The Sun. — London, England, 1853-04-15 00:00:00

OIIALLIS, Mayor.—A COMMON COUNCIL, holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London, on. Thursday, the 14th day of April, 1853, Resolved unanimously, That a loyal and dutiful Address be pre sented to hPr Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, on the auspicious occasion of the birth of a Prince MEREWETHER. TO THE PROPRIETORS OF EAST INDIA STOCK. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THE continued kind support of my friends and my increased strength by the accession of a further number or Inflow - Iva proprietors, had led me to hope that I should have been obis to fulfil the in ention I expressed in my letter of Bth November la it, to solicit your suffrages for the next vacancy in the East Inc is Direction ; but the unexpected termination of the contest between Mr. Madoribanks and Mr. Morris, satisfies me that I might only embarrass my friends and compromise my position by going to the ballot against Mr. Morris. I may, however, be permitted, after so long an interval, to allude to my letter of 4th May, 1850, stating that the motives which influenced me to seek the office of a Director were ccnsequent on my retirement from mercantile pursuits, which had connected me with India during a period of twenty-thi ee thus ensblirg me to devote my undivided time to duties so much in unison with my strong and early feelings towards India and its people. I hope, also, that the public zeal shown by my late father, Sir Charles Forbes, during a long residence at Bombay, and after wards both in and out of Parliament, to promote the best interests or India and its native population, combined with my own syngathy for India as my birthplace, may be received by you as a guarantee my earnest endeavour to imitate my father's example. I have the honour to be, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, Your obliged and obedient Servant, GEORGE FORBES. 7, Hyde-park-garden., 14th April, 1553. HICAGO and MISSISSIPPI .RAILROAD. N..) —First Mort.cage Bonds of 1,000 dollars each, redeemable in 20 years, from Ist October, 1852; and Interest, payable in yew York, on the Ist of April and the Ist of October, at the rate of 7 per cent. per annum. By Or ler of the Directors, the Coupons will be paid, as they be come dun, on presentation, at Messrs. Dimsdale, Drewett, and Co., banbers, London, at the rate of 4s. Id per do'lar. -7 1 he Chicago a d Mississippi Railroad connects in nearly a straight line, the rapidly increasing city of Chicago, the great commercial port of Lake Michigan, with Alton and St. Louis, on the Mis sissippi. The - length of the line is 255 miles, in the course of which it passes through Springfield, the capital of the State of Illinois, and through the county towns of eight of its most flourishing count!, s. 72 miles of the read from Alton to Springfield were opened on the 10th of Seotember last; 59 miles more from Springfield to Bloomington, where It will connect with the Illinois Central Railroad, are expected to be opened In August of the present year, and the remainder by January, 1854. The receipts on the small portion of the road now open have al ready exceeded 600 dollars per day, and more goods have been of fered than the Company has been able to convey. The Ca dial Stock of the t. ompany authorised to be created is 3,500,003 dollarS, of which there has been already subscribed and secured to the Company 2,500,000 dollars. The Bond+ now offered are part of the first and only Mortgage of 2,000,000 dollars. t a meeting of the Board of Directors, held on the 7th of October, 1852, it was resolved that, after the expiration of one year from the completion of the road, a sufficient sum for the redemption of the Bonds, when they become due, shall be reserved every haif-year out of the profits of the Company, before any dividends are made on the Stook. The cost of the Railroad including the plant, is estimated at 4,250,000 dollarg, and the nett income at 645,000 dollars, which is equiva!ent to more than 15 per cent. on the whole outlay. A portion of th e b on d s are new of f ere d to th e public at 89 y'eld per cent or 2001. ss. for each 1,000 dollars. At this price, they teres being 141. interest in to the subscriber hilly 7 per cent. per a"num'T"o Ss. 10d. per bond ; an d the holder will, in a probability, incur no loss at the period o f redemption, from the exchange with America. Further particulars may be obtained of , and applications for the bonds made to FOSTER and BRAITHWAITE 6S, Old Broad-street. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Under the Management of Mr. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, APRIL 15, Will be performed ELOPEMENTS IN HIGH LIFE. By Messrs. B. Sullivan, Chippendale, Howe, W. Farren, Buckstone, and Comp. ton ; Mesdames Fitzwilliam, Roynoldq, L. S. Buckingham, &c. After which MR. BUCKSTONL'S ASCENT OF MOUNT PAR. IFIASSUS. To conclude with OUR MARY ANNE. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean. THIS EVENING, APRIL 15, Will be performed the Tragedy of MACBETH. Principal charac ters by Sir. and Mrs. C. Kean. After which will be performed the new Drama, adapted from the the French of Mons. Scribe, by Mr. Pa!grave Simpson, called MARCO SPADA—by Messrs, W. Lacy, J. Vining, Rydyr, Graham, and Everett; Miss Heath and Mist C. Leclercq ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestris. THIS EVENING, APRIL 15, Will be performed USED UP. Frmelpal character Mr. C. Mathews: After which, THE GOOD WOMAN IN THE WOOD. Charac• tern by Messrs. F. Matthews, Suter, Horncastle, and Templeton; Madame Vestris, Itsses Robertson, Eglinton, &c. To conclude with A HOUSE OUT OF WINDOWS. THEATRE ROYAL IDELPHL Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster. —Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING, Aran. 15, Will be performed A DESPERATE GAME. After which, MASKS AND FACE 4 ; or, Before and Behind the Curtain —by Messrs. B Webster, L. Murray, Honey, P. Bedford, and 0. Smith ; Mesdames Celeste, Woolgar, &c. To be followed by BE FSY B AKER—by Mr. and Mrs. Keeley. To conclude with PEPINO THE DUMB BOY, AND PUG, HIS MONKEY. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Farren. Second Appeasame of Mr. Henry Farren. THIS EVENING, Apart 15, Will be performed I , IC NO QUESTIONS. Supported by Messrs. H. Farren, G. Cooke, and Morgan ; Mesdames Gordon, Turner, and Bartlett. To be followed by CATCHING AN HEIRESS. Tom Twig, Mr. Robson. To conclude with SALVATORI ; or, the Bandit's Daughter. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke. Unprecedented success of the New Spectacle, which nightly in creffes in popularity and attraction.