The Sun. — London, England, 1850-02-02 00:00:00

041 ill tie - upon you, th en, to night, in the neuse of the gen teuinteetnivweBlo7 mainly, are sitting upo n t h ese benches—the Ter'''. of those suff ring classes—l call 2 01 1 ycu to accept either alternative; you shall not go out of this. IL osi - neer - sent cur purpoees. " - Meer 1 to " st" - settaer ricenstruct your commercial system seen thee° principles favourable to British industry ii"meh we a dvocate—(Hear, hear, from the Opposition) i r ss , ° . "l l 7 out the principles Upon vhich you have estab ,..7,l, your now system to their legitimate consequences. the land hear.) Do nor, under this system, oppress You and of En gland, with the pharisaical pretence that m ere the advocates of a great politico-scheme that ss _n r ot tolerate the taretion of a raw material— et i tle `e i ca , hear," from the Opposition) —and suppose mu ° time we will endure that the whole social a el h i i B e t k e nce of England should be founded on a system life al orning, noon, and night, in every duty of the sess c e 4 an Enlishman, taxes the most important raw You tea l of a nation's inch' , try.—(Hear, hear.) I ask to t e °-ni gh', on the behalf of myself and my friends, ene eitr to no abrogated I eIV3 ; they were planne I by hes'eveiose subsequent conduct certainly dies not entitle . l awn to our posthumous respect —(Loud cheers ir cta• e Pr otectionists) But I do call upon you to ehgeuertsto do justice to the land of England---(Renewed valve s ) ; to the owners, to the occupiers, to the culti t(illtetti h ie ear a ) ll the classes dependent upon the land -to those mightier considerations even i on e industry of mar.—(llear, hear.) You can no (Ilene, the settlement of this question. — Cal e r ,:. ) Enshrine yourselves in your pod tico-scoaorni eisertvlejae—l accept your principles, I call upon you to 1.40 .1 7et1i to their legitimate coneequeeces.—(llear.) free this raw material t f a nation's industry be as re all other .• • H has " from the >Qaoppos; . raw neineriais.— k , e ar, , ,i t i te n). Admit in its fulness, with Tess est to the to all' economical principle which you are extending etativatltt'her ra.v materials, and do not permit in the to t en of that raw material artificial restrictions p e il' it "ail when you have debarred it from the artificial `Orleges which have hitherto been some compensation Jo:, legislation ; or come thet • forward and say frankly People of England, " We cannot afford to do every U., land which we are prepared to do to l us tother field of industry."—(tlear, hear.) Tel rtefbi,?athrelyforeat that box to-night—(the red box on the the Treasury bench)—whether the cotton lade American may come here free and the earth of sisi t or , \ d is to be enthralled.—(Cheers from the Oppc no ic r i a • ,_Come forward to-night and tell us " There is ~Ishie l c,E f u of manufacture which we will not facilitate, British will not stimulate, which we will not allow ch ange industry to send forward to' every clime in ex ere re for the productions of foreign artisans, but we of tusselved that this country shall only be the country theretufacturers and mechanics—(Hear, hear)—and . Ow es r e, while we have, according to our prin- Mad t i' s , e , ft s, "cleated every branch of industry, the land, "ss(O ee ," lad alone, shall be our stare and our victim. d to speak cheers.) I call upon the Noble Lor t e ri s k " frankly on this subject.—(Hear.) Do not let . noti s i o ° u l ss : Lord suppose that this is a party movement, pret end g more convenient for a Government than to deo ge ,l,suat the great principles of free trade are en mo ment and that those who are embarrassing for a sie era n ,t with their movements 'save merely personal con time h t sa l6 ne at stake. I tell the Noble Lord that the li on s g e ne by for those antiquated dogmas; the quee the N . ` L c* serious and too earnest.—(Hear, hear.) Lc t instie Lord—a fitting man—come forward and do 50,1 d 7 so the land, and he will find plentiful, zealous, Op._"!lterested supporters.—(" Hear hear," from . the minio n role th . But if the Noble Lord thinks that he is to con i b in Country by a heterogeneous and unnatural en e ue l t . i Tn--that he is to have a Jacobin Free-trader ° u tilise... s irs and a Conservative Privy Councillor on the h Noble Lord cheers from the Opposition)—l tell t h e Will de that he may maintain the Ministry but ise hos t h't e reY the Throne.—(Renewed chsering.) It 114 4 n e n i rs time that I have attempted feebly to express Who het) no lens to the House in the behalf , of those 4 40r e t 1 11 °Iir me with their support. I told t ie . Noble . thet Ws Year that it was in the spirit of conciliation ;We );,, i P,_ ° leP.—(An Hon. Member on the Munsteria g N eel.) Yes, in the spirit of conciliation th e hear.) - Do not imagine that it is not in key take of conciliation that we speak, because notwe af ra i d the opportunity. of showing that we are Ld che ers r ° , those before whom others tremble.—( enti s ,,, 4°4l the Opposition.) I will tell the Honourable "a(li e . — "an at least this—that I do not use two languages that f r ' hear)--I am not afraid to ray in this Heti!: the mat 3? in othe r pl aces .--(Loud cheers.) I ami Id° hs , e s sn of he ar i ng t hi ngs sa id i n o th e r places which 1114 / 1"` 'tear in this House.—(Hear, hear.) It is not in eiiets°use that I sin told that the English Constitution press Ouse upon suffrance.—(Cheers.) If I were.t would to ax e It Willy I thi n k exists only upon su ff erance ris er vest , branch of native industry existing upon the (Ilekri:shterial obtained from a rival and a foreig , ne h tr ola sl ueu r.) Now, we have been told in the .Speech % kb . ° Throne to cherish that constitution which has th a Hi ed liberty with order." I want to know what 13 ittolestitution which has combined order and liberty. ieh eai sts eiseoastitution we hear of at Manchester, which NObl e only by sufferance—the constitution that w the 4 hti ais 7rda allies permit only to endure?—(Hears hear.) 2 Illeet; a s ' L waYs thought it was the constitution that w (ile e — m, 1 , ° Madly and deeply in the land of England— toriot Pee s .' "car.)—the territorial constitution, it the t de uncs of this great and ancient monarchy t erra P e nd upon the caprice or passion of a great the i(Oppositi on c h eers. ) B ut I wan t to know how ;!lassi th ° ," lo Lord means to ma i n t a i n this territorial "" e in if he d oes ' no t mesa a l so to maint tin a terp to to.PoPulation ? —Olean) I, fir one, do not ask him tilep"seltain that territorial population by peculiar pre bY franchise, which other clines of the popul 'no l eri ba ",pOt share.—(Hear.) I has e that confidence . l e n 9011;7 of England that I feel at this moment all it r 11146,. JUstice —(Cheers)_but justice complete and lw (Cheers.)'ilsellt..... I oppossed the change in the v e er ~segk.Whiep7egnlated yor agricultural industry. have h " n e. A tarLtedifor a moment that I approved c f that change. d e is_ aste e -14 ' 4 more perilous—and, as I believe, geeht"—sexperiinent in politics never a e a t in occurred. the ins disturbance of industry, such a t _p_ s ef fr a e l e l ,cacheetopir.ue that govern the political life of this vs. • ' a degradation of all the means by which s couj et tleut was carried on, I believe the history of andhi I e als 4 Y does not afford.—(Cheers.) I have ever felt,. % hro ° olaportunity of expressing my convictlont t h . that the l and was a mistake greater than supposing a r t . the cl of England did at any time daiend for its fo tlair e ° d - any artificial law whatever. What the land re- Yet h and what it requit es now is justice, but I never e e ," found a political economist who was prepared . ni ut l! forward and offer it.—(Cheers. The mo you Proceed to speak of the ) burdenspe- tippl y , to the soil, he pretends that those burdens getsit i ts limited class of aristocratic possessors, for blest g tnat the most valuable, the most numerous, the e Dr° ! 4tif tY, and the most hard-working class are ,t Datri rl i et °re of the soil of this country, forgetting that the _ Whi4 4 , is n a are too often prompt to leave the caus_e . of eol uss aueY are the native fs, forgetting those Lin k_ *mir e c(:) . Lin her ler the partners to whom my Hon. Friend the Mem- Me tes ne county referred to -night, and forgetting the (elte e tn „ ° l l of the north an d th e y e omanry of the south.— .na.as )glbliserty we have now brought this question to benohpoint —(Laughter from the Ministerial eas e t t i s and cheers from the Prctsctionisti.) I can ex : indi e Z e ,laught er from Hon. Gentlemen opposite, for I lettelf-, ; 110 question has been put in a point of view so snte s - Tme that they will find very great difficulty in If th e ..„'n that our demand for tustice.—(CheF l rs.) cad minister comes forward—as ultimately he wi l— neghltde'it% the justice of your &aims, and that you ela k t not to be subject to taxation from which other not are free —if he admits that your property should la 47.slibject to restrictions to which no other property ( y_ th e eueJect, but says, as he will say, that the condition cle f R orero lantry ,„ &squires them—he at once admits that in s al% t Cent of the country the political must interfere d 4 4 411 e i e lnrnercial principle—(Hear, hear) —an then t the eo a sek bins to do us that justice or to ) reconstruct sious,llinercial system of the country on principles , fa %Qum to the native industry of England.—(The Hon. cheerieutnan resumed his seat amid loud and-prolonged from the Protectionist party.) 1,1 10 1 1 ' 11, RUSSELL—The Honourable Gentleman satin has Jost sat down asked us not to misrepresent the Willi n g w hich h e an d hi s f r i en d s h ave i n view; but, un otee - t g b as I should be to misrepresent that purpose, I Itik o ; li t to form any correct idea of it, is a thing to me The 4° P c ` s sible.