The Sun. — London, England, 1842-06-17 00:00:00

REPORTED MURDER NEAR WORCESTER. (Abridged. from the Worcester* Jthirnal of Yesterday.) On MUnday this city was, thrown into a state of con siderable excitement • by a rumour which had got afloat that a murder had been committed in or near the city, and that the mutilated remains of the victim had been discovered by some boys, concealed on the bank of the Severn at Pitchcroft Ham.- The rumour as it was at first circulated was very vague ; several versions of the affair and its circumstances being given, all of which at last resolved themselves into this—that as two boys were walking up Pitchroft, they discovered the arms and .hands of a human body in the grass near to the margin of the river, that they were conveying them to this city when they . were met by two men, who snatched the mutilated remains from the boys and ran off.. This story having come to the ears of the police, immediate inquiries were instituted, and the boys were closely examined. They persisted in the truth of their statement ; and in consequence of the information which was obtained from them, two young men, named Wal dron and Barber, were yesterday morning taken before ldr. Sidebottom, who made a preliminary investigation into the matter. At one o'clock the two boys, whose names are Palmer and Harr:s, the one aged about 14 and the other 8 years, together with Waldron and Barber, were taken before the Mayor and a full bench of Magistrates sitting at the police-office in the Guildhall, when the case was thoroughly investigated. The office was crowded with respectable citizens, and the outer hall was besieged by a numerous band of women, who evidently looked upon the affair as a second edition of the Roehampton atrocity. Harris was the first of the two boys examined. He stated that on the previous day (Monday) about ten or eleven o'clock, he walked up Pithcroft by the side of the river with Palmer. When they had arrived at the point opposite to the Dog and Duck public-house, he observed lying in the grass, between the footpath and the river, and -upon the river's bank, two hu man hands and arms. He at once picked them up, and showing them to his companion, exclaiming, " Look, what. I've found !" Palmer took hold of one of the arms, observed that it smelt badly, and then returned it to Harris, when both proceeded with the remains down the side of the river in the direction for Worcester. When they arrived at a short distance from the Grand Stand two men came up, to whom they: showed the arms, upon which one of the men snatched them from his hand, saying, at the same time, that " he'd keep it for the sake of the ring ;" - there being, as Palmer declared, a plain gold ring upon a finger of one of the hands. The arms had been cut off the body near to the elbow, and there were marks of blood at that part, and also upon other parts of the• arm. There were no other incisions in the arm. On being confronted with Barber he said he thought he was one of them, but could not positively say. He did not appear to know Waldron at all. John Palmer, on his examination, corroborated Har ris's statement in its chief points. On being closely questioned as to the appearance of the limbs, he said that the extremities, where they had been severed from the main body, were "haggled' or ragged, as though theyhad been separated with a blunt knife ; the bones were broken and splintered, as though they had been chopped through with khatchet. There was a good deal of coagulated blood upon the arms, and there was a ring upon a finger of one of the hands. The arms smelt very badly, and there were holes in the hands, produced by putrefaction. The boy spoke positively as to the identity of Barber, who he affirmed was one of the men who snatched the arms from Harris. He had known Barber personally for some time. Waldron and Barber were then required to account for the manner in which they had spent the previous day, which they did satisfactorily. The inquiry occupied two hours, and at its close the Magistrates, after a brief consultation, decided that there was no evidence before them which would warrant them in detaining Waldron or Barber, and they were conse quently set at liberty with the boys. The police are still engaged in making further inqui ries into this extraordinary affair. FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. ARRIVALS. Captain George Cox, Mrs. Cox, and J. Prowd, Esq., at Nelson's Hotel, Portland-place, from Wolverhampton ; J. Savary, ,at ditto, from Bristol ; Deputy Assistant Com missary -General, at ditto, from Davenport; W. Hind, Esq., and Mrs. Hind, at ditto, from Madeira; the Dwarkunouth Tagore, Chunder Mohun Chatterjay, and suite, at Stewart's Hotel, Albemarle-street; his Excellency the Genera! Busta mente and suite, at ditto ; Admiral Sir John West, Lady West, the A. issea West, and Alexander G. West, Esq., at the Han over Hotel, from Braywick Lodge, Berkshire • Mr. and Lady Mary Corbet, at Markwell's London Family Hotel, Albemarle streer ; Mr., Mrs., and Miss Cunningham, at ditto; Mr. and Mrs. Wallis Grieve, at ditto, from the Continent; Mr., Mrs., and the Misses Fussell, at Long's Hotel, Bond-street, from Doulton Vicarage; Mr. and Mrs. George Nelson, at ditto, from Banbury ; Messrs. Ferguson, Dobede, Webster, Card well, and Rose, Esqrs., at ditto; Wm. Bagge, Esq., M.P., at ditto, from Marham. DEPARTURES. W. N. Orange, Esq, from Nelson's Hotel, Portland-place, for Ireland; Cornelius Heyle De Worme, Esq., from ditto, for France ; S. R. Solley, Esq., from ditto, for Watford ; W. J. Payton, Esq., from ditto, for Liverpoo l; Mr., Mrs., and Misses Dixon, from Markwell's London Family Hotel, Albe marle-street, for the Continent ; Captain and the Hort. Mrs. Congreve, from ditto, for Cowes ; the Right Hon. Lord Cam perdow xi, from Long's Hotel, Bond-street, fur Bath; the Lady Elizabeth Duncan, from ditto, {for ditto • the Misses Aspinall, from ditto, for Standen Hall , Clithero ; Mr. Alexander, M. P., Colonel Charlton, and Messrs. Phillips, Esqrs., from ditto. BELGIUM. BRUSSILLSp JUNE 12.--Lord Edward Somenet, with his danghter and suite, corning from Italy, have arrived here, on their way to England. Just as we are going to press we are informed of the death of the learned Polish refugee, Leleivel, at Brussels, where he lived in the greatest poverty. 'The Court of Cessation has rejected to-day the appeal of Vandermeere and the other three persons condemned to death, f,r a plot against the State. The heat continues to be much more intense than usual at this season. On Saturday the mercury in the thermometer of tie Observatory, placed in the shade, rose to 29 degrees of Reaumur (97 degrees Farenheit). This excessive heat is com plained of in France, Germany, and Holland, and in the site of Walcheten fresh water is so scarce that the Magistrates have sent a vessel to Holland for a cargo of water, which will be dis tributed among the inhabitants? It appears from a private letter from Brussels, in the Petites Ajfiches of Caustray, that the number of Flemish workmen who have emigrated may be estimated at twenty thousand. Mn. W. liorziEs's CONCERT.—The private con cert by the pupils of Mr. Holmes, and under his direction, was given on Wednesday at Mr. Hoare's residence, in Bruton-street. One - of Chopin's concertos, with orchestral accompaniments, was' excellently played by a young lady. Mr. Holmes himself performed a capriccio of his own composition, and a duet by Hummel with one of his pupils. Thalberg's fantasia on themes from Mose en Egitto, was played by a young girl with great cleverness. Master Henry Laurent and Master Noble respec tively played, the former a fantasia by Hertz on a theme from Le Pre aux Clercs, the latter a hexameron, with their usual eclat ; and Miss Theed gave a study in A flat, by Dohler, with feeling and delicacy. The company was select, and grati fied with the pupils, their friends, and their mauler. MENDELSSOIIN.—In consequence of the strongly expressed desire of the members and subscribers of the Sacred Harmonic Society to hear Mr. Mendelsohn perform on their organ in the large hall, Exeter-hall, that gentleman has kindly cnsented to play there this evening. SINGULAR DEATH OF A BOY.—Yesterday Mr. Wakley, M.P., held an inquest at University College Hospital, on the body of Johu Villiers, aged 13, the son of a surgeon in the army, residing at 54, London-street, Fitzroy-square. It L•peared from the statement of the deceased's father that the deceased, who was rather a sickly boy, was exceedingly fond of eating vegetables of every description. On Thursday he, an compa ied by some juvenile friends, went into the fields for the purpose of gathering sorrel, of which, during the time he was nut, he ate a great quantity. On his return home in the eveoing, deceased complained of violent pains in the bowels, which induced his father to administer medicine to him. He slightly re covered on Friday, but again gradually got worse, and his appearance left no doubt on his father's mind that he .s attacked with cholera. He continued to prescribe for him until the morning of Sunday, when the deceased's mother, fearing he was dying, took him in her arms, and carried him to the above hospital. Dr. Quaine, resident surgeon of the ho,pital, proved the admission of the deceased about one o'clock on Sunday, evidently, in his opinion, labouring under the effects of cholera, 'He died in half an hour after. Mr. Quaine liere detailed the appearances of the body on post mortem 'examination, which left no doubt on his mind that he had died (st cholera, induced by the eating improper food above men -si"ned. The Jury returned a verdict of " Died from cholera, caused by taking improper food." DEATa FROIt SUFFOCATION.