The Sun. — London, England, 1844-07-26 00:00:00

~, should he suspended' that they might constitute a Com mittee for the remaiiteler of the session. He made this motion in consequence of the departure of so many Peers tti Parliament, that it was difficult to a get a full attend 'nee et all the Committees, befere whom there was a great ° N." of hu4ini sa. L"rd WICKLOW did not approve of the motion. te was th e d uty of the Peers to atten d to t h e Commit es, and they ought to be compelled to da so.—(Hear.) Lord BRO UG H said the that a' great cause of the c arreer was the want of .accommodation for the r unil tices. .Much .more regard was had for the glory ° the architect than for the convenience of the House. ,17-(lleer, hear.) But he hoped that, if the accommoda tlas not sufficient next year, their Lordships would dim " t a t ,glory a•little int r i C - Marquis . Of CLANRICARDE said, that• every -old in the country admitted that their Lordships - -ee have been provided with a suitable House, and ( leau th equate accommodations within the - seven years sha t ", s had al rea dy p asse d. Il e hoped their Lord ia would insist upon the works being proceeded with te a More expeditious manner, and that they would h a ta 4 ri architect to hare proper apartments ready "te heat • psea t loil. 441.1 ORTESCUE hoped that it would not be ne assary to ac t - upon t h e reso l u ti on; w hi c h, ho w ever, he " ° 4 1 ,,n ... at oppo se . _ • itt ue -Duke of WELLINGTON said that hitherto the e ndance of . Peers had been as full as could be ex pected, but ' t h e o bj ect o f t h e mo ti on was t o p rov id e :must the - possibility of a deficient attendance at the a" of the session, when so many Peers would be leav- g town. Lord a few words from Lord COLBORNE, a„ . '' °III REDESDALE withdrew his motion, and gave Lice, that, if necessary, he would renew it on Monday. .. nk'Tl ° NS FOR GAMING SUSPENSION BILL. D T he Marquis of NORMANDY, in the absence of the oke of Richmond, moved the third reading of the Ac . es ftir g Gamin 'at Horse Races Bill. eo le Earl of RAI)NOR opposed the motion. He n a _ tentled that the defendants in these .actions had no Tor the protect i on or t h e i nter f erence o f P ar - T; e itlent. Wh en . they i ncurre d t h ese pena l t i es , h Y kneW they were acting unlawfully.—(Hear.) ars at was proved by the evidence of Mr. Tat e a 4ll and other nitnesses. Same parts of . the f:C a en ce were exceedingly painful.. One gentleman, a a one of heunivesities, stated that he had been 14'ietieaised" by two of his friends—gentlemen—(A lt i 'll)—and fellows of the same uniia rsity.—(A laugh.) 4 , ' • : bc..LORD 'CHANCELLOR—Cambridge Give the right name.—(A laugh.) 1 / 4 16 .Eari of RADNOR said this was a Bill to prevent tl, e tn an from_ obtaining a pecuniary. advantage, who. h le law, as: it stoode gave . him . and encouraged „ i n, to seek. -There was ~ no doubt. that the a ': which the actions were directel ageing. illegal, and the evidence before-. the Committee p ia te ed that -it had - been - ruinous to many, very 4 1 , tt a t; The only - means - which the la w , provided for — 4 l . g. so greaean evil was by - th6s:e. lam aptiolls, T a sslng this Bill thellouse would do a great injustiee. he p 1. a • . Lord "E, th e are of oTRADBROIS.I. ot I Ey supported Bill, itt.n.fter a few words from the Maruis of NORMANBY, ru P i Yi the Bill was read a third time and passed. SLAVE TRADE. • - s e earl of ABERDEEN, pursuant to notice, laid otfi, c table the latest instructions given to the naval A s - te " engaged in the suppression of the slave trade. a re "ere wasatothing to conceal, the greatest publicity 4;7 d esirable, which would give the best refutation to ea t i aa hunnious accusations against this country, that the p re t ence ef a regar d f or th e i n terests of hu tterl'it er -r , we were only seeking to extend our own coin ietaeaand to increase our naval power. When he came tr e ' ° ins ,, ; lie found the instructions to those officers ex bra'"etY vague and imperfect. He had applied himself to tt es -- g a thein into a more perfect state. He had found that ~ith i Practice when new treaties were entered into sena 'oreign nations on the subject of the slave trade, to th e 4 . °14 to each of the officers in command a copy of ever ,. r eeiy with ou t any explanation or instruction what `i Now, as there were thirty of• these treaties, the th e s a would understand how difficult it was for t a officers' to know- in • what way. they were be, act . On this account he employed a num . ,°,F. gentlemen well acquainted with the subject 1%,.', 0 Ne the instruction.s. These were Dr. Lushington, if a nditiell, Captain Denman, and Mr. Rotherheath, I t zt h : i c ' e tt t r ° u rs c ' ti C on is s irons. . These four gentleman revised which were aferwards submitted to the, te r „, ° tacers ot -the Crown,- who reduced them, to the e lat - "„, i n which he no* placed them_ on the table. In ti e mini ng this subject _he was astonished at the discre eee dinnce which had been. displayed by our tee ' l ' s this service, although occasionally there ae s t hare been some errors •of a slight nature from sa gt rath er in excess; , It was, however, as he had said, . . ittll p e t " i ng to observe-the prudence, discretion, forbear consideration, which those officers had shown. Q2ear, h ear .) I t was to b e b orne i n m i nd that Eng -44:1 c ould not al one put.down the slave-trade. She must s a e " the co.operatiou of other nations, an to obtain that Ai e must comince those nations that she has no selfish ttleeets, and that she regards their rights and privileges. trad e had been done towards the suppression of the tever abut yet very much remained to be done. For t Years down to , a very recent period, from 90,000 131° ° 0 00 , tut ' slaves had been imported into the American Sn • From the year 1768 d o rants. slave-holding States. fl wn• to 1830, the number one ersons torn frum frica bore from ninety to hundred thousand ;from ce -to 1 835, the number fell to an .average of 58,000; twut, in the four following years, from 1835 to 1840, the 1 ,7 4 r age rose to 99,009. -But, in the last three years, 1, 1842, and 1843-, notwithstanding the reproaches eeet upon the present•Govertitnent for remissness in this r eatter, the average had fallen to 25,000. Lord BROUGHAINI—J.TinIer the preicnt Guyer The Earl of, ABERDEEN—PartIy , so. In the n c ni o e u n rs t e of last year, the number of had been larger than in the prccedin slaves imported from Africa the neceasary, withdrawal to g 3 ears, partly ii owing drop • from the coast of peurs 4oing n proper- h e tee y n , oes and the senseless o war which arid partly dßuuriennogsß rAacjayirrl east Part roet) protect eßsram 4 and Monte Video, yto the change- which had taken place in the office of Captai n -G eneral of Cuba, General Valdez have ea g 3 P en removed, and . ano th er o ffi cer a pp o int e d, who less inclined than his predecessor to discourage the Si?ain and B raz il were the only countr i es t h at nniv benefited by that trade, for Portugal had shown tsv.eroy disposition to fulfil the .treaties. He had no hesi };‘" n in saying that if. Spain and Brazil faithful) , and a ;_ n estly executed their treaties with this couatry, the th4rerade would be at an end ; and he would assure e ` House that no efforts would be spared to enforce 1,,°4e treaties, to which England had as undoubted a ,i,f l nt a s to the possession of a ceded province or town. at , er e was, however, .sarne promise on the part the SPain. The excellent person who held letely Ppost Captain-General, had obtained an th e er 'rotn the Government in Spain, founded npon with e rrangementa which were agreed upon to. e this country in .1835. —(Hear, hear.) There was coral encouregetnent in the fact that the most R quat t . l UnderStPaldlng prevailed between her Majesty's I.l e i to () a n off khe coast of Africa, and the fleet of the sitici a ' + ' tr Ais. France also had lately shown a dispo , co-operate more' earnestly than heretofore. m sPects of success were therefore much improved. i an a_ ear, hear.) He had always been of opinion that an a,aulerfect watehing of the coests of Africa and America Tro ia "' injudicious employment of our force. We knew l east . what part the slaves must come, and whither they f ere t he carri(llear, hear.) On that account the b een a .nad been increased at these two parts. It had sta te P r etended that part of the coast.of Africa was in a tee, fit, blockade. That was not true. Every facility, ble e 3 t . 1 1), was given to commerce, and the only employ kani of the force was 'to watch those vessels which the eth ea el Pal law of this country, and - our treaties with sei ze, nations, of our naval officers to enter and of t a A sufficient force would be kept up on the coast vigil s to to Secure 'any slaver that might escape the „ n e,.. 0 of the cruisers on the coast of Africa. & e rh ta ; E arl of MINTO was very glad to hear so satis heare°, sPeech. But he must say that he never tnS tr any c om pl a i nt on th e p ar t o f th e officers, as to Ineaa n li 'fictilty in understanding their instructions. Ap- Me e , 4 4 he did entirely of the system which had been • stat. nf closely watching the particular part of the oe nd 4x.frica from which slaves were exported, lie felt onusit t° say, that if a sufficient force were employed, b ut he 'ER eA Prove an effectual means of checking the trade ; su ' e a'red - that the naval force employed was not her d of a COLCHESTER having, in the command of one t; 'on s Majesty's ships, acted under the former instruc the the c, a gien the officers .had in many cases nothing but gentlemen treaties to. guide them, must, in the name of her engaged in that service, return thanks to °Ode a J a ,, 4 Y's Government for the complete and intelligible to on i nstructions which his Noble Friend had now gen tle the table. These instructions would give those ThePl a confidence which they never felt before. the i n s .. :4arl of. HADDING fON wished to explain that nh ta.. eas e in • the slave trade last year, as compared "" th e Preceding two . years, was not altogether owing nlos aa ravel of the ships to the river Plate. That re tiett of t : . ) Wever, was rendered necessary for the protec tttord the lives and property of British su d biec . 