The Sun. — London, England, 1844-02-06 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROX THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. GLOBE.—Those conversant with the proceedings of courts of Criminal jurisprudence have remarked, that when the evidence against aprisoner at the bar has shown itself too strong to be shaken by direct te s ti mon y, th e counsel for thedefence adopt one of two modes to afford their client a chance of escaping conviction. The first, and that most frequently adopted, is to argue upon the extreme improbability of his being betrayed into the commission of the particular crime of which he stands :accused. His habits—his disposition, so opposite to the tendency of heart.and life tending to such an offence, would justify a doubt—heavily as the evidence may seem to .press against him—that some mistake exists ; which, though not capable of detec tion by his counsel, nor of being explained by the ac cused, will justify the jury in acquitting him of the charge. Of course, a host of witnesses will be ready to swear that the gentleman at the bar is all his counsel has said respecting the correctness of his morals and the kindness of _his heart. In many cases, this line of de fence succeeds, and the prisoner is acquitted. The other mode is to rest his defence upon the previous excel lence of his character ; to fill the Court with wit nesses—all of whom have known the prisoner a very considerable time, and never knew anything against his character until the present charge, which placed him in his now unhappy situation. The design is to raise a presumption in the mind of the jury, notwithstanding the facts in proof, that he has not been really guilty of '.he offence with which he is charged. A course some that resembling this seems to have been adopted in the louse of Commons on Friday evening, by the members the Government who undertook the defence ofthe Irish Attorney-General. The charge brought against this functionary was, that he, while engaged in conducting a State . prosecution, of the deepest importance to the parties . he accused, and to the county at large, was so far regardless of the respect he owed to . the Court; of his duty as the principal law-officer of the Crown in the country; and of the temperate and impartial administration of justice toward the indicted parties, who then stood on their deliverance, as to challenge to personal combat one of the counsel for the defence, who was then in course of addressing the jury in behalf of his client ! There were other counts, charging him with unfair ness .in his general mode of conducting the prosecution. The proofs establishing the ease against this officer- of the Government were so strong, that even the leading counsel for the defence of the culprit, though he muttered something of " the House being imper fectly acquainted with the full particulars of the case," did not attempt to rebut the facts as they had been stated. Still it was necessary to frame something in the nature of a defence—seeing a defence was to be set up. And how was this done ? After the most approved Old Bailey fashion ! By drawing the attention of the jury from the facts, and pronouncing an eulogium upon the private virtues of the accused party. First it was at tempted to. be shown that he was not a person at all likely to be guilty of the particular piece of miscon duct imputed to him. "-He had displayed remarkable coolness of temper and moderation of judgment in conducting these proceedings"—and these, it was further urged, are the qualities by which he is, and always has been, distingtfis,hed: Another witness stated, " the At torney-general conducted himself with the greatest po liteness and kindness of demeanour during these trials." Now, all this testimony was brought forward to show that from his previous habits the party accused was not at all likely to be guilty of the offence charged against him (and especially of those in the other counts); it,sivhs, therefore, peculiarly unfortunate for him, and Mose who undertook his defence, that it was met by the stubborn fact, that he had been guilty of them ! It was evidently felt that mere presumption, where the, proofs of criminality were so strong, would do little by way of rebutting the charge. This sliffi culty was met : by calling witnesses to general character.. . These (as' in Old Bailey practice) were easily found. One, who had known him for up wards of tnrelve months, could safely say, that " a more honourable, right-minded man does not exist." Another, that "he is an honour to hisprofession"—that " no man is more remarkable for high-minded conduct, both in public and private life." A third, that "in private life he was a' man of most exemplary character." Now, this is exactly what is seen at every session of the Cen tral Criminal Court. It resembles it in another parti cular ; viz., its, utter inapplicability. It is just as if a man charged,with forgery should receive a good character for temperance ; or one of the swell-mob, accused of picking pockets, for.his humanity to animals. The forger and the member of the swell-mob, when acquitted by juries, upon the strength of the good character given of them by their friends and associates, sometimes take their departure from the Court with an expressive com pliment ftom the Judge—that " they leave the bar without a, blemish upon their reputation !" So it has been sicith Mr. Attorney-General Smith. That he is . guilty -of the monstrous outrage of which he was accused there exists not the smallest doubt. But his general character (whether true or false) for the time served him. He was not only saved from merited pu nishment, but his employers informed the Court that " they had taken no steps toward his dismissal, and do not contemplate taking any." In short, they intend to retain hiinin• their service ! Mr. Attorney-General Smith , it, therefore—at least for the present—a free man. Whether he will be equally fortunate on a future occasion, and before another jury, re mains to be seen. hat may, however, be the fate of this unhappy subordinate official is not 1% mat ter of much moment. The day is not distant when his masters, who are the principal delinquents, and have adopted his guilt by screening him from punishment, will themselves stand, with him, at the same bar, from which, by their means, he has just escaped. The charge which will be preferred against them is one serious in' its character ; and of its truth the proofs are abundant and irresistible. They have conspired against the peace of one portion of the empire, and against the prosperity of the whole. Their speeches and their acts attest a mutual purpose. In fact, they are guilty of originating the. very measures in carrying out which Mr. 'r. B. C. Smith has been only an agent—their hired tool; instnteted, paid, and protected by them. If the jury which is to try these criminals perform their duty, their career of crime will be stopped. FROII- TRH MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAT. ADVERTISER.—Next in importance to corn-law repeal, which is a question immediately affkting the condition of the country, and m•re especially the employment and food of the large masses of the industrious classes—next in importance to that grave practical question stands the question touching the character and const4utjori of the House of Commons as a representative assembly. Both there questions must occupy the chief attention of the Legislature in the present session. How they are dealt with depends, in a great measure, upon the people themselves. Nobody can reasonably `expect that the Legislature, or either branch of the Legislature, will take the initiative in reforming itself. The farther if is "off from possessing the character it should sustain, the farther off is the probability of any voluntary movement by it in that directiOn. Reform of the Legislature, like all other reforms of importance to the country, must come from without. It must be forced upon reluctant, because interested men—men interested, directly and indirectly, in the present system ; a system which barely preserves the semblance of constitutional liberty, while it, • in fact, utterly destroys it, making the country •at large the slaves of a small, ignorant, selfish, and reckless clique. Is it not a truly strange and startling phenomenon, that a comparative handful of country people should actually rule this commercial empire? Both Houses of Parliament, the Cabinet, the Privy Council—all the high offices of State, are composed-of and possessed, almost exclusively—and certainly for all practical purposes—by the landed interest. It is true, that large towns and cities send Members to the lower House, but what then ? The county and borough representation, which is almost wholly in the hands of the landocracy, added to their power over the limited constituencies in many of the larger towns, gives them a large numer:oal majority, which is as efficient for all practical pur poses, aet it they had no dissentients in the assembly. It has:been confessed by Lord John Russell (prop pudor ! ) that the landed in terest has the " preponderance" in the House of Com. mons; and, furthermore, that such preponderance was intended to be given to it by the Reform Bill of 1832. Just see how they have managed it. In England and Wales there is one Member for every 30,000 of the population. In manufacturing Lancashire there is one Member for every 51,nn0 of the population. In agricultural Rutland there is one Member for every 9,000; in agricultural Dorsetshire there is one for every 13,000; and in agricultural Buckinghamshire there is one for every 11,000. Was that all accidental? Look at it in an other light. The county of Buckingham, with 115,989 inhabitants, sends eleven members to the House of Commons, while Manchester and Salford, with 853,390 inhabitants, send three members While the land interest is thus overwhelmingly preponderant, has. in g one branch of the Legislature to itself, and swamping the other, is it in the nature of things that the interests of trade and corn. coerce—the interests and well-being of the masses—can be fairly looked after and attended to ? If they could even be understood by the dominant party—which they cannot—they would be delibe rately contemned, as standing in the way of their own immediate aggrandisement. It has been by plundering the people at large, through the operation of corn monopolies, and sugar