The Sun. — London, England, 1850-05-17 00:00:00

A clause IA y it did no t op • ivocoted.: T" vers the elit r : =selves. 'Lou e; for the Hon. ises, and nowii cluction of fres of proceeding such ts, Bill bad Committee el abet indiicrqs €fit his gonsfl. id not consider e•—(Laughter, et the cony's- Ue further coo' aceo other thel ovum y the vo ex , J uld not be r.) nd• of the Ba 3e f 3vIOUs Sttige n order that I , ered. r eed i o n was og nitted. D DEBA T I o r esented hY rtley,from And ' VW, , r 1 by Mr . n rCS). iv J. : ,: n a R. I n glis 7 D u ntero o !'. Bill)---and 'rentlen3an 6673 bY 6 ' gned • iewed Wit h 11 ,° 1 f the Bill; 01 . feeling of 13 , 6 , Leh ig 7 " . 10, and en tre7 ( singly 0011" IV, hest. for the choir lendme2 6 , , ;hl. t ay . six ' - u s i 0 0e, I tum or more th arj pe ll it ex perien- ' 0 n d leorni r foie undertsse"oo . of the Bill 0 1 gyred the (cella, • nu. ost u nBioi ,oo f Irelat i " k •eco eq usill °lot repeat by vrOttl u but 115 s ocial ierous 112 1 - ror• ora tion 0 !or iel d i nent." p n e a_ re ' r 42 • 40 , re e ;002witt h e retofor e Pr ol be deewe" ova'• lo t be fel; ore t t adee i je o— tb° 10 0 % 10 r h o 0) ° : 31 4 tbcvb t i iy e j hir ;ig °° tiee bt one. i , h er by Imo A t soP u si tP, • ihn $ on oest 0 0 0 3 i s 1 1 °° . tb at f 0 ). i li o ' ciP le e ° ;te s , (l , obeYeto a tP A ion° c" JO or' e those . (0 0 be fa c t eat ~„1 ale lo c. taken P deo h t he P or n ovec soo' s o- • e t a b len t 1, fo 7 e o ,p: 'TJ3I the • WiSll°°L • his parents or guardians; but in spite of that 23 ~.11°r8 his contracted marriages, and in the year ti a Aet had been passed which rendered such mar thrs, both Put and future, perfectly valid. The clauses of di ; Act hail been framed by the greatest lawyers of that de.,;j ln d in dealing with the case then under the consi tteera a the Committee, be (Mr. S. Wortley) had le er.N Y eQPied those clauses into the present Bill.—(Hear, ihat was, therefore, a precedent completely in otenratphtat occasion. But he believed that a prece ter'lght also be found in the Act of 1535, for w hat th might be made to mystify the opera i!° that Act, there could bo no doubt but tieg:ell effect h ad been to render valid mar oftlt ° a that sort contracted before the passing koat,ol'neasure. Mr. Sergeant Manning, one of the opiiistaled gentleman at the bar, had expressed his the °a t hat ther e was great harshness and injustice .it e s Itig.re,eat slate of th e law upon that subject. ( eight Ron ourable and L earned G en tleman here read an il r fr oca an arti c l e i n the Law Magazine, written by kerj cerg e ..... Manning, in confirmation of this state he f ' Ilia Honourable and Learned Friend the Mem -1),,d °r Abingdon (Sir F. Thesiger) had said that every 114t3'hhead been aware of the passing of the Act of 1835. thttcould assure his Honourable and Learned Friend logy n e was mistaken upon that point. There were N o P e rsons who had contracted those marriages in Th e f4ete ignorance of the passing of the Act of 1835. the a e t Was that, that measure had been introduced in Pli3 e d ° : l ,,e of Lords in the month of July, anci had at iurough the Commons with little or no discus. gqle n -, - a P er iod when there were very few or no legal •;4a in town. It had been enacted in perfect 1 3 ,clads regarded the great body of the people. °hi t e i ' d la his hand a letter from a gentleman cf th g stat t° o , and a very near connexion of one froa°,,looit d istinguished Members of that House, and tied his letter he found that that gentleman had mar st,.eased wife's sister in compliance with a re- The mar /g ulch had been made by the first wife herself. ta d af t . bad taken place on the Ist of . September. bit 0, after it the parties had gone on the ordinary tour; th e first the return of the gentleman he had learned for th e n , ti unt that an Act had received the Royal assent Nit! d t !t a August, by which such marriages had been li,Z e r : : `avalid, and which placed him in the necessity tsiti eth '' at a state of coiscubinage. It appeared that the f t he Ik e - t r l queAion bad not been in any way aware o i kelie;, ° :, lll3s at the period of its passing, notwitla . - 1 , /t hieh tn" Peculiar and very respectable position in :', l dat et - A uad been place]. It was true that Mr. Tyler 'sat that ° he did not know of any marriages of Ita 01 "; but it was also true that that gentleman:s et, ter erc hwa rden was married to his deceased wife ' a lore tt a i t that very time. Other witnesses, examined be litlbjeete S °c araissioners who bad inquired into that 4 e expressed their Wick that the pass hlera.cif, the Act of Lord Lyndhurst was not the nil known, and Lo especially among 11,htiliicil.orer Classes. It further appeared that ' recent decision in the Court of Queen's Bench, tiduty -Orwi_el'e entertained in this country as to the . C r t "se marriages, and Mr. Justice Erle,.a short slt e eni e ;Ore his elevation to the bench, had given it as Pai4 4l '°n that they were legal, notwithstanding the t e tier g n °f the Act of 1835. A belief prevailed still more • ~sitedil, that these marriages might be legally con „Nice, • L II Scotland, and persons placed in these circum -61 e - n "ad actually gone from England and Ireland to 14)eeet-utrY, in order to avail themselves of that sup -4114 tairtatage. The Scottish judge Lord Macqueen I , lP tiP ' T it as his opinion that those marriages were emb Scotland. But his Hon. and Learned Friend the . the ier f ir Abingdon had proposed an amendment in ttieti e d ns ar ate• Now Ns hat would be the effect of that t hkt His Hon. and Learned Friend proposed t " Past • f Se marriages o that uescription shouldco . n o : l etip t i NW, while all future marriages of the same d au el ° l ° Were to be perfectly legal. But the only effect tn aa amendment would be to give a means ot /Phi!, the parents, who were the offending parties, 4 4• 14, 4 w ould withhold any relief from their innocent e,•,'"--(Hear, hear.) He thought that that statement th a s•Nb to induce the committee to refuse its assent 1 , 1 , 1 te h a : lle ndinent. He should, therefore, only further th" tti l t t s uch an amendment would be at variance 1 14 6 ' e rY principle of the Bill. He repeated that _li ef ore as it th en s t oo d wou ld afford very material 4 oN ti k' tb 4 lar ge class throughout the country, and he the Committee would not refuse that r th e °4l THOMPSON said he believed he couldeit t afford : 1 0 . „ 411 d Learned Member for Abingdon (Sir F. L'ateo,4l7,-) Precedent, or at least a ease in point, upon 17, 1 , i 1, 8 i". In the days of Roman Catholic domina -oeitetia:ootintry, the - marriages of priests were pro !' 4 ,_during the reign of Edward VI. that I C t he d i °een removed, and had afterwards been revived IL due, / 8 of Queen Mary, of unhappy memory. Now, l 'Ott e el l e - t g the reign of that Sovereign clergymen had thetap tomarry would it be unreasonable the f t s ee'rrises should be declared valid in the reign o ; 41 red - : n e n d i ng Soverei n, Elizabeth ? Ho could not, at undertak g e to say that they had been de although h e was asnclined to think that they s -( i I di• nc, la any case he felt persuaded that such a pro ,Iv°111(1 onl be just and reasonable. But the isc o t : hi ck it was proposed they should take upon that at w ag one of a precisely similar character. It "Lth 7., 'sir that'a remedy for an evil should go along kr % - ',,e,ltsure for preventing its future occurrence. Lekt 't,"• - e , TO said ho wished to state, as a Dissenter, qtl R tcie g r eet mass of the religious body to which ho 1:1 . - r e t .kii e ci:efe in favour of the measure then under their ti,atuin, credit believed he might fairly claim or . t ats a s'''Y the of not being less religious or morai ePse -11 Y ( Aber ()rhea of the community. lie earnestly 4-t h they ') would not refuse to pass that measure, t og, f arh .,ved it would afford great relief to many suffer m"tilits'l'les, without violating any principle of justice, It Y, or religion 1 1t ? 17, It said it was admitted on the face of the 11 41 tL e i t he Commissioners that almost the entire popu °Ple ofreland and Scotland, and . a large bod u y re ol n t o h ,s e , 4(511 %1it t his country, were against the meas . eta t., b to be introduced; and on this ground, if on no '314 fA "e alight protest against legislating for the fo h benefit iii who, either in ignorance or contemp. ;1 4 1 1 ; 1 1° l aws had contracted these unions . despi t t s e of of ; ) CU 3 Us fe , I' gand long-cherished sentiments • rt:i at body e of in ee people of the United Kingdom.. ; If an,d, according to the report, the great majority tad Established Church and the Presbyterians, 4teot'tt Scotland the clergy, wore • againstoinions leiretalsat the laity of the United Kingdom divers p Llttli o ,'" i n nut the commissioners thought that the re iTaed f ee t the commissioners thought that the pre hug was against these marriages. time Itlpno.t - „Rtet, l , ; .nat the people had not had ample ie fore on iZa• Would lei Hon. Member stake his repute 'se ," accuracy n the assertion that the majority of IreiriaPle were in favour of the Bill? With regard to Ile could state that amongst the members of h the ' t e ,ri 4 ae ll a ßtosaw",e.d._ Church, the Roman . Catholics, and res ; 1 14 whom he was acquainted, there was not a • •kauividual favourable; but, on the contrary, all I) „ l , 4 tie w ,„" c 'ru he had communicated were adverse to its 411 (T, Besides this they had the concurrent testimony the ~"Istian churches, and also of the Jews, against t ew :riociple of the Bill. ' The question before them, a) ect;, l , l was whether they should legislate retonrno and this had been advocated as a lirr b co n ger s e( i l s 00 the poor. What did the c a o r m rt mis_ aes Y? The' that wit re to lalt,:teted since Lo y rd said Lyndhurst's h Ac g t ard very few ew had pie tell" among the poorer classes. What an abale s•ettie would they be setting to the community if, r s e i rg° as in the better ranks of Ho had violated the . terms to !a' of man, that which was believed by the ma . be t : co the law of God, they took away the con t s h e e liii. et .' l l o f their criminality because they belonged . to _ 1 ' 4 1, 0 111a : La 's ? Legislate as they might this mischief - ,"L e a u - n e t al ain that they would never be able to make L'ePe-aii()_rusoilarriages in the eves of the great body of to t i" of the United Kingdom, and the result would ,'ese p,! r ange the whole harmony of society. Upon vc'tti ,beds';e he had not the slightest hesitation in sup amendment. amendment di r ; ()CIC•I3URN assumed that they were all agreed Ple % e s the quaation on the supposition that the pridn 'hg, ° L the 1 3111 had been adopted on the second rea - to d et 4 ad they were only callei on at the present moment t e m iti ; e whether it should have a retrospective and re shit, Z"ta operation. Wh should it not ? The Honour the.atld Learned Membe y r for Abingdon, adverting to 64 Bh r t g t °41 eut urged in its favour—namely, that th s e e y . 