The Sun. — London, England, 1850-02-15 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, Feb. 14. &CONNOR BRADSHAW. • ,This was an action brought by Mr. Feargus O'Connor, M.P., for Nottingham, against the proprietor of the Nottingham Journal, to recover compensation in da miges, for a libel reflecting upon his character, which was published in the shape of a hand-bill, and circulated about the town. Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, and Messrs. Hatherton and Prentice, appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Roebuck, }LP., Mr. Keating, and Mr. Bagley, for the defendant. Mr. Sergeant Wenetras, in opening the case, said the announcement that he appeared for Mr. Feargtis O'Con nor. Member of Parliament for Nottingham, would be quite sufficient to satisfy the jury that it behoved a gentleman of his position to be jealous of his reputation, and, to take care that he lost no influence in society which he ought to possess by the misrepresentations of malicious persons. Mr. O'Connor would fain have been spared the necessity of coming before them; for it formed no tart of his happiness to be engaged in litigation or in strife, and much as he felt himself called upon to combat many accepted notions in the political world, he would have been spared the necessity of vindicating, on the present occasion, his character, unsullied as it seemed bo him, and as he was sure would appear to them when they. had heard the facts of the case, from a libel which attributed to him some of the worst mo tives which could influence the conduct of any man—a libel which could be actuated by no desire to benefit the public, but which appeared to him (Mr. Wilkins) to be actuated by a wish to harass and annoy Mr. O'Connor. The man who exposed abuses wherever he found them, who encouraged good and condemned oppression and tyranny, was a benefactor to the publi c; but there was a vast difference between him and the slanderer who wounds t 3 give pain, and is the first, if he possibly can, to prevent the healing of the wound he makes. Now the libel which he would real would show that the writer of it was actuated by two of the meanest motives which could possibly characterise the conduct of any man; in, the first place, he appeared to have a love of pelf, his object being by the publication of the libel to increase the circulation of the newspaper cf which he was the proprietor; and in the next he wished to vent his spleen on Mr. O'Connor because he happened to entertain political notions different to his own, which, in the eyes of a small man, was a sufficient cause to give expression to his hatred. He was not there as the advocate of Mr. O'Cunnor'3 politics ; indeed he had never taken the trouble to ascertain what they were ; but he knew enough to be convinced that they were, generally speaking, unpopular, and feund little favour among the more educated portions of the community. But, how ever they (the jury) might differ f. om Mr. O'Connor in his political views, he was satisfied they would not allow any prejudice to enter their minds in respect of theca, but would judge of the case with strict, impartial, and unbounded justice. He should simply content himself by proving the libel, and would leave the defendant to prove the plea of justification which he had put upon the record, and he trusted that the investigation would sot Mr. O'Connor right with the world, and put an end to the slande-, hatred, end abuse which parties had directed against him. If the other side should have the temerity to attempt to justify this slander, he should show that fewmen were more maligned and misrepresented than Mr. O'Connor, and he would then have no fear as to the result of their verdict. He had an opponent formidable, indeed, well skilled and versed in rhetoric, who had for a long time been before the world, and whose talents were env- great as his integrity and honour were un doubted. But to show that his client did not entertain any doubt as to what the result would be, he invited and preferred investigation. The libel was in the ! foilovving terms : " The subscribers of the National Land Company and the admirers of Fearous O'Connor, Esq., ALP. for Nottingham, who has wheedled the people of England our of 1,000,0001., with which he has 'bought estates and conveyed them to his own use and benefit, and all who are desirous to witness the final over throw of this great political impostor, should order the Nottingham Journal, in which his excessive honesty in connexion with the Land Plan - has been. and, will continue to be, fearlessly exposed. The Nottingham Journal is the largest newspaper allowed by law, and is the best vehicle in this county or neighbour hood for advertisements, business information, and general news. Delivered everywhere early every Fri day morning. Price only 44d; per annum, in advance, les.; credit, 205." Now if ever libel were rendered undignified by the mode in which it was put forward—if ever patriotism was wrapped up in dirty paper—here was a specimen.— (A laugh.) It was nothing more than a libel to render Mr. O'Connor obnoxious to a great many people in the country, and to increase the sale cf "the largest paper allowed by law, price fourpeneo-halfpenny," by accusing him of rubbing a number of per peeple of 100,0001., and applying it to his own use and benefit. The Learned Counsel concluded by challenging the defendant's Counsel to prove this charge if they dared. The necessary proof of the publication of the libel was then gone into. Mr. ROEBUCK then addressed the jury on the part of the defendant, and aster a fnv preliminary observations, asked them to consider for what the present case had been brought into a court of justice? His Learned Friend had said that it was to defend the character of a gentleman of high station, who at the present moment was so jealous of his honour. and possessed of such nice feeling, that he had occasion to come forward to vindicate himself and his character from an atrocious charge and a malig nant venting of spleen, hatred, and malice ; and yet all he proved was the publication of the libel. This was a strange proceeding for 'a gentleman of such high honour, as he called himself ; but as to his high honour they were - • entirely in the dark. They had simply " Feargus O'Connor, E 9., M.P.," on the ono hand, and the imputation of " imposter" on the other, and he took credit to himself for a charac ter so free from blame and so unimpeachable, that he simply laid the libel before them, and said, "consider my harrassed feeling, and reinstate me in that position which 1 have a right to hold. " Now he (Mr. Roebuck) did not mean to leave him in that position. The defendant in this case was not the real defendant, but the injured persons who had been deprived of their money by Mr. O'Connor. They said, and he would justify the charge, that he had wheedled a large number of poor mechanics out of their hard earnings upon false representations, and had painted pictures a happiness to their imaginations which he must have known to bo false. The plaintiff must have been aware at the time that the small pittance which he obtained from their industry under feigned promises was the worst species of imposture that could be devised. He had not fulfilled one of his promises to those whose money he had wheedled to the extent of 100,0001., but had bought estates with the money, and converted them to his own use. He had"been in the habit of addressing inflammatory tirades to the people, and calling them his children. This nauseous and repulsive mode of proceeding hal been given publicity to through the columns of the newspaper of which he was the proprietor. In those addresses he professed himself to be in possession of a grand scheme for the amelioration of mankind, but it often happened that these schemes turned out instead for the personal benefit of the persons who established them. The de fendant in this action had charged the plaintiff merely with buying estates for his own use and benefi with the inoney of other people, end ----- this -- ;;- cusation he was prepared to prove. In one cf the plaintiff 's:addressc s, when introducing this scheme, he said that he was ashamed of the condition of the people, and in order to remedy this state of things he proposed that by a small subscription from each member of his asso ciation, the subscribers should all become proprietors of land. A certain quantity of this land was to be al lotted to each subscriber, on such terms as to enable him to become a small freeholder, and to live in contentment and happiness. In order, further, to induce the people to join his society he went to the ma- nufacturing towns, where vasepopulations were employed far many !Ours during the day in labour, and who by reason of their ignorance of the country were most likely to be worked upon, and he told them that scenes of rural bliss and an actual paradise awaited them if they would enrol themselves members of the society. He described in glowing terms the beauties of the country, the tranquil homesteads, the lowing cat tle, the slumbering pigs, the glorious harvest prospects, and other scenes of contentment and plenty, which were likely to make an impression on the minds of a population long accustomed to a factory atmosphere. The Learned Counsel then proceeded to read extracts from several of the addresses of Mr. O'Connor published in the Northern Star. In those addresses the working people rwere described as his " dear children," and in one he stated that he would have a bell rung, in order that he might hear his happy children, in their happy homesteads, " d—n the factory bell. The plaintiff constantly urged upon his noaders that the present regulations of society were altogether unjust, and that by the malice, cruelty, and injustice of a certain number of people a great mass of mankind had been arbitrarily deprived of their inheritance in the land. To that in heritance he declared that he was about to restore them. He had been enabled during the progress of his wheedling, from 1845 down to the present time, to enrol 70,000 subscribers, who were to pay 2/. 