The Sun. — London, England, 1854-03-21 00:00:00

""~" ..w =MN THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING-, MARCH 21, 1854. i hould move the amendment on the bringing up of the cases which required special legislation, what course was gave that ans w er was, ` t h a t h e b el i eved the question put so report of the committe e , to be pursued ? They had not here simple and easy a was one of an offen s i ve ki n d. (H ear, an d No, no !) BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION. case to deal with as that of Sudbury or St. Albans. The Mr. WHITESIDE would only say th a t, in common case of Sudbury or St. Albans was one in which, though with several of hi s f r i en d s aroun d hi m w h o were in the The ATTORNEY -GENERAL, in rising to move for the whole constituency was not corrupt, the corruption same predic amen t w ith hi mse lf , h e w i s h e d to know how the purpose of a s ki ng le a ve to introduce a bill for the pre- was soextensive that if the corrupt portion had been taken far the Attorney-General went back with his bills. He vention of bribery at the election of members to serve in away there would . not have remained a sufficient number h a d therefore tried the Attorney-Gen era l, b u t h a d b een Parliament for th e c ity o f C an t er b ury, s t a t e d th a t h e i n - of voters to exercise the right of returning a member ; and unsuccess f u l w i t h hi m. According to the principle on nse uently in those cases Parliament did not hesitate to I which he went, it might be inconsistent with official dig tended to follow up that motion with similar motions in consequently the whole body. If, however, the thousand I nity to reply, but he had nevertheless a right to know respect of the boroughs of Cambridge, Barnstaple, King - corrupt voters of Hull were disfranchised, there would how far it was intended to carry legislation in a wrong di ston-upon-Hull, and Malden. There was a manifest neces- still remain three or four thousand who were not corrupt ; rection. He would ask the house if it was correct, when site for the measure which he was now as ki ng l eave t o a similar remark would apply to Canterbury and Cam- they c o u ld no t o bt a i n i n a t own or b oroug h i n d ependent introduce, but it would perhaps save ti me an d t rou bl e if bridge ; and even in the case of smaller boroughs, if they evide nce t o p rocee d w ith thi s ki n d o f l eg i s l at i on ? He took away the corrupt part of the constituency, th ere I thought it a right thing to put down corruption, but it was he at once called the att en ti on o f th e h ouse t o th e whole would still remain a considerable number who we re no t lof more importance still, in his opinion, to adhere to a min subject as connected with these boroughs as a whole, in- tainted with bribery. It would, he thought, be highly ciple which would be more satisfactory to themselves, and stead of going in detail int o eac h p ar ti cu l ar case . (H ear , i n expedient to disfranchise such pl aces as H u ll , Cambridge which would prove of more advantage to th e coun t ry. hear.) The reports whi c h h a d b een ma d e b y th e comm i s - and C a nterbury. He could n o t, i n d ee d , a ll ow any con- The SOLICITOR-GENERAL regretted these conflicts stoners appointed under the 15th and 16th o f Vi c t or i a to sideration of justice to inter vene . Th e quest i on was not o f l egal opinion in the house, which tended very much to one o f justice. or injustice ; if it were, they would not diminish the confidence of the public in the sincerity of investigate the subject of bribery and corruption in these have been justified in sacrificing the innocent portion lawyers, and he hoped the house would endeavour not to boroughs had now been some time in the hands of hon. of the electors of St. Albans. (Hear, hear.) The decide, as an hon. member had observed, on a legal quibbl e , members, and he doubted n o t mos t h on . mem b ers w ere only way to look at th e ma tt er was thi s : —i t i s cons i stent b ut if possible to make out the true meaning of the s t a t u t e well conversant with th e co nt en t s o f th ese re ports. It was with the commonw ea l—i s it cons i stent w i th the national as far as the wisdom of the house could determine it. The good as regards the representation that particular consti- act was intended to suppress bribery and corruption, and not necessary, therefore, for him to advert to them in de- tuencies should exist ? (Hear, bear.) If, however, they at the same time to furnish them with the materials of In tail, and he should do no more than merely call the atten- were not justified, on grounds of general expediency, in ture legislation. It was an act to enable them to legislate tion of the house to those parts which had a local bearing disfranchising such places as hehad referred to, what were about that which the law had distinguished from private upon the matter under consideration. He first, then, took they to do ? Were they to leave such places, as they had property, of which a man was absolute owner, and with the case of the city of Canterbury. It appeared from been, a reproach and a disgrace to the country? Ho which he was entitled to do what he willed. It was an act the report of the commissioners that in that city there thought they could deal with those cases in a very simple that legislated about the conduct of persons in the exercise was a population of 19,000 and a constituency of 1,583 manner, and that by removing the corrupt portion, and of a great public trust—(hear, hear)—and those gentlemen persons of whom 637 were householders, and 946 were free- leaving the sound residue, taking away the shattered limb who desired to adhere to the rules that should govern men. he commissioners reported that corrupt practices in order that the body might be sound. If they did any- a deliberative body would do well to emancipate them stated at the last election and at previous elections. They thing, that, as it seemed to him, was the simple, plain, and selves from all considerations of a legal quibble, and stated that a system had prevailed in the borough of brib- ing and corruptin g e l ec t o r s by issuing colour tickets ;in obviou s course t o pursue. Th ere was, f ortunately, no en d eavour to determine the distinctioa that exist e d difficulty as to the parties who had been guilty of corrup- between the use made of private property, for which addition, they reported that direct bribery on a large scale tion in the boroughs to which he had referred. They had a man was not responsible, and a public trust, for the had prevailed at most of the elections, and the result had been the reports of the commissioners naming the individuals exercise of which he was morally responsible. (Hear.) the general demoralisation of the electors. At the election in 1841 the tw o candidates spent no less a sum than who had either been gu ilty o f b r ib er y, or h a d b een b r ib e d H e was qu it e w illi ng, i n d ea li ng with this question, that 11,0001. in bribing and corrupting the electors. At the themselves. He proposed to deal with this class of per- the house should confine itself to the legal meaning of the election in 1847 5,0001. was spent in the same way, 3 , 0 00 e. sons. They had their own statements as to the facts, and particular clauses in di s p u t e , an d, i n th e construct i on that being on one side, a considerable portion of whi c h went i n he did not see why they should hesitate to deal with per- it was necessary to put upon them, he felt quite assured direct bribery. No less than 5 00/. was exp en d e d i n a sons who, on their own ad m i ss i on , were un fit t o exerc i se th a t th e h ouse wouldhave no desire to put f e tt ers upon direct money bribe, while of the 1 ,500 odd el ec t ors no less the important functi o n s of an e l ec t or . A difficulty had, itself. The clause t o w hi c h th e h on , and learned member than 155 voters received direct bribes a s the price of their however, been suggested to hi m —h e con f esse d h e did not I for Enniskillen more p ar ti cu l ar ly re f erre d was b est ex votes. In feel it himself—f r om a qu a rt er f or w hi c h h e en t er t a i ne d I pl a i ne d b y th e conc l u di ng words of it, which went to show 1852 it was not quite so bad, as th ere was only the most sincere respect. It was said they could not deal ' not only what was the meaning to be attached to the clause, bribery on one side; but even then not less than 2,3501. with these parties, because, before they were examined, but what protection was extended from any penal cense was expended in corruption, of which at least 1,000/. was they were promised indemnity (Opposition cheers.) He quences which might otherwise be attendant on its being spent in direct bribes. Besides the indirect bribery, it was quite understood these cheers ; and he fully admitted that carried out. (Hear, hear.) He could not agree with the proved to •the commissioners that there had been 79 direct cases of bribery, of which 67 were freemen, and 12 were if such an indemnity . as was supposed had been given either hon. and learned member for Enniskillen as to his reading by the provisions of the act or virtually by any promise of this clause, inasmuch as he considered such reading, how householders. That was the state of things in the city of Canterbury. The report of the Barnstaple commission which Parliament held out, how evergrave and serious ever original and independent it m i g ht b e —(l aug ht er ) — no t gave a lamentable picture of the corruption which pre- might be the mischief with which they had to deal, it according to those grammatical rules which generally pre vailed in that borough. It appeared that the population would be a less evil . that corruption and venality should veiled, at least in this country. (Hear, hear.) To read the escape than that Parliament should set the example of a clause as the hon. and learned gentleman proposed would, was 11, 3 7 1 , while the constituency numbered 754 per- breach of faith, even towards the lowest and most con- in fact, be doing violence to it, and ruthlessly destroying eons. At the last election the number of voters polled Was 696, and of th a t number no less than 256, being temptible of mankind. (H e ar, h ear ) H e cou ld no t h ow . its meaning, th an w hi c h no thi ng cou ld b e more clear and ever see the slightest difficulty in the matter. It ap- explicit. (Hear, hear.) The sentences of which the clause upwards of a third of the whole, received direct bribes peered to him that all Parliament h a d p rom i se d was ine. was composed must be r ea d a lt oge th er , an d not dismem for their vot es . I t was clear therefore, from the re port of the commission, that in the case of Barnstaple m` uni ed ty from personal and penal consequences. (Hea r , bered and disjointed, to supp or t p ar ti cu l