The Sun. — London, England, 1845-02-04 00:00:00

SUMMARY OF NEWS AND Vtibitt eptutott. " Who runs may read." TEA PARTY AT WHITE CONDUIT HOUSE. SOIREE IN HONOUR OF THOMAS SLINGSBY DUNCOMBE, ESQ., M.P. FOR FINSBURY. A soiree of the friends, admire t, and constituents of Thomas Slingsby Duncombe, Esq., was yesterday held in the White Conduit House, for the purpose of honour ing, that gentleman for his unflinching advocacy of the rights of the people. The room was crowded to excess, not less than 500 having sat down to tea; and when the worthy representa tive of Finsbury entered the room, the cheering Was of the most enthusiastic description. Dr. Wade having been called to the chair, was sup ported right and left by Feargus O'Connor, Esq., J. Duncombe, Esq., solicitor. Mr. J. Roberts, Esq., Roger O'Connor, Esq., &c. T. S. Duncombe, Esq., sat on his left. Letters of apology were read from Col. Thompson, Mr. Patteson, MT., Mr. W. S. Crawford, M.P., and Mr. T. Wakley, M.P. The CHAIRMAN, in rising to give the first sentiment, " The , peorile, and may they speedily obtain their just rights,' said that his sympathies had over been with the people, and he had always been most anxious to see the fullest emancipation of labour—(Hear, hear)—and he hoped that at the first favourable opportunity the labouring classes would adopt the advice of Sir Robert Peel and take their affairs into their own hands, but to do so required union and a proper system of organisa tion.—(Cheers.) Ile felt proud at the position he oc cupied that evening, as the meeting was, properly speaking, one called by the borough of Finsbury to do honour to their Member for his atriotic and un paralleled exertions in the House of Coranions, which not only commanded the gratitude of his own consti tuents, but the admiration of Great Britain and Ireland. In returning to Parliament that honest, eloquent, talented., and indefatigable person, his constituents had entitled themselves to the thanks of all their fellow countrymen.—(Hear, hear.) He was happy to under stand that the trades of Great Britain had again deter mined to unite, and it was assuredly just that they should do so; for it' the employers might combine to depress the price of labour, surely they had an equal right to com bine for the purpose of defending themselves.—(hear, hear, and cheers.) The object of the meeting was to do honour to the representative who had acted so honest, so proud, and so prominent a part in a corrupt Parlia ment; who had united the spirit of the Christian and the philanthrophy of the philosopher, with the purest principle of the patriot. The same principle actuated him as in days gone by; actuated those who gave eman cipation to America from the thraldom of Great Britain, and those who rescued Switzerland from the grasp of the Bavarian despot.—(lmmense cheering.) It was the principle which rendered a people great, happy, and prosperous, and it only could eventually make England great, glorious, and free.—(Great cheering.) Mr. CLA.RKE seconded the sentiment. Mr. It. MOORE next proposed " Thomas Slingsby Duncombe, Esq., the faithful representative of the in dustrious millions in the House of Commons." Nothing but a sense of the obligations they all owed to their ex cellent representative could have induced him to take a personal share in the business of that evening. Thomas Slingsby Duncombe was indeed the representative of the people, and not merely of the Finsbury 101. householders. —(Cheers.) It would occupy too much of their time were he to advert, however briefly, to the eminent services done to the people by Mr. Duncombe. The speaker, after eulogising the conduct and principles of the Hon. Member for Finsbury, concluded by prophesying that in the forthcoming session of Parliament the Hon. Gentle man would persevere in the course which had already so distinguished him, and at the end of the session again meet his constituents to receive their gratitude and con gratulations. Mr. Duecomue then rose, and was received with the most enthusiastic applause, which continued for many minutes. At length silence being obtained, he said— Mr. Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen—l can assure you that the pleasure I feel—the gratification that I have in meeting you this evening, is not altogether of an un mixed character, for I consider with regret that so many of you should have come here—that you should have left your warm firesides and comfortable homes merely for the purpose of paying a compliment to so humble an in dividual as myself, that you should so distinguish me far beyond the merits I possess, or the services that I have performed, and yet I hope that I have done my duty— for at best it is but such—as the independent representa tive of an independent constituency.—(Criea of " You have," and much cheering.) I rejoice to find that my con duct and Parliamentary career tneetwith your approbation, and that from others present, and not connected with the borough of Finsbury—a large portion of my fellow countrymen—l should receive similar encouragement. Gentlemen, Parliament is to meet to-morrow, but I should mislead you if I said that next session will en title itself any more than the last to the gratitude of the people, or to any part of the toiling millions of the country.—(Hear, hear.)—You well know the vagaries— the pranks that were played last session. You well re collect our votes—for being one of that House, I say our votes—upon the Sugar Duties Bill. You recollect our votes on the Factories' Bill. You well recollect that on its being proposed that sugar might be admitted a little cheaper, it was but a little, but still the movement was in the right direction—(Hear, hear)—when the Govern ment came down and told us that if we did so vote for a reduced duty, the country would cease to be governed by a Tory Administration.—(hear, hear.) — What did the Tories in the House? Why, they pre ferred a Tory Administration to cheap sugar for the people of England, and they then rescinded their votes. —(hear, hear.) You recollect the tergiversation which took place with regard to the Factory Bill. One evening we voted that ten hours' labour was sufficient for the women, the daughters, and the children of the nen of England.—(Cheers.) On another evening we carried that by a small majority; but on a succeeding one comes down Sir Robert Peel, and says, "If you don't make the women, the daughters, and the children work the twelve hours, the country ceases to be governed by a Tory Administration." Well, our votes were rescinded, and yet to the Members who doomed them to work for twelve hours in their dangerous vocation they pay dearly--(The sentence was lost amid the tremendous cheering.) These questions will net, of course, come again before the House during the present session. They are disposed of, and if any one were to attempt to introduce them, Ministers would easily get their supporters to rescind oven their pledged votes on the very next day.—(Hear.) If such a measure is proposed again, I will be no party to it. I will not again be fooled by Lord Ashley, or by any other Member.—(Cheers.) I will not be induced to vote one day for an Eight Hours' Bill, and on a second day for a Ten Hours Bill, and then, after all, find Sir R. Peel come down and command the House to turn about and wheel about jest at his pleasure.—(Great cheering.) It is monstrous. It is insulting to the common sense of the country to call this conduct representation. I flatter myself that I represent the, common sense of the country —(Cheers)—for I hope I represent the sentiments of the people.—(Continued cheering.) I have said that Parlia ment opens to-morrow. The business begins at five o'clock; the Speaker comes in and tells us that he attended at the House of Lords, where her Majesty made her gracious speech, and where he had the good fortune to obtain a correct copy of it. —(Laughter.) Then we, of course, congratulate him on his possession of so correct a copy, and then he reads it, and then again two men in answer jump up, and one moves and the other seconds an address to her Majesty. I —(Continued laughter.) Have you ever read an ad dress ? If you have, you will certainly never read a second.—(Laughter.) You may be sure the address is a mere echo of the speech, and what is it ? Why, this. Her Majesty congratulates herself and the country on the daily assurances of good feeling and continued amity expressed by all the fcreign Powers, and so on ; but how much more consolatory and satisfactory it would be, could she tell us, that from one end of her own kingdom to the other, contentment and happiness prevailed among her people. I hope it has not been represented to her, during her late visits among tha aristocracy, that the magnificence of Burleigh and the grandeur of Stowe is a guide to the real condition of the country ?—(Cheers.) Let her go to Sheffield, to Derby, to Nottingham, to Leicester. Let her view men with wives and families working for 4s. a week, aye, and working, too, for four teen or sixteen hours a day.—(Hear, hear.) Let them not talk of the prosperity and happiness of a country where such misery as this is found—(Cheers)—and where filth and discontent as surely accompany it. Let her go among the miners of the north—let her go among the ill used colliers', who, if they consent not to be blown up by fifties and by hundreds; who, if they ask but for a proper, a good ventilation, in order to work with safety underground, are told that they are mis guided men—that they belong to a union of working men—and that they are so prejudiced that they cannot see things properly or fairly ; she would indeed find a vast difference there from what she saw in the aspect of Strathfieldsaye and of Stowe, where she had been met, I dare say, with an obsequious tenantry and a body of yeomanry, and the farmers of the counties. But there are other matters that will be introduced—some thing, probably, in connexion with the property and income-tax. The Premier has told you that he has got a surplus revenue. How is he to dispose of it ? We, in London, want him to take off the window-tax ; the farmer wants him to reduce the malt-tax ; and the manufacturer prays him to take the duty off the raw material. I cannot see how it is possible for him to escape from this difficiiky. It is not our business, how ever, to settle it for him.