The Sun. — London, England, 1863-02-21 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening. The LORD CHANCELLOR, took his seat on the woolsack at the usual hour. WE STERN AUSTRALIA. Earl STANHOPE gave notice that on Friday next he should move for a copy of the memorial presented to the Duke of Newcastle by the colonists in West Australia re lative to transportation. IRISH POOR LAWS. Tho Earl of LIFFORD moved the first reading of a bill for the amendment of the Irish poor law. The motion was agreed to. THE DUCHY OF CORNWALL. The Duke of NEWCASTLE laid on the table the report of the council of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on the condition of the Duchy of Cornwall. TICKETS OF LEAVE IN IRELAND. The Earl of CARNARVON moved for a copy of the regulations with regard to the supervision to be exec cised over the convicts on tickets of leave in Dublin. The noble earl took the opportunity of correcting some misapprehen sion that had arisen from the statement of the noble earl that supervision was not exercised over tickets of leave in Dublin, a statement which was likely to catve very great znif3hief. Earl GRAN VILLE said there would be no objection to the return moved for by the noble lord. It was quite true that no police supervision was exercised over tickets-of leave in Dublin, but the fact was that convicts were looked after and communicated with under the superintendence of a gentleman who took great interest in the matter. REMISSION OF SENTENCES. The Duke of MARLBOROUGH moved that an humble address be presented to her Majesty for a list of persons who have received a reroiss'on of sentence, under the terms of the Home-office circular, dated 12th January, 1857. stat ing in each case the term of sentence passed, the portion of the sentence undergone by the convict previous to his being discharged, either in this country or the colonies, and in what penal establishment, and also a list of per• eons discharged since the time above-mentioned who have been reconvicted, and the sentence passed. The noble lord said his desire was to obtain the papers he requited to ascertain whether the circular had been a suc cess or not. He then referred again to the case of Red path, to show the inequality of punishment administered to some convicts, and said a great deal of useful information would be obtained by the documents he required. Earl GRANVILLE asked the noble duke not to press his motion, as it would be attended with very great ex pense and trouble to large numbers of persons. The Duke of MARLBOROUGH said he would post pone his motion until after the report of the Royal Com mission appointed to inquire into transportation was made. Poland. • The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH—My lords, I rise to ask whether the Government will lay upon the table any despatch from the Consul-General at Warsaw in as tar as it relates to the immediate origin of the present insurrection in Poland ; also to Itsk whether any communication has been made by the Russian Government with respect to the origin of the insurrection, or by the Prussian Government with respect to any engagement it may have entered into with a view to aiding the Russian Government in its sup pression. Your lordships will observe that I only ask for information as to communications which may have been re ceived from other Governments. I ask no question as to any communication which may have proceeded from her Ma jesty's Government. If, however, they should wish to make any statement on the latter point, I have no doubt it will be received with satisfaction by your lordships ; but I am not asking for information with respect to their own pro ceedings, because there might be some inconvenience in affording it on this occasion. But, my lords, I am sure of this, that whatever her Majesty's Ministers may have said or done, the feelings excited in their breasts by the recent conduct of the Russians in Poland must be similar to those which have been excited in the breast of every English gentleman. I feel that I should be guilty of an offence against the members of the Cabinet if I expressed the slightest doubt of that. (Hear, hear.) My lords, the news of this insurrection in Poland was to all of us a subject of the most painful sur prise. No doubt, nothing had occurred to lead us to expect such an ebullition of public feeling on the part of the Poles. On the contrary, the course of events during the last 18 months had been such as rather to lead us to hope that, on the whole, things were in a somewhat better state. Towards the end of 1861 communications of a most conciliatory character were made by the Russian Government to the Polish nation. At a somewhat later period the Emperor ' sent the Grand Duke Constantine to Poland,and his Lupe rial Highness, accompanied by his family, went there in all probability with instructions in the same spirit. From these occurrences it was hoped that some arrangement would be I come to whereby something like constitutional government would be established in Poland: I believe the advice given by the friends of Poland was that the Poles should take the right hand of friendship held out to them, show their wil lingness to co-operate with the Government, and accept all they could get. But it seems that while all this was going on the police, under the Russian Government, were collect ing information,or what they term information, of the poli tical opinions of every one in Poland capable of having an opinion ; and in the middle of the night of the 21st of January,svithout waming,by virtue of an order signed only at 10 o'clock that night, Russian soldiers surrounded the domiciles and families of persons residing in Warsaw and forcibly took them from the midst of their families, without affording them any time to make preparations for a separa tion, perhaps for life,from all that belonged to them. (Hear, hear.) It is to be observed,my lords,that the men seized under that conscription were not those who were fittest for military service, but those who from their political opinions seemed to the Russian police fittest to be consigned to the Russian army for life. The feeling of the people of Warsaw and of the people of Poland yeas one of utter despair. Those who could escape betook themselves - to the woods, and a feeling of despair led them. at once to resist the armed force of Russia. My lords, they had not time for reflection ; but, had that been afforded to them, they could have come to no other resolution than that which uncalculating despair sug gested. (Hear.) There was no longer security for any man in the midst of his family. In many cases men were selected as soldiers for the purpose of gratifying private animosity, as might have been done in former times in the State of Venice. That was a blow at the nation, and the nation has risen to avenge it. I recollect that when the revolution broke out in France, a Minister of great candour and straightforward ness, and who knew the circumstances which had led to it, expressed his opinion in this house that the revolution was provoked. I trust there is a similar spirit and candour in her Majesty's present Government. If they really believe the circumstances occurred in Warsaw which we are told led to the insurrection, I do hope they will come forward and declare the Government think the insurrection was pro voked, and thus place themselves where the government of a country ought to be—at the head of public opinion. (Cheers.) My lords, let us observe what has occurred in consequence of the insurrection provoked by the conduct of the Russians. At the present moment Russia cannot be considered in Europe. A few years ago England, France, and Piedmont combined together to bar the passage of Russia out, of the Bosphorus. They succeeded in that ob ject, and Russia has now been barred on the north-east. It would be impossible for her to lead her troops through Po land ; and, owing to the condition of that country, it is al most certain that such a state of things must continue for a considerable time. She has not only to reconcile to herself tho Poles, but she must also reconcile to herself the public opinion of all Europe. Depend upon it, my lolls, that the ullen murmurs or the public reprobation of all the nations of Europe must have made themselves heard. (H eat . , hear.) Look around and see in what quarter we have ne on to apprehend the consequences. We can look back and recollect during how many years the Poles fought gallantly in the ranks of the French army. As long as there exists in France a sense of military honour—as long as there re mains the memory of the brilliant deeds of the Poles,of the courage and daring of that noble brotherhood in arms which led them to the last, under the most untoward and eibestrous circumstances, to advance in unbroken ranks — as long as this remains, France must be in heart with Po land. And the Emperor of the French, who is most sensi tive to observe every change in public opinion, it is impos sible for him not to observe what are the sentiments of the French people and the French army ; and these must soon become the sentiments of the Emperor. Austria as throu g h o ut ac t e d l o y a lly, accor di ng t o th e pr i nc i p