ar or specu l at i ve the election was invariably obtained by bribery; though hear.) The indemnity o ff ere d was s i m il ar t o th a t g i ven notions or constructions. (Ch eers .) he was b oun d to admit, that with regard to Barnstaple in the case of St. Alb ans an d S u db ury. (H ear. ) Th e M r. WALPOLE said that the house ought to hesitate the case w as no t so complete as that of the other boroughs ninth section of the act, whi c h au th or i se d th e appo i n t men t an d we ll consider the matter before it gave its consent to a and for this simple reason :—it would be remembered of . commissioners, provid e d th a t an y p erson w h o gave measure of so great and vital importance as the present, that an amendment was introduc . ed . in another place into evidence should be " freed from all penal actions, forfei- and one which might be so serious and momentous in its tures, punishments, disabilities, incapacities, and criminal consequences and effects. (Hear, hear.) The hon. and the act under which the commissioners acted, by which. it was provided that the inquiry shouldnotextend back prosecutions," to which he would otherwise have been sub- learned member the Solicitor-General had more than once ject. Did those words apply to penal consequences then stated that the object of this statute was to put down beyond the election where no bribery had taken place, or existing, or did it oust Parliament of its power and autho- bribery. What such object really was could only be tested been complained of ; and inasmuch as in 1847 both parties rity to legislate specially with reference to such cases as and ascertained in two ways—namely, in the first place, theto the contest mutually agreed to abstain from briberY, were reported upon ? He entertained uo doubt whatever by referring to the preamble of the act ; and, in the second researches of the commissioners were necessarily con- that it was limited to the first. Further, he found that place, by going back to see what the intention of the fined to election of 1852. In 1819, however, it was found after a witness had given his evidence he was to receive a framers of the act was, what particular meaning they that bribery and corruption so extensively prevailed in the certificate from the commissioners, and the act went on to wished to be attached to its clauses, and whether we were botough that a bill was brought in to correct the evil, the provide, that on the production of such certificate he acting up to such intention and in furtherance of and ac bill passed the Commons but was thrown out by the should have protection against—what ? " Against any cordance with such meaning. (Hear, hear.) If he referred House of Lords. So much then for Barnstaple. With re- action, information, or indictment which may at any time to the first mode of testing the object of the act, he found gird to the borough of Malden here also the report of the be preferred against him." He (the Attorney General) that it was simply one for the purposes of inquiry, and commissioners showed a lamentable state of corruption. It therefore, entertained no doubt whatever as to what was nothing more, as could be clearly seen from the words of appeared that the population was 5,470, and the consti- intended by the act. He did not wish, however, to look at the preamble, which distinctly and expressly stated that tuency 845, of whom 235 were registered as occupiers of the matter with the narrow view of a lawyer. (Hear.) If such was the object of the statute. If he wished, on the 101 . houses, and 620 as freemen. At the election in 18*.lti, Parliament h e ld ou t an y expectation that witnesses should other hand, to ascertain the object of the act from the the only electors were freemen who had dwindled down to not be made to suffer any consequences besides provided intention of its framers, we should remember the par -50, but by corrupt means the number was raised to 2,000, against, Parliament ought not to punish them even for the titular occasion on which it was found to be neces and at thi election no less than 18,000/. was spent on one purpose of getting rid of corruption. He did not admit, sary, and that it referred immediately to the two side, and s 2,ooo/. on the other, making together 30,000/. however, that Parliament had done anything of the kind. boroughs of Sudbury and St. Alban's. (Hear, hear.) The two elections of 1830 and 1831 were without contest, What right had these parties to suppose that Parliament With respect to the first of these boroughs, it had been but at all elections down to that of 1841, large sums of meant to grant an immunity which it did not grant ? The proved that out of 280 voters 220 had been bribed, and, money were spent in corrupting the electors. In 1847 provisions of the statute were the same in the case of St. further, that a sum of 3,0001. had been sent down to there was a contest, and of course considerable bribery Alb ans an d Sudbury. Why should an immunity be en- the borough for the purposes of bribery—had been and corruption were resorted to, no less than 2,1501. be- joyed by a minority when it is not enjoyed by a majority? made use of for such purposes, and upon a calculation ing expended in beer alone. It was proved to the corn- (Hear, hear.) Besides if Parliament really meant to leave that such a sum world be more than sufficient, at the missioners that, at the election in 1852 something like cases of ascertained corruption out of the general law on market price of the day, to bribe such 220 voters, and 75 persons received direct money bribes for their votes! the subject why were the commissioners directed to in- so, in fact, implicating a still greater number in and they came to the conclusion that bribery had the 8118- uire ? (Hear, hear.) Above all, why were they directed picion of Corruption. With respect to St. Alban's, it was extensively prevailed in the borough for many years 'l. o name all thosewho had been found guilty of bribery ? proved that out of a number of 217 186 were bribed ; and pad. That was the state then of the constituency of He apprehended that the simple object was to enable Par- out of a number of 280 no less than 240 were bribed. Mr. Malden. He must now advert to the case of Kingston- upon-Hull. From a s h or t a b s t rac t o f t h e report of the com- liament to deal w i th th ose particular cases, (Hear, hear.) Coppock had said of this place, that to deal with it in any missioners, he fo un d th a t t h e constituency of that borough Now, these wer e th e o b servations which suggested them- way it must be "bribed and bled ;" an d Si r R o b ert Car selves to his mi n d, S tanding in the position he had the den, one of the candidates for it s representation, had re numbered 4,678 el e ct ors, o f w h om 3,184 were occupiers of honour to hold, he had felt that he ought not to shrink ferred to it as a place "possessing no other principle of houses. and 1,494 f reemen. W ell, then, with only that con stituency, at the e l ec ti on i n 1841, there was spent no less a f rom express i ng his opinion ; but at the same time, if the action except such as might be found in the breeches sum than 10,5401., of which sum the commissioners had no house should come to the conclusion that Parliament had, pockets." (" Hear," and laughter.) The commissioners hesitation in coming to the conclusion that 4,000/, and u either dire c tly or i n di rectly, entered into a compact with also had spoken of the place as wholly and completely cor wards was expended in direct bribe s t o th e f reemen. A $ P. these persons, th a t i n th e even t o f th e i r g i v i ng full infer- rupt. (Hear.) Tho present measure, he believed, would tem had in fact pre va il e d i n t h e b orough of paying " hea mation they should suffer no injury whatever, he would be be far more dangerous, because more general, and less money," 41. being paid for a full vote, and 2/, fora spl'lt the last m an t o w i s h t o ta k e advantage of what they had effective, because less explicit than the statute of inquiry vote; but it being f oun d th at t hi s system would not do it done. He did not think, however, that such a construe- to which he was referring, and which did not, as it ap was changed for a system of giving the voter colourable em- tion of the act was warranted. He thought it was the peared to him the present measure did, violate one of the ployment, and in that manner the bribery had been carried duty of Parliament to grapple with the evil before them to great fundamental principles of our law—namely, that no on up to the last election. At the election in 1841 the elec- the utmost of their ability, by special legislation applied to man should be called to condemn himself. (Cheers.) In tors polled numbered 3,583, and of that number no less special cases, an d un d er thi s f ee li ng, h e now felt it his St. Alban's and Sudbury the bribery committed w as o f t wo than 1,300 rece i ve d di rect bribes for their votes. In the duty to ask leave to bring in a bill for the prevention of kinds, general and systematic. He had always contended year 1847, there was a s h or t contest, which sum theeorn but short tho ug h it bribery in the el ec ti on o f mem b ers t o serve i n Parliament that, unless the corruption of any boroughcould be proved was 6,8401. was expend e d upon i t, of for the borou g h o f C an t er b ury. to be both general and systematic, Parliament had no right rnissioners said 1,650/. was spent in direct bribery The Mr. CAIRNS took a different view of the act under to punish the innocent as well as the guilty. (Hear.) electors polled at this election numbered 3,618, of.wh which the several commissions were appointed, and con- The Attorney-General said the House of Commons could 1,175 were bribed. At the election in 1852, the expensesam tended that indemnity was provided for those who should not disfranchise these boroughs, and the only question was, on the one side were 4,9201. and on the other 3,6311., while give evidence. The proposal, therefore ; to disfranchise the whether, as the Solicitor-General somewhat incautiously for the purposes of direct bribery on the orange side 2,235/. persons mentioned by the commissioners was adirect brea c h seemed to admit, you could deprive the electors of as right a public faith and public honour. Mr. Cairns called upon which belonged to men whom, by the law of England, Par was spent, and on the blue side 1,300/. The commissioners the house to negative the motion. liament could not have called upon to convict themselves, stated that out of 3,943 electors, 1,350 were paid for their Sir J. HANMER thought Mr. Cairns' advice was better except under an assurance of indemnity ? (Hear.) What votes, and of these 1,050 were reported by name. The than that . given by the Attorney-General. He repelled an was the great principle at . stake iu this question? In other next case in his list was that of the notorious borough of Cambridge. The population of that borough was 28,000. accusation made against himself, in the Kingston-upon- countries men were punished upon their own evidence • but hull report, of having countenanced foul practices . when a in this country the courts acted upon the principle so Often The number of constituents was 1,887. Of theso, it ap peared, from 150 to 200 never voted at all, lest by so d?