The Sun. — London, England, 1850-05-28 00:00:00

THE LORD CHANCELLOR things which creates a new Lord Chancellor every change of Ministers is not inevitable, and may excuse some impatience in persons who have seen perhaps more than one Lord Chancellor in court since the commencement of their suits. The remedy is obvious, and has great names to recommend it, though there may be some ques tion as t o t h e d eta il s. A Lord Chancellor with no other duties than those of his own Court, i rremova bl e like the rest of the judges, and with 8,000/. or 9,000/. per annum, would be in a most honourable and enviable position, and cer tainly with less anxiety than the holder of the office in its present multifarious form. On the other hand, a judicial Speaker of the House of Lords, authorised, with assistance, to hear appeals from the Lord Chan cellor, a Cabinet Minister, and ther e f ore s h ar i ng political v i c i ssitudes, with' 5,000/. or 6,000/. per annum, and with the immense patronage of the office, would be also an offic e of great importance and honour. Whether with such an arrangement it would be ne ce-sary to have three Vice-Chancellors would be a matter for discussion, but the appeals from the judg ment of these functionaries are so frequent as to justify the belief that much labour is lost under the present arrangement. Whatever the necessity of a change, or the merits of this or that plan, nowt t all events, is the time for thinking about it.—Times. CORONERS' INQUESTS. Love AND SUICIDE.—On Saturday evening, a t six o'clock, Mr. William Carter, the coroner for Surrey, opened a long inquiry at the Old ALtre Tavern, Broad-wall, Blackfriars-road, resp ec ti ng the death of Thomas Hunt Cooper, aged 29 years, lately residing at No. 5, Knight Ryder-court, Doctors'- commons, who committed the following dreadful a c t of self-d es t ruc ti on u nder the circumstances briefly detailed in the subjoined evidence of the principal witness : Elizabeth Straker, of No. 1, Thomas-place, Gravel lane, Blackfriar s - roa d, stated that she had known the deceased f or many years. Wi tness h a d b een fre quently annoyed by th e d ecease d, w ho followed her _ about d a il y f rom place to place, more particularly during the last 14 weeks, and occasionally he would threaten to take her life. Witness at one time went in bodily fear, and told him if he persisted in continuing his annoyance she would seek assist ance by application to a magistrate. The deceased for a short time desisted, but again resumed his "visits, when she was about to go to a police-court, when the deceased begged so earnestly that she would not, that she again declined, on his promising not to annoy her again. The deceased still continued to follow her, and on Thursday morning last witness hearda knock at the street door, and upon opening it witness saw the deceased, who exclaimed in a loud voice, "I will blow your brains out ;" at the satin s moment deceased presented a pistol towards witnes§, who called for the landlord in the front parlour, who came out and stepped between them. The deceased rust' o -. 9t4rs„ and th e nex t momen t th e report of a r NvaK d \fin when th e w it ness an d th e land -1 re'rea \ ch'e4 tier cond-floor back room, they dis- Aoyeiedltie'decekts lying a corpse on the floor, with thp upper-portiol of, his head bl own t o p i eces . De , cepfa ieemectlfar!ss, and by his side lay a pistol. tgo , ' • 4 V :‘; After a prolonged contest with an enfeebling disease and increasing years, Lord Cottenham, it is positively stated, is about to follow the example of Lord pen man, and resign an office the high responsibilities of which he can no longer discharge. The resignation of a judge is a rare event, and the resignation of a Lord Chancellor is a very great event, for, in nine cases out of ten, a political reverse anticipates both death and decay. The disease most fatal to a Lord Chancellor is an adverse majority in the Commons; and the same calamity that suddenly extinguishes the highest officer of the State in the full vigour of his faculties, and in the very midst of his duties, invari ably finds another man ready for the place, and in a condition to demand it from the chief of his party. Hence there is no opportunity or interval for any other purpose than to fill up the vacancy. The case is now altogether different. Lord Cottenham has gradually found himself unequal to the overpowering responsibilities of his office, and although there are men not unworthy to succeed him, there is neither so remarkable a pre-eminence of talent ner so deep a political obligation to any one man as to compel a certain choice. An opportunity, therefore, presents itself which has long been wished for in vain,—an opportunity for considering, not the successor, but the office itself. It is not very long since that office was put in commission, when the object was to get over some political and personal difficulties. Should any change in its constitution be contemplated, a com mission would give time for the necessary discussion of so important a measure. The idea which has floated in the mind of succes sive law reformers has been a separation of the Lord Chancellor's judicial and political functions. There is something revolting to the feelings and common sense of an Englishman in a political judge—a man essen tially a partisan, ascending and descending the tri bunal at the beck of a popular assembly, and selected for his partialities as well as for his legal acumen. So the first and most popular notion of the thing to be done is to have an irremovable judge in the Court of Chancery, and a removable Speaker in the House of Lords. This idea, which finds favour with many who are fortunately ignorant of the Chancery, is founded on a very imperfect appreciation of the evils to be re moved ; and it is only by reviewing the manifold duties of the Lord Chancellor, and by remembering what takes place at ever y change of office, that is, once every three or four years, that we see the strength of the reasons fora fundamental alteration. The Lord Chancellor may be said to preside over the two highest courts of justice in this country, and one Legislative Assembly. The Court of Chancery is so far sufficient fur one man, that the arrears have now accumulated beyond the probability of their being discharged, by any one Chancellor, be he ever so able, energetic, and young. Of course during Lord Cottenham'e illness those arrears have increased, and the only symptom of their ever being cleared in his Lordship's time was the recent announcement that he had just given a remarkably able judgment in chambers. The number of suitors, and the amount of property at stake, are beyond belief. We will not venture to say how many millions the Suitors' Fund, or the money actually in the hands of the Court, is estimated at. The difficulties, the delays, and the consequent expenses, are not only so great, but so inevitable, that it is a common saying, that no pro perty less than 1,0001. is worth fighting for in Chan cery against a long purse, even with the best possible opinions on your side. Notwithstanding the un doubted ability and character of the present Lord Chancellor and his immediate predecessors, there has been no very material improvement of late years, in the progress of suits and the state of business, and the ill-fame of the Court is at this moment almost as flagrant as ever. Without referring more particularly to the vast amount of business devolving on the Lord Chancellor in the care of wards and other matters of delicacy, or matters of detail, we will pass on to the other Court over which he presides—the House of Lords, as the highest judicial tribunal of this country. But few peo ple—few even of the wretched suitors themselves, know the thorough farce of an appeal to the House of Lords. Every Tuesday and Thursday the Lord Chancellor's own court is closed, and proceedings there suspended. On those days he sits in the Lords to hear appeals from his own judgments in his own court. He sits there alone, yet not quite alone, for the court must not sit unless two other Peers are present. Those two other Peers, so necessary to the adminis tration of justice, are there by virtue of a rota. Two Peers are summoned for one day, and the two Peers next in the list for the next day, and so forth. If a trial lasts several days two Peers attend at the open ing, and then retire ; two others attend at the next stage, and then give place to others, till the judgment is delivered, with the assistance of two Peers who have not heard one syllable of the trial, and need not have the least conception of what it is about. Be sides these two lay Peers, there is also a gratuitous and occasional attendance of legal Peers, who are not necessary to the constitution of the court, and who, except in one memorable instance, have seldom put the Lord Chancellor in a minority. In fact, there fore, the Lord Chancellor, really alone, hears the trial over again, and sits in j u d gmen t on hi s own dec i sion. The presidency of this court takes from the Lord Chancellor two days out of six in the spring and summer terms. The enormous expense, delay, and other inconvenience it inflicts on the suitors, it is need less to describe, for they are doomed men and have prepared for the worst. Besides these two judicial offices,—for we must assign a plurality to offices when there is an appeal from one to the other,—the Lord Chancellor presides over the House of Lords in its legislative capacity ; and, if his time and strength are not so severely taxed as the Speaker's of the House of Commons, he has often to spend on the woolsack