'Ne t , "° Protect innocent children from . the con the of their misconduct, pointed to teat parents' Ititloee to which such a doctrine would lead. .It . would k o hibi Y , ° , l4 . he said, to sanction marriages within the te a t degree sof consanguinity. His answer was, • 'cei t i would do no such thing. Whatever might be : 0 1te l -ee t c; llll _,gs of compassion for the children, the feelings revolted against such unions. But this was . p ar „ y different case. They were here dealing with . kiperular class of marriages, which they had deter 1, 111 5 Da t ° legitimise for the future. Why not, then,. for ot‘ ra i e r a r t i ? ag ' e rhey knew that in Scotland a man might n a t the end of his life legitimise the fruits ttioconcubinical intercourse, and defeat the expea 4 14, of those who would have otherwise inherited. o. action, 'ore it was not altogether so monstrous a prop T he question was whether they should extend ltoe:Peration of the Bill as far back as 1835. They 40 14 e t hat in 1835, when Sir W. Follett urged the t° adoPt the easure then before them, it was d h ave a t b l " as an argument against it, that it wou I ttibt ee ," Qffect of alto ether altering the law on the the llis answer was that the principal object of to secure the validity of marriages which ti 4 t f i l lr ead; „ , t aken place, and that as regarded the " was not to be regarded as conclusive. Per sona • that time parties had taken the opinions of k ° tite ti ae a t _,arned in the law, and marriages had They o ''sd in accordance with those opinions. an qe been told tat if they went abroad, to Denm . _ark . they ,CrusinY forknstance, and some had even said it th,„ "eta to Scotland and contracted such marriages, 114 li calld be l egal, and they had acted on that advice. th at new that the Lord Advocate in his evidence stated ki ° l lb i t tl f„ h , is judgment the law in Scotland was extremely °titr a , u *: ° II the subject. Scores of marriages bad been ' 4l lo c i d upon that foundation. Discuss the question 11111 e that 4 ' o r moral grounds if they pleased, but to as- th tv. °se Marriages were contrary to law, Peri,e,,“e Church itself was divided on the subject, was We re ''Y Monstrous The Dissenters of the country t tl i e ll e aa p i r rn itt ou . on he subject. But he would not enter °tat; one :iytthhqftetuetschrieple of the measure. It mattered not to th e „, present moment what might be the opinions sekeok•ourch or the Dissenting communities. He principle had already been adopted, R a n s il - Otile nhi.. !On to be considered was, whether they 0 7d th e ;.," r ty_ It to marriages contracted between 1835 b ! , th e tr o .4 eLt time. His objection to the amendment 4 0h ed, e et tt ' on a i nd Learned Member for Abingdon was ". arid Y OO the precedents alluded to by the ° h , a nd e 'milt Member for Bradford and the Right a.aderata;kearned Member for Bute, but on the distinct 'l°l s ere, ` g . entered into in 1835 that the matter was an i t : e a 1 ?y the Legislature. Under such =cum '?" 14 vain to prohibit such marriages, for the prohibition would not prevail against the instincts of human nature when they acted in unison with that which men i❑ their consciences believed to be Eanctioned by Divine law.—(Hear.) Mr. P. WOOD said he would not be tempted into any argument upon the principle of the Bill, but as the Right Hon. and Learrel Memter for Bute had made a pointed allusion to a statement of his, involving a matter of fact, the Committee would, perhaps, allow him to occupy the it attention for a few minutes. He had said that it was a monstrous fallacy to suppose that the poor were in any way interested in this question. That there were one or two rich men deeply interested in it he well knew. (Hear, hear.) He stated that there were in the parishes of St. Margaret and St. John 20,000 or 30.000 poor. Had ho been speaking of the entire parish, he would have stated the number at 60,000. Ile said he had taken pains to obtain his information from persons in the habit of mixing among the poor—namely, those employed in distributing charity, which again showed that he was speaking of the poor only, and that he had only been able to discover one csse. The Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman now stated that there were twenty-one cases in the parish of marriages of all classes. Mr. S. WORTLEY—SmaII shopkeepers and artisans. Mr. P. WOOD—Small shopkeepers were a very wide class. Persons who distributed charity did not go amongst small shopkeepers. But they were not the pour. —(Hear, hear.) The commissioners estimated the number of these marriages at 1,500, of which there were only forty among the poor, by whom ho meant labourers and mechanics. That was about 1-35:h of the whole. Now if he took a 35th of these twenty-one cases it would not give one. He knew some rich men, one he knew very well, who was continually putting advertise ments in the newspapers and printing pamphlets o❑ this subject, and who had sent him the Times containing the advertisement, and afterwards an exact copy of it, printed on a very handsome sheet of paper, stating that a person who had bee❑ employed by the Church Mis sionary Society to visit the poor had found three other cases. On inquiry, however, it turned out that he could not recollect any of their names. Still if he had, four amongst 30,000 was not so large a number. But ho had received a letter from a clergy man in the Potteries, stating that he knew a great many such cases, and that be had married one couple himself. His answer was, that he was sorry to hear that he had married people under such circumstances ; and that with regard to the other cases, he should he much obliged if he would furnish him with the names; but he had never heard from him since. —(Hear, hear.) All this confirmed him in his view. The fact was that the case very seldom happened among the poor, because they all married so young that it seldom happened that, when the wife died, any of her sisters were to be found unmarried. He was surprised to hear the Hen. and Gallant Member for Bradford justify this ex post facto clause, because a number of excellent people had found it right to break an immoral and mischievous law, considering that it had been the law from the time of the Heptarchy to the year 1835. It was said the law was necessary to protect innocent children; but the Hon. and Gallant Colonel refused last year to protect the innocent fruits of mar riages with the deceased wife's niece. But, look at the preposterous nature of the clause, speaking of it as a matter of conscience. If a man had married his wife's sister, and bad not committed the second immorality of deserting her and marrying another woman, the mar riage was good and the children legitimate; but if he deserted her and married another, the marriage was illegal.—(Hear.) Another absurdity was involved in the 4th clause, which while it legitimatised the fruits of such marriages, made a reservation of estates and titles of honour vested before the passing of the Act, which were not to be thereby displaced, so that a man might find himself legitimate, but at the same time might see his younger brother a baronet or a peer. Mr. R. PALMER said the question before the Com mittee involved a principle of very great importance. The question was whether they would or would not accede to the views which were, at least, implied in the amendment namely, that they would recognise the right of the subjects of the nation to say that the duty of obedience to the statute law in cases of marriage was limited by the extent to which the conscience of the individual recognised that law as binding upon him by a higher sanction than their Act of Parliament? The principle involved was, he repeated, of the greatest im portance; and if they acceded to what was now proposed they would be holding out a premium to disobedience, and pointing out a way to get rid of restraint. It was telling them that the way to make their children legiti mate was to disobey the law. Let ,them only get up an agitation, get lawyers to take up the matter, send gentlemen round the country to collect evidence, newspapers to comment on their pro ceedings and discuss the question, and then— not upon grounds of theology, but of expediency— they would induce the Parliament to alter the law—they would get Parliament to say that there was no obliga tion to obey the law while it existed. With regard to the observation of the Hon. and Learned Member for Southampton, that a doubt existed as to whether those marriages were valid after the passing of Lord Lynd hurst's Act, he totally denied that any doubt existed. It was true that there were lawyers to be found in the country who were ready to give any opinion you wish upon any question.