The Sun. — London, England, 1851-05-07 00:00:00

`s may bond thee varehouse the detY h tity and strop! although, perher; be but just do' [porters of br.a ll4 , d, should be el a; indeed, we co t in order to Pr°tec y_ a t- War last Ye l l acerned the 133° ! n . it he could not g i n )uld demoralize the temperance sm og from agreeing' ion was the Me! he people of Seer, s p r its they vroui': lie hoped se that the cone?: nsettlement of tP u _ y great loss to ta! to fraud; ths t 1 4 1 ; tint it wo uld DO. iddiaolollll employ' uld be a verY,.., iln. view, by in cr 7 pence of all one wrong in s4, l f: -( Cheers.) 111, House resol ve is ration the preSe ng pirits in bond. for he Noble UN h e had bro a f; Lues tion had b b ° ,ittee, and Sat:. he report any Of nter again et wa s one quest:l2 i tion of the Creg. the spirit before that Cew t the Colian itt4e ; no. o i n ted it We 9. thriniP tubject os .„,„ re not beia B ,, h the origin lL 7 &Me the sp id irt 4 ,k iions which 'r levied on eek ) t ril io , ie w hole 1 in the ingi ll g r l ed, a Scot abchle of ierson caP .ct—bfr. Grejg -- 0 stilleries)n' t o ord to P,"" cir de Ilers on tue's- 3 more ably' o D the differe p i s vas correct is " uera , from sub oo l. ▪ estimate "." c h f that 4d. W b . l o , tended a P e : . bonded spi rts; im the distill ery 1 the adven tB l l spirits taa c P of which 't o the producer d, T had the „ 0 8 us, in the ii fi g . number then _ A l ou bt there 1 1 1 4 " t that was ° III ry mann featu re , idency of A. Mentg, swso machinery •ty t the quen tl d. ly, though . , re In 1841 to e si , 16,900,000 8, 53 distilleries, lions. Ile fl y ; re the produ m. But W he • the duty 3 in Ireland 0 Wit h mpetition to 7,4002" igland had om those years n Ireland 00° '-ed to 82- , )CO gallons vas as be ha ), at which the happened thet there had Der',,., Th e quanGlV last year from' Tefore the compensat, orth while 1 sea why atm' be Scotch dig' nt possess i° eying been fe' . e had been $ pints in Ear 2,000 gallons , an increase or and Scotland same period , ' tolonies. Let Id find that 10 while i 0 a decrease of anyone with mint of 1848 hear.) The produce into , tillers or rea -(No, no.) ose countries, alone was d think their If any party Stiller. The Lnd had de" quantity of as 5,900,00 0 ng a falling sition of the its had in• period from 4000 of gal -1,000 gallons. listillers had kis. Under not to die -48. If they and Scotch ly claim re robably end :leman who ae of 1848, lie (Mr. awing been the subject her on that it; but lay the Com that there igh he was and by the ed, with all it they had tletuan had only ex. iid, for in to the dis an official ,nd showed !deficiency s was 142 y and a n itial duty that Id. descry of plant, th all his :k i d. The meter cost )ared with or leakage of com ard—in a or brandy it bonded n he took ;th which Irish and mounting For if a -er proof, strength of 24. 3d. Mai had .contain. estion of n of the ' The ion; last but he ble ma s would to other were all ) Lord's roy the the one luction ; Scotch a case tee up Con, if I as on an ad- L they id Ex of the e with I, who I Bri barges 'oreign five or cpense irit at s also THE SUN, motion asked was su c h a mo difi ca ti on o f th e s y s tem as would confer on the I r i s h an d S cotc h pro d ucer th e same a d v antages .were already en j oye d b y t h e f ore i gner. ?tr. M. GIBSON said he had been a member of the Corn , rea:_int.teee as eof inquiry into the s u bj e ct of sugar-planting and rum and there certainly never wa s s uc h a complication of evi that produced upon this question. As to the evi ncelLe of the Ch a i rman of the Excise, to which reference had been made, he must say, with every respect for the gen tleman alluded to, that he was always disposed to scrutinise s omewhat narrowly the evidence given by the head pf any revenue department, and he was also inclined to apply the s arue scrutiny to th e s t a t emen t s made by individuals repre senting special interests, when they came to Parliament Praying an alteration of differential duties. The impression made on his mind was, that on the whole 4 d. was a fair dif ference Irish spirits laboured as compared with colonial ruin. But oe . wiseed to call attention to the great advantages which this spirit inte res t now en j o yed in the United Kingdom. The fto 0. Member talked about the foreigner, but what was the Position of Irish spirits as compered with foreign spirits? lOn Irish spirits they had put a duty of 2s. Bd. a gallon ; but how much had they put upon foreign spirits? 15s. a gallon (Hear, hear.) He was not prepared to alter the present system until there hail been an inquiry and proper evidence to show that the conclusions at which the Committee had arr ived were erroneous, and he would, therefore, give his "to against the motion of the Noble Lord. _Mr. HUME said he was only anxious to see the Scotch distiller put upon the same footing as the rum distiller in brandy.'the Dutch gin distiller, or the importer of French Were now Some Hon. Members on his side of the House wer e now mightily alarmed with the bugaboo of protection. uiriat:fcorveareeirg:nwanasd laughter.) The word must not be mentioned ,ow in the hearing of his Hon. Friends around him. This, no protection question. The object of the mo tion was to secure equality. The difference of duty charged question. spirits has been alluded to, but that was a different With these views he would certainly support the Motion. ofSir Gs CLERK reminded the Hon. Member for Montrose the difficulty which existed when the Hon. Member first entered Parliament in permitting any intercourse between the three different portions of the United Kingdom, with reference t o t h e trade in spirits. Intercourse was , however , ulti mately permitted, to the great advantage of the country I°, general. Superadded to this a privilege was granted Well had never previously been conceded to any articles chargeable with excise duties—namely, that they were enabled to warehouse their goods for an indefinite period, and were not obliged to pay the duty on them till they were taken out for home consumption. It was, however, an es lential part of the agreement entered into when the privi elgewas granted that the amount of duly should be charged " the quantity ascertained when the spirits were manufac tured. Believing, therefore, that the arrangement made in 1825 had been attended with very great benefit to that part of the anythe United Kingdom with which he was more particularly c onnected, he should be very sorry to disturb it, nor had he argument which tended to shake his conviction. On these grounds, and after the best attention he could devote to the subject, he had come to the conclusion that the Scotch and Irish distillers had no fair claim to the favour which was then demanded for them, and he should therefore vote against the motion. Colonel DUNNE said it was clear that the Right Hon. Gentleman who had just addressed the House did n o t at present represent a Scotch county. He (Colonel Dunne) did not think it fair to levy the duty on an amount of spirits which did not in reality exist for the manufacturer of the a r ti c l e. I t was not t rue that the Irish distillery trade had Prospered under the present system, for he found that while the quantity of Irish spirits manufactured in 18.39 had amounted to 12,000,000 of gallons , the quantity manu factured in Ireland at present amounted to only 7,000,000 of gallons. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the question was whether they should change the present mode of assessing the duties on spirits, which was admitted by all persons conversant with the subject to be the best and the safest mode that could be adopted. He believed that if they were practically to re-establish that which had existed Previously to the year 1825—namely, a different mode of charging those duties in England, Ireland, and Scotland, they would put an end to that interchange of spirits between the three countries which had proved so beneficial to the Irish and Scotch distillers. He believed that the adoption Of that proposal would open the door to a very considerable amount of frand. Under the present system the distiller paid the duty on the quantity of spirit which he placed in the bonded warehouse, and it was for his advantage that no por tion of that spirit should afterwards be abstracted. His in terest, and the interest of the representatives of the Excise department, were in fact identical. But if the proposal before the House were adopted it would be the interest of the dis tiller to allow as large a quantity as possible of the spirit to be abstracted from the bonded warehouse without the pay 'Tient of the duty. He believed that if that arrangement were adopted it would be necessary to impose very severe restric tions on the distillers, with the view to the prevention of frauds upon the Excise. It was true that no Irish or Scotch distiller had been examined before the Committee of 1848, but English distillers had been examined, and had given it as their opinion that the proposed change would be one attended with considerable danger to the revenue. He denied that any undue advantage was given by the present system to the colonial producer, as compared with the home:producer. In order to prove that no such advantage was given, it was enough to state that there had been last year an increase in the consumption of Irish and Scotch spirits to the amount of 600,000 gallons, and a decrease in the consumption of rum to the amount of 140,000 gallons, as well as a decrease in the consumption of foreign brandy to t o the h amount . of 300,000 ga ll ons . The home producer had n tfoe, it was elea r, been driven out, of the market in consequence of the superior advantages enjoyed by his colonial competitor. The Noble Lord had told them that that was not at all a question of revenue. But he differed from the Noble Lord upon that point. It was perfectly obvious that if the duty were to be levied on a lesser quantity of spirits there must be a reduc tion in its amount, and that the revenue would proportion ately suffer. Again, lie should further observe, that if they wera'to grant that concession to the home •producer, they should grant some corresponding concession to the colonial producer ; and there again there would be a loss to the re venue. But if the revenue were to be diminished by reduc tions of that description, it was clear that it would be im possible to effect that change in the window-tax, or that di minution of the income-tax, which many Honourable Members were so anxious to promote. The House ought to remember the division on the income-tax on Friday last; and those Members who had then voted in the majority ought to bear in mind that it would be impossible to effect any diminution in the more objectionable taxes—if taxes of a less objectionable character, such as that under their consideration, were to be reduced. He asked the House Whether any excessive duty was paid by the Irish distiller? The English distiller paid a duty of 7s. 10d. per gallon on the spirits which he produced; the Scotch distiller paid a duty of 3s. 8.1. per gallon ; and the Irish distiller paid a duty of only 2s. Bd. per gallon. That surely was an arrange runt of which the Irish distillers could not reasonably com plain. He appealed to those Members who were ready to Maintain the public credit, and at the same time we're desi rous of seeing reductions effected in the more objectionable and unpopular items of taxation, not to assent to a motion such as that then under their consideration. Mr. NAPIER said he believed that the vote of Friday last showed that the House would not maintain a duty at the expense of a perpetual injustice.