The Sun. — London, England, 1844-02-26 00:00:00

MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS CITY, QUARTER TO THREE. In the Liverpool Cotton market on Saturday the sales were about 4,000 bales, including 2,000 on speculation, at previous rates.—Shares were steady, and South Eastern and "over were better. Birmingham and Gloucester were 724 ; Edinburgh and Glasgow, 574 ; Grand Junction, 2245 ; Great Western Fifths, 184 ; Hull and Selby, 594 ; Liverpool and 4 M anchester, 2314 ; Birmingham Quarter, 274 ; Paris and 001 , 24 ; ditto and Orleans, 31a ; and South Eastern, 354. Accounts from Liverpool give the following particulars of the Wool trade : ' " There has been a fair amount of business done in Wools this week, and prices of all descriptions continue firm. The lowness of stocks, of both Foreign and Scotch, is very much felt. There has been a very animated inquiry for Alpaca 4 _, Wo ols, both black and brown, and some transactions have taken place at a still further advance. The market is still up. The goods made from this article are getting much into favour, and are likely to become very fashionable, Lui her Majesty has lately ordered seine patterns of this fabric. ~,,'° m , e improvements have lately been made in the process " .1 dyeing them, and it is said that they are about bringing some patterns of a thinner make, adapted for summer wear, Wh isich expected to have a great run this season." The accounts from New Yo rk e h the 3d Feb., per Mediator, state that there continued to be some speculation in Cotton, and that the intelligence of the rise in prices here, had caused some" of the holders in the south to be most unreasonable in their demands. The article leas not being freely shipped to lr°l ) e, as it is the game of the speculators to keep it back ; bu t no doubt the opposition of the manufacturers here will _ 0 some good. The Americans were looking for an outlet "!, Russia, for some of their broadstuffs, owing to the failure °4 the harvest in the empire, and the permission that has bin accorded by an Imperial ukase for the free importation of foreign grain. It appears that important arrests had taken t e ce of one or two parties supposed to be concerned iu the asury note-robbery. The Money Market was firm. There is nothing new from Canada. The Mexican Com riliaidoners are reported to have failed in coming to an ar nuigement with Texas. , A short time back we alluded to the peculiar position of a rfatuay, and the necessity of friendly relations being Pro mptly cultivated by us with that remarkable country. We are sorry t o rea d t h e f o ll ow i ng, b e i ng an extract f rom a l etter r at ed Paraguay, Nov. 10, and written, as the tenor will show, 'l4 citizen of the United States : „. " The Government of Paraguay are anxious that the prin ' -I Plu and most friendly relations should be with the Govern ' I neut of the United States, as the treaties which exist between Most of the South American Republics and Great Britain, eve the idea that they look to the latter as their principal ill PPort• It was, therefore, that her Britannic Majeety's En -I°Y, Mr. Go r d on, was co ldly rece i ve d , an d th a t the Govern . inut of Paraguay are so anxious to cultivate the most friendly ' vi m, g with that of the United States, before all other na ti ons ." Accounts of the 30th of September from Sydney notice no . . &t ti enlar alteration in the state of the mercantile markets. til . e Legislature was expected to propose a reduction of the t: ni ...,„ i nuin price of land. As the labouring classes continued ..„..` u nr, emigration, till the colony rights itself again, will L'alently not be advisable, and much the same may be said, ne „„ n nderstand, of New Zealand also. • „ T he Stock market continues steady, and the principal busi , ~,``eal has been the preparation for the Account settlement to 7:rre'w• There is not the least difficulty , in carrying over • . te, and the continuation is not thought of. The Com ii7'•l„„ °nets have taken about 20,000/. Consols at 974, and the , . i,:" l ,ke of this security has been from 974 to 4. Bank Stock ~„_. " 5 i i and India Stock, 278. The New Three-and-a-Half rcr Cents. 1024 do s and ; and the Three per Cents. 984 to 4. k i ll ie Spanish market is better and prices come over much Mier from Amsterdam. The Five per Cents. are 244 to 4, , : c1 ., 41 14 Three per Cents. 334 to 34; Mexican Stock is quiet ' 3l ll to 5; and Peruvian realises 30 to 30i• Colombian l i re 134 to a ; Brazilian realise 794 to * ; Dutch ' Two-and-a -' 44 ,Per Cents. are 544 to 4. I,7ar____ee are quiet, but they look firmer, and there is a rise au' ui rmingham to 131 and 133, and in South Western to e i Premium ; Brighton are 61 to 4 ; South Eastern, 14-4 to ' 1•7! .and North Midland, 124 to 11* discount ; Northern and ar i tern are 114 to a premium ; Bristol and Exeter are 2 to 1 a7 se° i Put ; Great Western are 31, and Manchester and Leeds 2 I 9 38 premium. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCE. (From the Oilicial Ilst.) • Xank Steak . ,-. .... ..........- ..... - ....... 196% Sper Cent. Reduced Annuities 3 per Cent. Consols. Annuitie5............ .......... FT %% •• - 144 per Cent. Reduced Annuities ........ : re 8% per Cent. Annuities HE % • . Long Annuities, Expire 50 Jan. 1800......, l2 1846 Ditto 31 Years, Expire 10th Oot. MO ... - lndia Stock Rath Stock for Account . • . Consols fer Account &chequer Bills, 13(4. I%d 1 MOI. ... ....... rtte &nab • Ditto Advertised... ..... - FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOOR. kraallian Bonds, 6 per Cent. Buenos Ayres Bonds, 8 per Cent ..............« • Columbian Bonds. l3 X Mexican Bond., 1467, 5 per Cent. . ........... Ditte liar the Account. 341 X Ditto Deferral Stook. l5 - Peruvian Bends, 6 per Cents. BO 30 Ditto for the Account 3O • bParilsh Bonds, Five per Cast 24 Ditto for the Account 24 - • • Ditto Passive Bends ; Ditto Deferred ... 13% • Ditto Three per Cent. Ditto lir the Acasust Venezuela Bones, S per Cent - Ditto Deterred 111( • . patch 11 14 per Cents 64% X - Dutch 6 per Cents ..... . ..... ... ......... ........ 181% 101% 102% NW LORA len, 5 par Cents.... • PRICES - OF SHAD= Tillfi DAY AT *NIA nais.waxs. Pais. Paz MikRE ...WWI Holyhea or and suii Exeter.. .d... ........... ...... 7 a 6% to a ch— ~-.n 5 - e t.. Counties) ,.. MI .....«.. - . ' 1:11,10 Netv.............. 25 12% to _. . t Western - 'l5 106 te - gitto k !Hares .......... - 1_ tto rink s l2 ....... 18 %... to - onVird and Brighton be 43%A ... to - it'll's and Birmingham Stock .. . .231 ••••itto % Shares .4aden and Sleuth Western 41% 77 X ... te - 1 ,,. 1 ?_it0 Eighths. -,... ll 4eststle and Darlington Jena. 18 84 % ... to - Aserthern and Eastern 46 58XX ... to - Fhtte &rip "'TO), Midland ...... ......... ........105 ..« 07% ..... to sis% "mitt* % Shares 4O . 43 to "Oft aid Odaliall •.....h.......•...• 9 . Pais. 82i ...... to 8.3% -and Ream 2O 32 )41... to /taus and Ha $ l4 16 ... to south 1......._ Havre 3$ 85% to 36U Anal - 77 a " Dever 25 URA to 3630 A . I.* and N•r tia ..--- 118 • t. ile Ditto s ew ith Midland .... ..... 56 20 53% .tee Di tt". Tarboro' - I,„.,__rr BTOSIL 'ANNA ‘....--iee e Londo n .... 4 23414 4 CUICSTRA STOCK EXCHANGE, Fan. 24.—We have had 48 b een to-day, and only a small amount of busines s i I n en trausacted.—Eastern Counties, 104 ; London and h!luton, 42, a ; Manchester, Bolton, and Birmingham, 97 ; • ki n t leld and Manchester, 71 to 72; Manchester and Bir g4allat 401 to 404. 8, 'AILORS' STRIKE, SHIELDS.—The sailors of North -mu South- Shields last week struck work for a rise of wages - --th A n „„e7 ask 41. per voyage for the coal trade, and 3!. per b'utit for the Baltic and Amer ican trade. The rate o f trZ e s atpresent paid is from seven weeks w to ee t. 12s. 6d. d 6d. fo in r the coal th_!_, the voyage occupyin g he w.ages have been muchless. With this miserable pit n - Quesr-the families of the men, to our knowledge, have bee is h i lt erY miserable condition ; many of them almost stare liti Larg e meetings have been held n t h h i e e S it Wa determined that every ep and e peacea b le induce h a s for 0 th ose h the o ee m eam ean en s s s ' h il ou al l l d ate to secure the wages asked, Th who las t th,.2 11 board ship to turn out. . to ship to induce'those on - WC 4 , 411.0 11r days been covered with boats laden with seamen • ho ia ., i 4o o gone about from s h ip has the least attempt at ,Zto join them, but in no instanc e body of Newcastle po- i • , i i ....,,euee been ma d e . On Frida y, Fifehand Mr. Stephens, Ir e44 ..._en co dd by*Jon .'" 0 Eliliall e - pr otect the ships, but their so • w.._ n the river to ,inot wanted. The peaceable conduct of the seamen services ' • tra,,.-g4ted•the Mayor, that he expressed himself in terms of 7`-`` 4dMiration at their temperate and manly conduct.- 14,3 1er c a 4731* t has just 5e.... eof painful and singular i nterest ' -. moat ti l its sa the island of Arran, having* considerable resemblance A h,:stalls to some of the tragic border ballads of the olden time. Cal% d aye ago th e d aug h ter o f a of r esp ectable La farmer in Auchin illage three miles south ni . as , , i n was about to be 4 401 2_ v in life. The marriage ~ ,,,7: “ . a Young man of her own ran k I'l4 to P red. and, as the custom is, a oaval at cade of friends were W an early hour to pro.. • *leo ft ass•Mble at her father's house ttal of °ll4 thenc e to meet the bridegroom, l w di h st o a r n es t. ided at the north- The morning It tli lis t k v e' t Y he atitanniandly, s co ome th e at ft (* fr n om mi t e h s at and other causes only The bride felt the tht,4„alVeared to proceed on the journey. "lar k a7(Lance as a contemptuous injury done to her feelings aid her intended bus • %NC'''. and could not brook the thou ght til. er",, til essillit such a small number approach of ingto meet him on iiii„ — . esPecially as she knew his company would be numerous. 'laii * -140 did her mental snaring s become that ere d r:id b . e d e a a y m r e ea- a ltll4 ...,_44 Unhinged, and the young and blooming 4 tri v .,l l fearless maniac. The anxious bridegroom al im :a ig nd en h t i r s e p a a ti r: s y , 4 414 r ; at her father's house, but she resisted 14 ta va,- -ti " all Consolation. The fearful malady in creased till na -411441 h.."*.abausted and vitality expired; and on Friday last her h rchyard.— . 1 041 '4 '4 ' ag made in the cold grave of Kihnorrie c u .t. Journ a t that the • a bl e 1. iIADNOIL—We regret to state and p , 4 ni.,.,ar, , Was taken suddenly ill on Friday • fabl e to attend the great morn ing, Anti-Corn-lwmeeting at th at „ . _ . !s ter • azatz•ia LOrd s hi ou Saturday. It affords us pleasure to announce p's indisposition is not of a serious character, -..tt a i,,_ st at a fewdays will "1111 t h held on M I°A VID WILKIE'S STATUE.-At . a meeting, i t ....onday last, at the Union Bank, CharTg d - l ci:oss, fo teks„ v4t Pose of receiving Lord Mahon, who had k n I , under -___ *' 4 to Wit te ~ ilhi.. an inscription for the statue of Sir David ~..4 41n ri: 14 th e National Gallery, there were present Sir P. toil ,Mr 4`l fl, t h,,e Hon. Leslie Melville, Mr. Phillips, R.A., Sir W. t ary * -"' lt.A., Mr. Peter Laurie, Mr. Burnell, and thesecre the P • Curning, when his Lordship presented Dl Wilkie, • kik : li te b rief but expressive legend :- 11* l'rit:n_ 1785 . Died Ist June, 1841. " Sir A Life as too short li,t "" J 'ail l , not for Fame." 4 1 - 1 , good ~,,,„--, CoNwuLL.