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

LITERATURE. THE COURT AT RA VENNA. Nickisson, London, 1844. " Court at Ravenna" is, without exception, n. e of the drollest comedies we ever read. As for t4Nes , pl , ot, it is impossible to give any account of what 4 t tn all human understanding ; and the leading fo e ldents of the play are hardly less perplexing, d e r q th eY set both nature nog probability at g i n , al lee, and go tumbling one er the other in j r ,:'",° ll s• confusion, just like so many drunken ai ;:`nen at Donnybrook Fair. Many of the scenes ve ' laid in the coffee-room of the Swan tavern, at Ra -11114; and two of the principal personages are the i t r i s and Chambermaid of that same tavern, who to t - g e in a world of waggery, which it is but justice 1, 1 ,4 e author to say, in no respect reminds us of the 4 1 1 iant repartees of Congreve or Sheridan. Then there p at , Sir 'William Kypas, who, it appears, is a great u r a c 'n of the Swan, and who does the landlady, Mrs. a t e,!ife, out of no less a sum than one hundred presses' pounds, of which she more than once ex t„ her apprehensions that she shall never (;i; e ", a farthing. Also, there is a certain Duke e r ,'es, together with a Count and Countess of PC r tes who vi e w ith eac h other in talking just 7 1)1' ank vese as is in fashion on the boards of a broke n theat re i n Whi tec h ape l. Th e quan tity o f ° " e n metaphors in which these illustrious per 14:ages indulge is really incredible, nor is their :3' disdain for the low vulgarities of . syntax and niar less to be admired and wondered at. 'We ra ° ll . l d not omit to add that, among the dra 4481ersonm, there is an exceedingly funny steward 114:; 1111 an excess of the comical, kicks Boots for th e ' ii g presumed to fall fast asleep in the doorway of pi ae , ~ W an Tavern. This remarkable incident takes Sowards the close of the fourth act, and from the our: s inned exclamations of Boots we are not with end:lir fears that the steward's kick must have sorely -41 aged him. Those who have the slightest pre. th ieet ion for the absurd and ludicrous cannot do better o t ,,,.Peruse this comedy. No wag's library can be ''ldered complete without it. 4.4/ ' SU 6' . FOREIGN REVIEW. No. XXXIV. Taylor, London, 1844. j„ 11 ,,!, character of Robespierre—a curious problem s a ,.^ 4 lch of late years so many historians and es e a ts have exercised their ingenuity—is canvlssed , per?ansiderable length in the present number of this Wh o °dic al• Unlike the generality of those writers d oes have speculated on the subject, the Reviewer t a ,, not go off in paroxysms of horror while enu ts:tng the events that 'harked the close of this teaZll'uary Dictator's reign ; but discusses his pre kft,,,,4)llB as a statesman calmly and impartially, and y e . ' d etailing the incidents of his career from the lie nt . l7 89 ,, when he first took his seat in the Consti /9; 'tseembly, down to the period of his fall in ilsen -I , l e°lll es to ' the conclusion that justice has not 40,"° 11 e to hi s p owers o f m ind, a nd that he was by l'ep r -ea na so poor a:creature as he has been generally ai,• e sented to have' been. In this opinion we are ts ae a glY tempted to: coincide with the Reviewer. The Pos e W ho overthreW in succession every party op de t ° his views, and " wielded at will the fierce ke tti p',, r b ae Y" at by far the mostcritical period—as Lord aiy - a c' v uarn has justly temarked—of French history in °Ne e, must have pasessed intellectual powers of no ka l i 41 '3' calibre. As an orator, though it is the 0.041,!0 deny him any sort of eulogium, he was in vitgarably the most adroit, argumentative, and con eallajlg, of all that the Revolution produced; and his Wi th ' Practical sagacity contrasts most favourably the p t i ll e bombastic rhapsodies and tinsel imagery of gef e ,":4l3-trap sp e ak ers of the Giro n de. The great las es . ' of his speeches, as we read them now, is their this, and sickening adulation of the mob ; but thi e f , the time they were delivered, constituted their ina u excellence, and is the secret of that tremendous t,hre: aee which Robespierre exercised during the .cr ao , st ormiest years recorded in the annals of Of the political system which he deemed it %% said he b l lt on him to adopt, of course nothing can be , ; ° 'se• rl • ut 41l unqualified reprobation. " His tyranny,' " bat t he Reviewer, "if he had been able to carry ever would have been, perhaps, the most intolerable and /30 - I ° l vil on earth, being at once a religious, moral, o f 1 , 11 tyranny, uniting the worst intolerance wa s rit anisin w ith th e d espo ti sm o f N apo l eon ." It the a great day for France and humanity when aai ax e fell on the neck of this gloomy the ie remorseless fanatic, for, though many of Cras lv ,l lo brought him to the scaffold were quite te vo ri as i):o ll e, e ti l ti a o despotic as himself, and not half so yet their power to do evil was circum -414 O u ,a and ;hey were compelled to go with the cur tarot, Public opinion, which had already set in in th at af mercy and toleration. The Reviewer hints Rob esp i erre had shown vigour an d presence of bee at at the cr i s i s of his fate, t h e result . inight have r Qore yz different, and he might have "gained a dominion .1 irn 'Uc ute 41ePaossib. His hour had come, and no human p er i l Could " 111 d have averted his fall. If he had not oiyi bed in July, he must have perished in the RA ow Pg . month, for he had no resources left; public t'i-alon was fast deserting him, the mob, by whose hergency ° and on hi had h risen. nothing y ower e , . de w dt e lo r e e xl r p e e a e d t y fr t o o m tu hriisi vvi l t l l; their n f g or tune:Them' fabric eosfhad politicalb een long alienated by his cruelty, ' and the f e a c br a and religious fanaticism, which he proposed to erect in France, and wh ose f oundations he had laid so deep in blood, was wholly unsuited to the free-thinking spirit t°f his countrymen. In the article on " Modern • - ;tiglish D ramat i sts, " occur some ingenious specula lns on the subject of the present declining