121. for every two acres of land, and in return they were to have a cot tage, 151. in money, and capital to purchase the neces sary stock. This at the first blush was a marvellous promise. The scheme was, in the first instance, called the land scheme, and, after undergoing several changes of description, was ultimately called the "National Land Company." The 70,000 persons were to have their allot ments in the course of five or six years; but, according to Mr. O'Connor's own showing, it would have taken 300 years to effect that object. Now, could it for a moment be imagined that a Member of the Legislature, in a crowded community like Nottingham, could impose upon the ignorant and helpless in such a manner? and was not he (the Learned Counsel) justified in terming such a proceeding as wheedling? In fast, no one had been made a freeholder of land which had been purchased by the money of the subscribers but Mr. O'Connor himself , who had caused every estate to be conveyed in his own name. But of the whole number of persons who had been induced to invest their money in the scheme, only a very few had been put upon the land, and the 'only ad. vantage they had gained was that they had to pay a larger rent than if they had hired it elsewhere. Six different estates had been purchased, the whole of them by the proceeds of the subscribers' money. All the legal rights and control . were vested in Mr. O'Connor. lelr. Sergeant Wilkins had stated that the jury had nothing to do with the politics of Mr. O'Connor ; that this wa s a transaction between man and man, and that _ _ Mr. O'Connor appeared before the Court as an honest and upright man. He (Mr. Roebuck> however, c' arged him with dishonesty in making promises which he knew never could bt, fulfilled, and which by his conduct be clearly showed never would be fulfilled. Mr. O'Connor was in the habit of THE SUN, LONDON, addressing the working-people in the most extra ordinary language. He called them "Fustian jackets," " you with blistered hands and unshorn chins," " old guards," &c., and when addressing the printers and others connected with the publication of newspapers, the principles of which were adverse to his own, he called them " dastardly ruffians," " cripples," and other vile epithets. He would prove that the scheme was en illegal one, in point of fact a mere lottery, which ought not to have been registered. The plan of the Land Society having entirely failed, tenants to the number of 227 had been served with notice of ejectment by Mr. O'Connor's solicitor, because they had become unable to pay the rent for the last two years after they had been removed from their homes at a distant part of the country. In conclusion the Learned Gentleman expressed ;a hope that the result of this trial would be triumphant to his client, and that the exposure of the scheme consequent upon it would for the future prevent any more money being ex tracted from the pockets of the class who had been termed " blistered hands" and " fustian jackets," and that proof would be given to the world that this man was what the defendant had called him, an imposter who had wheedled the poor and defenceless of their earnings. It so society would fir the future be protect , d from a recurrence of these nefarious schemes. The defendant had made a specific charge, which he now repeated, that Mr. O'Connor having got the money from those people, had applied it to the purchase of estates which be bad made over to himself. He would call witnesses before them whose evidence would ei't tblish the truth ON f all the allegations he had male, r.nd if the jury were sa tisfied of their trustworthiness, they would, he was sure, feel no hesitation in promptly returning their ve;diet in favour of the defendant. Several witnesses, some of whom were tenants upon the estates purchased by Mr. O'Connor, were examined at some length in support of the defendant's case, but the trial was not concluded when the Court rose, and it was adjourned until to-morrow (this day). GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY The usual half-yearly general meeting of the pro prietors of the Great Western Railway was held yester day afternoon at the London terminus, Paddington; Nile Charles Russell, chairman of the board of directors, in the chair. The advertisement convening the meeting having le; en read, the common seal was affixed to the register of proprietors. The report was then read, from which we make the following extracts:— " The accounts of income and expenditure which have been already circulated among the proprietors scarcely present any remarkable feature fur notice, beyond the circumstance that, for the first time in the history of the undertaking, there has been a deficiency in the receipt from passengers, which would be referred to with the greater regret if the mein cause of it had not force manifestly of a temporary character. It afpears that the falling off has been greater in proportion with the third class than with other passengers, although each class shows a deficiency. It must not be forgotten that the diminished number cf passenger trains, although a measure calculate:l to save expense to the company, has obviously tended to reduce the number of travellers, from the less frequent opportunity to them of moving, especially fur short distances, between intermediate stations. The amount received for passengers is 12,4141. 14'. 4d. less than in the corresponding period of 1848. The directors are happy to report that the merchandise buii ness, on the other hand, has increased, and shows a tendency to improve; and there is reason to expect now a revival of the trade in live stock, Sac., from the south of Ireland, which had been suspended for two or three years by reason of the famine in that country. The receipts fer merchandise, tattle, and parcels have exceeded, to the extent of 6,098/. 13e. 5d., those of the corresponding period in Ms. The result of the half-year's accounts, after deducting the rents and balance of interest paid (comprising that en the Berks and Hants Extension shares), will leave 196,393/. 9s. 11d. at the disposal of the proprietors. The board and the auditors conjointly recommend that a di vidend of 4 per cent. per annum be declared for the half year, to 31st December lad - , which will leave over a balance of 39.703/. 9e. 11d. to the credit of the company. The directors retiring at the half-yearly meeting are Samuel Baker, Esq., Charles Russell, Esq., aid Charles Wardell, Esq., all residing in London, who have seve rally notified their intention to stand for re-election. It is intended to submit to a snecial meeting a resolution far converting the paid up shares of th e com p any i nto stock, to tae effect from the Ist July next— a measure approved by the committee in their report, and recommended, as well by economy in the registration department, as by convenience to the proprietors holding several denominations of shares. The purchase of the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway, which would he submitted to the special meet ing, attains the object of reducing' the expenditure by abolishing a separate board of directors and office estab lishment; it simplifies the control and management by placing the undertaking under the exclusive c h arge o f Great Western directors; while it does not in any way directly or indirectly increase the liabilities, or affect the pecuniary rights of proprietors in either company. That has been scrupulously attended to in the terms of agree meet, to be laid before the meeting. The conditions of pay meat will :secure to the Wilts, Somerset, and Wey mouth Company the permanent annuity of four per cent. per annum, to which each holder of those shares is entitled, with a contingent benefit, whenever the Great Western shareholders may be receiving more than 8 per cent., per annum, on their shares, as originally provided for, and therefore still maintained in the new contract. The Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway requires the moat prudent and careful consideration of the board, who are anxious to perform every duty which the law enjoins; but they are bound scrupulously to ascertain their powers, as well as the relative rights and privileges of all parties interested in both undertaking'. The works of those rail ways which are intended to be complete.l, and which are not likely to be affected by any pending agreements with other companies, will be carried on without intermission, in order to render the outlay pro ductive; and it is proposed to convene a special meeting within a few weeks, to consider and determine the mode of raising capital for the payment of that expenditure, as well as for the liabilities of the company." The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the re port, observed that as the report, and the report of the committee of shareholders who had recently investi gated the affairs of the company, had been in the hands of the proprietors fur some time, it was un necessary for him to detain the meeting with any lengthened remarks. Every facility had been at forded the committee for prosecuting their inqui ries, and every book, paper, or account Wei-ring either to the past or the present, had been unreservedly placed before them; and so satisfied were they of the manner in which the accounts were kept, that one of them had made the forcible remark that the accounts audited themselves. The committee recommended that the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth line ought not to be constructed beyond Frome, at least for the present; but the directors still thought that the line ought to extend to Radstock, to enable them to open up the mines of Somer set. The South Wales line they considered ought not to extend beyond Swansea, and the directors were now negotiating with teat company on the subject. With regard to the Birmingham and Oxford, and Birmingham, Dudley, and Wolverhampton lines, the committee re commended that they should be prosecuted to comple tion with the utmost dispatch; and with the view of effecting that object the direction was now nego tiating fur the abandonment of the duplicate rails and stations on these lines, which had been contemplated and authorised by Parliament. The shareholders were no doubt aware that the Board of Trade had recently called upon this company to com plete the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton line; but the questions relating to that undertaking were so