Lancashire Company. In this position mat ters remained till near twelve o'clock ; and in the mean time the affair every moment assumed a more serious aspect. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Company's trains, either way, as they came up, kept accumulating the means of blockade; and added to these were the trains coming to the spot belonging to the East Lancashire Company, and thole belonging to the Blackburn and Darwen Company, which come upon the Lancashire and Yorkshire rails at Bolton. By a little before twelve o'clock there were altogether eight trains on the double lines of rails of the two companies; extending side by side for more than half a mile. Many of the passengers, in some alarm, got out of the trains to remonstrate with the companies' servants, and one party are said to have sent to Pendleton for a postchaise, threatening an action for detention. What occurred to break up the blockade we have not accurately learnt; but we are informed that the Lancashire and Yorkshire blockading train having been left in the sole charge of Mr. Blackmore, at a little before twelve o'clock he withdrew the obstruction, and the various trains were allowed to pass onwards, fortu nately without accident or injury to the passengers, though it must be confessed to have been a dangerous experiment. No doubt the ultimate decision of the matter will, like most other such disputes, have to come before a civil tribunal, and furnish employment and funds for the " gentlemen of the long robe." It is but fair to say that the servants of the various companies behaved with admirable temper and coolness, and that there was no necessity for the interference of the police. FURTHER HOSTILE PROCEEDINGS. (From a Second Edition of the Manchester Examiner.) In our fifth page we give an account of some novel proceedings between the managers of these two com panies, yesterday, at the Clifton Junction. We had supposed the acts of hostility had ended here, but we find that in the evening of yesterday the East Lancashire Company proceeded to obtain forcible possession of a hoist belonging to the other com pany, at the Salford station, and this led to another scene of a very exciting and strange character. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Company sent message, soon after four o'clock , to the Salford t!, police-stati o n, s t a ting that the East Lancashire Company had brought up a great num ber of navvies from a d istance, arm ed with pickaxes, crowbars, shovels, &c., and that they ap p re hended a breach of the peace, and desir e d pro tection. Mr. Neale, chief constable, finding there was truth in this statement, and that there were sixty or seventy navvies down at Salford station, belonging to the East Lancashire Company, and an equal number of the nav vies or servants of the other company, sent down a large body of the police, under Superintendent Taylor, to pre serve the peace. He also communicated with Captain Willis, of the Manchester force, to obtain a reinforce ment if necessary. The brief facts of this portion of the dispute are these:—The Lancashire and Yorkshire Company have an immense yard for goods in Irwell-street, Salford, on a level below the railway, where the goods are first put into the railway waggons, and then hoisted waggons and all upon the railway. In this yard the East Lancashire, on payment of toll, have an accommodation for loading and hoisting their goods on to the line. It has been customary for the East Lancashire Coms pany to weigh their goods before passing them for ward towards the hoist, and then passing with them a declaration of particulars. The Lancashire and Yorkshire then pass the goods over a weighing machine to test the declaration, and proceed to hoist the goods. Latterly, however, the East Lancashire Company h ave re fus e d to make the declaration until their oods have been hoisted on the line. With this refusal, we have nothing to do; we can only presume, as parties unmi xe d up with either of the companies, that they h ave, or this course suppose they have, some legal warrant for proceeding. Yesterday, however, the and Lancashire Y or kshiree Company having given them notice that they would not hoist their goods, unless acc ompanied with the ;ei declaration l , the East Lancashire proceeded to enforce the t i hoi sti n g v e i i o e o f r a d r o m r is t , o b r y e ni their own servants ; force being necessary the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company ' s least had possession of the h oist, or atlny's servants, who waggons the latter had in the way ofsuch goods and a proceeding. It was under these circumstances the servants of the companies were c ollected in somet hing - hostile the police were called ' array, and that The East Lancashire Company proceeded to run their car riages up towards the hoist, and to block up the ap. preaches, and it was necessary for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company's servants to remove these obstruc tions before they could proceed with their own work. For a t i me the latter sus pended operations, but a little before six o'clock they set to work, at the -command of Captain Laws, managing director of the Lancashire and Yorkshire .Railway, to clear away the obstruction. In doing so, they were resisted by the East Lancashire Company's navvies. A scene of gropt excitement followed, each party using their crow bars as levers to move or prevent the moving of the wag-gocr.% The police, oudor the direct'on of chief con stabi- Neale, looked on until they feared that blows were likely to ensue, one of the East Lancashire men having wielded his weapon or implement round his head, so that it came rather roughly in contact with the superintendent of police's arm (though, it is believed, accidentally, and through the excitement) and then he gave orders for four of the East Lancashire men to be taken into custody. These men were locked up, and here, so far, ended the contest. An amusing scene occurred on the line above, subsequently ; the East Lancashire party having brought an engine and goods train and backed it against the top of the hoist, leaving it there, with breaks on and engines reversed. The other party then brought three engines and hooked them to, dragging away the obstructing engines. The men here, however, on both sides, exhibited great for bearance, and the police did not interfere. Toe four " navvies" were brought before Mr. Trafford, and the Mayor of Salford, this morning, when the former commented in strong language on the conduct of the parties, who, he said, ought to have been brought before him; but said he must make those who suffered themselves to be made their tools responsible, it they proceeded to a breach of the peace. He discharged three of the men, however, binding only one of them, Taylor, over to keep the peace for three months. RETURNS of the BOARD of TRADE. The returns of the Board of Trade for the month ending the sth of February were issued this morning. As regards exports, they do not maintain the increase of the preceding three months, the total being 216,5991. below that of the corresponding period of last year. Compared with February, 1847, the deficiency, however, is only 67,3711. It will be observed that the falliug-off has been principally in iron and steel, which, as well as machinery, have now for several months been largely on the adverse side:— THE SUN, DECLARED 'VALUE OF EXPORTATIONS. Month ending Feb. 5. Increase. Decrease. 1848. 1849. X. Z. - £. A. Butter • . .. 14,123 16,939 1,816 - Candles .. • • 2,804 6,201 3,397 - Cheese .. .. • 1,481 953 - 528 Coals and Culm • • 69,970 61,098 -- 8,872 Cotton manufactures 1,271,395 1,249,357 - 22,038 Cotton yarn .. .. 258,809 293,848 35,039 - Earthenware .. .. 67,984 51,627 - 6,357 Fisb, herrings .. 1,481 1,714 233 - Glass .. - .. 14,049 15,049 1,000 - Hardwares and cut lery .. .. .. 161,528 112,687 - 48,841 Leather, wrought and un wrought.. .. 12,774 21,272 2,492 - Linen ,nanufactures 277,302 195,709 - 81,593 Linea yarn .. .. 44,511 48,400 - 1,111 Machinery • • .• 39,560 28,239 - 11,321 Metals. - Iron and steel .. .. 313,405 190,101 - 123,304 Copper and brass 86,663 114,991 28,328 - Lead • • • • 3,849 8,674 4,825 - Tin, unwrought • • 16,103 7,359 - 8,744 Tin-plates .. 45,969 28,007 - 17,962 Salt • • . • • • 9,220 12,134 2,914 - Silk manufactures • • 56,433 46,083 - 10,350 Soap .. • • .. 15,238 13,292 - 1,946 Sugar, relined .. 39,009 29,327 - 9,682 Wool, sheep and lambs' - • • • 19,271 26,764 7,493 - Woullen yarn .. 38,355 54,056 15,701 .- Woollen manufactures 355,852 382,658 26,806 - 3,227,138 3,010,539 136,050 352,649 In imports there is no very particular feature, except the quantity of grain taken for consumption, in conse quence of the expiration of the duty on the Ist of February. The following are the comparative imports and ex ports of raw material, showing a large increase in silk and cotton, and a diminution in wool: Imported. Exported. Month ending Feb. 5. Month ending Feb. S. 1848. 1849. 1818. 1849. Flax, cwt. .. 16,411 30,412 Hemp, cwt. .. 35,101 26,918 Raw silk, lb .. .. 101,189 261,085 39,149 15,138 Cotton, cwt. .. • • 222,698 671.693 9,230 16,160 Wool, lb. • • • • 1,294,933 875,888 329,640 545,365 Tallow, cwt. .. • . 