The Sun. — London, England, 1839-03-14 00:00:00

tVEN ENG EDITIOST net one-half or one-third that amount. Indeed in many countries of Eti )pe no rent could be obtained, and the landoener was To ' ree - d i to cultivte theland.—( Hear, hear.) There was one point to which a le wished particularly de gree call the attention of the House—the difference of the in which the value of lend had increased beyond the price of corn. He would state to those who supposed that the rents of their estates would be lowered by free trade— mho thought that the price of corn oust add to the value ee. of their estates—that for the fifty years preceding the the d of ;he seventeeth century and the commencement of o _ eightec.t.4—from 1670 to 1720—the average price of ; er e vas 40,' ad. per quarter. Now in the ten years ..e It uurelred Pc} the av .‘age from 184 to 183' the price was 555. average—that is, i ~° I3IY , 3 7 per cent., while rem: price of corn had i t n ie cre s a a s m ed e y e lled 400 per cent.—( Hearh"cifi g e r rsased in thist But great s qu i e e s s t , ' I n ought not to be decided on e. interests ~ • - ~ - appeal to the , e _i ~ interests "list the tepee], because great masses of the woe... PePleetion had not joked in the agitation. Why was that ? Were those classes advocates of the Corn-laws ? --- ( n I: -'ar, hear. ) Were they indifferent to the Corn-laws? .., n t , „ . . • eh ' L "tr , ry, they declared that the first object of a Hut '`ley .t , st Perliament would be to do away with these laws. hell .ley detained to petition this House, because they , "vd that their petitions would be useless. They re fuse; to join the middle classes in this anti-Corn-law a lit 'ion, calling upon the middle classes to join them in ell) ,ding Universal Suffrage. Ought not the House to tak e , Ire, lest, by refusing their prayers, the middle classes woe ! be forced to make common cause with the working bits? N ever had those classes combined without Ie • ; El their object.—( Cries of " Hear, hear.") He hell ed that the House could prevent that alliance by con heeedtti, •,' to the' middle classes their claims, and prevent the portio n of il.'n working classes from the guidance of s or re_ fanati c i nceildiarie - hid revolutionists. It was by their eotel this House to ut't on this question that :he fitness of . t ie l t i i Legislators would be decides:. thee; aeTceriLslated for the benefit of the list:1:17 proved that . p t. r i eta_n their present legislative fun," if the n i t c i o e m ee m . community, 0e.,,Y, !egis.ated for the benefit, or the supposes benefit, 2 _ e : , . landed Aristocracy, they must prepare . for son It; e.lb, _ t o o t g ed el b t y era a ti e o e n nv i n n ls t i h nn e , Legislature, which could only in which not only the Corn hlJut the empire might be lost.—( Hear, hear. ) lithersl •quEe.stNiVceno D by E 1 - 1 0U S E said the deep interest felt on that part of the country to which w ord c lnnged was so great, that he would say a fe w DIU • He r•lis dietinetly of opinion that the :q.l rosed change would not be a protection to v agricultural interests. But the only ground 4' 4 , ! 121 1 he desired to see this question argued was, not whe te;',";le or were beneficial to the agriculturists merel y, eia l weether they were advantageous to all classes—commer -0.0, 4aanufaeturing and agricultural; and if it could be ocr it e tt_.bat tlHy sere not, he would admit that those laws th at th " be rispealed.—f Hear, hear.) Now liF considered li eu. , e law of 1828 had been most unfairly deal with.-- 7 (Hear, s p 1) It lied been introduced by Mr. Canning distinctly _es t til i iq a tZ t i i r y of i't 'he prohibitory law of 1815. And double cor n had been imported under it than was an- Pr ' e P , te d by its none , ts•—( Hear.) When the . Right Hon. d th e - ' l l' nt of the ° Hoard of Trade, quasi a Cabinet Minister, told idesski es () ,nse that he rejoiced - in agitation —( Cheers from both the ffouse)—and when the the ~..;.Itad stated his belief that if the laws wer a e ir c Noble Lord, the S e e e c t r i e ne z Wode eee.e_u\olic tranquty would be endangereu, 0 , e 7 31 1) must say that there was held forth a k b rii th ee . ern for outrage.— _pf . Cabine , t , (Cheers from the Opposition , e ___ f s , th e I;,(3_l!trages did not take place, it was not in consequens:"` . , ceeion'suoin that had been displayed by the Cabinet on this oc heet—j(Rear, hear.) Perhaps from habit and education he eti ale what would be called by some a narrow view of bet t Z a ntag, es of our foreign commerce and manufactures ; iner ee , 3 ne would assert distinctly, that to represent the th e e of foreign manufactures had been owing to ovieryestrietions en the importation of foreign corn, was ste„..,l fallacious. The continental system of Napoleon was - IN '''' for the express object of depressing our manufactures setet:lnmerce; and the policy of the King of Prussia was to ina self 3ge the manufactures of his countr. The rapidity of the he t° acturing ascendency of this countr y y' has no parallel in the ve brit of the world, and for this reason, that in the short inter cede .en 1 794 and the victor of Trafalgar, the sea had be trade -„ highway for obr ships, and Y under the great facilities to b,eeteriA"Lng increased activity to every portion of commercial . ad ae se--the manufactures and the commerceof this country dry b cll lired an ascendency equivalent to the start of half a cen- I t li ' ee lit tb eY Could not expect to retain theadvantage for ever. th erit been stated by Earl Fitzwilliam — no mean au ao4llt. and an authority upon which the House of Lords LS th e ,. 4 e o a to come to a conclusion on this question , h which, e lieus:vornmericed to-morrow, they would . do . efore d. cessi on 1 Commons pronounced its decision, if this dis ,o4e„irwent 011 as it had hitherto beets conducte the tle : nrirloeerirs of England , after referring to the statistical Russia, said, " Let us examine calmly . how or natter stands. For several years there has been little rate i mp o rt, f or ‘ ,eitylantities consumption, of foreign corn. leave Mod es been constantly kept in bond, but. holt, ' ,ot M all portio n o f i t has been taken out for i'lsteadll,,24fliption." H e w i s h e d t h at t h at N o bl e L or d, wouldwould con sulting the s t a ti s ti ca l d oc uments of Russia, countrvutim consulted the statistical documents of his own f or th e .' and especially those published by his own House, Port,e}l"estead ' , f saying "there had been little or no im port ot , ,e would have found, on referring to the Lords' RF appoodni,736, all account of the import of foreign gram pweeztreed:teh,atfrforonern 1 815 to 1835. By that account it ap tlBls to 1824 about 7,000,000 quarters e 0 b ought in, w hereas from 1824 to 1835 ,upwards of ti o ' n ° °ooo of quartershadbeen bought in for consump- Nre--that was exclusive of 1836, 1837, and 1838. They e fairl y Pr _ e rg!red to show that the agriculturists might b heereunsidere tta one of the great sinews of national ,.sh 1• c ,,,, e - r ( Hear d ,h ear , . )--4ind the security which the English is o ins Rey by r ' °w enjoyed might be taken away bri e of a shivery vote—(Laughter)—and with 1. every of Lorld°ounr institutions. The Hon. Member for the City Year of had referred to the year 1795, which was a 3; 0 areat depression from scarcity ; and PitYed b,;:',IY mitigated by the extraordinary activity dis °f Sir 6,-, Government of Mr. Pitt, under the agency Wi th the o r Scott. Sir George Scott, at that time, u ,nutted e vi t ecv of relieving the wants of the peopte 'sisteCt t t le sa i d 7 cp,.‘,,tr, to the Privy Council, which they . ve L c ' i lvicti on • ' lll.l C • A lf Lords, if you reject this . pro i p e os t i h ti e on city m o y f n0d,., 4 ; is that you will have famine 111e st i o di a fortnight." At Mr. Privy Pict's c 0 u eeil suggestionagree agreed to 4ClOpt theas re-argued, and the err ed proposal. The next instance h of scarcity oc d4ethbo,l,ll, 1801, which was another r e e r fe y rr e e a d r that t the He H we on n: .eyed t - lit , e , t s , the City of London memorable conduct of the King of Prussia , Itl ; 3 e 4 k id ; h ave escaped apethe sagacity of the Hon. Member ; for " - ' l 'g . f Prussia - took that opportunity of imposing . a re 4t3' eh ci exports .—( Cries of " Hear, bear.") His II:: .441 - "eemonstrated against that policy, but to rn - " ' It is your fault, you ought to have sent your trots; t ° blagland before. If the prices in England con loe nigh - m y duty shall be continued ; but if they are tli a , r ed, n; duty shall be lowered." He made no secret of c oy Then , with respect to our depending for foreign . of ,I° ll . Anil mica, what was the case when the navigation t o the Balti4l fell under the dominion of France from 1806 b t ' 1 13—.8, p eriod of not less than eight years? It might 011 4 hown that the average of those eight years—omitting V4Sue Year 181 a% when a large import of above 1,000,000 tter g ' ‘ was admitted under the special connivance of d e ll° naparl:e, ho permitted his Generals to turn contraband 1 4 r 1 Qrs in whcat . --the whole average did not amount to fee,),'°°o quarters Now, he would ask, what would have tet -.' tl 'a Condition ,of the cotintry at that period if the heart 4 !riculture had not been protected? He was prepared to k t "w tbat, for more than eight years, there was no impedi at: t ° f ree-te ade. There was also this remarkable circum %it ee, that tilt', year 1811 was a year of dearth—not only in G as t ' , 4)lle trY, la; at throughout all Europe—a year of great Ce t ,„ nt . e,nt, also arising from promulgation of the Ordeal in bh,l' e k It most be manifest, therefore, to every person eft,: tlei.clered this subject, that if the moat extraordinary 1 14; 111 114 d not been made, the public tranquility could not gav e ,den maintained, and the Government could not it w peel t carried on. ( Hear, hear, hear.) Yet neti o a t e ton tended that all idea of dependence upon foreign 'eat lei 'ad ; absolutely chimerical. He had referred to the laett,k4lll,l,Articularly because that was a year of peculiar cha. eet, e " om tl, e Orders in Council. A few years ago he had a !die:. e ' , ion with a then Member of the House, of no mean tett ( el - --h a meant Mr. Frankland Lewis—it was on the su - is user ne p,Nor-Zaw and that gentleman was inquiring how ' : 4 1r 4 ,1 ) 1 .) t bougA it would work? He said it was a good Noe, o e ,;„ 7 light work well, but it would not be well brought En., "al ion during a tiod of stagnation of employment. e 'q t r il_wi s said, who could p e: sect a stagnation of employment l 'eeeek l hui i within seven years ' l-..-there was one within seven 1 li nait ed .o. , _ . si id in speaking of it on A future occasion , he attn d 4 st .-'4t stagnation to the crisis in America. No doubt it oe , , e l t i at t e l s ie g. same thing . might happen _anywhere, - trl k tie, „j_,Roit, i d i a t e i utePerreuesssead, tenin y .o r l a d n i c f e a , t or th l e n lia di m a, and those mightt h ose e time they Ott 'caaly , subsistence, along with a stagnation of employ :4 ? gt rt e ;let ,, t ' t for these reasons that he opposed this niestien._ ot, J,!aily. for ax,ei perlasesseenst.laWs, because he thought they worked to o t 11 te4 l (Pai - te,"' was quite certain that the Honourable ono t u d ra es b i l r e e h,o,„0: an y these eA th h e o se ha l d aw ; g o , st addressed the House, would from any selfish or sord d ui :e m te o n t r i o e v e e t s : nor r the 4,: telfish aggrann:sement of the landed 411401 ht; ~, fsoalulnic jlassssehie iwnatshe fully convinced that they l e w ) ere n for e efel;'iatierte Gentleman. had 04c.ountry.