- candidate for the representation of that borough in 1841. laid down by Lord Eldon, that you were never to put a ' they should their mg injure interests—so teat the VOL- Sir John's election experiences, as detailed by himself, loan into a position in which it would be to his interest to ing constituency was between 1,00 and 1,700. At the seemed to afford the house much amusement. commit perjury rather than tell the truth. Parliamenthad first four elections after the passing of the Reform Bill, no Mr. PHINN deprecated the introducti on of perso na l said to these electors, "We will indemnify you, so that it corruption existed; the franchise was exercised in a Tatters into the discussion. The question should be argued will be no longer your interest to commit perjury;" but if straightforward an d l eg iti mate manner. But the elections upon general ground s , name ly , h av i ng rece i ve d t h e reports t h e present act were passed and persons were disfranchised having gone four times the same way, the opposite party of the commissioners, what is to be clone with them ? In who had been indemnified from all the consequences of his view, the course ken by the Attorney-General is the giving their evidence, he should like to know where they determined to have recourse to corruption, and they • t correct one. The indemnity can only be construed as ap- would get witnesses in future to give the evidence that was down and organised a most complete system of temptatiosn4 plying to exemption from disabilities which then existed. to deprive them of that right, which ought not to be taken details of which wore given by the commissioners. A Mr' Samuel Long, who was notorious in the annals of Cam At St. Alban s an d S u db ury th e i n d emn i ty was given, and away from them except by evidence from other quer s yet both boroughs were disfranchised. t ers ? (Ch eers.) The commissioners themselves, in their bridge bribery, a pp eare d t o b e the master mind and t of the wh o l e . T here was one man whose business it p• ' wirals Mr. NAPIER, said, the ground on which he would take aeport to her Majesty, spoke of the importance of the act of to sound or t empt the voters. This man insinuated him- his stand was, sh or tly, th e c l ause o f indemnity. (Hear.) Parliament gi v i ng self amongst th e p oorer voters whom he found in the the indemnification, because it peared That clause wen t upon th e o ld esta bli s h ed principle, that that the very witn esses who had been examine ap d before public houses, telli ng th em it di d not signify how they votd 80 no man was bound to criminate himself. (Hear.) No min committees of the House of Commons, and upon oath, had that they could make money, and when he found that they was bound to answer a question that would expose him to not told the truth before those committees, but had told were persons who might be worked upon, he put clownforfeiture of an y na t ure w h a t ever. S uch was the law, as the truth to the commissioners, because they were indem their name s as persons who were to be further tempted. laid down by the b es t au th or ities ; yet here, upon th e con - nifi e d. (H ear, h ear. ) B ut when future commissions s Then there w as an i n d ividual whose business it we to fession and answ er o f th e wi t nesses, it was prop ose d t o s h ou ld b e sen t in t o t h e country, and when witnesses saw act on that sugges ti on by seizing a suitable opportunity of make them forfeit their franchise. The words of the act that they were no longer i n d emn ifi e d, b u t th a t th ey would offering a bribe. If th e man swallowed the temptation he were, that such p ersons s h a ll b e f ree d f rom a ll " penal ac- be visited with disfranchisement if they spoke the truth, was set down as a sa f e person, and then Mr. Long com- tions," and "from forfeiture," &c. To deprive a man of was there not great danger that perjury would be again menced. Tho commissioners reported that after the first his franchise was a forfeiture and permanent disability. committed ? Why, he wanted to know, was the Attorney election it was not necessary for Mr. Long to make an offer This was the hard and rigid construction of the law ; but General about to deal with all these case's of individual of a bribe; a look, a gesture, or the fact of a man's having taking the c l ause i n it s sp i r it an d i n t en ti on, h e would say bribery, because they came before him in a mass, in a called upon hi m , was sufficient. The voter was sure to that there could be no manner of doubt that the object of different way from that in which cases had been dealt get_ the rew ar d. Th e commissioners stated that the the Legi s l a t ure was t o i n d emn if y t h e voter i n such circum. with that had been reported upon by committees of that had ascertained that a n un b ro k en chain of corrupt prat- stances stances as these. (Hear, hear.) house? (Hear, hear.) What could be the object of the tices had existed from 1839; that in 1840 8001, was dis- Mr. KENNEDY said he understood that evidence had Legislature in passing the acts of Parliament relative to tributed in bribery ; that in 1841 Mr. Long distributed been given of the fact of bribes having being received be- an inquiry into these boroughs ? One object was, that between five and six hundred pounds. In 18-13, the re- fore recourse was had to thsi electors themselves ; and that they might deal—as , they had dealt with St. Alb an ' s port said, a very cu r i ous i nc id ent occurred. A Dr. Bart- the object of calling the electors was to give them an op- and Sudbury—with any boroughs where they found them lett received instructions to come from Cambridge to portunity of defending themselves, if improper evidence in so corrupt a state that they could no longer be trusted Charing-cross, where some one would recognise him by a had been produced against them. In these circumstances, with the right of returning members. The other oh :signal ; Dr. Bartlett came, and was not deceived in his he thought a boon had been conferred upon the parties ject was, that Parliament should have a mass of evidence expectation ;an individual appeared, who gave him a bag rather than otherwise, and the h ouse h a d , unquestionably, w i t h reference to those boroughs accused of bribery containing 1,000 so vere i gns , w hi c h h o t oo k b ack to Cara a right to see that justice was duly done to the honest and and corruption, so that Parliament might be enabled to bridge, and the whole of this money, with 3001. more respectable portion of the constituency. deal retrospectively with the matter by some general law. which was also obtained mysteriously, was spent in bribing Mr. MASSEY believed it was avowed on all sides that, cleric© so o bt a i ne d ; f or i n t h is Bribery Prevention Bill, The noble lo r d (J. R usse ll) h a d t h us acted upon the evi the vote rs o f C am b r id ge. A not h er election took place in unless the indemnity stood in the way, there was really no 1845. The candidate, who was examined, stated that he substantial argument against the proposal of the Attorney- brought in during the present session, he called upon Par had nothing to do with the providing of any money; General. Could it ever be intended by Parliament to go liament to enact that where a person had been convicted of nevertheless some individual put down the sum of 800/., to the extent of giving a man who had been guilty of cor- bribery he was to b e di squa lifi e d f or life from again voting the whole of w hi c h was spent i n bribery. On this occa- rupt practices immunity for life? It appeared to him that in elections of members of that house. (Hear, hoar.) That sion Long spent as much as 1,000/. At th e e l ec ti on o f it wou ld b e a b sur d an d uncons tit u ti ona l t o pretend that w as r i g ht l eg i s l ation, and he should never complain that 1847, in consequence o f the very excited feelings which any act of the Legislature could or would confer on a voter parties guilty of bribery should be disqualified after due give evidence indemnification,a ga i nst againstvio and violating t t i h n e g n thetak taking lawg themselves, uponby away inducing ththeei rassurance votes parties prevail e d th roug h the agitation of the corn l aw quest i on, any i mmun i ty to t h at extent, (Hear.) The immunity no ti ce . B ut h e protested, in the most earnest and solemn which o f t n an the ide a o f t urning the scale by means of bribery was promised in the act was to protect him from legal conse- manner, deemed h ope l ess, an d consequently no extensive corrup- quences, but it was not to be a title-deed for corruption all Jim was practis e d. H e now came to the election of 1852. the rest of his life. (Hear, hear.) What was this right of At that election 1,6001. was contributed by the two candle which it was proposed to deprive the corrupt voter? There they thought they should not lose by reason of that inemaluinsgt cleat walilththtehseem boroughs. applied oughs. some in dates who w ere re t urned. In addition to that 1250/. were gentlem en i n th a t h ouse w h o l oo k e d upon th e f ran - demnification. (H ear , h ear.) He could not shut his rdifficulty was supplied fr om l oca l sources, the whole of which wag chise as a n indefeasible right, but the constitution of this eyes aid pari a oLd ap . plied for bribe r y. Of 1,540 voters who polled, 111 re - c oun t r y did not say so. A man might be in possession of He was calved direct bribes. In reference to that occasion, the this franchise, and that house, from high reasons of policy, way, but he could not see the distinction between dis commissioners spoke of the utter uselessness of the bribery might deprive him of it. In this way whole constituencies qualifying any one of the voters of these boroughs, and oath. It appeared that while all this bribery was at its had been deprived of the franchise, and could it for a me- not having disqualified one voter during the last century height, it was the custom i n C am b r id ge to put the bribery ment be said that the house had not the same right in the who, by the committ ee o f th e H ouse of Commons, had oath, and the only voter who refused to take it was a per- case of individuals ? (Hear, hear.) What would be the been declared guilty of bribery. (Hear.) It was in his judgment more important to keep faith with those who had son who had conscientious scruples against the taking of effect if they did not pass this bill ? Writs