—Yesterday an inquest was held before Mr, Wakley, at the White Horse, Drury-lane, o the body of Mrs. Elizabeth Hiekey, residing at No. 49, Parker-street, an army clothes maker, who was choked while eating a piece of meat. Before the Jury returned their verdict, the. Cooner said that it happened nearly on all occasions that If a person died suddenly, while at a meal or eating, the death was attributed to choking; but in the great majority of such cases the person was seized with a fit at that moment, and died from the effect of that attack, and not from choking. In the present instance there could be little doubt that the death re sulted from suffocation, caused by the meat ; and the distinction was to be drawn from the fact that the deceased was sensible from first to last ; that she put her hands to her mouth ; and that abe attempted to extract the meat with her finger, none of which signs are present when a fit has come on at the moment that the person happens to be eating. These consti tuted marked distinctions , and showed that the obstruction was at the throat, and not a sudden effect of the brain or the heart. Verdict--‘. Accidentally choked." The mortal remains of Lord Congleton were con veyed from his late residence, 43, Cadogan-place, the day before yesterday, for interment in the family mausoleum of the Parnell family, in St. George's, Hanover-square , bu rial- g round, on the fiayswater-road. The youthful Marquis of Drogheda, grandson of the late Lord, came up from Eton College to attend the funeral, which was strictly private. The present Lord Con gleton, the Hon. Henry Parnell, Bishop of Ripon, Mr. Edward H. Cole, sons-in-law of his late Lordship, were among the re latives present at the mournful ceremony. SINGur.I.II ESCAPE. The following accident, arising from the highly dangerous practice of riding behind the 'arious vehicles that pass along the roads, in which children of all growths constantly indulge, and which a little extra exertion on the part of the police would entirely prevent, took 1 -lace on Tuesday afternoon opposite St. John's Church, in the Waterloo-road. A little boy, about nine years cf age, named Glean, the son of a printer, hying at No. l, Agnes-street, Waterloo- road, was getting down from behind a hackney-coach as it was going on, just as a carriage belonging to Mr. Menzie, surgeon, of Stamford -street, was slowly passing. The boy did not see the carriage, and ran ri-ht between the fore and hind wheels. Before the horses could be stopped he was knocked down, and the wheel went over both his legs. By Mr. Alenzie's directions he was taken into the surgery of Mr. Handy, at the corner of Stamford-str ee t, and, upon examining xamining the little fellow, strange to say, not a bone was broken, and he escaped with some severe contusions only., occurrence Accidents owf which description are of daily, and often fat either an order from the proper authorities, or an increase of vigilance by the police, would at once stop. The arrival of the Antwerp Company's Steam ships at the St. Katharine's Wharf. Tower, on Wednesday a yesterday, were as follows :—The Bruges , Captain Main, from Ostend, and the Antwerpen, Captain Jackson, from Antwerp. The formtr was made in 13 hours, and the latter in 19 hours. AWFUL STORM AT LIMERICK, AND LOSS OF LIFE. A most awful and long -continued storm of thunder and lightning, accompanied by heavy rains, visited this neigh bourhood and the country for some miles around on Sun day, and was, we regret to learn from statements made by correspondents, accompanied in several places by loss of limbs and life, destruction of cattle, houses and trees, and was the cause of the greatest consternation throughout the extensive district it swept over in its merciless course. The storm arose from the North East, and went on with out abatement, pursuing a south-westerly direction, from twelve till near seven o'clock, P.M. At Scariff, Killaloe, Sixmile-bridge, and the country generally in that quarter between the Claremountains and the Shannon, the storm first broke out with vehemence and fury. We regret to say that about five o'clock, P.M., the fluid struck the house of John Branton at Sixmile Bridge, and killed a fine boy about four years old, who was sitting at..,the moment be tween Branton's knees, leaving Branton speechless, tear ing up the floor, and killing some sheep which this poor man had brought from his fields for protection. In the same neighbourhood a man was knocked down and left senseless, and two women who were scorched are now lying without a hope of recovery. The market-house roof of Stxmile-bridge was thrown down and some cattle were killed in that vicinity. At Glin, thirty miles to the west ward, the house of Capt. Hamilton, we learn, was burned down, and a man was killed—several casualties are said to have occurred to cattle. At Newcastle a man was killed and a house was burned down also. Some of the largest trees in the demesne of Mount Shannon and Adare, in Cratloe—indeed, throughout this part of the country al most without exception, were split into fragments, and, in some instances, were thrown across the roads. The river in a few hours rose about several feet, and the lowlands adjoining, the valleys in the interior, the moun tain gorges, and every channel which had been dry in the morning has been flooded. It is impossible for us to give anything like an accurate estimate of the amount of injury done.—Limerick Reporter. CHRIST-CHURCH ORGAN. PERFORMANCE OF MENDELSSOHN. Dr. Mendelssohn Bartholdy, the first organist living, performed yesterday afternoon on the large organ at Christ Church, Newgate-street. Never have we before so fully appreciated the powers of this most noble instrument. 1-h took hiA seat at the organ at two o'clock, and commenced with one of Sebastian Bach's magnificent voluntaries. Those alone who are acquainted with the compositions of Bach, the Milton of music, can form any idea of the gran deur, sublimity, and power, which Mendelssohn infused into this most magnificent composition. It was indeed, a high treat to hear a composition of Bach's performed by Mendelssohn, on, per haps the finest instrument in London. The composer, the performer, and the instrument, were alike worthy of each other. Mendelssohn afterwards performed several fugues and voluntaries, and among them many compositions of his own. In these last his astonishing powers of execution were brought admirably into play. We had always hitherto considered Thalberg's pianoforte playing as the ne plus ultra of execution, but he is surpassed, both in rapidity, preciseness, and power, by Mendelssohn. When we consider what would, by a mere pianiste, be thought the insuperable difficulties of organ playing ; that the performer has not only to work several sets of keys with his fingers, but also several sets of pedals with his feet, that he frequently depends solely upon one finger for preventing him from falling forward on the instrument, that it requires a firmness, united with a delicacy of touch, of which the mere pianiste can form scarcely any idea, and that the finger must continue resting on the key as long as the note is to be sounded ; when we consider all these things the powers of Mendelssohn appear little short of miraculous. Is it to these difficulties that we are to attribute the paucity of organists in England ? We hope not—it would argue ill for the future progress of music in this country if such were the case ; but it is a lamentable fact that we have no rising English organist at the present day. Who is to be Samuel Wesley's successor is a question to which the English musical public will find it somewhat difficult to reply. This ought not to be ; while flutists, pianistes, and violinists, are elbowing each other in the race for fame and patronage, surely there ought to be some musician to support the claim of the most sublime of instruments—the organ The church was crowded, and the thanks of•the public are due to the parish authorities for their kindness in lending the instrument, and in throwing open the church to all who chose to come. To Dr. Mendelsshon a high debt of gratitude is due from the British musical public, and we thus publicly tender him our thanks for the high treat he has afforded us. HIGH COURT OF JUSTICIARY. EDINBURGH. CASE OF WILFUL FIRE RAISING.—Our readers will r member the subjoined case, of which an account was given some time since in The Sun, and in which Harris Rosenberg and Alithia Bennet or Rosenberg, his wife, had been convicted at the Circuit Court, held at Aber deen, of wilful fire-raising. The verdict of the Jury was then accompanied by a recommendation to the leniency of the Court ; and the trial, which commenced on Saturday morning, April 15, had been protracted until the following Sunday forenoon. Lord Moncreiff, before whom the trial took place, in consideration of the extraordinary circumstances connected therewith, ab stained from pronouncing sentence, and certified the case to the High Court of Justiciary. On Tuesday last judgment was accordingly passed ; when Lord Moncrieff, in passing sentence, observed, he did believe that the attempt was not a thing of her (Ali thia Rosenberg's) contrivance - and with respect to the woman, he thought the Court should abstain frotn a sen tence of transportation. He would propose in her case a sentence of long imprisonment—namely, of imprison ment for two years. The COURT having expressed their concurrence, the Lord Justice-General, in appropriate terms, pronounced sentence of transportation beyond seas for the term of his natural life on Harris Rosenberg, and of imprisonment for two years in Perth Penitentiary on Alithia Rosenberg. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. GLOBE.—The recent melancholy occurrence at Clare, where a crowd that had assembled round a store were fired on by the police, has, it will be seen, led to an in vestigation at the instance of Government. As the matter is. one which may very seriously affect a great number of individuals, we abstain from giving any opinion as to the criminality of the proceedings which are the subject of inquiry, and can only express a hope that every one whom appearances may seem to inculpate will be enabled to justify his share in the unfortunate event alluded to. Without, however, throwing any blame upon parti cular parties, we cannot but remark that the loss of life which ensued at Clare was altogether needless, and that there was nothing to justify the firing upon the people. This appears to be admitted on all hands ; and even those who had the command of the police force are most desirous to establish the fact that they gave no orders to fire ; and consequently it must be inferred that they acknowledge the impropriety of the act, which, had it been necessary, it would have been their duty to com mand, instead of being one which, for their credit, they are eager to repudiate. Whatever maybe the result of the investigation which is now going on, it must be clear to all persons who have read the evidence already adduced, that there is at least a want of a sufficient understanding between the officers and men of the police force, which has been the cause of the fatal error that has been com mitted. The men who fired doubtless acted upon either a real or a supposed order of their superior, and it seems admitted oa all hands that he addressed some words to them ; but whether the expression used was " Fire," or " Don't fire," is left undecided by the 'contradictory testimony of the witnesses. The most favourable construction that can be placed upon the conduct of the police is, that they mis took the words of their cfficer ; fur we are unwil ling to believe that he could have been so criminal as to have given orders for the needless sacrifice of life— since needless he declares it to be, when he maintains that he endeavoured to prevent his men from firing on the popul.ce. It does not appear that any feeling of irritation against the police nad been manifested by the erovvd before the occurrence of the fatal calamity, and there had been nothing in tne conduct of the mob to excite a fear of outs age. It is not even pretended that the people might not have been disp rsed without re course to firing ; and is is therefore to a most fa al mis understanding, if to nothing worse, that the deplorable event must be attributed. STANDARD.