The Sun. — London, England, 1844-05-21 00:00:00

`GREAT - WESTERN 13 COMPANY. AMWAY A special general Meeting of this- Company_ was held yesterday, at the Paddington •Station, the Chairman of the Board, of Directors in the chair: The CHAIRMAN saki (hat, as the meeting was small, he believed the business would be strait also, The DireCie; had called the Proprietors together for the purpose of asking them to eontirm.the sanction which they had already an two occaionsgiven to the Bill for enabling this Company to unit© with, and subscribe 150,00 CL tot the *lath Devon Railway Company. The Bill had Dien read second time, having unanimously passed through ilie'Committee, and would shortly be read a third time, mcitwithstanding the great opposition which had been offered to it. But, according rota Standing Order of the flonse of Lords, before the Bill could' be read in that House, it was necessary that the draft should have been approved of and accepted by three• fifths of the Pro prietors present at a general meeting specially convened for the purpose of taking that subject into consideration. To comply with' that Standing Order the present meeting had been called. The Secretary would then read the report of the Directors. The SECRETARY read the report, which stated, almost as concisely, the matter contained in the opening expla nation Of the Chairman. The report further stated that on the Itith instant the Royal Assent was given to the Bill, for enabling the Company to amalgate with the Oxford and Cheltenham Railway Companies, whereby they would all be under one management, and the lines would be completed at less cost. On the motion of Mr. WISHAW, seconded by another Proprietor, the report was received. The SECRETARY then read the clauses in the South Devon Railway Bill which applied to this Company ; ai;l4, after a brief conversation, /04r, SbIITIIERS moved . a resolution, to the effect that the Peoprietors present approve of those clauses. The resolution was seconded, and adopted uanimously. A PROPRIETOR begged to suggest- that some means should be adopted by the Directors to give the Proprie tors more early intelligence of the approaching special meeting. He thought the Secretary should be instructed to write to the Proprietors, instead of leaving the matter to the chance of their seeing the advertisements. For his part, he had net seen the advertisement until late on Saturday evening. The CHAIRMAN said that the advertisements were in serted in strict accordance with the Act of Parliament. If they were to write to every Proprietor the Secretary would have to write 2,500 letters.—(Hear, hear.) Still he thought the suggestion of the Hon. Proprietor was of importance, and the Directors would give it due consi deration. Thanks were then voted to the 'Chairman, and the meeting separated. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. PROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. • GLOBE.—Church-rates continue to supply matter for expensive, and we will add, disgraceful litigation. Several cases, which have recently been • published - in the daily journals, are calculated to diminish the influence which the national Establishment ought to exercise, with salu tary effect, upon public opinion, and the confidence which ought to be felt in the impartiality of the authorities who administer the law. We have invariably employed our efforts to induce. the members of - the Established Church and the dissidents from her creeds and worship, to unite in an application to the Legislature for an altera tion in the law, which is unhappily so fruitful in oc casions of expensive and injurious strife. We have less hope than ever of effecting amicable arrangements between the belligerents. But the dispute-whicliappears interminable, if its termination is alloWed to rest upon a-compromise between the advocates for and opponent of the existing system—produces a state of things with, which the Legislature ought to interfere for the purpose of Applying a remedy. A law which would place the repara tion of the structures upon the taxation of the country, and compel the members of the Established Church to provide what is requisite for the performance of public worship in the churches; according to the rites and ceremonies of her liturgy, would remove this constantly arising cause of parochial strife. In many patishes the expense incurred by litigationhas amounted to more than, the entire alumna of the rate which oc casioned the altercation and the subsequent, legal pro ceedings in the Colirts. This was the case in the still unterrninated Braintree church-rate dispute.• There the costs —which were eventuallycast upon the parish, or rather upon the churchwardens, owing to the rate being pronounced invalid—would have built a new church from the foundation.. Two cases' illustrative Of the evil of church-rates, as now provided for, have taken place within the last feW days. The one was decided in the Court of Queen's Bench, on appeal from Sir H. Jenner' rust, the judge before whom the proceedings were bronght, and the: case dsreided in the Arches Court. Thaparties; " Francis and Others," inhabitants of St. George Colegate, in the city of Norwich, vvereeited by Archdeacon Bathurst, toappear in that Court for refusing to join in making a churo-rate. Archdeacon Bathurst, acting in concurrence with other Archdeacons in that - diocese, 'actually instituted*Prodeedingt 'against those pad", -and brought them into the " Court Christian,,' to , answer " for having- contumaciously obstrneted,_ or. at least' refused to make, or join, or concur in the • making, of a sufficient rate for the necessary repair of the church Of the parish of St. George, Colegate, in the • city of 'Norwich, they being parishioners ef that parish, and liable, as such, to a rate forthe repair of the church." Mr. Francis appeared' to the citation ; and - pleaded, by way of protest, that he had not been guilty of any ecclesiastical offence in the Matters alleged against him. Sir Herbert Jenner Fust, after argument, decided that an ecclesiastical offence had been committed by, Mr. Francis, in "refusing to make, or join, or concur in making, a chnrchsrate." A writ of prohibition was obtained in the Court of Queen's Bench; and Lord Denman - delivered- a judgment, remarkable for clearness, in which the judgment of Sir H. Jenne!' Fust was reversed, and all proceedings in the suit stayed. The power of ' vestry-meetings to refuse church rates was fully recognised. The expense of those pro-. eeedings must have been very Considerable. This, hew s ever, is • the least part of the mischief produiaaci :by such contests. Their influence upon the pitialicAnind with reference to religion generally, ,and totaliegfainblishecf. Church in particular, is extensively injtitionaiisaid ought to be stayed. Another case of the same!ehartteter and tendency was disposed of •by the Judicial Committee of- Privy Council, on appeal - from a decision •of the same Judge, on Thursday last. A church-rate. had been made in st vestry meeting; • Of 'the parish. of IfOrricliurch, in Essex. Against the validity•Of this rate, Pigott, 'an in habitant of the chapelry of Romford; alleged to be situate within the parish of Hornclitiroli, appealed, on various grounds. The Court of Arches, decided against the party who impugned the validity of the rate. Pigott, . who is a very poor man," had conducted his case in person. On: the . decision of the Court below' being pronounced against him,. . appealed, to. tho Judicial Committee, where he obtained • the able, assistinee'of Mr. Roebuck and Mr.' Itlellor, The deci sion of the Judge cif the I.?.eclesiastical Court was re- verseil,"and the, whele'.proceedings quash ed. The judg- • meat was gre4l l o, ;,The Court, by 1 -. 0 r4 l?r-esided, stated-that cia the rate Was ihanifestlfbn l Rit, this, ground, it was unnecessar y to into,o the others. Several hundred,. pounds have b eem spent in this litigation ; , and - inawrials forfiiture litigation .are suggested,. which par ties will . avail themselves in future. it those who cling • to the:, existing - system :refuse to - be. intlitenceilby a IoV6 of peace, let them at least listen to the voice or prudence. The requirements of the law - to' give validity lo a' Church-rate: are so numerous, and . ' the . prohability that One or More:error*, will be detected; ih any rate which may be disputed, so great, that almost every appeal brought against a rate is successfuly prose-. cuted. If the law expenses incurred in prosecuting and resisting appeals, and in enforcing payment OrChurch; rates, were ascertained, it. would go 'Tar to produce a desire fors'final settlement of the question in those now• most attached to-the existing law, and :most: strenuous in maintaining it. " • STANDARD.—There is a hernely. English proverb, frill of. good Sense, like - rnest of our old English adages, which. we think may be usefully remembered at this particular moment. The proverb : is'.this, that " one ought not • to cut his nose • • to--; Vet - - his face." The principle conveyed in • this simple suggestion is of 'great value. in - politics ; for ' in; - Tiolitical AranSactions it' • is 'thee 'men will most frequently. Offended , by the, friends in 'whoni they depose most confidence. It is . not easy to 6 . 0,4 single ques tion' upon - which, even all men pursuing - ,the same think• alike,. but to - find snecession , of such questions frOm year. to year, • is an , utter impos ' Now,, an - in the conduct of:puhlic affairs the aril •t auAt .exer,constitutaouly •a very Small . portion. .. 