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

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING. ApiuL 4 1849 r HE LEGAL TITLE ASSURANCE sufficient to satisfy all charges, and leave handsome COMPANY. (Proyisionally Registered, January 17, 1849.) balances for the quondam proprietors. Capital, 2,000,0001., in 80,000 Shares, of'2s/. each. Preliminary Deposit, 2s. 6d. per Share I ;.- - -occtuses and full information may be obtained at the Tempo t a:y .';e..B of the Company, 13A, Cannon-row, Westminster, on ap pllcati:2 to The Sabbatarian movement—to use the expressive phrase of Mr. CARLYLE--has been effectually " squelched" by the Hon. Member for Honiton. Sir ANDREW AGNEW may sell out his one share as soon as he likes, for any advantage it can ever afford in enabling him to interfere with the proceedings of the shareholders. G. F. HOWE, Hon. See . .., pro tern, Last evening, on a division as to whether Mr. LOCKE should be permitted to introduce a Bill for the purpose of securing to the public on Sundays a limited and reasonable use of all railways which con vey passengers on other days in the week—fifty eight voted for the motion, and twenty against it, leaving a clear majority of thirty-eight in favour of uninterrupted travelling. Whatever may be the ultimate fate of the Bill—whether its principle be distorted, or its details modified in subsequent stages and supplementary discussions—the fact of this deci sion against the religionists can never be diminished. It can never be forgotten by the opponents of the Agnewite faction that the House of Commons has pronounced itself in favour of the running ofpassenger trains uninterruptedly throughout the whole of the seven days on all the lines of railway north of the Tweed and the Grampians. It was humorously remarked by the Hon. Gen tleman, the representative of West Surrey, that the question of conscience in this case was as between one and two carriages. The expression implies no exaggeration whatever. The point on which con science was here balanced was literally as minute and frivolous ; for the mails were to be allowed to proceed without stoppage, carrying with them break-waggons and empty carriages; but no traveller was to be ad mitted into the latter under penalties commensurate with the insult offered to the godliness of the board of directors. Now, thanks to the common sense of the shareholders, to the insignificance of Sir ANDREW and his disciples, and to the irre sistible effects of the indignation which followed immediately upon the cruel treatment of her Grace the Duchess of SUTHERLAND trains may convey passengers on Sundays through the heart of Perthshire, and those passengers may enter at their convenience the first, the second, or the third class carriages. No invidious distinction is made between the affluent and the needy—and the improved system will be inevitably maintained in force now that it has obtained the marked approval and countenance of the Parliament. According to the Member for Taunton, it would be more expedient for the Legislature to leave the matter to the operation of common sense and to the settlement of spontaneous discussion. Upon this point we cannot in any way coincide with Mr. LA BOUCHERE. The subject being one which affects the interest of the community at large so very for. cibly, we cannot but think that the House of Com mons is immeasurably more than justified in protect ing the population from the possibility of any of those ignorant acts of despotism which have emanated from the councils of half-a-dozen sanctimonious directors to the temporary disgrace of a whole district in Scot land. Knowing that the feelings of the public have been violated, and that the property of the public is liable at any moment to serious injury, if this company or that company should happen to take it into its head in a moment of moral dyspepsia or religious meagrims, that Sunday travelling is in opposition to the injunctions of Scrip ture—we do think that the Parliament is .called upon to diminish an authority so peculiarly liable to abuse—we do think that the arguments of Mr. LABOUCHERE against any kind of legislative inter ference were insufficient in contradiction to the pro posed enactment. As was observed by the Member for Guildford, the measure suggested by Mr. LOCKE is nothing beyond the regulation of railway monopoly. It is only a protection against arbitrary proceedings, not an arbitrary proceeding itself. It is merely a security of the rights of the population, not an infringement upon those of the railway companies. The rights of the multitude are to travel at- their pleasure along the various lines of railway throughout the United Kingdom as free from the chances of im pediment as they were formerly upori the QUEENi highway, The rights of companies are anything rather than the power of bloOking up the railroads under their jurisdiction upon this day or that day, just at their good will and option. To insist that Parliament has no authority to require the conveyance of passengers upon railways on Sundays is as absurd as it would be to deny the power of the Government to interfere in the event of any railway company refusing-to carry troops upon their line in some period of emergency. If a number of fanatics, acting as a board of directors, may with impunity or dain that no travellers shall be accommodated on Sundays with seats in their carriages, simply because they prefer singing the Doxology to the beating of the pistons of the steam-engine dragging nothing but the mail bags and a few of the Post• office attendants—then a number of Quakers might with equal justice refuse, in their capacity as directors of the dispatch by rail a body of soldiers into a district threatened with Rebellion (as wai the case only the other day, during the SMITH O'BRIEN agitation) merely because their fraternal sect holds all bloodshed in abhorrence, and looks upon swords, guns, and bayonets as the paraphernalia of his Satanic Majesty. It is all very well for the Right Honourable Gentleman the Member for Coventry to talk of the proposed Bill as an act of legislative compulsion; but we should like to know uncommonly if the evil which the Bill is intended to annihilate is not an act of legislative compulsion on the part of a petty squad of psalmsiogers, in no respect qualified to cram their theology down the throats of the mul titude. The Right Honourable Member for Bute opposes the measure on the plea that it is an inter ference with private property and with conscience— forgetting altogether that the annoyance which the measure is intended henceforth to render impos sible of recurrence is, in the most flagrant manner imaginable, as interference with public pro perty, with private interests, with individual rights, and with the conscience of the vast majority of the population. And this fact must be borne, moreover, in mind—that the Bill introduced by the representa tive of Honiton, and approved of by the House of Commons, is a defensive and not an offensive measure. The Agnewites have been aggressors. Parliament now only comes forward to vindicate the indisputable rights of the multitude, and to place a wholesome check upon the frenzy of fanaticism. We rejoice to find that the first reading of the Bill introduced by the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Stroud was last night carried by so decisive a majority, and that the Premier and the Home Secretary were induced to abandon what could only be regarded as an ungracious opposition. No Member of the House, of any party has devoted himself more zealously and indefatigably to supply the wants and to ame liorate the condition of the Irish nation than Mr. POULBTT SCaOPE. In and out of Parliament, by his speeches; and by his writings, he has endeavoured to point out the evils by which its industry is paralysed, and to provide fitting remedies. He has accumulated a vast body of information, and he is enabled to afford sound instruction to the House on every question in any degree relating to Ireland. It is due to such a man to listen to his propositions, and to give a calm and attentive consideration to his suggestions. The ordinary courtesy of permitting the question of the first reading to pass almost sub silentio should not be withheld, and it was doubly incumbent on the Government not to have adopted a course so invidious when the Honourable Gentleman had waived his undoubted right, and granted a priority to the adjourned dis cussion on the Rate in Aid Bill, in order that the House might come to a decision on the principle of the measure before the Easter recess. He was there fore precluded from stating full; the details of his , plan, and of enteririgliitoa vindi ca ti on o f its grin- I ciple. The Irish question not so simple or so ne w easily unravelled, th a t every su rejected. The industry and estion can be application stt of M r . would SCROPE afford a fair promi se th at oue of notice will be brought for war d , and it"rig worthybe indeed unwise to reject the proposition befor e i ts nature or provisions were accurately known. Mr. John Wood, Chairma❑ of the Board of Inland Revenue, had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official residence in Down ing-street. MEXICAN CONSOLIDATED DEBT. The undersigned give notice that they are ready to advance to the Holders of Bonds of the Consolidated Debt of Mexico, of 1846, the amount of Three-fourth parts of the Half-yearly Dividend of 21. 