The Sun. — London, England, 1849-05-04 00:00:00

THE CASE O ' COLONEL DYCE S OMBRE. TO THE EaITOR OF TEE SUN. sea,—fhe very to e - eere and as I feel unmerited cen sure cast upon toy 'conduct towards Mr. Dyce Sombre, by the Lord Piano slior in his recent judgment, coupled with the improper and unwarranted aspersions of Mr. Bethel in the course.. of his arguments (aspersions which no alleged privilege of the bar can possibly justify), render it essential that I should in vindication of my own character enter into a plain and simple statement of my connexion with Colonel Dyce Sombre, from the time of our first acquainta.nee up to the latest period. My acquain Lance with Mr. Dyce Sombre commenced at Brussels in elle year 1844. A certificate had previously been signed by nine of t'ae most eminent physicians of Paris as to the perfect soundness of his mind and full capacity to manage hes own affairs. In common, I be lieve, with most of the medical world I felt considerable interest in tt e case., which formed a topic of general con versation at the ti me; my own professional experience more particeelarly with respect to mental diseases induced me to adopt, the v.ews of the Parisian physicians, and to believe that, Mr. `sombre was at that period perfectly sane, and I deeply sympathised with a person who had for a considerabl e period exercised sovereign power, and who had experi eneed such lamentable vicissitudes of fortune. At that pe clod, however, I entertained not the slightest idea of a closer intimacy with him, or of in any way undertakiteg the management of his affairs. My circum stances we re, and I am happy to say still are, perfectly independer it. I suggested to Mr. Sombre that he should su' omit himself to the examination of the most eminent raedical men in any metropolis which he might happen e 3 visit, in order to accumulate the greatest pos sible bed y of unexceptionable evidence on his case, and that disieterested and gratuitous advice constituted the only part which I at that time took in the transaction. I again aset him at Brussels in April, 1845, when I be came on much more intimate terms with him. In the interval he had acted on my advice, and had been ex amined by the Medical Council of St. Petersburgh, at the desire of the Minister of the Interior of Russia, and he produced to me a certificate signed by ten of the most celebrated physicians of that country, that he (Mr. Dyce Sombre) " was in a perfect state of mind." A similar certificate had been also obtained from several members of the faculty at Brussels; and, with such powerful evidence in addition to that which had previously been obtained, I had no doubt that my former opinion as to his sanity was perfectly correct. He represented to me the painful position, nay, the eomparative state of destitution in which he was placed, the sufferings he had undergone, and he feelingly depicted the degradation (as he justly termed it) of having a scanty allowance irregularly doled out to him through a medical gentleman appointed by the Court of Chancery, who actually received 5,0001. per annum out of Colonel Dyce Sombre's fortune, from which he was in the first instance to pay all his own private expenses, and then to apply the balance for Colonel Sombre's be nefit in such manner as he deemed most advisable, as may appear by the letter of the Lord Chancellor's private secretary to Colonel Dyce Sombre of the 22d January, 1845. This gentleman who, as I have been informed, bad attained the mature age of twenty-two years when invested with such extraordinary powers, lived at Paris while Mr. Sombre resided at Brus eels, and it was therefore impossible that his ad vice could be of any real utility. Colonel Dyce Sombre expressed his anxious desire to be emancipated from what he was pleased to term the con trol of this medical incubus. He also spoke of the pecu niary difficulties in which he was then involved in con sequence of his declining to receive money from such a quarter. Entertaining a deep sympathy at his unme rited sufferings, I was induced at his urgent request to advance him 500 L sterling on no other security than his I 0 U, which sum was paid to him in the month of May, 1805, through Mr. De Poer, of Brussels, who drew on my bankers, Messrs. Cox and Co., of Craig's-court, Charing-cross, and in the month of August following I transmitted to Baden Baden, where he was then resid ing, a further sum of 100/. through the same agency, a pretty good proof that I at least did not consider him of unsound mind. These sums were paid to me in Decem ber last, with interest at the rate of five per cent. per annum. More than two years after, Mr. Sombre was placed in the receipt of his entire surplus fortune (about one-half of which was absorbed in the allowance of 4,0001. per annum to the Honourable Mrs. Sombre and the expenses of management in the Court of Chancery), which allowance was mainly obtained through my instrumentality and exertions. And I also enabled him to get rid of his medical attendant, and thus effected a saving of 500/. per annum from his estate. In July 1145, two months after I had made the first advance of 5001., Mr. Sombre urgently requested that I would un dertake the entire management of his affairs, and offered to make any reasonable recorapence for my services. He represented his utter friendlessness; that there were none to act on his behalf in whom he could place the slightest reliance (Mr. Goldsmith, the father-in-law of Lord Lyndhurst, through whom the petition of 1844 had been presented, and who was to have received 20,0001. in the event of the commission being superseded, was no longer in communication with him); and that he was without the support of assistance he so urgently required. He offered to pay we for my services, and the necessarily heavy expenditure I would have to encounter in conduct ing the transaction, the sum of 10,0001. in the event of the commission being superseded within a limited period. I felt that, under the entire circumstances of the case, the sum so gratuitously and repeatedly offered was by no means extravagant or unreasonable, consider ing the importance of the object to be attained, the great wealth of Mr. Sombre, and the proverbial delays and expenses of Chancery . proceedings. If I did not succeed, I could receive no remu neration for my services, or even repayment of the heavy costs to which I might eventually be put. If Mr. Sombre was of unsound mind, the contract would be utterly valueless, I could not of course recover any claim from a lunatic, nor would he be in a position to pay me, but if as I (in common with the physicians of Paris, St. Petersburgh, and Brussels) supposed and believed he was perfectly sane and under no legal disability, he was quite competent to enter into a valid contract, and there could be no greater impropriety in making a fair agreement with him than with any other person whatsoever. And in this opinion I am fully borne out by the report of Doctors Bright and Southey, for warded to the Lord Chancellor in August, 1e47, in which they say : " In conclusion, we are bound to admit, that we were unable to elicit any possible delusions under which Mr. Dyce Sombre labours, though, at the same time, we re gret to add, that we feel no confidence that be is entirely tree from such delusions. "So far as respects the management of property we entertain no doubt of his competency to take care of it, and we think that if ho were entrusted with the surplus of his unappropriated income, one great cause of unea siness would be removed." I cannot, therefore, conceive there was any " pltmder ing " in the transaction, or conduct deserving of the harsh observations that have been applied to it. In pursuance of this arrangement I entered actively upon the duties I had undertaken, and although I did not succeed in obtaining a supersedeas of the commission, I yet procured for him a con siderable accession of his income, he being placed, as I have already stated, in receipt of his entire surplus in come, and tLe medical attendant being dispensed with' Th April, 1848, Mr. Sombre stated that our agree ment had . ended, as he was not discharged from the jurisdiction of the court within the stipulated time, and he thought, notwithstanding the great advantages he had derived from my exertions, that I had no further claim upon him. I thought ()there ise, inasmuch as tie had declined following my advice, and coming to England to s.ubrnit himself to the examination of emi nent English physicians, which refusal he justified on the ground that the Court of Chancery had broken faith with him on a former occasion, when Lord Lynd hurst sanctioned his arrest, although protection to his person had been granted. We disagreed on these points, and I totally withdrew from the management of his affairs, and all communications ceased between Mr. Dyce Sombre and myself. I thought myself aggrieved by his conduct, and;that I had not been fairly treated, inasmuch as having placed himself in my hands, and my remuneration being contingent on suc cess, he was bound implicitly to follow my instructions. I moreover stated to his tree friends, Lord Comber mere and Mr. Princeps, that I would be quite satisfied to receive the actual expenses out of pocket, and the various sums I had from time to time paid to him. This reasonable proposition was not then acceded to, although highly approved of by all his friends. The petition of 1848 was presented without my knowledge, privity, or consent, and I was not in any manner concerned in the proceedings that took place. This fact will sufficiently appear From the affidavit of Mr. Charles Shadwull (brother to the Vice, Chancellor of England), sworn the 18th January last, in which the following passage occurs:—" And I say that in the pre parine of the said petition, in the presenting of the same, and in every other proceeding consequent thereon, I have been wholly instructed by the said D. 0. D. Sombre, and not by any other person acting on his behalf except the counsel I have instructed in this