The Sun. — London, England, 1853-02-05 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Farewell Season of Mr. Benjamin Webster as Lessee and Ma singer. THIS EVENING, FEB. 5, Will be performed the popular and highly successful Cora ady of MASKS AND FACES; or, Before and Behind the Curtails—by Messrs. Benjamin Webster, Leigh Murray, Stuart, Parselle, and Lambert; Mrs. Stirling, Miss F. Maskell, and Miss Rosa Bean( :tt. After which (never acted). a new and original Farce, calla I TO PARIS AND BACK FOR FIVE POUNDS. To conclude with the Farce of BOX and COX MARRIED and SETTLED. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Tinder the Management et Madame Vestris. THIS EVENING, Fn. 5, Will be pertrmed the Comic Drama called A PHENOM ENON IN A SMOCK-FROCK. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathe ws F. Matthews, and Horncastle ; Miss F. Baker and Miss C. Mite hell. After which, the new and popular original Fairy Extravaganza, entitled THE GOOD WOMAN IN THE WOOD, in which Nlessrs. F. Matthews, Suter, Hornesstle, and Templeton ; Madame Ye stns, Miss Julia St. George, Miss Robertson, Miss Martindale, Miss :Ellis, Miss Wyndham, Miss Eglinton, and Miss ROStha Wright will appear. To conclude with LITTLE TODDLEKINS. Sole Agent [or the Private Boxes, Mr. W. Aftcroft, 15, New Bond-street. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHL Proprietor, Yr. B. W . ebster.—Directress, Madame Celesta. THIS EVENING, FEB. 5, Wili be presented the powerful new Drama of SLAVE MITI ; or, Uncle Toni's Cabin—by Messrs. Alfred Wigan, 0. Smilt , and Emery ; Madame Celeste, Miss Woolgar, Miss Harding, Miss ii.eeley, sad Mrs. Keeley. To conclude witli the successful new Comic Pantomime, called SELL GWYNNE ; or, Harlequin Merrie Monarch. Pr! incipal I )anseuse, Mdlle. Anriol ; Clown, Mr. Fleamore. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET'. Under the Management of Mr. C. Kean. THIS EVENING, Frs. 5, Will be performed the new and' original Comedy, in three acts, by Dong)as Jerrold, entitled ST. CUPID ; or, Dorothy's Forte no (as played at Windsor Castle, by Royal Command). Principal charac ters by Messrs. Wright, W. Lacy, Harley, J. Vining, Ryder, F. Cooke, Everett, and Chester ; Mrs. W. Lacy and Mrs. C. Roan. To conclude with the new and original Grand Comic Christ mas Pantomime, entitled HARLEQUIN CHERRY ANI3 FAIR STAR; or, The Green Bird, the Dancing Waters, at .d the Pinging Tree. Harlequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Hulirus ; Pan taloon, Mr. Paulo; Columbine, Miss Desborongh. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Farren. THIS EVENING, FEB. 5, Will be presented LILIAN GERVAIS. Supported by 31 . essrs. Compton, W. Farren, jun., Hoskins, Cooke, Edgar, Bender , and Clifton: Misses Anderton and U. Gordon. After which, JOAN DOBBS. John Dobbs, Mr. W. Ferrer , jun. ; Patternoster, Mr. Compton. To conclude with ROMEO AND JULIET; or, Harlequin Queen Mab and the World of Dreams. Clown, Mr. Edwin Edward' .Is, with his highly-trained Dogs. Box-otilce open from Eleven till Five, under the superintendence of Mr. Edward Chatterton. ASTLET'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty. Crowded Nightly to witness the Extraordinary Holiday Attractions. LAST WEEK BUT FITE of Mr. BATTY'S MANAGEN.ENT, As he is about retiring from the Profession, having Let the 'theatre to Mr. WILLIAM Coosa. THIS EVENING, Fan. 5, The Performances will cowmen's with the Equestrian Drama of UNCLE TOM'S CABIN. After which, an unequalled Routine of Scenes in the Cirt ae Te conclude with the Grand Comic Pantomime of FOR TUNIO AND 1118 HORSE COMRADE; or, Harlequin and 1:114, Seven Gifted Men. Doors open at Half-past Six o'clock. To commence at Seven. Box-offer open daily from Eleven to Font - . stage Man ►g er. Mr. W. West. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tina DAT —Morning 32 min. after 11 Evening 0 mit Lat. 0 ro-Moaaow—Morning 7 rain. after 12 f Evening 40 mix Lat. 12 DAILY WEATHER TABLE.' SATURDAY, FEB. 5, 1853. State of.the wind and weather at each of the following nieces at nine o'clock yesterday morning. The stations are arranged in order of latitude. HASTINGS—N.E., gentle breeze—overcast. FOLKESTONE-E., light breeze—rain. TUNBRIDGE-N.E., gentle breeze—scud, rain, GREENWICH--N.E., gentle breeze—overcast. SWINDON-N.E. gentle breeze—rain and BROW. CAMBRIDGE-NE ' . gentle breeze—cloudy. YARMOUTH-E., strong breeze—overcast. The returns from the following places indicate the state of the weather on Thursday morning at nine o'clock : LIMEBICK—N,,gentIe breeze—cloudless. MULLINGAR-N., calm—partially cloudy. TUNBBIDGE-S.E., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. LEIGHTON--S.E. calm—overcast. HoLvHEAD—S. I k, strong breeze—rain. WHITBY-S., gentle breeze—overcast. DARLINGTON - S.S.E., strong breeze—partially cloudy, light frost. SNAP—S., gentle breeze—sleet and rain. THE WEATHER.—Sun OFFICE, FEB. 5. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 36—highest since noon yesterday. 30—lowest this morning and daring the night. 37—this day, at noon. BAROMETIN, .29.85. WIND, E.N.E.—Fresh breeze, with elands and sun shine. A good deal of rain in the night. ~ ,7C Y ....„.._ ,-- : . 1 1 ,‘ „ippta t - -$l3- 4 114, - . -!.Ac.!.... . ~.,, ..,..... -., LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1853. We would solemnly warn the people of Eng land to be watchful of the course pursued at this moment by their Government. There is need that all impartial observers—that all men not truck ling to the holders of place in Downing-street— should lift up their voice to bid the multitude Beware of the policy now being adopted by the Leaders of the Administration. Mr. COBDEN has not issued his pamphlet from the press too soon. The evil scheme, against the revival of which he and all honest citizens in the realm would protest, is even now making its deplorable renewal mani fest, and doing this, moreover, in a manner re markable for its astounding effrontery. A considerable proportion of the journals prepared the way for the renovation of the old policy, for the renovation of that atrocious and pernicious policy which the more sanguine amongst us had fain imagined to have been long ago altogether abandoned. It is the old aristo cratic element again rampant, again egging us on into a contest with France—in the hope that once embarked in war the national attention must necessarily be diverted from the great aim of carrying out a comprehensive system of poli tical alterations, or legislative improvements. In illustration of the truth of this assertion, we have witnessed of late the encouragement of the horrible old War , panic. We have it dinned into our ears unceasingly that the French are certainly coming to land on our shores, to indulge themselves in a razzia more terrible than the world has ever witnessed, to carry off the gold from the Bank of England, to sack London, to convey the QUEEN from Osborne House close prisoner, and to destroy the prestige of our insular glory, is not to wipe the name of the British Empire from the chart of Christendom. It began with a de parted warrior, grey in years and in renown. It has been echoed since, in all the changing notes of alarm, from the magnificent volume of the merry old man of Brennen, to the single sheet octavo of the most melancholy , pamphleteer. From the outset we have acknow ledged that more care ought, in reason, to be taken of the maintenance of our National De fences. We have insisted all along that we have too much at stake not to render ourselves, by every rat l ipnal precaution, as nearly as possible impreg nable. Satisfied that the adoption of this course, under the circumstances, was, all things considered, only reasonable, we have observed with compla cency the increase of our Navy (an increase, indeed, for which we had, for one, during many years past loudly and unremittingly cla moured), and the general re-organisation of our militia. We have never closed our eye s t o th e weak points in the coast defences of the United Kingdom. On the contrary, we have been among the foremost of those who' have besought the rulers of England to watch more carefully over their conservation. But throughout the whole of this period we h ave recogn i se d the atrocity of those insults which have been continually directed against a friendly Government a Government doing us no in jury whatsoever, but, on the other