The Sun. — London, England, 1842-02-15 00:00:00

ping of this country, for instance, and handed over to foreign merchants. A statement had been made showing the enormous sums of money necessarily spent in the *abase of corn, in dear or scarce years, in comparison with plentiful seasons; in a pamphlet of Mr. Wilson's, which was quoted by the Right Hon. Gentleman (Sir R. Peel), it was stated, that at least fifteen millions of money more were paid for corn in years of scarcity,, than the sum paid for it in seasons of plenty. A similar statement was made by Mr. Whitmore and others, who had ~written upon the subject of the commercial interests of this country, with reference to the interdiction of foreign corn; it might be shown that fifteen millions a year was the greatest sum paid for corn in seasons of scarcity. He(Mr. Wood) believed,for he had made a calculation upon the subject, that' it amounted to thirty millions a year very frequently.—( Hear; hear.) Would not that enormous additional price of corn put it entirely out of the power of a great many persons to consume the same quan tity of it in scarce seasons as in those of abundance? That pretty cleverly represented the sacrifice which this country was obliged to Make in consequence of the high price of corn.— ( Hear, hear.) If the price of corn was necessarily increased teethe extent of thirty millions in one year, taking the average amount of wages earned by families in this country, and de ducting from it the increased price of corn, what would be left for the purchase of the other necessaries of life? (Mr. Wood then went into a detail of the comparative sums expended for the purchase of coin in seasons of scarcity, and other necessaries of life.) The price of corn had been increasing materially while wages were gradually diminishing througho u t the manufacturing districts of England. He (Mr. Wood) more particularly alluded to Halifax and other places with which he was connected. He alluded to places whereelthough distress was great and very general, the misery or destitution of the people was not so appalling as in other parts of the coon. try, yet wages had to his own knowledge Wien in those places more than one-fourth within the last few years; there fore if the price of corn, which was so essential an article of food bad been so much increased, how could it be wondered at that distress had also been very general, and very considerable augmented ? ( Hear, hear.l The number of those depending upon agriculture was, as the Right Hon. Gentleman (Sir R. Peel) said, a small proportion of the whole of those who de pended upon manufactures. There might be advantages attend efig the'various propositions made, but upon the whole, he (Mr. 'Vend) was of opinion that, in times of peace, a fixed duty was the'orily mode by which a steady price g could be obtained. —4 Hdar, hear.) H e b e li eve d t h at a s ding scale prevented any" trade being carried on between this and other countries. It was his firm conviction, under all circumstances, that a mo derate fixed ditty might be sustained, and that the objections whkh the Right Hon. Gentleman urged to a fixed duty could not be maintained. Under all the circumstances he was clearly of opinion that a fixed duty upon the introduction of foreign corn would be a positive advantage to the country at large.—( Hear, hear. ) Mr. LIDDELL thought that the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Halifax had commenced his speech in a tone of unwarrantable triumph, imagining that the Right Hon. Gen tleman the Vice-President of the Board of Trade had been entrapped in his able address into an ad mission that the proposition of the Government was not likely to be acceptable to either party. As far as his (Mr. Liddell'e) experience went he though be might dispel those illusions of the Right Hon. Gentleman, because he be lieved that the measure of the Government wouldbe acceptable not only to the agricultural interest, but likewise highly gra tifying to a large portion of the manufacturing and commer cial interests.—(Cries of " Oh, oh," and ironical cheers from the opposite side of the House.) He would assert again that he believed it would be acceptable to a large portion of the manufacturing and commercial interest who sanction the mea sure as a decided ,improvement in the present law.—(Hear, hear.) , If the assertions that had been made that the manu facturing, commercial, and agricultural interests were inti mately interwoven, and that no measure relating to onebut must affect the other, he could not see why the measures should not be beneficial as well to the manufacturing as the agricul tural interests. For his own part, he believed that this mea sure would be a signal improvement in the present law. and one that was likely to confer great benefits on the country at large. The Right Hon. Gentleman then went on to argue upon the absurdity of the proposition of keeping this country dependent on foreign countries for a supply of corn ; where he would ask, did the Right lion. Gentleman find that proposition stated on that side of the House. He (Mr. Liddell) thought that he made giants first, then he knocked them down; on that side of the House, such a notion had been repudiated. What they maintained was this, and in support of that they might revert to past experience that this country, with a fair harvest, could very nearly, it not entirely, supply the wants of its own population ; that argument had been maintained, and was to be justified by reference to facts ; but when the period came that 'the rise of prices indicated a deficiency of supply, then the value of the sliding scale was proved. They had never yet failed in such instances of obtaining from foreign eountrios a supply adequate to the wants of the country. The Right Hon. Gentleman then went on to argue against the present Corn-law, in consequence of its causing fluctuation in the price of grain. He (Mr. Liddell) had heard the same argu ments- advanced before the fermis' a of Northumberland by a Noble Lord whose follower 'the Right lion. Member for Hali fax wae.-s-( Laughter.) That Noble Lord in vain appealed to the farmers in Northumberland. In that respect those argu- Ments were not successful. He (Mr. Liddell) greatly re gretted the absence of that Noble Lord, and, recollecting the cause of that absence, he would abstain from saying anything further ; but he could not help referring to the arguments of the Right Hon. Gent. opposite. The fluctuations of price to which he had adverted had not occurred by the competition of foreign supply. As the subject of the Corn-laws excited at the present time universal attention, he bad looked with very great inte rest to the arguments made 'use of on both sides of the House. He hail also attended to the speech of the Noble Lord opposite, in which he found recommendations, that when changes were to be made they should take place upon sound principles. Now, he asked himself what were those sound principles—were they those of the Noble Lord, for which he Lad fought, bled, and fallen?-(Cheers) —or were they those of the Right Hon. Baronet, which he (Mr. Liddell) trusted would be carried into effect? The Noble Lord, before he proceeded to the consideration of this question, thought proper to put forth certain principles on which all changes ought to take place ; and he stated that one great object was conciliation of opponents. He felt that this measure had not been brought forward before it was well considered ; it had been judiciously arranged, and deserved and was entitled to the consideration of the Ikouse. lie could not admit the safety of the principle put forth by the • Noble- Lord, that in making any change, conciliation should be the great object i n v i ew . Now he 61Ir. Li4dcll) remembered when the question of Catholic Emancipation was conceded, and it was conceded in the - best spirit; lie remembered when that concession took place, that concilidtion lasted hut a short time.—( Hear, hear.) He remembered also, when the Noble Lord opposite introduced his -great measure of Parliamentary reforM, when some people thought he was going too far, the answer was 'din- . stantly the people would not be satisfied with leSs—(Hear, her..) Nuw they had all seen how little' satisfied some men of eitreme opinious were even with that measure, and the No ble Lord opposite might depend upon it that precisely the same conssquences would follow if, unhappily for the country, he were to succeed in carrying his proposition of a fixed duty of Bs. It had been admitted by all .free traders that all duties on the necessaries of life were unsupportable and intolerable ; what, therefore, was to be 'expected frOm such men, why ? that if they agreed one day to a fixed duty they would the next try to get rid of it.—(Hear, hear.) What then was the duty of the Government in effecting chagges? In his opinion the duty of the Government was the adoption precisely of that line which the Right Hon. Baronet, a t th e head of her Majesty's Government had adopted ; namely, that of-carefully considering the details of the measure, and after such consideration fairly to lay the results before the country as the deliberate opinion of the Government. He felt con eineed that the same arguments that had induced him to come to the s opinion he had formed, would not fail to recommend the measure of the Right Hon. Baronet to the House and the cotonry.---(Hear, hear.) Those who brought forward mea sures for popular conciliation would find themselves as the Noble Lord had done, disappointed in the result. In the argu ments of the Noble Lord, on behalf of a fixed duty, and in con demnation of the sliding scale, where he spoke of impediments Thrown in the way of free-trade by the sliding.scale, it ap peared' to him, that he was arguing on behalf of the ;merchant, who had entered into speculations ; his sole attention seemed to be directed to the chance of the success of the mei chant who had entered into the foreign trade. It was surely to be considered that the result of com mercial enterprise was of advantage to the country, but the merchant traded for his own exclusive interest, not for the in tenM of the public. The Noble Lord brought his proposition befoi'o the House, and the country had rejected it at the last election. For his own part, he mid not think that at the time the Noble Lord brought forward his proposition he had any very sanguine hopes of carrying-it in that House. The tw o questions fairly before the consideration of Parliament were, whether the shding,seale or a fixed duty was most for the be nefit-of the country at large ? He would not attempt to an swer the propositions put for Ward 'by the Anti-Corn-law Iseigtie: Ile had, however, a right to assume that a Corn-l aw of .some sort was ' for the' benefit of the country, and he cerlcurred with the Right Honourable Baronet in thinking that, the sliding scale was better than the fixed duty. The. sliding scale conferred these two great advantages—on the one hand it. secured to the home grower the command of themarket, so long as he could supply it at a reasonable price ; and, on the other hand, it gave an opportunity to the foreign grower, when corn was so high here as to threaten a deficiency of supply. He thought that it had been long ascertained that' the sliding scale was superior to a fixed duty, and the opinions of Canning and Huskisson were so distinctly in favour of the sliding scale, that he was surprised to see a large party in fa vour of a fixed duty. He believed that the measure which her Majesty's Government had brought forward, was calculated to realise the hopes entertained respecting it; and he had so many reasons for believing so, as altogether tojustify him in the support which he should give to the measure—that it was a de eideseampeesesneet on the present system, and removed many evilS Which he. had out, been blind to —(Cheers.) He firmly beliejest e and s al, -coy party in which he placed confidence had, brqught the present measure forward within th e l ast ten years, he should willingly have supported it.