—The novel and womb-out Feats of the Horses, the Passage of the Burning Forest, the Leap through Fire, and the terrific spring of Amakosa's Steed from the fearful Heights over the Falls of the Umtata are nightly hailed With perfect enthusiasm. Mr. Cooke bat been for months training the flo.ses for the astonishing Feats. TIIIS EVENING, Aran, 15, An 1 dur"rig the Week, the Performances will commence with the mantic( nt rpectscle entitled A3I AKOSA ; or, Scenes of Kafir w,rfare ; with new and brilliant scenery, costumes, and appoint ments. To be followed by an entire change in the ever-popnl tr Scones in the CIRCLE, introducing the most accomplished Equestrian and Uymnastic Artistes of the day. To conclude with a Laughable FARCE. • B ~ . .netiee open daily from Eleven to Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. II ICH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tars DAT —Morning 43 min. after 5 Evening 2 min.aft. 6 To- Ifo :row—Morning 23 min. after 6 I Evening 50 min.aft. 6 THE WEATHER.—Sun OPTICS, APRIL 15. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 54—highest sinco noon yesterday. 39—lowest this morning and during the night. 49 this day at noon. BAROMETER, 30'21. WIND, N.E.—Dull cloudy weather. 4 gt 0. „, - ' , t*. z 3431,,, LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 1853. Another Ministerial defeat—the second during the week—and on a fiscal subject ! The mantle of Sir CHARLES Woon appears to have descended with double power on Mr. GLADSTONE,. and unless that Right Hon. Gentleman exhibit very unequi vocal evidence that he has profited by the salutary —though rather unpleasant—lessons he has re ceived, the " joint-stock " Administration will speedily have to submit to the operation of a Legislative " winding-up." All the stereotyped cant that had been used usque ad nauseam by the most unpopular and incompetent Minister that ever mismanaged the national finances, appears to have been carefully preserved by the present occu pant of the office, and brought out on every pos sible occasion. He is not satisfied with enume. rating the invariable, and, almost solitary argument of the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Halifax, "that the tax" (no m a tt er h ow i nequitable or im politic) " produces so many thousands per annum to the Exchequer, which he is certainly not pre pared to relinquish," but, in the exuberance of his eloquence, launches forth into all the worn-out and oft-refuted fallacies—as if they were as indis putable as proofs of Holy Writ. He is particu larly great on the "time" question. Everything is either too early or too late. " Too early," if the opinion of the House is demanded before he has given expression to his views ; " too late," if the financial arrangements have been concluded and the votes on the Budget taken ; while any introduction of the disagreeable topic during the discussion on the financial scheme would be an unpardonable crime--an offence of very serious magnitude. The Right Hon. Gentleman seems to be strongly impressed with (what we had supposed to be) the exploded doctrine of the fiscal infallibility of the Financial Mini s t er the “right divi ne "of Chan reveßucellors of the Exchequer to deal w ith t h e national e just as they t hpienokoperloper, and, that the representatives of the to register more nor less than political serfs bou;rd,e, bated degbister their " ukases," and to accept With deep humility" the boons, which in the rth and of their bounty, they condescend toP be.sttde He even grew facetious on the point, and suggested an additional saving— the sugefes tion was heartily cheer, l by the Hon ourable Gentleman, the Member for' Lambeth —by the abolition of the situation lie now holds. He intended to convey an intimation of what appeared to him to be the "highly ludicrous notion," that the office could be put in com mission ; the Board consisting of the framers of amateur budgets—of all who are sufficiently bold to question the ipse dixits of the financial would be au t oc rat. We confess, however, that the proposition appears to be well I f9rthy_of serious consideration ; for certainly, as the office has been filled for six out of the last seven years, its aboli tion would accomplish not merely a saving of 5,0001., with contingent retiring pensions, but would insure a mush more efficient discharge of its duties. The hint may be taken in a very different manner from that in which it was in tended. If the Right Hon. Gentleman had accepted the salutary warnings conveyed to him not very long since, he might have been saved this great humiliation—a humiliation very injurious to the Cabinet of which he is a leading member. The objections to the different " Taxes on Know ledge "—more particularly to that, the least pro ductive of all, which has now been unequivocally condemned by a decisive majority —were then clearly and distinctly pointed out. He might, had he bestowed the attention on the sub ject which it so eminently merited, have then, ascertained the true state of the case and the imperative necessity of conceding, to that extent at least, the just demands of the Fourth Estate. Unfortunately he was misled by an inconsiderate suggestion in favour of a species of compromise —a reduction of the duty to 6d. The apparent division—the want of union—had un doubtedly a powerful effect. Mr. GLADSTONE naturally thought that, where the parties were not agreed amongst themselves, he could af ford to disregard all their complaints and all their applications. And this feeling was unquestionably increased by a subsequent applica tion from the representatives of three of the lead ing metropolitan journals, of every grade and variety of political opinion, from the highest Conservatism to extreme Radicalism, including the juste milieu, in favour of the injudicious pro- position. An application the more to be re gretted, as it was made without the sanction or even the knowledge of others with whom they had previously co-operated. It had its effect, however, and most probably in some degree induced, Mr. GLADSTONE to refuse any concession whatsoever. The majority of 31 has, however, pruved to him the necessity of progress. It is not yet t3o late for him to regainthe place which he has nelrly forfeited. After the vote that has been Oven, he must give up the Advertisement Duty. They have been condemned by a righteous judg ment, and nothing can ever again render them at all tolerable. He has no longer any discretion or choice on the subject. The matter has been finally disposed of, and cannot now be altered. But on the other points, where a locus peni tentice still remains, we would once more cau tion the Right Honourable Gentlemen not to imi tate the perversity exhibited by the present President of the Board of Control. The ad mirable letter read by Mr. JAMES MACGREGOR in the course of his very able speech, must satisfy any unprejudiced person of the impolicy of the " wet blanket" on literature—the injudicious im post that prevents useful publications. This evil, however, admits of a gradual remedy. The re duction might easily be spread over three years. One halfpenny per lb. per annum would afford very perceptible relief, and prove entirely satisfactory to the parties chiefly interested. If that altera tion were to commence in October, there