—(Laughter.) If he asks us how we should do it, we shall say to him as he did to the Whigs, " Call us in and we will show you how we do ie—(Continued laughter.) Let him call me, and I will show him how I will do it,—(Cheers.) I will call on the people—(Prolonged cheers)—consult the indi vidual industry of the country. I will say, " Meet them fairly ; let them be represented ; and then they will tell you how the revenue of the country can be improved and maintained.— (Immense cheering.) They have as much respect for the rights of property as you have ; and, having that respect for its rights, they will still maintain them. But with respect to the income tax ; if none of the other taxes be taken off, I trust at least that some alteration may be made in it. With regard to the articles of general consumption with the people, no increase of duty can be added to them. Indirect taxation has received its death-blow in this country, and all taxes must be directed against the realised property of the country.—(Cheers.) Yes, all taxes on trades and professions must be considered final, and be in future received from realised and funded property.—(Great cheering.) There will no doubt be some allusion made to the ecclesiastical courts of the country, and no doubt another attempt will be made to bolster them up. Last year such an attempt was made, and Government, in supporting them, exposed themselves to contempt and infamy. These courts owed their origin solely to the dark ages, and are only continued to this day to suit the purposes of the House of Commons. They are a reproach to the country, an abomination in the eyes of men, and an iniquity in the sight of Heaven. Their whole business ought at once to be transferred to the civil courts, where decisions are founded on equity, PtlltriMbi. , On Settle). Louis Philippe, aecompani , d by Colonel I)!ltnas and other officers, left the Tuileries, for Ver sill!le& On his way, the King stopp:d for an hour at lilt Cloud, and returned to the Tuileries at six. 4The Cot/44,4(mnd announces the arrivel at Cher )°,trrge, of 140 pieces of artillery ala Paixhans, of 80_ e ' l 3• east et Ruelle, near Rochefort. They are intended •°r ,the armament of the ramparts of the place. ~,,h 4 i t e e eetints from Germany, stating that the epidemy, ,ielth had caused such destruction among the horned t , l i e din in_ . Galicia and Lower Austria, was gradually W i; ~ are asaured, says the Presse, that the Minister of ale Works will, in a few days, present to the Chum `'f Deputi es a Bi ll relative to the concession of the !enern railroad. 'ion Sleek states that the Opposition had not, as men -I„tied by several of its contemporaries, come to the reso rt of abstaining from voting on the Secret Service ,-, n eY Bile, ellettboe thousand military passengers arrived at Toulon ee .e thousand inst, on board the Orduoque, French war, teblielee, from Algiers. 1,004 was the number which lead 1 1 3 ft Algiers, but four were unfortunately washed 1 1 : 110 ° %,rd in a gale on the 20th. te le • c. cile, 'Montpellier journal, announces that a te ei PauY has be e n formed in that town, with a view to and ansititution of a direct line of packets between Cette !r ule gters. Two iron steamers, of the value of 500,000 estaitarieseh (20,0001.) are to perform this service Cee e ,%, °lat e - " e ` "alines, Mara :hal de Camp, has left Paris, the 'f t " with a mission, the object of which is to define shi t ,rentiera of Morocco. It will be remembered that ttilstliZundary question was the same which immediately ti r t.* • ed the late hostilities between France and that i t 're ' s re ° ,, tl de Mee r , w h o h a d a t fi rs t re f use d th e p os t o f ' 4l a Itt °f the Supreme Council of War and Marine, 4 ece Pted it at the suggestion of Queen Christina. e,be he ral Espinosa, who we* banished without trial to e ole il ;° rl a charg e of alleged participation in the late isKing a', had been pardoned and permitted to remain . ~ Ia ei,;,l``` 3.11:V7 ALND P 03403111. n ih e : end of 2s. ed. in the pour d has been declared %se er ; at estate of Johnson, Johnson, and Mann, late ,i,ily Roreford. t ette e e te 'sions of th e C entra l C r i m i na l C our t h av e com t7see-' The calendar contains the names of 160 pri tit;',o° the New C our t S am uel Aden pleaded guilty ••'''St, o i L ar ge of havi ng ro bb e d th e dressing-rooms of tis,,, - „' tu theatres of swor d s an d o ther properties, and k si t4e e he ated to be imp r i sone d f o r one year at Brixton, Th e e Well whipped before he left Newgate. 1114 bar tl ld jury at the Surrey Sessions have returned li e l a ia both the cruelty cases. tt sJor oit tl etned Dakey was sentenced by the . Lord Nt the Mansion -house, to one month's imprison s 441 hard ' P, i n ~,,,,, belabour, for havin i g . ran away from a mt ,A t :, th e l g o t!, e had been engage! i te t, e vtt u 1 411, Robert Huggins Smith,.ll4,_ , ll p i ro gh m - I , ' Ale, Plmtig, Was charged with obtaining 31. I ~4111‘5.011111) of the firm of Hall and Allan, drapers, e',ith, of , r m ellYard, by the pretence that he was()freputPed Allen's the u' r e CluaY' at Rotterdam, 4 „ate s h r e, and an intimate acqu a ai m nt a a n nce of , Mr. 'Ma t e other, who resides at Rotterdam. Ile was re tie e • h , 4tlee ex c itement prevailed in the neighbourhood of a'tb,cire, Queen, a e -s Pare Court, with respect to the case of Miss li -4 413 -,;', i t appeared to be the general impressio cushion e , - „` t t erapt would be made to procure the lady's ilI f ; s ' nail- Mr. Burrell came to the Court in the q"ivaea'e afternoon, and was engaged for some time t e ,So ke c,cenversation with Mr. Bond and the clerksi , l e il l ueati , cation was made to him on the subject of elel t e ,„ th ) 11 P 1 , 9 11 named John Redknap, William Brister, th:• 4 , d '..,', 1) ,' , Joseph Richards, and Joseph Undey, til t , 4.4„, -. .. -Walin g a quantity of corn, the property of kitetcersteith Conveyance Company, were fully JAt e from Hammersmith. 416 eie 'p h - eeammersmith. 4 te' t tode r "'es Court, Margaret Duffy, who has been tat",ht for robbing licensed victuallers before, was theft, 'fore Mr. Broderip on three different charges I , all d rll u y committed. ki,' 4 l),,e o tlller NIOETAZINAII. i il trri; e ' d ° of Beau — for r t li an a d the Marquis 4 Worcester ' l ''l e t Bee a t Beaufort louse, from Badminton. U b'attee,, Q of Cleveland arrived in St. James's-square, 1.4 • 4 at ''Y evenin f o Raby Castle, where the t tt t t t l t ,! l d Lady l ' gu r t m Poulett still remain. His 44 ,i * 44 to Baby u i s a few days, 1 .I\ ht °II ' ll ato close the hunt lee lie.„, , Nej' t ' ire iti e T of Lansdowne has arrived at Lansdowne 4 4 ,„5 , , f t i a l l'ewood Park, Wilts, for the Parliamentary 11),111:e,,, thelarchioness and Lady Louisa Fitamaurice te mlc , present at Bowood. I 'le katie, l°l s of Bute has arrived in town, from Dum tit:dati,' '''s Lordship's seat in Ayrshire, to . attend k ap 'site in Parliament The Noble Marquis's mar- Nee,, lll iaar ka , (l Y Sophia Hastings does not take place so 1, l'h ' ii -.nee d. We have reason to believe that no j i „t a;,,,,,cal is defi • ly fixed on for the nuptials. ''i ',4ele-1,411d Cou n e it te e se of llardwick have arrived at The 4: totel, Brook -street, to attend her Majesty k t •-tlin g , ~,, t , me . e 'f the session. ) 4 1 '4 41 1 1 a th' e rl o n Countess of Clarendon have come to 'Se e r ove, near Watford, Ilerts. I lee) 1 : 11 i e °lintess Cadogan and Ladies Augusta and a te ado t 'ete'olie t ,,gitri, and a distinguished circle, are visit e fI I IY, li en v iscountess Viscountess Sydney, at Frognall Lodge, ti,:,l;a t i e at- No l l !' )n,,, arl d Countess of Zetland aro expected to 4 Th IrQ, "In the course of the week, from Aske Hall, e. 1 ,1', t etart ,f. , Z i Lli ttl of lit,a,..ori.':,:irbesborsough intends to come to town to- Hall, Lincolnshire, to be at the /,,,N 11 4 t p m l atnent, 44' Nre4llnerston has returned to Carlton -house b ‘lt i 4 1ri gh 'visiting Lord and Lady Ashley, at Earl Nt, 5 rst o t „° ll ) Where Viscountess Palmerston in "g her stay until the close of the ensuing 81 7 1 11 - 11 1 1) ewa 1 10 1,,,,.!1111„„g" Lady Rendlesham and the Hon. " 4 11 i, 'd lt e - a •l m n ,' who have been passing some weeks . it t , i tst ne , ' o egliam, at the Noble Lord's seat in O N S. '0 town for the season early in the ensu -1 e' rl atel L t. p vi„ o ‘dy Beauvale arrived in town on Satur et-is See m °IA Melbourne's seat in Hertfordshire. ttl ;' )t ats t 4 nd Lady Elizabeth Russell have been a, y \ /le ta - Y ,k s with the Duke and Duchess of Bed- S t j° l st alga f-!• bb eY, Bedfordshire. e t khle' and e‘ -° °x, the Hon. Mr. Shirley, the Hon. Fitlttriv,, 41)t. Harnmersley, were among the fa , 1,11 tee t. " l4 at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, during k 0 l ast 11e.4. it,„:11,,„- hew -- A -R eliziLiamitotra. . 4 ,' '44; 4 a ernerieen line-of-packet ship North- Nt ) tatol7% ) ar rved in the St. Katharine's Dock, t k , te rest eo after a very boisterous passage. This ,Vtlk i l, s t nsl dorahly the largest of the extensive NiAle tti !th e jachile between London and Ne.v York, 'O l ,tle toltu'rs," and this is her second trip across 1 01 m :' .. le re :u the United States. She has brcught, a t Zti h 'ut it,;',o ecunPlement of cabin and steerage pas titetteo of 44 1 41: ti e_ Cargo . o . f the usual descrtptio . n and !V, t e eti tit or ,i provisions for consumption in this ~ qt ti t. t lty,w,aahtohiedCommittee of the Medical Protec ele 4 ti ke lt , - last evening, at their room, Exeter 4a t 't e l 4 , (lip . ~1 e( • n c ar lament-street, in t h e c h a i r. A t t , ki g oons all • , I le 9s 'ftsc i ' eging that the late charter of the e l 4. g th at 3 was obtained by misrepresentation, itty;ntetl W 4 tN t tte lt°l, l th e ell -s e nJa.si s o ,' ege might be remodelled on a m,e,_4reil,elle4e iz ,, y e sponsibility, and that the mem eetoph'it have a voice in the election of I,'Aoli e r aeri of , Y the secretary, and signed by Oh ale te) e k e`.fle Committee who were members e,t1143', br tulscussion then e )ok place, in vvhi, h e m et t ,,,ta,„ ~ -Lynea, see tOti k ' al e , , ano uid e m, te e. reera,,,,. Petition her Majesty for a new tit tt " l ‘ , 4t am "on for general praetitimaere, or fur Pe i ' s il.