matter." This petition was dismissed, and Colonel Sombre sub sequently applied for my advice and assistance, which I peremptorily refused, except upon the terms in being paid the money I had advanced and the expenses I bad incurred on his account. I also thought that I was entitled to remuneration for my great trouble, but this was not pressed, although every gentleman ac quainted with the circumstances of the case fully parti cipated-in the opinion to which Mr. C. Shadwell gave expression in a letter addressed to me, dated the Ist December last, in which he says:—" In short I cannot but feel that without such an active and zealous friend as you have proved in the management of this matter, Mr. Dyce Sombre would now be in the same unpro tected, friendless, and needy state as he was when you first took him by the hand and entered upon the subject at Brussels. I have thought it but right to state thus much, in common justice to you." The matter was referred to arbitration, Mr. Princeps consenting to act on behalf of Mr. Sombre, while I named Major Richardson. After a minute and search ing investigation these gentlemen decided that 2,140/. should be paid to me for ex p enses an d cas h a d vance d , a portion immediately and the remainder by instalments. I should say that I had previ ous ly i n f orme d t h e arbitra tors that I did not wish to inconvenience Mr. Dyce Sombre in any degree , on which account it was (I have reason to believe) settled that the payment should be made at remote intervals. During that reference Colonel Sombre submitted to me th e na mes of six gen tl e m e n whoae unanimous report as to his sa n i ty f orme d the basis of the last petition. In the choice of these gentlemen I had no par t whatever— I never consulted a medical practitioner in England as to his mental capacity. H av ing in 1845, and ever. since, ,become thoroughly convinced that he did not labour under any insane delusion whatsoever, but that he was ?ilk 111,V THE SUN, LONDON, perfectly competent to manage his own affairs, I was, of course, satisfied of the high authority of these gentle men in everything relating to mental diseases, and re joiced that they could conscientiously state their unhesi tating belief in the soundness of his mind, but I never attempted to influence their opinion, nor was I even pre sent at any of the examinations or consultations which took place during Colonel Sombre's sojourn in London. This is a plain and unadorned narrative of the facts of the case. I feel that I have not acted improperly in any respect, or in any manner derogatory to the character of a man of honour and a gentleman, my conscience per fectly acquits me, and I can bear with equanimity the taunts and sarcasms uttered by the venal tongues that are willing to espouse any cause for which they may be handsomely paid. The errors committed by Colonel Dyce Sombre in his own conduct of his case have been sufficiently commented on, and have indeed constituted a most unjustifiable ground for vilifying him even as a lunatic. But I would ask the unscrupulous assailants of my character, whe ther these errors do not sufficiently prove that the ser vices which he is presumed to have purchased from me, were essential, in kind, to his struggle for emancipation? I have the honour to remain, Sir, Your most obe6ient ser►ant, A. S. MAHON. STRIKE AMONG THE WEAVERS TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR,—In The Sun of yesterday appearedti report of a strike among the weavers of this town, the cause of which was therein assigned to be that a higher rate of wages had been paid here than in any other part of the country (Selkirk excepted). In justice, I demand that you state through the same medium that that report was premature and very im- probable. The reduction proposed here is twenty-five per cent., and although several attempts have been made to ascertain what were the prices paid for the same work in Alloa district, as yet no proper answer has been given. Yesterday morning a deputation of workmen, bearing a letter of introduction from the manufacturers here, was dispatched thither to try to arrive at that in formation. This fact of itself proves that the report of your former correspondent was both premature and uncertain. In justice to the workmen of Galashiels. I hope you will grant the above a place in your paper, that so un reasonable a stigma may be wiped off their character. I am your obedient servant, Galashiels, May 2, 1849. G. ANDERSON. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—Permit me to state through your columns that upon the division on the Clergy Relief Bill, yesterday, I went by mistake into the wrong lobby, and did not discover my error until my vote had been taken, when it was too late to correct tne error. I intended to vote for the omission of the second part of the 6th clause.—Your obedient servant, GEO. THOMPSON. Waterloo-place, May 3, 1849. IMPORTA.NT MOVEMENTS IN CANADA—A NATIONAL CONVENTION. (From the New York Herald, April 16.) In our Montreal correspondence, published elsewhere in this sheet, will be found a very interesting report of the preliminary proceedings which have been held in Montreal, for the organization of a national convent i o n of the two Canadas, to take into consideration the pre sent condition of those colonies, and the propriety and necessity of changing their existing form of government, either into an independent federal union of all British America, or ultimate annexation to the United States. This important movement may be considered the first peaceful and constitutional step towards a partial, and, ultimately, an entire revolution of that cluster of colo nies, in their existing relations towards Great Britain. This step acquires the deeper importance trom the very calm, temperate, and legal shape it begins to assume. We cannot forget, or overlook, in this connexion, that the first signs of the American revolution of 1776, which established this great republic on this continent and sewed the; seeds of change in Europe, were of the same nature as those now becoming manifest in Canada. It was from a convention of the old colonies, held long before 1776, that the foundation was laid of all the sub sequent fortunate changes and happy revolutions. The same process has begun in Canada. The rebellion of Lyon Mackenzie, in 1337, was only an ugly, ill-tempered inconsistent, impotent row of loafers and vagabonds. The present movements and temper in Canada appear to be under the control of mind and intellect. On this subject, several of the Canadian partisan jour nals have taken us to task—accusing us of all sorts of ignorance, in anticipating any such movements or popu lar discussions in Canada, looking to ultimate separatio❑ from England. Ever since the farce on the frontier, of 1837, we have been rather incredulous on such a point ; but recently the signs and indications in Canada, in every way—in Parliament, in the press, and at public meetings, have been so numerous, that we begin to con sider the whole matter open for discussion and delibera tion. Much has to be done to bring about such a change; and the Canadians themselves have to do it. On this side of the frontier we ere mere spectators—not even sympathisers. If they don't effect the great revolution by reason, argument, and the consent of Great Britain, all in due time, they will wait long till they get aid from the United States. But destiny is destiny. A colonial convention in 1660, or thereabouts, led to the American revolution of 1776. When Canada shall have gone through the like process, perhaps we may be ready to receive her, at the north—and Cuba, in the south. Who knows ? CALIFORN lA. (From the Pennsylvania Inquirer.) The National Intelligencer is indebted to General Jes sup for a long and able letter from Captain Folsom, dated San Francisco, January 23, 1849. We extract a few of the more important passages:— " The only tribunals which have attempted any juris diction in cases of murder, &c., some months past, are those formed for the occasion as it arises, and offenders generally escape, or, if they are taken, it is amidst the frenzy of popular excitement, where the guilty and innocent may be victims together. Several executions have taken place is pursuance of this kind of law, and it is suppused that several others will be anounced by the next mail from the south. In the meantime outrages are occurring in all quarters of the country, and the public astonishment has scarcely subsided after one murder has transpired before another is committed more horrible than the first. Housebreaking, thefts, and robberies are of almost hourly occurrence. This state of things must continue until we have the firm and steady rein of go vernment extended over the territory by Congress. I have no expectations that a provisional government (should it go into operation, and this cannot be the case is less than a year from this time) would be found ade quate to the public wants. " A great stagnation in business has occurred since winter set in, and prices of goods have fallen in conse quence. Vessels arriving at this time find an inconsi derable market, and it will continue bad until there is a tendency towards the mines, in March, when new sup plies must go in that direction. Within the last ten days six or eight vessels have arrived from Mexico and the west coast of South America, and we hear of more than forty which are likely to follow them from Chili and Peru with about 3,000 emigrants. Every vessel which leaves takes away a rich freight of gold, and there ure still very large amounts of it in the country. lam sa tisfied that more than 3,000,000 dolls. worth of gold has been taken from the mines up to this io time, and that 2,000,000 dolls. have been taken away from the country, mostly to foreign countries, for a market. I have no doubt that 1,500,000 dolls. worth will have been shipped from this port alone. " These facts ought to convince the most incredu lous that the Government needs a mint at this place to coin the gold produced by