The Sun. — London, England, 1854-02-14 00:00:00

higher ; but ultimately the qualification was reduced to 10/. value. Now, I think that in taking that franchise, I and in abolishing, as we did, all those intricate franchises which then existed, we too much confined ourselves to one species of franchise, and did not make the franchise sufficiently varied and comprehensive. We propose, then, in the first place, that there shall be several franchises 1 common to the counties and to the towns ; and that these qualifications (as we understood) shall entitle a person to vote in the place in which he resides, whether he be re sident in a county or in a borough. The first qualifica tion we propose is 1001. salary, derived from any employ ment, public or private. It is provided that such salary shall be paid half-yearly or quarterly, so that the qualifi cation shall not apply to persons who receive weekly wages. I conceive that this franchise will bring in a very intelli gent body of men. (Cheers.) The next franchise we pro pose is 101. a year derived from dividends either from the funds, from Bank Stock, or fresn East India Stock. The next is a somewhat similar, though a higher qualification than that which I proposed two years ago —namely 40s: payment either to the income tax or to the assessed taxes within the year. (Hear, hear.) Those who pay the he l income tax will (receive votes for the present , and.. wheno, they lose their votes- they will have the compens_at'e pro pose, ri getting rid of the tax. (Cheers and laughter.) w pose, likewise, that graduates of any university o which in the United Kingdom shall have the right of voting, to /se conceive they are entitled by them education and at tainments. We propose, also, that any e remained in persons having deposits of 501. in savings banks, which h such banks for not less than three years, a s v hallobdpoeeentetreiittloed to vote. I think if the franchise were given t whose money had been in the banks f or a less period h a n three years, there would be considerable danger of the creation of fictitious votes, but I have no doubt the house will concur in the opinion that a bona fide holder of 501. in a savings bank has g i ven a proof of prudence and frugality which entitles him to a voice in the election of representa tives. (Hear, hear.) I now come those franchises w hi c h belong exclusively to th e counties. and to cities a n d boroughs. With regar d to the counties, it may be recol lected that, at the time of the introduction of the Reform Bill, the Government did not propose to depart in prin ciple from the general provisions of the constitution—that while occupation gave the right of voting in cities and boroughs, tenure should give the right of voting in counties. The 40s. freeholds were added to by copyholders and others who had similar property, but with the exception of leaseholders, holding for 31 years, it was not at first pro posed to vary the nature of the right of votingin counties. But during the progress of that bill through Parliament an amendment was proposed and carried, by which all 501. occupiers obtained the right of voting in counties. Now, I a m far from making any objection to that class of ~aO/. O ccupiers, but it will be seen that this amendment entirely changed the characer and nature of the county franchise as it had been previously understood, and tended certainly to diminish the power of that class which I have always considered one of the best and most independent classes of voters in this country—namely, the 40s. free holders. When that principle, however, wasonce departed from, reasons were shown why this occupation franchise should be extended; and considering that we do not pro pose to add to any great extent to the number of towns sending members to Parliament—indeed, we only propose to establish three new boroughs, I believe it will be a very great advantage to persons who live in towns which have not the right of sending members to Parliament, that they should have a voice in the representation of the counties in which they reside. (Hear, hear.) We propose, there fore, to adopt a suggestion which has more than once been made to the house—namely, that 101. occupiers shall have a vote for counties. (Cheers.) With respect to that right, whether in counties or in boroughs, we intend to check an abuse which has prevailed. Under the words " any build ings and lands occupied (therewith," persons run up a shed of the value of only 2s. 6d. a year, making out the rent in land, and a species of voters was thereby created who were never contemplated by the act. (Hear, hear.) We propose, therefore, with respect to this county right of voting, that—with the exception of a dwelling-house, which may be of any value provided the voter lives in it —in all other cases the building must be of the value of 51. a-year. Supposin g there is a house and land — the house may be rated at 11. or 21. a-year, provided the voter resides in it, but if the qualification is made out by any other building—a cattle-shed, or any building of that kind, then we propose this check, that such building shall be of the value of 51. a-year. This, then, i s the franchise we propose to give in counties for the future, and the house will see that it has a very considerable bearing upon the question of the increase of the number of members which I have stated we propose. Out of the whole number I have mentioned I shall propose that 46 members shall be given to counties ; but, as these counties will hereafter include the 101. Itouseleoldere, it is obvious that the constituencies will be lase of a special character. (Hear.) It does seem to me that all the endeavours made to ran down the agricultu ral interest or to run down the mauufacturing interest are totally foolish and absurd, and that there can leo no better system of representation than that which takes into consi deration the whole of the great interests of the country— (hear, hear)—which contribute to its glory and prosperity. (Cheers.) Now, Sir, I come to the question of the fran chise of the boroughs. It certainly appears to me that in taking. the 101. franchise so absolutely as we did in the year 1831, we did not make a sufficient provision for the admission of the working classes to the franchise. (Hear, hear.) It was not intended, as has been supposed, that the middle classes should be exclusively the electors in cities and boroughs ; but still it was supposed—as has taken place—that the middle classes would have the greater portion of the power in their hands, and that they would have, in effect, the greatest influence upon the future con duct of the legislation and government of this country. Entertaining that desire, I am prepared to maintain the opinions which I formerly expressed. I think it is most desirable that the middle classes of this country should have a great influence upon its fortunes ; but, seeing the character of the working classes of this country, seeing their importance, seeing how much the wealth of the country depends upon them—(hear, hear)—l think we ought to endeavour to make the door wider—(oheers)— than it now is. I may be permitted to state to the house the views held by Mr. Fox a.,e to the right of voting for members of Parliament. He said, in 1797 : " I have always deprecated universal suffrage, not so much on account of the confusion to which it would lead, as be cause I think we should in reality lose the very object we desire to obtain ; because I think it would in its nature em barrass and prevent the deliberative voice of the country from being heard. Ido not think that you augment the delibera tive body of the people by counting all the heads, but that, in truth, you confer on individuals by this means the power of drawing forth numbers who, without deliberation, would act implicitly upon their will. My opinion is, that the best plan of representation is that which shall bring into activity the greatest number of independent voters, and that that is defective which would bring forth those whose situation and condition take from them the power of deliberation." (Hear, hear ) I think that principle is a sound one, but the difficulty is in applying it. I myself do not at all shrink from saying that I think the extension of the franchise which I pro posed two years ago—namely, to rd. householders, did not go too far ; but, at the same time, I knew that proposition would give rise to great objection on the part of those who think that would be carrying the franchise to too low a point, and that we should not thereby get the intelligence and iudependence we wished to obtain. Yielding to some extent to that opinion, we turned our attention to the municipal franchise. Two objections may be urged against the adoption of he inunicipel franchise. One is, that we should snake municipal elections always the precursors of Parliamentary elections, and thereby expose municipal boroughs to continual excitement and agitation. The other is, that, under a certain act which passed two or three years ago, the rates of all houses under a certain value may be compounded for by the landlord, who thereby becomes the sole payer of the rates. I purpose taking the limit laid down in thet act. It must be acknowledged that the fact of a man living in a house is to a certain de gree a proof of independence, and, as to the amount of the value, without intending to say that all persons living in houses of less than 6'. value are venal, we have determined to draw the line there, and to provide that all persons living in houses of above 61 value shall be entitled to vote, on condition that they have fulfilled the municipal term of residence—namely, about two years end a-half before they can be placed on the register, or two years and ten months before they can exercise the right of voting. This is au extension of the suffrage which will inched() those among the working classes who are most remarkable for resi dence and conduct—those who are most remarkable for their skill and enterprise in their respective trades, and are thereby able to live in houses of better cha racter than those occupied by the great mass of their fellow-workmen. There is one change we purpose making both with respect to this new franchise and the old 101. franchise. According to the old doctrine of representation, when votes .in boroughs were unknown, persons paying scot and lot had the right of voting. By this means the franchise was extended to the lowest classes; but it was accompanied by this check, that proof of the payment of poor rates, which, in process of time, came to be substituted for the ancient definition of scot anti low, was always insisted on before the voter was allowed to poll. We introduced that check and several others into the Reform Bill, with the view of ascertain ing the solvency and sufficiency of voters. Considering, however, that a voter must be a person living either in a house of 101. value, or in one rated at 61. a-year, and must be in employment for a considerable time before he can vote, it appee re to us to be no longer necessary to keep in force the previous payment of : ates and taxes, and there fore we propose that, in future, persons on the register hall give their votes without being subject to the cheek. (Hear, hear •) We propose another cha n ge in the existing law with respect to the register of electors. There have been v ar i ous decisions in eleetion committees upon the question of striking names oil the register ; now we make the