The Sun. — London, England, 1825-03-12 00:00:00

t `~ ~ ~. For the Civil Establishments of New Brunswick - £5,19 For the same in Prince Edward's Island - - 3,010 For the Civil Establishments in Sierra Leone _ - 16,530 Upon this vote being proposed, Air. HUME rose, and stated he should shortly bring the si tuation of that Colony under the notice of the House. For the Civil Establishment of Newfoundland - For the Civil Establishment of New South Wales - For defraying Civil and Military Establishments in IPI 23,934 45,930 the African Forts - - - For the Charges for propagating the Gospel in Upper and Lower Canada, Nova Scotia. Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward's Island - 15,532 The House then resumed, and the Report was ordered to be retteived.on Monday ,next. • - MUTINY BILL. I ord PAL3IERSTON moved that the House do resolve itself into a:Coinniitttee 'upon the Mutiny Act. Mr.. e SYIiES took this opportunity of deprecating, in ghe e s t ro ngtst terms, the continuance of the - p ractice of flogging part of military discipline. It was quite injurious to the charac ter of t British soldier, and unnecessary, inasmuch as the foreign soldier was maintained in proper disciplin without e hou being exposed to the same degrading punishment. tioned:some particular instances of the infliction of this punish ment, which had been lately communicated to him, that had lanced him to take this opportunity of protesting against the prevaleace of corporal punishment in the army. -• Colonel JOHNSON thought that it ought to be abolished, were it only in consequence of the inequality of its infliction in different branches of the service. Lord PALMERSTON declined going into the argument upon the general principle at this moment; for that had been long acid ably considered. He had no partiality for the Con tinuance of corporal punishment, though he feared that it was a neceesary - evil, for the suitable maintenance of subordination, which if removed would undermine the whole discipline of the service. No argument could be drawn from the practice and composition of foreign armies, unless some analogy could be found between their discipline and that of the British upon try ing occasions. Mr.• !MIME said, that if he were not mistaken, there were general orders in the Duke .of Wellington's service, recom mending the French discipline for British imitation. He (Mr. Hume) was a decided enemy to the practice of flogging. General HOPE said that the practice of flogging had in a great degree arisen from the offence of drunkenness, a vice which was much removed by the recent salutary regulations of the Commander-in-Chief, facilitating the payment of weekly allowances, and thereby preventing that accumulation of money to the soldier at more distant periods, which sometimes led him Into unworthy extravagancies. Captain MABERLY thought - the - punishment ought to be abolished. Mr. H. GURNEY deprecated the evil of enlistment for life, which prevailed in the English service only. ?,ord MILTON repeated his complaint against the enor mous inermse of the standing army in time of peace, for which no adequate reason had been advanced. He remembered well 19 Tears ago the introduction of enlistment for life, instead of for terins of years. They owed both, not to the Ministry in general, but to the military part of the administration. He re minited Hon. Gentlemen of the diminution of troops much in ferior to heproposed establishment which they had forced upon administration _ even in times of alarm. His fears upon the augmentation of the army did not prevent him from doing justice to the financial regulations of the Right Hon. Gentle man opposite, which were excellent in a commercial point of view ; especially in the reduction of the ditties on wine and iron. But all the benefit of these arrangements was likely to be frus trated by the almost warlike expenditure now created in the military departments. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER entirely dis claimed the imputation of the Noble Lord, that the increase of the army was a measure only_ partially supported in the Cabi n et, and not attributable to the whole of the administration.- - He condemned the opinion of the Noble Lord upon that mea sure, as one which implied a total ignorance of the altered and increasing consequence of our colonies, trade, and other interests in almost every quarter of the globe. He cheerfully took upon himself any blame which might attach to administration in con sequence of that indispensable measure. Mr. ROBERTSON denied that there was any reason what ever to be found either in the arguments of the Ministers or the state of Europe to warrant any augmentation of the army. The House then resolved itself into a Committee. Mr. HUME wished to know if there were any alterations in the Bill? Lord PALMERSTON proposed to introduce a clause, to enable men enrolled in the militia to enter into the Regiments of the Line, without the dangers which the law threatened as at present. while the Militia Regiment should be disembodied. The House resumed—the Report was ordered to be received or. Monday next. MARINE MUTINY BILL. The order of the Day thr committing the Bill was read. Sir EDWARD K.NATCHBULL wished to know if there was any objection to putting the marines on the same footing wioholie troops of the line, as to the allowances for removing the wives and families in case of embarking for foreign coun tries, or returning them ? CROKER said that the marines were differently cir , . cunistaneed. They had fixed places from which only they en. 11.! 