101,323 92,591 Of silk manufactures the totals stand thus:— Imported. Exported. Month ending Feb. 5. Month ending Feb. 5. 184$. I 1849. 1848. 1849. 511 k manufactures of Europe, lb. • • 27,736 21,246 25,875 32,900 Ditto of India, pieces .• 19,739 , 20,555 11,104 15,081 With respect to other articles, in dyes and dyeing stuffs there is not much alteration. In hides there is a decrease in untanned wet, and a great increase in tanned. In metals of all kinds there is an increase. In oils there is a great decrease in palm, and an increase in the other sorts. In timber there is a decrease in importation both of British and foreign, but again a large increase in the consumption of foreign and a decrease in the consump tion of British. EMIGRATION OF THE POOR. The following are the conditions which are inserted by the Poor-law Board in their orders sanctioning the emigration of poor persons :- 1. The party emigrating shall go to some British colony not lying within the tropics. . 2. The guardians may expend a sum not exceeding 3d. a mile in conveying each emigrant above seven years of age to the port of embarkation, and a sum not exceed ing lid. a mile in conveying each child under seven years of age. 3. The guardians may give to each emigrant, the place of whose destination shall not be eastward of the Cape of Good Hope, clothing to the value of 11., and may also expend a sum not exceeding 10s. for each emigrant in the purchase of bedding and utensils for the voyage. 4. The guardians may give to each emigrant proceed ing to the Cape of Good Hope clothing to the value of 21., and to each emigrant to places eastward of the Cape of Good Hope clothing to the value of 421. 10s.• ' and in either case may expend a sum not exceeding 11. for each person above fourteen, and 10s. for every child above one and under fourteen years of age, and in cases of free emigration 21. for a single man above eighteen years of age, in the purchase of bedding and utensils for the voyage. 5. If the emigrant be not conveyed by or under the authority of her Majesty's Government to the place of destination, or provision be not otherwise made in a manner satisfactory to the said commissioners for the maintenance of such emigrant on arrival at such place, a contract, to be approved by the commissioners, shall be entered into for securing a sum of money to be supplied to the emigrant on such arrival, according to the follow ing scale:— X s. To each person exceeding 14 years of age 1 O To each person not exceeding 14 years of age 0 10 6. If the emigrant be not conveyed by or under the au thority of her Majesty Government to the place of desti nation, and the cost, or any part thereof, of conveying the emigrant from the port of embarkation to such place shall be defrayed from the fund above directed to be provided, a contract shall be entered into for conveying the emigrant to such place, to be approved by the said Commissioners. AUSTRIA. - - VIENNA, MARCH EL—The Diet is dissolved, the soldiers surrounded the Palace at Kremsier, while Count Stadion convoked a number of the members of the right and right centre. He immediately made known to Orem the Imperial resolution to give the whole monarchy a constitution, which he had laid before them, and at the same time to dissolve the Diet. All the Members, without exception, protested against this measure. There was an early sitting at, seven o'clock in the morning. At eight o'clock the Im perial proclamation dissolving the Diet was appended to the walls of the palace and other public places in Kremsier. Three battalions of soldiers had meanwhile arrived. The door of the hall of the Assembly was closed, and guarded by the soldiers. The Deputies were per mitted only to go to the bureau of the President to receive their certificates, and only five Members were admitted at a time; others who attempted to effect an entrance were held back by crossed bayonets. The Deputies Fischhof and Pratz were imme diately arrested. M. Lehner and several others were hotly pursued, but effected their escape. Reports on thi s po i nt, however, are contradictory. Fischhof and Pratz arrived at Vienna on the Bth, under a strong escort. VIENNA, Maacu 9.—The Allgemeine Zeitung of the 10th says A report i s i n c i rcu l a ti on h ere that a bloody battle was fought on the banks of the Theiss, in which the Imperialists were beaten."— Vienna Papers, March id. THE SALE OF THE STOWE COLLECTION OF EN GRATINGS.—YeS te rd ay the sale of th e fi rst portion of the Stowe collection of engravings was completed at the rooms of Messrs. Sotheby and Wilkinson, and attracted a very full attendance. Although the lots sold did not realise such high prices as those of previous days, still the interest attached to the various productions appeared to be greater throughout. Among the most curious and interesting were the following:—" Eleanor Gwynn with her two sons, Charles Earl of Beaufort, and James Lord Beauclaire;" she is represented on a bed of roses, her children as Cupids withdrawing a curtain. King Charles the Second in the distance; by Henry Gascar—sold for 8 guineas. " Letterpress to Grainger's Biographical History of England," 4 vols., 8 vo., 1775, mounted on folio paper, together with the 36 portfolios lettered fur the purpose of illustration—sold for 8 guineas. " William Penderil, of Boscobel, in the county of Salop, tatis sum 84 (oval), suspended in an oa k;" by M. Beyher, with two columns of metrical lines beneath. This excessively rare original, from the collection of Sir Mark Sykes, sold for 61. 17s. 6d. " Mother Damnable, of Kentish-town, sitting in Hovel by Fire, two Cats suspended downwards, clawing each other, representing her coat of arms, in the upper corner, with metrical lines in two columns underneath." This unique original half sheet, printed in the year 1676, from the Bindly Collec tion, sold for 51. 7s. 6d. " A Burlesque upon the Popish Plot," in two parts; two large folding sheets, with metrical lines beneath the lower part of each sheet, being ! . I?2eln, entitled " A True Narrative of the Horrid Hellish Popish Plot." " Titus Oates in the Pillory;" around are seven oval portraits of the conspirators, with view of their punishment beneath, half-sheet, executed in Holland, I n 1685, with a poem, " The Doctor De graded," &c.; sold for 1/. 6s. The day's sale amounted to 176/. ls., and the gross amount of the sale has been 2,3591. 19s. 6d. LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 16,, 1849. IMPERIAL PNRLTAIVI7NT LIOUS E OF I, I )RDS. eJt 1 Their Lordships assembled at Five o'clock. Lord STANLEY presented several petitions from various parts of Ireland against the rate in aid; al,O petition from Ely, complaining of agricultural distress. IRISH TAXATION. _ The Earl of WICKLOW moved for various re turns relating to the income remitted to England from Ireland, and which was hi consequence subjected to the income-tax in England. He was convinced that the income-tax derived from this source would amount to much more than the sum proposed to be raised by this unconstitutional rate in aid, and therefore it was incorrect to say that Irish property contributed nothing to the property-tax. Proprietors in the English funds residing in Ireland contributed to the property tax. Every Irish proprietor residing in Eng land for a week became liable to the income tax, but if he went to the continent he escaped. He hoped the returns would be granted, and he hoped the Government would instruct the authorities of the Tax-office to adopt measures to enable them to ascertain the amount of income-tax contributed by Irish property. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE did not object to the returns being made. Lord MONTEAGLE said that even this return would not present a just view of the comparative burden of taxation borne by the two countries respectively. The motion was then agreed to. PETITIONS. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY presented several petitions against the rate in aid. He regretted exceed ingly the extraordinary excitement that existed in the north of Ireland, and the language that had been used at the meetings which had been held in that part of the country; but he trusted the Government would not persist in pushing forward the measure, which was violently opposed by the proprietors, the farmers, the clergy, and the peasants of the province of Ulster. Lord MONTE AGLE presented several petitions with a similar prayer ; also a petition against the conversion of the Cape of Good Hope into a penal settlement. The Bishop of CASHEL presented a petition from Waterford against the rate in aid. The Earl of LUCAN presented a petition from a union in Ireland with a similar prayer. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mardi 15. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'clock. KINGSTON-UPON-HULL DOCK COMPANY. The Kingston-upon-Hull Dock Company's Bill was read a third time and passed. PETITIONS. Mr. THORNELY presented a petition from Wolver hampton in favour of the enfranchisement of copyholds; also a petition from Chester, complaining of the present state of the navigation of the river Dee. Mr. WILCOX presented petitions from Southampton in favour of the abolition of church-rates. _ Colonel SALWEY presented petitions from Ludlow in favour of international arbitration. Sir H. VERNEY presented petatons from Armagh against the Maynooth Grant. Mr. WADDINGTON presented petitions from Suf folk in favour of the repeal of the malt-tax. Lord RENDLESHAM presented similar petitions also from Suffolk. Sir J. TYRELL presented petitions, of a similar nature from Essex. Mr. COBDEN presented petitions from Northampton and other places in favour of international arbitration. Mr. JOHN WILLIAMS presented petitions from the city of Chester complaining of the state of the navi gation of the river Dee. Mr. TUFNELL presented a petition from Devoncort in favour of international arbitration. Sir J. Y. BULLER presented a petition from Devon. shire against the mode of rating the poor. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented similar petitions from Birmingham. Mr. SEYMER presented petitions from Sussex in favour of the admission of the Jews into Parliament. Mr. BENNETT presented petitions from Bury for the repeal of the malt-tax. Sir J. DUCKWORTH presented a petition from Ex eter against any alteration in the law of marriage. Mr. OSBORNE presented a petition from the Mar quis of Westmeath against the rate in aid, and com plaining of the conduct of the Boor-law Board. Mr. GLADSTONE presented a petition from Oxford against the alteration of the law of marriage. RAILWAY PASSENGERS' ASSURANCE COMPANY. The Marquis of GRANBY postponed the following motion, of which he had given notice, till to-morrow : That this House will resolve itself into a Committee, to consider of authorising the imposition of a per-tentage duty on sums received by the Railway Passengers' As surance Company, in respect of insurances against loss of life or personal injury to persons travelling by rail way, in lieu of the stamp duty which would otherwise be payable by law on tickets of insurance issued by such company. Mr. Alderman SIDNEY presented a petition from Staf ford complaining of the increase of county expenditure. Mr. lIIJME presented a petition from the city of Chester, complaining of the state of the navigation of the river Dee. and praying the House to pass a general conservancy Bill. Mr. MEAGHER presented petitions against the rate in aid from several places in Ireland. Mr. FAGAN presented a petition from the mayor and aldermen of Cork, praying for the establishment of a general registry of marriages in Ireland; and also in favour of the Health of Towns Bill. Mr. TOLLEMACHE presented petitions from Glou cestershire, complaining of agricultural distress; and also petitions complaining of the state of the navigation of the river Dee. Lord C ASTLEREAGH presented petitions from places in Down against the rate in aid. Mr. HERRIES presented a petition from the county of Cork against the repeal of the navigation-laws. Mr. MONSELL presented a petition from the board of guardians of the Limerick Union against the rate in aid. IRELAND. Mr. J. O'CONNELL gave notice that on a future day he should move that the House resolve itself into a Committee to consider the expediency of altering the policy that had of late been pursued in Ireland, and the introduction of a better system, with the view of recti fying the evils of which the people of that country com plained. ARBITRATION. Mr. COBDEN gave notice that on this day fortnight he should propose that the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs be empowered to enter in all treaties with foreign countries a clause providing that all disputes should be settled by arbitration. SAVINGS BANKS. Mr. REYNOLDS postponed his motion on the savings banks of Ireland till this day fortnight. THE NAVIGATION OF THE DEE. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL presented petitions from the corporation and inhabitants of Chester com plaining of the state of the navigation of this river. THE MARRIAGE LAW. Petitions from places in Yorkshire, Surrey, and Kendal were presented against any alteration of the law of marriage. BAILIFFS OF COUNTY COURTS. In reply to an HoN. MEMBER, ----- The A TTORNEY-GENERAL intimated that the payment of the bailiffs of county courts by salaries in stead of fees, which was a question surrounded by many difficulties, was still under the consideration of the Go vernment. CHICORY. Mr. ANSTEY wished to put a question to the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with regard to the use of vegetable substances instead of coffee, by the poorer classes, in consequence of their in ability to purchase coffee. Under an Act of Parliament passed in the reign of George 111., licensed tea and coffee dealers were not permitted to sell these substances. He wished to ask the Right Hon. Baronet whether it was true, as alleged in the memorial now before the Trea sury, that in 1844 the Melbourne Administration took upon themselves, by Treasury order, to susperl the provisions of that Act, giving instructions to Lxcise officers not to regard its clauses or the 501. penalty, but to permit grocers and tea dealers to serve chicory equally with licensedidealers in that drug; and whether this has not been made a subject of complaint on the part of all the respectable wholesale dealers, and particularly on the part of colonial coffee growers, on the ground that ever since the suspension took effect there had been a decline in the consumption of coffee imported from the colonies; and whether in particular, although according to the present re turn the quantity of coffee from Ceylon last year ex ceeded by 50 per cent. any previous year, the return did not show that there was a considerable decrease in the consumption of Ceylon coffee at home; whether the chicory used in the adultera tion of the coffee did not now form a proportion of one-third of the quantity of coffee an nually sold and consumed; and whether it was the in tention of Government to cause the law establishing the act to be obeyed by their officers in future; or whether it was their intention to propose to Parliament any measure for imposing a duty on chicory in the same proportion as coffee ; and, lastly, whether Ceylon, which had suffered from the causes he had stated was not the very colony whose depression the free-traders attributed to—(Cries of " Order, order.") The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER under stood that the Hon. Gentleman intended to put this string of questions on Monday, and he should not be pre pared to answer them till then. Mr. ANSTEY gave notice that he would repeat the questions on Monday.—(" Oh, oh," and cries of " No.") SAVINGS' BANKS. Mr. HENRY HERBERT wished to ask the Chan cellor of the Exchequer, whether it is the intention of the Government to prosecute any farther inquiry into the circumstances connected with the late failures of certain savings' banks in Ireland. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it did not appear to him that any further inquiry into the circumstances of these banks was necessary. Mr. GROGAN asked if the Right Hon. Member included the Cuffe street Bank in his answer. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that was a different case, and perhaps it would have to be further investigated. Mr. H. HERBERT wished to ask the Member for the University of Dublin whether there was anything in the present state of legal proceedings pending in the matter D of u t b h l e in s , a w v h in ic g h s r b e a n n d k e r o s f n S e e ss e a t r e y r P's t h p e a p r i n s s h t , p n i n n e h e e n c t i n t yof f an inquiry by a Committee of that House into the affairs of the said bank. The SPEAKER ruled that the question was irregular, and it was therefore not answered. Mr. GROGAN asked his Hon. Colleague whether he intended to persevere with his motion on this subject. f uld a•i,warr , TT :~ .) , 3 moticn .; • :ir.r.ed before. STEAM VESSELS. Si , WILLOUGHBY gave notice that to-morrow rp.ounl put a question to the First Lord of the as to whether certain steam-vessels had been sold, and if so, whether by private contract or public auction. BRITISH MUSEUM. Sir ROBERT PEEL presented a petition from the trustees of the British Museum, praying fur Parll4- mentary aid. TURNPIKE ACTS. Mr. WILSON PATTEN wished to ask the Under- Secretary for the Home Department, if he could state at what period the new Bill with regard to turnpikes would be introduced. Mr.CORNEWALL LEWIS said the Road Bill would be printed very shortly, and he expected to be able to bring it in next week. CHOLERA IN LIMERICK. _ _ . Mr. MONSELL begged to call the attention of the Secretary for the Home Department to the circumstance of the cholera having broken out in the gaol at Limerick, which of late had become fearfully crowded, so much so that 8 or 9 persons were found sleeping in a cell, and 215 individuals were occupying a day-room not intended to hold more than 30. He begged to ask the Right Honourable Gentleman the Secre tary for the Home Department whether he was prepared to assure the House that he would at once take steps for the removal, at all events, of 136 convicts under sentence of transportation in the gaol at Limerick. Sir GEORGE GREY said it was a notorious fact that the prisons in Ireland were crowded to a most dangerous and inconvenient extent, and a cor respondence had taken place between the Lord- Lieutenant and the Government on the subject, and it was in contemplation to remedy the evil by send ing most of the convicts now under sentence of trans portation to Spike Island. With regard to the cholera, he was not aware that it had broken out in the gaol at Limerick to so great an extent. Precautions had some little time ago been taken to prevent its spread, and any recommendation coming from the visiting justices of the gaol to the Government on the subject would be promptly attended to. RATE IN AID BILL. Sir R. PEEL asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposed to bring on the second reading of the Rate in Aid Bill. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he had intended to move the second reading of the Bill to morrow ; it had, however, been found necessary to post pone it, but be should bring_iton shortly before Easter. NAVIGATION-LAWS. Mr. HERRIES asked whether her Majesty's Minis ters were prepared to proceed with the Bill for the repeal of the navigation-laws ; and if so, when ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, if the Right Hon. Gentleman thought the Government entertained the slightest doubt about this Bill he was mistaken. The time of bringing it on must depend on the public business.—(Hear, hear.) PUBLIC LIBRARIES. Mr. EWART presented a petition from the inha bitants of Birmingham, complaining of the want of public libraries. The HON. GENTLEMAN then proceeded to move the following resolution, of which he had given notice, viz., for a Select Committee on existing public libraries in Great Britain and Ireland, and on the best means of extending the establishment of libraries freely open to the public, especially in large towns. For several years they had introduced into this country various amendments in our system of public instruction, in emulation of foreign countries —for instance, the National Gallery, and various modes of refining the minds of the people; but there was one means of refining common to foreign countries which did not exist in this, and that was by means of public libra ries freely accessible to all the people. Ile was sorry to say, if the house compared the existing public libra ries in England with those existing in foreign countries, they would find them few indeed. In France he found, from a late publication, conducted by a gentleman to whom the public was indebted for much valuable in formation on this subject, that there are in France no less than one hundred and seven public libraries freely accessible to any one who might ask admission. Over the whole of Germany it w :s the same, while in London there were only two public libraries. In Liver pool there was not one public library, while in Ham burgh there were no less than six. —(Hear, hear.) in the large town of Manchester there was only one, while in Rouen there were two.—(Hear, hear.) He thought, therefore, that the subject that he was about to bring to the notice of the House deserved its deepest consideration. Look again across the Atlantic, look to t t h tho e hmefa U tutpsat n uekhu i bie t lnm e rig d States. In America there were no less than eighty one public libraries.—(Hear.) It was true the people of ec. librariestth h hu i et s t books h c a o t u n aan t h r n re away as d h w a ; d aa nat hdn a e n c r p c te o e a s wan s daes easy r t i o nn go at t s h o etvi the e orw B am a ri e themt mean o a n h s e were be- l w ie a y s ed in that t rei i gn n a cou g n re tes. m — e ( a ll n e r a e r, th h e e s a e r . t ) hing H a caused of fE people g o i f o this a country; desir e ot and by his motion he sought to increase in the minds— in the by minds the f apathyhe of people the to obtain further knowledge by means of reading the established works of tle day.—(Hear.) The British Museum, the BOdleian Library' at Oxford, the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, and several others taxed every author by compelling him to furnish to them a copy of his work, and such being the case he thought they ought to be compelled to open their, doors to the public generally,unless they consented to do so voluntarily. In all the- cathedral towns of this country there were libraries belonging to the Dean and Chapter, and he did not see why those libraries should not be thrown open to the public.—(Hear.) Some of those establishments he was happy to say had opened their libraries to the public. It was the wise custom adopted after the Reformation to establish parochial libraries, where the means for doing so were at all feasible, and their establishment•had been attended for years afterwards with the most beneficial effects. He would not adduce any numerous instances, but he thought that the inquiry might with great addvantage be extended to all parts of the kingdom, even from the Museum itself to the lowest parochial library in the country. He would state then how he intended to proceed in this Committee, supposing the Committee to be granted. He proposed in the first place to work, in the second to in quire into the constitution of all the public libraries in the kingdom, and in the third to ascertain such data as might point out where public libraries should be formed. He was convinced if this plan were adopted, that as soon as it was known at any particular place that a library was to be formed there would be a number of individuals who would readily come forward to make donations.—(Hear, hear.) Ile might instance the case of the British Museum itself, half the contents of which had been presented as gifts to the institution, though in making such an assertion, he must state to the House, that he of course included the muni ficent donations of Geo. 111. and Geo. IV. Nor could be conceive any more honourable object of ambition than that of an individual who wished to see his name inscribed in some prominent place in a public library and handed down to future ages as a benefactor of his kind. The Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving for the Select Committee. Sir GEORGE GREY quite concurred with the Honourable Member in the great advantages which were likely to accrue from the establishment of parochial libraries throughout the country, but he con fessed that he did not see any tangible reason whatever for preceding so desirable an attempt by an inquiry into the constitution of the public libraries. The terms of the motion were extremely vague and indefinite, and he could, therefore, hardly assent to it as it stood. The Hon. Gentleman had instanced the Bodleian, the library of the British Museum, and other public libraries ; but was be not aware that there was already a commission for the affairs of the British Museum in which the interests of the library were included, and a second commission therefore could hardly be erected without the certainty of great public inconvenience. The general object of the motion was good, and he should have no objection to a Select Committee if those words were struck out of the motion which had reference to the public libraries now in existence. After an observation from Mr. HUME, recommending that there should be a conference out of the House to settle the words, Mr. EWART acceded to Sir G. Grey's suggestion, and the Select Committee was ordered. PAPERS MOVED_FOR BY MR. HUME. Viscount DRUM LANRIG moved for a return of the expense tho country has incurred from printing and pub lishing and collecting returns moved for by the Hon. Member for Montrose, from February, 1848, to February, 1849. The Noble Lord disclaimed that he proposed his motion from any perso nal motives towards the Honourable Member; but h e could not hel p sta ting that it would be well if he coul d be induced not to move for so large a number of papers, many of which were utterly valueless. The motion being seconded, Mr. HUME, who was greeted with loud cheers from both sides of the House, rose to move as an amend ment, to insert after the word " Montrose," the words and also by every other Member." He assured the House that there was nothing that he did within its walls that he was unwilling to be made public. He regretted that he had not heard one word of the grounds on what the Noble Lord based his mo tion; only he had selected the papers moved for by him, and not by every other Hon. Member.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord fancied that he had found out some thing new; but he had to inform him that that was the third time this question had been mooted. He feared, however, he was one of those who " did nothing them selves, and who found fault with those who did."