The Sun. — London, England, 1833-01-17 00:00:00

their ?—Yes, they have had black marks many times, and their parents dare not come to him about it, they were afraid of losing their work. If the. parents were to complain of this excessive ill-usage, the probable consequence would be the loss of the situation of the child ?—Yes. In ghat part of the mill did you work P—ln the card-room. It was exceedingly dusty ?—Yes. DA it affect your health ?—Yes, it was so dusty the elk,' got upon my lungs, and the work was so hard. [ was middling strong when I went there, but th work was so bad. I got so bad in health, that when I pulled the baskets down I pulled my bones out of their places. Yoq Jragged the baskets ?—Yes, down the rooms to wh-re they are worked. Anil as you had been weakened by excessive la bon., y. u could not stand that labour ?—No. I~ has hal the effect of pulling your shoulders out ? Yes ; it was a great basket that stood higher than th;s table a good deal. Flow heavy was it ?—I cannot say ; it was a very la , ge one, that was full of weights up-heaped, and pulling the basket pulled my shoulders out of its place, and my ribs have grown over it. You rontinued at that work ?—Yes. Yot think that work is too much for children ? Yet Women's work, not fit for children ?--Yes. hat work generally done by women ?—Yes. w came you to do it ?—There was no spiri t; CS Me. Did they give you women's wages ?—They gave me 55., and the women had 6s. Gd. What wages did you get as a spinner ?-69. Did you perceive that many other girls were made ill by that long labour ?—Yes; a good many of them. So that you were constantly receiving fresh hands to supply the places of those that could no longer bear their work ?—Yes; there were fresh hands every week ; they could not keep their hands. Did they all go away on account of illness ? They were sick and ill with the dust. Do you know whether arty of them died in con sequence of it ?—No, I cannot speak to that. You do not know what became of them ?—No, we did not know that. If a person was to take an account of a mill, and the hands in it that were ill, they would know very little of those who had suffered from their labour; they would be elsewhere ?—Yes. But you ate sure of this, that they were con stantly leaving on account of the excessive labour they had to endure ?—Yes. And the unhealthy nature of their employment —Yes. Did you take any means to obviate the bad effects of this dust ?--No. Did it make you very thirsty ?--Yes, we drank a deal of water in the room. Were you heated with your employment at the same time ?--No, it was not so very hot as in the summer time ; in the winter time they were obliged to have the windows open, it made no matter what the weather was, and sometimes we got very severe colds from frost and snow. You were constantly exposed to colds, and were made ill by that cause also ?--Yes. Could you eat your food well in the factory ? No; indeed, I had not much to eat, and the little I had I could not eat it, my appetite was so poor, and being covered with dust; and it was no use to take it home, I could not eat it, and the overlooker took it and gave it to the pigs. You are speaking of the breakfast ?--Yes. How far bad you to go foi dinner ?--We could not go home to dinner. Where did you dine ?--In the mill. Did you live far from the mill ?--Yes, two miles. Had you a clock ?---No, we had not. Supposing you had not been time enough in the morning at these mills, what would have been the consequence ?--We should have been quartered. What do you mean by that ?—lf we were a quar ter of an hour too late they would take off half an hour; we only got a penny an hour, and they would take a halfpenny more. The fine was much more considerable than the loss of time ?—Yes. Were you also beaten for being too late ?—No, I was never beaten myself; I have seen the boys beaten for being too late. Were you generally there in time ?—Yes, my mother has been up at four o'clock in the morning; and at two o'clock in the morning; the colliers used to go to their work about three or four o'clock, and when she heard them stirring she got out of her warm bed, and went out and asked them the time; and I have sometimes been at Hunslet Car at two o'clock in the morning, when it was streaming down with rain, and we have had to stay till the mill was opened. Supposing your hours of labour had been mode rate, could you have awoke regularly ?—Yes. Was it a matter of anxiety and difficulty for you to rouse yourself to be early enough for those hours of labour 7—Yes. You are considerably deformed in your person in consequence of this labour 2—Yes, I am. At what time did it come on ?—I was about 13 years old when it began coming, and it has got worse since; it is five years since my mother died, and my mother never was able to get me a pair of good says to hold me up, and when my mother died I had to do for myself, and got me a pair. Were you perfectly straight and healthy before you worked at the mill ?—Yes, I was as straight a little girl as ever went up and down town. Were you straight till you were 13 ?—I was. Have you been attended to by any medical gen tleman at Leeds or the neighbourhood 2----Yes; I have been under Mr. Hares. To what did he attribute it ?—He said it was owing to hard labour, and working in the factories. He told you that 2—Yes. Did the deformity come upon you with much pain and weariness ?—Yes ; I cannot express the pain I had all the time it was coming. You went to Tatham and Walker's afterwards ? —Yes. Is that a fl ?—Yes. In what situation did you go there ?—I went into the spinning-room. What were the hours of labour there when they were busy ?—From half past five in the morning, to eight, and half•past eight. Is it found necessary in that mill to strap the Phildren up to their work ?—Yes, the doffers; I have seen them strap them as well as others. So that, as far as you have experience in those factories, these poor children are beaten when so much labour is exacted from them ?—There is no thing else for them. You do not think they could be kept up to their work unless they were so abused ?—They could not. In that mill did they also strap the children ? Yes they did. Perpetually ?—Yes. What were the hours for refreshment at that mill at the time to which we are alluding ?—Forty mi nutes, at noon. There was no time allowed for drinking or break fast at that mill ?—Yes, they have at present. Had they before the present measure was in agi tation ?—No, only 40 minutes in winter, and half an hour in summer. Was that time ever abridged ?—Yes. What time did you work in winter ?