1113 Party • to. which they belong., it , f is very ploft.urtti theaaaitora must often give offence to many. • 5"; engaged 'with them - in the, `'wine cernmon• cause . ; hat . to resent this, Offence, not merely 'by war apps tlie-pee !l * . *n o • ve the party. but upon} : principles of I , e±thepie l sen e t aSO. of "putting, the nose to party, ' an d - some.• hCtrieat- men of the elireatives who sire ripe Thp a p !i r tr ar ' r . V1,4 414 „,,„ es sing Con excite ii public agaluat her. Majestv7s of the honest Conservatives ask Pv ;; ' be the end of .their: success, supliOsing.`:tlutt y t sh m o k u i ld succe ed in running, down Sir Robert - Yeers'eabinet .? The '9uestion is a serious one,. fOr . gets!. may tic eoed, if . they persevere in the eoutin-That..‘the Rnsiell; Lord 'xt6i , • y are- phrtuing. Lord w wick,. already - stripped Off .their tveries; ready to take tie Tons, as soon 0' they' shall' he wreoeci,:trom.Sir li.' reell hands, with FCSOIDtiOD, : "WV/09TV i 0 put them on they are settled upon the n as soon on apt Let ,thoservatives only . remember! -the facility with .which th 6 change was made - in 1 . 830' by the effect of Tory apathy ur Tory aid, and the return •that the' Whirs made to • them, and 'then think tiVicebefOre they again "cut thoiT•nosea to vex their faces,.' liaviirgnow far less . prOvocation than they bad fourteen yearsragn:. Do they want anOther 'ten years of Whig ; rule ? As ',Conserva tives; they must lave some care for the institutions of the country:: ,nbo' they.ivish' to place theie institutions onee,more at' the mercy of Whig rulers, because it is surmised that the present Ministers, thOugh greatly miti ng have not violently reversed the:Whole of the • '44. policy (this is the complaint} will 'Conservatives consent to return to the arms Of the Whigs.? We speak • here of the efforts 'Made by honest men to run down her Majesty's Ministers; tiedbroadly wish - to mark the , clisthithint between down a Cabinet an voting ataiant it,' Or advising others to vote ag&inst' it. The Ifis'i'estOrau 314 ; be fatal to the . party to vitlarthe' belengs. :nic other may . iu many ' cests„ segment personal rsona infhierice 9 . office ;foraof 'Ministers, it grits • them o - : Moment, char:t v may at . same, time „.greatly-esaW ieister — s . belong. It the party , to which . the . ,r . e . ti . ring,Sl a great raistaka - thavehyisjoß po n t i f iii e _ wesimeas. honest division of opinion, not fundamental, is much more frequently an accession of strength, because character is strength, in public opinion ; but comptomise is always weakness-4,r whether dishonest or not, it looks like honesty. We could, have heartily de sired that upon the occasion of Lord Ashley's late proposition, evert Member of the House of Commons . had voted according to his own conscientious judgment, the effect of which would undoubtedly hare been to leave the Ministry in aininority, and remove them for a mo ment from office ; but it would have been fov a moment only.. Without a dissolution of Parliament the Cori• servative majority would have insisted upon the resump tion of office by a Ministry that had - achieved so much for the peace, the wealth, the prosperity, and safety •of , the country ; or with a' dissolution, the present Conservative majority of 100 would have been about doubled, by reason of that yory stand made for the la bouring classes by the Conservatives in Parliament. Lord John Russell, Lord? Howick, and the other Whigs saw this, and they hedged, as the jockey's phrase is, in contemplation of the possible appeal to the country ; we will not give any more charitable con struction to their pirouette, because we do not find one of them offering amends to tht memory of the great and good man who commenced" the work of protection, and whom they persecutes for doing so—Michael Thoinas Sadler the only' man of whom we know anything that ever deserved to go before Lord Ashley. To have out-voted Ministers on the factory question would have done no harm, but a great deal of good, to the Conservative party; but what possible good can result to the Conservative interests from the attempt to run down the Conservative Cabinet —the best Ministry, too, that the country has had for half a century? Will abuse of:Sir R. Peel's Govern ment tell in favour of a Conservative candidate on the , hustings, or anywhere else? -And, next, we would have our readers to remember the parties who urge them into a course prima facie so unwise., STRANGE MALADY IN NEW BRUNSWICK. (From the Montreal Courier, April 12.) We translate the following from the Quebec Cana dien ; we have seen no account of the affair in any of the lower province journals as yeti -= " The Governor of New Brunswick, Sir W. Cole brooke, has sent a message to the Legislature ork the sub ject of a disorder the most hideous and fatal, which exists amongst the French population on the borders of the Gulf of bt. Lawrence, and which the medical men of the neighbourhood consider resembles the leprosy of the seventeenth century. " The Chamber. of Representatives went into com mittee on the 21st of March, to take into consideration this message, and the documents which accompany it. It appears from these papers, says the New Brunswicker, that this disgusting malady made its appearance in 1824, and that since that year seven persons have died of it, after languishing for five or. six years in the most miserable condition; one of these patients, who had been ‘seqwestree' in a log hut. and fed through a hole, died, as is believed, in a state of mental derangement, and he contagion was so dreaded, that, in some cases, the in specter of the poor had been himself obliged to carry to • these unfortunate ' creatures the food necessary fur their ' subsistence, and for which they still preserved 'their natural appetite and desire. "- Those who maintain the contagious nature of the disease assert that it has been communicated by sleeping with those who were afflicted with it, and that a young • man who had assisted in bearing the bier of a dead patient, and on whose clothes some corrupt matter from the corpse had dropped, took the disease and died of it.- " It appears; in addition, that there are at this mo :Mkt twelve, patients labouring under this malady in the county of Oloecester,and,about the same number on the other side of the line wbieh separates that county from that of Northumberland. his probable that there are others who conceal their sufferinge, fearing that if they were known to be thus afflietistehervpu4-be Shunned by their neighbours. - : j 7., ••• -; ••• • , '• 1" - 'II', "Amongst the other cases -- eAiliao46,4,Y:tl l .,At of a Woman who was shipwrecked ft periAl t iqa,ner way to Quebec, and whoafi c e.4kiit leenree toghitham, , •... .., ~ ... room. where the malady develeilvt,,illl leengs kr 4-ICign cated to two other persona ! leotheia r mijA MAI): Witoin she resided, and also to a child whO; -I.,:eqaietetetl.3ho , hWse, who all died. It appears that the - change Jfir.itivOlably, fatal. . .. .-...a.:.. f; , ",The reading the different documents - which r accom- . panied the message excited in the Chamber a lively sym pathy for these unfortunates. Doctors Thomson and Earl both, declared their opinion that the disease was not leprosy. The former of these phyaiciens explained in'a most.lucid manner the mode of living and the habits of the French populAtion amongst whom this malady has Mauifested ,itselt—a population,: he said, amongst whom Many bad habits are.prevalent, ,which not only predis pose them to receive scrofulous maladies of every kind, but render those maladies more difficult of cure. He • recommends, above everything, to change, the manner of liiing and food of these poor people, and to impress both on their minds and bodies, by education and amusements, an Action more healthy and vigorous. The Chamber,,by a imanirnons vote, granted 5001. to the Execu,tiee to pro cerenfor these unfortunates the assistance of medicine, ,te, separate those who are afflicted with this horrible malady from the other inhabitants, and to ameliorate the short span ofexistence which remains to the afflicted." MURDER AND ROBBERY. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, 'Mal 20 Their Lordship assembled at Five o'clock: Messengers from the Commons • brought up several Bills. The Bishop of CHESTER presented several peti tions against the union of the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor.. - - - Lord CAMPBELL presented several petitions, praying the House to legalise Presbyterian mixed marriages. LANCASTER AND CARLISLE RAILWAY. anticipate any objection to the second reedit*. It was a Bill to amend tha law relating to factories which was passed in 1836, and the measure was , founded on the report of the Commissioners on that subject. He would now endeavour to explain what difference there was between the propoSed and the existing law. The first alteration proposed was with respect to children in factories. At present children from nine to thirteen years. of:age .worked nine hours a day. Now the present Bill, in the first place, proposed to make the age eight instead of nine, And to decrease the hours of labour to six and a half hours, making certain provisions with respect to the child;eri. going to school for a certain number of hours in each day, namely, three and a half hours in sum mer and two and. a half . in winter ; and the utmost work for any male child under the provisions of the new Act would be seven hours. He was sure that he need not point out to their Lordships the fact that such a Trovision would prevent a great deal of overworking in, chil dren. The regulation