The Sun. — London, England, 1842-02-22 00:00:00

t r y, said, "we ask for no protection at all ?" (Cheers.) That was a fair statement of the question. Oh, but they thought that protection should be given to agriculture. He wanted to know what was the meaning of those three words, •• Protection to agriculture ?" Did they mean protection to their mansions, parks of deer, race-horses, dog-kennels, and packs of hounds ?—( Cries of " Hear, hear," and laughter.) Did they mean protection with reference to the superior ad vantages which they had enjoyed—that portion of those who miscalled themselves agriculturists, who lived in a state of idleness, merely on the receipt of rent ? Did they mean pro tection to the labourer, who had got is. a week? Was it protection to him? Was it protection to his miserable mud lee el ? Was it protection to his destitution ?—( Hear, hfar.) Ile contendeu that the agricultural labourers of this country were in a miserable, a deplorable condition, ' notwith standing their Corn-law.—(" No, no," from the Mints tenet benches .) The agricultural labourers of the west of lieglan i—he had been there letely—bad but 6s. and is. a week. They had no more.—( Hear, hear.) They had heard it stated in that House what was the condition of the mechanic, what was the condition of the workmen m their factories. They heard that they wanted employment, and that they were ie a state of destitution.—( Hear, hear.) What was the remedy proposed ? Had they a remedy ? None. NIA a single re medy was yet proposed for the destitution of the people of this country. And now, what had been the course of their legisla tioo? They had taken away protection from the manufacturers ; they had been taking that course now since 1824. Did they not think that they had commenced at the wrong end ? ( Hear, hear.) They should have begun with food, the staple articles of life ; but by the legislation whcih they had pursued, they had brought on the misery and destitution of the peop'e rat this coun:r se What did they proclaim to the people of this hind by the Poor-law ? They said, "If you become poor and destitute, we will put you in gaol —y ou s h a ll b e on a gaol altov,anec."—( Hear, hear.) And what did they say by the torn-law? That they vs, uld not give them the best oppor tuisity of exercising their abilities to procure for them selves bread.—( Hear, hear, hear.) That was their course of legislation. Why, it was a mad course ; it was one so fraught with folly and danger, that every institutiotkaf- this country at the present moment was in a - state - oftisWurity. Hear, hear.) They knew not what was the temper of the people out of that Howe, they knew not what was the feverish state of the public mind ; and he for one con curred with those of the millions who had not joined the Corns, law League, but who had said that there was no remedy but in remodelling the constitution of the House of Commons. He approved of the conduct of those men. They had borne their sutfer.nes nobly ; they had fought the battle manfully; the; knew ;here the source of the evil was ; and they were for ap plying an appropriate remedy. Why, in that discussion, the arguments which were employed, would really lead them to believe that the landed proprietors of this country were great sufferers under the present state of things, that they were a very persecuted race of men, that they underwent privations, and that they we'll' monstrously oppressed with burdens, Think of the 'ourdens ? There were poor.- rates ? Well, what would , t h ey d o ? W ou ld t h ey have the poor starve ? Had not too poor rights of maintenance in a country where they 7i 4- e horn—where they had committed no crime—where they 'sere willing to toil? In the, Christian spirit 'hi" ought to -.ctuate them, did they call thai a burden—the maintenals.::, of the poor? It ought to be a pleasure to them. Why "bsitkrines the privileges they enjoyed, considering the pleasures tlw r ir estates conferred, it ought to be the greatest pleasure to re "lieve the destitute, and to see that there was no man who wanted bread. Highway-rates would they be able to take their pleasure if they had not good roads ? Was it not for their profit and advantage that there should be good roads? What nonsense it was to call that a burden ! It was the best investment of their capital. What would be the value of a form if there were ne ~,is to it ?—( Hear, hear.) Well, then, what was the next burden ? This complaint, he confessed, slid .snrptise hire. The tithes ! What ! the advocates of the Established Church regard the tithes as a burden ? It was isetsossible, 'What were the burdens, the odious burdens, that they wanted to shake off, a grievous load upon their backs and their energies? What ! the tithes a burden? why, it was an abomination—( Great laughter)—he fancied the Tithe Bill was doomed—he thought the Tithe Commutation Act was in 3 fair way for being soon repealed.—( Continued laughter,) Now, with reference to that Act, he recollected that whenit etas before the House he uttered not a word against it, It dealt with tithe property as public property, and with that recognition in the Legislature, he thought it would be rather 'unwise to try to depreciate that property by lessening its plan thy or diminishing its value. An Act of Parliament had dealt with ,it, the Legislature had treated it as a thing which belonged, to the public.—( Hear, hear.) He supposed the pub lic might now deal with it. At all events, never did he expect to have the advocates of the Established Church, the Protestant Church of this country, contend that the tithe was such a burden that it would not be spoken of, except with regret, and pain, and almost horror. Now, under these circumstances, and in the present aspect of affairs, what was their hope ? He was sorry that he did not see this Right Honourable Baronet in his place, because since he had left that side of the House, the Right Hon. Bart. had been going the wrong way very fast.—(Laughter from both sides of the Honse.) He was afraid, if he did not improve in the course which he pursued, he would not be in office long enough to get gent'emen on that side of the House in a very virtuous way. Having been in a state of plethora from over-official feeding, he wanted now to starve them into something good. It was impossible for him (Mr. W.) to know what would be the course of events in that House, but he' knew that 'those who belonged to the Radical party in that House were placed now in a very pleasant position. That party had no advocates in tke daily press. They were misrepresented, maligned, abused.—(Hear.) However, it was some good' for a public man to be abused, for it was a proof he was worth something.—(Hear.) But what had been the course of events during the last year? Twelve months since, the Whigs when - in offiee, made certain proposals to the House. lion. Gentlemen on the opposite side disapproved not only of the proposals, but the men ; they Said they would have neither, and the Whigs were tusnea out. He (Mr. W.) wanted to know what they were likely to gain or obtain by the change. He remembered the proposal made by the Whig Chancellor of the Exchequer involved a question with refer ence to the revenue, and the main point of his proposal was, that there should be an increase of revenue by a reduction of taxation. Now that the public had not forgotten. There was • to be an increase of the revenue by lessening the burdens of the people. —( Opposition cheers.) They had a powerful Ad ministration at the present moment, and what was the first proposal they had got ? To continue the duty on corn—to continue the duty upon the food of the people. That was the first proposal, and he could not refrain from expressing his flisapprobation of that proposal being brought forward singly. s' He did not think it was treating the House with lair ,' rim, and that in the entire absence of the other proposals which the Right Honourable Baronet had to snake, in an utter absence of knowledge ,:of those pro posals, he did not think they were prepared to discuss the pre sent question with advantage to the public. Presently the House would be committed to this question.. It would be decided by a large majority that the scale which the Right Hon. Baronet had proposed should be adopted. What might be the next proposal? Probably an increase of taxation spread over the surface of the land, and reaching to the poorest work men in this country. Ile (Mr. Wakley) did not know that such 'would be the case, but he feared it might happen. With respect to the present proposal of the Right Hon. Baronet, he (Mr. Wakley) was free to confess that it was an improvement on the present system. There could be no doubt entertained on the subject ; but at the same time, remembering that the try had been that the price of food was too high—that you bad unjustly laid duties on the importation of foreign corn ; he was bound to state—he did not hesitate to prophecy, that on an average of years the scaleof the Right Hon. aronetwould not reduce the price of wheat in this country one sixpence per quarter. On that subject he felt perfectly confident, but then Hon. Gentleman opposite considered that it was a sacrifice of t 0 per cent. brought on the landed interest, and even one lion. Gentleman proposed to increase the duty. He (Mr. W.) would be curious to learn what reduction in rents +would take place in consequence of the proposed scale.. It would be a curious fact to investigate. Of course, the far mers would go to the landlords, and say, " You voted for the present scheme, admitting that it was a sacrifice of 20 per cent. to the landed interest. Now we claim of you a reduction of 20 per cent in the rent." He (Mr. W.) would ask, could such a demand be refused? could it in any justice be refuted, if the lion. Gentlemen were sincere in their assertions? But to go back tothe history of their proceeding; havinc , resolved not to have the late Administration, the House had got its successor. Let them compare the proposals of the two. lie would ask which of the proposals sow made were calculated to satisfy the public ? Was it in any respect of a nature to in sure the public that they would have relief from those burdens which pressed so heavily upon them ? The proposal did not hold out the slightest prospect of that; on the contrary, the t rade; of the country would be fettered as severely as at the pre sent moment. ".1 . he new scale would only produce a more re gular trade in corn, without any reduction of price. The consequence would be that our manufac turers would be labouring under the same difficulties as hitherto, there would be uo reduction of burdens extended to the people. Then what hope, he asked, had persons out of doors that any relief would be applied to them ? If the landed interest were, as stated, suffering under burdens which mainly pressed upon agriculture, and was peculiar to it, let them thee, as tho Hon. Member for Bath said, buy them off; relieve them of those burdens—set the trade of the country free. That had been the recommendation of the Hon. Gentleman. it was a recommendation