The Sun. — London, England, 1844-03-30 00:00:00

c arried s see the measure into operation. The Government s .' s Leo a compromise of this sort, because it was con tr to the principle upon which they had acted p o r Lug ge hout, and because it would not have answered the s s , s tT es of the Noble Lord, viz. afford time for the ' 4 " 4 in the factory for the exercise of those t . do mestic duties to which the Noble Lord had alluded, for purposes of recreation. He was sure that the ment would not suffer in the estimation of their -- ;.` l upporters because they refused to sacrifice their l e l_ons of right on this matter, nor consented to re -0,7 themselves f rom p rese nt diffi cu lty at the expense zinme ermanent interest of the country.—(Hear, hear.) man could more deeply regret separation from those sus e _nds of his who had been the consistent and regular de lyerters of the present Government. No ; Hon. Gen ,s_`_nen who supported him well knew that the way to zs__;ere lasting confidence and respect was to act accord mg to their conscientious convictions. And he was that three months hence his Hon. Friends sf e i l l'd hold th e G overnme nt in higher estimation. never felt more convinced of anything than that the p r oposed restraint would be most injurious to commerce I,,Zonsanufacture, but to no class so injurious as to the far people themselves. He thou& that, at least as s h es , a r as adults were concerned, the principles of labour 't 4 l be left entirely unshackled—should be left to Noble agreement. It was urged, in favour of the _° e Lord's proposition, that, in many towns, the fac h7 labourers did not work more than ten hours. Now s ai , (S ir E. Peel) thought this argument told rather in sot ?ttr of the principle of voluntary labour ; for if ope ras v es might so arrange, as it was stated they had ar tCged, not to work for more than ten hours, where was ts 7 need of legislative restraint ? Where was the 'nit of such dangerous interference ? He I,4)4say that the Government would yield to the " e Lord in preference to any other Member of tha t s . House. His Noble Friend had been for many tsrs the noble and consistent advocate of the principles W hich he now sought to carry into operation. He had the great sacrifices, and would have been a member of ,m i n eepresent Government but for his conscientious adhe los] to those principles. He considered that the re t•l'eiMt upon labour would not be attended with counter jng advantages, and that if the Government had ac ;`_e.d to the elevenpour compromise they would have Cskened their own position and given up those principles t: Which they had been contending. It was, he must re .ats with the greatest pain he differed from so many of supporters on this question, but he felt satisfied that 11 74'r further deliberation the majority of that House Would sake a very different view from that which they f t ‘ i u already taken. The Government would persevere etemperate, firm, and uncompromising advocacy of si p' own opinions, and he strongly hoped that the re sult Would prove, that the opinions of the majority of 4 14 Rouse would be in favour of the course pursued by ss r . Majesty's Ministers. % mt. CHARLES WOOD thought the proposition of s4 ) ,Yoble Lord was not at all calculated to give satis th 'ton to the, great body of the working classes, and ;. lit it would tend materially to injure the manufacturing interests. 4 4 40 rd pALMERSTON said it was time that, if the wis. °- ernrnent thought the maintenance of their proposal ss ' essential to the 'interests of the country, they were r feetly justified in carrying it out ; but, still, he s s ° tlght it rather an unusual course, after the sense ht the House being manifested as it had been tn i this instance, to withdraw the original ply.and then to replace it by another iden -1 s,,,the same. He could not at all attribute any tCe to his Noble Friend opposite, for consenting to course, because he thought it was the only manner fiord h e co uld act. At the same time it was his It' r ti Palmerston's) intention, if Ms Hon. Friend the e mber for Finsbury pressed his motion to a division, o „,Ycte in favour of it. Notwithstanding the particular so r ss 'll '" ions which the Government might entertain of the beneficial results of a Twelve Hours' Labour Bill, Oy er th a t o f one w hich sanctioned a smaller number, he gutight, after the strong expression of opinion by the i s t°l s e, that the Government did not act very judicious l y 1 oe t he course they were pursuing. He did net think the ss t ernraent were justified in charging Hon. Gentlemen I , o Pposed them with introducing a new principle in tstation, for they themselves proposed to regulate t he nr of adult females. It was the Government, there -1Z! that first introduced this innovation. — ( Hear. ) ts' 4 , r . WILLIAMS hoped hi s Hon. Friend the Member th s Finsbury would not press his amendment, as he Oght it would not be attended with any p racticall y T he result. ba Ike amendment was then negatived without a d i v ision, -- s` the order of the day was discharged. l REDUCTION OF DUTIES. °n the Order of the Day being read for going into a 01 1Mittee of Supply, E WART moved " That it is indispensable to h .! Maintenance and extension of the trade of this coun- W, that th ose duties be repealed which press on the i s * materials of the woollen and cotton trade : that it pedient also that those duties be g reatl y reduced 4 1 4 b ui "' press on articles of interchange i n return for our silufaetures ; especially such articles o f interchan g e as, ht,re same time, concern the subsis tence of the people ; (besides corn, which is the subject of superior and h s !arate consideration) such articles as tea, sugar, coffee, th ° ll , butter, and cheese : That it is ex p edient that I ,l °l e duties also be greatly red uced which, b y their t runt, enco u rage smuggling ; being at once in j urious ~..the revenue and dangerou s to the moralit y of the fZ tr Y ; such as the duties on tobacco, silk goods, and e s , In spirits: That whatever temporary deficiency of isue be cauecci by zueh reduction ought, until the tinereve bi„ regai n its former amount, to be sustained by the pro -4,11Y, and not by the trade and labour of the country." t tn regretted that the other evening, when he ss 7tight this matter before the House, it had not re tied that attention which its i m p ortance demanded. sCpcmgst the many points to w hich he would refer was o f raw cotton, the duty upon which operated most rshly upon S h e ma nufacturer. On the articles of tea, st o l f g t tr and coffee, the people ha d a right to an alteration , t ne duties, and on such com modities as tobacco, s,„r ts, Sic , the high duties on which led to smuggling, t it to . the House whether it was not better for the "Ilty of the country that those duties should be re , -ed. The duty on foreign spirits, such as brandy, tie ft, Sze , were unreasonably hig h, and he thought . t th e present Gvernmet would do well to follow the . i,tuple o f Mr. Pitt, who increased the revenue of the t illrY by lowering the duty on those latter articles. sere Lord G. Bentinck, who was conversin g on t h e mo tuilte r i a l b e nches with another Hon. Mem ber, said il oud " Question, question"— and EWART said—He was sorry to interrupt the Noble Lord. i s tord G. BENTINCK—No interruption—not in the "ett. rs s ' ir • EWART was sure that the Noble Lord did not len to insult an Hon. Member of that House. The 4 111 . Gentleman was proceeding to continue his address • 1 7, there being but a few Members present, ;1, 143 '. HUME moved that the House be counted. strangers were ordered to withdraw, and after the ee of a few minutes, on our re-admission we found, th ere being more than forty Membe rs p resent ; EWART on his legs, stating his conviction that t . Ri ght Hon. Gentleman the Chanc ellor of the Ex s,"equer cou ld n ot but see the impolicy ofmainta inin g the qestent system. If the Government adopted his views, eY Would find that the loss sustain ed in one article Wo uld b e compensated in another, and the ultimat e effect w 0f : 34 1d b e the advantage of the poor , by the c hea p enin g articles of _subsistence, and the removal o f smu gg lin g . s M. HUME rose to second the Motion , in o rder to kltress his surprise at the conduct of.those who ought ss l new better.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman --mart) had brought forward this subject on a „,-tner occasion, and the House w as then counted out, C iss ci when the Hon. Gentleman no w brou g ht the same itlect forward he was met by cries of " Q uestion." Bft Maj es ty's Government would not lo ok at the i l gin and source of the evil. The reeking rick s showed i tt• was the state of feeling amongst the labouring t iZres. The Hon. Member then read an extract from a Ittt paper in reference to the recent inc endiar y fires ; • sh tib uting the fires to low wages, and the severity of th e Poor-law. The present legislation prevented t r labourers from getting work, and therefore el obtaining food. It was discreditable to a reformed ti n f i s e of Commons to pay httle attention to the prac -147 grievances of the country. They would shortly i s si. s „ -e to go into a Committee of Supply. It was a dis i„ —e ra' fact that not more than forty or fifty persons tt .,° l lld attend the House on such occasions. He did forher Majesty's Government had much to answer -1* °II account of the present condition of this country. The SPEAKER having put the question, b . The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Z o ti. Gentleman had attacked the House of C ommons %body, For that attack he did not feel ; but he was Zed upon to reply ; and if 'the Hon. Gentleman had ton interrupted, the interruption arose from the feeling • the amendment was not likely to be of any practical Ts and it was opposed chiefly by those on his own side the House.