the mines, thereby protect ing its own interests and those of American citizens re siding in this territory. We hear officially from Chili that a very large amount of spurious coin is about to be shipped from Peru and Bolivia, to be put into circula tion on the coast in exchange for gold, and through the Custom-houses." " Where families are coming with the intention of remaining in the country, I believe the voyage round Cape Horn is preferable in all respects to a journey across the mountains. It is cheaper, safer, and more comfortable, and quite as expeditious, generally speak ing, as that over the mountains; and for emigrants leaving the Eastern and Middle States, far preferable to any route, except that across the Isthmus at Panama by the new line of steamers." The trade of the country is rapidly increasing, in con sequence of the mines and the great ii.flux of population. For several months past the average amount of duties collected at this port, exclusive of the expenses of the Custom-house, has been rising 30,000 dollars, and it is thought that it will exceed 60,000 dollars the present month. It will be safe, I think, to put the revenue of Calitornia, for the current year, at 1,000,000 dolls., and four-fifths of this will be collected at this port. The amount paid is becoming a subject of emu meat, and the fact that a population paying such a tax has no Government and no representation, is exciting very general dissatisfaction. Should Congress again adjourn without any action in relation to th►s territory, it will create still more violent comment. and might lead to some measures on the part of the people of the country which would bring lasting disgrace upon our flag. All the trade of the coast is fast concentrating in this bay. Nearly all the goods consumed in the lower part of this territory are sent from this port, and as soon ss coasters can be got for the business, foreign vessels will not visit those ports at all. The introduction of steamers on the coast will give additional importance to this har bour, and it is most likely that much of the business of Oregon will be done here also. ARREST, TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF THE SAN MIGUEL MURDERERS. By the military courier from Monterey, who arrived here on the 22d inst., we have received the f ollowin g particulars of the condign punishment of the perpetrators of the barbarous murders at San Miguel:— 1 , MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, JAN. 18. — The mail rider south, named Pearson, returned last evrning from Dana's. He waited there three days for the mail frem Los .An geles, but it did not come, so he returned with no written mail, but considerable gossip, amounting to this:— Lieutenant Ord, with his party, together with some ran cheros, who were aiding him in his pursuit of the famous San Miguel murderers, came upon the fugitives this side of Santa Barbara, where the road lays upon the sea beach. They resisted their arrest, and in the affray one of the murderers was killed, three captured, and one took to sea, swimming beyond the range of fire-arms. He was repeatedly fired at, and at last, upon a signal being made to him, he turned to swim for shore, but was drowned before reaching it. His body was washed in by the surf, and was found wounded in two places. The three men captured were conducted to Santa Barbara, tried and shot. Thus the five are disposed of. One of the men was named Lynch, formerly a corporal in com- pany G, of the ♦olunteers; the other, his companion, and three sailors, were deserters from the Warren. The two former are supposed to have committed a murder on the Stanislaus last November. A Californian of the pur suing party was kill, d. INDIAN DISPATCHES. (From the London Gazette Extraordinary.) INDIA BOARD, MAY 2. The dispatch, of which the following is an extract, and the accompanying papers, have been this day re. ceived at the East India House, from the Governor- General of India. THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA TO THE SECRET COMMITTEE. Camp, Ferozepore, March 24th, 1849. (Extract.) The victory of Goojerat, followed up, as it has been, with unfailing vigour by Sir Walter Gilbert, has led to the delivery of the British prisoners, the surrender of the Seikh chiefs, with all the guns that still remained to them, and the entire prostration of the Seikh army. These important results have been obtained, without another shot being fired. On the Bth instant, the enemy, about 16,000 strong, were at Rawul Pindee, thirty-one miles in advance of the position which Sir Walter Gilbert had reached. In the evening, Mrs. Lawrence and her children, with others of the British prisoners, arrived in the General's camp. The rest, accompanied by Raja Shere Singh, Lall Singh, Morareea, and 450 followers, came in, a few hours afterwards. On the following day, Shere Singh returned to Rawul Pindee, to arrange with his troops for their unconditional capitulation. Sir Walter Gilbert, however, determined to continue his advance, and to close up his rear division, for the purpose of moving on the enemy's position. On the loth, he was at Manikyala, where Sirdar Khan Singh Majeetia came, and tendered his submission, bringing with him his armed retainers, about 1,000 men, with some guns. On the 11th he was at Hoormook, on the left bank of the Sohan River. There Sirdar Chuttur Singh, Raja Shere Singh, and several other Sirdars, and officers of the Seikh army, arrived in his camp, gave up their swords, and made over 17 guns, intimating that others were on their way. On the 14th, the General reached Rawul Pin dee, and received the surrender of the whole body of the Seikh army, the Sirdars surrendering their swords i❑ the presence of the commanding officers of divisions and brigades, and their staffs. The total number of guns given up was forty-one, and 16,000 stanel of arms were laid down. I have since learnt that the arms amount to more than 20,000. All the Sirdars that were in arms have surrendered, with the exception of two, Bhaee Maharaj Singh (still alive, it seems), and Colonel Richpaul Singh, who have absconded, but without adherents. "We have now," writes his Excellency the Com mander-in-Chief, "in our possession, 56 guns, taken at Goojerat, and abandoned by the enemy in his retreat, on the 21st of February-41, surrendered to Major- General Sir W. Gilbert, since that event-12, captured at Chillianwallah—and 50 at Moultan—making a total of 158 pieces of ordnance, which have fallen into our hands during the present campaign." In offering to Major-General Gilbert, and to the whole army, my heartfelt congratulations upon the events above related, the results of the battle of Goo jerat, and of the operations subsequent to it, so admira bly conducted by the Major-General, is fulfilment of his Excellency the Commander-in-Chief's instructions, I did not allow the glory of these results to conceal the fact, that although the Seikh enemy was humbled to the dust, and his power utterly crushed, there still re mained another, whose wanton and insolent hostility demanded speedy chastisement. I cannot regard the war as concluded—l cannot say that peace is restored—until Dost Mahomed Khan and the Affghan enemy are either driven from the province of Peshawur, or destroyed within it. This may be—l hope it is—the case, even now. I have heard, already, of Sir W. Gilbert being at Attock, which the enemy evacuated, on his approach. This energetic officer made a forced march of thirty-one miles to that fortress, in order to secure the bridge of boats on the Indus from being burnt or destroyed ; and, in this object he has been quite successful, having secured no less than seven teen boats, after the bridge had been broken by the retreating Affghans. The Major-General writes, that he hopes to cross the river with the Bengal division, on the afternoon of the 19th instant, and intends to push on, after the flying enemy, with all expedition. He must, by this time, have reached Peshawur; and the Ameer will hardly venture to meet him in the field. MAJOR-GENERAL SIR W. B. GILBERT, E.C.8., TO TUE ADJUTANT.GENERAL. Camp, near Attock, March 18th, 1849. Since my dispatch from Rawut Pindee, of the 14th instant, I have advanced to this place, and beg to report, for the information of the Commander-ia-Chief, that I am, to-day, in possession of the fort of Attock. On the 15th instant, the Bengal division of the force under my command moved to Jani-lie-Sung, 17 miles, and, on the 16th, reached Wah, after a march of 14 miles. While at Wah, intelligence reached me that the bridge over the river Indus was still standing, and that Attock was occupied by the Affghan troops: seeing at once the import ance of securing the bridge, or, at all events. the boats forming it, or such of them as could be rescued from the hands of the enemy, I resolved upon advancing on Attock, by a forced march of thiry-one miles, relying with confidence on the utmost exertion being made by every officer and soldier under my command to effect so great an object as that of securing the means of rapidly crossing the river Indus. This confidence has not been misplaced. At six o'clock P.M. on the 16th, the force moved from Wah, bivouacked for a few hours at Booran, and reached Shumshabad, about sunrise. From Shurnshabad, after feeding the horses, I pushed on, with my cavalry and artillery, to Attock, before which fortress I arrived, with the cavalry, at half-past eleven o'clock, the artillery coming up at one P.M. The fort of Attock I found to be evacuated ; and the rear-guard of the Affghan army was in the act of crossing the bridge of boats. Our troops had hardly shown themselves, when the bridge was broken up, and many of the boats allowed to float down the river. The enemy was drawn up in force on the right bank, and on the sloping ground extending from the river to the bills in his rear , on the river bank, he had placed three batteries, two of them of three guns each ; the third or right battery consisted of a larger number of guns. To his right was the