The Sun. — London, England, 1839-03-29 00:00:00

EVEN ENG EDITION TJ C ,affil 7,OI:NTRY NEWSPAPER PROPRIETOR ADVERTISER, 'who has been for dteen or more Years employed on various Newspapers, b.,:h L , ,otion and Country, is desirous of engaging himself to a,,y Country Newspaper Proprietor, as MAKER-UP and O. I IPOSITOR, or as COMPOSITOR and READER. , !.. , ati.faetory Testimonia4 cap be given. I.Ttters (post-paid), addressed to W. C., at No. 8, Upper o:ltharnptou-street, Pentonville, London. TO NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS, A GESifaSIXR - id l iood ---- eatCation, and ...L A_ steady business habits, who has been for some years c:,nne,ted with the Metropolitan and Provincial Press, will s' t"rtly be °pea t• an engagement, as Editor of a Country wspaper. His competency may be ascertained on a refe rence to the file of the Paper which he now Edits, and to the te,itnoniais of his past services, in his own possession. Address (post-paid), with amount of salary and full parti i culars, to It. S., No. 25, Edgware-road, London. Cu Monday, in royal Bvo., with Twelve Portraits, price One Guinea. ITISTORICAL SKETCHES of STATES _A_ MEN who flourished in the time of GEORGE 111. ie which are added—Remarks on Party, and an Appendix. By HENRY LORD BROUGHAM, F.R.S. - .Nl,i-nber of the National Institate of Fiance. Charles Knight and Co., 22, Ludgate-street. FrAIT' S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE, FO APRIL, price One Shilling, contains— - ' e Landowners versus th_t Nation—The Rev. Sydney on the Balbt—Ellis's History of Madagascar—A Visit to tilo Wlaworth Doctors. By William Ho:vitt—Lake Remi nsc, from 1807 to 1830. By the English Opium-Eater. Word,worth—Blanche Delamere; a Tale. r'% Th . c . c X.—ltoFarnond's Bower—Letter of Mr. Wherler, the F the South Australian Company—Poetry—Literary Register. 'Tait, Edinburgh ; Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., ; anJ John Clamming, Dublin. ?r - .2 , (1 MEN AND IIEASURES. Oo Saturday next will be published, price 2s. 6d. EN and MEASURES ; or, THE POLI TICAL PANORAMA. A Satire in Verse. " W here is this ? where is the band Of ready slaves, who at his elbow stand To hear Ina to perform his wicked will." Jes. VI Thomas, Fingh-lane, Cornhill. TIIF,ATRE ROYAL, COVENT GARDEN. On EASTER MONDAY, APLIL '1 Le performed the New Play, in Five Acts, called lIICIIELIEU, OR THE CONSPIRACY, Written by Sir E. Lyttsn Bulvrer, Bart. The Characters by n, l‘lr. DiJinx, Mr. Macready, Mr. Warde, Mr. An- Vining. Mr. Roberts, Mr. Phelps, Mr. G. Ben. :we, - Miss E. Phillips, Mr. Tilbury, Mr. Yar. V. L. Payne 14 r C. J. Smith, Mr. Bender, 'r. Gough, Payne, Thorne, Mr. Brady, Mr. Bur- M . r. Kirke, Mr. Hollingsworth, Mr. Wal- Mr. Andrews, Mr. T. Matthews, Miss Miss Charles, Mesdames Reed, Corder, Lee, Mathews, Mew, and Morgan. !eh will be revived the Grand Dramatic Romance, of LODOISKA. OFfice will be open To-Morrow, March 30, where ntl Places may be had of Mr. Netter, from Ten till life, -,-, *. -•-- (- -- - -AC'''lte .- A , --.'ne,S,.._ ...aL:I---- r,l 40A• 71:ca40. LONDON : FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 1939. of our Contemporaries, we see, lay it down e that a Government is never to introduce changes, and on this principle they justify Russm.L's resistance to the demands own play. We admit that as a rule no teet should be in a hurry to propose such In its can is to execute, not to make the ; but as society, notwithstanding Corn-laws, a thousand other impedinients, will go on in its eoe:ecel career, for the Government never to pro• . such alterations is to abdicate its func or compel society to overturn it. If the hol, is not to propose such alteration of itself, the Tories say, the Government must never ee:t to any popular impulse, we shall be deprived ell means of improving the law. As a rule, we it the Executive Government takes office, Rcl to support the existing law ; but it must ys have a conviction, if cOrriposed:of reason a seings, that the laws are wise,. just, and such as oulit to be enforced. The instant it attains a contrere conviction, it is hound to cease enforcing L ' 11(.1 and to ask the Legislature to repeal Ceeon. Senpose that the Ministers were all as ,firmly convinced as we are, that the Corn-laws are a gross outrage on society, and manifestly injurious to it, weuld it not be their duty to propose to the Legislature to repeal them ? and ought they not, as I `onc:it men, if the. Legislature refuse, to decline , erumental in carrying into execution the .evens enactment, ? In all:cases, therefore, when are convinced that a law is tanjfisif„ 'ether it be a constitutional or organizing law, or teehv it he a mere fiscal enactment, it becomes ditty of Ministers to propose an improvement, and if unable to carry it, to give up their power. arc not to act lightly on such a matter ; there indeed, no matter in which the Ministers of this at country can ever be justified in acting lightly. we maintain that when they are convinced that r is unjust, they are bound to submit to the „rslature a plan to improve it. If they are not to do this, to whom does the task belong ? Our Legislature is divided into two fahions, and no Member who has not the support of one of these can carry out any measure. He may bring in a Bill and be laughed at for his pains. Is the chief of the Opposition, then, to propose improvements ? That was for a long period the practice when the Whigs were in opposition, but the Ministers then generally resisted their proposi none, and when they succeeded, they carried, not the measures they proposed, but the Treasury by storm, and took possession of the Government. The prac tice of the Whigs when in opposition is certainly not the general rule, and, except Sir A. PEEL'S Bill to ainend the law relating to controverted elections, we know no measure to improve the laws which the Tory Opposition have submitted to Parliament. Whitevi they might propose would be resisted by the Ministers, because it is felt that the power of itiflnencing the House of Commons is essential to the Ministry, and whoever has it must be in office; In practi ce , t oo , t h e whole arrangement of the bu ness of Parliament is placed in their hands, and when any Member wishes to submit any important measure he is generally obliged to ask Ministers to allow him a day. .Whatever may be the theory of the Constitution, in practice, the power of initiating and of carrying Bills through Par liament belongs to the Ministers, and whenever they lose that power they are turned out. It is clear therefore, if they are not to originate important and organic changes, they never can be carried except by first ilplaciug a Ministry and placing men in office on eonditi)n of erecting such changes ; or by the st it more calamitous process of a sedition and revo- If the doctrines, therefore, which some of pseudo reforming journals are now seeking to establish, in order to shield the Ministers for oppos -eform, be admitted, they force us on the melan eltereative of either turning out the Ministry ecting a revolution. 05 point of fact, too, the conduct of the Ministers opposed to the theory of their advocates, for they have not hesitated to propose very important changes in existing laws ; the Municipal Reform Act, :•-.7eee Poor Law, and the Commutation of Tithes ere examples of what they have done. They only relese to propose the reforms requested by their own party, because, either from prejudice or whim, or weal-grounded conviction they dislike them. The fact is, the Ministers of the Reform party arc hos tile to plans which their own friends think essential to eo .d government, they accepted office on the implied condition of carrying out their own measure —the Reform Act, but they have shrunk from their duty. They were expressly chosen to carry the appropriation principle into practice as to the Irish Church, and they gave it up. Their whole conduct and professions, up to 1835, were pledges that if the Reform Act were found to be as unjust towards the bulk of the community as the rotten boroughs, and as inimical to improvement, they would, if necessary, still further extend the franchise, and equalize still inure the represents tion ;I and we find Lord JOHN RUSSELL defend ing the rotten boroughs that remain. To excuse this want of principle, the false theory has been pat forward that Ministers are not to originate reforms ; 'cr that the conduct of Ministers not only degrades the character of public men and weakens public i crfidence, but it a l so perverts t h e P ress i nto an etrurne n t for inventing and propooating erroneous It doctrines. would have been more manly and mare correct for the defenders of the Ministry to to say, that public opinion is to a oreat extent averse mom finther organic changes ; but that would force to inquire how far the conduct of the Ministers Ihr:essp.roofdtuheeeelputlbiliernels.enjt state of dis grace f u l inert n. inquiry would re- ply terminate to t - li l e ir ad-vta'ncltiacae .Much as we think the Reforiners have reason , Htt7.2f tilwn l in Ini;C I wl- a law non. .1* cif to be dissatisfied with the conduct of Ministers, we do not yet see how we are to get better. The Tories would be infinitely worse. Where the Whigs lie on us with a little finger, they would weigh on us with their whole loins. Unless we could get—of which we at present see no chance—a Re form Ministry, or a Ministry with some greater in fusion of the Reform spirit; we sea nothing better to do, than keep in, if we can, the present men, and incite them, as far as possible, to act boldly as the chiefs of the Reform party. Our accounts from Manchester prove that the mem bers of the Ant- Corn-law league are neither idle nor despairing. Their hopes seem greater than ever, and the generous manner in which they speak of those who have endeavoured to promote their views,though unsucessful, will encourage still more strenuous exertions. We believe, with the writer quoted by Mr. COBDEN, that the landed gentlemen and the Tories were by no means satisfied with the late debate. They feel as strongly convinced as we are, that the decision of Parliament has not settled the question, and that it will be agitated again and again, till the repeal of the Corn-laws is wrung from the. Legislature. It may be affirmed that it is as 'much beyond the power of Parlia ment to continue the Corn-laws, now that the nation is awakened to their disastrous effects, as to alter the tides or curb the winds. For the agricul turists the uncertainty which, in spite of the vote of Parliament, hangs over this question, is a great additional calamity. They were distressed and dis contented before, and the uncertainty of their busi ness will double their miseries. There is no species of sophistry, equivocation, or direct falsehood to which the organs of that faction which, for centuries, has thriven on the miseries of Ireland, wil not have recourse for the purpose of impeding the progress of civilization in the sister kingdom. They know that wealth and knowledge have a natural tendency to reproduce each other, and that both are fatal to that system of op pression which has exhibited to Europe the disgraceful spectacle of a people treated as aliens in the land of their birth,--in the country of their inheritance. They are right well aware that with a Railway passing through every large town, and a National School established in every parish, neither the old Corporation system, nor that disgrace to Protestantism the Irish Church, nor the Orange Lodges, nor the Ribbon Societies, nor any other of the elements of internal discord and national degradation now peculiarly characteristic of Ireland, could possibly exist. Hence the real secret of the virulence with which the Times assails the recommendation of the Railway Commissioners, and the proposal of the Government to grant ade quate State assistance for the establishment of a complete systpm of Railways in Ireland. There is no dread of official jobbing whatever in the case, and there is quite as little fear of adding to the expenses of the country. The Times would be de lighted to kindle an expensive, ruinous, and unjust war between Great Britain and the United States, for the possession of a few thousand acres of an uninha bited and uncleared waste; and yet our Tory Contem porary affects a horror of the danger to which the nation is exposed from the extravagance of a plan for advancing a few millions by way of loan, for the itoprovement of a country of a thousand times more value to England than the whole of her North Ame rican territory I If a few millions were wanted for war purposes, the Tory organs would be in raptures at the prospect of new loans ; because war is the winning game of the aristocracy—the roller by which despots depress and demoralise the people ; but when it is proposed to grant loans, not to spread havoc among the human race, but to civilise and enrich a hitherto oppressed nation, we are stunned with clamours about the dangers of job bing, and the criminality of misappropriating the public revenue. When it was proposed to extend the elective franchise, in Ireland, the Times de nounced the proposal _ as fraught with the mischief of creating a constituency of paupers; but now that it is intended to assist - Ireland by loans to establish railways, the same Journal has discovered that Ireland is rich enough to make Railroads for herself I "It is mere quibbling to say," observed the Thunderer, on Wednesday, that Ireland is poor, that she has not within herself sufficient capital to construjt Railroads, and that the expected return for the necessary outlay is not sufficient to tempt English capitalists to embark in the _enterprise.". -is Yeally — rich: - ' - The discovery of the " quibbling' of calling Ireland " poor is worthy of the consistent and veracious Times. One would absolutely suppose that the Government, in granting a loan to a:country in so little need of it, was about also to concede the power of compelling its repayment. Surely the Times cannot but feel that the richer Ireland is, and the more remunerative her roads promise to b', the less objection would any Government have to lend her money on interest. But, as it so happens, we have now before us a public document, given to the world by a Committee of the Railway Companies already es tablished in Ireland—which Committee is as op posed to the plan of Government interference, as the Times itself—proving the statement of that Journal to be mere fudge. The document in question is a Report of a General Irish Railway Committee sitting in Dublin, and was pre sented to Lord MORPETH by a Deputation of that body on the 9th of December last. How widely the Committee differ in opinion from the great fundamental principle laid down by the Commissioners, and which forms the very basis of their invaluable Report, will be seen in the first paragraph of the following extract : The Committee, in forming their opinion, have adopted as a principle, that wherever existing interests and Com panies sanctioned by Parliament are competent to carry out the lines suggested as required for the present trade and exigencies of Ireland, that such bodies or companies, where duly formed with a respectable capital and proprie tary, should have every encouragement compatible with the public interests, and the prompt performance of the contemplated works. The Companies sanctioned by Act d Parliament, and in progress or about to commence, are as follow : The Dundalk Western Railway—Plans not furnished to the Committee. The project appears to be for a tram road to or towards Castleblaney. The subscribed capital or proprietary, the Committee cannot state. The Ulster Railway—Line from Belfast to Armagh in rapid progress—with a respectable proprietary and sub scribed capital. The only matter wanting to make certain its speedy completion, appears to be reasonable assistance from the State. The Drogheda Railway—From Dublin to the town of Drogheda. Act passed afters laborious and searching exam ication on the evidence of the following engineers :—Mr. Cubit, Mr. George Stephenson, Mr. Mac Neill, Mr. Vig nolles, Mr. Bidder, Mr. Griffith, Mr: Thomas Woodhouse, Mr. George Woodhouse. Respectable proprietary and subscribed capital—works in progress, so far as the pur chase and possession of part of the line, and we understand six miles and a half are contracted for by Mr. Weeks. In like manner as the Ulster Railway, the only matter appear ing requi s ite for its speedy completion would be an ade quate loan. The Kilkenny Line—By Athy, Carlow, and Kilkenny, with extensions to Limerick a n d Cork, designated as the Great .Leinster and Munster Railway. Act passed after a minute and searching investigation —respectable subscribed capital and prop ietary-a—first part agreed for under their Act, and the Company ready to proceed as soon as Go vernment declare their decision upon the general question of Railways in Ircladd, or as soon as all doubts are removed as to the terms on which such undertakings may be placed. The Committee understand that a like advance, and in proportion to the sums paid up by the proprietary, would be calculated_ to ensure the more speedy completion of the line. Cork and Passage Railway—Act passed. No returns obtained by your Committee. Cork and Cove—No details furnished. The Great Central Irish Railway'—Projected for a great trunk line to the centre of Ireland, to be continued to the west and north-west, terminating with the noble and capacious harbours of Galway and Mayo. A re. snectablo proprietary, with large subscribed capital. Bill for first extension to Mußinger read a first time—post poned in consequence of the delay of the Report of the Commissioners on Irish Railways. The Directors of this Company, after careful investigation of the data in refe rence to the traffic and capabilities of Connaught, and their sufficiency to sustain most profitably a railway com munication throughout that province, h ave communicated