The Sun. — London, England, 1850-07-19 00:00:00

e°ll eges and un i vers i t i es, and the manner in which they were bound by their f.lindatiops. There r. ere Welkinformed persons who believed that there were many abuses that required to he rectified, and that thes e instituti ons should be altered and extended to Meet the altered state of things. To meet that public 131/int°° he was is favour of inquiry, with a view to the reform of all proved abuses, and the remedying of all proved deletes. The neer ity fo such oe urse had b een laid down by none mo ss re stror r gly than a by br. Peaccck, the present Dean of Ely, in his work on tht'e stat utes of the universities; it would be adroitzed eta mor e competent judge, or one more friendly to interests of the universities, could re t be cited. Ile said that there had been low essential chances ta the constitution of the colleges and the universities for the ran they th ree centurie s , an d t h at the time ha d come w h en n ought to be remo d e ll ed in their educat i onal system, Tmade to h armon i se with the existing state of I s i aeh an inquiry was i nst i tute d , he saw no reason w h y ay t t ruld be ei t h er so defective in facts, or so one-s i ded, 11 °°. and Learned M em b er f or N orw i c h had said w -t would be. The statement that because the fellows, s n il r ° were personally interested, might refuse to ge in- Is - n ; ttlat i° o , and thus prevent any one of their body ft um 'api n e g the common interests of the body with which ..e ~as connected, seemed to him a v, - ry' sire:tzar'. the principle was carried ou', e ver to •it would be imoessi e s, Introduce any reform where the testimony of likulviduale personally interested was re q rec. were W e s fe e , however, ono reason why many if the th ws could not be able to give much information as to themselves. funds, and that was bscauso they were ignorant foeiilaselves. Practically, tho whole malisg•enent of these h e' Was vested in four or five of the resident felloe elle ot.liers knew nothing whatever about it. As t the to geu un constitutior.al nature if the inquiry, he would tn Y „Pothing could he more easy than to make ouch 4 °a, when w werewithout any definite or written teittitties,,titution to guide us on such subjects. .But the very i t e that mada it easy to make the assertion, rendered Naafi enn tended Y Necuit to prove it.—(llear, hear.) He cwonas that our only guide under such circumstances 49edent, and he had already refsrred to two precedents, ti no lell ,, ,oeriled to him to justify and sanction the institu did " t t his inquiry. on the question of illegality he aoti t t°t pretend tu question the knowledge of the Hon. e‘earned Gentleman, but he knew that other emi i n e r tit lawyers held a contrary opinion. Leaving, there es see' lawyers questions of the constitutional and legal powers se,„7,, e a a Commission, he would ask whether the inquiry a e - 'tlexpedient? He was prepared to show that for the e n 7t of the colleges'and universities themselves, such 'qUiry Ought to be made. It was with no un "IY view he was sure that the Noble Lord teed he the j e 0 05 e qUiry. He could as sincerely assure the th,: It was with no unfriendly feeling he . supporte t d VraV,P°sal. lle could never forget the university with he was so much indebted, nor the college wa ll ean i n e d e L ae Was connected, and which had been we th e , t" 0 moat magnificent seminary ever erected , for th st v l t t r Pose of education. He was quite ready to admit te n ,u 0 universities were not justly liable to many of letsi euar gee made against them, and also that they had lt e , t - t wade some important improvements, but he be lle; e t' that their defect was constitutional; that they did ar i d P a c ' s 'ess the power to reform themselves from within; rea n -4 t if they did, such was the constitution of the heabodies, that it was hopeless to expect it.—(Hear, fair / He believed that the Commission was issued in fosi B Pirit towards the universities. If they appealed .. In I:formation its a friendly manner to those qualified ieg ß • L ' e it, they would experience no difficulty in obtain -404 from those best acquainted with their affairs; and . do s: 184 , 01 information a plan of reform might be laid Po w olch would at once place these influential and 04ecrful institutions in harmony with the altered state Iv eom il lgs which now existed around them.—(Hear.) He do s Urge on the Noble Lord, that whatever investige , N gat be made should be done in a friendly spirit; Oef, - th e same time, that the Commissioners should not to the in their discretion or in the powers granted the j r °. lie believed that much good would result from to op°ostnissiou being empowered to look at the subject h e n ' itS bearings. Ile suggested also that it ought to brejDnhed one—that the two universities should be hete:rt to bear on each other. Such a Commission, he lea t ,ed, 'would be neither unconstitutional or illegal, ben t instead of being inexpedient its appointment leg e , I ghlY desirable, for the purpose of clearing the col he n and universities from such unfounded calumny—of Poi n V n g out clearly what were their real defects. and of dein ',!g out as clearly what were the remedies for these to ti "• tie sincerely believed that this would all tend la ne : good of the universities themselves, which would tioeirt theiro suffer from a fair and candid investiga la°' affairs. Had the Hon. Member for North th e %hire pushed his motion to a division, and it was he I tl- . e ill Y One b e f ore t h e H ouse, he should have felt i t to theee utY, with these views, to have voted for it, ptetee d t h ere was much in it, and in the opinions ex %led by the lion. Member with which he did not con 13ilt as th e N o b le Lord had so jud i c i ously propose d ter: l l4ll Y Commission t o p u t an d l a y the ba s is fur fu- Prot, e osei 'slation he should most cordi a lly support that e . he h :4 GL ADSTONE said there was one point on which Whot t t he pleas ure to concur w i th the Hon. Gentleman ty - ta ad just sat dow n , and that was as to the motives t his i"'eh the Government , were animated in proposing ..t.artihtqeiry, He believed th a t th e f ee li ng o f t h e N o bl e 'ritedi uw ards the universities was that of the most that Y k ind.—(lear, hear.) He felt bound to stile tre sst e e ° aviction a t t h e outset, b ecause the streng ex- Lord; w il h O.f his opinion again s t th e p ro p osa l o f t h e N o b. e oh an tell he should f ee l b oun d to ma k e, did not rest Yet doubt as to the motives cf the Noble Lord. lie this , hte rtained th e h ope, t h at b efore the conclusiou of tien,uebate th e N oble Lord would reconsider the ques heferetild let m atters revert to the position they were in 'lnept; no hastily, and in an evil hour, announced the 4 ,Pe enh 4l ia to i3sue the Comrnasion. After the able 4N etv - 11 - 0 the Honourable and Learned Member fur IN t, the Noble Lord must see the legal questin hear e li t e of great difficuley; and before the debalc 'Leas e . - Losed he believed the Noble Lord would t wee WOre f Upon that point. While lie opposed the f th e re such a Commission it was not from any fear o - etia e , s ' of such an investigation; there ens no reason keret Caso s of the University of Oxford; and he spoke Pa d Y t f or his own university, not doubting the same ap -411;0 Cambridge. —(Bear.) These was no reason why the en tl 'd shrink from the most public examination—on t edon -lltr arY, he knew that such an examination would 4eta rtt hd to the honour and credit of the body, who were 141, with the management of its affairs.—(Hear, deliGo Where they might, he fearlessly stated they seta, n owhere find a body of men mere devoted to the a th eir - ne w ss ll leh devolved upon them, more indefatigable in virte e r`"°rlnance, or who were more adorned by all the Os 44 8 uhieh belonged to them as Christians, as scholars la , tetiettlemen.—(lleer, hear.) Bat this was a matter k matil s ',, e ° private feelings and the interests of indivi ut th "re not to be regarded, nor anything, indeed, Vi t er e great public and constitutional questions which 4 wee t"(ll ved in it. Any Commission of this kind, bath t er ' w hich they could appoint would be attended te for' evils. He did not deny that there might , e4se h made cut to justify some Commission of this tie bur in any case he was prepared to maintain that ittnission would be an evil, though perhaps a no it f I Y evil, to avert others still greater. It would be an t ti k ota el nt ; the shock which it would produce in the rela -"ilte-6`ating between the principals and students of followl'ersity, and the discord which would inevitably ,Nentk r , (4l l that disturbance. Peace and repose were verria t ,';,to , the prosecution of the objects which a uni 11401hiituaanuilin view, and controversy in any shape could „et °stile to the attainment of t ose purposes. e v , t itlea, e r '°terlaissions were opposed likewise to the to local freedom. Ct pl© No doubt that was a prin '-pl, wed with its own evils, but it was a prin .(/' thee,whiah the people of this country owed much ;h al ted al a ia llaoity for self-government. in if he were ehlti N .' Country enjoyed it next in degree he eitear tat to the off-shoot of their own limbs—the Pr sta "411., / of america, where, though democracy t v n tl t i t oC u t i t B tl,, l there was the greatest liberality on the 110,104, b:_..covernment to encourage those . local insti <arc I,"°dowing them with large and independent Wat?