—(Cheering and much laughter.) la sl nou rable Gentl eman who moved the amendment Pueg r y temperate an d f a i r s peech, told us what his recent in was ve ry plainly, that wo should reconsider our 4. eeli a 'Nielation ; and I understood him to b e, i n a very u otiesd nieet arY manner, laying the ground for that re lletr„r4it,i°o, not as ki ng us i mme di ate ly to adopt any t ':, ( l :4 the law, or to come to any binding resolution, S aid, to lay th e groun d on ly f or the reconside of '4 4 , toe recent legislation of the country as regards eollititiatt,eUltUral and commercial interests. Nothing Ch et h i, u tore fair— no thi ng could be more decided than tl all r e st ) ; and we, her Majesty's Ministers, being o aaleei e e ilkdn that th at recent legislation was sound, and that g r cate st id . not be benefiting the country, but doing it the and rot , I° ,ltiry, if wo submitted it again to be altered tee -`theec,sidered—were immediately prepared to op amendment. But then came the Right (Illy. 4 . II 1 Gentleman the Member for Stamford lti , { NieZ erti ° s ), who complains that there is not di stre ss s ympathy expressed in the Speech for the Line ea of the landed interest. The Hon. Member for tio n i ab s i b r ! (Sir J. Trotter co) has said explicitly "Your fo• s •'."`Pathy are not what we ask foe What I jutice and measures which can show us re vile -‘llear, hear.) Then came i t Hon. Gentleman s utte e -* Just spoken Wo have heard of another high t hin rIt Y. inde d • s ee , in another place, .who goes beyond any sus Nee, have heard in this House, in telling us what are h‘ - ' l.O tol d t " h s for the future, and by this high authority we • f leet °l to change the present Govern th to hat is th e n to Ice a new Government in their stead, and t - e ° lio - eZe s s dissolution ot the present House, t ‘ o l'est era ' s r ar_linrcient in thei , r place, and to ask for °s e le ' e n et protection.—(Cheers.) When I heard tQhtabareaperitlernen, I thought we should never he 14 14 we eh add longer as to the question at issue, and were mad know what we were voting about—that aierPres s . os g either to restore protection or to maintain . 6ti p ri olie . e %tit) eame f , • But no—the Hon. Gentlema . n Mr. t big uisy 's t!)rur ,syward and, asking us not to inisrc pr, - Pose, involve I that purpose in such an am g„erons, :(Fuage—(A. laugh) —in such tortuous ex . - k - i c be eour S s aPlesals to our sense of justice, that it ht _Ove whnt t s i ! agein a matter of the utmost difficulty to isslughter.) 11,11? amendment is to me an.—(Cheers and t w m r , to th ou , let me say to the Hon. Gentleman, u ou " t our ees _"uo support him, that I think there are tituei on °lt such d properly qnestion, either of which may ha s'Y fullowed. The one is tQr TIIE you. the iedepeedent Members of Parliament, to say, We don't agree with all the expressions of this Ac dress; we think or e part of it might be more wanly worded—in another part we think you express t much seti•sflction. You exaggerate the prosperity that pre vail.; in one place, a7vl do no regret the distress which prevails with sufficient sympathy in aeether; but there are general phrases, and 'cc tn, a to give our concur rence to the Addrese" Another tour: e, which is equally Parliamentary and constitutional, is to say, " The state cf the country is such, and the views of the Government are so erroneous, that r. e cannot allow one day to pass, and we must ta once express our opi nion, and whether in a minority or iti a majority, call on the House of Commons to say if a system injurious to the best interests of the country should be hersevercd in, and ask fir better legislation than it is in the power of the Government to yield." Bet the Honouraele Gentleman has taken a turd course—that of having an unmeaning amendment.—(El(•ao l.eir, add a laugh.) And, not being satisfied with the Address as proposed by her Majesty's Ministers, proposes to have :or address obscure and ambiguous in its phrases.—(N", no .) That, I say, is the result of the Honourable Gentleman's amendment.—(No, no.) What have wo been told? — (Cries of " Read, read.") I will read it preeently. The Honourable Gentleman says we are not restoring protection by this proposition, and ire are not preparing to revert to a course ofpolicy that has 1 e2n abandoned. Now in rt ferring to the amendment, I must first observe as to what has been called the insult to the agricultural inter est which has been ofThred by her Majesty's adviser-. I cannot but say, in the first insoince, that nothing was further from our intention—(Hear, hear)—that we have heard with great regret e f the suffering and distress which exists in various parts of the coun try ; and nothing would give us greater pleasure than to be able so say that by some manner of relief that suf fering should be put an end to. The words of the Ad dress are:—" The House sympathises with the regret with which her Majesty has observed the complaints which in many parts of the kingdom have proceeded from the owners and occupiers of land, anti beg to as sure her Majesty of the sympathy with which they hear that her Majesty greatly laments that any pot tiers of her subjects should be suffering distress; while it is a source of sincere gratification to her Majesty to witness the in creased enjoyment of the necessaries and comforts of life which cheapness and plenty hare bestowed upon the great body of her people." Now, the amendment pro posed is as follows:—" That we regret, however, to be compelled humbly to represent to your Majesty that in many parts of the United Kingdom, and especially in Ireland, the various classes of your Majesty's subjects connected with the cultivation of the soil are labouring under severe distress, mainly applicable, in our opinion, to recent legislative enactments, aggravated by the pres sure of local taxation." I own Ido not see that in these words, except as regards Ireland, there is any material difference from the words we propose in the Address. We say—(" Read, read," from t..e Protectionists)—l will not read the words again, but I have read the words as regards the distresses which involve the agricultural in terest. We say we sympathise with her Majesty "iu learning the distress which prevails among a portion of her subjects." The amendment says there are classes, especially in Ireland, suffering severe distress.—(Hear, hear.) But certainly there is another question raised in this amendment. It appeared to us, much as we re joiced in an opportunity e f advising her Majesty to de clare the opinions we entertained as regrrds the recent commercial policy of the country, that this was nct a fit time to propose that those expressions cf opinion should fall from her Majesty.—(Hear, hear.) It has always ap peared to us, in conformity with recent custom, that, as to matters of legislation with regard to which Parliament may have to give an opinion in the course of the session, it is better to reserve them on the first night, and rather to give an opinion with respect to the actual state of the country than to attribute that state to the cause of legis lation or to any acts of Government. But the amendment does not take that course. It goes on to say, after declaring this distress is mainly attributable to recent legislative enactments, that this distress has been aggra vated by the pressure of local taxation.—(Hear.) Now, I mast say that if I had thought it right to advise her Majesty to give any opinion as regards recent legisla tion, I should have advised that in saying " it is a source of sincere gratification to her Majesty to witness the increased enjoyment of the necessaries and comforts of life which cheapness and plenty have bestowed on the great body of her people"—l should, I say, have been disposed to add that this "greater enjoyment of the ne cessaries and comforts of lift" was in a great degree owing to the recant legislation cf the Crown.—(Loud cheering.) Nothing would have pleased me better than to bring to a test at once this question, whether that le gislation was calculated for the benefit of the people or not.—(Cheers.) I did not think it respectful to those who entertained different opinions to do so. I was in hopes they would have brought the matter to a test. Some have declared they would—the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Disraeli) seems to entertain a different opinion. With regard to one subject, however, on which he di lated at considerable length, I rather think he must have an apprehension which I should be glad entirely to re move. The honourable Gentleman speaks of the heavy tax on the raw mater:al—meaning the land of the country. I fear, he fancies that my Right lion. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is about to propose an increase in the land-tax.—(Laughter.) Now, it is not for mo to inform the Hon. Gentleman or the House of the nature of Cabinet secrets, but with respect to the mysterious Cabinets to which the Hon. Gentleman alluded, and which were generally held every autumn, I can assure him, without taping him eery secret, there did not issue out of those Cabinets any determination to increase by ono penny the present land tex.— (Cheers and laughter.) I suppose the Hon. Gentleman was afraid we might have a lopted a ter t tin plan which ha'! been much discussed out of doors, and has excited great ait,ntion in the country, and which proposed a great augmentation of the and-tax.—(Cheers and laughter.) The Hon. Gentleman seems to apprehend that my Bight Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Ex chequer had resoli el to get hold of the land for the purpose of taxation—an error from which he might easily be sevel, by considerations of the most obvious kind. I here wish to address to the House a few brief observations on the present condition of the land of England The subject is one upon which [much could be said, but I do notnow propose to go into it at any length, yet I do not wish to sit down without saying a few words as to its past state, its present state, and that which is likely to be the future condition of the land of' England. Ten years ago I could not—nor could any man—be insensible to the fact that the population this country had been greatly increasing, and was likely still 'Lather to increase; that, also, that population might, and was very likely at no distant time to to ex posed to the rivalry of foreign manufacturers; and that the necessity of employing that population, and of sup plying it with food, was one of the highest and most urgent which the Govcrnmseat of this country had to per form. If during any considerable portion of time it were to be without the means of productive industry, the most serious grounds of alarm could not fail to arise; and I. therefore, entertained a strong disposition to effict a compromise on the question of the corn-laws—a com promise by which protection might be somewhat reduced without admitting too large a quantity of fo reign corn. Such a change I did believe would not have borne too hard upon the landed interest, because I had no intention that the change should be effected