The Sun. — London, England, 1825-04-02 00:00:00

IRELAND. SETRACTS PROM TUE EVIDENCE GIVEN' BEFORE THE SELECT COMMITTEE: .ANTHONY RICHARD BLAKE, Esq. Chief Remembrancer of • - his Majesty's-Court of Exchequer in Irelai4d. You are a Roman Catholic ?—I am. • You were absent from Ireland .for some years till within a late period ?—Yes, for several years. Upon returning to Ireland did you observe any alteration in the state generally of the country and the condition .of the people ?—I left Ireland at a time oflife at which one is not in the habit of considering-very much the state of the country— about the age of nineteen; but I was certainly Atha time old enough to have some general impressions upon the subject I think I have observed a change, and a change considerably for - the better: Have you had opportunities of ascertaining the present con dition of the lower orders of the people ?—My duties; as -a Corn .. missioner of Education, took me during the last autumn into several counties of Ireland ; I observed then, with satisfaction, that the lower orders of the people appeared much more decently clad than when I left Ireland originally, and I thought their general appearance considerably improved. There is one sub-, ject on which of course I could give some information to the Cornmittee--the important subject of education ; but upon this ii submit that it would not be proper for me at present to speak, inasmuch as it will be my duty, with my colleagues, to, sub mit facts and opinions upon it to the Crown, from whence our authority issues. [The witness was informed that the Committee would ab stain from proposing any questions on that subject.] Had you any opportunity of ascertaining to what 'extent any feeling of discontent or disturbance prevailed amongst them, in any parts ?---So far as I could form an opinion from the 'out ward appearance of things, I sliould,conceive that there was,not any disposition to disturbance existing in the autumn of 1824 ; with respect to discontent, any opinion that I may have upon 4 that subject is formed more upon information than obiervationi is) far as relates to•that 'particular tour ; I had conversations with the Clergy of both denominations ( Protestant and Roman Ca. tholic), and with the gentry of all descriptions; I thus - learned the state of the public mind throughthe interior. of Ire laud, and I am sorry to say that discontent to - a very alarming degree prevails amongst the Roman Catholics, and. that the nicst painful and lamentable dissensions exist, and are hourly - increasing between them and the Protestants. Is that discontent general amongst them 2.4 think there is a -general feeling of discontent amongst the Roman Catholics at the state of the laws respecting them ; and I think at the same • time that there is a general degree of satisfaction at the course nureued -by the present Government of Ireland towards them ; I am satisfied that this is the.general feeling, from conversations - which have had, - -particularly with the Roman Catholic • e Clergy: in what manner was this discontent described to you to exist, and with respect to what particular parts of the law ?:=-1 should not say that it existed, so far as my information went, or the impression which I received, with reference to any particular part of that general code which creates disabilities in respect of the Roman Catholics; there is 'a discontent prevailing univer , sally amongst theiti at the general spirit and tenor of those Statutes, by which the whole body- is depressed and placed below the Protestants, without reference to rank, character, pro pt.-rty, or information. you 'discover that there was a general acquaintance amongst the Catholic body with the nature and extent of the - existing 'penal disabilities ? There is a general knowledge - amongst 'the Catholics, that Catholics, as Catholics, are put below the Protestants; they know that the powers of the State, executive, legislative, and judicial, are by law required to be administered by persons who, as their qualification for admihi , atering them, must forswear the Roman Catholic religion ; this produces continual irritation; I speak from conversations I had . with the Roman Catholic clergy and the Roman Catholic .gentry; as to the feelings of the lower orders; from personal obsetvation, as to those of the middling and higher orders. pia it happen to you to have any conversation with any of -the lower class upon the subject of those laws ?—Not during my last - tour ; do not think I had much conversation with the tower orders upon that occasion. - • is it not a matter of complaint-the tenets that Catholics are obliged to abjure in the oaths they take ?—I have heard it corn ' plainetl e af ; belt candour obliges' me to say, that there is in history proof that anrong some Roman Catholics, some very ob noxious' tenets were formerly held ; such as the deposing ..power; and in my - humble judgment, a ROman Catholic ought not to feel offended, if he be called upon ::to disclaim doctrines oapositions which strike at the civil independence of the State, and which, though they never formed any part of the Roman Carlon,: fsia were yet at one time taught by authorities in the Roman Catholic Church ; but these doctrines are now univer - sally exploded in these countries ; and I should certainly wish to see one simple oath of allegiance established for all the King's subjects, Protestant and Roman Catholic.. 'an you give'the Committee any information with regard to the proportion which the Catholic population bears to the Pro te.stants ?—i cannot Of my own knowledge. general, from the. information you haVe acquired, do you feel any reason to doubt the accuracy of the common mode of - assOrningihe proportion that the Catholics bear to Protestants, to be in ratio of six to one ?—I must confess I am rather ,dis ... posed to ;Jon lit that; I should not think six, perhaps five; but speak fiery loosely. • Have instances come before you of the sub-letting of land to any great extent ?