register of voters fi na l. (Hear, hear.) 1, perhaps, have not subject of explained myself with sufficient clearness on the the 101. franchise. We preserve this franchise exactly as it i s , with the ex . seetiou of changes, one of which provides that, if the franchise is claimed in respect of buildings aninduidth/ o elling-house of the joint value of 101., the/buildin gs eof the value of 51. a-year ; the other charge relates t o the no longer be insisted payment of ra t es an d t axes w hi c h w ill years and To this f ranc hi se w ill now be added the ne w one, fled on a res id ence of two years and a half or two y at imu and 10 month s i n a h ouse rated 61.municip b' al that that conditi on can gh. Any person fulfilling compelih the overseer to put his l o a f y e eeonn s still name on the register. q i a mp i n o r t t a the nee house with another change considerable which we purpose effecting When bribery and corruption -have complaints respecting boroughs in this kingdom, it proceeded fin es man of voters—namely, over and over h r a ) s " 7 again represented that one clam freemen —were deeply implicated in theseetels—nanielY' the actions. (Hear, hear.) When proposed the Reform trans form Bill is 18:31, it contained a clause similar to thatsk fur leave Ipu‘rpotse i nser ting into the measure I am about to a introduce — nam el y , a clause to e nact that, aft er Z e e ex piration of exist in g interests, the fr eemen's franchise shall cease. (Hear, hear) We propose that no person who may or h v s o i t n in fl g uen foundedeinfluenced u hereafter take up h is freedom this which a lq, birth or ser v it u d e shall s in our proposition have the right of voting - It is h to add the new right on the 61. municipal rating ; for otherwjen our bill, by ex _ tinguis 0 I ii;e the freemen's rig ht of voting, wo , hl be a mea sure for contracting ins tead of extending the suffrage. I have now to mention itnother intended change, which, though not arising iminedietely out of the proposed bill, i s connected with the general scheme of pre iesentation. It is our intention to propose an alteration in regard to the statute of etnne, which obliges any member of the H ouse of Commons who accepts office under the Crown to vacate his sent and go to a fresh election . The s p iri t of this act j o-t•'... was tiuknown from the time of the Revolution until the 6th of Arise. The act arose out of a dispute on a great acting wic •h . h Whig'sand Tories took entirely Whi v i a 'ffercut ' —namely, the Question whether the House of ould be entirely independent of the Crown, or whether ould contain Ministers of the Crown who, having art influence over the assembly, might establish Parliarcem Whigs ~rotainetery government in the country. The , ed that Ministers should have seats in Parlia meant ; el - 1; , Tories, on th e oth er h a nd, maintained! that Pwieethen should be excluded from the house. It being impossible to reconcile these conflicting views, an act was THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 14, 1854. pasted by way of et their compromise, hsee altns \ i : g h hb i t c e h tta k p be r e o e v em i i d ieg e e c i l bulu t e h d at all t hbee i c ei r ef w b n e ther s s h o e f ul d vacate re-elected. As long as the House of Commons continued unreformed —as the e were e Treasury s n u u ry m b e e; d o e f p c e on d y e e n n t i convenient m b ers connected m p embers in immediate connection with the Ministry, no great inconvenience was experienced from the operation of the act. When Mr. Canning accepted the office of Se cretary of State he vacated his seat for Liverpool, and was immediately returned for Harwich, because the latter was an easier seat, and would cause him less trouble than - must attend the representation of a large town like Liver noel. In those times, when a seat could always be found for any person for whom it was required, Ministers suf fered little inconvenience from the act of Anne ; but when the principle of popular representation was introduced into all our elections, the statute created difficulties which wore hardly compensated by the advantage of having new elections. The theory is, that a person ought to go before his constituents in order to enable them to decide whether they will have a member who is a servant of the Crown, or one who is perfectly independent. Now, in point of fact, that question hardly ever arises on such au occasion ; but the question which generally arises is—" What is the most embarrassing topic connected with the member va cating his seat," or "is he likely or not to obtain his re turn ?" The consequence of this state of things is, that very often the Crown is embarrassed in its choice, and is obliged to select a person whose re-election is sure, rather than one more fitted for the office, but whose re-election is doubtful. lam of opinion that no public benefit which may arise from an adherence to the principle of popular control in the representation can be equivalent to the ad vantages arising from it in this instance. If Ministers are to appear in this house, and to be answerable for the conduct of affairs, they ought to advise the Crown to give office—if to members of Parliament—to such members as in their judgment are most fitting to hold it. It must be obvious that there are many things which a member may do fully as important as taking office, without asking the opinion of his constituents. For instance, he may totally change his course of politics. (Hear, hear, and laughter from the Opposition.) Upon such an occasion he may, or may not think it advisable to go before his constituents, but the decision on that point rests with himself. For these reasons we think the operation of the statute in question is not generally beneficial, while it is very often inconvenient, and therefore we propose its abolition, and to allow any member— as was the case during the reign of William lll.—to accept office under the Crown without vacating his seat. I will now proceed to state to the house the various boroughs from which we propose taking one member, and likewise the places to which we propose giving the members thus removed. I mentioned to the house two classes of boroughs from which respectively 29 and 33 seats are to be taken. To these 62 seats it is neces sary to add 4 more which are now vacant, making a total of 66. I will state the places to which we propose giving 6.1 of the vacant seats. The remaining 3 will be given by a measure which I will not now stop to describe, to populous I.!aces and universities of Scotland. First, as regards, the places from which seats will be taken. The following bo i sighs, having less than 300 electors, or less than 5,000 in habitants, will be disfranchised :—Andover, 2 members ; A rundel, 1; Ashburton, 1; Caine, 1; Dartmouth, 1 ; Evesham, 2 ; Harwich, 2 ; Honiton, 2 ; Knaresborough, 2 ; Lyme Regis, 1 ; Marlborough, 9 ; Midhurst, 1 ; orthallerton, 1 ; Reigate, 1; Richmond (Yorkshire) 2 ; Thetford, 2 ; Totnes, 2 - ; Wells, 2 ; Wilton, I.—Total, 19 boroughs, returning 29 members. The following bo roughs having less than 500 electors, or less than 10,000 inhabitants, will lose one seat each ;—Bodmin, Bridge north, Bridport, Buckingham, Chichester, Chippenham, Cirencester, Cockermouth, Devizes, Dorchester, Guild ford, Hertford, Huntingdon, Leominster, Lewes, Lud low, Lymington, Lichfield, Malden, Mahon, Marlow, (Great), Newport (Isle of Wight.), Peterborough, Poole, Ripon, Stamford, Tamworth, Tavistock, Tewkesbury, Tiverton, Weymouth, Windsor, Wycombe (Chipping)— total, 33 members. The counties and divisions of counties containing a population of more than 100,000, and at pre sent returning two members, to which an additional mem ber will be given are these :—Bedford ; Chester, southern division ; ditto, northern ; Cornwall, western ; ditto, eastern ; Derby, northern ; ditto, southern ; Devon, southern ; ditto, northern ; Durham, northern ; ditto, southern ; Essex, southern ; ditto, northern ; Gloucester, western ; Kent, western . ditto, eastern ; Lancaster, northern ; Lincoln, parts of indsey ; ditto, parts of Kes teven and Holland ; Middlesex ' Monmouth ; Norfolk, western ; ditto, eastern ; Stafford, northern ; ditto, south ern ; Somerset, western ; ditto, eastern ; Salop, northern ; Southampton, northern ; Suffolk, eastern ; ditto, western ; Surrey. eastern, Sussex, eastern ; Warwick, northern ; Worcester, eastern ; York, East Riling ; ditto, North. Wales.—Glamorgan, 1. Additional members, 38. The cities and boroughs containing more than 100,000 inhabi tents at present returning two members but, hereafter are to return three : Birmingham, Bristol (city), Bradford (Yorkshire), Leeds, Liverpool, 3lanchester (city), Sheffield, Wolverhampton ; Salford, to return in future two mem bers—total nine members. Unrepresented towns contain ing more than 20,000 inhabitants to receive one member each are :—Birkenhead, Burnley, Stalevbridge—total, 3 members. I have already mentioned that ti.e West Riding of Yorkshire and South Lancashire are each to be divided into parts, with two members each, which will appropriate eight more of the vacant seats. The new borough of Chel sea and Kensington will take two more • the Inns of Court two, the Loudon University one ; and all these together, with the three seats reserved for Scotland, make up the total number of 66. A MEMBER asked whether each division of the West Riding and South Lancashire was to have three members ? Lord J. RUSSELL.—Yes. It may be convenient to the house if I give a summary of the manner in which we pro pose disposing of the 66 vacant seats. It is thus : Counties, and divisions of counties 3B West Riding South Lancashire Three new boroughs, one each One new borough Nine boroughs, one each additional.... Inns of Court London Uni-yersity Scotland 3 . 