—(Hear, hear.) It was be cause he thought that motion a fair and a reasonable one that he gave to it his support. Much stress had been laid upon the evidence of the English distillers upon that point; but he denied that the English distillers were disinterested Parties in the case. Those distillers made use of bonded warehouses to a very trifling extent. It appeared that while the English distillers had only bonded 11,814 gallons of spi rits, the Scotch distillers had bonded 7,000,000 of gallons, and the Irish distillers had bonded 6,000,000 of gallons. The fact was, that the English distillers, who were only eight in number, enjoyed a practical monopoly, and had no occa sion to put their spirits in bond. The distillers of Ireland felt that they were subjected to an injustice in that case, and t hey would never rest until that injustice was removed. Mr. A. HASTIE supported the motion. There could be ne justification for imposing on distillers the necessity of paying a duty on that quantity of spirits which was lost by leakage and evaporation. That quantity had been stated to amount to not less than 2-l e per cent. Lord J. RUSSELL said he considered that as a motion to reduce the duty on Scotch and Ir i s h s p irits, because he thought it was perfectly obvious that if the duties that were Originally fixed with a view to have them charged in the 'way in whick they were at present charged, and if the amount of spirits on which they were raised, were diminished, the duties themselves should necessarily decrease. It was not true that any injustice was done to the Irish distillers in that case, for while the Irish distillers paid a duty of only 2s. Bd. a gallon, colonial rum in Ireland was paying a duty of 35., and French brandy and Spanish rum were pay ing a duty of not less than 15s. Therefore it is obvious that we would, by adopting the motion, give an advantage to the Scotch and Irish distiller over the planter and the importer of foreign spirits. It therefore becomes a question of revenue; and this is not, in my 'opinion, a time when it can be reduced. 1 know no more proper limit to a duty upon spirits than that it should mot be so high as to encourage fraud and illicit distillation. If that is not the case at present, and if, as my Hon. Friend has stated, Irish and Scotch spirits have increased in quan tity, that is a reason , in my opinion, why I s h ou ld not part 'with the revenue. I cannot, therefore, agree to the motion, as I am not prepared either to give the home manufacturer an advantage over the colonial manufacturer or consumer, eLisosirl the Noble Lord, " it - .nor to give up the revenue which it involves. a b d r ion o i g ts hr the justiee . of tb Mr. DISRAELI —The Nobilltf: e proposition,_buj i h e : r a y s . forward in a proper manner. Wait in detail it might be entertained; but as it is a reduc tionofficialthat of duty , we ca nnot take it. we admit there i s oppres sep• se, but this is not exact l y the matinee of English. d Scotch distillers must submit to taxation, while the French an d S pan i s h distillers should be exempt. That deity is paid by the consumer; b ut our ground is, that this is a d uty that pre saes on the producer.—(Cheers.) The system which the Government upholds is this —to benefit . the con sumer, and to leave the h oprhordigeerNsoubbljoecit,or%) urgent • res triction.—(Cheers. ) olicy in .— rh e e He fa a l r l , a h o) e_ar t - h 3 a n t d T t le e s colleagues were opposed Itotthoisgp Noble Lord has found a refuge trade in spirits has increased. But, supp r o h s a i r ng it it sh to oo b ld e s b o o , is it - because the trade is prosperous taxed e--(Cheers.) And if we can show that this is notisprosp thiserity is owing to other circumstan ces than' that stated, a further argument in favour of the motion of my Noble s Friend ?—(la hear .) The mode of remedying ear, grievance is easy—it 'is in the hands of the House; and I trust that the decision of this night will, like that on Friday, show that the stereotyped nature of the routine of the public of f ices is, to receive another check in the interest of the coantry.—(Cheers.) Thellouse then divided, when there app 159 the motion ••• '" 1 155 , 9 Against it . . •" The SPEAKER having, according to custom, voted for the motion, the Government were consequently left in a minority of one; the announcement of which was received with loud cheers. THE MINISTRY. Mr. ROEBUCK then rose to refer to the extraordinary circumstances inwhich the Government was placed.—(Bear.) The House of Commons had now a ts ume d t o i s elf—he would not say without just cause—not o nly t h e superv i s i o n of the Government, but also the actual Government itself. (Cries of .‘ Oh," and " Hear.") He could Well understand how it should be that some disappointed followers of the Govern ment would object to this proposition ; but when he saw the Go vernment obliged to modify all the three modes or plans of taxation which they had introduced, by the decision of the House of Commons, he appealed to the Noble Lord him• self, us a man brought up in constitutional principles —as a man educated in the idea that the House of Commons had a supervising power over the Government, whether he was now in a position to govern the country ?—(Great cheer ing.) He (Mr. Roebuck) believed these were the prin ciples of the Noble Lord. Was the Noble Lord, therefore, wise, was he politic—he would say nothing as to the poi n t o f honour—to retain the powers of Government in,his hands under such circumstances?—(Cheers.)` The House should tuvAerstand 'what was going on in the . country. At the corn- mencement of the session they were told that certain things should be dune as to the character of the country, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave an intimation of what lie intended to propose. The result was that there did not exist a single great commercial house in the country that was not affected by the declaration of the Right Hon. Gentleman. The question was not, therefore, a party matter; the best interests as well as the character of the country were con cerned in it ; and if the House of Commons still kept them in that state, like Mahomet's coffin, suspended between heaven and earth as regarded government, he (Mr. Roebuck ) appealed to the Noble Lord, as the responsible person, whether he would continue to lend the authority of his name and character to this state of things.— (Cheers.) Any Minister that regarded not only the interests of the country, but also his own personal character, would not lend him self to such a condition.—(Cries of "Oh, oh!") He (Mr. Roebuck) recollected when the party of the Noble Lord put out the Administration of the Duke of Wellington, that a member of that party, now in the other House, rose to ask Sir Robert Peel whether he was about to retain the Government.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord lived on minorities.—(Cheers.) It was contrary to the in terests of England and the spirit of the Constitution that any Administration should maintain itself by the difficulty of its position, and should live on the sufferance of enemies —(Cheers)—should be daily insulted by these conquests — (Cheers) —and should be unable to advance a single one of their own principles —(Cheers.) Therefore he (Mr. Roe buck) asked the Noble Lord whether, now that he had sus tained a fourth defeat on matters intimately connected with the taxation of the country, and all its mercantile concerns, he thought it were politic to retain possession of the Government ? He believed it would be more satisfactory to the desires of those who uished to advance the great principles which they advocated, if the Noble Lord would say that be would nut consent any longer to such a state of things. If the House of Commons took upon itself the administration of affairs it should also take upon itself the responsibility of finding a Government to rule the country. Lord J. RUSSELL—The Hon. Member for Sheffield has asked me whether I intend to retain office under the present circumstances. He stated that he thought it would be inju rious to the country if I should do so, and that the com mercial interests especially would suffer by that retention of office. The Hon. Member has a perfect right to put any question of that kind—any question which affects the in terests of the country; but lee has given me certain advice with regard to my own personal character—(Loud cheers) which I must respectfully beg to decline.—(Cheers.) Giving the Hon. Gentleman every credit for his good intentions, I will take care of my personal character myself.—(Renewed cheering.) Sir, at another period—at a period when the government of this country was iu abeyance, and those to whom it had been offered had not resolved to undertake the charge of forming a Government—the Hon. and Learned Gentleman said in this House that he wished me to consider that the interests of the cause of free trade were in my hands.—(Cheers and laughter.) What the Hon. Gentleman meant precisely by that observation I will not pretend to say; but of this I am fully aware, that the general interests of the country. not of free trade only, but its general in terests, its welfare, its tranquillity, very much depends on the conduct of those who have at the moment the direc tion of the Government.—(Cheers.) But, Sir, I have not hesitated, when I thought that the direction of affairs ought to be taken out of our hands unless we succeeded in certain objects, to stake the existence of the Government on these questions and on those objects. - (Hear.) I did not hesitate to do so when the question of the repeal of the Navigation Laws was before Parliament. It was then frankly declas ed that we were prepared for the consequences of the rejection of that measure, and it was fully understood that we should retire if that measure was rejected.—(Hear.) In the course of last year, differing from many who took other views with respect to the suppression of the slave trade, 1 did not hesitate to declare that I would not retain office one hour after any vote of the House which would be in opposition to the course then pursued.—(Hear.) But I think I have some right to consider with my colleagues what is the fitting opportunity , when I shall retain office, and when I should lay our resigna tion before her Majesty.—(Hear.) I am speaking now in the absence of any direct question of a want of confidence, of which the result is perfectly plain—l am speaking with respect to opinions. In the beginning of the present session did I show such an anxiety for office as to make it necessary that the Hon. Member for Sheffield should be my monitor— (Cheers and laughter)—and should inform me when the mo naent is come when, at his bidding, I should lay my resigna tion before the Crown ?—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman says this is the fourth time we have been defeated. But there is an observation which has been used, though couched in vulgar language, by Lord Castlereagh in this House, when leading the Government party, which may be appli cable here. He said, with respect to a vote to which the House had come, to repeal a large portion of a ta x, and when we cheered loudly— he said—" I beg Gentlemen not to halloo until they are out of the wood."—( Laughter.) Let us observe now, with respect to these defeats to which the Hon. Gentleman has alluded, one, the first, was with respect to a Bill of the Hon. Member for Surrey. After we came into office that question came again before the House, and the decision to whichit came was different, and the views which I entertained were confirmed by a large majority.—(Hear, hear.) So that our first defeat was reversed by a subse quent division. In another case we divided with respect to the management of the woods and forests, and that is not yet decided ; for it not intended to act on the decision of the House. We intend to introduce a Bill on that subject s - miler to the one of last year, and the House will then have a fair opportunity of deciding whether they will come or not to the same decision which its majority did, or whether our plan is preferable for the management of the woods and forests. So that in the present state of affairs that which I said ought to be done was defeated in one case, but it appears it was followed by a victory over those who had been the opponents of Government. The second case is not yet de cided. I come now to the third case—the division which took place on the motion of the Hon. Member for Montrose. I do rot consider that there was anything in the nature of the motion of the Hon. Member as indicating that the I louse meant to say that it intended to take the Government into its own hands.