—We learn, on what we consider • 'thin if"'"litY, that the Duke of toll Welngton is det!rmined • 'the all% O'Connell shall not be sent prison, believing that qa.n1,11,,,,0ral effect of a conviction will be su ffi cient, a n d h ieLi t would be a useless piece of severity. . If Mr. • yordit,allol will only conduct himself with moderation an t d o 14t4I ' ll inY t° P r iety, we do not think that he will s ent be turn. .....2V ---. We shail certainly be glad if matters take t hi s ~.s o rthe r, u. ,., . k_ xlit . ~., - m g . just ," 1.4 4 cc-1.7,4/4x Lews.—Clerks of the peace have • -' cal led 11 Pon for a return to Government of the number .er :the k a , - ,° l lB, la petty sessions, during the last year, Und • .4%4 or, About ear ago a similar rett7 7 those I or, which seeins to sho w that public feelingregarth g 9i teite ws bAs on our high authorities to pay some r, attention to them. ‘4// tOtig ILf Orkshir ...ANORIAL RIGHT.—At Ripley Cast le, . in twat !, the seat of Sir William Ingilby, there isl? the ‘ mt ,:biestairease art elegant Venetian window, in the divis io ns .s ' • tlayt vg tt : 111 at glass, are a series of escutcheons, die °f.; ' I nkilby h e Principal quarterings and intermarriages of t he of 4z ) Ye THY since their settling at Ripley, during a course ' • 141 10 • as ' In one of the chambers of the tower is the 416' ae • nten e , carved on the frieze of the wainscot : Lb li the r tzre of °vire Ld . MDLV. was this howse buylded, imit ir,l,Priaa, i.._111:011?y, Knight,,Philip and Marie reigning -444 Of the v°4ll ralliser, of Bristhwaite, formerly held leis we-zirth, and by earryinc _th e . .k t „,,,,_ ee manor of Ripley by the payment of a red rose at , .itartx it twelve days of uhristralts. boar's head to the landlord's •., Oraackb qUI TY OP THE Taounorus —The trombone, biside- 8 u th t ) . has the advantage of being the only instrument, ;.' ta kid . 0 . e onto and violin kind, which has perfect corn 1411;.w,„..,_onvyeritan.ysnneation and is capable of ex . ecuting correct .- - , 11.1414110 that cession of keys. For this reason it may l'oie % ail _ t _ the sackbut will some day enact a higher den r a h, 4 Present. The instruments in actual use have kteaaw. ° fled after a sp ec . ked h y the ~_ imen found in Herculaneum, anti " 11 % of Naples to George 111. GRIEVANCES BEI , ORE SUPPLIES TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—We really were anxious to see in your popular columns the petition which Mr. Perry left at your office some days ago, which, if you have read it, you will have seen was discussed and unanimously agreed to at a public meeting held at the King's Arms, Philip-lane, City, on the 14th inst. That petition advocates the principle of the right which the people have to call upon their representatives to take into their consideration the grievances which most seriously affect them before they proceed to vote the usual supplies, and the chief of which grievances are specified. The petition, with the full approval of Mr. S. Craw ford, had the somewhat anomalous heading of "To the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland, who represent the 950,000 British subjects who possess the right to exercise the Electoral Franchise;" and you know its fate. By a singular fatality, however, all the morning. papers of this day hav e s t a t e d th at i t was f rom Rochdale; and we are desirous, not only that you should give it insertion in a paper which so faithfully advocates the cause of the many, but that you should correct the above-mentioned misnomer. Mr. Crawford will not fail to call the attention of the House to the contents of the document in question. We are, Sir. your most obedient servants, G. W. PERRY, A. MORTON. Hart's Hotel, Aldersgate-street, City, Feb. 23. P.S. Since writing the foregoing, we have seen your paper of this evening, and regret to see that you have fallen into the same mistake that the morning papers have committed. Be assured that those who drew up the petition feel that they have no reason to shrink from seeing the utmost publicity given to the petition in ques tion. Nay, they are desirous to lay it before the whole of their fellow-subjects. [We have not seen the petition referred to. Probably it has been mislaid, and our Correspondents will there fore oblige us by sending another copy.] THE FACTORIES BILL. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. LITERATURE. HAYNES BAYLY'S POEMS. 2 Vols. Bentley, London, 1844. In these volumes we have a reprint of the whole of Mr. Bayly's poetical works, accompanied with a biographical sketch of the author from the pen of his widow, from which it appears that he was born in the year 1797, so that at the period of his death, in 1839, he could only have completed his forty-second year. From the account here given of him we should judge him to have been a man of the most friendly and companionable qualities ; and indeed his poems show this, for they abound in tender, amiable senti ments, expressed in chaste, simple, and perspicuous language. As they were chiefly intended for the drawing-room, it was not necessary that they should be conspicuous by manly nerve and vigour, and ac cordingly we find written no bold, striking thoughts or images, but instead—in the; more serious songs and ballads at least—a vein of gentle, pleasing melan lancholy. As a lyrical writer, Mr. Bayly is sur passed only by Moore, in ease and grace and melody of versification. Not a few of his earlier ballads— especially his " Oh no, we never mention her," and "Friends depart, and memory takes them," are still popular, and are long likely to retain their popula rity, if only for the beauty of the music to which the words are set. observe the Factories Bill brought in by Sir James Graham and Mr. Manners Sutton was issued on Friday, the 9th inst. It states that the law for regu lating the employment of children and young persons in factories needs amendment. Then follows an inter pretation clause. No child under eight years of age to be employed in factories. How humane ! Nor any young person to be employed under sixteen years. From this it would appear a boy or girl is reckoned a child until they reach sixteen. Children not to work more than six hours and a half daily. How beautifully this clause would work for a journeyman cotton-spinner (and his employers), who employ from six to eight hands, the one half of which are generally under 16 years of age. It shows how absurd it is to attempt to legislate on a subject not properly understood. Young persons and women not to be employed more than twelve hours a day, nor to work after half-past seven o'clock in the evening, and to cease work on Saturdays at half-past four o'clock. This has long been the general practice. One hour and a half to be allowed for meals. Now this is decidedly too little, and no good reason can be shown why people employed in factories should not be allowed two hours for meals, as well as masons, carpenters, smiths, and in fact all artisans, and even day labourers. Now, it often happens that public, works are so situated that dwelling-houses cannot be obtained near to the work, which often compelst he work-people to walk half a mile, and others a mile, to breakfast and dinner ; or to be at the trouble and expense of having their food carried to them. How painful it is to see hundreds of men, women, and children coming out of factories at the breakfast hour, and running as if they were on a life and death message !—not having as much time allowed them by their employers as to say may God bless me and my food. These great exertions must be very hurtful to many of them. Now this bad system must have ori ginated with some very selfish master, and others have followed the bad example, to protect themselves against those selfish men from underselling them. In place of the proposed alterations in the Factories Bill, had Sir James introduced a ten hours' Bill, and prohibited all boys and girls from being employed in factories under•ll or 12 years of age, he would have conferred a very great blessing on both old and young so employed ; the general voice of the country would have been with him. A few interested, selfish indivi duals might and would have disapproved of the measure; but what of that ? The boys and girls at 11 or 12 years of age would have been able to work the ten hours without injury, their employment being generally light. By this plan, all complex rules and regulations would have been avoided, which would have prevented a world of trouble, vexation, and expense. Were half a dszen of boys and girls at eight or nine years of age brought before the House of Com mons, and the Members asked, will you make a law authorising such mere children to be wrought m fac tories ? I should think the unanimous answer would be, certainly not ; would you have us to disgrace our selves? The truth is, it is only the children of worth less and dissipated parents that find their way into fac tories at eight or nine years of age. Honest and in dustrious parents would not allow such young children to go into a factory. The laws of the land should be made to protect such young children, instead of putting it into the power of worthless parents to subject their offspring to worse than slavery. It is to be hoped a British Parliament will not allow such a foul blot ever to stain their records, I beg pardon for troubling you with this letter ; I in tended it for Sir James Graham, as you will see by the alterations, but have changed my mind. If you think proper to give it a place in your excellent paper you will oblige a constant reader of The Sun ; should you decline doing so, there will be no harm done.—l remain, Sir, your most obedient servant, A. C. R. Glasgow, Feb. 22. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 26, 1844. GREAT ANTI-CORN-LAW MEET ING AT GLOUCESTER. TRIUMPHANT RECEPTION OF MR. COBDEN, M.P., AND A DEPUTATION OF THE LEAGUE. GLOUCESTER, SATURDAY AFTERNOON, FEB. 24.