The Sun. — London, England, 1850-03-01 00:00:00

TA W VALE RAILWAY. The ordinary half-yearly general meeting of the pro prietors of the Taw Vale Railway was held yester • day, at the London Tavern; Mr. Time, chairman of the board of directors in the chair. The advertisement convening the meeting having bean read, the following report o f the directors was sub mitted to the proprietors , — " The financial statement will show that the directors have confined their operations since the last general meeting of the shareholders to the collection of arrears of calls, and the payment of outstanding claims. The works have continued in suspension since the last general meeting. "Your directors and the officers of the company have rendered such information to the committee of share holders, appointed by the last general meeting, as they required. A special general meeting will be held at the close of this meeting to receive their report. " Mr. Cooper, Mr. Sharland, the Hon. Francis Scott, M.P., and Mr. Woolmer retire at the ensuing general meeting, but are eligible for re-election; and Mr. Shar land, the Hon. Francis Scott, M.P., and Mr. Woolmer offer themselves accordingly. " Mr. J. D. Williams, auditor, goes out of office by rotation, but is eligible for re-election, and offers him self accordingly." A report was also read from the committee of share holders appointed to investigate the affairs of the com pany, which complained of extravagance on the part of the directors, but on the who:e the committee recom mended the proprietors to forget the past, and by future harmonious proceedings with the directors, endeavour to bring the undertaking into a prosperous position. The committee entertained no doubt of its ultimate success if the line were economically constructed, and as another call would be necessary, even if the proprietors were de sirous of winding up the concern, the committee ad vised the shareholders to sink all dispute upon the ques tion of gauge, and adopt steps for the construction of the railway. These reports gave rise to considerable discussion, but they were eventually adopted; and other matters re ferred to in the directors' report having been disposed Of, thanks were voted to the Chairman, and the meeting broke tap. NEWPORT, ABERGA VENNY, AND HEREFORD RAILWAY. The seventh ordinary meeting of shareholders was held yesterday afternoon, at the London Tavern; Captain Fitynaurice, chairman of the board of directors, in the chair. The report stated— " The directors having been unable, at the period of the sixth ordinary meeting, to proceed with the business of the comPany, in consequence of a quorum not having assembled within the time stipulated by the Act of Par liament regulating Rich matters, they have directed a reprint cf the report and statement of accounts as then published to be again laid before the company; and they ask the shareholders ass: - .mb!el at this, the seventh ordinary meeting, to ratify and confirm the report and accounts relating to the then last half-year's =junta, as well as those now presented, relating to the last past half year to Ist February instent. " Pursuing the course reverted to in the last report, the directors have now to state, that the unsettled ac counts al-e reduced from 1,4581. 2s. 6d. to 2381. 2s. 6d. ; that the loan due to the Union Bank is reduced since ' the last meeting from 3 4 000/. to 2,5001.; to meet which, there are arrears of call estimated to produce that amount, and a balance in favour of the company at the bankers of 482/. 93. 4d. _ _ " Calls in arrear have been recovere 1 since the last general meeting, to the amount of 1 281/. 10i. " The bill in Chancery, filed by the Rhymney Com pany, has 13 , :eia withdrawn, and their claim to a fulfil ment of the agreement and a deposit of 10,0002 aban doned. The taxell costs of the suit, amounting to 2461. 16s. 4L, have been discharged. " The certificate of the Commissioners of Railways extends the powers of the special Act fir purchasing lands on the main line of this railway to August, 1851, and for construction of the line. to August, 1855. The directors will carefully watch the progress of works north of Heref Yrd, on which the ulteriur proceed ings of this company will mainly rest, and it will be for the shareholders at the proper time to determine either to complete the railway or to abandon the undertaking. " Parties of undoutt d pecuniary means have prof fered snbstantial assistance, ether to complete the main Inc as originally planned, ur n modification of it." On the — motto; of the CHAIRMAN this report was adopted, and the retiring directors having been re elected, a re ,v auditor was appointed; after which tha'ks were voted to the Chairman, and the meeting terminated. NEWMARKET RAILWAY. The usual Ealf-yearly meeting of the proprie!ors of the Newmarket Rail 7 ay was convened for yesterday, at the London Tavern, but there not being a sufficient number of shareholders present to constitute a meeting, it was adjourned to the 14th of March. NORFOLK RAILWAY. The half-yelrly general meeting r f the proprietors of this company was held yesterday, at their offices, Guild har-buildings. CHARLES W3f. TYNDALE, Eq., the rew chairman in the place of Mr. Duff, took the chair shortly after one o'clock, when the usual routine business having been gone through, The .SECRETARY read the following report of the directors:-- " The statement of the capital account of this company or the half-year ending 31st December, 1849, as well as the capital and revenue account of the Eastern Counties Company during the same period, which Lave been circulated among the proprietors, will have inf,rmed them of their financial posi tion, and of the income which has been earned upon their railway; it is gratifying to observe that the latter exhibits a steady increase upon that cf the correspond ing period of 18-18. '• Messrs. Qui:ter and Ball, the accountants, have been unaLle to complete their general report on the accounts of this company in time to be laid before the proprietors upon tt e present occasion, but the directors are led to expect that it will be forthcoming very shortly. " With re"erence to the remark of Major Court, one of the auditors, on a charge in the present account of 161. 103. fir stamps for proxies, the directors have to observe, that the expense was incurred in respect of the special meeting held to consider the subject of the amalgamation with the Eastern Counties Company, an occasion upon which they felt themselves justified in calling for a very general expression cf the opinions of the proprietors. " The directors are happy t ) report the continued good understanding which subsists between them and their colleagues in the Eastern Counties Direction, by which they are satisfied that the best interests of both com panies will be promoted. " After mature consideration, it was decided, in con cert with the directors of the Eastern Counties Company, not to renew the application to Parliament for the Amal gamation Bill in the present session; and your directors readily assented to this, in the conviction that the expe rience of the joint working of the lines will gradually remove all obstacles to the measure, by more clearly de• veloping the advantages, both to the shareholders and the public. " The dividends to be declared at this meeting will be the came as that of the Eastern Counties Company, namely, at the rate of fifteen shillings upon the 1001. stock, for the half-year. " Two of the directors, Mr. E. Fuller Maitland and Captain Wardell, retire at this meeting, but are re eligible." 'rhe CHAIRMAN, after adverting to the state of the company, alluded to Major Court's report, and deprecated its being published in the daily journals, especially the Times. Major COURT admitted that he had sent the report to the Times newspaper. He believed its insertion would be of the greatest service to the company, and if there was any odium in doing so he would take the whole blame. The CHAIRMAN thought the step' most unadvised, especially as it was well known that the limes had for the last two years been en gaged in a crusade against railways generally. If the report of Major Court had been sent in time it would have been printed with the other papers of the company and laid before the present meeting. The SECRETARY then read Major Court's report, which has already been before the public. After some considerable discussion with respect to the report of Major Court, in the course of which many of the charges were replied to and rebutted, the report of the directors and their accounts were approved and adopted, and a resolution was carried authorising the directors to re-borrow the amount of moneys previously borrowed by the company, and since paid off. The report o f Major C ourt was a l so ordered to be printed and circulated among the proprietors, together with the reply of the directors. A dividend was declared of 15s. upon the 100/. stock. After some discussion with respect to -paying for proxies, Mr. Arthur Mills was elected a directo r , i n the room of Mr. Maitland, who was desirous of retir ing; Captain Warner was re - electe d a director; and the auditors were re-appointed. Thanks were then voted to the chairman and directors, and the meeting separated. EASTERN UNION RAILWAY . The half-yearly meeting of this company took placo yesterday, at Radley's Hotel. J. C. Cobbold, M.P., took the chair shortly afer two o'clock, but in consequence of the illness of Mr. Hutton, the accountant, the Ducting was adjourned to the 22d of March. EAST ANGLIAN RAILWAY. The usual half yearly general meeting cf the proprie tors of the East Anglian Railway was held yester day, at the London Tavern; Mr. Henry Bruce, Chairman cf the Board of Directors, in the chair. The report stated, " The revenue account tor the half-year ending 31st December, 1849, showed a nett revenue amounting to 8,327/. 1 ls. 9 1., which was a considerable improvement on the result of the preceding half-year. Th e t ota l re et,ipt, amoun , te 7 rl to 19,1531., an d tho expenditure to 11,825/. 85. 