could be no loss of any description during the financial year ending sth of April next, and any diminution from that source would be fully made up from other branches in the ensuing years, until the boon came into full practical operation. We trust that he will, while there is yet time, before Mon day evening, revolve these matters in his mind, and that a happy result may follow this considera tion. We cannot conclude without bestowing well merited praise upon Mr. DISRAELI for the candid announcement of the resolution at which he had arrived. It shows how fully we were justified in the opinion to which we gave expression, that more valuable re forms might be anticipated from the Ministry of which he was the leader in the popular branch of the Legislature, than from others who arrogated to themselves the title of " Liberal," and who re fused to show fair play to their opponents. Parliament is no Garden of the Hesperides— although the fanciful may see in it the golden fruits of legislation guarded by the Dragons of Experience. It is something very different, in deed, from a realm of faeryland, where the repre sentatives of the people may dream away their time with a confident reliance upon human per fectibility, and in a delightful conviction that the present age is rapidly approaching the Millennum. Perhaps the British House of Commons is the most matter-of-fact assembly in Christendom. Latterly the truth of this has been growing every session, more and more, unmistakeably apparent. Within the last quarter of a century the predo minating influence of reason or sheer plain sense has affected even the style of oratory and the method of discussion. Nowadays, we wager that Mr. BURKE would be laughed at " consumedly" if he were to venture upon throwing another dagger upon the floor of the Legislature. Colonel SIBTHORP himself could scarcely excite more merri ment, we fancy, by the most preposterous display of his eccentric rhodomontade. Nay, we ques tion very much if th• Right Hon. Gentleman would not run the risk of following the destinies of poor FEAROUS O'CONNOR, and wake up some fine morn ing in Dr. TUBE'S Lunatic Asylum at Turnham green—to find himself pronounced insane by a commission de lunatico inquirendo. Why, exa mine for a moment the nature of our Parliamen tary proceedings. Can anything be more diffe rent from what they were in the days of our fore fathers ? Conservatism may still be rather too much the vogue in other quarters, but in that at least the change effected has been—radical. Some might presume even to insinuate that it has been only another illustration of the " deformed trans formed." Regarded in any point of view, it must be allowed to be sufficiently remarkable. Instead of senators, the country seems to have secured the services of a body of exceedingly shrewd and sen sible vestrymen. Statistics with them appear to have almost entirely superseded the flowers of rhetoric. Their blue-books, the printed record of their more important doings—sold, appropriately enough (in consideration of their being the very reverse of " light reading "), according to their weight, in so many ounces avoirdupoise—afford a tolerable idea of the character of their current literature. . Remember, in fact, who those men are who are admitted to be the principal orators among living statesmen. Scarcely one amongst them can be regarded as of that school in which Mr. PITT, and Mr. Fox, and Mr. CANNING, and Mr. WHITBREAD were prominently illustrious. Possibly in elevation of style, and dignity of manner, Mr. GLADSTONE may be considered to be one of their political descendants—but then Mr. GLADSTONE is amongst ourselves, at this moment, almost a solitary exception. His contemporaries, as debaters, resemble him in hardly one parti cular. The majority of them speak from the floor of the House of Commons as they speak from the platform of the hustings. They address the SPEAKER (apart from mere forms) as they do their constituents. And so, the tone of the House has become lowered, we conceive, and this almost within the experience of the present gene- ration. Nevertheless—matter of fact as we are, loving statistics as we do, preferring common sense be fore appeals to the imagination —we doubt very much whether more work than of yore is actu ally accomplished within any given time by the Members of the British Legislature. It is a s q i i d ie e s r t a i t o i n o oe take mrea are musing m e I n , s t entitled d to over some matters little affect ing con the welfare of nations when we are observing the progress of those discussions which are marked at intervals by divisions, or by the passing of memorable Acts of Parliament.. We are not lingering-over an idle day-dream. We are not watching the course taken by the silver rivulet of Sir RICHARD FANSIIA,WE or listening t o th e warble of th e birds , " Timing with stops of gold the silver stria Very diff erent is the g." sounds accompanying the current of those proceed ings of the Imperial Legislature. Everythi ng th ere We have intimated, 11 3 / 4 an a ppearance of ear nes t labour ~and energetic, occupation. There are the THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 15, 1853. driest details in abundance. There are the most • pains-taking investigations. But, how about the results—how about the fruits of all this elaborate preparation—how about the veritable performances of this laborious and indefatigable Parliament ? 01 Ince over the legislative history of the last few months, as furnished by the stenographers of HANSARD, and we conjecture that the community will be dismayed at the little good really accom plished after all this seeming assiduity. Posi tively, the duties of the House of Commons ap pear to have latterly resolved themselves into these two very notable ones—to wrangle and to pro crastinate. Everything of real import is made in turn the subject of a prolonged squabble, and this squabbling almost invariably ends in postpone ment. ELECTION COMMITTEES.-(THIS DA Y. LEICESTER. The committee decided this morning that Sir J. Walmsley and Mr. Gardiner were duly elected. COCKERMOUTH. This committee came to a resolution declarinc , Mr. Aglionby duly elected. Counsel then opened the case on the part of Gen. Wyndham. TYNEMOUTH. The following resolutions were agreed to by this com mittee this morning : " That Hugh Taylor, Esq., is not duly elected to serve as a burgess in the present Parliament for the borough of Tynemouth; and that the said election was a void election. " That a system of corruption prevailed at the last election, by means of refreshment tickets, on both sides. "That the committee were of opinion that corrupt practices had extensively prevailed at the last election, and generally in the borough of Tynemouth." COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.