The Sun. — London, England, 1830-02-16 00:00:00

tsgreseable to the House. But he wou ld say that he would be ready to assent to any motion for the re duction of taxation to the amount of 1,000,0001. — The lion. Member then noticed several taxes, the manner of collecting which he contended to be very onerous to the poor, and in which he thought some reduction might be made. The beer-tax, which amounted to above 3,000,0001., was a very partial tax. He objected to it also, because it was a mo nopoly. He was opposed to every sort of monopoly but particularly when monopoly was made a source of revenue. The power of licensing dealers in beer lay with the Magistrates, who gave licences to indi viduals whom they favoured. This, then, was a monopoly, and the effect was that the retail dealer mixed water with the beer he sold. Those who were moderate, mixed water in the proportion of twenty per cent,; but some, lees conscientious, mixed in the proportion of .50 per cent., and thus defrauded the public. To prevent the loss to the country, upon a double collection of th e dety, h e ' would hare the whole beer tax places; upon malt. He was sorry that the duty on nritish spirits had ben towered. That meattlie had been adopted for State purposes ' and though it pre ven t e d th e demo ealization of few persons—the smugglers—it de moralized nearly all the labouring classes of the community. He would not take She tessenne into consideration on such a subject, but would double the duty to save the people. If the duty were not doubled, the Right Hen, Gentleman might depend on it that the people vreuld be demoralized. It was known to every one, that the spirit-drinker, how. ever liberally paid for his labour, was always in dis tress, while persons who did not drink spirits, how ever love their wages, always brought up their fami lies in decency and credit. He would reduce the duty on tea, se hich amounted to 3,100 ; 0001. The quantity of tea consumed yearly in this tOuntry he was sure could be brought here for two millions. For the benefit of a monepol s se that price was raised to three millions, and three there, was a duty of 100 per cent. laid on it, making the price to the con sumer six millions, or making the poor man pay 6s. a pound for what ne otherwise would only have to pay 2s. He oegged of the House also to look at the mar:aer in which the coal duty was levied. Coals at the greatest distance from the pit's mouth ;,std the highest. This was a partial and unjust tax. The tax ought to be made gene ral, and the revenue would be as much beseentted by having a smaller stun than at present was paid on coals laid on at the pit's mouth. Some saving also, he thought, might be effected in the tobacco duty. Much good would result, be was convinced, if, instead of the Assessed Taxes", a Property Tax was introduced. The House vas bound, in the present state of the country, to reduce taxation to a certain extent, and on that account he supported the amendment. Mr. WESTERN, looking at the motion ab stractedly, should be most willing to give it his support. But he considered that the House was already pledged to the fell extent of the Mon. Member for Aberdeen's motion—that was, gene rally to reduce the expenditure, and he gave Mini sters credit foe en intention honestly to fulfil the pledge. The next step to be taken was to point out in what particular manner the reduction was to be made. But it was his opinion that the taxation of the country was not the cause of the -_present unprecedented distress which pervaded all the country ; and he defied any man to state at any former period in the history of this country, when there existes, such extraordinary stagnation in trade, so overvet4lming a distress among the agricultural, comrsisrcial, labouring, and shipping interests of the cot' :try. There was another and a fatal cause of the distress under which the people of this country now suffered so severely. It was the raising of the value of money in which the people were taxed, and that was what now pressed upon the country. He contended that no reduction of taxation, how ever extensive, not even if carried to the extent pro posed by the Hon. Member for Aberdeen, would afford more than partial relief if the present cur rency system were maintained. It was a contrac tion of the currency, concurrent with an increase in its value, that had depressed this country in all its relations,—commercial, financial, manu facturing, and agricultural. Every possible re duction should be made in the taxation, but that still would not cure the disease that was preying upon the vitals of the country. A Committee should he appointed to examine and inquire how far the value of money had been raised by the Act of 1819, b e y o nd th a t which was con templated by the Legislature at the time, and howl far the currency had been contracted, with a view to an extension of the currency to its former amount. That was the only remedy, he would maintain, for the distress of the eountry. With regard to the motion before the House, agreeing as he did with the Hon. Member fur Aberdeen as to the necessity of every possible reduction of taxation, he did not think, after the pledge given by Ministers the other evening, that such a motion was at present required, but should the Hon. Member for Aberdeen, or the Hon. Member behind him (Mr. Maberly), bring forward any specific proposition for a reduction of taxes, consistent with the maintenance of the civil and military establishments of the country, it should have his (Mr. Western's) cordial support. Lord ALTHORP while he felt every confidence in the economical disposition of Ministers, after the pledge they had recently given, was at the same time induced to support the motion of his Hon, Friend the Member for Aberdeen, and upon this ground,—that it was desirable that the Home should express its opinion that the taxes should be reduced in proportion to the reductions which should take place in the public expenditure. The Hon, Member for Essex conceived that no good could be accomplished unless by a depreciation in the standard of value, but he (Lord Althorp) was happy to find that his Majesty's Ministers were de termined to resist such a measure.