—(Hear, hear.) He apprehended the °lt mover of the amendment had brought forward this ttilect rather with a view of stating- his opinion than t the hope of meeting with concurrence. All per °s agreed in the abstract principle that it was a great evil 4; to have taxes on raw materials. The Hon. Gentle all Said it was indispensable t the trade of this countr y that the tax on wool shoe' repealed. Why, it ap re- Pea a s e that the qw of cotton imported s_ this country in 1 - 842 was 4,200,000 cwt. e' 44 034 3 it was 5,200,000, being an increase of 100,0 00 :„ s t * -- alear, hear.) The value of the exports in 1842 21 ,690,0001.: in 1843, it was 23,440,0001., being an U w e rease in one year of 1,70 0,0001 . Take the article of 4° l . In 1842, the value of wool imported was ; in 1843, it was 4,860,000/. The exports in 154 1 r., amounted to 5,800,0001. ; in 1843, to 7,480,0001. ° W could the House, with these facts before them, ex press i s an opinion that it was indispensa ble to the main , a tre of our t ra d e in these two articles that the tax tbte3uLd be removed ? The propositio n would involve t en , Rouse in an absurdity, which it could hardl y in th—*--(Rear.) His general objection to th e other p arts of motion was, that it would not be wise to commit the Rouse to the expression of an opinion on very large ras of taxation. He thought the Hon. Gentleman . 4 as hardly aware, indeed, of the extent of his own pro- to ns . along. H e propose d to d ea l w ith an amount of taxa teu which w ou ld f a ll li t tl e s hort of thirty millions of v • enme• If the House adopted these propositions, what Wh ole e the effect ? Why, that they would throw the u tmost of the great interests of this country into the th e confusion, and create an alarm with respect to th e credit or this country by which they would forfeit all auu ° s_e advantages which they now derived from that oti je•—(Hear, hear.) He did not mean to express any ti xe ' s " as to the propriety or impropriety of these du• ty 3 ; the time would come when it would be their to state what were their views on that 140 .2 c- In one part of the Hon. Gentleman's ‘ l °n he proposed that the deficiency should sa es ruade up by a property-tax. On that subject the s s J l . Gentl man seeme d t o h ave c h a ng e d his opinion. -4 lie mistook not, he opposed the proposal of his Right THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVEN the public from the Zoological Gardens on Sunday, the day on which the members of the Society and the Mem bers of that House visited them in the greatest numbers. Wby should they deny the same right to the public ? No one could say that it would make them either less moral or less religious. As to the exhibition of drawings and prints in the Museum, it would require another building, but it would be of great advantage to the public. He hoped the Hon. Member would not advise the Trustees to take care of any new department ; the great fault was, that they undertook too much already. Mr. WYSE suggested that if any new gallery were added to the Museum it would not be confined to . _ illus trations of one age only,, but that it should embrace those of several. He would also suggest to the Right Hon. Baronet the propriety of providing a proper col lection of casts for the use of students and the public, and of erecting a building for their teception. He be lieved there was already such a collectionlir Edinburgh and in Dublin a committee had been foinibd'jfikithie purpose of forming a similar collection. There was, however, some difficulty in finding a site for the gallery, and he would suggest to the Government the propriety of furnishing a site. He also thought there should be a similar gallery here. When once the gallery was erected the cost of the casts would be trifling. There should also be a theatre for lectures, and it had been suggested the gallery should be open to the public in the morning and to students only in the evening. Sir R. PEEL thought the subject was well worthy of attention, and he could assure the Right Hon. Gentle man that the Government took great interest in the question. Lord J. MANNERS complained of the disgraceful way in which some of our most ancient monuments were defaced and destroyed by modern corporations, and trusted the Government would exercise its influence to shame these modern Goths and Vandals. Mr. HUME considered the answer of the Right Hon. Baronet to his question was very unsatisfactory. The British Museum was the only establishment in Europe in which there were no conveniences for the accommo dation of the visitors. He believed the Right Hon. Baronet visited the Museum on a Sunday, and why would he not let every one avail himself of the same privilege ? Mr. BORTHWICK considered that, abstractedly, it would be right that the Museum should be open on a Sunday ; but he doubted whether such a proceeding would be in acr;ordance with the feelings of the great body of the people. The cathedrals, however, ought to be opened to the public on a Sunday—(Cheers)—instead of being closed more rigidly against the public on that day than any other. He was glad to know that in Westminster Abbey one step had been taken towards devoting the building to popular use—(Hear, hear)---but he was sorry to find that at St. Paul's nothing had been done.—(Hear, hear.) An Hon. Member had spoken of the monuments of the middle ages. Many of the monu ments in these cathedrals were of no age, and those who went to worship the figures which were seen sprawling on the walls, might do so without committing any breach of the second commandment ; for they resembled no thing in the heavens /above, in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth. Mr. HUTT asked whether persons could obtain casts of the statues in the British Museum ? Mr. HUME said it ought to be generally known that any persons might have casts of the works of art in the British Museum by paying the expense of making them. Dr. BO WRING hoped that some measures would be adopted to procure an interchange with other nations of casts of works of art. The vote was then agreed to. COMMTSSARIAX. Sir G. CLERK, in moving the commissariat esti mates, said that there was a large increase in the esti mates for the commissariat this year, which arose from tha fact of a large sum, which used to appear partly in the army estimates and partly in the ordnance esti mates, having been transferred to the commissariat. The commissariat had always had the charge of supply ing forage on foreign stations to the troops. The esti mates for those supplies had formerly appeared partly in the army estimates, partly in the ordnance estimates, and partly in the commissariat estimates. This had led to a complication of accounts, and it had been considered that it would be, on the whole, better that the depart ment which had the charge of providing the articles should also estimate the funds that would be required. On this account, in the present year, there was an in crease of 232,0001., which had been transferred from the army and ordnance to the commissariat estimates. The Hon. Baronet then moved that a sum of 436,0001. be voted for the expenses of the commissariat department. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE thought it would be well for the chairman to report progress, inasmuch as the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary for the Home Department had given notice of his intention to introduce a new Fac tories Bill that night. Now there was every reason to believe that this Bill would give rise to some discussion, and therefore he (Mr. Duncombe) thought it ought not to be introduced after eleven o'clock. Sir J. GRAHAM said he should be very happy to bring on the Bill to which the Hon. Gentleman referred at once. As, however, his statement would be but a short one, he did not think it necessary to adjourn the Com mittee so early. Mr. HUME thought the observation of the Hon. Member for Finsbury deserved some attention. The Bill which was about to be introduced by the Right Hon. Baronet was a very important one, and the public would naturally be very anxious to know what was the diffe rence between the eld and new Bills. He thought they might agree to the vote then before the House, and then report progress. After a short communication the vote was agreed to. A sum of 46,6821 was voted for the half-pay of the commissarat department. A sum of 18,407,830/. was voted to pay off Exchequer Bills. The CHAIRMAN reported progress, and asked leave to sit again. The House then resumed. ➢IETROPOLITAN BUILDINGS BILL. The Earl of LINCOLN moved that the Bill be read a second time. Mr. HUME wished to ask the Noble Lord whether he intended to refer it to a Committee up stairs. The Earl of LINCOLN did not propose to refer it to such a Committee. The Bill was then read a second time. FACTORIES BILL. On the motion for proceeding with the Order of the Day on the Factories Bill being put, Sir JAMES GRAHAM said that the House would remember that in the early part of the evening the Bill which he had introduced in the early part of the session was withdrawn, by permission of the House ; and he believed the opinion of the House was pretty ge neral that he should have leave to introduce another Bill on the subject. Having, on the former occasion, entered at length into the subject, he was not prepared at the present moment to trespass on the attention of the House. At the same time it was right to state to the House what was the precise nature of the Bill. The Bill which was withdrawn was a Bill which re pealed all former Acts regulating employment in facto ries. The Bill which he now introduced repealed none of the former laws on the subject, but it introduced certain amendments. Speaking generally the amend ments he introduced into the present Bill were amend ments