The Sun. — London, England, 1839-02-12 00:00:00

LORD BROUGHAM. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING CHRONICLE. 811 t -- --1 have just been informed that there appeared some days ago in your paper a report of proceedings in the Court of Chancery, in which a barrister was re presented as stating that I was the author of a criti cll,3ln on my own speeches in the Monthly Chronicle. crt,h's information comes to me from a gentleman at tilinb urg h (one of the Professors), who first suggested . t he Publication, and who takes an interest in whatever relate s to it. Although I have through life refused, upon orcli 11,arY occasi ons ( some o f which every one knows h ave lately occurred), to deny reports utterly false, w i biell reached m e f rom time to time, and among t 'ese, charg es o f h av i ng wr i tten many thi ngs w hi c h i had never even seen or heard of, before the ru 111°148 connecting me with them, and although I have be ep pre vente d f rom contra di ct i ng t h ese f a l se h oo d s , b y 4 ' o necessity which such contradiction would impose of t ver aft erwards denying false statements, on the pa i n o f h ei ng held to admit their .truth, nay, often of accom 'aqing the denial with explanations and qualifications h as to my opinions, yet as a learned gentleman has been, ' Pe l° the present occasion, instructed by his client to st ''te thi s most gross and groundless calumny, I think i may break through my rule, without involving 1 384 in a con s t an t corres p on d ence w ith the Press. ut stiall, th ere f ore, only add that any statement more 4 °Y untrue never was i nven t e d, or ma d e by an y h r il e° in any pl ace . Th e f ac t i s , th a t u n til thi s morn when the letter from Edinburgh reached me, I was 4 ,°t aware of the existence of the paper in question— tuat kas yet, have never been it—that I never on any occasion rote, or caused to be written, or did anything e !° than often prevent from being written, any review, or remark upon, or any allusion to any work h mine, in any publication whatever. For the truth of Ak e o nly part of thi s asser tion, which is not of a nega ue ,Kind, I refer to Lord Jeffrey and to Professor a Pler, the f ormer an d presen t e dit ors o f th e Edin r h Revi ew . T same letter adds that the Globe and the tt M iner newspapers have stated that I was the i t itoor or prompter of a note in the Edinburgh . .T i el) !elo, respecting the same publication of speeches. I ' is also a b so l u t e ly an d en ti re ly f a l s e. I never ,`w that note, n o r kn e w of its existence, nor was t wat ° of any intention to write or to print it, until read it in p r i n t, as Professor Napier can testify, to whom I expressed my strong disapproval of it. I _ 4l „se wh o k now me w ill regar d suc h f a l se h oo d s , even "wire they are contra di c t e d, w ith th e sam e c ontempt th w h ich fomrey, contradiction may now make others feel. I, might have adhered to my rule on this as I " on so many other occasions, but whoever shows the seesse s of slander to which party or personal malice gives P~ re in some of th ose c onnected with the periodical es s, renders a service to the community, aids in the r o totion of p r i va t e c h arac t er , by de s t ro yi ng c onfidence t h t ue rash statem en t s o f anon ymous writers, and raises e character of the respectable portion of the press, ,°Y makin g the line more marked which separates the :other portion from it. I am your obedient servant, Gr afton -street, Feb. 11. BROUGHAM. COURT CIE CULAR. P Her Majesty, attended by Lady Portman, visited the The Sophi a yester d ay at K ensing t on . a Earl o f Alb emar l e an d Vi scount M e lb ourne h a d adienees yesterday of the Queen. rti s rhe Earl of Uxbridge, Viscount Melbourne, and the • gnt Hon oura bl e G eorge Stevens Byng, joined theßoyal eirele at the New Palace at dinner last evening. t Mr. W. C. R oss , th e Q uee n' s mini a t ure painter, at to at the Palace yesterday, by command of her t a d Sty, to paint a miniature of one of the children of dY Portman, who is residing at the Palace. L . Dedel, Mi n i ster o f th e N et h er l an d s , t ransac t e d iness yesterda with Lord Palmerston at the Foreign Offi ce, Y T he Lord M a y or an d M r . H enr y Lytt on B u l wer h a d niterviews with Viscount Melbourne yesterday in Downing street. L Sir Matth ew W oo d , Bart., and Mr. Jones, accompanied "Y. Mr. T yre ll , the City Remem b rancer, had an interview "iihst th eee Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday in Down 14g-rt. F ASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. ARRIVALS. Mr. and Mrs. Silveiter and family, at the Sackville Hotel, Sack- Itle.street, from Edinburgh, Mrs. Winner and daughters, at gift°, from Bath ; the Hon. E. Yorke, M.P., an d M rs. Y or k e , i n }4 4efolk-street, from Cambridgeshire ; Lord Norreys, in Llanover ki,laare, from his seat Wytham Abbey, Abingdon ; Sir Thomas Dike Acland, Bart., M.P., and Lady Aeland, in Brook-street, from L the ir seat Killerton Lodge, Devon ; Viscount Stormont, in Lang -"lhsta-Place, from Scone Palace, the seat of the Earl of Mansfield, "" Perthshire; Sir P. M. Egerton, in St. James's-square, from his 'ea t in Cheshire; the Hon. R. H. Clive, M.P., in llill.street, from Irela nd Lord Milton, at Mortimer House, Belgravo- square, front wentworth House, Yorkshire ; Mr. Duff, M.P., in Pall-mall, from Visit to Sir Alexander and Lady Duff at Paris ; the Lord Ad. mate Scotland and Mrs. Murray, in Arlington-street, i t , 41 Of Edinburgh ; Mr. Anstruther, at Lady Anstruther's, a ttd ell i ,.aPeLstreet, from a tour ; James Bradshaw, M.P., 'urs. Bradshaw, in South-street, Grosvenor.square tios- marchioness of Londonderry and the Ladies Vane Stuart, at andklerdesse-house, Park - lane; the Earl and Countess of Aylesford , , sa it , Ladies Finch, in Grosvenor-street, from his Lordship's 8n rarkington hll Warwickshire • the Honourable Major-Ge -70:20rY Lyg - on a , in Grosvenor-plac ' e, from his seat, Spring-hill, A,WaY, Worcestershire ; Lord Braybroke, in Burlington-street Z.; & udleY-end, Essex • the Lord Bishop ef Elphin, from St. Leo- ICs -on -Sea ; Lord Ros ' smore, from his seat, Shanavouge, county ear"gban; Sir Da v id R oc h e , f r om his seat, near Limerick ; Lord Iti a r b l i al L t°ll in Whitehall_ and from his seat, 'Wycombe Abbey ; the Honourable Henry Ellis, in Mancheater-street, from a conti tica"t tour ; the Marquis of Lothian, at Warren's Hotel, from his Charles N ew Battle Abbey, Midlothian ; Lieutenant-General Sir ~ Dalbiac, in the Albany Chambers ; the Dowager . Countess otat'eioninel and the Ladies Scott, at their new residence, in Eaton qUia ; Mr. Evart Gladstone, M.P., in Carlton-gardens; the Mar -8,..1.°F G ranby, in Bolton- s treet, from Ashby-de-la.Zonche; Lord " ' i n SPring-gardens, from Berkeley Castle. „.„ DEPARTURES. fa r -u4teellency DEPARTURES. far Countess Woronzow, from Piccadilly, Copilt°n House, near Salisbury, on a visit to the Dowager lira -- ,f" of Pembroke ; Sir Charles Knightley, Bart., M.P., from th: -° : -s treet, for O x f or d s bih ; the Hon. J. 0. Murray, for Bath ; I ; a ri and Countess of Chesterfield, from Chesterfield llouse, for Co u , t ' e at, Abingdo n Abb e y, N or th am pton s hire ; the Earl and Sar r :" of Eldon, from liamilton-place, for Shirley, their seat in shit; ;‘. the Earl of D un more, from Belgrave-square, fbr Wilt s 1„"'ord and Lady Seymour, from St. James's_street, for their arat'lr clid en Bradley', Wilts; the Earl and Countess Bruce, from the ti " •street, for th e ir seat Savanache Ledge, near Marlborough; deaco n " ' * Captain Blackwood, from the Sackville Hotel ; Arch tf'd Mrs. King, from ditto ; Mr. and Mrs. Nash, from ditto; war t i --s eY, from ditto ; Mr. and Mrs. Stapleton, from ditto ; Lord bray, et,r, from Bute House, South Audley-street, for Melton Mow. ton sd — ", al and Lady Chesterfield, for Abingdon Abbey ; Lord teat Loner from Charles-street, Berkeley-square, for his hunting '.ow e Cst b more;" .l Lord Suffield, from the Clarendon Hotel, for kluar e 1-141 , Melton Mowbray; Lord Wilton, from Grosvenor_ 4certon Lodge, Leicestershire; the Dowager. Countess to '"dore, for Buckingham House, Brighton; Lord Leveson, l erapt olv ev n 7sltire House, on a visit to Lord and Lady Rivers, at Pr! 11 4,1 - 4i nn ee Paui Lieven, First Secretary to the Rus e„:43. IT, arrived at Ashburnham House, at a late hour on Sun. 'rola i t ogfrora P.sris. In coming up the river in the steamer t elir ~,C a, ."das the vese.el lost one of her paddles,•and was obliged to the re s t ' or the Essex ahore. The Prince and his servant performed to e o „, ° f the voy age i s ; a Gravesend steam vessel, which was hailed Y tire passengers to town. Ladi. ne alike and Duchess of Bedford and the Yes te •-8 R ussell arrived at the Noble Duke's villa, at Camden Hill, kram Ma Y, fron t Woburn Abbey, for the season. Lord and Lady Visitor , k ek e Mrs.. and the Misses Morler, and the other fashionable 0 1; W 4 O have heen sojourning at the Abbey have returned to Tie:Peettve xeSidences. hste rd e i) uhe and Duchess of Beaufort, left town 4YrOt d Abbey, on a visit to the Earl and Countess of ett e lin on d ict t T " eidhe Earl' :and Countess of Sefton will receive a 14 t guishe d 'Amity at Croxteth Park, near Liverpool, during the p, Week of the ' 4l O , _ Present month, when the " Grand Liverpool Steeple `" Place. 0r 1 I %tie, -ci hn Russell ' s Saturday Parliamen tar y th, 6 'a Will not talro. place until after the Easter recess, owing to The e e , vere domestic calamity which his Lordship has sustained. sWe st- "ng Of the Noble Secretary's infant daughter, who is, . 46-- ;ativ "e t rstand, bear the name of Victoria, and to whom her be ari; 44 4 _ t e ° atarsd sponsor, will, it is understood, not take place till 11 1 c of spring. ti: Earl o f Albemarle entertained a party of p dinner on Sunday evening, in . Berkeley - square. h iscrT ic e Esterhazy, we hear, is likely to return . to t 2 ,1 ' l ce duties h 're at Easter. The Princess Esterhazy Irio u d- ,"e't on her mother, the Princess of Tour and Taxis, who is y 'Y indisposed at Ratisbon. i siOr " and Lady Poltimore left Sharpham, their V ~ t Ago,. on F • ` ,l -, : end Viscountsnda y ; for Cricket Lodge, Chard , on a visit to LlPected i n town. Bridport. The Noble Lord and Lady are Earl and Countess of Carlisle and the b' b er: I "ward leave Italy at the close of this month, for Paris, "ra ti t l,. will be :joined shortly after their ar rival b y the Duke o f f„ - hoe anti the Earl and Countess of Burling ton and their the l Tt is the intention of the above family circle to remain in 1.414,1 - '' Capital for two months, and then come to town. fu neral Francis Egerton did not attend the , . 