—Yes. De - Pm. find that to be at all a general practice ?—Very ge neral, and as mischievous as it is general. In;wliat way *do you consider it to be mischievous P—l do -nut think' that the man .who sub-letse has that sort of feeling towards the -persons to whom he lets, that the proprietor of the land weuld.have ; at least that the proprietor of land in Eng land would have. I know that from my own experience of the - manner in which. landed property is managed in this - country. Have you any means of forming a judgment, whether the 'Rernan Catholic Clergy would be pleased if they were not sup phsed 'to be surrendering the principles of the laity, to accept a provision front the State ?-,--111y opinion certainly is, that, ac cornpanied with the settlement of the Roman Catholic Ques tion, and so regulated as not to prejudice their. independence, . they would receive a provision from the State with gratitude ; that is theopinion which I have formed from conversations with them, particularly with the superior Clergy ; and my own opi nion is, that it is a thing which, in the event of a settlement of the Catholic Question, would be most desirable. Do you, think such a provision being made for them would be attendedwith any beneficial effect, in attaching the lower class of people to the state and Government of the country .1 think it would produce a good feeling amongst them ; it would make them understand that their Church was not le,oked upon with any hostile feeling, but the contrary ; 1 think it would also be a very great relief to them, because I believe : .shot the dues which are collected from the lower class of people 1.7 the Roman Catholic'Clergy, are felt very heavily ; I do not mean to censure the Roman Catholic Clergy for collecting taeete dues ; they are their only means of subsistence ; but I believe the payment of them is often felt very severely by, the .Ir.rer orders. e-i3o yore think that the settlement of what you call the Roman Catholic Question,-aim the making a provieion for the Roman Catholic Clergy, 'such as they would be willing to accept of, mould, or not, be calculated to give additional security to the Itrotestant establishment in Ireland ?—I think that settlement, • ~upon wise and sound principles, 'would he, ahove all others, - a - .measuraecalculated to, give etrvigtle. to the Establishment,, and - repose to the country; I think the present state of the law is obiiouSly erroneous • it is calculated, not to secure, but to en ' danger the Establishment; it creates bad feelings, and affords no security agaihst, them. The.Act.of 1793 took things at the wrong end.-- - it - elevated the lower orders, and left the higher in a state of depression. The security of .the Protestants in Ire - land is in. the Strength of property against numbers: what you have done is 'to grant to the Roman Catholics a privilege, in' which aumUer tells against property, and to withhold a privilege in which property tells against number; you allow the loWest orders of the-.people to vote, and you do not allow the higher orders to sit. I certainly should consider, in the settlement of the Catholic Question, it' ever it is to be settled, that the qua- - lification for the exercise of the elective franchise in counties -ought to be reviewed and altered. Do you think that a raising of the qualification that should entitle the freeholder to vote would be calculated to meet the mischief you have adverted to ?—I think it Would in a very great degree. Though 1 am a Roman Catholic, I speak with a sincere desire, that whenever the Catholic Question is settled, the rights of the Established Church should be secured ; antrl think they would be secured in proportion as you increased the' political power of property, converted public discontent into satisfaction, anti engaged the Catholics in the service of the State by adequate honours and rewards. This would attract ell the hopes and desires of the Catholics to the State, and would counteract any 1)48 they might have against the Church, which is connected with - the State by an indissoluble union, and must therefore stand or All with it. Do you think that such an arrangement would be injurious • to those fair interests which the Roman Catholics are entitled to have in the country ?- - --My notion is. that the Roman Catho -I,ica ought not to have an interest according to their number, but : according to their property. Under' that impression I think that it would not injure any power or influence which they fight fairly to have in the State; coupled, however, with mea- i I auras which would place them in what I conceive to be the situation and estimation in which their property ought to place them. If a provision were made for the Roman Catholic Clergy by the State, is it your opinion that the influence of the. Priest hood over their flock* would' he thereby materially diminitihed ? do not think any wholesome influence that the. Priest has over his flock would be diminished. Have the Catholic Clergy at present any other provision than that which they derive from the voluntary payments of their flocks ?—None. The fee upon -marriage is one of their principal resources ? it is. It is usually that for which the highest price is paid ?—I understand so. In your opinion, has that circumstance any influence in pro ducing early and improvident marriages ?—There one must speak again with reference to the nature of man; if the priest gains by early marriages, there is nothing more likely to en courage them. _ _ Does your experience enable you .to say whether it has been the usage for the Catholic freeholders, generally, to vote at elections according to the wish of their Protestant landlord?— Formerly I believe it used; latterly, religious feelings, _ I am told, frequently carry the tenant away from th e landlord, par ticularly through the activity of the clergy, who are stimu lated by the increasing eagerness:of the laity for emancipation. Is it your opinion, then, that the influence of religion and the priest would be stronger than the influence of the Pro testant landlord ?