at once, but on th• contrary, that it should be gradually introduced. That proposition, as we all very well remenater, did not find favour with the landed interest, but it did meet with favour from those who called for a total repeal of the corn-laws, or who, up to that time at least, were loud in making that demand. Those, I say, who were for total abrogation would then have been content with the proposition which I at that time regarded as a fit ting compromise on the question of the corn-laws; and their that body which the lion. Gentleman opposite considered to be so formidable—l mean the Anti-Corn law League—would at once have dissolved it:ea. If our proposition had been agreed- to the League would have proceeded no further. But at the end of the }ear 1845 the Government of the day held that they could no longer maintain the corn-laws, and the repeal of those laws took almost immediate effect. Foreign corn lOW soon admitted, and no doubt a considerable sum was added to the revenue, though addition to the revenue was by no means the purpose with which the mea sure was introduced ; but some revenue was collected which proved by no means onerous to the people, and by the change thus effected the people were enabled to get cheap food. But the policy which we are now called upon to reconsider is one that has be ea tried only for a single year. Now, under what circumstances are we called upon to do this—what is the present state of the country? If we look at the great interests of England we shall find that they are in a satisfactory state. The main body of the people are I think to be judged, to some extent at least, by the state cf the pauper popu lation. I find, for example, that, amongst the able bodied poor, there wore 30,000 fewer paupers on the Ist of January in the present year than on the Ist of Ja nuary, 1849. I find that the condition of the shipping interest is equally improved. I find that our exports in 1849 were greater by 10,000,000 than they were in the year 1848, and there can ba no sort of doubt that other sources of wealth have, during the period to which I refer, been advancing in a like proportion, and the ac counts regarding them are on the whole satisfactory. If I look to the excise, by which much of the comfort of the people is truly indicated, I find that the state of the excise returns shows a very decided improvement in the condition of the people. From all parts of the coun try we hear that the great body of the people enjoy the advantages of cheapness and of plenty, and are now in a much better condition than they hal been for some time previously. Is this, then, the time at which we should be called ou to retrace our steps?—(Hear.) I must say that I have always considered that a great transition like this could not, under any circumstances, have been accomplishe I without some degree of suffering ; a transition from restriction to complete freedom could scarcely, under any state of flings, be brought about without occasioning some degree of inconvenit rice, and perhaps of injury, to the owners and occupiers of land. That suffering certainly has reached them, but not in so aggravated a form as we had beard stated in this llouse.—(" Oh, oh.") I repeat that it came by no means in a form so aggravated as the repreeentations made in this House would lead any one to suppose.-- (Hear, hear.) I beg e f the Reuse to remember the state 4f prices during that uneasy and troubled period. In the year 1815 wo h ea rd the most grievous complaints. the l same th t hing e d at thehi fa rmer rna in the m 31,e heard them aga i n i n t h e year 1822 ; we were then t Itt a g r ive up his land; we were told "Now, what are the facts? 1 18 1 3 e G h w a i r t v h es e t q o u f al l8 f. 31 11 the state e things n l ' °na(ititle 'prices of 1836 bear some ana l ogy t . in tire present year. Corn then fell to 365. the quarter, w hich was 4a. Sd. a bushel und er t h e prices of this y e a r. But the Hon. Gentlemen repeats emphatically that there were no foreign importations w ithi n t h at period— that all the money then laid out in wheat was p for English wheat. If that happened to be the al Case of a defective baivest, wh " diffmAcc would it have made to the farmer, provided always that I e recch sel as much for his wheat under a system tf unrestricted import as under one of high protettion ? If the farmer gets 40s. fo- his wheat, of what importance would it be is him whether his rival in tlle market cone from the next parish or the ad joining county, or from a neighbourinq kingdom, or from the c t'esr side of the. Atlantic. It would be no matter to him with whom he competed, provided his prices remained the same. I have heard the Hon. Gen tleman say that in the course of the last year we have imported 12,000,000, quarters of all kinds of corn, and 4,000,000 of wheat ; that the whole has been consumed, and that the stuck now is low.—(llear, hoer.) I cannot sympathise with complaints founded upon such a state of things. If the working man gots his 1 a' cheaper, I cannot sympathise with those who complain of that ; but I rejoice that the fact is so, and I rejoice iu the prospect which it offers of further and increased im provement. Other considerations present themselves to my mind into which I will not go at length, but I wish shortly to :tete, that when any grset branch of trade has been for a considerable time under severe restrictions, and that those restrictions become relaxed in any degree, that there immediately ensues a great rush into that branch of trade or commerce, that the capital, the tare t speculative and enterprising tendency of tt e people of this country, are directed into that chariu.l, that a great al.undancto of the article which forms the staple of that hale is produced, and that the trade therefore for a time becomes leis profitable. We tound that to be the case when the South American trade was opened—when the China market was opened ti e time that the charter of the East India Company espied. A similar ease is now occurring with respect to the corn trade; and many of those who have thus en ga!sed in the corn trade ate likely, I fair, to become losers and not gainers by their enterpriFe. As to all the calculations of profit and loss that have been made. which seem to lead to the conclusion that the prices f corn will be permanently lower than they have been during the last ten years, I have only to say that et the beginning of tee change now in progress every charge was cstimat oa the previous condition of the trade, and with reference to the existing restrictions, but of course when the foreign corn comes into the market the consumer would obtain his corn at lower price, and thus the calculations would of necessity be deranged; and therefore I think that calculations founded on the average of the last ten years cannot be implicitly relied upon, still less can any calculation be relied on which limits itself to the last six months. Mr. CHRISTOPHER said, he made due allowance for the difference of the two periods. Lord JOHN RUSSELL resumed—Having thus touched upon the present state of the question, I ask the House—are we to take the first step towards a return to the old system of protect: ere? We have been told that we must re tarn to thesystemofprotection; that sooner or later to that wo must come ; that taking taxes off the landed interest will not do even if that species of relief were carried :to the utmost [possible extent—effectual relief cannot be afforded otherwise than by protection. The question now is not whether we shall keep up restric tion, but whether we shall change fundamentally our commercial policy. Shall we, by Act of Parliament, enable the growers of corn to obtain prices in their markets different from that which they would otherwise have been able to receive? The question certainly is ono of the utmost importance and delicacy. If my Right Honourable Friend were to raise a re venue from manufactured silk imported into this country no great body of persons would be affected by the measure. But the supply of food fur the people is a widely different matter, it affects the whole body of the people—not merely the owners and occupiers of land, but the entire population, and I cannot but wonder at the attempts lea/tidy made at public meetings to limit and confine the question within such narrow bounds as some persons have attempted to set up. I observed at a recent public meeting that Lord Downshire complained that he had not teen able to obtain a majority at a re cent meeting that he Lad called in the county Down, because, he said, 1 e-sons who had no stake in the coun try, and who had no business to be there, had intruded themselves upon the meeting. Why, Sir, on this ques tion every man had, a right to be present and to give his opinion upon it.—(Cheers.) There is not a man, a woman, or a child, who has not an interest in it, and if you put on a duty that you say will raise the price of corn Is., or Is. 6d., or 2s. a bushel, every man would count that Is., Is. 6d., or 2s. as something which he had to pay for the support of his family in addition to that which he would otherwise hate had to pay. Now, are you ready to face that question ?—(Loud cheers from the Ministerial bench.) Are you ready to face the discon tent that such a proposal would occasion?—(Cheers from the same quarter.) And here lit me observe that you would be considered responsible, not only for the effect which your law would produce in raising the price cf corn, but also for any additional rise that might be caused by the seasons in this country, or that acci dental circumstances in foreign countries might produce in the present state ef things. At present the price of carts may rise from 40s. to 455. per quarter, or from 455. to 50c., and no man in the country had a right to com plain, nor would he complain.—(Cheers.) It would be said, " Justice is done us; we have the price of corn as cheap as it could be;" and if the price of bread became dearer the people would have no right to accuse our legislation; but if we should have a rise from 403. to 455. a quarter after we hal passed a new law to regu late the price of food, depend upon it the discontent would be deep and universal.