The Sun. — London, England, 1834-02-13 00:00:00

e(nintrYse-e(Hear, hear.) 11e denounced the poor va- Brants, but said turtling of the rich vagahonds.—(A that l°4l4 ) He (M r . O'Dwyer) hail no hesitation in saying, any Poor law w hi c h could he b roug h t i n,—w hi c h h e , It ea humble effecti v individu a l, wou ld su pp or t —would be in. e in affording relief to Ireland, unless there was alto an absentee tax enacted. —(Hear, hear.) The one was as necessary as the other; be also considered the legal impediments to the conveyance of property should be re moved, and these a facility be afforded . to its transfer. If all be points were attended to, the Irish poor would not spoor o n English ch •ty nor would, in his opinion, any Poor law do so mu . ch an oo ' d to Ireland, as a law which "'fluid restore its residentg gentry.-•-(Hear') Mr • FINN s h ould certainly deprecate the expression of ' l f Hon. G entleman who had spoken the last hut one. Th e application of the word " vagabond " was ill-timed to rt poor Iris! h though in the condition of 111 1 1 : 4(1 , iti nts, yet didl' who , deserve that epithet.—(Hear, 1 . 4 ;) He h id occasionally met those creatures, and he (th',TM say that they badly clad, badly fed, and they e Housal the . --) might lay to it- own account , iikitntliserable destitution of those poor people. Mr. Pitt a , 'flounced the policy of England towards Ireland as , ha: I. ?'" and selfish, and be (Mr. Pitt), who was a . Prince f i Aisister for twentyyears, had a good opportunity o i t i l e l i ng ; also Lord Grenville said the same ; and ROI ° l f% Finn) would warrant that England was ft . true to the sa me policy.—(Hear, hear.) . He ..,.04vettru.:irnlinhad met s o me couple of hundreds of poor Irish Liverpool ; they had been enabled . to save di enable sum of 30 shillings, because they lived very sie e e l i r , ° ,. t lY from English labourers, and he (Mr. Finn) ad t a ''"em not to return to Ireland ag iin , but emigrate be the with the3os. they bad saved. He could vouch a n ti " fact o f their being barbarously treated ; their▪ faces 'e a! ntld t hemselves otherwise ill-treated. He had seen ',les - 4 114 "R them in good apparel, and concluded that he l e i net ill English man, b ut on quest i on i ng hi m he ewer t Ds., t hat he was an Irishman, and his master, who was c g a la • • Mm, ue "ec s e A meet the bad treatment that Irish poor generally ttat eel ite " in this country. Hon. Gentlemen received the h 4 eat of the Hon. Member for Waterford, regarding • det 'i rt 'd, with s h ou ts of applause. as if he had been rait%r ! Mine atrocious cruelty, or murder, com kleur ' r u nt he would say that the Irish poor were scarcely % Mu ll. aggressions o e 1-'4 f the Enclish, when in this %ato t e m e ns :eh had been said of 13,0001. being spieie,r; ni , poor creatures, but they should remem Bilkotek'ao/. was di spose d of amongst seven English lailtal i ; , In consequence of the absenteeism which pre 'lreirtecl - o Pland . , the resources of the country had been tom e r u to this, and it was therefore nn wondern income he re. et,tnra should be made for the spending of its i erapi ~,,,,3 / 4 ° R tish servants and English artisans were in the e0u1a e. ,,,7," of Irish absentee., and he (Mr. Finn) Whi c h "`„:` them that that portion of the Irish people t eomi ng ", e l r .e deemed exclusively loyal hitherto, were be - 4 reu a it: ally deemed to the injuries and neglect their country had n •, Mel lo go Mr. Finn here alluded to the reduction , atreCneßea which had taken place in Irish establishments, beg get r . the Post-office, Custom-house, g cce , a t e , and f rom ,`° ask what advantages had resulted to Ireland ( if toe Much boasted union of the two countri▪ es?- 0 'ars Lear, from the Opposition.) He had heard Hon. (ebtlernen make mentio of gin shops as the source w hi rftrie and misery, but did they not remember the r 0 ,2k1-shups in Ireland had contributed to the debase trt of the Irish people, and the ruin of their country ? d o „ e t ( Mr. Finn) traced crime , from the whisky shop to tie te `s, and was certain mt they were the most fertile re yes of crime and destitution in Ireland ; but then tl e l atut tnn e of the country pro fi ted much by their encourage , f et • and th ere f ore was i t that every facility was a ff or d ed Itatistablishing th e m. H e h a d k nown of 21 cab i ns i n a 4 4 ' 11111 1e, seven of them to h ave be en w hi s k y s h ops; th e en old not by his influence prevent such being ' to e . e atie, as all his dissuasions to that Effce , of j:, ll , Be leal. He would implore the Hon House, instead lid L ' n 'fla to the silly talk of .‘ indignat•ore . " to con to" The cause of the misery which prevailed in Ireland, '9ea lhe "nd of devi•ing some mode of redress. Since the l bad ef cr ti ''' !Jo' i being p a ssed, the poptilatioa of Ireland line a l ! ' -e 'ted from in fourmilliena and a half to eight too b y -, Yet th e h , consumption of butchers' meat was reduce d Oe 4ne " al f• Tuat was an argament from which Hen. reverse e 0 eou'd at once infer whether prosperity or the m i , - "` '7, 5 5 'L e ed by this Union. lif e "; ,. "'OTTER said he hoped the Hon. and Learned distri cts for Kilkenny would except the manufactut ing . 44 t from the censure of ill-treating Irishmen. He (Man c h ° "aY$ that in the town he was connected with ke - " t er), Irishmen were treated as well as English -0,..,,0f i s ores particularly the case in the distribution He ecooen ndumerous charities which existed in that phase. ~ I say the same of the town lie bad the honour to • , presenr, where _a great numb er of Irish resided ; be Sever he ar d of work tieing refused to a Was an I r i s h man. In his opinion , because he ,Sot h ave got 10 i ts present e norm° us e c x ° te tint n : t nn i t y r i a t d h e o u w t o t u h l d e assistance of Irish labourers. Mr. A. JOHNSTONE said that he heard much said hook Irish an d S cotch vagrants, and about sending them Qu'l,k to thei r own country. H e s h oul d very much wish ft. le informA liy the Hon. Member for Marylebone,where ...; ext raordinary i n fl ux of Scotch paupers cane from? afts.4 la lleh•) Let it b e considered that an Englishman t 4 a resilience of three years in Scotland, became entitled e o ° ,l ,l l rOchi i t relief, but a Scotchinan in this country • M I not obtain such a settlement. Under these cif cum 5e11,',.. he thought that they might not to be twitted with e-e ' "agrants.—(Hear, bear.) He would take leave to f ront that those complaints came with a very bad grace I r l ° o l4 tits Metropolis. He would call the attention of the pe,!l; Member for Marylebone, w bo bad presented the drew to the enormous sums which the metropolis p u t :" from the whole country.