9 ITotal I have stated the general provisions of the measure, I hope not at too great length, but in such a way as to make it understood by the house. I will not enter further into any general considerations connected with the subject. It is my belief that the measure will tend to correct defects which, sooner or later, must be amended, and that, by adding to the number of persons privileged to return mem bers to this house, we shall give a wider basis to our re presentation, and thereby contribute to the strength and security of our constitution, end cause the people to feel greater confidence in it. With these observations I ask leave to bring in a bill to amend the laws relating to the representation of the people in England Wales. Mr. H. T. LIDDELL said, he rose thus early in the debate, because the hon. member for Manchester thought tit to open the proceedings of the evening by present ing a petition signed by some 3,000 names of the in habitants of Liverpool, imputing bribery and corrup tion to the freemen of that constituency. He (Mr. Liddell) rejoiced that he had done so ; because, without any violation of the rules of the house, he was enabled to meet the charge at the earliest possible moment. (Hear, hear.) He trusted the hon. member for Manchester would take the first opportunity of making some specific motion upon the requirements of that petition. He told the hon. member that he (Mr. Liddell) was prepared to fight the battle of the freemen of Liverpool, to vindicate their character, and maintain their rights. He trusted that the house would not be misled by the appear ance of a bulky petition with 3,000 signatures, when he reminded them that the population of Liverpool consisted of 500,000, with a constituency of about 17,000 electors on the register. He rejoiced that th e no bl e l or d did no t pro l.ose a bill of disfranchisement against any of the existing freemen, though he mi g ht see reason t o o bj ect to t h e future disfranchisement of that class of voters. As regarded the measure which the noble lord had sketched for the consi deration of the house, he could not help remarking that the reference to the petition of the Friends of the People had cut the ground from under his feet. The noble lord read seriatim, all the complaints contained in that cele brated document, and then declared that the causes of every one of them had been removed by the Reform Act. It was not his desire, nor was it the desire of those with whom he acted, to add to the difficulties in which the noble lord appeared to be prepared to plunge the country by discussing at the present moment a subject of this ex citing nature. He hoped that the measure would not reach a second reading, but that it would be postponed in deference to the feelings and welfare of the country. The nohle lord had begun by stating that 19 boroughs, which returned 29 members, were to be disfranchised. Was it possible that the noble lord could proceed to a measure of disfranchisement of that extent withont provoking a most painful discussion both on the pare of friends and foes, or could he possibly proceed to the prospective disfranchise ment of freemen without occasioning a vast amount of painful and acrimonious discussion ? (He T, hear.) In the present House of Commons the noble lord knew the sup port which he might anticipate iu case of need ; but if he carried the bill which he had laid upon tise table it would almost involve the necessity of a dissolution of Parliament (lmin the summer or autumn ; and who could tell what changes and vicissitudes might take place in the course of a orotracted war, or in what temper the people of Eng lead might be at the time when the dissolution took place ? (Hear, hear.) The noble earl at the head of the Government had stated in another place that the hope of preserving peace need not yet be abandoned. That hope, he feared, was shared by very few persons in this country, and in whatever bosom it found a refuge it must be a hope very near akin to despair. He certainly enuild not share that hope, and, as he believed the country to be nearly involved in a war which was likely to be more protracted in duration, anti to be fraught with more serious consequences than the noble lord seemed to antici pate, ho conjured him once more to consider whether the present was not a juncture at which such a measure ought not to be pressed upon Parliament. Before he sat down Bo th: d s :3 ;o l.l a p n o a ll . ‘ t v h h le h washe thought one p 0 i I thelt t to housewhich wha e s e w n i t s i h tl e e d d to some Cabinet the resignation of the noble lord the Home Secre tien. During the discussion of the Reform Bill in the tees , had been made known to the country. He begged to assure the noble lord that, as no man upon the Treasury bench possessed more the confidence of the cou ntr y than the noble lord, so no man in that house was prepared to speak of him with more respect than he was ; but he thought the noble lord owed it to is own character, and to the satisfaction of the house and the country, now that tint, the questiln of Parliamentary reform was brought fairly under their notice, to give some explanation of that retirement which, at a very moment of our domestic his tory, left this country for 12 days without a Home Secre tary. He hoped the noble lord knew that he was of shffi chset importance, and filled sufficient space in the estima tion of his countrymen, to render anything that he did in % public matter the subject of remark, and deserving etesh an explanation as the circumstance might seem to (lernand. Upon that account he wished to ask the noble lord if he would condescend to inform the house what were the circumstances in connection with the Reform Bill which had led him to abandon the helm which he guided with so much vigour, and leave the country at a most critical period 12 days without a Secretary of State for the Home Department? (Hear.) Mr. H. BAILLIE asked whether the same principle which had been laid down for England would also be ap plied to Scotland, and whether all places which did not contain 300 electors would be disfranchised ? Mr. F. FRENCH asked tlse same question with reference to Ireland, and also whether counties with populations exceeding 100,000 were to have additional members, as in England ? Mr. ELLICE thought it rather hard that the noble lord shertld have included all the freemen of this country in his charge of general corruption. Since he had represented those truly honest, independent, and incorruptible men, the electors of Cover. try, in that house, now nearly 40 years, he defied the noble lord to say that upon any occa sion had any charge of corruption been made against the freemen portion of his constituents. . There was one good ar gument upon which-it appeared to him that the right of the freemen could be maintained. The house wished to give the franchise to the best instructed of the working classes. The process by which the freemen of Coventry gained their votes was by serving seven years to the same master in the same city. Unless their conduct was good, and their masters certified to that effect, they could not obtain their freedom ; and what better proof, he asked, than such a servitude could they have of the fitness and. qualifications of a man to exercise the elective franchise ? (Hear, hear.) This was not the time when they should. take away one of the franchises of the workmen of this country. They were just now engaged in a struggle for the maintenance of the value of their labour, and he asked them at such a time not to deprive them of the right of being represented in that house, especially when their fit ness to be represented might favourably contrast with that of any other class in the community. (Hear.) Mr. GEACH corroborated the views of his right hon. colleague with respect to the freemen of Coventry, and ex pressed his opinion that the system of freedoms provided a class of voters of greater aggregate intelligence and political knowledge than could be obtained in any other manner. Colonel SIBTHORP hoped that the freemen of Lincoln would treat with the same contempt that he did the un just, unnecessary, and unworthy observations of the noble lord. He wished that her Majesty's Ministers might be as honest, upright, and straightforward as they were. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) Then we should have the Treasury bench more pure, more to be relied on, and deserving of greater confidence than it was at this moment. He had known those freemen for years. He entertained the highest opinion of them, and he would not condescend, ob jectiug as he did to the bill almost altogether, to do more than to repeat his hope that the freemen of Lincoln would treat the unworthy stigma which the noble lord had thought proper to place upon them with that contempt which he told the noble lord that he did. (Laughter.) Colonel BL AIR wished to know if counties in Scotland with a population of upwards of 100,000 would be allowed an additional member? Sir B. HALL complained of the want of enfranchise ment as regarded the metropolitan boroughs. (A laugh from the Opposition.) The noble lord. proposed to give an additional member to the borough of Salford, and he took—so far as ho (Sir B. Hall) could understand—a popu lation of 100,000 as the point about which he would give a third member ; and on what principle was it, therefore, that he made the metropolitan beroughs an exception to this rule ? Mr. NEWDEGATE wished to know if the noble lord formed any calculation as to the number of each of the new constituencies? Mr. PHILLIMORE thought the project of the noble lord the member for the city of London as to the repre sentation of minorities, was certainly a whimsical one, to say the least of it, and he wished to know if the noble lord would have any objection to apply the principle to the proceedings of that house, so that out of every three measures the majority might carry two, and the minority one ? (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) He certainly disagreed with the noble lord's proposal to repeal the act which obliged all persons accepting place to vacate their seats. The act, passed by Godolphin's Ministry, was intended to provide against placemen having seats in that house, and was described by Mr. Hallam as being a most valuable and serviceable provision. (Hear, hear.) The noble lord must recollect that it was part of a system, and, though it might produce great inconveniences at times, yet these were, without doubt, entirely balanced by its advantages. (Hear, hear.) Mr. TUFNELL regretted that the bill contained no pro vision relating to the property qualification. He had ab stained last year from bringing the subject before the house, hoping that it would be included in the anticipated mea sure of reform, a hope which was greatly strengthened by the fact that, in the constitutions recently granted to the colonies, we declare that persons qualified to be electors should be also qualified for representatives. As the noble lord, however, had not dealt with this point in his measure, he now gave notice that ho should himself, as early as pos sible, ask for leave to bring in a bill on the subject. Mr. HUME said, that one great object which he had always had in view in promoting reform had been to bring within the pale of the constitution a body of men who hitherto, he thought, had been hardly treated—the higher class of artisans. This measure, however, so far as he saw at present, gave no opportunity of doing that. Considering how many of these artisans were obliged to go about from place to place, often residing less than one year in a place, it was scarcely to be expected that a 6/. franchise, with two and a-half years' residence, would admit many of them ; but, had the noble lord fixed a 51. franchise, with one year's residence, he would probably have given many of them votes. He was greatly pleased with the noble lord for having persevered with the measure at the present time ; for he was perfectly satisfied that the country was fully capable of considering a measure of this sort calmly and ,:eliberately, even under the pressure of an impending war Of all parts of the measure he most approved of Schedule A. He hoped, however, that the house would never pass that part of the bill which related to the representation of the minority. All our institutions were grounded on the preponderance of the majority, and such a principle as the noble lord now sought to introduce was entirely new. He should also have much preferred that the noble lord should have brought down the suffrage to one universal standard—the municipal suffrage. In conclusion, he would ask the noble lord, whether he had made any calculation as to what would be the number of the elec toral body ? At present it was, in round numbers, about 900,000, and ho wished to know whether it would be in creased or diminished. He would ask how it was that a new member was to be given to Salford, while the Tower Hamlets, with a population of 500,000 was still to have but two? After a few words from Mr. CAYLEY, Mr. H. DRUMMOND said, it cannot be expected that l i I, who so much disliked the former Reform