—(Great cheering and laughter.) lie would tell them how—let them seek the man whom they thought would give the opinion they wished for, or let them go to a man of little experience or practice in the law; or let them consult one of the me❑ employed to collect evidence; or state their case clearly and send it to a man who had not time to consider it carefully.— (Oh!) He could refer to the case of one of the most honest and upright judges on the bench, who gave an opinion one way, and af,erwards—in a judgment deli vered from the bench when he had carefully considered the law of the case—gave his opinion the contrary way. Mr. BOUVEIIIE having given a vote against going into Committee, and been defeated, considered the prin ciple of the Bill had now been affirmed, and that it would ultimately pass. With regard to the amendment before the Committee, ho had no doubt whatever as to the vote he was about to give. He should support the clause as it stood, because here was a class of persons who were themselves perfectly innocent, and to whom a simple act of justice was being done by the present measure. Mr. DRUMMOND did not agree with the Hon. Gen tleman who had last spoken, that the Bill must pass as a matter of course. He could not understand that system of legislation which declared a thing contrary to the law of God at one time, and in accordance with it at another time. He regetted that those Hon. Members who dis approved of the Bill had meddled with it at all in Com mittee. He did not admit that it would pass. For his part he should divide the House against the third read ing, and would make use of every advantage in his power to destroy the Bill in Committee if he could. At the same time he could not see how they could refuse to legitimatise those children. The Church, so long as it could express an opinion, was unanimous in condemning those marriages. His belief was that, looking at the fact that the whole people of Scotland was violently opposed to it, seeing that the great mass of the people of that country were opposed to it—(No, no) —he confessed that his belief was that if the Dissenters supported the present measure, it was because they thought that it would give another stab to the authority of the Church, and that it was more upon that ground than any other that it received the sanction of the Dissenting body. Mr. HEALDhai supported the Bill in all stages, be lieving that it was a measure of sound and wise legisla tion. He was satisfied that marriages of that kind had taken place for years past to a Very great extent, and adopting the principle that those marriages were not prohibited by the law of God, he thought they would not refuse to extend the advantages of the Bill to that innocent portion of her Majesty's subjects specially con templated by the clause under discussion. Mr. ANSTEY said whatever opinion the Church of Scotland had pronounced with regard to the measure, the recent decision in the case of Gorham and the Bishop of Exeter showed them that the Church of England had no leading authority or organ by which to convey her opinions upon matters of discipline or doctrine. As to the Church of Rome, her teaching was pretty clear on the subject, and was indicated by the evidence given before a Committee of that Home. It appeared that the genius of the people of Ireland was against such marriages; but in England and in other countries, where the Roman Catholic religion obtained, these marriages were common; and Dr. Wiseman had declared that he had granted the usual dispensation in hundreds and hundreds of cases during the brief period that he had acted as vicar apostolic of the London dis• trict. The Hon. Member for Surrey had repeated the word " dispensation ;" but he was too good a canonist and too good a theologian not to know that there could be no dispensation of a prohibition of :the law of God, but only of prohibitions of the law of the Church. As regarded the social bearing of the question, he would mention one fact. In the north of England a marriage took place since the passing of the Act of William IV. The man had married the sister of his deceased wife. By his first wife he had no children. By the second he had a large family, who were pronounced by the law to be illegitimate. If the father should die intestate the crown would become entitled to his large property. Colonel THOMPSON—Was he a Roman Catholic ? Mr. ANSTEY said he was. He was in favour of the clause as it stood, which gave the Bill a retrospective character, and would consequently provide a remedy for the case to which he had just referred. Mr. MULLINGS would ask the Committee, whether they had considered the rights of other children in re• minder ?—(Hear, hear.) Was a brother to be de prived of his rights in remainder by the circumstance of his elder brother having married his deceased wife's sis ter by whom alone he had children, who would be de clared legitimate if this Bill were to have a retrospective operation? The C3ramittee then divided, when there appeared— For the original clause 111 Against it ... 68 Majority against the amendment —43 The clause was then agreed to. On clause 3 being proposed, Mr. R. PALMER took occasion to comment upon the weakness of the Bill, by the language of this clause. The proviso, in effect, took away the supposed benefit of the measure from a person who had committed adultery with his wife's sister, and who had been convicted of the offence during his lifetime. This qualification of a con viction by a court deprived the measure of any reme dial power in respect to the particular offence referred to. He %anted to know how this proviso could operate in the great multitude of cases which arose amongst the poorer classes of society. Why, to such persons the law of divorce was practically a dead letter. This clause stands as a warning against the consequences that were likely to follow from this measure. Since the Bill had been before under their consideration a case of this kind came before their courts. A man and a woman were both recently executed in Cambridge for the murder of the wife of the man, who was also the sister of the woman. This murder was occasioned by an im proper intimacy of this description. If they destroyed T 11 E LONDON, that feeling which the law as it at present stood tended to create, they would in a measure encourage those illicit connexions, and this sentence of this court would be no security against such offences.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. F. MAULE then rose to move a proviso to pre vent this Bill extending to Scotland. His original inten tion was to put this proviso exactly in the same words as it stood in the Act of 1835, from the operation of which Act Scotland was entirely exempt. He could not un derstand upon what grounds a country, which was not only opposed to such marriages as were here considered, but in which those marriages were not even stated to exist, should be included in this Bill—and why a law was to be forced on Scotland, against which the whole people were repugnant, was to him a complete mystery. He trusted that the House, especially those Hon. Members who professed great regard for the opi nions of the people of Scotland, would not stand calmly by and see these opinions entirely set at nought. In the Committees that were appointed to inquire into this subject there was not a single clergyman of the Presby terian denomination in Scotland found to give evidence in favour of the measure who had the smallest weight with the body of the people. The only Presbyterian clergyman examined was ono from Dublin, who stated that these marriages did not exist in Ireland. Meetings had been held in Scotland to oppose the Bill, particularly a very large one in Edinburgh, which was intruded upon by a paid agent of the supporters of this Bill. The fact of this person not being permitted to move a resolution in favour of the measure, did not make that meeting one whit less public. There was a committee formed against the Bill, and that committee was composed of ministers of the Church of Scotland and ministers of other persuasions, and in that committee there were ♦arious other persons. This showed a public feeling had existed against the Bill. He might also refer to the petition presented by him that day, and signed by 6,800 of the most respectable females of Edinburgh, who declared that they regarded the Bill as one calculated to destroy the whole fabric of society. In Glasgow there had been a meeting against the Bill; a petition had been presented from Glasgow in favour of the Bill, but it was a petition that did not emanate from a public meeting. It was a petition got up by the same paid agent who had endeavoured to disturb the public meeting at Edinburgh, and who sought to get up one at Glasgow, and failed. Such a measure was opposed to the feeling of Scotland, and it was contrary to the Confession of Faith which was so conformable to the feelings of the Presbyte rians, who, whatever divisions existed amongst them, always adhered to that Confession of Faith. By it they found it declared that no man might marry a nearer connexion of his wife than he could of his own. Now he distinctly denied that he had ever given up the re ligious objections to this measure. The marriage law of Scotland might be objected to. It was a law which enabled a man, on his death-bed, to legitimatise the children of his concubine. It was a law that led to the destruction of female virtue, and he had done his best to rescind it. If the law were extended to Scotland it would be but additional means for enabling the people to stray from the paths of virtue; and, God knew, they were bad enough already. Let them keep temptation out of the way of the.people, and then they would not be accountable for their sins. He would have been glad if the Bill had been thrown off the table; and if he could not destroy the Bill as a general measure, yet he entreated them not to enforce it upon a nation that re-> pudiated it. If they did so, they would gain a victory that would be little creditable to the combined Parlia ment, and it would inflict a great misery upon the people. Mr. OSWALD seconded with great pleasure the proviso of the Right Hon. Member, as it embodied the feeling of nearly the whole of the people of Scotland. That feeling, too, was exhibited by 255 petition!, signed by 14,000 persons; whilst in favour of it there was but one petition, with one signature. He left, then, the House to infer from that fact the feeling of the people of Scotland upon the subject. Mr. J. S. WORTLEY admitted, that if he took a course that would be most agreeable to his own feelings, it would be at once to assent to the course proposed by the Right Hon. Gentleman. He was bound to admit that the measure was repugnant to the feelings of the people'of Scotland, and that a very large portion of his own constituents had expressed their disapprobation, and had even remonstrated with him upon it. He was, however, influenced by the opinions of those he was bound to respect, induced to say that it would be unwise to make any exception. He would lose his ow❑ esteem, and that of his constituents, if he was to yield against his own judgment.