The Sun. — London, England, 1845-03-14 00:00:00

birb SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. RONI THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAN. STANDARD.—We hope that some Member of the House of Commons will move that the petition presented last night by Mr. Sheil, on the part of certain Italian refugees, be printed. We do not express this wish from any respectful feeling to the pe:ition or the petitioners. but from an opposite feeling. We look upon the whole proceeding as one of most unjustifiable impertinence o n th e par t o f t h e petitioners, and of indiscretion at least on the part of the Right Honourable Gentleman who presented such a petition from such persons. The petition, as far as we can understand it front the account given by the reporters, im peaches the veracity of Lord Aberdeen or Lord Seaton, or both. Now, such a mode of replying to a Minister, even on the part of Englishmen, would be held to be unceurteons. An Englishman, wronged by a mie-statement, would be expected to state the wrong to some Member of Par liament, and leave the subject to his management and discretion ; he would not dare to offer an insolent libel to either House of Parliament under the pretext of a petition, even were he himself concerned, much less where he had no personal interest whatever in the matter. But here are a knot of Italian fugitives, living on sufferance in this country, about whom nobody knows anything, and whom, therefore, We will not call vagabonds any more than we will admit them to be necessarily respectable . persons. Here are these persons, presuming to fake liberties with the character of the public servants of the conntry, such as no Englishman would take, and such as no Member of Parlia ment would aid an Englishman in taking. Surely the House of Commons ought, for the sake of its own cfiaracter, to look carefully into th e a ff a i r—let the petition be printed— let the petitioners be ascertained to exist (for even this is doubtful ) —let their character and original status be inquired into, and the nature of the crime for which they were driven from their own country, and then let them be required to support the allegations of their petition at the bar of the House. It may be relied upon that we shall have plenty more such petitions, if the House does not take some order in the affair. GLOBE.—The Customs Duties Bill will be proceeded with this evening; in the order in which each item is found in the list the entire removal or modification of the import duty upon the respective articles included in the Bill will be brought under the consideration of the House. In connexion with the reduction in the sugar duties, the appeal of the sugar re finers for a drawback on so much of their stock in hand as shall be remaining in their sugar houses at the time the reduced duties come into operation, will be brought, by petition, before the House of Commons. A copy of the case and of' the petition founded on it are before us. If the facts stated be, supported by evidence—and the sugar refiners offer to adduce evidence to substantiate their statements either before a Committee or at the bar of the House—there is a case embodying serious loss and positive injury to the parties. which the House of Commons is called upon to prevent; and which, if not averted, will render the houses engaged in the sugar-refining trade victims to the financial policy of the Government. The grounds en which the sugar refiners rest Vieir case are, generally, these :-1. The operations of sugar refining are slow; the refiners are theretbre compelled to hold large quantities of duty-paid goods in process. The ace( in hand will be d e p r c i .te f to the extent of one-fifth; and this diminution in the value of the stock of refined sugar in the several stages of refining, will, if the draw, back be not allowed, inflict upon a comparatively few indi viduals an aggregate loss of many thousand pounds. Two members of the deputation who •recently waited on Sir Robert Peel are threatened with a loss of 10,0001. each. 2. That this lons would have been prevented had the announce ment of the intended change been made in June when the sugar duties are annually voted ; or in April, when the finan • cial measures of the year are ordinarily brought forwar'. If the Government deemed it necessary to conceal their pans, and this year to anticipate the period when ti•e Budget is usually brought ferward, the sugar refiners—who were in duced to continue their operations, unaware of the financial plane of Ministers—should, at least, be protected from the serious—in 'natty instances ruinous —consequences with which they are threatened by the large reduction in value of their stock in hand. It appears to us that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his financial exposition, has conceded the very paint on which the sugar refiners rest their case. " If," said Mr. Goulburn, "as in 1830, the reduction of duty were made without notice that the duty would be altered at an early period, th e grocers and refiners would be entitled to such redress as was then afforded to both." The refiners deny that any such notice was given to them. They chal lenge the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the proof. They are content to rest their case on the grounds on which he has placed it. The onus pro?aeneli is with the Minister. When ?—Where ?—How ?—By whom ? —was the notice given. The appellants cannot be called upon to prove the negative. They simply deny the imputed .warning. That the notice was given is matter of official knowledge, and is capable of official proof. The petitioners call upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer for evidence. If it be not forthcoming, the case of the petitioners is admitted by the Right floe. Functionary himself. The large amount which would be required to meet the claims for drawback has been also adduced as a reason for rejecting the sugar refiners' appeal. The reason assigned by the Government is manifestly an argu ment for the claimants. If the sum required be large, then the refusal will involve the loss of that large sum amang the refiners—few in number; and therefore each must suffer to an amount which individual ability will be unable to bear. Never before was the magnitude of a just claim converted into an argument against doing justice. In the case of glass, Sir Robert Peel expressed himself against allowing the draw back on the stock in hand. The manufacturers met, and determined on seeking an interview wish the Right Hon. Baronet. He heard their case ; inquiry and recon sideration produced a change in his opinion ; and the manufacturers of glass will have the drawback allowed en their stock in hand. The Government has here conceded the principle of allowing a drawback of the duty paid on stock in hand. The rule which is set up, in bar of the claim made by the sugar refiners, viz. :—" It is almost the invariable practice, with respect to Customs Duties, not to allow a drawback on a reduction of the duty"—implies that exceptions sometimes occur. By allowing the drawback on glass, the Government has placed an interpretation on its own rule favourable to the claim of the sugar refiners. It will be for the Chan cellor of the Exchequer to show that there is anything in the case of the latter which can be justly and equitably urged as a reason fur their not being dealt with on the same principle as that applied to the glass manufacturers. The sugar refiners ask nothing more. They ought not to have less. RAILWAY COMMITTEES. (THIS DAY.) Sub-Committee, No. 2. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition). • BRIGHTON AND CHICHESTER RAILWAY. In all, thirty allegations of misdescription were gone into, and, after very close investigation, it was decided, in twenty-one casee, the etanding orders had not, been complied with. The hearing of the other allegations was then adjourned till to morrow (saturday), Twelve o'clock. Sub-Com•nittee, No 4. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) SOUTHAMPTON AND DOI:SETSIIIRE RAILWAY. This is to be a coast line from Southampton t;Dorchester, by way of Redbrid7e, through Wareham. The length of the line is 60 miles ; capital 500,0001. • Mr. Vena:des appeared as agent ; Captain Moors.om Is the engineer. The Connnlttee decided that, In some plinor poln!s, the standing orders had not been complied with. The Committee then adjourned at a ()garter to Five o'clock. IVIARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New P, ice Current of March 14.) SUGAR-The market hrs an improving appearance for all descriptions of Colonial Sugar. To-day there was a good de mand for br'ght yellow descriptions which fetched fully former rates, and of brown and gray qualities buyers were induced to purchase on a more extended scale in consequence of rather lower rates having been submitted to. At public sale 469 hhds, I 1 tierces, and 137 boxes of St. Lucia, subject to the new duty of 14. per cwt were nearly all disposed of at and af.er the pubic sale at a decline on former rates of Is per cat, fine yellow however brought the full worth, very low heavy brown , ent at 3.5 s to 36.. low 38s. 3Ss 65, mid 40s to 40s tid, good to fine 41s 6:1 to 42s 6ii, low yellow 42; to 43. Cd, mid 44s to 46s 6d, good 495, fine 55s tid to 565, low gray 38s 6e to 40e, mid 41s to 425, and good 431 to 41s per cwt. The total quantity of Sugar disposed of today amounted to the large quantity of 550, making the sales for the week 129 i hhds and trs. Reefsren.-Te-day there was a better demand for home trade goods in consequence of a further decline in prices having Leen aticel•ted : brown lumps were sold at 66s to 675. and standard lumps at 68s per cwt. For bonded crushed the de mand is on the increase at 31s per cwt. Ma efts rtus.-This afternoon 242 bags of Mauritius Sugar, ' subject to the new duty of 143 per cwt were submitted to public competition, and went at about the former value, vis., good middling yellow at 465, middling 42s 6d to 455, good brown 39s to 39s 6d, middling 36s tid, and low 33; lid per cwt. EAST India.-This afternoon at public sale 59 hh,ls 417 cases Manilla were offered, admissable for home consumption at the 23s 4d duty, and taken in above the value, that is-mid yellow gt.od strong grain bond at 22., low 20s 6d to t - sls, fine brown 20. to 21s, mid 18s to 19:, low rather :oft 17s to 175 fid, dabs 15s to 16s, and sound grey 19s to 20s. ; there were buyers of the best lots at 20. per cwt. 1,097 bags of Madras, and 518 bags of Bengal, subject to the 14s per cat duty, were brought forward at public sale; the former sold at the fell value, viz., good mid bright yellow at 445, mid .521 to 52s 6d, low 36. to 37, 6(1, damp and washed 36; to 441; the Bengal was damaged. and formed no criterion of the market low damp white went at 45a to 46., and washed 41s 6J to 44s 6d per cast. FOREIGN.