would go down been induced to give evidence by the solemn promise of an any oath. The commissioners stated that many of the to all these places, and they would have persons who, on indemnity than to punish the great mass of bribery com bribed voters whom they examined stated that they their own confession, had abused the electoral trust, but mated in those boroughs by a retrospective law. Nor ought had no politic a l opinions at all ; they were no scholars, who had this immunity conferred on them, returning the house to lose sight of this fact—that these voters ought they hardly knew which was which, and they members to that house. (Hear, hear.) On grounds of not to be deprived of a locus pcnitentice. (Cheers.) It was voted according as they were directed by the persons Public policy, then, as well as on grounds of common sense said that unless these persons were disfranchised Parlia to whom they sold their votes, the 101. being of and commo n decency, they were bound to pass the present more service to them than anything else. Of the 111 voters bill. (Hear, hear.) meat would give an immunity for future corruption. Far thbribed in 1852, 30 signed their names with a mark. Now Mr. WHITESIDE said, in considering the principle of from it. There was the bill of the noble lord (J. Russell), ,„e -which enacted that if these or any other parties committed were the parts of the rorts of the commissioners,' this bill, the question came to be, could they by law in which w he had thought, it necessary to bring before the house. this country act on a man's confession? There were parts acts of bribery in future, they were to be deprived of their v l :, a _a e s reeite clear that the state of the constituencies to of the world where they might extort confession fr om a votes. (Hear, hear.) He had not read these for renrt .ll 11 dome weeks, but in one of them—he believed in . the u ```' he.had referred was a reproach and a scandal, not man, and act upon it ; but by the . law of England that " 1 Y tO the at tar commission report —a schedule was given in which cases of onstituencies themselves, but to the country could not be done. It occurred to him that they ought to couldt, rd to that h ) d interpret this ttt as thosepersons who had been affected house--(hear, ear —an if anything s a u e bribery were mentioned as having been committed by parties during the last four or five elections. In other duty X. e lione to purge and purify such bodies, it was the by it would read and understand it. It was distinctlylaid the sm i at e jo ar n harnent to do it. (Hear, hear,) ' Thencame down that no testimony given by a voter before the corn- boroughs the same parties had been guilty of these acts at might b e ea.---d,what course ought the house to pursue ? It missioner should be used hereafter against him. The voter, two . or three elections. Now, was the Attorney-General . tion on th e i s h. that they should rely upon general legisla- having been examined, received his certificate, and could going to disfranchise parties who had been guilty of bribery at two or three elections, but not at the last ? The Atter which wa3.prii. iep . teither that which now existed, or that not be proceeded against at law, and his vote still remain . ed• nay-General shook his head, but if the objection were Be did not b. - ireu• eve t He could not concur in that opinion. On what principle was it that they proposed to deprive confined to those who had been guilty of bribery at the to bribery and co hat any general legislation in reference that person of his right to vote whom they could not sub last election, the liament had been tru P t_stionioeyould cure the mischief. Par. ject to a criminal prosecution ? (Hear, hear.) The words was a retrospective centuries ;it had g forthis purpose for nearly two of the act were, that the person examined as a witness who had committed these acts, (liea ment replied that it law. objection was just as strong that this Govern oathpersonsmutated _ . statute upon statute, added touching such corrupt practices "shall be freed from all was necessary to punish (Hear he hear) had to oath, multiplied what result let the e l ooti _ P:ealttes and forfeitures —with penal actions, from forfeitures, from punishment, fromsho l ev .fh n t t ht h he a e t if they occurred again they could be punished under a general act. ttikillin declare. (Hear, hear.) disabilities, and from incapecities." There he would stop, There were, indeed, b i te efore that house. His for that, in his opinion, settled the question. The clause But not even for the great object of condemning and noble friend the leader of the punishing these acts would he consent to violate the funds payment illegal whi ell house proposed to make then went on to say that he was also to be free from all every mental law of England, or. induce the feeling that Parlacknowledged and authoris e d a w at ae nt r w t . made ' through an criminal prosecution to which he might be liable at the suit ment had been guilty of a breach of faith, and that gross - in _hile the hon. mem- of her Majesty. The fair reading of the act—for they were in ber for Suffolk proposed that all p a emu should be made not to quibble in that house as to the meaning of acts of Justice had been committed. (Cheers.) through an authorised, election oii eel-. How would any Parliament —was, that nopereons were to be punished after Mr. WARNER thought that the house had been some such legislation as that touch the e aee of hear ) It At the electiooffn, ihnellBasw2 Cambridge . with ev the borough of having been induced to confess. Ho believed this country what taken by surprise by the nature of the measure. He Cambridge ? (Hear, not. might h the sitting would . always act according to the principles of strictjustice. thought they ought not to reject at so early a stage any member, but it would prevent t en t "! d. and partis ans (fiear, eer.) The object of the act of Parliament was to bill which had received the sanction of the Government. from subscribing their money. enable them to get evidence to warrant them to do what He should vote for the first reading without pledging him positiontwo gentlemen went down to . they • such St. Albans,and • h ery dis- (lid in cases as to keep strictly within the limit with the means of framing a general law against bribery, feel that very serious objections had been urged against taking every precaution to prevent themselve s but it did not empower them to get all they could out of it. (Cheers.) implicated in bribery. One of thosegentles -°al ueing " E 'en 'was his witnesses tempti ri• them to tell all they knew, and then Mr. SCOTT held that the house would do better if they han. friend Mr. Macaulay, who, like rho other candidate, to turn round upo n fiand Punish them on the groUnd of their extracted evidence by torture o r by th e thumbscrew rather agreed to pay 6001, towards the expenses, and wh o keenly solicitous that not, he evidence Ho did not catch from the Attorney-General than by violating thefaith of England, given under a, sacred was bound to say, was ng for how many years he intended to go back with the bill. should be done that could give to the election a corrupt Th rp - a" promise to those persons who had afforded all the informa e A ro NE Y-GENERAL said he proposed t o in- Con Parliament could desire to have, because they had been character. This eentleman, who would, no doubt, at to that h capacitate those who were proved before the commissioners assured that if they so gave information they would not be no distant d a y, have b een an ornamentouse, to have been bribed. [An hon. MEM BER ...... How f ar v i s it e d with any penalties. He would read the indemnity after being re t urne d, h a d a pe titi on p res ented against t him back do you go?] There was but one report on which h e clause of the act of Parliament in a lay sense, and then the and, without any fault of his own, had the ag ar tune to went back beyond the past year. horse would see that these parties had been fairly inveigled lose his seat. That was a lamentable position for any gen- , Mr. WHITESIDE thought it would be satisfactory to into giving evidence under false pretences. (Hear, hear.) tleinan to be placed in, and they ought to adopt vigorous allO whether they wore going back to the beginning of Having read the indemnity clause of the act, he contended measures to put a stop to such a state of things. (H i ea . r, the_ century or not ? (Laughter.) that any person looking at it in a general sense would come hear.) H e repea t e d that he did not b el i eve genera l cps. The ATTO RNEY -GENERAL—If that question was to the conclusion that such individuals giving evidence lation would suffice. General legislation might prevent the psouetutdothoino. all h . e had to say was that he would not cond e . should be free from all incapacities. He asked wuether, for introduction of corrupt practices in a constituency, but answer it. (" Oh ! oh !" and laughter.) the sake of purifying boroughs, the house would do a thing when the whole or a large portion of a constituency had Mr. 'WHITESIDE must say that he was not aware of more corrupt than that of which they complained—violate become co rru pt, genera l l egis l a ti on would not meet the havin g p ut an Improper question to the learned Attorney- their faith t o th ose individuals who had given their evidence special le- General..A.A (Hear.) He did not quite understand, and on that faith? ease. He thought they must have recourse to gialation appli ca bl e t o s p ec i a l c i rcums t ances . Where cor - neither "i" the he zh gentleman behind him, one part of Mr. W, Co, STANLEY thought, if the present measure ruption wa s on the subject; but the learned' Attorney-General would appointing thosenceodi'n and a question was put were not eanctio rid of th • total or very extensive, they must either get the Attorney-General's proposal, t m h i e ss s i o o o n n s e t r h t e h h ey et r t e e p r. ealed the act for e constituency, as such, altogether, or purify it by allow him to say that it was no answer to tell them that The ATTORNEY -GENERAL, in reply, expressed some (as was tuiderstood) joining it to other bodies. Well, then, house shonid concur 'with him in thinking that they Were Tho ATTORNEY'ggnRAL said the reason why he thing like an exhibition. Nothing could be further fro en his thonghtsthanany wish to be offensive, and he certainly took credit for not exhibiting either within the house or out of it, anything like what an hon. and learned gentle men had been pleased to term " official dignity." (Cheers and laughter.) Perhaps, by way of excuse, he might be allowed to reply that that hon. and learned gentleman was not himself always in the mildest humour—(laughter)—and there was occasionally something in his manner not exactly calculated to excite the blandest feelings (renewed laughter) —however if he (the