the same to their proprietary, who have been so satisfied with their correctness, and the prospects held cut, as to sign a further contract or subscription list, in compliance with the standing orders of the House of Commons, for the requisite and increased capital ; and have, by their agents and solicitors, published in the necessary papers, the usual n o ti ces f or a Bill i n t hi s next ensu i ng Session to form and construct a railway from Dublin, by Mul lingar, to Athl one . Th e c l ose exam i nat i on b y your Com mittee of the details of this line have produced the strongest conviction, that it would be largely remune rative, and of th e utmost consequence to Ireland. Th e Committee are unanimous i n p ress i ng upon G overnmen t to give their sanction to the proposed Bill, and to extend to the Company i 7 .1 questio n , suc h a i d as may, together with the . subscriptions of the p ro p r i etary, b e necessary to ensure its speedy commencement and early completion. Refer to the Report subsequent to the Commissioners' Re p,:rt, published by the Directors Great Western Irish Rail tray. Dicuments in reference to the first terminus submitted to the Committee by Mr. A. Jordan, and by the Com mittee recommended for consideration to the Directory of the Great Western Irish Railway, as, of course, they will be glad to avail themselves of any useful suggestions. The Irish Eastern and Western—A projected railway to run from Dublin to Athlone, and from thence•to Gal way. The lime surveyed by Messrs. Bald and Henry. The parties interested, at their own expense, procured maps, surveys, &e. It appears by the prospectus, that some London capitalis's (among whom were Messrs. Ravenshaw and John Abel Smyth), gave it their support. But no Bill has been introduced into the House. So far as from Dublin to Athlone, the objects are embraced by the Great Central Irish Railway. The Limerick and Waterford Railway appears to ex- • hibit every premise of success, if in this instance as in those previously enumerated, private enterprise be assisted by loans, or advances on adequate security. In forming their opinion and judgment, your Committee have carefully weighed all the information contained in the Commissioners' Reports, end the various other Reports and public documents connected with this important subject, aided by the public discussions that have taken place in consequence thereof. Here out of nine lines of road, either com menced, or proposed to be commenced, in Ire'and, the Railway Committee report no fewer than five in absolute want of loans, guaranteed by the Government, to ensure their completion ! Of the other four,it is questionable whether any but the Dublin and and Drogheda, and the Cork and Cove lines could be finished without an advance of money from the Exchequer. Thus Ireland, though holding out every inducement to British capitalists, by the certainty that all her lines will prove remunerative ; is represented by this Committee—a Committee of Railway Pro prietors or their friends, as unable to construct more than two short lines of road without having re course to Parliament for assistance. But•although the General Railway Committee, in their. Report, condemn all Government interference with esta blished Companies, except in the way of assisting them by necessary loans—a plan of which The Sun, which maintains that railways ought to be under the direct control of the Government, entirely dis approves—yet do we wholly concur in the cer tainty of every one of the list of advantages enume rated by the Committee as reasons for the immediate prosecution of Railway undertakings in Ireland. These have been repeatedly advanced in substance in the columns of this Journal, long before the ap pointment of the . Dublin Committee; but they may possibly have more weight with a certain section of the Tories by being given in the words of a body of men, whose knowledge of the state and capabili ties of Ireland are beyond dispute : In making their Report, your Committee beg leave to glance at the advantages to be derived frem the promotkn - of railways in Ireland; • the most prominent of which may be classified and enumerated as follows : Ist. By the immediate commencement of the work, to stimulate industry. 2d. The consequent remuneration and constant employ ment of the poor and labouring classes. 3d. Facilitating the. introduction of the Poor-law sys tem, and mitigating the taxation thereunder. - 4th. Railways in England are believed by many to have had a similar effect in reference to the Poor-law system, as evinced by the decrease of the rates since the extension of railways.- sth. The creative consequences of railways, &c., with the various evidence taken before Parliament, proving that traffic and transit between the termini, have more than quadrupled. 6th. The comparative poverty of Ireland, rendering the assistance of Parliament by pecuniary aid or advances necessary to stimulate and encourage private enterprise or public works, upon the principle of a moderate interest, advances in proportion to that subscribed and paid up by subscribers, with such security for. the repayment of the loans as may be adequate and reasonable. 7th. The well established fact thil railways have created their own sources of revenue, and opened new channels of improvement. And that money laid out on public works, has returned to the State with ample in terest ; taking into account also the increase of the excise, from the profitable employment of the. people, cud the cir culation of capital. Bth. The certainty of rendering the country prosperous, and of diffusing the blessings of peace and industry, with the attendant fruits of knollledge and moral culture where disquiet and destitution so fearfully previled. - Such arc the advantages that would accrue to Ire land from the establishment of a complete system of Railways in that country.' Nor would the bene fits be long felt there before their benign influence would extend to England and Scotland. With such facts staring them in the face, none but men slaves to their prejudices, wholly misinformed, self-inte rested, or unprincipled, can persist in opposing the advancement of loans by the State for purposes so interwoven with the welfare of the British Empire: The extreme prudence of the Government begins to be too much for us. We already feel over-doled with the caution of the Cabinet. There are so many State reasons for silence that we are appre hensive lest 'Ministers lose their tongues altogether upon a variety of interesting. and ; to th e highiy important questions7''S,Vhen the unfortu nate affair of the Vixen was mooted in Parliament, .Ministers urged the extreme inconvenience and im policy of expressing an opinion before all the facts were officially - known. The people were told to be patient—to await the arrival of the requisite number of dispatches--and 'above all to trust to the chivalrous patriotism of our then -Arnbas.sa dor at the Court of Si. Petersburgthe Radical Earl of DurtriAAr. a iie people did wait—not without grumblings and : misgivings—the develop ment of wire-drawn negociations, and at last dis covered that by some means or other the national dignity had been basely sacrificed. When Ministers found their tongues it was to tell a tale of disgrace. At the time when the rebellion first broke out in Canada the same official silence was observed. Sir FRANCIS BOND HEAD bad .a system of paci fication to establish, to the development of which silence was absolutely essential ; and hence, in answer to all questions, Lord GLENELG recom mended patience and an increased confidence in the unfathomable wisdom of the Executive. The country has beheld and mourned the result. The Earl of DURHAM, as Lord High Commissioner, had, too, his revelations .to make, and very startling ones we were told they were, but—we were re. commended to wait for a proper time and place. Well, in a bulky report, and as bulky an ap peridix, they were made at last; and we would ask what is the country the Wiser for them ? But the demands of Ministers upon our discreet for bearance did net end here. We are at this moment in 'speechless expectation of certain promised returns relative to the insult offered to our flag in the Gulf of Mexico ; and in the House of Peers last night Lord MELBOURNE entreated that no babbling tongues should be allowed to discredit, posed, however, to give the House of Commons credit for more virtue and more honesty than has been found in it, but, like other unworthy objects, it has deceived our expectations. We regret this for the sake of the House of COmmons, not for the cause of abolition ; for that is the cause of justice, and will triumph over both Commons and Lords. To the smallnesS of the minority nothing has contributed so much as the conduct of Minis- They have made it palpable that they cannot -hold office much lon r el; and all he loose and wavering Members of Parliament have taken the opportunity by voting against the motion - to court the favour of the Tories. Their conduct has made a dissolution probable, and all the Members who are connected, however Liberal they, may be as politicians with agricultural constituencies, haie voted aganst the motion. , To those who doubted, to those who wavered, and those who dread a dis solution, they supplied the strongest Parliamentary motives for voting with the party which is about to become predominant, to influence the elections, and to have in its hands the keys of office. Moreover, as the Ministers, with all their corn. mand of information, could not make up their minds ;ers. that the repeal would be beneficial, a great number of Members, who would above all things support the Government, followed their example, and as the safe course clung to no repeal. They had no pilot, and therefore would not embark on a new voyage for an unknown country. Sir R. PEEL spoke, we are convinced, the sentiments of many Members when he referred to the disunited Cabinet as a rea son for not taking the step which the majority of its Members, as individuals, recommended to the House. The Commons even refused to hear Lord HowICK, but they would have opened their ears to catch every word had he stood on the floor of the House as the organ of the Cabinet. Thus the Free-trade and the Liberal party in the country is mainly indebted for its small minority, if not for its defeat, to those Members of the Cabinet who are opposed to the repeal or alteration of the Corn-laws ; and they are the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, formerly the great advocate of free dom of trade, and Lord MELBOURNE, who, as Lord JOHN RUSSELL admitted in the debate on the Irish Municipal Bill on March Ist, was by the expression of premature opinions, the deep laid policy of the Government in the East. Not withstanding a gentle disclaimer on the part of the Earl of ABERDEEN, his Lordship was evidently de lighted with the Premier's ready adoption ( f the Tory official tactics. The affectation of mystery was in his eyes a near approach to the perfection THE SUN, LOND9N, FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 1839. of statesmanship. But notwithstanding the high authority of these Noble personages, and their mutual experience of the duties of office, we think the Government might trust itself to speak its• intentions a little more plainly without losing all character for discretion. Lord MELBOURNE might venture to state by this time what line of policy it is proposed to adopt for the protection of our territory in India. If we have been at war in Aff ghanistan since the month of October last, it is strange that the Government should have any diffi culty in offering any explanations as to the purpor: of that war, which Parliament may think proper to demand. The manifesto_ of the British Governor- General against the Rulers of Affehan, has been published throughout Europe, and been commented upon in nearly every public Journal in the British Empire; and yet Lord MELBOURNE affects a delicacy in so much as alludin , to it, far less stating fraekly whether it has ~ met with the approval of himself and his colleagues This is carrying official caution, in a representative Government, a step too far. It is giving the cauntry too much. of a good thing—particularly as the Noble Premier cannot point to any brilliant re sult in his Ministerial career, of a blind confidence in the profound wisdom of the Cabinet. For ourselves we look upo❑ all official mystery with suspicion. Political secrecy and political fraud arc for the most part synonimous. We shill hence forth, look a little mere sharply at the . development of events in. the East. When a Tory Peer com pliments a Whig Minister on his official aptitude, there is ample reason for increased watchfulness on the part of the people. The Ministerial crisis continues in Paris to the great injury of trade, which be. ins seriou-ly to suf fer from the length. of time the • country has been without a responsible Government. It would seem that the KING is not insensible to the perils by which he is, surrounded, as on Wednesday he sent for M. TRIERS, and offered him a carte blanche as to both men and measures in the formation of a Government, TRIERS himself to be P:esident of the Council, as well as Minister for Foreign Affair. TIIIERS had the firmness to tell his-MAJESTY that the offer was made too late—that he could not with honour-occupy a place to which SOULT had been called, and which his Gallant Friend had done nothing-to forfeit, in the eyes of the majority of the Chamber of Deputies. He then withdrew, leavin.2 the KING thunderstruck at the state of isolation in which he had placed himself. The Paris Journals of Wednesda.y publisit lists of a new Ministry, each differina r' in one or mor e appointments f rom th e o th er , an d all emanating from the chiefs of parties. We have no doubt our readers will thank us for sparing their patience the _trial of going through them, especially as they are all conjectural. The following extracts include all there is of any interest in the French papers.:— " Several journals, particularly the National, Quoti dienne, Comtnerce„ and Messager, announced in their num bers of the 25th and 26th instant, that pieces of artillery had beri brought to the barracks situate - in the neighbour hood of the capital, amongst others to • that of Courberoic, where six pieces with their caissons , were said to have ar rived. Those assertions were accopapenied by reflections c ilculated, to excite uneasiness among the people. The soperier anthorities.deny those asserions in the most format manner, no piece of-artillery having been sent to any bar rack either in Paris or its vicinity.—Moniteur. . It was reported on Tuesday, that the Municipal Coun cil of Paris had deliberated respecting the propriety. of ad dressirg a memorial to the Kiog, to represent to his Ma jesty the injury occasioned to the Paris trade by the pro_ Tonga ion of the Ministerial c,-iss.—Gazette de France. Lord Granville, the Ambassador of England in Paris, appears much discontented with the Ministerial crisis, as he does not know to whom he is to address the notes of his Cabinet. M. Mole refuses to attend to the business of his department, and yet the Ambassador is very desirous to obtain some information respecting the affair of the Mexi can pilot. Lord Granville contrived yesterday to have an interview with Count Mole, but it would appear that the President of the Cabinet of the 15th of April gave him little or no explanation, as the Ambassador retired rather dissatisfied with the interview.—Gazette de France. According to advices from Agram of the 9th insl . ., the nea constitution of Sarvia had been ptonaulgated with much solemnity. It was first read in the Turkish and of terwards in the Scrvian language, on the Kuli Megdan, a large space situate between Semlin and the fortress of Belgrade, and in the presence of an immense crowd. Five thousand deputies of the cities, towns, and villages, were in attendance, and Joussouf Pasha presided over the cere mony, as Ottoman Commissioner. The Emperor of Rus sia was represented by his Consul, Gerasim Wastienko. Advices from Rome of the 14th instant, state that the Pope had forbidden the exportation of wheat from his dominions. Cardinal Finch was again ill, and despaired of by his physicians. Prince Jerome Bonaparte was ex pected from Florence. In the event of the Cardinal's death, annubers cc the Niipolcon tinnily are to meet in that capital. A band of 50 robbers had been a rros:cd at an inn, situate within three miles of Rome, on the Florence road. It consisted of the innkeeper and bis servants, and of the prisoners confined in the Castle of Nepi, whom the gaoler allowed to go abroad every night. Baron Werther, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Prus sia, broke his arm by a fall in the streets of Berlin. " We mentioned at the time that the Emperor of Russia had deprived our Ambassador at St. Petersburgh of the use of the Hotel, till then assigned to the representative of France. This measure appeared so brutal, even to the Cabinet of 15th April, as to call for reprisals, and Count Pahlen, hitherto lodged at the expense of France, was obliged to look for a residence at his own expense. But we were not told why the Court of Russia had been so rude to M. de 13arante as to expel him from his hotel. A legitimist journal, La France, which knows what passes at St. Pe. tersburgh, and which makes no sort of difficulty of telling everything, now gives us full information on this point. We subjoin, word for word, the note published by that journal. It proves to the most incredulous the degree of respect which the concessions of our diplomacy have gained us at the Muscovite Court. The following is the letter addressed to La France from St. Petersburgh, dated March 10th : " We expect in our capital the Cilinese and Persian Ambassadors, who are to reside permanently at St. Pe tersbuigh. In order to accommodate them in a becoming manner, it has be en thought fit to appropriate for their re sidence the hotel now occupied by M. de Barante. Some very scrupulous persons thought that this proceeding would be humiliatin g t o t h e F renc h "G overnment of July, ar.d these observations had only just reached the Emperor's cars. His Imperial Meje,ty, who is extre mely frank and sincere in his opinions, said on the sub ject My Government ha 3 declared to M. de Barante its desire that he should quit the hotel ; it is a settled mat t The men of July have no right to the hospitality of Russia in any point of view. Besides, the Sovereigns of China, and Persia manifest sincere friendship towards me, whereas I cannot say the same of the France of July. '"-- Le Constitutionnel. BOURSE.