The Sun. — London, England, 1839-04-23 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION NATIONAL CONVENTION. (YESTERDAY.) Mr. CoLums, Delegate from Birmingham, in the chair. The minutes of last day's proceedings were read, and confirmed. IDEYALCATION.—TIIII FUNDS. A letter was read from Mr. Munta, stating, in reply to a question regarding the deficiency in the Birmingham ac eounts, that he was appointed a trustee of the national rent, but that he never had received any of the contribu tions, and that he must refer the Convention for particulars 10 Messrs. Grote and Prescott, the bankers. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were read from Nottingham, stating the Chart ists in that place were proceeding to elect a Delegate, in place of Dr. Wade. From Forfar, demonstrative of con fidence in the Convention. From Portsmouth, stating the necessity of disseminating political knowledge among the people in that neighbourhood; and it also was expressive of confidence in the Convention. Mr. F. O'CoxNea reported to the Convention that he had been at a public meeting at Dorking, on Saturday night last. Although notice had been merely given by Bonding round the bell-man, in consequence of his (Mr. O'Connet's) cams being mentioned, the masters withheld paymeri. from the workmen until a very late hour, to pre ►ent their atteridirg. However, they had an immense as eamblage, having fillei the largest room in the town, and there were several masters also present—well-dressed men, and sharers is the plunder, whether Whig or Tory. He (Mr. O'Connor) had explained to the meeting the objects of the Charter, and in consequence of the proceedings at Devizes, he hall felt it his duty to premise that if any at tempt were made to resort to it, he was prepared to resist force by force, and that he was determined to state his opition to the meeting at all hazards. His reception had 'been very gratifying►, and there was a unanimous determi nation to adept the priaciples of the Charter.—( Hear.) They bad previously been comparatively ignorant of the o►jects of the Convention, and expressed much pleasure at the progress their cape was making. iESIONATION OF TN DELEGATE FOR PERTHSHIRE. Mr. O'CoNsoa said he would now call the attention of the Convention ti another subject,.the resignation of Mr. Matthew, Delegate for Perthshire. It appeared that he bad been written to for the purpose of ascertaining when be would return to the Convention, and the answer was that be bad resigned his trust. Now, he thought, this letter should be taken notice of by the Convention, more ' especially as a grant of 201. had been lately made. A MEMBhlt observed that the money had never been paid.—( /I,!ar, hear.) Mr. O'CONNOR thought an address ought to be prepared by a Committee, to be appointed for that purpose, to the men of Perthshire, calling upon thena to elect another De legate. He for ono was not at all dismayed by the resigna tion of Mr. Cobbett, Dr. Wade, the men of Birmingham, or Mr. Matthew, for he had no doubt the great bulk of the people were with them.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. O'Connor concluded by submitting a motion fur an address to the men of Perthshire. Some discussion took place as to the propriety of enter taining the question, on the ground of the Convention not having been official!), apprized of the resignation of Mr. Matthew, and on the motion of Mr. Burns the question was postponed. 11EETING AT KiNNINGTON COMMON. Mr. NEE ox begged to ask whether a letter had been received from the men of Wandsworth, announcing a meeting to be held that day at Kennington Common, to elect a Delegate, and requesting the assistance of the Con vention ? The CEAIRMAN replied in the affirmative. Mr. MILL: submitted that they had nothing to do with the election of a Delegate by any body of men. APPOINTMENT OF MISSIONARIES. Mr. Dnuoas said the Committee appointed for the pur pcse of reporting upon that subject had never assembled, and therefore he had no report to make. Ile submitted that as the motion for the appointment of the Committee had been carried by only a small majority, jt would be as well to pass it by for the present. Mr. WitirrLß thought the proper course would be to convene the Committee and make the suggestion to them. Mr. LovierT thought it was a very slovenly way of doing business, and that it was a great neglect of duty not to have assembled and prepared a report. Mr. FCoST, as one of the Members of the Commit ... . _ tee, would suggest the postponement of the question, ti to-inorz ow, when they would be prepared with a report. THE PEOPLE'S 611ARTER. 4 Mr. MILLS said the Committee appointed to arrange the presentation of the petition to the Members of Parlia ment, to whom it was to be confided, bad nearly corn • piked its arrangements. 1 Mr. LOVETT said the Members cf Parliament to whom the petition was to be confided, were recommended to bring in a Bill embodying the principles of the Charter. ' They should recollect, however, that the Reform Bill had been destroyed in detail, and if they allowed their Bill to be mangled in this manner, it would he just such another I:ieee of humbug as the Reform Bill. —( Hear, hear.) .• -, Dr, FLUTCIIEU would ask whether the people of England could secure the Charter being adopted in all its in. violability without the assistance of the people in Parlia ment. If the five leading principles of the Charter were adhered to, he thought there would be no objection to some modification in the detn,ils. The CumnatAN said the conversation was altogether ir regular, there being no question before them. riNANcns. M•. RooHas then reed the r(port of the receipts and expenditure, v.hieh showed a balance in Land of 1,0461.0:.4d. Dr. FiAtTonua handed in two guneas National Rent from Weoix Bromwich. The CIiAIRMAN announced that Mr. Robert Flames had paid a second subscription of Il.—(Cheers.) Mr. PITKEITIILUY moved, that on Friday neat, and on future Friday mornings, the names of the Delegates be called over at eleven o'clock, or earlier, and that a return bo made as on other days of their attendance. Mr. Maus° seconded the motion, which, after a short Conversation, was carried. ABSENCE OP NIE3IBER3. _ _ Mr. FEARCWS O'CONNOR then rose to move, That no blender of the Convention should, from this day forth, be seat on the business o f ag i tat i ng, or as a m i ss i onaty, unt il atter the presentation of the National Petition. Before entering into his reason for bringing on this motion, ho must complain that the notice, which he had given ten days before, had been passed over altogether, namely for a vote of 3001. for the purpose of assisting public meet to be held during Whitsun week. Ile did not find that that notice was on the order paper at all ; but as he had taken the opinion of several Members of the Con vention, and as, perhaps, it would be advisable to alter the terms of the motion, he would postpone it for the present, and give notice that he would bring it on to-morrow. He would now proceed to the other motion, of which he had given notice. On taking down the names in the first instance, it was agreed that 49 Members should be ap pointed to the Convention, and it was supposed it would be easy to keep up that number either from the working classes or from those whose income gave them more time on t h e i r hands ; but he found there were thirteen gentlemen who did not attend at all, while there were six deserters. That made nearly one-half of the number originally constituted, and he feared it would afford a strong argument to their enemies, Whigs and Tories, against them, if they could not ensure the attendance of a greater number of Delegates them had occasionally attended. Among those who had never attended, or had only attended once or twice were, were Messrs. Bunce, Wroe, Vincent, Good, Lovelace, Itlehards, of the Potteries, and Richard Cobbett. If the country had known that those individuals would have neglected their duty, they would have taken care to pledge the Delegates that they would attend the Convention. He did not seek to fill up the places of those persons who had not attended, but he sought to fill up the places of those who had deserted. He sought from this day forth, or as soon as it could be put in practice, to bring the whole of the members of the Convention there, and to make them remain there u n til a f ter t h e presentat i on o f t h e N at i ona l Petition. They p rove d b y t h e l ast vote o f t h e H ouse o f Commons that the Whig party was stronger than ever, and the whole of that strength of the Whigs would be united to oppose every wish and object of the Convention, and the only means by which they could enforce their claims was by showing at all events that there was as great a feeling among the leaders as there was among the people. At one time the Convention was in advance of public opinion—it was now behind public opinion.—(Hear, hear.) Public opinion had not received any very great spur from the Convention, but on the con trary the apparent neglect of several of the Delegates had thrown a damp on the cause. The men of Birmingham had taken up the cause, and determined to repair the loss. The men of Perth, of Yorkshire, and Nottingham would do the came. If this motion was carried it was his intention to propose, on a future day, that they should not go back to their constituents, not having expended their ,fueds, which bad been raised at very great risk indeed by many of the working classes ; and he thought that some of the gentlemen required a little fresh air; that the Con tention required a little more popular control. lie thought they bad sat long enough in London, and that was his rea son for postponing the motion for the 3001., because he should follow it up by a motion that the Convention should for the retaainder of its term, be called a perambulating Convention. He would propose that they should sit in Airmingham for one week, and go to every large town, from thence to Newcastle.