—From six in the morning titl seven or eight at night, if they were much thronged. The children in all cases did not have that time allowed them for their dinner ?—No. Was it the general impression among the children that the time allowed for their noon meal was im properly abridged ? —Yes, it was. What do you call the short hours, or common hours in the flax business ?—nom six in the morn ing till seven at night. What time for meals ?—Forty minutes. Are the children brought in occasionally from their meals before time ?—Yes. . By what means ?—By the clock; sometimes the hand would 1, gyve slipped down two or three minutes. Were the children whipped in sometimes to theii work ?—Yes, out of the mill-yard—the boys after they have gone out to play ; the overlooker has got a strap, and gone out and strapped them in before their time, that they might come in and get on with their work. You have had the misfortune, from being a straight and healthful girl, to become very much otherwise ,n your person ; do you know of any other girls that have become weak and deformed in like manner ? No. Do you know any body that has been similarly injured in their health 2—Yes, in their health, but not many deformed as I am. You are deformed in the shoulders ?—Yes. It is very common to have weak ancles and crooked knees ?—Yes, very common indeed. That is brought on by stopping the spindle ? Yes. Do you know anything of wet spinning ?—Yes, it is very uncomfortable. I have stood before the frames till I have been wet through to my skin. And in winter time, when we have gone home, our clothes have been frozen, and we have nearly caught our death of cold. Were you permitted to give up your labour at any time to suit your convenience and your health, and resume it again when you were more capable of it ?—Yes, we have stopped at home one day or two days, just as we were situated in our health. If you had stopped away any length of time should you have found a difficulty to keep your situation ?—Yes, we should. Were the children constantly beaten to their la bour as you have described ?—Yes. Where are you now ?—ln the poor-house. Where ?—At Hunslet. Do any of your former employers come to see you ?—No. Did you ever receive anything from them when you became afflicted ?—When I was at home, Mr. Walker made me a present of Is. or 25., but since I have left my work, and gone to the poorhouse, they have not come nigh me. You are supported by the parish ?—Yes. You are utterly incapable now of any exertion of that sort ?—Yes. You were very willing to have worked as long as you were able, from your earliest age ?—Yes. And to have supported your widowed mother as long as you could ?—Yes. State what you think as to the circumstances in which you have been placed during all this time of labour, and what you have considered about it as to the hardship and cruelty of it. (The witness was too much affected to answer the question.) DREADFUL and DESTRUCTIVE FIRE in LIVERPOOL, and LOSS of LIFE. (From t},e Liverpool Times of Tuesday. ) Last night, about 11 o'clock, a fire broke out in an office on the New Quay, occupied by Mr. Goudie, pas sengers' broker, which in a shot t time communicated to the premises occupied by Mr. Pratt, ship-chandler ; Mr. Croston, painter and glazier ; and Messrs. Brade and De laney, sail makers ; and so rapid was the progress of the flames, that the whole of these buildings were destroyed by 12 o'clock ; and at that hour, when we left, the fire had reached the bonded warehouses belonging to Mr. Har• bord, as well as those at the back, which extended to Lancelot's-hey, and great apprehensions were entertained that the whole of this extensive range of buildings would be destroyed before the fire was got under. The engines were speedily on the spot, and, having a plentiful supply of water, the most praiseworthy exertions were making to prevent the extension of the devouring element. THREE O'CLOCK. —We regret to state that the fire has continued to extend itself with the most uncontrolled vio lence. Ater having reached the warehouses in Lancelot's hey, the flames very rapidly communicated to the ware house on the east side of the street, which is now in a blaze, and the inhabitants of Union•street are removing their furniture. We trust, however, that the fire will not extend itself further. As far as we have been able to judge, this will be one of the most destructive fires which has taken place in Liverpool since the great fire at the Gore in 1602. SECOND EDITION, TUESDAY MORNING, NINE O'CLOCK. This dreadful fire still continues to burn, though the flames are now confined to the half-consumed warehouses in Lancelot's-hey, and do not appear to be spreading. The following are the principal warehouses destroyed :—Mr. Greenhorn's, Messrs. Molyneux, Taylor, and Co.'s, 'Messrs. Coltman, Lambert, and Co.'s, Messrs. Thomas Dover and Co.'s, and a part of Mr. Webster's cotton warehouse. It is impossible to give any idea of the intensity of the fire, which illuminated the whole atmosphere with a deep red glare, and was seen for many miles in every direction. The rapidity with which the flames spread was frightful, and rendered it almost impossible to save any part of the property in the warehou-es. The warehouses themselves are complete shells, except one or two, the walls of which have fallen in, and present nothing but a heap of smoking ruins. The sight of the ruins from the Prince's Dock, and of the fire from the top of Union street, is as striking as it is melancholy. The loss of property must be immense, but, as the flames are still raging, it is impossible to form even a probable guess at the amount. There is also reason to fear that there has been a very serious loss of life, but the reports are so contradictory, and some of them so ill-founded, that we think it best not to give them further cui rency at present. HALF-PAST NINE , —The flames are rapidly subsiding. The number of warehouses destroyed is stated at from 15 to 20. Colonel Jordan, the Inspecting Field Officer of the dis trict, had his leg broken by the falling of the wall of a warehouse in Lancelot's•hey. We understand that he has since had his leg amputated, and is doing well. The loss of property, i❑ buildings and merchandise, is estimated at upwards of 200,0001. ANOTHER ACCOUNT. I regret exceedingly to state that ten individuals have died from accidents received at the fire. Some of them were spectators, and others employed in various ways in rescuing property, &e. It was reported during the day that Colonel Jordan (who had his leg broken at the fire, and who has since undergone amputation) was dead, but I have great pleasure in stating that he is still living, and likely to recover. The amount of property destroyed exceeds 200,0001. consider ably, and we annex a list of what is insured, and by which Companies —viz. Plicenix £34,000 Sun Protector Globe 1,500 Imperial Royal Exchange 4,000 West of England 51anebester Atlas 4,000 Norwich Guardian Leeds and Yorkshire 3,000 Alliance A:121,200 and we think the amount uninsured will exceed the above mentioned aunt. The property destroyed consists of a great variety of produce—viz., cotton (about 10,000 bags), rum, sugar, saltpetre (2,000 bags), rice, &c. The ruins are still smoking, with an occasional outbreak of flame. VANITY CHECKED.