The Sun. — London, England, 1854-03-28 00:00:00

claims of the Irish and Scotch poor were fully as irre . sietible as those of the English poor, and he considered the house ought to know what regulations the Govern. ment intended to propose respecting the Irish and Scotch poor before the bill were passed, and he thought the Government would not be justified in proceeding further with this bill till the whole measure as regarded the Irish and Scotch, as well as the English poor, was fully before the house. Mr. BAINES said he thought Mr. Walpole had , dealt very fairly by the bill. Would the house allow him to state what was the principle of this bill? (Hear.) By the law, as it at present stood, a person was entitled to relief, subject to removal if that was not his own parish. He must say he could see no reason for postponing the present measure; settlement was a matter confined entirely to England and Wales, and had no reference to Ireland - or Scotland, and he thought, as he stated on a previous occasion, that part of the question ought to be kept quite distinct from the subject as regarded Ireland and Scotland. He was quite ready to admit that the subject of settlement as regarded Ireland and Scotland deserved a speedy solution ; but he maintained that the materials for that solution were not yet ready; but the materials for its solution, as regarded England and Wales, were ripe for decision, and required at once to be settled. Mr. R. PALMER concurred entirely in the view taken of th e ques ti on b y hi s h on. f r i en d (M r . Walpole), and he believed the votes of a great number of mem bers on both sides of the house depended on the post ponement of this measure ; or, at least, the house should be put i n p osses Si on o f the general outlines of the measure intended by the Government as regarded Ireland and Scotland. Mr. H. HERBERT expressed his approbation of the course suggested by the hon. member for Midhurst (Mr. Walpole) for postponing this bill. He contended that in a vast number of cases grievous hardships were inflicted on Irish paupers by removing them arbitrarily from this country, after they had spent the best years of their life in it, honestly earning their bread by the sweat of their brow. He had been assured by more than one good authority that ' Scotch farmers acknowledged they would find it almost ifnpossible to either cultivate their farms, or get in their harvests, without the aid of Irish labourers. But yet those Scotch farmers took excellent care to prevent those Irish labourers obtaining a settle. ment there, for as soon as the time drew near, which would entitle them to a settlement, they discharged th em . (A laugh.) Sir J. PAKINGTON expressed, his belief that gentle men who were friendly to the measure would vote against it if they were not informed what course the Government intended to take on the Irish subject. Lord PALMERSTON could not see the logical con clusion that because they had not sufficient materials before them for legislating with respect to the Irish part of the question, they ought not to legislate for England He contended that the Irish and Scotch paupers ought to be dealt with equal justice as regarded the English paupers. In every work requiring great phyicel strength and endurance, in the metropolis and all other large English towns, the Irishmen were sure to take the largest share, and in case of poverty or sickness overtak ing him, was it right that he or his family should be treated on a footing inferior to that of the English la bourer or his family ? He thought the apprehensions of an undue influx of Irish labourers were founded on most erroneous expectations. He would entreat the house not to postpone now the second reading of this bill, and in the subsequent stages of the bill they might very appropriately consider some safe measure as re garded the Irish and Scotch labourers. (Hear, hear.) Sir J. TROLLOPE said it was perfectly clear to him that they should consider the whole of this subject together as affected the labourers not of England and Wales only, but also of Ireland and Scotland. (Hear, hear.) He did not think the house ought to be called on to pass the second reading without being,,put in pos session of the whole measure. (Hear, hear.) The Marquis of GRANBY said that the Irish part of the question was certainly the most difficult, and it seemed to have been left entirely out of consideration till it was brought under their notice by some of the Irish members. (Hear, hear.) The right hon. gentle man and the noble lord seemed to differ as to the prin ciple of the measure, and under such circumstances the house ought not to be called on to decide on the second reading till the whole cage was before it. (Hear.) Sir G. GREY confessed he saw no reason for a further postponement of the debate. He still adhered to the opinion he uttered on Friday night that it would be in expedient to mix up two measures which were distinct in their nature. (Hear, hear.) If they tried to engraft on a measure relating to the settled poor of England and Wales another measure which dealt with the un settled poor of Ireland, they would alter the scope of the bill and hazard its passing through the house. (Hear.) On Friday night he understood that a distinct pledge had been given by the Government for a provision which would place the Irish pauper in the same position as the English with respect irremovability. But he now un derstood from his noble friend that no such intention was entertained by the Government, and that they were fully aware of the difficulty of framing a measure of that kind. (Hear.) After the house assented—if it should assent--to this measure, he would be prepared to con sider the law with respect to the removal of Irish paupers, which, as it stood, he admitted was unsatisfac tory. (Cheers.) Colonel DUNNE said he came down to the house prepared to vote against further adjournment, but he wished to explain why he should now vote diametrically opposite to that intention. (Laughter.) After the speech of the right hon. gentleman who had just sat down, and who might be taken as an exponent of the intentions of the Government, it seemed that the Government were not going to fulfil th e prom i se they made to the Irish memers. (Hear, hear.) The Government said that they considered the claims put forward by the Irish members to be irresistible, and had made up their minds on the subject, without saying that any further inquiry or consideration was necessary. (Hear, hear.) There was now, it seemed, a breach of their promise ; and as he knew that any delay between the second reading of this bill and the bringing forward of the Irish bill would be employed to get up a feeling in England against the claims of the Irish poor, he would not aid in passing the Government bill till the Irish measure was before the house. (Cheers.) Mr. E. DENISON said he entertained an opinion somewhat different from that expressed by his right hon. friend (Sir G. Grey). He begged to call the attention of the Government to the great evil and danger which seemed now to exist, that this subject would be brought into the category of party questions, in which light it was note considered up to the present time. There was danger, also, that the real merits of the question would not be fairly considered if it was made a party question. (Hear, hear.) The proposition of the noble lord for one year's industrial residence jwould no doubt remove some of the difficulty of the sub ect, but he would be glad to see the whole question of removal disposed of at once. He would put it to the noble lord whether he would not hazard the bill by in sisting on the second reading now. If the bill could be postponed after the second reading, why could it not be postponed before the second reading ? (Hear.) Mr. PHILLIPS said that, as an inhabitant of Milford Haven, he might be supposed to feel some alarm on the subject before the house. He did not think he could be . considered guilty of presumption in saying that he knew the nature of the evil and could judge of the remedy pro posed. If it was said that Ireland was now in a better position, and that the difficulty was passing away, his reply was that it was not unreasonable to look for secu rity against possible danger. (Hear.) Mr. MAGUIRE said this bill was as well received by him in the first instance as by any other member of the house ' • but wh en h e f oun d that Ireland was to be ex cluded his feelings on the subject changed. The demand made on the Government by the Irish members was that Irish paupers in England should be placed on precisely the same footing as respected irremovability as English paupers in England, and the noble lord the member for Tiverton had declared on beh;lf of the cabinet that the case was irresistibly established, and that justice re quired that the wishes of Irish members should be com plied with. He should despair of any redress for Ireland unless it were included in this bill. He believed the Government was attempting to cajole Irish members. (Laughter.) If the bill passed as it stood they would give up the strong position which they occupied at that moment, and would no longer have the power of putting the screw on the Government. (Laughter.) Lord J. RUSSELL —At least the course which the Government is now taking on this question is not a new Znirse. My right hon. friend the President of the Poor ? maw' Board _Board declared very early what was the object of the ba l—that it referred only to the poor who were re movable on the ground of settlement. It is notorious that a question was asked in the other house of Parlia ment, of my noble friend the head of the Government, and ngthahetn e substance of his answer, as circulated thro mated that th the country, was that the Government ad re e law with respect to Irish paupers re quiredboen and alteration ; that revision and altera tion would th a t the mat er i a l