The Sun. — London, England, 1831-04-14 00:00:00

IRIT OF TIIE PUBLIC JOUBNALS, he deep importance attached, both in and pat of Parliament, to the changes in the Reform Bill an nounced by Lord John Russell on Tuesday evening, and even the misapprehension which it seems had arisen out of the language of that Noble Lord, have not been without a salutary consequence. The subject was eagerly resumed by Ministers last night, and explanations afforded by Mr. Stanley, Lord Althorp, and Lord John Russell himself, which serve to satisfy us that no sort of concestin, be it ever so insignificant, is meditated by the Cabinet, in respect to the principle of the Bill; but that the axe will still be laid to the root of the rotten borough system, and the election of representati►•es in Par liament be restored, or granted more extensively than ever, to the people. It is clear enough that .if the principle of the Bill was to disfranchise bo roughs below a certain rate of population, the names of the boroughs, and even the number of them, likely to be affected by such a rule, would be an incident of the measure, not its essence. Lord Althorp accords ingly sated, with much distinctness, that as the same principle was to be steadily acted on, it became a ques tion of mere detail whether the line of population adopted would apply to a greater or less number of boroughs than had been at first contemplated ; and it appears from circumstances that the number of boroughs liable to a change of position from an amenued list of the population returns, would be extremely small—not more than two or three, as well as we could learn. Wi;11 regard to the popula tion of the House of Commons itself, if we may use the word, we decidedly wish that Ministers had maintained inflexibly their original resolution of re ducing its aggregate numbers from 658 to 594. The assembly is ton numerous for the convenient trans action of public business, and on the whale would have been improved as a machine for legislating by being pretty freely pared down. But froin what took place last night, it is manifestly the plan of Ministers to give and take with the anti-reformists on points even of considerable moment, as a means of tranquillizing opposition upon points which they have made up their minds not to sacrifice, — vie., the grand principle of the whole measure. When Lord John Russell first declared that Government would not quarrel with the House touching the restoration of its numbers to the pre sent amount, it was left quite unexplained by his Lordship how the 62 additional Members (beyond the 596) were to be got hold of ; but last night Lord Althorp stated specifically, that if the House of Commons should determine, contrary to the wish of MiniSters, and in spite of them, to maintain the existing amount of Members, his Majesty's Govern ment would propose that the additional Members atiould sit for large and populous towns and districts not included in the original arrangement. This will assuredly not tend to make the Bill less popular with the country, whatever it may be with his Grace the Duke of Newcastle; and it therefore re mains to be seen with how much or little zeal certain classes of the landed interest will support it. We think it jest to add, what may at the same time be gathered from the preceding remarks, that Ministers yesterday regained the ground which the imperfect disclosures by Lord John Russell in the previous debate had cut from under them But it must never be forgotten by them, or lost .sight of for an instant, that the people of England will not bear to be tam pered with on the substance of this measure. If we wish that the Parliament were fairly dissolved, it is as much to get rid of that mischief-making person whom the populace of Preston have obtruded on it, in the person of Mr. Henry Hunt, as for any other given purpose. That Member never opens-his lips but to throw obstacles in the way of all Reform, which it is plain enough he rather dreads as the death-blow of all factious pretenders, than fairly and honestly desires. It was shrewdly remarked by Mr. Fergusson, that the ( 4 observations of the Member for Preston were always cheered by the enemies of all Reform?' That, we think, a pretty sharp-com mentary on the public virtue of Mr. Henry Hunt. We further invite attention to the debate of last night on Mr. William O'Brien's motion for a certain memorial from the Clare Grand Jury : 81., 91., 101., and 11/. yearly rent, for one acre of unreclaimed bog or mountain, whereon the famished peasant migh plant potatoes for his family! Oh, ye demons ! Times. Mr. O'Brien brought last night before the House the state of the county of Clare, in which there is an organised system of insurrection in opera ion, erten assembling in bodies of four or five thousand under leader.,, and - nrblishing videttcs to give *.hem warning of any anoroaching attack. Outrages are openly committed; horrible an I aeroceies murders are perpetrated; but witnesses cannot be obtained, and the law is a dead letter. Mr. O'Brien said that the Insurrection Act alone would not be sufficient to put down the spirit o‘ -.violence, and that the pre sence of an army, the march of which should be ac companied by important legislative enactments, would he necessary to put down the insurrection. The 31 - erquie of Anglesea is represented in the Lime rick Etier"Ni Post to have said, in answer to an address presented to him by James Blake Butler, Esq., and several gentlemen of the county of Clare—" With respect to the condition of this county, I must certainly admit that it is unrea sonable to suppose that the peasantry—and a finer or mote vigorous peasantry than Clare possesses I have never seen—it is, 1 must say, impossible to ex pect that they will quietly lie down anal (f starva tion." This is strong language, but it is called for. Mr. O'Brien said, "He knew that it was the fashion in London to attribute these insurrrctiuns to the misconduct of the Clare landlords ; but he felt warranted in asserting that that supposition was utterly unjustifiable. The Clare landlords wire not only not worse than others, but he believed that in many instances they wete more considerate. They only took half of what was offered them for their land; for such was the competition for land in that county, that anything was offered to obtain it. The Clare landlords, however, did not wish to oppress ' their tenantry ; and they, besides thought of cuttr,e of the probability of getting their rents. To ascer tain the truth of the fact he had just stated, he ea= willing that a Committee should be appointed ; and he was sure that their report would establish the defence of the Clare landlords. He believed thnt the cause of the disturbances was found to be in the poverty of the people, and that the poverty was occasioned by theT great numbers, as compared with the means of their ' employment."' There ie little use in inquiring into the condact of landlords, to ascertain their re lstive merits or demerits. When Mr. O'Brien settee that the competition for hind is such that the tenantry would give anything to obtain it, and that the landlords, thinking of the probability of getting their rents, only took the half of what was offered them —w e require no further evidence to satisfy us that the landlords must be bad. It may be laid down as an incontrovertible rule, that absolute power will generally b e abused, and where the competition for land i s such that the landlords take only half of what is offered, the latter have necessarily the most absolute power over their tenants. Irish landlords different must be made of are made materials from those of ,c which h e circumstancesi men are in Whice, if they they are not h a d.