The Sun. — London, England, 1827-03-23 00:00:00

cause tie wished that the step should be taken by some individual of greater Parliamentary knowledge than himself. The petition was then brought up, and read. On Mr. SPRING RICE's moving that it should lie on the Table, Mr. WYNN observed, that it was quite impossible that the House could allow a matter of this kind to pass without animadversion. It was bound to assert its own dignity and power, by protecting the witnesses summoned by its authority. He should therefore move, that the Hon. Martin French be or dered to attend the House to-morrow. It having been suggested that it might be expedient to exa mine Mr. Lambert, with reference to the allegations in his Petition, The SPEAKER desired the Serjeant to inquire if Mr. Lambert was in attendance in the Lobby? The Serjeant having reported that Mr. Lambert was in attend ance, the SPEAKER asked the House if it was their pleasure that he should be called in ? The answer being in the affirmative, Mr. Lambert was called to the bar, and examined by the Speaker, to the following effect What is your name?—Thomas Lambert. Look at that Petition, and state if the signature to it be yours? —lt is. - State to the House slowly and distinctly the particulars of the occurrence of which you complain.—ln consequence of having been. summoned by Mr. Martin to attend as a witness on the in quiry by this House into the late election for the county of Gal way, I came to the House on Tuesday last. I had not been in the Lobby five minutes before I met the Hon. Martin French, who said to. me "Lambert, how do you do ? I'm glad to see you ;" and held out his hand to shake hands with me. Not being disposed to shake hands with a man of whose conduct I had cause to complain, when I was on trial, and my life was at stake, I merely made him a low bow. There were present at the time Mr. Phipps, Mr. Bagot, and Mr. Butler, a friend of mine, but I believe a relation of Mr. French's. As soon as I had made my bow, Mr. French went into so violent a rage that his countenance became distorted ; and he made use of the following words :—" I deserve it for disgracing myself by contaminating this hand in holding it out to shake hands with such a rascal."—My reply was, " Thank you ;I am much obliged to you."—(a laugh). I immediately told Mr. Bagot and Mr. Butler to recollect what had occurred. Somebody came up and asked what was the matter? and if Mr. French was mad. I forgot to mention that Mr. French held up his hand in a threatening manner. Ido not know whether or not he meant to strike me; but if he had I should not have returned it. Is that all that you have to address to the House on the sub ject?—l received a letter from Sir R. Birnie in the course of the day, desiring me to attend at the Bow-street Office the next morn ing, when I gave my word and honour to take no further notice in a. personal manner of what had occurred. When the circum • stance which I have described took place, somebody called out for a constable to take Mr. French into custody. The SPEAKER then inquired if any Hon. Mem ber had any questions to put to Mr. Lambert ? The two following questions were put by Mr. SPRING RICE :. Yeu are come to London in consequence of a summons from the Speaker of this House ?—I am ; I have the summons in my pocket. Are von aware that Mr. French is also here for the same rea son have heard and believe that he was summoned to attend AS - a witness on the part of Mr. Martin. A MEMBER asked at what distance Mr. French was from Mr. Lambert when he held up his hand in a threaten ing posture?—The. answer was, that he was as near as an Hon. Gentleman, pointed out by Mr. Lambert, was to the bar ; but we were linable to observe what that distance was. Mr. Lambert was then directed to withdraw. Mr. WYNN, again remarking on the necessity of protecting witnesses w ho were smmoned by that House from in sult, moved, " That the Hon. o Martin French do attend this House to-morrow." Mr. HOBHOUSE observed that, with all defer ence, this did not seem to him to be a case which called for the interference of the House. It did not appear that any blow had been struck, or that any obstruction bad been thrown in the way of the witness. The whole originated In a former quarrel ; the petitioner was not alarmed, or prevented from giving evidence on the matter, respecting which he was summoned ; and therefore he (Mr. klobheuse) really could not see why the House should take soy step in the business. Mr. H. GRATTAN said, that it distinctly ap peared that the eriginal offence proceeded from the petitioner him self. . Mr. LOTT (Member for Honiton) said there ap peared to have been not the smallest reference to the business in which the parties had been summoned before the House, and he thought there was no reason whatever for noticing the petition. The circumstances might have occurred a hundred miles off, for any thing which connected them with the business of the House. Sir J. YORKE could not agree with the last speaker. As to the distance at which Mr. French was when he held up his hand in a threatening manner, it mattered not if he were a hundred yards off. The threat was the same. It was cer tainly evident that Mr. French had been, in the first instance, ir ritated by Mr. Lambert's refusal to shake hands with him ; but if circumstances had occurred at Galway which might render that refusal perfectly reasonable, was not Mr. Lambert to be protected against Mr. French's subsequent conduct? Mr. ABERCROMBIE allowed that this House ought to protect those whom it summoned as witnesses, but main- Mined that it ought not to interfere in shape of protection, ex cept on very clear grounds. These getlemen seemed e to havebeen for merly quarrelled. The conduct of Mr. n French had crtainly improper; but the civil power had already interfered; and that being the case, be did not see why the House should interfere also. It would be wasting their time to bestow it on so trifling a matter Mr. LITTLETON agreed entirely with the Hon and Le: rued Member for Calne. Mr. SPRING RICE could not admit some of the propositions