—(Hear, hear.) No w , with, retard to the question of averages , and t h e frauds committed and said to have been committed by fictitious means,a.nd undue returns. He believed a good deal of that sort of trickery had takeu place; he had made certain inquires in the market of Newcastle, and had at times heard large ,ales had been fraudulently made, but on wishing for for further inforination there was so much reserve as to giving authority that he (Mr. Liddell) was not able to lay beforh' the House any certain facts, but it was quite notorious thategraat'fraudsi had taken place in taking the averages. He thought the provisions introduced into the proposed plan, if not entirelY sufficient, would be' adt quete' to prevent frauds.— (Hear; - hear.) 'rhe widening the range of those towns in whit:if-the 'averages should be taken would induce individuals no longer to combine, but to make bonest and honourable ret iu'oas His Right Hon. Friend, the Vice-President of the Board of Trade,, went into many of the objections made to the Pr"enlaw in so ma s terly a style,. that he ( Mr. Lidd e ll) wou ld not go over the same ground, particularly as to the derange ments produced in the country. It appeared to him (Mr. Liddell) that there was one point in which- this de rangenient lo p the Countr y . o/Al ~,,r , i,t 6f huuninb mi, b e contemplated, it was the of th e 7. harvest for supplies of foreign . corn. The insuffleieuey rein, in . this country required . a great'supply of foreign bullion. As the Right Hon. which most be paid for in. of the Board of Trade ' G en t leman, the VicesPresideset showed,do whatever was the state of the Corn-laws, sitoposing a the derengeinent of the curr e nc y to the harvest took 'bee, Y rist take place. It was not fair, therefore, to lay on the „thiletv, were, on eliding the rt . scale t , the ' deficieneies in the currency, the deficiency of the harvest. But they the e e re ;lat i l n he a :rrl o a wi g ng rerr o t. deal of .the distress in the country ;undoubte dly if there, were m ore money there might nor h , much e se distres s . ; out the. ward of money Must be laid to the deficient supply, the result of seasons. of scarcity ; and should a season of four lalceessive i d r en t y ra t d ha e. t plenty again occur ,. these clou ds on their h or i zon m i g h t be dissipated. He felt that it wa s po there must be ebbs and flows in all portionsm ssibl ner to our certain that whatever branch of trade in corn_ Inc it Was F= Nifecefi;,pfolllisetl a fair . remunera ti on, capital flowed i xitsiesi much, that the prices soon be came lowered great Talsif ceased over-production, over-production produced an over- ii . l ed., market, and blackness ot • trade followed, which could en be assimulated to the ebbs and flows of the tide..._ l t (Hear, hear.) Let them hope that before long the curr en t would'ehange—that by treating these important subjects with the calterfess and the deltberation due to them, a measure might be brought forth and matured which wigkst invigorate the weakened resources of .the country, protect the agricultural, at the aside time thatit gave a zest to the manufacturing interests, e lad ruing confidence where it had been most shaken. ATIVS ("T7 Dr. BOWRING said he hoped he might be allowed to . say a few words, as the Right Honourable Baron et opp osite, in bringing forward his Corn-law schem e , _ thou g ht fit to make use of some statements of his (sDr. Bowring's). He could not agree, however, with the deductions drawn by the Right Hon. Baronet from those documents of which he made use, for though it should have proved that the people of this country were in a better condition than those of a foreign land, he (Dr. Bowring) did not see why the people 'of Eng land should continue in a state of wretched destitution ; for after all, this and every law should be subject to one great test, should, be constituted so as to produce happiness to the ' multitude—( Hear, he ar)—and if he could prove that this law was pernicious to many, he thought he had made out a _great caus e f or a change.-Hear , hear.) But the Right lion. Baronet omitted to quote many portions of the Report which he had done him (Dr. Bowring) the ho nour to refer to. He (the Right Hon. Baronet) did not say that there was a great improvement latterly in the condition of the people of Prussia; and while the people here daily got worse . and worse, and became more unfortunate, the situation of the • Hople of Pr uss i a was every day getting better. The Right on. Baronet found a passage in which he gave some account, furnished no doubt by the Prussian Government, of the con ' sumption in Prussia of various articles of food, but there was an enormous difforence in the eonsumption of different places, as there was here in the consumption of different classes. The average consumption of this country was greater than the consumption on the Continent, but that of the working classes here was less than elsewhere. The consumption of sugar and other articles had doubled on the Continent since 1832 ; and in many other articles there was a constant increase of con sumption in Prussia. The consumption of spirits was twice or three times as great in Prussia as it. was in England, and the consumption of vegetables was very much greater. There was also much more money spent in Prussia than in this country in books, and for purposes of instruction. Throughout Prussia, he was bound to say, that the working classes seemed most willing to lay aside portions of their earnings for their mental improvement. The stock-framers of Saxony, he had rea son to know, from a communicatio n h e h a d rece i ve d, were a frugal and thrifty people, who were in general the owners of the houses in which they lived. And he believed that there were very few of the most industrious artisans in this country of whom the same thing could be said. The returns from different parts of the country were very varying as to the amount of corn consumed. In London the con sumption of animal food was stated to be 107 lbs. per head, and Lord Ashburton placed the average comsumption at more than one 100 lbs., while he (Dr. Bowring) placed the average of the entire country at no more than 501bs. An Hon. Part. who had long been a member of that House, and who had taken a great deal of pains to ascertain the consumption of animal food in Coinwall, estimated it at 451bs. per head. But in many of our workhouses the consumption was greater than that. In the Hulks the consumption of animal food was 31bs. Boz. per week ; and in one of our colo nies, Hobart Town, servants were allowed 101bs. 3oz. per week.' Taking the whole population of this country to •be 26,000,000, and the average consumption to be 501bs. per annum, 4,000,000 might be supposed to be consumed by the opulent and middle classes, thus leaving only 8,000,0001b5. for the 22,000,000 of the working class, or 241bs. per head, which was undoubtedly less than the average consumption in the other states of Europe. It appeared from documents he bad received from tlje French Government that thd average consumption in that country amounted to 20 killogrames, or 441bs. English, while, in the city Gf Paris, the average consumption amounted to 46 killogrames, or 1021bs. English. He had reason to believe, from returns he had received from Belgium, that the average consumption in that country amounted to 961b5., which was nearly double what he had ventured to state as the average consumption here. In Belgium the army was allowed 14 killogrames per week, or 2001bs. per year ; and the navy, 2 killogrames per week, or 2`,281b5. per year. In voting for the motion of the Noble Lord, he should be very much grieved if it were supposed that he concurred in any argument tavourable to a fixed duty upon corn.—( Hear, hear, hear.) He believed that the time was when the fixed duty which the Noble Lord had proposed would have been welcomed by the public, who, he believed now repudiated it ; and he thought the Hon. Member who had just spoken was perfectly right in the lesson he had given the Noble Lord in respect to finality. He believed that no settlement but a total repeal of the duty upon food—(Lout cries of Hear, hear, from the Ministerial benches)—would satisfy public opinion, or ensure the public tranquillity. Some reference had been made to the effect of of the sliding scale upon our relations with foreign countries ; and the Right Hon. the Vice-President of the Board of Trade stated that the United States were adjacent, and that the Corn-laws did not operate on our relations with that country in an unfriendly or pernicious way. But that could not certainly be said in relation to more distant parts, such as Egypt or Odessa. He held in his hand a letter from a merchant in Leg horn, which stated that speculations in corn Ns ith England were so desperate or uncei min, that though wheat were 90s. a quarter here, no prudent man would venture to embark corn for England. Some eargoes had lately been embarked from Egypt, but the speculation proved most disastrous to the adventurers. Egypt might, however, be made the granary of the world if her trade were properly encouraged. It appeared to him that the new measure of the Right Hon. Baronet would be in effect more stringent and despotic than the present ; and although there were frauds under the existing aystem, these frauds were in reality for the benefit of the consumer.—(Hear. ) Combination was easy; those who made the returns were not under any very heavy responsibility, and public sympathy was with them.—( Hear, hear.) Now, the returns were intended to be accurate ; the duty of making them was entrusted to a branch of the executive which was looked upon with dislike, and which would perform the duty in a most stringent man ner. The addition of 150 towns must also tend to lower the averages, and by so doing to increase the duty. The only question the public asked was on what condition could the) receive corn at a low duty ; and he would affirm, that undei the proposed system, they could no; actually get corn imported at so low a rate of duty as they would under the existing sys tem. Under the present law corn was actually admitted when the real price was from 655. .to 665.: but under the proposed , plan it could not be admitted at the low duty until the price had actually reached 735. He would refer to the documentr before their House to show the amount of corn returned,. from which the averages had been calculated, in order to show bon small was the quantity returned from which the duty was calcula ted. In 1836, the year in which the largest quantity had been re turned for the calculation of the averages, the amount returned was only 4,333,000 quarters, and in the year 107325, in {which the le as t quantity had been ret u rn e d, i t amoun t e d t o 2,500,000 quarters. The average annual quatity 'by which the amount of duty was regulated, did not exceed three and a half million quarters. Under these circumstances he felt but little anxiety respecting the amendment of the Honourable Member for Linconhishire, and as far as he (Dr. Bowring) was concerned, and there were many who thought with him, the Right Honourable Baronet might make, the Hon. Gentleman a present of the difference between the 20s. and the 255. The Right Hon. Baronet had stated that that he thought 565. about the pivot price, but he was of opinion that from 545. to 585., would be a proper remunera tion to the agriculturist. Now if that was the case, win.' legitimate grounds could there be for making the price per manently 735. ?