'be embarked, and at which alone they could be landed. While here, they were domiciled, and on their return they 'would expect to find their wives ready to receive them, as it must e known where they would be landed. The House resolved itself into a Committee. Mr. HUME wished to introduce a clause to prevent flogging wit out the formality of trial, in the Navy, conceiving that a measure of relief which had been extended to the negroes in the. West Indies could not be too great an indulgence for Bri tish sailors employed in defence of their country. i 3 r. CROKER said, that the Hon. Gentleman must be under - a mistake. The discipline of the navy was authorized by the 25th Geo. 111., which -was a permanent measure, and could only be brought into discussion by a motion for revising or re peating the act. This was an annual bill, affecting the marines oat their character , of land forces, and applicable to them while they remained on shore. 2,1:. HUME signified his intention, as the subject was of deep . consequence; of bringing it before the House upon a spe ciS.c otion ,of which lie-promised early notice. The House resumed—thTO ANIMALSe report to be receißHAved on Monday. CRUEL TY,. Mr. MARTIN moved the seoond reading of this Bill. - Mr. HEATHCOTE rose to oppose the motion. He did not know that there were so many as two bears in the Metropolis, mail the compassionate narrative given a few nights ago by the Horioutable Mover. He had, in consequence of the Honourable Gentleman's information, gone to Duck-lane, an:l paid a visit to the bears ; and he must say, that so far f.wm the distressed and emaciated condition in which they were SaiLl t , 3 he, a better-fed and a better-conditioned hear—a more healthy and hopeful cub, he had never seen.-o-( Laughter.)—The • bear had, it was true, been engaged in fighting in his early days; but within.the last six years he had become incapable of that exercise, because he had grown too fat.—(Aluch laughter.)— . If the Bill were good for any thing, it would prevent cruelty in the.upper ranks also. It would prevent hunting, shooting, soot ftshing. Could they make a law to prevent bear-baiting, and leave stag-hunting uncontroulled ? They must,. however, interfere with the amusements of the: country gentlemen if they acted justly. The King kept stag-houbds. Many No blenu and many honourable gentlemen in his view had been seen attending the hunts. Could.they Make one law for the rich; and another for the poor ? There was no justice in the measure, and he would take the liberty to move that the .Bill be read a second time this day gix months. Mr. C. WILSON supported the Bill. He thought that next to poaching, cock-fighting had the effect of demoralizing the lower orders. . . Mr. PEEL, though ready to do justice to the motives of his Hon. Friend, tree 7rlernber for Galway, must oppose. his Bill. - his Honourable-Friend seemed to take for, his. motto, -‘ 6 nihil ' humani ame alienam p 1.10." But why should the Honourable Gentleman stop at die ill-treatment of bears, and monkies, and dogs.? Was there more cruelty in baiting a bear than in hunt ing a stag ? There was a difference, it was true. The bear was left in possession of all his natural means of defence ; to qualify the stag for hunting, the horns were in the first place cut off. Then what did his Honourable Friend say to pigeon shooting, where one gentlemanwould bet . another gentleman a sum of money dist, he would kill more pigeons in a minute with a double-barrelled gun ? Could any thing exceed the torment of trout-fishing ? Why did hiS Hon. Friend give relief to bears, and dogs, and monkies, and refuse it to hares, and foxes, and badgers Was not this instituting.a favoured class of suitors ? - One part of the Bill was pure tyranny; if. thellouse could he persuaded to carry it into effect. The passage_to which he al luded was this:—" -And be it further enacted, ' at if any per - son in any part of the United Kingoom of Great Britain and Ire land, shall, after the —, be concerned or engaged in, or shall promote or encourage, or anywise prleote or encourage, or aid .or assist in promoting or encouraging, any bear-baiting dog fighting,monkey and dsg-fighting, g, or badger and dbg-fighting, or • cock-throwing, or cock-fighting, or shall in any manner wantonly and cruelly beat, abuse, or ill-treat any of the above mentioned animal?, e: any domesticated animal, it shall be lawful for any person who shall witness such offence, to appre hend such person so effenclingeand to convey such offender be o fore any justice of the peace err other .lagistratc within. whose jurisdiction such offence shall be committed ; or on complaint cn oath of any such offence being made to any such Justice of sOhe.Peace or other Magistrate, it shall be lawful for such Jus tice of the Peace or other Magistrate to issue his summons or vwarrant, at his discretion, to bring the party or parties so com , plained of before him •or any other Justice of the Peace, or other Magistrate of the county, city, or place, within which such Justice of the Peace or other Magistratejlas jurisdiction." But this was not the worst; there was another passage em poem- powering Magistrates, upon view of any such practices which might be deemed to fall within this Act, to commit and punish without charge or examination.—(" No, no," from n:Member whom we understood to be Mr. Martin.)—He would read the words :—" And be it further enacted, that if any,. Justice of the Peace, or other Magistrate, shall witness such offence, as aforesaid, within his jurisdiction, it shall be lawful for him; on his view, to convict and punish the party or parties so offending in such manner as he might do under this Act, upon informa tion and proof made before him of such offence." So that a Magistrate who had slept upon a bed the night before, filled with feathers plucked from the back of a living goose—riding home froln a fox.chase, to dine upon crimped cod—might take up, cotfimit, or otherwise punish any person whom he might find engaged in fighting " a domesticated animal, or otherwise ill treating the same." This could never be borne. He implored his Hon. Friend, in his humane zeal for the well-being of the beasts that perish, not to be wholly unmindfUl of the class of animals to which he himself belonged. Was it to be endured that a gentleman under the cruel necessity which the defects of sci ence imposed upon him, following up the improvement of his particular . faculty, for the purpose of enlarging the limits of knowledge, and