—PARIS, WEDNESMY, MARCH 27. HALF.PAST Timm—The market has been flat. For the ac count The Three per Cents. opened at 79f• 85c., rose to 80f. ; they declined to 79f. 80c. and closed at 79f. 95c., a fall of 5 cents. The Five per Cents. opened, at 109 f. 10c., and closed at 109 f. 25c., as yesterday. For money, the Three and Five per Cents. are sc. lower. '1 he Bank of France Shares have not been quoted. The Laffitte Bank Shares have not varied, neither have the Bel gian Five per Cents. The Three per Cents. are sc. lower, as well for money as fur time. The Spanish Active is / lower, having de clined from 21 to 201. The Passive has recovered The Nea politan Bonds have advanced 5e.. The only alterations in Railway Shares are a decline of 10f. in the Versailles Left Bank, and a rise of sf. on the Malhassen to Thann. First Highest Lowest Last Price. Price. Price. Price. French 5 per Cents l(9 ... 100 l.i ... 109 ... 109 10 - 4 per CeLts lo' ... 112 ... 102 102 3 per Cents 7l . 79 95 ... 80 79 95 Laffitte 13a k 1051 , .! ...!oiti ...1060 , 5,00.tf. :h 52G0 ...5200 ...;:`'no :::6i,6 Belgian 5 per Cents lO3 ... 103 ... 103 ... ;03 3 per Cents ... 71 90 ... 71 95 ... 71 CO ... 71 93 Bank 715 ... 715 ... 7 5 ... 705 Coupons 3, anish Ac ive 2l ... 21 ... 274 ... 20% Passive Old Irde rea 9 . ~. 9 ... 9 ... 9 Neapolitan Roman RAILWAY BLi A REs. St. Cersnai ~. 6 0 6SO ... (80 ... (SO Versailles, A. B 670 ... 6:0 ... f 67 50 ... 670 L B. 9 2 50 50 ...... 2 9 5 5 0 0 Havre Orleans .. 455 ... 455 ... 455 ... 455 .Strasburg to Bale 335 ... 337 50 ...%13 3 ••• 31 53 Montpellier to Cette :: : Fit 1 :: : r 1 5 4 0.5 Mulhausen to 'I hann ... ASPHALTES ANDBI'I UAIENS. Seystel (A) 2OOO ...2050 ...2000 ...'2051 DUTCH FUNDS.—ANSTURDAM DlAncil 26 Money. Bills. Actual Debt, 2% per Cent Ditto, ditto 5 per cent. Amon Syndic, 4 1 ,4 per cent 1 £5 Ditto. . I. '" — ' . • - n EV .ritto, ci:tto, 3 j , er cent. I74Y; 1 79 % Commercial Company, 4 , 4 per cent _ _ .10—.101 149503 x :1110:971 7871 Ditto (1832 and 1533) 5 per cent. Ditto 1:37, 5 per cent. Loan 1637, 5 per cent. 11 93 Exchange on London, One motif h zy~ per Cent. Rothschild's Loan, 5 per Cent.... ............... 1 0% 91% Actual I . ILG D IAN , 71Money. Loan of Thirty Million., 4 per Cent ......... of Commerce, 31, per r e c r i e t n .. t . 105 10 an 107% 107% n k G P S ..... 98 97 stod:rp.,B, te ) . a f .r i .::litu. ( caucs. Beldam,. eß.:ec t. 4 pe es:E p . rs e .N, .c r . .e e. March... L., . ................... y r Cent. Ist sches, Certificate t re i . , e u t a r i, C p e e n b t t . , 1-1 2 ; p ::d o ......... ... t;)434 ut 5 per Cent ................... 13.% .- 1574, 157 nish Loan, 3 per Cent ...... . Lean,EXCHANGES ON LONDON. P-31, 4 per Cent.... 11 43 CHRISTIANIA, MARCH i3.—Three months, 4 118. MARCH '26. mooths 13. 4%. MARCH 15.—Two slonths, Five per Cents, Metalliques Four per Cotnts. • 8 Three pza Cents. USTRIAN FUNDS.--Vmora, MARCH 13 Rl4l 147.1 1 4 .:}Apig;Tti :au ,eunuAiinuotitntzs sst,3Btclitisci,ktioovniKniiir,oehea:,kl .NESL:!i i a s,, a Aaksool ,:cacuse:Asitnn.sel,rmizl9 tq -Mar,2i' 24, Madtid papers of the 20th, with letters from B onne of the 23d inst., have reached us. Great fears are entertained for the safety of Malaga, in . consequence. of a revolutionary conspiracy disco vered in that city. The disorganisation throughout Spain was general, and seriously alarming. No event of importance had tarken place in the northern provinces. Several of the Paris Papers state that prepara tions are in progress for repressing by force of arms any rising in the capital, for which the stagnation of trade and the present deranged state of the Go vernment, . afford but too serious apprehensions. Parks of artillery, according to report, have been introduced into the barracks at St. Denis, and two other military stations around the metropolis ; yet, ' adds one of these Papers, though the minions of the Court may have advised violent measures, we cannot believe for a Moment that such med councils will be listened to, or that the Court will follow out to the last the dangerous policy adopted by the Ministers of Lours XVI. and CHARLES X. These arc certainly ominous phrases, which one sould hardly have expected to see in Journals so closely watched and so kept down• as those of France have been for the last two years. But the reason is obvious : the public writers hear their sentiments echoed from every quarter of the king dom—they know that hardly any Jury would con vict them of libels either on the half dead Ministry, now become a bye-word, or even on the Court that supports their, and that under the existing state of excitement any attempt to indict them before the Chamber of Peers would recoil on the heads of those who should be mad enough to advise it. The sentiments expressed at Rouen, the most influential town, next to Paris, in France, on the occasion of the dinner given to MM. LAFITTE and ARAGO on Saturday, and the wild enthusiasm with which hey were received by an assembly of eight hundred persons may be taken as a fair specimen of' public feeling in other towns, and chiefly the'eommercial towns of the - kingdom. The dinner was in exact imitation .of political dinners given in this country. One of the theatres was fitted up for the occasion, Stewards Were appointed, and toasts given ap plicable to the important topics that now agitate. France. In one instance the programme varied from that adopted in this country. After the Chairman had taken his place, and the guests were seated, a collection was made, and about 1,500 francs collected to buy bread for the poor thrown out. of employment. The first toast given, amidst solemn silence, was, " The Constitutional KING" (au Roi Constitutionnel), and thunders of applause accompanied the closing words of the Chairman—" a toast to the Constitutional KING, and to the. Charter of 1830." The healths Of the two Members were then given, when they • made speeches, which will sound ra ther harsh on some cars. " What," said M. LAFITTE, " has been the result of the days of glory and prosperity which, a few years ago, were welcomed by the admiration and hopes cf the world ? We have been called revolutionists. Yes ; we are friends of the revolution established in 1830, to prevent new revolutions. It is said, tire country %vial:es peace and we wish war. The country (hies not desire war, I admit, but it will not purchase peaca at any price.—(Loud cheering.) France wants neither a war of principles nor a war of con quests, but war, rather than abandon our principles. New Ministers, entrusted with the defence of France, will you at the same time serve France and the Crown ? If so, recollect what I have again and- again told your predecessors, the contract is binding on him who receives 'as well as on him who gives—if not—not, as say the Arragonese." And M. ARAGO, in an eloquent speech, drew a sad picture of France now al compared with what she was in 1830. " France then," said he, " showed herself magnanimous—shie renounced conquest— she wished to be surrounded by friendly neighbours. Look at the map of Europe and it will tell you what France, so noble, so . glorious in 1830, is in 1839." These are only a few specimens of speeches which have already produced an effect beyond the boundaries of Rouen. Letters from Brussels of the 27th instant, with the Journals of that Capital, have arrived this morn ing. The Opposition Prints, as a matter of course, are indignant at the hasty decision of the Senate upon the Treaty of the Twenty-four' Articles, but they are clearly unsupported by public opinion. The following description of a scene, and a report of a speech in the Senate during the sitting of Tues day, is all that we can find having any claims to novelty or general interest M. Beke Beke, on being required to give his reasons for abstaining, declared, that not having assisted at all the de bates' he could not conscientiously vote. The President then rose and said—" Gentlemen, I too should make known to you the reasons for which I have refrained from voting. I have not voted against the project.