—( Hear, hear.) ( The Hon. Member her( referred to some documents which he held in his hand, whet some Hon. Member on the Ministerial side called out in feigned voice, " aye, read," for which the Speake, called the Honourable Member to order. This interruptiot created some laughter on the Ministerial side of the House, but was met by indignant cheers from the Opposition.) He understood certainly, that in addressing the House, Member, had a right to refer to documents.—(Cheers.) He was aware that the House was disinclined to listen to statistical details, but in treating of such a subject a reference to them was absolutel) necessary. Mr. Meek had estimated that the whole of lb. corn which could be exported from the corn-growing count, ies of Europe to England would only amount to two and a hall million quarters of wheat; and his (Dr. Bowring's) opinion, was,, hat the whole world would scarcely furnish more than double the quantity, and his perfect persuasion was, that if trade was prosperous, and a free trade in corn permitted. the whole of the additional quantity would be consumed, and no less a quantity produced at home. Looking to the dimi nished importations of the different corn-growing countries of Europe, and to the increase in our population, he feared rathet that the time was not far distant when they might find it diffi cult to produce food for the people, than that we should b. deluged with an over-supply. In many places there was a growing indisposition to export corn. Many countrie, had endeavoured to procure the partial opening cat our ports to their corn, offering in return to receivt our manufactures. They had been met with a refusal, .not from any unwillsngness on the Fart of her Majesty': late Government to promote the trade of the country, but be cause they knew that such improvement could only be ob tained by asking the agricultural ifiterests to make sacrifices for the benefit of the country, and that those sacrifices the aericul tural interest was not willing to make. With regard to the United States, British manufacturers might supply the greater portion' of the' United States. But he stated, on the authority of an American gentleman, that the emigrants beyond the Alhe ganiiy mountains were becoming manufacturers. The United States would have furnished a boundless field for the importa tion of our manufactures, if we would have consented to an in terchange of commodities ; but by our Corn-laws we had forced them to become our manufacturing rivils instead of our cus tomers. At the present moment the cotton manufacture of the United States was one-fourth in extent compared with ' that of Great Britain. Emigration was reducing the value of labour there, by adding to the population, and the consequence was that, instead of increasing our com. merce, we had forced those people to become our rivals, and they were now driving us out of the markets. The Right Hon. Baronet would excuse him for reading a passage from one of the reports which the Right Hon. Gentleman, had done him the honour to quote for the purpose of showing the operation of the English Corn-laws on the agricultural interests of foreign states.—( The Hon. Gentleman here read an extract from one of his reports, for the purpose of showing all the fluctuations ~iu the English Corn market were felt with increased effect in the foreign Corn market, producing a depreciation of price in the early part of the sea son, when the small cultivator was forced to bring his proc:uct• to the market, while it added immensely both to the price ob tained by the wealthy proprietor or the speculative merchant, who could afford to wait to take advantage of the inordinate profits of an uncertain demand. That the English Corn-law also deranged the whole monetary system of Europe in consequenc e of the sudden:manner in which it interfered with:the exchanges. ) If they look to the history of past times they would find that the increase of our manufactures had increased immensely the value of land and the amount of rent. From 1697 to 1786 England was a corn exporting country. Then came a transi tion in which manufactures began to be introduced. In 1817 the importation had began, and had continued varying from its lowest annual amount, 424,000 quarters in the year 1823 to its highest annual amount of 3,100,000 quarters in 1839, making an average annual importation of 2,500,000 quarters. At the period when corn was exported from this country, the cost must have been on the average at least 6s. a quarter in this country more than in the places to which it was exported. Now, no one would estimate the difference since, at less than 6s. higher in this" country than in those of the continent, which showed an advantage in favour of the corn growers here, of -12 s. a qua:ter at the least—(Hear, hear). No one would estimate the quantity of corn grown yearly at less than 45,000,000 quarters. 1 his increased the value of the rental by 27,000,000/. which gave to the owners of the fee simple, a gain of 810,000,0001., in the thirty years. But the land lord talked of the burdens the land had to bear, as a reason of covering it with a protection which was possessed no where else. lie hoped that the House would have returns to illustrate that part of the question before the conclusion of the debate. In Belgium the Budg et last year was 3,500,060/., of which the la n d p a id 1,363,0001., which is nearly as much as the whole amount of the land tax in this countr— ( Hear.) In Prussia the dir ec t t axes amounte d to 6,700,0 01., of which the land contributed directly as was understood nearly4,ooo,ooo/. In Austria thetaxes amounted t 016,000,000/. of which 8,000,000/., fell upon the land. In F r a nce t h ere were 40,000,000/., andthe taxes upon land amounted to 14,000,000/. —an impost so heavy that it was divided into twelve collections, and was received by collectors every month. Now, in this country, the land-tax was not one-fortieth part of the revenue.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped that in this debate they would receive some information as to how the landlords had managed this, while the burdens of the people went on in creasing in the meantime in an enormous progression.—( Hear, hear.) Take the rental of sixty parishes in the poorest part Scotland, which was, in 1660, no more than 17,838/. From 1791 to 1796, it was augmented to 227,824 /. In the years 1832 a n d 18-11, it had risen to 744,273/. — ( Hear , hear.) But in all th at time from 1660 to the present period, the land -tax had b e e n augmented in the meanwhile .--( Hear, had remain e d ;Ile same, vastly as the burd H en e s ar of h th e e ar o a p t 1 1 d e some laughter from the Tory benches.) He thollgat THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 15, 1842. that this was a state of things which could of long be tolerated.--(" Hear, hear," and laughter on the Tory side.) It was vain to suppose that this question would te disposed of nut of doors as easily as it was in that House.— ( Cheers. )s The feeling of the people was growing terrible.— ( Ironical cheers and laughter.) It was not for them-( the Opposition) to menace though they might foretel ; and he would say that the prospect was full of darkness and dan ger, and there could be no solution 'of this question but that the bread of the people should not be taxed.—( Loud cheering f. om the Opposition ) Mr. FERRAND then rose amidst loud cries of " Adjourn." He had been requested by the working classes of the north of England to stand up and defend them from their oppressors.—(Tory Cheers and laughter from the Opposition.) He hoped he would receive a patient hearing from the House, for which ho and the working classes would be truly grateful. From his youth he had lived amongst the working classes, and the first public act of his life was to stand up and defend them from the allegations of their oppressors. He had their autho rity to say that the allegations of the petitioners from the Anti- Corn-law League were false, and that the signatures to them were obtained by fraud and oppression. The manufacturers belonging to the League exacted the signatures of their work people, with a tyranny that was an outrage upon the ~berty of the subject.—( Tory cheers.) Before be eroceeded to prove that, be wished to advert to what had been said by the Noble Lord the Member for Lon don. The Noble Lord said that this was a question for the country, and not for the Legislature to decide. Well, the Noble Lord appealed to the country, and there he had its answer.— ( Great cheering on the Tory side.) The Noble Lord ap pealed to the country on the fixed duty, and the Right Hpn. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) appealed upon the sliding scale. The Noble Lord was backed by a majority of nine in the City of 'condo—some said of nine dead men.—( Great laughter and .heering.) The Right Hon. Baronet was backed by a majo •ityof 91 living representatives in that House. But the Noble Lord, boiling with rage at his ignominious defeat, declared. • hat the majority on that (the Tory) side had been obtained by fifty false pretences. But in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Lord Morpeth, in the presence of his Hon. Friends below him (Mr. S. Wortley and Mr. Beckett), who were now the Members for the West Riding and for Leeds, said there could be no mistake as to the question at issue—it was whether the i c a o w u s ntry T w h o e ud have rlewasnoa mistake moderate taketh fix en ed in d t u h t e y or t decision he present C of the Westorn (tiding.—(Cheers.) But Mr. Baines, of the Leeds Mercury —( A laugh)—had said that there could be no mistake about the West (tiding—that there the sentiments of the manufactur ing classes would be expressed—( Great laughter and cheering on the Ministerial side) —and they, the manufacturers, declared its favour of the present Corn-laws.—( Renewed cheers.) When the Anii-Corn-law League was agitating the country, they published most infamousplacards in every district, denouncing the landlords as " base, brutal ;and bloody''—(Cheers)—and the) were now raising the money to pay for their agitation, by ex posing their wives and daughters in Manchester to the insults of any half-drunken rascals that chose to pay a shilling for the the amusemect.—( Great laughter.) What was the compari -on Letween their gains and those of the landlords? Why, here was the firm of Messrs. Marshall of Leeds, who had made, in the course of a very few years, two millions of money, and had become landed proprietors. The Hon. Member then read an advertisement from the proprietor of a large tad well watered estate in Belgium, inviting English manufacturers to join him in establishing factories upon it. The advertisement stated that about 700 operatives could be had from the surrounding villages, and that in making a mill of 10,000 or 12,000 spindles a saving of 2,0001. a year would be •ffected; and farther, the Belgian flax-mills were protected by • a duty 'of 10 percent., that farther duties were expected, and hat, above all, wages were much lower than in England. This .vas a specimen of the real feeling of the Anti-Corn-law ma nufacturers of the north. Yet the Hon. Member for Manches ter stood as high in credit as ever. The Hon. Member for Sal f ird, having amassed an enormous fortune by the manufacturing nisiness, had now retired, determined to devote the remainder of his life to a removal of its evils.—(Hear, hear, and laughter. ) The Hon. Member for Stockport had amassed a million by ma nufactures, and while he complained last year that Lancashire vas ruined, he was running his mills day and night.