recommended by the Committee which sat on the subject in 1840. The Bill which he introduced pro vided that children between the ages of eight and eleven should not be employed in any factory in the manufac ture of silk, for a longer period than six hours and a half, and between the ages of eight and thirteen, for a no longer period in the manufacture of cottons, wool lens, and flax ; and further, that six hours and a-half should not be extended over the forenoon and afternoon of the same day, but should be confined to either. In those factories where children worked ten hours, it was provided by the Government measure that they should work for that period on alternate days—that if they worked ten hours on one day they should not work at all on the next. He proposed an alteration in the exist ing law, respecting surgeons' certificates. At pre sem surgeons could only grant certificates as far as appearances were concerned, but he proposed that the surgeon should certify as to the health of the child, and whether or no it was fitted for the employ ment proposed. In accordance with the recommenda tions of the Committee, he proposed that proper guards should be put upon machinery—that it should be boxed up so as to prevent accidents. It was further proposed that all accidents, without reference to age, should be report , d to the inspector, and that the Secretary of State should be empowered to direct prosecutions against the owners of factories when accidents occurred by ma chinery through the proper guards being wanting. It was further proposed that the damages obtained in such actions might be awarded to parents and guardians. It was proposed for the first time (and not in pursuance of any recommendation of the Committee) that females should not work for a longer time than that at present allowed for young people. He had thus briefly stated the provisions which the Bill contained, and would not at present further detain the House. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE thought the Right Hon. Ba ronet might have saved himself the trouble of intro ducing the present Bill, which would leave things just as they were, and repeal no grievance. The Right Hon. Baronet might have made his statement much shorter. ' How far this Bill would be satisfactory to the House and to the country time would determine. He thought the Right Hon. Baronet was fully justified in the course he had pursued, for it was quite clear that those Hon. Members who were opposed to him on one evening were prepared to support him on the next.—(Hear hear.) The people of England, at all events, Should not be deluded. It was quite clear that the advantages which the Noble Lora gained on a former evening were lost. The Right Hon. Bart. told the House there was not any chance of relief in limiting the hours of labour ; he managed the matter most dexterously. Three times the House had told the people of England that their women and chil dren should not be worked more than ten hours ; but they were to continue in a state of slavery. Redress from the Government or that House hed proved to be hope less; the matter must be left for public agitation and to the Times newspaper. At a future time they would have some " sham moves," but he believed he might say that the Noble Lord would never again obtain such support as he had already obtained. The Noble Lord's forces were completely abandoned, and he wished the Right Hon. Baronet joy of the triumph he had achieved, but he sin cerely condoled with these poor people who were still doomed to slavery and hardship.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped that the House would not sanction the principles of the Bill introduced by the Hon. Baronet the Secre tary for the Home Department. Mr. HUME objected to this Bill upon the very princi ples utged in its favour by the Government, but still he should reserve for a future occasion, his general reasons for voting against it. He would advise the Right Hon. Gentleman to reconsider this Bill, and not be led away by misrepresentations, and to consider well before they should at all trench upon the free and unshackled exer cise of labour. He believed the Right Hon. Baronet ought,was wrong Committee insteadn who,ot b f w e nu p t rin rddh c ue i princip les of h g evidence i o havenidl , make and th at appointed r ep ohraet upon which legislative measures might be enacted. Let ' the Government remove the impediments which existed against the exercise of labour ; and they would have no necessity for such restrictions as those now proposed. Mr. HA\VBS said, he must certainly, so long as re strictions upon trade existed, vote against any proposition which would have the effect of restricting labour. He was sure that while they existed it was absolutely essential, to enable the manufacturers to make a fair profit, that they should impose excessive toil upon the operative. He would ask the Govarnment were they determined to uphold those restrictions ? If Then the Right Hon. Baronet opposite wore to adopt a ..different course with respect to protective duties, he for one should not oppose the restriction of labour, but until then he should oppose the introduction of this Bill. Sir C. NAPIER hoped that the House would support the Ten Hours' Bill. Leave was then given to bring in the Bill. COUNTY COURTS BILL. Sir JAMES GRAHAM then rose to ask leave to bring in a Bill to amend the jurisdiction of county courts. The county courts were some of the most ancient courts in the country, and in them there was no limit to the extent to which personal actions were brought. But one defect was, that under the writ of justitia parties were allowed to remove their suits to West • ininster Hall, without being obliged to give security for costs. That was a defect which it was proposed to re move by the present Bill. The cumbrous machinery which had been altered in the superior courts had remained unchanged in the country. That, also, was a defect which it was intended to remove. He proposed, also, that the judges in those courts should be paid by salary and the clerks by fees. In courts that might hereafter be formed the clerks should be paid by salary. With respect to the extent of jurisdiction, he. had, on mature consideration, decided that to go to 15L The subject matter to be cases of simple contract, breach of agreement, &c. As to the form of proceeding he pro posed that the plaintiff should serve the defendant with notice seven days before trial; and that if both plaintiff and defendant were in the district, the suit should not be taken out of the district. But if the plaintiff were out of the district, he should have the option of bringing the suit, either in the county courts or in the sup:rior courts ; and if the parties should re quire a jury, it should be competent for the judge to grant a jury which need not consist of a larger number than five persons ; it should also be competent for the court to make an order, for payment of debt, by instal ments,. and judgment might be taken either against the body or the goods. Mr. WARBURTON trusted if there was to be an ap peal, it should be confined to one exercise only of the right. He hoped the examination of both parties would be allowed. This was the case in the Court of Bank ruptcy, and he did not see why the system should not be made to apply to the proposed new courts. Mr. CRIPPS considered that the examination of both parties involved a question of great doubt and delicacy, which would require great consideration on the part of the House. After a few words in explanation from Sir J. GRAHAM and Captain PECHELL, leave was given to bring in the Bill. Sir J. GRAHAM obtained leave to bring in a Bill for regulating the bailiffs of inferior courts. POOR-LAW BILL. Sir J. GRAHAM said that the Order of the Day for the committal of this Bill stood for Monday ; with the permission of the House he would now move that it be read, for the purpose of postponing it to April 26. FACTORIES BILL. Sir J. GRAHAM then brought in the Factories Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a; second time on Monday, the 22d of April. The RIGHT HON. BARONET also brought in the County Courts Bill, and the Bailiffs' Regulation Bill, both of which were read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Monday, the 15th April. The House then adjourned at a Quarter to One till Monday. ebtrb lattton THE FUNDS-(CI B RITISH _ . _ ,OSING PRICES). _________ FUNDS. Bank Stock 3 per Cent. Red I Ditto Bonds 3 per Cent. Cons. 3% per Cent. Red ... New 3 34 per Cent. 102% Ex. Bills, 1,0001. 1%c1... 70 pm. New 5 per Cent. Ditto 5001 7O pm. Long Annuities to expire Ditto Small 7O pm. Jan. 1860 Bank Stock for Acct.... 200 Oct. 1859 — Consols for Acct Jan. 1860 .... India Stock for Acct.... Hon. Friend to establish an income-tax. He had now changed his opinion. Mr. B WART—No, no ; that was an income-tax.— (Hear, hear.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he believed he acted in concurrence with the general opi nion in not entering further into the discussion of this subject. Believing the motion could not be attended with a good effect, he should certainly offer it all the opposition in his power.—(Hear, hear.) Dr. BOWRING said it was only by bringing forward these subjects, thus repeatedly that they could hope they would be brought to a satisfactory settlement: Matters could not long continue in their present position. The experiments which the House seemed determined to try would not at all diminish the public distress. The pro bability was that they would greatly aggravate and in crease it.