—(Hear, hear.) All these questions of taxa tion, and the burdens on the people, are questions on which the House of Commons has a particular claim to have their opinions listened to, and the Executive Government may very fairly differ from it without any cause of resignation. While they can maintain a sufficient revenue for the mains tanance of the establishments which they consider necessary for the safety and honour of the country, no financial differ ence with the House ought to influence their stability. We now come to the fourth defeat—the motion which the Noble Lord has carried by the vote of this evening. To this question I must apply the observations to• which I referred, because list year the Noble Lord was equally successful with another. I think in the end the House will be of opinion that the measure of the Noble Lord will not be adopted but by some arrangement of colonial duties which will put him on some fair footing. This being my opinion, I shall not tell the Hon. Member for Sheffield that his request, made with that suaviter ix modo—( Laughter)—for which he is celebrated — (Hear, hear) - shall be complied with; I will not tell him what other course I mean to pursue on the present occasion. This, is a matter of grave import—the character of a Govern ment ought not to be sacrificed, or even impaired, by , sub mitting to frequent defeats—(" Hear, hear," from the Oppo sition) —without declaring that they could no longer carry on the government of the country ; and at the same time, on the other hand, no one will deny that the resignation of a Government, under present circumstances, is a very grave matter, and involves very grave consequences.—( Cheers.) Some may think the consequences of that grave matter may lead to good fortune, and some to bad : but whether of good or bad fortune, no one can deny that it is a very.grave and important movement, not merely to that question of free trade to which the Honourable and Learned Member for Sheffield once alluded—(Hear, hear) but also with regard to many other questions of domestic and foreign policy that might be affected by a change of Government in present cir cumstances.—(Hear.) All I can say is, that I trust that those who have generally supported the Government, and as such have taken up our views with regard to public policy, will give us credit for doing for every interest in the country what is required by the situation in which we are placed - (hear)—that we are .not disposed on the one hand to allow the character of the Government to be impaired; it is from no sense of affront—from no irritating feeling of pique, I should make so important a decision as the res gna tion of our offices with the view of changing the Govern ment of the country.—( Hear, hear.) The change of a Government is not a question to be bandied about in a chance debate—( Hear, hear)—and I must ask the House to leave it to us to make that decision. Taking it as I shall do with it view to the general welfare of the country, I shall not have to reproach my own conscience with having deserted any in terest which I was bound to uphold.—(Cheers.) The House then went into Committee, Mr. BERNAL in the chair. A resolution was proposed by Lord NAAS, in accordance with the tenor of his speech. It was understood th it the resolution was opposed by the Government, and there were loud cries, which lasted several minutes, for a division. Mr. HUME rose to speak, but was for some time inaudi ble amid cries of " Divide, divide." He said the Noble Lord bad acted rightly in the reply which he gave to the question put to him. It would put an end to proceedings in that House if a Minister were to resign upon every question of mere financial difference that might arise. He would submit to the Noble Lord, parties having left the House after the first division, under the impression that there would be no other, whether it would not be more in conformity with the dignity of his station if he would allow that resolution to be agreed to without another division. - (Loud cries of "Divide, divide.") Lord J. RUSSELL said, in answer to the last question which the Hon. Member for Montrose had put to him, he could say that he should leave it entirely in the hands of Noble Lord opposite who had made the motion. He thought it was perfectly fair to take onother division on that ques tion ; and he did not think the Noble Lord could impute to them a desire to take"any unfair advantage, as they would not impute it to him. ' But he believed that the House was fuller then than it was before. Lord N AAS said the remark with which the Noble Lord had concluded was the worst he could have said; for they had divided in a House in which the Members had been at tentive listeners to the debate.—(Hear, hear.) Ho thought it was rather hard for the Noble Lord to ask for another divi _amed, no opposition divi sion on that question, as those Members who had recently entered the House bad no opportunity of hearing the debate putting in with and he did on the subject. A different course was proposed then to what had been pursued: last year, for when a motion had been him. it. Lo osition had been offered to a resolution named i n acerdord.aooe The present resolution was only writing the principle to which they had agreed, not think such a course would be adopted to wards Noble Lord had him. This year he d h a ‘ majc.rit Y last year were RUSSELL said the circumstances of the case of different. i from the present. Last year the the Speaker, of those who thought with who ha ltclesnly had his majority by the vote of mity with usage, to moved yleclared that he only voted in confor tz--sCries of " Divide.") another opportunity for consider - ing the question.--ot a v : it ? If the Noble Lord had any other course, he might adopt Mr. FRESHFIELD that to address the House, but not getting a hearing, progress, and said he would divide upon n Chairman should report S tr angers were then ordered to withdraw, but no division After a few words from Lord J. RUSSELL, Lord NAAS said he would agree to the suggestion' on the understanding that w hen next the made, brought on, the division should in the _ ntet question was instance take place on his resolution. Lord J. RUSSELL said, when the question again, it should stand in the same position in which _ came on ich it now stood.—(Cries of " Divide.") The CHAIRMAN asked the House whether it was in tended to divide on the question "that the Chairman report progress?" Is would be well to understand whether a di vision was to take place on that point or not.—(Hear, and divide.) He then put the question, and declared the" Noes" had it. The Chairman then vacated the chair, and the House resumed. The CHAIRMAN then reported progress, and asked leave to sit again on Friday. ST. ALBAN'S ELECTION COMMITTEE. Mr. E. ELLICE then rose to ask leave to introduce a Bill for the appointment of Commissioners to inquire into the ex istence of bribery in the borough of St. Alban's. lie felt he was bound to satisfy the House that there were grounds LON DON, for the introduction of this measure. The case of the late election of St. Alban's was similar to the cases of Sudbury and Great Yarmouth. The mode of proceeding adopted was this—a house was taken, as it was supposed, fur the purposes of a committee of one of the candidates. There ere two I means of access to the principal room in it. Tae one was through a particular street, and the other through an alley, called by the expressive name of " Sovereign-alley." A number of voters, it was proved, went by the street one by one into this room, in which a person sat who, it was alleged, was the person who bribed. Each voter, as he promised this person his vote, went out by the other door. Although they had not the actual proof that this person referred to paid money to these voters, it was satisfactorily given in evidence that the latter, upon leaving the room, went into a public house, and there exhibited four or five sovereigns each. It was true that those persons when exaininedswore they had not received any money for their votes ; but when they swore that they were not in possession of any mney, it was distinctly proved by respectable evidence that they were in possession of money. Very little doubt remained on the minds of the Committee that they had received money in return for their votes. The person who sat in the room, as described, was Edwardes, who, however, was not examined. There was not the slightest doubt in the minds of the Committee but that bribery was committed. It was, however, necessary that further inquiry should be instituted. In 1845 an election took place at St. Alban's, and a Committee was appointed to try the merits of a petition presented against the election, when it appeared that Mr. Edwardes was the prominent per son also on that occasion. Certain proceedings having then taken place in Parliament in respect to that, as well as other elections, there was a compromise entered into and the peti tion was withdrawn. The object of the Committee was thereupon frustrated, but they made a special report of that case to the House. If, then, there was to be an inquiry into this matter, he submitted, upon the authority of the proceed ings taken by that House and the House of Lords in the Sudbury case, that the inquiry should proceed through a commission. There could be but one opinion entertained in respect to this subject, and that was that a system of bribery unhappily prevailed in St. Alban's to a most alarming extent. It was, then, our bounden duty to do everything in our power to put down this bribery, which tended to lower the character of that house and to degrade and demoralise the parties who were immediately concerned in it. The Hon. Gentleman concluded by asking leave to introduce his Bill. _ _ Mr. COBDEN rose to move the addition of words so as to include in the motion any bribery, treating, or corruption, that might Lave taken place at the last election for the Fal kirk district of burghs. He represented on that occasion a certain portion of the constituency who had, complained of these practices, and who had petitioned that the Falkirk burghs might be included in the proposed inquiry. The petitioners complained of the gross treating and demoralisa tion that had taken place, and stated that the spirit-shops in certain localities had been opened to the inhabitants) at the expense of the sitting Member. He had to inform the House that the petition against the sitting Member had been withdrawn without the knowledge of the parties who had signed it. In a letter which he had received from the Pro vost of Falkirk he expressed the disappointment felt by the electors at the withdrawal of the petition, and stated that never since the Reform Bill had he witnessed such scenes of drunkenness and diss'pation as at the last election. He (Mr. Cobden) had no feeling of hostility to either of the parties who were engaged in that election. He believed that both candidates were advocates of free trade, but there was so little difference between their general politics, that he had no political leaning to one mere than to the other. The Falkirk burghs were five in number, some of them as tar apart as thirty miles, and situated in different coun ties. It was difficult to understand upon what prin ciple they had been grouped together. Up to 1841 the character of these burghs, like that of most of the Scotch burghs, had been unimpeachable in point of political mo rality. The practices complained of began in 1841 in the burgh of Airdrie, when the brother of the present Member was a candidate. In 1846, when Lord Lincoln was elected in the room of Mr. Baird, who had resigned, he was op posed by Mr. Wilson, and at that election the malpractices which had been before confined to Airdrie extended to the other burghs. In 1847 Lord Lincoln stood again, and was opposed by Mr. Boyd, and since then for scenes of dissipa tion and undue influence Falkirk and H amilton bad become as bad as Airdrie. With regard to the last election he held in his hand depositions which had been taken by a legal gentleman, and which corroborated the statements in the petition as to the treating and demoralisation that had taken place. One person, Robert Binney, a grocer and spirit dealer in Grahamstown, a suburb of Falkirk, stated that he was asked to vote for Mr. Baird, and declined; that he was afterwards visited by some of Mr. Baird's friends, particularly by a Mr. DlSLaren, an active supporter of Mr. Baird—that while they were in his house several people came to the bar, when Mr. Baird's friends • ordered him to give them what they wished, for Mr. Baird was rich enough to pay. This man went on to state that he considered that a sufficient order to keep open • house till the day of nomination, and accordingly supplied these people with whisky, brandy, porter, ale, and vinegar cordial.