l es o f l a n e tfearr, i international law, and neither Russia nor any other Power, am:aware, can by possibility attach blame to her for her conduct. But what are we to say of Prussia ? It is hut a few wee ks age that the King of Prussia summoned his army an d hiereopletoeelebrate the 50th anniversary of King to t the call of theirhe field, when in 1813, the whole na tion sprang to a rms , sod p ra rur t ia marched by the side of the fillies to Paris. my : as not the summons of the King alone which led th a a' eu had already been adopted by a Portion of take the course, for it army. move ment arose from a feeling o f rese ntmentwhih c it was impossible to control when they looked back at the indig nity and suffering to which the Frenehhad subjected them. They rose then to redeem the honour of their count ry: they rose to demand for themselves the position and rights of an independent people. And can it be expected by any sove reign, however medieval his notions of government may be,, that those who now represent the Prussian army will allow themselves to be moved to the Polish frontier for the purpose of repressing every principle and every feeling which they had at heart in 1813, and the assertion of which has cbtained for them the higher rank which they have since maintained in Europe? (Hear, bear.) Prussia owes that she is I:Illation, that her army is respected among those Europe—sho owes everything she has of honour and in dependence to her having acted upon the very principles and Leen incited by the very feelings which she is now, 1 ever, called upon io attack on the Polish frontier. (Hear.) eh lords, that cannot be. It is contrary to nature, it is cone t t ery to the feelings of nations and of armies; and if the i t jug of Prussia should add to all the various acts which have so incensed his people and his arms an attempt to trample through the army upon the very principles to which be owes the independence and the honour of his country, there will arise a crisis in that kingdom which may extend yet further, and may again disorganise all the States of Europe. Ido not pretend to entertain any peculiar views re specting the causes which may have given rise to the great events now transpiring in Poland. But I have an enduring reliance upon the general beneficence of that Providence from whom all these great events must spring, and looking at the inscrutable manner in which Providence effects its purposes, bringing good out of evil—dreadful as the view is which we now have of the state of things in Poland, and of this horrible war in which both parties destroy, and both are believed to massacre—whatever may be the miseries now inflicted upon Poland—l will endeavour to hope that this is , the commencement of a brighter era, and that even we may live to see that which has been the object of all statesmen for the last 80 years—the re-establishment, if not in its in tegrity, at least in strength, under a constitutional Govern ment, of the noble nation of the Poles. (Loud cheers.) Earl RUSSELL—In answer to the noble earl I shall con fine myself as far as possible to the facts of the case as far as they are known to me, and shall abstain as much as pos sible, with the exception of one part of the observations which he has made from the expression of opinions respect ing what is now going on in Poland. In the first place I will say that I cannot consistently with my duty give the report from our Consul at Warsaw, because I consider that whi l e these events are transpiring the production of these reports would make the position of the Consul one of extreme diffi culty, and would render it almost impossible for him to give information and t • describe the course of things in Poland without encountering violent opposition from one or other of the parties. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the present outbreak I must say I do not think it was so sudden and so unexpected an event as the noble earl seems to suppose—at least to those who were in the habit of receiving accounts of what was going on in Poland. Your lordships will recollect that last year there were in Warsaw great demonstrations, the churches being filled at times with men and women sing ing patriotic hymns, these demonstrations, however, being unaccompanied by any breach of the peace. But it was im possible that they could have continued for a long time. They must either have produced, on the part of the Govern ment and the Emperor of Russia, an inclination to accede to the wishes of the Poles at Warsaw, or they must have led to violent measures from those who took part in these demonstrations. Now, in considering the affairs of Poland, we may divide the population of the country into three different classes. One portion, consisting of the landed aristocracy, the great owners of the soil, many of them en lightened men, engaged in the cultivation and improvement of their estates and in improving the condition of the people living on those estates, were but little disposed to favour any act of revolution. Another portion of the people of Poland consists of the middle classes in the towns, both those belonging to the apper part of the middle classes and the shopkeepers and others who belong to the lower part of the middle classes. The other portion of the population of Poland consists of the peasantry. When the demonstrations to which I have alluded ceased these was a great difference in the course taken by these different classes of the popu lation. The great landowners were determined, if possible, to bring their grievances to the foot of the throne, but they were determined at the same time not to break out into any act of violence, and not to use force for the accomplishment of their objects. Those objects were, according to my in formation, the right of constitutional Government, the right to have representatives, and to have a Polish Administra tion, or an enlightened Administration, consisting chiefly of Poles, favourable to the religion of their country and to the study of the language of their country. With regard to the last of these objects they were in agreement with the intentions of the Emperor. Heretofore in the history of Poland it has been the object of the Russian Government to root out the language of the country and to deter the Poles from the exercise of the Roman Catholic religion. The present Emperor, on the contrary, was understood to favour the national development of Poland, and his wishes and views with regard to the Government of Poland were described as to a great extent most en lightened. These persons, then, belonging to the landed aristocracy of Poland, met together, and in con formity, as they believed, with the wishes of the Emperor and the Grand Duke Constantine, they prepared an address in which they, in the first place, stated their wish that Po land should be enlarged by the addition of certain provinces now under the Russian rule, which, since the first partition in 1772, had been separated altogether from Poland ; and in the second place they asked for constitutional Govern ment. Their wishes in these respects were not different from those entertained by Alexander I. of Russia, and were not inconsistent with the general provisions of the treaty of Vienna, in framing which the Emperor took so large a part, and over which he exercised so considerable an influence. When, however, this address, signed by more than 200 of the chief landed proprietors in Poland, was presented, the persons who so presented it were told they had committed a grave offence against the State, and Count Zamoyski, who had been the medium of its presentation, was told that he had taken a step which was inconsistent with the law end with the policy of the Emperor, and that it was requisite for the internal peace of Poland that he should quit the country. Accordingly he quitted Russia and came to Eng land. While here he was informed that his wife, whom he had left behind hint, was at the point of death. Upon this he applied for permission to visit his dying *wife, but owing, I am bound to say, to some mistake, the telegraphic des patch never reached him, and he received no answer to his application. It bad always been attempted on the part of the aristocracy of Poland to obtain a representative Consti tution and to establish a liberal Government which would be entirely consistent with loyalty towards the Emperor of Russia; but in this instance the attempt came to an end in the manner I have described. I now come to the second portion of the Polish population, consisting of the middle classes. They were in despair at finding no improvement in the administration of the country resulted from the efforts of those who were sent to improve it ; and they therefore formed themselves, in Warsaw especially, into secret societies, among whose numbers were persons enter taining the most extreme views on social and political ques tions, partaking to some extent, I believe, of the opinions held by M. Mazzini. My lords, it was open to the Russian Government, of course, to have used their utmost vigilance in repressing those secret societies, giving to the members of them a fair trial, and if necessary severe punishment; but at the same time the Emperor