which he bad just heard to pass without remark. He was sure that if those propositions were adopted or acquiesced in by the House, they would lead to monstrous and dangerous consequences. If such words aLldressed to a witness, were to be passed over because no actual blow had been struck, it appeared to him to he a doctrine most fatal to the power and privileges of that House. Because the police had interfered in the business, the house, it was said, ought to have nothing to do with it! This was a monstrous and most untenable doctrine. If owever, his object in presenting the petition would be amply attained ; ciunely, that witnesses and other parties would know that if they conducted themselves unbeomingly, the House was ready, at a moment's notice to call them to account. That, he trusted, would prevent the recurrence of such eircumstances. Mr. WYNN thought that after the examination which had taken place, the matter really ought not to be alma. Intel) , passed over. The offending party ought at least to be ad monished by the Chair that such conduct could not be tolerated by the Uouse of Commons. He really could not see why, be cause the Magistrates had made the parties pledge their howienr that the matter should go no further, that the House was to be precluded from taking any step to extend to those whom it sum moned to attend for the purpose of giving evidence, that fair pro tection to which they were entitled. Mr. .ABERCROMBY, in explanation, did not paean to contend that the House ought not to interfere because the po i; e had interfered. He only meant to say, that the present was exclusively a case for the police. Mr. BERNAL could not look at the transaction as a breach of privilege. He could not see that any obstruction had been thrown in the way of substantial justice. He called on the Right Hon. Geneman, to whom precedents were so familiar, to instance a parallel case, in which the House had been induced to resort to such severity as td admonish the party offending. It would have been a very different thing if the Committee had been sitting, and if the parties had met in the Committee-room, and something of the same nat ure had p assed there, bearing on the merits of the subject under investigation. Mr. Secretary PEEL was not present at the ex amination of the witness ; but from what he had been told, he rather thought that his evidence at the Bar bad not completely sustained the allegations in his petition. The question was not w hether the petitioner had exercised a sound discretion in making this complaint to the House ; but how, the complaint having been made, the House ought to act. He apprehended that a slight no ti c e of it was indispensible. A slight notice was, he be lieved, all that his Right Honourable Friend thought necessary. --(Hear, hear, from Mr. Wynn.)—The offending party ought to be told, that the House did not care whether he was right or ivrong in his private feeling ; but that when any man was called upon by that House to discharge a public duty, there must be an oblivion of private quarrels.--(Hear, hear.)— . The proceedings upon Election Petitions brought into such imme diate in tercourse parties between whom there frequently exid much personal hostility, that it was important to tell those p erson , who were not inclined to quarrel that they should be protected, and to tell those persons who were inclined to quarrel that they must b e qui4t. ;Senn admOni4ien, therefore, although not a very severe one, ought, in his opinion, to be given to the offending in dividual. Alderman WAITHMAN said, that he believed no case could be brought forward as a precedent for that which they were now considering. He conceived it to be a most con temptible case, although he was of opinion that the Hon. Gentle man who brought it forward was perfectly right in doing so. Sir 11. WILSON said, that it was the duty of the House to prove to the public that persons summoned on com mittees should be protected. He agreed, therefore, in the propo sition of the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Peel) and thought that both parties should he summoned to the bar. A cry of " Question" then became general, and strangers were ordered to withdraw, but no division took place, and it was ulti mately decided that Mr. Lambert and Mr. French should be called to the bar to-morrow (this day). CASE OF JOHN STANBURY. The SPEAKER said, that he wished to draw the attention of the House to an order which was issued some days ago, directing that John Stanbury, who refused to attend an Elec tion Committee, should be taken into custody for the breach of privilege. A messenger was accordingly sent down to Cornwall, who proceeded to Tregony and Penryn, but he was unsuccessful. He received fresh information, and went a secoud time in pursuit of the individual, but with no better success. The usual course to pursue in such cases would be to have the messenger called to the bar to hear his statement, after which it was usual for the House to address the Crown, praying that a reward night be issued for the apprehension of the offending party. He wished to know if it was now the pleasure of the house that Mr. Wright, the messenger, should be called in ; and the House having assented, Mr. Wright (one of the Messengers of the House) was then called to the bar, and having stated the particulars of his unsuc cessful search for Stanbury, and his belief that he purposely ab sconded to prevent the service of the warrant, Mr. C. W. WYNN moved, " That it appeared to the House, that John Stanbury had absconded to avoid the service of a warrant for his apprehension issued by that House." This motion having been agreed to, It was moved, and carried nem. con., " That an humble Ad dress be presented to his Majesty, praying that he might be gra ciously pleased to give directions that a proclamation be issued, and a reward be offered, for the apprehension of the said John Stanbury." Mr. CAREW presented a petition from the parishes of New and Old Ross, in Wexford, praying for Catholic Eman cipation.