— (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Ho did not deny that he had taken an active part in moving for returns—(Loud cheers)—but if the Noble Lord would mention any returns which he had not acted upon, or which had not been of public service, then he would take all the blame that should attach to him for having moved for useless returns. But when many had moved for returns of which, and of the use to be made of them, they knew no thi ng, h e a pprehended that they were to blame, and t h at h e (gr. Hume) was blameless. From a pape r m o v ed for by h im, showing the number of papers moved for by lion. Members during 1842, it appeared that in the list from 1 to 50 his namo did not appear, neither did it from 50 to 69; and if the Noble Lord would examine the list he would find that he had moved for a variety of papers which he conceived most important, and if he would move the appointment of a Committee on the subject, and would state before it the ground on which he made his motion—(Hear)-- he should be prepared to show that all the papers he had moved for were of the utmost public importance—moved inte r t interested ted such e in r it s for mainly to s h ow h ow the money of the nation was ex pended, a n d h e d i d not, therefore, wonder at t t u h r e ns, N o b b e le cau L se ir , p d er a h n aps, dot t h h e e r y sobjectingwere reckless expenditure. He hoped the House would agree Ic' them, and the real object of which returns were not at all times clearly understood. Four years ago he moved for a nubnber of returns in connexion with tidal harbours, which took two years to prepare, and without which the Commission appointed on the subject would not have been so of fictive as it had b en.—( I fear, hear.) He had, 11,- pert-f yeti be the r t.ien re er. t .n .v - for a re turn of pensioners, which had cost 11 ss. prep ,ring, which was not a great grievance, considering that it contained the names of many of the Noble Lord's friends.—(Laughter.) Many of the returns he had moved for published exposures of the mismanagement of public departments, and showed how the expenditure of the public money could be econo mised.—(Hear, hear) He did not object to the words of the motion, but to the spirit in which it was made; indeed, he should be glad to see such a return pub lished every year. He found by the paper to which he had already alluded, that the cost of printing the evidence taken before Election Committees had amounted to from 2,0001. to 3,0001., which was only of interest to a small number of persons. Then that large blue book, too voluminous for any one to peruse, had been printed containing the names of slaves, which could not be interesting to any one. Sir G. GREY said that the Noble Lord had declared that he did not propose the motion from any personal motives towards the Honourable Gentleman ; yet no motion of the kind could be produced, naming as it did the conduct of an individual Member, without implying motives which the Noble Lord had dis claimed. No Hon. Gentleman was responsible for the returns for which he moved, since returns could only be obtained by an address to the Crown, and it was competent for any Honourable Gentleman, if he thought they ought not to be produced, to oppose them. With regard to the matter of printing, the House per haps was not aware that these returns were always re ferred to the Printing Committee, to decide whether they merited the distinction of being put in print.—(llear.) He had no objection to this general return, but ho did not think the return would serve the purpose the Noble Lord had in view, and he therefore hoped the Noble Lord would not persevere in his motion.—(Hear.) Mr. HERRIES also appealed to the Noble Lord to withdraw his motion. He entirely concurred with what had fallen from the Right Honourable Baronet, that it was the House generally, and not individual Members, who were responsible for the charges incurred in printing returns; but he must at the same time be al lowed to add that he thought the Honourable Member for Montrose had rendered great service to the country by the returns he had moved for.—(Cheers.) Nor did he believe that in moving for these returns the Hon. Gen tleman was actuated by motives of animosity towards any department, but rather by an honest desire to bene fit the people.—(Cheers.) Lord DRUMLARING disclaimed all intention of making this motion for the sake of reflecting upon the conduct of the Hon. Member for Montrose, and said he was quite ready, after what had passed, to withdraw it. The motion was accordingly withdrawn COMMONS' OFFICES. On the motion of Mr. PARKER, the following gen tlemen were nominated as a Select Committee on House of Commons' offices:—Mr. Wilson Patten, Mr. Vernon Smith, Mr. Goulburn, Captain Jones, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Cardwell, Sir John Guest, Mr. Roche, Sir Edmund Colebrooke, Mr. Sotheron, Mr. Thornely, Mr. Parker, Mr. Miles, Mr. George Hamilton, and Viscount Man deville. SCHOOL OF DESIGN. On the motion of .11r. M. GIBSON, a Select Com mittee was appointed to inquire into the constitution and management of the Government School of Design, and to report their opinion thereupon. ATTORNEYS AND SOLICITORS. Mr. tiICORGE HAMILTON obtained leave to intro duce a Bill for consolidating and amending several of the laws relating to attorneys and solicitors in Iceland. SIR FRANKLIN'S EXPEDITION. On the motion of Sir THOMAS ACLANI), copies or extracts of any proceedings or correspondence of the Admiralty in reference to the Arctic Exp , :ditions (in continuation of Parliamentary papers, Nos, 264 and 386, of session 1848. up to the present time) were ordered to be laid before the House. ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION. Mr. HORSMAN said, in the present state of public business, he could not expect the Noble Lord at the head of the Government to name a particular day when he would take the discussion on the Ecclesiastical Com mission Bill, but as the Bill had been prepared and printed, perhaps the Noble Lord would have no ob jection to lay it on the table at once, reserving any dis cussion or statement for the second reading.—(Hear.) Lord J. RUSSELL promised to lay the Bill on the table some day before Easter.—(Hear, hear.) AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.—ADJOURNED DEBATE. On the question for resuming the adjourned debate on this question, Mr. M. GIBSON rose, and said he would endeavour to explain briefly to the House the grounds for the vote which he should feel it to be his duty to give upon the motion now under the consideration of the House, and knowing as he did that the House was desirous of coming to a decision that night upon this question, he would set the example, as far as he was concerned, of brevity, for there were many gentlemen on both sides of the House who, he did not doubt, would be anxious to express their views upon this question.—(Hear, hear.) They had two pro posals before them, the one moved by the Hon. Member for Buckinghamshire, the other submitted by his Honourable Friend the Member for Montrose.—(Hear.) Those two proposals involved entirely different princi ples. The one was founded on leaving the whole amount of the public burdens, and the public taxation, as it stood at present, merely transferring a por tion of the taxation from one class to another; the other proposal, which was that of his Hon. Friend the Member for Montrose, was founded on the principle of giving relief to all classes alike—agricultural and commercial—(Hear, hear)—by, first, a reduction of the expenditure, in order that the claims of the national creditor might be duly regarded ; se condly, by applying the surplus procured by a re duction of the expenditure to the repeal of those taxes which pressed on agriculture and commercial in dustry.—(Hear, hear.) Now, he said, those two proposals that the House had before them were founded on different principles, and he drew the atten tion of the House to that matter, because he wanted Gentlemen to consider strictly speaking what was the immediate vote which the House should be called on to give. The immediate vote was nothing more than this—which, upon the whole, was the House de sirous should be put, in order that the sense of the House might be taken upon it. namely, whether the proposi tion of the Honourable Member fur Buckingham shire, or that of his Honourable Friend the Member for Montrose. The first vote the House came to did not involve any Gentleman in the general prin ciple involved in either proposition; but if a Gentleman saw there was, in the proposition of his lion. Friend the Member fur Montrose, a principle which he thought was wore in unison with his views than the principle in volved in the proposition of the Hon. Member for Buckinghamshire, he said at least he would vote for the amendment, in order to give the motion of his Honourable Friend at least the opportunity 0 being put to the House. The Howe had to choose between the two—would they seek relief by the reduction of expenditure, or by transferring a por tion of the local taxes to the Consolidated Fund. There were Gentlemen who might think the House might select a better instance than the malt-tax for repeal— for instance, those on paper and on windows; but a Gentleman who was for the repeal of any one of those taxes might consistently vote at least for the amendment of hie Honourable Friend the Member for Montrose. Now he would state hi,s reasons for preferring the amendment of his Honourable Friend the Member for Montrose to that of the Hon. Member for Buckinghamshire. Be invited the House to go into Committee, for the purpn.o of agreeing to a resolution which should transfer a charge of 6,000,0001. sterling upon the Consolidated Fund. Tha:, he imagined would . be the resolution that the Honourable Gentleman would submit to a Committee of the whole House if they were to agree to this proposal. He ima gined that resolution was the foundation of a Bill, and that he merely submitted his proposal in its present form in compliance with Parliamentary usage ; but a motion of that kind should be submitted to Parliament in a Committee of the whole House. But he offered the House no security, whether, if it agreed to transfer those 6,000,0001. to the Consolidated Fund, that he would be able to prevail on Parlia ment to argree in other taxation which would be necessary if he should carry his resolutions. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had last night disposed of the question of unequal local taxation in a most able speech.—(Hear, hear.) He thought there never was a more able or logical speech delivered in that House than that of the Chancellor of the Exchequer last night; it completely answered all the arguments of the Hon. Member for Buckinghamshire, and placed the saddle on the e ee right de d t o h s o h r o s w e . w i T t h h The greatß i g h i t n I g l e o n n u . t G y e n thattl e mall local t h t e a n x a p t To o n . was much less upon land than upon any other species of property. The Hon. Gentleman had asserted that real ' property ought not to bear the great weight of the local taxation, and if he was going to begin at the commencement he was not sure that he should adopt the plan of local taxation which now existed. It was an acknowledged principle that a man ought to bear his share to the support of the poor, accord ing to his means. What better means were there of as certaining the condition of any man than by taking the house in which he lived? But then it was said that the institution of a poor-rate was for local purposes, and that in order to equalise the burden throughout the country there ought to be a rate in aid drawn from. the Consolidated Fund.—(Hear.) Why of all the por tions of the public impositions to which this country was subject, there was no one whatever more completely and entirely unjust in its character than those through which the Consolidated Fund was realised— none which pressed so heavily upon the means and exertions of the industrial classes. They had at tempted to levy an assessment on stock in trade, and if it could have been accomplished—if they could rely upon Vie assertion of a high authority, that the stock in trade of the country amounted to 200,000,0001.—it would have been of immense importance, but it had entirely failed. Well it might, for it would be utterly impossible to use any machinery for accomplishing such an object. Were they aware that there are at the present moment no less than fifty-four species of Government officials, comprising no less than 180,000 individuels engaged in the collection of the Government taxes. It was an utter , impossibility to enter into every little village shop, and take an account of its sock in trade; and it should be further recollected that if ordinary stock in trade were to be taxed, so also must LI giv QUI i 4.1 effort as that must surely arid completely fail.—(Hear. a He would now beg to draw the attention el the Honourable Member for Buckiughamshire, and all his agricultural friends, to two particular points. They should remember that since the passing of the Bill for the repeal of tee corn-laws the meo.bers of the aericul luref c m ',use) oeel. e•. iir-: po,t e l st,tu,. Many p,ris. -Ds, 10 riffs n ledge, hail given up pressing their vices on letrenchnient and economy, and marshalled themselves among the ranks of those who went by the name of the prey op posed to the Liberal party, Did the lion. Alemb. r for Buckinghamshire mean to contend that a limitation in the supply of food would make the inhabitants of towns in the agricultural countries better able to bear the ex cess of local burdens? They were not likely to con ciliate the holders ot real property in towns, by telling them that they had no claim to have the excessive pres sure relieved by raising the price of food. Then, as to the question of distress. Everybody knew that the dis tress of 1836, dut ing a period of high protection, when an Agricultural Committee was sitting, was far greater than could be brought forward at the present time. 'There fore, the question of distress, though it existed to some ex in the northern counties, and the question of real pro perty in towns, had nothing to do with the subject before the House. He called the attention of the landed gentry to the new status of the political party in the country. If they did not consider well, the Gentle men on the opposite side of the House might commit a serious political blunder, the effects of which could not well be got rid of, The Hon. Baronet the Member for Essex, when addressing a large meeting of tenant-far mers the other day, told them he had no plan to propose, but he advised them to be satisfied, and to have confi dence in their Member.—(Laughter.) The time was come when Gentlemen representing the landed, the agri cultural interest, were about to be tried, and it would be seen whether they were found wanting. This was the moment in which it behoved Gentlemen opposite to think well of what they had said on the hustings and led their constituents to believe, and not to be led into com mitting a serious political blunder. He had never agi tated for the repeal of the malt- tax. He never was a malt-tax man, but he confessed that he never had any peculiar affection for that tax. He always thought there were good • economical arguments against the continuance of the tax. He thought its existence injurious to the manufacture of malt. It fettered and restricted the manufacture ot malt, and he regarded it as a pressire on the industry of the country. There was an export trade in beer and other produce of malt, and by raising the price of those arti cles they affected their export trade, and therefore their import trade and the general industry of the country. The arguments against the continuance of the tax were of the strongest and most important character. The re peal of the tax might be justified on all those grounds which justified them in selecting the Excise duties on glass, paper, and printed calico, for reduction. If, how ever, Hon. Gentlemen opposite turned their looks on the movement in favour of reduction of expenditure, and fol lowed the will-o'-the-wisp of the proposition under con sideration, they would run the risk of suffering the repeal of the malt-tax question to slip their fingers, and the opportunity might not again present itself of conferring a boon on the agricultural and labouring classes, and of contributing to the general interest of the country. There was a sort of delicacy manifested by some with regard to the discussion of the repeal of this tax, but neither he nor the Hon. Member for the West Bid ing were afraid to face it. What was the real position of the landed proprietors as a class in this country ? Were there nct great social advantages connected with the possession of property? Did riot the purchase of property almost at orice confer social advantages? led not proprietors almost immediately become otlie, deputy-lieutenants, and fill other distinguished posis?— (Laugiter.) These things were sought atter, and con ferred a value on prop sty, lie called oi, gentlemi_n oil the opposite side of tlie House to consid e r well betot they selected the metion of the Hon.. Member for Buck inghamshire on which the sense of the House should be taken. It was their policy, he might say their duty, and :n consistence with the course taken in their respective counties, to give their support to the amendment of the Hon. Member for Montrose. Mr. SEYMER said there could not be a better test of the existence of distress anicmg the agricultural classes than the disposition they evinced to emigrate whenever they could raise the funds necessary for so doing. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had attributed the exist ence of that distress to the language of alarm and ap prehension used at public meetings. He agreed with the Right Hon. Gentleman, but the language be alluded to was that employed by the Hon. Member for the West Riding and his friends. He did not think that it was quite fair for the Anti-Corn-law Leaguers, to use at different times, and in different places, arguments which, if brought together, would have neutralised each other. The difficulty of competing with foreigners was urged on the ,one hand, while, on the other, the artizans were promised plenty of work. The landlords were told that if the corn-laws were not repealed, the rents would fall; and when addressing the tenants, they said that protection was the bane of agriculture. The plan prupo.d by the Hon. Member for the West Riding, with the view of effecting a reduction of ten millions, was all moonshine. The House had pronounced it moonshine. The scheme of his Hon. Friend the Member for Bucking hamshire was a just one, and should be carried out. The maintenance of the poor was a national object—it was more--it was a national duty. It was a Christian obli gation imposed by a Christian creed. He had always maintained that, where there was a provision for the poor, the wealth of the country should support its poverty. He knew this had been called legalized com munism; but if it had been practised three hundred years ago in Ireland, he believed that Ireland would have been much better off now. His Hon. Friend's proposition went neither for a revision nor an increase of taxation, bat a shifting of the burden, according to the principles of justice. He would say on behalf of, those men, that they were open, generous, warm-hearted, sincere lovers of truth; he could not say so much for their opponents. —(Laughter.) Since the abolition of protection he con sidered that there was an additional reason afforded for a revision of the burdens imposed on the property of the country; and the question so ably propounded by the Hon. Member for Buckinghamshire, being now taken up by the country, he had no doubt that in the end some such revision as that Hon. Member proposed would be gone into. He, therefore, most cordially supported the resolutions. Lord NORREYS said he could not support the reso lutions, as, if adopted and carried out, they would lead to a system of centralisation which would be the means of ruining the various interests of the country. It was said all that was wanted was, that the House should go into Committee on the resolutions; but entertaining the opinions he did with respect to them, he would consider it a waste of the time of the House, and a trifling with the public business of the country, to go into Committee upon them. In respect to the amendment of the Hon. Member for Montrose he had voted against the motion of the Hon. Member for the West Riding on the same subject, and therefore he could not support it. Mr. C. LEWIS said the ground upon which the Hon. Member for Buckinghamshire rested . his case was, that the local taxes ot the country being directed for the l.ur poses of general interest, it was UniUSE that they should fall principally on one spr.ckes of property. That was the foundation of the Honourable Gentleman's argument, and in making out his case he ad mitted that he had stated, with precision sod accuracy, the various local burdens, in no case exagge rating, but rather falling within the actual amount of those. In addressing himself to the subject, he would confine his remarks to the question of local taxation, and to its origin. He found that the incidents of local taxa tion arose out of the incident of the poor, and the provi sion for them being the largest and most important foci burden, he should confine Minselt to that, as giving rise to the other local burdens. The Act of Elizabeth regu• hating the taxation as regarded the poor, while it in • eluded the occupiers of land and houses, also included the inhabitants of the parish, and there was no doubt but that the Act contemplated the making personal as well as real property assessable for the purpose stated. When, however, that Act was brought into practice, the Court of Queen's Bench decided otherwise, and there was, there fore, no reason to believe that personal property had ever been rated under the Act for the support of the poor, or other local purposes. Some of the courts of law had held that a person having personal property in one parish, and resident in another, was not rateable; that farm-stocking, cattle, horses, articles of husbandry, &c., were not rateable; that the wages of labour and pro fessional income was not rateable; but that stock in trade, or the amount of profit it produced, was so; and that was the only species of personal property which, up to the present time was considered rateable. The reason for excluding personal property was, that it was found impossible to levy local rates on any other prin ciple than on the visible property within the parish, and that the adoption of the principle of the income-tax in levying these would lead to the utmost confusion. Since 1603, therefore, those rates had been levied on the real visible property within the parish, and be would state, in a few words, what was their amount, in order to show how much of them would fall upon the Exchequer were the plan of the Hon. Member carried out. These were as follows, taking the rate for the poor at the last year's amount, and the other at the average they usually amounted to:— Poor-rate ... Highway-rate Church-rate ... Other local rates, such as watching, paving, sewers, &c. ••• ••• ••• ••• 500,000 ... £7,817,000 ... 1,600,000 400,000 Making a total of £10,317,000 Poor-rate for Scotland, which last year amounted to Poor-rate for Ireland, which, following out the system laid down by the lion. Gentle man, must b© taken into account, and which last year amounted to County cess 544,000 ... 1,600,000 ... 1,500,000 Amounting in all to ••• ••• £13,961,000 The amount of local rates levied yeaflly in Scotland, England and Ireland, and he conceived tlte.t the transfer ring the one half of that, sum, to be paid out of the Trea sury, would give rise to changes of the gl:eatest magni tude. There was not a doubt that were such done, and he had kept out of the calculation two , millions, the amount of the land-tax, that the taxes 061 the country must be raised in a corresponding stamina t to meet that increased demand upon the Treasury. There were, moreover, other considerations beside s t'ao,ie of a finan cial nature. If that sum was paid by tli,e Treasury, it must come under V:e control of thai, ause—the local machinery must be abolished, and unless e very item de manded by the varmus districts were AU nn iitted to that House, and the justice of the dcantoci ma de manifest, how could the plan be carried out ? It wo all, he con ceived, give rise to great inconvenience, sad would be a means of injuring the general interests of tj3 e country. —olitei two. They e.ei p most affected, and therefore bad a right to demand that other interests should ba made take a share of those burdens they had so long borne. It became the Government and the Legislature to pay particular attention to the state of the agricultural interest, and to see how heavily that interest was burdened witti undue and hien r d iht , iitai!i lailtloll It the 11 .otturahlt, Member for But!kingh,tut (Mr. D;sraA). He Roped that trade, commerce, and manu facture would be subjt,ct to heir ju,,t quota which would tend to ameliorate the condition of the agriculturist— (Hear, hear)—and hoped that support as well as sym pathy would be evinced on the par: of the Government by devising some beneficial means of reducing the exor bitant and ruinous burdens pressing so much on the com munity at large.—(Hear.) Sir M. CHOLMELEY said that it became the House to express its sympathy for the suffering landed interest by granting the Committee on the motion of the Honour able Member for Buckinghamshire (Mr. Disraeli.) He, as one of the irregular corps, thought that a moderate duty should be placed on corn, because such a duty would not come from the pocket of the consumer, but from that of the importer, and he firmly believed, on the authority of a merchant, who trades in the German and Baltic seas, that such was the case. That merchant had stated to him that he could import corn into this country at the rate of 3s. 6d. per bushel, and have a considerable profit by such a line of trade. He next reprobated the idea of repealing the malt. tax, as being introduced by the Honourable Member for Montrose (Mr. Hume) not from any sympathy with the agricultural interest, but as a counterpoise to the motion before the House; and he contended that oil-cake and tallow were better and cheaper for the support of cattle than malt, and he hoped, therefore, that in consequence of the oppressed state of the landed interest, the Committee would be granted. Mr. W. MILES said that his Hon. Friend (Mr. Disraeli) had recourse, in his able and eloquent speech, not to judges as his guide, bat to principles—to the Elizabethan law. He could not see why the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer, or the Hon. Member for Manchester (Mr. Bright) should severally state that. the exchequer or the property-tax should suffer by the success of the proposition of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Disraeli); but such was not the case, for his Hon. Friend did not make any, even the least, allu sion either to the exchequer or to the property-tax.— (Hear, hear.) The only allusion that he (Mr. Disraeli) did make was, that the machinery did exist by which the tax could be taken off real property and placed on some other interest in the community; and he should add, that he did not know whence the Honourable Member for Montrose (Mr. Hume) got such information as to enable him to state that that tax was placed ell real property in lieu of military service.