—{ „ ground for eoolli, th e ;,i 0144 of selfishness and sordia.less which h e ' lit th ered upon those who suppH .. ear, h ar been ' " ' had iainin. Corn so la g of the orted the . , the .)tt 1 , w as an unjust and unfa:r accusation.—r; ts it e ;itte ' e e , thought those Gentlemen were greatly ) mistaken in -laws—he But tit , t ' e e tzt .y were on the subject.--(eheers. , " , t1 l ot t `Me b pursuing „. - ee. ,in in ered that for upwards of 200 Year? , . ,q 1,;" `Y Rai ' 1 rY short eriod, the policy of all pan'Oes . le; . ' ',.01 4 ) proceed upon p the principle of whathebeherea w the i _ a n this_a was pi f ird' e ''' tb'e Protecting of domestic interest. So far ri, etwhserestrreteinetg‘eernend number t;) , to - al l nA, ket dated by sordid motives, it was the fr f o a in ct, as ' which they alone , the importation of corn, of present, that they had passe very le,e,*, r e ar, ago _lt was only a few years ago—ae now so N: in their' that those very persona who w interest—who e ernna. ,with ' `ed 6, 5 1, 1 r: d eond e'on of the landed "le, na ee ' ' owners with selfishness and arties f rY late Period • d i were themselves the . N or th,j in ee• e , sordidness—until est. cat e d , ! own sakes and thete own interests . maintained eee,twas did. ai r tc:,imilar system. Under these circutesta ' tho u at at reproach the landed gentleman of England. ' before o e n . ~o,tice fall into the line of policy which was se, . 4 _, that they , 11 ‘ i , h v , hat eyer the iejtistice they might be treated with ou. 0 ' 5i, 4 11 11 , t have much much the 'were abused, whatever . reason they then' , cast " 3 complain of the reproaches which had t ~ .4 .. b N,on them, still he trusted that they would net d been so 1a i1,44, .) e Induced to refuse a fair and impartial consideration . t , l '! Pe es,ent subject. He was quite sure that the advocates at OA, la ws must feel be he, in advocating a change . 1.. n tile,n wild not be actuated by any feeling hostile thli Zi e l ltt. l n• e h ' , •., represented a division of Northumberland a% le l % 'pores v agricultural, few districts so exclusively de 'lee, eic eue • `o the produce of corn, and he was proud in i t , abl, o s"' " 'etin no part of the country had that occu -1114 ost a carried. on v. 4 1t o " r i 1, 5 , 5 . •c' ' '•a•t# 'et, 'ith more - skill, more prudence, or more - 'illy aware that every representative t o f k le, ,:rhey were all i 'vas generally actuated by a desire /e s sl io , '"Ilg in favour, acid • constituents, and being the re fet4cir cuP the opinions of his , -v feeling of his must be in 14 °1 4 ' a tive of such, a district eves e all his personal interests , 're of the land. In the second plies.. • seerity of agricultural tkkt 10 less deeply concerned in the pro- - e; e n Jo be worse t,t,tt, ..eile 1---( Cheers. ) It would be suppoane ___ - i . ..k. Tr b 4, ..:. was, to suppose that he judgment, to the prosperity of the agri.culTu.rtiar inte'res,.. •!: 1 !, t, 111 I be deeeived—he might, be wrong in his ' t ee , event s it could not be from any sinister mo tive that the course which he felt to be h i s duty upon that occasion. His opinions had been formed from his obser vations of what had really been the effect of the existing laws. That was particularly a question which ought to be decided more by the guide of experience than upon mere abstract rea soning ; he wished to bring itifairly to the test of experience. He wished to look back to what passed since the year 1828—to compare the results they had witnessed from the working of the present laws with the anticipations of those by whom it was recommended. Now upon what ground was that law re comrrended by those who proposed it. The first and strongest recommendation was that it would ensure the, greatest possible steadiness of prices. The Hon. Member for the North Riding of Yorkshire stated last night, that no Corn law whatever could ensure steadiness of prices. His Right Hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade, last nigh' quoted the language of Mr. Canning, which fully showed that that great Statesman expected thati the prices would range from 555, to 855. Precisely the same language was held by all the most distinguished advocates who recommended the mea sure to the House; but even after they had foundlthat law in operation for a considerable time, it was stated by the present Lard Ashburton, on a motion brought forward by Mr. Whit :ore to impose a moderate fixed duty on corn. In the year 525. to 71s. That these were the e xt reme 18,33, Baring . stated his full expectation that the prices would range fro.._ points, for if they ever reacted 71s. such a high price could only be maintained for a short time ; that they would range about 60s. sometimes a little higher end sometimes a little iower—that, was the view of Mr. Baring ; but i,a,a that been the effect upon the laws? Had 525. and 71s. been tip extreme prices, and only for short periods ? Sc, far on the contrary—let them take the years 1834 and 1835—the prices were much below the extreme point mentioned by the Hon. Gentleman. In those years corn fell not to 525. but to Ns. On the other hand, with respect to the extremely high prices, had the price of corn never been beyond 715., and had they only remained at that for a short period? The fact was, that in the present year, from September last to the present time, being a period of six months, the prices had been very considerably above 705., that in one period in the month of January of the present year the price of corn was not an average of 715., but the average actually amounted to 81s. 7d. The next effect the law was to prodece was, that it was to make the trade equable and steady—that we were net to have an alternate deluge and dearth of foreign corn, but a gradual and steady influx. Instead of that, we had had for six years the ports closed, and in the present year, within the spasm of a single month—nay, a week—we had nearly 1,500,000 quarters, Se much for the equable and steady influx of corn. Then again, we • were to have capital employed in English instead of foreign corn. Had this been the case? Notoriously and decidedly the reverse. from suffering the inj: Then, it was to protect the coesemers of corn and the farmer from the greai: nvetaienee Oecasioned by the high prices, 2istrets sqw)ltin4 frern low . prices. Had it either of those effects? ss . ..‘ this 111° :ar t su lt ffer l in 'a g s notorious that the labouring population severely from the pressure of high prices.—( Cheers. With respect to the sufferings of the farmers from the law price, he believed Hon. Members would not contravert that. ft would not be denied that during a majority of years since the establishment of the present Corn-laws, the farmers had been suffering from the ruinously low prices to which corn had been reduced. That was a fact of which there could be no dispute. The Right Hon. Baronet last night read Ki ngs' speeches in which this had been steed in five or six following years. He (Lard H, ) would not read those speeches, but he wished the House to hear a statement-still more authentic—that contained in the report of the Agricultural Committee of 1833 on this point. The Committee stated that the Committee of 1831 expressed a hope that the great body of the occupiers of the soil, either from the savings of more prosperous times, or from their credit and resources, would be enabled to surmount the difficulties under which they laboured they were bound, however, to express a fear that the difficulties alone had remained un checked, and to state that the savings or gains were greatly di. minished, that the credit was failing, and the resources very generally exhausted ; and this opinion was founded, not on the evidence of the rate-payers, but many most respectable witnesses, as well owners of land as surveyors and agents. —( Hear, hear, hear.) Now having made these statem7nts, Hon. Gentlemen opposite could not possibly controvert !his fact, that the anticipations of the advocates of the measure of 182 i had not in any respect been realized. Hear, hear.) 11167 might differ from him as to the mode of accounting for these fact;--they might say that but for the law it would have been worse—that these great fluctuations and all the other evils would have occurred had no such laws existed; but it was incumbent on them to show that—the proof rested with them, because the law of 1828 was passed at the instance of gentlemen concjirring with the hunted interest, and for the express purpose of protecting that interest. Bet though he might fairly call on them to show this, he did not wish to press the argument so far. He would endeavour to show, net enl3rthat the Corn-laws had failed to avert the consequences which had taken place, but that, en the contrary, the inconveniences which had been suffered had been greatly aggravated, if not produced by the provisions of that law—that they were effects directly traceable by reasoning to that system. That was a pro position which he would endeavour to prove, but he could not help noticin g first, how remarkable it was, that in the course of this debate, Hon. Gentlemen who had come forward in defence of law, had one and all of them refrained from meeting the question on the ground on which it ought to be met ; they had not endeavoured to prove that the law had been really bene ficial to the landedinterest, particularly the Hon. Baronet, the Member for Kent, who, in answer to the President of the Board of Trade, said he was not prepared to deny the results, but could only say that the Agricultural Committees of 1836 and 1837 never- contemplated a change in the law. The Committee of 1836 was so totally unable to suggest any cause for the agricultural distress which then existed that they declined to come to any report whatever.—( Hear, hear.) On that Committee there were seventeen county Members to six gentlemen representing commercial constituen cies. He would endeavour to show how it was that both the low price from which the farmer suffered, and the high price from which the consumer suffered, had been aggravated by the existing Corn-laws.