many hours which he might otherwise employ in rest, or in preparation. In addition to the above three important functions, the Lord Chancellor is also a member of the Cabinet, and, as such, is required to assist at councils, and give advice, at times possibly very inconvenient to the Court which claims his first attentions. In the event of a change of Ministry, or, as now, in the event of resignation through illness, the Lord Chancellor, after holding his office three or four years, and after having acquainted himself with a number of complicated causes in progress, is suddenly lost to the Court and the suitors, and his place is taken by a man who has all to begin over again. Every suitor who now has some hopes of a judgment, and who has reason to believe that matters are really in train for a conclusion, finds himself euddenly thrown back, and his hopes nipped in the bud, by the advent of a man to whom he and his cause are utterly unknown. In the rare case of a vacancy through death or illness, of course this is inevitable, and can only be met with patience ; but the state of THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 28 9 1850. The room was subsequently searched, and a bullet was found on the floor. The police arrived soon af terwards, and when the pockets of the deceased were examined, a letter was found, directed to his father, which was proved to be in the deceased's handwriting. The letter was as follows : " Dear Father,—Shan you receive this I shall be no more, for I have made up my mind not to live any longer without Miss Straker. Her shadow is always following me by night and day, and my thoughts are constantly with her. _ " Your affectionate son, " THOMAS HUNT COOPER.' Witness added, that she fully believed if the landlord had not come so providentially to her aid the deceased would have shot her. Mr. Robert Tibbetts, surgeon, of Blackfriars-road, was next examined. He proved the frightful nature of the injuries the deceased had received, which must have caused instant death. Other witnesses were examined, who clearly proved the deceased had been of weak intellect for some years past. The jury returned a verdict of temporary insanity. DREADFUL SUICIDE.-Mr. William Payne, the coroner for London and Southwark, was engaged for several hours on Friday night, at the Harrow public. house, Borough-market, inquiring into the death of a female, apparently about thirty years of age, at pre sent unknown, who committed self-destruction at the London-bridge Railway Tavern. Mrs. Sarah Wallis, the landlady of the Railway Tavern, on the Surrey side of London-bridge, stated that on Wednesday evening last the deceased came to the bar, and asked if she could be accommodated with a bed. She had a small basket in her hand, and said she expected a letter from some one that evening, and added that when it arrived would I forward it to her apartment ? Deceased went out two or three times during the evening. On the following day, about four o'clock, a letter came, directed to " Mrs. Lloyd, at the Railway Tavern, London-bridge." At seven o'clock the deceased went out, and soon after wards came in with a female, who went up-stairs with her. The deceased ordered tea and toast for two. The female referred to left in about an hour, and the deceased remained in her room. At half past eleven the same night witness went up-stairs and knocked at the door of the deceased's bed-chamber, but not re ceiving any answer opened the door and walked in, when witness discovered the deceased sitting on a chair, with her head reclining on the bed. The deceased's features were dreadfully disfigured, and witness, be ing alarmed, ran out to the adjoining room and called a gentleman, who found that the deceased was insensible. She had a small phial firmly clasped in her right hand labelled, " Sulphuric acid—poison." The deceased was attired in a black satin gown. The deceased's face was dreadfully burnt by the effects of the acid which had fallen from the bottle. The de ceased wore a blue necktie, a silver brooch, gold ear rings, white stockings, black laced boots, Sze. In her basket were found a letter and a small note; the former was the one which came by post on Thursday afternoon, and the same bore no date or signature. The principal portion of the letter was to the follow ing effect :—" For Heaven's sake I hope you will not commit any rash act, or think of destroying yourself. I trust you will be advised by the female friend to whom I referred you, and who, I am sure, will give you the beat of advice. By the time you receive this letter I shall have sailed from England for ever." There were 4s. in silver and a pocket-handkerchief in her basket. After some further evidence of no importance the inquiry was adjourned with the view of finding out the deceased friends. FATAL ACCIDENT ON BOARD THE CHINESE JUNK. —An inquest was held on Saturday evening, by Mr. T. Higgs, coroner, at the Lyceum Tavern, Strand, on body of William Upfold, aged 34, a carpenter, employed aboard the Chinese Junk Keying. The evidence of the witnesses proved that the deceased accidentally fell into the water and was drowned.— Verdict accordingly. [The following appeared in our Third Edition of last night :—] FRANCE. General Cavaignac, M. Coquerel, M. Come, and M. Ferdinand de Lasteyrie, have presented the fol lowing amendment to the Electoral Law : " The electoral domicile shall be established by the real residence in the commune in which the citizen shall have satisfied the laws of recruiting for the army and nary. This domicile shall, however, be transferred to any commune in which the citizen may have fixed his principal establishment, subject to his making six months before the revision of the electoral list the double declaration prescribed by Article 104 of the Civil Code." The Constitutionnel has the following on the Greek question : "As facts come to light, they show morn and more the legitimate character of the complaints of the French Government. We render all justice to the language used by Lord Palmerston and by Lord John Russell in the House of Commons; there is nothing iu it which can offend either France or her Government. But the finest words are not equivalent to the most simple explanations. The French Government is not actuated by any hostile intention, but it must protect its honour and the interests of the country. It must be either shown that good faith has been observed towards it, and a sincere desire fur the success of its intervention, or it must henceforth abstain from any intimate relation and all co-operation with the English Minister of Foreign Affairs. Intimate relations and habitual co-operation demand, in fact, a mutual confidence and equal security on both sides. In the case which we suppose, it will be shown that France cannot with security rely either on the words or the acts of Lord Palmerston." will succeed him, and Louis Napoleon Bonapsrte is to be appointed Grand Marshal of the Kingdom!" The Itisorgimento of the 22d inst. announces, under date Florence the 18th, that the Nazionale, which had been suspended at the request of the Neapolitan Government for libelling the King of Naples, was allowed to resume its publication on the 17th. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, May 27. (Before Mr. Commissioner HOLROYD.) :IN BE JAMES KILLICK. The bankrupt, a carpenter and builder, of Dorking, applied for his certificate. Mr. BUTLER (Basinghall-street) prepared the ba lance-sheet, which showed that the bankrupt owed 1,914/. ; assets about 230/. The profits were 731. ; losses, 6051.; interest and expenses, 5871.; deficiency February, 1848, 574/. Mr. Linklater appeared for the assignees to oppose; Mr. Lawrence supported the bankrupt. The main grounds of objection were, that the bankrupt had allowed his stock to be seized in exe cution shortly before coming to this Court, and that he bad been guilty of a preference to a certain cre ditor. His HONOUR said, that parties coming to this Court must be taught that they could only receive its pro tection upon giving up all their property. Instead of the bankrupt calling his creditors together, which it was his duty to do when he was in difficulties, he had allowed one creditor to obtain possession of his stock. '_L'he bankrupt had also made a preferential payment to his father, and although the sum had been reco vered, it did not purge the offence. Upwards of a twelvemonth had elapsed since the case came into Court, and six months since the first application for certificate. Taking into consideration all the facts of the case, a further suspension of the certificate for six months must be ordered without protection, till he had been three months in prison. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, May 27. (Before the CHIEF COMMISSIONER.) IN RE JOHN LEWES. This was a rule calling upon the assignees to show cause why a creditor should not be allowed to prove a debt against the estate, although it was not inserted in the schedule. The insolvent was discharged by this Court so long ago as 1825, and several di v ide n d s I have been p a id amoun ti ng in the whole to 9s. in the pound. I Mr. SARGOOD, on behalf of the assignees, contended I that the debt could not be admitted, being barred by the Statute of Limitations. Mr. NrcuoLs, in support of the rule, argued that the insolvent (whom the assignees represented) could not avail himself of his own wrong in omitting the creditor from the schedule, and that, therefore, the statute could not apply. The CHIEF COMMISSIONER thought that the insol vent could not be permitted to avail himself of his own omission to resist the debt, and therefore made the rule absolute for allowing the proof. (Before Mr. Commissioner Lew.) IN RE JOHN RIRBY. This insolvent, who had carried on business in Buckingham-street, Strand, as a bottled beer and wine merchant, under the style of Kirby and Co., was opposed by Mr. Sargood for Mr. Waters. The case was heard on a former day, and the com plaint was contracting Mr. Water's debt without reasonable expectations of payment. The insolvent had been bankrupt in 1823 and in 1828 ; on the lat ter occasion did not obtain a certificate. He had twice previously petitioned this Court. Mr. Commissioner LAW ordered the insolvent to be discharged after the lapse of 11 calendar months from the date of the vesting order. SURREY SESSIONS, May 27. These sessions commenced this morning, at the Sessions House, Newington -causeway, before Thomas Puckle, Esq., and a full bench of magistrates. The calendar was rather heavy, containing the names of 70 prisoners for trial, the majority of whom can neither read nor write. The grand jury haring been sworn, and the Chair man having addressed them, the Court proceeded to the trial of prisoners ; but no case of importance occurred during the day. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. A BET ON Tllll " DERBT."— Willi= Cooper, of No. 23, Rathbone-place, described on the police-sheet as of "no occupation," was brought before Mr. Bingham, charged with having obtained from Thomas Clifford, landlord of the Three Doves, Berwick-street, the sum of 51. by fraudulent pretences. The complainant said the defendant, who was a stranger to him, came into his house on Sunday and had some brandy -and-water at the bar. The de fendant, talked about the Derby race on Wednesday, and boasted that he had got odds to the extent of 1001. to 21. on Clincher, and had in his possession a ticket from Searle's, the Salisbury Arms, Strand, as a voucher for the bet. The defendant asked him which horse he thought would win, and he replied Clincher. While this conversation was going on, a person came to him, and, in a confidential whisper, advised him " to get all he could on Clincher ;" and, as the gentle man at the bar h a d ma d e a good bet, he would per haps give good odds to make himself safe, and witness would have quite security enough if be con sented to deposit his betting ticket with him. Wit ness then asked prisoner if he would make him a bet ? The prisoner said he would, and ultimately it was agreed that witness should pay 51., to receive 301. and his 51. back in case Clincher won the race. Witness gave the prisoner five sovereigns, and received what purported to be a ticket from Searle of a bet of 1001. to 21. on Clincher. As soon as the prisoner had got the money he was in a wonderful hurry to be off, for the purpose, as he said, of backing Bolingbroke. The prisoner left the house in such a hurry that he did not finish the brandy-and-water. Witness felt some mis givings about his security, and he mentioned his fears to his wife. After a few minutes' counsel he decided on going to the Salisbury Arms to inquire about the ticket. When he showed the ticket to the person in the bar of the Salisbury Arms, he was told it was a forgery. Yesterday morning having found the pri soner in a betting-house in Jermyn-street, he gave him into custody. Mr. Woolf, who appeared for the complainant, contended that a clear case of fraud had been com mitted, inasmuch as his client had parted with his money on the faith of that which now turned out to be a mere piece of pasteboard being a valuable se curity. Mr. Harris, for the prisoner, argued that the trans action throughout was illegal on the part of the complainant. Mr. BINGHAM said the line of defence was, in fact, going so far as to say that thief might rob thief, and gambler rob gambler. He doubted very much that this was the law. At all events he would take time to consider the question. Mr. Bishop, the clerk, handed to the magistrate the th and 9th Viet., cap. 109, sec. 17, which made it punishable to obtain. money by any kind of false pretence from a person on account of any game, sport, or pastime, and which applied exactly to the case before the court. The prisoner was remanded; but admitted to bail in two sureties of 501. each. CLEIL KENWELL. Mary Honin, a young woman, with a child in her arms, was charged with having assaulted one of the overseers of Clerkenwell parish. The overseer said that the prisoner came to the board-room to ask for relief, and request a Fair of shoes for her child. Ile told her that that was not a shoe-warehouse, and ofrdered her to be put out. She insisted on having rel;i,ef, and he ordered the gate keeper to force her out, when she struck him (the overseer), and he gave her into custody. Her hus band, who was outside,, threatened his life. He was an idle, desperate fellow, and would not work. The prisoner, crying, said she was in great dis tress, and her child wlts without shoes. She did not deny the charge, sayin g she was treated with violence first. Mr. TYRWHITT disc larged her, and or d ere d h er eiaccteed. and in great hu A sb n an e d ld t e o rl fi y nd in b a a n i , l t e o lr ic id e e e n p uy the am p workhouse, distress, complained t hat the ove rseers had refused to relieve him or admit him into th e Clerkenwell. Mr. TWYRHITT—What reason do they assign f o r their refusal ? Applicant—They say lam an Irish man, and they will not relieve or admit me unless my wife goes into the workhouse with me, which she will not do, as she can scrsope a scanty living for herself by washing. Mr. TYEWHITT—I suppose they think that she can support you and herself through her washing labour. Applicant (crying)--Perhaps so, Sir; but she can hardly support herself, :and she would rather do any thing than go into the workhouse, and I am very ill. What am Ito do ? Mr. TYRWHITT—Pray how old are you! Appli cant—l am 69 years o f age, your Worship. Mr. TYRWHITT—Hcrw long have you lived in the parish of Clerkenwell ? Applicant—Upwards of 30 years. - Mr. TYRWHITT consifiered it strange conduct on the part of the parish fin refusing to relieve or admit him into the workhouse without his wife. His long residence entitled him ba consideration and relief, and he directed an officer to accompany him to the work house on the day of his !first application. Th e poor o ld man attended on t h e ft Wowing day, full of grief, to say that the parish office rs were obdurate, and still were determined not to. admit him without his wife. Mr. TTRWHITT censor red such a course of proceed ing, and said the oversee rs would bring odium on the parish if they pursued S.l ach proceedings, and the case of the applicant should t .e attended to. The old man was tha t ikful, and left the court. Other cases of a simil e .r nat ure hive occurred, with reference to this :Ltd other parishes, which have led to some severe nicu.....ks from the Bench. L.4.IIIBETH. William Turner, a rough-looking fellow, was placed at the bar before Mr. Elliott, and charged, on suspi - cion, with stealing a vast quantity of massive plate found in his possession. Police-constable Thomas Hepburn, 308 P, deposed that on that morning, about four o'clock, while on duty on the Brixton-road, he observed the prisoner going along with a bundle slung over his shoulder, and, suspecting all was not right, asked him what he had got ? The prisoner, in a gruff voice, replied, that he bad better see. He then stopped him and ex amined the buridle, and found, tied up in two hand kerchiefs, the following articles of massive plate, viz. :—A teapot, a coffeepot, a sugar-basin, a cream jug, a pair of sugar tongs, a salt spoon, a pair of salt stands, ten table spoons, twenty forks, four silver knives, two knife-rests, a pair of nut , crackers, and a china scent-box. The witness asked the prisoner where he got the property, and his reply was, " if I tell you." When asked by the magistrate if he wished to say anything to the charge, the prisoner replied, that it was no use as the police would say anything. SOUTHWARK. William Morley, a well-dressed man, apparently between fifty and sixty years of age, wearing specta cles, was brought before Mr. A'Beckett, charged with uttering a fictitious cheque for 251. on Messrs. Drum - mond's, in liquidation of a tavern bill he had run up at the Bridge-house Hotel, Wellington-street, Lon don-bridge. The prisoner is suspected of having uttered several other cheques of a similar description to other tavern keepers in the metropolis. Mr. T. W. Burrell stated that he is proprietor of the above hotel, and that the prisoner came there in the course of last week, bringing with him a portmanteau, and engaged a private sitting-room as well as a bed room. He did not mention where he came from nor how long he intended to remain, but he ordered and was provided with the best the house afforded up to last Saturday, when some suspicion being excited his bill was made out and sent to him. When it was placed in his hands he merely glanced over it, and then said that he had not sufficient change to discharge it, but added that he would give a cheque on his bankers for the amount. He they called for pen and ink, and in the presence of the waiter, wrote out a cheque on Messrs. Drummond's for 251., desiring him to take it to his master, and added that, as it was then after banking Wours, if it was presented on the following Monday it would be cashed at once. Complainant, upon the faith of the cheque, supplied the prisoner with further refresh ments, amounting since Saturday to 1/. 