—( Hear and a laugh.) That might be laughed at, but after the National Petition had been presented and rejected, London would have done as much as it could do, and as much as it would do. But he had no hesitation in saving, that if all the Delegates had attended from the commencement, more would have been done in London. The cowardice of some, and the lukewarm ness of others, had thrown a damp on the cause of the people. The people expected more from the Convention.—( Hear. ) He did not attach blame to any but those who undertook the trust and had not discharged their duty. Mr. Good, they were told was agitating in Brighton. That was un doubtedly a grand object, but when Mr. Good undertook a trust he should discharge that trust. Mr. Vincent had Leen returned as a Delegate, and he had only attended one cr two days. Mr. Osborne had been returned as a Dele gate, and Mr. Osborne had only come as an ambassador to tell the good that had been done and would be done. Mr. Lovelace might be excused because he had given suffi cient reason for his non-attendance. Mr. Whit:le had drawn their attention to an Act which had been introduced by Gc. uernmcnt into the House of Commons, and it was necessary tho Convention should show they were not afraid, and it was their d u ty to make a great struggle. The}' had been talking a lung time about moral force, but he would tell the ecnventi3n that unless they exerted tliemcelves the people, in spite of them, would have recourse to physical • lore,-; and it they did the en tire onus would fall on those c'ilo , ,lpherswho hail advocated moral force. IC there was tittewartnnss sho wn b y t h e t i m idi ty o f si lne, and the in convenience cf others, these men who wanted breakfasts and dinners, and had g i ven t h e i r De : e . ates money to te ll them how to get hrc . akfts!'s and dinners, finding that morel power had altogether failed, would get their breakfasts end dinners without them.—(Hear, hear.) Although they gi igh t tell them the 6th of May would be nothing mor: than a skirmish, that it would not be the great day of battle, vet if th e y sat there as a mere money Parliame,t, holding ' owiey in their hands, and L e a s ti ng of the economical , - had done their duty, while yr in crotch tue,, taann . much labour remained unperformed, then the people would say they have sent men who simply lived on the pay they had given tben:e—who merely wished to prolong the agi tation in order that they might prolong their pay—and they would now take the affairs in their own bands. Every newspaper teemed with public opinion from the several villages and towns, and stated that the confidence of the peo- I ple in the Convention alone withheld them from outbreaks ; and did they suppose that while they sat there moralizing ' and philosophizing, these men would be satisfied with their moral philosophy unless they showed them that it had been bent to the fullest of its bearing. In Lancashire and Yorkshire the people had asked him whether he thought the Convention would recommend physical force. He had said he did not think they would. The answer to that was, " Then, Sir, they must show more moral force than they have done." He ( Mr. O'Connor) had always yielded to the opinion of the majority—he had always abstained from bringing forward:any motion that might create a schism, but he would tell them that the Convention must make up its mind upon a principle, and that that principle was, that as the people had determined on having their Charter, the country should afford a sufficient number of Delegates to work out that Charter. When the news reached the country that the National Petition had been treated (as it would be) like all other petitions, then they would find that remonstrances would pour in from the country, and it was for the purpose of enabling them to meet these remon strances, and to accompanyit with advice, that he had brought forward this motion. When the petition was presented it would be the duty of the Convention to appoint a per manent chairman; to continue its sittings from day to day, and from hour to hour, if necessary ; and to invite the country to address the Convention, in order that they night consider in what way they could best carry out the objects of their just cause. The Convention would then be looked on as the only constitutional representative body of the people—( Hear, hear)—and if it did not bring itself morally into collision with other authorities, it would do nothing. Until they came into collision with sonic autho rity, it would be impossible for them to show their own im portance. So long as they continued to take the opinions of barristers and attorneys, so long would the people brand them as Moral cowards. The nearest associates to the working classes had been the best attendants at the Con vention, and the people would see that they had reason to feel confidence in those men nearest to their own class rather than in those . men who were placed above want and placed above labour. The people would appoint another Con vention of their own, composed of men who expected to be benefited by the National Charter,and by Universal Suffrage. He had often observed a disposition to go beyond what the Convention had previously professed, and to put down any ' expression having reference to physical force. But he warned these gentlemen that the crisis was approaching.— ( Hear, hear.) There was no disposition on the part of the people to come into collision with the law—the people would not have recourse to that description of physical force which their enemies would wish. They would not commence with a desultory warfare, nor hazard their cause in one battle—( Hear, hear)—but, on the other hand, if they were refused their just demands, now that the Reform Bill had been found ineffectual for the objects for which it was framed—if the masters locked up their men so as to prevent their expressing their feelings, they would have recourse to the silent monitor—they would light their torches and repair to the hill-side, and there remain until the prayer of their petition was granted.—( Hear, and cheers.) They would not be so foolish, however, as to bare their naked and unarmed breasts to desciplined bodies of soldiers. But that there might be no doubt of what he meant—that it might not be supposed by the owners of property that he merely referred to the people meeting at night by torch light, he would say that the resistance of the people would consist in their abstinence from labour, and the men who derived their property from that labour would find that they could not long maintain so unequal a contest.—( Hear, hear.) The very arguing of the question of physical force, as it had been hitherto urged, had given great strength to the Government, It had been supposed that the people intended to resist the military with pikes, and with pistols without locks, and guns without barrels ; that the people of Lancashire and Yorkshire, and other manufacturing districts would meet the cannon with the shuttle, and present the web to the musket. They might depend upon it, however, that the moment moral force failed physical force would slip in, and, like an electrical shock' , effect what the other had failed to accomplish, lie complained that the Con vention bad often been sitting when the absent Members composed a majority, and if they wished to maize ...keir pro ceedings effective, the attendance should not only be con stant bet general. He cared not chat reason had induced them to absent themselves; but he had no hesitation in saying, that Mr. Cobbett had taken the holdest step ; be- cause he could not carry his resolution he took the most gentlemanly, the most manly, and the most honourable step. But as for those Gentlemen who had resigned, he could not designate them as any other than paltry cowards. He had no hesitation in branding them as moral and per sonal cowards, and he was convinced that the moral philo sophers were the greatest bane to the cause. If the Con vention had only carried out the principle of moral power to its fullest extent, they would have heard nothing of physical force.—( Hear, and cheers.) The power behind the bad law was greater than the bad law itself ; but the power of 'he people was superior to all the laws that had ever stained the annals of legislation in this country.— ( Hear, hear.) If they proceeded timidly and sneakingly, pretexts would still be found to assail them, whereas, if they proceeded in a bold and straightforward course, they would have the approval of the people of this country in stead of the revilings and contempt that would otherwise await them. It was necessary, therefore, that at the present moment they should have as many members present as possible.—( Hear, hear.) If Whigs were now stronger than ever, and considered that they had obtained a renewal of their tener, of office, and a longer continuance of their avowed march of tyranny and oppression. Having put down the Tories for a time, their next effort would be to Iput down the Convention at once, and for ever.—(Hear, hear.) He thanked them for having heard him so pa tiently, and he only hoped if there were to be any opposi tion to his motion, that good grounds would be given for it, and that the people would be satisfied that the Delegates could do them more good elsewhere than at the Conven tion.