— are placed deprav e them. lie has the pow er hoftlifeeand de a th over t h e w retched beings whom he can o tis , t h g e n to d es t ruct i on by seectment when he pleas es , initriretlinto is why is it that th e peopigeuaestion to be re so hptohoeir; o ccasioned by theirgreatnumbers,compared w m eans of employment , that the landlords a re to take from them only half of what t h ey o ff er but still all that can be raised from the land ; fu r the whole produce (whether half or quarter of what is offered), excepting only potatoes and water, is sold for the landlord ? Even the potatoes, however, cannot always be obtained, and then the typhus fever restores the balance between men and food. The cause of this strange state of things clearly is, that the landlords are freed from all liability on ac count of the people. The land of every country belongs to the people of that country, and the right of property in it, given to individuals, is merely in trust for the community. The. trust involves the responsibility of maintaining the pelple ; and this principle is recognised in the English poor laws, which tells the landholders—you may exercise your discretion with respect to the mode of administering your estate—but do what you will with it, still there are the people, who be fed. In Ireland the principle has been lost sight of; the owners of the soil have been allowed to conceive themselves freed from all accountability towards the people; and hence the funds which ought to have been dedicated to the providing employment for the people, and thereby preserving the proportion between po pulation and employment, have been wasted by the Landlords in luxury and sensuality. " But whenever it has been proposed in Ireland (says Dr. Doyle), to ease the occupier of land, by removing from him a part of the burthen he now suffers, by placing such part ❑pon the owner of the and, then a cry is raised 6 that the tvital of the landholder is to be diminished, and productive labour narrowed.' No, it is not so. The princely absentee, the unfeeling landlord, the gorged prelate, the spendthrift, and the sensualist, may, for a moment, suffer some draw back from their excessive profits; but capital in the hands of those who really employ it as an instrument to enrich nations and render Men happy, will suffer no diminution." But moreover, the preservation of the connection between the people and the land, through the instrumentality of a poor law, is a con dition without which there can be no security to those who wish to invest capital in expeeta.ion of a pro fitable return. " Will a nation (says Dr. Doyle in his eloquent way) covered with pauperism as with . . a leprosy, and thereby constantly tempted or led into acts of outrage, offer good security to the owner of capital ? Or can such owner expect a steady and well-paid profit from a country in which one half of the population not only have no intereA in the preservation of order, but who have no provi- sion secured to them, even in cases of extreme want, except in the benevolence of the rank next above themselves, or in the, tread-mill or gallows prepared for all who invade the rights of property, even when impelled thereto by the rabid bite of hunger ?" Far better would it have been for the Irish to have been in a state of predial slavery than cursed with a liberty entailing on them the most helpless poverty, with the horror of destitution constantly present to them. The predial slave has a home, whence he cannot . ba detruded, and an unfeeling master must provide for him when no longer able to labour. The Irish landlord consigns, without compunction, his worn nut labourer to the next friendly ditch, where typhus may relieve him from his misery. The owner of the predial slave has power with responsibility; the Irish landlord has power without responsibility. Mr. Stanley admitted that the state of the country was, as had been represented by the Hon. Member, most deplorable : but it originated in no religious or po litical feeling; it was the war of the lower classes against the higher—of the poor againq those who were possessed of property.—Morning Chronicle. • Some farther information was afforded last night with regard to the alterations in the Reform Bill, announced by Lord John Russell. The subject was first touched on by Mr. Western, who, on present . . . _ . ing a petition from the freehold e rs of Essex, took occasion to declare that he considered " the asivo cat( s of moderate Reform to be dangerous enemies, against whom the friends of Reform must be on their guard. He was for the whole Bill, and no- thing less than the Bill; and, therefore, he wus sorry to hear that the Noble Lord (Lord J.Russell) had announced an intention of altering the measure, though he was satisfied that the Noble Lord would make no alteration in the essential principle of the Bill." The essential principle of the Bill, as we yesterday observed, is the disfranchisement of the nomination and rotten boroughs, and the conversion of the representation from nominal to real. We could see nothing in the retaining the present num ber of Members or in the reducing them, which either way affected the principle, provided the suf frage was in no case bestowed in such a way as to change the representation from real to nominal. Si E. Sitgden, with that sort of spurious logic to which lawyers too often resort, endeavoured to stow that the principle of theßill was in the working of its detaik and the details being altered, therefore the principle wai altered. The principle of the Bill is in. some. of the details, but not in all of them. You may cut off a man's ears without affecting the principle of life, but you cannot cut off his head. You may, on dittenvering that one