hand, giving reiterated assurances of a wish to ma i n t a i n intact a cordial and lasting alliance. The con duct of those who have hurled these insults across the Channel, has from first to last glared upon us in their true light, namely, as being no less foolish than it is criminal. Latterly, indeed, the men who have acted thus, have done the utmost to render Jour Burr at one moment ludicrous, and at another detestable in the presence of civil ised Europe. They have endeavoured to exhibit him before the face of the whole world under two aspects of most odious degradation —now, as a whimperer, and now as a blusterer. They have pourtrayed him after this fashion—as though having stuffed his pockets and his carcase to repletion, he had sat down in his old age (and, one might almost fancy it, in his dotage) to drivel over the hor rid presentiment that he was going to be kicked by Somebody ! A ga i n, no t satisfied with this, they have represented him, if that were pos- Bible, under a still more despicable appearance — indulging himself, in the midst of profound peace, with all kinds of warlike vapourings, alternately shaking his fist and his cudgel at his old friend JOHNNY CRAPAII; on the other side of the water—in short, they have tried to make him out at once a, coward and a bully. In say ing this, we do not exaggerate the re cent outcry by one tittle. We call things by their right names. We say that the people who have fostered this war-cry of late, have alternated siniply between an almost craven timidity, and a wholly intolerable insolence. Under all this, moreover, we have not failed to detect the meaning of the hubbub—the cause of all this vapouring—the reason of all this ro domontade. It is the old story over again. The people are to be deluded once more by that aristocratic influence which abhors the idea of innovation, and loathes the very name of retrenchment -- that influence which, to avoid those two evils, plunged us into a war that lasted during more than twenty years, and which cost the toiling population of these islands a debt of 500,000,0001. —and which, if not guarded against very vigilantly at this moment, will plunge the nation again into a no less ruinous contest, exciting once more an insensate hatred against the French, and weighing us down under another debt this time, perhaps, a debt of double 50,0,000,0001. We say, therefore, to the coun jay at large—Beware ! We warn every calm and unprejudiced spectator of events against the criminal course being now pursued by men who should guard them against calamity instead of re viving warfare, in order that they may the more effectually retard civilisation. If it be asked where are the tokens of this deplorable cause being fostered by our statesmen, we point simply to the remarks uttered recently by two of our most eminent statesmen, when addressing their constituents —one, some weeks back, at Car lisle, the other, only yesterday, at Halifax. Through those two occasions the world witnessed the extraordinary spectacle of Cabinet Minis ters speaking in terms of unendurable insult of the thrice elected chief of a friendly nation, the supreme head of a powerful and neighbouring Government ! It was as if Sir JAMES GRAHAM had, in so many words, urged NAPOLEON 11.1. to retaliate, by descending upon our shores—as if Sir CHARLES WOOD had cla moured eagerly for a positive attempt at a French -invasion. Meanwhile, a general officer in the army of the Queen of England so far forgets his position both as an officer and as an Englishman as to wager that the EMPEROR will bring his soldiers down upon our shores, upon the un derstanding that in the event of our being in truth thus assailed he—wearing the colours of his Mo- NARCH, and carrying the sword of his country—is to be rewarded by the sum of 10,000/. for the arrival of that great danger to his fatherland I Beholding all these disgraceful transactions, hearing all these bitter and unstatesmanlike words, observing the growth of this panic, and remarking the develop ment of these evil passions; we do, again and again, beseech the more enlightened and conscientious members of the community to review the whole question in their calmer judgment, and to decide which is assuming the nobler part—France or England. L . It is much more pleasant to commend than to censure, and as few of our readers read long speeches, however carefully we report them, we will just give them the best sample of our win n owings from last week's Manchester orations. Very long, and we must own lively and spicey, was the declamation, whether in the Corn Ex change, or in the Free-trade Hall ; there was no lack of various diet for this politically vegetarian banquet. " The Services" were entertainingly served up for the general amusement, so were Emperors and Admirals, Prime Ministers, and the Press ; Englishmen, Frenchmen, and Ameri cans, past alarms and present panics. Certainly the entertainment did credit to the hosts, and most peaceful were the peace debates, if so they may be called, for every resolution was carried unanimously. To our mind the really valuable part of the whole affair was its tendency to rectify common opinions—suppositions we should rather say—respecting France. It must be confessed that the English Press generally has been guilty, since the 2d of December, 1851, of an undesir able propensity to see hostile intentions, or at least suspicious indications in everything across the water. We are not going to apologise for the coup d'etat and its first consequences. The con scientious moralist may find plenty there to con demn ; we have only to do with it politically ; and from that point of view we must hold that after the French nation had fairly elected the subverter of the Republic, we were bound to re gard the act as theirs ; tboy had appropriated it, and it was for us to treat their Government as we should wish the French Press to treat ours. That is, their public measures were, of course, fair sub jects of European discussion ; but their Ministry and their President or Emperor, should at least have•been treated respectfully. Utterly alien as the whole affair might be to our notions of politi cal and even moral fitness, Frenchmen expect we should allow that they understand their own mat ters better than we do. We were much struck with the good sense of Mr. COBDEN'S remarks on these points at the meeting on the 29th. It is, he observed, the popular ignorance in England of the habits and tastes of the French people which is at the bottom of all our censures, and all our outcry about in vasion. Mr. COBDEN himself has long had much personal acquaintance with France and French men, and is quite as good an authority as many of " our own correspondents." He justly observes, that the French have not yet acquired our full appreciation of the value of Representative Go vernments ; and certainly they have had but little since 1'792 to inspire them with lasting re spect for Houses of Parliament. Public meetings and voluntary associations, also, they have never been able to avail themselves of successfully; and therefore their more sober men shrink from the hazard of them in less qualified hands. The Habeas Corpus Act, which we value as such a guarantee of our personal liberty, has nothing corresponding to it in France, nor have the French people, when the fullest power has been in their hands, ever bethought themselves of this first safeguard against lawless despotism. The time may come when they will prize these things as we do, but it is a plain fact that they do not now. The Freedom of the Press, also, is not, in their view, what it is in ours ; and we may well re member that it is not very long since the Six Acts were passed, and since chains were forged to restrain the free circulation of English political news, which are only lengthened a little at this hour, but are not yet destroyed. Mr. COBDEN thinks that, instead of self-complacently " stroking our beards, and thanking Heaven that we are not as other men are, we had better learn from their in difference to the Abolition of the Freedom of the Press to take care that our Newspaper Press shall be a useful organ in the cause of morality and of truth, and, above all, of international peace ; and that our public men and leading statesmen shall be so truthful in their representative capacities, show patriotism enough, for the people to trust them, and cling to their