Bill, should look upon the present one with grateful eyes. That Re form Bill was hailed as a revolutionary measure by every man in the country who liked revolution, and it was re pelled by every man who disliked revolution, and both of them alike called it honestly by that name. (Hear, hear, from the Opposition.) I. can find no fault with the noble lord for pursuing the course upon which he then entered, but I confess I am again somewhat surprised., as I was loot Sony, kw,yriuls how to iuterprei uur own language, those who support this measure should speak of it under the character of a measure of " Conservative progress." It is progress, undoubtedly; progress in that revolutionary measure which the noble lord hi mse lf so s ti gma ti se d 23 r years ago. This is a measure which is entitled, I think, to the same character. Now, sir, not to call names with out stating clearly what I mean by the terms, I mean this, —that you do sever, and did at that time sever, and are going on severing, property from power. (Hear, hear, from the Opposition.) No matter by what means, no matter what words you use, that severance is Socialism. Whether it be wise in the noble lord to bring this measure on at this time I care not. Ido not believe it signifies at all whether you discuss it in a state of war or peace,—the measure contains in itself that which must be sooner or later destructive. It is of no use in the world speaking of it in other language ; it is incense offered to that party which for 21 years the noble lord has idolised, the party which honestly, and without disguise, declares that its in tention and hope is to establish shortly a democracy in this country. (Loud cheers from the Opposition.) Mr. J. BALL thought that the provision in the bill which gave a vote to any man who had 501. in the savings bank would remedy some of the defects complained of by the hon. member for Montrose as likely to arise from lim iting the franchise to 61. He hoped that this would be made to include every kind of savings, and particularly assurances. He thought Ireland would have great reason to complain if the same session which saw the application of sound views of reform to England was allowed to pass without their being extended to Ireland. Lord J. RUSSELL—SeveraI members have asked me with respect to the measures to be introduced for Scotland ' 1 and Ireland. All I can say is, that I will not attempt to explain those measures at present, but that the same prin ciples will be applied generally to all the three countries, and that the number of members for Ireland will remain what it is, while the number of members for Scotland will be three more than at present. With regard to any of their provisions, I beg leave to decline answering any questions at present ; the Chief Secretary for Ireland and the Lord Advocate will at the proper time submit the re spective measures for the consideration of the house. The hen. baronet the member for Marylebone has asked why there was not a greater addition to the number of the me tropolitan members. Now, we propose to create Chelsea and Kensington into a borough, to return two members, and really, sir, I think that will be sufficient addition to the metropolitan members. (Hear, hear.) When we consider how much the metropolis is one place, the advan tage the members have of being here with their constitu ents near them—(a laugh) —coming down, as the hon. baro net often does, having had a communication with some hundreds of his constituents in the morning to express their views here in the evening—l really think we must agree that the metropolis—always excepting, of course, that part which I represent (a lau,gli)—is sufficiently well represented. Hy right hon. friend the member for Coventry complains of my proposal for the future disfranchisement of freemen. All I can say with respect to that is, that in all cases where inquiry has taken place there seems to be at least a general opinion with respect to freemen, that they are a class more particularly liable to be worked upon by bribery and corruption, and I propose therefore not disfranchising those at present existing, but to prevent any such class for the future from coming in. Ido not wish to enter into any details of the bill now, but rather wish that the house should consider those details when they have the bill before them. lam well aware that no explanations that I could give would enable the house to form so complete an idea of the measure as they can obtain by a careful study of the bill itself, and I only hope that they will give it their fullest attention. The bill has been drawn with no reference to any party influence, but with a view solely to obtaining the best general representation of the country. The hon. member for West Surrey said that the whole plan of this bill is intended to advance democracy. I differ entirely in this from the hon. gentleman. (Hear, hear.) I remember perfectly well those predictions in 1831—the King was to leave his throne—the House of Lords was to be abolished completely —every sort of calamity was to fall upou us. For my own part, Sir, if l am no t m i s t a k en, the people, during the time the reformed Parliament has been rn existence, have been more attached to the institutions of the country, more decidedly well-affected to the throne, than they were in times bef ore . (Ch eers. ) One thing I remember particularly. In the close of the year 1819 the Minister came down to Parliament with six bills, which be introduced into this house. One was to prevent public meetings, another to gag the press, another intended to re strain some other popular liberty—all measures, as Lord Castlereagh expressed it, of strict coercion, intended to repress what he considered the growing disaffection of the country. Let the hon. gentleman be persuaded that, as my noble friend the Home Secretary has said in one of his celebrated speeches, there were two kinds of re volutionists—one who seek by tumult and violence directly to change the form of government, and those who, by opposing well-considered and useful plans of reform, impede all moderate progress, and thus cause those violent changes which they themselves roust deprecate. My belief is, that the present measure is what my noble friend at the head of the Government has in an ticipation described it to be, " a liberal and conservative measure." That I believe is the description which fully agrees with its character. With regard to the qu es ti on put to me as to the numbers of the constituency, I really have not ventured to bring any calculation before the house. It was so difficult to calculate how many of certain classes now have votes, and it would be impossible to tell what the future number would be. Mr. W. D. SEYMOUR inquired whether the two years and a-half residence was to I.e in the same house or in the same borough ? Lord J. RUSSELL.—In the same borough, but not ne cessarily in the same house. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE thought that, on the whole, the bill, with some amendments, would be a very excellent measure. The next thing the noble lord had to do was to convince the country that he and his Government were in earnest, and that they were determined to pass a bill to improve the representation of the people. They must on no account listen to the evil counsels with which he was, no doubt, beset—to postpone the discussion of this measure until the question of war or peace was decided, or the war ended. But who could tell when a European war each as we were now threatened with would end ? Suppose the measure had been more mid, would hon. gentlemen opposite have supported it ' What did they settle to do with the noble lord's neasure in 1852, which was really thought no%worth discussing by the Liberal party? He perceived from the noble ord's proposal that several of the Whig boroughs, left untouched by the Reform Bill of 1831 and 1832, were proposed now to be disfran chised. It was said the Reform Bill of 1831 and 1832 was corrupt, because Caine was one of the bo roughs left in by it, but now it was proposed to disfranchise Calne, as well as Richmond, in Yorkshire, Arundel, and other Whig loroug,hs. This he thought was a fact speaking well for tie intention of Government. (Hear.) He hoped there would be no attempt to postpone the measure, but that Government would let it take its chance in that house, and :rust the rest to the people of this country. He held in his hand a list of gentlemen who met at Lord Derby's in 1852, after the " little Reform Bill" was introduced by the noble lord (Lord J. Russell). Upwards of 100 were present; and he had now before him a list of all their names. laugh.) He would not, how ever, read the names, as Ihe house was well enabled to guess who would be there —namely, the friends of the right hon. gentlemen who by acme accident got into office the year before last. (Laughter.) With regard to that list, he would read a paragraph accompanying it—" At a meet ing held at Lord Derby's house yesterday, the policy to be pursued by the Protectionists with respect to the Reform Bill was discussed, and it vas unanimously determined to oppose the second reading of the bill." That was just what the other side proposed to do now, and the more so as they had now an impending war thrown into the scale to assist them. (Laughtee.) If they opposed the bill of 1852, of course they would oppose the larger bill now pro posed. (Laughter.) But all the noble lord (Lord J. Rus sell) had to do was to convince the country he was in ear nest, and to render the measure popular in the country depended upon how wide the noble lord opened the door to the industrial classes of the community. (Cheers.) He thought the noble lord had not opened that door wide enough. The two years sad a-half residence proposed by the noble lord would in sane cases be in effect three years and a-half, inasmuch as a man might not take up his resi dence until just before the registration took place, and, consequently, his claim could not be considered until a year had elapsed. It would be seen, then, that this clause would exclude a large number from the posses sion of the franchise. Ile approved of the proposal to extend the number of metropolitan members, and he hoped the noble lord (Lord John Russell) would receive, if he was in earnest, the Btpport of the country. The noble lord might rest assured that he must depend upon that support and upon the exertions of Government to give effect to that justice to the working classes which he (Mr. Duncombe) maintained had been much too long withheld. (Cheers.) Mr. E. BALL could not allow the debate to close with out expressing his gratitude to the noble lord the member for London for his proposal to give the London University the right of being represented in the House of Commons. He thought the representation of the country could not be better advanced than by conferring the franchise upon the educated portion of the community, and, on behalf of the University of London, he begged to thank the noble lord for the privilege he proposed to confer upon it. Mr. HEYWOOD observed that in the county of Lan caster the division of the 101. householders would about double the number of electors, and at the same time it would, of course, doable the expense of elections, as twice the number of electors would have to be brought to the poll upon each occasion. Mr. MURROUGH complained that in the proposal of the noble lord (Lord J. Russell) no step was taken to dis pense