—The following is an instance of his manner of checking inordinate vanity. A preacher of this character having delivered a sermon in Mr. HALL'S hearing, pressed him with a disgusting union of' self-complacency and indelicacy, to state what he thought of the sermon. Mr. HALL remained silent for some time, hoping that his silence would be rightly inter preted; but this only caused the question to be pres:ed with greater earnestness. Mr. HALL, at length, said, " There was one very fine passage, Sir." "I am re joiced to hear you say so. Piay, Sir, which was it ?" " Why, Sir, it was the passage from the pulpit to the vestry."—Dr. Gregory's Memoir of Robert Hull. FLATTERERS OF NAPOLEON.--After NA POLEON'S return from Austerlitz, DENON presented him with silver medals illustrative of his victories. The first represented a French eagle tearing an English leopard, " What's this ?" asked the Emperor. DENON explained. " Thou rascally flatterer, you say that French eagle crushes the English leopard ; yet I cannot put a fishing boat to sea that is not taken ; I tell you it is the leopard that strangles the eagle. Melt down the medal and never bring me such another." He found similar fault with the medal of Austerlitz. " Put Battle of Austerlitz on one side, with the date ; the French, Russian, and Aus trian eagles, on the other, without distinction.--Poste rity will distinguish the vanquished."—Dr. Lurdner's Cabinet Cyclovedia. NIEETING OF THE NEW CONSTITUENCY OF THE CITY OF LONDON. Yesterday Mr. Williams, of Watling-street, Mr. Nichol iol3, Mr. Newell, Mr. Saul, and other gentlemen of the city, waited upon the Lord Mayor, and presented to his Lordship the following requisition : " TO THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LONDON. " We, the undersigned electors of the city of London, re. quest that your Lordship will be pleased to call a meeting of the whole constituency of the city of London, at the Guildhall, for the purpose of their deliberating upon the propriety of petitioning the House of Commons on the three following im portant subjects . " 1. The repeal of the Septennial Act. " 2. The voting at elections by ballot. " 3. The repeal of assessed taxes. " And also that your Lordship will have the goodness to make the appointment at the earliest possible period." The requisition was signed by nearly 1,000 citizens of London, and amongst them many of the most respectable now in the metropolis. The LORD MA volt stated that, without a moment's he sitation, he should comply with the requisition. The Re form Bill had caused such an alteration in the constituency of London, that the meetings of the electors no longer could be designated as meetings of the Livery, and he should preside without observing any of the forms which were formerly indispensable when the electors as sembled together. He should consider it to be his duty to consult the city solicitor upon the subject, but he did not mean to cause the slightest delay, and should most pose tively take the chair on Monday next, at 12 for one o'clock. He, of course, was to be considered as merely a Chairman appointed to preside with impartiality over the new constituency of his fellow-citizens, without any re. ference to the questions which they might think proper to discuss. The deputation expressed the highest gratification at the very candid and honourable manner in which the Chief Magistrate had expressed and stated that, no doubt, the deliberations of the new constituency would be conducted with the strictest propriety upon subjects of such deep interest as those which were to be discussed. It was the anxious wish of the gentlemen who signed the requisition that a most full discussion should take place upon the merits of the respective questions. There never vet had been seen a requisition so numerously and respect ably signed. An additional importance was attached to the requisition that it was the first call the new consi tuency made upon Parliament.—The deputation then re tired. An immense meeting of the citiz.ns is expected, and the requisitionists calculate that the metropolitan districts will meet immediately afterwards, for the purpose of discussing the same questions. We understand that it is the intention of another party in the City to wait upon the Lord Mayor with a requisi tion of another description immediately. His Lordship, in the course of the conversation which be had with the deputation, repeated his long-since expressed determination to grant meetings upon every application from his fellow citizens, without the remotest idea of mingling in the politics of any individuals or bodies of men. REPEAL OF THE UNION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sift,—Having perused two letters in The Sun of the 7th and 10th inst., written by " Daleth," wherein he comments on the mistaken line of policy adopted by the Government towards Ireland, and the mischiefs arising therefrom, but deprecates in strong terms any attempt at a repeal of the legislative Union of the two countries as fraught with danger to the empire, and entertaining a dif ferent opinion on this important subject with your able correspondent, I would feel much obliged if he, through the medium of your valuable journal, would point out the particular dangers, and also his reasons for apprehending such results from a repeal. This explanation from " leth's" pen might in the present feverish state of people's mind be of infinite service. Every one who is in the least conversant with Irish affairs must know that the principal cause of the great poverty and distress that exist in Ireland is the ruinous system of absenteeism, when the wealth of that rich and fertile country is drawn from it to be spent abroad by the land proprietors and other absentees, and when the best part of its produce is exported to enable the poor labour ing farmer to remit his rent to his alien landlord, scarcely leaving to himself enough of the coarsest food to support a miserable existence. Can anything be expected but po verty