—(Hear.) Indeed, he carried the principles of free trade so far that he night be called a 'freebooter—c Hear, hear)—for he had got 70,0001. out of ,the public money. As a farther specimen of .heir feeling, he (Mr. F.) would dissect an Anti-Corn• law detition adopted at:a meeting in the town of Bingley last sum ner., The petition was full of the usual phrases about navi ;ating the earth, and exchanging bobbins for cheese across the alps.—( Laughter and cheers.) Of the thirteen persons signing the petition, the first had erected one of the largest rolls in the country, and he held another.—( Hear, hear.) fhe second had four cotton-mills, said to produce an income of 18,0001. a year ; he had an estate in England, was con sidered to be worth 25,0001. a year, and was still accumu ating wealth. The third was a linendraper a few years since, but within a few years he purchased a mill, fitted up two more, find was carrying on a rattling trade.—( Laughter.) The fourth was an operative_ paper-maker twelve years ago, but within the ;,st five years he purchased a large paper-mill, had a pretty anded estate, and kept his carriage and pair. 'I he fifth had erected a large mill and had filled it with power-looms. The next, from being a grocer, accumulated a nice fortune, educa ted his children in first-rate style, and, being a Dissenter, in troduced his son to a living in the Established Church. The hers were manufacturers, mill-owners, 'and rich men, or sere the relatives and dependants of the foregoing. But this vas not all—one of the leaders, while accusing the landlords of grinding the poor, took a mill himself, and instead of em eloying his own poor neighbours, he went to Lancashire, where, •n consequence of the infamous conspiracy between the Poor aw Commissioners and the cotton-spinners, for equalising sages, and reducing the' 10 per cent. that had been advanced to the poor weavers, he picked up a number of poor fami ies,. who had been reduced to suchalistress that they were glad o eat food off their dunghills, and brought them to Bingley to :mass another fortune out of their sinews, casting off those whom 'le had brought up and educated around him, to suffer the most eightftil distress.--(Hear, hear.) Those opposite him might ,veil blush at this disclosure, for it exposed that the secret of the ilaneliester Anti-Corn-law League was to reduce waees— j:ireat cheering front the Tory Benches) - the level of hose on the Continent, to fill their mills with power-mills, o cast off the working penile to wander seeking. for work in .niserable distress.—( Hear, hear.) The Anti-Corn-Law '.eague said that many mmufacturers had become insolvent ..hrouph the Corn-laws ; the tact was that these men were ie,er insolvent in their lives.--Great cheering.) He would lesct she the manufacturers of the present day—they were the •etnnant of that high-minded class of men who raised the corn nerce and trade of this country to the highest respectability, rho walked through the market-streets with honesty in their .ountenances, and stood upon Change not fearing to look their creditors in the face.—( Cries of "Hear," and cheers. ) There were few. who dared to follow in. their steps. The re mainder were men who knew no bOuthis to their desire of accu nulating wealth.. . There were a set of men who had been set - up in trade by joint-stock banks, and many of these banks were litt'e better than societies for the protection of swindling. —(Laughter and cheers.) They got their names entered "on .he joint-stock bank, they then' went to the wool-staplers ,nd offered to purchase a quantity of wool. They referred the cool-stapler to their joint-stock banks, and they said, " Oh, ies, he is a highly respectable man, you need not be afraid to rust him." --(Cheers and laughter.) The purchase was then made, the wool was sent home and immediately converted into ;nods, and these goods were in the following week sold for ready money ; the consequence was they had to make sacri fices to a large amount to the merchant, who purchased the pods. When the time came to pay for the wool, they gave he manufacturer a two months' bill. Therefore, they had to 'ay five months' interest. The consequence was these men muld go on very prosperously, so long as there was a call for ;oods in the market, but when there came a stagnation in trade they immediately broke. What a scene there was then in the Court of Bankruptcy. The manufacturers and trades people who had been for years amassing a small amount of capital, found themselves suddenly ruined by the artful villlany and swindling of this man. This man had scarcely rossed the threshold of the Bankruptcy Court before he was started in trade again. He had some friend, who personated his petitioning creditor, who had a claim to a large amount, and if there was a shilling or eighteenpence in the pound the man came in as the largest creditor, and immediately turned the money over to the bankrupt to commence trade again. The :ommericement of the Corn-law League took place about three years ago, and they attempted first only an alteration in the Corn-laws, but they found very few supporters in the country. [hey then looked out for' the enemies of the Church, and old them that if they would join them :(the League) in ob ;sing the repeal of the Corn law, then the Established Church .hould be attacked—(Cheers)—after this the Hon. and Learned ilember for Cork was invited to a dinner, and there he de zlared that the manufacturers were possessed of sufficient wealth :o buy all the landed estates of the nobility of England. He hen asserted that the landlords' bread was softened by the widow's tears, and their claret dyed with the children's blood. He (Mr. Ferrand) would aslovhat had the farmers to expect of these cotton lords, if they were able to purchase the landed estates of England? What was their principle when they purchased an estate? Why immediately to have it re-valued.lThey carried the principle of their ledger into their rent roll. The rents were doubled, and he (Mr. Ferrand) had known many families to have been ruined by the oppression of these men. He remembered an instance where a poor farmer had had his rental doubled. He struggled on for a few years against this increase, and then he had to pay the few hundred rounds he had saved to meet his rent ; and when the time came when he found that his cattle would have to be seized by his landlord, he died of a. broken heart, and it was not long before his wife followed him.—( Hear, hear.) Their eldest son, by dint if iadeatry, endeavoured to keep the family together, but the la , t time he (Mr. Ferrand) had heard of him, reason had left her empire o'er his • brain, he was the inmate of a lunatic asylum. But he (Mr. Ferrand) would ask these cotton spinners and members of the Anti-Corn-law League if they did not want to increase their profits by increasing the prices of labour ?—( Loud cheers from the Ministerial Benches.) They wished to become the coin merchants of the land, they wished to make granaries of their mills, and to use their machinery to grind their corn. —(Laughter.) But they could not deceive the working classes. They had striven to make them believe it, b nil u eax t ,ti , their agitators could not do it. They wished th e poor of England to go d own t o th em i n the my c manufacturing orn. ih This i s heardw t A r e c s t ma s o , bcpe w atr hristtehnoleft:h,beteorhi labourer s ere e ra ars having t as y tvoeif a m. m gt ,h o he u bi n sut r t twu o acw f gkhe m ass t o yp n satc e iead y mmi t ne o ? ? the li y ad ne li ve o r n. goods? 'This was part of the system they wished carried out Cheers from the Ministerial benches.) But he would come more particularly to the treatment of the poor by the manu facturers in the north of England. He would produce before that House a system of tyranny, oppression, and plunder dis graceful to a civilised country. When the poor went to re ceive their work from the manufacturers, they found it cons stated of very inferior articles, The wool dealt out to them was so poor that they could scarcely get the comb through it. The Saturday came, that period which ought to be the sweetest of the week to the working man —that period w hen he received the price of his l a b our , :and his hir e , the rew ar d of his labour ; from whom did they thi n k h e received it ? —not from the master of the mill —no, but an overlooker. That overlooker examined the work, and he found fault with it. H e said " you have done this work ill, and I must deduct so much from your wages." The poor weaver only received about three or four shillings a week, and the wages of the overlooker were partly paid out of what he deducted from these poor people. He would now Come to the poor, who bad their small amount of wages paid in goods. Their wages were paid to them in rotten flour and cheap corn, and when the poor man carried it home to his wife and family, after in vain inducing his master to give him money, he found that the flour he had taken home the week hetore, and given to his family, was unfit to be consumed. It had made the children sick.—( Loud laughter.) H e (Mr. F.) asserted this as a truth ; he had hoard it from the mouths of hundreds of the working classes.—( Loud cheers from the Ministerial benches.) And thus it was that the work ing men had no hope of relief or succour from the Ant! Corn law League; the only chance they had of being assisted was by the landed interest of England rallying round them, and res cuing them from tyranny and oppression.—( Cheers from the Ministerial benches, answered by ironical cheers and laughter from the Opposition.) These were the men for whum the landed interest of k ngland was to be destroyed—these were the men who trampled the poor under foot—these. were the men who were to become the soul of England—these were the men who ruined the character of British merchants on the Continent— these were the men who lived and moved and had their being for money alone. .111:Mey was the sole motie of their life. They cared not how they got it, or what cruelty they adopted, so long as they amassed wealth. They sought to reduce the price of labour, to raise enormous profits, and declared their religion to be in their trade. They were, to use; he! nguage of Burke, a set of men who looked at their ledgers, and not to their Bibles—their counting-house as their church, their money as their God. (He (Mr. Farrand) had heard a great deal said about the principles of free-trade, and that they were to save the country.—( Hear, hear.) It happened that during the recess the Noble Lord the Member for the City of London and the Member for Tiverton were, somethinglike the poor in the parish of Bingley, wandering up and down the country in search of employment.—(Cheers and laughter.) He (Mr. Ferrand) bad not a copy of the address presented to the Noble Lord the Member 'for the City of Lon don, all that he remembered of it was, that it asserted that the principles of free trade were those upon which he was returned, and that his would be a very easy office. He (Mr. Ferra nd) supposed that during the last few days he had been trying to prove that in that House.—( Loud cheers and laughter.) He had tried to find out the principles of free trade from Adam Smith, M'Culloch, Ricardo, and Huskisson, but it:was reserved for the How. Member kir Wolverhampton to dispel the cloud that hung around these men. The Hon. Members for Bolton and Stroud had become bright constellations—( Laughter)— and the Hon. Member for Dumfries was the morning star — (Great laughter)—and the two Noble Lords were the sun and moon of the expansive Social and divine system. .