--"peaking from facts. 1 should say, yes. I have heard of acts of interference at the Dublin election, the Leitrim election, and the Sligo election, and other places. When' you speak of raising the qualification of electors, do you, in your idea, limit it only to freehold leases; or Would you say, that, in a county, the qualification of a man having the fee of his forty-shilling freehold should ire raised also ? I confine myself entirely to persons who derive under leases ; if a. man had the ownership of property, I should say he ought to be permitted to vote, because he is a proprietor—the .lease holder is not ; and I hike that to be one of the great distinc tions between the forty-shilling freeholders in England and in Ireland;' in England a - forty-shilling freeholder.in general has a property of his own to that extent; in Ireland it is quite the contrary. Supposing a lessor pays to his landlord, a rent of five pounds a year, be ought to be able to get out of that property a rent of seven' pounds a year, in order to give him a torty-shilling late relit in, it ?—Certainly. Do you believe that this is generally the case with respect to the lower class of freeholders believe quite the contrary. In general they pay what is originally a rack rent for the land, then they build mud huts upon it; and if they make out of the land a profit of forty shillings a year, a profit produced by the sweat of their brow, they reconcile themselves to swear that they have an interest in it to the extent of forty shillings a year, whereas the gain is produced, not through an interest in the land, but through their labour. So that in p - oint of fact, when their interest comes to be examined by this test, it is not ari interest boon fide of forty shillings a-year?—Quite the contrary ; I referred in a former part of my evidence to cases that were before me upon receivers' accounts in Ireland ; 1 found frequently that a great mass of tenants who were in arrear in consequence of holding at exor bitant rents had sworn to forty-shilling freeholds. Have you ever considered what amount of qualification for the exercise of the elective franchise would suit the present state of Ireland ?—I am speaking entirely with reference to leaseholders, and speaking with regard to leaseholders, I may, perhaps, be considered too aristocratical in nay notion, but I should say the qualification ought to be, to the extent of twenty pounds a-year. Do you think, generally speaking, that the forty shilling freeholders exercise any free choice at elections ?-111y opinion is that they have none. How db you think they are controulled ?—I believe they are contmulled either by an absolute landlord, or by the sort of in terference through religious feelings which I have already men tioned. Can you state to the Committee the kind of control that is exercised over those forty-shilling freeholders, so as to com mand their votes ?---I can speak only from hearsay; the.land lord, of course, has the power of distress ; the Priest, or other partisan, may act upon their religious feelings or prejudices. Do you believe that those measures which you have stated as likely to be beneficial with respect to the raising the qualifica tion voters, ought not to be considered as completely depen dent upon being, combined with their complete emancipation ; that is, do you concive that the, raising the qualifications, and depriving, of course, the fo;iy-shilling freeholder of his right, could be effected without occasioning the most serious discon tent, unless it were accompanied with the other measure you have suggested ?—I have already, I think, stated an opinion, which must be consideted as an answer in the affirmative to that qUestion ; at the same time, I should wish to understand what is meant by emancipation, in the question now put. If., by emancipation, is meant the universal removal of all disabi lities; my opinion does not go to that extent, but it does go to 'the extent of representation in Parliament, and admission to the Bench. Ido not think, that if representz.tion in, Parlia ment were con - Ceded, and the Bench were open, that there would be much objection to so m e ex t en t o f exc l us i on from 'pa litical office; the other exclusions, from Parliament and the Bench, are the exclusions particularly felt. Do you think a cpnsiderahle outcry would be raised in Ire land if it was prdposed to raise the qualification of forty-shilling freeholders ?=lf the forty freeholders were :persons of independent property, exercising through their property a free choice, I think it would_' produce a very serious outcry ; but I do not think they are persons of a description likely to have much feeling up the subject. _ _ From yocii eiperienee are you able to lay whether the feeling of the great hotly of the lower orders of the people is strong and keen upon the subject of what is generally called the Catholic Question ?—I believe it to be so; I'do not. think I ever spoke to a Roman Catholic, high or low, that did not betray something like irritation upon the subject. , _ Can you state what effect the plan of raising the qualification would have upon the l'rotestant interest of the country ?—I think the Protestants constitute, to a very considerable extent, the landed proprietary interest of Ireland ; and therefore, in proportion as you increase the power of the proprietary interest, and diminish the power of mere numbers without property, yon strengthen the Protestant interest. Do the Committee understand you rightly to say, that the existence of Roman Catholic disqualification is a common grie vance, which enables the Priests to exercise an influence at an election ?