based on common sense, and on a correct view of the question under discussion. It showed at my rate that there was one in the House who understood it ; but lie (Mr. Wakley) feared that although that was thoroughly understood by many others, they had not the courage to apply the proper remedy. Why, the miserable, the slightest burdens that pressed upon the agricultural interests were sought to be relieved. It was quite clear that the agricultu riss had had the kind consideration of the Legislature. Mil lions had been extracted from the people, in consequence of the tax upon corn, and never could be refunded to the plundered par ties. It was impossible. Millions had gone down to the grave in destitution and misery in consequence of the unjust laws which the House had imposed. The Hon. Member for Pon tefract complained of class egislation. What was it but special legislation, as if the parties who had made these laws had done so for their own benefit, and in opposition to the best interests of the community ? Could it be denied that the laws were so constructed? No man who reflected for a mom en t u p o n the Corn-laws, could entertain an opposite opinion. They appeared to have a never ceasing tendency against the industry of this country. There was no relief from the operation of the pressure. It was invariabl e , never ceas ing, never en di ng , ever l ast i ng l y ° peratitig to the disadvantage not only of this country, b u t o f all the markets in the world. What had the working man to dis . P°se of but his labour? What other prospect had he to mai ntain himself with? and yet being destitute of every other mean would e every other property, they said they control of it as they thought proper. —( fetter eah ear ' s Whatever his skill, energy, and in dustry accompli s : h ) e i nor should he pur ch a se be should not sell in the best market, in I , : i s i e food at the cheapest rate. Such was the language they addressed the poor man. It was the master evil of the tilt , peop l„ f Enalan :orld. It was the landlord's curse upon but the people of En gland were be coming too wise anti too sensible to endure it. He would tell Honourable Gentlemen opposite they were straining the rope too tight. The y seemed really to have lost their common sense upon t hi s , question—What has m a d e ct. He would put to them this simple the land so saluable in this country ? What but manufapcatireins.kinßefore manufactures were introduced, was not rent , d? —were not their tenants the merest serfs that ever eat, ted . id not the dom de vo l ve _ upon the land:' That main tenanceof e very institution in the king That was the case ift the ancient time. Then his rents be came a penny, and then Cid. an acre. Now they amount to a thousand, and what was this owing to ? To the bringin g the wealth of the world to this country, in eonsequeneeo the s k ill of and industry of its people. What was the reward of those l He (Mr. NV.) almost blushed to think of the manner ir v o irta the people of this country were treated by the Engli sh" aristocracy. He hoped it was not attributable to any selfish or sordid feeling, but to ignorance, and to ignorance alone of what their own duty was, and what the condition of the people. If they knew the sufferings ~`the people, arid the pleasure they themselves would derive front seeing the entire country happy and prosperous, he could not believe they would persevere in such an unjust !Ad . foolish course of legislation. It was very unpleasant to s peak to interested parties in that House, with feelings of rn" t ~., because he felt that Hon. M b . mooted em ers were corn upon for the - . that a inblage. . tone and manner in which they addressed 260,000 ofla~e, th e i Ze ti f t l a lr. Wakley) was the representative of His eonstituent s sent ui.inttoof that north of this metropolis. House to demand justice in return for the allegiance which they owed to the Crown, and se the duties they discharged as good citizens. These men told him that they should employ passive resistance in opposition to the course that that House was adopting. They told him that they would not willingly any loner yield passive obedience to the will of that House, so long as it was constituted as it now was. They demanded for the working people of this country the right of representing their country. 'I hey denied that the people were represented in the House. They alleged that the Reform Act had had ten years' trial and had failed, and` they demanded a reform of the Act. He (Mr. Wakley) thought that they were wise. and exercised a sound sense and di3cretion in making that demand. He for one did not hesitate to tell them from that place that in his belief every attempt to remedy existing evils, or apply the axe to the root of the -tree of corruption, was utterly useless, unless it was applied in • that quarter. His beliel was that there could be no remedy for the national grievances, the system of injustice pursued, whilst the House of Commons was constituted as it now was, elected by persons who did not represent the feelings of the mass of the community. When he heard Hon. Gentlemen opposite' talk of the landed interest and the farmers as though the farmers were the dearest friend and most estimable of crea tures in the world, he (Mr. W.) would ask the landed proprietors in that House what their conduct was towards the farmers when the latter merely wished to exercise their own uncontrolled judgment in the elections of those who represent them? Why, when the farmers asked for the Ballot did they say / no change was necessary? Why did they refuse him protection when he was desirous of enjoying the free exercise of the rights of a free-born Englishman ?—(Cheers.) They knew that the farmers' votes were controlled by the land lords. It was well known that the landlord could command as many votes as he had tenants. Under such a system hors could they be surprised that all their legislation was for the benefit of the landlords ? It was the grossest folly on the part of the landed proprietors to act as they had been acting, and they would eventually discover how blind they had been to their On a true interests. The Right Hon. Baronet on taking office had led them to expect that something great was to be done He (Mr. Wakley) had been one of the first who bad said that the Right Hon. Gentleman ought to have time if he were not then prepared with his measures. The time had now arrived, 1 more than seven months bad elapsed since the Right Hon. Gentleman had taken office, and these were all the proposal , he had to make to the House. He believed the Right Honourable Gentleman had the capacity and the will to ren der great. services to the country.—(Ministerial cheers ) But he also believed that the Right Hon. Gentleman was sur rounded by those who would not allow him to exercise his own and better judgment. History would record of the, i Right Hon. Baronet that he had greater means of benefiting his country placed at his command than had everbeen placed at the command of any other statesman; that he had been entrusted to wield the power of the mightiest nation in the world ; had the proudest aristocracy to support him, and the energies of the j noblest people on the earth to assist him in carrying out any 1 measures he might propose, that would be really for the benefit ' of his country. What would be said after this, if he should fail to grapple with the evils which pressed upon the country . / If the Right Hon. Baronet had the will, which he (Mr. Wakley) believed he had, and the resolution, which he (Mr. Wakley ) believed he had not, to grapple with those evils, then the country might expect to derive the greatest benefit from his exertions. It was in his power to extend our commerce, our institutions, and our civilization, and thus confer, not only a benefit on this country, but on all the people of the habitable globe. His failure, if he should fail, would be great. He (Mr. Wakley) would warn the aris tocracy that the opportunity now lost would never return. The people would resolve to take the power into their own hands, and they would be perfectly justified in doing so if the aristocracy should now refuse to do them justice ; and if the people did not adopt that course, he felt convinced that nothing but calamities would beset the land. He made these remarks with pain and sorrow, because he would confess that he had no hope of the House of Commons, as at present constituted. He believed that if the Members in the Radical interest in that i House, which he considered was in the national interest—( A laugh)—did their duty to themselves and the country, they would in the present state of the House of Commons do the peo ple more good, and best consult the national interest and their own, by reeigning their seats and retiring.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. MUNTZ - mtended to support the motion of the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton, although he did not expect that the repeal of the Corn-laws would produce that effect which others thought it would. He had not entertained any high expectations from the Right Honourable Baronet, when he took office, because he recollected, that on a previous occasion, the country had been many years under his government, and had not prospered. He had made that remark last session, and he had at the same time, added that he was not actuated by a spirit of faction—(Hear, hear) — and if the Right Hon. Baronet brought forward measures for the good of the country, he would support them. He thought I the !tight Hon. Baronet was right to take time to consider his measures; but at the same time he must say that the largest mountain that ever was known, &ought forth the small est mouse ever seen.—( Cheers and laughter.) The Right Hon. Baronet was perfectly right in his statement, as to the average consumption ,of the necessaries of life in England and Russia ; and the Right Hen. Baronet had told the truth, but not the whole truth—he had merely stated the averaged consumption, but he would defy the Right Hon. Ba ronet to produce from any part of Europe such instances of distress as could be produced in England at the present mo ment. It was as if the Right Hon. Baronet was to say to some poor starving creature in the streets, "We con sume together a great deal, but I eat it all."—( Cheers and laughter.) Some years ago they had heard complaints of distress from the people of Birmingham, but they , then said, " Oh, don't mind them ; it is only those Birmingham fellows." But now that same cry of distress was raised from the Land's-end to John o' Groat's-house. He was not disap pointed in the measure of the Government, for the Right Hon. Baronet had said before he took office, that every one who proposed by a legislative enactment to relieve the distress was practising a low delusion. He had expected nothing from the Right Hon. Gentleman. He felt that the Right Hon. Baronet was fettered, that he could not do anything ; and he sincerely pitied him.