Attorney-general) had said anything that had given offence to any individual, he very sin cerely withdrew it. (Cheers.) With respect to the pre sent measure, it did not appear that the hon. members who opposed it denied the proposition that it was essential to do something to improve the constituencies to which the bill referred, and the whole question was, whether any act of Parliament had been passed which limited them either in point of law or good faith, for he most cordially concurred that if that act by a fair construction implied a compact with the persons in question, Parliament was bound in good faith to leave them in the exercise of their franchise. .Bat he did not see such was the case ; certainly it was not' upon the construction of the hon. gentleman who had read the clause ; for he had omitted an essential part and added something not in it at all. He (the At torney-General) regretted, considering how many hon. members of the legal profession had addressed the house, that one of the most distinguished lights and ornaments of that profession, and one perfectly conversant with the act in question—ite meant his hon. and learned friend oppo site, had taken no part in the discussion; and he attri buted his silence to the fact that ho could not, as a lawyer, stand up in that house and controvert his (the Attorney- General's) proposition. There might have been some ground for argument if the commissioners had given to the voters any reason to believe that not only would they be protected by the act of Parliament against any legal or penal consequences, but aga i ns t all future legislation. There was no evidence of anything of the kind ; indeed, he would ask, how could they impose restrictions on the house, and what was the reason forcalling upon the commissioners to report by name every man guilty of bribery unless the Legislature contemplated their disfranchisement ? With respect to the question which had been put as to how far back he intended to go, ho would say, speaking generally, not beyond a single election, although there were in some cases special reasons for going back two elections; and he believed it would be found that the commissioners them selves had not gone back beyond one or two elections. He submitted the present measure was no violation of faith on the part of the house; if it were, he would be the last per son to bring it forward. Sir F. KELLY expressed his thanks for the handsome eulogium passed on him, but he was afraid it might be the occasion of his inflicting a speech on the house, which would not otherwise have been the case, as he should have been content to leave the case in the hands of his right hon. and learned friend the member for Midhurst ; but, having been, as it were challenged, he must say that this was the very first time on which a bill had ever been brought forward in either house of Parliament to inflict pains and penalties and disabilities on a number of indi viduals who had been convicted by no jury, and yet who were, under the san c ti on o f th e h ouse, to b e d epr i ve d of a franchise which the law conferred upon them, upon an ex parte report, against which they had not liven had. the op portunity of being heard. (Hear, hear.) His right hon. and learned friend (Mr. Walpole) had put a question to the Attorney-General which he (Sir F. Kelly) thought was not an unreasonable one. It was whether this bill, which had for its object the disfranchisement of a large number of persons, sought only to disfranchise those who appeared to have committed bribery at the last election, or whether it included all who had committed bribery at the numerous preceding elections which had been inquired into by the commissioners? (Hear, hear.) The commissioners re ported not as to one or two, but six, seven, and eight elec tions, and in the case of Maldon their inquiries extended so far back as the year 1826. Surely, then, it was not un reasonable to ask the number of persons to whom it was sought to apply this bill of disfranchisement. Taking the first case —that of Canterbury—the bill proposed to disfran chise as many as 100 or 150 individuals, and supposing the individuals proposed to be disfranchised should hereafter petition both houses of Parliament, and claim to be put upon their trial before they suffered the consequences of a conviction by law, how could the house refuse to hear them ? (Hear.) He challenged his learned friend opposite (the Attorney-General) to point out a single instance in the whole history of our Legislature in which any man sought to be disfranchsed by a bill in Parliament, except a bill of pains and penalties, where the person sought to be punished by that bill was not entitled to be heard with all the protec tion of the forms of a judicial prosecution. He could say, without fear of contradiction, that this was the single and unprecedented instance of a bill of pains and penalties against a great number of individuals who had never been put upon their trial, and had consequently had no oppor tunity of being heard in their defence. With regard to the act of Parliament itself, as he had been called upon, al though be did not think this a fit arena for arguments of this nature, he had no hesitation in stating his views. If the act of Parliament were a penal act, and were so to be construed, then he thought it was sufficiently ambiguous in its terms to entitle the persons convicted of the offence complained of to the indemnity insisted upon on that (the Opposition) side of the house. First of all, the actprovided that, upon evidence being given by any accused person, the persons so giving evidence should be protected and in demnified against actions, disabilities, forfeitures, and a number of other pains and penalties. If the act stopped there, no doubt, all such persons would have been fairly entitled to indemnity, but it went on to say that they should be indemnified from all penal pro secutions to which they might be liable or become sub ject at the suit of her Majesty or any other person. If the words, " at the suit of her Majesty or any other person," referred, as in ordinary grammatical construction they would, to the last antecedent—namely, to " all penal prosecutions to which he may become liable or subject," then the person giving evidence was indemnified from all pains and penalties whatsoever. But if, on the contrary, the final words overrode the entire sentence, then, no doubt, the construction insisted upon by the Attorney-General was the true construction. The act at any rate was suffi ciently ambiguous in its terms to entitle any man to say he had a fair reason to expect to be indemnified against pains and penalties. (Hear, hear.) But whatever might be the strict legal meaning of the act of Parliament, was it not in substance a direct violation of all honour and justice if these pains and penalties were inflicted? (Hear, hear.) If, instead of bribery, the offence had been the crime of high treason, and the parties had given evidence suffi cient to convict thorns •lves of high treason, would it be proper for Parliament to step in and say, ".We will not indict you for high treason, but we will bring in a bill of pains and penalties and inflict on you the punishment awarded to high treason, upon your own confession ?" In such a case, would not the parties thus visited be entitled to ask, " What is the meaning of your act of Parliament ?" The bill was nothing more nor less than a bill of pains and penalties, and a bill against any su bj ec t o f th e rea l m, for any offence whatever, ought to entitle that subject to be heard by counsel, and to undergo a trial with all the forms of law. (Cheers.) Ho considered the bill a delusion and a deception, and he thought he should not be charged with using too strong language when he characterised it as a frau I. (Cheers.) The parties who had given evidence before the commissioners had been led to believe, and had in fact been told, that they would not expose themselves to disfran chisement, and they therefore gave their evidence, under that assurance, freely, fully, and candidly. They wore now, however, to be told that they would be liable to no action at law, and would suffer no action for pains and penalties, but that at the same ti me th e y wou ld b e punished in some other way, and would be disfranchised, (Hear, hear.) The house then divided :-- The numbers were— For the motion Against it llB Majority Leave was then given to introduce the bill. Mr. WALPOLE said, that after this division, he would not oppose the other bills of which the hon. and learned Attorney-General had given notice. On the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL leave was then given to introduce bills for the prevention of bribery in the election of members to serve in Parliament for the boroughs of Cambridge, Barnstaple, Kingston-upon-Hu and Maldon. LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS. Mr. EWART obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend and extend an act passed last session for enabling town councils to establish libraries and museums freely open to the public. A principal object of the bill was to extend to Ireland and Scotland the powers granted by the existing act with regard to the establishment of libraries and museums. Sir J. YOUNG obtained l eave t o b r i ng i n a bill t o en able the Collector-Gener a l o f R a t es and T axes i n D u bli n t o levy money to repay a cer t a i n out l ay b y t h e corporat i on for preserving and Impro v i ng th e port o f D u bli n, i n an d quay -wall of the river Liffey, and for about th j.futureYO UNGrepairing Sir then moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend the Dublin Carriage Act. After a few words from Mr. WHITESIDE and Mr.VANcE leave was given to bring in the bill, which was read a first time. On the motion of Mr. MIIRROUGH, returns were ordered of the names or short titles of all causes and suits, or other proceedings or matters relating to the distribution of cha ritable funds or bequests in the High Court of Chancery in England, to which her Majesty's Attorney-General has been made a party, either as plaintiff, defendant, peti tioner, or respondent, within the last five years ; together with the several amounts of all fees paid to her Majesty's Attorney-General in all such causes and matters during such five years; stating the nature of the proceedings on which such fees hav e been paid ; also, (where practicable) the fund out of w hi ch, or the names of the parties to such suit or matt ers b y whom such fees have been paid, or ordered to be paid, or are in fact payable. The house then adjourned at a quarter to 12 o'clock. Mr. WHITMORE has paired fora week with Lord MONCK. Mr. BENTINCK paired in favour of the second reading of the Ministers' Money Bill with Mr. PHINN against. Mr. DUNNE was shut out on the division of Ministers' Money. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURN. LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.— Traffic return fo r the week ending March 18, 1854 £10,648 6 9 Corresponding week last year 8,729 8 4 Total of the half-year to this date 1854 106,281 9 9 Total of the half-year to this date; 1853 90,710 13 5 LONDON AND 80IITH-EASTERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic re turn for the week ending March 18, 1854 £14,298 3 6 Corresponding week last year 10,921 7 11 In crease in 1854.., . £3,376 15 7 THE PARIS BOURSE.—The final q u otation s from the Paris Bourse yesterday evening showed a further fall of nearly a-half per cent. The letters describe a slight improve ment in the rate of exchange on London, and it is be lieved that the heavy remittances of gold from this side will now in a great degree be checked. The amount taken from the Bank of England was again about 50,0001. The whole of the gold brought by the Sydney steamer will, of course, be sent, as it gives a slight ad vantage over that obtained from the Bank. [AnvEansEmExT.]—Th e Earl of Aldborough and Holloway's Pills. —An astounding cure by this miracu lous medicine after every other means had failed. See extract from his lordship's fetter, dated " Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21, 1845. To Professor Holloway. Sir—l beg to acquaint you that your pills have effected a cure of a disorder in my liver and stomach, which all the most eminent of the faculty at home and All over the Continent had not been able to effect—nay, not even the waters of Carlsbad or Marienbad. (Signed) Ald borough." These wonderful pills will cure any disorders of the liver or stomach.—Sold (also Holloway's oint ment) at Prosessor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London, and by 'all medicine-vendors through out the world, MURDKR AND SiTIPIDN AT BIRM I:‘ Gil A3l. BIRMINGHAM, Saturday.—Munler and suicide seem to have become epidemic in this locality. Within the last few days three persons have been murdered, and the life of another is placed in imminent peril. Scarcely had the excitement caused by these occurrences subsided, when the public were shocked by rumours of a still more sad and frightful tragedy, which was unfortunately too well founded. The scene of this second murder and suicide is in Lis ter-square, G; eat Lister-street—a small court of houses situated near St. Matthew's Church. In one of these houses resided Mrs. Speak, the widow of a band master, who died while with his regiment in Gibraltar some time ago. Her son, Samuel Speak, a youth of little more than 20 years of age, resided with her—both, in fact, living with her brothers, Messrs. John and Thomas Dodd. It was this poor woman and her son who were almost in stantaneously hurried into eternity yesterday morning. II t appears that the youth Speak got up very early and went to his cousin, John Dodd, a pistol finisher, employed at Mr. Dineley's Whittal-street. While there he produced a pistol which he had borrowed from a com panion on the previous day while they were out shooting about Aston, and wished to cast some bullets in a mould. He found, however, that the mould would not fit the pistol—an ordinary pocket pistol—and thereupon he cut up some lead into slugs and went away, saying, " Now I'll go and have a good shot; there is some good waste ground near our house. Nothing particular was observed about him then, and shortly afterwards he arrived at home. There he had breakfast with his mother, one of his uncles, a niece, and his grandmother, and every thing went on as usual. At length Mr. J. Dodd went to work (Mr. T. Dodd, having a rheumatic affection, was lying ill in bed in the attic). His grandmother then went out, after he had assured her he was going to work immediately, and no one was left in the room but his utifort mate mother and his cousin, Mary Dodd. That young person, however, also withdrew into a small pantry adjoining the sitting-room, leaving the door open, and the youth Speak standing conversing with his mother. She had scarcely left the apartment when she heard the report of a pistol ; instantly the place was full of smoke, and in a moment after, when she rushed into the room, she saw her aunt falling from her chair, covered with blood. The youth Speak was sta n d ing c l ose b es i de her. "Oh ! Sam," cried the girl, " what are you doing I" but he made no reply. He merely turned and looked at her for a moment, and ran up stairs. The girl on proceeding to her aunt's assistance found her lying on the floor, with a stream of blood flowing from a frightful wound in her head. She screamed in alarm, and her cries having been heard by Mr. G. F. Dodd, a relative, who re,ides in the house opposite, he immediately ran to her assistance, when his brother, Mr Thomas Dodd, descended from the attic, having been alarmed by the report of the pistol. Before, however, he got to the bottom of the stairs another report of fire arms was heard, and on the bewildered relatives pro ceeding to the front bedroom on the second floor, they found the unhappy youth who had murdered his mother lying dead by the side of the bed, shot through the head by his owe hand. Intelligence of the frightful event spread with amazing rapidity and in a few minutes Mr. Yellowley, surgeon, and Mr. Davis, surgeon, had been sent for, and arrived without delay. Their services, however,were of no avail. Both the mother and her son were dead. In both cases death must have been instantaneous. The youth must have placed the pistol close to the right ear of his un fortunate parent, and thus blown out her brains. The wound is of considerable extent, part of the skull being blown away and shattered. The pistol he must have had concealed in his pocket, as no one saw it until after the fatal deed had been committed. After terminating the existence of his mother, who never spoke one word, the youth seems to have proceeded to his bedchamber, reloaded the weapon, and, sitting down upon the edge of the bed, put the muzzle of the pistol 'to his right temple, and, pulling the trigger, lodged several slugs in his head. He could not have lived for one moment after. The weapon with which the fatal act was perpe trated was found lying by the body on the floor. The youth Samuel Speak, as we have said, was little more than 20 years of age. He was a gun engraver, and had been employed up to Christmas by his uncle, Mr. G. F. Dodd, Sand-street, and since then by Mr. Lewis, engraver, Lench-street. He is represented to us as being a quiet, sober, steady youth, but "never reck oned over sharp." There are various rumours as to the cause of this awful tragedy ; but of course it would be impossible to attach any importance to them. It is charitable to infer that such a crime could only be the result of madness ; and in confirmation of this view of the subject it is stated that shortness of work lately had preyed on a mind even at the best of times none of the strongest ; and that the fear of seeing his mother re duced to want had led to its commission. The unfortu nate woman was about 50 years of age, and was respect ably connected. REDUCTION OF POSTAGE ON LETTERS • , TO CERTAIN COLONIES. General Post-office, March, 1854. On and after the 23d inst., the postage upon letters conveyed, whether by British mail packet or private ship, between the United Kingdom and the following British Colonies and Possessions :—Canada, Prince Ed ward Island, Bermuda, British West Indies (Barbadoes and Turk's Island excepted), British Guiana, Bahamas, Belize, Malta, and Gibraltar, will he reduced to a com bined British and Colonial rate of— Os. 6d. for a letter not exceeding half an ounce in weight ; is. Od. for a letter exceeding half an ounce, and not exceeding one ounce ; 2s. Od. for a letter exceeding one ounce, and not exceeding two ounces ; and so on, increasing one shilling for every additional ounce or fraction of an ounce. The postage upon these letters may be paid hi advance, or letters may be posted unpaid, at the option of the sender. The reduction will not at present extend to the other provinces of British North A merica,• viz. :—Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, nor to Barbadoes nor the Turk's Island, the Governments of those colonies not having yet si g nified their acquiescence in th e arranct ' ement. To the reduced rate of 6d., a U n it e d States' transit rate of 2d. per half ounce must be added in the case of all letters forwarded ti Canada by British !nail Rickets, and not specially marked " via Halifax," making the total charge upon a letter for Canada, not so marked— Os. Bd. when not exceeding half an ounce in weight ; Is. 4d. when exceeding half an ounce, and not exceed ing one ounce ; 2s. Bd. when exceeding one ounce, and not exceeding two ounces ; and so on ; but when the letter is marked "via Halifax," no additional charge will be made. In like manner a French transit rate of sd. per quar ter ounce will be chargeable upon all letters for Malta, which are not specially marked "via Southampton," making the total charge upon a letter for Malta— Os. 11d. when under a quarter of an ounce in weight ; ls. 4d. when weighing a quarter of an ounce, and under hart' an ounce in weight ; 2s. 3d. when weighing half an ounce, and under three quarters of an ounce in weight, and so on. Letters for Gibraltar specially directed " via France' will also be liable to a French transit rate of sd. per quarter ounce, in addition to the British rite of 6d. per half ounce. The whole of this combined postage must be paid in advance. In the mails made up for Demerara is included the correspondence for Surinam and Cayenne, and the mails made up for Belize comprise the correspondence for Hon duras and Guatemala. All letters, therefore, addre , sed to Surinam, Cayenne, the States of Honduras or Gua temala, will in future be chargeable in this country, with a rite of 6d. only per half ounce, which rate must be paid in adirance. ft must be observed that the foregoing reduction can not be applied to letters conveyed by a mail packet be longing to the United States, or by a French mail packet in the Mediterranean. Letters, therefore, for Canada, despatched by the United States' mail packets, as well as letters for Malta sent by the French Mediterranean packets, will continue liable to the existing rates of post age. On letters conveyed by the Canadian mail packets be tween Liverpool and Quebec, the reduced rate of 6d. only will be chargeable. The following table shows the conditions under which letters may be sent to the several places specified for the reduced rate of sixp :rice the half ounce, viz.:— If addressed "via Halifax," or Canada " by private ship," Prince Edward Island Ber !undo British West Indies (Barbadoes & Turks Island excepted) British Guiana Surinam Cayenne Bahamas Belize Honduras Guatemala Malta • Without any special address, or if marked " by private ship." 1 If addressed "via Southampton," or " by private ship." j Without any special address, or if t marked by "private ship." Gibraltar PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. On and from the same dated, the rates of postage now chargeable upon packets containing printed Votes and proceedings of the Imperial Parliament, sent through the post to any of the Colonies above specified will be repealed, and all such packets will be subject to the rates of postage which are levied on printed books sent to the Colonies, viz : For a packet of Parliamentary Proceeding not exceeding half a-pound in weight, 6d. For a packet of Parliamentary Proceedino exceeding half-a-pound and not exceeding one pouni, ls. For a packet of Parliamentary Proceedings exceeding one pound and not exceeding two pounds, 2s. and so on, increasing one shilling for every pound or fraction of the pound. The following conditions, however, must be carefully observed— Ist. Every such packet must be sent without a cover, or in a cover open at the ends or sides. 