fort of Khyrabad, where he had placed two guns, out side that fortress. Each battery was supported by a re giment of regular infantry ; and crowds of irregulars, both infantry and cavalry, were formed on the sloping ground, in rear of his guns. _ _ From his position, with a rapid river in his front, I was led to expect that he would have offered some re sistance to our passage; but, in this belief I was mis taken, and was disappointed by his moving off; almost immediately on my arrival with the cavalry, and before my g,uns could come up. T 6 4. batteries on the river side, and the guns at Khy rabad, opened upon such parties as showed themselves, while the guns remained in position; and an exchange of musketry was kept up by the Jezzailchies and some of our troops until late in the day, but apparently without loss on either side. Seventeen boats have been secured, and are sufficient to form a bridge, which shall be made with all possible dispatch. I hope to cross the river, with the Bengal division, on the afternoon of the 19th instant, and shall R ex -G p E ed N i E ti ß o A lr T p la Us E h O s n E , c a fter A. t ii h r e _l l, l T n jE g e n T e ja m E y , G w o , t E h t a i, l w l TO THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF THE ARMY. Camp, Ferozepore, March 10, 1549. The name of Lieutenant-Colonel Birch, Judge-Advo• cato-General, having been inadvertently omitted in the General Order, dated the Ist of March, publishing the details of the action at Goojerat, I am directed by the Governor-General to request that that officer's ❑ame may be inserted, immediately after that of Lieutenant- Colonel Garden, C.B. THE COMMANDEE - IN-CHIEF TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL. Camp, Kullalla, March 15, 1849. On reperusal of my dispatch, relative to the opera tions of the 21st of February at Goojerat, I regret to find I omitted mentioning the names of Lieutenants Lumsden and Hodson, of the Corps of Guides, and Lieu tenant Lake, of the Engineers, attached to the Political Department. These officers were most active in conveying orders, throughout the action; and I now beg to bring their names to the favourable notice of your Lordship. MAIOR-GENERAL WHISII, C. 8., TO THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE ARMY. Camp, Ramnuggur, February 13, 1849. In my dispatch of the 22d ultimo, I expressed my apprehension that I might have omitted mention of some who merited particular notice, and I beg leave now to repair the omission. After Lieutenant Garforth was wounded, on the 2 d ultimo, Lieutenant Maxwell, of the Engineers, who had, on the 27th of December, accompanied the column of attack, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Young, her Majesty's 10th Regiment, was appointed to officiate as Brigade-Major, and carried on its duties with great efficiency, giving, as his predecessor had done, every satisfaction to the Chief Engineer, who also makes favourable mention of Captain Longden, her Majesty's 10th Regiment, Acting Field Engineer, whose diligence and useful services have, frequently, during the operations before Moultan, come under my own notice: and although, at the earliest commencement of them, I drew his Excellency's attention to the ability and perseverance evinced by Lieutenant Glover of the En gineers, in performing (in August last) the important duty, assigned to him on my approaching Moultan, of block ing up the mouth of the Grand Canal, I would fain recur to it in this, as that officer's course has, ever since, been consistent with this beginning. As, from July last, the arduous, and often harassing, duties of Brigade Quartermasters of the Bengal Field Force, have been uniformly carried out by the under mentioned officers, with an energy and attention most creditable to them, I beg to bring them to his Lordship's favourable notice. _ _ Artillery—Lieutenant W. K. Fooks. Engineers—Lieutenant J. E. Cracroft, 69th Native Infantry. Cavalry—Lieutenant J. H. Toone, llth Light Cavalry. Ist Infantry Brigade—Lieutenant G. G. Moxon, 52d Native Infantry. 2d Infantry Brigade—Lieutenant J. H. Reid, 51st Native Infantry. 1 have the honour to enclose a detailed return of the ordnance captured from the enemy during our opera tions before Moultan; total 50 pieces, including four large mortars; also Major Garbett's letter of the 23d ult., that accompanied it; and with which I also asso ciate letters, of the same date, from Brigadier Cheape, C. 8., Chief Engineer, Major Napier. and Capt. Siddons. I have, in conclusion, the honour of forwarding a gene ral casualty list of the force, from the 17th of August, 1848, to the 22c1 of January, 1849, which will, I trust, prove, under all the circumstances, a satisfactory docu ment. Of all ranks, total : killed, 210; wounded, 982. MAJOR H. GARBETT, COMMANDING ARTILLERY, BENGAL COLUMN, TO THE ASSISTANT-ADJUTANT-GENERAL, MOULTLN FIELD FORCE. Camp, Moultan, January 23, 1849. In forwarding for the information of the Major- General commanding the Moultan Field Force, the en closed document* connected with the late siege of Moul tan, I have, particularly, to bring to his notice the indefatigable zeal of the Commissary of Ordnance, Lieutenant Christie ; and the system and regularity with which the constant and heavy demands of the bat teries were supplied. I would also, most strongly, recommend to his notice the conduct of Mr. Deputy-Commissary Spencer, who, in the embarkation and disembarkation of the train, and indeed on all occasions, evinced the utmost z e a l an d attention ; and I should feel highly gratified by the services of this Ordnance officer, of long standing, being brought especially to the notice of the Government. BRIGADIER J. CHEAPE, C 8., CHIEF ENGINEER, ♦RMY OF THE PUNJAUB, TO THE ASSISTANT-ADJUTANT GENE - RIL,.MOULTAN FIELD FORCE. Moulton, January 23, 1849. At the close of our operations against the town and citadel of Moulton, I believe it is my duty to report, for the information of Government, the services of the Engineer corps and officers employed in the siege, whose talent and indefatigable exertions have so much contributed to the fall of the place. So general has been the energy displayed by every officer, it would be impossible to make any distinction; anti it only remains for me to mention the different officers, with a hope that they may be brought to the favourable notice of his Excellency the Commander•in•Chief. To Major Napier, my second in command, and Major Scott, of the Bombay Engineers, the duties of directing Engineer were, chiefly, intrusted; and to their talents and abilities in caiducting the operations, our success is greatly owing. Captains Abercrombie, Western, Siddons, and Lieut. Alaxwell, were also employed in directing, at the com mencement, when the extended line of our operations against the town and citadel rendered such arrangements necessary; and I have every reason to be satisfied with these officers, especially with Captains Abercrombie and Siddons, who superintended the operations against the city. lam also indebted for the assistance given to these officers by Lieutenants Fulton, Paton, Glover, and Greathead. The conduct of Captain Siddons and his corps requires particular mention being made, and I hare much plea sure in forwarding his report. Major Scott reports most favourably of the officers of the Bombay Engineers; Lieutenant John Hill (wounded), Kendall, Walker, Playfair, Fuller, and Berthon; and their services deserve every praise. To Captain Longden, of her Majesty's 10th Regiment, and Assistant to the Lahore Durbar Engineer, my best thanks are due for his diligence, and the very useful plans and information he has, from time to time, sup plied; and I would here acknowledge the valuable as sistance and intelligence I received from Major Napier, Chief Engineer in the former operations against Moultan. I have also to mention Lieutenants Taylor (wounded), and Hyde, in charge of the Engineer Park, through whose able arrangements the operations have been greatly forwarded; and my thanks are due to Lieutenant Cracroft, Brigade Quartermaster, who generally ac companied me. Lieutenant Garforth, my Brigade Major, was wounded severely, in the assault on the 2d of January ; and Lieu tenant Maxwell has acted since as Brigadier Major ; and to both of these officers my warmest acknowledg ments are due, not only for every personal assistance to myself, and for carrying on the duties of the depart ment, but for intelligence and zeal in everything relating to the operations. I have omitted to mention General Cortlandt's Sap pers, who, under Lieutenant Young, Bengal Engineers, made themselves very useful in our late operations. BREVET•MAJOR R. NAPIER, LATE CHIEF ENGINEER, MOULTAN FIELD FORCE, TO THE ASSISTANT ADJUTANT GENERAL, MOULTAN FIELD FORCE. Moultan, January 23, 1849. The siege of Moultan having been concluded, it is my duty to bring, to the notice of the Major-General Com manding, with the hope of their being favourably men tioned to the C o mmander-in-Chief, the services of the officers employed ender me, in the early operations of the siege ; i n those for protecting the British and allied camps, which terminated in the capture of the enemy's position and guns on the ith of November, 1848 ; and i n the preparation of the plans, and supply of siege mate rials, with the aid of which the siege has since been suc cessfully concluded. To the zeal and ability of Captain Abercrombie; my second in command, I sm most highly indebted. To Captain Garforth, for his services as Brigade Major, lam also most highly indebted; and his gal lantry, and that of Lieutenant Grindall, in the assault of the Dhurrum Sala, on the 12th of September, 1848, was conspicuous. The exertions of Lieutenant Maxwell, who acted as directing engineer; of Lieut. Taylor, in charge of the Park; and of every officer belonging to the Engineers, or doing duty with the corps, were deserving of the highest praise. I never met a more zealous body of officers. The services rendered by Lieut. Glover, in the diffi• cult operation of closing