‘vhich jeorganiantion of the College of Sur- Ntiefigi,it of 'V : ' , oualittee adjourned. e, l ' l e4(hl t , t eolee el i`Ziday last the pheasantry on the 1 e tl aa ti t , ii Ble i t ro ' d °rge Reid of the Royal Horse I 'o4 ll th e ,nd roeh ee e P ark, Bucks, was burglariously lee eft time he n `. 4 of four tame cock pheasants, t ' ltl , to ktte , with which the robbers got clear e 1 te lt 4of th I,,,ts t kile i 1 1141, 06 , e robbery was immediately for kailtlitete'hoes, I .ea) and they commenced search- NN t e he Bi ln the neighbourhood of Uxbridge. s e e l lit i l l 'ora i ti e tiiV t °! , the Feathers, they found four N)al s, rate of e 'Pnen and David Grainer, and ea) eat t etert g i : gang of depredators, living at ti'l t Za y,m'ete were !'-' the tap-room, and they were in hah.,t,l4r , on two baskets belonging to them it,ctt y _ln eie,eaatnining the baskets, they were lel t 'is ‘ere F ' ° ‘ Of the reeje ,a' e r ,. lietee,„_Q, pheasants, still alive. The 4 th;tee l fe b roil - 7 1 ly taken into caetody, and / NO - Ive ' th e aitt" up for examination before t a e le I lleti t e ore, Ing Magistrate at Uxbridge, by Itottr,S:th,e4letheforroet"ihntoillan_i_remo.ve.'d to Beaconsfielci, OM / ole ( talsis t e n ""alaggliam magistrates. ~i f e at er, Otee„ the of fifteen rank and file, and 1, pt 't 9 o 1 ' 4 ( "r n li,,le t , , tt p ( ) wiea,"Yal Sappers and Miners, i tel e ,,,l s q a, ee‘, 11:leeched, headed b , h b s 4 1'1) - ats to "`erday m ,, . e t e ras Pie t el e es. T Bla c k "ming, to Mr. Roff's wharf, f Va t ilip'3•eg t , he det ach In in one of the Woolwich il,Sjti t , t q , jday aft ' W ent embarked. at the East t ie a t ,,_)t 11 toe te ,, awn, in the William Shand, le ' m q, k 4 a g l i Nle e °ll . th e '" ° g k l 'ii 4 l .te ti th i !, his pa,Peaker of the House of Corn- Ne . ill _ e'!atae, , ,12;atne,leary dinners on Saturday rjs, l e . itie4ght iC on neil ‘eir Robert Peel, Sir James eih t ` 4e, q, 4 of h ' henrY Goulburn, and the ter,ellloltt-tillettl,,evrieht. e Government, dine with the i,t.,,,,t.,1,,. ,i.,,,,4to(lo_eeting °l lt 4 4("t4Mis t e l '` )t a of general practitioners e i 4, i ?, ll ,`)lr 4,,1t1er,z,!_,,,t!ie 14th of January, request kiateelevii7itieues, ~ , r, tion for their branch of the h q t,; a c, 111` 1 1 R (I le, , la s e vv ra has replied, in letter dated v'e't'titl, r,i, tlt a tl e,irn7.,i. saver to the Apothecaries' So ll _ e, t t i e,ite ; ',eler,„ , ,h,et body to submit a measure T tr,it,Ro °at eh st : H l,ngnes s to consider it if sub er,ei'll,',4l,'. the her satireThig, that the memorialists ~ i , f;')till,.. areei ne ,t_u,ed him that they represent i , !e l t r ( i all et, 54 . , %thLi4t•NbC)lld:"}i I :e l baS Well a thes metropolitan So l '''. e l ete eeelmr!,atestio„ elemadal Board, at Oxford, , te,,tbeee Chien e ,". o f the 90th Tract, was pre itke-4tlet4 li l.°ll da signed by the Bishops , t 'al h t o ° I . ee est er, an ' . 4 '4 4 y i;da y iivr eati d four hundred and forty Z( 4 , , ~ate,'")ll:,et tw o 2 1 ;• An adjourned meeting I 'd. he tt ,.all i Ntoi;: , ; „ °,°_lt e ,. when sin amendment, I ml e'ethe ~:• p ! ... Rte '," 'Pal of Braseeose Col -1 laeti,Llai,steoe'ealards, Rector of Exeter tai mit " h ia . e oaken into conaidera- el s $4 poe instead of all that miserable weakness which tee ace daily going on in Doctors' Conatil.ons.-:---(Chbera,) The beral MenaiArs, myself aiiiong them, may not be able iMrhaps to do much good, but we trust that we may pre. vent a considerable degree of harm, as in the last session, in the case of the Masters' and Servants' Bill.—(lm mense cheering). We destroye 1 that Bill—(Cheers)-- which at once made the industry and labour of the working man not worth a twenty-flcear hours' purchase; which placed him at 'the mercy of his employer, for if he gave but a disrepectful look, or, as it was called in the Bill, " misbehaviour," it subjected him to three months on the tread-mill; but there was no like punish ment if the master misbehaved himself. Oh, no. It be hoved the friends of the people to keep a sharp look out fur those measures, and therefore, I say, that if we do not much good, we can at least prevent some mischief. — (Great cheering,) Dlr.;Moore has expressed a hope that I will not suffer the Post-office espionage to remain as it is. I hope that you all know me sufficiently well to be lieve that I will not allow it so to remain. On the last day of the past session I gave notice that I should call the attention of the House to the Secret Committee Re port, and to-morrow I will renew that notice—(Tre fnendous cheering)—and I will undertake to prove that that report was made for the sole purpose of mystifying the public. Sir James Graham had named his own jury, and I was excluded from it.—(Hear, hear.) I could have given them some real information, and they declined to possess it.—(Laughter and cheer..) No, they said this—at least they meant it:—" The state ment mast be screened from the public; now we know, that if you come into this room, you will let the cat out of the bag."— (Laughter.) But I hare done that pretty well already.—(" You have," and laughter.) Ali, but then they were in doubt about my statements; bat was there one of those statements once controverted—one contrary evidence found against it? They escaped, how ever, as well as they could, and screened Sir J. Graham as much as possible. I have read since that time in some newspaper that the secret office is closed, and that the clerks are sent to the right about.—(Laughter and cheers.) Is that report satisfactory ? Is it not as pro bable that it is only removed from the Post-office to the Home-office—(Shouts of laughter)—and that the ser vices of the clerks are transferred to Sir J. Graham's outer room?—(Laughter.) It will be a more convenient arrangement; so that if any of you write to me—and my letters have been opened before now—there will be no time lost. He can at once say, " What is this, see what is written to Duncombe, and let me know imme diately."—(Shame, and hisses.) Oh, what a stain to our country in the eyes of foreign nations. What indignity that the prisons of despotic foreign rowers should be filled with victims to our Post-office espionage. The blood of the nine men who have lately suffered in Calabria is on the Post- office of England. It is a well known fact now that we gave the Pope information of what was going on in his dominions, and it is equally well known that on the principle of " one good turn deserves another," he has done the Government a good turn now by using his influence on the politics of Ire land.—(Hear, hear.) The Government said, "We assisted you in putting down rebellion in your terri tories, now give us your assistance with Daniel O'Con nell." I trust and hope that there is sufficient independence remaining with the people of Ireland that, be their religious principles what they will, they will not allow a foreign potentate to interfere in their struggle for their political freedom.—(Great cheers.) My friends, lam reminded of the trades' conference. I do then say that I trust the metropolitan trades, and the trades throughout England, will meet by delegates here, for it is quite clear to me that there is now an attempt to prejudice the public mind against all combinations, saving always combinations of capitalists.—(Hear, hear.) The Honourable Speaker made some further observations on the principles of trades' unions, and concluded by thanking them for the confidence they had conferred on him; and he hoped that the ensuing session would not in any way shake their friendship—that he would meet them at the end of it, and be as warmly greeted as he had been that evening. He then sat down amid enthusiastic applause. Several other speakers followed, and a ball wound up the festivities of the evening. THE GRAVESEND STAR STEAM PACKET COMPANY. In compliance with an advertisement which appeared in the Times, calling a meeting of the Shareholders of this Company, a numerous and highly respectable assem blage of that body was held yesterday, at the George and Vulture Tavern, Lombard-street. At a few minutes past one o'clock, upon the motion of Mr. Marryat, George Frederick Young, Esq., was unanimously called to the chair. Mr. MA RRYAT said that as they had met for the pro motion and protection of their interests as Shareholders in this Company, he trusted that all the information that could be procured for the furtherance of those objects would be elicited ; but he would suggest th at it would be well that none but Shareholders should be present. After a short discussion, it was agreed upon that the newspaper reporters should be allowed to be present ; but no other persons who were not Shareholders or Proprietors. The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to say, that as he felt he owed the meeting some explanation for having called it, he would now beg leave to offer that explanation, and in doing so those whom he had the ho nour of addressing might rest assured he would he exceedingly brief. The reason he had taken upon him self to call this meeting was this': There were many Proprietors and Shareholders, who, like himself and those by whom he was surrounded, had long been engaged in this unfortunate Company. When first they embarked in it, he thought they might say, without vanity, that they did so without any desire to induce others to follow their example, but merely for the purpose that was ap parent—namely, a commercial speculation; but, owing to the faith reposed in those to whose management the affairs of the Company were entrusted, very many persons were induced to embark their capital in it, and had it not been for this feeling, he pledged himself that he, and many others whom he knew, would;have long since retired from the Company altogether.