„l' quarters from these general observations to s a 'er - ts. ' e rs, he would ask his Hon. Friend opposite te r e t i t lY 114,junaleiSsion of this kind was to be instituted am „ e alalive cause of local improvement. He con tee tie e t :' as far as local interests a ere concerned they ea, t laie 4 e .at all. He would admit that of late years dee til e - e lt iev had introduced considerable changes aic e , 4 a e' l,, l ‘, 4 e of studies pursued in them, and on the ti e `g her ti e n g i this attack was made on them Oxford had tr U s ; Sanction to her new statute of examine- I E:'" It Irtio that to that statute must follow ether s%kid je,; not in the university alone, but iu its col 'o,ire e e ,, 4 ,T. The discussion of those changes must Ist,l4'red t,,erable time, and still more time would be ta s -i tve W as attire them; and he would ask whether the j o s t le p nrt Let bound to give the time necessary for tte lk lietal -°4 "? This Commission, if it was to have a 11 ; 1 th at, te at at ,all, was to have a remedial jurisdiction, itiZ I N in t n l, ° " 4 a matter in which it had not been linty' Ice Usual way that there was anything to re keetN oast 1 / 1 18 said that at Oxford, under the , per u.,33.!...eta, mach__cy could not - always get . competent a o 3 43, Inerhe actual work of tuition in the um i 14 t11 . h. -- "lear, hear.) That fact, which was used . as te a e ut • 45! . t e di in support of this step, he was in a sibtulel (l4lo4/3.°ve bY figures. In all the colleges and a s , 11 4 4 itt , ‘ trhere were 78 lectors, who had taken 8 5 first '°lltl classes, p ee Itice tea and of these there were only six that "en University honours. Could it then be' e d that e tions had of Ned restrictions at the university titit!Uitiotirl:!!Petellt men from undertaking the business lee'lltes e ,, e _ e it was Said, in the next place, that these i„`l t t t ee ee evens unalterable. That he very much doubted; s u errs ° s , before it could be pleaded it must be sittis .ees; te_Elasceertained to be a tact. At the most, how ti,e4.ts erueew_ seroti9n could only apply to six colleges, and 41 wi t h Jild not assume the "authority to inter otitatipa, bevawaturestrictions of this nature. It might, first interfere with them ; but did they to i ll the lot goi ng L o y Lace. inquire whether that work of nNt th r For th e present he protested r pi e of compet i t i on in the election s ,, ea _Sua being the one which ought to be oh 11le to ~7•0 4 w 0 it would, i n fact, be quite as unreason ,l4iieste'r7 The open t o competition the office of Prime only case they cculcl have on their side et, i bSt the, exigencies of the times rendered those otlateges nee ti it essary; bat his answer to that was—wait O Vtb w 8 shown . by proper and authentic investiga te h etie • " the university •• ud?"Y °f the • regulations lagged behind the times . — (flear.) Even then he con- Up: need Ul e "'"Bitie s ceuldsejtillie, that the only way in which the 4tat. Fle did e dealt with was by Act of Parlie shrutknrot wish it to be supposed for a moment thin ba eototo i .. _°, o 3 the probable consequences of an in -11/15e18 ato p walsl3lll°ll-4113 principal and broad objection nor tired to M i n he un constitutional character which t ° deal w i th attaoh.to it. They were proposing Co al u"nowyl9B43 universities in a manner which I tto ;caltisio n was . t " since the year 1686. But if the The Lia'joute liord proposed to settle this matter in his own room, and he hal even intimated—certainly as 1 rospectfully as he could—that he di:] not require any as sistance from either university. To that lie objected. The universities were learned' and dignified bodies of men, endowed with privtleges under charter, and amongst the zo were stringent obligations under oath not to reveal any of the internal proceedings of their establishments. Now. that hcing 50, were her Majesty's Ministers jus tilied in puittr,g a Commissioner of the Crown in the uncibmitie I position of having his questions met with a direct refusal? If they expe c t -1 to get answers from some who were disposed to e.,nstrue these obligations liberally, and whom en that actiount they would receive with open aims, then t hey would be boding out a premium for laxity in the binding obligation of an oath. Inde pendently of these considerations, he believed that it was quite illegal to appoint a Commission having for its object a direct interference with the rights of private property—and cases had been tried in courts of justice in which proceedings so taken were not admitted as good pleadings in answer to charges of illegal acts. Modern precedents had been cited in justification of this attempt, and the Rittht Hon. Baronet the Secretary for the Home Department had endeavoured to add to the number. V,.hether those precedents were right or wrong with re ference to the question before the House, l.e would not undertake to say; but he did say that they did not ctnne rear to a justification of this resolution. The Right Hon. Baronet had stated that there was an inquiry into the management of the Scotch universities. And so there was—a royal Commission, too—but what of that? It was an inquiry in respect of a visitatorial power, and, as suming its legality, what was its composition? It was composed, first, of the heads of the respective universi ties, showing that tho universities themselves were con senting parties. Then the judges of Scotland were members of this C tnamission, showing that they recog nised its legal existence. But this Commission had no resemblance whatever to that recommended by the Noble Lord. It was not a fishing Commission, a roving Com mission, but one of the largest nature, having power to administer oaths to the witnesses, and to require the production of documents. It was a Legislative Commis sion, and recited in the warrant itself that it proceeded from the prerogative of his Majesty. Now, he contended that here they were doing no such thing, and that, in stead of proceeding to bring the power of the State into contempt, they ought to proceed by Act of Parliament, when an opportunity of fair discussion would be afforded to all the numerous interests whom this inquiry would concern. The Ecclesiastical Commission of 1835 had been referred to also, but that was of a totally different nature, and depended upon the potency of Parliament to magnify the salaries of the bishop!, and to create central funds for local purposes. And so far from its being intended as a mark of disrespect towards the Church, the Church itself was a consenting party. If the universities consented he would not oppose the mea sure, but they did not; on the contrary, they were op posing parties. There were but two other cases that could be cited as precedents—the inquiry into char ities in Ire land in 1824—but that was in the case of charities which received in the whole, or in part, public money, and therefore it was impossible to object to interference; then the other was that of the municipal corporations. In the case, however, of these bodies, they were or i ginally represented bodies —a principle which had been violated in their regard, and therefore formed a ground for interference. But he denied that either of these were analogous cases of pre cedent. The doctrine now was, that the exercise of the prerogative in this case was legal, because the Commis sion would not have coercive powers. It was said that the Crown had a visitatorial power, but this was not cf that character. It was irregular, because it rested upon an undefined and unconstitutional exercise of the preroga tive.—(Hear, hear.) For two centuries, the sixteenth and seventeenth, the Crown could do what it pleased, but at the close of that period these powers were defined. Now, he would esk would the principle of this ibter ference extend to St. Augustin's College at Canterbury, and to the London University? It was urged that the universities had exclusive privileges, but the University of London had the same privileges to a great extent. Well, then, he would ask whether all other colleges came within the scope of this investigation? Was this Commission, he would ask, founded on Royal authority? If it was they ought to let them know what that authority was.—(Hear.) He thought it would be better to wait for the lights of experience, and to see whether the colleges would do their duty, before they issued this Commissior. He thought that even a defective management of the finances of the colleges, under a system of self-management, would be preferable to a large increase of revenue under a better system estab lished by Act of Parliament. In the reign of Mary Tudor interference with the colleges was frequent; in consequence learning was never at a lower ebb than at that tune, because it prevented that tranquillity and freedom absolutely necessary to the prosecution of learning. Would they interfere because they were elee mosynary institutions? Would it be politic, when there was such a development of material wealth in progress, to discourage the application of some portion of that we filth to other than material objects? If they interfered with these institutions in the universities, they would de prive them of much of the democratic character which now belonged to them. It was said that Eton was a little world, the same could be said of the universities. They were schools of morals, manners, and human ac tion.—(Hear, hear.) The House of Commons was the lust place which should complain of the universities.