-This afternoon there was a better demand for most sorts of Foreign Sugar : 200 chests of white Bahia were sold privately at 22.3 d, and 200 chests of fine white Havannall at the high rates of 34- 6d per cert. MoLasses. -The trawactions in all deserivions of West India have - b-en extremely limited ; but holders refrain from pressing sake, and in the value no variation has taken place. The stock is a large one, and is nearly three times of what it war last season. Cerezr. -To-day there was no public sate of any kind of Coffee. For good ordicary Ceylon 46; 6d to 47s were insisted upon, by private tre,ty there was Rtle business done. Of Costa Rica 1,200 bags were sold at 43s to 445, 400 bags good Singa pore Java at 391, and 1,100 bags of Manilla at 411 6d per cwt. Cocoa.-West India purchased with caution sod prices are Ping down ; at auction 394 bags of Trinidad went 47s to 47; lid for gr od dark red, 405 tid to 41s for good fair grey, and 395 to 39s 6d for fair, being Is to 2s per cat under 1; liter rates. Foreign little inquired for, but in value no variation has occurred. Faurr.-Purchases to a fair extent have been made in Currants, at firm rates ; that is, Patra: at 50s to 525, Zante and Cephalenia 49s to 50s per cwt. Valentia Raisins 47s to 48s, Dania a4s, Lexie 365, black Spume 235, and red 40s to tbs. Figs 42s to 50s fur Turkey pulled, and 31. to 33s for Greek. Sescze.-This afternoon 20 boxes of Nutmegs at auction were all sold, but at a decline of 2d per lb-Penang fine old brown went at 3s 10,1 to 41, gnat 3s 6d to 3s 7d, good mid dling 31 2d to 3s 4d, middling 3s to 3s Id, rather small 2s 9d, Ara damaged Is tad to 3s 2d, wormy 6:1 to 2s 9d ; 13 cases of 11-Lee went rather checer, and sold as follows -Penang, good at 2s 9d, good middling 2s 64 to 2s 8d • Singapore, sea da maged 11d to 2s 4,1, very b a dl y 6d, ;lightly [wormy o s 6d per lb. Tea. -The market firm for black and green Tea. An in creased demand for lower kinds of Conguu, and the rates arc rather higher, core fetching 10,1 to 101,1, and good core lOid 1 " t o I Id ; for fine Congou the demand has b een exensive, and 7,.„,,',t i fet te t el y are paid, large parcels have been sold at 2s 4d to ` - !rairankay a good deal doing upon f ormer terms, :ZTcommOn ieulN7g is 211 to Is 30. Import ers of :114 - v - firmness, and many parceels have found loirchasers at Stiff rates, that is to say, common at 211 Od to- 2s fair to good 2. 8d to 3s per lb. In Young ' Hyson • a otui"elm,' doing rather lower rates having been taken - for Nifieleserisiitns : fair quality at Is Bsl to 2s, and brightish • lief tit t01f4 ) ./ Pouchong unaltered, but at 3d to 10.1 per lb paicelt sold. For scented Orange Pekoe a seduction of Id to 24per lb have been taken : many parcels have been sold at 3s 2d to 3s 4d for fine For Imperial and Gunpowder prices are fully as high. RUM, BRANDY, AND HOLLANDS.—Free sellers of Brandy, and a further decline has taken place. Cognac be , brands, of the vintage of 1838, hhds 4a 1041, puns 4s tad ; ditto 1839, hhds 4s 7d, puns 4s 5d ; ditto 1840, hhds 4s 741, puns 4s Fsd ; ditto hhds 4s dd, puns 4s 4d; ditto 1842, hhds 4s 3d, puns 4s Id ; ditto 1843, hhds 4s Id, puns 3s lld : ditto 1844, hhds 3s , 10.1, puns 3s Bd, middling and good middling of the various vintages 2s 6d t o 3, 83, low 2s 741 to 2s Bd, and Bordeaux 2s Gd to 2s 7d per gallon. Geneva Is 9d to Is 10d for common export sort; and fine fit for duty 2s 4d to 3s per gallon, but little busi• ness done. English Corn Spirits command lOs 241 per gallon cash. llolders of Leeward Island Burn are not disposed to submit to any further decline in prices; Is 1041 to Is lld is the value of Proof. Demerara purchased with caution ; 2s 10d to 3s 2d is the value of strong. Calcutta may be purchased at Is 941 to Is 9id with, and at Is 8d for proof, without certificate. The demand for Jamaica has been limited, and holders experience difficulty in keeping (up prices ; 3s 4d to 4s is the value, 4s 2d to 5s for fine, and 5s 4d to 7s per gallon far high flavour. RlCE.—Bengal has met with eager purchasers since this day week, and the advanced rates previously established have been fully supported ; the parcels ffered at public sale, amounting to 3,000 bags, were ail disposed of ; good middling white bold but rather old fetched lls 61 to 12s, middling lls to lls 641, broken 10s, and sea-damaged Os to lls per cwt ; Madras much wanted, and the parcel• disposed of were at stif fer rates, 3ellow fetching 9s 3d to NGd per cwt ; none has been affered at auction. There aro buyers of Java at firm rates, wl:ite is worth Ps 6d to 12s 6d, and yellow 9s 6d to 10s per cwt. In cleaned Rice a good deal doing, but prices cannot be quoted higher : Patna 13s 6d to 18s, Carolina 23s to 28s per cwt. LLow.—This afternoon at public sale 373 casks of Aus trahan 'fallow were partly sold at 37s 3d to 395: 7 cam of Gibraltar 41s to 41s 3d, JO cases of East India 401 6d, 300 casks 202, bas South American at 36s to and inferior 30s to 335. COURSE OF EXCII, A.msterdar•.r CF. 12 Si Ditto, at sight l2 6i Rotterdam 2U. 12 9 Antwerp Hambargh M.B. 14 0 Altona l4 0 Paris, 3 days' sight 25 90 Ditto, 3 months 26 15 Marseilles 26 20 Bourdeaux 26 25 Frankfort on Maine 123 LtiGE.-- (THIS DAY.) Leghorn ....... 31 Genoa .. Milan ••••• ••• ..... ••• Venice ..... ....... INaplea 31. i Palerrao, 0a..... 1181 Lisbon 53 Oport., ........ 53} Rio Jantir9 Bahia • . Buenos A f NewYoik Philadt;pl.;. Patersburgh, 3 Us... 37 Berlin Vienna, affec. fl. 3 M lO 4 Trieste, ditto Madrid 36i Cadiz Pilbao 36 Pltlcy..4 T" Est 0,7 Foreig-.2.;..:1, bars. £3 17 9 Portu...v Coin 3 17 5 Near D Neoi.; .00ns t) 0 N9W D:."1311 3 4 9i Silye: - r"rs 4 11A Barcelona 36 Seville BANK OF ENGLAND. (From Friday Night's Gazette.) An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth of 'Victoria, cap. 32, for the Week eliding on Saturday, ths .Bth - day of March, 1845. ISSUE DEPARTMENT. X. X. Notes issued ...... 29,040,075 Government debt 11,015,100 Other securities 2,981,900 Gold coin and bul lion 13,008,880 Silver bullion 2,031,195 .Z 29,040,075 £29,040,075 NIARSII ALL, Chid Cashier. ,h, 1845. Dated the 13th day of :PARTMENT. Government secu rities (including Dead Weight Annuity) Other securities 11.720,-1. ! ..9 Notes Gold and silver coin 836,363 £35,372,016 RSITALL, Chief Cashier. ~ 1845. RANKING D: Proprietors' capita 114,55.3,000 Rest .... 3,577,267 Public deposits (in cluding Exche quer, Savings banks, Commis sinners of National Dcht, and divi- dead accounts) 3,879,753 Other deposits 10,379,610 Seven day andother bills 9.92,386 £35,372,016 M. MA Dated the 13th day of Marcl PROMISSORY NOTES. • (From This Night's Gazette.) An account of the Average Aggregate Amount of Promis sory Notes payable to bearer on demand, which have been in circulation by the Banks in Scotland, by the Bank of Ire- land, and by all other Banks in Ireland, during the four weeks ending the Ist day of March, 1845, pursuant to the Act of 4th and sth Victoria, cap. 50 : SCOTIAND. Chartered, Private, and Joint-Stock Banks £2,986,708 IRELAND. Bank of Ireland 3,991,050 Private and Joint-Stock Banks £10,108,266 11. L. WICKHAM Stamps And Taxes, M ar d i 14, 1845. Total_ JE LONDON GAZETT (THIS EVENING.) ST. JAMES'S PALACE, sLincit 12, 1845. The Queen was this day pleased to confer the honour c: Knighthood upon James Cochrane, Esq., Chief Justice of Gibraltar. FOREIGN-OFFICE, MAnen 12. The Queen has been pleased to approve of M. Krehtner, as Acting Consul-General in Great Britain for his Imperial Majesty 0: Q Emperor of All th e R uss i as The Queen has also been pleased to approve of Mr. Pieter Romyn, as Vice-Consul at Stockton ; of Mr. John Owen, as Vice-Consul at Cardiff ; and of Mr. Stephen Campbell, as Vice-Consul at Newport ; for his Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Mecklenburgh- Schwerin. • . WAR-OFFICE, MAncrt 14. sth Regiment of Dragoon Guards, Brevet Lieut.-Col. H. I). Campbell, from h a lf-p a y Unattached, to be Major, vice Francis Westenra, who exchanges; Captain J. W. King to be Major, by purchase, vice Campbell, who retires; Lieut. J. Conolly to be Captain, by purchase, vice King; Cornet Sir W. H. Don, Bart. to be Lieut., by purchase, vice Conolly ; C. P. Johnson, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Sir W. 11. Don, March 14. 12th Regiment of Foot—H. H. Poitier, Gent, to be En sign, by purchase, vice Viscount Malden, appointed to the Rifle Brigade, March 14. 22d Foot—To be Lieutenants, without purchase—Lieut. R. W.• Woods, from 3d Foot, vice M'Murdo, promoted, March 13 ; Lieut.T. G. Souter, front the 3d Foot, vice Coileton, ap pointed to 77th Foot, March 14. 61st Foot—Lieutenant and Adjutant C. T. Bentley, from the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment, to be Adj u t an t and Lieu tenant, vice Birch, deceased, March 14. Stith Foot—Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class A. Thom to be Surgeon, vice Smith, who exchang es , M arc h 1 4. Rifle Brigade—Ensign Arthur de Vere Viscount Malden, from 12th Foot, to be Second Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Standish, who retires, March 14. Hosrmte STAFF.—Surgeon G. R. Dartnell, from the Ist Foot, to be Staff,Surgeon of the First Class; Surgeon A. Smith, M.D., froM 66th Foot, to be • Staff Surgeon of the Second Class, vice Thom, who exchanges, March 14. UNArrAcHED.—Brevet-Colonel W. Stavely (Deputy- Quartermaster-General at the Mauritius), from Major half oa7.- Unattached, to be Lieutenant-Colonel, without purchase, March 14. - emon.txDum.—Tce Christian names of Captain Call, of the 18th Foot, are George Frederick Stevenson. Commis!•ions by the Lord Lieutenant of the county of Devon. South Devon Regiment of Militia—The Right Hon. Ed mund Earl of Morley to be Colonel, Jan. 8. North Devon Regiment ofYeornanry Cavalry—G. S. Buck, F,sq., to be Captain ' • W. 1). Herndon, Gent., to be Lieuten ant ; A. R. H o le, Gent., to be Lieutenant ; G. herding, Gent , to be Cornet ; H Ley, Gent., to be Cornet, Sept. 17. BANKRUPTCY SUPERSEDED. Samuel Makepiece, woollen printer, MP chant, Surrey. BANKRUPTS. Frederic Lindsay Cole, wine merchant, Fenchurch-street. Mary Conway Painter, grocer, Great Peter-street, West minster. John Green, wine merchant, Pall-mall. Thomas Nelson Denton Howard, merchant, Adelaide Hotel London bridge. William henry Mills, wine merchant, Mark-lane, London George Wagner, draper, Bloomsbury-square, Middlesex. William Meek, ironmonger, Southampton. Julius Thompson, cheesemonger, Wigmore-street, Cm - en. dish-square. Samuel Hurd, hardwareman, Rochester. William Debney, victualler, Mistley, Essex. John Botcherby, coal owner, Darlington, Durham. James Kewley, tailor, Liverpool. Thomas Dix, shoe dealer, Liverpool. Samuel Marshall, builder, Kingston. upon• Hull. - Charles Douglas Hope, foreign broker, Manchester. John Strudwick Rowe, draper, Newcastle-under-Line. Theophilus Lane, coal-merchant, Hereford. John Smith, money scrivener, Rugeley, Staffordshire. John Lane, licensed victualler, Bristol. PRICE OF SUGAR. The Average Price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, for' the we e k ending, March 11, 1845, is 31:s. 2d. per cwt., exclusive of the Duties of Customs paid or payable thereon on the ina portation thereof into Great Britain. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF .LORDS. Ihe LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool;ack shortly after Five o'clock. SCHOOLMASTERS OF SCOTLAND. Lord CAMPI3ELL presented a petition from the school masters of Scotland, praying for the provision of dwelling_ houses. Lord KEN YON asked why the country did not provide for i.s own schoolmasters? Lord CAAWBEL L said that in every petition which had been presented to the }louse this provision had been expressly requested. The schoolmaster at present had what was called a " butt.end," which consisted only of two small rooms. He could tell the Noble Lord that these respectable individuals were accomplished in every branch of learning, and that if he had derived his education from one of them, he would have found that their skill in communicating it would have rendered him as accomplished as he now was, and he thought the Noble Lord might have spared his jeers. Lord KEN YON protested that he only asked a question, and that he had no the slightest disposition in the world to ex press the least disrespect for the b sdy of individuals from whom the petit:on emanated. 'THE SEES OF ST. ASAPH AND BANGOR. The Biezop of HEREFORD presented a petition against the union of these beef, COLLEGE OF MAYNOOTIL Lord KENYON presented a petition against the increase of the grant to the College of Maynooth from . Newhall, in Cheshit e. The E ar l o f MIN TO a tid, OT.AHEITE that understanding that his Noble Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty was still indisposed, end unable at present to attend in his place, he thought it would be unfair to bring forward the motion with respect to Otaheife in his absence. He proposed to bring it forward after the holidays, but at any rate be begged to withdraw it for the present.. FRESH WATER FISH BTU: (SCOTLAND). Lord MINTO moved the second reading of this Bill. Its object was to protect the fish in fresh water rivers in Scotland against tie public, and the public in the enjo3ment of the pro perty of it. The Duke of BUCCLEUCH agreed with the general prin ciple of the Bill, but wi!li regard to its details be was not prepared now to give any opinion. The Bill was then read a second time. FREEMEN OF TIIE CITY. Lord BE OUGHAM moved for a return of the number of non-freemen ma.ie freemen of the City of London during the year 1843, ending on the Ist of April, 1844. He had no intention of throwing the slightest disrespect upon the Corporation of London, of which he was an honourable members by moving for this return, nor did he in tend to bring forward the bill which he introduced on the previous evening. He:stated this to relieve the anxiety of the Corporation, the head officer of which, he meant the Lord Mayor, had to-day directed the City Remernbrancer to communicate with him on the subject. In that communication the City Remem. brancer expressed, on the, part of the Corporation, much surprise at his introduci pg the measure into Parliament, without . prevlously consulting the Corp,rarion of the City of Loath:in. Certainly they were reduced very low,,.but he thought they were not reduced so low as not to be allowed to introduce a measure without the previous consent of a corporation. AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS. The Duke of RICHMOND gave notice of his intention after Easter to bring forward a motion to ascertain the pro priety of appointing a Select Committee to inquire whether it was not proper that sonic legislative enactment should be passed for the purpose of enabling the owners of entailed property effectually to drain and otherwise improve their estates. The Noble Duke, at the same time, moved for a return of the number of licenses granted to turnpike keeper in Scotland, distinguishing the names of the keepers and the places. against h:m he should have - a full opportunity of answcrinn it on the earliest opportunity. He, should ther e f ore b r i t g Forward a motion on. Tuesday next giving the New Zoalatid Company an opportunity . of sulitst,antiatipg those charges if it s ere in there power. SCOTCH BANKING. Lord ROSSYLN gave notice tha' on Tuesday next it was his intention to ask a que-tion of the Noble Duke, referrring to that part of her Majesty's speech which stated that it was intended in the present session of Parliament that some altera tion should be made in the law relating to the present system of banking in Scotland. DISABILITIES OF THE JEWS. On the reading of the order for the third reading of the Jewish Disabilities Removal Bill, 'I he Duke of CAMBRIDGE rose and said—My Lords, allow me to say only a few words in exeressing my cordial con currrence in this Bill. Since I have returned to this country, I have had many opportunities of seeing the good that is done every day by the members of the Jewish persuasion, and in the several charities to which I belong a great part of the good that is done may be placed to their credid. I have fre quently met with one gentlemen who has been High Sheriff of Kent, and also of the City of London, and my Lords, I know another gentleman, who is now Hi g h Sh er iff o f Kent, and h as b een High Sheriff of London four of five years ago. My Lords, it is only justice to that gentleman to state ore thing, which is a great credit to him. I happened, some time ago, to be summoned—to be invited— to attend a meeting at Winchester, for providing funds to pro mote Church extension in that diocese. Upon that occasion, I met Sir Moses Montefiore in the gardens, and he put into my hands a cons'derable sum of money, the amount of which (as we understood the Illustrious Duke) lam not now at liberty to mention. I should also say that, in the part of the world where I passed a long part of my life, I have found the members of the Jewish protession as distin guished for thefr high character and charitable disposition. After a few fuither observations, Lord MONTEAGLE said that as this Bill would affect a great number of disputes in Ireland, he thought that time should be afforded fur she reconsideration of this Bill. He was far from wishing to elicit any opinion respecting this Bill from the Noble Duke, but he thought that a reconsideration of the subject of the Bill was necessary. The Duke of WELLINGTON said that the Noble Lord seemed perfectly to apprehend the correct nature of the Bill, but he thought that the Bill had better be read a third time. There would be rmple time for the re-consickration of the principle of the I3ill even during the present session, and then the Noble Lord might, if he thought proper, act on the Report of the Land Commissioners. The Bill cs ag then read a third time, and the House ad. 'mimed a little before Six o'Clock. HOUSE OF LANDS CLAUSES CONSOLIDATION BILL (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) . Lord G. SOMERSET said the Sheriff was bound to summon persons who were indifferent, and in consequence railway directors could not possibly form a jurylin their own case. As to the place of meeting, there must be some power of fixing the locality. Ile would add some words limiting the circuit within which the meet. ing should be held. Mr. AGLIONBY thought the Noble Lord did not see the full force of the objection that had been raised. The distance within which the juries was to be summoneciought not to be limited ; the jury ejsght to be formed in the same maim:tr . as others were. The clause was then agreed te...: . Clauses up to 47,w`ere passed'utilliettitiliseussion, On clause 48 being put4 --, ..!.1\5i Mr. AGLlONRYtionitetil btst r aigeeat legal difficulty that would arise under this ciattse;,,itwitrataalce,legrd .qtrestion,,depending on the construction of Lord Dem Sn's AU of list session, with respect to the admissibillity of wttnestieg. A case had arisen in which the evidence of a railway.diXeitor was prOposed to be taken in Lvour of the Company, anddesioSibt arose whether, as he was only collectively interested as a''bireotor, he came under the ex elusion clause, which referred to parties individually interested. This was a difficult question, in which it was desirable the opinion of a higher Court should be taken. He wished to alter the clause so as to a low either party to carry this question by an appeal to a superior Court, so as to set aside any error in the deciiien of the Sheriff'. Lord G. SOMERSET said the proposition would decidedly favour the railway companies, and operate against the landowner; as by the enormous expense of legal proceedings, individuals would he frightened into taking an arbitration, instead of taking the decision of a jury. Mr. AGLIONBY asked what the NoWe Lord meant by enor mous expense ? The process would be merely that of an ordinary motion in the Court of Queen's Bench, a thing of every day prac. tics. It was nut to be supposed that the question would be car. tied through every Court up to the House of Lords for decision. He believed the cost of such a motion was exceedingly moderate. Lord G. SOMERSET cou'd not say precisely what the r xpense would be, but taking all the proceedings ogether, it would be more than the Hon. Member anticipated. Lord G. SOMERSET' said he b lieved this clause was drawn up in strict accordance with every Railway Act, and almost every Company's Act that had passed through that House; and he was not prepared to alter in this general Act what Parliament had so repeatedly sanctioned. The clause was then agreed to. Clauses 49 up to 77 inclusive were then agreed to. On clause 78 being proposed, Mr. AGLIONBY said he thought it was not right that - the owner of 'land should be compelled in all cases to incur costs in proving his title. A man might have Blood holding title, tough a bad selling one. Lord G. SOMERSET said he believed the intention was, that landowners should be fully remunerated for all expenses which they were compelled to incur. He would make inquiry on the subject. On clause 92 being proposed, imposing on railway companies the obligation of taking land in certain cases, Mr. AGLIONBY objected that the clause did not provide for the case of a tongue of land being cut off and separated from other land in such a manner that it could not be conveniently used by the owner. Lord G, SOMERSET said that, after giving the matter some consideration, he thought it would be difficult to introduce the proposed amendment. In the selling of the land that was taken such s circumstance ought to be taken into account, in aggregation of the amount. On the whole, he thought it would be best to leave the matter to be considered in the arbitration; tut he would again take the subject into consideration. Clause 92 and the remaining clauses of the Bid were agreed to. The House then wijourned till Five o'cica. The Howe resumed at Five o'clock. SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY BILL. On bringing up the report from the Select Committee en Petition,, tai l the petition for have to introduce the South- E..stern Railway hill, Mr. DODD moved that such petition be withdrawn. argil that leave be given, in conformity with the recommendation of the Select Committee o❑ standing orders, to present petitions for the introduction of seven different Bills, with reference to the matters comprised in such first mentioned Bill. Agreed to. The Edinburgh and Harwick Railway Bill was read a second lime. The Dublin and Drogheday Bill was read a first time. BAD CROPS.