—Sir Richard Vyvyan has addressed a letter to his constituents upon the several subjects of the Corn-laws, Income-tax, and Tariff, condemning the mea sures of Ministers with reference to all three, "% , "Ve have read this letter with a mixed feeling of admiration and pain. Every sentence bears testimony to the high talents, the overflowing benevolence, boundless pa triotism, and noble spirit of the writer ; in a word, to that combination of the best gifts of nature and education, which constitute him, perhaps, as per fect a model of the accomplished English gentleman as England possesses at this day. Painful it must be, under any circumstances, to differ from such a man ; but to us, who for more than fifteen years have been proud to follow in his course, to take the guidance of his public Conduct when we could have it as the safest direction, and where we had been com pelled to act without this guidance, to test our actions by their conformity to his principles, the pain is great indeed. We find ourselves opposed to Sir Richard Vyvyan, and we scarcely know why. Were not his station, his career, his genius, sufficient guarantees that his prin ciples have sqffered no change, the letter before us affords proof that a change in him is impos sible, for such must ever be the case with one whose principles are the highest and the purest. Indeed, there is not a principle enounced in the letter—and it is full of political principles—to which we do not at this mo ment most heartily subscribe. We hope, on the other side, that our principles have undergone no change ; and we must therefore ascribe the opposition in which we stand to the writer of the letter to Helston t o some thing different from princip:es—to the application of principles in an imperfect state of society, and a per plexed conjuncture of affairs. MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE. —Betw een one and two o'clock, yesterday afternoo n, a finel y g r own little boy, named Charles Shepherd, aged three and a hal f years, the son of respectable parents, living at No. 25, Roche ster -street, Pimlico, was brought into Westminste r Hospital, in a stat e o f perfect insensibility, from having swallowed a quantity of lands num. It appears that the mother was affected with the tooth ache, and having applied some laudanum to relieve the p a i n , heedlessly left a cup, containing about a table-spoonful of the poison, on the table, which the child got hold of, and drank off unnoticed, and the fact was not discovered until after the lapse of upwards of half an hour. The child was then lying in apparently a profound sleep, on the floor. The usual anti dotes were applied, but no hope is entertained of a favour , able result. COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.' THE OFFICE OF TOWN CLERK. Mr. R. L. JONES moved that the Report of the Officers and Clerks' Committee, relative to the office of ToWn Clerk, recommending that the salary of that office should be fixed 2,0001. per annum, &c., &c., be agreed to. He stated that a negotiation had been opened, and was likely to be satisfactorily concluded, with the gentlemen of the Mayor's Court on the subject of their claims, which would be prejudiced by the alte ration proposed by a bill in Court, to provide for the due en tering on the journals all acts and proceedings of Common Coun cil and Common Hall. Mr. PEACOCK moved as an amendment that the salary be reduced from 2,0001. to 1,5001. a year. A long discussion took place, when, on a division, the original motion was carried by a majority of 52 to 41. The Lord MAYOR informed the Court that the election for the office of Town Clerk would take place on Thursday neat. THE REPAVING LONDON BRIDGE: Mr. KNOTT brought up the Report of the Committee. It recommended that, as well for the convenience of the public as the durability of the work, the bridge should be complctey closed, as regarded the traffic ' during the repairing of it. Alderman LUCAS and Mr. WIRE supported the Report. Alderman Sir M. WOOD said the inconvenience to the public business would be dreadful if the bridge was wholly closed, and suggested the propriety of keeping open one 11:1f of the carriage way during the period of the repaving. Pe titions were presented from the managers of the joint stations, and others, against closing the bridge entirely, and the great majority of the Court cheered the suggestion of Sir M. Wood. The Report was ultimatdly referred back to the Committee, with instructions that during the repairing of the bridge the public accommodation should be properly attended to.—Ad journed. NARROW ESCAPE of the BRITISH QUEEN STEAMER. By the British and North American Royal Mail steamer Acadia, Captain Ryrie, which arrived at Liverpool from Bos ton, on Tuesday morning last, accounts were brought over re specting his Belgian Majesty's steam-ship British Queen, which was nearly lost en her last voyage from Southampton to New York. This magnificent vessel, it will be recollected, left Southampton about the sth of last month, having on board upwards of fifty passengers, and a cargo of merchandise and specie to a large extent, he appears to have progressed fa vourably on her voyage until the 17th day, the 12th of May, when the ship encountered a heavy gale of wind from the N.N. W., when it became necessary to ease the steam to three-quarters of her speed. According to the log of the chief mate, this hap pened late in the afternoon, in lat. 49 10, D. R., long. 18 IS, D. R. and course S. 31. As the night came on the gale so in creased that it was deemed prudent to alter the course, and bear down with the wind. In this condition she continued till the following day, when, at about half-past twelve o'clock, she shipped a tremendous sea; and so terrific was its force, that every timber apparently trembled again under its violence. The sea made a complete breach over her, carrying with it part of the bulwarks, fore-yard-arm, part of one of the paddle boxes, and several coal-lumpers that were on deck. The com mander, chief officer, and several of the crew, had a most nar row escape of being washed overboard. They were standing on the fore part of the vessel when the sea struck her, and were swept a considerable distance along the deck. The Captain was thrown nearly into the engine-room, while the rest of the crew were dashed against the hatchways and other obstacles on the deck, and they all were more or less injured, one seaman in particular had his skull frightfully fractured. During the remainder of the day the vessel pitched heavily, owing to there being a dead weight of upwards of three hundred tons of coals in the fore and aft holds, but it could not be altered until the weather &bated ; as it was, a great quantity of water get down the engine-room. On the 14th, the following day, the gale ceased, and she was brought back into her proper course, in which she continued until the 21st, when she vas again driven back in consequence of the ice and icebergs, some of which were of immense height and thickness. Fortunately, she got clear of them, and arrived at New York in safet3 on the 2.5 th day of her passage. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. WORSHIP-STREET. James Griffiths, a porter, employed at a warehouse in Thames-street, was charged with having violently assaulted and attempted to strangle police constable, G 203, and Eliza Griffiths, the prisoner's wife, was charged with having attempted to rescue him from custody. It appeared from the evidence of the policeman, that he was on duty near Old-street, on the preceding night, when he was called upon to quell an uproar occasioned by the violent conduct of the prisoner who was engaged in beating his wife in a most unmerciful manner. He remonstrated with him upon his un manly and brutal behaviour, and desired him to desist ; but the prisoner set him at defiance, and said that as the woman was his wife, he had a right to' treat her as he thought proper, at the same time making a practical assertion of his assumed pre rogative by striking her another violent blow. The police man then seized him by the collar, upon which the prisoner turned round and struck him a severe blow under the ear, and after a short struggle succeeded in breaking away from him, but the officer pursued him as far as his own door, and was about to secure him, when his poor, injured wife forced herself between them, and having pushed the prisoner into the house, she fastened the door against her protector. After procuring assistance, the policeman broke open the door, and entered the house, when the prisoner assailed him with some instrument, which he threw down on being closed with, and thrust both his hands under the policeman's stock and pinned him against the wall. The policeman was unable to move, and the prisoner pressed his knuckles against his throat with so much violence, that his breath was stopped, and a quan tity of blood gushed out of his mouth and nose. Some of his brother officers ran to his assist•lnce when he was on the point of being strangled, and dragged the prisoner away, but it re quired the combined exertions of seven men to convey him to the station-house. Sergeant Hull stated that the policeman had been attended by a surgeon, and the injury he had received would prevent him from resuming his duties for some days. Several other officers whom the prisoner had assaulted were in waiting. Mr. BINGHAM said, that before hearing any additional evidence, he wished to know whether the prisoner had anything to say in extenuation of his outrageous conduct. The prisoner, with much apparent penitence, said that he would not attempt to justify the violence of which he had been guilty, and which he attributed to the maddening effects of the liquor he had been drinking. He begged the Magistrate to deal with him as leniently as poSsible, in consideration of his previous g6od character, and the punishment he would sustain in the loss of his situation, as his employers would not keep him another hour in their service after such conduct. A respectable looking person stepped forward, and said that he had known the prisoner for some years, and when he was in a sober state a more peaceable and well-conducted man did not exist. Mr. BINGHAM said, that if it had not been for the poi character that was given of him, and the extreme contrition he exhibited, he should most certainly have committed the pri soner for trial ; and he was afraid the punishment that he was about to inflict as far from being adequate to the serious nature of the offence. He should require the prisoner to pay a fine of 405., or be committed fur one mouth to the House of Correction. ..... The prisoner was locked up in default of payment, and his wife was discharged. CORN AVERAGE GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN, For the Week ended June 10, 1542 made up from the eturfis t the Inspectors in the different Ci ties tr and Downs in Englan4 ai d Wales, per Imperial Quarter . Wheat 64s Odd Oats ''Os. Bd.' Beaus 33. Id Barley 2l3s Eki I Rye AVERAGES OF THE LAST SIX WEEKS. ,< ;~ THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 17, 1842. BIiANA.IPZI4ft Week ending WHEAT. BARLEY.' OATS. RYE. May 6 6O 827 4 7 19 21333i31 8 30 7 1:1 20 6O 9 25 11 19 5 32 4 131 7 31 4 27 June 3 ..... 