The Sun. — London, England, 1845-08-05 00:00:00

p RAIL WAY COMMITTEES. (YESTERDAY.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. GROUP X. SHEPPIELI) AND LINCOLNSHIRE LINE. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) IRELAND. MR. O'CONNELL. 0; 3 ,fo ra st° Ct s oPS Sergeant WRANGIIAM, in reply, contended that the 13aWtry branch of the London and York line was a far preferable rail way for the w.-nts of the district, inasmuch as its unity of ma nagement and direct course gave it the advantage over the Sheffield and Lincolnshire line in respect of direct and lateral Communication. The Learned Counsel was here interrupted by an intimation that the Speaker was at prayers, and the Committee having adjourned at four till twelve to-morrow, he will resume his ad dress at that hour. LETTER FROM MURRAY TO DUBLIN, AUGUSTi--Ifh-e Dublin Evening Post ni this afternoon contains the following letter from the Most Rev. 1)-• Murray, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dub. " TO DANIEL O'CONNELL, ESQ., N.P. " Mourojoy-sqtare, August 1, 1845. "My dear Mr. O'Connell,—l avail myself of the first Possible mom •nt after my return to Dublin to correct a mistake into which you have been unconsciously led by the report (apparenily a very inaccurate one) of a speech Attributed to Sir James Graham. " The hi cesium's Journal, of the 22d ult., states, that et a public meeting on the preceding day, you spoke as follows : 4 " I find in the Times of Friday last the following dia logue between Lord Arundel and Sir James Graham: the Bari of Arundel and Surrey ti,ked whether it was the in tention of herMajesty'sGovernment to propose any amend ment in the Charitable Bequests Bill? Sir James Graham replied that the Lord Lieutenant had received represen tations from the Roman Catholic Commissioners of the Board of Bt quests, stating that the duty had devolved Upon them of determining who the ecclesiastics were, who, in certain districts, were entitled to the benefit of the bequests left to the clergy of the Church of Rome, and stating also that it was at variance with the canons of their church, which required that all matters of doc trine and discipline of this nature should be settled by their dioCesans alone.' You are then said to have continued thus : / "h I feel my heart at ease and my mind tranquil. hll - „,",, s ,aceused and assailed and abused for offering my so - ; ; "? opinion that that Bill was uncanonical an TC' s 'ent with the canons of the Catholic Church. loet Y I ughed at me for giving that opinion, poor theo etal es I am ; but humble as my opinion is, here it is )4 "tined by those venerable characters themselves, the Most Reverend and always esteemed Dr. Murray, the e °B t Reverend Dr. Crolly, and the Right Reverend Dr. ea n 'ir• I have their authority that the Bill gave un ,,annical power to the Catholic prelates.' Believe me, my dear sir, that it gives me inexpres sible pain to be obliged to contradict, before the public, an 3 . assertion that you would think it right to make, and that it would be delightful to me, and to the other Prelates in question, to be the medium of communi eating, were it in our power, that ease and tranquillity e t which you speak, to a heart so fervently glowing as yours is with the love of religion. But as, on this occasion, you have been pleased to put my name Prominently forward, the painful duty devolves on me of declaring that you have allewed yourself, in this instance, to be led, unintentionally of course, into an error, the publication of which is but too well calculated tO cast a grievous censure upon characters which you ' , Quid be most unwilling to defame. Permit me, then, most respectfully to assure you, that you have not ...die authority of the prelates in question to sus your assertion. They have never said, or Muted, thought, that the Bequests Act gave to them an al leafionical power. The speech, therefore, on which you relied must have been most inaccurately re- Ported ; and the Minister must have alluded to objec tiells which have been urged by the opponents of the A ct--objections which, in the opinion of those prelates, ha d oo sclid foundation to rest on, but which they thought • tight to bring under the notice of Government, in the ePe that every pretext, how groundless soever , for the repetiti ont o f them, would be met by a suitable i ;lnedy, a nd taken away. It would be strange, indeed, those prelates would denounce as uncanonical a power Wh ich was granted to them for the sole and express I)a rPose of enabling them to preserve inviolate the eipline and usages of our Church in the very case of which the objections allude. In the progress this Act through Parliament, when there was Z a estion of ascertaining who, in a case of doubt , 511 ., 1 d be the persons entitled, according to the discipline ‘ 4 r s _lisages of the Catholic Church, to the benefit of sZeguest left to a particular parish, an implied pledge v 4 :1 1 ; it is understood, given at the request of some ‘;` 4 4 ,olie Member of the House, that Catholic bishops, 14 4e ,„e authorised expounders of that discipline, should smoked on the Board for the purpose of declaring in ts at manner this portion of the Act should be carried h.,7, effect, so as to be in perfect conformity with the dis %ire and usap•es of our Church. This has been done, I L' the ohjrct for which it was proposed has been 4 ,„, 44 ined. The very first act of those prelates, on es ,. - " te 'log the Board, was to place on record a decla i-,r311 of what, in such cases, the discipline of our t he is, that it may serve as a guide to regulate Lee decisions of all future Catholic Commissioners — Da niel y that in every such ease the testimony of a bishop is to be received as co nc l u sive evidence as to who 1S the rightful pastor of any parish in his diocese. Not only did this declaration, so laid down as a rule for the guidance of the Catholic Commissioners, receive, at once, the sanction of the entire board, but a si milar rule was adopted by those members of the board who belong to other religious persuasions for their gui dance also, with regard to the pastors of their respective tommunionA ; so that the Protestant Bishop is thereby eognised to be the judge of who is the authorised rector 4 a parish ; the Presbyterian authorities who the authorised minister of a congregation ; and -4 e Catholic bishop who is his authorised p arish p riest. 4 11 y this rule the inviolability of our discipline, as far 48 regards the present question, is fully recognised. To t he i Strict observance of this rule, all the members of k Board are solemnly pledged, not only by their own -ecorded declarations, but also by the duty which they 4 2 1 eto their respective religions—a rule rendered thereby binding upon men who have a character to sustain, as It could be rendered by any sanction of law. vr : 4 Still, there are some, surprising as it must appear , h uose over-sensitive scruples even this ample security not been sufficient to satisfy. Those scruples, Ir°ll fidless as tl.ey are, we have felt it our duty to re - ,1 7t ; and we have never, therefore, concealed our *lsh that such a legislative explanation should be given $4 Would wholly remove them. But why has not this been done during the pres ent Sessio n ? The reason is obvious. It would be clearly ine xpedient t o introduce into Parliament without urgent 3 f or angry (and no such neces sit y exists), a new subject angry debate about Catholic doctrines and discipline, ile th e d ea f en i ng ou tcry against Maynooth and its doe tines was still ringing in the public ear, a n d s p readin the most inflammatory excitement throughout the land. "With respect to the hope expressed in the subse- Ilnent part of your speech, ' that the Catholic pre ttes will see what course they should now take, and that toes will not permit themselves to be committed an y tiger to the exercise of an uncanonical power.' I have 0 , 1 ‘, 1 Y to repeat that they have not committed them „es to the exercise of any such power ; a nd I be g f „' llher to assure you that it is their fixed determine tila3ll to persev e re, with the blessing of God , so l o n g as s e multiplied duties of their station will p ermit, in that t atritabl e course, en which, at a great sacrifice of time Personal convenience, they have , as m embers of the Ch athritable Bequests Board, deliberately entered, with 9 so le view of serving the poor, and of protecting, if e eessary, the interests of our church. thave the honour to remain, with respectful esteem, mY dear Mr. O'Connell, very sincerely yours, " D. MURRAY." , RESIGNATION OF MR. LUCAS. Lucas, the Under Secretary, gave a farewell din 1 la': Yesterday to the officers connected with his depart bZat Lucas remains for three weeks, after which r,-rennefather succeeds him as Und e r S ecretar y , and Se e . ‘;itne is to take the place of Chief Clerk in the etary' s office. . 1 t a il itt • O'CoNNELL—On Thursday evening Mr. O'Con arrived at Darrynane Abbey, where he remains for rt i t Weeks. lie has been joined by his eldest son, Mr. RE SIGNATION O'Connell, M.P. Ap v -E , SI °NATION OF A MAGISTRATE. BALLINHASSIG It f f „; 41( .--The Cork Reporter says—" We were aware ' ‘fli ht that Mr. Molony had sent in his re 81g4tt' g ago ' l ea , l en of the Commission of the Peace. We now . I• er , - " , with regret, that, in compliance with his the cent, the supQrsedeas has come . down. We understand h o ea use of Mr. Molony's resignation was this :—Feeling se :rhi e d at the disastrous affair in his own vicinity, and n g that th police can under their regulations, act - t he people without the . orders of a magistrate, • In public opinion the magistrate may be unjustly to L e lea ted in their acts, he determined not, in any form, to risk a ' eolleurring party to such regulations , or in future being involved innocently in such wholesale lighter. therefore threw up the commi ssion.' th he Lord Li eu t enan t has been pleased to approve of s e Marquis of Downshire being appointed Colonel of the IVi luth Down Regiment of Militia, in the room of the yquis of Downshire, deceased. L or ite Lord Lieutenant has been pleased to appro ve of th "Edwin Hill b e i ng a pp o i n ted Lieutenant-Colonel of Me South D own Regiment of M ili t i a, i n t h e room o f the la,rcluis Downshire, promoted. neej theu hrea aced, s e : a m: h e Ty E AUGUST 2.