s were not quite sufficient ;th that ; further i n f ormat i on was required ; and that it was not % that i nformation had been obt a i ne d that legislatio n friend further said the proposed. And my noble bill with respect to removal and settlement would not • That postponed on that account on the second reading. fri a n nswer was in conformity with what my right hen d, the President of the Poor Law Board has stated tie: the t. But, sir, I think there is a general agreement house, in conformity with what was stated in the ilretmere of my noble friend the Secretary of State for the epartment, that if you declare that it is a hardahip ti)o .drem?ve persons from the'parishes in which they have res id ed Eneland you admit that it is a 'hardship oavned haveri sh ads° t o e paupers who have resided in English p er i a r les 7 given them the benefit of their labour and industry. I stated, however, on Friday evening, that I thoodugell.preon visions for that purpose could hardly be intr the present occasion, and that great caution woul(dooble. required in framing them. Now, the hon. member (Col. Dunne) and the hon. member for Portarlingt ee 'Dunne) appear to think it would be a great gain if they could throw a slur on the principle of this bill. To my astonishment, the hon. member for Portarlington ap. pealed to common sense. (Laughter.) I should have thought that common ense was the last thing to - which the right lion. gentleman would have thought of appeal ing, because it Is clear that if you decide in favour of the principle that in England paupers should no longer be removable, and if Parliament proceeds with a bill founded on that principle, the claim on the part of Ireland. in Point of justice will be irresistible. You will thee& be able to say—" you have put an end to these removals, attended with circumstances of great injury to men who have been good l a b ourers i n England ; do not let any !bred or fragment of the p resen t l aw remain, but ' bring in a bill with rega r d t o I re l and. " The hon. member for Portarlington seems to think that not to assent to this principle with regard to England will be a great befit to Ireland. Why the benefit to Ireland will be that the same hardships will remain as respects that coun try, but England will also be subject to them. That is the appeal to conimon sense. (Hear, hear.) I must confess I should have thought that, after the Govern ment had declared in favour of the principle, the best course for Irish members would be to do what we now propose, namely, affirm the principle with regard to the bill which is before the house, and afterwards to con sider in what manner a similar principle can be extended to Ireland. At least it seems to me that to raise difficul ties with regard to England is to say in effect with re gard to Ireland that the law should there remain in the state in which it is. The house then divided— , For the adjournment.... 209 Against it 183-26 The second reading was then adjourned till the 28th of April. . - BRIBERY BILL. This bill was read a second time. CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS, &c., BILL. On the order of the day for the second reading of this bill, Mr. WALPOLE saki he thought it desirable that this bill should, together with the Bribery Bill, be referred to a select committee. Lord J. RUSSELL thought no benefit whatever would arise from such a step. Col. SIETHORP complained that, in the confusion which followed the division, he had not heard the Speaker • put the question of the second reading of the Bribery Bill; otherwise he should have moved an amendment. There were two bribery bills before the house, and it was diffl , cult to toll which was which ; but having opposed every bribery bill hitherto, and intending to persist in that course until the Treasury bench had been purified (laughter)—he should move the postponement of the bill till that day six months. The amendment not being seconded, fell to the ground. Mr. LIDDELL said he wished to take that opportunity of giving notice of an amendment which he inteded to move in committee. The bill provided a somewhat com • plicated machinery for the trial of controverted elections ; and so much that it contained, he should be happy to give his assent. Not so with regard to the appointment of as sessors. It was proposed to appoint 10 assessors, barristers of 10 years' standing, at a salary of 1,0001. a year each, to guide the decision of members of the House of Commons, in the trial of controverted elections. He thought there were grave objections to this proposal ; and he now wished to state that when the bill was in committee ho should move a provision, the object of which was to secure a trial of all cases which hsd been submitted to the " Prelimi nary Committee" before a court of law. When the house considered how much dissatisfaction had attended the de cisions of election committees, they would, he thought agree with him that it was very desirable that they-should get rid of the responsibility. The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Monday next. MINISTERS MONEY, &c. (IRELAND) BILL. This bill then went into committee, and clause one was agreed to. On clause 2, which exempts houses under 10/. from pay ment of the tax. Mr. FAGAN moved as an amendment that the figure be 201. Sir J. YOUNG resisted the amendment. Mr. HUME advocated the entire abolition of the tax, as t was folly to keep up a religious agitation for the sake of ;he paltry sums which would annually be realised under the bill. The committee then divided, when there appeared— For the amendment 77 Against it Mr. HADFIELD moved another amendment to the ef fect that the exemption should extend to houses under 151. a-year. The tax was a stigma upon the good sense of the age, and he was surprised that a Government calling itself liberal could support it. Sir J. YOUNG argued that the figure fixed upon by the Government would afford great relief to the Roman Catholics. Mr. HUME admitted that this was a bill of relief, but at the same time it was a compromise that left the principle of the tax untouched. However, if the Government would introduce a clause entirely exempting houses occupied by Roman Catholics from payment of the tax, that objection would be got rid of. Mr. MAGUIRE said, unless the tax were entirely abolished, it would be the constant source of agitation in the corporation of those towns in Ireland which had to bear it, and he took that opportunity of again putting it to the Gevernment whether under these circumstances it was wise to persist in this compromise. The tax he insisted fell most heavily upon the Roman Catholics. Mr. WHITESIDE said the last time he paid the tax, which was in the parish of St. George's, Dublin, he was told by the collector that the majority of his fellow parishioners were Protestants. No less than 11,0001. of this tax was collected in Ireland, and three-fourths of that t sum was paid by Protestants. Mr. J. O'CONNELL said the parish of St. George's was the richest parish in Dublin, but he did not object to the Protestants paying the tax—what he objected to was that the Roman Catholics should be called upon to contri bute to it. A clause ought to be introduced into the bill entirely exempting Roman Catholics and Protestant Dis senters from payment of the tax, and he therefore hoped Government would re-consider the matter. Mr. A. PELLATT did not view the bill in the light of a question between Roman Catholics and Protestants but as a political question. Now, in a political point of view it was unwise to continue any portion of the tax. Besides that the tax originated in a triumph over the Roman Catholics, and for the sake of getting rid of this historic re collection the tax ought to be wholly abolished. Mr. FAGAN observed that the hon. and learned mem ber was mistaken in the impression which he wished to convey to the committee, as it was proved before the select committee on the subject of this tax that the majority of the house property of Dublin was held and occupied by Roman Catholics. The committee again divided, when there appeared— For the amendment 7l Against 92-21 The amendment was therefore lost. Clause 2 was then agreed to. Upon clause 3, Mr. J. O'CONNELL moved to add to this clause the following words :—" Provided also that no house, the property of Roman Catholics and Dissenters, be liable to be rated." Sir J. YOUNG objected to the amendment as totally at variance with the principle on which the bill was read a second time. Mr. HUME considered that the second reading of the bill only affirmed that certain funds were to be raised. He supported the amendment, because he considered that a Church of England Establishment ought to be supported by the members of that church. NAPIER opposed the amendment. Every conces sion made to certain parties in Ireland only appeared to lead the way to further demands. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Thera would be great difficulty in practically working such a scheme as that proposed by the hon. mem ber for Clonmel (Mr. J. O'Connell.) Mr. FRENCH reminded the hon. member who had just spoken that the scheme involved in the amendment was not a new one. A similar one Lad long been in existence in Canada. Sir J. YOUNG reminded the house that the matter was a financial one, and that religion ought not to be mixed up with it. He could not but foresee innumerable diffi culties in the working of such a project. Suppose a house belonging to a Roman Catholic were let to a member of the Church of England. Mr. HUME—The tax would then be paid. Sir J. YOUNG said the hon. member was wrong, for the tax was upon the property, not upon the occupiers. The scheme was full of anomalies. Mr. HUME could not see why each congregation should not pay its own minister. (Hear.) Mr. MAGUIRE denied that this was a mere matter of finance. Pounds, shillings, and pence could not be sepa rated from religion. (Laughter.) This tax was imposed for the cure of souls. Whose souls did the Protestant clergy attempt to cure ? Not his soul, nor that of his house. (Laughter.) Why then should he be taxed for their sup port ? Lord PALMERSTON reminded the hon. member (Mr. Maguire) that he ought to be cautious how far he pushed the proposition that persons of one religion ought not to pay for the maintenance of the religion of others. How would that doctrine square with allowances to Roman Catholic chapels, to Roman Catholic priests for soldiers, and with the grant to Maynooth? He (Lord Palmerston) held that this question had nothing to do with religion; it was a mere question of a tax upon property. It would be perfectly preposterous to make a tax va r i a bl e accor di ng t o the religion of the owner or occupier of a house. Mr. HADFIELD said that the noble lord had warned the house against pushing the doctrine of the hon. member opposite (Mr. Maguire) to its full ex:ent. He (Mr. Had field) wished to carry it as far as it could be carried. Let the iron hand of the Church of England be taken off the whole country. (Laughter, and Hear, hear.) The Church of England was not the national Church, he never wanted to hear it called by that offensive name. (Laughter.) Not one-fourth of the people of this country were members of that Church. Why' s h ou ld Di ssenters pay for its sup port ? He reminded the Government that, with the mes sage from the crown which had been read fresh in their memories, it was important to have the support of hon. members on the other side. Religious quarrels had always been the weakness of the country. Mr. LUCAS said that the noble lord had entirely passed by the fact that a scheme similar to that involved in this amendment had been for upwards of 50 years in existence in Canada, With regard to the threat of the noble lord in relation to Maynooth, he (Mr. Lucas) was quite ready to take the noble lord at his word. The committee then divided ; the numbers were— For the amendment 7l Against it Mr. J. O'CONNELL moved, as an amendment to the clause, to add words exempting religious houses to which schools were attached, and houses tenanted by ministers of any religious denomination, from being rated. The amendment was lost without a division. Mr. FAGAN moved to add the following words to the end of the clause :—" Provided always, that on or before the 25th day of March in every year after the passing of this act, it shall be ascertained by the Ecclesias tical Commissioners for Ireland, and declared by them in the Dublin Gazette, what increase of income the said commissioners have obtained during the year preced ing the 25th day of March, by reason of the avoidance during the year of benefices or of bishopric, or by reason of the increase of the tax payable from benefices and bi. shoprics ; and the said increased amount of income in each year shall be deducted from the whole assessment to be levied as aforesaid off of the said eight cities and towns, and A e F;rfajetiilivfset co mmissioners shall thereupon notify to the col lector-general, to the town-clerks, and boards of guardians aforesaid respectively, the proportion of the said reduced sum, which is to be collected in each city or town re spectively, to be ascertained according to the proportion which the amount each said city or town has to pay the first year after the passing of this act, bears to the entire sum to be levied the said first year and so on, every succeeding 25th day of March in every year, until the entire oesaid assessment is wholly reduced and extinguished." These Ecclesiastical Commissioners had invested during the last year no less a sum than 40,0001. in th e funds. Sir J. YOUNG said that the amendment really was • fact subversiv e of the whole bill. With regard to the sum invested in the funds, that was only done as a measure of 1 1 ) ," er thdY, not because the money was not required waitialor.ed.u.sd;oemn"Mr. HADFIELD in su;p — o l rt , of the anaendnaent, The committee divided— r. TA AgainstFhe eMo o m nE r A th Gi e t lit clause e . Ee ldiav °d. divided— ''''' °mission of clause '' 9 3. 9 Clause 4.. was carried ............. . . . were a division, as 72 2 a 7 150 clauses to 10 inclusive. mr. VANCE moved the addition of the following clause —" And whereas the persons now employed in the collec . tion of ministers' money in the several parishes and parts of parishes in Ireland will, by the operation of this act, be deprived of their employment, be it enacted, that every person who, previously to the passing of this act, shall have been employed in the collection of ministers' money in the several parishes within the city and suburbs of Dublin and liberties thereunto adjoining, and in the several other cities and boroughs of Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Drogheda, Kilkenny, Clonmel, and Kinsale, who, by the operation of this act shall be deprived of such employment, or of any emolument arising therefrom, and who shall not be re appointed under this act, or who shall not be employed or retained by the said collector-general, or by the guardians, or by the councils of each of the said cities or boroughs, or by the town commissioners, in their respective districts, in au office of equal value under this act, shall be entitled to make a claim for compensation to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for Ireland, within six months after this act shall come into operation ; and it shall be lawful for the said Ecclesiastical Commissioners, in such manner as they shall think fit, to inquire what was the nature of the em ployment, and what was the tenure thereof, and what were the lawful fees and emoluments in respect of which such compensation should be allowed, and the said Ecclesiastical Commissioners in each case shall award such compensa tion, if any, as they shall think just ; and all such compen sations shall be paid out of the funds arising under this act, or out of such other funds as shall be at the disposal and command of the said Ecclesiastical Commissioners for the purposes of this act ; and in case the person preferring such claim shall think himself aggrieved by the determi nation of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners thereon, it shall be lawful for him to appeal to the Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, who shall thereupon make such order as to them shall seem just, and such order, signed by three or more of such lords comm i ss i oners, shall be binding upon all parties." After an observation from Mr. NAPIER. Mr. HUME objected to the granting of compensation to parties who had not been appointed by Government, and who might be continued in their offices. Mr. GROGAN supported the clause. Sir J. YOUNG had ascertained that the collectors were not considered public servants, and he would therefore op pose the clause. After a short conversation the committee divided— For the clause lB Against it 144-126 The clause was consequently lost, and the preamble hav ing been agreed to, the house resumed. Bill to be reported on Friday. VALUATION OF LANDS (SCOTLAND) BILL. The LORD ADVOCATE moved the second reading of this bill. It had been favourably received in Scotland, but certain alterations had been suggested, and he proposed to commit it pro forma, in order that an opportunity might I be afforded to consider those alterations. Mr. HUME fully concurred in the course suggested, and confirmed the learned lord's statement that the bill was re g arded favourably in S co tl an d. Col. BL AIR hoped that the committee would not be moved before the 30th of April, in order that full time might be given to consider the bill together with the amendments. Mr. DUNLOP urged that the valuation should be made by some impartial authority. There were other portions of the bill which he thought were susceptible of amend ment. After a few words from Mr. DUNCAN, the bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Monday next. CHURCH BUILDINGS ACTS CONTINUANCE BILL. On the motion that the house go into committee on this bill, Mr. HADFIELD had given notice of an amendment to limit the duration of the commission for one year; he had been informed that that the noble lord was disposed to accede to that amendment, or, at all events, to some limit other than that adopted in the bill, and if the noble lord would give him some assurance to that effect, he would not move his amendment, but otherwise he must press it to a division. Lord PALMERSTON said the bill as it stood continued the commission for 10 years. Many gentlemen had sug gested alterations of the several acts constituting the law on the subject, alterations in the constitution and duration of the board, and various other changes. These suggestions were deserving of consideration, but they would require some time certainly to consider them. For that purpose, he should not object to limit the duration of the commission for two years, but to propose a less period would be trifling with the house, and neither he nor any person in his posi tion could be able to say whether those arrangements should be carried into effect or not. The Marquis of BLANDFORD was inclined to concur in the amendment of the hon. member (Mr. Hadfield) though probably not for the same reason. It was well known that the acts in question were not complicated, and some years ago it was attempted to consolidate them, but the attempt only made matters worse, and altogether failed ; and the bill for the purpose was such an immense size and so complex that it was not proceeded with. There was no reason for any consolidation of these acts, or any continuance of the commission beyond a limited period. There was the act 6 and 7 Victoria, commonly known as Sir Robert Feel's act, which contained only 27 clauses, but it was efficient for its purpose, and under it 23 parishes had been separated. That act was most practical in its character, had been conceived