The Sun. — London, England, 1845-02-22 00:00:00

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL LEGISLATION. The following are the suggestions contained in the docu ment prepared by an eminent commercial authority, portions of which have been published : Pro forma View of equalizing the Annual Revenue and Expenditure, presuming that the Excise and Assessed Taxes, and the Stamps on Marine and Fire Assurances, and also the Duties of Customs (except eight) should be abolished, and adding Distilled Spirits and Malt, now under the Excise, to the Customs, and Excise Licences to the Stamps : abolishing all other of the Assessed Taxes, and the whole Excise establishment. First. Assuming the total annual expenditure not to exceed R evenu e necessary to meet this expendi ture, to be raised as follows 1. From duties on (1) Tea • (2) Sugar and Molasses • (3) Coffee and Cocoa ; (4) To bacco; (%) Distilled Spirits; (6) Wines; (7) Dried Fruits; (8) 5pice5...£21,500,0001 2. 'fl om e Distilled 1 £ 5,0 00,0001 Spirits ..... ..... j Malt, whe ther made at 10,000,000 31,500,000 home or im- 5,000,000 ported from J l abr0ad.......... 3. Stamps, leaving out Marine and Fire In surances, and including licenses now under 7,500,000 the Excise 4. Unredeemed Land-tax Deficit £50,000,000 1,200,000 9,800,000 £50,000,000 This deficit is to be levied, not by doubling, or rather more than doubling, the present income-tax, but by the less in quisitorial and more direct and equitable plan of an annual assessment in the pound upon the annual value of all realised property. And surely 11,000,0001., includingithe unredeemed laud-tax, out of 50,000,000/. of total taxation, forms but a small proportion of the total sum to be levied directly. The reason that we include only eight articles in the Cue toms duties, is on the sound principle that if an article is to be taxed when consumed, it should be so taxed without any difference being made as to the place where produced ; the consumer always paying the full market price of the article he consumes, including every tax upon it. There is no manufactured article which yields a revenue of any consequence except silks • which, being an article of luxury, though not included ab ove, we have less objection to its being taxed than any other. The duty might be modi fied so as to produce 250,000/. a year. Gloves yield 28,000/. ; woollen manufactures about 17,000/. If Parliament, however, should determine not to abolish the window and other assessed taxes, except the unredeemed land-tax, then our pro forma view of financial revenue would stand as follows : I £21,500,000 I. Customs 11. Malt and home- distilled .£31,500,000 spirits 10,000.000 111. Stamps, excluding Marine and Fire In surances IV, Assessed Taxes V. Deficit to be levied on all realised pro perty 7,500,000 4,500,000 6,500,000 Total revenue £50,000,000 INCOME-TAX, COLLECT PRILED N TILE YEAR ENDED s.rtt A I 1843. Tax. Income. England and Wales Schedule A, lands, tene ments, &c., in respect of the property thereof..... £73,728,429 £2,150,412 Schedule B, lands, &c., in respect of the occupancy ... 20,486,606 thereof Schedule C, annuities, di vidends, he Schedule D, profits or gains 50,296,645 Sdhedule E, public officers, &c. 298,763 812,983 1,466,985 260,657 £181,322,202 £4,989,800 Scotland : Schedule A. Produce of Tax in Scotland on all the Schedules 394,324 9,284,383 L, at 7d. in the pound, should produce 270,7944 leaving for the remaining four schedules 123,5301., equal to 394,324/., which sum, collected at the same rate as those four schedules produced in England, indicates an income of 4,680,9591, showing the total income of Scotland to be 13,965,3421., and of Great Britain 195,287,5444 exclusive of incomes under 150/. In 1801, the assessments for England, including incomes above 150/., amounted to £74,676,894 The income from assessments under 150/. per annum, and not under 601., amounted to 9,284,383 Differenc,e,being incomes above 1501. per ann. £56,571,654 Now, if 56,571,654 : 11,105,240 :: 195,287,544 : 62,499,831 ; and if the incomes under 150/., and above 601., from all the schedules be in 1844 in the same proportion to those above 150/., as in 1801 (and there is no reason that they should not), then the total income of Great Britain in 18-04 should amount to 257,787,3751. We consider that of this amount 200,000,000/. may be estimated as the rents and profits of all realised property—viz., the rents and profits on all lands, tenements, houses, and constructions, including factories, warehouses, docks, ship-yards, railways, canals , public funds, Bank oiEngland Stock, East India and South Sea Stock, and the stock and shares of all Companies whose stocks and shares are bought and sold in the market. SUGAR DUTIES. On Tuesday, the 18th, an article from a morning paper was copied into The Sun. The article, after stating that there were good reasons for believing that the reductions proposed by . Sir R. Peel were only the steps to a more comprehensive plan now under con templation, orig inally designed goes on to state, that a document , designed for the peeuliar direction of those i n the Minis terial confidence, had by some means become public. The document is, states the paragraph, an essay on " Commer cial and Financial Legislation," which, though in perfect keeping(?) with the "Financial Statement," is a very bold and ample development. With the assurance that there was the most absolute agreement on those questions be tween Sir Robert Peel and the late President of the Board of Trade, and without the least hint of any dis cordant voice in the Cabinet (again ?) we have, adds the paper, no alternative but to read in this document the ultimate intentions of the present Ministry as far as they have been reduced to tangible form, and as far as circumstances seem likely to admit of their execution. ' - We have only space this day to give to our readers the two first introductory papers. Their style is compendious and suggestive, but there can be no mistake as to their drift. The frevat possible exchange of commodities, and the imposition of taxes only for revenue, are made the basis of a scheme which we think it due to the financial acts of the Ministry to publish even in its present im perfect shape." The foregoing euleeium on the financial statement of Friday appears at rather an unhappy moment, consider ing how much the proposition of Sir R. Peel about the sugar duties is at variance with the recommendation of the before-mentioned essay to impose taxes only for revenue. The remarks in The Sun of Wednesday evening clearly demonstrate that the proposed duties on sugar are to be Imposed principally for the benefit of one class, regard less altogether of the revenue, for while they will ab stract from the consumers of sugar 2,625,0001. for the enrichment of a few planters, they will deprive the re venue of 1,300,0001., which deficiency the said con sumers will have to make good by submitting to the yoke of an abominable income-tax. These results are as much in keeping with the principle conveyed in the essay on commercial and financial legislation as were the results of the Ministerial efforts to exclude slave labour sugars from the British markets by an Act of Parliament. The Minister and his party bring all the energies of their mind to concoct an Act which shall ' admit only free-labour sugar to home consumption, when 10, and behold ! the very first transaction which occurs, upon the Act coming into operation, is the ad mission of a cargo of slave-labour sugar, certi ficated,l cer tainly, as the produce of Venezuela (a slave-holding State), but suspected to be, by judges of sugar, who saw the samples of it, to be the produce of Porto Rico. One cargo having found its way safely to British markets, will, doubtless, be followed by others, AS the enterprise paid the importers handsomely. The scheme for excluding slave-labour sugar from Great Britain is, consequently, illusory, and has the bad effect of raising the prices of sugar to the British consumer, without discouraging the cultivation of the cane by slaves. It is to be hoped, therefore, that the House will support Lord John Russell's amendment whenever it may come tinder discussion, so that an Act calculated only to raise prices to British consumers and enrich British sugar pro lucers, may be placed, with all others of the same cha racter, in the tomb of the Capulets. COURSE OF EXCLIAI Amsterdam CF. 12 7} Ditto, at sight l2 Rotterdam 2U. 12 8 Antwerp 26 10 Hamburgii M.B. 13 15 Altona l3 15 Paris, 3 days' sight 25 85 Ditto, 3 sionths 26 0 Marseilles Bourdeaux 26 15 Frankfort on Maine 122 Petersburgh, 3Us 37 Berlin Vienna, effee. fl. 3 M 9 59 Trieste, ditto Madrid 36* Cadiz ltilbao 36 Barcelona 36 Seville IGE.—(YESTERDAY.) Gibra1tar....•......... Leghorn ..... 91 Genoa ..... ...... 26 10 Milan Venice Naples .. .. 39i Palermo, I,fir oz llB# Lisbon ......... Oporto .. . . Rio Janeiro-- Bahia 24 Buenos Apes New Yot k dyssight Philathiphia • PRICY: 4 BULLION, I'ER Z. Foreign bars.±.3 17 9 Tortuga! 4 1:iold Coin 3 17 5 New Do.; .00n5..... u 0 0 New D:Pais 0 4 9 1 Silve: n 6 , trs 0 4 11; .• MARKET INTELLIGENCE. COAT. razimx.-Er. Prices per ton at the close of the market :—Adair's Main, 16s 6d; Buddha's West Hartley, 163 641; Carr's West Hart ley, 16s Gd ; llasting's Hartley, 16s; Holvwell Main, 173 6d ; ew Tantield, 16s 3d ; Old Puntop, 15s 6 - d; Ord's Redheugh, 15s ; Old Tanfield, 16s ; Tanfield Moor, 19s 6d ; West Hart ley, 17s ; West Wylana, 16s 6d ; W.E., Clark and Co., 163 ; Ciennell, 16s ; Elm Park, 17s; Heaton, 18s; Hihla, 17s 6d; Eden Main, 18s 6d ; Braddyll's Hetton, 20s 3d ; Hylton, 17s 6d ; Lambton, 20s ; Lumley, 18s ; Morrison, 17s 3d ; Rus sell's Hetton, 193 6d ; Stewart's, 20s 6d ; Caradoc, 20s ; Heughall, 18s 3d ; Kelloe, 19s ; Leasingthome, 19s ; Adelaide, 19s 6d ; Brown's Deane; y, 183 6d ; Evenwood, 15s 6d ; Tees, 19s 6d ; Anthracite, 20s ; Cowpen Hartley, 17s ; Lewiss Merthyr, 21s ; Morgan's Stone, 21s 94 ; SnapethQrpe, 17s 6d. Ships arrived, 4. (From the London New Price Curre nt of Feb. 21.) SucArt.—To-day the quantity of Nest India Sugar sold in private was only 12 0 hhds, - which is to be attributed to the high rates asked by importers . The adva nce i n price is 26 to 3s per cwt. REETNED.—To-day the Refiners appeared very desirous make sales, in consequence of the measures Governmentp t ro o . pose, which appearLto p ress hard on them. Foreign refined in bond prices remain much the same, with a partial business doing, and very little of Crushed or Loaves could be purchased for present delivery. 111AcEi1•tus.—This afternoon there was a large public sale of 11,228 bags 76 casks of Mauritius Sugar; the trade at tended in large numbers , bu t the hi g h ratesinsisted u w pon operated against the demand ; still the principal part as disposed of at an advance on the last public auction rood s to is , 6d per cwt ; fine yellow fetched 63 s to 64s 6d, 6ls to 62s 6d, good middling 60s to 60s 6d, middling 37s to 59s 6d, low 54s to 56s 6d, fine brown 53s to 53s 6d, middling 50s, and low 47s per cwt. EAST INDIA.