the head of the Wulle Maho mei Canal, and of Captain Longden, H. M.'a 10th Re giment of Foot, assistant to the Durbar Chief Engineer, have been most valuable. I have great pleasure in mentioning, particularly, the services of Captain Siddons, Directing Engineer, and the Corps of Sappers and Pioneers under his command ; they fully maintained their high character. To Lieutenant Lake, of the Engineers, in command of the troops of the Nawab of Bahawalpore, who con ducted the left attack, I was also greatly indebted for his support and assistance. Ho reports very highly of the Company of Sappers under Lieutenants Pollard and Maunsell. It would be unjust to omit favourable notice of General Cortlandt's Sappers, and the willing assistance afforded by them. Although the defection of our ally, Baja Shere Singh, snatched from us the prize of success, when it seemed almost within our grasp, it is satisfactory to reflect that our labours have paved the way for the present, compa ratively bloodless, triumph ; that our trenches of the Khutteh Byragee and the Dhurrum Sala, made us ac quainted with the intricacies of the suburbs; and that to the respect, gained for our bayonets on the 12th of Sep may be att r ib ute d t h e rapid fall of the strong of the Shums-T a b reez, W uzeera b a d , an d t h e m e o Awa, on the 27th o f D ecem b er, 1848. position of AND PIONEERS, CAPTAIN H. SIDDONS, COMMANDING THE SAP.. TO THE RFIGADE•MAJOR OF ENGINEERS. Moultan, January 23, 1849. On the occasion of the fall of Moultan, I believe it is my duty to make a report, as commanding the Corps of Bengal Sappers and Pioneers: to write such in detail, would be to embrace the whole of the siege operations, which, of course, is unnecessary. Nor need I dwell on the exertions of my men, as their hard work and excellent conduct must have been observed by every one, from the Major-General downwards,, and will, no doubt, receive ample justice in Brigadier Cheape's dispatch. Custom justifies me in naming my Adjutant, Lieute nant Fraser, as havin g ren d ere d me most important assistance in carrying on all th e d eta il s o f t h e corps during the siege ; his serv i ces were a l ways ava il able, when required, in the trenches ; and he superintended the loading, tamping, and firing, of the mines, on the right attack. I also wish to name Second-Lieutenant F. Grindall, who has undergone much more than his share of labour and fatigue, and has behaved in the most gallant manner, in the assaults of the 12th of September, 27th of Decem ber, and 2d of January last, it having been his fortune to lead on all these occasions. Of my other officers, I can only say, that they could be exceeded by none, in zeal, perseverance, and gallantry. In like manner , the European non-commissioried officers have all behaved admirably, and I wish to bring the following to favourable notice:— The Acting Sub - Conductor , Sergeant-Major Casey. Sergeant W. Waring, wounded. Corporal 11. Granger. Corporal H. Bruen, wounded. 2d Corporal W. Ford. 2d Corporal W. 13urtry, wounded. In the native branch of the corps, in addition to those I have had occasion specially to recommend, on various occasions, for the third class of the order of merit, J beg earnestly to recommend the following to the favorable notice of his Excellency the Commander in-Chief. Jemadar Sooful, Ist Company Sappers and Miners. Havildar Sewdeen, 2d Company Sappers and Miners. Havildar Toola, Ist Company Sappers and Miners. Harilcisr Chut Kao, 3d Company Sappers and Miners, wounded. Havildar Goordat Singh, 2d Company. Havildar Naick Buctour, 3d Company Pioneers. Havildar Naick Buldaun, 2d Company Pioneers. Havildar Naick Sewdeen, 2d Pioneers. Sepoy Mukha, 2d Company Sappers and Miners. Sepoy Oree, 2d Company Sappers And Miners, wounded. Sepoy Bregloll Singh, lat Company Sappers and Miners. Sepoy Koosial.2d Company Sappers and Miners. Sepoy Munbode, 2d Company Sappers and Miners. I have the honour to annex a return of the killed and wounded, and of ammunition expended, since the 27th December. ' Return of .ordnance captured. FRANCE. MM. Colfaure, an advocate at the Court of Ap peal, and Pitois Christian, hommes des lettres, have been brought back to Paris from Belle Isle, where they had been transported in pursuance of a sentence of court-martial. These persons are to be examined as witnesses on the trial of MM. Charbonnier de Guesnerie and Lafeullade de Lespinasse, accused of having distributed money to the insurgents of June. M. Charbonnier de la Guesnerie is, it is said, a dis tinguished Legitimist, and an old acquaintance of M. de Falloux, the Minister of Public Instruction. • FRANKFORT. The following resolutions were passed in the sitting of the Frankfort Parliament of the 30th instant : " The German Parliament resolves, viz.:— " 1. To pass a vote of censure against the Prussian and Hanoverian Governments for dissolving the respec tive Diets of those States. • " 2. To summon the said Governments to issue at once writs for another general election. "3. To express to the remaining legal organs the Parliament's expectations that they will candidly, boldly, and quickly inform the Government of the sentiments of the people. FRIDAY' EVENING, MAY 4, 1849. LITERARY ASSOCIATION OF T lIE FRIENDS OF POLAND. The 17th annual meeting of the friends of Poland was held yesterday, at three o'clock, at the rooms of the Association, Duke -street, St. James's; Lord Dudley Stuart, M.P., in the chair. Among those present there were Lord Beaumont, John Williams, Esq., M.P., W. Pinney, Esq., M.P., Captain Townsend, Mr. M. Milnes, M.P., D. Urquhart, Esq., M.P., F. Mowatt, Esq., M.P., the Rev. Dr. Worthington, Mr. Filcher, &c. Mr. BIRKUECK, the Hon. Secretary, read the report, of which the following is an abstract:— The report commenced by referring to the miscon ception of the nature of the affairs and contest in Posen which existed at the time of the last annual meeting— that the information received from persons of known re spectability in the grand duchy, and the official documents published by the Germans themselves, removed the erro neous impression. Reference was made to the de bate on Mr. Urquhart's motion in May last, from which it transpired that the Poles took up arms in anticipa tion of an event declared inevitable a war with Russia; aril that the acts of barbarity attributed to the Poles were, in fact, committed by the Ger mans, who were the aggressors, as is s;-:own by many official and other documents. It added, the Council are now in possession of authentic information com pletely disproving the charge of cruelty brought against the Poles. As an instance, the body of a person named Lochner, said to have been mutilated by the Polish peasantry, had been exhumed, and no such mutilations appeared. The report then mentioned the reports of General Willisen, the proclamation of General Von Colomb, and the protest ot a German Judge of the Supreme Court of Posen, together with letters of an English lady there resident, and other documents, proving the breach of faith by the Prus sian Government, that the Poles were not aggressors, and that the best understanding had prevailed between the Polish peasants and their landlords. It then referred to the debate on Lord Kinnaird's motion, and the speeches of Lord Lansdowne and other Peers, which were and are still uncontroverted.The report stated that the intention of the Galician nobles to remit all labour payments of rent had been frustrated for the time by a tumult caused by the Austrian authorities. It would appear that the temptation of destoying an unresisting capital is one which can be withstood by few Austrian generals. The report went on to give an account of the debate in the House of Commons, on the annual grant for the Polish refugees, mentioned a most honourable letter from several of their number resigning their claims ; the sums allowed; and that France had last year voted 30,0001. for the relief of the Poles in that country. The lamented death of the late president, Mr. T. W. Beau mont, was strongly dwelt upon, and an account of his services given to the association, and also of the manner in which the loss is felt and deplored by the Poles. A lucid statement of the income and expenditure of the association was made. The motion ot the Earl of Eglinton, and the speech with which it was introduced, were strongly blamed, and the conduct of the Poles both in public and private life fully justified; the late very favourable accounts from Posen, where the Poles exercise a forbearance and dignity, setting at naught German provocation, also the unfortu. nate occurrences in Galicia. The report, after referring to Russian aggression, concluded by expressing a sanguine hope that ultimately the great work of constitutional liberty will be crowned and consolidated by the restora• tion of the ancient, free, and independent kingdom of Poland to its place amongst the nations of Europe. The report was warmly received, and was adopted on the motion of the Rev. Dr. Worthington, seconded by Mr. M. Milnes, M.P., as also was the following resolu tion.— " That the progress of constitutional freedom in Ger many, and the successful struggle for its preservation in Hungary, afford reasonable grounds for entertaining the belief, that at no distant period the same principles of government will be re-established throughout ancient Poland." Lord Beaumont, Lord Dudley Stuart, and several other gentlemen delivered important and elaborate speeches, a full report of which we shall publish to morrow. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, May 3. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at Five o'clock. Petitions against the repeal of the navigation-laws were presented by the Duke of Northumberland, the Duke of Richmond, the Duke of Beaufort, and Lord Beaumont. The Marquis of SALISBURY presented petitions from several inland towns situated in agricultural dis tricts, against the repeal of the navigation-laws. The Bishop of GLOUCESTER, presented a petition praying for Church education in Ireland. Lord REDESDALE presented a petition with a simi lar prayer. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. The Duke of RICHMOND gave notice of a motion for the 11th of May on agricultural distress; and if the existence of that distress should be denied he should move for a Committee of Inquiry. If it should be ad mitted, he should ask what remedies were proposed to meet it. RAILWAYS. Lord BROUGHAM presented several petitions from various shareholders in the Wexford, Waterford, and Wicklow Railway, praying for some measure for the more efficient audit of railway accounts. He moved for certain returns relating to this railway.—Agreed to. ORGANIZATION OF LABOUR, The NOBLE Lon) also presented a petition from the trades of Londonderry, praying the House to adopt measures to prevent the downward ten dency of wages in consequence of the competition of labour, and for the appointment of a Minister of Labour. Now this was just the absurd theory of Louis Blanc, and the persons who would suffer the most for the adop tion of such a plan would be the petitioners themselves. If there were no competition •f labour, there would be no competition of capital, and if there were no competi tion of capital there would be no wages for labour. He had the greatest respect for these petitioners, but the greatest contempt for, and indignation against, those who, knowing better, had misled them. The NOBLE LORD also presented petitions against the navigation laws. SOUTH-WESTERN AND GREAT WESTERN RAILWAYS. The NOBLE LORD then moved for certain correspond ence between the directors of these railways and the Commissioners of Woods and Forests.—Agreed to. PETITIONS. Lord STANLEY presented a petition from Canada, praying for the repeal of the navigation•laws and fur the imposition of the duty on foreign corn imported in any way except by the way of the St. Lawrence. Also a petition from Canada against the repeal of the navigation-laws, and for the throwing open the naviga tion of the St. Lawrence. The Noble Lord also pre sented several petitions against the repeal of the naviga tion-laws, from the owners and occupiers of lands in various parts of the kingdom; also from the colonists of British Guiana, complaining of distress, of the failure of the great measure of slave emancipation, against a repeal of the navigation-laws, and praying for au altera tion in the constitution of the colony. The Bishop of OXFORD presented several petitions in favour of the Bill for the Protection of Women. The Earl of MALMESBURY presented a petition against the repeal of the navigation-laws, and besought their Lordships to resist the measure of repeal, as there was no pressure from without to urge it forward. The Earl of EGLINTON presented several pe titions against the repeal of the navigation-laws. The Earl of HARROWBY presented several peti tions against beer-houses. The — Earl of ST. GERMANS presented a petition from some metropolitan parish, praying fur a measure for the superannuatio❑ of poor-law officers. The Earl of GLENGALL moved for returns con nected with the administration of the poor-law in Ire land, but the Noble Lord spoke in so indistinct a tone that the exact nature of his motion could not be ascer tained. SCRIPTURE EDUCATION IN IRELAND. The Bishop of CASHEL presented a petition, signed by the Protestant clergy and inhabitants of Middleton, in Lancashire, in favour of assistance from Government for national education, and another signed by 43,000 Protestants in Ireland, asking for a fair share of assist ance from the Government, for the Protestant population of that country. The Right Rev. Prelate presented a third petition from 1,400 of the Protestant clergy in Ire land, in favour of the same object. The Dissenters of every denomination partook of the boon from Govern ment for the education of their various sects. And lastly, in 1847, even the Roman Catholic parents and guardians of children were, by a minute of Council, empowered to send their children to those schools approved of by them, where their religious tenets were not to be interfered with. He would then ask, was it just or fair that every other class should be encouraged in the education of their children, and that Protestants of Ireland alone should be excluded from the benefits of the Government grant. He asked in the name of those Protestants, that as the old system, which has been represented as impracticable and unpopular, was broken into fragments, that they should have their fair quota of these fragments. It is the doctrine of Protestantism that whosoever takes away the .use of the Holy Scriptures from any man, takes away his birthright; and when the Bull Unigenitus, propagated in 1613, went to that effect, he considered that he was right in saying that Protestants and Roman Catholics could not be educated together in that harmony which he would wish. He would call the attention of their Lordships to some of the rules of the Board of Education, one of which is, that children should not be enforced to read extracts from the Bible against the will of their parents, and that if Protestant children were required, it should be only in those hours when the Roman Catholics were not present, and' to that rule he should say, that the Protestant clergy of Ireland fully agreed. What the forty thousand petitioners require is, that their children should have the benefit of a literary and scriptural education. The next difference is, that Roman Catholics must have in spectors approved of by them, whereas the Protestant might be men of hostile feelings, and that the Roman Catholic children were to be inspected only as to their literary improvement. He would ask, is it fair that the Protestants should be treated thus ? Were thby less remarkable for their loyalty, for :their industry, for their moral conduct. or for carrying out justice as jurors, than their Catholic fellow subjects? The conduct of the Rev. Mr. Medlic o tt, a P rotestant c l erg y man , in instigat ing six policem en , w h om h o f oun d a t th e police barracks of Portlaw , to defend themselves to the last against a meditated attack of the mob, in which they most gallantly succeeded,was an instance, among many that be cited, to show their ability as a body; though he would say it to the honour of five of those policemen, that they were Roman Catholics; and yet such men as these were to be debarred from the advantages of education. The Right Rev. Prelate then read a long extract from one of Mr. Macaulay's essays, the tendency of which was to con trast the influence of Catholicity unfavourably with that of Pretestanti , na in Ireland; and then proceeded to say that the Protestants of Cork were, if anything, superior to those of the north. It was to the interest of the country that Protestants should be allowed the ad vantagfai of education, and he would, therefore, call upon their Lordships, by the respect which they had for the Word of God, by their regard for the best interests of the people, by their desire to promote the social welfare of the community, to give a favourable reception to the petition now before them ; and to show themselves dis posed to give the Protestants of Ireland the' same assist ance in education, as was given in that country to all other classes of her Majesty's subjects.—(Hear, hear.) The Archbishop of DUBLIN said that the subject of Protestant education in Ireland was one which deserved the greatest attention, especially as the objections that had been raised against it in England, and also in Ire land, were founded on an entire misapprehension of the facts; and he was convinced that if' their Lordships would think fit to proceed by inquiry, and consent to address the Throne tor this purpose, they would find that it was not surrounded by so many difficulties as some were ells• posed to imagine. The system of education pursued at the university schools in Ireland respected the religious faith of the children sent to them; and, iu that respect, might be considered uniform with regard to them. At Oxford and Cambridge, there was a limit placed upon education, which was there confined to members of the Established Church. At Trinity College, Dublin, this was not the case; but Protestants, Catholics, and Dis senters were equally allowed to participate in the ad vantages of the University, without any restriction or violation of feelings. That might be a good law or a bad one; but of this he was convinced, that consi dering the majority of students to be Protestants, the scruples entertained by members of that faith could not be just what they were described to be. With re gard to the alleged exclusion of the scriptures from these Roman Catholic schools, if inquiry were made in the matter, it would be found quite contrary to the facts, upon the common meaning of the phrase. It could, and would be only true in one sense, via., that there was no right given to the schools to place the scriptures in the hands of children, that was to say, in other words, there was no right to force religious instruction upon them in opposition to the wishes of their parents. On the great principle contained in that book, of which their Lordships had that evening heard so much, "Do unto others as you wish they should do unto you," he thought that regulation was a very just one, for which of them would like to have his son forced to study the Koran?— (Hear, hear.) He thought, therefore, that if the great body of the petitioners before them were fully aware of the circumstances of the questions, they would have paused before they took a step, the tendency of which was to break up a grant, and to establish Protestant schools concurrently with Catholic schools in the same district. In many districts he was sure they could not exist together, and if they could it would be at the cost of the most injurious consequences. But the fact was that Protestants in Ireland were grossly ig norant of the question, in illustration of which ho could tell their Lordships anecdotes within his own personal experience which would detain them until midnight. He felt convinced that, if Commissioners were are pointed to examine into the working of the National Board of Education, that a great change would take place in the minds of those persons who were at pre sent opposed to it, as shown by the petitions which they had signed; and he should add, that if it were found that the Commissioners had not done their duty, he as sured their Lordships that there was no person more willing to be succeeded in office than himself—(Hear, hear)—for what he did was for the public good, and no thing would be more satisfactory to him than to find a person of more experience than himself to fill the office of Commissioner.