4 kily I ° . late Duchess-Countess of Sutherland, as stated. The tel town for Oatlands, Surrey. °4l ltd r°4 a e Handel, attache to the embassy, and l toie hburg, Austrian liiin!ster at Brussels, arrived at Mi afri de p ia Saturday, with despatches for his Excellency Cou nt .h, the Austrian Speciiil Minister. th, % ‘ l :tul 'ce and Duchess of Leeds, accompanied ""atAtr-Duchess arrived at the Clarendon Hotel, Bond %so, ° O Friday evening, from Hornby Castle, Yorkshire, for the T tt he C : h tse :v . aii • er Charles Engelman has been ap 'l"l ed Secr etary to. the Embassy of Baron Munchansen, the Hano. r ls Will Highness Prince Ferdinand Trauttsman - I t i ; a gran& dinner at • the Clarendon Hotel, on Friday, 4 1 ) 'ln" L etatento.ein, Baron Lowenberg (of the suite of the Duke , uc ea), and sever II f ore i gner s of disti nc ti on. y ester d ay t h e t w o Ins a , " and suite left town for Melton Mowbray, where they will 14r ing the week with Lord Suffield's hounds. 4 •TAL ACCI DENT ON THE NORTH UNIOg )41 4 :' Y. - -On Thursday a fternoon, as the train which leaves i, ro elt‘ • aster for thi s town at a quarter before three , was proceeding n 3o urney, an accidei it took place which was attended with fatal f , I ‘ills nem On the train arriving at Coppul station, the en. ter and that he had gone some yards past the place of stopping, 041 1 wl. *eh b e put the train backwards , when a man o f the name III ; nth Calderbank, res idi ng at Ch at nec k Ri c hard, who was stand_ ii ° the , direction of the train, was knocked down, and run over g al " veral cm - riages. He was killed on the spot. Another person 1, 40.. also k no,,ked down, but not hurt. We understand that no whatever attached to any of the parties conducting the train. .444,4 Co-marrow will be the anniversary of one of the i roPertsnt events iii the history of this count r y—the revolution 'pi 38. NATIONAL CONVENTION. YESTERDAY. Dr. FLETCHER in the chair. The minutes of the last day's proceedings being read, some new members were introduced, and a great many notices of motion were given by different members. Mr. FEARGUS O'CONNOR introduced one, " That if any member of the Convention should take office he would cease to be a member on so doing." He said that the Report which be had made in the county of the proceedings of last week was received with very great satisfaction, the unanimity of their proceedings was hailed with the greatest delight, in proof of which he said that the collection of the national rent was going to commence in every part. Dr. WADE begged to ask a question, as he saw the Birmingham Delegates in their places : did the Notting- ham petition come from Birmingham to town? lie had a letter from Nottingham, desiring information on this qucs• tion. He was told by Mr. Collins that it had come up and was ready for presentation. Mr. VINCENT handed in 131. rent from Hull and 5/. from Cheltenham. Another Delegate gave in 51. from Bristol. Mr. RICHARDSON had advice that 101. had been sent into the Manchester Council from Bervly. The Secretary read a petition from a Dr. Webb, on the appointment of two Coroners for Middlesex. .Mr. F. O'CONNOR said this petition could not be en tertained. They were not the National Convention, al though some persons termed them so. Dr. TAYLOR, upon the Secretary calling for the Re port of the Committee appointed to frame an Address to the People, said that he had much satisfaction in telling the Meeting that the Report was ready, but that they thought it better to have it printed, for the purpose of having it distributed among the Members. Mr. CARPENTER was asked what time it would be ready. He said by to-morrow. Dr. TAYLOR—Then we shall be able to report on Wednesday. _ _ A long ciscussion took place upon the propriety of re ceiving it on that day, as the motion of Mr. O'Brien would take precedence of all others. Dr. TAYLOR stlid that the importance of the address should be considered before any other business, but if it met the approval of the meeting he would take any other day for presenting it. Mr. O'BRIEN was willing to forego his motion, as this was certainly a measure of importance. The Committee for waiting on Members of Parliament gave in their report, it was as follows : In performing the duty entrusted to them, they thought it right to unite three delegates in sub-committee, who, together, would call on every Member of Parliament named in the list handed over to each sub-committee. If, in ex amining these lists, any delegate should be of opinion that they have greater influence over other Members of Parlia ment than those named in their lists, an exchange may be made with other sub-committees. As some of the de legates who form the sub-committee are about to leave for the country, old others have arrived, the places of those left may be supplied by those come to town. The Committee beg leave to suggest respectfully to each sub-committee the propriety of recording, with great care, the answers of the different Members of Parliament to the questions put to them, so that should it be deemed expedient on any future occasion the answers may be made known to the different constituencies and to the country. That this Report be adopted, was moved by Mr SKIF-. FINGTON, and seconded by Mr. DOUGLAS, and passed with cut any discussion. Mr. COBBETT moved that the Report of the Missionary Committee should be read and adopted. But on the mo tion of Mr. O'Connor, it was ordered that it should be re fered again to the Committee for further consideration. Upon the motion of Mr. J. P. COBBETT, the report of the Committee appointed to select a door-keeper was re ceived, and accordingly appointed Henry Crabtree to that situation. Dr. TAYLOR inquired whether the report would be Bert back to the Committee without instructions. Mr. O'BRIEN moved an amendment, "That the report be sent back to the Committee, and that the Committee be augmented by the five following gentlemen :—Mr. O'Connor, Mr. Douglas, Mr. Richardson, Mr. M'Douel, and Mr. Deegan." He observed that it appeared to him that some of the gentlemen feared to say what they meant. He understood one of the objections to be, that the gentlemen composing the Committee had elected themselves. Another objection had arisen from a report in circulation, the Attorney-General had pronounced it illegal to send forth missionaries. Mr. PITKEITHLEY seconded the amendment. Mr. O'CONNOR objected to the report on two grounds; _ first, on the law of the case, and then on the point of expenditure. He hoped the Committee would be now enlarged. It was not because he apprehended secrecy, ho wished the Commitee to be enlarged for the purpose of facilitating discussion. Mr. CARPRNTER begged to say for himself and the Com mittee, they had done what they considered right. Ho could not of course object to receive the aid of other gentlemen. Mr. VINCENT objected to the amendment. He had al ready sent information to the country based on the report. He thought it would be preferable to rescind the report altogether, and to allow each individual to act as he thought proper. Mr. 0' CONNOR said he would accede to the amend ment of Mr. O'Brien. He otjected to the suggestion of Mr. Vincent. Mr. RICHARDSON observed they were pleased to ridicule his legal knowledge on Friday. lie was glad to see they were coming back to it. He had since seen a legal gen tleman who had promised to obtain an opinion on the lega lity of employing paid assistants. An opinion had been obtained on the same question relative to the Agricultural Association. It was then pronounced illegal to send out missionaries. Mr. DOUGLAS said if there were any doubt as to the legality of the proceedings, the course to be taken would be to seek information in the proper way, by paying for it. He would suggest that the Committee be authorised to do so. —( Here Mr. O'Connor stated the Committee had done so.) With regard to questions of legality, he would say that should it ever be their unhappiness to appear before a .Jury, their best defence would be to show that on every occasion they had consulted the laws with reference to their proceedings. The amendment was then put to the meeting, and car ried unanimously. Mr. CORBETT observed that the Committee of Rules and Regulations had not yet been able to complete their report. Mr. Hadley had told him that the rules and regu lation for the government of the Convention were referred exclusively to that Committee. He had heard it stated that they were not fully authorised. Mr. CARPENTER thought it most important that the power of that Committee should be defined. He therefore requested that the original resolution respecting that Corn mitte might be read. (The resolution was accordingly read.) Mr. PITKEITULEY stated that the question re specting the employment of missionaries ought to have been referred to that particular Committee. If any thing concerned the actions of the Convention it was most certainly the employment of missionaries. He considered it one of the most important duties they had to fulfil. He was anxious to create as large a field of agita tion—be, of course, meant legal agitation—as possible. As that question was going back to the Committee, he thought the question ought not to be dismissed prema turely. The Committee was appointed to lay down rules for regulating the future government of the Committee. A most important duty, which he thought had not been properly carried out. Mr. WHITTLE did not think the question had been stated as clearly as it ought. The first thing Mr. Cobbctt had done in that Convention was to ask whether any steps had been taken to lay down rules for the regulation of the Con vention. The question was discussed and decided. The Committee had not that power. He thought it would be desirable to enlarge its power, or to form a new Committee. Mr. COBBETT said this was an important point. He would read the resolution passed on that occasion. The powers of that Committee had been discussed, and its ex tent decided. Mr. HADLEY said that it was suggested that the Committee should be enlarged, or its power aug mented. He could not believe that the Convention would submit to the decision of the Committee as to how they should act under all circumstances. Mr. PITKEITHLY saw clearly, that if Mr. O'Connor were allowed to proceed, it would be an extensive discussion. Mr. O'CoNNoa observed that no words could be more comprehensive than those of the resolution; namely, " It is resolved that a Committee be appointed to draw up from time to time rules and regulations for the go • vernment of the Convention, and to take legal advice on those subjects as speedily as possible." Mr. O'BRIEN said there were distinct Committees ap pointed for both subjects—the mixing of these matters. had led to confusion. Mr. HETHERINGTON thought, if he heard aright the Committee was appointed for the purpose of drawing up rules and regulations for the government of the Convention, and to see that such roles were legal. It ap .