mono. polies, arrd coffee monopolies, and money monopolies, and various other monopolies, some of which have been recently wrung from them ;—it has been by processes carried on under these monopo lies, avowedly for the good of the community, that the landocracy and its adherents and abettors have hitherto filled their coffers and built, up their fortunes. And they imagine, that because they have bled John Bull so long, he can bear to be bled for ever. His constitution, however, is beginning to show symptoms of suffering and of weakness; and if their phlebotomy be not stopped, their victim will soon be found in a state of syncope, if not of abso lute death. tiow are they to be stopped in their mischievous course ? Zipostulation, remonstrance, entreaty, are alike vain. So long as they have the power, they have given abundant evi dence that they will'use it. That power must be taken from them. The representation - of the country must be taken out of their i handl. The Hous e o f Commons must be made, in fact, what it is n theory—a reflex of the public mind, a representative of public opinion. • HARALD,The Duke of Wellington last night gave a signi. hcant hint to such Noble Lords as might be disposed to amuse themselves with " State of Ireland" speeches, while the trial of the iepealers is still in pro gress. It is ad but justic e to E arl Fitz william, to whom the i n ti mat i on was addressed, to say that it w as well received and properly acquiesced in. H ad the House of Commons anticipated the advice it would have ea ped the exhibi. Lion of sr scene little indicativ e o f respect for the adm inistration of justice. We scarcely need to say that we refer however, the scen e o f Friday night—the Reformed Ho use o f Commons , example r, last night Mr. Blewitt, who, we suppose to the h onour of that plac e, Bents MOnitiouth; proved his loyalty an d t h at " reveres repro. sex and station," which Mr. Burke has described as theceattfroir bute f a well-bred gentleman, by solemnly interrogati ng the Premier as to the state of the Q ueen ' s private affairs, . observing that he had heard from common rumour that ber Majesty is deeply in debt, and likely to apply to Parliament for relief. We can imagine how the friends of any other lady in England would treat such an inquiry, and we do not see why the position of our beloved Queen should expose ber to --we are at a loss for a Parliamentary word, and will therefore say—intrruiono into ber domestic concerns from which every other hely is protected. Surely Mr. Blewitt, without much corn promise'of his patriot zeal, might have waited for her Majesty's application, or, at least, for some more trustworthy informant than common rumoiff„.before committing the—intrusion of which he was guilty,. -ffir Robert Peel, however, set the matter at rest, by assuring the Member for Monmouth that, in instructing him, corn. mon rumour had very consistently maintained her character of a " common liar." The Queen, he said, was not in debt, and grace fully appealed to her Majesty's whole conduct, as leaving without excuse thoie who could believe anything to her disadvantage. TIMES.—That there were limitations with regard to the stairs of .Iqland iropon4 upo4 the 010111Nnisters by Prudenci• jsa THE SUN, 'LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 6, 1844. tice, and a sense of duty, as to the extent of their communications to Parliament in her Majesty's recent speech, has been already ac. knowledged. But we deem it not unfair to state that so far as could be judged by persons out of doors, there appeared no neces. city for carrying such reserve beyond that point at which the want of it might have risked a possible interference with the pro.. ceedings carried on in a court of justice. And had the forms of language employed in framing the statements of the Queen's inten. tion towards Ireland upon questions not prohibited,been somewhat more explanatory, albeit even less comprehensive than we find them, the country might have had less to complain of than many sober.minded persons think there is at present room for. But, besides the unsatisfactory omission which we yesterday noticed, of any reference to the vital question of the Roman Catholic Church and its ministers—one, of which the nation ality will by and be sure to force itself, in contempt of all party feeling, upon the public mind—we ♦enture to observe, that in respect to those topics which have been pointed out by her Majesty as worthy of prompt consideration from Parliament, there seems to be, even for a speech from the Throne, a superfluous bias towards the use of generalities, and disregard of the tangible and precise. The consequence of such breadth of expression is, that nobody, not gifted with the power of divination, can pronounce upon what may or may not be really intended. For instance, now, her Majesty says that her " attention has been directed to the state of the law and practice with regard to the occupation of land in Ireland." We do not, indeed, wonder that the gracious care of the Sovereign has been so directed, inasmuch as otherwise the Queen would have been the sole individual amongst the population of these ostensibly united realms who could have withdrawn her anxious attention, and her most pain. fill interest, from a matter overwrought with perplexity and migiving —overcharged with social confintion and destruction—wherein the respective dangers, threatening on one side human life, and verted property on the other, seem to call aloud for remedies, not only a imultaneous, but opposite and conflicting—terrible it may be to the boldest hearts, if not impenetrable to the most consummate sagacity. Under the Anse head with this reference to the occupa. tion of land comes the mention by her Majesty, that she has in stituted extensive " local inquiries" into a question of so much importance, and appointed " a Commission " to conduct them. Now, we profess to be amongst the number of those who do not always hope for much from " inquiries " into subjects with which the minds of half the world have long already been fami. liar. We give at the same time all credit to the esti mate declared to be formed by Ministers of the im portance of this great land question in Ireland. It ap. pears to us that the Queen's Government not merely ought to be alive to the fact that this is an " important" subject, but that the solution of it is a most—the most portentous question with regard to Ireland to be found within the vast scope of material economy, on which depends in a manner the continuance of the Irish as a nation, existing to the degree to which it does exist, under the sway of civil government. Why, what is this grand question of the " occupation" of land in Ireland I. The " occupa tion of land" is a simple sounding phrase. But what if we say, instead of it, a " war for land,"—lantl against life—and both against law I—for so, if .we call things by their proper names—so so it stands—a bloody war, which rages against rich and poor, and against the laws that are insufficient for the defence of either —a mutual war of the stomach against the purse, and vice versa, of desperate passion on behalf, and for the relief of in. evitable hunger—of the right to live, original and inalienable, against the right to possess, the creation of conventional society. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Feb. 5. :Sittings in Nisi Prins, before Lord ABINGER and a Special Jury.) REVENUE CAUSES. Two causes only stood on the list of to-day, the At torney-General v. J. Dean, and the Attorney-General v. W. Scriviner. The latter case was postponed, and the former proceeded with. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. J. DEAN. Mr. Dean, the defendant in this action, formerly car ried on the business of a silk-mercer, in St.: Paul's Church-yard. The action was brought against him to recover certain penalties, for having removed goods to his warehouse, knowing the duties thereon to have been tmpiltd. The Attorney-General, Mr. Jervis, and Mr. Thesiger appeared for the Crown ; Mr. Montague Chambers, and Mr James for the defendant. The goods in question were foreign silks, imported from Boulogne, by the steamer City of Boulogne, Cap tain Tune. They were landed in three cases at Cox's Quay, on the 21st of August, 1840. Two cases were marked E. S. and C., Nos. 11 and 12 ; and the other V. T., No. 43. On the part of the Crown, several wit nesses were called who held appointments in various departments of the Custom-house. Their evidence went to show how the blue books were stamped and sealed, and the routine of office in other respects in volved by the action. When the charge-book was produced, the required leaf was wanting. For some time the missing leaf was not accounted for; when, to the amusement of the Court, a witness discovered that they had been looking in the August of the wrong year. The blue book, in this case, was thought, on good grounds, to have had the inside of another substituted beneath its covers. It was also shown that this might have been accident, in the case of a red book. The quantities of silk are 3301b5., duty 1901. I Is. 6d. ; and 241bs. Boz. plain silk, duty 129/. 135., which duties, with 14s. agency, amounting to 3201. 18s. 6d., was paid by a cheque of de fendants. If the cases in question had been filled with silk (as the Learned Counsel for the Crown contended), their value would have been 2,877/., and if with satin 4,3901. The first of the nine counts set forth the un shipment of 2,0001b5. foreign silk, value 4,233/. 12c. (penalty 12,700 L 165.) ; and the second, that they had been harboured, and kept by the defendant, knowing the duties to be unpaid (a like penalty). The penalties from all the counts would be 63,000/. Mr. CHAMBERS entered on a masterly defence of his client. He urged the impropriety of punishing the de fendant for fraud, when, perhaps, the Custom-house offi cers were guilty of neglect. He next urged that there was no reason to infer that the cases had been filled with any particular description of silk enumerated in the duties list. At this stage of the proceedings, the ATTORNEY-GE NERAL allowed the cause to stand over till the sittings after next term, if it should appear that the defendant was unprepared. Thisioro - position was acceded to, as the Learned Coun sel for the defence had had so short a notice. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Feb. 5. Middlesex Sittings at Nisi Prins, before Lord Chief Justice TINDAL and a Special Jury.) GOSLIN V. CORRY. This was an action of libel. Sir Thomas Wilde and Mr. Hogging conducted the plaintiff's case. Mr. Hill appeared for the defendant. The plaintiff had been formerly in the employ of the defendant, a timber merchant at Preston, as a sub-con tractor on the Preston R a il way , and had become in debted to him in a sum of money, which being unable to pay, the defendant, it was alleged, wrote a letter to the editor of the Hue and Cry Gazette, inclosing an ad vertisement, charging the plaintiff as having absconded, and imputing to him famud. The advertisement subse quently appeared in' the Gazette, and the plaintiff was apprehended in London, but, on being taken before the magistrate, no person appeared to make a charge, and . he was discharged. The defendant denied that the letter containing the advertisement was in his handwriting, and the whole question in the cause rested upon whe ther it was so or not. The evidence was conflicting on the subiect, some of the witnesses affirming, and others denying, that the defendant had written the letter. His LORDSHIP left the jury to decide, and they, after having retired for a short time, found a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages 2002 CENTRAL CRI VIINAL COURT. OLD COURT. _ Elizabeth Brown, 32, described as a widow, was in dicted for stealing a gold watch, a gold chain, three rings, value 1801., a silver coffee-pot, two silver sauce boats, two gravy spoons, two 101. Bank of England. notes, eight W. Bang of England notes, thirty sove reigns, thirteen half-sovereign!, a quantity, of velvet, a cashmere shawl, and other property, valued at upwards of 500/., the property of Robert Cleveridge Savage ; and Maria Mailer was indicted for receiving part of the property, knowing it to be stolen. Mr. Ballantine defended the prisoner Mallen Mr. R. C. Savage deposed that he resided in the Wel lington-road, Marylebone, and the prisoner Brown had been in his service some years ago, but left it, and re turned to his service a short time back. On the 26th of December he found she had absconded, and, on look ing over his property, he found that the plate chest had been opened, and the property mentioned in the indict ment stolen therefrom. He identified the articles pro duced as those that were stolen. Cross -examined—Witness lived on his property. The prisoner first came to be his servant at the time of the French revolution, and when she left he took lodgings for her, and used to visit her for about two months. Mr. BALLANTINE—Did she not, in point of fact, live with you as your wife ? Witness—She performed some " functions" in my house. Mr. BALLANTINE—Did she perform the functions of a wife, Sir ? Witness—You may have it so, if you please. The, witness then, in answer to further questions, said he believed the prisoners were sisters, but he had never seen the younger one, and knew nothing about her. Some evidence was then adduced to prove that, shortly after the robbery was committed, the prisoners were taken into custody, with the whole of the stolen pro perty in their , possession. The prisoner Brown, in her defence, said that the pro secutor had been the cause of her ruin, and after she left his house he would never let her alone, but always hunted her out, and had prevented her from getting married. He had induced her to go back to him, and on the night she left the house he told her he was going to meet a married woman, and this occasioned a quarrel between them. The prosecutor got into the witness-box, and with great violence declared it was not true that he had sought after the prisoner. He had not seen her for six years. As for the statement that he was going to see a married woman that was quite true ; he admitted that part of the statement was true. Mr. BALLANTINE addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoner, and commented in severe terms upon the con duct of the prosecutor who, he said, there could be no doubt had first initiated the prisoner Brown into vicious courses, and had been the cause of her ruin.. As to the other prisoner, he submitted that the evidence was not sufficient to warrant the jury in convicting her of the specific offence imputed to her. Witnesses were called, who gave the prisoner Mailer a good character for honesty and general propriety of. conduct. The RECORDER having summed up, the jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict of Not Guilty with regard to the prisoner Mailer, and found the other pri soner Guilty, b u t at the same time strongly recom mended her to mercy on the ground that the prosecutor had been the original cause of her ruin. The prosecutor got into the witness-box and recom , mended the prisoner to mercy. lie at the same time handed a letter to the Court, from the contents of which he said he inferred that his life was in danger. The RECORDER having perused the letter, told the pro secutor that he ought to take some steps to trace out and prosecute the writer. Sentence upon the prisoner was postponed Henry Mel rc4 S 6, wiii convicted upo4 very clear testimony of an assault, with a felonious intent, upon a young man named Morgan. Mr. CLARKSON, who defended the prisoner,:• adnutted that the name he had given was an assumed ;:o* and that he had made no intimation to his friends Of the fact of his deing charged with this offence, and that they were at present ignorant where he was, the prisoner preferring any alternative rather than allow his connec tions to be made acquainted with his being under such a charge as the one made against him. The RECORDER sentenced the defendant to a year's imprisonment in Newgate. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (YESTERDAY.) CLERKENTVELL. Edmund Thompson, James Heath, and Wm. Thompson, young men; the latter enveloped in a fashionable blue cloak, with a fur collar, were charged with having been concerned in the robbery of wearing apparel from the house of the Rev. William Barton, a Wesleyan minis ter, residing at No. 2, Chesterfield-street, King's-cross, also on suspicion of being concerned in other robberies. Police-constable Williams, 31 B, being on duty at King's-cross on Saturday evening, between seven and eight o'clock, saw the prisoners from time to time con versing with one another. As their appearance was suspicious be watched them narrowly. They separated, and soon after, hearing a door slam in Chesterfield-street, he saw the prisoner Thompson running out of No. 2, with a riding cloak, a great coat, and a mackintosh on his shoulder. On seeing the officer the prisoner imme diately took to his heels, but was speedily arrested by Police-constable 62 E. He threw away the garments in his flight. Heath was; apprehended in a few minutes after, and on his person were found four keys, one of which opened Mr. Barton's door. Hopkin's was appre hended on the same night in Heath's house, No. 3, Sea Lion-street, New-cut, Lambeth. The Rev. Mr. Barton identified the property seen upon Thompson as his property. Police-constable Gough, 831., deposed that on search- Heath's house he found there a writing-desk, a drawing box, a quantity of chimney ornaments, and other articles, which a gentleman in Court identified as his, and which had been stolen from his house on Friday night last. Wit ness perceiving one of the floorboards more elevated than the others, raised it with a chisel, and found underneath 27 skeleton keys, thirteen picklocks, and a crowbar were found hidden. On a woman in the house, who gave the name of Smith, and who, it subsequently turned out was the paramour of Heath, 57 duplicates relating to various descriptions of property were found. Thomp son had been tried at the Surrey sessions by the name of Peter Nimmo, and was sentenced to twelve months' mprisonment, which he underwent. Hopkins was discharged ; the other prisoners were remanded ; but Heath was admitted to bail to the amount of 200/ to appear in this Court on Thursday next: Thomas Bichett was charged with maltreating a horse by Ratcliffe, one of the officers of the National Animals' Friend Society. The officer being on duty at King's-cross on that morning saw the prisoner driving a horse and cart. The poor animal was so feeble and emaciated, that he was scarcely able to put one foot before another. In addi tion to his weakness, Ratcliffe, on inspecting the horse, saw a large wound under the saddle, and which was as raw and bloody as if the flesh had been: cut out of it. There was another wound on the shoulder, and the knees were boken. He took the prisoner into custody. Ratcliffe, in answer to a question from the Magistrate, said the Society to which he belonged were about apply ing to Parliament fora new Bill. _ _ ;fir. GREENWOOD thereupon observed that it would be a great improvement on the present law, if the owners were made liable, as they were frequently the most blameable. The prisoner, in reply to the charge, said the animal belonged to his father.. The horse was to have been slaughtefed on Friday last. - . He was fined los., or seven days' imprisonment. William Kirkland was charged with feloniously at tertlpting to stab Richard Bowles. The prisoner, prosecutor, and other young men were playing at skittles in the skittle-ground of the King's Arms public-house in Rawstrone-street, Clerkenwell, yesterday. The prisoner lost a game and refused to pay the sum forfeited. A dispute arose, in which he took his penknife from his pocket and opened it, the young man with-whom he had been playing attempted to prevent his egress by crowding round the entrance, the prisoner rushed through them and made a thrust of the knife at the breast of the prosecutor who had offered no opposition whatever, the blade passed through the left breast of the coat which was strongly padded, but fortunately did Hot enter the flesh. The prisoner was committed for trial to the Old Bailey, but bail was accepted for his appearance there. A poor demented looking creature, who gave his name as Robert Smith, was charged with having been found in sane in the Chapel of Ease, Holloway. The prisoner, on Sunday week, placed a note in the hands of Mr. Robert George Steele, one of the con gregation at the Holloway Chapel of Ease. The note was given by Mr. Steele to the police, and on Sunday the prisoner was apprehended in the chapel. Mr. Steele, who resides at 6, College-street, Hollo way, deposed that he received the note from the priso ner,. whom he had never seen before.