—(Cheers and laughter.) He pitied him, because he should consider that if he were himself in the situation of Minister of the first nation in the world, and were fettered and hampered, as the Right Hon. Baronet was, he should be in a most pitiable situation, for who could be more deserving of pity than one who, hav ing good intentions, was deprived of the power ,to do the good he wished. For himself he (Mr. blunts) was in the situation of the hat in the fable; he was on both sides ; he did not say that the - landed interest ought not to be protected, but where they protected themselves, they ought to protect others; they bad no right to protect themselves un tenloss they protected the labourers of the country also. He believed that the price of one portion of the labour of the coun try was enhanced by the Corn-laws. He believed that two thirds of the labourers of the country were in that situation. but the other one-third was perfectly destitute in con sequenence of their operation ; he meant the labour em ployed in articles in the export trade which had to compete with the low priced labour of the Continent. He considered also that they could not legislate soundly on the Corn-laws without inelutling the money laws.—( Hear, hear, and laughter.) Corn and money were as inseparable as body and soul.—( Hear, bear, and laughter.) The Tories had legislated from 1815 to 1830, and what had they done? They had brought the country to such a state that they had been obliged to give up the Government. He knew that some persons attributed the breaking up of that Govern ment to an expression which had been made use of by a Noble Duke in another . place on the subject of Re form. He (Mr. Muntz) den ied that. The fact was the people. were uncomfortable in their stomachs, they had too little to do and nothing to eat, and that was the cause of the fall of the • Government. The Whigs had then come into power, and great expectations had been entertained of what they were to do. Now, what had they done? They had acted upon the same financial principles as their predecessors had done, and in consequence they had gone out, because they could not keep people's stomachs comfortable. The question was a ques tion of stomach, and he could tell the Right Hon. Baronet that if he could not supply the people's stomachs, his reign would be but short. He (Mr. Muntz) was no party-man, he would support any man who would bring forward good measures. Whatever measure was a good one should have his support. Was he alone in this theory w ith respect to corn and gold? Was it originally his only ? Why his oldest master in the theory was the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for •Dor chester.—(Cheers.) He had been one of the ablest writers en the subject ; the manner in which he had treated it was highly creditable to him, and he need not blush to own it.— (Laughter.) He might quote from a pamphlet, entitled " Corn and Currency, by Sir James Graham, Hart.. of Netlierby," and, were he to do his duty to the House, he ought to read the whole of it.—(Laughter.) If he had no seen many proofs of the Right Hon. Baronet's being a man of acute and p.,werful mind, he should only have had to mat this book to have become convinced of it. The Hon. IMember then proceeded to quote from the Right 1 Honourable Baronet's pamphlet :—" I do not pretend Se , have made any new discovery." ("Ne more," said 1 Mr. Muntz, "do I.") " I might appeal to high authorities to Prove that there is much error prevails in making detached parts of this question—one of them the Corn-laws, the other Ithe Currency ; whereas, if he rightly understood the situation of these two subjects, they were indissolubl y . united, and they ! could not discuss them apart without injustice to the case." " The feeling of the people must be hostile to the present Corn-laws ; the receivers of rent are a small body ;by public opinion they might be almost omnipotent, but in violaton of of it could not maintain their extensive advantages." The Hon. Member proceeded to read other extracts, in which the Hon. Baronet contended that there was a point in which hunger broke through all laws, when 1 reason was no longer heard, and all the barriers of society were broken down. 'I he House would see, continued the Hon. Member, that the Right. Hon. Baronet also thought it a ques tion of the stomach.—(Hear, hear.) He goes on to say that " equity demanded in favour of the landowner a protection equivalent to those charges which are placed by taw on his estate ; that protection was a duty, and the amount of that duty was a fit subject for discussion. But they must first settle the price of money, as it is impossible to fix the price with fairness while the standard of the price is unfair." " The landowners had shown a blind adherence to high prices, together with a blindness as to the means by which it was to be obtained. The price of all commodities, and of corn among the rest, was governed by the supply in the market, compared with the demand, and also by the value of money—itself the measure of money, and liable to variations in propor tion to its quantity." He would entreat the House to listen to this.—( li ear.) "As a body, up to this moment the landowners have remained undeceived, for it is well known that during the last session they bargained with the King's Mi nisters to support a further contraction in the currency, pro vided the Government would not destroy the protection of the Corn-laws." This he (Mr. Muntz) considereda most extra• ainary fact, and he could not account for it. As he had before said, if he did justice to the House he should read the whole of the book, but at that late hour he would not do that. He had once before remarked to the House, and he would say so again, that the relative value between silver and wheat was the point that required to be established more than any other. The authoiity of Adam Smith had been quoted as a proof that the price of corn saidwo u l a d 0 t a worn! regulate t a b b e e of va w l a u g e es o , f bu si t iv th er e , H , o an n d our f a o h r l g e ot M t e o n a tb d e d r , about th price that in Adam Smith's time there were no laws regulating the price of corn. He forgot t o sa y t h at t h e comparison between silver and corn ought to be maintained. Two other Ho nourable Members had done him (Mr. Muntz) the' ho nour of quoting a pamphlet he had written sometime since, to support the same argument, that corn regulated wages; he had only taken the passage that suited hi m —h a d h e takn another it might not have been so much in print (Mr. :11. read an extract from his pamphlet, contending that all labour that depended on their:export trade had been depreciated in value, and that corn must be reduced to ss. a bushel, or the standard of silver altered from 7s. 6th an ounce.) At the time he stated that the repeal of the Corn-laws would reduce the average rate of wages, he was aware that the rate of wages was not regulated by , corn. In 1815, the same argument was used ; it was then held out to all the supporters of the law, that if the rate of corn was fixed, the rate of wages would be fixed thereby. 11^ would ask the House, if had been the case ? Had the rat, of wages been kept at aldue rate with the price of corn ? If not, how could they justify in ke e pi ng tip a protection that only benefited their own class? They were often ' throwing out reproaches to those who advocated the making the ounce of silver equivalent to a bushel of wheat; they said, you want to disturb all the existing relations of finance, you would confound the standard of value. But he denied that they bad any standard of value. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 22 1842. They had gold and silver coins, but they bad no gold and silver ,tandard. Their standard was wheat and paper. They were ill flattering themselves with the dream that they possessed t standard of value, while they were really paying 7s. 6d. a oushel for wheat, paying a proper price, and flattering them selves that they were giving the real value. How could they expect to ge on, upon so unnatural a system of Government ? Looking at the state of that House, could they wonder that the measure of the Right Hon. Baronet, was so small, that neither by one party nor by the other could it be told whether it were a good or a bad one ? Let them ask themselves how they could expect, while the relative prices of corn in any country of Europe was an ounce of silver for a bushel of wheat, to .ndeavour to keep the bushel of wheat at two ounces of silver. The Government were powerful ; hey had a majority of 91 ; but the Right Hon. Baronet would find that withal he was not so powerful as the laws of nature. That majority also might not last long, and he begged to call the attention of the House to the fact, that a party once took office with a majority of 200, and where were i bey ? Echo answered, Where ? (Cheers and laughter.) And if the present unnatural principles of the Government were carried out, echo would answer "where" to them too. If be persisted in the present measure they would scarcely know low to address him. If the Right Hon. Baronet persisted in naintaining one price of silver and another price of corn, they must address him in the words used by Gray's bard to Edward the Third when he invaded Wales:— " Fond impious man !"—(Cheers and laughter.)— " Fond impious man, think'st thou yen sanguine ckud, Raised by thy breath can quench the orb of day ? To-morrow it repairs its golden flood, And warms the nations with redoubling ray." l'he Right Honourable Baronet must understand that if something were not done to relieve the sufferings of the work ing classes, a state of things would be brought about which all .nust deplore.—( Hear, hear.) For his part he had no feelings ,f party—he had no leader in that House but his own con cience—( Hear, hear)—and ho voted for the motion-of the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton, because he thought it was the most honest.—( Hear. ) Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD rose amidst loud cries of " Divide." Having for some time endeavoured to obtain a hearing, he moved the adjournment of the debate. Amidst great confusion, the motion was seconded and carried. The House resumed, the CHAIR3IAN reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again to-morrow (this day). LAW OF APPRENTICESHIP. Sir J. GRAHAM obtained leave to bring•in a Bill to ex plain the law respecting the superintendence of masters over apprentices. As the law at present stood, the Magistrates had power to adjudicate in disputes between masters and appren tices, where the premium had been less than 25!. But by a deci lion of the Court of Queen's Bench, Magistrates had no Jurisdic tion in cases where there had been no premium. The object of the Bill which he proposed to bring in was to give Magis trates power in such cases. DEBTORS' PRISONS. Sir JAMES GRAHAM also obtained leave to bring in a Bill to consolidate the Queen's Bench Prison, the Fleet Pri son, and the Marshalsea. DISTRESS AT STOCKPORT. • Mr. COBDEN moved ~ fur a return of the Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire respecting the distreks of the inhabitants of Stockport. Sir JAMES GRAHAM said that the Report of the Com. tnissioners bad not yet been completed. Mr. COBDEN then withdrew his motion. RECOVERY OF SMALL DEBTS BILL. In reply to a question from Mr. HAWES. , Sir J GRAHAM stated it was the intention of her Majes ty's Government to bring in a Bill to facilitate the recovery o small debts under 851. EXCHEQUER BILL FRAUD. In reply to a question from Dr. BOWRING, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated it was the intention of the Government to postpone the consideration of the subject till Thursday next. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. - _ On the motion of Mr. GLADSTONE, the Customs Duties Bill was postponed to Wednesday. REGULATION OF PRISONS BILL. On the motion of Sir J. GRAHAM, the Regulation of Prisons Bill was read a first time. The House then adjourned at a Quarter past Twelve o'Clock. THE WEATHER.—NOON, FEBRUARY 22. ROYAL GALLERY OP SCIENCE, ADELAIDE-STREET. Thermometer... 451 Highest 46 1 Lowest 32 Barometer 29.68.—Wind S.W.—Freezing Point 32 Deg. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW. Morning.-- 0 minutes after 0 I Evening 1$ minutes after 0. ro4 71.4 0 ,.14" 4 •11* *tronteWbition SUN OFFICE, Three o'Cloch. The Whigs, with all their faults, have one claim on the gratitude of the British nation, which, though occa sionally forgotten amidst the noise of party contests, and the " finality" fits of Lord JonN RUSSELL and his party, can never be effaced from the public mind. The Tories of the old school ruled the people with a rod of iron. Imprisonment, flogging, banishment, and, above all, death, were their most approved means for repressing liberty, or checking crimes often committed through , want, or that deplorable ignorance in which the wealthiest Church and the wealthiest aristocracy of the world left the great mass of the middle and lower classes. A hungry man was hanged for stealing a sheep, for stealing from a dwelling-house after a certain hour, and for uttering a forged note of the -value of 20s. Scarcely any offence, indeed, which amounted to a crime, was omitted in that awful catalogue which ended with the words " he shall be hanged by the neck till dead." During the assizes, for some three months every year, the savage disposition of the ignorant multi tude was ministered to by brutal exhibitions in every county town, while the humane Chrjstians, the tender mothers of families, and their rising offspring were hor ,rified by the destruction of human life for offences which are now regarded as of the most venial description. The Whigs, to their eternal honour, led the way in effacing this national disgrace. In Parliament and out of Parlia ment, by writings and speeches at public meetings, they excited the attention of Englishmen, and still more the gen tle feelings of English women, till with one voice the nation cried "Shame" on our barbarous land, jurymen forgot their oaths in the course of mercy, and twenty or thirty bloody statutes became obsolete, before the stern dispositions of our lawgivers were moved to abrogate them. This noble trait in the character of ROMILLY, MACKINTOSH, BROUGHAM and JEFFREY, with many others of the same party, covers a multitude of sins, and will be remembered by a grateful nation when their eloquence and their political deeds are forgotten. A return just made to the House of Commons, moved for by Mr. EWART, places the result of their labours in a striking point of view. This return gives the total number of persons executed in London and Middlesex for the last twenty years, divided into triennial periods; and though con tained in only one small sheet, furnishes greater subject for congratulation than ninety-nine out of a hundred Parliamentary documents. For the three years ending 1821, ninety-eight persons were executed in the metropolis alone ; and during the triennial period ending with 1839, the number was reduced to three; and for the three preceding years the return is marked—nil. But this is the least gratifying result, for it appears that the humanity of the law has humanised the public mind. The number of persons committed for murder from 1821 to 1833, was about 14 every year, while for the remaining periods up to 1842, it averaged only five. What a noble contrast these returns furnish ; and were they carried farther back the con trast would be still greater; for they would include those years when in one cold winter morning, frequently, twenty human beings were hanged like dogs at New gate, exceeding by five the total number executed for the last nine years! Mr. MONCKTON MILNES is a better poet than debater, and if he were to write more and speak less, it - would, we think, be greatly to the advantage of his repute. tion. He should remember that loose, haphazard assertions are not arguments, and that flowers of fancy, however pleasing, are but sorry substitutes for facts. Last night, in his speech on the Corn law question, he had the rashness to assert that the whole discussion was a mere battling about a shadow—or to use his own more ornate expression—" a vain and fruitless sciomachy." So a debate involving in its issue the best and dearest interests of the people—which is an absolute matter .oUlife or death to e :rm m i ni ne e th ert e q thousands—whi c h v i ta ll y concerns t h e two great ,iviahtiicohnagloeps far, to to of determine the there and and shall be content or discontent, distre os or prosperity,' peace or convulsion throughout the country ;—a debate of this substantial, paramount importalKe is, according to Mr. MONCKTON MILNES, a mere empty talk about a shadow ! Now if the Corn-law question be in truth a shadow, it sat any rate a most ominous one, brit is thrown from thunder clouds, which, if not seasonably averted, will ere long burst in storm and tempest far and wide over the face of the country. We believe the lion. Member is the only man in England who would thus flippantly ex press himself respecting a question, the vast conse quences involved in which have not been equalled since the days of the Reform Bill. A shadow, indeed .? .Is Mr. MONOCTON MILNES deaf or blind, that he :can neither see the tokens, nor hear the warnings, of the coming tempest ? Is the stern, deliberate, progressive agitation in the manufacturing districts, a mere trifle in his estimation ? Is there nothing signi ficant in the hints lately thrown out about "passive re sistance ? " We tell . this very superficial gentleman, that the materials of combustion are slowly but surely collecting in all quarters of the country ; that deep and bitter discontent is eating, like a cancer, into the very heart of the community ; and that nothing will allay this discontent, but the total overthrow of that gigantic mono poly, to discuss which is—according to Mr. MILNES— to battle about a mere shadow ! But not content with this flippant assertion, the Hon. Member proceeded to observe that he "had the consolation to know that scarcely one clergyman of the Established Church bad degraded hituselftY .taking part in the agitation of the Corn-laws !" What, does a Protestant clergyman de grade himself by endeavouring to procure cheap food for the people ? Is it to his discredit, if he endeavours, by opposing an iniquitous impost, to bring peace and plenty into the cottage of the poor matt ? This is any thing but apostolic doctrine. The early pastors of the Church would never have countenanced a notion of this sort, but deemed it their first and most imperative duty to be the benefactors of their flocks, in deed as well as word. Lord ABERDEEN in the liouse of Peers, and Sir Ro- BERT PEEL in the House of Commons, last night, stated that France had declined for the present to ratify the Treaty for the suppression of the slave trade. Of course there was a careful abstinence from assigning the motives for this conduct on the part of France by the members of the Government; but as no such discretion is imp. used upon public journalists, we may state that it is entirely owing to the feeling that prevails throughout France . against conceding a right of search. Jealousy of the honour of their flag, not sympathy for slavery or slave-dealers, actuates the French people in protesting against the ratification of a Treaty which aims at one of the noblest purposes of combination among Go vernments. The French King and the French Government would gladly ratify the 'treaty of which Lord PALMERSTON assigns them half the honour of the conception, but the national will is opposed to it, and the Ministry is not strong enough to cope with it upon this question. Those who have attended to the debates in the Chamber of Deputies upon the address and to the opinions of the public press of every shade of opinion can have no doubt of this. The French people entertain the erroneous impression that our Government only promotes the suppression of slavery with a view to increase our naval superiority ; and it was to remove this error that Lord BROUGHAM so elo quently and so earnestly asserted that the sole and single desire to suppress slavery, was the only motive of the Government, and of every individual in this country, in calling for the ratification and faithful execution of this Treaty. We greatly deplore whatever may have the effect of delaying the total suppression of slavery by a single hour ; but, at the same time, we are bound to admit that the French Government was called upon to pay the deference which it has done to the Wong expression of public opinion. On the motion of Mr. MILNEs, the copy of the war rant for the committal of WILLIAM CARLToN to prison for neglecting to attend Divine worship at Butterworth, in the county of Lancaster, was last night laid upon the table of the House of Commons. The warrant states that WM. CARLTON wasieonvicted of not attending church on the 28th of June, being Sunday ; that the Magistrates, Mr. C. ROYDS and Mr. JAMES TAYLOR, sentenced him to pay a fine of one shilling, and fourteen shillings costs, and that having neither money nor goods, the poor man was ordered to be kept in New Bailey prison, Salford, till the fine and costs were paid, which was virtually sentencing him to im prisonment for life. After being kept several weeks in confinement, the case was reported to the inspectors of prisons, by whom he was releasee. This monstrous act of oppression will lead to one good result—the law under which this victim of hypocrisy and cant was con victed will now be repealed. Nothing accelerates the abolition of bad laws so much as their rigid enforce ment. The only thing to be regretted is that the victims of their injustice are not selected from among the law-makers. Were, all the Peers and Members of the House of Com Mons, who were absent from public worship on Sunday last, sent for a month to Coldbath-fields' House of Correction, it would be an easy task to count the divisions on the Corn-laws. But though the law of cant is in danger, the age of cant is not yet gone. On moving for the copy of the warrant now before us, Mr. MILNES gravely apologised for raising a levelling hafi4 against the legal sanctuary of humbug.; and Sir JAMES Cruellest, with a gravity equally intense, but ten times more ridiculous for its insincerity, talked of the serious deliberation with which the Government would approach a subject of such great responsibility. The people out of doors are not to be imposed upon by such nonsense as this, The cant of Parliament is now universally treated with derisive contempt by the country. There is a complete' dearth of news in the French Journals. We quote the only extracts from them of any general interest : Several Journals have announced that the valiant Count of Morella had arrived, or would shortly airive at Paris, to place him, self at the head of a new military movement against the present Government of Spain, by a union of the two great parties which that Government has successively combated. There is no truth in this report. Cabrera is still at . Lyons, and is net at all engaged with the projects which several of the Journals and public reports have attributed to him.