• peared to him that Mr. Cobbett viewed that meeting as having power that would entirely supersede the Convention. Mr. DOUGLAS said the Committee was merely a Com mittee for the formation of rules and regulations. It was to tell them (the Convention) how they were to act while assembled. It had, for instance, decided wh,ther at the end of each day's sitting they should adjourn or dissolve. But that it should decide how they were to act on every occasion had never entered the minds of any present. It was then agreed to appoint Henry Crabtree, to the office of door-keeper, and that he should act as mes senger to the Convention when compatible with his other duties. _ Mr. SALT wished to know what hour should be fixed on for the deputation to wait on the Members of Parliament. Mr. O'CoNNoR (to whom the question was addressed) said ten o'clock would be a proper hour. Some of them might be found about four in the morning at Crockford's and other similar places.— ( Much laughter.) Bailie CRAIG rose to move " that an early day be ap pointed fur taking into consideration what ulterior steps should be adopted for securing the interests of the working classes, should the Convention fail to obtain the National Charter." Mr. Craig supported his motion, by observing that he was anxious that the Convention should come to some understanding in order to remove any erroneous opinions that might arise in the minds of their friends and opponents. He was anxious that tho people should see that they were not ne glecting their interests ; and that indifferent portions of the community who remained unconvinced by their arguments might learn the ulterior measures they would adopt, and would give them their aid when satisfied that their object wa legitimate. Mr. COBBRTT seconded the motion. Dr. TAYLOR objected to the motion. To express a premature opinion as to ulterior steps would throw diffi culties in their way. He should therefore move that Mr. Craig's motion be not considered until a deputation of the Convention had waited on the members. Mr. WitirrLE opposed the motion. When he advised the people to petition the House, he had advised them to wait the result. By considering ulterior measures, they announced despondency to the people, and threw cold water on their rising ardour. Mr. DOUGLAS said the motion was a precursory ono; ye that re ally f o rmed sire to ase for r, 3 we are flcl will ing bu diluent ral re- i have could o f the in u fa' liS W aS It fulll n d the rted a ich re in anY speec h Y h ave And 3 make d, an d )e such ) spea k OD. I duty should it Wa' d NO' Ing th e le Al° i n not n oted °ward' nits at Coro' orts f °, tate 61 en gth, bone ;man" d hav e lent• t that flora 1 b 7 vote 01 resiP e SO!: pa nic. oanbl• ted to tax ee PT e' , I ha ve I O W ,:h t he . be hi . be the i d the I an ion of 0 it be Cr Tal in to the I alter Will he •a' of the , ion of WO' kink ;11ness , con o, e%' berth. rounS .rdent I) th e Utica' r , to in d of 5 th e yOtl loot in An want_l '1 3°' •1 pail idiva °nisi t wa s co 0" ri ssiot la nce f the l iiA ) eing r the tha t hid ) dili- ;are toe per old of thy tho THE SUN, LON DON, TUESDAY,-EVENING EDITION, -FEBRUARY 12, 1839 he doubted whether it could be discussed at all. thought it would be sufficient for Mr. Craig to give notice of his motion at an early day. How could they decide that the Charter would be r.l jetted ? Strange things had happened ; a change might come over the dreams of the Iloncurable Members; and they might yet be received below the Bar of the House, and acknow ledged as a third estate. Mr. Harn.Ev said, a discussion as to ulterior means would get publicity and prejudice the minds of those from whom they were going to solicit a favour, or, if they pleased, de mand their rights. Mr. O'CONNOR said he differed from those gentlemen, because he was of opinion the people ought to know the position in which they would stand, if their petition were rejected. F or , himself he had no hesitation in saying that all the craft, all the artifice, all the ingenuity, all the courtesy of that Convention would not gain a single Memher of the Clouse. The strongest impression the Convention could make would be by taking their petition in one hand, and their ulte rior measures in the other. If there was any apathy in the hearts of the people it was because they be lieved another petition would follow this. He antici pated other duties would fall on the Convention when their petition would he rejected in the House. He hoped that Mr. Craig would name a day for the discussion of ulterior means. To meet those gentlemen who were of another opinion, he would suggest that an early day be ap !minted to wait upon the Members, and that between that day and the presentation of the petition to give attention to the topics mentioned in the motion of Mr. Craig. A long discussion ensued in which several of the dele gates took part. Mr. Bussv supported the amendment of Dr. Taylor. Mr. MATHEW would support the original motion. He wanted to know from those gentlemen who have spoken so much in favour of the amendment, what should the people do when their petition would be rejected by the House of Commons, as he did not at all doubt but that it would? Mr. J. P. COBBETT said, that from the very argurnenta . five manner in which this question has been argued by the different gentlemen who have spoken in favour of the amendment, he felt it was rather a work of supererogation to make any remark in its favour. He could not re frain, however, from saying, that in his opinion that their duty was that of acting up to the instructions of those who sent them there, not to advise THEM as to what conduct should be best for them to adept, in case their petition was rejected. In this matter they had no choice ; they were only agents of the people ; and of this he hoped they would be conscious, so perfectly was it true, that this Fne of conduct ought to be acted up to by them. Was it not said by many gentlemen, there that day, that the people had fully resolved that they should not again petition Parliament, but had resolved on their own measure in case of the refusal of their just claims ? It was therefore far from being a practical or a wise measure toward the attainment of that desirable end. And in answer to some of those gentlemen who said that something of this kind was expected by the bulk of the people, he must say that as he never feared to face any danger that was threatened from the higher classes of ,society, so he also was unwilling to commit himself to an unwise act, from fear of facing the lower classes, who, whatever might be their prejudices, were, he was sure, willing to be guided by reason and prudence. He could not, however, refrain from giving to Bailie Craig the credit of having the very best motives for bringing forward the motion, as he was convinced that nothing but the greatest anxiety to pro mote the interest of his constituents had made him do so, and for which he desarved their best thanks.—( Hear, hear. ) After speaking for sometime longer Mr. Cobbett concluded by saying that Ise would support the amendment. Mr. MILLS also supported the amendment. Mr. MaaDEN said the necessity for some plan of opera tion to be taken up by the people in case of the Houle of Commons refusing their petition, could not be at all doubted. What was the feeling of the country? Had they t of been told over and over again that this should be the last peti tion? Had those who told them so been deceiving them? Ilad they not resolved of themselves, that in case of their peti tion being rejected they should hold a sort of sacred festi va 1 for a week, a holy and heart-rending holiday, for the purpose of accelerating the means of relief. If this state of things arrived, what should the state of the people be if they had not some definite plan for their guidance on that occasion ? Two other gentlemen spoke in favour of the amendment of Dr. Taylor, after which Mr. CARPENTER said, that although disagreeing with Mr. Cobbetr, when he said, that our duty was to do the people's business as they directed, which would be just mak ing us a regestering convention, yet he must say that in the line of argument which he had made use of, in the vote he was about to gis e,he concurred most cordially. From the increasing feeling in our favour (as reported by Mr. Connor this day) what may we not expect in a few weeks ?—( Hear, bear.) He has told us that nothing can exceed through York and Lancaster the manner in which the people are coming forward ; the roll of the names on the peti tions are swelling column after column, the rent teeming in at all points.—( Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") If this increasing prosperity to our cause continues for any time longer, what may not be the consequence? Will any measure that it may now be advisable to recommend be sufficient for the emergency that may come upon us? No, it will not. Would it not be the height of foolishness to tie_ up our hands by resolving on a line of conduct which after circumstances would prove to be unfitted for the emergency. If these measures be adopted must we not publish them for the benefit of our constituencies. If this should be such as would produce an extraordinary effect on the country, would the Legislature look on them silently ?—(Hear, hear)—if not, should we not be laughed at by the whole country ?—( Hear, hear. ) If we did pass measures to produce the eff,,ct desired, what would be its result ? Why that very speedily a law would be passed to crush us. Mr. Carpenter continued to argue for a long time in the same strain, and concluded by recom mending the adoption of the amendment. Mr. DOUGLAS said that the original resolution was changed, and he therefore thought that if it was read anew it might meet the wishes of the supporters of the amend ment. Mr. O'BRIEN spoke at considerable length in favour of the amendment. Mr. RICIIARDSON also supported the amendment, as he said there was no necessity for advising the people, as they had determined on the course they were to adopt. After Dr. TAYLOR had said that he was determined to press the amendment, The CHAIRMAN proposed that the amendment should be adopted.