—( Hear, and cheers.) Mr. 13 CSSEY, in seconding the motion, observed, that at one time the Convention was in advance of the people, and at that period their position was rather a dangerous one, for he never liked to see them so. Ile hoped their mea sures would be always influenced and judged by the wishes of their constituents. Dr. FLETCHER cordially concurred in the motion of Mr. O'Connor, but with respect to his remarks upon the ab sence of Delegates he would observe that the arrangements made in Manchester were that the Delegates from that district should be placed entirely under the controul of the Committee sitting at Manchester, as to who should attend the Convention and who should not. He was a determined physical force man, yet he believed that a proper exercise of moral force backed by physical force, would be sufficient for the attainment of their object. Moral force might be equally dangerous, if it were not backed by the physical force of the country, and if any attack was meditated upon them he would recommend that the Convention should sit among the people who would support them. He did not, however, agree with the proposition that they should be a perambulating Convention—it would not only weaken their force, but there was the further objection that some of their best men had not the funds necessary to defray the increased expenses it would entail. He agreed with Mr. O'Connor, that they ought not to trouble themselves about the opinions of lawyers ; their wisest and best policy would be to keep within the constitutional law of England. He felt per fect confidence in the men he saw around him, and he be lieved most of them had made up their minds to the crisis, if not, he would advise them speedily to do it. —( Hear, hear.) He, for one, should not regret the infusion of a little new blood among them. With respect to what had been said of the small number of members, he believed if they had not limited it to forty-nine they would have a much larger number present, and in Scotland they almost quarrelled among themselves as to who should have the honour of representing them at the Convention, without sending too large a number. He recommended that the Convention should sit in London not only till the 6th of May, but afterwards, for it was then the crisis would take place, and they should be on the spot to meet it.—( Hear.) Mr. WHITTLE contended that Mr. O'Connor had no right to designate as deserters and cowards those who had withdrawn from the Convention. He bore testimony to the sincerity and independence of Mr. Matthew while he was a member of the Convention. That gentleman, as well as Dr. Wade, had joined the Convention on the Bir mingham resolution for the observance of peace, law, and order, and conceiving these principles had been departed from, they should not be sujected to any reproach for retir ing from the Convention. After vindicating the conduct of Mr. Vincent and other members of the Convention, Mr. Whittle concluded by expressing his concurrence in Mr. O'Connor's motion. _ _ Mr. DUNCAN, as a working many observed that not one of that class who had been selected to attend the Conven tion had resigned.—( Hear, hear.) It was a matter of re gret that men of education and intelligence should have committed themselves to the proceedings of the Conven tion and afterwards retired from it. Nothing had happened in that room to justify such a course, and he would add that there were not one of the gentlemen who had retired who had not heard much stronger language 'used at public meetings than had ever been used there.—( Hear.) The conduct of these men would have the effect of creating suspi cion in the minds of ethers of the same class as themselves. —( Hear, hear.) It would be recollected, tkat every man who had resigned was a middle class man, and in no one instance had a real workman man given up his trust.—(llcar, hear.) The people at large would re mark on this, and adopt their course in future, when they would have an occasion to elect other Delegates. Mr. DEEGAN begged, before the debate proceeded further, to apprise the Chairman that he was this day to attend a meeting at Romford, and as he was informed that Dr. Fletcher would go into a statement of his late mission, and as the worthy Doctor, as he had been in formed, would have occasion to remark on some part of his (Mr. Deegan's) conduct relative to a question l a t el y debated by the Convention, he Loped that Dr. Fletcher would be good enough to postpone his statement until he could be present to make that defence. which he was bound to do if any such animadversions should be made.—( Hear, hear. )- Dr For,Tcnrot said he would very willingly concede to Mr. Deegan's request. Mr. Miro.s hoped Mr. O'Connor would be so just to those members who were so constant and assiduous in their attendance here from day to day since the Convention first commenced its labours, as to withdraw that part of his speech which reflected on them, as well as on those who were absent.—( Hear, hear.) And he also thought Mr. O'Connor was not right in stating that there appeared to be disunion in the Convention. There was no disunion in the body except what was described in Mr. O'Connor's speech, and which was only the creation of Mr. O'Con nor's imagination.—(Hear, hear.) With this excep;ion, he thought the resolution unoxeeptionahl,!. Mr. HETHERINGTON fully ri , reed with Mr. O'Connor's motion, but he could not but deprecate the making* of sr eeches which gave rise to personal altercation. The manner in which the question of physical force has b , en discussed by some of their racnilms had been the cause of THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1839 a great many persons not taking an active part in the pro ceedings, and the use of such language has been a handle to their enemies for imputing to them a doctrino which they have, as &body, done their utmost to repudiate.—( Hear. ) In his late mission he found that the middle classes invari ably raised objections against them in consequence of this constant recurrence to physical force. He had on all those objections being stated, replied to them by saying that the Convention had never passed a resolution adopting this doctrine—and that it was only made use of by some few of the members.—( Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Hetherington) would not yield to Mr. O'Connor, on any point where the display of courage would be necessary—but as he was a moral force man, he could not see the necessity of conti nually striving to bring forward the discussion of the sub ject. He thought that the sentiment expressed by Mr. Whittle was indicative of that benevolence which should ever guide people when they were about to perform a great action.—( Hear, hear.) He would, when ; he found the people had tried the influence of moral force, and had found it insufficient to answer them, be found dohsg his duty as one of the foremost in the ranks of the physical-force men. He felt great respect for many of those who had seceded, and exceedingly regretted their having done so; and although lie admitted that they had acted wrongly in this instance still he could not allow any thing to be said of them which reflected on their actions, without protesting against it. Mr. HALLEY supported the resolution. Mr. PITKEITHLEY, without going into the question as to the attendance: or non-attendance of some of their body, would merely remark that he knew that some of the Delegates had been elected in many places, with the intention of not giving all their time to the Convention ; it was with this intention, double Mem bers were elected in Birmingham and Manchester. He thought from the numerous applications which were daily made for Delegates to proceed on the mission it would be unwise to press this resolution : even this day they had many letters—a great many letters wero had requesting them to send missionaries to several parts of the country. He therefore thought the passing of this resolution would be of injury to the cause.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. O'Coeeion replied. He would not trouble the Convention by saying one word were it not that Mr. Whit tle bad thrown the shield of his protection over the mem bers who had seceded from them.—( Hear, hear.) If Mr. Whittle thought as he said, that those gentlemen took their places at the Board of the Convention with the intention of advocating the doctrines of peace, law, and order, he was much mistaken, for it would necessarily imply a censure on - the Convention,:if it was so intended ; but as he was so well answered in that part of his speech by Mr. Duncan, he would not say more in this instance.—( Hear, hear.) Could any one doubt that the Members generally, and the people outside, expected that it would be necessary that a collision would take place with some power before they could gain their object.--( Hear, hear.) He did not mean in what he bad said to imply a censure on Mr. Vincent or Mr. Good; he only said with reference to Mr. Osborne and others, that they were not discharging their duties as they were bound to do by their undertaking to attend the Convention. Mr. Duncan said that he approved of the re solution, but that it was at present out of time. He ( Mr. O'C. ) wanted to know when it would be in time? His reply to Mr. Duncan would be, that they were within one fortnight of the presentation of the petition.—( Hear, hear.) With regard to what Mr. Mills said of the Jacobin Clubs, he would refer that gentleman to what Mr. Bussey said on the necessity of being impelled from the outside.