—( Here the President became much affected.) I beg your pardon, Gentlemen, I am much agitated— lam a Limburgeois. I have not voted against the pro ject ; because, in my opinion, its rejection would amount to a declaration of war—a war, which would in the first place cause the blood to flow of those who have excited so much interest in this body—a useless war, without the slight est chance of success, and I would never provoke a war which would destroy our nationality. • I wish to sae a Belgium existing even in the interest of those portions which are torn from us. I did not vote, Gentlemen, because it was impossible for me to assist in an act which will separate me from those whom I have long known—men who were my friends and neighbours, whom I love, who love me, who have always favoured me by their kindness—to whom I owe the honour of sitting among you. I could not assist by my vote—you will understand me, Gentlemen, and the Senate will do justice to my feelings.---(' Yes, yes.') My coun trymen too will, I hope, render nee the justice to believe that I have done everything in my power in their favour." —(‘ Very well l Very well l') TAIT'S MAGAZINE. The Opium E iter (Do Quincey) continues his recol lections of Wordsworth in this number. Some of them are amusing enough, and told in a very arch, piquant manner ; but the writer's admiration—we might almost say, adoration—of the Lake poet, is far too enthusiastic. One might imagine from De Quincey's lavish praises, that Wordsworth was the greatest poet that ever existed ; whereas he is no more to be corr.- pared to Milton in austere, high-toned sentiment, or to Spenser in luxuriant imagination, than a rush-light is to be compared to the sun. Alluding to Wordsworth's uniform good fortune in receiving bequests and legacies just at the moment when he stood most in need of them, the Opium Eater observes, with much archness— But now, reverting to the subject of Wordsworth's pros perity, I have numbered up six separate stages of good loch—six instances of pecuniary showers emptying them selves into his very bosom, at the very moments when they began to be needed, on the first symptoms that they might 1)o wanted—accesses of fortune, stationed upon his road, like repeating figures, connecting, to all appearance, some preconcerted line of operations; and, amidst the tumults of chance, wearing as much the sic of purpose and design, as if they supported a human plan—so much the more, also, to a thoughtful observer as the subject of this overflowing favour from the blind goddess, happened, by the rarest of accidents, to be that man whom many of us would have de clared the most worthy of that favour, most of us, perhaps as in the case of Themistocles, would have declared at the very least, second best. I have come down to the sixth case. Whether there were any seventh, I do not know : but confident I feel, that, had a seventh been required by circumstances, a seventh would have happened. At the same time, every reader will, of course, understand me to mean, that not only was it utterly out of the power or will of Wordsworth to exert any, the very slightest influence upon these cases, not only was this impos,ible— not only was it impossible to the moral nature of Words worth, that he should even express that sort of interest in the event, which is sometimes intimated to the incumbents of a place or church-living by sudden inquiries after their health from eager expectants—but also, in every one of the instances recorded, he could have had not the slightest knowledge before-hand of any interest at issue for himself. This explanation I make to forestall the merest possi bility of misapprehension. And yet, for all that, so true it is, that still, as Wordsworth needed a place or a fortune, the holder of that place or fortune was immediately served with a summons to surrender it—so certainly was this im pressed upon my belief, as one of the blind necessities, making up the prosperity and fixed dest4iy of Wordsworth, that, for myself—had I happened to know of any peculiar adaptation in an estate or office of mine, to an existing need of Wordsworth' s —f or th w ith, an d w i t h t h e spee d o f a man running for his life, I would have laid it down at his feet. " Take it," I would have said—" take it—or in three weeks I shall be a dead man." The " Landowners versus the Nation" is a question temperately but forcibly discussed, and will convince all who bring an unprejudiced mind to the task of perusal. The observations on Sidney Smith's " Pamphlet on the Ballot," deal with the reverend gentleman's adroit sophistries, just as they deserve to be dealt with. " Ellis's History of Madagascar" is an admirable digest of a most useful and entertaining publication. The character of the half-savage, half-civilized King Radama is delineated with skill and energy. " Blanche Delamere" improves as it proceeds. The present chapters exhibit some striking traits of character on the part of the high-minded heroine. When completed, this tale s'iould be republished. It is worthy of such a compli ment. There are some pleasant snatches of verze in this 1:411,, ,r, oo,!_ee the somewhat stern and hard character of this stalwart Radical periodical CITY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS. LIVERPO IL COTTON MARKET, THLTRISDAY.--We have had a moderate demand for cotton to-day without change in prices. The sales are 5,500 bags of all kinds td thd trade. Cape of Good hope papers received to the 31st January.' PORT NATAL.—By the Mary, from Port Natal we hear that the Boers have returned from Commando against Dingaan, they had lost six of their number and faikd in their attempts to capture cattle, from 20 to 30 of the party from Natal had also fallen. Mr. Biggar is named among them. This, we beliese, is all that is yet certainly known. Since writing the above, we have received the Govern ment notice which confirms it. The schooner Mary has brought intelligence fro. Port Natal up to the 7th Jan. Thu Boets-Commando which went against .Ding;aan on the 20th Nov. had returned, but no authentic ac counts of its proce:zdings bad been received. Major Chatter's letter to the officer in command of the expedi tion, endeavouring to dissuade him from the commissionof hesti•itieF, had been intercepted by certain persons calling thennselv the general council, at the camp on the Togata, and was not by them transmitted nor suf fered to be transmitted to its destination. It is stated that the Camp of the Commando was attacked on the 16th Dec., by a force of 10,000 Zoolies, 200 being armed with muskets; and the attack was re pulsed with the (improbable) loss to the Zoolies of 3,000 men, wLi:st the Commando had only three slightly wounded ; that Dingaan retreated in consequence, after burning Umkunkingloie, his principal residence, to which place the Beers having advanced, they found there and removed the remains of their comrades, who were mas sacred with Reief—that after some days a strong pa trol was sant out which, on the 23d got entangled in difficult ground, was suddenly attacked by. the Zoolies, (who had up to the moment remained unobserved), and teat the patrol retired with the loss of six of the Boers, and from twenty to thirty of the party from Port Natal, of whom an Eng ishman named Biggar was one. Whatever may be the truth, it is at least certain that the retreat of the Commando was the result of the affair of the 23d, and that one of the chief objects of the Commando, viz., the capture of cattle, was not effected ; for a few horses and 25 muskets seem to have been, the only spoils. A second and stronger Commando• was spoken of ; but as there appears to be differences of opinion among the emigrants, it is to be hoped that the attempt will not be made. It has been announced to them, that if they persist in these attacks they will be deprived of ' all supplies by sea ; but should they, on the contrary, content themselves with the quiet occupation of the country where they new are, not only will food and other necessaries be permitted to reach them, but they will be allowed such means of self-defenee against at tacks as may be requisite. The country is reported to be favourable for raising grain—wheat in particular. There is no want of animal fend, and millet, or Indian corn ; but flour, rice, &c., arc very scarce. Unfortunately the supply of rice in the Helene could not be all got ashore, on account. of the state of the weather. Some of the emigrants express the most ardent de sire to get back to the Colony on any terms, as they entertain gloomy forebodings of %%4 - tat must be the even tual state of a community " where all is going out, and nothing coming in." " It is impossible to contemplate what may be the final result of this emigration, without feelings of sincere com miseration for those who have so unadvisedly placed themselves in a situation of suffering and danger, with apparently bnt very slender hopes of being able to maintain themselves, for any beneficial purpose, in their present possessions ; but in the mean time every as sistance in the power of Government will be readily afforded to such of them as desire to return by sea, for by land they seem cut off from return, for want of means ; and the distresses of those who remain will be alleviated in as far as the declared object of the military possession of the Port and its shores will admit. " By Command of his Excellency the Governor, (Signed) " JOHN BELL. " Secretary to Government. " Colonial Office, Cape of Good Hope, Jan, 28, 1839." This day being Good Friday it is kept as a close holiday in the City. The Bank, Lloyd's, and most of the Coffee-houses are shut, consequently no business doing in the Funds, as the Stock Exchange is also closed. -We have received the journal of Antwerp of yester day's date, but it does not contain any news of conse quence. - The Dutch mail which arrived last night anticipated the prices of the, Dutch Funds. Arrivals this morning, French, Ostend, and Dutch mails; their contents will be found in another part of the paper. One arrival of ship letters, from the Cape of Good Hope. It is reported that the Bank Directors held a long meeting yesterday, but nothing relating to it has as yet transpired ; it is supposed that it was owing to the great demand for gold upon thorn. the only arrival this morning of interest are the Cape of Good Hope papers. BRUSSELS and GERMAN PAPERS BRUSSELS, INIAucH 27.