—lt creates a feeling of discontent, of a niligious na ture, through which feclrng the priest is enabled powerfully to act at elections ; he is enabled to say to them, for instance, this man is against your religion, this man is for your religion ; I am told he has said so. You conceive, that by removing the Roman Catholic disqua lification you would deprive the priests of the power ?—I do not think I should entirely ; I should lessen the temptation to the exercise of it, and I should diminish the power also, by setting at rest the Catholic Question, and raising the qualification from 40s. to 201 a year, or to such a sum at least as would raise the class of freeholders entitled to vote, so as to render them, in some degree, persons of intelligence and property, likely to have a will of their own-. Would not the exclusion of all freeholders under 201. a year exclude a great number of persons who have considerable capital on their farms ?—I did not think it would. The Committee understand you, to state, that in cases in which persons swear to forty-shilling freeholds, they have, in many instances, little interest, if any, in the lands ; .do not you conceive, that even in the case of twenv-pound freeholds., persons might swear to these freebolds:who had a very in ferior interest in the lands than that ?.1 do not think they Would; I think common decency and shame, and the chylous means of instant detection, would operate to - prevent it. A man who-comes tO swear.to twenty pounds must have some property in his hands. A..rnan in Ireland, who would have an interest of twenty pounds, is of a totally different class from the forty shilling freeViider ? —Yes. Would it not,.in your apprehension, exclude in towns a con siderable. number of persons who are householders, who have not an interest above the rent they pay for their houses to the amount of twenty pounds ?—I have already stated that I do not mean my observation to apply to towns. Are you pot aware that . a great number of forty shilling free holders, who exercise the right of franchise in Ireland, are not of so respectable a class as voters from towns ?—.I consider the mass to be mere rabble. The Right Reverend JAMES DOYLE, D. D. the Roman Catho lic Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. Will you state from what sources the income of a Catholic Priest is derived ?--The contributions by individuals residing within his parish at particular stated seasons of the year, twice in the year. Is the sum at each period defined and known ?—Not de fined ; take, for instance, the head of a family who is a farmer, suppose, and whose family may consist of six or eight persona, all of whom are to be attended by the Priest; such farmer pays an English shiling, which is thirteen pence in Ireland ; some times he gives two shillings, and if he be a person in better cir cumstances, that is, wealthier and more substantial, he may give 10s. about Christmas, and 10s. also at Easter; there are very few give more. Will you tell the Committee how the Catholic Prelates are paid ?—We hold one parish, sometimes two ; and we employ clergymen to perform the ordinary duties in those, we ourselves labouring to assist them as much as we can. Besides that, we receive from each clergyman in the diocese, _once a year, a certain contribution • for instance, I hold two parishes, one in Carlow, and the other in Tallow, in county Carlow; I keep three curates employed in each of those parishes, whom I am obliged to pay, and the little that remains after they are-sup ported, 1 receive myself; in i addition to that, at Easter, or about that time, I receive- from each - of, the parish Priests in the dio cese, I think abaut three guineas, and from each of the Curates about one, and the sum total of my.income derived from those sources ie generally between 450/... and 500/. a year. At the same time I may be permitted to state to the' Committee, that the income of, a Bishop is charged with Veq heavy incurn brinces, . considering its quantity .; for I dm .obliged.to contri ,bute to every charitable institution.; to assist in the erection and - supportieg of schools ; to. feed a considerable nuniber of the.poor ; and, in fact, .if it, were not for some help which I occasionally receive from friends, I could not keep a house or a servant However,' there are a greater number of poor 1:• ing about me than about most others, and my income is not so considerable as that of many other Bishops in the kingdom. Is the same mode:of paying the Bishops adopted in all parts of Ireland —I believe it is the same in nearly all, except that in some .dioceses, particularly in the ~South .of Ireland; the Bishops receive something like a contribution from the Priest, out of the fees he receives at marriages; there is no such usage,, however, in the diocese where I live, or in that of Dublin . or OssorF. Is toe amount of fees paid on marriages, in the other dioceses, as far as you are informed, the'same'as that which you state to prevail in your own diocese ?-4 think, in most of the dioceses, it is somewhat similar ; hut, in the dioceses in the South of Ireland, besides the marriage fees, there is a usage of what they call " a wedding cake." I . have heard of that, but lam only acquainted with it by hearsay. The nature of this usage .is, that _a cake is distributed in small pieces amongst the people who assist at the wedding, and each person makes an offering when he receives the cake. This sometimes amounts to a con siderable sum—at other times, it is very trivial ; but we have no such thing among us, except in a very few parishes.. it is, chiefly confined to the So u th o f I r el a nd ; b u t, w h er e It does prevail, it is a source of very considerable emolument Have you not heartland understood that in many instances the amount of these offerings is •very.considerable have understood that, in many instances, the =mint is very. con siderable. What has been the greatest amount, as far as you have been informed ?--The greatest amount that I have ever heard was 401. • What is the atnount of fee on a burial ?