—Gmette de France. The Journal du Havrc says, " We have received by the Ajax accounts ftom New Zealand, dated the 3d of September, 1841. At that time the colony of Akarve, under the direction of M. de Belllguy, was in a satisfactory state of improvement. " The Aut., corvette, Captain Lavand, which had rendered the most important services in these seas, was preparing to return home in November,"7-Constitutionnel. According to accounts from St. Petersburgh of the 27th of last month, it had been decided the day before in the Council of the Empires that an iron railway should be made between St. Peters. burgh and Moscow. It is added that the expense of this undertak ing is estimated abforty millions of silver rubles. The funds re quired will be furnished by the banking-house of Messrs. Heerkert and Dufour, at Leipzic, with tifelttarantee of the Russian Govern. went, and at foul' per cent, interest. The Keeper of the Seals, the Attorney-General, M. Hebert, and several maesirates were in conference at the Palace from twelve till two o'clock to-day. Count Mole had a long conference this afternoon at the Pavilion Marsau, with the Duke of Orleans. The Portuguese Ambassador, after having had a long conference Yesterday w ith M. Ouisot, went to the Palace, which be did not quit till a vety late hour this morning. This afternoon there have been qumerous visits between the several legations. The Portu guese had a conferecce between twelve and one o!clock with Lord Cowley, at the Hotel of the British Legation.--Commerce. MONEY and. COMMERCI E O'AL NEWS. CITY: TWELVCLOCK. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, FEE. 21.—We have had an ordinary business doing in the cotton-market to-day. The sales comprising 3,500 bales, of which 400 have been taken by exporters, including 200 Surat, 30. to 4d.; American descrip tions, 50. to 6d. Prices for all other kinds are without alteration. • LIVERPOOL SHARE MAEEET, FEB. 21.—We have to notice a very limited business at the Stock Exchange to-day :—Grand Junction, 184 ; Ditto, Half Sh ares , 921 ; L on d on an d Bir mingham, 168 ; Paris an Rouen, 151. MANCHESTER STOCK EXCHANGE, FEB. 21.—Our Market is very quiet to-day, prices remain without alteration, and busi ness very limited :—Manchester and Leeds Quarter Shares, 31 1 ; Manchester and Birmingham, 28i , Manchester and Leeds, 73 to 731 ; Midland Counties, Quarter Shares, 191 to 1 20 ; Lancaster and Preston, 301 to 31 ; Ditto Three-Quarter Shares, 181 to 18i ; Bank of M anc h es t er , 4 to 41. Her Majesty's packet Alert, the last of the West India sail ing packets, arrived at Falmouth with a mail on Sunday even ing ; the dates are from Jamaica to the 19th, Trinidad Bth, Demerara and Barbadoes to the 9th January. 'I he accounts from Jamaica, received via New York, a few days back, of the fire at Kingston, is fully confirmed. The taking of Comona's fleet in Zispata, on the 15th of De cember, is also confirmed. The following is an extract from a proclamation by Senor Tono, addressed to his fellow-countrymen : .‘ Her Britannic Majesty's brig Charybdis, with the object of avenging the private wrongs of her nation, happily found her self with us at the time that, on the 15th December, we at • tacked the federal fleet at Zispata. Her intrepid Commander, De- Courey,'engaged and captured the enemy's brig Marceline, with the gallantry worthy of an Englishman ; and I have, i n the name of my Government, ceded to him the said vessel as his prize, since it is no more than just." Ihe Jamaica papers contain accounts from Venezuela up to the 30th November, at which period all was tranquil and prosperous. The Trinidad agricultural report of December states, that the past month has been unusually dry, so much so, that in many plaCes there is great apprehensions of the plants failing. The canes for the ensuing crop look exceedingly well, and from the prevalence of drought appear very ripe, and will, no doubt, make, superior sugar. The labouring population is improving in every way, espe cially since the abolition of allowances, and the introduction of . moderate wages. The arcoutits from Demerara wear a very gloomy aspect. The gallery of the public buildings,adjoining the official apart ments of the Governor, is described as being crowded with labourers, and it is believed that there are but one or two estates within the counties of Demerara and Essequibo on which all the gangs, with the exception of the Portuguese immigrants, have not struck work. On some plantations violence had been threatened to the gentlemen owning or in charge of them. The cause of this outbreak is nothing more or less than an at tempt on the part of the employing or planting body to bring down wages to a rational proportion to the market prices of produce.' THE FENDS. The Stork Markets towards the close of business yesterday a' p er cent. upone Account, t he t opening quo tation., closing at 88i 89 for M n o ney d Three a per t cnunt,tvi•hich failures. depressed, cunsuls d in declined of various rumours of further c onsequence price they opened this morning. Cents. 20 Reduced, 89k. Exchequer bills have also declined , being now to 22 premium. 1 • Mexican, 344 35i ; Por- Spanish Active Stock, 243 Di' tnguese tnguese Five per Cents., 3 2 1 k; Three per Cents., 19i i; Colombian, 22i 23; Dutch l iv o -and-a- Halt per Cents., 52i; ................... 1 ri .... . . , 5* to THIS DAY AT ONE. Ditto Fiie per Cents., 102 j i- PRICe.S OF SHARES It-eILWAYS. Paid. Per Share. Birmingham and Gloucester ...... 100 .•.... 55 Great Western .................... 65 Ditto New ..................... ••• 50 , Ditto Fifths .............. ..• •. pAatllSeTduceOdN. have Lundoe am'. Brighton ......... ... 5 0 .....• 35ii ••• to fr sii Ditto Loan Notes ...... 79i....... to 69 1 to .--. p S N l au i r d r it hl Paris and adi C daonude n aunties ' ....... .. ... ..... ... ...... . . . . . . . . . . . I 00 New Shares... ............ York and North Midland .....• 50 15 S HALFI to Ditto 2 9 •••••• to duringmeney andtli the morning , tthe a eenu u h t u . t The business doing . Stock M caurn k s e u t i l s ias fo b r ee A n in s n te e a y dy h , a w re i B th 9re, b a u tb,h t oe a t,h, mo derateB;care Three now pe r quoted cent s . improved, being 89i ; Three-and -a-1181f ditto, 991;, Exche. quer Bills, 20 22; and Indian Bonds, 7 prem. and the Five per C en t s ., 1021. Th C e o ll uti a t in ie b s n , lit the Foreign Market the transaction s have not been ex tensive. B raz ili an S toc k is quoted, 64 k; Mexican Stock, 34*; Portuguese Fi v e per Cents., 321 ; Spanish, 24 3 ; Dutch Two aed-a-Half per Cents., 52 ; In the Sh are Market but little has been done, and without any material a lteration London a nd Brighton are 354 ; Mid land just arrived, with l e tt ers an d papers of Friday. Th e exc h a nges on London are without alteration, being for bill s at two months , r 7 g 9 h 4 111 a Northih as Midland, 69i. ; Great Western, 831. 13 6, and for cash, 13 8. Gold, 4301. . QUARTER TO THREE. There is an entire absence of news in the City just now, and all e)es are turned to Parliamentary affairs. it is the opinion in most quarters that Sir Robert Peel has his plan for the import duties already matured, and only awaits the decision upon the Corn question to bring it forward. As there is natu rally a very large number of persons interested in the repeal and modification of duties, some impatience and anxiety is ma n fested for the denouement, for the delay acts in the moot prejudicial manner upon every branch of commerce. Consols, 89; Ditto, April, 89k; Col om bi an , 22a ; Mex ican, 341 35 ; Spanish, 24i SUMMARY OF NEWS AND public Optuton. " Who runs may read." FOREIGN. On Sunday the Wag of the French presided at a Cabinet Council, at which the American Ambassador's protest against the ratification of the Treaty of the Five Powers, for the suppression of slavery It as discussed. The result has not yet transpired. The Christinos have proposed to Don Carlos that his son shall wed Queen Isabella, but that he shall have been previously proclaimed King of Arragon, and the Queen Isabella Queen of Castile—an arrangement which would secure to them equal rights, and be at the same time a step towards the re-establishment of the Salk law. But this has been rejected by Carlos. A marriage between the Duke D'Aumale and Queen Isabella is the great hobby of the Tuileries ; the protest of Queen Christina against the decree of the Cortes de priving her of the guardianship of her daughters, was advised - by King Louis Philippe, to entitle that - Princess to dispose of the hand of Queen Isabella at pleasure, and to furnish to his Majesty- (when he shall deem the_ moment propitious for invading tilt country) a plausible pretext for marching a French army across the Spanish frontiers. Accounts from the Hague announce the retirement of M. Van Manaan, Minister of Justice, after fifty-five years of service. _ . Madrid letters of the 13th inst. speak of the probable retirement from office of the Minister of Finance, Senor Stara. It would appear that he had recommended his colleagues to admit the importation of cotton manufac tures into Spain on paying a duty of 25 per cent, but that the other members of the Cabinet wished to increase the duty to 35 per cent. PUBLIC OPINION. The Morning Advertiser says that the anti .monopo lists have reason to congratulate themselves upon the strength and soundness of their cause, when they find the Times " the great master of unscrupulous perver sion and of specious sophistry d riven to the sorry expe dient of resisting the claims of the manufacturing and trading interests—comprising more than 60 per cent. of the gryss population of the kingdom—upon the ex ploded, as well as the inconsequential ground that the agriculturists bear peculiar burdens, and therefore re quire peculiar privileges and immunities." The Times, in alluding to an action brought against it yesterday by a Polish emigrant, takes the opportunity of paying the following deserved tribute of respect to the memory of the late Mr. Barnes :—" A gentleman con nected with us, who died last year, and