—Passed. The original resolution was negatived by a majority of 12. Mr. RICHARDSON'S motion, of which we gave the sub stance on Friday, relating to the returns from the dis tricts of which the Delegates are representatives, of the condition of the people, was, after a very lengthened de bate, carried in the affirmative, by a majority of 4. Another motion, propcsed by Mr. RICHARDS, of the Potteries, recommending simultaneous meetings for the 2d of April, was postponed fora fortnight. Mr. F. O'CONNOR gave notice of a motion, that the Treasurer's accounts should be audited on Monday in each week. Mr. M'DowELL's resolution—That it be an instruction to the Committee on Rules and Regulations, that the names of all Members should be called over on each division, was passed. The meeting then dissolved, after a vote of thanks having been paSsed to the Chairman. LONDON AND BRIGHTON RAILWAY. (From the Briyhlon Herald. The first permanent rail was laid upon this line by Alfred Morris, Esq., of this town, on Monday last, the 4th inst., at the Hassocks-road, in the presence of Mr. Statham, the resident engineer, and Mr. Geo. Thorn ton, the contractor of this portion of the line. Three quarters of a mile is now completed there, and the rails will be at once permanently fixed. One mile of permanent road has been already laid on the Shoreham branch of Portslade, and it is expected to work the locomotive engine on this part next week. Upwards of 350 men are daily employed upon this branch, and the rails are being laid upon the various cut tings and embankments now completed, being an extent of nearly three miles. Twolengths have been completed in the Tunnel at the Dyke-road, and day and night gangs are kept constantly employed there. We may expect to enjoy a ride per steam to Shoreham early in the en suing autumn. • Upon the main line, aleo, the greatest exertions are being made, and the contractors a re preparing vigorously to meet the summer campaign. It is to be hoped they may enjoy a long series of fine weather to assist them in their arduous undertakings. Parliament is now met, and it is obvious what will be the leading business of the Session. That which stands pre-eminent is the course to be pursued relative to the Corn-laws, a subject pregnant with the greatest conse quences. That those laws would be repealed there is no doubt, if a perverse party did not divert the attention of a portion of the people to inferior and impracticable objects, which they pursue so eagerly and inconsiderately as to prevent, in some places, public meetings being held to support the great efforts making to repeal laws made in defiance of those of nature. Whether tile Chartists are aware that in this perverse line of conduct they are doing the dirty work of the Tories, wo know not ; but we do know that the Tories exult in seeing the people divided among themselves, for in this division rests their only hope of maintaining an odious and unnatural mono poly. The Morning Chronicle urges strongly that meetings should be held in every place to petition against the Corn-law ; and we submit whether the B r i g hton Constitutional Association (if it still exist !) might not, at a time like the present, to arouse itself in support of question of such paramount importance ! We throw out this suggestion for the consideration of the mem bers. LORD BROUGHAM AND Mr. O'CoNNELL.— We observe, from the London Morning Papers of Thursday, that Mr; O'Connell has taken an e*rly opportunity of rqtaliating on Lord Brougham in his own peculiar manner. The combatants may be left to fight the battle out as they please; they are very well matched, and both capable of standing hard hits. His Lordship has much the advan , ,ge in the tone which he assumes. He takes high ground, and keeps the political partisan, not the individual, in view. His adversary is not remarkable for much restraint on such occasions, and the distinction of the private and the public character is too nice to be drawn in his wrath. Mr. O'Connell has, however, apparently vindicated himself from the charge of accusing Lord Norbury's son of committing the murder. His remarks on the occasion did not contain hints as to an individual, and there appeared sufficient grounds for stating that there had ken the print of a fashionable boot near the spot. The circumstance was first noticed in the public prints.—Scotsman. PRESTON ANTI-CORN-LAW ASSOCIATION. —This Association, we are happy to say, goes on prospering. Be tween one and two hundred pounds have been subscribed, though until now the matter has not been laid wholly open. If the agita tion be carried on with half the spirit with which it has commenced, the Ministers will depend upon the people, and not the people upon the Ministers. —Preston Observer. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMM op S—FEB. 11. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'Clock. Mr. KNIGHT presented returns from the Bank of England. M. G. W. WOOD brought up the Report of the Committee on Public Petitions. Mr. BANNERMAN presented a petition for leave to bring in a Bill fur the erection of a public market in Aberdeen, which was referred to the Committee on Pri vate Bills. Mr. MARK PHILLIPS presented a petition for leave to bring in a Bill to extend a Railway from a cm.- thin point in Staffordshire to another point on the Birmingham Rail wa y, ca ll e d t h e Manchester an d Birming ham Extension Railway. • Sir GEORGE STRICKLAND presented a petition for lc , ive to bring in a Bill for the establishment of Gas Works at Bolton. Mr. BAINES presented a petition for leave to bring in a Bill for the recovery of small debts in Leeds. Mr. FINCH presented a petition from the South-Eastern Rail w - ay Company, for leave to introduce a. Bill to perfect the jikriction between that and another railway. Mr. COLQUIIOUN presented two petitions from Glasgow, against the late Act for the regulating of wages. The lion. Member also pre:;el.ted five petitions from Scot land, praying that some provision might be made for the spiritual destitution in that country. The Hon. Member also presented eight similar petitions from Perthshire, Dundee, Inverness-shire, Forfarshire, and other places. C 0 RN- L A W S. Mr. BAINES presented a petition from the borough of Leeds, signed by 23,000 of the inhabitants, including merchants, manufacturers, bankers, and he believed all classes of inhabitants in the borouh. He should, in pre sentieg it, conform strictly t o t h e rule laid down by that House for the presentation of petitions, conceiving on the n bole that that was the plan most conducive to hearing. fairly the voice of petitioners. While he did that, he would teke the liberty of cAling attention to the allegations and prayer of the petition. The SPEAKER said the lion. Member had an undoubted right to state the substance and prater of the Ac tion. That was the practice that had always prevailed. Mr. B A INE S understood that to be the case. The petition expressed in clear and distinct language what he believed was the principle on which these petitions were founded, and the arguments and facts by which they were sustained. The petitioners say that all men bad an inalicnabl•- right to the free exchange of their capital, skill, and labour, for the productions of their own or foreign nations, and that all restrictions on inter course are against the principle, and contrary to the well know n practice of wise legislation. They further say that the welfare of all the industrious classes of that country was involved in the enlargement of their foreign trade; that the manufacturers of that country had for a long series of years enjoyed great advantages from the amount of their capital—the production of their machinery and the skill of their workmen—that these ads antages were no longer in their exclusive possession, and that the other nations of Europe wisely availing themselves of twenty years of peace, bad established manufactories by which they were not oily supplying the people of their own country, but had placed themselves in an advantageous position for sup plying the wants of other countries ; that the formation and production of manufactures on tl e Continent was ie a very great degree attributable to the Corn-laws, which by excluding foreign grain from the ports of that country prevented them purchasing their manufactures, and compel them to become manufacturers themselves. The petitioners recorded thou.. deliberate and solemn conviction that in order to compete successfully with foreign countries, either the Corn laws must be repealed, or the wages of labour in England must be forced down to the level of the rates paid on the Continent. In conclusion, the petitioners so lemnly declared that a large reduction of manufacturing wages, while the Corn-laws were maintained, which en hanced the price of the necessaries of life from 60 to 70 per cent. in comparison with the necessaries of life or. the Continent, would not only be productive of serious p:ivations and sufferings, but would excite great indigna tion and threaten the existence of the social system of the country, the petitioners therefore pray that a measure of strict justice to all consumers of feed, as the only mode by which the foreign trade could be pi eserved, was necessary, for the purpose of giving stability to the social institutions of the conutry, and as a guarantee for the maintenance of peace in all civilised countries. They prayed for a total repeal of the laws with respect to the foreign corn, and that every article of the produce cf foreign countries, and also of Great Britain, might be left free and unrestrained. lie cordially concurred in the prayer of the petition. Sir WILLIAM MO LES WO RTH supported the pe tition. Mr.. FERG LTSON presented a petition from the Chamber of Commerce of KirkaLly, praying for the repeal of the Corn-laws. Mr. M. PHILLIPS presented a petition from the Cham ber of Commerce of Manchester against the Corn-laws, and praying for their total repeal. The petitioners viewed with great alarm the increase of manufactures abroad: whilst the country was enjoying the blessing of peace, and while population was increasing, the exportation of British manufactures did not exceed that which took place for the first five years after the peace. At the pre sent moment, the petition stated, great quantities of goods were sold in foreign countries, manufactured in Saxony ; that in fact this country did not supply more than a fourth part of the manufactured goods suld in the countries where the Saxon goods were introduced ; and they stated this important fact, that notwithstanding the charge of 20 per cent. charged on Saxon goods for the p. - otection of British manufactures, they are actually in troducing themselves into this country. That workmen from this country had recently proceeded to the Continent for the purpose of instructing the foreign workmen ; that the recent improvements tri meet hee.tr........ , beingt--introdUCed on the Continent to such an extent as to enable them suc cessfully to compete with us; and that there are actually workshops in Manchester and Birmingham who assist the foreigners in the construction of machinery ; so that thti country was not likely to maintain that superiority in machinery she had hitherto possessed, as both the foreigners and Americans were making rapid progress. British workmen, the petitioners contended, possessed the inalienable right to exchange the labour of their hands for food, and they concluded by strongly urging the policy of repealing all the laws imposing restrictions on the free importation of corn, as a sound system of policy calculated to meet the evils complained of. Mr. Phillips concluded by stating that he perfectly concurred with the prayer of the petition. Lord MARCUS HILL presented a petition from Evesham, in Worcestershire, in favour of the plan for a penny postage. Mr. CII RISTOPHER presented a petition from some parish in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, against beer shops. Lord DUNGANNON presented four petitions, three of them from places in Shropshire, and one from Denbigh, complaining of the spiritual destitution of a portion of the population of Canada, and praying that some mode of relief might be adopted. CORN-LAWS. Mr. HASTIE presented a petition from Paisley pray for a total repeal of the Corn-laws. ?Ir. II IND LEY presented a petition to the same effect from the cotton-spinners of Ashton. The petition ers stated that they employed twelve thousand work men ; they stated that all monopoly was robbery ; that the present Corn-law was a system of robbery, and that no monopoly should exist except for the public good ; they would not ask for the repeal of these laws if it could be shown that they were for the good of the people at large, but they thought they were alike injurious to all classes, because the landlord only obtained high rents in consequence of the existence of manufac tures; and they called upon the landed interest not to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. —( Laughter.) They prayed for the total and immediate repeal of the Corn laws, a prayer in which he entirely concurred. Mr. EATON presented four petitions from parishes in the county of Cambridge, against any repeal of the Corn- laws. Mr. E. ELLICE presented a petition from the Magis trates and Town Council of St. Andrew's, praying for a total repeal of the Corn-laws. An Hos. MEMBER presented a petition in favour of the existing Corn-laws. Sir G. SINCL AIR presented a petition from the in habitants of the Orkney Islands, praying for further dui. cal extension. THE NATIONAL CONVENTION. Mr. PRAED rose to put a question to the Noble Lord the Secretary for the Home Department relative to a statement which bad appeared in the public Papers, and which had been made by a magistrate of Monmouth, who was also a delegate to a body now meeting in the metro polls, and calling itself the National Convention. lie wits re ported to have stated that he had received a letter from the Noble Lord, informing him that if he performed the duties of Delegate to the Convention, he (the Noble Lord) would recommend the Lord Chancellor to withdraw his mine from the commission. He (Mr. Praed) wished to know whether it was true that official notice had been called to the fact, that this magistrate was a member of the National Convention; and whether, after that offi cial notice had been taken, he still continued to be a ma ' gistrate. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said it was quite true that upon observing in the public prints, and his at tention having been also called to the fac t , that Mr. Frost had attende d p ublic meetings of a violent c h a racter, and had boen appointed a Delegate to the Na. tional Convention, he ( Lord John Russell) - directed a letter to be written to him to account for these cireum stances, explaining that it was not with any view to a legal prosecution, but with a view to ascertain whether he ought not to recommend the Lord Chancellor to withdraw his name from the Commission of the Peace. I n hi s answer, which was at very considerabl e length, be stated that he certainly had attended meetings at which there were some speeches made of a violent charac ter, but that he was not answerable for such language, and did not approve of it—that he was a member of a body to be called the National Convention, but that it was a body for the sole he purpose of preparing a nd. presenting* (Lord J enting p. Rus sell) to Parliament. Upon this explanation sell) replied that he should not think it necessary to take any step at present, but that be ought to use every means in his power to influence persons to be at peace. ' Mr. PRAED inquired if the Noble Lord would have any objection to lay the correspondence upon the table of the House. Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S answer was, we believe, that be could not then state positively. Mr. PRAED then said that ho would repeat the question to-morrow. EDUCATION. Mr. WYSE gave notice, that on WeinesJay tFe ootl., he would renew the motion which he had made last session, on the subject of National Education. MAYNOOTH COLLEGE. Lord DUNGANNON gave notice that this day fort- I Light he would move a C ommittee ofnquiry into the state of the Roman Catholic Colle g e at M,ynooth. PRIVATE BILLS. Mr. P. THOMSON gave notice that he viTuld on Wednesday move the re-appointment of the Se!e:q Com mittee of last year on Private 13111 s. RULES OF PLEADING. Sir F. POLLOCK gave notice (for a day which we did not catch) of a motion for leave to bring in a Bill to aher the rules as to double and treble costs in cases where the general issue only was pleaded under certain Acts. THE COURT OF CHANCERY. Mr. BLE WITT gave notice that he would (we think on Friday) move for returns of the number of bills and answers filed in the High Court of Chancery, from 1830 to 1839 inclusive, and the number of appeals and of orders on further directions decided within the same period ; also of the number of original causes set down before the Vice- Chancellor and the Master of the Rolls ; and the number of appeals remaining to be heard at the close of each of the above years ; and the Hon. Member further gave notice that when those returns were completed—( A laugh)----be would move an Address to her Majesty pray ing her Majesty to issue a Royal Commission to inquire whether the pleadings. &c., of the Court of Chancery cannot be shortened; and simplified, and rendered consequently less expensive, and whether tie jurisdiction of that Court in some cases, especially with regard (we believe) to infants, might not be improved, and whether any and what amend ments could be effected in the proceedings of said Court. RAILWAYS IN IRELAND. Mr. F.FRENCHgvje notice that on ThUrsday the 21st, he would move an humble address to her Majesty, praying that sh , . would graciously direct measures fur secur ing, to Ireland tic benefits of Railwaya. SUPPLY. Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved the Order of the Day for bringing up the Report of the Committee of Supply. The Report was brought up accordingly. _ CANADA—LORD DURHAM'S REPORT. Lord JO RUSSELLIIN Plysented, by her Majesty's command, copies of certain correspondence relative to the affairs of British North America; and the report on tho affairs of British North America by the Earl of Durham, and for the presrnt he would merely move that it do lay on the table. The Noble Lord then proceeded—.l wish only to state that no doubt every Hon. Member of this [louse who wishes to take part in the important discussions that are to come on relative to the affairs of Canada, will make himself master of those papers, and espe cially the report of the Earl of Durham in his character of Lord High Commissioner. I wish further to state that the course Government intend to pursue is to introduce a measure respecting Canada before Easter, and that measure having been so introduced and printed. I shall propose that the second reading of the Bill do take place immediately &ler Easter. PRISON DISCIPLINE. Lord J. RU SSELL then rose and said—l rise for the purpose of asking leave to bring in several Bills with re spect to the administration of justice. The first Bill which I shall ask leave to introduce, is a Bill for the better ordering of prisons. I introduced a Bill on that subject last year, vs bieli I propose at present to divide into two Bills. It will not be necessary for me to enter upon any explana tion of that Bill, because, after a great deal of discussion, the Bill passed this House with very little opposition ; but it was thrown out on the second reading in the other Ilouse of Parliament. If I were asked what reason induced the other House to do so, I should only suppose that it arose from some misconception as to the power given to the Secretary of State by that Bill. It may have been ima gined that it was intended by that Bill to give the Secretary of State the power of enforcing rules for the external dis cipline and separate confinement of prisoners. That objection could only have arisen from some mis conception, and in order to make it still more clear, I have altered the wording of the clause is which tl:e p ewer is given to make those rules, so as to make it appear that the power is only given to the parties usually authorised to make those rules in order that they may be submitted to the Secretary of State. Another part of the 8.11 refers to the establishment of district prisons, it being far more convenient that there should be a con tract between the Justices of the district, for the mainte nance of prisoners, and thereby avoiding the expense and hiconverrience of sending them 30 or 40 miles. That part of the Bill I propose to put in a separate Bill, and there fore, I now move for leave to bring in these two Bills. —Leave was then given. PETTY SESSSEONS AND COUNTY COURTS. Lord JOHN RUSSELL—Sir, in introducing ano ther Bill with respect to Petty Sessions, and a Bill to re gulate County Courts, I wish to state very generally the improvements I propose. It is a subject which on various grounds has attracted the attention both of individuals, Commissioners appointed by the Crown, and Com mittees by both Houses of Parliament. Every one has felt, in the present state of the law, that there is a great deal of unnecessary expense, unnecessary hard ship, and unnecessary delay in the usual practice by which persons who are guilty of petty offences are sent to prison, in order to be tried at the Quarter Ses4ons, which do not take place far some time afterward:. On this subject the County-rate Commissioners, after discussing various propositions made to them, have declared their decided opinion against giving summary 'urisdiction to Justices of the Peace with regard to cases which are now termed felony, and they propose the erection of separate Courts, with paid Advocates or Judges, to decide on the offences. The Committee of the House of Lords • which sat last year, after examining several witnesses, decided that the pre sent system was exceedingly objectionable ; and that it was advisable to give the Justices summary juris diction in cases of larceny. They stated if this was confined to the youthful offender