—(The note was handed in to the Magistrate, but its contents were not made public.) Mr. Semple, surgeon to the N-division of police, de posed that - he had examined the prisoner, and believed him to be insane. He told witness that he had been persecuted unceasingly for the last forty years, and that he would have committed suicide if he had had the courage to do so. Police-constable 172 N said he had been at the pri soner's residence, No. 2, Philip-street, Kingsland-road, and learned from the inmates thatle refused to use any other food than bread and water ; they believed him to be labouring under a delusion. The prisoner was remanded for the attendance of the parochial authorities of Islington. MARYLEB ONE. Elizabeth Todd and Sarah Trussell were again brought before Mr. Rawlinson, the former charged with having, by means of a forged order, endeavoured to obtain from, the Marylebone Savings' Bank the 'suer of 1161. 9s. 7d., deposited in the name of Mary Todd, and the latter (Trussell), with having certified the identity of the former Elizabeth with Mary Todd. The prisoners are both servants, the first at a house in Gloucester-place, the latter is Wilton-crescent, Knightsbridge. • The case, which has appeared fully in The Sun of Feb. 1, was but very little entered into this day ; and Mr. Rawlinson, upon the evidence adduced, informed Mr. Wilkins ' the barrister, who appeared for T o dd, t h at he felt it his duty to commit both prisoners for trial. Mr. Wilkins was going to reserve his defence for a jury, and would, therefore, have no objection to the Magistrate's decision. PARIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCES SITTING OF JANUARY 29. One of the first papers read was an account of a recent series of experiments, by MM. Flandin and Danger, on metallic poisons. Their last experiments were on the Compounds of lead. They have ascertained, by the pro cess of carbonisation, which consists in operating suc cessively upon organic matter by sulphuric acid, chlor hydrie acid, and water, the presence of lead can be de tected, even in the smallest proportions. By studying the toxical action of the compounds of lead, theTiuthors have convinced themselvei, in conformity with the opinion expressed by MM. Dupasquier, and Rey, of Lyons, that soluble , compounds alone are poi sonous, and that, to . . be fatal, they must be taken in large doses. The symptoms of saturnine in toxication have been carefully studied by MM. Flandin and Danger, who have never found any traces of in flammation. The anatomical lesions are described by them in detail. In searching for the metal, in the organs of persons who had sunk under the-=erects of saturnine intoxication, they found it excitiVilVely in the digestive tubes and in the lungs. This iitAy fact, which agrees with what they had ascertained in the course of former experiments on other metals, has led them to put the following questions :—How are we to explain • the partial passage of the poisons into certain organs to the: exclusion of others? How are we to account for. the difference which is perceived in the action of metallic poisons as regards the organs towards which they are conveyed and the excretory passages by which they disappear ? The authors reserve their answer to the second part of their problem for a future day. With respect to the first, they are of opinion that the passage of the poison to wards the organ in which it locates itself is effected either by the lymphatic vessels, or by the venous chan nels : venarum porta, porta malorum, as Stahl has ob served in his aphoristic language.—Messrs. Roset and Hassard presented a paper on the causes of the in equalities of the solid and liquid surface of our globe. Their paper is of too complicated a character for us to give an analysis of it ; we must, therefore, merely state that they attach great importanc e t o the known variation s of density in the terrestial covering. A communication was received from MM. Chatty and Godier, on the mechanical and surgical trettiment of deformities, According to these gen tlemen, their mode of treatment has been successful in a great riuf lber of cases. M. Chaussenot, an engineer, already Weil known by his inventions for the application of heated air in the burning . of gas, so as to diminish the consumption withoui diminishing the quantity of light, communicated an account of an apparatus which he has invented, as a security against the explosion of steam boilers. It would appear that he has been very success ful, and that a great number of manufacturers, who have steam-engines, have adopted his apparatus, and have hitherto been perfectly satisfied with it. It is also stated that the Russian Government has ordered that it shall be used throughout Russia, in all public or private establishments where there are steam-boilers. THE WILL OF EARL FERRERS.—The will and three codicils of the Right Hon. Washington Earl Ferrers and Viscount Tamworth has recently been proved. In his will, he appoints W. Matthews, Esq., sole executor ; but, in a codicil, revokes that appointment, and names his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex (since dead) and P. S, Shir ley, Esq., executors, to whom he bequeaths 1001. each to purchase a ring; to his grandson he gives 500/. ; to another a full length portrait of himself; and directs his executors to offer his library to his grandsons, at a fair valuation, and, in case they should not become purchasers, to sell the same by auction. His conservatory is to be pulled down and dis posed of in the same manner. To his late wife's sister 100/. ; to his adopted child, Eliza Davey, 1,000/. ; to two of his servants legacies of 200/., free of legacy duty. The property is sworn under 30,000/. From the effects of a paralytic woke, the deceased was unable to sign his will, and made his mark instead; but he appears to have recovered from its effects, for the codicil s are signed "Ferrers" in a firm bold hand. Earl Jermyn, M.P., Treasurer of her Majesty's House hold, transacted business yesterday afternoon at the lion-office, IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 5. Their Lordships assembled at Five o'Clock. HER MAJESTY'S ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS. The LORD CHANCELLOR communicated to the House her Majesty's answer to the address presented by the House on Saturday. The answer was as follows: My Lords, I thank you for your loyal and dutiful address. The . first object of my wishes is to promote the welfare of my people, and I rely with confidence on, your assurance of support in framing such measures as the ipterest of the country may require." On" the motion of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, her Majesty's most gracious answer was ordered to be en teied on. the Journals of the House. THE SEES OF ST. ASAPH AND BANGOR. The Earl of POWIS presented four petitions against the unions of the two Sees of St. Asaph and Bangor. The Noble Earl said he should, on an early day bring the subject under the consideration of the House. SLAVERY. Lord BROUGHAM wished to put a question to her Majesty's Government. A great deal of anxiety and uneasiness had been excited amongst persons who wished for the abolition of the slave trade, in consequence of some report respecting negotiations that were at present taking place with respect to the treaties of 1831 and 1833 between England and France on the subject of the right of search. Pending any negotiations, he (Lord B.) certainly did not wish to press for any information that it might be inconvenient to the public service that the Noble Earl should give. Perhaps, however, his Noble Friend might be able to say a few words that might answer the purpose he (Lord Brougham) had in view by allaying the anxiety, the great anxiety, which prevailed in the country upon this subject. The Earl of ABERDEEN said he should have been glad if he had been in a position to give to his Noble and Learned Friend the fullest information he might desire. The subject was undoubtedly of a very weighty nature, but from the part taken by his Noble and Learned Friend on this subject for so many years, it was natural he should show great interest in reference to it. It was perfectly true that the French Govern ment had expressed a desire that such modifications might be introduced into the treaties which established the right of search, as without impairing their efficiency might render them more conformable to the feelings of the French people. It was not for him (Lord A.) to say what would be the result ofsuch propositions, but his Hon. and Learned Friend, and the House might rest assured that nothing should be done that in any degree might impair the means of suppression of the abominable traffic in slaves. He could assure the House that the French Ministry was as desirous of the total abolition of the slave trade as he (Lord Aberdeen) was, and this would be kept in view by them in any propositions they might submit to us. With respect to the right of search itself, he had witnessed with some regret that it had been sometimes referred to in a way tending to con firm the unwarranted and calumnious representa tions which had been made respecting it on the other side of the water. It had at times been repre sented in this country, as it had been constantly over the water, that the real object of England in the right of search was to degrade and insult the French marine, and to obtain certain informa tion respecting French ships, in order to turn it to our own advantage. Incredible as this might appear, yet was it certain that such a notion extensively pre vailed. Now it was not very likely we should attempt to inflict a degradation upon another nation that might, with five-fold weight, be retaliated upon ~ o urselves ; for certainly the right of search being mutu a l, where on e F renc h cruiser might be subjected, five English ones would be subjected also. In the ports of France, so* near to us, surely we could get, did we desire to do so, far better and fuller infor mation as to the French marine than on the distant shores where the right of search existed. He (Lord Aberdeen) had sometimes seen the right of search spoken of as a great good in itself. It no doubt might be made an available means of narrowing the detestable slave-trade, but of, and in itself, he looked upon the right of search as a great evil, and only to be justified by the great object they had in view. There was nothing else that could justify so great a sacrifice on the part of his coun try. He of course was not prepared to say what might be the result of the negotiations for the modification of these treaties, but he hoped the few words he had now uttered would allay any anxiety that might have been felt by his Noble and Learned Friend or other old and staunch friends of the abolition of slavery.