and discontent ? and this,with a want of employment, invariably produces turbulence and crime, aggravated in Ireland by a want of the good example, advice, and pro tection, naturally due from the Lords of the Soil. If a Parliament—a Reformed Parliament—were held i❑ Dublin, it would be a means of enabling the Members of both Houses, as well as many of their connexions, who follow them, to spend their fortune among those poor men who labour for them. This Local Parliament would have more leisure, and would c..rtainly be more competent (from their knowledge of the country and the people's wants), to reform and enact new laws suitable to the times, than the Imperial Parliament, which, front the great pressure of foreign business, cannot possibly attend to all the local wants of the empire. During each recess of the Dublin Parliament its Members would return to their homes in the country, spending their money among their tenantry, giving employment to the labouring poor, counselling them to industrious habits, protecting, and, if necessary, coercing them. When the people were satisfied (as they soon would be) that justice was done to them, that they at last enjoyed equal laws and privileges with their English brethren, the country would become tranquillised, and the people happy and contented. Whe❑ peace and quietness were thus restored, the CA PITALISTS of this country, in room of venturing to fo reign climes, would carry their money to the more conge nial soil of Ireland. Manufactories would rise up in every part of the country, giving employment to the thousands, the hundreds of thousands, of the poor Irish, who now swarm all over this country, taking the bread out of the poor English labourer's mouth, and thereby adding to the housekeeper's poor rate, who is already borne down by taxation. These are the results I would anticipate from a Repeal of the Legislative Union. It is to be hoped that our Liberal Government will do justice immediately to Ireland. The people of that nation have too much regard for their own interests to contem plate a separation from England, but they are now (acting legally as they are), too formidable for any Ministry to treat with neglect, or to refuse listening to their just de mands. I am, Sir, A LOVER OF PEACE AND JUSTICE. Portsmouth, Jan. 11, 1833. BERKSHIRE ELECTION. Ile triumph of liberal principles in Berkshire was ce lebrated on Tuesday list at Newbury lay a public dinner to which the two liberal Members, Mr. Throckmorton and Mr. Walter, were invited by their friends and consti tuents in the Newbury district. The dinner was held at the Mansion-house, and was attended by more than 200 pers,ns. Captain Deans Mirada, the Member for Green wich, was in the chair, and was supported on the right and left by Mr. Throckmorton and Mr. Walter. Among the company we observed Mr. F. Palmer, M.P., Mr. Bowles, Mr. Eyston, Mr. H. Marsh, Mr. Blandy, Dr. Tomkins, and various other gentlemen of rank and respec tability in the county. After the cloth was removed, the Chairman gave The King," which was drank with three times three, and loud cheers. The next toasts, of " The Queen and the Royal Fa • roily," "The Army and Navy," Cc., were drank with the usual honours. The CHAIRMAN said he had to propose a toast, to which he expected the company would do honour by a bumper : he would give " His Majesty's Ministers."—(Cheers.) The health of his Majesty's 'Ministers was then drank with loud cheers. The CHAIRMAN next gave his two Hon. Friends on his right and left—Mr. Throckmorton and Mr. Walter, the representatives of the county.—(Cheers.) Mr. THROCKMORTON, i❑ returning thanks, said that on that day fortnight he would take his seat in the Re formed Parliament, prepared to give his vote for the re medy of any abuses which might still be found to exist in our system, and to render that system as perfect as hu man means could make it. In saying this, let him also add that he was disposed to give his support to the pre sent Ministers, for he looked upon them as the men to whom the country was most indebted. It h.fd been very truly said of the late Government, that their history was one of recantation.—(Cheers.) That of the present Ministry was quite different : they had nothing to retract. They went on fairly and honestly with the purposes which they had avowed on coming into office ; they looked to the country for support, and they were not disappointed. Mr. WALTER said that of all the contests which had been carried on in this kingdom, on the choice of the first Reformed Pa, liament, there had been none which had created an equal interest with that of Berkshire—none which would hereafter in history so strongly indicate the spirit of a high-minded people to insist upon their rights. When he considered the difficulties they had had to encoun ter from the very commencement, he was really still appalled at the fierceness of the engagement, though they now held in their hands the palm of victory.—(Cheers.) He re peated, that he was positively appalled when he looked back at the struggle. When he yielded to the first sug gestion made to him that he should stand, it was only a conditional assent, and that condition, he would candidly confess to them, he really thought would never have been fulfilled ; it was, that a certain number of names, not less than 500, should be attached to the requisition. The con tinuance of so many candidates in the field, for there were then five offering, created obstacles. On the day before his final determination was to be made known, few, owing to the divided interest, few more than 300 had signed. On the very day, therefore, of starting, he went into Reading in doubt whether he should not put forth an address announc ing his retirement, rather than one pledging himself to the contest. But in that short interval the town of Newbury had nobly stepped forward—(Cheers)—the condition was fulfilled on the part of the people, and retirement was ma longer possible. On the evening of that day his address went forth. The meeting would now observe him as en gaged in the contest, of which they celebrated to-day the issue. Almost every one of the great landed interests was pledged against him, of in doubt through prior engage ments; almost every professional agent,—with only two exceptions, all the magistrates' clerks in the county— (Cheers)—were forestalled by his adversaries. Zeal, however, in the cause supplied other deficiencies. lle thanked them sincerely for the attention with which they had heard him, and he did hope that their sentiments, through his voice and that of his Hon. Colleague, would he equally attended to in the House of Commons.