of preserving the health of human beings— was it to be endured dint such a man, - so engaged in the pur- • suits of his calling, though it were known that he had, it its fair exercise, committed cruelty like that imputed to Dr. Ma gendie (which statement was, however, denied), should be taken up, imprisoned, or fined, at the discretion of a Magis trate, who might happen to be present? He objected so the Bill, because it tended to created a favoured class of animals, if the principle were good at all, it ought to be extended to all cases of cruelty. Let his Hon. Friend introduce a Bill to pre vent hunting, shooting,' fishing, and other sanct ' uinary, sports, and then bear-baiting and. dog-fighting and cock-fighting might fall within it. At piesent his measure was not one of equal justice. Sir J. MACKINTOSH would support the Bill notwithstand ing the ill-directed pleasantries and grave censure of the Right Hon. Gentleman, who had, in criticising the form of the Bill, actually aimed at the principle. The House had adopted the principle by passing a law now fully - sanctioned by experience,. and approved by public opinion, to restrain cruelty to ani mals; and this Bill was but an extension of that principle. The object of both was to give the force of the supreme authority to the best moral sense of the community. He him self was strongly opposed to any instances of petty, and trifling, and vexatious legislation : but this was a point in which the moral welfare of the lower orders was deeply concerned ; and the effect of reprobating by Parliamentary denunciation practices abhorrent to the common feelings of humanity would be felt through the whole community. The argument drawn from field-sports would not apply. Bear-baiting was not a national sport. It had no insuperable habits and preju dices to plead for it. He admited that much evil might be done by the prejudices of certain classes, and the readiness of public writers to pander to those feelings. Anatomy, which was the basis of sound medical knowledge, was suffering from them. It would very soon be out of the power of the English student to finish his education at home. He must seek in the schools abroad fbr those accommodations to his studies which hitherto had attracted foreigners to our own shores. What would the great practitioners and luminaries in physiological science have done, had they been impeded in their examinations as the practitioners of the present day were likely by the growth of those prejudices to be impeded ? The immortal Harvey could not have made his luminous discovery upon the circu lation of the blood without the aid of practical anatomy. No man, he believed, would accuse him of encouraging cruelty to animals (Hear, hear) ; but still he would say, that, of all the acts of authority which man exercised over the inferior order of ani main, not one was more excusable, for none was fraught with greater benefit than the performance of those scientific experi ments, the object of which was to.mitigate suffering, to remove disease, to establish health, and to prolong life.—(Hear, bear !) —He would not shrink from any obloquy which might attach to his support of experiments by which science was improved, and the sum of human misery was leseened. A greater mitiga. tion of human suffering was effected by this means than by any other. It was true that the process which led to this perfection in . science was harsh, but the results were beneficent. He would now say one word with respect to the learned and highly distinguished physiologist, Dr. Magendie, with whom he had the honour to be acquainted. He was no judge of the import ance of Dr. Magendie's discoveries, but the concurrent voice of all those who were judges of these matters were loud in his praise. lle believed that the Honourable Member for Galway had noticed the most aggravated parts of those experiments : but he must be permitted to observe, that none of those experi ments, the most cautiously and the mast humanely performed, would bear discussion.—(Hear, hear!)—When he was residing at Paris, he was introduced to Dr. 111andie by their mutual friend, Baron Humboldt, and, being in a state of ill-health, lie (Sir James) was attended by Dr.. Magendie, as his physician. It had been his misfortune to have suffered much from illness, but he always felt, as a considerable alleviation of that misfor tune, the genuine sympathy, the true kindness, the unaffected tenderness, which he had constantly experienced from the able and intelligent medical practitioners whose advice he had sought.—(Hear, bear!)—But he was bound in justice, and be should be base and ungrateful if he did not state the fact, that he never had been treated, amongst medical men, with greater care and tenderness than he had received from Dr. Al agendie.— (Hear, hear!)-1f lie had, in the ardent pursuit of .science— if he had, in his anxiety to penetrate into the hidden secrets of nature gone beyond those bounds which fine feeling would appear to prescribe, it certainly was a great consolation to find that his general character for tenderness and hunanity—that character which was of so much consequence to his patients—bad not been impaired by his professional pursuits.—;Hear!)—Much had been said about the opinion of Sir Everard Ilome Sir A. Cooper, and Mr. Abernethy, on this subject. And what was that Opinion ? It was, that those experiments were necessary to science ; bu', that no cruelty should be exercised—that as little pain should be inflicted as , possible, but that, where tor, ture was wantonly practised, it ought to be condemned as highly immoral.