The Sun. — London, England, 1845-04-08 00:00:00

the. Hon. Geztleman to whom he alluded, in which he proposed this free trade which he now opposed. He would advise those gentlemen to endeavour to lead their constituencies to Sink that the corn-laws should not last, instead of making them believe that Ministers would adhere to this or to that policy, that they may profess to pursue for party purposes. They told them of the na tional debt, but they never told them that they were the persons who had all the benefit of contracting that debt. The debt was contracted in the time of war, when the articles necessary for war purposes were high, and now they wanted to continue those high prices. The profits went into the pockets of the landed proprietors, and Mr. D. Hume told them, that when a man was said to be in the possession of an estate worth 50,0001., he was also sup posed to possess 50,000/. consols ; but instead of that they lived up to their incomes, mortgaged their proper ties, and now they must try measures to keep up the prices of corn, the same as they were in the time of war. it was most ridiculous for landed proprietors to come into that house and say that they ought to be exempted from taxation. They paid no rents at all • they received their lands subject to those burthens, an d they ought to pay them. They had the corn-laws, and were sheltered by Court patronage and place. They had all the pick ings of the Court, and had the whole patronage of the Ministers. Their acres not only produced corn, but also pensions and sinecures.— (Cheers and laughter.) Acres were a great security, a sort of certificate by which they obtained places and pensions ; he would ask them if they thought that the time was not approaching when the mercantile portion of the community would not ask to be placed in the same position as that in which they were. He would call on them no longer to interrupt the public business by claims which could not be supported ; he saw no grounds on this occasion for resisting the pro posal of her Majesty's Government. Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN said that the Corn-law League had been unsuccessful for some years, and now they were trying what they could do by taking up the Church and the Court. Wishing them success—("Hear," and laughter)—their " Hear, hear," commenced too soon. Wishing them success equal to their past success, he would observe, that al theugh tho Hon. Gentleman was a prophet, he could not declare himself the prophet of a fulfi.led prediction. He said that the agricultural portion of the community were displeased with their Members, but he had merely made an allusion to an article which appeared in the newspapers. Let him show them how these constituen cies were inclining to the principles of the Corn-law- League.—(Hear, hear.) He came down to the House for the purpose of opposing the proposition, and it would seem that the speech of the Hon. Gentleman did not induce him to alter his intention. He recommended that the proceeds of certain taxes should defray the expenses of the Bill, not one expense of which he could account for. These were the same principles as those brought before the House by the Member for Somersetshire. He did not think when a proposition had once been brought before the House, and had been decided upon by a large majority, that it was forwarding the public busi ness again to bring it before the House. Was the question of local taxation to be discussed or not? If it were not to be fully discussed, then he should say that it was in terrupting the business of this House, and keeping the country in suspense, but if they only entered upon its discussion without going through it, then he should say that they would prejudice the question in the opinion of the country, and it would not be doing justice to its merits. He should decline to support the proposition of his Hon. Friend. He had listened very attentively to the lion. Member in the hope of hearing him urge some argument in support of his proposition, but he had lis tened in vain, for he had heard none. But even sup posing that he (Mr. O'Brien) did acquiesce in this proposition, the Hon. Member had not stated by what means he intended to carry it out; so that, in fact, even if it were affirmed by the House, all they would get by it was a mere proposition for a general scramble.— (Hear, hear.) He saw thellionourable Member for Montrose laughing ; but he (Mr. O'Brien) knew very well that that Hon. Member would not allow this proposition to be carried out without making a very hard scramble. Therefore, even if the House should give the Hon. Member all that he asked, not the least use would be the result of the proposition ; and for these reasons he (Mr. O'Brien) felt compelled to vote against his propo sition.—(Hear, hear.) He did think the Hon. Member was rather unwise in persevering in his proposition, and he would get but few to vote with him ; but even if he did get a few more than he expected, the result would only prejudice his case. For these reasons he (Mr. O'Brien) would give the proposition his most hearty op position.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. F. T. BARING did not think that the remission of this tax would at all result in the beneficial effects anticipated by the Government. Recently he, and others at this side of the House, agreed, from the financial difficulties of the country, to the imposi tion of a tax, but which they, at the same time, could not but feel was a harsh, unequal, and heavy-tax.—(Hear, hear.) But then the result of this was the creation of a surplus, which was alleged as a reason for the remission of the present tax ; and now the House was called on to say that this was a fit and proper mode of applying this surplus. If the Howe agreed to this resolution, to take off this tax, it would be impossi ble to remove other and more oppressive ones.—(Hear, hear.) People out of doors expressed their surprise at this proceeding, and asked, " What the Government meant by throwing away 250,0001. by the reduction of the auction duties ?"—(Hear, hear.) The Chancellor cf the Exchequer spoke of the inconvenience of the tax ; but he (Mr. Baring) was surprised that that Right Hon. Gentleman had not made out a better case against it than he had ; and, indeed, he knew no tax against which a good speech could not very easily be made.—(Laughter.) But in the present case he should say that before this proposition was made, inquiry should have been insti tuted in order to ascertain if there was no other tax the removal of which would tend to confer more general benefit to the public at large than this —(Hear, hear.) He would ask why not propose a reduction of the duty upon butter or tallow, or many other articles of general consump tion amongst the poorer classes ?—(Hear, hear)—Hon. Members cheered but he would ask them would they do it ?—(Hear, hear.) He would vote against the remis sion of this tax, in order that he might afterwards have an opportunity of voting in favour of the remission of others, the removal of which would be more beneficial to the country, while the remission of that now under discussion might have been left for a future day.— (Hear.) If a tax was to be imposed and that it was deemed to be just, the best proof of its justice would be the fact that there were no exemptions ; but on the other hand the great proof of the hardships of some taxes imposed was the number of cases of exemption.— (Hear.) Now he would ask was the tax proposed to be removed one that had been falling off ? He could show that it had not, for he had before him documents by which it appeared that in the year 1831 this tax amounted to 233,000/., while the average amount for the last three years was 294,0001., which proved it to be a gradually increasing tax.—(Hear.) He would wish very much that the Committee would consider whether there was no other tax, the remission of which would not do more ge neral good. He had no doubt that if the question were referred to twelve honest men they would very easily find such a tax ; for instance there was the duty upon soap.—(dear.) Li fact there was no article so much used amongst the poor as soap—there was uo article so necessary to their comfort, but the duty upon it was so high that frauds were continually practiced in its menu facture.—(Hear.) Surely, then, the poor would be more benefited by the removal of this duty than that cri auctions. lie had before him a report from several counties in England, by which it appeared that two thirds of the income of the labouring classes was spent in the article of soap; and how much of that sum went into the pockets a the Government in the shape of duty?—(Hear, hear.) The duty upon soap was about 141. 14s. per ton, or at the rate of thirty per cent. profit to the revenue.—(Hear.) Now the auction duties did not in any way affect manufactures or trades men, while the duty upon soap had a very serious effect in keeping up the price of very many other articles of general consumption. There were many other taxes of a nature equally oppressive which he could mention, and each of which it would be much more useful to remove th a n this duty on • auctions.