—(Great cheering.) Mr. WALTER again rose and said, " I have hardly left myself words to make a Laiteamble, but with every senti ment of respect I beg to propose to you, as a toast, ' Those nobleminded men who, unseduced by hope, and unawed by menace, supported the cause of Reform at the late election for Berkshire.'"—(Cheers.) Drank with en thusiasm. Mr. THROCKMORTON then proposed the health of their Hon. and Gallant Friend in the chair, and also of those worthy electors of Greenwich who had done themselves honour by placing him at the head of the poll.—(Drank with three times three and loud applause.) The CHAIRMAN returned thanks, and gave the health • , f their tried and stanch friend Fyshe Palmer.—(Loud cheers.) Mr. F. PALMER returned thanks. In adverting to this first Parliament under the new Bill, he could not but express his regret that that measure had not been made as perfect as it might have been in the last Parliament, so that it might have enabled every honest man to give his vote without coercion, and freely according to his con science. In that case his two Hon. Friends near him would have secured their election with much less trouble and inconvenience ; hut that defect in the Bill might yet he remedied. He had once thought that the Reform Bill would be a final measure; but when he found the threats and menaces held out against honest poor men, to deter them from voting as they wished, he owned he could not but admit that something more remained to be done to complete the measure of Reform.--(Cheers, and cries of Yos, the ballot.") The Hon. Member then adverted to the result of the elections in Scotland, and observed that they were such as any Scotchman might well be proud of. The CHAIRMAN next would give a toast, which he was sure they would all heartily drink in a bumper. He would give them the health of Harry Marsh. The toast was drank with loud and continued cheering. Mr. H. Ala asta then rose, and after the enthusiastic cheering with which he was received had subsided, spoke nearly as forows:—l know that this is not a time for parish business; but when I look around me, and see a number of Members of Parliament, who are going to rake, as we say in the country, a long ful journey fiir us, — a septennial trip, for aught we know, and when a steward goes away for seven years, and does not give in his ac counts till the end of that time, a great many mistakes may creep into them,—l am inclined, not indeed to give them advice, but to give them a little hint. Now, the great question for their consideration, and indeed for ours, is, what is to be done ? We are told that a great many reforms are necessary, and, among others, that Church Reform is necessary. In that opinion I fully coincide. We have here among us some clergymen, who are second to none in their love of freedom ; but still it cannot be denied that, as a body, the clergy were rather Conserva tive in the late election. With regard to tithes, I think that, as property, they ought not to exist in a well-regu lated country. In promulgating that opinion lam not seeking the spoliation of the Church, for my object is to obtain a commutation of tithes.--(Cheers.) There is also another subject in which Reform is much wanted—l mean our criminal code, of which the severity is a disgrace to us as a Christian nation.—(Cheers.) There is also Ballot Reform, and many other Reforms, which are all necessary to be effected ; but, in my opinion, the Reform which ought to come first and foremost is the Reform of Johnßull's pocket and ofJohn Bull'sbelly. Therefore it is that I would not have you deceive yourselves by any fallacious representa tions of prosperity. The press has told us that money will come out of the lockers in which it has been confined now that the people have confidence in Parliament and Ministers. Ido not deny that the present Ministers have done much for the people, but this I must say, in justice to the people, that the people have done much for the Ministers.—(Cheers.) It is their duty now to look to themselves, and I shall not be satisfied with any Reform which does not produce them great practical benefit. The question which I would now ask is this—what is the reason why the great bulk of the population of this coun try, possessing more capital, more industry, and more skill than any other country under Heaven, should be reduced to great embarrassment, privation, and distress, and in many instances to ruin itself ? This is a tender question with many, and a delicate and a difficult question with all, and one of which Ministers, if it were possible,would gladly wash their hands. For, when we are told that it is a proof of the security of proper ty that Consols have risen from 83 to 87, I ask what consolation is that to the farmer, who has travelled 5, or 10, or 15 miles to this market, and who, after selling his corn at a less price than that at which he buys it, finds hitnself disturbed on his return home by poor-rate collectors, amid tithe collectors, anti tax collectors, and highways and byways collectors, all open-mouthed and open handed, not only for what he has brought from the market, but for something more.— (Cheers.) What consolation is it to him to be told by his neighbour Scrip, or by Deputy 0 innium, that he bought in a fe.v weeks ago at 83, and that he bad just sold out at 87 ?—(Cheers.) It may be interesting to the Bulls and Bears, the Jews and Jobbers of 'Change•alley, by the turn of the tnarket or by settling time bargains, to make 1 or even a A- per cent. ; but it is a still more inte resting question, in my mind, whether the industrious people of England are to make a whole dinner or half a dinner.—(Cheers.) It is nothing to me that Consols are brought to par ; what I wish to see is John Bull's stomach and John Bull's food brought to par together.— (Cheers and laughter.) At present I can do no more; but be fore I sit down I will give you a toast, and a female toast. In the words of the old song I say, " Drink to the las,. " Let the toast pass, " I warrant 'twill prove an excuse for the glass. " The lass I give you is " The mountain nymph, sweet Li berty, and ere long may the whole world partake of her chaste and refreshing embraces."—(Cheers.) This toast was drank with enthusiasm. The CHAIRMAN would give them the health of an up right Judge—" The Right Hon. Sir T. Denman"— ' (Cheers)—and kvith it he would couple the name of an Honourable and Learned Friend present—" Mr. Salmon." (Cheers.) Mr. SALMON returned thanks. The CHAIR3IAN next gave " The Clergy of every de nomination," and he would couple with it the name of a good straightforward man—" the Rev. Mr. Sloper."