—(Elear, hear.) lie did not mean to indulge in any observations which might be deemed individually offensive ; but, at the same time, he would rot hesitate to say that the affairs of the Company had been not oily fraught with disaster and loss, but they had been conducted in a manner which he for one could not approve of ; and he would go further, and add that his opinion was, that many of the losses of the Company had been owing to those to whom its management had been entrusted. — (hear.) He, in common with the other Shareholders, had received the printed circular or notice of the Directors, and he should confess that that rotice did strike him with amazement, and it was in consequence of it that he had deemed it his duty to call this meeting. —(Hear, hear.) However, he had resolved to restrain his feelings, and not to give expression to his suspicion until this meeting was held ; and here he would say, that a more bold attempt of a body entrusted with the management of the affairs of a Company, to hold the rod over that Company, and dictate to them the terms upon which they should almost sacrifice their own interest, he had never heard.—(Hear, hear.) The proposition of the Directors was to this effect, that they would either buy up the shares from the Proprietors at 12s. per share, or that the latter should pay up a dividend of I per share. But whether these propositions were the result of an ascertained fact by the Directors, to the effect that the property was worth no more—a matter which every individual Shareholder was entitled to be informed upon —they were left in utter ignorance of. For these reasons he would say he did think that such a course of conduct was not becoming on the part of the Directors. —(hear, hear.) The circular of the Directors had led many country Shareholders to believe they had no other alternative than that it proposed ; arid to his own knowledge many female Shareholders had actually acceded to the proposition, believing that this treatment of them was such as they had no valid means of resisting.—(Hear.) Now, he did think this was a position in which the Shareholders should not have been placed ; and he entertained the hope that the Directors would give the fullest and most frank and satisfactory statement of the affairs of the Company ; that those affairs would appear not to be in so bad a state as the Shareholders had been led to suppose ; that if the property was to be sold, it would bring a larger sum than could be expected from the statement of the Directors ; and that if such should be the ultimate reso lution of the Shareholders, the proceeds should be divided fairly, part passe, between them.—(Hear, hear.) The Directors had called upon the Shareholders to do a certain amount by a given day, without affording the latter sufficient time for consideration. There were many Shareholders in the country who were at a less to know how to act. They had asked his advice. This he did not like to give ; but the course' which ho himself thought he ought to adopt, was to call upon the Directors for their consent, and ask them in decorous, but at the same time firm, terms, fer a full explanation of the affairs of the Com pany.—(Hear.) It the Directors had the power to buy up the shares, he had no doubt but the Shareholders could get an inhibition from the Court of Chancery to restrain them ; but he did not think the deed of settle ment gave them that power.—(Hear, hear.) After a few further observations, the Chairman concluded by repeating what he had said at the outset—namely, that under the circumstances he had mentioned, he had deemed it his duty to call the present meeting in order that they might adopt whatever means they deemed most expedient for the protection of their own interest ; begged that hard words might not be used, as they would only throw impediments in the way of business ; and thanked his auditory for the at tention with which they had heard him. Mr. HITCHENS concurred in al that had fallen from their respected Chairman. He fully agreed with him that it would be injudicious to use hard words, though they broke no bones. At a former meeting of the Share holders at Gravesend, it was agreed upon that the Com pany should be broken up, but that had not been done, and lie was at a loss to know why it had not. It was true they had been told a flattering story as to the state of their affairs, and that a dividend of 10 per cent. had been declared. But, he would ask, what had they now? Why, nothing.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) He would ask, what right had the Directors to say HOW they would take upon themselves to dispose of a property that for the last ten years had been getting worse and worse ? He denied they had any such right, and there fore they should not call upon the Shareholders to sell their property until a full and fair statement had been laid before them, showing the real and actual value of it.—(lleer.) The Shareholders had seen no data what ever upon 'which the Directors had gone in order to ascertain the value of their property, and, therefore, he would si y, without wishing to use hard words, that on his soul lie had never seen or heard anything like this in his lit e.—(Hear, and a laugh.) After applauding the course taken by the Chairman, Mr. kitchens concluded by me sing the first resolution, which, with the others, will be foued in our advertising columns. The , CHAIRMAN was of opinion that from this meet ' requisition to the Directors to 'cof . " hire rofit THE SUN, LONDON, TUES_IYA EVENING,' FEBRUAR Y 4, 1M45 call a gt;nei•al mettint.; of the ShatthUlders, and td press a strong hope that the former would at that meet ing evince a wish to adopt whatever course should be deemed most advisable by the latter, instead of coming with their pockets filled with proxies, in order to enable them to carry out their own views. —(Hear, hear.) In deed, he could not think they would do otherwise, and therefore he would suggest the adaptioh of such a re quisition. Mr. AR NOLD, the Treasurer of the Company, next a•ldressed the meeting. IL: said, that when first he saw the advertisement calling this meeting, he did not in tend to be present, as it was anonymous ; but he was glad that he had a? tended. He felt that he should take to himself a share of the discredit, if any there was, that should fall upon the Directors. He had been urg ing them since July last to make out a statement, but they had not done so. He was not a Director, but the Trea surer of the Company, and, as such, he felt proud of the confidence they reposed in hirn.—(Hear.) lie did not, however, mean to throw any reflection upon the Direc tors, for he believed the majority of them to be highly honourable and upright men, and willing to adopt any coarse that the Shareholders should point out.—(Hear.) Some of the Directors were men of considerable wealth and influence, and would, therefore, be ashamed to do any act unworthy of men of high character.—(Hear, hear.) lie had not a copy of the deed of settlement, but he believed it would be found that its clauses were very strong, and that Lone of them conferred the power on the Lord Chancellor alluded to by the Chairman. lie would suggest that four or fire of the Shareholders should meet the Directors, and ask them to show, if they could, whether they had had good premises for the arguments set forth in their circular. with regret the moral, pecuniary, and social evils result ing from the operation of the gittne4ats 1 the protection thereby afforded to game causes so great an abundance that it becomes a temptation to indigent and unemployed labourers to transgress the laws, to the great injury of their moral charactr and the loss of all respect for the constituted authorities; that the game-laws consequently tntrtil on us, your petitioners, a large parochial expense, as well as serious loss to the cultivators of the soil in the destruction of their crops. That your petitioners have a decided objection to partial laws, which secure sport and amusement for the few to the great detriment of the ma jority of the nation, which laws have been the principal cause of a large outlay in this county in the erection of a new prison, and which laws have often occasioned the sacrifice of human lives and liberty in this and adjoining counties. Your petitioners respectfully call the attention of your Honourable House to the circumstances which produced the lamentable murder of the gamekeepers at Croom, in Warwickshire, and at Odd, us Bedfordshire, and beg to express their full concurrence in the declare tion made by the Coroner's jury in the former case. Deeply lamenting the continuance of these feudal game laws, so immoral in their tendency, so fruitful in crime, destructive to human life and property, and so inconsis tent with the precepts' of Christianity, your petitioners Ho nourable House earnestly but respectfully entreat your House to pass such measures as will cause their entire and immediate repeal. And your petitioners will ever Pr ay M ." r. PERRIN (a farmer) observed, that he witnessed so much mischief arising from the game-laws, that he could not refuse to second the petition, which was thereupon adopted with loud acclamation. On the motion of Mr. ADCOCK, seconded by Mr. GUNN, Mr. Bright was requested to present the same to the House of Commons, and support the prayer thereof. Mr. BRIGHT, M.P., then came forward and was loudly cheered. He expressed his gratification at the compli ment paid to him, in his being invited to undertake the duty just imposed upon him. He had no connexion with that town or county beyond that which every man living under the same Government had with every part of the country. He believed he had been invited because of the interest be took in the subject. He conceived that this meeting was a perfectly spotaneous movement. He had intended to come to it rather as a learner and a listener than as a speaker, for although he might know something of the game-laws theoretically, by means of what he bad heard and read, he came from a densely-populated district, where the people had something better to do than to preserve game. What he had now heard from the farmers who had spoken confirmed his impression, and corroborated the state• meats made at the meeting at Ruislip. The game laws were especially unsuited to the present condi tion of things in this country ; and the evils of which they were the parent were beginning to engage the attention of the country to such an extent that the ',day was rapidly approaching when they must be either greatly modified, or entirely abolished.