— (Hear, hear.) If France left Cambridge behind in the higher branches of mathematics, and if Oxford took many of her manuals in Greek and Latin frcin the Ger mane, that House was indebted to the universities for training the to at statesmen which had distinguished them selves in the service of the country. The universities had no season to blush in the face of the House of Com mons. If they looked to either side of the House, they would see the application of the observation. On that side cf the ilou,e, the great statesman who had so lately departed, who had been styled the man of the British Home of Commons—Oxford had reason to be proud that she had trained him for the British Parliament, and he could not but regret that he dud not survive to throw the shield of his protection over these institutions. He did not, however, attribute an intention to the Noble Lord of aiming a blow at the colleges. He thought the friends of the universities would have had a greater ad vantage if the proposal had been ma le at an earlier period of the session, when a lei ger number of Mem bers would have been in attendance. lie still hoped that the Noble Lord would reconsider the question, and not proceed firther until he gave greater consideration to the constitutional principles involved in it. He did nut deny the power of Parliament, when sufficieus reason had been shown, but he protested against this applica tion of an undefined and unconstitutional exercise of the prerogative, as injurious to the honour of the Crown, in interfering with the privileges of the univer sities which were essential to their health and well-being. Lord J. RUSSELL said he felt very considerable difficulty in arguing the question that a Commission (night to issue on the part of the Crown to inquire into these universities, for if they admitted any of the defects of the universities, and cosifined themselves to the state ment that there were improvements yet to be made, and that those improvements might be facilited by inquiry, and that even legislative aid might be necessary fur the purpose, they were then met by the Right Honourable Gentleman who had just sat down with the statement that there was hardly a case for a Commission, and that none but the gravest reasons should induce the Crown to issue such a Commission. And if they pointed out in the present instance defects that existed, and in which improvements might be mad, then they were met by the latter part of the Right Hon. Gentleman's speech, in which he denounced the Ministers of the Crown as if they were not going to assist or improve, but utterly to subvert these institutions, and to deprive them of their very existence. The Right Hon. Gentleman in the latter part of his speech went into an excess of protestations against the intentions of the Government, which was hardly required from anything he had heard from any Minister. They might publicly admit that these uni versities had been most useful—that large endow ments for such purposes were most proper—that the education of statesmen had been promoted, and the general learning of the country had been advanced by these institutions; but when they had made all these admissions, they were not a bit nearer the Right Honourable Gentleman's conclusion, that there ought to be no further inquiry on the subject.—(Hear.) The Right Hon. Gentleman, going far beyond the tem perate speech made by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman who opened the debate, would have them think there ought to be on the part of the Crown no inquiry here after except into cases of very gross abuse, that made inquiry absolutely necessary and unavoidable. To admit Itch a conclusion would be to admit that from 1815 to the present time they had been going entirely in a wrong course—that the various Ministers of the Crown had abused its prerogative. The Right lion. Gentleman, in the early Fart of his speech, told them that at Oxford, where the opinions of Wickliffe were gaining ground, the fellows of some of the colleges inserted in their sta tutes more strict rules against interference, from which the Right Honourab!e Gentleman proved the moral that they ought carefully to guard against ill. considered schemes of reform. He (Lord John Russell) was hardly prepared to admit that the opinions of Wickliffe and the beginning of the Reformation were ill-considered schemes of reform.—(Hear, hear.) He was not prepared to admit that the Reformation of the time of Henry VIII. and of Elizabeth were merely ill-considered schemes of reform by the innovators of that time.— (Hear, hear.) Bat he did see in those strict and severe statutes another lesson, namely, that in those times those who made those severe statutes made a great mistake in the severity and the strictness with which they framed the foundations they were then lay ing, because by the very strictness by which they at tempted to prevent all change they did but make that change the more violent, more entire, and more sub versive than it would otherwi se have been.—(Hear, hear.) Among those foundations which the Right Hon. Gentleman said ought not to have been interfered with, were many which wero endowed by Catholic noblemen and divines, in which they undo provision for the due maintenance of Catholic worship, and if they had pre served unimpaired and unaltered the institutions of those days, it was the Roman Catholics, and not the Protes tants, who had a right to complain of interference. There war, however, a course of precedents with which the Right Honourable Gentleman, with great in genuity, though as he (Lord John Russel!) thought in vain, had endeavoured to cope. The Right Hon. Gentleman could not deny that they had had an in quiry into the Irish places of education—into the Uni versities of Scotland—into the state of the Irish Church under the Duke of Wellington's Government—into the Ecclesiastical revenues in 1832—into the municipal cor porations in 1834 and 1835—and into the state of the several bishoprics in England and Wales, and that that was likewise an inquiry into the state of the cathedral chapters. The Right Hon. Gentleman could not pre tend that none of those precedents were applicable—he could only pretend it by saying that what the Govern ment proposed was, in fact, not a Commission to inquire, but a Commission in the nature of an inquiry and re , medy, which Was not only to ascertain facto, but to deal THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, with the evils that might be found, and to carry into effect the remedy for them. He (Lord J. Russell) afi mittecl that such an inquiry into the universities of Eng land would not only be urtadvisable, but illegnl; but it was by comparing two things which did not resemble each other that the Right Hon. Gentleman was able to make anything like a case against the Commission. Thee there was an inquiry into Coe municipal corpora tions. But the Right Eon. Gentleman said the case did not apply, municipal carporations havin g been founded ter a particular purpose, inquiry might be made whe ther they answered that purpose, whether their constitution might not be restored or improved. But that ground could not be strictly adhered to, - and many of those municipal corporations were ao other in respect of laws and regulations than at the time they were founded. It could be said of the universities what the Right Hon. Gentleman eettned altogether to have omitted, that they were not private establishments, but that the well-being of the country in a great degree depended on the manner in which these Were conducted; that, with respect to the Church, the law, and medicine, they had certain authorities and pri vileges which made it a matter of quite as great interest to the nation to know that the universities were properly ' conducted as that the municipal corporations were se.— (Hear, hear.) Then, said the Right Hor. Gentleman, there was inquiry into the bishoprics, and into deans and chapters, but the Church was a consenting party. No doubt, some members of the Church were—the two arch bishops and some of the bishops; but if the Right Hon. Gentleman bad gone to the cathedrals and naked the deans and chapters ``bother they wished inquiry, and such inquiry as should in vo l ve t he application of - their revenues in a manner different firm what they had pre viously reckoned proper, there would have been as touch dissent from that inquiry, on the part of the deans and chapters, as the Right Honourable Gent'eman found on the part of the universities. These two eases alone furnish precedents for the purpose of the Govern ment, and they came in the train of a long series of pre cedents—of acts on the part of the Crown in conformity with the spirit of those times, by which, endeavouring to preserve the institutions of the country, to retain all that was good in them, the Goverment at the same time endeavoured to ascertain what could be improved in them. If the advice of the Right Hon. Gentleman were taken, the country would stop short in that career, no inquiry would be instituted with a view to improvement, no inquiry would be made till a gross case of abuse or mismanagement occurred. He totally differed from the Right Hon. Gentleman; all scope ought to be given to repair and renovation. The Right Hon. Gentleman raised up in opposition to inquiry the latent rights of the col leges and universities. So far as related to a Commission orlnquiry, the,e objections did not seem applicable; if so, they were applicable to almost every inquiry. The last made by a Commission—namely, into the law and practice respecting the occupation of land in Ireland, was an inquiry with reference to which no one could say that it could be right in the Crown to direct what tenant-right should be reserved, or in what manner land ought to be cultivated. But into these questions the Commission went; and in two volumes of a digest of the inquiries all manner of statements appeared with respect to transac tions between landlord and tenant, which surely were as sacred as the conduct of any bodies entrusted with the education of youth. The Right Hon. Gentleman here, as everywhere, confused inquiry for the sake of reaching facts with inquiry for the purpose of adopting measures of remedy and alteration. The Hon. and Learned Mem ber for Newark (Mr. Stuart) said the proposed Commis sion tended to a violation of the law and constitution,. and of the rights and liberties of the people. As re garded either of the universities there did not appear to be any such relation or any interference with the law and constitution, or rights and liberties of the people. It was very well to say the measure had a tendency to a violation of the law. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman knew the law a great deal too well to say this was a vio lation of the law; but he said it had a tendency to a violation of the law. It was that tendency which any thing legal had to anything illegal. There was a broad distinction. What the Government proposed was to make fresh inquiries, as were made wish re spect to municipal corporations and ecclesiastical bodies, and if it were necessary to make alterations it would fall afterwards to be considered what was the legal authority by which they should be made. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman who begun the debate (Mr. Roundell Palmer), end had entered so temperately into the discussion of the question at issue, thought improvements might be made and were to be desired; he wished a greater portion of tho people of this country could partake the benefits of a university education. If the Honourable and Learned Gentleman and he were agreed on that sub ject, why should the Hon. and Learned Gen tleman insist that they should proceed now to adopt certain measures which had that object in view, and not permit an inquiry in the first place into what were the changes which would secure that end, and how they might best be effected. The Hon. and Learned Gentle man did not say the universities were in such an abso lute state of perfection that no alteration could be made; but was rather inclined to rebuke the Ministers of the Crown for not having advised interference in former cases, and yet would not allow them to take the preliminary step of instituting in quiry ; he agreed iu the object, but would not in regard to the necessary means of attaining it. The universities were no doubt most useful bodies ; but their benefits might be extended to a far greater propor tion of the people. Not wishing to be an accuser of the universities, one might yet remark that the Right Honours,We Member for the University of Oxford had not succeeded in answering the charge which was pre valent, that there was a great deal of needless expense attending the' education there. None of the persons with whom he had conversed connected with that edu cation had he heard deny that such was the case; but they referred to their want of power to adapt regula tions to effect that which they thought would be useful. They complained of the laxity and indulgenceof parents. Certainly those with whom he consulted never in' the least denied that there was excess of expense hurtful to discipline, preventing the prosecution of a due course of study, and exceedingly injurious to young men whose parents could not afterwards afford to pay what they had incurred. If those who conducted a university found they were unable to correct this evil, was it not worth while to ascertain whether their hands could not be strengthened? With respect to this kind of education, he had not yet seen how the alterations introduced of late years, both at Oxford and Cambridge, into their course of study, were to be made to ama'- gamete with certain institutions of the universities, how the lectures of professors were to be attended, and the course of study prescribed followed out. The Right Hon. Gentleman said if they waited a few years they would see the result. But it could not be doubted that many persons connected with a university would be able to point out before a Commission of Inquiry in what way the improvements they would themselves carry into effect might be made so as to reconcile these improve ments with formerly existing institutions. It might be be'ter that these institutions should continue; that, whatever alterations were introduced, they might be made to combine with all those studies, the regular and constant pursuit of which has attended the education of those men who, in past, as in later and in the present times, had been the greatest ornaments of this House and of society. That might be perfectly well done, but if the House of Commons would not permit the Crown to order an inquiry into these matters, they would do much to keep back the universities in the course of im provement they were willing themselves to adopt. All the institutions of this country had of late years been under going changes. Take the Church, for instance. Let them look back twenty years ago; and: let them look at the changes that had been since made. They would see that far from the Church being destroyed—it was, he trusted, stronger than ever; and that, not from a reluc tance to change, but from the adopting of reforms suited to the times, and rendering them much more useful to the great body of the people.—(Hear, hear.) So it should be with all their institutions— (Hear, hear)—and so it should be with the universities. They would not act like those foolish innovators who destroyed the insti lions they were nut able to improve. But, seeing those great endowments for the purpose of learning left to those universities by their ancestors, it should be their endeavour to make them conducive in the highest degree to the promotion of morality, of religion, and of sound learning; and by strengthening them with every advan tage they could give them make them more worthy of the other institutions of the country.—(Cheers.) Mr. LAW reminded the House that the Noble Lord (J. Russell) was one among many others who had oc cupied a high station in the country and a high position in that House without the advantage of a university education. That being the case, the Noble Lord ought to approach the subject with great delicacy and forbear ance. He contended that the precedents to which the Noble Lord had referred did not apply in the present case. He could tell the Noble Lord that if the Commis sion was not actually illegal and indictable by the par ties instituting the inquiry, it was at least unconstitu tional. Every communication that would be made to that Commission would be entirely unprivileged, and the parties making it would be liable to all process of law, seeing that it was not made under any authority of law or under any coercion. Every man who stepped for ward to volunteer evidence was personally responsible for everything he uttered. There was not a man of eminence, or learning, or station, or authority, whose opinion had been asked at Cambridge, whatever shade of politics he belonged to, who had not expressed his entire disapprobation of the proposed Com mission of Inquiry. With regard to the illus trious head of the University of Cambridge, the Noble Lord had placed him in a very painful position. The eminent and illustrious individual who filled the office of Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. was placed in the anomalous position of being at once the champion of the rights of the officers of the university, and the party who was to persuade the heads of the university to consent to the issuing of the proposed Commission.—(hear, hear.) W hen the Noble Lord ad vised her Majesty to issue it, he should have considered who was the chancellor, and who it was aho represented the interests of the university, and it was but a sorry return for what the university bad done, that it should now be obliged to appeal in vain to the chancellor for protection against the issuing of this Commission. If the Commission was not indictable as retarded tie parties instituting the inquiry, and if the Noble Lord did not lay himself open to a criminal information, at least he was violating the constitution in proposing an inquiryhoa, tgood an or right ts c s h ti ob e a d n o y baesn it e l t e fih m te Member of that House had as re luctant acquiesente of a few perlnso.ateiscrilvsule o f in w r from t he the is o fi b r e e l d te s!egraiionusstlytdheetriininetenrteaslttso Lord might induce to give evidence. It was was against the of duties t peace theirtho s eins desiret institutions. u t t o i o n n o l. ho fe theTt comforts,h These universities officers, r.tshtand so— itditeotv:doaOunldd t hb the institutions e uniyersities were ex hibitingquirements of' the ege ; persons Commissiontiotonsobwtahinicfhromwearefeiwn discontented their nature wholly unprivileged. What he wished to impress upon the Noble Lord was, that the information being whally unprivilege.i, it was most unfair to call upon a few dissatisfied persons, and to induce them to take all the legal censequeuces upon themselves. Sir R. INGLIS said, although the Noble Lord was a ' great master of debate, he had eviTlently not done justice to the speech of his Right Hon. Friend and Cone ague, who had brought together the most perfect reasoning and the most profound philosophy, and which were only quailed by its eloquence. They did not object to inquiry, but to the unconstitutional nature of the propose inquiry. With reference to the speech of the Honourable and Learned Gentleman opposite, he had made so many admissions that he was sur prised his speech had not been more applauded by the two members of the Government 'who had spoken than it had been. The lion. and Learned Gen tleman admitted the right of the Crown to institute in quiries into the state of the colleges and foundations of the universities; but the matter had been decided other wise in the time of Bishop Trelawny, in the case of Exeter College. The Crown had no more right to send a roving Commission to inquire into alleged misdeeds in collegee, unless such misdeeds were brought before it, in the shape cf appeal, than the Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench had to send a Commission of Inquiry into the conduct of the people of Devonshire or Luckinghamshire. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman had needlessly introduced the subject of Trinity College, Dublin, and given, what ought always to be avoided, a gratuitous opinion with respect to his neighbour's pro perty. He had said.that Trinity College, Dublin, or the fellows of that college, had more property than they oneht to have— an opinion that was asloolly uncalled for. He (Sir R. Inglis) entirely concurred in the opposition 0) the motion of the Hon. Member for North Lancashire (Mr. Heywood). Mr. ROUNDELL PALMER explained in reference to what had fallen from the last speaker on the subject of the right of the Crown to institute inquiries by Com mission in those cases—that in the case of that very Exeter College —when soon after the revolution of 1688, on the occasion of a general visitation, the visitor de prived the Master and the Master disputed his power to do so. The question was brought before the Court of Queen's Bench, who held that the visitor had no such power. Lord Coke differed from them, and the case was hrought on appeal before the House of Lords, and it was there decided that the visitor had acted iu conformity with his jurisdiction. Then with respect to Trinity College, Dublin, what he had said was that its revenues were so large that he apprehended the purposes of the foundation, and the interest of education in Ireland, might be served, consistently with a due development of the intentions of the Royal Founder, by enlarging the foundation, instead of allowing thoselarge proportions of dividend to accumulate in individual bands. Mr. G. A. HAMILTON wished to observe, in refe rence to what had fallen from the Hon. and Learned Gentleman on the subject of the Fellows of Trinity College, Dublin, marrying, notwithstanding the statutes of celibacy, that it was true that forty or fifty years ago, before the oaths of celibacy were imposed, some of the fellows were in the habit of marrying ; but in 1811 the oaths of celibacy were imposed, and the practice of marrying ceased until 1840, when, at the instance of the Marquis of Normanby, the celibacy statutes were re pealed. With respect to what had been said about the accumulated property of Trinity College, the Hon. and Learned Gentleman was not present when his Hon. and Learned Colleague (Mr. Napier) showed that it was smaller than the amount voted annually to the College of Maynooth. Mr. HEYWARD replied, amidst impatient cries of " Time,"and " Divide." Mr. STUART rose and said, in courtesy to the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir George Grey) who had given way in the earlier part of the evening, when he (Mr. Stuart) was about to move his amendment, and withdrew his own amendment to give him the opportunity to do so, he would now give way to the Right Hon. Baronet, and, by withdrawing his amendment, allow him, it he felt disposed, to again bring forward his amendment. Sir G. GREY then moved as an amendment that the debate be adjourned to this day three months. The House then divided, when there appeared— For the amendment ... ..• ... 160 Against it . •.• 138 Majority for the amendment —22 The original motion, consequently, fell to the ground JEW BILL. • Oa the motion for the second reading of the Oath of Abjuration (Jews) Bill, Mr. LAW protested against proceeding with so im portant a Bill at this period of the session, and gave the Noble Lord at the head of the Government notice that if persevered in, he should feel compelled to avail him self of every constitutional oppositicn which the forms of the House afforded. Lord J. RUSSELL would fix the second reading for Monday. Lord J. MANNERS asked if the Noble Lord intended to proceed with it on that day ? Lord J. RUSSELL said he would on that day state the intention of the Government. The second reading was then postponed till Monday next. The Court of Chancery (County Palatine of Lancas ter) Bill passed through Committee. ATTORNEYS' CERTIFICATES BILL. Lord R. GROSVENOR, moved that the House re solve itself into a Committee on this Bill. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he should take the same course as oe previous stages of the Bill, and begged to move that the House resolve itself into Committee upon it that day three mouths. Mr. HAMILTON asked whether any intention ex isted of moving an v instruction to the Committee to in clude Ireland and Scotland in its operation? Lord It. GROSVENOR. said no instruction was ne cessary. The object would be attained by merely alter ing the title of the Bill. Mr. A. STAFFORD said ho should be prepared, on behalf of his Hon. Friend the Member for Kerry, who was absent at the assizes, to move certain amendments in Committee as soon as the Government had been de feated a third time. The House then divided, when there appeared— For the amendment 103 Against it... „, 105 Majority against the amendment --2 The House went into Committee. Colonel SIBTEIORP expressed a hope that the at torneys would send in their Bills to all those lion. Mem bers who had voted against the Bill.—(Laughter.) An amendment was proposed by Mr. A. STAFFORD and agreed to, including in the provisions of the Bill Great Britain and Ireland. On the provision altering the foe for registration paid to the Incorporated Law Society from Is. 6d. to los., The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved that the fee should remain as at present. Lord R. GROS'VENOR urged the expense cast on the society in m a i nta i n i ng an extensive library, and in steps to e xc l u d e i mproper persons from the pro justification f or i ncreasing the present most f t , a s li s i i n o g o. s a te s inadequate fee, Mr. MULLINGS said the society had expended as much as 90,0001. in taking proceedings for the purpose ofthe ma l practices on the part of attorneys. punishing FERGUSON observed that the Incorporated La S w ir S l. Society had left Ireland and Scotland out of the Bill. Lord R. GROSVENOR said application bad been made to the profession in Ireland and Scotland before intro ducing the Bill, and it was only because it was thought that separate Bills would be required for that purpose that they had n o t b een included. Mr. CL EMENTS asked if t h e I r i s h an d S c otch at torneys would h ave to pay the registration fee? Mr. MULLING S said they would not, not requiring to be registe re d at the Law Society. Sir F. T RESIGER bore testi mo ny from his own re cent experi ence to the system exercised by the Law So ciety in excluding improper practitioners from the roll, and expressed a hope that tbo Chancellor of the Exche quer would not divide the Committee on the question unless he had very good grounds: The Committee divided, when there appeared— For the 10s. fee 70 ••• ••• Against it ... 130 I~la ority 60 Mr. S. WORTL EY moved that the fee should be 55., a s it would be unreasonable to retain the present inade quate sum of is. 6d. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought the old fee sufficient, bearing in mind that the number of attorneys in England and Wales amounted to 10,000. Mr. G. TURNER contended that the present sum was most inadequate, considering the important duties dis charged by the society. Lord R. GROSVENOR said he was in communica tion with members of the profession in every part of the kingdom, and could assure the Committee that they were quite willing to pay the 10s. It was certainly somewhat extraordinary to observe the new-born seal which had seized the Hon. and Learned Attorney-Ge neral to save the pockets of the attorneys, after having opposed the Bill in every way.—(Hear.) Sir F. THESIGER said the error consisted in treat ing the Law Society as though it were a body apart from the profession, whereas the greater part of the London attorneys were among its members. The ques tion was whether they were now to deprive the society of the means of discharging those duties which they had hitherto performed so satisfactorily. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he did not wish to deprive them of anything, but he wished to prevent them from taking the money out of his pocket to put into their own. The Commtttee divided, when there appeared— For the fee of ss. ... 68 Against it ... 124 Majority ••• ••• ••• ••• -56 Mr. HUTT molest that the Chairman leave the chair. Mr. A. STAFFORD commented in terms of strong animadversion on the course pursued by the Govern ment, who on some occasions were so eager to yield to the first intention of the wishes of the House, as in the recent case of the Pobt-office—(Hear, hear)—and now, when the opinion of the House had been taken on the contested points, and many of the supporters of the Bill had lett the House. the Hon. Member for Gateshead moved that the Chairman leave the chair, for the pur pose of getting rid of the Bill altogether; and the Go vernment, in rendering their support to the Hon. Member in this individual attempt to defeat a measure. which they had been unable to do in a fair standup fight, was acting a most unworthy part. Lord J. RUSSELL said there was a a great difference between the case alluded to by the Hon. Gentleman and the present. When an addr ess was to b e ma d e to t h e Crown, one motion was sufficient; but it was perfectly right to contest a Bi ll on ever y one of its sta ges . Lord R. GROSVENOR contended that the Govern ment had not treated him with fairness. —(Loud cheers. ) It was not his fault t hat the Bill h ad not been discussed long ago; for he had introduced i t in Febr uar y, postponed its furthe r discussio n three tim es a t' and had the in stance of the Government. — (Flear, h ear.) Ho could not help thinking that th e measur e might have been not to be th e course , th e grace fully conceded ; but if that wAs JULY 19, 1850. cent. resvclydy. Mr. Bell, of the house of Binny nod Co., has bten elected a director of the Madras Banh, in the place of Mr. R. 0. Cunphell, of the same firm, resigned. His Excellency the Comtnaoder-in-Chief is about to proceed on a tour of inspection. He will leave Madras for Bangalore, with his staff, about the 16th or 17th inataut. The usual supply of rain not having fallen, the heat has been, even for June, intensely hot. The general health, however, is good. The London mail of the 24th April was delivered in Madras on the 30th ultimo. C MME RCI A L INTELLIGENCE. CALCUTTA, JUNE 1. Since date of our last report, May 13, wo have been put in possession of the first mail of April, which came to hend on the 15:h ultimo, with London dates up to April 7. The character of commercial advises brought us by the above opportunity does not belie the expecte- Cous termed from the tenor of the preceding mail or :WO. Upon the whole, the edvices are wore ( E well/ag i ng as regards the produce of this taut try than were tilos, le cc ived on the two ur three pri ceding et ceaions, desti tute as they themselves w ere of an:, thing cheerful With the almost single exception of indigo, produce hen still further do teriorated, sod prospects, in the face uf heavy stocks and liberal entieipated a rival, ware very for from encouraging. The colonial market was dull and inactive, and there was nothing to justify the ex• rctution of any improvement for some time to come. Tbr eeeurel tro:il of April is on the eve of arrival, hut we do not look ferward to receive anything of a cheer Jul character: here and there there may be a little nitre atior, in the position of some staples, but generally we fear the features will be as discouraging as before. The tenor of the above advicos was doubtless calcu lated to add to the gloom of business in our