The Sun. — London, England, 1844-03-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 13, 1844, the expense of the rest of the community. The Hon. Mem ber for Roxburghshire said he was the poor man's friend. So were they who supported the motion; it was to affect the poor man's food that they were making exertions. He thought that the prosperity of the manufacturing and agricultural interest ought to go hand in hand and he was convinced, that what injured the one was detri mental to the other, for the removal of restrictions 'rom trade had always a tendency—always enriched—the best customer of the agriculturist. He concurred with the Hon. A ember for Stockport, that rents would not be materially decreased by the operation of free trade. However, they ought to have the Committee and investigate the truth, and if, after a careful in vestigation, they saw protection was necessarily just, and cal. culated to promote the general welfare of the community, then let protection be adopted ; but if it should be shown to be un just, impolitic, and calculated to injure a great portion of the community, then let it be done away with. They only asked for justice,_ and he trusted the country would ultimately in duce the House to give that justice to the country. Colonel WOOD said that if the Hon. Gentleman who had just sat down had, instead of confining his returns of the population to that of twenty-three counties, extended them to the United Kingdem, he would have found that instead of the proportions which he had detailed to the House of the agricul tural to other classes of the population, the proportion of the former to the manufacturing classes was as two to one, and he (Colonel Wood) was satisfied that they contributed to the ex penses of :the Government at least in proportion of two to one as compared with the manufacturing classes. He deprecated agitation on the one side and the other, and he wished he could see an end of all associations. When the Hon. Member for Stockport said that the expenses of cultivating 400 acres was 790/., and that the rent was 8001., he must be very little acquainted indeed with agricultural matters to have believed such a statement. He should like to know whether that was the statement of a man farming his own land, or of a tenant farmer. Mr. BROTHERTON explained that he had not included the great manufacturing counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire in his statement. After a few words from the Earl of SHELBURNE, Colonel SIBTHORP said that the Hon. Member for Stock port was included in the list of stewards who were to officiate at a certain banquet that night with their white wands. (Laughter.) And if he (Col. Sibthorp) were honoured with such an office at any assembly he would have thought it his duty not to be absent. Under the circumstance he (Col. Sibthorp) did not expect such a motion to be brought forward, He trusted the Hen. Member was not ashamed to be present ; for his own part he would say with Sir John Falstaff, " I would not march through Coventry with them."—( Laughter. ) As for the Association to which the Hon. Member belonged he knew not in what terms to speak of it. The language in the organ of that Association, he meant, The Anti- Corn-law Cir cular, was past endurance. The usual epithets applied by that journal to the supporters of the agricultural interest were " re lentless demons, ' " heartless fiends," " inhuman, merciless, foot-pads"—(Laughter)—and such like. But the farmers and labourers of England held the party in as much contempt as he in his capacity of an humble Member of that House did. He was sorry to say that, much as the agriculturists might be in favour of a conciliatory course, a different feeling seemed to pervade the manufacturers. Mr. VILLIERS said that the Hon. and Gallant Mem ber for Lincoln had alluded to the formation of certain societies within the last few yeari, and had said that some of those societies were formed in self defence for the protection of British agriculture. Now he (Mr. Villiers) thought that the world must be astonished to perceive no sign of the practical utility of those societies in anv of the numerous counties in which they had been formed, and also to find that the Honourable Members for Dorset, Wiltshire, and those counties most prominent for meetings, and at which strong language was used, and ardent professions of interest in the condition of the labourer and the tenant-farmer, had shown themselves per fect mutes,eand never came forward to express their opinions or make up their minds. When any one of those rose to ex press their opinions upon this question, the whole gist of their discourse was simply nothing more than an expression of dis trust and discontent of her Majesty's present Ministers.— ( Cries of " No, no," front the Ministerial benches, answered by " Hear, hear," and cheers from the Opposition.) Hon. Gentlemen cried "No, no," but why did they call upon the Government to go back to its allegiance, and to remember from-whom therderivedther power? He approved of the mode in which his Hon. Friend brought forward the motion. He (Mr. V.) had made a motion of a similar tendency upon the subject of the corn-laws for many years, and the reasons assigned by Hon. Members in that House for refusing a Committee was, that they thought the present law tended to serve the tenant-farmers and labourers. The Right Hon. Gentleman, the President of the Board of Trade had said that it was invidious to seek an inquiry into the stile of the tenant but not of the landlord. But he (Mr. Villiers) asserted that it was net a landowner's question. In another place a Noble Duke, who was styled the farmer's friend—(Cries of " Order, older," from the Tory benches. ) He was in order. That Noble Duke had asserted that the landowners had not the slightest interest in this pestion, and that it only affected the tenant-farmers, What v‘e.e protective duties? Nothing more than impedi ments to commerce, making scarce the articles of food and general consmnption. They did not attempt to deny that these duties were injurious to commerce and manufactures. He remem bered an Hon. Gentleman some years ago saying that this was a question of great national policy,' and he (,Ur. Vilifiers) said, in reply, that they were bound to shim some evidence of good from such a great national evil. He therefore asserted that his Hon. Friend was perfectly justified in seeking for this inquiry. His object was to give lion. Gentlemen opposite an opportnin , y waive prosperity and ahundance.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") By leaving the question in doubt they were preventing the application to the land of that skill and capital which were ne cessary for the security of rent, and by thus repressing enter prise they (the landlords) were in reality injuring themselves. —(Hear.) When it was said by Hon. Gentlemen opposite that free trade produced insecurity, and when they described it as something horrible and frightful to contemplate, he would ask them to look back for the last 15 or 20 years of the com mercial history of the country, and to point out any instance in which measures of relief, or approximation to the free trade principle, had not materially tended to produce wealth and con fidence.—( Hear, hear. He would put the question at issue on that point alone, and he would abandon the argument if they could show him a single instanee in which an alteration in favour of the free trade principle diminished wealth or les sened the confidence of the classes more immediately affected by it _( Hear) No doubt all alterations produced at the time some extent of mischief, but the evil was to be laid at the door of those who built up a house on a false foundation, on which it was impossible that it could have stood, and not to those who witnessed the fall. The Hon. Gentleman then read an extract from Cobbett's Weekly Register, stating that the corn-laws wore prejudicial to the farmers and agricultural labourers, and pointing out the cor.aequences of admitting foreign corn into the country. He then continued to say that it was impossible that a sufficient supply of corn could be produced in this country for all the manufacturing classes , and that when the y were thus unable to give them a sufficient supply of bread, they ought not to prevent themfrom manufacturing goods for those who would give them food in return. He considered that corn ought to be regarded as being as much a portion of Bri tish trade as any branch of their manufactures. In various years when foreign corn was admitted they found no conse quent distress attend the agricultural labourers, but directly the reverse.—( Hear.) He then read a passage from a pa per written by the Right Hon. Gentleman, the President of the Board of Trade, describing the necessity of having the manu facturers placed in a position to compete with the markets of the world, and then continued to say that he did not think they should have a Minister of the Crown putting forward such statements for his private interests out of that Mouse, and pur suing the course which they had witnessed that evening as a Member of the Government.—( Hear.) They had no right to increase trade at the expense of the manufacturers, as they had witnesses in many instances in the tariff of last year, while they, at the same time, refused to allow them the proper oppor tunities of procuring f ood in return for their goods. He was certain the speech of his Hoe. Friend, the Member for Stock port, would produce a very great effect upon the country, and he could tell Gentlemen in the lower part of the gouse that if they had to go before their eonstituents in some great town in Nottinghamshire, they would find the question of the repeal of the corn-laWs one of match greater importance than they might at present be inclined to suppose.—( Hear and laugh ter. He would give his most earnest, though humble, support to the motion of his Hon. Friend the Member for Stockport; and he was certain that the question which that Hon. Gentle man so ably advocated would, before long, produce practical results of the greatest possible advantage to the country at large,—( Hear, hear, and cheers.) Lord POLLINGTON opposed the motion. He said it was impossible to deny that the question before the House was one of very great importance. It was his belief that a people could enjoy no greater blessing than free trade ' • but, in order to make it a blessing, it was necessary that it should be entirely free, and not consist of that kind of free trade sallied' the late President of the Board of Trade so much admired—namely, the free admission into the country of the produce of ether coun tries that continued to impose heavy duties on English goods. —( Hear.) He trusted they would hereafter see the day when all the great commercial nations of the world would awaken to their true interests, and open their respective harbours free to all the world. He did not consider the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of her Majesty's Government altogether opposed to the principle of direct taxation, for, by resorting to it, he had already restored the equilibrium between the revenue and the expenditure of the empire. The Noble Lord - concluded by referring to a mistake made by the Morning Chronicle, in a leading article, in confounding the Chairman of the Tory Com mittee at Bradford with a Mr. Barn, who presided at a recent meeting of the Anti-Corn-law League. Mr. SCOTT slid it was not his intention to trespass on the time of tko House; but as the Scotch Members had been alluded o, he did not think it right to remain altogether silent. He wet ld feel obliged to oppose the motion of the Hon.