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. DOTTIN presented a petition from the operative sawyers of Southampton against the use of machinery. Mr. FERGUSON presented a petition from certain farmers in (we believe) Forfarshire, praying for protection to barley and oats. CONVENTION WITH PORTUGAL. Mr. PEEL presented (by command of his Majesty) copies of the Convention between his Majesty and the Infanta Re gent of Portugal for the maintenance of the British troops sent thither from this country in IS2G. They were ordered to lie on the table. Mr. J. STEWART presented a petition from the Mayor and Corporation of Beverley, against any further conces sions being made to the Roman Catholics. The Hon. Member observed, that though he had every respect for the honourable body from which this Petition proceeded, yet lie could not agree with them in their prayer. After the most anxious consideration that he had given to the subject, he was bound to state, that his opinions were altogether favourable to further concessions. He had voted for going into a committee on the question, on a for mer evening ; and as long as he should have the honour of a seat in that House, he would continue to support any motion which had for its object the removal of the disabilities under which the Catholics laboured.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. BATLEY entirely concurred in the prayer of his constituents on this subject. The petition was ordered to be printed. On the motion of Sir R. WILSON, leave was given to bring in a Bill to explain and amend an Act respecting the costs of distresses for rent in certain cases. Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN presented a peti tion from several ship-owners of the port of London, complain ing of the operation of the laws lately passed respecting the reci procity duties. The Hon. Member said, that a petition had been presented on a former day from another body of ship-owners; but those whose petition he now presented were a body equally respectable, and acted by a committee of their members. The petition was signed by 250 persons, who represented _tlingreat hardship of their case, under the operation of the late laws ; that they were unable to compete with foreigners, who, in the ar ticles of wages, and other items of expenditure, were able to fit out ships at an expence some 30 or 40 per cent. cheaper than the British ship-avner ; that other classes of the community were willing to have these experiments in legislation tried upon them (the petitioners) while they shrunk from the application of simi lar experiments on themselves, and they submitted that it was unfair to single them out for such measures. All they wished was a full inquiry on the subject, and they prayed that such inquiry might be gone into. The Hon. Member said it was impossible to continue such measures as were lately adopted by the House with respect to this trade, unless they were accompanied with others which would produce a redution of taxation and a reduced price of bread. The petition was read, and ordered to be printed. . CORNWALL AND DEVON MINING COMPANY.— ARIGN A. COMPANY. Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN said, that he had had in his possession for some time a petition, with which he was intrusted, to that House, and affecting in some of its allegations the character and honour of some of its members. He had been unwilling to present it, while the proceedings respecting the Arigna Company were pending, but he now gave notice, that he would name an early day for the presentation of the petition, in order that all the parties concerned might have timely informa tion. The petition would refer to the conduct of certain indi viduals connected with one of the late public companies. (The Hon. Member did not timed name the particular CoMpany, but we afterwards learned that he allUded to the Cornwall and Devon Mining Company.) With respect to the Arigna Company, lie thought that the report of the Committee would be ready to be laid before the House in two or three days. The cause of its de lay to the present time was,, that the Chairman of the Com mittee had been engaged as a Member of an Election Committee. CANADA TIMBER. On the motion of Mr. F. LEWIS, there was or dered to be laid 'before the House a return of the amount of duties paid upon timber, deals, and other articles of wood, im ported into this country from Canada within the last three years, specifying the amount of duties which would have been paid on the same amount and quality of timber, if imported paid o Baltic. Mr. H. GRATTAN gave notice, that on Tues day next he would submit a motion for an account of the ex pence attending the establishment of the stea.n-packets between Dublin and Holyhead, and Liverpool and Dublin. The Hon. Member hinted at some fears entertained (as we understood him) in Dublin, of some excise regulations about to be entered into connected with those establishments. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that no such fears could be entertained from any thing he had said or done. Mr. H. GRATTAN presented a petition from the tanners of Dublin, praying for a total repeal of the taxes affecting their trade. Mr. BERNAL -presented a petition from the tradesmen and others of St. Ann's, Limehouse, connected with the equipment and loading of ships, complaining of being injured by the late alterations in the laws affecting shipping. On the motion of Mr. CURWEN, there was ordered to be laid before the House, a copy of the memorial presented to the Lords of the Treasury, praying that the drawback of Is. 2d. per gallon on spirits distilled from malt only, should be henceforth discon tinued. Mr. OTWAY CAVE presented a petition from the operative sawy,ers of Leicester, praying that a tax might be imposed on machinery. MUTINY AT BARRACKPORg, Mr. HUME, in rising for the purpose of submi ting the motion of which he had so long ago given notice on this subject, did so with reluctance, but the subject was one Of such importance to our interests in India, that it could not be passed over. 