--(Hear, hear, hear.) t act.. l ' i4 months of the year the whole of the aria ,h_ "eY of England was resident in the metropolis, and W ould :!ole uf their property was spent there. If any one p olio take the trouble to look to the state of the metro • r e hil the aristocracy w as res id en t a nd whilst they alabsent he would find d'ff nee ind eed. e . ' a ve r y ereat 1 ere . Nast arti'dhueanrio)undTdhe complaints were, in his opinion, "err before presenting' a u ral k he thought that the Hon. Mem taution the stateme tonsideration the grine s_r e a petition,. ough d t to view k with o reset cif the country. -... t y ' an c e ' , e n:a w in b ed tch in w it e , re an endu to red ta b e y the R n a l n. BAR 40 iiipember Rov. said that hear.) the complaints made by the theta]. A fur Marylehone were unfounded, unjust, very ,Irelan d • ichth a . nd r e . , great portion of the property of m Scotland was spent in the very place from rote for 's of came; and if the Hon. Member should . - -"lnt a return of the number of Irish paupers in this a l , oeef Y 4 he (Mr. B arron ) would feel i t h i s d uty to Ir t i mci a simila r return of the number of proprietors from Stie s ,._ . n° 'Pent their fortunes in the parish of Maryle nil na l i r l ears hear, and a laugh ) The petitioners, in bi n °oet;u. h - "!' °n, had taken a narrow and most illiberal view of Jeet. k en ---(Hear, hear ) With regard to the intro en %e "f Poor L into Ireland , he hoped that the le -4° would Laws F ~,- -t° th not permit such a measure to re 1 introduced Xneh ' n i t ; eGu ntrY----a measure which had brought so 'eir A -. " - Y and crime into this country—and in !Pie g re4aztieetY to keep Irish paupers at home, to inflict 44i e d " e°1.50 ti on Ireland that had ever been t hat e U P O , n any P . ir somethin nation. He most anxiously desired 1 or of eland, t , g e fficaciou s should be done for t le po 'tett th e 4 a t ,, h e did not think that a tax upon land would tP°tl bit t i „ r-r P °B e• He could not he a resident proprietor -° help ° PertY if h e did not feel that it was impossible in P doing so methingoch e for . the poor. But there were f L aw, eana of relieving the . poor better than c " re e l • ." -- a", for instance, a national measure 1.4. "ling for improving the national i i , Orc ee, in building bridges, laying els and such Vos s ' a il of s..c• i can ' had been 9 ti e i -.lca respects the country Ai r. k , - ,g to e d . linilae '43(VVELLthat in his opinion it would be l ir fitly fo sail, - I ough t f r the advantage of Ireland if a measure . were i °l wod for the purpose of introducing poor I NF n'o th at kin , F ' • . -h measure were ell eueed, it sho 1 . have obis it Mk a i t, ' $ tha t i f a d lns hearty suppor . r He was d t d " %It a Proper s stem of poor laws were a op _e $ ther e "aotry, i t . y 1 ,, s to l d wv ,., , , viould be the means of keeping capital re hoped those promote the best interests of the country. 'tree port, s entiments, which were those of a very 4 du e a ,,, i ~.4 1 of the Poeulation of this country, would have AI ....era in that "" [Liu tak " I ' . • O'co N ae• any . NOR said that he had not intended to _, part r e "ghat h ad b this discus•ion ; but he could not pass by - fora,ern said by Member for Waterford for a , aotici n • the Hen. . brit land, e elat) s e" ". He had inonded last session to g c on H e hititPe!fi6o motion for the improvement of Ire lie :f POOP law" notic e of a motinn fur the introdue intendeda" rev erit ,: t f i r r llo that country, hut by some manoeuvre a ino., botteith to bringing forward I is metier]. He 11 " agiin thi:" l ing this to bring f rward such opening ,; if a m arkeer ° ,". His great object would be the t_ anceilor a of the E, r ,"lbour ; std the Noble Lord, the here i !(4r o'c o ' - "Nu • d him that he liked acted 1, n0 r , 5 ),,,„, or, informed . . 1 stem bad % 1 . , ..up 0n b,, ii }stern , arid that atom arsy exciting th e 1 ,:t 1 Ilon b y a.f, hilt (Lord Althorp), namely, e ir ,"on. M eu •i be t: . 'icu ral . premiums. He thought that ” ....uueriarrod s who cavilled at the term " vagabonds 41 ii. m e _. Il fora wrong sense. He thought that the seao p a wore Al • b atyle onemeant it in a legal sense ` s ' ef tr hear, f ro W Sir S, Whalley) --and consequently meant nothing hurtful to the feelings of Irishmen. He differed entirely from the Hon. Member for Waterford (Mr. Barron) with respect to t e effects of the poor laws, and he (Mr. O'Connor) thought that that Hon. Member was wrong in supposing that it would be injorants to the Minded interest. The Hon. Member Premed to be under an apprehen4inn that his propel ty won't' be injured. Now it was not fair to assume, that because poor laws worked ill in this country, a system of poor laws that should be .tempt from those evils that attached to the poor laws in this country would also have the same ill effect. He certainly would support the introduction of poe.• laws into Ireland. Mr. BARRON explained. He was most anxious to see the poor of Ireland fully empl , y .1. What he depre cated was the introduction of that system which had been found so detrimental to England. Mr. HARDY did not think that the Hon. Member for Nlarylebone ought to have been found so much fault with for his using the word vagabond. The class of persons of whom he spoke were so in reality, for not one in 20 of those who were passed as Scotch and Irish paupers had ever been in their respective countries for years ; their plan was to get to a great town, such as Bristol or Lon don, and there apply to a parish who forwarded them on their, journeys. But the fret was they never got farther than Carlisle ; at that point they begged their way once more up to the very place from which they bad been passed, and applied to a different parish, and again were trewed by what to them was a very pleasant ex cursion at the charge of the payers of the poor rates. they went to these large towns because they bad a greater choice of parishes, and of course fewer chances of detec tion. He under those circumstanees thought they deserved most fully the appellation of vagabonds. Colonel WILLIAMS declared that, notwithstanding all that had been said against the Act of Elizabeth, he would say that there never was a more benevolent measure than that by which a provision was made for the aged, the infirm, and the orphan. He spoke from an experience of a quarter of a century in the administration of these laws, and be declared that it was not the laws themselves that caused the mischief, but their ntal-admi nistrat'on. Sir S. WHALLEY explained. He had not used the word vagabond in any invidious sense, but merely re gretted that the law was such, or rather that Ireland was so much in want of laws of that kind, that it rendered a great part of its population vagabonds in the eyes of the law. He presented a petition from the inhabitants of illarylehone, agreed to at a public meeting, over which a Noble Lord presided in his capacity of churchwarden, praying for the repeal of the assessed taxes. He could not let such an important petition be thrown into the box of the House wiihoitt saying a few words upon the subject, even though the House might be tired of hearing so much upon the subject as they had done. The injustice of the house and window taxes had been already so much talked of, and so clearly shown, that he would say but little on the matter. He would only say that that injustice could not hr, more forcibly put, than by the fact that Maryl bone parish p Tid more to these taxes in a year than 20 whole counties. But there was another sense—a mural sense—in which the matter might be put, which would effectually bind the House to their repeal. When the Reform Bill was under discussion in the House much had been said in regard to the preven ion of bribery, and he believed that the House was sincere in that