125., and when he took the cheque to be cashed that morning the messenger was informed that the drawer of it had "no effects" there, nor was he even known to the establishment. Upon this discovery the prisoner was given into custody, and the complainant added that he had since every reason to believe that the prisoner had been carrying on a system of plunder on hotel and tavern keepers by similar means ; and that he had recently run up a bill at the Hotel de Paris in the Haymarket, and uttered one of his spu rious cheques in payment. Mr. A ' BECKETT asked the prisoner what he had to say in answer to the charge ? The prisoner, who is very deaf, or assumed to be so, stood at the bar, apparently quite unconcerned, with a smile on his countenance, and, when asked the question by the magistrate, he shook his head and said, "I am extremely deaf. I can perceive your lips move, and imagine from the movement that y ou have asked me what I have to say; but I have not beard a word, either proceeding from yourself or from my prosecutor." _ . The complainant said, that the prisoner did not ex hibit such a total deprivation of hearing whilst en joying himself at his house, and as it since turned out, at his expense, as he did upon the present occasion ; and that, i❑ his opinion, it was now in a great measure assumed, to suit some particular purpose. The prisoner, who still kept shaking his head and expressing his inability to hear a word, begged that he might be permitted to read the evidence given against him. Mr. A ' BECKETT at once assented to the prisoner's request, and the minutes of the evidence having been placed before him he read it attentively, and at its conclusion merely said, "It is perfectly correct." It was then announced to the prisoner that he was sus pected of giving a wrong name, and he was asked whether he would now divulge his right one. He, however, refused to give any further account than he had already given, and as it was stated that it was strongly suspected he was in the habit of practising similar impositions, he was remanded until next Monday, on which day it is be lieved that a number of tradesmen who have been duped by him will attend. THE COUNTRY MJ The following is the official statement corn, &c., received in the port of Lond Essex, from the 20th May, 1850, to both inclusive : .RKETS of the quantities of on from the ports in the 25th May, 1850, - g ./. .; 8 4 g 0 0 444 Colchester lB6l 24 350 —( 14 95 Harwich Leigh 4OB/ j 30 Maldon 825, —100 i ! 283 64 1000 CHELMSFORD, MAY 24.—Prices to-day were as follow: Wheat, white, old 36s to 465; new 37a to 478; red, old 34s to 403; new, 33s to 393; barley, 23a to 25s ; chevalier 24s to 26s ; grinding 2ls to 23s ; oats 15s to 205; malt 53, to 555; chevalier 54s to 565; peas, partridge, new 25s to 279 ; old, —8 to —a ; white, new, 26s to 283 ; old, —s to —1; dun, new, 24s to 26s ; beans, tick, new 23s to 26s ; old, 24s to 278 ; harrow ticks, new 24s to 278; old 25s to 28s; ma zagan, new 22, to 248; old 238 to 25s per qr. COLCHESTER, MAY 2 5.—Wheat, white 42s to 46s ; red 403 to 42s ; barley 22s to 24, ; beans, mazagan 24s to 258; middle and small 26s to 288; peas 24s to 28s per qr. HADDINGTON, MAT 24.—The following are the prices of grain at our market to-day : -- Wheat. Barley. Oats. Beans. First ... ... 418 Od 24s 6d 22s 6d 32s Od Second ... ... 38s ld 233 2d 20s 9d 28s 2d Third ... .. 34s Od 22s 6d 19s Od 23s Od Total quantity of Wheat in market 396 qrs., 391 sold Barley. Oats. Do. Barley d o . 124 qrs., 124 sold Do. Oats do. 279 qrs., 266 sold Do. Beans d o . 75 qr 3., 75 sold KIREALDY, MAY 25.—Th e f o ll ow i ng are the quotations up to this date : Wheat. 21 O s ats 6 . d —s Beanosd. I s First 423 Od 2 B 2 a s Second 393 Od 20s Od 20 3 Od — s Od I—s Od Third 353 Od 173 Od 17 3 Od — 5 Od i—s 01 _Peaso.d crop in the south of En ;land was one of the most defec tive that had been known. The crop of 1849 would not, of course, appear in the return until the latter part of the year; and he believed that the agricultural distress now so much and, he admitted, so justly complained of, had much more to do with the consequences of the very bad crop of 1841 than with the change in the law. If the Noble Earl coniparel the quantity of corn sold in the last six months with the quantity sold in the correspond ing six months of the year before perfect free trade was established, he would find that since the harvest of 1849 came into operation there had been a very large increase in the amount of corn sold as compared with the latter period.—(Hear.) He would only add, that he considered this a question far too important to be argued upon the imperfect data of the occurrences of a few months. He believed that those who would dispassionately and carefully examine into the practical effects of protection, as it had been tried under various modifications during a period of 30 years, and would look to the melancholy consequences which had resulted from raising expectations on the part of the farmers which were constantly disappointed, would admit that—judging even at this early period of their expe rience of the new policy—it was impossible to say that the interests of agriculture had been disadvantageously affected. He believed there never was a time when greater exertions were made to improve the system of cultivation and to diminish the cost of obtaining agricul tural produce, and he was satisfied that those efforts would meet the success they deserved.—(Hear, hear.) Lord STANLEY said the Noble Earl (Earl Grey) seemed perfectly convinced of the merits of the system he had adopted; he saw nothing in the state of the country to cause the slightest apprehension or alarm; and he thought all interests were at this moment prospering in the highest degree.—(lronical cries of " Hear," from the Protectionists.) He (Lord Stanley) was not surprised to hear the Noble Earl say that if he and his Noble Friends on that side would only tell the Noble Earl what measures they intended to propose, he (Earl Grey) was satisfied—without knowing what the nature of such measures might be—that he could show very good reasons against their adoption.—(Laughter.) The Noble Earl opposite had said that previously to the abo lition of the corn-laws many incidental discussions had taken place with the object of preparing the public mind for an alteration of the then existing state of things. Now, although he (Lord Stanley) agreed with the Noble Earl that this question was not to be decided upon the imperfect information they now possessed, and still less by desultory discussions like the present—and he wished to remind the Noble Earl that ho and his Noble Friends did not on these occasions call upon their Lordships to come to any decision on the subject —yet he would tell the Noble Earl that his intention and that of his friends was by those discussions to impress upon the public mind, week by week, and day by day, if need be—(Cheers from the Opposition benches)—the practical operation and working of the system which had been introduced by the revision of the import duties upon agricultural produce. He would not answer the Noble Earl's question as to what form or amount of duty they might think it right to propose. He (Lord Stanley) would say, however, that he was sa tisfied a change was coming over the public mind.— (Cheers from the Opposition benches.) He did not ex pect that change to come over the mind of the Noble Earl—(A laugh)—but the public, who watched the pro gress of' events, and that portion of the public especially who were suffering under that progress of events, were beginning to open their eyes to the real effects of the system of the so-called free trade; they were watching the progress of this most dangerous experiment, and were gradually arriving at the conviction that in some shape or other an alteration must be made in that ex periment, and that they must revert to a system of pro tective duties. He would say to the Noble Earl oppo site, " You promised us great results, universal em ployment, high wages, increased consumption, in creased prosperity; but we find, and prove from your own papers and figures, that those promises have not been fulfilled ; and you are compelled now not to point to the successful issue of your predictions, but to assign reasons why those predictions have not been veri fied, and why, even if free trade had not been adopted, we could not have enjoyed prosperity." His Noble Friend (the Earl of Malmesbury) had compared the pauperism of this country in 1850 with what it was in 1846. The Noble Earl opposite (Earl Grey) admitted that pauper ism in 1850 was greater than in 1846; but he said it was less in 1850 than it had been in 1847, 1848, or 1849. But it must be remembered that in 1850 they had had an abundant harvest at home; while in 1847, 1848, and 1849, in additicn to the blessings of free trade, they had had the blessings of famine also. He (Lord Stanley) was satisfied that the returns did not accurately repre sent the amount of pauperism, which had increased to a much greater extent than appeared from these papers. But he (Lord Stanley) called upon the Government, if the present state of the country did not arise from free trade, to say to what it was to be attributed. He would show their Lordships that returns presented to Parliament were very deceptive. He (Lord Stanley) would ask their attention to the fact that it appeared, from returns, that there had been, in 1849, an apparent increase of above 5,000,000/. in the declared value of exports, as compared with 1845. But when they sifted these papers they would find that there were introduced into the returns for 1849 a number of additional arti cles, to the amount of no less than 2,500,0001., which did not exist at all in the returns with which the com parison was made.