—( Hear !) Mr. G. LAMB said, that though lie was not fond either of bear or bull baiting, still he must give his vote against any legislative interference with those practices. He was very well pleased with those enactments which prevented persons from maltreating animals that were intrusted to their ,care, which had the effect of making hackney-coachmen and drovers a little more humane. That was the point which he wished to see attended to in that House. But, the moment they inter fered with the sports of the lower orders, then the observations thrown out byslie Right Hon. Secretary relative to the sports of the higher orders applied with a force that could not be an swered. His Learned 1 riend bad spoken of the games at which this Bill was levelled as not being the sports of this country ; but Ire could show that they had been patronized by the great and powerful, centuries ago. Evelyn, describing a bull-bait that occurred in the time of Charles 11., stated, that " One of the dogs was thrown so high, that he fell into the lap of a lady of rank in the second gallery. Two dogs were killed. The sports ended with the ape on horseback ; and I retired, wearied with the filthy scene, which I bad not witnessed for many' years."—(Hear, hear !)—lle would now read an'accOunt of an exhibition of the same kind, which took place in 1702, in the reign of Queen Anne. , He found, the. bill amongst the papers of the Vice-Chamberlain of that day, who was one of the prime beaux of the Court. The bill,, which Was headed with the Queen's Arms, ran thus :—" Anna Regina. At the Bear, in Hockley-in-the-Hole, near Clerkenweil-green. This is to give notice, to all gentlemen, gamesters, and others, that, on the 17th of April, a bald-faced dog of Middlesex, will be matched against a dog of - Cow-cross.—(Laughter.)—A guinea each dog. He that shows the 'fullest and finest game, and comes most, clean to hand, wins all : and a great mad bull will be turned loose in thee.yartl, with fire-works all over him, and two or three cats tied 'to his tail.—(Shouts of laugh ter.)—Also other varieties. Alaure-baiting and a bear-baiting Beginning at two o'clock in the afternoon.' Regina Vivat."- -(Laughter) — He did not quote these instances in approba tion of such proceedings, but merely to show that they had been encouraged as national sports: 'He conceived they ought not to legislate on this subject. It was interfering unnecessarily with that, the cure of which should be left to thar great correc tive—education.—(Hear !)—For his own part, • while there were persons who like to be amused in this way, 'he would rather see them so amused, than not amused at all.—(Hear, hear !) Mr. WILLIAM SMITH differed entirely. from. the opi nion of his Honourable Friend. 1 f there were any persons who could be amused by such exhibitions as were . described.in the paper lie had read, he trusted' they would never 'be amused while they were in existence.' Much good had been done by the exertions of his Honourable Friend (Mr. Martin) as might be seen iii every market in London, and he hoped he would persevere in his humane efforts. It was said that this bill went to interfere with the amusements of the lower orders , hut was that so new a circumstance? Were the public-houses as open to the dances of the poor as tho great taverns and Assembly rooms were to those of the rich ?—( Hear !)—Was there •notean interference here with the amusement of the lower orders ? They were all in the habitof reading books of travels, and with what severity of remark did they find their countrymen con stantly speaking of all the bull-fighta of Spain—a sport which was as much admired by the higher as the lower orders. in that cOuntry. They readily saw those faults in others which they refused to correct in themselves. In his opinion'athe habirof seeng bull fights had prepared the Spaniards 'to look without. hoaror at an auto dafe. It was certainly a step towards that gaol of cruel ty. Hogarth had well described the progress of cruelty in a series of prints. The hero of the piece began his career by spinning a cock-chafer, and tenninated it by the Murder of the woman whom he had seduced. • - Mr. MARTIN in reply, contended, that -nothing which had been advanced against his Bill, impugned in the slightest de gree the principle on which it 'proceeded. The Right Moss Secretary had argued, that because he did not legislate for the stag or the innocent hare' he ought not legislate on the subject at all. But was lie to do nothing because he could not effect all ? lie, however, threw the argument back- - on his Right. Hon. Friend, and as he so much commisseratcd the case of.the unfor tunate stag, he called on him, as an adviser of his Majesty to counsel his Majesty to dismiss the stag-hounds.—( Laughter.)— An example of that kind, set by the King, would have a very . good effect, and perhaps would put an end to the stag-hunting of a Noble Lord, who kept up that sport near London. He (Mr. M.) did all he could to remove cruelty of every description ; but they must legislate on these matters by degrees. The Alder men of the city of .London, the Magistrates of Westminster, and ten to one of the magistrates throughout England, and Ireland, were in favour of the Bill. They were great.autho rides, and their opinion ought not to be disregarded. It was said that this Bill was against the sports of the people : but it was a consolation, that if they were legislating against the sports of the people, they were legislating with the people on their side ; and on behalf of the unvitiated population of England, lie claimed the enactment of this law.—(llear, hear'.) —Ile would now say one word as to Dr. Magendie. He did think, notwithstanding what had been said, that Dr. Mageralie poo posed experiments the most horrible and the most wanton that ever were proposed by any individual. He did not deny that some experiments for the discovery of some latent fact might be performed with propriety. If a question arose whether a man could bear an operation that never had been performed before, he did not deny thatit might be fair to subject an animal to that operation, to prove whether it might be tried with success. —But the experiments of Dr. Magendie were not new, they had been performed a thousand times in Faris ; and lie came over here to show them as a dramatic exhibition.