'the circumstances to which he should refer took place in November, 1824, and it might appear strange that a notice of them should be delayed till the present time. It would, how ever, be recollected, that in July, 1825, be had requested from the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. C. W. Wynn) some infor mation on the subject, and he had stated that no official account had arrived, and the Session ended without obtaining any. In the Session of last year a notice of his on this subject was twice on the books, but he was prevented from bringing it on by some of those chances which sometimes occurred in that House, and as from the press of other business he was unable to bring it on before a late period, he preferred postponing it altogether to the present Seta3loll. It would be recollected, that the circumstances of our dispute with the Burmese in 1824, required the assembling of a strong force on our eastern frontier. For this purpose the 47th native regiment was marched from Futtigur to Barrackpore, to be from thence marched to Chittagong. The refusal of that regiment to march had, it would be remembered, led to the destruction of 500 of their number in less than one hour. Now, there were tuo questions to be considered in this case ; first, what was the cause of this insubordination ; and, secondly, whether, before this des- - perate measure was resorted to, such means were adopted as were calculated to bring the deluded men back to their duty by gentle methods. The Hon. Member, after eulogizing the good conduct, discipline, and bravery of the native troops, which he described as in general very little inferior to our own, proceeded to observe, that the 47th regiment had come down from Futtigur, a march of 1,000 miles, without a single deserter, though it was known that there existed at that time in the Bengal army a considerable objection—a sort of religious dread of the service against the Bur mese. This fidelity to their corps was a proof of the good dis cipline that prevailed amongst them. They came down from Fut tigur, and were, as he had said, ordered to march to Chittagong. Previous to that time, the desertion from some corps bad amount ed to 200 or 300 men—a strong proof of the general unwilling ness of the native troops to proceed on that uncertain and dan gerous service. It was in this state of things that the 47th regi ment was ordered to march from Barrackpore. On the 23d of October, representations were made by the men to Colonel Cartwright, their commanding officer, and by hint to the Commander-in-Chief, stating, that it would be impossible for them to move at the time appointed for their march, unless they were supplied with the ordinary means of carriage and conveyance. — Be that as it might, the regiment was told on the 30th of Octo ber, that it would not receive any additional means of carriage, and that march it must. The annunciation of that order drove the men to that state of insubordination, which afterwards led to such lamentable consequences. He must now state to the House, that in consequence of the difficulty of getting bullocks to convey the materiel of the army to the Chittagong frontier, an order had been signed by the Government to send all the bullocks to Cal cutta, that could be procured within 50 miles of it. This order created such a rise in the price of bullocks, that it was impossible to purchase them at any thing like the ordinary rate. The Go vernment finding that it had committed an error in refusing to the troops the means of carriage which they had demanded, came to a resolntion to allow to each regiment 2,000 or 3,000 rupees instead of it ; but at the time -the 47th regiment was . ordered to march it could not have pro cured the necessary quantity of bullocks for 30,000 rupees. Such being the state of things, the men declared, that unless their grievances were examined into, they would not march upon the service to which they were ordered. On the let of November, the Commander-in-Chief, Sir E. Paget, thinking it necessary to force this corps to march, proceeded with a strong force of artillery and Europeans from fort William to Barrackpere. He (Mr. Hume) admitted that when a mutiny broke out in a regiment, it was necessary to put it down forthwith—he did not, therefore, complain of the putting down this mutiny, but of the particular manner in which it was put down. Here the Hon. Member , described to the House, from a plan which he held in his hand, the manner in which Sir E. Paget surrounded the 47th regiment with an overwhelming force of Europeani and artillery, and entered into various details of the military execution which he ordered to be done upon it, on its refusal to surrender its arms ; but as the details are already familiar to the public from the numerous discussions which the Hon. Member has originated upon this subject at the India--House, we decline troubling our readers with a repetition of them. He contended that if the Commander-in-Chief had informed the mutineers of the immense force which he had brought with him from Calcutta, no persons would have lost their lives, except such mutineers as he might have ordered for execution, in order to intimidate those who survived them. As a proof that he was correct in this notion, he referred to the notorious fact that these troops had never either loaded or fired a musket, or exhibited the slightest disposition to resist. He had heard that 400 or 500 ' valuable soldiers had lost their lives in that melancholy carnage, and he believed that he might say without the slightest exaggera -tion, that full SOO men had perished in it. A great degree of un certainty prevailed as to the number of men killed, owing to the strict manner in which the Indian press had been prohibited from taking any notice of the transaction. The "Hon. Member here read a circular letter, which was sent by the Government to the Editors of the different papers in India, forbidding them to men tion any fact or to make any comment upon any fact connected with the mutiny at Barrackpore, until an official account of it had been published by Government. In consequence of that circular, all mention of it in the Indian journals