—(Faost A CORRFSPONDFNT. ) :E . It AND CROPS. —For the last four or five days very heavy showers; this flay is beautifully tine appe, ar? that is, settled—the crop! are not in the least up), willete) lode _ A few gardens of wheat in the vicini-y of towns may is, where the crops are very heavy, the general is very fine, in fact we never bad such crops, though It e a fortnight or three weeks late. otherv7ai sasinost fortunate for the millers and corn-factors, that there broken weather both in England arid Ireland, as co rn ; theY would barely make what they paid for their of th e In fact anything to equal the heavy stock at this season itt yearwein millers' and factors' hands was never known. 15 8 . bad an early harvest, wheat would be selling here at T ar boll .s of the 20 stone, owing to the above. thi s rn _ r t n a great place for corn-merchants. There is at „, r. 9 ent held in this town at the very lowest calculation, ty-five thousand quarterns wheat. ' R. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. QUEEN-SQUARE. Mary Ann Smith and William Edwards were charged with robbing Mr. B. Poussin, a gentleman residing at 23, Grosvenor-place South, of his gold watch, value 20 guineas. At about eleven o'clock on the previous night he saw the female prisoner standing in Lower Grosvenor-place, and having looked at her as he passed, she made some observation in a very polite tone about the weather, and considering by her ap pearance that she was not a girl of the town, he entered into conversation with her, in the course of which she repeatedly expressed her fears that it must be getting very late—certainly past eleven, when he took out his watch to acquaint her with the precise time. She then put her arm in his "in a very re spectful manner," and requested him to accompany her a short way towards her home, and as he considered her " a very smart little thing," he walked a few paces with her, when, on arriving at Ranelagh-mews, she was about to turn down there. The prosecutor informed her that there was no thoroughfare, when the lady began to caress him, and entreated him to accompany her down the mews, which he reluctantly did, and she then pulled him into a dark passage, where he had not been half-a-minute, when she gave a cough of such a particular character, that he at once felt assured it was a signal, and rushed out of the passage. At that moment he felt his progress stopped by what he supposed at that time to be the female holding him by the coat, and in the next the male prisoner was by Lis side, and seizing him by the arms, inquired what he was ill-using the female for. Prosecutor called " Police !" and a constable coming up at the moment, he discovered that his gold watch had been broken from the ring with great violence, and gave the prisoner into custody. Search was subsequently made for the watch, but it was nowhere to be found. James Brun, 91 B, said that hearing a signal cough, and seeing the male prisoner hastening down the mews, he fol lowed slowly behind him, and saw him turn towards the dark passage spoken of. In a minute afterwards there was a cry of " Police, and he went to the spot, and took the prisoners. He had no opportunity of looking for the watch then, as he could not let go those he had in custody, and had no lamp with him. The address given by the male prisoner at the station he had found, on inquiries that morning, to be false. It having been stated by a constable that the male prisoner had been previously convicted at the Old Bailey, Mr. BURRELL inquired what the accused had to say? The female declared that she never saw the watch, and did not even know that the gentleman had one, and pi etended to be unacquainted with the man, who coolly observed, " that he should reserve his defence for another occasion." They were remanded until Saturday. CLERKEIV WELL. James Towgood was charged with knowingly aiding and abetting in the working of a private still. Hardy, 128 G, deposed that yesterday morning, about one o'clock. he was on duty near Northampton-pow, Clerkenwell, when there was an alarm of thieves at No. 12 in that row. Witness proceeded thither, and found some persons assembled around the house, and knocking at the door. Witness went to the back part of the premises for the purpose of clambering over the wall, in order to get into the house, when he saw the prisoner running on a wall', and he made an alarm of " Stop thief," and he was shortly afterwards apprehended by an excise officer named Harris. On entering the house with the excise officers, they found in the kitchen a private still in full work, with a furnace, and 100 gallons of wash or molasses, all of which were taken possession of. The prisoner said he was em ployed to take care of the house and still, and hearing knock ing at the door, he fancied that the excise officers were after the parties, and knowing he was subject to three months' im prisonment, he tried to make his escape. Thomas Harris, of 9, Northampton-row, an excise officer, deposed that yesterday morning, at the above hour, witness was at his residence, when he had occasion to go to the back part of the premises, on which he saw the prisoner running along a wall separating Spafields Burial-ground from the houses in Northampton-row. Witness asked him where he was going. He said I have only been taking care of a private still, and I am making my escape from the excise officers; and he begged of witness to grant him protection. Witness replied, I am very sorry for you, but I cannot grant. your request, as I am a custom-house officer myself, and it is my duty to detain you. He did so, and he was ultimately given into custody of Hardy, the officer, who with witness and another excise officer, proceeded to the house and found the still and wash, Sm. George Whitmore, an exciseman, deposed that he was called upon by the last witness to go to the house in Northampton row. He corroborated in part the above evidence. Mr. GREENWOOD said it was rather unfortunate for the prisoner to have claimed the protection of Mr. Harris, the excise officer. It was completely running into the lion's mouth. He asked the prisoner what he had to say in his defence? The prisoner said he had been out of work some time. He met a man on Saturday Right who asked him if he wanted a job, and replying in the affirmative he said he would give him one, to take care of a private still at the house in Northampton row, alluded to. The man gave him some bread, butter, and beer, and promised to pay him for his trouble. On hearing the alarm he tried to make his escape, thinking the excise officers had come. Mr. GREENWOOD—Did you know the man, or his name ? Prisoner—l did not know him. He said his name was Pitts. Mr. GREENWOOD—You don't expect me to believe all this. it is the sort of defence that thieves generally set up, that they meet strange persons in the street, who employ them to carry property. He convicted him in the penalty of 301., or three months' imprisonment with hard labour, in the House of Correction. Mary Dowling, a young woman, was charged by Mark Griffiths, a labouring young man, with having stabbed him, with intent to murder. The prisoner positively denied the charge against her. Mr. GREENWOOD said he would remand the prisoner, and she was conveyed to prison. WORSHIP-STREET. Two men named James Thompson and Wm. Cunnington were placed at the bar before Mr. Broughton, charged on sus picion of having stolen two valuable sporting dogs, the property of Mr. Burnell, a licensed victualler, at King's-cross. It appeared from the statement of the prosecutor that on the night of Wednesday last his back premises were forcibly entered, and two sporting dogs, a setter and pointer of the value of twenty guineas, were stolen from their kennels. He immediately gave information to the police and caused handbills to be widely circulated, offering a reward of 51. for their restoration and detention of the thieves, but heard nothing more respecting them until the preceding after noon, when the prisoner called upon him and stared that he had seen the dogs in the possession of two men in Nelson street, Bethnal-green, and would point him out the house to which they had been taken, but enjoined him to be very quiet and cautious, or the animals would be carried off without a chance of their recovery. He accordingly re paired to Nelson-street with the prisoner, whom he left at the end of the street, and proceeded to the house in which he said the animals were secreted, and was there answered by an old woman, who, on being questioned, declared that they had been carried away at three o'clock that afternoon, but that he would find Mr. Cunnington, the landlord, at an adjoining public house, where he would obtain further information. After an ineffectual search for Cunnington at every public-house in the neighbourhood, he returned again to the house, and was an swered by another woman, who denied all knowledge of the dogs, but her daughter, who was standing by during the con versation, gave him a private signal to follow her, and imme diately led him into a room down stairs, in which there was a trap door, communicating with the cellar. On raising the flap he saw the two dogs coupled together in the cellar, and having descended a ladder and unfastened them, he was making his way through a small door into the back yard, when the woman he had last seen began screaming out " Murder," at the same time dropping the trap , and fasten ing the door of the yard to prevent his egress. After several ineffectual attempts to get out, he was at length obliged to scale a wall into another yard, and make his way into the street, with the dogs, through an adjoining house. He then returned to the spot where he had left the prisons Thompson, with whom he made an arrangement to call at his house and receive the 51. reward, but in consequence of a sub sequent communication from the police, on his arrival at the time appointed, he gave him into custody. Sergeant Price stated that on the preceding night the pri soner Cunnington called at the station-house, and after ex pressing himself anxious to communicate all be knew about the transaction, said that a quantity of household furniture belong ing to a person named Harrison had been left at his house with a request that he would take care of it, and that shortly after wards the two dogs were brought by a man who stated that they were also Harrison's property. Witness felt it his duty to detain Cunnington in custody, and the prisuner Thompson was shortly after brought to the station, when the other pri soner immediately charged him with being the man who had brought the dogs to his house under the above circumstances. Police-constable Burcham, H 58, Aged he had ascertained the man Harrison, alluded to by the prisoner, was a notorious dog-stealer, and that he had surreptitiously removed his furni ture to the house in Nelson-street to defraud his landlord. The prisoner Cunnington was not known to the police, but the other prisoner had only recently undergone twelve months' imprison ment on a conviction for felony. In their defence, both prisoners denied all knowledge of the robbery ; and Thompson said that he had been employed to convey the dogs to the house by two men, who gave him some halfpence for his trouble. Mr. BROUGH.Tex said that be considered the evidence against the prisoner Thompson was altogether incompatible with his innocence ; he would, therefore, remand him for further exami nation at a future day ; but as he had some doubt as to whether the other prisoner had received possession of the dogs with a guilty knowledge, he would accept bail for the latter's ap pearance. GREENTVICH. ELOPEMENT AND ROBBERY .