• (Laughter. ) The Hon. Member they read extracts from Mr. M'Culloch's " l'rinciples of Political Economy," from Adam Smith's " Wealth of Nations," and from Mr. Malthus, to prove that it was beneficial to secure the home market to the home producer. He could show that Mr. Huskisson was of opinion' that this country could not thrive under the operation of a fixed duty on corn. He would appeal, before he sat down, to the landed interest, and ask it it they would assist the manu facturers to reduce the wages of the working classes. The labourers never appealed to the landed classes in vain, who were always ready to stand by them in their necessities.— ( Hear, hear.) The labouring classes looked to them with confidence, and they felt assured that the Right Hon. Baronet would s above all, they looked on the landed in terests as as s th eir r e beat friends.—( Cheers. ) Sir WILLIAM CLAY (as we u n d ers t oo d) moved the ad journment of the debate, whi c h was agree d t o . Mr. PEMBERTON mov e d f or l eave t o b r i ng in a Bill to enable his Royal Highness tho Prince of Wales to grant leases, which was agreed to.--Bill brought in, and read a first time. 'lhe other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Twenty Minutes to One o'Clock. THE WEATHER.—Noox, FEBRUARY 15. ROYAL GALLERY OF SCIENCE, ADELAIDE-STREET. l'hermometer... 48 j Highest 5O I Lowest 39 Barometer 30.10.—Wind S.W.—Freezing Point '..42 Deg. HIGH WATER AT LONDON. BRIDGE TO-MORROW. Morning 0 minutes after 5 I Evening li minutes after 5. 4`, y r r Zpg abhorrence of, nor wonder at, this murder, but, on the contrary, promoted the officers under whose eyes, and in whose presence, it was perpetrated. The Southern Sates are furious against Mexico. in illustration of this statement, we quote the followisg extract of a letter from New Orleans, published in a New York daily paper of the 24th : The first act of Santa Anna's Administration is stained with the blood of Americans. All is anarchy, treason, pillage, and death in'the capital. How long shall these barbarians be suffered to de secrate such a country ? How long will the Government of the United States suffer the laws of nature and of nations to be out raged by 'Mexican savages, and civil and political, and religious wars to ravage and desolate the land ? For twenty years past we have had a treaty with this pusillanimous nation, and yet they owe us millions of dollars, which they cannot pay, and no American hardly is safe in passing through their country. Our Government should cause the great highway from Vera Cruz to Mexico to be kept always open, where hundreds and thousands of our citizens desire to travel, and hold the Mexican nation responsible for every American who touches his foot upon their shore. The distance to the. capital from the coast is short of 300 miles, not farther than Wheeling from Baltimore, and about four or five days' jour ney, and yet it is hardly safe or possible to reach that capital. But the Anglo-Saxons are on their march, and freedom will soon be proclaimed upon the house-tops of this deluded and oppressed people. A mine has been sprung which will reach the walls of Mexico, and a blast louder than that which caused the walls of Jericho to fall down, will soon be heard upon the outer walls of this devoted city. The fatal termination of the Santa Fe expedi. tion, and the indignities heaped upon the American Consul and citizens, has produced the greatest sensation, while the blood of our slaughtered fellow-countrymen calls aloud for vengeance. General Coombs, of Kentucky, whose son was in the expedition, and the part ner of Kendall, of the Picayune, have gone post-haste to Mexico, and will return with their friends, or share their fate. If a hair of their head, however, is injured, the days of Mexico are num bered. Twenty thousand gallant spirits are now ready, " armed and equipped as the law directs," who will rush across the valley of the Mississippi, nor slumber, nor sleep, till they shall proclaim liberty and religious freedom in the Temples of the Montezuma,. General Houston, the President of Texas, is disposed for peace; but if the war-cry is sounded, he will lead where any dare to fol. low, nor stay his march till every drop of American blood has been atoned for, and his treacherous and pusillanimous friend, Santa Anna, paid with his own life the penalty of his bond. The Treaty of Commerce between Great Britain and Persia, signed at Teheran on the 28th of October, has just been presented to Parliament. It has one merit, rarely found in Treaties of any description—it is exceed ingly brief. By leaving out the preamble, it might be printed on that nautical decoration of a skipper's time piece, a watch-paper, or engraved on the lid of a snuff-box. We like it all the better for this. A commercial treaty clogged with a catalogue of excepted articles, is at all times a nuisance, and very often a hindrance to trade. Our treaty with Persia consists of but two articles, which are as follows : *trontrWlttion SUN-OFFICE, Half-past Three o'Cloch. Every post brings some new feature of the general indignation manifested, not now against the new sliding scale, but against the Government, and the system of which they are the especial guardians. Nottingham has made the latest demonstration, and by no means the least effective. At a meeting held there yesterday, consisting of more than 80,000 persons of all ranks, a Nobleman was called to the chair, and an Alderman moved a resolution denouncing petitions to the two Houses of Parliament as " farces," and calcu lated only to add insult to suffering. The resolu tion was carried by acclamation. Another no less re markable, as it is the first of the kind carried unanimously at a general meeting, was moved by a Chartist. It demanded the Charter, the whole Charter, and nothing but the Charter, and, strange to say, every hand was held up for it. Is Sir IL PEEL then pre pared to go on with a measure which does not even satisfy one-half of his own party, and which is stirring up from south to north the worst feelings, not against him and the DUKE, and their Cabinet only, but against both Houses of Parliament, and even the Throne itself ? Will they not learn wisdom by experience, and grant at once the reasonable demands of a starving people, before rebellious hunger and hopeless despair drive millions to abhor the very names of Parlia- ment and Constitution ? The next step probably will be to petition the Throne. Such a course would have ten-fold more effect than cart loads of petitions sent to men who seem determined to stand by their class. Her MAJESTY cannot fail to be moved by the cries of her people, and if the otfi.T of First Magistrate be not an empty name, her earnest entreaties will, not be made in vain. The Report of the Commissioners appointed by the Lords of the Treasury, ',to inquire into the Exchequer bill fraud has been submitted to Parliament. It forms a blue book of 13S pages, the marrow of which, how ever, may easily be comprised within the limits of a leading article. The Report which, apart from the evidence, occupies- fourteen pages, establishes the im portant fact that facilities for the grossest frauds existed in the Exchequer 13111• office—frauds which it was impos sible for the public either to detect or guard against. The absence of sufficient internal checks, and the incom pleteness of general supervision, afforded the late "Se nior Clerk," Mr. 44UMONT SMITH, abundant op portunities for the commission of frauds to any extent. The words of the Report are most explicit : " The sole direction of the quantity of paper to be manufactured, and of the paper to be printed, and of the plates to be engraved, and the custody of the moulds of the plates, of the paper imprinted and printed, of the press seal and counterfoils, as well as the entire prepara= tion of the Exchequer Bills, were entrusted to the un controlled discretion and integrity of the Senior Clerk of the department in which the Bills wore prepared, and, during his absence, of his assistant-clerks, unchecked by any regular examination of the stores or of the trades men's bills, or by any regular periodical destruction of surplus printed paper, worn-out plates, or counterfoils." Other temptations to the commission of fraud were constantly held out to the Senior Clerk. The Comptroller-General, Lord MONTEAGLE, admits in his evidence that nothing could be more loose and irregular than the way in which he conducted the business of his office. His Lordship often signed bills at his private residence, at the Privy Council, in the House of Lords, and wherever else it pleased the Senior Clerk to send them to him in a despatch-box, of which the only protec tion was that he retained one key and the Senior Clerk another. After reading the evidence the public wonder will not be so much that Mr. BEAUDIONT SMITH was a rogue, but that he was not one to an hundred times a greater extent than he has yet been proved to be. There have been occasions when he has had Exchequer Bills, in this loose way, to an amount exceeding seven millions sterl ing in his possession, without official let or hindrance to his dishonest appropriation of them. Two important facts then are established by the Re port :—Firstly, that the business of the Exchequer-office has been scandalously conducted for a long series of years ; and, secondly, that the holders of the Forged Exchequer bills arelully entitled to have them replacep by good bills, or the full amount of the sums for which they were drawn in other Government securities. The recipients of the forged bills have no right to suffer for the scandalous mismanagement of the officers of her Ma jesty's Government appointed to superintend the business of a department so important as that of the Exchequer. The improvements recommended in the Exchequer Bill-office by the Commissioners are obvious and com mon-place enough. A superior style of engraved plates-- mechanical means of distinguishing impressions —and an closer connection between the Office of Issue and the Bank of England, occupy the most prominent place. In conclusion, we may remark that the Report has disappointed us. There were more rogues than two or three connected with the Exchequer forgeries, and we expected that the Report would have attbrded some clue to their discovery. On the contrary, the Report really looks as if there was an anxiety on the part of the Commissioners to draw a veil of oblivion over the past. In the list of the wit nesses examined we cannot put our finger upon the name of a single Steckbroker. • None of the City people were examined who were at all likely to supply any clew to the elucidation of Mr. BEAU MONT .SMITIeB Stock Exchange transactions. This is a point which we cannot suppose will escape the Penetration of the House of Comm ons. There ought to be no hushing up of a crime by which national credit has been injured, and the public robbed to an extent as yet incalculable. The present Report may do, so far as concerns the future management of the Exchequer Bill office ; but we want one which shall supply such details of its past mismanagement as are required to satisfy the ends of justice. The United States Government has a crow to pluck with the Republic of Mexico. Should extremities be had recourse to, there can be but little difficulty in de termining to which Power 0111 11 belong the better portion of the plumage. In addition to the old grounds of complaint, we find it stated that the Santa Fe expedition, treacherously seized by the orders of Ge nera l SANTA A N NA, *as composed, for the most part, of American citizens , and that on their m arc h i nto t h e i n terior, three of the prison ers , being unable to walk, were taken out and brutally shot by the Mexican soldiery. We are not surprised that the report of such a cowardly atrocity has roused the. indignation of the North American people. None bur t wretches who would disgrace the uniform of a bandit's gang , .could,participate in the murder of three unresis t ing humarebeings ; guifty of no crime, charged with :no ofTeac'e-; and