only, the whore be nefit would not be obtained ; they therefore pro pose that the Magistrates sitting in Petty Sessions should have power and jurisdiction in cases of petty larceny. A Committee of this House that sat last year on the Police of the Metropolis, take a different • view of the subject ; they think that it is advisable to give power of summary jurisdiction, but they are of opinion, as it is a great innovation, and as it deprives the subject in certain cases of tho right of trial by jury, we should be very cautious how we act, and only give to stipendary Magistrate. jurisdiction who have professional experience on this subject. -.Thermic; Sir, great reason for proposing some measure on this sulject in the first place, with regard to the law, after the Act in troduced by the Right Hon. Baronet, (Sir R. Peel), there is no longer that ground for refusing summary juris diction in all cases, that formerly prevailed. The former state of the law was very absurd, with regard to persons cutting down live wood, or malicious trespass ; the only proceeding adopted was not a criminal proceeding, but an action as for the injury of real property, and part of that law went so far as to say, that if a party had not his title-deeds to the property, it could not be consi dered felony. The alteration in the law referred to applied only to persons stealing under the value of a shilling ; if it was wood that was taken, and if a man came and cut it in the day-time and carried it off, the other power of summary conviction then ceased, and the party must be tried by a jury at the Quarter Ses sions. This, however, is not satisfactory. On the other hand, it seems desirable in certain cases that this mode of punishmept should be Adopted, but it is not just that the offender should be kept in prison several weeks before he is brought to trial ; and as this part of the law seems to require some remedy, what I propose to do is this —to give a power of summary conviction in those cases of larceny, but limiting the justices in the punishment they award to an imprisonment of six months at the most. I propose to give this power of summary conviction in the case of adults as well as of young offenders, but I also propose to give the prisoner the benefit of an appeal, in any one of the Courts which he shall prefer, leasing it to the offender to choose if he prefer such a mode of trial. I propose to make the same provision as that introduced in Sir Robert Peel's Acts, and not that pro posed in the Committee of the House of Lords, as I contemplate to give to the offender the power of choosing by which mode of proceeding he wishes to be tried. In making the change in petty sessions, I propose that there should be much more regularity and form than at the pre sent time. Now, there were various fees to be paid to the clerk, which is productive of a great want of unifor mity. I propose, therefore, that there should be a re gular:return made of those fees to the quarter sessions so that atregular record should be kept of all that is done. The two other Bills which I propose to introduce contain the substance of the Bill which I introduced last year for the better regul ition of local Courts. I have thought it better that the subject et present should be divided into two Bills—the first proposes to empower the Crown to give a salary to a Judge, who shall decide upon small debts in various parts of the country—the Bill will fix the placers at which the Judges shall sit. My Learned Friend, the Attorney-General has frequently pressed me on the subject, and said that from the great number of these Courts of Request—from the great number of Commissioners, who are totally unacquainted with the law, much inconvenience has arisen from the great went of uniformity in the decisions. It is also much coneplained of that the Commissioners arc not regular in their attendance. Such being the case, I am in hopes that these measures will be looked upon, by the country generally, as great improvements in the law. I propose, also, that the fees now received by the Clerk should be returned to the Justices in Quarter Sessions ; that the Juitice3, in Quarter Sessions assem bled, should fix the salary of the Clerk ; and that, if the fees should not pay such salary, that the balance be made up by the country.' The other Bill which I propose to introduce is with respect to the naming of a Chairman to preside at the Quarter Sessions. The late changes made by the Legislature in the criminal law, and the taking away the punishment of death from many offences, had greatly increased the labours as well as extended the powers of Justices in Quar ter Sessions. I therefore think that it would be proper to have a professional Chair man ap pointed by the Crown upon the nomination or recom meudation of the Justices. I propose by these Bills to make the administration of justice more speedy. and therefore more advantageous, and though they excite little interest in this House—( Considerable noise prevailed in the House)-- they were of great interest to the great body of the people at large.—( Cheers.) With respect to the former Bills relative to existing prisons, a great deal has been said. It still, however, is my opinion that the separate system of confinement is the best that can be introduced. I beg leave to give notice that it is my intention to propose, in the present Session, a vote by which we shall be enabled to build a prison in which to try the experiment. For my own part, I hope that this experiment will be found to succeed completely. I am aware that experiments have been made in some of the prisons of the United Statee of North America, and they furnish convincing facts to tiny mind that the p e ople of this country will not be sati s fi e d unlets something be done to bring the matter within the reach of ourselves, in order that the results of these expe riments; tray be fully tested. I think the question still more important, and I think it still more necessary to make this at tempt, when the subject of transportation has been so much con sidered. I do not wish to hurry these measures through the Ilouse ; I wish to give time for every consideration, and I trust in tire end, whether carried in the shape I have originally proposed them or not, thet considerable benefits will accrue to the country from their adoption. Leave was then given to bring in the several Bills. Sir EDWARD liNATCUBULL begged to ask the Noble Lord a question relative to certain county expenses incurred previous to the passing of the Poor-law Amend ment Bill. The Noble Lord would know what he meant, as lie had brought the subject under his notice last Session. Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S answer was inaudible in the gallery. Sir J. Y. BULLER was glad to find that separate Bills would be introduced, and that the Small Debts Bill would not be included in the County Courts Bill, as, in the event of the one being thrown out, the other also ought to be lost. He thought there was ene objectionable point in the Noble Lord's statement, and that was, where they proposed to pay the Judges out of the county-rates. Any attempt to put that on the county.rate would be received very ill indeed, and he hoped to be able to show the Noble Lord that it was not necessary. lle begged to call the attention of the House also to the position in which Honourable Members having applications for private Bills would be placed by the measure of the Noble Lord, because if that Bill were passed, it would be useless to press the other separate mea sures upon the attention of the House. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said be was disposed to con sider what the lion. Member bad suggested. CHURCH LEASES. Mr. VERNON SMITH in rising to move the re-ap pointment of the Committee of last session on the sub ject of Church-leases, said the evidence which had been taken before that Committee had been before the House ever since the recess ; and the conclusion which they had come to was that the Committee should be re-appointed, in order to consider if further evidence was necessary, or if sufficient evidence had already been taken to citable them to make their report. The Hon. Gentleman then moved that the s , imc gentlemen be ap pointed, as had constituted the Committeelast year. Sir G. SI NC LAIR said he did not intend to object to the re-aupoietment of the Con - anittee, but he thought it de sirable that the Church and the Dissenters—that the House and the public—should know the specific result which Ministers anticipated from the labours of the Com mittee. He knew that the specific okject was first to learn if, by a different system of mana;ement as to the property possesF.ed by tire Church—and a new arrangement between the Church and its lessees, a surplus would accrue. But the great object was to know what should be done with the surplus, if any should be found. That was the point on which the Church and Dissenters were at variance ; although it might not be difficult to dissatisfy either, it would not be ea=v to please both. The Church would have no objection to the consideration of this subject, if it was intended that the surplus should be appropriated to purposes strictly Ecclesiastical, but tint stould not give satisfaction to the Dissenters ; whereas, if it were intended by the exputeel surplus, to relieve Dissenters from the payment 'of Cict•ch•ratcs, the p-oceedings of the Corn mitt. e must be looked at by the friends of the Church with anxiety and alarm. bocause if the 'principle were once adopted, that because Dissenters derived no direct benefit from the Church Establishm'•o.t, that then fore they need not contribute to its support—they might just as well be relieved from the support of the officiating Ministers. lle would ask Ministers; therefore, in what way the an ticipated ru•plus was intended to be appropriated ? Mr. VERNON SMITH said that question hal been excluded from Vie consideration of the Contnitt which was appointed to consider whether a surplus could be found, not how it might be appropriated, and the question of the lion. Member might more properly be put when the Re port was presented. • Sir ROBERT PEEL said, no doubt the question would art-c, supposing the Committee were to report a surplus derivable from any ne..v management of Church property, as to what purpose it should be appropriated. He begged leave to stats that the opinions he expressed last year upon the subject he now retained, and that he conceded no principle with-h he had then maintained. though he did not now object to the re-appointment of the Com mittee. A condition had been proposed last Session to the appointment of the Committee—that any surplus should be applied exclusively to ecclesiastical purposes, but the House had rejected that condition. Now, certainly, it would be contrary to the usage of the House, and might subject it to considerable inconvenience, to make any lengthened observations on the mere question of the re appointment of a Committee which had already commenced its operations ; but he could not hear of the Committee being proposed without distinctly declaring, that to all the prin.. cipies which he had laid down he still adhered, and that when the Committee shonld have made its report, if any attempt should be made to divert any surplus from pur poses purely ecclesiastical he should O'er it every opposi tion.