—This afternoon the market was well supplied - TIE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 22, 1845. with Bengal Sugar; the quantity offered at public sale amounted to 4,874 bags, the principal part was t:ken in at high prices, and the remainder sold at an advance of 6d per cwt; fine white fetched 68s, good 66s 6d, middling 64s to 643 6d, low 62s 6d to 635, damp brown 45 to 495, middling sound yellow 57s to 58s 6d, low 568 to 56s 6d. Of Madras, 4,150 William Behnes, stone merchant, Osnaburgh-street, New road, Feb. 28, at twelve, and April 4, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Turquand, official assignee, Old Jewry-chambers ; Lawrence and Flews, Bucklersburv. Francis Cranswick, innkeeper, Bridlington, March 4, and April 8, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Young, offi cial assignee, Leeds ; Taylor, Bridlington ; Blackburn, Leeds. Gerard Samson, corn dealer, Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, March 4, and April 1, at one, at the Exeter District Court. Hernaman, official assignee, Exeter; Phillips, Wey mouth ; Combe, Staple Inn, London ; Terrell, Exeter. Thomas Ferris, grocer, Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, March 7, and April 4, at twelve, at the Bristol District Court. Ky naston, official assignee, Bristol. James 'Wells, carrier, Winchcomb, Gloucestershire, March 5, at twelve, and April 15, at eleven, at the Bristol Dis trict- Court. Miller, official assignee, Bristol ; Trenfield, Winchcomb. Charles Thornton, stationer, Huddersfield, March 3 and 24, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Fearne, official as signee, teeds ; Clark and Cooper, Sessions-house, Old Bailey, London ; Floyd and Booth, Huddersfield. William Reeves, coach builder, Walcot, Somersetsbire, March 7, and April 4, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Hutton, - offiCial assignee, Bristol ; Gray, Bristol. Thomas Langston, share broker, Manchester, March 4 and 24, at one, at the Manchester District Court. Fraser, official assignee, Manchester; Hitchcock, Buckley, and Tidswell, Manchester ; Johnson, Son, and Weatherall, Temple, London. Thomas Taylor, farmer, Higher Walton, Cheshire, March 6 and 27, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court. Hobson, official assignee, Manchester; Johnson, Son, and Weatherall, Temple, London ; Needham, Manchester. John Danks, wharfinger, Birmingham, March 3, and April 12, at the Birmingham District Court. Bittleston, official assignee; Birmingham ; Whateleys, Birmingham. PRICE OF SUGAR. _ _ _ tags in bond were sold at is per cwt advance; good damp brown fetched 28s, middling 25s to 26s 6d, low 22s to 245, very low 17s to 21s, common sound date 22s 6d to 24sper cwt. MOLASSES.—A brisk demand for West India, and an ad- vance of is per cwt has taken place. Demerara of middling quality fetched 22s Cd to 28s. At auction, 95 casks of Bengal 'treacle were taken in at 21s, buyers at 20s per cwt. COCOA.-The market has still a dull appearance for British Plantation, and prices going down. Of 253 bags of Grenada at public sale, a part only found buyers ; good ordinary dull red at 41s to 425, and very low 35s per cwt. Trinidad 40s to 48s, but very little business transacted privately. Foreign met increased attention, and an advance has taken place; 155 bags Bahia at auction were all sold at 37s 6d to 38s 6d per cwt for fine bright red. FOREIGN.-This afternoon at public sale, 48 pkgs of sea dam Bahia were only partly sold, white at 21s, yellow 18s 6d to 20s, brown 14 s to 18 s. Privat el y 200 hests of old white Bahia, and 100 chests of ditto brown have been sold on the spot for refining in bond at 22s and 18s per cwt. COFFEE.-This afternoon holders of Berbice were more in clined to sell, but 99 casks 62 barrels at public sale were only partly sold at a decline of 4s to 5s per cwt, low middling went at 60s to 635, fine fine ordinary very unclean 458, and ordinary 38s ; 120 bags Plantation Ceylon were taken in, fine fine ordinary colory 655, and fine ordi nary 60s; 148 barrels Rio were only partly sold, middling colory at 50s fine fine ordinary grey 455, being cheaper; 27 bags of Mysore fetched 39s for good ordinary; 138 bags Bahia were all taken in, fine ordinary at 30s 6d to 335, and good ordinary 2886 d per cwt. In go&I ordinary pale Ceylon sales were made privately at 47s to 48s per cwt. TEA.-Since it has become known that no alteration is to be made in the duty on Tea, there has been a falling off in the demand for black, and more desire has been manifested on the part of holders to realise. Although a decline on late rates of id to Id per lb has been submitted to for Con gnu, buyers have been cautious in their proceedings, and a small amount of business has been transacted by private treaty. common at 10d to 100, good common 100 to 11d, but mid coarse Hid to ls, mid and good blackish leaf is lid to is 6d, fine is 7d to is 9d, Pekoe flavour is 10d to 2s 4d, choice and rich 2s 5d to 2s 7d per lb. A reduction of Id per lb having been submitted to for Pouchong, occasioned the de mand to be excellent, and large parcels have been disposed of at 5d to 8d per lb for low to good ord. Twankav was pur chased with caution, yellow leat at 18214 d to is 3d, brightish leaf is 3 1 ,4 d to is 7d; superior and Hyson kind, is 8d; to 2s 4d per lb. An increased demand for Hyson, an and advance of Id to 2d has taken place. Young Dyson wanted, and is fetching full rates. Hyson Skin sold at former cur rency. The demand is good for Gunpowder and -Im p erial, and prices continue high. The value of fine Scented Orange Pekoe is 3s 4d to 3s 6d per lb, and little to be had. At public sale 6,775 pkgs have been offered, and 1,900 sold. Rum, BRANDY, AND HOLLANDS.--PriCes have further declined for Calcutta Rum, and a limited businesstransacted ; the private operations are 160 hhds at is 10d proof strength. Buyers of Demerara have operated more freely, a further , decline in prices being taken : the sales are 150 puncheons 30 hogsheads, 33 to 41 per cent 0 P . at 3s, and hogsheads at 3s Id per gallon. In Leewarda scarcely any business done, to 2s to 2s id fir proof strength. Fine and very fine Jamaica wanted, and are fetchinr , stiff rates, but the market is in a very dull stat e for low a nd mid kinds ; 21 to 26 0 P 3s 3d to 3s sd, 26 to 29 0 P3B 5d to 3s 3d, 30 to 36 0 P 3s 7d to 45, fine 31 to 36 0 P4s 6d to ss, and superior and high flavoured 5s 4d to 78 per gallon. The business done in Brandy has been extremely limited, and a further decline has taken place • Cog anc, best brands of the vintage of 1838 , hhds ss, puns 4 s 10d ; 1839, hhds 4s 9d, puns 4s 7d; 1840, hhds 4s 9d, puns 4s 7d ; 1841, hhds 4s Bd, puns 4s 6 1 ; 1842, hhds 4s sd, puns 4s 3d ; 1843, hhds 4s 3d, puns 4s Id, common 2s 7d to 2s 10d, mid to good mid 2s lld to 3s 10d, and Bordeaux 2s 64.1 to 2s 9d per gallon. Geneva sparingly at is 9d, home consumption sort at 2s 4d to 3s. The market is still firm for British Corn Spirits at 108 2d per gallon, cash. RICE.-For Bengal previous rates are sustained, some parcels of mid and good mid white sold privately at 11s to lls 6d, but at auction 820 bags were taken in at I Is 6d to Its for good mid. Madras wanted, and prices are advancing. Java sought after, and stiffer rates paid, privately. 600 Mats of good mid white were sold at Ils, and 300 bags at 9s Gd per cwt. Cleaned Rice a good sale, and prices are firm at 13s 6d to 17s for Patna, and 23s to 28s per cwt for Carolina. SPICES.-This afternoon at public sale 10 cases Singapore Mace sold at 2s 8d to 3s Id for good, and 2s 3d to 2s 6d for middling ; 3 cks 6 cs Nutmegs fetched full value-good brown 3s 10d to 4s, good mid 3s 5d to 3s Bd, mid 3s 2d to 3s 4d, and rather small 3s Id. Pepper met little attention, 409 bags of Malabar, and 635 bags Sumatra were offered at public sale-the former all withdrawn, and the latter taken in at 2%,(1 for light stalky ; 5 casks Amboyna Cloves taken in at is 2id to is 3d for fair, 48 bags of Bourbon at 10d per lb, and 936 bags of East India Ginger at 18s per cwt for Bengal and Malabar. Pimento wanted, and 400 bags at auction fetched stiffer rates-mid 3d to 314 d, and low mid 2%d to 20. TALLOW.-Prices have a downward tendency for Russian Tallow, and on the spot 39s 3d to 39s 6d having been cc cep!ed for P Y Candle of first quality, and 37s to 39s per cwt for inferior kinds. The best quality for the last three months of the year at 39s 3d to 39s 6d per cwt, but buyers operate with reluctance. Town Tallow 39s 6d to 40s nett cash, but buyers operate largely, and the market is nearly cleared. American and New South Wales holders are compelled to reduce their prices. 01m-this afternoon at public sale 426 pkgs of South American Tallow were only a part sold at 36s 3d to 38s, low 32s 6d to 36s ; 108 casks of North American 35s 9d to 3953 d, and 44 casks of New South Wales at 38s to 40s per cwt. Ismuso.-For Madras a further advance on the rates of the last quarterly sales of 2d to 3d per lb-the sorts most in re quest are those at and under 2s 10d per lb. Bengal pur chases to a fair extent have been made at 2d per lb advance. The market has a very firm appearance for every kind of East India. Spanish in fair request upon former terms. Cocurrem.-This afternoon at public sale 100 cs of Cam - phor went at 61 5s ; 185 chests of Shellac taken in, thick blood 40s, block 335; 1,357 packets of Bengal Turmeric were sold at 133 for good; 58 tons of Sapan Wood 15/ to 151 I7s 6d ; 15 tons of Red Sanders Wood 51 128 6d to 5115 s ; 215 bags Pegue Cutch taken in at 22s per cwt. The Average Price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, for the week ending Feb. 18, 1845, is 30s. 2 id .per cwt., exclusive of the Duties of Customs paid or payable thereon on the im portation thereof into Great Britain. [Dividends, &c., in our next.] NEW PROJECTED RAILWAYS. (From the Gazette of last Evening.) RAILWAY. DEPARTMENT, BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, FEB. 21,1845. Notice is hereby given, that the Board constituted by the Minute of the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade, for the transaction of railway business, having had under consideration the following schemes, for extending rail way communication to the west of Ireland, viz. : The Great Western (Ireland) Railway—Dublin to Mullin gar, &c. The Great Western (Ireland) Railway—Alternative Line The Great Western (Ireland) Railway—Extension Line The Irish Great Western—Dublin to Galway, have determined on reporting to Parliament in favour of the Irish Great Western—Dublin to Galway; and against the Great Western (Ireland) Railway—Dublin to Mullin- gar, &c. Great Western (Ireland) Railway—Alternative Line, Great Western (Ireland) Railway—Extension Line: and the Board having further had under consideration the following schemes, for extending railway communication in the north and north-west of Ireland, viz. The Londonderry and Enniskillen. The Londonderry and Coleraine, have determined on reporting to Parliament in favour of the London and Enniskillen ; and against the Londonderry and Coleraine; and the Board having farther had under consideration the following schemes, viz , the Blackburn, Burnley, and Accrington Extension, Blackburn, Darwen, and Bolton, determined on reporting to Parliament in favour of the schemes. DALHOUSIE. C. W. PASLEY. G. R. PORTER. D. O'BRIEN. S. LAING. FLAN DE RS MAIL. BRUSSELS, FEB. 17.—The Rhine k frozen at several places ; among others, below Worms, at St. Goar. The Maine is also frozen over near Offenbach. The Chamber of Representatives resumed to-day the dis dussion of the budget of, the Minister of the Interior, and adopted the three articles composing the 18th chapter—ma nufaetures. At the opening of the sitting tomorrow M. Eloy de Burdine will bring forward his motion relative to modifications to be made in the corn-laws. 'IIIE , HAGUE, FEB. 14.