-(THIS DAY. This being the first day of Easter Term, the judges of this Court, after breakfasting with the Lord Chancellor, proceeded to Westminster, and took their seats on the bench shortly after 2 o'clock. Their Lordships were— Lord Campbell, Mr. Justice Wightman, Mr. Justice Erle, and Mr. Justice Crompton. Immediately after the entry of their lordships the oaths as a privy councillor were administered to Lord Raglen, late Lord Fitzroy Somerset. Mr. James, chancery barrister, having been appointed by her Majesty a counsel learned in the law, was re quested by Lord Campbell to take his seat within the bar, which be did accordingly. Their Lordships then heard some motions, but none of them possessed any feature of interest. COURT CIRCULAR. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited her Majesty yesterday at Buckingham Palace. His Royal Highness Prince Albert, accompanied by their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, Prince Alfred, and the Princess Alice, and attended by Lieutenant-Colonel F. H. Seymour and Mr. Gibbs, visited the Gallery of the New Society of Painters in Water-colours, m Pall-mall, yesterday afternoon. His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horse back yesterday, attended by Lieutenant-Colonel F. H. Seymour. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess de Nemours visited her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent yesterday at Clarence-house. The Cathedral Commission met on Wednesday at their office in Parliament street. Present—The Arch bishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York, the Marquis of Blandford, the Earl of Harrowby, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Oxford, the Bishop of Lincoln (elect), Sir John Dodson, Sir John Patteson, Sir W. P. Wood, the Rev. Dr. Hook, the Rev. Dr. Wordsworth, the Rev. Canon Selwyn, and the Rev. Richard Jones (secretary.) A deputation, consisting of the Mayor of Plymouth, Dr. Alexander Cooleworthy, the Town Clerk of Ply mouth, the Chief Surveyor of ditto, and Mr. Toogood, parliamentary agent, had an interview with Sir William Molesworth yesterday at the office of Works and Public Buildings in Whitehall•place. Lord Raglan had an interview with the Duke of Newcastle yesterday at the Colonial-office. The Solicitor-General for Scotland and Mr. Adam Urquhart (Sheriff of Wigtownshire), Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses, had an interview on Wednesday with the Right Hon. E. Cardwell at the Board of Trade. A deputation, consisting of the Hon. W. Cowper, M.P., Mr. F. Chambers, M.P., and Mr. J. Marchant, had an interview yesterday with Sir William Molesworth at the office of Works and Public Buildings, in White hall-place. Lord John Russell had a Parliamentary dinner party on Wednesday, at his residence in Chesham-place. Mr. John Wood, chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue, and Mr. Pressly, had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official residence in Downing:street. Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office from the Governors of the Gambia and Gold Coast. Despatches were sent off yesterday to the Governors of the Cape of Good Hope, the Mauritius, St. Helena, and Sierra Leone. LLOYDS' SIIIPPINO-(THIS DAY.) LONDON, April 15.—Wind this day at Noon, N.N.W., light breeze, and dull hazy weather. DEAL, April 14.—Wind, N.N.E., strong. Arrived from the River, and sailed—Envoy, for Melbourne • Princes Sophia, Sydney, N.S.W. ; Emma Gordon, do. ; Amethyst, Valparaiso ; Spheroid, St. Vincent ' • Scandinavian, Mira michi ; Prima, Quebec ; Christian, do. ; Geo. Wilkinson, do. ; Freya, do. ; Promise, do. ; Scud, Turk's Island. SOUTHAMPTON, Aprill4.—Wind, N.W. Sailed—Eliza beth, Port Philip ; Indiana (s), Cape of Good Hope and East Indies. Arrived—lberia (s), Gibraltar, &c. The Orestes, London to Adelaide, has put into Lisbon, le a ky. LIVERPOOL, April 14.—Wind, N.N.W. Sailed— Ro mulus, Adelaide, S.A. • Britannia, Jamaica ; Wave, Ha vannah ; Leonie, Charleston ; Commerce, New York ; Jane, do. ; Harriet Frances, Boston ; Columbus, Quebec ; Hannah, Newfoundland ; Wilkinson, do. ; Helena Chris tina, Adelaide, S.A. ; Joseph Bushley, Calcutta; Owen Potter, do. ; Czar Peter, San Francisco ; Marion, St. Thomas ; Scumdina, Havaaanah ; Camelia, do. ; Philadel phia, Philadelphia ; Ariel, New York ; Rappahamock, do. ; Canton, Wisconsen ; Fitton, Miramichi. Off Port— Margaret (s). I EXETER HALL—Handers "Israel in Egypt," will be performed this (Friday) evening. Madame Clara No velle and Herr Staudigl, who have arrived in London, make their first appearance on this occasion. LETTERS AND NEWSPAPERS FOR AUSTRALlA.—Yes terday notice was issued at the General Postoffice, St. Martin's-le-Grand, that the Osmanli contract mail steam packet would sail from Liverpool to-morrow (Saturday), the 16th inst., with the Australian mails. Letters and newspapers will be in time this evening, the 15th inst. By command of the Postmaster-General, the mails for the Cape of Good Hope, which were on board th e Os manli, were disembarked and forwarded to Plymouth, to be put on board the Indiana, which sails this day, the 15th inst., with mails for the Cape, Mauritius, Ceylon, Ascension, and India. THE ACCIDENT ON THE SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY. --SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY.—The poor woman who met with such a serious accident at the Southampton Railway terminus yesterday, is progressing favourably. On a surgical examination immediately after the occur rence, the injuries were not found to be so extensive as at first imagined, but it was deemed necessary to ampu tate one of her feet, just above the ankle joint. The operation was skilfully performed at the Southampton Infirmary, where the sufferer still lies. She was a pas senger from London, en route for Dorchester, and the accident is attributed solely to her own recklessness in attempting to cross the metals at the wrong place, just as a train was running in. The danger incurred by the woman was instantly observed by the railway porters, who by their united exertions prevented more than one carriage passing over her. GENERAL SCREW STEAM SHIPPING COMPANY.