—INCOME-TA X. Mr. CHRISTOPHER presented a petition from the antlers of Lincolnshire, stating that thy cm; s of wheat and other agricultural produce were generally deficient, and that this, conj ,, ined with the alteration in the tariff ; the admission of Canadian corn at a re need duty ; and the increased burdens upon them by reason of the income-tax, pres.ed too much upon the agriculturists, and they prayed the House to adopt measures for their relief. ARREST OF WAGES. Mr. SPOONER presented a petition, signed b y 4, 5 00 dealers in Bi rm i ng h am , complaining of the Bill passed last session for the abolition of imprisonment for debt, and they prayed that that part of it relating to arrest of wages might be modified, as at present they suffered great inconvenience in consequence of the difficulty of recovering their just debts. BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY EXTENSIONS. Mr. SPOONER also presented two petitions, one of them signed by the Directors of the Birmingham and Worcester Canal, against the extension of the liirminbhanl 'lntension line. POOR RATES. Mr. 1 1 ,IILES presented a petition from the County of Wor. crater, against the unequal burden of the Poor-rate. FOULNIIRE INCLOSURE BILL. On the motion of Mt. A wx, the Foulmire Inelo:ure Bill was raad a second Cme time. CHARITABLE BEQUESTS ACT. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL presented a petition, signed by 146 of the Roman C at h o li c c l ergymen of the archdiocese of Dublin, complaining of certain provisions in the Emancipation Act, and also against the late Charitable Bequests Act, and rraying for its total repeal, and the substitution instead of the Bill drawn up by the Hon. Member for Cork. MAYNOOTH COLLEGE.. Mr. YOUNG presented a petition from the county of Cavan, against the prs,posed increased grant to the Roman Catholic College of Maynooth. LIGHTING THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. HUMS begged to give notice that he would, on Mon day Lott, call for the report of the expenses that had been in curred by the experiments made in lighting this House. Captain PECH ELL gave notice that he would' on to-mor row put a question, in order to ascertain the number of places in Wales in which petty sessions were holden ; also a question relative to the Justices' Clerks' Bill. Sir IV. CLAY gave notice of a motion relative to Messrs. Smith's distillery case, the nature of which we could not understand. WINDOW TAX. Lord DFNCAN gave notice of a motion for the purpose of iquiring into the operation of the window-tax, and the mode of applying the tea so levied. THE PORTLAND VASE. • The SOLICITOR -GENERAL gave notice of his intention to move for leave to bring in a Bill for the protection of pro perty in the Museum and other public places..--( Hear, hear.) POST.OFFICE ESPIONAGE. Mr. WAKLEY moved that the petition from Finsbury re specting the Post-office, presented on the previous evening, be printed.—Ordered. ,NEW ZEALAND COMPANY, Mr. G. W. HOPE said that several charges against his Noble Friend at the head of the Colonial-office had been made in and out of that House, accusing that Noble Lord of a breach of faith. The Government had Lot had as yet any opportunity for vindication, for, on a previous occasion when the subject was brought under their notice, it was done in such a manner that though the Government were indirectly accused they could not enter into their defence. He had been informed that a peti tion was in course of preparation, and that several merchants in the City had been solicited to sign it. These petitions imputed to Noble Lord misconduct, and breach of faith in relation to his c - induct towards the New Zealand Company. He felt sure the House would agree with him that it was only the fair play which an Englishman had a right to expect that when a charge was brought THE. Su N, LONDON, FRID A Y EVENING, MARCH 14, 1845 there could be any malice implied by the law which could affect more than one of the ten prisoners at the bar. "Ls LODDSIIII' summed up in a very careful and compre hensive'addreas to the jury, which was listened to with the profoundest attention. - The jury consulted together, and returned an unanimous verdict of " Gu:lty of Manslaughter" against the v, bolo of the ten prisoners, Joseph Turv3 y , Samuel Turv e y, F ranc i s Dingley, George Brant, Thomas Hooper, John Cook, Joseph Tandy, Thomas Collins, William Cosnett, and William Bromfield. His LORDSHIP said he would pass sentence tomorrow morning. The CoUrt then adjourned until nine o'clock to-morrow morning. • farmers was such, that, unless some temediel measures were adopted, they would be reduced to the utmost misery and wretchedness. The accounts which he quoted cf the state of these counties were not those that had come within his own knowledge, but such as he had read, or had been furnished with. It would appear that the farmers in the, county of Suffolk might be somewhat better off than those in Norfolk and Devonshire ; but he would ask this House were not the Government in a position somes hat embarrassing upon this position? lie contended that they were, and that, therefore, they were b"und to brig forward some remedial measure upon the subject ; and he felt quite assured that if the Duke of Buckingham were a Member of this House, he meet] do as Lord Charidos had thine on a former occasion, namely, to move a resolution to this effeet.--(Hear.) The next point he would advert to was, What was the present state of agricultural distress in those counties ? In endea vouring to ascertain the facts on this point, he had dis covered great discrepancies in the various accounts, and in the causes of it. The Bight Hon. Baronet the First Lord of the Treasnry had stated that these causes were not owing to h gisletive errors. but to kcal causes; while the Hon. Member for Dersetshire centereled that the distress 14'nS great, and that it did arise from deficient legislative measures. It had also been said, on the part of the Government. that their corn law s1•-tem Lad bee n steady in Its operation, and it hall been asked, had any one been disappointed in the predictiens of the 'Government that such would be the result of their corn 'aw measures. But at that time the price of corn was 156 s per quarter, and now le was elms n to 455.; and, therefore, he would ask w that discrepancy could be reconciled with the statement of the Government, who head tsken so much credit to thee selves for har:ng con cocted a measure which would keep the price at 56e ? —(Hear, hear.) He would ask, then, what was the meaning of:h:sdeclaratioe, if it resulted in this fluetu, thin of prices ?-•(Hear, hear.) There was a great de lusion abrered among the farmers on this suli , et, and it was the duty of that llowe to dispel it. There was this difference of opinion on that side of the House, and there were Members on this side repreaent'ng import aet censLituenies, who though , . the tiom, rs were suff rieg because they had this legislative protection; there were all these'differere es existing, and tie as not that sufficient to make it a fit and proper subject or inquiry ? Ile was ready to go into a Select Committee, and to pre duce witnesses to show that the farmers had long been suffer ingeunder great I vils, a hich he would connect with the corn-laws, though to some they might appear alto gether unconnected with them. The first great evil Under which the farmers were labouring was the want of capital. -No one denied it. It was notorious that they laboured under a want of capital. Ile did not say this in disparagement of the farmers ; they Were of the same race, and if placed in the same situa tion as manufacturers and traders, would be as sueceseful as men of business. But it was notorious that the farmers suffered under a deficiency of capital ; and he would ask how any business could be carried on successful) , with nut it ?—(Hear, hear.) lion. Gentlemen acquainted with farming would, perhapS, admit that 10/ per acre on an arable farm was a competent capital fhr carrying on the business of such a farm successfully ; that was a fair capital for an arable farm. He had made many inquities in all parts of the kingdom, and it was his decided con viction that at that moment the farmers did not average 51 per acre of capital on their landh--(Hear, bear.) Be was speaking of England e he would take all England south of the Trent, and though there were exceptions— there were in every county men of large capital, men farming their own land-ea - ea :taking it as a rule, bedid not hesitate to state his opinion, and he was prepared to-prove it by witnesses before the Committee, that the farmers did not aVerage 5/. per acre of capital. Let them only think what an evil this ?He gave them a tract of country extending south and north, containing 20,000,000 of cultivatable acres, and there could be no doubt there was a went of .100.000.000/ of capital upon that land.—(Hear, hear.) What was meant by this ward capital ? It meant more manure, more labour, more cattle, and larger crops. —(Bear, hear.) Let the House fancy a country in which they could say there was a de ficiency of one halfof the blessings that might exist, and then let them judge what tritest be the condition of the labourer on it, wanting employment and food ?--,(11-ear, hear.). Perhaps he should hear that capital was abundant in the country ; then how was it in a country possessing a plethora of capital, where every business was so overflowing with it,, that it went to France for railroads, and t o Pennsylvani a for bonds—(Hear, hear, and laughter) --when it went to connect the Atlantic and the Pacific: by cansls and railways—when it was sent to the . bottom. of Mexican mines? How was it, when die country was rich with - capital. to overflow ing, . when it was sent for investment to every corner of the globe, that capital did not find employment in .that most attractive of all forms, the cultivation of the soil of the country. Admitting this, they had not in England any cause, for not investing their capital ; he helieved . that the measures they were passing were calculated to. decrease the popularity the Government had hitherto obtained. Now, with -regerd to leases, he had found, in one lease, that the farmer was bound by the. following covenants:—lle shall pay the landlord 201 per statute acre for every acre of ground conaerted for tilleee. He shag pay the landlord Si. ter every load cf straw, or of manure not converted to the uses of the farm. He shall pay the landlord 101. for every tree rifler!, felled, lopped er topped. He shall pay - 201. for every person employed by him who shall in con-e -quence gam a a ttlem-ia in the parish.—(Hear, be ;r.) He shalt pay lot per st outs- acre far ev, ry acre that he shall ueder-1 t.- (Hear, hear.) He shall perform six 'teen days' work in the y. am fee the iand'ord. He sled keep for the landlord one dog one cecek, tied hen.