—(Cheers.) They were injurious to the farmer, by promoting the rearing and the maintaining of what was called a large head of game. They were also very injurious to the labourer by causing bad farming, and putting an irre sistible temptation before him to break the law. But there was a general charge he would bring against the game-law s. The landowners of this country had under taken to feed the people. It was common for them to express their desire that this country should be inde pendent of foreigners for the supply of food, saying that the land of this country was sufficient to supply the whole population with food. He was not going into other questions. But the landowners having under taken to feed the 27,000,000 of people in England and Ireland, if there was reason to believe that these people were not sufficiently fed, then it was the height of in justice and immorality on the part of the landholders to keep up a very large quantity of game—a kind of ver min—to devour a large portion of particular food which multitudes of the starving population would be glad to obtain.—(Hear.) Every eater, as well as every grower of agricultural produce, had reason to complain of the game laws. To the farmer, whether having a lease or not, they were an injury and nuisance. The landowners of Eng land were in the habit of calling themselves the farmer's friends, and of speaking in Parliament in favour of protection for the farmer • yet they supported the game laws, which formed one Of the greatest barriers to their success. The farmersi n that neighbourhood were less spirited ; they found it difficult to pay their rents. Some were looking to Parliament for help, and some knew not where to look, but were quite in despair. But the farmer should consider who they were that maintained this system, and whether it was not for their own pleasure or profit. Then would come the question how far the farmer's interests were identified with those of the land owner, and the consideration whether it was not worth while for the farmers to take their own business into their own hands.—(Hear, hear.) But farmers were ge nerally quiet men, and afraid to speak their minds, and act up to their convictions. But he trusted that the time would come when they would show greater inde pendence of spirit, and not mind so mach what their landlords and their agents and stewards told them. They should unite together to obtain deliverance from those evils which were forced upon them in consequence of their own neglect of their own interests. The motion of which he had given notice had reference not only to the injury done to the farmer, but the demoralizing influence of the game-laws upon the labouring popula tion. He would put it to any minister or teacher of re• ligion, whether he did not find all his efforts counteracted verymuch in particular districts by the propensityto poach ing on the part of the labourers? In 1843 no fewer than 4,500 men were convicted of poaching in England and Wales. A large number of them were sent to prison because they could not pay the fines. It was equally certain that many of them came out not simply poachers as they went in, but hardened and deeply injured persons, by contamination with men of bad character, felons of every class.—(Hear, hear.) In 26 cases out of the 41 game keepers killed, as mentioned by the chairman, the co roner's jury had returned a verdict of " Wilful murder." Was not that an appalling state of things ? And all for the sake of providing a miserable gratification to a very small portion of the public. In 10 years, then, 26 murders had been committed under the game-laws ; and there was every reason to believe that some of the ether cases were cases of murder also. Not only had 26 men lost their lives, but 26 murderers had been made. The gamekeeper had been hurried into eternity in the midst of a savage conflict with the poacher, who had been tried, convicted, and hanged in the face of thousands ; while the family of each was left without protection, and that of the latter with the stain of having a parent dying an ignominious death.—(Hear.) All this was caused because a certain small portion of the community was resolved to • gratify a barbarous appetite for a bar barous pleasure, and to make laws severer in respect to this species of property titan those affecting other pro perty; the same being carried Into effect with a rigour that disgraced those who sat on the bench of justice. —(Hear.) Game was styled property • but not all the laws in the Statasfe - book could make it so to the mind of the labourer. There was abundant proof of that t 2; lar large game to be found in the reports o f the Parliamentar y Commit tees preservers sat o n theho gave their evidence acknowledged e that they did not consider game prop ert y in the same sense that they would a sheep or an ox. It was impossi ble to identify game, or to keep it within fences. Atter some allusion to the murder of Lord Derby's game keeper, the Hon. Gentleman observed that the Govern ment might not agree to his motion ; he believed they would consent to the appointment of a Committee, as it was impossible to make any great changes in the game laws without first obtaining more information on the subject. He was quite sure that there was a large body of the people anxious to have this question put on a pro per and satisfactory footing; When he got down at the station at Cheddington, the first thing which struck his attention was a field full of ant-hills, and next the multi tudinous chimneys of the union workhouse. These were the features of Buckingham which first met his eye. But if their eounty were cultivated as other counties in England and Scotland were, their labourers would be 50 per cent. better off, the farmers would be in a condition of greater comfort, and the landowners, instead of being gods looked up to with fear rather than love, would by their just conduct live in the hearts and affections of all around them.—(Hear hear.) He did not set himself up as the farmer's friend. The time was coming when the farmers would find out their friends.—(Hear, hear.) But he would deliver the farmer from the tyranny of the watchfulness of the gamekeeper.—(Hear, hear.) The farmer durst not on his own land set foot on a nest of game, nor pick up a half-dead hare. The farmer should look about him, and search into the cause of this degradation.—(Hear, hear.) He trusted that this second meeting would lead to others, and that by union and perseverance the attention of the Legislature might be drawn to the subject. He was not without hopes, nor would be have his auditors to be hopeless; for, of late, he had reason to think that the men who composed the Legislature were much improved in tone, and that a greater regard to public opinion than heretofore was paid by both Houses of Parliament.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. GIBBS, jun., proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Bright, to the Duke of Grafton, aid to Sir H. Verney. Mr. POOLE seconded the motion, which was passed unanimously. Upon the motion of Mr. CAPE, seconded by - Mr. DICKIES, a vote of thanks was presented to the High Sheriff for the use of the County-hall, and to the Chairman for his services upon the present occasion. The CHAIRMAN acknowledged the compliment, and said he believed that two-thirds of the gentlemen who sat on the magistrates' bench had been guilty of poaching when young, and therefore ho was surprised at the se verity with which they treated poachers. He hoped they would learn to be more lenient, particularly the clerical magistrates.—(Laughter and sheers.) Having read a nassage from a leading article on the subject of the game laws from a journal of that day, the Chairman declared the meeting dissolved. ay Here a short discussion took place upon the wording of the resolutions (which will be found in our first page) and requisition, which, having been agreed to, a vote of thanks was passed by acclamation to the Chairman, and the meeting separated. REPEAL OF THE GAME-LAWS. (From the Times.) AYLESBURY, MONDAY NIGHT.—A public meeting of the inhabitants of Aylesbury and its vicinity was held in the County-ball in this town this evening, for the pur pose of adopting a petition to Parliament in favour of a repeal of the game-laws. The meeting was both numerously and respectably attended. Dr. LEE (of Hartwell-hoase) presided, and opened the business of the evening by stating that the present meet ing bad been called in consequerce of some gentlemen, farmers, and others in the neighbourhood, having long been of opinion that that the game-laws had bees most injurious to the general interests of society ; that while they afforded amusement and luxury to a few privileged individuals, they were ruinous to the well-being of the nation at large.—(Hear, bear.) The subject hal been growing in public interest year after year, and now many influential gentlemen were determined to press it upon the attention of the Legislature. In the course of last summer Sir 11. Verney, one of the magistrates, proposed a resolution that application should be made to her Ma jesty's Government, with a view to induce them to bring forward some measure to modify and improve the game laws ; and upon that occasion Sir H. Verney men tioned that nearly one-third of the persons in gaol had been committed for infractions of the game laws. That resolution was seconded by himself, and supported by two clergymen and another gentleman ; but he was sorry to say that they were bat five, and a majority of 18 or 20 against them. The result, how ever, had not damped the ardour of the minority.