—(Hear, hear.) The increase ap peared to have been from 53,000,000/. in 1845, to 58,000,000/. in 1849, but from this increase they must deduct the two millions and a half he had mentioned. He admitted that the export trade had increased, but the export trade, important as it was, was unimportant compared with the amount of the home trade. Although they had statistical means of obtaining the amount of exports, they had not any corresponding means of ascer taining the amount of consumption in the home market; but it was his firm belief that, whatever advantage the manufacturing and commercial interests might have de rived from the increase of their exports had been more than counterbalanced by the diminished power of the home consumers to become purchasers of their manu factures. He would take the case of cotton. In the first three months of 1849 the imports were 547,000 bales ; in the corresponding months of 1850 they had fallen to 468,000 bales. The consumption of cotton at home from the Ist of January to the 12th of April, 1849, was 432,500 bales; in the corresponding period of this year it was only 338,000 bales, showing a decrease of 94,500 bales, or 21 per cent.—(Hear, hear.) If then, the consuming power of the country was diminishing, and Noble Lords opposite contended that the diminution was not caused by free trade, upon them rested the onus of showing to what the decrease of consumption was to be attributed. He found that there had been a diminished consumption of various articles which were regarded as luxuries ra ther than as necessaries of life by people in a humble class of life, proving as strongly as anything could do the petty economy 'which such persons were obliged to exer cise under the universally prosperous system of free trade.—(Cheers and a laugh from the Opposition benches.) He would take five or six articles of ordinary consumption. The consumption of cocoa, which, in the first three months of 1848, had been 877,0001 b., and in the same period of 1849, 922,0001 b., had been in the first three months of 1850 only 724,0001 b. The consumption of coffee had fallen from 9,900,0001 b. in 1848, and 9,386,0001 b. in 1849, to 7,465,0001 b. in 1850. The consumption of currants in 1848 was 73,000 cwt., in 1849, 88,000 cwt., and in 1850, 66,000 cwt. In 1848 the consumption of figs was 4,746 cwt., in 1849 5,304 cwt., and in 1850, 3,911 cwt. The quantity of raisins consumed in 1848 was 37,000 cwt., in 1849 32,000 cwt., and in 1850 it had; fallen to 21,000 cwt. Of unrefined sugar 1,494,000 cwt. were consumed in 1848; 1,469,000 cwt.,in 1849; and 1,413,000 cwt. in 1850. The quantity of tallow imported for home consumption in 1848 was 292,000 cwt.; in 1849, 313,000 cwt.; and in 1850 only 194,000 cwt. [We understood these statements to refer to the first three months of each year.] The diminished amount of tallow taken into consumption for the home market was coincident with a very largely increased ex port in the shape of candles and soap, which included a considerable portion of the raw material brought into the home market, and consequently increased the deficiency in the actual consumption of the article by the inhabi tants of this country. He (Lord Stanley) did not mean to say that these circumstances afforded conclusive evi dence that free trade had failed; but, taking them in con junction with increased pauperism, diminished employ ment, the fact that a large and increasing number of mills were at this moment working short time, the fall of wages in the manufacturing districts and the circu ms t ance that wages in the agricultural districts had fallen, were falling, and must fall still further—(Hear, hear)—he ' thought they could not congratulate the Noble Earl op posite on the success of what he (Lord Stanley) would still call an experiment.--(Hear, hear.) He (Lord Stanley) and his friends would continue to point the at tention of the Government and of the country to the practical results of that policy, and leave the Government to justify their perseverance in such a system, notwith standing the failure manifest from its effects. He did not bring forward any specific measure; but if it was any satisfaction to the Noble Earl opposite he would now repeat the declaration he had made to a very numerous deputation who had waited upon him, of his confident be lief that this country would not be restored to a state of prosperity until they dealt not only with the unjust taxa tion which oppressed certain interests, but until they re turned to a just, and moderate, and equitable system of import duties for the protection of British industry of all descriptions.—(" Hear," and cheers.) He was satisfied that policy would prevail in the long run; and confi dently as the Noble Earl spoke of the success of the ex periment, he (Lord Stanley) felt equally confident that its failure was becoming, day by day, more manifest, and that, in some shape or other, Parliament would have to retrace the steps it had taken, and revert to a sounder and a wiser policy.—(Hear, hear.) Earl GREY could not help expressing the satisfaction with which he had heard the Noble Lord's last observa tions, for it was clear that though he desired to return to a moderate system of protective duties upon all British industry, he entirely abandoned the sliding -scale of 1828.—(A laugh.) Lord STANLEY hoped, if the Noble Earl thought it necessary to repeat anything he had said, that he would repeat it accurately.—(A laugh.) At all events he was not bound by any inferences tee Noble Earl might draw from his observations. The discussion then dropped, and their Lordships ad journed at Seven o'clock. y th o e ur as e s o u n r g an ra e t e ul e w f io th n e s oinnttehreesbtirth. a of t si ie rr . oth .n er n !;ri d l l o c ra c ' e li s tie you take happiness." The Sheriffs ofb of t he 11°1151 London appeared at the bar t to prestnt a petition from the Lord Mayor, STRY.CLERKS' BILL. and Common Council, against the Vestry ClerAisdeei.le'll' CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILW.AY Oti the motion for the third reading of this Bill, new Mr. 0. GORE p ropose d t h e i nse rtion ef t " clauses, which he contended were absolutely aecessugh Oro ~e for the advantage of the whole tract of country which the line passed. Without these clauses w traffic would be stopped at Chester. The gentle' man characterised the conduct of the London an d '' c i r a te Western Company in this matter as most unfair just. There were two points to he con:idered bot h traffic in goods and the traffic in passengers; a nd ill tbeo of these departments the public would suffer, unless clauses were inserted. Tma rlou Mr. C. GLYN defended the conduct of the and North-Western Railway Company. That OM of never had appeared in the least degree as supPe rle i that Bill, and for his part, if he were to speak ea Y t the representative of the London anti North-Vrrewea-b Railway Company, he should say that he could g e that the Bill had never been introdueed',lelf believed that this Bill had been promoted s n ;l, by the Chester and Holyhead Railway Gon e r C flon.;?a or who, unless they received some aid from b i e rt merit, could never carry out their great °0 the He hoped a principle would not be introduced ill / s et, Chester and Holyhead Bill which had, in point e, ar o been already rejected by the House on several occasions. seri Mr. SLANEY said the question laid withl o a badba d small compass. The Committee, he was inforraeet t by agreed to insert the clause, but it had been left ° t il e t he accident, and all the parties wished him to reins° atioo clause. He had no doubt that by some Lodi of the clause the v i ews o f b ot h par ti es might be V o l The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought it wee"; the be justice to the promoters to insert the clause, Is bed Committee, after a discussion of several dataad unanimously agre e d t o i t , an d as th e Hon. Meng es/ stated it had been omitt e d en ti re ly by accident. ilk' of the utmost importance that the Chester and int iav head Railway, w hi c h f orme d t h e mos t direct cote flies. cation with Ireland, should be freely „ used by al l 11° , e Oct' Mr. MANGLES sa id th e C omm ittee had, : 7" 9 0 contravened the deci s i on o f t wo o ther Cornm' t ,", ? l i ste / the general que s ti on , as we ll as t h e Railway 0 1 ° Consolidation Act. Thi s c l ause wo uld corell e ' ef erf Chester and Holyhead Railway Company to step; 9 0f 1 train at a station only two miles out of Cheste,toird there could be no d ou bt w h atever t h at if it were lett it would prove seriously inconvenient to the p ubltir ' th is Mr. GLADSTONE said the quest i on involved to ire clause was one of great difficulty. It proosed tc'tpal the Railway Com m i ss i oners power to regulate they the of these two rail wa y compan i es, b u t he warne"cos house against applyi ng a p r i nc i p l e to an indivichta` g, which, it sound, ought to be extended to all rail's ay t it Mr. SHEIL supported the clause, believing t . h t!tbe was for the inter es t o f I re l an d t h at t h e w rong , v l3°'' clause contemplated should be averted. Vebe rt After a few remark s f rom M r. Villi er s, Lord 'p ie Grosvenor, Mr. Charteris, Captain Duncornbe , E. B. Roche,jilt Mr. TATTON EGERTON thought that th e. E d it to be considered w as the benefit of the public, e v rc lo certainly would not b e f ur t h e i nterest o f the 0 29 ' 1 allow great companies to crush small ones nisei Mr. CAVENDISH would recommend ' a cothP rc ° lo o l3 , that the Chester and H o lyh ea d R a il wa y Compaq ' h .