4 ue tet t aPETO. said that the force wasdiminished by 'ran ee Withdrawal of - part of the force, besidesthe The ")i. two or three, ships to the La Plate. wi t h. h Earl of CLARENDON expressed his satisfaction jea a l he speech of the Noble Earl ('Aberdeen\ He re t 0 that her . Majesty's Government had reason be ar "Pet for the .eo-operation of France. lie also induced happy that Spain had at length in to send out the order which was contained Spain treaty which he (Lord Clarendon) had made with R he 183 5.--a-(Hear, hear.) He wished to know t er it was true that Government had sent orders to b "leers a eataioa on the coast of Africa, not to destroy the leaba r a us .(in 'which the slaves were confined previous to l a ation) without, the permission of the native princes? could . exp e not, he regretted to say, join in the sanguine whi e c a tati 9ns of his Noble Friend. - * Alter all the expense th e tritdthz.Leeu.ntry had lavished for the suppression of %Ne er Ile he u . ared that at the present tithe, although reached the West Indies alive, a greater 11 Pe U r ill ' e b b e t r .d w g o ve r : s torn from . their families and friends, and tltadie was on the way, than were stolen when the 'slave hog. as greatt its free and most open state.---(Hear, hear.) 3 , to be regretted, that General Valdez—as est, b en 9eneraille'4deuaalent, and wise a man, as ever was placed at'th e t a great empire—for such Cuba now was -111 sa raa, -r-,sparter o had been compelled by public opinion 1 4 42: to order that excellent man not to be so active P, egi 'X i ing the trade.—(Hear, hear.) The treaty with Cap tain _ e was most flagrantly violated - by the present he ar.) a aeneral of Cube, General O'Donnell.--(Hear, ile"leta° country but E n gl an d h a d h onourably and be traae.aaf?a:Pplied itself to th e su pp ress i on o f t h e slave 'neat ar, hear.) He thought that our Govern the Par " 6 _ to insist o n th e f u lfil ment o f t h e treaties on per o Spain and Brazil. It was said th a t our ex -. 4414 f aboluhin• g . slavery was a failure. But the fact was, that in Antigua, and other of the small color nies, the production of sugar lied been ;really increased since the emancipation ; and the free negro worked more industriously, and more to the profit of his employer, than inat•state of slavery, and lived in luxury. If the lar,gar islands were placed in a simi ar position as regards the employment of labour, these colonies would be raised from their present languishing condition, and their prosperity would be the strongest wea.psn that could be used for the suppression of the slave-trade. No treaty would avail in that suppression until it was proved that free labour was more profitable than slave labour. Lord BROUGHAM said that the thanks of the Par liament and country were-due to the four gentlemen who had framed these instructions. He believed that any thing which could encourage the immigration of free labour into the 'colonies would put an end to slavery ; but he was not for waiting for the extinction of slavery before he would suppress the slave trade. INSOLVENT DEBTORS BILL. Lord BROUGHAM moved that the report - of the Committee on this Bill be taken into consideration. He thimeht that the standing orders ought not to hamper the House in the discharge of important duties. Ile should, therefore, move that;—also, that the Bill be read a third time this clay. • Lord COTTENHAM did not think it necessary to suspend the standing orders, as, if the Bill passed through one stage this day, there would be another day in the week for the third reading. With respect to the present operation of the laws of insolvency and bank ruptcy, it was to be observed that three-fourths of those who took advantage of those laWs were traders, and two thirds of those who took advantage of the Insolvency Acts were traders. Now, it would have been supposed that the bankruptcy laws were intended for the relief of traders, and the Insolvency Court for the relief of persons who could not pay their debts. in the Batik ruptcy Court there was no arrest of the person neces sary as a preliminary. All that was required was the surrender of the property. In the Insolvent Court the very contrary was the principle. Imprisonment was a necessary condition. Again, under the bank ruptcy laws, the future property of the bankrupt was protected. Here, also, the contrary principle ruled in the Insolvency Cosr-. The object of the Bill which he had brought in was,- to abolish imprisonment for debt altogether, and to place all insolvent debtors in the same condition as the bankrupt - trader. He did not believe:that such a measure would check credit. It had been said, when the abortion of mesne process 'was passed, that small tradesmen would not be able to get credit. But the fact had proved otherwise ; and credit had not been checked, except in cases where it ought never to have existed. The Bill which he had laid on the table provided these amendments in the bankruptcy laws which had been re commended by the Commissioners themselves. It pro; vided- that the property of an insolvent should- be given up to be distributed amongst his' Creditors either upon their application or that of the debtor himself ; and that his .future property should be protected. That was the Bill which he proposed in 1842. His - Noble and. Learned• Friend am the Woolsack brought -in at the same time another Bill embodying one half . of the provisions of his Bill, and his Noble and' Learned- Friend's Bill was passed —(Hear and laughter.) He did not complain of his Noble and Learned Friend's taking one-half of his Bill. He complained that he did not take the whole. In this session he brought in a Bill containing so much of the former Bill as had not been embodied in the Lord Chancellor's Bill in 1842. He brought in the Bill before Easter, and, on the 16th of April, which was fixed for the second reading, he was was requested by his Noble and Learned Friend to post pone the second reading until a Noble and Learned Lord .(Lord Brougham), who took a great interest in this subject, should be in the House, he being at the time on the Continent. On the 30th of April the Bill was read a second time. The Lord Chancellor on that occasion made a most important speech, the whole of which he (Lord Cottenham) would not read, but he would read one or two passages.—(The Noble and Learned Lord then read extracts from the Lord Chancellor's speech ap proving of the Bill, and especially that part of it which removed the anomaly of different and conflicting laws re lating to debt, the bankruptcy and insolvency laws,and also -the protection of a debtor's future property.) With that speech he (Lord Cottenham) was highly gratified, for he thought that the time was come when the recommen dations of all who understood the subject would be car tied into effect. That speech -led many of those who were lingering in prison• to expect that they would be released from prison without the expense of the Insel vent Debtors' Act. In that expectation - they had re mained until this time, and now they must remain in prison until Michaelmas next. In the meantime, his Noble and Learned Friend (Lord Brougham) had a plan of his own: Ilis Noble and Learned Friend stated that his plan had the sanction of the Government, and, ac cordingly, it was arranged that the two measures should be sent -to a Committee together. In that Committee there were - twenty-one members, of whom seventeen were in the habit of taking their legal opinions - from the Noble and Learned Lord on the Woolsack. Of 'the other four, there was only one (Lord Campbell) who had any chance of attending, as the others had to at tend to judicial duties.- A Bill was brought in in the meantime, founded on a report of Sergeant Main warin , r, which would repeal all the laws and abolish all the institutions connected with the rela tions between debtor and creditor, that had been estab lished since the days of Queen Elizabeth. That was abandoned; and so was a second Bill, also intended as a rival to his Bill. A third Bill was hreught in to amend the Act Which was passed in 1842. to enable persons to declare themselves insolvent, and to be protected with out going to prison. The proposed amendment was abandoned, and the Act of 1842, was still the law of the land. There was one defect in that law. It took the property from the insolvent; but there was no provision for distributing the property amongst the creditors. Many thousand persons had taken the benefit of that Act, and in all cases the creditors were baffled, and ob tained nothing. The Bid—the applauded Bill—had not been rejected on consideration of its merits. His Noble Friend had adopted that portion of his Bill which pre vented persons from being arrested who were sued in the inferior courts, and, as he (Lord Cottenham) considered, most - humanely • adopted it. Those traders, however, who held more than 3001. property, were not subject to the provisions of this Bill. The Committee reported that the Bill which he (Lord Cottenham) brought in should not be proceeded with, but that the Bill of his Noble and Learned Friend should be adopted. The next provision of the Bill, should it be passed - into a law was, that persons who %ere indebted tinder 201. should not be arrested ; and that those who were in prison for such debt should be discharged. He did not undervalue that provision. There could be no thing more cruel than the imprisonment of that class of debtors; they were, for the most part, persons who had only their labour to subsist on, and in some prisons they were not allowed to use their tools for the support of their families, who, consequently, were left to starve. But he -objected to this, that the release of those who were actually in prison was left to the discretion of the indi vidual judge or commissioner who had examined the case. He admitted that it was dishonest to incur a debt without the means of paying; but imprisonment for life was rather too severe a punishment. He objected also to the omission of his clauses for enabling the credi tors of landed gentry, and of Members of both Houses of Parliament, should have execution against the property, of every kind, possessed by the debtors; such property to be vested in an officer of the court, to be distributed amongSt the creditors. Would Parliament claim for its Members as a privilege the right of living upon the pro • perty of others ? In the present Bill, there was an enact ment, which, whilst it inflicted a great hardship upon a large portion of the community, pro tected the Members of both Houses. If they were to be protected let it be by a distinct enactment. But do not let imprisonment for debt be continued to pre serve that protection: It was useless to suppose that the public would not see that such was the object. And why not avow it ? The Bill which their Lordships were about to give their assent to, would perpetuate those evils which his Noble and Learned Friend on the wool . sack so eloquently and powerfully exposed on the intro daction of his (Lord Cottenham's) Bill at the beginning of the session. The concurrent opinion of all the lead ing authorities in the House were in favour of his Bill, which he was confident, if not in this session in the next, would, at no distant time, become the law of the land. Lord BROUGHAM did not complain of his Noble and Learned Friend for the various topics which he had intro duced into his speech of two hours' duration. His No ble and Learned Friend had promised that he would make a long speech,: and be had kept his word.