— (Cheers. ) 'rite Rev. Mr. SLOPER returned thanks. The CHAIRMAN would give the name of a venerable Magistrate present—" Dr. Mitford," with nine times nine. The toast was drank with immense cheering. Dr. MITFORD said that he had been a Reformer for nearly 50 years, and had been a Magistrate of the county also for a very long period, and during that time it was a satisfaction to him that, iu the discharge of his duties as a Magistrate, he had on every occasion received such effi cient support from his brother Magistrates of Berkshire. The CHAIRMAN than proposed " The Press," to which the cause of Reform was so much indebted.—(Drank with loud cheers.) At this period of the evening Captain Dundas left the chair, which was supplied by Mr. Henry Maish. Seve ral toasts were given and many songs sung, and the con viviality of the meeting was kept up till a late hour. APING JOIINSoN.—ROBERT HALL was, but only for a short time, an imitator of Dr. JOHNSON. Some years afterwards, when reminded of this, he replied, " Yes, Sir, I aped Johnson, and I preached Johnson ; and, I am afraid, with little more evangelical sentiment than is to be found in his Essays ; but it was youthful folly, and it was very great fohy. I might as well have attempted to dance a hornpipe in the cumbrous costume of Gog and Magog. My puny thoughts could not sustain the load of words in which I tried to clothe them,"—Dr, Gregory's Memoir of Robert Hall. ELECTION OF SCOTS PEERS. (From the Edinburgh Observer of Tuesday.) Yesterday the election of the sixteen Peers t ) represent the Scottish nobility in the ensuing Parliament took place in the Palace of Holyrood. The election, as usual, took place in the Picture Gallery, where their Lordships were attended by Thomas Thomson, Esq., and George Joseph Bell, Esq., two of the Principal Clerks of Session, in virtue of a commission from the Lard Clerk Register of Scotland ; by the Rev. Dr. Grant and the Rev. Dr. Lee, and by other official persons. The Lord Provost and Magistrates were also present, and a large assemblage of ladies and gentlemen. The proceedings of the day were opened by an appropriate prayer by Dr. Grans, after which the oaths were administered to their Lordships. A protest was entered on behalf of the Earl of Mar against the place assigned to him on the poll, his Lordship claiming to have precedence of all the other Earls. The Eirl of LAUDERDALE objected to the proxy votes of Lord Sempil, on account of informality in his certificate of qualification, the qualificatio❑ being to vote for Peers to sit in the " Parliament of Great Britain," instead of the " Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland." The Duke of BUCCLEUCH said, if he recollected right, Parliament was styled in the act of Union the "Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland." The Earl of 11osvuEnv held th-at the " Parliament of Great Britain" was sufficient, and as the informality was purely of a technical nature,lit was not such as would war rant the clerks in rejecting the votes, but must be decided upon hereafter. The Earl of LAUDERDALE thereupon protested against the votes of Lord Sempil, to which the Duke of Buccleuch adhered : and a similar protest was taken by the same Noble Lords against the proxy for the Earl of Torphichen on the like grounds ; and another against the votes of the Earl of Caithness, as being struck at by the resolution of the House of Peers, passed in 1822, and also as being in formal in the certificates of qualification. The Earl of Rosebery protested against the votes of the Earl of Bal carres, on the ground that he had not qualified according to law. The Union Roll of the Scots Parliament having been called over by Mr. Thomson, there appeared PRESENT. Duke of Buccleuch, Viscounts Falkland, Marquises of Queensberry, Arbuthnot, Tweeddale, Strathallan, Lothian, Lords Forbes, Earls of Rothes, Saltoun, Morton, Sinclair, Home, Elphinstone, Strathmore, Colville, Lauderdale, Cranstoun, Airly, Napier, Carnwath, Reay, Selkirk, Elibank, Dundonald, Belhaven, Orkney, Rollo, Rosebery, Ruthven. Hopetoun, (31.) The following voted by Proxies : Duke of Lennox by Lord Belhaven Duke of Argyll Earl of Errol Earl of Buchan Earl of Cassillis Earl of Abercorn Earl of Kintore Earl of Breadalbane Earl of Aberdeen Earl of Dunmore Earl of Stair Earl of Glasgow Earl of Portmore by Earl of Rothes Lord Gray Lord Sempell Lord Torph ich en by Lord Elphinstone Lord Nairne Lord Kinnaird The following Noblemen sent signed lists : Dukes of Hamilton, Earls of Dalhousie Gordon, Leven, Montrose, Balcarras, Earls of Mar, Aboyne, Craufurd, Newburgh, Caithness, Viscounts Stormont, Haddington, Kenmure, Kinnoull, Dumblane, Dumfries, Lords Somerville, Elgin, Forrester. Wemyss, (21.) The votes having been counted, the following were returned as duly elected : No. of Votes Marquis of Tweeddale Earl of Morton Earl of Home Earl of Elgin Earl of Airlcy Earl of Leven Earl of Selkirk Earl of Orkney Viscount Arbuthnot Viscount Strathallan Ford Forbes Lord Gray Lord Saltoun Lord Sinclair Lord Elphinstone Lord Colville Votes were also given for the following Peers : Marquis of Queensberry Earl of Rothes Earl of Buchan Earl of Carnwath Lord Cranston Lord Napier Lord Reay Lord Elibank While the clerks were engaged in summing up the votes, it was stated by the Earl of Rosebery that a doubt had been expressed by some Noble Lords, whether Lord Elphinstone had been at the table during the whole of the time the oaths were administered to their Lordships, and, to set the matter at rest, he proposed that the oaths should be again administered, and his votes taken. This proceeding was objected to by the Eal of Lauderdale ; it was now near 4 o'clock, and, as the proclamation commanded their Lordships to meet between the hours of 12 and 2, Lord Elphinstone must be held as not having met within the time appointed, and his votes could not now be taken. Lord Elphinstone stated that he had been at the table before the oaths had begun to be administered, and had only gone to; hand a card nut' at the door, but had never left the room, and on his return the clerks had just begun the so lemnities. Mr. Thompson said he was bound to take the votes of any Noble Lord should he enter the room now or at any time before the return was made up, and he again administered the oaths to Lord Elphinstone, and took both his Lordship's own votes of new, and those of the Earl of Dunmore and Lord Torphichen, for whom he appeared as proxy. A protest was taken against the return, on the ground that some of the Noble Lords who had not been returned had a greater number of legal votes than some of those