Free Press and their re presentative institutions." If, however, we wonder at the French indiffer ence to what we deem so valuable, Mr. COBDEN well observes that they have their wonderments also about us. What they do prize and praise above all things is their Equality in Social Rank. They have made a clean sweep of every vestige of feudalism for upwards of sixty years ; they tole rate no arbitrary rank or titles, no entails, nor anything indeed which creates social inequality. They carry it into their religion, not even the Church, which comprises nearly the whole popula lation, is selected for special endowment ; all people are put upon a footing of perfect equality. An hereditary House of Peers like ours would not be endured for a moment ; Louis NAPOLEON'S Throne would not be worth twenty-four hours' purchase if he were to attempt it. Their system of taxation is the most fair and equal in the world ; and there could not exist in France such a thing as a legacy and probate duty on one kind of pro perty, and not on another. Candid Fr vnelimen envy us our personal liberty, but confess, nation ally, to a stronger passion for ecpialit Y. Our stronger passion is for liberty, indulging• wi aich, we astonish them by our indifference to the : Social distinctions which condemn the great major ity to a permanent artificial inferiority. Now, if a spirit of impartial comparison like this,. which might be indefinitely carried out, be prop: gated from the Manchester Meetings, it would be worth all the trouble and expense incurred by th .e friends of peace. Joins BULL is egregiously co - nceited of his. own tastes, and contemptuous of those of foreigners ; still he is fair-minded, and we. hope will take this lesson to heart. Our invasionists were also reminded of many facts which it behoves them well to remember. They were assured, if they have forgotten it, that Frenchmen have something to lose by war as well as we. That their Bank had contained more sil ver than the Bank of England contained of gold and silver put together ; and that silver is far more common there in even private familida in middling circumstances than in Englai ad. That instead of about 30,000 they have 8,000,000 landed proprietors,—farmers who plough their own land, certainly not men likely to leave their homesteads to enrich themselves by marauding in England ; and that the rural population generally are in a very far superior state to our own. But then the French Navy and Cherbourg, and those steamers to America I Well, we and they both keep building together ; and we are in a condition to have almost as many sailors and guns afloat in the Mediterranean as we have on our own coasts at home,—well, towards a thousand guns and ten thousand men in both, not to speak of -our large reserve and our comparatively immense mercantile marine. And Cherbourg,—Mr. MILNER GIBSON, who speaks like a Bailor, and seems to know all about it from frequent personal inspection, thanks the French heartily for it ; de clares that all who navigate there owe them thanks also for such an invaluable port of refuge on a coast which needs it so much, and for the large sums expended on its fine but costly breakwater. As to the fleet of American steamers to be subsidised by Government, he affirms, from personal knowledge, that Cherbourg is the only port suitable for them, as being one adapted to vessels drawing much water, and capable of being entered in all weathers, by day or by night. We have previously remarked on the reasonable call of the speakers for more efficient employment of our military and naval expenditure ;—with such facts to tell of, as that military authorities dis puted in the House of Commons whether we have 9,000 men or 60,000 to meet an invasion with. ; that Sir JAMES STIRLING himself, a man high irt the Navy, stated, before a Committee of the 'House of Commons, " that the number of officers in the British Navy over and above what was necessary for the work to be done, either in peace or war, was equal to the keep of 20,000 seamen (a state ment never contradicted)—it is clear that revision, economy, and efficiency, not increased estimates, are the first work in this department for the new Government. fastingo u sin g lyoailliasder The Dissenters are beginning T to combine for Parliamentary action, public regular n e approvedbusiness plan a a d n o d pt in fil i g tiat t e h d e are building a Clu b b y H forefathers built Met' of operations. Their prayer. They House, and propose to begin their Parliamentary atheirramakeni positionen good to Church men a u tr andic "eating action by feasting and speechi fying. We know not who to all this. They can reasonably object occupy by the laws of the land a somewhat different political if they choose to come to men ; they have, therefore, political points to maintain, own peculiar p on p l ear d in o g no t t h g e m re d i g n e or y and d r i n ki n -, ,, g instead fasting and sackcloth, the more heartily. Ludgate Hill, nor we shall but welcome them We o not a them their MILTON Club, in y the dinner which its , committee the 16th, to " the Members cognising the principles o f Evangelical of Noncon formists," but we wish their wish them as merry can desire. The Dissenters ques tion are v the very numerous respectable port' manufacturers,a banquet and it will public advantage that recognised public centre, where .will naturally associate, Parliament re has advertised for Meeting-houses, success, and c ion of the tradesmen much of as their hearts of the class in , and comprise esmen and be a political d they should their an have a leading men and whence exert the same kind of theylice can other Clubs have long done. By the term " Evangelical," we presume they wish to Unitarian exclude and Catholic Dissenters. With the pranks of the Irish Brigade before . their . eyes, the wisdom b of the latter exclusion will b© disputed by few ; but with so many able Members of Parlia ment professing Unitarian unquestionably improved ha c racter of Unitarian theology in England, it appears somewhatunde sirable to separate themselves from such efficient men, occupying a precisely similar politi • • cal posi tion. We acknowledge the deep theological ells- . unction, but we presume that theology is to be no subject of action or discussion, either at the Club or the dinner. . These gentlemen, however, of course know their own business best, and we are sorry to own that there are not wanting mem bers of the Daily Pre ss who would have made a most unworthy use of it, had the Nonconformists adopted a wider basis. The Dissenting Members in this Parliament form quite a noticeable body—one capable, if fac tiously inclined, of giving no small trouble ; they are more numerous than the Peelites, and if they do not include in their number so many "Talents," they are not destitute of it by any means; neither are they likely to fold their talent in a napkin and to bury it in the earth. There are amongst them a full supply of men "who have a stake in the country," and men of high social standing. The City at least will do all honour to such names as CHALLIS and PETO. We were somewhat sur prised to find what a large amount of population and of electors the thirty-eight Dissenting Mem bers represent. They sit for counties and boroughs containing 228,057 electors, and a po pulation of 4,290,905 —one-fifth of the electors, and more than a fifth of the population. Of course our remarks exclude Ireland and its ine,al culables from consideration entirely. It has also been observed that, omitting the county Members, the Dissenting Members, although not more than one-tenth of the borough Members in the House of Commons, yet represent fully one-third of the borough electors of the United Kingdom. Such facts are very instructive. They clearly show either that Dissenters are much more numerous proportionally in the populous constituencies, or admitting this to be in some degree the case;they rather show, we think, that large constituencies are much more free from religious bigotry, and that a man's being a Dissenter is amongst them no hindrance to his obtaining the honours and the good citizen may justly confidence to which every aspire—the truth b e ing, that in such constitu encies the electors concern themselves, very pro perly, not about a man's religious creed, but about his political creed. No religious views probably could be more diverse than