—(Hear, hear.) He felt bound to carry out the principle to which he stood pledged, and he would not shrink from his duty. (Hear, hear.) It had been said that no minister of Scot land had been examined before the Committee. The Lord Advocate and himself wore members of that Committee, and they were enabled to state that the people of Scotland were opposed to the marriage of a wife's sister. He confessed he was astonished at the difference of opinion among the Scotch people on the subject. The Right Hon. Gentleman said there had been a public meeting in Edinburgh against the Bill; but the Lord Provost had ordered the police to remove the advocates of the measure. This produced a reaction, and a public meeting was held next day in reality in sup• port of it, which was largely attended. The Hon. Mem ber for Edinburgh had presented a petition from 6,800 inhabitants in its favour also; and Linlithgow met and petitioned in its favour likewise. In the county of Ayr there was a very great division of opinion also on the subject. What was the reason for extending the Bill to Scotland? It had been truly stated that the law of mar riage in Scotland was different from that of England; it was a difference to be depilated; but the Bill would in some sort amend it. If the Bill was not applied to Scot land it would aggravate the difference that existed be tween the marriage law of the two countries. He believed, however, that the aversion to the description of marriage in question was so great in Scotland that few persons contracted them; but then many parties from England crossed the border to have them celebrated in that country. In the Confession of Faith drawn up by John Knox there was not a word of this prohibition; while in a contemporaneous statute only those marriages were specified which were contrary to the Word of God. When the Confession of Faith of Westminster was adopted by Scot land, a statue was passed is 1645 setting forth the prohibited degrees; but that was repealed at the Resto ration, and never re-enacted. He held in his hand the opinion of the procurator of the Scotch Church in Scot land, in favour of the principle of the Bill; and the Lord Chief Justice Clerk was also of the same opinion. These were the grounds on which he applied the Bill to Scotland. By its provisions the law of the Church of Scotland was left intact, the confessions of faith and dis cipline of that Church were untouched, and would stand as binding if the Bill passed as they did at present. Any injury to the religious people of Scotland was therefore out of the question; and he (Mr. J. S. Wortley) would sooner cut his right hand off than do any violence to their feelings in that or any other matter. Mr. COWAN would give the measure the most strenuous opposition in his power. The 18th chapter of Leviticus clearly established, to his mind, that these marriages were contrary to the Word of God. What was addressed to the man was ad dressed to the woman in the 16th verse; and in the 17th verse, that view was borne out on the ground of affinity. The social results of the Bill would be most dangerous and disastrous to the morality of Scotland; and lie could not comprehend the policy of excluding the wife's niece and including her sister—ex cept on the principle of straining at a gnat and swallow ing a camel. He felt perfectly convinced that the mind of Scotland was unanimous against these marriages. lie (Mr. Cowan) had seen in one of the morning news papers a report of the speech of the Right Hon. Gen tleman, that the Confession of Faith of Scotland was the offspring of fanaticism. This he (Mr. Cowan) denied, and, on the contrary, looked upon it as one of the most splendid monuments of Scottish piety left to the people by men of whom the world was not worthy.— (Hear, hear.) He considered it would be wrong to press the question against the feeling of the women of this country. Mr. J. S. WORTLEY denied having designated the Confession of Faith as the offspring of fanaticism and rebellion; he only meant it was adopted ins time of re bellion when fanaticism prevailed; on the contrary, he believed it to be a noble monument of the piety of Scot land. Sir F. THESIGER called attention to an advertise ment'in the Times newspaper, signed " A Lover of Con sistency," referring to an article in the Law Review, said to be written by Sergeant Manning, stating that in Scotland a bastard could marry his halt sister, or even his whole sister. If this was the case then the Scotch, in respect to the Bill, were straining at a goat and swal lowing a camel—aye, and even a dromedary, too. He wished to know of the Learned Lord Advocate whether there was any ground for this assertion of Sergeant Manning that the law of Scotland was in such a state, and if the fact was not that, in respect to marriage, ale. gitimate relations stood on the same footing as legiti mate relations? The LORD ADVOCATE, in reply, said that the Honoarable and Learned Gentleman could not be so little read in the law of his own country, or in that of Scotland, as not to know that this had always been a question of difficulty to determine. With respect to the criminal law of Scotland, he believed there were one or two instances in which the marriage of illegitimate re lations had been visited with punishment in the courts of law. But nobody would now pretend to say that the crime of incest could be charged against a per son who was alleged to have committed it with a woman with whom he had only a bastard relation ship. And Sir W. Moncrieff was of opinion that such a marriage was lawful, according to his construction of the 18th chapter of Leviticus, and according to the law of Scotland. As to exempting Scotland from the Bill, if the measure was passed for one country, as a matter of necessity it ought to pass for the other ; and it appeared to him utterly indefensible to say that they should think it good for one country and not for the other. Mr. ROEBUCK said the people of Scotland were al most unanimously opposed to the alteration, and Par liament was asked to alter the law merely to save those who had broken the law. If the Bill should come into operation, its effect would be to sow dissensions, jea lousies, and hatreds in families. Mr. COCKBURN said that, according to the autho rity of the Secretary at War, marriage with a deceased wife's sister was utterly unknown in Scotland, and the necessity for extending it to that country was, if pos sible, to prevent conflict between the law of Scotland and the law of England upon the subject. He knew a case of a man who had been regularly divorced according to the Scotch law. Ho came to England and mar ried again. He was tried for bigamy, and sentenced to transportation for seven years. Cases were constantly arising out of the state of law in Scotland, and no lawyer would venture to give an opinion as to the validity of either marriages or divorces in Scotland, under some circumstances. It was of the greatest importance that the laws 0110111 d be assimilated between the two coun- S FRIDAY tri e s. It had been stated that the people of Scotland were adverse to these marriages; if so, then it was plain they would not take place in Scotland, and therefore no fears need be entertained of extending the law to Scot land. Sir G. CLERK would state what was the uniecraal opinion of the feelings of the people of Scotland. The feeling against the Bill was almost universal. He would ask the House on-what grounds they were going to extend a Bill to Scotland so abhorrent to the Scottish people's feelings? He was favourable to assimilating the laws of Scotland and England, but here they were met by a higher feeling. The people of Scotland believed these marriages were forbidden by the law of God, and he never recollected a question on which there had been so much unanimity of feeling as the feeling against the Bill in Scotland. There was no question on which the feel ings of the people of Scotland ought more to be consulted and regarded than the law of marriage. The Lord Ad vocate, in stating the law of Scotland on this question, had omitted an essential point of the existing laws, which would be found to contradict the view he had given. The LORD ADVOCATE here corrected the. Right Hon. Gentleman. Sir G. CLERK repeated that as the feeling of Scot land had been so decidedly pronounced against this Bill it ought to be rejected. He should vote for the amend ment. Colonel TFIOMPSON, as an Englishman,could not help feeling that England was the foremost in progress of the three kingdoms—for whenever Bills eonsonant to the advance of the age were passed for England, and an at tempt made to extend them to Scotland and Ireland, they were always met by opposition. There was a great difference between the sentiments of Scotchmen when in England and when in Scotland. In England Scotch men had admitted to him there was in Scotland an over• whelming ecclesiastical power which they would resist if they could. Ho had himself experienced a strange example of this feeling in Scotland. When in Scot land some time ago he called on a man of literary notoriety in Princes•street. It was on Sunday, and the conversation was on certain dry mathematical points which -were attributed to Pythagoras. He was about to touch one or two notes on a pianoforte points in how you do that," which was in the room—not • for the purpose of playing " Cosi fan tutte" or anythin g of that sort, question by but touching a merely t,” osna ei do tor thetw o illustrate Scotch o tucshgentleman ; i c le t n h nt e ol et me p s a " beware how you e. ware let the sound of a pianoforte be heard in Princes-street. You will not feel the consequences, but I shall. I have an eye on me, though you have not."