was suppressed ; and there fore it was the more necessary that the country should receive some official information respecting it from those who were corn peteut to afford it.. He had now given the House a short history of the 'mutiny, and he- mat now inform .it that on the very evening it was quelled, a court-martial was held, by which 40 persons were found guilty, and that on the next day, ano ther court-martial was held, by which a still larger num .bar .were. also, detzlared.. to be. implicated in the mutiny. Of -these unfortunate • indiVidnals,- several. (v!e. did not catch the exact number) were hung shortly afterwards . OU the' parade, and as if to continue the remembrance of the transaction, were hung, a thing till then unheard of in India, in chains, The re mainder had their sentence of death trausneuted to hard labour on the roads re -u transmutation which every Brahmin of high caste considered a punishment more severe than death. He ought to have informed the House, that when the regiment was ordered to surrender and refused to obey that order, all the native officers quitted their ranks and joined those of the Commander-in-Chief; f kn th o e w a nd yet, would the House believe it? O n th e 4th of November mu tinyofficecros,ultdhe n 4 o 7 t th hav ß e e g taken na en t p c struck without o u t: o e a general order was issued, in which it was stated that as the was a le knowledge o l i f s t : b a c: d e the native officers discharged as unworthy the confidence of the Government. He believed that that order would have had an ef fect upon the native army, of which it would have been impossible to foresee the consequences, had not events taken a favourable turn for British interests both in the West of India and elsewhere. He contended that the loss of life which had taken place at Barrack pore in the first instance, and the indiscriminate punishment of the innocent and guilty which had followed in the next, rendered an inquiry into the whole transaction absolutely necessary by the House. He was happy to find that the mode in which the native troops had been treated, had not met the approbation of either the Court of Directors or the Board of Controid. Report said, that in consequence of orders which had been sent from this country, the Brahmins, who had been sentenced to hard labour on the roads, had been all pardoned. It did not appear to him that the fault was with the Gdvernor-General, but with the Commander in -Chi e f, Sir E. Paget, who with the best feeling possible might have been misled by those from whom he received his information, and indeed it ti as requisite that the papers he asked for should be granted, if it were only for the purpose of putting the conduct of the Bengal Government in a proper light. Mr. C. WYNN was-bound to allow that the Hon. Member had, upon the whole, stated the case fairly. The Hon. Member was not quite correct in his opinion as to what was the cause of the mutiny. It arose, in a great measure, from the dis like which the troops had to march against the Burmese, whom they believed to he more than mortal. The Hon. Member had represented this mutiny as being one of the mildest nature, and that the troops had merely refused to march ; but, in fact, the mutiny was of a much more alarming description, the troops not only violently carried away their colours, but forcibly drove their officers from the parade. What the Hon. Member had observed respecting the Commander-in Chief only showed that that gallant officer had acted with the most laudable promptitude on that trying occasion, in so speedily collecting together so strong a body of troops to act against the mutineers ; nor, indeed, were there any means left untried to make the insurgents fully sensible of their danger; indeed, delegates from them were conducted through the lines, and shown the extent of the force which was prepared to act against them. Could any one say how far such a mutiny, if it had been al lowed to go on, might have spread ? The Hon. Member for Montrose bad not made sufficient allowance for the difficult situa tion of the Commander in Chief. The loss also had been greatly exaggerated ; it did not in reality exceed 160 or 180. Of the 140 convicted, only 12 had been executed ; the remainder had beep sentenced to work in irons on the roads, which punishment was by no means unusual, and had been undergone by many persons of high caste; and indeed the very first proper opportu nity had been seized to remit the punishment of these last-men tioned persons, not merely in compliance with the orders which had been sent out from the Government here, for such remission lied been directed before those orders bad arrived. He had now, he believed, gone over, as shortly as he was able, most of the points in the Hon. Member's address which seemed worthy of observation. All th e other documents, consisting of the orders of Governme n ts had been published in the newspapers, and were matters of publi c n otoriety. On these grounds he felt it his duty to oppose the motion.—(Hear, hear.) Sir C. FORBES contended that the Report of the Commission of Inquiry ought to be produced, in justice not only to the Native Officers, but to the Commander-in-Chief, whose character was implicated in the transaction. He regretted very much that such harsh measures had been adopted at Barrackpore. Our Empire in India must depend upon the affections, and not upon the fears of the natives. The Hon. Member concluded by declaring, brat he would never cease, as long as he had a seat in that House, to urge the P resent inquiry ; and that he thought it no less an act of justice to the Government of India, than of proper deference to the general opinion of England, that his Majesty's Mi nisters should lay all the details of the affair of Barrackpore before the country. Mr. WYNN explained. Mr. HART DAVIES defended the conduct of the Authorities• in India generally ; but apprehended the greatest injury to the Indian army, from this attempt to rip up the sub ject. It was easy for the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Hume) to go critically and narrowly into all the details of this war. Now, would the Hon. Gentleman like to have the same rigour exercised upon all the transactions in which he had been engaged. How would he like an inquiry like the present to be set on foot as to the Greek war?