who were returned. (From the Edinburgh Advertiser.) Viscount Falkland and Lord Belhaven having been created British Peers, and the Marquis of Queensberry and Lord Napier, who were also in last Parliament, not being returned to this, there are four new Representative Peers by the present election—viz., the Earls of Airly and Ork ney, and Lords Sinclair and Elphinstone. BRIGHTON, JAN. 16. The KING, accompanied by the Countess of ERROL, yesterday took an airing in a carriage•and-four to near Shoreham, and back to the Palace. The Princess AUGUSTA drove and walked through various parts of the town, accompanied by Lady MARY TAYLOR. Prince GEORGE took an airing on foot, attended by bis tutor. Sir JOSEPH WIIATELEY arrived at the Palace on a visit to their MAJESTIES. There was a grand dinner and evening party last even ing at the Palace, in celebration of the birthday of the Duke of GLOUCESTER, his Royal Highness having attained his 57th year. The company comprised the greater por tion of the rank, fashion, and beauty of the place. The entire suite of rooms were splendidly lighted up for the occasion. The dinner-party was formed of the following distinguished personages : The Princess Augusta, Duke of Gloucester, Prince Talleyrand, Duchess de Dino, Marchioness Wellesley, Duke of Devon. shire, Marquis and Marchioness of Ailsa, Sir Joseph Sturton, Earl of Belfast, Hon. Mrs. Knox, Officers of the Guards, Officers of the Royal Horse Guards (Blue), Earl Waldegrave, Lady Ann Baird, Sir Charles Ogle, Earl and Countess of Shef field, Earl and Countess of Chichester, Earl and Countess of Albemarle, Lady Caroline Keppell, Lord and Lady Gage, Earl and Countess of Errol, and the suite. The evening party was the largest by far that has to ten place this season at the Palace. Two YEARS AND A HALF IN TIIE ADZE. RICAN NAVY.—We are requested to stare that the above work, comprising the Journal of a Cruise to England, and in the Mediterranean, and the Levant, on board the United States frigate Constellation, in 1829, 1830, and I s3l, hy E. C. WINES, is published this day by Mr. BxicrLETs New Burlington-street (the successor to Mr. CoLtsußN), and may he obtained of all respectable hoolesellers in ate United Kingdom, FRENCH PAPERS. CHAMBER OF PEER—SITTING OF JAN. 1 ; AU the Ministers, except those of War, Public lalt tion, and of the Interior, were present. Baron Meunier read an eulogiuns on the late /31 Fabre de l'Aude.—Ordered to be printed. Count d'Haubersaert brought two reports, the a n, commending the adoption (with a slight nandificatiefr the bill for definitively regulating the aczounts al budget of 1829, and the other recommending the al of the bill relative to mon e y sen t th roug h the 1 3 ° 5 " t 0 and remaining unclaimed at the place of its cloth' s —Ordered to be taken into consideration on Thorsd' Count Simeon brought up the report of the coroaluli on the bill for repealing th e l aw o f th e 19th of J, l 11 , r # 1816, relative to the obs ervance o f the ana' ° ` of the death of Louis XVI. The noble rz observed, that when the bill was brought last session the Chamber of Peers thought tbal., total abolition of the law of the 19th of Ja n , 1816, was so violent an anti-monarchical reaclieel: the republican and anarchical fac•ions might take a . ° , tage of it as an argument against the inviolahill the Royal person. It had, therefore, preserved the, positions which forbad th e t r ib una l s an d o ther P tili ` flees to transact business on the 21st of January. Chamber of Deputies now persisted in its former r r , tion, and, though the committ ee s till preser ved its f°, opinion, it thought it expedient to avoid any grotto; irritation between the two branches of the Legisie tu adopting the bill, only adding to it a provision, t while it did not require any specific mode of ob se, the anniversary, would keep the remembrance of thee' lancholy event alive in the minds of the popos ti s the country. The committ ee therefore p ro posed `` t h ! bill should consist of the two foll ow i ng ar ti c l e s :-- 21st of January shall continue to be a day of 138 ! mourning.-2. The law of th e 19 t h o f J an uary', ' is repealed." The Duke de St. Simon proposed, that, in CO of the near approach of th e 21 s t o f J anuar y, the.' should be taken into consideration immediately. 0 Baron Mounier and Count Roy con t en d e d that I c j b course was contrary to the standing o r d e rs of the her, and would also have the i n co nven i enc e of der , ; those Peers who were not n o w p resen t o f the op/W I of expressing their opinions on the measure. The Chamber decided that the discussion slaci uld place on the morrow. The report, recognising the letters of natura li ! granted to Counts Reinhard and de Celles, was theol firmed.—Adjourned. CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.—SITTING or •L' l4 ' M. Etienne, one of the Vice-Presidents, took the at half-past 1, when the proses ver b a l o f l a st sittin./ read and adopted. He observed that M. 11fauguI quitted his old place on the gauche, and taken his i ej the second bench of the droile. Colonel Paixhans brought up a report recoono e : the adoption of th e bill f or grant i ng a pens ion ° I , francs to each of th e surv i v i ng conquerors o f the na: M. Jaubert and M. Gaetan de la Rochefouca al l i , posed that the consid e r a ti on o f thi s report s hould (erred until after the discussion of the budget, that t tion might see whether it had the means of being before it undertook to be generous. . . _ Colonel Paixhans and the Minister of the welt' posed this proposition, as implying th a t th e Cha n ' longer ret lined its former intentions towards the be l 1789. They, therefore, proposed that the report be taken into consideration immediately after the ter tion of the discussion of the Departmental Bill, wb' c agreed to. The discussion of the Departmental Bill was t b ' surned. M. Gillon (the reporter) stated that the commit°, ex imined all the amendments proposed in article S , lating the members of each general council, and the! of their election, and wer e o f o pi n i on th a t the (41 divisions of territory, either into administrative o r toral arrondissements, would not, in all cases, b e 1 cable, for the new electoral arrondissements by w iPc, members of the general councils were to be chose°L, therefore proposed that a rti c l e 8 s h ou ld b e wor d e d 0 „`" " The number of memb ers o f eac h genera l co unci : their repartition among the admi n i s t rat i ve arron diss"; shill be regulated for each department acco rding t table annexed to the Bill ;" and that when the arti cle been adopted it should be