--( Cheers from the Tories. ) Mr. BRISCO E was glad that the appointment of the Committee had been moved for at the commencement of the Session, because it was to be hoped that the report might be made sufficien'ly early to bring in a Bill to carry into effect the plan of her Majesty's Government for the abolition of Church rates, and the substitution in their stead of a fund arising from the improved value of eccle siastical property. This, he was aware, was not a fit occa sion to enter at large into this subject. but he wished to take this opportunity of recording his firm and deliberate opinion in favour of the measure already proposed by her Majesty's Government. It was, in his humble judgment, a measure which ought to be gladly hailed by every mem ber of the Established Church, because it would substitute, in lieu of an uncertain, a fixed rource of revenue for the maintenance of the fabric of the Church—because it would tend to remove the fruitful cause of that dissension and made which had so unhappily prevailed in so many parishes, and also because it would relieve from the burden of a local tax the poorer classes of society, who, in their slender circumstances, could very ill afford to pay it. The followinr , Committee was then appointed --Lord John Russell, 'Mr. Goulburn, Mr. Vernon Smith, Mr. Pusey, Mr. Lambtoa, Mr, Granville Vernon, Mr. Pease, Mr. Childers, Mr. Baring Wall, Mr. Aglionby, Mr. Gaily Knight, Mr. Hector, Mr. Ingham, Mr. Solicitor-Gene ral, Lord Eliot, Mr. Baines, Mr. William Evans, Mr. Hope Johnstone, Lord Viscount Saudon, Lord Viscount Ebrington, Mr. Blake CORN-LAWS. Mr. G. W. WOOD said hebad given notice of a motion for the production of a return regarding the average prices of corn for the last five years, in order to show the great fluctuations to which, under the existing system, corn had t,een subjected. When this return was produced, he ap prehended it would appear that the price of wheat had varied in the course cl last year, as much - as from 525. 4d. per quarter, to 78s. 4&, making a difference of 50 per cent. ; and that in December, 1835, the price was down as low as 365. 8 i., being a difference between that rate and the highest rate of last year, of no less than 113 per cent. The use which he should make of this fact, was this, that the existing system of the Corn-laws had not answered the purpose for which they were avowedly intended, that the professed object of these laws was to give stability of price to the consumer, and preserve the farmer from a low price. Now, he would contend that neither of these objects had been answered, and on this ground alone an application ought to be made to Parliament for their repeal. Ho re gretted to bear the other night from the Right Honour able Baronet opposite (Peel) that he was of opinion that it was not expedient at present to make any change with respect to those laws. An intimation of that nature coming from a gentleman of his extensive information, and high standing in the House, could not fail of having great weight with it, and was likely to affect materially the issue of this question. He ( Mr. Wood) regretted, and great numbers would regret the course the Right Hon. Baronet had taken, because they imagined he would have taken a different view of this subject from the interest he felt in the welfare of the Empire, and from his own former con nection with the manufactures of this country. It was to be regretted that the Right Hon. Baronet should be satis fied to rest his objection on the circumstance to which ho then adverted, viz., that our manufacturing industry had recovered from the convulsion to which it had been ex posed by the commercial difficulties of the year 1837. He was not aware of any more facts of difficulties being overcome arising from the occupation given to our manu facturing population, and he would say nothing arising out of these circumstances, as bearing upon the Corn laws. He did not, in an observation he had made on a former night, raise any argument from what he bad than mentioned, bearing on the Corn-law question, for he was then merely speaking on the connection between the facts he had adverted to and the laws of the country, arid not as bearing on the Corn-laws. After having heard an obser vation from the Right lion. Baronet, on which he had been precluded from offering any remark, he saw that_ the same conclusions we're to be drawn in connect:o9 with the Corn-laws, upon which these facts had a most important bearing. He had then mentioned that in 1838 there was an excess of the exports from this country, but he had not drawn any conclusion whether he thought that circumstance favourable or unfavourable to the continu ance of the Corn-laws, but on looking iiito that statement he found it to have a most important bearing on that sub ject. There was an excess in the exports that year to the amount of three millions of pounds, but in that excess were included one hundred and fifty-eight thousand pounds, which arose from the article of sheep' wool, which had net afforded employment to our population, 608,000/. of iron and steel, and 204,0001. of copper and brass. There was in the excess adverted to 1,375,0001 on those commodities, on which a .ery small quantity indeed of the labour of our population had been bestowed. The next branch under which the excess arose was in yarns; there was an excess in the export of that article to the amount (we understood) of 854,000/. When he came to manufactured articles, and saw how the excess stood, he found that the amount was greatest on those articles on which the least labour was derived to our manufacturing population ; the excess in articles that required such la bour amounted to 92 p2r cent., while in yarns it amounted to 80 per cent. On hardware the amount was only about 30 per cent. While the excess in those articles on which little labour hail been bestowed was increasing, that upon those on which more labour was required was proportionably diminishing. These facts tended strongly to show that the manufactures of other countries were increasing and increas ing rapidly. They had been carrying on the process of Legislation in order to draw front us, and they were now able to supply themselves without receiving anything front us. Now, it would hardly be contended by the Right lion. Bart. that this state of things had no connection with the Corn laws. Berme looking into these laws, he should look into the state of our manufactures, and he would find they were in a very depressed state. lie should consider the Corn-laws not in any other light than as bearing on the labouring population of t his countr y , and if something were not done soon it would be too late to do anything to recover our lost ground. No man can . de , the increasing, consum ption for the great staple artic.es. We could not, however, shut o ur e y es to the fact that . 11 similar increase was going on .in other countries, R , SI- milar disposition in th em to increase their !tianutee. tures and to establish anything in their countries which would appear to give them an advantage which really existed, for furnishing other countries with th e pro _ duce of their labouron the elicaprst t erms . The fact was t hat competition was corni , lained of by all our merchants and manufacturers. It was found that amongst our oldest connections were t o b e f oun d t h ose who were giving great encouragement to the pro<sress of mannufactures amongst themselves, and were not only able to supply themselves, but were sen di ng t h e i r su rplus produce to remote markets, at which at former times we were the sole s . uppliers, and th e y were ena bl e d to do this from , the super for ch ea p ness at w hi c h t h ey cou ld purchase tood. It was not surprising, therefore, that there should be alarm for the security of our trade amongst our inanti faetyrers, for th ey were now meet i ng w i ill competition n their own mark-ts from those whose markets they used to supply.__( Hear, hear.) By ou r system of ex. elusiveness with respect to the corn trade we ex cluded the timber of Prussia and gave her hostile feelings against us, which she had used by employ ing her influence in the north of Germany, totally to ex clude our manufacturesTrom those markets. tineir policy was to give encouragement to the admission of our yarns, to the total exclusion of piece goods, which trade was, in a great measure, now annihilated. We had proceeded in the same course with respect to America—first, our goods were admitted at a duty of 121 per cent. that duty was then raised to 25 per cent. on the simple ground that we excluded their produce from our ports. Mr. Addington expressly stated to Mr. Canning upon the occasion, that neither house of Congress would have agreed to the rail ing of the duty had it sot been that this country prohibited the introduction of their corn. If other countries can produce their food at a cheaper rate than we can they must certainly beat us in the race. It ape peered almost a miracle that our trade should, under present circumstances, be acknowledgedly on the increase, and that such complaints should still be made, but still that was no reason for refusing the inquiry which was de manded by so many cf the psople of this country. F or himself, he believed those laws were not at all necessary for the advaetage of the agriculturalists themselves. By tie renewal of thsse laws they would experience scarcely any char:gn to their disadvantage, and when the subject came regularly before the ileum he hoped they would give it their best consideration, and to•ally repeal these laws, by which they would give a great stimulus to the manufacturing industry cf the country. He would con dial!) , support the prayer cf the petition, which called upon the House to hear evidence at the bar. He then moved for a " Return of tke Prices of Wheat, as inserted in the Royal Gazette, foi•every week in the year 183 e ; and a similar Return fur each of the four preceding years ; the whole arranged in corresponding columns." Sir ROBERT PEEL had not the slight , at ob;ection to the motion of the Honourable Member. It was quite natural for the Honourable Gentleman to make the attemet —a most unsuccessful one it was true—to do away with the impressions which had been made, not only upon iris own mind, but on that of every one who had read his speech when seconding the Address. It clearly showed that the manufacturing interests of this country were improving and greatly on the increase. It was quite natural that the Honourable Gentleman should wish to se t himself right with parties out of doors, but however williee he (Sir R. P.) could not allow him to do so at his expellee.. It was quite natural that he should wish to set himself right, because if the Presidency of the Chamber of Com merce of Manchester was an elective one Ire might stand a chance of being ousted. He had no doubt that when the lion. Member was passing the northern corner of Palace_ yard he might meet with looks not the meet pleasant to iris feelings —( Laughter.) No doubt, the lion. Member might wish to set himself right with all those parties, but still he (Sir. R. Peel) could not afford that it should he done at his expense. Ever since 1828 and 1829 he 111,1 ueif onnly stated that in his opinion it was for the interest of the country—for Ihe interests of both agriculturists and manufacturers—that the public mind should not be agitated upon the subject of the Corn-laws, and that they should adhere to the present system.