—The sections of the Second Cham ber of the States General have been engaged to-day in exa mining the projects of law ou the elective franchise, and that on the practice of medicine and surgery. The central section has met to discuss the project of law relative to the comple ment of the budget of 1844 and 1845. The French mail of_ the day before yesterday has not arrived to-day. Several addresses have been sent to the Second Chamber in favour of the proposal of M. Thorbecks and others for revising the fundamental law. The Minister of Finance has given notice, that the total amount of Treasury bonds issued by virtue of the law of 27th December, 1840, and 19th June, 1843, which were in circu lation on the' Ist of this month, was 2,535,300 florins. THE MOUE, FEB. 17.—A1l the sections of the Second Chamber began to-day the examination of the proposal for a revision of the fundamental law. The Staats Courant publishes a royal resolution respect- - ing the 41 per cent. bonds of the late Syndicate, which are to be pain off in series, to the amount of 200,000 florins each, to be determined by drawing lots. The frost having again beau rather severe, our rivers and canals are full of floating ice, in many places quite frozen over. • HAIIBURGII BORSENBALLE, FEB. 15, Bills Money. 113 Austrian 5 per Cents ••••• • • • .• • • Bank Shares Anglo-Russian Loan ••••••••• . • • .. .• —114 U Russian 5 per Cent., Hamb. Certificate. 105 1 4 1054 Ditto Ist series Inscription .. ••••• • • • • • • 105 IA Ditto, Mpg and Co., 3d and 4th series • • 99 Ditto, In Certificate.. . • • • • • • • 99% New 4 per Cent., Hope and Co. •• •• 9i .4 90% Ditto Stieglitz •• ••• • • Spanish New 5 per Cent . . Ditto 3 per Cent .. Anglo-Portuguese Loan, 214 per Cent • • 58 Dutch Actual Debt, 214 per t ent .. •• .• 6314 Polish New 4 per Cent. 1 oan, 1844.• • . 87 4 Angio-Danish Loan, 3 r.,:x Cent . . 87% 67% National Bank Shares •••••••• .• • • • • • • Exchange on London. Petersburgh, Three months ••• • • • Bremen, Two months —llamburgh Borsenhalle, Feb. 15. AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—VIENNI, FEB. 11. 5 per Cent. Metalliques . • •••••••... 1111 4 per Cent. ditto •• • • 3 per Cent. ditto. ......... Loan, 1834 Ditto, 1839 • • • • • • • • .• .• • • • • .• • Batik Shares •. •• • Esterhazy's Loan ........ •• • .• .. 1655 PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES ON RAILWAYS. The Committee, after hearing formal evidence, decided that the Standing Orders had been complied with in the following Bills: The Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway. Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway. Huddersfield and Manchester Railway and Canal. Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway. In the case of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, opposition was offered, on the part of the Duke of Montrose, by Mr. Deans, on the ground that the description of the line was not accurate. No witnesses, however, were forthcoming in support of this allegation , and it, consequently, fell to the ground. Mr. DEANS then took an objection to the petition, ir. con sequence of an omission in the plan of a description of the radius of a curve. The Committee referred to the plan in question, and the omission appearing, the question was referred to the Select Committee on Standing Orders. - SHREWSBURY AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY.- As it was stated that there would be great opposition to this petition, the Committee postponed it till Monday. The Committee then adjourned. .. .. .. .. 1623 IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 21. The Loan Cuasteennoa took his seat on the Woolsack shortly after Five o'clock. MEDICAL PROFESSION. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from a medical gentleman named Burn, living at St. George's-in-the-East, praying an amendment in the laws regarding coroners. The petitioner stated that many inquisitions had been taken in eases where parties had been dying for 13 or 14 days. Now this surely was unnecessary, and he wished to call the attention of the Secretary of State for the Home Department to it. Lord CAMPBELL would give notice of his intention on Monday to lay on the table of the House a Bill for abolishing deodands. Lord STANLEY presented a petition from Ulverstone praying that the Apothecaries' Act be repealed. SUGAR DUTIES, Lord ItIONTEAGLE moved for an account of the equali sation of the duties on sugars its 1536, the produce of the East Indies. He thought the objects that had been produoed by the equa lisation of the duties on sugar would be productive of little good if an alteration was to be made in the sugar duties with respect to the nature of the quality of sugar produced. The subject did not rest on any opinion► of his, because it had been referred to a Committee of the whole House, of which his Noble Friend opposite was the Chairman. The equalisation of the duty had pro duced an alteration of from twenty-one to twenty-four shillings. Since that alteration the increase in consumption had more than repaid the reduction of duties. The consumption had in creased tenfold, and when he referred to the evidence given be. lore that Committee by a gentleman intimate with the subject, and of the highest respectability, and to whose opinion the House might attach the utmost importance, he found that he had laid down the principle that an equalisation of the duties from our colonial possessions was of paramount import ance to the best interests of the country, and in the report proposed by - the Chairman of that Com mittee an equalisation of the duties on sugar was laid down as a part of the commercial policy of the country. After this de claration he was of opinion that any attempt to introduce a discriminating duty between sugars from our different colonies would be an unwise policy on the part of Government, and prove most injurious to our foreign possessions. He would, therefore, move for a return of the amount of sugar im ported from the East and West Indies within the last three years, as also for the duties paid on them within the same period. Lord STANLEY said that, so far as the mere papers called for by the Noble Lord were concerned, he had no hesi tation in promising that the fullest information would be given by her Majesty's Government. The Noble Lord seemest to him (Lord Stanley) to infer that her Majesty's Government intended to recede from the principle of perfect equality which had hitherto guided them. Now, he could assure the Noble Lord that her Majesty's Government would adhere to the principle that there should be an entire equality between the productions of all parts of their foreign possessions. The Government in their scale of duties had endeavoured to encourage the sugar interest of the British possessions in con tradistinction to the produce of the slave-grown sugar countries. Her Majesty's Government did propose to make a large reduction in the duties of sugar from the East and West Indies. The higher duties would be charged on the finer kinds of sugar, and the greater reduction would be made in the coarser kinds, thus giving the lower class of consumers the benefit of the reduc tion. There was no intention of imposing any additional duty on sugar imported from the East Indies, but if the Noble Lord would postpone his inquiry until after the measures of her Majesty's Government were brought before the other House, all the information sought for would be fully given. He apologised for having troubled their Lord ship on this subject. Lord NION'IEAGLE was obliged to the Noble Lord for the trouble he had taken, and as far as the information of the principle on which her Majesty's Government intended to proceed—the equalization, he meant, of the sugar duties—it was quite satisfactory. ROMAN CATHOLIC_ STUDENTS IN TRINITY BANK OF ENGLAND. (From Friday Night's Gazette.) An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth of Victoria, cap. 32, for the eek ending on Saturday, the 15th day o' February, 1845. ISSUE DEPARTMENT. X. X. Notes issued Other ecurit i es... 2,984,900 Gold coin and bul -12,638,987 Silver bullion 1,898,268 £25,537,255 £28,537,255 ARSIIALL, Chief Cashier, iry, 1845. Dated the 20th day of Febi BANKING DI A:. Proprietors' capital 14,553,000 Rest Public deposits (in cluding Exche. quer, Savings banks, Commis sioners of National :PARTMENT. Government secu rities (including Dead Weight Annuity) Other securities 10,821,457 Notes 8,395,065 Gold and silver coin 770,812 Debt, and divi dend accounts) 4,63C,247 Other deposits 9,944,408 Seven day andother bills £33,461,713 £33,461,713 .11SHALL, Chief Cashier. uary, 1845. M. MA : Dated the 20th day of Febru FRIDAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE. FOREIGN-OFFICE, FEB. 18, 1845. The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. Samson Cahlmann as Consul in London for his Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire. Royal North Regiment of Lincolnshire Militia—J. Tom line, Esq., to be Captain, Feb. 15. Commissions by the Lord-Lieutenant of Denbighshire. Denbighshire Yeomanry Cavalry—Cornet T. Edgeworth to be Lieutenant ; T. Humphreys, Gent., to be Cornet, vice Edgeworth, promoted. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. Bth Victoria-20th February, 1845. This Court will, on Saturday, the Ist day of March next, at ten o'clock, A.m., hold a sitting, and will deliver judgment in cases that have been argued. BY THE COURT. WHITEHALL, FEB. 12. The Right Hon. Sir Nicolas Conyngham Tindal, Knt., Lord Chief Justice of her Majesty's Court of Common Pleas, has appointed Francis Soames, of Workingham, in the county of Berks, Gent., to be one of the Perpetual Commissioners for taking the acknowledgments of deeds to be executed by married women, under the Act passed for the abolition of fines and recoveries, and for the substitution of more simple modes of assurance, in and for the county of Berks, and also in and for the counties of Wilts, Surrey, Hants, and Oxford. WHITEHALL, FEB. 17. The Lord Chancellor has appointed James Blake, of Croy don, in the county of Surrey, Gent., to be a Master Extraor dinary in the high Court of Chancery. WHITEHALL, FEB. 18. The Lord Chancellor has appointed Henry Yorke, of Oundle, in the county of Northampton, Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary iu the High Court of Chancery. BANKRUPTS. William Dale, shoemaker, London-wall, to surrender Feb. 28, at eleven, and April 4, at twelve, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Belcher, official assignee; Prior, Pavement, Fills bury-square. Lawrence Daniel Dolbell, dyer, Lower Mitcham, March 5, at eleven, and April 4, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy Edwards, official assignee, Frederick's-place, Old Jewry ; Beart, Bonverie-street, Fleet-street. James Crabb, bricklayer, Great Tey, Essex, March 4, at half-past twelve, and April 4, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Johnson, official assignee, Basingliall- street ; Bell, Bedford. row, London. _ ven, ffi Charles Ran s to r d, grocer, South Totten h am, F e b . 28, at e official assignee, C o l eman - street- b u i ldings; K emps te r , Bell,le and April 2, a t one, at t h e C ourt o f B an k rup t c y. Kennington-lane. Wyatt, licensed victualler, at one, * and April 9 l at asi leN n -en, at the Court of Highworth, Wiltshire, Feb. Alfred2s: plje,els in t i mbrook -court, Bankruptcy. Follett, official assignee, Basingball-street ; Taylor, Sou Lewis George, shawl warehouseman, . Reg' ent 7 s - t s r c rer e i , . 28, at half-past eleven, and April 4, at eleven, at the Can' r: b ot• Bankruptcy. Graham, official assignee, Coleman-street; Y o ung and Co., St. Nildred's-court, London. derived from it.