in a master spirit, had con ferred great advantages, and had been the means of con stituting 250 parishes, and might, if necessary, be the means of constituting 2,000. There was no reason, there fore, why a simple extension of the powers of that act should not afford all the facilities necessary for the proper separation of parishes throughout the United Kingdom. (Hear, hear.) Another reason why the commission should not continue for the period proposed by this bill was, that some important evidence had been taken by the commissioners in respect to the subdivision of parishes which had only recently, upon a motion of his own, been presented to the house, and which he believed would afford abundant proof, on the testimony of witnesses well acquainted with the working of the church building acts, that some change in the law as it existed was neces sary. He had given notice of a bill for that purpose, and he hoped shortly after Easter to be able to bring it before the house; and when he should have an opportunity of explaining its details, he believed it would he found to embrace all that was necessary for the subdivision of parishes, under a commission which was responsible to Parliament, viz., the ecclesiastical commission. (Hear.) Mr. PALK thought Sir R. Peel's act defective, inasmuch as while it provided for the endowment of the church it made no provision for the building of the church. The act, however, was a valuable one in many respects, and with some additions it might be made practicable for its purpose. Mr. R. PHILLIMORE considered ten years too long a period for the continuance of the commission, and pre ferred the period suggested by the noble lord—viz., two years—during which means might be taken to consolidate the existing acts. The house then went into committee. On the Ist clause, which proposed the continuance of the act until 20th July, 1856, Mr. HADFIELD moved as an amendment that the time for the continuance be limited to one year from the expiring of the acts and to the end of the next session of Parliament. He urged that this bill intended a continuation of a series of acts, 18 in number, which commenced 36 years ago, and originating in two grants for church building purposes of one million and half a million. He then stated that 2,029 churches had been built in 20 years at a cost of six millions, of which five millions and a half had been contributed by voluntary subscription, and urged that it would be better to leave the matter to the operation of the voluntary prin ciple. The acts in question were in great confusion, and ought to be consolidated. Mr. ALCOCK supported the amendment, on the ground that many of the a c t s were i nconsistent with each other ; as, for instance, the act which constituted the ecclesiastical districts exempted those districts from the payment of church rates to the mother church, while districts formed under the Chapelry Consolidation act were not so ex empted. Lord PALMERSTON said that it was important that the period of duration of a commission of this sort should be definite, and that the d a y on w hi c h its functions were to cease should be accurately known. He proposed that it should cease in two years from July 20, the day on which the act expires, which would be on July 20, 1856 ; whereas his honourable friend had proposed that the acts should expire in one year from the passing of the continu ance act, and after the next session of Parliament ; so that as the act would expire in the middle of next session, the effect of the amendment would be that, as it would include the period to the end of the session after that, if that ex tended to September or October, his noble friend would continue the commission two or three months longer than he (Lord Palmerston) proposed to do. (Laughter.) He hoped his hon. friend would be content with the precise period of two years, and not insist on the contingent excess which he proposed — (laughter) —and that he would agree to the clause as it stood, and make the concession to him (Lord Palmerston), which would be in accordance with his argument, though not with his motion. Mr. HORSMAN urged that it appeared before a com mission, of which he was a member, and which inquired into this subject in 1816, that this Church-building Com mission had only 12,0001. remaining, to which was added a sum of 17,0001. of debt on the security of church rates, and to administer that small sum the expense of the com mission was in round numbers 5,0031. a-year. The mem bers of that board were then the same as the Ecclesiastical Commission and the Queen Anne's Bounty Board, princi pally ex officio members of the episcopal bench, and the three together cost 15,000/. a-year for the expenses of ad ministration. The Ecclesiastical Commission had since been made a practically efficient lay board, and he urged that instead of three separate establishments for the Ecclesiastical Commission, the Church-building Commis sion, and the Que en A nne ' s Bounty Board, the duties of all of them might be performed by one efficient lay board at one expense, and a saving of 10,00 W. a year. He thought the Church Building Acts should be continued till 29th July, 1855, and in the meantime the Government should bring in a bill to consolidate the three boards he had men tioned into one. After a few words from Mr. HADFIELD, explaining that he meant only to continue the acts until the end of nexl session, The committee divided-- For the clause 153 For the amendment 49-104 The clause as it stood was thus agreed to, and The house resumed. . HIGH TREASON (IRELAND) BILL. This bill passed through committee. - BRIBERY PREVENTION BILL. Sir F. KELLY moved the second reading of this bill. Colonel SIBTHORP ventured to designate the bill as ~!ow, mean, and dirty. Its object was to set spies to watch about people's houses. He mils- wished he might catch them about his house. (Laughter.) He viewed the bill as the suggestion of a lawyer, and he feared lawyers as he feared the Devil. (Laughter.) He warned the house against the Emperor of France, the Emperor of Russia, and the Emperor of Austria, and against wolves in sheep's clothing in general. (Loud Laughter.) Ho thought a mem ber who had had so many anxieties on his mind ever since the sitting of the house might be excused an occasional lapses lingua. (Hear, hear.) He was sorry to see such a bill brought in on that side of the house. Ho really began to suspect that side. (Laughter.) He begged to move that the bill - be read a second time that day six months. No one seconding the amendment, The - bill was read a second time. THE IRISH CORRUPTION COMMITTEE. Mr. HENLEY moved that the Solicitor -General for Ireland be discharged from further attendance, and that Mr. J. Fitzgerald be added to it. Mr. FRENCH expressed his surpaise that the right hon. gentleman should have made such a motion without stating some reason for it. He (Mr. French) had objected to the appointment of the committee, and he had seen no reason why he should change his opinion. He was precluded by the rules of the house from referring to what had taken place before it ; but he would ask them what they would think if they saw one of a number of judges appointed to try a case stepping down from the bench into the witness box, from thence be transferred to the dock and be tried as a criminal, and finally return to the b 0124 to give jacig. meta? (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. French) had happened lately to go into a room in that house where he saw a wit ness with a paper in his hand, which he said contained the substance of a letter. The witness refused to hand it in, to read it, or to assert that he believed it to be true ; and yet that witness was allowed to state the substance of it. (Hear, hear.) Now, supposing that this committee had conducted its proceedings in such a manner, would hon. members consider that it was for the ends of justice, or for the honour and dignity of the house that it should con tinue its sittings ? (Hear.) If a gentleman connected with the press were examined before that committee and, re fusing to betray private confidence, should act according to what was his own opinion of honour and justice; if that gentleman should set the committee at defiance, and the committee should shrink from the conflict with him, such a man would have his (Mr. French's) warm approval, and he trusted the approsial of a majority of that house. (Hear.) Feeling convinced that the committee could an swer no useful public purpose, and could add nothing to the character of the house, he (Mr. French) begged to move as an amendment that the committee be relieved from its irksome and invidious duties, and that it be dis charged. (Hear, hear.) Mr. HENLEY said he had consented to act upOn the committee very much against his will. Like the hon. gentleman, he was precluded by the very proper rule of the house from referring to its proceedings, and he must express his surprise that the hon. gentleman, while avow ing his knowledge of such a rule, should not have felt him self also precluded from offering the criticisms upon the proceedings of the committee in which he had indulged. (Hear.) He.would not follow the hon. gentleman in that discussion, as in so d o i ng h e should infringe the rules of the house. The time would come when he should be able to go into the whole matter, and he had no doubt of being able to justify everything he had done. (Hear, hear.) The motion for the discharge of the Solicitor-General for Ireland from the committee had been made by him at the request of the committee. The character of several mem bers of that house and others had been impugned before the committee ; and it was due to them that they should have an opportunity of justifying themselves before the pro ceeding of the committee were brought under discussion. Mr. HUME said he never heard such an extraordinary proposition as that the committee