so overcome with fatigue and sickness as to be unable to Walk.a step unassisted. And 'yet it mutt be of such cowardly villains that the Mexican army it; composed, since General SANTA ANNA expressed neither j ARTICLE I. The merchants of the two mighty States are reciprocally per mitted and allowed to carry into each other's territories their goods and manufactures of every description, and to sell or exchange them in any part of their respective countries ; and on the goods which they import or export, custom duties shall be levied, that is to say, on entering the country the ;me amount of custom duties shall be levied, once for all, that is levied on merchandise imported by the merchants of the most favoured European nations; and at the time of going out of the country, the same amount of custom duties which is levied on the merchandize of merchants of the most favoured European nations shall be levied from the merchants, subjects of the high contracting parties; and except this, no claim shall be made upon the merchants of the two States in each other's dominions on any pretext or under any denomination ; and the merchants or persons connected with or dependent upon the high contracting parties in each other's dominions, mutually, shall receive the same aid and support, and the , same respect, which are rece►ved by the subjects of the most favoured nations. ARTICLE 11. As it is necessary, for the purpose of attending to the affairs of the merchants of the two parties respectively, that from both Go vernments commercial agents should be appointed to reside in stated places ; it is therefore arranged that two commercial agents on the part of the British Government shall reside, one in the capital, and one in Tabreez, and in those places only, and on this condi. non, that he who shall reside at Tabreez, and he alone, shall be honoured with the privileges of Consul. General; and as for a soles of years a Resident of the British Government has resided at Bushire, the Persian Government grants permission that the said Resident shall reside there as heretofore. And, in like manner, two commercial agents shall reside on the part of the Persian Go vernment, one in the capital of London, and one in the port of Bom bay, and shall enjoy the same rank and privileges which the coin. mercial agents of the British Government shall enjoy in Persia. We have receive4l the whole of the French papers o Sunday. The question of the Reform of the Chamber of Depu ties excites comparatively little interest in the political circles of the French metropolis. Whether it be that such Reform is deemed impracticable, or that our volatile neighbours tire of their own projects, almost as soon as they adopt them, certain it is that hardly a syllable ap pears in the Journals about M. GANNERON'S proposal for excluding paid functionaries from the representation of the French people. Another phase of the same Reform question comes before the Chamber of Deputies this week. It has re ference to the electors, and not to the elected. It de mands such an extension of the suffrage as shall include all Professors of Law and Physic ; members of the In stitute; and officers on half-pay, not paying the requisite amount of tax: s. The object of such a measure is to secure the representation of the mind, as well as of the Money of France. We anticipate its rejection by a large majority.. The classes interested are too dissociated to make them formidable to the Government, and the Mi nisters must be sensible that they could anticipate no thing but opposition from such a quarter. In the repre sentation of money, and money only, lies the security of such a corrupt Government as that of France. Madrid letters tell us that with the exception of the Duke of OSUNA and the Marquis of SANTIAGO,- none of the Spanish Grandees attended the last grand ball given by the British Ambassador. This news has cost their wives and daughters more uneasiness, than it is ever likely to do us. We quarrel not with the Grandees of any country for declining a dance, even though a Queen were to set them the example. Solecisms in manners, and instances of bad taste ap pertain too much to every class to blame them more in a Peer than in a coal-porter. Moreover, we happen to care very little about what regard the Grandees of Spain may have for the representative of this country. The power of the Grandees, like the power of the POPE in Spain, has become a recollection, and nothing more. "While the Spanish Government and the Spanish people repose confidence in the friendship of our Minister, and of England, we can afford to laugh at the exclusive impertinences of Spain's degenerate and powerless Grandees. A letter from Madrid mentions the death of Lieut.- General the Marquis DE CAsTELLoosmus, Grandee of Spain, and Senator for the province of Catalonia. " We have just been informed," says the United Ser vice Gazette, " that the Adjutant of the 1 Ith Hussars has resigned that appointment, because his commanding officer required him to make memoranda privately of the officers who absented themselves from evening stables, who, being a gentleman, he of course declined to do." The " commanding officer" here alluded to is the Earl of Cardigan, who, it may ho remembered, was rebuked about eight years ago by a Court martial for precisely similar conduct. Is not his Lordship satisfied with the unenviable notoriety he gained on that occasion ? Are not the " black bottle" affair, and the episode (by way of variety) of the Sunday Flagellation sufficient to assuage his thirst for public distinction ? Does he imagine that the measure of his renown is not yet full, and that he will glide out of public recollection, if he do not give proof, from time to time, that he still lives and flourishes, by some fresh act of despotism or absurdity ? We conjure him to lay aside such apprehensions. The Earl of Cardigan is one not likely to be soon forgotten. He has won for himself a lasting notoriety, and may safely re pose on his laurels without having recourse to any new outrage on common-sense and . propriety. We are still, however, not without a lingering hope that the United Service Gazette may be in error in its statement. To be sure, the statement wears very much the aspect of a truth, and is impressed with the Cardigan lineaments ; nevertheless, we can. scarcely believe that his Lordship can be so wholly destitute of sense, as once again to be wantonly guilty of ,that: vary conduct, which eight years ago received the public reprobation of a Court Martial. Experience, they say, makes even fools wise. Surely it cannot be without somelittle effect on a Cardigan • ANTI-CORN-LAW CONFERENCE. (THIS DAY.) At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Anti-Corn-law Conference, held at Brown's Hotel, .Palace-yard this morning, I'. A. Taylor, Esq., in the, chair, the following resolution was tumultuously agreed to, viz.:— " That from the necessity which exists that the members of the Executive Committee should return to their respective localities, to assist in the various measures in progress to promote the total and immediate repeal of the Corn and Provision-laws, it is deemed adviseable that this Committee should terminate its sittings as early as possible ; and it is therefore agreed that, at the close of this meet ing, the Executive Committee do dissolve." The thanks ofthe meeting were then voted to the Chairman, and the Committee broke up. THE 111 ARKETS.-(T HIS DAY.) COLONIAL MARKET. Very 'Attie business done, and prices wee rather depressed. The transactions in West India Sugar were confined to about 1 00 lbs. but in prices no variation occurred. Bengal and Mauri ;ius rather low and the demand stnall. Coffee of good qualit y realized former rates, but the demand was limited ; in ferior• kinds neglected, though offered on lower terms. Rice a shae.e cheaper and dull of sale. Saltpetre firm, &c., fair request. TEA MARKET. The transactions were moderate, the holders were firm, and few parcels were offering for sale. Company's Congou Is. 10id. per lb., cash, and Free Trade Congou Is. 10id to Is. I ld. per lb., cash. TALLOW ARET. In Russian T a ll ow no change c M an b e quoted, and very little business was done. P. Y. C, of fine quality 489. to 48s. 3d. on the spot. WH I TEC HAPEL. The supply of Hay and Clover was plentiful, with r. very fair demand. Of Straw the supply was middling, the trade brisk, at an advance of 2s. per load. Clover, 21. 10s. to 51. Bs. ; Hay, 21. to 4/. 6s. ; Straw, U. 16s. to 21. We have heard, on what we consider good autho rity, that a reinforcement of 5,000 troops is to embark for India with the least possible delay.— United Service Gazette. SII 4 MARYOF NEWS AND Optilton. " Who runs may read." FOREIGN. The French Government continues its persecution of the Press. M. Lefraacois, responsible editor of the Dir Neuvieme &tele, a Paris paper, which had ceased to appear during two months, was sentenced by the Court of Correctional Police, on Saturday, to five months' imprisonment, and 2,000 f. fine, for publishing that paper without having previously deposited in the Treasury the 100,000 f. required as a security. In Itiom the Gazette d'Auvergne appears to have attracted the displeasure of Government ; DO fewer than four prosecutions arc to be carried on against it in the course of the Session of the Assizes commencing on the 15th inst. Why does not the Press petition the Chambers to restore to it the pro tection of the censorship ? The Commerce states that the principal members of the corps diplomatique assembled on Saturday at the Fritish Embassy. for the purpose, it was believed, of considering the course to be pursued, in consequence of the hesitation of the French Cabinet to ratify the Convention relative to the right of search. The Montieur Parisien announces that the French naval divi sion,,itoder Admiral La Susse, was on the 19th ult. at Ourlac, consisting of the ships of war Inflexible (flag-ship), Friedland, Jemmapes, Sante Petri, Ville de Marseilles, Genereux, and the steamer Acheron. The Court of Cassation in Saturday's sitting, after hearing the counsel on both sides, set aside the judgment of the Court of Assizes of Maine and Loire, last November, againt Ledru Rollin, the Deputy and Advocate. A new trial is ordered, by the Court of Appeal, to take place at the Court of Assizes of Mayence. M. Ledru Rollin, it will be remembered, had been sentenced to four months' imprisonment, and a fine of 3,000 f., for a seditious libel in a speech uttered by him to the constituency of Sarthe, who elected him i❑ place of the late Gamier Pages. The National says that several of the political prisoners of Mont St. Michel—Barbes, Martin, Benard, Blanque, and others—have been detected in an attempt to escape from confinement. The plan was well conceived, but it was discovered at the moment of execu. tion, and Barbes was severely wounded. A letter from Madrid of the 6th inst. thus sums up the only news received from that capital :—" The almost endless discussion upon the Address still continues. The genius of malice, of in trigue, and procrastination, would seem to have made this debate peculiarly its own. The evil, however, is now concentrated to almost a point, and a day or two must tell whether it is to end in the healthy reaction of the Chamber or the death of the Ministry. The discussion has now arrived at the fifth clause of the Addrest, containing the censure on the Government for having proclaimed Barcelona in a state of siege, and to which the whole battle is now reduced. With respect to •States of Siege' there was no difference of opinion between the Cabinet and the most extreme Members of the Opposition ; the red question was whether circumstances justi. fled the Government or not in having recourse to that measure. They had, it was true, violated the law, but saved the State, and asked fora Bill of Indemnity." Letters from Kingston, Jamaica, speak of riots in that town, in consequence of the authorities endeavouring to suppress the most noisy and uproarious celebrations of the negroes at Christmas. The mob attacked the police, and the riots were not suppressed until the Riot Act had been read, and several of the rioters shot by the LAW INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF LORDS.