borough contained in 1821 more than two thousand inhabitants, allow it to re. turn one Member, and you may strike out another place, which you find in 1821 contaitie,l les s th an two thousand inhabitants, without affecting the prin ciple of the Bill; beet you cannot insert in the Bill, boroughs with less Than two thousand inhabitants, as having the franchise continued to them, or give a list of other boroughs with less than two thousand inhabitants, to whom the franchise shall he trans ferred, without affecting the principle of the Bill. Now it appears from what fell from Lord Althorp, that from some misapprehension or other, more has been made of the announcement of a readi ness not to reduce the number of English Members, than ought to have been made, and at all events that the Members not to be reduced are to he assigned to counties and populous places, in strict accordance with the principle of real representation. In fact, the discovery of errors in the lists renders it necessary that Ministers, in ordtr to be true to the rule of disfranchisement laid down by them, should have a fund to draw from—" Looking (said Lord Althorp), and having examined the returns with respect to some of the towns contained in them, the Govern ment had satisfied themselves that there were some errors in the calculations, and that it would, there fore, be necessary to make a slight addition to the number of the Members; but there was no intention to depart in the lea-t from the rule they had laid down to themselves and explained— namely, that if inaccuracies could be pointed out which would give ground for .exemption from dis franchisement, they were prepared to admit it. By these means the original number would be increased to a certain extent, but not so far as to embrace the whole number which they had thought it fit to take from the House. With respect to i his question of numbers, he was bound to say that the Government had never catisith red it to beartessential part of their Bill. They believed it, however, to be a great advantage to d:- minis!' the number of the Representatives of the Ilnuse, and they were determined to carry it if they could, although not to the extent they originally in tended. Supposing, however, that the House, on consideration, came to a decision not to diminish its Members, the Government would not think that such an inroad was made on the principle of the Bill as to induce them to throw it out.—(Hear, hear.) In that case they would be prepared to give the ad ditional Members to populous districts, but in no case to the disfranchised boroughs, as they would consider that a complete dereliction of the principle which they maintained in the Bill." It appears, then,. that Ministers will not of themselves add to the number of Members, but that in case such an addition is forced on them, they will make the best of it, by giving the Members to populous places, and not think of abandoning the Bill. Mr. O'Con- nell made a few pithy observations, which Sir Ed ward Sugden will hardly forget for some time. " The fact (he said) had gone forth. The Govern ment and the people were alike determined to put an end to their (tbe boroughmongera') traffic, and resistance would be useless. Objections might be taken to minor details; but the great, the paramount object of the people—th e destruction of the nomination boroughs—was not to be departed from; and art end was to be put for ever to that execrable system, by which the rights' of the People were bartered fur place, and justice it,,elf sold by those who were entrusted with the power to administer it. —(Hear.) )f : li t. : :y d s i p d t,einr n e, o h: t a.n r.: ,d ' e o n n der much that there were men ii still found who endeavour to lend their feeble aid in —(fleas)—who s w ea t) b tr y affi p e r k o ed mises in b o o f ro u u s g in h g s their influ,nee, when they ;ftra ae y the b sedethe destination of a judicial ' , ration, t o procur e traffic —(Hear)--and who 1 , , n proceed smt oft. would the be p ceding n a t h o e n c e o . costa one.—(hear.} election b The pre-nt an end to, and the House redeemed from the imputatina which now pressed so heavily on the character of its Nlernhe rs. —Morning Chronicle. It is greatly to be regretted that Ministers did not accede to the recommendation of the Select Com mittee on the Civil List,. to reduce the amount by 12,0001. The smallness of the sum thus recom mended for reduction proves that the Committee did not apply the pruning-knife in a very sweeping way to this large branch of State expenditure. The cutting off so small a sum could certainly have no sensible effect in relieving the burdens of the Country, but thesmaller it is the more easily could it be given up, while the obstinate refusal to part with it is calculated to shake the confidence of the tountry in the sincerity of the professions which Minkers have made on the subject of retrenchment and esonomy, Let it be recollected that it was ope n the question of this very Civil List that the late Ministry were turned out, and aat the members of the present Administration, who had then seats in the House of Commons, considered the Civil List so large that they insisted upon the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into its details, with a view to report upon what amount of reduction was practicable previously to its being submitted for the approbation of the House. The late Adminis tration opposed the appointment of a Select Coln initter, on the ground that they had framed the Civil List on the lowest possible estimates, and could not concur in sanctioning any reduction below the amount which they thought it necessary to pro pose to Parliament. They acted upon that determi nation. The House decided against them, the motion for the appointment of a Select Committee was car ried, and Ministers resigned. The present Ministers, after some time, introduced their own plan of a Civil List. The intricate confusion in which Mr. Goulburn's talent for converting finance into a sort of cabalistic art, had involved the subject, was got rid of. The new civil list presented, there fore, a superior arrangement, but as to amount, it was only a trifle under that of the late Ministers. It was submitted to a Select Committee, who, hav ing examined the details, reported to the House that it ought to Je reduced by the sum of 12,0004 — that is, that the sum of .510,0001., proposed to be granted out of the consolidated fund for the support of his Majesty's household, be reduced to 498,0001. This reduction was, of course, in reference to the large salaries which many officers of the household enjoy, and not in reference to the amount of the sum required for the more immediate maintenance of the dignity and