—lp some inStanhei there is an office celebrated for_ the repose of the soul of the de ceased; this office in my diocese cannot; he celebrated unless at least six clerg) men attend ; then the parish priest is entitled to get 11.; and each Of the assistant priests 10s. e icli ; and if the person be poor, only one priest.attends to perform the service ; at each service he generally gets 103. and if it be the parish priest half-a-guinea. and sometimes As. Is the saying of masses for the repose of the souls - of the dead a considerable source of income also ?—lt is on account of say:: in mass, and assisting at the funeral, that the priest receives this contribution which I have mentioned. Fi oil what fees do . you conceive the parish priest receives the larger part of - his income; from the fees upon marriage; bap tisms and - burials, or from the Christmas and Easter fees?—From the Christmas and Easter fees much the larger part. Can you state the average income of.a parish priest in your diocese?—l could very nearly. I have classed the parishes,and.l hare caused a return to be made to me of the income of each ; there were some laige parishes in the diocese, all of which, except one or two, have become vacant since my appointment, and those I have divided; there are then at present, I believe, four parishes where the priest's income is about 4001. -a-year ; there are, as I recollect (I may be mistaken), fourteen parishes where the parish priest's income exceeds 2001. by something ' • in all the other parishes of .the diocese I think it is less, and may amount to from lOU to 2001.- How man; parishes are there ?—Forty-two. How is the appointment to a Roman Catholic parish ar ranged ?—When the incumbent dies, the Bishop has the power of appointing any priest of the diocese to succeed him. We have two classes of clergymen—the one are incumbents or pa rish priests, and the other the coadjutors, or assistant priests. When a parish becomes vacant, if it be a place where we wish a man of experience and information and pious habits of life to reside, and that we have not a person of this description amongst the curates, we take him from some other parish, where he s shown himself to be possessed of those qualities, and we ap point him to the vacant living; but if it be a parish where a person not specially gifted is necessary, we take from amongst the curates some man who has laboured for several years, and whose morals have been good, and who has a capacity for giving instruction' in public, and place hint there. But if a curate should at any time have been immoral, or not be ca pable of preaching, we leave him in the rank Of curate all his _ l ' Dr. Doyle elsewhere. states, there is almost in everydiocese in Ireland a sum fired more by, usage. than by a positive regu lation : as td a sum to be paid when a marriage is celebrated, a pauper pays nothing at all ; a person in little better circum stances pays, for instance, 55.; one little more advanced in circumstances . may pay 10s., vary often I. 31., sometimes a guinea. ido not know that, in, any dioce*e in Ireland any 'person, of .wtaisoevcr rank he may be, whether rich or poor, can be obliged, .by usage, to pay more . than a guinea ; but it 'often happens that an opulent person being married gives more - than that. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. RENT ASSIZES.-MAIDSTONE, MARCH 31. THE KING v. CAPSELL. This was an information filed -by his Majesty's Attorney- General against the defendant, for having, on the 21st of Fe bruary, 1824, at Kingsdown, offered to one Edward Oldey, a seaman of his Majesty's ship Ramilies, employed in the Pre ventive Service, a bribe to allow certain uncustomed spirits to be landed - and imported: • The defendant pleaded not guilty. - Edward Older, Lieut. Turnbull,. and Lteut. Graham,ior the Ramilies were examined by Mr. Sergeant ONSIOW, assisted by the usual train of King's and other Counsel, from whom it appeared that the defendant, after having repeatedly tampered with Oldey, at length offered him 8/. to suffer 26 tubs of spirits to be run. It was agreed to appear to accept the offer, which was done, the tubs were landed, the money paid by the hand of the defendant to Ohley - (and'noW produced), and then the rest of the Preventive party came up, the spirits were seized, and the smugglers, part of them, secured; and part, among whom was the defendant, escaped. _ Mr. AnoLruus, for the defendant, cross-examined the wit ness Oidey with great severity, but he did not swerve from his story. fle then shortly addressed the Jury, but called no wit nesses, and no defence being set up, the defendant was without 4esitation found guilty. Thomas Foster and William Relfe were indicted for having, with others, feloniously assembled themselves, armed with bludgeons, at the parish of Eastchurch, in order to aid in the illegal running and landing uncustomed gobds in the night of the 10th February last. Mr. SerjeantCNstoiv and Mr. Kxox conducted the prose cution, which was instituted by the Admiralty; and Mr. CLARKSON the defence. After the examination of Lieutenant Hamilton, the officer commanding the Preventive men the night in question, .who had been most cruelly beaten by the body of persons of whom the prisoners formed a party, and whose conduct on-that-occa sion was most warmly applauded by the Learned Judge for his coolness and hmnanity in not using his pistols, which were loaded,. at the time. _ • _ Mr. 'Cr.AnKSON, on the part of the prisoner, with the Coun sel 'of - the Crown, applied to the Learned Judge that his clients might be permitted to plead guilty (it having been stated by Lieittenant:Hamiltori that they - had trimiespect joined in the assautl), and that judgment might be - respited to enable the Crown to avail itself of the testimony the prisohers were willing to give tir further the conviction of the men (when ap prehended) who actually used so much violence. This was assented to on the part of the Learned Judge, and the confession was, with the judgment, recorded, the Learned Judge declaring that n. proper representation of the case should be made in the highest quarter: BRJDCEWATE►t.