---( Hear, hear.) He would first turn his attention to the difficulties which were at this moment cape rienced from high prices. Hon. Members could not fail to re collect that in inquiring into this subject the advocates of a fluc tuating duty had always contended in favour of that duty in pre ference to a fixed one, because they said when corn was dear, it would be unjust to restrict the supply of the consumer, but that we were bound to enable the people to get corn at the cheapest rate. They said the falling of the duty would relieve them from the inconvenience of the law, and give them practically all the benefit of free trade. Now, how was it possible that this should be the case ? Was it not obvious that the argument proceeded on the assumption that there was always to be found abroad a large reserve of foreign corn ready to flow into this country when required? But corn could no more be grown in foreign countries than in this, except upon the expectation of demand; and if so, was it not clear that great distress would be inflicted on the producer. What had been the operation of the existing Corn-law? In the five years immediately succeeding the passing of the present Bill, the impart was L.,725,000 quarters, the ports never having for a long period been closed by the amount of duty ; but in the six years following and until the last harvest, the duty was con stantly so high, that corn could never be entered for home con sumption with advantage. Now, what must have been the effect ? Of course the previous demand must have created an expectation in the exporting countries that a demand would be insured for this country, and that not after wards occurring, it was quite impossible there should not have been a great reduction of corn in the markets abroad, extreme distress to the landowner, and also to the dealers in corn. It might have been concluded from reasoning that such would be the case, but we knew practically that it had been the case. He would refer the House to an extract from a Hamburg newsp a p er of the year 1336, which des canted on the evils of the c orn trade with this country, and d most hazardous spes trading in corn with us as a dangerous anbefore wished the merchants of tha t countr y to give up all idea of culation. They had th e ex p erience of six years them. He would not dwell on the unnaturally low prices of corn in the English manufacturers , a nd stimu foreign countries, giving th e forei g n manufacturer a verir great ad vantage over ating the l former to push on vigoro usl y into com p etition. True, these prices could not long remain so. But the y might happen to be so at a time, and for a sufficiest length of time, to make a crisis disadvantageous to our manufacturers, by encouraging the foreigners to become our rivals, thus acting as a premium at our expense. He would not further dwell upon what had been already stated. He wished to show the House that it was im possible for our prohibitory system to have lasted six years, without having gradually put an end to all expectation abroad of aprofitable trade in corn with England, and putting an end to the cultivation of wheat for our supply—so that when we had a real occasion for foreigncorn, as in Autumn last, no practical benefit was derived by the consumer from our ports being thrown open—there being no extra quantity of corn then abroad the prices there immediately rose when we wanted some. True, our superior riches enabled us to draw a consi derable supply, but it was from the domestic store of the fo reignert, who suffered for our consumers, while the latter were not relieved in point of cost. An Hon. Member had, in the course •of the night, alluded to the riots which took place in France some time ago, and on account of which the Govern ment of that country was obliged to close its ports against the exportation of corn to this country. He (Lord Howick) was not surprised at the conduct of the French people, nor did he blame them. Their acts were the consequences of our Legisla ture.—( Hear, hear.) If we refused to permit a regular trade in corn on a system of mutual benefit, the result must be that corn must be raised abroad as well as at home, when we had a defective harvest.—(Hear, hear.) Corn would then be raised in foreign parts-50, 60, 100—even 200 per cent. to the great injury of the foreign consumer. Was not this a most distressing effect of our system ?—( Hear, hear.) But he would beg the House to remember that we were excluded from receiving any supply of corn, should we want it, from many large districts in Europe. He believed that exportation to this country was now entirely prohibited by law from all the ports of France, from Belgium, from almost all Italy, including the Austrian part, and the dominion of the Pope, and the two Sicilies.—( Hear, hear.) But the bad effect of our system did not end here. First, the uncertainty of our duties restricted the field whence we could look for a supply to a narrow circle—next they obliged the speculator in corn to draw his supplies from the nearest ports. What was the operation then ? Corn immediately rose, and the rates of freight and charges of importation also rose. He was surprised to-night to hear an Hon. Gentleman stating that some Prussian corn merchants made a high profit by supplying one market. Yes, the German merchants were secured against Odessa and other more distant ports. This was the strongest argument that could be urged against the present system. It was quite true that at present corn was imported 'from Odessa and other quarters, but the speculator, well-know ing the uncertaincy of his venture, would not enter into it with out a certainty of high profit. Thus the consumer had to pay, whether the corn was brought from a distance or from a neigh &flaring port. Nor was this the whole extent of the evil. It was a self- evidentprinciple thane trade would be caried on for a series of years at • less—the profits of one year must compensate for the losses of former years, or the trade. would be given up. Now that principle applied to speculation in foreign corn for all markets. The consumer must now pay not only . a present profit to the speculator in corn, but he must also indemnify him for what he has lost daring the last sie years.—( Hear, hear, hear.) It was, necessary, therefore, that this calculation should not be left out of sight when we talked a the relief experienced by the consumer, from the sinking ei the du ties as the averages rose-ss( The confusion at the bar was beet very great, the Speaker and several other Members called out in vain, and at last the Noble Lord had to pause in his speech and assure lion. Members who might be waiting for a division that they might find a mere proper place for conver sation, in the meantime, than at the bar. This digression was received with loud cries of " Hear, hear.") The Noble Lord then proceeded to say that he would show the House what corn esu 2eters had lost occasionally b y brin g in g su pp l ies of foreign - w r heat - to country,--( Hear, hear.) They had been in. formed an inte. esligent witness, that the loss in 1836 had en owe He believed that this was by t not been less than 3,00 u, tic was aware that it was founded obtain in in te fo re i e n t l e a d tio in ni the_ trade, exaggerated calculation, but as of wore hupeohnatdhetheevrideefenreee endeavoured .parsons ed who to o w h e t precise nature, on this subject, and which shook be less liable to dispute. This informntion showed—( Here the noise at the bar become so great, that the Noble Lord was obliged to cease speaking, and cries of Orderl order! Bar, bar ! Places, places ! resounded from all parts of the House. The Members in the Galleries also carried on their conversation in so loud a tone of voice, as to render it at times difficult to catch what fell from the Noble Lord. Order havinc , been partially restored, the Noble Lord continued.) He woulcrnow'present to the House some calculations on this sub ject founded on information, the accuracy of which it was utterly impassible to dispute. He procured a statement abowing the ammult at corn which had been in bond during the last six YEW" his object was to cgcertain only that part of the loos which 44 swear insaarred iii copse/pence of the recent speculations in corn ; thisaff9inta sheavesi use tixpense that these speculators had incurred in consequence of keeping the corn for a long pe riod 'II the warehuuses ; he had caused a statement to be pre pared, showed the number of quarters of corn in the bonded warehouses for each half-year from the month of April 1833, it also showed the quantity left in bond at the end of each half-year, the quantity taken out of bond, and the quantity entered for home consumption. His object in doing this was to endeavour to ascertain the average period that this corn remained in bond, and in doing this it mattered not whether he took the actual, period that each particular quantity of foreign corn had re mained in bond, or assumed that the parcel of corn which had been the earliest imported, had also been the earliest taken out of bond. In calculating the average it amounted to precisely the same thing. On the sth of April, 1833, there were 517,000 quarters of corn in bond, the importation up to June, 1837, amounted to 611,000 quarters, thus the total quantity of wheat that had been warehoused amounted to 1,129,000 quar ters.—( Hear, hear, hear.) He begged to state that t this related to foreign wheat only, as he had excluded Co lonial wheat from the calculation. Of this quantity only 6,000 quarters had been taken out for home consumption up to July, 1837: he therefore found that the average period during which this corn had remained in warehouse amounted to forty-seven months and a half : a considerable portion of it was re-export d or got rid of. The return moved for by the Hon. Member for Leeds had shown that some of it had been thrown into the Thames. Now what must the loss occasioned to those con cerned in the trade previous to the, re-exportation of this fo reign corn during the years 1833 and 1837 be ? He did not here mean •to state the entire loss incurred, but only the loss incurred in consequence of the expense of warehousing this corn, excluding all the costs •f re-exporta tion. It had been calculated that the expense incurred in warehousing this foreign corn amoutitesl to 6s. a quarter—some ealculitions went as high as Bs., and others reduced it to 55., but he believed that they might take 6s. without any fear of its being an exaggeration ; he found the expense incurred in merely warehousing amounted to 64,0001., but this was not all ; there remained of the 1,129,000 quarters 585,470 quarters in bond at that time ; a portion of this was taken out at the high duties, thus entailing a considerable loss on the importer, and the great bulk was taken out when the p.rts were open last year ; he had calculated that the further expense of ware honse-reore inenrred was • such, that the total dead loss to the • I found on referring to Adam Smith, that the price of wheat in • ' the 13th and 14th centuries, fluctuated in this extraor dinary manner. In 1244, the price of , wheat was 6s. a t quarter, in 1246 it was 485. a quarter, in 1270 it was ac , tually sixteen guineas a quarter, and he need not state that at that time it was an actual prohibition. In 1885 it fell to 3s. a quarter, but in another part of that year it rose to Bs. a quarter. In 1289 it was 1/. 16s. a quarter, it fell in the same year to 16s. a quarter, and it rose again before the close of the year to 31. a quarter. He had instances of other years, but would not trouble the House by quoting them, but he main tained that this extravagant price of wheat was attributable, and only attributable, to the want of trade and commerce in this country at that period.—( Hear, hear.) In modern days we had experienced no fluctuations which could for a moment be compared to those he had described. Even in that calamitous period the commencem ant of this century, when after productive seasons we had seasons of almost unexampled severity, the effect of which was aggravated by the misfortune of a large mass of the civilized world being engaged-in war--even in that calamitous period we witnessed no fluctuation of prices which could for a moment be compared to those to which he had just alluded, and he need not say how severely those fluctu ations must have pressed on all classes of the community. To what then was our eraemption attributable--te what was it that we owed the inestimable blessing we enjoyed of a cmnpapatively steady price of corn? Simply to the dealings of traders— to those dealings which they had discouraged by their artificial Legislation. lie thought the manner in which commerce operated in producing these beneficial results was one of the greatest discoveries of modern times. Although, perhaps, the trader in purchasing corn in seasons of plenty, merely had in view his future profit and advantage, yet he was rendering a most important service to the country.. he was preventing that ruin from the depression of prices which must, but for his intervention, take place, and he was at the same time providing a store against future deficiencies of crops, not only by bringing out his reserve into market, but by causing a rise of price as soon as the deficiency was known, by thus enforcing a due and wise economy during the year, and preventing a famine. The Noble Lord opposite (the Earl of Darlington) had given the most conclusive evidence of the truth of what he stated, be cause, in arguing that the rise of wages followed the rise of price in corn, and was equal to it, he had instanced the present year, and had told the House that, whereas, during the last fire or six years, the average rate of wages was about 12s. a week; this year they hail risen to 15s. a week for able-bodied labourers. Would the Noble Lord tell the House what proportion that rise in the price of wages—which rise he (Lord Howick) was afraid had only taken place in some parts of the country—(Ch e ers)--bore to th e r i se th at h a d t a k en place in the price of wheat? The price of wheat had risen 100 per cent. as compared with the price in 1835 ; and wages even in those favoured districts mentioned by the Noble Lord, upon his own showing, had not risen 100 p, r cent., which they ought to have done in order that the labourer might be able to Command that purchase of food.