might have continued and en larged his plans for the improvement of his administration in Poland, and might thus have showed that under the Russian government happiness was still within the reach of the Polish people. Unfortunately this was not the course taken ttmhe.g b sv ce d t e h — e pt G ohl o ies v , e ac r t n ou nm least e t n t wi o s f theße o u pg s o s e l i n e d r a lw d bh t e h e Emperor, under 0 1 i ef had — o been e a e veryn placed d under the Grand Duke at Warsaw, came to a different con clusion, I will not attempt to repeat the account of that which the noble earl described in his own graphic and impressive manner as the effect of the conscription. Certain it is that the measure of conscription which was carried through by the Government of Poland was of the most severe character, and such as to excite the unhappy popula tion to despair. A conscription is of itself a measure of great severity upon the population. It condemns a man who has no wish to embark in a military profession to banishment from home, and to all the privations of a military life, if the lot should fall upon him. Seeing that the measure itself is one of such severity, the Sovereigns of those countries where it is in force have introduced such modifications of the law as make it tolerable to the pspula tion and modify its severity beyond what the 'necessity of the case might require. And the Russian Government itself, by the laws of 1859, had introduced a system by which it was provided that so many should be chosen out of every 100, or out of every 1,000, such choice being made justly and fairly, and substitutes allowed for those who had fair ground for exemption. Instead of taking the legal course, the Government of Poland ordered in the first instance that the whole conscriptions should be levied upon the towns, in which they considered the spirit of insurrection chiefly to prevail, and that it should not be levied in the country parts, where the peasantry were supposed to be less disaffected. That of it self was a great injustice. But they went beyond this, and not only ordered that the whole number of conscripts should be taken from the to wns , b ut a l so that from certain lists of names which, as th e no b le earl has stated, were supplied by the police, those pe rsons contained in those lists, without trial or examination, were to be presumed to be guilty of y disloyalty, and were to b e se i zed and carried away to serve as soldiers, although they were tot fairly liable to be placed upon the lists of conscripts. Th e f ee l ing produced by such a measure may be imagined. Th e p ersons who were en gaged in secret societies, who meant to rise in insurrection at some time, although probably they would never have carried out that intention, were driven to despair, and they I thought that if they must serve as soldiers they would rather shed the last drop of their blood upon their native land of Poland than waste their lives in distant lands in the service of Russia. Those who were not engaged in conspiracies were struck with alarm lest they might be suspected, and thus they at once fled froni the towns and determined to risk their lives in insurrection. Well, my lords, this mea sure, although it was not a measure taken with a po pulation that was perfectly tranquil and well affected, yet it was a measure which I think no British Minister would venture to justify. (Hear.) In conversation with the Russian Minister, and in writing to her Majesty's Ambas sador, I could not forbear to express my opinion that it was the most imprudent and uejust step the Russian Govern ment could take. (Cheers.) With regard to the second part of the noble earl's question, which relates to the communi cations with respect to the engagements by which the Prus sian Government has bound itself to lend its assistance in certain events to the R uss i an G overnment to repress th e and insurrection, the 1 p r have ßsia had Ambassadors d mbaa conversationsgado rsupon bot h t with he b t j h e the t, butßus sian copythe they have n o t f urnished me with a of subject, —indeed, they i n f ormed me they had no such they have inf orme d me generally of the nature of that. con vention. The Russian Ambassador told me to. day that it was not a convention, o n • the part of Prussia, for the pur pose of suppressing the insurrection in Poland; but I un derstood from him and from the Prussian Ambassador that the purport of the convention was, that instead of Prussia remaining perfectly neutral—in which case Russian sol diers either taking refuge from insurgents or being in pur suit of insurgents, if they s h ould touch upon Prussian ter ritory, would be disarmed and kept disarmed as long as they remained upon Prussian territory—they have agreed that Russian soldiers, when taking refuge upon Prussian soil, should retain their arms, and if pursuing - Polish insur gents they should be permitted to pursue them, and take THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 21, 1863. them prisoners if they can, upon Prussian territory. (Hear.) I understand also that the engagement is reciprocal, and that, if any insurrection should occur in the Polish pro vinces of Prussia, the Prussian soldiers would be allowed to pursue the insurgents in Russian Poland, and take prisoners any insurgents they may find there. Those are, as far as I can understand from verbal communication, the engage ments now existing between Prussia and Russia. As to Austria, the Ambassador of Austria has read to me a de spatch showing the policy of the Austrian Government, and of which I can only give your lordships an outline. The Austrian Government declared they would take no part with regard to the Polish insurrection, but that they would strictly comply with all their engagement with Russia— that they will not Tina arms or ammunition to cross the frontier, nor persons in arms as insurgents to take advantage of any slither in Austria in order to make an at•ack upon the provinces of Poland. But, beyond this, the Austrian Government takes no measures such as those I have men tioned in the other case. The Austrian Government de. dared, in the name of the Emperor, that it is his wish that his subjects in Galicia should enjoy all the privileges which they have at present; that he will not send any more troops into Galicia than were there before the breaking out of the insurrection, but will rely entirely upon the fidelity of the people. (Loud cheers.) I could not help observing to the Prussian ambassador that, in my opinion, the Prussian Government, by taking any share in the suppression of the insurrection, does in some way make itself responsible after the fact for the measures of conscription that have been adopted. (Loud cheers.) I have now stated to your lordships all that I can at present detail. As to any advice to be given, that must be a matter of most serious deliberation. Ido not know at present the whole extent of the objects and scope of the insurrection. We do not know whether it may not be a mere movement of de spair, against which the influence of property may be suc cessfully brought to bear, or whether on the other hand it may not extend further, and become a national movement. (Hear, hear.) Under these circumstances I must decline to produce at present the papers to which the noble earl has referred. Earl of MALMESBURY—I do not clearly understand from the noble earl whether, if insurgents took refuge with out being pursued, they are to be given up by the Prussian Government to the Russian Government. I cannot sit down without expressing my sincere sorrow at what I have heard to be the attitude of the Prussian Government. (Loud cheers.) Earl RUSSELL-4 have not been informed that there is any article or stipulation with regard to unarmed refugees. The discussion then terminated. PRISON DISCIPLINE. The Earl of CARNARVON moved the appointment of the committee to consider and report on the present state• of discipline in gaols and houses of correction. The motion was agreed to. Their lordships adjourned at a quarter past six o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. The following bills were read a second time :—Penzance and Saint Just Roads, Universal Private Telegraph Com pany, and Vale of Neath Railway. PETITIONS. CONTINUANCE RATE IN AID BILL, Sir C. TYRELL, from Derby and Toxteth Park, against this bill as at present constituted. EPPING FOREST. Mr. COX, against the appropriation of certain parts to building, praying for inquiry, and that the rights of the public might be preserved. EPISCOPAL PALACE (BRISTOL). Mr. H: BERKELEY, praying for the restoration of this palace. He moved that the petition be referred to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. PRIVATE BILL LEGISLATION. Mr. WHALLEY, from the mayor and corporation of Gloucester, in favour of the bill for amending legislation on railway bills. FIRE INSURANCE. Lord STANLEY in favour of a modification. CANADIAN MILITIA. On the motion of Mr. A. MILLS, the following return was ordered :—A copy of correspondence between tho Sec retary of State for the Colonies and the Government of Canada on the subject of the Canadian militia, since the commencement of the year 1862. `whether the Government would afford