3J.' Adverting to the liabilit!e; of the company, the report observed 0;ot, " a; there was 4 no prospect of raising funds for the payment of the over--ue bonds arid other liabili ties in the only way provided by their Act of Parlia ment, viz , the issue of new shares, they called a meeting of bondholders, which was held on the 21st November last, at which holders of bonds to - the extent of 1 00,0001. were present. The affairs of the company were fully e.tatO l tiPlebe meeting, and a request was made that they ''Phoula the company an extended period for the faynie — nt o he bonds. Th e re sult of this meeting was the appoin nt of a com m itt ee , w h o , a fter haring fully 2.1 investigated the affairs of the company, made a report to a attbsequentitteeting, held on 17th December, at which the simple contract creditors, as well as the bondholders, had been requested to attend. At this meeting the re port and resolutions proposed by the committee were unanimously adopted, as was also an agreement to the following effect:— " 1. That the legal proceedings then pending aga'nst the company at the suit of any of the parties thereto shall be discontinued. " 2. That no further proceeding at law or in equity shall be instituted against the company before the Ist of January, 1857, in respect of any debt (whether due at the date of that agreement or not), or of the interest to become due up to the 31st December, 1849. " 3. That until payment of their debts, whether car rying interest or not, the company shall pay interest at the rate of 5/. per cent. per annum, from the 31st De cember, 1849, half-yearly. "4. That the committee of creditors, chosen at a meeting of bondholders, shall be allowed to cc-operate with the directors in the management of the company's business, so long as that agreement remains in force. " 5. And that the continuing members of the commit tee shall appoint another creditor to act in the place of any member of the committee dying or becoming bank rupt, or otherwise ceasing to act. "It is further provided that the agreement may be revoked by notice in writing to the company, given by three-fourths in number of the committee, when soever they in their discretion think it desirable and for the interest of the whole body of creditors so to revoke it. And also that it is to become void if interest be unpaid to any party thereto for twenty days after it has become due and been demanded in writing, and for ten further days after no tice of default in payment has been given to the com mittee or any member of it. " And moreover, that it shall cease to take effect on the Ist January, 1857. And in case of cesser of the agreement by effluxion of time, or of its earlier deter. =nation by either of the means aforesaid, the several parties are to be remitted to all their rights and remedies against the company. " The committee of creditors, four of whom are resi dent at Lynn or the neighbourhood, have accordingly co-operated with the board since Ist January, and no payments are made without their concurrence. Amounts are periodically paid to Messrs. Everard's Bank, to the credit of the trustees of the creditors, to meet the ac cruing interest. All supplies are paid for every fort night, or monthly, as teay best suit the parties furnish ing the stores, so that every article is purchased upon the most favourable terms." The report of the auditors was as follows : " In passing your accounts for the last half-year, we have endeavoured, as far as circumstances have enabled us, to show them in a form simple in detail. We are happy to announce the closing of all payments thereafter accruing on the capital account, as from the 31st December last, which, we believe, will simplify, and from time to time demonstrates the exact position of your affairs. In dealing with the new capital, created under the Act of 1849, we have adopted the directions of that Act, by intro ducing, under a separate head, the capital raised there under, and the application there: f. We refer you to the recommendations contained in our report of the 15th August last, in reference to the law and Parliamentary expenses of the company ; and we trust that, when these accounts are in course of final adjustment, they will be dealt with in a manner satisfactory to all parties interested therein. We are happy t.) find that your affairs are being supervised by a committee of your creditors resident at Lynn, and that the gentle men forming the committee are devoting their time and energies to its duties. Referring again to our last re port, we are gratified to state that your directors have made certain of those deductions in the office staff to which we then adverted, and that they have also made final arrangements fer the immediate removal of your offices to premises contiguous to the Lynn station. We have dealt with the revenue balance by debiting the same with the sum of 5,3061. 9s. lld , paid for interest on debenture bonds and other liabilities, with which we conceive the same is properly chargeable; and we have placed the remaining balance of 2,1911. Bs. 4d. to the capital account. In conclusion, we recommend that all officials of the company do find the security of the Guarantee Society, as a measure of prudence." On the motion of the CHAIRMAN both these reports were adopted; and after some discussion the ordinary business of the day was disposed of, and thanks having been toted to the Chairman the meeting termirw.ed. DIRECT LONDON AND PORTS, MOUTH RAILWAY. The eighth ordinary meeting ef this company was con vened for yep. t oalay, at the Len lon Tavern, but there not being a sufficient number of proprietors present to con stitute a meeting, is was adjourned to a future day. The report of the directors was nevertheless read, as fol lows : At the meeting of the proprietors on the 30th Au gust, 1849, there was not a sufficient number present to constitute a meeting of the company. " It will therefore be well for the proprietors.to rats: to the report then presented; at that time the company had teen restrained by the judgment of the Master of the Rolls, in the suit " Cohen v. Wilkinson," from pro ceeding with the formation of so much of the company's line as lies between Epsom and Leatherhead, and your directors, under the advice of counsel, were prosecuting an appeal to the Lord Chancellor. " Mr. Cohen had likewise presented a petition under the Joint-Stock Companies' Winding-up Act., for the dissolution of the company, and Mr. David Salomons had filed a bill in Chancery, praying amongst other things, that the toll agreement between this company and the London, Brighten, and South Coast Railway Company might be declared illegal. At this period this company's powers for t eking land compulsorily had expired. "In the month of November last the appeal t the Lord Chancellor against the injunction gra'tted by the Master of the Rolls, was argued and decided adversely to this company. The injunction therefore con'inucs in full force, but Mr. Cohen's petition was dismissed, on the ground that incorporated railway companies were not within the provisions of the Joint-Stock Companies' Winding-up Acts. " Under these circumstances, it appeared to your di rectors that the only proper course to be pursued, was to ask of Parliament special powers for the dissolution of the company; but before taking this ster, the board had an interview with the Commissioners of Railways, when the position cf the company having been stated, the in tention of Government was solicited, relative to the intro duction of some general measure for the dissolution of incorporated companies. In reply your board were in formed that the Commissioners of Railways had not determined the course they should pursue, and that this company had better take such measures tar their own protection as they thought desirable. "In consequence, the solicitors were instructed to take the requisite steps for presenting to Parliament a Bill for the abandonment of the undertaking and the dissolution of the company; and according a Bill is now before the House of Commons having this object. The Bill was read the first time on the 11th inst , but its further progress is stopped until after Ea!t:T. "Meantime a Bill has been introduced into the House of Lords by Earl Granville, one of the Commissioners of Railways, to authorise the abandonment of the whole or portions of railways. Should such Bill pass, there will be no necessity for the further prosecution by this company of its own measure. " The attention of the proprietors has already been drawn to a suit in Chancery, instituted by Mr. D. Salo mons, as a proprietor in the London, Brighton, and South Ccast Railway Company. To that suit objections were taken, not only by this company, but by the Brighton Company, who are likewise defendants, that the suit was multifarious. The Master of the Rolls, in argument, allowed the objection of multifariousness, but permitted the plaintiff to amend his Bill. He has accordingly done so, and by his amended Bill he has abandoned that portion which related to the toll agreement entered into with the Brighton Company, and he charges that 24,5541. ss. was illegally paid in respect of 4,677 shares out of the capital of the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company, to the Direct London and Portsmouth Rail way, and that the last named company received such moneys with full notice and knowledge that the same were being so paid to them illegally, and by a breach of trust, and that the said Direct London and Portsmouth Railway Company concurred and as sisted in such breach of trust. And the plaintff submits that under the circumstances the Direct London and Portsmouth Railway Company are liable to repay and replace to the funds of the said London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company, all the aforesaid sums which have been so paid thereout in respect of the said 4,677 shares.' " And one part of the prayer of the Bill is— "'That the defendants, the Direct London and Portsmouth Railway Company may be decreed to re pay and replace the aforesaid sums with interest thereon.' " The directors are advised that there are grave ob jections to the form and substance of this amended Bill; and they have accordingly authorised that such objec tions should be taken. "The