10s. per cent., which became due on the said Bends on the Ist January. 1847, on deposit cf the Warrants or Coupons for the said Dividend, charging to the holders thereof interest on such advance from the date at which it may be made, at the rate of our per cent. per annum, until the time at which the said Bali-yearly Dividend may be paid. Forms of application for such advance may be obtained on and after the I Ith instant, at No. 10, New Broad-street-mews. JOHN SCHNEIDER and CO. April 4, Ha IT ER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. MDLLE. LIND. It 15 respectfully announced that a Series of SIX CONCERTS will be given at Her Majesty's Theatre, comprising the following Operas :—The Flauto Magico of Mozart; Oberon, Der Freyschutz, and Euryanthe, et Weber ; La Nectate and Fernand Cortez of Spontinl ; and Fidelio of Beethoven; which will be sung by Mdlle. Lind and the principal Singers of the Establishment, accompanied by a full Orchestra and Chorus. Tho dates and particulars will be duly announced. The Subscribers are respectfully informed that they will have the option of including any number of these Concerts in their Season's Subscription. The First Concert will take place on Thursday, April 12. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor, Mr. W. Batty. ndcr the Patronage of her Majesty the Queen, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, &c. THIS EVENING, And To-Morrow, GRAND EQUESTRIAN FETES, when the Theatre will close on Thursday Evening for the production of a Grand Equestrian Spec tacle, on Easter Monday. Box-office open from Eleven till Five. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. THE WEATHER.-SIIN OFFICE, APRIL 4. TH,B,MuXETZR, Lowest, 35; Highest, 48; Noon, 54. BAROMETER, 29.72. WIND S. and by E.—fine breeze, with sunshine and clouds. 1G i WATER AT LONDON Rlil 'OE. THIS DAY —Morning, 49 min. after 11 I Evening, 0 In. after 0 To-Ntoasow— , lornuw, 18 mia. after 12 I Evenim, 43 min. after 12 • -'l , , '. • # )) 4- 7 ‘4 2 ......... t - Ip, ' -:---- --:, .0 •- r • oe:" ;1' ...; .., 4 . ''S". 3, 41, 4 ;+:".;€-,•-i, z ?`„ iffe, ' 1 "-• , .r- ._ 4,4 t -C, 1 .- -• , '''' . , , L__ -, , •..g Tat -.1..... , -.f.e it. ,...",'!^*,,;,- r• A ' it .1 •.. ' !-,••4 ' .4. . '-',l i._.f.,.. _ ... ..." IT l ' Jtillinft LONDON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4. 1849. The discussion on the second reading of the Rate in Aid Bill was last night brought to a conclusion. The amendment of the Hon. Gentleman the Member for the University of Dublin was rejected by a majority of 55, the numbers being for the amendment 138, against it 193 The Bill was then read a second tirr without further division. If the Irish Members had cause of complaint on the preceding evening, when one only of their number could succeed in catch ing the Speaker's eye, ample amends were made last night. The Right Honourable Gentleman appeared as if he alone looked to the benches occupied by Honourable Gentleman from the other side of St. George's Channel, and the implied levitation was on every occasion as promptly responded to. Thus we find the Representatives for Limerick City, Clon mel, Tyrene, Rochdale (an Irish proprietor, although the Representative of an English borough), Lime rick County, Fermanagh, Longford, and Belfast, recording their protests against any independent exertion on the part of Ireland ; while the Mem bers for Mallow and the City of Dublin more than compensated for their numerical inferiority by the sterling reasons and the unanswerable argu ments they adduced in support of the Ministerial proposition. It cannot therefore be said that the House decided on the principle cf the measure with out giving the parties more immediately interested a full and ample opportunity of submitting their opi nions for and against the Bill for the consideration of the House. The debate will at least have one important result —other . and more important enactments must be introduced for the permanent amelioration of the country. Its lamentable condition has been clearly and graphically depicted ; the monster grievance has been exposed with a master hand ; the fatal conse quences of an embarrassed and insolvent proprietary, unable to Ilford:employment to the people, have been clearly and lucidly explained. Other instructive facts have been elicited that will guide the future legislation with respect to Ireland. It is now mani fest that great and comprehensive measures are required. There must no longer be a strict and slavish adherence to precedents. Important laws mubt not be frittered away by a number of exceptions that completely neutralise the benefits that would otherwise have.resulted therefrom. " Desperate dis ease' require desperate remedies," and the disor ganized state of Ireland is now, unhappily, but too well known, and the treatment to be applied must be suited to the urgency of the symptoms. The great desideratum will undoubtedly be to tempt new capital into Ireland, to obtain men able and willing to develope all the industrial resources of tEe country. For this purpose the first point will be to simplify the law of real property, to remove the burdens and restrictions that operate as praotical prohibitions to any dealing with land. From an over- anxious care for the interest of persons yet unborn, we inflict the deepest injury, the most fla grant injustice on the present generation. If encum bered estates could be sold in every instance under the order of a court of equity, or of a special tribunal constituted for the purpose, whenever it could be shown that they were encumbered to a certain proportion—say one half of their value—and that the purchaser, on payment of his purchase-money, into court should have a good, valid, and unimpeach able title to the lands, the first great difficulty would be answered, and no injustice would be done to any person. The claims of the reversioner or remainder man (if any) might attach upon the funds in court, in place of the estate itself, and the judge who sanctioned the sale would guard his rights ith peculiar vigilance, so that the money would not b 3 paid out unless the clearest title could be este blishtd thereto. The Receiver of the Court of Chan - c. , ry is unquestionably the worst possible landlord that can be inflicted on any tenantry, and if the affairs cf the nominal proprietor should fall into such em barrassment as to justify the appointment of such an officer, who should supersede him in the receipt of the rents, issues, and profits of the lands, it affords prima facie evidence that he is no longer qualified for sucha position, and the lands should be sold with all possible speed ; while the increased value from the simplicity of the title, amounting probably from five to ten years' purchase of the lands, would more than com pensate the late owners, and all persons claiming under or through him for the summary character of the proceedings. But this alone will not be sufficient. It will unquestionably be the first and the most essential step in the right direction, but more will be required; additional temptation must be held out to solvent purchasers. However clear and unquestionable the titles may be rendered, it will not tempt capitalists to invest their money in the purchase of Irish estates, so long as there is a prospect of the entire produce of the soil being re quired for the support of the destitute poor. The which The es tablishing a maximum poor-rate, be demand could be made, would remove this difficultyn so far as the purchasers were concerned, b ut it would op, rate rather injuri o us l y t o the vendors, inasmuch as allowance would be made for the full amount that could by any possibility be levied, and the bidding would be as if thet)..lance ‘‘f rent-roll, after deducting the nomi ii r<lte, were alone for sale. Thus, if the maximum fixed nt 7s 6d. in the pound, an estate of 4001. -n,,um would only he n•garded as one of 2501., while the purchaser would have a Parliamentary guarantee against being subjected to any charge what soever for the relief o: the poor. It would be far better to equalize the poor - rates through out the entire kingdom, and to make every description of property liable to the charge, as was originally intended by the Act of ELIZABETH. Then, indeed, there would be a demand for Irish estates fully equal to the supply. You would find willing purchasers, while the present owners would receive fair and remunerating prices for their lands—prices which, in the majority of instances, would be fully MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, QUARTER TO THREE. The sales of Cotton at Liverpool yesterday were about 5 000 bales, of which 1.000 were for export. The market was firm and closed with animation. The Ame rican kinds at 41d. to 4id. having recovered the depres • sion they were under. The import since Friday last is 50,000 bales. The receipts are now falling off, but not to the extent calculated. Railway Shares were heavy at rather lower prices. The