their support to Ismail Pacha in the execution of his declared in'ention to abolish forced labour in Egypt ? Lord PALNIERSTON replied that the Government would, to the best of its ability, support, if needful, the excellent intentions of Ismail Pacba. f ment department to which the matter might be en t rus t e d. I (Hear, hear.) There already existed a standing order which enabl , d municipal bodies to appear bet°, c com mittees when the interests of their districts were in certain ways affected ; and if the house desired, he should under take its revision so as to extend its application also to the Metropolitan Board of Works. (Hear, hear.) Mr, AYRTO V thought the public should be indebted to the enterprise by which such undertakings as they were then discussing were started, and he had no doubt that in such a number of schemes some would be found of advantage to the community. It was obvious, however, that no Go vernment department could entertain the responsibility of deciding which sh( uld go on and which should be rejected. The question must be left to the responsibility of the com mittee of that house; but he hoped means would be taken for altering the standing order, so as to allow the Board of Works to appear before the committees by counsel, and pro tect the eublic interest. Mr. NORRIS suggested that before the standing order was altered care should be taken to exclude commercial in terests from being mixed up with that body. Commercial speculations and local interests would interfere with the due discharere of their duties before committees, if confided either to the Corporation of London or the Metropolitan Board of Works. He thought it would be better to place it in the hands of some Government department. Sir G. GREY objected to Government control in this matter. They might collect information for the guidance of the house ; but, on the whole, it was better to leave rail way accommodation to private enterprise. He was of opinion that the Board of Works ought to be represented by counsel before the committees in connection with the metropolitan railway bills now before Parliament. He be lieved there was no objection to produce the papers required. The motion for the production of the papers was then agreed to. PRINCE OF WALES (QUEEN'S MESSAGE). The report was brought up and agreed to. BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION (IRE LAND) BILL. The house went into committee. Clauses up to 8 were agreed to. On clause 9, Mr. M'MAHON moved that the expenses of the work ing of the bill should be paid out of the Consolid.ted Fund. The people of Ireland had great objections to further local taxation. Mr. GEORGE, who had given notice of amendment, supported its adoption. Sir R. PEEL denied that the charge entailed by this bill would amount to one penny in the pound upon the valuation in Ireland. The amount of burden would not be more than five-sixteenths of a penny in the pound upon the total valuation in Ireland, or £16,800. The committee then divided on the amendment. For the clause as it stood .. 38 For the amendment 23 Majority against the amendment.....-15 Clauses 9 to 17 were then agreed to. On clause 18, Lord NAAS moved an amendment to compel the guar dians to divide their unions into such districts as they, sub ject to the approval of the registrar-general, shall see fit, on or before the Ist day of January, 1864. Atter some discussion, the committee divided. For the amendment Against it Majority —3o The amendment was therefore lost, and the clause was agreed to. The remaining clauses were agreed to, the house resumed, and the bill was ordered to be reported. The Illegitimate Children (Ireland) Bill and the Drain age of Land (Ireland) Bill were read a third time and passed. THE LONDON COAL AND WINE DUTIES BILL. In committee of the house, leave was given to bring in this bill. Mr. HENNESSY obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend the law relating to the admission of barristers in Ireland. Mr. MONSELL moved the select committee to inquire into the expenditure incurred since the beginning of 1858 on various natures of improved ordnance, whether obtained by contract or manufactured in the public departments, and into the results obtained by such expenditure. THE PRINCE A ND PR,NCESS OF WALES'S ANNUITY. Lord PALMERSTON brought up this bill, which was read a first time, and appointed to be read a second time on Moaday next. The house adjourned at twenty minutes to one o'clock. SIR WILLIAM ARMSTRONG. Mr. LAIRD asked the Secretary of State for War, whether he had any objection to lay upon the table of the house a copy of any correspondence that had taken place between her Majesty's Government and Sir W. Armstrong as to resigning his appointment : of any correspondence between her Majesty's Government, Sir W. Armstrong, and the Elswick Ordnance Company, as to the termination of the contract between the Government and that firm : And of any agreement or arrangement entered into far the valuation of plant or otherwise connected with the Elawick Works? Sir G. C. LEWIS replied that the Government had re ceived and accepted the resignation of Sir W. Armstrong. Negotiations were nowf pending at the present moment, and hence it would not be advisable to produce the corre spondence. _ CENSUS (IRELAND,) Mr. W. 0. GORE asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the detailed report of the late census in Ireland would be printed ? Sir G. GREY replied, the first portion early in April, and the remainder early in the following month. INDIA AND HARTLEY COLLIERY FUNDS. Sir J. HAY asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposed to take any steps to ascer tain the wishes of subscribers to the funds which had lately been raised to relieve the sufferers in India, in the Crimea (the Nightingale Fund), the Hartley Colliery Fund, and others, with a view to bestowing the surplus on other suf ferers by calamities which were similar in their nature ? Sir G. GREY replied that the funds raised were the re sult of voluntary contributions for the specific purposes for which they were raised, and ,were placed in the hands of committees and trustees, It would be improper for the Government to interfere with respect to the management of such funds. If, however, there were surpluses in con nection with them, probably it would become the duty of the Government to make some inquiry to see that the funds were properly taken care of. TICKETS OF LEAVE. Mr. DENMAN asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any instructions had recently been issued with reference to the revocation of tickets of leave for infringement of the conditions endorsed thereon ? Sir G. GREY replied that he had already given some information to the house on the subject. Police officers attended the prisons in order to make themselves acquainted with the convicts about to be liberated. This precaution was conjoined with all other measures adopted for the better security of the public. POLAND. Mr. W. EWART asked the the First Lord of the Trea sury whether any reliable account had been received of a convention said to have been concluded between the Govern ments of Russia and of Prussia respecting the present state of affairs in Poland ; and whether, in such case, there would be any objection to communicate such information to the house ? Lord PALMERSTON believed there had been some agreement of the nature specified with respect to the affairs of Poland ; it was, he believed, to .the effect that insurgents might be pursued and taken in the territory of the other in case of need. Force, he understood, was no tin any case to be used. But that news was based on rumour, and the Government was not, therefore, in a position to afford exact information on this matter. GALWAY CONTRACT. Mr. BAXTER asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the papers with reference to the renewal of the Gal way Contract would be laid upon the table ; and if the Government had been apprised of any proposal on the part of the Atlantic Royal Mail Company to make not Galway, but Liverpool or some other English port, the point of the departure and arrival of their steamers. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied that the papers would be laid on the table of the house this even ing. The Government had received no official notification of the change of plan referred to. THE NAVY. Sir F. SMITH asked the Secretary to the Admiralty, whether there was any truth in the report that it was con templated, in the event of the resignation of Mr. Isaac Watts, C. 8., Chief Constructor of the Navy, to appoint to that important office a gentleman over the heads of Mr. Abethell, Mr. Oliver Lang, and other distinguished and talented master shipwrights of long standing in her Majesty's service ? Admiralty r voti Lord C. PAGET replied that it was the intention of the on ofa o noble ob the le Navy . lord Lo to appoint Mr. Reed, a gen tl eman of great li rd R He de . ni lVlLa i t n g r ul the other an ex perience,obse Construct or other night, that he had either directly or indirectly taken any part in inducing Lord Sid ney, the Lord-Lieutenant of Kent, to appoint a Mr. Budding to a captaincy in the vo lunteers, NEW ZEALAND-RUMOURED RESIGNATION OF SIR G. GREY. Col. W. PATTEN asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies whether there was any truth in the report that Sir George Grey had tendered the resignation of the Government of New Zealand unless more troops were sent there ? Mr. C. FORTESCUE replied to both questions in the negative. THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY. Sir G. BOWYER asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the attention of Government had been di.. rected to the effect of underground railways in the metro polis on buildings in the neighbourhood of the lines ; and whether the Government had taken the subject into their consideration 2 Mr. M. GIBS ON replied that clauses were inserted in all railway bills for the protection of the public, who had a remedy at common law if unduly injured. lie appre hended the que s ti on was one more within the department of the Attorney-G eneral than the Board of Trade. SUPPLY.