whose valuable services we must ever most highly appreciate, among the many excellent qualities which commanded the goodwill of his friends, was characterized by one which, though peculiarly amiable in private life, yet occasionally ex posed him to some little inconveniences in the particular circumstances of his position—extreme good-nature,,and kindness of disposition. He was quite unable to with stand a tale of distress ; and in a very public situation in London this inability, when once found out, - exposes a man, not only to expense, but to no small amount of im position." The herald is of opinion that the " poverty and pe riodical distress of British India are the results of Govern ment neglect to the material interests of that dependent empire, and devotion to war and bloodshed, ever justi fied by the miserable plea of necessity. The great want of India is capital, and capital has not flowed thither, because there have been so few attractions in the shape of good laws, efficient police, and extensive public works' and improvements." The Chronicle observes in reference to the refusal of France to sign the Slave Trade Treaty :—" It was very well observed by Lord Palmerston that the draft of the treaty originated as much with the French as with the English Government; and, in fact, the refusal to ratify comes at such an advanced stage of the negotiations as to be a violation of the usual practice of governments. It is only where a Plenipotentiary has acted without in structions, or has gone beyond his instructions, that it is at all usual for a government to refuse to ratify what he has signed." The Post says :—" Some weeks ago the wise, modest, and very argumentative personages of the Anti-Corn law faction, shouted to the four corners of the 'earth that foreign trade was destroyed by the Corn-law. Sud denly a new light has broken in upon them, and now, fro:i► Brotherton the portly, down to Cobden the lean, they all protest that the home demand it is which has fallen off, so that they really do not sell more than five or six times as much as they did a dozen years ago, although they want to sell ten or twelve times as much." PARLIAMENTARY. In the Lords, Nutsford's Divorce Bill was last night read a second time. The Earl of Aberdeen laid on the table the Treaty for the Suppression of the Slave Trade . unratified by France, at which Lord Brougham expressed his regret, and denied that the Treaty would increase, as the French supposed, the maritime power of this country M. Guizot has lately triumphed over the Press in France, but the Press has also triumphed over him and the Go• vernment, by compelling him to withhold a ratification he had consented to give. His Government is disgraced notwithstanding its strength. Lord Cottenham laid on the table three Bills for Im proving the Administration of Justice in County Courts. In the Commons, a great many petitions were pre seisted for the abolition of the Corn-law. Captain Berkeley put some questions concerning the case of Mr. Elton, which were answered by Sir G. Cockburn, as noticed elsewhere. Sir H. Peel, in laying the Slave-trade Suppression Treaty on the table, regretted that it was not ratified by France. He does not, however, give up his hope that she will ratify it. Lord Palmerston joined in this hope, as the Treaty was drawn up strictly in accordance with the instructions given by the French Government,. to its Ambassadors. In reply to Mr. M. Stewart, who emplained of the suspense in the cattle trade, caused by the announce ment that Sir Robert Peel meant to deal with the Pro vision -laws, Sir Robert promised to state his views as soon as he could, and he appealed to the House to hasten the Corn-law discussion. In answer to Mr. T. Duncombe, Sir James Graham reiterated his statement that the Government means to renew the Poor-law Commission. Sir R. Peel would give no information as to what ho meant to do with the Corn-market Inspectors, nor as to any alteration he is to make in the duty on flour. Lord Eliot informed the House that the man said to have been set at liberty after killing a goat, had been awarded a year's imprisonment, as he is a bad fellow. Neither 'Mr. Cobden nor kr. Ewart could extract from Sir B. Peel what peculiar burdens the land la bours under. Certain Members, on account of official"' situations, such as Sir R. Peel and others, were excused from • at tending Election Committees. Mr.• Godson's Registration of Copyright Bill was read a second time pro forma. The debate on the Corn-law was resumed, and occupied the House for the remainder of the night. • " • MONLY-TR.ADE-COMMERCE. By the opening of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Rail way, the entire, distance of forty-six miles, is accom • plished in about two hours. No fewer than fifty-seven localities for coal have of late been found in Assam and the western provinces of India. COMMERCIAL REFORM. • " Travelling around Bolton," says a correspondent, " for ten, twenty, and forty miles, I have daily, nay hourly opportunities of feeling the pulse of the fern ers, and knowing how it beats toward Peel and his coadjutors, and I find that, oven amongst those who supported the Tories at the last election, their confidence in the present Ministry is wholly gone." PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. Thu plan for a French asylum in London, originating with the Comte d'Orsay, for the relief of such natives of France, as .circumstances have reduced to a state of destitution, since their sojoure in our metropolis, is now making progress ; a committee has been appointed, and subscription books opened, both in London and Paris. LAW AND Ppzacm. • On SaturclayaVelsh girl of the name of Jones, ap peared at the Marylebone Court,.to complain of an out rage committed upon her by a man who had arrived in the same coach with her from the country, on the pre vions Wednesday. According to her account, the un known gentleman made several attempts on her virtue, 'but finding her proof againSt his wickedness, he blind folded her, tied her hand and foot, and bundled her into a cab. The driver, after conveying her some dis tance out of town,. at length took pity on her and un bound her hands' and legs. Mr. Talbot, the Secretary of the Society for the protection of young females, has been making active search after the " unknown," but without effect. The girl says she comes from Tyny Colyrn Dolgelly, Merionethshire. Yesterday four Sc.tchmen, named Miller, Anderson, Walters, and Brewster, three of them stokers, and the other engineer on .board the Perth steam-ship, were charged at the Thames' Court with being drunk and. dis orderly, and while in that state forcing a policeman over board, and assaulting Richard Day, an old waterman. The first was fined 18s., the second 205.. the third 31., and: the fourth 5/. raNm ARTS. _ _ _ The celebrated composer Rosenhain, the pianist, is now in Paris. He has written a trio of surpassing beauty and originality, and its scientific combinations are said to be most striking. XATDRARY AND SCIENTIFIC. Numerous gold mines, according to the report of the Asiatic Society, have recently been discovered in the Neilgherry mountains + and a gentleman has recently pur chased a plantation there, through which a gold river runs, and many natives are actively engaged in collect ing the gold grains. Mr. Menzies, F.L.S., the eminent botanist, who was the only survivor Of the celebrated expedition of Captain Vancover round the world, died last week at Kensing ton, aged 88. THEATRICAL. The first performa dee of Mr. Jerrold's new comedy is postponed till Friday next. We are glad to hear that Mr. Henry Betty, the actor, is now restored to health, and will shortly resuine his professional duties. Mdlle. Rachel, is to appear at the Queen's Theatre, for seven performances in the month of *ay. a SPORTENG. Gorhambury races are fixed for the 17th and 18th On this clay, in 1785, died at North Church, Hertford shire, Peter, known by the name of the " Wild Boy." lie was found in a savage stag• in the woods, near name lin, IlanoVer, when King George the First and his at tendants were hunting in the forest of Hertzwold, in the year 1725. He was brought to England by order of Queen Caroline, and the ablest masters provided for him. At his death he was supposed to be 72 years of age. • Galignani's Messenger states that a tame bear tra velled some time ago on the top of the Diligence from Havre to Paris.—Bears are travellers very often met with. We ourselves met with one lately inside a Ham mersmith omnibus—thorough bred, for there is no bear equal to your Cockney bear. LAW INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF LORDS.-(THIS DAY.) The House sat today to hear Scotch appeals. The Peers pre sent were Lord Brougham, Lord Cottenham, Lord Campbell, Lord Colchester, and Lord Lovett. LORD DUNULAS V. THE DUKE OF ARGYLE. The arguments in this part-heard appeal were resumed to-day but had not concluded when our Evening Edition went to Press. CHANCERY COURT-(THS DAY.) inst., when the Earl of Verulam, steward, entertains a I exi Icnditure, amongst which were the expenses incurred at his wife distinguished circle at his elegant seat near St. Alban's. tun nat. The insohent stated that h e s old the interest in his boo Se ma' tor y ey w i a n s p u r i:a p b a l r e h t ig o The whole of the Duke of Cleveland's racing stud are to a person named Kingsford, but owing to his being in the infir to be sold at Baby on Saturday. The accident which happened to 111 r. Hobson recently, h g i i s ve ba tl n t e h e e „, d h e e t e a t i . ls of the transaction to his at. P Ir. Commissioner R MYNOLI43 sa id h e regretted, in the pre sent whilst hunting out near Brighton, termi n ated i n his . s t a r s of the insolvent's health, that he should be oblig ed to send death, on Friday last. i him o xi b , a a e i k ui to a i f ir r i e s , o h n b ild n it ec tl: s e he a c t t te fi n i d e a d nce of Kingsbud could be Po' COURT-ris.sxxxoNauxx. The Duke of Wellington left Apsley House on Sunday for Strathtieldsaye. The Duke and Duchess of Buckingham leave Bucking ham House to-day for Stowe. The Duke and Duchess-of Buccleuch have left York shire for Dalkeith Palace. The Marquis of Hertford is again suffering from in disposition. The Marquis of Exeter has left Belvoir for Burleigh House. The Marquis of Downshire set out yesterday for Hillsborough Castle, from the Evesham Hotel. The Dowager Marchioness of Ormonde arrived in town on Tuesday, from Kilkenny Castle. The marriage of Viscount Pollington ali,d the Lady llachael Wallpole will be solemnized on Thursday, by special license, at Wolterton, Norfolk. MISCELLANEOUS. The dress and costume ball, in aid of the funds of the distressed Spitalfielda weavers, takes plate to-night at Willis's Booms, POLICE INTELLIGENCE. 