--( Hear, hear.) He thought that the name of Jacobin Club could not be objected to if its utility could be proved. He did not care under what designation the people chose to sup port them. It it was necessary that they should be supported by the people composing a Jacobin Club, he would say, " All hail the Jacobin Club." Since be must adopt cautious phrases with regard to the seceding members, he would do so ; but he still could not agree with Mr. Hetherington that their conduct should be passed over lightly. He denied the rig-ht of these men to reduce the Convention to the standard of peace, law, and order for the shopkeepers, and money mongers—he wanted peace, law, and order, for all par ties, and all classes. They heard a great deal of Mr. Matthew's exertions, but it appeared he was always ready to tell others to do what he would not do himself. Much also had been said of the money expended by Mr. Mat thews, but it turned out that he was merely the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and expended money, none of which he a himself subscribed.—( Hear, hear, hear.) lino objection to the suggestion of %ir. n e d as h' id o the the insinuation that he wished to dictate to the Convention, he would appeal to those present whether he was not al ways ready to defer to any gentleman who would favour him with a suggestion. He was always ready to explain anything that might be liable to ini:construction, and he would ever esteem it one of the proudest days of his ex istence w hen he had been appoi dto sit with the honest, manly, and independent gentlemen he saw around him. After a few words from Mr. Halley in defence of Mr. M'ttliew, the resolution was pat and carried unanimouslv. The CHAIRMAN handed in dl. from the Working Men's Association of Chilton, Mr. Hetlicringtm 11. from Marston, near Manchester. Mr. JA NIES TAYLOR, withdrew the motion of which he had given notice, relative to members not voting on the questions brought before the Convention. Some discussion then took place relative to a sum of money transmitted from Birmingham, to Prescott and Co.'s bank. The CHAIRMAN had a dis; inet recollection of al. being acknowledged in the Birmingham Journal, and also that it had been transmitted to Prescott's bank. It was ultimately suggested that application should be made by the Treasurer to Mr. Douglas on the subject. On the motion of Mr. HETHERINGTON Mr. F. O'Con nor obtained leave of absence on Wednesday next, to at tend the Queen's Bench. The meeting then adjourned. LAW INTELLIGENCE. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, APRIL 21. John Alexander Wilmot, whose case was before the Court on a former day, appeared for judgment. The in solvent, who had been a solicitor at Rochester, was op posed on the ground that he had vexatiously pleaded to to an action brought against him on a bill of exchange for 201. The costs amounted to about 191. The insolvent had become liable for some debts cf hia son, John Alexan der \Villmott, who brought an action for a libel against the Weekly Dispatck, and who was discharged under the Act about three months ago. The Learned CHIEF COMMISSIONER said be had merely to pronounce the judgment recorded by the Common Law, which was that the insolvent should be discharged after three months' imprisonment from tho vesting order. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. LAMBETH STREET. Mrs. Abrahams, the daughter of Mr. Money Moses of the Black Lion public-house in Vinegar-yard, Bridges• street, Drury-lane, who, it will be recollected, came vo luntarily forward on Wednesday last to give evidence in the gold dust case, and who states herself to hare been the person who negotiated the sale of the gold dust between Moss and Solomons, yesterday put in bail, herself in 500/. and two sureties in 2001. each, to appear at the next ex amination of the prisoners on this day week. Mr. C. Isaacs, who is one of her sureties, applied to Mr. Hardwick for an order to see Moss at Clerkenwell Prison, but was refused. Mr. Hardwick remarking, that if called on, he was prepared to show ample grounds for such refusal. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (LLOYD'S.) ALDERNEY, APRIL 19.—The Louise, Charles Marie, Rio, from Bayonne to Rouen, struck on the rocks on the western part of this island, and immediately sunk. Another, chassee naaree, was seen to go down a few hours after. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, FEB. ' , O.—The Trafalgar, Bax ter, from Liverpool to New South Wales, was totally wrecked on the Green Point last night ; crew and pas. sengers (except one woman) saved. GUERNSEY, APRIL 19.—The Albion, Boune, which sailed from hence on the 15th inst., for London, was run doisn near the Caskets by the French brig Contoz, or Coutoz, of Portrieux ; crew saved by the latter. VESSELS SPOKEN WITII,--Superb, Poole, to Newfound land, sth inst., lat. 44, lon. 28 ; Caravan, Liverpool to Boston, Bth, lat. 47,10 n. 25,—105t both topmasts in a gale on the 6th; Dolphin, Dublin to Quebec, lat. 50, lon. 1 0 , by the Elizabeth, arrived at Liverpool; Robert Newton, London to Constantinople, 14th ult., lat. 37, lon. 12, Europe, Liverpool to Alexandretta, 24th, lat. 37.10 n. 10, by the Lady of the Lake, arrived at Messina; Eliza Ann, Whitehaven to Cadiz, 2nd inst. lat. 51, lon. 12 ; Terry, Dublin to Cadiz. 30th ult., lat. 38, len. 13; Shale, of Maryport, 13th inst., lat 43, lon. 9, by the Comet, arrived in the river; Ann, London, to New South Wales, 21st Feb., lat. 6 S., lon. 2 W.; Sapphire, Newcastle to Con stantinople, 11th inst., lat. 42, lon, 11, by the Marmora, Barnes, arrived in the Creek ; Enterprize, of Liverpool, 25th Feb., on the Equator, by the Ida, arrived off Hast ings; Palamburg, Amsterdam, to Batavia, 16th January, lon. 18 W., by the Christina, Bell, arrived at the Cape of Good Hope ; Pomona, London, to Rio Janeiro, 19th ult., lat. 4 N., lon. 21 ; George Canning, Sydney, to London, 23d, lat. 9, lon. 31 ; James Cruickshank, St. Vincent to London, with bowsprit sprung 15th inst., lat. 49, lon. 21, by the Singapore, Lock, arrived off Dover ; Duand, Li verpool to Batavia, 25th Feb., lat. 2 N. , lon. 28 W. ; Li verpool, from Liverpool, 24th ult. 1at.: 33 N. , l on. 32 W., by the N ere id e , Richer, arrived at Ilavre. CORONER'S INQUEST.—Yesterday an inquest was held on the body of a man of the name of Bowyer, aged 2s, a coal-heaver, at the Sun public-house, Lisson grove, who died in consequence of drinking a large quan tity of brandy. At the conclusion of the inquest, Mr. Wakley, the Coroner, observed that there did not appear to be any culpability on the part of the landlord, but that the man fell a victim to his own imprudence. It did not satis. factorily appear what had been put into the brandy to cause the sediment at the bottom of the bottle. He had heard that capsicum and cayenne were usually put into brandy by publicans, to give the liquor a pungent and stinging flavour. Indeed there was scarcely any article sold in the metropolis that was capable of adulteration that was not adulterated. Sometime ago he set a chemist at work, in order to analyze many of the necessaries of life, and the quantity of poison contained in articles sold at pastry cooks, oil. shops, and public-houses was almost beyond be lief. At a chemist's an article was purchased fur the pur pose of colouring custards, and upon being analyzed it was found to contain a quantity of prussic acid. lie should some day publish all the facts, with the names of the par tics. The Coroner continued, that before ho was elected to the office he now filled, he could scarcely have believed that so many persons died throu , :h their own imprudence. Newly all the evils which men were subjected to, arose from too free an indulgence in spiritous liquors, and the subject was so pressirg itself daily upon the attention of society, that in the end some legislative enactment must bi' passed to check the evil, although he admitted it was difficult to make people prudent by Act of Parliament. BURY MARKET BILL. On the motion of Mr. WALKER the Bury Market Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. ESTCOURT then brought forward the motion of which he had given notice, that the report of the Committee of Selection should be taken into considera tion. For the purpose of remedying the evils that had been represented to exist, the Committee of Selection had been appointed. Those evils were first, the great number of Members of which the Committees were composed, and secondly, Members voting without hearing the evidence. After a few observations from Mr. Shaw Lefevre, Sir Henry Inglis, Mr. Packington, Mr. Freshfielel, Lord G. Somerset, Mr. Estcourt, Sir R. Peel, Mr. Hume, Mr. Goulburn, the Earl of Darlington, Mr. Greene, Mr. Warburton, and Sir James Graham, the resolutions were agreed to. NORTHERN AND EASTERN RAILWAY. On the motion of Mr. WARD, the Northern and Eastern Railway Bill, No. 1, was read a second time and ordered to be committed. Mr. HODGSON brought up the Report of the Committee on the London and Greenwich Railway Bill. NEW WRIT FOR LEITH. On the motion of Mr. E. J. STANLEY, a new writ was ordered for Leith in the room of the Right Hon. E. J. Murray, who, since his election,:has accepted the office of one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of Scotland. MALTA. Mr. HAWES wished to ask the Right Honourable Gentleman, the Secretary for the Colonies, whether he had any objection to lay on the table of the House the Third Report of the Commissioners on the affairs of Mal ta ; and also the Report of the Commissioners relative to the liberty of the Press in that territory. He also wished to know whether the Government had agreed to abolish the Vice-admiralty Court there. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that it was his inten tion, in the course of a few days, to lay on the table of the House papers which would afford a reply to all the questions put by the Honourable Member. Such being the case he must decline for the present an swering the latter question. The papers that he should lay before the House would show the recommendations of the Commissioners, and the reasons on which they were supported. WIGAN ELECTION COMMITTEE The Committee met yesterday at the usual hour, and proceeded with the scrutiny up to four o'clock, when two votes had been decided, leaving the sitting Member (Mr. Ewart) in a majority of one. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, APRIL 22. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at five o'clock. The Marquis of DOWNSHIRE presented a pe tition in favour of a uniform rate of penny postage. The Bishop of ST. ASAPH presented a petition from a place in Wales against the union of the sees of Bangor and St. Asaph. Also petitions praying for the protection of the Church in the Canadas. e- Several Noble Loris presented petitions, but in so inaudible a voice that it was impossible to hear from whence they came or the nature of them. Lord HADDINGTON presented a petition from Dumfries, signed by the Marquis of Queensberry as Chairman, in favour of Church Extension in Scotland ; also a petition from a place in the county of Stirling, to the same effect. Lord HATHERTON presented a petition from Sydenham praying for an uniform rate of penny postage. Lord RADNOR presented several petitions to the same effect, and also a petition praying their Lordships to adopt some measure calculated to prevent illegal mar riages. The Noble Lord stated that he had seen in the newspapers of Saturday, with considerable suprise mention made of his name as being upon the Committee, appointed to inquire into the state of crime in Ireland for the last three years. He so entirely dis agreed with the appointment of that Committee, that he moved he should be discharged from all attendance upon the Committee. Upon the motion of Lord RODEN, Lord Strad broke's name was substituted for that of Lord Radnor. Lord DUNCANNON laid on the table certain criminal returns from Ireland. The Noble Lord pre sented a petition from the Provost and Town Council of Greenock, praying for a uniform rate of penny postage. Lord LYNDHURST wished to ask the Noble and Learned Lord opposite whether it was his intention to bring forward any proposition on the sub ject of the ordinance in Malta respecting the Press. Lord BROUGHAM said he wished to give a week's time to her Majesty's Ministers from this time for them to consider whether they would or would not approve of so monstrous a proceeding as that ordinance. He was glad his 'Noble and Learned Friend had put that question, because it seemed to indicate that be had read that ordinance.—(Hear, hear, from Lord Lyndhurst). He should bring forward the subject to morrow week, if it was not by that time repealed by her Majesty's Ministers.—(Cheers.) Lord NORMANBY, by command of her Ma jesty, laid on the table certain returns relative to the proceedings of the Commissioners of Malta, which were moved for on Friday, by the Noble and Learned Lord near him. This was not all of them, but the remainder should be in their Lordships' hands on Wednesday evening. Lord LYNDHURST presented a petition against any alteration in the Corn-laws. POLICE BILL. Lord BROUGHAM wished to know from the Noble Viscount at the head of her Majesty's Government whether it was intended to abandon all the other clauses in the Police Bill which was now before the other House of Parliament, besides the first fourteen which had been already abandoned. He certainly felt as strong an objection to those fourteen clauses as if he had been, and probably much stronger, a mem ber of the Corporation of the City of London, because they contained matter which was utterly intolerable. It was absolutely necessary to abandon them, and he wished to know whether the others were to be abandoned too.—(Lord Melbourne said " No.") It seemed an extraordinary course to take to endeavour to obtain in one House a knowledge of what was intended to be clone in the other House of Parliament, but such a knowledge had been obtained by a judicious applica tion of questions at the Mansion-house dinner—(A laugh)—and he thought that a similar knowledge might be obtained in that House which would be not less agreeable to the inhabitants of the County of Middlesex. One of the Representatives of that county always voted against the Government, another did not vote at all, and the other four voted in favour of Government, and to them fourteen clauses of this Bill had been sa crificed. The Noble and Learned Lord then presented petitions in favour of Mr. Rowland Hill's plan of penny postage from the Magistrates and Town Council of Glasgow, from Preston, Dumfries, under the Corporate Seal ; from an individual named Philip Watson ; from Titchworth, in Derbyshire ; from Cambridge ; from Renton ; from the Booksellers and Stationers of Leeds ; from a place in the County of Essex ; from Glividth, in North Wales ; from the Merino Spinners of Glasgow ; from the Workmen of Mr. Wedgwood, in the Potteries ; from South ampton ; five petitions from Diss, in Norfolk 1 - from the Mayor of Bedford ; from the Commissioners of Police of Gorbals ; from Melksham ; from Barn wall ; from the Mechanics Institute of Dumbarton ; from Leslie ; from Great Torrington ; from Brandon ; from Layton ; from Haddington ; from the High. She riff of Carnarvonshire ; from Lancaster, and from some other places. He had already presented 50 or 60 pe titions on this subject, and he had as many more to present with which he would not trouble the House at present. But he would wish to call the attention of the House to two which he was about to present from the Salford Lyceum, Manchester, and the others from the Lyceum in Great Ancoats-street. These Lyceums had been instituted for thepurpose of endeavouring to win over the working people from depraved and extravagant habits. The great object they bad in view was to find some substitute for the ale-house. This subject had engrossed the attention of many individuals for the last ten years. There was an institution, of which he was the President, which had succeeded indifferently at first, but which now seemed to be in a better way of success. But the first which had been crowned with suc cess was the Manchester and Salford Lyceum. Poor people went to these institutions after their work was done at hardly any expense. No strong liquors were permitted, nor was anything like controversial discussion allowed, but there was a comfortable warm room provided with books and periodicals, where they could spend their time till nine o'clock in the evening. One of these had 600 members, and the other 700, and their success had been marvellous, and these bodies felt the advantage that would accrue from the penny postage, and petitioned the House in favour of it. He also presented two petitions from Lichfield against the Beer Act ; from Kenaway against the Corn laws ; from Wigton against any additional endowment to the Established Church ; from the Guardians of Dalgelly for an amendment of the Law of Settlement. The Earl of STRADBROKE presented petitions in favour of the penny postage from Dunwich and Southwell. Lord DUNCANNON laid certain Papers on the table connected with Turnpike-roads. MALTA. The Earl of RIPON gave notice that he should, in a few days, bring forward a motion relative to the sub. ject of Malta. ROADS. Upon the Earl of SHAFTESBURY moving the second reading of a Dover Road Bill, Lord BROUGHAM said the Post Horse Duty must be given up, or the roads and post-horses would equally be ruined.—(Hear, hear.) Earl STANHOPE presented several petitions against the Poor Law Amendment Act. • DEANERY OP EXETER BILL. Lord MELBOURNE moved the second reading of this Bill, the object of which was to remove the re striction put by the Ecclesiastical Appointments Sus pension Bill upon the appointment of a Dean of Exe ter, who must be a canon residentiary, or a prebend--sometimes both. Great inconvenience re sulted from this restriction as the office of Dean was one of great importance in the Church. Lord LYTTLETON was understood to oppose the Bill. The Bishop of EXETER said he should not oppose the second reading of the Bill, but he should in Committee move an amendment. He begged to ask the Noble Viscount whether he would lay on the table the communication which had taken place between the Chapter of Exeter and the Government on the subject. Lord MELBOURNE said that the papers were of so confidential a nature, that he did not think they ought to be produced. The Noble Lord also added an other observation in answer to the Right Reverend Prelate, but in so low a tone of voice, and from his hack being turned to the gallery, it could not be heard in the Gallery. The Bishop of EXETER, with some warmth, said, what the Noble Lord had imputed to his advice he would call upon the Noble Lord in a higher character than that of a Member of that House to say whether the Chapter had not in communications with him asserted that they did not forego their claim to a free election. He called u p on th Noble Lord to answer that question. Lord MELBOURNE said he declined to answer the question. The Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. The Bishop of EXETER gave notice that to-morrow he should move for the copy of a letter from Dr. Bull to Lord Melbourne, dated 00th of April last, touching the vacant Deanery of Exeter, and also for the production of any other documents that might illustrate the claim of the Chapter to the free election to the Deanery of Exeter.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, APRIL 22. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'Clock. BERKELEY AND GLOUCESTER INCLO- _ ___•_ SURE BILL. Mr. G. BERKELEY moved the second reading o; his Bill. Mr. D. W. HARVEY thought that the third read ing of the Bill should be postponed till to-morrow, or that it should pass subject to the Standing Order which be intended to propose, which was, that in all In closure Bills a clause should be introduced to the effect that a proper space should be set apart for the recrea tion of the poorer classes : no such clause existed in the present Bill. After a few words from Mr. G. BERKELEY the Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. G. BERKELEY moved the third reading of the Tretherne and Saul Inclosure Bill. Mr. HARVEY must oppose the third reading of this Bill, unless a clause similar to the one he had re ferred to was adopted. If it was not he should like the sense of the House upon it. Mr. G. BERKELEY did not think he had been fairly dealt with by the Hon. Member for Southwark, in opposing the third reading of this Bill. Mr. HARVEY said it was not the Bill, the third reading of which the Hon. and Gallant Member had just moved, in particular, that he intended to oppose, but it was his intention to prevent, if possible, all Bills of a similar description, passing, unless they contained a clause similar to the one to which he had adverted. Captain PECHELL hoped the Hon. Member for Southwark would not persist in his amendment. Mr. D. W. HARVEY said if those who had the charge of the Bill would pledge themselves to intro duce the provisions of which he had spoken he would not oppose the further progress of the Bill. Mr. BERKELEY having given the required pledge, the Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. LOCKHART brought up the Report on the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Bill. The Melbourne (Cambridge) Inclosure Bill was read a third time and passed. The Reports on the London and Birmingham and the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway Bills were brought up. Mr. BAINES brought up the Report of the Com mittee on the Leeds Soke Committee Bill.—The Bill was then read a second time. On the motion of Mr. DAVENPORT the Stafford shire Potteries (Stipendary Justices) Bill was read a second time. Mr. BROCKLEHURST presented a petition from Manchester against the Birmingham and Manchester Extension Railway Bill. Mr. SANFORD moved the third reading of the Par•ett Navigation Bill. Sir C. BURRELL opposed the third reading, and thought he could best explain to the House the grounds on which he did so by reading an extract from a petition he held in his hand. The petition stated that a petition against the Bill had been presented on the Bth March, but that the signatures had been cut off from the peti tion and attached to another with a totally different prayer. Under such circumstances, he hoped that the Bill would be deferred until the subject was brought under the consideration of the House. Mr. SANFORD said the petition had been be fore . the Committee, but the Members of it did not think it proper to stop the proceedings upon the Bill upon such a fabrication. Mr. WYNN thought that inquiry ought to be made into the case on the part of the House, and if fraud had been committed it ought to be punished. Mr. WARBURTON quite agreed with the Hon. Member ; but it was to be borne in mind that the irre gularity complained of was on the part of the op posers of the Bill, and not on the part of its pro moters.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. COURTENAY said though the question was connected with a miserable little river, still it was de serving of attention, because it involved the question of a very salutary reform made by the House in Private Committees. The Hon. Member for Westminster had apposed the Bill, but now finding out that the case represented to him was a rotten one he was not in his place to carry out that opposition. The Hon. Member for Westminster had been misled by the misrepresentations, having for their object to in duce gentlemen who bad not heard the evidence to come down and vote concerning matters of which they were ignorant. Sir R. PEEL suggested that it would be proper for the House to pars the Bill, and afterwards to in stitute inquiries on the subject, and if any person should be found to have been guilty of fraud, they ought to be subjected to punishment. It was very hard upon the promoters of the Bill that they should suffer from the improper conduct of the opposers of it, because it would be always in the power of the opponents of any Bill to get up an opposition by act ing in this manner. Sir C. BURRELL would withdraw all further op- position to the passing of the Bill. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. MANCHESTER AND BIRMINGHAM EX. TENSION RAILWAY. Mr. POULETT THOMSON said he had pre. sented a petition the other day from the Earl of Lichfield, respecting the improper use which bad been made of his name, relative to the above undertaking. - A. petition - bad also. been presented from Mr. Baxter, a solicitor, from Atherstone. The petitions contained serious allegations of breaches of the Standing Orders ; he thought it important that the petitions should be referred to a Committee to inquire on the subject. Great opposition had been given to this Bill, and parties had made use of names improperly, as it appeared, and consequently enor mous sums of money had been unnecessarily expended. Not anticipating any opposition to the appointment •f this Committee, he begged to move that the petition of the Earl of Lichfield and Mr. Baxter, relating to the Manchester and Birmingham Extension (Stone and Rugby) Railway Bili, be referred to a Committee. Sir E. WILMOT said that he had presented the petition of Mr. Baxter, although not aware of its merits. Sir R. PEEL said the only question was whether or not the Standing Orders had not been improperly per verted. On the 16th day on which the Committee sat, he was informed that his case was before the Standing Orders Committee. He said that he had no case, and that he never authorised any person to interfere, and then heard for the first time that he ap peared as an opponent of the Bill. Although these orders were for the protection of property, when gen tlemen were satisfied, they must be surprised to find that others undertook their case. He therefore heartily sup ported the motion of the Right Hon. Gentleman. Mr. AGLIONBY could not have consented to the appointment of a Committee had the object been to pre-,. judice the case of the Railway before the Standing Orders Committee. The Right Hon. Gentleman had said the names were improperly used. That would imply that something like fraud had been used by some of the parties. In his (Mr. A.'s) opinion, the names were not improperly used. It was the Standing Orders which were improperly made, and from its not being clear and explicit an expense of 12,0001. to 20,0001. had been lost to the parties, and the Committee had sat for twenty-two days. The rule stated that any party should be at liberty to appear on any petition which might be re ferred to the Committee, provided the matter com plained of shall be specifically stated in such petition. Here was a petition alleging specifically that a parti cular field was wrongly described. There was nothing on the face of the Standing Orders to prevent that being proceeded with. If the Right Honourable Gentleman would take that into consideration be would be doing a great service to the public. If the House granted a Select Committee, he hoped it would take the whole case into:its hands, and,on that understanding he should not oppose the appointment of the Committee. Lord G. SOMERSET thought a case had been established for inquiry. After a few words from Mr. GREENE the follow ing Committee was appointed :—Mr. Poulett Thom son, Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Shaw Lefevre, Lord Stan ley, Mr. Hume, Lord Granville Somerset, Mr. Loch, Mr. Greene, Mr. Aglionby, Mr. Williams Wynn, Sir Eardiey Wilmot, Sir James Graham, Mr. Edward Ellice, Mr. Fresbfield, Colonel Davies. Power to send for persons, papers, and records ; five to be the quorum. JAMAICA. Mr. L A BOUC HERE moved the order of the day for the second reading of the Jamaica Government Bill. In making this motion he proposed that the same course should be adopted as was pursued on a similar occasion, namely, that the Bill should be read a second time without discussion—that after that Counsel should be heard, and that the discussion should be taken on the next stage of, the Bill, namely, that upon the motion of going into Committee. He proposed the adoption of this course upon the dis tinct understandinc , that no Member in assenting to the second reading, pledged himself to the course he should pursue in the Committee on the Bill. Sir ROBERT PEEL said that he would offer no objection to the course suggested by the Right Hon. Gentleman. He had no objection to assent to the second reading of the Bill, upon the understanding that he did not pledge himself as to the course he should adopt on going into Committee. He thought, however, that as now they had arrived at seven o'clock, and as it was uncertain to what length the arguments of Counsel would go, it would be better that the Bill should not be proceeded further with that night. Mr. HUME inquired how many Counsel were to be heard. Sir ROBERT PEEL understood two. Mr, HUME had been informed that there were ,hree Counsel. Sir ROBERT PEEL—Whether two or three Counsel were to be heard, he thought that it would be very inconvenient to proceed further with the Bill that night, after Counsel had concluded. He was prepared to go even further than the sug gestion of the Right Hon. Gentleman ; he had no objection to the Bill going •into Committee after the second reading, and he would take discussion upon some future day. He hoped that it would not be con sidered necessary to consider the present as a party question, he looked upon it in a very different light. —(Cheers.) He thought that the Imperial Parliament ought not to assent to the repeal of present Bill, be cause the House of Assembly in Jamaica had chosen to adopt the course they had done. He thought, however, that it would be wise, considering the embarrassment that would arise from suspending the