—FORCED LABOUR IN EGYPT. On the motion for going'into Committee of Supply, Mr. GRIFFITH asked the First Lord of the TreasurY) THE NEW ROAD, HYDE-PARK. Viscount ENFIELD asked a question of the First Com missioner of 'Works relative to the closing of the carriage road that was opened last year through a portion of Hyde park, between the districts of Bayswater and South Ken sington. Mr. COWPER replied that he intended to reopen the new road of; last,year to the public, except for cabs and omnibuses, as soon as the repairs were completed. COTTON, Sir L. PALK then rose to call the attention of the house to the distress existing in the manufacturing districts ; and to move an address to her Majesty, praying that a Royal Commission may be issued, to consider the best mode of obtaining a permanent supply of cotton. The hon. baronet reviewed the principal features of the distress, and asked what prospect was there of receiving such a supply of cot ton as would be adequate to give employment to the opera tives of the distressed districts. Mr. M. GIBSON said no doubt the hon. member had given a correct account of 'he distress existing in different parts of the c,untiy. Every member of that house sym pathised with that distress It was not necessary therefore to say more than that every one entirely concurred with the hon. baronet in the feelings which he had expressed of a deep interest in the future of the cotton industry. But the remedy which the bon, member proposed was one which was very questionable He could not understand that any report which such a commission could make would justify the Government or give Parliament reason to undertake the direct encouragement of cotton cultivation by the ad vance of money, or by commencing itself to be a cotton cultivator or a cotton trader. He thought the Government would best aid the cause which the hon. baronet had advo cated by taking no steps to interfere in any way. (Hear, hear.) The motion was then withdrawn. DISTRESS IN IRELAND. Mr. MAGUIRE asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the attention of the Government had been called to the distress now existing in Ireland ; and whether any mea sures of relief were in contemplation? Sir R. PEEL said the distress of Ireland had arisen from causes over which man could exercise no control. A. suc cession of bad harvests and unfavourable seasons had led to that distress; whereas the distress of Lancashire had arisen from very different causes, and it had been met by rates and by efforts of great public generosity on the part of the people in all parts of the world. It was very difficult for the Government to promise grants of money to relieve distress in Ireland. The hon. gentleman had alluded to the work performed by the central relief committee in Dublin. It appeared, from the reports of that committee, that people in all parts of the world had subscribed for the relief of Irish distress ; and he believed that Dr. Midi° had mentioned £40,000 as the sum collected. Mr. MAGUIRE—Oh, no; only £B,OOO. Sir R. PEEL said he had there the report of the Central Committee, which stated that £B,OOO had been received and disbursed by them, besides which at least five times as mush had been collected and expended all over the country. The Australian papers had stated that upwards of £7,000 had been subscribed and forwarded by Australia alone for the relief of distress in Ireland. Therefore, whilst he did not deny that a very serious amount of distress existed in Ire land, he did not think the present was the proper time for the Government to come forward with grants of money. With the exception of Cork, Limerick, and the South union of tublin, there were no crowded workhouses. The entire number of persons receiving indoor and outdoor relief in all Ireland at present was only 75,000. If that were compared with the state of Lancashire, the difference would be seen at a glance. In the town of Rochdale alone there were 20,000 persons at present receiving poor relief ; whereas in all Ireland, out of a population of 5,700,000 persons, only 75,000 were receiving poor relief. Looking at it in that light, Irela n d did not appear th e me l an choly object which some people represented her to be. He did not deny that the agricultural returns showed a great number of acres of land thrown out of cultivation, and that the live stock had decreased. That was very true. The farmers had had to contend with several hard seasons, and they had turned a good deal of their lands to grass. (A laugh.) As to the rates, out of the 54 poor-law districts into which Ireland was divided, there were only eight in which the rates ex ceeded ss. in the pound. The average of the entire country did not exceed ls. 2d.—a condition which he thought was really satisfactory. A good deal of harm had been done by persons who, in speeches and newspapers, represented the condition of the country as reduced to great distress, and who asked how Ireland could be saved. It was very wrong to speak in such terms of people who were really improv ing in condition. (Cries of " Oh, oh.") Colonel racric.secaT___cii3. Sir R. PEEL—The part of the country from Nuccieu cue hon. and gallant gentleman came was undoubtedly in a very bad condition; but a most charitable lady, Miss Burdett Coutts, had communicated with him to know how she could aid in the relief of Irish distress. He had placed her in communication with the parish priest of Cape Clear, Father Leader, and, through his instrumentality, she had paid the expenses of a large number of families who emigrated. He believed they had got over the worst of the pressure in Ire land, and that the condition of the people was sound and satisfactory. METROPOLITAN RAILWAY SCHEMES. Mr. HARVEY LEWIS rose to call the attention of the house to the great number of railway schemes affecting the metropolis (upwards of thirty) introduced in the present session, and to ask the President of the Board of Trade what protection is afforded to the public interests in this matter by the department over which he presides; and also to move for copies of any reports made to the Metropolitan Board of Works by their engineer, or other officers, upon the railway and other private bills affecting the metropolis during the present session. He said that the Metropolitan Board of Works had done much for the improvement of the drainage of the metropolis ; but they should take care that the many schemes which were now projected or in progress for the passage of railways through London did not injure very materially the works which had been constructed so well by the Board of Works. No less than thirty railway bills had been brought forward. It should be admitted that the communications between the east and west ends of Lon. don were as bad as they could be at present, and they re quired improvement. But it was incumbent upon the house to take care lest they should get to a dead lock by the inter ference of the projected works with the sewerage and with one another. The engineer to the City Commissioners of Sewers reported that the condition of the various railway lines that were to meet in Finsbury was most unsatisfactory. People wishing to proceed from one to another would have to cross the Circus, and those who came by the Underground would have some seventy steps to climb in order to reach the level of the station of another line. He (Mr. H. Lewis) did not see what was to be done unless the Government took action in the matter. Something should be done to provent the destruction of the metropolis. Some of the projected lines avoided the sewers very successfully at the high or low levels, but they were likely to interfere with the middle level. In 1848 a com mission was appointed to examine and report upon the vari ous railway projects in connection with the metropolis; but atter the report was presented nothing more was done. Mr. Bazalgette, the engineer to the Metropolitan Board of Works presented a report on Jan. 28. 