—(Laughter.) He further stated than on the day of nomination some of these people came to his house for drink as early as six o'clock, and said they had come for their "morning." Hon. Members who had been in Scotland would perhaps know what a " morning" meant.—(A laugh.) Several got drunk rapidly, and before nine o'clock seven er eight were lying quite drunk opposite the door. Binnev states he gave one man two bottles of whisky to assist in taking the drunken people away.—(Laughter.) Boys of 10 and 14 got drunk in the street. "No women," says Binney, "were drunk in my house, except those who came to take their husbands home."—(Laughter, aturcries of " Hear.") Now he had in his hand at least a dozen of similar statements from publicans. One of the name of Waugh, a spirit-dealer, in Grahamstown, stated—" On the Monday before the nomi nation, Mr. M'Laren, Mr. Baird's friend, and a writer to the signet, his agent, came and told me to provide refreshment; M'Laren said he would be responsible. In the course of the evening a 00; people came and had whisky, brandy, and rum cordial.— (Hear, hear.) An order came to let them have drink." He would now refer to the evidence of several re spectable inhabitants of these burghs. The respectable por tion of the inhabitants of such burghs would be greatly to blame if they did not denounce the scenes of dissipa tion that they saw aronnd them. Even seven righteous men might save such a burgh from becoming a political Gomorrah. Dr. Hamilton, of Falkirk, returning home the night before the election, states—" I observed two youths lying in the middle of the road, and found both of them in a beastly state of intoxication. On addressing them, one ex claimed, "Oh, there's open house to-night at Waugh's."— (Hear. ) The Rev.) Alexander M'Farlaue, minister of the united Presbyterian Church, states—" I was coming home the night before the election from the Carron Works. I met a great many;people, and saw so much demoralisation as to make me believe that it would neutralise all the good that might have been otherwise effected by ministers of the Gos pel " (Hear.) He (Mr. Cobden) might be told that these men so brutalised were not electors. If anything could make the demoralisation more demoniacal it was the very practices that had prevailed at the Falkirk election. There were some spirit-dealers whose votes it was thought desir able to have. If the candidate had invited the voters into a room and given each 51., it would have been virtue itself compared with what had been done, for publicans had been ordered to admit men, women, and chil dren, and to give them as much drink as they pleased. The evil one himself could not have devised anything so black and detestable. He had in his hand the declaration of one man—a father and member of a temperance society. laagh.) He could tell those Honourable Gentleman who laughed, that there was no more useful—no more ho nourablo or more respectable member of society, than the man who tried by his example to rescue the working man from habits of drunkenness, however it might serve the pur poses of some to keep him in a state of degradation. This man (Mr. Arnott) states :—" The day before the election I found my son—a boy of twelve years of age—lying on the rug in a state of intoxication. My wife said she had picked him up in the street, and he afterwards told me that be had had whisky at Waugh's.—(Hear, hear.) My wife tells me that before the election my daughter came to tell her that her brother was fon in the street; ' that she saw him brought home, when he vomited tremendously, and then fell asleep."—(Hear, hear.) Such was a sample of the practices that had prevailed. The favourite mode of corrupting the constituency of Falkirk was to open the pub lic-houses to all corners, and allow them to drink what quantity they pleased of ardent spirits. Similar scenes occurred at Hamilton. He had quite a little volume describing what had taken place at Airdrie, the town in which Mr. Baird resided. The Hon. Member and his brother were large employers of labour in the, iron works near Airdrie. Ile asked what was the first duty of a suc cessful wealthy individual to the community that had grown up under his auspices? Undoubtedly it was the first duty of the capitalist to endeavour by his example and by their education to lead that community up iu the paths of sobriety and of virtue.—(Hear, hear.) He was sorry to say that such was not the case here; that the enormous wealth possessed by the family of the Hon. Member was exercised for a totally different purpose.—(llear, bier.) He said that the scenes of debauchery begun in Airdrie when the brother of the Hon. Member was a candidate; and that bad as the scenes were last year, they were nothing to what they had beenin 1841. There were two cases cf bribery against the Provost at that time, and there was one case of abduction in which the police were- concerned.— (Hear ' hear.) He re ferred to the case of a witness , who had been then offered 201. for bis vote. He had ten cases of attempted bribery, with the then Provost implicated in two of them. It was sufficient to say of the treating that in a population of less than 15,000 there had been 41 public houses kept open, in which drink was freely given to all who came to the election. To show this lie referred to the testi mony of two ministers of the Gospel, the Rev. James M'Gowan and the Rev. Alexander Baron. Both corrobo rated what had been already stated, and the first testified that it was a general desire, to prevent the recurrence of such scenes, that the town should be disfranchised. He had, in addition to this; the sums charged by the public-houses for supplying drink to all comers. The bills were of different amounts, 401., 801., 901., 256/., 2801., 401., 321. And then there was a mysterious man in this case, as in others. Thine was a man who went by the significant name " Goldy," or " the man with the bag."—(Laughter.) This man was sup ,posed to be a person of the name of Hallett, a writer, or a :writer's clerk in Ayr; and then to Ascertain the facts with 'respect to that person it was his wish to have a Committee appointed.—(Hear, hear.) What he had now stated with regard to Falkirk, Ayr, and Hamilton, was perfectly correct, though in a mitigated form as regarded Linlithgow and Lanark; and now, having laid these facts before the House, he asked whether he was to be debarred from inquiry by any technical rules? He said that here was a case without precedent—here was a case that was charac terised with so much injustice that an investigation was ab aolutely necessary. The manner in which it was his lot now to call for it originated in an' accidental reference he had made to Falkirk. That allusion had brought to him hosts f letters—ap: eals made to him by the Provost of Airdrie— appeals made to him from temperance societies to call for the disfranchisement of the borough. -These appeals had induced him to submit the question to 'the consideration of the House.—(Hear, hear.) Were, he asked, these elections to be carried on by any such process as he had just described? Hear.) If they were, then be said to Hon. Members op posite, let them, beyond all others, mark' the consequences ; men would make their way to seats in that House by passing through a hundred gin-shops and public•houses. The ex penses of elections would be enormous. He was told that tire expense of a seat to the lion. Member for the Falkirk district was estimated as costing from 5,000/. to 15,000/. Men with hereditary lauded property had seldom an abundance of spare money in large sums. If this system were to be perpetuated, they mu-t abandon the chance of elected to moneyed men—to men who would spare hard cash enough to find an en.rance into that House. He asked Hon. Members opposite whether they would look tipon such .a change as that as an improvement to the cha racter of that House? Under the old system it was thought that men had a family claim to seats in that House, and, far his own part, he declared he would rather be governed by any oligarchy than submit patiently to the rule of those who o co nc rt hd i e n m hat entered into that 'House by the base means he had de scribed.— (Ch eers .) Was that H ouse, h e as k e d, to be the England where d t w em he p r e es n u c c el h m s b c l e i n c e a s tia w n e a r a to be r va luable de scribed,ulyldptl tell not excite. feelings ra of disgust?—(Hear.) He class Of saepersa-and temperance societies -had rung `with horror at the.aceount of the murders that had been committed in Airdrie (Hear.) The House claimed exclu a..a *Ye jnriAlictioU, in all -cues referring to Parliamentary Wee, WEDNESDAY tione. Let it not now defeat inquiry by a technical objec tion, but include an inquiry into the proceedings at the Fal kirk district with that which was to investigate the proceed ings at St. Alban's. He moved an amendment to that effect. Mr. ROEBUCK seconded the amendment. Mr. BAIR ') said that he had given no sanction to the open ing of public-houses for his election, and he did not believe that his agents had done so —(Hear.) At the same time he said that it the House desired to make any inquiry into the proceedings at the last election, he had no objection that it should do so. (Cheers.) That bcenes of drunkenness took place there could be nu doubt—(Hear)—for it was a com mon practice in a borough.—(Hear, hear.) It could be no wonder that there should be scenes of drunkenness, because there was a population that received in wages 10,0001. weekly. The principals of those establishments come in to the election, and the men naturally also come into the town to make merry.—(Hear.) But then, as to the last election. the agents of the petitioners went through the borough, and finding they could not subtantiate a case against him, the petition was withdrawn.—(Cheers.) The ATTORNEY-GENERAL hoped that there was no one in the House that could have heard but with pain the sad details that the Hon. Member for the West Riding had given of the proceedings at the Falkirk election. Nu one could be told that there should be such debauchery without feeling very deep regret. Though he deemed it desirable that an inquiry into such scenes should be made, still he could not but feel the strongest objection that such an inquiry should be mixed up with an investigation into other transactions that were totally and essentially distinct. The Bill that was now proposed had to go through another place; and they must take care to do nothing that would prevent its success there. In the one case, St. Alban's, they had evidence taken before a Committee upon oath, and they had a Bill prepared by the Chairman, at the desire of the Committee by whom the case had been investigated. Such a Bill, he said, was sure of success when it went to another place; but the case mentioned by the Hon. Member for the West Riding was based not upon the evidence taken upon oath, and it would be unusual to engraft, by way of a rider, such an inquiry upon another formally proposed to the House. He suggested to the Hon. Member to make his a substantive motion, and not to endanger the Bill by com bining the two inquiries.