-A few days ago a complaint was made by a gentleman of this neighbourhood againsta shoe maker's apprentice foritealing his cat. The informer stated that the journeymen and apprentices of this town have lately made dreadful havoc amongst his Majesty's feline subjects, in order to provide themselves with fur caps and waistcoats, to supply which some scores of cats have lately come to an un timely end. His- cat, it seems, was a most excellent mouser, and since her decease he has not been able to keep a bit of cheese in his pantry. It is a pity but these lawless destroyers of cats had a cat-o'nine tails well laid upon their backs, or a cataplasm clapped upon their feet to prevent the recurrence of such a melancholy catastrophe in future. Saturday, about Ralf-past one o'clock, an ap palling accident took place at a power loom factory, Bishop street, Anderston, near Glasgow. A draw-boy, thirteen years of age, was looking into a window, when one of the coupling boxes' of the main lying shaft caught hold of his left sleeve, and drew him on the shaft, where his body was carried round till it was intercepted by the wall, and there being only a space of about two inches for his body to p a ss through, his limbs were immediately s e parated, and the trunk was forced through, mangled in the most dreadful manner ever witnessed. The engine was of course stopped on the first alarm, but it was too late, as the first turn of the shaft cut his body in two. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Jovis,' 31° the .41 arti i, 1825. Nn. SPEAKER reported the Royal Assent—tti Consolidated Fund Bill, Wine Duties Bill, Weights and Measures Bill, • Caletlonian - .Canal Creditors (Scotland) Bill, J udicial ,Inquiry (Ireland) Bill, Calder and Hebble Navigation Bill, ' Bolton and West Leigh Railway Bill ; Stourbridge and Mar gate Improvement Bills ; Stockport Gas Light Bill ; Wigan, CaisnScross; Grantham and Trent Bridge, Gravesend and \lrrotham, Leominster and Hope, Stockport, and Wooler Rolads Bills ; Stock and Bradley (Worcester), Weston (Nor folk), and Pewsey (Wilts) Inclosures Bills; and Baring's and Grime's Divorce Bills. ROAns—Princes Risborough—Bill read a third time, and , passed. Birmingham and Pershore—Petition of Mortgagees of Tolls of the Birmingham and Bromsgrove Roads, against __—referred to the Committee on the Bill, Counscl ordered. NAVlGATtox—Weaver—Bill reported, to be ingrossed. INLyr URALlZATlON—Benyon's—Bill read a third time, and passed. STAMP DUTlES—Petition from Carlisle, for a reductiOn of the Duties on Receipts—to lie on the table. 114NKEEPEES 1 NEW STREET Els real a second time. Sis4.CEY FoREST LP DI P } ,4IS AJESTY's PROPERTY Potin—St. Andrew's, Holborn—Petition from St. Pancras, against—referred to the Committee on the Bill, Counsel ordertd. ' PRIVATY:' BILLS. '-• Serond Readings fbr Thursday, April 14. Felbrigg Inclosura; Londonderry . Improvement; Lough Neagh, &c. Canal ; Almond 'Water • Atlantic Steam Naviga tion - Gosport Chapel ; soutlyilsk dridges ; Devizes! Paving ; and New Ross Corn Market. EASTER, 1825. NOTICES of MOTIONS,. -and ORIXERS of the DAY' which now stand on the . ORDER-13001i of the HOUSE • . of COMMONS. - nuralay, NOTICES OF MOTIONS. 1. Sit Henry Parnell`.--T6 refer Linen Boanty Laws, and Irish Linen Laws; to a Committee of the whole House. 2. Sir John Newport=Bill.tO limit the power of holding a plu rality of Benefices, and to repeal the Statutes granting to the Archbishops and Bishops the power of forming Epis copal Unions in Ireland. 3. Mr. Spring Rice—Select Committee on the state of the Pa pers printed by order of the Hout4 of Comm Ons, from the year 1800 to the accession of his present Majesty. 4. Mr. Hume—Return of-the past and present expence of Sierra Leone, and the liberated Negroes there ; of .the Crown Estates in Essequibo and Berbice, and of the ex pence for captured Negroes ; and of sums paid on account of the Slave Trade. ORDERS OF THE DAY. 1. Seamen's Wages Bill—Second reading. 2. Fisheries Bill—Second reading. 3. Quarantine Laws Bill—Committee. 4. Police Magistrates Bill--Third reading. 5. Felonies Pardon Bill--Third reading. 6. Innkeepers Bill—Committee. 7. His Majesty's Property Bill—Cortapittee. 8. Boundaries of Townlands, &c. (Irelad) Bill—Second reading. .Friday, Ajsril 15. ORDERS OF THE DAY. 1. Chancery and Exchequer Courts (Ireland) Acts—Commit tee thereupon. - 2. Colonial Intercourse Bill—Committee. 3. Customs and Excise Consolidation.Act--Committee there upon. 4. Bankrupt Laws Amendment Bill—Further consideration of Report. 5. Arrests for Debt Bill—Committee. R. Supply—Committee. 7. Ways and Means—Committee. NOTICES OF MOTIONS. 1. Mr. Goulburn—Remaining Irish Miscellaneous Estithates. (In Committee of Supply.) • • 2. Mr. Martin (of Galway)--,Bill to allow persons prosecuted for Felony to defend by Counsel, as in cases of _Misde meanor. 3. Mr. Chancellor of the. Exchequer—To move a vote of £2OOO to Mr..M'Adam.. (In Committee of Supply.) . • Monday,,` April 18. ORDETIS . OE.,T/IZ 1. House to be called over. , • 2. Land Tax Assessmenti BiLl—Further cohsiderntion of Re port. 3. Julies Bill Further consideration of Report. 4. Dissenters'Marriagesßill—Fuither consideration of Report. 5. Small Debts (Scotland) Bill—Further consideration of .Report. • . „. ' 6. Debts Recovery (Scotland) BilL—Further consideration of Report. . • • 7. Settlement of the - Poor Bill—Second reading. O. Jurors (Scotland) Bill—Second reading. • J Bankers (Ireland) Bill—Committee. 10. East India Judges Bill—Further consideration of Report.. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr. Peter Moore—Bill to alter 'and amend Act 6 Geo. 1 c. 18 [Bubble Act.l • Tuesday, April 1.9. (HIDERS or irtik DAY. I. Roman Catholic Relief Bill—Second reading. 2. Cutlery Trade Bill—Second reading. • Wednesday, April 20. NOTICES OF MOTIONS. 