numerous and complicated, teat the directors were seeking the best legal advice they could obtain on the subject, and by that advice they would be guidel in the future steps and proceedings they should adopt. The committee re commended various changes in the internal management of the concern, and he could promise them that these sug gestions should have the best attention of the directors. Besides the report of the committee, the shareholders now had the security of an efficient audit, which had been conducted by the auditors aided by an efficient p u bli c accountant, and the shareholders might rely upon the accuracy and truth of their accounts. Having made a passing allusion to the Audit Bill introduced las session by Lord Monteagle, and supported by the Government, and ultimately withdrawn at the request of the railway interest, he went on to observe that since then a committee of chairmen had been agitating the question of audit, and to show the difficulties that that committee had to contend with in arriving at the views of their constituents, he mentioned, in reply to 56,000 applications sent out by this company to their shareholders to know whether or no they were favourable to a Government audit, they could only obtain COO answers. Other companies were no less unsuccessful, and under those circum stances the committee was dissolved, upon the understanding that the matter would he taken up by the shareholders themselves. With regard to the report of the directors he had no remark to make upon it, except to remind the shareholders that they were still able to pay their usual dividend of four per cent., and carry a large balance to the reserved fund. Every attention would be paid in fu tore to the recommendation of the committee to econo mise, and the shareholders might always rely upon the officers and directors of the company to develope and in crease the traffic. Mr. MuLLINGs, M.P., disapproved of that part ;of the report of the committee of investigation 'which recommended the reduction of the salaries of the officers of the company. If he owed his suc cess in life to anything it was to the circum stance of his having always secured the services of efficient assistants, and paid for them liberally, an d h e hoped the shareholders would not allow the directors to reduce the salaries of their hard-working clerks and servants, to put some paltry few shillings per annum into the pockets of the shareholders. Mr. W. WILLIAMS, one of the committee, justified the recommendations, observing that free trade had so far reduced the necessaries of life, that their officers could well afford to submit to the proposed reduction, not of their salaries, but of their number. He suggested the propriety of the meeting considering the recommendation of the co m mittee to reduce the number ) of directors. It was much better to have a small well- peid efficient board than a numerous one, where many of its members were merely ornamental and always led by the working and talented few. ,Mr- MILES, M.P., also oppo se d an y re d uc ti on i n th e salaries. Let th e di rectors rev i se the dut i es but not re duce the remuneration of their officers who had eerved them well and long. Mr. WITHFItB, of - Liverpool, supported the recom mendation of the committ ee , arid seemed to think that the salaries o ug ht to be regulated by the dividends the shareholders received. The shareholders had suffered, and so ought the servants. Reduce the salaries now, he said, and if the affairs of the ccmpany were improved by the extra exertions of their officers, he was sure neither the directors nor the proprietors would object to an in crease in their remuneration. The CHAIRMAN explaine 1 that it was intended to assimilate the pay of the servants of the Great Western to that of other lines of similar magnitude and extent, hot it was intended not to reduce the salaries, but only to diminish the number of officers, and thus increase the duties of those who were retained, Mr. Sanders, the secretary, had set an example to the other higher officers of the company, by voluntarily offering to reduce his salary from 2,0001. to 1,5001. per annum. Major COURT pointed out that the surplus of the past half-year's income only amounted to 21,0001. since the amount mentioned in the report included the balance of the previous half•year. He proposed that they should amalgamate with the South Wales Company in terms to be agreed upon. Mr. LAWRANCE complained of the silence of the directors on the subject of a recommendation contained in the report of the committee, that the law expenses should be reduced, and the bills of their solicitors, both past and present, should be taxed. The CHAIRMAN said the bills since 1845 were now undergoing taxation. Mr. LAWRANCE said he understood one of the soli citors was a defaulter to the company, and he should bo glad to know what the amount of defalcation was? The CHAIRMAN replied between 45,0001. and 46,0001., which was paid to the party from time to time for the purcha2e of land, but arrangements had been made with the partners of the dcf tulter which might reduce the amount, although the liability of the partners was a question entirely of law. They were in hopes no loss would result to the company. Mr. JOHNSON asked what lines they were likely to open this year? - The Ciatamax said the directors expected to open the Wilti line to Frome and the Oxford line to Banbury, one a distance of twenty-four and the other a distance of twenty-five miles. Mr. HEMMING wished to know what money was paid as law expenses for 1845. The CIIAIRXAN could not say, but a proprietor in formed him that the amount was 154,4661. Mr. SMITH said some time ago the cost cf works and liabilities were estimated at 15,500,000/., and now it ap peared that they were 17,292,000/. How did the dif• ference arise? Mr. WITHERS, one of the committee, said the amount included the whole of their subscriptions to other lines, amounting to upwards of 1,800,0001. The estimate had been taken at the extreme figure, but on certain con tingenciPs it would Le greatly reduced. The estimate certainly could not be exceeded, but most likely would b 3 reduced. Mr. GonE, of Bath, did not think the company was in a position to divide 41. per cent. In about twelve m )nths the capital upon which they would have to di vide would be increased 2,000,000/., and he very much questioned the prudnce of dividing so much as 41. per cent. Now they would have shortly to go into the market to raise 9,000,0004 and if they depreciated the value of their property by dividing the profits to the maximum exteet, they would inevitably suffer from the increased iLterest they would have to pay for money. He sug 7.ested, therefore, that they should divide 31. instead of 41. per cent. Sir. WITHERS contended that this company was in the fortunate position of being able to offer every secu rity for any money it might have to barrow, even at the rate of 51. per cent. They had yet to open 100 miles of additional line, besides their subscriptions to other companies; and as they were in a position to give not only security to the bondholders, but to carry a lar,ze balance to the credit of the shareholders, he saw no difficulty in the way of dividing 41. per cent. Mr. HEMMING wished to know if any movement was going on to bring about a reduction of railway rating. Tile CHAIRMAN said a committee was aitdng upon the subject, and they hoped to introduce a Bill into Par liament to amend the law of rating in the course of the present session. Mr. JONES attributed the depression of their shares to the heavy guarantee they had given to the South Wales Company, and had no hope of restoring the prosperity of the line units* there was an entire refor mation in its government. One director was a director in five other companies, another in three, and art? Vier in nine; while, by a return he held in his hand, he saw that one director had subscribed 135,0001. to wards other lines disconnected with this, another 115,0001.. and another 504,000/. The CHAIRMAN said they had subscribed to other lines and become directors under Act of Parliament, as the representatives of the Great Western. Af,er some further discussion the motion flr the adop tion of the report was agreed to, the report of the com mitt-e of investigation adopted, the dividend declared payable on an early day, and the retiring directors re elected. This closed the business of the general meeting. The shareholders then resol.red themselves into a special meeting, and, on the motion of the chairman, agreed to resolutions in accordance with the recommen &aims contained in the report, not, however, until after considerable discussion. A committee was &so appointed to conf.r with the com mittees of other companies on the subject of an Audit Bill. The report of the committee of investigation was also fully discussed, and thanks voted to the various members of the committee, as well as to the chairman and directors. The meeting then broke up after a protracted sitting. BUCKINGHAMSHIRE RAILWAY The half-yearly ordinary meeting of this company was held yesterday, in the Euston btation; Sir Harry Verney, chairman of the board cf directors, in the chair. The secretary, Mr. E. W ATKIN . proceeded to read the report and balance-sheet, which were afterwards adopted and approved of. Oa the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded by a Di aEcTon, Major-General Mclnnes and Mr. Carter were re-appointed auditors cf the company. • Mr. CAPRON moved that a committee of the share holders should be appointed to confer with the commit tee of the London and North-Western Railway en the subject of establishing a railway audit independent of Government, which was carried unanimously. The meeting was then made special to consider the drsfr, of a Bill propose] t) be introduced into the next session, to enable th• company to make an alteration in the lino at Oxford. The Sec retary read the draft of the Bill, which, after a few remarks, was approved by a motion of the meeting pro posed by the Chairman and seconded by Mr. Mangles, M.P. The meeting then terminated with a vote of thanks to he Chairman. -- SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.