—(Hear, hear.) The con sumption of soap was equal to about 71b. per head of the entire population, while that of sugar was about 151bs , even in the worst times ; and surely, then, would it not . be a great public benefit to let the poorer classes have these articles at the lowest possible price. Indeed he could quote a very high authority to bear him out in his assertion with regard to soap. In the year 1837, when it was proposed to reduce the duty on newspapers. and thereby remove a tax on knowledge, the present Chan cellor of the Exchequer made a most argumentative speech in favour of the remission of the duty on soap, and showed how much the poor would benefit by it. — (Cheers.) On the whole, he (Mr. Baring) did think, and he believed the country would agree with him, that a much better use could be very easily made of 250,000/. than by applying it to the remission of the auction duty; and he would give the proposition his negative. Sir. J. GRAHAM said he rose for the purpose of re plying to the observations of his Hon. Friend opposite, relative to certain measures which had orig inated with him. One measure which he had proposed would ulti mately, he was convinced, cause a material saving to the ratepayers. There was another and most important measure which he had proposed. He alluded to the proposed alteration of the law of settlement. This was not the time to discuss that measure; but he would say that it would tend very materially to the improvement of the labouring classes. But if that measure should be found not to be conducive-to that end, and if those who had had experience in these matters should not be pre- Fared to give it their assent, he certainly would not press it. It was a matter quite open to discussion. It was a question of the greatest importance, and ought not to be treated in the least as a party question. He was quite prepared to enter into the discussion of the -measure but he would not advise the Government pertinaciously to adhere to it. His Noble Friend the Member for Dor setshire intended to call the attention of the House to the subject of lunatic asylums ; but, on this account the Government could not be called upon to postpone the consideration of the subject now under discussion, seeing that the measure of his Noble Friend was not yet matured. His lion. Friend had commented upon an observation which he (Sir J. Graham) had made with respect to the county-rate. What he (Sir J. Graham) had said was that with greater care and greater supervi sion a very material saving might be effected. With re ference to the remission of the cotton duty his lion. Friend had committed an erro r which he (Sir James Graham) had heard others fall into —namely, that of endeavouring to show the extent of relief to the labourer of the country, whether manufacturing or com mercial, by the mere amount of the duty remitted as affecting the article either worn or used by the la bourer. Now, that was not the argument. The argu ment was, that the remission of the duty on the raw material would so operate upon the demand for that article and the cost of the manufacture, as to materially verease the general prosperity of the manufacture itself, and incidentally a hundred fold to improve the position of the working classes, by increasing the de mand for their labour. He might be permitted to state some of the principal objections to this tax. If he mistook not, the amount of property annually charged under this tax was 45,000,0001., while the actual amount submitted to bear any share of the impost, was only 8,000,000/. annually, or not more than 20 per cent. on the whole. The cost of the collection of this duty amounted to as much as 50,0001, or about 20 per cent. of the whole duty. It appeared to him that the greatest objection to this tax was that it was a tax upon property, and upon the sub ject of its remission he would read the opinion of Sir Henry Parnell, and Mr. Wickham the present Com missioner of Stamps and Taxes. The Right Hon. Gentleman then read from a published report upon the subject, in which the total abolition of the tax was advo cated. The first tax recommended by Sir Henry Parnell to be remitted was that now under consideration. A similar motion to that which had been made by his Hon. Friend the Member for Somersetshire was made in the year 1836, by the Noble Lord then the Member for Buckinghamshire (the Marquis of Chandos), and on that occasion he (Sir James Graham) held the same opinion which he had that evening expressed with respect to the tax now under discussion. He resisted the motion of the Marquis of Chandos on precisely the same grounds as those upo n which he now resisted the motion of his Hon. Frien d ; and he should now have the greatest pleasure in supporting the motion of his Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr. DARBY was understood to support the motion of the Hon. Member for Somersetshire, but the observa tions which he made were delivered in such a very low tone of voice as to be quite inaudible in the gallery. Mr. HUME said the question they had that evening to decide was, whether they should repeal the auction duty, or whether they should apply the surplus revenue to the reduction of the county-rates. He would ask whether there was any tax which pressed more un equally than the auction-duty ? Was there any more expensive of collection, more difficult to collect, or one that could be more easily evaded ? He would defy any one to point out a more objectionable tax. The great advantage by the remission of the duty was, that they would thereby get rid of one branch of the excise. They had already got rid of two branches and only two re mained—that with respect to soap and bricks. He hoped that these would be done away with next year. A late Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Monteagle, had proposed a reduction in the duty on glass, but al though the reduction took place, the establishment at the Excise had to be kept up and the public in conse quence derived no benefit from the reduction. If the whole of ,the duty had been taken off, as was now the case, the people would have been largely benefited. He would vote with great pleasure for the motion of the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr. M. GORE would support the motion of the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer, be • cause he thought there was no tax which pressed so mischievously on the public as the auction duty. That was not only his own opinion, but it was the opinion of Dr. Adam Smith and Mr. Ricardo. And not only was the principle supported by great writers, but it was sup ported by many of the ablest statesmen that this coun try ever produced. It was supported by the late Lord Lansdowne who was such an able supporter of the principles of free-trade, by Mr. Pitt, Mr. Huskisson, Lord Liverpool, and the late Mr. Horner, whose name ought never to be pronounced in that House but withre spect. He also thought that great advantage would arise from an equalisation of the cost of auctioneers' licences. Lord J. RUSSELL said it appeared to him that the Hon. Member for Montrose had mistaken the objeet of the vote to which they were about to come. His Hon. Friend thought he was about to give a vote with regard to county-rates, but there was nothing in the question which regarded county-rates, even if the Committee did not agree to the proposition of the Right Hon. Gentle man the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The question, as he understood it, was this:—There were various re missions of duty proposed; the House agreed to the re mission of the cotton duties, to the excise duty on glass, and various remissions of the Customs' duties, and now there was a proposition made for the remission of the auction duty. which, according to the statement of the Right Hon. Baronet the First Lord of the Treasury, would reduce the surplus to about 90,000/. Now, if that were the case, it was quite evident, as stated by his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Baring), that there could be no remission of other duties during the present session, if the Com mittee agreed to the proposition in the hands of the Chairman.—(Hear, hear.) The question then was, whether the Government proposed the very best re mission of duty, or whether there might not be any thing else more worthy the consideration of the House. The House showed no want of assent to the propo sition of the Government, because the great mass of the House had already agreed to it. But he owned a proposition had been made to which be would wish to give his assent on another occasion. He meant the proposition made by his Hon. Friend, the Member for Dumfries, to take off the duty on butter and cheese. — (Hear, hear.) He thought that a reduction of the duty on butter would be a most advisable reduction, and he did not think that butter being fit for human food, would be a fatal or decided objection against it.— (Laughter.) With regard to the duty on cheese like wise, it might be remitted with great advantage. He un derstood that his Hon Friend proposed a reduction of 50 per cent. on that article. The amount of duty on those two articles was about 260,0001., and they might, therefore, reckon a loss of not less than 120,0001 to the revenue, if the proposition of his Hon. Friend was car ried. Bat if the proposition of the Government were carried he would hardly feel justified in voting for such a reduction with only a surplus of 90,000/. The Right Hon. Gentleman the late President of the Board of Trade said that the state of the revenue was the only reason against the reduction of those duties. He said the duties were excessive and absurd—at least he said they were not reasonable and could not be defended.— (Hear, hear.) When, therefore, the revenue was able to afford a reduction on those duties, they might calcu late upon the concurrence of the Right Hon. Gentleman, and his (Lord J. Russell's) wish was, that the revenue might be in such a state as to enable the Right Hon. Gentleman to vote for such a reduction. After the surplus was reduced by the amount of the auction duty the surplus remaining would be too small to allow of any further reduction, and he confessed, for one, though it might be an unpopular doctrine in that House, that he would rather see a greater surplus of revenue than the Right Hon. Baronet opposite proposed to leave, especially now that they had that disagreeable tax—the property and income-tax. He admitted that the surplus of 90,000/. might be sufficient if the state of the country prospered, supposing the trade advanced—(Hear, hear) —but, in adverse circumstances, he would like to have more of a margin than the Right Hon. Baronet proposed to leave ; therefore, if the Right Hon. Gentleman proposed a re duction of the soap duty he (Lord J. Russell) could not vote for the reduction, because he would hardly like to reduce the surplus more than it was already reduced. If, then, the present motion was carried, he owned he could not give his vote for the proposition of his Hon. Friend, the Member for Dumfries, or support any further reduction of taxation during the present session. He had thus stated the grounds upon which he would give his vote, though he did not suppose they would be agreeable tot e Hon. Member for Dorset, whose views were so very different from his (Lord John Russell's.) He would not say a word with respect to the auction duty ; but even if the Hon. Member for Dorset shire succeeded in his proposition, he did not think he would make much by it, as he thought the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be much more likely to keep the amount of the auction duty than apply it in the manner in which the Hon. Member for Dorsetshire would wish to have it applied.—(Laughter.) Sir R. PEEL said he agreed in some of the proeo sitions of the Noble Lord. lie agreed with him in thinking that not a word was to be said in favour of the auction duty.—(Laughter.) The Noble Lord resisted the repeal ' of it, but he had the candour to admit, that not a word was to be said in favour of it.