-Member for Stockport, because, though he believed him to be a sincere advocate for the interests of the League, still he did not regard him as filling the like character towards the class whom he at present professed to support. The Hon. Member said if the Committee were granted he would only examine before it land lords and tenant-farmers ; but he would ask, why should the agricultural labourers he let out?—( Hear.) The next matter referred to by the Hon. Gentleman was the corn-law of 1815, but if he understood the question at all he believed the corn lavi s to be in existence since the time of King Charles H. Why, then, did he not refer to the corn-laws which had been paased since that time? All the corn-laws, in the meanwhile, bore as much upon his subject as the present, and they had as much relation to the corn-laws of 181.5. He believed that the inter. sts of the manufacturers and the agriculturists were really the same, and it was unjust and pernicious to attempt to raise a difference between them. The landlords wished for plenty in order to improve the condition of the labourers, and not for scarcity, in order to afflict them. The condition of the people was better now than it was sixty years ago, when we had only one-half the population, and only one-third of the taxation. The lion. Gentleman (Mr. Cobden) brought forward the case of woe! to show that IsLe n the duty was small the consumption was great. But lie overloJked the fact that the wed imported was chiefly from the colonies, and therefore there was no parallel between the cases of wool and corn. Too lion. Gentleman had also done an injustice in comparing the amount of wages paid by Lndlords and manu facturers, for he did not tell the House that the landlords de rived very small profits from large capital, and the manufac turers derived large profits from comparatively small capital. As to the statements made respecting Dorsetshire, he (Mr. Scott) had no doubt that Dorsetshire would defend itself. The statements (if true) were such as to make the heart bleed.— ( Hear, hear,) But the lion. Gentleman had the assurance to speak of Seotland.—(Laughter.) The Hon. Gentleman seemed to him to depart from accuracy just in proportion as he departed from the '• tall chimneys" which he so much admired. —(Laughter and cheers.) The statements which the Hon. Gentleman had made respecting respecting Scotland were un founded in fact, notwithstanding the assurance of the Hon. Mem ber. The Hon. Gentleman stated that he was totally ignorant of the subject. The official returns, as to the duration of life in agriculture and manufactures, shooed that the average dura tion of life in the agricultural districts was 32 years, whilst in the manufacturing it was no more than 16 or 17 years, or about one-half.—( Hear, hear, and laughter.) Then, as respected the advantages to be gained by free-trade, in conse quence of the supposed increase of trade to ensue upon it, was it all clear that the corn-growing countries would take our manufactures in return for their produce? The utmost amount that capital invested in land produced was about 3 per cent., whereas 50 per cent. was frequently made by those who invested their capital in manufactures. The Hon. Mover had also accused the landlords of being the cause of pauperism, but he was satisfied that more pauperism was created by the manufac turers.—( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman had also called upon the gentlemen connected with Scotland, to state what was the feeling of the farmers in that part of the empire ; and he (Mr. Scott), as the representative of a Scotch county, would answer, that the farmers in that country were entirely opposed to the Honourable Mover, and regarded the question as one which concerned them, and not the landlords.—(Hear.) Lord WORSLEY had not intended to trespass on the House upon this question, because he thought that if the mo tion was carried it would lead to a renewal of the import du ties. But having heard the speech of the Hon. Member for Stockport he saw that it was part of the object that the Com mittee should inquire into the management of land. The Ho nourable Member for Stockport had stated that the re munerating price of the present rates of the market was sufficient for the farmer if he paid only an adequate rent. But he (Lord Worsley) bad received a letter from a farmer in Lincolnshire, which stated in detail the whole of the receipts for his produce in four years, which showed that the market price did not repay the expense of the labour alone. The Hon. Member for Stockport had excepted the county of Lin coln from the charge which he made against agriculturists for giving too low wages. He (Lord W.) must admit that the wages said to be given in the south were not such as could sustain life • and he must also say that he knew it was the fact, that although the wages in Yorkshire and Lincoln were higher than those paid in the south, they were not sufficient ; but they had the effect of procuring the work to be better done, and the farmers found that of proving that the tenant-farmers and faVoure:s were well of', while, if they trade such an attempt, he had ample evidence to prove the reverse, and to show that in no part of Europe were the agricultural popula tion in a worse condition. The Right Hon. Gentleman the Secretary of the Board of Trade had said that the facts stated by the Hon. Member for Stockport were isolated cases ; but he ( Mr. Villiers) said that they were most numerous and general through all the middle and northern counties. Why what did a clergyman in the county of Dorset state, in a letter in one of the drily papers a short time ago? The Hon. Mem ber for that county had left the House immediately after the speech of the Hon. Member for Stockport, because he Celt the facts to be true ; and consequently, as he would not vote against his conscience, he declined voting at all. The Hon. and Rev. Mr. Osborne, to whom he had just alluded, was op posed, perhaps, to the Anti-Corn-law League a; much as any lion. Gentleman opposite; but he addressed a letter to the " great friend of the farmers," and proposed that in any Com mittee which might sit upon this matter, that a certain number of witnesses from the agricultural districts should be examined, and said that those most capable of giving evidence upon the condition of those persons would be the medical officers of the poor-law unions and the undertakers.—( Hear, hear.) The same Reverend Gentleman, in the same letter, went on to say, that if they treated the agricultural labourers as well as they did their catttle, their lot would be a happy one, but that no animal in England was worse off than the labourer. These were the words of a clergyman, and yet they asked what con nection there was between the agricultural population and this motion. Did any man mean to say that the present state of the country was satisfactory, or that there was nothing in it to excite alarm? For the last twelve years, from one cause or another, agitation pervaded the country ; and he felt sure that they would not put an end to it by refusing an in quiry.—(Cheers.) They admitted that those laws restricted commerce, and that some of those protective laws should be curtailed. The Government proposed no means of increasing the employment of the people, but said they would support a law which tended to restrict commerce, and prevent the ad mission of food into the country, and that because they were afraid of their own supporters. He did not approve of unne cessary agitation, bat still, if that House refused to grant an inquiry, they would be doing that which would promote agita tion, but must also promote general anger, and dis content throughout the country.—( Loud cheers.) Mr. BANKES said, if he thought the Committee proposed by the Hon. Member for Stockport would do anything to pro. mote the interests of the labouring classes, he would most cor dially support the motion ; but, when he saw that no such result was likely to arise from it, and that it would tend to raise expectations, which could not be realised, of a numerous and most important class of persons, he felt bound to exercise his judgment, and notwithstanding the eloquent appeal of that Hon. Gentleman, to give his cordial and cheerful vote against hi 3 proposition. He thought this Committee would be very likely to excite that feeling, which was now fast subsiding throughout the country. He could confidently assert that, at the present moment, there was not the slightest feeling of distrust towards her Majesty's Government in the minds their money was well laid out, and the labourers were more of the agricultural classes - throughout the country. He could contented than he was afraid they were in those countries where state most decidedly that such was the case with respect to the wages were lower. He would also admit that the law was county which he had the honour of representing. The Hon. working better than the farmers had expected, but yet what Member then proceeded to read several documents, to show they received was not enough to pay them. It had also b een t h a t wages i n Dorsetsbire and Wiltshire averaged at least I Is. sail that in the southern districts wages would not be raised a week, besides other advantages or perquisites ; and eon without the system of leases. But in answer to that he must eluded by avowing his determination of strongly opposing the say that in Lincolnshire leases were the exception. But then it motion. was the practice in that country to allow land to be held i n sue- M r. BRIGHT sa id, that when his Hon. Friend i n t ro d uce d cession from father to son—(Hear)—and the result was to create his 'lotion to the notice of the House, he felt convinced that confidence on the part of the farmers, and also on the part of every possible party feeling would be fur one evening driven the labourers._(Cheers.) Last winter, wages were lower than out of the doors of that House, and that there would be an usual, but they had not been lower than 9s.—(Hear, hear, from almost unanimous opinion in favour of the motion which had Col. Sibthorp.) Yet the usual rate of wages was 12s. a-week, been submitted to the House. He believed his Hon. Friend's the whole year round.— (Hear, hear.) ,The general custom statement to be perfectly accurate, and to be altogether un-. in that country was to pay by task-work, and he believed he answerable ; and whatever fate it might meet with in that was correct in saying, that the average earning in those cases House, he was well assured of the fate it would meet with in was from 13s. 6d. to 16s. a-week.--( Hear, hear, from Col. the country. He would not have risen to take up any of the Sibthorp, and a laugh.) Although he did not agree in all time of the House, had it not been for speeches which had aabjects with the Hon. Member for Stockport, he thought that 'seen made since his Hon. Friend sat down. He, however, gentleman had done much good by drawing the attention of I :onfessed that he found extreme difficulty in attempting to dis the landlords to a subject which he feared was too much ne- cover anything further that could be said on the question then glected, namely, the condition of the labourers.