- 0 give up their leasing powers, and that the HOUSiI accede to tbe clause. n; eit l3 Mr. JACKSON said if the House passed the P' -l e ssi the clause in it, it would be impossible for the co alr se pt to carry on their line, as they had not at the io e moment a single carriage or locomotive ready. The House then divided, when there appeared- For the inser no t sr io eit u gyu o e f . the clause ... 118 Against it ... 137 The clause wa rli s c a o i •• ••• tb er clause, and after a short discussion e the Mr. J. WILLIAMS proposed the insertion of 0 6 0 cleared, but no division took lac the clause ba s il negatived without a division P cl' Mr. HEADLAMII3eII pr9posed the insertion of an •s• scli , re gall(e. re' merit with the vi ew ' o f ' reta i n i ng the priority I 1- I ,f Ole possessed by the p resen t pre f erence s h are h o lders i t t) Chester and Holyhead Company, instead of givil tg the London and North-Western Company. A ' fO r After some discussion, the gallery was clearee• division, but none took place, Mr. Headlara 13 withdrawn his amendment. AMENDED BILLS. The following Bills, as amended, were then dered : Birkenhe Dock Trustees. Bradfordlmprovement, Police, and Purchase and C' L°llll‘ of Bradford Canal. Railway Companies Clearing Association. Victoria (London) Dock. RIVER LEA TRUST BILL. On the motion that this Bill be read a second time'' .01 Mr. MOWATT move d t h at the B i ll b e rea d a I g 'olll' time this day six months. He contended that it " t OO be extremely unfair if the House, after it had reje oil' batch of simila r Bill s t h e other day, on the p l ea of ;00 0 ing for a report, should place this company in a Ai i° advantageous position th an t h e ot h er companies' had a similar object in view. t ofl Major BERESFORD supported the Bill. P- e ter, tended that it was not a B i ll for supplying the aj , polls with water, but for the improvement of the navigation. th e b e Mr. MOWATT sa id i f the supporter of would abandon the 30th clause, which related to supply of water, h e wou ld w i thdraw his oppos i t i o n- , Mr. COWPER denied that this Bill was a water it was simply a navigation Bill. Sir W. MOLES WORTH supportod the Bill. .„,, e Mr. BRIGHT sa id t h e Bi ll came before the P„" to under false p re t ences, b ecause it was not in re ar 7,, , i , ,6 improve the nav i gat i on o f the river, but to ena ble trustees to sell th e wa t er o f t h e r i ver to certain 1.13°t C politan w a t erwor k s compan i es. He should sup port ' amendment of the Hon. Member. Sir JAMES DUKE supported the Bill, thinking . r , rt if passed, it wou ld t en d to the improvement o f the navigation. No division however took place, and the --i ll We read a second time and ordered to be committed. BOAD DE. . itr Mr. DISRAELI s R aid O th F TR at it A had been L tention in Supply to-night to call the attention o f t 10 House to the co ns tit ut i on o f t h e Board of Trade; roof, consequence o f an event that they must all dePtjef which caused the absence of the President of the Boa pfore j Trade, he m us t d ec li ne d o i ng so, and he truste d theicitlit that the Gover nmen t wou ld not proceed to-night w the vote upon which he intended to found his motion;oi The CHANCELLOR o f th e EXCHEQUER' , that, under th e di stress i ng c i rcumstances that had is place, the Government would not proceed with thai. to-night. PROCEEDINGS IN THE WORKHOUSE NEWRY.. ---- tj' Mr. MOORE r ose t o put a quest i on to h i s B i g —ht Friend the Chief Secretary for Ireland. Some e lr t :o stances had occurred i n th e wor kh ouse an d at the• Di° of guardians at Newry, and he wished to know 1 t he Right lion. Friend had received any information oD' t he subject. The facts were these—Two children, e tt , i 6th of April, appli e d f or re li e f ; they were the offs/ j ot , of a mixed m arr i age , t h e i r father being a proto; e r' o their mother a R oman C athol i c. After their 13t death they wer e e d uca t e d i n t h e Roman Cat h o lic , but the board of guardians voted them both Pro ki . 1 0, rians. The eld er sa id s h e was sixteen years of ag e ' b e d the board voted h er f ourteen. At all events, she 5 10 reached years o f di scret i on , or legal responsibility ) ' might be bongo] or transported for any offence l ' is iol ought to be pr esume d to k now what her own re i ere," was. A few d ays a f ter those young persons e ," fit the workhouse th e matron dragged them forcib l y tile/ the house of wors hi p, and the board voted t h a t , a pl might be dragged into the house of worship hY. a pt" amount of f orce . Di d Government possess al / motion on the s u bj ect ? for Sir W. SOMERVILLE rep li e d , that t h e only' dof motion which he possessed on the s ubject consis e re the minutes made by the board of guar dians. He , t ho t fore, would not then go into the whole of the case' he had written for farther information. PIRATES' HEAD-MONEY. /10 0 ' Mr. MACGREGOR wished to inuire if the ,„ tb ° Member for West Surrey had any objecton to gul l name of the:person whom he described on a former 9 , ot i. ing in the d e b a t e on t h e subject of pirates'r ot, money as an ano n y mous slanderer.—(Cries of order.") t be The SPEAKER was understood to intimate that Hon. Memb er cou ld not, consistently with the ru l(s re d the House, put a qu es ti on ar i s i ng out of what occur in a former debate. THE LORD CHANCELLOR. th e Mr. HUME rose to put a question relating t° „ o t• office of Lord Ch ance ll or, now understood to b e Vac'", i be Sir G. GREY said that his Noble Friend at dog head of the Government had come down that o rel „," before five o'clock, and remained some time, but he not now present ; an answer, however, on the subj e i c a which the Hon. M em b er f or Montrose referre l given to-morrow. METROPOLITAN INTERMENTS Blf- 4/ r The RIGHT HON. GENTLEMAN (in answer to , -1 00 Hall) said that he proposed to commit the Metron i of Interments Bill pro forma to-night, for the purr es- tlifr inserting clauses. Monday next would be, howov er ' so d earliest day on which the Bill could be brought[r c ' w o o ' u ld , he was not sure that it could come on then. • Lim ld however, give notice before Monday, whether 1 10 e brinT he g on the Bill on Monday. motion was then agreed to, and the House - en t into COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. ytiease° • On the vote of 92,300/. for the salaries and e-s -df the two Houses of Parliament, t the Mr. HUME w ished to know h ow it h appe ned the - r e salaries a n d ex p enses of th e H ouse o f L or d s , w hich We 21,9001. in 1849,amounted to 32,4001. in 1850? a id, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUIEr t that the expenditure of the House of Lords was in r ag a ceas of progressive reductio n . Th e cause o f the incre ro in the vote this year was, that d ur i ng the last few Y e : e s' there had been a balan ce o f money rece ived from which was partly unexpended last year, and whic h available for reducing this demand upon the Treasur)r This balance having been expended a grey t'e f proportion of the salaries anexpenlasestsyoefatbr'e Haase o Lords had to be met by the vote now before the Llnne'*l Mr. V. SMITH sa i d that a very carefu l re port lift been made by a C ommittee of the House o f L or ds . 01/ 0 1 the salaries o f t h e i r officers. Th e Treasury oug nt have put H on. Members in ses sion of this report, e that they m i g h t see how the m o ney os was voted. -wft ri Mr. HUME proposed to reduce t h e vdie:by SNOU L ' the amount of the salaries, &C., of the officers of al IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, May 27. Their Lordships met at Five o'clock. Lard CAMPBELL presented a petition from the me dical me❑ of Fife, praying for better accommodation fur the surgeons in the navy ; also against prisoners being called on to plead guilty or not guilty. The Earl of EGLINTON presented a petition against the Removal of Districts (Scotland) Bill. BIRTH OF A PRINCE. The Marquis of WESTMINSTER announced that the address of congratulation to her Majesty on the birth of a Prince had been presented to her Majesty, and that she had been graciously pleased to receive the same, and that she had condescended to return the following most gracious answer :—" My Lords, I have received your loyal and affectionate address with much satisfaction. I thank you most cor dially for your congratulations on the birth of another Prince, and fur the assurance of the interest which you take in my domestic happiness." On the motion of Lord CAMPBELL, the gracious answer of her Majesty was ordered to be entered on the journals of the House. ARREARS OF APPEALS IN CHANCERY. Lord BROUGHAM took the opportunity of deny ing the statement which bad been made, that in conse quence of the illness of the Lord Chancellor there had been an arrear in the appeals of that House. The ap peals in arrear in that House were, he contended, none. The same could not be said with regard to appeals in the Court of Chancery, but they were much less than they were on the 22d Nov., 1830, when he (Lord Broagham) took the seals, and that would be proved by the returns of appeals for which he moved. He deeply regretted that his Noble and Learned Friend would not be soon able to resume the public performance of his duty. He be lieved that some temporary arrangement would be made, and he hoped this opportunity would be taken of the forced absence of this most able, upright, and learned judge, to make a permanent arrangement for the exe cution of the functions of this the highest judicial officer of the country. The motion for returns were agreed to. ECCLESIASTICAL APPEALS BILL. The Bishop of LONDON moved that the second read ing of the Appeals to the Privy Council for the Eccle siastical Courts (in matters of doctrine) Bill, be post poned to Monday next.