by the law, as it now stood, was, that all young persons between thirteen and eighteen should be restricted to twelve hours' labour. The present Bill made no alteration in that respect, but it restricted the labour of females and young per sons. The other provisions of the Bill affected the inspectors. In the former Bill they had the power of acting as magistrates, and making rules and regula tions ; both those powers were by the present Bill taken away. It was thought necessary that the re gulations should be fixed by law, and not be left to the discretion of the inspectors. This Bill provided that no child should be allowed to go into a factory without a surgeon's certificate, and the expense of those certificates was to be defrayed by the millowner. The Bill also provided that . the existing fines upon millowners for infringing the provisions of the factory laws should be reduced, so as to insure their being The Marquis of CLANRICARDE presented a petition from the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway Company, praying their Lordships to facilitate the progress of this Railway Bill through Parliament. Lord BROUGHAM did not wish to interpose any unnecessary delay in the progress of this Bill. He must say, however, that it was rather a novel pro ceeding on the part of railway jobbers to present a petition to their Lordships, praying their Lordships to interfere between the two Houses of Parliament, when a conference had taken place between them on the subject of some particular Bill. He would just state generally the facts of the case to their Lordships. He had consented to abandon his opposition to the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway Bill upon certain conditions. Had it not been for those conditions, he would have opposed - the Bill in every stage, and he would have devoted himself to that opposition, and he would have done nothing else but oppose the Bill for a period of six months.— (Laughter.) His Noble I riends laughed, but let them be placed in the same situation, and they would find it no laughing matter. It was no laughing mat ter to be driven from your own home by a railway being brought so near to that home as to make it quite impossible to remain there—to be driven from that home in which your ancestors had dwelt for up wards of 900 years. He had waived his objectien to this Bill for the public good, upon two conditions.. One of these conditions had been performed, the other had not. It was very well to say that the condition had not been fulfilled, because the House of Commons would not consent to it. He could not yet discover in what way the opposition to the clause had been raised in the other House of Parliament. Indeed the Right Honourable Speaker had assured him that the clause was very much talked of in the House before it was discussed in the Committee. He had bargained with the parties to the Bill to withdraw his opposition, on condition that he should have the clause, and it was of no use for them to say that the Commons would not agree to it. He should therefore Oppose the Bill, as they had taken away the condition on which "he had taken away his opposition. Some of the members of the Company were most respectable men, and his friends, and in capable of Any fraud. But some one connected with the other parties had procured the fraud to be done. He would ask their Lordships, how would any of them like a jobbing rail waycom pany to cut through their grounds, to keepa waste all round their domains for three or four years—to drive them from the mansilns, and castles, and villas, in which their ancestors had been dorai cited for centuries—and-to have their privacy broken in upon by hordes of labourers from every part of the United Kingdom ?—(Hear and laughter.) Still he had pledged his word that, on condition of obtaining the clause, he would withdraw his opposition. But . he would not consent to be trampled upon by any Company, because they were many and he was but one.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) Lord CAMPBELL said that the opposition of his Noble and Learned Friend might be very proper, and the clause might be very justifiable. But the opposition to it, as .he understood, was grounded on the fact that it had been introduced, not in Commit tee, but upon bringing up the report, and that with out notice, so that it was passed sub silentio. It was on that ground, as explained to their. Lordships in the conference, that the House of Commons threw out the clause.—(Hear, hear.) He was sure that no one could suppose it was thrown out - to disoblige his Noble and Learned Friend, for (as he said unfeignedly) no one could think of disobliging his Noble and Learned Friend, who was so courteous and obliging.—(Laugh ter.) The objection to the clause was, that it ought not to have been inserted, without notice. Lord BROUGHAM said that the. objection to want of notice was groundless, inasmuch as the other parties had assented to the clause.—(Hear, hear.) For his part , he had rather throw out the Bill than accept the cliksk4--(Hear.) Ihe Marquis of CLANRICARDE wished to ex plain why he had presented the petitiOn. He had taken no interest in the measure, but as the petition . was placed in his hands he had" thought it. his duty to present it. He under stood the facts to be, the Railroad Company had no objection to the clause, but that the Com mittee .of the House of Commons looked upon it as.in the nature of an amendment upon a Turnpike Bilt, and therefore rejected it because it' had been intro duced without notice as required by tlie standing orders. He thought this so great and important a .railway that it ought not to stop because the House .of Com mons would not pass an Act to amend a Turnpike Act., He hoped his Noble Friend would have no ob jection, to discuss this subject to-morrow, or Thurs day. The Noble Marquis concluded . by moving that the petition should lie on the table, and that the reasons of the House of Commons for disagreeing with their Lordships' amendments should be printed. —.Agreed to. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from a place in Lancashire, in favour of the Roman Catholic Charitable Bequests Bill. HARBOUR_ OF PORT PATRICK. The 'Marquis of LONDONDERRY seeing the Noble Earl, the First Lord of the Admiralty in his place, wished to know whether it was the intention of the Government to withhold this year._ any grant for the purpose of putting the harbour of Port Patrick and Donaghadee in a proper state of repair. If that harbour was not to be kept up as a packet-station, it ought at least to be put in a proper state of repair, so as not to endanger the:lives of her Majesty's subjects, and if it was not, so the fault would be with her Majesty's Ministers, of whom it would be said that they would not expend the paltry sum of 8,0001. to .secure the lives of her Majesty's subjects:. The Earl of HADDINGTON said that this sub ject had excited a great deal of interest. Last year when his Noble Friend put a similar question to him, he stated that it was not the intention of her Ma jesty's Government to take any vote for the improvement of Port Patrick, as the Grqvernmeat believed that they had done enough towards the construction of the harbour. Since, however, his. Noble Friend had given him notice of this question, he had made inquiry, and he found that .a communication had been made to the Government, and the result of that was that the Go imposed in every case where it should be necessary. The Bill also contained provisions respecting ma chinery, inasmuch as it provided that certain guards should be placed round the machinery in facto ries, :so as to protegt the persons employed upon it. These were the general, provisions of the Bill. Their. Lordships were aware that there had been consideraole difficulty in passing this Bill through the House of Commons. The Go vernment, unfortunately, were compelled to differ with some of their best supporters. But there were times when it was the duty of the Government to be firm. . It was the duty of the Government to inform themselves, as well as they could, upon the particular' subject before they proposed any law, and they bad studiously done so with respect to this Bill. The ]!Marquis of NORMANBY said the Noble Lord had Introduced this Bill with sufficient clear ness, but, at the same time, he had not entered much into detail as to the principles upon which the mea sure had been introduced by the Government. Hav ing occupied the department of the Government be fore which this subject more immediately came; he (the Marquis of Normanby) had devoted considerable attention to it. He felt that the present Bill did not go far enough.