—1 t is reported that another duel has taken place between the son of N. Pirson and one of the brothers of General Willmar. The latter is said to have been killed. This report needs confirmation. The average prices of wheat and rye, in the week ending the 23d March, having been—Wheat, 23f. 75c. and of rye, 131.30 e. they are free of import duty, and the exportation remains prohibited. The Governor of Limburg has just called on the town Magistrates of the province to furnish him with lists of the strangers who have settled in their respec 7 tive districts since the 26th of August, 1830. This list is to 'point out with the greatest accuracy possible their names, native place, age, and profession, their last place of abode, the time of their arrival in Belgium, the grounds for their residence in the kingdom, their means of subsistence, their moral and political conduct ; in a word, every particular that can be had to make them well known. It is supposed that this information had been called for by the administration of public safety. PESTI!, MARCH 6.—The new Primate of Hungary was installed this week in the highest department in which he presides, together with the . Archduke Pala tine. It is reported that the Primate will devote the whole of his enormous revenues as Archbishop of Gran to the completion of the magnificent cathedral, and will live on the income of the Bishopric of Vesprun for three years. I'OSEN, MARCH M.—For some days past a report (unconfirmed indeed) has been pretty goncrally circu lated that Archbishop Dunin has written a letter to the King himself, imploring his 'Majesty's clemency —a re port which is a most glaring contradiction to the Arch bishop's conduct hitherto, but which is nevertheless credited by persons who are usually well informed of every thing connected with the affair. This is presumed to be the reason that the sentence has not been returned from Berlin. I myself hesitate to gite credit to so im probable a report, for I cannot conceive how M. Von Dunin can so suddenly deviate from the line of conduct which be has so consistently followed. CIRCASSIA. ST. PLTERSBURGII, MARCH Ig.—According to our last accounts from Tiflis, the war with the Circassians is far from being at an end. The emissaries sent by General Golowine into Abasia, to ascertain the inten tions of the chiefs of the tribes, have been told by them that the sky should give way and the catth fall to pieces b:•fore the Circassians consented to become the friends of the Muscovites. The Abasian Princes have deputed Plenipotentiary Ministers to Constantinople, to propose to the Sultan to redog,nise his authority, and offer to pay him a yearly tribute, to furnish a contingent of cavalry, and maintain a Turkish Governor in Abasia at their own expense, on condition of his defending them against the Russians. On the other hand, these Princes would not allow Mr. Bell to leave Lhe country, as they consider him the representative of England. They lately declared to him that if Great Britain would assist them in an effi cacious manner, and supply them with arms, warlike s!or.2s, and officers, they would not only oppose any attempt of Russia against British India, but would excite a revolt in Georgia and in the country of the Cossackg. This intelligence so exasperated the Empe.or Ni cholas, that he ordered General Golowine to wage ex terminating war against the Circassians, amd lay waste the entire country. The Emperor recommends that officer to avoid all conflict with the mountaineers, to blockade the coast much closer, and promisei large re compenses to every Circassian who would betray his country and join the Russian ranks. The order of the Emperor for this destructive war has been officially published in St. Petershurgli.—COM MOTE% NUMISMATIC SOClETY.—Yesterday evening, the ordinary meeting was held at the apartments of the Royal Astronomical Society, in Somerset House., Doctor Lee, F. R. S., President, in the Chair. Amongst the pre ants announced and exhibited, was a medal struck to com memorate the Centenary of the Royal Old Well, at Chel tenham, of which a memoir was read by the Rev. Mr. Turner ; a Dinar of the Emperor Otto 1., who hved be tween 936 and 973 A. D., front Mr. Feaster ; as also some coins, of which was a rare gold ducat, from the Mint at Zurich. The last had the effigy of Charlemagne, bearded and bare-headed, sitting over a globe, and or, the other side figures of St. Felix and St. Regula, standing with their heads in their hands. This, which was the symbol of the martyrdom which they suffered, and thus represented by ancient artists, has given rise to a popular superstitious no. tion that saints who were decapitated, after taking up their heads, walked with them in their hands for some distance. Several new members were elected, amongst whom were Lord Carrington, Lord Albert Conyngham, M.P . , M r C. R. Smith, M.P., Mc. Prinsrp, of . sod Vi scoun t Santarem, a distingttUcd Portuguese rtun'tism tilt, was proposed as an honorary member, EVENING EDITION. THE CORN-LAWS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin, —Having prepared, at the request of several influential and highly respectable townsmen, an address to the Queen, relative to the conduct of certain Mem bers of the Administration on the subject of the Corn laws, and having observed with pleasure the independent spirit, zeal, and ability which you have shown in de nouncing those obnoxious and unjust laws, I am induced to transmit you a copy of the address, believing that you would gladly avail yourself of the opportunity of giving it publicity in your columns, and of recommend ing a similar course of proceeding in other places, as an eligible mode of carrying - on the agitation of this most important and vital question. The petition is in course of signature. I aiti, Sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM BIRKIN. Derby, March 21, 1839. "To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty. The Honourable and Dutiful Address and Petition of the undersigned Inhabitants of Derby. " MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN—WC, your Majesty s loyal and devoted subjects, most humbly approach your Majesty with sentiments of unfeigned and dutiful respect for y our Royal person and authority, and with the warmest assurances of faithful attachment to those prin ciples which established your illustrious family on the throne of these realms. " We feel convinced that your Majesty is duly im pressed with the truth of this great and essential prin ciple, thAf it is the duty, and ought to be the primary object of every Government, to promote the general. welfare and happiness of the community : not to support the peculi r or exclusive interests of a ericileged few, to the prejudice of the many ; but to secure the greatest possible good to the greatest number. " We beg to assure your Majesty that we have been hitherto firm and zealous supporters of your Majesty's Government ; entertaining, as we have done, the confident and pleasing expectation that, under their wise _and judicious councils, a liberal and enlightened policy would lead to the correction of errors, the reformation of abuses, the alleviation of the public burthens, and a general amelioration of the con dition of the people ; that the ingenuity and industry of an active and intelligent population might be duly re warded ; and that the auspicious reign of your Ma jesty might be duly crowned with the greatest glory of a constitutional sovereign—the ardent love and attach ment of a free, prosperous, and happy nation. " We humbly submit to your Majesty's most gracious consideration, that the products of the earth, intended for the sustenance of man, ought