with the property qualification of members. After instancing the names of several illustrious statesmen and authors who had been members of that house in former years, he asked if there were not now, upon both sides of the house, hon. members who had served their country with ability to the publii and honour to themselves, who, on the threshold of theiriolitical career, could by no chance have possessed the property qualification ? The effect of the property qualification was frequently to unseat the duly elected representative of the people, and to defraud a constituency of its franchise and privileges. Without dwelling upon the character of a law which required a man to hold a seat in the House of Commons upon no better recommendation than the adequacy of his patrimony, he contended that the electors themselves were treated with the grossest injustice by such a provision, inasmuch as they selected the man they deemed the best fitted to re present them, and none but the most venal could form an opinion of the adequacy of his means. In many cases the property qualification acted in this way,—the man who was chosen by the electors as the advocate of popular rights, after possessing his seat for a few weeks, found him self ousted by an election committee, while a man whose principles were disapproved by the electors, and who pos sessed neither their esteem nor respect, stepped into the seat as their chosen representative. Unless the noble lord (Lord J. Russell) made a provision in the bill to remedy the defect of which he (Mr. Murrough) complained, he should feel it his duty to propose the introduction of such a clause. Though it might be said that at present no agi tation was going forward upon this subject, he was con vinced that the people of this country would be greatly disappointed unless it was brought forward, and he felt that it would be playing a most dangerous game indeed to teach the people of England that they were to expect no thing save that which resulted from a successful agitation. Mr. MAGUIRE thought that in one feature the bill pro posed by the noble lord the member for London applied as much to Ireland as to England, and he begged the attention of the house while he referred to it for a moment. The feature in the scheme of the noble lord to which he alluded was sufficient to alarm both countries, but was most preg nant with danger as regarded Ireland. He referred to the repeal of that provision which compelled a member taking office under Government to go before his constituents be fore he could again enter Parliament. To show how the repeal of that statute was fraught with danger even to Ire land, he alluded to a meeting at Dublin of 60 members of Parliament, elected by their constituents at great sacrifice, who at that meeting made a solemn declaration binding themselves to a certain line of Polley s anc tioned by the great mass of the Irish people. Sinc e tl ys t, period several of those gentlemen bad accepted office under Government, and on doing so, under the s t a t u t e a b p resen t ex i s ti ng , they were compelled to vacate their seatsand go before their constituents for re-election. But if the measure proposed by the noble lord (Lord J. Russell) passed, and the pro vision to which he referred existed no longer, what check would there be against corruption ? A. hundred members might bind themselves to a particular policy, but if the existing check against corruption were done away with, every man of easy virtue would take advantage of it, sell himself to the Government, and abandon his constituents. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) He considered that there could not be two characters more distinct than the inde pendent member of Parliament and the servant of Govern meat, and he should do his utmost to oppose the repeal of what he believed to be a most sanitary check upon cor ruption and treachery. The SPEAKER then put the question, and leave was given to introduce both bills, which were accordingly read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on the 13th of March. LAND FOR CHURCH BUILDING. Sir W. MOLESWORTH moved for, and obtained leave to bring in a bill to facilitate the apportionment of the rent, when parts of lands on lease are taken for the pur poses of the Church Building Acts. CHARGE OF CORRUPTION AGAINST IRISH MEMBERS.—COMMITTEE OF PRIVILEGES. Mr. I. BUTT rose to move that the committee of privi leges, which the house, upon his motion, had decided to appoint, to consider certain allegations which had appeared in the Times newspaper, should consist of 20 members. He was not aware whether he was to anticipate any opposition to the nomination of the committee, and for the present would confine himself to a brief statement of the reasons which had induced him to think that the number which he had mentioned was that which ho ought to propose. The house would remember that, when he brought for ward his motion, he had referred to a precedent of the year 1834, as the only one which he co - ald find to justify the course proposed. (Hear, hear, hear.) In a matter of this nature, involving such considerations as those which were involved here, he had thought it better to conform to precedent as far as possible. The resolutions, there fore, which he had moved had been copied, word for word, from the resolutions of 1834. And finding that the committee then nominated had consisted of twenty mem bers, that several distinguished members of the house had served upon it, and that the late Sir R. Peel, who had been one of them, had thus testified, as he was bound to assume, his approval of twenty as the proper number, he had thought it desirable that that should be the number now. Mr. HUME said there was a rule of the house that no committee should consist of more than fifteen members, unless there were some special public reason for appointing a larger number. He thought that no such reason existed in the present case, and he should certainly object to so numerous a committee as that which was now proposed. He had rather that the number should be limited to five. Sir G. GREY agreed with his hon. friend the member for Montrose. A great change had taken place in the prac tice of the hon:e since the precedents to which the hon. and learned gentleman the member for Youghal had re ferred. At that time there was no limit as to number, and the practice of appointing small committees in the na ture of judicial committees had not then been adopted. He thought it improper, in a case of this kind, to appoint even no large a number as fifteen. The charges which had been made were such as ought to be judicially and carefully inquired into. (Hear, hear.) He was sure that the only wish of the hon. gentleman opposite was to have a tho rough investigation, but he had not been long in the house and had not had an opportunity of watching, as other hon. members had, the changes which had taken place in its practice. It was for this reason that he now called his attention to the fact, that what was in accordance with precedent iu the year 1834, would be contrary to all recent precedent if it were adopted now. Mr. LUCAS said the mere appointment of a committee was not sufficient to effect the object which the hon. and learned gentleman had in view. It had been decided that the honour of the house required that the complaints which had been made should be subjected to a full and searching investigation. Those complaints included not only the specific facts mentioned by Mr. Kelly and Dr. Gray, but the general charge made against one hundred members of that house by the article in the Times newspa per. (Hear.) If that charge were true, multiplied offences had been committed of a very secret character, and such as were very difficult of investigation. What course had the house generally adopted when inquiring into secret offences of that kind ? If they wished to inquiry into allegations of bribery—in reference, for instance, to such a borough as St. Albans—they took care, concurrently with the ap pointment of a committee or a commission, to pass an act of indemnity. (Hear, hear.) If they wished to get rid of the corruption complained of by this article, they must adopt the same course, and must place the witnesses who might be able and willing to give evidence before the com mittee in a situation to do so without risk to themselves. (Hear, hear.) He did not mean to say that any party wished to smuggle up the case ; but their own conduct in other instances was the best proof that a measure for the protection of witnesses must be passed, in order that those witnesses might be forthcoming. He had an additional reason for making this suggestion to the house, in some thing which had come to his knowledge since the former discussion on this subject. He had certain newspapers brought under his notice which had at first led him to ap prehend that he might possibly have done some injustice to that class of Irish representatives of whom he had expressed an unfavourable opinion ; for he had seen in the columns of those newspapers that Government appointments were "legally saleable," and that the Times itself had been a party to such transactions. (Hear, hear.) He had copied from that journal certain advertisements which seemed to him to deserve the attention of the house, if they honestly wished to inquire into the charge which bad been made, that offices were actually sold. (Hear, hear.) In the Times of the 11th January this advertisement appeared : " Douceur-2001. will be paid at once to any lady or gen tleman who will legally procure for the advertiser (a young man of business habits, and who writes well—(laughter)— a permanent Government situation worth 2001. per annum. The strictest secrecy will be observed in the matter.—Ad dress L. S. D., Post-office, Cork." (Laughter.) On the 28th ofJanuary there appeared, among others, an advertisement offering " a docour of 1001. for five years, for a Government or other situation, legally seleable, of not less th an 3001. per annum, by a gentleman aged 43, who with draws from one of the liberal professions; strictest secrecy may be relied on, and security, if required, in leasehold property—Address, J.M.,l2lEdgeware-road,Paddington.' o A ff n e o r t e he d i r 0 11 v f e o r r t is e as m i t e u n a t, ti which a a n p y p e o a r f ef t l h o e n t G h o e v 4 e t r li of nine Feb., n t or public offices, as messenger, light porter, or gatek ee p er ; and the Civil Service Gazette of the 28th Jan. contained an offer of 5001. cash for a permanent public appointment, with a yearly salary of from 2501, to 3001. (Hear.) He h a d been curious to see whether there were any advertisements offering places for sale. He had found one in which the advertiser professed to be able to procure a situation of ginthaisns—t a ( t L e a d u g t e r imme diately afterwards, that the duties were " from ten unt i l I —but . linacyoueapr" witho establishedthe fact,whwhich business was " three," he must say that this looked very like an offer to dispose of a Government situation. (Laughter.) He had been anxious also to see whether there was any difference in the number of these advertisements when Parliament was up and when it was in session. (Hear.) He had ascer tained that during the whole month of January the Times contained 12 such advertisements; and in the first week of Feb. no fewer than 15. Su that they had, in fact, consider ably increased after the meeting of Parliament. (Hear.) According to " Russell