10 64 0 21 8 20 6 31 2 33 1 3i 7 IMPERIAL AGORIGATE AV/MACES OF THY SIX. WILF.K Wheat......... 61e. 91. 1 Oats ....,.... 19s. Si.l Beans 31... I . Harley. 26s. 5i1.1 Rye DUTIIS OW FOREIGN CORN. Wheat lls 04.1 Oats Bade) lOl. Od. 1 Rye THE MARKETS. COUNTRY CORN MARKETS. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, June 16. Their Lordship's met at Five o'Clock. The Bishop of LLANDAFF presented a petition from Shepton Mallet, and from two Deaneries in the County of Cornwall, praying for protection for the Church. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY postponed to Tuesday the motion, of which he had given notice for Friday, on the subject of employment in coal mines. SAVINGS BANK. Lord MONTEAGLE said, that as much misappre bensivn had gone abroad on the subject of the applica tion of the funds of Savings Banks, he would move for a return of the amount of Exchequer Bills purchased on account of Savings Banks, and converted into stock. his object in doing so, was to satisfy the public that there was no diminution of the security of the public funds. DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZE MONEY. Earl MINTO wished to put a question to the Noble Lord the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. It ap peared that in the Act for the Prevention of Piracy there was no clause for the distribution of the prize money taken from pirates and slave vessels ; he wished to know whether such a clause was to be inserted ? The Earl of ABERDEEN said that such a Bill was in preparation and would be introduced in the present session. SUGAR DUTIES BILL. On the motion of Lord WHARNCLIFFE this Bill was read a . second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. DISTRESS OF THE COUNTRY. The Earl of RADNOR, in rising to make the motion of which he•hac given notice, said he thought it was ne• cessary that her Majesty's Ministers should do something for the present distresses of the country, or at least give some reason why they did not do so. The motion he had to present was for an account of the quantities of corn admitted for home consumption (if any) under the provisions of the 7th George IV., c. 70 and 71. He be lieved that a considerable amount of corn was admitted under that Act, though the distress then was not so great as it was at present. He thought that the distress at present existing could not be denied ; in proof of it, however, he might instance Manchester, where there was a soup establish ment for the distribution of soup to the poor ; the doers were opened at eight o'clock in the morn ing, and continued open all day, yet were the doors besieged as early as three o'clock in the morning, and the miserable applicants re mained there till the doors opened.. The number of inmates of the Sheffield poorhouse was, in the year 1837, 261 ; in 1838, 401 ; in 1839, 386 ; in 1840, 443 ; in 1841, 480 ; at the present time 600. There were also at the present time 1,000 able-bodied people receiving out-door relief ; the weekly payments to the casual poor had increased from 7151., in 1837, to upwards of 15,000/. at the present time, and the county-rate paid in 1837; which was 1,712/., had increased last year to 2,4531. He had selected this fact, in order to found a case for the application which he was about to make, and he should make . it on the precedent of the year 1826, when Lord Liverpool vv:ts the first Lord of the Treasury. In that year a measure was brought forward in the House of Commons, for an amendment of the Corn laws, when the Government said that a revision of these laws was necessary, but that was not the time for it. Two measures were passed to remedy that state of , things ; one b% as to allow persons having corn in bond to take it out at a lower rate. By the former law, up to 1822, corn was prohibited until the price rose at home to 80s. the quarter. In that year it was allowed to intro duce wheat, when the price was 705., at a duty of 12s. a quarter. In 1826 an act was passed to allow the ad mission of foreign wheat, not exceeding 500,000 quarters, at a duty not exeeeding 12s. a quarter. He called the attention of the present Government, several members of which were parties to that enactment, to their own pro ceeding on that occasion. The circumstances were very similar. , Even now the new Corn-law had not effected a reduction of prices.. On the contrary the price of corn was still rising. A duty of 11s. proved to be prohibitory as much as 225. had been, and it was clear that by lowering the duty they had not benefited the people. They (the Ministers) had, first of all, said that they would not interfere with the Corn-law. But they had interfered with it. They had broken faith with the landed interest, and they had net done any good to the people. The Noble Lord went into the details of numerous returns, which showed that wages did not rise with the price of bread, but that on the contrary, in the years in which bread was dear, wages were low, and in the years 1834 and 1835, when bread was cheap, wages were high. The increase of crime was concomitant with the increase of the price of food ; crime had been increasing from 1836 to 1841. Some persons attributed the increase of crime to the increase of population, but all the returns showed that the increase was more in proportion to the diminished quantity of food. He was quite safe in saying that the increase and de crease of crime had . kept pace with the increase and de crease in the price of wheat.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord concluded by moving for the returns of which he had given notice. The Duke of WELLINGTON said he bad no objec tion to the motion of the Noble Lord, and all he could say was, that he had no knowledge of any in tention on the part of her Majesty's Govern ment to introduce any measure of this descrip tion for the approbation of Parliament. There was no question but the distress in the country was very great, but a variety of measures had been introduced with a view to the alleviation of that distress, and to relieve commerce and manufactures from the present embarrassments under which they suffered. The provisions to which the Noble Lord re ferred were passed only for a temporary purpose, and the revision of the Corn-laws was postponed, but in point of fact it did not take place in 1827. He did not know that the measure which the Noble Lord proposed would be of the slightest advantage to the country ; but if the Noble Lord saw any advantage in it, there could be no objection to the introduction of such a measure ; or if the Noble Lord pleased, he could, at the close of the session, bring in a Bill to repeal an Act which they had passed at the commencement of it.—(Hear.) Lord KINNAIRD very much regretted to hear the Noble Duke say that it was not the intention of her Majesty's Government to introduce a measure on the subject of the motion of his Noble Friend. This was the second time the Noble Duke had told them that they must wait, whilst the people were dying by thousands for want of relief. He could fully bear out the statements of his Noble Friend (Lord Radnor), which he knew to be strictly correct. He had that morning received a letter from a most respectable man, who formerly employed 700 men, but now only 200, the rest had gone on the parish, and he said he could not keep those long ; at the same time that person had letters from American merchants stating that they were willing at once to send over large quantities of meal, in exchange for Sheffield goods. • The motion was then agreed to. INCOME-TAX. _ _ . The Marquis of LANSDONV - NE -- gave notice that on the third reading of the Income-tax to-morrow, he should move the resolution which it was his intention to have moved on the second reading, and which had already been laid upon the table by a Noble Friend of his. Lord KINNAIRD moved for a copy of any report or instruction given to the Commission sent to Burnley ; also for copies of the instructions given er sent to Mr. Commissary Twisselton, and to Mr. Commissary-Gene ral Ramsay ; and to state if they were communicated to the Magistrates of Paisley, to Sir Wm. Napier, Bart., to Mr. Sheriff Robertson, or Mr. Sheriff Substitute Camp bell, or to the Magistrates of Renfrewshire ; as also copies of any replies or remonstrances against the in structions sent to, or the orders issued by, the aforesaid Commissioner and Commissary, or by any of the autho rities before-named, respecting the food or treatment of the unemployed and destitute ; also, copies of any Re ports which may have been made by one or more medic a l men attached to the military force quartered in Glasgow, or other professional gentlemen from a distance, to Mr. Commissioner Twisselton, or any of the above-named authorities, and specifying to which, if to any, respecting the health of the destitute and unemployed in Paisley ; and, also, the amount of funds placed at the disposal of Mr. Commissioner Twisselton, or the source from whence these have been derived. The Duke of WELLINGTON said that the funds col lected were private funds. It was true that they were distributed under the direction of the gentleman who held the office of Secretary of State ; but the funds were pri vate. The cdlection was private and confidential, and no official returns could be given by the Government. Lord KINNAIRD said that perhaps the best form of application for information upon this subject would be by petition. There were great complaints about the mode of distribution. . Lord WHARNCLIFFE said that there had been great mismanagement as to the first collection, and the Com missioners having discovered that, took care that the second contribution should be more economically and properly applied. No public money whatever had been expended ; but 5001. had been advanced from the Civil List to meet the emergency, and that had been