—(Laugh - ter.) His Noble Friend called in to his aid, to fill up the time, the speech of his Noble and 'Learned Friend on the Woolsack. Lord COTTENHAM—Not for the last time. ' Lord BROUGHAM said it might not be so inte resting to the House as to his Noble and Learned Friend. He agreed with him in wishing to abolish imprisonment for debt. But they differed in this—that his Noble and Learned Friend would throw open the prison door, and throw it upon the creditor to prove that the debtor was in the wrong ; Whereas he (Lord Brougham) would throw it upon the debtor to prove that he was not in the wrong. Prima Ade, the creditor was the person en titled to the consideration of the law. The object of this Bill was to assimilate the two systems of bankruptey and insolvency. And as to the charges of partiality in the Committee, he must say that he never saw a more impartial Committee. He said this only to console his Noble and Learned Friend (Lord Cottenham). lie wished to poUr oil into his wounds, and he assured him it should not be bitter oil.—(A laugh.) If a debtor would not give up his property to his creditors he would be imprisoned as much by his Noble and Learned Friend's Bill as by his own (Lord Brougham's). If a debtor concealed his property— if he committed any fraud on his creditors—if he came with the pretension of wealth and rank to the shop of a jeweller or other industrious tradesman, and obtained a couple of thou sands of pounds worth of goods without any intention to pay—then he should be imprisoned. His Noble and Learned Friend would allow the remedy to be in such cases a prosecution for fraud. But what would that do for the creditor ? Why in the only case of prosecuting for fraud, under the Act of 1842, it cost the unfortunate creditor 2501. But the occurrence of cases of indict able fraud was rare. The most common cases were those Of gross, reckless - extravagance—of running up scores without the' prospect of paying. —(Hear, hear.) His Bill would give a remedy in these cases, which the other Bill did not. His Bill would ' prevent dishonesty, and not misfortune. But the Bill of his Noble Friend would extend the bankruptcy laws to the peers of the realm, the judges of the land, the princes and princesses of the blood royal. That was the enact ment, for the loss of which his Noble and Learned Friend complained' so piteously, as to move the heart of a stone.—(A laugh.) He never saw any measure of legislation so utterly hopeless, because it was against all the notions and usages of the present state of society. (The Noble and Learned Lord drew a laughable pi cture of a process. wryer waiting oa the Prince of ales iunder . Lord Cottenham's Bill. The Prince would say that the law was retrospective, and that when he bought TilF: SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY_I4:4 I VENING JULY 26 t 844. Hfs pidtur, , s, deferring. the payment, he never thought it would bring him into Ow Court of Bankruptcy. The process-server would reply that the Act must be good law, because it was framed by Lord Cottenham, who. was ,our years Lord Chancellor.) His Noble and Learned Friend had a better memory than he (Lord Brougham), for he (Lord Brougham) could not repeat to• night, word for word, the speech which he made two months ago---(Bear; hear, and a laugh),- yet he remembered one thing, which their Lordship would scarcely believe, that the clause which was held up to so much odium, as if it were intended to give an undue protection to Members of both Houses of Parlia ment, was actually copied from a Bill introduced by Lord Cottenham himself, when Lord Chancellor. On the third reading of this Bill he would move a clause to prevent a debtor from being remanded for more than twelve months. The Bill, however, would in all cases abOlish imprisonment for debt under 201. The number of small debts courts in the kingdom was 272, and the condition of the unfortunate debt Ors imprisoned by them was most deplorable. In many cases they were confined upon bread and water, and subjected to felon's fare and felon's punidhmest. This would be abolished by leis Bill, which would in fact, abolish imprisonment for debt in all cases; as no man need be arrested, or, being arrested, need remain in pri son one hour. As to the statement that the pro cess of liberation would be expensive, he would only say that he understood that the attorney generally charged 201. for getting a man out of prison under the Act of 18.12. But the advertisements re quired by that Act cost 5L That expense would be done away with by this Bill ; and he cautioned those gen try (the attorneys) that he would keep a watchful eye upon them, and if he found any of them charging 15/. for expenses under this Act, they should hear from him. He concluded by moving that the report be received. Lord CAMPBELL expressed surprise that the Lord. Chancellor, the speaker of that House, remained silent under a charge of gross inconsistency. The charge was made by a Noble and Learned Lord on that (the Oppo sition) side of the House ; and another Noble and Learned Lord (Lord Brougham) who still continued to sit on the same side of the House—(A laugh)—and who . seemed to be the standing counsel of the Lord Chancel for and of her Majesty's Government.—(A laugh.) That .Noble and Learned Lord defended the Bill, 'but he said not a word in defence of the Lord Chancellor's inconsistency. He (Lord Brougham) complained, in deed, of Lord Cottenham's'foo . often quoting the speech of the Noble and Learned Lord on. - the woolsack-but lie (Lord Campbell) thought that so excellent a speech could not be too often repeated until its arguments were carried into practice - decies repetita placebit, and it could not be more aptly quoted than on the pre sent occasion. When the two Bills were committed, the Noble and Learned Lord on the . woolsack took care that it should be so constituted as to express his own opinion, and in truth, the report of the Committee was the report of the Lord Chanceller.—(A laugh.) -The Bill of Lord Cottenham, which,had been so lauded by his Noble and Learned FriCnd hn the' wPolsaCk was thrown overboard. What was it that caused the change in the opinion of his Noble and Learned Friend on the woolsack? Was it a miracle—was it mesmerism, of which they beard so much of late ?—(Laughter.) He could not ascertain the cause, but the event was most extraordinary, and not more extraordinary, than deplorable. There would have been no difficulty in introducing a clause exempting members of the royal family from the opera tion of the Bill. He rejoiced that the Government had changed its opinions on the subject of imprisonment for debt by the courts of conscience. Whereas in this session a member of the Government introduced a Bill continuing imprisonment for debt by courts of conscience, and assigning a day's imprisonment for every shilling of debt, he hoped that in the next session of Parlia ment, the Lord Chancellor himself—(A laugh)—who ever he might be would come down and bring in the Bill of his Noble and Learned Friend (Lord Cot tenham.) No one could be better qualified than the Noble and Learned Lord on the woolsack to consider this question, as he had made the best speeches on both sides of it. The LORD CHANCELLOR said he should have before replied to the personal attack made upon him, but that he waited to hear what the Noble and Learned Lord who had just sat down, and who had been a mem ber of the Committee, would say. But he ought to have spared himself that delay, for the Noble and Learned Lord had done no more than to follow, longo the arguments of his Noble and Learned Friend, the late Lord Chancellor. He would not occupy the House many minutes. He would only say that he had not been guilty of any inconsistency. He supported this Bill be cause it put an end to the imprisonment for debt—for mere debt—for debt in all cases where it was safe to do away with it.—(Hear, hear.) He had always declared that he would, if he stood alone, resist the introduction of so great a novelty in our law, as that the peers of the realm, and the princes of the blood should be sub ject to the laws of bankruptcy. As long as he held a seat in that House, he would oppose such an innovation. He had declared to his Noble Friend in the Committee that he would never consent to so great a novelty. That was the reason, although it might seem to his Noble and Learned Friend to be a good reason, for the course which he had taken. The present measure would give every assistance to the just creditor, and every protec tion to the honest debtor, who was willing to give up his property to pay his debts as far as he could. No debtor who was willing to give a fair account of his property could be imprisoned. But if you act leniently to the honest debtor, you should be stringent in your dealings with the fraudulent. Upon these grounds ho supported the present Bill. His Noble and Learned Friend had said that there was a great difference of opinion between him (the Lord Chancellor) and the Secretary of State for the Home Department in respect to imprisonment for small debts. He (the Lord Chancellor) had not known that a Bill was introduced into the other House, re taining the power of imprisonment by the courts of conscience and the county courts, of " not more than one day for one shilling." He was not aware that such had been done. But it was only an enactment, which was usual in those Bills, and it would be rendered null by the present Bill. He had always, upon principle, been opposed to imprisonment for debt. He had always looked upon it as equally cruel, but not equally reason able, with the old practice (which we read of in history), of allowing the creditor to sell the debtor as a slave. The law of imprisonment for debt operated in the same manner, though not to the same degree. It punished the debtor, but it did not, like the old practice, repay the creditor. It had been said that the effect of abolishing imprisonment for small debts would prevent poor men out of work from getting credit. But the evidence taken before the Committee on this Bill had proved that such was not the case.