Constitution of Jamaica, that a resort should be made to every alterna tive before such an expedient was adopted ; if, however, it was clearly shown to him that it was necessary to proceed to such an extreme as suspending the Constitution, he would support her Majesty's Ministers, be thought, however, that it was desirable that another appeal should be made by the Government to the Ac scmbly of Jamaica, in order to afford them an oppor tunity of re-considering the steps they had pursued, and if after that the Assembly were still refractory he for one would be willing to consent to the measure proposed by the Right Hon. Gentleman. What he therefore should propose was that the Bill should be read a second time, Counsel should he heard, that the Bill should then be committed pro forma, and the discussion taken upon the motion that the Speaker should leave the chair. Mr. LABOUCHERE could assure the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth that the Govern. ment had not introduced the Bill without the most se rious consideration, and with a feeling of deep regret that it had become their imperative duty to pursue so strong a step. He should have no objection to adopt the course suggested by the Right Hon. Baronet, but he - trusted that the adoption of the measure would not be unnecessarily delayed, because he thought the Govern ment were entitlgil to have the opinion of the House as to whether the measure they had proposed met with its approbation or not. Sir R. PEEL could assure the Right Hon. Gentle man that he had no desire whatever to postpone the proceedings on the Bill. All that he wished was to have an effective instead of a defective discussion. Sir R. INGLIS moved that William Burge, Esq., the Agent for Jamaica, be heard upon his petition, which was ordered. On the motion of Mr. GODSON, Mr. Sergeant Merewether and Mr. Reynolds were ordered to be heard.—The Bill was then read a second time. Mr. BURGE was then called in, and stated, that he appeared there on behalf of the House of Assembly of Jamaica, whose agent he was, to invoke the protection of the House of Commons against the Bill now before it. The punishment the Bill would inflict upon them was no less than the forfeiture of their Constitution, upon which their property and their liberties depended. The Bill proposed, instead of the free Constitution of Jamaica, a totally irresponsible and arbitrary Government. It conferred upon the body to be created by that Bill the power of raising a large annual revenue unchecked and uncontrouled by the people of that colony. An aggravation of the punishment about to be inflicted upon them was, that they were not present to defend themselves. The first intimation they would have of the pretexts upon which the Bill was brought forward, would be the infliction of the measure itself. The mag nitude of the interests he represented would fill him with dismay, in attempting to come forward in their de fence, if he did not feel that he was addressing - a British House of Commons, the refuge of the distressed, and the defender of the oppressed ; and he felt confi dent that his appeal, feeble as it was, would not be in vain. He hoped the representatives . _ _ of a few individuals, of comparatively little weight in the colony, would pot influence the decision of that House. In order that they might be fully aware of the injury the Bill would inflict it was right to put them in possession of the Constitution which the people of Jamaica had hitherto enjoyed—of its origin, and the respect it bad been accustomed to re ceive from the Government in England. The Go vernment of Jamaica consisted of the Sovereign of England represented by his Governor there—of a Council of 12 nominated by the Crown and suspend ible by the Governor. They constituted' a legislative as well as an executive body, and in addition to these two branches there was a House of Assembly consisting of 45 members elected by the freeholders. For the set tlement of the Colony in 1655 down to the time of the proclamation of Charles the Second the Colony was go verned by the Council of 12, and after the proclama tion which conferred upon the people of Jamaica a re presentative assembly, and all the rights and privileges of British subjects, Lcrd Windsor was sent out as Go vernor. From that period down to 1674 the assemblies were regularly convened, and the House appeared to have consisted of 32 representatives. The ministry of Charles the Second attempted to introduce Poyning's law into the Colony, enforced by Lord Carlisle's com mission, but these laws were rejected one by one by the House of Assembly of Jamaica, and the plan was ulti mately abandoned after a severe struggle. After the injustice towards America, which met with such retribu tion, in 1778, the then Parliament passed an Act, which provided, that no tax of any kind should be placed on any Colony, except through the Houses of Assembly. That Act extended to the islands of the West Indies. He might be told that the Bill suspended the Constitution for five years ; but if the people of Jamaica lost it for only one hour, they would be the sufferers, because the laws made by the new Council would exist for ever, unless the Governor and Council agreed with the new House of Assembly ; and he would prove that, the people of Jamaica were worse treated by the Bill than were the people of Canada when they were in open rebellion.' He complained that the people of Ja maica had been treated with the utmost contempt by the Government, as they were yet unaware of the intention , to deprive them of their Constitutiou, nor did he, the Agent of the Colony, receive any notice of the Bill then before the House, until the Cabinet had decided upon it, and within a few hours of the time when it was submitted to the House. What was the act for which this heavy punishment was to be inflicted ? The House would expect that Jamaica had committed some gross outrage inconsistent with its allegiance to the So vereign—that the House of Assembly had com mitted some crime similar to that which Canada committed, and which therefore called for a similar punishment. For the act in respect of which this punishment was to be inflicted, he begged to refer to the preamble of the Bill. The preamble cf the Bill recited that the Jamaica House of Assembly had passed reso lutions, that unless certain conditions were complied with they would abstain from all legislation, except for the purpose of providing for the public supplies. That was the offence, and the only offence, for which this Bill of pains and penalties, if he might so call it, was to be passed. Mr. Burke, Wyndham, and others had stated it was unjust and dangerous to disturb a Colo nial Legislature in the control and management of the Colony. The House of Commons had on more than one occasion recognised the principle for which he was contending, namely, the right of a Colony to internal le gislature. The internal regulation of the Colony was opposed by Mr. Wilberforce in 1815, when he brought in a Bill for the registration of slaves. On the 31st of October, 1816, a communication was made to the House of Assembly, by the Duke of Man chester, for establishing a regulation office in Jamaica, in conformity with the views of Mr. Wilberforce and the Parliament. He knew of no instance since the 18th Geo. 111., c. 12, of internal legislation with re spect to persons and subjects exclusively in the Colony ; and even prior to that Act, the two or three instances which might seem to import internal legislation, rested on principles and grounds peculiar to themselves, and left untouched the proposition that the Legislation of the Imperial Parli•kment had not extended to persons or sub jects, if those persons or subjects had been whollycolonial. It was absurd to attempt to enact an uniform system of prison discipline through all the West Indian Islands. Was this not a very harsh, and a very unfair return to the Jamaica Legislature for their relinquishment of two years of their apprenticeship rights —part of the remuneration offered them by the Imperial Parliament for the emancipation of the negroes ? He begged the House to recollect that neither the Assemblies nor in habitants of the colonies were parties to what was called the West India Papers or Despatches which were ex parte statements, ema na ti ng f rom t h e Governor, I in which they were entirely ignorant, and to which they had no power of replying. The Despatches of Lord Sligo contained many misrepresentations calculated to prejudice the people ef Jamaica unjustly : the opinion of this country more particularly with re gard to workhouse punishments. On the 4th of March, 1837, Sir Lionel Smith expressed his satisfaction at the conduct of the House of Assembly in strong terms ; and in October following he !aid before them Lord Gle nelg's dispatch relative to the Prison Act. The Prison Act of Jamaica referred to in that dispatch did not re late, as had been supposed, exclusively to apprentices. Referring to the report of Captain Pringle on the state of the Jamaica prisons, he contended that in the first place, that Report stated that the prisons wanted rather active officers than less severe discipline, and that the suggestions of the Captain were adopted without the communication between the Governor and the House of Assembly that was naturally expected , and also without that, previous comparison and deliberation The which the author himself had recommended. next proceeding that took place was a communica tion of Lord Glenelg's, on the 13th of August, which arrived in the Colonies in September. When that communication arrived, it was to have been expected that Sir Lionel Smith would have convened a Special Session, but he did no such thing ; he met the House of Assembly without the slightest allusion to the