state of s tage, which, we ,think, may be quite sufficiently c unted for by the fact that we have no first-rate Performerse among us, whether in tragedy or comedy. i t a or two stars we have, such as Farren and ir: erea dn but compared with their predecessors, N Y are b u t " stellie ininores" twinkling faintly in t:`,l‘r stheatrical firmament; and why should we put er a ,!lves out of the way to see a play of Shakspeare tme6riheridan imperfectly represented on the stage, we can enjoy it without stirring from the g' r etirement o f our study ? Referring, inciden thii to " len," the Re v ie wer says, "We have heard hohg r,r ania termed a noble tragedy ; we admit its lyri c 1' but we crave to read, instead of tragedy, its al a , l d rama ; for its conception, its construction, and !Yrie, - I ° P e, ..notwithstanding the blank verse, are all If " Ion" be not a pure tragedy, fashioned !ttio,rlet accordance with dramatic propriety, then we .t o 7, not where such a production is to be found. fillet', t hinking it i s incomparably the noblest pro- Nd e ° , ll of the sort that has appeared since the corsage of the drama ; and exhibits a skill as eieuntioo a grandeur of conception, and aathoelegy and catholicism of sentiment that no tb r s ave Shak speare h as equalled. had it appeare d Play' e earlier days of Kemble and Siddons, the one t he lon to th e o th er ' s Cl eman th e, w h o can d ou bt b at "th us • iashe reception it would have met with ? eeeu t r ; * Macready with his fiat, broad face, and 'er eot r , e l e fashi on o f d ec l amat i on, ma d e a very indif eltez "' r eek hero, and Miss Tree was scarcely less 'nt r,i the character of the Greek heroine. In 'and:lion and Prospects of British Husbandry" L il at,Z i s t i b blf i! practical article—the Reviewer states ,„ toe sole exception of the Netherlands, there c intaali" l er people whose agriculture exhibits such t,, Ls eas s „,, s as our own. The " Sugar Question" is j u h rt th — e '4 r wi th a calmness and fairness that will ex e espeet even of those who may dissent from 1114inighe argument which it adopts. Of the few re tbel,articles, the ablest is the elaborate account . ""4ti o , t , Literature and History of the Slavonic Itiot 3 .' Di 'a th e a Prom. the sketch of ' Robespierre" we et ato r "etails of the last days of this inexorable bis `lt • str. te -.age that a man so suspicious as Robespierre 1 1%. - g a t have foreseen the plot that was to destroy (I ' 4 , He must have observed extremely orai q,b.—presei_the general reception of his last harangue pie % II w ,ettin g d a y ; and those members of the_ con - - 0 11 :e knew that they must either destroy Robes d tf, °e destroyed by him, were busily employe ~ e ` ior b e whole night between the Bth and 9th Ther- Th llv etief i nghag over to their side that mass of the ra t l;en; uPon which Robespierre seemed to rely. ira4"er it hsof the Dictator had in fact deserted him; or h e *a a d done its work, and another kind of genius _ '4 ll4(lll r t e e n d for what was now to be done. And yet if e m eted on what his position had been when he ii , i zeri e L"..'? Girondists, he might have seen that, had sli m brought a force to bear upon . the Assembly out he and not the Girondists must have ICfor : 3 1 _eurse was now clear—it was no longer a 4 1teni, 4 : 44i ng, but for prompt and energetic action. of%'liot: i Ztes and the commune of Paris were his I % „' ari a, "'Jo commanda.nt-general of the national guard t oo „ w as ready to die for him. Henriot, it is true, e a ,, s Pas s ,Vaan of head ; but there was no man of head ti of him, and he had been found sufficient in the Q e - at t o e Girondists. But instead of giving instruc 4vtiti•-toenriot to march his troops and surround the iOettihl !vith the canonniers of Paris, he went to the a rii y ilsith a foolish notion of more speech-making r ow e ,, ll °_,g about respect for the laws. His voice tiuks, " e ° in the shouts of his enemies vociferating till hg. teaso le tyran I' It was a n o p en re b e lli on , with ants PPose it but th e un h ear d vo i ces o f himself ath,nb tet her Aug us ti n an d hi s a dh erents Sainte Just, a nd Lebas ; h e was lik e a genera l w h o h as al ,lat t o ,!aself to be surrised, or rather like a wild ,"alveeen in the to ; for in this his last struggle he want s %,"Di tea ant of courage, making such violent and de al,„ef_fer.ta to be heard, that Fieron exclaimed, rt• el e ( L )o ." l : s Drrati est dur a abattre!' . But vain were . l e nt cpults_valive struggles: Pour la derntere foie, prest n'',Rth 1," s ins, je to demande la parole.' And when at "e h th e , er d e 1 4 ,c 1 exhausted himself by repeated efforts, uti tig hi Aube exclaimed,' The blood of Denton is 17 , rOet e d lll.' And truly the same measure which he ,r s .,_,cut to Danton, vainly demanding to speak th"e"thonour,' was now to be meted out to him. light of that July day (the 27th), in the istowarika94 RohewiPlace de Gi6ve (which to him who treads Il °la th , ~,,_ll3Petent knowledge of the past is alive with fril•ek43,`"ceornories) presented a busy and eventful scene. h e e Nis i re a ches arrived bringing Robespierre and his ea 0Q r a the five different prisons to which they had 11Ye Y e a, and from which they had again been liberated by the power of the council-general of the commune. Some of the section battalions and some cf the canonniers came also ; and the latter, posting them selves round the Hotel de 'Ville and turning 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' young man, the almost feminine softness and regularity of whose fine features formed a strange 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 fate 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 had acquired something of military promptitude and deci sion. Even yet it may not be ton late ; now is the time —now—now! The alternative is a felon's death, or a dominion more absolute than Creiars'. 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. Longnian,Londrn, 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 the fist 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, in 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 9 to 1 agst Mr. H. Johnstene's The iEra—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. LF.GEJ. 