object sought by the amended Bill is of great importance to this company ; the circumstances are very complicated, and it would be scarcely possible tit o give the necessary details in a report, even if rthesetemspuz; were prudent so to do ; but the proprietors may ,M: fe d i i i s c zt t o tu rs d will wi diligently provide for ma ,, lt A e t a t: l t: l 7 o e will observe that the funds of thpeencdoemdp;anthye proprietorsare nearly the same as at th e heexpiration of previous half-year." fsauececoeussnttulis appended; spare no exertions to DEATH BY SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION. The fol lowing extraordinary occurrence is related in the Gazette des Tribunaux :—" A. few days ago, in a tavern near the Barriere tle l'Etoile, a journey man painter named Xavier C—, well known for his intemperate habits, while drinking with some commies, laid a wager that he would eat a lighted candle. His bet was taken, and scarcely had he introduced the fl uming candle into his mouth la hen ho uttered a slight cry, and fell powerless to the ground. A blueish flame was seen to flicker about his bps, tad on an attempt being made to offer him assistance, the bystanders were horrorstruck to find that he was burning internally. At the end of half an hour his head and the upper part cf his chest were reduced t 3 charcoal. Twa medical men were called in, and recognised that Xavier had fallen a victim is spontaneous combustion. This conflagration of the human frame is frightfully rapid in its progress; bones, akin, and muscle, all are devoared, consumed, and reduced to ashes. A handful of dust on the spot where the victim fell is all that remains." ENLARGEMENT OF TOTHILL-FIELDS PRISON.—An extensive piece of ground, generally known as Ediott's Lawn, hitherto a plantation, has been purchased and the timber is being felled for the purpose of enlarging the Tuthill -fields House of Correction at Westminster, in order to carry out the system of classification of pri soners. FRANCE. In the National Assembly on Wednesday, the first order of the day was the discussion on the Bill relative to the credit of 522,000 francs for the payment of the dividend on the Greek Loan, due on the Ist of March, 1850. After a few words from M. Casimir Perier, the re porter on the Bill, in favour of the immediate grant of the credit, the Assembly declared urgency and the discussion commenced. M. Mauguin said, that he intended shortly to de mand from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in what condition were the negotiations respecting the Greek affair in London. He believed that no indi cation had been either tendered or accepted, but that the Government had merely offered its good offices. The Minister had presented the question in the Greek point of view, and he (M. Mauguin) was anxious to hear him treat it in a French point of view. England inflicted, in Greece, a check on Rus sia, which had already experienced a check in the Dardanelles. France had likewise suffered a check at Athens, after faithfully standing by England in the Turkish affair. This was a serious fact. England was an essentially circumspect and prudent power, and could not, without some grave motive, thus offend tho3e two powers. The Greek question was connected with another far more momentous, and England must have been conscious of the existence of some immi nent danger to have adopted so extraordinary a course towards Greece, and so strangely disregard all international laws. England saw that Turkey was able to defend herself, and she wished to crush Greece, who might make a dangerous diversion on her frontier and furnish seamen to Russia. Her object was to neutralize the power of Greece, however feeble it was. M. Mauguin then asked the Assembly to fix a day next week on which he intended to ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs to what causes he attributed the extraordinary armament now in pro gress throughout Europe, and if the Minister of War and his colleague of the Finance Department had adepted the measures necessary for the protection of the French frontiers ? General La Hitte, Minister for Foreign Affairs, thanked M. Mauguin for putting off until next week his interpellations on the armaments of Europe. The Assembly, on the 9th, fully ap preciated the grave reasons which prevented the Government from making any commu nication that might compromise the success of the mediation, or, as M. Mauguin was pleased to call it, the good offices of France. He would confine himself to state that M. Gros, who had been appointed negotiator, must have ere now arrived in Greece. He will receive on board a French ship-of-war Mr. Wyse, the British Minister at Athens, and M. Londos, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece. M. Gros will either treat directly with them or with the commissioners they may re spectively appoint. The instructions he has received are similar in every respect to those given to the ne gotiators in the affairs of Naples and Mexico. The Assembly after wards voted the Greek Bill by a majority of 585 to 2. M. Mauguin having next invited the Assembly to fix his interpellations for this day week, General La Ilitte observed, that in the present po• sition of every country and the general policy of Europe, it would be inopportune to agitate the ques tions ref3rred to by M. Mauguin. He trusted, however, that it could be done safely at no very remote period, while he would convince the Assembly that those armaments did not menace the tranquillity, dignity, or integrity of the rights of France. He accordingly requested the Assembly to postpone those interpellations for a month.— (" No, no!" on the Left,'• Immediately ! ") The Assembly having acceded to the Minister's request, Members on the Left exclaimed, "Do you intend to wait until the Cossacks should arrive on our frontiers ? It is odious ! It is treasonable !" THE COUNTRY MARKETS. BRISTOL, FEB 28.—Wheat and all sorts of grain was of a limited supply, barely of last week's rates. English Wheat, 36s to 42s per imperial quarter; ditto foreign white, 44s to 48s; ditto red, fine, 50a to 535; ditto ordinary, 37s to 40s; ditto hard, 355 to 3is ; ditto French, 32s to 39s per 4801bs. English malting barley, 24s to 28s per imperial quarter ' • ditto and foreign grinding, 18 1 t o 22 s p er 4001b s . D evon an d Welsh oats, 155 to 16s per imperial quarter; ditto Irish white, 17s to 18s per 3201bs ; ditto black, 15s 61 to 16s per imperial quarter; ditto foreign, none. English beans, 27, to 305 per imperial quarter; ditto foreign, 23s to 28s per 4801bs. English flour, seconds, 27s I. 293 per sack ; ditto American, sweets, 23s to 24s per barrel. The averages are—Bristol wheat, 37s lld ; Gloucester ditto, 403 3d. Bristol oats, 16s 5d ; Gloucester ditto, 17s 6d. Bristol barley, 25s 6d ; Gloucester ditto, 22, Bd. Bristol beans, 28s lid ; Gloucester ditto, 295. BiRMINGHAm, Fan. 28.—Gloucester and Worcester mar kets on the 23d ruled very dull, but in some instances rather more money was realised for fine wheat. Oats taken in retail at former prices. Beans and peas rather lower. This week the sales reported are again trifling, and on wheat the turn is in favour of the buyer. Barley rather more inquired for, but without leading to much business. Only limited parcels of oats have changed hands. A few beans and peas have realised former prises. At this day's market there was a good supply of English wheat, and the trade ruled very dull at a reduction of 6d to Is per quarter. Barley fiat, but lower prices were not submitted to. Nothing worth notice doing in oats. Bearas and peas both difficult to quit. Louaintoitonox, FEB. 28.—We had a:fair supply Ci all descriptions of grain at to-day's market which was taken 3t Tly at the rates of this day week. BOSTON, FF.a. 27.—Wheat, red 303 to 37s 01, white 36s to 40s, extra 425; oats Its to 13s; beans, 18s to 255; peas 22s to Tis per quarter. SLEA FORD, FEB. 25.—Wheat, white 39s to 4's; red 368 to 395 ; barley 21s to 265; oats 14s Od to 18s; beans, 266 to 32s per qr. LYNN, FEB. 26.—Wheat 30s to 345, fine 36s to 40s ; barley 20s to 225, fine 24s to 25s per qr. ALFORD.—Averages for the week ending Feb 23—Wh ea t 343 10d ; barley 21391 d ; oats 14s 6d ; beans 00s to Os per qr. NEWARK, FEB 27.—Wheat, white 42s to 445, extra 465, red 38s to 40s, extra 42s ; barley, malting 25s to 265, extra 275, grinding nominal, foreign Os to Os; oats, feed 155 to 18s, seed 20s to 233; beans, 25s to 265, seed 27s ; peas, breakers 325, seed 34, ; spring tares, 34s to 36s per qr. ROTHERHAM, FEE. 25.—Beef 5s 6d to tis 3d per stone ; mutton, sid to 6d per lb. DERBY SMITHFIELD MARKET, FEB. 26.—The market to-day was well supplied with fat beasts, the greater part of which was excellent in quality ; the demand for beef was scarcely so good as it was last week, but most of the animals were disposed of. The sheep pens were well with sheep, with out any alteration in price. The supply of fat and store calves were good. Fat pigs were plentiful. Beef made from 5d to ; mutton, sid to 6d • veal, 5d to sid p er lb. P ork, 7s 6d to 8s per score. Rough fat, 3s 64 per stone of Whs. Hides, lid per lb; calf skins, 2d to 3id per lb. EDINBURGH GRAIN MARKET, FEB. 27.—Wheat—The quantity of wheat brought forward to-day was 952 qrs, being 80 qrs less than last week. Top price the same, and the average 5d up-78 qrs unsold. Barley—The quantity brought forward was 386 qrs, being 210 qrs less than last wee k . Price on the top 61, and the average Ed up--23 yrs unsold. Oats—Of this kind of grain we had 1,'56 qrs brought forward, or 109 qrs less than last week. The top price Sd down, and the average 10d up-208 qrs unsold. beans The quantity of beans to-day was 181 qrs, or 26 qrs more than last week. Price on the top the same, and the average 10d up-6 qrs unsold. Top of Wheat ... 6341 b. 44s Od „ Barley .. 56 lb. 25s 6d „ Oats ••• 22s Od „ Beans ... ..• 66 : 11b. 30s Od EDINBURGH CATTLE MARKET, FEB. 27.