—Agreed to. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. The Marquis of SALISBURY, in pursuance of the notice which he had given, presented several petitions complaining of agricultural distress, and praying for a return to a sj stem of protection. He wished to ask the Noble Earl opposite how long he would consider it before the present system had had a fair trial? Earl GREY was not aware that the law of 1846 con hired any clause limiting the time during which it was to be continued in operation, and he was not aware of any intention to introduce any measure for repealing or altering it.—(Hear, hear.) The Earl of MALMESBURY thought that if the Noble Earl meant what he had just said—aad the Noble Earl was a man who generally said what he meant, and meant what ho said—he was a minister better fitted for the ancient empire of the Medes and Persians than for the constitutional Government of Great Britain.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) The Noble Earl seemed to enter tain a great dislike for these discussions, but so long as the different Parliamentary papers were delivered to their Lordships for their perusal, he must expect to have them thus incidentally discussed. The information contained in the papers recently delivered was at once most important and most alarming. The return of all the in-door and out-door paupers for each year, from the year 1848 to the year 1850, was most apelling. It proved the entire fallacy of the dictum of the Noble Premier in that House, that pauperism had decreased in the last five years. On the contrary, its increase in England and Wales within that period had reached to the vast amount of 125,000 persons. The last year of protection was the year 1846, tae last of free trade was the year 1850. In 1846 the price of wheat was 545; in 1850 it was 38s. a quarter; and yet, when the price of wheat was one-third less than it was formerly, the number of 'paupers was 125,000 more. The free trade Government had made two promises to the people, when they deluded them into the repeal of the corn-laws. They had given them a promise of reciprocity and they had given them a promise of the prosperity of the lower classes. Reciprocity they had not got; the prosperity of the lower classes had not happened. He had expected at any rate, after all the promises they had received, to find something like prosperity in the agricultural dis tricts; but in going through this list [holding out a paper in his hand] he found no signs of prosperity either in the agricultural or manufacturing districts. In Chel tenham, which was not exclusively either an agricultural or a manufacturing place, there were in 1846, the last year of protection, 990 paupers; in 1850, the last year of free trade, 1,319. Again, in Liverpool, in 1846, there were 12,200 paupers; in 1850 there were 17,800. In Manchester, in 1846, there were 13,900; 1850, 13,926. In Preston, in 1846, there were 3,021 paupers, and in 1850, 5,187. Ile would not enter into other details on this subject, for it was the same everywhere; but ho would give their Lordships just one specimen from a district purely agricultural. In the Isle of Portsea in 1846 there were 3,200 paupers; in 1850 there were 6,200, or nearly double.—[A Noble Lord said "Look to Newcastle."] He had been referred to Newcastle. Well, he would read the entry under the town of Newcastle. I❑ 1846 the number of paupers was 49,000. [We suspect that the Noble Lord, in his haste, quoted the figures incorrectly, for, according to the last census, the whole population of Newcastle was not more than 69,430.] In 1850 there were 7,966.—(Crisi of "Hear, hear," on the Ministerial benches.) With these facts before them, it was impossible fur Noble Lords opposite to argue that their policy had turned out bene ficially. He then read to their Lordships ♦arious re turns recently laid on their table, all of which, he in sisted, conspired to establish the same point. For in stance, in 1845, when the old corn-laws were in force, the returns of corn sold in England and Wales were 5,700,000 odd quarters of wheat; in 1E49, the last year for which the same returns had been received, they were only 4,500,000, so that the decrease of the corn sold in England and Wales between the years 1845 and 1849 was just 1,200,000 quarters. With these papers, showing that all their promises had failed, that they had not gained the advantages of reciprocity by their generous system towards the foreigner, that they had not diminished the amount of pauperism, and that their low prices had not checked the importation of foreign corn, he did not think that he was wasting the time of the House in calling its attention to the facts, or in de claring that the old corn-laws must be restored, if their Lordships had any hope of seeing the country restored to its former prosperity. Earl GREY replied, that the Noble Lords opposite must not be surprised if the Government refused to enter into these incidental debates on the corn-laws until it was acquainted with the real object sought to be achieved by them. It had been stated on a former oc casion, that when the corn-laws were on the point of being repealed, the advocates for their repeal had per petually discussed the policy of them with a view of in fluencing public opinion, and without submitting any regular motion to the House. But, at that time, there was no doubt as to the object of such discussions— it was either the qualified or the total repeal of the corn-laws. At present, however, they stood in a differ ent situation. He was ready, whenever the Noble Lord opposite (Lord Stanley) pleased, to debate the question whether the measure of 1846 ought to be changed or not; but when he entered upon such a debate he wished to know distinctly what were the views of Noble Lords on the other side; for their Lordships were at present in a singular state of ignorance on the subject. Not one of the Noble Lords opposite had yet stated distinctly whether they wished to go back to the old sliding scale of 1828 or not. Did the Noble Lord (Lord Stanley) wish simply to repeal the Act of 1846, and return to the law under which they had the agricultural distress of 1833, 1835, and 1836, or did he want something else? In another place it had been declared, upon ♦ery high ' authority, that what was desired was a fixed duty of Ba. upon wheat—the measure so scornfully rejected in 1841. Another gentleman in that place had said that what ho wanted was an alteration of the various burdens upon land; but, on the other hand, that notion of relief, by altering taxation, had been denounced as altogether nugatory and delusive by the Noble Lord opposite (Lord Stanley), in a very eloquent and remark able speech which he made in reply to certain memorials that had been presented to bias. What, then, did Noble Lords opposite want? A fixed duty, a sliding scale, or a change of taxation? What alteration iu the existing policy of the country did they mean to propose? lle (Earl Grey) could only say that when the Government knew the specific measures which were to be proposed, ho had no doubt they would be able to show good rea sons against their adoption.—(Laughter from the Oppo sition.) His own opinion remained unshaken. He firmly believed that to the alteration oftheir commercial policy in 1846 they were, under Providence, indebted for the safety i❑ which this country had passed through a period of un exampled difficulty. The Noble Earl (Malmesbury) had quoted returns with respect to the number of paupers relieved in England and Wales during the last five years; and he had endeavoured to show that the number of paupers now receiving relief was considerably greater than the number relieved in 1846, the last year of protec tion. But if the Noble Earl looked at the return he would find that, though there was now an increase in the number of paupers, as compared with 1846, yet that the year 1850 showed a reduction in the number as com pared with 1847, 1848, and 1849. The Noble Earl was however, well aware that there were circumstances in the condition of the country, independently of the price of corn, which might account for the difference between the number of paupers relieved this year and in 1846. The year 1846 was the very height of the railway mania, and he believed that at that time the companies ex pended several millions of money mainly in labour. Now, however, there were not as many hundred thou sands of pounds expended in such labour as there were then millions. Since 1846, also, they had had to en counter all the consequences of the famine in Ireland; and it was notorious that that famine had been the means of bringing into all our great manufacturing towns very large numbers of Irish paupers, for whose relief it was necessary to provide. He thought theao circum stances would fully acount for the increase of paupers this year as compared with 1846. When he found the revenue prospering to an unexampled extent, when he saw trade sound and active, notwithstanding all the diffi culties arising from a short crop of cotton, and when he looked at the general state of the country, he did not think the returns to which the Noble Lord had alluded gave the slightest reason to doubt the-success of the policy of 18 46.