—(Cheers.) The Hon. Gentleman accuses us of sneering at the lauded inte rest because they complain. Now, I acknowledge their right to complain. Every Englishman thinks himself entitled to complain. The landed interest have a per fect right to make complaints, and to utter them as loudly as they please. Well, then, in this case I am consi dering you would have complaints loud and deep enough to Parliament for having caused an additional price to be placed upon the food of the people. Do not conceal that from yourselvt s. You are ready to face, and no doubt you are ready to overcome, any complaints against the established institutions of the country; and any attack!, itr example, upon the House of Lords, as an institution not useful wad beneficial to the country. I believe you would be able tli overcome such attacks; but is it not wise not to put any occasion of discontent before the people, and not to raise the price of food? Look at the situation in which we have stood during the last two years. Have our institutions been assailed?—have we had anything beyond the lowest murmurs from the people in general?—(Hear.) But had the general election found this question of protection unsettled, and had put it be fore the country, who shall say what subjects would not have become mixed up with that discontent, and what institutions you might not have been called upon to de fend? Let me tell you it is far wiser not to put these in stitutions thus in question. Defend them, you will tell mo, you can and will, and I shall be happy to be associ ated with you in their defence. But it is the course of pru dence to continue in the policy you have pursued, and not to raise complaints by the people that, by favouring any particular class and raising the price cf the necessaries of life, you have caused a doubt to be raised of the sympathy of the Legislature with the great body of the people.—(Cheers.) If you Wee that course, I beg you, and through you the occupiers of land in this coufitry, to consider our present position. I do not know a higher or a better position than that of a gentleman in England. It is Mr. Gibbon, I think, who says that ho thanks God that he was born an Englishman, and that again he thanks God ho was born an English gentleman. An English gentleman in the possession of an estate in this country is looked up to by his tenants, to whom he is able to do acts of beneficence and generosity—(llo , r, hear) —having enough business to occupy his time and . enou gh leisure for literature and for his amusements. It he is called upon to take a seat in the Legislature he may take a part in stirring debates and thus may influence the fortunes of this country. Such a mail in such a condition is most fortunate. I say you will do most rashly if you risk it by the pretence of giving to a par ticular class an advantage by legislation which other classes do not ask, and which, if they did ask, they would not obtain—(Hear, hear.) If that be so, I ask the house to be content with the present stat e of our legislation. We have made a great change which has been accom panic 1 by distress among a portion of the people of the United Kingdom. It there is anything that the Hem. Gentleman opposite can suggest fur the relief of that dis tress with fairness to all other classee, let that be pro posed and considered—accepted if useful, rejected if not. But do not attempt, now that the question of protection has been decided by one Parliament—now that those who have in that Parliament given their vote for the destruction of protection have been again returned—do net now attempt by a fresh vote to disturb that question, and to make it doubted whether your deliberations have that consistency, that firmness, and that regard to the interests of all her Majesty's subjects which it is your bounden duty to entertain.—(Cheers). DI me add, likewise, that my Velief is that the course of policy begun by the Legislature in 1842 by the Right Hon. Gentle man the Member for Tamworth, and continued in sub segue et years, by his Administration and that succeeding to it, is to open a great course of peace and prosperity to this country and to the world.—(Loud cheers.) be lieve also that with respect to the Act passed last session f the rep( al cf the navigation-laws, we have never been sufficiently shown what benefits that Act may give us.—(Cheers.) That the eations of the world should be in haste to follow you in the course you then adopted is what I never expected, and what I am happy to re cognise. But if you say now that you are about to go back to your former system of restriction and protection —if you proclaim that you are about to resume that which you a short time ago discarded as an injurious theory and an unjust practice, then you may expect no such benefit and advantage from those foreign powers. You may expect them to be confirmed in all their notions of the benefit of restriction. By your decision to-night you may, not only have a great influence upon the wel fare of the people and the fortune's of this great state, but you will likewise decide whether your example will be beneficial or injurious to mankind.—(Loud cheers.) Mr. COBDEN—I do not rise to make a speech, but to express my regret that the occasion has not been afforded us of discussing the question which it was ex pected would have been raised to-night.—(Hear, hear.) I came to this House fully convinced that before 48 hours had elapsed an opportunity would be afforded us by Honourable Gentlemen opposite of discussing in this House the principles at issue between Free-traders and Protectionists. What has pas se d i n thi s coun t r y o f late has convince I mop the desirableness of having that dis cussion, fsr I admit tl at a large and influential body of t e nant-farmers . in the country are und er th e i m p ress i on that the question of protection and fr e e t ra d e h as no t t ee n settled in this House. The agitation that has been going on during the last three months has been suffi cient to show any one who has his eyes open, that an intense feeling an d belief exists on the s art of the occupy ing tenants that this House is prepared to re consider the question of the corn-laws, and that a n i n j ur y has been done to a portion of the community that this House will remody.—(Hear.) Now, it is said that this is not a movement of laudovmers, but of the farmers; that they recognise as their representatives and leaders the gent:ornen I see opeosi . e, and they believe that a large body of those gente neen nave come to this House prepared to vindicate the principles they thiok juA. Now, I will willingly admit that so far us the Government have been concerned there has been no die:petition. to filter epotf:this getestion.—(llear, hear) — and that there has not been tile sliglstest hesitation on their tart to meet it on its merits at the very opening of the session. —(Cheers.) The reutiele has been frequently made, and the lion. Member (Mr. Disraeli) has himeel alluded to it in no kindly to rinse thet the lion. Member for Wolverhampton, who used to bring forward an annual motion for the repeal ef the corn lawn, la•. been put forward on this occasion to move the Address, and that the Government were prepared to oiler a dis tinct negative to the principles that the Protectionist party advocated. Now, in the early part of the debate the lion. Geetlernen opposite who addressed the House have taken a fair and candid course. They have not dealt in mystification, and they did not attempt to talk of all things except that which was before us.—(A laugh.) They said that protection was desirable for the interests of this country, and they discussed this question. But what has Wien from the Hon. Member for Bucks? That Hon. Member has changed the character of the debate, and has altered the issue of the division, for he said that the aineedment be fore the House was net a question of protection sad flee trade. —(Hear, hear.) The lion. Member distinctly said that he was not going to discuss whether protection is to be or is not to be the principle ( f this House, and that no Hon. Gentleman who voted t)..ight would commit himself to that questior. New, teat was a very sorry beginning after so loud a preparation.—(Cheers.) I do not knew whether the farmers are aware of the position they are placed in by these declarations. If we find a body of gentlemen in this House who agree with their leader, then we know what course they are going to take But when I find that gentlemen who address us before their leaders are prepared to take the course I have de scribed, and then that they are fAlowed by their leader who distinctly repudiaoas everything that his followers have said before him, the farmers must have greater acuteness than any one possesses on this side of the House if they can understand the position in which their interests aro placed.--(Hear, hear.) Why, the rank and file are going one way, the leaders another, and their partisans out of doors will have to decide which to follow. The Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Disraeli) speaks a good dual about what has been said out of doors, but I thiak it would be as well if ho would turn his attention to the facts and arguments brought forward in this House. The lion. Gentleman sometimes makes 'statements out of doors as well as other people, and occasionally intro duces a little invective and personality, though he dis likes it so much in other people.---(Hear, hear.) I re member the Honourable Gentleman having a meeting at Marlow—(A laugh)—and that he stated at that meet ing that it was not a becoming thing in Members of Par liament to meet out of doors and discuss public griev ances, the House of Commons being the proper arena, especially for such controversies as that of protection. —(Hear, hear.) Well, here I am, not in Buckingham shire, but on the floor of this House, ready and anxious for a discussion with the Hon. Gentleman.—(Cheers and laughter.) The lion. Gentleman, however, has t Ikon up every conceivable topic except that of native inducry.— (Laughter.) He has talked a great deal about those who have the raw material of laud. Ido not knew how often he has referred of late, but it must be at least fifty times, to the raw material of land. At Marlow, or some other place, he said the land was a raw material; but he said sorni thing more; he said the raw material belonged to the landowners, and that no Act of Parliament, no power could make him lower his rent—that was a ques • tion between him and his tenant. Now, the Hon. Gentle man takes this raw material as a thing that ought to be specially indulged—that is, you must reduce the taxation on the raw material of land. But how the abolition of taxes on the raw material that belongs to the land owners can benefit the farmers is beyond my compre hension.