—(Hear, hear.) Lord BROUGHAM said he should be very unreason able indeed if he were not satisfied with what had fallen from the Noble Earl, and he could add that he agreed with him in giving the fullest credit to the Govern ment of France for its hearty wishes to put down the detestable traffic. There certainly was a feeling abroad in France that the mode of putting it down was not consistent with their feelings of national honour and dignity. His Noble Friend had given an unanswerable re- ply to this by reminding their French neighbours that we equally conceded the same right on our parts, and as we gave the right of search over five or six ships for one, we gave up more than they did ; yet we did not in the slightest degree consider ourselves disho houred by it. Ile entirely agreed with the Noble Earl in thinking that instead of its being a desirable arrange ment or a good per se, he wished that some mode could be devised for repressing the slave-trade without it, as he looked on it rather as an inconvenience than a burden. They must always keep in mind one of two propositions in dealing with this question. One of these was, that when England had entirely abolished her own slave trade, she had done nine parts out of ten of what was her own duty, and that, strictly speaking, it was that alone which she could be called on to do, anything beyond that being in the nature of a work of supererogation. God forbid that they should in the slightest degree re lax from their efforts to repress the slave trade, and that having washed their own hands of the stain, they should not for the sake of humanity and of Africa, seek out other nations to do so also. One thing they must also always bear in mind, that though they were philanthropists and statesmen legislating for Africa, they were also European and English states men, and that their primary object must now be the preservation of peace among the nations of Europe. They must not risk that first and greatest blessing for the sake of any work of supererogation or humanity. To do so would be the most preposterous attempt any great nation could engage in. STATE OF IRELAND . The Duke of WELLINGTON, se e i ng th e N o bl e Earl (Fitzwilliam) in his place, rose t o i n f orm hi m t h at it was not his intention to offer any opp os iti on t o th e hope the milit ary and police in Ireland. motion of the Noble Earl relative to certai n accoun t s andreturns re spectin g that th e N o b le Earl might continue n all referenc e to recent events in Hstated tot r hfigs e r s b c the Ireland. Earl FITZWILLIAM said he had no inclination whatever to break the understanding which prevailed as to the expediency of abstaining from all allusion to Ireland at present. He was glad to hear that the Noble Duke and her Majesty's Ministers did not intend to offer any opposition to the motion he was about to make. His Lordship then moved for the production of accounts, according to notice.—Agreed to. Lord NORMANBY, from the same wish not to in dulge in any remarks on events now pending in Ireland, deferred his motion on the state of Ireland till Tuesday, 13th inst. Between the present time and that day, he would announce to the House the precise shape in which he meant to make his motion. If it was probable that the trials would not terminate by that day, .he would give due notice of further postponement. OPERATIONS IN CHINA. The LORD CHANCELLOR communicated to the House that he had received a letter from Admiral Parker, acknowledging the vote of thanks of the House for the gallant conduct of her Majesty's naval force en gaged in the operations in China. His Lordship then read the letter, which was dated from her Majesty's ship Cornwallis, Hong-Kong, June 15, 1843. Earl MINTO expressed some degree of disappointment that some further mark of her Majesty's approbation bad not been conferred upon Admiral Parker. He stated that some feeling of dissatisfaction existed in the navy that a baronetage had not been bestowed upon the naval commander, as Inid been done in the case of the army. The Earl of HADDINGTON believed that it was stated to their Lordships at the time the Noble Duke (Wellington) made the speech which never could be forgotten by the navy, when the thanks of that House were given to the naval and military commanders who had served in China, that the reason why the two re wards were not bestowed on Sir William Parker at the same time, that they were on Sir Hugh Gough was, that it would have appeared to be giving more to one than the other. The Govern ment had no anxiety but to deal fairly by both parties, and the Nobl e Lord could well say that her Majesty's Government duly appreciated the services of the navy upon that occasion. They were certainly most extra ordinary. He did not advert merely to the gallantry displayed ; that was a matter of course, for the navy had frequently gone against more formidable enemies than the Chinese. But he knew that taking the large ships to the walls of Nankin was considered by the navy as a very extraordinary per formance indeed. It would be in the recollection of the House that Sir Hugh Gough had earned the Grand Cross of the Bath before Sir William Parker arrived in China. At the conclusion of their joint services, for their gallant, distinguished, and meritorious conduct, a baronetcy was awarded to Sir Hugh Gone and the Grand Cross of the Bath was given to Sir William Parker. Sir William Parker had since been informed the reason why both rewards were not conferred upon him at the same time. He (the Earl of Haddington) trusted that Sir William Parker was satisfied. Sir William Parker had also been informed of the intention of her Majesty's Government to bestow upon him the other honour. It would be in the recollection of their Lord- ships that at the time of the former discussion on this subject, it was said that it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to confer upon Sir William Par ker the further honour ; " Aye," said the Noble Earl .on that occasion, " when he hauls down his flag." Lord MINTO said that he did not recollect ever hav ing used the language attributed to him ; but he would not rut his recollection against that of the Noble Earl opposite. Earl HADDINGTON said that it had always been the intention of the Government to mark, in every way they could, their very high sense of the great deeds which had been performed. Sir William Parker, however, had not so great a share in the achievements of the China campaign, as Sir Hugh Gough, who had conducted not only the naval operations, but those of the army, into the very heart of China. Lord BROUGHAAI begged to interpose. He thought that it was most unconstitutional for Noble Lords to interfere with the prerogative of her Majesty as the fountain of honour.—(Cheers.) After a few words from Lord MINTO and the Earl of HADDINGTON, in explanation, The Duke of RICHMOND said that in order to put an end to the discussion, and for the satisfaction of both sides of the House, he would take the oppor tunity of presenting a petition from Morpeth against the bastardy clauses in the Poor-law Amendment Act. The petitioners stated, that out of 476 births in the Union, 49 were illegitimate children; and that, of the births in the town ofMorpeth, one in six were illegitimite. BETTING ON PUBLIC SPORTS. On the order of the day for the second reading of this Bill being read, Lord BROUGHAM wished to put it to his Noble Friend who had just sat down, whether, instead of the Bill of which he had given notice, to legalise betting upon certain sorts of public sports, to which there was a great objection in certain quarters, it would not be better to postpone for a time his prospective measure, and in the meanwhile to bring forward a short Bill to the qui tam actions which were pending. The Bishop of LONDON said that he could not allow the occasion to pass without expressing his disapproba tion of any measure which would go to legalise gamb ling. The Duke of RICHMOND said, he had a right to complain of the Right Rev. Prelate assuming that his Bill was intended to promote gambling ; on the con trary, he firmly believed that if the Bill was carried into a law it would diminish betting. He was not a better himself, but he was convinced that if something was not done the pre sent system would ruin the " Turf" altogether. His only object was to compel the fair loser to pay the fair winner. He wished to encourage the manly amuse ments of the people, which had been of late too much discouraged. He had rather see the people enjoy . the manly sport of cricket, than sit in sullen sottishness in a beer-shop. He would not place himself in oposition to the Noble and Learned Lord opposite (Lord Brougham) on a subject of law, and he would therefore postpone the general Bill, and bring in one for stopping the qui tam actions and defeating the objects of those "scoundrels," who, because last year their own practices were dis covered, had raked up Acts of Parliament, of which oddish constructions had been made.