—(Hear.) Mr. ROEBUCK thought that he might be permitted to recall to the recollection of the House some remarkable cir cumstances which he had on a former occasion brought before that House. There bad been six instances, after a general election, of what he had ascertained to be corrupt compromises. He had brought the circumstances on his own personal s'ntement before the House, and Sir Robert Peel gave him the Committee he asked for. • Not satisfied with that, they had passeda Bill enabling parties to give evidence. He had mentioned six cases, and Mr. Charles Buller men- tioned another-Bridport; and he asked the House to en graft Bridport on his (Mr. Roebuck's) motion, and the House agreed to do so, and then all these cases were brought before the Committee of which he was chairman. Where, then, was the difference between the two cases ? The At torney-General said that the one case was established on oath. But what had been done with him referred only to his own personal statemeet. It rested on that alone. And now what occurred on the present occasion ? The Hon. Member for Falkirk district demanded inquiry?-(Hear.) Who, then, were the objecting parties? Not the Hon. Gen tlemen opposite. - (Hear, hear). Then there was the Hon. Member branded by the statement of the Hon. Member for the West Riding of Yorkshire.-(Cries of " No, no.") Let Hon Gentlemen wait until he finished. Thus was the Hon. Member branded if he did not get the opportunity which he asked for.-(Hear.) Who then stood between the Hon. Member and his exculpation ? Surely the Attorney-General would not stand between him and it. What then prevented the wish of the Hon. Member for the West Riding being ac ceded to, and thus helping the Hon. Member for the Falkirk districts to a vindication?-not because he needed it. - (Hear. )Oh no-but because he was accused.- (Cheers.) To be accused was one thing; to be guilty was another; but the Hon. Member was accused, and no doubt he would be considered guilty if be were not allowed:to defend himself. - ( Hear.) For what would they say? fhat friends who well understood the thing did, when he pretended to be ready to exculpate himself, help him by their votes with a most useful cloak, by which he might cover himself from the accusation when it had been made.-(Hear.) He asked was that a position to let the Hon. Member occupy ?-( Hear.) He assumed that the Hon. Member was-and he said this with all violence to himself-innocent.-(Laughter.) Yes, in such cases as those of Bolton, and Aylesbury, and Fal kirk, he did violence to himself in supposing that persons were not guilty when they were charged with a knowledge of the practices of corruption.-(Hear, hear, and laughter.) The Hon. Member who made the motion had talked of bribery only ; but corruption and treating must be included in the motion. Would the Hon. Gentleman say that one house, not to say forty-one houses, open for treating, could have been only open for purposes of patriotism? -(Laughter.) Some one with a purse ready to pay those men who presided over houses where treating of men, women, and children took place must have been there, sent there by some one.-(Hear.) It was a disgrace to that House to sit there, and the country would repudiate there, if they dealt with great cases of immo rality, and allowed guilty parties to aide off on a mere technicality raised by the Attorney-General. The tech nical objection which had been raised ought to be over ruled, and the Hon. Gentleman ought to be afforded a full opportunity of exculpating himself. This he could not do under the Bill, and therefore it was right fur the House to provide the Hon. Gentleman with the means of full exculpa tion. He begged of the House, if they desired to have a moral influence in the country, not to interfere, but to let the Hon. Gentleman have a fair trial, for the Hon. Gentleman really was on his trial-(Hear) -and to let him clear him self, as be said he could, from the charges brought against him. Of all the cases ,he had ever brought under the no tice of the House not one equalled in atrocity the present case, and he trusted it wouid be fully sifted by the House. 16. ELLICE, jun. ' was unwilling to have anything grafted on the Bill that would jeopardize it. It was clear the other case was a matter for a commission to inquire into, and this could be done by another Bill, which, when introduced, could go on par/. passu with the present Bill. He objected to the amendment, not because he wished to throw any ob stacle in the way of inquiry, but because it would obstruct the (Hear.) Mr. G. BANKES would say that the difficulties of the St. Alban's case were sufficient of themselves, and he therefore considered the amendment entirely . inadihisiible. If the Hon. Member for the West Riding wished to defeat the in quiry, he could - not take a more effectual step than by this amendment. If the Act of Parliament, consequent on the movement of the Hon. Member for Sheffleld, had not been thought strong enough at the time, why did the Hon. Gen tleman not make it stronger? The Act in question provided for the case of the St. Alban's Committee, and he really thought the Hon. Gentleman ought not to use a tyrannical power of placing Members of that House in. the position of the Hon. Member for St. Alban's. Ma. ROEBUCK said the Act in question was brought in by Lord John Russell, and not by him. ' Mr. BANKES was quite aware of that. He thought the Hon. Gentleman ought to have bees content with the reme dies provided by that Act, rather than resort from time to time to the tyranny of ex post facto law.-(Hear.) With respect to the question before the House relating to the in troduction of a Bill by the Chairman! of the Committee, he should only say, as the Bill was brouglat in on the recom mendation of the Committee, that it ought-to have weight with that House. With reference to the Commission ' he should not be disposed to part with th e control of the House over it. He would not name the Comm - lash:hairs, but he suggested whatever the number might be, that the House would keep the inquiry in their hands in order that it might be made searching and impartial. Mr. HUME thought his Hon. Friend ought to withdraw his motion, and proceed with the Bill. Mr. FORBES knew the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Baird) and his family, and could speak as to the vase good they did in the neighbourhood. He believed his Hon. Friend shad been hardly dealt with in the matter. People had been sent all over the kingdom to get up evidence, and the gentlemen on the other side had given all the weight of their names and eloquence to make out the case agaihst his Hon. Friend, they at the same' time being the partisans of the defeated ce Lord 3. RUSSELL would only say a few words on the question. In the first place, the motion-0f his Hon. Friend was founded on the report of the Election Commiqe,e, which stated that extensive bribery had been practised in the borough of St. Alban's at the last election. He couldnet conceive a more legitimate g r ou nd f or the introduction f a Bill—(Hear) —and he h ad no hesitatio n i n s • 0 saying he should give his vote in favour of the introduction. But the Hon Member for the W es t Riding had brought forward another . case. He could not say that in q uir y ou ght place not to tak e with respect to that case , because fro m the notoriety and scandal of that case it could not be p assed over by the House; but he could not agree in the proposition for having Commission. On T th h e e the two cases tried by the same Chmh i report cases- stood on different ground s ; one of them rested • of the Select Committee, the other only rested on a petition presented to that House. What course the Hon. Member for the West Riding ought to take he was not prepared to say ; but as he did not think the two cafes should be mixed together, he thought they ought to be treated separately, and the Hon. Member have leave to withdraiv his BilL Mr. FRESHFIELD could hardly trust himself to' utter the sentiments of his mind at the unfounded imputations of the Hon. and Learned Member for Sheffield; That Hon. and Learned Member owed it to himself and the House to state on what his suspicions were founded. He asserted that on the occurrence of the death of ,his Hon. Friend who represented Boston, when be was induced to go down there, that everything was conducted respectably. There was no music, or anything to create entertainment provided. Mr. LOCKHART could corroborate the statement; of hi s Hon. Friend (Mr. Forbes) with reference to the liberality, charity, and piety of his Hon. Friend Mr. Baird. After a few wordsi from Mr. H. BERKELEY, Mr. COBDEN said he was in the' hands of the House as to the course he should take. It had been suggested to him to make a substantive motion for a Select Committee on the matter, but the example of St. Alban's was not one to en courage an Hon. Member to have recourse to a Select Com mittee ; however, as the matter was before the House and the public, he thought it the duty of the Government to, see what ought to be done in the matter, and he ventured to suggest that the Ldrd Advoctheate for Scotland w ou ld b e the P matter ro per person to take charge of .__( Hear.) The amendment was then withdrawn, and the original motion agreed to. HER 4 On the motion of M r. LABOUC E, the following gen tlemen were nominated a Select Committee on the Steam Navigation, &c., Bill . • • Mr. Labouchere Mr. Hume , Mr. Cardwell, Admiral Berkeley, Mr. William Brown, Mr. Ander son, Mr. Alderman Thompson, Mr. Alexander Hastie, Mr. Philip Miles, and Mr. Grogan. Sir W. SOMERVILLE obtained leave to bring in a Bill to extend the benefits of certain provisioni of the General Merchant Seamen's Act relating to apprentices bound to the sea service, to apprentices bound to the sea service by boards of guardians of the poor in Ireland, and to enable such guardians to place out boys in the naval service. Sir W. SOMERVILLE obtained leave to bringin a Bill to amend an Act for empowering g rand juries in Ireland to present bridges, and tolls to be paid for passing the sam e , i n certain cases. Mr. HUME postponed till to-merrow (this day) his motion for a Select Committee to inquire into the mode of assessing and collecting the propertyetax ; and whether the injustice of levying the same rate of charge upon terminable as upon perpetual annuities, and upon fluctuating and varying incomes from trades and professions as upon fixed incomes, cannot be greatly modified, or altogether removed. On the motion of tne ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRE LAND, the following gentlemen were nominated a Select Committee on Civil Bills, &c. (Ireland) Bill :.--Mr. A ttor n ey-General for Ireland, Sir W. Somerville, Mr. French, Mr. Keogh, Mr. Napier, Mr. Whiteside, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. M'Cullagh, Mr. Anstey, Mr. Grogan, Viscount Bernard, Captain Jones, Mr. Sergeant Murphy, Colonel Taylor, and Mr. Sadleir. Sir W. G. CRAIG moved for a Select Committee to con sider the state and operation of the Acts relating to the an nuity-tax levied in Edinburgh, Canongate, and Montrose, and to report thereon ; and whether any amendment on these Acts, or re-adjustment of the tax, would be expedient; and whether any other fund may be rendered available for the purpose to which the annuity-tax is now applied. 