—(Hear, hear.) The Com mittee had examined witnesses from the Tower-hamlets, when the Commissioners of the Court of Requests lost the power of imprisonment, in 1842, in consequence of the magistrates of Middlesex' refusing to allow the pri soners to be lodged in the county gaol. From that time the summonses fell off from 30,000 per annum, to 13,000. But there was no diminution of the credit given to poor people of good character. Similar evidence was received from other parts of the country. The Committee had also inquired into the state of the prisons for small debts throughout the country, and the description of some of them was appalling. If this Bill did not pass, it would be necessary for Parliament, or the Government, to turn their attention to those horrid dens. He would not occupy their Lordships longer, and he hoped that he had sufficiently answered the charge made against him. Lord COTTENHAM and Lord BROUGHAM explained. The report was then received. On the motion of the LORD CHANCELLOR, three clauses were struck out, which could not pass in their Lordships' House, being money clauses. A message from the Commons brought up the Duchy of Cornwall Lands Bill, and several other Bills, which were severally read a first time. The Sudbury Disfranchisement Bill was read a third time and passed. Their Lordships then adjourned at. Half past Eleven. Ladies travelling, or temporarily subjected to any deviation of equable temperature, will find in Rowland's Kalydor a renovating and refreshing auxiliary, dispel ling the cloud of langour from the complexion, aid immediately affording the pleasidg sensation attending restored elasticity of the skin. The distressi n g and unsightly varieties of cutaneous eruptions are also promptly eradicated by the Kalydor. Spots, pimples, freckles, discolourations, and sallowness, yield to its specific qualities, and are succeeded by a smoothness and transparency of the skin, giving rise to sensations of the utmost pleasure and surprise. Being universally preferred, its consequent great demand excites the cupidity of unprincipled shopkeepers, who give the title of "Genuine" Kalydor to some compounds of their own ,manufacture, of the most deleterious character, con• taming mineral ,astringents utterly ruinous to the complexion, and by their repellant action endangering health. It is, therefore, imperative on vurchasers to see that the words " Rowland's Kalydor' are on the wrapper. All others are fraudulent counterfeits ! I SIGHT AND HEARING TESTIMONIALS. - 39, ALBEMARLE-STREET, PICCADILLY. - General Browne Clayton feels desirous to express the comfort and advantage he has derived at his advanced age of 70 years, and after two years' trial, from the use of Messrs. S. and B. Solomons newly invented Spectacles. Their valuable inventions fully merit the patronage they have received. Address. Adlington-hall, Lancashire. Major-General Sir Howard Elphinstone begs to say that the Spectacles he has now had some time in use, have fully redeemed the assurance of the Messrs. S. and B. Solemons as to their excellence, and having found so much comfort and advantage from their use, far prefer able to every other kind 61 glasses. 13, Norfolk-street, Park-lane.—The Hon. George Cavendish, to Messrs. S. and B. Solomons, 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, op posite the York Hotel. Gentlemen, I approve very much of the Spectacles I purchased from you ; I have made use of glasses for many years, and never met with any to enable me to see equal to yours, and with less incon venience to my eyes. Yours obediently, G. Cavendish Leixtip Castle, Ireland.—lmproved Achromatic Teles copes, Opera Glasses, Microscopes, &c., of the same kind of lenses, to surpass any ever yet invented.—The Messrs. S. and B. Solomons' Invincible Operator Voice Conductor, Sound Magnifiers for deaf persons, give im mediate -relief to old standing extreme cases of deaf ness.—Caution. Messrs. S. and B. Solomons, Opticians and Aurists, are not in any way connected with a person of the same name in their immediate neighbourhood. i Nor in any part of the country. To prevent mistakes, be cautious and observe—only to be had at 39, Albe marle-street, Piccadilly, opposite the York Hotel. Lord Brougham is expected to arrive in the north in the course of a few days, the requisite arrangements having been made for his Lordship's reception at Brougham Hall, to which considerable additions and alterations have lately been made in the building and decorative depart ments. _ Sir Robert Peel returned to town at eleven o'clock yesterday morning, from a visit to her Majesty at Wind `or Castle. LITERATURE. THE COURT AT RA VENNA. Nich;'sson London , 1844. The " Court at Ravenna" is, without exception, me of the drollest comedies we ever read. As for the plot, it is impossible to give any account of what ,asseth all human understanding ; and the leading ;ncidents of the play are hardly less perplexing, 'or they set both nature and probability sit lefianee, and go ttimblinir one over . the . other in glorious confusion, just like so many drunken Irishmen at Donnybrook Fair. Many of the scenes are laid in the coffee-room of the Swan tavern at Ra venna; and two of the principal personages are the Boots and Chambermaid of that same tavern, who indulge in a World of waggery which it is but justice to the author to say, in no respect reminds us of the brilliant repartees of Congreve or Sheridan. Then there is a Sir William Kypes, who, it appears, - is a great patron of the Swan, and who does the landlady, Mrs. Goodwife, out. of no `less a sum than one hundred and fifty pounds, of which she more than once ex presses her apprehensions that she shall never touch a farthing. Also, there is a certain Duke Charles, together with a Count and Countess of Naples, who vie with each other in talking just such ank verse as is in fashion on the boards of a penny theatre in Whitechapel. The quantity of broken metaphors in which these illustrious per sonages indulge is really incredible, nor is their lofty disdain for the low vulgarities of syntax and grammar less to be admired and wondered at. We should not omit to add that, among the dra matis personae, there is an exceedingly funny steward who, in an excess of the comical, kicks Boots for having presumed to fall fast asleep in the doorway of the Swan Tavern. This remarkable incident takes place towards the close of the fourth act, and from the impassioned exclamations of Boots we are not with out our fears that the steward's kick must have sorely endamaged him. Those who have the slightest pre dilection for the absurd and ludicrous cannot do better than peruse this comedy. No wag's library can be considered complete without it. BRITISH 4. FOREIGN RE VIE IV. No. XXXII'. Taylor, London, 1844. The character of Robespierre —a curious problem on which of late years so many historians and es sayists have exercised their ingenuity—is canvassed at considerable length in the present number of this periodical. Unlike the generality of those writers who have speculated on the subject, the Reviewer does not go off in paroxysms of horror while enu merating the events that marked the close of this sanguinary Dictator's reign ; but discusses his pre- tensions as a statesman calmly and impartially,- and after detailing the incidents of his career from the year 1789, when he first took his. seat in the Consti tuent Assembly, down to the period of his fall in . 1794, comes to the conclusion that justice has not been done to his powers of mind, and that he was by no means so poor a creature as he has been generally represented to have been. In this opinion we are strongly tempted to coincide with the Reviewer. The man who overthrew in succession every party op posed to his views, and " wielded at will the fierce democracy" at by far the mostcritical period—as Lord Brougham has justly remarked—of French history in any age, must have possessed intellectual powers of no ordinary calibre. As an orator, though it is the fashion to deny him any sort of eulogium, he was in comparably the most adroit, argumentative, and con vincing, of all that the Revolution produced; and his calm, practical sagacity contrasts most favourably with the bombastic rhapsodies and tinsel imagery of the clap-trap speakers of the Gironde. The great defect of his speeches as we read them now, is their incessant and sickening adulation of the mob ' • but this, at the time they were delivered, constituted . their chief excellence, and is the secret of that tremendous influence which Robespierre exercised during the three stormiest years recorded in the annals of France. Of the political system which he deemed it incumbent on him to 'adopt, of course nothing can be said but in unqualified reprobation. "His tyranny," observes the Reviewer, " if he had been able to carry it out, would have been, perhaps, the most intolerable ever known on earth, being at once a religious, moral, and 'political tyranny, uniting the worst intolerance of Puritanism with the despotism of Napoleon." It was ; a great day for France . and humanity when the axe fell on the neck of this gloomy and remorseless fanatic, for, though many of those who brought him to the scaffold were quite as cruel and despotic as himself, and not half so conscientious, yet their power to do evil was circum scribed, and they were compelled to go with the cur rent of public opinion which had already set in in favour of mercy and toleration. The Reviewer hints that if