in two or three days replaced. He thought that the fund was private, and that their Lordships could not ask the Crown to grant the return moved for. Lord KINNAIRD withdrew his motion. AFFAIRS OF SYRIA, Lord HOWDEN wished to know whether the official accounts which had been received from the Consular Agents in Syria corresponded with the communications which lie had received from private sources through the last mails from the Mediterranean. It was his decided opinion that the interest of the East could be upheld without those outward manifestations of pity from one power, and Protestant jealousy from another. Ile bad been in all parts of that country, amidst a mixed and heterogeneous population, and he was convinced that since the strong hand which governed the country had been withdrawn, it would be impossible to prevent dis quiet in that small, but important, corner of the Medi terranean. The Earl of ABERDEEN answered that the official information received reported an unsettled state of the country, but much less so than it had been when the Bri tish Government, in concurrence with the other Powers, assisted to restore Syria to the sovereignty of the Turkish Government, and it did not follow that it was to interfere with the internal government of the country. The agents of Great Britain had made promises unfor tunately ; but to a certain extent those promises had been fulfilled. It had not been in the power of the Go vernment to do all that was desired in favour of the Christian population ; but they had been as much as possible protected ; and certainly in respect to taxation the Turkish Government had fulfilled its promises, and the people were relieved as far as it was possible. The Noble Lord might rely that the English Government would not sleep upon the subject, and would not neglect anything that the honour of this country or the interests of humanity and justice required. IRISH POOR-LAWS. Lord CLARE p resen t e d a petition from Limerick on the subject of the Irish Poor-law. The Duke of WELLINGTON said that the subject of the petition required attention, but he wished the con sideration to be postponed to a later period of the session. NATIONAL EDUCATION (IRELAND.) Lord AIOUNTCASHEL presented a petition against the system of National Education. COUNTY COURTS' BILL. On the motion of the LORD CHANCELLOR, the Bill for regulating the practice of county courts was read a first time. The other Bills on the table were forwarded a stage, and their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 16. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'clock. Mr. HARRIS was introduced by Mr. SCHOLEFIELD and Mr. BROTHERTON, and took the oaths and his seat for Newcastle-under-Lyme. Mr. LUMLEY brought up returns from the Poor-law Commissioners. Mr. THORNELY presented a petition from Orms kirk, praying for an equalization of the Sugar Duties. Mr. BERKELEY presented a petition from Bristol against Church-rates. Sir J. HANMER presented two petitions from York shire. one of them signed by 8,000 persons, of various po litical opinions, against the New Poor-law. Mr. LYALL presented a petition, praying that the metropolitan bridges might be opened to the public. Captain PECIIELL presented a petition from a labourer in Sussex, complaining of the treatment he re ceived in the Eastbourne Union. Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from the friends of the Society for the Promotion of Universal Peace, against war in general, and particularly against the wars in the East, as being opposed to the Christian religion. Mr. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from the Working-men's Church praying that an humble address be presented to her Majesty to prevent wars in the East; also a petition from North Shields, in Northumberland, against the system of landlord and, tenant in Ireland, and prayirg that juries may be composed of half Catholics and half Protestants ; and that the prosecution against the Vindicator newspaper may be given up by the Irish Government ; also a peti tion from Finsbury, praying that the metropolitan bridges may be opened to the public. Mr. METCALFE presented a petition, praying for an alteration of the law regulating the payment of seamen's wages. Mr. PAKINGTON presented a petition from a Poor law Union in Worcestershire, praying that parties who reside out of their respective Unions 'may be taxed to certain rates. SUDBURY IMPROVEMENT BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. SUDBURY DISFRANCHISEMENT BILL. Mr. REDINGTON said, that it having come to his knowledge that a copy of the Sudbury Disfranchisement Bill, and of the order for reading the Bill a second time, which had been ordered by that House to be served upon the returning officer for the borough, had been served upon the late, instead of the present returning officer, he begged to move th'at the copies be served upon the present returning officer; and that John Hall, who had served the copies improperly, be called to the bar of the House. John Hall then appeared at the bar of the House, when the following examination ensued : The SPEAKER— John Hall, are you a messenger of this House ? Witness—l am, Sir. _ . The SPEAKER—Did you receive an order of this House on the 2d of June, to serve a copy of the Sudbury Disfranchisement Bill, and the order for reading it "a second time, on the returning officer for the borough of Sudbury ? Witness—l did, Sir. The SPEAKER—Did yon proceed to Sudbury ? Witness—l did, Sir. _ _ _ The SPEAKER—On whom did you serve the copies ? Witness—l served it on Thomas Jones. The SPEAKER—Is he the returning officer ? Wit ness—He gave me a receipt, and signed his name " re turning officer." The SPEAKER—Is he the present returning officer ? Witness—No, Sir ; he said the present returning officer had nothing to do with the late election. The SPEAKER—Did he say that he presided at the late election as returning officer ? Witness—No, Sir ; he said nothing about presiding at the late election ; he said he was the returning officer then. The witness was then ordered to withdraw. Mr. REDINGTON moved that the order for receiving the Report on the Bill be postponed till next Wednesday. —Agreed to. Wheat. Carley _I Oats. I Beans. Par Quarter Boston licaintree ighton Cambridge t)unmow Grantham Grimsby tiailshain Hitchin Ipswich iewes Lynn Ilaidstone Norwich l'etworth fininford .andwich i'nettord Ariabech Witham Yarinuuth I Li WURAT, EnglE B. to 0. 55 70 52 70 cfs 6j •. to a. I I. to S. 22 38 1 18 22 27 34 93 29 27 : 2120 26 25 16 26 30 20 24 21 let; 19 2) 28 33 22 28 28 33 lb 21 26 3: 19 21 27 34 20 30 22 28 21 26 27 4 ;8 18 22 24 23 16 20 31; 391 26 32 25 27 24 2 26 93 2i 24 24 18 18 :8 23 34 25 30 32 36 24 28 28 31 19 21 21 29 21 27 Zie 32 24 30 L CORN 51 kIIKET.• per 701 b. a. to S. 35 38 3S 38 33 41 65 45 55 60 73 56 74 66 72 50 67 51 60 51 62 54 6I 59 67 54 62 57 61 56 18 61 71 61 64 57 63 54 04 60 69 V ERPOOI June 14 ish, White, •••• 10e . lit Red --- Scotch, Welch, and Manx 0 0 Irish, While 7 6 ----. Red 7 0 Foreign •••••• OATS, Eighth. Welsh, and Scotch, per 451 b 3 0 lrish Foreign SARLEY, English, Malting, per I rap. quarter 3O Scotch and Irish, per 60114. 4 Feeding 3 BEANS, English, per Imperial quarter 3B Irish, &c. 34 -- Foreign PEARR, English, per I niierial quarter 43 Foreign clone, English, per 280113. 47 -- Irish OATMEAL, English and Irish, per 2401bs •• 29 INDIAN CORN, per 48011). •11,4 O 45 6 UTE, per Imperial quarter MALT, per Imperial quarter 31 38 24 40 36 40 36 40 30 31 34 45 2) SO 34 30 L 9 33 38 40 32 31 33 40 26 34 :33 C 9 40 44 31 39 26 31 38 40 HAMBURG MARKETS. GRAIN. %Vneat, Mai ks 444 to tOO Barley, Meckl en b urgh --- Magdeburg 405 to 525 Magdeburgh... - Anhalt, white 450 to 525 --- Holstein . . --- red 405 to 525 -- Oderbruck ".. " - Brunswick 4 ,4 to 509 Oats, Eider ........... - Mecklenburg 4OB to 516 -- Mecklenburg - Polish . 0 ,0 to 564 - H015tein.....,..... -- Holstein - Upland ............ Rye, Mecklenburg 246 to 240 Pease, Mecklenburg -- Marks 252 to 28 Beans Elbing and Ko. Buck Wheat nigsburg .24 to 2813 Rapeseed, Hanover ... - Pomeranian Anhalt COTTON. Carolina and Tennessee 754 to 9% Marrnham georgia. Ist sot t 2d..... ....... 6% 6j Stoats Sd and 4th 4% 0 Domingo COF FEE. Starlit.. 11 to 13% I Dcmingo datavia 4% 5% Ls Gua s ra 't.imatra Porto Rico 150 to 169 162 to 171 150 to 166 165 to 144 96 to 126 144 to 15 126 to 144 135 to 144 210 10294 258 to 4P•' 231 to 21 585 to 624 165 t• 184.' 180 to 2',5 a t 06% 434 5 3i 4% 5 6 3% to 41 4 7 tio 24i S% I Ilavannah 5% 6% :.;% Bahia (Vditi Ilavannah, White 3 to Brown 24, :'io. White 2% 4 Brown . .......... tR, Manilla. Brow! b Diacount.) rum t , , Whit Brown ... Pernambuco, White Brown .., , n. 2% to 9.a4 ...2% t 024 ~.111 2% ..1% 3 ~1% 2 SUDDEN DEATH.—Yesterday morning an old man, named William Hopjoy, who resided in Kenneston-yard, Knightsbridge, was found by pGlice constable, No. 109, of the C division, lying, as was supposed, in a fit on the footway pavement in Piccadilly. He was conveyed to St. George's Hospital, where it was discovered he was a corpse. His death is supposed to have been caused by the rupture of a blood vessel in the region of the heart. An inquest will be held on the body this day. TRANSPORTATION OF ROBERT SMITH.—We un derstand that Robert Smith, lately found guilty before the High Court of Justiciary for theft and breach of trust in the Glasgow and Ship Bank, in which he acted as teller, was sent, with other convicts, from Edinburgh to the Hulks on Wednes day ; and that he made a full confession of his guilt before de parture.— Scotsman. BELFAST ELECTION. On the motion of Mr. O'CONNELL the following Members were appointed a Select Committee on the Belfast election :—Mr. O'Connell, Mr. Shaw, Mr. Beckett Denison, Mr. Cripps, Mr. East, Mr. Liddell, Mr. Ellice, jun., Mr. Protheroe, and Sir Benjamin Hall ; with power to send for persons, papers, and records. Mr. O'CONNELL then moved that the Committee have the power to inquire into alleged bribery and treating at the said election. Sir J. GRAHAM inquired (as we understood) what the motion of the Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman was? Mr. O'CONNELL said he had given notice that he should move that the Committee should have the power of inquiry into alleged bribery and treating, but instead of that it was taken on the notice paper, that they should have power to send for persons, papers, and records. If, under those circumstances, the motion should remain as it was, he would not offer any objection. Mr. HATTON hoped that the same precautions should be taken to secure attendance of the members of the Committee as had been in the case of the Commit tee appointed on the motion of the Hon. and Learned Member for Bath. Mr. O'CONNELL had understood from gentlemen connected with the Government that five out of the nine would attend. He (Mr. O'Connell) had ascertained that three out of the remaining four would attend, and he had every reason to believe that there would be a full attendance of the Members. • _ _ _ Sir R. INGLIS would not trouble the House by pressing the matter to a division, but his opinions were the same on this matter as he had expressed on former occasions. When the Right Honourable Ba ronet, at the head of her Majesty's Government, con curred in the measure, it would be but giving the House unnecessary trouble to divide ; but he wished merely to record his opinion. Mr. DARBY thought that the customary and proper notice should be given in this matter. Mr. O'CONNELL said that the fact was, that he had given the notice he had mentioned, but that it was taken down inaccurately. As the period of inquiry must be much later than he could wish, it was desirable to have as much evedition as possible. He should then hope that the motion, as now proposed, would be agreed to. Sir R. PEEL said his Hon. Friend had again referred to him, and he, therefore, had again to repeat that all he asked was to be allowed to exercise his own indi vidual judgment.