—An adjourned meeting of this corporation was held yester day a noon, in the offices of the company, 2, Royal Exchange-buildings, to receive the accounts for the last half-year, and for other purposes. The chairman announced that the accounts were now ready for the inspection of the shareholders, but said it was necessary that a further adjournment should take place, in order that the accounts might be properly audited and confirmed. He had to propose, therefore, that the general meeting of the company should be postponed till the 28th inst. when the dividend for the past six months would be declared, and the directors would make an important communication' relative to the postal ser vices performed by the company. In reply to a question, the chairman stated that the Mauritius had not yet arrived from India and the Cape, though she was now about a month past due. He regretted to add that, according to last acounts, she had lost her screw, and was sailing , under canvas. She was full of passengers, but he did not apprehend any more rerious result from the accident which had happened than the loss of the voyage. He understood that she left the Cape on the 25th of February, and if she did not arrive before that time, he had no doubt the next mail would bring farther intelligence of her whereabouts. The meeting was then adjourned till the 28th. MYSTERIOUS SUICIDE OF A GENTLEMAN OF FORTUNE. —Frederick Parnell, Esq., of Belfield-terrace, com mitted suicide at the Royal Hotel, Weymouth, on Saturday last, by firing a pistol just above his right ear, thereby causing instantaneous death, the ball having passed through his head and come out just above the top of the left ear, and entering the wall. Two letters were found on the table, one addressed to Mr. Luce, of the Royal Hotel, requesting that he might be recompensed for any inconvenience or loss he should be put to in consequence of his having committed self-destruction in his house ; and the other addressed to Colonel Freestun, M.P., and directed to be opened in his and his (deceased's) brother's pre sence. The deceased was a staunch supporter of the colonel's. The contents of the latter letter are not yet known. The affair has caused great sensation in the town, and it is remarkable that the report of the pistol was not heard by any one in the house. The deceased gentleman was of somewhat - reserved habits, considered eccentric, and about 60 years of age.--#Merborrta QuraccZ, MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.) Domestic merchandise Foreign merchandise, free Foreign merchandise, dutiable, Specie and bullion 1852. 1853. .$4,313,245 $4,705,007 100,557 29,732 357,230 299,656 611,944 592,479 Total $5,382,976 $5,626,874 There does not appear to have been much differ ence in the aggregates. The increase is confined entirely to exports of domestic merchandise. The movements of specie have been very uniform. The advices by the Overland Mail from India are, in relation to commercial affairs, not quite so satisfactory. At Bombay, trade was dull, without any special reason being assigned, and the proba bility was, that the slacker demand for English fabrics was simply one of those " lulls" which so often occur both in the Bombay and Calcutta mar kets. The long passages which the vessels on the way out were making, were one alleged cause of the existing dullness. The abundance of money is an encouraging circumstance, and all Securities were in demand at Bombay. The rate of exchange was down a little, being 2s. old. per rupee. Public Securities have been very animated, and the defeat of Ministers upon the Advertisement Duty has not occasioned any fall in prices, although it may have repressed the rising tendency. The belief that Mr. Gladstone will yield with a good grace, is probably one cause of the support given to the market, but there are also other circumstances that have their weight. Just before the close of business yesterday, there was a large operation en tered into, said to be on behalf of a foreign capi talist, per cent. being given for the " call" of 200,0001. Consols at 101. This morning Mr. Capel sold 260,0001. New Threetrana-a-Quarter per Cents., and bought 260,0001. Consols, another proof that this latter security is very favourably thought of, and that the plan of conversion into Two-and-a- Half per Cents. is relatively too favourable and will be preferred therefore to the New Three-and-a-Half per Cent. St oc k C onso l s h ave b een 1001 to for transfer, and loot to for account. Bank Stock has been marked 225 to 226, being firm. The New Three and-a-Quarter per Cents., after realising 1031 and 1031, have receded upon the information above given to 104 Exchequer Bills of March are at 7s. premium ; those of June 4s. to ss. premium. Indian Bonds are 40s. premium. Mexican Bonds are looking up again, and have marked 28 to /. Peruvian Scrip i s 34 t o 4/ pre mium. Grenada Active Bonds realise 23i. Spanish. New Deferred Stock is worth 24/, and the Cer tificates are firmer at ei I, the Ministry at Madrid, according to the latest accounts, being still in office, with one exception. Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. are 65k to 66k. The Railway Share Market is much brisker and an improveraent of about x per cent. has occurred in the quotations. The chief business is in Aber deen, Great Northern, North Western and the York lines, and although the aggregate transac tions have not been large, the rise in prices is to per cent. French shares are very firm, with more doing. Upper India have been done at premium. The present mail, it is probable, has brought dispatches from the Governor General, bearing on this subject. The Gold Mines are quiet, but the Californian Companies look firm. The Joint Stock Bank Shares are dull. North of Spain Railway are called to pre mium ; Wiesbaden 1-16 d. discount to 1-16 d. pre mium ; Arica and Tacna par to premium, and Grand Trunk of Canada, 1i to 2i, after being 2i to 3- premium. Metcalfe Mine are up 2/., being 16k. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY. ( From the Official Lid.) _ Business done. Bank Stock 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities lOO 99 / 100 k 100 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities 11 Pi New 34 per Cent. Annuiti es Long Annuities, Expire sth J an., 0 4 1 I 1 1860 -16 5 $ 15-16 Ditto 30 Years, Expire 10th Oct., 1859 5 13-16 India Bonds, £lOOO Ditto, under £lOOO 4O Consols for Account Exchequer Bills Id. June. March. £lOOO.. Small 45 9 48 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. lOOl Chilian Bonds, 6 per Cent. .. .... Danish Bonds, 1825, 3 per cent B5 Grenada Bonds, Ex Dec., 1849, Coupon 234 Mexican 3 per Cent. 4 i Peruvian Scrip 3s p Spanish Bonds 3 per Cent 4Bs Ditto Account April 28 24i Spanish Committee Cert. of Coup. not fun 6$ p o Dutch Exchange 24 per Cent 654 6 4 Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificate5... Consols Ditto May Account THREE O'CLOCK. 100 E i 100 U NEWMARKET RACES. (THIS DAY.) (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) SWEEPSTAKES. 50 Boys. (fillies). D.M. Scandal Mayfair. Five ran. PART STAKES. King of Trumps Adine Four ran. MATCll.—Adeline beat Gossip. SWEEPSTAKES—Last Half Ab. M Napier colt Grinde Six ran. CHESTER CUP. 20 to 1 agst King of Trumps. MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT, AND PROBABLE Loss OF LIFE IN SERJEANT'S-INN, FLEET-STREET.