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 501., for horse's that never won that sum at any one time. Heats, twice round and a distance. The second receives 5/. Mr. Saunders' Caitiff, 5 yrs, Bst 1 llb (Calloway) 0 1 1 Mr. E. Peel's Cain, 4 yrs. Bst 31b Mr. Wildman's Coheiress, 4 yrs, Bst 31b Mr. Mostyn's Miss Miggs, 4 yrs, Bst 51b—Mr. Jones's Ph oe nix filly, 3 yrs, 7st 11b—Mr. 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 sous. each, and 15 added, the second to save his stake, once round and a distance, was won, in two heats, by Mr. Flintuff'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 501, 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. Osborne'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 3rs 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 501 this year 3lbs, twice 51bs, thrice or more 71bs ex tra. Two miles and a distance (6 Subs.) Mr. Meikla,m's Aristotle, 5 yrs (Templeman) I 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 7lb ; 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 GO sovs. ; other conditions aa for Romford Stakes ; was won easily in two heats (the last a walk over) by Mr. Parr's Nora Creins, beating Royal Oak and Waterloo. The Liberty Handicap of 5 sovs. each, 2 ft., with 30 added. Once round. (13 Subs.) Mr. Heppel's Lady Flora, 6 yrs, 7st 61b. (Paitison) 1 1 ➢ir. Coleman's Lufra, 3 yrs, 6st 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 examination of horses objected to befere 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 " Sheet 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 3,7001. 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 sovs. 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 Moggin 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 3001. ; the Queen's Flate ; 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 valuable stakes :—The Racing Stakes of 50 sovs. each, pp, has twenty-five entries, of which the Devil-to-Pay, Akbar, and the Miser Scarve L (the Ugly Buck being struck out), are the only public L 1 runners of any pretension. The Molecomb Stakes of 50 THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 26, 1844. sovs. each, h ft, for two years old, 6 subs. ; one of 200 sovs. each, pp, for two years old, 10 subs. ; two 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 glesey 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 sov. 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 soya. 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 25,0001. The races will be under the stewardship of Sir W. W T . 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 Stake. Lothario, 4 yrs, 12st 71b—Cattonite, 5 yrs, 12tt 21b — Currier, aged, list 101'o—Aristides, 4 yrs, list 101 b Fistieuff, 4 yrs, 1 Ist 101b—Porto Bello, 4 yrs, 1 Ist 813— Naworth, aged, I Ist 31b—Priessnitz, aged, lOst l'2lb —Queen Mal.), 5 yrs, lOst 1 11b—Quebec, 4 yrs, 10st I Ilb —Pastoral, 3 yrs, lOst 91b—Emma, 3 yrs, lOst 51b — Miss Miggs, 5 yrs, lOst 51b—Fox, 4 yrs, lOst 31b—Coal Black Rose, 3 yrs, lOst—Elemi, 3 yrs, 9st 101b—Sea mew, 3 yrs, 9st 31b. 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 Blackwell, 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 smilers, 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 0. Smith, green THIRD HEAT. Won by G. Ball cleverly, followed by G. Atkins. FOURTH HEAT. Won by H. Corey, G. Ball being second, J. Curd third. GRAND HEAT. 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 bold throughout a very spirited and closely-contested heat. Corey was hardly half a length astern at the coming in, and both he and the winner were much distressed. WEATHER AND CROPS IN DERBYSIIIRE.—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 St. 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 buai • 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 he administered every possible antidote, the poor child 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 he 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 had 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 BALLOON.--OB 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. his 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 aeronaut 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 OF DUBLlN.—Another 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 fin 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 38,748/. To this increase on the quarter sugar h as con t r i : buted 6,3801. ; coffee, 1,176/. ; tea, 6,732/. ; wine, 17,559/. ; and tobacco, 6,527/. For the quarter just ended, sugar pro duced 53,894/., in that 0f1843, 47,514/. Tea stands at 87,421/. against 80,689/. for last year. Wine returned 38,044/. in • place of last season, 20,4854 and tobacco 65,7311. in place of 59,2041., 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 causes to the public delays which result in great inconvenience and loss of time.—Dublin Freeman. IMPEI - tiAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, July 25. Their Lordships met at Five o'Clock. OPENING OF LETTERS. The Earl of R ADNOR gave notice that he would, to morrow, put a question to the Noble Lord opposite, the President of the Council, on the subject of the Post office inquiry (opening of letters). The Marquis of NORMANBY presented a petition from Paisley, complaining of the gas works as a nuisance. The prospects of success were therefore much improved. —(Hear, hear.) He had always been of opinion that an imperfect watching of the coasts of Africa and America was an injudicious employment of our force. We knew from what part the slaves must come, and whither they must be carried.