—(Cheers.) My understanding of the case of the farmer is, that he complains his capital is diminish ing —that is, that the stock he has in the raw material is diminishing, and he wants us to raise the price of his produce in order that he may save this fleeting capital. But the Hon. Gentleman opposite, instead of proposing a protective duty to raise the price of the farmei'e stock, gives us a quarter of an hour's discussion upon a propo sition that will reduce the taxation on the landowner's raw material.—(Cheers and laughter.) Now, I think everybody will admit, whatever they may think of free trade or protection, that it is desirable that this question should be settled as soon as possible.—(Loud cheering.) No honest man in the country, I say it advisedly, can desire that that this que,tiou should be kept over longer than can possibly be avoided. It there be any party in this House, any individual in this House, who wishes to make protection a stalking horse to power or notoriety, or . for temporary pre eminence—if it were possible any individual could have any such motive, or hoped to get into office for a brief period (for it could only be for a short time) by means of this question of protection, by playing with it, by pre tending to advocate protection when in his secret soul he never dreams of obtaining it in this House—l say, any one who, for such purposes, would keep alive this ques tion, would be one of the greatest enemies the tenant farmer could possibly bave.—(Cheers.) And not only so, but the greatest enemy of the country at large, be cause all have an interest, whether tenant-farmers or matiufaotuters, in the successful pursuit of agriculture in this country.—(Cheers.) Now, I have the fullest confidence in every class of my fellow-countrymen, that they cal accomplish anything that huuasu beings can accomplish, if you only let them know what they have to de.—(lleer, hear.) But if von tell men, while they are suffering from want o? exertion and new arrangements, to wait with their arms folded till some other power intervenes to do that for them which they can do for themselves, you will render the finest ruco in the world powerless.— (Cheers.) Ido not um derst,nd the tactics ► f gentlemen opposite, nor how the Protectionist landowners should pursue the course they are now ding. Why, they are running about b.c farmers, disgusting them with their lan 4 .—(Cheers and laughter.) Do they think it possible they can carry on such tactics with success)—(Hear.) Were there ever dealers iu any raw material before that acted so foolishly? —(Cheers and laughter.) There is an unsavoury simile which I must not give in this House, but which they may go to Billingsgate for, that will exactly suit their case.—(Laughter.) They seem quite unconscious of the consequences to themselves. This question of free trade or protection must terminate some time; and when it is decided do not Honourable Gentlemen see that the very arguments they are now putting forth to disparage the land will bo turned against themselves at their audit tables with compound interest?—(Cheers.) Has there been no sensible man among them—not one clear-headed sensible being, to tell these unfortunate misguided landowners that they are doing their bezt to ruin themselves and their chil dren after them — (Laughter)—not only so, but that they are doing all they can to vilify those who prognosticate that some good may yet be done by them?—(Hear, hear.) Does a worthy gentleman step out from the or dinaryahigsenptrloemfeassnione,arlriykiengMorn. H b u u x si t n a e b s l s e — in walkso s (Laughter)--and suggest so me thin gs that may be done f bytbem ;or does Loadenhall-street propose to them how to bring in a barren heath, he is instantly vilified by Hon. Gentlemen opposite.— (Hear, bear.) It may he he cannot show by his accounts or his debtor and creditor account that he makes money by his experiments. But what inventor ever made his first experiments profitable? Why, the manufacturers had made their fortute: from the costly experiments of inventors. I really cannot understand on what rational principles Honourable Gentlemen are acting. I think that there is good reason for the com plaint that the Marquis of Granby should be allowed to go at large and run about the country—(Great laughter)—telling the farmers that they cannot carry on their business if they paid no rent at all.—(Laughter.) should very touch like to bear some of the converse• ions that will take place at Belvoir Castle next audi' day .—(Laughter.) What I want to know, however, is, when are we to have this question discussed? The Hon. Member (Mr. Disraeli) has told us this question is not to be discussed now. Last session the lion. Gentleman attracted my notice from the way he evaded the ques tion of protecti on , th e s y s t e matic, careful, cautious way in which he ev a d e d i t, an d tried to turn the attention of the House to the taxation of the raw material.— (Cheers.) Now. I think it comes with a peculiarly bad grace from the Hon. Gentleman that he should act in such a way as this, for he has been so constantly the censor of others, whom he accused of having led a party, while secretly convinced that that party sought objects they could not accomplish. If the Hon. Gentleman means to accomplish protection, it must ha on the merits of the question, not by sarcasm and vituperation and invective—not by the more fireworks of rhetoric, but by substantial facts and arguments.—(Great cheering.) He has been fairly challenged by the speech of the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Villiers), and no question was ever more ripe for discussion in this House. I hope, therefore, ho will lose no time, but give notice to morrow, if possible, of the time when he will discuss the whole question, not in Buckinghamshire, but in this House.—(Cheers.) I must say I admired greatly the speech of the Noble Lord, who took a large and comprehensive view of this subject, but I think the Noble Lord was in error when he said an Bs. duty in 1841 would have stayed the question of entire free trade. At all events, whatever might have taken place in 1841 in 1846 a calam it y occurred that must for ever haveswept away all duties whatever.—(Great cheers.) I have only to repeat in conclusion my request, in the name of the farmers of England—(Loud cheers)—and for the sake of the community at large—(!Tear)--that the Hon. Member for Buckinghamshire, as ho values the interest of the farmers and as he values his own reputation, will lose no time in bringing for ward the question of agricultural protection in this House.— (Loud cheers, and cries of " Question.") Mr. 11. DRUNIMOND said, as the Hon. Gentleman had avowed that be would watch, and call upon the far mers to watch, the conduct of those who had been a, i• dressing them at their public meeting., to see whether they would avow in that House the sentiments they had expressed out ( f doors, he begged to give the Hon. Gen tleman notice that he was fully prepared to justify every word he had uttered elsewhere, and was prepared to go into the question whenever the lion. Gentleman pleased. Though he felt that Hon. Gentlemen on his side of the House did not require his cegis to be thrown over them, still le would take upon himself to justify their conduct as well as his own on this question. In order that the Hon. Member fa r the West Riding might d'stinctly un derstand the ground on which he put the question, it was this—that be (Mr. Drummond) cared not, comparatively, for the welfare of the landlord; that he cared not, com paratively, for the welfare of the tenant; but he accused the Hon. Gentleman of sacrificing the English labourer for tho sake of— (The cries of " Question" and " Divide" drowned the closing words of the sentence.) That was his point. The Hon. Gentleman could not therefore now mistake what WM t he quesawl at issue.—(Cries of "Diviclo.") Colonel THOMPSON rose, amidst loud calls for a division. The Hon. Gentleman persev , -, A, amidst a Babel of sounds all around him, in ..adressing the House. He slid it was not at his opri...a whether he addressed the House or not; but he shouli Jo it as brit fly as the temper of the House appealed to counsel. He represented a constituency whose interest; were directly destroyed by the principles advocated on the opposite aide; and the speakers f that side nay? furnished him with his text. The Protectionist apt akt.,rs had made loud demands for justim.. He would ask ?that would be thought of his side, it ihe people of Bracf;rd had stated that they had mills end nianufaet vies which only wanted one thing to make them go on, and il,at was a duty on home-grown corn? (Beee the discord rose to a tremen dous pitch, in the midst of which the Her. aid Gallant Member persevered in insisting on bc.ing heard, speak ing at the top a his voice, and evidently enjoying the scene rather than otherwise. In a lull of the corm we caught a eulogy on the character of the Right Hun. Baronet the Member for T iinworth, wlich was evidently intended to try whi r tie Protectionists would give voice to an opposite opinioc,and it was remarkable that they remived it without any mat ktd att•nipt at interruption.) Tho Honourable and G .11ant Member pros. eled to say ho would take the ass:stance a a piece v f history, given bye clerical wit now dec,a3ed.—(Loud noises from tie Protectionist benches.) lle would assure the House it was a better joke than had bet n uttered by the best of the Proteet'otiist or,t Ciat nigl.t —(Laughter and cheers.) A bishop was pressed by a stt of hungry followers fir f and he cried, " Throw out to them the dinners of t' e an and Chapter."—(Laulchter.) Now, the Pro .e._•tionist claim was to throw out the din: ers of the people of Bradford—(Cheers)—and he did not see why that should be agreed to without the stoutest possible opposition. He would now go to the consequences which the Protectionists had entailed on themselves by this effort to return to protection. They had laid open the sore place.—(Prodigious uproar) Manchewer with fourteen thousand constituents sent two Members, and the Tower Hamlets with fifteen thousand, while places under the influence of the agriculturists sent two Members with three hundred. The Protectionists had reiterated their assurances that they would never give over till they got back. Their chances of getting back were therefore dependent on their preserving an advantage of fifty to one in the representation.