—Two important noti ticatious were made from the chair (occupied by Mr. Bruce, the treasurer) last night. The one had reference to the Lismore crosier, the property of the Duke of Devonshire, to the exhibition of which his Grace has kindly consented on Thursday, the 21st inst. It is a moot remarkable relic, for although several ancient cro siers are known, we believe that not one has ever been produced possessing such high claims on the score of its age and workmanship; it is of bronze with two in ecriptions in the Irish language, which were certainly not placed upon it later than from A.D. 1110 to 1120. It is very possible that the crosier itself is even older. The other announcement was that Major Rawlin ton would be present on the same evening, and had promised Lord Mahon (the president of the society, echo will fill the chair on the occasion) to bring with him another series of his Assyrian discoveries and antiquities. The election of Mr. Ticknor, the author of the just published history of Spanish litera ture, was unavoidably postponed until next week, when the president, who proposed him (seconded by Mr. Hal lam, and some other members of the counoil), will be in his place. The principal business of the evening was the reading of a letter from Mr. Roach Smith, with written illustrative notes by Sir Henry Dryden, Bart., on the discoveries made by the latter of very interesting remains in certain barrows and tumuli, near Marston Hill, Northamptonshire. They belonged to what is called the transition period, and perhaps the most re markable point connected with them was the finding of a skeleton of a horse, and his Anglo-Saxon caparisons, buried near the body of his rider. The bit, buckles, &c., were all preserved, and drawings of nearly the whole of the discoveries were sent by Sir U. Dryden and exhi bited in.ehe room. They were unusally interesting. EQUALIZATION OF THE LAND-TAX.—Yesterday, at ten o'clock, a meeting of the inhabitants of the parish of St. Paul, Covent-garden, was held in the vestry-room of that parish fur the purpose of considering the pro priety of petitioning Parliament for an equalization of the unredeemed land-tax in England and Wales, and taking such other steps as might be deemed expedient with reference thereto. The Rev. B. Hutton, M.A., rector of the parish, occupied the chair. Resolutions were carried to the effect, " That the present mode of assessing and'collectime the land-tax by fixed quotas in stead of an equal pound rate is unequal and unjust, op pressive in some districts, and inconsiderable in others; and that to continue the present power of redemption under such unequal assessments is unfair to the places highly taxed, and wasteful to the public resources, with out any corresponding benefit to the country;" " that the levying of an equal sixpenny rate on the property liable to the tax would realise 1,250,0001., and prove a far more equitable mode of raising the impost, while it would have the additional advantage of increasing the revenue." A petition founded on the foregoing resolu tions was then unanimously adopted, which it was agreed should be presented to the House of Commons by one of the Members for the city of Westminster. A deputation was also appointed to wait upon the officers of the other parishes of Westminster, and impress on their minds the p w r h o i p e r h i e t t h y e o v f estry adoptingh had measures view. en tered thevrioenteoediinngoardneercetossda:.y efftheecteaxnpeenctsuessiiiziidonenotfalthteo land-tax. Up war d s of afOratt.oYwere collected in the vestry before the meeting broko up. PARTY PROCESSIONS IN IRELAND. --The Bill to restrain party processions in Ireland has been printed. The first section renders it an act of misdemeanour to join any assembly of persons in Ireland who are bear ing weapons, banners, &c., or accompanied by persons playing music, calculated to provoke animosity between different c'assei of her Majesty's subjects. Persons re ruto disperse after duo notice may b e apprehened an s ti llg summarily proceeded against. On conviction they are to be fined 51, or imprisoned for one calendar month. The fine or term of imprisonment is doubled for any second offonc-. It is provided by the fourth section that no person thus summarily proceeded against can after wards be indicted for misdemeanour for being present at the tame unlawful assembly. There are dates fom Pernambuco to the Ith Jantury. They do not contain any political news of importance. Exchange was 27: 4 1 d. In other respact s nothing was reported, IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 14. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the Woolsack at Five o'clock. The Esrl of HARROWBY presented a petition against Sunday trading. The Earl of CLARE presented a petition from some union in Ireland, praying for aid to discharge their liabilities. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY presented a pe tition from s , me place in Durham, praying for a better observance of the Sabbath. ABUSES ON BOARD EMIGRANT SHIPS. The Earl of MOUNTCASHEL gave notice that to morrow he would put a question to the Government re lative to the statements which had appeared in the morn ing papers as to certain gross abuses alleged to have occurred on board the barque Indian, an emigrant ship, on her voyage to South Australia. DOLLY'S BRAE. _ _ _ The Marquis of LONDONDERRY also wished to put a question to the Noble Lord on the subject of the motion of which he had given no tice re3peet'ng the Dolly's Brae affair. No dis cussion in the House would be productive of good, it would only be calculated to keep up a feelinz of hitter hostility in Ireland, more especially when brought forward by a great party leader in that House. If the Noble Lord had any practical object in view, such as moving a vote of censure on the Govern ment, it might be feasible to bring it forward. but if he had no practical object in view, ho (the Marquis of Londonderry) deprecated the discussion of the subject. The thing had gone by, and the proposed discussion could only produce bad feeling, more especially as there had been an agitation set on foot in that country for the reduction of rent. He thought it would be better that the Noble Lord should withdraw his motion. Lord STANLEY had understood that the Noble Marquis had intendel to put a question, but he was at a loss to discover what the question was which the Noble Marquis intendei to put. He should in his speech con fine himself to the consideration of a great constitutional question, without at all alluding to the Noble Marquis, or to his tenants on the subject of rent. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY explained. IRISH POOR -LAW UNION. The Earl of LUCAN rose to move for a nominal re turn of the poor-law unions in Ireland, where the affairs have been administered by paid guardians, and stating the periods of such administration; also, return of the amount of the debts, claims, and liabilities against each of th ese unions, when the administration by paid guardians commenced and terminated. Unless some arrangement were made for the payment of the debts contracted by paid guardians in the distressed parishes in Ireland, the relief cf the poor would become impossible. It would be most unfair to impose upon the elected guardians the payment of the debts contracted by paid guardians, and he hoped the Noble Marquis would give him an assurance that such should not be the case. He hoped that he might be enabled to induce her Majesty's Government to give their nttention to the system of vice-guardians in Ireland. No system could have worked in a worse monier; it enabled three com missioners to:send out two vice guardians to any union to levy rates, without the consent of any elected guardians, to any amoust. It was a system of tyranny, and of profusion, and of abuse. There was more extravagance and jobbing under it than under that of the elective guardians, while in four instances that he was acquainted with the destitution had not decreased to the same ex tent as under the other. The Noble Earl then com plaineu that Parliament had now been sitting fourteen days without any discussion having taken place upon the estreme destitution of Ireland, and as yet he perceived nu reason whatever for thinking that the Government had any measure in contemplation upon the subjest.— (Hear, bear.) He said, and he would defy contradic tion, that there never was a period in the history of Ire land—he might almost say in the history of any coun try in the world—in which more misery, more universal poverty, more destitution, or more suffering had been experienced than was endured in that unhappy pro vince with which he was connected.—(Hear.) There was scarcely a magistrate upon the bench who mignt be said to be in independent circumstances. In point of property there were few persons who were compe-. tent to servo as jurors. And he knew consider able breadths of land in that province which would not support a four-footed animal, and which lay quite barren and waste. Was there any cause for congratula tion in this? Was there any cause for hope? In such a state of things, could they see any encouragement to persons to embark their capital in the improvement of the lands of Ireland? He did not wish to enter into a free-trade debate upon that occasion; but he could not help saying it was clear to him that, so far as the west of Ireland was concerned, with free-trade there could be no prospect of improvement.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Earl then alluded to the administration of the poor-law in Ireland. He assured the House that where there had been a disposition evinced to obstruct the carrying out of the law, it was not by the magistrates; and he was understood to suggest that where a board of guardians showed any inclination to rebel —that was, not to conform to the law—they should be superseded by two vice guardiaas, and two magistrates elected by their brother magistrates. It was also necessary that the area of taxation should be altered. At present it was in most instances too large, and had been so admitted by the Commissioners, but they had never acted upon their own reports. The Noble Earl then proposed his motion. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said be had paid considerable attention to what the Noble Earl had said,, and had no objection to the production of the papers he had moved for, but the rapers which would elucidate the whole state of the poor-law as it was now administered in Ireland would in a few (lays be laid before the House, a id the Noble Earl would therefore agree with him, that this was not the moment, in the absence of the details, to give consideration to the subject. He should, therefore, content himself by saying that he was far from disagree ing with the Noble Earl in some of the observations he had made; but he could not concur with him in what he considered so unusual and exceptional a course as that of administering the law in the manner he had suggested. He would not go the length of saying that the returns would be perfectly satisfactory to their Lordships, but this he would say, that they would bo satisfactory as exhibiting throughout Ireland an immense diminution of out-door relief. They were sufficient to enable him to form a conclusion by which it appeared that the expense of administering the poor-law in Ireland, brought down to the month of Ja nuary, had diminished considerably more than one-third —he believed in the proportion of 170,000 L to 100,0001. That this was the case was very mainly owing. so far as concerned the district with which the Noble Earl was connected, to the great, persevering, and most laudable exertions of the Noble Earl himself. He would now suggest to the Noble Earl that he should alter the terms of his motion so as to include the papers which he pro posed to lay before the House. The motion having been altered accordingly was then put and agreed to. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid upon the table a copy of the Commission to inquire into the state of Smithfield-market, and other papers, by command of her Majesty, and Their Lordships a3journed. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 14. The SPEAKER took the Chair a few minutes before Four o'clock. BRIGHTON PAVILION BILL. a petition from the inhabitants tan ß. ts of Brighton , n p u r m es e e r n o t u e s d ly signed, in favour of the Brighton Pavilion Bill. ABERDEEN RAILWAY BILL. Captain FORDYCE moved that it be an instruction to the Committee t 9 which the Aberdeen Railway Bill dividing the Bill i n t o may be referred, that they have leave t o di v id e the said Bill into two Bills, if they shall think fit. Mr. EDWARD eE objfeocrtedi to the motion o n the grou n d two Bills would entail unnecessary and g r i evous expense t that the propos i tion on the inhabitants. Captain FORDYCE agreed to withdra w. hi s mot i on, not having anticipated any opposition to it. Eri Li PRIVATE BILLS. o The following Bills were read a second ti me and or dered to be committed:— ImprovementßraignhdtGonrounds,and Am e ndment (Purchase of existing A c t s ) Bill. Royal Pavillion Liverpool Docks Bill. On the motion of Mr. COWAN the second reading of the Glasgow, Airdrie, and Monklands Juncti on Railway and Glasgow College Lands Bill was postponed until after Easter. SUNDAY LABOUR IN THE POST-OFFICE. Sir JAMES DUKE presented a petition from a place in Kincardineshire praying for a cessation of Sunday labour in the Post-office; also a petition from a person named James, employed in the Post-office, to the same effect, and suggesting some improvements in that estab lishment; also a petition from a person named Samuel Gordon, of Dublin, praying that the House would invest a portion of the national capital in the Irish Encumbered Estates Commission. ATTORNEYS' CERTIFICATE DUTY. An HON. MEMBER presented a petition from Arundel praying for a remission of the stamp duty on attorneys' certificates. SUNDAY LABOUR IN THE POST-OFFICE. Mr. EWART presented ; pet i t i ons from Li c hfi e l d, Reading, Yar mou th , and other places, praying for a cessation of Sunday labour in the Post-office. Mr. COWAN presented similar petitions from Perth and several places in Edinburghshire. Mr. PLUMPTRE presented a similar petition from Ramsgate. Mr. E. B. DENISON presented several petitions from places in the West Riding of Yorkshire to the same effect. COUNTY COURTS. Colonel SIBTHORP presented a petition from Lin coln praying for an extension of the jurisdiction of Comity Courts. ADVERTISEMENT DUTY. Mr. MILNER GIBSON presented a petition from Mr. Joseph Alfred Novell°, the publisher of the Musical Times, complaining of the advertisement duty. COUNTY FINANCIAL BOARDS. Mr. BROTHERTON presented petitions from places in Lancashire praying for the establishment of county financial boards. Colonel THOMPSON also presented petitions to the same effect from certain other places in Lancashire. SUNDAY LABOUR IN THE POST-OFPICE. Sir EDWARD BUXTON presented a petition from a place in Suffolk, praying for a cessation. of Sunday labour in the Post-office. Mr. HENLEY presented a petition from a place in Oxfordshire to the same effect. NATIONAL LAND SOCIETY. Mr. HENLEY presented a petition from a place in Oxfordshire, praying the Hottie to institute inquiries int) a society called the National Land Society, and to i adjust the affairs of that society in the best manner which the "ben might thick fit. FRIDAY EVENING, SUNDAY LABOUR. Mr. PORTAL and Mr. FORBES presented petitions agaiust the trans•nission of letters on Sunday. ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION. Mr. lIORSMAN gave notice that on — Wl; day fort night he should move fJr a Committee to inquire into the circumstances relating to the dismissal of the late Secretary to the Ecclesiastical Commission. TENURE OF LAND (IRELAND) BILL. Mr. SADLEIR gave notice that on this day fort night he should move for a Committee to inquire into the grievances connected with the present tenure of land in Ireland. Mr. HUME gave notice that he should postpone the motion which staod in his name on the paper until this day fortnight. COPYHOLDS. Mr. AGLIONBY gave notice that on this day fort night he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to effect the compulsory enfranchisement of copyholds. EVICTIONS IN IRELAND. Mr. P. SCROPE gave notice that to-morrow he would put a question to the Secretary for Ireland relative to the inquests which had been held in the poor-law unions in the west of Ireland, and in which verdicts of dealt from want had been recorded. THE OFFICE OF LORD-LIEUTENANT IN IRELAND. Mr. HUME postponed his motion for an ad dress to her Majesty, praying her Ma jesty to inquire into the expediency of maintaining the office of Lord-Lieutenant in Ireland. SEWERS. Mr. lIITME moved for a return showing the financial state of each district of sewers within the present juris diction; the amount of rates that were uncollected; the amount of balance in hand (if any), also debts and lia bilities (if sny) on each district, at the time they were superseded by the Act 11 and 12 Vic., c. 112, intituled the " Metropolitan Sewers Act:" and, account of all rates made since that period; showing the rental, the amount of rate, and at what rate; also, the amount received from rates, contributions, and other sources, and how the same has been expended, under distinct and separate heads of works, establishment, contingent expense s , & c ., up to the 31st day of December 1849, stating the titles of the several Acts of Parliament under which the Com. missioners act.—A creed to. GUARDS OF HONOUR AND ESCORTS. Major BLACKALL moved for returns of the names of all officers serving in Ireland during the late visit of her Majesty to that country, who were employed either in tiring salut-s or upon guards of honour and escorts in attendance upen her Majesty, their rank, period of ser vice in each rank respectively; distinguishing the number of years employed on home or foreign service, awl the number of years upon full or half-pay; and of the names of all officers who received promotion by brevet on the occasion of her Majesty's late visit to Ireland, their rank, period of rervice in each rank respectively, dis tinguishing the number of years employed on home or foreign service, and the number of years upon full and half-pay.—Agreed to. ARMY PENSIONERS. Lord DUNCAN presented a petition from out-pen sioners of Chelsea Hospital, residing at Bath, praying that the deductions which hal been made in their pay, owing to the Bill passel by the Secretary at War in 1847, might be returned to them. COURTS OF LAW AND EQUITY. Mr. HENLEY asked the Hon. Memner for Kilmar nock whether it was his intention to move this session for a renewal of the Committee on courts of law and equity. Mr. BOUVERIE said it was not his present intention to more for that Committee, but he thought it desirable that it should be re-appointed. ECCLESIASTICAL REVENUES. Mr. SPOONER asked the Secretary for the Home Department when the evidence taken on ecclesiatical revenues would be laid on the table of the House. Sir G. GREY said he had only just got the report, which had been laid upon the table, and he would make inquiry about the evidence. KILRUSH UNION. Mr: MONSELL begged to ask the Secretary for Ireland a question respecting the Kilrush Union. He had received accounts from Kilrush, stating that the number of deaths in November, 1849, was fifteen, and in the month of February the number had increased to 150. He begged to ask whe ther out-door relief was stopped at two separate Farts of the union, and whether the accounts of the deaths iu the union to which he had referred were correct? Sir WM. SOMERVILLE thought his Honourable Friend could best obtain the information he wanted by asking for papers. He (Sir William Somerville) thought it best to give no srecific answers to his Honourable Friend's questions, lest those answers might not prove correct. The situation of the unfor tunate union of Kilrush was notorious. It was un doubtedly true, that the mortality in the union had greatly increased within the last few weeks ; but such an occurrence was not an unusual one, and it would be impossible fur him to say to what that increase in the deaths was owing. POOR-LAW RETURNS. Mr. DISRAELI gave notice that to-morrow he should ask a question of the President of the Poor-law Board as to when the returns would be made. WALTHAM FOREST. In answer to a question from Lord DUNCAN, Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he had just received a letter by which he was informed that the report of the Commissioners of the Waltham Forest would be in the hands of the Lords of the Treasury. MEDICAL OFFICERS —ORDER OF THE BATH. Sir DE LACY EVANS rose to ask the First Lord of the Treasury the result of the consideration of Go vornmer,t, promised during last session, respecting the conferring of the Military class of the Order of the Bath on medical officers, who may have been present, and proved deserving in important naval and military ac tions ? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that the question had been for some time under the consideration of the Com mander-in-Chief, and he had made up his mind on the subject ; but it was necessary that his recommendations should be reconsidered by the Governmeat Wore they were published. ELECTORAL DIVISIONS (IRELAND). In answer to a question from Mr. HERBERT, Sir WM. SONIERVILLE said that there certainly were causes which rendered it necessary that there should be some delay in the formation of some of the electoral divisions in Ireland. PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS. Mr. E WART then moved for leave to bring in a Bill fir enabling town-councils to establish public libraries and museums. No country, he said, was so inadequately provided with public libraries as our own, and in this assertion he was supported by the unanimous resolution of the Select Committee which was appointed last year, every Member cf which agreed in the propriety of the motion he was about to submit to fee House. London was the only groat capital in Europe which had not the advantage cf public libraries, and this eircurns'aece had been complained of as long ago as the days of Gibbon. Since then the British Museum had been established, which certainly had conferred great advantages upon the people, both in the metropolis and the country, but still London was deficient in those sources of informa tion and instruction which were given to the people by means of public libraries in the capitals of Pais, Dresden, and Florence. On the continent the rule of aecessibility to these institutions was universal, and all who had travelled through continental cities knew that they could resort to them unquestioned and with perfect ease. Our chief manufacturing towns, such as Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Sheffield, were in the same unfortunate condition, and for the want of the luxury of public libraries, to which all could resort, the literature of this country bad greatly suffered. If the people were supplied with public libraries they might depend upon the people educating themselveo. He was ashamed, and yet happy, to say that America had made far greater progress than we had done, for every state had a public library which was sup ported by the state, and was easily accessible. His Hon. Friend, the Member for Manchester, when he brought forward his motion on the subject, woald enunciate the advantages which resulted to the United States from their liberation of the taxes upon knowledge, and the immense advantages which the Americans enjoyed through having a ready access to public libraries. For these reasons he was instructed by the Committee to take the liberty of introducing this Bill to the consideration of the House, and the House had a right, therefore, to expect feom him an explicit statement of its provisions. A few years ago he and. his Honourable Friend tho Member fur Pon tefract, at the request of a considerable num ber of persons, introduced a Bill enabling town councils to establish museums, which was carried under Sir Robert Peel's Administration, and hal since given considerable satisfaction. Now he thought it better that that Bill should be consolidated with this (the lis braries) Bill, thus enabling town councils to establish libraries and museums together. In point of fact, he proposed to begin, as it were, de novo. The Museum Bill empowered town councils to raise a rate not exceed, ing a halfpenny in the pound, which should be ipplied to establishing museums, and in this Bill he adopted that provision. In the next place, it enabled town councils to purchase land for libraries and museums, and vested tho property of such buildings in themselves. The kfu seums Bill restricted the power of establishing museums to towns and boroughs whose in habitants exceeded 10,000, but the committee thought it better to throw the power open to all towns ; and ac cordingly the Bill did so. In the next place the Museums Bill enabled torn Councils to levy Id. upon each person who was admitted to the museum; but as that provision acted as an impediment to the carrying out of the plan, it was proposed by this Bill to repeal it ; and and allow the public to be admitted gratuitously both to the museum and the library, The , . was strictly the nature of the Bill he had ncre the honour of laying be fore the House. It did not g i ve town councils any power of purchasing books, because it was thought bet ter to leave the books to be supplied by donations and such like means. He might be asked who the people were the Bill professed to benefit? Well, and a very r.eoper question that would be. His answer to it wa.; simply this, namely, the 13i11 has been anticipated b y many towns. In some places they had anticipated the law, and established libraries as well as mu seums. In Warrington a public library bad been established for some time, and he was told that it had succeded exceedingly well. He held in his hand the last report of the managing conimiCe^, which represented it to be in a very fliurishing condition. Then, again, last year a similar institution was established in Salford, and although it had not - neon in operation six months it contained upwards cf 5 , 0 00 volumes, which had been presented to it,while from Birmingham and Sheffield de pwations had ben sent up to r sit uport Govarnwnt. and urge them to lupp:nt th, IT, Ireland it was also desire;', and if he had time he could multiply in stances where attempts had been made to anticipate this measure, but he felt he bad Adjd enough to la% - FEBRUARY 15, 1850 duce the House to allow him to introduce it. If he should have the satisfaction of carrying this mea sure he could assure the House that in sanctioning it they would receive the gratitude of the great body of the people. It was the object of the Bill that the insti tutions which it sought to establish, popular as they wore in their object, should be popular in their origin— that they might be founded by the people, sustained by the people, and enjoyed by the people. With these ob servations, he begged to move for knee to bring in a Bill to enable town councils to establish public libraries and museums.—(Cheers.) Mr. BROTHERTON seconded the motion. Leave was then given to bring in the Bill. MINISTERS' MONEY IN IRELAND. Mr. WILLIAM FAGAN presented a petition nu merously signed from Cork against ministers. money. The Hoer. GENTLEMAN then rose to move for a Com mittee of the whole House, to take into consideration the law relating to the rate or tax called " ministers' money." in Ireland, with the view to the repeal of so much thereof as relates to the said rate or tax; and fur ther to take into consideration the Act 3 and 4 Will. IV., c. 114, called " The Church Temporalities Act," for the purpose of amending the same so as to provide thereby a substitute out of the revenues of the Ecclesi astical Commissioners as a provision for the Protes tant ministers in certain corporate towns in Ire land, in lieu of the annual sums now re ceived by thorn, under and by virtue of the Act 17 and 18 Charles 11., cap. 7. The Honourable Member stated as a reason for his motion, that the vex called ministers' money pressed with great severity upon the poorer classes of the Roman Catholic popula tion in the large towns of Ireland, particu larly in Dublin, Cork, Clonmel, Kinsale, and Water ford, and led to lamentable and endless sectarian rancour among the Irish people. Ho thought that the least that the Catholic population of those towns could ask from the Government was, that they should be freed from this odious impost. Last year he bad endeavoured to show that a substitute could be easily provided from the funds of the Ecclesiastical Corn mission.On that occasion the Right Hon. Baronet the Home Secretary had moved the previous quo tion, which he took as a proof that he (the Right Hon. Baronet) ac knowledged the justice of his sentiments. In a private interview which he had had with the Right Hon. Baronet, he had understood him to be favourable to his project; and in addition to this, he argued from the late visit of her Majesty to Ireland that the Government were desir ous of relieving the known grievances of that country. It was in this stage of the question, that he (Mr. Fogel) came forward to provide a substitute for this tax. On the death of the principal bishops the income of the Ecclesiastical Commission in Ireland would be increased by the sum of 13,5004, making a total income of 300,0001., and he submitted that it would be of advantage to the Commission to encourage the purchase of perpetuities, and in other ways to relieve the people of this impost He proposed that the sale of perpetuities should be ap plied as income till the revenue of the Ecclesiastical Com mision should be increased. Ho had prepared a Bill, if the House would allow him to bring it in, to meet the dif ficulty of the case, which measure he thought, with the advance of 30,0001, would obviate every difficulty. There was no such thing as ministers' money in Eng land, and ho did not see why the Catholics of Ireland should be burthened with it. He deprecated the neces sity of their corning there year after year to put an end to so miserable a tax of 15,000/. a year, while the Protestant Church were in possession of almost all the best lands of Ireland. The Hon. and Learned Member concluded by moving the resolution of which he had given notice. The motion having been seconded, and the question put, Sir G. GREY said that the Hon. Gentleman had brought forward his statement that night in the s tine spirit of moderation and fairness as that which had marked his speech of last session, and he had nothing whatever to complain of in the manner in which he had argued his motion. Ile regretted, however, that the circumstances being identically what they were when he brought the question forward before, he was compelled to lake