—( Hear.) Lord BROUGHAM thought it would be well to refer the whole of the laws relating to betting to a Select ' Committee. The Bishop of LONDON had not attributed to the Noble Duke any wish to increase the evil of gambling. He thought, however, that the tendency of the Noble Duke's measure would be to in crease that evil. He had always wished to co-operate with the Noble Duke in his efforts to promote the happiness, the morals, and the indepen dence of the people. He agreed with the Noble Duke respecting the expediency, the policy—and he would say, the duty—of proinoting the manly recreations of the poor. Whenever these recreations were placed under' restraint, nothing but paramount necessity could justify the restriction. Lord CAMPBELL said that he hoped their Lord ships would not sanction the Bill of the Noble Duke, which would have the effect of encouraging gambling and making all kinds of bets recoverable in Courts of Law. Lord DENMAN thought the Noble Duke had a right to complain that when he had agreed to postpone his Bill, Noble Lords thought proper to enter into a dis cussion on it. He (Lord Denman) thought that:the whole Bill ought to be referred to a Select Committee. The Duke of RICHMOND said that the gamblers against which he meant to legislate had no characters to lose, and cared not what risk they incurred. He entirely agreed with his Noble Friend the Lord Chief Justice, and therefore suggested that the order of the day for the second reading of the Bill be referred to a Select Committee. A hundred thousand pounds might be bet upon a horse in London, if the better could learn intelligence o f th e w i nn i ng h orse b y a carr i er that bet ebym That couldnah enayyt wasdebtbe n other was l betegfaa recoverable means legally mr e ,l e o yb i lu decided.ofr the b t tht if recovered pt tw lately at the and da a race whatt tcould l iai not be recovered ; if th ey b et at a race at which no money had been contended f or , th en t h e b et was reco verable. In fact, the p resent l aw was full of absurdities, and was very w e ll wor th y o f t h e attent i on of their Lordships. The Noble D u k e conc l u d e d b y moving the discharge of the order of the d a y.—A gree d to . The Duke of RICHMOND said he would, t o - morrow , in all probability, bring in a Bill on the subject hi mse lf. It was then ordered that the laws relating to gumi ng be referred to a Select Committee of their Lordships: HEALTH OF TOWNS BILLS. is was was common The Marquis of NORMANBY said he had a question of some importance to put, which he hoped some member of the Government would be in a position to answer. It was on a, subject entirely distinct from that which had just occupied their Lordships' attention, but one which he was sure they would all concur in con sidering of vastly greater importance. When he stated to their Lordships that his question had reference not only to the cleanliness and comfort, but to the morals of the poor, he was sure none of them would for a moment underrate its importance. The question was in reference to some measures which had passed their Lordships' House no less than three times, and he could not but say that it was with feelings of grievous disappointment he now again called their Lordships' attention to them. Some considerable time back—in the year 1839—a Right Rev. Prelate, whom he did not then see in his place, made a motion on the subject of the state of the dwellings of the poor, especially in large towns, and in consequence of this motion a Commission was appointed by the Secretary for the Home Department, to further investigate and report upon the subject. • In the following year, in consequence of the information for warded to the Government, the Secretary of State for the Home Department extended its powers and func tions to Scotland. Such a case for interference was almost immediately made out, as the result of the labours of the Commission, that he (Lord Normanby) at once brought the question before his colleagues, and, in 1841; he also brought the subject before their Lordships, and introduced Bills, with a view to commence remedial mettsures as quickly as possible. To the principle of those Bills, their Lordships assented unanimously ; but in order to make the details of them as perfect as pos sible, it was suggested that they should be referred to a Select Committee up stairs. Never did a Committee work with greater assiduity or success. The Bills passed through their Lordships' House, but in consequence of the session becoming short, they did not pass through the House of Commons. Next session they were again submitted to their Lordships, and again passed. The session of 1842 concluded, and upon it came a circum stance which gave a very particular consideration to the subject. The Poor-law Commissioners took the matter in band, and, after due investigation, made a Report upon the subject, and a most important Report indeed it was. That Report might perhaps be an accumulation of facts that were' not palatable to the general reader. But it showed that no less than 56,000 persons died annually to ofprevent diseases which or r was ove. in power s was th o e f s the am e L eg ila t as s if ue the r whole population of Huntingdonshire or Rutlandshire Was annually swept away by disease, which the Govern ment might prevent. More information on this subject was certainly not what the Government required—of information they had enough. The suggestions of the Report might or might not have been adopted, but ad ditional information was not required ; even if it had been, the Commission ought to have been appointed at once ; but from the time the Report was made till the present session of Parliament, not one step had been taken. It he should now hear that it wig not likely a measure would be introduced on this subject, he should feel it his duty again to call on their Lordships to affirm the principle which he had already been fortunate enough three times to receive their approbation. Whe ther or not a Bill were brought in this session, he could not exempt that department of the Government with which this measure rested from some blame for not bay ing taken up the former Bill, and amended it, if re quired amendment, or, if further inquiry were neces sary, for not having caused that inquiry to be made. The Duke of BUCCLEUCH said the Noble Marquis had found fault with her Majesty's Ministers for not having taken up this subject in the former session of Parliament. But the fact was, this measure was drawn up when the Report was not completed. In 1841, when the Report was presented, the Bill for the improvement of the town of Leeds was introduced. The Commission met on 3d of June, and sat three days a week until the end of July ; up to this time there had been no delay. The Commission had laboured even during the recess, and visited fifty-one towns. The Noble Lord seemed to think that the report made by the Commission could be legislated upon immediately. No person who retd that report could doubt of the misery and wretchedness which existed in several towns, and even in the metropolis itself—a condition -truly dis graceful to this country. Disease was of a- very de structive character and very prevalent. No person pos sessed of the commonest feelings of humanity but would exclaim against these things remaining as they were. But it was a very different thing to legislate on the subject—to introduce an effectual remedy. The Commissioners found more difficulty than was generally imagined. In suggesting a proper mode for curing these evils, a new system of drainage was the principal•thing ; but could this be effected for nothing. Let them look to the metropolis itself. Those who had not heard the evidence laid before the Commission by scientific men, could have no idea of the extreme diffi culty 'of carrying out a regular systematic drainage in the metropolis under the existing state of things. Some regard should be paid to another point, the supply of water, without which the drains would be choked up and rendered useless. Now, the supply of water in London, as the Commissioners would wish_ it to be sup- plied, was a most difficult thing. They had to contend with vast and complicated interests—large companies —and it WM really hard to think how they could be compensated; but with all the in formation contained in the Report, and with all the curious papers that had been laid before the Commis mission, he was not prepared to lay before the House any measure for their Lordships' consideration. If the Bin recommended to their Lor a dships were carried into effect, the surveyors' fees alone would amount to 80,0001. An t Bill that could be introduced would be come a dead etter, from the difficulty of carrying it into effect. The Commission had everywhere been received in the most favourable manner by the working classes and by the municipal authorities. Most curious infor mation had been laid before the Committee regarding the drainage and supplying of water to towns on the Continent and in America, but he repeated that he was not at present prepared to offer any recommendation on the course which should be pursued. The Marquis of NORMANBY never heard a more unsatisfactory explanation than that offered by the Noble Duke ; he considered that the Government were greatly to blame in allowing these evils to continue so long without proposing some remedy. The Duke of BUCCLEUCH explained. Lord. FITZWILLIAM was understood to say that he considered it very difficult to legislate 011 the subject. The Committee for inquiring into the laws on gaming was then appointed. The Duke of RICHMOND gave notice that he should to-morrow move for the copy of a letter from the As sistant-Secretary of the Treasury to the clerks of the peace, and dated Dec. 2, 1843, his object being to induce the Government of the country to withdraw it. Lord MONTEAGLE gave notice that he should to morrow move for certain returns from the Bank of Eng land. His Lordship also 'gave notice that he should at the same time put a question to the Government with a view of ascertaining if it was their intention to take any measures in respect to the Bank of Ireland at the time they proposed those measures having reference to the Bank of England. His Lordship laid on the table of the House a Bill to facilitate the recovering of sums of money by certain teachers in Ireland, which had passed their Lordships' House last session, but had dropped in the other House in consequence of the late period it ar rived there, and the heavy pressure of other business of greater importance. The House then, at Five Minutes after Six, adjourned until to morrow. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 5. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'Clock. PRIVATE BILLS. On the motion of Mr. STRUTT, the following Mem bers were appointed as a Select Committee on Petitions for Private'Bills, viz. :—Mr. Strutt, Mr. Robert Clive, Mr. Rice, Mr. Villiers Stuart, Mr. Wrightson, Mr:. George Cavendish, Mr. Crompton, Mr. Brotherton, Mr, Pakington, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Beckett, Sir John Yarde Buller, Mr. Bramston, — Mr. Richard Walker, Mr. George „Philips, Mr. Bell, Mr. Gibson Craig, O'Conor Don, Mr. ForbeS Mackenzie, Mr. Horsman, Mr. Mott Yorke, Mr. Kemble, Mr. Aglionby, Captain Jones, Mr. •Thornely, Mr. Barneby, Mr. Benjamin Wood, Mr. Tatterton Egerton, Mr. Stansfield, Lord Worslev, Mr. Henry Baillie, -Mr. Edward Buller, Sir William Heath cote, Mr. Hspe Johnstone, Mr. Morgan John O'Connell, Mr. Packe, Mr. Acland, Mr. Evans, Mr. Home Drum mond, Mr. Parker, Mr. Marshall, and Mr. E. P. Shirley. THE LEAGUE. Sir ,J'OHN TROLLOPE presented a petition from Boston, and other places in Lincolnshire, praying that protection might be afforded to agriculture, and com plaining of what the petitioners termed the machina tions of a body of persons calling themselves the Anti- Corn-law League. PAYMENT OF POOR-LAW OFFICERS. Mr. GODSON presented a petition from Kidder minster, complaining of the high salaries given to officers of the Poor-law Commissioners, and praying that the subject might be inquired into. IRISH JURIES. Mr. Sergeant MURPHY presented a petition from the Roman Catholics of the city of Cork, in public ia - e - etkg assembled, signed by the Mayor on behalf of the meetiag, complaining of the exclusion of Roman Catholics from the jury list in Dublin. Mr. HUME presented a petition (understood to be from Montrose) praying that until grievances were redressed, the House would refuse to grant any supplies. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr. MILNER GIBSON gave notice of a motion (on what day did not reach the gallery) for the appointment of a Committee to obtain information on the present state of the agriculture of the kingdom, the quantity of land at present under cultivation, and the amount of its produce. THE CLONTARF MEETING. Colonel RAWDON gave notice that on Thursday, the 15th inst., he should move an address to the Crown, praying her Majesty to order an inquiry into the cause of the delay in the publication of the proclamation on the subject of the great Clontarf meeting. RIGHT OF SEARCH. Sir CHARLES NAPIER wished to repeat the ques tion he twice last session put to the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of her Majesty's Government, as to the in structions given to the Commanders of British cruisers . in reference to the American cruisers on the African coast. He also wished to ask the Right Hon. Baronet if he had received any information of the establishment of military posts by the Americans on the Oregon frontier ? Sir R. PEEL said, with respect to the first question of the Gallant Commodore, as to the instructions issued to our cruisers on the coast of Africa, he would give the Gallant Commodore an answer to-morrow or next day. With respect to the second question, he had no other information than the Gallant Officer himself pos-' sessed. POOR RATES (IRELAND). Mr. FRENCH moved for a return of the dates and places where the military have been employed in Ire land in the forcible collection of poor-rates, between the Ist of January, 1843, and the Ist of January, 1844 ; also the return of the number of men employed'; and also the amount of rate uncollected. SUGAR DUTIES. Mr. PATTISON said he wished to ask the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of her Majesty's Government whether it was the intention of the Government to make any alteration in the sugar duties ? Sir R. PEEL said that the fact of the Hon. Gentle man being one of the youngest Members of the. House, could alone, justify him in putting such a question. THE OREGON TERRITORY. Lord JOHN RUSSELL understood that it had been stated that negotiations had been entered into with America with - respect to the Oregon Territory. He wished to ask if those negotiations were still pending, or 'whether there had been a cessation of them. Sir. R. PEEL said, if he recollected rightly, that the British Government had originated communications with the Government of the United States as to the extreme advantage of proceeding amicably to some arrangement for settling the matter in dispute ; certainly the answer received to that communication justified them in hoping that by this time some progress towards an arrangement would have been made. All he could state now was, that the British Minister who had gone out, had very full instructions on that subject, Mr, HUME asked if the Right Hon. Baronet had any objections to lay on the table of the House the papers relative to that subject ? Sir R. PEEL said, that as these papers related to matter of so much importance, he thought the Hon. Gentleman would take the wisest course in not pressing for their production. - After a few words from Mr. HUME, Lord STANLEY said that if the iron. Gentleman waited, it was possible more precise informationeOuld be given. DISTURBANCES. IN WALES. Dr. BOWRING wished to know from the Right Hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for the Home Depart ment, whether it was his intention to lay the Report of the Commissioners who were sent to Wales on the table of the Hpuse. Sir J. GRAHAM was understood to say that he, had not yet received the Report. - As soon as he had re ceived it it would be laid before the House. , MEDICAL CHARTERS. In answer to a question from Mr. MACAULAY on the subject of medical charters, Sir J. GRAHAM said that he had no objection to lay on the table of the House the charters of the College of Surgeons of London and Dublin. He had also two Bills nearly ready which he would lay upon the table of the House, with regard to the medical practice of the country. POST-OFFICE. Mr. HAWES wished to know from the Right Hon. Gentleman, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it was his intention to renew the Committee on the subject of 'the Post-office; also whether a paragraph which he had seen in the papers, and which stated that the whole of the revenue derived from the Post-Office was to be applied to carry out certain improvements in that department, was correct? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he did not see any necessity for moving for a renewal of the Post-Office Committee. With respect to the returns alluded to, he had no ob jection to lay them, as far as it was possible, upon the table of the House, But there were several l e tt ers from the late Chancelor of the Exchequer, many of which were in the form of private communications, and it would therefore be exceedingly difficult to make such a general return as that sought by the Honourable Gentleman. With respect to the Post-office returns there would be no difficulty. With respect to the question relative to a certain para graph which appeared in the newspapers, - he would say that there was not the slightest authority for supposing that it emanated from either him or the Government. Mr. WALLACE wished to ask the Right Hon. Ba ronet, the First Lord of the Treasury, whether the fi nancial and commercial statement would be brought for ward at an early period of the session, or whether it would be postponed. Sir R. PEEL said the estimates should be brought forward as soon as the returns were completed for the April quarter. THE QUEEN'S ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS. Lord JERMYN (as Treasurer of the Household) ap peared at the.bar in the Windsor uniform, and bearing - a white wand. The messenger in attendance announced "Her Majesty's answer to the address." His Lordship said—l am commanded by her Majesty to inform the House,that on Saturdaylast she received the address ofyour Hon. House, which her Majesty was graciously pleased to receive, and: to give the following answer thank you for your loyal and dutiful address ; your de claration that you are anxious to co-operate with me in my earnest endeavour to promote the welfare of my people is most satisfactory. You may be assured that it will be the invariable object and constant care of my life to promote the happiness and preserve the confide DEFICIENCY OF THE CIVIL LIST." of L inz E p G e E o p p l e D " A Mr. BLEWITT said that a report was prevalent that a considerable deficiency o f t h e c i v i l list had occurred, which would require an application to Parliament ight Hon.for the grant of a loam He wished to ask the Right Baronet whether there was any foundation for that rumour ? Sir R. PEEL was sorry that_ any one could b e so credulous as to b e li eve any such rumour.—(Hear, hear.) He was surprised that any Member of the House could give a moment's credence to it.—(Cheers.) He thought that the habits and personal character of her Majesty t w o e t r h e in t k oo th w a e t an llk y nown to render it possible for any one deficiency in the Civil List could have occurred.---(Cheers.) REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD rose, and, a s we un derstood, addres se d a ques ti on t o the Speaker on the subject of th e mo ti on o f w hi c h h e h a d given - notice, viz., the redress of grievances. The SPEAKER said that he had understood the lion. Member to ask when he could bring forward the motion of which he had given notice, on the stub h aject f t the the redress of grievances. He apprehended proper time for the Hon. Member to bring the subject Order of the Day would be read before the House would be to - mo rrow, when the for the House res olvin g itself into a Coinmittee of the whole House, for the purpose of granting a supply to her Majesty. Mr. S. CRAW FORD- gave notice that he should to morrow make ihe motion on the subject of the redress of grievances, of which he had previously given notice. THE CENSUS. Capt. PECHELL wished to know from the Right Hon. Baronet, the Secretary fur the Home Department, when it might be expected that the Report of the Census Commissibners would be laid upon the table 7 Sir JAMES GRAHAM was most anxious that the Report - should be laid before the House •as soon as possible, and it would be his duty, as soon as that should be done, to see that the Report be teferred to a Select Committee. At the same time he was afraid that. the Re port could not be laid upon the table before the recess. METROPOLIS IMPROVEMENT BILL. _ _ On the Order of the Day being read for the second reading of the Metropolis Improvement Bill, Mr. HUME desired to know what was the principle of the Bill. It was unusual to move the second reading of a Bill without the House h av i ng b een i n f orme d of its principle. He had certainly seen the Bill in the ante room, but he had had no opportunity of making himself acquainted with its provisions. This might be a Bill for authorising the expenditure of money, and he wished to be informed of the principle of the Bill. Lord LINCOLN said that an Act had been passed some time since 'for improving the metropolis. Some doubts had arisen as to the construction of the Act, and the present Bill was intended merely to remove those doubts, and to carry out the ,provisions of the former measure. Mr. HUME would not oppose the second reading of the Bill if the intention of it was merely to carry out the provisions of the former Act. The Bill was then read a second time. TRAFALGAR-SQUARE. Captain BERNAL begged to ask the Noble Lord, the Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests, whether the statue of Nelson, in Trafalgar-square, was erected under the sanction of the Woods and Forests? The Earl of LINCOLN said that that part of the improvements was made by a committee, by means of subscriptions. The works which are now going on in Trafalgar-square, are under the direction of the office of Woods and Forests. STANDING ORDERS ON RAILWAYS. Mr. W. GLADSTONE rose to move :—...That a . Select Committee be appointed, to consider the Standing Orders relating to Railways, and whether any and what changes ought to be made in those Standing Orders ; and likewise to con sider whether any and what new provisions ought to be introduced into such Railway Bills as may come be fore the House duri ng the present or future sessions, for the advantage of the public and the improvement of the rail way system, and to report their opinion thereon to the House." The Right Hon. Gentleman said as this important question was one which had on several occasions been the subject of inquiry, and as the several Select Committees which had sat to investigate it, had left their examinations incomplete, he should be very brief with the statement which he • had now to make to the House. He would, however, very briefly inti mate to the House what were the immediate occasions out of which the proposal which he had now to' make had grown. In the first place it appeared to the Go- . vernment that the time had come when it might be ad' rantageously considered whether, after the operation and the experience of severalyears, some modification mightliet properly be introduced into the Standing Orders,relating to railways. There was one of those Standing Orders, for example which required of all parties seeking t°' obtain a Bill from the House of Commons, that they should have 10 per cent. of their whole capital de posited before they could succeed in their object. An opinion had been extensively entertained that there would be no disadvantage in reducing the proportion of capital so required' as a deposit ; but there was no necessity for locking up at so early a period, and for such a length of time, so considerable a portion of •the capital of the company. There was already a Standing Order in the House of Lords limiting the amount to 5 per cent. There was another Standing Order re lating to level-crossings, in which it was els ° proposed to make some alteration. He would not detain the House, by dwelling ' further uPes ii • the Standing Orders; but, over and above' the pre sent question, the House would no doubt be aware that the present was a great era in railways. Great sr: culations had taken place with r es p ec t t o them, IT those speculations seemed to have been done away with. During the last two or three years the specula tions in railways had considerably diminished ; but in the present session he understood that no less thana ,sixty-six Bills wer e t o b e a ppli e d f or , i nc l u di ng upwaru" of 900 miles, while the present extent of railways - 07 ‘" ceeded 2,000 miles.—(Hear, hear.) It had, therefore, appeared to the Government that this was the fitting opportunity to investigate the subject. The propo sal .he had to make, comprised those compute.: coming before Parliament of their own accord. He divided them into two classes, those Companies coining before the House for new powers, and new Companie! altogether, who were a nx i ous to create new line' joining to the old. He proposed to take this matter • • into consideration at the earliest oOrtunity, not in any. unfriendly feeling t owar d s those bodies, but still _in that spirit which would be compatible with the interests of the public. Th ere were many of those companies who• sought from the House new p o wers, and in return fo r • those he th oug h t some equivalent s h o uld be rendered to the public. H on. Gentlemen would recollect;that al l p rivate com mercial Bills, excepting Railway Bills, were subject to th e j urisdict i on o f th e • Board of - Trade, • and he th ought it would b e a d v i sa ble that some similar jurisdiction should be allowed, which would giTe the same right of supervision to t h e ß o ard of Trade. He wished that this matter should be brought under the consideration . of a Committee o f t he House, and his proposal w ould refer not only to new companies, which might come he fore fore the House, but also that existing companies might be subjected to such arrangements' as tha:ComMi. tee ffi ult might suggest. It was true that it might 'be difficult to make any rule which might be generally applican c l7 to such different circumstances; but he had no doubt the right to interfere in the matter. But there wes. an unusual disposition to restrain the exercise 0' that right within . the limits of moderation: The exercise of that right, however, at the present moment, on the ground of any general waiver' sation, or general exaction, by railway companit would. not, in his opinion, b e justified. He excluded su ch considerations from the notice of motion. At the,sans e time it included the consideration of such arrangenient . with regard to railroads, as Parliament would recoramen The time was now come when capital abounded to, l l l . unprecedented degre e , an d par ti es were s e e king v„ some mode of inv es ti ng it. U n d er t h e S e c i rc umstanc e; it was natu ra l to expect that it would take a dire ctio towards the extension of railways. It was naturalre expect under those circumstances, that ti!' 5 would be a disposition to make proposition ID to Parliament for the establishment of e?,,T ia peting lines.—(Hear, h ear .) Thi s sug gested _grOu' h i s for serious and delicate consideration. Itt lb the y experience'of railway systems informed him that were must not rely too much on the statements whic h i n g put forward. The- consequence of allowing comp et e - lines would be in many instances an increase o action ; it would be a mere multiplication of moor,. for such were the faciliti e s o f combination that here which that competition only would be a course very far fro lore which wisdom would dictate. Parliament need , fore, well consider what cour se they_ " co adopt with r egar d t o li nes recommen ded a% ja peting lines. Those observations were 11° re tended to apply to local lines which wer.ootrift commended by the national construction of the c o and - the local traffic they were likely to hav e ' i a the while Parli a ment h a d m an y s t rong grou nds to ae iiwa y practice of unlimited competing lines, existing Zoos companies had-,many motives to look tnefple, to the disposition on the part of the r - inter es t and it was f a r b e tt er f or th e ir own to th e to make term s w ith P ar li amen t satisfactory hcoas elves general feeling of the public, than to expose one to the opposition of competing lines. T here . was sora e subject upon which it was desirable t h at t the ° arrangement should be made: He alluded an to en neglect of third cl a s s carriages ;he did not me of ac force upon railway companies such • an increase woad commodation in the third class of carriages as which they break down the general arrang e ment for adopted—those who were wi • - to pay to n" .-rs first and second-r a t e carriages ought 00 0 - additional comfort, but he thought it matte_ r e v ,.,„ o _ portant concern, whether those who had not th of paying for the higher class carriages ougn ... ,' (11 0 r be covered from the inclemency of the weather. of fet e and cheers.) There was a great deal n a o ' 6 ing on the subject out of d oor s, an a feeling was one which was likely t o i ncre ase. exceedingly desirous that no inconvenience s °o t ° occasioned by the proceeding now recomi nlo i ror se parties engaged in p romot i ng Bi lls. He s hould fa t erce i the nomination of this Committee, with, 11,110 t he as short as possible ; he would then procee",:f t he 6° ,.; and lay before the Committee, on the p a rt - ..enar ed vernment, such propositions as they were 01)01 eviden ce make. After the examination of those W ;you'd a t it was desirable to obtain, theY com mittee eints port , the general conclusions of the on g f o re a period as early as possible, in order td to Bills e m which steps were taken with regar uld a rise , B ch the House, no inconvenience or delay s..° titular w her Par lace t't was not aware that there was any ooh , now p he need state to the House, and woula the motion in the hands of the Speaker. rise for „,. 0 Mr. LABOUCHERE said he did not os. n hear purpose of objecting to the prop s _lt iad t° ea Right Honourable Gentleman. He 1 ,v,_221 r a, beca use that It T"‘" • 11$"" a* that the Government had brought their ~r- from. from. Tlono great good would be likely to resultthe Eg ht rain ° done so ; but if he' understood w exa, the able Gentleman, the Committee as ition (-)i der 'poi un the whole subject of the present s ; ha said t_ Legislature with regard to railoay hoe stood the Right Hon. Gentleman, before the t he whenever railway companies came . f power s wha t or extensions 0 asking for privileges House had a right to impose proper to in s , l ,,, s h " t ly conditions they thought Gentleman fail 'Ol r ailw If he understood the Right Hon. uestion was his intention to refer the who e q Right 1 10 °' s ure tee The Rig legislation to this Commit • .„ h he was . ht in IN me • s ung man had expressed a hope , restion alooy every one would join, t ha t these different r t he all be amicably settled • with the pa i r of to companies, and that he did not descommendations of Committee being enabled to make re i d would e c l us which all the railway companies of En ahnowever, that t hs be willing to agree. He was afraid Commit tee ',lid terms of the motion would preclude the which considering the case of any railway company Bill; and He of not come before the House for a new the propriety so gested to the Right Hon. Gentleman rehensi ce l to making the. terms of his motion more comp taking _: 1 , 1 11 ,, as not to preclude the 'Committee fromilway their consideration the subject of ra t he . H e agreed tion generally.--(Hear, hear.)„ g o u t , greater part of what bad fallen &wit .P the 1g4""7.