—(Hear He had the authority of . great physicians, of the greatest Eng lish anatomists, and amongst the rest the Regius Professor of Anatomy at Oxford, against the practice. The last mentioned individual was of opinion that the attention of the public ought to be strongly awakened to the subject.—( Hear !)—He was con tent to be called the maligner of Dr, Magendie ; but lie could read from that individual's own works a greater condemnation of himself—he could point out a more refined degree of cruelty than any he had stated. It was said that 10 guineas were not paid for die greyhound. He really did not know whether that was the fact or not. Some persons thought it was a stallion which belied tortured : that animal having the most delicate sense of smelling, might perhaps have been selected for the purpose of destroying his olfactory nerves. What was said in Parliament was not subject to trial abroad • • but he would put this question in a course of trial. if Dr. Magendie would consent that he (Mr. Martin) should have an opportunity of proving that act Of cruelty with which -he had charged him, or a greater act of cruelty, he would cheerfully go to trial with him. He told the story at St. Bartholomew's Hospital just as he had told it here, and therefore Dr. Illagendie could get sufficient evidence, if he pleased to bring the matter to issue. Then it was said it was not a greyhound, but a spaniel—it was not a large dog, but a small one. This sort of plea reminded him of a scene he had once witnessed. He went to Newgate, and saw a man who had been con victed of the murder of his wife. He was attended by the Reverend Mr. Ford, the then ordinary. The prisoner was ex claiming, " if I die for this crime, I am a mazdered man, and my blood will rest on the prosecutor and the jury." The clergyman said "Why, you were proved to hare been guilty of the murder by 10 or 12 most respectable witnesses.. It was sworn that you beat out the brains of your wife with a mallet." —" Yes," said the prisoner, "but I beat out her brains with - a pole-axe. .1 am, therefore, a murdered man."—(Laughter.)— The pleas on behalf of Dr. Magendie were-of exactly the same kind. He would state to the House what had been the conduct of Dr. Magendie on another occasion in England : The Doctor, whilst he was operating on a dog, placed his mouth near the ear of the animal, and said, " Rester tranquille, restez tran quille ;" and then turning to the spectators, added, "Il serail plus trattquille s'll etzteltdait - Francois."—(A laugh.)—The Hon. - Member concluded by expressing a hope that the House would suffer the bill to go into a - Committee. Mr. WIIAIOT-HORTON said that the bill formerly in troduced by the Hon. 3lember was directed against wanton acts of cruelty, but the present measure was directed against cruelty which was only incidental to a musements. He could not there fore approve of the Sir F. BLTRDETT said, that as every body agreed that a beneficial result had 'ensued from. the former Bill which the Hon. Member had introduced, lie thoUght it should naturally lead to the conclusion that they could not do harm in going; a - little farther with him. It was not , he alaought, fair to draw any comparison between field sports and the s e sports (if they could be so called) which the lion. Member desired to put down. The fanner were conducive to Wealth and activity— every faculty of the body was called. into action by th eir pursuits, but the latter w e re merely spectacles of unmixed barbarity_ animals being set to tear each ot he r to pieces for the gratifica tion of a multitude who stood passively looking on.—(ilear!)._ It appeared sere strange that in the course of the discussion the most impoitant part of the subject !sad been overlooked—he meant the injurious effect Which such scenes had on the morals of society.—(Bear'. )—Patting all ether considerations out of view —considering that he was not legislatingon a principle of huma nity towards brutcs,but for men—he could not avoid giving his support to the Bill. The persons who joined in the sports which would be effected by the Bill were the very nuisance of so ciety. The neighbourhood where the sports were pursued was the worst in the metropolio.—(llear !)—The common law of England justified the-principle of interfering with regard to any thing Which had a:tendency to injure the morals of the commu nity, and cruelties were in principle punishable by common law at the present moment. The object of the Bill was merely to carry abet principle into effect in those atrocious cases which shocked the public mind.—(liear !)—lie . did not think that the powers of the Bill would be abused; on the contrary, he fear- ed that they would fall into disuse, unless the lion. Member for Galway could appoint a successor as industrious and perse vering as himself, to see its enactments carried into effect. For these reasons, the Bill should receive his support. Mr. F. BUXTON and Sir T. A CLAIM supported the Bill; and Sir M. W. RIDI.EY anti Mr. ROBERTSON opposed it. The House then divided : the numbers were— For the Amendment, 50 1 Against it, 32. 'The Bill was therefore lost. The second reading of the Dissenters' Marriage Bill was postponed to Monday. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at ONE'O'CLOCK. COMMON COUNCIL. Yesterday, a Court of Common Council Was held at Guildhall, when a Petition was presented from sundry Auctioneers, praying the Court to Petition Parliament against the Bill pending, relative to the Equitable Loan Bank Com pany, which was read. A Petition was also presented from several Pawnbrokers of the City against the Bill, which was also read ; and the Court, after considerable discussion, came to an unanimous resolution. to Petition both Houses of Parliament against the same—and the Resolutions were ordered to be advertised. The draft of Petitions being agreed to, the :Theriffs, with the Remembrancer, were directed to present the satpe.forthwith— and the Representatives Of the city were requested to support the same. _ _ Vie - Count also agreed to petition Parliament against sbme of the clauses in the Bill for forming; the Metropolitan Water Works'. Company. BLACKFIIIAIIS BRIDGE.