those of the two Hon. Members for Finsbury, but they were both known as consistent and hearty Liberals, and' no opposing candidate could venture to attack either on the score of his faith without the certainty of arous ing the just indignation of the electors. Would that as much could be said of every constituency i n the kingdom. America certainly surpasses us in this respect. Lord CARLISLE declares that Sir he en vies them their religious freedom ; and CHARLES LYELL states that it was a long time be fore he could find any one able to tell him to what denomination the President belonged in ! cal h ere ng isl, we conceive, no difficulty whatever lati the course which Dissenters will pursue in the House of Commons. With but one exception, from Cambridgeshire, they are all Liberals, mostly steady, and many of them very earnest, Liberals. A great part of them are men of business, or well acquainted with practical life, hence they have not a tinge of faction about them. They will, doubt less, steadily and consistently vote against all fur- tiler grants for religious purposes, but they will bring in no Bill to Separate Church and State, or even to relieve their old opponents, the Bishops, i THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 5, 1853, from their legislative duties in the House of Lords. They will not be likely to obtrude their voluntaryism into the debates, though it were too much to expect that if Mr. SPOONER or Mr. GLADSTONE, according to their respective modes, give them occasion, they should abstain from em bracing it. The Coalition may probably expect their full support in any measure of Reform, whether relating to India, or the Colonies, and especially to the Income Tax and Electoral Reform. Nothing, probably, will more detract from the cordiality of the support they would render the present Government - than any paltering with schedule D, or any shufffing with their favourite question of Representative Reform. We have no idea that they will be in danger of dissenting par tisanship ; they were elected for their political, not for their religious, views. The utmost their constituents wish, or even would allow, is that they should guard with a jealous and firm hand the common religious liberties of all. They come in great part from districts which have for a long time refused to pay church rates, and in which the numerous new churches have been built by generous individuals, or by voluntary contribu tions ; and this will give the tone we imagine to their habits of thought, and their speaking on ecclesiastical subjects. In regard to National Education, there is a schism amongst them. The thoroughgoing Vo luntaries objecting to State grants for religious purposes conceive themselves bound to oppose Government grants to schools in which religion is taught. Perhaps none of them object on princi ple to the Government support of Secular Educa tion would gladly sup port anything h p i n r probably a b y a in furtherance of education that did not give undue power to t h e E s t a bli s h e d Church. Dissenters have always been zealous and active friends of educatiOn. They began 50 years ago, amidst great opposition, the movement which has now absorbed the Church itself in the stream, and they may therefore be safely reckoned on to support earnestly any fair proposition. NATIONAL DEFENCE AND THE MORAL RELATION OP ENGLAND AND FRANCE. mi S n i e lt dro l p t o a s P se Pea ss r a s p TO THE EitITOR OF THE SUN. o t h w a e t d t u h l e na F vy re . hch H e fleet of war-steamers nearly equal to our own, and is hapseraotrpisresdeenttera still augmenting their number. Twenty screw line-of battle ships have recently been laid down, and are rapidly progressing. It cannot be supposed that the British people look upon these preparations with indifference ; quite the contrary : they are fully aware that the inde pendence —nay, the very existence of the nation is threat eipd. What is greatly to be regretted is, that no encou ragement i s given to the enro l ment o f volunteer, or rifle *pi, which, without such support, the present force is totally inadequate to the defence of the country. It is not by the addition of 20,000 regular soldiers to our present army, brave as they are, that we will be able to protect our shores against the vast host of France ; but a' suggestion by Government for the formation of volun ter corps would in a few weeks exhibit to the world half-a-million of men banded for the preservation of peaee and the prevention of invasion. Twice has France within the last 40 years been pros trate, and at the mercy of Britain and her allies, and should such an event once more occur, care would un doubtedly be taken that she should never again disturb the peace of the world. _ _ The necessity of these remarks is obvious, and their justice is proved by the consideration that the moral relation of England to France is that of the preserver of her nationality, since but for the generosity of British statesmen the Treaty of Vienna might have borne a very different aspect, and the dismemberment of France might have been urged as more necessary for the pre servation of the peace of Europe than the partition of Poland. This reflection seems to establish a moral claim on the part of England, or a duty on the part of France, not to jeopardise either by covert or open hos tility the independence and integrity of that power which preserved her from extreme humiliation, after the most signal vanquishment of her armies, and the triumphant entry of her capital by the Allied Powers of Europe. Such a duty being established, there arises its correlative—the right of this country to demand for what purpose exist those great naval preparations in the ports of France, against which there is evidently no power capable of contending but that of England. If the reply to such demand be unsatisfactory, Britain will certainly be justified in attempting to prevent such an in fliction as an invasion by means similar to those which she, under threatening circumstances, employed at Co penhagen in 1807. The blessing of peace, however desirable, must never be purchased at the cost of independence. THE VOICE OF THE NATION. Feb. 1, 1853. NATIONAL DEFENCE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING HERALD, Sir,--It would be a great satisfaction to the nation if some responsible minister could announce in precise terms :—" We consider the national armament and the national organisation sufficient for the national defence. We have secured immediate information from abroad of finy preparation or movement that may be considered dangerous to this country. In case of threatened ag gression our arrangements for resistance are complete. Men are forthcoming for our fleets—generals for our armies • stores, ordnance, an d d epo t s o f ammun i t i on are provided ; the stations and disposition of our armed force are determined upon. The orders we shall issue are prepared, and thei r p romp t execut i on may b e de pended upon.", It is not unreasonable to demand that some such an nouncement should precede any further legislation. Until a minister is in a position to make such an an nouncement it is insanity to argue the advantages of the ballot or discuss the provisions of a Jew bill.