—(No, no, from the Opposi tion, and cheers from the Ministerial benches.) He did not say that the price of wages ought to have risen 100 per cent. because wheat had risen 100 per cent. ; but he did say this, that they ought to have risen at the very least 75 per cent. He contended that no rise in wages would make up for the in crease in the price of corn, induced by a scarcity or a deficiency in the harvest. They might congratulate themselves that the laws had been so innocuous—( Cheers)—it was admirable te all that even one perverse legislation was capable of producing so little mischief as it had done.—(Cheers.) Still, in his opi nion, great mischief had been done, and as might have been expected, it had fallen heavily upon the heads of that class importer of foreign corn upon the amount imported in six years, amounted to 1,066,0001. ; but he wished to ascertained what charge was thrown on the consumer in consequence of our present exclusive system, and he found, by adding the amount of duty paid during this period on the whole of the foreign corn entered for heme consumption, that the additional charge amounted to 1,940,0001. ( Such we understood to be the sub stance of what W 44 stated by the Noble Lord, but the noise was so great, that is was impossible to distinguish accurately what his Lordship's statements were). The charges to the con sumer, therefore, amounted to not less than 15s. a quarter. It might be stated, he was aware, that there would , be a charge for warehousing even if the corn were imported under a system pf fixed duty, but it would not be contended, that under such a gygtem fb corn would remain in the warehouse for so long a peried-,besides ? they might fairly take iato account the loss incurred by the re-exportatiqn pf corn from this country, and also the loss incurred on corn warehoused in foreign ports, lie would not trouble the House with the statement, but he knew that in many of those ports large stoeke were held en account of British capitalists. In arguing upon the total fallacy of the relief afforded to the consumer in times of scarcity from the gradual reduction of the duty, and the gradual rise of the averages--,in arguing that point there was another mode of calculating the amount of charge which the present system entailed. The House was au are that during the last five or six months the average price was considerably over 71)s. per quarter, and at some periods was 81 , . Would any Hen. Gentleman contend that with a fixed rate of duty or with a free trade such a price could for any such time be maintained?—( Cheers.) Let Hon. Gentlemen consider what was the average tax imposed upon the commu nity by every shilling by which the price of corn during that period had been unnaturally raised. The consumption of that country had been variously stated at from twelve to - fourteen millions of wheat per annum ; and supposing the price had been raised only ss. per qr. for the last 1Q menthe the tax levied upon the country had been not less than 3,5110,000/.—( Hear, hear. ) The conclusion to which he came from that calculation was, that the fancied relief to the consumer in seasons of scarcity from the system of duty at present in operation, was altogether fallacious and imaginary. It had been asserted that they ought not to lay a revenue on the food of the people. He perfectly understood that argument, and there was some truth in it, but surely, if the burden was imposed upon the people, there could be no ob jection to receiving the revenue, This did not get rid of the objection by throwing away the money the tax would produce, and yet the large sums which might be obtained in aid ..f the revenue of the country had been entirely thrown away by the operation of the Corn-laws. ( The noise in the body and galleries of the House here became again so loud that the Noble Lord was obliged to pause in his address, Loud cries of "Bar, bar," and " order, ' followed, but ap parently with but little effect.) The Noble Lord said he must make one more appeal to the House, because he felt that he was very unequal to the task amidst the interruptions he had so repeatedly met with. He intreated Hon. Gentlemen con nected with the landed interest to listen to the arguments by which he would endeavour to show that during the agricultural rim: whose benefit the laws were enacted. lie had evidence of that fact. Those Hon. Members who were on the Commit tees of 1833 and 1836 would remember that evidence was given that farmers were incapable of paying their rent, and that in consequence the laudlarda were reduced to deep distress because of th• non-payment of their rents, and their calculations having been formed upon the apparent pros perity of 1831 and 1832. He had the authority of a large landed proprietor in Northamptonshire, in his evidence given before dm Committee of 1836, to the effect that then farming NIS not a safe pursuit, but formerly, that it had been sn. In 1815 the farming interest had had a law framed according to their own desires, and it turned out to be . the most fatal boon which could have been granted—it was admitted upon all hands that tilt la•w was a total failure, and accordingly, in 182$, another law was passed with the same object, but still it was called for by the advocates of the exclusive system ; they still thought that they would be entirely ruined, unless foreign corn was entirely excluded from this country, and what had been the result? He had shown that in ten Tears half of the time of Parliament had been oc- cupied in hearing what certainly were the just complaints of agricultural distress. They were now told that the landed in terest was just beginning to recover. What a state of things must that be when they were told that the landed interest was just recovering from what had hitherto been regarded as one of the severest visitations with which Providence could visit a country—when the country was just recovering from a short harvest. That, then, was the result of 24 years' experience. His Right Hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade had last night gone fully into the woollen question ; but he could not help addressing a few observations to the House on that subject. In 1828 the Hon. Member for Wilts stated the great distress of the farmers in that county, and that they would be entirely ruined unless a stop was put to the importa tion of foreign wool. (Here Sir Robert Peel left the House, followed close by Sir George Clerk, and more than half of the Members who had lately filled the Tory benches, amidst the loud cheers of the Ministerial benches.) He was thankful to the Hon. Members who had just left the House ; had they taken the same course earlier it might have been more distress that prevailed for the last few years the very - low price of wheat which then prevailed was in a great degree attri butable to the present system of Corn-laws. During the first five years of the existing 1....ws foreign importation was pre vented, and the rise of price and delusive hopes held out to the farmers operated as a stimulus to them to cultivate wheat to a greater extent. It was impossible that the high range of prices and the delusive expectations held out by these laws previous to 1833 should fail to pro duce these effects. He was aware that the Committee of 1833 had reported a very different opinion—they stated that the pro duction of wheat had actually gone back. He was unwilling to set up his own authority against that of the Committee, but the evidence was far beyond that of the Committee or himself ? and it proved that there was a very great increase in the production of wheat. It was proved upon the clearest evidence that after that period, owing to the lowness of price, a large quantity of corn had been employed in feeding sheep and horses, and malting, and yet for all that increase of consumption, their national growth had sufficed.—(" Hear" and Opposition cheers.) He was glad to find that Hon. Gentleman agreed with him in the proposition that the very large growth accounted for the great fall in prices. Was not that large growth stimulated by the expectation of high prices ?—( Hear, hear,:and cries of "No no.") He would demonstrate that it was bye and by. —(Cries of " Oh, oh," and great confusion.) He (Lord Howick) could assure Honourable Members that he was determined to dis charge his duty, and the more he was interrupted the more he would persevere.—( Cries of " Oh, oh.") Was it decent upon a subject like the present, so interesting to the greater part of the population of the eountry—( Hear, hear)—was it Accent in the British House of Commons to pursue the course that was now being pursued towards him.—( Cries of "oh, oh.") Mr. HUME and several other Members here called out " Adjourn, Adjourn." Lord HOWICK then attempted again to proceed, but scarcely a word of what he said reached the gallery, in con sequence of the noise and confusion that prevailed, in the midst of which the Noble Lord said he must appeal to the Hon. and Gallant Member for Wenlock (Captain Forrester) whether or not he would give him a hearing for a few moments longer.— (Cries of " Hear, hear.") Captain FORRESTER begged to inform the Noble Lord as he had been so personally appealed to by him, that lie had been making no disturbance whatever.—( Hear, hear.) He thought that the Noble Lord ought to be certain that his suppositions were well founded before he made such accusations against Members of that House.—( Great cheering. ) Lord HOWICK said he was quite aware that the Hon. Member did not intend to make any disturbance in the House. He was convinced that he was a person o f too high and gentle man-like a feeling to do that. It was very far from his (Lord H.'s) intention to impute it to him, but the present was a very dry subject, and the Hon. and Gallant Member had been engaged, no doubt, in a far more interesting conversation, but that conversation had been carried on in so loud a tone that he certainly had heard the voice of the Hon. and Gallant Member. If conversations were to be carried on, he (Lord .—.. convenient both for themselves and him.