1. The Lord Advocate of Scotland—Bill to restrict the punish 4nent of Leasing-making and Sedition in Scotland.' 2. The Lord Advocate of Scotland—Bin to amend an Act of the Scottish Parliament [A.D. 1696, c. 32], the Act of ' Grace. ORDERS OF THE DAY. 1. Spring Guns Bill—Second reading. 2. Gardens Protection Bill—Secoad reading. 3. Holyhead Roads Bill—Second reading. Thursday, April 21. NOTICES OF MOTIONS. 1.. Mr. Maberly—Repeal of the Duties on Beer. - 1. Mr. John Peter Grant—Bill to alter and amend the Law of Scotland regarding wrongous imprisonment, and the delay of trials. 3. Mr. Littleton—Bill to regulate the exercise of the Elective Franchise in Ireland. ORDER OF THE DAY. Prison Laws (Ireland) Bill—Committee. Friday, April 22. ORDERS OF THE DAY. 1. Apothecaries Bill—Further consideration of Report. 2. Judicature (Scotland) Bill—Cormnittee. Monday, April 23. ORDERS OF THE DAY. 1. County Transfer of Land Bill—Second reading. 2. Game Laws Bill—Third reading. • - NOTICES OF MOTIONS. 1. Lord. Francis Leveson Gower—Resolution to enable the Crown to grant provision for the Roman catholic Clery of Ireland. 2. Mr. Monck—Bill to prohibit, in certain cases. the payment of any part or portion of the wages of Labourers out of the Poor Rates. Thursday,. April 28. NOTICES OF MOTIONS. 1. Mr. Woolryche Whitmore—Bill to amend the Corn Laws. 2. Sir Matthew Ridley—Motion relative to the Revision and Consolidation, of the Statutes. Friday, April 29. ORDER OF THE DAY. County Rates Mortgage Bill--Second reading. Monday, May 2, ORDER OF THE DAY. • Sewers Laws Amendment Bill—Second reading. NOTICES OF MOTIONS AFTER EASTER, .far which no particular clays have been fixed. Mr. Western—Bill relating to the Qualification of Jurors. Mr. Hobhouse—Repeal of the House and Window Tax. Mr. Brougham—To call on Government to urge Spain for the fulfilment of her Treaty, by which she obliged herself to indemnify the losses sustained by the British Merchants, and for which Commissioners were appointed last year, but which has never been acted upon. Mr. Hume--Motion for the withdrawing from Ireland the Viceroy and his Establishment ; with a view of affording to that Country the benefit which ought to be derived from its Union with Great Britain. Dr. Lushington—Motion 'respecting the conduct of the Ja maica Government in sending from that Island certain per sons of colour. Sir Charles Forbes—Retur n of his Majesty's Ships and Ves sels on the East India Station with their number of guns and men, and the names and rank of the officers com manding the same. TH-E FRENCH ARMY. The following is a plan of the new organiza tion of the French Army, extracted from a Royal Ordinanc:‘ in the last number of the Bulletin des Lois " The French infantry of the active army shall be compose d of six regiments destined for the service of the guard; 64 regiments of the line, and 20 of light infantry. Each regimen t shall consist of a staff and three battalions, eight companies in a battalion ; a battalion shall be 937 men effective, on the war establishment, and reduced to 601 in time of peace. Th e cavalry shall be composed of two regiMents of grenadiers, tir e . of cuirassiers, one of dragoons, one of lancers, and one of 110' au's, forming the two divisions of the royal guard ; of two regt" ments of carabineers, ten of cuirassiers, twelve of dragoon s ' eighteen of chassurs, and six of hussars ; each regiment, both of the guard and of the line, shall consist of a staff and sig, squadrons. Th e f orce o f eac h squa d ron s h a l l be—for the ro ya l guard 152 men and 153 horses, on the war establishment (re' duced in peace to 120 men and 119 horses); for the heaq cavalry 150 men and 141 horses ; 118 men and 101 horses In peace ; and for the light cavalry 166 men and 157 horses in peace. ' The Brigade of Artillery of the Royal Guard shall consist of one regiment on foot, . one on horseback, and one regiment ef the train. The first of them to have 816 men in time of war' and 668 in peace ;. the secnntl, 454 men . and 470 horses in IV and 382 men and' 337 horses in mace ucw train, 1474 men and 2416 a irc war, and 524 men and _ horses on the pear. s:ablishment.. The .Artillery of the to consist of eight regiments on foot and four ragimonts of horse d en l3s l 6 l3 hrrs o f fo ot horse artillery,regiments, 21 8 3 9 9 1 i n m i e v n a r an , 651 men and 458 borSes in peace. Tile battalion of Pontoniers, 1571 men in, war and 995 in pence. • regiments of Each of the twelve - companies of workmen- 101 men in wa r ' a ti r i t e il r l e c g ry im : 71 in peace. Each of the eight squadrons of the train. of-artillery shalt 1 1 composed of a staff and sixteen companies in time of war, °T .; eight in time of peace. The complete tOice pfa squadron, 19 ,0 men and 3180 horses in war, and 591 men 364 - hones on t he peace establishment. e n s i p n e a y. ro c er: INDIA. ( Extract of a Letter from a Civil Officer in tize French servie' dated Tranqusbar, Sept. 25.) " The English, in their expedition against the Burmese, have not as yet obtained that success upon which they calculated;' The inhabitants of Pegu have adopted a pl an o f defence entirely disconcerts their adversaries. They burn all the country they leave behind them, so th a t th e E ng li s h are o bliged to draw all the provisions necessary for the army from Madre and Bengal, which exposes them to grea t privations, and - occw' sions an enormous expense. The Peguans fight with great intrepidity, and greatly de : pend on their barricades, in the construction of whi c h they ttr; wonderfully expert ; they r a i se them in th e co u rse o f a n ight,g short distances, and thus oppose contin ua l o b s t ac l es to tbc' enemies, can only overcome them with great loss of no* and particularly of officers. • It is Said that this war was under - . taken by the Governor-General of Bengal, 'Lord Amherst: against the opinion of his Council, who particularly pointed ott that the present was not a favourable opportunity; not only i 0 political point of view, but also with regard to the season °. the year. The English army were at Ran g o o n a t th e heigh t of tne rainy season. This circumstance has been felt rp a melancholy manner, by . the breaking out among the Englis h army of epidemic diseases, which have already carried off mall,. victims, and among them Commodore Grant, th e comma nder of the naval part of the expedition. The English, harassed by an enemy, and barricades whi ch are daily renewed—by continual rains and th e uth.,!rtninty 0 / procuring provisions, fear to depart from the coast,.vnd have ' fallen back on Rangoon, awaiting the return of the line we a ther. The Emperor of Ava has not, in the mead time, beep inactive; he has assembled an army of' 40,000 men, of whic h he has cantoned a part in the upper provinces, and despatcbe',. 