—( Hear, hear.) — Ile would allow that the enhancement of the value of money might be partly a cause of the prevailing distress, but he thought that any measure for bring ing in a paper circulation again would only aggravate the great and leading evil under which we suffered— he meant, a want of confidence.—(Hear, hear.) — It appeared to him, that a reduction of taxes, parti cularly of those taxes which pressed upon the bouring classes and the productive industry of the country, would be attended by the most beneficial results. lie did not think it possible in the re duction of taxation to go to the extent proposed by the Hon. Member for Aberdeen, but whatever reduction was made should, he repeated, be in those taxes that pressed principally upon the productive industry of the country. The Right Hon. Gentle man (the Chancellor of the Exchequer), had given two reasons for opposing this motion. He ob jected, in the first instance, to the resolution be cause it contained the word " forthwith ;" but that objection he (Lord Althorp) fancied would not have any weight with the House. The Right Hon. Gentleman's next objection was, that if such a resolution were carried, he should feel himself bound to resign. Did the Right Hon. Gentleman mean to say, that if the House of Commons decided that there should be a reduction made in the public taxes, he should feel himself bound to throw up office, and that his Majesty's Ministers could not continue to carry on the Government of the country : and was the House of Commons, upon such grounds, to reject a motion of this description ? He (Lord Althorp) had never before heard such doc trine, and he hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would not stand by it. At all events he (Lord Althorp) felt it his duty to vote for the motion, and he would take the consequences, be thcy what might.—(Hear, hear.) sir F. BURDETT agreeing fully in the prin ciples expressed by the Hon. Member for Essex with regard to the currency, however generally un palateable such principles were in that House, felt it incumbent upon him candidly to avow his con currence in the opinions so manfully declared by that Hon. Member.. His (Sir F. Burdett's) deeded opinion was that the contraction of the currency T ie the cause, not of the t ole, bnt of nine parts out of ten of the existing distress. Of course every flon. Member must feel that to effect a reduction of tin taxes was the duty of that House at all times, but more especially at present ; and in reducing the taxes, the House should always bear in mind that it seas its duty likewise to put an end to the system of tatronage connected with their collection, and which vas most injurious to the best interests of the country. lie agreed with his ion. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, that the utmost reduction eight to Le made in the taxes; but eVen if that re luct ion were carried to the extent proposed by the lion. Member ; and which no lion. Member that followed him eppaared to consider practicable, still it woeld go a short way towards relieving the coun try from the distress under which it was now suf fering, and it would not at all reniedy she effects that had arisen from tle're'otraction in the currency and the altertStion in the standard of value. At the period when that alteration occurred, and when mea sures were taken to call in the paper circulation, and to return to a gold standard, it was stated in round num bers that the currency of the countq amounted to about 70 ) 000 ; 000., end 4nti a similar calcula tion, the whole Antolini of the labour, industry, and produetiVe powers of England was stated to be 700,000,0004 Taking that calculation to be cor rect, the impression on his mind as to the effect of a contraction of the currency was this,—the currency, according to that statement, amounted to a tenth of the whole amount of the entire productive industry of the country, Now, if the currency were by any means ontracted one-tenth in amount, it was clear that a corresponding diminution of one-tenth would take place in the Whole of the income arising out of the entire productive powers of the country. If, for instance, they should contract the currency to the extent of 5,000,0004, a corresponding diminution would follow in the income of the country to the extent of 50,000,0004, that is, the incomes of trades men, manufacturers, farmers, and of all persons con stituting the productive industry of the country, would undergo a diminution to the extent of 50,000,000/. Their incomes were derived from the currency prices, and when by a contraction of the currency the prices were lowered, their incomes fell in proportion. Whether it would be passible to effect a reduction of four, or of six, or of eight millions of taxes, such a reduction would not restore the classes he had mentioned to the flourishing con dition they were in before prices, upon which their incomes depended, were lowered by the change in the value of money. He was no advocate for break ing faith with the public creditor; lie should be paid, however, out of the same money in which his ad vances had been made to us, and we should not at the same time commit, as we had committed, a noto rious breach of faith with the farmers, the trades men, the manufacturing and commercial classes of the country. By reducing the amount of the currency, we had reduced their incomes, and we had been thus guilty of a similar breach of faith towards them, as we should commit in the instance of the public creditor by lowering the interest of his money. Indeed it would seem that the Legislature was aware of the extent to which the evils attendant upon an alteration of the currency would go. If their eyes were open to the whole extent of the mischief, they would scarcely have taken such a step ; and the question now for Parliament to consider was,whether they were hound to adhere to what never could have beers the intentions of the Legislature, whether the country was to be cast down by means of a mis taken legislative act which it now seemed a matter of pride with its author not to abandon, and whet her all the essential interests of the country were to be almost brought to destruction in order to maintain that mischievous enactment in its full and original force ? But then it would be said they should not tamper with the currency ; very true,—it might be wrong in the first instance to tamper with the cur rency, but it was by tampering with the currency that they had reduced the incomes of the farmers, the tradesmen, the manufacturers, and the various productive classes of the country ; and he would maintain, .that they should never stop tampering with the currency till therhad restored their incomes to their original amount. Gentlemen seemed to think that there was nothing good for the country but a gold currency, but he (Sir F. Burdett) saw nothing beneficial in a gold currency ; on the con trary, he was of opinion that a well-regulated paper currency won't] be a much better one, and more adapted for this country. A perseverance in the present system was bringing destruction upon all those classes which constituted the productive power and industry of the country.