personal comfort of the Sovereign. It should be borne in mind that the salaries of those officers, which were always liberal, or, we should rather say, munificent, have, by the change which " Peel's Bill" made in the value of the currency, become absolutely extravagant, and ought to be re duced in a much greater proportion than the Select Committee recommended. The Ministers, how ever, though they thought proper to submit their plum of a civil list to a Select Committee, have re fused to carry their recommendation into effect by reducing the amount one farthing. Why then sub ject it to the revision of a Select Committee at all ? Would it not have been more consistent to have acted as the former Ministers did, and refuse to submit it to a revision, which they were predetermined should have no results, and which must produce bitter disap pointment to the expectations of the country ? For this they have the insidious praise of Sir Robert Peel; and naturally enough, as he would rather see Ministers losing the confidence of the country than strengthening themselves in the support and affec tions of the people. He naturally imagines that every false step which Ministers take removes an obstacle between him and .a return to power, for which his " many cousins" must by this time be somewhat impatient. Mr. Goulburn has gone far ther than merely giving the Ministers treacherous praise ; on his..proposition, the sum of 510,000/. has been increased to 520,001., the Chancellor Of the Exchequer stating that he could have no objection. to the additional sum, if the House agreed to it. Thus Lot d Althorp fell into the trap which the most inefficient, but not the least cunning, of all finan ciers, most craftily laid for him. Thus the Civil List, instead of being diminished by 12,0001., has been augmented by 10,000/. But we hope, when this most objectionable vote is reported to the house, it will be opposed, by every Member who really wishes to deserve the good opinion of his constitu en ts, not with feeble protests and tame remon strances, ending in nothing, but with the uncom promising determination which the subject de mantis. It is the interest of Mr. Goulburn and the Ex-Ministers that the new Civil List should be equal in amount to the one proposed by themselves, because it would thereby appear that public opiniim and their opponents in Parliament had done them grievous wrong by charging them with having framed that memorable Civil List without any re gard to the considerations of retrenchment and economy. —Morning Herald. S 'CON 1) EDITION. SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock, PERIAL PA IMAM ENT THIS EVENING. iIOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. Fennell, from the Admiralty, brought up an ac. count of the number of Seamen in the Royal Hospitals. Lord STANLEY presented petitions from Warrington against negro rlavery ; from the Cotton Spinners of Lan cashire, praying that their hours of labour might be rt..- duced ; and from the Magistrates of Bolton-le-310m . , against the Beer Bill. EMANCIPATION OF THE JEWS. Mr. R. GRANT siid he would take that opportunity of saying, that in consequence of the all-absorbing question of Reform not being yet settled, that it was not his inten tion to bring forward his motion for the emancipation of the Jews, which stood for this evening ; but he postponed it until the sth of May. Lord STANLEY presented several petitions from places in Lancashire in favour of Reform. Mr. WYNNE presented a similar petition from Sligo. Sir GEORGE MURRAY presented a petition from the Presbytery of Scotland, praying that the elective franchise might be extended to them. The Right Hon. Baronet thought that if the measure of Reform was to he carried, more Members ought to be given to Scotland. It was quite unfair that large counties in Scotland were only to have a fourth share in returning a Member while • small counties in England had two, and in some eases even four. There were towns also in Scotland which contained from 20,000 to 30,000 inhabitants that were to remain totally unrepresented, whilst towns in Eng land, so:r:e containing only 4,005 ishabitants, were to return two Members.—(Hear, hear.) After some observations from Mr. ALEXANDER. HOPE, Mr. HART Davis, and Mr. ROBERT GRANT, the peti tition was ordered to be printed. A new Member took the oaths and his seat. Mr.. HUNT presented several petitions from Mao cheater and its suburbs in favour of Parliamentary Refoim. The petitioners stated that although they thought the pre sent plan of Reform would correct many of the existing grievances, yet in their opinion nothing short of universal suffrage and triennial Parliaments would satisfy the country. They hoped, however, for the reasons they had stated, the Bill might pass into a law. The Hon. Member en• tireiy.agmed wish the petitioners. Mr. O'CONNELL . in a speech of considerable length, charged' Mr. Hunt as an enemy to Reform, and accused him of having gone over to the Tories.—(Hear.) After a few observations from Mr. CAmrestr, and Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN, Sir H. HARDINGE said he did not believe that the measure of Parliamentary Reform was at all popular in the 'country. The Hon. Member for Waterford charged the Hon. Member for Preston with having gone over to the Tories. Now, he thOught that charge might be re t torted on the Hon. Member for Waterford, for he had decidedly gone over to the Whigs.—(Hear.) He did not wish then to enter into the question of Reform ; but he must say that, in his opinion, the p ro p erty o f the country was .strongly .oppoyd to it. Mr. KENNEDY. was confident the feeling of the c ountry was strongly in favour of Reform. M r . HUNT said, some time since the country ran wild about Reform, but he now was confident that a re-action had taken place.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.) This very day he had had two deputations waiting upon Dien to to take the chair at meetings abut to be called to express disapprobation - Of the plan of Reform.—(Hear, hear.) however, refused to do so; as he had quite enough to do in that House to defend himself from the attacks made upon bins by the Honourable Members of Caledonia on the one side, and Hibernia on the other. He certainly, speaking of the Honour- Member for Waterford, had used the term blarney ; and after the speech of „ the Hon. Member that evening, he thought the term was well applied.—(Laughter.) lie would boldly tell that Hon. Member to his face, both in the House and out of the House, that he bad openly trafficked with the Noble Marquis of Anglesea for the seat which Mr. Doherty lately occupied.