—(Laughter.) He hoped that Hon. Gentlemen would bear that in mind when they were going to give their votes, because the Nob:e Lord who was so high an authority, admitted that not a word could be said in favour of it. The Noble Lord also said that 90,0001. was too small a surplus, and when the (louse affirmed the present proposition of the Govern. ment with respect to the auction duty, be would most cordially concur with the Noble Lord in the opinion that it would be quite impossible to agree to any other reduction.—(Loud laughter.) He rejoiced to hear the Noble Lord had taken up that position, because he could count on his cordial support. —(A lie rejoiced that he could cordially unite with the Noble Lord in resisting any other propositions for the reduction of taxation which might come before them. He hoped that gentlemen ou his (Sir Robert Peel's) side of the House would recollect what were the objects of the Noble Lord.—(Hear.) His Hon. Friend (Mr. Bankes) might see that he would get nothing by his motion, for if his Hon. Friend succeeded in prevent ing a reduction of the auction duty, he (Sir R. Peel) would certainly be disposed to agree with the Noble Lord, thinking it better to keep the 395,0001. auction duty in the Exchequer. His Hon. Friend, therefore, would not be likely to derive that advantage from his proposal which he supposed. He advised those who were interested in the protection of other duties to recollect if the Noble Lord succeeded in resist ing the repeal of the auction duty that he proclaimed he would then vote fur a reduction of the duty on butter and cheese.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) Now he would beg of the House to consider what the auction tax was. It was a tax decidedly in favour of persons possessed of large property who wished to sell it, as compared with the poorer class.—(Hear, hear.) In point of fact the auction tax, as far as large populations were concerned, was a device f or ena bli ng t h e ric h ma n to ascertain the real gotittlre: 8,000 fhisecoo property. —(Hear, hear.) They only were sold, and y e t theythoad an ugh4 im s, m oo e o n , s o e oO es L of pp —(Hear, hear.) What was the course pursued ? A person who had an estat e wort h 100,0001. and wishing to dispose of it, put it up for sale by auc tion, but did not sell it He thus as certained what was the full value of the, estate, after competition, not a peen of the tax was paid, though ho had all the advantage!: f h the Excise establishment for the purpose oftia:celratwainainngd the value of his estate ; but the man whose was sold through distress had no such advantage.-- va P n m tar Y (fkar, hear.) And when they considered the numbe r exceptions to the tax, and to the principle upon which it was made, he would say that not only a word could not be spoken in favour of it, but a volume might be written against it. His Right Hon. Friend had stated the case of an incumbered proprietor of a property, worth 100,0001., which was exposed to auction. The incum brances were 90,000/. —the demand for payment was pressing—the estate was sold by auction. 100,000/. was raised from the sale; the vendor had to give 10,0001- to pay off the incumbrances; he received the remaining 10,0001. out of which he wa s to pay 3,000/. to the Excise.— (Hear, hear.) Now, take the case of a person having a property of the same value upon which there was no in cumbrances. He wished to sell it, not because he was distressed, but because he wished, perhaps, to buy pro perty in another county. What did he do? He put up the property for sale, but only that he might ascertain, by competition, the value of the property. In this case the revenue did not get a penny of the tax, whilst the individual had all the advantage of an extensive estab lishment to ascertain the value of the property. Now was that fair ?—(Hear, bear.) Then could anything be more advantageous to agriculture—to agriculture, above all things, and to a commercial country—than to have a free circulation of property. He could not conceive any thing more advantageous than an unrestrained power of transferring property, without the interference of the excise, and the enabling of every person to get the highest sum for his property which it would realise.— (Hear, hear.) As far as it operated on the person who was obliged to sell his property for distress, it was most unjust. He believed they would receive great social benefits from a free circulation of property. Seeing that the Noble Lord had nothing to say in favour of the tax, he hoped the Committee would join with the Govern ment in remitting this tax, though he was bound to add, as to the remissioh of it, the sur p lus Lft would be less than was desirable.—(Cries " Hear, hear.") Mr. F. BARING would wish to know whether the Right Hon. Baronet would say that this tax would attach is case of a distress. Sir PEEL said that all he meant to say was that the tax operated most unjustly in the case of poor persons, who were obliged to sell their property, as com pared with those who made use of their establishment merely to ascertain the value of their property.—(Hear.) Colonel SIBTHORP said he thought the Government might take off the duty on fire insurance, which was a most injudicious duty, with more advantage than the auction duty. He was opposed to the proposition of the Government, and he did not altogether like the proposi tion ; but, of the two, he would rather prefer voting for the proposition of his Hon. Friend than for that of the Government. Mr. COBDEN said that it was not his intention to say one word upon this subject till he had heard the speech of the Right Hon. Baronet. What did the Right Hon. Baronet say ? " Do not," said he, " vote with the Hon. Member for Dorsetshire against the proposition of the Government, for if you leave the auction duty as it is, and have an additional surplus of 300,0001., the Noble Lord the Member for London will then vote for a reduc tion of the duty on butter and cheese, and that is your interest," for that was the word of the Right Hon. Gen tleman. Why, had he (Mr. Cobden) ever said anything so bad ? Did he ever say," You are interested in butter and cheese ?"—(Hear, bear, and laughter.) He bad said, indeed, in Covent-garden, that they set up a shop of their own, and would not allow an opposition shop on the same side of the street ; but he never said they were cheesemongers, or asked them to vote in a particular way because they were so.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) He did not understand how, especially on the principle of the Hen. Member for Dumfries, the House could give its support to a protection to butter and cheese. air T. ACKLAND conceived that the Hon. Gentle man who had just sat down quite misapprehended the question, but if they were to consult the real interests of several classes, instead of one, they would find that the intelligence, and truth—and the interest of truth— were all on the side of the proposition of the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel). He conceived that the re mission of duty which the Right Hon. Baronet had pro posed was altogether in favour of the landed interest — their prominent, their peculiar. that especial interest, to which he, as the owner of an estate, belonged. If they consulted the exports and imports, they would find that this remission of duty altogether told in their favour ; and he thought that the landed interest would be blindly sensible to their own advantage, if they refused to ac cede to the proposition which the Right Hon. Baronet had made them.—(Hear, hear.) As it struck him,. the great inducement held out by the Hon. Gentleman who had just sat down was, that the imposition upon the sale of the minor articles of produce was remitted at the expense of the greater articles. Now, it was a great reason with him, that one of the chief motives which should induce the landed interest was, that they would by this means be enabled to dispose of their property to the best advantage. The Hon. Member had said, that in the selling of an estate worth 100,0001., the proprietor would save at least 3,0001. in auction duty. Now he conceived that this was an advantage which ought to be properly estimated by the landed interest. The Hon. Member for Dorset shire bad, in his opinion, misconceived the question; and that in voting against the proposition of the Right lion. Baronet, he was clearly going against the interests of the class he professed to serve. There was no class, in his estimation; who were more likely to be benefited than the landed interest. He believed that the remission of these duties would not lead to any fraudulent evasion of the duty to Government, but that, on the contrary, it would tend very largely to increase those revenues which the remission of those duties seemed apparently to de stroy. He trusted, therefore, that the community would recollect that this was a remission by which the public were to be largely benefited. He therefore begged the attention of the House to the particular points which the Right Hon. Baronet especially wished to lay before them, and he trusted they would proceed, as they no way militated against the interest with which he, as a landlord, was intimately connected.—(Hear.) Mr. LABOUCHERE said that he certainly conceived that the Hon. Baronet who had just sat down was wrong in his position, and that the impression which the Right Hon. Baronet intended to convey was just such as the Hon. Member for Stockport had represented. It was not a mere question of butter and cheese— (Hear, hear)—there was something more than that. He was not prepared to pass an eulogium upon her Ma jesty's Government, but he did conceive that the remis sion of those duties was a boon for which the country might well be thankful. He should, on that account, vote against the motion of the Hon. Member for Dorset shire for imposing duties on butter and cheese.