---(Bear, hear.) On that account the force had been increased at these two parts. It had been pretended that part of the coast of Africa was in a state of blockade. That was not true. Every facility, every help, was given to commerce, and the only employ ment of the force was to watch those vessels which the municipal law of this country, and our treaties with other nations, authorised our naval officers to enter and seize. A sufficient force would be kept up on the coast of Brazil to secure any slaver that might escape the vigilance of the cruisers on the coast of Africa. The Earl of MINTO was very glad to hear so satis factory a speech. But he must say that he never heard of any complaint on the part of the officers, as to any difficulty in understanding their instructions. Ap proving as he did entirely of the system which had been adopted, of closely watching the particular part of the coast of Africa from which slaves were exported, he felt bound to say, that if a sufficient force were employed, it must prove an effectual means of checking the trade ; but he feared that the naval force employed was not sufficient. Lord COLCHESTER having, in the command of one of her Majesty's ships, acted under the former instruc tions, when the officers had in many cases nothing but the bare treaties to guide them, must, in the name of the gentlemen engaged in that service, return thanks to her Majesty's Government for the complete and intelligible code of instructions which his Noble Friend had now laid on the table. These instructions would give those gentlemen a confidence which they never felt before. The Earl of HADDINGTON wished to explain that the increase in the slave trade last year, as compared with the preceding two years, was not altogether owing to the removal of the ships to the river Plate. That re moval, however, was rendered necessary for the protec tion of the lives and property of British subjects. Lord MINTO said that the force was diminished by the total withdrawal of part of the force, besides the transfer of two or three ships to the La Plata. The Earl of CLARENDON expressed his satisfaction with the speech of the Noble Earl (Aberdeen). He re joiced that her Majesty's Government had reason to hope for the co-operation of France. He was also happy that Spain had at length been induced to send out the order which was contained in the treaty which he (Lord Clarendon) had made with Spain in 1835.—(Hear, hear.) He wished to know whether it was true that Government had sent orders to the officers on the coast of Africa, not to destroy the baracoons (in which the slaves were confined previous to embark ltion) without the permission of the native princes? He could not, he regretted to say, join in the sanguine expectations of his Noble Friend. After all the expense which this country had lavished for the suppression of the trade, he feared that at the present time, although fewer negroes reached the West Indies alive, a greater number were torn from their families and friends, and perished on the way, than were stolen when the slave trade was in its free and most open state.— (Hear, hear.) It was greatly to be regretted, that General Valdez—as honest, benevolent, and wise a man, as ever was placed at the head of a great empire —for such Cuba now was— General Espartero had been compelled by public opinion in Spain, to order that excellent man not to be so active in checking the trade.—(Hear, hear.) The treaty with England was most flagrantly violated by the present Captain-General of Cuba, General O'Donnell.—(Hear, hear.) No country but England had honourably and be nevolently applied itself to the suppression of the slave trade.—(Hear, hear.) He thought that our Govern ment ought to insist on the fulfilment of the treaties on the part of Spain and Brazil. It was said that our ex periment of abolishing slavery was a failure. But the fact was, that in Antigua, and other of the small colo nies, the production of sugar had been greatly increased since the emancipation ; and the free negro worked more industriously, and more to the profit of his employer, than in a state of slavery, and lived in luxury. If the larger islands were placed in a similar position as regards the employment of labour, thosb colonies would be raised from their present languishing condition, and their prosperity would be the strongest weapon 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 thought that the standing orders ought not to hamper the House in the discharge of important duties. He should, therefore, move that;—also, that the Bill be read a third time this day. 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 ben 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 Bank 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 Court. 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 abolition 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 those 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 on 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 ried 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 Insol 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. His 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 Mainwaring, 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 brought 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 Bill—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. Th6se 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 were indebted under 20/. 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 I were not allowed to use their tools for the support of their families, who, consequently, wereleft to starve. But 1 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; snob 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 duction 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 arid Learned Friend had promised that he would make a long speech, and he had kepthis 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 facie, 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 bankruptcy 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 Cottenbam). He 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 picture of a process-server waiting on the Prince of Wales under Lord Cottenham's Bill. The Prince would say that the law was retrospective, and that when ho bought his pictures, deferring the payment, he never thought it would bring him into the Court of Bankruptcy. The process-server would reply that the Act must be good law, because it was framed by Lord Cottenham, who was four 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—(Hear, hear, and a laugh)— yet he remembered one thing, which their Lordships 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 debtors 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 punishment. This would be abolished by:his 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 •f prison under the Act of 1842. But the advertisements re- quire(' by that Act cost 51. 