—(Hear, hear.) Had the Hon. Member got that sent, there would have been no agitation in Ireland about the repeal of the Union. He charged him (Mr. H.) with being a sham reformer, and that he was a real cone. He denied the charge. He had always been a consistent Reformer. He had always contended for Universal Suffrage and Vote by Ballot. And he would alWays do so.—(Hear, hear.) He was only in favour of the present measure, because he thought if they obtained it, they should get more.—(Hear, hear.) He had lately attended a meeting in Somerset, which was unanimously ,of opinion that all Reform was useless, un less accompanied by vote by ballot. Mr. C. FERGUSON believed the Representation of th e counties of Scotland as pure as the Representation of any part of the united kingdom, and the Members returned by those counties were as independent in character and mind as an y individuals in existence. Should the Bill piss, be for one did not believe that the representative state of Scotland would be very much changed. He felt satisfied that throughout Scotland there was no differentce of opi opinion respecting the principle of the proposed Bill thought there might be great differences of opinion as to iti details. Sir G. WARRENDER haul had communications from some of the best informed persons in Scotlnd on the sub ject of the proposed measure, and without entering into the question of how many meetings had been called, and of how many persons had voted at those meetings in favour, and how many against the Bill, he was happy in being allowed to take thus the earliest opportunity of avowing the degree of change which had taken place in his mind respecting the Bill, as it affected Scotland, namely, that a popular election must take place there.—(Loud cheers.) Now, as a Scotchman, ha frankly avowed that the present system of sending Members to Parliament in Scotland could now no longer exist. He begged, how ever, to tell the Noble Lord opposite that lie should differ most materially with him upon many important details in the Bill; most materially should he oppose the disfran ebbing of any place whatever either in England or else where. With many other Scotch gentlemen he made con .iderable sacrifice in making the concession he now did in respect to calling for popular elections in Scotland ; but he made the sacrifice cheerfully, because he was now per suaded that the benefit of his country required it. An Hoe. MesteEn, whose name we could not ast.er tain, considered that the introduction of this Bill was a most hex irdous and dangerous speculation as regarded Scotland; and that those who had thus brought forward such a speculative measure might yet deeply regret their conduct: Mr. O'CONNELL denied that Mr. Benett could ever have made such a statement as that mentioned by the lion. Member for Preston. Lord WILLIAM GRAHAM presented a petition from Dumbarton against the Reform The LORD ADVOCATE said it was rigl.t the House should be informed that although this petition was got up by a very respectable meeting, regularly convened, it was only signed by thirty-two individuals, and that there was a counter-petition on the road, much more numerously signed. Lord W. GRAHAM sail there was double the number of freeholders who signed his petition than those who signed the counter one. Mr. H. DOUGLAS thought that as every person he came acquainled with the Bill, they would all be anxious to enter their objections against it. Mr. KENNEDY was convinced that the feeling throughout Scotland was decidedly in favour of the measure, and said that at all the meetings convened, learcely more thantwenty or thirty ever signed the petition against Reform. Sir G. HURRAH was of opinion that the general feeling, in Scotland was against the measure. Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH could not help making a few observations in consequence of something that had fallen from hie lion. Friend the Gallant Officer opposite. He thought his Hon. and Gallant Friend (Sir G. Murray) had shown his jadgment, and the integrity of that judgment, in admitting that the representation of Scotland was the least tenable part of the Constitution, though he had not made his admission in such express terms. He was a little surprkel at the reference that had been made to Sir Thomas Bridale's lett, r, with respect to showing which of the two meetings in the county of Rox burgh were the most numerous. Sir Thomas was a person whom he (Sir James Mackintosh) had a very par ticular respect for, and that lie had changed his opinions after he had been for some time Chairman at the second nutting was of no sort of importance in comparison to the value of the two meetings, because Sir Thomas went to preside there, knowing perfectly that the first meeting had been held, and he could in no way have shewn more distinctly his impression that the state of the county had not been taken when the second meeting was called than he did by taking the chair.—(Cries of Hear, hear.) His firm opinion was that the middle class of persons in Scotland was still decidedly in favou of Parliamentary Reform, and he was persuaded that a meeting of freeholders might be held in Scotland at which twenty acres of land relight not he represented, so greatly were the freeholders separated from the landowners. —(Hear, hear,) Scotlind at this moment possessed no free Governmeat. The Parliamentary representation was nothing like what it ought to have been. Scotland never had had that security in her Parliamentary representation Which justice demanded, and which the present measure was calculated to confer upon her. There Was a medium of representation required, neither was universal suffrage advocated by those who wished well to Scotland, or did they desire to have the present system continued. Sir G. CLERK could not conceive how the Hon. Gentleman just sat down could be found to support a Bill which was, according to what he had stated, to give to Scotland a similar representation to that to which Eng land had heretofore been, and which, was n ow e a muc h deprecated as it regarded England, but under which both England and Scotland had prosperered. The meetings that had taken place in Scotland against the proposed measure must be admitted to have been attended by persons who could make it convenient to attend, and li•ho were capable of taking part in the discussions. At the meeting which bad taken place in favour of the Bill and which had been called the more numerous meeting, it was well known that only one side could obtain a hear. 