—The supply of cattle this morning was 804, being 308 more than last week. On account of the large supply, and the sluggish state of the London market, sales were exceedingly dull, and prices down fully 6d per Dutch stone. A few very superior beasts brought 7s per Dutch stone. Top price, 76 ; current, 6s 6d ; middling and inferior, 4s 6d to 6s per Dutch stone. The supply of sheep this morning was 1,862, bein g 758 less than last week. Notwithstanding the short supp l y, i t was fully equal to the demand, and sales were slowly effected at last week's prices. Top price of best mutton, bid per lb ; current, Od to 5d ; inferior, 4d to 4id. DUNBAR, FEB. 26.—wheat, weighing 64ilbs, brought 38s, and prices to 325. Barley, weighing 551bs, brought 21s and prices to 15s. Oats, weighing, 44i lbs, brought 19s and prices to 13s. Beans and peas, weighing 671bs, brought 265. CORK, Fix. 27.—Flour—First 12s Od to 13s; extra 14s 6d; seconds, lOs 6d to 12s ; households Ps to 10s 6d; thirds, 7s to 94 per cwt. Oatmeal lOs to 0030 d; Indian meal 7s to 7s 3d ; wheat meal, 10, to 10s 61 per cwt. Indian corn 130 s Od to 135, per ton. Bran 3112 s 6dto3llssper ton. Hay—Farmers 13s to 365; average 30s; dealers 33s to 40s Od; average 35 s p er t on . St raw— F armers 11s Od to P3s Od; average 20s ; dealers 26s Od to 28s Od; average 00s Od per ton. Bread—Wheaten loaf 6d to 63rd; household loaf bd to Sid per 41b. Fresh butter, 8d to 10d per lb.. Eggs-45 6d to 4s fid per hundred. Coals— Newport 155; Lydney 17s ; Landore 15s ; Best Neatb Culm 14s per ton. Tallow 405 Od to 00s per cwt. Whisky, 25 0. p., 5s 9d per imperial gallon. Meat —Beef 4d to 6d; mutton 4d to 6d; veal Od to Od ; pork 44 to Od ; bacon 6d to 71d ; sausages 5d per lb. Hops 131 Os per cwt. Bangor slates 312 s 6d to 315 s per ton. Bark—Barbary 71 5 s to 815 a; Valonia 141 to 01; French 71 ss; English 01per ton. Fleece Wool 10s to 12s per stone. Hemp 32/ to 001 per ton. Fish—Scotch herrings 16s to 17s; red ditto 205 to 225 per barrel ; Newfoundland 9/ Os to 11/ per ton. Timber—Memel, 858 per ton; deals, first quality, 185; second quality, 16, per 100. Hides—Market 145 to 20s; salted 15s to 21s per cwt ; calf skins 24.1 to lid per lb. Potatoes, white 8d to 9id ; Minions 12d to 13d ; Guano— Peruvian, 11l 108; Icbaboe, 91 per ton; Tar—Archangel, 195 per barrel. REPEAL OP THE WINDOW TAX.—Last evening another very numerous meeting of the ratepayers of Marylebone was held at the Literary Institution, Car lisle street, to consider the repeal of the window tax. The chair was taken by the Rev. Dr. Bares. There were also present Lord Duncan, M.P., Messrs. H. C. Wilson, Grange, Powell, Dr. Grange, &c. The busi ness having been opened by the chairman, Mr. C. Wil son moved the first resolution, to the effect that the window tax was an odious, partial, and oppressive im post, and that attempts to improve the sanitary condition of the people which should not include its abolition were a mockery, which, being seconded by Mr. Hickman, was carried unanimously. The second resolution, moved by Mr. Tires, and seconded by Mr. Grange, was for the adoption of a petition to Parliament in accordance with the sentiment of the meeting and for requesting Sir B. I M.P., to present it to the House of Commons, and length, applause; his the Members of the borough and county to give it their support. It was carried unanimou s ly. L ord Duncan then came flrward andwasorf someeceived with e thg,re exposed patlltie in tax, a speech xe and pointed out several ways by expenditure might be red uce d . His incLnhioprtl the es of fi national Lordship, who was continually greeted with loud cheers, proposed a vote of thanks for the chairman, which being carried the meeting broke up. The bodies of two infants, evidently murdered, have been found ; the one on Monday, in Regent's Park ; the other on Tuesiay, in St. George's-road, Pimli co . No clue t o th e p er p e t ra tors of these crimes has been di:covered. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 28. Tho LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the Wool sack at Five o'clock. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY gave notice that he should to-morrow present a petition from the north of Ireland on the subject of tenant right, and he trusted that Noble Lords connected with Ireland would attend, as the petition was of great importance. Lord BROUGHAM, in order to prove that the escape of fraudulent bankrupts from justice had been owing not to the Bankruptcy Bill of last par as it passed through the House of Lords, but was owing entirely to the blunders which had been introduced in it in another place, appealed to the return which had now been laid before their Lordships, in consequence of his motion. He moved that the return bo printed.—Agreed The Earl of MALMESBURY presented a petition from the agriculturists of Gloucestershire complaining of distress. AUSTRALIAN COLONIES. Lord MONTEAGLE presented a petition signed by several of the influential inhabitants of the colony of Port Philip, complaining of the restrictions of the franchise, and praying for its extension. Ile wished to ask his Noble Friend if he was in possession of any dispatches from the Australian colonies on the subject of the Australian Bill of last session. Earl GREY said that he had received returns from the several Governors, and from what he learned from the colonial newspapers, he believed that the plan had been very favourably received by the co lonies, and be should before the Bill came on for discussion be willing to lay that information on the table. The petitioners who had signed that petition were, he believed, persons of great respectability, and he believed that the grievance of which they complained was well-founded; but he believed it might be better dealt with by the colonial Legislature than by the Par liament of this country, as minute local information was necessary to deal with the question, and he considered this furnished an additional argument in favour of the Govei nment Bill. _ PETITIONS. The Earl of MOUNTCASHEL presented a petition from certain poor•law guardians in Ireland, defending themselves against the charge of having recommended improper persons for emigration. The Noble Earl con cluded by moving for certain returns relating to emi gration. The Earl of CARLISLE presented a petition from Huddersfield, praying for the liberties of all Africans captured in suppressing the slave trade in Spain and Brazil; also a petition from Selby, praying for the better observance of the Lord's Day. ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION BILL. On the motion for the report on this Bill being brought up, In answer to some remarks from the Earl of WAL DEGRAVE, The Bishop of CHICHESTER explained that he had not complained on a former occasion of his income being reduced to 4,200!. On the contrary, he be lieved it to be a proper measure, but ho had said, that by the reduction in his income, he had been prevented from providing for the spiritual destitution of a portion of his diocese. He protested against any attempt to separate the bishops from the working clergy. There were no men so hard worked as the bishops, and the Church was at this moment suf fering from a deficiency of field officers. The Bishop cf ST. ASAPH considered that there was a deficiency of bishops. The report was then brought up. PAREY PROCESSIONS (IRELAND) BILL. The Marquis cf LANSDO WNE moved the second reading of the Party Processions (Ireland) Bill. The Bill did not differ from former Bills, except in this case, thst there was no period fixed for the expiration cf . the Bill. The necessity for the enactment of such a Bill was sif-evident, and he would not detain their Lordships by making aay reference to recent occurrences. Lord BROUGHAM considered that it was a great advantage that the Bill was permanent. He considered the right of procession to the least valuable of the rights of the subject, and ho should not be sorry to see all pro cessions prohibited except funeral processions. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said the Bill only prohibited armed processions, but did not prohibit processions generally, so that the Orangemen might assemble unarmed next year and march in procession throagh Dolly's Brae. Be thought that the papers which had been presented to the House on the subject of Dolly's Bra-) justified the introduction of this Bill, although they might not justify the conduct that bad been pursued by her Majesty's Government on that occasion, but on that point he would not now give any opinion. Lord CAMPBELL said that the Bill was framed al most entirely on the principle of the Bill introduce' by the Noble Lord opposite, and which was found to work f ftbevt s woha : eoh:eern s enernm u nynma t e eee e ctet drim e ohan successfully enno f ut u drt onh l at apportionl sosar y ayetdi a f etn at r nl tae o agi dwdgmi the might nit teuht statetei pa h onor e tn hasaeoe y ehdmfasie punishmentrttooohcs tea hlepBgetppyrrl earnestel t 3 eiroi eamnfdtet desire greatest :ees: care m h raare eenpernlreland year required wass, equallyofr enormity mi t ata h odil yti impartiality been b o oi nfz the offence. AfOr a few words from the Earl of ELLEN. BOROUGH, The Earl of RODEN said that from his experience of the state of things, which rendered necessary an enact ment similar to that which was now proposed to their Lordships, he should be the last person in that House to offer the , lighteit impediment to it:, progress; but if it were similar in principle or in operation to the firmer measure, he should Lave felt it his duty to oppose it to the extent of his ability. He was of opinion that no m( asure for this purpose could be too stringent in Ire land, and that it ought to apply indiscriminately to pro ces,ions of every description ; but feeling the important' and n-cessity of this measure, ha was anxious that it should be enacted. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said the Govern ment had always felt a wish to prevent the country from being excited by occurrences of this kind, and if he were in a position at that moment to do so, he could show by returns, the great number of troops, and of stipen diary magistrates, that were sent down into the North of Ireland, in the month . of July, 1848. I t was impos sible for an Act to provide fur ev er y case th a t m i g ht arise in occurrencesof this class, and instances must sometimes happen, in which the law would be evaded, But the present measure, he had great reason to believe, would be assisted by the common sense which was gra dually gaining ground against these party processions, and he had little doubt, that in practice, it would be found sufficiently stringent in all cases. After a few words from the Earl of GLENGALL and the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, the Bill was read a se cond time and ordered to be committed. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 28. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'clock. Mr. A. lIASTIE presented a petition from Paisley in favour of Parliamentary and financial reform. Sir R. H. INGLIS presented sev era l petitions against the Marriage Act; alsoa petiti on compla i n i ng that t h e highest court of appeal in Church matters was compose d of persons who might not belong t o h er commun i on. Mr. IL ADAIR presented a petiti on f rom I psw i c h i n favour of the Bill for legalising marri de ceased wife's sister. ag es with a Sir W. CLAY presented a petition from the surgeons of the London Hospital complaining of the rating of surgeons in her Majesty's service. DUTY ON PAPER . Mr. WAWN presented a petition from South Shields, praying for the remission of duties on paper, the stamp duty, and advertisement tax. Mr. T. M. GIBSON presented a petition from War rington to the same effect. Mr. BRIGHT presented a similar petition, signed by 157 operatives. COUNTY COURTS. Mr. HOLLAND presented a petition from Hastings praying fir the extension of the jurisdiction of county courts. Mr. SEYMER presented a similar petition from Weymouth. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. Colonel CHATTERTON presented a petition from the county of Cork complaining of agricultural distress. MARRIAGE WITH DECEASED WIFE'S SISTER. Mr. W. MILES presented a petition from the clergy of Bath and Wells against the proposed Marriage Bill. TIMBER DUTIES. Mr. MITCHELL presented a petition praying for an alteration in the timber duties. COUNTY FINANCIAL BOARDS. Mr. HUME presented a petition from the union of Godstoae, praying for the establishment of county finan cial boards. SUNDAY LABOUR. Numerous petitions were prcoented from various places against the employment of Sunday labour in the Post office. GAS BILLS. Sir BENJAMIN HALL moved that the parties pro- Toting any G as Bill d ur i ng t h e present f 093i011 of Par liament do prove, before the examiners of petitions for private Bills, at suc h t i me as may be by the said ex 'ne ar a d n s d o o f ec t u h p e occupier f aminers appointed f or th e p ur pose, that notice in writing r . d works, at of the intend e d app li cation h as been given to e very llitnhge proposed situate within 300 y r boundary adw ofe least fourteen days before the first sitting of the Com mittee on the Bill, and that the examiner do grant a certificate accordingly; and that such certificate shall he produced, in the first instance, bt fore the Committee on tl-e Bill, and that the said Committee do report the pro duction of such certificate to the Home on the report of the Bill. Mr. WILSON PATTEN opposed the motion. Mr. HUME said i t wou ld b e un just in the extreme to make parties compl y with new standing orders when they had already ob e y e d t h ose w hi c h were in existence. Sir BENJAMIN HALL said, after the observations which had been made, he would consent to withdraw the motion. PETITIONS. Mr. KERSHAW presented a petition from the Sun day School Union in London against Sunday Labour in the Post-office ; also a petition from Leicester in favour of the establishment cf county fi na ncial boards. Mr. BATESON presented a petition from Cokraine in favour of tenant right. Mr. BANKES presented a petition from a place in Lancashire, praying enforced in all its i n t egr i ty. that the Ten Hours' Act might bo Sir G. GREY a CEYLON. ppeared at the bar of the House, and stated that he had presented to her Majesty the address agreed to by the House, praying her Majesty to be pleased to appoint a Commission to examine Captain Watson and others in Ceylon, re lative, to the recent - insurrection in that colonh and her Majesty had commanded him to inform the Home that she had appointed the Commission accord ingly. . _ THE FACTORY ACT. Lord ASHLEY gavo notice that on an early day he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Factory Act.—(hear.) PUNISHMENT OF DEATH. Mr. EWART gave notice that on an early day he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to repeal the punishment of death. GREENWICH PARK. Viscount DUNCAN asked Mr. Hayter, if any Fart of Greenwich Park was about to be encroached on to provide residences for the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital, or for any other purpose? Mr. HAYTER was very much obliged to his Noble Friend for putting this question, because be trusted the answer he had to give would allay any apprehension on the tart of the inhabitants of Greenwich that there was any design or intention on the part of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, or of Green wich Hospital to interfere with Greenwich Perk property. The circumstances were these:—The Com missioners c•f Greenwich Hospital had of late been carrying out certain improvements by which they be lieved that the beauty of the hospital and the coal )rts of its inmates would be very considerably increased. In the course of those improvements they designed to erect certain buildings en a portion of the property,which belonged not to the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, but to the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital them. selves. It was at first represented that this alteration would be no detriment to the locality, but the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital, upon inquiry, having ascertained that such would be the case, determined not t) interfere with the property, but to look to some other neighbour hood for making the improvement. COMMISSIONS OF THE PEACE IN IRELAND. In reply to a question from Mr. MI'CULLAGI-I, Sir W. SOMERVILLE said that the subject of grant ing commissions of the peace in Ireland had been long under the serious consideration of the Government, who had hoped to bring in a measure fur their regulation during the present session. That hope they had been compelled to abandon, but they trusted to take up the question fully next year. ELECTORAL DIVISIONS IN IRELAND. Sir DENHAM NORREYS wished to ask the Hon. Secretary for Ireland whether the result of the investi gations respecting the electoral divisions in England had any effect in regulating those in Ireland. Sir GEORGE GREY said it was not the intention of Government to introduce any measure such as the Hon. Baronet had alluded to. With regard to the second part of the question, the report of the Boundary Com missioners was on the table, but he could not say that there was any intention of Government to found a measure thereupon. WESTERN AUSTRALIA. Sir W. MOLESWORTH said that he had given no tice of a question to the Government relative to Western Australia, and as it was a legal question, perhaps the Attorney-General would answer it. The question was this, when the Government of South Australia was first founded an Act was passed to form a Legislative Assembly, which the royal prerogative could not do of itself; that Act, after having been renewed several times, had expired on the Ist of August last. The power of legislation had therefore expired, and the persons in the Legislative Assembly had no longer those legal duties to perform. He wished to know whether this Act had been allowed to expire itt-m -tionally or not ; and if it had been done intentionally, wh( ther those persons had had notice of it or not. Or, if it had been done unintentionally, he wished to know when any measure would be introduced to indem nify these parties. Ho also asked whether any provision had been made for the civil government of Western Australia, and if so, by what authority. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he would simply confine himself to answering the legal part of the ques tion. Unquestionably the Act of the 10th cf Geo. IV., c. 22, expired at the end cf last session, but notwith standing that expiry, there was now a legal Government existing in Western Australia, because that Act gave authority to the Government of this country by an order in Council to constitute a Government, and a Government having been legally constituted by that authority, it could continue, and did, in fact, now exis►. In reply to Mr. ADDERLEY, who wished to know what power the present Government had under that au thority, and when that authority would expire, The ATTORNEY -GENERAL facetiously replied that, according to his recollection, the authority given was for the preservation of peace, order, and good go vernment in the colony, and he believed it had always been held that taxing was part of the duty of a good Government.—(Laughter.) NATIONAL REPRESENTATION. Mr. HUME, in rising to move for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the national representation, by extending the elective franchise, so that every man of full age, and not subject to any mental or legal disability, who shall have been the resident occupier of a house, or part of a house as a lodger, fir twelve months, and shall have been duly rated to the poor of that parish for that time, shall be registered as an eleetir, and be entitled to vote fora representative in Parliament: also, by enacting that votes shall be taken by ballot; that the duration of Parliaments shall not exceed three years; and that the proportion of representatives be made more consistent with the amount of population and property—observed that orten as he had had occa sion to address the House, he was not aware that ho had ever addressed it upon a subject of more importance than this. It regarded, in his humble opinion, the fiture peace of the country; it was important as it concerned the justice due to the people of this country; it was of the utmost importance, in his humble opinion, as far as it related to the financial state of the country, and the means by which the expenditure and the excessive taxation of the country was to be re duced. He was quite aware that the vast majority of the house would listen to him with impatience, because they thought, and conscientiously felt, that the House was perfect in itself, and required no amendment. lie was quite aware that this motion had been rejected in three successive }ears ; but since the last session of Parliament the public out of doors had so unequivocally expressed itself in favour of it, that he was convinced the House would give the motion the proper consideration that was due to its tendency and importance. That motion was for leave ti bring in a Bill to amend the representation of the people. It was admitted on all sides that some amendment was needed, but the difficulty was to deride to what length the reform should extend.