markets, but contrary to the general expectation, and owing to some favourable turn in circumstances, bearing upon business in our local markets, we are enabled to notice a slight re action. A considerable decline in the rates of home ward freightage, coupled with the slightly easier prices of produce, has encouraged a little life and activity, and operations have been latterly on a less restricted scale. The export market, although exceedingly dull during nearly the whole month of May, has within the past week exhibited a little more animation, and as rates of freight are not likely to advance, nor value of produce to become stiffer, now that the season for arrivals draws nigh, we may reasonably look for a continuance of gra dually mending business. Generally speaking, there is more desire apparent during this fortnight to speculate, and prices are also lower. Indigo has been quiet, if we except a few unimportant bazaar lots, which have been slowly changing hands. Sugars have continued to be operated in rather to a more moderate extent since the mail came to hand; transactions might however hare been more limited but for the favouring rates of freight. Saltpetre has improved in demand since our last, and an active inquiry exists for Great Britain and North America, without much change in value. Table rice has been rather quiet, and hardly any business done for the home market. The lower kinds are in active request for Bourbon and the Mauri tius. There has not been so much activity in the market for raw silk. Holders have relaxed their demands, and this, we calculate, will lead to improved business. During the early part of May a fair amount of corals was taken up, but latterly, demand has slackened and transactions are low, the dealers looking for a decline in value. The lower qualities are quite neglected. The market is well supplied with the lower qualities of jute, which finds no favour with shippers. A fair inquiry exists for superior sorts, which aro readily sa l ea bl e a t f o rm e r prices. In hides there has been a moderate busi ness doing, less owing to want of demand than to the absence of desirable lots. Inquiry for oil seeds Las revived, and we expect a good business will shortly be doing for Great Britain as well as America. The low rates of freight, together with the difficulty ex perienced in filling up vessels, has caused more inquiry to be made both for linseed and mustard seed. Castor oil has been more difficult of sale, although shipments go freely forward on owners' account. In safflower an average scale of sales is reported. Arrivals of supplies have been heavy, and prices are not so firm. Inquiry for shell lac has not been so good, and prices are some what lower. Lao dye has also gone down in value, and the article is not so readily taken up. In minor articles of produce the following sales are reported since date of our last report. Castor oil, 750 mds. at Co.'s Rs. 12-4 to 12-8 per md.; castor seed 400 ends. at 2-15 per md.; buffalo horns 4,000 pieces at 5.10 per rod • seed lac 68 Inds. at 4-6; Doodeah wheat 800 bags at 1-8 per br. md.; gunny bags 95,000 pieces at 9-8 to 11 per 100; goat skins, Cawnpores 80,000 pieces at 32.8 per 100 ; Patna blankets, 1,750 at 12 to 13.8 per corge; country twine, 20 mds. at 10.12 per br. md.; cotton, jallon, 200 bales at Sa. Rs. 11-12 per br. md.; dry ginger 300 mds. at 3-11 per br. md.; Pegue buffalo horn, 200 mds. at 7-14 per br. md.; Madras ditto, 400 mds. at 6 8 per tad.; deer horns, 20 mds. at 12 per md.; teel seed, 2,700 tads. at 2.3 per hr. md.; wax candles, 4 mds. at 45.8 per hr. md. Prospects of the import branch of our business begin to improve, although as yet we are unable to report any actual amendment in the position of imports generally The river Navigation begins to open, and orders, we anti cipate, will soon flow from the upper provinces. Equiry has latterly been a little more g, neral for British pit cc goods. The general features of this market we may is - port as in our last, with this addition, that we have good erounde for anticipating an increasing business, particu larly in cotton goods. The fortnight under review has been as dull as it well could be, and within the past two or three days inquiry has again slackened. Details are in the mow place. Since the feregning was written, the Bombay Express of the second mail of April has come to hand. The commercial news continues discouraging, sod calculated to check the spirit which has lately be come apparent. MOSEIr MARKET.—Tho disposition towards lightness noticed on a former occasion has worn off; and the market is decidedly easier. The Bazaar, too, shows relaxation in this respect, as is evidenced by the slightly increasing inquiry which has sprung up for British imports. Sales under this division of our report are, since the 13th ult., as follows:—Sycee silver 10,000 sa. sit. at 104.4 per 100 sa. wt.; gold dust 100 sa. wt. at 13-12 per sa. wt.; sovereigns 100 pieces at 10-5-3 each; 500 ditto 10-5; chopped dollars 10,000 pieces at 221 per 100; French dollars 12,000 pieces at 204 per 400 ditto at 204.1-6 per 100. EXCHANGE.—The rates of exchange on England have been very unsettled since our last, credit bills at six months' sight having sold at 2s. Id., while document ones for the same period have been placed at 2s. Old. psi. rupee. Then, again, sales have been—document bills at 2s. o d., and first-class paper 2s. Oid. per rupee, both at six months' sight. The tendency has lately been downwards, and business has been done at 2s. Old. peerer:rPee far e. ' m u u s a r e e t i s o e n l l s r ha st v h e not been heavy, and tio ‘ n r s r :::: 1 : 1 iTy bills, at 30 days' sight, uy ers. Our quota than llid. t o Is. per Co.'s p Wavy bill s , at s r i u gh e t e ,.according to amount, days' sight, at ls. 11, d. to le. 113 d. per Co.'s rupee. 3 isl.itTil ici.opfeEr'ictgo.le:c rupee. Oriental bills, at sight, at Is. llid. to Bank di tto, at six months ' sight, at 2s. per Co.'s rupee. Private drafts against shipments, at six months' sight, at 21. 04d. to 2s. ld. per Co.'s rupee. A merican Bills, at six months' sight under credit, 2s. Cid. to 2s. ola, others to come in, y Freights—_h per Co.'s rupee. cline in tdhseysrates ohfaveho arrivals, st ad the expectation of i w te a s t t cl t a e w n with anxiety the causedewa homeward ratherfreightage z a h considerabletege during the m a market s fe u v n o s u t r e a a n d l y e , and moment consignerswh which h days they their in the export market will offer, to enhance r demands. Within the past two or three have Omen more firmness, but we don't ex pect a rise of consequence. We tho u IMPORTS. ght we had arrived at the lowest point to which dulness could reach in this branch of our business without an absol u t e cessa ti on . E xper i ence o f t h e past fortnight shows we are mistaken. Transactions have been still more limited during the latter half of last month than they were during the first. Prices are now lower, and even thi s c i rcums t ance seems t o in duce no accession of business. Almost every single article under this head has been dull and difficult of sale, while the Scale of value has generally been lower. Details will be Lathered under the respective heads below. la Copper—This art i c l e h as cont i nue d l ow t h roughout last month, and prices are now lower than they were . a fortnight since. Transactions have been extremely h. ar ticle, when anted, and inquiry is languid. S Pelter—A speculative inquiry existed for this .Iron-- a little business was done, but the market is . Ig .'; iti ., quiet. Reported sales are 107 mds. at Co. Rs. • '' , , So mds. at 7-7, 460 mds. at 7-6 per fy. md. fmt i • A moderate amount of business has been on n this metal, but at prices which show a little de cline from our last figures. _. Steel —Th e dulness of this market has not been re lieved by a single transaction during the month. Tin Plates—A moderate [business continues in these. _ Sales are re p or t e d f or t h e f or t n i g h t as f o ll ows: per boxe s — at 19 r er bo x; 16 b oxes a t 18 ; 20 b oxes a t 19 Lead ; an v d l eryli 00 boxes at 18 . per box. little has been done under this head. Sales are —pig stamped 600 mds. at Sa. Re. 6.5 per fy. g d ~ 1 ,500 mds. at G-1, and 450 mds. at Ss. Rs. 62 per •' Ind., and 300 ends. at 6. Qulekiilver—No transactions during the month, save 20 bo ttles at Ct. R s . 4 p er seer . M ar k e t i s qu i et . ISentl a' ge—Ditto, ditto, no sales. 2Coals— rile following aresales of the past two weeks : — ,00 tons steam coal at 0.7-3 per b. md.; GO tons 3 ' 4 " 11 Y at 0. 13-3 per b. md., and 100 tons steam ut 0-6-6 per b. end. Briti s h Cotton Piece Goods—We are unable to report th e smallest improvement in the position of the market ‘a f. ue for niece good s . D e m an d h as b een excee di ng ly dull, and n o twit h standing considerable concessions in made by h o ld ers , operat i ons cannot b e coaxe d out o an extrem e l y li m i te d sca l e . G enera ll y spea ki ng prices have been lower during the latter half of last month,b while st oc k s h ave b een qu i et , an d transact i ons i l 'i nve ® nconfined to the supply of immediate wa n t s . he season for the re-opening of the river navigation fast approaches, and it is to be hoped that orders for the up -count ry mart s w ill b eg i n to come i n. I n grey shirt ings a fair business is reported, and prices have not gone lower. Bleached shirtings have continued difficu't of sale, and very little has been doing in them, holders evincing much firmness. A few sales occasionally take place in figured shirtings, but the demand is not brisk. Bleached madapollams have been as dull a s . ever, and are hardly even called for. Gr e - T have been moving pretty actively away, but at a shade of decline on former prices. Jacconet ;5.., both grey and white, have been more moderate rti ti N , ..... , , 5 .,... - -,1,-.. , ' 9 ' "'-r-t , "r 3 •-:. I (I , :' 4 1,44 4 sought, and business is limited to a row s IstZ";\ ' , 4l,i' ,j e (_ descriptions of goods have deteriorated , ' "' --' ' value, and operations do not sbow so favoutitir ,r,„ 1 ".. the whole, the marker is dull and