Robespierre had shown vigour and presence of mind at the crisis of his fate, the result might have been different, and he might have "gained a dominion more absolute than the Ceesars'." This was clearly impossible. His hour had come, and no human means could have averted his fall. If he had not perished in July, he must have perished in the fol lowing month, for he had no resources left; public opinion was fast deserting him; the mob, by whose agency he had risen to power, were ready to turn round on him,- having nothing more to expect from his sympathy w ith their fortunes; the middle classesh ad been long alienated by his cruelty; and the fabric of political and religious fanaticism, which he proposed to erect in France, and whose foundations he had laid so deep in blood, was wholly unsuited to the free-thinking spirit of his countrymen. In the article on " Modern English Dramatists," occur some ingenious specula tions on the subject of the present declining state of the stage, which, we think, may be quite sufficiently accounted for by the fact that we have no first-rate performers among us, whether in tragedy or comedy. One or two stars we have, such as Farren and Macready, but compared with their predecessors, they are but "stellae ininores" twinkling faintly in the theatrical firmament; and why should we put ourselves out of the way to see a play of Shakspeare or Sheridan imperfe c tl y represen t e d on th e stage, when we can enjoy it without stirring from the snug retirement of our study ? Referring inciden tally to " Ion," the Reviewer says, " We have heard this draina termed a noble tragedy ; we admit its nobility, but we crave to read, instead of tragedy, lyrical drama ; for its conception, its construction, and its dialogue, notwithstanding the blank verse, are all lyrical." If " Ion" be not a pure tragedy, fashioned in strict accordance with dramatic propriety, then we know not where such a production is to be found. To our thinking it is incomparably the noblest pro duction of the sort that has appeared since the golden age of the drama ; and exhibits a skill of u l at an elevation and catholi c i sm o f s entiment that no c o o r ns s t a r v u e ct s i h on ai , o a grandeur of conception, and 1. 0 1 i n e r t o dayse other's Shakspeare has equalled. Had it appeared Kemble and Siddons, the one playing Clemanthe, who can doubt th e enthusiastic recepti on i t wou ld h ave me t w ith ? but Mr. Macready with hi s flat, broad face, and ecce ntric fashion of, d ec l amat i on , ma d e a ver y indif ferent Greek hero, and Miss Tree was scarcely less efficient in the character of the Greek heroine. In the " Condition and Prospects of British Husbandry" —a sensible, practical article—the Reviewer states that, with the sole exception of the Netherlands, there is no other people- whose agriculture exhibits such anomalies as our own. The " Sugar Question" is discussed with a calmness and fairness that will ex• tort the respect even of those who may dissent from the line of argument which it adopts. Of the few re maining articles, the ablest is the elaborate account of the Literature and History of the Slavonic Nations." From the sketch of Robespierre" we quote the details of the last days of this inexorable Dictator : " It is strange that a man So suspicious as Robespierre should not have foreseen the plot that was to destroy him so soon. He must have observed extremely omi nous signs in the general reception of his last harangue on the preceding day ; and those members of the Con vention wbo knew that they must either destroy Robes pierre or be destroyed by him, were busily employed during the whole night between the Bth and 9th Ther midor in bringing over to their side that mass of the Convention upon which Robespierre seemed to rely. The genius of the Dictator had in fact deserted him; or rather it bad done its work, and another kind of genius was wanted for what was now to be done. And yet if he had reflected on what his position had been when be overthrew the Girondists, he might have seen that, had he . then not brought a force to bear upon the Assembly from without, he and not the Girondists must have fallen. His course was now clear—it was no longer a time for talking, but for prompt and energetic action. The Jacobins and the commune of Paris were his ; Henriot, the co mmandant-general of the national guard of Paris, was ready to, die for him. Henriot, it is true, was not a man of head ; but there was no man of head to oppose to him, and he had been found sufficient in the case of the Girondists. But instead of .giving instruc tions to Her.riot to march his troops and surround the Convention with the canonniers of Paris, he went to the Assembly with a foolish notion of more speech-making and drivelling about respect for the laws. His voice was drowned in the shouts of his enemies vociferating a bas, I bas le tyran !' It was an open rebellion, with nothing to oppose it but the unheard voices of himself and his brother Augustin and his adherents Saint Just, Couthon, and Übe* ; he was like a general who has al lowed himself to be surprised, or rather like a wild beast taken in the toils ; for in this his last struggle he showed no want of courage, making such violent and de termined efforts to be heard, that Ft eron exclaimed, " Ah! qu'un tyran est dur a abattre!' But vain were those convulsive struggles: Pour la derniere fois, presi• dent d'assassins, je to demands la parole.' And when at length he had exhausted himself by repeated efforts, Gamier de l'Aube exclaimed, ' The blood of Danton is choking him.' And truly the same measure which be had meted out to Danton, vainly demanding to speak for life and honour,' was now to be meted out to him. "In the twilight of that July day (the 27th), in the year 1794, the Place de Greve (which to him who treads it with a competent knowledge of the past is alive with so many memories) presented a busy and eventful scene. Hackney coaches, arrived bringing - Robespierre and his friends from the five different prisons to which they had bean conveyed, and froth . 'which they had again been _ illiettted .by the power of the council-general of the commune. Buhl? Of the section battalions and some cf the canonniers came also ; and ttm latter, posting them selves round . the Hotel de Ville and turtlhig the mouths of their guns so as to command the approaches, stood by them with lighted matches Within that building, at his last council, sat the Jacobin chief with an anxious uneasy look, the sallow hue usually spread over his re pulsive countenance deepened. by the agitation of his mind. Beside him sat a young man, the almost feminine softness and regularity of whose fine features formed a !grange contrast with his character—stern, daring, and cruel as that of Claverhouse or Sylla. It was Saint- Just—that strange sombre young fanatic, whose fanati cism was at once so strong and so cold-blooded, so sin cere and so unscrupulous. Even in that moment of im pending fhte his countenance preserved its usual impas sive serenity, his pulse its regular beat ; the imminence of the peril had not deprived him of the power of making the most collected exertion of his mind. And if he had had the lead for that night., perhaps the result might have been different ; for both he and the younger Robespierre had acted in the field with the armies which they superintended as commissioners (where indeed the younger Robespierre had been the friend of Napoleon Bonaparte, then an officer in the army of Nice) and bad acquired something of military promptitude and deci sion. Even yet it may not be too late ; now is the time —now—now! The alternative is a felon's death, or a dominion more absolute than Cmsars'. Surely the difference is .worth an effort—and if it fail, it is but death at last! But that effort the adroit speech-maker cannot make: the quality that can make such efforts succeed is not his. If he had but a man instead of a drunken ruffian to work his guns, they might still, if well served, blow the opposition into the air. But the hour is past — the tide has turned for ever for Maximilien Robespierre and his fortunes." SOCIAL SYSTEMS. Longman, Lonohn, 1844. The work before us, as we gather from the preface, was written by the late Mary Hennell, of Hackney, who died of consumption in the year 1843. It is reasoned with great acuteness and ingenuity, and gives an outline of the various social systems and communities which have been founded on the prin ciple of co-operation. The arguments of the work are almost wholly of a practical character, to a degree, indeed, that it is not often met with in the writings of women. JAMES'S WORKS. Vol. I. Smith and Elder, London, 1844. This is thefir;t volume . of a republication, in an octavo form, of Mr. James's voluminous series of novels, and includes the whole of the " Gipsy," which was originally published in three volumes. The work is introduced by — a -brief, modestly-written pre face, wherein the author states the peculiar circum stances under which he was first induced to embrace literature as a profession ; and, in reference to his fertility as a novelist, which has occasioned no little surprise in the literary world, states that the secret consists, first, in his being an early riser, which enables him to get through a good deal of work be fore the ordinary hours of business have well begun, and, secondly, i❑ his making it a practice to employ an amanuensis, which saves him a world of toil and time in the task of transcribing his thoughts. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S.—YESTERnAY. The betting was uncommonly flat, and, except in the instance of Croton Oil, the Elegance filly, and Murton Lordship for the Stakes, and the mare for the Cup, who were in great favour at improved quotations. Nothing arose out of it to require more than a summary of the closing quotations : GOODWOOD STAKES. 7 to 2 agst Mr. Wreford's Franchise—taken 4 to 1 6to 1 agst Lord G. Bentinck's Croton Oil-7 to 1 t freely 9to 1 agst Mr. H. Johnstone's The Era—t & aft offd 10 to 1 agst Mr. Meiklam's Best-of-Three—t & aft offd 11 to 1 agst Colonel Peel's Canton 12 to 1 agst Mr. Irwin's Pride of Kildare—t & aft offd 13 to 1 agst Colonel Anson's Parthian—taken 16 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Elegance filly—taken 18 to 1 agst Mr. Shelley's Lucy Banks—taken 20 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Murton Lordship—t freely 20 to 1 agst Sir S. Spry's Subduer 200 even between Canton and the Best-of-Three. GOODWOOD CUP. Even on Mr. Salvin's Alice Hawthorn 6 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Prizefighter—taken 17 to 1 agst Mr. Quartermaine's Discount—take 20 to 1. ST. LEGER. 