the same course, and to move the previous ques tion. The Hon. Gentleman had stated that which he admitted was much to be deplored, that the incomes of some of the clergy in certain towns in Ireland, under the Act of Charles 11., were dependent on the ministers' money, which was regarded as an obnoxious tax by those who had to pay it. It appeared before the Com mittee, the report of which the Hos. Gentleman had referred to, that the comduct cf those clergymen in fore going their claire rather than incur the odium to their religion and hazard their amicable position with their parishioners had been highly commendable ; hut he thought that when his Honourable Friend referred to this Committee, he did not distinctly state what the recommendation of that Committee was. The Committee, adverting to similar pro positions for providing a substitute, stated that the ministers' money could not be abolished withouVa substitute being provided, and without the Honoural;lo Gentleman concurred. The Committee went On to say that having instituted an inquiry into the fends of the Ecclesiastical Commission, they had received every fa cility from Sir Henry Meredith, &c., by whom they had been furnished with documents which were appended to the report, and the Committee came to the conclusion, that there wire net sufficient funds to be applied as a substitute for ministers' money, but that the income of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners was adequate to the actual expenditure ; and that as a large increase would hereafter take place in the funds of tho Eccle siastical Commissioners, in this state of things the Committee thought it right that the augmentation of the funds might be rendered applicable to ministers' money when that augmentation should arise. They thought that the substitute might apply, and that there was no doubt that this obnoxious impost would be abolished. There had been a suggestion, he believed, thrown out by some witnesses, that thi s harge should be thrown on some Government fund, say the Consoli dated Fund.—(A. laugh.) He thought it desirable that some substitute should be found, but there did not ex let at present any funds available to those purposes ; therefore ho was compelled to move the previous question. The previous question having been put, Mr. M. POWER said this tax was a most obnoxious one, because it fell exclusively on the poorer Roman Catholic artisans, and the money was often obtained by there sure of their goods, and even their clothed, and the' very pots in which they boiled their Indian meal were subject to the rapacity of the emissaries of the clergy. They were told the difficulty of removing this tax was the finding a substitute; but he thought that his Hon. Friend had pointed out clearly what the substitute ought to be. He asked the House, whether it was not a gross mockery that this abuse should be allowed to con tinue, and that the richest church in the world should be unable to provide for the poorer clergy in certain towns who were thrown upon this fund? Let justice be done to Ireland in this and all other cases of real grievance. Mr. HUME—The Right Hon. Baronet had said that this question came before the House under similar cir cumstances to those of last session. But he begged to remind the Right Hon. Gentleman that since that time her Majesty had been to Ireland, and had been pleased to declare her desire to remove all grounds of complaint in Ireland. But here was a payment which was un equally assessed in a few towns, and which fell upon Roman Catholics only. Church cess had been done away with in that House, and this tax should be dealt with in the same way. He protested against this im post, more especially as a similar impost was levied in Edinburgh, and in the town which he represented. This ministers' money bore the stamp of oppression upon it. Mr. MONSELL said it was not his object to discuss the question of the Irish Church, but to refute an ob servation of his Right Hon. Friend the Home Secre tary. His Right lion. Friend admitted the grievance complained of and refused to redress it. In many eases of turnpike Bills, or other matters of le.aer import ance, that might be a good argument; but where a large number of people wore interested, he could not think that was a sufficient answer to that House. He would read to the House an answer given by the Lord Bishop of Limerick. His Right Rev. Friend was, he believed, looked up to by everybody in his diocese, and he, after stating what the grievance was, and after stating the means by which it ought to be removed, by taking a sufficient sum out of the funds of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, continued:—" But:to this it may be re plied, that for many years they would cut off the means to build new churches. His answer was that it was only the choice of evils, and th a t o f th e t wo courses it was most important to provide for the pro per wants of the clergy." Th en h e h a d the opi nion of the Bishop of Down also, who stated that almost all the payers of th e t ax were R oman Catholics. And it would be remembered by any one who attended before the Committee, that so unjust was the system of valuation that a poor person whose house was valued at GO!. some years since, though it had since fallen to the value of 261, paid the same amount of ministers' money as Messrs. Beamish's property, which was valued to the poor -rate at 2,300/. Another clergyman said that to en forae his right m us t i nterrupt t h e h armony w hi c h ex isted between himself and his parishioners. That cler gyman observed that he was aware that many clergymen could net make thi s sacr ifi ce , as i n so me cases the whole of their income was derived from this source. There fore these clergymen did not agree with the Government its to the removal of so unjust and obnoxious a tax. lie concluded by simply raying that if the Government ex pected the pe o pl e o f I re l an d t o entertain those feelings of affection which he earnestly wished they should, the Government w ou ld t a k e the earliest opportunity of re - Moving an impost which he believed no other people in tho world w ou ld b ear , and whicflj while it continued, would create feelings of disaffection. Mr. NAPIER thought that the nature and character of this tax was much misunderstood. It was not per sonally a tax on Roman Catholic occupiers , , It was continued on the settlement of -property in the tine of Charles IL, and it was a very different charge from 'a . :at was generally supposed. He admitted there was much inconvenience in the collection of the money. He ad mitted that in many cases the clergy had forbore their rights, rather than hazard any disagreement with their parishioners. But the fact was, that this money was originally put on corporate towns in Ireland at the time when they were exclusively Protestant, and by an Act of Charles 11. the whole property was remodelled, and the course taken was this:—People who had been dis- possessed of property in the towns got property allotted them outside of the towns, and the corporate towns were inhabited by English .ettlers. The Crown had then the whole fee uf the propcnty, no one had any right in it but Charles II.; aid having invited English settlers to these towns, he then provided that thole shou!il be a charge on the house for the purpose of supporting certain of the clergy. And so far from thos who rPc‘qvcd money ever preaching dwtrines were would apptAil ti both Itomen aLd Protestants whether there cold.' be a more dil gent, usc ful, or benevolent body of men to be found in any part of Ireland. The charge being Oa the owners of houses, on whom else could they put it ? No substitute for the ministers' money bad ever been proposed by anybody , though the question bad been discussed year after year: His Honourable Colleague and himself, in Committee, had agreed to exempt small tenements from the impost ; but as to the re mova l o f th e t ax , there havin Leon n o sav g stitute named, be was confident that no man with sense of justice would do this. A Right Rev. Prelate ha regretted that there shOuld be another Parliament ar y. confederacy on f oo t aga i nst t h e Ch urc h o f Ireland, a na observed that they who knew the effect of the sad tithe war of 1832 should be cautious how they proceeded in such a course. The m i n i s t ers ' mone y was for provided in the Church T em p ora li t i es A ct , when Mr. O'Conne ll was in the House. H o was w illi ng to remove anY In convenience in the mode o f collecting f o r small tent ments, but ho hoped th a t th e H ouse wo uld not assent o the views of any Hon. G en tl eman w h o so ught to dep rive these reverend gentlem e n o f th e i r ves t e d rights. he Mr. KEOGH said it o ccurre d t o hi m that thoug h Hon. and Learned G en tl eman w h o h a d jot sat do wn, and those who a c t e d w ith hi m , declared their aex iet Y,„ t e remove an inconvenience, still these was always ah special objection made—this Ness not the modo in ViUl b e is it ought to be done, cr no substitute was supplied for t s tax. He thought th a t every body must agree that it w 4:.: incumbent on th e G over nment, when a g rievanoa h 7 admitted, where P ro t es t an t s as we ll as Roman C 4t lies were aggrieved, to find a substitute. It c onld n r rest with an independent M em b er to d o this. Put them e was something suspicious as t o t h e w illi n gness of 50 r d gentlemen to remove this odious tax, because he b oa t the Hon. and Leareel G en tl eman con f oun d the rein° toe of the minist e r s ' mone y w i t h an ant i- t i t h e war. If t ie Hon. end Learned G en tl eman : was anx i ou s to rem ° O / the burden, why sh ou ld h e deprecate the agita tion the subject? This ev il was complained of, not by 11 ° °3 0 Catholics, but by Prot estan t s a l so . E ver y elergYT s gave his testimony in f avour o f t h e remova l of the; post. The Hon. and L earne d G en tl eman said tha" ili en- a the origin of the tax, th e owners o f h ouse propextY w- 60 all Protestants. Perhaps he would say they -were now. He did trust that the House would enforce or ° the Government the necessity of removing this inil )° , s „ t l. o Mr. COWAN was gl a d to hear the obnoxious TA"' t; of the tax was admit•ed by her Majesty's GOTerlllrlePch and he was much