—(Cheers.) His opinion, in spite of the ironical cheer from his Noble Friends behind him, was, that as they had once commenced inter ference with labour, the Bill did not go far enough. No doubt, in stating this opinion, he should be placed with those who had been termed idle philan thropists ; but this would not deter him from the full expression of his opinions upon the subject. He had always felt that, owing to the vast accumulation of population in the manufacturing districts, some mea sure of legislation' was necessary with respect to the hours of labour of the working portion of that popu lation. He had observed that, for many years past, the owners of factories had employed women and chil dren whenever they could; to the exclusion of the male portion Of thepOulation; and it was a very common thing, in the marnifacturing districts, to see a mother and her children working, while the husband was at, home, living in a state of forced idleness. He believed that a limitation of the laws of labour could, in a. great measure, remedy this evil. He did not believe that a reduction in the hours of labour to ten hours would injure any branch of our manufactures. Twelve hours daily toil was too much, 'for it would only leave about nine hours' of repose, inasmuch as one hour and a half would be daily consumed in the meals of the operative, and the other hour and a half would be consumed in going to and from the factory. Those who worked by tilling the soil did not work, on, the average, twelve hours per day through the year, because their hours were limited by the light of day. • Why, then, should the operatives in the manu facturing districts work longer? He (the Marquis of Normanby) 'was aware that, in expressing this opinion, he was differing from many of those with whom he had thi happiness usually to concur,, He did-not intend to make any motion on the sub ject, or to offer any opposition to this stage of the Bill ; he had merely risen to enter his protest against that portion of the Bill which referred to the hours of labour, as it his firm conviction, that the limits which had been proposed were much too great. He did not think it was necessary to do more than state his opinions upon this question. Much as he regarded its importance in itself, he regarded it much more in consequence of the manner in which it had been brought to its present state. Looking to the names by which the measure had eventually passed in the other House, he thought the means by which those names had been obtained were of great importance. The Earl of DEVON put it to the Noble Mar quis whether it was proper that they should in that House discuss the grounds upon which Members of the other House had given their votes ? Lord KENYON thought the Noble Marquis was in perfect order in discussing the manner in which the Bill had come up to that House ; but he was not in order in commenting on individual votes in the other House of Parliament. The Marquis of NORMANBY said that he did not mean to remark upon the individual votes. But as it , had been asserted in the other House, dur ing the discussion of that Bill, that the working classes-were not represented in Parliament, he felt it right to express his regret that anything should have been done to justify that statement, and to make the people discontented with the present state of the Con stitution, and to impress them with the belief that however - they might be virtually represented in Par •liament, their interestswere not represented. He did not think that the seat of any one Member of the. House of Commons would be affected by the vote which he had given upon that question, because it did not affect the interest of those who were directly af fected. In the northern division of the county of York there was, even amongst that class of electors, a strong feeling upon the subject • and there would be a great deal of surprise that the Go vernment, which had received so great a support there, should stake its existence upon that Bill. If he supported the Government, he would have thought their conduct most injudicious and unfortunate. See ing that be could gain nothing by resisting the second_ reading of the Bill, he would not oppose it, but con tent himself by giving his protest against it. lord BROUGHAM would occupy the House very shortly ; but he must say that from the very beginning of his Noble Friend's speech to the end of it, he had only heard reasons why he (Lord Brougham) was opposed to the Bill in toto. . He opposed a Twelve Hours' Bill and a Ten Hours' Bill,—(Hear, hear.)- Those who opposed any interference with labour might go so far as to agree with the restriction of twelve hours ; but that was no reason why they should go a stage further, and vote for a ten hours He had already so fully expressed his opinions or, the subject, when the Labour in Mines Bill was before, the .House, that it was not necessary to 'take •al) the time of the House at any length .in that discussion. His Noble Friend re gretted that the "House of Commons had come to this decision, because' he thought that it would be the means of 'convincing the working classes that the Reform Bill had not done them justice-4hat they were not- •represented in that House, because that branch of the Legislature refused to say that the peo ple should have a legislative shackle put upon them, and that they should not work as many hours as they found themselves able to do, and as they wished to work. These shackles would be as oppressive as any of those brethe other side of the Atlantic. It would place those people under the shackles of 'an Act of Parliament, and would not leave them at liberty to exert- their natural powers to their own best advantage. -How would any higher class of la - bOurers like to be confined to ten boors of labour ? But it was from the blunder that they would get , twelve hours' wages for ten hours' work, that the whole outcry, arose.—(f'!eir, hear.) He could only ascribe. , the support of tuch a measure as this to a> mistaken humanity on the part of its promoters.—(Hear.) hind been said that the agricultural labourers were exempt from such toil as those engaged in the facto ries. It was said that those had more bread and less labour. But that Was not the fact, and if ever the qUestion of the condition of labourers in the factories came before the House, 'he would be prepared to show that the condition of the agricultural labourers was. much vvnrse.—(Hear, hear.) He would show that they were hardly fed, badly clad, severely wrought.—(Hear, hear.) He would show that in those districts where fuel was dear, they returned— men and boys,arstwomen, too—in inclement weather, through rain and through snow, to houses which did .'not • keep out the wind and the rain—to beds which were not once dry throughout the entire winter—(Hear, hear) —and with clothes which, in wet seasons, were always wet.—(Hear.) A boy of 17 followed the plough ; he was exposed to all species of weather, and yet nobody thought of protecting him; they left him to make his own bar gain, and if he was under the age that bad been adverted to, he was left to the care of his parents as his natural protectors. He warned their Lordships, :not _to interfere-with the provisions of-nature 'vyhich had implanted in parents the love of their children. The Legislature ought to interfere between • Yesterday morning Considerable excitement was created at the Thames Police-court by 'a rumour that a Man named Luke Williams, proprietor of the Chequers public-house, Wapping-wall, had been 'robbed and murdered at a brothel, 6, Brunswick-place, Dorset.;street, Ratcliff. With the ax- . Ception that the man still breathes, though without the -slightest chance of recovery, the report proved but too true. _lt seems' that Williams, though a married man, and nearly sixty years of age, had formed a connexion with a young woman named Rosetta sßragger, who resided at 6, Bruns wick-place. He had frequently been robbed in that house before, but 'in consequence' of his attachment to the young •woman, always refused to give the parties in charge. `About ten minutes to nine o'clock in the forenoon of yes terday, information was conveyed to Sergeant Harris, the acting inspector; that Williams had been robbed, and was then lying insensible at his own houSe, in a most precarious condition. • He immediately directed Wiseman; 156 K, who • had'been - ori duty in Dorset , -sti•eet the previotis day, together with Munford, another constable of the K diVision, to lose . no time in taking into custody all the parties supposed to be implieated in the robbery and assault; and, accordingly, about three o'clock, . 'James- Halstead, a coalwhipper, Alexander Nicholson, al milkman, Mary - Anne. Ashe, and her sister, ,Itotta Bragger, who was, the chief attraction of 'Williams toJArtinswiek-place, were brought up to this Court, Halstead being charged with having assaulted Williams, and the three. latter .with having robbed hini, of about 30/. Police constable Wiseman stated, that on Sunday-morning, -about half-past 8 o'clock, -having been informed by Mrs. Williams that her husband had been, robbed in. Brunswick.; place of a 20/. note, 4.5/. note, and same-sovereigns, he went to the place, - ,and found Williams outside the door, and was answered from the window by the prisoner Rose, who re ) fused to admit either of Ahem. Williams then broke.a pane . and undid the sash, when theyhot.h entered, and found the two female prisoners and their mother. -Williams refused to giveany of : them into.custodv. until the prisoner Nicholson, who resided in. the house, and had part of the money-, came honte, when he, would give him and Mary Ann Ashe in charge... Witness called akmin at .4 in the afternoon, and saw Williams, as he thought, insensibly drunk on a chair. Mary Ann Ashe was there,: and 'another sister, named Louisa ; . but-Nicholson hadnot returned. • The mother of-the female prisoners told witness that. Williams had. been fighting with a man outside, who first lent him a shilling. and then knocked hini down... Mrs. Williams then came and took her husband _home in. a cab. Yesterday morning about 9 ol.clock,. by di rection of Sergeant- Harris who. orderedhim to take all the parties implicated into - easiody-, witness apprehended Nichol.