—( Hear.) He had ex pected that it would have been proved, or attempt e d t 9 have been ',roved that the shipping interest —that the internal interests of the country, were much less prosperous now than they had been ; but on the first night of the Session his mind was greatly relieved when he heard from the seconder of the Address—from the Pre sident of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce—first, that the manufacturing interest was advancing and prospe roes; second, that the shipping interest was in a state of rising and growing prosperity; and, thirdly, that the inter nal trade of the country was more prosperous than it hind been for some time—his mind was perfectly relieved to hear such statements from so high an authority. The agmicultem ral interest were perfectly satisfied with the laws ns they stood—all trades being prosperous in tine country, eh) , then should any alteration be called for? The Hon. Member had said, referring to commerce, "there had been two years of great distress in all branches of trade, and he was glad to hear this state of things had passed away, and that commerce at present was i n a satisfactory condition." He (Sir R. Pee]) assn thought he heard the Hon. Member say that he did not reeollect any former period of commercial embarrassment which wes so quickly succeeded by a healthy state of commerce._ ( Hear, bear.) He thought the Hon. Gentlerral went on to any that, with respect to front fourteen to twenty imper tent articles, to which our manufacturing industry was di rected, there had been a great increase. Mr. WOOD here interrupted, saying (we believe) that those articles were rot those in which a great quantity of labour was cineloyed. Sir R. PEEL did not think the Honourable Member bed then made this distinction as to manufactures into which manual labour entered to any considerable extent, but he thought he heard the Honourable Member state that with reefer(' to linen, far instance, there hal been Inn in crease of 19 per cent., that in respect of silk there had l' en an increase of 24 per cent., and he thought be heard thellen. Gentleman state that, upon the general average, there had been an increase of 7i per cent. in 1838, al compared with the average of the four preceding years. True, the Honourable Member now said, that it was not fair to say that because there had been an impreve raent in 1838 as compared with 1837, that that n as in its' If a sufficient proof of commercial prosperity, but it was quite impossible that be (Sir R. Peel) could have used such an argument. The lion. Member himself had said that be would take four years as a fir criterion, and that the years 1634, 1635, 1836, and 1837, be compared with the progressive increase of 1838. (Hear, hear.) Then, as to shipping, the Hon. Member had said, that his attention bed been directed to that sub ject, and that he was happy to be able to lay before the House particulars respecting that subject, showing that our shipping interests were in a most flourishing condition, and rapidly extending._( Hear. hear.) Now, hearing all this, he (Sir R. Peel) thought it waesnot at all unnatural, that he should caution the House against listening to the agitation for the repeal of a system so mate rially involved with - our manufacturing iutercsts— namely, the Corn-laws-- when the opponents of that s)steni themselves admitted that the commerce and manufactures of this country were in a comparatively flourishing condition—( Hear, hear,)—and he thought that he was using a perfectly fair and just argument ; ahctbar the Hon. Member was correct in his calculations, he ( Sir R. Peel) would not now question, as he thought this a most inconvenient time to discuss the subj ec t o f t h e Corn laws.—( Hear, hear.) His object was to show that on the first night of the Session, he had said nothing upon the speech of the lion. Member, which that speech had not wareanted. It was quite probable, that a little pa r d onable vanity in showing tine House that ho was in rossession of information, to the rest of the House unknown, might h ave induced the Hon. Member to go further in these state ments, than clearer judgment would have dictated._. ( Laughter, and Hear, bear.) lie was sorry that the Honourable Member had been led into such a mistake; but it was not sufficient now for the Hon. Mem ber to guard himself with qualifications, for, unfortunately, it was not the arguments, but the statements of the Pres - i. dent of the Chamber of Commerce which (Sir R. P ee l) had quoted—statements which had left upon his mind the same impression as they had left upon the opponents of the Corn-laws, viz., that the lion. Member considering his talent, his' experience, his station, and his character, had done mono to support the present system of Corn_ laws than qny other man living.—( Laughter, and Hear, bear.) That testimony was unexpected from the lion. Member; but he (Sir R. Peel) gladly received it r s h oe nest and unsoph sticated—( A laugh)—and the Ho. nourable Member might depend upon this, that while those statements remained incontrovert and uncontradicted, all the motions which the Hon. Me m _ ber might subsequently make about the price of corn —all the explanations he might give—all the arguments ho night offer, would be perfectly ineffectual t o remove the impression which those statements had created on the minds of any men not committed upon the question_.. namely, that the interests of manufactures and of agri culture were inseparably connected ; that manufactures could not flourish without agriculture improving, just agriculture could not be benefited without advancing the simultaneous prosperity of manufactures—(Meat., hear) and that those whose minds might have been influenced by the statements that manufactures were depressed— that the shipping interests were suffering, and that the in • ternal trade was inn a state of decay, would be convinced manufactures were in a state of comparative prosperity — that the shipping interests were rapidly advancing—and that the internal trade was, in elasticity and strength of resources, quite sufficient to remove those gloomy apprehensions which might heretofore have been enter • tained.—( Hear, hoar, bear.) Mr. MARK PHILLIPS would entreat Hon. Members opposite not to come to the conclusion so hastily, w hi ch they had done, that because our exports during the last year assumed the aspect stated, it followed as a matter of course that upon every article exported a profit had bee n reaped, or that the manufacturer was necessarily in a prosperous condition.—(Hear, hear.) lie did not mean i ß u a t r h o e net m h i, :r i d, to enter, any more than the Right Hon. into a general discuseion on the Corn-iaw_se,, importa' tt c d ou ' ld, if net' be allowed to advert to an article H of e to them whom he represent. in the t al e entioned by nears_tiKLa ll'o l use but it wes s l a lTou t ra 'a in c le h 1 1 . 1- aber any for statement he had laid before the l , to one tention to canting observations Theresolely ere great gentlem e e r i n article,a ob ject—the article of cotton twist. great interests in the country, ground, by speaking and Ile w ould not trespass on their the Howe representing with other b d circumstances, connected facts other manufacture. w ...ire an respect, however, to the In e i n , n from the fact of that increased e crease in the exportation of cotton twist, whatever condo.. sion might be same', his own con st m x. portation, h t his own impression on the 1; it was only duo to himself and subject vv. taints to state w .als ; and t h e satisfaction of knowing. that he was speaking in t hehepir'aspeakings presence of Members on the other side of the House,n, called on to represent interests s i m ilar to t hose h e repro_ v e el sea ted —gentlemen practically acquainted with the? dill branches r,f cotton manufacture—and if anything should ken from him of an extorted stature, he hoped they would set hinn ri ,, ht. With respect to the increased exportation of cotto n twist, tine conclusion he (Mr. M. Phillips) came to w"this, that instead of seeing any thing cheering , ac drew et):l _ clusians from it far from satisfactory.— ( Hear.) i t was well known, and indeed was stated by the lion. m mhi , r for Kendal in seconding the Address, that we had suffered the , ireatvst possible disruptio n of credit, and h ad suffeepi e from tine suspension of trade in the United States in l 817 : 1 We had consequently los t in the American market a d e , count r y end it was not to be su pp osed that the manufac turers of maned for cotton man ufactured goods from this Manchester were disposed to supply further goods to mein h who were then fn their debt. What, therefo re , Was tine position of the spinner? He was reduced to this dilemm a • he found that under all circumstances it was better f or h ie ; to continue his mac hiner y in o p eration th an to permi t it ' to lie still. therefore r sang;eftnr! It was a practically admitted fact that is h ,„ was greater if he allowed his machine r y to stand I still than if he went on w orking it. He was I compelled to go on , and was producing twist in quantities as in the preceding year, but he failed i n fi rwi , a market for that manufacture. The merchant o ti g tire Manchester Exchange was not to be found as a purch aser, from the circumstance that he had lost his custo mer in the United States, but was driven to export property to tine truount of 1,400,0001. sterling; might it not happen that his property could not be disposed of without a great loss a ' year ago? However, he would bind himself to say that if