4to 1 agst Mr. Salvin's The Cure—t and aft offered 4 to 1 agst Lord Stanley's Ithuriel—t and aft offered 9 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's The Princess 1,000 to 25 agst Mr. Vane's Valerian. BRIDGNORTH RACES—TUESDAY (CONCLUDED). The Members' Plate of 50/., for horses that never won that sum at any one time. • Heats, twice round and a distance. The second receives 5L Mr. Saunders' Caitiff, 5 yrs, Bst 111 b (Calloway) 0 1 1 Mr. E. Pcel's Cain, 4 yrs , B st 31 b Mr. Wildman's Coheiress, 4 yrs, Bst 31b Mr. Mostyn's Miss Miggs, 4 yrs, Bst 51b—Mr. Jones's Phcerrix filly, 3 yrs, 7st 11b — r. Thompson's g by Shrigley, 5 yrs, Bst 111 b—and Mr. Raworth's Donna Anna, 4 yrs, Bst 31b—started for the first heat, but were not placed. The Free Handicap of 3 sovs. each, and 15 added, the second to save his stake, once round and a distance, was won, in two heats, by Mr. Flintoff's Exciseman, 4 yrs, Bst 41b (Calloway), beating Coheiress, 4 yrs, Bst 41b, and b g by Memnon, 3 yrs, 6st. LANCASTER RACES—WEDNESDAY. The Maiden Plate of 50/, given by the Duke of Hamil ton. For 3 yrs, ist 81b ; 4 yrs, Bst 41b ; 5 yrs, Bst 101 b; 6 yrs and aged, 9st 41b. Mares and Geldings allowed 31bs. Heats, 2 miles. Mr. Meiklam's Godfrey, 3 yrs (Hutchinson) 1 1 Mr. J. Osberne's Sloane, 3 yrs Mr. Hayes's Meg Merrilies, 5 yrs Mr. Milner's Miss Prim, 5 yrs Mr. Smith's Fair Ellen, 4 yrs 2 4 Mr. Heap's Chintz Print, 4) rs First heat won by a half a neck—Second won cleverly. The Cup Stakes of 10 sovs each, p. p., 3 yrs, 7st ; 4 yrs, Bst ; 5 yrs, Bst 81b ; 6 yrs and aged, 9st ; winners of 50/ this year 31bs, twice 51bs, thrice or more 71bs ex tra. Two miles and a distance (6 Subs.) Mr. Meiklam's Aristotle, 5 yrs (Templeman) 1 Mr. Cuthbert's Queen of the Tyne, 5 yrs Mr. Atkinson's Lady of the Lake, 6 yrs 3 A fine race with the two, won by a head. ROMFORD RACES.—THURSDAY. The Romford Stakes of 2 Sovs. each, with 20 added, the second saves his stake ; 3 yrs old, 7st 51b ; 4 yrs, Bst 71b ; 5 yrs, 9st ; 6 yrs and aged, 9st 31b ; once round and a dis. ; winner to be sold for 801, (4 Subs.) ; were won in two heats by , Mr. Parr's Nora Creina, 6 yrs (owner), beating Mr. Cowderay's Ascot, 6 yrs, Mr. Clarke's Mespelus, 3 yrs, and Mr. Dixon's The Star (dis.) easily. The Brentwood Plate of 15 sovs., added to a sweep stakes of 2 sovs. each ; winner to be sold for 60 sore. ; other conditions as for Romford Stakes ; was won easily in two heats (the last a walk over) by Mr. Parr's Nora Creina, beating Royal Oak and Waterloo. The Liberty Handicap of 5 soya. each, 2 ft., with 30 added. Once round. (13 Subs.) Mr. Heppel's Lady Flora, 6 yrs, 7st 61b. (Pattison) 1 1 Mr. Coleman's Lufra 3 yrs, Est 121 b 2 2 Mr. Southby's Waterloo , 5 yrs, 7st 51b 3 dr Won easy. The weather was fine, and the company numerous. GOODWOOD RACES. The great length of the programme for the ensuing meeting occupying, with the notice (with regard to the exa mination of horses objected to before starting, and the determination of the Duke of Richmond to exclude all persons guilty of malpractices, or in default for stakes or bets) so comprehensively, and so carefully drawn up, as to leave no loop-hole for escape, no less than seven columns and a half of the " Sbeet Calen dar," renders it inexpedient that we should give more than an outline of the sport to be anticipated. On the first day, there are thirteen races on paper, including the Innkeepers' Plate, which will be run in heats, the last of the day • the Craven Stakes has at present eight subscribers, and will open the ball. To this will succeed, in the order to be hereafter determined upon, the Lavant Stakes of 50 sovs. each, 30 ft, for two years old, 26 subs., for which the Maid of Orleans, the winner of the Two Year Old Stakes at Bath and Gor hambury, and Full-sail, winner of the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom, will be the favourites. The Gratwicke Stakes of 100 sovs. each, h ft, for three yrs old, 65 subs.—for this race Antler, Ithuriel, and Red Deer, are likely to meet, the first carrying the full weight, and giving his opponents Gibs each ; Pastoral, Zenobia, Brunel, and other winners of minor pretensions, are engaged in this stake, which, at a moderate calculation, will net 3,700/. The Drawing-room Stakes of 25 sovs.. each, for three yrs old, has an entry of 30 horses, and, the Ugly Buck being scratched, is an open race, will ensure a large field ; the best public runners are the Devil-to-Pay, Croton Oil, All-round-my- Hat, and Zenobia ; Vattel will not show. The Great Four Year Old Stakes of 300 sovs. each, h ft, 16 subs., is, if in his old form, a certainty for Cotherstone, who has been reserved for it ; Phlegon is engaged, and, if there, will no doubt be a starter. The Ham Stakes of 100 soya. each, h ft, will bring out a large field of two year olds, most of them "dark," and not a single winner ; Bastion, who ran second to the Maid of Orleans at Gorhambury in the deciding heat, and Lord Glasgow's Impertinence filly, beaten by Espoir in a match, New market First Spring Meeting, having in the same meet ing run a dead heat with Molly Mogg in a match, are the only public runners. The Goodwood Club Stakes of 10 sovs. each (we give the handicap below) has an entry of seventeen horses, and the Welter Stakes of 20 sovs. each, four horses ; both are for gentlemen riders. The matches between Cattonite and Robinson (the latter has paid 100 sovs. forfeit), f by Jack-in-the-Green, and f by Almack, Hampton and Mechanic, and Olive Oil, and the Canada filly, with the Innkeepers' Plate, will complete a day's sport that will oc cupy six hours at the least, and realise to the various winners, something like twelve thousand pounds. On the second day the Goodwood Stakes, with an ac ceptance of fifty-two. and the certainty of an immense field, and the Stewards' Cup, value 300 sovs. (the horses to be named on Monday next) will be the features ; there will also be the match between Lord G. Bentinck's Captain Cook and Lord Maidstone's Larry M•Hale, owners riding ; one between Vitellius and Roderick, for 300/. ; the Queen's Plate ; the Cowdray Stakes ; the Chichester Members' and the Ladies' Plate, heats ; the entries to be made on Monday next. Including heats, nine or ten races may be expected. On Thursday, the grand day, besides the Cup, for which Alice Haw thorn and a large field are likely to show, there will be several interesting and valuablhase stakes :—The Racing Stakes of 50 sovs. eacb , pp, twenty-five entries, which the Devil-to -Pay, Akbar, and the Miser Scarce (the Ugly Buck being struck out), are the only public Runners of any pretension. The Molecomb Stakes of 50 soya. each, h ft, for two years old, 6 subs. ; one of 200 sovs. each, pp, for two years old, 10 subs. ; tw3 other two years old stakes of 25 sovs. each, one with 11 subs., and the other with 10. The Duke of Richmond's elate of 1001. (to name the day before running). The An gleney Stakes of 15 sovs. each, gentlemen riders, 12 subs.; and the match between Alva and the Purity filly, complete a day's racing of extraordinary attraction, amounting, after allowing for forfeits, to at least seven thousand pounds. The Maid of Orleans is in one of the 25 soy. stakes, but the others are favourable to specula tion. On Friday the meeting will terminate, and as the following sketch of. the present fixtures will show, with a brilliant promise of sport :—The Chesterfield Cup, 42 horses named. The Nassau Stakes of 50 sovs. each, pp, for three yrs old fillies, 26 subs., including The Princess (91bs extra), All-round- my-Hat, The Bee, Barricade, and Zenobia. The Maidstone Stakes of 15 sovs. each, gentlemen riders, 35 subs. The Match (in heats or classes, according to the acceptances) of 10 sovs. each, h ft, gentlemen riders, 56 subs.) ,to name in the race week. The Bathyany Stakes of 5 sovs. each, gentlemen riders, 14 subs., to name in the race week ; and the post match between Lord G. Bentinck and Lord Glasgow ; making in round numbers nine races a day, exclusive of heats, amounting to 25,000/. The races will be under the stewardship of Sir W. W. Wynn, Bart., and G. Payne, Esq., and will commence each day at half-past twelve o'clock precisely. We understand that for the furtherance of business during the race-week, a subscription betting-room will be opened at Chichester, within a few doors of the Swan. Handicap for the Goodwood Club Stakes. Lothario, 4 yrs, 12st 71b—Cattonite, 5 yrs, 12tt 21b— Currier, aged, list 101b—Aristides, 4 yrs, 1 Ist 101 b - 4 yrs, llst Mb—Porto Bello, 4 yrs, list 8113— Naworth, aged, list 31b—Priessnitz, aged, lOst 121 b —Queen Mab, 5 yrs, lOst 111b—Quebec, 4 yrs, lOst I Ilb —Pastoral, 3 yrs, lOst 91b—Emma, 3 yrs, lOst 51b— Miss Miggs, 5 yrs, lOst Sib—Fox, 4 yrs, lOst 31b—Coal Black Rose, 3 yrs, 10-t-7Elemi, 3 yrs, 9st 1011},--Sea mew, 3 yrs, 9st 3 1 b. BLACKWALL AND POPLAR REGATTA. Yesterday being the anniversary of the day on 'which the first meeting was held at Blackwall for the establishment of the Watermen's and Lightermen's Almshouses, the water men of All Saints, Poplar, and Blackwall, selected it to row their match for a new skiff and some other excellent prizes, liberally presented by the residents. The contest was with six scullers, in four heats, and was highly attractive, there being some thousands of persons congregated during the day to witness it. Three men started in the first heat, and the remaining three in the second, and the first man of each heat laid by while the other four rowed for the third heat. The fourth heat was between the best two of this lot, and the first man of the first heat and first man of the second heat, and the two winners only of this were qualified to row in the grand heat. The boats started in each heat from Blackwell stairs, and went twice round the distance, extending from the Folly-house to the East India Dock-bridge, opposite the Brunswick Wharf. FIRST HEAT. J. Curd, light blue H. Venton, red G. Ball, yellow •. SECOND HEAT. H. Corey, dark blue G. Atkins, pink O. Smith, green 3 THIRD HEAT. - Won by G. Ball cleverly, followed liy G. Atkins. FOURTIX, HEAT. Won by H. Corey, G. Ball being, second, J. Curd third. GRAND The two men, Corey and Ball, started away very evenly, but in a few strokes Ball contrived to draw about half a length in advance, which he continued to hold throughout a very spirited and closely-contested heat. Corey was hardly half a length astern at the cionling o ifi n atid both he and the winner were much distressed. • WEATHER AND Citprs IN DERBYSI4RE.