----A very pain ful sensation has prevailed since Wednesday afternoon last, in the immediate vicinity of Serjeant's-inn, Fleet street, owing to the following melancholy occurrence, which it is feared will terminate fatally. From careful inquiries made it appears that Messrs. Keene and Mar shall, the auctioneers and surveyors, carry on an exten sive business at No. 2, in the before named inn, and amongst various articles sent for the firm to value was a single barralled gun. Both Mr. Keene and Mr. Mar shall minutely inspected the weapon, but were totally ignorant of the fact that it was partially loaded. On Tuesday afternoon a percussion cap was attached to the lock of the gun, which was struck by the hammer ; but although the cap exploded, it made no effect upon the contents of the barrel, which it was subsequently ascer tained, from the painful effects which followed, to have been half loaded. On Wednesday afternoon, between four and five o'clock, whilst Mr. Marihall was examining the gun, it suddenly exploded, and the contents lodged in the cheek and head of his unfortunate partner. The charge of the gun havinc , entered at the cheek travelled as far as the h ea d, where it finally settled. Blood in copious streams flowed from the wound, and we regret to state that Mr. Keene became so exhausted, that it was necessary to convey him to King's College Hospital, which was accordingly done, but at eight o'clock last evening he was pronounced to be in an exceedingly dan gerous condition, in fact the reporter was informed upon making inquiries at that institution, that no hopss could be entertained of his recovery. Not the least blame can be attributable to Mr. Marshall, who the moment after the distressing event took place proceeded to the Fleet street police station and gave the inspector on duty an account of the manner the occurrence happened. CITY, TWO O'CLOCK. The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesteday wero estimated at 10,000 bales. The market closed with animation, and compared with Friday's rates prices of American were 1-16 d., and Sea Island 2d. per lb. higher. The sales comprised 8,000 Ame rican, 500 Pernam and Maranhana at 6i-d to Bd., 20 Bahia at 6id, 300 Egyptian at 6/d to 7d, 700 Surat at 31d. to 4/d, and 300 Sea Island at Is. Bd. to 2s. 6d. per lb. Railway Shares were rather firmer. The aggregate business in the produce markets has been more limited this week. British Planta tion Sugar has been steady, but East India a shade lower. Coffee has been quite neglected, but Ceylon sorts maintain generally about the previous rates. Tea has been held- for rather fuller rates. Spices have been fully as dear, and cotton has been in fair demand at previous rates. Tallow has been firm and in request. In jute and hemp there has been less inclination to deal. The accounts from New York, received two days ago, reported a comparatively buoyant state of the Stock Market, money having become easier, and loans were negociabl e on b etter terms. At the latest date, however (according to letters of the Ist inst. just to hand), a slight re-action had oc curred, and indications of increased stringency were observable. Cotton had advanced id. to /d. per lb., owing to the accounts received from Europe, and the market for bread stuffs was firmer. During the month of March, the tonnage of vessels which entered New York, from all parts, amounted to 159,461 tons. The value of merchandise and specie exported during the month was 5,628,874 dollars, which contrasted favourably with the cor responding period in 1852. Freights were firm. The provision market was generally steady. The amount of specie entered at the New York Custom-house in the month of March was 6,471,258 dollars, of which 6,231,960 dollars were in gold dust. The number of vessels entered was 388 of 159,461 tons, of which 14,975 tons were B r iti s h, and 130,880 tons United States. The value of the exports from New York during March was as follows : IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.) TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE. Mr. GIBSON rose to move the following resolutions : " 1. That the advertisement duty ought to be repealed. 2. That the policy of restraining the cheap periodical press from narrating current events, by rendering it liable to stamp duties and other restrictions, `if any public news, intelligence, or occurrences, or any remarks or ob servations thereon,' be contained therein, is inexpedient, and at variance with the desire now generally expressed in favour of the diffusion of knowledge among all classes ; and it. appears also to this house that the law relative to taxes on newspapers, and other regulations affecting public prints, is in an unsatisfactory state, and demands the at tention of Parliament. 3. That the Excise duty on paper, while impeding the development of an important manu facture, also materially obstructs the production of good cheap literature ; and the maintenance of this tax, as a permanent source of revenue, would be impolitic and in consistent with the efforts which Parliament is now mak ing to promote education among th e grea t b o d y o f th e people.' Mr. Gibson said that he submitted his motion to the house in the form of three separate resolutions, in conse quence of having observed, though the three duties or taxes to which his resolutions referred might appear in the minds of many to be unconnected taxes, that neverthelef s for the last 130 years they had been dealt with by tl e Legislature at the same time, or nearly at the same time, and he viewed them as parts of a system, and of a policy which had been enforced in this country for, to a great extent, the purpose of restraining the press. (Hear, hear.) These duties had been imposed at the same time, and had been reduced at the same time ; but he did not now call upon the house, by embracing the three taxes in any one resolution, to commit itself by a'single vote to the full ex tent of his proposition. The resolutions would be sub mitted separately, and a vote for one would not commit any gentleman to a vote in favour of the others. He en tertained his own views on the expediency of dealing with them all, but he had not presumed to ask the house to go so far with him as to record its vote in favour of one broad and comprehensive resolution, embracing the three taxes. It might be stated, as a preliminary objection, that before bringing forward this question he ought to have waited until the house was in possession of the financial views of the Government, and had heard the Chancellor of the Ex chequer's statement of the position of the public revenue and expenditure of the country. He had had some expe rience in bringing forward this motion—though not in the present Parliament, yet in others, He had brought for ward the motion before the budget and after the budget, and his experience did not tell him that he was in the least benefitted by having deferred the proposition until after the budget. (Hear.) It appeared to him that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he was about to introduce any part of this scheme into his financial proposals, would not be in a worse position by having had a vote of the house in his favour. On the contrary, he conceived that the right hon. gentleman's hands would thereby be strengthened. If, however, the Chancellor of the Exchequer were not about to introduce any part of this scheme into the budget, who could say that a vote of that house might not suggest to the right hon. gentleman's mind,. that it