letters by the America steamer from the United States and Canada were delivered yesterday afternoon. In reference to the commerce of New York, it is stated that, "compared with 1846 there has been a falling off every year since ; but, compared with last year, there has been an increase in the last week this year of 830,930 dollars in the importation of merchandise, and of 48,469 dollars in the importation of specie. The drafts on the assistant treasurer of this port for the week ending the 17th instant %mount to 246,284,17 dollars, showing an increase in de posits for the week of 462,104 dollars. The amount on deposits in the hands of the as sistant-treasurer at the close of business yes terda3, was 2,173,000 dollars. It will be seen by this that the deposits are rapidly increasing, and that the amount already on band falls but little short of that previous to the payment of the in. stalment en account of the Mexican in demnity. The new Secretary of the Treasury has not distributed the public funds as ra pidly as anticipated, and the only hope now is in the reduction in the importations, and through that a depletion of the treasury. The season has become pretty well advanced, so far as importations for the spring trade are concerned, and the probability is, that the bulk of foreign goods suitable for this trade has been received. As soon as the imports fall off, the deposits will be reduced fast enough to satisfy the most bitter opponent of the system; but we fear this will fail to produce the relief antici. pated from such a movement. The Ostend mail just arrived, informs us that at the Bourse at Amsterdam there was less doing on Monday, the Dutch stocks being somewhat lower, owing to sales for account. Spanish and Portuguese were much the same; Mexican was rather lower, and Peruvian was in request. _ Prince Henry of the Netherlands, is to have the duty of announcing to Queen Victoria, the death of the late King, and will at the same time return the insignia of the English orders. The Prince, it is said, will be ap pointed Minister of Marine. There is nothing very positive from Germany by this opportunity, in reference to the Danish war, but certainly the indications are not altogether favourable, as the preparations on both sides continued active. The Moni teur Prussic,: of the Ist inst. appoints three Generals to the c ommand of the Prussian contingent to be sent to Schleswig, but a satisfactory impression seems to have been produced by the fact that the Danish Court had been ordered to go into mourning for Prince Waldemar. The Danubian principalities are about to be occupied, according to the German papers, by 45,000 Turkish troops, but on the other hand it is reported that Russia will oppose this. The Lisbon mail brings intelligence of a new proposi tion to tax home and foreign dividends. The Madrid and Valentia dissentient shareholders are likely, we hear, to come to an understanding with the directors, and many have already acquiesced. The arrangements for the appointment of an agency to administer the financial affairs of the Peruvian Go vernment are said to have all but completed. The grain trade is very slow to day for all articles at Monday's prices. The arrivals of foreign include 18,300 quarters of wheat, and 10,180 of oats. The Funds have been further depressed in con sequence of the statement from France of an insurrection having occurred among the troops at Vincennes, and the apprehensions of renewed hostilities in Denmark. As a counterpoise we hear that the King of Prussia has refused to become Emperor. Consols were marked 92k to I for Transfer early in the morning, but are now 92i j. Time deal ings have been effected at 92k to k. Exchequer-bills have realised 445. to 475. premium. Rather unexpectedly, Messrs. Schneider and Co. have sent a notice to the Stock Exchange of their willingness to pay three-fourth of a half-year's dividend, that is 1Z 17s. 6J. per cent. This is, of course, acceptable, and it is hoped there may soon be enough remitted, say by June, to complete the remaining 12s. 6d. The following is a copy, and it will be seen contains other conditions:— " New Broad•street•mews, April 4, 1849. " Sir,—On the 2d instant we took leave to commu nicate to you, for the information of the Committee of :vanish American Bondholders, the receipt by us of a sum of money on account of the dividends on the Mexi can Consolidated Debt. "The fund in our hands for this purpose is still short of the sum required for the payment of the first half yearly dividend on the said debt by about 27,000/. "In order to afford to the bondholders under these circumstances every accommodation in our power, vs e have issued a notice, of which we beg to enclose to you a copy, stating that we are ready to advance to the bond holders three-fourths of the amount of the said half yearly dividend on the deposit in our hands of the divi dend warrants representing the said dividend, charging interest on such advance at the rate of four per cent. per annum, until the date at which the payment of the dividend may be made. " The Coriamittee are aware that we have to allow inte rest to the Mexican Government on the funds remaining in our hands from time to time, until the dividends are paid. We remain, &c., (Signed) . _ JOHN SCHNEIDER and Co. G. R. Robinson, 7Esq.:Chairman, sic. Very little business bas been done in Foreign Stocks. Mexican are 31} toi, being dull. Grenada realise lBi Equador are 3I I. Brazilian have been 794. Portuguese Four per Cents. have not b een affected by the news above referred to, being 281. Spanish Three per Cents. have realised 30j. French Three per Cents. have been quoted 57f. with the exchange at 25f. 25c. Dutch Two-and-a-Hall per Cents. are 494 to 504. Shares are dull, and the quotations generally are flat both for home and foreign Railways. Nothing has been done in Bank or Mine Shares. ONE CLOSING •' tileES 02' ''RITIESII FUNDS. O'CLOCE PRICES 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities 92%%1,414 92% Bank Stock for Account, — 199 Consots for Account... 92 % 14 1 ,4 92IA xchoquer Bills. 2d. 1,0001. June 46 44 47 p 47 p 5001. Jane 46 44 47 p 47 p Small. June PRICES OF FOREIGN k CLOSING rItIOES. 80 73% 40 18% 31% 31 ONE O'CLOCK. Brazilian Bonds Do., New, 1843 .......... ....•• 73% Buenos Ayres Bonds, 6 per Cent. Equador Bonds Grenada Bonds, 1 per Cent. 18%% atoxican, 5 per Cent. 1846 3156 Ditto, Account 31%% Portuguese 5 per Cents. — Ditto, 4 per Cent. — Ditto, Account . 2 8 34 'c:Antati 5 per Cent. 1840. Ditto, Account — Ditto, 3 per Cent Venezuela Bonds, 2% per Cent — Dividends on the above payable in London. French, 3 per Cent Exchange 2sf. 25c. 25f. 25e. Dutch 2% per Cent., 12 Guild. Ditto. 4 Dor Cent. Certificates 78 77% xd 77 1 / xd 28 28 16% 16% 30% 27 PRICES OF PAID. BUSINESS DONE CLOSING AILWAY SHARES. AT ONE O'CLOCK. PRICES. `dirmingliam and Ox ford Junct., calls duly paid, or with a guaran. 20 t;ostea, Stamfd & Birm. 5 , •,;.le.lonian Do. Quart. - Irs ..- ..... 12,E 4 : 14 Do. New 10/. Pref lO ... .. 12% ...... •••••• ..pester and Holyh ea d 5O ...... 18% '-.ast Anglia, 251., L. & E. and L. and D...... 25 Do., 18/., E. & 1.1. ... 18 ..... ...... ---. • . . Do., 31. 103. 21 4 Eastern Couilties... ..... 20 ...... 94 i,-, 9 /8 Do. New Guarante e d 6 per Cent. ... ...... 10 ...... 11 1 4 ll4 Eastern Union, Class A (late E. U. Shares) 25 Do. Scrip (6 percent.) 20 ...... 1934 East Lancashire ......... 25 Edinburgh and Glasgow 50 14reat Northern Do. ' / . 2 I Deferred rsat North of England 100 ..... ..... Ditto, New, 301 Great Western 100 ...... 94 1 ,4 9ZI . Ditto, I% Shares Ditto, Fifths .. 20 Lancashire & Yorkshire 93 25 24% 444 111 18% 19 3 % 17 1 ,4 42% 11 11% s►,' Do. New, Gua. 6 per ct. 10 London &Blackwell l2l London, Brighton, and South Coast 5O ..... 38 3 / 4 1 ,4 Ditto, New 5/., guar. 6 per cent. .. London and N. Western 100 Ditto, New Quarters.. 7 - ll% Da to,Fifths ..... .. .. 2 ...... 8 3 / 4 %. LonA. &S. Western ...... 50 ...... 37 1 / 2 36% Midland ...... ........ —lOO ...... 76 76 t,( 4 Do., do., 501. Shares .. 25 ... .. 16 3 / 4 % 16% Norfolk N.n•th British ... .... ... 25 ....., 14% ... 14% North Staffordshire l 7 ln 1331, 14 Scottish Central Shrewsbury and Bine— 11 Ditto, New Guaranteed 8 ...... 9 3 / 4 % 9 %a South 14:astern Do., No.'). South Wales 33 South Yorkshire, Don caster, and Goolo 8 W ilts, Somerset, & Wey. mouth ........ ..—... 45 York, Newcastle, and 1 Berwick. .„, Do. Newcastle Eaten, •i 0 Do. G.N.P.,.Preterence 8 ... Yo-k ..t.n4 North Midland 50 ...... 44 1 4 Ditto, Preference ...... 10 FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Boulogne and Amiens... 2.0 Central of France (Or- Vierzon ) ' East Indian: ............... 3„1 4 l l, 3 7 /........ N O N r o a l r i e l t:l u n i ersrnaan7Ol:ll Bordeaux.Flriaegncee.... ..... 2 1 7 3 0 :::: 11 4 — 3 ; 4 Paris and Rouen 2O .•• ... • Rouen and Havre ...... 20 ...... Sambre and Mewe Tours and Nantes ..... ... 9 ••• • •-•• ..... 154 33 3 4 24 1 ,4 17 3 ,,i VA 44,4 87/8 1414 11 1 4 31,4 1 1 4 4 21,4 MINES. Australian London &est j m O in sta 2O JOINT T r BTOCK j3A.11 KS. Union of Au W stralia ..... 25 ...... 24 24 MARKET NEWS.