-Mr. Of.Ditait called the atten tion of the Court to the dangerous state of'Dlackfriars bridge, especially the pavement on each side, ' Abrupt steps had been put up at the sides; which were' so steep in the middle of the bridge, as to render it unsafe for any person to venture up or down. . The CitarrtirAN of the Committee said; that Mr. M'A'dam had admitted that the pavement could not be lowered. In fact, it w,as not in contemplation to have lowered the bridge so much in the . middle. Mr. DixoN said that of all the shabby appearances attached to the city of London; the condition df the footpath of Black friars-bridge was the worst. He understood that the middle part of the bridge had been lowered two feet lower than origi nally contemplated'. The Loan MAYott said, that as the business was now brought before the Court it should be attended to, whether the fault was attributable to Mr. M'Adam Or the Contractor. Mr. SAVAGE said, that it was the intention of the Committee to remedy the evil forthwith, no matter at whose expence. from Corf u , 'stating EAwnley AKE 1N THE lONIAN IsLANns.-7—Let tersl of a r ecent d ate were y e sterday received that a shock of an e arth q u a ke had beeii f e lt t h ere, an d t h a t just as the letters were about to be dispatched, an in dividual had arrived there from Santa Maur a, who depo sed that a great portion of that island had been de stroyed by a similaiconvulsion. 'Pcevesa is ,re. • Tresented also to have suffered considerably. CELTIC SOCiETY. At the Annual Dinner of the Cellio Society, on the last Friday of February, Sir WALTER SCOTT, Bait. pre sided, supporter) on the right and left by Lieut.-Col. D'Este, Sir Wm. 31‘Lcoil Bannatyne, Bart., Major Stisted, Ist Royal Dragoons, the Very Rev. Principal Baird, and Mr. Leonard Homer, as guests of the Sociey. The croupier' seats were filled by Mr. Macdonald of Stain., and Sir John Scott Douglas, Esq. of Springwood Park. The Chairman would not restrict a Highland meeting. to three times three, in giving honours to their first toast, " The King," God bless him. " The Duke of Montrose and the Celtic Society." " The Duke of York and the Army." If any recommenda tion to this toast were required, I would only remind you that there has been a recent addition to the number of regiments wearing the tartan. " Chiefs and Clans"—may the kindness that subsisted be tween their fathers be continued by their sons—may the chain of steel that linked them together in troubled times be convert ed into silken cords of kindness and mutual good offices. It was the last toast of our Sovereign at the feast which he deigned to honour with his presence in our capital. The neat toast I propose, gentlemen, is one which, in those good old times, would scarcely have met a cordial -welcome ; I am not sure that in my own border ccuntry, more than in the hill country, mach-deference was shewn to them ; you have all heard of the Sutherland Highlander's reasons for forbearing a foray, " that the law had got the length of Tain ; nevertheless, gentlemen, a bumper, and, by way of distinction, let it be in solemn silence, to the " Supreme Courts of Law in Scotland." The Royal Archers." The Royal Mid Lothian Yeomanry." "Auld Reekie—l trust the old lady will learn to adjust her night cap without burning her fingers." The Chairman proposed the health of Colonel D'Este. Colonel D'Este returned thanks. He hoped the gentlemeb would extend the kind and cordial welcome experienced by him to his attempt, in their own language, to give them— " The land of hills, and glens, and heroes." Tir mun beann, nan gleanns' nam Gaisgaich. " The new members of the Society : Mr. Macpherson Grant of Ballindalloch, Mr. Campbell of Combie, the Hon. A. Cath cart, Mr. Lockhart Kinloch, Mr. Forbes, younger of New and Edinglassie, Mr. Cumming of Logie, M. Stewart, younger of Grantilly," &c. &c. From the Chair.—The toast which I have now to name it affords me much pleasure to propose. It is to one of those gentlemen who are ever active to the discharge of their duties as a citizen ; whose unpretending and unremitting exertions shun the glare and acknowledgment of public observation, and are seen only by the success and complete accomplish ment of the object to which they have been silently and effi ciently directed. Gentlemen, it is an easy matter to give one's presence and support, in a long and wearisome speech, and a small contribution, to any public or philanthropic measure. Few men of any. public spirit are sparing of the one, or grudge the other : but to give up one's tame, although immersed in extensive and engrossing business ; to deny one's self the solace and happiness of the few hours which such a man can give up to the enjoyment of his family and his cheerful home, and be stow them on the arduous, over-looked, fatiguing, and fre quently thankless and disheartening details and labours.of some extensive and benevolent undertaking, forms a severe and pain ful sacrifice. Who is there amongst us that can say he has done it ? How few there are within the range of our acquaint ence whom we can point out as meriting so high a meed of praise from us.—Gentlemen, 1 name Mr. Leonard Horner ; I am happy to see him amongst us ; let us give him a Highland I welcome. Mr. nom;Ert returned his acknowledgments for the un merited distinction conferred on him—for the unexpected and flattering terms in which his name had been introduced ; and the cordial manner in which, altho' a stranger and a Lowlander, it had been received. If there was any thing from which he had a claim in the estimation of his fellow-citizens, it was in endeavouring to,dissetninate widely among the people the bles sing of education. The health of the Chairman. was proposed by Staffs, in a speech of some length, and expressed in warm and energetic langua , ' , e. He made allusion to the distinguished Baronet , having been amongst the foremost to encourage, by . his in fluence, his example, and his irresistible persuasions,his friends and countrymen to form themselves into friendly bands of