—(Hear, hear.) He wanted to improve the constitution of that House, so as to bring it back to its original state. He wished to make no innovation; but his object was simply to restore the House and the government of the country to what it originally was, both in principle and operation. Ile was one who thought that every man who paid taxes ought to be represented. Then came the consideration how to obtain those changes from an unwilling power. He conceived he was obliged to lay down some rule, and draw some lino of distinction. Our present Acts of Parliament drew a line of distinction ; they had been pointed to what should be the qualification to entitle a man to the franchise. The constitution of Parliament had teen, in his experience, what any and every Mininster had chosen to call it; but, looking at the principle on which that House was constituted, he asked the House whether the present rtf.)rmed Parliament was not established and the reform made a principle altogether at variance with the great principle on which his present motion was based, viz., that taxation and representation should be co-existent. He had a letter in his hand addressed by Lord Melbourne to Mr. Drummond at the begin ning of 1831-32, stating the grounds on which the then Reform Bill was contemplated. His Lordship said, "In the former Bill boroughs were regarded in proportion to their population, but in the present case the elements upon which the boroughs are to be esti mated are by the number of the houses and the amount of the asses:el taxes." Now, there was the principle on which the reform of 1832 was effected. He agreed to that Reform Bill, but at the same time he stated that he accepted it only with hopes that it would effect that degree of control on the'part of the people over their re presentatives which would insure cheap and good govern ment. He had attempted this with the hope that the ques tion would have been fully and fairly discussed. In the results of his proceedings he was bound to state to the House, that he had been completely, at least he might say that he had been greatly disappointed. They had all heard of the mode adopted for legislating in that House. He must confess that he had been an advocate for universal suffrage—a word, he believed, which was often repeated but seldom understood, but which ho had explained by stating he had always desired that every man who was a householder should have a voice in the legislation of the country. He had always desired that taxation should go with representation in this country.—(Hear, hear.) Such, in his opinion, was the original intention of those who founded our Constitution, and it was only their opinion which he was desirous of carrying out.—(Hear, hear.) If he were to bo called to task be would only say that this and this only was his object; and if they would allow him, he wouli effectually make his case out. He was glad to see that the members of her Majesty's Government had not thought the subject unworthy of their regard and consideration. He thought that no measure which was sought to be introduced into that House should bo introduced with- out being duly considered and weighed. He had lived long enough to see that many alterations had not been amendments, and many reforms lad not been improvements. The measure which he was about to introduce was one which would give contentment and peace to a great number of men, which would give the franchise to a large number of men who well deserved it. To meet the feelings of many per sous, he had introduced a test into the measure : he pro posed that every man who had been rated for the poor's rate for twelve months should be entitled to the suffrage. Iler Majesty's Government had epproved of this test, inasmuch as they had introduces it into their measure for extending the suffrage to Ireland. The question might be asked to what extent would this measure increase the number of those possessing the franchise. The more they placed dependence in a man the more trustworthy he would be, but to despise and reject a man, would be to have no hold upon him. What he wanted then to do was to raise a man In his own moral estimation, by placing confidence in him—making him, in fact, a free man and not a slave; for he held that he who had no voice in electing those who passed laws affecting life and property was no freeman, but was in the situation of a bondsman and a slave. He wished to do equal justice to Ireland, as well as to England and to Scotland, for he believed that many cf the evils which existed in the former country had arisen from a system of partial legislation. It appeared that the population of England and Wales in 1841 was about 16 millions, and taking the number of ratepayers as his data, excluding the double, treble and quadruple votes held by one person from his calculation, he found that he had between 780,000 and 800,000 voters. Now he proposed that the number of persons en titled to vote should be increased to 3,232,762. Lodgers were equally as fit, and many of them more fit, t o enjoy the franchise than those who now possessed it, and he would provide in the Bill that every lodger might be registered to the poor-rates. of the house in which he lived; and after he had been so registered for twelve months he should be equally competent to exercise the franchise as if he were the possessor of the whole house. Now it was to this extent that he would carry his plan of registration, and he put it to the House whether there would he any danger in thus extending the suffrage. Did they not all know that whenever the power of government was confined to a narrow basis, it invariably led to anarchy and confusion? Had they net proofs of this in the recent occurrences on the continent? What, however, had they to fear from Government if they extend the franchise? Laws were male not for the benefit of classes, but the good of tLe community at large, and the Sovereign was no less than the first magistrate of the land—whose duty it was to carry out the laws when they had received the senction of the two Legislative Chambers. Were they not then in more danger by confining the franchise to a million when it ought to be enjoyed by three or four millions? What would any of them say if they were in the situation of the millions that were now rejected ? What would any of the Members of that HOMO say or do, wero they in the situation of millions of artiz ins, on whose industry some of the finest manufactures de pended—(Hear, hear)—receiving 11., 21, or 31. a week, and who would be called upon to assist in let erring the Queen's peace should a dis turbance break out whilst they were walking the streets? Were not those artizans entitled to say, " You call on us to execute the laws, but do you give us any share or interest in making those law,!? You treat us as serfs, and drive us like cattle, and et you call upon us for assistance ?" Whilst men of large incomes are taxed a thousandth part, a hundredth part, or a twentieth part, of their earnings, the artizan was taxed one-fourth of his whole wages on his consumption of the ordinary articles of subsist tice. Men not more worthy than they in Bel gium, the United States, and in France could not be taxed without their consent; and why should not the artz in class of England be placed on a similar footing? 13ut he had, moreover, the deliberate judgment of her Ma jesty's Ministers on the paper of the 20th of January last. He referred to the B:11 of rights for the colonies, and they must not tell him that they could not place any confidence in the people of England when they were placing this confidence in the mixed population of the Cape of Good Hope, New Zealand, and other c .doniee.—(ll( ar, hear.) He said then that it was an insult to the people of this coun- try that they should be denied a privilege at home which they would immediately obtain upon set • ling their foot upon a colonial strand.—(Hear.) Under these circumstances he would say that he hail not only a right to ask, but to demand that this right should be conceded to the people of England.—(Hear, hear.) Were they less intelligent, less diligent, less moral, hiss worthy of the right of conferring legislative powers than the inhabitants of any of the colonies?