—(Hear, hear.) He believed that his Noble Friend at the head of the Post-office was willing to afford every information in his power, and he should therefore move for a return of the number of complaints which had hem made at the Post-office of the non-transmission of newspapers, within the last twelvemonths. The Earl of LONSDALE had no objection to make to the motion of his Noble and Learned Friend; but he thought it right to state that the Post-office authorities aught not to bear the blame of the whole of the complaints which bad been made of the loss of newspapers at the Post office. He believed that there were no set of official men who exercised more vigilance, or endeavoured to do their duty more completely, than the authorities of the Post-office. And in justice to them he should wish to move an addition to the motion of his Noble and Learned Friend, for the purpose of bringing the whole subject clearly before the House. Very many of these newspapers came folded in envelopes in the most careless and slovenly manner. Several hundred bags of news papers were brought to the Post-office every evening, and al though each of these newspapers were inclosed in envelopes, yet when they were turned out of the bags many of them were separated from their envelopes. Of course, these envelopes could not be transmitted, and the Post-office bore the blame of the loss. Heshould therefore move, as an addition, for a re turn of the newspapers which had been returned to the dead letter office as having been found without directions. Their number would be found to be not much. less than 3,000 a-week. He should be most happy to see the Noble and Learned Lord any evening at the Pest-office, at the time of the arrival of newspapers, and to afford him an oppor tunity of seeing the ivanner in which that branch of the Post office was conducted. The Noble Earl concluded by moving his amendment. Lord CAMPBELL was glad the explanation was given, and so satisfactory was it to him that he would at once agree to the amendment. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH wished parties would put themselves in possession of proof that these newspapers were posted before they complained against the authorities. He was sure many who made these complaints bad no evidence to show that those newspapers were put into the post-office at the time they alleged they were. The Earl of LONSDALE concurred in what had fallen from the Noble Lord who had just resumed his seat. He was aware of an instance where a complaint had been made of the non-delivery of a newspaper, and it was afterwards discovered that the paper was not posted till the day following the com plaint.—( Hear. hear.) Lord CAMPBELL was of opinion that a prima facie case had been made out of the detention, if not of the non-delivery, of newspapers. The Earl of ELLEN BOROUGH said parties were in the habit of writing to newspaper agents directing newspapers to be sent to them, and these sgents were in many instances the parties who oug ht really to be blamed, far they never troubled themselves to see that the papers were properly directed. The amendment was then agreed to. NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. Lord WH A FINCLIFFE, in leply to a question which had been put to him yesterday evening, sa.d there was every reason for believing that their Lordships would be able to get into be new Houses of Parliament next session. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Feb. 21. THE RAILWAY CLAUSES CONSOLIDATION BILL. (Continued from our Afternoon. Edition of yesterday.) Sir GEORGE CLERK said the object of the clause was to prevent companies dividing large dividends out of the capital. The Committee was aware that there, were bubble companies, who had paid dividends at the time when they were makinr , no profit, and the consequence had been that the public was led to place confidence in the undertaking at a time when it was really in a state of insolvency. Mr. HAWES admitted the force of the Right Hon. Ba ronet's remark, but cautioned him against condemning a bona fide company for the acts of a bubble speculation. What was capital stock could not by any possibility be defined. Did they mean the paid-up capital, or the nominal capital, of a company? Now if they meant the first, he would remind the Cominittee that the paid-up capital often included profits as well as the reserved funds o f a com p an y . Then a g ain they gave some companies power to convert sur p lus shares into capital stock, no w bow were they to divide one from the other? The fact was, the capital stock of a com pany was always fluctuating, and it would be highly inju dicious to disturb the present custom. Mr. HAYTER admitted that interest and dividends were often paid out of the capital stock of a company, but it was a custom which had long exited, and the question to be con sidered was, whether the practice was an evil or not ? Cer tainly a similar clause had been introduced into some of the early railway. Bills but had the companies acted up to it? If they had, he could only say it must have been a great in convenience. The construction of a railway .occupied a very considerable time, and towards the end of this period the shareholders naturally became anxious to see a dividend. In instances like this, portions of the surplus capital had been applied to a dividend, and, as this course was generally adopted, he hoped some modification would be introduced into the clause, so as to meet the ca se of a bubble com p an y . Mr. GRAIN , GER said it would be extremely hard, if, after portions of the profits of one year had been added to the ca pital stock, the company were to be precluded from applying it to a dividend at some subsequent period. Mr. AGLION BY would suppose a Company with a capital stock of 100,0001. to have purchased 100,000 acres of laud at IL each, and afterwards to have disposed of a portion of it at a large premium. Now he wanted to know, why the company should be precluded from dividing the profit amongst the shareholders, and carrying the balance to the capital stock account.' Wherever the capital stock would in any degree be reduced that would be precluded. He entirely agreed with the Noble Lord as to the object of the clause, and he only wished to caution the Committee against giving greater power than they intended.—(Hear.) Mr. GLADSTONE did not see any difficulty in the case. He apprehended that if the Company possessed a quan tity of land of the value of 5,0001, and that the Direc tors had an opportunity of selling it for 10,0001., there was nothing to preclude them from doing so, and (as we understood) a portion of the sum realised might be applicable to the payment of dividends upon calls, and so of other profits. The accounts of all railway companies were so arranged as to distinguish between the capital stock, re served fund, and profits, and no inconvenience had hitherto arisen from the practice sanctioned by the clause. Although there were prima facie objections to the practice, yet he did not think it was in itself illegitimate, and, instead of being inconvenient, it had been found very convenient to the Shareholders, so that it had been universal.--(Hear. ) . . • Mr. HATTER suggested that there should be a proviso to the effect that dividends should be made out of calls ex cept under certain circumstances. Lord G. SOMERSET said that between this time and the bringing up of the: report he would look more accurately into the subject ofthe clause, and would consider attentively the various suggestions which had been made in the course of the conversation. was with agreed After a few words from Mr. Godson, M r . G r a n ger, and Mr. Hawes, in which the last gentleman said that he did not see why a modification might not be appli e d to this Act as was usual with any private Act, so as to measure the restriction it C pr ia m u - s id es ed l , 2 t 4 he tt c ) lEl l 9 4o se : numerous unimportant verbal amendments, were then severally passed. The 141st clause having been read, Mr. HAWES said that, by this clause, it was left to two justices to ascertain the amount to be assessed in case of wilful damage, and he conceived that some difficulty would arise from the decisions of such a jurisdiction. Mr. GODSON said that, from experience in such matters, he did not think that any unusual difficulty would ensue. The clause was then agreed to, as well as the 142 d, 143 d, and 144th clauses. On the 145th clause being read, Mr. HENLEY said that the inconsistency which he had previously pointed out was here evident. The interpretation of the clause was rendered obscure by the introduction of the word " any " before two justices. Some question must naturally arise as to how many or what parties this jurisdic tion should be given to. If the word " any" were struck out, and the clause left with the words " two justices," it would be definite and clear, and the difficulty, he apprehended, would be obviated Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET said that it certainly might tend to render all these Acts conformable with each other if the word " any were struck out, and would save the difficulty which the lion. Gentleman had pointed out. On the question being put by the Chairman, the word " any " was struck out without a division. After a few words from Mr. GRANGER. suggesting that all informations for offences against the Act should be in writing, clauses 145 to 155 were agreed to. The remaining clauses of the Bill were then agreed to. Lord G. SOMERSET moved an additional clause for enabling companies more easil, to recover calls from share holders residing in Scotland.—fhe clause was agreed to. The House resumed, and the Chairman reported progress. The report of the Bill, as amended, was received, and the Bill itself ordered to be printed. Lord G. SOMERSET would move the Orders of the Day for going into Committee on the other Bills of a similar na ture, for the purpose of postponing them till Tuesday next, when he proposed the House should again sit at twelve o'clock. After a short conversation as to the order in which those Bille should be taken, to suit the convenience of several lion. Members, Tuesday next was appointed for the day sitting. The House then adjourned till Five o'clock. LAW OF SETTLEMENT. In answer to aquestionby Mr. V. SMITH, Mr. M. SUTTON stated that, on Monday last, the Right Hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for the Home Depart ment had stated what the views of the Government were with respect to the law of 'settlement, so that the time at which it was to be decided was now in the hands of the House. Mr. V. SMITH said it was in the hands of the Home-office whether it would expedite the question or not.—(Hear.) POST-OFFICE ESPIONAGE. On the motion of the order of the day fur renewing the ad , ourned debate on the opening of letters iu the Post-office being read, Mr. J. COLLETT said that, before entering on the general question, he wished to say a few words with respect to the adjournment last night. No person could regret snore than he did the irconveniences to which the Right Hon. Baronet had been put; but in the first place, considering the impor tance of the subject, and that it involved considerations with respect to the liberty of the subject and the rights of Mem bers of Parliament, he considered he was justified in demanding an adjournment. In the second place, he thought that the state of public feeling required it ; and in the next place, he thought it was due to the Speaker, who h d sat for nine hours together, and who was to take the Chair again at twelve next (lay. In the fifth place—( Laughter)—in the fifth place—(Continued laughter)—he considered that this was due to the Members on his side of the House, and to Members on the other side, who were desirous of addressing the House on this subject, and for whom it was well known it was impossible to obtain a hearing at a late hour of the night. _(Laughter.) The Right Hon. Baronet and the Noble Lord the Member for the City of London could always secure a hearing, but the little men were always put down.