—(Hear.)—The faith of Parliament was as much engaged to all the pro ductive classes in England as it was to the public creditor ; and if by altering the currency they had materially reduced the incomes of the former, there was no principle of honesty which stood in the way of their retracing their steps in order to restore the incomes of these classes to their original amount. He would assert further, that the Corn Laws which the gentlemen of England seemed to value as counter acting the effects of the change in the currency, were in fact a bitter aggravation of all the evils arising from that change.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. C. WOOD was strongly impressed with the necessity which existed for every possible reduction of taxation, but he sincerely hoped that no attempt would be made to return to a paper currency.— ( Hear, hear.) —He thought it was the duty of the House to adopt the resolution proposed by the Hon. Member for Aberdeen. Mr. HERRIES said, that the more the subject should be inquired into, the more would it be found that Ministers were desirous to carry into effect eco nomical reforms.—(Hear.)—When the Hon. Mem ber (Mr. Hume) talked of a reduction of 8,000,0001., it was to make an impression to suit his own purposes, but he would fail in the execu tion. If he would concur with them (his Majesty's Ministers) in a more sober—(A laugh)—and a more effectual method of economy, the lion. Member might succeed. The Hon. Member knew that a reduction of 8,500,0004 would amount to nearly the whole effective establishment of the army, the navy, and the ordnance.—(Hear.)—The Hon. Member for Abingdon (Mr. Maberly) had gone through a review of all the taxes he would repeal, modify, or change; but he (Mr. lierries) questioned whether the display he made wasa fit mode of meeting the question before the House. The motion before the House would not only take the duty of the Chancellor of the Exche quer out of his hands, but it denied him the oppor tunity of stating his views and intentions respecting taxation. It had been said that his Right lion. Friend had quibbled with the terms of the motion; but there was no man less likely to do so.—(A laugh.)—lt was not difficult to find out, not in the terms only, but in the nature of the motion, solid grounds for calling on the House not to agree to it. His Right Hon. Friend had been taunted with delay—a delay of 10 days ; but be was not in fault for the delay of the estimates; and this being so, the motion, which deprived his Hon. Friend of an opportunity to bring forward his views, became the more objectionable. Although be (Mr. Herries) had listened to the Hon. Baronet (Sir F. Burdett) with all that attention which was due to one who never addressed the House without informing it, yet on this occasion he had gained less knowledge than he expected when the Hon. Baronet rose; and he was unable to understand the remedy which the Hon. Baronet proposed for the existing distress. The more. he (Mr. Herries) considered all the bear ings of the question, the more fully was he convinced that when it was discussed it would appear that the distress, the existence of which was so general in the 'country—(Loud cries of " hear")—would be found to be attributable to other causes than the currency, and to operations beyond the sphere of those as signed for it., Mr. GRANT was . ready to concur with the Right Hon. Gentleman who had just sat down. — He (Mr. Grant)• had already expressed his opinion on the question as to the distress of the country, and lie was resolved to follow- up that opinion.— Yet he felt a difficulty with regard to the motion. Government had made the strongest professions of economy; the King's Speech had recommended it, and the resolutions of the other night had pledged Ministers to it ; and believing Government not rely disposed to practise economy, but that they had, as far as possible, carried it into practice, it was scarcely dealing fairly with them to visit them with so severe a measure. It was premature thus to pronounce a sentence upon them. It would be better to allow Government to produce their plan to the House; and then to deal with it as the House thought fit. With this view he felt bound to vote against the motion. If he (Mr. Grant) connected the motion with the speeches which accompanied it, he saw the stronger ground for re sisting it. The topics introduced it was imposslde TO discuss properly upon the present occasion. For instance, the sinking fund : it was not two years ago the House resolved that there should be a sinking fund. It was fairer and more honest to the Go vernment to let them state their own plsns before the House entered into a consideration of the question. Lord 110 WICK said that it was because he was convinced that ; in epite of professions, tile Country might be suffered to go on in its present state, till it reached a national bankruptcy, that he supported the motion. The times were such that it was incum• bent upon the House, first to ease the country, and then to lay down a plan of expenditure suited to the reductions. He (Lord Howick ) knew what was the effect of granting the estimates first, and then considering a reduction of taxation. There were always very good reasons assignable for every item in the estimates. He would admit that the state of the country required that the present esta blishment should be kept up ; but he denied that it could be kept up. He did not think, however, that the House could arrange the derails . of reduction so well as Ministers could in their offices ; but it was the duty of the House to insist upon reductions of some kind. He was of opinion that a modification of the existing taxes would relieve the distress of the country : some modification or some reduction was absolutely necessary. Mr. PEEL, though he had tire satisfaction of vot ing against the motion, with the lion. Member for Essex and the lion. Member for Westminster— (" from Sir F. Burdett)—he thought so— (A laugh)—he did not expect that the lion. Baro net's vote was to be at variance with his speech — still Ire did riot concur with some parts of his speech ; he could not agree that no relief was to he expected from a remission of taxation. He ( Mr. Peel) did conceive that the remission of any tax would relieve the country to that extent; that the products of the country would fructify more in the hands of individuals than in the coffers of the State.