should be discharged. It was most unfair to enter into a discussion of their pro ceedings before these proceedings were brought to a close ; and he hoped the house would not sanction it. From the great experience of the hon. member for Oxfordshire, he was confident he would not fall into any such irregularities as had been imputed. Mr. FRENCH, in withdrawing his amendment, dis claimed any intention of imputing any irregularity to the twe last speakers. The motion was then agreed to. SLIGO ELECTION. Mr. K. SEYMER moved " That the Attorney-General for Ireland be instructed to prosecute Michael Gethin, Henry Simpson, and James Simpson, for, their conduct re ported to this house by the select committee appointed to inquire into the allegations of the petition of John Patrick Somers, Esq., complaining of irregular and unconstitu tional proceedings in the matter of a petition complaining of the return of Joh n S a dl e i r, E sq., for the borough of Sligo." He had brought forward this motion in compli ance with an opinion expressed by the noble lord (Russell), and he hoped that no legal objections would be offered to it. Mr. WHITESIDE thought it would have been better if these offenders had been brought up to the bar of the house ; but he should be satisfied if the prosecution were vigorously conducted. These men had been guilty of bribery, perjury, and subornation of perjury, and he hoped they would be punished. The ATTORNEY -GENERAL said it had appeared to the Government that the offences were of a very serious and grave character. He did not wish to enlarge upon them, seeing that the cases were likely to come before a legal tribunal. Had the offenders been brought to the bar of that house they could only have been imprisoned during the sitting of Parliament ; but if they were convicted of the offence with which they were charged, that imprison ment would be thought very inadequate. (Hear.) It had, therefore, appeared more proper that they should be prosecuted by the Attorney-General for Ireland, and in that he had the concurrence of the hon. and learned mem ber for Stamford. (Hear.) The motion was then agreed to. The house adjourned at a quarter after eleven o'clock. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S.-MONDAY. Betting on the Northamptonshire Stakes was carried on with much spirit. Defiance exhibited a marked im provement, and Swiftsure (brother to Little Swift) took a decided lead of his stable companion, Mr. Sykes, not withstanding the preference which was shown for the latter at the recent meeting at Warwick. 10 to 1 was taken to fully 1701. about Lamprocles, and 16 to 1 to various small sums about Chief Justice, backed in the course of the morning in the City for a good deal of money. Red Lion did not, however, appear to be much disturbed by the movement. Veteran was fre quently inquired after, but the investments on him at 12 and 13 to 1 were few and unimportant. At the commencement 20 to 1 was taken to 1251. about Hun ,gerford ; at the close 16 to 1 was booked to a pony. 25 and 20 to 1 was taken about John Bull. Very little was done with regard to Bracken. GREAT METROPOLITAN STAKES.—SOMO strong sup port was given to Jonathan Martin at 6 to 1, and a heavy commission was sent in to back Royalist ; most of the money was got on at prices varying from 14 to 12 to 1 ; the last quotation was only 10 to 1. 12 to 1 was taken to a small sum about Muscovite. 20 to Ito upwards of 1001. about Lamprocles. CHESTER CUP.—Notwithstanding the sinister reports respecting Newminster, he was backed at the rate of 1.000 to 60—odds which were taken about Brown Brandy. The other transactions on this event were com paratively trifling. DERBY.-1,200 to 400 taken about Autocrat and King Tom coupled, and 7 to 1 separately about the for mer to 1001. Dervish was steady at 9 to 1 ; 14 to 1 taken to 170/. about Wild Huntsman ; 30 and 25 to 1 Acrobat ; 30 to 1 Andover, 33 to 1 Bessus, and 45 to Old Noll. Closing prices : BIRMINGHAM STEEPLECHASE. 4to 1 agst Needwood (taken). 4to 1 agst Vainhope (taken). Bto 1 agst Spring (taken). NORTHA3IPTONSHIRE STAKES. 4to 1 agst Defiance (taken). 8 to 1 agst Swiftsure (taken). 10 to 1 agst Mr. Sykes (offered). 10 to 1 agst Lamprocles (taken). 10 to 1 agst Bracken (taken). 10 to 1 agst Red Lion (taken). 13 to 1 agst Veteran (taken). 15 to 1 agst Pancake (taken). 16 to 1 agst Chief Justice (taken). 16 t o 1 agst Hungerford (taken). 20 to 1 agst John Bull (taken). 25 to 1 agst Ptolemy (taken). 10 to 1 agst Benita and Pancake coupled (taken). St. Faith, Diomedia, and Nutpecker were struck out at 4.30 yesterday afternoon, and at the same time Oscar was declared not to start for his engagements at Bir mingham and Cheltenham. METROPOLITAN. 6to 1 agst Jonathan Martin (taken). 10 to 1 agst Royalist (12 to 1 taken freely). 10 to 1 agst Muscovite (12 to 1 taken). 20 to 1 agst Lamproeles (taken). 20 to 1 agst Lindrick (taken). CHESTER CUP. 100 'to 6 agst Newminster (taken). 100 to 6 agst Brown Brandy (taken). 33 to 1 agst Swiftsure (taken). 40 to 1 agst Duchess of Lorraine colt (taken 50 to 1 agst Horatio (taken). 50 to 1 agst Talfourd (taken). 50 to 1 agst The Black Doctor (taken). DERBY. 7to 1 agst Autocrat (taken to 1001.) 9 to 1 agst Dervish (taken). 14 to 1 agst Wild Huntsman (taken). 25 to 1 agst Acrobat (taken). 30 to 1 agst Andover (taken). 33 to 1 agst Bessus (taken). 45 to 1 agst Old Noll (taken). 1200 to 400 agst Autocrat and King Tom coupled (taken' BIRMINGHAM STEEPLECHASES—MONDAY. The KNOWLE STEEPLECHASE of 31. each, with 201. added. Optional selling weights. Winners extra. About 3 miles. Mr. Robinson's Ace of Trumps (1001.), 12st (S. Darling, jun.) 1 Mr. Clegg's Countess, aged (201.), lOst 121 b (in cluding 51b extra) Mr. Bill's na Louise (201.), 10st 71b (Mr. Walker) 3 Betting—Even on Ace of Trumps, 2 to 1 agst Coun tess. Won easily by three lengths ; a long interval be tween the second and third. The winner was not sold. GRAND MILITARY HANDICAP—a plate of 1001. Three Capt. Hutchinson's (13th Dragoons) Torrent, 12st 91b (Owner) 1 Mr. E. R. King's (13th Dragoons) Beckbury Lass, list llb (ca rr i e d li st 41b) (Mr. Severne) 2 Betting -5 to 4 agst Beckbury Lass, 7to 4 agst Torrent, 3to 1 agst Mina. After a smart race, Torrent, won easily by a length. Cid and Mina baulked in the early part of the race, and were "nowhere" at the finish. The 13IR3IINGHAM and WARWICKSHIRE HUNT STEEPLE CHASE, a plate of 1001., for 4-yr olds and upwards. Gentlemen riders. Professionals 101 b extra. Four miles. Mr. Hassall's ch g by California, 5 yrs, 13st 31b (in cluding 101 h extra) (S. Darling, jun.) 1 Mr. Hassall's Front de Bceuf, 5 yrs, 12st 71b (Mr. Dobbs) 2 Mr. Pemberton's Teddington, 5 yrs, 13st 31b (includ ing 101 b extra) Betting -6 to 4 agst gby California, 2to 1 agst Ted dington. Won by a neck. Teddington a bad third. Nothing else up. FREE HANDICAP STEEPLECHASE.—Stevens weighed for Graziella, and Sly, jun., for Stretford Lass, but as 1 the added money according to the conditions was with held, it was no race. The weather was very fine, attendance good, and ar rangements satisfactory. POST-BOXES IN THE QUEEN'S PRISON AND WHITE CROSS-STREET Pitrson—lt will be remembered, that some time back the authorities of the Post-office removed the post-b.axes at the Queen's Prison and Whitecross-street Prison, where they had been placed for a number of years. The prisoners complained of their removal, and the keepers of the prisons repre sented the matter to the Post•office. It was however, determined that the boxes should be discontinued. Since their removal a oxiodi deal of inconvenience had been expe r i enced, and, a b fter much consideration, it has been resolved that the prisoners shall have the privilege restored, and the boxes are to be forthwith placed as heretofrre. it is expected that their restoration will take pace at the beysixmjpg of the ensuing month,— Tina THE MN, - VOICDON, TUESDAY EVENING, 28, 1864, btrb 7.3ibttton. SUN OFFICE, Seven o'clock. NORTHAMPTON RACES (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPE. ARRIVALS. Sharavogue, Eulogist, Orestes, The Reiver, Orson, Crystal, Switch, Craubourne, Roebuck, Victorine, Mr. Sykes, Kingston, Hungerford, Defiance, Koh-i-noor, Jacqueline, Olinder, Pancake, John Bull, Lamprocles, Bracken, Caliph, Ptolemy, Swiftsure, Jujube, Duchess of Lorraine colt, Little Jem, Sister to Aphrodite, Alas, Jacob Petler, Twinkle, Student, Palmerston, Pigeon, Monge, Katerfelto, Chalice, Redemption, Prevarication, Ephesus, Pelion, Vanderdecken, Sonoat, Grief, Florist, Wellman, f. by Epirus, Freckle, Rackapelt, ~Commodore Charley. BIRMINGHAM RACES (THIS DAY.) (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) ANNUAL STEEPLECHASE. Eight ran. £5O PLATE. Six ran. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—(THIS EVENING.) The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the wool sack at 5 o'clock. Lord WROTTESLEY presented a petition from Wolverhampton in favour of the establishment of refor matory institutions for juvenile offenders. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY presented a petition from Bath to the same effect. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from the magistrates and town council of Edinburgh in favour of some measure to enable the same probate which was taken out in Scotland to affect personal property in England and Ireland. The Duke of CLEVELAND presented a petition from Darlington against the opening of public-houses on Sundays. REMOVAL AND SETTLEMENT OF THE POOR BILL. The Earl of WICKLOW, in moving for returns of the minutes in the different unions throughout England and Wales, entreated their lordships, in the event of the Law of Settlement and Removal Bill passing the House of Commons, and being introduced into this house, not to assent to it, if they valued their own consistency and sense of honour, unless it contained a clause to include in its operation Scotch and Irish paupers. The return was agreed to. ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN IRELAND. The Earl of CLANCARTY moved for a return of the indictment and•conviction, &c., in the case of two men named John and Hugh Murphy, who were tried at the Armagh Assizes for the murder of James Wilson. It appeared that in consequence of some compromise on the part of the crown prosecutors, one of the men was acquitted, and the other, on pleading guilty of manslaughter, was sentenced only to 6 months' impri sonment. The noble earl entered into a statement of the circumstances connected with the murder and the trial, and described the latter as a miscarriage of justice. The LORD CHANCELLOR said there would be no objection to the return, with the exception of the judges' notes, which it had never been the practice to produce. (LEFT SPEAKING.) HOUSE OF COMIVIONS.—(THIS EVENING.) The SPEAKER took the chair shortly before 4 o'clock. PRIVATE BILLS. The Hull Cemetery Bill was read a third time and passed. The Stourbridge and Bridgenorth Road Bill was read a second time and ordered to be committed. PETITIONS. The Lord Mayor of Dublin appeared at the bar, and delivered in a petition from the Corporation of Dublin, in favour of an improved postal and steam communica tion between England and Ireland. Mr. JOIIN O'CONNELL presented a number of petitions from various parts of Ireland against the no mination of the committee on conventual and monastic institutions. One of these petitions, which was from Dublin, was read by the Cl er k at the table. Mr. W. BROWN presented a petition from the Man chester Chamber of Commerce, in favour of a decimal system of coinage; also a petition from the Roman Ca tholics of Liverpool against the nomination of the nun neries committee. This latter petition was read by the Clerk at the table. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented a petition from the Roman Catholics of Birmingham against the nunneries committee. Sir J. Y. BULLER presented a petition from Tor quay in favour of the establishment of reformatory schools. Sir W. VERNER presented three petitions from places in Ireland against monastic institutions. Mr. SPOONER presented petitions from Wedgbury and other places in Staffordshire against any alteration in the Oath 13111. Mr. FAGAN presented a petition from Cork against the Ministers' Money Bill, and a similar petition from Limerick. Also a petition from the Roman Catholics of Cork against the nomination of the nunneries com mittee. Mr. L. HEYWORTH presented a petition from the medical botanists of Derby against the Medical Regis tration Bill. Alderman KERSHAW presented a petition from Stockport against the Poor Removal Bill. Mr. LUCAS presented a petition from the town of Sells, in the county of Meath, against the nomination of the nunneries committee. Mr. MACGANN presented a similar petition from the corporation of Drogheda. Mr. CRAUFURD presented petitions from various medical bodies, against the Medical Registration Bill. Sir W. SMYTH p resen t e d a petition from the firm of Sturgeon and Sons, of Grays, Essex, on the subject of the recent hay fraud on the Artillery, and moved that the petition be read by the clerk at the table. The clerk proceeded to read the petition accordingly, but it ap pearing that the phraseology of the petition was against the rules of the house, it was withdrawn. Mr. BRIGHT presented petitions from Chatham, and eleven other places, in favour of the Affirmation Bill. MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS BILL. Mr. CRAUFURD gave notice that on the motion for going into committee on this bill, he should move as an amendment that the bill be committed on that day six months. SCOTCH EDUCATION BILL. In reply to a question, The LORD ADVOCATE stated that it was intended to proceed with the second reading of this bill on Thurs day next. An HoN. MEMBER gave notice that be should move that the second reading be postponed until the Ist of May. MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS. , On the motion of Mr. BRADY, an address was ordered showing the number of practitioners in medicine, accord ing to the census of 1851, for each county of England and Wales, according to the registration division, and for each county of Scotland, and of the islands in the British seas, stating the heads under which they appear, whether as physicians and surgeons, or apothecaries ; also, the number returned of druggists, aurists, oculists, dentists, &c.; and also, the respective ages, in quin quennial periods, under each head. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LONDON AND DUBLIN. Mr. H. HERBERT rose to move that an humble address be presented to her Majesty, that she will be graciously pleased to give directions that immediate measures should be taken to give effect to the re commendation contained in the report of the se lect committee of this house, appointed in the last session to examine and report upon the pre sent state of communication between London and Dublin ; namely "that a class of steamers be provided with adequate accommodation for passengers, and with greater capabilities as regards speed than those at pre sent employed." The hon. member quoted a letter from Sir Cusac Roney, stating that of late years immense advan tages in respect of rapid communication between Eng land and the United States and England and the continent, had been effected; it was only as regarded Ireland that the rate of increased rapidity of railway travelling was not seconded by rapid transit across the channel. He (Mr. Herbert) thought there had been an unreasonable re duction of the sum which had formerly been allowed for the purpose of communication between the two capitals of the United Kingdom, the importance of which was undeniable. Mr. VANCE seconded the motion. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it would be his duty to object to this motion. Within the last few years there had been a considerable saving of pub lic expenditure in the carrying of mails between this country and Ireland, and with increased comfort and advantage to those travelling by those packets. This change, which was treated by the two hon. mem bers who had addressed the house as if it were a measure directed solely against Ireland, had sprung from a re commendation of a committee of this house, who sug gested that the contract system should be substituted for the previous system, which had been found enormously expensive ; and that very contract system which had been applied to Ireland was to take effect also on the Ist of April next with respect to the Dover packets. He did not at all undervalue the importance of the communication between Holyhead and Dublin ; but he said that a sum of 120,0001., or 150,000/., or anything at all approximating to it, should not be incurred for the mere luxury of the easy and middle classes in travelling by those packets at a moment when the country was placed in a position which would demand all her energies, and all her resources in matters of honour, and the welfare and independence of the umpire. 7th Foot—Ensign Edwyn Stanhope Jervois, from the 10th Foot, to b e Li eu t enan t , b y purc h ase, vice eightley, who retires ; John Phillipson Langham, Gent., to be As sistant-Surgeon, vice Sunter, promoted on the Staff, March 28. 10th Foot—Home Purvis, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur chase, vice Jervois, promoted in the 7th Foot, March 28. 14th Foot—Brevet-Major John Watson to be Major, without purchase, vice Tidy, who r e ti res upon h a lf- pay ; Lieutenant David Thorcas Armstrong to be Captain, with out purchase, vice Watson ; Ensign Gage Hall Dwyer to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Armstrong • Gentle man Cadet Edward Willi am S aun d ers, f rom the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Dwyer, March 28. 15th Foot—Lieutenant William Smith, from half-pay 31st Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Tilghman, appointed Paymaster of the Regiment ; Ensign George Edward Hunter to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Smith, who retires ; John Smyth, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Hunter, March 28. 17th Foot—Assistant-Surgeon Walter Simpson, M.D., from the 66th Foot, to be Surgeon, vice Cruickshank, pro moted on the Steil', March 28, 19th Foot—William Marshall Webb, Gent., to be As si tant-Surgeon ' vice Longmore, pro mo t e d, M arc h 28 . 23d Foot --Assistant-Surgeon William Godfrey Watt to be Surgeon, vice Smith, promoted on the Staff; William Cattell, Gent., to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Watt, Ma rc h 28. 35th Foot—Lieutenant Charles Miller Layton to be Cap tain, by purchase, vice Berkeley, who retires; Ensign Ranulph Charles Lee to be Lieutenant by purchase, vice Layton ; Albert John Revell, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur chase, vice Lee, March 28. 41st Foot—Lieutenant Edwin Richards to be Captain, by purchase, vice the Honourable Richard Handcock, who retires; Ensign Edward Every to be Lieutenant, by pur chase, vice Richards, March 28. 42d Foot—Wm. Alex. Davidson, M.D., to be Assistant- Surgeon, vice Muir, promoted in the 33d Foot, March 28. 55th Foot—John James Norris, Gent., to be Assistant- Surgeon, vice Croker, promoted in the Ist Foot. March 28. 63d Foot—Staff Surgeon of the Second Class Robert Lewins, M.D., to be Surg eon , v i ce M ac d onell, promoted on the Staff ; Wm. Wilson Mills, Gent., to be Assistant- Surgeon, vice Lewins, promoted on the Staff, March 28. 65th Foot—Lieut. Chas. John Ewen to be Captain, by purchase, vice Anderson, who retires; Ensign Frederick Wemyss to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Ewen; Walter Higgin, Gent., to, be Ensign, by purchase, vice Wemyss, March 28. 71st Foot — Assistant-Surgeon 'William Barrett, M. 8., from the Staff, to be Surgeon, vice Can., promoted on the Staff, March 28. 