—(Loud What was the price given for wool in the county which he had the honour to represent. (Northumberland.) That county pro duced a considerable quantity, Ind he had a statement of the actual prices given in different years for a long period. In 1828, at the time the complaints were made, the average prices of Leicester wool in the North of England was laid. to per lb. On the average of the last six years he found it to be 17id. to 180. During the time the high price was charged on wool, the price of this description was 13d. to 13id., so that the increase of the last six years, as compared with the six years of the high duty, was no less than 33i per cent. With respect to Teviot wool, the increase in the last six years, as compared with six of the high duty, was 17 per cent. The increase in South Down had been much less. While the im provement in price had taken place the im porta' ion had increased from 30,000,0001b5. to 60,000,0001bs.—( Hear, hear.) thought this was an exceedingly strong case, but there was an other much stronger.—(" Oh, oh, from the Tories.) He al luded to that mentioned by ene of the witnesses before the Agricultural Committee. In 1836 more than half a million 01 quarters were imported, and it was stated that there was a con siderable quantity of land on the Continent which might be ap propriated to its growth, rape-seed at that time being sold in England from fiOs. to 645. per quarter. In that case there was a protecting duty of 20s. but it was reduced to is., but there had been no fall in the price of the article.—( Hear, hear.) Looking to that, as if the question were put to him " will you consent to maintain the existing Corn-laws, or will you consent to a total repeal of all duties on corn," he would unhesitatingly say, if he were to regard this subject as merely a landowner's question, that he should give his vote in favour of . a total repeal—(Cheers)—but that was not the question now before the House. Ho did not vote for going into a Committee of the whole House with any view t• a total repeal of the duty—(Cries of " Hear, hear")—but he thought the right and proper course to pursue was to esta blish a fixed and moderate duty on corn—(Hear, hear )—a Committee of the whole House was a necessary preliminary to any alteration of the law. The vote they were about to give etas imply this—were they or not in favour of the ex isting system of Corn-laws—were they prepared to maintain a fluctuating duty—were they prepared in spite of fatal experience to persist in a system that had done so much mischief ? and let it be remembered that the Hon. Member for Lincolnshire avowed this was the issue to which he wished the question to be brought. He also wished Hon. Members to remember that if they got into Committee there was little danger of their being out-voted on the subject of vital repeal. He did not think the temper of this House was much adverse to the landed interest ; he had no fear of the Honourable Member for Wolverhampton carrying his motion for total repeal, even if they went into Committee. He therefore trusted that all who were in favour of an altera- Howick) though the Lobby by far the better place. Capt. FORRESTER would appeal to lion. Members near him whether the accusation of the Noble Lord was just or not. —( Hear, hear.) Lord HOWICK was lorry that he had been called upon to make observations of the nature he had done. He had never done so before, but the present subject was one of such im portance that he felt it absolutely necessary that he should state, not only his own views, but those of his constituents on the subject. He was, therefore, compelled to trespass longer on the attention of the House. The law as it at present existed had given great discouragement to specu tion in British corn, because it had rendered the duties so fluctuating. Now, that that was the case, was clear from the evidence that had been given before the Committee in 1833. — (Hear, heat.) He would not trouble the House by reading that evidence—( Hear, hear) —but he had the evidence both of the advocates and opposers of the Corn-laws, clearly showing that the speculation in British corn in 1833 and 1836 was ex extremely small, and it was that want of speculation which pro duced the depression in price. That was proved by the evidence of Mr. Sturge, Mr. Lowe, and several other persons. In 1828 it was said that the benefit of the Corn-laws would be to direct capital rather to the trade in British than in foreign corn. The House would see how this prediction among others hadbeen realised.—(Hear:) But he wished to draw the at tention of the House to a very important fact stated in the evi dence to which he had referred, the great diminution of the stock in corn, habitually in hand at the period of harvest. The evi dence upon this point was strong and conclusive. In the re port of the Committee of 1833, it was stated that where, as for merly it was, the practice to have against harvest a stock in hand equal to six months' consumption, that of late years under the operation of the Corn-laws the stock in hand seldom ex ceeded one fortnight's consumption. He need not remind the House that the Report of the Committee of 1833 was drawn up by the Right Hon Bart. the Member for Pembroke, the most able, perhaps, of the advocates of the Corn-laws, and one who was not likely to make any statement incorrectly which would operate against the Cern-laws. Yet the Right Hon. Bart. had adopted the conclusion—supported by testimony so weighty, that the stock of corn in hand at the period of harvest had diminished from six months' consumption to a fortnight's consumption. That fact proved, in the first place, the absence of that wholesome speculation in British corn which would have prevented the ruinous depression of prices, by which the grower was so greatly affected, and the consumer had been considerably injured by the absence of that wholesome specula tion. It had been stated that a deficiency by one-fourth in a harvest was a very large deficiency—indeed he heard from some Hon. Member it would amount to a famine—while under our present system the fortnight's stock would amount, not merely almost to a famine but quite to a famine. In 1816 there was a harvest deficient by one-fourth. Now suppose, under our system of a fortnight's stock as a re source, a similar deficiency were to take place there would be a total famine, But, with a six-months' stock, the deficiency could be borne for two years, with scarcely the Ask a a famine. But, even under that state of things, a crop deficient by of -North must occasion great pressure. But how much less than if them were only a fortnight's stock ! You me.si have, in the one case, a supply of 6,000,000 of quarters from abrpod, to afford the accustomed allwaPee, whereas, in tha other case ? awe would be no importation required from abroad far one or two yeara.—( Hear, hear.) He would press this particularly upon those Hon, Members who urged so strongly the evil of dependence upon foreign countries.— (Hear, hear.) The effect of that was admitted by the C orn -law advocates themselves—the diminution of the stock o f corn at harvest—that was one cause of the present high price of corn. There was clear evidence before the Committee of 1836, that the low prices of corn had diminished the growth. —( Hear, hear.) 'The effect of the present system had been to produce uncertainty in the prices of British corn, and had aggravated the evils arising from such fluctuations.— (Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") Such was the only result that could be expected, calculated as the provisions of the eitioting laws were to harass and to depress the trade in British woo, which, left to itself, would go on as the instru ment appointed by providence for regulating the supply of corn in various seasons, aid for preventing, as far as possible, those alternations of price which the variations in the seasons tended mop or less to produce.—(Hear, hear. f To judge of the great importance of the trade in corn in this respect, it must be ,considered what was the vital interest which society had in the unchecked and nnfettered operatlon of free interchange of ce'fin"ditieg iP guarding against the alternatiop of Kiev,— rtrade had been able to _ ( Hear.) And the Haase ouAlat look to what tookplape f,l - 4gse conditions of society in which do C to exert its beneficial influence, in w ten hem allowed to that useful office for which it was intended, to present e fealpi9,lo pstilations in the price of human food. He tion in tee law would vote with him in support of the present motion. He attributed the deepest importance to the . votes of gentlemen connected with the l an d e d i n t eres t on this subject He considered that it would have the greatest effect on those who looked up to them, and who were disposed t o follow ' their opinions. By giving this vote they would be telli ng the farm ers of England they had nothing to fear from the exaggerated apprehensions which were entertained of foreign competitio that they were not to rely on a delusive system, which had n ; hitherto been productive of nothing but disappointment—( Hear, hear)—but on their own energy, their own intelligence, their own activity, their own enterprise.—(Cheers.) They were not the true friends of the farmers, however fend they were of arrogating to themselves exclusively that title, who en deavoured to inculcate upon them that they. should rely upon the artificial regulation of an Act of Parli an t in order to ensure agricultural prosperity ; and it was not little remarkable, that the loudest complaints of agricultural distress—that the greatest clamou r h a d b een made by those districts which were the most behind in cultivation. What was falsely called a protective duty, was most injurious to all classes. —(Cheers.) He should wish to see a change in the practice and policy of this country, by which no duty was levied upon any article, except for the purposes of revenue, but though he may strongly entertain this opinion,he must say in the present condition comparatively little clamour of agricultural distress had been heard from the northern counties from the year 1833 to 1836. It was from the midland and southern counties that they chiefly came. He thought this would be explained by corn having the relative systems of cultivation in those districts. The far mers who had been induced to sign petitions complaining of agricultural distress were a race of men who pursued the anti quated system of cultivation. They pursued the old routine of crops—ploughing with four horses, so as to realize almost the description they had read in the Georgics. How could those men compete with the active, intelligent farmers of the north, who worked with improved implements of husbandry, w h o used a light plough drawn by two horses, and at a reduced ex pense improved the soil—did twice as much work in one day as those who ploughed with four horses could do in two days? He would remind those Hon. Gentlemen of the admirable re buke administered by Lord Tweedale at a late agricultural dinner. He said—" If the farmers will exert themsel ves , and sow two ears of g rain where they have hitherto sown one, they will themselve s p ractically repeal the Corn-laws. —( Hear. ) He (Lord Howick) found that Messrs. Hope, Horden, Bell, and Crowther, who rented more than 2,000 acres in Leicesterihir Ellis aid other intelligent farmers, who had effected great im provements—all were unanimously against the present fluctu ating system , tho u g h all did not concur with him or with each as to what alteration should be substituted. The result was, however, that the active, intelligent, and enterprising farmers did not think that they derived any benefit fr om t h e preent sytem of Corn-lavrs. The House ought to reflect on the s cour,e s it should pursue w hile it was yet time to avert greater evils, which if once permitted to operate, who could say w h at would be the result? I f after what they had heard of the high price) of the present yea r —if after the stimulus that had b een given to the increased cultivation of wheat—i f after this we re sult should have two succe ssive good harvests, the table of the House would groan with petitions complaining id h inwinougof agricultural distress. But if the cont rar y should occur—if we should who co uld say wa i n have a deficient harvest , e th e ? We had now consumed th e stock of corn on hand in the f ore i gn markets. Another deficient year would throw us on the domestic supplies of the foreign countries. Might they no t d o the n as France had this ye ar done— _namely, close thei r ports against the exportation of corn?