—One of the greatest and most important county meetings was held to-day, at noon, at the Shiro Hall, i n th e c i ty of Gloucester, for the purpose of receiving Mr. Cobden and a deputation of the Anti-Corn-law 'League, in order to hear the sentiments of those gentlemen relative to the queson of removing all restrictions as to a free trade in corn. The meeting was one of the most imposing and enthusiastic demonstrations in favour of free trade ever witnessed in this county. The Shire Hall was literally crammed to .suffocation, upwards of 4,000 persons being present, and huddreds went away, who were unable to gain admission. About a month ago a requisition, most numerously and influentially signed, was presented to the High Sheriff, re questing him to convene a county meeting, on the subject of the corn-laws, which that gentleman refused to comply with, alleging that the requisitionists " did not represent the feelings of the freeholders of the county." This requisition received the signatures of no less than upwards of one hun dred and fifty great landholders of the county, embracing among that number two Peers of Parliament, six of the Members of Parliament connected with the county, and about twenty magistrates, as well as several of the niost eminent practical agriculturists of the vale of Gloucester. On the refusal, the requisitionists, with the Earls Dude and Radnor at their head, determined to call a county meeting on their own responsibility, in order to afford the tenant and practical farmers of the vale of Gloucester an opportunity of hearing the arguments of the League. The leaders of the " Anti-League" exerted all their influ ence among the farmers of the Cotswold hills to induce them to refrain from attending the meeting, and not to listen to the " balderdash" of the " Lancashire strangers." A re commendation was also given to the farmers that they should commence a system of " exclusive dealing." It was really a most gratifying sight to witness that the farmers, not withstanding all the persuasions and entreaties of the mo nopolists, determined to be present at the meeting, and attended in considerable numbers. "At any rate," said one of those sturdy yeomen to a brother agriculturist, "at any rate, it would do no harm to hear what the great Parliament men had to say on free trade in corn." Shortly after eleven o'clock the deputation from the League took their station on the platform. Mr. Cobden was received with a burst of tumultuous applause. On the platform we noticed Earl Ducie, C. E. Handford, Esq., the late High Sheriff of the County, E. Holland, Esq., late High Sheriff of Worcestershire, C. Staunton, Esq., brother to the Member for Stroud, Mr. Codden, M.P., Col. Thompson, and Mr. Moore, the deputation from the League ; and the following Magistrates of the county :—J. Whitwicke, E. Kendal, L. Clutterbuck, J. Raymond Barker, L. S. Austin, and Anthony Fewster, Esqrs., besides several other gentle men whose names we could not ascertain. On the motion of C. ROWLEY, Esq., seconded by C. E. HANDFORD, Esq., the Right Hon. the Earl of Ducie was called to the chair, amidst bursts of acclamation and re peated demonstrations of respect. His LORDSHIP said he deeply regretted that accidental circumstances alone had deprived them of the pleasure of the presence of his Noble Mend, Earl Radnor, who was heart and soul in the cause.—(Loud and continued cheering.) It was only at the eleventh hour that his Noble Friend was deprived from giving his support and countenance to thi s important meeting—(Cheers)—on account of illness. He had received letters of apology from the two Members for the city of Gloucester, who, however, fully concurred in the object of the meeting, as well as several other Members of Parliament, who were detained in London expecting the di vision on Lord John Russell's motion.—(Great applause.) Several other friends of the cause and champions of free trade were also unavoidably absent; but, while regretting, he had only to look around him, and from the vast as sembly by which he was surrounded, which represented on this occasion the wealth and intelligence of the county, he was fully satisfied that himself and brother magistrates were perfectly justified in calling this meeting, notwithstanding the refusal of the High Sheriff to comply with the requisi tion.—(Loud and protracted cheers.) Had he not occupied the chair, he would have embraced the opportunity of de fending his conduct in giving his most cordial and hearty support to the Anti-Corn-law League.—(Loud cheers.) In sinuations had been cast upon him, and some very unfair statements had gone abroad relative to his conduct.—(hear, hear; shame, shame.) He should, perhaps, better consult the unanimity of the meeting if he refrained from making any remarks on the subject till the close of their proceedings. —(Loud cheers.) He was surrounded by a great number of influential landholders and tenant-farmers, who had been taught to consider the League as the enemies of themselves and of their interests ; but he trusted that before they left this meeting, the arguments, good temper, and gentle manly feeling of his most ex ce ll en t f r i en d M r. Cobden— (Loud cheers)—would convince them that these opinions were founded in error, and based on ignorance ; and that the object of the League was, not to injure the agricultural in terests, but to benefit every class of the community, from the peer to the peasant.—( Great cheering.) lie was one of the largest landholders of this county; yet ho had been publicly accused of being inimical to the best interests of agriculture. He could only say for himself, that he believed few men took greater interest in promoting the prosperity of agriculture than himself. He was one of those who wished to see it flourish, and " God speed the plough" was his motto.— (Tremendous cheering.) Upwards of three-and-twenty years had he been engaged in agricultural pursuits, and his entire energies had been devoted to its improvement.— (Cheers.) His reason for becoming the advocate of free trade was that he verily believed, from his heart an soul, while the manufacturing and every other interest would benefit by it, the interest and prosperity of the practical Working agriculturist would experience the benefit of free trade in a ten-fold degree.—(Loud, long, and continued cheering.) His Lordship said, having expressed these sen timents to the tenant-farmers, lie would now call upon Mr. Cobden.—(Cheers.) Mr. COBDEN, M.P., was greeted with the most enthusiatic cheering from all parts of this vast auditory. The applause having subsided, the Hon. Gentleman said—lt always afforded him the sincerest gratification to deliver his opinions relative to free trade among practical farmers.—(Hear, hear.) He rejoiced in doing so in the presence of such men whom he saw around him ; and he was happy that he had now an op portunity, for the first time, of addressing the highly respect able and intelligent farmers of the vale of Gloucester.— (Cheers.) He (the Hon. Member) would caution them, at the outset of his speech, not to take fright, or feel the least alarm at the name of the Anti-Corn-law League—(Hear, and latighter)the terrible League—(Continued laughter)— against whom they had been cautioned in such horrifying terms, by those who took upon themselves the high sounding appellation and title of the farmers' friends.—(Cheers.) He could assure the farmers of the Cotswold hills and vale of Gloucester, that the League had no cannibal propensities about them ; they would neither devour the tenant-farmers nor their cattle ; nor would they destroy the interests of their calling.—(Cheers and laughter.) He trusted he should be able to prove to them that by reason of the corn-laws the tenant-farmers were placed in an infinitely worse situation than they would be were the restrictions removed, and they had a free trade in corn. Now, he would ask them what was the meaning of the corn-law ? It was this :it was a law to make corn sell at a higher price than it would without a corn law ; this was admitted on all hands, and not denied by the monopolists. Well, then came the next question for the te nant-farmers. Does the price of land rise or fall with the price of corn ? He would ask, would land let at the same price when corn was 20s. a quarter, as when it was 80s. ? (Cries of " No, no.") NVell then, if it would not, the object in keeping up the price of corn must be doubtless to keep up the price of land, or, in plainer terms, to keep up the rents of the landlords.—(Cheers.) Admitting his propo- Wiwi to be correct, supposing corn was raised to 100 s. a quarter, the farmers could not possibly, by the remotest chance, be one bit better off.—(Loud cheers.) Why, the farmers of Gloucester were not so dull of intellect but they must see this. It was no abstruse doctrine ; the whole question lay in a nutshell ; -the farmers not only got nothing by the corn-laws, but, on the contrary, were, in point of fact, losers by this protection, unjustly so called. He was addressing practical men, and, therefore, he would illus trate his meaning. In 1815, the Legislature passed a law, after a determined opposition, for the purpose of maintaining wheat at 80s. per quarter, and from the year 1815, down to 1822, the rent of the tenant far mers was increased, while corn in reality was only 425. per quarter.—(Cries of " Shame" from different parts of the room.) Well, once more the law was altered, and the sliding scale introduced in order to keep the price of corn at 635. or 645., and yet, ' with land valued at the same price as 1835, the corn averages for the year gave a price of 395. 4d., while in the month of December of that year the farmer was selling his wheat at 365., or just 28s. under Act of Parliament price. This was the injustice to the tenant farmer : he rented his land at Act of Parliament prices and sold his corn at market prices, and so when he went to pay his rent he found he had been compelled to sell his corn at 10s. or 12s. under the price which the landlord gave for his land. This was injustice to the tenant; lie (Mr. Cobden) would now conic to the injus tice to the labourer.—(Cheers.) It was an awful fact that-in the agricultural districts the labouring population were earn ing less, and were considerably worse off than in any other part of the country. Why, the manufacturers had been accused of growing rich by grinding down the labourers; now he (Mr. Cobden) paid in the establishment to which he belonged somewhere about 20,0001. a year in wages ; he em ployed 600 hands; thoSe who were skilful in their business earned from 20s, to 355. per week, and sometimes extra ; and even common labourers, employed at work which:a bricklayer's labourer, or a man fresh from the tail of a plough, could perform as well as anyone else, even these earned from 12s. ---- to 14s. per week. The Honourable Gentleman pledged his word he had not an able-bodied man on his premises earn ing less than that sum.—(Cheers.) He did not speak of wages as a matter of boasting—wages were no charity— masters only gave what was the market price of labour, and he (Mr. Cobden) did not give higher wages than his neighbours ; but those were the general wages of the manu facture in which he was employed. Let the farmers con trast those wages with what they were giving to their own labourers. He did not blame the farmers for giving so little —(Hear, hear)—it was no fault of theirs—(Cries of " No, no")—they gave what they could afford, and what the state of competition in the labour market justified—(Hear, hear, and cries of " That's it.") Still he understood the wages in the agricultural districts of Gloucestershire were miserably low. A statement had just been put into his hand by a gentleman, a member of the Board of Guardians of a neigh bouring union, wherein was a statement of a man and his wife and four young children earning Bs. per week. This man applied for relief, but his application was refused, thus proving that his case was only the common state of his neighbours. Another man was mentioned, who had also a wife and four young children ; his wages were 7s. per week, and he was receiving relief; and although he would not mention names, he might state that this man was working for a gentleman who made himself very conspicuous at the Anti-League meetings, and talked very loudly of protection to the agricultural labourer.—(Cheers, and cries of "Shame," and " Name him.") Now in the very union of which he had been speaking the cost of maintenance in the union work house was 2s. 4d. per head per week, and yet here were labourers only receiving half that amount, or ls. 2d. per head to maintain their families. Was that a case to go to Parlia ment for protection ? Was that a state of things to be main tained by Act of . Parliament.—(Great cheering.) Away with such cant ; away with the idle and crocodile tears which pretended to flow for the interests of the labourer, while he was receiving just half the wages which it cost to maintain the pauper in the workhouse and the criminal in the gaol.