—(Hear, hear.) The whole tone and character of their proceedings must undergo a great change; and the more this was impressed upon that House, and through it upon the country, the greater chance was there of the evils of the country being remedied. Mr. F. BARING said that if the Legislature were to make any compensation in the way of imposing new taxes in lieu of others, they ought to do so on some com prehensive principle. If they were to take off taxer, they ought to look at what the effect of the Excise was upon industry and the comfort of the people. If they were only to take the case of soap, he would say that no tax upon raw material operated more severely upon the poor than that tax did. He believed, with Mr. Cobbett, that there was no tax which did not press severely upon the labouring classes ; but he did not think that any relief would be afforded to them by reducing the duties on the import of the raw material. He hoped that the House would not accede to the motion. Mr. WILLIAMS thought that no man who paid at tention to the interests of the country could uphold the duty upon the import of the raw material of wool and cotton. If the late change in the duty had not taken place, he asked, what would be the state of the Exche quer ? What would be the condition of the Government? He could see no reason why the raw material should be taxed. If he were to take the tax upon tobacco he should ask why the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite should pay no more than 125 per cent. upon his cigars when the poor man was obliged to pay upon his tobacco up wards of 800 per cent., and the poor man paid upon the coarse kind of tea four times as much as any Member of that House paid for his own beverage. It was to him quite evident that the House of Commons had no sym • pathy for the people ; and, without meaning any disre spect, he would express his hope that the day was not far distant when the House of Commons would feel the pressure out of doors. Mr. P. HOWARD, .in supporting the motion, wished to state his opinion, that.when the Legislature imposed the tax upon incatne they should have followed the example of the rest of Europe, and left the import of the materials of labour untaxed. The manufacturers of England were exposed to very severe competition with the Low Countries, with the tact and activity of France, and with the steady indus try, not of our fellow -subjects, certainly, but of the de scendants of our own race in the United States; and un der these circumstances, he thought it highly desirable that her Majesty's Government should take the tax upon cotton wool into their serious consideration, with a view to its removal. The House then divided, when there were— For going into Committee BB For Mr. Ewart's amendment ...... 24 Majority for Ministers SUPPLY—BRITISH MUSEUM. The House then went into Committee, Mr. GREENE in the Chair. Sir R. PEEL said the House was so familiar with the subject for which he was going to ask a vote of money, that he felt it was unnecessary to say anything in pro posing it, though he should be most happy to answer any question, or give any information that might be de sired. He would, therefore, simply move, that a sum not exceeding 37,987/. be granted to her Majesty for the charges of the British Museum. Mr. BERNAL said he wished to call the attention of the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) to the case of one of the most deserving officers of that establishment. It was that of Mr. Jose, an able, experienced, and efficient servant, whose salary was only 350/. per annum, who had no apartments assigned to him, and whose duties were of the most responsible character. He was en trusted with a vast amount of property, and was en gaged in classifying large assortments of prints, and had lately re-arranged the whole of the Rembrandt collec tion. During the last year, from seven thousand to eight thousand persons had visited the Library, and he really thought, that where such responsibility rested, and where services were so efficiently performed, they ought to command a somewhat higher salary. Sir ROBERT PEEL said no one was more willing to bear testimony to the character and services of this excellent public servant, than he was. He ((Mr. JoEi) had been elected to his present situation by the una nimous vote of the trustees; but then it had been done on the plain, distinct understanding, that its duties were to be performed for the present salary. This had been stipulated by the trustees, and agreed to by Mr. Jose. He trusted the. Hon, Member (Mr. Bernal) would be satisfied with the testimony he (Sir R. Peel) had borne to the services of Mr. Jose; but he must be excused from being made a party to any increase of a salary which had been accepted as an adequate compensation for the duties of the office accepted by the party. These things, moreover, were much better left to the discretion of the trustees. Mr. BERNAL wished it to be understood that he had had no communication with the individual in question, either directly or indirectly, in reference to this matter. Mr. HUME said the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir Robert Peel) seemed to think that the question of salaries should be left entirely to the trustees, who were re sponsible for the proper performance of their duties. But to whom were these trustees responsible ? Not to that House, nor to any one competent authority ; but, simply to each other. The fact was, the constitu tion of the board was not what the public wished or had a right to expect. As long as it remained a close body, a monopoly—there would be dissatisfaction. In refer ence to the subject introduced by the Hon. Member (Mr. Bernal), he should feel it his duty to move for a detail Of certain salaries, and whether the recipients of them held other situations or not. He thought if the Museum was kept open on Sundays t would tend to the greatest good, and prevent many persons from going into public-houses and committing the greatest immo ralities on that day. Now, he could not conceive what could be the objection on the part of the trustees, in not making the improvements that had been pointed out for several years. He did not see why children under eight years of age should not be admitted. Another most foolish thing was, that of compelling parties to write their names, by which great inconvenience was occa sioned as crowds of persons were by that means col lected together. Sir R. PEEL would not remonstrate against the Hon. Gentleman's complaints, but the question was, were they reasonable ? Now in the first place the trustees were not responsible for these estimates, but the Treasury was. There was not a return as to the duties of the officers of the Museum, which the Hon. Gentleman chose to call for, that he should not have ; and as to the complaints of the trustees, he thought that the Hon. Member must admit that such men as the Duke of Sutherland, Mr. Hallam, and others, were not much calculated to adopt any course that would be injurious to the institution. So far from that, it was shown by the number of visit ors, that the rules laid down by them had been produc tive of great convenience, for in 1840 the number of visitors was 247,000, while in 1843 they were 517,400. The trustees, therefore, had so far succeeded in attracting a greater number of 'visitors. Then, with respect to the admission of children ; the age at which they should be admitted ought to be limited, because it must be appa rent to every one, that children could receive no benefit from attending them, although they could materially in terrupt the attention of others. The necessities they relieved were anything but the necessities for acquiring knowledge.—(Great laughter.) He could assure the Hon. Gentleman, however, that the circumstance had been brought under the attention of the trustees, and there was every disposition to give all facilities to the public. Mr. PROTHEROE hoped that no excrescences would be' attached to the new building.—(Laughter.) He alluded to the department of the library. He thought it would be very unadvisable to make any present addi tions, for the time was approaching when there must be an emigration of some part of the collection, either of the statues or of the collection of natural history. lie wished that means could be taken to exhibit the draw ings and prints in the Museum, in the same manner as the Duke of Devonshire exhibited his collection of original drawings at Chatsworth. With regard to the introduction of children into the Museum, it would be painful to him to do anything that would lessen the pleasures of this interesting portion of the species, but from being often at Hampton Court, he was sorry to say that the introduction of children there did not at all add to the pleasure of grown gentlemen.—(Hear, hear.) At the same time he could not but pay a tribute of praise to the exertions of the Hon. Member for Mon trose on all occasions to increase the facilities of access to this national institution.