2d. It must contain a single publication only, the several sheets or parts thereof, when there are more than one, being sewed or bound together. 3rd. It must not exceed two feet in length, breadth, Width, or depth. 4th. It must have no writing or marks upon the cover, or its contents, except the name and address of the person to whom it may be sent. sth. The postage must be prepaid in full, by affixing outside the packet or its cover, the proper number of Stamps. _ _ If . any of the above conditions be violated, the packet must be charged as a letter, and treated as such in all respects. To prevent any obstacles to the regular transmission of letters, any officer of the Post-office may delay the transmission of any such packet of printed votes and pro ceedings for a term not exceeding twenty-four hours, from the time at which the same would otherwise have been forwarded by him. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE TATTERSALL'S.-YESTERDAY. CLOSING PRICES. TRIAL; STAKES (WARWICK). Even on Rataplan. WILLOUGHBY HANDICAP (WARWICK.) Even on Bourton. 3to 1 agst Stamford (taken). WARWICKSHIRE HANDICAP. 3to 1 agq Cleveland (taken). Bto 1 agst Contentment (taken). ANNUAL STEEPLECHASE. 7to 2 agst Trout (taken). 4to 1 agst Oscar (taken). 4to 1 agst Needwood (taken). Bto 1 agst Burnt Sienna (taken). NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES. 4to 1 agst Defiance (taken freely). Bto 1 agst Lamprocles (taken). 12 to 1 agst Pancake (taken). METROPOLITAN. 7to 1 agst Jonathan Martin (taken). 10 to 1 agst Virago (taken). 15 to 1 agst Ariosto. 20 to 1 agst Lamprocles (taken). TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS STAKES. 3to 1 agst Boiardo (taken). CHESTER CUP. - - 25 to 1 agst Brown Brandy (taken). 25 to 1 agst Baalbec (28 to 1 taken). 40 to 1 agst Lurley (taken). 50 to 1 agst Black Doctor (taken). 50 to 1 agst Horatio (taken). 50 to 1 agst Duchess of Lorraine c. (taken). ----- DERBY. 7to 1 agst Autocrat (taken). 9to 1 agst King Tom (taken). 9 to 1 agst Dervish. 16 to 1 agst Wild Huntsman (taken). 20 to 1 agst Marsyas (taken). 30 to 1 agst Acrobat (taken). 40 to 1 agst Bessus (taken). 45 to 1 agst Canute (taken). 45 to 1 agst Old Noll (taken). 50 to 1 agst Grey Plover (Bro. to Chanticleer, 50 to 1 agst Phaeton (taken). 4 to 1 agst Meteors (taken). Bto 1 agst Sortie (taken). DERBY, 1855. 10,000 to 100 agst Brother to Autocrat (taken). RACING FIXTU. MA . Warwick Spring ........ 21 Catterick ..............27 'RES FOR 1854. ,CH. Northampton 29 Abergavenny 30' Croxton Pa r k 4 AP. Epsom Spring 6 Cheltenham Spring l2 Newmarket Craven 17 Catteriok Bridge 19 Abergavenny .... -.. 20 York Spring 25 Malton 27 AY. M. Newmarket F S Chester Spring 9 Lothians & Edinburgh 11 Newmarket S S l6 Shrewsbury lB Lothians and EdinburghlB Lewes l9 Bath 23 Liverpool Hunt Spring 24 Epsom 30 STE. Manchester Ascot Heath 13 Newcastle•on-Tyne 2O Hampton 2l Carlisle 26 JII: Bibury ................28..... Stockbridge ... ...... .. 29 Ludlow .....................30 Winchester ...............30 Newmarket Worcester.. Stourbridge ............... 17 Stamford ................... 18 Nottingham ..20. Goodwood .................. 25 Ri p 0n.. ...................... 31 Lancaster Mansfield ll Liverpool l2 Ipswich 13 AU( Brighton Brighton Club Wolverhampton Yarmouth 8 Reading Odiham 9 North Staffordshire 9 Wolverhampton l4 Eghara 22 York. . . 23.. Hereford 24 Eccles Chelmsford 29 Derby 29 Plymouth Lincoln.. 31 The betting was marked by a few important changes. Fon THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE STAKES.—Defiance was the lion of the day. After 5 to 1 had been taken to some money, he sprang to 4 to 1, taken to upwards of 1501. Lamprocles, against whom 10 to 1 had been laid in the City, was backed for about 1251., at Bto 1. Pancake rose to 12 to 1, taken. GREAT METROPOLITAN STARES.---7 to 1 was the high est price obtainaLle about Jonathan Martin ; 11 and 10 to 1 betted against Virago, to a small amount; and 400 to 20 taken about Lamprocles. Ariosto was out of favour. CHESTER Cur.-A strong commission was in the mar ket to hack Baalhec, most of which was executed at 30 to 1. Towards the close 2,000 to 70, and 1,000 to 35 were taken ; the latest quotation was 25 to 1. New minster had a strong downward tendency, which no one seemed disposed to arrest. DERBY.—The shade which for some time past has been on Autocrat and King Tom, was somewhat deepened by 7 to 1 being laid in ponies against the former, and 9 to lin fifties against the latter. 1,800 to 100, 1,700 to 100, and 1,000 to 60 taken about Wild Huntsman ; and 50 and 45 to Ito various sums about Old Noll. Ruby was quite friendless. Further comment is unnecessary. ITE,L SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. NOTICE TO MARINERS. NEW BEACON ON EJODVIG FJELDET, THE N. E. POINT OF THE ISLAND OF SORO. A Beacon has been erected on Kjodvigfjeldt (the moun tain of Kjodvig) on the north-east point of the Island of Soro, at the northern entrance to Hammerfest. This bea con is 24 feet broad at the base, and 32 feet high, the last 12 feet on the top formed in steps, it is of a dark colour, and its largest side is towards the N.W. (true). It is situated in lat. 70 52 N., long. 23 21. E. of Greenwich. The feet of the beacon is 940 feet above the moan of high and low water, and it can be seen at the distance of 20 English miles. Christiania Posen, Dec. 31, 1853. CUSTOM HOUSE, MARCH 20. ENTERED INWARDS.—The Ace of Trumps, from St. Michael's ; Frau Christine, Wych ; Vergissmeinicht, Wis mar • Carolinda, Ch er b ourg ; P ou l, d o . ; A zor i n, S t. Michael's; Rubis, Leghorn; Trientje, Leer; Wubbina Venoms, Groningen; Graff von Bulow, Rostock; Stanislas, Bordeaux ,• Sophie Heinriche, Emden Agneta Juliane, Altona ; Speculant, Burgertiefe ; Johanna Christine, Landscrona ; Helkea, Hamburgh ; Christine, Emden ; Helkea Johanna, do. ; Catharina, Leer ; Fortuna, Altona ; Nueva, Guadaloupe, Havannah ; Margaretha, Carolinen seil ; Hoffnung, Ditzum ; Harkaway, Demerara; Genius, Hamburgh ; Dido, do. ; Twee Gebruider, Grossenseil ; Haabet, Nestved ; Electric, Cadiz ; Malvine, Kiel ; Alli ance, Fehmern ; ledwig and Thelda, Malmo ; Fortuna, Wismar ; Argus, Aarhuus ; Peter Bang, Holbeck ; For tuna. Aarhuus ; Anes Minde, Nostvid; Caroline, Faaboig ; Louise, Hamburgh ; Emanuel, Altona ; Clara Catharina, Carolinenseil ; Emanuel, Emden ; Christopher Hage, Stettin ; Wave, Medemblek ; Tenth June, Stettin; War rior, Jamaica ; Tonkea, L e er; Hoffnung, Enden • Janette, Leer; Elizabeth, Trieste ; Polly, Odess a; Edith, Lisbon; Anna, Rotterdam ; Cambria, Moulmein ; Othello, Gothen burgh ; Susannah, Emden ; Kennet Kingsford, Trinidad ; Hero, Emden; Lily, Patras ; Sydney, Melbourne and Ade laide ; Farslet, Aarhuus ; Hilka, Faaborg ; Jane Frances, Kertche ; Patriot, Hamburgh ' • Pomona, do. ; S o lid e, Landscrona ; Juliane, Norden ; Red Port, Oporto ; Ama lie., Norden ; Frau Elizabeth, Homersiel ; Niord, Bremen ; Gloria Deo, Leer ; Frau Maria, do. ' • A. Cath er i na, d o. ; Friendschaft s , d o . ; Sippe Visser, Worcum ; Friesland Boomtje, do. ; Wilhelmina, Hooksiel ; Wilhelmine, do. ; Venus, do. ; Ida, Carolinenseil ; Anna Maria, do. ; Wil helmine, Tonning ; Hermanns, Amsterdam ; Weldood- Groningen ; Lady Macnaughten, Maims ; Protomedia, Bombay ; Magic, Ancona ; Latimer, S myrna ; Sea Gull, Genoa ; Mary Welch, Leghorn ; Celestine, Havre ; Ennig, keil, Bremen ; Sophie, Emden ; Heinrich, Hamburgh ; Jonge Antge, Woreum. ENTERED OUTWARDS FOR LOADING.—The Pacific, for Nassau ; Paul et Annie, Havre ; Thetis, Lima ; Van guard, Bombay ; Anneziena Jantina, Dantzic ; Fidela, Bilboa ; George Robinson, Trinidad ; Northumberland, Hobart Town ; Harbinger, Melbourne ; Arrow, Rio Janeiro ; New England, New York ; Quickstep, do. ; Blune, Rotterdam ; Warrior, Jamaica. CLEARED OUTWARDS WITH CARGO.—The Edward and William, for Port Adelaide ; Gezina Jantina, Amsterdam ; Ere Chrosyad, Mauritius; Earl Mulgrave, Constantinople, &c. ; Faith, Africa ; Llwellyue, Launceston ; Euphrosyne Madras and Cap e ; Alma, Dantzic ; Tejaretz Mior, Alex , andria ; Cleopatra, Oporto; Lord Nelson, Gibraltar. AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING. MELBOURNE. --Arrived the Dolphin, Dec 3, from Bos ton ; Gaz e ll e, S cilly ; Alexander, Mauritius ; Queen, Lon don ; Fame, Glasgow ; Lieut. A. Stillingwarf, Batavia ; Maria Cbarlotta, Hong Kong ; Twee Godpieds, 4th, Lon don ; St. M artin, sth, London ; Dispatch,Liverpool ; Coila, Albany ; Providence, Bordeaux ; Lady Harvey, B ombay ; Siroc, Boston ; Industry, Liverpool ; Aberfoyle, London; Eliza, Singapore; Ravenscraig, Leith; Ber mondsey, London ; Henry the Fourth, Reunion; Pilgrim, Algoa Bay ; Hydroose, 6th, Bombay and the Mauritius ; I . v lA l d ia o l o 3; N an el a v York; ane lf n r c e a d, Hamburg; an c M es i t s o s n es Claudine, William Banner, Bristol ; Reliance, Hobart Town ; Vivid, 7th, Glasgow ; Saladin, London ; Adolphus, B th, Liverpool ; St r i ve and Persia, London ; Ringdove, Liverpool and Bahia ; Henry Woolley, London ; Ocean Wave, Boston; Rob Roy, 9th, Greenock; Oriental, 10th, London ; Elizabeth Wilthew, Newcastle ; Emily Milner, 11th, San Francisco; Esther, 12th, from Chatham Islands, with part of the crew of the Randolph (wrecked); Lyra, 13th, Glasgow ; Nelson, 14th, Hartlepool ; Orestes, Adelaide ; Herculean, 15th, Liverpool ; Marquis of Bute, London ; the Suffinatoola, Bombayj; and the Aim, Ade laide. Sailed the Australia and Ann Hood, Dec. 4, to Callao; Speculation, Bth, Madras; Mid-Lothian, Singa. pore ; Rialto, 7th, Mauritius ; Anglesey, Sydney ; Baron of Bramber, Mauritius ; Pondicherry. to Pondicherry Thane of Fyfo, 11th, Hobart Town; United, 12th, Laun ceston. SYRNEY.