—(Loud cheering.)---How would the Hon. Gen tleman's financial policy bear this sort of test ?—(Hear, hear, and laughter.)—He believed it would not he very pleasant to the Hon. Gentleman to have that subject brought fully before the House?— (Repeated laughter and cheering. )----Those who had glass houses should beware how they threw stones. For himself, he was de cidedly of opinion that the whole army of India was indebted to the administration of Lord Edward Paget. Colonel DAVIES said, that it had been well re marked by the Hon. Member at the close of his speech, that those who lived in glass houses ought not to throw stones. As he was not disposed to use towards that Hon. Gentleman the same course which he had adopted towards the Hon. Member for Aberdeen, he would not bring before the House, as he might do, the mis fortunes which had befallen that Hon. Gentleman in the course of his career.—(Hear, bear.)—Perhaps, if he had been so disposed, he could have placed before the House some transactions in which that Hon. Member had been concerned, which might bring a blush into his cheek.--(Hear, and laughter.) The SPEAKER never interfered in the proceed ings of the House without great pain, and often not without some doubt as to whether in what he was doing he might be doing good. The Hon. Member for Bristol (Mr. Hart Davis) could hardly fail to be aware, that he had begun, in the present case, by deviating from the immediate subject before the' House, awl alluding to topics connected entirely with other matter. - - Colonel DAVIES should certainly bow to the suggestion of the Chair. The Hon. Member then proceeded to state that he gave full credit to the talents and character of Sir E. Paget; but, after the facts which had been laid before the House, he thought an inquiry absolutely necessary to that Gen- tleman's own justification. Sir H. VIVIAN, from what he knew of the Gal lant Officer (Sir E. Paget) whose measures had been complained of, was quite sure that he would have wished his conduct to be inquired into; but after the matter had now lain dormant for two years and a half, he thought that, in a political point of view, it was not expedient to revive it. Mr. MONEY made a few observations, which did not reach the gallery. We understood the Hon. Member to de fend the conduct of the Indian Government. _ - General DUFF rose, but from the immense laugh ter which prevailed throughout the House, we could collect very little of his speech. He wished that the Hon. Member for Aber deen would confine himself to subjects which he really understood, and not meddle with military matters, of which he was sure that he (Mr. Hume) knew very little, for the case which he had now attempted to make out was extremely frivolous. As to the con duct of Sir E. Paget, all he could say was, that he (General Duff) would act in precisely the same manner a hundred times over, if it were necessary. Mr. MABERLY. thought, that his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hume) had made out at least a part of his case, and there fore he should have his vote. Sir J. YORKE said, that whenever he addressed that House, lie used as much brevity as possible. He had heard a great many speeches, but he had in none of them heard any attack upon Sir E. Paget. Sir E. Paget had only acted as every gallant officer wonld have acted under similar circumstances. Mr, FORBES should vote for the production of the documents in question. Sir J. BERESFORD said, that some Hon. Members appeared to doubt whether any mutiny at all existed.— He had received a letter from an officer in India, which stated, that Sir E. Paget had behaved throughout the business like a soldier and a man. Mr. HUME, in reply, contended, that certain grievances, of which the battalion that was ordered to march had complained, had been admitted to have existed ; and the Right Hon. Gentleman had said, that these had been removed. Thus far, then, his statement was substantiated. The Hon. Member then complained of the conduct of General Dalzell, who not un derstanding a word of Hindoostanee, made use of language of the lowest kind to the Seapoys, " damning their eyes," and abusing them in all sorts of ways. The conduct of this officer in other ways, was of such an extraordinary description, as to leave them to suppose him a little bewildered. A division then took place. The numbers were—Ayes, 44 ; Neias 1'76 ; Major against the motion, 192. Mr. * KENNEDY moved for leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the Salmon-fisheries of the United Kingdom. Mr. WARBURTON observed, that the object of this measure seemed to be, to establish water-bailiffs for all the rivers of Scotland and England ; in short a new set of game laws. When the Bill came before the House, he should propose, that a trade in fresh salmon, now a prohibited article, should be al lowed. Sir R. FERGUSON remarked, that the Hon. Member for Bridport (Mr. Warburton) seemed to labour under mistaken notions on this subject. Mr. GEORGE LAMB hoped that time would a b l e l gi t v a en fi hfoerroi,NE t e h a e iin co t n h s e id k t i •e n at g i d o a n m o . m h r. H f the Bill, extending as it did to DRUMMOND conceived that it was intended to introduce clauses respecting the Scotch fisheries, which would take money out of the pockets of one set of persons to put it into those of another. If there were such new clauses added to the Bill, he should oppose the measure, though he once supported it. _ After a few words from Mr. Davies Gilbert, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Kennedy, leave was given. DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CLARENCE ANNUITY BILL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the third reading of this Bill. Mr. HUME should persist in opposing this Bill. Mr. D. W. HARVEY opposed the Bill on the ground of the financial difficulties of the country. Mr. PALLMER supported the Bill. Lord RANCLIFFE opposed the Bill. Lord ALTHORP had once opposed the Bill, but should not vote in the question again. Lord RANCLIFFE declined pressing for a di vision, and the Bill was read a third time and passed. The other Orders of the Day were then gone through, and the House adjourned at a Quarter past Twelve o'clock. Mr. Lemlee's notice on Wednesday, was for an inquiry into the mal-administration of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope, and not for Sierra Leoue. 