130 W-STREET—(TH IS DAY.) Join Telford, a man dressed as a sailor, with. marks of anchors and stars on his hands and arms, with weak eves and l o ng w hite hair, such as may occasionally be seen on "Fair Circassians" in the Yavelling shows at fairs, was charged with begging. Police constable F 46, stated that he found the pri soner at a q 'carter past seven last evening standing in the Strand with hie od ; some small pamphlets in his hand, and a board around his n'" . wi, th the following inscripti on on i t— " Th e Hi s t o ry Telfor d fro in his infancy to the present period." Did not see the prisoner ret eive any money, nor was there any found in his P . " "i°". cd. 1. The prisoner in his defence, s a id th a t h e was o bliged t° gi ve - d ait szen for the books, and h e so ld th em f or hi s Jiving; denie that he was begging. „ ors and MAGISTRATE—I very much suspect that th a t ; hair of I" - A the ,at being oft; was intended to ex c ite charity_ shou ld su l - ) you to get that hair cut off. dld'et Pristmer—l took off my hat to convince people that wear a. wig. w Ms( usTasTE—Let this be a lesson to you. I don ' t know Th. h b ° l7 it may lie, but that head of hatir and your partial blindneia, P r° ,7.,„ ( 1 is intend ed to excite charity .. I now warn y o u, if you are 1 .`"" begging 3 •ou will be sent to gaol. You are discharged now. o we, Sarah Russell was charged by a well dre ss ed young ' e " - named Ly nch, on suspicion of stealing a ring. The prosecutor stated, that she was standing at. the door 0 f t Lacy's pubfic. house, Bow-street, between nine and ten o'clock " i ' p night, with the ring in question it, her hand ; the prisoner cartel:le and asked witness to let her sec it. She gave her the ring r hl hand, whets prisoner immediately said, "Dear in I've d Pped of it." Search was instantly made for the ring In the er` „oa Mr. Lacy's house, and elsewhere, but it could e d Ise found. The ring was a mourning ring, worth 308., he ieet to the prosecutrix'a mistress. „. a the Several other witnesses were cell al who, who esorrobere' — statement of the prosecutrix. c od o g The prisoner, in defence, made a long statement, endee‘ her to convince the Magistrate that she had never had the rid: d to hand at all, but that the prosecutrix dropped it herself, a n avoid being blamed by her mistress, had c a u s ed her to be into custody. The prisoner was ultimately remanded till Friday next. get TILE LUCIFER•BOX NUISANCE.—Three little girls, of tender were charged with annoying passengers in the street. „wile° Police Constable F. 83, stated that he apprehended the 1 , •• - ,Ang in the Strand this morning, near Temple-bar; they were r 0 7 0% after every respectable person, and in pitious tones imPnr i , u them to purchase lucifers. He had several times cautions: tb 0 o not to annoy people in that way, but they persisted, .and matte following frequently applied to by passers by to prevent the childre n following them, he had no alternative but to take thein to station-house. i r In reply to questions from the Magistrate, the elder Or. , li g teil telligent and very interesting-looking child, probably abt ir te years of age, stated that she was not begging, but endeavo°"; for sell the matches. She had purchased fourteen this Morn°. Sp., and she had sold half a dozen at a halfpenny each. i obi The Worthy MAQISTR A T E ordered them to be detalne° could see what should be done with them. MARLBOROUGH-STREET• (TIIIS DAY.) Alfred Morley, a very aged and venerable-looking many . ow profusion of white long hair flowing over his shoulders, se' 01 1, manners and speech at once denoted his having seen bett er 010 was brought up by police-constable No. 147 of the F divisions found him yesterday evening sitting on the step of a door i iii #ll. Compton-street, Soho, in the rain, and in a very exhaus te d and shivering with cold. On questioning him he stated tha t , 00 no home or place of habitation, and was in a state 0 OS destitution. In answer to questions put to him by Mr. stated that he had been a tradesman in a respectable way 7 - „, ness in St. James's pariah; but misfortune and the infirtnit , '"dla dental to his advanced age coming upon him, having ota v ot or , his friends, he by degrees sunk into his present i m poverish The poor old man added with tears that he could not bring ' 1 3, 0 0 to beg, he had attempted to supplicate charity, but " th e stuck in his throat." • tf The Worthy Magistrate gave him some silver from th e P OO l box, and directed the parochial officers of St. James's to .I'lo for, in order that some proper and permanent relief ling h " forded to the prisoner. 5 1 7 1 The prisoner very feelingly expressed how deeply gratef ul for the Magistrate's humane and charitable consideration or 0 0 ,‘,/ CAUSING A DISTURBANCE AT TEE DIME of WEalS ar° o (Ri l l Mary Connor, an Irishwoman, a widow, ab o ut sixty Yeellif. a u ; was charged with being drunk, and behavin g i n a disorder Jo, riotous manner, and causing 4 mob of persons to assemble is of Apsley House, Piccadilly, and violently forcing open the of the coach-yard. Sr; Police Constable No. 40, of the C division, stated half-past four o'clock yesterday afternoon he found the Pri l 7 - 0 1, the act of rushing with all her force against one of the ,en gates of the Court-yard of his Grace's mansion, and w h ,.., d icb ore forced open with such violence as to • shatter two lamps Ple'7 o l os on each side. On the porter ejecting her, and closing the Ir a forced them open again, and was then taken into custody. otfi The old woman, whose intellects seemed to be impaired, in a very rambling and unconnected manner, and, after bel:00 moniahed not to repeat her visit to his Grace's residence' ' ,iberated. UNION-HALL—(T E-118 DAY./ FRIGHTFUL ATTEMPT TO COMMIT SUICIDE.--.A young 111 0 0 /40 specta ble connexions, who appeared to be suffering from a 140 wound in his throat, which was profusely bleeding, we P l :; s er the bar before Mr. Train U', charged with attempting , throat with a carving knife. Mrs. Ann Pittman, the mother to the prisoner, (w h o ,-• dreadfully affected, and with some difficulty gave her e! .t stated that the prisoner is married, but his wife 4e,4 out to be a had ch arac t er, w hi ch has caused th,el„ri' and the prisoner's unsettled s t a t e o f m i n d . has until these last three months been in the service ; gOt R ire ss as carman, who wishing to separate him. from his „ vet. situation at Gravesend, where he has been until last /i No• t he he broke into the back part of his father's house, o tef.7 .A fel land.placc, Walworth.common, about 12 o'clock, an d A a kitchen, took the carving.knife and cut his throat in et his di manner. The mother stated that the prisoner had . 151 ,,d so fi last night in the streets with another man, which Pt' e l: upon his mind that it caused him to attempt the rash se" icyl s i d Mr. TRAILL ordered the prisoner to have immediste j lu b e 10: 0 tendance, as he appeared to be in a dreadful state, 0 " d eettfO re not let him be set at liberty unless two respectable i f wet ° would come forward and answer for his future conduct in ties of 401. each. WORSHIP-STREET—(THIS: h m at: A man of deplorable appearance named George I—;hreP pauper of Betbnal.grecn, Was charged with haring , A t a pane of glass in one of the outer window of this Cou r " tIO" s te a Holland, a.police-constable attached to the Court, fit a ,, pro tic iA six o'clock on the preceding evening, he was desired by l ' A ;itlog d o ten to inquire the business of several persons who wer e nef 'Do the passage, in order to 'see the Magistrate. Thep I„' .° 11 . amongst the crowd, and on the question being P l 4 M fr said that he wanted relief. Witness told him th at he s make his application to the relieving-officer, b u ; it 0 , fused to do so, and became so clamorous, 4" ,;11 $ 11 .4 found necessary to turn him into the street. Immed ig '; Ord wards the: prisoner drove his elbow through a rrio d° d . 'De 'i r e that he knew of no other means to get a lodging, 3" p conveyed to , the station-house. Police-constable Cirr ien t o e ho f that the prisonei had been received into the Bethne-I•gr_,e-oe house, but he relbsed to remain there, and he had also on ' one occasion been relieved at this Court. ro m'P e d Mt. BINGHAM said that he could only account for the Asoe , violence on the supposition that he wished to be sent to P'' f' f tt' c he should order him to pay the sum of 45., the value or be committed to the House of Correction for a fortniSn" f) THE MA n -RKETS.-(THIS e COLONIAL MARKET' to Aid fil • The prices were litte better than nominal, owing ho ol laxation from business until something d e finite io I ' l ' at P - rit regard to the Customs Duties' bill. West India Suga r ricer tint former quotations ; Bengal and Mauritius steady i n u je 1, 4 1/ few sales were reported. The Coffee market was o r e t ° '" good qual t bies brought full p r i ces . Ri c e was 01° ' , after, and rather dearer. THE FUISDS-(CLOSIN6 P'- BRITISH FUNDS. g 413 Bank Stock l7O India 5t0ck......... " f 3 per Cent Red B9 Ditto Bonds ....•.• 3 per Cent Cons B9 ;Ditto Old Annuities 3 per Cent Red 99A 'Ditto New Annuit i , j P New 3 per Cent 981 iEr. Bills, 1,000/•.' :101 0 New 5 per Cent. Ditto 500 1 % . * • Long Annuities :.oexpire Ditto Smah';:,.. Jan. 1860. ......... Bank Stock for ACC , 5 9 Oct 1859......... 12i I n di a St oc k for Accl. .*:: . Jan. 1960. ........ Consols for Acct ..... i REIGN UND' r Austrian, 5 pe. rent FO .— To F rtugu S. ese, 5 Per cell ..." _ _ tug, ueb, Belgian, 5 pei rent Ditto, New Ditto. ' , ' Brazilian 80nd5.... — Prussian, 5 per ce e Buenos Ayres,6 per cee t Russian, 5 per ce - Chilian, 6 per cent — Ditto, Metallic.•••:;',,, ,, Colombian, 6 per cent.. Spanish, per e . e`" Ditto, 1624.......... Danish, 3 per cent French, 5 per ce n Greek, 18:45, 5 per cent — Exchange ...... ••• Mexican, 5 per cent— 34i French, 3 per ° ri o t. • PI A Ditto, 6 per cent. 1637 D utc h , 2} pe r ee , ' • Peruvian, 1825, (p er et . Ditto, 5 per co lt. 0 , SHARES. , 00 r ) Birmingham and Gloucester Railmst, 01) Cheltenham and Great Western . (7'2i P 6 31 Eastern Counties Railway (23 paid) ••• 69 Great Western Railway ( 65 paid) ....• Ditto New Shares (50 paid) ......... :0 1 Ditto Fifth (4 paid) ..................... London and Brighton (50 paid).. ... London and Greenwich Railway id% 171 Ditto New Shares (20 paid)••• .... 7B London and Croydon Railway (Trunx ) . ....... 6 gl Midland Counties Railway (100 paid ) .. ,,..• 34 North Midland Railway (100) ...... 15 Ditto New Shares (40 paid) ...... •••• ..... .• Ditto Thirds (15 paid) ............ ......• Paris and Rouen (14 paid) ....... :7 6 . York and North Midland (50 pal .... ." Ditto New Shares (15 paid ...•••• _____--, . 3 -- --- il 0 P . $ W - A iir - ``h i e ° This celebrated construction (the most PATENT LEVER —re on i c o' "" 0110" ete eP with tea:Ai n,ei ini t ge h d e pio l n a w t f e eo s ru t ~cors - ..,,, Pr .1, watch can be made) is now offered at the het i escal oi ste' r i t m o h o P e l r o e u n s v i e i hand to s o t i o n i g ;nir h k i t i h e lli e w e io s i t ec°3 ,„?tit , all(' 0 6 6 SILVER CASES 4 6 With deuble-bottom cases, capped ..... .. • 6 16 With hunting cases, ca 'EI ......... capped....." ........ GOLD CASES• . i .. .... , 0 Size for Ladies, with elegant gold Bases.., 14 4 „ Ditto in double-backed O r ''' . 