'Agreed to. The Process and Practice (Ireland) Bill passed through Committee. The Rouse adjourned at lialf-past One o'clock. ?. X MAY 7, EVENING, PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS .From the Yctes and Proceedings of the House of Commons) T UESDAY, - MAY 6. lIOME-MADE SPIRITS IN BOND. Motion made, and Question proposed, " That this House do resolve itself into a Committee to take into consideration the present mode of levying the Duty on Home-made Spirits in Bond." The House divided:— AYES-159. Fox, Richard 31. Miles, William Fox, S. L. Moffatt, George Freslifielti, J. W. Monsell, William Frewen, C. H. Moody, C. A. Fuller, A. E. Moore, G. H. Galway, Miscount Millings, J. R. Gilpin, Colonel Murphy, F. S. Gooch, E. S. Napier Joseph Goold, Wnydham Newdegate, N. Gordon, Admiral Norreo,.Sir D. Gore, W. R. 0. O'Brien Sir:Luclna Grace, 0. D. O'Brien, Sir T. Anstey, Thomas Are Captala Arkwright, George Bagge, William Baillie, H. J. Baird James Bankes, G. Barron, Sir H. Barrow, W. H. Bateson, Thomas Bennet, Philip &Mina, Lord H. Beresforci, William Granby, Marquis of O'Connell, John Berkeley G. F. Grattan, Henry O'Connell, M. J. Bernard, V iscount Greenall, G. O'Flaherty, Anthony Best, John Greene, John Ossulton, Lord Blake, M. J. Grogan, Edward Pakington, Sir J. Blaudford, Marquis Halsey, T. P. Plumptre, J. P. Boldero, George H. Hamilton, G. A. Power, Dr. Booth, Sir R. G. Hamilton, J. H. Power, Nicholas Brooke, Lord Harris, Captain Rawdon, Colonel Brooke, Sir Arthur Hastie, Alexander Rendlesham, Lord Bruen, Colonel Hayes, Sir E. Repton, G. W. J. Buck, L. W. Henley, J. W. Reynolds, John Bunbury, W. Herbert, 11. A. Roche, E. B. Burghley, Lord Higgins, George Sadleir, John . Burroughes, IL N. Hildyard, R. C. Scott, Francis Campbell, W. F. Hildyard, T. B. Scully, Francis ' Cayley, Edward S. Hill, Lord E. Sibthorp, Colonel • Chichester, Lord J. Hodgson, W. N. Somers, J. P. Child, r"mith Hotham, Lord Somerset, Captain Christopher, R. JollitTe, Sir W. H. Spooner, R. Clive, H. B. Jones, Captain Stuart, Lord J. Cobbold, John C. Keating, Robert • Stuart, John • Colvile, C. R. Keogh, William Stuart, H. Conolly,Thomas Langton, W. H. P. Sullivan, Michael Cowan, Charles Lascelles, E. Talbot, J. H. Crawford, W. S. Lawless, Cecil Taylor, T. E. Dawson, T. V. , Lennox, Lord A. Tenison, Edward K. Deedes, W. Lennox, Lord H. G. Tollemache, John Devereux, John T. Lewisham, Viscount Tyler, Sir G. , Disraeli, B. Lockhart, W. Tyrell, Sir J. Dod, J. W. Lowther, Colonel Verner, Sir W. Duncan, George Macaghten, Sir E. Vesey, Thomas Dunne, Colonel M'Cullagh, W. T. Vyse, R. H. R. H. Edwards, H. M`Gregor, John Waddington, 11. S. Farrer, James M'Neill, Duncan Walmsley, Sir J. Ferguson, Sir R. Maher, N. Walsh, Sir J. B. Filmer, Sir E. Meagher, Thomas Whiteside, James Fitzpatrick, J. W. Mandeville, Vis. Wodehouse, E. Floyer, John Manners, Lord J. Wynn, H. W. Forbes, W. March, Earl of =LIM Forester, G. C. Maunsell, T. P. Naas, Lord Fortescue, Chichester Maxwell, Hon. J. P. Hume, Joseph Acland, Sir T. Adair, Hugh E. Adair, R. Shafto Alcock, Thomas Anderson, Arthur Anson, Colonel Armstrong, R. B. Eagshaw, John Raines, M. T. Baring, Sir F. T. Bass, M. T. Bell, Jacob Bellew, M. Berkeley, Admiral Berkeley, H. F. Berkeley. C. L. G. Bernal, Ralph Blackstone, W. S. NOES-159. Ellice, Edward Elliot, John E. Estcourt, J. B. Evans, J . Ogle, S. C. Owen, Sir John Paget, Lord A. Paget, Lord C. Palmerston, Via. Parker, John Peel, Sir Robert Peel, Frederick Perfect, Robert Pigott, Francis Ricardo, John L. Rice, E. R. Rich, Henry Robartes, T. J. A. Roebuck, J. A. Romilly, Colonel Romilly, Sir John Russell, Lord John Russell, F. C. Salwey, Colonel Scrope, G. P. Seymour, H. D. Seymour, Lord Shafto, R. D. Smith, Vernon Smith, John Abel Somerville, Sir W. Stanton, W. H. Strickland, Sir G. Talbot, C. ,It. Tancred, H. W. Thicknesse, R. A. Thompson, Colonel Thornely, T. Townley, R. G. Trelawny, J. S. Trevor, Thomas Verney Sir H. Vivian, J. H. Watkins, Colonel Wellesley, Lord C. West, F. R. Westhead, J. P. Willcox, Brodie Williams, Johu Williams, Wilson, James Wood, Sir Charles Wood, Sir W. P. Wrightson, W. B. Wyvill, liarmaduke Ferguson, Col. Fitawilliam, G. W. Fordyce, A. D. Forster, Matthew Fortescue, J. W. Freesturi, Colonel Gallwey, Sir W. P. Gibson, T. M. Greaten, C. Pascoe Grey, Sir George Grey, R. W. _ Grosvenor, Lord R. Hall, Sir B. Hallyburton, Lord Hanmer, Sir John Harris, Richard Ilatchell, John Hawes, B. Henry, Alexander Ileywood, James Heyworth, L. 'Lindley, C. Baird, James Blewitt R. J. Bowles, Admiral Boyle, Colonel, Bright, John Brocklehurst, J. Brockman, E. D. Brothertou, J. Bulkeley, Sir H. B. Bunbury, E. H. Cardwell, Edward Carter, J. B. Hobhouse, T. B. llodges, T. L. Howard, Lord E. Hutchins, E. J. Hutt, William Jackson, William Johnstone, Sir.J. Ring, P. J. Labouchere, 11. Langston, J. H. Lawley, B. R. Cavendish, C. C. Cavendish, G. H. Cavendish, W. U Chaplin„W. J. Clay, James Clay, Sir W. Clerk Sir G. Cobden, Richard Cockburn, Sir A. Colebrooks, Sir T. Collins, William Cowper, W. F. Craig, Sir W. G. Crowder, R. B. Currie, Raikes Denison,,J. E. D'Eyncourt, T. Divett, E. Douglas, Sir C. Duke, Sir James Duncan, Lord Dundas, Admiral Dundas, Sir David Ebringtoli, Lord Lewis, Sir T. Lewis, G. C. Littleton, E. B. Loveden, Pryse M'Taggart, Sir J. Mangles, B. D. Martin, C. W. Matheson, Sir J. Maule, Fox Milner. W. M. Moncrielf, James Morris, David Mosty - n, E. M. L. Mowatt, Francis Mulgrave, Earl Nieholl, J. Norreys, Lord TELLERS. Hayter, W. G. Hill, Lord Marcus The following Members paired on Lord Naas's motion : FOR. AGAINST. Sturt, H. G. Paget, Lord G. Du Pre, C. G. Tufnell, Right Hon. H. Mundy, W. Lemon, Sir C.' Stafford, A. Mitchell, T. A. Halford, Sir H. Melgund, Lord. buncombe, Hon. A. Howard, Hon. E. G. Farnham, E. B. Evans, William. Mr. O'Flaherty paired, in favour of Mr. H ume's motion on the income-tax, with Mr. T. buncombe, &L.P. for Finsbury, against. Mr. H. B. Clive, paired, in favour of Mr. Hume's amend ment, with Mr. Slaney, against. Mr. Adderley paired all night with Mr. Sheridan. 1851. THE- RO YAL ACADEM Y. (PRIVATE VIEW.) Expectations of the most lively description had been formed as to the character of the exhibitiori k fOr the pre sent season of the Royal Academy. It was, conse quently, with no little interest and with-tio' small degree of curiosity that we attended the private view of the, col lection on Friday. Having, rather fortunately, attended upon that occasion immediately after the visit of her w Id4jesty and the Princ e Consort, wo ere enabled to take an (limit uninterrupted survey of the paint,ings hung upon the walls previously to the arrival of the dis tinguished visitors; by whoa' the fariop i. apartment s were - subsequently crowded rather inconveniently. We were, therefOre, enabled to form a more rj u .. dlciously-considered estimate of the merits of th e display than is usually permitted to the critic upon simi lar occasions. Not only most cordially, but most con scientiously also, wo find ourselves enabled to congratu late the members and associates of this great national institution of the fine arts upoa the numerous •and bril liant evidences they have afforded this year of the capa city of the English school of painting throughout the whole, variety of its manifold departments. • When it is considered that our artists will have their productions during the present season submitted to the considera- tion of so many intelligent travell i ers from the continent, accustomed in their own country to depreciate our students 'of the brush through ignorance of what they have actually accomplished, and educated themselves to the full appreciation of the lim ner's art by being familiarised - with the'ntaasterpieces collected together in the galleries of France, of Belgium, and of Italy—the more than ordinary success achieved just now by our Academicians will be a source, we feel, of very general satisfaction; It should be remembered, moreover, as a means of ,enhancing these pleasurable sentiments, that the testimonies of more than customary excellence here referred to have been yielded by a very great majority of the contributors, and are specimens, consequently, in almost every one of the various classes of pictorial composition. Almost each - one among the number of the principal Academicians has striven appa -1 rently to sustain the repute acquired in accumulative force during so many years by themselves and their predecessors, and two only of any . very wide celebrity have refrained from participating in this elevated com petition for applause. These defaulters are no other than Turner and Mulready—for we cannot accept the little sketch painted as far back as 1809 by the latter, and numbered 163 in the catalogue, as anything at all approaching to a substantial contribution. Regretting tne absence, however, of these illustrious' artists, as the public will inevitably do, it cannot but be acknowledged that they have earned for themselves byttheir many great achievements the privilege of reposing upon their laurels now, in the rifiened season of their genius, and the autumn of their popularity. Deprived of their aid, nevertheless, the Royal Academy collection for 1851 has proved itself worthy of being niewed contemporane ously with the great Industrial Exhibition. From the miraculously executed historical . pictures of Macliso to the animal paintings of Landseer, from the inimi table landscapes -of Stanfield to the fruit pieces of Lance, froth' „ the classical compositions of Dyce to the marvellous' meadow scenery of Lee and Cooper, throughout the whole diversified range of art, from its loftiestlo its lowliest department, we may discover examples sometimes of masterly skill, and sometimes of the noblest inspiration. Not that we would pretend for a moment that all of the chief con tributors have proved in this instance equally successful, or alike entitled to share iu these widely-distributed ex pressions of admiration. On the contrary, some, from whom better things might have been anticipated, have revealed a lamentable decline of power, or a yet more lamentable perverseness of taste. What, for example, could possibly be said by way of extenuating the derision which must necessarily descend upon the veteran head of Uwins for (No. 35) his very hideous and fantastic picture of Ulysses, with the yellow figure in the- foreground? Even Maclise's remarkable painting (No. 67) of " Caxton's Printing-office in the Almoary at Westminster," in some respects the most astonishingly finished picture in the Gallery, cannot altogether escape the blame attached to a work containing not one elevated sentiment, not one suggestive incident, not one veritable manifestation of character, not one countenance with anything like a genuine flesh- tint, not one line of vigorous expression thrown into the features of even the principal person ages represented. Edward the Fourth himself might stand for the effigy of a great lubberly boy, and Caxton be nothing nobler than a very cadave rous old gentleman, but that their intended identity is marked in black and white upon the seventh page of the catalogue, Failures of this description are scarcely com pensated, we imagine, by the most amazing evidence of ingenuity in the details, by the depicting of rusty nails, and damp letter-press, and deal frameworks so strangely actual in their semblance as to reveal even the grain of the wood and the influence of dry-rot on its particles. Dyce, unlike Maclise, has contributed a really splendid production, also in its subject relating to our national literature—a work of daring simplicity in design, of surprising energy in conception, and of the most satisfactory finish in re gard to the mere manipulation of the painting, devoid at once of unnecessary minuteness and unpardonable affectation. We allude, of course, to (No. 77) his " King Lear and the Fool is the Storm," a work in which, with a true Shaksperian eye to contrast, he has blended together the grotesque and the pathetic, the fantastic and the sublime, placing in the midst of a tu multuous agitation of the atmosphere the old mad King, crowned as with a diadem of calamities, and that strange comrade of his—the most mar vellous of all the marvellous Fools of the most wonderful of all wonderful Dramatists. In Lear the artist has proved his extraordinary powers, among other things, by a rather uncommon and adven turous achievement, namely by depicting him fore shortened with flowing draperies, a labour of ingenuity almost miraculous in its accomplishment. In