—(H he ar.) If the pre sent high prices had arisen before the car _ American mar k ets had recovered themselves, would there not have been a Political coin motion? But there was st'll time by the establishme n tof rea sonable fixed duty to provide against 2 11 appreh en d e d evils, and restore trade to its national influence, and, as he firmly believed, to promot e the lasting benefit of both the agricultural and manufacturing interests. But if they were to neglect this opportunity—if they were to leave anythin g to hazard, a n d a bide the issue heedl essl y and recklessl y , who could say what danger they would have to suffer and to answer f or ( Hear, hear. ) Lord WORSLEY now moved that PETH, the House d o a dj ourn On the motion of Lord MOR the Tithes Composition Ireland Bill was rea d a second time. n The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at a Quarter past One. Lord fortesoe will hold llts first levee as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, at the Castle, durin g the lilaster Ills Lordship is now in Devonshire, on a visit to his 6eneraOie f4er, , T hence he will retwn in 4 f ew days. THE SUN, LONDON. THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1839 THE DEVIL'S LAWS. The Devil one day having nothing to do, Except just to roast a Bishop or two, And aware, besides, that as war was over John Bull very soon would be living in clover, And of course become in his quiet stall, A moral and useful animal— Resolved to hatch some new schemes that might Put John's prosperity to flight, Curse him with poverty's damning blight, Confound his notions of wrong and right, Harden his heart, in short, and so Fit him to dwell in the regions below— Nick's darling object, for sure you know That his one grand aim, ever since creation, Has been to increase his population ! Having settled his plans, Nick took his flight To his own dear Downing-street one night, ( For whenever he's minded to quit his Hell, 'Tis here he puts up, by way of hotel) And catching the Tories in full divan, He boldly revealed his notable plan, Knowing well the whole squad was his, to a man— Yes, Nick, and the Tories, like brother and brother, Are bound by the strongest ties to each other, And let one hatch some new mischief, be sure The others will call it a capital cure For every ill, be it small or great, That can ever afflict Church, People, or State ! Nick's schemes were these—in his craftiest mood He proposed instanter a tax on food, As the surest way to maintain the glories Of his favourite, tax.inventing Tories; 'Twas their:3, he said, to oppress the poor, And close against them contentment's door 1 What Heaven had sent as the staff of life, To make a mere crutch—a cause of strife— To starve the Many, enrich the Few, Just as they'd always been used to do, And having, by such malign intent, Raised loud and general discontent, To demand fresh powers from Parliament, That so they might crush that clamorous race, The Poor, and preserve themselves in place. These Corn-law schemes, as a matter of course, The Tories instantly put in force ; Being Nick's own prompting, that's the cause Why they've since been called the• Devil's Laws I COURT CIRCULAR. Her Majesty honoured Mr. Leslie, R. A., with a sitting for his picture of the Coronation, yesterday, at Buckingham Palace. Viscount Melbourne had an audience yesterday of the Queen. The Royal Dinner Party last evening included the Earl of Fingall, Earl and Countess Cowper, Viscount and Viscountess Falkland, Viscount Melbourne, Lord and Lady Poltimore, Right Honourable George Stevens Byng, Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer, and Colonel Wemyss. The band of the Coldstream Guards was in attendance during the evening at the Palace. The Duke of Cambridge had a Dinner Partyyesterday at Cambridge House. Among the company were her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester. the Arch bishop of York, the Duke of Wellington, Viscount and Viscountess Mahon, Lord Burghersh, Count and Countess Woronzuw, Countess Choiseul, Miss Vernon Harcourt, Mr. Hammcrsley, and Mr. William Knyvett. The whole of the company afterwards went to the Concert of Ancient Music at the Hanover-square Rooms, his Royal Highness being the Director for the evening. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Augusta of Cam bridge were attended by Miss Kerr, Baroness Ahlefeldt, Baron Knesebeck, Major Stephens, and Colonel Jones. The Marquis of Northampton and Sir John Herachell had an audience with Viscount Melbourne yesterday in Down ing -street. The Military Secretary to the Commander of the Forces and Mr. F. Palmer had interviews with Lord John Russell yesterday at the Home-office. M. de Hummelauer had an interview with Viscount Mel bourne yesterday in Downing -street. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Marquis of Headfort had an interview yesterday with the Marquis of Normanby at the Colouial-office. The Bishop of Hereford, Mr. C. F. Palmer, and Mr. James Hall had intcrvievrs with Viscount Melbourne yes terday. The Marquis of Lansdowne bad a dinner party yester day at Lansdowne-house. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. CUSTOM HOUSE, MARCH 13. ENTERED INWARDS.—The Friends, Cousins, from Har lingen ; Prince Saxe Coburg, Ladd, Rotterdam ' • Jo hanna Gesina, Schur, ditt o; S au li na P etrone ll a , Kolk, ditto ; Henriette. Velde, ditto ; Harmony, Hate, ditto; Harmony, Schabling, ditto ; Eleanor, Clark, Leghorn; Meads, White, Dieppe; Earl Liverpool, Lomax, Ostend ; Enrico, Padovan, Veniu; Iberia, Cooper, Lisbon. ENTERED OUTWARDS. —The Undine, Smith, for Amster dam ; Menai, Phillips, Antwerp ; M'lnroy, Sinclair, Honduras ; Theodrick, Scobbe, Mogadore; John Wood, Murray, Havre; Attwood, Major, Rotterdam; Strath. fieldsa)e, Spence, Sydney ; City of Exeter, Gwen, New foundland. CLEA RED OUTWARDS.—The Menai, Phillips, for Antwerp; Harlequin, Strann telt, Boulogne ; Ramona, Middleton, Calais ; Glenelg, Sheller, Bombay: Mar garet Parker, Evans, Calcutta; Willem, Jonge, Ostend ; Swallow, Perriam, Madeira; Albion, Huggins, St. John's, N B. ; Ariadne, Conkan, Hamburg. IN BA LLA T. —The Voy , grer, Belford, for Memel ; Anne Dorothea, 13tiesinan, Elsinore; Larch of the Alorrel, Nichols, Seville ; William Alexander, Howes, Cadiz; Clara Dorothea, Elsinore. IVERPOOL, MARCII 12 --Thc Elizabeth Bruce, Russel, arrived at this port from Mobile, got entangled in a field of ice the 18th ult., in lat. 44. long. 49. , and struck heavily, which started th e oa k um roun d er bows, and damaged her copper. ABERDEEN, MARCH 9.—The Earl of Seafield, from Peterhead to this port, which was on shore at the entrance of this harbour, has been got off with trifling damage. GRIMSBY, MARCH 11.—The Martindale, Gulley, from Hartlepool to flimburgh, has put in here leaky, and with cargo shifted. NEWRY, MARCH 9.—The Herald steamer, from Liver pool to this port, ran on the rocks off Callingford 7th inst., and has discharged her cargo without damage, but is not expected off till next spring tide. DONOGHADEE MARCH 9 —The Bell Ann, Gordon, of Annaling, which sunk at this port the 7th January, has been raised and towed into shallow water, a complete wreck. BRISTOL, MARCH 12.—The Great Western arrived at this port from New York, experi e n ce d a hurricane on the 6st instant, in long. about 37., one boat stove in, sails split, &c. CORK, MARCH 2 —The Kilkenny (steamer), bound to Bombay, in swinging out, took the ground, and remains for the tide. LIMERICK, MARCN 2.—The Phcenix, Galway, which was at anchor off Bornnahon the 28th ult., loading copper ore, parted from her anchors, drove on the rocks, and be came a total wreck. Crew saved. DONEGAL, F. 27.—The Lion, Forbes, from New castle, which was driven on shore in this Bay the 21st ult., has been condemned. NEWCASTLE, MAncit 7.—The Elizabeth, Durham, sailed from Crain, 7th ult., for Sunderland, and has not since been heard of'. STRONINESS, FEB. 20.—The Everthorpe, Willis, from St. Petersbur;h to Liverpool, is on shore near the Skerrios, and has been condemned. ST. MARGARET'S HOPE, FEB. 22.--The Agnes, Corrijal, from Newcaqle to Galway, which was at Bury, 2d ult., has been got off (supposed with trifling damage), after discharging part of her cargo, coals, and proceeded to Stromness. BORDEAUX, Fan. 23.--The China, of and from St. N. 8., to Dublin, abandoned at sea, 17th Oct., vu driven on shore at La Teste,•26th inst. CIIRISTIANSAND, Fart. S. --The Goorge Canning, Rutt, from Stettin to Hull, has put Into Fatersand, with damage, and is diaellaFging, to repair. MAL, MA lett 12.—Wind E.S. E., fresh breezes.—Cme down from the river and proceeded, the Eagle, Stephenson, from St. John's ; and Robert Law, Liverpool. Po RTSMO UT II , MA 'ICH 12.—Wind L. S.E.—Arrived the Gladiator, Ilritton, from London. PLYMOUTH, MA Rest 12.—Wind E.—Arrived Bares, Dutch frigate, from Batavia ; Vigilant, Walton, Marseilles; Thames, steamer, Dublin ; Juno steamer, Cori; ; and Shannon, steamer, London. Sailed the Ellicia, Ileartly, for St. Joseph ; and Asia, Truman, South Australia. FALMOUTH, DIARCII 11.—Wind S.S.E.—to S.E., strong breezes.—Arrived the Racehorse, Puncbard, from Venice, with foremast sprung ; Eleanora Gordon ' Brow a, Leghorn ; ' Swift, W a y, ditt o • St. Antonio, ditto ; Magdolana, St. An drew's; and R oya l Adelaide, steamer, Toy, London, and pro ceeded for Dublin ,• Hercules, steamer, Salton, ditto, and pro ceeded for Cork ; Ned Elvin, Ness, Arendahl ; and Su sanna h, Dram. Sailed the Liverpool, steamer, for Vigo, &c. LIVERPOOL, Ma Reit 12.—Wind S. S.E. , fresh lireees. Arrived the William Ackers, Nichol, from Porta Cabello ; Diana, Leghorn ; Maria, BordealPi a Cei•os, Jensen, Kiel Weytzma, Griven, Hartlipen Constant, Von Schy, Arit!t`cflAi Pbomix, Briimmeyer, do ; Alletta Elizabeth, 4011.fffl, daro ; Maria, do ; Victoria, Nisson, Copenhagen, Sailed the Senator, Grinsley, Rio Janeiro ; Anashia, Trinialad; Ida, Har rison, Hamburgh ; Courteney, Ellis, Savannah ; Columbus, Crafter, New Yorli ; Bengal, Toulon, Mobile ; George thi Fourth, Leggett, Gibraltar; Invega, De Cr. z, Listc 4 n. Of port, the Ellen, Jenkins.m, Trieste, RAMSGATE, MARCEI 2.t— , SAileti the Johan Fredericz, Lim • such, for Bahia, Mnnett 12.—Arrived the Voluntario, Galasle, from St. Übe's ; Saucy Jack, Thompson, Cephalonia; Emerald, Thomas, Lisbon ; Bonne Mere, BaudC, Nantes ; Adeline, Felix, do. ; Wonder, Lowther, Antwerp ; Great Western (steamer) 4 Hosken, left 25th ult. YARatutrErt, MARcti 12.—The Buenos Ayres Packet, Stoke, from Seaham to London, is sunk on the back of the South Pier—crew saved. CORK, MARCH 10.—A number of homeward bound vessels are supposed to be in the neighbourhood Cape Clear, deta hied by contrary winds, and many oftem short of provisions. ScAneonoucii, MAncit 11.—The Despatch, of Stockton, in entering the harbour, got in contact with the Comet, of Colchester—the former lost bowsprit, &c., the latter received damage in her hull. MUNDSLEY, MARCH 12.