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 151. for expenses under this Act, they should hear from kim. 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 lor 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 too often quoting the speech of the Noble and Learned Lord on the woolsack—but he (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 Chancellor.—(A laugh.) The Bill of Lord Cottenham, which had been so lauded by his Noble and Learned Friend on the woolsack 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 heard 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 bear 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 intervallo, 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 would be imprisoned. But if you act leniently to the honest debtor, you should be stringent in your dealings with the fraudulent. Upon these grounds he 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 principl e , been opposed to imprisonment for debt. He had always looked upon it as equally cruel, but not equall y 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 degr ee . I t pun i s h e d 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. B u t th e ev id ence taken before the Committee on this Bill had proved that such was not the case.—(H ear, h ear. ) Th e 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 alsoinquired 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 COUNTY CORONERS BILL. The NOBLE MARQUIS also presented a petition from the Coroner of Devon, in favour of that clause in the County Coroners Bill which gave an increased allowance for travelling expenses. The Marquis of SALISBURY said that the clause had been struck out, and the Bill had been read a third time and passed. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY said, that the Bill had been read a third time, but he (as Chairman of the House at the time) had not put the question that the " Bill do pass." The Marquis of NORMANBY said, that he would now move that the clause be restored. lie was by no means of the same opinion as the Noble Duke (the Duke of Richmond), who moved the omission of the clause, that railroads rendered the travelling of coroners cheaper. Lord REDESDALE opposed the re-insertion of the clause. It was quite evident that the office was one of honour and emolument quite sufficient without any addi tional profits being conferred on it, for whenever there. was a vacancy the competition was very earnest and ex pensive ; and there was, therefore, no reason for putting an increased tax upon the country. The Marquis of NORAIANBY said he would divide the House. . Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the House divided. The numbers were— For the re-insertion of the clause 6 Against it 25 Majority —l9 The Bill was then passed. NEGRO PETITION —SUGAR DUTIES. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from a body of his fellow-subjects, who, although lately admitted to the rights of men, had not before this ventured to ap proach the Legislature as petitioners. The petition was from the negro merchants, planters, and labourers of Trelawney, in Jamaica, against the reduction of the duties on foreign sugar, on the ground that such reduction would encourage slave-holding States at the expense of the British colonies, which would be exposed to a ruinous competition. UNLAWFUL OATHS (IRELAND) BILL. A NOBLE MARQUIS hoped that the third reading of the Unlawful Ouths 13i11 would be postponed till Monday, in order that the House might be in possession of the determination of the Government with respect to the persons who had lately been tried in Ireland for con spiring to accuse others of administering unlawful oaths. SUDBURY DISFRANCHISEMENT. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from the Mayor and Corporation of Sudbury, praying to be allowed the expenses incurred by them in opposing the Bill for the disfranchisement of their borough. As the House had no funds out of which the expenses could be paid, he hoped the Noble Lord opposite (the Marquis of Salis bury), who had encouraged the petitioners, and whose charity was well known, would pay the expenses. The Marquis of SALISBURY—Out of what funds ? Lord BROUGHAM—Out of your own pocket.— (Great laughter.) The petition was ultimately withdrawn. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. Lord REDESDALE moved, according to notice, that the standing order, which requires the attendance of five Peers on Committees on private Bills, should be suspended, that they might constitute a Com mittee for the remainder of the session. He made this motion in consequence of the departure of so many Peers from Parliament, that it was difficult to a get a full attend ance at all the Committees, before whom there was a great arrear of business. Lord WICKLOW did not approve of the motion. It was the duty of the Peers to attend to the Commit tees, and they ought to be compelled to do so.—(Hear.) Lord BROUGHAM said that a great cause of the the arrear was the want of accommodation for the Committees. Much more regard was had for the glory of the architect than for the convenience of the House. —(Hear, hear.) But he hoped that, if the accommoda was not sufficient next year, their Lordships would dim that glory a little. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said, that every architect in the country admitted that their Lordships could have been provided with a suitable House, and adequate accommodations within the seven years that had already passed. He hoped their Lord ships would insist upon the works being proceeded with in a more expeditious manner, and that they would compel the architect to have proper apartments ready by the next session. Earl FORTESCUE hoped that it would not be ne cessary to act upon the resolution, which, however, he would not oppose. The Duke of WELLINGTON said that hitherto the attendance of Peers had been as full as could be ex pected, but the object of the motion was to provide against the possibility of a deficient attendance at the close of the session, when so many Peers would be leav ing town. After a few words from Lord COLBORNE, Lord REDESDALE withdrew his motion, and gave notice, that, if necessary, be would renew it on Monday. ACTIONS FOR GAMING SUSPENSION BILL. The Marquis of NORMANBY, in the absence of the Duke of Richmond, moved the third reading of the Ac tions for Gaming at Horse Races Bill. The Earl of RADNOR opposed the motion. He contended that the defendants in these actions had no claim for the protection or the interference of Par liament. When they incurred these penalties, they knew they were acting unlawfully.—(Hear.) That was proved by the evidence of Mr. Tat tersall and other witnesses. Same parts of the evidence were exceedingly , painful. One gentleman, a fellow of one of the universities, stated that he had been " victimised" by two of his friends—gentlemen—(A laugh)—and fellows of the same university.—(A laugh.) The LORD CHANCELLOR—Cambridge ? Give us the right name.—(A laugh.) The Earl of RADNOR said this was a Bill to prevent a man from obtaining a pecuniary advantage, which the law, as it stood, gave him and encouraged him to seek. There was no doubt that the ac t which the actions were directed against, was illegal, and the evidence before the Committee showed that it had been ruinous to many, very man y. The only means which the law provided for checking so great an evil was by these qui tam actions. In passingthis _Bill the H ouse would do a great i n j ust i ce. The Earl of STRADBROEE and Lord FOLEY supported the Bill. After a few words from the Marquis of NORMANBY, in reply, the Bill was read a third time and passed. SLAVE TRADE. The Earl of ABERDEEN, pursuant to notice, laid on the table the latest instructions given to the naval officers engaged in the suppression of the slave trade. As there was nothing to conceal the greatest publicity , was desirable, which would g i ve the best refutation to the calumnious accusations against this country, that under the pretence of a regard for the interests of hu manity, were fo u increasend only seeking to extend our own coin merce, our naval power. When he came into a the instructions to those officers ex tremely vague and imperfect. He had applied himself to bring them into a more perfect st a t e . H e h a d found that was the practice when new t reat i es were en t ere d i n t o n office, andc e he e to with foreign nations on the subject of the slave trade, to send out to each of the officers in command a copy of the treaty without any explanation or instruction what ever. Now, as there were thirty of these treaties, the House would understand hew difficult it was for the officers to know in what way they were to act. On this account he employed a num ber of gentlemen well acquainted with the subject to revise the instructions. These were Dr. Lushington, Mr. Bandinell, Captain Denman, and Mr. Rotherheath, of Doctors Commons. These four gentleman revised the instructions, which were afterwards submitted to the law officers of the Crown, who reduced them to the form in which he now placed them on the table. In examining this subject he was astonished at the discre tion and prudence which had been displayed by our officers in this service, although occasionally there might have been some errors of a slight nature from zeal rather in excess. It was, however, as he had said, surprising to observe the prudence, discretion, forbear ance, and consideration, which those officers had shown. —(Hear, hear.) It was to be borne in mind that Eng land could not alone put down the slave -trade. She must have the co-operation of other nations, and to obtain that she must convince those nations that she has no selfish objects, and that she regards their rights and privileges. Much had been done towards the suppression of the trade, but yet very much remained to be done. For several years, down to a very recent period, from 90,000 to 100,000 slaves had been imported into the American and Spanish slave -holding States. From the year 1768 down to 1830, the number of persons torn from Africa fluctuated from ninety to one hundred thousand ; from 1830 to 1835, the number fell to an average of 58,000; but, in the four following years, from 1835 to 1840, the average rose to 99,000. But, in the last three years, 1841, 1842, and 1843, notwithstanding the reproaches cast upon the present Government for remissness in this matter, the average had fallen to 25,000. Lord BROUGHAM —Under the present Government? The Earl of ABERDEEN—PartIy so. In the course of last year, the number of slaves imported from Africa had been larger than in the preceding years, partly owing to the necessary withdrawal of a part of the squa dron from the coast of Brazil to protect British persons and property, during the senseless war which was going on between Buenos Ayres and Monte Video, and partly to the change which had taken place in the office of Captain-General of Cuba, General Valdez hav ing been removed, and another officer appointed, who was less inclined than his predecessor to discourage the trade. Spain and Brazil were the only countries that now benefited by that trade, for Portugal had shown every disposi • •tion to fulfil the treaties. He had no hesi tation in saying that if Spain and Brazil faithfully and honestly executed their treaties with this country, the slave-trade would be at an end ; and he would assure the House that no efforts would be 'spared to enforce those treaties, to which England had as undoubted a right as to the possession of a ceded province or town. There was, however, some promise on the part of Spain. The excellent person who .held lately the post of Captain-General, had obtained an order from the Government in Spain, founded upon the arrangements which were agreed upon with this country in 1835.