—(Cheers.) He did not in any way wish to influence any one. He had not asked any man to vote for him, but he claimed the right of deciding what course he should take.—(Cheers.) Consider ing the appearances of compromise, and consider ing that considerable bribery prevailed, he then stated his deliberate opinion that he did not think it would be to the character or credit of the House of Commons to put this question on one side solely on account of technical objections.—(Load cheers.) He wished to maintain the House of Commons as he found it ; he wished to prevent the recurrence of these compromises, which were constitutional chinges ; and if the House of Commons were to refuse an inquiry in cases of this nature he was perfectly persuaded that they would find more difficulty to refuse further consti tutional changes. When one person said, if you will protect my friend I will protect yours ; he did not think this would be upholding the character of the House of Commons. He gave public notice that he never would act on that principle. If the parties were guilty of corrupt compromises, for the purpose of concealing inquiry into practices of bribery, he would not use the influence of party to prevent that inquiry.—(Cheers.) He did not say that any party then had committed bribery ; but he would say for one, that he never would use the influence of party for the purpose of preventing inquiry into prima ,facie cases of bribery.— (Loud cheering.) He thought that such a course would have 'a great tendency to diminish the character of the House of Commons.—(Cheers.) Those who were guilty of bribery, if there were any, must take the con sequences, for he gave them public notice that he would not exercise his influence for the purpose of preventing inquiry. —(Great cheering.) Sir R. INGLIS said his Right Hon. Friend had quite misapprehended his meaning. He did not accuse his Right Hon. Friend of using the influence of his office for this or that purpose. He had stated simply the fact, that in a case in which his Right Honourable Friend and the Noble Lord at the head of the Opposition concurred, it was in vain to expect to divide success fully against them; and that for that reason, though he retained the opinion which he had expressed in con junction with those who voted with him, in the case of Belfast and Nottingham, it would be painful to be found again in fruitless opposition. Mr. O'CONNELL then moved for leave to bring in a Bill to indemnify witnesses who may give evidence before the Committee to be appointed by this House, to inquire whether a corrupt compromise has been entered into for the purpose of avoiding investigation into gross and ex tensive bribery, and gross and corrupt personation of voters, and consequent perjury, alleged to have been practised et the late election for Belfast. Sir R. PEEL said he had stated yesterday that he thought the House of Commons ought to rely, in the first instance, upon its own constitutional powers. If they found those powers insufficient, it would be time to make alterations. He hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would not at present ask for additional powers. Mr. O'CONNELL said he had been apprehen sive, from what had formerly passed, that the great powers were insufficient ; but after what had fallen from the Right Hon. Baronet, he would withdraw his motion. CHURCH EXTENSION. Mr. HALVES said, as the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Inglis) had given notice of his intention to bring the sub ject of Church Extension under the consideration of the House, he begged to ask him whether he intended to do so ? Sir R. INGLIS said it was his intention— his fixed intention—to call the attention of the House to the subject of Church Extension. If he might be per mitted to add one word in reply to the question, it was this, that if the Hon. Member for L am b e th would pro mise him his support, he would then take his counsel as to the time and manner of bringing the subject forward ; otherwise, he must be allowed to bring it forward at that time and in that manner which he should think best. Mr. HAWES did not understand the Right Hon. Baronet to state whether he intended to bring the matter forward before the end of the session. Sir R. INGLIS said it was his fixed intention to bring the subject forward before the close of the session. SOUTHAMPTON ELECTION. Mr. W. 0. STANLEY moved JUT.; Select Committee, to inquire into the matters contained in the several pe titions hereinafter mentioned,—viz., the petitions of the electors of Southawpton, presented to this House a the 9th day of May and the Ist day of June ; the petition of John Wrenn, presented to the House and, printed with the Votes, on the 30th day of May ; the petitions of Abraham Abraham and William Henry Mackey, pre sented to the House on the 13th day of June, and printed with the Votes • and to report thereupon. The Hon. Gentleman took that opportunity of expressing his sense of the obligations of the House and the country to the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Govern ment for the assistance he had given towards raising the character of that House, by the course he had taken respecting the alleged cases of bribery and corruption at the late elections. After a few observations from Mr. HODGSON HINDE and Mr. MACKINNON, the motion was agreed to. Mr. W. 0. STANLEY stated that he was not pre pared with a list cf the Committee, but he would give notice of them during the evening._ t ear,. s 39 4P 35 41 , 33 :•,6 $4 3& IA 24 29 82 29 30 33 34 3 , , 34 31 34 3i 38 26 31 s 38 41 34 36 28 92 2/3 ti JOl 6'. JO 0 0 0 8 6 80 10 9 3 3 d 0 0 CHURCH-RATES. Sir JOHN EASTHOPE rose to bring forward the motion of which he had given notice, with regard to Church-rates. He expressed his extreme r egret that this question had not been taken up by her Majesty's Government; he was surprised that it had not been one of the questions considered by the present Government, as the Right Hon. Baronet had himself avowed, in former discussions on this subject, that it was a most important one ; and he was, therefore, jus tified in supposing it one likely to engage the attention of the Government at the earliest moment it could give to its consideration. In the session of 1835, the Right Hon. Baronet had borne witness to the importance of the question, and it was from that con sidered that this would have been one of the questions that he would have brought before Parliament, had not his stay in office been cut short. It was naturally, then, a cause of regret and surprise that the Right Hon. Baronet, with all the power to execute his own will, had not brought it forward ; and it was difficult to conceive what causes could make it less important now than at that time. In a speech delivered on that occasion,- the Right Honourable Baronet said that, without undervaluing the importance of the Municipal Corporations Bill, he roust observe that the Church-rates question was fully equal to it in emergency, and for the sake of the continuance of harmony, and the pro motion of satisfactory feelings among the great body of the Dissenters, there was no single question, with the exception of that of the Irish Church, which so immediately pressed for settlement.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped he did not unnecessarily take up the time of the House in ealling its attention to what were the opinions of the Right Hon. Baronet on former occasions. When the subject was brought forward by Lord Althorp, the Right Hon. Baronet told the Noble Lord that he was b mud to proceed with the subject, and ought not to leave it a matter of contention for years. The Right Honourable Gentleman, in the year 1825, said it almost amounted to a dereliction of duty to allow the matter to proceed for such a length of time without a remedy; and yet, year after year, it had gone on without a remedy. And, perhaps, it would be a waste of time to go through the reasons which pre vented it being settled. It had been the desire of the Noble Lord, the Member for London, and those who acted with him, to have this question settled, but he had obstacles to meet him which were not in the way of the Right Honourable Baronet, who had powerful majorities in both Houses of Par liament. But it was no part of his duty to defend any course that might have been pursued With regard to this question. He only wished to ask whether the sub ject was not as important now as when the Right llon. Baronet made those statements ? It had been declared also by parties in the House that Church-rates were a grievance on the Dissenters ; and the only question was, what was to be substituted for them. In 1834, Lord Spencer, and, in 1837, Lord Monteagle, brought for ward measures or the abolition of Church-rates, which were lost in both Houses of Parliament. Every Government for the last ten years made and sanctioned the efforts of others, to remove the grievance of Church-rates, and different substitutes were pro posed •, but it must be felt by the Dissenters to be a great hardship that, while the grievence was admitted and proclaimed, it was still continued,' because a substi tute could not be agreed on. Those proposed by Lords Althorp and Monteagle may be bad substitutes, but still all agreed that the abolition of Church-rates was desirable. They had had recommended from the Throne in 1837 the consideration of the question of Church -rates, and in the debate on the Address a general understanding Trevailed that there was to be an abolition of Church-rates, and that some substitute would be sought and found for the maintenance of the Church. In the course of the debate in the Session of 1834, on Lord Althorp's motion, no individual 1 Member of the House more severely characterised Church-rates than the present Noble Secretary of the Colonies ; and with the strong feeling that the Noble Lord had expressed. he could not help believing that he and other Members of the Government would think it de sirable to see the termination of this irritable and disturbing question.