might be desir able to consider, even between the present time and the period of his financial statement, the propriety of acquies cing in the views of the house ? He did not imagine that he was in the slightest degree going beyond the legitimate functions of a member of that house in inviting discussion either before or after the budget upon any part of the taxa tion of the country ; for, besides the question of the amount of money to be raised, there was another question —whether the money was raised in that manner which best consulted the interests and the welfare of the nation. (Hear, hear.) There were many ways of raising a given sum, and the suggestion of better ways than those which existed of doing so was, of all duties, the one which most devolved on independent members, and constituted a mat ter fit for discussion independent of the amount of money required. Indeed he had observed that Chancellors of the Exchequer were always content with "the goods the gods provided them," and were seldom themselves willing to look into the mode in which money was raised, if the country were only willing to have it raised in the manner hitherto adopted. His first resolution for the repeal of the advertisement duty related to the small amount of revenue and he would show shortly that there were reasons for be lieving that the revenue would be replaced. His second resolution raised a question of policy, and could hardly be said to relate to revenue at all. At all events, he could show that it might be dealt with by parliament, and no considerable portion of the revenue sacrificed. He admitted that his third and last resolution did affect a considerable amount of the public revenue, something like 900,0001. ; but if hon. members would consider the working of that resolution, they would see that it did not pledge the house to any immediate repeal of the duty on paper. He only asked the house to record its opinion that to maintain that duty as a permanent source of taxation, as a good tax, was a policy that ought not to be sanctioned, and that as early an opportunity as the circumstances of the country and safety of the public revenue permitted ought to be taken for the total abolition of this duty. It might be said that this was an abstract resolution of no practical utility, and that it was wrong for the house to commit itself for the future in matters of this description. There was a force in that objection, but nevertheless they were not to sup pose that upon no occasion was an abstract resolution to be submitted to the house. He had known great and benefi cial results arise from abstract resolutions, and he would remind the house that one of the very first acts of the pre sent parliament was to come to an abstract resolution, with the consent of both sides of the house, to the effect that they would maintain and prudently extend the free trade policy which did commit them undoubtedly to deal with the public revenue before the period when that precise proposition might be submitted to Parliament. So his resolution with regard to paper merely asked the house prudently and when the occasion befitted to deal with this tax as a tax adverse to the moral and educational interests of this country, and contrary to the policy which parliament was pursuing for the purpose of promoting education among the great masses of the people. He might point out various mischiefs that arose from this tax in a commercial point of view, but probably hi s argu ment would be common to other duties of Excise, and perhaps of no greater weight than might be applied to soap and other existing Excise duties. But there was a certain peculiarity about paper, in being connected with the diffu sion of knowledge among the people, which did not apply to other Excise duties. In a commercial point of view there were also peculiarities about it. Paper was an ar ticle manufactured from worthless raw materials, the whole of its value consisting of the labour upon it, and the money expended in its manufacture was distributed among la bourers ; it employed men, women, and children; it was a rural manufacture ; papermills were spread over the country districts, and there was no class in this country so interested in widening and developing the manufacture of paper as the residents in the various counties. There was an uneasiness in reference to the greatly increasing de parture of labourers from this land. If they wished to stay the tide of emigration, then let them open the field of employment at home, and, by removing this oppressive Excise duty on paper, which prevented the development of an important manufacture, keep the labouring families in the agricultural districts by profitable employment there, and have their labour on the land; but if they allowed the field of employment to be narrowed by this duty, they must of necessity lose that labour, which would flee, to other lands where such a manufacture was unrestricted. (Hear.) And what was going on now ? The refuse from which paper was manufactured was purchased by foreigners in this country to send it to lands where no paper duty existed, where it might be manufactured into paper and then sent into the British colonies to supply our own people. (Hear.) Could that be a wise and judicious policy ? This was no class question —no manufacturer's or country gentleman's question exclusively; the advantage would be shared, no doubt, by all classes; but ii reference to the development of the manufacture it appeared to him that, inasmuch as paper-mills must exist where there were pure streams and a country population, the representatives of counties, of all persons, had the greatest interest in getting rid of this Excise duty on paper. When the com missioners reported on the different branches of the Excise system, they recommended paper to be dealt with. They did not then recommend the paper duty to be abolished, because the circumstances of the country did not admit of it; but they took especial care in their report to guard themselves from being supposed to contemplate this duty as a permanent source of revenue; for they said : " We trust that in submitting as the result of our inquiries into this branch of Excise taxation a recommendation for the diminution of the present rate of duty, rather than for its total repeal, we shall not be considered as conveying any ap proval of this head of duty." And they went on to say " In the meantime, however, and until circumstances shall admit of realizing the still more beneficial effects which would result from a total abolition of the duty, we are satisfied that the reduction to one-half the present rate of duty would be very advantageous." But the ground upon which he had connected the duty with his motion was its connexion with the diffusion of knowledge by cheap literature through the country. (Hear.) The Legislature had admitted that the duty on paper had an effect in preventing the diffusion of know kdge, for in the very first statute of Anne, when the duty on