-(THIS DAY.) CORN EXCHANGE—WEDNESDAY The supply of English Wheat on offer in to-day's was very limited. The best kinds were in moderate re quest at Monday's quotations. All other qualities ruled dull, and late rates were with difficulty supported. The accounts respecting the appearance of the young Wheat plants are very favourable. Upwards of 18,000 quarters of foreign Wheat have arrived this week. This large arrival had a depressing influence upon the demand for all descriptions, at barely last week's decline in value. The show of foreign Barley was good, that of English small. Fine malting samples realised full currencies. Grinding and distilling sorts were a mere drug. Malt dull, and the turn in favour of the buyers. We have re ceived 10,180 quarters of foreign Oats this week, yet the show of samples was not to say extensive. A moderate business wes doing at late prices. Beans, Peas, Indian Corn, and Flour moved off heavily. ARRIVALS THIS WEEK. I Wheat. i 1,040 qrs. Barley. 1 ---- Oats. I Flour. 1,250 qrs. 1,210 qrs. I 1,3705 k: English •• • • • • Scotch .. •• • • Irish. • • • • • . Foreign • • • • • • I 500 I -- 5,210 10,180 I -- Malt, 850 qrs. BOROUGH HOP MARKET. 18,300 Our market continues to be very moderately supplied with fine Hops, the demand for which is tolerably steady at full prices. In the middling and inferior kinds scarcely any business is doing. New Hops:—Sussex pockets, 214 to 31; Weald of Kent ditto, 2/ 12s to 318.;; Mid and East Kent ditto, 3/ 3s to 61 10s per cwt. _ _ VTIIITECHAPEZ. The general demand ruled heavy at barely stationary prices. Beef, from 2s 2d to 3s 4d; Mutton, 2s 8d to 33 8d; Lamb, 5s 4d to 64 :4d; Veal, 3s 4d to 4s 4d; and Pork, 2s 10d to 4s per 81bs. LLOYD'S 6HIPPIN G.—(THIS DAY.) LONDON, APRIL 4.—Wind S., light breeze and fine. C OWES , APRIL 3.—Wind W.—Arrd. Lagus, Rio Janeiro, and sailed for Alt ona . P ORTS M O UTH, APRIL 3.—Wind N.N. W. to W.— Arrd. flail (st.), Reynard, Gibraltar, left 16th ult. SW. Planet,_Bermuda and Jamaica. DEAL, APRIL 3. 7 -Wind S.W. to S.S.W.—Arrii. 2d, Nova Scotian, Corning, St. John's, New Brunswick. A rrd. from the River, 3d, Promise, Retallick, River St. Lawrence ; Woodbine, Skevet, New York ; George Wilkinson, Brown, Quebec ; Ceres, D'Auvergne, Hon duras; Ramble, Hutchinson, Jamaica. Sid. Susan, Collins, Nassau; Ilonor, Jannahill, Constantinople; Promise, Sydney, New Swab Wales; Cromwell, Adelaide. South Australia ; Richard Thornton, Batavia ; Hirundo, Panama. 'FALMOUTH, APRIL 3.—Wind N.N.W.—Arrd. 2d, Richard Cobden, Stewart, London, for Bombay. Sld. Canton steamer, Canton. Off port, Flirt, Buenos Ayres, and bid. for Antwerp; Marie Antoinette, Aux Cayes, and ald. for Antwerp; Bourse'D'anvers, Von Coppenhole, Havannab, and ald. for Antwerp, with I t of boat, and m a i nur - st sprung; Effort, Bromhead, Mo 1• mein, and sld. for Hull. OFF THE WIGHT, APRIL 2.—Emigrant, Anderson, Richmond, and sailed for Bremen. ..Piotmourn, APRIL 3.—Wind N.W.—Sid. Victoria, Cardiff and Jamaica; Fanny, Prince Edward's bland; Queen Victoria, Quebec; Alicia, ditto. DARTMOUTH, APRIL 3.—Wind N.W.—Sld. 2d, Ca lypso, Quebec; Emma Zoller, ditto. OFF DUNGENESS, MARCH 29.—Magdalena, Ham burgh, for California. OFF DOVER, APRIL I.—Louisa, New York, for Antwerp. LIVERPOOL, APRIL 3.—Wind S.—Arrd. 2d, Cynthia, Goldsworthy, Macao; Eliza Caroline, Bell, New Or leans; Dibdin, Kean, ditto; Swan, Taylor, ditto; 3d; Bling, Boyd, Shanghai; Mary Ellen, Porter, Mauritius; Courier, New Orlt-ans; Berlin, Smith, ditto; David, Vaughan, Mobile; Ocean Star, Williams ditto; Acadia, Ge. Suirannah. Sld. 3d, Dickey Sam, Lima; Ox ford, New York; Townsend, Boston; Patruces, REzonf, Patpebim; Mary Ann, Waddington, Quebec; Amy Ann, 'Ammon, Montreal. Tonniir, APRIL 3. Wind N.W.—Sld. 2d, Leonnais, New York. Conic, APRIL 1 . — Arrd. Hebrew, Blanchard, Mobile, for Liverpool, leaky. Drumm, Menem 31.—Wind S.S.E. to S.—Arrd, April 1, Talentiro, White, Mauritius; Simon Hardy, Gore, Barbadoes. CLYDE, APRIL I.—Arrd. Jane Brown, Leitch, Per nambuco; 2, Arethusa, Lyon, Trinidad; Conrad, Bar clay, Mobile; Hinda, Fisher, Demerara, with loss of foremast, main topmast, mizeu topmast, and bowsprit. OFF (iITERNSEY, MARCH 30.—Lightning, Du Frocq, Pernambuco, and sailed for Rotterdam. KINGSTOWN, APRIL 2.--. A small vessel was seen lying at anchor, dismasted, about 4 miles S.E. by E. of Wick low Head, by the Elizabeth, Adamson, arrived here. Arrd. Ann M'Lester, New Orleans. THE BRISTOL MURDER. TRIAL AND CONVICTION OF ANN THOMAS FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) GLOUCESTER, TUESDAY NIGHT. The Gloucestershire Assizn opened here on Thursday last, and the trial of Ann Margaret Thomas, on the charge of having, on the 3d March last, murdered her mistress, Miss Jefferies, by beating her on the head with a stone, was appointed for this day. Mr. Baron PLATT took his seat at nine o'clock, at which hour the Court and all the avenues were crowded to suffocation, so that it was only with the greatest dif ficulty that the barristers and those having business on the circuit could force a way into the Court. A'very large number of females were among the audience. The Counsel retained for the prosecution were Mr, Whitmore and Mr. Skinner; Mr. Sergeant Allen de fended the prisoner, but only cross-examined a few wit nesses. Mr. WHITMORE opened the case in an exceedingly temperate speech, and then called a great number of witnesses, who fully supported his opening. The same witnesses were examined on the trial as on the coro ner's inquest, with the exception of the girl Sullivan, who was not called. The case having been closed, Sergeant ALLEN addressed the jury for the prisoner. lie did not deny that the death of the deceased had been caused by the act of the prisoner ; but urged the sup position that it was done in the heat of passion in con sequence of provocation, and therefore that the crime amounted to manslaughter only. The Learned JUDGE summed up, and the jury, after retiring, found the prisoner Guilty of murder. His Lordship then passed sentence of death on the prisoner, who fell down in a fainting fit, and was carried out of court. CHANCERY.-(1111S DAY.) The LORD CHANCELLOR sat to-day in his Court, in the Old Hall, Lincoln's-inn. His LORDSHIP having disposed of all the unopposed lunatic petitions, of which there were between 30 and 40 on his paper, proceeded to hear appeal motions, but no case of interest came before his Lordship during the morning. His Lordship will not sit again before the first day of Easter Term. ROLLS' COURT.—(THIS DAY I His LORDSHIP, the e t a cr s n te e ro y f .tihaen to-daysat , in a h n i d s Court gave It in the . o , ll's-yard, several plug meats in cases that had been heard before him; this bring the last day of his Lordship's sitting prior to the first day of Easter Term. SANDERSON V. THE COCKERMOUTH RAILWAY COMPANY. Ili* LORDSHIP gave j wignu-nt in this case. His Lord ship was of opinion that ttie plaintiff was entitled to the speci°c performance of the agreement entered into be tweek, him and the defendants, and as it appeared pro great reluctance, directed a parttes, he, though that n t o ho tt u rr g a h nge vi re th en .. t could be come to between the were ference necessaryto t h e o w d a a y t o a n n d o f slips l i e nq f t , t r ir t e h w e h a a ec t o r m oa ni d whose land was divided by the railway. His Lordship had no hebitation in saying that the matter in dispute might be arranged by au indifferent party in . a few minutes, and he could not but Ar to as b te o r m t' a i think that there was something more then ap• peared on the face of the bill to induce the parties to incur the expense of a long reference sooner than settle the matter amicably among themselves. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. THE CORPORATION OF LONDON. The MASTER of the ROLLS also gave judgment in this case, which was argued before him a short time since, upon certain exceptions taken to the report of the Mas ter, who had allowed certain exceptions taken by the Attorney-General to the answers put in by the de fendants, the Corporation of London, to the information filed of the Attorney-General. The information was filed by the Attorney-General, for the purpose of having the question settled, which was ex isting between the Crown and the city of London, as to which of them were entitled to the bank of the Thames between high and low water mark. The Crown by its information insisted that it was entitled by the common law to the banks of all rivers in the realm between high and low water mark, while, on the part of the corporation, it was con tended that they held their right by prescription, and that the Crown had no right to interfere with it, and they declined by their answer to produce their title. To this answer the Attorney -General took exceptions which were allowed by the Master, and to the report allowing those exceptions, the defendants took exceptions, and upon them the Master of the Rolls now gave judgment. His Lordship after going at some length into the case, stated his opinion to be, that the defendants, the corporation of the city of Lon don, were not entitled to refuse the discovery they had done; he must therefore order the exceptions to the Mast( r's report to be disallowed. At the suggestion of the SOLICITOR GENERAL, the de fet,dants were allowed two months to put in a full answer to the information. SAEMCN V. GREEN-JUDGMENT. The MASTER of Alit: ROLLS also gave judgment in this case, in which the question arose under the will of a gentleman of tile name of James Salmon as to tho par ties entitled to participate in his residuary estate. his Lordship was of opinion that tire two daughters of the testator took a joint interest in the residuary estate, and that that interest passed to their representatives. ATCHESON V. ATCHESON-JUDGMENT The *MASTER Of tilV ROLLS also gave judgment in this case, .stating his opinion to be ft at the legacy ought to be carried over to the joint estate of the hus band and v.ile, au(' that the dividend should be paid to the husband during their-joint lives or until farther order. HOWARD V. PRINCE.