desire, but be would ask whether they had not even in that Bill given ti e greatest of facilities to it by withholding the franchise ruin every person till t ese taxes were paid Tirough not one of his onoi!uents had ever insulted him by asking hint to pay these taxes, in order that he might have his vote, yet it was well known that the practice had been very general throughout the whole country during the late general election. The petition was signed only by such persons that at tended the meeting as were members of the vestry, but he trusted that the House on that account would not draw the conclusion that, on the reinject of the petition, the parish were not unanimous. He had previously pre 'rented a similar petition, signed by upwards of 6.000 persons. and Ire felt no hesitation in saying, if the present petition had been carried from house to house, that there would not have been six persons who would not have signed it. He was happy to spe other metropolitan Members in the House besides himself, who, be felt no d uht, in addition to the Hon. Member for Surrey (Mr. Briscoe), tt ould support the petition. He was perfectly aware how ineffectual an advircite he was on the present question ; but he telt it to be his duty not to allow the petition to be presented sub silentio. He, boa ever, de• termined not to detain the House at any length, because he felt confident that the subject must come before the Huse at a future opportunity. In conclusion the Hon. Member trusted the House would bear in mind that the people bad been grievously disappointed upon the subject, as they confidently expected from what fell from the Chancellor of the Exchrquer in the last session, that the olinoxiuus taxes would have been repeded, and it was not therefore to be wondered at that they had pursur d steps which he for one felt extremely sorry for, but. which he was sure the House could not be surprised at, when the whole circumstances were taken into con sideration.—( Hear.) Mr. BRISCOE in rising to support the prayer of the petition observed, that he did an the more readily, because in doing so he trusted he should remove an impression which appeared to have existed at the mretine from which the petition emanated, that he was unfriendly to the repeal of the house and window tax. On the contrary, he begged leave, in the most pointed and ef fectual manner, to impress upon Lord Althorp the wis door and policy of abolishing such obuoxtous imposts. The grievous inequality of the house tax lie believed no gentleman in that House was inclined to deny. If there were those who would do so, he would beg to remind them tbat there were two whole counties in which the highest rate of assessment to the house duty did not exceed 201. or 301., and there were no less than 15 counties, including that of Durham, which was so pre-eminent tor the magnificence of its palaces and castles, in which the maaimuni did not exceed 100/., while there w•Ts scarcely a single tradesman in the metropolis so low as twenty pounds ; but great numbers in which the maximum of 100/., to which he had referred, was greatly exceeded. He (Mr. Briscoe) thought that the ink Tbi tants of the metropolis had very just grounds for present_ iug the petition for the removal of such obnoxious im posts as the house and window taxes ; and, he believed, that by a reduction of the public expenditure, taking into consideration the flourishing state of the revenue, and the improvements, which be thought might be fairly antici pated in other parts of it, the House would be fully justified in repealing those taxes.—(Hear, hear.) He had every hope that if the Noble Lord (Althorp) would comply with the prayer of the petition that it would confer very great relief, arid be received with very nude satisfaction by the country. Not only did he (Mr. Briscoe) sympathise with the sufferings of the petitioners, but also the great body of his constituents were equally interested, and anxious for the immediate repeal of these taxes. He confessed that when he bore in mind the very long period during which the petitioners had borne the heavy burden of the taxes with so much patience and forbearance, he conceived that they were justly entitled to relief from a professedly reforming Administration, such as at present composed his Majesty's Government. Dr. LUSHINGTON said that he had been requested by the very respectable body of petitioners who had attended the meeting to appear in his place in that House, to give the petition that support which be conceived it entitled. He had never entertained a doubt of the ex pediency of repealing those taxes, and he might almost add of the necessity of proceeding to the speedy adoption of that measure. The numerous constituency which he (Dr. Lushington) represented were, of all others of his Majesty's subjects, those who suffered most under the pressure of the taxes called the house and window taxes. They consisted of a very numerous class of persons, by far the larger portion earning their subsistence by their own industry—in trade and commercial pursuits. The inhabitants of the Tower Hamlets derived no benefit front the large expenditure of the aristocracy in the metropolis—they were entirely dependent on the trade and commerce of the port 4,f London. In comparison with the incomes they derived from their labour, those uses pressed on them with infinitely greater severity than on any other class of his M Tj.sty's subjects. He (Dr. L.) knew many instances where persons were assessed for both house and window taxes, whose weekly earnings did not exceed 94., and he did conceive that it was u tte r ly impracticable to adopt any medification by which they could be made to bear equitably upon all classes of the people. Nothing hut the entire and complete repeal of these taxes would answer the just expectations of the peti• tioners and the country at large. With respect to the window tax and its mischievous consequences, he would s iv that in principle it was infinitely more objection. able than the house tax. The consequence of that tax was neither more nor less than this, that it allowed to the rich the benefit and advantages of en joying that which was most conducive to good health, pure air, and circumscribing it tar those who bad not the means of enjoying it otherwise. No person could entertain a stronger opinion of the propriety of repea ing those taxes, or of the necessity of urging it with greater energy than himself, and here he hoped the House would permit him to say a few words on the p‘st he had taken in the proceed ings upon this subject during the past session, He was !compelled to vote, not against the repeal of those taxes, but in support of a motion which left it doubtful if • that motion had not been carried whether they would not have been subjected to a property tax, with an income tax annex d to it. It was not because he wavered or had entertained a doubt that these taxes should be repealed, hut because he conceived that by voting otherwise he should run the risk of encountering a greater evil without being able to ohtain what his constituents sought. It bad been said that at the meeting at which the Hon. Alentber for Marylebone attended, there had been a gross misrepre sentation of the conduct and motives of other Members. He was quite