—The Merehantaaan, Watson, from Goole to Lon don, ran on shore this morning at Bachen ; crew saved. he Exchange, freol Goole to Ham burg, 1 111 ' been AlßC ' 4 b U ro l ll l grlt into T the Dumber, having been struck by a sea, 7th inst. i • lost th e mate and two of the crew. Th e Esther, of Nevscastle, has been towed into Grimsby, di sman tl e d, ST. IVES, MARCH I i.-I•he Annette, Hendriclisert, from Nantes to Hamburg, has been brought into, this port in a siuls ing state, and with one-third of thc cargo thrown nycAtgarti. YARMOUTH, MARCH 12.—The Allandal• is in the Roads, with bows stove, and making much water, having been in con tact with a ♦essel. NEW Yoax, FEE. Z.—The Adgusta, Dixon, from St. John's, New Brunswick, to Jamaica, was abandoned on the 30th Jan., lat. 33. lon. 63. The Pauline (French) was on shore in the Alissismipi on the 3d ult. The Oswega, from 111a laga, was on shore at Island, near Boston, on the 7th nit. SALCOMEE, MARCH 11.—Arrived Prudence, Murel, Cadiz. YARMOUTH, MARCI/ ll.—ArrivedCarolh2e,White,Alkmaar. YARMOUTH Roans. Maacit 11.—Arrived the Vibelia, Patteson, from Newcastle. • HALFORD, MARCH 11.—Arrived the Armen, Longs7und. ILFRACOMBE, MARCH 11.—Arrived the Jeune, Mathilde. TORBAY, Meilen 11.—Arrived Ceres, Thomas, Bordeaux. GLOUCESTER, MARCH 11.—Arrived the Mentor, Bordeaux. CORK, MARCH 10.—Arrived the Salby, Hingham, from Bayonne ; Mary, M'Kenzie, Lisbon. Hurd., MARCH 11.—Wind, S.E., fresh breezes.—Arrived the Jonge Cornelius, Bakker, from Antwerp; Neptunus, ditto ; Transit (steamer), Roach, Hamburgh ; Amon Von Winklefred, Benfeldt, Lubeck ; Asloff, Hansen, Gottenburg; Elizabeth Maria, Rudkidburgh; Enighhadee ; Ant, Dunkirk. NEW YORK, FEB. 9.—The Roseway, Mainland, of St. John's, New Brunswick, was totally wrecked on Gibbon's Point, St. Kitt's, Dec. 10. The Good Intent, front St. John's, New Brunswick, to Yarmouth, was totally lost at Stout Cove, near Digby, on the 20th ult. ; crew saved. 13.—The Jountol, Almy, from Havanna!' to Bordeaux, put into Charleston on the 3d inst. leaky. The Robert, Car penter, from Rochelle to this port, put into Newport on the ith inst., short of provisions, and crew frost- bitten. The Splendid, Williams, from Baltimore to St. John's, New Brunswick, put into Little River o■ the 24th ult., very leaky, having been on shore on Great Swan bland. The Gardiner, Jackson, arrived at Charleston on the Bth inst. from Liverpool ; struck on the bar, knocked off the rudder, and received other damage. 23.—The Nehemiah, Honey, from St. Stephen's, New Brunswick, to Jamaica, was stranded on the reefs off Bermuda, previous to the 12th ult. LISBON, MARCH s. —The Majestic, of St. John's, New Brunswick, which was towed in here on 25th May last, dismastcd, water-logged, and abandoned, has been re. paired, is nearly ready for sea, and williproceed for Liv, r pool in ballast. The St. Olof, Olsena, from St. Übes to Stravangt.r, has put into Earlsund with damage. ELsmorte, MARCH s.—The Chongua, Jenson, from Messina to Russia, got on shore in Gothland, on the 12th ult., but was expected off, after discharging part of her cargo. GRAVESEND, MARCH 11.— Arrived the Aleda Akina, from Amsterdam; Emanuel, Altona ; Neptune, Baifleur ; Emilia, Calais; Sophie, ditto; Eole, Gravaines ; Ar brosia, Dram; Harmonic, Rotterdam; Prince Saxe Co burg, ditto; Friends, Harlin - gen ; Meads, Dieppe ; Clonmel, Waterford; Sir J. Newport, ditto; Dublin Lass, Dublin ; Eleanor, Leghorn. Sailed the Larkins, for Madras; Lord Saumarez, Algoa Bay; Sandwich, St. Lucia; Chandos, St. Vincent's; Edwin, Constantinople; Anna Powlona, Ostend. tt Arrived the Sesostris, from Callundberg ; Clara, Ro erdam ; Mildon, Sandwich, Cape of Good Hope ; Spencer, Charleston ; Miranda, St. Michael's and St. Peter ; Braganza (steamer), Gibraltar ; Jenny Maria, Denmark ; and Georgiana, Sophia, Stetting ; Papid, Dantzic ; Furst, Harden. berg, Pellet' ; Gode Hoop, Keel ; Menai (steamer), Glory, Durham ; Earl Bathurst, Hamburgh ; Margaret Elisabeth Sophia Margaretta, Altona ; Jonge Jan, Wor cum ; Clara Dorothea, Amsterdam ; London, Gode Hoop, Aurora, Heiftroon, and Koophanden Zeewart, Rotterdam; Victoria, Antwerp; Prosperous, Ostend; St. Leonard, Dunkirk; Adele, Calais; Lady of the Lake, Jersey; Spy, Limerick. Sailed the City of London, for the Cape of Good Hope; and Lord S•rangford, for Hamburgh, VESSELS SPOKEN WlTH.—.Nicholas, Biddle, from Liverpool to New York, 9th inst., lat. 51, long. 17. Thomas Worthington, Wakeman, Llanelly to Bombay, 10th init., lat 50, long. 12, by the Great Western steamer, arrived at Kiogroad. Herzal, 7th ult., lat. 35, long. 66, Sophia, of Geple, 12th inst., lat. 41, long. 54, by the Eli zabeth, Bunco, arrived at Liverpool. Zephyr, Newfound land to Barbadoes, 14th ult., Octavia, for Saunam, 120 miles west of Scilly, by the Vigilant, Walton, arrived at Plymouth. Cambrian, Mauritius to London, 7th inst., lat. 48, long. 10, by the Swift, Way, arrived at Falmouth. Hero packet, London to New South Wales, lat. 4, long. 23 W., Eugene, Amsterdam to Batavia, lat. 1 N., long. 24, by the Frederica Louisa, Bohnitz, arrived at Pernam buco. Lanark, Ist inst., lat. 46, long. 11, by the Bess, Chapmnn, arrived at Bristol. Offley, Lazenby, South Seas to London, Sth ult., by Annette, Hendrickson, ar rived into St Ives. The Linnett sailed from Colchester, January 5, for Goole, and has not since been heard of. The Tobias„Mberth Gustavesin, from Helit!gsborg to Cadiz, has put into Arendabl, leaky. EAST INDIA SHIPPING. ARRIVALS.—The Selina, Lucker, from China, cff Ply mouth, sailed Sept. 1, Anger, Oct. 26, Cape of Good Hope, Dee. 26 ; Amelia Thompson, Dawson, from Sourabaya and Samsrou, in the Downs, for Holland, sailed from St. Helena Jan. 9; William Pitt, Palmer, from Mauritius;uff Poole, sailed N0v.19, St. Helena, Jan.'s. ARRIVALS IN TABLE BAY, CAPE OF GOOD HOPE:— The Louisa, Lew is, Jan. 16, from London ; Comet, far London ; Gilbert, Henderson, Telveedee, Jan. 1, for Batavia and Singapore ; James M'lnroy, Cleland, 2, for Bombay ; George (A.), Baker, 2, for Whaling ; James Moran, Ferguson, 2, for New South Wales ; Helen Lane, M.Dowall, 2, for the Mauritius ; Shepperd, Jar. dine, 3, for London. ARRIVALS It ALGOA BAY ( CAPE).—TheVelot, Falconer, Dec. 23, from Mauritius; Avoca, Boadle, 27, from Table Bay. ARRIVAL Is SIMON'S BAY CAPE).—Her Majesty's ship Leveret, Besanquet, Dec. 27, from Port Natal. DEPAICTURE rr,om SIMON'S BAY.—Tic Favorite, Robin son, Dec. 31, for London. ARRIVALS.—The Vigilant, Walton, from the Mauritius, off Plymouth, sailed 231 November, Cape of Good Elope 29th December; Bores (Dutch frigate), Pallen, from Batavia. off Falmouth (for Hol'and), sailed Bth November, arrived at the Cape of Good Elope 25th December, and sailed in January ; Glenorm, Grueber, from Manilla, off Portsmouth, sailed llth September, Cape of Good Hopo 29th _ ' December St. Helena 12th J anuary ; P a l mer , Prancia,from the Mauritius, off Saleombe, sailed 30th November, St. Helena 10th January; ..Vriendschap,, De Boer, from Batavia, 'off the Wight. ARRIVAL AT COLOMBO AND CEYLON. —The Herald, Watt,Dec.l2, from Point de Galle, sailed 28th for London. DEPARTURE FROM TRINCOMALEE AND CEYLON.—Her Majesty's brig Victor, Crozier, Dec. 9, for England. Passenger—Captain Kingscombe, R. N. DEPARTURE FROM THE MAURITIUS. —The Clio, Ros signol, Dec. I, for London. - ARRIVAL AT SINGAPORE.—The Saguenay, White, from Manilla, and sailed Dec, 11 for Cork. ARRIVALS AT THE MAURITIUs.—The Gazelle, Robert son, Dec. 3, from the Cape of Good Hope. DEPARTURES FROM THE MAURITIUs.—Th e Bengal, Marjoram, Nov. 25, for Calcutta; Susannah, Ridley, Nov. 28, for New South Wales; Charles Hea,tley, Hoppel, Nov. 29, and Cove, Palmer, Nov. 29, for Calcutta, PASSENGERs.—Per True Briton, Beach, from Bengal (expected)—Mrs. Freshfield, Mrs. Beach, Mrs. Smith, Miss Smith, Dr. Hicks, the Rey. Mr. Hill, Joseph Bain- bridge, Esq., D. M . Kenzie, J. Smith, Esq., three Misses Smith, Mrs. Cheek, Mr. M`Soelly. Per Duke of Bedford, Boa en, from Bengal (expected) ..-Mrs. Parish, Mrs. Thomson, Mrs. Pasley, Mrs. Alexan der, Mrs. Trilton, Mrs, Lyons, the Rev. Mr. Pariah, Major Fernee, Major Johnstone, Capt. Ailkin, Lieut. Turner, Capt. Pusley, Miss Gevalkin, Miss Blair, Master Counsel, two Masters Thompson, four Masters Pasley, Master Alexander, two Masters Trilton, NEW POLIO .—According to a return !nada to the House of Commons the total amount paid for the maintenance of this force during the year 183$ was 212,2521., three-fourths of which are raised from the different parishes, and the remainder received from the Treasury. The Amount paid for the horse-patrol for the same year was 9,700 e. RIGHTS OF SCENE PAINTERS.---The Cour Royale cf Paris has decided, on an appeal in caso of the scene painters and decorators of the French Opera, prose cuting the Director for refusing them their right of admis sion behind the scenes during the representation, that, since the scenes and decorations form a principal part of the spectacle at the Opera, these artists are to be placed on the same footing as authors, and are to enjoy the right of ad miasion which had been contested, MRS. TROLLOPE.—This lady is taking the right way to write the truth about " The Factory Boy.' She has 6014 spending some time in the neighbourhood of Manchester, making her own observations upon the real state in which .. The Factory Boy" exists. She is deter mined not to have her judgment warped, but to aee all the sides of the rasp for herself. She was hearing the Rev. J. R. Stephens preach at his cha - pol at Staley Bridge, and she had a short interview with Mr. Clastlcr. From Manchester she proceeded to Derbyshire, and thence she intends to visit Bradford and other factory towns. She has introductions to the rich and to the poor ; and she seems determined to avail herself of those opportunities of making herself mistress of the whole question, pro and con. We may differ from this lady upon many points; but we cordially award to her the mead of our praise fur the pains she is now taking thoroughly to understand the case of the poor wretch whom she has chosen as the hero tif her new work.—Northern Star. THE YOUTH OF SfrA KSPEA RE.—Witen the author of this work ptit forth his first essay, 4 ' Slink. speare and his Friends," we *pressed our high admiration of the milritiev itt Which he had so skilfully managed a salieet of great variety and danger. We then looked forward to his next etfort with anxiety, and we hail the Youtli of shakspeare" as fulfilling all our hopes and kind Wilthe4, The various incidents which occurred in the in fancy and youth of the hard ere sketched with the pen of a master by our author, and all the personages of the times are brought before us in vivid and excellent portraiture. Elipheth, Leicester, Raleigh, Sydney, Sir T. Lucy--all are here. The disputes between William Shakspoare and his wife are highly worked; so are all those scenes in which the sweet LB.dy Mabel appears. Tho work terminates with ShAlpel,re's triumph, with hiy " Romeo and Juliet." We can only say that the wit, fieslincss, and historical adornments of these volumes must gain for the author rich and honest praise. He need no longer koep his incognito. He may take his position in the front rank, where he may ruffle it successfully with any writer of the present day.—Age. LORD GLENLEE.