—(Hear, hear.) —As he was mistaken in the Lion. Baronet's intention, he sup posed he had intended to depreciate the motion of the lion. Member for Aberdeen for the sake of some plan of his own. lie (Mr. Peel) wished that some person w 'old bring forward a motion on the subject, and take the trouble to prepare the enact ments by which the standard should be depreci ated, and remedies should be provided for the depreciation.—(llear, hear.) —This would be the most convenient way of discussing the plan. When the lion. Baronet brought forward his plan,however, he should support it by more powerful arguments than those he had used to-night. He (Mr. Peel) did not understand the doctrine that a reduction of .5,000,000/. in the circulating medium necessarily produced a reduction of 50,000,0001. in the value of things. If we were to add 5,000,000/, to the circulat ing medium, would that add 50,000,0001. to nominal value ? And he (Mr.P.) could Dot see how the reduc tion of 5,000,000/.could reduce ten times the nominal amount of the incomes of the different classes. lie admitted that where debts were incurred in one species of currency, and were paid in another, the persons so situated sustained a grievance ; but those who were not so situated could command a greater quantity of the luxuries of life, though their nominal incomes might be less. There were two considera tions which he should offer to the Hon. Baronet. The Hon. Baronet said, " you can tamper with the currency again, because you have tampered with it before: l He (Mr. Peel) begged him to recollect that the present standard had been in existence for ten years ; and that now to attempt to alter it would introduce a train of evils for which he provided no remedy. Therewas another point which he would put to the Hon. Baronet. If the House should once determine to adopt his proposal, when it went forth to the public that the House was about to change the standard, those who held paper would imme diately demand payment in gold. If the HOTI• Baronet could at once, with the rapidity of drought; change the standard, every man would find next morning that he had but 18s. or 19s. instead of 1/. But by the delay attending the deliberative assent of the legislature, every man who held paper, and had a thought of his personal interest, would, in the mean dine, press for the observance of the engage ments made with him, and would demand pay. ment in that medium in which he had been contracted to be paid. He (Mr. Peel) entreated, then, the house to pause before they indulged the dream of unsettling tire currency. So much for the episode: now for the motion. He conceived that it was unusual and unprecedented for the House. before the Ministers of the Crown had brought forward their estimates, or had an opportunity to state their views with respect to taxation, to step in, not to state any specific measure, but to say that they will forth with repeal millions of taxes. What could the House gain by the course? The Hon. Member might, without this motion, propose the repeal of any tax he saw fit. The motion disposed of the Sinking Fund. It might be right or it might be wrong to have a Sinking Fund, but a question of this magnitude required more time for con sideration. The view which had been taken by Parlia ment was, that it was desirable to make some progress towards the reduction of the debt in time of peace ; but if the Honourable Member carried his motion, he did away with the Sinking Fund at once. He (Mr. Peel) protested against this, without the opportunity of giving the system a graver consideration. It was impos sible to separate the motion from the comments which had been made upon it, for the public would not do it. The Hon. Member talked of reducing 8,500,0001. of taxation : he (Mr. Peel) left it to the House to consider what would be the effect on the public mind if it was believed that the House was prepared to remit 8,500,000/. of taxes. The Hon. Member proposed a resolution to remit a large pro portion of the taxes,—such as those on soap, can dles, malt, and other articles. But any Member who wished to remit such taxes ought to bring in a Bill for the purpose, for nothing was worse to the retail traders than to he left in suspense as to the articles intended to be re duced. The consequence of uncertainty was, that there would be no confidence,—that there would be a total stop to dealing in the retail trade. The Hon. Member would have actod a mere sensible part if he had brought forward his Bill at once. The lion. Member luol said that his mo tion would console the country for the omission in the King's speech. He (Mr. Peel) knew how impracticable it was to persevere against the declarations made respect ing the public sufferings; but he believed that the state ment made in the King's Speech was nearer the truth than the assertions of universal and unmitigated distress. The communications which he had received since that Speech was delivered, from persons who volunteered their infor mation, convinced him that the distress was not only not universal, but that it never existed to a degree to excite d es pondency.