disappointed, after the expectations Wili de had been held out, that so little progress bad been f e a s ra in respect to the carrying out this question. Tw ° to ago a commission had been appointed to proceed b . Edinburgh to inquire into the annuity tax of Edinburgh. A. report bad bean given in about a year ago , °l e a d d had frequently put questions to the Noble r a on the subject, but had never obtained a ani tis '` l l3 -- tory reply. If that House wished to secure thy c a t; Hence and respect of the people of Scotland, t i. "4 l should proceed to inquire into the circumstances I " re were so grievous to the people of Edinburgh 13 ,; 0 s ticularly. What the remedy should be he Was prepared to say. tied Colonel RAWDON said the Ho noura bl e and LW - a ,. Gentleman the Memb e r fo r D u bli n U n i vers ity bad , tied the House to the r ea l ms o f an ti qu i ty t o prove' b i d this ettx had originates. But he begged to ask wha'ls - to the tax now? The House would show it was dee. o t the claims of justic e if it rema i ne d d ea f to this Ile jet demand for the abolition of this . odious impost. s, could not refrain from cluing on this occasion as h° ,li.. done on former o ccas i ons — name l y , vot i ng f or the so ° tion of this tax. ad The gallery was then cleared for a division, ! li the House divided on th e p rev i ous quest i on , 46 ThaV l question be now put." The numbers were— Ayes Noes 76 ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• 96 Majority ••• ••• ••• - 20 ut° Consequently the motion o f M r . F agan wa s no t s e n TRANSPORTATION. Bil l Mr. ADDERLEY moved for leave to bring in s S sfs es repealing part of th e A ct o f G eo . IV . which esoPe„—se her Majesty, with the advice of her Privy Council' the appoitit any places in h er M a j esty ' s d om i n i on s for o f transportetlon of felons and others under sentence punishment. What lie proposed was, in future w h , v " . it became, necessary to make any new penal settleM7.. the choice should be made, not by the Colonial S e q se %try, but by Act f Parliame n t ; an d thi s propoe' u tts had Leen suggested to his mind by , o the tenor of petitions which h a d been presented to Parliament hs 0 the Cape of Good Hop e . It might be said that the tse t Pd ought to he satisfi e d w i t h t h e success wh i c h h a d regal from its resista nce; b ut i t s h oul d b e recollecte d that soo was not the first ti me th a t a s i m il ar attempt had ki ss made, for the c o l on i s t s h a d L een su bj ec t e d to sitt l treatment in th e ti mes o f Lord Stanley, Lord thoas, f p s Russell, and Mr. Gladstone. But, even if the Cape ° so nists were satisfied a t p resen t, t h ere was no security orb the future, either f o r th emse l res or t h e co l on i s ts in W quarters of the world. B es id es , th e res i s tance of the Cape had not btea perfectly completed, for the c010t5,..1 was still liable to the receipt of military conviets• e , (Fleur, hear.) His object was no t i n an y wa y to int er fere with the system if transp o rt a ti on; on th e contrary ~ he wished to remove from that system th e g reatest s r struction to its successful operation—the hasty mene in which it had been so frequently changed by Col s the Secretarice. He did not wish by any means to cast sos slightest reflection on the Colonial Secretary, for It_o,"„ e not so much to !Ameba these rapid changes as the tiT oo. Secretary, who frequently, on finding an awumullt . t i c h of convicts, sent orders t o th e C o l on i a l S ec retary 0 140 . " he had difficulty in complying with. Although t a ss Grey might be blamed in the last process, he was e : s bis. blame under the original circumstances. In mak a t the proposition he (Mr. Adderley) did not infringe i t ; or t h i e ou po w w a e s r n t o hat ma p t r t o e p r er o ly f slightest degree on the prerogative of her gaj es ,d to p he ro r. pose Tr t a o n t s u P k o e rta t h e louee ltiv. By the 9th of ElizaLeth her Majesty we' s ( t he powered, with the advice of six Privy Conncillors Lord Chancellor and the Lord Treasurer being namei), to name the places to which rogues and.deruges; bonds might be sent. That Act of Parliament dr_ is; matter t recognise the power of the Queen a s ft rogative. The 4th George I. took the o re p tile prerOg` on. portation entirely out of the hands of the Queetl, l _ Council, and placed it in the hands of Parliament. 19th George 111. revived the power of the QUeen. ss Council, but in a very limited manner. The next pot which elucidated the question was a debate which arri when the independence of America shut power of t the E 0 0 6,4 field for transportation; and when a vast number felons had accumulated in this country it became nee' s ; sary to send them away. Th e c hi e f p l ace then propose., was Sierra Leone. Mr. Burke objected to such a P 1 , 11 ,, e ; being fixed upon, stating that it was an unhealtmf, climate, and that there was no law for transporting Il s e p T l b ac e e 2 s 4t t l o l Gwehoireghe particularl li . Majesty's subjects, however criminal, to such a climat e : gav e t l h is e ts po o w f power personso f cho s o h s o in u g jd s t m hh: ' , sent, those lists being presented to her Majesty by weds; judge. Then came the 27th George 111., and aftervr e . o . the present Tr ansportat i on Act, under which the reg%at order was made (the sth George IV., c. im ivy Act gave the Q ueen, w i t h the advice of her -r es Council, not on l y t h e power to name the p lat sen , A to which p art i cu l ar pr i soners might be sher but any pla ee to w hi c h , at any time, any felon or -..„0t. person under sentence of transportation might he 40 To that pow e r—l arger t h an any granted to t h e Sovert 'DB previously —h e great l y o bj ected, and b e li eve d it ( ;sl moat obnoxious to the colonies, He thought he s o , shown that there were no real reasons against the, Post position which h e now su b m it te d to t h e H ouse , and Be sufficient reasons existed for providing a change. og ee would appeal to the House whether these sudden eln iss es of penal stations bad not been productive of most ' tos sr trous effects ? Instead of going into a general b le ts eer of such changes to prove that assertion, be would . 00 . to the recent transactions at the Cape, as the best I t o. tration of the worst feature of the change of eY„ s s tetO In 1848, in consequence of the accumulation of e°' the in England, a new system was adepted, re flect/101 highest honour on those w h o advised it. The C e lseeee Secretary thought of rev i v i ng transportat i o n to sied South Wales. Van Di emen ' s L an d was a lso oP e ottp . again ; but a new place was looked for, and b s e ; s king posed the Noble Lo r d fi xe d upon t h e Cape, tP'",stice• that such a quiet settl ement wou ld not ma k e any row'" b u t Lord Grey sent out a communication to the Cape, eye news having arrived th a t it was necessar y to r e e d t hee certain prisoners from Bermuda, Lord Grey bed °° so hie for reflection, and, without waiting for an answer 10 0 letter, ordered 300 prisoners to he sent from O er n i e of to the Cape. He tho ug ht th e res i s t ance o f the Pe was the colony redounded greatly to th e i r h on our; but strove attended with this disastrous result—that it woul d P to do a lesson to other colonies that they had nothing i • but resist in the same manner to e s c a pe similar dby (Hear, hear.) He considered the power posse sse dir• the Colonial Secretary to be the sour ce of all theses pa` asters, for the temptation to exerc i se su ch a pow er s o re too strong to be resisted. He c ons id ere d that the ineli too to which he now proposed would, i n ev ery way, P fi n ) o rtge and put upon a better footing th e s y s tem of tran s t.o o ebl tion. It would take from her Majesty a very in v./ froth power, it would remove the Colonial Secretary t hat under the power of the Home Secretary. Se e l set t every reason existed in favour of the proposio .petnone agrinst it, he thought no time ought to bse he had repealing that part of the sth Geo. IV., to whiatiihg for referred. The Hon. Member concluded by to ° leave to bring in his Bill. e u 00 11 The motion having been seconded, and the q put, ber bad Sir G. GREY said, that after the Hon. idea tion , be port v . mn ber adverted to the difficulties attending trans did not exactly understand the course the lion. f; d s e e we. was now taking in proposing a measure which subject. crease the embarrassment already felt on thltshotshef As he (Sir G. Grey) understocd the proposl e tw chut e° ° ht at the Hon. kember, it was simply to repeal th transportation in the sth George IV., enacting or o ther Crown may appoint a place to which felons o ee offenders may be sent. Now there were statute s to n, np istence which prescribed the sentence of Oa _ in some instances with a certain discretion to D tn . uJ At the but in other cases without that discretisoent 's wed (0 coining assizes no doubt prisoners mustibe eGe tfeeee r i transportation, and he would ask if the I on id be Carri e _ had considered how these sentences cou phier . into effect if the power of the Crown to Pe" * That P ew e er e for t:leir transportation was taken asw e aY lis powe rs e t o of had bees: exercised by the Crown under wof the eed ll 6 to the statute la - shine ° transportation was known . secondary P unt rod —ever since it had been the main Gentleman bs ad n v n e tbe ferred by act of Parliament ever since t r he Peni ehaien try for serious crimes. The Hon. hole " se " w ith f power d otic abuse o state recent occurrences and the desp G Grel; N ow b e (Sir U . G o er respect to that colony. that t l4 ° ca pe to the Care, and bad rested his w towards the close of the last sess ion, on the convicts el ) h knew mont never intended to force co _ seeat , o ss , and as soon as the ship arrived and Sir as ordered .1/ w o f We the determination of the colonists', situation col ffieiently explained nt o ut P. 7 military convicts was su were no t se oss d and the convicts were not landed. The in s h e c ol virtue of any power which the Hoe. Ai I.' It bow: pord-q , ce bcf'ne the How ,e. The ~e _ h er proP Pe p " lei said that it was intended to make the ! o w " becatlae to repeal, but by virtue of the Mutiny Act. i . is l ne e Molly. Novi it did not. follow that