— (Laughter.) if they wished a debate to be closed at a rea sonable time, the speeches of Members must be limited.— (Laughter.) The proposer of a motion ought to be allowed half an hour, and the speakers following him only a quarter of an hour each ( Great laughter) for when speeches extended to two hours, and two hours and a half, the little men had no chance.--(Continued laughter.) With respect to the question before the House, he would say that the report of the Post-office Committee was to him most unsatisfactory. Previous to the appointment of this Commit tee, the lion. Baronet at the head g.f her Majes'y's Govern ment said he was anxious for the fullest and most complete in vestigation, with a view to elicit the truth—the whole truth— and nothing but the truth. The Hon. Member for Finsbury bad brought very grave and serious charges against this prac tice of the Post-office ; but the Committee, being a Secret Committee, the evidence most necessary could not be heard. The Hon. Member for Finsbury had not been made a member of this Committee, and therefore he was right in not giving a list of his witnesses when the Committee sent for them. On the whole, he should say, that not only the entire proceedings of the Committee, but their report was, ab initio, most unsa tisfactory. However, he was not disappointed in it, for he knew that people could not gather grapes from thistles, or figs from thorns.—(Laughter.) It was not by looking over a parcel of musty warrants of former days that this Committee should seek to make out a re port ; but by a bona fide honest inquiry, and by a recommen datirn to this House to get rid of this degr a d in g , this tko-En,g lish cu stom of breaking open people's letters—( Hear, hear). — and that without referring to what warrants had been issued by this Minister or that as a justification for this abominable practice.—( Hear, hear.) He had recently read of a trial that was heard in one of their courts of law upon the identity of a horse—(Laughter)—large sums of money depended on the issue ; and the counsel Ix the defence said in his speech—" if you want to convince the public, if you want to convince the judge, if you want to convince the jury, produce your horse." —( Loud laughter.) Show his age I —(Great laughter.) 'fhe whole question at issue rested upon that, and if the Right Hon. Baronet wished to secure a majority of that House— though he supposed he was pretty well sati,fied about that—if be wished to Influence the public opinion, he would give his Hon. Friend the Member for Finsbury the opportunity of having his charges investigated. About the charges the Hon. Member has made, there could be no mistake. He was ready to have his mouth looked into--( Great laughter)—as well as his face.—( Laughter.) The lion. Member was not one of those who one year race under the name of Maccabeus and the next under that of Running Rein 1—( Great laughter 6 Justum et tenacem , propositi virum," • . D —he was always '6 honest Torn uncombe!"—(lmmense laughter.) With regard to the proposition of the Noble Lord the Member for Sunderland, he had no objection to it, except that it did not go far enough. It did not touch the question whether it was expedient or not that this practice should be continued. The Right Hon. Baronet had last year an oppor tun ty of doing justice to his Lion, Friend; he had now an other ; and he would say, " better late than never." He would therefore conclude by repeating that he hoped, for the sake of his Hon. Friend, and the sake of the country, he would agree to some examination into this matter. Sir R. COLBORNE said, as a Noble relative of his had taken considerable interest and a leading fart in the Cona• mittee of the other House, it was but natural that he should look with more than usual interest on the fate of this motion. The House of Lords thought fit to appoint his relative as chair man of the Committee, and he undertook the task with the greatest reluctance ; and he found that the task would be a most difficult one, and that the report, from the secret nature of the Committee, must needs be unsatisfactory. At all events it would have been impossible to have pleased all parties, espe cially those who sought for a vote of censure on the Govern ment.—( Hear, hear, from the Ministerial benches.) He could not vote for the motion of his Hon. Friend, because, in independent of its merits in other respects, it conveyed a vote of censure on the Comn.ittee, and consequently on his Noble relative, which he thought wholly undeserved. But it was not upon this consideration alone that he opposed it. The Committee was formed of a body of men chosen for their high honour, and who, there was every reason to believe, would act independently. There was a strong party bias on this question—if there were not, he could hardly think that Honourable Members would inflict so cruel and unjust an insult as to cast aside the decision of the Ceminittee with , out hearing any of the evidence which induced them to arrive at it. These reasons satisfied him, though he felt convinced they would not satisfy the people of England. 'The Right Hon. Baronet chew to wake it a Secret Committee—he meant to say it was the Howe that made it so ; but they all knew well that a suggestion of the Right H.m. Baronet was almost certain of being carried into effect.—( Hear, hear.) He was one of those who voted against the appointment of Mr. Dun , collato as a member of that Committee. He must say . that he now thought that he acted entirely wrong in so doing ; for he believed that had the Hon. Member of Finsbury been a mem ber of that Committee it would have saved them the time con sumed in three nights of debate, and the consequent post ponement of public business. Great excitement had been caused to the public mind by these proceedings; and that ex citement had been increased by the contemptuous manner in which the Right Hon. Baronet treated the subject when first it was brought under the notice of the (louse; but since then he had given the fullest explanation which it was possible for him to give ; and he certainly would not be a party to running down any Minister.—( Hear, from the Ministerial benches. ) With regard to the power, he differed from the Hon. Member fer Cork in having it done away with, a. he could imagine many c sea in which it would not he only u-eful but necessary. The only question was, the amount of confidence they would put in the Right Hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for the Home Department. For his own part, he was of opinion that, let what party would be in power, they would find such men to fill the office that their conduct would place them above suspicion. He utterly denied the statements of the Right Hon. Baronet that it would be a triumph of party if the amendment were carried. The only triumph would be the triumph of jus tice —( Hear, hear ) Mr. FERR AND said that when this question was brought before the House, daring the last session, he had studiously The House resumed at Five o'clock. Messengers from the Bank of England brought up certain accounts. LONDON AND YORK RAILWAY. Mr. B. DENISON brought in the London and York Railway Bill, which was read a first time. NORWICH AND BRANDON RAILWAY BILL. The Norwich and Brandon Railway Bill was brought in and read a first time. Mr. THORNELY presented a petition against the Nor- Mr. and Brandon Railway Bill, from the Mayor and Corpora tion of Norwich. GLASGOW JUNCTION RAILWAY BILL. Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition against the Glasgow Junction Railway Bill. GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY BILL. Lord ASHLEY brought in the Great Northern Railway Bill. BIRMINGHAM AND SHEFFIELD RAILWAY BILL. Mr. SPOONER presented a petition against the Birming ham and Sheffield Rail ray Bill. OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH. Mr. LIDDELL presented a petition from Chester-le-street, praying the House would pass a law enacting that public houses should be closed on the Sabbath. MEDICAL REFORM. Several petitions against the proposed plan of medical rtform were presented, and ordered to lie on the table. INCOME-TAX. Sir J. EASTHOPE presented a petition from the inha bitants of Leicester, against the income-tax. LOCAL COURTS BILL. A petition was presented in favour of this measure. SUGAR DUTIES. Mr. LABOUCHERE pres ented a petition from the grocers of Taunton, praying for a postponement of the modification of the sugar duties. VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. Mr. HUTT presented a petition from 400 or 500 agricul turists in Van Diemen's Land, praying that the ag ricultural produce of that country might be put upon the same 'footing as that of Canada. The Hon. Alember gave notice that ho would, on a future occasion, introduce a Bill upon the subject. bitants of Devonport, praying that Sir Robert Peel would SUGAR DUTIES. Sir GEORGE GREY presented a petition from the inha a petition from a place n delay his proposed measure affecting the duty on sugar until thelyirs.hohuhntihGavtergotprriedsoetatehde stock they hail now on hand. OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH. Glouceste , shire, against permitting public-houses to be opened on the Sabbath. o f r%I Mr. Perth r sP STAFFORD EtaaNicrtition from the inhabitants INCOME-T.A.X. Fi lk n i Fs E to ß tßhDe p r i e no s c e ,oß n in t ß e e d ; gave notice that, immediately CORN LAWS. . after Easter, he would move for leave to bring in a Bill, authorizing a drawback on that portion of foreign corn that had been used for feeding cattle. 111 r. BANKES gave notice that, when the subject if the reduction of the auctigh duty was before the- House, it was his avoided taking any part in it, because it was breoght into ration to take the sense of the House on that question. before the House so s ton after he bad had a contest Mr. s'sGLlt iN BY gave notice, on behalf of the Noble Lord, with the secretary of `itate for the Home Deeartment, but he the Member for Lincolnshire, that. on the 6 , h of March, he doubted whether he could eive a proper ante with respect iG would move for leave to bring in a Bill to facilitate the em- ; He had heard the statements of the Hon. Member for Finsbury ployrnent and improvement of common lands. I last year, when he distinctly stated that justice should be done Mr. MILES gave notice that in Committee on the Bill for to ail parties. The lion. Member had now come forward and the renewal of the property and income-tax, he would move ' asserted that justice had not been done to him. The Right a clause giving to eersons ass, ssed under schedule B, when their lion. Baronet also at the head of the Home Department had I property was within the prescribed amount , a r i ght of appeal, I stated, last session, that if he had not justice done to him he subject to the rules ar .d conditions under schedule D. I would bring the subject forward before the Home. Now he Dr. BOWRING gave notice, that on Monday he would ' (Mr. Ferrand) would like to know if he was to have justice ask the Secretary of State whether he was prepared to lay on why the lion. Member for Finsbury should not ?