20,000 men, under the command of Prince Lan a wady, ag the English at Rangoon. When one sees tire insolence and seTerity with which t ] . l6 English exercise their superiority in India, it i s d e lightful 1- calculate the probabilities that may lead to a diff ere nt order 0 things, however distant it may be. I read with pleasure in the Madras Gazette that the e ; searches the English have made in the interior of dig Pag°" 4 " c at Rangoon ; to dig nip the treasures that were supposed to 0' been buried, have been fruitless—(Jownal des Debuts.) ( From the Bombay Papers.) By Achars 'very lately received, we are given to u ndersts li g that the Lahore Chief, Runjeet Sing, has concentrated his f ore ; On the banks of the Sutlege, and that he has promised that opportunity of distinguishing themselves at a n ear ly peri°4 His preparations for war are of an extensive nature, a nd if the of the Acbars are not exaggerated, of which there earl be little doubt, would lead us to suppose that something of portance was meditated. The army is Well equipped,proviel e k with a train of artillery under the superintendence of Frenc h officers, who have been some time in his service, and to whir his personal attention has been incessantly devoted for a ecilti . derable time. The most peremptory orders have been isstr e to his Sirdars to be in readiness for active service, and to , Commandants of forts and fastnesses to be vigilant in toc duty. Whatever may be the ultimate destination of the force/ I t . cannot be looked upon without considerable interest. It is r e , ported that the disaffected Zemindais have caused all this P r o paration, and which is not improbable, as they are knovitto hold a large portion of the southern districts in the 11Iahara4 t ig dominions, and have always given him much annoyance. e i worthy of remark, that the movements of our forces, °Ai, change in our corps, and all the details of our operations to t_':a eastward, are known to a degree of minuteness that would 1 ,7 0 to a conviction of his having good inforMers amongst the nat i a in our territories, if not to his being in constant correspond en " with the Burmese. Letters from Poona announce the gratifying intelligence tl a sufficient quantity of rain has fallen to save a great portioileir the crops on the ground, and to enable the Ryots to save t z „ h crops of jowarree, wheat, and charme ; and hopes are entertain a , that all apprehensions of a famine in the Deckan are at an en The price of grain in the Bazar had in consequence fallen hea v e ' one half. We trust that the northern provinces have also est t i, rienced the benefits of the after-rain, which cannot fail to It', gate the apprehensions entertained of a famin e in th a t quart e d, Official reports from Broach and Kairah, announce the'gr ni b Eying intelligence that there was a heavy fall of ra in at fSg these stations on the 7th and filth instant, and private At give giVe an equally pleasing account from Sur a t a nd K a ttiwar• 1 2,f Kairah, it is stated that the price of bajaree, the 'chief fe°, i ,n the lower orders, fell on the 7th to one half the price at "' t ile it was sold a fortnight before ; and we may now indulge „i t i hope that nothing like a serious sc a rcity of f oo d w ill he te"r any of the districts during the ensuing dry season. It has been apprehended that our Cotton produce to ward must have suffered seYereiv withstanding thescarcity'of rain, we learn that the crop" fel t year are very rich, and.by the last accounts, only required 3 v i them of rain to bring the to perfection, in which case. t are expected to yield 25 per cent. above last year's prodite;e, But should no rain fall, our informant (a respectable nr- t t t io t' whose testimony may be relied on) confidently assumes 4 of sufficient cotton will be produced to • supply the vits nt ' v et the market on this side of India, though at a rate of 2 "40 cent. less than that of last year. From the same source we" ie r a that Bownagbur, Dhollera Broach, Jumbosseer, Poi-churl( io illandevee. and Kattywar, have not less than 70,090 bale 6 to . the markets of last year's crop, 50,0011 of which have been it be chased by the merchants of 'Bombay, and on account ° the Hon. Company, and which may be expected to arrive at Presidency in all next month. hoot A dreadful crime was committed at Metz, a— ten days ago, by on e of its i n h a bit an t s . This per si l t " it appears, had quarrell e d with his w if e , whom, accused:of infidelity,-and threatened vengeanche She fled from her borne, and took refuge in ot , house of a friend, w h o res id e d i n th e sam e scre e d soon followed, a rme d w ith a b roa d sw ord, a pe having with difficulty ollanincd ddmittarlee, , rushed towards his wife for the purpose of a lu dering her. Th e lady of the house, her son, rla a friend, interposed, but the fury and streegt" be the man soon overcame the feeble resistance p a met with. The wife was severely wounded, ant, the lady and her s o n were killed on the 9 P 0 The man then attempted to escape, but .hl=shortly after arrested by the police, and ha' dergone one examination before the Inagistrute.