—(Loud cries of " Divide, divide.") The House then divided, when there appeared— For the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer 167 Against it 3O Majority for Ministers —l37 Mr. HUMEi said that be had no desire to interfere with the proceedings of so respectable a body of men as the auctioneers of England, but he could not conceive why there should be a variety of character in the nature of the goods which were to be disposed of, and he thought that if they imposed a penalty unequally, they would be doing a manifest injustice to a number of those who had hitherto paid a lower rate. If an individual were pos sessed of an estate, and chose to throw the property of the estate away, he might use the means of selling . it by auction ; but still there was a manifest injustice in the obligations which imposed a variety of duties upon pro perty of a private character and he would suggest that there should be one uniform duty after the rate of 7/..105. for the licences. Mr. HAWES said that he thought due consideration had not been used, and that the small and far more nu merous class of auctioneers—those who were residents in the country, and whose interests had been entirely overlooked, ought to be brought into consideration. At present they were ranged among the first class auc tioneers, who being entitled to sell wines, spirits, and estates, were obliged to take a licence which cost them 30/. The Commissioners of Excise recommended that if there were a general auction licence it ought to be 101. annually. More licences would be taken out at 10/. than 151., and the revenue be consequently more bene fited. The Government would commit a great injus tice on a large body of men, compelling the small auc tioneers to pay the same dory as large ones, which would give the latter a monopoly in this description of busi ness. Upon these grounds he seconded the proposition. Sir R. PEEL said that the required amount of duty would have at least one salutary effect—that of placing the business in the hands of respectable auctioneers. The lion. Member had alluded to the recommendation of the Commissioners of Excise, but that was made when they only proposed a modification of the duty, whereas the Government were now about to remove the auction duty altogether. They were about to give a great s:imulus to this business, and he thought after all that the proposal of the Government was the most equitable. The Government sought but a very trifling compensa tion for the great amount of revenue sacrificed. Mr. HUME inquired the amount of auction duty re ceived during the last year, and the number of auc tioneers who paid duty ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the number of auctioneers was 3,900, and the amount of duty (as we understood it) 70,520/. Hon. Members who had spoken in this debate seemed to forget the cumbrous and complicated machinery of the late mea sure. Auctioneers were obliged to pay a specific licence for the different articles they sold, each varying in amount, and on a different scale. For all this the plain, simple, and uniform licence tax of the Government was proposed. Mr. WILLIAMS did not know why auctioneers should be advantaged more than any other class of tradesmen. Mr. WARBURTON thought it would be but right to state the number of the auctioneers who had taken out the licence, and the aggregate amount paid into the re venue. He had looked at the report furnished by the Commissioners, and he found that the greater part of witnesses were Edinburgh auctioneers. This sum of 151. might seem a moderate duty to them or to other metropolitan auctioneers, but the House must bear in mind that the tendency of the duty would be to drive the trade of the country into the larger Owns. He thought the licence should be rated at 10/. Mr. BELLEW supported the proposition of the Hon. Member (Mr. Hume.) After a few words from the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, Lord DUNCAN read a letter from one of his consti tuents, which stated that he should be obliged to give up business if this high rate of duty were imposed. The town of Bath contained some fifty auctioneers who had been duly licensed, but of that number only four had paid the higher duty. He thought Government should accede to the return requested by the Hon. Member for Kendal, failing which he (Lord Duncan) should certainly vote with the Hon. Member for Montrose. Lord WORSLEY was of opinion that this high rate of ditty would be found so oppressive that auctioneers could only exist in the great towns, and those in the country, who required to sell by auction, would be obliged to bring one, at a great expense, from the county town. He thought this would be adding to, instead of taking from, the tax.—(Hear, hear, from Col. Sibthorp.) Mr. TURNER thought the Government measure would be warmly supported, and instead of injuring the Chancellortrade hetho o u r gh th t e it E wo c u h ld e e l l y e r vate the character . of the auc tioneers were now relixevaef tradesmen. Mr. HUME said the Right Hon. Gentleman the had said that the auc that res as heavy security was from a at responsi y, Who imposed revenue. Lie thought the la duty ponsi p bi r i e t s i et required h from them. y w o required that se curity? Why the Government for the p rotection of its a most exorbitant one, and if Government persisted in imposing it he should divide the House. Mr. PARKER said the tax of 151 would produce so little to the revenue that it was not worth the Govern ment's while to retain it. Mr. RICE would be quite ready to agree to the pre sent proposition of the Government, if t►he Chancellor of the Exchequer would promise that in the Committee he would give the information of which he had spoken. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he proposed to give all the information in his power. In reply to an observation from Mr. GISBORNE, Sir R. PEEL said it had been proposed to reduce the duty to 71. 103. It appeared that this reduction would have too great an effect in reducing the amount of the productiveness of the tax, but that 101. would increase it above the amount to be derived from 151. Mr. HUME asked, would the Right Hon. Baronet agree to 101. now ?—(A laugh.) Sir R. PEEL said he stood there not for the interest of any party but the public, and if it were shown that 101. would produce more than 151., he would be prepared to take that into c onsideration. Mr. WARBURTON' wished the question were settled, as a deal of property was now locked up, and kept from sale by the delay of the measure. Mr. HAWES was of opinion that 10/. would produce more to the revenue than 15/. Mr. HUME—And 5/. more than either.—(A laugh.) Sir R. PEEL said that he would not now state what the amount should ultimately be fixed at. Impiries were in progress, and he would at a future stage be able to state to the House the result. Mr. HUME said it was quite clear that the Govern mint had proposed the increase to 151. without any in formation whatever. He really hoped the Right Hon. Baronet would now consent to fix the amount of the duty at 7/. 10s.—(A laugh.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, Hon. Gentleman was bidding against himself. —(A laugh.) The Hon. Gentleman first proposed 71. 10s., and then he suggested 51., and now he went back to the old offer.—(A laugh.) He (lhe Chancellor of the Exchequer) would consider the question, and would lay before the House all the information he could obtain. Mr.WILLIA,MS thought that 10/. would be a rea sonable medium, and hoped the Government would as sent to it Lord WORSLEY said that if the Committee divided he would vote for 10/. But in the present imperfect state of their information, it would be better not to divide in the present stage. Mr, PLUMPTRE thought in the conflicting offers, Government might very well knock down the tax at to/. Mr. BROTHERTON thought that, as they were working in the absence of all information, and as the measure was one of experiment, 101. would be a fair com promise. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was not prepared to give the House information either as to the number of auctioneers altogether, or as to the number of those who paid the higher duty. After a desultory conversation, which was much inter rupted by laughter and cries of " Divide," strangers were ordered to withdraw. As we were leaving the gallery, we under,t , od The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER to say that he had not yet had an offer of ten guineas. Mr. HUME—Oh, but guineas are not a legal tender. Upon our return to the gallery we faun i that no division had taken place, the original motion having been withdrawn. The House then resumed, and the Chairman reported progress. CUSTOMS DUTIES (GLASS). The House then went into Committee on the Customs duties, and Mr. SPOONER moved that a 1 alteration should take place in the time wfien the protecting duty on glass should cease. It was proposed that they should termi nate immediately, but his proposition was, that that operation should not take place uiti! the sthi of April, 1846. He thought it unfair that the glass manufac turers should be compelled to meet the competition from foreign glass manufacturers when they were not prepared to do so. Although he believed the glass manufacturers of this country need not fear anything from competition, ultimately, still they would be seriously injured by being called upon to compete with foreign manufacturers immediately. In the case of sheet glass, which was a most important article, manufacturers in this country were obliged to employ French manufacturers, because the manufacturers here, in consequence of the duty, could not afford to make experiments. The con sequence was, the English manufacturers were under contracts to employ parties for some time to manufacture that article. The immediate removal of the protective duties in that respect would cause them great loss. There could be no doubt that the Right Hon. Gentle- man had given a great boon to the glass manufacturers in this country by taking off the duty, but that boon would be thrown away by taking off immediately the protective duty. He hoped his Right Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer would consider the subject. He moved that the line be altered to " On and after the sth of April, 1846." Lord INGESTRE had been requested by his consti tuency to make a similar request, and he hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer would consent to extend the time. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was not quite certain whether the effect of the Hon. Gentleman's proposition was not to augment the duty the House had already agreed to, because, if the Hon. Gentleman's amendment were agreed to, it would continue the duties for a period of twelve months. But, independently of this, the motion was inexpedient in ether respects. The duty to the extent of one halfpenny per lb. had been retained on glass imported from Belgium, whose manufacturers were formidable competitors with the British, and he had al ways understood till that night that this course was likely to give satisfaction to the trade generally. The amendment was negatived without a division. The remaining clauses were then agreed to and the House resumed. The Chairman then reported progress, and the report was ordered to be brought up to-morrow. SUPPLY, The order of the day was then put for the House going into a Committee of Supply to vote the navy estimates. Mr. HUME protested that it was not fair at that late hour to go into a Committee of Supply, Dr. BOWRING intimated that several Hon. Members had left the House on the understanding that these esti mates were not to be brought forward that night. Mr. HOPE thought the House could have no objec tion, even at thel late hour, to vote the estimate for victuals. Sir ROBERT PEEL, however, seeing it was the wish of the House not to proceed , consented to the postpone ment of the Committee. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ap pointed Wednesday for going into Committee. Captain PECITIELL could hardly believe it was the in tention of the Right Hon. Gentleman to take the Navy Estimates on Wednesday evening. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had no objection to do so, if the Hon. and Gallant Member wished it. Captain PECHELL had held a seat in the House for nearly ten years, during which they had never taken the n .vv estimates on a Wednesday ; and he had no wish to depart from this rule now. MUSEUbiS BILL, _ The House then went into a Committee on the Public Museums Bill. It went through Committee, and was ordered to be reported to-morrow. GLASS BILL. The Glass Excise Duties' Bill also went through Committee, and was ordered to be reported to-morrow. The report of Supply was received and agreed to. The Mutiny Bill and the Mariae Mutiny Bill were read a second time. INDIA EXPORT DUTIES. Mr. HUME wished to know if he was at liberty to ask the Noble Lord opposite (Lord Jocelyn) if he could place before the House a copy of the draft of the Act imposing import duties on goods sent to India. Lord JOCELYN said he had no objection to produce the draft Act. As to the Governor-General of India he (Lord Jocelyn) could only say he acted in perfect ac cordance with the directions of the Board of Contr.ul. Mr. M. GIBSON hoped the Government would re consider this subject before they had finally decided on the India Import Duties. The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Twelve o'Clock. COMMITTEES ON PETITIONS FOR PRIVATE BILLS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. TUESDAY, APRIL 8. Hull and Gainsborough Railway. Surrey Iron Railway Company Dissolving. Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway. Bristol and Exeter Railway Branches. Exeter and Crediton Railway. Preston and Wyre Railw a y Branches. Guildford Junction Railway. Grand Junction Railway. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9. Birmingham and Gloucester Railway Acts Amendment. Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston Direct Railway. Direct Northern Railway (No. 1). Waterford and Limerick Railway. THURSDAY, APRIL 10. Kingstown and Bray R a il way. Great Western Railway (Ireland) (Dublin to-Mullingar and Athlone), FRIDAY, APRIL 11. Wells and Dereham Railway. London and Norwich Direct Railway. Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway. East Dereham and Norwich Railway. London, Worcester, and South Staffordshire Railway (Dud ley to Wolverhampton ) • WILL OF LADY ITOARE.—The will of the widow of the late Sir H. Hoare, Bart., banker of Fleet-street, has been proved. Her own p ersona l proper ty is sworn under 8,0001. She bequeaths th e b u lk o f her property to her daughter, Julia Lethbridge, the wife of John Hesketh Leth bridge, Esq., for life, and after her decease for her children. Her son Henry is to have the picture of General Acland, and the china and plate, and the gold cup given to her late hus band Sir Henry, by the General. There are several other b eq uests to the family. H er executors are B. S co tt an d Christopher Pearse, Esq rs , FIRE AND Loss or LIPE.—On Saturday morning last, between eight and nine, the private dwelling-house of Mr. Lane, No. 2, Union.• street, Friar-street, Southwark, was set on fire, through a child playing with lucifer-matches. It appears that some of the neighbours were suddenly alarmed by hearing loud and piercing screams proceeding from the first room on the first-floor. They immediately ran up to that portion of the building, when they found the bed and furniture burning with great fury and a little child, about four years of age , was in the midst of the flames. After considerable trouble the child was got away, but not before it was most frightfully burned about the body, so much so that death soon put an end to its sufferings. The engines were remarkably quick in arriving, but, owing to the exer tions of the inmates, the fire was extinguished without call ing the engines into operation. DIRECT RAILWAYS. The classification, by the Board of Trade, of railway projects, including those which they have reported against, as well as those on which they have reported favourably, is now complete ; and the various measures will he forthwith referred to Select Committees of the House of Commons. It is impossible to over-estimate the importance of railway legislation. It is a question of great national interest, and ought, therefore, to receive the most careful attention of Parliament. It is to be hoped that the Committees will enter on the discharge of their duties with a proper notion of the momentous in terests which are involved in railway matters. There are other and higher considerations connected with railways than those which relate to the claims of rival companies. The great question of public convenience is involved in many of the struggles which are about to take place before Parliament, between the promoters of opposing projects. It were impossible to lay down any specific principle for the guidance of the Legis lature, which would admit of universal application. There are peculiarities incident to most projects, which would prevent the application in all cases of principles which apply in particular cases. But as a rule, or ge neral principle, th 3 view entertained by Sir Robert Peel, and which he expressed ten or twelve days ago in Par liament, is undoubtedly the one which ought generally to be acted on. The Premier laid down the proposition that the lines which are most direct, and consequently the shortest, ought to be preferred, unless where there are peculiarities in the projected line which would jus tify a departure from the rule. Whatever conclusi n Parliament may come to on this point, it is not to be denied that the country enter tains the same view as Sir Robert Peel. The direct lines are everywhere the favourite lines. They are so not only because in the nature of things they must be the cheapest, but because by travelling by them there will be a great saving of time. To m st persons this is as great an object as the saving of money. To many,—to all whose avocations are numerous or urgent, it is more. Supposing, for example, that a person was proceedi..g from London to York, and that he could get in four hours and a half by either of the direct lines proposed between the two places, while if be has to go by the circuitous route of the Eastern Counties and the Cambridge and Lincoln lines, he cannot accomplish the journey in less than six hours, is it not evident that a saving of an hour and a half in time would be a far more important object to thousands of persons, especially to professional men, than the mere saving of a few shillings—supposing there were such a saving—in the charge for travelling ? Let us mention another case illustrative of the de sirableness of adopting the direct drinciple. There are two lines proposed for connecting Edinburgh, Glas gow, and England, by means of Perth, with Inver. ness and the northern counties of Scotland. By the Aberdeen route, the distance would be nearly seventy miles greater than by the proposed direct line from Perth to Inverness. It cannot for a mo ment be supposed that Parliament would prefer the former line to the exclusion of the latter, and thus compel the public to travel nearly seventy miles out of their way, and that, too, at a great addi tional expense. In many cases—and in this one among the number—local necessities may justify the construe lion of a circuitous route, but for all national purposes the direct routes must be preferred. The public has a right to demand this. Sir Robert Peel has again and aeain expressed himself decidedly favourable to it, and Parliament will, therefore, we trust, acquiesce in its adoption. We dwell with greater earnestness and emphasis on this point, because, if the direct principle be departed from in one case, that will be pleaded as a precedent for departing from it in another, and thus a seri ous injury will be inflicted on the commueity. We do not say that there may not be cases in which, owing to peculiar circumstances, a deviation from the direct principle may be justifiable, but such cases must, in the nature of things, be very rare. Direct routes must necessarily not only be the most ex peditious, but the cheapest, and in all respects the best adapted to afford accommodation to the public. Mr. Thomas Duncombe is about to bring forward a motion to prevent any further injury being done by the reports of the Board of Trade. It would be well if some Hon. Member would summit a resolution to the House, be fore the railway Bills are referred to the Committees, pledging the House to a preference for the direct prin ciple.--Morning Advertiser. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. NORFOLK ClRCUlT.—Norwich, April 4. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice PATTESON.) Tna FOLTISHAM. MANSLAUGILTER. —Barnard Eglinton, aged 18, and Henry Chipperfield, aged 49, were charged with unlawfully pushing and casting one John Amass on a fire, and so inflicting divers mortal burns on various parts of his body, whereof he afterwards died, on the sth of March last. Mr. Evans, Mr. Power, and Mr. G. L. Browne, appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Dasent defended the prisoner Eglington. It appeared from the evidence of Mrs. Amess, that her late husband, who was seventy-four, was much addicted to in toxication, and that on the night of the 21st of February last he was absent from home. On the following morning she found him in bed, when he complained of having been shame fully treated, and named one Archer as one who had pulled him on the fire. Deeming that the deceased was only drunk his wife called him a " drunken old rogue" and said "it served him right," but having ascertained in a day or two afterwards that he had several burns on his back, and thighs, and hand, she wished to send for a doctor. This he refused to allow, ' till it was too late, for he was in a dying state when a medi cal man was called in, his death being attributable partly to inflammation caused by the injuries he had received, and partly to the want of proper remedies. On the inquiry be fore the coroner, it appeared that the deceased and the two prisoners were at the " Unicorn" public-house at Foul sham, on the night of the '2lst of February, together with many others, among whom were two men named Archer and Baker, and that at 6 o'clock Eglinton sent William Clitheroe, the son of the landlord, to bay threepenny-worth of jalap, which, though it was enough for six or eight ordinary doses, he induced the drunken old man to swallow in three glasses of beer within five minutes. As soon as this joke had been perpetrated, the company there assembled, who with very few exoeptions were very drunk, began to pull about the deceased, till at length Eglinton pulled down his breeches, turned his coat over his head, and while in that disgusting state most brutally danced him about the room to the music of some wandering " Germany girls," and eventually pushed him, all naked as he was i , and in the presence of the women, on to the kitchen fire, whch was then very fierce. The old man, as he did this, called out, " Barney, Barney, don't burn me i" but without avail ; and at last he succeeded in raising himself from the bars with his hand, after which he was taken into the back kitchen and there laid on the cold bricks. Soon after this he was put into a wheelbarrow by Clitheroe and some others to be wheeled home, but he was turned over by Eglinton and being taken into the house again he there passed the night on the floor. Upon this evidence, a verdict of " Manglaughter" was re turned against the two priso..ers, together with Archer. Clitheroe, and Baker ; but the grand jury having ignored the bill against the three last named parties, the above f ac ts were now adduced in evidence against the two men at the bar. Mr. Damn having _addressed the jury on behalf of Eg linton, who was shown to have acted towards the deceased on former occasions with more than ordinary kirdness and attention, contending that the testimony of young Clitheroe was not to he relied on, His LORDSHIP directed Chipperfield to be acquitted, and left it to the jury to determine by their verdict whether they believed the story told by young Clithero ~ or would infer that the deceased had been put on the fire by some one else than Eglinton, or had fallen into it by accident. The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, accompanied with a recommendation to mercy.—Sentence deferred. Richard Cater was indicted for having unlawfully wounded John Rivett, police-constable, with intent to do him some grievous bodily harm. The inictment contained a second count, charging an assault,with intent to resist apprehension. Mr. Evans prosecuted, and Mr. Cooper defended the prisoner. It appeared in evidence that the prisoner had been sum moned before the magistrates, for trespassing on some land, and, in consequence of his not appearing, a warrant for his apprehension was delivered to the prosecutor, who, on the 14th of January, went in search of the prisoner, and found him at Crabrook, returning home from his work, with a hatchet in his hand. The prosecutor took him into custody, and lie asked to go to his master's house, at Claxton, for some money ; and on the way there the prisoner suddenly struck the prosecutor a violent blow on the head with the hatchet, which knocked him down, and when he got up the prisoner struck at him twice, but fortunately the prosecutor avoided the blows and ran away, and when he reached home he found his head very much swelled and bleeding. The surgeon proved that the prosecutor was three weeks under his care, and during that time unable to attend to his duty. r. COOPER addressed the jury for the prisoner,and said that he understood that it was not the intention of the pro secution to press the charge on the first count, and as counsel for the prisoner he was willing that a verdict of guilty should be found on the second count. Mr. Justice PArrEsoN stated that if the constable had been killed, it would have been murder. The jury returned a verdict of Guilty on the second count. —Sentence deferred. Robert Rouse, aged 18, was indicted for setting fire to a stack of barley, the property of Charles George Cubitt. Mr. Cooper prosecuted. The fire in question broke out between eleven and twelve o'clock in the night of the 3d of February. The prisoner was met running away from the fire, and on the following morning his shoes were discovered near the stack, and they were found to correspond exactly, and the prisoner a short time after his apprehension confessed that he had set the stack on fire. The jury, without the slightest hesitation, returned a verdict of Guilty, and The prisoner was sentenced to be transported for fifteen years. WESTERN ClRCUlT.—Taunton, April 4. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice COLERIRON.) T. Hunt was indicted for shooting at a child about four years old, with intent to wound. There were other counts varying the intent. Bin Cole conducted the prosecution ; the prisoner was un defended. The prisoner, a lad about seventeen veers o f age, h a d been employed by a farmer to keep " birds," as it e is termed, and had been entrusted with a Fun for this purpos. At the close of the day he was returning home with the brother f o the little child that was shot, who was only four years old, and who was standing in the road. From no motive at all, ex cept that induced by the wanton feelings of a reckless boy, the prisoner aimed the gun at the child and drew the trigger. The pieee missed fire. He then shook the pan, re-cocked the gun, again aimed at the child, and pulled the trigger. w e e his occasion the gun went off, and thirty or forty hats wre lodged in the body of the poor little victim, from the effect of which she was still severely suffering. The jury convicted the prisoner, who, after receiving an imprei,ive admonition from the Learned Judge, was sen tenced to six months' imprisonment. We noticed, yesterday. that Mr. Rogers had lent his valu able assistance in trying prisoners. The Learned Gentleman had been employed again the whole of this day. (Before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE.) April 5. 'NE SEAPWICK MURDER.—This being the day fixed for the trial of the Shapwick murder, the Crown Court was early besieged with a number of persons eager to gain admittance. At nine o'clock the Learned Judge took his seat en the bench, before which the jury had been called, and were seated in their box. The prisoner was then placed at the bar. She is a little woman, about thirty years of age. On being ar- raigned, she pleaded " Not Guilty," in an audible and distinct voice, to the indictments, which charged her with the wilful murder of Charles Dimond, by administering to him a quan tity of daadly poi: on called arsenic. Mr. Sergeant Kinglake and Mr. Rawlinson conducted the prosecution. The prisoner was defended by Mr. Stock. The trial lasted from the sitting of the Court at nine o'clock till eight at night. Mr. sergeant, KINGLARE stated the case to the jury. From his observations we learned that the prisoner was a widow, and had been since Christmas, 1833. The deceased was her brother, and had lived with his father, mother, and brother John, at a cottage situated at Shapwick. The prisoner, who for some time previously had been living elsewhere, re turned to her father's cottage on the 9th of December, in last year, at which date the real evidence in this case com menced. _ The first witness called was a person of the name of Hare. He stated that in December last he was was living with a Mr. Varrer, a druggist, at Bridgwater. On the 9th of that month the prisoner, wham he did not remember to have pre viously seen, came to his shop. His master had two shops, the one of which he was being situated in St. John-street, East over. She asked for some arsenic. Witness said he could not sell her any, as it was a rule in their shop never to sell poison to one person. She pressed him to sell her some, and he still refused. He asked her what she wantel with it, and she replied that it was to kill rats or mice; witness did not recollect which. He still refused, but as she still pressed him, he asked her her name, and where she lived. She replied that her name was Darston, and that she was a sister to Edmund Darston, who was the son of a carrier and postman between Bridgwater and Solden-hill, and well known to witness. Witness hearing, as he supposed, who she was, consented to let her have the arsenic, and ac cordingly weighed her up half an ounce, which he tied up in two papers, and marked " poison." At the same time he explsined the deadly nature of the drug, and gave her direc tions about taking care of it. The prisoner did not imme diately leave the shop, but entered into conversation with witness, who remarked to her how much her brother was grown lately, meaning Edmund Darston ; to which the pri soner replied that he was. It being a very cold day, wit ness asked her to sit down by the stove in the shop and warm herself, which she consented to do ; and singular to say, re mained in the shop more than an hour. Whilst she was seated by the fire, witness melted over is some hair oil which had become congealed. Seeing this, the prisoner asked him to give her a little for a Christmas present, promising to be come a customer of his master's when she came into I3ridg water. Witness gave her a little of the oil in a bottle, which she promised to return by Edmund Darston on the next day —a promise she did not keep, so he never saw the bottle again. Whilst the prisoner was thus seated and talking by the fire, the clock struck one, and witness quitted the shop to go to dinner, leaving the prisoner there with the porter. On his way to the place where he got his dinner, he met Edmund Darston, with whom he entered into conversation. When he returned from dinner the prisoner was gone. Edmund Darston deposed that he was at Bridgwater on the 9th. His father was a carrier and postman between that place and Soldenhill. He met the prisoner in Bridgwater about nine o'clock on that morning, and made an arrange ment with her that she stimuli' ride home in his cart. His mother was with him. After this he saw Hare, and, in con sequence of what he said to him, he wi nt to the shop to see who had personified his sister, and arriving there he found the person had left. Shortly after he met the prisoner again at the Queen's Head, where she sat talking with him for a long time. In the course of their conversation she told him she had been to Mr. Varrer's, where she had purchased some hair-oil, and had passed off as his sister. She said nothing about the arsenic. She rode as far as Cossington with the witness, where he was obliged to stay sonic time, in conse quence of which the prisoner went on in another cart to her father's house. John Dimond said, he was brother to the deceased and the prisoner. In December his father, mother, and brother Charles were living with him at Shapwick. On the 