unsatisfata.Via, have hopes that it has seen its lowest point, ana that the relaxation in money matters, together witi :he To-opcn ing of the rivers, will cause a better ciewaml to spring up shortly. In the scale of prices we cannotjuat at present look for any improvement. Woollens—The following are transactions since date of our last: scarlet 1224 yards, at rs. 2-10 per yard; ditto 36 pieces at 1-5 to 1-13 per yard; 12 pieces ditto, at 1-15; 1,417 yards at 1-2 per yard; drab 228:k yards, at 2; ditto 12 pieces at 3-10. Printed and Coloured Goods—Dulness pervades this market also; the only business done has been confined to the following sales:-350 pieces Turkey red at 0-6-51 per yard; ditto quality 400 pieces at 0-6-5 per yard; 2,653 yards ginham at 0-3.0 per yard; 100 pieces Turkey red at 0-4-7 per yard. White Cotton Mule Twist—An average scale of busi ness has been done during the pit iortuight, and prices are a little more firm. Coloured Yarns—A moderate amount of business is reported under this head. Notwithstanding the extremely discouraging tenor of advises by the last mail, the past weck or lew days have Lena masked by more animation and a growing desire to speculate i❑ produce. Operations, without being any thing like heavy, have yet been in excess of the average of the past three or four weeks. The circumstance of lowering freights, together with an increased desire on the part of the holders of produce to realise in enticipa tiim of fresh arrivals, has caused a little more life and spirit to be observable in this department of our busi ness. We do not anticipate any rise in the ra:es of homeward freightage, and now that our great rivi•rs be gin to open, we may look forward to the arrival of heavy supplies of produce. From these circumstances, together with the disappearance of all tightness from the money market, we may reasonably augur a conti nuance of improving buointss in expottJ. In the scale of value we see little to justify the expectation of any immediate improvement. Since the above was written the trail of 24th April has come to hand, and we fear the commercial news throws the market back. Indigo has been quiet, if we except a few trifling bazaar lots, which have been changing hands without anything of consequence worthy of notice. The pros pects of the crop appear not to have experienced much change. From all we can gather we would pronounce them a little better than they were a fortnight since. Complaints are rife in the upper districts of want of rain, but, generally speaking, Bengal has been pretty well supplied, and preparations begin to be made for operations. Calcutta has continued to bo visited by oc casional falls of rain, which have been more or less ge neral in most of the districts of Lower Bengal. Sugar—A pretty fair scale of business has been done for the fortnight at prices which are a shade easier. Rates of freight have tempted speculators. Saltpetre—A better business has lately been doing in this article, both for the home and American markets. In value we have no alteration to notice. Refined sorts have been quiet in consequence of the high prices asked. Rice—No disposition exists to speculate in table for the British market in the face of the discouraging ac counts received on the last occasion. Very little has been done, notwithstanding the easy rates of freight. In Ballam and Moonghee a good business is reported, and shipments have been going freely forward to the Mauritius and Bourbon. Moonghee has sold at 1.2 to 1-3 to a large extent. Raw Silk—Rather a more moderate scale of business has been reported for the fortnight. Holders have sub mitted to a decline, and this will no doubt lead to in creased activity. Silk Piece Goods—lnquiry for corabs has fallen away, and prices are not so high; transactions have been on a limited scale during the fortnight. Jute—Stocks at market consist chiefly of inferior quality, which is neglected. Inquiry continues to make for good shipping sorts, which find ready sale at full prices, whenever parcels offer. Safflower—Prices have been well supported, notwith standing that supplies are abundant. Hides—Very little business has been done under this head during the whole of last mouth. Oilseeds—The market continues to show activity, and demand exists for Great Britain as well as America. Shell Lac and Lao Dye.—There has been rather less animation in the market for these, and transactions have not been heavy. Prices are also not so stiff. Sales are of shell lac, Beerbhoom, 100 boxes at Its. 9 4 per b. md., 70 boxes at 9-8 to 9-12, 100 mds. Bhorah at Re. 7-8, 25 Beerbhoom at 9-8, and lac dye, 35 boxes Beerbhoom at Rs. 28-8, 37 ditt at 27, 100 ditto at ,26-8, 50 ditto Mirzapore at 54, 50 Beerbhoom at 26.8 per b. md. Opium—The seventh Gov, rnment sale of the season was held on Monday, the lath ult., with the following result:— Chests. 1 highest 995 Mbar 2,071 lowest 980 20,42,750 average 986 13 4 Ihighest 990 Beaare3 865 lowest 970 -- 8,47,350 average 979 9 6 The cbove shows a decline of Rs. 25 per Patna and 3G•3 per Bemires from the preceding sale. Prices had been ruling for both at about R. 980 per chest till arrival of alvices from China to the 23d of April, showing a rise of 15 dolls. Prices have advancati to 1,000 per chest. Exports of Opium from the Ist to the :loth of May, 1850:—To China, 3,088 chests; Singapore and Penang, 245 chests. result would be the same as in many other MU, and for his e,..vn part, he should feel bound in l,,monr to exert his best cfrA.ts, independently aq-,d COTP:t'imtiou2ly, to secure its auccess.—(llnr.) Mr. BASS said that it was notorious that many Hon. I Members deeply regretted having committed themselves to the support of th Bill in its early stage, not knowing what they were about, and would not be sorry to see it rej,ctecl.—(Cries of " Name, name.") Mr. BASS would give the names of those Honourable Members when authorised by them to do so.—(Oh, oh.) Mr. WALPOLE was in favour of the Bill, but had hitherto refrained from voting, acting upon a principle which always prevented him from acquiescing in depriving the Chancellor of the Exchequer of revenue after the announcement of the budget. It was quite by accident that he happened to be present when the House went into Committee, but being there, and seeing that the Government had been already beaten twice upon it, he intended to give his support to the Noble Lord who had had the conduct of it. He thought, it unfair on the part of the Government, after the Bill had almost passed through Committee, to attempt to get rid of it by an indirect mode, and advised them to contest the point on the third reading, which would be more legitimate. Mr. V. SMITH hoped the Hon. MemLer for Gates head would persevere with his motion, which was per f,ctly fair and legitimate, especially after so narrow a division. Mr. HUTT contended that he was adopting the most direct mode of defeating an objectionable Bill. Mr. rLumrTnE had bud treat experience in that House, ar.d did not recollect any motion of the kind, and could not help thinking that the cuune pursued was most unusual and dishonourable. The Committee divided, when there sneered — For the motion Against it 99 Majority against the Government —7 'I he announcement was received with cheers by the supporters of the Bill. The clause was then agreed to, as were also the re maining clauses; and the report was ordered to be re• ceived on Monday next. The Cruelty to Animals Bill passed through Coin mittee pro forma, and the Bill, as amended, was ordered to be printed. The Bills of Exchange Bill was read a third time and passed. The Militia Pay Bill passed through Committee. Mr. SADLEIR brought in a Bill to facilitate arrange. ments between dubtor and creditors in Ireland. Mr. AGLIONBY brought in a Bill for abolishing fees paid to county and certain other coroners, and for providing for the payment of such coroners by fixed salaries. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL for IRELAND brought in a Bill for the better regulation of the officeof Registrar of Judgments in Ireland. The House adjourned at Two o'clock. OVERLAND MAIL INDIA AND CHINA. (From the Chronicle.) We have received by express in anticipation of the Overland Mail, files of papers from Calcutta to the Ist of June, Madras to the Bth of June, and Hong- Kong to the 23d of May. The intelligence conveyed by the electric telegraph from Trieste, that the Bombay mail bad been delayed, is confirmed. We have not received the letters of our correspondent, nor the Bombay papers. (From the Overland Star.) Without the advantage of our London contem poraries, who have a field as wide as Europe with its ever constantly changing aspect to survey, writers on East Indian affairs are necessarily limited in the scope of their observations—between mail and mail—to such occurrences as are passing within the more confined range of the company's dominion?, where every thing bears the same uniform stamp of continuous action unless oc casionally varied by the episode of a rupture, or some exquisite specimen of gubernatorial folly in the shape of unpopular enactments. Even from these we are cut off at present, inasmuch as, save Golab Singh, who is not inclined to quarrel, there is nothing left to fight for, and no one left to squabble with, and the absence of the Governor-General reduces legislation to a mere nullity. In our last we recorded the explosion at Benares : th 4 dreadful accident was the parent of other rumours—as if it were a good thing to find something to write about—something to cause excitement—without much care for those feelings of alarm and anxiety that the narrative would create. Thus the blowing up at the holy city inspired the report of a second one in the magazine at Ferozepore, which was said to have sent town and suburbs into the air, though these were full three miles distant from the spot where the damage was done. Total silence in the up country papers soon quieted all fears, and the Fe rozepore blaze and an asserted sale of public stores and implements of war from the arsenal of Delhi, have been consigned to oblivion as mere matters of imagination. More the last mail came in, it was