-JUDGMENT. The MesTER of the ROLLS also - gave ;;;;nent in this case, overruling all the exceptions to the Master's re port. WOOD V. TAIINTON.—JUDGMENT. The MASTER of the ROLLS also gave judgment in this cese, which, came before him a short time since upon motion on behalf of the plaintiff, to compel the defendant to sign a cheque, and hand it over to the plaintiff. The matter in difference between tho parties were, it appeared, made the subject of arbitration, and an award was made by the arbitrator in favour of the plaintiff, and the object of the motion was to compel obedience to that award. On the motion coming on before the Court, a preliminary objection was taken to it, on the ground that the Court wculd not act upon the award, inasmuch as it had not been made a rule of Court; and upon that preliminary objection the Master of the Roils now gave judgment. His Lordship was of opinion upon the authorities that the motion might be sustained, although the award had not been made a rule of Court. The motion must therefore stand over till the first day of Easter Term. IN RE SAVERY.-JUDGMENT. In this case his Lordship was of opinion that the examination was insufficient, and gave further time to put in a mere sufficient examination. VICE-CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.) (Before the Vice• Chancellor of ENGLAND.) His Hoziouß was occupied the whole morning with motions of no general interest. His honour will not bit again till the first day of Easter Term. SECONDARIES'.—(THIS DAY.) Ou the jury being called very few jurors were in attendance, and it was intimated that an " example " would be made of the absentees. On the jury being made up it was found there was no cause to try, the attornies not being present. After a lapse of a quarter of an hour the jury were dis.2harged, and asked whether they were not to be paid for their attendance. Mr. Hudson the officer of the Court replied in the negative, but observed that attending on these juries prevented greater inconvenience, as the jurors were exonerated frOm serving in the superior Courts and the Central Criminal Court for three years. MA RLBRO'-STREET—(THIS DAY.) Susannah Price, a woman of the town, was charged with annoying several gentlemen in the public street. and John Gordon, a captain in the army, was also charged with attempting to rescue the prisoner from the custody of the police constable. Chatfield, 302 A, stated that this morning about half put one o'clock he was on duty in Oxford-street, when he saw the female prisoner go up to two gentlemen and lay hold of them. .They pushed her away and refused to speak to her. Witness wont up to her and requested her to go away. She then walked away, and when she got as far as Argylle-street she went up to another gentle man. Witness then took her in charge. Ho had got as far as Beak. street, Regent-street, when she refused to proceed any further. He then gently pushed her for ward when the defendant Gordon came up and asked witness what the woman was charged with. Witness refused to satisfy him, when he said he was an officer in the army, and he (witness) should not take the woman any further unless witness gave him a satisfactory answer. Witness told him he should take him to the station if he did not be off. Defendant then took hold of the woman's shoulder and prevented witness from taking her away. Another constable then came up and witness directed him to take defendant into custody. Mr. HARDWICK discharged the woman, and asked the defendant what answer he h sd to make to the charge. Captain Gordon said, he begged to state, on the word of a gentleman, that he did not touch the woman at all. He should not ;have interfered had not the constable handled the woman in a very rough and unbecoming manner. He merely asked the constable the cause of his treating the woma❑ in such a manner, when ho an swered him in a very insolent manner. Mr. HARDWICk said, he strongly deprecated the con duct of defendant, but, as it did not appear that he had used any violence, he should fine him in the mitigated penalty of 10s7. The money was immediately paid. MANsioN-HousE.—Yesterday evening the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayor. , ss entertained at dinner the Master, Wardens, and Court of Assistants of the Fruiterers' Company, and. aLout 40 gentlemen of the ward of Farringdon Without. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS, April 3. POOR•LAW (IRELAND)—RATE IN AID BILL. Mr. J. O'CONNELL then resumed the adjourned debate on the second reading of this Bill. He deprecated the taunts that had been thrown out by Hon. Members of that House against Irish Members and the people of the south and western parts of Ireland. If such taunts were continued upon such a question as the 63. Rate in Aid Bill, Irish Members and the people of the south and , west parts of Ireland would feel inclined to test their loyalty with those who de scended so low as to throw out such unneces sary insinuations. He agreed with the Honourable Gentlemen the Member for the University of Dublin in finding fault with this Rate in Aid Bill; he had heard nothing on this second portion of the debate that had removed his objection to the measure, neither had ho heard anything as a substitution for it. He was aware that this was an en deavour to induce the landlords to contribute out of their funds to assuage the general distress of the country, and he believed that the endeavour arose out of a supposition that the landlords did not do their duty to their country. There might be some justice in this, yet he did not mean to say that the landlords in Ireland had not generally done their duty. should be careful of any such expression, but as a body there seemed to be some grounds for the allegations against them. Yet, though allowing this, he would not assert there were no exceptions to the general rule. He did not mean to say that there were no good landlords in Ireland ; he know that there were many that were excellent— as ready to promote the welfare of their tenants as to further the promotion of their own in terests. The majority of them were desirous, he verily believed, to discharge their duties, but a sixpenny rate in . _ aid would be b u t a sma ll contribution to the necessities of the whole country; and he only regretted that the poor-law for Ireland had been advocated by the leading men in the House of Commons. The Noble Lord at the head of the Government had pro pounded one plan, the Right Hon. Bart. the Member for Tamworth another, and a third scheme was advocated by the non. Member for Buckingham shire—all men justly renowned for the amount of their influence, the extent of their attainments, and the power of their abilities—justly renowned, for they had fairly earned all the celebrity which they enjoyed by the exertions which they had made for the general benefit of the country—exertions, he believed, honestly and justly made and as justly rewarded. —(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") He would not say much more; but when the Noble Lord at the bead of the Government stated that it was but justice that Ireland should bear an equal amount of taxation with this country, he conceived that the carrying out of such a principle would be a direct violation of the Act of Union. He believed that that Act ought to be inviolably observed—(Hear)—tor if Ireland was to be deprived of her inherent rights without an Act to repeal the union—which he most fervently desired—without an Act of repeal she ought not to be deprived of the few, and ho might say, insignificant advantages which had accrued to the connexion. He also regretted that the Right Honourable Baronet (Sir Robert Peel) bad in dulged in the general phrases that Ireland should use renter efforts ; for he knew of ,no country that exerted itself for the support of her prior more than Ireland ; but he should make allowances for the prejudices against that country, to which the first statesmen have been at all times obliged to bow. Here the Honourable Gentle man entered into a lengthened comparison between Ire land on one side, and England and Scotland on the other. The rate in aid coming on the back of other oppressive taxes, would be sure to break down the rate-payers. If there were Honourable Members anxious to apply the produce of an income-tax to the relief of the poor, here was an admirable opportunity for them to distin guish themselves by