--(THIS I)AY.) Their Lordships sat at ten o'clock t his morning, for the first time in the present Session, to hear appeals. The Lords prep were the Lord Chancellor, Lord Brougham, Lord Cottenham, aqd Lord Campbell. _ - - . HORNE r. TIRE EARL OF LAUDERDALE. This case came before their Lordships, upon appeal, front then de cision of the Court of Session in Scotland. The prinvipal in the case was whether certain lands in Scotland were dispose , ' O ; Cour , subject to the payment of certain ministers stipends. The of Session decided that they were subject to such payments, an d from that decision the appellant, who was at present in possession of the land, appealed to the House. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL and Mr. JAMES RUSSELL appeared;, behalf of the appellant, and Mr. PEMBERTON and Mr. ANDO! ) were Counsel for the respondent. Mr. J. Itusssu., in the absence of the Solicitor. Gener al, was engaged in the Court of Exchequer, proceeded to address Lord hips, and had not conc'uded when our Evening Edition queso r n to press. ROLLS' co URT.—(TH:S DAY• His Lordship was engaged up to a late hour of the day in be : ing petitions and short causes, which were generally devoid of slightest interest. MERRY V • ECI.ES. ' This was a creditor's suit, instituted by the plaintiff, who rphe bond creditor, on behalf of himself and other cr ditors. bond was dated the 10th of December, 1827, and the testator died in April last. The defendant was the testator's administrateS The object of the present application was to obtain the ordil decree in a creditor's suit, and to hare an account takeout( e testator's estate. Lord LANGDALE—Take the order. ,er spy GORDON V. THE CHELTENHAM AND GREAT WESTERN , PANIC. trt . In this part-heard cause, which came before the Cow— sr. murrer, Mr. Kindorsley was heard on behalf of the plaintiff; Turner appeared for the defendants. - His Lontistite intimated to Counsel that it would be ad v ;i o a to see if they could agree as to the state of facts, if they no agree the may question then would be as to whether the acts,.,nt did, by th:mselves, constitute a violation of the Act of Pari"- applicable to the case. lOl Counsel concurred in the justness of his Lnrdship ' a I'4 —.Anise. h..._ the cause was ordered to stand over till to-morrow. VICE-CHANCERY.-(T HIS DAN'). (Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR OF ENGLAND.) IN RE THE NORTH UNION AND CLARENCE RAILWAY' co/d1.0"; This case came More his Honour upon motion to dissolSe a junction, which had been obtained during the last long vaca ti n' it , straining the Clarence Railway Company from carrying th eir t bi way across the Sherborne branch of the plaintiff's' railivalt in township of Crislington. The case appears likely to occupy the Court several days. QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY' BLACKBURN V. LLOYD. IR* This was an action brought by the plaintiff, a dissenting :01 ter, to recover damages from the defendant, an engineer, W.. 0100 assault. The defendant pleaded that at the time of the C0r 00 ,..0) of the assault complained of the plaintiff was on his (defe no 7l premises ; that defendant had ordered him to leave ; that 0100 had refused ; an that defendant had not used more violen C° was necessary. Mr. THESIGER stated the case to the Jury, and front his dt ment it appeared that plaintiff's son had been apprenticed to fendant ; that being ill, the youth had gone home to his fathet i ; io s that during the father's absence the boy's friends had se nt voyage to Jersey for the benefit of his health, withoPoito forming Mr. Lloyd of what they had done. On his Mr. Lloyd refused to receive him back. The plaintiff frequently at Mr. Lloyd's house, In order to explain t° o the circumstances of the case, without being able A him. At length, on the 9th November, plaintiff found de le e ' d ills at home, and, after a short conversation, defendant comltrat iyd assault which was the subject of the present action. An et, W also been brought on the subject of the refusal to take back, P " prentice, which had been referred to Sir John Bayley. t$ Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN— As the present action arises out 0 same transaction, had you not better refer this also. Mr. Tnestuxit, after consulting with his client, accede d "°„ Lordship's suggestion, and a verdict for the plaintiff was 00' consent, subject to the reference. -- ----- - --- EXCHEQUER.—(THIS DAY.) (Sittings at Guildhall,) i COOPER V. HOLLAn. This was an action to recover compensation in damag es O ld losses sustained by the alleged illegal distress of 133 she e t o W plaintiff's property, impounded for ten days by the d ,- 0 ant, for trespassing on his lands, and ten of wh im died from alleged over.driving. It appeared that the. - o tiff's and the defendant's premises were adjoining eae h q ,d and that the sheep had strayed into the defendant's close "I'4 a defect of the fence which bounded the premises. The ins issue in the case was, who was bound to repair that fenet t ifil the plaintiff, it was contended that the defendant was oblig ed so; and for that purpose examined several witnesses to 1 .°1 ,00 0 t inuous acts of repairs of the fence done by the defendant foe % o p* years, and by his predecessors in the occupation of the of The plaintiff also proved the excessive driving of ten of tbe,4oo which had died. For the defendant it was maintained tha t "0? not obliged to keep the fence in repair, and that he vio e j n :, in impounding the sheep when found tresspassing on his 0°440 Lord ABINGER told the Jury that according to the ono* law upon the subject where a ditch was on the outside orbagolei the presumption of law was, that the ditch and the fence a to the party on whose lands the fence was situate; therefOre, 1 defendant had a right to the hedge he was bound to keeP it in however, if a different usage had taken place, it would b e ', fel :, to show which of the parties was bound to repair the b eme- - evidence of usage in this case was not sufficient for it was to have existed for twenty years. The evidence only 0;0 er period at tne utmost of seventeen years, and that was not 6 ~ ,P ) to counteract the presumption of law. :,:e tlle „" The Jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, damage s It :', value of the ten sheep whic!a had died from excessive drle •'i „ I I )W upon the issue as to the liability to repair the fence, ti , -t 4 ;.i,--`jodk; verdict for the defendant. ; 0'741 :n re id si d d l in e.a g ra in 6 ,,, _,,Vii ,j % ., ,,) f*'''''' named ca T j tr oh lr it tt i n ‘.o o l u c e ss f e t l u Finesses, e ' .Tn ß a l l l: u lN fa li. ctur i e t r UNION-HALL.—(THIS DA 01016; D street, Covent-garden, was brought before Mr. Traiii,:ebisrir' e t 0 1 rid'fig over and cawing the death of Mrs. Gunton, theArliff,,,% oil and colour-man, residing in Church-street , Mile-end. ___4,” 154 M staled that he was on duty last nig ht near the 1 3 0 Theatre, and at five minutes past 11 o'clock he saw the P_r i ii. # riding furiously past the Theatre, and saw the horse kn ob ceased down, the horse partly stopped, but the defendant _rre on. He immediately' took the lady to Dr. Sewell's , wbc expired. and irreeil 98 L said that he stopped the horse in Oakley stre et, diately afterwards the defendant and a gentleman came UP. n° # with dirt; the horse was much injured, and very irritable. ~t took the defendant and the horse to the station-house. • 0 The defendant, who was attended by a solicitor, stated ti; I , horse was frightened by a bey, just before the fatar acc ident ; ti; impossible for him to stop it; he was thrown off and b verin i nf 4 o himself ; was not aware of the accident until after he was tin" i his horse in Oakley.street. .1 nt t° el. The MAGISTRATE said he should require the cle. , en..a 0 ,. sureties of 501. each, and himself in 400/., to appear ag ain ° day next. - - 0 MONEY and COMMERCIAL N E ne g . i CITY, TWELVE O'CL- 1 0 4 LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, FEB. 14.—The st e er Cotton to-day have been limited, and the Market is e f A strn ingly dull and inactive ; 3,000 bales -nearly found Per e entirely among the trade ; prices without change. ''or LIVERPOOL SHARE MARKET, FEB. 14.—The trans; at the Stock Exchange this day, comprise the follow!i Edinburgh and Glasgow, 454; Grand Junction, P ,34 1 ; 1, , Shares, 92 ; London and Birmingham, 1674; Loo ll " ' 13righton, 364. ,"'" •, , 00 0 , 1 MAHCHESTER STOCK EXCHANGE, FEB. 14.-- - p material change to note in our market to-day. Lona ° o l e Birmingham, 1721,i ; Manchester and Eirmingb s J ,4 „ 2-34- ; London and South Western, 59% to 60. We 1111. 0057 demand for Huddersfeld, Lancaster, and Rochdale . Bank Shares are also snore enquired for. ~ There are no later arrivals to-day from any quarter. fo TILE ND E FUNS. ' The English Securities continue steady, with littlell, Ov 0 / usiness doing, Consols for Money, 894; and 89h 4 jo Account. e° 9 /9 There was a fair amount. of business transacted yes t i Od o l South American Securities, and a further advance in t' ot els i o and Colombian Bonds took place, vihich is fully in 3l s ol, l l l i this morning ; the former are now quoted at 344 1. 0 7': ). , latter, 22* 4. Spanish Active 5t0ck,.24?1- i ; Portugee per Cents., 314 32* ; Ditto, Threes, 194. „ T .,1 . 0. PRIC!'.S OF SHARES THIS DAY AT t'''' R. ILWAYS. Paid. Per Share. ~... Cheltenlitur and Great Western. 724 144.... to ....., . ' Great Western ..., London any. Brighton 50 ...... 36h...••• txbyk, HALF-PAST de tro The principal business doing in the Stock Exch s° 74 Dlt. this morning, has been in Mexican Bonds, which bL r r, i t dealt in to a large extent, and a further advance of lir„"; since the opening has taken place ; they are now 4 0 , - 15 351 to 36. Colombian Bonds are 224; Russian .1 3 ,,,,_en ts, Spanish Active, 244 ; Dutch Two-ann-a-Half per ticroco4,, s . Very little doing in the English Securities. Conse nt ,' Sp quoted at 89% for Money, and 89h for the Ace° 7. 1 7 , cfsequer Bills are a little lower, 23 25. India Bonds op iie Stock 2444. Bank Stock 1684. the There are only three quotations to notice in , liieit s°l- ~P . Market—Great Western, 85 ; Cheltenham and Gres* of 144; London and Brighton, 364. g s•O; d il We inserted yesterday, in another part of The Tl i 90 •-,, tide relating to the internal affairs of Brazil. in whi t it b y ptiii parties here begin now to feel an increasing interest. beecwil I racted some curiosity, however, and our attention has 0 0 7 to the circumstance, th a t o f th e two d escr i pt i on s of Pr hee l o p in the Londo n ,m ar k e t, th e one b ear i ng the hif irl o il interest is at the low es t p r i ce . Th e new Stock t i ' the, Of nearly 10 per cent.Jower than the old, although wu e t heil'at lean was made, it came out at the same price as th e 140,', some means or other, however, it seems t° r e, .. _.O kept back, and to this day the brokers ripely, ordered by their country clients to purchase Bt ' szi lthei l e . .' variably gye the preference to the old bonds , i. e i , . , ~ security for the payment of the interest on " b°t. the ;rsiiii° the same, as has been acknowledged repeatedly by it Noi,,, it i Legislative aunt er and the Ambassadors here- ,hl9Tiif stated that some arrangement wilt be effect ed, b r th a t tt 1P ) ,,, bonds can be issued for all the Brazilian debt, vi to the claims of any party. _ , A . i ag SILVER TEA SERVICES.