satisfied of this, that no person who at tended that meeting, much less any Hon. Member of that House, would condescend, for the purpose of oh• taining the applause of the persons assembled there, to misrepresent the motives of others. In pursuing the course he did last year, he did so, conceiving it to he his duty, under the most painful circumstances. He acknow ledged, as he always bad done, that he set a great value upon the app'ause and approbation of those who, although not couneel among the higher classes, are capable of forming a correct estimate of the proceedings of that House. He had their good at heart, their opinion he valued, but above all he valued it in the present instance, from a conviction that the means adopted by them were twee likely to effect the object in view. With respect to a deficiency—be differed from the Hon. Mem ber who preceded him. He should deplore a deficiency as being likely to shake the confidence of the nation in the public engagements, and as being likely to increase the difficulties under which they at present laboured. Because looking at the foreign relations of England, and the position which she should bear towards them, he (Dr. Lusltington) should not like that any suspicion should be entertained that England was not rich or honest enough to maintain all her engagements. No man was more anxious to see all just and reasonable retrenchment pr ice tised. They could not forget that a great experiment was at present making respecting the abolition of slavery in the West Indies. He had entire confidence in the success of that measure. It would, in the first place, save the expense of troops in these colonies, and in the second place that which was more valuable, the loss of life which had been pt;ofusely squandered in those colonies, wherever they were unable or unwilling to protect themselves He looked forward to that period as soon as those colonies should have completed the change which they were now undergoing, and then he would most willingly vote for a reduction in our military establishments. There was another subject most painful to him, he alluded to the present state anti condition of Ireland. Would to God he so understood the condition of that country as to be able to devise measures for the preservation of its tran quillity, without the necessity of enforcing it by the pre sence of a large military force. He hoped, however, that would be done, and then again there would be an opportunity to reduce the number of troops, which would he infinitely creditable, not only to the revenue, but to the character of this country. He would not trespass further than by stating, that he cordially con curred in the petition, and, to speak more openly end candidly, lie would vote for the reduction of the house and window taxes whenever that question came simply before tt e House; but if ever he should be placed in the same painful situation as he was last year, when there was a possibility that he would, by a contrary course to that which he then adopted, be doing a greater mischief,—when, on the proposition to take off the malt tax, and substitute a property tax, the Riget Honourable Baronet, the Member for Tatnwoi th, (Sir R. Peel) declared that he would never consent to a property tax, without an income tax being appended to it; then, and then only, he should, however painful to him self, feel bound to act as he had then done. Colonel EVANS would not occupy the time of the House by going at length into the policy of continuing or repealing the house and window tax, but would reserve his observations until the question came in a formal shape be fore the House. The Hon. Member for Marylehone had truly stated that the existence of those taxes, and making their payment necessary to the ret-ntion of the elective franchise, had a tendency to produce corruption amongst voters. The House had known many instances, showing that that was the consequence ; and many members h.td been applied to to pay the taxes of electors to enable them to vote. It was true that that part of the metropolis from whence the petition came de rived great advantage over other parts of the country, fram the residence of the aristocracy ; but it was also true that the metropolis bore a much lager share of taxa tion than any of er part or district of the country. In I teal and direct taxes it paid as much as three mil lions ; and Mr. Marsh Al, who published some tables under the authority of this House, had in a ncte at the foot of one of them, observed upon the evrandinary irregularity which govern. d the imposition of those taxes: It appeared that the cite of Westminster alone, with a population of only 200,000, was assessed to the house and window taxes to a greater amount than Scotland with a population of 2,500,000, and it could net be denied that the property in Scotland was ten times greater than that in Westminster. That partiality towards the aristocracy of that city, and towards the property of Scotland, could not by p ssireiliry be carried no without gross perjury, and be thought, although the Government did not deny that there was great inequality ; they were liable to severe reprobation for allowing such a course to exist. With regard to the Hon. and Learned Member opposite (Dr. Lushington), it was to be regretted that h e vote and conduct were misrepresented, for be (CA. E.) eelieved that very few members of the House had rendered a more noble and generous ask,stance to obtain reform.— (Cheers.) But his appreensions with regard to a defalcation in the revenue were certainly fallacious. It was well known that this Government could go into the market at any time and raise ten or twelve millions without any d,fficulty, so that any trifling defalcation could be easily remedied without producing any want of confidence by Foreign States. He should always regret to see any serious or permanent defalcation in the revenue so as to produce that want of confidence, and be appealed to the House if he had not always so ex pressed himself.—(Heari hear.) As to the expense of the troops in the West Indies, he thought the force kept up there and in Ireland much too lavers. The inhabitents of Jamaica ought to provide a sufficiently armed mili tary for their own protection ; and, as to Ireland, he should like to know how the Government could justify their conduct in maintaining a larger military force there than their predecessors did under a very different line of policy. There was another paint which I e roust not lose eight of ; the metropolis was positively declining in point of its resources.—(Hear.) The altered system of living ai ming the aristocracy was more economical, and the es t ,blishment of Clubs at the west end of the town, (institutions which by the way he approved of) had tended much to lessen the expenditure of the aristocracy, and therefore to diminish the resources of tradesmen and shopkeepers.—(Hear.) With respect to the symptoms of opp , sition to the payment of these taxes, which had ma nifested itself rather strongly, he believed that, in many cases, it arose from utter inability to pay, and not from a spirit of opposition to the Government itself.