—(Hear, hear.) There was also much encouragement in the fact that the most cordial understanding prevailed between her Majesty's squadron off the coast of Africa, and the fleet of the United States. France also had lately shown a dispo sition to co-operate more earnestly than heretofore. Tr • be necessary for Parliament, or the Govern Vtozii.tiiii L— ..--- ~. 0 .,, l en their attention to those horrid dens. '2Avo li w; n otyiztrii! . ,. w occupy their Lordships longer, and he hopEtd4bit '4liiiit.?l,4%;';;:::: fufficiently answered the charge made agairc- - :,)! - • r-fs.s4 ~ Lord COTTENHAM and Lord BROUGHAM r ia t , ii i4-:,- -,r, ..; -,--; iir ,--:7 - -0.-.4.,..........__ t5 „.. The report was then received. • 7 . I: -. --"' i_ .,, ,,' On the motion of the LORD CHANCEL * MAPIYII/04:...A. t.. . r . Blau: es were struck out, v.lich could not pass in their "rtiV 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. r The Sudbury Disfranchisement Bill was read a third : i time and passed. , I Their Lordships then adjourned at Half-past Elev tu. 1 - HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 25. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock. THE CONVICT DALMAS. Mr. EWART gave notice that he should to-morre vr put a question to the Secretary of State for the Hone is Department, with respect to the convict Mamas. POOR-LAWS. Sir J. GRAHAM then moved the further considerad tion of the Poor-law Amendment Bill. Mr. S. O'BRIEN postponed the following clausc, of which he had given notice :—" Provided always, and b© it further enacted, that whenever it shall appear to the board of any district school that the space within such school is more than sufficient for the accommodation of poor children within the district for which such school shall have been built, it shall and may be lawful fur such board, subject to the approval of the Poor-law Commis sioners, to make order for the admission of so many other children residing in the said district as shall seem expedient to such board ; and the weekly provision for the maintenance and education of such children shall bet fixed by the board at such rate as shall in their judg ment be amply sufficient to cover every expense on ac count of such children." Sir C. NAPIER then moved the following clauses : And be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for the guardians of the poor to give a higher rate of out-door relief than that now given, at their discretion, to aged people above sixty years of age, who have paid their poor rates.—And be it enacted, that in the event of a married couple, or a single man or woman, possessing a cottage under the value of 51. annual value, and having paid their poor rates, and being no longer able to work, they be eligible for out-door relief at the discretion of this guardians." Sir JAMES GB MIAM admitted that nothing could be more praiseworthy or generous than the object of the Gallant Officer; but he did not think that the object ho had in view would be gained by the House adopting. these clauses. He decidedly objected to the first clause as it was entirely superfluous, and as to the second clause, the law as it at present stood enabled guardians to give out-door relief to persons above 60 years of age. Mr. R. YORKE said that if his Gallant Friend went to a division upon the clauses he should have his sup port, but he thought he would exercise a wise and sound discretion in withdrawing the clauses. Mr. R. SPOONER thought some steps ought to be taken to inform guardians of the state of the law. If this Gallant Officer pressed the clauses he should give his support to the second, but he could not adopt the first. Lord ASHLEY would support the second clause if it was pressed by his Gallant Friend. Sir CHARLES NAPIER would withdraw the first clause, but felt compelled to divide the House upon the second. Mr. DENISON said, if the House adopted the second clause, it ought to be carefully guarded. Sir J. GRAHAM said that it was no answer to st per son who was destitute and who applied for relief, for the guardians to say that he had a cottage under the value of Si. He would go further and say, that should death ensue, the officer who had refused the relief would be criminally responsible. Destitution was the cause for relief, whatever it might arise from. Mr. WODEHOUSE would support the clause. He was happy to see the spirit with which the Right Hon. Baronet was determined to carry out this measure, and. he would advise him to ride the Poor-law Commissioners with a curb instead of a snaffle, for, if he did so, he would get the thanks of the country. Captain PECHELL trusted the Gallant Commodore would press this clause to a division. Mr. B. ESCOTT had as much objection to the second as to the first clause. After a short discussion, the House divided, when there appeared — For the clause 2B • Against it 42 Majority against the clause —l4 The clause was consequently lost. Col. SIBTHORP then moved the following", clauses : —Be it enacted, that, from and after the 31st day of March, 1845, the Commission appointed by an Act of 4 and 5 Win. 4, c. 76, intituled, "an Act for the amend- • ment and better administration of the laws relating to • the poor in England and Wales," shall cease and be abolished, and the several unions and union workhouses • that have been created or established for the mainten ance of the poor, under the aforesaid or any other Acts relating to the relief of the poor in England and Wales, shall be exclusively and solely under the management, • power, and control of the several boards of guardians, constituted and appointed for the management of each separate union or union workhouse, without any inter ference, power, or control:of the aforesaid board of COW. missioners. And be it also enacted, that at the period eforesaid, if any dispute, complaint, or other matter re- . lating to the management of any union or union work- - house shall arise, the same shall be