- . son on the charge of robbery. At the station house Nichols' ft fiamitted that he saw Williams on .Saturday . morning with his . waistcoat-pocket full of severeignt, and received a sove reign from,hiin to -get. a- halfrpiat of ruin Witness a , ked Nieholson, who apPeared . todiave been 'drinking, what money - he had then •about ,him,: mid he enswered-about a sovereign in silver but, en being searched, 21. and .6d. in silver, and 4id. in copper, • were,foundupon him. About 11' o'clock the two• female prisoners were .apprehended at a cookshOp in lleoad-street, Ratcliff.• Since then, witness'ascertained that Williams, who, be understood, was still insensible and not expeetedto live, had shoWn. two Bank of England notes at a public-house in Brook-street. When, witness first saw Wil • lianas he• had a severe. black eye, which he said lie had re ceived from Antall named Bragger not yet in custody. and Who either is, or passes as, the husband; of the female prisonei of that name. • • • 'Elizabeth Hilliersi proprietress of the King's Head,•at the corner of Periwinkle street, Ratcliff, saw the man Williams • 'at her house - on Saturday with two notes and some 'gold and silver, which :he milled out of his pocket,. The gold and silver Might amount to about 4/, of 51. They, fell from him at _the bar ; but she picked up the- money_ and returned it to him, wrapping - tile gold In the note's, and saying " You foothill man, take care of your money." . RebeCca Ashe, the mother of the feMal4risoners, said that on Sunday morning, between 11 and .12, Williams came to the houSe drunk, and Halstead was authorised by Nicholson .to turn hini out, 'upon which Hal:stead avid Williams struck at each'other once. • - • likorge 13regger said he went to: Porset-street to See his brother for the purpose of having a . walk, when he met two bolieeinin who told. him Williams had been robbed. Nichol 'son-:came there; but the policemen did not take him into custody. He slept with Nicholson, who went out at half past' five on Monday morning to sell his milk. The witnesS - said he had been all day at the hopse. No. 6, Brunswick ••place, with the exception of having ran across•the- street to the Lainb to get a drop of beer. When he returned be saw Williains on rise ground, bleeding at the mouth, and Halstead Over him. - Witness sad, " Came : we've had quite enough ' of 'that.; let us have no inore t of it." . .3fr. Rose, surgeon, Of High-street, Shadwell, sew Williams at ten o'clock on Sunday night, when ha was quite insensible, - Witness bel;eVed from sompe exterual injury'. •The left eye•was.black and the' lower. lip, cut apd swollen. • Witness could not swear positively whether the injured man - was ro ditCed to his present state by drunkenness or external-violence, untTafter a post mortm - examination. Mrs. Williams could testify es to his state before the injury ; hut she was at present at hispld side. 'Witness endeavoured to rouse him, but in Fain; sad there was no likelihood of his surviving two hours longer; -neither was it probable that bis depositions could be taken. b ik_ r oied ot to to ha t v, h e e i n i t ifl an her ; • —T he e wmt lo34 / I Viseman saidthat the witness Bragger was iet n ed 4- thYee:t 'in: u custod de . Ci ' t oa3hdy7thhoe wads sup itinenielliridestihn74"tuteedvtryYthrsile_obstacle in the way of the not • in custody? By Mr. BALLANTYNE--Th po lice, is • • • his own showing he Was ell aM w- o h ir eud intraa ufn:fane.rred.'tallet:Petb°u.aPeledockimp,l,iaticateo:gisnt a transaction likely Bragger was immediately lii r t . ll ß e _ r ti.L.l. Pris 7T e x r ri s x • reman. ded.the:prisennlersakeundtepilo:tedivolentra day, and directed that immediate• notice shouldbe given Williams so far recovered as to be able to We have since learned that the unfortunate man died in the course of the evening. • - The deceased was fifty-eight years ofuge, and Was formerly . . a courier in the service of her Majesty's Govertnnent. H e was superannuated a few years ago on a pensiOn 'of 80/. per annum. - vernment had altered their former detemination, , and they now intended, in the course of the present ses sion, to take a vote for the purpose of dredging the harbour of Port Patrick and Donaghadee. The Earl of GALLOWAY expressed a hope that steamers of great power would be placed upon this station. After a few. words from the Marquis of DOWN SHIRE, the subject dropped. CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE wished to put a question to the Government on the subject of the Chester and Holyhead Railway, as it was called. He wished to learn whether the Government would have any objection to refer this Bill to a Select Committee, inasmuch as he understood that if it should pass, a con siderable sum of public money would be expended by the Government in carrying out the project ? The Earl of DALHOUSIE said there was no ob jection on the part of the Government to the appoint ment of such a Committee, but he would remind their Lordships that the eubject had already been fully dis-: cussed in both Houses of Parliament. • After a few words from Lord KENYON, The Marquis of CLANRICARDE gave notice that he, should to-morrow move that this Bill be re ferred to a• Select Committee. YORK AND SCARBOROUGH RAILWAY BILL. Earl FOBTESCUE brought up the report on this and moved that the Committee be postponed till the 31st inst. Earl - FITZWILLIAM thought this Compiny ought to be allowed to make some deviation in. their line, inasinuch as by the present plan it, would pass on a level near to the private residences 'of many gen tlemen at Clifton. He had understood that in the distance between York and Scarborough there was to be only a' single line. He would ask their Lord-- ships if they thought it wise to allow ,of a single line for such distance ?—(Hear, hear.) He also under stood that it was intended to close the line between • Malden and Scarborough for a certain period of the year. He hoped their Lordships would look to 'the management of those schemes.; for, though he was a friend_ to railways, be thought the House should look. closely to the propriety 'of single lines for long dis tances, and of excluding the public from the advan tage of the improved communication during parts of the year. The Marquis of NORMANBY deprecated the 'discussion at that stage of the Bill. After a few words from the Earl of FORTES CUE in explanation, the motion was agreed to. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a peti tion from Limerick, praying their Lordships to pass a Bill to legalise Art-Unions. The Earl of DARTMOUTH- presented a petition from the. Royal Birmingham and Midland Counties 'Art-Union to the same effect. Lord BEAUMONT said that he should to-mor row move for papers relating to the trial of a Maltese British subject at Tunis. FACTORIES BILL. Lord _WHARNGLIFFE then rosé to move the second reading of the Factories• Bilk Their'LOrd ships would no doubt expect some explanation from [ him as to what the Bill was, although he did not , • ••••••-• ---- 21 1 1UNIFICENT George Bayly, Esq., of Brunswick-terrace, Plymouth, has Oven the munificent sum of 2,000 L t 6 trustees in perpetuity, the interest of which is. to be appropriated for ever as follows :-201. 'year lo,the'Devon'and Corn*li Female Orphan: My '2ol 'l6 the trevthi "Cornwall 'lrapital riot. to the Eye Infirmary ; and 101. to the Free School.— West TEE SUN, LONDON, llTTEibli,:k EVENING, MAY 21, 1544. . • ROUSW , OF COMMONS, May 20. The SPEAkilietOok the' Chair at Four o'clock. MANCHESTER RAILWAY. On the motion that this Bill be read a third time. parent and child, the effect of which would inevitably be to deaden, the natural feelings of nature. The present Bill had made a great change in the law with respect to factories—it had provided with respect to women that they should not work over a certain num ber of hours, supposing that a woman was not com petent to make a bargain as well as any one else. He would not object to the Bill further, except enter ing his protest. against it, believing that the best course to adopt would be to leave those who laboured in factories to legislate for themselves as to the time they should Work.—(Hear, hear:) The Marquis of NORMANBY explained. The Earl of WINCHILSEA considered this Bill to be a great improvement on the present law, but he could not but express his regret that the limitation of the labour of children in factories had not been re duced to ten hours. He believed that theutmosphere they breathed was of the most pernicious character. They could not compare the agricultural labourer with the manufacturing labourer, because the former breathed fresh air while the other inhaled the most obnoxious vapours. He thought the Legislature had very justly established the principle of Interference. Ten hours was the extent of labour which the great body of the agricultural labourers in this country underwent. Such a picture of misery among the agricultural labourers, as the Noble Lord had drawn, did not, and could not exist ; but he trusted the time would come when the manfacturers themselves would find it to their advan tage to limit the hours of labour of children in their factories. Lord CAMPBELL supported the Bill. Re could not agree with his Noble Friend that the Legislature ought not to interfere, because he thought there were cases in which the Legislature ought to interfere with labour. He thought they could not safely go further in the reduction of labour than twelve hours; - and he believed that there never was an instance of less labour than that of the manufacturers of this country, with the exception of the case alluded to by Sir Thomas More with respect to Utopia.