—Yesterday a showily-dressed female, named Caroline Sandwell, and a man, named Francis Gri f fiths, a cab driver, were charged before Mr. Grove with 'laeing drunk and creating a disturbance in the public street. Police-constable Seiler deposed that on Saturday night about half-past ten he was on duty in the Greenwich-road, when hearing a disturbance he went to the spet whence the noise proceeded, and there found the female prisoner in high alter cation with the male prisoner and another man, who turned out to be her husband, who was endeavouring to persuade her to return home, she having eloped from him on the Thurs day previous. Mr. Evans, a solicitor of Lee, here entered the Court with the husband, and, producing the marriage certificate, informed the magistrate that he appeared on the behalf of the hus band, who was the landlord of the White Lion public house, Church-hill, Woolwich, and that the unfortunate woman at the bar had eloped from him with a paramour on Thursday last, taking with her bank notes to the amount of I LW., besides a quantity of gold and silver, and several 1 boxes of wearing apparel, &c., ablarKe portion of which she hail pawned, not less than tAenty duplicates relating to the properly having been found upon her when taken intebustotly. He felt bound to say that the male prisoner was not in any manner connected with the elopement, or in the removal of the property from the husband's house ; but, on the other hand, had given such important information as would even tually lead to the recovery of a considerable portion of the ab stracted property. Mr. Sandwell, the husband, deposed to the whole of the above facts, adding the painful circumstance that his wife, when she left her home on Thursday, took away with her their ' only child, an infant not twelve months old. In answer to a question by the Magistrate, Mr. Sandwell stated that they had not been married quite two years. The defendant Griffiths said, in defence, that he was not drunk ; he was merely demanding his fare, which the female refused to pay unless he drove her back to town, when the officer came up. Mr. GROVE said the police-constable had sworn etherwise h hit as he had rendered Mr. Sandwell an essential ser fi v n i e ce iiim e should deal very leniently with the case, and ot . i y With respect to bs., which having paid he was discharged. the female she had better retire with her husband to give him all the intormation respecting where she had placed kis pro perty, and to come to any arrangement he might think proper to propose. The parties then retired, and in half an hour returned, when Mr. Evans said that they had now full information, and that fron;Athretny ST - 141TION AT CA 12L1SLE.—DqUtations ' the person in whose hands 1001. of the money had been placed, 40114 ~a-ancaster and Carlisle Railway Company, the Cale- would, (,n the husband going to him, with a police-constable , npany, the Newcastle and Carliale Company, and deliver it up. et mee ti ngs at and Carlisle Company, have hcen bolding a series Mr. GRovE. severely lectured the woman on her disgraceful d a e co 7 s t ( Os at Carliile, Mr. Ilassell, of Dalmaine , in the chair , conduct to her husband, who said her husband had ill-treate d the all the rail. Th.at City. r most eligible site for a great railway s t a tion i n her. This the husband positively denied ;he had invariably . , t „ has been agreed that it is desirable, not only for t r eated her with kindnese and affection, but he could not con. WWI b e _ :71 companies, but also for the public, that there sent again so receive her. enu .._ waajoint station for ha t four railways, and that Court- The MAGlsraitra remarked that he was not bound to do so. ti` o 4" ) : s the best site for it With reference to its construe- However, the husband could not prosecute his wife, and she t oan i x o t7r, an other details, refere will be eto the must discd, and e prop fd in her ossession rade, t d herepre sen t a ti ves of nce the respective mad companies when be taken into harge custody, th together erty with oun p the twenty pawnbro aug °greed • t° a bide by its decision. kers' duplicates, must be delivered to her husband. When she left the bar her husband presented her with bs., telling her that was all she must ever expect from him. PARISH OF ST. PANCRAS. THE CASE OF MOORE v. PIKE..—THE PAVING AND WATER-RATES.—A public meeting, with reference to the above-mentioned case, was held last evening, at Lawson's As sembly-rooms, Gower-street ; Mr. Corry in the chair. The CHAIRMAN having addressed the meeting, Mr. DOUGLAS rose to move the first resolution. He said that about three years ago Mr. Moore, the then clerk of the Southampton Paving Trust, said that he had lost a sum of 501. of paid money, at the Parliamentary Committee Rooms, where he had been transacting business on the part of the Com missioners of Trust. Mr Pike, one of the Commissioners, put some questions to him as to where he received it, and whether it was in gold or in notes, all which questions he refused to answer.—( Hear.) Mr. Pike followed up the inquiries, however, which gave rise to diputes with the other Commiallioners, who had persecuted him ever since.— (Hear, and groans.) Two years ago a rate was levied by the Commissioners for one year, which was net legal, it being usual only to levy a rate fur six months. Many of the poorer rate-payers were unable to pay the rate for a whole year at once, and were therefore disfran chised —( Groans,) It was on this account that Mr. Pike had opposed the rate, and refused to pay it himself. The proper course for the ommissioners to take was to distrain for the amount, but, instead of that, they sued for it in the Court of Requests, and by means of various objections they carried the ease from one Court to another, till it finally came before the Court of Exchequer, where a decision was given in favour of the Trust, as regarded a minor part of the debt. The action was for 31. 16s. Bd. ; the 31. being for the lighting and paving rate, and the remainder for the water rate. The decision was that the water rate was legal, but the paving rate was not. Thus, although the decision was actually in favour of the de fendant, yet it threw upon him the expense of the action. The costs demanded were 1071., which, being taxed, were reduced to 50/. If the Commissioners had lost the cause, the remain ing 571. must have been paid, and the whole would have been at the expense of the rate-payers. —( Groans. ) The resolution was seconded by Mr. VINER. Several other persons addressed the meeting to the same effect, and the resolution was read by the CHAIRMAN. It was to the effect that the meeting highly condemned the conduct of the Commissioners in taking the expensive process of litigation, and that they, the meeting, pledged themselves to assist Mr. Pike in the liquidation of the debt. The resolution passed almost unanimously. Other resolutions were then passed, and a Committee to re ceive subscriptions was appointed. Several sums of money were handed in and acknowledged, and the meeting separated about ten o'clock. VAUXHALL GARDENS. NIGHT ASCENT OF MR. GREEN IN HIS BALLOON. Last night this aerial voyageur undertook the perilous feat of a night ascent in his balloon from Vauxhall Gardens, dis playing fireworks of a novel and extraordinary description from the car of his frail machine. The occasion of this bold and daring adventure was cele brated by a grand gala, in which all the resources of the estab lishment were brought into requisition to render the fete the most brilliant of the season. The efforts of the management proved successful, the gardens being crowded by an immense assemblage, including several persons of high rank and dis tinetion. The Messrs. Adams have also been making extensive altera tions in their splendid model, al fresco, of the Temple of Honan, which has given it a most imposing effect. The pecu liar character of this exhibition reflects the greatest credit upon those rising young artists—we should say it is the most splendid production since the famed Waterloo. We likewise noticed some very promising scenery, by the same artists, in the Rotunda Theatre, in Mr. Almar's ballet of Old Vauxhall. The new drop at the period of Queen Anne, introducing Sir Roger de Courcy. aka' other characters of the day, forms a very inter esting picture. The balloon selected by Mr. Green for the occasion was the Albion, formerly the property of Mr. Hampton. Since it has been in the possession of Mr. Green, he has considerably en larged it and materially improved it both in shape and construc tion. It will now contain 26,000 cubic feet of gas, and stands sixty feet in height. Mr. Darby, the pyrotechnist, and artist to the gardens, had the entire arrangement of the fireworks, the composition of which, as well as the construction of the machinery for their discharge, was effected under his personal direction. The frame on which were the fireworks was suspended to the car by a line of about seventy feet in length, attached to a swivel, so that it might spin freely in the air, and thus increase the effect cf the pyrotechnic display. The frame consisted of three conjunct wheels, the radius of each being six feet, and the circumference of the entire frame thirty-six feet, and the separation between each wheel fifteen inches. Mr. Green was provided with a regulating winch in the car, so that he was enabled to wind up or lower the frame with the fireworks at pleasure. The fireworks consisted of variegated lights, Italian gerbs, with les petit etolles,"coloured Roman candles, French jets, and Chinese streams of fire, concluding with an enormous bouquet of coloured fires. With respect to the ignition of this ponderous pyrotechnic