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member, after referring to the statements of the Noble Lord, in the debate, observed that he was afraid the House would "think he was almost needlessly taking up their time by alluding to this subject ; but he would ask the House, what must the feelings of the Dissenters be, when they heard from the Throne that their griev ances were to be removed ; when all parties con curred that it was a most serious grievance, and an impost that ought not to be borne ; and that, up to the present, time, nothing had been done ? Upon the point of its being a grievance, an unjustifiable and unnecessary grievance, there was authority almost amounting to universal concurrence. He thought it would be scarcely said that, whatever difficulties there might be in the way of a remedy, they were ready to perpetuate injustice. What he recom mended would be to contribute to the advantage of the Church, the religion of the Church, and the happiness of the people. These are not to be violated because there were difficulties to contend with in consultin2. the in terests of certain parties He r membered on a former occasion the Honourable Baronet, the Member for the University of Oxford, said, in the course of the debate on Lord Auckland's motion, that the Dissenters bore an inconsiderable portion of the amount of Church-rates. The Hon. Baronet then said that the whole amount of Church-rates was 566,0001. per year, and that he believed that the Dissenters did not pay more than one quarter of that amount. For the abuses that he had mentioned, it could be by no means difficult for a strong Government, like the present, to devise a remedy. He believed that the remedy he proposed would be amply sufficient to m eet all the diffi culties of the case. No one could be more anxious than he was to guard against any injury to the interests of the Church. The measure which he should propose to the House was, in the first place, the abolition of Church rates, excepting as far as regarded the arrears of debts for the payment of which Church-rates had been pledged. In all cases, where endowments and voluntary subscrip tions were insufficient for keeping churches in repair, he would give power to the churchwardens to levy pew rents for that purpose. In several large parishes Church-rates had fallen into decline, and he ap• prehended that no difficulty arose from that circumstance in maintaining churches in repair. If those who were identified with public worship were found jobbing and manoeuvring with the money with which they were entrusted, it must not only excite anger on the part of those who witnessed it, but must bring reli gion itself into contempt, and produce many other evils which they must all desire to prevent. Let them con sider the continual' anti-social differences which cha racterised the vestry system, the legal controversies which were proceeding in all parts of the country, the fines inflicted on tender consciences ; humble individuals being exposed to difficulties, which pressed much upon their own comforts and the comforts of their families. Surely no man could contemplate the continuance of all these mischiefs, without asking again and again what were the objects for which the system was continued ? Recollecting the paltry sum which was contribed by Dis senters, it was impossible that the strongest supporter of the Church could fail to perceive that the miseries en tailed were unequal to the advantages desired. The Hon. Baronet, the Member for the University of Oxford, and others had stated that that was felt to be a question of property. But he (Sir J. Easthope) koped that that doctrine was now exploded. The decision in the Ecclesiastical Courts must have gone far to destroy such a notion. How was it possible that anybody could seriously contemplate, as a question of property, that which depended upon the num ber of individuals attending the Parish Vestry at Easter, and upon the accidental circumstances whether there happened to be more Dissenters or Churchmen present —more friendly to the continuance of the rate or inimical to it ? How any person contemplated it as a question of property, at the same time seeing that it depended upon such a contingency, he was utterly at a loss to imagine. Then, if it were looked upon as a question of privilege r s'...• zerzig the pre-eminence and authority of the Church what possible advantage he would ask, c. uld the Church derive from saying to those who differed from her—" We have the power of makirg ou pay for ur support and we shall exercise that power ?" Such an assumption was totally at variance with every Christian and benevolent feeling. It was so fraught with mischief, and with all those inconveniences which had been so often deprecated in that House, that he hoped he should hear no more of it. He could scarcely think any individual in thot House would now attempt to justify a continuance of Church-rates on the ground either of its being a question of property, or on the still more important ground of its being a question by which the Church could exhibit her principles and power. He felt that he should best consult his own feelings upon the question by not taking up any longer the time of the House. The subject had been so often debated—the merits and demerits of the question were, he was persuaded, so fully and so generally understood—the belief was so universal that the tax was a grievance upon Dissenters, unredeemed by any positive good to the Church—the rate was so violently and so bitterly disputed, that he only felt it necessary to conclude at once by moving for leave to bring in " a Bill to abolish Church -rates, and make other provisions for the maintenance of Churches and Chapels in England and Wales." MESSAGE FROM THE LORDS. The debate was interrupted by a Message from the Lords, bringing down several private Bills, and the Wit nesses Indemnity Bill, which had been agreed to without any amendments. CH URC H-RATES. The House then resumed, and Sir B. H. INGLIS rose. He said be believed no speech that had been delivered in that House during the session had been so easily made as the speech just delivered by the Hon Member. He believed if any other Honourable Gentleman had taken up the volume of Hansard for the 25th of May, 1841, he would have found not merely the same arguments that had just been offered, but the same ornaments and the same quotations from the speeches delivered by others, and 11(` ~'_ _n the saute words. i'o o he eotthi riot do othere.ise than state old Pe plies. Notwithstanding the attempts of Lord AMOY in 1834, and of Lord Monteagle, in 1837, nothing practical had ever been done on this subjec t ' The first Bill was thrown out almost without discussion, and the proposal to take the pense of repairing the Church out o f the Celli solidated Fund, was totally rejected by the great body of the Dissenters, of, whom he believed th e Honourable Baronet was the not unwilling orgia The Hon. Member for Leicester had as k e d him, ho sc i with his views refusing to contribute towards the Dissenters, he could be willing to impose a tax upon con: science ? Now, he would ask him, in ret ur n, if he shou ld contend, as he had done, that Church-rates were not ec a l tax on property, because they were fluctuating and fix by vestry, how he could distinguish them from - P oor ' rates ? and unless the Honourable Baronet could prove that Poor-rates, because they wer e fluctasta,g! were not a tax upon property, his asserts = would go for nothing. Formerly th ere certainly `did great opposition to Church -rates, but he a not think that was the case at Pee se a He 'believed the amount of opposition to the Ch ut h ,,' rates was greatly diminished. He believed the nurc - rt t of cases against the rate now existing in any C l i t was less than when the subject was first brouf, of forward. At all events they had not incre ° - f The Hon. Gentleman referred to the small a mount 0 , the rate paid by Dissenters, and used it as an a u r g li „ ment ad verecundiam. How could he, said the '11,,, t Gentlemen, consent to such a burden fur the s h " of t of 14,000/. ? But that told two ways, and he (Sir Rob Inglis) never made the question one of pounds, and pence. His claim was that the Church-rates tv e a national tribute to the national Church, and it teas on that ground he argued for their continuance.—(H en best And so far from the people of Engla n d thi n ki n g the pal " - es ; of the rate a burden, they considered it one o f the hig b t i, privileges to pay it; and only a feW years ago 3, 188 P e e. tions were presented in favour of them. Nor were these r".„ tions for vague generalities, in which the petitioners were t 0 terested, but they spontaneously flowed into the House " persons asking to he allowed to contribute to the rate....,„ would be the same thing to the conscience of an honest senter whether the rates were paid from the con solidated N e cra for it would be only a mere transference of the payment ! r i m one body to another of Dissenters. The tax was one oldest in England. The Church-rate was a rate paid by her Thompson in respect of such a h ouse o r fi e ld ; and `O ct John Smith or John Thompson held the house or field it l e d be precisely the same. It was not apoll-tax ; it was not k on the individual, but on the wrson in respect of his proper,!le With this conviction he could not understa n d—h e did net ' D ' a t to use in private or in public harsh languag e —b u t he ennidicp s s understand the honesty of the man who having purchased ! ta auctioneer property, with deductions, in respect of land the church -rates, &c., all coming in regularly the one ee lot other—deducting these, by which the value of a house sn estimated, he could not understand the honesty of tha t- tis who having made the deduction tur n ed round and sa e conscience refused to pay the amount becau se it had refer e to certain uses. He had not to consider the use to chi` o g money would afterwards be applied in his payment of a debt- , tit had to pay his debt however profligate the e xpe n diture hem ee encourage in his creditors. The Hon. Baro n et bad no ohi t : c to the Church-rate being levied upon pews or sittings o f t he Church. In the first place, one of th e gr eat p r ivileges ° es , people of England was—and which he wi,hed to fre e tend instead of diminish—that they would have t he access to their parish church. He would not wish to see e ft people obliged to pay to go into thei r p ar i s h c h ur ch the s aul fs," they would to go into a theatre--( Hear)—he would the re t o not consent to a proposition which would have the e rr of keeping the poor people out of their parish churchas' 1 ,0 proposition of the Hon. Baronet was, that tax e s s hould be 1, tr on seats in parish churches, in rural districts, for the Ina n ti i ie i nance of the fabrics. He (Sir R. Inglis) thought thatro ought not to deprive the poor of the benefit of attending n ° ,, f ete by any such burden, to which at present- they were eoein es jected. He (Sir R. Inglis) objected to the propositi principle. He contended, then, that it was inexpedient to e•i. g the permission which Honourable Gentlemen sought- „i o n' thise reasons, and believing the Bill t o b e f oun ded on a T!' no t, principle, he thought it not only more conv e ni en t for the ta ke but more respectful to the Hon. Gentleman, himself t° f o r the sense of the House upon the question, without orai! in g r in' further opportunitiy to discuss that which was wrong l° ll re is ciple. He would therefore venture to oppose the m ess the first instance. f p n de ) Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD said that having c°n: fer much against Church-rates he might be allowed to saY words on the present occasion. The real question at lot t he the connection of Church and St a te, in o th er words. wu. e d by there should be a Church established in England and 1 41 d i d the State.