on Crimes," the buying and selling of offices was an offence indictable at common law, and by the 49th of Geo. 111. the publication of any advertisement containing proposal' for that purpose made the party pub lishing liable to a penalty of 501. (Hear.) Within one week from the commencement of the session the Times had brought itself, in 15 instances, within the spirit of that enactment. Nobody could doubt, after reading these ad vertisements, that the buying and selling of offices did take place. The fact was put before the public in the newspapers in the most glaring and offensive form ; and the disgraceful character of the transaction was attested by the stipulation made, in every instance. that strict secrecy was to be observed. (Hear.) They could not hope, therefore, to obtain the information which they sought, without the act of indemnity which he had suggested; and he ear nestly appealed to the noble lord opposite to state whether he would, by bringing forward such a measure, take the only step which could make the inquiry effective. Mr. GOULBURN supported the view of Sir Geo. Grey as to the propriety of having a small committee, of which there should be no quorum, so that all the members would bo appointed under a solemn obligation to listen to all the evidence, and to attend from day to day until the charges made, and which affected the honour of members of that house, should be supported or disproved They had already ample powers to indemnify any witness in respect of any statement before a committee of that house which might otherwise subject him to a prosecution, without waiting for the measure which the hon. gentleman opposite pro posed. Sir J. PAKINGTON was also of opinion that any com mittee which might be appointed to investigate this mat ter should sit as a judicial committee—that no quorum should be appointed—and that every member should at tend every sitting. In order to attain this end, 20 would be an inconveniently large number. In a case somewhat analogous, in which the late Mr. O'Connell was concerned relating to the Carlow election, the number of the com mittee was 11 ; and in another case, in the year 1835, the number was 15. Neither of these cases, however, was pot as a case of " privilege," and he wished to ask the Speaker whether the fact of this being so put obliged them to revert to the precedent of 1834? Lord H. VANE trusted the committee would not be constituted like one upon which he had served some years ago. In that case, a certain number of members had been appointed by the house, but all the members represented counties, and some others had the right of attending when they pleased. The SPEAKER said the committee to which the noble lord had alluded was a standing committee, appointed at the commencement of every session. It was called the committee of privileges, and was composed of a certain number of gentlemen nominated by the house, with all the members representing counties and gentlemen of the long robe, making up almost as many members as the house itself. It had, however, very often happened of late years that matters had been referred, not to the committee of privileges, but to a committee of privileges, which was a select committee nominated by the house. In 1834 it was the practice to constitute committees of as many as twenty members, or even more ; but a standing order had since limited the number to 15, and still more recently it had been the practice to appoint to all committees of a judicial character a very small number of members, of whom every one was required to be present at every sitting. He thought this case would fall quite within that pra Mice. (Hear.) Mr.E.DENISON - suggestedthat, consulting precedence, they would reduce the number of the committee to five, and recommended, further, that the committee of five should be nominated, likewise, in accordance with the pre cedent, by the committee of selection. Mr. HILDYARI) contended that the house could not indemnify a witness who had violated the law of the land —(hear, hear) -a doctrine which he felt bound absolutely to deny, lest the country should suppose they had any such privilege. The witness, indeed, might be able to decline criminating himself, and might, when asked if he hoe , been guilty of trafficking in office, decline answering a question his answer to which would subject him to punishment ; but the house could not screen one who had expressly broken the law of the land. Mr. F. FRENCH thought this question was being ar gued on what he should call Red Tape principles. Admit ting the desirability of their having a committee, it was to the ability, not to the number, of those upon it that the house should look. (Hear.) He asked why, if they were disposed to have a real and searching inquiry, they sh neld not have a commission instead of a committee? And why not pass a bill of indemnity. If the truth was that mem bers ha •I disposed of patronage, and that the Government had had cognizance of such feelings, then there should be the fullest inquiry ; and, with a view to the fullest in quiry, there should issue a commission. This was the only way in which the persons on whom this charge would be thrown could be freed from suripicion. Ho said, on the part of the Irish members—" We dare you now to a full and ample inquiry." The responsibility would be on the Government, not on members, if that inquiry did not as sume the form most likely to arrive at the truth. Mr. BUTT observed that there were two propositions before the house. One that this committee should be re duced in number, another that its appointment should be referred to the committee of selection. He had no wish but that this inquiry should be as full as possible, and that it should be conducted in such a way that the people both of England and Ireland would consider it to have been so. It would not, he said, be of any use to appoint five gentlemen unless their names were such as would give satisfaction ; and, he must say, on this question of reduction, that he would not wish the committee brought below 11, and would greatly prefer its being composed of 15. The house must observe that it contained within itself a section, opposing the Government, who were the accusers in this case—(hear, hear, and no, no)—and who made this accusation against another section of Irish members. Would they exclude the accusers from the committee, and, if they did so would they satisfy the Irish people ? Would they leave the ac cused undefended in the committee, and, if they did so, would they be acting fairly towards them? They must have enough gentlemen of character and position on the committee to give satisfaction as the result of their in quiries; and they must remember that the appoint ment of a small commission would certainly subject it to suspicion. As to the other suggestion—the appointment of this committee by the committee of selection—he wholly rejected it, considering that the house would be abdicating its highest functions in con senting to such an arrangement. So convinced was he of e o a s N t N o E t the L n u w m a b s e r n o o f t the aware w a c r o e m t m h i a t t t e a e m ; o b n it this, that if the committee ho asked for was not to be chosen by the house itself, then it became a proceeding in recommendedobje electing tio annt:yo f a u n r tyi t i h ef e oa r r:opotrioann y o fe responsibility. x tthe en t which he could take no further part. He was perfectly ready m. t s o o g i v N e way o, g natheethloridshofmceoimnbinergstoonahriisghstidceonocfluthsieonho. uHseetnaheors if it were not to be appointed by the house itself, ho must All they desired was the best, the surest,ofs uggestionn q uandr inquiry whatsoever. the w t e t h h e a c a l a t t i was r r s n o e t c e e h a s t v e n t e e rl s y: ey t w s h h o o u l l e d t b r u e t a h b o i f l I t h o f i s indemn ity matter and gasno uterde,:riasugthietnutph,epreerfweoeutllyd be nothing t o prevent there having the truth, and th e and satisfactorily, one way or the other. The hon. member (Mr. Lucas) would then be able to substantiate the accusa tions made in his extraordinary speech the other night— such a speech as he (Mr. J. O'Connell) though he had been some seventeen years in Parliament, had never heard be fore. The hon. member had then stated that there was no doubt whatever that the grossest and most corrupt prac tices had prevailed among Irish members ; and he supple mented that statement with the declaration that he could not and would not prove it. (Hear.) By this bill of in demnity asked for, it would be shown whether the hon. member's charges were capable of proof or not ; for by its operation there would be no impediment to their being proved, except their being false. The hon. gentleman (3lr. J. O'Connell) concluded by requesting that his name might bo withdrawn from the committee on the ground that he had had personal conflicts with some of the gentle men who must be examined in this inquiry. Colonel DUNNE said that Irishmen were accustomed to libel in the Times, and that he never recollected any o; 'genic changes having relation to that country which had not been pr. ceded by a skim mishing line of libel in that paper. The hon. member (Mr. Butt), however, had con fined himself to two assertions made in Ireland ; and those charges to which he had alluded were such that the tribune before which they were investigated should be judicial. They should have a commission ; and the Go vernment—which, if there had been corruption among Irish members, must have be en a par t y t o it - s h ou ld b e willing to grant a commission. He believed that the re sult of due inquiry would be a contradiction of these charges, but ho thought the Government would be to blame if they were not fully investigated. Ho regretted that the leader of the house was not present to speak on this point for the Government. Sir J. YOUNG explained Lord J. Russell's absence by the fatigue incident to his long speech on the Reform mea sure he had brought in that evening. As regarded the proposal for an indemnity bill was not needed. The house had itself ample power to protect the witnesses brought before it. Tho sole question was as to the number of which this committee should consist ; there was no ques tion as to whether the nomination should be by the com mittee of selection. As to the number, it had, in the recent practice of the house, been reduced, with great advantage, from the larger to the smaller number. The number was the only question. In reply to Mr. P fIILLIMORE, Sir J. YOUNG repeated that the house had ample power to protect its witnesses. Mr. ROEBUCK doubted this doctrine. If he indicted a man who had confessed before a committee of the house that he had trafficked in the sale of office, he suspected the house could not interfere to shield that man, or to protect him from legal consequences. Mr. BUTT was willing to withdraw his motion for a committee of twenty members, substituting as his num ber, fifteen—which was agreed to. Hethen gave notice of the nomination of a committee of that number this day. The house adjourned at half-past nine. THE COAL TAX.—Yesterday an interesting return to the House of Commons was printed respecting the coal tax. It appears that the amount of local or municipal dues collected on the importation of coals or coke into the several ports of the United Kingdom was, in 1851, 243.2131. lls. 9d., and in 1852, 240 ,577/. 3s. ld. The taxes on the exportation of coals exported in 1851 was 48,4831. 