showing their attachment to that principle. At a time when other statesmen were looking about for holes and corners to hide themselves in, he thought it most creditable to the Right Honour able Baronet the Member for Tamworth, that he should have come forward and staked his reputation on a plan, which was certainly goorl, though almost revolutionary in its character. Money was the great difficulty, but that was a difficulty for the Right Hon. Gentleman to settle with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. There was one point, however, on which he should be glad to have more definite information. He wished to know what provision was to be made in this plan against ab senteeism. In the plantation of James the First there was a provision against absenteeism. Supposing this settlement to be carried into effect without looking to this point with re. view to its being satisfactorily legis lated upon, and without making some provision for faci litating the granting of leases, they would find the old system revive in its full strength, which they were so anxious to amend. He thought that an excellent scheme might be framed from the various projects which had been stated to the House in the course of this debate, and that the House would do well to endeavour to in troduce into the Bill the principal recommendations they contained. Mr. CECIL LAWLESS said, he could not conceive how the Government could call upon the House to carry their measure, when he knew that public opinion was against it. Gentlemen whom' they had sent into Ireland to procure information on the subject were unanimous in condemning it. The people of England were now quite accustomed to bear of the horrors of Irish famines, Irish destitution, and Irish atrocities, and in a little time they would become quite inf, i ifferent to their impres sions. That, indeed, was the case already to a very great extent. In the midst of all her difficulties, wants, and despair, the Noble Lord at the head of the Government sat with his arms folded, apparently an unconcerned listener to the tales of misery WI ich were constantly being related there. Why, even Nero took more trouble, for he was said to have fiddled whilst Rome was burn ing. —(Great laughter.) Ile (Mr. Lawless) did not in any degree approve of the measure, and should certainly vote against it; and he trusted most earnestly that before long he might see the days of the present wretched and incompetent Government brought to a close. Lord CLAUDE HAMILTON said that although he did not object to the proposed amount of relief, yet :the measure involved a principle of raising the necessary means which lie could not approve of. If the rate were to be proposed at all, let it be proposed with equal pres sure on all kinds of Irish property, and not exclusively on the agricultural community, which their recent legit letion hai already breught to the verge sr rein. Merle Hon. Members representing Irish constituencies said that they wished to make Uheer a part of Ireland, be cause they would then expect to see the rest of Ire land standing in the superior position e h:ch the pro vince of Ulster now occupied. Those [lon. Gentlemen, however, seemed to forget that if Ulster were in a su perior position it was owing only to the superior indu s try and self-relian ce o f i ts popu l ation; and he (Lord Claude Hamilton) very much feared that if Ulster was to be made a portion of Ireland, in the sense of the phrase which was contended by these Hon. Members, and if that was to be done by the operation of this Bill, that instead of raising Munster and Connaught to the prosperous level of Ulster, they would sink Ulster to the level of misery of Munster and Connaught.—(Hear, hear.) When the Hon. Gentleman spoke of the money expended upon the casual Irish poor, coming to this country, to seek employment, thee passed by altogether the large Irish fortunes which are spent in England—it the Hon. Gentleman moved for a return, to enable hint to strike a balance between the two accounts, he would find a balance of millions in favour of Ireland; if they rejected the poor man, they ought to take some account of the rich men who spent their fortune s in this country. While they maintained the union such arguments were altogether out of place. If they thought the union was a bad bargain, they ought to say so, and if they thought proper get rid of it. They should also recollect that Ire land did not throw herself into the arms of England, but that the union was brought about by the influence of England —some said by extensive bribery.—(Hear.)These observations taunting the ingress of the Irish peior to look fur labour, were inconsistent and illiberal, while nothing was said of the expenditure of the rich Irish landed proprietors, who resided in this country. With regard to the rate in aid, he could not understand its justice; but even if it was correct in principle, he had an objection to it, on the ground of it's inadequacy to meet the evil, and also that it could not be limited to the pe riod proposed for its termination —tw o years. What he sought tor Ireland was, calm consideration and justice. It should be recollected that Ireland had paid all the burdens which this country had thought it just to im pose upon her, but they ought not, at a time of unpre cedented pressure and distress, impose additional burdens, which the country was unable to bear. They should also take into consideration that the poor-law valuation was unequal, and therefore a national rate must be partial and unjust. That this was the case wets proved by the evidence of Mr. Griffith, who was exa mined before the Poor-law Committee, and who was well acquainted with the condition of Ireland, and upon that ground the proposed rate would be unjust. Tke poet had said— " Hope springs eternal in the human breast, Man never is, but always to be blest." Now, he might ask, when were they to have these reme dial measures which had been so often promised? They had once heard there were to be no more coercive mea sures, and that a policy would henceforth be practised which would compensate for past neglect, and which would raise Ireland to her proper position, and lay the foundation of lasting prosperity.—(Hear, hear.) Was the present a measure such as they had a right to ex pect after all those brilliant promises? Was it right to tax one part of Ireland for the support of another, for that would be the effect of the proposition? Until they had laid down such a principle in England —until they had shown in practice that distress in Sutherland was to be relieved by a tax laid upon Yorkshire, they had made out no case, and had not established a prin ciple upon which they could in fairness act, as they were attempting to do. There was another thing also in the case which had never been heard of in England, namely, that the money raised by this tax was to be placed under Government control. He contended that nothing could be more unjust and unfair. He would now call attention to the Act of the Legislative Union, according to which it was provided that all taxes levied in Ireland for special purposes, should be paid into the Exchequer. He wanted to know why 4. new principle should now be attempted to be established. He wished also to impress upon the House, that a great mistake prevailed as to the great ability of the north of Ireland to bear taxa tion, as compared to the south and west. The difference lay not in the soil or climate, but in the industry and habits of the peopl The Noble Lord then referred to the difference in population and valuation in two coun ties, namely, Donegal and Clare, and stated that while in the former there were eight unions, in all of which the poor-law had been efficiently carried out, he found that in Clare, with four unions, three were placed under vice-guardians, and a debt had already been incurred of 28,000/. Now, he would ask the House, what would be the feelings of the people in the district of Donegal if, atter all their exertions and their dependence on their own resources, they found their reward to be the pay ment of a tax of 6,0001. for the benefit of those dis tricts of the country placed in a different position?— (Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord then referred to the lan guage which had been used by Lord Clarendon to depu tations on differentoccasions, and contended that the Irish people had no right to expect that a measure such as the present would hare been proposed by her Majesty's Government. It was not the amount of the rate he cora ' plained of, but the principle of taking money for one purpose and applying it to another. He feared that the consequence of laying on the present rat e wou ld b e, that a difficulty would b e found in collecting the ordinary rate, if, as had been proposed, one fund should be mixed with the other.