—(Hear, bar.) The Noble Earl had referred to a return of the quantities of wheat that had been sold in difThrent years, and had stated that the sales of 1849 showed a falling off as compared with 1845 of some 1,200,000 quarters. He should have thought that his Noble Friend must have seen how fallacious that com parison was; for the return for 1849 showed mainly the sales of the crop of 1848, and it was notorious that that HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 27. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. HER MAJESTY'S REPLY TO THE ADDRESS. Mr. LASCELLES, Comptroller of her Majesty's Household, appeared at the bar of the House, and an nounced that he had presented the humble address of the Commons, congratulating her Majesty upon the birth of a Prince, to which her Majesty had been pleased to return the following most graeieus answer: 7 " I thank you most sincerely for your dutiful and aff9c tionate address; and I receive with much saliefaction Oatmeal, per bag . of 2801bs i i - Mp - erfal - ,263 - 0d to . 03 Od GLASGOW, .MAY 22 .—Provisions—Cheese, 36s to 44s Od per cwt ; retail, 5d to 6d per lb. Skim milk, 20s Od to Os per cwt. Country fresh butter, 10d to Od per lb. Trish pow dered, in lumps, Sld to Od; country powdered, wholesale, 84d to 9d. Country eggs, 7d per dozen ; carried hen ditto, 4s 6d per 120, or 6d per dozen. Hens, 2s 6d per pair; Ducks, 2s Od. PERTH, MAT 2!.—Wheat, 36s Od to 41s Od ; barley, 183 Od to 20s Od; oats, 16s to 19s • peas and beans, 22s Od to 2 5 s per quarter. Oatmeal, per sa ck, 22s to 245. STIRLING, MAY 24.—Wheat, foreign, 20s to 235; ditto, home, Os to Os; ditto ditto new, 18, 6d to 22s Od; barley, per boll of 6 bushls, Os Od to Os Od ; ditto new, 14: Gd to 18s Od. Oats, common, Os Od to Os Od ; ditto new, lis Od to 13s 6d; ditto, Flemish, Os Od to Os Od; ditto ditto new, Os Od; malt, distillers, 32s Od to 34s ; ditto brewers, 34s Od to 35s ; beans per boll, Os Od to Os Od ; ditto new, 135 Od to 14s Od ; pease 12s 6d to 13s; flour, new per sack, 31s 6d to 32s 6d; ditto common ditto, 18s ad to 20s Od; oatmeal, per load, Os Od to Os Od ; ditto new 26s Od to 26s 9d ; ditto per peck of 7 1 bs, lid to B id ; fresh butter per lb, 7d to 8d; eggs per dozen, 7d to Od; hay per ton, Os to Os. FALKIRK, MAY 23.—The supply of grain in this day's market was 384 bolls; wheat at 16, 6d to 20s 6d per boll. ; barley, 14s Od to 18s Od ; oats, 14s 9d to 15s 9d; beans, 13s 9d to 15s Od per boll ; oatmeal, Os to Os per load. Bilawxcirc, MAY 23.—Wheat, 36s 4 d ; barley, 18s 8d ; eats, 16s Old ; rye, OOs Od ; beans, 22s lid ; peas, 00s Od average per imperial quarter. HAWICK, MAY 23.—Wheat, new, 24, to 31s Od; barley, new, 15s to 17s Od ; ditto old, Oos to 00s ; potato oats, OOs Od to OOs Od ; common oats, lls to 15s Od ' • peas, 20s Od to 23s Od ; beans, 19s Od t o 22 s Od p e r boll _of six imperial bushels. KELSO, MAY 24.—Wheat, old, Os to Os; ditto, new, 27s to 32s Od ; barley, new, 13s Od to 17s Od ; ditto old, Os to Os ; potato oats, 00s to 00s ; ditto new, 125 to 13s 6d ; common oats 00s to Oos Od ; ditto new, :11s 6d to 13s ; peas, 00s Od to Oos Od; beans, 18s to Oos per boll of six imperial bushels. DALICRITH, MAY 23.—The relative weight per four bushels of the three prices of wheat were 18st 91b, 18st 31b, and l7st 71b. Oats, 13st Ilb, I2st 51b, and lOst 91b. Barley, 16st 61b, 16st 01b, and 14st 121 b. Peas and beans, l9st 01b, 18st 51b, snd 17st nibs. Qrs. Best. Current. Inferior. 214 Wheat ........£2 2 0 £1 18 0 £1 14 8 783 Oats 2211 Barley 1 4 0 1 2 6 0 19 1 49 Peas and Beans 1 9 0 1 7 0 1 6 0 Average of wheat ........... 38s 31d. ..—YESTERDAT. Jonassohns Lumley l4B 6d Stiwart's West Kelloe 145 6d Whitworth 12s 9d Cownden Tees ... Maclean's Tees l3s 6d South Durham l4B Od West Cora forth I Cowpen Hartley ' Hartley ........... Howard's W. H. Neth 135 6d I Nixon's Merthyr and Cardiff .. 20s 0.1. ( Sidney's Hartley Whitworth Coke tarket„ 61. COAL MARIE' East Adairs ll5 Od Hasting's Hartley l3s 3d nolywell Tanfield Moor ranfield Moor Butes 125 9d West Wylam Wall's End, &ie Acorn Close Elm Park Gosforth Hilda Eden Main....... Bell Belmont Creswell ... 15s Od Hetton .................. 16s 6d Ships at m MORTALITY AMONG THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CLERGY. —According to the Limerick Chronicle, mortality and emi gration have so thinned the ranks of the Roman Catholic priests in that diocese, that the Bishop (Dr. Ryan) has not a clergyman to fill the vacant curacy at Bruff. Indeed, of late there is rarely a publication of the country papers with out an obituary notice of the class alluded to. There can be no question that, in the distressed districtis of the south and west, many priests have been reduced to sore privations by the utter inabiility of their congregations to pay the ordi nary dues. With whole villages depopulated, and the people either fled to other lands or become the inmates of the work houses, of course the priest has no choice left but to follow their example or starve. GERMANY. A Vienna letter of the 19th says:—" Yesterday appeared the budget of the last year, that is from Ist November, 1848, to Ist Nevember, 1849 ; it shows a deficit of 140,000,000 florins. Nevertheless it has not produced an unfavourable impression either on the Stock Exchange or on the public, and especially because the detailed figures show that it was a gigantic task to keep the public finances afloat on the stormy sea, which threatened to swallow up the State. The Minister of Finance justly remarks in his report, that the end of the year 1848, having been signalised by the taking of Vienna, and by the retreat of the army of the Hun garian insurgents, it was necessary in 1849 to carry on war both in Piedmont and in Hungary ; that the latter country especially demanded the greatest sacrifices, from the fact that in addition to the vast army of Austria, there had to be maintained masses of Russian troops ; that the Treasury thus had at its charge 900,000 troops native and foreign ; whilst so far from afford ing the slightest revenue to the State, Hungary and Transylvania were exhausted by the Hungarian re volution, and the other provinces which remained faithful were so borne down in their commerce and industry that they could not be unreasonably taxed. It results, moreover, from the report that the deficit has at least diminished, inas much as after having been on an average 12,000,000 florins par month in 1849, it fell in Ja nuary, 1850, to 5,000,000 florins, although the new taxes had produced little or nothing. It is to be re marked, moreover, that the budget of Hungary and Transylvania only partially figure in the returns—the former from Ist May, the second from Ist August ; and that the budget of Croatia, of Slavonia, and of the Wayewodla are not included at all—those provinces having occasioned expenses without yielding receipts." ITALY. The King and Royal Family of Sardinia set out for Savoy on the 20th, from their villa of Moncalieri. On entering that province, the King issued the fol lowing proclamation : "Inhabitants of Savoy!—ln coming among you, I realise one of the fondest wishes of my heart. There exists between us an ancient covenant, sealed by eight centuries of honour, loyalty, and reciprocal lore. Neither time, nor revolutions, nor disasters have been powerful enough to shake it. We have a right to be proud of it, and I must declare to you it does make me proud and happy. As a witness of the brilliant valour of your soldiers on the battle fields of Monzmbano, Pastrengo, St. Justine, St. Lucia, and Volta, I have renewed this covenant under the fire of the enemy ; with your children, my brethern in arms. I noble the devotedness now come to renew it with their fathers, with you, who, menaced in your very homes by a senseless at tack, at a moment when the call of honour had deprived you of defence, made the aggressor pay dearly for his foolish pre sumption. ' Inhabitants of Sa voyl bring you my son,th he may learn from such examples, of f nd that he m ay and loyalty of this great.truth I kin th e people is the reward of the justice examine your with kings. shall l isten as I myself am with .ti l i zsten to . your applications, and the state may wants, oppse l no obstacle to the accomplish ment of your wishmes; Wben I shall again leave this the desire that the interest of aa ha l l e l ceafrry with family, metl to return to my royal d an ut c i i e e s n , t l er s e certainty that I can rely rely upon me. Our in stitutions,upon you; as for you, you ma o y u as well a's br tett'. Wispeiroonitecatnedd valour y lo th ur e are safe from alfdan our independence Let us by our the o.ur fathers, of faith m y o of peoples, m y oath, ilygviclene. virtues, our devotedness to the relig i l e o r nt . highest, the and our love for our country, deser ve most powerful of protections, that of Dilen3et " VICTOR Letters from Turin of the 22d inst. state ;hEatth Chamber of Deputies was still engaged in discussing e the estimates of the Foreign . Department, all the re ductions in which had hitherto been rejected. The Piedmontese Gazette announ ces that the G overnor of the island had given a brilliant entertain men t to Al y Bey, captain of the Turkish frigate that conveyed to Sardinia the Italian refugees, who escaped from Hun gary into Turkey. The Concordia of the 22d contains the following, under the head Venice : "Public attention is entirely directed towards Franc e and the menac i ng a ttit u d e of Russia. Everybody is anxious to see that agitation which now pervades i Eu rope promptly appe ase d, an d we have just heard t re ported that an arrangement has been concluded which would satisfy the Legitimatist, Orleanist, and Bonapartist parties: According to that rumour the Duke of Bor deaux is to become King of France, the Count de Par is ..___ Mr. Proof ( The