—The weather is as seasonable as the most sanguine could desire, and, under its influence, the . various crops are fast approach. ing maturity. Wheat-cutting is likely to be almost imme. diately commenced. The reports respecting the probable yield are, with few exceptions, favourable, whilst the quality is likely to be uncommonly fine. Barley, though greatly im proved within the last few weeks, can scarcely be expected to produce well, the previously experienced drought having had a very injurious effect on this plant. Beans have re• covered wonderfully; and peas and oats will, we trust, yield a better return than was earlier in the season deemed pos sible ; on the whole, therefore, our prospects are encouraging. —Derby Mercury, July 24. DREADFUL ACClDENT.—Wednesday morning, at about nine o'clock, a man named Thomas Hudson, em ployed as a labourer on the Gravesend, Chatham, and Stroud Railway, now in the course of formation, was severely injured by the falling of some earth. He was, at the time above-mentioned, engaged with many other workmen in excavating at a cutting at a village called Higham, about seven miles from Gravesend, when, from an oversight, or the want of proper precaution for the safety of the men (though 'no cause has as yet been assigned), a mass of at least two tons of earth gave way from above and fell upon him. Numbers of the men at work close by ran to the spot and found Hudson buried up to the chest, and suffering dreadfully from the im mense pressure upon the lower part of his body. With out loss of time they commenced shovelling away the earth, and finding his legs crushed between the knee and and ankle, carried him to a surgeon in the neighbour hood. The surgeon promptly attended to the poor man's injuries, and found them to be of such a serious nature as to justify him in sending him at once to one of the metropolitan hospitals. A fly was then procured, and the man was driven to town and taken to SL Thomas's Hospital. Mr. Travers, one of the chief surgeons of the institution, attended him upon his admis sion, and though the man's lower extremities are crushed in a frightful manner, and his body in other places bruised, there are still hopes of his recovery. He was a steady man, and was in the employ of Mr. Brown, contractor, of Shorn, Kent. A CHILD POISONED.—On Wednesday afternoon Mr. Baker, Coroner for the eastern division of the county of Middlesex, held an inquest at the Hen and Chickens. Bath-street, Shoreditch, on the body of George Greene. a very fine child, eighteen months old, who came by his death under the following circumstances :—lt appeared by the evidence of a number of witnesses that on Sunday afternoon last, about half.past two o'clock, a man came into the shop of deceased's father, who is a boot and shoemaker in a small way of busi ness, residing at No. 1, Bath-court, Shoreditch, for the purpose of' having a pair of boots repaired. The indi • vidual was only known to the deceased's father by the name of " George," from his having called some time before on a similar errand. During the time occupied by the repairs the man, apparently feeling incom• moded by something in his coat pocket, took out a four ounce phial and laid it upon the leathern seat. The boots having been repaired, the man went away, and no notice was taken of the bottle until about an hour and a half after he had left, when the father had occasion to pass through the shop into the yard, and was followed by the deceased, who was his youngest son. The boy espying the bottle on his father's seat, seized it, and immediately drank off a portion of its con tents. Its excruciating effects instantly took place, and the poor child ran screaming after its parent with the bottle containing the remnant of the liquor in its hand. He was immediately conveyed to the surgery of Mr. Morgan, of No. 14, Old-street-road, who, on seeing the state of the infant, instantly pronounced the case .to be hopeless ; and, notwithstanding lie administered every possible antidote, the poor chiid only survived a few minutes after he was brought in. It appeared by the subsequent evidence that the man George ran back in about two hours after ho had left the bottle in a most excited state, to inquire for it, and upon being told that the de ceased infant had swallowed a portion of its con tents, and was then dead,' was extremely affected, and said that the bottle contained a preparation used in his business as a jeweller. Mr. Morgan said he bad no doubt the deceased had died from taking a portion of the contents of the phial, which was a solution of nitrate of silver, a deadly poison, which is frequently used by jewellers in their business. The jury returned a verdict of " Accidentally poisoned from drinking a solution of nitrate of silver. ' ASCENT OF ANOTHER MONSTER BAL,LOON.-011 Monday evening last Mr. Hampton, the aeronaut, who, it will be recollected, about five years since made perilous descents in a parachute at Chelsea and Cheltenham, as cended from the Vauxhall-gardens, Birmingham, in a stupendous new balloon. The machine, which is the sole invention of Mr. Hampton, has been con structed in an entirely novel manner, both with respect to the valve, shape, and car, the silk of which it is composed amounting to several thousand yards, being manufactured by Spitalfields weavers. It is nearly the size of the great Nassau balloon, being 67 feet in height, 124 feet in circumference, calculated to contain about 24,000 cubic feet of gas, and the car, which, is capable of holding six persons, being five feet in diameter and of a circular form. The fete was under the patronage of Colonel Whyte, of the 7th Hussars and the officers, who attended the gar dens, as also a large concourse of spectators. Several gentlemen having expressed their desire to ascend with Mr. Hampton, amongst whom was a Mr. H. Wells, of London, some considerable disappointment was caused as the time drew nigh for its inflation, for, by that period, the machine was found not to be one third inflated, and the gas of so inferior a description that it soon became apparent that it had only ascend ing power enough to take up the aeronaut by himself: Every endeavour was made to further its inflation, but to no effect, and at seven o'clock being liberated from the earth, and it rose almost .perpendicularly from the gardens. The atmosphere being very clear, the ascent was beautiful in the extreme and after the aero naut had gained an altitude of two miles, he effected an easy and safe descent at Shear's-hill, near Wolverhampton. It is understood that the valve and other improvements have fully answered the inventor's expectation. TRADE or DUBLlN.—mother quarter of the financial year has been accomplished ; its results in Dublin have been again favourable to the Exchequer of the country. Notwithstanding the decadence of manufactures—the nearly total annihilation of commerce and the prevalence of almost universal poverty—the improved habits of the people are fully exemplified in the continued increasing amount of the duties received on teas, sugars, &c., and a corresponding decrease on those which accrue from malt and spirituous liquors. In the quarter ended the sth July, 1843, the amount of moneys received at this port was 223,228/. ; the number of entries passed to obtain that sum has been 5,160. The quarter ended the sth of the present month gives 261,9761., and 6,587 entries—increase in favour of the late quarter over the corresponding one of 1843, 38,7481. To this increase on the quarter sugar has contri buted 6,380/. ; coffee, 1,176/. ; tea, 6,73 9 / ; wine, 17,559 1 . ; and tobacco, 6,527/. For the quar t er j us t . ended, sugar pr.,- duced 53,8941., in that 0f1843, 47,514/. Tea stands at 87,4:!1/. against 80,689/. for last year. Wine returned 38,044/. in place of last season, 20,4851., and tobacco 65,731/. in place of 59,204/., the receipt of 1843. In the various departments connected with the receipt and discharge of the goods sub ject to customs duties, the great accumulation of business which is daily occurring entails on the very meagre and scanty paid establishments who are now employed at this port a vast increase of responsibility and heavy work, and causesto the publicdelayswhich result in great inconvenience and lose of timi.—publin Freeman. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. The perfortnant.s last. evening were for the benefit of Fanny Elssler ; and, might be expected, the house was crowded in every part tetlg before th e r i s i ng of the curtain. The opera was La G aze Lathy'. with Grisi as Pippo, ehlz.i Fornasari n., ; F ernan d o (Ni che as the Po.iesta. Of t h e ' i T e i t n t e a t ,s ta e d F tri a l ti and as I Ninetta of Grisi it is unnecessary to speak. Who has not seen—who leas not admired—this most perfect specimen of doinestic tragedy? Equally .un necessary is it to speak of the Podesta of Lablache ; the simple announcement of the fact that Lablache per sonated that worthy magistrate is sufficient to assure every one that the Podesta was the most humourous and laughter-moving of Dogberries. Mademoiselle Favana appeared for the first time in the character of rippo, and we sincerely congratulate her on her success in the part. She is gradually acquiring more confidence in her powers, and consequently that occasional incorrectness of intonation Of which some of our contemporaries have complained,' is rapidly disappearing ; in fact last night, nothing of the sort could he discovered. Her Pippo was an admirable performance, both as re garded acting and singing. She was deservedly encored in the exquisite niorceau in the second act " Pegno ado rito," and, encouraged by the applaibe which she re ceived, she repealed it even more effectively than she had given it in the first instance. In the duet which follows, " Ali eadono le lagrime," her fine contralto tones told admirably, and