13 I°„ 0 Size for Gentlemen, enamelled dial •" 17 I' 0 0 0 10 0 ° Ditto extra full size capped .................. ..... d r ss bo th A Pamphlet, containing oliservations re'Pth the Price' de, constructions on which watches are made , c . ' 'leeches of d i l l in gold and silver cases, and a variety of s 4 id chains , ",;, 0' signs, which have just ieen completed in g., l e tter i°, l I,,oii' sent, gratis and postage free, on application I"; SAVORY and 6 ONS, Watchmakers, l'l°' don, Opposite the Bank of England. f 3, Corribei 4 ,1 DIFD. t P g ' zle 0" te On the 18th inst. , very suddenly, Thomas resr e6 On Sunday, the 20th inst.,et(/' of Runcorn, in his 63year Samuel and deeerve Y and lamented. r Lambeth, aged eight weeks. Morton, son e_ • London: Printed and Published by IVIVRI)° trann4, , 1 No. 112. Strand, at The Sue. 011 ie F e, No. 22, n ,. the County of 111iddlese T ties daY l ebruarY PEYTON V. EUGHEE. The arguments on this part heard case, which came before the Court upon a re-hearing of the decision of Lord Cottenham occupied the Lord Chancellor the whole day. ROLLS' COURT.-(THIS DAY.) This being short.cause day no case of any importance or interest came before his Lordship during the early part of the morning. EII&NS V. HARRIS, The question raised in this cause turned upon the construction of a will, whereby the testatrix Anne Harris, devised the sums of 6,0001. Three per Cents. Consols, and 5,0001. Tnree-and.a-Half per Cents. Bank Annuities upon trust for the benefit.of her nephew, and Solomon Harris and his children, to each of whom on attaining the age of 21 years, 1,0001. were to be paid out of the trust fund. Lord L ►NGDALE thought that he ought to order the payment of the different sumo mentioned, to each of the children, according to what appeared to be the intention of the testatrix. VIOE-CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.) ' (Before the VICE-CHANCELLOR of ENGLAND.) Motions of no interest occupied his Honour the Vica.Chancellor of England the whole morning. (Before Vice-Chancellor Wm Ram.) His HoNoun was engaged dining the great part of the day in hearing the arguments in a part-heard cause of Thomas v. Wil. hams. The hearing was brought to a conclusion, but his Honour deferred his judgment. QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY.) (Sittings at Guildhall before Lord DENMAN and a London Corn. mon Jury.) THE QUEEN V. CASSIDY AND ANOTHER. This was an indictment against the defendants for subornation, The case, however, broke down at the outset, and, the Jury re turned a verdict of Not Guilty. EMERY V. ALBERT. This was an action brought by the plaintiff, who is guard of one of the Brighton vans, against the defendant, a taibir, residing in Fleet-street, to recover the value of a coach, horses, and household furniture, which had been seized by the Sheriff of Surrey, for a debt due from plaintiff's brother to the defendant. The property in question had been purchased by the plaintiff of his brother some time before the seizure had been made for the debt due to defendant ; but, for the defence, it was contended that the sale was c?lllsive, for the purpose of defrauding the vendor's creditors. The jury rFLurned a verdict for plaintiff, thereby finding that the sale was a bone fide one. OAKLEY V. FAWCZTI'. This was an action brought by an attorney to recover his bill of costs for business transacted for defendant in the Insolvent Court and elsewhere. Defendant pleaded a setoff in the shape df board and lodgings for plaintiffand his family. After the plaintiff's case had closed, it was agreed to refer the matter to arbitration, and a juror was withdrawn. COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY.). OtICATEILLONT V. GI/SON. This was an action of trover to recover papers and books alleged to be improperly detained by the defendant, an official assignee. It appeared that the plaintiff became a bankrupt, but by the consent of his creditors, the bankruptcy was superseded. In the mean time the assignee (defendant) had taken possession of the plaintiff's property, on the supercesslon of the fiat. Application was made for the restoration of the books, which the defendant refused, upon the ground that he had a lien for his services.—Ver. diet for the plaintiff.—The Court rose at 12 o'clock. EXCHEQUER-(THIS DAY.) THORNTON V. PORTMAN. The Solicitor-General, with Mr. Martyn, were Counsel for the plaintiff; Mr. Thesiger and Mr. Butt appeared for the defendant. This case seemed to excite the greatest interest in the sporting world : the Court was crowded to excess at an early hour. Several gentlemen of distinction on the turf were present, many of whom were accommodated with seats on the bench. It was an action brought to recover back a sum of 1,2501., paid by the plaintiff to Mr. Portman, in discharge of a bet, lost by Mr. Portman, to Mr. Gurney at the last Epsom Races, had, with other members of the Jockey Club, undertaken the settlement of Mr. Gurney's affairs, and entered into a written agreement to re ceive all the debts due to Mr. Gurney, and to discharge in full all the demands against him. With that view he obtained from Mr. Thornton, the plaintiff, the sum for which this action was brought, and executed a mitten agreement to pay the demands in full by the end of the Houghton Meeting. It subsequently appeared that there was a departure from that agreement, and in some instances no more than 10s., and 7s. in the pound were paid. In consequence of this departure from the agreement, Mr. Thornton felt himself called upon to bring this action. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL then called witnesses to prove the agreement : Lord George Bentinck stated that he had no interest in the transaction, He had been a member of the Jockey-club for severs years, and also in the habit of attending the Epsom Races The prac tice of paying the money lost and won was, for the parties to attend at Tattersall's on the Tuesday after the races, in order to settle accounts. When a party does not pay the money he IJst, the practice- is not to pay him. On the occasion in ques. lion. Mr. Gurney had made bets to a considerable amount at Epsom. He came to Tattersall's on the following Tuesday, to settle his bets, but he paid no money. In consequence of that many persons who had lost beta to him did not pay. He (Lord G. Bentinck) was among the number. He refused to pay unless a guarantee was given fur the payment of all Mr. Gurney's accounts in full by the end of the Houghton Meeting. A guarantee to that effect was signed on the 19th Jime 1841, and he then paid the money. The guarantee was put into the hand of Colonel Anson, senior steward. It was signed by Mr. Portman, the defendant. He recommended all who had lost to Mr. Gurney, to pay also, when that guarantee was given. The Houghton Meeting generally falls in the month of November. It always commences in the month of October, and generally terminates in the next month. That year it terminated on Saturday, the 30th October. The settlement at Tattersalls was consequently to take place on the 2d November. He was present when accounts were produced at a meeting of the Jockey-club at Tattersall's, but the defendant did not appear. Cross-examined — There was a Mr. Dixon, who had lost money to Mr, Gurney. The balance sheet of Mr. Gurney's account was produced, His affairs seemed on paper to be a winning game, but practically it was a losing game.--(Laughter.) Two persons named Davis and Atkins had lost money to Gurney, and refused to pay in consequence of the rumour that Gurney refused to pay his losses. This was the first case of this description he had known. The course taken with reference to Mr. Gurney's affair was sanctioned by the majority of the Jockey-club, and among others by Lord Exeter, Colonel Peel, Mr Gregory, and Lord stradbrook. He (witness) was of opinion, that the stewards of the Jockey.club should have enforced the payment of the full amount of the debts due to Gurney, as well as those lie owed. The rules of the Jockey-club are only binding on those who bet at Newmarket, except with the consent of the patties. Mr. Edward Hind stated that he had won 5251. from Mr. Gur ney, and had seen him at Tattersall's, but received no money from him. He received subsequently 1851. from Colonel Peel, on account of Sir. Gurney's debt. He had received no more since, but was satisfied with the amount received. In cross-examination, he said he received only 7s. in the pound, and signed the release two months ago. Mr. Tsurstuuß then addressed the jury on behalf of the defen dant, when Lord Mumma summed up, and stated that Mr. Thornton was not in law boned to pay the 1,2501., but If he had chosen to do so he had a perfect right to declare the terms on which he would pay it, and those terms should have been strictly conformed to. The Jury immediately returned a verdict for the plaintiff—Da. wages 1,2501. The SOLICITOR.GENERAL informed the Court that money was not Mr. Thornton's object, but he wished to assert the principle, and begged to inform the Court that it was Mr. Thornton's intention to band_over the amount to Christ's Hospital. (That announcement was received with loud cheers.) INSOLVENT COURT-(THIS DAY) IN Mt WILLIAM WATTS. The insolvent was a horse.dealer, and had been before the Court in the year 1840, when he was discharged. He now appeared again in Court to receive the benefit of the Act. Mr. Commissioner REYNOLDS (addressing Mr. Roberts, the in. solvent's solicitor), said he was very fortunate in having perpetual clients. Mr. ROBERTS—My clients are always satisfied with me. Mr. Commissioner RETNOLDs—If a person required passing three times through this Court, I should recommend him to you, Br i t r. Roberts. Mr. Coos' said, upon the insolvent's former application to this Court, he (Mr. Cooke) appeared as his Counsel, when it appeared that he had at one time been most respectable, and dealt largely in horses ; but upon his journey to one of the great midland horse fairs he received so severe an injury by a fall from his gig as to im. pail his intellect and totally unfit him fur business. Mr. Commissioner RevNoLns—lt is rather extraordinary that his intellect was equal to one thing and not to another. He had sense enough to run in debt to the amount of upwards of 5001. and circulate accommodation bills to a large amount. If such high au thority as Mr. Cooke were to be of avail in a case like this, he (Mr. Commissioner Reynolds) feared they would have many cases of broken heads in Court. The insolvent was eventually declared entitled to the benefit of the Act. RE WILLIAM HAYWARD. The insolvent, who was taken from the Prison Infirmary, for the purpose of being heard on his petition to be discharged, and ap. peered so weak as to be scarcely able to stand, was opposed by a person named Fo x , res idi ng i n F arn b oroug h, Kent. He had be en the proprietor of the King of Prussia tavern, in Greenwich, and attributed his insolvency, to long sickness. The opposing creditor appeared in person, and cross-examined the insolvent at great length on several matters connected with his 4 e ' l: l ie 31 Ii , - ti, Ji