—(Bursts of cheering.) In conclusion, he would caution the farmers to examine the matter for themselves— (Hear)—to endeavour to act for themselves, and to keep themselves clear of political landlords—(Hear, hear)—and above all things, to eschew the miscalled protection of Acts of Parliament. It was said at the sea ports, when a vessel was seized by the custom-house authorities, she was marked by a broad arrow ; and this was called, in the cant of the ports, the devil's claw. The intermeddling of the State with agriculture was the devil's claw, and this had been on the shoulders of the farmers for the last twenty-eight years ; and they might depend upon it they would never prosper until it was removed from them.—(Loud cheers.) The Hon. Gentleman's address, of which the above is scarcely an outline, occupied nearly two hours in delivering, and was cheered in the most enthusiastic manner through out. On his resuming his seat the entire meeting rose, and greeted him with three times three hearty cheers. . EWDARD HOLLAND, Esq., of Dumbleton, rose to propose the first resolution, which was to the effect that protectiv e duties were not only injurious to commerce, but to the in terests of agriculture also, and that free trade would promote the interest and prosperity of the whole community. Mr. Holland stated that he was a landowner and a land culti vator ; the whole of his income and the support of his fa mily was derived from the soil, and therefore if free trade would, as alleged, ruin the cultivator, destroy the rent of the landlord, and throw land out of cultivation, lie, of all men, ought to oppose it—(Cheers)—but, so far from that, he cor dially agreed with the resolution, and cordially united heart and soul with the objects of the League. He had been a practical farmer for many years, and his opinions in favour of free trade were based on his own experience and observa tion ; lie had looked attentively to the proceedings of the Anti-League societies, but had found no single argument brought forward which at all shook his previously formed opinions. The corn-laws, while they wore framed ostensibly for the benefit of one class, did no real good to that class, at the same time that they were an injustice to the other classes of the community.—(Loud cheers.) He cordially proposed the resolution. Mr. JOSIAH HUNT, of Almondsbury, a practical tenant farmer of great experience, seconded the resolution.—(Loud cheers.) He had long been opposed to the Corn-laws. He was convinced they were no benefit to the tenants, and were only designed to raise rents and to keep the tenantry sub servient to the political domination of the landlord.—(Cheers.) If he needed anything to fortify his opinion on the corn laws, it was the fact of the best practical agriculturists in the kingdom entertaining the same views. There was the Noble Earl Ducie—(Loud cheering)—one of the first practical men of the day—his name had always been held up as the best landlord in the county.—(Cheers.) His Lordship's tenantry were the most thriving tenantry in the county—(Cheers)— and yet he was heart and soul a repealer. Then there was Earl i Spencer—(protracted cheering)—a man whose opinion on agricultural matters was quoted far and wide—he was a repealer; and lie had himself heard the pro-corn-law Mem ber for the western division of the county say that he could not get over the fact of Earl Spencer being in favour of re peal.—(Cheers.) He (Mr. Hunt) believed that with free trade the cultivation of the land would be improved—the produce of the land would be increased—the independence of the tenant secured, and his prosperity greatly aug mented.—(Cheers.) He could fully bear out what Mr. Cobden had said about the agricultural labourers—their wages were miserably low, and yet the farmers could not pay more. In his own parish hundreds of families lived on 7s. per week —their fare was worse than that of the pauper—whole fami lies of grown up children slept in one room, to the total disregard of the decencies of life, and to th e t o t a l de- struciion of feelings of propriety and morality.—(Cheers.) It had been said the land had to bear peculiar burdens, but it should also be said the farmers had peculiar exemptions— (Clieers)—and if the fanners' windows were untaxed, and his riding horse and his dogs free of duty, it was not to benefit him, but that he might be able to pay higher rent to his landlord.—(Hear and cheers.) Ho cordially seconded the resolution, believing that a repeal of the corn-laws would improve the prospects of the tenant-farmer, and promote the physical, moral, and social condition of the labourer. On the resolution being put, two persons made their way to the platform and moved a counter-resolution. The design was evidently to obstruct the business of the day, but the resolution was put and carried by an overwhelming majority, only about a dozen hands being held up against it. Ihe re sult was received with loud cheering. C. E. ILtxponn, Esq., moved a vote of thanks to the de putation who attended from the League. lie fully concurred in the object of the meeting and the principles of free trade. —(Cheers.) As an instance of the increased value of land under the corn-laws, he could state what occurred within his own experience ; an estate in the county of Gloucester was purchased about a hundred years ago for a certain price, it was not situate near a town, and had no other adventitious advantage, and yet that estate had been sold lately for a sum ten times as large as the purchase-money a hundred years ago.—(Cheers.) C. STANTON, Esq., of Stroud, seconded the motion. He contended that free trade benefited the manufacturing inter est, and that it would also benefit the agricultural interest. The motion was put and carried, with only two dissen tients. The Noble CHAIRMAN having presented the vote of thanks in due form to the deputation, Col. THOMPSON and Mr. MoonE briefly returned thanks. Earl Ducie having left the chair, and the same having been taken by L. Clutterbuck, Esq., a vote of thanks was proposed to the Noble Lord, and carried by acclamation. Earl DIXIE, in returning thanks, said he must take that opportunity of refuting an insinuation which had been cast upon his motives by a gentleman signing himself " A Vale Farmer ;" that insinuation was, that he (Earl Ducie) had property in the neighbourhood of Manchester, and that he supported repeal to enhance the value of his own property. He need scarcely give that charge his flat contradiction.— (Tumultous applause.) The bulk of his property was in an agricultural district, and he should scarcely go to injure that in order to improve any small interest he might have in Manchester or elsewhere. He advocated free free trade be cause lie believed it would benefit agriculture and improve the condition of the people generally, and because he felt with Lord Grenville, that everything was injurious to the country which impeded the free current of natural industry. —(Loud cheers.) In the course of the Noble Lord's speech he made an allu sion to " the packed jury which condemned O'Connell." The effect of this observation on the meeting was electrical. The whole company rose, and, amid waving of hats and handkerchiefs, gave several distinct rounds of applause, which interrupted the proceedings for several minutes. An allusion to the Irish being treated as brethren, in the earlier part of the evening, also gave rise to a similar demonstration. The proceedings closed about five o'clock, having occupied nearly six hours, and was one of the fullest meetings ever remembered in the county of Gloucester. The Earl Ducie, Mr. Cobden, and the deputation, were loudly cheered on their way from the hall, mingled with a few hisses. The agriculturists, who attempted to interrupt the har mony of the meeting, experienced the most signal and in glorious defeat. NEW ZEALAND. The subjoined is the petition of the Mayor, Alder men, and inhabitants of Wellington, in New Zealand, presented by C. Barry Baldwin, Esq., to the House of Commons on Friday night, in relation to the late mas sacre in Cloudy Bay. Mr. Baldwin, in recapitulating the matters of complaint, gave notiee of his intention on a future day, to ask certain questions of her Majesty's Government relative thereto : TO THE HONOURABLE THE COMMONS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND IN PARLIAMENT ♦SSEMBLED. The humble petition of the undersigned, the Mayor, Aldermen, Councillors, and other Inhabitants of the Borough of Wellington, in New Zealand, and the neighbourhood, Showeth,—That your petitioners are resident at, and in the immediate neighbourhood of Wellington, in New Zealand, on the northern shore of Cook's Straits. That the British population resident on the shores of Cook's Straits, and on the southern coast of the Island of New Ulster, as far northward as New Plymouth, is computed to amount to ten thousand persons, or there abouts. This this population is surrounded by, and intermixed with, the aboriginal inhabitants of New Zealand, whose numbers have been calculated at 100,000 or thereabouts, who, in the life-time of the existing generation, have been notorious for a character of the utmost ferocity, and who are extensively armed and provided with an abundance of ammunition, in the use of which they are thoroughly acquainted. That, on the formation of this settlement, the founda tion of an amicable intercourse with the aborigines was laid, based upon the moral influence of the civilized por tion of the community, and the mutual interests of the two races, to the continuance of which there appeared no prospect of an interruption till the establishment of the local government at Auckland, in the northern part of this island. That shortly after the establishment of the local go vernment, the natives, acting partly on their own shrewd observation of the conduct of the local government to wards the settlers in Cook's Straits, and partly, it is feared, instigated by wicked and interested persons, began to regard the settlers as intruders and opp onen t s to her Majesty's Government, and relying upon the neglect of that Government towards the settlers, they re sisted their occupation of the lands, and in many in stances commenced violent aggressions, which, though brought before the authorities in a proper manner, were passed over unredressed. That the result has been the almost entire cessation of the progress of colonization, except in the immediate neighbourhood of the towns, and has recently led to the deplorable massacre of a number of British subjects, among whom was a police magistrate in the execution of the duties of his office. That it is in the power of the aborigines at any time to massacre the whole of the British population in Cook's Straits, and that Rauparaha, the principal chief engaged in the late lamentable bloodshed, has been known to declare that he will do it. That the settlers in Cook's Straits, and on the coast as far as New Plymouth, have contributed to the ex pense of the local government, since its establishment at Auckland, the sum of thirty thousand pounds, as nearly as can be computed, almost the whole of whic h has been expended at Auckland, but little benefit being derived from its expenditure by those who contributed to it. That since the establishment of the local government at Auckland, it has had at its disposal a considerable body of troops of the line, as your petitioners are in formed, and during part of the time a mounted