—(Hear, hear.) He deprecated the measure as being impolitic and unjust, and would, there fore, vote against it. Mr. BRO WN said it had been argued by some Honour able Members, that the sum which it was proposed to raise by the rate ir;aid should be borne by this country as well as by Ireland. Now he complained of the con duct of some of the landlords of Ireland, who, by their evictions, had sent numbers of poor people into England, which necessarily made an extra pressure on the poor• rates of England. He did not see why Ireland should not pay a property tax as well as Eng land did. If Ireland paid such a tax, then there might be a claim such as that which Ireland was now making. He should like to be a little batter in formed with regard to some of the plans which were shadowed forth by the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir Robert Peel). For instance, he should be glad to know what the Right Hon. Baronet meant by a Commission for the sale of lands of embarrassed estates. If the commission he contemplated was of a proper character, similar to some which had been issued, he thought the plan might be very beneficially carried out. This he would say, that if the people of Ireland came forward in a proper manner, he had no doubt that England would act in a liberal spirit; but if they did not do so, he for his part would not consent to vote away any public money. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD opposed the Bill, because it gave the Poor-law Commissioners power to levy a tax arbitrarily upon the whole of Ireland. He was not for England's sake an advocate for a measure that violated the first principle of civil liberty, which held that no taxation should be imposed without representation. He could not help giving his warmest approbation to the admirable and eloquent speech of the Noble Lord who had just sat down, and which was worthy of an Irishman. It was said that Ire land did not pay her just proportion of taxation, but if that were so, it was a question for the consideration of the Imperial Parliament, and the Act of Union directed that a re-adjustment of such taxation should be made if necessary, in the proportion of her exports and imports. It England said Ireland did not pay such proportion, let an inquiry be entered into, and if such were the case, he for one should consent that a remedy be applied for such an anomaly at once. At the present time Ireland paid the proportion of one to eleven in taxation. He con tended that Ireland was never a drain on England, and certainly not before the Union, when Viceroy after Viceroy acknowledged with thanks, the liberal sup plies voted by the Irish Parliament to the contin gencies of the British Empire. In 1799 the Marquis of Cornwallis called it an extraordinary supply when, 300,0004 was voted; and, as after that period England got the management into her own hands, if the finances were mismanaged, she had herself to blame, and not the Irish people. He contended, that if a tax were to be levied on Ireland, it should be paid into the Imperial Exchequer, and paid out like other taxes; but against the principle on which the rate in aid was to be conducted, he protested. Withe'regard to what had been said by the Right lion. Baronet the Member fur Tainworth, in reference to the plantation of Ulster, the great success of that undertaking was principally owing to the agreement entered into between what were called the " undertakers" and the tenantry located on the estates. From the security of tenure thus given was the prosperity of Ulster mainly owing; and he was of opinion that, until a similar plan was introduced into the rest of Ireland, all legislative measures must fail of producing any good. As to the present measure, he would ask, how could a miserable pittance of food given to the dis tressed poor relieve the condition of the country. He thought it was dangerous to England to inflict injustice on Ireland, because it must produce that discontent which all good men wished to see allayed. He wanted either to have a union with England or a repeal ; he wished not to have a half sort of union—a union in name but not in deed or spirit—the continuance of it could not be beneficial to either. It was not the interest of England to have Ireland in a wretched condition, for if that wore so, she would ultimately be her ruin and downfall. H a I was opposed, on these grounds, to a rate in aid, and as a British representative, he would not be a party to an advance of money on such security as a rate in aid. Sir D. NORREYS was an admirer of the people of Ulster ; but on thi s occas i on they were more English than Irish, fo r th ey refused to pay a moderate tax when called on to d o so, i n support oft heir fellow country- I men. Irela n d was absolutely ruined at that moment. The landlords were selling their land—the farmers emi grating to America —the lands going to waste—the people starving and dying with hunger—and yet it was at such a time the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Tam worth said they were called on in Reload to make an exertion. Wh en the poor-law was fi rst i ntro d uce d in 300000/. ' and yet Ireland it s c h arge was not to exceed - c it ap a i m ta o l, un b te y d, th l e ast affected loss of I,7oota,otiooonl., which after a In his (Sir 1). None) neighbourh oo d, th ere the count r y, amounting to up wards of 28 . 000,0 00 / . disastrous ysar t o visitation was 2,600 acres of land out of cultivation at that mo ment, and even when it was cultivated the w ages pa id to labourers were not in money but in potatoes. If England refused to aid them what were they to do ? or were the people to be allowed to starve ? Hon. Gentlemen said so great was their obj e cti on t o th e rate i n aid that they would preer an income-tax. Now he had been all his life accustomed to hear his countrymen say they would shed their blood on a scaffold, or lay their heads on a block, before they would do so and-so, but the fact was that those expressions should be taken as more in dicative of their energy than of a wish to do either of those dreadful alternatives.—(A laugh.) And so it was with those who objected to a rate in aid. But he wanted to know from the Gentlemen who talked of an income tax, what they meant by it ? Was it merely an income tax for Irish purposes, or did they wish the English income-tax to be extended to Ireland ? Eio had listeued in vain fo: an explaeutioa from them. All that he had learned aesise that a rate in aid was an extremely ineolii-rti&d•lthing. An income-tax, tor merely Irish purposes, would only remove the Poor•law burdens from the landlords to other shoulders ; while, if the English income-tax was extended to Ireland, it would be a most iliternien mode escapingof that they s h ou ld , to avoid a burden of 300,000/ take a tax of upwards of 1 , 00 0,000/.—(Hear, hear.) Hts main difficulty with the rate in aid was, that it was not sufficiently large, an eight p einy or nine-penny rate would be more efficacious. But he supported this rate because it was a just tax. No one district in Ireland was responsible for its pauperism, and therefore all should contribute fairly to its sup port.—(Hear.) One great cause of the pauperism was to be found in the frequent evictions which took place immediately after the close of the war, and the conse quent tailing of prices. The landlords were then brought into immediate connexion with their estates, and finding them over-peopled by the middle-men, they cleared these estates, and the parties so evicted were obliged to resort to inferior lands. Another great cause was the abolition of the 40s. freeholders in 1829, and while these changes lid been highly beneficial to the more wealthy districts, it had, of course, propor tionehly increased the burdens of. the poorer districts. For these reasons, therefore, he was of opinion that the poor rate should be levied as generally as was compa tible with the prevention of abases in the administration of the funds. With respect to the improvement of Ire laud by introducing a new race of landlords, he looked upon that as entirely hopeless. There was one peculiar feature in these cases, that where the greatest amount of pauperism was to be found, the means of relieving it were smallest ; and, therefore, any hope of these dis tricts being able to contribute anything towards their own relief would be attended with disappointment.— (Hear, hear.) In unions and electoral divisions, where the annual valuation of property to each head of the population was 1/. 