—(Hear.) —Although he admitted that the distress in many parts was severe, and that it bad been of long continuance, still it had not extended all over the kingdom, nor had it been so severe as to extinguish all hopes. lie had that confidence in the astonishing re sources of the country, that he was persuaded that in a short space of time we should reach a state of compara tive prosperity ; but he did not think that by exaggerated statements of the distress, we s u i . , h o ich uid approximatemud have the to effect earestera of ctiroenatoinf;codnefispdeonn despondency, to a state when we could look for ward to a reduction of the public burdens. Mr. WODEHOUSE complained that it was worse than delusion to state that the country had been ten years in this state of despondency. He had no confidence in his Majesty's Ministers. l‘lr. HUME, perceiving the impatience of the Hou.e, would not trespass on their attention. Ile had done his duty, and he hoped the House would perform theirs. The House then divided, and the numbers were-- For the amendment Against it .. 184 Majority Whilst strangers were excluded, some discussion was carried on in the House. On entering tl.e gallery, we found— Mr, T. DUNCONBE addressing the liot.tta, and dontly alluding to something which had passed whilst the gallery was cleared. He referred in terms of censure to the criminal prosecutions recently instituted by the Attor ney. General, and then adverted to the distressed state of the country. He said that in these unexampled days of unmitigated taxation, he felt it his duty to raise his voice in behalf of the distressed agriculturists and the unem ployed manufacturers. He warned the Government not to exult either in their numbers or power. lie would tell them, that if they should persevere in a course of lavish ex penditure, they might, perhaps, find, when it was too late, that there was a majority out of doors which would make the majority within doors at length acknowledge the just views of the despicable minority of this night. Mr. PEEL said, the Hon. Member must have com pletely misunderstood what fell from him, if he supposed that he expressed any feelings of triumph on account of the division which had taken place. On the question that the SPEAKER. do leave the chair, The Marquis of BLANDFORD thought it wrong that the House should proceed to dispose of the nation's money before it had considered the nation's distress. He there fore moved, as an amendment, " that the further consi deration of this question be postponed." The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER wished to be allowed to place the Estimates on the table in a Com mittee of Supply : the House would then, by comparing them with the Estimates of last yenr, see the eat nt to which Government proposed to reduce the expenditure. Mr. TENNYSON thought that the laying the Esti mates on the table ought to be preceded by an explanatory statement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr. ManzaLT and Mr. Hose= concurred in the opinion expressed by the last speaker. The House then divided. 'I he numbers were— For the amendment Against it 189 8 0 Majority Vire understand that an ion. Member having intimated his intention to divide the House again, the Chancellor of the Exchequer did not press his motion fur the Committee. The House then adjourned at One o'clock. PAICES OF STOCKS 'Mfg DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Flank 'itock 218!.. 19 !South Sea Stock — 3 per Ce7it. lied. 93%1A% Old Annuities :1 per Cent. Cons Iri! N, I New Ditto 0 -- <, 3 1, 4 per Cant Ditto lic.l. *lOO l 4 li Ditto lid. 77 78 pm. 4 per Cent. Ann.... In! 2 I , Ditto 5 , 7 0 51 d. '77 IR on. Ditto, 1•20 Rink 1.. Ann. Ditto 30 rears Ditto 30 years' — Bank for Amount — India Stock — India for Account ......... Ditto Bonds 77 78 pm. Cons. for Fcb. 25 (12 %14 % enicEs OF FOAKIGN FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Austrian Bonds • ' Bonds Brazilian Bonds' 6)34 Peruvian Buenos Ayres Bonds Portuguese Bonds Chilian Bonds — Prussian, Old Colombian Bonds 214 1 Ditto, New Ditto, 1824 Dthish , 753 i Spanish, :821 14 1 ,4 Greek Bonds 1 Ditto, 1825 3B-;ti 7 French Rentes, sp. e. —f. —c. Guatimala — l--- Exchange —f. —e. Mexican Bonds - 3 per cent. oitm, 1325 — Exchange —f. —r. PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AY ONE O'CLOCK% Paid. Per Share. Brazilian Mining Company 5 51.; Brazilian Imp. 5110. Co. oss. at 51. pm.) £2O Si Ditto National lO 21 74 Real del Monte Mining Co .£lOO 52 MAILS. Arrived. Due. Arrived. Due. O America 1 Brazil O Buenos Ayres 0 0 Jamaica 0 o Carthagena 0 0 Leeward islands ... 0 I Dublin 0 0 Lisbon 0 O Flanders 0 0 Mexico I France 0 0 Sweden 0 Guernsey &Jersey.. 0 I Waterford ITIoII WATER ♦T LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW. Eorning minutes after It. I Evening-16 minute* aftar ERRATUM..--TR the Leading Article on the Revenue in our Paper of yesterday, in the 48th and 49th lines from the commencement, the year 1828 stands for 1829, and 1829 for 1829. . 7 ' 4 , 8 4 tfikv (" 'll3 sun ; from which it is intended that all foreigners •heuld be excluded, even for the purposes of instruction. The legislative labours'of the Greek Senate had, been be zun by the imposition of a tax on sheep, which was likely t prove exceedingly unpopular. Mention is also made of a paper which had been industriously circulated in the principal towns of Greece, the object of which was, to persuade the inhabitants to content themselves with the Presidency of the Count Capo d'lstria ; but it appears, that the contrivance was not likely to be attended with much success." If there be any one line of conduct more pe culiarly calculated than another to hasten the consummation of those wilcl sc h emes of reTolu- tionary reform, which the Radicals and Ultra Tories now appear to agree in advocating, it is the refusal of Parliament to avail itself of such favourable occasions as the disfranchisement of East Refold, to bestow the elective privilege upon populous towns. There never was a more suitable opportunity for remedying the abuses brought by time into our representative system, than was given by the East Retford Bill ; nor was ever such an opportunity more shamefully perverted, than by, .bestowing the forfeited fran cliiseas w. u sea .lthe Duko .,, OI:ISIEWCASTLE'S Hundred of 3 That such towns as Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Sheffield, containing each of them the population of a small county within itself; and comprising so large a proportion of the wealth and intelligence of the kingdom, shOuld be postponed to a paltry agriculturli Hundred in their claims for representation, is too crying an injustice to be long lived. Nearly two-thirds of our whole