to be easily accessible to all, from whatever sources they may spring ; and that any laws that impose restrictions upon the supply of food which they might obtain by the exertions of their labour, are unjust, tyrannical, and oppressive. That the exchange of produce between nations whose fertile lands yield abundance of corn, and those whose skill and in dustry produce aeticles of manufacture, should be free as the air that we breathe, to supply their reciprocal wants. And that the cower of making arbitrary laws which tax the labours of" industrious millions by en hancing the price of food, for the benefit of a few thousands of wealthy individuaio, is a direct interference with the bountiful dispensations of an all-wise Provi dence, and ought nowhere to exist. • " We are desirous of impressing upeen your Majesty our firm conviction of the baneful tender' y of the ex is;ing Corn-laws. Enacted solely for the purpose of enabling the landowners to exact high rents, tiey press. heavily upon all other classes of the community. foreign nations Compete with us successfully in various brandies of manufacture ; tile demand for labour is diminished ;- scarcity of employment causes a reduction of wages ; the working population, the main source of wealth, have to contend with the twofold evils of small earnings and dear food, and are fast sinking into paupetism and ruin. Thus the vital energies of the country are gra dually verging to decay. We now find, with pain and regret, that several of your Majesty's Ministers, regardless alike of the suffer ings of the poor, and of the alarming consequences of these unjust and odious laws, are 'decidedly hostile to their abolition ; and we consider such men as being un fit to be intrusted with the destinies of a great nation. We, therefore, most humbly, but earnestly, entreat your Majesty to withhold your confidence from all statesmen who will not heartily join in effecting their total a nd unconditional repeal : a measure which, we feel as sured, would greatly tend to insure the peace, happi ness, and prosperity of the country. The combined armies of Austria, Prussia, and the Germanic Confederation amount, according to the calculations of the Frankfort paper, to 1,400,000 men-- 700,000 furnished by Austria, 400,000 by Prussia, and 300,000 by the other States of the Confederation. LONGEVITY.—At the recent trial of the case of the Earl of Beverley v. Tuke, at the York assizes, the total ages of twenty-seven witnesses, who proceeded by the packet, was computed by a passenger at 2,111 —making an Average of 78 for each passenger. They varied from 96 to 70. We have been favoured with the following par ticulars of some experiment, on fi.-iog gunpowder under water by the voltaic battery, tried on Saturday last at Chatham A rough fir vessel, 5 feet long, 3} feet wide, and 2i- feet deep, was previously sunk opposite the Gun Wherf, to represent the wreck of a ship, having a ring and lines attached to it, which are supposed to be placed by a diver after the vessel has been sunk. 2. A charge of 40Ib. of powder was let down from a boat and hauled into close contact with the supposed wreck, by means of the lines and ring above. mentioned. The coil i containing the conducting wires, one-fifth of an inch n diameter, by which this charge was fired, was veered out to its whole length of five hundred feet, from the same boat. 3. On the signal being given from the boat by a bugle to denote that all was ready, the signal to fire was made also by the bugle. The explosion succeeded admirably. A column of water w as thrown up by it, and the fragments of the vesssel came up to the surface. 4 Three charges, each of 51bs. of powder, were sunk at the distance of 30 or 40 feet from each other, opposite to the Gun Wharf, having a pair of connecting wires 150 feet long attach -d to each. The ends of these wires were soldered together by threes, and brought to the two poles of the voltaic battery, which had previously been removed from the boat after the first operation, and placed on the wharf, by which the charges were fired simultaneously, after two bugle sounds, as be' fore. Tao of the three charges were exploded simulta neously, and the third was prevented from doing so by a fracture in one of the conducting wires. The battery used was of Professor Daniel's improved construction. The wires in the last experiment were common copper bell wires, about a 16th of an inch in diameter, which were only used from not having any more of the former &scrip . tion. The experiments succeeded perfectly, and to the great delight of thousands of spectators. As we stated in our last, they were preparatory to blowing to pieces the Royal George, which was wrecked at Spithead, in 1782, and which has a number of very valuable brass guns, of large calibre, on board of her, all of which will be recovered after the demolition of the wreck.—Maidstone Journal. PAUPER SHlP.—This nuisance is discontinued r as will be seen by the following letter addressed to the Churchwardens aid Overseers of St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster :—" Duke-street, Westminster, March • 25.—Gentlemen,—As chairman of a committee of Justices, appointed by the Court of Session of the Peace, to inquire into the treatment generally of the Scotch and Irish paupers on board the reception ship, and to make such temporary arrangement as might appear necessary, I have to inform you that the Committee have arranged with Mr. Baker, the con tractor, that the use of the receiving ship shall be entirely discontinued on the 29th instant, and that after that day the Irish paupers shall be forwarded to Mr. Baker, at his office, No. 6, Lower East Smithfield ; and the Scotch paupers to Mr. Adorns, the Agent of the London , Leith, Edinburgh, and Glasgow Shipping Company, at their office near St. Katherine's Dock, on the days on which the vessels provided for their conveyance shall sail ; Mr. Baker being paid twenty-five shillings for the conveyance and maintenance of each Irish pauper ; and Mr. Adams the same sums as heretofore. It wil l therefore be necessary, when orders shall have been signed for the removal of any Scotch paupers, that the constable shall proceed, as soon after as may be, to Mr• Adams at the Company's office, with the orders, pay him the fare, and get a ticket stating the day on which the vessel is to sail, by which the paupers are to go, and convey them on board accordingly ; and when order; shall have been signed for the removal of any Irish paupers immediate notice must be sent, post paid, to Mr; Baker, containing the names and ages of the paupers ; an d Mr. Baker will send in return notice of the day and hour when the constables are to bring them to his office for the purpose of being shipped ; and the constables, if Mr. Baker should require it, are to put the paupers into the boats which are to convey them to the ship. I a m, Gen tlemen, your obedient servant, C. A. TULK. " STOPPAGES ON THE RI vER.---Wednesd a Y about noon a great many ships, steamers, and small craft were coming up the River through that part of the Pool_ where three large vessels are moored nearly in the middle of the stream, to protect the Thames Tunnel, and prevent a n y disturbance of the works, or the grounding of vessels over that.part where the men are excavating. Tie wind .7 blowing fresh from the west, and owing to the obi:rue"„11: h ere put caused by the Tunnel's brigs, sev era l steamers an d ships ;Yer put by, and others ran foul of each other. One brig lost be) . bowsprit owing to another vessel, which also sustained dt mage, going right athwart of her. Another ship, bark rigged, run foul of a sl oo p, d rove i n h er b u l w arks, an t caused some other mischief. Th e E ar l o f Li ver pool was Po by for about thic(t. quarters o f an h our , an d wa s obliged Le bring up stern foremost. The Batavier (Dutch steam ship) was also detained for a cons id era bl e time, and lai d right athwart the tide off Wapping dock. For nearly an hour there was a goo d d ea l o f con f us i on amo n g the sk P ping, and m uc h s l e t ay , ow i ng to the nav i gat i on being Ira" peded by the, vessels moored by the Tunnel Compol; The three brigs and the pager-ship off WaPPing ne Stair. , , are a great nuisance, and cause frequent accidneing and stoppages. Sometimes at low water ships ground mid-channel over the Tunnel, and have to remain nu t . the tide r i ses an d fl oats t h em o ff. L ou d a nd frequent corn ' plaints are m a d e by mas t ers an d pilots of the obstru ction s• before eleven s e l o e f v y e we Johnston:ehvee COMMUNICATION WITH ENGLAND. --A s dthf These Papers were conveyed from Liverpool by !II e n s o'clock el.d ay t h this r ug fo h re t n h o e c iA n ie to the chess of Kent, one of the splendid vessels belongingificr t.i. , . •,_T y of Gu, At twenty n.ioute:, po st. this aiternooti, the same Jouiniiis arrived through th e ry office delivery.—Dublin Eecning Mail of Wednesday. .0 , 04 ; I ~~% ~:~t ~ f i I