— (Laughter.) He shall melte no marl witheut the lend lord's coesena• ice whine, and shell fill up the' pit, whenever called upon so t4i'4 o . Ile hall kill no sheep, but such as is need fel- the consumption of his family.— (Hear, bear.) New, what was such an ir-trum-nt as that. It was a trap for the unwary.—(flear, ar.) it was a barrier against men of irechigence and capital. —(Eleat., hear.) It was a barrier against free men.— (Hear, hear.) No man eoull farm property under such a tease.—(hear, hear.) It was a pern'eet absurdity. What were these leases in fact ? They were pert: ctly antediluvian. 'When a leatee was required to be drawn up, a lawyer's clerk took from a pigeon -hole one of theie antiquated forms, which lied been in use for centuries, and copiel into it all these absurd restrictions. They did not give the farme r credit for the int ro d uc ti on of any improvement. In f ac t, tine covenants of these lea s e s were such as absolutely to prohihit any attempt at improve ment.. Now, he observed the Hon. lkfernber for the Repe af.Bramber cheering while he was Stating the covenants in this lease. Now, let that Hon. Member look over his own leases, and although .they might contain nothing about dogs, or cocks, or hens, yet the covenants in them would be found to be not one whit the less absurd, or the less obstructive of all insprevement than the covenants to which he had_ drawn the attention of the House. Why did they not make these leases in the same manner as they made le ores for menu factories or for plants of business ? _ Why should not farmers be permitted to .in prove. if they were desirous of so doing? He . kne w man y- men who took leases of manufactories for which. they' paid 1,000!. a year. He knew some.who paid 4,000/. a year. There was an Hon. Gentleman near him who paid 4,000!. a year rent for his manufactory. e New, what was theoiature of his lease ? Did they think that there was any covenant introduced into that, staring the exact number of revo lutions that every spindle was to make in a minute ? (Cheers and lauehter.) He was rather disposed to think that the Anti Corn law League was likely to form a joint-stock association, and have nobody but free-traders members of it. They would have a model-farm in the 'most princely agricultural county in England, in which, no doubt, there was the greatest need of it—perk epa in Buckinghamshire. --(Laughter.) They would have a model hoinesread, a model cottaze, a model Orden, and would place the whole in the hands of a man of intelligence, skill, and capital. But his great de sire would be to have a model lease. When this security would be given to him, he would net have the slightest fears .for the payment of the rent. The lease would be without clause or and if the tenant should make more by ploughing it, why let hini plough it. And if ho wished tee grow white crops every year, ho should be atiiherty to dose.—(lronical cheers been the Ministes. vial benches.) Hon-curable Members did not • seem to approve of this, but he knew several farmers in this country- who farmed -- m - this manner. Th e tenant would of cmisse be required to leave the land in as good condition as when he. became possessed of . it; and if it were deteriorated in_ value, he e ould give a• ;lover of making him pay the amount of deterioration. If on the contrary, the land was in a superior condition, he would oblige the landlord to retntin , rate him.—(Hear, hear, from the Opposition benches.) He would give the tenant absolute control over the wild as well as over the tame animals. There would be no ganiekeeper or sportsman pro*ling about to annoy him. He would make the payment of rent the sole test ef the tenant's well doing. It had been said by rent Heneurable Member on a previous occasion, that it was very well to preach about leases, but some farmers. would not have leases.—(Cheers.) lion. Gentlemen might cheer that, but what was the fact—the tenant did not choose leases because he had bek rendered servile and de graded by their abject treatment, and did not want to beindependent. Professor Low said, The argument has again and 2 again been used against the extension of leases that the. tenants themselves set no value upon them ; but to how different a conclusion ought the ex istence of such a feeling amenget the, tenantry of a country to conduct us I - The fact itself show s th a t t h e absence of leases - nrey - rendereatenantry ign 'rant of - the means of employing their Own capital with advantage— indisposed to the exertions which improvem , nts demand, and better contented with urn easy rent, and dependent condition, than . with the prospect of an independence, to be earned by increased exertion." It might be said this state of things was not connected with the corm laws or protection. He had received the following letter on the subject, from Mr. Hayter, M.P., which 'he would" read. Mr. .Hayter says, "The more I see of, and practise agriculture, the more firmly am I convinced that the whole unemployed labour of the country could, under a 'better sylteru of husbandry, be advantageously put into operation ; and moreover, that the corn-laws have been one of the principal causes of the present system of bad farming, and consequent pauperism. Nothing short of their entire removal will ever induce the. average farmer to rely. upon anything else than the Legislature for the payment of his rent ; -his belief being that all rent is paid by. Corn, and nothing else than corn, and that the Legislature can, by enacting corn laws, create a price which will make his rent easy. The day of their. (the corn-laws) entir e a b o li t i on , oug h t to be a day of jubilee and rejoicing to every man in terested in laud."—(Cries of " Hear, hear.'") He would not stop to connect the cause and effect, whether the corn-laws were the occasion - of .the absence of capital among the farmers and their want of leases.. They adopted a system of legislation in that House which pre cluded the necessity of his entering into these arguments. After thirty years' trial, what could be said of these corn-laws ?. That they had been a cause of the de pregsion which prevailed' aptcultural districts and -- that it was high titre to try if some other and bet tr - r ris tern cot:ld ot be devised. He contended that and in corn mould he more advantageous to the fsres o . dee the agricultural labturer ; nay, mere bencfleisl e l iec otr than to any other class cf the community. fst eistent was it in tl e Right Hon. Baronet to au t ad cattle which sold at Smithfield at a nominel (! 4 ° , Y t ' e sed , refuse to admit the food with which they wer e la trd' e He (Mr. Cebden) said, give a free trade in cern , can make cattle fat at home. He contended thatv)ool protective system f armers t h roug h ou t the eann t etl e rendered more ignorant of the it own intere sts tut /vs other class. Lit the House consider the Eig b n are Batanet's policy. Take the article of clover for ' ll ! co ub' There was now a higher duty upon it. How man} are ties were benefited by the preteetian of clover t one re land imported cover from England. Be wou ld a ole i to say that not t en comit i es i n E ng l an d were n ets, sot in the import a ti on of' the er. Certainly. Ireland e',./eet Take the arti c l e o f le ans--in the rich districts :awe they grew wht at awl turnips. The cultivatien ga it tvas very te.d. In Wiltshire they could l'i° o '. os ni beans enough fur their own censumption. ll° ii' counties were exporters of burns? --v'e'ry' few rte' nvoirw,uld be benefited by the unrestricted I,etareal Lion ef them? Efen wh ere they were grown n(Vnier quan hies, and en strong soils, they we re not ri of export:uion in one case out of ten. Thenl'J e ;e at ass . fitrtners grew beans—not for sale, but for bo n ' e aeol o , eumption—aed, theretore, it d i d -no t matter: l 7 o what the m o n e y p r i ce was. Take next the" oases oats. How many farmer s ca l cu lated lir ° heir a means of paying their rent—a verY ,d Olt nifieant number. They grew oats to feTerte es hersee, and for domestic cousureptiom pet' regarded the article of hops grown .in Kent an r o y for Wercestersitire. Was it worth while to tax so ie g i e ests the benefit of the few ? Then ae to cheese. T he c esese' not one fauns( r ten who manufactured his own r oot Cheese- was manufactured in Che-hire, Gloueebtreeece Wil.shire, and p ar t ia ll y i n D er t ty-hire tiedere shire. %Vero these diets:• mataeacturers miliitg co pe dure the duty u p, n nuts. i n or d er to h a ve dol l. f a tten ? Ile tho ug h t no t. They w ished hi e) the-ir .cattl,, an d h ave oats (lets. f ree.-- : B ear. Take the wheel, district of Wales, the Domes oi eett shire and Suss• x, th e Ch ev i o t ills and the GraalPe•q, where the fleck masters wer e , a - rd they e - ou ld all es chit, , t",'-'e are not benetitt dby your pr" l° ,, ,and Whet they %vented was. provender of the e bt ' a re; e e best kind, which th e y soul ; only have by ti' e na blsd portation of the artiel ,, . Thus they would be T t h - e fsr to fatten the r c.ttle and f,rtilise their lands. , , o rst'l e users Ilillfordshire and Sussex, who are rnosleeet farmers, were deeply interested in having a freelwwcato ation of food for their cattle. Their chief object, 04 fertilise the land, which, Ruder the present W i t(l , l .; e tiea l could cot do. lie had conversed with sievere' P-ss en' farmers in various parts of EnAland, whose v ie tr de e r tirely coincid e d w i t h hi s on t h e su bj ect of tr a l t eata A Mr. Nathani e l Hatherton, a farmer in 1 as-ured him that, upon 400 acres of land lie 100 crease his profits to the amount of 280 L, paYing r uitiet l rent as at present, peovided there was a free in 3 V a y su" , of foreign g r a i n o f all kinds. He would bwor (piasters of eats at 155., Or' the same amount in tee diari' J e peas at 14s. or 15s, a sack, to be fea-aonstlut. psi 16" A . OO the yard, by hich he would grow 10' 3 lesiti v g quarters of wheet and 230 quarters bale)", a nd J r increase d profit of 3001. upon his sheep and catt plan embraced the employment of an additional ra lostaf; of 1,0004, and h e wou ld pay 150 / . a year ore for 0,0 0 Another farmer, M r L att i more, arees tintelligent .e er who stood as hi g h i n p u bli c est i mat i o n as ail e Hertfordshire, said th a t l as t year h e p aid POit eg , * e e the , harmed price on beetle and oats, in consequen o us fo r restrictions: In short, the farmers were as . Wile! cell' a free trade in c o r n as t h e mem b ers o f the- list/ law League the m s e l ves . H e cou ld enum erate atode of farmers who were as much in favour of fil e s bar principles-as he (Mr. Cobden) was. Upward_ g e ,,Pel e ° , l/ . 