de fence against threatened invasions—to tile professional duties in which he was to be found engaged, and to his high literary reputation. After a long interval of loud and enthusiastic cheering, the Chairman returned brief and impressive acknowledgments— " As a yeoman soldier," he said, " he had been a very wil ling, but a very bad one ; as a lawyer, he must make con fession that he was both an unwilling and a bad one ; and as a man of letters, he was - what his countrymen chose to think him." The CICAIItMAY proposed the health of Sir William Mac leod Bannatyne, " May he long be able to come amongst us— a kinder or a steadier friend no man could desire." Sirfr3l.l 7 ll.taEon BANNAT Y *** in returnings thanks for the handsome manner in which the Chairman had been pleased to take notice of his name, took at the same time the opportu .nity of expressing his satisfaction in being called to meet his countrymen, the members of this Society. In the happiness and the honour of the Highlands of Scotland, which it is the object of their institution to support, he could only say, that it would be when he ceased to breathe that he should cease to feel a warm interest. The CHAIRMAN' begged to propose a toast ; and although he had been obliged to abstain from making speeches on these already given, because in truth he had not time to think of any thing new, and cordially disliked repetitions; . lie would beg a little attention to this present toast. It was devoted to those Gentlemen, Members of the Society, who had been the first to return reports of the Society's proceedings ; to give us evidence of the advantages to be expected from the Society's exertions. The Society, as a body of gentlemen, con nected with the Highlands, had directed their fends exclusively to promoting the interest of education therein ; they applied to this funds, and exerted their extensive influence ; they went hand in hand with the clergy of the country, and obtained, without one exception, the support and cordial co-operation of every clergyman within whose bounds their first experimental essays had been made. It was true that the Society were par tial to the dress of the.,Highlanders; it was perfectly true that they encouraged its use ; and with the puny exception of one or two visionaries, he had never heard of any Highlander, or any one acquainted with tfie history of the country, and character of its inhabitants, who 'growled disapprobation. Why should it not be encouraged? You have just heard that the native of a mountainous country loves it with surpassing love, and blesses it with his latest breath. May not this noble feeling he cherish ed by the freedom with which he wanders and revels througii. its wild and impressive scenery. The moor, the forest, and the rough mountain side, are as free to the peasant as to the Peer. He may explore the loveliest spot of a wild and wooded glen, without being '= prosecuted as the law directs." He may bask him in the glad sunshine, amidst the green braken and the heather, unscathed by " man traps" and unharmed by " spring guns." It is the land of the free, and therefore it is dear to its sons. And who is there that would see its graceful and charac teristic " Braken" in the land of the far strangers. . " The clime of the east, the land of the sun," . but would hail it as a vision of early years, of early home, and all that endears a home. It is mingled inseparably, be assured, with the best feelings of the Highland. I had nearly said of the Scottish heart, and its associations are as happy and as varied, as are its own bright and blendid hues. Gentlemen, "join with me in the wish that long may the tartan wave from the shoulder of every pretty man ; and be ours the care and steady purpose, as it has been that of those gentlemen with whose n ames I Con clude, that its hardy, gallant, and loyal wearers may be distin guished, not less by their graeeful national dress, than by su perior intelligence. The conveners are, General Campbell of Lochnell ; Colonel Stewart of Garth ; Mackenzie of Stiath garve ; Macdonald of Ballysheran ; Macdougall, younger sf Macdougall; and Macleod of Macleod. The CHAIRMAN regretted exceedingly, and took blame to himself in not sooner proposing the health of the Rev. Prin cipal who had just moved from the room. He begged' to pro pose the venerable Principal, not alone from the high situation . he filled as being at the head of the University of this capital, but also as Convener of a Committee appointed by the last As sembly of our Church, for inquiring into the state of education u in the Highlands. His activity a n d p erseverence are qu it e un equalled.ashbise satisfactoryte onyto to tl y ie ou; lextensive usefulness must hope that he will have the kind ness to come amongst us a t our And, l,n u tl u , r Gentlemen, measures must next meeting. Among the latest of the toasts was a health to the Author of Waverley, proposed by Mr. Leonard Homer. "I cannot say," we think, vierethe words of the distinguished Baronet's remark, " that I am particularly acquainted with the Gentleman ; but he is very strongly recommended to us, and, if you please, I shall give the time to his honours." Right loudly were the honours rung . ; and thus, after a Manner, Sir Walter Scott may be said to have conferred his public honaurs on the A4thor of Waverley.