combination, a number of suggestions were made to Mr. Green, and among others the percussion system was recommended, but the veteran expressed his determination to adopt his own plan of lighting the fireworks from the car us, means of a common lucifer match, to ignite a fusee connected with the " pieces" on the frame, and the lowering it by the windlass, the slow match burning for about a minute previous to the general ex. plosion of the fireworks. The car having been attached to the balloon, Mr. Green previously deposited in it his barometer, a large lantern of pe culiar construction, his compass, map, a guide-line of about a thousand feet, grapnel, and between two and three hundred weight of ballast in bags ; the frame, with the fireworks, was then affixed to the car, great care being taken to prevent its position being reversed from the horizontal to the vertical, as in the case of Madame Blanchard, who lost her life in a night ascent at Paris, the frame, by an accident, becoming reversed, and the fireworks consequently playing into the car instead of beneath the balloon, ignited the silk and an explosion ensued. After the arrangement of the usual preliminaries, Mr. Green entered the car alone, having been previously solicited by the Earl of Munster and Lord George Beresford to allow those noblemen to accompany him ; but Mr. Green felt it his duty, on account of the hazardous adventure, to decline the honour. At eleven o'clock the signal for ascent was given. Mr. Green immediately seized the" liberating iron" with one hand, and lighting the fusee with the other, the ascent took place amidst the cheers of the assembled thousands outside the gar dens and of the company within. The fireworks in a few seconds became discharged, and a more brilliant aerial pyro technic exhibition was never witnessed. The balloon took a northerly direction. SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. Yesterday the proprietor of these romantic gardens presented his numerous visitors with a series of entertainments, as inter esting as they were diverting. Prompted by loyalty, on the occasion of the return of the natal day of the Prince of Wales, Mr. Tyler, to signalize the event, presented specimens of the sports and pastimes of " Merrie Englande," in the olden time.• From what we read about these, and the spirited enactment of • them in the Surrey Zoologiedl Gardens yesterday, our ances tors must have been highly distinguished for their love of health ful jolity; and to this day the famous names of Robin Hood and Friar Tuck carry the imagination bxck to the glade and brake of Sherwood's royal forest. The redoubtable characters just named figured in the mimic scene yesterday, with the utmost success. In addition to their freaks were, the Maypole Dance, the manly: games of Single stick and Quarter-staff, those formidable weapons which, when dexterously used by our sturdy ancestors,.were even a match for an armed man —jumping in sacks, creating roars of laughter, jing ling-matches and archery; as though these were not sufficient to attract crowds and delight them, there was the never-failing source of merriment, our old friend Punch, an encampment of real Gipsies, stalls and tents as at a country fair : and lastlk theugh far from least, the picture town of " Auld Reekie,' illuminated. The whole concluded with a more than ordi narily grand display of fire-works. Between the performance, the fine band of the Royal Artillery, added to the unrivalled band of the establishment, enhanced the scene by the perform ance of several of the most popular pieces of music, which'were executed in a first-rate manner. The gardens poured forth their charms with additional beauty, and were redolent with " Hawthorn buds and sweet eglantine, and garlands of roses.' They were crowded to excess with a very fashionable company. COMMENCEMENT of the OYSTER SEASON. Yesterday morning, at six o'clock, the sale of oysters for the season commenced at Billingsgate, but the poachers who obtain oysters surreptitiously from :the beds where our fishermen had laid them at great expense and trouble, anti cipated the legal opening of the season by supplying many of the shell-fish shops with the luxury a week or ten days ago. The demand, as usual, on the " first day of oysters," as ap- ' plied to the 4th of August, was very great, the attendance of dealers numerous, and the oysters of good quality, but the supply was below the average. Soon after midnight on Sunday, the vendors of " real natives" (which are not to be had till the second week in September, though every shop and stall announced them) began pouring into the market, and at day-light several thousand persons were assembled, and a double line of carts and other vehicles reached from the Tower along Lower Thames-street, Fish-street-hill, to Gracechurch street. The most admirable arrangements were made by Mr. Goldham, the clerk of the market, to prevent robberies and con fusion, and a strong forceof the City police were in attendance to carry out the arrangements. As all who were assembled at Bil lingsgate were not expected to be honest, boards, on which were painted in legible characters, " Take care of your pockets," were fixed in various places. The name of the cargo of every smack was also painted on boards, and fixed to the rigging of each vessel, which effectually prevented impositions on the dealers, and Mr. Goldham himself sat in his own offiee as arbitrator, to adjust disputes, which he did with as much celerity as the Judge of the ancient Pie-poudre Court, and saved my Lord Mayor and Aldermen a good deal of trouble in the course of the day. The hatches opened while the clock was striking six, and the sale commenced with great briskness and regularity, and proceeded with out a fight, without a row, and without the loss of half a-dozen fish-venders in the river. Mr. Goldham has effectually reformed Billingsgate, and some other place ought to be asso ' ciated with everything that is low and vulgar, as Billings- gate was wont to be. There were fifty sail of vessels at market from the Isle of Sheppy, Rochester, Whitstable, Colchester, and Milton. The " commons" produced from lOs. to 16s. per bushel ; the Welsh 18s. to 11. ; and the pearl, a very small and delicious oyster, equal to the natives, 11. 10s. The supply of " Cheyney Hocks," a favourite oyster, which is included among the commons, was very good. It may not be generally known that the oysters fed on the Kent and Essex coasts are brought from Jersey, France, Falmouth, and other places, and taken up again, when fattened, for the London market. Oysters are much scarcer than they ❑sed to be, which is attributable to the bane ful practice of selling them out of season. The lute Act for the regulation of the oyster fisheries will, it is hoped, check the evil, and prevent the wholesale robberies of the oyster beds for the benefit of the London shell fishmongers during those months when they ought not to be eaten. The measure at Billinsgate is doubled, as regards oysters, every peck being a bushel, and they are measured out by regularly appointed meters. The supply at Hungerford-market was very inconsiderable, and:con sisted of only four sail. The prices were similar to those at Billingsgate. In the evening Mr. Goldham reported 20 smacks , for this day's supply. ACCIDENT TO ONE OF THE LIFE GUARDS AFTER TILE REVlEW.—Yesterday afternoon between three and four o'clock, an accident of rather a serious nature occurred to a private belonging to Captain Hall's troop of the Second Life Guards, whilst on the march to Windsor after the grand review in Hyde-park. The troops had reached Turnham green, when the horse on which the man was riding sud denly tumbled and fell, the man also falling with his right leg beneath the animal. The occurrence caused much confusion among the troops, and two of the soldiers instantly dis mounted to their comrade's assistance. On lifting him up he complained that his leg was broken, and by order of the com manding officer he was carried into the 'Travellers' Rest public-house, near the new church, where, on being examined by the surgeons of the regiment, the bone of his right leg was found to be badly fractured. He was conveyed to the hospital belonging to the regiment at Spital, near Windsor. THE S N, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 5, 1845. r 3 IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Aug. 4. The House sat to-day at a quarter before Four. ROYAL ASSENT. The royal assent was given to-day by commission to the following Bills :—The Customs Laws Repeal Bill, the Customs Management Bill, the Customs General Regulation Bill, the Smuggling Prevention Bill, the British Shipping and Navigation Bill, the British Vessels Registration Bill, the Customs Duties Bill, the Warehousing of Goods Bill, the Customs Bounties Bill, the British Possessions Abroad Trading Bill, the Isle of Man Trade Bill, the Stamp Duties Bill, the Com pensation Allowances Courts of Law Bill, the Real Pro perty Amendment Bill, the Bills of Exchange Bill, the Disembodied Militia Bill, the Court of Chancery Amendment Bill, Public Funds Bill, Corn Warehousing Bill, the Lunatics Bill, Coals (Port of London) Bill, the Stock in Trade Rating Bill, the Joint-stock Company's (Ireland) Bill, the Westminster Improvement Bill, the Waste Lands (Australia) Bill, the Scotch Poor-law Bill, the Assistant Barristers' (Ireland) Bill, the Grand Jury Presentments (Dublin) Bill, the Dublin Pipe Water (No. 2) Bill, the Duddeston and Nechell's Improvement Bill, White's Estate Bill, Ellison's Estate Bill, the Rochdale Vicarage Bill, the Yoker Road Bill, Masters and Workmen Bill, Land Revenue Act Amend ment Bill, and the following Railway Bills : The Leeds and Bradford, The Glasgow Junction, The Birmingham and Gloucester, The Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampt Railways (Selling or Leasing), Guildford Junction Railway, The South Eastern, The Londonderry and Coleraine, The Oxford and Rugby, The Erewash Valley, The South Wales, The Monmouth and Hereford, and the Glasgow, Barrhead, and Ncilston. The Lords Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, Lord Wharneliffe, and the Earl of Shaftesbury. Their Lordships then adjourned during pleasure. Their Lordships reshmed at Five o'clock. The Removal of Paupers Bill went through Com mittee. The Borough and Watch Rates Bill went through Committee. GAMING AND WAGERS' BILL. The Commons' amendments to this Bill were read and agreed to. LUNATIC ASYLUMS BILL. The Commons' amendments to this Bill were then agreed to. SOUTH EASTERN RAILWAY BILL. Lord REDESDALE brought up the report of the Select Committee on this Bill. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE presented a pe tion against the Bill, from a gentleman named Mattrillian. Ile stated that there were eleven names on the subscription-deed of persons, each of whom was a shareholder in the Kentish rail- ways to the amount of 570,0001. He thought that an opportunity should be given to the petitioner to have his statement investigated, and he would, therefore, move that the Bill be re-committed. ___„ Lord RED ESDALE begged to assure their Lordships that the same petition now under consideration had been referred to the Committee on Standing Orders, and all the statemen!s had been there entered into, and that Committee did not think that the petitioners had made out any case whatever against the, Bill. As a proof of the frivolous nature of the objections made, one gentleman was alleg(d to be wrongly described, because esquire" was affixed to his name instead of " banker." The line which the Committee had selected presented no engineering difficulties of any consequence ; while the other competing line embraced works of great magnitude, and was by no means so good a line. Under these circumstances he contended that the Committee were perfectly right in the course they adoptc d. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said it was .mon strous to say that this man had only a small piece of property which would be affected. That was a prima facie reason why he should be heard, as every poor man ought to be protected—in fact he had a greater claim to the protection of the House than a rich man. He should persist in his motion that the Bill be re-com mitted. Lord REDESDALE said the Committee took the course they did for the purpose of preventing a vexatious opposition to the Bill. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE then withdrew his original motion, and moved that the evidence taken before the Committee on the Bill be printed. The Earl of WICKLOW protested against the course proposed, and cited the case of the Dublin and Galway line, to show that such a step ought only to be taken in extreme cases. Their Lordships then divided, when there appeared, For the motion 37 For the amendment Majority The report was consequently received. TAXING MASTER'S COURT OF CHANCERY (IRELAND) BILL. Lord STANLEY moved the third reading of this Bill. The Earl of WICKLOW said he had an amendment to propose to the Bill. He did not think the nature of a barrister's education capacitated him to perform the duties of a taxing master, and as the bill at present stood it cast a slur on the whole body of attorneys and solicitors in Ireland. He moved as an amendment that all persons to be appointed under the Bill should be solicitors of the Court of Chancery in Ireland, who should have been in practice for the space of ten years or upwards. The LORD CHANCELLOR opposed the amend ment, and reminded the House that the majority of the taxing masters in the Courts of Common Law in Eng land were barristers. Lord COTTENRAM said, as the Bill stood, a butler or a coachman might be appointed to the office. It was a mere matter of patronage, and the patron might ap point whatever competent person to the office, with out regard to his previous profession or occupa tion. Barristers knew little or nothing about taxing,costs. Taxing costs was entirely out of the barrister's occupa tion, while, on the other hand, attorneys were brought up in that course of business. Why was it that such a struggle had been created between barristers and attor neys by this Bill ? Was it because his Noble Friend had discovered that the barristers had a greater knowledge about costs than attorney s . He (Lord Cottenham) did not see why barristers should be named in one part of the Bill and attorneys in another. He thought also that if the opinion was that what was good for England was good for Ireland, and if justice was to be done to Ire land, they should adopt a course o f ass i m il a ting the laws of both countries. The LORD CHANCELLOR here remarked that the amendment was that they ought to have solicitors exclu sively. Lord CAMPBELL suspected that there was a job at the bottom of the Bill, and, if there were not, the matter would not be so fiercely contested. His Noble Friend Made a fine speech, such as he could make on any occasion, and on any case, but he did answer the arguments used by the Noble Earl opposite. The dis cussion now was respecting the officer who was to per form the same function which the taxing-master in this country had to perform. From what he knew of Dublin, the solicitors there were men of as high honour, credit, and intelligence as could be found in Westminster. Did his Noble Friend know the amount of terms, fees, and of other legal expenses ? It was true, he would know the difference between "To dining with you and advi sing you with respect to cause, Scc.,l6s. Bd." and making the dinner a set-off to th e a d v i ce g i ven. S uc h k now l e d ge w as only obtained by long study. He hoped the Noble Earl would persist in his amendment. Lord STANLEY said the question was whether they would leave the appointment of taxing-masters to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland for the time being, or to the solicitors. He was willing to leave such appointments to that high officer, whose high office gave a sufficient guarantee that only proper persons would be appointed to the office. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said this Bill was another illustration of the total disregard in which the feelings of the people of Ireland were held by this coun try, and which had the effect of materially contributing towards its present distressed condition. The Noble Lord had drawn a gratuitous and most odious distinction between the solicitors of the two coun t r i es , an d j u stified it by calling the profession of Ireland a small and ex clusive coterie. He should assure him that a more re spectable class of men than the solicitors of Dublin never existed, and they would resent, and that most keenly, the uncalled for and unmerited insult contained in the present proposition. The LORD CHANCELLOR explained that he did not mean to cast any slight upon the solicitors of Ireland, than whom he believed a more honourable or respectable class of men did not exist, buthecontceondepdtehnat and tt nd the GtthiDiaetAperLoeEfn country were equally met supported the a men d men t of the oughtNotbol barristerser dt toL Lof have Lord rAdN o pposite (Earl of Wicklow), because he considered solicitors were fully competent and the proper persons to discharge the duties now proposed to be taken from them and transferred to others. With reference to the Bill of 1838, to which allusion had been made by his Learned Friend on the woolsack, surely the Noble Lord must remember that that gave the office solely to solicitors, and though at first entertaining a preference in favour of the barristers, his Learned Friend (the Lord Chancellor) bad, after mature deliberation and consulta tion, agreed to the Bill as carried. The LORD CHANCELLOR assured the House that it was not from conviction, but respect to the abilities and the peculiar office held by the Learned Lord near him (Lord Langdale), that he yielded in the details of a Bill of which his Noble Friend had been the framer. The Earl of ST. GERMANS denied that there was any parallel between the cases of the solicitors of this country and Ireland ; for, for every attorney that was practising in Dublin there were twenty in this metropolis. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE reminded the Noble Lord (the Earl of St. Germans) that, if in England there were twenty solicitors for . every one practising in Ireland, six were to be appointed as taxing officers under the present Bill in this country ' , for every one in the sister country. The Earl of WICKLOW, in reply, Fetid that, con sidering the present state of discontent and di- affnti , in Ireland, it would be perfect madn ess t o d raw th e in vidious distinction he complained ot, and he therefor,. was determined to take the sense of the House upon the question. The House then divided, when there appeared— Contents 19 Non-Contents Majority in favour of the amendment —6 A message from the Commons announced that the London and York Railway Bill had passed there, and praying their Lordships' approval. PA UPER LUNATICS. Earl FORTESCUE called attention to a petition re specting the treatment of pauper lunatics, in Ireland The petition was from Dr. Flinn, and prayed for an assi milation in the medical treatment of the lunatics of Ire- ,and to those of England. He cordially agreed-with the prayer of the petition, and bore testimony to the high character of Ik. Flinn, the petitioner, who was; only actuated by a desire to promote the welfare of this un fortunate class of persons. THE BRAZILIAN PIRATES. The NOBLE EARL said he 'Would also put a question to his Noble Friend opposite, respecting a sentence passed at Exeter, on seven foreigners committed at the Assizes there for piracy and murder. He understood that great doubts existed in the minds of legal men respecting the legality of the sentence. He further understood that a protest against the sentence had been made by the Brazilian Government. The question he .wished to put was whether her Majesty's Government was fully satis fied of the legality of the sentence, with reference to the question of international law, and if not, whether it would not be better to exercise the prerogative of the Crown for the purpose of suspending the execution of the sentence ? Lord STANLEY said he could not but, concur with the Noble Lord, that it was desirable there should be no doubt of the legality of the sentence. Ile had communi cated with the Secretary of State for the Home Depart ment on the subject, and had been informed that Baron Platt, who tried the men, had assented to the suspension of the sentence until the decision of the fifteen judges was known on the subject. COUNTY RATES BILL. ;. The County Rates Bill was then read a third time. PORTSMOUTH ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY. The Duke of RICHMOND moved the re-committal of he Portsmouth Atmospheric line of railway. • The Marquis of NORTHAMPTON opposed the motion. The Earl of DEVON supported the amendment. Lord LOVELACE opposed it. Ile did not think that after this Bill had beeti two Inonths before the other llouse of Parliament—after an enormous sum of money had been expended in bringing it torward=he did not think it right at this time