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. BERNAL said, there was a total want in this country of one department that ought to form part of a National Museum. There was not in this country any collection of monuments illustrative of their national history, nor of any specimens of the arts, implements, or costumes of the middle ages. There was an abun dance of specimens of Egyptian art and manufacture, of the arms and implements of the South Sea Islands, of mineralogical and botanical productions, and of numis matic treasures. But of anything appertaining to the life and history of the middle ages,eur artis ts, having no models whatever to study from, were entirely ignorant. The productions of their artists were thus disgraced by their ignorance of this period ; thus it w , ,,s that they might find in modern paintings, Indian shield is Highland subjects, and South Sea weapons in table ' European warfare. In France, not only was great t ttentinn paid to this sub ject by the Government, but b) Municipality of Paris. One of the best speciments of ill: style of building of the middle ages, the Hotel de Cluni, had been purchased by Louis Philippe, and the Municipality ,of . Paris had voted a large sum for its restoration. Dr. BOWRING suggested that an easy and econo mical mode of adding to their national collection of works of art and nature might be adopted by sending a circular containing some simple instructions, to the British diplomatic officers abroad, who, by very slight exertions, might frequently make very valuable additions to the Museum. Sir R. PEEL said that specimens in mineralogy and botany had been obtained by some of the Consuls abroad. Within the last week the Treasury had authorised the expenditure of 2,0001. for completing the zoolo g i ca l and botanical catalogue of the collection made by the Antarctic Expedition. The catalogues were to be com pleted by Mr. Brown, whose unobtrusive merit was not sufficiently known, and who had been an associate of Sir Joseph Banks. Mr. WARBURTON complained of the exclusion of FOREIGN FUNDS. Austrian, 5 per Cent - - --- ::=MPortuguese, 5 per Cent — Belgian, 5 per Cent 'Ditto, New Ditto Brazilian Bonds Buenos Ayres, 6 per Cent... Russian, 5 per Cent Chllian, ( per Cent Ditto, Metallic Colombian, 6 per Cent ...... 15% Spanish, 5 per Cent 263 Ditto, 1824 Ditto, 3 per Cent 37% Cuba Bonds, 6 per Cent B3 Ditto, Deferred l5 Danish, 3 per Cent Greek, 18.5, 5 per Cent — Exchange —f. —c. Mexican, 5 per Cent . ..... ... 87 French, 3 per Cent. —f. —c. Ditto, 6 per Cent., 1837. ..... . Dutch, 2% per Cent Peruvian, 1825, 6 per Cent... 91 Ditto, 5 per Cent ... 102% --- SHARES. - Birmingham and Derby (100 paid) 63 Chester and Holyhead ( 5 paid) 7% Chichester and Brighton ( 5 paid) 5% Dublin and Cashel (2% paid) Eastern Counties (23 paid) Ditto, Perpetual 5 per cent. (135.4 d. p tid) Edinburgh and Glasgow (50 paid) 61% Great Western (75 paid) Ditto Half Shares (50 paid) Ditto, .I.iii•he 02 patxl). • is Hull and Selby (50 paid) 6O Lonion and Brighton (50 paid) London and South Western (411. 6s. 10d. paid) 82% Ditto Eighths (Iss. paid) London and Croydon (Trunk) — Ditto Scrip ( 7% pa , d) Manchester and Leeds (70 paid) Ditto Half Shares ( 0 paid) Manchester and Birmingham - .B Norwich and Brandon ( 2 paid) 7 Newcastle and Darlington Junction (15 paid) , 38% North Midland (100 paid) Ditto Half Shares (40 paid) 45 Paris and Orleans (20 paid) Paris and Rouen (80 paid) l6 South Eastern and Dover (50 paid) 37% Strasbourg and Bale (14 paid) l3 York and Scarborough Branch (23 g paid) RAILWAY RETURNS. We extract from the Railway Magazine the sums received on the principal Railways of Great Britain for the week ending on the day of the month prefixed to each. The return includes the money received for passengers, parcels, carriages, horses, mails, and mer chandise:— Week Total. Name of Railway. ended .E. s. d. Mar. 23 Arbroath and Forfar llB 4 5i 23 Birmingham and Derby Junction 1,279 5 11 22 Birmingham and Gloucester 1,988 3 2 23 Brandling Junction 755 6 10 22 Chester and Birkenhead 26 Dublin and Kingstown 646 12 4 24 Dundee and Arbroath 214 6 2i 23 Durham and Sunderland 519 5 11 23 Edinburgh and Glasgow 1,982 5 0 24 Eastern Counties and North Eastern 3,331 10 11 23 Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr 1,228 18 11 23 Glasgow and Greenock 651 11 4 23 Grand Junction 6,651 19 0 23 Great North of England 1,253 6 8 24 Great Western 22 Liverpool and Manchester 23 London and Birmingham 28 London and Blackwall 629 5 7 23 London and Brighton 27 London and Croydon 28 London and Greenwich 687 1 7 24 London and South Western ....... 21 Manchester, Bolton and Bury 739 6 14 23 Manchester and Birmingham 2,828 8 9 23 Manchester, Leeds, and Hull Assoc 5,383 2 10 23 Midland Counties 23 Newcastle and Carlisle 1,415 14 2 24 Newcastle and North Shields 3lB 11 11 23 North Midland 22 North Union and Bolton and Preston 1,113 19 9 19 Paris and Orleans 25 Paris and Rouen 3,925 0 0 23 Preston and Wyre 238 12 4 23 Sheffield and Manchester 469 8 1 28 South Eastern 23 Taff Vale 24 Ulster 23 York and North Midland SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAT. GLOBE.—The County Courts Bill—which had been delayed until hope of its appearance had almost become extinct—was last evening introduced to the House of Commons by Sir James Graham. The more easy recovery of small demands—whether of the nature . of simple-contract debts ; or of damages for trespass against the person or property of the claimant ; or for the unlawful holding of pro perty, rendering the party liable to an action of trover—are proposed to be brought within the juris diction created by the Bill, should it pass into a law. The County Courts (sometimes called the Freeholders' . Courts) are among the most ancient Courts of the realm ; but they partake of the de fects which time, and the changed condition of so ciety, necessarily create in ancient institutions. No limitation exists as to the amount for which a per sonal action may be brought in them ; a writ of justicies is therefore issued to remove actions from their jurisdiction into the superior Courts in West minster-hall. While the practice of the superior Courts has been re-modelled and their machinery simplified, in accordance with the recommendations of the, report of the Common-law Committee in 1839, the county courts remained unimproved. This abstinence from interfering with their constitution, probably arose from an anticipation that they would undergo a complete remodelling by Parlia mentary enactment, with a view to simplifying their operations and extending their jurisdiction. So far as we have been able to examine the Bill now introduced, it appears to be adapted to the ob jects proposed to be effected by its means. The claim is to be limited to 151., the subject-matter of the jurisdiction we have already described: in the case of small debts the writ of summons must be issued at least seven days previous to the day of trial : either party may demand a jury, which is to be com posed of five : the Court may order the debt to be paid by instalments : execution to issue against either the body or goods of the defendant. Upon giving proper securities, either party may remove the case into a superior Court ; and also obtain a new trial, on the same conditions. Cases for the recovery of possession of premises, in which two magistrates have now the power to interfere, are to be trans ferred to the Judge of the Court. In cases of debt, the Court is empowered to examine either, or both, NG, MARCH 30, 1844., the parties, with the view to the discovery :of the truth relating to the matter in issue. The brief outline we have given of the leading features of the propsoed measure will' serve to show that, if passed, it will be a great boon to the poorer classes of arti zans, small tradesmen, and shopkeepers, who will be enabled to prosecute their claims for debts or injuries under 151., without the apprehension of being ruined by the expense, or worn down by the law's delay—tha dread of which has often induced them to submit to the loss of the debt, or to sit down under the injury, rather than encounter the greater loss in the shape of costs, and the uncertainty with which th e i ssue , caused by the protraction of the proceedings, has been involved. The measure will also place the whole kingdom on the same footing with respect to these advantages. The principal cities and towns have already availed themselves of the Act of 1839. About forty of them have applied for, and obtained Acts for the erection of local courts, in which debts under 151. are recoverable by a cheap and easy process. Mr. Hawes made an observation of great practical im portance, and which will well deserve the careful con sideration of the House when in committee on the clause to which it relates. The Bill gives power to issue execution against the pers.m of the debtor. The operation of this power, invested in the Courts of Re quest, has given rise to serious oppression, and in flicted heavy burdens on the county rates. The Acts under which these Courts were created apportion im prisonment in the county prison, for default of pay ment, at the rate of ls. per day for the amount of the debt and costs. The persons who are subjected to this imprisonment are, we need hardly say, the poorest of the poor. They are maintained while in prison at the cost of the county, and thus inflict upon the county-rate payers an amount of costs for their maintenance and safe custody, more than double the amount of debt for which they are confined. Mr. Hawes remarked—" It had been re commended by a Committee which sat some years ago, that all persons proceeded against for debts below a certain amount should be liable to an execution against their goods. He always thought that some general provision should be made on that point. He should call attention to this point when the Bill came regularly under the con- I sideration of the House. He hoped that those local Acts, which enacted so many days to liqui date a debt, would be taken into consideration, as he was quite sure it would not only effect a saving in the county-rates, but also put an end to the enormous misery so frequently suffered by families being broken up in consequence of the im prisonment of the head." The great objection to limiting by law the remedy of the creditor to the goods of his debtor, consists in the difficulty of ascer taining whether the poor person who applies for credit has furniture, or any other description of goods, properly his own property, so as to be available to meet the process of the Court. Sir J. Graham remarked : If to have credit was advantageous to the poor (of which he was not quite convinced) he was very much afraid that unless there was a remedy against the person, credit would be stopped." If imprisonment could be ren dered of any advantage to the creditor, in such cases, by obtaining for him the payment of his claim, there would be some reason for depriving the debtor of his liberty. But this is impossible. The trader has the remedy in his own hands. Where there are not visible means of payment, he can refuse credit. If he thinks there are, and is deceived by ap pearances, he had better regard it as a bad debt, and forego his claim, than pursue his debt for the mere purpose of incarcerating his person, and thus break up his family, compel them to seek refuge in the workhouse at the expense of the parish, while the m: in himself is maintained out of the county-rate. 3t false pretence, for the purpose of obtaining credit, lv punished as a fraud; but where a trifling amount txf Idebt has been incurred, as a simple contract be tween the parties, and there is no property upon vihich to levy execution, the practice of imprisonment is, to say the least of it, extremely impolitic, if it be not unnecessarily severe. STANDARD.