77th Foot—Assistant-Surgeon Christopher Macartney, M. 8., to be Surgeon, vice Prendergast, promoted on the Staff; Ormsby Bowen Miller, Gent., to be Assistant- Surgeon, vice Macartney, March 28. 81st Foot—Major John Hamilton Stewart to be Lieu tenant-Colonel, without purchase, vice Farrant, deceased ; Captain Henry Edward Sorell to be Major, without pur chase, vice Stewart; Lieutenant William Benjamin Browne to be Captain, without purchase, vice Store!! ; Ensign Charles James Hughes to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Browne, Jan. 25. 86th Foot—Lieutenant John Jerome to be Captain, by purchase, vice Croker, who retires ; Ensign Robert John Wallace to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Jerome ; Francis Drewe Edwards, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Wallace, March 28. 91st Foot—Assistant-Surgeon Miah Wm. Murphy, from the 80th Foot, to be Surgeon, vice Jameson, promoted on the Staff, March 28. 97th Foot—Edward Malcolm Sinclair, M.D., to be As sistant-Surgeon, vice Cay, appointed to the Coldstream Guards, March 28. Rifle Brigade—Assistant-Surgeon David Reid M'Kin non, from the 78th Foot, to Surgeon, vice Anderson, pro moted on the Staff, March 28. Cape Mounted Riflemen—Lieutenant and Capt. Charles Van Notten Pole, from the Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards, to be Captain, vice Stuart-Wortley, appointed to the Ist Dragoon Guards, March 28. STAFF.—Brigadier-General William Lennox Lascelles Fitz Gerald, Lord de Roe, Unattached, to be Deputy Quar termaster-General to the Forces, proceeding on a particular service ; Brigadier-General James Bucknall Bucknall Est court, Unattached, to be Deputy Adjutant-General to the Forces, proceeding on a particular service, Feb. 21 • Major Thomas Holmes Tidy, from th e 14th F oot, to be 'Deputy Adjutant-General, at Jamaica, with the rank of Lieut.- Colonel in the Army, vice Farquharson, who resigns, March 28. UNATTACHED.—Brevet-Lieutenant. Colonel Peter Far quharson, Major on half-pay 65th Foot, late Deputy Ad jutant-General at Jamaica, to be Lieutenant-Colonel, without purchase, March 28. HOSPITAL STAFF.—Deputy I nspector-General of Hos pitals John Hall, M.D., to be Ins pector-General of Hos pitals, March 28. To be Deputy Inspector-Generals of Hospitals —Staff- Surgeon of the First Class William Henry Burrell, M.D.; Staff-Surgeon of the First Class David Dumbreck, M.D. ; Staff-Surgeon of the First Class Thomas Atkinson, M.D. ; Staff-Surgeon of the First Class John Forest, M.D. ; Staff- Surgeon of the First Class William Linton, M.D., vice Hall, promoted, March 28. To be Staff Surgeons of the First Class—Staff-surgeon of the First Class Peter Robertson, M.D., from half-pay, vice Burrell, promoted ; Surgeon Alexand er Sh er iff e Macdo nell, from the 63d Foot, vice Dumbreck, promoted ; Sur geon William Cruickshank, M.D., from the 17th Foot, vice Atkinson, promoted ; Surgeon George Gordon Ro bertson, M.D., from the Ist Foot, vice Forrest, promoted; Surgeon Joseph Samuel Prendergast, M.D., from the 77th Foot, vic e Li n t on, promoted; Surgeon Thomas Ross Jameson, from the 9lst Foot ; Surgeon Robert Smith, from the 23d Foot ; Staff-Surgeon of the second class Richard Janies O'Flaherty ; Staff-Surgeon of the second class John Thomas Telfer ; Surgeon George Carr, from the 71st Foat ; Surgeon Arthur dersou, M.D., from the Rifle Brigad e ; Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class John Charles Graham Tice, M.D. March 28. To be Staff. Surgeons of 'the Second Class—Assistant- Surgeons Alexander Fortoath, M.D., from the 211 Dragoon Guards, vice Telfer, promoted; George Cunningham Meikle ham, from the 51st Foot, vice O'Flaherty, promoted ; Ro bert Marshall Allen, from the 3d Dragoon Guards, vice Lewin, app o i n t e d t o th e 63d F oo t ; G eorge Willi am Powell, from the 34th Foot, vi ce Ti ce , p romo t e d ; Thomas Moore ithe Sunter, M. 8., f rom th e 7th F oo t ; V ero W e bb, f 10th Foot ; Ch a rl es F re d er i c k St e ph ens on, from the e 81st Foot; Samuel S m ith, f rom th e C e ylon Rifle Regiment; David Anderson, M.D. from the 9th Foot ; Peter M.D., from the 12th Foot; Hampden Hugh Massy, --0 • from the 4th Light Dragoons; Mark Stanley Todd, from the 86th Foot. To be Assistant-Surgeon to the Forces—Assistant-Sur geon Thomas O'Kearney Gordon, from the 76th Foot, vice Barret, promoted in the 71st Foot, March_ 28. MEMORANDUM. —The Christian names of Brevet-Major Sterling, Unattached, are Anthony Conineoltß am, and n o t Anthony Cunningham, as previously stated. COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORD LIEUTENANTS. County of Nottingham—Edward Thomas Coke, Esq., to be Deputy Lieutenant. Roy 4 B acks or Kin 'a 01Tii Boainaut Qf Dual— Maurice Emmett, Esq., late Captain 43th Regiment, to be Captain, March 7 ; George Tyrwhitt Drake, Gent., to be Lieutenant, March 17. Light Infantry Battalion of the Royal Sussex Militia— Lieutenant Sir Percy Florence Shelley, Bart., to be Cap tain, vice Gage, promoted, March 23. Derbyshire Militia-Ist Regiment—To be Captains— William Milnes, Esq., vice Hunter ; George Newdigate, Esq., vice Bateman ; John Wright, Esq., vice Cox. To be Lieute nan t s —j o h n Jessop, Gent., vice Emery ; John Radford, Gent., vice Lambert; John Woolnongb, Gent., vice Wragg. Royal Flintshire Militia—Second Lieutenant- Arthur Willoughby Crewe Read to be First Lieutenant. Ist •Regiment of the Royal Surrey Militia—Arthur Chap man Esq., to be Li eu t enan t . 3dßegiment of the Royal Surrey Militia —Samuel Leo. Schuster, Esq ; Andrew Green, Esq. ; William Beat, Esq., to be Lieutenants. Regiment of Royal London Militia—Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Wimple, to be Col one l, v i ce Wi lliam Thompson, deceased ; Li eu tenant Christian William M`Niell, to be Captain, vice George Platt, retired, March 24; Lieutenant William Robertson, to be Captain, vice Sir James Lau rence Cotter, Bart., resigned, March 25 ; Thomas Joseph Jones, Gent., to be Ensign, March 24; Edward Vera Jones, Gent., to be Ensign, March 25 ; Alfred Augustus James, Gent., to be Ensign; Murdock William Pollard Robertson, Gent., to be Ensign, March 27. The Lord Chancellor has appointed the following gentle men to be Commissioners for administering oaths in the High Court of Chancery : Isaac Palmer Baker, Ipswich. Frederick Solly Gosling, Gray's-inn-square. Samuel Shama, Kennington-cross. ' Thomas Gregory, Clement's-inn. Joshua Jullian Allen, Bedford -row. William Galsworthy, Charlotte-row, Mansion-house. Edward Jago, Plymouth. Thomas Robinson, Eccleshall, Staffordshire. James Warder, Beaminster, Dorsetshire. Edward Brown Fiske, Beccles, Suffolk. BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED. John Corner Blacklock and Thomas Robinson, drapers, Birmingham. BANKRUPTS. Henry Steel, grocer, Norwich, to surrender, April 2, at two, and May 9, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stansfeld, official assignee; Hodgkinson, Little Tower street. William Turner, currier, Crewkerne, Somersetshire, April 7 and May 4, at one, at the Exeter District Court. Hirtzel, official assignee, Exeter ; Randall, Lawrence Poutney-lane ; Gidley, Exeter. James Young Hulbert, dealer and chapman, New-court, B)vo.iane, April 7, at one, and May 12, at twelve, at the Court of Bankrupt c y. Ed wards, official assignee, Basing hall-street ; Beidger and Collins, King William -street. William Ormerod Bradshaw, builder, Bolton-le- moors , April 12 and M a y 1, a t t we l ve, at anchester District Court. Fraser, official assignee, Manchester; Marsland, Bolton Henry Malcolm Ramsay, builder, Kensington-park, April 7, at half-past twelve, and May 12, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee,,Basing hall-street ; James, Basmghall-street. Robert Robson and John Thomas Robson, silk manu facturers, Derby, Aprill, and 28, at ten, at the Birming ham District Court. Harris, official assignee, Notting ham ; G. F. Hudson and Co., Bucklersbury; E. and H. Wright, Birmingham. Charles Barnett Gibbs, grocer, Eccleshall, Stafford, April 20, and May 4, at ten, at the Birmingham District Court. Bittleston, official assignee, Birmingham ; But terton, Eccleshall; Wright, Birmingham. James Green, carpenter and builder, Northampt on, April sat two, and May 9 at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Graham, official assignee; Stevens, Bedford row. William Wallen, jun., architect, Lawrenc Poutney-lane, April 3, and May 11, at twelve, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Bell, official assignee, Coleman -street-buildings, Stevens and Satchel!, Queen -street, cheapside. Thomas Radford, warehouseman, Noble-street, City, April 5, at one, and May 13, at half-past twelve, at the notirt of Bankruptcy. Nicholson, official assignee, Basing hall-street; Sole, Turner, and Turner, Aldermanbury. John Frederick Thynne, dealer in musical instruments, Tavistock, April 7 and May 4, at one, at the Exeter Dis trict Court. Hirtzell, official assignee, Exeter ; Beer and Rundle, Devonport ; Hartnoll, Exeter. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. Angus Ross, ironmonger, Inverness. Robert Crawford, lime-burner, Bells-quarry, Edinburgh• shire. Morris, Young, and Co., called printers, Kilmarnock. Mrs. Caroline Allatt or Douglas, lodging-house keeper, Glasgow. COURSE OF EXCHANGE-THIS DAY. Amsterdam....... 11 13 Gibraltar Ditto, three months 11 15 4 Leghorn 3O 70 Rotterdam ..... ..• 11 15 Genoa .. • ,25 55 Antwerp •• •• ••• • •• 25 20 Milan ••••.••••• •• •• •• Brussels •• •• • • •• •• •• • 25 20 Venice . • • • ..• • • •• • liamburgh ....• ..... 13 5 .• • • Naples 4l Altona • • ,Palermo ....... Paris •. • • .. 25 0 I Idessina . Ditto, throe months 25 35 I Lisb on 53 .... • • .... 25 37% !Oport o . . 53% Bourdeaux ........ • Rio Janeiro ... Frankfort-on-Maine .... 118 Buenos Ayres ... ... • ... Berlin ................ New York, 60 days' sight Vienna .. • • ..... Philadelphia .... • • .... Trieste •• • PRICES OF BULLION, PER oz. Petersburgh...