measure, which he must have been told was likely to be regarded in a very serious point of view. He (Mr. B.) had been told that it was not usual for Governors to make a n y such intimations in their speeches. A very different course, however, bad been adopted by the Duke or Manchester, and the Journals of the House Of AP sembly showed that the usage was to make such matters the subject of a special message' Sir Lionel Smith had called together the House of Assembly of Jamaica, for the 18th December. On the 3d, fifteen days previously, he must have seen in a public Newspaper of the Colony, the report of be ceedings in the Barbadoes House of Assembly, e nd should taken a lesson from the conciliatory course pursued by Sir Evan M'Gregor in the smaller Colony of Barbadoes. The suspension of the franchise of fbi House of Assembly. by Sir Lionel Smith, was one of the most direct attempts that could be made to trample on the liberties of the people of Jatnicet He contended that Sir Lionnel Smith had not dealt fairly with the House of Assembly. He had alf ° made an incorrect statement with respect to the wh ite population of Jamaica, which he had stated at %° ° " n ' whereas the white population at Kingston algae, amounted to five thousand---a similar mis take occurred in regard to the amount of the e" loured population. He would also call the attention of the House to another statement, It gated with a view to disparage the Assembly. It " 4 ,1 been stated that 300,000 persons would be prev ente from acquiring the franchise for fifteen months, is,herees: they could acquire it in twelve months. The Colo' lonists did not fear to give the black pleural: the election franchise ; they were per fe at willingly to give it them, but Sir L il l Smith should have stated how many those 300,000 persons were possessed of tat electoral qualification. What that qualification c a g i l: to be Lord Gleneig had himself laid down. It was el ; dent that this Bill was part of a scheme for carrying ° I the government of the Colonies, not in the Coloni es ' a system pursued for years past, and which ha d the effect of showing that the executive of the Coletil was a mere instrument in the hands of the Colonial Offi ce' This was not the way of governing the Colonies in th e i l i . more prosperous days, and had contributed essen tia to bring them into their present unpleasant state ; he stated this, not on the authority of such an bu ns individual as himself, for a Noble Earl, who mus t one time have possessed the confidence of the Go ver n - i . merit, since they had appointed him Go eer t a d General of the North American Provinces , :,, t expressed himself to precisely the same eac:',l, The Government ought to furnish the Governor vo r" their views so as to enable him to become a party, i s carrying these laws into effect, but nothing of the I'l% was done, and the result of such policy was that tese greatest evils existed, and he could funds!' the He u _e, with numberless instances of those evils if time would allow The salaried councillors proposed by the all to be al e ; pointed would be sent out to Jamaica to raise ta!ei, from the island for the payment of their own salary i e which they would have to appoint themselves. thanked the House for the attention with which they bad heard him ; but he could not conclude without ape? to their justice to protect the rights of the colonistaier Jamaica from violation ; he begged them to coon s , the tremendous responsibility they would incur by Pe n t, ing this Bill at such a momentous crisis as the P res o when such a great change had recently taken Pla ce or the social state of that island, and what would be the e the sequence if the first Act after the giving freedom bto de negro, should be one degrading the white popcia t°n ' r e nd priving them of their legislative functions on the ground that they would not be exercised with justice? T his destroy every chance of conciliating and u niting th e re rious classes of the population—nothing cou ld be t cu in mischievous or m o re ca l cu l a t e d t o place the Colon); o 0 jeopardy and d e f e at th e grea t meas ure of emanciP ate than this. lie stated this as the result of personal esP e ' rience of the character of the negro population. If t he.P.; sembly had acted rashly, he trusted that the 0 ,1; would consider the provocation th e y h a d reeeifca : "; what they deemed a violation of th e i r rights and P rIT. leges, in the vindication of whi c h' th e y had taken care his.l; that her Majesty's Government s h ou ld s uffer no P rei • dice. He trusted he had s h owe d th e House tha t !T r Bill was totally uncalled for, and that they woul vi t i t hold their assent from it. The Learned Counsel t u ! withdrew.r. r It being now twelve o' c l oc k, on th e motion o f BROTHERTON, the further hearing of Call ns el adjourned till to-morrow. the Lord WORSLEY brought up the Report cf Committee on the Great Wester n Railway Ea t° Bill. The other Orders of the Day were then disl ) °% ite and the House adj ourne d a t T wen ty m i nu t es past A o'Clock. EVENING EDITION. THE MARKETS.7-(YESTERDA COAL MARi s. d i r 5. ~. Adairs lt 01WallsiEnd Lambton ~,,,,,,,,,,,,, ',.5 flolywell Main 2O 9 Wall s E n d R usse ll's Hot"' f.l. Leaze's Main l6 0 W a ll s E n d St ewar t's ..••• •' ~ ...1 Russell's High Main South Hartley lB 6 Walls End Hartlepool .... •::: 50 Townley IS 0 Walls End Barrington Tr; i 0 Wylam 20 0 Walls End Clarence Het , . 0 Walls End Hilda 2l 0 Walls Ead Preston ............ 0 Walls End Hotspur Walls End Newmarch 2O 6 Walls End West Hetton"" l‘ Walls End Belmont Walls Endßraddyll'sHetton 23 0 Hartley ............................ 54 Walls End Haswell 22 9 Roselven Steam li Walls fnd Hetton Ships arrived since last market-thy, 147.: 4 0 ' PRICEF . The highest price of Bread in O the Metropolis is 101 d. thr the Loaf, Good Bread may be had at Ncl, PRICE OF SEEDS.—ApriI 22. Par Cwt. New English Red Clover 70s. 112 s. St. Foin Per 4 0 3. 4 !,. 3 4 L, Quarter. 4ss fit. 295 , "--. 4 ' Old.atto Ditto --4. a. —s. Rye Grass 10" bry. New Foreign Ditto ...655. !Os. 995. Lacey Gra. ........... --'' 555. as Old Ditto Ditto — a. 40s. 603. Linseed, for feeding ' o4 ' 0 1 ‘ 4 ,45. New White Clover 6os. 80s. 90s. Ditto, for sawing...... 455 45a. s, Old Ditto Ditto ...... —s. 455. 60a. Ditto, for crushing..- - 1 90 0 . igi• New Trefoil 2os. 0 53.803. Canary ....... 4 4., Old Ditto —s. 16 s . 22 5 . H emp —. 4 "-- ek Trefolium 103 113.135, Per Bushel• e- ii 151,,i' . 04'. :ET.-April 22 English Carraway --s. 438. 465. Foreign Ditto —s. 40s. 445. Coriander —s 13s. 21s. Ra White Mu 63. Brown Ditto 'Tares Lpeseed, Enghall tine ( per Lsist ) 3x31.381. Foreig" s „ PRICES OF POTATOES AT SPITALFIELIL.toNi York Reds (from vessel) 4l. 10 s . t o 51 Oi• SRN Scotch Reds ditto 4l. s s . t o 41 . IN Jlt -to f Kidneys 41. los. to 5/. 011 . , it to Shaws 2/. 15s. to 2.1. 5 •• '' PRICES OF 1 - 10 PS.—April :22. bi• 1.,,A, Farnham Pockeis6,ercwt.T East Kent Pockets Ditto Bags Mid Kent Pockets Ditto Bags Sussex Yearlings Old 01,1 s t Os. 7/. 15s. t° 41 lOs. 51. 155. to 10°' 41. 4s. 5/ Wz. to 3/. 15s. Si. ss. to . lOs. 4, 104 t o 4 7 : . 1 11 '. 3/. 3s. 3/ 15*. t• 4 i 4" 9.1, 10s. 3L r : 01. )Bs. 1/. 10a. - vv ov POWERFUL MUSICAL BOXES; 1 7 0 ,1 r cases, 12 inches long by five inches wide, each playing' r' with the mechanism finished in a very superior the sa ° offered for Five G u i neas eac h. Al so a few description, larger sires, at the following prices :---. 0 Six Airs £7 70 I Eight Airs extra, 14 • Eight Airs ...... 813 6 large ... ......... £l4 14 14 • Three Overtures... Col s At T. COX SAVORY'S, Working Silversmith, Do oi smith, and Watchmaker, 47, Cornhill, London (Se vel3 from Gracechurch-street). 0 1 ° 0 ° 11 N.B. The small Musical Boxes, 31 inches 1404 , (0 , 5 1 ' selling in tin cases, price 19s. ea c h, or in coinP °s " l- hs d cases, 255. each. A Catalogue containing a List of the Music m a y aes we gratis, or can be forwarded by post as a s:ngie letter in to a post-paid application. SE • PLATED CORNER DISHES , ,SON,'''' GUINEAS the SET.—A. B. SAVORY an.. don c ° r ° Manufacturing Silversmiths, No. 14, Cornhill, Lon at° Rooms, the Bank of England), submit for choice in th eir Disliq' Rooms, many patterns of strongly Plated Corner rn GO" with Silver flandles and Shields, for Engraving, fr We fliiantile's news to 10 Guineas the Se: of four ;by re moving d. ~ from the covers, eight dishe , are, formed w h en requi o , apPi v N.B. A Pamphlet of the Prices of Plate may be h' cation. BIRTHS. Jam K err On the 22d of January, a t P ooree , the lady of Ewart, Esq., Bengal Civil Stryiee, of a daughter. Mrs. 13eharrell, of Fenehureh-builslitigs, of -- MARRIED. Ef 4 ' At Edinburgh, on the 19th inst , A. M. I%laelaga.nr'ortho surgeon, of St. John's, N. 8., to Caroline,. only dat ih ,l e late Colonel Mo3es, of Weedon Hall, Yorkshire W'"`''''to On the 16th inst., the Rey. Granville J. Granvilicisroboltl rianne, ti.thdaughter of Sir Gra Sic' 'th Bart ° f y On the 16th . inst., at isi D in / g E ta f , . Mrs. Mary K . nig ht, ; of , 1 3 h n e t l h a e te l l 6 ( t i i N l le . re . Knight, Es. aged 94. . • d :b: 4l° ani ' inst., at saltVasplace, 13rixton-road, , Daniel Meritan, Esq., of Basinghall-street, aged 45. 4,ith, On the 16th inst. Thomas Williams , Es q ., of Aberrt aged 84. i On the I9th inst., at his seat, Penhein, Monniouths!iireP Samuel 13:ookes, Esq., aged 69. Po• On the 20th inst., at Sible Eledingham' EsFe%, the,„iral George Marshall Fowke, eldest son ol the late licax-fl-uir George 170::L.........:„....... ....„,„......._•ke aged 39 .:_----, :_--_ --:_—_—_- rttO, 0. London : Printed and Published by MURDO Y",, ',,,,,,i, in No. 112, Strand, at The Sun ()Wee, No. 112, o ' r-- the county of Middlesex. — Tuesday, April :23, 1639 ' _.....,,..