— (Cheers.) After reading the notice of motion gives by Mr. Bright for a Select Committee of the House of Commons to inquire into the operation of the game laws, and also the statements of Mr. Williams, an in spector of prisons, corroborated by some chaplains of gaols as to the demoralising influence of those laws,lhe Chairman adverted to a return obtained by Mr. Main waring of the number of gamekeepers murdered during the ten years ending 1843, from which it appeared that no fewer than 41 gamekeepers had lost their lives during that period in protecting the game of lords of manors. He was sorry to say that the first on the list was Charles Coles, the gamekeeper of a clergyman of the Church of England, one of those gentlemen who professed to be the descendants of the Apostles, though Holy Writ did not inform them that the Apostles took ou t Hear, game licenses, or went fox-hunting.—(Cries of " hear.") The next was a gamekeeper to a relative of Lord De Grey, in Bedfordshire ; the next case was in Berkshire ; and then came, he regretted to see, one in Buckinghamshire. In Cheshire there had been three such murders, in Derbyshire two, in Gloucestershire:one. To the disgrace of Buckingham he was compelled to admit that another gamekeeper had been killed in that county. In Northamptonshire two had been murdered. From a return of the number of persons convicted of offences against the game-laws in 1843, obtained by Mr. Bright, he found that there were 119 such persons who had been convicted either at the quarter or the petty sessions in Buckingham.—(Hear.) Those details showed that the present meeting was called for no light purpose, but one involving the com fort, happiness, and lives of their fellow-creatures. — (Hear.) However right it might be thought that Dukes. Marquises, and Baronets should have their amusements and pleasures, those amusements and pleasures were not to be promoted at the expense of the imprisonment, ba nishment, and death of large numbers of their fellow subjects. Sir H. Verney stated last July, that out of 539 prisoners in Buckingham, apprehended daring the preceding year, 169 were offenders under the game-laws. —(Hear.) The recent instance of the murder of the Earl of Lichfield's gamekeeper had created a most pain ful sensation in the paiblie mind ; and so impressed were the Coroner's jury who sat on the inquest with the fact that the game-laws were a fruitful source of crime, that they made a unanimous representation in writing to that effect, which had been forwarded by the Coroner to the Secretary of State for the Herne Department, and he trusted that it would meet with due attention.—(Hear.) He had hoped that Aylesbury would be the first in this movement, but it had been anticipated by the parish of Ruislip, in Middlesex; still the men of Buckingham had the honour of being second is the field.—(Cheers.) He was glad to see also that the Earl of Euston had issued' an address to the magistracy of Sussex upon the subject —(Hear, hear.) To the old style of shooting he did not object. Formerly gentlemen considered shooting a pur suit which united exercise and sport; they would go out with their dogs, and if they killed two or three heads of game, they were satisfied. Latterly noblemen and lords of manors had got into the practice of preserving game to the amount of thousands upon thousands, and recently they had adopted a foreign custom, to which they durst not give an English name—the battue.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) He regretted to find that persons of whom he wished to speak respectfully, such as the Marquis of Exeter, the Duke of Rutland, and others, had fallen into the new fashion, which' was, getting men to surround and drive the game together, ao that, instead of sporting, it was downwright murder and massacre.—(Hear, hear.) He was sorry to add, that in that very c ounty there had lately been a most heartless and brutal battue.— (Hear, hear.) But it was attended with some not very consistent formalities, for it appeared that the parties first went to chapel to say prayer at nine o'clock, and at ten they were ready for the battue. The massacre was then perpetrated by eight or ten men styled noble ; and to wind up all, the newspapers stated that when it was over the band played " See the Con quering Hero comes" as they returned.—(Laughter.) While he readily acknowledged that the Duke of Buck inghampossessed many good qualities, he must say, that his Grace was not likely to keep up his dignity, or to win the esteem of his fellow-subjects, by such proceed ings as that.—(Cheers.) It might look very well, while he was surrounded by hussars, and yeomanry, and te nantry, having half-a-crown for their day's work, but no true soldier, or sailor, or sportsman could approve of such wholesale slaughter. Such doings were not con fined to the laity ; the clergy patronised them, and he had heard of one clergyman who made the school-boys of his parish beat up game for his battue. (Shame 1) A petition to Parliament was about to be submitted to the meeting, and he thought it would be well if copies of it were sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of the diocese, so that in their next milk and water charges they might remonstrate with their clergy upon the subject.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) In the neighbourhood of Salisbury there had- recently been three battues, which caused the destruction of 1,100 heads of game. His opinion, was, that the game-laws should be abolished, and that the law of trespass would be quite sufficient to insure a gentleman sufficient game and sport.. His neighbours would protect his_land, and his tenants would get rid of a great source of disaffection.— (Hear.) Any gentleman- who would have the moral courage to call upon Parliament to repeal 'the garre laws would prove himself to be the farmer's friend. The game p t i t; e e s l e ) e r s e e r e w e t e a was n of f t t t h h e e farm's tt he e e r re r f:r l e e n a d, but dh g. t h h i e s e villages my,and ie his neighbourhood with taxation to maintain the wives and children of those he caused to be sent to gaol. The game preserver was indeed the tyrant of his county, filling the prison with inmates sent from his own do mains, and doing mischief to almost every other class of his fellow-subjects.—(Cheem) Mr. GRACE re-echoed the sentiments of the Chairman with regard to the game-laws increasing local taxation, and proposed the first resolution : " That this meeting have long beheld with regret the moral, pecuniary, and social evils arising from the operation of the game-laws, by which the labourer is degraded, the farmer impoverished, society often dis organised, and the amount of local taxation seriously in creased." It was seconded by the Rev. W. MORLAND, and unani mously adopted. Mr. SCRIVENER (a farmer) said he believed the game laws to be so had, that it was impossible to amend them, and therefore they should be got rid of altogether.— (Hear, hear.) He believed them to be a Crying evil. He did not wish to curtail the sports of the gentry, but to see them pay the expenses of their sports, and not 1 them upon other people.—(Cheers.) Had there been no game-laws, he thought they might have been spared the expense of a new prison, which would cost something like 40,000/.—(A voice," Aye, and the workhouse too.") He moved the second resolution .— " That a petition to Parliament, praying for the total and immediate repeal of the game-laws, be adopted and signed by this meeting, and as many of 'the inhabitants of Aylesbury and its neighbourhood as think proper to affiz their signatures." Mr. J. Moonxs (another farmer) having seconded the proposition, it was agreed to nem. con. Mr. GIBRS, sen., said that he was glad to see so numerous an attendance, and to observe the presence of some lads, for there was not a youth of fifteen years and upwards who was not interested i n the object of the meeting ; and after making a few emarks on Mr. Ber keley's pamphlet, he proposed the adoption of the fol lowing petition:— " To THE HON. THE COMMONS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED. " The humble petition of the inhabitants of the town of Aylesbury, in the county of Buckingham, and m i s t : s y n r g h b p o e u ti r a h o o n o d e r a , s h h og th— f for some time viewed SIR EDWARD KNATCIIBULL.—There is no truth in the statements of some of our contemporaries that the Paymaster of the Forces is about t• retire from the Ca binet. It is true that the Right Hon. Baronet has not of late regularly attended the Cabinet Councils, but the cause has been the illness of his dauhter, and some slight personal indisposition, and not a misunderstanding between him and his colleagues.—Morning Paper. FUNERAL OF THE MARQUIS OF SLIGO.-- mains of the late Marquis of Sligo were interred yes terday in the catacombs of the General Cemetery, Kensal-green. The mournful ceremony was conducted in a very private manner, in accordance with the ex pressed wish of the deceased Peer, and the funeral was attended by only a small circle of the lamented noble man's family connex ions. M A RRIAGE EXTRAOR DINARY. —On Monda y last, at the parish chu rch of Rochdale, a Therri ed bridegroom d eg ro Martha om Wood, dou ageddouble fifty five,jointed, u‘ ; p l . l Be u sr m sn: bs on each hand. The bride has been James Crossley, aged fie ht t vw o poa' her bed, of rheumatism, for the last seven ca t twenty-five, confined n hnb t y aeo - sdt years ; she had to be carried into the church by seven wen, colliers.