—(Hear, hear.) The 'Noble Lord, having read an extract from the writings of Sir Thomas, proceeded : Until his Noble Friend could persuade him that the statement of Sir Thomas More with respect to Utopia was correct he (Lord Campbell) should persist in supporting the Twelve Hours' Bill. The Earl of HADDINGTON said that her Majesty's Government had been accused of inconsistency with respect to this measure. He could not for a moment Understand upon what ground this assertion had been made. It had been said that her Majesty's Ministers, in the other House ofParliament, were exceedinglyanxious that their supporters Should give votes in accordance with the wishes of their constituents, and they de termined upon' relying for *support with respect to that Bill apon their political opponents. Now, he Could not allow this foolish assertion to go forth with out protesting, in his place in Parliament, against it. A more absurd proposition was never put forth, for it was ridiculous to suppose that any Government could resort to such a feeble attempt to obtain support for any measure whatever. The Earl of MINTO objected to this measure, not on the ground of its not going far enough, but on the ground that it went a great deal too far. He was entirely opposed to any interference with adult la bour whatever. _ _ . not aware, from the notice, of the extent to which the Right Hon. Gentleman intended to go. He confessed he did not see why greater facilities should be afforded to speculators of this kind than to any others. It had been proved before the Committee that one hundred labourers had received five shillings each for signing five different names, subscribing .5,0004 in order to , make out the list for the prospectus. That was by no means a solitary case. Now he could not see any inconvenience, when a rail way was to be constructed, 'in having the subscription lodged in Exchequer bills. He thought that 10 per cent. was not a large sum to deposit. He had doubts as to the propriety of making these,ex= ceptions in favour of Railroad Bills. He asked that before assent to this proposition, the evidence on which the Committee had determined should be laid upon the table. He thought this discussion should be postponed until the evidence should be before the House. The. Earl of lIADDINGTON and the Marquis of NORMANDY briefly explained. Lord WHARNCLIFFE, in reply, denied that the Government had used any influence to turn the ,majority in the other House of Parliament in their - favour. He believed that the agitation which had been got up • in.the country upon this question had been got up for improper purposes. The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered • to be comtnittedron the'3lst inst. .Their Lordships then :adjourned. - Nkl W WRIT. On the motion Of ' Sir J. CHETWODE, a new writ was ordered for the borough of Buckingham, in the room of Sir Thomas Fremantle, who, since his election had accepted the office of Secretary at War. The Whitehaven Railway Bill was read a third time and passed. SHEFFIELD, ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE, AND Mr. ESTCOURT said, that an arbitration clause had been introduced into this Bill, which, if passed, he thought would establish a dangerous precedent. He would, therefore, suggest that the third reading of the Bill be postponed for a fortnight, in order that a person might be sent down to Ashton., by the Board of Trade, to settle the disputed point, and that a clause founded upon his report should be in troduced into the Bill. Mr. LABOUCHERE, as Chairman of the Com mlttee, was inclined to agree with the Hon. -Gentleman- -in - this proposition, inasmuch as he believed that the substantial object for which the Committee had been appointed had been accomplished. The simple question was how the land which the Company were ' not about using should be appro priated. He was obliged to the Hon. Member for bringing the matter before the House, and also thought that his views were the best and soundest that had been taken of the matter.: After a few words from Mr. PARKER and Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET, the third reading was post poned for a fortnight. The third reading of the Ashton and Staleybridge Itailway Bill was likewise postponed for a fortnight. DUBLIN AND CASHEL RAILWAY. Mr. LABOUCIIERE despaired of being able to add anything to what had fallen from the Right Hon. the President of the Board of Trade. He agreed with the Hon. Member for Montrose, that when these undertakings were little understood it was right to have 10 per cent. deposited, but now that they were better understood such a regulation was no longer necessary. At a time too when so many persons were wanting employment, it was es pecially desirable to encourage these undertakings. He could confirm the statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman that the subject had been fully discussed in that Committee before the recommendation had been agreed to. Sir R. PEEL admitted that the House was not bound by the recommendation of the Committee, but still, when they had appointed a Select Committee, although their recommendation was not binding on the House of Commons, he thought it was at least entitled to the respectful consideration of the House.. The Committee was composed of gentlemen ! ad mirably qualified to decide upon the subject, and who had the advantage of — deliberating tipon it ; but he took higher ground 'upon this Occa sion. The carrying of this motion 'would materially facilitate the passing of the Bill for the construction of the Dublin and Cashel Railway.—(Hear, hear). This railway had been undertaken without any Government grant. It had been undertaken by persons of every party in politics. It Was of great importance that the example set in this instance should be encouraged. It would tend to give employ ment to the labouring classes in Ireland ; and he hoped, before the close of the session, that the Royal assent would be given to a Bill for the formation of a railway , between Dublin and Cashel.—(Cheers.) Mr. 'VERNON SMITH wished for the postpone ment of the discussion ; he thought the reason given by the Hon. Gentleman ought not to influence the House. Mr. GLADSTONE said the recommendation did not extend to more than three or four lines. Mr. R. FERGUSON said that keeping the order as it at present stood was a practical fraud, and he proved that it did not afford the slightest security. After a few words from Mr. MASTERMAN, Mr. HUME replied—He had heard no answer to his objection, and he should, therefore, take the sense of the House on the question. Sir R. PEEL said the Hon. Gentleman had mis understood him; he had not supported the recom mendation for any specific Bill, but for the advantage it would give to the formation of railways in Ireland generally. Mr. WARBURTON supported the motion for the postponement. Mr. HUME thought the question ought to be ad journed till they got the evidence taken before the Committee printed. The Hon. Gentleman moved, that the debate be adjourned. Mr. GISBORNE thought, if the question was put off upon the ground stated by the Hon. Member for Montrose, it would have the effect of putting it off till the end of the session. He hoped the House would at once agree to the resolution. After some observations from Mr. HUME and Mr. GLADSTONE, the amendment of Mr. Hume was with drawn, and the motion was agreed to. Mr. HAMILTON presented a petition from the Grand Jury of Dublin, in favour of the line of Rail way between Dublin and Cc/vibe!. Mr. GLADSTONE rose to move that as much of the Fourth Report of the Select Committee on Rail ways as related to the alteration of the 33d standing order be adopted by the House. The adoption of this proposition was a matter of great importance to all- . parties connected with railway property. In proposing the repeal of that part of the standing order which related to deposits, he by no means wished to cast the slightest imputation on the stand ing order itself. When made, it might have been the best which the House could adopt, and he had no doubt it was a wise and salutary provision.—(Hear.) Its operation had been this, that money was ad vanced, and so far the House had a guarantee that the , parties connected with the Bill were acting bona fide. But, with regard to the persons by whom the money was to be deposited, the Standing Order Was not complied with, for the money was principally advanced by persons interested in the new scheme who had the . command of capital. The standing order was passed with a view of dis countenancing unsound speculations, but it operated also to check those speculations which were sound in themselves, and at a time when trade was depressed, when it was rather desirable to stimulate undertakings of this description. So far as regarded those periods which were not periods of active speculation generally the reduction' of the deposits would produce almost unmixed good. It might be asked what security had they except from the deposits ? His answer was, they did not propose to do away with the deposits altogether, but to reduce them, and the great advantage of deposits was not so much in their amount as in their being deposits of any amount. But he thought it would be necessary that the - House should 'take some measures to make a more strict examination into Railway Bills than heretofore —that they should look more narrowly into the public reasons and objects of such Bill than - they were-"previously .accustomed to do—(Hear) —because he admitted that if it was probable they should continue for future years to abide by the same unregulated proceedings with regard to Railway Bills, which prevailed to a great extent up to the present time, the proposition which he now made, although it might be deserving of adoption on some grounds, would, on , the whole,: be liable to grave objections. He was not now prepared .to explain in definite terms the precise nature of the measure to which he referred, because its precise hature was now occupying the anxious attention of the COmmittee to which that House had delegated 'inquiry upon the whole subject of railways I- but he did say that some measure for ,the examination of railway schemes was requisite, and it was because he -believed that proposition to be in disputable, that he ventured to put it to the House that they might proceed so far as to part with a cer tain portion of the security which they had hitherto possessed. The proposition which he now made to the Hotise would have the effect of assimilating the rule of the House of Commons to the rule which subsiited in the House of Lords, and he had been apprised on good authority that that rule was not adopted by the House of Lords without mature consideration, which he thought an additional recommendation for the adop tion- of his proposition. He therefore begged leave to move that the standing Order, No. 33 be rescinded. There was another matter to which he wished to refer. It had been suggested that the parties, instead of being obliged to deposit money, should be allowed .to deposit Exchequer bills or other public securities. It ap peared to those parties' that they were obliged to leave money in an unfruitful state when it was thus deposited. But there was nothing in the Act of Parliament which should prevent the invest ment of ,those deposits in the public secu rities after the deposits had been, made. He did not think it would be expedient that Parlia ment should require the money to lie without pro dueing • interest, -because that would be imposing a pecuniary fine. Such was not the case as the law stood at that moment, and therefore the Committee had not made any recommendation. . The Clerk having read 'the Order at full length; . Mr. HUME said he had listened with great attention to what -had fallen f rom th e Right Inn. Gentleman, but, looking at the-evils which the stand ing order was intended to prevent, he had great doubts as to the propriety of abrogating it. He was ~'' -., •. SAVINGS' BANKS. Mr. HUME gave notice that he would to-morrow ask for returns relating to savings' banks and Go vernment annuities. Sir R. FERGUSON moved for a return of the expense of each district lunatic asylum in Ireland for the year ending the 31st of March, 1844, showing the total annual expense the annual average expense of each patient, the number of patients from each, and the sum charged to each county in the year ; also of the number 'of patients in each on the first day of April, 1843, the number admitted, the number discharged, distinguishing those discharged as cured,' as relieved, as harmless and incurable, and the number transferred to workhouses ; the number who have died, and the total discharged, the number in each on the 31st of March, 1844, the number to whom admission was refused, and the average number in each asylum in each year ; also of the total expenditure in each asylum in the year, the total cost per head per a,nnima, the expenses in furniture, bedding, and linen, the expen diture in fixtures, additions, and alterations, work men's bills, &c., the total expenditure in clothing, the total expenditure in salaries and servants wages, the total expenditure in food only, the cost per head' per annum for food, the cost per head per week for food, and the cost per head per day, all calculated from the average number of patients during the year ; also of the particulars of each salary, and servants' wages, and the totatamount of the same for the year; also of the number admitted into each asylum be tween the opening and the 31st of March,' 1844, the numbers discharged or recovered, the numbers dis charged or taken away by their friends as relieved, or harmless and incurable, or transferred to workhouses within that period ; the number of relapsed cases, and - the number who have 'died within 'that period, and the total number 'remaining •in each asylum on the 31st of March, 1844. The Hon: Baronet' also moved for similar returns from the Cork lunatic asylum; and also a return of the number of insane persons in each workhouse in Ireland, on the 31st' day. of March, 1844, with the estimated annual expense of each, and the total in public lunatic asylums and workhouses in Ireland, on the 31st day of March, 1844.—Ordered. Mr. HUME asked - the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite if he had any objection to lay on the table of the House •the correspondence between the Ame rican Minister and the' British Government, relative to the annexation of Texas to the American Union ? The Right Hon. Gentleman would perceive that the whole of that transaction- took place in con sequence of the interposition -of Great. Britain with Texas with respect to slavery. - Sir R. PEEL was not prepared to lay on the table of the douse any correspondence with respect to any treaty which had been signed relating to the annexa tion of that country. Mr. 'HUME did not want the correspondence re lating to a treaty having reference to the annexation of Texas. What he wanted was the correspondence which related-to putting down slavery in Texas. Sir R. PEEL wished to'knovv if it were- good po licy to publish just at the present moment that which had been published by another Government, and which could answer no good purpose? He thought it objectionable an principle, unless they were' pre pared to follow up the exampe which had been set them by another Government. DISSENTERS' CHAPELS I3ILL. Sir R. INGLIS wished to get some information on the order in which the business of the House would be taken. He was.anxious to know wl. - :en the Disr senters' Chapels Bill would be brought on? Sir R. PEEL said it was impossible for him to say on what day the Bill would come on. He was anxious to make as much progress as possible with the important measure which was to be founded on the resolutions which he would move that night, viz., the Bank Charter Acts Bill. He therefore, thought that any discussion which might be taken on the Dissenters' Chapels Bill, should be taken on the second reading rather than in any other stage, and he would not take the third reading before Whitsuntide. With respect to any further arrange ments which would be necessary with respect to Government Bills, he would state them after Whit eseeesswasoseeessesseees/Paesisesiteetisieitkiew‘w""'"7 tt nication with private individuals or such 'a` SP ~,,ec c i If in the subsequent communicatioes =whigli 00 ,u, a i . had with such partiei they had seen reason -to , ilw i e n their views, they would have had no hesiinti o ,o proposing the necessary alterations, but having, " i to the opportunity of communication, he lies-b o urn 4,.. say, that the (lovernment saw E 0 -reason whatever 1.6. modify the plan which he had proposed on 3 11 Y ea All the principles he then laid down he was prerr_ i , to stand by ; he had seen the proprietors of lispi-of Stock, the Directors of the Bank, representatn e d joint-stock and private banks, and he was no t enab to to say that the Government felt any vsillingnessok depart froth the plan proposed; and he' thil s t r i, the sense of the ' House upon that plan as 0 01 ginally proposed. But there were a few observoti° on the details of the plan which he must now 0° He had proposed that the issues of the Bank of Bora land should be made partly on Securities 'le partly on bullion ; the issue on securities jet be limited to 14,000,0001., and the rernaio°, on bullion. But there might be eireumstanc,or: in which the Bank might be required to' 'd crease its issues ; supposing that the circulation of private joint-stock banks should, from faiin r , s . o o voluntary agreements, be reduced from eight /ado, to four millions a month, the Bank might 10 . 0 . ply to increase its issues in order to „ r ; y ply the void thus created. That issue he r il l/ posed should be made upon securities, and that' ° lit , after a communication made to the Governfoctio and with the consent of the First Lord ° I al ai Treasury, the Chancellor of the Exchequer din the President of the Board of Trade. 1 1 t he not reserve that power from any distrust 0 ' the principles he had laid down, but to ine rt of particular case of the concession on the Pa k d banks Of issue, and the necessity of the 1351),,,,,, England; supplying the deficiency with its 0wn,,.%;e. LAt•the same time he considered it advisable , n f r e a Bible, to prevent all interference in this motto ' the Part either of the Executive' or the Represefl i , - r al Government. Yet, at the same time he cons"' f oyer . it would not he adVisable to give the Bank ther m is by law of increasing its circulation except in le- e in ! cases. 'lle.was not quite clear that in evert7ith• I which there, should be a void created by theirs the drawal 'Of other circulation, it ought to be ~Thi l s• power of the Bank to increase its c''' the tion on' securities.—(Hear, hear.) Supe h de case to be as it was at present, that there was 5 ,40, amount of bullion (about sixteen millions) in th e ''.'" 0 of of the Bank, the Bank would hare a circulat' ° s irt about thirty millionsnamely, sixteen Intll, / , ei bullion and fourteen millions in securities. 0 the circulation of the sixteen millions of bulb"' of • greater part would be dormant in the coffer; e ll the Bank, for about twenty-two millions would , t he that would be required for the circulation !ested country. Now, in such a case, if a void wer e 1 0 0 1 —say in Cornwall, for instance—by the with , r t i e e of 200,0001. of country bank notes from cireo!tsi he was not prepared to say that the Bank . ° g• WI once to increase its circulation upon se ello for but if hereafter it should be necesssr. 