12s. 10d., and in 1852, 47,291/. 19s. 2d. The tax on coals and coke brought by railway into the ports of the United Kingdom was 17,533/. 4s. 7d. in 1851, and 26,5161. 16s. sd. in 1852. DEPARTURES FOR AUSTRALIA. —The departures from London for the Australian colonies during the part week show a decrease. They have comprised altogether four vessels—three to Port Philip, with an aggregate burden of 1,331 tons, and one t o S ydney of 946 tons. Their total capacity. was consequently 2;277 tons. Thka rates of freight exhibit a further tendency to decline. 6 SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S.-YESTERDAY. LINCOLN STEEPLECHASE.—Some business has been transacted on this event in the City, but only Maid of the West was brought into notice at " The Corner." The City prices were-4 to 1 agst the favourite just named ; 5 to 1 agst Trout ; 6 to 1 each agst Topsy and Little Charley, and 7 to 1 apt Melon. LIVERPOOL GRAND NATIONAL.—Bourton had a decided lead ; upwards of 601. were invested on him at 8 to 1— odds which went a-begging about Miss Mowbray ; 12 to 1 taken to 501. about Peter Simple. La Gazza Ladra was backed at 100 to 6 and 15 to 1 ; Burnt Sienna at 30 and 25 to 1, and 1,000 to 40 taken about Maurice Daley. Half-and-Half was friendless ; in the City 50 to 1 had been laid, CHESTER Cur.—The two leading favourites quietly maintained their respective positions : 20 to 1 was wanted about each. 30 to 1 was taken to 251. about Tom, 50 to 1 to 201., and 40 to 1 to 501. about Royalist, which was also backed for a trifle for the Metropolitan Stakes, for which event Lindrick and Vingt-un were also backed for 251. each at the odds quoted below. Muscovite appeared to be under "suspicion." The rest of the betting on the above-named Handicaps was only in small sums. DERBY. —4 to 1 taken and afterwards currently of fered about Autocrat, and 700 to 100 taken about King Tom ; 13 to 1 to 501. and 15 to 1 to 251. laid against Dervish ; 625 to 25 taken twice about Ruby, and the same about Acrobat. 1,000 to 20 and afterwards 1,000 to 15 laid against Early Bird, and 4,000 to 60 against Burlington, a new outsider included in "Sc o tt' s lot." The room was thinly attended, several members havin , left town to "assist " during the next two days at the Lincoln Spring Meeting. CLOSING PRICES. LINCOLN SPEEPLECHASE. sto 1 agst Maid of the West (taken). LIVERPOOL GRAND NATIONAL. Bto 1 agst Bourton (taken). 8 to 1 agst Miss Mowbray (offered). 12 to 1 agst Peter Simple (taken). 15 to 1 agst La Gazza. Ladra (taken). 100 to 6 agst Peter (taken), 25 to 1 agst Burr t Sienna (taken). 25 to 1 agst Maurice Daley (taken). GREAT METROPOLITAN STAKES. 15 to 1 agst Royalist (taken). 20 to 1 agst Vingt-un (taken). 20 to 1 agst Lindrick (taken). 25 to 1 agst Muscovite (taken). CHESTER CUP. 18 to 1 agst Star of Surrey. 18 to 1 agst Newminster. 30 to 1 agst Nabob (taker.). • 30 to 1 agst Torn (taken). 33 to 1 agst Talfourd (taken). 40 to 1 agst Sandhurst (taken). 40 to 1 agst Royalist (taken). 40 to 1 agst Marc Antony (taken). 50 to 1 agst Horatio (taken). 66 to 1 ag , t Blame (taken). TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS STAKES. 9to 1 agst Champagne (taken). DERBY. 4to 1 agst Autocrat (taken and offered). 7to 1 agst King Torn (taken). 14 to 1 agst Dervish. 25 to 1 agst Ruby (taken). 25 to 1 agst Acrobat (taken). 1000 to 15 agst Early Bird (taken). 1000 to 15 agst Burlington (taken). 500 to 25 agst Ruby winning the Two Thousand, and Autocrat the Derby (taken). OAKS. 4to 1 apt Meteora. RACING FIXTI FEBR RES FOR 1854. TARY. Lincoln Spring 14 Nottingham Spring 2] CH. MA Liverpool Spring 1 Doncaster Spring 7 Salisbury Coventry Spring l4 Warwick Spring 2l Catterick 27 Northampton 29 Abergavenny 30 ;IL. AP Croxton Park Epsom Spring 6 Cheltenham Spring 12 Newmarket Craven 17 Catterick Bridge l9 Abergavenny 2O York Spring 25 Malton 27 SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. QUARANTINE NOTICE. LISBON, Feb. 4.—The ports of the Canary Islands have been declared free from disease. Liverpool is declared to be suspected of cholera, from the 14th January; and Para, as free from disease from the 4th Nov. last. PIRATES IN THE CHINA SEA. AMOY, Dec. 23.—The Portuguese Lorcha, No. 70, as well as the Fortuna, British brig, was taken by pirates in Meichow Bay, on the • 21st Nov., the pirates, who wore very numerous, plundered the vessel of some valuable cargo but took no lives. Her Majesty's steamer Hermes immediately proceeded in search of them, and succeeded in destroying 41 junk and Hainan boats. The Vdrussee (Dutch barque) which came into harbour to-day, reports having been heavily attacked by five Hainan boats, but escaped with several shots in her hull, and one man dan gerously wounded ; she left Shanghae on the 15th Dec. CUSTOM HOUSE, FEB. 13. ENTERED INWARDS.—The Dolphin, from Oporto ; Port land, do. ; Blessing, Charente ; Erroinonga, Berdianske ; Joseph Wheeler, Demerara ; Bromley, Cape of Good Hope ; Alipore, Canton ; Aurora, Candia ; Grand Turk, Boston ; James Stewart, Pernambuco ; Effort, Leghorn ; Albion, do. ; Emily, Alexandria ; Ballarat, do. ; Earl of Shaftesbury, Madras and Pondicherry ; Diamond, Mouri i tins • M-Tcury, do. ; Ostrich, do., St. Helena, and Cape of Good Hope ; Kaffir, Alexandria ; Mary, Lisbon ; Eorn, Charente ; Italia, Naples ; Era St. Kitt's ; G re yh oun d, Santa Cruz; Uni on, Cadiz anCi. Gibraltar; Spy, Lagos; Sarah, Malaga ; Golden State, Shanghai ; Ocean Wave, St. Vincent ; Nymph, Dragornestre ; Transit, Patras . Helen Munro, Messina and Catania ; Saxon, Smyrna ;' Germania, Bremen ; Stanilas Marie, Nantes ; Parthenia, Messina ; Dromo, do. ; Jane, Seville ; Adelia, Oporto ; Emma, Syra ; Kosmar, Baltimore ; Margaret Evans, New York ; Beacon, Palermo ; Jessie Thomas, Remer ; Wal burton, Seville ; Cordelia, Madras and Pondicherry ; Cos. sack, Messina ; Emerald, Palermo. ENTERED OUTWARDS FOR LOADING.—The Julia, for Colombo; Era, St. Kitt's ; Margaret Evans, New York; Ocean Wave, Demerara; Asia, St. Helena; Lorina Thomp son, Hobart Town ; Ostrich, Madras. CLEARED OUTWARDS WITH CARGO.— The Cosmopolite, for Valparaiso ; Letitia, Malta; Emanuel, Odessa ; Sylph, Antwerp ; Sylph, Algoa Bay ; Falcon, Bombay; Coquette, Valencia ; John Henry, Mauritius ; Burgh Castle, Dieppe. COUNTRY MARKETS. CHELMSFORD-FEB. 10. The trade in wheat to-day was dull, and second-rate samples were with difficulty sold at a decline of 23 to 3s per qr. Best wheats worth is less money, and few sam ples changed hands. Barley and beans is to 2s, and peas Is per qr. cheaper. Oats barely maintained last week's prices. Prices to-day were as follow :—Wheat, white, old 70. Od to 85s Od, new 70s to 85s ; red, old 58. to 80s, new 611 to 808; barley, 28s to 36s ; chevalier, 35s to 408 ; grinding, 21s to 30s ; malt, 61s to 65s ; chevalier, 64. to 70. ; oats, 22s to 29s ; peas, partridge, 40s to 45s ; white, 48s to 50s boiling 55s to 61s ; dun, new, 41. to 41s ; beans, tick, 40. to 42s ; Harrow ticks, 38s to 44s ; Mazagan, 38. to 41s. LIVERPOOL, FEB. 13. The White, from Wexford, arrived at this port yester day, with wrecked goods ex Niagara. The Westmoreland, from Philadelphia to this port in 22 days, with the crew of the Mary S. Starret, for Havre. The Bona Ventura, on shore on the rocks at Holyhead, was got off this morning. The Andes (s.s.) will not sail until to-morrow, owing to the dense fog. STRANRAER, Feb. 10.—The Mary Murray, of and for New York, from the Clyde, put into Locheyan on the Bth of February, having been on the Scaw, where she beat heavily, but got off without any apparent damage, being quite tight. It is said that the crew and passengers refuse to proceed in her, From the night of 7th February to last night, it has blown a hurricane from N.W. BELMULLET, Feb 10.—The John Willey, of Windsor, N. S., is lying bottom up off Broadhaven harbour ; she is supposed to be timber laden. A. steam-tug will be engaged to proceed to her, as she lies in a very dangerous position. SINGAPORE, Dec. 20.—The Mandarin, from Shanghae to Sydney, N.S W., put in Dec. 12, with masts cut away, loss of bulwarks, decks swept, and leaky, having been hove on her beam-ends in a typhoon in the China F:.eas, , Nov. 26. The Briman, from Hong Kong to Lubuan, struck on the rocks off the coast of Lubuan, was beached with eleven feet water in her hold ; has been condemned and will be sold. MESSINA, Jan. 27.—The Don Alfonzo, from Odessa to Falmouth, was wrecked at Fontana Blanche Point, on the night of Jan. 18 LYSKEHIEL, Feb. 2.—The Mary, 'rem London to Salt kallan, went on ahore to the southward of this place, Jan. 22, and has broken up—crew saved. MOULMEIN, Dec. 17.—The Wild Irish Girl arrived here from Liverpool, Dec. 2, and has been hauled on shore on the bank of the river, to have her bottom examined. BREMEN, Feb 11.—The Sophie (Bremen barque) from London, grounded on the outer harbour at Bremerhaven but is expected to float again with the next tide. GIBRALTAR, Feb. 3.—Tie Spanish vessels Rosa and Velez Sea Hulse, of this port, the English vessels Mariner, Bideford, and Emblem (brig), the Sardinian brig Tend, and Portuguese vessel Flor Da Primavaro, were all driv en on shore and totally wreck e d a t Mazagan, du r i ng a ga l e a t E.N.E., 26th Jan. The Hamburg vessel St. Juan, was driven on shore an Feb. wrecked, at th e same time and place. ALEXANDRIA, b. 4.—The Middlesborough, sailed hence for the United Kingdom (corn laden), 28th Jan., put back on the 31 s t l ea k y, and will probably have to dis charge. ANTWERP.—TiIe Gerritjie Konmans, from Newcastle to Amsterdam, went on shore off Harlingen, 7th Feb., and was abandoned the next morning ; crew saved. The Nep tunus, from London to this port, went on shore off Sche venigen, Feb. 9, and was abandoned—master and his son save 1, two men drowned by the upsetting of the boat. PERTH, W A., Nov. 20.—The John Panter grounded on Scott's Ledge in going out, and is now being hove down at Garden Island. PLYMOUTH, Feb. 12.—The Rothschild, from Livei pool to Mobile, sprung a leak Jan. 1, and foundered on the 7th, about 50 miles north-west of Madeira—crew brought home from thence by the Hope steamer. HOLYHEAD, Feb. 12.—The Eliza, of Waterford, from Cardiff to Liverpool, which was reported at anchor close to the rock s near Aberfrau on the 9th of February, with sundry damage, has sunk—her materials are being brought ashore. Feb. 13 —The Bona Ventura, from Savannah, which went ashore at Rhosnigyr on the 7th, has been got off the rocks, and is in tow of tug-boats. VESSELS SPOKEN WITH. The Esk from Liverpool to Geelong, Jan. 2, lat. 5 N., long. 19 W., had encountered severe westerly and south westerly gales. The Tapley, steering east, Jan. 16, off the Cape three points. The Zetland, bound to Aden, and Rattler (s.), outward bound, Feb. 10, let. 49 N., long. 7 W. The Julia and Grampian, Feb. 11, lat. 49 N., long. 7 W. The John Wilkinson, from Quebec to Melbourne, 55 days out. The Jane Sutherland, from London to Melbourne, 150 days out, Nov. 1, lat. 39, long. 138. The Devon, from London to Calcutta, Jan. 29, lat. 43 N., long. 11 W. COLCHESTER -FEB. 11. Another dull market for every description of grain at the following decline : —Wheat and barley 2s per qr., beans and peas le, anal very little business doing. The present uncertain state of political affairs has a most de pressing effect. Prices to-day were as follow :—Wheat, white, 803 to 90s; red, 76s to 84s ; barley, 40s to 46s ; oats, 28s to 32s ; beans, Mazagan, 40s to 44s ; middle and small, 44s to 58s ; peas, white, 60s to 61s ; grey, 46s to 50s. Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn, &c., received in the port of London, from the following ports, from the 6th to the 11th February, both inclusive. F __— Colchester - 909' 23 -- 711 Harwich - 1279 Leigh - 17 166 104 -- Malden 114;3 234' -- 7 443 13 , 370 KIRKCALDY-FEB. Here to-clay we had small supplies of wheat and barley, and large of oats. The wheat sold readily at about is per qr. under last week's rates. Barley and oats sold slowly, and all but the best qualities were is per qr lower. Wheat. Barley. Oats. I Beans. First Second Third s4s Oct I 27s Od I 24s Od Os Od Oatmeal, per bag of 2801bs imperial, 43e Od to 44s Od. COAL MARKET.—Fis, 13. Price. of Coal per ton at the close of the market :- 8. d.' Wallsend, &c. .24 6 .24 6 Braddyll 29 6 Buddle W. Hartley Carr's Hartley H01ywe11...... ........... Old Adairs Taufield Moor Taufield Moor Butes West Hartley Wylam.. N. d. .26 0 Hetton 3O 0 -22 0 Haswell 30 0 .23 U Kepler 29 _23 0 Plummer 29 0 _25 0 Whitwell 27 6 Wallsend, &e. Acorn Close floc - Bey Leverson Northumberland Bell Belmont Ships at market... 54 ..24 6 Heugh Hall 28 3 Kelloe 30 0 .26 0 Hartlepool 3O 0 .28 0 South Kelloe 28 3 .21 0 Whitworth 24 0 .24 South Durham , .28 0 .23 0 Cowpen 25 0 .28 Elgin I Sold ll2, RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, FEB. 13. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The settlement of the account in shares has been completed to-day. We have firm prices for the new account Caledonian, 261 ; East Lancashire, 16 7-16 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 66 ; Lancashire and Carlisle (new third shares), 12i p. ; Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport, 15 h ; London and North-Western, 104 4 c., 4 e. 4 ; Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 22i 7; Midland, 63 ; North British, 8/ ; South-Eastern and Dover, 18 9.16. MANCHESTER, FEB. 13. STOCK EXCHANGE. There has been an upward ten dency in prices, as on Saturday, but not a large business. Cheshire Junction, 11 c. d. ; Leeds, 65i ; Dover, 18i ; Sheffield, 23i ; Midland, 62i ; Leeds Northern (No. 2), po44rem. ; Caledonian, 2613 ; London and North-Western, 1. BIRMINGHAM, FEB. 13. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The I•usiness in this market to-day was limited, prices remaining without any material varia tion from previous rates. The transactions were South Staffords, 1i dis. SEABORNB NA/LS. (N signifies that the mails are sent from the General Poit•o!!!oe ' , 3 , the night—and M by the morning —dispatch.] Day when mad, up From erne. When COUNTR;ES in General Wort- Port due in Office, London.. Dispatcheo. England., tmerica(byltrit.pack)N Every Friday .... verpoo: . Each Moe. kinetics (by United Sty. packet) ..........N Feb. 7 ..... Liverpool iFeb. 16 tmerica (by U States packet) . ...... ..N •• • • ...... Sou‘harno Arrived kustralia (via South anitptou) M March 4 • . Southern:, Feb. 20 uitt. &rt.. i araenteej Niblasch s .. Dover .. . Feb. 16 Ditto (via Cape of uoech Hope) ............N Feb. 4 .. • • Liverpool ....tneertta Attica (west Coast) ..N l l3d of the month . Plymouth ..'Arrived Alexandria.......... NB, ', 24, &90of rn Dover .... Feb. 16 51 4th & 20th of mon. Southamptch. Feb. 10 Bahamas of the montl. Soutit.tmtnoo Feb 6 lUgtuin IDaily. ............ Dover Del:, Brazil • • . 51,9 th of the mouth., "• •• Feb 16 Pluenoe Ayres 9th of , he month Routhamstm i Feb 16 (;ape of Good Hone ..Nl4th of the 'milt., Plymouth .. Feb. 16 Cape of Good Hope „Ninth of the month. Southampton Cape de Verds N 14th of the month Plymout. , .. Feb. 26 Ceylon (see India) Ceylon .. ..... • 14th of the month Plymouth _ Feb. 26 Chenne. i51e5........ Mon.,Wed.,&Frid. Southampton Tu.Th.Mt, . • M 2d & 17th of month Southampton Feb. 16 China (see India) Constantinople N 7,8,17,24427 or m. Dover Feb. 10 Constantinople ........ 4th k 20th of mon Southampto.. Fee. 20 (.'ont. of Europe M & N Twice daily Dover Twicodally Egypt (see India) France .. 5l & N Twice daily_ .. _ Dover .... TwicedAtly qlbraltar 4,7, 17, 20, 27 am. tiouthampton Feb. 16 Greece (see India) Greytown 2nd & 17th of mon. •loutharapto,, Feb. 16 f larnhurgh & Friday London .• • flavannah ..... Al,2nd of the monthiSouthampion March Holland Dover • . Daily Honduras .......... 51117th of the month. Bouthampton'reb. 13 India (vlaSouthampt.) 5114th & 20th of mon. Southampton Feb. 2$ India (via Marseilles) M Bth& 24th of month Dever ...... Feb. 16 lonian Isles (see Indla)l7, 1 7, &27 of mon Dover.... •• F , b. 0 Ireland & N Twice daily Holyhead .. Twlceday Lisbon M 7,9, 17, & 27 of m. Southampton Feb 16 Madeira 9th of the month Southampton Feb 16 Madeira N 23d of month Plymouth .. Feb. 14 Malta (see India) Malta ..... • N 7,17,19,27, 30 of m. Dover .. Feb. 10 Nfauritius (see India) Mauritius of the month !Plymouth ,Feb. 26 Mexico ,.3f r 2nd of the month. ;Southampton Munk 1 Napes . • N tsthl s th2sthormon.;Dover Feb. 12 New Granada ......3t'2d & 17th of month , Southampton Feb. (6 New Zea1and........., By private ship _ Various port , 11'neertaitn. Papal States ........N s thlsth2stho onon. Dover Feb 12 Peninsula M ithl7th2Bthotinon. Southampton Feb 16 Peru _ ~,y[t id & 27th of mon. Southampt on F e b. 16 Port Natal 14th of the month l'lymouth Feb. 26 Sicily ,„ N sthlth2sthofmon, Dover Feb. 12 Tuscany ,sth 15th25thottrion.IDover Venezuela 5r 2d & 17th of MonthiSouthampton Feb. 16 Van Diemen'sLand (see ) Australia) West Indies 2d 17th o: month,Southampton!Feb. 16 When any of these dates call as n Sunday, the mails wil. be dispatched on the following day, with the exception of the India yla Southampton), and the Malta, both of which will be dispatched as day preceding. ROUEN.— The letters from Rouen mention that the market for manufactures had exhibited more animation, but that low prices generally prevailed. [ADVERTISEMENT.] Sight and Hearing The Royal Exhibition, 1851 Extraordinary Powerful Munich German Glass Teleecopea.— 39, Albemaiie street, Picc a dilly. Ob serve oppos i te the York h -A a v p al e Hotel. tinhve ensi iezde The feer very small Royal ewnlaal Exhibition.walnut, powerfulby wwaistcoat-pocketu a r s o b n l e , c a nn glade,e newly invented, t j o r seen and known one mile and a half distant ; they answer every purpose on the race-course, at the opera; houses, country scenery, and ships are clearly seen at 12 to 14 miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepersi, and tourists. Telescop es --A new and most importan t invention in telescopes, possessing such extraordinar powers that some, 31 inches, with an war* eye-piee., show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and tia double stars ; with the same telescope, weighing only :3 ounces, can be see n a p erso n's countenance three mile s and a half distant, and an object from 16 to 20 milmi„ They supersede every other kind fer the waistcoat-pookei and are of larger and all sizes, with increasing power s accordingly. Opera and race-course glasses, with wonderfu l Power ; an object can be clearly seen, from 14 to 16 mil e a distant. Deafness—New Discovery—The Organic Vi - brator, an extraordinary powerful and newly-inventea ingtrument, for Deafness, entirely different from a l others, to surpass anything of the kind that has been , or probably ever can be, produced. Being of the • it ena ble; same colour as the skin, it is not perceptible ena deaf persons to hear distinctly at church and at public me. semblies ; the unpleasant sensation of singing noises is L the ears is entirely removed , • and it affords all the assist anco that possibly could be desired.-39, Albemarle-std Piccadilly, Observe, opposite the York Hotel. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 10th inst., at the residence of William NortQuip the wifo oWilliam f Major jean' Mr,. On the 10th ms t 88th Regiment. Esq., Down -lodge, EaptsoßalrusMse ; OF A. DAUGHTER. On the Bth inst., at Bruges, the wife of T. H. Bing. Esq., ilia- On the 10th inst., the wife of Henry Hagen, Esq., of Duncroft, Staines, stillborn. MARRIED. On the 9th inst., at St. Michael's Church, Bath, Edward C. Boville, Esq., son of Edward Bovine, Esq., Glenthorn, Torquay, to Louisa Margaret, only daughter of the late Try Magniac, Esq., of the Bengal Civil Service. On the 10th inst., at St. Paul's Church, Mill-hill, Mid dlesex, George Melvill e J ackson, Esq., Lieutenant, R N., commanding H.M.S. P orcupine, to Mary Jane, only child of Peter Auber, E sq ., l ate Secretary of the 11.E.1.C. DIED. Drowned, on the night of the 20th December last, by the foundering of a boat on the Indus, near Kotros, Lieut. Wm. Chapman, Bombay Engineers second son of Wm. Chapman, Esq., 54, Wimp°le-stree t, enant-Colonel W. W. aged 31. On the loth aged 62, Lieutenant-Colonel Crawley, late of the 74th Highlanders. LONDON: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 12, Strand, in the Precinct of th e s avoy , i n the eeunty of Middlesex, Tuesday, February 14, 1854. - 2, Leadenhall-1 MR. AL includin EVERY EVEN. Tuesday, Thursd which can be tal 25.; gallery, Is.— FGYPTIA open TO. o'clock. The Leo has been vrrittei BROOKS. Admi LA IT R E (Lessee, ( The above and will contli CELEBRATE I) Dancing to comr ROYAL PA FIR••T EXIIIBI TURES, prepa! PHOTO ;RAN thousand aueT DIS.iOLVING LECTURE by J MINUFACTU COLOUR:, Inc and WARREN LECTURE by D UNIVER:AL DES'.3RIPTION TUBULAR PI Open Mornitul Children under T lINGAI Adelaid.3.str , ct. 1 renow4ed 111.1 N such intense Int.r prozramine is var ancient and mode tional Melodies, lozdy, conductor. Augarde; piano Brougham. Dior Three. Overture (Quit Cauld Blast), Me farbaden), straw Warman Orlgir Song (F •nd stem Royal Sussex Sill Alias Elizabeth B Selection (La ! Glover, the Ail Solo, pianoforte (Dream or the H Kalozdy; Song drills (qalta), Ki CON T I)epartme Si THE Com Lord Higt and Ireland, do instant, at One such Persons a: delivering into h undermentioned HAY (pre: OATS - ... Half of each to one week wterwi A lample of th by the partie+ tei The conditions ender obtained, one o'clock on th Every tender r and bear in the must also be del PAINS it It EMU NERVOErsNES RENAL PILLS a most safe and plaints, dlscharg the kidnos, blax of spirits, incapa ness, drowsiness or combined wit Ifd , 2y. 9d., 4s Vendors, or sent by Dr. De Roos, sultation daily f cine, £l. LI REPORI of COSI lONS, Important Feat and GENERAL The following rnittee : - ' " Z 11l OW= ECIANCES upon eotimis ch , iract after the death transaction of t DISCHARGED OE office should al PAST TEARS. an ofticei at incre, of the assured HAPPY DILESIM TIEMIUMS FIGS to the ultimate atous LOSS Wit =ST ATTEND ^. On the Dare from " TEAb TC IHG" his Policy may pay such t venient ; he cai draw the whole drawn the Folic Policy is dimini A B, aged 20, it will be seen diminishes. Thns AB, Yale various s In case of del this sum out, at different ti 41. 4d., and d part or wholl The first 0 Company we of five childr, Savings Rani melted, and poelt Policy. Ilnppoging Moans, and ( In the same 1851.... •• • 1851 .... .• . 1853 •••• • 1854.. ..... 1855..•..., 1857- •• 1858...•.. 1859...... 1860... .. 1861...••• 1865.. •• •• • 1$70..•••. 1871.. •• •• 1574- •••• M 5..... . 1E80..., 1881..... 1R85..... 1385..••• 1891 •• • • • Th pre an ordinal old, will years lon effected tt as for an 6s. id. The nigh Compt► If aj.,r-Ge man-" 1r ^h.l4 Vice-Adr The Rigt B, B. CI B. %al Chie Loss Annniti fined Min* 3 .... ............- - , GRAND NOTICE IS I Certificates, repr will, on being for tared Certificates tures of the Cola zit, it'