—( Hear. ) the table of the house the correspondence of the Poor-law If the Right Hon. Baronet was satisfied with the report of that Commissoners on the subject of the sales of medical offices in Committee, the lion. Member for Firabury was not, and there the Dublin Union. fore he came to the House to ask for justice. lie had last Mr. MILES gave notice, that on the motion that the night heard a Noble Member of the Treasury bench taunt the Speaker do leave the chair on the Customs' Act, he would Hon. Member fur Finsbury with striking at the Right more, " That ia the opinion of this House that in any appli. Honourable Baronet whilst his hand; were tied behind cation of surplus revenue towards the mitigation of taxation, his back. The Honourable Member for Finsbury said that due regard should be had to the necessity of affording relief to he had received a personal injury, and by refusing him redress the agricultural interest." the Right Hon. Baronet tied his own bands, and committed SHERIFFS' COURTS (SCOTLAND). suicide on his own political character. If the Right Hon. Mr. WALLACE moved for a return to show the number of Baronet had acted impartially as Secretary of State in issuing appeals from the decisions of the Sheriff.' Courts of Scotland to the warrants, the Committee which was appointed to inquire the Circuit Court of Justiciary, and there reheard, during each into the circumstances was partially constructed. The Right of the last five years, ending' with October, 1844, as follows : Hon. Baronet must recollect that, during 1842, according to Ist. The name of the parties in each cause. 2d. The sum in the inference to be drawn from the First Lord of the Trea dispute. 341. The names of the Judges en Circuit, with the sury, the Hon. Member for Finsbury was engaged in private mine or names of the Judge or Judges who decided each correspondence with persons who were supposed to be plotting came. 4th. The name of the town, the date of the trial, and against the safety of the State. '1 he Right lion. Baronet whether tried in the Court-house, or in an apartment of an inn quoted an extract from a speech of the Hon. Member for or hotel. sth. The result of the trial, with the amount of the Wolverhampton upon which he grounded this inference. In costs in each crse respectively. 6th. The amount paid as fees January, 1842. an article appeared in the Qu .rterly Review of Court in each case, and to whom paid, and the authority for charging Members of that Home with having instigated per levying the same ; the return to furnish the above particulars sons in the manufacturing districts to break the peace. The in so far as the means exist.—Ordered. House would recollect how excited was the public mind NEW ZEALAND.—EAST INDIES. during the autumn of that year. They had not forgotten the Mr. HUTT gave notice that, on Tuesday next, he would, trials of large numbers of the working classes of Lancashire, on the part of another Hon. Member,move for returns relating when one of the parties tried defended himself by quoting to New Zealand. He gave notice also, that, en the same largely from speeches made by Members of that House. day, hie would move for copies of the correspondence which When the judge heard that. question, he said that although had taken place between the Government and the Directors of that had nothing to do with the proceedings before the Court, the East India Company respecting the repeal or the reduc- yet; if the parties who had made use of that language had Lion of the duties upon British Wheat and Flour imported been indicted, they would be punished for it. On the 2d of into British India. December, 1842, a meetint was held in London, which it was AUCTION DUTIES—AGRICULTURAL RELIEF. stated was held for the purpose of following up the tactics of Mr. STANLEY begged to ask the Hon. Gentleman the the Anti-Corn-law League in dividing the metropolis into sec- Member for Dorsetshire, whether in the event of his (Mr. tions and districts for the purpose of carrying on their agitation. lianks's) motion for continuing the auction duties being car- This was reported in the newspapers of the next day, as the ried. it was his intention to propose any reduction of other first great district meeting of section number one, held at the taxes to the same amount, and if so, what they would be? Mechanics' Institution, Southampton-buildings. Eight hun whether of those affecting agriculture or other interests ? dred persons were present, including one hundred females. Mr. BAN KES said that if lie should succeed in retaining the Who did the House suppose presided over that meeting ? Why auction duties—(Laughter)—he should certainly wish to effect Mr. Warburton, ex-111.P. for Bridport. At that meeting a commensurate reduction of the general taxation of the strong and violent language was used within a short distance country.—(Hear, and a laugh.) of the Home-office. The Chairman made a speech. and culled SUGAR DUTIES. upon Mr. Villiers to propose a resolution, which was seconded Sir WILLIAM CLAY begged leave to put a question to the by Mr. Ricardo. Mr. Ewart next addressed the meeting, and Right lion. the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the subject of said that when things had came to that pass, it would he better the sugar duties. He wished to know what was the intention that every Englishman should lease his country or sacrifice his of tier Majesty's Gevernrnent as to the time when the proposed life in maintaining his liberty. On this declaration being alteration in the sugar duties should be carried into effect after made, a Mr. Blackbure said that that was out of order, and was the passing of the Bill ? an appeal to physical force. That. was a specimen of 'I he CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that it the language used at the meeting. Now, he would ask the was intended the reduction should take place immediately after Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in his opinion, the day on which th t resolutions should have been agreed to in the letters of the members of the Anti •Corn-law League, who the Committee, without waiting far the passing of the Bill. had divided London into sections and distrcts, after the fashion EXPORT DUTIES ON COAL. of the revolutionists of Paris, ought not to have been opened? Mr. HODSON HINLE wished to put a question to the It those letters were not opened, then he told the Right Hon. Right lion. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer), Gentleman that he had acted partially in the ca-c of the Hon. on the subject of the export duty on coals, very similar to that Member for Finsbury, and had not done justice to the office he just put by the Hon. Member Por Gateshead. Whilst it was held. The Hon. Member for Finsbury had made his charge in probable that the duty would be taken off, persons who had a bold and open manner, but the Secretary of State had not coal to ship for abroad were unwilling to pay the duty. He replied like a man who felt that he had conscientiously dis wished to ask when it was intended the duty should be taken charged his duty. He had spoken with " bated breath," and off, in the event of Parliament agreeing with the repeal? in a faltering voice—(lronical cheers)—and if he had not ans- The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could only wered boldly, how much more had the Hen. Member for Ken give the same answer as to the former question, that the duty dal laboured in defending the Committee. If the Hon. Mem would cease from the day when the resolution should have been berfor:Kendal had not had nis letters opened by the Right Hon. agreed to in Committee.—( Hear, hear.) Baronet, then was the Hon. Member for Finsbury justified in CUSTOMS' DUTIES. saying that the Right Hon. Baronet had acted from personal M. M. MILNES wished also to put a question to his Right feelings towards himself—that the Right Honourable Baronet Hon. Friend the Chance llor of the Exchequer. He was aware had made an improper use of the office he held for the purpose of the wish of his Right Hon• Friend to act with every consi. of satisfying a e prurient curiosity" by peeping into his letters. deration towards vested capital ; and as there were several ar- But there was another question of more vital importance tides included in the proposed Customs' reductions, which than the question between the Right Hon. Baronet and the would seriously affect vested capital, he ( Mr. Mimes) wished lion. Member for Finsbury. He believed those two gentlemen to ask whether Members would be at liberty to discuss the pro- had been fi iends in their youth—( A laugh)—they had both priety of the reduction in the case of c ach article by itself ? served in the same gallant wars, and he was sorry to hear ex- The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the Igessions used by them, which on cool reflection he was sure question put by the Hon. Member could he as well answered they would both be sorry for.—( Hear, hear ) But that was by any other lion. Gentleman as by himself. Each item not to divert the House from the consideration of this impor• would be put by the Chairman, • and any li on . Member who taut question.--( Heat, hear.) He wished attention to be di thought proper to object to any one in particular might do so. rested to the right which the Right Hon. Baronet claimed to In answer to a question from Mr. HAW ES, issue warrants. The Right Hon. Baronet was a great friend The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that to centralisation, and was now attempting to introduce the the remission of duty would take place from the date of the new poor-law into Rochdale and the surrounding districts. passing of the resolution except where a particular date was By his authority and under his sanction the Commissioners specified. sent down an Assistant-Commissioner to form a union in Rochdale. The ratepayers elected a board of guardians, who refused to enforce the law.--(Cries of " Question.") They might cry question, but be was speaking on the question of opening letters in the Post-office. The Commissioners ob tained a mandamus in the Queen's Bench to compel the guar dians to enforce the law. Now the instruction of the guar dians to their solicitor for the defence passed through the Post office.—( Hear, hear.) He did not for a moment insinuate that the Right lion. Baronet would open their letters, but he bad the power to do so, and if he could do so in the case of the Honourable Member fur Finsbury he could do so in others. The Right Hon. Baronet had issued 18 warrants in 1841. He believed that the letters of more Members of Parliament had been opened than those of the Hon. Member for Finsbury. —(Hear, hear.) If the Right Hon. Baronet was an unscru pulous Minister, he might have stopped the letters of those agents who were conducting the opposition to the proceedings of the Poor law Conemi-sioners, and thus become acquainted with their defence. Ile did not know whether that was the case, but this he knew, that the Poor-law Commissioners shrunk from meeting the Board of Guardians is the Court of Queen's Bench. He believed they did so because if the merits of the case were heard, they knew that the mandamus would be quashed, and that evidence would be brought forward which would go far to annihilate the Commissioners. It was upon that ground more than any other, he was desirous of taking away, not only from the hands of the present Home Secretary, but from every other Minister of the Crown, the opportunity of using such power at his discretion. Mr. STRUTT said that, as a member of the Committee, he felt called upon to make a few observations on the present dis cussion, and he agreed with the Noble Lord the Chairman of the Committee, that the most ample statements had been volun tarily made by the Right lion. Gentleman the Secretary of State for the,Home Department and other members both of the present and of the late Government. and that if there was any want or fault in the report of the Committee, it was not in consequence of any lack of evidence on the part of the wit nesses who were examined. The House should recollect the circumstances under which the Committee WV appointed, when it was said that the report was defective, and that they had not communicated enough to the House. The House had appointed a Secret Committee, and it was understood that the statements made by the witnesses were confided to the honour of the Members composing that Committee. If that were not so, perhaps the evidence would not have been given.