---(flear, hear.) The truth was, many of the people of Scotland knew that the prohibition was not supported by scriptural rules; on the contrary, they held the prohibition to be anti scriptural and and anti-Christian. If these had been the times for dying on such a subject, they would have been as ready to do so as the men who lived in the days when they were wont to speak of dying for the Prostestant and Reformation—but how willing t he y were to die in those days he would not venture to determine.-(An laugh.) The position of the question wa s exactl y thesame.Now n h o e rbelievedty praying t h a t and the re beseechingwas the Scotland House ad the powerful m Com mittee to give them the advantage of the advanced state of opinion in Englisnd on this and similar subjects. Mr. F. SCOTT moved that the Chairman report pro-. gress; but After a few words from Mr. F. MAULE, the Com mittee divided, when there appeared — For the proviso to exempt Scotland 137 Against it ••• ••• ••• 144 Majority ••• . .7 ••• The clause was then agreed t o ; an d, on , the motion of Captain BOLDERO, The House resumed. The CHAIRMAN reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again on the 13th of June. COURT OF PREROGATIV E (IRELAN D) BILL. Mr. KEOGH moved the second readin g of this B ill , and said, if the House agreed to that motion, he should not object to the Bill being referred to a Select Com mittee. Sir R. INGLIS objected to a Bill, involving such a change as this Bill proposed, being read a second time without any discussion, at one o'clock in the morning. After a: short conversation, in which Mr. Reynolds, Sir R. Inglis, and Mr. Bouverie took part, Sir G. GREY said he thought that was a fit subject to be referred to a Select Committee, and expressed a hope that the Bill would then be•read a second time. After a few words from Mr . Grogan, Mr. Keogh, and Mr. Turner, the House divided, when there appeared— For the adjournment of the debate ... 34 Against it... ..• ••• 9l • Majority ..• ... —57 Mr. REYNOLDS moved the adjournment of the House. eared— The House divided, when there app ... 20 ... 95 Majority ... ••• —75 Colonel CHATTERTON moved the adjournment of be debate. After a short conversation the House divided, when here appeared— For the motion ... ... 20 Against it ... ... 83 Majority ... „, —63 An 110 N. MEMBER again moved the adjournment of the House. Sir G. GREY recommended the Hon. and Learned Member fur Athlone lot to persevere on that ocoasion with the second reading of the Bill, as it was always in the power of a minority effectually to thwart the pro gress of business in the House. Mr. KEOGH acceded to the suggestion. The debate on the second reading of the Bill was then postponed till thii day. STAMP DUTIES (so. 2). The order of the thy for bringing up the report on these duties having been read, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCIIEQUER stated, in reply to Sir H. Willoughby, that he had no means of estimating the precise effect which the Bill would have in the different portions of the scale, because he could not ascertain what was the special use made of any par ticular class of stamps. The report was then brought up, and leave was given to bring in a Bill founded on the resolutions. Mr. ANSTEY obtained leave to bring in a Bill to amend the law relating to engines used in the rivers and on the coast of Ireland for the taking of fish. The Marquis of CHANDOS obtained leave to bring in a Bill to provide for the better maintenance and repair of bridges in boroughs. The Honse aljourned at Twenty minutes past Two o'clock. For the motion ... Against it. . NEW SVELVDERS' BENEVOLENT AND PROVIDENT INSTITUTION. Last night the eleventh annual general meeting ol the above society was held at Anderton's Hotel, Fleet-street. It may be stated that some years ago this institu tion was formed for the purpose of granting tempo rary relief, as well as permanent assistance, to mas ters and servants engaged as venders of newspapers The chair was taken by James Harmer, Esq., the president. The business of the evening was, corn menced by the chairman calling on the secretary to read the annual report. From this document it ap peared that the institution was in a position that must give great satisfaction to every well-regulated mind, and that its proceedings have not been unattended with success. At the first annual dinner which took place at the Albion Tavern, in the November of last year, at ,which Mr. Charles Dickens presided, no less a sum than 2001. was subscribed and added to the funds. It was the duty of the committee to state, that during the past year not one application for relief had been made by any subscriber. One party, how ever, had received relief who was not a subscriber, and who from that fact was somewhat fearful of making any application. He was relieved, however, and the pains of death-bed in some measure soothed. The report concluded by calling on the newsvenders and parties concerned to do their best to promote the : objects of the soc iet y . The treasurer was then called upon to read his r e p ort of t he financial department. The following ac count was th en rea d Balance at audit May 15, 1849, in the treasurer's hands 11/. , b & al c a . ' no 0 i n tre a - 103.9 d. Receipts—Profit annual dinner in Nov. last, 2011. 63. Bd.; dividends on stock, 30/. lls. Bd. ; donations and subscriptions, 441.25. 6d-2761. 03. 10d. total 2871. I ls. 7d. 1850—May 14, balance in trea surer's hands, 571. 10s. 101 ; stock in the Three per ; pension to J.urchase of stock, Cent. 1911 . 178. 6 1 d ,2 . 001. Payment 2 s- 8 1 1. ) Edwards, 161.; ; th t e otal, report be adopted, 81. 93. ld. ; lls. 7d. 2/. 4s. 2d.; tues►l secretary's ap o O f ra r hall,y relie f 21.1 c i sala ry,3c a 5; s eic.50:141, May, at ; yo collector commission,nBtsino g, s u r i‘ e i r r ' s . hands, lvlLD 5 1 n 7/ 0 . v l e O d s. printed, and distributed among the subscribers. He hoped that better days were now smiling upon them than forMerly, when they had to contend with several difficulties. He saw no reason whatever why that in. stitution should not become one of the first in the metropolis. Only one person had become a candidate during the last year, which arose from th lil at d. the circum stance that the rules required that no person should he a pensioner on the funds unless he had previously been a subscriber for five years, and employed in the news trade for ten years; but as their society became older no doubt the applicants would be Bauch increased in number, for most certainly the news trade deserved the M su pport ra of the public. Mr. Tuorsori seconded the motion. He thought it was the duty of every news agent to join their so ciety, no less from benevolent motives than as a mea sure of positive prudence. He trusted their funds would be so much increased that they might be en abled to pension a large number of candidates. The motion was then passed Unanim o usly. Mr. GILBERT moved the second resolution, record ing the deep obligations of the society to Charles Dickens, Esq., for his kindness in filling the chair at their dinner in November last, by which the society had been so much benefited, and that a copy of the resolution be forwarded to that gentleman. It was the duty both of masters and servants to aid that in stitution to the utmost of their power. It was a dis grace to any member of their trade who did not sub scribe to their funds. Mr. TERRY seconded the motion, which was unani mously adopted. Mr. MERRETT proposed a vote of thank s t o the stewards of the late annual dinner, which, being se conded by Mr. Gravett, was unanimously adopted. Mr. Hou.s moved thanks to those journals which had hitherto noticed their proceedings, which being seconded by Mr. COUTM way adopted. 