the Fool he has effected yet more, he has demonstrated a wild and subtle imagination, whether we look upon that face gross and almost bestial in its lack of "speculation," yet delicate and almost beautiful in the tenderness of its half-awakened solicitude, or regard that attitude so en tirely expressive of carelessness in the negligent tossing up of the feet as Motley lies full length upon his chest along the heath. Standing in front of the picture we can fancy to ourselves the weird and howling sough of the wind blowing among the silver tresses of Lear end jangling the tawdry bells of the Fool in the midst of the rear ingof the thunder and of the hurricane. Landseer, not less than Dyce, surpasses himself this season by a brilliant arid admirable illustration of Shakspere. His theme is (No. 157) the love scene between " Bottom and Titania"—the weaver' with a head so astoundingly asinine, and the enamoured queen of the fays with a face and figure so exquisitely suggestive of Fairy land! Even to the little bronze-complexioned elf in the foreground, standing with his tiny muscular legs astraddle iu front of the clownish victim of the metamorphosis, daring him with all the pluck of a microscopic audacity, to the other and daintier elves swarming about the rest of the green wood, dangling from the branches, shaking down the dewdrops, or riding on those vi,ionary rabbits with eyes as pink as any shade of mother-o'-pearl, and wool as fleecy as eider down. The production is a delightful example of those 'rare powers which have recently gained this master his knighthood. Leslie, striving equally with the foregoing to realize the dreams of the same immor tal poet, has endeavoured to depict (No. 140) "Falstaff personating the King;" but neither the Prince, nor the rascally old wit, his companion, can be regarded as in any respect successful performances. The hostess, on the other hand, is the most suiggering of fun-tickled housewives, Francis the most dapper a nd complaisant o tapsters, and Bardolph, with hi s red bulbous neseand his drooping eyelids, the most s elf- p ossessed end self satisfied a topers. Webster might b e said almost as truthfully as Turner and Mulresdy to have refrained from sharing in the present season's competition ; for we can scarcely be tempted to accept as tokens of his ability the three trifling studies (Nos. 106, 108, and 173) he has this year contributed to the Exhibition. Not so Withering ton, whose sylvan representation of (No. 179) " Midsummer " i 3 a masterpiece of rare aud it s ascinating exce ll ence . To the very robin feeding young upon the foot trail through the copse, the artist's labours in this charming p i c t ur e have been grateful in every par ticular. S tan field's (No. 196) " Battle of Roveredo," one of his large war-scenes, in which a con fused assemblage of fighting-men, is introduced in a vast and mountainous landscape, painted, as Stanfield alone ca n paint it, will be viewed, we doubt not, with universal pleasure as a fine example of the manner of this di anguished artist in his . very happiest mo ments. Throughout the picture has been " worked up" with an extraordinary regard to its com pleteness, whether it be, for instance, in the faintest veil of clouds bn the Alpine ridges, or i smouldering beam of wood ( tumbled am ong the ruins the s in the valley. 'Poole's noble painting of (No. 344) " The Gotha in Italy"—the only work from his hand in the collection, but one which cannot tail to elevate and en hance his reputation very rennarkabl thearrests at tention of the visitor as one of the mol — t successful "pro ductions in the exhibition, and this, moreover, in the very highest school of art. The subject appears to have .been suggested b y t h e following gorgeous passage from Gibbo n ' s " D ec li ne and Fall". " And the principal warriors insulted the hips and gardens once inhabited by Lucullus and Cicero, along the beauteous coasts of Campania. Their trerabling captives, the sous and daughters of Roman sen ators, presented, in g o bl e t s o f go ld and gems, large draught! of Falernian wine, to the haughty victors, Who stet etc hed their huge limbs under tee shade of planess! artificially disposed to exclude the scorching !LIP , a l , i(l to admit the genial warmth of the sun. These delighti rvne enhanced by the memory of past hardships: the_c . ongi a , ar. of their native soil, the bleak and barren hills of SLyt.n charms the frozen banks of the Elbe and Danube! added ueu to the felicity of the Italian climate.".''' Taking his inspiration from this paragraph, the artist has, with the powerful hand of a w aster, in d a composi tion of marvellous beauty, realised the gol en and mereovt r, vo luptuous mucks of the annalist. 'l o o e these, eti he bee added the fruits of his own p .ti Perceptivity, sitd na h t i j o irua i r ri ac tpi c eh o aa l b o l u te te g hr , dt a sensuous and abounctinigmimineshgriztn. In gioup iug the work is everyw here ws asi .. ly euperior to any et' Poole's previous p.rocluctions also, we cannot but regard it every difficulty. What would he wholly moss men, be has fully accomplished—imparting to his flesh-tints the open air all tpe glowin gwarp 4 of :Rid ley; Thenieaked figure towlirde—the' centre Is sur prisingly perfect in its anatomical proportions ; and the bending form of the handmaid in chequered light and shade, is an exquisite episode to the main composition. Later on we may take occasion to PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons. STANDING ORDERS COMMI!ITEE. The following Resolutions were reported: from the above Committee :- 1. That in the case of the Cameron's C oalbrook Steam Coal and Swansea and Loughor Railway (1 10. 2), petition for leave to deposit a petition for a Bill, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the par ties be permitted to deposit their petition accordingly. 2. That is the case of the filancheste , Buxton, Mat lock, and Midland Junction Railway, petitho n for dispensing with standing order No. 121, the said standi rig order ought not to be dispensed with. 3. That in the case of the Bolton, Black burn, Clitheroe, and West Yorkshire Railway Bill, petition .1 for dispensing with standing orders Nos. 105 and 166, thi a said standing orders ought not to be dispensed with.t 4. That in the case of the Midland Rail Tway (Purchase of Leeds and Bradford Railway, and Increasti of Capital) Bill, petition for dispensing with standing order 21 o. 134, the said standing order ought to be dispensed with, pr ovided a clause be inserted in the Bill, enacting, that in t he event of the Act 7 and 8 Victoria, cap. 85, coming is to operation as regards the Midland Railway Company, the capital of that company shall be held for the ptvrposes of that Act to be increased only by the amount ri f the capital of the Leeds and Bradford Railway Company, viz., the sum of 900,000/. ; and that the borrowing powers of the Midland Railway Company shall not be increased be:v and the borrow ing powers now possessed by the Leeds and 11 radford Railway Company. That the Committee on the Bill do rept .rt how far this order has been complied with on the Report of the Bill. First and fourth Resolutions agreed to.—.:Report to lie on the table. TO THE SECRETARY OF THE l] •RADFOR REFORM ASSOCIATIO: N. (EVERY MONDAY AND WEDNESIA AY.) Sir,—On Monday the sth, considt cable interest attached to the declaration of the Goveti anent as to its future proceedings on the subject of the Income Tax. Tho Minister declared with frankness, tht at the Govern ment bowed to the decision of the Hote to whereby the Income Tax was only given fcr one yes r; but be an nounced with equal clearness, that the ft; rranged system of taxation, including removal of Win: dow Tax and alteration of Coffee and Timber duties, VI , uld not go on unless the House agreed that there shota id be no more changes. On Tuesday a Resolution was moved in Committee of the whole House, for proceeding to lights a the charges on the agriculturists, by substituting an equalized Poor's 'Rate in England and Wales. This is the fie at appearance noted in the House, of an idea which hts i been several times met with out of doors. Surely it an invention were wanted for increasing the expense of ' maintaining paupers, nothing could be discovered likx • determining that ono set of men should everywhe z e spend, and another should pay. There appeared to Ix ) considerable unanimity in this persuasion; and the rn , s dun was con sequently withdrawn. A Motion followed by Lord Naas, for a Committee to take into consideration the present mot lo of levying the duty on home-made spirits in bond. The Govern ment resisted it, on the ground so strongly put forward on former occasions, of the necessity for ma intaining the, duties it is least desirable to alter, as the means of al tering those it is most. Tho motion reseal ted in a vote of 159 against 159; and the Speaker, scoot ding to some rule existing on such occasions, gave his cat sting vote for the motion, which was consequently a srried. The Member for Sheffield proceeded to what in. pulpit.phrase is called " improve the occasion," by askird the Istinister if ho did not thereupon intend to resign. The Minister replied with firmness, that he should tat ke his own counsel. There appeared some probabilit yof a second division, on the question being proposed in the Com mittee; but it finally ended in reporting :progress, and the question is to come on again on Friday. ?rotectionists Tne theory of all this is clear. 3 are so stroll.', that whoever chuses to join • with them, as in the actual case the 'representativ es of Irish and Scotch distillers, may show a po werful fee snt. Thus at the present moment, the fates Of Europe a ad the.worl d perhaps han g upon wbiskey. I am, Sir, yours very stnceres, y, AN OLD RN, FORMER. London, 7 May, 1851. THE Ho*. MRS. NORTON'S NEW NOIrEt, "STUART OF DuNLEATK."—TheExcvniner, in its noti ci sof this charm ing story, says :-=-“ Like the crystal foun.:a in among the fountains of the Crystal Palace; this novel sb roes among the new novels of the year pre-eminent and peed ess. No prose work of equal power has yet come from th e pen of Mrs. Norton, and we are glad to announce ber rots; .rn to a field of composition which she has already so successfa lly cultivated, by a notice of the present contribution of hm • genius to the vas t wilderness of novelty , instruction, and .delight which May has opened to our metro p olis. 'Stuart c. 4 Dunleath' is a very beautiful and touching story.. While Eleanor and M arg aret are each, in the ir several wa y s, am ong the most lovely creations that-ever graced a romance us • a home, the subordinate characters are likewise remarkal ih s for the mas terly touch and bold individuality with which t hi sv are drawn." CA.DVERTISEMENT.]--Bell's Life in Li )n don, of May 4, y ava over thr ee columns of cricketin g , incl ad 41g a column of the opening dinner at Grillon's Hotel- -n. unes of the thirty-five Englar i d M a tches to come, five s columns — tbA l oof - the fo ar ways' doings . 