population are employed in manufac tures and trade ; to them we owe our importance in the scale of nations ; and to their industry we must always 1 ook for maintaining our rank in the world as a first-rate power. It is therefore insufferable that the Landed Interest should enjoy a preponderating influence in Parliament, to which they arc not, by reason of their numbers, their capital, their usefulness, or their talents, or on any other account, entitled. And since experience has shown that the landed aristocracy have constantly acted for their own benefit as an order opposed to the rest of society, it is high time that the rest of the community should at least possess the means of self-defence, which they can only do by having their just share in the Legislature. It cannot, therefore, be expected that the great towns will rest satis fied until the right of sending Members is allowed them ; and it can hardly be doubted that the time will come when, if they do not get that right by fair means, they will by foul, just as the Irish Catholics obtained their long de ferred emancipation at the eleventh hour, when one spark might have kindled all Ireland into a flame. Is it not, then, to be lamented that instead of reforming themselves gradually, after the manner of the great reformer, Time, and so healing the wounds in their Constitution as to prevent the ultimate necessity of the amputation of a limb, the (louse of Commons should per sist in their rejection of the most moderate, pru dent, and well-timed measures of Reform, and thereby add to their increasing disrepute with the country, and strengthen the mass of discon tent which is, unhappily, already too largely swollen ? _ _ The commercial towns suffer grievously for want of representatives in their most imme diate interests. In a question, for instance, like that of the East India and China Trade, what can be of more vital importance to Manchester, Leeds, and the other manufacturing places, than that there should be persons in Parlia ment, whose especial duty bound them to look after the welfare of those industrious districts ? How long are we to have our Bassetlaws and our Corfe Castles fostered by Government, whilst the heart of the kingdom, from which circulates the life-blood that animates it,—which diffuses energy into its whole body,—and impels its ac tivity and its enterprise,—is accounted as nothing in the legislative assembly ? But necessity has been the cause of justice being done in other cases, and will, sooner or later, in this also. \Ve regret that Mr. PEEL should have spoken as he did—that he should not, since last Session, have become sensible that a Ministry loses both in character and strength in proportion as it cajoles the aristocracy, and that an enlightened Govern ment can never have any thing to fear from the introduction into Parliament of representatives from towns, which as Mr. GRANT called them, are condensed bodies of capital and spirit. We hope the approaching motion of Lord JOHN RUSSELL will make up in some degree for the disappointment of the East Retford job, and that the subject will be pressed upon Parliament with firmness and perseverance. It is only thus, that the country can be preserved from the revo lutionary schemes of Mr. INN T and the Marquis of BLANDFORD ; for reform must come sooner or later, and we have only to choose between moderation and violence—between anarchy and freedom. LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 16, 1880 \Vc have received the following from our Paris Correspondent : a PARIS, FEB. 14 " You are aware that in the French colonies, however inferior in importance to those of Great Britain, there has for some time existed the same sort of misunderstanding between the occupants of the bench, and the represeuta fives of the Executive Government, which has lately given such a peculiar interest to the letter of Lord Ellen borough, on the subject of the jttieial appointments in India. The French colonial Judges, however, took even a more decided step than Sir John Grant ; for as soon es the Ordonnance was promulgated, which subjected the colonies to the same codes which now govern the mother country—that was all their grievance—they cot merely shut up their courts, but combined together to re sign their appointments. In this situation the Gover nor' of Martinique, ad interim, General Barre, and the Procureur-General du Roi, M. d'lmhert de Bourdilion, resolved to form a provisional tribunal from among the members of the inferior judicatories and the practising Members of the Bar of the colony. The old Court con sisted entirely of Creoles ; the new one was composed of Europeans, and soon distinguished itself by the wisdom and the moderation of its judgmen's. Under Creole au thority the coloured population have always been oppressed, but any infusion of European spirit has regularly brought them relief; a circumstance which, I believe, has been equally observed in our own West India colonies. " The new Court, however, did not find favour in the eyes of the new Governor, M. de Freycinet. One of the first acts of his Administration was, to replace the Creole Judges on the Bench. The latter condescended to return on condition that they should first be made acquainted with the terms of the new Ordonnaneee. This was agreed to by the Governor, who thus consented to stoop to the organs of the colonial aristocracy. " The official Journal of Martinique, of the 15th of December, has brought back an Ordonnance countersigned by the Baron d'llaussez, the Minister of Marine, on the 10th of October last, which materially modifies the most important arrangements of the judicial establishment of the French colonies. It fixes the salaries of the Creole Judges at a higher rate than heretofore, equalizing them with those of Europeans, who brave the dangers of expatriation. It abolishes the principle hitherto recognised in the co lonies, that the President of the Court at least should be a native of the mother country, in order to neutralize by hie influence the leanings of colonial prejudice. And it ab rogates the prohibition which formerly existed against the ' marriage of European Judges in the country, a prohi bition which bad been found necessary in order more effec tually to separate the interests of this class of Judges from those of the great planters, who