1,112,874 that ß l E ,4 E s R 2 .7 7B2 A l n )us E he x ls ci m se alt ß w et e u re rn used to in to states g barrels beer, by brewers in S c otla n d, f or three Y ea 64,942,632 bushel s o f from October barrel of beer. For the same three years, 1823 to October 1826, ab ou t 1 3-10th bushe ls of Malt for ever y malt were used, by brewers in Eng land, in the makin g of 25,442,921 barrels of beer, about 2 55-100 bushels malt for e v ery barrel of beer, and, taking in Scot land, 1,452,782 bushels malt , as making 1,112,874 barrels bee r. England usin g 64,942,632 bushels malt, and producing beer, as iu Scotland, t he quan tit y would have been 49,717,977 ba rrels, inste ad of 25 ,442,9 9 1 bar rels—being a difference of 24,305,056 barrels. SPIRITS.--A Return to the House o f Commons, dated Custom House , London, 19th Fe bruary , 1827, states, in Imperial Gallons, the following qu an ti t i es o f F ore i gn S p i r it s , as having paid duties in the last three years , viz.: — Brandy & Rum. Geneva. Total. Imp. galls. Imp. galls. Imp. gall s. Y ea r ending Jan. 5 , 18 25 2,552,289 1,317,641 3 , 869,930 Year ending Jan. 5, 1826 2 , 095 , 591 1,409,686 3,505,277 lc Year e nding Jan. 5, 1827 4,305,419 1,549,842 5,855,261 This shows an increase of above 2,000,000 of imperial gallons for the latt of these over the former, and this principally on rum, and is to be accounted for by the duty on it being reduced to fully under what the duties on spirits made entirely from malt in Eng land would amount to. Now, had this increased consumption of 2,000,000 imperial gallons spirits been in malt spirits or beer, it would have caused an increased consumption of about 130,000 quarters or upwards of barley in the British distilleries ; and as an increased consumption of grain would serve the landed interest, it might at present, when the Corn Laws are under consideration, be well for them to attend to such things; for this is just equal to allowing that quantity of corn to be imported, and that without any duty. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. FRENCH PAPERS. (From the Journal des Debats.) " Reports of the most extraordinary nature are in circulation respecting the affairs of Spain. We shall lay before our readers the different accounts we have been able to collect either from journals or from private correspondence. " The Precurseur, a paper published at Lyons, on the 6th instant contains the following statement A great and extensive plot has been discovered in Rodil's division of the Army of Obser. vat ion. At a given signal, the troops were to break up, part leaving Spain, and the other part going into the interior to join confederates. Just before the time fixed for the execution of this plan, which had its ramifications throughout the whole of the army, five officers of different ranks, 11 non-commissioned officers, and 40 privates, were arrested, and immediately shot. General Rodil, and also the General-in-Chief, Sarsfield, sent expresses to the King, to inform him that they cannot answer for the army— that they wish to resign—and that they are convinced of the im possibility of retaining the troops in the line in their duty. The King immediately despatched couriers to Paris, to solicit aid, or at least an escort to accompany him from Madrid to France. " The Council of State is constantly occupied with financial measures to meet the expence of arming and equipping 24,000 men of the new levy, and the ten regiments of provincial militia called into active service. A clean sweep has been made of all the money collected by the custom-house and other boards." " This news, which has been circulating for some days past, ap pears to be confirmed by private letters from Madrid, dated the 12th. These letters add, that a detachment of the Royal Guard in garrison at Madrid has also deserted. " The Precurseur adds, The news we have received to-day from Madrid, by our private correspondence, is of the highest im portance. The King of Spain asks from Charles X. an escort to conduct him to France. We perhaps should have thought that this was a very rash report, had we not received a confirmation of it through another channel.' " A letter from Marseilles, dated Nov. 12, says—' Passengers arrived in a Catalonian bark, which made the passage in 24 hours, announce that the King of Spain was on his way to Pampeluna, to put himself under the protection of the French.' " Though it may be nearly certain that desertion prevails in Rodil's corps of observation, we believe there is no truth in the report, either of an application for an escort made by the King of Spain to the King of France, or of his Catholic Majesty's depar ture for Pampeluna. The letters from Madrid, dated the 12th, contain nothing which can' induce us to suppose that the King had left Madrid. " Letters from Vienna, dated March 10, state ' M. Rocca Pinto, a Brazilian Commander, arrived here the day before yes terday. It is said that Tie is commissioned to invite the Infante Don Miguel to repair to Rio de Janeiro. But we are assured that the Infante declares he will wait until answers be received from his brother, the Emperor, to the letters, of which M. Neu mann, who lately departed from England, is the bearer.' " A Journal of this day contains the following statement : By a letter from Augsburg we are made acquainted with the cause of the arrest of Father Jobbs, the confessor of the Empress of Austria. It appears that this ecclesiastic, who belongs to the order of the Ligorians, carried on an extensive correspondence with the Grand Dignitaries of the ecclesiastical hierarchy resid ing in several European capitals. The activity of this corre spondence having attracted the attention of the police, it was in tercepted, and a discovery was made of plans of an extremely dangerous tendency against the Governments of several great States. The publication of the proceedings now instituted is looked forward to with great impatience.' (From the Etoile, dated Wednesday, March 21.) " LIES OF THE DAY. " PARIS, Maacas 20.