1 ,; Bred farmers were subscribers to the Leaue t - ea l inti; prising some of the most intelligent men to be On the kingdom. Last year he paid a visit to the m"-i d pe and had ieterviews with twenty-twO whom paid more than 1,000/. a year rent. e lhaler ee ° two or three days there, and never met wilu s ; 'to °' more people. They were all a dverse c orn strictions. They said, "Let us have laditlitie, ijg Egyptian beans and Polish oats to feed our ell-A, then we can compete with any country in the W °P ie di ° was the greatest absurdity to deal with coffee Celt fartnerclis be, way they at present did. They sent coffee to the Caae of Good Hope, in order to bring, o sdit/ again under the law. ; b u t it was . not a g reater au ht , s y ek e than to send ship s t o lehaboe for guano, whilstla ost fh e eluded the Indi an corn , E gypt i an b eans, an d P °l-. Me l ; whieh would be productive of a thousand tire ° eon' nefit.-- (Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") T lle o cad e % Corn.law Leegue had hern repr oac h e d with to!! ot iou ksystein which' would throw land out of eultv;thel but his pinion was, th a t, so f ar from doieg , e be would make prior land productive. D. not let It ti e e tie ll that they desired to d raw l a b ourers f rom the eti v 13c ; ofthe soil, in ord er t o o b ta i n c h eaper l a b o ur Rab e o 9- torie, , .• -Let. the landlo r d an d f armer a ct on ( i,.be n a principle as the m anu f ac t urers, an d t h ere wo'iLa idle hands in the rural districts. A great dea l " I ;lier e „ said about di s t ur bi ng t h e revenue, het he -cef th duet neither the revenue nor the sgricultutetii the ceuntry would . be p ermanen tly , se ttled 111 .!d a l t corn lews-a ere abolish e d. It was p re tty ele 3r condition of time labourers ceuld not be much de pre los e Alen with wages of 7s. a we, k had not much t' ll o be It was further st a t e d t h at t h e ' manu f ac t u rers sh ° , o. most enxieus for the Wt M ire; of the -aerieult u rmo- by {et cause the home con.umption ormanufactures o the b--t. Ile admitt e d that the interests ° f n' eenl lcs ,f l lure and . agriculte re were i n a gre a t d e gree ' d e ers and because lie was anxious to promote the in ter o ula; beech lie wished a f ree t ra d e i n corn. 14°"ceee pauperized r ur al district—for paupers the,' l e eve r . must be en 7s. a wee k. purchase from the m ann %At to Wile, they had exported more of manufactured g_ after one year then had n consumed yeer;$0011: year, by the whol e . o f ti le agricultural 7 ,P e o e rob( lie did not believe that throughtett the sio" e rio ee land and Wales, if' they might take the c%P e ter eeg e b ; the o , last few years, that an y labourer c; , eam ete as 0 , th e out the agricultural districts msnufaetured Be th i gn° e fr tete rate of more than 6 s . 61. p er ann u m . n which he had seen, tire agricultural poptilati en t year, consume more than a m illi on an d a half P s _ e e iseob. e and if they referred t o t h e consum ption of e ori thy would find th a t, on an a veras'e• ra te ° he cultural labourer consume d more t h a n - a fter ti's a ee 15s. the year; and th a t if th e w h o l e amoun l L "; e ct to the calculated of tho se ar ti c l es w hi c h we re sut rt. excise duties consu me d by th e peasa ntry, tu t i ie refT"; would not be more th an 700,0001. H e would' itelltla unhesitatingly assert, if th ere were to be a" a d "on o of' the present sy s te m , the gentry of Fog have t`u. i.eg have nothing to risk by th e c h ance . Quite, ct he, that there was nothing to risk by inetiera i % te rtala ee the last session there had been great belie` e- 13s t that much was t o b e f eare d f rom competition. de tbs t believed that after his statements were In e .,the all the assertions w hi c h h a d b een m ade to erj'ilott, l ,: fear would go for nothing, It wa s apprelie twe °f coy the p or t s were opene d f or t h e f ree i m p o rtation vot eitik that corn itself' would be pro Cured for next to But this session, he believed, would be the les l , l s P oise, / such a feeling would b e en t er t a i ne d. If twen t) e „emel' e e ` were imposed upon a quarter of corn, ititt s ,. t ott Bn o t the price to the people of this country totu e b of en But it was not to be supposed that if ° e th r ta ken twenty shillings-were-to be reduced, or alt', fil l' n off, that the price of corn would necessarilYol extent of that reduction. The fact was, that dottb,,.o, corn introduced into this country bore e l o sif; character.—(Hear.) The chief part of it .„ o re ih Dantzic, and the price at Dantzie was n othin° e `_"„ o f a neirinal pricea--a price ruled by the cendltiOeurneslie,:i cumstances in this country. But the price 'of e e i e 0 0 ' 4 introduced into this country was a real price. ,':', so ees ee ask the Hen: Gentleman to refer to the circuin, a ls 1838. During July and August in that Stei:ie case there appeared a prospect of a bad harvest fri ietPles try, wheat, before that knowledge became a earlsee the little more than 20s. while in December; 7 re " (1 41 .1 7 , knowledge became . a f ac t, an d the country w large supplies, whet rose to nearly double th_at iee ft ri h C e l And, if lion. Gentlemen would tax their me 1.0910, r would recolltet that during the three follow'" '" a t 1839-40-41, the price of wheat at Dantzic rang e , in iene,, —Meer, hear ) The leaders of the agrieultureteotee.,: 'did not allow their tenantry to partake of tha o ttei v tbe a. ,.. which they seemed so assiduously to desire t e r_ er aell, (Hear, hear.) As an exempification of this _ e s e, ' be , fe e he would refer to the conduct of the Hon. Al e b a r th Shoreham (Sir C. Burrell). Ile was the chairietusoojeti; National Flax awl Agricultural Improvem e° or , of to Ile (Mr. Cobden) held ,n his hand the first leP, e 5 1 1 0 , , state of the flax agricultural population and th e granbe surprised if, after the complete digestion 0 ' t oa • to -f A via inents in that report, the Ministry ventured gr. 11 ioniser about protection.—(Hear, hear.) fi e l d ha d e i",, paid a visit to Sussex some time a .o. o n. 9 the lion. n) opportunity of hearing the opinions of ronet the Member for Shoreham. Now he 0 11. , 1 ::e ' , ° o b li ° e - sl .. felt a great interest in Sussex. and he svas g e ni one ec4 the opportunity- of citing authority of alle_" ..rj bla P _ e d tionable character. He hoped the Tion e OL' it o ssu' ronet would forgive him—indeed he le , o rneerre-1 sty the he would - forgive him—if he - Lic e si ty the circumstances of a certain dinner, w o u_ rln i v ers_ n , pointed for the purpose of celebrating th 0 : t h e er. e o f of this iSieoCiation, After the usual toasts ti l t „ stu re th , ing, the Hoe. Baronet had given as the grt i a ti l o e n °f ees; the day," Success to the flax-growing Pott er o f w,f e t., country." ,/Ctiw, what was the fact—a quarts foe toe was precisely of the same value as cwt- ' of 2 0i.1 .if on a quarter of wheat they imposed a tiutY_ i . i a. ;'$ on a cat. of flax they imposed a duty u might perhaps. say, that this was all was nee. scary to impose such a utl - why, b ah ve , ry tv tr e e e n because it came from abroad• w , eile is . 0 whole . of the flax; or nearly the "` the 1 - 3°ltic 'zie' was consumed in the country, came from Da nt .o well as the wheat which we received ~;"itronet, tea Now, according to the notions of the Hon :. " much a s ilid protection on flour ought to be tale° se aneo netr_ a wheat. He expected to hear that the Ileon;esv 0; i , Wilted agitator, in order to restore th gem / 5 , a at or Yet what was his surprise to see in the a _ doubt e s after, and that positively stated, without Dospono circumlocution in the assertion, that the t! e u e " ar, had forbidden his tenantry to gross flax , ( L . i n ex iste;' ‘ , lie was aware that there was te, prejudice u ws et e that the growth of flax was injurious. B . e e t elies adoj i d prejudice very much like other prejudices , n ea ttut7 ee , but little foundation; and he believed that .. tn_L la b o ur 6 , it would tend to ice rove the condition ol tl ' i v a b o aref r o What was the condition of the agricultur al erfru lts ..o the present time ? .He believed that the 7 1 11evi g° e u rt labourer was in less distress, and that this had arisen solely from the low price of W a •inve4 6 • that in the manufacturing, districts it "s aws]. l'v er able rule that wages varit d with the price of orne when food was low the position of the worktnenionuel proved ; and he re.:oiced to find that the t r i O . IP labourer was in a better state, and he 6 6 't (LEFT SITTING.) DARTMOUTH ELECTION PETITION -(THIS DAY). The Committee appointed to investigate the allegations con tained in the petition against the return of Mr. Somes for the borough of Dartmouth, sat this day, and proceeded to hear counsels' statement and evidence. The counsel f;r the peti tioner, Mr. Moffat, -were Mr. Sergeant Wrangham, Mr. Sergeant Kingl.tke, and Mr. Uttrcham ; those for Mr. Somes were,. Messrs. Talbot, Forsyth, and Colborne. The necessary forms having been gene' through, and .the usual resolutions adopted. Mr. Sergeant Wa_mictuAsr opened the case for the • petitioner.- lle-coniended that Mr. Somers was ineligible to .hottl - 1 seat in the House of Commons, inasmuch as he was a Government contractor, and that notices to that effect had been served in the usual way. Mr. Somes had been returned by a majority of 7—that was to say, 125 voted for, and 118 against him ; but notices bad been served upon persons to the amount of 40, so that there was no defect in that part •f the proceedings. The grOund on which the petitictier contended he had a right to be the sitting Member was clear and simple; it was this : that any person connected in any way with a contract under the Government for the public service should be ineli gible to serve as a Member of Parliament ; and this was • founded upon an Act of the Legislature passed in the year 1782, the section of which, bearing upon this case, be would now read. The Learned Counsel then read the sec tion, which stated, in substance., that in order the better to 'secure the freedom of election and the independence of Parliament, any person, directly 'or indirectly, connected in any way with Government contract., either fur the benefit of himself or others, should be ineligible to hold the place e f a Member of Parliament; and that, if he should be elected, he would be liable to a fine of five hundred pounds per day fOr every day that he should s;t in Parliament under these circumstances. The Learned Counsel then went en to say, he had been instructed to state that evidence e ould be produced to prove that Mr. Somes, before, and at, not after, the time of his election, was the owner of certain ships employed by the Admiralty for the conveyance of troops, and transports, and stores; and that no subsequent transfer of the Hon. Member's property in those ships, or no transfer of it at the time of the election or immediately 'riot to it, could save him from the disqualification unless he was in a position to show that .such transfer was a bona fide transaction. The Learned Counsel having spoken at great length, concluded by calling Mr. Richard Fall, the Register of the Custom-house, who proved that . Mr. Somes had transferred shares .which he held in certain ships, to wit, the General Palmer, the Nautilus, the Pestenjee Bomanjee ' the Princess Ro3 al, S;r George