—(Hear, hear.) The Bishop of LONDON would ask, could it be thought from 1,300 to 1,500 clergymen in Ireland could be ignorant of those facts? He should say, with re spect to those men, of such well-known experience, that they do not want the children of Roman Catholics under them ; what they want is, that they might obtain the means of educating the children of their own con gregation in a literary and spiritual manner, instead of sending them to Roman Catholic schools, for he should say that it was agreed to by all persons that all national schools in the south of Ireland are Roman Catholic; while, on the other hand, many in the north are Presbyterian, and that, therefore, most of the public bounty flows into the schools of those two sects in Ireland. He thought that that long withheld justice should be at least meted out to the Established Church, for it had not been dealt fairly with for some years respecting education. He looked upon it as an invasion on the Divine prerogative, to ex clude any child from the use of the Holy Scriptures, and for that reason was opposed to the regulation that Ro man Catholic children should not be present while the Bible was being read, for he looked upon that as the basis of all religious education, and naturally he would not allow any child of his flock to go to a school where such a prohibition prevailed. He was sure that the Right Rev. Prelate (the Archbishop of Dublin) would see, when he reconsidered the matter, that there was no analogy between the University of Dublin and the Board of Education, for in that University students were not restrained from reading the Bible, whereas in the National Schools, through the monopoly of the Roman Catholic priests, their children are not allowed to read it. The Earl of WINCHILSEA said, that when he con sidered the oath of a clergyman who bound himself to God to propagate the doctrine, by every means in season and out of season, that he was astonished that it should be said that 1,300 clergymen were ignorant of what they did in signing that petition; and he looked upon it as a quibble for the Archbishop of Dublin to say that the Bible was not totally forbidden in these schools. The Noble Lord concluded by imploring their Lordships to give to the Protestants of Ireland justice, in matters of education, which they required. The Marquis of LANSDO WNE said that the sub ject of education in Ireland had received particular attention in Parliament during the last fifteen or six teen years, and as it had been recently legislated upon in what appeared to be a satisfactory manner, he could not hold out the smallest hope that the Government would, by a new measure, materially alter the system which at present was acted upon. These grants of money were intended mainly for the be nefit of the poor, and because the majority of the popu lation needing education were Roman Catholics, that particular system of education had been introduced, it being impossible in any other way to effect the object in view. He was not prep are d to say that, after trying the experiment for so long a time, they had at length sac ceeded in producing a definite and perfect system adapted in every respect to the peculiar circumstances of the country; but their experience had at least taught them this, that it was in the highest degree injuoicious to make separate grants for religious instruction in various creeds. The introduction of that principle into their present system would only end in setting priest against clergyman and bigot against bigot, and instead of pro ducing an exclusive benefit to a class, as would be confi dently expected, it would not be productive of good to any. Notwithstanding the views of the Right Rev. Prelate he (the Marquis of Lansdowne) thought it would be most conducive to the welfare of society in Ireland, to continue the system of education introduced there six teen years ago, and supported by successive Govern ments, which had gone on increasing in usefulness, extending benefit aft e r b e n e fit, an d attracting not only . many good Protestants, b u t the Pr e sbyterian body of the north of Ireland, who would not be disposed now to take advice of the Right Reverend Prelate, or to withdraw the assent which they had given originally to that system.—(Hear, hear.) Those schools which had been denounced as Catholic were in no other sense Ca tholic than their being so attended, and as for the read• ing of the Scriptures being excluded, the Right Rev. Prelate, who spoke second, had clearly shown their Lord ships that the exclusion was only confined to certain hours set apart for studies of a temporal nature, and therefore strictly proper. He only wished there was as much scriptural instruction to be met with in many English cottages, where, though the Scriptures were not excluded, practically they were not taught. Every Pro testant in Ireland, who wished his children to be edu cated in the Protestant faith, might receive an education of that kind if he chose, and he would not go further into the details of the question than to repeat what he had before stated, that he could hold out no hope of the reconsideration of a system which had hitherto marked out its object with satisfaction and efficiency.—(Hear.) The subject then dropped, and on the motion of the NOBLE MARQUIS, immediately after the conclusion of his speech, their Lordships adjourned, at Twenty Minutes before Nino o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 3. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. CONSIDERATION OF LORDS' AMENDMENTS. The Lords' amendments to the following Bills were considered and agreed to : Darlington Gas and Water Company Bill. Feltwell Second District Drainage Bill. THIRD READINGS. The following Bills were read a third time and passed : itansonmoor or Doddingtnn Fifth District Drainage Act Amendment (to amend and extend the Powers, to annex other Lands, to borrow Money, and to levy Rates or Taxes) Bill. Tay Navigation and Perth Harbour Acts Amendment Bill. Whittlesey St. Mary and Whittlesey St. Andrew Union of Parishes, and for improving the Town of Whit tlesey Bill. CONSIDERATION OF REPORT. The report of the Caledonian Railway (Lease or Pur chase or the Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston Direct Railway) Bill was considered and agreed to, and the Bill ordered to be engrossed. PETITIONS. Mr. H. BERKELEY presented a petition from Bristol in favour of the Clergy Relief Bill. Sir R. LOPES presented a petition from Devonshire against the Parliamentary Oaths Bill. Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from Dundee against the Marriage and Registration Bill. Admiral DUNDAS presented a petition against the Marriage Bill. Mr. COCKBURN presented a petition from South ampton against the attorneys' certificate duty. Mr. ALCOCK presented a petition in favour of the Marriage Bill. _ _ Mr. PALMER presented petitions against the B 11. Mr. 0. DUNCOMBE presented petitions from places in the West Riding against the Marriage Bill. Mr. OSWALD presented petitions against the Scotch Marriage and Registration Bills. Colonel THOMPSON presented a petition from Brad ford in favour of the Clergy Relief Bill. Mr. PATTISON presented petitions from a private circle of merchants, traders, and others of the city of London and environs, in favour of Mr. Wortley's Mar riage Bill. Sir C. BURRELL presented F, petition from Sago 3l ' complaining of egricuAtural distress. Lord fIOTHAM presented petitions from the Ea st Riding of Yorkshire in favour of agricultural protec' tion. Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from Manchester in favour of universal suffrage. Mr. S. CRAWFORD presented a petition from Queen's County in favour of tenant-right. Mr. CARDWELL presented a petion, praying the House to pass a Bill for the establishme ti nt of a b o ard to control the county expenditure. Mr. MACKINNON presented a petition from 1 47 mington in favour of the Marriage Bill, Hr. M. GIBSON presented a petition front Manches ter to the same etlet. b• Major BERESFORD presented a petition apinst Bill. Mr. M. MILNES presented a number of petitions from Pontefract in favour of the Bill. Mr. SI'OONER presented petitions from Warffie c ' shire to the same effect. Lord J. RUSSELL presented petitions from the city of London in favour of the Bill, one of tb e l signed by the Lord Mayor, on behalf of the Court Common Council. Mr. WALPOLE presented petitions from Winchester' against the Bill. Bill. Sir R. H. INGLIS presented petitions against the RATE IN AID. • od Lord JOHN RUSSELL said, his Right Hon. Fri e the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave notice a few ev e„ " . ings ago, that he should m o v e t o - m or row for a C 0! mittee of the whole House, to take into consideratl,°l4 the advances to be made under the R a te-in-Aid 131 0 but as communications were still going on in re ferenee. ll this subject, it W as prop ose d to po s tpon e th e C o mmittee tl, next week, when his Right Hon. Friend would be P re pared to name a day for going into the matter. IN IMPROVEMENT OF LANDED PROPERTY IRELAND. as On the motion of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, leave /i d , given to bring in a Bill to authorise ti rances to be made out of the Consolidate Fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ir e. land, for facilitating the improvement of landed propel and the extension and promotion of drainage in IMO BUSINESS FOR TO-MORROW. h: Lord J. RUSSELL intimated that to-morrow should propose to take in the first instance the report of the Committee of Supply an d th e I r i s h E n f ra nchisenle v Bill. MARRIAGE BILL. On the motion for the second reading of this Bill, Mr. GOULBURN rose to more that it be ready, second time this day six months. Th e su bj ec t, he 55i1; was surrounded with considerabl e diffi cu lti es . In t" first place, it was most painful to him to find himself ° P; posed in a question of degree and obligation to rett n 'a persons, for whose station and standing he entertail 3 „ e 4 the highest respect, and to whose opinon under ordie sr '. circumstances he should be most ready to bow—(111, o hear)—and he could assure his Right Hon. Friend be felt the pain not the less, because it placed him ill position to his Right Hon. Friend.