1863, in which he enumeratel 36 schemes which effected the metropolis ; a great number of which interfered with the drainage in a manner which he . considered to be most injurious. Having road portions of the report, Mr. Lewis said that he had now read enough to show that, unless something was done by Government, very great injury would be done to the metropolis and the ratepayers. He proposed, either that the Board of Trade should take up the matter, or that power should be given to the Metropolitan Board of Works to appear whenever they might think it necessary, when these railway bills were under consideration. If something of the kind were not done, London would soon become impassable. The injury done by the Metropolitan Underground Railway, which was now happily finished, was very great. During its progress the people on the line of the New-road were not only seriously inconvenienced, but some of them were actually ruined. He thought that the Metropolitan Board of Works ought to have the power of appearing and protecting the public interest in the mannerlin which he had indicated, and that that might be done by a standing order of the house framed for the purpose. (Hear, hear.) The hex. member concluded by moving for a copy of the reports. Mr. TITE also regretted that the public were not re presented in some manner before the railway committees of the house. It was clear that some remedy should be devised for the growing evil, but he was at a loss to sug gest what course ought to be taken in the matter. It was said by a French traveller that London was the biggest city he had seen, and at the same time the ugliest. It was growing bigger every day, but there seemed little chance indeed of its becoming one whit less ugly. Mr. MASSEY said that he had ascertained from his right hon. friend the President of the Board of Trade that he was not prepared to propose any special mode of dealing with the particular class of railway bills in question. For himself, he thought it much more advisable to leave such matters to private enterprise than that they should be undertaken by Government; but there could be no doubt that the subject of railways in the metropolis was a matter of special concern and importance. The house might, if it pleased, say at once that it was not expedient to encourage such enterprises; and, if that were its opinion, it might, by very summary process, dispose of them ; but if, on the con trary, it was of opinion that it was desirable to relieve the pressure upon the great thoroughfares by encouraging such schemes, and by facilitating communication with the great termini of the metropolis, then it should be prepared in some Way or other to address itself to the question. (Hear, bear.) He agreed with the hon. member for Bath, that it was desirable, in a case of such peculiarity as that before them, that the public interests should be protectec by giving power to some body to represent the public before the committees, and to watch their proceedings. Little was to be expected from the Board of Trade in the matter, and indeed he should have much more confidence in the action of the Board of Works Ohau in any Govern- The Attempted Murder of a Chinaman. Yesterday Sequi, a Chinaman, was brought up on remand before Mr. Setfe, at the Thames Police court, charged with stabbing another Chinaman, ....03 4. aa and John Ahqu_s, —c su American ehip, which arrived in the port of Lon don about a month ago. It will be recollected that the prisoner stabbed his countryman with a long knife in the abdomen, and also plunged the knife into his shoulder, on the night of Thursday, the 12th inst., in Narrow street, Limehouse. The prisoner left his victim bleeding on the ground, and threw the knife into Regent's Canal Dock, a few yards from the spot where the sanguinary deed was committed, and made his escape. The wounded man was found lying on the ground, weltering in his blood, and with his bowels protruding. He was attended by Dr. Arnold, of Brook -street, Ratcliff, who advised his immediate removal to the London Hospital, where he still remains. Ahqua made a long state ment on oath before Mr. Selte, and in the presence of the prisoner in the hospital, 311 the 13th inst.; and he stated that he did not provoke or strike the prisoner, before he was stabbed, and the only cause he could assign for the atrocious act was that he lent a coat to the prisoner and taken it away from his lodgings again. A woman named Emma Sar genson, living in New-court, Biuegate-fields, Shad well, stated in her evidence on the 13th inst., that Ahqua took Sequi from the Sailors' Home in Pop lar, " hindered" him of three berths in as many ships, and reduced him to a state of utter destitu tion. This woman, who has cohabited with China men, made a laboured defence for the prisoner, who was lodging in her house at the time of his appre hension, but all her statements were denied by Ahqua. A Chinaman, well known in this court, offered his services yesterday as interpreter, and handed an engraved card to the magistrate, on which was in scribed " Taon Albert Arr Hee, the original Chi nese Juggler, 19, King's-row, Walworth, S." Time officers of the court said Hee was a respectable man, and could be depended upon. He was sworn in the ordinary manner to interpret faithfully. Inspector Beare, of the K division, who had charge of the case, said he feared there was not the least hopes of Ahqua's recovery, and it was a mat ter of astonishment to many that he had survived such a frightful wound as the one inflicted upon him, and all his intestines came out. On Thursday it was reported that Ahqua was much better, and that it was possible he might recover. An un favourable change had since taken place, and the death of the patfent was shortly expected. Mr. Selfe inquired if the house-surgeon of the London Hospital was in attendance. Inspector Beare—No, sir. You stated last week that he had no occasion to be here unless the man died. _ _ _ Mr. Selfe—That is not exactly what I said. There must be another remand, and you had better request the attendance of Dr. Arnold, of Brook etreet, Ratetiff, and Mr. Jackson, the house-surgeon of the London Hospital, when the prisoner is again Drought up. Inspector Beare—l will take care both gentlemen are here, sir, next week. Mr. Selfe—Has the knife with which the wounds were inflicted been found ? Inspector Beare—No, sir. There is no possibility of finding it. The prisoner admitted he threw the knife into the lock, or entrance of the Regent's Canal dock. Mr. Selfe—Yes, I know he did ; but if the knife k could be recovered, it would be an important l.n in the chain of evidence. Inspector Beare—The place where the prisoner got rid of the knife is near the river Thames, the mud is very deep there, and I don't think, sir, there is any possibility of ever finding th;olhEnn Blumberg, ite. Maria Blumberg, the wife o stationer, 1, Gill-street,Limehous f e, said that Ahqua, the wounded man, hired a lodgi n g Wednesday, the 28th of January last. in her house on Ahqua went out last. On the even ing of Thursday, the 12 th i n s came in again at half-past nine , and soon after t en ' was visited by the prisoner, who gave to Ahqua some silver. Ahqua put th e money in his pocket. Some conversation passed between the two Chinamen in thoirown language, and Ahqua gave back the money ho received to the prisoner. Ahqua then said in English, 4, I am g oing out, and shall be home again at eleven." He then left with the prisoner, and never returned. On the following morning she heard for the first time that Ahqua was stabbed and in the hospital. In answer to questions by Mr. Selfe, the witness said the two Chinamen were quite sober when they left her house. They did not seem to be good friends as they were leaving her house. The prisoner had often visited Ahqua before the day in question. Thomas Bell, hammerman, of 54, Wellington street, Stepney, Said that on Thursday night, the 12th Inst., about hot_past 12 o'clock, be was pass ing along Narrow -street, Litnehouse, and heard a man call out murder and police. He looked round and a man passed him and went on 10 or 12 yards, and called out murder and police again. He went up to the man, who pointed to his stomach, which was covered with blood. He asked him what was the matter, and the poor fellow was unable t 4 answer, and tell. He caught him in his arms ann laid him on the pavement, and discovered that all his bowels were out. He sent fcr the police, and so''or Dr. Arnold, of Brook-street, R , ltcliff„ and bf:rwards aecorripl.nied the wounded tri.;ti to tit, Isaac Excel!, a police-constable, produced the pawnbroker's duplicate of a coat which Emma Sar genson, the prisoner's landlady, gave to him. Mr. Selfe—What has this to do with the case ? Witness—This duplicate refers to the coat which Ahqua took away from the prisoner's lodging on the day he was stabbed. Emma Sargenson here said the coat was pawned by Ahqua, and his name is on the duplicate. Mr. Sate—No; it is not. The name here is John Quin. Emma Sargenson—yes, sir; that is what A hqua called himself. He took the coat out of the pri sonet's room, and pawned it on Thu. sday. Mr. Selfe—The wounded man did not call himself John Quin, but John Ahqua, and the coat was his ow❑ ;he lent it to the prisoner. How came you by the dupiicate if Akin i pawned his own coat ? Emma Sargenson—A hqua took the coat away, pawned it, and then put the duplicate where the coat was. Mr. Selfe—Very well ; your statement will be taken for what it is worth. The prisoner is now remanded gain until this day week. Dr. Arnold will then attend the court. A mechanic who had been directed by the police to attend, and who could only confirm the evidence of Bell, said he had lost a day's work, for which he would have received 55., if he had not complied wall the request of the police. Mr. Selfe said there was no fund at his disposal to remunerate persons who attended the court by direction of the police. constables. The mechanic said he saw the Chinaman bleeding, and with his bowels out, on the footpath, and he went and brought two police-constables, and also fetched Dr. Arnold from his surgery in Brook• street. He was directed by Excell, the police constable, to attend the court to give evidence. Mr. Selfe—l cannot give you any compensation for coming here. The Mechanic—Then I shall lose 6s. by this job. Mr. Selfe awarded the man 2s. 6d. from the poor-box, with which he appeared very much dis satisfied. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TlMES,—There will he throughout the country universal approbation of the tone in which the aff.iirs of Poland were discussed yesterday in the House ot Lords. Although it dees not become the politicians of a great nation to indulge in bluster and rodomontade, yet there can be no reason that they sl ould smother every human feeling, and, in obedi ence to etiquette, see public crimes committed with out a word of protest. Such base decorum had never been a characteristic of Englishmen, and the public will be pleased to find that no diplomatic con siderations have prevented Lordßussell from speak ing freely what every man of humanity and honour must think of the Russian and Prussian Govern ments. In an eloquent speech Lord Ellenborough denounced the military tyranny wt.ich had driven Poland to revolt, which had surrounded the private houses of Warsaw at night, and seized every man whose opinions were supposed by frightened com mandants to be dangerous, or who had mEtsie himself obnoxious to some private enemy. Well might he ask whether the Prussian soldiers, who have just celebrated the 50th anniversary of German inde• pendence, would, at the bidding of an infatuated monarch, turn their arms against a people who are struggling to free themselves from a rule in com parison with which the first Bonaparte's was happi ness and glory. But the best service which Lord Ellenborough performed was to elicit the straight forward avowals of Lord Russell. In a speech which cannot fail to make a deep impression on Europe, the Foreign Secretary gave a history of the insurrection and the causes which led to it. He recalled to the minds of his hearers the de monstrations which took place at Warsaw ; the churches filled with people, the patriotic hymns, and the general wearing of mourning. all being in tended to keep alive the flame of national sentiment, but without any very positive resistance to the Go vernment. Then he gave substantially the same account of the movement as has appeared in these columns. The principal landowners desired only very moderate reforms. Their wishes, or at any rate, their petitions, were limited to the grant of Constitutional Government, of a representative Assembly, and of a Polish administration which would favour the religion and language of th e country. The prejudices of high rank and the timi city of wealth prevented %nee. men from being re volutionists after the fashion of those of humbler station, and they only asked what their country was entitled to according to the spirit, if not the letter, of the Vienna treaties. The only petition to which the Russian Emperor could fairly object was that for the reincorporation with the legal " king dom of Poland" of those provinces which had been annexed to Russia in the first partition of 1772. But even this they had reason to suppose the Em peror might grant. But if the Russian Government deserves the reprobation of Christian Europe, what language of scorn is too severe for ihe Prussian King and his Ministers? It now appears that not only does the Convention allow the Russian trot ps to pursue the Polish binds on Prussian soil, but that the Prus sian troops have actually been en ployed in seizing the fugitives who sought the hospitality of their country, and handing them over to their Russian oppressors. Whatever may be our hostility to the bear, there is no doubt of our feeling to wards the jackal. Lord Russell certainty spoke in the very mildest terms to the Prussian ambassador when he said that "the Prussian Government, by taking any share in the suppression of the insurrection, dots in some way make itself responsible after the fact for the measures of conscription that have been adopted." Lord Malmesbury also, in the name of the Opposi tion, felt it necessary to condemn the extraordinary conduct of the Prussian King. Indeed, it was im po.sibie that in a free country there could be any difference of opinion on an act which could never have been committed by a humane and manly Sove reign. Though we have no wish to breed disquiet in Europe, yet we cannot refrain from pointing with satisfaction to the deep sympathy which begins to be felt in France for these unhappy Poles. The French are not so much accustomed to political de monstrations as they were in former ; society leaves the tStirs of Europe to the Emperor, and the press seldom speaks without the word being given by some superior power. Bat, whether the.inspira tion in this case has come from above or from the . heart of the people there is an ever deepening cry of indignation against the proceedings of t he t avo no!a h ern Sovereigns. To the feeling of his subjects it is certain that the Emperor will give diplomatic ex pression. It is said that M. Drouyn de Lh u y s h as been instructed to write a despatch to Berlin stating the dissatisfaction of the French Government at the Convention for the surrender of Polish fugitives. I In this matter the Governments of England and France will be completely in unison, and it is to be hoped that Austria, which, unless report flatters her, has taken a most dignified course and refused all co-operation with the Czar, will join the cause of humanity and justice. It may be that the anger of his own subjects will bring King William to reason—and of this there are already signs—but we think that nothing short of a strong European re monstrance will put an end to the misdeeds of the Russian Government in Poland. HERALD.—The Premier has but to inquire in the City the opinion about the refusal of the Govern ment to legalise a general holiday on the wedding day of the Prince of Wales. Everywhere, as the subordinates of the Chancellor of the Exchequer must have been thoroughly able to p erce i ve , t h ere is a feeling of bitter disappointment, attended by a wonderment, at the lurking motives and reasonable cause for such a decision ; and one can sympathise with the keen regrets expressed in the banks and the large commercia, houses that the class which is incessantly and actively engaged in attending to the in epecuniary inter es t s o f their employers, and consequence, is the least favoured with these bright intervals of relaxation, is just the very one to be most oppressed by the " Govern ment" determination. Mr. Alderman Salomons, who is the representative of one of the wealthiest and most important joint-stock banks, pressed the question on Tuesday as to whether or no the Government were prepared to bring in a bill for making commercial engagements failing due on the wedding-day of the Prince payable as is by law provided for Christmas-day, so as to enable all tier N?iajesty's subjects to enjoy the day of that auspi cious event as a general holiday. Lord Palmerston, in reply, returned a supremely cautious negative, on the ground that " any unnecessary interference with the arrangements of the commerce of the country is a thing to be avoided ;" and that there was " uo precedent" for such a measure as suggested. If the marriage of the heir apparent to these realms, and its immediate influence over the mighty desti nies and interests that are affected by such an auspi cious event, :lend only an occasion of " unnecessary interference," &c., perhaps the good-humour ed nobleman at the head of the Government will define proper and fitting " necessity" for us in anyone tuture public event for which we may be preparing. ay on which the future monarch of this happy United Kingdom weds the Princess Alexandra of Denma r k w ill b e a sacre d one, in all estimable likelihood, to gen e ration upon generation yet to come, for a direct Regal succession may be e sta dished such as few of the present lieges of the -xisting Sovereign have witnessed. Surely this vedding-day is a fitting one fora general holiday ; ,urely this eager, insatiable quest of gain, which is peculiarly a distinction of the present age, may, for one brief interval, be stayed, that all classes may sanctify, in one manner or another, the to :rri.lge or the Prince of Wiles, the exp , cted ruler of the prople, and the Roy al sun who may himselt found a likyal race for our descendants to honour and obey. As for the latter half of the noble lord's excuse, it smacks of the Polonius order of evasion. No precedent ! Why, wt.