---( Cheers.) ander discussion. He thought nothing could be more reasonable He thought they should he impressed with the conviction, that than the case which had been submitted to the House, trie payment of adequate wages would be most advantageous, that there should be a Committee of Inquiry into the alleged as well as most creditable to themselves—(Cheers)—and that fact, that protective duties in general had been serviceable to they would find themselves repaid by the productivenes of the tenant-farmers, and the farm labourers of this country. Their land and the increased content of the people.—(Cheers.) It was quite true that the question of sugar, and coffee, and it He thought, if they went into Committee, there would be might be of timber, and some other articles, might come under such a diversity of opinion as to the remedy to be applied to the the consideration of such a Committee ; but they did not hesi state of affairs complained of by the Hon. 111 ember who brought tate to avow that the object was specially that there should he forward the present motion, that no good would be effected, a thorough investigation into the effect produced upon two and he must , therefore , refuse to give his supp ort to the motion. classes ofour eountrymen, by the operation of that particular Mr. B. COCHRANE begged to state that h e h ad received law which was passed with the avowed object of giving these tt letter from the Hon. Member who had notice of an amend- two classes protection. Now, that this question was one of molt on this subject (Mr. Ferrand), stating that he was unable extraordinary importance, no man in that House would den to le y. cit forward in consequence of hit having bee n detained Its importance was admitted by Hon. Gentlemen opposite, be atm the Yorkshire As sizes. cause they thought that the repeal of the corn-law would be EIS said that, in the _part of the country productive of great distress to the agriculturists of this country, Mr. CURT wages . _w s ere equally and to all persons connected with agriculture. Out of doors (Susses) with which he was connected high. He gave his own labourers, generelly, 12 . per week, there were some who thought with those Hon. Gentlemen, arid and he gave them not more than his neighbours Ho , n. it might be that the majority of the tenant-farmers of this Member for Stockport had not convinced his (Mr. rtiee s) country, and the majority of the owners of land also thought mind, and though he was in favour of a fixed duty in prefer- with them. They of the Anti-Corn-law League, on the eon .enee to a sliding scale, yet, if he were much pressed, he would go trary, thought that t h e prosperitofthis countrydepended from a fixed duty to a sliding scale.—(ll. laugh.) He consi- on the repeal of th at law, and truppoonn whichthe tahloption dered the agricultural interest the paramount interest of the of the principles of fr ee trade, which they believed country, and that interest he was determined most cordially to to be the only just and hon es t principles support. He must give his opposition to the motion of the vernment could be conducted. W ere there none out of Go that Non. Men.ber for Stockport. House that agreed with them ?—( H ear, hear.) Let them Mr. BROTHERTON said that the speech of the Hon. not suppose that because their numbers were fe G e ntleman who spoke last showed him the truth o f th e a d age , th a t House, that therefore they were few everywhere " Convince a mar , against his will, else. Let them not , deceive themselves by beli e vingythat if He's of the same opinion still." their speeches were not the most eloquent arid their arguments --(Laughter. ) The question was, who was in the right, who not the strongest, that there were not men in every part of the he the wrong?—whether protection to agriculture was for the country 83 intelligent as any man in that House who felt con benefit of the farmer and agricultural labourer, or not? As the vinced of the justness cf the principles which the Anti-Corn question was controverted he coneurred with the Hon. Mem- law League espoused. Those men who believed in such fiber for Stockport, that the best way to ascertain which was principles were not to he estimated by hundreds or thousands, aright was to investigate the subject thoroughly, which but by millions, in Great Britain and Ireland. If they wanted could be best done in the Committee for which the lion, Mem- proof of it they should have that proof. There had been leer had moved. The Hon. Gentleman who spoke last said ho deputations to the Government from various parts of the coon considered the agricultural interest the paramount interest. try--not from the manufacturing districts only, but from the lie (Mr. Brotherton) was at issue with the Hon. Member on rural districts , -deputations of 500 persons at a time—asking that subject. He believed the agriculturul labourers, farmers, the Government to consider this question ind to repeal this and graziers of the country formad not cite-teeth part of the law. They had had petitions with 500,00') signatures one _population of the country. In the agricultural counties they I )ear--a million the next, a million and a half the third, and ~ were not one-third of the people employed. He had examined between two and three millions the fourth. For all these peti ties, the principal part of tions they had cared little, but they had seen subscriptions tNie condition of 'went}'- three were #grieuh oral ; 11 a ". i 4 ;d e h e e " fo n und . that out of their popu- i three or four yea's alto, League. to 1,,000 /., to the The second year they lotion, amounting lo and in agri- came to 1•2,M0/., the third year they amounted to 50,00(1/., to 6,03.8,1333,,ther,e here employed in trade, funds of the Anti-Corn-law arid various other occupations, persons; was rapidly a - P culture, including farmers, graziers, yeomen, and agri- ; and this year they found that the League fund of those twenty-three -I proaching 100,00t3. That proved nothing with relxct to the cultural labourers in 'lithe whole counties, 5e5,10 4 , making a total of 2,.14 truth of the principles which the Anti-C i n-law ea'l had - 1 ,716, and glowing that all lire classes of agriculturists together bore only i adopted —it merely p r oved that there was a great and growing wg re t popu fit . proportion of 27 jeer cent. to the whole number employed, opinion in their favour among nearly all classes of td vit.tik those engaged la teade and otherwise were 33 per cent. i tion . of this country. Now, they were charged with exciting I people to violence and insurrectionary movements. , of the whole. In the agileeiltural districts of Lancashire there the people from the Ministerial benches.) One lion. Gentle -were not more than 32 per cenZ, employed in proportion to the (Cherry re . ..whcle population. He contende4, therefore, that the agri- man oppo si te, one of the Members of one of the divisions of vultu,.al interest was not the paramount interest of the country, : Watw icks iire, and a magisii ateofthateounty! hadti stated, and and that ' they ought not to Lave ;law fey ;4:4,r Pwp bene,Ot at lie (Mr. Bright) believed that c had stated it tti that ?nu.— repeated that he had a right to reply.—( Here the confusion became so great that the Hon. Member, after having three or four times ineffectually attempted to obtain a hearing, sat down amid much confusion. ) The gallery was then cleared for a division, but none took place. On our return to the gallery we found. Mr. W. 0. STANLEY on his legs. Although not a member of the Anti-Corn-law League, he thought the motion of the Hon. Member for Stockport so reasonable, that he should give it his support.—( Hear, hear.) The statements which had been made, during the debate, on the sufferings of the agricultural labourers, were confined principally to the southern and south-eastern counties of England; but as he knew the same distress to exist in the county which he had the honour to represent, he could not remain silent without stating the fact to the House. He was aware that fully one sixth of the whole population of that county were now receiv ing poor-law relief.—( Hear.) The same distress existed in the neighbouring county of Carnarvon. He would feel him self guilty of a dereliction of duty if he did not state the matter to the House, and he should, therefore, give his vote for the motion of the Hon. Gentleman, though he, at the same time, should admit that he disagreed in many particulars from the Anti-Corn-law League. The House then divided, when the numbers were— For the motion Against it Majority against the motion On our return to the gallery we found— Sir ROBERT PEEL stating that he had been charged by the Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. M. Gibson) with haviug made a mis-statement regarding the consumption of sugar. He ( Sir R. Peel) had only quoted from the returns laid on the table of the House. Mr. MILNER GIBSON said that he would not press the matter further at present, and that he would withdraw the mo tion respecting sugar, of which he had given notice. On the motion of Mr. W. GLADSTONE the House re solved itself into a Committee to take into consideration the laws for preventing frauds and abuses in the making of gold and silver ware in England. The resolutions upon which a Bill was to be founded were then agreed to in Committee, and the House resumed. The resolutions were then reported to the House, and leave given to bring in a Bill. Mr. GLADSTONE brought in a Bill to amend the law relating to international copyright. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Half-past One. THE NEW HISTORICAL ROMANCE. In 3 vols., post Bvo., A THIRD EDITION of" WHITEFRIARS;" on, THE DAYS OF CHARLES THE SECOND. IS NOR' READY AT ALL THE LIBRARIES. Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street. ( at any rate he had stated it at two public meetings—that,he had the means in his possession of proving certain heavy charges which had been brought against the League, and that as a ma gistrate he was cognizant of facts which proved some men to be guilty of crimes of which, as far as the charge had been made public, they had stated they were innocent. If that Hon. Gentleman knew anything of that kind, he (Mr. Bright) said that the Hon. Gentleman himself must be accessory to the crime if he, as a magistrate, concealed such facts from the knowledge of the Right Hen. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Department. It would be more honourable and much mere becoming in the Magistrate and a Member of Par liament if he were to lay that statement before the Govern ment, when it would be fully investigated, rather than making it at a meeting where only one side was allowed to be heard, and where the friends of the Hon. Gentleman and his party were only allowed to be present. It might be thought that the Anti-Corn-law League excited the people. He (Mr. Bright) never denied that they did so. They did excite the people, and they should continue to excite the people. The pamphlet, which had been written by the Rev. Mr. Osborne, which had been often spoken of that night, gave a little insight into what amounted to the charge of exciting the people. The writer said that agricultural labourers were discouraged in every possible manner from attempting to set forth the griev ances of their condition. Did the labourers find any gentleman who might seek to bring to light any injustice towards him— that friend met with nothing but remonstrance, and he was told that he was endeavouring to set man against master, and endeavouring to drive the people to acts of violence. No man (continued the Hon. Gentleman) could go to the manufacturing or agricultural districts, and address large meetings of the people on the subject of their distress, and tell them what was the fact, that that distress was attributable to certain arts of misgovernment, without incurring the censure of exciting the people to insurrection. The Hon. Gentleman opposite had charged the League with exaggeration, and the League charged them with exaggeration and with wrong-doing, and wrong doing with a full knowledge of the circumstances.—(Hear. ) The Members of the Government were not able to settle the public mind. At one of these meetings held in Yorkshire for the protection of agriculture, a speaker expressed very serious misgivings of the fatal bias of the Right lion. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade, and the agricultural gentle man would not be surprised at any change in the Right Ho nourable Gentleman at the head of the Queen's Govern. ment. How could this question be settled if not before a tribunal of the House of Commons. Why, his Honourable found the Member for Stockport had given them the option of appointing a majority of protectionists on the Committee, and that their witnesses should be agricultural labourers, indepen dent landowners, and tenant-farmers. The case of the corn law repeaters was based upon facts and upon experience ; the case of the corn-law maintainers upon anticipations of future evil if the corn-laws were abolished. The corn-laws of 1815 were a continued fraud upon the finances of the country. He could show, from irrefutable documents—from reports of Agricultural Societies—that, in 1815, the landowners had legislated upon the anticipation that corn would be 80s. a quarter, and gave leases on that foundation ; but the average prices of corn, from 1815 to 1841 or 1842, had not been more than 60s. a quarter. The Hen. Member for Wiltshire declared that no rent could be paid unless prices were higher than they had been from 1815 ; but yet high rents were maintained. Nay, the rent of lands in many parts of the country had in creased—greatly increased. They prophesied that low prices would throw land out of cultivaiian—they prophesied that agricultural labourers would be thrown out of employ ' ment— but the fact that additional land had been engaged in culture sufficiently disproved this part of the pro ' phesy. Those agricultural law-makers were very poor sooth sayers indeed.—(Laughter.) The Han. Member then read an extract from the Report of the Barnstaple Agricultural So ciety, which stated that the Act, passed in the 55th year of the reign of George 111., had not answered its object, inasmuch as it did not secure the grower 80s. for wheat, 40s. for barley, and 275. for oats, as was promised ; and further, that the prices for corn were not one half as high as the agriculturists had a right to expect. It was stated that seven-ninths of the people of this country were engaged in agriculture ; but he thought it would be found, by the census, that the tenant farmers did not comprise more than I per cent. of the whole population of those agricultural labourers employed in the cul ture of wheat, or I per cent. more. The Hon. Member for Itladdingtonshire hat, at a meeting of that county, told his constituents that if the corn-laws were repealed foreign corn would be sold at 20s. a quarter, Now, that was absolutely untrue ; but if it were, did it never strike that Hon. Member what a gross injustice he was ioflicting i n the great bulk of s 'chow-countrymen by countenancing so vile a la s ?—( Hear. ) What was that but asserting that, when the farmer had the law in his favour he overtaxed the manufacturer for the food which he sold him. If he bought a larger quantity of the goods of the trader and the manufacturer, be did so with their own money, and not with any extraordinary exertion of his own industry. The Noble Lord, the Memln-r for East Suffolk, stated, on a recent occasion, that " the object ef the fi ea traders was to bring down the price of labour in this country to a level with the amount paid to the labourer on the Continent.—( Loud cries o " Hear, hear," from the Ministerial benches.) They had, however, he believed, already gone in that respect farther than the three clever gentlemen who sat in Somerset House, and who, it was generally admitted. did not overflow with the milk of human kindness. But with all their anxiety on the subject, and with all the aid of the pror-law guardians through out the country, they were unable to keep the paupers in a state of hearth without incurring a greater amount of expense than the labourers could afford in their own homes. Was th e re, he asked anything on the Continent worse than that, or ex hiLiting a greater degree of human misery than they had that night heard described as existing in Dorsetshire ?—( Hear, hear.) Could there be anything discovered on the Continent more appalling than what he himself had been told while tra veling in Scotland two months ago? An extensive farmer in Kirk udbright told him that he was able to pro ture drains to be cut in his land 19 feet in length, 30 inches in dafith, and 18 inches in width through a hard and stony soil, the labourer pro viding himself with spade, shovel, pick-axe, and crow-bar, at no more than 3d. each drain.—(" Oh oh.") He would givegentle men further information of a like kind, if they required it, in addition to that of the farmer, who, he might add, did not agree wlth him on the subject of the corn-laws. That farmer had told him that he had one workman who was able to cut five such drains as he had described in a day, and thus earn 15d , but it was considered good work for a man to cut four of them in a day. The Hon. Gentleman then read an extract from an Oxford newspaper, as quoted in the Times of the 14th of February, in which some outrages committed on the property of t hree farmers in that county were described, and it was stated that a fragment of paper had been left on a plough that had been broken on the occasion, containing the words, " A full belly does not know what an empty one feels." He wished gentle men on both sick s of the House, accustomed as they were to good and comfortable living, would bear those words in their recollection. He also read severs' passages from a letter of Dr. Marsham, containing the result of various visits which lie had paid among the poor of Leicester, and describing the abject poverty which he had everywhere met with, and also a passage from a newspaper with which, he stated, it was generally believed the Hon. Member for Berkshite was connected, de scribing the poverty existing among the agricultural labourers of Wiltshire, and likewise an account of a case at petty ses sions, where a poor man, earning but 6s. a week, was com mitted for a month to prison in default of paying 275. penalty and costs for taking a branch of an ash tree for tiring, at a time when his wife was in her confinement. On that occasion the magistrates, including a clergyman, in passing sentence, said, " If such offences as this were allowed to go unpunished, there would soon be an end to the rights of property." What could you expect that man to be when he come out of gaol? He would now state to the House a series of facts which his Hon. Friend had omitted to lay before them. There were gentlemen in the House connected with Hampshire who could correct any error into which he might fall. The statement was, out of fifty tenants who were thriving before the protecting duty was put on, the majority were ruined, or nearly so, during the eighteen years of protection. Ten of the tenants had died, and their children were now labourers. Twelve of the tenants had been sold up, and were paupers. One was a bailiff, and one other had committed suicide. Thus twenty-four out of the fifty were provided for.—( Hear, hear, and a laugh.) But ten only of the whole number continued to be tenants, and these were badly off.--( Hear, hear.) He would ask, was it not a fit subject of inquiry whether the corn law was not at the root of all the evil which these people had suffered ?—( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for Dorsetshire had expressed his satisfaction at the altered tone of his Hon. Friend (Mr. Cobden), but he had not attempted to contradict his statements respecting the condition of the people in that county,—( Hear, hear.) It was proved that the protection had not benefited Dorsetshire. He could not see how it had benefited Lincolnshire. He attri buted the superior condition of the people of Lincolnshire to their superior intelligence.—( Hear, and a laugh.) In the last sixty years the population of Dorsetshire had doubled, and slow as was the increase that increase was still going on. Would there be more farms in ten years more? This was a matter which the Government ought to consider more than con ciliating those who asserted at public meetings that they would keep them up to the point.—( Hear, hear.) It was said that the treatment of the manufacturing labourers was worse than that • experienced by the Poles from the Emperor of Russia, and the -Secretary for the Home Department had dwelt with rapture upon the enjoyments of the agricultural labourers.—( Cheers and a laugh.) But if there were not those long dull lines of towns at which the Right Hon. Gentleman sneered, what would become of the increasing population of the agricultural districts?—( Hear.) This was ,a question which the Government ought to consider more seriously. But every thing else was attended to, and that was neglected. The object of the motion was to prove that those tenants and la bourers had been injured more than any other class by the system of protection.