—Fie is now an old man, and it may be quite true that he is subject to deafness, cer. Willy a great drawback in a Judge ; but in every other respect his faculties arc unimpaired, at the ripe age of 85. His Lordship, tbeoughout life, has been distinguished for great critical acumen, both profe&sionally, and as a dis iinguished mathematician and it is perhaps not 2one rally known that ha wished to retire some eight or ten years ago, and bad actually given in his rer-ignatism, when the Lluo to a man, and as will as the agents in the Court of Session, presented a highly complimentary address, in which they anxiously p,rayed that he would La pleased to continue at lost a few years longer on the Bench, of which he was so great an eruarocut This fact was communicated to us about a year ago by one of the most distioguizihed Advocates at the Scottish Bar, and who addc4 that even he knew no man's intellects that vii,kve clearer or more vigorous than Lord Glenlee'q.—urqfries Courier. EVENING EDITION L ONDON and BIRMINGHAM MAILS (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons, of last night.) On the motion of Mr. Wallace, the following Returns were ordered : " Of the hours of departure and arrival of the Morning and Evening Mails from London to Birmingham, and from Birmingham to Warrington, and from Warrington to Preston, fixed by the Postmaster-General ; and the hours at which they did actually depart and arrive each day, as exhibited by the time-bills, since the opening of the North Union Railway to the Ist day of this instant March." " Of the average speed of travelling required by tlke Postmaster-General for the Mail trains on the London and Birmingham, the Grand Junction, and the North Union Railways, respectively." " Of any fines or penalties which the above -named Railroad Companies have incurred, and what have actually been levied by the Postmaster-General under the powers vested in him by the Act Ist and 2,1 Vic. c. 98." LORD MAYOR'S COALS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Six—May I trouble you to insert the following state ment in your valuable journal. " Fair play is a jewel." It is my lot to have the contract for supplying the Tower with coals (about 700 tons per annum) ; on Wednesday last I was written to by the Barrack-mas ter, requesting- a supply for the use of the Barracks. On going the next morning with waggons, etc., (having previously sent a loaded barge) for the purpose of working them, the Barrack-master informed me he was sure the coals would not pass the inspection of the proper officers. On asking him what coals he alluded to, I immediately found, and so stated, that they were not my coals ; upon which this unreserved con demnation was passed, but twenty-eight tons which had been ordered of Mr. Pope, at the instance, it was said, of the Lord Mayor, for the use of the Governor of the Tower, the Wardens, and other parties. My contract price happens to be the same as that at which Mr. Pope professes to supply his anti-combina tion coals, but in the present case the diftbrence be tween the two supplies was most remarkable. A sample of each was taken for the purpose of testing their respective qualities and the result was highly fa vourable to those coals of which I have the honour of being the contractor. These, Sir, are simple facts, and, as such, are stubborn things. I very much approve of what the Lord Mayor has done in facilitating the delivery of coals in the river, but I do not think it right he should use his influence as civic Chief Magistrate, to cause preference to be given to one tradesman over another, when both have at least equal claims to integrity of conduct, and respectability of character. I am. S'r, your obedient Servant, Sun Wharf, Ratcliffe. THOS. MORRIS. NATIONAL CONVENTION. YESTERDAY. Mr. HALLY, Deputy from Stirlingsldre and surrounding counties, in the Chair. After adopting Resolutions that were to be proposed at the intended great meeting of the people of London, Dr. M‘Douat.r., of Ashton. under-Line, br.,ught forward his motion of inquiry into the Factory system. The Learned Doctor's statement occupied nearly three hours. Mr. F. O'CoNNox seconded the resolution to which Dr. M'Douall's speech referred. GREAT CROWN AND ANCHOR MEETING.—RE FUSAL TO GIVE THE USE OE THAT ROOM BY THE PROPRIETOR. Mr. HARTWELL, one of the Committee appointed to make arrangements for the great meeting of the citizens o f L on d on, stated that the proprietors of the Crown and Anchor Tavern refused to give the use of their rooms to the Conventionalists for holding the proposed public Meeting. - - ' POLICE INTELLIGENCE. BO W.ST REET. A gmom, named Smith, was charged on suspicior, with being concerned in stealing a quantity of plate, value 1001. and upwards, the property of Mr. William Spence, a solicitor, residing in Alfred-place, New. road but, as sufficitu.t evidence was not adduced to warraut the Magistrate in detaining him, he was ordered to be discharged. Sir P. ROB received an annonymmas communication, enclosing the sum of 451., with a request from the donor timt an equal portion of 't should he sent to each of the Metropolitan Police-offices, for the purpose of having it applied to the relief of the poor by the Magistrates in their several districts. THE MARKETS COAL MAR s. d a. d Adairs 2O 6 Walls End Stewart's ..... .... 23 9 Holy well Main l3 0 Walls end Whnwell .... .... 21 3 Origir al Wholsor's Ponta!, 21 0 Walls End 11art1ep001........ .23 9 Pontop Wi ndsor .21 3 Dixon's Butterknowl .. Li 0 :south Hartley 2l o Walls End Adelaide Wylam 24 0 Walls End Barrett Walls End Bell aid Brown 2; 0 WAN Eml Cragweod 2l 0 Walls End Hilda 9l 0 : Walls End Gordon ............ 2! Walls End Killingworth lO 0 1 Walls End South Durham.. ' - 'l 9 Walls End Newmarch .... 20 ti ; End Tees ................ "2 ti Walls EndßraddylPslletton `.23 3;W:113 End Victoria Tees.— 2.1 0 Walls En I liaswell 23 al Walls End We,t Tees Walls Fnd lieton Walls End Lambton `:a th Ships tirtived since last IDTATIct-day, 12. .ET.—March 13 COUNTRY CORN MARY TS DURING THE WEE VS' twat. 13 1 l ey fiat s. I'S (::iUY;. l'eae. Per Quarter. B. tb IL s. to s. ,s. to s. !T.,. to s. B. Be. -S. Ablngdon.... c. SO i3O 34 ,22 30 30 Andover 74 52 99 31 i 25 43 dirmingham 1:3 80 30 40 i Iti 22 :ti Bridport.....— 73 60 3'2 36 , 3.1 39 Cirencester ni RI 57 32 20 05 3.2 40 - Faringdon; 05 SO 26 30 26 30 46 —. _ Guildford., 08 14•1 251 35 04) 30 49 ..._ Hen1ey,,,.,,,, 72 79 33 32 23 26 43 -- '1; : i2()(16 a ". - ---3 —444 Hereford-- 03 88 i.SI 32 22 29 46 e flighwerth ... 04 70 32 42 28 34 56 _ Maisionhead.. (M) 75 24 36 20 20 34 44 34 33 Monmouth 64 '74 32 34 22 29 34 40 u _ Readlng—.--. 64 75 25 35 ~ 20 27 33 42 34 Salisbury ...... 64 74 30 34 120 28 41 46 Southampton 6i 75 33 40 128 32 49 Stroud --- 63 74 28 36 iOO 24 —„, . Tewkesbury.. 81 35 - Z.l 32 Uxbridge-- 70 71 20 32 17 Wantage ....... 63 72 24 34 2 0 , 25 33 Warminster.. 67 70 9'.7 3a 2 , 2 26 26 Windsor ..... 7 9 --•— 21 _ 2 4 g Worcester.... 65 70 nt; 36 30 22 46 46 CHP'...fENIiAM MARKETS. 48 Per Bushel. I. 3. to s. d, Pet lb. 6. tc d. Wheat darlay .. .... Oats Beans . .. 4 6 6 0 Pork Niue 5 0 5 6 Lamb 0 0 Hay 31.155. to 4!. 10s. Od. per ton. One of the most intrepid instances of smuggling on record occurred in the vicinity of Hastings, Sussex, a few days since. It appears that a party had for some, months determined on an endeavour to run tubs at the most inaccessible part of the cliffs to the eastward of the town, near Ecelesbourn, and directly under the nose of the Coast Guard men on duty. The cliffs at this spot aro appalling to look up at, being Tull of projections, and over hanging to a fearful ext , :;nt. Still that was the spot se lected for the enterprise. The boat contained about 70 tubs, Information had been given to the officer on duty, but the apparent impossibility of the daring attempt caused it to be treated rather as a feint to dirert atten tion from some more accessible spot. Still the officer visited the place about the time, when, from what has since transpired, the liquor was all but held to his nose, without his being able to smell it out. A dog that was with the man on duty on the cliff, w as far more sagacious in detecting the presence of the plum.. derers of the revenue, for he kept baying at something under the cliff, which excited the attention of his mast -, r, who approached, the edge to ascertain wh a t it was, i :ut was desired by his officer to retire, lest he should fa' over. At length the tubs were all run, without the knowledge of the look-out. When morning dawned, the fact wasitliscovered, but scarcely believed. it appeared that the bold smug glers had contrived, to bang tl i ) a, ladder of rope, with wooden rounds, From several projections on the cliff, which they climbed with the tubs, thereby avoiding the immense diffieulty of ascending an overhanging precipice, of, at least, 250 feet in height. The slightest fault, in any form, must have been instant death to the adventurers, who would in evitably have been dashed to atoms on the pointed rocks beneath. A bolder attempt, it is everywhere admitted. s not recorded in the annals of heroism. —l-lants Advertis'er. RAILWAY AND STAGE COACH TII.& vEL ., Ltmo.—Considerable interest has been excited 1-, the a pearance of a document just publi s h e d by order of t he House of Commons, being a return of the mileage and composition duties on railway and ge carriages respec tively, in the years ended the of January, 1837, 1838, and 1839. It appears frOr:, this Parliamentary Paper that 4,800,000 less person' travelled by stage coaches in Is3B than in 1836: 14,400,000 more persons by railway in the same pCliOdS, PLUI`...DERING GRAVES.--A dealer in metals, nar:, e d Barnett Josephs, residing in Middlesex-street, Whitechapel, was on Tuesday examined at Guildhall in re ference to some portions of leaden coffins alleged to have been recently in his possession. The prisoner, it appeared, had sold two tons of old lead to Messrs. Pontifex, of Shoe lane, and, in the course of an examination of the metal, it was found to consist in part of portions of leaden coffins. Coffin-plates were picked out with the following names : Sarah Hickley, died 1831 ; Susan De Mattes, died 1794 ; Sarah Graves, died 1834; John Oldham, died 15117; and Anthony Chuptnan, died 1767. Josephs said be was not aware that the lead had ever been in his possession, but if it had, he could not tell of whom he had purchased it. He was held to bail for his future appearance. THE COAL TRADE WITH FRANCE. --Ac cording to a convention entered into in 1826 between the French and English Governments, all captains of French ships taking in coals in English ports, were bound to en ter into an engagement, in which some responsible mer chants had to join them as security under a penalty of 301. to produce, within six months, a certificate from an English Consul in France, that the cargo had been landed in that country. The captain had to pay five shillings for a stamp on the bond, a commission to the merchant who became his security, and 11f. 40c. for the ' Consul's certificate. These regulations having been coin_ plained of as oppressive, the Minister of Commerce has ad dressed a letter to the Chamber of Commerce at Havre, a s stated by the Journal du Havre, announcing that, in pur suance of a new arrangement with the British Government, the penalty of 50/, will co lcnger be exacted, the obliga_' tion of the captain and mate of the ship, without any other security, for the payment of the export duties, w ill b e alono required, the five shillin g s for the st amp arc to be r e i n _ i t t o h giveout maki of bursed, thel aanndditalgiatoftltich.eEcnogallisshinCoFnrsaunl France e a r certificatese ncham_ barber, at Ghent, has had th e d ro ll " d _ eg any charge. of ,rAge a . distributing cards, announcing that if the Belgian he C 'i l i v i it e o n r military, at two bers accept the 24 Articles, every man's moustachios, wh et h er • g a g e to shave off centimes (or a farthing) a-piece ! )sed into 363• also )rn hen Itry cir pri- an- )co ital ,hat r.) red the !s.) the 1g- Id, iat eal es, ,ts, ..-vlr