—_tkrrived the Savea, Dec. 2, from Oport o; Hebe, sth ; Euttay Aabsomora, Gth, Singapore; 0/jou and Myrtle, 6th, London ; Queen of the Seas, Boston Aurora, Hong Kong ; Valiant and. Cronkeane, Melbourne; Cheapside and Branscombe, London. ADELAIDE. —Arrived the Iris, Dec. 5, from Calcutta; Nina, from Guichen Bay ; Irene and Harriet Humble, from London ; Elizabeth Ross, from Bata v i a ; Cli pper, 7th, from Melbourne Athelstone, from Liverpool ; Dur ham and Chilian, 12 ; Dreadnought, 14th, from Mel bourne ; Colibri, 15th, from Hamburgh ; Havilah (s.) 18th, from Melbourne ; Bengal, 20th, from Glasgow.-- Cleared, Robert Clive, Dec. 14th, to Sydney ; Caroline, 17th, to Callao ; Thames, 19th, to London ; Leonidas, 20th, to Sydney.—Departures, Slighbury, 17th, to Lon don ; Sophia Moffatt, to Singapore. HOBART TOWN.—Arrived the Australasia and Tasman, Dec. 3, from London; William Melville, from Singapore; Gulnare, Dec. 6, from Whampoa. Sailed the May Queen, Dec. 3, for Portland Bay. LAUNCESTON;—Arrived the Pet, Nov. 30, from Batavia; Cadet, Dec. 5, from London ; cleared the Ann Lockerby, 8, for Mauritius. PORTLAND BAY.—Arrived the New Zealander, Nov. 30, from Liverpool. OTAGO. —Arrived the Rajah, Oct. 5, from London. GEELoNG.—Arrived the Mary Smith, Dec. 8; Croix du Sud, from Hong Kong and Adelaide; Island Lady, 7th from Bristol and the Cape. NEW YORK, March 3.—J. J. Hathorn, from Liverpool to Philadelphia, ian ashore on Hamburg Flats, in the De laware, with a pilot on board, Feb 27, and remained, dis charging her cargo into lighters ; neither vessel nor cargo had received much damage, and she was expected to float next day, at high water. The Gladiator, cleared at Bal timore, Feb. 18, for Liverpool, but put back 28th, with some injury to her upper works, having been in contact in the bay with the Appleton, from Boston to Baltimore, she will be obliged to discharge some of her cargo, to repair. The Albina, from Wilmington to Liverpool, put back Feb. 29, leaky. HARWICH, March 18.—The Gezina Hendrika, from Oporto to Ipswich, Newcastle, and Leith, encountered severe weather on the passage, and had pumps choked and five feet water in the hold, which was subsequently re duced to two feet, and having temporarily stopped the leaks, reached Ipswich on the 11th inst., where she dis charged part of the cargo, and is now repairing. INVERNESS, March 16. —lntelligence was received at Leith, on Thursday, from Rotterdam, of the arrival at that port of Captain Currie, of the Dolphin, from Aber dour to Stromness, which was abandoned on the sth of February, in lat. 50, long. 2, in a very leaky state, by all her crew, excepting himself.—(See paragraph, 11th and 12th February). DINGLE, March 17.—The Hercules (brig), of and from Havre, for Senegal, was abandoned Feb.lB, off Sybil Head, on this coast—crew saved. WESTPORT, March 18.—The Flor stated to be bound to Cork, was brought in here yesterday, a derelict, having been abandoned the previous day to a crew of Innistank men, her own crew landing on the island. From the damaged state of the ship and cargo, the latter is recom mended to be disc arged. BRISTOL, March 20.—Wind E. Sailed the Ajax for Trinidad. The Island Lady, from Bristol, has arrived at Melbourne. HONG-KONG, Jan. 21.—The Wilhelmsburg sailed hence for San Francisco, on the 19th inst., and put back yester day, with rudder broken, having struck upon a rock. The Golden (s), in leaving San Diego harbour, grounded on a quicksand bar and remained, and a sudden storm springing up the aid then available could not take her off; assistance was sent to her from San Francisco, and she was got off, it is believed, much damaged, and has gone to San Francisco to repair. The S. J. Roberts, from Marseilles to this port, which went ashore on Aancom beach Feb. 20, was going to pieces on the 27th, and her cargo is washing ashore. The Atar Gull (Tuscan brig), which sailed from Boston Sept. 14 for Leghorn, with wheat, &c., has been lost on the coast of France or Spain. VESSELS SPOKEN WITH. The Westbrook, from London to Ceylon, Dec. 22, lat 19 S., long. 22 E. The Susannah, from Christina, March 11, lat. 46 N., long. 12 W. The Pbenicien, bound west, the same day. The George William, bound to Arracan, Dec. 25, lat 3 N., long. 94 E. The Bernhard Castle of Exeter, March 18, 20 miles N.E. of the Start. COUNTRY MARKETS. CHELMSFORD —MARCH 17. There was a large supply of wheat on o ff er t o -d ay, an d the millers and factors not being disposed to purchase ex- t cept on lower terms, very little busine ss was t ransac t e d. In the sales eff ec t e d a reduction of fully 2s to 3s per qr. took place. Barley Isto 2s cheaper. Beans and peas a dull sale. Oats the turn dearer. Prices to-day were as follow :—Wheat, white, old 6:s to to 83s Od, new his to 83s ; red, old 56s to 78s, new 59s to 78s ; barley, 28s to 36s ; chevalier, 34s to 39s ; grinding . , 21s to 3Js ; malt, 61s to 65s ; chevalier, 64s to 70s ; oats, 234 to 29s ; peas, partridge, 41s to 45s ; white, 48s to 5Js boiling 5 - is to 61s ; dun, new, 40s to 43s ; beans, tick, 390 to 41s ; Harrow ti c k s , 37 s t o 43 8 ; M azagan, 37s to 4Cs. COLCHESTER, -MARCH 18. The supply of wheat moderate. Sales could only be made to necessitous buyers at 3s to 4s per qr. under last week's prices. Barley was also is to 2s per qr. cheaper. The same remark applies to beans and peas. Prices to-day were as follow :—Wheat, white, 763 to 80s ; red, 72s to 76s ; b ar l e y, 36 s t o 38 s ; oats, 2 8s to 30s ; beans, Mazagan, 36s to 3z3 ; middle and small, 38s to 44s ; peas, white, 56s to 60s ; grey, 38s to 44 s. Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn, &c., received in the port of London, from the followinK ports, from the 13th to the 18th March, both inclusive. Colchester Harwich Leigh Maldon li-2: 4 8 i ,----- -------- - 149' 29 740 i - 658 1 60 496 -- 278 30 828 368. 3501 - W i g g A P. - 10 15; 31 62; 10 587 147 KIRKCALDY-111AacH 18. Here, today, we had a large supply of oats, but rather small of both barley and wheat. Sales quick for barley, and prices 6d per qr. in favour of sellers. Oats sold very readily, but in some instances were 6(1 per qr. cheaper. Wheat was fully as dear as last week. Wheat. I Barley. O a t s . I B eaus. First Second Third 64s Od 33s Od 25s Od I Os Od Oatmeal, per bag of 2801bs imperial, 44s Od to 00s Od. N.-31eacll 20. ,he close of the market : Wallsend, &c. s. d. 20 6 24 6 19 0 18 6 20 6 18 6 19 9 19 6 19 0 19 0 18 6 20 3 20 0 19 6 .19 0 Eletton Haswell . I bton Peusher Stewart's . Whitwell . Plummer Cassop Hough Hall . South,Kelloe Whitwath Tees 'Cowpen Derwentwater Hartley Grey's West Hartley .., COAL MARK Prices of Coal per ton at ti •s. d. Bate's West Hartley 19 0 Cookson's Hartley ,lB ti CUT'S Hartley 2O Davison's West Hartl 19 6 Hasting's Hartley l9 0 Ravensworth Hartley l9 6 Tanfield Moor l7 Tanfield Moor Butes 17 6 Walker Primrose l6 6 West Hartley 19 6 Wylam Wallsend, &c. Gosforth lB t Barton lB 6 Lawson lB 6 Bell's Primrose 16 0 Eden Main l9 6 [ADVERTISEMENT.]—SIGHT AND HEARING. --39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly. Observe—opposite the York Hotel. Tho Royal Exhibition. - A valuable, newly invented, very small powerful waistcoat-pocket glass, the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and known one mile and a half distant ; they answer every purpose on the race-course, at the opera houses, country scenery, and ships are clearly seen at 12 to 14 miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Telescopes —A new and most important invention in telescopes, possessing such extraordinary powers that some, 3, 4 , inches, with an extra eye-piece, will show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the double stars ; with the same telescope, weighing only 3 ounces, can be seen a person's countenance three miles and a half distant, and an object from 16 to 20 miles. They supersede every other kind for the waistcoat-pocket. and are of larger and all sizes, with increasing powers accordingly. Opera and race-course glasses, with wonderful power; an abject can be clearly seen, from 14 to 16 miles distant. Messrs. S. and B. Solomons, opticians, have in vented invaluable preserving spectacle lenses. Imme diately they are placed before imperfect vision, every object appears clear and distinct; the most aged, de fective sight becomes bright and brilliant, is brought to its youthful, natural, and original state. Deaf. ness New Discovery—The. Organic Vibrator, en ex traordinary powerful and newly-invented instrument, for Deafness, entirely different from all others, to surpass anything of the kind that has been or pro bably ever can be, produced. Being . of the sa me colour as the skin, it i s no t p erce ptible ; enables deaf persons to hear distinctly at church a . nd at publi c as . semblies ; the unpl easan t sensationof singing noises in the ears is entirely remove d ; an d it affords all the assist. ance that possibly could be desired.--S. and B. Solomons, Aurists and Opticians, 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadill y. Observe, opposite the York Hotel. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 20th inst., at 81, Piccadilly, the Lady Catherine Carnegie. On the 19th inst., Mrs. S. Begg, at 31, Idecklenburgh square. OF A DAUGHTER. In Eaton-square, on the 19th inst., the Viscountess Enfield. On 19th inst.. at Perry-hill, Sydenham, Rent, the wife of Henry James Brown, Esq. MARRIED. On the 17th M inst.,ari Mr. R. F. Hi ll, of Oakley-terrace, Old Kent-road, to a, youngest daughter of Mr. Thomas Osborne, of Great Newport-street, Leicester-square. On the 18th inst., at St. James's Church, Gravesend, Charles William Price, Esq., of Leo-place, Leo, Kent, to Alice, youngest daughter of J. Baker, Esq., of Darnley road. DIED. On the 19th inst. at Ashford, Kent, in the 81st year of his age, George inst. Esq., formerly of Guilford-street, Russell-square, London. On the 19th inst ,at Princess street, Mile-end, Mr. Peter Redford, aged 87. On the 19th inst., at 26, Queen's-road, Bayswat er , Mi ss Harriett B o lt on, in her 81st year. On the 20th inst., on board H. M. S. Boscawen, Lieu tenant Lord Gilbert Norman Grosvenor, in his 22d year. - LONDON: Printed and Published by WIRD° YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun. Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the *minty ;of Aliddlosex, Tuezday, March 21, 1864, 1 : DIIRI SPI IV Till Satu: stall till 4 Lech mitt TER their next, the C this I fore, East s quest Spec' motic Propt of Oct for th the of by pa TN! the Q held a 22d ill " T nova " T ogs of the L' have i for th and it All co /lama requel whett E the cc rate o 'more " TEL more, •ffice entitle of the L' Thi and CELE Danci R' MSC NAG] of r LECT DEi LECT UN DESC and SUI Ope Childr Eight of the efforts Nance new 8 Metro Weein Tnt: Arta. Quadr stand, Solna The plate logist sel stithou is, the subste PA of alb cate and a be to Skin Head, inent No] In art round tors, on th Sol Tull Sol Sons, may e rape ON 1 Must New excel mere Lowe prey PER atm row, don, Bow du* men Ine.a the the lags tam In tr per rem 59 11.1 Gott per chrc Lion ttleT are don FAP