'ing. He did not see bow any Honourable Member who was at all acquainted with the state of feeling . in Scot land, co u ld d eny t h a t by f a r the greater proportion of land. proprietors were against the measure. As to its being said that the same persons had gone from county to county and called meetings to petition against the measure, In, should be glad to know if those who had presented pe titions in favour of Reform, had not appeared in 20 or 30 dirtelent characters. With respect also to the disturbances which had already taken place in Scotland, and particularly in Edinbnrgh, in consequence of the introduction of this measure, he regarded those as discreditable to Edinburgh, and hoped the Noble Lord opposite would take all the care in hi■ power to prevent a repetition of the excesses there. He believed that almost every indi vidual were of opinion that if this Bill passed, no great length of time would elapse ere every individual would enjoy the right of elective franchise. Mr. CUTLER FERGUSSON had said last night that he believed the population of the three kingdoms was in favour of Reform ; he would repeat that he be lieved such to be the tact. But they were not in favour of that sweeping plan of Reform which was introduced by his Majesty's Government.—(Hear.) — They agreed in the principle, but objected to the detains. ea l - le o f h o t r 7iine i ( t l m' R - e a f i or h r e n w tl h re o y of th l l eal vou th id e obtain cheap bread, and their hours of labour would be less. I people fthe l et to believe, any e t n h e a n t i f No such results could be anticipated. But he believed that if a proper Reform was carried it would he the means o f preventing a number of useless wars, and put a stop to wastful expenditure.--(Hear, hear.) An Honourable Member had said that the Hon. Member for Preston had presented a petition complaining, of the plan of Reform. Now he only wialied to call the attention of the House to the date of that petition. It was dated 4th March, which was before the plan of Reform could, by possibility have been known. :-. Mr. O'CONNELL denied that he had ever trafficked ;w ith the Marquis of An g lesea for a seat in that House ; fmore un fi funded thaw had - never been -brought rward. The Hon. Member for Preston might ,think of him as he:please;d ;-- bit be (Mr. O'Connell) :would never -believe That the Hon.. .Igenibcr.wa,s a sinc e r e friend to Reform. .Mr. HUNT would contenetlyo a .reformed House of Commons, freely chosen by the piople, would abolish that great pest the Corn Bill--(Hear, hear),—and eonsequebtly i bread would be cheaper, but if this plan of Reform were carried, the Corn Bill would be perpetuated for aver. A Reformad . Parliament would not vote away the public money at 2 o'clock in the morning, when only 20 members were present. The Hon.: Member then repented his charges against Mr. O'Connell having trafficked with the Marquis of Anglesea for a seat. His authority was Mr. Benett.— ( Hear.) Mr. HUME did not believe there were two hundred thousand people in the kingdom but what were favourable ro Reform, Colonel BAILEY was decidedly favourable to the mea sure. A great deal had been said in that House respect ing the state of the elective franchise in the counties of Scotland. He begged to say, he had a vote in one of the countie., founded not in a right of his property, which he himself owned, but in what—h e did not know how exactly to describe it—in virtue of superiority—a right over the lands of others; while in another county, where he had landed property, be had no share whatever in the elective franchise.—(Hear.) General GASCOYNE deprecated strongly the vacil lating character shown by the Nob!e Eo.ul who bad brought in the Bill, and woulp take the opportunity to ask what method his Majasty's Ministers intended to pursue. To go into Committee immediately was posi. tively impossible, without some previous examination into the nature of which the House had heard so much, but understood so little. Was that house to be called upon to immediately decide the question, without an opportu nity for due deliberation, after the alterations had been explained. LordJOHN RUSSELL could only say that on Monday he should make the statements that he had previously promised, with regard to any alterations proposed by his Majesty's Ministerf in the Bill; and when the Hou,e had heard his statements, it might be better enabled to decide what course should thereafter be pursued.—(Hear, hear ) Mr. FANE said when he considered the principle of the Bill great suspicious were unavoidably excited in his mind. The principle of the Bill was traffic in the suffrage of the people of England—to sell one man to buy another, to sell one country to buy two—to induce &titian,' and Ireland nationally to support the Bill, by adding to their represen tations by subtraction from the reps esentatives of England. lie considered that alternative a natiodal insult to the United Kingdom. (LEFT SITTING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The Loan CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack, at Five o'clock. Sir ALEXANDER GRANT and other Members of the House of Commons brought up the Indemnity Bill, and several private bills. _ _ Mr. Wancle, from the Commissioners for building churches. presented papers. The Earl of MAISIESBURY moved for returns of the number of lire, sus granted under the New Beer Bill, and the quantity of malt on which the duty had been paid. The LORD CHANCELLOR thought there could be no objection to the motion of the Noble Lind, and acknowledged that many evils arose in differrnt pdrts of the country, in consequence of e e operaticn of this Bill, he considered them only cf a local nature, but thought that the short discussion which had taken place would shew those parts of the country where the grievances existed, that a watchful eye was placed over their conduct, and would lead to the entire abolition o' the abuse coniplaine,i of. (LEFT SPEAKING.) THE MARKETS. COAL MARE Adair's 21s. Od Beaurnnnt 23 0 Bentham Main 21 6 Dean's Printr05e«.......... 23 0 24 6 Killingworth 26 0 Newburn 24 6 Ord's Redhugh --,. 22 0 Pontop Windsor..—.., 22 0 Shipcote , 22 0 l'autieht 24 3 23 3 Willington Wylain 24 0 Walls End Bell and Co. 26 9 Ditto Bell ItoL•son & Co. 26 0 Walls End Bewicke& (70. 29 3 Walls End Boundary 24 0 Ditto Burraton 26 0 Walls ETA Ca11ert0n....,.. 21 6 Walls End Carr and Co. 21, 6 ',hips at market, 153—Ship) ET.—April 13 Walls End Gosforth...... 29s Od. i)itto Clarke and C 0... 21 Di to Cranilineton....... 23 0 Walls End Hilda -- 25 0 Ditto reshipped,.,,....,. 21 0 Walls End Newinareti— '26 6 Ilitto Northumberland 26 3 Ditto 0 Ditto Perkins and Co..— .25 9 Walls End Russell's.... 29 0 Walls End Main --. 20 6 Walls End 1 2$ Walla End Stewart's 31 0 Ditto Russell's Lyon's.. 28 6 Ditto South Durham— 23 6 Cowpen .-25 0 Hartley ••••••••.........e.or 26 6 Llangennech Coal ..... 35 0 Wall's End Elgin 24 0 TantieldTrader '23 9 Callerton small ---. 17 0 ',old. 304—Untold, 122%. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. G UILDHALL. Mr. Miller, the assistant-overseer of St. Se pulchre's, attended yesterday before Sir PETER LAURIE, to answer the complaint of Mary Curtis, a decent-looking young woman, for refusing to re lieve her. Mr. Miller produced her husband, a shoemaker, in Hosier-lane, to explain why he suffered her to be chargeable. The husband said his objection was, that she had been guilty of adultery. Sir PETER LAURIE inviting him to give some ac count of the matter, The husband stated that their acquaintance began with her ordering some boots and shoes at his shop. They were married about twenty months ago, and her friends in Cambridgeshire invited him to spend a few days with them. He sent his wife down first, and when he followed it happened that his fel low-travellers in the coach, some of them Collegians, were acquainted with the family he was about to visit, and the conversation turned upon the young woman he had married, which fact, however, he did not disclose to the narrators. As the coach-wheels went round, he heard things which made his ears tingle, but he smothered his feelings, was very kindly treated by his wife's relatives, and brought her back to London. By diligence, he discovered that a gentleman, in Paternoster-row, corresponded with his wife by addressing letters to one of his lodgers, and putting a private mark on the direc tion ; and upon making this discovery known, his lodger and his Ivife immediately left him. lie was satisfied he should establish the adultery. Sir PETER LAURIE begged him to be cool ; he seemed to be violently excited, and he thought he was labouring under a delusion. He knew the gentleman alluded to, and he believed him to be too good and too prudent to be guilty of any improper conduct. He was one of the last men he should sus pect of so offending, and he ought to punish him (Curtis) for this defamation. Curtis replied it was no defamation, for the facts would be established in a few days. The wife said, the charge of adultery was quite unfounded. She became acquainted with Mr. - by living, when a girl, with a relation who kept an inn in the country, to which he sometimes resorted in the shooting season. Some time after her mar riage her husband used her ill, and she took the liberty of soliciting Mr. —'s advice, and had an interview with him at a friend's—a Mrs. May's, in bride-lane; but Mrs. May was present the whole of the time, and she did not go to the door with him, and this was the onlyoccasion on which she had seen him since her marriage. She denied that she had absconded from her husband. They parted by con sent at Michaelmas, and from that time till Lady day she lived in respectable service at Westminster, but becoming ill she required assistanc e from her husband. He had refused to receive her, and she was therefore compelled to throw herself on the parish. The husband asked her if Mr. --- did wit also visit her at Barkwell, and give her a new Pair of silk stockings, and fit on a pair of new garters. ‘rhich so affected her that she fell backwards.—The ,wife said, indignantly, nothing of the kind had oc curred. The husband said that appearances were occa sionally deceitful. There was his wife, for instance. She was a most pious woman of the Methodist con nexion, and constant in her attendance at all the prayer-meetings and love feasts of the society. PETER'S impression still was that he was !nis i tak en. - The husband said he should be satisfied if such should be the opinion a the twelve honest men before whom the case would be brought.--to go to 'worth scarcely as many pence as Mr. pos: Ises4ed thousands, would not have ven t ured law with him, except upon clear grounds, and he would rather rot in gaol than give his wife a button (top. His object in commenc i ng tbe'aetion was not to get damages, but to get rid of a Sir PRTEg LAURIE said he had no idea of com elling him to receive her. All he was asked to do was to reimburse the parish any reasonable sums it might advance to the wife for her maintenance; and as he, being well able to support her, - had refused to do so, and had omitted to produce legal proof ofher having committed adultery, it was in the - power of the Magistrate to commit him instantly to well. He should nor, however, treat him with se verity, but recommend the parish to make advarices to the wife for a reasonable time, and if they were not repaid upon demand, he would readily grant a warrant for his apprehension on a future day. The wife intimated that she believed her husband had been guilty of bigamy by marrying her while hit first wife was living. The husband defied her to prove this charge, and the parties retired after some desultory conversation. ITALY. (From the Private Correspondence of the . Times.) ANCONA, MAUCH 26.—1 n consequence of the occupa, tion of part of the United Italian Provinces by the Austrian troops, and the declaration of their Commander that he intended to take possession of the rem fining pro vinces, the parsons who had assumed the Provisional Government of those provinces, finding themselves .in volved in an unequal and hopeless contest, thought it advisable to make propositions, with the view of sparing the effusion of blood, and guarding against further dis orders. They accordingly deputed General Armandi, Count Cesar Bianchetti, and two others, to treat with Cardinal Benvenuti, the Pope's Legate-a-latere. The negociation soon terminated in restoring the provinces (in the words of the treaty) " to the arms of the Holy Father." The following are the conditions:— " 1. The Members of the Provisional Government of ' the United Italian Provinces surrender the Government of all the provinces at present occupied by national troops into the hands of Cardinal Benvenuti, who receives the same in the name of the Holy See. " 2. The Cardinal pledges his sacred word that no in dividual in the Pontifical State, of whatever class or con dition, shall be prosecuted, molested, or in any way troubled, in person or property, on account of past con duct or political opinions. "3. The Cardinal also promises, on his sacred word, that his Holiness will allow to all foreigners, who have in any way taken part in the revolution, the period of a fortnight to depart, unmolested, with their property, from the Papal territory; and that for this purpose passports will be given gratis to all such persons. . " 4. The Cardinal 6rther pledges his sacred word, that all the civil officers and placemen, employed and in pay on the 4th of February, throughout the provinces, shall sustain no injury in their rights on account of their having served the Provisional Government, or of taking • part in the revolt. " 5. With regard to