--Liverpool Chronicle. ,41)trb AStruton OPENING ov PARLIAMENT " Another fine day for the Queen" was an observation often repeated this morning, and it is not our fault that the remarkable change from the inclemency of the last few days compels us to reiterate the preface which has so often appeared before in our notices of her Majesty's progresses in the metrapolis. Although the recent snow, thaw, and rain had left the parks and streets in a most uncomfortable state for pedestrians, and especially bye standers, the route of the royal procession, from Buckingham Palace to the House of Lords, was lined by patient thousands long before her Majesty's departure from the Palace. As soon as the carriage emerged from beneath the marble arch the Queen was greeted with the same loud and earnest demonstrations of loyalty and affection which have greeted her on all former occa sions. Her Majesty was accompanied by Prince Albert, the Master of the Horse, and the Mistress of the Robes. In the park we noticed an occurrence which, to say the least, was of an unusual character, as foreigners rarely take any part in popular demonstrations towards the person of the sovereign in whose realms they hap pen to sojourn ; but, on this occasion, a group of foreigners joined lustily and conspicuously in the cheers of the multitude. They seemed to be French, but they used no viva, or continental term, and only cheered as well as they could in the English fashion.. Whether this was really a concerted exhibition of feeling, or was merely accidental, it certainly seemed to be inteaded as an evidence that " tout le monde" is not with the war minority. On her Majesty's return she was everywhere met with the same manifestations of popularity. MPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS DAY.) HOUSE OF LORDS. Parliament was opened this day by the Queen in person, with all the usual state and pageantry customary on the occasion. Though the ceremony is of annual recurrence, yet it never fails to awaken an interest in the public, which springs principally from the loyalty and admiration of a people ever grati fied to see her Majesty in the enjoyment of good health and spirits, but is also increased on this great State occasion by a feeling of hope that looks for ward to the opening session as the period when the difficult questions that enter into what are called public affairs will be at least discussed, even if that discussion does not so frequently as could be wished result in the discovery of a remedy for public evils. No less anxiety was manifested on this occasion to obtain admission to the body of the House of Peers and the galleries, by those who could secure a Lord Cham berlain's ticket, and to obtain a glimpse of her Majesty on the line of the procession, by the far greater number who are compelled to content themselves with the more public part of the proceedings. This anxiety was much increased by the report that, on this occasion, the young Prince of Wales would accompany her Majesty, a rumour which, however, proved to be unfounded. _The preparations along the line of routs of the royal procession were commenced at an early hour, and the streets filled with people rapidly as mid-day ap- - - proached. Carriages commenced setting down company, principally ladies, soon after eleven o'clock. From this time there was a continual stream of arrivals, and by half-past twelve the side benches of the body of the House, the gallery to the right of the throne, the strangers' and Members of the House of Commons' galleries, and the space below the bar, were crowded with elegantly-dressed ladies. There was scarcely a place preserved vacant, except the front Ministerial bench and the seat reserved for the Foreign Ambassadors. The throne and canopy formed a prominent object in the brilliant scene the interior of the House presented. A chair had been placed on each side, one for his Royal Highness Prince Albert, the other for the young Prince of Wales. _ . __ At one o'clock the appearance of the House was cer tainly beautiful. On no former occasion was there a more numerous attendance of ladies, and the whole area pre sented to the eye a mass of gay and light colours, re lieved by the scarlet fittings of the House, and varied by the waving plumes, wreaths, and jewels of the many splendid head-dresses. Lord Wharncliffe was the first member of the Go vernment who entered the House. He was followed by Earl Shaftesbury. The Judges entered the House soon after one o'clock. Among them wo observed the Chief Baron Pollock, Barons Alderson, Park, Patteson, Platt, Williams, Rolfe, Manic, Cresswell, and Chief Justice Tindal. Lord Campbell, on entering the House, entered into conversation with several of the Learned Judges. The Lord Chancellor arrived at half-past one ; he appeared to be in excellent health. His Lordship also conversed with the Learned Judges, who were grouped in front of the woolsack. The Duke of Wellington was not long after the Lord Chancellor ; he wore his Peer's robes ; he appeared to be in his usual health and spirits. At twenty minutes to two a flourish of trumpets an nounced the arrival of one of the Royal Family, and the Duke of Cambridge appeared followed by the Duke of Mecklenburgh Strelitz. His Royal Highness wore the robes of a Peer; the young Duke was in uniform. By this time every seat was occupied ; the attendance of chiefs and members of the Diplomatic body was very numerous ; their place was quite crowded. The number of Peers present was not so great ; besides those we have already mentioned, were the Duke of Buccleuch, Lord Langdale, the Marquis of Camden, the Marquis of Win chester, and Lord Monteagle. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London were on the episcopal bench. At precisely twelve minutes after two the first gun, announcing the approach of her Majesty, was heard ; it was followed by the sound of the distant cheers of the multitude. The buzz of conversation instantly ceased, all became expectation, and every eye was turned towards the door. A few minutes elapsed, and the sound of trumpets was heard in the passages leading to the House, and the heralds entered, followed by the officers of the royal household and the functionaries of State. Her Majesty was immediately preceded by the Cap of Main tenance, the Duke of Beaufort bearing the Crown, the Duke of Wellington bearing the Sword of State, and the Lord Chancellor. her Majesty entered the House at a quarter-past two and immediately took her seat on the throne. Her Majesty wore a splendid white satin dress, a diamond stomacher, and diamond tiara ; Prince Albert accompanied her Majesty ; he wore a Field Marshal's uniform, and took his seat on the chair to the left of the throne. Her Majesty appeared to be in the enjoyment of excellent health. The Peers, Peeresses, and company had all risen on the entrance of her Majesty, and remained standing, till her Majesty, bowing, begged their Lordships to be seated. The house of Commons were then summoned, and shortly afterwards the Speaker, accompanied by several Members, appeared below the bar. The Lord Chancellor then presented the Speech to her Majesty, who immediately proceeded to read it, with that beautifully clear enunciation and expression, which are so characteristic of her Majesty. The Royal Speech will be found in another column. Her Majesty having concluded, the Speaker of the house of Commons bowed and left the bar with the Members. The royal procession then left the House in the same order in which it had entered, and their Lord ships adjourned during pleasure. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER returned to the House from the bar of .he House of Lords, and the House immediately ad• lammed to a Quarter before Four o'clock. COLONIAL MARKETS. Scae.a.—The market for British Plantation has been heavy, and barely 200 hhds have been sold, at the re duction of is per cwt. The public sales have con sisted of 2,062 bap Madras and 1,319 bags of Bengal, which mostly sold at rather lower prices, but being in small lots it affords very little guide to the market generally. The quantity of sugar landed last week in the East and West India Docks was 650 hogsheads 171, barrels ; and there wereis taken for home consumption 75 4 hhds, 54 t ree, 101 barrels . The stock in Great Britain and foreign ports, at the com mencement of this year, was 106,487 tons. COPPEE.-68 casks British Plantation, 160 bag , s . Ceylon, and 1,943 bales Mocha, were offered by auction the British Plantation was mostly taken in at 70s for mid colony Berbic, being comparatively a very low price. The C eylon sad Mocha chiefly sold at fully previous rates, the former at 52s for very good ord quality, and the latter at 58s 6d to 71e for mid to good clean quality. The stock in Great Britain and in foreign ports on the Ist ult. was 80,136 tons. RICE.—One thousand five hundred and two bags B e ngal Rice at auction found buyers at lOs 6d to II s 6d for mid broken to good white, being for the latter de scription rather cheaper. Rum.—The quantity landed last week at the East and West India Docks was 191 puns 327 hhds. There were taken for home consumption 156 puns 38 hhds, and ex ported 21 puns 5 hhds. SPICES —Bl4 bags Sumatra Pepper were taken in at 21d for mid to good black, which is the previous value, but at which there were not purchasers. TALLow.—P.Y.C. is 39s 6d to 40s per cwt. on the spot, and Town 43s 6d per cwt. TEA.—The market is firm. Ord to good ord Congou lld to 1 lid, and good ord to but mid Twankay is to is 3id per lb. The stock in London on the Ist inst. was 27,083,0001b5. COAL EMMET. Prices per ton at the close of the market :—Buddle's West Hartley, 17s ; Carr's Hartley, 174 6d ; Holywell Main, 17s ; Morrison's Hartley, 16s 6d ; Nelson's West Hartley, 173 6d ; New Taafield 16s 6d ; Old l'ontop, ) 16s 6d ; Ord's Redheugh, 16s ; Old Tanfield, 16s 6d ; Pott's Primrose, 16s ; Pontop Windsor, 16-1 ; Ravens worth West Hartley, 17s ; South Pontop, 193; Tanfield Moor, 20s ; Taylor's West Hartley, lis ; Townley, 17s; West Hartle, 17s ; West Wylam, 17s 61 ; Wylam, 16s 9d ; W. E., Bell and Robstn, 18s ; W. E., Ramsay, 16s ; W. E., Wharncliffe, 19s 3d ; Belmont, 19s 9d ; Braddyll's Hetton, 20s 9d ; Hetton, 20s Ad; East Hetton, 1813 6d ; Haswell, 21s 6d ; Lambton, 20s 9d ; Lumley, 19s 3d ; Pemberton, 18s 6d ; Russell's Hetton, 20s ad ; Shotton. 20s ; Stewart's, 205 9d ; Carsdoc, 20s 6d ; Cassop, 20s 6d ; Hartlepool, 20s 6d ; Heeelden, 18s 6d ; Ileugh.hall, 19s ; Brown's Deanery, 19s ; St. Helen Tees, 18s ; Sout Durham, 19s ; Tees Hetton, 19s ; Clackmannan, 15s 6d ; Cowpen Hartley, 17s 6d Hartley, 17s ; Morgan Stone, 23s 6cl ; Sidney's Hartley 17s 6d; Wst Hartley Netherton, 17s 6d.