—(Hear, hear.) o f was painful also to him to resist the wishes bu t many who had violated the law in ignorance, , y he felt so strongly upon this question, that Ine ti r e o of this nature ought not to influence him in the to urs he should adopt.—(Hear, hear.) It was a question e d tremely difficult to deal with in Parliament, as it involl, a Divine command conveyed to them thr ou gh 11° , 1 ,1 Writ, which ought to be reserved tor an asserablY divines and learned men to discuss and 5 termine in retirement.—(Hear, hear.) It , "„"a a question which affected th e w h o l e l aw o f prolifin g degrees, and could not be confi ne d t o th e narr ow h t/5 y on which his Right Hon. Friend had restricted (Cries of " Hear, hear.") It was impossible to c e r, t , fine the relaxation of the law to the partict l ; limits contemplated by this Bill. The quee ti t i, for the House to consider was rathe r th e d egree s of $ nity within which marriages were at present lialit e o with the view to the expediency of confini ng marrisAs o , to simple cases of consanguinity. It was said that I t ? quiry had demonstrated that the marriages now P r cl to bited by the law were the happiest, and they claimed to have proved this by facts. But persons who went ,~ter, the country to make inquiries upon this fos tt ds, doubtless did so with a bias on th e ir 1 03 o f The heart of man possessed more or less j: evil; but was it right to pander to that vice, and Wa' s , i la a rational argument to say that by doing so they w ° ," thereby promote the cause of morality? The researel e of the Commissioners bad led them to observe that loi t number of marriages of the kind proposed to be with by the Bill that had taken place d ur i n g the "" 0 ( years amounted to 15,000—that the marriages, „ s t widowers with deceased wives' sisters affected at f i e e 'ts 30,000. Let the House listen attentively to the,4 3 0 .. adduced in the evidence gathered by the (1 , ° , 0 0 missioners. Mr. Denham, the incumbent of '„ o , parishes, the population of which were 10,Out.i1 declared that though the subject had attracted P 5, attention, and though he had mixed with all class ir high and low, he could not point out any particu j o f cases. The Hon. Gentleman quoted the evidence e d other clergymen in support of this v i ew , and argu e, from them that the number of marriages without the P t bs hibited degree were, considering the large amount ot gr , population, extremely small in number; and the Iles' Tyler, the rector of St. Giles's for 23 years, the pep ado tion of which was 27,000, stated that he bad 01 , inquiry, and cou ld not di scover a s i ng l e case. The e:‘,P%e-d, rience of Diss en ti ng ministers, seve ra l o f w h o m l':e e pqur°o-11i presented the s a m e resu l ts . It was said that h bition of the m arr i ages re f erre d to would io d uc e Collett binage; but that to his mind was no reason they should legalise incest—(Hear, hear)—bec ause marriages of thi s d escr i pt i on were opposed to Divl li re law ; and even if they were not there We 'l, moral reasons why they should not be legalis eu o , During ancient times, when men had opportunitie s , forming a better knowledge of the law of God, coo l* as it did fresh from his hands, than at the present dal' when, indeed, their stock of modern knowleds could not fail to increase, though not Divine law, no doubt existed as to the interpretation of the meaning of the law, and surely doubt could exist at the present day, when they CO only judge after thousands of years had passed awaY• 4 (Hear, hear.) When Henry VIII. wished to rat tr 7, his wife's sister, the King got one of his courtleon to write to Cranmer to ask his opinion O n , the matter, and whether such a marriage would be co„ trary to the law of God. In reply, he sa id the 1 011 1 ,Z r could not marry otherwise than as l a id down 4 the law of God, which he said prohibited a marriage. This opinion was given by Cr 11l mer, in days when the will of Kings—espec' 3 , o , such a king as Henry VIII., wer e i nvar i a bl y b o wed " Ridley, Dr. Cox, and other great men of that day, wart, of the same opinion. The Hon. Gentl eman q uote' t „ number of other authorities in support of that arguree i :, o The Right Honourable Gentleman then re f err ed to t",, evidence given on the subject by the Right Rev. /3 b Wiseman, which was unfavourable to a r e l axa tion /0 , : ti t present law, and proceeded to show that by th e Levit'ej law a marriage with a deceased wif e ' s s i s t er was stric t ? ) / forbidden. The uniform judgment of the Church , England had always been, from its found at i on t o the PI, sent hour, against any such alteration as now propose and he (Mr::Gettlburn) contend e d, t h at a more f ata l St e :r. to the peace of families, or mor e ca l cu l ate d to e ndeng" o f public morals, could not be taken, than the abrogatio n o the existing prohibiti ons i n t h e marriage law. .5'9 what had been a d vance d i n t h e course of such argume"„ ~t f on the subject, that it was desirable, even for the Sala the deceased wife's children to allow 511 c marriage, h e conten d e d that when a man Mit r ried the sister of his deceased wife, such a marri.s must lead to the most painful discord in the family, the produce res u lt s ca l cu l ate d to promote anything but t",,f happin ess o f t h ose concerned. Besides, nine-tenths vf, the clergy were oppose d to i t, not only f rom co nvictit' v ; but because th e y f e l t th emse l ves bound by the canon ro lt, to . resist any such relaxation as now proposed. ,„"';jl, Right Hon. Gentleman, however, who proposed the P.l sought to get over the last difficulty by making it opti° l ' - d, with the clergy to perform it or not, just as they plea His (Mr. Goulburn's) Right Hon. Friend did not 1 01 , 19 . how to deal with the case, as regarded clergymen; and 'l t is therefore, proposed that it should be left optional W" them to do so or not, just as they pleased. But would elf remedy the ev il w hi c h h e (M r . G ou lb urn) ant i c ipat e ", The effect of that must be, that one law would exist those whom clergymen consented to marry, and anothee for those that contented themselves by going to the offic of the register. It the clergymen refused to P er ; form such marriages, and in nine cases out of ten they would so refuse, the peopl e wou ld t h en go to the office, of the register; and what must be the effect of suc h practice becoming general on the minds of the g rea t , body body of the people? He implor e d th em no t t o touci' d subject on which the feelings of the people of Ent 16 °, / were so much engaged, and, above all things, not to 6 11° a them they were willing to relax those laws which' fet ce round the institution amarriage. • Lord BRACKLEY would give his vote most corale l/1 that this Bill should be read a second time.—(Hear.) Mr. HAGGITT said that, both upon theological e ti e re social grounds, the argument in support of this znes°, 4l was most unsatisfactory. The effect of passim thie l r tio would be to place the Church and State in an atitagoe' s e position. Many clergymen were of opinion that the se marriages were incestuous, and the legalising of th ee, marriages would place them in a most painful Pl ot f h o.r o me p ct d (Jet sanctioninga d women, o G ni e e n n t t l ,heme measure. He well He cons ht puret ti hl n s ; peoanindndt highhb ee husbands, would not go to resid u e ) brother-in-law, if there was a doubt upon this sult e r d upon the tthheehdoeuastehs of thout u- Instead of lowering their laws to an inferior stand s of morality, they ought rather to elevate their stsic"" er if possible. The question now was, whether 101 4 , strict obedien ce s h ou ld , i n f uture, gu i de t h e l aw of land. In deciding, they should remember that th e "of was only the principle of human folly, and the other eternal truth.—(Hear.) Mr. MONCKTON MILNES sa id , th e peoposi t l which th e H on . G ent l eman h a d put b efore the 0( , )1 00 .. was, wheth er thi s ques ti on was t o b e d ec id e d upon Wo o logical grounds? The religious opinions upon to subject were not s o c l ear an d p a lpable as en d be a certain gu id e . If th e religious g re b ol taken by the opponents of the measure j o been so palpable as they asmmed it was, iC I t he have been thought impossible that any member e . n its Church of England could have signed a petition only favour, whereas they had numerous petitions, I t ' . tie signed by the laity, b u t by th e c l erg y o f the Chur e bo himself had presented one tha t night from his e e ri gre at rough, which was signed by the v i ca r, a men °L ed, piety, and a politi ca l o pp onen t o f hi s own. He belles iids it therefore, that both upon religious and moral gr ou was most desirable that this Bill shod(' rece i v e the ef r ' es , :disr of the House. He feared that if it did nor, sion would go abroad that the higher classes 4 ? gardful of the interests and feelings of the in w id r d_ l r c t Si i t ' y ti lower classes. With respect to the alleged inr!,", „ re . which would flow from it, he believed that it vief:4 l9 ii Toot much of that illicit irate course v411°1311"