9th of that month his sister came home about eight o'clock, quite unexpectedly. She cried, and said she was a martyr, or something of that sort, on hearing them say they did net know how she could sleep there that nio,ht - How2ver a bed was made up her in the room where the old people slept, and she remained. The deceased was not in when site arrived. and did not come home till after they were all in bed. He slept with witness. The next morning prisoner was told she could not remain there. She asked to remain till Saturday, 1 when she said she would go back to Bridgwater and give herself up to the master of the union. She was permitted to stay. The next day her mother told her that her brother Charles did not like her being t iier e, as his master had de dared, if she remained in the house, Charles should work no longer for him Deceased had been in his master's employ for three years and a half. Prisoner said she supposed she must go On the Sunday following the mother died, an event which kept the prisoner still in the house. All parties were now agreeable that she should remain and do for them, seeing that they had lost their mother ; only Charles did not like to lose his winter's work, and he therefore desired that she should go. The deceased was very well till the day after Christmas-day, the 26th of December. On that day he slits very well in the morning, when he got up. Witness did not see him again until the evening, when he found him very sick and bad. He continued ill from that time until he died, which he did on Tuesday morning. He got better, however, towards the end of the week, and on Sunday was so much better, that he wished to get up. He did get out of bed and puton his clothes, but did not come down stairs. On the Sunday night, or towards Monday morning, all his former symptoms returned, but in a much more violent manner, and early on Tuesday morning he died. The pri soner was the person who, up to Monday, had cooked all his dinners, prepared his gruel , which he was ordered by the doctor to take, and tended upon him generally. On the Monday before his death suspicion had been awakened, and the prisoner was ordered, by direction of the magistrates in the neighbourhood, to quit the house, which she did, going to the house of a neighbour for the night. Another witness stated that he had met the prisoner on Monday, and asked her bow she did? She replied, "Pretty well ; but Charles wants to turn me and Jack out of doors, that he may bring his wife home, but he shan't ; and if he does not take care, something shall happen to him before long to spoil his fun," or words to that effect. The next day an old man named Walker, went into Dimond's house, and saw the prisoner there. She was just going to cook the herring in which it was supposed she administered the first dose of poison. She again referred to her brother Charles's wish, that she should leave, saying that lie wanted to turn her out of doors to bring his wife there ; but she would be d—d if he should ever bring a wife there ; and then she added, " I'll take good care of that, I'll take d—d good care he shan't be here Long himself." When the deceased was lying ill on the Saturday, he wished to make a will, and asked a Mr. Martin, who was present, to make one. For this purpose he desired him to take the key of his box out of his pocket. Martin searched to do -o, but could find no key there. The prisoner was called to, and asked if she had seen it. She admitted that it was on her person, and when asked what business she had with it, she said she had pos sessed herself of it for the purpose of taking out a small book that was in it. She then went down stairs, leaving Martin to make the will, which he did, and which was signed. The prisoner again came into the room and, ad• dressing her brother, said, ." Charles, you may give away what you please ; but remember there are two pairs of trousers in your box which belong to my husband, and I'm d—d if Ido not have them." She then left. the room, as be fore stated. When her brother died on the Tuesday even ing, she was in a neighbour's house. When his death was communicated to her, she said, " Well, I'm sorry for him, but I can't cry." To this evidence was added the testimony of the medical men who had visited the deceased whilst alive, and made a post mortem examination of the body. They proved that all the symptoms of the deceased were those that would be sure to follow the taking of an irritant poison like arsenic; and that on. the post mortem examination they d 'covered just those appearances which they should have expected to do where the parties had died from poison. Mr. - Herapath. of Bristol was then called—The stom eh and its rejected contents had been preserved, with a nottle of gruel found in the house; all of which had been safely conveyed to Mr. Herapath. He had analysed their re spective contents. No peison was found in, the gruel, Ml tents of the stomach, or the stomach itself; but in the large intestine and in the liver arsenic was found; and he had no hesitation saying that the deceased hac died from the effects of arsenic Mr. Justice COLERIDGE summed up, and the jury returned a verdict of Guilty. The Learned JUDGE then placed the black cap on hishead, and, assuring the prisoner that all hope of mercy in this life was past, and that her days were numbered and few, he passed upon her the awful sentence of death. During this time the prisoner was supported by a police man in the dock, and appeared several times as if she wished to speak, When the sentence was over, as they were hand ing her away, she turned towards the Judge and said, "Jus tice has not been done me; my life has been unfairly taken away." She was then led from the dock. Four charges of murder were made against this wretched woman, one of which was for the murder of her own mother, on which a true bill was found by the grand jury. The other two bills were ignored. THE BIDDULPH yiUltuEß. EXECUTION OF JOHN BROUGH, THE FRATRI• CIDE, AT STAFFORD. STAFFORD, SATURDAY NOON.—This unhappy criminal, who was found guilty of the murder of his brother Thomas, at our late assizes, before Mr. Baron Platt, expiated his dreadful offence on the public gallows this morning, in front of the county gaol, making the fifth murderer who has suf. fered the extreme penalty of the law in this town during the last twelve months. On Friday what is termed the funeral sermon was preached by the worthy pastor of the prison, during which the unhappy creature frequently sobbed aloud. He then, with much composure, received the Sacrament from the hands of the chaplain. In the course of the evening he wrote several letters, one more particularly, which was addressed to his relatives, being couched in the most affectionate terms. At an early hour he retired to rest, two turnkeys being in attendance upon him in the con demned cell, and about Live o'clock this morning he rose, and displayed the utmost contrition. ,On the Bev. Mr. Sedge waiting upon him, soon after six o'clock, he again expressed his willingness to die, and thanked all the prison authorities for the kindness they had shown to him during his incarcera tion. On the an ival of the sheriffs and others whose presence was deemed necessary for the fulfilment of the extreme sen tence, the doomed being was informed that the awful termi nation of his existence was near at hsfid. Within a few minutes of eight o'clock, the whole of the mournful prepva tions being comple ted, the unhappy culprit was led through the several passages on to the drop. He seemed not to take mach heed of the assembled mob, but evidently was occupied in deep prayer with the reverend chaplain. His stay, how ever, on the scaffold was but short, for the rope, cap, &c., being speedily adjusted, the signal was given for the with drawal of the fatal bolt, and in a rely brief ptriod the wretched man ceased to exist. The mob was not so great as bad been the case on previous occasions; in fact, throughout the whole, a feeling of deep commisseration was felt for the culprit. The body, after hanging the usual time, was cut down, and buried alongside the remains of other murderers in the interior of the prison. On Saturday the annual general meeting of the members of the Society of schoolmasters was held in the apartments of the Literary Fund, Great Russell-street, Bloomsbury ; the Rev. Dr. Russell in the chair. The report was read by Octavius Blewitt, Esq. The Secre Lary stated, that his Majesty the King of the French, who had been for many years a member of the Society, had presented this year an additional donation of 101. The . Association was established in 1798, and daring the first th•rteen years of its existence, ba.l given to forty tamilies of distressed schoolmasters the sum of 7,004.. and 5.0001. in other charitable d,matiotia. The reci ipts since the last anniversary amounted to 5241, and the expenses to 3801. The report was adopted. Tun TIECA.TLE MURDER.— It will be satisfac tory for the public to know that Thomas Thomas, the wretched man who has been condemned to death for the wilful murder of David Lewis at Trm'stle, has at length confessed his guilt, and has acknowledged that he has been guilty of other crimes of a serious character. The execution of the unfortunate but guilty man is definitely fixed to take place in front of the Brecon County Gaol, on Thursday next, the 10th instant,— Ireklimun. MARKET NEWS.--(sArrnimAY) . The past week's arrivals of most descriptions of Grain haat been on a very moderate scale ; but, generally speaking , Or full average quality. Fresh up to-day, the receipts of Wheat of home produce, were trifling; hence the supply of that ar ticle offering was small. Selected parcels of both red od white commanded a steady demand, at prices fully equal to those paid on this day se'nnight. In all other kinds, only moderate business was doing, at late rates, and a clearance 0 such was not effected. From all quarters our accounts relie tire to the appearance of the young wheat plants are verY satisfactory. No foreign Wheat has come to hand since our last , while little of that article was brought forward to-day. Holder! of nearly every description were very fine, and obtained fuli currencies without difficulty. In Corn under lock scarcely any sales took place, and prices may be considered little better than nominal. Notwithstanding the supply of arlel was not to say large. that grain met a very dull B sale' Selected parcels of malting sold at full rates ; but the value of all other kinds had a downward tendency. T he Malt trade was excessively dull, and last week's Prices wer' with difficulty supported. In Oats comparatively little Was doing, yet prices were maintained. Beans, Peas, and Flour, as last quoted. The Seed trade was again dull ; and Clove r Seed was a trifle lower. CURRENCY PER IMPERIAL MEASURE. Wheat—Essex & Kent, Malt--Chevalier .. .. .. 