—Your obedient servant, HAROLD. London, Jan. 31. THE MAIL TO INDIA. —The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer Ripon left Southampton yesterday with the India and China mails. This is the first bi monthly dispatch under the new contract. The Ripon took out about 50 passengers amongst whom were Lieu tenants Glinn and Coffin, Admiralty agents in the India and China seas. The mail consisted of about 60 boxes, which will cross the Desert, besides bags for the Mediter ranean. Accounts from Constantinople have been received to the 20th of January, and contain rather important in telligence. Instead of direct remittances to meet the liabilities of the Bank of Constantinople, bills at three months' date fir 1 50,0901., drawn by the. merchants recently appointed to conduct the liquidation of the bank upon their agents in London, have alone been re ceived. Political affairs continued in a very unsatis factory state, and the re-actionary Ministry seemed determined to carry their injurious system as far as pos sible. Not a word is said about the loan, and the bond holders therefore appear to remain precisely in the posi tion they occupied two or three months back when Lord Stanley, on behalf of the Derby Government, defended the conduct of the Sultan, and asserted that a satis factory settlement was to be immediately expected. Ali t G ra o c v t e ed rnor h t as o S b n e iy en L a Ti > rt an ua d ilY it b is allis said hg t d ha b t Pasha, who was G ran d V izier when the loan was con y. R b e e s i e n h g i d s e r n a t s h as a is, in like manner, to be sent to Broussa. Fuad Effendi, the present Foreign Minister, it is added, is about to proceed t o Paris, but whether on a special mission or as ambassador, is not mentioned. Among other proceedings indicative of the spirit of th. present Government, has been the issue of a decree restoring to the governors of provinces the arbitrary power of life and death, as it existed previously to the Tanzimat. To add to the prevailing complications apprehensions were en tertained that a ff a i rs were tak i ng an un f avoura bl e turn with Russia, os t ens ib ly on th e ques ti on o f th e H o ly Sepulchre and th e r i ghts o f t h e G ree k Ch urc h. Letters from recent import a ti ons of go ld f rom E ng land i n to Ru s sia, Riga, of the 4th January, state that the thus announced, amounted to 1,125,0001. Of this total 821,500/. had' b een r eceived at St. Petersburgb, 244,800/. at Ri ga, and 5 2 , 900/. a t Odessa. At the an nua l meeting of the Royal British Bank, held to-day, a dividend was declared at the rate of six per cent. pe r annum, a ft er making an addition of an equal amou n t to the reser ve fund (which has now reached 7,5001.) and appropriating 9881. in further liquidation of preliminary expenses. The report showed a steady increase in the business of the establishment, the accounts open having been 2,989 at the end of the first year, 3,994 at the end of the second, and 4,411 on the 31st December last.—Tintm REPRESENTATION OF BLACKEURN.—It is reported that Mr. Eccles, one o f t h e Liberal members for Blackburn, is abeut to resign his seat, and .it is also confidently stated that add ress e s w ill be issued fn faew days from Mr. W. H. Ho rn b y, i n th e Tory interest, and Mr. Monta gue Fielding in the Liberal interest. Mr. Hornby is the gentleman whose name appeared in the papers some months ago in a paragraph headed "Assault by the Mayor of Blackburn," and Mr. Fielding is a son of the late baronet Sir William Fielding. A considerable and respectable party in the town seem to be anxious to de viate from the ru l e th a t has hitherto prevailed of having a gentleman o f l oca l i n terest merely, and prefer a stranger of g rea t er p o litical mark to represent their borough, whi c h h as b ecom e, in consequence of the great increase in its population, one of the most important boroughs in the country. Viscount Duncan, it is also reported, is likely to come forward. We understand that the dividend proposed to be paid by the London and North-Western Railway Company will be at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, carrying over a balance of 90,000/. or 95,0001. MARYPORT AND CARLISLE RAILWAY. --The directors of the Marypo r t an d Carlisle Railway , in their. half yearly report ju s t i ssue d, re commend a dividend at the rate of 4 per cent, per annum. BLACKWALL RAILWAY DIVIDEND. — Th e dividen . be declared at the forthcoming meeting is 3s . persnare: being an improvement on the previous half - y ear's, and d toare, the report, it is understood, will be favourable—a surplus being carried over after the dividend is paid. MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, Two o'CLoog. The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday, were estimated at 12,000 bales, of which 6,000 were taken on speculation. The market closed with a hardening tendency. Railway shares were rather firmer. The great decrease in the amount of bullion in the Bank of England, stated as being likely to ap pear in the weekly return to the 29th ult., is actu ally shown to have occurred, and by all accounts, will probably take place again in ensuing weeks, as there are still exports to the Continent. So long as these go merely in payment of staples which we work up into manufactured articles, yielding a handsome profit, there can be no valid reason for complaint. All we are concerned to prevent, is participation in the loans of bankrupt, foreign States, and unhealthy speculation, and if the Bank lost two or three millions sterling more, it would be a positive advantage, and ultimately would ren der a larger stock of bullion than ever, a matter of certainty, if the money is known to be employed in our export trade. Of course, should there be a deficient harvest, a new combination of circum stances totally distinct, would arise. The circula tion of notes last week was lessened, the withdrawal of private balances being met by the specie. In discount there was a failing off, and should this continue, a further increase in the charge will not at present be attempted. Compared with the pre vious week, the changes are as follows : Active circulation.. Decrease 490,325 Bullion 19,042,835 Decrease 362,084 Rest•-- Increase Public Deposits—lncrease 237,239 Other deposits—Decrease 661,444 Seven day and other Bills—lncrease 1,837 Government securities -Decrease 29,794 Other securities 13,654,165 Decrease Notes unemployed—lncrease 67,095 The banking interest throughout the country appears to be very flourishing, and both in the metropolis and the provinces large dividends have been recently declared as the result of business done in the last six months. The Royal British Baak made yesterday its third annual report, and made, with the consent of the proprietary, a divi dend at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum, and made an addition, besides, to the reserve fund, which now amounts to 7,5001. Since the Bank commenced business, 2,1411. have been written off the preliminary expenses,. besides improvements and repairs being liquidated out of current revenue; and, upon the general progress of the Bank, and the condition of the Money Market, we have the following inforination : " The abundance and cheapness of money alluded to in the report for the half year ended on the 30th of June last, as necessarily tending to the reduction of all bank ink profits, continued to operate in the same way through out the half year just concluded ;" and although the rates charged by this bank for its advances on cash credits and convertible securities did not fluctuate, and were not, therefore, on the one hand subjected to the depres sion which the discount of purely commercial paper un derwent ; yet, on the other hand, the directors, from a regard to one of the main purposes of the institution — namely, to induce parties previously unaccustomed to banking, to make deposits and keep balances at their credit, considered it right to continue to allow the same rates of interest as had been announced at the beginning. The sums so paid by the bank were, in 1850, 4.4561. 14s. ; in 1851, 9,601/. I.os. Bd. ; and in 1852, 13,394/. Qs. 6d. The accounts open at the end of the first year were 2,989, second year 3,994, and last year 4,411. " Notwithstanding. however, the comparatively large amount of. the payments for interest, and their progres sive annual increase, the directors have been encouraged to continue the system the bank adopted aid has hitherto followed, from knowing that very industrious persons have been benefited by it,— and that, while depositing customers have had much the greater part of the earn ings of the bank, the proprietors have had an ample return on their investments, and have had these made more valuable by the formation of a Reserved Fund, now equivalent to 15 per cent. on the paid-up capital." Bills of Exchange on the principal continental towns were negotiated here yesterday afternoon at very full rates. Paris, 90 days, 25 27i- to 30 ; Amsterdam, 11 18-i to 19 ; Hamburgh, 13 6 to 6/- ; Frankfort, 119 a to if ; and Trieste, 11 7 to 12. The exports of gold direct from London during the week to Thursday last, were 87,456 ounces and 2,0001., all but 256 ounces being sent to the Conti nent, and 17,900 ounces of silver. Besides these amounts, the steamer from South ampton takes out between 200,000/. and 300,000/. in silver to Alexandria and the East Indies. The English Stock Market has been very dull, but nevertheless a shade firmer. Consols 99k to .11 for Transfer, and 99i for Account. The New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents. have been 103 to and the Three per Cents. 