195., the rates - were Sd., while in Kanturk and Listowel, where the valuations were as low as 275. ld , the rates were as high as Bs. to 9s. Under such circumstances he thought it was hopeless to expect that capitalists would invest money in such districts. Much had been said about the rate in aid being an oppressive tax, brit he took issue with Hon. Members, and totally denied that it was so. —(Hear, hear.) On one point his opinions bad changed. He was formerly opposed to putting any tax upon ab sentees, but further consideration had led him to the conclusion, that absenteeism was a great evil, and he was now of opinion, that a tax for the benefit of the electoral division or union, should be levied on all rents sent out of the country, in order to make up to such di visions or unions the loss caused by the absence of the landlords who drew these rents. The principles laid down by the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tam worth and thi Hon. Member (Mr. Bright) with respect to the unfeudalizing of the soil, had his most hearty adhesion and support. He believed that it the Right Hon. Baronet would add to his proposed commission the principle of abolishing entails, and freeing the transfer of land from all unnecessary restrictions, it would do more for the permanent benefit of Ireland than any Mi nistry or Government could by possibility effect. For years he had advocated the free and unchecked develop ment of the resources of Ireland, as the only mode of really promoting the prosperity of that country, and he earnestly hoped that the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir Robert Peel) and the Hon. Member (Mr. Bright) would per severe in urging this great question upon the attention of Parliament. In conclusion, he had to say that he ap proved of the rate in aid, and especially of the proposal of a maximum and the exemption of improvements from the rate. If these two details were carried, with some minor improvements in Committee, the measure of the Government should have his hearty support, under the belief that it was calculated to meet the existing difficul ties in Ireland. Mr. MONSELL admitted that Ireland was bound to make a great and independent exertion; but that exer tion ought not to be made in the impolitic manner pointed out by her Majesty's Ministers. When he con sidered the mass of evidence urged against the measure by Mr. Senior, Mr. Gulston, and Mr. Twisleten, who resigned the important post of Chief Commissioner of Poor-laws, rather than participate in the administra tion of so obnoxious a tax as the rate in aid, he felt really surprised that Government should persevere in pressing this measure on the consideration of the House—a measure which would prove in adequate, and was without any precedent. It was absurd, in a season of great distress and privation, to bleiele of meeting the requirements of Ireland by the operation of the Poor-law Act alone. The Noble Lord at the head of the Government had announced an intention of making advances for the purposes of rail ways; bat the 300,000/. which Government proposed to give would not construct more than eighty miles of line, and not more than one-third of that sum would be ex pended on the employment of labour. He called the attention of the House to the dreadfully distressed con ditioe of the country, and pointed particular attention to the fact, that large numbers of farmers with capital were leaving Ireland as emigrants, and that was the most destructive species of emigration for the country. The system now going on in Ireland was admirably cal. culated to aggravate the existing distress, and it struck him that the conduct of Ministers was directcd rather to obtaining majorities in that House, and carrying on the government of the country, than to devising plans for meeting the destitution of Ireland. Under the peculiar cir cumstances of Ireland, it was no wonder that the propo sition of the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tam worth had created a great and profound sensation among the Irish people. The speech of the Noble Lord at the head of the Government, with respect to the fu ture prospects of Ireland, was one of the most hopeless and cheerless he had ever heard. If, a the Noble Lord recommended, thin gs s h ou l d be alloweds to go on as they were, they might d epen d on it England would suffer as well as Ireland. Mr. HORSMAN observed upon the improved condi tion in which the Irish question now stood as compared with former years. When the Government proposed the last grant of 50,0001. for Ireland he had voted in the ma jority, but there was a vast difference between a tempo rary expedient and a permanent system. The adoption of the present measure, he thought, would only amount to a postponement of the evil hour, and he could say that as Ireland suffered from an Imperial calamity, it would be neither just nor wise to throw the relief of the distressed districts on the less adlicted provinces. Tho rate in aid system destroyed economy, diminished in dustry, and discouraged improvement. Cruel 2S Were c portion l s n of t h t e h e a i t r t e m lr p i Irish gdiesslatrtoi7,onhee p k r n o e v w in n ce on o e f h to ie m so o m re e Ireland in the vain effort to suppurt, or rather perpetuate the miseries of another. What cluirn had Connaught for support on Ulster, that Ulster could not fairly urge on Middlesex? As yet no answer had been given, except the answer to be found in the speeches of the members of Government, namely, that both Ulster and Connaught I were in Irela n d. Th e great object aimed at was improve tnents in Ireland, and that must chiefly be obtained by means of agriculture. But one great means for for warding that improvement was that the agriculturist should know the worst that could befal him, that he should know what he had to do, what taxes he had to pay, what burdens were to be indicted on him, in order that he might make his calculations correctly. The rate in aid, however, would prevent him from doing that. In this rate in aid he could see nothing to give security that more and larger grants would not be required for Ireland. Certainly in the speech of the Noble Lord at the head of the G overnment, last night, there was but little encouragement held out. What the Noble Lord said was neither satisfactory nor statesmanlike. As re garded the present measure, the only thing which could justify Parliament in passing it, would be that it was a part of a comprehensive scheme for the benefit of Ire land. Were there any prospects of the other portions of that scheme making their appearance, they might put up for a time with this bad portion of it, in the prospect that they were about to get a better. There was, how ever, no prospect of that. The Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Tamworth, though he stated he would support the measure, had something of that idea in his mind, for he had thrown out some most valuable suggestions, which, from the high character of that Right Hon. Gentleman, were well entitled to consideration, and had stated that he did not despair but that out of this disastrous state of' affairs better times might arise in Ireland. He should like to know then, if Government were not prepared to give them a comprehensive measure at present, whether they had fully studied the question, and were, alive to its import auce? He would not be unreasonable with the Govern ment, but he thought they had a right to know whether before this rate in aid was agreed upon by them, all raditzislictuss haveed and nnsdob scheme, en considered.heoefi mnt eeed,oflreland,ant these et N hs eeo another s None the other suggestions thrown out for the improvement of Ireland these taken k had g est conjoined ions x t v h a e s y , at) hf m lea i rwr g eg h awes t taheesaimv doneio n ad alo b n e e en r im ail p w ro a v y e s r b n u t t la n n o d t s h , anrgi dtoanother thatgiving al a l t i h d es t e o had been fully considered, and that the rate in aid had been taken as a last resource. The principle of this measure was said to be one of dire necessity. It was said that no relief could be had from England, and, therefore, Ireland must help herself. But although there might be some disappointment on the part of the people of England as to the manner their liberal contri buttons to Ireland had been treated, yet that disappoint nat nt did not so much arise from anything the people of Ireland had done, as from the useless and unprofitable manner in which their munificent contributions had been applied. Let the Ministry come forward with a scheme which would bear evidence on the face of it that it would benefit Ireland, and guaranteeing that it would be well and efficiently worked out, the people of England would be as ready to contribute as ever.—(Hear, hear.) Should the present measure pass, it would cause defiance and ill-feeling in those districts where there was now loyalty and order. Arid should Government succeed in doing that, they would have done their best to have filled up the cup of Irish misery and English crime.—(Hear.) Sir A. BROOXE denied that the ratepayers of Ire • land had repudiated their obligations in respect to the poor-law. He could assure the House, that in the dis trict and union with which he was connected there was not one shilling due by the proprietors of the land in the district in that respe ct. With regard to the Right ion. Gentleman's plan he entirely approvedof most of it, and should like to see it carried out. If there was a gen tleman in Europe capable of carrying it out it was the Right Hon. Gentleman, and the Right Hon. Gentleman ought to go over to Ireland to see it carried out himself, in the understanding, however, that he should not return until he saw his plan in full and satisfactory operation. — (Laughter.) He objected to the rate in aid system as unjust to the ratepayers, as it placed rich and poor, the landed proprietor and the small tenant, in the same category. Th e valuation under which it was to be levied was also unfair, and taken as a whole, it would injure instead of hem filing Ireland. He thought that it would be better if the Noble Lord (Lord J. Russell) would allow the few instalments due for the building of workhouses for the relief of the poor of Connaught and f 3 18%