—( Hear, hear.) He asked the House if they believed, whether the Committee were granted or not, the corn-law would be maintained? Did they believe that the Right Hon. Gentleman, the President of the Board of Trade, with all his tendency in favour of free trade, would continue to support those laws ; that the Right Hon. Baronet, who they knew sprung from trade, would be so devoid of gratitude as to continue to support those laws which were laughed at abroad—(Loud laughter)—but were anything but a subject of laughter at home—rather a subject of intense hatred to the greater portion of the community ? He and the Hon. Member for Stockport would again go through the country and explain to the farmers how a motion for a Committee of Inquiry had been refused to them. The land lords told their tenants that they had peculiar burdens to bear, yet when the Hon. Member for Sheffield moved for a Com mittee of Inquiry into those alleged peculiar burdens of the landlords, it was refused. And why ? Because they were conscious that they had no case to make out. Passing from town to town, and from county to county, he and his Hon. Friend should explain to the constituencies of the empire that their representatives, who had been sent to that House to le gislate for the general interests of the country, did not hesitate to vote as though they were a corporation for the sole purpose of supporting their own interest in the rental of land. NEWDEGATE said the Hon. Member for Durham had accused him of making assertions in packed and exclusive meetings, which he would not make in a general and miscel laneous assembly. To show that what he asserted was true, with respect to the League, he would state that shortly before the disturbances which took place in his neighbourhood occurred, three persons who were connected with the Anti- Corn-law League were down there, and took part in the pro ceedings which occurred before the outbreak. He had been unable to obtain their names, however, as he was not allowed Te rt e ie b s ie t c h t a . t o w f e s r o e to inspect the list of the Council of the Anti-Corn-law League. Dr. BOWRING said that when the Hors. Member made the charge against the League, he called upon him to name the by the Hon. Gentleman. georaneeat connected chargeii s th thas t e h t H e h a t brought League, Gentleman against n h satd them able to do. The Hon. and said he could not get at the name o s n o . f th Gentleman_ now e parties repeated the charge, inspecting the books a the wvtaisthuonu-t League. Now the lion Gentle man eould do this by subse e .ri in g nO/. to the League Fund. Allusion had been made to a meeting " Question," " Order.") A meeting held to express the sym pathy of the English people i n f avour of an injured man. (Renewed and vehement cries o f "Question.") Ile repeated that there was a demonstration in another place that even ins, which might have proved a most instructive lessen to her ' Majesty's Ministers.—( Laughter, and cries of .` Question.") The Hon. Member had connected the Anti-Corn law League I with that meeting, and he (Dr. Bowring) had a right to reply' to those ohservations.—(" Question, question.") It might he I very • tll for Hon. Members to disregard such demonstrations I of public feeling.—( Great uproar.) He was aware that some lion. Members opposite had not their perfect control, but they should at least consider that it was ' hot very becoming in them to refuse a Member the opportunity of speaking on a topic which had been already mooted before the House.--( Renewed crier; of " Question, queston.") Ho SUMMARY OF NEWS AND Vat)lir Optuton. " Who runs may read." FOREIGN. The Paris mail of Monday has been delayed by the boisterous weather in the Channel. Any political intelli gence brought by that of Saturday will be found briefly stated in the proper place. The floods were subsiding in Paris. The accounts from the south of France mention the occurrence of several disas ters throughout the country from the inundations. A student of medicine, aged twenty-one, was convicted on Saturday, and sentenced to death fur murdering a lady 75 years of age, at her residence, in one of the most populous streets of Paris, in broad daylight. LAW AND POLICE. At Lambeth-street, George Seyforth, a sailor belonging to the Tory barque, was charged with smuggling 271bs. of tobacco. After bearing the evidence, Mr. Henry said he was bound to inflict a penalty of 100/. upon the prisoner, but he did not think the case was one which called for so severe a punish ment, and he hoped that, upon a proper representation, the Commissioners of Customs would reduce the penalty to a nominal sum. Samuel Matthews, a well-dressed man, of military appear ance, was brought up at Union-hall for re-examination, charged with committing several robberies in different public-houses about town. Two cases were established against the prisoner, who denied his guilt ; and Mr. Traill said that he should commit him for trial on the charges ad vanced against him, but that he would be brought up again on Friday next. At the Greenwich: Police-court, a young man named Thomas Evans, a blacksmith, residing at Flumstead, was charged with having committed a capital assault on the per son of Sarah Gloster, a pretty-looking woman, aged 25. The crime, with unusual circumstances of heartlessness, was fully substantiated. Mr. Jeremy committed the prisoner for trial. At Hammersmith, Thomas Clark, a boy 10 years of age, was fined in the mitigated penalty of 501. for assisting in the removal of a quantity of illicit spirits from a house in Peel street, Kensington Gravel-pits, where the officers of Excise found all the necessary apparatus for conducting an extensive illicit distillery. At Aylesbury, on Monday, the Rev. William Day, Rector of Hawridge, aged thirty-six, was arraigned on an indictment found at the last assizes, and charging him with having maliciously maimed and wounded four sheep, the property of Joseph Weedon, at Hawridge, on the 19th June last. It appeared that the sheep had trespassed on the premises of the prisoner, who had secured them in his stable or yard, and wounded four of them, by cutting them in the flanks with a knife. Lord Abinger, having briefly summed up the case to the jury, left it to them to say whether the prisoner was actuated by any malicious motive towards the prosecutor, or whether he had acted, however mistakenly, under an idea that he was in the exercise of a right. The jury, after a brief deliberation, returned a verdict of Not Guilty. COURT—rasinoNABLE. The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the Royal children and a limited suite, are expected to leave Bucking ham Palace, on Saturday, for Claremont, where they will remain until Tuesday, and then return to town to enable the Queen to hold her second levee on Wednesday. Her Ma jesty received a small circle at dinner on Tuesday evening, to which Viscount Melbourne had the honour of receiving an invitation. Prince Albert will leave town to-day by the South- Western Railway, for Portsmouth, whither the Black Eagle steam-yacht is sent from Woolwich to convey his Royal Highness to the Isle of Wight, and from which port the Prince proceeds to Cowes, to inspect the marine residence preparing for her Majesty's reception during the ensuing summer. The Duke and Duchess of Roxburgh and family are shortly expected at Thomas's Hotel, from Fleurs Castle, near Kelso, having engaged apartments there for the season. , . The Duke — of Newcastle has returned to Clumber Park, from Portman-square, until after the Easter recess. The Marquis of Bute has left town for Cardiff Castle, his seat in Wales. The Earl and Countess of Sefton are expected to leave Croxteth Hall, for Belgrave-square, for the season, early in the ensuing month. The Earl of Zetland has returned to Aske Hall, - near Richmond, from town. The Noble Earl and Countess come to Arlington-street for the season immediately after the Easter recess. The Earl of Ripon entertains the several members of the Cabinet at dinner this evening, at his Lordship's residence in Upper Grosvenor-street. The Earl of Yarborough has left town for Brocklesby Hall, Lincolnshire ' where the Noble Earl purposes to re ma i n till the close of the hunting season. . . „,,.. . _ Earl Grey- completes leis 80th year to-day. Lord Beauvale is confined by an attack of gout to his man sion in Hyde Park-terrace, which prevented his Lordship from accepting the Royal invitation to dinner on Tuesday evening, at Buckingham Palace. MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS CITY, QUARTER TO THREE. There was a slight increase in the demand for Cotton at Liverpool yesterday, and the sales were 5,000 bales, at steady prices. There was not so much doing in Railway Shares. Birmingham and Gloucester were 85%; Chester and Holyhead, 6%; Eastern Counties, 11%; Edinburgh and Glasgow, 63%; Grand Junction, 233; South Western Eighths, 4i-; Man chester and Birmingham, 448 ; Ditto and Leeds, 115%; Midland Counties, 92 ; North Midland Half, 47 ; Paris and Lyons, 21. 13s. ; Ditto and Rouen, 34%; South Eastern, 35 ; Croydon, 161. 18s. 4d. got much business has been transacted in the Funds this morning. Nothing has yet been permitted to transpire as to the amount of assents to the Conversion of the Three-and-a- Half per Cents. of 1818 to a 31. ss. Stock, or of dissents as respects the other funds bearing the former rate of interest at present. The opinion now is, that the Chancellor of the Exchequer will carry out his whole scheme. without requiring one million sterling to pay off objectors. The value of the New Three-and-a-Half per Cent. Annuities this morning has been firm at from 102% to 102%. As to Consols, the rates have fluctuated only from 98% to 98% for the Account, as well as for immediate transfers. The Com missioners bought this morning Consols at 981. Exchequer bills are 70e. to 71s. premium. The foreign investmens have been dull, Spanish Actives at 25 to %, and the Three per Cents. at 35% to -8. Mexican Bonds have been 35% to 36 ; Buenos Ayres, 38 ; Chilean Deferred, 50 ; and Colombian, 40%. Except Chilean, they are there fore all a shade lower. Belgian have realised 104. Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. have been marked 57 to 57%. In the Railway Shares business is much more limited to day, and prices are lower. The account will be settled to morrow, and this influences them. Birmingham, South Western, South Eastern, and Birmingham and Gloucester, have been most affected. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. (From the Official List) Sper Cent. Consols. Annuities 98%14 New 3% per Cent. Annuities 102% Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan. 1860 Ditto 30 Years, Expire sth Jan. 1860 12% India Stock - 285 Bank Stock for Account Consols for Account Exchequer:Bills, I%d. 134 d 1,0001. 500/. - . 70 pm. Ditto Small FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Belgian Bonds, 5 per Cent lO4 Buenos Ayres Bonds, 6 per Cent 3B Chilian Bonds, 6 per Cent — Ditto Deferred 5O Columbian Bonds. Mexican Bonds, 1 837, 5 per Cent. . ........... Portuguese Bonds ' 5 per Cent. Ditto Converted 47 46% 47% Ditto for the Account 47 Spanish Bonds, Five per Cent 1840 25 Ditto for the Account Ditto Three Der Cent. Ditto for the Account Venezuela Bonds, 2 per Cent 4O Dutch 2% per Cents 57 Ditto for the Account Dutch 5 per Cents lOl% 102 PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE. RAILWAXS. PAID. PER SHARE Birmingham and Gloucester 100 Ditto New Bristol and Exeter 7O 70% 693 to '7O Chester and Holyhead 5 6l % ... to Eastern Counties Ditto New Registered Bl. 6s. Bcl . Great Western Ditto % Shares London and Brighton 5O 44%%... to London and Birmingham. Stock 235 ,to 236%; Dit o New 14 Shares:. London and South Western 41% B3 Ditto Eighths . Manchester and Leedi ll 6 Manchester and Birmingham ... 40 North British 2% Newcastle and Darlington Junct. 18 Northern and Eastern 45 57% to North Midland Ditto Thirds 2l'. 13s. 4d.......... 0 1 ...... to Paris and Orleans Paris and Rouen 2O 34 South Eastern and Dover Ditto Scrip York and North Midland Ditto Scarboro' Branch MANCHESTER STOCK EXCHANGE, MARCH 12.—There is net do buoyant a market, but prices continue quite firm. Bolton and Preston, 30i to 30i ; Dublin and Drogheda, 56 ; Man chester and Birmingham, 45 ; North Union, 1021 to 104 ; Sheffield and Manchester, 71 ; Ditto Quarters, 8 ; South Eastern New creation, 4i prem. ' • Manchester Assurance, loi. CLOSING 111 ICES. BRITISH FUNDS. Indian Stock 235 pm. Ditto Bonds ... —. pm. Ditto Old Annuities Ditto New Annuities — Ex. Bills, 1,0001. I%d — pm. Ditto 5001. — pm. Ditto Small — pm. Bank Stock for Acct l9B Consols for Acct 9 '. 