100 to 1 1-. Exchequer Bills have been quoted 50s. to 555., and India Bonds 60s. preaduni. Foreign Stocks are - giso very dull, but Grenada have improved, as a dividend is coming forward. The Active Bonds realise 22, and the Deferred 114 to Mexican Stock has been heavy at 22f The Turkish Loan is at discount, and the Aus trian Scrip, 7 premium. Dutch 4 per Cents. have been 97i Railway Shares have been all better, and the Bears have been buying back. Mines are dull. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY. (Prem the Official List.) Business done. 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities lOl 100 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities . 99 a New 3/ per Cent. Annuities.......... lO3 3 1 India Bonds, £lOOO — Ditto, under £lOOO 6O Consols for Account 10th February 99 1 March. Exchequer Bills 14d. June. £lOOO. £5OO 5O 5 Small 5O 5 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. Austrian Scrip, 5 per Cent 7i Grenada Bonds, Deferred, I llf i Ditto Ex Dec., 1849, Coupon 22 Mexican 3 per Cent ..... 221 i L-. Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent. -.. . . ... ... . 94, Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent 22 ,Swedish Loan lt d Turkish Loan, 6 per Cent., 1852 i d Dutch Exchange 2a per Cent — Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates.... .... . TWO O'CLOCK. Consols Ditto February Account SALE OF RENTERS' SHARES IN THE COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.—Yesterday, at the Auction Mart, Messrs. Shuttleworth and Sons, the auctioneers„ offered to public competition two renters' shares in the Theatre Royal, Covent-garden, the income from which is 121. 10s. per annum, and the possessor is entitled to a free admis sion, transferable mice in a season,• which usually sells for 51. or 61., held for an unexpired term of 41 years— the first was sold for 1701., and the next 1601. The original cost was 500/., and they have been sold at a premium. - A MILITARY POLYGAMIST.—Ann Proud, a woman aged 39, and' Emma Derby, aged 19, were brought before the Sheffield borough magistrates on Thursday, charged with ' being disorderly. The prisoners both claimed to be the wife of Wm. Proud, a private in the 21st Regiment of Foot, now stationed in Sheffield. The elder prisoner had for several years been received as Proud's wife into the barracks where the regiment had been stationed. Latterly, he had formed an acquaint ance with the younger prisoner, who lived out of the barracks, and passed herself off also as his wife. The two women went into the town last night, and after quarrelling about which had the greatest right to the soldier, resorted to fighting to settle the point. The result was, that they were both taken to the lock-up. It was stated that the soldier was among the spectators in the court. The Mayor ordered him to be called. On presenting himself before the bench, the follow ing dialogue, passed :—The Mayor—Which of these women is pour wife ? Soldier—One of them is as dear/to me as the other. The Mayor—Explain what you mean by that. Soldier (smiling)—They are both my wives.—The Mayor—You may think it a laughing matter, but you will find that it is not. Do you mean to say that you have been married to both these women, and that they are both of them your wives ? —Soldier—Yes, and I can bring you two more, if you want them. (The younger prisoner, who with the soldier appeared to think the whole proceeding a piece of fun, here burst out a laughing.) Mr. A. Smith (to the soldier—What do you mean by the answer you just now gaie the Mayor ?—Soldier—l mean that I have four wives.—Mr. A. Smith—Where did you marry your first wife ?—Soldier—l married one in Ireland, one in Scot land, and two in England.—Questions were then put to the soldier as to the names of the four women, and the places where he had been married. The light then began to dawn upon him that the matter was not quite so much of a mere joke as he had at first thought it, and he returned very evasive answers. The smile entirely left his countenance a moment afte rwar d s, when the Mayor directed him to be taken into custody on the charge of bigamy, and remanded for inquiry.`„ The younger prisoner finding matter s growing serious, dis claimed that she was the wife of the soldier, though he a moment before had stated th at he married her at Leeds. The whole of the three parties were remanded. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENOH-(THIS DAY.) (Before Lord Campbell and a Special Jury.) MACHEATH V. VISCOUNT FRANCKFORT. This was an action against Viscount Franckfort to re cover compensation in damages for a libel which he had published, reflecting on the character of the plaintiff (Mr. Macheath) who resides in Vigo-street, Regent street. The libel arose out of the same circumstances in re spect of which Lord Franckfort was found guilty at the suit of another party, and sentenced to a term of im prisonment, which he is now undergoing. After the jury had been sworn, _ _ Sir Frederick Thesiger, who appeared for the plaintiff, expressed his gratification at being able to intimate that the parties had come to an arrangement, and that the jury would be relieved from investing the case. Lord Franckfort had seen, he was happy to say, the gross im propriety of his conduct, and that it would be perfectly useless attempting to set up any defence to the action. He (Sir Frederick Thesiger), however, thought that as his client's character and reputation had been most seriously and wantonly maligned, it was but right that he should press for substantial damages, and the Attorney-General, who represented Lord Franckfort, had agreed to a verdict being entered for the plaintiff for the sum of 2001. The Attorney-General said he felt quite convinced that it would be impossible for him to contend against the evidence, and he had to thank his learned friend for the conciliatory spirit he had displayed, in so readily agreeing to the terms proposed by him. Lord Campbell thought the defendant's counsel had taken the proper course, and rejoiced that the jury were spared the necessity of entering into a matter of such a painful character The libel was one of so extraordinary a nature that it might be doubted whether the author of it was in his right senses, and perhaps Lord Franckfort, who was now suffering the sentence of the court, might be a fit subject for the clemency of the Crown. A verdict was then ordered for the plaintiff. Damages 2001. COURT CI.RCULAR. WINDSOR, FEB. 4. Her Majesty gave thi s evening the fifth of a series of dramatic performances at the Castle. The Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, with their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, Prince Alfred, and the Princesses Alice, Helena, and Louisa, passed from the royal apartments to the temporary theatre in the Rubens-room at eight o'clock. Her Majesty and the Prince were accompanied by the following illustrious circle, who had had the honour of dining with her Majesty :—Her Royal High ness the Duchess of Kent, her Serene Highness - the Princess Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the Lord Chancellor and Lady Cranworth, the Duke and Duchess of Lein ster, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl of Carlisle, the Earl and Countess of Ellesmere, the Earl of Mulgrave, Lord and Lady Ashburton, the Right Hon. Sidney and Mrs. Herbert, and the Right Hon. Sir William and Lady Molesworth. Shakspere's tragedy of Macbeth, was the play selected for the evening's entertainment, and immediately on her Majesty and her distinguished guests being seated, at tended by the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting, the performance commenced, the parts being filled according to the following programme : MACBETH. Duncan (King of Scotland) Mr. Bartley. Malcolm (his sons) ... / Mr. J. F. C a th cart. Donalbain Macbeth / (Gene. of th e Kin Miss H as ti ngs, g's j Mr. C. K ean. Ran quo 5 Army. Macduff Mr. Gr a h am. Lennox (Mr. Ryd er . Mr. G. Everett. Rosse Monteith (N land) oblemen of Scot. _I Mr. J. Vi n i ng. Mr. Stac e y. Angus Mr. Bra z i er . Caithness I Mr. Stoakes. Fleance (son to Ban qu0).........., Miss Kate Terry. Seward (Earl of Northumberland, General of the English forces). Mr. Terry. Seyton (an officer attending on Macbeth) Physician Wounded Officer Mr. Paulo. Mr. J. Chester. Mr. H. Vezier. Mr. J. Collett. Mr. Daly. Mr. Collis. Mr. Rolleston. Miss J. Lovell. Miss Desborough Mrs. Chas. Kean. Officers Apparitions Lady Macbeth Gentlewoman (attending on Lady Macbeth) ........................... Mrs. W. Daly, Mr, Addison. Mr. Meadows. Mr. Saker. Director Mr. Charles Kean. Assistant Director Mr. George Ellis. Prompter The Theatre arranged and the scenery painted by Mr, Thomas Grieve. Her Majesty's private band was in attendance. Witches The following gentlemen and ladies had the honour of receiving invitations to be present at the performance, in addition to the Queen's dinner guests :—His Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar and the Coun tess of Dornburg, the Dowager Viscountess Ashbrook, Lady Caroline and Miss Barrington, Lady Jane Stan hope, Lady Frances Hotham, Mr. Hotham, the Hon. Mrs. Sackville West, the Right Hon. the Speaker, Colonel the Hon. C. B. and Mrs. Phipps, Colonel the Hon. Charles and Mrs. Grey, Miss Farquhar, Lieut.