form the majority of the colonial Courts. Formerly also, there existed a regulation which limited the possession of the Presidency to a term of three years, and did not permit the re-election of the sane individual till after the lapse of a similar period. That regulation has now been rescinded by M. d'Haussez, the effect of which will probably be to perpetuate the evils or the advantages, which ever they may prove, of the new system. " In Paris the opinion which has been formed on the subject of the new Ordonnances appears to be, that although they certainly affect the independence of the magistracy, and would only he admissible in a country where the distinctions of caste establish a na tural partiality, and create a corresponding jealousy of the class from among whom the Judges are exclusively selected, yet that, under existing circumstances, no better arrangement would have been practically effectual. It cannot be doubted, however, that the degraded caste must sensibly feel their degradation; and, after what has lately taken place at Guadeloupe and Martinique, we may expect to hear of something very like an insurrectionary move ment in one or perhaps in both of the principal colonies. " It is stated, in letters from Lisbon of the 31st Jan., that a discovery had just been made of a conspiracy on the part of the Marquis de Chaves and hie numerous satellites, to overthrow the power of Don Miguel. The Marquis and several of his accomplices had set out from Lisbon to meet their partizans at Tras-os-Montes ; but the Cor regidor of Coimbra had succeeded in executing the orders he had received to arrest the principal conspirator and most of his associates on their passage. It is added, that the Papal Nuncio had suddenly become invisible, and it was supposed that he had left the Portuguese capital. " In letters from the Morea, a new revolt is spoken of as having broken out among the Routneliotes, who it seems complain of the extravagance of the brother of the President, while they themselves are in want of eve r y thing. eident &unt Capo d'lstria, however, has succeeded in calming them for the moment, by promises that t l 't arrears due to them would speedily be paid. A plan had been. prepared by Colocotroni for the fermation of a re paid* military Oice l tv pQ plicol whs . 91 _ _ _ SHIPPING ENTELLIGANCk.--(THIS DAY FROM LLOYD'S. DEAz, Faa. 15.—Wind N.E —Arrived from London, the Newton, Rosee, for Singapore; and Jessie, Davison, for Tettlon. PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 15.--Wind N.E.---Arrived the Henrietta, and Henry, Gage, from Batavia. LiviarooL, Frs. R.—Arrived the Europa, Ellis, from Maranliam ; Syren, from Macaio ; Sappho, Garham, from New Orleans ; Coriolanus, Simpson, and Gardner, Nicholson, from Charle ston ; Lagotia, Bradford, and Hull, Crowell, from Savannah ; and Swift, front Fignera. LAW IN FELLIGENCE.-(TIIIS DAY)• HOUSE OF LORDS. The Loan CHANCELLOR, a , siste , l by the Judges Pat in the House this morning - , to hear Scotch Appeal•, none of which that came tinier the consideration of their Loyd •hips during the mornimy posse-sled any public intrreet• PIRACY. The following is posted at Lloyd's:— Extract of a letter from the Curacoa Courant of the 25th of November, 1829. " On the 15th of November of last year, we stated, that on the 10th of that month Capt. John Ure, and the late Capt. Beasley, of the armed brig Bolivar, late Pre sidentin, under the Buenos Ayrean flag, with three other Officers of the same vessel, had been committed to prison by the Police, and that criminal proceedings were to be instituted against him. These proceedings have taken place, and sentence of banishment was decreod on the 33 inst., and pronounced on the 13th against the said Capt. John Ure, for unlawful Rea and practices amounting to piracy ; against the said late Capt. Robert Wm. Beasley, for aiding, abetting, and furthering unlawful nets and practices amounting to piracy ; and against Wm. Bathurst tor aiding and furthering unlawful arts and practioe« A amounting to piracy. The two first mentioned far life, 1 tad the last fva • ten years." COURT OF KING'S 13ENCEI. Mr. Juqtireit;EsPA ;KT ti;-day for Lnrd Ten :enlen, who WAs engaged with the other Jaiigeo in the ilouie of Lord.. ASSll'LT.—liumruntrs V. ,k7.IIVET. This WAN an -I.ction to recover compensation in damages for an assault and false imprisonment. Mr. GraNr.v (with whom was Mr. Ptary) stated the ease to the Jury. The plaintiff was a respectable man, and hail to (-implant of a serious injnry. The facts were shortly as follows :--On the 1 I th of May the plaintiff was walkin towards Edmonton, with a hitch that he had previously bonght of a person nem d Clark, when be met the defendant, who said, " That is my hitch ; lost her some time since." The plaintiff said, " ll the dog belongs to yen, you 611311 have it again." After some further conversation, the parties alned to meet together in the evening at a prlblie-house at Islington, for the purpase of settling the business.' The plaintiff accordingly went to the public-bon** at the ap pointed time, where he was shortly joined by the defend ant, who brought with him a constable, and without entering into any explanation, they handcuffed the plaintiff an I dragged bins off, against strong remonstrances, to a watch-house. hail was for a length of time refused. tint at length accepted. The next morning the plaintiff at tended at Worship-street Police Office, and the Magistrate., alter hearing the case, dismissed it. The alefenclants had pleaded several pleas of justification, but he (Mr. Gurney) was convinced the Jury would give his client contpensa sation for the shameful manner in which he had been treated. • It was proved by several witnffisest that the plaintiffpur chased the clog for a sovereign. On their cross-exaMint- Lion they said in the neighbout hood of Islington-Mils the: e were two distinct trades c trrietion. The one dog-stealers and killers—the other dog-skinners.—(Laughtei-.)—Aod that if notice was given within 21 , hours of a dug being lost, it might be recovered ; hut, if no notice was given within that period, it would either be hung or tram ported.