referred to and be taken cognisance of by the justices of the peace as sembled at the next petty sessions within the district in which such union or union workhouse is or shall be " situate, and it shall be lawful to appeal from the deci sion of such justices to the justices of peace assembled ; at the next general or quarter sessions of the peace fem. the place or county, or division of county, in which such N . union or union workhouse is or may be situate, ar.d there finally adjudicated upon. Notwithstanding the law had been in operation for ten years they still were ignorant of what the law really was—guardians, magis trates, and overseers, were all in a mist, and the Com- missioners were in a greater mist than any of them. He protested against this system of centralisation, and against handing over the management of the poor to , persons who could possess no local knowledge. It was an insult to the magistrates of every county to suffer them to be interfered with as incompetent by these Commissioners. These Commissioners were- - now to act as schoolmasters, and to interfere with clergymen in the management of their parishes. Per. haps, in the present days of the march of intellect, the knowledge of the clergyman might not be thought sufti-., cient,- and they might think it necessary to send down an Assistant Poor-law Commissioner, to teach the pan pers the Polka.—(Laughter.) He wanted to know where this centralisation was to end. It set a poor man against his natural protector, and led to attacks upon property. Hi; advice was to send the Commissioners out to grass altogether—shoes off—harness off—let them be turned up, be paid off, and got rid of altogether. He could not see why they could not gradually go back to the old system as they had gradually departed from it. If they would do away with the whole of the Assistant-Commissioners at once, he would consent to their retaining the throe Commissioners for a year longer, for be did wish to do the thing in a liberal way. Sir J. GRAHAM said this question had, on more than one occasion, come under the consideration of the House during the present session. A great deal had' been said of the expense of the Commissioners. The number of Assistant-Commissioners had been reduced,' nearly one-half. The expenses of the Commission was, it was said, 50,0001. a-year, and he should be glad to' know how 50,0001. a-year could be expended more eco nomically than in effecting a saving of two millions an.. nually. The House had invariably testified their confi. elence in the Commissioners by enlarging their discree tionary powers whenever the question was brought before the House, and that had been done by the present mei sure. The carrying the motion of the Hon. and Gallant Member would be equivalent to doing away entirely with the present system of poor-laws. He partly agreed with the Hon. Member for Lincoln that when the Com mission was first appointed, too much had been written by them, and much of it had been written in a party spirit. Since he had been in office that error had beari corrected ; he had had no necessity to exert any inflte; ence to bring about this effect, as the Commissioners themselves had anticipated every wish on the ,subject: When they were first appointed their position was a nee , cne, and allowances ought to be made for it. The Come missioners possessed his entire confidence, and, as he believed, the confidence of Parliament, and he trusted the House would not agree to the motion of his Hon. and Gallant Friend. Mr. BERNAL hoped his Hon. and Gallant Friend would not press his motion. Col. SIBTHORP certainly would. Mr. BERNAL was sorry to hear such an announce. ment. He believed the state of the law was little under stood in the country, more especially as regarded the power of guardians to administer out-door relief. NOW, that ought to be rectified, and the guardians fully in. strutted on the point. A clear, brief statement of the law, should be drawn up and circulated among boards of of guardians throughout the country. This ignorance caused the law to be unpopular, and took away all con• fidence in the decisions of the boards of guardians, or of the tribunal of Somerset House. Mr. R. SPOONER supported the motion. He thought the object to be gained by the motion was a very de sirable one, and that any difficulties which might arise ought to be met, in order to gain it. The Right Hon. Gentleman said the Commissioners possessed the confi dence of Parliament; but could he say they possessed the confidence of the people ?—(Hear, hear.) He had always objected to the delegation of such extraordinary powers to this extraordinary Commission * and, therefore, he supported the motion. The Commis. stoners had introduced the workhouse test—the very worst test that could be applied ; and he had the authority of William Pitt for saying that all the difficulties with which the question of poor-law relief was encumbered arose from the departure from the provisions of the Act of Elizabeth. He called upon them to return to the Old constitutional provision of that law. The spirit of the law was that every man who was able to work, and will. ing to work, should have work supplied to him. Now. the poor man out of work was called upon to break - bp his cottage, separate himself from his wife, come into the workhouse, and become a pauper for life. The instructions of the Commissioners had been framed with a covert design to go beyond the law, and that was the reason of the ignorance existing viz the subject of the law. He hoped that the Right Hots. Baronet would adopt the suggestion of the Hon. Member for Weymouth, and cause a short and clear account of the law to be drawn up and circulated throughout the country. He had always had a great feeling against the continuance of the Commission, and the statement of the Eight Hon. Baronet that they had power to interfere with Local Acts, made him the more anxious to prevent their continuance. He said this at the risk of being charged with Radicalism. If there was any mistake it was on the part of those who imagined that because,he e e d d 's N