—(Hear, hear)— aed if not, why was no t th e p r i v il ege conceded? To show that they were not he would refer to a dispatch of Lord Stanley's in 1832. The Ho nourable Member then read his Lordship's dispatch. Here was the principle of extending pow e: and put ting into the hands of every man a right to share in local government, equally applicable to the national government, of which ho was a part; and, tl.orefore, he contended that he had Lord Stanley's decided opinion in favour of his scheme. Her Majesty's Government was proposing to introduce universal suffrage into the colonic 4. Thus for he was supported by parity of reasoning. Evers' man who was rated to the road-tax at the Cape of Good Hope was to hire a vote. Her Majesty's Government were ready to show their confidence in 180,000 persons at the Cape of Good Hope, and yet they were back ward in giving the franchise to Englishmen, who were no less intelligent and trustworthy. He wished to carry out a system of equalization by means of electoral districts, and there were precedents of a recent date emanating from the Government, in regard to the colonies, which justified him in asking the House to adopt the course which he suggested, and he asked Hon. Members to pause before they gave a vote in favour of rejecting the measure. Her Majesty's Ministers had given the colonies three representative es'aees, which consisted of the governor, a legislative council, and a re presentative assembly, and the power and privileges of each were distinctly defined. Now he did not object to our estates of the King, Lords, fled Commons being continued, but what he wished was that the latter should become a better reflex of the opinions of the people. In that case it would be more pure and more efficient. His own coescientious be lief was that many in the House held their seats in consequence of having paid large sums of money to per sons to secure their election, and this was equally as bad in principle as the borough-mongering system of old. Three years was long enough for any man to hold a seat in that House. At one time he egreed with his late lamented friend Cartwright, that one year would be suf ficient, but at the present moment he should be satisfied by triennial Parliaments. Another point be thought it right to mention was the payment of Members. True, it was one cf the points of the Charter, but: for the last 12 or 15 years of his life his principle had been to pay every officer for the duty he had to perform, and ha still was of the same opinion. He considered that every man ought to be paid f m his services, and by the parties who etnplo3 el him. With regard to the constitution and privileges extended to the Cape of Good Hope, they 1 a' l, in his humble opinion, a precedent which warranted them more than any other to press the Government on this question. They had Ireland and the colonies, and why not, he would ask, extend the same privileges to the the people of England and Scotland? He held in his hind the speech of the Noble Lord, delivered on the Bth of last mouth—and here he must pay the Noble Lord the compliment t 3 say that he never heard a speech since the time of the Ra fwm Bill more really like the Noble Lord himself—and in that speech the Noble Lord re marked, that wherever Englishmen went, they carried with them the spirit of the free institutions of their country. Now, he would ask the Noble Lord where was the spirit of those institutions at home, which they might carry with them to other countries ? With regard to the Reform Bill, he (Mr. Hume) must say that it did not fulfil the objects which it professed. And what were thole objects? They were the very objects which he was now contending, and the very objects for which the Noble Lord himself, he believed, considered to be just. There was another question in his (Mr. Hume's) motion —the vote by ballot. Now, the Noble Lord, in in troducing the Reform Bill, had sta`el that more ingeni ous arguments had never come under his notice then had been advanced in favour of the ballot; yet the Noble Lord, on that occasion, said that the ballot was not t form any part of his Bill. He (Mr. Hume) had voted for that Bill, but he was for " the Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill." Now us the Noble Lord boasted of the rights and liberties of Englishmen, and that they would carry those liberties wherever they might go, he thought the Noble Lord oug h t rea ll y to extend their rights and bbn.:ies to them. But it would be said, "Oh, but you have got the Reform Bill, and is not that quite enough? He (Mr. Hume) would say, " No, it is not quite enough." He would refer the Noble Lord to another passage in his speech, when in troducing the Reform Bill. The Noble Lord on that occasion said, " When I propose a reform in Parliament I propose that the people should send into this House their real representatives, that thoso representatives should consider their wants and attend to their inte rests. I propose that they should have this vast power." Now give them the Noble Lord's system as implied in those words. Let the Noble Lord come up to his own mark, and he is fairly entitled to amend the Reform Bill. Now he asked the Noble Lord to do so. He (Mr. Hume) held that the principles which were comprised in his motion, and the arguments which he had advanced in support of those principles, were not to be controverted. His demand was "justice," which was the right of every Englishman. When the Noble Lord, on the 6th of February, introduced the Reform Bill, he stated that it was his intention to give representatives to every part of the country, and that he did not wish to give a pre ponderance to any part over the ether, and that the Government had taken into consideration the propriety of giving a certain number of towns and manufacturing districts a share in the representation. Now, he wished the Noble Lord would carry out that intention, and give such representation to the people.—(Hear.) The Noble Lord would recollect that in his recent motion to extend the benefit of free trade to the colonies, he made allusion to the loss of the North American possessions (United States) to this country, and had attributed that loss to a " series of blunders." True it was; and the Noble Lord should not forget that in those " series of blunders" the main cause of the loss of their North American possessions was attributable to " taxation without representation," and Lord Camden, in reference to the Stamp Act, in connexion with the cause of dispute in that matter, had expressed himself in February, 1766, in these words—" My impression i 5, and I shall retain it to the last hour of my life, that taxation without representation' is most un just, and whoever takes from a man his substance, in such a case, commits a robbery." He (Mr. Hume) re peated the words, it was " a robbery."—(Hear, hear.) With respect, to the object of the Reform Bill, he might also refer to the authority of the late Earl Grey. That Noble Earl had said ho believed it to bo " a measure of peace and reconciliation," On the 9th of February the Noble Earl. (Grey) had quoted from Whitelock's book on Government, and in speaking of the genius c f the constitution, that authority laid down as an opinion, that " whenever the question of the right of the electces was brought before the House of Commons, the good sense of the House was in favour of the people, and of the feeling that the more free the elections were, the more beneficial would it prove to the country.—(dear, hear.) That was the evidence of the late Earl Grei in favour of Parliamentary Reform, and in speaking of it, he pronounced it to be a measure of peace and concilia tion, while, on the other hand, its refusal would be at tended with disquiet and discontent. Sergeant Grant ville, too, in a House of Commons in which Seldon and several other distinguish° 1 Members were, laid down the same opinions, and contended that all inhabitant householders who wore rated should have a vote in the election of the Commons.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") The same opinion was come to by the House in the case of the Pontefract election. He next considered the ac tual state of the constituent body, showing that there were no less than eight}-five qualifications for voters in counties, cities, and boroughs. When such a state of things existed was it to be wondered at, that they should require an expensive staff of lawyers to travel about the county, holding registration and registry revision sessiets? It was an utter absurdity to assert that the ign9ruce_of the guilt hulk of the people, could be put the forward as substantial ground for refusing the w ; .ancrete. There was a common observation, d !Ot t! e people first, and give them political rights ae the vileges afterwards. The best mode of teacbingthito7 people was, he thought, by giving them " here worth looking after. In less than three months t ni hers were no fewer that 1,045 essays produced by tne— a puree,' of the working classes, and three of them, instrue.t men Laker, a jou r n e y man printer, and a Paget' man weaver, received the Parker pr izes and the working classes could do these things, when they were capable of writing such el s a i n l why should they be debarred from their voices in the election of representatives? ulvt the illustration of another, he asked was a man have a vote as long as his jackass lived, and not to , a vote when his jackras died? Was a man, ltsv' n 'i tt , house worth 101., to be privileged to vote, and •ed be deP":„ event of his hcuse being burned down, to exers..st,st next day of that vote? The Hon. Gentleman nex t R e ly, ceedel to substantiate the basis of his motion —nn,' the 'Os the inequality of the is presentation. The n r e ' e c iand electors to the population was 1 to every IS In ee'e lands to every 19 in Wales-1 to every 14 in Scotian and Ito every 58 in Ireland. Half tic borough Pliusislf tiers of England returned 33 Members and th e other I'" Un she d 290 . Members. One-haif of the population of the Unl hat Kingdom elected the miij ,rity of the Members il e t e ds House! Could such a system he defended or ju't"; An e 23 Members were elect'.d by 3,523 electors to and Ireland, and Newcastle, with . nearly the W e ? t ee tent of constituency, re t urne d 2. He press ed tors a extension of the franchise constituted in his mod" ; 00 claim of right, maintaining that the peop l e should they a hold over the purse-strings of the country , which eel could not have so long as the present unjust and " e q . & system of representation was permitted to continu e % t he warned the Legislature against continuing to re it, he people a fair Iperticipation in political rights; 8 I to cautioned those unwilling to do justice t , .) tbe r ee t P ie e 'ee take a lesson from what h a d oc curred on the 13 """1 as He deprecated the violence of the Chartists as nin e foe any zeal, though he approved of the Prth ei P l e a a i s ing which they contended, and he was sorry to ha turned his attention to the subject, that be L ue 'lgoe. there was not a gre e ter en em y to reform than t he hoe , Gentleman opposite (Mr. F. O'Connor). — ( ilear ' knee and laughter.) He w as no t f or u sing force or vie in furtherani e of the cause he had at heart. — par.) Mr. P. O'CONNOR—Nor ern I. cf Mr. HUME—He wished to show that the best waY 0 convincing the people of the justice of their claies , :1 00 by demenstrateig the evil of withholding the con e h ee lee for which they con t en d e d. Th e co urse "'h ie " di. Chartists had taken rendered the name of Chartism ous, for connected with it were violence, disorder, et\ disregard for the law. While he made this statemet; he blamed the Government for not having just demands of the Chartists, instead of swarming es. country with soldiers and saddling the peoeo sebere s pence to keep down the popular cause. was a time that the quest:on which he then urged on is te ug consideration of the Legislature deserved more sertros attention. It behoved those who had pro p e rty t e those who could make property more valuable w"" f " t bis tice. It did not become them to refuse the people ° t y) yielded t° the prof er t o country those rights which they (the owners of possessed. They should do unto others as they wa l l et h t id t ob• wish to be done by, and not to grasp and which they knew to be unjust. After some furt-er servations, the Hon. Gentleman concluded by f°rivallf submitting his motion.