—(Hear, hear.) Very severe consequences arose to those per.ons who were compelled to get together small sums of money at a given period ; and when the tax gatherer did levy, the consequences were literally ruinous; for the sum of 5/., for instance, the loss to the family was in general not less than 201 —(Hear.) Mr. SINCLAIR did not rise for the purpose of oppose ing the petition, but to correct some statements made by the Hon. Member who had just sat down. He had st tted that certain perjuries were committed in Scotland in the assessment of these taxes. n-I EVANS—Not in Scotland alone.—(A lough.) Mr. SINCLAIR—WeII ; while he felt that these taxes ought to be taken off, and concurred in the prayer of the petition, he wished to remind the Hon. Member for West minster, and the House, that another c iuse of the decline of business in the metropolis was the absence of the aris. tocracy, who went abroad to support foreign artisans and manufacturers by the very resources which they drew from this country. He was in the habit of conversing with the st opkeepers of this metropolis, and inquiring into the sta' eof trade. Their constant language was that it was very bad—they con d hardly make two ends meet, being so much oppressed by the burdens of public and local tax- ation, and having no business. They did not find toreign noblemen come from Germany, France, or Italy, to spend their money in London, and to encourage British .hopkeepers and manufacturers, hut our great people were corcontly in Rome, P iris, and other Continental citie., spending the money drawn from the Exchequer at home, by the taxation of those who derive no advantage at all therefrom. This was a very serious complaint, and the great source of disc intent.—( Hear.) Air. HAWES had been requested to support the pe tition, and referred to a rumoured intention of Govern ment to establish malt houses throughout the country, which would greatly affect,some distracts, and particularly and especially the Tower Hamlets. He would support the repeal of these taxes. 111r.FORSTER also supported the pPtition,and said the repeal of these taxes would enable the manufacturing districts to enjoy more light, and give additional 'etnploy ment to those who were engaged in the manufacture of glass, and the construction of windows. Mr. RUTHVEN considered that the present subject was one of the most important brought into con• sideration during the session. He would consent to abolish a tax that came so heavily on the industrious and poorer portion as the one alluded to did. With regard to the substitute for this source of income to the Revenue, he supposed that a property tax was the dernier resort to the Government, but he (Mr. Ru'hven) could not vote for a property-tax with an income-tax at the same time. If the reduction were to be made in any such fertile source of revenue as the present tax, the best mode of meeting the deficiency would he by a corres ponding reduction of great establishments. The public faith should be supported ; and the Exchequer stood now in the situation of a hank, which most either enter into a compo sition, or stiff r bankruptcy. The great expenses which at present 'oppressed the country, should be diminished—an equitab'e arrangement to the public debt should be made, if possible, and in the now precarious state of the financial department, he did not see how it was to he done, unless by lowering the rate of interest paid on it. Such would be, perhaps, the safest mode of adjusting the desirable compromise. He (Mr. R.) was not anxious for a reduction of military establish ments in Ireland, as long as the soldiers there conducted themselves properly, and as long as money was diffused through the country by the me hium of such establish ments. Mr. R. urged the reduction of the establishments and the abolition of the taxes, which weighed, as they did, so heavily on the people. Lord ALVANLEY presented a petition in favour of Church Reform, but the Nohle Lord spoke so low, we could not hear from what place. Mr. JOHNSTONE supported it, and alluded to the proper regulation of Church patronage in Scotland. At present a chapel was built, and an endowment obtained by the parishioners ; but, then, some one who had patronage, said " I will appoint the clergyman." This was most unjust and most offensive to the parish, and no doubt prevented the erection of many chapels of ease in Scotland. Mr. SINCLAIR presented a petition of a similar kind. Sir CHARLES BURRELL presented a petition from Lamb , ' burst, in the county of Sussex, praying that the Act of Geo. IV., called the Labourers' Act, should be continued. The introduction of this Act he said hod been productive of the greatest possible advantages; the farmers were entirely satisfied with it, whilst the population was fully employed, and there was no dissension in the parish. The Poor Law Commissioners had been in communica tion with the parish, and he believed that all the answers received from the parish expressed the most entire satisfaction with the working of this Act. He trusted that the Act, which was admitted on all hands to be productive of such advantages, would be suffered to continue. There being no other petitions to present, the Speaker left the Chair at Ten minutes after Two o'clock. FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. ARRIVALS. The Earl and Countess of Winterton, and family, st Marshall Thompson's Hotel, Cavendish-square; Mrs. Corbett and the Misses Corbett, at ditto; Thomas Geo. Corbett, at ditto, from Elsham Hall, Lincoln; J. F. Schroder, Esq., at ditto; C. Langdale, Esq., M.P., at ditto; Mrs. Cuthbert, at ditto; the Duke and Duchess of Cleveland, in St. James's-square, from Hunton-house, Yorkshire ; Lord and Lady Saye and Sele, in Grosvenor-street, from the Belvedere, Dartford; Count Matus. zewic, in Curzon-street, from s visit to the Earl of Lonsdale, at Cottesmore Park, Rutlandshire; Viscount Morpeth, at Car_ lisle-house, Grosvenor-place, from Castle Howard; Viscount and Viscountess Sandon, in Grosvenor-street, from Sandon hall ; Hon. John C. Canning, at Viscountess Canning's, in Grosvenor-square, from Welbeck Abbey ; Lord and Lady Ca vendish, in Belgrave-square, from Hardwicke-hall, Derbyshire; G. Sinclair, Esq., M.P., in St. James's-square, from Ham-house; Sir H. Willoughby, Bart., M.P., in Cork-street, from a tour. DEPARTURES. Captain Rochfort, R.N., and Mrs. Rochfort, from Marshall Thompson's Hotel, Cavendish-square; Rev. Thomas Eyre Poole, and Mrs. Poole, from ditto, for Dorsetshire ; Rev. Thomas L. Hervey, Mrs. Hervey, the Misses Slack, and J. Slack, Esq., from ditto; Henry Darby Griffiths, Esq , and Mrs. Griffiths, from ditto; Rev. J. W. Baugh, from ditto; Mr. W. H. Ashurst, from ditto; J. Jones, Esq., from ditto; Lord William Thynne, for Newbridge-barracks ; Sir Frederick Johnstone, Bart., for Melton Mowbray; Lord Gardiner, from George street, Hanover-square, for ditto. ARRIVALS AT CHELTENHAM. Lord and Lady Rodney, Count Sinskey, Sir Charles Morgan, Bart., Sir H. and Lady Farrington, Colonel Patrickson, Colonel and Mrs. Gooch, Colonel Burke, Colonel Cunningham, Major Wallis, Major Butler, Major Lew;s, Rev. Mr. Daly, Rev. T. Pettat, Rev. W. H. Bury, Rev. E. Reed, Rev. R. Flower, Captain Preston, R.N., Captain Gould, Captain Fitzgerald, Captain Stevenson, Captain Hill, Mr. and Mrs. Lemaistre, Mr. and Mrs Mathias and family, Mr. and Mrs. Greenaway, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan and family, Mr. and Mrs. Clarkson, Mr. and Mrs. Hall, Mr. end Mrs. Wardell, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, Mr. and Mrs. Jenkyns, Mr. Stanmer, Mr. Frankland, Mr. Kirkpatrick, Mr. Warton, Mr. Knox, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Pennell, Mr. Beckwith, Mr. Clendining, Mr. Jos. Clarke, Mr. E. F. Welles, Mr. Pratt, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Peek, Mr. Edgeware, Mr. Hopkinson, Mr. Kennington, Mr. Sparrow, Mr. Quarrington, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Spencer, Mr. Elsham, Mr. Whittaker, Mr. Portlock, Mr. Browne, Mr. Barry, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Garroway, Mr. Vernon, Mrs. D'Atton Grace, Mrs. Foyle, Mrs. Myers, Mrs. Whalley, Mrs. Stewart, Mrs. Greene, Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. Frame, Mrs. Davies, Mrs. Oakley, Mrs. Farmer, Mrs. Bourne, Mrs. Thorpe, Miss Chapman, Miss Hayward, Miss Young, Miss Palmer, Miss Drayton, Miss Phelps, Miss Howard, &c. &c. BANK OF ENGLAND. In conseq'ience of a clerical error, the Account of the Liabilities and A.sets of the Wink of England, published in last Friday's Gazette was incorrect ; it should have been as follo , vs : An ACCOUNT of the LIABILITIES and ASSETS of the BANK of ENGLAND, on the Average of the last Three Months ending the 4th February, 1834. LIABILITIES ASSETS. Circulation £18,177,000 Securities £24,762,0 2 0 Deposits -- £32,463,00 X 34,716,000 SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. SWAFFHAM SPRING COURSING MEETING, FEB. 1 I.—Foe THE CUP.—Mr. Burroughes's Indian beat Mr. Caldwell's Rustic; Hon. Mr. Rous's Mortimer beat Mr. Strad broke's Mariner; Mr. Buckworth's Beppo beat Mr. Burroughes's Iago; Mr. Gurney's Ada beat Mr Chute's High! order. WESTACRE SWEEPSTAKES.—Lord Stradbroke's Maria beat Mr. Burroughes's Icy; Mr. Gurney's Annetta beat Mt. Chute's Hyacinth. SWEEPSTAKES FOR FIRST SEASON GREYHOUNDS.—Mr. Bur roughes's Ida beat Mr. Caldwell's Robin Hood ; Mr. Chute's Hotspur beat Mr. Gurney's August. MATCHES.—Lord Stradbroke's Marksman beat Mr. Cold w ell's Rifleman; Mr. Gurney's Alonzo beat Mr. Chute's Hudibras ; Mr. Buckworth's Brutus beat Mr. Burroughes's Inigo ; Mr. Gurney's Acle beat Mr. Buckworth's Blunt; Mr. Chute's Hugo beat Mr. Burroughes's Imogene; Mr. Gurney's Artist beat Mr. Buckworth's Bacchus. FEB I 9..—FQR THE Cur.—Mr. Burroughes's Indian beat Mr. Buckworth's Beppo ; Hon. H. ltous's Mortimer beat Mr. Gur. ney's Ada. MATCHES. — Mr. Buckworth's Barber beat Mr. Burroughes's Iris; Mr. —'s Baronet beat Mr. Chute's Hannibal; Mr. Gurney's Alonzo beat Mr. Buckworth's Bachelor; Mr. Cald. well's Briar beat Mr. Chute's Hybla ; Mr. Chute's Hannah heat Mr. Burroughes's Ida ; Lord Stradbroke's Marchioness beat Mr. Chute's Hero; Mr. 's Milkmaid beat Mr. Burroughes's Ivy. Mr, 's Mount , qxink against Mr. Gurney's August, and Mr. —'s Miniature against Mr. Gurney's Agatha—undecided. The morning was rather wet—the afternoon fine, with a frosty air. The hares very shy. GLASGOW LOTTERY —Lord W. Lennox was the Hon. Member reported in the Morning Papers as speaking against the Glasgow Lottery, and said if no other Member brought in a Bill he would, with a view of put ting an end to this gross case of delusion towards the puhlic. Although a final Lottery was advertised he was convinced such was not the case ; it was merely done to gull the public. MR. LONG WELLESLEY.—NOt a vestige of Wanstead House, once the pride of Essex, remains nor a single stone "to prate of its whereahout." There is now only wanting the remaining lofty trees to be felled, the whole of the ornamental waters to be drawn off, and the grotto to be demolished, to render its once de►ightful park a scene of sad and melancholy desolation. The seat of hospittlity and social enjoyment has vanisl,e4, and nothing is left to perpetuate its splendour. The admiration and partiality of the neighbouring peasantry design tted the place one of the wonders of the world, but not a fr,ig went is now seen to remind us of its former magnificence and importance. _ _ _ - . ST. ALBAN'S, FEB. 6.—Our annual Steeple Chace is fixed for Thursday, the 13th of March. Th• stake is open to any horses carryine 12st. each, four miles across the country, &c., and will close on the Saturday previous. Colonel Charitie will officiate as umpire, and Mr. Colon in as clerk of the race. Is is not unlikely that the day's sport will be increased by a ladies' race, four of the softer sex having been for some time in training. FATAL ACClDENT.—Yesterday, a labourer, named C ISPV, in the employ of Mr. Prime, builder, while eneaged in finishing a large ice well, built by Mr. Rhodes, at the back of the Tile Kilns in the Hackney Road, missed his lot from a ladder in descending the well, and tell upwards of 30 feet. He was taken up dreadfully muti lated, and conveyed to the London Hospital, where th. poor fellow shortly after expired. He has left a wife and family. NMI LITERATURE. FROLICS '.'F PUcK, 3 VOLSo LONDON, 1834. If a relish for our fine old English legends be not altogether lost, this work he popular. It is written in a spirit of glorious earnestness, as if the author really believed the marvels he was relating. Whatever other defects the work may have, want of imagination is certainly not of the number. There is enough in these three volumes to set up half a score of poets for life. They are also not without some pretensions to ...)riginality, though the leading idea on which 'hey are founded, namely, the mission of Puck, I ,, iy ha c t o i m t m is a t nd of hatsvo 2ee e u nin n Titania,most love, is to fin a Var i oru m out i l or version of an agreeable incident in one of Chaucer's tales. The author, whoever he is, is evidently well versed in German romance, especially in that portion of it which treats of the legendary and supernatural. Hoffman— that strange grotesque mixture of the frantic and the imaginative, whose works we scarcely know whether to laugh at or admire, who treats even a common-place in a way so as to give it all the zest of originality—is one of our author's principal favourites, as every second page of these volumes bears abundant evidence. Yet lie is no servile imitator. He can think for himself, and describe for himself; though he has always some high German fancy or other floating in his brain. The introductory portion of his work is written with remarkable grace and spirit, and betokens poetic faculties of a very superior order. It is difficult to make fairies speak like fairies ; ShAcypeare is the only Engligh writer we know of who has done so ; and we pay a high, but not unmerited compliment to the author of the " Frolics of Puck," when we say that, like our great drama tist, he has made his " gay creatures o' the ele ment" speak just the orthodox dialect of Fairy Land. The wild snatches of verse tao, which he has put into the mouth of his tricksy spirit Puck, are worthy of that eccentric original, whom the late Sir William Curtis used to describe as one of the most " unaccountable characters" he had ever read of. Possibly the pert, pragmatic Utilitarian may turn up his nose at these imaginative volumes ; those, however, of our readers who have the slightest relish for, and sympathy with, the sallies of fancy and feeling will read them