--( Hear, hear.) If they had a right to tithe„s tho se had a right to Church-rate s , but In s o pi n i on was t hat 11 'glei practices should be a b o li s h e d—th a t no man s h ou ld be cen n c r ie' to pay for the religion of another man. It was upon tbst P. ciple that he would support the proposition of the 1 1 °°,' o eft ronet, but in his opinio n th e H on . G ent l eman bad n ° '',7 far enough. The people o f I re l an d h a d conten d e d not rf,; r r tei against Church -rates, but agai ns t tith es , an d th e y had be their object. He requested that the Hon. Baronet, v t ' A - 03e again brought forward the questi on , wou ld p u t forvear", o be claim which all men not belonging to the Church ba d , s i e sse 6 exempt from the payment of Church- ra t es . H av ing these opinions, he would not further trouble the House. eta Mr. GALLY KNIGHT said the Hon. Gentleman sch°o its just sat down appeared to him to have put the question osf preper light when he stated that the questi o n at isg - n eite the very existence of the Established Church.—( Hear.)rl e rci , agreed with the Hon. Gentleman, that if the Established C for - iti was to be maintained there must be adequate provision dep end support. The Hon. Baronet would say "Leave it to l ost upon the voluntary principle." He was willing tedd ni ( l et eol l that was an important auxiliary, but they could dot tbe ins upon it as a permanent means of support. He could 0° te e to himself to believe that the pew - rents, or any other soL e et which the Hon. Baronet had referred,' would afford s ow ' ' cop funds. After long consideration he h a d come to the e that nothing could be so advantageous to the V a . tbs t Church as the old parochial system. It appeared to Inn% of they should not make such a concession as the abolit', ° "tbe Church-rates to one particular class. He admitted tb t a ' t n o time was when the Church was asleep--(Latightek)--,.°,5h tO complaints could now be made of the manner in , on'f cie .) ministers discharged their duties.—(Cries of "li ly ,' eriP There had not been so many Church-rate contests as, I °,;'"jette' (The last part of the Hon. Member's address was tl"e,t snot dible from the great impatience of the House, and the log' of divide. and question.) en Lord J. RUSSELL said he could not, after the of the two Hon. Gentlemen, give his vote without OP a ve it• in a few words, the motives from which he should g t here, Both the Honourable Members seemed to think tha t an d 0 1 ' could not be an Established Church without Church-r te 'f th e , that the existence of one must depend on the existence the, other. Now, with respect to two portions of the a t t o ere, Kingdom, they did not exist. In Ireland and Sedt ln b lishe" were no Church -rates, and still there was an Dsw gea r ' Cnurch ; there was another kind of rate on the land--i e rch' hear.) Therefore it was not true that there must be sro rates. In order to maintain an Established Church, i s a ft P r necessary was, that some provision should be made 1)1 , e et' the maintenance of the fabric of the church, and for th e krs formance of public worship ; but it was not necessary tin t 110' should be this particular form of Church-rates which th h e e Gentlemen were so eager to promote. If that were t el , of the case, the question was, whether there was Whiter • the or grievance existing as would induce the House to a lt fl• e t form in which the Church should be maintained. too; Gentleman who spoke last said that the old and presen t 0' 1 ," was the best, but still he suggested that ther e should :hew' alteration in the law, and admitted that there Or nt sil!; burnings. That was admitting a great evil with respect I tar o s ,, taming the Church. This and other evils the Hon. ba lP proposed to remedy. He did not propose simpli t ° Church -rates, but to make other provision ht the Church. He (Lord John Russell) then'titi°. ° was fair to make some proposal for the sumoi:re of Church-rates, provided care was taken that suffici b , sion was secured for the maintenance of the Cher no would not say whether the provisions the Hots. Mein n r oe he, posed were sufficient or not; if he found they o'er ° a s e ° ,, should vote against the second reading of the Bill. It carr , , very likely that the Hon. Gentleman would be able ' his measure, but he trusted that this grievance of Churn tiPor would not be of many years' duration. He should o te te i, e proposal made by: Lord Althorp, to provide a subs e , i te - r Church-rates out of the public revenue, would be be: 're Ise the present proposition. He hoped if the present raea- ° to IP not carried the Government would turn their attentiler Pry subject, and put an end to Church-rates by making c' t vision for the Church. ot4 s pool The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER sal he differed from the Noble Lord in the vote which he or pri,iee give on the present occasion, he agreed with him in t t% ciple he laid down, that the essential point was to se e not' h o maintenance of the fabric of the Established Church• was not satisfied with the measure proposed, as -one nt leo, e answer that object. He gave the Honourable u e e ciefli i , opposite credit for his sincerity to provide ' c har means for the maintenance of the fabric of the ges r t . e but he failed in his application of those means,-iti on tea He had before acquiesced in the introduction of a s te l a subject, but now the provisions of the previous Bill wer, 1 0 0 in detail, and he was now in a situation to say that the yet?, defeat the object which the Noble Lord said ought to festos in view. The Hon. Gentleman would levy a rate 00 , „,; and pews except those belonging to the ehurchwarl e ,: l e l that was at variance with the Noble Lord's princiP - r oe' to doctrine of their religion was,-that the Gospel should be l i ge ing er to the poor, and they ought not to be prevented from r° ht hep, church. He knew it would be said that free seats twg char it •vided. That might apply very well to some m odern . , but i ,, where provision was specially made for that purl' e '„ e s rish,,to would not do in others. He lived himself is a g 0 which the owners of cottages had pews, and they did n t .' o bloor tie , them as paupers, but with an honest pride that, asp ar Oe ii ber they had a right to them. Now, he asked the W I "; n um b man, in the case of a church needing repairs, and: l Vt's°„ e e of .pews being very limited, what was to be don • the , ie , churchwarden to estimate the amount to be levied rell e o" holders ? Supposing the church needed 200/. a-Yea r • to and there were twenty pews, was the churchtrrtil). e ller: 0 1J 104 a-year on each for the purpose of the repairs° oe - e er c or cb Such a plan he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) d o chi„ s o support. He would not consent to exclude from the ser; e ti those who had a right to a seat there. There would' as e evils which would give rise to a great degree of tee l, complaint on the part of those who would be a ir .,, f Chi e tte far from relieving the complaints on the sukien, t hose , rat il rates, those walls would ring with the petitions oi Les, and would thereby be excluded from their parish ch um° ro on the House for interference. what h ad fa ha Mr. O'CONNELL did not agree with w here o nl from the Hor.ourable Gentleman, particularl y f ie the gave an historical account of the Church' be hind 41 0 that in modern churches there was aapace hee sce" n ''so' pews for tree seats, but that the ancient char ga s with pews. Now he must be totally mistaken2...necGosre 110,0 cient times churches had no pews at all. Tn.e ue p0 0 . 1. ,_ the then preached without any distinction betweettZ e ntP ee l a r and the rich man. He (11r. O'Connell) differ ,am t s Hon. Gentleman in the principle of supporting a n e Church by Church-rates. In Itelan enlist' Chu d there ,`" Ther rc h blished Church where Church-rates did not a a stronger case than this in Ireland. Thera w as „ ro visn ia d ruledwitho without r c e h b u y re a h r ie a r te a s rch o y r witho utlegal p wealthy Bishops and Archbishops. They rer s et tee!' b ite the feu archy ; they did not require the support w e eld they provision—an silt ed crutch of the State to bear them up. -° ile It scs' that the Protestant Church was able to do s - ,, o „h t sv• he re' that Church-rates were a tax, but not in cow% m i g h e t e ; en ito a tax created by Act of Parliament, and as ' h u nrche ° ' 4 .. 0 ther e pealed. Chureh-rates for the building °f c agora:11'1"o were a modern invention. At the time of the chu rch mere s All the._. l t here The re were no rates for such a purpose. gbureilattec,nntuhme number r lu o n f t c a h r u y r p ch 7i e n s c i i n ple E . ng A la t n h t a ii .% l s oa ri t i , ""p e re ha s n e i r t i; eu n nt a a n r ; l , were 55,000 churches, and no less than 4 .7 t on the. this re.. d resen 't w" 1 ,0 i c , h ri a n p e ril p s le o . f ease, Nl,h aatndaevceoryntornats.toEf n th g e ia m .il_ b p ut to ;te a l in o tb n: epect now. But .to return to ta , 7_, ever) , were imposed for a limited purpose,.. u` i ' vri d wh% a right to seek to be freed from 3.___,, oiene e ot objections to it ? It was against the cum" Per this Th, th e at thj tr iy Peu the t r ; Qi