—For forty years the Whig party has been essentially a persecuting party—we use the phrase in a strict sense, as describing a party mean and malignant enough to hunt out indi viduals frequently very humble and obscure individuals against whom to direct the whole power of the party, be it much or little, for the ;purpose of injuring or destroying the selected victim. The only opportunity of indulging the persecuting disposition, however, arises when the person to be in jured happens to be promoted or otherwise favoured lay the advisers of the Crown, for happily, in social I life, party has no power, and this opportunity has the recommendation, that persecutors may invest %emselves with pretences of care for the public 3Nood, and indulge their spite under the cloak u.f . :patriotism. The memory of most readers will supply numerous instances in which the Whigs have resorted to the expedient, but we challenge % single example of a recourse to it on the part of Tories or Conservatives. And let us remark Dy the way, that this contrast alone decides the question which party is composed of gentle men—generous men, and men of honour—and ii hich is not. The Whigs attack the individual, n o matter how humble his rank—no matter how stal the attack may be to the interests of an innocent and meritorious man and to the living of his family ; and in this way they have directly ruined many better men than themselves, and indirectly ruined more by rendering it intolerably embarrassing, if not impossible, for the opposite party to pay their debts to their most zealous and useful, who are always their least discreet and most uncom promising, friends.MA Tory or Conservative Go 'vernment might safely confer patronage upon a -worthless lukewarm hanger-on, but woe be to it of it should dare to aid a bold and efficient friend— a motion in Parliament would be the inevitable consequence; and to men overworked, as Ministers are overworked, such a casual addition to their toil is no light matter. This has, however, one good effect, that a Conservative Government will find its more prominent supporters only in men of independent minds. :The Conservative party, on the other hand, scorns `to strike at individuals. Its adversaries, when in - power, are free to promote whom it shall please them, except they insult the public by offering to notice some one marked with a stigma as scandalous as the executioner's brand. We again challenge an instance in which a Tory or Conservative has ever complained iKif the appointment to office of any man of generally lair character, solely on the ground of his political popinions. RAILWAY BUSINESS IN PARLIA MENT. FRIDAY, MARCH 29. _ Guildford Junction Rails; - ay Bill, read a third time and passed. Norwich and Brandon Railway Bill, read a third time and passed. Midland Railways Consolidation Bill, report considered, amendments agreed to, and Bill to be engrossed. York and Scarborough Railway Bill, read a third time (Queen's consent signified), and Bill passed. Delabole and Rock Railway Bill, order for reading the Bill a second time read and discharged, and Bill withdrawn. Delabole and Rock Railway, No. 2, reports from Select Committees on petitions for private Bills and on Standing Orders read, and another Bill ordered to be brought in by Sir John Yarde Buller, Mr. Pendarves, and Mr. Trelawny. Newquay Harbour and Railway Bill reported, and re-com mitted to the former Committee. Taff Vale Railway Bill, read a second time, and committed o and referred to the Committee of Selection. South-Eastern, Canterbury, Ramsgate, and Margate Rail • lay Bill, reported, and report to lie on the table ana to be p rinted. STATE OF TRADE. FOREIGN WOOL TRADE.-LEEDS, MARCH 29.- The Foreign Wool Market has not this week been . quite so animated as we have noticed during the last iew weeks, although some tolerably extensive sales 1 lave been effected. In respect to prices, the im mession seems now pretty general that dere is no mobability of their being lower, for some months to :ome at least, than at present. ENGLISH WOOL MARKET, LEEDS, MARCH 29. k. tales of combing wools during the present week have b een limited. Prices are quoted about the same in is ist week. We have not any alteration to notice as Q lothing wools. WAKEFIELD WOOL MARKET, MARCH 29.—We lv ve this week to report a few transactions in comb is kg wools, principally in the best class of hogs, and hi If and wether skins at former quotations; other de- Sc rip does are firm, but nothing doing in them of im p( )rtit ace. The demand for blanket and low clothing •oot ; is steady, and prices firm. LY &EDS, MARCH 29.—There has been rather more hwsi ness done at our cloth halls this week than last, zr id there have also been considerable deliveries of :goo ds to order during the week, particularly to houses wv h o are in the shipping trade. The market is very t din of goods of low qualities, and prices are still 1. ooking up, whilst fine goods continue dull of sale, s vithout any alteration in prices. There has also been a little improvement in business, in the warehouses, with the houses connected with the home trade, and the shipping houses are busier than for some years, at the same period of the year. .E ;RADFORD MARKET, THURSDAY.—In the Piece may icet there is not quite so much doing by the Ger i nal i houses, who appear to be getting in their orders ft. q• the Leipzic spring fair, commencing at Easter. Bo: •ers for other markets are tolerably active, and on the whole a satisfactory business is doing. Yarns are not so brisk as a few weeks past, nor can old rates be ma intained. Wool continues in slow request, and at no urinal prices. MANCHESTER, THURSDAY EVENING.--We have hi 4 d a week of great depression in our cloth market. n. d prices are lower even since Tuesday, with a cer tai my of things going still lower. The demand for sh eetings on China account is still good, and prices rather higher. Till the Liverpool market has gained W hat is fancied the lowest point, we shall have, it is thought, very little doing. Twist is operated upon exact;37 like cloth. Prices are lower, with sales of the must limited description. THE FACTORIES BILL DIVISIONS ANALYSED. Government. Lord Ashley. No. 1. Monday, March 18 172 181 2. Ditto 3. Friday, March 22 ...... 4. Ditto (Tellers included.) In each of the four divisions 141 voted uniformly with Government 110 40 1 C T., o i l ) i: r er a T s atives 139 voted uniformly with Lord Ashley { 7 6 4 5 Conservatives No. 1. No. 2. Govt. Ashley. 141 139 Govt. Ashley. Throughout Not again 5 5 Absent, No. 2 only Ditto 3 and 4 Govt. 1, 2, 4, Ashley 3 1 Govt. 2, Ashley 1,3, 4 — 1 No. 3. 12 23 1 - 1 - 155 163 No. 4. Govt. Ashley, 141 139 1 30 30 13 13 1I 1 Throughout Not again .. Absent, 1 and 2 Ditto 2 Govi. 1,2, 4, Ashley 3 ... Govt. 2, Ashley 1,3, 4 Absent 1,2, Govt. 4,Ashley 3 Govt. Ashley. . 141 139 . 1 . 30 30 . 13 13 185 188 190 183 The peculiar votes were— - (Those to whom 1- is prefixed are Conservatives.) Government—Nos. 1,2, and 4. Lord Ashley-3. W. Aldam (Leeds) Government—No. 2. Lord Ashley-1, 2, and 4. J. Collett (Athlone) Absent-1 and 2. Ashley-3. Government-4. t M. Archdall (Fermanagh) W. Ewart (;Dumfries) J. Martin ( Tewkesbury) t G. Palmer (South Essex) On the first division, and not again— With Government. Lord Ashley, Bellew, R. M. Barclay, D. t Dick, Q. Bulkeley, Sir R. B. W. 1- Master, T. W. C. t Chapman, A. Paget, Lord W. t Round, C. G. Scrope, G. P. Sturt, H. C. On the second division, and not again— Hastie, A. On the third division, and not again— '!" Jolliffe, Sir W. On the fourth division, and not again— '!" Shirley, E. J. (Warwickshire) Absent on the second division only, otherwise uniformly voting with— Government (13) t Fielden, W. Hastie, A. Langston, J. H. Leader, J. T. t Mackenzie, T. t Mildmay, H. St. John t Neeld, Joseph t Pollock, Sir F. t Reid, Sir J. R. Tancred, H. W. t Trench, Sir F. t Vivian, J. E. Wall, C. B. Present on the first night, a voted with — Government (12) Bowring, Dr. Dawson, Hon. T. V. Dennistoun, J. -1- Duffield, T. Elphinstone, It Hobhouse, Hon. Sir J. C. Hume, Joseph j- Manners, Lord J. C. Norreys, Sir D. J. t Owen, Sir J. Pattison, J. Shelburne, Lord Lord Ashley (13) Bannerman, A. Browne, Hon. W. Dalrymple, Captain t Douglas, Sir Howard t Eaton, R. J. Hall, Sir 'B. Hatton, Captain V. t Marton, G. t Miles, P. W. S. t Smith, Abel Standish, C. Staunton, Sir G. T. Stewart, John tbsent on the second, but had Lord Ashley (23) t Astell, W. Byng, Hon. G. S. Cresswell, B. t Duncombe, Hon. H. Emlyn, Viscount t Gladstone, Captain J. N. t Goring, C. Grimston, Viscount t Hayes, Sir E. t Hope, Alexander t Legh, G. C. t Lowther, J. H. t Maxwell, Hon. J. P. Murray, Alexander t Newport, Viscount Paget, Lord Alfred t Pennant, Hon. Colonel Russell, Lord John Smith, Right Hon. R. V. t Smollett, A. t Trotter, J. Vivian, J. H. t Wortley, Hon. John mesent on the second. Voted with Lord Ashley (30). t Adare, Viscount t Adderley, C. B. Aglionby, H. A. t