referred back to the co o o , o, to form the table according to the information would be laid before them, as to the coMP,4 wealth and population of th e different arrondisa ew i The committee also proposed three other articles yet 9, 10, and 11, providing that there shall be at le s ' o electoral assembly in each administrative arrondisse that in the administrative arrondissements which ° r i ; vided into electoral colleges by th e l a w of the t o , April, 1831, there shall be as many electoral o, e l as there are electoral colleges, and that wh er e such were formed of the union of several cantons belong:, different arrondissements, each canton shill be tit i ; to the administrative arrondissement to whi c h it be:,„ M. Lherbette and M. Las Cases opposed the profs of the committee, and argued that the chamber 0 1 decide at once on the principle yn which the no ° members, and the formation of the electoral as , e ° should be regulated. A desultory and noisy conge r here took place as to the mode in which the dl should he carried on, and it was ultimately decid e an amendment proposed by M. Glais Bizoin, laying a principle for the number of members in each g council should be disposed of, Glais-Bizoin maintained that the interest a sperity of the population would be materially affe refusing to allow each canton a representative in neral Council, since the canton was a real existing while the administrative arrondissement was a tion, in which the mass of the inhabitants had lift interest. He reminded the Chamber tint the P had treated the departments in the same nanner present Government wished to treat the cantons,—." o to give them merely a certain aggregate number of sentatives, to be divided among them. O ne of tl acts of the revolution of July was to remedy this e' r t give a representative to each department, and he il that the Chamber would now show the game reg3 o ., interests of the cantons. The lion. D e p u ty, in 9 sion, quoted a passage from the report, in which S I/ 4 portance of protecting those interests was insi!' and proposed that in every administrative arro ndll the number of members sent t o t h e genera l C oun cil be equal to the cantons. Gillon (the reporter) remarked that the quoted by M. Glaisilizain was written before the ber had decided that the elections should be by art 4 went, anti not by canton. The Minister of the Interior contended that the sition of M. Gl a i s• Bi zo i n was a rev i va l i n anot her , the mode of election by cantons, which the Cbstv already rejected. He argued that it would b e n ao9; l to regulate the number of members according to sion of the surface of the soil, instead of the tea] ante of the districts, as proved by their cod? wealth and population. The Hon. Minister, in co o 4 pointed out the inconveniences which a l wa ys Or! the number of members in an assembly being t, remarking that the difficulty of maki ng l aws rel . , material interests in th e Ch am b er o f D eputies a rr the deputies being so numerous.—(A laugh.) a The amendment of M. Gl a i s- Bi zo i n was then 514, by M. Charlemagne, M. Pean, and M. Laurdij opposed by M. d'Aguilhou Pajol, M. Pelet, and Al r after which it was put to the vote in the terms :—" Article 8. The number of tnenaber°, general council shall be equal in each a rro ndisle,' the number of cantons in that arrondissetneo l ': word t' administrative," which stood b e f o re t l ', e { " arrondissement," having been omitted on the 05! of M. Gaetan de la Rochefoucauld, and acceded to Glais-Bizoin. ii Two epreuves were successively declared dour," two extremities ( w i t h very f ew exceptions), o'f the centres, rising in favour of the amendment , v i remainder of the Chamber (including the the Reporter) against it. A ballot was then d e / and the following was the result of the scrutiny • ir For the amendment Against it Majority in favour of M. Glais-Bizoin's pro position (By this decision the mode of election of v formerly rejected by the Chamber, is, in adopted.) A long agitation succeeded the announeeMe ill ; numbers; the Deputies formed themselves into i conversing in an animated tone, and it rva s j i minutes before the business of th e s it t i ng cool ceeded with. The 9th, 10th, and 11th articleti posed by the Committee, were then taken into diry M. Havin and N. de Podenas wished that thrti should be more than one electoral assembly is d rondissement, and proposed to amend the articl e , manner. This amendment was put to the vo te ti t jetted, as was al so a propos i t i on ma d e by N,I;), that all the m em b ers o f t h e genera l C ounc ils chosen by the same electors as the Deputiegy a d j addition of the citizens forming part of the see vr , the jury. • 0 .1 N. Luttesu proposed to replace the three AO' committee li thiFrrn art icle 9 3 : ere 'hall be i .isaat er oblies, o f th e d by a tabl °Re adminis e , l 'ety into tr .9 t h A °' t 1, 144 pril, as thereat Geo. Thiars setting four by each each e , settb Th is Pr • opos t Al. Gdlon of l l unittee but kernLtineau which b e b T he fi rs- t to t h par • e v Anist ere ote an d t Adjourned. ((Prorn th e The w 7", oniteu A A DEP/ cl ith e 4 , l st JAN. tho, - 7. l es and 111 1 j ° , 118 30 an( 8 ,0 , ;; 18 30 by A I ' o o franc l 'l gan ini has j (F(Pr o l 4t Phalia ; t l rog the Jlessc 11 'Jere tl , a are man Ch a ,," has j u , lii„;"°er, but W ,4044. Argout a cor e " b er• 'e W ith their' All 4W l't, All Of e i l l il n euts are t r ges which Pla ce °reported t li ttmediatel for tz l — M. Dem a Cabinet.— t (From ST, JAN. le r , 41 Was given It bas sail e d yestei p o gas on hoard 11 i! i gn Affairs. Alt's, JAN. 1 following article:. " The news th, itto return to F ri yarian troops, 1 1 said that the 4bsdron in the A ;" As a cou n t er; ilt j o ° , a urn a ) , " the ` ku. e ta th e T agus 17. e ‘ ou Governmen 014ib.rie,r, has bee hc, n 7 414 Dalto ' , i ' au e in Afric IJI PP O sed they e itroolll 4 t . : t eoh l u i - re ' eja .st :tt : ol B . o ttl , thile n , syra j n : T s i l t o ni 1 1 1 . , la e et ( l l i l ift : D A hare "4t ion of t ';' , lt t i t r'n resolved k it i ll 34 Of the ai 44 tlih n '". It • N)a' e i que . 18 ~t : . ~...,, nce r. 1.1 11;1114,111 prevet '_ 4 lll o ? t r show n ' ll ° , llti 1 "'n Pedr 4 Re ti je Hlore a d v hit f ' W il flee in t he th e rP" Li 'det ' renel , s•iak vort, ul ogri e a , CI ae last at te r ' i tro; w ho arri tio ric eer t , nta, v i : l a : a l L:7, IB Y* The c i ll ' , nowledet ted,. 'lie p en . - W ilna: l ' r ' , torir l l nsi 7, -I‘ kigi ' "titto g ' 'iii 7 k, ' '' PuN u n ' s c( ,oai l ' e Qe ( -.• SC: " . .f ' Oa — ents' er 4 • f 0c C ' 4 4 1°e * aSe..4k . SON