police has, in addition, been maintained there at a heavy ex pense. That the British population at Auckland, and all the northern part of this island, is computed at not more than two thousand five hundred persons, and that the in general amicable footing of the natives has rendered any protection unnecesseary in that district. That, from the period of the establishment of the local government to the present hour, the settlers in Cook's Straits have been left without any protection, except the presence of a police magistrate and a few constables (in Wellington twelve) in each settlement; and, in con sequence of the recent alarming events, they have been obliged to prepare for the defence of their lives and pro perty by arming the population, and forming themselves into corps of military ♦olunteers, which, however, affords little more substantial protection than is derived from the empty display of force in the eyes of the aborigines. That your petitioners conceive, that having contri buted so largely to the maintenance of the colonial go vernment, they are reciprocally entitled, as a matter of right, to the protection of such an ample military force resident among them as may secure their lives and pro perty, and wipe from the British name the dishonour able stain which tarnishes it so long as a large portion of the British population is left unprotected and in im minent peril. Your - petitioners, therefore, pray that your Right Honourable House will be pleased to institute an inquiry into the unprotected state of the settlers in Cook's Straits, and to take such steps for providing for their future protection, by the residence of an ample armed force among them, as shall seem meet. And also that your Right Hon. House will provide for such an immediate settlement of the disputed claims to land as may enable the settlers to occupy that to which they may be entitled. And, lastly, that your Right Hon. House will provide means for the equal administration of British law between the aborigines and the settlers. And youg, petitioners will ever pray, &c. [Signed by the Mayor and Aldermen and upwards of 700 of the settlers.] THE ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS. The Lord Chancellor has brought a Bill into the House of Lords, intituled, " An Act to consolidate the Jurisdiction and improve the Practice of the Ecclesias tical Courts of England and Wales, and for otherwise altering and amending the Law in certain Matters Ec clesiastical." It is founded on the Report of the Eccle siastical Commission, and consists of 101 clauses. By this Bill all peculiar jurisdictions are abolished and merged in the respective archdeaconries and dioceses. The archidiaconal courts (with the exception of Corn wall, Nottingham, Leicester, and Suffolk) are deprived of the power of granting probates or administrations and marriage licenses. The diocesan courts however, retain their full powers, making it optional with the judge, or either of the parties to the suit, to send to the Arches Court. Licenses are abolished. There is to be compen sation for loss of emolument. Acting deputies are all to become principals, and be paid by salary, to befixed by the judges of the respective courts out of a fee fund, to which all fees, &c., are to be carried ; the amount of sa lary subject to the approbation of the Lords of the Tre sury. The Act is not to extend to tithes within the City of London. A REPUDIATION MOB.—In Hartford county, Maryland, there exists a small band of men, who openly ad vocate the repudiation of public debts, and who refuse to pay taxes. The Baltimore papers state, that the property of one of those men was recently levied upon, by a tax-collector, and that the officer was driven from the ground by a mob. The following is the account :—" A few days ago, when the collec tor attempted to sell some property in the infected district, he was forcibly stopped. Written notices were stuck up, threatening violence to any one who should dare to bid. The collector attempted to do his duty, and a resolute individual bid for the property. A mob of some fifty men immediately rushed upon him ; and the cry was, ' Kill him, kill him, kill him.' One attempted to dash out his brains with a large stone, and another to strike at him with a bludgeon. He managed to escape, and was chased off the ground. The collector durst not attempt to perform his duty, and the law is now set at defiance, and a portion of Hartford is in open rebellion." We hope that the Governo r o f M ary l an d w ill send into this rebellious county an armed force, which will be strong enough to teach these men that the duties they owe to the government, under which they live, are not mere matters of moonshine, to be discharged or not, as ther whims may dictate.—New York Paper. EMPLOYMENT OF THR AISLE -BODIED POOR.—A public meeting was held in the Hanover-square Rooms, on Friday, for the purpose of taking into consideration a statement of facts collected by the Practical and Scientific Association for the Promo tion of Improved Street Paving, relative to the employment of the able-bodied poor in cleansing the streets. Mr. B. B. Cabbell was in the chair, and amongst those present were Sir James Ha milton, Mr. Rotch, Mr. Buckingham, and Mr. Weymouth. The Report having been read, Mr. Cochrane (the President of the Association above referred to) introduced the object of the meeting at considerable length. He detailed the particu lars of an experiment that had been made in Oxford and Regent-streets, for keeping the roadways constantly swept. This experiment had kept some thirty or forty persons employed, the quantity of filth and manure collected bad been enormous, and the expense incurred was Is. 2d. per house per week. The utmost saUsfastlon had been expressed by the in habitants, many of whom were willing to contribute largely to such an Improved mode of cleansing the streets. Mr. Pownall, Mr. Buekingbam, and others spoke In support of tke plan proposed, while Mr. Hannay, an inhabitant of Oxford-street, complained that the remedy which had been alluded to by Mr. Cochrane, was as bad as the disease, inasmuch as the mud and filth had been swept up and left in heaps at the kerbs of the footways. It was stated that 3,600 or 4,000 able-bodied persons might be employed by the proposed improved mode of street-sweeping. Resolutions were passed in favour of the proposed scheme, and a vote of thanks having been given to the chairman the meeting separated. SLAVERY AND BLASPHEMY. The American papers bring us no news so interesting as that which we have received from our private corre spondent. We find several communications exhibiting the heart-rending sorrows of the internal slave-trade, but, at this late hour, we cannot make room for them. We must work them up into an article for our next. No pressure of matter, however, can induce us to delay the i nser ti on o f w h a t we cannot but: deem the most atrocious and revolting document we ever met with. It is the sentence ofdeath passed by Judge O'Neal], at New Orleans, on a man named Brown, for aiding a slave to escape ! Brown is actually to be executed in April. The address of the judge to him presents the most revolting combination of cold-blooded cruelty with an affectation of piety which ever came to our knowledge. This judicial outrage must reduce the state of Louisiana to the lowest pitch of public infamy. Hitherto, in all civilised states, the punishment of death has been annexed only to acts having at least some measure of criminality; it is annexed now to the -fulfilling of a sacred duty, both to God and man. Hitherto, even in the United States, we have been accustomed to see the friends of the slave only mobbed and murdered by-vio lence, like the martyred Lovejoy; but at length they are to .be murdered by law, and slaughtered with the coolness and pomp of a legal execution. What a fearful element of society must the institution of slavery be, if its maintenance requires that assisting an escape from it shall be made punishable with death ! Or what can arrive but a universal combination of the human race for its overthrow, when the blood of the free and the just is thus to be poured out, in order to slake its diabolical thirst for revenge ! The folloiving is the murderous and revolting sentence of " the Honourable ( ) J. B. O'Neall," as quoted by the Liberator from a New Orleans paper " John L. Brown,—lt is my duty to announce to you the consequences of the conviction which you heard at 'Winns boro', and of the opinion you have just heard read refusing your two-fold motion in arrest of judgment for a new trial. You are to die !—die a shameful, ignominious death, the death upon the gallows. This annunciation is to you, I know, most appalling. Little did you dream of it, when you stepped into the bar, with an air as if you thought it was a tine frolic. But the consequences of crime are just such as you are realising: punishment often comes when it is least ex pected. Let me entreat you to take the present opportunity to commence the work of reformation. Time will be afforded to you to prepare for the great change, which may be just before you. Of your past life I know nothing, except that which your trial furnished. It told me that the crime for which you are now to suffer, was the consequence of a want of attention on your part to the duties of life. The strange woman' snared you—she flattered with her words,' and you became her victim. The consequence was, that, led on by a desire to serve her, you committed the offence of aid ing a slave to run away, and depart from her master's ser vice ; and you are now to die for it You are a y ou ng man, and I fear have been an idle as well as a dissolute one. If so, these kindred vices have contributed a full measure to your ruin. Reflect upon your past life, and make the only useful devotion of the remnant of your days in pre paring for death. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth,' is the language of inspired wisdom. This comes home appropriately to you at this trying moment. You are young, quite too yaung, to be where you are, and, if you had remembered your Creator in your past days, you would not now be in the felon's place to receive a felon's judgment. Still, it is not too late to remember your Creator ; he calls early, and he calls late ; he stretches out the arms of a father's love to you, to the vilest sinner, and says, Come unto me, and be saved.' You can perhaps read ;if you can, read the Scriptures ; read them without note, and without comment, and pray to God for assistance, and you will be able to say, when you pass from prison to execution, as a poor slave said, under similar circumstances, ' I am glad my Friday has at last come.' If you cannot read the Scriptures, the ministers of our holy religion will be ready to aid you ; they will read and explain to you, until you will be able to understand, and, understanding, to call upon the only One who can help and save you, Jesus Christ, 'the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.' To Him I commend you; and through Him may you have that opening of the day-spring of mercy from on high, which shall bless you here, and crown you in an ever lasting world as a saint for ever and ever. The sentence of the law is, that you be taken hence to the place from whence you last came, thence to the gaol of Fairfield District, and that there you be closely and securely confined until Friday, the 26th day of April next, on which day, between the hours of ten in the forenoon and two in the afternoon, you will be taken to the place of public execution, and there be hanged by the neck till your body be dead ; and may God have mercy on your soul."