—The Quotidienne.—Telles Jordao has ' obtained an advantage over the Constitutionalists at the bridge of Bares, and the son of the Count de Villa Flor has been wounded. " Letters from Madrid have brought us the confirmation of this brilliant success. " The Journal des Debats.—On a signal being given, the whole division of General Rodil was to disband itself. The King of Spain has just set out for Pampeluna. fi " The Precurseur.—The King of Spain has just sent to ask, at Paris, for an escort to accompany him to France." " BORDEAUX, MARCH 17.—Letters received here within these few days give a frightful picture of the situation of the several independent states of America. It is positively known that Chili and Peru are without government, and that the name of Bolivar is generally abhorred there. The President of the former Republic is changed almost every week. Gen. Lara, whom Bolivar left iu Peru, to govern in his name, has caused several Members of the Congress of Lima to be shot, who had endeavoured to throw off the yoke of the dictator. Further north, between the Whine* of Panama and Mexico, the Republic of Gnatimala offers, in every part of its territory, the horrors of civil war. " The Chief of that Republic has been assassinated, and, during the months of Nov. and Dec. last, the different parties have done nothing but commit the greatest excesses. ".The accounts from Colombia are likewise diiastrous. morial Bordelais. Faxiictt FUNDS, ltfaacat 20.—Five per Cents. Jouiss, Marcia 22, 99f. 10c. ; three per cents. 69f. 66c. ; Bank St oc k, 1,987 f. 50c. ; Rentes de Naples, 75 f. 75e. ; Royal Spanish Loan, 52i. See the Etoile of the day before yesterday. The Journal des Debats, after quoting this news from a private letter, adds, that it does not believe it.. Why then publish he letter?—Note of Etoile. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR THIS DAY. L Remedies against the Nundredßill—Further consideration of Report. 2. Malicious Injuries Bill—Further consideration of Report. S. Larceny Laws Repeal Bill—Further consideration of Report. 4. Annual Indemnity Bill—Committee. 5. Creditors (Scotland) Bill—Third reading. 6. New South Wales Act—Committee thereupon. 7. Supply—Committee. S. Ways and Means—Committee. 9. Cora Trade Acts—Report thereupon. 10. Defaulters at the Ballots yesterday, to be reported. 11. Galway County Election—Mr. Martin French and Mr. lambert to attend. 12. Larceny Laws Consolidation Bill—Further Consideration of Report. 13. Annual Duties Bill—Committee. 14. Spring Guns Bill—Committee. NOTICES OF MOTIONS FOR THIS DAY. 1. Mr. Banker—British Museum Estimates (in Committee of Supply). 2 Sir he nry Parnell—Bill for the further imi)rovement of the Holyhead Road. S. Sir John Newport—Return of the name of the persons placed on the Pension List of Ireland during the years 1792, 1793. and 1794; spe cifying the amount of the :sums granted to each, and the date of commencement of each Pension. 4. ➢dr. Robhouse—Petition from the Directors and Members of the County Fire Office, complaining of the Fourteenth Rep or t of th e Revenue Commissioners on the Stamp Office. 5. Lord Viscount Lowther—To add names to the Committee on the Clerkenwell Improvement Bill. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PLysioum, MARCH 22.—The Alligator, 28, Captain Simeon, sailed on Monday for Bermuda; and the Rifleman, 18, Captain F. T. Michell, for Gibraltar and Malta. In Hamoaze--Britannia, Windsor Castle, Ocean, Harrier, Cad mus, Leveret, Frolic. At the Island—Nightingale.—In the Sound—Bittern. Lieutenant Joseph Chegwyn, of St. Stephen's, Sallash, is ap pointed to the Ordinary at Portsmouth. Captain Patrick Campbell, C. 8., is appointed to command the Ocean, 80, as a guardship at this port, and the following officers : Lieutenants Indedon, Bolman, Lutman, Thackery, Acherly, Truscott, and Burnett ; Mr. Griffiths, Surgeon ; Mr. Diddams, Purser ; Rev. Thomas Surridge, Chaplain. Lieutenant G. Smith is appointed to the Nightingale, vice Kitchen, promoted. Captain the Hon. Wm. Gordon has commissioned the Briton, 45, at Woolwich.—Lieuts. Chas. Smith (late of the Ganges), Rd. Byron, W. Broughton, and C. Douglas, and Mr. W. Hall, Master, are appointed to her.—Mr. Alexander Neale to be As sistant-Surgeon of the Sybille ; Mr. Sturt, Schoolmaster of the Boadicea, has been appointed Master of the Fly ; Mr. Ruddle, Purser of the Helicon, to the Semarang, vice Long, invalided; Mr. Smith, Clerk of the Owen Glendower, to be Purser of the Helicon.—Lieuts. J. H. Turner, and J. B. P. Hay, to the Rom ney; Lieuts. Atkinson and E. Hawes, and Mr. Loney, Purser, are appointed to the Weasle. Capt. the Hon. George Elliott (brother of Lord Minto), will be appointed Flag Captain to Admiral the Hon. Sir Robert Stopford, on his assuming the command at Portsmouth. Capt. Frederick Lewis Alaitland, C.B. has taken the command of the Wellesley, 74, at Portsmouth. The following appointments to Telegraph Signal Stations have just taken place on the line of road from Portsmouth to the Ad miralty :—Lieutenants J. Hughes to Chelsea ; W. J. Snow, Put ney ; N. New n h am, Ki ngston E. Turner, Cooper's Hill ; R. • Hutchinson (b), Ch at l ey Hill ; IT. Mackenzie, Bewley Hill ; E. Garrett (a), Bannicle Hill; J o h n Wildey, Haste Hill; T. L. Knevitt, Holder Hill; W. Eldridge, Beacon Hill; J. S. Murray, Compton Down ; Thomas Edmonds, Portsdown ; Thomas Pike, Lump's FoU. The following appointments to Revenue Cutters have taken place : Lieutenant Perkins,to the Defen ce; Li eut. G . B i esett, to the Rose , • Li eu t. J. Moore (b), to the H aw k e ; Li eut. T. V. Watkins, to the T ar tm.......pyrnouth Journal,