° would care to have a better one than the occasion itself would furnish for ages to come P Does the noble lord expect to see a Prince of Wales married again in his lifetime ? There is no argument for such an absurdity; one would not throw anything but epithets on a man who dashed a pail of cold water in your face when sou were abon to salute him. So we c\n but con demn the noble lord and the Cabinet a,s foolish, shortsighted, and disdainful of the stir and excite ment which are going on around them tonibing this matter of the Prince's marriage. We can but assure them that they are regarded as beingpossesse.d of some strange, inscrutable, and unascertainable reasons for so directly flying in the face of what: their fellow subjects are determined to observe and carry out. If this denial be a specimen of the " Liberal" feeling and " Liberal" sympathy with benefits and indulgence to the people, no one need be surprised that the present Ministry are determined that the town, as well as the country, shall experience and adopt " the Conservative re action" which all their friends so loudly decry. The fact is, the Government will not be able to adhere to their decision. When the nation chose to mourn for the Duke of Wellington, eleven years ago, all business was properly suspended by a coun cil edict, and surely this marriage day is as rare, and to be as well remembered by all classes as the burial of one of our great chieftains. We cannot conceive a more injudicious and hasty determination than this denial to the aspirations for a great popu lar rejoicing which everywhere encounter us ; and we do not believe that there is a single act by which Ministers will give the coup de grace to the good humour and toleration already ex ended to them all over the country, than by their distinct an nouncement that they are not willing to aid in cele brating one of the few public occasionson which the whole nation is determined to enjoy a high holiday and supreme festivities. COUNTRY MARKETS. ,►I , LIVERPOOL-FEB. 20. At this day's market there was a fair attendance of both the town and country trade, but wheat met a slow demand, at a reduction of Id per cental on the week. Flour met a, slow inquiry, and prices remain as last quoted, except for French, which is down is per sack. Indian corn was still neglected, but realised fully former rates. Oats and oat meal al w, but easier. Barley and peas neglected. Beans 6d per qr cheaper. WAKEFIELD-FEB. 20. The wheat trade ruled dull to-day, and prices must be quoted rather lower than last week. Barley steady. In other artieles there was no material alteration. Averages for the week : Wheat 2,161 qrs., at . 45s 41d 8ar1ey......... 606 Rye — Beans EXETER-FEB. 20. Wheat, white 6s 3d to 68 4d Barley. 4s 3d to 4s 6d Ditto red .6s Od to 6s 3d I Oats 9d to 3s 0 , 1 Flour, fine, 36s to 37s ; seconds, 34s to 35s per sack. CATTLE. I Fat beef, p sc., 10s0d to 10s9ci gyres, per 11.‘ .....sid to 6id Pork carcases, 7s 6d to 8s 6d Wethers, d 0..... bid to 7d Lamb, p 1b.......—d to d Fat calves, d0...61d to 7: , Rough fat, 3d per lb. STAMFORD-FEB. 20. New wheat, 48s to 50a — red, 40s to 47s per 36 stone. Barley, malting, 38s to 42s ; grinding, 32s to 34s per qr. Oats, 22s to 26s per 24 stone. Beans,. old, 445 to —s per qr. ; new, 38s to —s. BRISTOL SUGAR-FEB. 20. The market has again been very quiet this week, and prices very little changed. In rums the principal transac tions have been confined to some parcels of J amaica. COAL ARK EL Prime of Coal per Ton at the dose of the market. 8. d. Lambert's West Hart- ley l4 6 Davison's West Hart- No le r y th ******* Gas... :: 1 1 4 3 6 0 West Hartley 14 6 Eden Main l4 6 Cowpen Hartley 14 6 lantield Moor 13 0 Wylam 15 9 West Wylam 14 9 Carway and D uffryn Anthracite ..... 20 0 Carway and Dutiryn Malting . 22 0 Ships at marker Walla End. s. d. Kenos ••• •••• II .16 6 South Kelloe l5 6 Hartlepool 16 3 South Hartlepool 15 0 Eleugh Hall 15 0 Tximdon Hartlepool l6 3 Ridde11...... l3 6 South Hetton 17 3 Haswell .. l7 3 Tunstall .... Marton 13 6 Gosforth l3 6 Whitworth 14 9 Casaop ,t, 73; sold, 27. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Atu,,ralia and Mauritius, via Southampton. Mar. 21. via Marseilles Mar. 15. brazil and Cape Verde, by British packet. Mar. 6. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena Mar. 3. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton Mar. 4. via Marseilles Feb. 27. Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton ..... Feb. 25. India (Calcutta), sad Ceylon, via Southampton Mar. 4 via Marseilles Feb. 27. India (Bombay), via Southampton via Marseilles Feb. 20. Portugal.... Mar. 6. aita, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Feb. 25. via Marseilles Feb. 20 Newfoundland Oporto and Vigo U.. 4. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.... Feb. 26. by U.S. packet.... _ by Canadian packet. Feb. 20. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe .. Mar. 10. Bahamas, via New York Mexico ....Feb. 28. All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, IFeb. 28. C.litornia, and British Columbia .. Advices from Berlin state that the last ball at the Court was suddenly interrupted by the intelligence that the young Prince Henry, son of the Prince Royal, had b•'eU taken ill. The royal family left the fete immediately on re ceiving the announcement. FURTHER REDUCTION IN OMNIBUS FARES.-- Yesterday another reduction of fares was made by the pro prietors of those omnibuses which travel nearly in the same line of route as the trains on the Metropolitan Railway, the fare from the Swiss Cotrage via Baker-street, Oxford-street, and Holborn to London-bridge, and vice versa, being re duced to 3d.; and between Praed-street and London-bridget 3d.; and to intermediate places, 2d. THE ROBBERY AT THE MANCHESTER BANS. Yesterday morning two of the persons charged with the robbery at the Manchester Bank were brought up at Manchester Police-court. One of the prisoners gave his name as George Potter; the other persisted in his refusal to give any name or address. Evidence was adduced as to the fact of the robbery, the apprehension of the prisoners with a large quantity of gold and silver in their possession , and other particulars which have already been published. The burglars' tools, found in the possession of Potter, were stated to exactly fit the holes in the safe from which the money had been stolen. The prisoners were remanded Wl' til Thursday. [ADVERTISEMENT.]--Two-fold Extraordinary Cure effected by Holloway's Pills and Ointment.—Mr. J. Webb' boot and shoemaker, Chapel-street, Cahircerin, lrelav* writes, under-date January 10th, 1863, that he had be% afflicted for 17 years with a most dreadful asthmatic coug h and shortness of breath, and latterly was also subject to benumbed sensations in his limbs, attended with heavi drowsy feelings, which threatened an apoplectic fit. In a town he consulted the most skilful of the profession with.' in many miles of his residence, without avail, and fruit ,- lessly used every means recommended by friends, till he heard of the repute of Holloway's remedies. and resolved, with death staring him in the face, to give them a trial* These immediately relieved, and ultimately Births. MACFARLINE.--On the 19th inst., at Maidenhead, the wife of the Rev. John Macfarlane, 8.A., of a son. NEEDHAM.—On the 19th inst., at Sheerness, the wife of Colonel Needham, R.A., of a daughter. NEWTON.—On the 18th inst., at 43, Lowndes-street, the wife of Major-General Newton, of a eon. WA UD —On the 19th inst., at Whitkirk, the Hon. Mrs, E. Waud, of a daughter. Marriages. FULLER—CLARKE.—On the 19 t h inst., at Saint John's, Upper Holloway, William Far mer, y oun g est son of Ji; Fuller, Esq., of Bartholome w-road, Hollowa y , to Sarah Ann, eldest daughter of the late Captain T. R. Clare , of Holloway. THORNHILL—HODOSON.—On the 17th inst., at Saint George's, Hanover -s q uare, Thomas T hornhill , eld est son of Thomas Thornhill, Esq., of Riddlesworth, Norfolk, to Katherine Edi th Isabella, onl y chi ld t , f Rich& Hodgson, Esq., m.p., of Carham, Northumberland. Deaths. A.RUSTRONG.—On the 19th inst., at 13, Bonner-roni, V i ctoria -park, Honor Warren, wife of Capt. Arrastrollg, aged OS. COMINS.—On the 20th inst., a t 29 , Queen's-terrace, Have r s t o ck-hill, Willia m C om i ng, Esq late o f Witheridget North Devon, ag e d 73, ELERs.—On 'he 19th inst., at Bickenhill Vicarage, the Rev. Carew T. Ell ers, 8 . D ., aged 72. HILL.—On the 19th inst., at 69, Kin William-street , eitY ' Mr. F. W. Hill , j un., aged 31. g NORRIS —On the 17th inst. , at the Belvidere, Wells, &ben Nor ' Esq., *9 L a nsdowne - P lace ' 11,, lateot 20, Cheltenham. O'SULLivAN.—On the 16th inst. at at his residence, I‘s. ltlh cove, Bantry Bay, Patrick O'Sullivan, Esq., aged 7 e SUDELEY.—On the 19th inst., at Pau, Basses Pyren the Right Hon. Lord Sudeley, aged 62. Malvern London : Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDlat' of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Ofilee, 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Copy of Illiddleaex,—Eaturday, February zl, 141 I IN men corm of VI N( NAT held troll day, Vare 43 t ti 44 L Ai the men Exe kno. give ehal will suet Wrii Will vos for at ) liii co qui AID Ali Iro I . oz 11; thi fol