—Ships arrived, 38. THE THEATRES. LYCEUM. A new comic drama in two sets, entitled Taking Pos session, was produced at this theatre last night. Mr. Beatus Boodle (Mr. Keeley), a traveller for a fish sauce and pickle warehouse, goes to Germany in the way of his vocation, and falls in with a band of gipsies, one of whom is in possession of a lottery ticket, which he offers to sell to the retailer of sauce samples for 100 florins. Mr. Boodle offers ten, expecting that it will be refused; but he is mistaken. The ten florins are paid, and No. 1,688 is Boodle's. Well, the numbers are drawn for, and 1,688 is a prize, the holder being declared the winner of Ratenhole Castle ; whereupon the Englishman is all joy, shouting, " at the top of his bent," " Rule Britannia." But the ticket, of right, belonged to Carl, the nephew of the seneschal of the castle, and the leader of the gipsy band (Mr. Wigan) undertakes to get the title deeds from Boodle. Of course Ore latter makes all diligent haste to see his noble castle and demesnes on the banks of the Danube, and the gipsy leader has everything prepared to give him a warm reception. In the first place, as lie is leaving the steamer in the small-boat, he gets a duck ing; then, wishing to make a speech to his tenantry on the subject of allotments, the corn-laws, and wash-hooves for the poor, he is well pelted by the tenantry. Ile is next shown into a cold, unfurnished room, where he is to spend the night. The gipsy leader comes in disguise, and you know, of course, that poor Boodle cannot sleep. What between the howling of the wolves and the ghost st"ries with which his companion entertains him, ho confesses he is the most miserable of men. Bat that is not all. lie is told that the gipsies aro bent on murdering him. One of them, who took some of his soy, supposing it to be a very rare beverage, declaring that he has a particular and especial cause of complaint against him on that ac count. The good angel who brings this information to the disconsolate Boodle you may guess is a gipeey her self ; and in order to evade their wicked designs, by her advice, he alters his appearance, and pretends that he is a foreign gipsey himself. Of course he is received with acclamation, and, that he may not be idle,.he is desired to kill the leader of the band, Balthazar. There is much humour in his going to act his first murder ; but Balthazar, who knows he is disguised, says he will tell who he is, and our poor Boodle is terrified out of being a murderer nialgrc lui. The gipsies all vow the most horrid treatment against the new landlord of the castle, who trembles all over in his disguise, and he is but too happy to resign the title deeds of the castle, having got as much money as will bring him back to England. Carl and his betrothed, Corra (Mrs. A. Wigan), are thus made happy, and Boodle vows never to go beyond call of the new police. The idea of the traveller for sauce samples is evidently taken from "Our Own Correspondent" of the " Scourge," and like all imitations, it falls deeply below the original. It would be difficult to say what is the aim of the piece, except that it serves as a vehicle for some halting witticisms, which, however, like lame Vulcan performing the office of cup•bearer, raised roars of laughter amongst the blessed " gods." The piece was announced for re petition, STRAND. We have Rot enjoyed such a hearty laugh for a long time as we enjoyed at this theatre last evening, at the burlesque of Antigone. It is a regular screamer—worth fifty of the spectacle burlesques where fine scenery is introduced to make up for paucity of jokes. The original is closely followed—Aristophanes himself could not havo written a more ludicrously exact quiz upon the tragedy of his great contemporary. The chorus was excessively rich, and the Antigone of George Wild was, in every sense of the word, immense. Hall was Creon, and, on his appearance, was greeted with a roar of hearty laughter. He made Creon after Punch's caricature of O'Connell. The resemblance was exact ; and, when ho began, in a rich Munster brogue, addressing the Thebaps as " Hereditary bondsmen," the audience was perfectly convulsed. his imitations of Vandenhoff, Macready. and Charles Kean, were excellent ; in fact, we never saw Hall so great—his Creon is superior even to his Ingo. But the whole is a piece of rich drollery ; the fun never flags ; and, if we mistake not, the Antigone of Mr. Blanchard will have a greater run than even the Anti one of Sophocles. The house was exceedingly well attended. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S.—YESTERDAY. CHESTER CUP. The acceptances, which closed in town and at Chester at twelve o clock on Saturday night, far exceeded any thing on record—the number 71 !—four more, owing to omissions in copying the list, than appear( d it. yester day's papers. The horses omitted were, Vitula, 5 yrs, Est 91b ; The Old Maid, 5 yrs, 6st 61b; Advice, 4 yrs, 6st 2lb ; and Stayley, 5 yrs, sst 71b. Amongst the horses left in will be found nearly all that have been backed since the books were first opened on the race. The betting yesterday was brisk, without being so heavy as on one or two previous occasions ; several commissions, however, were liberal, particularly with regard to the two favourites, the Era, Pug (the only one left in by Lord George Bentinck), Agricultur', and Corranna. Cataract opened at 20 to 1, and closed at Thursday's quotation. The final averages were as under :- 10 to 1 agst Mr. Jaques's Semiseria—t. and aft. off. 15 to 1 agst Mr. A. Johnstone's Obscurity—taken 18 to 1 agst Mr. W. Scott's Cataract—taken 20 to 1 agst Lord G. Bentinck's Pug—take 25 to 1 20 to 1 agst Mr. 11. Stebbing's Celeste 22 to 1 agrt Mr. A. Johnstone's The Era-25 to 1 taken freely. 25 to 1 agst Mr. O. Parry's Zanoni 30 to I agst Mr. W. Scott's Agriculture—taken 33 to 1 agst Mr. Bell's Winesour 35 to 1 agst Mr. Vaughan's Extempore—taken 35 to 1 agst Mr. Irwin's Pride of Kildare—taken 35 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's St. Lawrence 40 to 1 agst Mr. Osbakleston's Sorella—taken 40 to 1 agst Mr. Cuthbert's Queen of Tyne—taken 50 to 1 agst Mr. Collett's Corranna—taken 50 to 1 agst Mr. Trwin's Foigh-a-ballagh—taken 50 to 1 agst Mr. Parry Master of the Rolls filly—ta. 50 to 1 agst Mr. Wesley's Counsellor—taken 66 to 1 agst Mr. Plummer's Alice Hawthorn—Ga. 100 to 1 agst Mr. Irwin's Mickey Free—taken 2,000 to 30 agst Mr. Collett's The Dean—taken. The two leading favourites remain in about the same position as we left them last week, Alarm having the call. At one time it was a near thing for choice, 1,500 even having been laid between them, and only 12 to 1 offered on the field ; 13 to 1 was subsequently betted against Col. Peel's colt in tildes, and, we believe, might have been got to a larger sum. Ledger was backed at 14i and 15 to 1; Idas and Pam at the odds returned; Men tor, in two or three quarters, at 1,000 to 30, to the pre judice of Annandale, against whom 25 and 30 to 1 was laid ; The Laird o'Cockpen and the Frederica colt at 40 to 1 each (the outlay moderate); hot:master for two or three hundred pounds at 40 to I, all in;" and Fut bos, at I,ooo's to 15 and 20. Closing prices :- 12 to 1 agst Mr. Greville's Alarm 13 to 1 agst Col. Peel's Cobweb colt—taken 15 to 1 agst Colonel Anson's.Kedger 16 to 1 agst Lord Stradbroke's Idas—t. and aft. oft 18 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Pam—t. and aft.. oft 30 to 1 agst Mr. A. Johnstone's Annandale 30 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's News:nonger 30 to 1 agst Lord Glasgow's Miss Whip c—take 33 33 to 1 agst Mr. St. Paul's Mentor—taken 33 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Pantasa—taken 35 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Old England—taken 40 to 1 agst Duke of Richmond's Laird e' Cockpen —taken 40 to 1 agst Mr. Gratwicke's Frederica colt—taken 40 to 1 agst Mr. A. W. Hill's Ironmaster—taken 50 to 1 agst Mr. Irwin's Connaught Banger—taken 50 to 1 agst Mr. Coleman's Young Eclipse 50 to 1 agst Mr. Coleman's Fuzbos_taken 1000 to 15 agst Lord Chesterfield's T w ig—taken 3000 to 30 agst Mr. Tuting' s Adonis (Atyrrha colt) 1500 between Alarm an d the Cobweb colt 500 between Annandale and Miss Whip colt. Lord Chesterfield's Brother to Attaghan has bou t named " Javelin." Lord Miltown's Soalteen died on Friday last at New market. TTIE MAILS..-- SOUTHAMPTON, Company's steam -shi p the Tagus, FEB. .I us, fotCTns The Oriental ,o Constan tinople, v i a M a lta, Captain Brookes, went ou t o f d oc k tpie, this day at three P.M. She takes out the East India and China mails to Malta, whence they will be dispatched by giT t the hu e r I e: ; s e wn : i ydh a ai ael to hfluv . A wl el se, cargoxt t o a n n d d iha r , A l exandria. mail-packeta . v s T a h l eed M anche st er' r a t g ea s and as other Thames, 35 pgs goods.sCaptainpassen gers, s e orders to retard her departure untilyes yesterday to-morrow,, but row reee ,wil i l vd o e n that day, at three o'clock P.M., leave her moorings and proceed on her voyAge with the Mexican and West In dian mails. The 'Thames has 50 passengers, a largo quantity of quicksilver and other goods for the Gulf and other islands: The Oriental steam-ship is daily ex pected round from London, after undergoing a complete overhaul. She will take out the mid-monthly mails for East India and China. She leaves here on the 20th inst. The Gibraltar yacht Royal 'Tar is hourly expected with the Peninsula and Mediterranean mails. The Forth, West India packet, will leave here on the 17th, and take out tke mails for the Gulf, &c. TVE REV. SYDNEY SMITIL—We regret to hear of the dangerous illness of this reverend gentleman. It was feared, last night, that a fatal termination must soon take place, unless there should be some sudden change, more to be hoped for than expected. J. H. Hippisley, Esq., has given directions that all the game in his extensive preserves at Postbury, near Crediton, shall be destroyed, seeing the great injury an d arises to the farmer from the preservation ofragbabnilse, accordingly man: hundred hares, p them given to the neighbouring farmer have been shot during the last few he d a assa;:an'adn and labourers nests c Devonport Independent. b Marquis of Norman ), the Earl of Clarendon, the Earl Viscount Melbourn e, t he Mar q uis of Lansdowne, the • S o f t ra A ff u o c r k d l , a a n n d d r a " s d ele l e ) t e pl i r a t u y ie o Y f . Lord Sudeley, Lord the Opposition Peers, dined together last evening at Brooks's Club, St, James's reet.