• • .. 31 Foreign Gold in Bars £3 17 9 Madrid ................ 50 Portugal Gold Coln 00 0 Cadiz .. ••••••••• • •• • • •• 50% Mexican Dollars .• 00 0 Barcelona...—. New Dollars 00: 0 Seville ................ in bars .... 0 0 0 Need wood Escape Ploughboy Nom de Guerre . Blue Stockings . For these reasons he hoped the house would not con- sent to this motion. Mr. F. FRENCH advocated the granting of the motion. Mr. COWPER said a great deal of misunderstanding seemed to exist on this subject. He thought the public had been the gainers by the mail service being performed as it was now, by contract, instead of as it used to be by the Government ; and it must be borne in mind that the Government had never contemplated entering into con tracts for the conveyance or comforts of passengers, their functions being limited to the safe and rapid con veyance of the mails. Lord NAAS said he, for one, would not support this motion if it was merely a question of the luxury of passengers, which it was not ; but in fact they did not ask for a grant of 120,0001. or 150,0001. a year ; all they asked for was to insure punctuality, which was not insured at present. [LEFT SPEABING.I THE LONDON GAZETTE. (THIS EVENING.) LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, MARCH 10. Notice is hereby given, that her Majesty will hold a Drawing-Room, at St. James's-Palace, on Thursday the '.soth inst., at two o'clock. WHITEHALL, MARCH 27. The Queen has been pleased to order a conel d'elire to the Dean and Chapter of the cathedral church of Salisbury empowering them to elect a Bishop of that see, the same being void by the death of Doctor Edward Denison, late Bishop thereof; and her Majesty has also been pleased to recommend to the said Dean and Chapter the Reverend Walter Kerr Hamilton, M.A., to be by them elected Bishop of the said see. WHITEHALL, MARCH 27. The Queen has been pleased to grant unto the Reverend George Henry Sacheverell Johnson, M.A., the Deanery of the cathedral church of Wells, void by the death of Doc tor Richard Jenkyns. DOWNING-STREET, MARCH 27. The Queen has been pleased to appoint James Mayer Grant, Esq., to be Treasurer for the Island of Saint Vincent. BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, MARCH 25. The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received, through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a despatch from her Majesty's Consul at Carthagena, re porting that the Government of New Granada have thrown open the coasting trade of that country to Foreign vessels. BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, MARCH 25. The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received, through the Secretary of St a t e f or F ore i gn Aff a i rs, a copy of a despatch from her Majesty's Consul at Carthagena, reporting the imposition of th e f o ll ow i ng tonnage dues upon foreign vessels, viz. : On every vessel not exceeding 100 tons, 4 reals for every Granadian ton. On every vessel over 100 tons, 4 reals on each of the first hundred tons, and 2 reals on each ton exceeding that amount. This duty will only be levied on foreign vessels at the first port in New Granada, at which they may touch. BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, MARCH 27. The Right Honourable the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received, through the Secretary of State for Forei g n Affairs, a copy of a despatch from her M a j es t y ' s Consul aLisbon, reporting that the Board of Health at that place has declared all the ports of England to be free from infection. WAR-OFFICE, MARCH 28. 2d Regiment of Life Guards—Lieutenant Edward Ffol liott Wingfield to be Captain, by purchase, vice Totten ham, who retires; Cornet and Sub-Lieutenant the Hon. Charles Spencer Bateman Hanbury to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Wingfield ; Cornet and Sub-Lieutenant the Hon. Thomas Hatton George Fermor to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Awty, who retires, March 28. let Dra g oon — Captain Archib a ld H enry Pl an t agene t Stuart Wortley, from the Cape Mounted Riflemen, to be Captain, vice Digby, appointed to the Grenadier Guards, March 28. 3d Dragoon Guards— Charles John White, Gent., to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Allen, promoted on the Staff, March 28. 9th Light Dragoons—Major Charles John Foster, from the 16th Light Dragoons, to be Major, vice Allen, who exchanges, March 26. 16th Light Dragoons—Major William Warner Allen, from the 9th Light Dragoons, to be Major, vice Foster, who exchanges, March 28. Ist or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards—Captain John Almerus Digby, from the Ist Dragoon Guards, to be Lieutenant and Captain, vice Pole, appointed to the Cape Mounted Riflemen, March 28. Ist Foot—Assistant-Surgeon Alfred Crocker, from the 55th Foot, to be Surgeon, vice Robertson, promoted on the Staff, March 28. Colchester Harwich Leigh Maldon 50' 37 10 169 COUNTRY MARKETS. CHELMSFORD —MAR CH 24. Prices to-day were as follow :—Wheat, white, old 67s to 80s Od, new 67s to 808 ; red, old 55s to 765, new 568 76s ; barley, 27s to 35s ; chevalier, 33s to 38s ; grindin4 21s to 30s ; malt, 61s to 65s ; chevalier, 64s to 68s ; oat; 23s to 30s ; peas, partridge, 39s to 44s ; white, 47s to 49s . boiling 54s to 6;s ; dun, new, 395 to 41s ; beans, tick, 383 to 40s ; Harrow ticks, 36s to 42s ; Mazagan, 36s to 395. COLCHESTER —MARCH 25. A. very languid market for every description of grain. The price of wheat was 3s to 4s, barley is to 2s, and beans and peas is, per qr. lower, and little disposition on the part of buy ors to do business at that decline. Prices to-day were as follow :—Wheat, white, 723 to 80s ; red, 68s t o 72 s ; b ar l ey, 34 s to 38s ; oats, 268 to 32s ; beans, Mazagan, 36s to 38s ; middle and small, 38s to 448; peas, white, 55s to 60s ; grey, 38s to 425. Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn in the port of London, from the followin the 20th to the 25th March, both inclusive , &c., received Li; ports, from 4.3 e 0 43 ao 262 88 ! 477 33; 7( 116 i 99, 200, 565 350; KIRKCALDY—MAncH2S . Here, to-day, we had extremely limited supplies of all kinds of grain ; and of wheat the quality was the poorest we have had this season, which sold slowly at a reduction of 2s to 4s per qr. Barley and oats were taken off quickly at last week's rates. Wheat. I B:trley. I O a t s . I Beans. First Second 40s Od 31 s O d I Os Oct Third sos Oct 3ss Od 25s Od I Os Oct Oatmeal, per bag of 2801bs imperial, 44s Od to 00s Od. COAL MARKE Prices of Coal per ton at ti L'.—/VL&Ecs 27. she close of the market : Bate's West Ha r tl e 8. d. y 2O 0 Burnhope l6 0 Carr's Hartley 2O 0 Cookson's Hartley lB 0 Cragwood's Hartley _lB 6 Davison's West Hartley 19 6 Hasting's Hartley 2O 0 Old Adairs 17 6 Ravensworth Hartley l9 Redheugh M a i n l6 0 Tanfield Moor l6 0 Tanfield Moor Butes 17 0 Walker Primrose l6 9 West Hartley 2O 0 Wallsend, sze. Wallsend &o. Bell and Brown 18 61 Harton lB Hedley 18 Lawson lB 6 Bell's Primrose 16 0 Eden Main 19 0, !Bell .. Braddyll Hetton Haswell Launbton Luml ey Peusher Plummer Russell's Hetton Stewart's Whitwell Cassop !Denison Heugh Hall South Kelloo Whitworth Woodhouse Close Cowpen Derwentwater Hartley. Grey's West Hartley ... Sidney's Hartley LEEDS, MARCH 27. There has been a somewhat better feeling in the share market this morning, though the paucity of bona fide busi. ness does not indicate much confidence on the part of buyers. The following are some of the closing transac tions :—Midland Stock, 564 (opened at 561); Lancashire and Yorkshires, 604 (opened at 60,1); North Westerns, 7/. ls. 3d. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 24th inst., at Myton, Warwick, the wife of Lieutenant-Colonel Windham, late of the Coldstream Guards. wi o fe n o t f h t e h 2 e 6 R th ev in . st . , l3 at ie ß kni er o k r s e w , e m ll- . h A a . ll, near Coventry, the OF A DAUGHTER. On the 31st of January, at UR - 14Ilah, the lad of F. H. Cooper, Esq., C S., Assistant-Commissioner. y HaOn t he 25th inst., at Fanh am ' s-hall, the lady of Captain milton. MARRIED. On the 27th inst., at St. Mary's Church, Walthamstovt, Mr. George Boor, of Stony Stratford, Bucks, to Sarah Ann, youngest daughtz of Mt. Thomas Lovewell, Wood cottage, Walthamstovr, Essex. DIED. On the 23d inst., at Whiston Priory, Shropshire, Geol.-. giana Louisa Mary, wife of Captain F. Mostyn Owen, aged 36. On the 24th inst ,at 21, North-bank, Li eu t.. Ge nera Edward Dail ey , late. 61st Regiment, aged 79. On the 25th inst , suddenly, at Camden- row , Camber well, Mr. John Burrowes, late of the Bank of England, aged 64. On the 26th inst. at Norfolk-crescent, Bath, Mary, relict of th e late Lieut.-Colonel Marshall, B.M. LONDON: Printed and Published by MIIRDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sunt9ffice, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, ut th e coun ty of Middleaes, TuNclay, Marcl4 28, 1804, The Febru: be twei port, C includi weight 0 3 Ist of A out wit] Station, verham Leave I Arrives Leave R Arrive a I, . Ind Irel n the Ititb vdttrAF ilerMajc Patter schedule No tend , nor will duly ant Every and bear Wares.", by a lett bound w performs W LIFE Al friars, L others, a Voyagini ance or TH' Every Assuranc Premic One-ha to policy Annuities endowmi Policie No ch: Money Active agriculta Apply respectal BR Colonel The inf Legislate for the ix attention but also c system of country. Increa: Half Pi Sum as Provisi Profits Itemiu Half-ci unpaid 111 At the I made In AL' that the: their PA Brewery Establial to Prival medical from all PALE .4 When its havir P R . Lond 85, and Lond any Brad Shoff Colo' Merc Shoe IV IMPS exchan withou price, t The on Sati A ne nion," ment, A ha on anp ON T 1 INF Just I Emp Lc (PBOE II 1pr;;, S riage, origin climat twent: Debili trrinic ings, c eondit Docto ban Lici Tin Segue. whicl hood, other partic their the h entitl EU 1