formed a most effective support to Grisi. Of the Ferdinand of Fornasari, it is impossible to speak in terms of too high praise. Never were the agonies of a father more pathetically depicted ; in the scene in the last act, in which he breaks from the iers to take a pirting embrace from his daughter, s acting was heart-rending. Not only is he the best Ferdinand on the stage ; hut we are inclined to believe that Ferdinand is his best character—at all events, it is entitled to rank with his Belisario and his Loustalot. We have mentioned one encore ; the only other encore of the night was the ( - :cinisite trio in the first act, " Oh Nume benefien." which was beautifully given by Forna.,ari, and Lablache. Grisi, Favanti, Fornasari, and Lablache were called for at the fall of the curtain, and received with the usual honours. Between the acts of the opera we had the divertissement of Un fial sow; Louis XI V., in which Elssler and Cerito danced the minuet de la tour, Elssler personating the preux Che valier, and Cerito looking bewitchingly prudish in her powder and hoop, as a dame - of the seventeenth century. After the opera Cerito danced the Ghana, as she alone can dance it, and was of course encored ; and then came the new divertissement La PauSanne Grande Dame, in which the acting of Fanny Elssler, as the peasant girl suddenly transformed into the tine lady, was the most arch and espiegle that can be imagined: The scene in which, dressed for the first time in grand costume, she runs round the room, looking over her shoulder and admiring her train, is one of the richest things that can be imagined. Her pas with M. St. Leon and Made moiselle Plunkett and Barville was wonderful; she outdid, herself in her performance of those rapid steps—feet twinklings they may be justly called—fur which she is so celebrated. She was encored, as a matter of course, and the stage, for a moment, assumed the appearance of a parterre, from the number of bouquets • that were showered down upon her. The divertissement, how ever, flags towards the close, and requires some judicious pruning. The audience became very impatient at the commencement of the ballabik in the last scene. The ap pearance of Fanny Elssler, however, in a very picturesque national costume, completely restored them to good humour, and her pas La Bearnoise brought the diver tissement to a triumphant conclusion. The greater part of the au tic < t,which was a very fashionable one, re j mained u aeconclusion of the performances. COURT CIRCULAR, WINDSOR, THURSDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert took an airing this morning in a pony phaeton and four. Their Royal Ilighnesses the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, accompanied by the Dowager Lady Lyttelton were taken out in the forenoon in an open carriage. Sir Robert Peel left the Castle this morning for town. The Marquis and Marchioness of Douglas, and the Earl and Countess de Grey also took their departure from the Castle to-day. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent left Frog more Lodge in a carriage and four at half-past nine o'clock this morning for her residence, Clarence House, St. James's. The Royal Duchess returned to Frognure Lodge in the evening. Her Majesty and Prince Albert took an airing in a a pony phaeton, the Prince driving, in the afternoon. The Hon. Miss Liddell and the Hon. Miss Paget, Maids of Honour in Waiting, followed in an open carriage and four; and the Equerries in Waiting on her Majesty and the Prince, Colonels Arbuthnot and Bouverie, attended on horseback. The royal party returned to the Castle soon after six o'clock. The Royal Family were taken airings in the pleasure grounds of the Castle in the afternoon. Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, accompanied by Prince Edward, of Saxe Weimar, arrived about half-past nine o'clock yesterday morning, at Marlborough House, from the Continent. Her Majesty landed at Woolwich. _ _ _ tler Majesty was attended by Earl Howe, the Marquis and Marchioness of Ormonde, Lady Georgina Curzon, Sir Andrew Barnard, Sir David Davies, and the Rev. G. Hudson. The Duchess of Gloucester, the Duchess of Kent, and the Duke of Cambridge, visited her Majesty at Marlborough House. Yesterday was the birth-day of the Duchess of Cam bridge. The Royal Duchess received congratulatory visits at Cambridge House from the Queen Dowager, the Duchess of Gloucester, the Duchess of Kent, and Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar. The Members of the Corps Diplomatique, and a number of the nobility, called and left their names for the Rot al Duchess. The Duchess of Gloucester dined with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge yesterday. The Duchess of Kent arrived at Clarence House, from Frogniore, about half-past eleven o'clock, yesterday morning. The Royal Duchess paid a visit to the Queen Dowager, and afterwards proceeded to Cambridge House, to visit the Duchess of Cambridge. Her Royal MO ness left town, on her return to Frogmore, about hve o'clock. Sir Robert Peel arrived in town yesterday, from Windsor Castle. THE SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY LINE FROM ASHFORD TO CANTERBURY, RAMSGATE, MARGATE, AND WHITSTABLE, AND FOLKESTONE HARBOUR. Yesterday a special meeting of the shareholders in the South-Eastern Counties Railway was held at the Board room of the London-bridge station, for the purpose of adopting means to raise, pursuant to an Act of Parlia ment for that. purpose, a sufficient sum of money to en able the Directors to make a line of rail from Ashford to Canterbury, Ramsgate, and Margate, and also trona Canterbury to Whitstable. The other object of the meeting was to raise, pursuant to the powers granted by the same Act, the sum of 66,0001. to complete a branch line of railway and approach to Folkestone, to execute certain works in the Folkestone Harbour, and to make certain alterations in the work of the Maidstone branch line of railway. The CHAIRMAN (Mr. W. P. Richards), having entered at great length into details of the financial state of the Company's affairs, said that what they met that day .to carry out was the intention of the Company from the very first commencement, because they felt convinced that it would become the grand medium of transit be tween this country and France, and he might indeed say, a great part of the north of Europe, and it would also diminish the expenses of every mile on the whole line. A SHAREHOLDER wished to know how, and from whom, the money was to be raised, as in several in stances applications were made at first to some large bankers, and the shareholders were excluded? The CHAIRMAN said the course proposed was to raise thi money by public tender, as it could be thus obtained at a lower rate of interest. The shareholders would, of course, have a preference. In reply to another question, he also stated that, ac cording to annual instalments proposed to be paid in liquidation of the liability of the debts of the Company, the whole would be cleared away in the y ear 1853. Mr. CARDWELL, M.l'., then addressed the meeting at great length, and said that the Company proposed to have two stations for those towns—one at London bridge, and the other at the Bricklayers' Arms; and also to adopt every means to afford convenience and comfort to the public. Those lines must he successful. Two resolutions having been passed adopting the above two propositions, the meeting separated, after a vote of thanks to the Chairman. A MISTAKE. —It is well known that on Monday last, at an early hour, the King of Saxony intimated his intention to visit the theatre in the evening. After din ner his Majesty and suite stepped into a carriage, when the postilion, instead of driving to the Theatre Royal, as he was ordered, trotted off to the Amphitheatre. The King, the Ambassador, the Baron, and the Doctor, all alighted. The servants attended his Majesty into the passage, and the party ascended the seairs. They were utterly astounded at the freezin.' coldnesa of their reeep• tiers, for his 'Majesty had already had an ,interview with Mr. Clarke, and had not failed, we feel convinced, to admire the suaviter in mod° of that well bri'd gentleman. But here all was cold neglect. Arrived at than Cop of the stairs, they were turning to the loxes, when they were at once brought to a dead halt by an individti.al who barred their further progreas, and saluted their ears w:th a loud exclamation of " Cheek, Sir, cheek!" " Chec k '" said one of the suite, " ghat, are we not expected"' The check-taker stared, but repeated his demand, and concluded by pointing out the place where money was -received. The possibility of a mistake was readily sur mised; and a few brief inquiries showed the party that they had been set down at the wrong theatre. They quickly passed over to the patent ealablishment, where they sera received with all urbanity.7--Liverpou/ A!bion. `ifore or less rain has fallen every twenty-four hours s'nce the date of our last, Si. Sivithin's. day. On Sunday it rained nearly the whole' day, and again during a portion of the night ; and from the embrowned and swollen state of our river, it is obvious that thunder, or some other showers, must have been still heavier up the country. In fact, with the exception of passing shitf- to lay dust and freshen the blade, the soil is now sufficiently moistened to carry the farming community over harvest. Where strongest and best, the crops have heel) part ; a lly lodged—an evil very little d ready(' at °net hie.. lit souse rare instances they are so completely flattened, that they ears • hardly regain the perpendicular, (wen under the Win . mice of favouring breez• . s. Still we hope the best, now that harvest is so close at hand, and grain changing co lour in ever direction. T he pastures, aftermaths, turnips and po t a t oe s, have been greatly benefited within the last ten days, from the alternating, effects of sunshine and I shower, and from the favourable accounts received from the south, the trade in cattle, so long marred by intense drought, rill speedily revive—Dumfries Courier. 13a -11 in ern into n of nog' Dat•,* the the Lem• the ula- g of I.ec ;sed. ree pied• !gilt "jell hi eh the :use ; in' s to era igM to 40, oce my Pe ring ere ( ' the , to I to or) , died the WO; jot )1114 n 01 any The hen h i s ; to , e re -ate • ep lot the 'I I I i~ e, I