7 o' the Bank to increase its circulation on ' ches t tities, he thought that there should be som e ,' the upon that power. He therefore proposed ,1 0 tile preamble of the clause to recite what groun o ' l , le opinion of Parliament would justify the Pzr . pti increasing its issue on securities. These wertr yt ie , the failure of a country bank ; secondly, o° ' . et drawal by a country bank of its sues 'f ' thirdly, an undertaking on the parU e tie° country bank to -withdraw its em' - ee s 0 , if the Bank of England would substitute ite ° ° ,,,0 - its' the room of those of the country bank. T his tr io s in the preamble would show what was the iPt c oo of Parliament. He proposed that the Ban k ' dn ' e sit i it should consider it desirable to make an lo t :, es' its circulation, should not be permitted to do r zce oti cent upon application to the Executive Gover ° ,, afe' and that such consent should, be given ,by u"' yob' jesty in Council, such consent to b e ,' lished immediately afterwards in the London orb He preferred that to giving power to the BO" a b e any circumstances to aecrease its issuest°,gfth B was certain that while the present manage „,r 1 4 0: Bank continued, that power would not be. I st. sn' vantage of; but it was desirable to have a 0187 0 0 he therefore proposed that they should not i n d tY their securities, except •with the sanction - f or, • Council, and not to permit an i n crease fr t y curities, except on the distinct condition t o the amount of all securities should ni l a s es o seed' two-thirds of the amount of issues--thsoo' —that the issues on the increase of s ecurities be in conformity with the original principle, irgl in i til be reserved if the bullion amounted to one-07.4 its; total issues. There was another point of gm'" portance connected with the issues of the ,Y of England, to which he did not adiert on the lar, I , g' sion. , The question was,. willit was the defionfirefo "bullion ?"—(Hear)—whether did it include 0 " A well as gold, and whether the Bank could Otte, or silver as well as gold. It appeared from the' made by'the Bank, that with them builieti *O° silver•as well as gold. Should they inaude ' l e , the amount of bullion upon .Which it should lost' for the Bank to issue notes. This was . very i°3oo', They had not entered into' any engagement w • or Bank on the subject, so that theY.,i4 sci' perfectly free. He knew their strict and I c e t il l herence to the principle laid down would Fil/etioi issue of notes to the possessiennf gold alone; s t o o lope', limited the issues to the possession of gol,cl i p oose,, would not necessarily deprive the Bank 0f f t ' eie sion of silver, because the Bank _nligl to `. t y priate . a portion of the banking funu 7 . i e J o , possession of silver • and abate silver os t he banking department ; ' but as this Would g i ve ,i, turn, he thought it ..was hardly fair to ex,paes:; Bank would accede .to it, however r e n te d ef % their views might' be. If , they Pr e° a si l l t y Bank issuing any portion of their notes 11 44 f i e they must expect, the Bank would P. a , Asti° little silver for the public accomm° - • ft , _at had given some. consideration ,to 'this .6 t i agt cg he believed that considerable inconvenie nee- . . iossl o t if they altogether prevented the Bank fr e t % asn.,o any portion of their notes upon silver. I.lprioef, now speaking of any compromise of the gr, ei ' le gaill • ' that gold was the only, standard. The on'Y id. ' _ ; ,,hl ' ment by the Bank should be .in g°' a Pcici 4 person presented 50/. in notes . he should 11 , 31 0 0 9 lc, :t ee to demand fifty sovereigns in.gold, and 1 f ' lB O r ip of of the real standard weight, he should have so tionV demand notes in exchange. The Ur as , 0 4, the- public with the Bank, se. in!,..„;Art e ce • was concerned, should be perfectly . u"WleP' lot making a reduction 'of about lid• ba nr ai el‘ in the gold to be delivered in 0 .. ,,, c t ae/ Jr the notes, and the gold to be received fr o eating tee, upon the demand i of a :person Pr es ., f,' e el notes. That was to say . eVe ,iii ii" ?e t should have a right to sell gold to the ii9 O bo e demand payment in notes, receiving 31 40 9 o to ounce for gold he presented, and that he,. fo r his Po% a right to demand gold in exchange f ii , 0 1 ,0•0' receiving at the rate of 3/. 17s. 10}'1' t "i s i le;et : lid. for the expense of coinage.' Of o° 4o t r,(1 01 posed to make no alteration whatever in, 'ilit d o de, Every man was to be unfettered in ins, the Il es t it sil o mand gold in exchange for hia notes. J dea liaf P tion was, should he permit partial 1 .. a ave ni tio",, the Bank with respect to the receiVing ° 60 0' t beY hoped the country would not admit the tite a so le of silver for geld, but at . the sliM e w i l ich ,Ao,* were exposed to the inconvenience ; he stlr de ta from other countries adopting silyer as. "---- OD 08 '' At present the silver was sent out 0 f ..., 6s , , iise,, in exchange for gold, and the .g 0 . 14 , - 7 t _ till i; in the Bank. If they would ' Pnr'l o ,eil,,, a t ; to' pay those who were willing w: 01 0 0%0 , 3 silver, when the Bank thought' 5 ,t -„' ar lyit"oP, do so, the charge of that export. andl in ruiverL 00; saved. There was another reason eases svc,efici( not be altogether excluded.. Ren't° 4l 4 , f r ont, 1 14 13 0 ., made to a very considerable eaten' tea 04 be P:t and China in silver. If they Pre ven woo l 0 0 ' from issuing silver altogether, th re a 1 T he seek a market in foreign for c an o r • demand for it in this country. c , ou tf tr i e . ; w o o, ' again, there was a 'great universal transactions with some PS TI ' ie . Orate, chines - Aa' j particularly with India and ba d / , -,„;,1 f onr „ stock of silver. If, a partY,..; he er 4 of getting silver from the ,lank* . . ere 11 to ti: d when theY ^ enabled to get remittances, vv • :_•,.. to it iv`' from India or China, instead of hay . i.v:l r t tot ~., 00_, Continent for it. It appeared In eaejlity 0r0,.,g to ....,, t0 T o on give facilities to commerce, if they Per !,5 - irer, e/ . I°' A to issue some portion of its notes lc ,he itr . :; r 1 . ,,r, silver as a valuable commo4titY,Ai. ... 1 "Y" 01% according to the 'option Of ttLir d. 070 lice now, ceased to be a, stana% oun ce ra fece rr e ,getlie'i.',, . Votmerly ss. El• • P.. „ l a 0 •hi te but there le , 0, _ ta,e3 ' ivlint...4ride, for silver, __. co in w , le igr ,• floiy to that standard. Their: slivv_i at it $ Ol O l OO tofeeal, and.‘sS.,Zd. an ounce (34 ,ni,; ii air vt'-__ 0 0 e r its value. The amount of legal . 1 7 . ~.h t, trier! : 5 i1f . ,,, , to 405.,;' at the same time he tour ite o n! re cp advantage i n having r - r the be , a great ..4 W w FO P o f in this country that tha Bank should- be alloveeee e w___: - cat •A %IP; po tile t_l d of eny'''' . 4 0 ". 0 its:notes:4On silver, but that th s° ' t cation of theexwahainchge.a.votdebew issa:l.--li2;.osuableds. po..i, ~.trot..tip, it should so issue notes should ll cr eld;, j a illif,,a Bank should issue notes °P" c f ... silt' vincteri; Of •'the. amount which it issued u _,K° 2 2.51a1r ... P P ., .a , gold and one, .mil,lion ~,,a asei i •to - 1 f0r,,`,,,r • •then• if the Bank -found it ~..n.Trreadlisltif sn'ia its supply of gold, it must itseir iv.,_ 011 4?0!),,i, be e loss sustained in the conversion ot i t" ... 1 0 a , pan rita n o b ien ca s u il s v e er n ; o t t e ga ß l s d n e k m ; s a t F o ha tivero re ff ri ece S i, tl, e s j t satisfiedof the loss 'sustained hY .. I `_ s _- Ong re g le as id • Aron ; tif t if ' briniestok gold, requiring that gold, and g 0.., ~a idti iixy__..).o „ co l: in payment' of a debt---sti"' : l',; ia _i..niiihe Pa to - principle- ;upon which- this, .ye t d " s an i founded, he proposed to . sl_ exc h a nge / this advantage in rectifying the BANK CHARTER. The louse then went into Committee on the Bank of England Chaiter Acts. Mr. B. ESCOTT presented a petition from the in habitants of the Cities of London and Westminster, praying the House to repeal the Currency Law of 1819. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented a petition from Birmingham to the same effect. Sir R. PEEL said he should be very unwilling, interpose any observations before the commencement , of the discussion upon the resolutions which he should` move that evening, if he did not think„ it would be_ for the convenience of Members who Were likely to take part in that discussion, and for4be ;advantage of the discussion itself, were ht?,b,to Make planations on some points with . respect to which it was probable questions would •be pV:=--points relating rather to the details thin to the gbnefal prin ciples of the measure. He wai 81 . 1fentke HOuse would bear in mind that it was necessary for her Majesty's Government to frame their measure,and for. him, as the organ of that Government, to make the statement which he did on the 6th of May, without the advantage of communicating with parties whose opinions , on such a question were entitled to great weight. In his opinion deep and entire secresy in all matters relating to money was absolutely necessary. Making every concession to the honour and integrity of individuals in matters affecting the monetary interests of this country, the Government must be contetito with availing itself of such;,infixotatiott.4,. the, evidence taken before Committees and their own experience might supply. They must not enter into comm. 1, I