with strong interest. That they will meet with any very extensive circulation, we will not say ; they have fallen on evil times, when men's minds are too much intent on steam coaches and rail-roads, to pay the fitting atten tion to the charming little denizens of Fairy Land ; still they will excite attention, if not, from their subject, at least from the elegance and simplicity with which they are written. For our own parts, we can conscientiously de clare that we have not met with a work equal to the " Frolics of Puck" for this many a day past. It is worth all the fashionable novels that ever were, or ever will be, penned. We subjoin an extract, which is in the most marked manner of Hoffman, and worthy of that author's happiest efforts:— " Left to his own reflections, and those unaided by the bottle, Alf was in no very comfortable mood He wish d fir all manner of things, high and lacy, possible and irn pos , i' , le—for fortune—fir an estate—for a cup that by some fairy sleight would constantly replenish itself when empty, so that he might have no stint in his potations. But a man soon grows tire! of empty wi-hes. As a last hope of solace, he had recourse to his beloved fid 4, and fir once fount this potent charm unable to score his at tention; he played, it is true, but the action was mech., nical, and it was soon evident that his thouehrs went no, with the muiic; his eyes were fixed on the fire, and, a. is usually the case with people who indulge in that agree ,ble amusement, his fancy shaped the glowing embers into a variety of illusive appear totes ; there were capes an e ivies, drakes and dromedaries, bears with two heads, and elephants with none, and the more he watched, the more vivid grew the resemblances. At length the fire, becom ing hollow, fell together, and thrust for,card a single red hot ember, in which too bright eyes seemed to be twink ling. The illusion wis wonderful. Alf incon•inentl stinted in his play, though be did not the more let go either bow or fiddle, and stared at this strange appearance with might and m tin. " Still the eyes twinkled,—twinkled,—twinkled,— when presenly two large black ears protruded from either side. Alf quickly drew hack his ch dr, muttering halt Cloud, and half to himself, he needs a long spoon who sups with the devil.' " Still the eyes twinkled,—twinkled,—twinkled,— and now a nose and mouth made their appearance; then a pair of portentously long arms ; then a misshapen trunk; then a ptir of wiry legs ; till a complete little black figure peered at him from out ti,e embers, with a grotesque, yet malic:ous leer that made him start up and hastily place the chair between himself and the fireplace. Leaning over the hack of the seat, he fixed his gaze intently on the ap parition. " Still the eyes twinkled,—twinkled,—twinkled,—and the black colour of the goblin brightened into a vivid orange, then into a crimson; and then again it successively faded into green, into purple, into blue, and finally so bered down into grey. " Be exclaitned Alf, it's the little grey man David talked of; Puck himself! ' " At the mention of his name, Grey Mantle bounced from the fire, overturning poker, tongs, and shovel in hi, flight, and perched himself upon the back of the chair, from which Alf had retreated in a prodigious hurry. There the little fellow sate, puffing and blowing, much like the frog in the fable, rut oath infinitely better success, for he dill contrive to swell himself into the size of a ow , derately_g,rown baboon, without any apparent damage to his skin (rout the process of infl ttion." THE FROLICS OF PUCK.—Tnis new work of fiction will be published to-morrow, and the author pi Chartley's new novel, entitled 6‘ The Old Maiden's TAlifl man," early next we k, by Messrs. Bull and Churton, Elolles street. Agents for Scot! ind, Messrs. Bell and Bradfute, Edinburgh ; and Ireland, Mr John Cumming. Dublin. 0 ders should be transmitted forthwith to secure the early copies. Col. Maberley has been excused from further attendance on Mr. Shell's Committee, and Sir Eardiey Wilmot added in his place. It is understood, in the circles of the Corps D:plomatique, that Viscount Palmerston has declined to recede to any further deliberation upon the affairs of the Netherlands, in the present state of affiirs in that coun try. On dit, that it is in coesevence of this res.lution, formally communicated hy his Lordship to the representa tives of the Notthern Powers, that the recall of Baron de Wessenberg hy the Austrian Court is to be attributed. In the mean time the Diplom vista will hold an occasional conference at the Russian Einbas-y, as they did during a former suspension of the cot I,rences at the Foreign-office. It is confidently rumoured that some part 01 the tail has mutinied a/ainst the head ..... Within the last twelve months 300 houses have been built in Stockport. NEW INVENTION IN THE STRAW • HAT MANUFACTURE —We understand that Al..ssis. J. and A. Muir, straw tiat-manufacturers, Greenock, are manufac turing straw in the handloom, by the common process of weaving. The be .uty and simplicity of the process have been greLtly adtnired by those who have seen it, and th. invention will entirely supersede, is a very short time, the plaiting of straw for the manufacturing of ladies' sir ,w ipotiners. The straw bonnets, in the ensuing season, by this invention, will e xhibit an endless variety of figures. Glas,goto Chronicle. BRIGHTON, Fan. 11. The King and Queen continue to enjoy excellent health. Yesterday their M j-sries to, , k a carri.tge airing to shore hun, and returned to the Palave at two o'clock. A"er which his Majesty reentered his carriage, accompanies by Lady 1 7 .1kland, and continued hii drive until after four o'clock. _ _ Col. Fox took leave of their Majesties on Tuesday, and I,ft for town, to attend his PArli imentary duties. Viscount Ami ns arrived here on Sunday evening, and was yesterd,iy introduced to Colonel Sir G-orge Teesdale, and the officers of the King's Dra!oon Guard, to which regiment he has just been app in ed. His Lordship after wards paid his respects to their M ijesties. The Viscouote.s Hereford, Lord Arthur Lennox, Countess of Dy-art, and Lady C. Churchill, are amongst the late.t arrivals in the Beau Monde. Their 3Ljesties' dinner party, yesterday evening, in cluded the Princess Augusta, Lord M 'rem Hill, Lady Clinton, Sir Edward and Lady Diabrowe, Miss Kennedy, lion G. Disbrovve, Viscount awl Vise iuntess Falkland, Sir A. and Lmy D ilrymple, Miss Hudson, and the Dowager Lady Kilicaine. Her Majesty's band attended. The Duchess of St. Albans will give " a grand dejeune" nn Friday next, at her residence in Regency-square. The fete will conclude with a musical entertainment, for which several artistes of celebrity are engaged. FEB. 12. In the afternoon of yesterday their Maj , sties took a carriage airing toeether to Rottingdean, visiting Bruns wick•terrace and Rove previous to their return to the Pa ! ice. The Princess Augusta, attended by Lady Mary Taylor, mingled amongst the fashionables on the Western Cliff. The following distinguished personages had the honour of dining, last evening, with their Majesties :—the Prin cess Au4usta. Earl and Countess t.f Ux;,r42e, Nns •,iunt and Viscountess Falklind, Mr. and Alm Charles Craven, Earl and C..untess