34 India Stock for Acct — I FUNDS. Austrian, 5 per Cent — Portuguese, 5 per Cent —. Belgian, 5 per Cent lOl Ditto, New Ditto Brazilian Bonds Buenos Ayres, 6 per Cent... 38 Russian, 5 per Cent —, IDitto, Metallic .— Chllian, 6 per Cent Colombian, 6 per Cent: 14% Spanish, 5 per Cen* 25% Ditto, 1824 — ,Ditto, 3 per Cent 3.5% Cuba Bonds, 6 per Cent 93 Ditto, Deferred 14% Danish, 3 per Cent Greek, 18:i5, 5 per Cent — , Exchange Mexican, 5 per Cent Ditto, 6 per Cent., 18:17 — Dutch, 2% per Cent 5 -% Peruvian, 1925, 6 per Cent... -29% Ditto, 5 per Cent lO2 SHARES. Birmingham and Gloucester (100 paid) B3 Great Western (75 paid) Ditto Half Shares (50 p a id) Lancaster and Carlisl e ( 5 paid). . _ 6 London and Guildford Junction ( 5 pa.d) London and South Western (411. 6s. 10d. paid) Manchester and Leeds (70 paid) Manchester and Birmingham Midland Counties MO paid) Ditto Quarter Shares (15 paid) Norwich and Brandon ( 2 paid) Northern and Eastern (45 paid) Paris and Orleans (20 paid) South Eastern and Dover (50 paid) 35% Ditto Scrip (25 paid) 35% West London Thames Extension 1 2 paid) York and North Midland (50 paid) 122% Bank Stock 5 per Cent. Ited 3 per Cent. Cons. 3% per Cent. Rel New 3% per Cent 102% New 5 per Cent. Long Annuities to expire Jan. 1860 12% Oct. 1859 Jan. 1860 ...... ...... 12% THE LAST CAMPAIGN IN AFFGHANISTAN.—The " Narrative of the late victorious Campaign in Affghanistan under General Pollock," from the pen of Lieut. Greenwood, of her Majesty's 31st Regiment, is, we hear, to be published immediately. The contents of this volume are likely to prove most powerfully interesting to the English public at the present time ; for while almost every one has read, in the works of Lady Sale and Lieutenant Eyre, the sad tale of our disasters in Affglaanistan, no account has hitherto appeared of the glorious successes which crowned the advance of Sir George Pollock's army. Lieutenant Greenwood's work is, we understand, an offhand soldier's narrative, which, while LLOYD'S SHIPPING.—( THIS DA Y,) it contains the most authentic information, warmly excites T ...ONDON - 1 • day f 01 westerly , lARCH 13. int tns a neon, re, the sympathies of the reader in the numerous stirring scenes breeze, and fine clear weather. and adventures in which the author took part. DEAL, MARCH 12.—Wind W N.W. to N.N.W., strop A L ARMING ILLNESS OF THE COUNTESS OF U X - and hard squalls.—Arrd. Euphrates, Wilson, China; Amelia BuiDGE.—lt is with extreme regret that we announce the very - Mulholland, Evans, Mauritius; James Crtlikailankt SIVeo serious indisposition of the Countess of Uxbridge. The Countess Demerara; James Lyon, Bruee, Wrbioe, was confined yesterday week, and it appears that on Friday symp. R A NT S GATE, MARCH 12, ,, ,Nrra. Olive Branch toms of an alarming nature were too manifest, and the medical Buenos Ayres, gentleman judged it prudent to order that the Countess's head be PORTsmoUTII, MARcu 12.—Wind 1, gale and very shaved, which was done on Saturday. However, her ladyship con. squally.—Arrd. Great Liverpool stonier, Alexandria. tinued gradually to get wor se . W e are happy to hear that a PLYMorrit, 12.—Wind N.:`,.v.L-Put back, her Ma change decidedly for the better took place yesterday, and the jesty's steamer Prometheus, wit l 2, boilers burst. report of Drs. Bright and S tone last evening was, on the whole, ' PIMANcR, MARCH 11.--A rr d. T ro i s Amis, Cherbourg, for favourable. The inquiri es o f t h e nobility have been exceedingly C ar diff , w i t h l oss of Iniohniast,, numeroul, ()" scu ' LY3 - 1 g4,914 V,—Lanew# Kostee, Klevel Uam 011, U~ r _ LAW li.'cTELLIGEN , ' CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.) BURROUGHS V. ROE.—JUDGMENT. this sb The LORD CHANCELLOR gave judgment to-day in d the question in which related to certain deeds ex ecute the late Alderman Win c hester. The case came before f, Lordship upon appeal from the decision of the Vice-01111;e for Knight Bruce, and his Lordship, after going t r his lenth into the facts and law relating to the case, staate clear opinion to be, that the judgment of the Court belovtw' correct, and ordered it to be affirmed with casts. t this Want of space prevents us giving a fuller account oi judgment, but we shall do so to-morrow. POLICE INTELLIGENCB• BOIT-STREET. Mr. Thomas liartls it Simpson, landlord of the Albion Trett7. Great Russell-street, Covent-garden, was summoned befo ja r e d • Jardine, charged with having kept his house open for Ihe " wine, spirits, beer, or other distilled liquors, at other hours r a t o law allowed, namely, at twenty-five minutes before 001 morning of Sunday, the 3d inst. Mr. D. W. Wire, solicitor, appeared for the defence. jetelf The case excited great interest, and the Court was coollptess filled with respectable persons, licensed victuallers, an d (tegument. of Mr. Simpson's house, who were anxious to hear the art*;oo, on both aides, it being the fifth time Mr. Simpson has De moned within thirteen months. " Ift the nrn Inspector Black, F division, said that on Sunday 10,- . . n o 3d of March, about twenty-five minutes before one, he vlsi coo pt , house of the defendant, situate In Great Russell-strectv 000 ,0 garden. He found •he door wide open, and in the suPPer x .., be r of near as he could say, seventy persons. There were a 0;0 glasses, with different sorts of liquor In them, standing on th in the usual way. and sP 4. W Cross-examined by Mr. Wire—Saw Mr. Simpson, him. Said to him, " There are a number of glasses of 'll biro the tables," and he replieds ; " Yes; I cannot help if. wo lf o drawn nothing since twelve o'clock." Was in the house a bet three minutes, and looked round. Went up stairs into room, where there was a party taking coffee. Did not see le f,l o served while he was there. Mr. Simpson called his atten ;O: the bar. The engines appeared to be fastened down. T here light, but he did not stop to examine it any further. rhO°4P Alexander Kerr, F 49, who was on duty in the neighbo-uote Great Russell-street and Bedford-street, observed, from O ve ,„ o , past twelve to 23 minutes past one, 27 persons admitted dit Simpson's house. The doors were open quite wi de ° W O*, one, and from five minutes past twelve, till seven minute' ,itsa• 116 persons came out of the house. They were all very en"' orderly. Mr. Wire contended that there was no case to answer, .n p eter as it was proved that the engines were locked up when In fors / 5 Black went in; that the glasses might have stood frost' TDeDe( o'clock without being refilled, and that there was no ever of the sale of one glass after the hour prescribed bilvellb Mr. Charles Ruddell, manager of the b ar o f the Albion s ise'' deposed that he had been in the defend an t' s s ervice for the gds months, and was in the house on the night of Saturday,iin March. Was in all night. Before twelve, or at twelve 0; loer fo iri locked up the bar. Had received directions front the ue t or not to permit any wines, spirits, or beer to be sold aft er p o'clock. Those were his orders on that night. I , ° c _ / _'`_ i l e ,r, • beer and spirit engines, and put the wine in the enP7„t locked it up. Nothing could be served from the bar W"'"„010, knowledge after the hour of twelve on Saturday night, en d , ; Ot e :, the care of those places he will swear that W i t e- teet served of a fermented or distilled nature after the hour wrote' that night. The brass bare be now produced are Plac ed le bo . taps of the engines, and being locked with a pad!ock,ea end '17"? fastened without the key, which he had in his posse' s°. , • 0$ 11 was no servant of the defendant's who had any liquors of th e with which they could serve customers. Every one in LU had strict orders to be particular about serving. ti ll ot„,1 Cross-examined by Mr. JARDINE—Did not go to bed jtPvi.e two o'clock. Had no reason why he did not go to bed 0 . ;" - tastr, except that he lied to make the day's a ccount out. end 5 was cleared away, low sile: e p t Miss Louisa Stanfield, who was in the bar till two o'c . also that nothing was served after twelve ; nd thi n g 4 / Thomas Charles Daws, the head waiter , swore that n ° 4 , fr p tered the supper room after twelve o'clock i n the shape d i ' b,11 0 4 th y, w) The only additioual facts proved for the defence Wer e ' drends of persons have left the house since the late d eeie taitt; cause they could not be served with anything but coffee; ~ , st the night in question great numbers of cups of coffee Wee d or e r 7' and that the notice was posted before five o'clock, in gentlemen who dined at the house might be aware of t he .,, ru . e . 4 41 f Mr. JARDINE did not think it necessary to go lluthwftle'7, ` ; case, as he deemed the proof _which he required from "71:0;fses:J dant's domestics had been given. —The information was di' Clad" . Mr. Plackett, landlord of the Red Lion, Vere- 6treet 'at#' 4l, l , market, was charged with a similar offence , at fiv e elin eleven on the same day. neer ° rk It Policeman, F 134, saw the potman take a half-pint for' t p" defendant's to a greengrocer opposite, but it being P rol- ' defence that the beer was not taken to the greensroeerl seat the next door, and that it had not been sold, but kin cil Led.. the landlord to a customer's wife, who had lalely been e nn- o ssr": i Mr. JARDINR did not see any proof of sale under the of the Act, and dismissed the information. ARRIVAL OF THE EAST INDIA ANT,-• CA S - T) MAILS. SOIITHAMPTIDN, MARCH 12, EIGHT P,M,—The ig ED , pany's steam.packet Great Liverpool, Captain MlClour i,ar- dene; afternoon from Alexandria at the Motherbank, a fter OP!: 0f 4F .1 the most dreadful weather, such as prevented the possibinor sailing vessel coming nearer. She left Alexandria on tbeiollei February, where she was deiained fourteen hours end 1 the mails were on board, in consequence of the holl er sP E hir), af s4 leak and stopping to repair. She has landed her mai l ' , be dispatched by this night's mail. She brings h ° s ll ,, e t CO P ' passengers, including nineteen ladies, and twenty-e 4 -: and servants, in all ninety_three. o s ofo i Ships lying at Alexandria—Hee Majesty's ship:TYne, At G men.of.war belonging to his Highness Mehemet Ali. tar—Her Majesty's steamer Locust, and Company's ship gel The Peninsula packet Montrose, due yesterday, is hou ri " ., o er fO t SOUTHAMPTON, MARCH 12.—The Montrose Penins ° Isr ste. d arrived this morning at eight o'clock, b r i ng i n g eight b to . till nu t Montrose brings 18 packages o f spec i e an d a largo q` t otb a ,g , oranges. The Montrose experienced very bad westh er .: n ie, and home; this accounts for her arrival after her usual brings no news of importance. MARKET NEWS.-(THIS CORN EXCHANGE-WEDN S . V ;I ' We had only a moderate supply of English Wh e _.i a "i r 14° .a6 demand for it was in a very sluggish state, at bafr o ,A;i t day's prices. In free Foreign Wheat a steady b u ' u vl 0 ,0, doing. Bonded Grain was a mere drug. Barlq ~,adP were a heavy sale, and prices had a downward v--- Oats, Beans, Peas, and Flour were unaltered. ARRIVALS. t in 0 001 .( Wheat. Batley. I Oats. 1,00 860 qrs. 1,744) qrs. NO 4 11 . ..••••• .-..,- —. I —... ...., 1 ....... Malt, 1,.%.9 gra. ~1, NITHYTECH.A.PEL. : t h ell" - ../tor Our market was very moderately supplied barely foe Vol, of Meat, while the dethand was inactive, at i t lie Beef from 2s 4d to 3s 4d; Mutton, 2s 8d 0 ' 3 60,0 3s 6d to 4s 8d; and Pork, 22 Bd. to 4s 4d per " , ` carcase. • . ' ' ..."