—(Laughter.) The ATTORNYT-GCNZRA 1., for the defendant, admitted that a verdict most pass against his client; bat he thought the smallest possible damages would be sufficient. There was not the least proof of milks.; and the defendant, from information he had received, had reason to suppose the plaintiff might have obtained the dog in knpropet, manner. The Jury immediately zeturned a ♦erdist for the plain tiff—ramages, lg. BELL V. FICI.LEA. Mr. CA MVIIMLL said this WAR an aetioe to reenver the sum of 71. 4s. for twelve advertisements ineserted in two very popular works, one of which was for the amusement , of t he ladies. and the other for the gentlemen.—(A laugh.) He meant the World of _Papillon, and the Gentleman's Magazine. Ile should prove that the advertisemacts ,were inserted according to the defendant's request, and at the }rice agreed upon, viz. twelve shillings each ; and; accord ing to " Cocker," twelve times twelve being one hundred and forty-four, he should he entitled to a verdict for the amount claimed. Indeed, he was at a less to know what defence could be made. An order, proved to be in the hand-writing of the de fendant requesting the insertion of the advertisements at the price charged, was put in and read. Mr. TURNEC, for the defendant, cross-examined the witnesses, but made no defence. Verdict for the plaintiff—Damages 71. 4s. THE FUNDS. -(THIS DAY.) CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK The Consul Market, which left off firm yesterday at 92 -t,t for the Account, opened at the same price this morning, since which they have been done at 92f for the Account, and for money 921 sellers;. for the next time 93 to The general idea in the City is, that the Dnke of Wel lington is going to make great retrenchments in the various departments of Government. The arrivals this morning are but few, and not of consequence. We have received information from Vienna of the Bth Feb. The Four per Cents. there were 961; Five per Cents. 1031; Bank Shares, 1292 ; Loan of 1820, 1851; Loan of 1621, 137 ; Discount, 21 per tent. ; Gold, 1021 . - Letters have been received by the above conveyance from Genoa, of the 2d Feb., stating that the King of Sardinia is going to declare Genoa a free port. Accounts front Russia, of the 17th Jan , state that the last Courier from Constantinople brings information that Count Ratanieff bad succeeded in arranging the affair of passports for the Black Sea, and that he has obtained a certain number of blank &mans. Prince Edward's Island Papers hare been received at the North and South American (.:offet-lionse,'M the 16th Dee- They state that the report of the loss of the schooner Jane off the island, with all her crew, near Haliftx, ie re founded; the vessel has reached the island. ENGLISH FUNDS. Bank Stock, 2181 191 31 per Cent. 1001 India Stock, 236 7 New 4 per Cent., 101 i 2 per C,ent. 92 1 4 per Cent. 1826 105 i 6 Do., for Account, 92i India Bonds, 77 78 Ditto Reduced, 931 I Exchequer Bills, '77 7$ POREIGN FUNDS. Brazilian, G9l 70 1 Greek, 361 '7l Buenos Ayres, 29 31' 1 Mexican, 241 Chilian, Peruvian, 19 Colombian, 22i 31 Portuguese, b 8 9 Danish, '75 1 Prussian, French, 5 per Cent. 1091 10 Russian, 111 ?t Ditto, 3 per Cent. 84 5 Spanish, 141 TWO O'CLOCK; The Consul Market has continued the whole of the morning without a feature worth the least observation. Consols have been done in the early part of the morning at 921 for the Arcount ; since which time they have re mained at 921 i, and for next Account 93, buyers. In regard to political news or reports, we have none , up to the present hoer. The large majority 'of Ministers in the Commons last night is a proof of their stability. The general topic of conversation in the City is the dreadful fire which took place last night at the English Opera House. The Foreign Market is in the same state of stagnation It 4 that of the British Market, and the prices of most of :the Foreign Securities are much the same as yesterday. • ;' • ; 0' CL 0 Cr. Console for Ammo, 921. FOUR O'CLOCK.—CLOSING PRICES. Consols 921 ti 'Danish 751 Do. for Ac. 921 Greek, 1825 361 Brazilian Bonds 694 - Mexican, 182.5 -- Buenos Ayres 29 Peruvian Chiliau Do. I Russian 111 Columbian, 1824, 23 l Spanish 14k COURT CIRCULAR. Prince Lsoeoria came to town yesterday morning front his residence at Claresnont. His Royal Highness returned to Claremont in the afternoon. The Spanish Minister had a long interview with tio) Duke of Wm.LlNciox yesterday et the Treasury. Hie E% eelleney afterwards tt ancieted business at the Foreign-office. Th. Russian sad French Ambassadors, and the Earl 0 1 ABERDEEN, waited on Prince LEOTOLD yesterday at Marl borough •house, Pall-mall, and had an interview with hi 4 Royal highness. After the conference with the Prince+ the Ambassadors and the Earl of As/canes); proceeded' to the office of the Secretory of State for Foreign Affairs, whet' their Excellrneie.s remained same time with his Lordship. The Dean of PETERBOROUGH had an interview with the Duke of WELLINGTON yesterday at the Treasury. The Frt.neh Ambassador sent off despatches yesteedsi evening to his Government. Letters from Warsaw announce that the HUB':'' sign Government has fixed the current value of the ailleY ruble for theensuing year at 3 paper rubles 60 copeci. When the subject of India was hinted at o n the first or second day of the Session, and a certain letttt, of a Noble Lord, the l'incocx of the Cabinet, was alle , W to, Mr. Pelt. is said to have assured the'B o use that " 11° order had gone out" to India for the recall of Jade GRANT (the " wild elephant" of the bench at Boo" bay.) If such an as , ertion was used by Mr. PEAL, the , belief whit h it was evidently meant to impress open thdt. Bonet was, that Judge GRANT was not to be recalica.•- 4 Now what we want to be informed of is, whether there is not an order for the recall of the Warned' Judge above-mentioned, actually signed, lying at this *o' tnent ready to " go out" by the very lest ship to lOsI We hope earnestly that this is nut the ease : fer the sake , fair dealing, and of plain speaking, we hope Tinges., Isi,lNTvn Awn Pcslm-fan ST MURDO YOUNG, P 5 iitA SUN Ornes ) 113) Erman, lAimpti. 7 AL 141%i nt . 4 ' 11 4t he 41 the after w i The 1 , T 1 th e Academ Thiß MI sTATT torreetc Jame Booksel TL;; TB Years 1 Hen! tln-strt This 4 $r 1 Hew ton-str --- S . t s a great are in full of biting of a thougl touciie Her ton-et, 1. T FOrti /tent 1 'tierce STA: 21- 21 ASI For Ilan< ►tale 18 Cal Fast Will Joht Frai Capt In% the Is 1( Ad