1 YENINGi Mr. WILD moved the thanks of the meeting to Mr. Merrett, the treasurer, for his past services, and moved that he fill the same office for the ensuing year; which motion was seconded by Mr. TuomrsoN, and unani mously passed. The committee and other officers baring been re elected, Mr. GILBERT moved the thanks of the meeting to their Chairman, for the manner in which he had so efficiently conducted their proceedings, and for his great exertions and liberality in supporting the insti tution which `they had met to promote. Mr. WILD seconded the motion, which was passed unanimously. JAMES HARMER, Esq., responded, and the meeting separated. THE BRITISH ELECTRIC TELE GRAPH COMPANY. Yesterday this company's Bill, for the establish ment of a new Electric Telegraph Company, came on in Committee, consisting of the Hon. Cornwall Legh, chairman, Marquis of Worcester, Viscount Anson, Mr. Manners Sutton, and Mr. Bagge. Mr. Sergeant Wrangham, Q.C., and Mr. Webster, appeared ror the promoters of the Bill, and Mr. Talbot, Q.C., and lir. Hope for the Electric Telegraph Company. Mr. Sergeant Wrangham, at considerable length, opened the case for the promoters by stating that they were desirous of supplying, the public with electric telegraphs on a more economical scale, and on a more improved plan than obtained at the present moment. Arrangcments'for this purpose had been made by the company with Messrs. Highton, the pa• tentees of improved electric telegraphs. At the pre sent moment there were in the United Kingdom about 6,000 miles of railway open, of which little more than 2,000 miles were supplied, with tele graphs, leaving 4,000 miles without that facility. In addition to this, a great many important cities and towns were without the advantage of electric telegraphs. By the proposed measure those already supplied would be supplied at a lower rate, while on the public generally there would be con ferred the additional advantage of competition. There were nearly 2,000 miles of railway now con structing, besides 5,000 miles for which Acts had been obtained, which at present were in abeyance, but which might with a single way and the electric tele graph, be constructed at from one-half to two-thirds of their present estimated cost. The instruments and apparatus of the British Electric Telegraph Company were much superior in principle, cheapness, expedi tion, and certainty, to those used by the existing company, and the promoters of the new company sought to extend their operations by obtaining an Act of Parliament to enable more than twelve persons to be owners of the patents, and to work them for the benefit of the public. Powers were intended to be taken to place the wires underground, so as to be out of the reach of damage, and from the effects of atmospheric electricity—a great drawback under the prssent system. The telegraphs under the plans proposed by the new company could be erected at less than one-half the cost of the existing telegraph company, and the public would consequently be be nefited in that ratio. The only petitioners against the Bill were the present Electric Telegraph Com pany, who, of course, sought to retain their monopoly. Their petitions stated that the wires of the new com pany would interfere with theirs, that they could not be laid down without their consent, and that their interests as a public company were to be protected by Parliament. Mr. Talbot, Q.C., for the Electric Telegraph Company, contended, at length, that the plans of the British Telegraph Company were infringements on some of the patents which the Electric Telegraph Company already had in their possession ; and that the breaking up of the streets to lay down new wires would be attended with inconvenience. On the room being cleared on the question of the locus standi of the Electric Tele graph Company, and on the parties being re-admitted the lion. Chairman said—The Committee cannot give any decision to-day, the Speaker being at prayers ; bit it may be convenient to tell you what would be their decision to-morrow, The Committee have de cided that they do not think the petitioners against the promoters of the Bill have any locus standi against the preamble of Bill; but lam desired by the Committee to say that in our progress through the Bill we shall be extremely glad to hear any ob jections that can be brought forward by the peti tioners against any of the clauses. We will give our consideration to any of the clauses that may be intro duced, and that they may think will affect their in terest in any way. The Committee then adjourned to this day at twelve o'clock. CAPT. AUSTIN'S ARCTIC EXPE- DITION. We 'have private correspondence from Captain Austin's Arctic expedition, from Stromness, dated May 13. The Resolute, aptain Austin, C. 13., ar rived at the Long Ilope, Orkneys, on the 11th, with the Dasher and African steamers. The Intrepid, screw-schooner, Lieutenant Commander B. Cator arrived on the 10th ; Pioneer, screw-schooner, Lieut Commander Osborn, arrived on the 11th • and the Emma Eugenia, freight-ship, in tow of the Light ning, steam-tender, Master Commander Petley, ar rived on the 12th. They were to start again in a day or two ; and we may next expect to hear from the expedition from the Whale-fish Island,. The following are extracts from our letters : " Her Majesty's ship --, off Pentland Frith, Friday. " We have been knocking about the North Sea ever since my last, with very unpleasant weather, and have at last arrived at the entrance of the Pentland Frith. Both tenders have parted company, and I fear there will be some difficulty in keeping together. We had a strong gale a few days since, and the screw-tender appeared to labour frightfully. As for the sailing vessels they are as easy and as handy as can be wished. Our crews appear well satisfied, and we are now beginning to find out what they are made of; there is lots of good stuff in them; and, as far as health is concerned, no one has been sick as yet, al though the weather has been rather trying. I think we are in very good time, and will be able to afford a few days for shooting at Whale-fish Islands. " Saturday. " We have just got an Orkney pilot on board, and we aro about to send the steamer to Stromness, and anchor at the Hope. We are now in sight of 'John o'Groat's House.' I can hardly believe this dismal-looking coast to bo part of Great Britain. " 9 rat. We are now at anchor at the Long Hope. The captain goes to Stromness to-morrow, and I believe we sail on Monday." An accident, which might have been attended with fatal consequences to one of the best petty officers in the squadron, took place on board the Intrepid screw tender. George Murray, ice-quartermaster, being in charge of the watch at seven, p.m., all hands being employed securing the boats, and close-reefing the sails, the commander remarked to Murray that the lee-boom topping-lift was unhooked. Not liking to send a man to a place rather dangerous at the time, Murray went himself. He bad no sooner got on the boom end than the man at the helm inadvertently let the vessels come up in the wind, thereby jibing the main boom. All hands immediately ran to the mainsheet, to shorten it in, so as to steady the boom ; when, in the confusion, they let go of it. The boom then swung seven or eight times across the deck and over the quarter-deck, from rigging to rigging with fear ful velocity. Murray still held on by the topping lift until he saw. he must either have his brains knocked out by falling on desk, or be precipitated into the sea. • He thereupon chose rather to run the risk of a watery grave than to break his neck ; so he sprang from the boom while it was over the quarters, and dropped some twenty feet from the ship. It was blowing a fresh gale at the time, and a heavy cross sea on, so that the ship had little way, and, being able to swim well, he soon regained her side. Every effort was made to save him, but the boats were all lashed for sea service. The captain threw a cork life-buoy, with a line fast to it, which he got hold of, and was hauled in by it. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. The Right lion. the First Lord of the Admiralty entertained his colleagues and the heads of depart ment, in honour of the Queen's birthday, on Wednes day last, at the Admiralty. There were present on that occasion the Admiral of the Fleet, Sir T. B. Martin, G.C.B. Rear. Admiral Deans Dundas, M.P., Rear-Admiral the lion. M. F. Berkeley, C.B. M.P., Captain Houston Stewart, C. 8., Captain A. Milne, Mr. Parker, M.P., First Secretary ; Captain W. A. B. Hamilton, Second Secretary; .Admiral Sir C. 'Adams, K.C.13., Governor and Rear-Admiral Sir James Gordon, K.C.8., Lieutenant -Governor of Greenwich Hospital ; Rear-Admiral Sir W. Pell, and Sir H. Hart, Commissioners of Greenwich ; Commodore-Superintendent Eden, Captain Lord Hallyburton, the heads of departments at Somerset House ; Captain Sir Baldwin W. Walker, K.C.8., Surveyor of the Navy; the Hon. Mr. Dundas, Storekeeper-General ; Lieut.- Col. Green, Chief Di rector of Works - Mr. Crowder, Q.C., Mr. Robson, Colonel Owen, C. 8., R.M., Adjutant-General; Col.- Commandant Parke, C. 8., Captain Sir G. Pechell, Bart., M.P., Dr. Sir W.Burnett, R.S., Medical Director-General; Captain Townsend, Commander Fordyce, M.P., &c. DETONPORT, MAT 15.—We have had a grand re view, in honour of her Majesty's birthday. All the troops assembled on Mount Wise, with the exception of those on guard, and the firing was very good ;1 but the veterans have praise of beating both the ma rines and line. The ships also fired at noon. • ' The Otter, steam-packet, from Holyhead, arrived yesterday morning. Orders are down to pay off both , the Otter and Fire-Queen at this port. Lieutenant William H. Connolly (1846) died on Tuesday last at the residence of his father, Major General Connolly, king's-terrace, Southsea. The gallant deceased-was only twenty-nine years of age. His illness commenced some months back while ..` 7 ': MAY 17, 1850. serving in the Superb, 80, at Cork, in which ship he was much esteemed and beloved by both officers and crew. Commander Fayrer, is about to fit his patent wheel-stop on board the Dauntless, steam-frigate, at Portsmouth. In a notice we gave some time since, we explained that this invention is to. prevent the men at the wheel, when steering the ship, from being thrown over it, when the ship may be struck by a heavy sea. Commander Read goes out in the Avon, West India packet, that sails to-day from Southampton, to join the Irnaum, Commodore's ship at Jamaica. THE CUCKOO STEAM-VESSEL SUNK. —Intelligence was brought to Portsmouth yesterday morning that the Birkenhead, troop-steamer, Commander Stevens, had arrived at Jersey, from Cork, with the 26th Re giment on board ; and we are sorry to say that the Cuckoo steamer, Commander Dumaresq, in conveying a party of this regiment to the lauding-place at St. Ililliers, in consequence of a beacon being washed away, grazed a rock and knocked a hole in her bottom. She ran alongside the wharf, however, and the soldiers were landed safely, but the Cuckoo sunk alongside. She can, it is said, be easily raised again. The Birkenhead proceeds on to Dover before she re turns to Portsmouth. PORTSMOUTH, THURSDAY.