Baskerville, T. B. M. Berkeley, Hon. (Glouces.) Absent on the first night; Voted with Government (30). t Affix, J. P., t Arbuthnot, Hon. H. t Bailey, J. t Bell, M. t Blackburne, J. I. t Buller, Sir J. Y. t Cartwright, W. N. Charteris, Hon. F. Currie, R. t Follett, Sir W. t Hamilton, W. J. Hayter, W. G. t Heatheote, Sir W. t Irving, W. t Lascelles, Hon. W. S. Marjoribanks, T. t Maunsell, T. P. Morrison, James Ord, W. t Powell, Colonel Rous,Hon. Captain Russell, C. - t Seymour, Sir H. t Sheppard, T. t Stuart, H. Villiers, Hon. C. Butler, - Hon. CO - 1. Carew, Hon. R. S. f Colvile, C. R. Denison, W. J. t D'lsraeli, B. Douglas, J. D. t Egerton, Sir P. Fello wes t E. t Ferrand, W. B. Fitzroy, Lord C. Grosvenor, Lord R. Halford, Sir H. Heathcote, G. J. Hervey, Lord A. Howard, Hon. E. (Mor peth) t Knight, F. W. Macaulay, Rt. Hon. T.B. Macnamara, Major t Mordaunt, Sir J. Newdigate, C. N. t Newry, Viscount O'Connell, D. O'Connell, M. J. Scholefield, J. Stanton, W. H. t Waddington, H. S. Ward, H. G. Wrightson, W. B. t Yorke, Hon. T. E. FRIDAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE. NOTICES OF INSOLVENCY. W. Mayler, publican, Chester. F. Crook, wine and porter agent, Great Marylebone-street. G. Wallis, saddler, Oxford. H. Tovey, coach lamp manufacturer, Bristol. J. Ingram, author, Greenwich. H. Mahomed, bath proprietor, Little Ryder-st., Westminster. W. Godwin, lmendraper High-street, Stoke Newington. T. Thompson, farmer, Birmingham. F. Rumble, artist, B attersea. A. Jenkins, fishmonger, Ryde, Isle of Wight. H. Newman, bricklayer, Clapham-road, Surrey. D. Offord, cutler, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. E. Snell, chemist, Caistor, Lincolnshire. R. D. M'Manus , surgeon Wilson-street, Gray's Inn-rood. E. Boothroyd, innkeeper, Huddersfield. T. Hasler, japanner, East-street, Finsbury-market. T. Finley, sen , High-street, Newington-butts. W. Denniff, fruiterer, Sheffield. T. C. Varley, mattress-manufacturer, Sheffield. W. Crowther, cloth manufacturer. Calverley, Yorkshire. D. Long, clothier, Guiseley, Yorkshire. T. Newell, beerseller, Calverley, Yorkshire. M. Snow, boarding-housekeeper, Liverpool. F. C. Gruneisen,,lie.ensed victualler, Thanet-st., St. Pancras. E. Cooke, licensed victualler, Masborough, Yorkshire. J. Shinton, beer seller, Fish-hill, Worcestershire. R. Wells, carpenter, Brewer's-green, Westminster. J. Crawford, omnibus proprietor, Princes-street, Maids-hill. T. Pagden, St. Thomas-street, East, Southwark. S. Drew, cabinet maker, Wakefield. J. Kibble, proctor's clerk, Peckham-grove, Camberwell. W. Bethwick, furniture broker, Tottenham-court-road. T. Standen, biscuit baker, Hastings. SECOND NOTICES. G. Doust, Tonbridge, April 4, at one, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Belcher, official assignee. J. Jones, shoe-maker, Devonshire-street, Queen-square, April 4, at half-past one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Belcher, official assignee. R. Smith, clerk, Seckford-street, Clerkenwell, April 4, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Belcher, official assignee. C. Nurse, plane-maker, Maidstone, April 6, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Groom , official assignee. W. Cooper, baker, Ryde, Isle of Wight, April 6, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards, official assignee. F. Farrar, attorney, Trafalgar-square, New Peckham, April 13, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards, official assignee. E. Brown, surgeon, Paradise-street, Lambeth, April 4, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Pennell, official assignee. 11. Bremridge, boot-maker, Hampton Middlesex, April 6, at eleven, at the C o urt of Bankruptcy. drown, official assignee. C. Johnson, fancy warehouseman, Gloucester-terrace, Alile end, April 6, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Groom official assignee. M. Westphal, Woodstock-street, Hanover-square, April 6, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards, official assignee. W. Kington, High-street, Newington, April 2, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Follett, official assignee. J. Newman, coachman, Thornhill, Bridge-place, Battle bridge, April 4, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Belcher official assignee. G. Riekwor d, surgeon, Bedford, April 3, at half-past twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Johnson, official assignee. J. Davies, carpenter, April 3, at one, at the Liverpool Div trict Court. Bird, o fficial assignee. W. Audley, cart-owner, Liverpool, April 3, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Cazenove, official assignee. G. Parish, butcher, Kingswinford, Staffordshire, April 3, at the Birmingham District Court. Valpy, official assignee. T. Barton, licensed victualler, Burslem, Staffordshire, April 4, at twelve, at the Birmingham District Court. Whitmore, official assignee. T. Leach labourer, Rochdale, April 3, at twelve, at the Manchester 'District Court. Pott, official assignee. W. Clogg, Duloe, Cornwall, April 11, at eleven, at the Ex eter District Court. Hirtiel, official assignee. R. W. Mapowder, Dawlisk, Devonshire, April 10, at eleven, at the Exeter, District Court. Hemmen, official assignee. C. Manning. tailor, South Molton, April 10, at half-past eleven, at the Exeter District Court. Hernaman, official as signee. Z. G. Baker, tailor, Topsham, Devonshire, April 17, at twelve, at the Exeter District Court. Hirtzell, official assignee. J. Stammers, Totnea, Devonshire, April 4, at eleven, at the Exeter Di4trict Oourt. Hernarnan, official assignee. T. Chatwin, brasier, Birmingham, April 3, at half-past ten, at the Birmingham District Court. Bittleston, official assignee. DIVIDENDS. At the Court of Bankruptcy, Basinghall-street. J. Oliver and J. York, bankeis, Stony Stratford, Bucking.. hamshire, April 19, at half-past one—T. E. Rowley, draper, Oxford-street, April 19, at eleven—H. Woad, bookseller, Fleet-street, April 19, at twelve—S. Martin, grocer, Shore ditch, April 19, at half-past eleven—G. Whitehead, .printer, Fleet-street, April 30, at half-past eleven. In the Country. T. Berridge, tobacconist, Manchester, April 19, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court—J. Murray and W. Brown, millwrights, Liverpool, April 23, at" twelve, at the Liverpool District Court—D. Rowlands, watch-maker, Pwllheli, Carnar vonshire, April 19, at half-past twelve, at the Liverpool Dis trict Court—T. Rodham, grocer, Newcastle-n e on-Tyne April 23,at eleven, at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne District Court— G. Walton, wine-merchant, Stockton-on-Tees, Durham, Apri I 23, at one, at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne District Court—J. Bowman, hatter, Carlisle, April 23, at twelve, at the Newcas tle-upon-Tyne District Court—T. Hobson, draper. Carlisle, April 22, at half-put one, at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Dis riot Court. CERTIFICATES to be granted, unless cause be shown to the contrary, on the day herein-mentioned. J. Oliver, J. York, and R. Harrison, iron-masters, Tipton, Staffordshire, April 19, at two—J. Oliver and J. York, bank ers, Stoney Stratford, Buckinghamshire, April 19, at two—T. H. Giles, omnibus proprietor, Bow, April 23, at twelve—J. Bohn, bookseller, King William-street, April 23, at eleven-- J. Sherwood, stationer, Wood-street, Cheapside, April 30, at eleven—G. Walton, wine -merchant, Stockton-upon-Tee., April 22, at half-past eleven—T. Rodham, grocer, Newcastle upon-Tyne, April 22, at half-past twelve—J. H. Bury, ship. owner, Liverpool, April 23, at twelve—T. Norman, farmer, Penketh, near Warrington, April 23, at twelve—T. Nut tall, pork-butcher, Rochdale, April 22, at twelve—T. W. vine, carpenter, Peerless-row, City-road, April 19—F. B. Court..- nay, bookseller, Great Marlborough-street, April 19—.1. B e ll, ship-owner, Greenfield, Northumberland, April 19—T. Kim ber, farmer, North Cerney, Gloucestershire, April 19—J: A. Holmes, merchant, New Broad-street, April 19. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. E. Croser and R. Poole, coal-merchants, Southampton—J. Binns and J. Hoyle, washing-liquor manufacturers, Halifax— J. Cottam and C. R. Kelbam, colonial brokers, Mincing-lane —R. Ellice, G. Kinnaer, G. Forsyth, W. Ellice, and R. El lice, merchants, Leadenhall-street (so far as regards R. Ellice) —T. Read and W. Read, tobacco manufacturers, Manchester —N. Godfrey and N. S. Godfrey, vinegar merchants, Bank side, Southwark—C. Irving and W. Willett, publishers, Hel met-court, Strand—J. Kaye and J. Teesdale, brewers, Leeds V. Bohain, Vouillon, F. Pinault, C. Hubert, T. V. Raby, Le Batard, C. Armand, J. B. Desplaces, publishers, Wellington street, Strand—C. Jacobson and J. Huntingdon, brush-manu facturers, Liverpool—J. James and F. James, ironfounder., Walsall—E. Downes, E. Downes, and M. Leake, innkeepers, Shrewsbary—G. Hedley and J. Hope, coach-builders, Halifax —J. Tidd and W. Mei cer, merchants, Kingston-upon-Hull— J. M'Call, T. M'Gill, C. M'Call, T. M'Call, J. 0. M'Call, merchants, Glasgow (so far as regards C. M'Call—J. Osborn and H. Elliott, cutlery manufacturers, Sheffield--J. W. Hentig and J. Pensam, wine -merchants, Portugal-street, Lincoln's Inn-fields—B. Best and C. Best, coal-merchants, St. John-street, Clerkenwell—W. Lock and J. Lock, farmers, Taunton. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. DUNCAN M'INTYRE, merchant,. Easdale, Argyleshire, April 3 and 24, at two, at the Caledonian Hotel, Oban. WILLIAM FORREST, wine -merchant, Edinburgh, April 6, at twelve, and April 30, at two, at Stevenson's Sale-rooms, Edinburgh. HEMSWORTH and Co., distillers, Kirkcaldy, April 4 and 25, at one, at Smith's Barbour-head Inn, Kirkcaldy. PETER DAWSON, merchant, Dundee, April 3 and 24, at two, at the Royal Hotel, Dundee. JOHN GORDON GULLAN, teacher, Glasgow, April 5 and 26, at two, at the chambers of Alexander Fleek, Glasgow. PRICE OF SUGAR. The Average Price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, for the week ending March 26, 1844, is 365. Id. per cwt., exclusive of the Duties of Customs paid or payable thereon on the im portation thereof into Great Britain. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. NORFOLK ClRCUlT.—Norwich, March 28. (Before Mr. ANDREWS, Q.C.) Mr. Andrews took his seat in Court at ten o'clock this morning, and assisted the Learned Judges in trying prisoners. The following case, which excited very great interest in the city, was tried before him : A DRAMATIC CIRCLE. —James Henry Mungard, comedian, aged 26, was indicted for feloniously intermarrying Rosina Salmi., his former wife, Kathleen, being alive at the time. Mr. Worlledge conducted the prosecution ; Mr. Prender gast and Mr. W. Cooper the defence. The prisoner is an actor, and has figured with more credit to himself than he did to-day on the stage of mimic life in this city, where he has for some time past been a member of the corps dramatigue. He is a good-looking young man, and in the year 1836 he won the affections of a Miss Kathleen Fry, the daughter of a clergyman in London, to whom lie was married in the month of March in that year. For some reason, not explained by the evidence, he and his wife separated five or six months after their marriage, and the lady and her mother went to Paris, where she formed a con nexion with a M. Ammon, a Frenchman, with whom she lived for two years, and until his death, after which she and her mother went to reside in Belgium. In 1839, a Mr. Saker, also a comedian, was in Norwich with his daughter, Miss Rosina, and an attachment sprang up betwixt her and the prisoner. which ended in their marriage in that city in the month of February, 1840. A very short time after this Second union of the prisoner, a rumour of his first marriage and of his first wife being still alive got abroad, and came to the ears of Mr. Saker and his daughter, and rendered them very unhappy. The prisoner was taxed with the fact, and at length admitted that he had been married, but asserted that his wife was not living, that she died abroad, and via:: buried in Italy. Remembering, however, that the prisoner had married his daughter as a " bachelor," and not as a widower, this assertion by no means satisfied or convinced Mr. Saker, and he forthwith set inquiries on foot for the pur pose of ascertaining the true state of the case. Whilst these inquiries were going on, the prisoner went to Belgium, and saw Mrs. Fry, the mother of his first wife, and shortly after wards Mrs. Fry wrote three or four letters to the second " Mrs. Mungard," or Miss Saker, informing her that she might make herself quite easy about the matter, as her daughter, the first wife, died in Italy, " and was buried at Naples in unconsecrated ground." The letter it which that alleged fact was announced stated that in Italy the Roman Catholic was the only religion that was tolerated, and that nobody whose religious faith was not that of the tolerated religion was permitted to be buried in consecrated ground, which was the reason why Mrs. Mun gard was buried in ground unconsecrated." This circum stantial untruth satisfied the:fears of the Sakers for a while. Mrs. Fry also wrote to inform Miss Saker that she had heard that her daughter was married at the time of her union with the prisoner, to a Mr. Livian, a person who had the misfortune to be transported for forgery, but it appeared that she never was married to him. Mrs. Fry admitted that she wrote the letters informing the prisoner's second wife that his first was dead before his second marriage, and buried at Naples " in unconsecrated ground," and that that was false, she being still alive ; but she said she wrote: them at the dictation of the prisoner, who went down on his knees to her and implored her, in that attitude, to write them. Afterwards, however, some disputes arose betwixt the prisoner and Mrs Fry, in reference to an allow ance for the maintenance of her daughter, and then the mat-, ter was cleared up, and the existence of the first wife very satisfactorily shown. The Learned JUDGE summed up the evidence, and told the jury that if they believed Mrs. Fry upon her oath, he could not suggest a doubt of the prisoner's guilt. It was not necessary for the prosecutor to show that the prisoner knew at the time he was married to Miss Saker, and when he represented himself as a bachelor, that his former wife was living; it was sufficient to prove the fact of her being alive. The jury found the prisoner Guilty, and he was sentenced' to be imprisoned for four calendar months. NEW ZEALAND COMPANY. An adjourned meeting of the Directors and Proprie tors of the New Zealand Company was held yesterday, at their house in Broad-street-buildings. JOSEPH SOMES, Esq., the Govern - or of the Society, took the chair, at one o'clock. Amongst those connected with the Society, we noticed the following noblemen and gentlemen:—Lord Petre, Lord Courtenay, Sir Ralph Howard, M.P., Mr. Aglionby, M.P., Mr. J. A. Smith, Mr:Young, Mr. Marjoribanks, MY., and Mr. Hutt, M.P. The object of the meeting was to lay before the Pro prietors the results of a communication, which it was decided at the last meeting, on the 29th of February, should be opened between the Directors and the Noble Lord the Secretary for the Colonies, with respect to the tenure of land in the colony of New Zealand. The SECRETARY proceeded to read to the meeting the result of the communication ; it was as follows : That it was not until yesterday that the Directors received any intimation of the views of the Secretary of State for the Colonies upon this matter. They wero then honoured with some unofficial communication, from which they understood that her Majesty's Government were disposed to entertain favourably the proposal of Zecuniary assistance being offered by them to th e N ew ealand Company upon the following conditions : First, that such assistance should not exceed 44,000/. Secondly, that it should be applied to the payment ot debts now unpaid by the Company whie had been drawn from the colonies to provide for the employment of labourers, and to the payment of such other ,bills as may be drawn for the same purpose during the interval which must elapse before the report could be received. The Directors had also received as surance of the desire of the Government to maintain the. most cordial relations with the Company in carrying 011 the work of colonisation, and that the instructions seat to Captain Fitzroy, would have the effect of quieting the settlers who had obtained land under the Com pany, and of facilitating the permanent ac-- quisition of land in that country. The Diree, tors, therefore, thought it would be wrong to oft any partial information to the present meeting, a s they conceived it indispensible to the establishment of the Company on a satisfactory basis, that the points at issue should be settled. They now conceived it to be their duty to lay before the meeting this much of the communication which they received from the Noble Lord. The Directors wished that the present meeting should be adjourned until Friday, April 19—assuring the. meeting at the same time that they should have preferred! having an earlier day were it not that the near approach of the Easter holidays precluded the hope of their sooner being able to lay before them the full information which they must raise before they could prudently deter m i ne on their further course of proceeding. Mr. GEORGE ROBINS, and Mr. PERCIVAL havirg moved and seconded the adoption of the report, it IN as received nem con. On the motion of Mr. GEORGE Ronnis, a vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman, and the meeting; separated. BANK OF ENGLAND. Quarterly Average of the Weekly Liabilities and Assets of the Bank of England, from the 30th day of December,lB43, to the 23d day of March, 1844, both inclusive, published Pursuant to the Act 3 and 4 Will. IV., cap. 98. LIABILITIES. Asawrs. Circulation ........£21,122,000 Securities ....,...Z22,479,000 Deposits ... 13,972,000 Bullion £35,094,000 11, Downing-street, March £38,263,000 I, 1844. ON THE VERGE OF THE GRA VE ; OR, A MIRACIT• LOUS CURE BY HOLLOWAY 'S PlLLS.—James Langley, a ladies' shoemaker, residing in Allen-street, Goswell-street, caught a violent cold about twelve menths since, which, being neglected, brought on a swelling of the legs antd feet, pains in the side and shoulders, night sweats, with inability to keep food on his stomach ; indeed, he was at last reduced to such a state of general weakness and debility that no one thought he could long survive ; but, by the use of Holloway's Pills, every dangerous system quickly disappeared, and he is now as hale and as hearty as ever he was in Ms life.—Sold at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand (where advice may be had gratis); and by almocst all respectable vendors of medicine throughout the civilised world. A LENGTHENED FAST.—Mrs. Hay., broker, Friar's Vennel, had two hens, which she kept in a bank court. But one of them having disappeared, she suspected ;petty larceny, anct sold the other to prevent its going the same road. This occurred more than three weeks ago, and it appeared the poor bird hadi found its way to a cellar to make a re est and lay an egg.. While there, unperceived, a washing-tu b had been acciden tally placed on the top of it covered o' ger with straw ; and there the feathered prisoner lay for twenty-one days, not only without a morsel to eat, but excluded from the cheerful light of day. On Thursday last the tub was wanted, and on re moving it chuckie reappeared, reduced to skin and bone certainly, but still with so much tenacity re maining that she bids fair, under careful nursing, to bet?' one herself again.— Dumfries Courier. egia . lti N' S Ir+ ~ I, S 1 ~~