—Anti-Slavery Reporter, Feb. 22, 1844, DRAINING the HAARLEM LAKE. The determined industry, the phlegmatic persever ance, of the inhabitants of the United States of Holland have been exhibited to Europe by the laborious under takings which, on every side of Holland, present them selves. Nearly a seventh part of this land has been rescued from the sea; and wherever the traveller is placed he recognizes the marvellous barriers that have been formed to prevent its encroachments: he sees an artificial coast, formed from the granite rocks of Norway, dykes, buttresses, constructed with a solidity which seems to - promise to resist even time itself. Amongst the objects which have long oc cupied' the attention of the Hollander has been the drainage of the lake of Haarlem, and the conversion of its bed into cultivated land; various projects have, at various times, been conceived, have been discussed, and, from various reasons, abandoned. A plan, which was considered feasible, was laid before the States-General in April, 1838, and great hopes were entertained that the idea which was suggested was one which might easily be carried into execution. After, however, due and careful deliberation it was abandoned, in consequence of the re jection of a Bill brought before the second Chamber. At length the Government has undertaken the great work, and every prospect is entertained of the successful issue of the enterprise. A vote has been obtained from the Chamber of 4,533,333 dollars, but this sum will be by no means adequate to the expenditure that must neces•• sarily be made. It has been ascertained by calcula tions, founded upon the profit obtained by other drainages in Holland, that so large an interest will be returned that a loan of much greater extent may very safely be advanced. The lake of Haarlem is.calculated to be about fourteen English miles in its greatest length, and as many in breadth. About 70,000 acres are covered by it, and it has been asserted that every year nearly 250 acres are encroached upon. The depth of the water has been variously estimated, but it is supposed to be, upon an average, twelve feet and three quarters, and the mass about thirteen and three quarter millions of cubic roods of water. The manner in which it has been de cided to carry out the drainage is as follows : A channel is to be formed, one hundred and forty three feet and a half in width, supported on each side by an enormous dyke; into this is to be poured, by means of six steam engines, each of two hundred horse power, the whole of the water contained in the Haar lem Meer, and three sluices are to conduct it into the German and the Zuyder sea. It is expected that this undertaking, commenced in May, 1840, will be completed in the course of the present year. It is un derstood that it will be requisite that every spring, the action either of steam engines or water mills, should be called into action, to preserve the rescued land from fresh inundation. Of what Holland is capable an idea may be formed from the recollection that large tracts of land are below the level of the sea, and that not only the safety, but absolutely the existence of the country is dependent upon the dykes, which have been at various times raised up. Near the great dyke of the Helder is the Beemster Polder, a tract of land of upwards of 8,000 acres over which water rolled uninter ruptedly, and where now there exists a healthy, Indus ; trious popultttim of 3,000 souls—Polytechnic Review. ANTI-CORN-LAW MEETINGS. A deputation from the League, consisting of Mr. Prentice mid Mr. Hint, have been visiting Thirsk, Richmond, Knares borough, and Pontefract, at all of which they were well re ceived and were successful. IRELAND. LORD DE GREY AND THE DUBLIN ORANGEMEN. DUBLIN, FEB. 24.—There has been another correspondence between Lord De Grey and the Orange Operative Association, which has terminated very differently from that respecting the Clontarf proclamation, referred to by Mr. Sheil in the House of Commons on Thursday night. The operatives for warded a memorial to the Castle, complaining of the treat ment they experienced at a recent meeting of the citizens, held in the Royal Exchange, for the purpose of offering to Alderman Roe, the late Lord Mayor, some suitable testimonial of their high appreciation of his impartial conduct as chief magistrate. Although Liberals, such as Lord Charlemont and many of the most respectable Conservatives, joined in paying the compliment to Alderman Roe, the Orangemen attended hi considerable numbers, with the view of breaking up the meeting by violence and clamour. Owing to the judicious firmness of the present Lord Mayor, the Orange party were completely foiled in their disgraceful project. They then appealed to Lord De Grey, but in this they were disappointed, as the following reply will show : " Castle, Feb. 14, 1844. " Sir,-1 am directed by the Lord Lieutenant to acknow ledge the receipt of the memorial signed by you, on behalf of the Protestant Operative Association, complaining of the in terruption which they met with at the meeting in the Royal Exchange, convened and presided over by the Lord Mayor on the 10th of January, and requesting that his Excellency would cause a special inquiry into the circumstances of the case, in order that there may be retribution for the past, &c. " His Excellency directs me to inform you in reply, that he does not consider himself authorised by law to inquire into, or to interfere with, the proceedings of the meeting in question, which was duly convened and presided over by the chief municipal officer of the city of Dublin. '• I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, " ARTHUR C. MAGENNIS. " 11. B. Stringer, Es q." RISII PRESBYTERIAN MARRIAGE QUESTION. A special meeting of the General Assembly of the Irish Presbyterian Church, convened by the Moderator, was held in Dr. Cooke's church, May-street, Belfast, on Wednesday, to consider the present state of the marriage question. The Clerk read the following resolutions, which had been prepared in interloguilur : " That should the decision of the House of Lords, in the appeal case, the Queen v. Millis, now pending, establish the validity of Presbyterian marriages at common law, this As sembly deprecate, and resolve to resist, any legislation on the subject. " That should the decision be unfavourable, and the Pres byterian Church be deprived of privileges enjoyed by her in this country for more than 200 years, and legislation thus be come necessary, this assembly will consider it an act of in justice to be subjected to any restrictions in the celebration of their marriages which are not also imposed upon the ministers of the Established Church. " That this assembly have cause to complain that the Committee of the House of Lords did not afford them an opportunity of presenting evidence on the marriage question ; and would respectfully suggest that, for the purpose of esta blishing the complete regularity of Presbyterian marriages, the following persons be now examined, viz., Rev. Doctor Reid, Glasgow College; Rev. Doctor Browne, Aughadoney, Garvagli ; Rev. John Johnston, Tullylish, Banbridge ; Rev. William 111‘Clure, Londonderry ; James Gibson, Esq., Belfast, the law adviser; and A. J. Macro r y, Esq., Belfast, the soli citor of the assembly. " That should the decision be adverse, this assembly will use every means in their power to bring their grievances be fore their friends in England, Scotland, Wales, and the colo nies, and to arouse them to aid us in recovering and securing our just rights. "That the Moderator be instructed to forward these reso lutions to her Majesty's Government." After some conversation the resolutions were carried una nimously, and the assembly adjourned. . .ANI ENDMENT OF THE PATENT FOR INVENTIONS LAw.—Lord Brougham's important Bill on the Patent Law is of such interest to large classes of the community, that the following summary of that measure may be valuable ;—The Bill is "for further amending the law touching Patents for Inventions." Its preamble sets sorth—" It is expedient for the further encouragement of inventions in the useful arts to enable the time of monopoly in patents to be ex tended in cases in which it can be satisfactorily shown that the expense of the invention has been greater than the time now limited by law will suffice to reimburse." There are two clauses in the Bill; they provide that any patentee shall, befiwe the expiration of such patent, present a petition to either House of Parliament, setting forth that he has been unable to obtain a due remuneration for his expense and trouble in perfecting such invention. If the matter of such petition be then proved before a Committee of such House, or at the bar thereof, or otherwise, her Majesty is to be ad dressed on the subject, and shall, if she see fit, refer it to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. If such Com mittee, after investigation into the matter, report that a period greater than the seven years' extension into the said patent (given by the Act sth and 6th of William IV., c. 83) ought to be granted, her Majesty is empowered to grant such extension for any period not exceeding fourteen years. But it is also provided that her Majesty may, if she deem it fit, grant a lesser extension of the period than that prayed by the patentee. A SINGULAR DILEMMA..—A paragraph appeared in our paper of Wednesday (derived from the morning papers) under the above heading, in which it is stated that the Solicitor of the Post-office had written to the Solicitor of Legacy Duties at Somerset House, relative to certain letters sent from the latter, on which Postage stamps formerly used had be en placed, and that upon in quiry into the matter it appeared that this attempt at fraud had been committed by one of the messengers, who received only a reprimand on the occasion. We arc authorised to state that there is not one word of truth in this paragraph from the beginning to — the and further that no circumstance has occurred that could by any Mistake or perversion have given the. smallest ground or colour for such a statement. . - The first salmon taken in the Lune this season w•as sold in Lancaater market the other day at U. per lb. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, SUNDAY.—yesterday her Majesty} and Prince Albert took their usual morning's walk. The Royal :Family were also taken out for their usual airing, the Prince of Wales and the Princess Alice - in a carriage, attended by the Dowager Lady Lyttelton, and the Princess Royal on her pony. Sir Robert Peel arr i ve d a t th e C ast l e a b ou t t wo o'clock, and after having had an audience of her Majosty, took his departure on his return to the metropolis. Her Majesty, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, and the Household, attended Divine service this morning in the private chapel in the Castle. Archdeacon Wilberforce and the Hon. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay officiated. Saturday was the birth-day of his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester gave a dinner in honour of the day at her resi dence, Gloucester House. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary were pre sent. A select party of the nobility and gentry had also the honour of receiving invitations. Their RoyaLHiglknesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary returned in the evening to Kew. The French Ambassador and the Countess de St. Aulaire, the Turkish Ambassador, and nearly all the members of the Diplomatic Corps, and also most of the nobility and gentry in town called during the day at Cambridge House, and left their names for the Royal Duke. The Duke of Cambridge attended Divine service yesterday in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The prayers were read by the Rev. Dr. Knapp, the lessons by the Rev. Dr. Wesley, and the Communion service by the Rev. Dr. Sleath and the Rev. Drs.:Knapp and Wesley. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of Lichfield, who took his text from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, chap. iii., verses 40 and 41. The musical ser vice was Barrow's, in F, the Sanctus in F, Gibbon, and the Anthem, " I was in the spirit," Blow. theCantilu' Wharnclitfe, Vivian, and Forester, nobility present. The Marquises of Salisbury and Wi nc h es t er , L or d s Cli ve , Eliot, E w n Ernest amongßr u Bruce The Duke of Wellington and Lord Ingestre attended the early service in the Chapel Royal, St. James's, yesterday morning. The Rev. Dr. Wesley officiated and preached the sermon. _ _ _ _ The Duke of Cambridge attended Divine serviceyesterday afternoon, in Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley-street. Major Stephens was in waiting on his Royal Highness. Sir Robert Peel left town on Saturday morning, to have an audience of her Majesty, at Windsor Ca s tl e . The Right Hon. Baronet returned to town in the afternoon, by the Great Western Railway, and arrived at his residence, in Whitehall-gardens, soon after four o'clock. Sir James Graham and the Chancellor of the Exchequer had interviews with the Right Hon. Baronet after his arrival. Bishop Griffiths had an interview with Lord Stanley, on Saturday, at the Colonial-office. Major Jebb transacted business on Saturday, at the Home office. Sir Robert Peel had a grand Parliamentary dinner party on Saturday, at his residence, in Whitehall-gardens. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. WORCESTER STEEPLE CHASE. Handicap for the Royal Birth-day Stakes.—Gay Lad, 12st 101b--Cheroot, 12st 7 lb—Peter Simple, 12st 7 lb—Van guard, 12st 51b—Robin Adair, l ist 71b--The Page, list 101 b —Regalia, llst 81b—Consul, list 71b—Discount, llst 51b— Tally-ho, list 21b—Carlow, 11 st—Lather, 11 st—Creeper, list —Wilts, list—Lottery, list—Marengo, 1 lit—King Cole, 11st —Culverthorpe, lOst 101b—Little Peter, lOst 101b—Tom Tug, lOst 101b—Roulette, lOst 101b—Ragged Jack, lOst 81b— Cora, 10st 81b—b cby Eastgrove, lOst 71b—Brilliant,10st 41b —Charity, 10st 41h—Forget-me-not, lOst 41b—Lady Hark away, lost—Josephine, lost—Flight, 9st 101 b. To declare on or before Monday next, March 4. SWINDON STEEPLE CHASE. Handicap of 20 soya. each, 10 ft, and only 5 if declared by Thursday next. •__ _ • Cheroot, 12st—Vanguard, lOst 61b—The Page, Ilst 101 b - list 91b—Tally-ho, list 71b—Carlow, list 21b— Creeper, 1 Ist—Lottery, llst—Marengo, lOst 101b—Box keeper, lOst 101b—Peter Swift, lOst 101b—King Cole, lOst 101b—Caleb Quotem, lOst 101b--Culverthorpe, lOst 10lb— Fitzwilliam, lOst 101b—Bolus, lOst 51b—Charity, lOst— Chance, 9st 81b. COURSING. MARCH (CAMBRIDGESHIRE), FEB. 19 AND 20.—A sweep stakes, 161. for 16 dogs, was won by Mr. A. Ground's Cora— Mr. enmault's Elia ran up. • MOLD MEErfNa.—The Ilawarden Castle Stakes, eighteen subscribers, were won by Mr. Gibb's Go-lightly—Mr. Rigby's Bugle ran up. COCKERHAM MERU:MI.—The cup was won by Mr. Wilson's Lapwing—Mr. Bourne's Busy ran up. The Lathwaite Stakes were won by Mr. Lamb's Lever. STATE OF IRELAND. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-FEB. 23. LORD J. RUSSELL'S MOTION. PAIRS. FOIL AGAINST. Acheson, Lord—Co. of Armagh Kerrison, Sir E.—Eye Archbold, Robert—Kildare Acton, Colonel—Wicklow Co. Barclay, D _ , --S underland Chelsea, Lord—Reading Berkeley, Hon. G.—Gl ouces t ers h . A c k ers, J ames— L u dl o w Cavendish Hon. G. H .—N. Derby Corbally. E. 111.—M eath Taylor, Capt. E.—Dublin Co. Dalineny, Lord—Sti rl i ng Cole, Hon. Arthur H.—Enniskillen Feilden, W. J.—Blackburn Duff, James—Banfr e h lre Broadwood, Henry Ellice, Right Hon. E.—Coventry Campbell, Sir H.—Berwickshire French, F. — Rosscornmon Vesey, Hon. T —Queen's Co. Granger, T. C.—Durham Bodkin W. H.—Rochester Grattan Hen__Lti J. eath Hogg, James 'Weir—Beverley rk Guest, J.— erthyr Tydvil Stanley, Edward—Cumberland Hoskins, K. — Herefordshire Price, Rickard—New Radnor Heneage, E d ward —Grimsby Fitzroy, Hon. Henry—Lewes Heathcoat, J.—Tiverton Morchunt,SirJohn—Warwickhs. Howard, Sir R.—Wicklow Co. Round, Charles Gray—Essex N. Listowell, Lord—St. Alban's Lennox, Lord A.—Chichester Loch, James—Kirkwall r. g ert o n , Lord F. L.—Lancashire Matheson, James—Ashburton Murray, C. S.—Bucks Mauls, Hon. Fox—Perth Hepburn, Sir T.—Haddingtonsh O'Brien, Cornelius—Clare Kirk, Peter —Carrickfergus O'Connell, Daniel—Meath Colquhoun, John C.—Newcastle. under Lyme Ogle, S.—South N orthumberland Vernon, G. H.—East Retford Oswald, James—Glas gow Forbes.W.—Stirlingshire Pryse, Pryse—Cardigan Wynn, C. W.—Montgonzeryth Rutherfbrd, Rt. Hon. A.—Lelth Ramsay, W.—Edinburghshire Redington, T. N.—Dundalk Bernard, Visc.—Bandon Bridge Russell l Lord E . --- Tavistock Trench, Sir F.—Scarborough Seale, Sir J.—Dartmouth Lopes, Sir R• —Westbuty Vivian, Captain—re aryn Hawkey , Thomas—Dudley Wemyss, Colonel—Fif es hi re Johnston e, J. II —Dumfriesshire Westenra, Hon. . —King's Newry Lor—Newry wood, BenjaminJ—NC. outhwark Co. Plant a, Joseph d —Hastings Woad, Charles—Halifax Cartwright, Win. R.—South Nor. thamptonshlre ABSENT LIBERALS-19. Ainsworth, P.—Bolton Johnstone, A.—Renfrew, &c. Bridgeman, Hewitt—Ennis Lanibton, H.—North Durham Callaghan, D.—Cork City Langton, Col Gore—Somerset liut i" land in s Cayley, E. S.—N. York Shire Martin, Thomas—Galway Co. Clive, Edward B.—Hereford O'Brien, W. S.—Limerick Co. Cobden, R.—Stockport Ricardo, L.—Stoke-upon-Trent o. Charles_ j._ .A t m. M.—Westmeath Drax, J. S. W. E.—Warehm Somerville, Sir Wm.—Drogheda Johnson, W. Augustus—Oldham 1 61 1 re ca e t n h a c w ot a l, ' i h n i s r t e er T T u art, C. R. M.—Glamorganshire ABSENT CONSERVATIVES-12. Attwood, J.—Harwich Mackinnon, W. A.—Lymington Benett, J.—South Wiltshire Nee ld, John—Cricklade Carnegie, Hon. Captain—Stet/Ord RoHeston, Col.—S. Nottingham Eastnor, Viscount— Reigate Sheppard, Thomas—Frome Forman, T. S.—Bridgewater Somerton, Viscount—Wilton Hamilton, Chas. J. B.—Aylesbury Vyvyan, Sir li.—Helstone ANALYSIS OF THE DIVISION. Illajorlty (tellers included) ... 326 Alinority (tellers included) . Paired 7O Absent—Conservatives ...... Absent—Liberals Speaker Seats vacant—Sudbury Londonderry, county JO •••••••••• 658 THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.—The new ballet of The Beauty of Ghent " is a decided hit," and is nightly received with universal admiration and applause. The fol lowing distinguished persons have been already to wit ness its performance :—Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Marchioness of Ailesbury, Marchioness of Conyngham, Duke of Leeds, Marquis of Clanricarde, Marquis of Lansdowne, Marquis of Salisbury, Marquis of Winchester, Earl and Countess of Chesterfield, Earl and Countess of Cardigan, Earl and Countess of Eglinton, Earl and Countess of Errol, Earl of Lincoln, Earl of Munster, Count Keilmansegge, Baron Nieurnann, Baron Ashfeldt ; Ladies Pollington, Somerset, Ernest Bruce, H arr ington, Graham, Foley, Villiers, Camp bell ; Lords Macdonald, Castlereagh, Alfred Paget, Shel burne, Alexander Lennox, Seaham, W. Graham, Glamis, Clive, Adolphus Fitzclarence ; Sir Charles Sh a k er l e y, B ar t., Sir John Harrington Bart., Sir B. Graha m , B art. , Si r H . Webbe, Bart., Sir Harrington, Rennie, Sir Charles Aldis ; Hon. Grantley Berkeley, lion. F. Stanhope, Hon. Edmund Byng, lion. Colonel Darner, lion. Craven Berkeley, lion. Mr. Gre vine ; Col. Cavendish, Col. Knox ; Ormby Gore, Esq. THE ROMANCE OF CHATSWORTH."—The admirers of romantic literature will be delighted to learn that the new work, the announcement of which under the title of" Chats worth," had excited so much curiosity, has no reference to the recent festivities at that palace, but proves to be a pure work of fiction, uniting in a singularly novel and original manner, the characteristics of a " fashionable novel," and a highly wrought romance—it is a sort of modern Decameron, in which a brilliant company of the supposed literary Celebrities of the day met together in the gorgeous halls of Chatsworth Palace, set their wits to work, jointly and severally, in a trial of skill , as to which can produce the most effective specimen of what each holds to be the highest species of prose fiction. A work of this description, making its appearance under the auspices of a writer of such consummate taste and accom plished scholarship as the distinguished author of " Tremaine" and "De Vero," cannot fail to excite unusual attention. SUDDEN DEATH.—OH • Sunday, the Bth instant, an inquest was held at the house of Mr. John Peach, Cistle Inn, Castle Donnington, before T. Gregory, Esq., coroner, and a re. spectable jury, on view of the body of Henry Garton, aged twelve years, son of Thomas GittOn; bricklayer, who died suddenly about noon on Saturday last. It appeared in evidence that the deceased was employed in the 'gimp manufactory of Mills and Co., and that having just completed a certain portion of work was standing at his leisure, when hi exclaimed, " Oh dear !" and fell on the door * and instantly expired. Messrs. Caine' and Smith were pr o mptly in attendance, but they pronounced huts to be quite dead. A post niortem examination of the body has s ilnee been made, when the surgeons reported " that the deeeaied died a natural death, from an efibsion on the brain." A yenta was returned accordingly._ Derby Reporter s • CORN-LAW MEETING. A meeting was held at Guildford on Saturday, for Ole purpose of adopting measuses to oppose the pro ceedings of the Anti-Corn-law League. It may be necessary to state that a great number attended who did not approve of the object of the meeting. Among those present were —J. Trotter, Esq., M.P. ;R. I). Mangles, Esq., M.P. ; Colonel Delap, Capt. Pyner, Capt. Wright, C. Cooper, Esq. (Mayor of Guildford) ; C. Barclay, G. Best, J. Bonsor, H. Currie, H. Drummond, R. Gates, R. Goldhawk, jun., J. Ware, W. King, T. Lomax, G. Marshall, Geo. J. Pardon, J. P. Shrub, E. T. Upperton, &c., and between 400 and 500 tenant farmers. It was a very uproarious meeting, the mono polists wishing to carry everything their own way, and the friends of free-trade equally determined to oppose them. Numbers, however, prevailed, and the usual sliding-scale resolutions were carried. Mr. Mangles, the Member for the borough, made an excellent speech against the resolutions. Mr. R. GATES proposed the appointment of a Com mittee to act in defence of the agricultural interest, and to correspond with the other societies in the country formed for the same object. Mr. PRICE advised the meeting to be careful hew they adopted this resolution, for he declared it illegal, and all who assented to it rendered themselves liable to be in dicted. —(Laughter.) He added that Mr. O'Connell was indicted under similar circumstances; indeed, his offence, he considered, was not so bad as theirs.