—The Ajax, 60, steam guard-ship, Captain Quin, it is expected will sail next week for Queenstown. The Thetis, 40, Captain Codrington, C. 8., will be paid off at Plymouth on her return from her present cruise. _ _ _ Commander Forsyth's expedition (Lady Franklin's rather) is fitting out with much dispatch, and we are happy to state subscriptions are coming in rapidly in furtherance of the grAnd object. Besides the general subscription lists another has been opened by a private firm to assist in the good work, Shaw, Maxwell, and Co., of Salisbury-street, Strand. WooLwicir, MAT 16.,-.-The Desperate, 8, steam sloop, of 400-horse power, fitted with engines by Mandalay, Sons, and Field, was towed down the river to Woolwich to-day from the East India Docks, Blackwell, by the Jasper and the Advice. steam vessels, and is now taking ballast on board prepara tory to being tried down the river on. Monday week, the 27th inst. The !)esperate is fitted . with a screw propeller. The Inflexible steam-frigate bad ber steam up in the basin to-day to try her engines, and will soon be ready for service. The Retribution steam-frigate is ordered to be ex pedited in order that: she may be ready by the Ist of July next, as it is expected, if affairs on the continent remain in a quiet state, that her Majesty and Prince Albert will visit Gibraltar and Malta during the ap proaching season, and the Inflexible and Retribution form two of the vessels of the royal squadron. The Princess Alice, Dover mail steam-packet, is having new boilers made for her at the factory at Woolwich Dockyard, and will shortly come round to , hare them put on board. LITERATURE. THE ZOIST. No. XIII. - - --- The present is a very interesting number of this ex cellently conducted quarterly journal of cerebral phy siology and mesmerism. The remarkable case of severe hysteria cured by mesmerism, written by Dr. Guisan, of Vevey in Switzerland, and communicated by the Hon. Caroline Courtenay Boyle, is so re markable in itself, and is so completely authenticated by honourable persons, who can have no possible in terest in misleading, as to imperatively call upon medical men calmly and impartially to investigate the powers of mesmerism as a therapeutic and an anaesthetic agent. The following observations on the necessity of investigation by Dr. Elliotson, in a paper " On the Superstitions of Mesmerism," appear to us particularly worthy of attention : " New all the phenomena of mesmerism are a part of natural knowledge, and therefore as deserving of inves tigation as any other part. To doubt this in regard to the ordinary mesmeric phenomena, shows a person to be not a whit superior to a priest of the middle ages or a peasant of an Italian village. Our business is only to ascertain whether each point is true; and this is more over a duty, fur the subject far transcends all the sciences of inanimate nature, and is one of the most useful arts. Mesmeric sleep-waking, from what appears profound coma to high activity; rigidity, lessened and heightened sensibility; peculiar susceptibility of impressions from ♦arious inanimate objects and from living beings; mental attractions and repulsions; the excitement of individual cerebral organs, &a., are only such phenomena as are at present too generally admitted for a person to deny them without exposing himself to ridicule. Higher phenomena are not so generally admitted, and some of them are fan cied to be supernatural. Cerebral sympathy of sensation, even of information and emotion, may be admitted and thought natural; clairvoyance, so far as it consists of an intuitive knowledge of the course of a disease and its remedies, in the patient himself, or even in another person ; of knowing present objects of vision without the eyes; nay, the power of influencing another by the mere will, may be admitted. But the higher clairvoyance which perceives the absent and distant, the past and the future, is doubted, and, if believed, considered preter natural. If these things are true, they are of necessity in the course of nature; and the mode of effecting them must be a natural process. We have no miraculous faculties, nor can anything we do bo miraculous; nor can it or anything we do be necessarily wrong, unless it never clan he done with good results and without mischief. As the higher varieties of clairvoyance, if true, must be natural facts, the whole deserve close investigation." THE LAND WE LITE IN. Part XXXII. In the current number of this popular periodical— " the pictorial and literary sketch-book of the British Empire"—we find an illustrated description of the "Exhibitions of London." But for the extreme cheapness, completeness, and compactness of several hand-books to the metropolis recently published, we should anticipate as large a circulation of the present instalment of the Land We Live In as it unquestionably deserves. The embellishments accompanying the letter- press:represent: St. James's Park near Buckingham Palace, the British Institu tion, the National Gallery, the Society of Arts, Soane's Museum, and includes a variety of sketches from the larger pictures of Barry. The literary matter associated with these excellent engravings is remarkable for its intelligence. DRESSMAKERS' AND MILLINERS ASSOCIATION. This association, formed in 1843 for the aid and benefit of this class of persons, held their annual meet ing yesterday at the rooms of the Statistical Society, No. 12, St. James's-square. In the absence of Lord Ashley, the Earl of Arundel and Surrey presided, and read a letter from Lord Ashley expressive of his regret at not being able to attend. The annual report was read by Dr. Gavin, which congratulated the supporters of the association on the success that had attended their efforts to ameliorate the condition of those engaged in dressmaking. The system pur sued and its results had been investigated by persons who were practically acquainted with the business, and the opinion they had recorded was uniformly favourable to the institution. The hours of work had been reduced in London on the whole, and much more attention was paid generally to the health and comfort of the young females. The subscriptions during the past year were insuffi cient to meet the expenses, though they had received several generous donations, and among others 50/. from Lady Hoghton, of Astley Hall, Lancashire. The number of persons registered by the association was fewer last year than during several years, but the diminution was accounted for by the great genera l increase of emigration. The report o bserved wi t h satisfaction an increase in day workers , which tended - to assimilate dressmaking with other employmen ts. With the view of establishing Pr ovident un, sums been would be placed manager of the institution bad agentoafutthheordisepedostio receive deposits, and to act as an . tors, in whose name the se ver a l statement of accounts showed a idnebatofl savings lO / b . ainncku. The rred by t he associat . on during the past year—the receipts having . been 337/., and the ex penditure 44.71. O n the motion of Mr. Robert Dick son, M.D., by Mr. Levi, the rep or t was I r B e s ce u seconded adopted. (The Earl of Arundel was from a previous engagement, to resign thuhle2e:enciohnibalirguian,e4sd was succeeded by General Kenah, cs.) The ladies' committee and the committee of gent l e men were then named for the ensuing year, and vo tes of thanks were passed to those who had been connected with the association. A vote of thanks to the chairman having been unanimously passed, General Kenah, in returning thanks, begged to men tion that it had been ascertained that one or two persons had taken advantage of the cessation of a society similar to their own, called " The Dress makers' and Milliners Home," to impose upon the benevolent public by illegally collecting subscriptions in the name of that society, and keeping the sums subscribed. He cautioned the public to be upon their guard against such impostors. PERSONAL ADVENTURES IN UPPER AND LOWER CALIFORNIA,DY W. R. RYAN, ESQ.—" Mr. Shoberl signa lises his publishing career with great activity, and has this week presented us with a characteristic account of California, whither so many hopes and wishes tend. Mr. Ryan's story is full of strange adventure, and his accounts of all classes of the population in the wild and unsettled country through which he passed a ff ord a very striking pictur e of man (vari ous races) in an extraordinary condition, with passions un curbed, and aiming at oue engulphing object. '—Literary Gazette. [ADVERTISEMENT.] ITCIIOWiI9'S Ointment and Pills a never-failing Remedy for the Cure of Scurvy and Scor butic Humours.—Thomas Andrews, of Sutton -street, New , castle, had been severely afflicted (ob e y ears with scurvy and scorbutic humours all over his body had been ander the treatment of several medical men, but to no purpose, and at t H he ol d lo is w e a l y se 's f r O o Ointment t his m e n s t y a st n e d m P th ill a s t ' last he was pronounced inc urable; the poor fellow then, as a forlorn hope, commenercaeddicusstiedng wich so effectuall in h the coo rse of six y weeks he was enabled to resume hi s f ormer employment, and his skin is now as clean in appetrance as th at of an infant .