—(gdiOurgli Observer, March 8.) GAME LAWS. FOR THE SUN. Ma. EDITOR—As the above Laws are under the consideration of the Legislature, and as there is some doubt as to the various qualifications now existing, permit to me ask, through the medium of your columns, whether, under the Act 27 Geo. 3d, chap. 25, section 8, which recites the 10th' William 3d, section 2 and 10, the said qualifica- tions are not threefold, namely, " being pos sesseil of personal property to the amount of one thousand pound sterling, or the son of an Esquire, or the being seized of a freehold estate of the annual value of 1001. sterling ? J. A. FRENCH PAPERS. ( From the Etoilc, dated Thursday. ) MADRID, FEB. 24 This morning, at eight o'clock, an extraordinary courier ar rived from France, who alighted at the Office of the Minister of Finance, and tyhose dispatches relate to the loan. The King had forbidden himself all labour in the Cabinet with his Ministers, except in cases of the highest importance, His Majesty has not long enjoyed the repose which he had pro mised himself, and which is so necessary to his health. }le assembles continually the Council of Ministers, and even pre- sides in it. Persons initiated in state matters affirm that the dispatches of Russia and England, which have been presented to him by the Ambassadors of these Powers, are the cause of this activity is our Cabinet. AlDecree of his Majesty for the suppression of smuggling has just appeared. Moveable columns will be employed to travers the provinces, and to check its pernicious effects. The evil is too inveterate. Let us have good custom-house officers, well clothed, well paid ; they will at length become less venal, and contraband trade will gradually cease. , , M. Sobrado, sen. of the Supreme Council of Castile, and President of the Tribunal of Purifications, has just been exiled to Alcala de Henares, instead of having taken the portfeuille , ' of the Department of Justice, as was reported. Some persons think that his discharge is owing to the recal of Messrs. Villa gamez, Maris, and Larrumbide to the Council of Castile, to whose.dismissal he is said to have greatly contributed last year ; but this assertion seems in opposition to what was stated at the time, namely, that those Councillors were dismissed for having opposed the liberal system adopted by the ex-Ministers Cruz • and Ofalia. The greatest activity is exerted in the War Departments for the organization of the army. It is observed with pleasure that the Government will not approve of all the military commis sions granted by the Provincial Royalist Juntas, or by their Military Chiefs. Through great esteem is felt for the good principles, the talents, the merit, the education, and the services of most of those officers, inferior commissions are given them , to avoid the fault which was committed after the war of inde pendence, when all the officers were confirmed in the rank which had been given them provisionally.—lt is known how some of them returned such generosity. PARIS, MAncli 9. The Government of Baden has laid before the Second Cham ber a project of law, to enact that the election of the Members shall be sexennial; that the Assembly of the States shall meet, once every 3 years, and that the budget shall be decreed also for 3 years. ( Franz the Journal des Dcbats of Tuesday.) FRANKFORT, IMARCIT 4• The States-General of the Kingdom of Bavaria, those of til e ' Grand Duchy of Baden, and also of Nassau, all assembled at one time, offer an interesting spectacle, but there is a little inquie tude mixed with the feeling of joy caused by this activity in our infant institutions ; but this inquietude is fortunately ba lanced by the confidence of the German people in the intentions of their Sovereign. The King of Bavaria has again, it is said, been solicited by a Foreign Power to restrain the publicity of the Sittings o f the States-General. It is not thought he will yield his con sent, inasmuch as the Bavarian Journals have never given and more than a sketch of the debates long. after their conclusion. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD, MARCH 11.—On Thursday last the following de' green were conferred : The Rev. John Page, late Fellow of Brasen ose College, no vi Vicar of Gillingham, in Kent, Doctor of Divinity, Grand Compounder. The Eev. Richard Howard, of Jesus College, Rector of Den bigh, Denbighshire, Bachelor and Doctor in Divinity, by ac cumulation, Grand Compounder. The Rev. 'Walter King Coker, of Oriel College, Bachelor in Divinity, Vicar of North Curry, Somersetshire. Masters of Arts.—Rev. Thomas Tudball, of Balliol College* Grand Compounder ; Richard Thomas Lancaster, Exeter College ; Richard Greswell, Fellow of Worcester College. Bachelors of Arts.—Edward Rose Breton, Queen's College; Richard Foley Onslow, Christ College. ECCLESIASTICAL PREFERMENTS. On Thursday the 3d instant, the Rev. James Robertson Holcombe, M.A. and Fellow of Jesus College, in this Univer,' city, was collated, by the Lord Bishop of Salisbury, to the 1 11 ' carage of Steverton, in the county of Berks, on ,the nominatio n of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster. His Majesty haN been pleased to present the Rev. George Chandler, LL.D. Rector of Southall), Warwickshire, to die district parish of Christ Church, St. Marylebone,,London. The Rev. J. Baldwin, to the vicarage of Leylafid, nal Preston. • The Rev. Robt. Churchman, to the rectory of SwainsthorP o ' Norfolk. The Feoffees of the Free Grammar School of Hales Owe n have elected Mr. John Lomax to be Master of the mid schoo l ' in the room of the Rev. R. Robertson, deceased. LAMENTA BLE SUICIDE. An Inquisition was held yesterday at Green Hotel, Portugal-street, before THOMAS Mous, Esq. Cnr. ° ; ner, upon the body of Daniel Cox, Esq. a Lieutenant t Royal Navy, who was found hanging on Thursday last in Ina bed-chamber in that Hotel. It was proved by Mr. Green a l t i others that the deceased, w h o h a d serve d i n a di s ti n guishe manner under Sir Thomas Hardy, had complained for sever; days of being ill and having a severe head-ache. Hi.s banker o and agent's books, his w a t c h, mone y an d razors , were I , perfect order in his room, a nd on th e t a bl e , near an o pen ra% o " was found a piece of paper with the following words : to " I die the victim of f o lly, a d o pti ng a character foreign„ my natural one. God forgive me. " DAN. COX. a It was also proved that he was in good circumstances, • 01 4 , had never overdrawn his agents, in whose hands there W 35 large balance in hi stated , of Dr. John Haslam, that the deceased had a distortio n the spine, which rendered a person more liable to an affection of the brain. After a long argument amongst themselves, the Jury urned a verdict of Insanity."