to come forward with the amendment of the noble Duke's, and to re2ommit the Bill, which would have exactly the effect of throwing it back to another session. The Earl of WICKLOW said that he regretted as much as the Noble Lord opposite that em her notice had not been taken of this Bill, but when errors had been committed by Members of that House when sitting on Committees, be thought that the House was bound to ... rectify them. Nov the question was, was any error committed by the Committee upon the Portsmouth Bill? He thought that there had been. He thought they had not taken into consideration the competing lines; and why had they not done so? Because, as they stated themselves, a portion of the line seemed to be common to both companies, and they must necessarily have amalgamated before such a state of things could possibly be. They therefore went on the supposition that the parties must have been received. lie (Lord Wicklow) maintained that the fact that for a portion of the line the ono party was identical ith the other did not nega tive the right of entering as a competing line. He con tended therefore that the Bill should be recommitted, inasmuch as the Committee had contravened the printed instructions which ought to have guided them. The Earl of HARD WICKE, as chaiiman of the Com- mittee appointed on the Bill, said that, to the best of their abliity, they had examined into the merits of the Bills laid before them on the table. He would venture to call their Lordships' attention to some of the clauses in the Bill, with the view of showing the opposing parties had, to a certain degree at least, amalgamated. He had no doubt that, finding that the decision of the Committee was adverse to the claims set up, the adverse party had, by the advise of counsel, adopted this method with the view of overturning that decision. He should first direct their Lordships' attention to the 38th clause in the Bill, which recognised the expediency of a junction at G odal ming. If the opposing party objected, why did they not refuse this joint station? The Earl of DEVON—What paper is that you re fer to ? The Earl of HARDWICKE—He was looking at the Bill itself. Then, if their Lordships would examine the 37th clause, they would find an arrangement for the fares of passengers. Why did they not take their stand on these fares, which would have been a fair and tangible opposition? Then, in the 36th and 28th clauses, it was tfie same, but he had proved enough. Their Lordships would thus see that certain clauses in the Bill justified the Committee in their decision. But if their Lordships were of opinion that they had gone into error, he hoped that, for the guidance of future Committees, they would take care that the standing orders be sufficiently expla natory. Lord BEAUMONT said, that though there had been originally two competing lines, yet one of these had been evidently withdrawn, and, therefore, if they adopted the motion of the Noble Duke (the Duke of Richmond), they would be, instead of confirming the standing orders, establishing a gross absurdity, by allowing parties to appear both in the character of promoters and oppo sers of the same measures. He wished to say one other word. If they did not pass this Bill, he thought the House was bound to take measures to facilitate its passing at some later period this session. Lord REDESDALE said, that as the person who had moved that the evidence on this Bill be printed, he felt it necessary to call their Lordships' attention to what had passed on the last occasion, when the Noble Duke had moved the recommittal of this Bill. The motion at that period seemed to convey a slur upon the Committee, and it was with the wish that they might have that on which to found a decision, that ho had moved that the evidence be printed. He thought that while the House should repose confidence in thei r Comnaitiees, they should, at the same time, take especial care that the rights of in dividuals did not suffer by their decisions. He would support the motion of the Noble Duke. The Marquis of NORTHAMPTON explained. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that the Bill should be suspended until the allegations contained in it should be examined into. Thu Earl of HADDINGTON wished to know whether the petitioning parties had made any compro- mise or nut ? The Duke of RICHMOND denied that any compro mise whatever had been made. The Duke of 91BAFTON defended the course taken by the Committee, and said he thought that the opposi tion now made by the Noble Duke should have been made on the first or second reading of the Bill. The Duke of RICHMOND replied, and the House divided, when there appeared— For the amendment l3 Against it ll Majority The amendment was carried. The Duke of RICHMOND moved that a Committee be named by their Lordships. The Marquis of NORTHAMPTON reminded the Noble Duke that one most material party in the ques tion was out of the country. After some desultory conversation, in which Lord Redesdale, the Marquis of Northampton, and Lord Mont• eagle took part. the motion was withdrawn. LONDON AND YORK BILL. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE presented a; pe tition from certain parties, complaining that more than half a million of the capital purported to be subscribed. for on the London and York line, had been fraudulently and fictitiously subscribed. The Noble Marquis hoped that their Lordships, who had proved themselves so sen sitive on the peculiarities of other bills, would institute a rigid inquiry into these alleged frauds. VALUATION OF LANDS (IRELAND) BILL. Lord STANLEY moved the second reading of this bill. Lord MONTEAGLE said he never rose with a greater sense of responsibility in expressing his con viction that no more rash course could be taken than the passing such a Bill under such circumstances : a Bill affecting . the relations of Ireland, affecting the stability of her social prosperity, and the character and existence of the British Government. It was a measure which threatened to overthrow the tenure of property, to change the entire principle of subdividing land, valuing the soil, and the arrangement of all taxa tion. They now stood upon the 4th day of August, in the presence of five Members, four of whom were Peers of Ireland, the remaining Peers of England, and a Bill like this was brought forward, and forced upon the House, to commit the grossest injustice upon Ireland, which the Government would not have dared to have proposed for England. If he could not appeal to the wisdom of the Government he could appeal to their (tom passion, and implore them to reconsider their measure, a measure which, he repeated, they would not dare in troduce for any metropolitan parish of this country. The Earl of ST. GERMANS said that to listen to the speech of the Noble Lord, one would imagine that this Bill was a crude emanation from the Government ; but it must be remembered that a report was submitted from a Committee of the House of Commons, in the last session of Parliament, before whom the most able witnesses were examined, and among other Mr. Griffiths, and it was also to be remembered that the Bill had been amended in its passage through the House of Commons. He would venture to say that a majority of the Irish people, and of the Irish representatives, were in favour of the measure. The moment this Bill would come into operation, the heartburnings and the jealousies which at present existed on the subject of valuation for poor-rates and other taxes would be removed ; for the high cha racter of Mr. Griffiths as a valuator would place the operations of the Bill above suspicion. He had no wish to limit the right of Noble Lords to express an opinion upon any Bill haviug reference to the country with which they were immediately connected, but he did certainly think it hard that on a Bill which had reoeived the sanction of the , House of Commons, any Noble Lord should turn round and rate the Government for what he might esteem the evils of the He would repeat that the ratepayers of Ireland would find the Bill a great benefit, and he was sure that his Noble Friend behind him (Lord Stanley) would he prepared in Committee to defend—and defend successfully—the provisions of the Bill. The Earl of WICKLOW thought that the House ought to have time to consider an important Bill of this kind, for it was a most unprecedented thing ina Minister of the Crown to move the second reading of such a mea sure on the same day that the papers relating to it were laid upon the table. It had been stated that the leading Irish Members were in favour of the measure. This was somewhat different from the representations he had seen in the daily papers. There it had been represented that a most determined stand had ben made against the prin ciple of the Bill. He wished to know how the Govern mrnt could reconcile it to their consciences to pass this measure without consulting the i opinions of the few Irish Members who were in that House? Lord STANLEY said that he brOught forward this measure with a full sense of the inconvenience of its being brought on at this period of the session. He felt it was inconvenient in bringing it forward at this late period of the session. His Noble Friend said that he had not hail time to hear the objections which might be made by Noble Lords, but the Noble Lord must know that they had an opportunity now of stating their opi !lions. A great objection existed against postponing it till next session, as it would have to come before the House of Commons again. That would be very inju• rious as they would be postponing the amendment of the existing system, which was on all sides alleged to be a bad system. The only objection he had heard made by Irish Gentlemen was the postponement. As their Lord ships were not generally in favour of this Bill, he would not, at this period of the session, press the further pro gress of the Bill. - After a few words from the Marquis of CLANRICARDE and Lord MONTEAGLE, The motion was withdrawn. On the motion of a NOBLE LORD, the Commons' amendments to the Slave-trade (Brazil) Bill were con sidered and agreed to. Their Lordships then adjourned at Half-past Ten. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Aug. 4. The SPEAKER took the Chair at a Quarter to Four o'clock. ROYAL COMMISSION. The Deputy Usher of the Black Rod attended at the bar to summon the House to the House of Lords, to hear the royal assentgiven by commission to several Bills. The SPEAKER, attended by several of the Members, left the House. On the return of the SPEAKER, he informed the House that the royal assent had been given to a num ber of private Bills (for which see Lords' report). The following private Bills were read a third time and passed : The Birmingham Blue-coat School, Sir Robert Keith's Estate, The Severn Estate, The Lutwidge Estate, The Earl of Powis's Estate, The Duke of Bridgwater's Estate, The North Walsbum School Estate, Marsh's Estate, Bowes' Estate, Boileau's Divorce Bill, The Winchester College Estate, Sampson's Estate, Marquis of Donegal's Estate, Molyncux's Estate. GRIMSBY DOCKS. The Lords' amendments to this Bill were brougbt up and agreed to. 'THE SHOULDHAM DIVORCE BILL. This Bill was read a second time. RAILWAY FRAUDS.—THE LONDON AND YORK LINE. Mr. HAWES rose to present a petition from the Chairman of the Cambridge and Lincoln Railway Com pany, who stated that his attention had been called to the subscription list of the London and York Company, and by the aid of himself and agents he had discovered that the names who kad subscribed half a million to the contract deed repreZrited persons that were not living, or whose places of abode were wrongly given. In addition to which were many names of paupers, or persons who had no visible means of 'meeting their en gagements. The petitioner's inquiries were not yet ended, but the petitioner expressed that he had no doubt he would be able to discover many more frauds and forgeries in addition to those already set forth. If a Committee of inquiry were appointed, he was prepared to establish these allegations before it. The peti tion contained the names of many perties who, upon inquiry, would be found altogether in • competent to meet the demands made upon them. As he would have a chance of speaking on the third read ing of the Bill, all he would now do, would be to move that the petition be printed with the votes to morrow. To-morrow it was his intention to make a motion upon it. Mr. B. DENISON said he had been allowed to look over the petition before it was presented, and saw one name attached to the petition as a party who was repre sented to be incompetent to meet the amount for which he had subscribed. Now, he knew that gentleman to be a most respectable solicitor, and also that he was compe tent to pay six times the amount he had subscribed for. They might judge from this fact what the petition was worth. An HON. MEMBER inquired the name of the party in question. Mr. B. DENlSON—Michael Thomas Baxter. The SPEAKER asked if it was the intention of the Hon. Member (Mr. Denison) to object to the printing of the petition. Mr. DENISON—Yes, he most certainly objected to the printing of it. He should not try to stop the progress of the Bill by objecting to the third reading, neither had he any objection to have the petition inquired into, but he wished to allude to this circumstance—a paper headed urgent, dated August, and signed Joseph Croucher, Parliamentary agent--(Hear, hear, and laughter)—(Parliamentary agents were, to a certain extent, under the control of the House, and surely it was a breach of privilege of a person following such an occupation so to act) — and directed to the postmaster of Reigate (so we under stood), inquiring whether Edward Foster and Mr. Chap man—(Hear, hear)—(who he believed was a director of the Company) resided in that neighbourhood, and asking for information respecting them. It also appeared that such circulars were sent to almost every town in the kingdom, in which it was supposed any person who held shares in the London and York resided. lle also understood that persons had been going about Lon don, for the last four•and-twenty hours, making inqui ries respecting the residences and occupations of those who held shares in the Company. lie also believed that the petition had been got up for the purpose of stopping the progress of the Bill, and was of a similar charac ter to the objections made with respect to the sections. The promoters of the Bill were taken by surprise by this allegation, and they sent down their surveyors to ascertain if there was any truth in it, when it turned out to be all fudge, but not until they had been put to a great deal of trouble and expense. He only men tioned this to show what had already been done for the purpose of wearying the time of the Committee and Directors, in order that the London and York Bill might not get the benefit of the resolution which the House had lately passed ; and the present petition, he believed, had been brought forward with precisely the same object. He should certainly, therefore, oppose the motion for having the petition printed. Mr. B. HAWES knew nothing of those who were promoting the line, nor had he had any sort of com munication, either directly or indirectly, with the parties to this petition. It was brought to him by a most respectable man, and it was signed by a gentleman no less respectable, the chairman of the Cambridge and Ely line. He was informed that the petition included the names of persons who represented 658,0001. in the Company who were quite unknown ; 200,000/. was represented by fictitious subscribers ; and 145,0001. by parties wholly irrespon sible. Now, whatever the Honourable Member might say of the conduct of those who opposed the Bill, he could assure the House that he stated these facts upon the best possible evidence, and he was satisfied in his own mind that they ought to be inquired into. There was one gentleman who was represented to be residing in Finsbury-square, and who had subscribed for 130,0004, but on inquiry no such person could be found. There was another person, who stood for 500,0001., who was receiving alms from the Charter house, and whose name stood on the Parliamentary list as a railway subscriber for 51,0001. He had not the slightest interest directly or indirectly in the line, and it was perfectly immaterial to him whether the House passed it or not, but he thought, nevertheless, they ought to inquire into these abuses. He thought the House ought not to refuse receiving a petition brought forward by respectable parties, and containing allegations of such a character. But he had done his duty in laying it before the House. He had stated his belief in the respectability of the parties who had signed it, and from the inquiries that had been made by himself he was of opinion that the allegations in the petition ought to receive the attention of the House. Mr. BERNAL said that he knew nothing of the parties connected with the Cambridge and Lincoln Rail way, but he knew quite enough of railways to be aware that all the care the House could take would not put an end to stock-jobbing or gambling speculations, with the mischiefs which must arise from them. He had no wish to complain of the parties who had signed this petition. He did not complain of his Hon. Friend—he had no doubt of his sincerity, but he did complain that his Hon. Friend should characterise any refusal of the House to receive this petition as unjust, and as depriving those parties of a remedy. Why, they were well aware that there was another tribunal, even if they refused his Hon. Friend's motion. They were not shut out from an after tribunal, and he might ask his Honourable Friend if these circumstances were of so novel a character that he must come down to the House on the third read ing, like a thunderbolt, to shake the merits of this case. As he had before said there was another tribunal, even if the House refused to consider the motion of his Hon. Friend. Mr. ROEBUCK said that the Hon. Member who had last spoken had compared the presentation of this petition to a coming down to the House like a thunderbolt, and he thought proper to find fault with his Hon. Friend the Member for Lambeth for presenting it. But what did the petition allege ? Why, that a fraud had been prac tised upon the House of Commons. It was not that a fraud had been committed upon the Lincoln and Cam bridge Company, but the assertion was that a fraud had been Committed on the House of Commons. But had they not a precedent of this character ? Some time ago they had passed a Bill respecting Ireland. That was taken to the House of Lords ; and, after being subjected to a searching ordeal, they discovered that after that House (the Commons) had performed their duties—du ties performed to no purpose—one half of the list was fraudulent. As the common saying had it, what was sauce for the goose was sauce for the gander, and what was applicable in the north of Ireland should be applicable to the north of England. They turned out the Dublin and Galway Bill for a fraud on the House of Commons. The f, and was indeed proved in the House of Lords, and this was proved in the House of Commons. An HON. MEMBER—Not proved yet. Mr. ROEBUCK—Not proved yet, certainly. Wh y, it seemed to him that the House, by refusing this inquiry, got rid of their functions and neutralised their own powers. To the searching inquiries of a Noble and Learned Lord, in the other House, was the country in debted for the eiscovety that 5 or 60,000/. was sub• scribed by persons who were almost literally partperS4 and now they seemed about to send up a similar ease to the same House—a case, too, involving a fraud en the House of Commons. Mr. WARD was opposed to the London and York line, but he had one objection to the motion of his Hon. Friend, arising from the peculiar circumstances of the case. The effect of this motion would be. if applied in tuture, that no railway Bill would be enabled to pus at the close of the session. He granted that it was discreditable to any Committee of that House to pass over such an error, but the case was very different to the Dublin and Galway. The allegation of, snob an error was tnad, by Mr. Cockburn, and the Committee deiired to Si e the share list, which was not produced, and finally the objection was withdrawn. He trusted that his Hon. Friend would withdraw this motion, for its effect was this :—lt was known in the City in the morning that this motion would be made, and the con sequence was, that the shares of the company rose as the other fell. He thought that the House ought to look with suspicion on a motion like this upon the third read . . . ing of any Bill. Mr. DARBY would take that opportunity of saying that the original share list was before the Committee, and every word of the deed was discussed and com mented on, and there never was a hint thrown out against the respectability of the persons who had signed the deed. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw. No di vision, however, took place, the motion having; as we understood, been agreed to. After a few words from Mr. COLLETT, Mr. B. DENNISON then moved that the London and York Railway Bill be read a third time. Mr. HAWES said he wished to say a few words on this subject. After what had taken place on the Gal way Bill, and after the allegations contained in the peti tion which had been presented to the House, he thought investigation was highly desirable. It had been stated that the subscription contract of the Lon don and York was unimpeachable, but such was not now the case. Now, it appeared that all the companies had agreed that they would not impeach the contract deeds of one another before the Standing Orders Committee, so that in fact these deeds might, for anything the House knew, have been altogether fraudulent ; under such circumstances, it was not at all surprising that these deeds should not have been sooner impeached. Mr. ROEBUCK said, he would move that the third reading of this Bill take place upon that day three months. His reasons were numerous—first, the Legisla ture had ordained that, as a protection for the psiblic, the Bills should be examined in the Standing Orders Conunittee : it was distinctly understood that the contract deed should be of a boars fide character—that was, that the subscriptions and addresses of the par ties should be genuine. If the Standing Ordttrs4 Com mittee was worth anything, it surely velßt requisite that a full and searching inquiry should be gone into._ • The petition Lefere the House alleged a fraud--ire did .not mean to say that his Hon. Friend opposite (Mr. Dennison) was in any way privy to or cognizant of these frauds, but the question was, would the House in the face of this allegation pass the Bill ? Why, the fraud could not be denied; It was easy for the Hon. Gentle man (Mr. Dennison) to shake his head, but would he disprove the allegations contained in the petition in Committee ? Everybody knew that the proceedings relative to the Standing Orders Committee were carried on in a manner that astounded the whole community. The disclosures came upon them like a thunder clap. They could not go anywhere without hearing " railway shares" in everybody's mouth. In fact, every man and woman in so ciety talked of railway shares. The present rail way excitement was a monstrous phenomenon. If it were asked why he came at the elev - enth hour he would answer, it was only at the eleventh hour the frauds had been discovered. These frauds had now reached their height, and it was their duty - now to its growth— should not the House stop the progress of the Bill, when parties were ready to prove that fraud had been com mitted ? Mr. HAWES seconded the motion. Mr. WILSON PATTEN said it was really too bad. if, after the Committee had spent eighty, days in investigating all matters connected with this rail way, and after an expenditure of 100,0001., parties were now at the eleventh hour allowed to come forward and stop the progress of the Bill. Even suppose the contract deed were fraudulent to the amount of 600,000%, there was still ample capital to carry out the umiler taking. If the passing of this Bill were postponed, he would never again sit on a Railway Committee. Mr. AGLIONBY knew nothing of the merits of the Bill, but he rose to answer one observation of the Hon. Gentleman who just sat down. As to the standing orders—it was an error to suppose that they gave to the public the protection which they were intended to give. One mode of defeating this object was that, when there were two rival companies for the same line, those com panies agreed mutually not to oppose each other in the Standing Orders Committee, lest both Bills should be lost. The Committee had no means of preventing frauds, but he hoped that the House would by next session take measures to prevent the repetition of such frauds as had been detected this session. With respect. to the asper sions which had been cast upon some Members of that House, he would pledge himself to the douse, that so long as he was in a Committee of a judicial character be would have nothing to do with any railway. He hoped something would be done to prevent the combination of great companies to sacrifice the interests of the public. Mr. WARD said there was one point which the Hon. Gentleman had not looked to, that was the large amount of money that was expended upon the northern railway projects, before they came before the Standing OrdersCom rnittee. The sum expended amongst these—successful and unsuccessful—was upwards of 100,0001. Under these cir cumstances it was not fraud upon the public or the House, but to prevent the sacrifice of so much money.—(Hear, hear.) With respect to what his Hon. Friend had said of Members taking shares in railway Companies ; he, for one, was not ashamed to say that he held such shares—(Hear, hear)—and be thought it was of importance to the public that mon of station and responsibility stniuld be so connected with railways. He (Mr. Ward) never felt happier in his life than when he saw any of those great enterprises carried to a successful conclusion. Mr. AGLIONBY did not in the slightest degree in tend to reflect upon the conduct of any lion. Member in that house. Mr. B. DENNISON said many observations had been made respecting the compromise which bud been entered into between the parties respectkg the standing orders. That compromise did take place, and he was glad to have the opportunity of explaining the matter to the House. He received himself, in February or March last, a note from Mr. Lang, of the Beard of Trade, appointing an interview. In consequence of that note. be went to the Board of Trade, and Mr. Lang proposed to him that all contention before the Standing Orders Committee between the respec tive parties should be suspended. On the part of the London and York Company he at once agreed to the arrangement, provided all other lines com peting with the London and York would agree to the same terms. The agreement was drawn up by the solicitors, and was signed by the respective parties. That agreement was religiously kept by the London and York Company, and he put it to the House whether it was good taste in the' perions who had signed the petition that had been presented that evening, to come to that House and complain of the London and York, ore of those parties being chairman of an opposing line. After a few words from Mr. R. COLLETT, strangers were ordered to withdraw, but no division took place. Mr. HAWES, amid the noise which followed, was understood to say that he had a particular wish to have the Bill printed. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. PROPERTY- rAx. Captain PECHELL presented a petition from a. pri • vate individual, complaining of the manner in which he had been oppressed by the levy of the property-tax. Mr. MARK PHILIPS presented a pe:ition from the tailors of Manchester, complaining that they were com pelled to work in unhealthy places. Mr. GROGAN presented a petition from the inhabi tants of the North Dublin Union, praying for certain amendments in the Irish Poor Relief Act. Mr. MACKINNON said he begged to give notice that he would, early in the ensuing session, bring for ward a motion against interments in or near large towns. INDIAN CORN. Mr. ESCOTT begged to give notice, that he would, next session, move that all Indian corn imported into all ports of the kingdom be admitted free of all duty.— (Hear, hear.) ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. Sir R. PEEL begged to give notice that he would, to-morrow, move that the House, at its rising, do ad journ till Friday. COAST OF PORTENDIC. Mr. SMYTHE said he would postpone until next ses sion his motion for a Select Committee to consider the report on the papers laid on the table of the House relative to the claims of her Majesty's subjects, arising out of the measures adopted by the French Government is the years 1834 and 1835, on the coast of Portendic. WESTMINSTER BRIDGE. Sir R. IL INGLIS said that, seeing his Right Hon. Friend the First Lord of the Treasury in his place, he wished to know what the intention of her Majesty's Ministers were respecting Westminster Bridge? The House would recollect that last year a Committee was appointed to inquire and to collect evidence. Mr. George Rennie, Mr. Cubitt, and Sir John Rennie, with two other eminent engineers, concurred in the opinion that it was highly desirable to rebuild Westminster Bridge ; while Mr. Walker, the engineer. and Mr. Cubitt, the builder, considered that it might be repaired in a manner to make it efficient for all public purposes. The Committee did not concur in the opinion of the three engineers, and preferred to spend a large sum in repairs. Under these circ umstances,. the House separated la s t year, the majority concurrmg in the recommendation of the Committee's report. Last winter the injuries which the bridge received in the autumn of 1843 had been very much incretised. He would, therefore, ask if lraelatdeyrat goneiou s they to was intended enormous; ended to her Majesty's Government had ally course un d er consi deration,make?Tabned e a x ls p o en u s ' e h a a t and yet all had been ineffectual in making the bridge efficient. Sir ROBERT PEEL said that, in answering the ques tion, he would remind the House of what was done ,by the Committee appointed by the House. That Com mittee, after the examination of witnesses, decided by a small majority that the evidence was nut sufficient to warrant the pulling down of the present bridge, as they thought it might be repaired at a moderate expense. There had been two estimates for rebuilding the bridge placed before the Committee, one for 260,0001., and another a much larger sum, he believed 350,000/. This was independent of approaches. Since that time fresh inquiries had been made, and fresh evidence received. . On this evidence the reports had been founded, which had only been sent to the Board of the Treasury three days ago. These reports were now tinder consi deration ; and he begged to inform the Hon. Gentleman that the whole subject would undergo the fullest exa amination. lie (Sir Robert Peel) was not prepared to offer any further information at present. THE CONDEMNED PIRATES. Mr. CHRISTIE. who spoke amid so much confusion in the House that his first sentences could not be dis tinguished, said in reference to the late trials at Exeter. for murder on the high seas, for which seven men were condemned to death, that the judge on the circuit, Mr. Baron Platt, had refused to entertain a point in arrest of judgment moved by the counsel for the defence, and under these peculiar circumstances, and knowing that the lives of seven of their fellow-creatures, and those $1) bit ( ' .a