—(Tremendous out cries.) He wondered where the Hon. Member for Not tingham was eclipsing himself ; for if he could see him he would arik him whether this was not the opportunity to cry to those dogs of war he was reputed to have under his control, "Up guards 1 and at em."—(An inde scribable torrent of cheers and cries with a view to drown.) All this would be carefully explained in those calmer assemblies which were the first workshops of all po litical combinations. He had always been opposed to that burning of the regiruentd books which had taken place in one powerful association, on the accidental success which the enlightened and conscientious conduct of the Member for Tamworth had given them; and he hoped they would now see tho necessity of throwing all their force into the new line he had pointed out, of demanding the cessation of the fifty-fold majority of the agriculturists in the representation. He thanked those who had sup ported him in gaining the hearing he had had, and there were places at Bradford, and larger still else where, where any di fats in the explanation of his views could be amply supplied. The House then divided, when there append— For the amendment ... 192 For the original motion ... ... 311 Majority in favour of the Address -119 AUSTRALIAN COLONIES BILL. Lord JOHN RUSSELL poAponol the introduction of this Bill from Monday until Friday. The House adjourned at Two o'clock. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, Feb. 1. :sittings et Nisi Prius before Mr. Justice ERLE and a Middlesex Common Jury.) BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE--RALFIIIDE V. BAXTER. Mr. James and Mr. Charnock appeared for the plain tiff; and Mr. Ilumfreys conducted the case fur the dc fendant. This was an action brought t) recover compensation in damages for an alleged breach of promise of marriage made by the defendant to the plaintiff. From the state ments of the Learned Counsel for the plaintiff it ap peared that the plaintiff, Matilda Mary Halfhide, is the daughter of a respectable tradesman, carrying on the business of a smith, in Thames -street, and that the de fendant was the steward and valet of the late Sir George Martin. The defmdaLt had paid hie addreases for a considerable period to the plaintiff, giving her to under stand on the deco Ise of his master he would marry her. He, however, when this circumstance took place grew cold in his attentions, and, after a few months, entirely broke off the engagement, and ultimately married another female. 'The present action was therefore brought. The defendant pleaded, among other thing., a disparity of years, he being 58, and the lady 27 years of age, and an arrangement that all further communication between each of the parties should cease. The d feudant ha I married a fe:low-servant, who had received by tho will of Sir George Martin a sum of 501. The defendant himself had received money to the amount of 1,000/. under the same will, and was at present the landlord of the Adam and Eve public-house, in the St. Join-street-road. The mother of the plaintiff, and Leveral other wit nesses were examined, whose evidence completely bore out the statements of the Learned Counsel. Letters were then read which had been written by the defendant to the plaintiff. They were in a plain matcer of•fact style, although they exhibited an entire disregard of the established rules of orthography. Mr. llustrnErs having been heard on the part cf the defendant, His LORD - A.ITP summed up, and Th• jury, after a brief deliberation, returnod a verd:ct for the plaintiff—dam igea 1501. His Loansuip, alter a brief discussion, ruled that half the (Images should be paid in ten days, and the residue within the usual time. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, Fin 1. STOCK EXCIIANCE.—The market maintains its firmness, at improved rates. The only alterations in prices were— Great Western, Quarters, 16A—Ditto, New 171. Shares, 53 dis. LIVERPOOL. Firs. 1. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market was steady to-day, still the amount of business done hai not been large. The trans actions were as follow : —Birmingham and Dudley, 5 p.— Lancashire and Yorkshire, Fifths, 71. its. 3d. London and North-Western, 115 1 ,4—Ditto, New Quarters, 1% p.— Ditto, Quarters, 11,4 p.—Midland, 44—Ditto, Halves, 23% dis.—South-Eastern and Dover, 197( 4 —Ditto (N 0.4), c. —York and North Berwick (G. N. E. Purchase), 6 per cent. till 1850, 5 'Adis. MANCUESTER, FEB. 1. STOCK EXCII.ANGE.—But little business was done in our Stock Exchange to-day, and prices are lower. The transactions were as follow :—Caledonian (Clydesdale Junc tion), Preference, 7% --fast Lancashire, Preference, Quar ters, 7 3-16 n.—Lancashire and Yorkshire (W. R. U.), 281, 6 15-16 dis.—London and North-Western, Manchester and Birmingham, Quarters (C), lip p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and LiGcolushire, Preference, 8 4 Ditto (Sheffield, and Lincolnshire), 4P6 —South-Eastern and Dover (No. 4), Scrip, 6% c. —North Staffordshire, 10 1 / 4 dis. YORK, JAN. 31. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The transactions to-day were as follow : —York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 16%—Ditto (New castle Extension), 10% —Great Northern, 7 MEETING OF PROTECTIONIST MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AT LORD STANLEY'S. - A very numerous meeting of Members of the House of Com mons favourable to protective duties took place on Thurs day, at one o'clock, at Lord Stanley's residence, in St. James's-square. We believe tbeflowing to be an accurate list if the gentlemen present:—The Marquis of Chandos, Marquis of Worceser, Marquis of Granby, Lord C. Manners, Lord G. Manners, Lord E. Hill, Lord E. Brooke, Lord A. Lennox, Lord G. Lennox, Lord H. Beetinck, Lord Burghley, the Earl of March, Viscount Galway, Viscount Barrington, Viscount Newport, Vis- count Bernard, Sir John Jennie, Major Beresford, Mr. B. Disraeli, Mr. R. Blactimore, Mr. P. Bennet, Mr. J. Stuart, Mr. G. A. Hamilton, Mr. E. S. Gooch, Mr. J. T. Plumptre, Mr. R. Bremridge, Mr. J. Bornby, Mr. E. 11. Baldock, Mr. C. L. C. Bruce, Mr. A. E. Fuller, Mr. R. A. Christopher, Mr. B. Spooner, Captain Vy!e, Mr. G. Arkwright, Mr. D. Waddington, Mr. C. W. Packe, Mr. H. J. Baillie, Mr. W. Diodes, Mr. G. W. Itypton, Mr. J. W. Henley, Mr. E. H. Bunbury, Sir H. Halford, the Honourable H. A. Cole, Mr. W. Miles, Mr. C. N. Newdegate, the Right Honourable J. C. Herries, Mr. E. Fellows, Mr. H. Gwyn, Mr. J. It. Mullings, Mr. J. Neeld, Mr. E. Wode house, Mr. J. G. Smyth, Mr. H. B. Clive, Mr. J. Bailey, Sir R. Lopes, the Hon. Cal,tain Harris, the lion. C. E. Law, Mr. E. M. Munday, Mr. G. Bankes, Mr. J. Floyer, Sir W. Vercer, Captain Rushout, Mr. J. Ferrer, Mr. R. Prime, Mr. L. W. Buck, Mr. W. Long, Mr. 11. C. Comp ton, Colonel Chatterton, Mr. M. Brice, Sir A. Hood, Mr. C. A. Moody, Mr. C. G. Du Pre, Mr. H. N. Bur roughes, Captain Jones, Mr. J. W. hod, Mr. S. L. Fox, Mr. F. Rutrord, Colonel E. Taylor, Mr.R. Bromley, Mr. R. C. Hildyard, Mr. C. 0. Morgan, Mr. M. Bell, the Hon. Colonel Lowther, Mr. Joseph Nceld, Colonel Knox, the Hon. Captain Max.well, Colonel Powell, Mr. J. M. Gaskell, Mr. T. Bateson, Mr. A, Stafford, the Hon. Captain Cotton, Mr. J. Hamilton, Colonel Hall, the Hon. A. Duncoinbe, Mr. J. P. Halsey,:Sir C. Kuightley, Mr. 11. S. Waddington, Mr. W. F. Mackenzie, Sir 11. Meux, the Hon. W. Begot, the Hon. G. Noel, Mr. T. Conolly, thellote F. Scott, Captain Somerset, Sir W. Codring ton, Colonel Bruen, Mr. G. Dodd, Mr. C. D. Adderlev, Sir J. B. Walsh, Mr. R. Richards, Mr. J. Best, Mr. if. Portal, Mr. J. F. Stanford, Mr. J . W. Knight, and the lion. Colonel Forrester. The Earl St. Vincent v+a3 , we believe, the only peer present at, the meeting. MELANCIIDLY SUICIDE IN TUE CITY.-011 Wednes- day Mr. Win Payne held an inquest at the White Hart, Abchurch-lane, on the body a Mr. Joseph Ivon Win stanley, aged 58, the outfitter, of No. 54, King William street, London-bridge, who committed suicide. Mr. Buckle, chemist, of Leadeuhall-street, said that the deceased on Monday last called at his shop, and pur chased 6d. worth of the essential oil of almonds (thirty drops) which he said he wanted to scent some pomatum with. Mr. Wass, of 51, King 'William-street, said that le had known deco a ied for some time past. On Tuesday afternoon he was sent for to the deceased's house, and then heard that he was dead, and that a bottlo labelled " essential oil of almonds" had been found in his pocket. Of late he had suffered much in his mind on account of pecuniary difficulties, and he believed ha was insane. A daughter nf the deceased gave such evidence as proved that her father's spirits, for many months past, bad been so depressed that he E c arcaly knew, at times, what he did. Other evidence confirmatory of the above having been given, a verdict was returned of "Temporary imianity." ;OVERLAND MAP, (From the Chronicle.) We have received by extraordinary express ad vices from B .mbay to the 3d of January, and Cal cutta to the 22d of December. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) BolllB , ll', JAN. 3.—The Auckland arrived last night with the London overland mail of the 24th of November, just as we had given up all hope of her making her appearace, prior to the dispatch of the steamer which leaves this day for Suez. The delay seems to have arigen, in the first instance, from the breakirg down of the steamer on the line be tween Marseilles and Alexandria, but when I tell your readers that the Auckland was no less than thirt( en da . ) s on the voyage from Aden, a distance she ought to have accomplished in nine, they will be able to form some idea of the state to which the Overland communication has been reduced, and of the necessity which exists for an alteration of the present arrangements. In Ingland the mails may be regarded as fortnightly : here the practical effort of the system is to d►vide the month into two inter vals, one of three weeks, and the other of a week. I believe the Chamber of Commerce has more than once remonstrated against the plan which is pur sued, but as yet there are no signs of improvement, and the home preas must again be looked to, to take up the cudgels on our behalf, and enforce, by pertinacious agitation, the reform which is so urgently required. The news by the present opportunity is rather more int( resting than usual. The expedition under Col. Sir H. Lawrence, or rather Brigadier Bradshaw, for the Colonel was but the political head, bas found the suppression of village disaffection, and the punishment of revenue & faulters, a rather more formidable task than many anticipated. In fact we have had some more fighting in the Punjaub, and, although our troops have come off victorious, it has been proved that there are yet thousands in the late Seikh empire who are ready to draw the sword and shout the war cry against the Feringhee. These operations will probably put an end to " re bellion" fur the season. Unless I mistake the charac ter of the people, and the nature of their complaints, however, it may be anticipated that a fresh expedition will be required almost every year to subdue insur rectionary tendencies, and overcome reluctance to dis charge fiscal liabilities. Your readers will be glad to learn that the Sikkur Itaja has thought better of his absurd opposition to the British authorities, and has released Drs. Camp bell and Hooker, the officers lwho were detained by him. Up to the date of the latest advices, however, these gentlemen do not appear to have actually re turned to Darjeeling. It is now confidently reported that Sir C. Napier does not intend leaving India for the present. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. REPORT ON IMF STATE OF THE BOMBAY MARKETS. FROM Theo. 17 TO JAN. 2, INCLUSIVE. Bombay, Wednesday Evening, Jan. 2. Oar mosfey market is less easy now than it has been for some time past, and there has been a slight application of the screw by the Bank of Bombay, it having raised its rates of discount and interest one per cent. 'I here has been very little doing in Government Securities for some time past, and the quotations given elsewhere may almost be considered nominal. The business done in Shares during the past fort night has not been large, but prices are maintained and the market is in a sound and satisfactory state. The business done in imports during the past fortnight has been exceedingly limited, and the inactivity prevailing at date of la3t report has continued up to the present time—a state of matters which has heretofore rarely happened in the month of December. Stocks being, however, light, and there having been scarcely any importations during the period under review, the prices of almost all articles have remained unchanged. In exports, some large transactions in opium have had effect. The market for other articles of produce has been dull. Cotton Piece Goods—Grey Shirtings : Of these the sales amount to 7,950 pieces, at prices varying from Its. 4 to Its. 5% per piece. Of 40 and 45-inch widths the market is rather bare, and a pretty good inquiry for them. exists. For the lower descriptions there is but little de mand, and stocks are considerable. Jacconets Sales : 18,709 pieces, at Rupees 1:7 : 3 to Rupees 1% per piece. Madapollams— Sales: 12,7.50 pieces, at Rupees 2 3-16 to Its. 2 9-16. Both these articles are dull of sale ; as also long•cloths and domestics, of the former of which 11,694 pieces have been sold at rupees 4k to rupees 5 13-16 per piece. T cloth—Sales, 4,301 pieces, at rupees 4 9-16 to ru pees 8 11-16 per piece. Only the heavier makes are in request. Bleached shirtings—No sales reported. The stocks of 10 inch 60 to 72 reed are very low, and they aro wanted. In ferior qualities are uninquired for. In Madapollams nothing has been done. Jacconets are scarce and wanted. Do mestics have been disposed of to a moderate extent. In twilled cloth no sales have been reported, and the demand is dull. The prices of common jacconet checks, mulls, lap pets, and satin stripes, continue unchanged, and these fabrics are somewhat in demand ; as also are satin stripes. Dyed—Turkey red twilled and plain cloths, with prints and malls, are also in moderate demand. Fancy Goods—With exception of low lappets and bot,k muslins, almost all de scriptions of these fabrics are in moderate request. 1 1 Cotton Yarn —Scarcely anything has been done in yarns since our last, the only sale reported beings one of 35 bales (10,500 lbs.) Mule—No. 40, annas 9-16th, No. 50, as 9Th, and No. GO, as 104, per lb. A good inquiry exists for all counts except No. 20 inferior: the numbers most required just now are 30s. and 50a. Of Water we have no s..le to report. No. 40s. are in demand : heavy stocks of 20s. and 303. are in the hands of importers, and in but small request. Of Turkey red we he -r of a sale of 11 bales (2,300 lbs.) No. 40 and 50, at Its. 1 1 / 2 . per lb. Metals—Sales during the fortnight have been confined to copper of different descriptions at former rates, the stocks on hand being large. In the prices of other metals we have no alteration to notice. Bar iron, Swedish, is scarce and wanted, as also is pig lead. EXPORTS. Cotton Wool—The market for this staple has been dull during the past week, owing to the non-arrival of advises from home, and but few purchases have been made. The only good quality at market is Compta ; and the prices of all descriptions have declined since our last. Opium—The demand for this drug has been steady of late, and upwards of 1,100 chests were dispatched to China by the steamer Achilles on the 19th ult., although last ad vices from that market were none•of the most cheering. The price is now Rs. 1,325 at Rs. 1,335 per chest for best Malwa. The proceeds of the second Calcutta Opium sale, held on the . 24th ult., amount to 306,9751. FREIGHTS. The non-arrival of the Luglijti mail of the 24th Nov. till this afternoon has prevented shippers from purchasing cotton to any extent, and there has consequently been but a limited demand for tonnage. Our quotations are 3/. 2s. Gd. to 31. ss. to London ; 31. to 3/. 2e. Gd. to Liverpool ; and Its. II per candy to China. EXCHANGE. The transactions in bills on England for this mail have been somewhat large, rates having been very much in fa vour of remitters. The Oriental Bank has been drawing at ls. 114 d. six months' sight, and the usual description of first-class China paper has been sold at rates varying from Is. 100. to is 11 9-16, six- months' sight. We estimate the amount going home by this steamer at 100,0001. Bills on Calcutta arc not in much request at 1 4 per cent. pre mium sight, and to 1,4 per cent. discount, sixty days' sight. THE WEST INDIA MAIL. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, FRIDAY, MIDNIGHT. The West India steamer, Medway, has just arrived, with the mails, a valuable cargo, and nearly two millions of dollars on merchants' account. Our Jamaica news is to the 7th of January. The I►laud was healthy. The sugar market lower-17s. 11d. to 195. per hundred pounds. Pimento, 3d. The Ruin Duty Bill had, without the ap propriation clauses, been sent back to the House of Assembly. The session would quietly terminate. The Medway's news from California is to the Ist of December. Gold ■till abundant. Sick ness, however, pi avails. Nicaragua accounts state that all was quiet. Vessels of war from England and Ame rica were anxiously expected to protect interests Trade was dull at Valparaiso, and the Indians were reported to have risen, threatening the peace of Valdivia. It was rumoured the rising would be put down by troops from the Government of Chili. Insurrections were also taking place at Bolivia. Trinidad accounts are favourable, crops promising. From Antigua we learn the weather was propitious, and the island free from yellow fever. LV --------- !tare--..,,r4 . - - C;:t", - 5-'s• COURT CI R C ULAX;:' .-'ii". - `--'-7,*, •: . ;•`\d t v; rr , 7 I) -ftj .41:04‘,44:', ) ' 1:11, Quo:4 'walked cut la tile Rollie r .A it 111 ailMi . 4)'Z Z ' Prince Albert W. out shooting thi Taket4o 9 ,- :-41„...._ . , ~„%,,, Royal Highness was aceomp:Jnied by • ,-Wircits f "; 7 Exeter, taw alai . quis of Douglas, and E .1140friAlt„_9( . 1 _ -*— was attended by Lord Camoyr, Colonel the Him. Charles or IP B. Phipps. and Limt.• Colonel F. H. Seymour. The Prince cf Wales, Prince Alfred, the Princess R , yal, the Princess Alice, the Princess Helena, and the Princess L ou i sa , took their usual exercise and airings • to-day._ Her Royal Highness the Duchess cf Kent visited her Majesty this mo rn i ng . The roy al party at the Castle took a drive in the afternoon. Her Majesty, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, her Royal highness the Grand Duchess Ste phanie of Baden, and the Duchess of Sutherland, occu pying an open [ ony phaeton and "four; the Lady in Writ ing to t he Queen, th e C ountess of jeraey, Lady Clemen t r i Bpuocnkykpyhaanedt Lieutenant-Color an d tine Villiers, and t h e C ountess Spencer following in an Eq u el t cri e h e H i n n o l n Va A it l i e nf . , co o io t ander Gordon, attending on Itor:,ehack. The Duke and Duchess of Xifolk and Lady A. Fitz alan llos ard,. the Marquis o f Breatialtiane Lady aid Miss Peel, armed at the Castle this afternoon on a visit to the Queen and the Prince. The Earl of Carlisle is is also expected this evening. The royal dinner party includes her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess Stephanie of Baden, the Duch, 68 of Sutherland and Lt.dy C. Leveaon Gower, the Duke end Duches of Norfolk and Lady A. Fitx.dan ILA\ tad, the Countess Ingellatins (Lady in y\ siting en .he Grand Duchess of Bidets), the Marquis of Br( at i a lh unc . , the Marquis and Marchioness of Exeter, the Matelms and Marchioness of Douglas, the Countess of Jert.ty and Lady (, Inentina Villiers, the Earl and Countess Spen cer, the Earl of Carlisle, Lady and Miss Peel, Bsrou Schreinkenstein (in Waiting on the Grand Duchess Ste phanie of Baden), and Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey. Colonel Buckley has relieved Lord Charles F itzcoy in in his duties as Equerry Waiting to the Queen ; and Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Alexander Gordon has rc- !lewd LiQutenant-Colonel F. H. Seymour in his duties as Equerry in Waiting on his Royal Highness Prince Albert. Her Msjosty will hold a Privy Council on Tuesday next at Windsor Castle. .. __ Mr. Masters Smith, High Sheriff of Kent, and Mr. George Essell, Under-Sheriff, delivered au address from the freeholders and inhabitants of Kent to Sir G. Grey yesterday at the Homo-office, for presentation to her Majesty. Mr. Selby, Queen's Advocate, from Ceylon, had an interview with Earl Grey yesterday at the Colonial office. The Sub-Committoe for the Exhibition of the Industry of all Nations for liisB had a meeting yesterday at the Board o 5 Trade. The Marquis of Chandos had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday at the Home-office. Viscount Barrington