reported Sir William Gilbert was nominated Pro visional Member of Council. This is confirmed; but what becomes of Sir John Littler ? Two mili tary members is against rule, and Sir John's time is not yet up. Will they, with so many gapirg fur commands, keep Sir W. Gilbert still on the stall'? That would be another violation of rule. To reward him is all right, but not at the expense of others. Purely domestic matters are not of moment enough to dwell upon at any length. The Cower vancy Act is likely to undergo revision, and it is be • lived both commissioners and electors will be les sened. The loyalty of the lieges was manifested at the bail and supper given in honour of her Majesty's birthday. Both Lord Dalhousie and Sir Charles Napier are said to be ill; the latter is certainly so, and retires, we understand, in October. As Sir Wil liam Gomm has been appointed to the Bombay com mand, perhaps he is destined to be Sir Charles's suc cessor—it would be but a fair recompense for prior disappointment. (From the Madras Overland Atheneum.) The various members of our Indian Court have again re-united on " Simla's breezy heights." The Governor-General arrived here on the 2d ultimo, having been proceeded a short space by the Marchioness of Dalhousie and Sir Charles Napier with their respective suites. Lord Dalhousie's in disposition, we are happy to learn, has completely dis appeared since the change to a cooler climate, and the report that failing health would take him home before the expiration of his term of servitude, which was at one time prevalent, no longer obtains credit. India, we trust, will not be deprived of the full amount of benefit which the abilities of her present able ruler are so competent to bestow. With our Commander-in-Chief there is reason to fear the case is different. The assertion that be has sent in his resignation, and purposes leaving his command in October next, has been made with a positiveness that nothing but the most unquestionable authority could have warranted. _ From the prospective retirement of the Com mander•in-Chief to the actual retirement of the Ad jutant-General of the army, who stands next in in fluence if not in rank, is an easy and natural transi tion. The resignation of Colonel Grant has taken the Indian military world by surprise, and specula• tion has been busy to discover the cause of a step so unexpected and perplexing. The currently received rumour is, that a committee of Queen's officers having been formed under the directions of Sir Charles Napier, for the purpose of collecting infor mation with a view to the exclusion of the officers of the Company's army from the highest grades of com mend, Colonel Grant remonstrated at being excluded from it, which producing only a cool reply, he sent in his resignation. How far this story may be true, is rather difficult to say ; but the fact that the Com mander-in-Chief is busily engaged in amassing all the facts he can, which may be used at the approach ing Charter discussions against the East India Com pany, is looked upon as tolerably correct. Colonel Grant's successor in the Adjutant-General. ship is Lieutenant-Colonel H. T. Tucker. This ap pointment has created some dissatisfaction among the advocates of the seniority principle, on the ground that the nominee, though a Brevet Lieutenant- Colonel, is only a Regimental Captain, and that for fifty years past, with only one exception, no man under the rank of a Field Officer has held this im portant and influential post. A sufficient answer to this objection will be found in the facts, that though only a captain in his regiment, the new adjutant general has seen a full quarter century of honourable and distinguished service; that he is an officer of talent and experience acknowledged to be inferior to these of no one even among his superiors in rank; and that, above all, he has enjoyed the benefit of a complete training in the department over which he has been called to preside. - - Of political intelligence we have not a shred. From the north-west frontier we have not had a line of im portant intelligence. The Afreedees remain perfectly quiet ; so pacific, indeed, have they grown, as not merely to allow a body of our irregular cavalry to come through the pass unmolested, but some of the chiefs undertook to form an escort. It has not yet transpired what steps are to be taken with them. A very general feeling exists against the policy of buy ing their submission. Of Dhost Mahomed nothing has been heard during the past month. Sinde is about to lose the valued services of Mr. Pringle, who has resigned his office of commissioner ostensibly on the ground of ill-health ; but really, it is believed, through differences with the Bombay Government. A rumour prevails iu Sinde that the Governor-General contemplates joining Young Egypt with the Punjaub—a junction which was at one time recommended strongly by Sir Charles Napier. The advantage of having the entire western frontier under one charge is, we imagine, the chief recommendation of the proposed union. Since our last, money has become more plentiful, and the excessive tightness of the rates of discount been relaxed. At the Madras Bank bills of thirty and ninety days may be done now at 8 and 9} per CHINA. (Prom the Overland Friend of china of May 23.) They say in India that a cold spring introduces a healthy summer. If this is correct, we have before us a season of unparalleled salubrity. The spring was not only cold—it was also of unusual duration —even in the merry month of May a firern — tl; mornings was by no means disagreeable. But sum mer has really set in ; the wind has chopped round to the south, and heavy rains mark the change of the monsoon. There are few places within the tropics, if any, where it oan be said that for five months a fire iu the parlour is really desirable; such has been the case in Hong-Kong since the early part of De cember, and the " oldest" European " inhabitant" may not recollect such a long, cold spring. The events of the month are extremely unim portant. On the 27th of April, the Governor, his wife, and three secretaries, took their departure for Shinghai in the steamer Lady Mary Wood. Various causes are assigned for this expedition ; but, except to the parties concerned, it is a matter of no conse quence. On the Ist of May three pirates were hanged at West Point. Through some mismanagement they were kept on the scaffold for more than half-an-hour with the cords round their necks. The bolt could not be drawn, and after shaking the gallows violently, the police sent to the naval stores for a hammer, with which they knocked back the bolt. Two of the criminals fainted, and were held up until the bolt was forced back ; the third kept calling " fidee, fidee"— be quick, be quick. The scene, we are told, was very disgusting. Since the arrival of the February mail it has been. reported, and partially believed, that the Portuguese Government is sending out a strong naval force, and 3,000 troops, with a view to Obtain satisfaction for the murder of the late Governor of Macao. It is alleged that Portugal has pawned Goa to the East India Company for 150,0001., and that this fund furnishes her with the sinews of war. The English papers received by the March mail take no notice of this expedition, and we have doubts as to the truth of the report ; we can readily believe, however, that the East India Company would advance 150,0001. on the security of Goa. One thing is certain, a Portuguese frigate of 44 guns arrived at Singapore early in this month ; at Macau she is looked for daily. This vessel brings out the new Governor. The city of Canton and the neighbouring towns and villages are afflicted by a malignant fever. It is commonly called typhus. Some European physicians are of opinion that it is akin to the yellow fever of the West Indies ; others think that it resembles the plague which desaloted London two centuries ago. The disease is said to be fatal invariably ; its victims linger three or four days, though in some instances they have died in twelve hours. More than one European doctor would cheerfully tender their ser vices; but the Chinese are obstinate in their adherence to old custom—old ignorant quackery. The dis temper has not made its appearance at the factories and as it may arise from a want of cleanliness among the people, we are in hopes that it will not extend to Europeans. The East India Company's steamer Semiramis, with three companies of the Ceylon rifles, arrived on the 11th ; she sailed for Singapore, Ceyl , 3n, and Bom bay on the 18th, carrying back three companies of the rifles who have been for some years in this garrison. Her Majesty's brig Serpent came in on the 4th; she relieved the Pilot at Whampoa : the latter has gone north. The Amazon frigate arrived from Singapore on the 19th ; on the following day the Hastings sailed fur Singapore. Captain Troubridge of the Amazon is for the present the senior naval officer on the China station. CANTON MARKET, Disy 21. IMPORTS. Cottons—ln general have declined. Raw Cotton—Sales of all kinds amount only to about 3,700 bales. We quote Bombay 7.8 a 7.9 to 8. 7 a 9.1; Bengal 8.7 a 9.2; Madras 9.2 a 9.6. Cotton Yarn—But 250 bales sold, at for Nov. 16 a 24, 25 dolls. a 27 dolls; 28 a 32, 26 dolls. 50 e. ; 38 a 42, 28 dolls. a 30 dolls. Long Cloths.—The sales amount to 63,000 pieces, the quotations being for greys weighing 5i a 51 catties, 1.) dolls. 10e. a 2 dolls. 20c.; 6 a 64 catties, 2 dolls. 30c. 1), 2 dolls. 30c. a 2 dolls. 85c. ; 71 a 71 catties, 2 dolls. .50c. a 2 dolls. 60c. ; and for whites, 54s a 635, 2 dolls. 10e. a 3 dolls. 30c.; 64s a €63, 2 dolls. 60e. a 2 dolls. 75c. 68s a 725, 2 dolls. 95e. a 3 dolls. Stock of all kinds 30,000 pieces, American Goods—We quote 30 yards Drills 2 dolls. 25e. and 40 yards 3 dolls., though we Lear of a sale of 500 pcs. 30 yards at 2 dolls. 18c. Sbeetiugs nominal at 2 dolls. 25c. Jeans wanted at 2 dolls. 90c. a 2 dolls. 95c. Woollens—These goods show no improvement. S r anish Stripes.—Salts are reported of 1,200 pieces at for best marks ; scarlet 1 doll. 21c., purple 3 dolls. 02c, dark blue 93c., black 79c., brown 1 doll. 07c,, light