—(Laughter.) In a word, he looked on the amendment as a mere ad captandum budget, in which he (Mr. Hume), how" ever, failed to state how he would make up for the defi ciency in the revenue caused by a repeal of the malt-tax. —(Laughter.) Nor would the House know how it would be made up but for the speech of the Hon. Member for the West Riding (Mr. Cobden) which had been delivered a few nights before he (Mr. Hume) introduced his amendment—(Hear)—and as he (Mr. Hume) h a d not disclosed to the House his motives for relieving the agri cultural class of the community, he (Mr. Miles), with a vast majority of the House, should overthrow the amend ment. Next, to address himself t , the mit on of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Disraeli), he should say, the fact that real property was too heavily burdened was recognised by Noble Lords and Right Hon. Gentlemen on both sides of the thist., and he would refer to the able report of one of the highest authorities in the country—one who had filled so many various and important offices under the Crown, with an ability, jadgait rr. and talent, that diitiogui.,bed him. He , dani.-ti to the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir Jatuei (irahr.iiii), v. h. , , in his speech in 1845, On the report (-!i the C-totaittee over which lie (Sir J. G.) presided, 1 ° 1833 re e 'gnised that county rates presse:t most heavily on the t,grictiltural interests. Here the Hon. Gentle' man read some extracts from the report of the Coto' mittee of 1833, in fay air of his argument, and said, that as there was a declension of Bs. per barrel in the p r ice of corn since that year, it being then 535., and now only 455., with the same outgoings and expenditure ,on the part of the farmers, he hot:IA that Parliament would not reftliP to modify the state of the agricultural ill, terest. That d, mand was not asked for the landed interest alone—it was asked for the public utility, and he could prove, on the authority of Blackstone, to show the principle on which he was acting, in concert with his Hon. Friend Mr. Disraeli, that the poor of England lived on the private benificence, and not on taxation, he fore the time of Henry the Eighth, and that then no poor died through want. If he looked at the county-rate be found a great increase in its annual amounts. Thus, la 1793, it was 184.0001. ; in 1803, 235,0001. ; in 18139 510,000/. ; in 1823, 571,0001. ; in 1833, 757,0001. ; stud in 1847, which was the last year of whiCh returns had been received, it was 1,310,000/. Deducting from the / sum the expenses of prosecutions, the county-rate for that year would be 1,058,8091. available for general pus• poses. Therefore, in fifty-four years, the rate had le; creased 874,8191. It immediately became a question o f grave consequence to ascertain whether that sum might not be better applied, or distributed. Notwithstanding the great importation of foreign corn which was noir taking place, there might be cause for the clis' tress which prevailed so generally, but he could not conceal from himself the fact, that that distress was not confined to the agricultura l classes, but extended itself very largely amongst the manufacturers. He denied that real property for age' cultural purposes was more taxed than real property fo r any other purpose. Whilst he was upon that point, b e might take occasion to remark that it was very much to . be regretted that the tables which were constantly pub lished, setting forth the details of the trade and cool' merce of the country, should not be more correctly, of rather discreetly, compiled. With regard to the tot ° aboliticn of the malt-tax, he felt that they had been stripped of every rag of protection, and when he 5 how vague and indefinite we re th e means o f replacin g the lost revenue, he did not think the times were 5 changed as to justify him in gi v i ng hi s assent to th e view of the question taken by the H onoura bl e Membersh, for Montrose and the West Ridin g o f Yorkshire. I__,' " 0 looked to the increasing poor-r a t e , w i t h th e k no wl edg e he had of the injurious effects o f th e compet i t i on vil a foreign produce and foreign artisans, to which they hid been exposed by the withdrawal of protection, he col not think that the schemes of H onoura bl e G en tlereg opposite were such as would t e nd to i mprove t h e cos a l ' tion of the country; and believin g th at t h e proposltl" „ be under discussion would be a m uc h greater b ene fi t to ~i& agricultural community than the repeal of the 01 7 0 duties, he could have no choic e b u t cor d ia ll y to assent the motion of the Hon. Member for Buckinghamshire u o Mr. BRIGHT thought, he said, that the House srel l ic i find some difficulty as to the manner in which it shot' regard the motion submitted to i t by th e H on . Mentb e r to for Buckinghamshire. Originally they were give l i.. understand that the basis or grou n d wor k o f hi s prop e!, tion was the prevalence of gr o at di s t ress amongs t perso n, engaged in agriculture; but th e s p eec h o f t h e H o n. Gen , Littman himself orought them to a ver y diff erent cone ,d , sion, and the speech of the Hon. Member for S o mersei, shire seemed to set that question a t res t, as t h e grotto r work of the proposition of his Um. Friend the Menib, e r for Buckinghamshire.—(Hear.) The Hon. Me m b e r O A Buckinghamshire had quoted something he (M r . Brie", had said as to the distress of the agricultural classe s ' but the Hon. Member had misquoted — o f course. 1 1 01 fi t' tentionally—what he had said, as we ll as what had het," said by his Hon. Friend (M r . C o bd en ) on the same s°,,"t jest. He (Mr. Bright) never h a d a d mitted that throug h° :A the agricultural classes there was wide-spread and int ers 7 di,tresm. H e h a d not even heard at any of the meet i n gs whether in S u ff o lk , or in Cainbridge. or elsewhere, el the distress was so great; an d h e k new that in the el it of England. so tar was distress from being spoken eit oto was not even thought of.—(Cries of " Oh I o h !" f ro Members on the Oppositi on b enc h es. ) Since tot meeting of Parliament, he beli eve d t h at pr i ces had °e fallen.—(Cries of " Oh! oh!") A gentleman from 11 ° 4 of the southern counties of Scotl an d told him that 5 „ 0 . had had a good year, and th a t th e y were per fectlY.'"ia tent.—(Cries of " Oh! oh 1") In some of the countle g o , the south of England he believed that there was dte.t re fi ll There were vicissitudes in f arm i ng prec i se l y as I°Tee other trades. The seasons were not all alike. t b; rain fell at a critical time for th e f armers i n the .seutbe it fell before the critical time for the farmers in jot north. In the south the crops, therefore, were eleu, s e- t ee in quantity and inferior in quality; but in the noe: p re, farmers had a fair crop and a fair quantity; and, t."; or fore, he heard no complaints from them. —(Crieeer t " Oh! oh !") But if they had any doubt on this alli;li r e. he appealed to the Hon. Member for Somerset s t oe, The Hon. Gentleman had given them the price of e rf e bo r but that point had been so well disposed of by the ti i ,., it; cellor of the Exchequer that he should not revert : o la however, the Hon. Member for Somersetshire heu r iot them of the sale of some of his own corn of an inw r iao quality at 425. the quarter. Now, to tell them the P ie of a damaged article in the market was not the wet ie le which one could learn the average price of any er t o , in the market. Now, if a Somersetsbire farmer o r v. nant could procure 425. a quarter for dam age d viol e t , for wheat which the Hon. Member said had " aPe )ll red —he took it that 4 8s. or 50s. mi g ht b e conside id the lowest price for which wheat of a fair cia l ° ,. o ol could be purehased.—(Loud cr i es o f "N o, ne,' :ireci Members on the Opposition b enc h es. ) H e h a d ietl_ , :4o of a gentleman on his way t o M ar k - l ane w h a t vv r 7, or price of wheat, and h e sa id that good wheat was i t i rs. 535., and that the av erage price of foreigai vib e*. th e 48e.; and if their wheat was equal in quality W o re foreign, they must get an equal price for it. f ril e „ r h e e e%,' there . was no ground on that account to make " - i u str tennio change called for, and which could not b ° j th ° 1 fl ed . either on the price of grain, or the condition t o v en ' farmer at the present time.—(Hear.) He dida ° as ioet ture to go into any elaborate figures on this 0e ...t0 0 because all had been said on this and other poi,„- 0 ,0 well by the Chancellor of the Exchequer that he AO° not repeat them; for he must say that ou this 5 ar ie e the Chancellor of the Exchequer had not only °l d rote good speech, but the very best speech he had beefs eats! the Treasury bench since its present occupan ts bop s into office.—(Hear, and laughter.) There wer e = be r ever, some points in the proposition of the Hon. Pil, t h e for Buckinghamshire which the Chancellor ° f 10 , Exchequer had not placed in all the lltatug e i& which they might be regarded. The II` nh o pool„ ber fa- Buckinghamshire seemed to adopt the 1 1 ..eiv o , ' tion that local rates should not be levied Ine.i_ c i; o 3oP houses, railways, factories, lands, but on all the I ._u_ [toll' of the country. If that were not so said by th e for Member for Buckinghamshire, the Hon. Nlea% to be' Soinersetshiro said so, and so lie took the . iec,!'„, wag The lion. Member for Buckinghamshire said . 7 , t hat not for a national rate; and this might be remark ed, ~.0 10 0 a national rate would run up 50 i er . cent. in !i_vf a l rf ,t higher than rates were at present, if the natw,..h.,0 0 0 1 were distributed by local authorities. In the SUl'. en! , nt; - , the tier, ThE lap lest for the