—(Hear, hear ) of Sir J. WALMSLEY said he was quite sen sibi r e ne st the great importance of the question, and felt a n ear desire to see the present defective state of the fr an- 400 so amended as to secure a full and free ro preseet ° ! l , e d of the people. Th e f ranc hi se at presen t was s oli fe r 5 and so distributed as t o r en d er t h e re turn of lue' e be to that House almost nugatory as an expressi on of I_, popular will. It was a s t range f ac t th a t ef the P er e her sons who contributed to th e sa f e ty o f this country' f the were less than one milli on d eeme d deserving ° f t bst elective franchise. Whatever might be the result, ° 0 be debate he believed th a t j us ti ce wou ld before 01 '7m done to the great mars e f the people in that Issot ter. ni eers Noble Earl at the h ea l o f h er M a j es ty's Gov er e - s - brig in advocating th e R e f orm Bill , h a d p o inted to tl'epug bery and corruption which had prevailed lind er e.e , ed stem. But h o would r e "' A former representative sy the Noble Lord th a t since the passing of the Re form of their blue book s con t a i n o f a cc umulated evin en e ca l e led corruption similar to th a t w hi c h b a d formerlYZobt, forth his reprobation. Th ere could be t lel ons however, on the oth er h an d, but that the e lse had been condu c t e d i n a ll th e new an d poPt'''''' c 6 hi stituences created by the Reform fa' a'r A - p ro' ma showed the which show the reasenah'eeessough t priory of that me asure . be thought that examP e the to encourage the Noble L o rd t o ex t en d still furtberrto representative system in this country. A vast 'nate of our population were deeply sensible of the tvo, es of to them when they were denied the right of takl o ad part in the election of those whose laws they "e re heir' to obey, and whose taxation they were compelled to i t.' es s• The present was the most favourable inemept fo r Wading to the unrepresented classes a concession - de they would receive as a boon, and which could b e e r p o l : s f to theta with perfect safety. It was only by ar' ° p ot(' that House that our system of taxation could be, r- e rest in a manner conformable with the wishes of tu e i jd be mass of the people. They might be told that it w° ,; - , i'o' dangerous for theta to extend the basis of the fr a—b er ' l3" But, for his parr, it were at present excluded from the franchise were aa d he oeted not help thinleinglthat those most loyal, the most peaceful, the most yaluebl e, .., be the most unoffsuding portion c f the communitY• fsel would ask, could the honest artisan f this con" : bieh, core need while he found that the right of voting' de" was denied to hiwsel', was about to be eXte n iie d to the people of our distant colonies in NC* Z'a ture and the Cape of Good Hope? He would v c ri to tell the NolA Lord wh washe, no doubt, ' s j t e Ole' edy well aware if—that that simplyatiettical ity —(Hear, hear.) lie bl* n n e e levee that greater t t ore at present prevailed among the people of this e ° ,, s eer in favour of an extension of the franchise than h a s 0 felt been manifested upon any other subject; and be ee` s te srd persuaded that if the Noble Lord were to bring to',4. t ed an amid sustained measure of refhruo, he would be seP l3- thst a h t i i g c h s p u o st s a i i t t i t o e l d i w b tl y ch the as g t r h e e at au l t T , dy of the people be deserve. Under our r ' e f se s n u t e would well neither population nor property p w r as f orly reetelftese He found that eighty-six Members f that Hou se - roe ' returned: l by a smaller Lumber of voters than 'o f f t o, tamed in the 'rower Hamlets, who returned On oa Members. Then again with r '' ad to property , Insr -11 1es that one-half of the annual va r l g ue r of England an" whi le was represented by nine counties . Memb ers ' and 161 h „ oat), h e k,nt in er e s a l ss Y set e e : the other half of that value was represented ".7 one counties and 310 Members; and further it aPr e - pre that one-half of the Members of that Hou se r mo bile rented property of the annual value of 6,200,006,1;510e the oth er halt represented property of the an naa e e 0 134 f 78,000,0001—(Heur, hear.) Liverpool, wh,lcresbi tained between th ree an d f our h un d re d thousand tile tants, and which w as assesse d to t h e poor rate , t e a that extent of 1,500,0001. seat only two Membe rs ' s ", s tsin, House, while Buckinghamshire - which did n et c- ssee more than half th a t p opu l at i on an d w hi c h tvas a lt - . e se o t the poor-rate to no t more t h an half that aen e e' yetis° eleven M em b ers to Parliament. lie hoped tha t the w ee" would not refuse its assent to the introducti on of ° - sure framed for th e p urpose ef putting an en d t° melons and unsatisfactory a system. Sir G. GREY said that, w h a tever migh t be b e e n ; opinion of the House as to th e merits of t hem ht which Lad been submitted to its consideration, he edit pr s slit that his Hon. Friend was a t l eas t e ntitled to cr s oder consistency in having again brought that subje ct 5 be' their notice. His Hon. Friend had several tireearey) fore introduced a similar me ssre, and he (Sir G• s he gave crelit both to his Honourable Friend an d t : 0 0. i n Honourable Gentleman who had seconded theh ° ;jegle so becoming a spirit, for being animated by un til , desireand d ,t 0 promote the best interests of the ee r . ° f f e eieg' the security of its existing institutions . th e y b however, as ho did, from them in the opinion We bad bet" entertained as to the results of the scheme Wage bad shadowed forth, he felt bound that evening, °S. p. felt bound on for mer o ccas i ons , to meet the 11 101 ' ° d thata decided negative. His Hon. Friend had state be b a d his proposal was verbatim the same as that which an d al' submitted to the House on preceding occa sions j k e d in though he (Sir G. Grey) believed that it d. a n d by for he feig some of its terms from the motion brought his Hon. Friend last year upon the same stke et .'d e etie° l ; that they might be considered as substantially eoy The question then submitted to their notice v ia -' sing r h e OXIS 0 whether there should be any extension o f tee na litY franchise in this country—was not as to the m`:i - s eoly" the details of the Reform Bill—was not whether.ltiOll peer ~ be proper for the House to take into its eon tbe wv " the terms and conditions . at present attached to •e I f 1 anoh is tive franchise, with a view to enlarge that .r tiro such an enlargement should be thought desira ble. t t nr4s those points he (Sir George Grey) should 0 000 moment express no opinion, because they had, not aril raised by his Honourable ' Friend that eyeninbe '00t" ho wished it to be understood that be reserc e :";l, re' a more fitting opportunity his decision wil. 0 0 sect to them. The question then before the on; stioe a wider and more important one. The clu e cov . whether they would entertain a proposal f e e f ef sideration of a new R e f orm Bill, far more awli met s oPei more comprehen s i ve , an d f a r more extensive se- da pte ration and its effects than that which bad beer'tl: es fl ed d by Parliament after a severe struggle in both 11 . in the country in the year 1832. His Ho n. Fr onc e r otwe ee c ' a ske them to re-model the whole constitution o f that tosiont to re-consider the whole structure of our CO and the very Lads on which the fabric system rested. Now ho (Sir G. Grey) vvas o ° L ee l'oed to accede to that invitation. He was maintain that it might not be advantageous raj _ should consider some of the details of the g e o r o u s titut i ? a a but he was not prepared to reform the e h oce tn be anew, and to abandon the principles "' hie d to 0° t ic! origin of that constitution had been adherehd to,o basis of an electoral system. His Hon. Frie s u ra edonc e it notef o; rr;:ate potsbrieto_; them that whatever might be the terms of b L i h , he e sis i was an advocate for universal suffrage, and ttiev erit ttlea e i, that all persons who paid taxes should ne,. But t e vote for the return of Members to Parliament' biect Hon. Friend bad qualified that view of th tfl o d b j i g e : hie e t o e ° •• stating a t s hir i t ar ta a x s s hould cautions against a a mt b i tt oign se h . tanb N de o r w ceoll , nr w esis i se t tn h etn t a h :laF l it ;e lri o fic e l'atis7 S v i° ,ll, bg which rced our constitution his n to the motion of his Hon. Friend was that _ lar ge not to depart from that principle, and to adoPt," wou ld . u., a F w r a i s en f c o l. und T e l c i l a ; t a wnad4 h b o rg askea indi finite extension of the franchise, whie; oo . VrteP gc , afford a proper check against abuse. Ins ' ug ht t ° ,,, to had :aid that taxation and representation e peees sfl i j ef a together; but he had himself thought it wou ld _ . . a ' e tt impose a limit to that proposition which his this Ow 1,500,000 pr 2,000,000 of the popttlatiO Q" THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH l, 18,50