—A. n„,.• '..,;" 0, 15 . and Suns, Manufacturing Silversmith, No. 14, "'l c . e s b 011 4 be don, opposite the Bank of England. submit fbe. r frisS. ied following SILVER TEA and COFFEE SEA v — he tolt_ ; - ~J Cottage Pattern is plain, standing on shell feet, The pm!., coffee-pots with a flower ornament on the lids. T he iirr . Pattern is richly embossed with flowers and scrolls. of either is new and elegant .. ...irr% l26 X $ COTTAGE PATTERN, I KING'S .-- 0 Xa. t ll ° Strong Silver Tea-p0t.....12 0 Strong Silver Tearas.lo. - 10 Ditto Sugar Basin 616 Ditte c Su re g a ar ni kw ., f,t ,0 Ditto Milk Ewer. 410 Ditto Ditto Coffee-pot. 15 0 Ditto Coffee.r. ' X 4° or Complete . £3B 6 Complete ............... i?cie A variety of upwards pf fifty Tea and Ceffe e d eve ry t b r tl i e te ne seen in the Show-rooms, where r a cy be s electe- Pg far St il of Silver requisite for the sideboard or plate .chest. ..„... or .. of prices, illustrated with sketches of the, various artle:lol;,..--f'o alln.dsAfovrwcoaßrdedy and d stag o e Nfrse,eNtoo.a,ny part k n i d n oo g , ofe l the Bank of England. DIED. On the 14th inst., at Pentonville, Mrs. Sarah.Hillpn' of the late Mr. David Hilton, formerly of the eitY " W at an advanced age, and deeply lamented. ?ham'. On the 10th inst., Mr. James Shillito, of urr street. 'don: Printed No.Strand a , „ o f and PTrelissbuzlobifiyeMe,VAl??l:. the Couhty of Middlesex, Tuesday, FebrUary 15, 3 - 2' PUBLIC OPINION. The Advertiser, taking Lord John Russell's speech in the Corn, mons last night, i❑ connexion with the party whom he represents, considers it " little better than an advance in the bidding for that summit out of doors, without which neither faction can sustain itself within." The Chronicle states that Lord John Russell's " able and elo. quent speech" is a powerful exposure of Sir Robert Peel's " Do nothing policy, which all the acuteness and skill of Mr. Gladstone did not enable him to defend." The Times expresses itself to the effect that, although Lord John Russell has taken the lead in opposing the Mlnisaerial measure for the alteration of the Corn laws, the debate of last night clearly esta blished the fact that, between the Noble Lord and her Majesty's Ministers there is really no difference of principle whatever on this subject." The Pust eulogises Sir Robert Peel for having—in his Corn.law speech—" dared to make a statement which he knew would not at first be popular with either side of the House; but which he be lieved would soon acquire the favour of the honest and judicious, on acconnt of its skilful appreciation of what it was fair and pru dent to do, under all the circumstances of the case." The Herald, in answer to Lord John Russell's objection to the maximum of the Ministerial scale, because in effect, it is prohibi. tory, replies, "but at wh.t average is it prohibitory ° Nut until wheat is under fifty shillings a quarter —a price barely remunerative to domestic agriculture, and indicative of ability to do without foreign importations. PILIZLZEINZENTA.RX. In the House of Lords last night, all the law Lords present, and the Earl of Aberdeen, supported by the legal authorities he had consulted, united in declaring, as Lord Brougham had stated, that there is no authority or machinery for giving up or bringing to trial the negroes who had carried the Creole into Nassau. After this satisfactory opinion, Lord Brougham declined to press for the cor respondence on the subject. Some routine business was transacted, and their Lordships ad. journcd. In the Commons an immense number of petitions were pre. sented against the Corn-laws. A new writ was issued for South Salop, in the room of the Earl of Darlington, now Duke of Cleveland. In reply to Mr. Hutt, Sir R. Peel stated that the Stade Duties were now the subject of a negotiation with Hanover. In reply to Mr. Grantley Berkeley, Lord Stanley admitted that the price of growing sugar in Demerara was mote tha❑ it would sell for; and the Noble Lord read the planters a lecture as to the mode of managing their estates, as if he were inclined to include in the duties of a Colonial Secretary the task of administering gen tlernen's property. Mr. Gladstone, in reply to Mr. Labouchere, intimated that it was doubtful whether his proposition to levy a duty of 2s. per quarter on wheat imported into Canada, would be carried into effect. Mr. Roebuck is to bring the constitutional question involved in this duty under the notice of the House. Sir R. Peel, in reply to Mr. Labouchere, stated that he did not mere to continue the prohibition on importing flour into Ireland. The House, for the remain der of the evening, diseased the Corn_ law, and we have elsewhere noticed the principal speeches and the result of the debate. =0 AT EY-T R.ILD E-C 0111711 ER C E. At a meeting of the London and Greenwich Railway Proprietors held yesterday at the Londdn Tavern, it appeared from the Report that the works were progressing, and fifty-six carriages on the line would be shortly replaced by others of a better construction. The receipts on the traffic department, did not warrant a dividend ; the balance in hand, after all deductions, was 0311. 9s. 3d. Ott Friday night last the gross amount of artisan paupers, and their dependants, in Paisley, numbered 17,535 individuals. Land. lords as well as tenants are to be found on the list, all subsisting on charity. Up to Saturday evening no outbreak had taken place, with the exception that astack of wheat had been destroyed by an incendiary, who is in custody. Yesterday the Relief Committee was to meet to petition Government to transmit direct an order to sanction a county assessment. Since the selection of the eighteen rich.finished Paisley shawls by her Majesty, at the period of the christening, the demand on the houses of that town has increased greatly, and daily orders come to the manufacturers " for goods of the same description as those selected by the Queen." A spur has thus been given to the trade. COMMERCIAL REFORM. A letter, dated Sunday, from Huddersfield, states that Sir Ro. bert Peel's plan, on its arrival in that town, was cried down by Whig, Tory, and Radical. Preparations were making in several places to burn him in cfflgy. Several houses were to be seen in the town, with placards in the window, in large printed type—" No more taxes paid here till the Corn.laws are repealed." And yes. terday meetings were to be called, at which strong resolutions would be passed. kir.MCTIONEZEING. The election for the borough of Bandon i 3 fixed for Monday next. Lord Bernard is at present the candidate in the room of Mr. Jackson. LAW AND POLICE. A murder has just been committed in the market town of Liam fair-Caerinion, Montgomeryshire, by Evan Davies, upon his brother Robert. The deceased, who appears to have been of dissolute ha. bits, came home intoxicated on the Sunday night, and abused his mother and sisters; his brother remonstrated with him on his con. duct, when words ensued, and Evan stabbed him with a shoemaker's knife, with whicn he was then cutting bread. He was afterwards discovered between two stacks of hay, and committed on Thursday last, to take his trial at the next Montgomery Assizes. At Clerkenwell yesterday, a lad 17 years of age, of the name of Martin, and apdrentice to Mr. Salmon, linen-draper, Holborn, was charged with robbing his master of between 3001. and 4001.. and other property to a considerable amount. On being arrested at the Globe Inn, Portsmouth, where the young thief was regaling himself, the policeman found in his pockets 951. in notes, 90/. in gold, and 281. Os. 6d. in silver. He was remanded till Thursday At the same office Joseph Gartner was charged by Dr. Worth ington, editor of the Foreign Quarterly Review, with wilfully break ing a pane of glass, value 3s. 6d. It appeared the defendant had written an article for the Review which he could neither get in serted nor restored, and he therefore thought he would refresh the editor's memory by smashing his window. lie was discharged on payment of costs and fees. The floor of the Magistrates' office at Bedberch, in the West Riding of York, during the sitting of the Reverends T. Airey and J. Sedgwick, on a case of assault committed in the neighbourhood, and which from its flagrant nature had attracted great crowds, fell in and precipitated 150 individuals a depth of 20 feet. No life, on Investigation, was found to be lost, but a young man named Chris. topher Gosling, had his thigh and leg fractured, and one of the prisoners was severely cut on the head; 20 others are also danger. ously injured. Mr. Justice Cresswell, the new Judge, has, since his acceptance of the ermine, returned all his briefs, fees, and retainers in causes not heard. This is said to be contrary to established practice. If the practice might be characterised as downright robbery. A middle.aged man, named Lewis, was brought before Mr. Raw linson, at Marylebone, and fined 20s. for proceeding further on the Birmingham Railway than he had paid for. He fell asleep, ac cording to his own aczount, and when he reached London he had no money to pay the additional fare. FINE ARTS. The completion of the Dom, or Cathedral of Cologne, which will be the most gorgeous specimen of mediaeval German architecture, has received a new impetus by the formation of an auxiliary Com mittee in Bavaria. The idea of having this great edifice completed by the co-operation of all German nations, is said to have emanated fror: the King of Prussia himself. LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC. It is hoped that Sir Alexander Burnes has escaped, and is con. coaled by the Kuzzibashes, who are believed to be the friends of Dost Mahomed : this hope is held out by a letter of Major Hol land's, an especial friend of Sir Alexander's, addressed from Bom. bay on the 2 lst December, to Dr. Burnes in England. THEATRICAL. At the English Opera house, last night, Mr. Dantonnet, who was playing in the orchestra on the trombone, was suddenly seized with a fit, aad staggered backward; he was, however, recovered in time tc make his appearance late in the evening. The Commerce, alluding to the marriage of Mr. C. Kean with Miss El.en Tree, calls them " the two greatest commedians that England now possesses." _ _ 430 UIT-F.A.SHIONAI3LE. The Queen Dowager, it is said, will pass some time at Clifton early in the ensuing summer. The Duke of Montrose does not intend to pass the season in town, having let his mansion in Belgrave.square. • The Duke of Buckingham will preside at the meeting of the tucks Agricultural Association tomorrow at Aylesbury. The Earl of Yarborough comes to town for the season from the isle of Wight, the week after next. The Earl of Minto returns to Minto House, Roxburgshire, early next week. Lord Macdonald has arrived in town Born Whittlebury Forest. The Dowager CGuntess of Mansfield is pasiing the winter at Rome. The Marchioness of Normanby is on a visit to her parents, Lord and Lady Ravensworth. IVIISCELLANMOUS. Sir Herbert Jenner, Dean of the Arches, on succeeding to the estate of the late Sir John Fust, of Thornbury, Gloucestershire, has, in compliance with the will of the deceased, taken the name of Fust in addition to that of Jenner—names as euphonious as Bootle Wilbraham. Baron Skelmersdale. - - - - The Caen papers state that the inquiry set on foot with regard t 9 the burning of the house of detention at Beaulieu shows it to have arisen from the imprudence et one of the officers employed in the establishment. This person accidentally let a candle fall in one of the workshops, and the inflammable materials, having instantly broken out into a blaze, he 1 ost his presence of mind, and did not givet he alarm till it was top late. C, •