the militia and -the troops of the line of every description they are to resume the Pontifical cockade, on notification given by the Cardinal, and will be continued in the service. " 6. Passports to be given gr ails, if desired, for any foreign country, to any of the persons included under Articles 2,4, 5, if demanded within the period - of a fortnight. " 7. As soon as the present document shall be signed, and the surrender stipulated in the first article com pleted, orders will be transmitted to the Pontifical army to suspend hostilities, and to grant a ten days' truce to the revolted troops. "S. The members of the Provisional Government shall transmit orders to the superior officers of their troops for the execution of the articles agreed to. " 9. The Cardinal will, on his part, interpose his good offices with the Commander of the vanguard of the Au,. trim troops to grant sufficient time to the troops of the Provisional Government, to prevent licentiousness and pres,rve order. " 10. The Provisional Government wilt give due or ders to the national troops to lay down their aims, and in the mean time to take up such positions as the Austrian Commander may point out. " 11. The national troops and volunteers, who are to be disbanded, shall receive a written route, assuring them provisions, and the expenses of their journey tO their homes. 12. Whoever shall contravene these conditions, or *hall not obey the ostlers issued in conformity therewith, besides being responsible for such contravention, shall not enjoy the advantage conceded, and shall be unworthy of the So vereign clemency." Three original copies of the above document were signed--nne for the Cardinal, a second fur the President of the Provisional Government, and the third for the De puties who negotiated with the Cardinal. These copies being delivered to the respective parties, the Members of the Provisional Government made a formal resignation of their authority to Cardinal Benvenuti. We have received from Ancona a document, which taken in connection with the treaty between the Provisional Gwernment and the Pope's Legate, of which we gave a n account in our paper of yesterday, is of considerable im portance. It appears that the leaders of the revolution in the Papal Sates consider themselves betrayed by Franee, which, after asserting the principle of non-interference, has suffered it to be violated by Austria. The publica tion of the following notification, and the treaty in our last, will supply the opposition p irty in France with fresh arms against the Government of Louis Philippe, for that Government will not find it easy to persuade the people that it has not been eittser the dupe or the accomplice of Metternich in this affair. Our own firm belief is, that Sebtstiani has been cajoled by the Austrian Minister. NOTIFICATION BY TILE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED ITALIAN PROVINCES. " A principle proclaimed by a great nation, which had solemnly promised not to permit its violation lay any Euro pean power, and the declaration of guarantee given by a Minister of that nation, induced us to second the move mznt of the people of these provinces. All (Air efforts were directed to the far from easy task of maintaining order, amid.t the agitation of an insurrection; and we experienced a pleasure most grateful to our hearts, in seeing the revo lution conducted with all the tranquillity of a constitu tional government, and without shedding a single drop of blood. " But the violation of this principle, consented to by the nation which had promulgated and guaranteed it, the im possibility of resisting a great Power which has already occupied part of the provinces with an armed force, and • our wish to prevent bloodshed and disorder, are the cir cumstances which have induced us, with a view to the public safety, which ought always to be the supreme law of every state, to treat with his Eminence the most fter. C Gan Antonio Benevenuti, Legate-a-latere of his Holiness Gregory XVI., and to resign to him the govern ment of these provinces, which has been accepted by his Eminence under the subjoined conditions. " GIOVANNI VICINL " President of the Provisional Government." " Ancona, March 26." " The House Painter's and Colourman's Guide," by P. F. TINGRY, Professor of Chemistry, the Third Editiqn of which is just published by Sitsnwoon and Co., contains mere practical information for preparing Colon's, with full instructions for their application to the different kinds of Paint, than any work hitherto published, and will be found a most valuable arquisitioa, not only to the young artist, but also to Carpenters, Ship Builders, Brewers, Distillers, Farmers, and all persons occupying extensive out-buildings, who have a handy labouring man in their employ, as ley adopting the instructions given by Mr. TINCRY, every man may become his own Painter,• and thereby ensure a raving of 50 per cent., and have the pleasure of seeing his premises always preserved from the weather, and always in good trim. BIRTHS. On the ith inst. at Market Marborough, the Hon. Mrs. Wu de Capell Brooke of a son. On the 13th inst. at the Fort, Gravesend, the lady of Captain Ord, ILE, of a daughter. On the Bth inst. in Stephen's-green, Dublin, the lady of Sic G. Booth, Bart., of a eon anu heir. MARRIED. On the 13th inst. at Fulham, W. B. Lund, o f Hamp. stead, to Magdalen, sixth daughter of the late G. Gillow, Esq., En 'Hammersmith. On the P..`th inst. at Iver Church, Lieut—Colonel Bridger, C.B. to Jane, fourth daughter of J. Copeland, Esq., of Iver, Bucks. On the 13th inst. at Islington, Mr. It. Witherby, of Canon. bury-square, to Susannah, eldest daughter of C. Payne, Esq. 01" Ilighbury.place. On the 12th inst. at the Hon. Mrs. Burrowes' house, in Hill street, his Excellency Baron de Letts, Minister Plenipotentiary to his Majesty the King of Bavaria, to Elizabeth :Catherine, only daughter of the late Colonel Burrowes, of lien_ Ran Castle, and grand-daughter to Lord Decies, late Archbishop pf Tuam. DIED. On the 11th inst. at Sandgate, Augusta Charlotte Emma, the anfant daughter of Colonel Wynyard, Grenadier Guards. On the daughter I ,ll : fin i e t tty l se i i ti t rii st :etst . :.tv al aA t g( l l.: e idce r Her efo rd-street, years. .s t t r r a e h e , t hxt, Augusta ife Mary, 3ir. youngest nios Ott the 13th inst. Henry, youngest son of J. Keene, Es 1., of h e of On the 12th inst. at Beading, in her 85th year, Mrs. Phu be Davis, relict of the late Mr. Nathaniel l'hiliPs". i On the — Lever, of King-street, Cheapside, in the 44th year of her age. ;PRINTED SUN OFricii, 111.2, STRAND, LONDON. T, COO Ala of tot all vi Ezci to b man th e I gent that t.nucl a col fr om Cony inter kccid da rt] 6 Peci P eop lAA, petti