645 to CO Red .••.. • . • • 388 to 45s Oats—Yorkshire and Ditto, White 42s 54s p L o in ta co toe lnsh., Feed. 22s 2 2 3 5: Norfolk and Lin- coin, Red lB9 -43 s Yonghall and Cork, Ditto, White.— •.• 40s 47s Black . Irish, R Ditto, White ••• . • • —s —s Rye—Old .. .. 34s 69 New. • 358 36s Pigeons ..........38 9 ~A: Barley—Grinding .•• • • 27i 30s Pease --Grey.................343 ..,.. Malting .•••. • • • . 338 855 Maple. •• • • Chevalier .... 36s —s White Malt—Suffolk and Nor- Boilers . —3 folk ..... 58s 659 Flour—Town-made .• . 4 2 s - Brown . Kingston and Ware 60s —s S Su to fft cll k tu • & • • ii•OI:f•olk• 333 23s L t: FOREIGN GRAIN AND FLOUR IN BOND. Wheat—Dantzic .. • • 32s to 36s Beans Hamburgh ••.• • • • a s —s Pease 20s 24s Flour—American .• ••• 285 1 9 : Barley-439 Oats—New.. .... reed •••••• • • • • • • 19s 229 185 —4 SNXITIMIELD. The imports of live stock from abroad during the pot week have been somewhat on the increase, they having con sited of 51 Oxen and 25 Cows, or a total of 76 head, all from ,' Holland, and in. fair average condition. To-day there we on offer 27 Beasts, the whole of which were quite equal to those we have witnessed for some time past, while they fo und buyers at prices varying from 151 to 181 lOs each. The navi ration being now open at Rotterdam, several large importa tions of Beasts are expected thence in the pre sent, week. The arrivals of Beasst fresh up were some wke . ' extensive for the time of year, while a slig h ' improvement was noticed in their general quality+, especially as respects the Scots from Scotland. The B ee ' trade was in a very sluggish state, at prices barely equal te those obtained on Monday last; the primest Scots producing 3s 10d per Sibs. At the close of the market a clearance Wa s , not effected. The droves from Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex , and Cambridgeshire consisted of 2.000 Scots and homebreds, from the northern grazing districts we received only 150 short horns; from the western and midland districts 400-Hereforde, Runs, Devons, &e. ' • from of her parts of England 300 of va rious breeds ; and from Scotland 120 horned and polled Scott The numbers of Sheep were not to say extensive, thong° quite equal to the demand ; on the whole the Mutton mid! was firm, and the primest old D. found ready buyers, d` 4s 6d per 811 is. From the Isle of %%right 140 Lambs were received, while the supplies from Essex, Hampshir, &c.. We r t good. The Lamb trade was somewhat active, at fully l s , week's quotations, the best qualities being lied at b 3 F e ; Sibs. Calves, the supply of which was small, met a hoc) nquiry, at late rates. In Pigs we have very few sales t° report. Per Bibs to sink the offal. S. d. s. d. s. d. W wer!or Beasts .... 2 4 2 A Second quality ditto 3 4 3 0 Second quality ditto. 210 3 2 Coarse-woolled ditto 3 8 4 , 6 i'rime large Oxen.. 3 4 3 6 Soutbdown Wethers 4 2 4 0 Prime Scots • • •• 3 8 310 Ditto out of the wool 3 8 6 Large coarse Calves 3 4 4 2 Large Hogs .. • ... 3 0 2 Prime small ditto .. 4 4 4 8 Small Porkers 3 8 4, p Suckling Calves, .18 0 29 0 Quarter old Pigs ..16 0 • Inferior Sheep 210 3 2 Lambs .......... 4 8 SUPPLY AT MARKET. Beasts. I Sheep. I Calves. I Pl°. 2,937 26,230 78 313 INT.E;II7GATZ AND LEADENNALL. The past week's arrivr ls of country slaughtered Meat been on a full average scale for the time of year. With Inea e killed in the metropolis we have been fairly supplied. Mutton and Lamb have commanded a steady inquiry at Ili, prices ; otherwise the trade has ruled extremely dell. Several carcasses of foreign Beasts have been disposed of in excellent condition. At per stone, by the Came. ` l ' s. d. to s. d. s. d. to 0 - i o Beef, inferior— •• .. 2 4 2 6 Mutton, inferior 2 6 4 ---middling •. • . 2 6 210 middling.. 3 0 ?, 6 --prime large .. 3 0 3 2 , prime .... 3 6 f, 6 --prime small .. 3 2 3 4 Pork, large.... Veal.. ••• • • • ...... 3 6 4 8— small Lamb, 4s. Bd. to ss. 10d. ARRIVALS DURING THE PAST WEEK. Beasts Sheep Calves Pig s ' 20 400 4 20 25 600 600 8 100 40 5 120 60 13 260 120 20 180 30 200 24 260 90 3 00 30 40 16 180 20 160 20 200 20 200 5c0t1and.......... • ..... • . • Yorkshire ••• •• •• •• • Norfolk . . Suffolk . Cambridgeshire lturrey . . Devonshire Wiltshire • .. • • Other parts .. . ....... .......... - - - Total Previous week's arrival...• • Differente since ow last 147 960 345 460 90gt01131132t HOP VIAItitNIBT. The best Hops in pockets, as well as old olds, are in stead request at fully last week's quotations. In all other kin of Hops very little is doing, yet the prices are mostly 50 r ported. DOE *IIGIC AND SPITAX.FIELDO. Rather extensive supplies, in which may be Walla"' 3 sacks from Cherbourg of potatoes, have arrived at the dull, side-since Monday last; however the trade is extremely and prices are with difficulty supported. WOOL 111.11R.ICZT. A very large import of Wool has taken place in the pal week, we having received 93 bales from the Cape, LOP from Sydney, 50 from Smyrna, 159 from Galata, 74 fr °lll South America, 100 from Spain, 241 from Odessa, 30 fin' Leghorn, and 600 .from Bombay and Calcutta. In the Pit vate contract markets only a moderate business is doing, S e the quotations are generally supported. The letters recei v from Sydney state that the clip of Wool in the past seas° has been a very good one. TALLOW. Its This market is very dull, although the price both on ....L t. - spot and for the autumn is lower than many years PL' Tallow is not quite so plentiful. COAL MARKET. in, Prices per ton at the close of the market ;—Adair's 15s 6d ; Buddle's West Hartley, 16s ; Carr's Hartley, „ I ",', Chester Main, 15s 6d; Davison's West Hartley, 16s l ll • D I son Main, 14s 9d; Hasting's Hartley, ISs 6d; Ht:lyiv e , , Main, 16s 6d ; Nelson's West Hartley, I6s ; New Tanfi clo 14s 6d ; Old's Redheugh, 14s; Ravensworth West Hartle}, 16s; Townley, 15s; West Hartley, 16s; West WY II I, 15s 6d ; Wylam, 15s 6d ; Wall's- e nd—Gibson, 16 5 9d ; ,; lingworth, Iss 6d; Walker, 15s 6d; Braddyll's Hetton , 17 4 , ; North Hetton Lyons, 16, ; Richmond, 16s 6,i; Russe', h Hetton, 18s 3d; Stewart's 19s• Caradoc, 18s 6d; 11 „ 11 7,. Tkorneley, 16s; South Kelloe, I7s 6d ; Adelaide, 1 75 n; Barrett, 16s; Eden Hartlepool, 'lss ; Gordon, 15s • St' ut ; Durham, 16- 3d; Tees, 18s; Anthracite, 18s 6d ; Hartle, 164; West Hartley Netherton, :165. —Ships rived 19. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. CLEBKEAWELL.• Mr. GREENWOOD observed, in rotation to a case connecte.a. with Spa-fields burial-ground, which was dismissed at th is Court on Saturday. and which appeared in The Sun of th il y . morning, from , a legal informality, that the technical fa was not attributable to that Court. nor to any person O n ' nected with it. The complaining parties brought the &co' mints before the magistrate, whose duty it was to sign theolt and the parties must stand or fall by their validity or Dow lidity. Sometimes he, (the magistrate) signed some Ii dreds of documents in a day, and it was manifestly hull': " Bible that he could revise each, even if such were his P ro ' vince, -which he denied. [ADVERTISEMENT.) —FIFTY RUNNING ULCSI9 CURED IN IX WEEKS BY HOLLOWAY'S PILLS AND OINI" MENT I—Extract of a let ter, dated Tobago (West Indi& 9 )c Feb. 4, 1845 :—" To Professor Holloway, Sir, I have the pleasure to inform you that your astonishing medicines have cured a gentleman in this island, who had, I belici e l about fifty running, ulcers about his legs, arms, as body, who had tried all other medicines before the lir; rival of yours, but all of which did him no good ; yours cured him in about six weeks, and he is now quite restored to health and vigour.—(Signed) John Martin, Chronicle-office, Tobago." Sold at Professor Hollowsi ll Establishment, 244, Strand (where advice may be hr, gratis), and by almost all respectable Vendors of Me tine throuyhout the civilised world. --- BIRTH. On the 9th of February, at the Luz, near Madras, the W ife of Lieutenant T. Greenaway, of the 46th Regiment Mew Native Infantry, of a daughter. C On the 27th ult., at Greek-street, Soho, Mrs. Thomas Wilson, of a daughter. On the Ist inst., the wife of Mr. W. H. Wright,Old-stre et " road, of a daughter. On the 3d inst., at Bernard-street, Russell-square, the of James Cockell, Esq., of a son, still-born. On the 3d inst., at Lorn-road, Brixton, Mrs. Charlie. Engelbach, of a daughter. On the Ist inst., the wife of W. J. Bovill, Esq., of srx' hall lane, Clapham, Surrey, of a son. On the Ist inst., at Vassal-road, Brixton, Mrs. IL riott, of a son. On the 2d inst., at the Priory, gomerton, the lady of IL P' Blyth, Esq., of a son. On the 2d inst., at the Avenue, Streatham, the wife of J l2/1$ Beckwith Towse, Esq., of a son. .11.4111tIRD. On the fith ult., at St. James's Church, Cl er k enw ell, Lie u ' tenant Frederick Huse Chitty, of the 40th Madras Native lll:fantry, fantry, to Ele anor J ane , on ly eaughter of the late Rev. DO' John Brazier, Retor of Market Drayton, Slop. On the 2d inst. Gat the church ofAll Souls, a Maryleboner +he Hon. Charles Gore, to the Countess of Kerry. •• On the 27th ult., at Worthenbury Church, W. F. Croorn.e' Esq., of Cerney House, Gloucestershire, to Ellen ElizabetT second daughter of Sir Richard Puleston, Bart., of Krrir" Flintsh i re. rar On the 2d inst., Henry Currey, Esq., of Old Palace - YAir Westminster, to Emily Harriet, youngest daughter of Charles Price, Bart., of Spring-grove, Richmond. On the 28th of January last, at Madras, Captain St3 gold Vardon, Madras Engineers, aged 36. On the 30th ult , Frances, second daughter of the late pl James Death, of Waltham Abbey, aged 24. Sa rah On the 2d 4' inst., at llindon-street, Pimlico, Mrs. . Donmall,aget 86. On the 3d inst., at Bryanstnn-square, William D"g is f Scott, youngest son of Sir Edward Dolman Scott, Da rt ' ° Great Barr, Staftbrdshire. On-the loth of February, on his passage home from Sontb Wales, Ambrose, the brother of S. lla'len, Esq ' Stamford-st reet,_Blackfriars. • On the 17th of February, at Kinpton, Jamaica. 311. ' Scott, chief officer of the Liffey, Royal mail steam-pack et- 4 ..8 On the 21st ult., at Peckham, Mr. Thomas Chandle r, of Bow-lane builder. On the 31st ult., at Southrop Vicarage, Gloucester9 ll 1.1 Frederick, fifth son of the Rev. W. J. Walker. On the 29th ult.; at Kentish-town, Mrs. -------- a of London : Knd Publighed by MURPO Y 0( r '' So. tt ' , Tram!. Pm ter .o The Suit Office, No- -of Strap t. ha Preet4Ct of the Savo', in the Count , ' Middlesex, Tuesday, April 8, 1845. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY MORNING, APRI