—( Hear. ) Now if any Member of the House repented of the decision to which the Committee had come, he war to blame himself for consenting that the Committee should be a secret one. If the House wished for a different decision ; if they wished to call for the evidence that had been taken before that Committee, it was in their discretion to act as they thought proper. But after the decision they had come to, he did not think it was reasonable to complain of the Committee for having adhered to the rule which the Hone itself had laid down ; and because it had refused to commit that which would have been a violation of all honour and confidence.—( Hear, hear.) The other charge was that of having opened the letters of the Hon. Mem• ber for Finsbury. The Hon. and Learned Member for Lis heard had asserted that there were three distinct charges ; one of opening the letters of M. Mazzini ; a second, of opening the letters of two Polish gentlemen ' and the third, of opening the letters of the Hon. Member for Finsbury himself. The Hon. and Learned Member said, the Committee had reported on two of these questions, but had declined making any report at all on the third. Now he 'gas nit going into any sta.ement of the reasons which influenced the decision of the Committee; but there was a great difference between these cases. The first mention of the subject in Parliament was the presentation of the petition which M. Mazzini addressed to the House, complaining of his letters having been opened. This was followed by the petitions of the two Polish gentlemen he had already alluded to. These petitions, and the allegations they contained, produced a great impression, The general feeling was that these foreigners had been inhospitably, harshly, and ungenerously treated. He be lieved that was the general feeling which prevailed in the House and in the country, and he confessed that he himself at first participated in it. The impression produced was so strong, that the Right lion. Baronet the Home Secretary came clown to the House and made a statement that he bad issued a war rant for the opening of these letters, and consented to the ap pointment of a Committee of Inquiry. To that Committee were referred the petitions of these foreigners on this subject. Ihe remaining allegation was a very different one. In that ease no admission was made by the Secretary of State that he had opened any letters whatever, and he declined to answer the question. Neither was it alleged last session by the Honour able Member fur Finsbury that his letters had been opened, as at that time he probably did not know it as a fact. , Now he did not wish it to he understood that he was giving the reasons which might have influenced the Committee in their ' decision in not reporting upon this allegation. He thought he had said enough to show the disconnection between the three cases, and the necessity of reporting upon one question, and the abstaining from the reporting on another. But then it had been said, that even supposing the Committee were net able to give a decided opinion upon all these particular questions of fact, the substance of the evidence might have been given in a summary. It was said also, that the Committee might have reported more satisfactorily as to the degree of discretion undsr which this power had been used by the Right Hon. Baronet. Now he would only appeal to the House to consider what the constitution of that Committee was —it con sisted of nine gentlemen holding very different political opinions, and when they recollected the difficult matters with ,which they had to deal, lie did not think that it was at all surprising that they should come to different conclusions as to the particular discretion which might have been exercised in any particular case. They were, however, all agreed as to the general views and motives which had influenced the Execu tive in the exercise of this power. He had no intention of eulogising the Government, nor did he wish it to be under stood that he was whitewashing the Right Hon. Baronet, when he declared his opinion that he had been most harshly and unfairly treated on this subject. However odious some Gentlemen might consider this power, and however disagree- Able its exercise might be, he did not believe the Right Hon. Baronet had dune more than those elle preceded him in office. In another particular, the report was said to be unsatisfactory. Some Hon. Members said they ought to have made a clear and satisfactory recommendation to Parliament as to the course which ought to be pursued for the future. He thought if anybody who had attended much to the general business of Committees—no matter whether of special or or dinary purposes—must have been struck by the different opinions entertained by the different Members of that Com mittee. It was scarcely possible for them to come to any clear decision, but in ordinagy cases nothing was more com mon than for the Committee to simply report the evidence Which had come before them, and leave it to the House to draw what conclusions it might think proper; in their case, however, the Committee was secret, and of course they were precluded from reporting the evidence to the House. The Committee took the only course it was competent for them to take, and instead of pointing out the course which should be taken for the future, endeavoured to show the different lights in which the evidence might be viewed. If he were asked whether he had formed any opinion on the subject, he would say that, looking to the amount of advantage which was obtained from the exercise of this power, and at the same time look ng at the effect which that exercise hat on the public mind, he felt bound to give his opinion against that power remaining , in its present state. The Right Hen. Baronet at the head of the Government had pointed nut in very forcible terms the position in which the Government was placed in 1842. Terror per vaded the manufacturing districts, and a serious responsibility was thrown upon the Government, and the Right Hon. Hero net truly observed that the Government would have left there selves open to great blame if, under such circumstances, the Government had not exercised the pow er which the Legisla ture had placed in their hand.—( Hear.) He was unwiliirg to attribute blame where it was not justly attributable, but he must say that a Minister might in such times, and under such apprehension, exert . ;ise the power which in cooler m oments h might. consider ac indefL,c3lble. The view which t c vas . in clined to take of the subject was this : —he would aztsimda e the proceedings under warrants of this nature to such w•nraitt!' He would ',Ave then: grantcd only upon a preliminary preeee.d' ing, such as a written information upon path, and the P.m ; l ei aga inst whim the warrants were issued sitould have the mot 'nation confided to them, and in case of any illegality or imPo: priety, should have redress in the same manner as in the c . 631 of search warrants. He th,tught the observations of the Rig ht Hon. Gentleman the Meml.er for Edinburgh (Mr. MacallaYl were well entitled to attention, and he hoped the GovernnlP.o aid the House would consider the subject with a view to legit' Wien. Mr. COLQUIIOUN complimented the Hon. Gentlest!n who hartjust sat down on the speech which he had made. 1 ,7 condemned the terms of the amendment of the Noble Lord Me, Member for Sunderland, and vastly preferred the ori g U nt motion of the lion. Member for Finsbury. He looked with anxiety for the opinion of the Noble Lord the 111em1'er I° l London, for he said last session that if the Right Hon. Berouet had exercised this power in a legitimate manner, he should n e e vote for this Cemmittee at all. lie must confess that l ookl l to the constitution of those Committees—seeing that they I:aatf been composed of men of different political persuasions , an s ,, great weight and respectability—he thought that as they had etbe p. eased no opinion as to the prudence of withdrawing fro„in_us, Government the powers at present possessed by them, the• should pay the gr eve st deference to that opinion. Tt.e Cf C ;. " ",„ mittees had entirely exculpated the Right Hon. Baron et any charge of impropriety, and the guest ion was no.v narroo t. cute to the complaint of the lion. Member fur Finsbury 0 ,, e whether his letters had been opened. Ile thought that lion. Member should have brought forward his co m e laln a, immediately upon supposing that his letters had been oP": r e But with respect to the poser itself, it was stated in the reP, r that it had been exercised by several Secretaries of St ate the last twenty-two years in the same manner as hi e Rig ht g tt Hon. Friend had exercised it. If blame should fall on se, , ' should fall un the Legislature, or as long as the law eal' d they should support the Minister while he exercised that If; wisely and sparingly, as the utttee reported he had (O rr He would take no part in this ungenerous and unjtlet,P d be needing, and he thought the Members of that House rhoin .4o , the first to protect a public officer from unjust censureereree in the discharge of a painful office, did what he enrol°. t he would be most conducive to the public welfare. It became 0, House of Commons to shelter a Minister from such attacks- t he could have no hesitation in giving a decided negative t° motion before the House. t ea t Mr. WILLIAMS said the Hon. Member who had jolt bei down would have held very different language if his letteftieue been treated in the same manner as those of his Hon. rlortt the Member for Finsbury, 'f he Government had, from_ us e to last, taken a very wrong course. When the questi°,:reis• first introduced the Government refused to give any un, tion at all ; but when the people's minds became greatleo, cited, they agreed to a Committee of Inquiry. o b , to mittee, it should be recollected, had been appointed 'o e se Right Hen. Baronet, but it was very far from giving 't e e be time When the Committee was about to be appo in ' eir• (Mr. Williams) divided the House upon the motion that bet Duneombe should be a Member of that Committerios, he was excluded, contrary to the practice of the Wee' The Hon Member for Finsbury went before the Conn oat and they had shown no sympathy with him. Why did the i s t, report on his case as on the case of foreigners? Had the„Y `roo st, that a warrant had been granted by the Right Hon. Riser and stated the reasons for so doing, then voted the Ilene ~,,s0 ber for Finsbury have been satisfied. The stigma which " e es' tempted to be cast upon his fair name would have beer''ooo4 planed and removed. That such stigma had been atte t _ ti r the to be cast on his character was