- Colonel F. H. and Lady Emily Seymour, the Right Hon. Henry and Lady Mary Labouchere, Sir Henry and Lady Mildmay, the Provost of Eton, the Rev. W. and Mrs. Canning, Lieut.-Colonel Williams (command ing officer), Lieutenant Lumley, and Lieutenant Hawks ley, of the 2d Life Guards ; Colonel Angerstein (com manding officer), Captain the Hon. H. A. Neville, and Captain Tipping, of the 3d Battalion Grenadier Guards ; Mr. and Misses Grenfell, Mr. Henry Seymour, and Mrs. and Miss Seymour. Refreshments were served to the company as at the previous entertainments. His Royal Highness Prince Albert, attended by Co lonel the Hon. C. 'B. Phipps, and Lieut.-Colonel the Hon. A. Gordon, left the Castle at half-past nine o'clock this morning by a special train of the South-Western Railway for London, and returned to the Castle at five minutes before two o'clock. The following had the honour of dining with her Ma jesty yesterday :—Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, her Serene Highness the Princess Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the Lord Chancellor and Lady Cranworth, the Duke and Duchess of Leinster, the Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Kent, the Baroness de Speth, the Earl of Carlisle, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl and Countess of Ellesmere, the Earl of Mulgrave, Lord and Lady Ashburton, the Right Hon. Sidney and Mrs. Her bert, and Sir William and Lady Molesworth. The band of the 2d Life Guards attended in the Castle during dinner, and performed the following music : March. Overture, "La Gazza Ladra" Rossini. Waltz, " Nordlander" Labitzky. Grand Selection, " Il Prodigue" Auber. Quadrille, " Gizelle" Musard. Galop, " Immergrun" • The Conscript's Farewell March Kuhner. Her Majesty's private band afterwards attended and played the following compositions : Sinfonia No. 1, Op. 38—Andante un poco. Maestoso, Allegro molto vivace, Larghetto, Scherzo molto vivace, Trio, Coda, Allegro animato e grazioso ...... Schumann. Divertissement, " Le Prophbte" ........... Meyerbeer. The Committee on Education of the Privy Council had a meeting yesterday, which was attended by the Lord President, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Duke of Argyll, Lord John Russell, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr. John F. Leslie Foster had an interview with the Duke of Newcastle yesterday at the Colonial-office. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has removed, with Mrs. Gladstone and family, from Carlton-gardens to his official residence in Downing -street. Dispatches were received at the Colonial-office, yes terday, from the Governor of Gibraltar. Dispatches were sent yesterday to the Governor-General of Canada. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat ye, terday. An appeal from the Prerogative Court, "Farlar v. Lane," was resumed. PRIVY COUNCIL.—At the Privy Council appointed to be held on Monday next at Windsor Castle, the prin cipal official business to be transacted is understood to be the setting before her Majesty the roll of high sheriffs of the various counties. The ancient ceremony to be observed is, we believe, thus :—The list of names will be submitted to the Queen, and her Majesty will thrust a golden bodkin through the paper, and which ever name is pierced, the same becomes high sheriff. OFFICIAL PROMOTION.—The Customs authorities have issued a general order to all the ports in the kingdom, directing, that in the case of an officer removed from one part to another on promotion, the amount of salary due to him to the date of his giving up charge of his office should be paid before he quits the port ; any subsequent payment in consequence of such removal and promotion being subject to the directions of the au thorities in the matter. STATE OF THE CHURCH MARKET.—Messrs. Shuttle worth and Sons, the auctioneers, in their February list of property for sale, -remark on the demand which exists for property of various descriptions, and add that " ad vowsons and church property are sought with avidity, and maintain their value." ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.--,FRENCH piA.rs. A new piece, entitled Tambour Battant, which, hoer ever, Ii! made its appearance in this country in a native garb, as Taking by Storm, was produced here last night, in which M. Ravel played the principal part. A young lady who has determined to marry nobody who doe° anything like anybody else, finds at length a spouse in M. Ravel, who comes to look after lodgings which she is to quit in six weeks, but which he wants sooner —"In ten minutes "—and who, by the perfect ease of his im pudence, the cleverness of his volubility, and his deter mination not to have the house, first excites the wrath, and then the mirth and interest of the lady. The in truder is an artist, and he has also made a vow that he will only marry a lady whom he never saw, and of whose existence he was only conscious by having pressed her foot when travelling in the unlighted coupe of a dili gence. His only clue to, the fair one's identity is small pistol which he finds after she has left the vehicle, and by this means he, of course, discovers that his hostess is the inamorata in question. Accordingly he offers his hand and heart, but the lady not at first ac cepting either, he proves that he answers to her beau , ideal of a husband by crowding together all the visits, letters, and observances of a courtship into a ten minutes' interval--a feat certainly never performed by any lover but himself before, and which is accordinglY duly successful. The character was one whioh gave full play to M. Ravel's peculiar powers, and, in spite of a severe cold, we never saw him to greater advantage than in the rattling, audacious, and light-hearted lover of last night. There was another novelty—a little piece played first—entitled, Diviser pour Regner, slightly extrava g ant in its construction, but which served to introduce tIVO debutantes, M. Fede and Madame Marimont, both vain able additions to the company. To-night M. Ravel makes his first appearance in L'Etourneau. SOCIAL SOIREE OF REFORMERS AT ..13 MANCHESTER. • A social soiree or reunion of the leading Reformers of • the county of Lancaster, and their representatives, took place on Thursday evening at the Town-hall, Manchester, • 1 of a pleasant and successful character. From 300 to 400 invitations had been issued, and the room was very crowded. After partaking of refreshments,. the business commenced, a little before 7 o'clock, by Mr. George Wilson taking the chair, supported by Mr. John Bright, M.P., Mr. T. M. Gibson, M.P., Mr. Joseph Brotherton, ' M.P., Mr. James Heywood, M.P., Mr. J. Kershaw, M.P. Mr. Charles Hindl e y, M.P., and Mr. George Hadfield, M.P. Among other gentlemen present were —Mr. Alexander Henry (late member for the county)) Mr. Thomas Bailey, Mr. Bailey, Mr. A. Buckley, Mr. Henry Ashworth, Sir Elkanah Armitage, Mr. Sal Schwabe, Mr. E. R. Langworthy, Mr. Watkin Lees, Mr. John Platt, Mr. R. N. Philips, Mr. R. Munn, • Mr. F. Steiner, Mr. F. J. Philipi, &c. There were* gentlemen present, in fact, from Liverpool, Lancaster, Blackburn, Burnley, Preston, Bolton, Oldham, Roch dale, Stockport, Ashton, Bury, and almost every town in the county. The CHAIRMAN took a review of the various county and borough election struggles in