Seymour, Java, Laßelle Alliance, and the Cadette, on and up to the 17th of December, 1814 (a short time prior to the election), to his nephew, and other persons ; and that there were other ships, his shares in which he had eis toted of, now at sea. • Mr. john James, clerk in the Admiralty-office, proved the execution of the charter-party of each ship, the departments they were engaged in, and the sums paid for their services. Some additional corroborative evidence having been gone into, the Committee at Four o'clock adjourned till to•morrow at Eleven, IRELAND. DUDLIN i :Aram 1 I —TLIF. ROYAL VISIT—We believe it may be now safely .stated that the . aimual report respecting the intention of the Queen to visit her Irish subjects is no longer a matter of speculation, but that this long-t xpected met will actually take place in the autumn of the present year, 'dr perhaps at an earlier period, if circumstances permit. Indeed, from the signs. - of preparation already making, there can be but little doubt that the. authorities here have received •un intimation of her Majesty's gracious intentions, in confirmation of which it may be mentioned that a few days since the Hon. and Very Rev. Dean Pakenham (brother in-law of " the Duke") applied to the Board of 14:c lesiastical Commissioners for a grant of money for the purpose of d-corating the Cathedral of St. Patrick, and putting the grand reception-room in a state of thorough rei air, in anticipation of her Majesty's honouring that ancient cathedral by her presence at divine service. The application was immediately ace. ded to, and workmen are now busily engaged in ' making the alterations suitable to the auspicious occasion. PUSEYIsM IN ULSTEIt. Several meetings are about to be; held in the diocese of Down and Connor, "to protest against the innova- . dons attempled to. be introduced into the Church ser vice." The great majority of the clergy of the diocese are anti-Puseyite, and it is stated - that a petition to the Legislature is in progress of signature amongst them, praying for a revision of the Book of Common Prayer, the Canons, and Rubrics. DEATH OF WILLIAM HENRY, ESQ.• This eminent Irish manuflicturer died this morning, at his residence at . Wand-bridge, in.this city, %here he had established an extensive calico-printing factory. Mr. Henry was a most enterprising and successful manufac turer. Many years ago, he.failed in business; but he sub sequently•paid every engagement in the most honourable manner, and realised a considerable fortune. His - muslin prints were highly esteemed in all parts of the empire. • • DUBLIN STOCK AND SHARE MARKKT. The following were the closing priCes at the Stock Ex-- change this afternoon :—Three p r Cent. Consols, 994 ; Three-and• a-Quarter per Cent. Stock, 1024 ; Three. and • a4lalf per. Cent. Deb., 95 ; Six per Cent. Red. to 41 ster ling per ann., 724 ; Four per Cent. City Debentures 92L 6s. 2d., 971 ; City of Dublin Steam Shares, 1071 ; Dublin and Drogheda . Itailwy, 83; Great Southern and West. rn Ext. nsfon, 7 'to 74: - Dublin and. Befaat Junc tion Railway, - 6 54 6 ; Irish Great Western, - Dublin to Mullingirand Athlone, 2i; Belfast and Ballymena 34; Dundalk and - Enniskillen, 24 -.1; Waterford and Lime rick, 41; Kitigstown and . Bray, 9i COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. Yesterday a Court of Common Council was held for the dis , patch of pub:in business. THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO CHRIST'S HOSPITAL. Mr. LOTT having complained of a breach .of the privileges of the Court, involved in the arrangements made by the Presi dent and Treasurer of Christ's Hospital, for the reception of her Majesty at Christ's Hospital on Sunday evening last, The Loan MAYOR read the whole of the correspondence on the subject, from which it appeared that although the chief magistrate asserted his station as head of the City hospitals, and claimed to he joined with the President and Treasurer in the ceremony of receiving the Queen, the application was in effectual. proceedings adopt e d b y those who superin- Some of tie me m bers of th e Court expres se d muc h dissatis faction at the tended the arrangements, and evidently considered that the Corporation of Uncion were treated with indignity upon an occasion on which it was most necessarythat so essential a privi lege as that of the violation of which they complained shou'd have been acknowledged and respected. The subject was ultimately referred to the Royal Hospitals Committee. The CITY RE.3IEMBRANCER announced that a Bill had been brought into Parliament for the removal of Certain disabilities under which th e J e ws were labouring.—(c heers.) Mr. ANnenT.,t, gave notice th a t h e should move, at the .Court, to that ien Act to regulate the i nterment of. the dead in churches and church-yards, in lar ge towns and cities, and pr e • ntass petitions en he presented t o b oth Houses of Parlia vent the violation of graves.. Also to pass an Act to prevent nuisances arising from the smoke of stea i il n d s i tner, and steam-bo a t s on th e steam-engines and fur naces sit uate i n and near the r n ci a vi t c ei e re s sT i o n ifi a m Lin a ot t n. i s u d. f o a n c t o a r n i e d s andtbmu THE JEWS. Mr. A snurtsT moved that the Cou r t should petition Parlia ment to ext. nd the relief given by th e I st and ?d Victoria, c. 5 and 15, by which Q rakers,rakers,Aioravians, and Se aratists were enabled to make affirmations consist en t with their religious persuasions, to all her Majesty's subjects. The motion was seconded by Mr. Deputy . STEVENS,... and, after a ,hort discussion, agreed to unanimously. Sheriff SIDNEY presented a petition from the Committee of the Society for,the Cure of Consumption and Diseases of the Chest, for a grant in aid of the funds. He ably supported the Prayer of the petition, and stated that the hospital, although a very rew institution, had already relieved 2,'00 cases: Mr. BOWER seconded the motion that the petition be re. ferred to the Coal, Corn, and Fnance Committ ee . : After a few observations from Sir PETER LAURIE and Deputy CoaNEY, the motion WB9 agreed to. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD ClRCUlT.—lVorcester, March 13. THE CROOME MURDER. The trial of the ten men for the murder of Thomas Staite, at Croome, on the night of the 19th of December last, was resumed this morning, before Chief Baron Pollock. At the adjournment of the Court List night, the jury were locked up for the night, provision being made for their accommoda tion at the county Courts. The trial was resumed at the early hour of eight o'clock this morning, at which time, on the Court being opened, there was again an awful crush for• places, and •the Court was crammed to excess throughout the day. ' The day's proceedings commenced with the examination 'of witnesses called for the purpose of showing that several of the prisoners had, during their incarceration, expressed a desire to make confessions to the officers of the gaol. Mr. Stables, the clerk to the county .prison ; the Rev. W. Ad lington, the chaplain ; T. G. Curtler, Esq. one of the visiting ma gistrates; and one of the turnkeys were called for this pur pose, and separately examined. These statements by the prisoners were, under the direction of the magistrates, subse quently taken down in writing, and were now produced as evidence against them. The Prisoners' Counsel (Mr. Godson, Q.C., and Mr. Hod dlestone) objected to theadmission of these documents, on the ground that the statements were made in the hope and ex pectation of pardon.. Mr. I.7CE and Mr. Witrri.norsz argued contra, and a good deal of dicussion ensued,. which ended in the Judge ruling that the statements might be read. They were accordingly read by Mr. Bellamy at length, and being of a very voluminous nature a good deal. of time was occupied therebk." It would be impossible to give any like a sketch of these statements within reasonable limits; suttee it to say, that the several confessions impli eated the whole of the prisoners in the transactions of the fatal night of the 19th December. The examination of the other witnesses for the prose cution was then proceeded with. Joseph HoOper,, a gamekeeper, regularly employed on the Earl of Coventry's estates, and who was out with the o t f o pieces." Keiop3 ey Mr. (near Croome), who • watchers on the night o f the affray, provedthat the unfor • tunate deceased was b roug h t to his (Hooper's) house about midnight, in an ins ens ibl e state, and ("s he described it) with sPritchett, beaten all surgeon, evidence was followed b y that of Mr. Pierpont, one of the surgeons to the W orcester Inflim a rv, whore the deceased was 1i afterwards taken, who minutely described the nature of the was called up to the deceased, was .next examined, and his injuries which the deceased had suffered, and which caused his death. The chief. of these were severe fractures of the skull, through which the brain protruded. The operation of trepanning was performed at the infirmary, but Staite died a clay or two afterwards, without an interval of semibility, -• This, with the testimony of R. Temple, Escri 0120 O 1 ' the trnsteeS of the infant E ar l of Coventry,. who was \ railed to prove Hooper's appointment under the trust, competed the evidence for the prosecution. amaotpirforoi ueitr e ß rsrire l iodetet r nehhitire, oroGa.rui aforethought D bhislinv s e.ttle o :l la; N ltiachiisnfl t ieo l olyt i vln e ivoi g n aeetwii a aodi u( O nnit yge d edond : e ectea s soootb s shnp e al aees d rrdniyodsd t v h eptuehroe e cetsece d j id: u ceheto r xahts foittrolsio maliceitt throughout glot : asel h ecl eo e ojotundir w titehes:e h t:n whole h, o niwo: ( to : (31); IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. Lord BROUGHAM said the means which his Noble Friend proposed was:that of taking the wages of the debtor, and this was found not to answer in Scotland, although it was still in operation in that country. Lord COTTENH AM said he had proposed to give the cre ditor the power of examining his debtor as to what property he possessed. - After a few words from Lord CAMPBELL the matter dropped. - JEWISH DBABILITIES BILL. On the motion being put for going into Committee on this Bill, The Marquis of LANSDOWNE asked if the provisions Gf the measure were not to be extended to Ireland and Scotland ? The LORD CH A NCF;LLON ail that the declaration did not apply to Scotland, and, therefore, the extension of the Bill to that country Was not necessary. But he did not know wi;h certainty whether - or not it applied to Ireland. He was in clined to think that it did not, and if so the Bill would not be neee•ssary in that country. • Lord CAMPBELL hoped that in another session a Bill would be introduced to do away with the declaration alto gether. In fact there was no legal necessity for any man to make the declaration. When once elected he was protected by. the . Ail] of I. demnity. The declaration was- not- taken by the Lord Chancellor or the other high officers of State, and there was no obligation by law upon any other officer to.take it. The Bill then went through Committee, and was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow. Lord DALHOUSIE moved the second reading of the Corn. ponies Clauses Consolidation Bill.. Lord MONTEAGLE took that opportunity of calling at. tension to the extent of business that was likely to come before theM in the present session. Their Lordships would remember that, at the end of last session. they were very much pressed for time in getting rid of the private business; and he believed a Bill of great public importance was all but lost,, owing to the want of a Committee. - The Duke of WELLINGTON begged to remind the Natle Lord that they got rid of all these difilculties towards the latter end of last session. Lord moNTEAGLE reminded the Noble Duke that the business of this session w..uld be considerably increased, by the immense number of railway Bills coming before Parliament ; and it was this circumstance which had induced him to' call their attention to the subject at this early period of the session. If .their Lordships adopted any new rules with regard to the disposal of this private business, he hoped they would do so speedily, in order that the public might be fully warned of their nature. The Bill was then read a second time, and their Lordships immediately afterwards adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. March 13. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr. SHELL _gave notice that be should, on. Tuesday 'next, bring forward the motion of which he had given, notice on Tuesday last, on the subject of. the opening of letters of foreign ers at the Post-office. Mr.- S.-CRAWFORD gave notice that if the Govern ment did not .prepose any measure for the amendment of the law of landlord and tenant. in ' , eland, .he should himself, after Easter, move for leave to bring in a Bill to enable the tenant, if ejected. to recover eompensation from his landlord for any improvement he might have made upon the land, and also to amend the laws regulating the value of property in Ireland. Mr. W YSE gave notice that, after Easter, he should renew the cnetirn which, he had made last session on the subject of national education. Mit: WARD postponed his motion in reference to burdens on land until after-Easter. ' - Its reply to a question from Mr. BELLE W, Sir IL PEEL said he would, on.Nlonday next, state in what order the Irish Measuretrwould be brought forward after Eager. Mr. DUNCOM BE wished to, put two questions to the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer ; one, whether he thought it right that annuities paying the legacy duty should be: ste:jeet to the income-tax ; the other referred to•the subject Which he mentioned last night, in reference to the books of .the Bank of England. • The CIIANCELLO.a of the EXCHEQUER said the law imposed a tax on all legacies, whether paid in gross or in annual incomes; and there was no provision for exempting them from the income-tag. With respect to the Batik books, the answer which he gave yesterday from general recollecticn was perfectly correct. lie held in his hand the answer of the,Bank clerk on the subject, and he would read it as the most - satifaetory method of answering the question. The Right lion. Gentleman then read the letter, stating-that the books were not referred to by any ether person but himself and The other two clerks of the i3.ink of England. No other person was ernpl led in the room. He and the other two clerks had been upwards of thirty years in the service of the Rank 9f England- Lord M A HON wished to renew a question on the subject of the Portland' ase in the British Museum. The Right lion. Baronet must be aware that there was no adequate legal penalty frr the offence, and that the offender wa ,, punished, not for breaking the vase itself, but the glass case which hap pened to cover it. When he put a - nearly similar question on a previous occasion, he was told by the Right Hon. Gentleman that a meeting of the trustees was about being holden on the subject. That meeting having been held, he wished to inquire whether it was the intention of the Government to introduoe a measure on the subject ? Sir B. PEEL begged to state that the trusties had considered the subject, and the Government also, attl it was the opinion of both parties that the law in its pre sent state, as regarded the destruction of works of art, was ineffectual —that no sufficient peotection existed for the preservaa in of works oF art. against malicious dam age. The Government, therefore. had resolved upon intro ducing a Bill on this subject, and his Learned Friend the So:icitor 7 General h a d a Bill prepared which would be intro lured at an early period. He wished 'now to correct a mistatement of a portion . of his speech in ,the newspapers. - Indeed, . he felt surpri4d the reporters were so correct. In the debate on the New Zealand question he was represented as having said that the go• vernrnent had received information of the arrival of in convertible debentures by '_l4 , ,rd Fitzroy, and that 'his Nob'o Friend, Lord Stanley, had signified his - disap proval of iceonvertible debentures. The. Colonial De partment had received no official notice-whatever on the subject. He said that convertible debt.ntures had been issued, and that his Noble Friend, Lord Stanley: had taken the earliest opportunity of stating that he did not approve of thein. Mr. COI.LETT wished to know whether the Chan cellor of the Exchequer meant to exempt holders of Three per cent. Consols, on which payment would be made on the sth of July next, from the income-tax ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER.said ,he did not know any reason why those persons should be exempted from the tax while it was in operation. • POOR-LAWS (IRELAND). Mr. F. FRENCH said h. wished to know from the Right lion. Gentleman opposite when the House would be put in po session of the decision come to by her Ma jesty's Government, with regard to the money spent by Mr. Nicholls over and above the original estimate for poor-hovses? " The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that thy► Tapers on the subject would be laid on'the table in a day or two. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. Mr• COBDEN said that, in rising to bring forward his m ation qn the subject of agricultural distress, 'he was reillested' from the necessity of apologising to the other Sitio of tho Howie, for he had put, a notice on the book sr:, long ago, that it could not be said it - came him) a susi , ',Cous quarter, and he hid so arranged the terms of b . as Motion. as to embrace bmh the amendments wh'.Ch had been made 'to it, so that ho dill " .At think those Hon. Gentlemen who gave notice. of chose amendments would press them. The object of his motion was to appoint a Select CoMmittee to Inquire ihto agricultural distress, and how far the present laws with , ire4ard to the itnportati,in oragricultural proitice affected ttho 'agricultural labourers. And, with regard, to that distress, he . eould not have higher authority than those Him. Gentlemen Mho professed to, be the friends of farmers and. protection.—(llear, hear.) ,And it was ad mitted by theM that there was great distress amongst the' agricultural labourers. One Gentleman, Mr. HO son, stated that, in Norfolk, the farmers paid their rents from . their 'capital and not 'from their profits ; and Mr.' Turner, of Devonshile, stated that -the distress of the HOUSE OF LO 1) 5, , March 13. RAILWAY SCHEMES. The Earl of DA LHOUSIE (in continuation from our Third Edition ) , proceeded to say—Was it to be wondered at that those who were cognizant of this fact would fail to per ceive that where two lines had coalesced against a third, that the great probability that Parliament, cr the Board of Trade at least, vt onla (*staid) , decide in favour of those comearies which had coalesced, and against that which had thus gene to the wall , arid that they, theref 're, who had interest in the third line,.would be eager to sell out of that lir.e and buy into the other two, and that the shares of the other two should rise? But be would defy his Noble and Learnt d Friend to produce one person who had received any communication from the Board of Trade, or who could prove that the proper measures for concealment had not been taken. He was reedy to give every information that he possessed. Lord BROUGHAM, said that all he could observe was, that. he derived his information from a very important merchant and broker, that that gentlemen had no know ledge whatever on Tuesday of the coalition %tech his Noble Friend at the head of the Board of Trade had said took place on Tuesday, and he tell that it was not only n matter of courtesy but a bounden duty on the part of the Alinirers of the Crown, to give the fullest and most extensive information on any subject which was brought before Parliament It was their duty not only to ' Parliament but to the country. There was sufficient reason for his question in the tact of this rise having been realised at twelve o'clnek; when the Gazette, by which the property ought to have been affeoted, was nor I üblished urvil the evening. The Earl of DALHOUSIE said that he had already stated that the Board was not held until the afternoon, and that therefore the shares could not have been affected by the deci sion at which it had arrived. He was ready, he repeated, to give every information, and he felt that it was a matter of duty, and not one of courtesy—though he was not aware that it was the duty of a Minister of the Crown to give that in formation which he did not possess. If his Noble and Learned Friend had seen as much of railway schemes within the last few months as . be had, he would have learned that railway politics was an exceedingly intricate matter, and that it was a policy among railway shareholders to conceal as much as possible the knowledge which they possessed from each other. Lord linoucliA Ni said he could not .but say that the ex planation of his Noble Friend, so tar as it went, was satisfac tory ; but he must, at the same time, assert that a judicature like that which was exercised by the Board of 'trade over rail way schemes, was one abhorrent to the constitution, and odious to the whole country, and that should such accidents as these frequently occur, he should feel it his duty to bring a motion before the }louse for a considerable modification of that Board. The Noses , . Ea R e then presented a petition, very numerously signed, from traders and shopkeepers of Exeter, against the 201. clause in the Bill of last session for the Abolition of Imprison ment for Debt. . . . Lord COTTEN H A 31 took that opportunity of disclaiming the authorship of this clause. It was true that he had proposed the abolition of imprisonment for debt, but he had coupled that pro position with affording the creditor the means of getting his debt. ~.~; ~- , my e After t h, the-fartm insttr, e ditio . e 1,1 4410i1 t hem - a(1 Piece of S UfEilit fur th e . went of labotiro Pre the c„ u " Thi %Man lUghl ,flour w zaran fn Tnis it to wan qui; g,!n be ow l th e Th if t the da3 ~....--'