clear from the fact , t" - e ith Right Hon. Member for Biro had connected his Pan te geetel the riots which were attempted in the north in 18 42 51) 0 0 that Right lion. Gentleman had afterwards tried to e.,ked, away this insinuation ; but where. he (Mr. WilliaMe) 7,111 was the necessity fur mentioning these circumstance/ 8;0e Notwithstanding the system of espionage in Francet, n e b e erd tended that there was Enure real liberty here—(lronical_ i d 01 for where would they find a minister—of police, he W ua , e , tb: —who would be base enough to open, without jus t can e letters of a Member of Parliament? It was high 01 o ut e " this power should be put an end to, or that such r should be placed on it, as would destroy the danger ol d lea d ' quences to which a wanton use of that power They were aware that in the late disturbances in Woes tit , caries were sent into that country with warrants from bt fet cretary of State in their pockets, and yet the B i g goa l ! Baronet was well aware that these disturbances eter!ette' local, and created by the injurious conduct of the utee t t - pie appointed by himself. He should support, with e s oeitt sure, the original motion of the Hon. Member for ri n f Mr. B. COCHRANE did net think the ope ning :4 letters of the Honourable Member cast anl o r upon his character, as he could not b e " p eel to be aware of their contents, even if written by ell discontented with the Government. He could pe r ;star t ; derstand why the Right Hon. Baronet refused to a,n tbe t . a Hon. Member's question. One Hon Member said ,10;11 question, as respected the Hon. Member for Finsbilbtoth alone. He (Mr. B. Cochrane) did not think soe n • e et whose letters had been opened might call on the Peter:ooe% Baronet in the same manner, to explain hie reasons nt ercise of that power. The Right Hon. Baronet, he bet to7 l s would find it very inconvenient to do so. But how b old ask, did the Hon. Member for Finsbury know that had been opened at all ?—( Cheers and laughter.) " He that is robbed, not wanting what is stelemo,"ht Let him not know it, he is not robbed ,„at 0 6 (Laughter.) And, therefore, he thought the ta no „ t , , e gor to know on what proof the Hon. Member 11000 his charge against the Right Honourable ~ e 4 to o t The Hon. Member who had jut sat down, had allu"to French post-office. Why, it was a general practice country to open letters. An LION. MEMBER—IIow do you know? , Mr. B. COCHRANE—Why, he had been e°,in" e e the Continent, and he was aware that such was "I fo eln t es practice. There was a great objection to the ton e !' to tiegeter the original motion, because it would be colon, / ele e k House of Commons a house of appeal for every triO .d f" in o t in which Hon. Alembers would think th e mselves 7,0, t The House was certainly a legal body to correct eveoelesel still it was absolutely necessary that some trust ilff eie placed irs the Executive, or the H o u se w o u ld find tba; ll ', P oe . not get through the business of the country at all. lc, 0 0 0 Member could say, and say it sin cere ly, that P :47 0 0 ter was injured, then indeed he would have ,in t ..er ' O O for demanding this Committee, but the Hon. k e .",: e eta t ei? as well as he (Mr. B. Cochrane) did, that his e .""L sawn not affected in any degree b) this proceeding. l"„ - ot eet' t be in the case, he thought, 'pressed upon the Golet't DO, cause the accusation against the Right Hon. Baroueed s exceedingly painful to that Minlater, as it encouragrot do picion in the minds of those who were not on re g eisr t this power, or the necessity there was for its ex it er.,,se could not support the lion. Member in this na p ` te ell le Mr. BLEWITT said, that while admiring a it',llo speech of the Hight Hon. Member the Secretel ee l, f eS' could not agree with him in every part of that eP e floe Ii i d letters had been opened, as had ben those of the ye se, o ie ber for Finsbury, certain it was that he should in t ee , iovr preeisely the same manner. He thought it ato of ber proceeding on the part of the Right Hon. Baron e 'bee tart' . of State, and the Right Hon. Baronet at the g i tt btob Majesty's Government. He was sorry that tb,e_ i itt) f Baronet was not in his place, because he (11r. 1 3 '`p a roo, to refer to ,everal cases in which the Right 1 4 1 . ,,i e ete l b sheltered himself behind the authority of her t a:ic With regard to the Post-office, he did not thin r sy e Sr ete S is post•s and institution of that office had been proPe et o f l e e o f The Post-office .vas never meant to be an 0h.1e,,,t, Pies He would ask a question of the Solicitor-G ene Wtb e si er e i saw in his place, and he would wish to knew ' tt erstO i Anne did give any responsibility to open letter s :tad %Verbs rant having been previously granted by the tie s H o use bet, He felt he had trespassed too long upon the üb tectl e though he c. uld say much mere upon the e rm ' u f te would now conclude by saying that the 0 03 , 4 1 sulleol;', Member for Finsbury should have his most coNe ttot ie Lord C. HAMILTON had but a few obser" Mou ra lbee pt in consequence of what had fallen from the "Telt be r .a. had just sat down. He should c infess he tho Met o t ee ts singular ground of complaint that the Ilunoticesr Knaresborough had made out, namely, that 101 mo re" 5 10 M t done the Hon. Member for Finsbury, bee eer had not been issued.—(Laughter. ) a W ere or Mr. FERR AND said the words he had n a l ee ted vi Ri is ght Hon. Baronet, the Home Secretary , h ,s 9, tiality. hoe° A t eet be 9 Ole er Lord C. HAMILTON—WeII, however ' h e elast had heard with great regret this rather we': o f I : 4 e, raise a cry against the present Government. h _ we e_ floe m e that the practice was open to objection ; hut he e°9 the manner in which it had been brough a t li o ecl &peke afforded him just cause of complaint. 11° s t he o u t ', se ri s ogi that some Hon. Members, in speaking un ., pt i llous et eser used language that would not be tolerated,,' tha t a ble s o f Os which ought not to have been listened to t• e en der teo t language similar to which had never yet or n as t he e% 00 0 . 1);: b ot_ vation. But, now, let him ask, what ` vas r tet'd t mischief that had been done the Hon. Mern e t eat th t e be et • o : r —lt appeared to him—(Lord C. Hamilton G one, a! ve 0050 consisted not so much in what had been can to P. o een t est which it had been represented. He did not In_ ti o, WOOO4 sad , 0 11 t ice his unqualified approbation, but he did .!'eeestarY,_ be" been iesorted to, to surround it with too! ,el/10°;: et blete, Hear, hear. ) There was another point s w r ota . !_ n ittt!a t wish to call attention. It did strike „a h jo P it was a source of pain to him, to h a v i e lim oh t e seri t e3 e e th Y ri7 :e e i ll o rlt ,sl r silence with which this subject had been en d Wh o 0 00 the t _ Lord, opposite, who recently held offices _e t.. or o t . 10. ! period had exercised the very . same l'r e s ploble r t i _l to blot that, considering the high position of tb s . .si re g:_, oo , o , t he , talents, and their character, it was s ubjea ll " is o ee have bserved them remain silent ell se ; the discussion was carried on with s fr i ed ° u ` 4i tli ° l nst 61a :fe whole current of public odium was po sent Government. Put it was now too 1: 000 ,1--1 , ... eue ee l ote l gone forth, and the public mind was P mem ber 'ea lo b e b ib not be remedied. Much as the II". .1r0n) begg ar " C. Han n o'Coun '') had to complain of, he (Lord t s h aff e er fl e o d u a se s o a f the case o fe f iol llL ( F c e r a i r e g, , n_s u r c s o c I P e ; 0_ 11 1 - efett a rs it i e t r_ . at least, he had been detected_ 1 ", se eitioP tim those who had been convicted 01. but f or , Ile d ot ill t r e never could have been knownad chee r e s "; exet n Pooe l leet of this power.—(lleac , he a 0 1 " W " t th at eltd e. e P wish that Members of Parliament be thoug h to be 00 1 e or wer was io f F' odious and invidious; but e et , ce her _ ee l! _ done away with, how would th IV l l ,d " epo tio ate lfe r. this power of the State, be . c f a t u h i e e t,. for he b th a e ry y , re it qu h i a r d ed b ? e — ea ( that hi' c c f e tcule ns 'eirhel/ the opening of his letters, and but that ertei " e bbe ? hinO P- / )uffeired insu lt a g itueu ts .. ,(o,lel felt it as an insult to them; the Hon. it to i b ' si e the af f a ir Vienth er 0110 Why' he to hays ; wee t° hies ) _ an d too Member put of b 1 c ry" i h t e t a o r. h ) is aWoahtotitwaaesatiat?that made ' (Laughter required?—(Hear , h h e a a d r' s aughtert )victim n. ( m L a a d u e gh a te p r; had been the v u ' ut of fuyeeetl ty ea' r said that the Hon. Member f libel, the arnit a bee n g o / insult. Now, in cases 0 fore a. jury nsto aryhavitig fern pained should be proved be far • from 0.1.11.( 0 01 charg es ' eve n rd f e rob r e o' )epuredsollenrirtYlacgratis;edr, t o t o t l . iito e n e - ) oghter.,oooi;oo but in the tained, he (Lord C. " 8 " • life.--( 1 ' 1 5 but h e ho do r m anna , he '` 1 . 1 , the t o heard re' • the mention this•—He bad s by %Ol e e those ot ;i c or to the effect that the r m i -rinformation end they , e t be ote I C )a . d li n a e m v n e i r i tomna)d,tividsuneoht awhi ttoo Finsbury lead obtained to en abl es, b s ' di e committed a breach of cootie d anc e Vabt Ma' - Hon. o itb 01 11 Member to put together for tne ho _se ,fi mieht acco ployment of the P.:stinilanst_erGnienrsol'rdf:revideneieroberio; se w iew „mt clining to bring forward e O. The re" o " ,e d the ia t ort e ; lose their situations if w ho e°ra b l e ' t raY ed b e s, th er to tained ; and that e not say that the nine gentlemen his witnesses,i_e, e C 0 ,0 0,. dto protest , e e of bl ° w oos. The anxiety which he 9h House - hoped the f sherd ti le 0 ee . t i t very suspicious. He exam ble 1 1, oo et e and were sworn to sec recy, o se we o4 . ld have t then' w eed s motion or the amendment. not follow the the n personalities. for he . an d th a ee essa r ' 01 0 7 0 01 1 % shownLor d inmPoerrrzeal than discrettut e le, on ly y ov e t heY Mr. WATSON would roust Ba y t t he - a tt ,, a , ' bu p t Hon. Member for Finsbury was. not ,oetea party for fer t the heads - be r Is' ward to make charges against defence- party, mete ee, recruits to rush forward to I belong to n i n te llon• so y resin OOP Lord C. HAllit'" N ` ...e of t y jo in ed justifiable. But it was always nu , f V SON— A• to the ca- efac tor , ee AT Whets it was appointed, am' Finsbury, he thought the rep.o.rtottlignbsatil; wee eonare ' COLLEGE, DUBLIN. Viscountmoved ee foran enteredreturn t a o Catholic S T R A studentsN G F ORD who had b o College. Dublin , s ince the y ear 1839.—A g reed to. THE TRANSMISSION OF NEW SPAPERS Tofrintihtye Romani THROUGH THE POST-OFFICE. Lord CAMPBELL was glad to see the Noble Lord the Postmaster-General in his place, and he would therefore move at once for the return of which he had given notice yester day. The subject was one on which there was great anxiety, and on which there had been many complaints. Indeed he had understood that the Prime Minister himself had com plained that his newspapers had not been regularly trans mitted to him. He knew that the transmission of news papers through the Post-office must occasion a great deal of inconvenience to the Postmaster-General, and that the Post-office derived no direct advantage from that transmission ; hut still it must be recollected thet newspapers pi a equivalent stamfopr tduty,the p a w y to h i e ch ot he of postage. believed was A all considered as a events, a re n . fence of two or three hundred thousand a-year was