—(Laughter.) Mr. PAINE seconded the resolution, and said he hoped it would go forth that no candidate would stand any chance at a future election if he did not pledge himself to the principle of protection to agriculture embodied in the sliding -scale. A petition, embodying the resolutions, was then agreed to, and a motion carried, that it should be pre sented to both Houses of Parliament. HAMBURGH, FLANDERS; AND DUTCH MAIL. SWEDEN AND NORWAY. STOCKHOLM, FEB. 13.—According to the AftenUad the King had a very restless night, fr.m the I.lth to the 12th, with great pain in the leg. Notwithstanding his weakness, his Majesty had sufficient strength of mind, in the latter days of last week, to listen to the articles in the journals, and to have the bulletins read to hiyabefore they were published. In the proclamation of the Norwegian. Government, announcing the transfer of the administration' to the Crown Prince, reference is made to a resolution of the Diet of May 4, 1818, so that the doubts which were en tertained here, whether the transfer would be legal in that kingdom, are removed. The cold increased here from the 9th to the 10th inst., from 18 to 25 degrees (about 32 to 45 Fahrenheit below freezing). • We learn from Gothenburg that M. Axel Malmlen, merchant in the city, has failed for 137,000 dollars. COPENHAGEN, FEB. 17.—The Fadreland announces that its number of the day before yesterday has been seized, and that it contained an article, copied from the Augsbuyg Allgerneine Zeitung, which defends the right of Denmark to levy the Sound duties. CASSEL, FEB. 11.—Some surprise was caused here by the circumstance that in the genealogy of the Electoral House of Hesse, which is always annexed to the official calendar for the Electorate of Heise, the Elector Wil liam 11. is stated this year to be " a widower since 13th February, 1843," and that no notice is taken of his third marriage. We learn that this omission has given occa sion to a complaint on the part of the Elector, which Privy Councillor Wohler, who has arrived atpassel from Frankfort, was commissioned to support. BRUSSELS, FEB. 21.—The average price of wheat last week was 16f. 83c., and that of rye 10f. 34c. The duties on importation and exportation, therefore, remained as before. The Dusseldorf Gazette has stated that the subscrip tion for the construction of a railway from that town to the Belgian railway, had been filled up, as it were, by enchantment. We now learn from the ETherfeld Gazette, that the persons desirous of partaking in the enterprise were so numerous, that it was necessary to fix 10,000 dollars as the maximum, and to reduce to that sum those which exceeded it. Soon after the deed was sivied, the share were sold at 1 per cent. premium; and the town hall seemed to be transferred into a stock exchange. Tux HAGUE, FED. 23.—The Central Section brought up its report on the law for regulating the claims of the late King, the discussion of which was fixed by the Chamber to follow that on the income-tax and the vo luntary loan, and that on the law for completing the ways and means for 1844 and 1845, and for discharging the debt to the Commercial Company. The debate on the tax on property then commenced. PIRACY IN THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO.—We extract the following particulars from the latest journals received from Java:— The Resident at Riouw states that news had been received from Sekana, a noted retreat of the pirates, that several vessels had been equipped to exercise piracy, from the coast of Malacca to Pailoc Pinang. In an ac tion between these pirates and the English steamer Diana, one of the chief of these banditti was killed, two others taken prisoners, and the vessel captured. The others retreated into the river Tjaeny, near Tjambi, on the east coast of Sumatra. An attempt by the Dutch authorities to seize the pirates was at first unsuccessful, but his Majesty's brig the Windhond, the Janas schooner, and six cruisers have been sent after them. They are to blockade the river, and punish this nest of thieves as it merits. The master of a native vessel of Serawak in Borneo, who has arrived at Pontianak, relates that at the begin ning of July three English men-of-war had anchored off' the river ; they were to undertake an expedition against the pirates of I)ayak. Accounts had been received that the result of this expedition was that several Kampongs in the district of Seribas had been taken; about 100 ha bitations of Malays and 30 of Dyaks, each 150 feet in length, and several of these vessels were destroyed. This news, however, needs confirmation. The Malays and Dyaks, it is said, made a vigorous resistance, but suffered very severely from the well-di rected fire of the English, who lost only two men. ATTEMPT AT POISON.—On Monday night last, the neighbourhood of Brampton Moor was thrown into great alarm by the report that a man had poisoned himself. It appears that John Bond, a collier, was not on the best of terms at home with his. spouse, so he determined to try her affections. He went to Ches terfield, pledged his handkerchief, and bought some arsenic, anti then returned home. Listening at the door, he heardhis wife ask a neighbour who the child was like ? The neighbour pronounced its eyes like its father's, on hearing which he " bounced" in, and exclaimed, " Yes, you will see how my eyes will be In the morn ing." He wont into the kitchen, got a cup and mixed the poison ; after which he threw the paper on the house floor, and pretended to drink the contents, and then went to bed. His wife took up the paper, and seeing " poison" printed upon the label, immediately gave the alarm, and messengers were despatched for a doctor, who , immediately returned with Mr. Jones, surgeon, his assistant, and Mr. • Sallimore. The poisoned man, perceiving expenses incur. ring, protested against the operation of the stomach.pump. Mr. Jones informed him that it was useless to make resistance, and called in four stout men, who held him while two others forced open his mouth, and as soon as they introduced the tube he bit cilf the end; but they effectually:went through the operation, and to their great surprise not one particle of poison could be fouad oft the stomach. The fact is, he had merely pretended to swallow the ingredients, but left them in the cup I—Derby Reporter. VESSELS SPOKEN WlTft.—Eleanor, Chapman, of Liver , pool, bound to Valparaiso, lat. 7, lon. 40; Islander, of Lon don, lat. 22, lon 34, by the Netherlands barque, Pollux —, Hector (ship), of New Bedford, 25th ult., lat 4 N., lon. 22 W. ; Tanjore, Calcutta to London, Ist inst., lat. 15, lon. 28 W., by the Orion, arrd. at Falmouth. Mertoun, Bombay to Li verpool, Nov. 22, lat. 24 S., lon. 6E. ; Lady Mary, Mau ritius, London, lat. 36 S., lon. 23 E. ; Margaret, of Bristol, for Algoa Bay, Dec. 15, lat. 34 S., lon. 26 F.. ; Nestor, Mau ritius, to Liverpool, 16th ult., lat. 2 N., lon. 25 W.; John Campbell, Liverpool to Africa, 19th inst., lat. 52 N., lon. 10 W., by the Montrose, arrived at Liverpool. Ganges, Bordeaux to Calcutta, Oct. 20, lat. 17 N., lon. 87 E. ; Cambrian, Calcutta to London, Dec. 21, lat. 35 S., lon. 17 E. ; Pollux, Batavia to Amsterdam, Bth ult., lat. 8 S., l o n. 14 W., by the Brooke, arrived at Liverpool. Neptune, of Bristol, 9th ult. lat. 44, lon. 10, with loss of foretopmast and maintop gallantniast, by the Boyne, arrived at Liverpool. Johanna Maria, Rotterdam to Batavia, Oct. 24, near the latter port ; Jenne Edmond, Bourbon to Nantes, Dec. 23, lat. 18 S., lon. 3 Zen l i v an „ Allude, Amsterdam to to toßa H ta a N v l an a, n 9 a t h l: 2ul6tt,h. ut hat. N., 23 ~ lat. 32 N., lon. 26 W., by the Admiral Van Hemakirk, atrived in the Texel. SINGULAR CIRCUAISTANCIL—The quiet little town of %Vantage has been in commotion for the past week, owing to a very interesting and lady-like girl, about 14 yes.rs of age, having been brought there by Old Harrod (who travels about with besoms), and given up to the constable. It seems that Harrod took up the young lady in his cart at Buck land, seeing that she was nearly exhausted, and her clothes very dirty, and finding she gave an odd account of herself, he very properly handed her over to the custody of Jones, wive pro vided her with a bed and supper at a small public-home, and the next morning mentioned the matter to his sistier, the kind-hearted good-natured landlady of the Bear, who, sent for the girl to her house, and had her provided with clean clothes and every necessary. She was soon visited by the Rev. Mr. Hewlett, Mr. Ormond, and several gentlemen, who from her ingenuous manner, her evident good brctedine, - , and education, with her intelligent replies to their questkins, soon took a great interest in her behalf. It appeared that the young lady had from some cause run away from her friends in the neighbourhood of Bath, whose names she would not enention, and had been walking for two days last week in the cold and severe weather, without going into a house, and veAli only a short supply of biscuits in a bag, and had actually slept under the hedges for two nights ; mid when she arrived at Wantarre her dress bore evident marks of what she had gone through, and her little feet were dreadfully kerollen, and it is only a wonder that one of such tender years did not die. Mr. Ansell took the young lady to his own house, and under the kind treatment of his wife she soon recovered the effects of her trying journey. It seems she mad e a di sc l osure o f t h e name of her near relations and friends to Mr. Ansell, and on Tuesday a clergyman arrived from Lincolnshire, whose name a few years since came very prominently before the public, in consequence of a melancholy event which occurred it Middlesex, and claimed her as his daughter, and it turned out that she had been adopted by another clergyman resident in Bath, and from some fancied cause of ill-treatment by his housekeeper, started off on a wild-goose chase to London, and it is fortunate that she fell into such good hands, and was restored, after a week's wonder and excitement, to her friends.. —Berks Chronicle. A notice has been posted up at Boulogne, stating that the Commissary of Maritime Inscription has been in formed by the consular agent of France at Brighton, that eight fishing-boats, from various parts of France, had been arrested for being found within the English fishing-lines, without: either blue flag or streamer, and contrary to th e treaty of 1839; and that with great difficulty the comelier agent had prevailed on the English authorities to let them to tine or imprisonme n t, as th 6, g th that em hereafter no such ind u l gence was case e withoutwarr warranted; n s te ur c b ti u n t to be shown to any vessels taken in similar circumstances, p ti e u t ir s L, b m. • had a fo in llo h w i i s ng lo n st ot t ic r e eas :_ uLe, Lo h set, NOVEL REWARD.—Mr. James Pollard lost, on Monday last, two half-sovereigns, which, on in reason to believe had been found by a certain t t o lie g en th g i a s ged = the . order to ing,. near the Town Hall, two half-sovereigns. Any person c u r?e v r n. to announce having found the same, and Will bring the person having it to crier, shall receive one pound five shillings reward. The same, in saro portion, will be pail to any person w h o h as f oun d o n e or t h e half-sovereigns."Suflice it to say that the money wa.a loon produced,' and the fortunate finder received 11b. ;e: 4 10 and 56. illlllolleyow4forthampton Mercury. ;E. Q.) spedia Y.) • call ti l° to )tra" 111 0}11 LII i°. ,- 00,