5z e._ , new lnd members—the a m il b ‘ e, a t Chester, 'Sec., &c. The average sale of Bel I'S . Life exceeds thirty thousand. Bell's Life is regularly pu Withed at four o'clock on Saturdaymorning, in time for a' a the -morning mails and railways. ' The Corriere Mercantile of Genoa gi‘'ls ,an eO count of the receipts and expenditure of the T urin and NiOi Railroad during the year 1850. The total ma :ipts amounted to 1,698,167 f., and the expenses to 1,036,911 L ; thus leaving a net profit of 661,2551. The average circv4 stion was 700 pazsougers per day. particularize other works of incontestable merit ' from the handa of other contributors to the -,Royal Aca deniy exhibition. Among these the debt/ions field' views, jointly product(' by Lee end Cooper, occupy a c°n°o 6 4ns position ; together with the Charming mYlhebierear pictures of .Fro . st end Picitersgill, the Wilkie-like productions of Goodall, and the, humorous painting's of Frith;_ of F a gg, and of Bolen:tons. Never before, perhaps, were , the rooms of . ,_ the Academy soe,,e,iarmingly crowded with' . portraits; but, fortunately, they represent this year, AO many of our eminent contenoporaries, that they are in scale measure invgated:With,interest and redeemed from monotony... Daring- the private view of - Friday we obieried as unusual ittendenee of notabilities, and on the following day the emeilai - ditiner given by the Academicians and the associates passed off with a trtecesa in the highest de gree satiatactory. NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT. , Fuom OF.JR OWN .) REPRES ( ENTATION OF CORRESPONDENT THE ISLE OF WIGHT. The -resignation of Mr. C. Cavendish Clifford caused great rijoicing e in the Tory camp yesterday, but gloom came with the morrow in the shape of the undermen tioned address, f rom Ed war d D awes, E sq., of St. Helen's, a Protestant, a Liberal, a Free Trader, and a lie 8 6 0 r l i m eit t t e h n e .t,i s ot u hi f l i e r tn a o ges of the electors, and Reformer. g w o e to can the no p t o ? l ,,, l poll!" Oh, adds,dE 1"" s l a t y i s s m t h y o an Tories , • canvasse d Hyd e, d obtained a great majority of the votes. He addresses the NeWport electors this even , bag:- 4 , TO DIE ELECTORS OF THE COUNTY OF THE ISLE OF been so licited by a respectable WIGHT.. bode 9e o n f t . l t e h l r lei;ctrasvitnogallow myself to be proposed as a candidate for the representation of the We of Wight, I have consented, in consequence of the retirement er gr. Clifford, to the application. _ . " Possessing property in land, lam deeply interested in the prosperity.. of the agricultural classes c: but 'I am thoroughly satisfied that the free-trade policy'of, eha e , e e e eete day has produced a higher degree o f haposeses 111-7)11': tentment amongst the people, and greater prosperity., to the 'kingdom it'large, than would , have been obtained: under the old system of corn-laws and high duties upon the general food of the population. In my opinion, free trade has not only increased the comforts of the working-classes, but it has disarmed the disaffected of every pretence for hostility to GoveinMent, and probably saved the country from confusion and ruin. '. At the same time, I deeply lament that the tran sition frorn protection to free trade has entailed natty amount of distress on the agriculturists; and I think it due to that valuable class of 'the eonimunityelhat Parliament should in vestigate their complaints, and give them every possible relief, short of taxing the food of the people. I believe, however, that, while Parliament may devise some remedy, the landlords themselves' must do much in the re7s,diust meat of rents to the actual state of things ; there especially as they themselves participate in the general prosperity of the country consequent on the reduction of taxation and the cheapening of all the necessaries, and many of the cons ' forts of life. • " With respect to Papal Aggression, I would resist' every pretension of Popery which is inconsistent with the dignity of this country, and with our civil and religious rights ; and especially I would support any measure for placing conven tual establishments under salutary inspection, and for regu lating bequests devised for religious or charitable uses. I would restrict the Church of Rome to the same amount of religious liberty, and the same means for its propagatio n , as I are enjoyed by other-religious denominations. • - " As a member of the Church of England, ram mortified to perceive that the aggressions of the Papacy have been en couraged by a party within the Establishment. My own ar dent desire is to see that Church administered according to the intentions of our noble Reformers. • I should wish to see its internal administration reformed, and its revenues more equally distributed, so as to render them subservient to the happiness and usefulness of the great body of the clergy. With regard to the Dissenting bodies, I cheerfully admit the immense services they have rendered to the cause of Chris tianity in every-part of the British empire, and I shall al ways be ready, as - fir as I can, to aid in maintaining their rights and privileges. " 1 am prepared to consent to a well-considered measure for the extension of the suffrage, so as to keep pace with the increasing education and influence cf e the people, believing that in proportion as the foundationa of our constitution can I be safely enlarged, the fabric itself is strengthened. ~ , " In conclusion, I have only to say that, so far as depends on me, the canvass for your suffrage shall be carried on in, a spirit of fairness and candour towards those 'electors who differ from file, and that, if elected as your representative, I __ shall endeavour to serve you faithfully. " It is my firm intention to go to the poll. " Should the shortness of time or other circumstances pre tent a personal canVass, I Crust that this plain statement of my principles will be deemed satisfactory by the great body of electors. , " I have the hononr to be, gentlemen, your obedient ;avant. , " EDWARD AWES. " St Helen's House, St. Helen's, Isleof Wight, __. - May 6, I 851:" COURT CIRCULAR. Her Royal Highness th© Duchess of Kent, attended by the Baroness 'de Speth; - went to Frogmore yesterday morning Tier Royal Highness returned to Clarence House in the after noon. His Royal Highness Prince Frederick William of Prussia, attended by Colonel Fischer and Lieutenant Von Heinz, visited and inspected the British Museum yesterday morning. Her Royal Highness the Duchess ot Kent visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester, on Monday, at Glouces ter house. A deputation from Marylebone, Paddington, Kensington, Bayswater, &c., against the proposed ride in Kensington gardens, headed by Lord Robert Grosvenor, Archdeacon Sinclair, and Mr. .1. Evans, M.P., had an interview yester day with Lord Seymour, at the office of her Majesty's Com missioners of Woods and Forests, in Whitehall-place. The deputation consisted of Colonel Barlow, Major Willock, Major Grafton, Major Thew, Captain Deacon, R.N., Rev. Dr. Hessey (Head Master of the Grammar School), Rev. J. IL Howlett, Rev. J. S. Sperling, Mr. Vincent (Deputy Remem brancer of the Exchequer), Mr. Shaw, Mr. Malcolmson, Mr. Henry Bnrslem (churchwarden of the parish of Paddington), Mr. John Sperling (Kensington Palace-gardens),, Mr. W. P. Richards (Kensington), Mr. Alex. Boetefeur (Bayswater), Dr. Bayford, Or. Waddilove, Messrs. Clarke, Revell Phillips, J Goodeve, . M. E. Conan, W. R. A. Boyle, and Moreton Phillips (barristers) ; Messrs. J. E. Walters, G. Lefroy, and J: W ilkins (solicitors) ; Mr. Merriman (surgeon), Mr. Rougemout, Mr. C. Cope, RA , Mr. Redgrave, R.A., Mr. E. Prentis, Messrs. Stephens, Laurence, Dickinson, Churchill, Coleman, Smith Williams, Danford, and J. E. Gray. The Earl of Lovelace and Colonel Brown had an interview with Earl Grey yesterday at the Colonial-office. Dr. Ryer• son had - also an interview with the Noble Earl. Mr. Arthur Sleigh, Deputy Chairman of the Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia Railway Company, accom panied by Mr. Andrew Clarke and Mr. James Davidson, had an interview yesterday with Earl Grey at the Golonial office _ _ A deputation, consisting of Lord Robert Grosvenor, M.P., Dlr. Wm. Tylee, Mr. John Pearson, Mr. John Barrett, and mr. James Lloyd, had an interview yesterday with Lord Seymour on the proposed p ar k f or Fi ns b ury . • Messrs. Harri s on W atson , Ed mun d L ea hy, a nd Matthew: Leahy, had an interview with Earl Grey yesterday at the Colonial-office. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. Vengeance, 84, Captain Lord Edward Russell, took in her poi der on onday. There are no orders at Portsmouth to till up her crew. - Victoria and Albert, royal yach t, Captain Lord A. Fitz. clarence, was taken out of dock at Portsmouth on Blonday, and remains in the basin, where she will be masted, coaled, and prepared further for summer service. qea g ull, 6, packet, Lieutenant -Commander Smail, and Spider, 6, Lieutenant-Commander Tomlinson, have both been mustered, inspected, and exercised at Devonport by Captaic: Lowe, of the flag•ship Impregnable; and in the afternoon f Monday both sailed into harbour to be paid off. Died on Monday, in King-street, Southsea, after a short ill ne ss, Mr. John Al . E. Sadler, son of C a p t ain Sadler, R.N. vrii2cipal clerk in t he master-attendant's office in P or t smouth dec*yard. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. • MARLBOROUG fJ.STREET. (.)nrsir REFUGEES. —M. SZLIICZeWSki, secretary, to the Literary Association of the Friends of Poland, in justice to the moral character of the Polish refugees, by which as a body they are distinguished, and to prevent any uhdue prejudice in the public mind, wishes to state that the purport of his remarks to Mr. Hard wick, in the case of Joseph Mierzejewski, sent *6Ol France to England by the trench authorities, wto- som,ewhat misunderstood. Ms m oo ning .was, 410 `tie. authorities acted generally, with ieveritY %/arils Polish refugees, and that the Frenab G o v.: f r il e ; . meet watt not scrupulous, about sending- Pol ds . „„ii.. to this country, not only on account of :thear__F; ot tied conduct, but on account of other ,of i ferr'. political, which the law of France could reaeft4te P"' report is torte. The inference likely to be drawn from; * Adis 800 cif the conversation with Mr. liardwieketb_, l L A not cor- Poles were men of disreutable • eharsottr t v " persons un ere of *good ttet• For though some were, DO worthy of consideration, the generaL.rtrdin their character, and deserving of syriT7 • mis fortunes. +..._. RiikiLWAY SIL ii .Aft.B .- - 14 6. 4 : R . 18 : E . TS. , _ BZlS — f ly.f h V e 7fiarket was flat to-day STOCK EXarthg"—Thd-tendellOy. The only transactions and ptices had a downwartira, Original Shares 88/ , 4.".•South , reportpd were—Great Vires Eastetn and Dover, 28 * . itpOOL, MAY 6. 1-11,"The share market continues in a i ST X EXCIIA" — w ill prices tending downwards. The very epressed state,we trap_ tions today 63 L /2--Lond ' v ,. r job re ire a , s follow • : Caledonian 14 11-16 Lan hire nanuadrters, 5% P. —Midland i --Midland, North-West ern ew x; u rh_Eastern and Dover, 63 1 / 4 —Ditto, Halves. 1.2 i ci15.7,.. 21 P_ A York and 27 % —York, Newcastle, wiC., •North Midland, 26 3 A--DittOr and Benrce, iwdis. Pr_erk 4l ! MANCHESTER, MAY 6. oro dg' ExcHANGE.—The market has been very inanimate to :', 3 ; and a further decline took place in es- , Th . e , transa ctions were as f o ll ow :—Eastern Counties, pric 7 3 4 , -urre-- N o rthern, In Lancashire and Y or k s hi re , 63—Manches ter, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire New 6/. Preference, 9-16 c. P. — North British, Preference, s—York and North Midland, 26 1 k. BIRMINGHAM, MAY 6. STOCK EXCIIANGE. - The market was firm to-day, hut the biliness doing was slight. The transactions were a s fol low :—.London and North. Western, New gaarters, 5 % 1).•—• South Staffordshire, 2,7 i, dis. TORS, MAY 5 . Sroax EMOHANON.—The transactions to-day were as f°11 "/ :—Caledonian, 15—North British, Preference, 6/.ls 3d. —York i . .nd Noah. Midland, 27. appear that among THE ' LATE VA TAL ItAMWAY 'A cciDENT,.......Fr o m it would informaticn we can rely upon, then advantage 3 'etfred by tbe.• : the suffeiers only two persons (Mr. Hurry aud Mr. Nappier) i . . bad 'availed theniselyes . .a . had taken that precaution. , Mt. (Wl''. ' ' Itailw2y I Passcn,ers Assurance Company, while not one of t , t , ' those who were railed pen' obtaining infornitiontiit Ii ii ':-.. rectors of that eouipa n y ic dieat . o hcsd their surgeon, sad calamity, Mr. Barnard loft, Of '• • the Westnuuster,4losPital, ••to render every asiitanci): in': ~, his poyid, aadllnui .044(iayour to carry out as- far aslibsofillt 3 ' their cbmpaCtwitli the public, to render efficient and imme diate aid in all cases of emergency. THE LATE LORD MONTFORD.--The mortal re mains of this much-lamented nobleman will be finally de posited at the catacombs, Kensal-green Cemetery. . . Y 0