Lancashire during the last 20 years (since the Reform Bill) ; and after congra tulating the meeting on the result of the recent returns, and urging upon his friends not to let success render them careless of the registration, said, he felt strongly indignant that their power in the Legislature should be so limited, in consequence of the arrangements made at the period of the Reform Bill. He would not do aril such thing, but he thought that reasons could be shown why 25 of these members should be taken away and given to the towns possessing a population of *el? 10,000 of 25,000, which were now wholly unreproseutew And the most timid reformer and most moderate man would hardly object to the disfranchisement of those boroughs which had a population less than 5,000, and to handing over the 20 members to those large con stituencies. He would go further, and say that no man- could object to take one, at least, of the members those cases, and hand him over to those districts which were so fearfully unrepresented. Under the new Reform Bill they would have the same franchise in Manchester and in Buckingham. The protec tion to the voter, whatever it was, would be th e same ; but, when they came to this question of the dis tribution of seats, which was the true leverage by which they were to correct abuses, and to give its due weight to populati on , p ro p er ty, an d i n d us t r i a l r ights, it would be found that the struggle would commence, and that it would be ten times more difficult to give them their fair and just r i g h ts, as l arge an d i mprov i ng cons tit u encies' than in gi v i ng (Cheers.) them a low franchise and the ballet• The Right Hon. T. M. GissoN, M.P., was receieed with great c h eer i ng. H e sa i d —Al t h oug h t h e budget f the late Ministry, as a whole, was bad, and althouP the attempt to repeal half the malt-tax, and substitute an increased house-tax, was an impolitic proposition ill my opinion, still there were good indications of fot i l - policy i n th a t b udget. (Hear, hear.) And I hope that those indicatio ns w ill no t be lost sight of by by the Se e l cessors of the late Government, particularly in referen ce , to one propo s iti on —l mean w i t h regar d to t h e t ea duties' in which this district must take a most especial inter est. (Hear.) Lord Derby's Government came into of fice ' p ( y l r a e oa u vr g e h lm t B e es r n4 ) t lived, produced its plan, died, and all in ten mon ths d a a l lny baare ee those tlool measures bweinpgu tthoeff pt o ro f i i siit : mt : wta that shouldaref expected,reform,aetu Government no less a period than 14 a out - requiring from them th a t they shoti 15 months,_ 0 ,-aj sign. (Hear, hear.) A n d was there ever etio a . when the matter could be undertake n better a thL the present one ? Are we not now capable of considering this question calmly and deliberately ?—cian it be said that a measure of reform would be hastily carried in a scramble , and by a mere concession to clamour, or ill-considered demands ? Nothing of the kind. (Hear, hear.) 115 would be his endeavour, as it would no doubt be that of his hon. colleague, to enforce these views in Par e" meat without going into needless opposition to the G°: vernment. They would at the same time endeavour to promote, to the utmost of their ability, those great pond"ciples of public policy which he believed were sanctiollet": by the constituency of Manchester, and conducive to the welfare of the whole population. (Loud cheers.) f . Mr. BROTHERTON, M.P., said, the Reform Bi ll 1832 was considered a great measure, and yet it by disappointed many, who thought that it was not nest' extensive enough. (Hear, hear.) Every reform will ° was not complete must set the people after other re' forms, and obtaining those measures which tend to Pr . t . Ti mote their happiness an d com f or t. No Reform -Di' would be satisfactory at this time which did not propose , to equalise the distribution of the representation. (sea s ' hear.) The com merc i a l an d manu f ac t ur ing distrie t must,insist on getting their fair share of political power. (Applause.) The hon. member then alluded to the eds . ' cation question and the various schemes proposed. Ye hoped the people would say explicitly what they want s e " He was almost in favour of any general scheme, if it spected the rights o f consc i ence an d a d m itted .11 t° benefits. (Applause.) Tit Mr. J. HEywoon moved, and Mr. H. AstiWOß seconded the following resolution : " That this meeting requests the Liberal members c° , ll : netted with the county o f L ancas t er t o cons id e r selves a committee for the purpose of aiding in ailY% . ceedings with reference to Parliamentary reform, w" t he view to secure suc h a dditi ona l representat i ves ' for 0 county as its population, industry, wealth, and hatellig en require." up Mr. BRIGHT, M.P ., made a lengthened speec h in %At port of the resolution, and concluded thus :—I '',. to an extension o f th e f ranch i se to household suffrage; sti e d a 51, franchise, would be to a large extent an unmitlPtho evil in many districts, if it were not accompanied by as , ballot. (Cheers.) It would lead of necessity to the the moralisation of the workmen, and ultimately, by the temptation it would hold out to us, it would lead t o demoralisatio n o f th e employers. (Hear, hear, and se t plause.) W e ll , now, we are going next week to mii' the new Government, and the new circumstanc es 00 which we find ourselves. Mr. Gibson stated the e u ti c , which he sh ou ld pursue—Mr. Brotherton, that coincided i n that view--I am willing to subscribe to w they said. Our position has been one of perfect in de r c e, dence. Whether Lord Melbourne were In ° rra whether Sir Robt. Peel were in office, whether -- John Ruisell were in office, whether Lord Derby 11 1 03 0 office, or w h e th er L ord Aberdeen be in office, Itss;,,itli. to me that our d u t y i s precisely the same—to l oo k so all the favour that honest men in favour of r eforol ea t look upon Governments, surrounded as they are by g foos difficulties, a n d having (even when honest and an ! B op to do ri g ht) t o contend with most powerful interests for posed to th em . (Hear, hear.) But we must nol ro w get that we are the representatives of industry, of for hers, of intelligence, and of wealth ; that we g o to liament opposed to many antiquated blunders, to in g e ; hoary abuses, to many selfish and mischievous priv il , e thio (Hear, hear.) We must not forget that everythi e :t 4 oci. country has gained since the revolution of 16 8 °, especially everything of late years—has been ein s ' sss es manly contest of the industrial and commercial e e th io against the aristocratic and privileged classes oi ng i o t country. We must carry on the same e49 es ults There are great things yet to be done. The r of past exertions are most encourain —there is a ri f ore field Wore us fo r future e xer t ions and future lore cess. When lam permitted to speak here or elsel,in without the walls of Parliament I would alwaYa y S P h e e heire' favour of what I believe to be just, and owhraaetrle..l.-nhclooi: to be profitable and advantageous to the people ; the House of Commons I do not aspire t mentary displays, or to the mere seeking of bf ac 'be th e ours or emoluments. I would rather aspire to t do' faithful representative of this great constituency' re° as ae eli sii j 0 fend all its rights and interests—(cheers)--te far as possible c all the liberties we now possess,. more lay up, if it possible for our children a still O re glorious inheritance of freedom than our f atilell4 pd t° , able to bequeath to us. (Loud cheers.) The resolution twermias.nthaetnedunanimously agreed v— the and Th p qua rter o'clock. about a LITERATUBE. engravings r sti 1 T firil u e the Art Journal of this m.ontb•c jr Angler's ____ The second is a beautiful picture 61- ` info" Th,e.,, from a painting of Mulready's °I, c ,l l ll O Hook ;,, not • rior in. att • and the third, which is . ,, e i n 1745. A jriac,tion, represents Westminster-Pri"...t' to Rome • ' Artist's Ramble from Antwrisreos is illustrated by several woodcuts• ‘ vror tllf as a Fi ne Art, „ Pouss es the mast attention of all ladies. No. 19 of tn.„-' : ,1, 0 10 by Mrs. Merrifield, is Well 00,3 of Art continues the "History of ' Li" -, Art of 111 ." There are also articles on then _°..o. ornaMenting metals, and art in the proiluv'