of Chichester, Lady Clinton, Lord and Lady Gage, Sir George and Lady Soiffner, Miss Hudson, Lord S dtoun, and Miss D'E.te. Lord Stitoun, the Dmvaeer L idy Kilmaine, and Lord Marcus HiII, visited their Nisjesties ye•t"rday. COURT CIRCULAR. The Duchess of Kint and ti,e Princess Victoria walked and drove in Hyde Park on Tuesday, for some time. Alderman Wood. Mr. Jon-s, and some Members of the Committee for the Approaches to New Lund n Br dge, accompanied by tiie City R-rnembrancer, had an interview with Vi-count Althorp on Tuesday, at the Treasury. Mr. Burge, the Agent for Jamaica, and Mr. Burnley, trans mt. d business on Tuesday at the Colonial Office, The Marquis of Lans towne entertained the Cabinet Ui nisters at dinner last evening, at Lansdowne House, Berke ley-t-quare. There were present the Lord C iancellor, E ,r 1 Grey, Earl of Ripon. the Duke of Riciam and, the Earl of Carlisle, Vi-count Melbourne. Viscount Palme-ston, Mr. Secretary Stanley, tne Right Hon. C arks Grant, Vi-count Althorp, Sir James Graham, and L ird John Russ , 11. The Gievalier de Vial, thl Spanish Alin'ster, had an interview yesterday with Viscount PAtner,tun, at the Foreign Office. PRIVY COUNCIL. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat in the Council Chamber on tuesday. The meting W 4.1 at tended by Lord AVriforil, the Right Hon. Sir L. Shad well, Sir James Parke, Sir J. Bernard Bosanqu,t, Thomas Erskine, Sir Alexander 3 ihnston, and Sir E Eist. Mr. Greville was the Clerk of the Council in Writing. BABOO ULRUC SING V BENJ. PERSAD.-BENGAL. In this case (which was one of a disputed balance) the appellant's Counsel, Messrs. Miller and W grain, were re quired by their Lordships to S'IOW some strong g-nund of objection to the accounts, which had be e n examined by two Courts below, and, as their L irdships canj-cured, examined with great minuteness. Objection was made by appellant's Counsel to the production of books by the respondents to prove their own accounts, on the ground that, in fact, these books were the b inks of the pirties themselves ; also to the description of witn-sses w iieh had been called by the plaintiffs (respondents) to prove the ac counts, insis'ing that they were not the proper parties who ought to have be n called. The Court b.liow had inter preted all doubtful evidence against the emit tnt, an I the Court in whica the first tri il took place, in their decre e , made use of terms against the appellant which were re prehensible. Sir J. Bernard Bosanquet gave judgment on the part of their Lordships. The Provincial Court ha l decided in favour of the respondents ; from this Court an appeal wits brought to the Sudder Dewauny Ads Out, who directed further inquiry, and then affirmed the former d tree. an I also gave the costs of the appeal. Delay had occurred before the commencement of the suit; the question of law its to the lapse of time would, however, be considered only as forming part of the merits of the case. Is the me 'sum e one of suspicion on account of the deaths of witnesse., and the d fficultiei in making nut the accounts caused by the delay ? The Court of Sudder Dewauny Adiwbit had i• ,me to the conclusion that the re,ponden''s dem tnd had been satisfactorily made out, not simp•y up..n the b tok , of the plaintiff himself, but also by a comparison at his hooks with those of an agent of the defendaat (appellant), and also with those of another party : certain circumstances ilep-ntling on parole evidence confirmed these accounts. Sot being able to see any clear paint that the decree of the Sudder Dewauny Mawlut was wrong (although there,,. night be doubts on the case), their Lordships affirmed he decree of that Court as far as regarded princ pal and interest, but without costs of appeal to that C ,urt, and also without the costs of the present appeal. Raja R itv Vencata Niladry Row v. Enosgoonty So3riah Ind another.—(Madras.) Tnis suit was recov It the value of property to a con .iderahle amount, alleged to have been carried off, at nooo_day, by an armed fierce, from a fort or strong resi dence of a person of consideration in India, a portion if the property consisting of jewels, Messrs. Miller and Wtgrarn, for the appellants, argued that as the evidence of witnesses in the Courts below was contradictory as to the quantity of luggage carried 'd— one set of witnesses stating that large pack iges were taken away, and the respondent's witnesses deposing that no luggage was taken away—if those Courts were satisfied that some property had been seized, they ought not to to.v • in .de decrees till further inquiry had been made, since there must have been m -ens to have acute,' the pint. Fhe C iurts, on the contrary, by their decree, ne.ta - ivd the fact entirely ; or, at least, it was implied th it the appellant's witnesses had exaggerated the qu intity of lug gage abstracted. Mr. Sergeant Spinkie contended that the Court blow, having discredited the evidence of the appellants, and re ceived the confident testimony of the opposite side, had decided the conffeting testim .ny of the witn sses. The story of an armed party entering a strong fur', packing up vari ty of goods, and escaping unmolered, ;n noon may was absurd—it being in the power of the party injured to intercept them. The Right Hon. Thomas Erskine gave judgment on the part of their Lordships. This was a question of f tet, depending on the testimony of witnesses. An action was brought to recover a sum of money alleged to have been carried off, as above stated. Witnesses were called, who depos-d that they saw m iney and other property abstraord a . Toe Provincial C .urt gave no credit to t eir testimony. An appeal was then brought to the Sadder D-w uay Ailawlut. Tne appellant might, in this state of toe pro, ceedings, have produced additional and satisfactory evr deuce to prove his case. He had not done so, bu had left it, with respect to evidence, as it was before Tne circumstances detailed were very extraordinary. but the plaintiff was the party on whom the onus originally lay of subst inflating the ch urge. Their Lordships affi med the decreeof the Court below. Mr. Serge tat Spankie, in another case arising nut of the sime proceedings, consented, on the par: of the app..l - ants, to have the decree of the Court below affirmed. N o c usts were given in either appeal. The Marquis of Londonderry intends to re mlin at his seat at Wynyird until after Eater. Tie Abrehioness, who has been stayin 4 at Hold-mess 1 - I,use for a few days, on family affairs, again left town on Mon. day for the north. The Earl of Shaftesbury and Lord Wynford have been appo'nted by his Majesty's Commission to act as Speaker (or as the LMrds' Journ rerins it, " S e eakers") in the ab.enre of the Lurd Chancellor. It was Mr. Hall, and not Mr. Guest, who seconded the motion for returns relating to Prince Leopold'a annuity. Preparations commenced on Tuesday at that mpi,ndai chatehr, at Srantnure, c,lled ‘' The Priory," for the reception of the Marquis and Marchioness of Ai,erenrn, vitt) are expected there at the close of the mouth, accom -I,Anio by the Duchess of Bedford. VVe are sorry to find, from an article dated Jan. 29, that Dr. Grate has dourits of he o d able to restore the sight of Prince George of Cutnbalmd. Vile operation is to be performed in the Bern.