had also an interview with the Right Hon. Gentleman. Dispatches from the Governors of New South Wales and the Mauritius were received yesterday at the Colo nial-office. THE ROYAL THEATRICALS. (From the Cowl Circular.) A dramatic performance took place in Windsor Castle yesterday evening, the play selected being Shakspere's tragedy of Julius Ccesar. A temporary theatre had been erected and fitted up in the Rubens Room, the ar rangements being similar to those adopted at the first series of dramatic representations. At a quarter before eight oclock her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, with the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, and the Princess Alice, entered the thea tre, accompanied by her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess Stephanie of Baden, the Marquis and Mar chioness of Douglas, the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, the Countess of Jersey, the Earl and Countess Spencer, Lady Peel, and the other visitors at the Castle. The Queen and Prince were Wended by the Duchess of Sutherland (Mistress of the Robes), the Marquis of Broadalbane (Lord Chamberlain), and the other ladies and gentlemen in waiting. A te'oet party had been honoured with invitations to the re, formanee, consisting of his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, the Countess Dow ager of Mansfield and the Ladies Murray, the Dow ager Lady and the Honourable Miss 143 ttleton, Miss Polo Carew, Lady Fanny Howard, Viscount Mande ville, Hon. Mrs. Charles Grey, Lady and Miss Farqu har, Lieutenant-Colonel Hon. C. B. and Mrs. Phipps. and Miss Bathurst, Lieutenant-Colonel F. H. and Lady Emily Seymour, the Provost of Eton and the Hon. Mrs. Hodson, the Hon. and Rev. Edward and Mrs. Moor* and Miss Moore, Sir George and Lady Couper, Miss, and Mr. Couper, Rev. Dr. Hawtrey, Mr. and Mrs. Grotr, the commanding officer of the Ist Life Guards (Colonel Hall), two officers of the Life Guards (Hon. 1). C. de Ros and Lord Eliot), this commanding officers of the Grenadier Guards (Colonel Thornton), two officers of the Grenadier Guards (Captain Clifford and Lieutenant Burrard), Mr. Birch, and Mr. Glover. A part of the theatre was appropriated for the ac commodation of a number of the domestics of the royal household. Her Majesty's private band was in attendance in an ante-room, and played the overture and different pieces etwekn the acts. The programme of the dramatic performance appeal CI in The Sun of Thursday. HAYMARKET THEATRE. Last evening the pr.rformances at this theatr e were for the benefit of Mr. Archer, the box book-keeper. The attendance wa■ in numbers proportionate to the merits of th• obligirg and attentive In neficiaire,: who pro vided a ♦aried and attractive bill of fare. Douglas Jerrold's Aril Gwynne was the first pies a ; with Mr. Web,ter as the Mezry Monarch, Miss Reynolds as the captivating beauty, and Mr. Keeley in his original che racterpf Orange Molt. After Buckstone's clever farce, The Clui,tening, Mrs. Gore's drama, The Maid of Croissey full awed, with Madame Celeste (on this ozc..- sion) in the part of Theresa ; and the entertainments concluded with the capital foot) of Ike Maid with the Milking Pail, in which Mr. Birkstone and Mrs. Fitz william sustained their original characters. THE UNITED STATES. The packet-ship Washington, Captain Page, arrived at Liverpool yesterday afternoon, after a very quick passage from New York, which port she left on the 10th, and waited two days below, and finally sailed on the 12th. By her we have papers Ito the 11th ult. There is no news of importance. Congress was beginning to get organizei, but no important business had been transact el. Tho steamer Alabama had arrived from Chagres at New Orleans, with 250,000 dollr. in gold and dust. The steamer Unicorn was to leave San Franciso on Dee. 10, and was expected at Panama on Jan. 1. When the Ala bama left, the Falcon had not arrived at Chagres. The Panama says that a gold mine has been dis covered on the Isthmus, on which some of the adven turers had commenced digging in preference to going to California. Scurvy and other diseases prevailed to great extent at the diggings and in San Francisco. New According to the law enacted by theßepublic dof utter Grenada, free tradce exist ; on the Isth m us on a n d the let of January. The Hungarian. te f uge os had with reat g phis, where their srrival had beau cele brated P proc eeded to Philadel - Joy. The American pc,pers btite that the annexation move meat is making grtsat strides in Canada. The commercial advices do not differ from those pre viously received. The weather was rather more moderate than when the !act steamer left. CHANGE OF QUARTERS IN TEE CAVALRY REGI -31ENT2.-2d Dragoon Guards, from Piershill to York; 3d ditto, from Nottingham to Manchester; 4th ditto, from Manchester to Birmisaghaml and South Wales ; sth ditto, from Birmingham to Ireland ; 7th ditto, from Brighton to Ireland; Ist Dragoon 3, from York to Nottingham; 2d ditto, from Longford to Qanterbury ; Bth Hussars, from New bridge to Brighton; 11th ditto, from Hounslow to Norwich and Ipswich; 13th Light Dragoons, from Dundalk to Edin burgh ; 16th Lanceir,, from Norwich to Hounslow. AMERICAN FL. NIJR.—A vessel just arrived from New York with a general cargo, has brought the large guru, tity of 10,000 bar of ,flour, the prochice of Well:111W States of America. OLYMPIC THEATRE - - A farce entitled A Dead Take-in has been produced here with success. The two principal characters are rivals for the hand of a young lady (Miss M. Oliver). Ono of them is a civilian, who affLets duelling propensi ties, represented by Mr. Compton ; the other is a really valiant Hussar, played by Mr. Wigan. The former is very unwillingly made to fight a duel with the latter, and is particularly horrified when at the report of his pistol his a Iversary falls, apparently dead. When the Hussar gets up again he assumes the dress of a notary, who brings the contract of marriage between his rival and his mistress, and terrifies the conscience-stricken murderer by his likeness to the de:eased. An explana tion that he is a brother of the Ilussar is followed by a fight with swords, in which he again allows himself to bo killed, and the remorse of the duellist is further in creased by the re-appearance of the ilusF ar in woman's clothes, Rho is loud in lamenting the death of her two two " brothers." Of course, the whole terminates with an explanation and the victory of the llutsar. The " fun" of this piece depends on the timidity of Mr. Compton, and the grim supernatural appearance assumed by Mr. Wigan as tho notary. COURT OF COMMON - COUNCIL.- Thursday it Court WR 3 held for the election of officers and other business. Upon the announcement of the city solicitor's name. Mr. Anderton asked that gentleman whether he intended to retie from the office of chairman of the Great Cen tral Gas Consumers Company ? Mr. Pears. n thought the question unnecessary, as he bad resigned the office of chairman and director some days ago, and only waited the acceptance of his resignation by his brott er directors. Mr. Poarson's appointment as city solicitor was unani rmeofeursrleydctoonfit h r e m C ei o . mm M iss r i . o A ne n r d s e o s f to s n ew m e o rs ve t d o , ex " a t m ha in t e it si b ci e report on the smoke arising fro c roin ity. ttea T m h - e tin in g o i t n i e o s anti f ur naces erected in and near war agroed to without opposition. Mr. Edkins then moved " that the Chamberlain be directed to contribute 500/. towards the fund for female emigration." The motion was seconded by Mr. Deputy Godson, and, after some observations from Mr. Norris, Alderman Lawrence, Mr. Wire, Mr. R. L. Jones, and Mr. Blake, carried by a large majority. Al petition from Mr. Sidney Herbert, who was present during the discussion, for a grant of money in aid of the society, stood for consideration on the list, but was not entertained, as the question was virtually decided in the matter just terminated. RESIGNATION OF SIR G. H. SMYTH, BART., M.P. —COLCHESTER, THIIRSDAY.—This town has very sud denly (and very unexpectedly to those net permitted to be in the secret) been plunged into all tho bustle at d excitement rf an approaching Parliamentary election, Sir G. H. Smyth, Bart., M.P., who since the last session d has shown increased symptoms of the f of a declining retiringh ea l , having g h intimated post of e intention ffectso o a f imme diatelyheyaasn "o for e l e e e c p o t in the Asse m b ly when yo f electors Hundreds . rep resentat i ve ß A :.oae meeting to elolonse.d who laboured u nd e r consider able .. emo the'spressed his regret t h at declining health t o a o n n cneu this ull) f number tehr d e a compelled r henry y him to resign the . important trust of repre senting them in Parliament, which he had held for the long period of five-and-twenty years; and he sutirgested tion ,br S ie in flY that a requisition be at once presented to Lord John Manners. Other gentlemen having addressed the meet ing, formally . moving the adoption of the course sug serted by Sir Henry, a requisition to that effect was presented, and met with a unanimous adoption. A vote of thanks was then presented to Sir Henry Smyth, for his long and valuable public services. Those present then commenced signing the requisition, and nearly 200 names having been attached, a deputation proceeded to town by the two o'clock train, to carry out its imme diate presentation to Lord John Manners. A tsaustitio FIRE IN BISHOVIGATE.—On Thursday afternoon, shortly before three o'clock, a fire, which at one period threatened very disastrous consequences, broke out in the spacious premises belonging to Mr. G. Johnson, a cabinet-maker, carrying on business at 28 Primrose-street, Bishopsgate-street Without. The flaines originated in the first floor workshop, ar.d ob- Vaned so firm a (hold in the space of a few minutes that the destruction of the entire property appeared certain. The engines of the London brigade quickly reached the spot, and, having been set to work, the flames were even tually extinguished, but not until serious damage was done to the premises, and also to the valuable stock. ARRIVAL OVA STRANDED YESSEL.—The vesselPisu line Houghton, front the Mauritius, is reported as having ar rived in the West India Docks, after being got off the sato* where she had been aground near Margate, with a cepa-, derable portion of her cargo, consisting of sugar. molasses' the remainder baying beau lauded sit gargate.