-i• English • Irish Foreign ...... RAILWAY M ENT. an d Newcastle •vic• Newcastle and Darling - ton Junction Railisal.,binioifr Bridge Bill—" for authorising th e s ale of the p i n 60;0 0 tion Railway to the N ewcas tl e an d D ar lington LC t ,or way Company, and for enabling the said Comp t,t l .,‹ e st",' a station at Gateshead, with a bridge-and aPP r°3- cn nett the said last-nientioned;Railivay w i t h the to'epteat • castle-upon-Tyne, and f or oth er . purposes," pi es h iia read a first time. f'r 6114 0 Pontop and South Shields R a ilway Bill - " " -° to the Pontop and So u th Shi e ld s R a il wa y Cor l l 3B 2 r efrov i ' , part of their Railway, an d t o ma k e a branch , o pP for other purposes," p r es en t e d, an d rea d a first tied A °° A 5 r1j . ,, Epsom and South-W e st ern R a il wa y Bill" r ,„ e4 f Seile3et time, committed, and ref erre d t o t h e Coranit`e- t ' Croydon and Epsom Railway Bill—read 3 committed, and referred to the Committee of Sele s c eeo o Newquay Harbour and Railway Bill—read,3,ectioa• committed, and referred to the Committee of rerßiO. Barnsley Junction Railway—petition for ...„, - " i diegi3OA Report referred to the Select committee on St'" ict ig ree d Monkland Rail Ways (No. 2) —petition for ,;"i i rt 0 . 13 " and Bill ordered to be brought in 311. • I ' o or for I V ; Oswald Edi . 'ti° rl burgh, Leith,and iive_r_peti Granton Rai reported, and Bill 'Ordered to be brought in by Craig, Mr. Rutherford, and Mr. Macaulay, net slhtai:tbsrlidelacottivhlweai;enag b adopt, . Th e to. A4O, TUE WEATIIRII.—THE GALESe---On 0 3 1d. ° W i til d 0444 _A iaa r e eeea-,- , 1 ow 0 . the atmostphere was clear and the temperature c u de e- e south-west to north, Shortly a ft er midnight the c h i° gicse e p ' e st .s it and the wind became violent, increasing to One" 3 :fun til aies P ld which, accompanied by torrents of rain, contion;cl4 it; to ro , seven o'clock. Yesterday morning, before eight °'° lo ela .., 1' aoftffe, e a t n h d e th w e in s d un ag s a h i o n n t e ev b a r ea igny ie t l i en ll ta,boeundt eleven heavy storm of hail, :sleet, snow, and. rain, 5r0,70 whirled about about by the wind into various fantastic f° e eoPP e _ a e r e. , dering it truly uncomfortable for those: who we re t "" s e battle with it. Similar 'stOrps„ though less vi when , t 1; Ine' tonuw. p mhco e pot ieeco a ri itnt t cpgo e d hrhhat: noleeacidr4tn a oo t eenfi dzeintervalsetggiaete o'clock i continuedent teo'clock:cleared awol up to nearly meab b i orna u ir: t nrkdiein t cy h g: tedass and dtrnol wl iogtd n hok d a tt e 3. e3h3l,ll;:ed,ifate 'leggy e s o b: ee en d eve. es t; Is. e ::: : :( 1 v 0 f; ei rsi :p ! the have 0 - 10 34 et ' a cautionar aY Morning, in conseen ce ' Poole oc° , t eal." wind slightly retarded the g arr e i e v n al of several y Measure the craft in the river rriej l ol i al But few of the Scotch steamers were enabled to 3 , 00 01 o a ...0. 0 The James Watt, Havre steamer, which Was d" a- The f ag a er:d. yesterday morning, had not arrived last evO l°g nrt e 9 °l; a 7 0 7. e, the Herne steamer states that he never made 3 f - At - :t i si,„,,e'" Herne Bay, than the voyage t o Loudon en, Mons's , ' bet es_ . „ . l 1 , the storm began at ten o'clock on Monday nigh t, W tbiew , e nor Be t' quent and vivid gashes of lightning came from t'' Iti OP barometer at noon yesterday was 29-6. __,A. larg / 0 s . FACTORIES BILL.—SILK TRADB• j o t trs' — 'ol, th t , ing of Members of Parliament, representing the i s rsb eel. o . th ir . day morning received, at the King's Arms Hot e : 100 0 0, of tti s o , deputies from the silk-throwing districts new i ' (0 00, 44 1 0 0 purpose of procuring a separate Bill for the re f g r Cbe P. , dog trade. William Tattoo Egerton, Eq.., M.P" f °the lie or called to the chair, and after a ftill exposition o e s to boll:0ot trade, and an expression of the general w illingn!.. pe eliat o to be mills regulated by provisions applicable to th ' r ld v ; e ° e i . l ir stances, it was resolved that an application shoyouid 0 u 0 0 ,,, James Graham for an interview, at which sn se parst s _of t !' reasons for desiring to have silk Tullis placed ineeceeoitte. tive enactment, :.s had been recommended Wash iron. , . c hairman' ,-- House of Commons of which Lord Ashley eiji oa ~ 0 BIR7'IIS. V.l l. ~ • tri ti On the Bth inst., at Edgbaston, BirwinglAA . , 1 I li? Bacchus, of a daughter. c.tt'ivf°rd' h A On the Bth inst., at Stcvm.rd HAS, ,- „.,;ftv - ' a.ISP" lade of Josiah Wilson, Egt., of a s.c,a,. , lac-, 0 On the 9th inst., Air t i,...4ohiag, Us • Alfrtul 90 ,fin, of a daughter, t o t, SVS. 0 On the 9th inst., in tr . Sta m ford-stre ,: of Matthews, of a d.4110,e.' pper sno w, On the lOtli 10 . -c* t liorh6ey, 3 h• „A., a 1, lki• '. daughter, lio ph° ---.---- a re, " 4e rP .31..4111i11_,,D. if a er-510 of • .I°' ia,. . the 9th inst., at St. Ge or g e s, noo k ti''' -Airy, Esq., of Mile-end, to llar riot Doc Somes, Esq., of New Grove, Mile-end. WI •t. DIED. , Job° .ter On the 10th inst., in Upper Gower-stree,, ram Esq., 1".5.A., of West' Wickham, Kent. Air. 1 010 On the 10th inst., in Camberwell, d 2 ]. 4 Lofty, of St. John's College, Cambridge, ag e ----..,,,',69, 0c.au.......--aa..x.'5n........=................,'!..rr.j--f.r.'f 0 1,0::ti tey London : Printed and Published by 7, 1‘1 % , S t /Vs No 112, Strand, at The SunOflice, —O. h 13, 1 County of Middlesex, Wednesday, Dislc NEW WORK by the Author of " HENRY DE POMEROY," " WHITEHOODS," " TRELAWNEY," &c. Just ready, in 3 vols., post Svo., C OUR TENAY of %VALREDDON. A ROMANCE OF THE WEST. By Mrs. BRAY. Author of " Henry de Pomeroy," "Whitehoods," &c. " how hard it is to hide the sparks of nature! These boys know little they are sons to the King ; Nor Cymbeline dreams that they are alive."—Shakspeare. Richard Bentley, New Burlington-street. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. THIS EVENING, MARCH 13, Will be perform e d th e O pera o f GUILLAUME TELL. Arno'd, M. Duprez ; Ge ss l er, M r . G. Horncastle; illiam Tell, Mr, Stret on; Lutern, Martha, Malle. Albertazzi; Matilda, Miss Romer; Miss Letts After which, - Will be repeated Albert's e.lebrated Ballet of THE BEAUTY OF (!HEN I'. Marquis de San Lucar, M. Albert ; Bane :let, M. Hoguct Vestris; Beatrix, Mdlle. Fleury; Agnes, Mdlle Clara Webster; Julia, aflame Pelt Stephan; Diana, Mdile. O'Brysn. I tress Boxca 75., Second Price :is. (kl. ; Upper Circles of Boxes 55., S rond Price ; Pit is , Second Price Qs.; M.d :le Gallery Us.. S Mid Price Is.; Upper Gallery Is., Second Price rid. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. M 't. BENJAMIN WEBSTER, LESSEE. .11-11 S EVENING, MARCH 13, Will be pr diced a New l'etite Musical Drama, called DER NECIII"FEUF'EL. Baron Gillestern, Mr. Strickland ; Oscar, Mi. Howe; Baroness, Mrs. Glover; Matilda, Miss P. Horton; Ca roline, Miss iti;ia Bennett. After which, FOREIGN AFFAIRS; or, The Court of .:en Anne. Count St. Louis, Madame Celeste,. Bleon Fitzstoutz Mr Stneklancl; Sir James Courlall, Mr. Webster; Baroneili Fitzstoutz, Mrs. Hunsby. Alter the Drama, Mr. JOHN PARRY will sing " Mama is so vo.y ticular,"accompan: ing himself on the Grand Pi.noforte. After Li will be repeated JOSEPHINE; or, The Fortune of War. Gudlot, B •ckstone • Josephine, Mrs. Fbzwilli To conclude with the Farce TOM NODDY'S SECRET. Mr. Thomas Noddy, Mr. Strickland ; Inkpen Mr. 13uckstone ; Ga brielle, M.ss Julia Bennett; Marv,. Miss Mattley. Orchestra Stalls, ss. ; Boxes, ss. ; Pit, ;.!s. ; Gallery, 25.; Upper Gallery, Is. Half-price -Boxes, 3s. ; Pit 25.; Gallery, Is. ; Upper Gallery, Gd. Doors opened at Half-past Six, and the Performance -unanence at Seven. _ flckets and Placts to be had of Mr I. T. Archer, at the Box. ottice, from Ten till Fitt. PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD.STREET. LESSEE, Mr. J. M. MADDOX. THIS EVENING*, MARCH N, , be performed THE ANGEL OF THE ATTIC, in which 111,ssrs. Walton, Walter Lacy, and Madame Eugenie Prosper will pe rfi; o which will be added GONE TO TEXAS, in which Mr. and Mrs. Keel) , wilperfOrm. After which, a New Petite Comedy, called AGED FORTY. Sir Harry V ilder 4 Mr. Walter Lacy; Mr Dapper, Mr. Oxterf y; Lady Clifton, Miss Fortescue. • To be followed by a New Farce, in 0 e Act, entitled THE YOUNG SCAMP; or My Grandmother's Pet. Jeseph, Mrs. Keeley ; Mildew, Mr. Keeley. To co.ielude with a N. w Graa.l Ballet, entitled LEOLA; or, the May day Bride. Patrick, Mr. Chicheley; Pheliin; Mr. Gilbert; Rhona, Mist Charleton; Leola, Mist Bailin. THEATRE ROYAL. ADELPHI. THIS EVENING, MARCH 13, Will be repeated, by permissioo of Charles Dickens, Esq., THE CHRIS I'M AS CAROL Principal Characters—Messrs. 0. Smith, Wright, Lyon, Maynard, Forman, Miss Woolgar. Mrs. F. Mathews, Miss Chaplin, and Fuss Lee. To be billowed by ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA MARRIED AND SETTLED. Antony, Mr. Wright; Cleopatra, Miss Woolgar. After which, CLRICA ; or, The Prisoner of State. Principal Characters—Messrs. Lyon, 0. Smith, Maynard, Forman, Wieland, anti Hamilton ; Mesdames Yates, D. Lee and Chaplin. To conclude with DEEDS ,OF DREADFUL NOTE. T im id , Mi. Wright; Fright, Mr. Forman; Mrs, Fright, Miss Emma Stan'ey. Boxes, 4s. ; Pit, 2s. ; Clallery, Is. ; Second price at Nine. Doors open at Hal -past Six, commence at Seven o'Clock. DAV IDGE'S ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. THIS EVENING, MARCH 13, Will be performed a New Drama, entitled THE LAST SHIL. LING, supported by all the Company. After which, DON 31.7 AN ; or, The Feast of the Spectre. 'lobe followed by CRAMOND BRIG. To conclude with Three Comic Scenes from HARLEQUIN GRAMMAR. Places and Private Boxes to be had of Mr. Kerschner, at the Box. °lice, from Eleven to Four. 30.—WIND, W. THE WEATHER-3SUN Highest, 4 M 5 ; An N ci o r on l , 2 4 . 2. m and rain at 29. TER,on the Thermometer denotes the perate. In Barometers fair is a s freezinguNTaiolilTEop.ilpoaoT:iii:dite:oEppnanpoun:tmdßLsiobotiel sir v E3 e o3 s t2,e, HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE THIS Morning .. 25 minutes after 8 I Evening .. 13 minutes atter 9. „, /7 , . ,;42.... , DP j l r44t , i r..C 4 A i (‘ fe da” . •, , •', ..., . w - - , -K-' ..,,,, , , ~ , ,fi,„7,,.7 , -,.., • ~. 4 liit, - .' 1 1 . 1 i, ...'..-..;,?> ~,.„4-.L.,„yi,. ' • ~ •.i. e i *- C'" 1 , - - v VAD.1t14. 0 '....T.1...e V ~,,,Solii,7 4 olmmig.•, :1•,, ~ _: ''' '''' ' ' ... - 7, 2= ' , - ..'