--S old by 41 Druggists, and at Profissor Hol loway's Establishment, 244, Strand,lendon, COURT CIRCULAR, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited the Queen yesterday. The Duke and Duchess 'd• Nemours also paid a visit to her Alajesty yesterday, at Buckingham Palace. His Royal . Highness Prince Albert rode out on horseback yesterday, attended by Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, attended by Mr. Birch, took a drive yesterday morning in an open carriage. His Royal Highness Prince Albert presided yes terday afternoon at a meeting o f th e R o yal Com mission for the promotion of the Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations to be held in the year 1851. - His Royal Highness arrived at the new Palace of Westminster at three o'clock, attended by Lieut.- Col. the Hon. A. Gordon. The Commissioners present were the Duke of Buccleuch, Earl Granville, Lord Overstone, Sir Robert Peel, Sir Richard West macott, Mr. J shepherd, Mr. Cobden, M.P., Mr. Cubitt, Mr. T. F. Gibson, Mr. Pussy, M.P., and Mr. R. Stephenson. Mr. Scott Russell and Mr. Stafford Northcote, secretaries to the Royal Commission, were in attendance. Col. Reid, R.E., Chairman of the Executive Committee, was also present. Before the meeting of the Royal Commission, the Building Committee assembled yesterday morning, in the new Palace of "Westminster. There were present the Duke of Buecleuch, Mr. Barry, Mr. Cubitt, Mr. R. Stephenson, Mr. C. R. Cockerel!, and Mr. T. L. Donaldson. Mr. Scott Russell, Secretary to the Royal Commission, was in attendance, and Mr. Digby Wyatt was also in attendance. The members of the Building Committee bad an interview with Prince Albert and the Royal Com missioners. _ _ The meeting broke up at half-past six o'clock. Their Royal Highnesses Prince Alfred, the Prin • cess Royal, the Princesi Alice, the Princess Helena, and the Princess Louisa, took their usual exercise yesterday in the garden of Buckingham Palace. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Kent and the Duchess of Gloucester visited her Majesty the Queen of the Belgians yesterday. The Duke and Duchess de Nemours also paid a visit to the Queen of the Belgians yesterday, at Buckingham Palace. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, accom panied by his Serene Highness the Prince of Lsinin gen, honoured her Majesty's Theatre with their pre sence yesterday evening. Her Royal Highness was attended by Lady Anna Maria Dawson and Lord James Murray. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday, at .the Foreign-office. It was attended by Lord John Rus sell, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Minto, Sir George Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Francis Baring, Sir John Hobhouse, the Earl of Carlisle, the Right Hon. H. Labouchere, and the Right Hon. Fox Maul.. The Council sat three hours. A deputation from the Corporation of London upon the Metropolitan Interments Bill, consisting of Sir James Duke, M.P., Mr. Masterman, M.P., Mr. Low, 4r. Deputy Harrison ' Mr. John Wood, Mr. H. L. Taylor, and the City Remembrancer, had an inter view with Sir George Grey, yesterday at the Home. office. A deputation from the Committee of the Protest ant Dissenting Deputies on the Metropolis Interments Bill had an interview yesterday with Sir George Grey. The deputation consisted of Mr. J. H. Mills (chairman), Mr. John Wilks, Mr. John Bennett, ' and the Secretary. Hie Excellency the Turkish Ambassador left town yesterday, for the Hague, by way of Calais, accom panied by Sadik Bey, second secretary to the em bassy, and Yaver Effendi, private secretary. The first secretary of the embassy, Cabouly Effendi, who has lately been promoted to the rank of functionary of the second class, remains as Charge d'Affaires during the Ambassador's absence. According to the official announcement in the Con stantinople Journal, of the 24th April, M. Zohrab Ottoman, Consul-General in this country and first attaché to the Turkish Embassy, has been promoted to the rank of a functionary of the third class, in re ward for his good and faithful services during the thirteen years that he has occupied these posts. Sadik Bey, second secretary to the Embassy, has also been promoted to the rank of a functionary of the third class. M. Agop Divitgian and Dilaver Effendi, both at taches to the Ottoman Embassy, have lately arrived from Constantinople. A meeting of the Committee appointed by the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, to communi cate with the local committees of the metropolis, was held yesterday at the Board of Trade. There were present Earl Granville (chairman), the Marquis of Salisbury, Viscount Canning, Lord Ashburton, Sir John Boileau, Bart., the High Bailiff of Westminster, Mr. Cardwell, M.P., Mr. Locke, M.P., Mr. T. Gibson, sen., Mr. Field, and Mr. Manby. Colonel Reid, R.E., chairman of the Executive Committee, and Dr. Lyon Playfair were also present. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a general meeting, at their office in Wbitehall-place, yesterday. The Marquis of Salisbury had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday. Archdeacon Berens, and Mr. William Keogh, had also interviews yester day with Sir George Grey. Dispatches were sent off yesterday evening from the Colonial-office for the Governors of the West India colonies. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. SOUTH YORKSHIRE, DONCASTER, AND GOOLE.— Mr. Sheridan reported from the Committee that the objects of the Bill were to make a diversion of the main line, 4 miles in length, near Doncaster, and of a short branch therefrom, a quarter of a mile in length, the construction of which will not involve any further outlay of capital beyond that which the company are at present authorised to raise, the steepest gradient being one in 107, and the smallest radius of a curve one furlong ; three roads to be crossed on the level. The clauses for the increase of tolls had been struck out by the committee. A clause was inserted in the Bill enabling the company, at the discretion of a general meeting, to give a priority of dividend, not exceeding 7 per cent., to certain of their shares. The other Bill, for the amendment of Acts devia tions, to Wadworth, &c., will not involve the neces sity of any further outlay of capital beyond that which the company are at present authorised to raise. The steepest gradient is I in 63, upon a coal branch, on which the traffic will descend, and smallest radius of a curve 12 chains. The two deviations are to gether nine miles in length, and the extension of the Elseoar branch 21 miles ; the extensions and devia tions to cross 18 roads on the level. Estimated Mgt of works 208,0001. Land required, 1'25 acres. ABERDEEN.—On Tuesday the preamble of this company's Bill, to enable them to raise 150,000/. and to repeal the A ma lgamation Act with the Great North of Scotland Railway, was passed by the Com mittee. GREAT LEEDS AND LONDON DIRECT.—The pro moters of this concern announce that its affairs having been fully wound up and settled, under the inspection and superintendence of a committee of shareholders appointed in 1845, a further and final dividend of ss. 6d. is now payable to the sub scribers. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, Mir 16. STOCK Excue-woz.-The share market was firm to-day, and a considerable amount of b us i ness was done, pr i nc i pal l y in the Bristol and Exeter and Great Western lines. The transactions were as follow : -Great Western, Quarters, 13% -Ditto, 171. Shares, 8 1 4 dis.-Bristol and Exeter, Thirds, 12% dis-Midland, Preference, 119%. LIVERPOOL, MAY 16- SToC/C EMIL/CM-The market has been firm to-day at the quotations. The transactions were as follow :- Lanca shire and Yorkshire, Fifth, 10 1 4 dis.-London and North - Western, 103 c.-Ditto, New Quarters, 1 1 ,4 di5....-Dittg, Fifths, 1 ,4 dia.-Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire , Pre ference, 7-Midland, 33 1 4-Ditto, Halves, 23/. Is. 3.k0di5.7.--. South-Eastern and Dover , 131. 16s. 3d. -Ditto ( N o. 4 ) i sinl Registered, 4 5 4-llitto, Thirds, 474-York, Berwick G. N. E. Purchase), 6 per cent. til e ! , ~,,h dis. Newe ll3.so; 6X dis.-Beltast and Ballymena, 17 1 ,(,-GreatNor th _ rn '' , 7 31. MANCHESTER, MAT 16: was firm to -Great Western, 534-Great Southern and Western ,Ire land),STOCK EXCHANGE.-Our share mar ke t s " and North-Western, been done. The d tr a a y n , ga st e n t d ious a awirereamasouinotllowof:_buLsionneadsenh (C), ;,1 n. p......man. Manchester and Birmingham, Q uarters Eastern and Dover Consol, Staffordshire, 10 1-16 dis.-South (No. 4), 4%. MAT 16. RmINGIIABL BI d T i h s. e_only transactions to-day wars-. chester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, preference, 7 1-16 -North Shropshire Union, 8 1-16 dig. The transactions to-day were as fol roßK, MAY 15. 7 1 4 N th fol low —Eastern South Sirxtaff;o;rrdaTbciticirosa:,ll:4ls, _ or hire, 7 1 A - British, 71 , - ,i t North Tork, Newcastle, and Berwick, 13%- York d 5, per GL . GOW AS , Mir 14. roc Excniztox.-The transactions t do- ay were as fol low: - Glasgow, Kilmarno ck, and Ayr, 40-Ditto, Halves , North u raMnteed (so. 2), 5-Edinburgh and Glasgow (Stirling Midland cent. guaranteed, 15%. .I' u o n r e k ti a o n n d ) cent., 'IOA I -Monkland, 6 per Frowns blight young children ss frosty nights blight young plants.—Eliza Cook's Journal. - - GILOONCS Tula* Snow.—The private view of the superb collection of tulips c ultivated at the garden of Mr. Groom, at Clapham, was afforded yesterday to many of the nobility and others interested in floriculture. The bed, containing upwards of 2,000 tulips, displayed the scientific skill of the grower, and exhibited some of the rarest speci mens of the flowers. Amongst the varieties were the Victoria Regina, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Sutherland, Marshal Soult, Imperatrix Florum, &c. The coldness of the weather has in some degree prevented the full development of the flowers, which are, nevertheless, : in a perfect healthy state. The collection is among the best which the cultivator has produced. In the course of the day his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge paid a yitiit t o the grounds, And a large number of the aristocracy,