... ' 1 . DV , low — ,. SECOND EDITION. (nin tth; LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1844. No business of importance was done in the Lords. In the Commons the Epsom and South-Western Railway Bill, and the Croydon and Epsom Railway Bill, were read a second time, and ordered to be committed. In answer to several questions from Mr. GILL, Mem ber for Plymouth, relative to the arrest of two officers of the 74th Regiment, now in Devonport, the arrest having continued for eight months, Sir H. lIARDINGE stated that ono of them had been placed under arrest, being a junior officer, for carrying a challenge to a superior officer, which the latter had accepted, both having thus violated their duty. As a new measure was in contemplation with regard to such challenges, the Commander in Chief had allowed the arrest to con tinue for the time mentioned, but meant to release them after a suitable admonition. Mr. COBDEN moved for a Select Committee to inquire into the effects of protective duties on imports upon the interest of the tenant-farmers and farm labourers. In introducing the subject he said such a Committee as he called for was generally granted, and he had the more confidence that it would be granted in this in stance because he intended, in case his motion should be agreed to, only to call persons connected with agricul ture. His object was to prove that what was called protection was delusive and injurious to the farmers. He illustrated this simple fact by various arguments and proofs, and left no doubt on the minds of impartial hearers that what was called protection to tinant farmers and labourers, meant only monopoly to the landowers. _ ..... Mr. GLADSTONE opposed the motion in a long speech, Mr. VILLIERS, Mr. BRIGHT, and several other Members followed, when the House divided, and the motion was negatived by a majority of 91. The other Orders of the Day having been disposed of, the House adjourned at Half-past One o'Clock. The demonstration made last night at Covent-garden Theatre, is an event of no ordinary occurrence, and cannot fail to be attended by important results. The object of the meeting was ostensibly to do honour to lir. O'CONNELL, for the great services he has rendered to his country during a long and active life, and especially to express public sympathy for his conviction, obtained by means which neither English Judges nor English juries would sanction. - These were the principal causes which collected such a vast multitude of persons, both in the middle and the higher ranks of life; but even these would not account for the hearty enthusiasm and the boisterous applause which %%doomed the long-tried friend of Ire land. It wai the wrongs of an oppressed, a gallant, and a generous nation, that moved the sympathies of English men, and, w e re j o i ce to a dd , Englishwomen too ; it was the recollecti on t h at a country , w hich has produced some of the great es t men o f t h e age , w hich has lavishly shed the blood of he r p eop l e i n aveng ing English wrongs, and maintaining the glory of Britain in every quarter of the globe, was, notwithstanding all her great services in the common cause, still treated as an outcast and an alien, and prohibited by a dominant party from partaking in all the rights anti privileges to which they have the same indubitable claims with the rest of their countrymen. This was the mainspring of the vast and glorious move ment which will spread joy throughout Ireland, make a deep impression upon foreign States, and ulti mately lead to measures which neither religious bi gotry nor selfish class legislation can long gainsay. Mr. O'CoNNELL justly said he did not accept the high honour conferred on him for the humble services he had performed, he accepted it in behalf of his afflicted coun• tryman, who had long struggled for their liberty, and who were determined, as one man, to obtain it, but with out shedding a drop of human blood; and they will ob tain it, when Englishmen and Scotchmen join them with a resolution like that displayed last night. Let not Mr. O'CoNNELL and his countrymen despair. They have with them all the good and not a few of the great men of this country. They have what is more, a just cause— a sacred cause, and though their freedom by the in scrutable decrees of PROVIDENCE has been long delayed, the dawn of liberty has at last burst forth, and ere long will reach the meridian day. Let them persevere in the same peaceable course, and before two years elapse the cry of " Justice to Ireland" will be re-echoed throughout every part of her MAJESTY'S dominions, and our beloved SOVEREIGN will obtain the wish dearest to her heart—the reconciliation of her loyal Irish subjects —the cordial and complete union of two countries that can be separated only by the destruction of both. Mr. COBDEN brought forward his motion last night in the House of Commons for a Select Committee to inquire into the effects of protective duties on imports on the interest of the tenant-farmers and farm labourers. His object, he said, in introducing this motion, was to show that protection, as it is called, instead of being beneficial, was in reality injurious to those who imagined that they were gainers by it, and this he was fully prepared to demonstrate on the evi dence of tenant-farmers themselves. The Member for Stockport is a close and searching reasoner, who wastes no time in superfluous declamation, or in conjuring up phantoms—as Tom Thumb did giants—for the purpose of battling with, and overthrowing, them ; and we know not that he ever exhibited his superior argumentative powers to greater advantage than 'he did last night. Fact after fact, each more striking--each more pungent than its predecessor— was poured forth with a profusion that seemed inex haustible ; and the inferences deduced from these stub born facts were such as could only have been gainsayed by men whose inveterate prejudices blocked up all the avenues to reason. Every prediction, observed Mr. COBDEN, that was now uttered with regard to corn, had been previously uttered by the Protectionists with re gard to wool. " But what was the result ?" asked the Hon. Member. " Did they lose all their sheep walks ? Had th ey no more mutton ? Were there no more sheep cots ? So far from this being the case, when wool was at the highest price, the largest quantity had been imported, and when it was at the lowest price, ths7'n the smallest quantity had been imported." Mr. GLansToxE made an attempt to ans'a er Mr. COBDEN'S nervous. practical reasonings ; but acute, and skilful debater as he is, the task was too much for him. In some portions of his reply he gave us the idea of a man who was placed in a false position, and was speaking against his own internal convictions ; and this gave a certain vague nes and feebleness to his statements and hypotheses, which are by no means of common occurrence in his Parliamentary speeches. How puerile was his objection to the appointment of a Committee, on the score that it would unsettle the minds of the people, and paralyse these departments of trade and revenue to which its inquiries had reference : Precisely the same obj ction might be urged to the Irish Landlord-and-Tenant Commission, or any other great public inquiry. Nothing can tend more thoroughly to unsettle the minds of bsth landlords and tenants in Ire land than the inveAigation now in progress ; but who denies that it is called for—who denies that it is one of paramount necessity? There never yet was a Committee appointed for a public object that the minds of some classes were not unsettled by it ; yet Government has never been in the habit of allowing this consideration to stand in their way, when once they have decided on its appointment. Now, however, when it happens to serve their turn, it is brought in without the slightest hesita tion. In the course of the evening, by way of giving relief to the debate, and infusing into it a little sprinkling of Attic salt, Colonel SIBTIIOBP rose, and with that bril liant wit which is ever at his command, cracked not less than three jokes consecutively, on the subject of Mr. COBDEN and his white wand, as steward of the O'CoN NELL dinner. 'rhe House laughed, but whether with the Gallant Colonel, or at him, we do not pretend to de termine ; enough to say it laughed, and that the Mem ber for Lincoln triumphantly succeeded in his ambitious efforts to excite - the risible faculties of his audience. In the midst ofmuch that captious critics might call irrelevant, one fact of importance was elicited in the course of his speech—aad that fact is, that he never reads the Anti- Corn-law League Circular! He scorns even to give house-room to such a revolutionary, atheistical docu ment ! This, we repeat, is a fact of moment ; and if i t do not give an awful shock to the patriotic sensibilities of the Member for Stockport, it will at least oc casion him some moments of uneasy meditation. But we are not without a longing hope that the Gallant Colonel—whom, after all, we respect for his frank and manly plain-speaking, however, we may smile at his political heresies—will relax in his present inveteracy of purpose ; read the obnoxious Circular with avidity, and like another NrcomEDus, sit reverently at the feet of that instructive GAMALIEL, the Anti-Corn-law League. The accounts from Madrid are to the 4th inst., but they are as usual destitute of intelligence. Another dispatch had been received from General RONCALI, in which he attributes the small progress made in the siege of Alicant to the boisterous weather. The Three per Cents. were done at 30 3-16 for cash, and 30-i at 60 days ; and the Five per Cents. at 22i at 60 days. - Long debates took place in the French Chamber of Deputies on two important questions—the rejection of M. CHARLES LAFITTE, who had been returned a second time for the town of Louviers, and the fortifications of Paris. A third election, of course, must be made, and from all accounts, the inhabitants will retui n the same Member by a larger majority. This contest between the Chamber and the electors, which is in many respects similar to the WiLKEs' contest, has caused an excite ment both in the Chamber, and out of doors, difficult to describe. M. C. LAFITTE belongs to the Ministerial party. M. ARAGO began the discussion on the fortifica tions. He called them the palladium of Paris, but was opposed to their being mounted in time of peace. M. PAIXHANS and other Ministers addressed the Chamber, when the question of discussing the law passed in 1841 was rejected by a large majority. The subscriptions for a sword to be presented to Admiral DUPETIT Tuou.-tas are still going on, and the slight punishment inflicted on the boys of the Polytechnic School has only incited other boys to imitate the example, and even double the amount of subscription. According to accounts from Brest,no doubt remains that Admiral DUPETIT THOUARS is to be superseded forthwith. Admiral ILamELni is mentioned as his successor. The Three per Cents. were quoted at TORTONIS', on Sunday, at 82f. 80c. IMPORTANT NEWS FROM PARIS. The following intelligence was received on Monday by the French Government:— TELEGRAPHIC DISPATCH. " BAYONNE, MARCH 11. " Alicant and its garrison have risen against the chief, Bonet, who has taken to flight. The town and the fort are in the hands of the Royal troops." Accounts have been received in Paris announcing the death of the Duke of Angouleme. In the Committee on the Secret Service Money Bill, the President of the Council, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of the Interior, were heard ; and their explanations were considered satisfactory by eight of the Commissioners out of nine. M. Guizot announced that Mr. Pritchard, the English Consul at Otaheite, had been recalled. kOREIG Now ready, at all the Libraries, in 3 vols., C HA TSWO! . It -- T11; OR, THE ROMANCE OF A WEEK. Edited by R. PLUMER WARD, Esq. Author of " Tremaine," " De Vere," &c. " Every one will read ' Chatsworth,' for it is a work so novel in its design, so excellent in its general execution, as to be certain to make an impression upon the public mind. The Author blends:in one work the ideal beauty of 'Beck, the ever fresh simplicity and charming nature of Boccaelo and the sparkling descriptions of the manners of this ago of; Mrs. Gore, amidst much to move our wonder and admiration."—Court Jounial. Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street. G] 44 41 1 O t h I, IN