paper was imposed, there was a clause to this effect : " That, as an encouragement to learning, so much money as shall from time to time be paid for duty on paper, and in printing any books in the Latin, Greek, or Oriental languages, in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, shall be repaid." And at the present moment the paper duty was remitted on Bibles and Testaments printed in the U n iversities of Oxford and Cambridge. But, if they thorehtaitt , Greek, necessary Latin, to legislate specially for works printed or Oriental languages, why were they in the prepared to re commend the policy of removing obstructions to the diffu sion of knowledge in the English language among o n n o g a t n h s e w g e r r e t a n t masses of the people ? (Hear.) It would him to tell him that a three-volumed novel, or a large book like M'Culloch's dictionary, would cheaper if the duty on paper were not be perseptibly diffusion repealed. The question was, whether the throughout the country o f knowledge by cheap publications should be obstructed by a duty which raised the cost of that paper far more than the amount of the du t y . He had received a communica tion from Mr. C. Knight, a gentleman whose name he had . o ft en quoted before that house, expressing the pleasure he felt at this question being again . _ _bro . brought before th e House, and he put f the case soforcibly his letter, that he (Mr. Gibson) would,read it in Mr. Knight's own words : c, During the last 20 years especially I have been labour. ing t o produce books which should unite literary excellence w n .. a h excee di ng cheapness. I paid 40,000/. for the copyright of the Penny Cyclopcedict. When the book was finished I ha d paid the Excise 16,5001. upon the paper used in that work. But the actual duty paid was almost doubled by the necessary increase of the manufacturer's price produced by th e duty, and by the accumulation of stock. That groat national work would only have paid its expenses had there been no paper duty at all. But the copyright of that cydoppedia remains my pro perty, and I am about to produce an improved cyclopaidia. If I produce an expensive edition ' which would remunerate we by a sal" of 2,000 at a coat of 201. per copy, the Taper number of replies to them was 89, though he had known a case in which there were no fewer than 200 replies to one advertisement. But suppose an average of 8 letters for each advertisement, and suppose, as they might fairly sup pose, that, the tax repealed, there would be 5,000,000 of advertisements, the present revenue would speedily be replaced by the postage on the letters. (Hear, bear.) Lot him give some- particular illustrations : — A political association in Holborn inserted one advertisement in the Times, paying ls. 6d. duty, and received 500 answers, paying to the Post-office 21. ls. Bd.; W. Byles, of Bradford,. inserted one in the Leeds Mercury, paying is. 6d., and received 50 answers, paying in postage 4s. 2d. ; H. Wat kinson, of Spalding, inserted three in the Spalding Fre e Press, Stamford Mercury, and Lincolnshire Chronicle, pay, ing,46. 6d., and received 100 answers, paying a postage will cost about 5,000/., of which the actual duty will be about 1,000/. But if I rely upon a very large demand, • and make my estimates upon a sale of 20,000 at 6/. per copy, the paper will cost 30,0001., of which the duty will be 6,000/. If I produce a dear book for the few, the State will tax me 1,0001. if a cheap book for the many, I shall be taxed 6,0001." Was that a policy which could be justified, while they were (endeavouring to promote education among the people ? Hear.) If th e y ra i se d th e cost of paper for cheap literature they struck at the fund from which authors must be paid, and prevented the ablest talent from addressing itself to the great masses of the people. If they had this enormous sum of the duty on paper to replace by the sale of these cheap publications, they had nothing left to pay for the original authorship ; and he would ask whether it was wiser that the best minds of this country should be able to derive remuneration from cheap literature diffused among the great bodies of the people, or should be limited, as they are now, to the production of expensive works for the few ? The strongest argument against the duty on paper was, that it was antagonistic to good literature. Penny publi cations they could have, but if they wished to combine goodness with cheapness they must endeavour to remove obstructions in the way of the cost of the materials of which those cheap publications were composed, or there would be nothing left with which to pay the author. (Hear.) He therefore confidently appealed to the right hon. gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer to take into consideration, when the circumstnnces of the country should permit it, the oppressive nature of this duty on paper. Mr. Knight said in one of his works that during 20 years he had paid about 80,0001. to authors and literary men foi• their labours, and 50,0001. to the State for paper duty, in order to give to the public the benefit of the com positions of those authors and literary men. So that for 80,0001. worth of intellect and knowledge, before he corld circulate it even in the limited way in which it was now circulated, he had to pay no less a toll than 50,0001. to the State, and that in a country which was constantly pro claiming to the world the great desire it had of diffusing knowledge and promoting education among the people. They were unable, from the difficulties of their position, to pass educational measures ; they were compelled to re sort to all manner of petty expedients and partial legisla tion in order to get legislation bit by bit through the country; but here was a plan at least which they could adopt, and which was free from religious controversies, as between voluntaryism and State education • all they were asked to do was to rem ove th e o b st ructions which pre vented people from educating themselves. (Hear hear.) How much, too, was the risk of lite rary spec ulations in creased by the fact that the duty on paper must all be paid, that there was no drawback, no bonding of paper and taking it out as it was consumed ! When a man entered on a literary speculation he must print th e num b er o f copies of the work h e i n t e nded to sell ; and, if he failed to sell them, there was no return to him of the duty he had paid to the State in the ineffectual attempt he had made to diffuse knowledge among the people. If he was a dealer in tobacco or brandy he might pay his duty when he sold those articles to the consumer, but if he was a dealer in knowledge he must pay all the duty on the paper in the outset ; and it was, indeed, a matter of serious considera tion whether he would pay a sum of 16,0001. or 20,0001., to be replaced, for paper duty, before he would undertake a large literary speculation. Many and many were the works that, even with a good sale, the duty on paper had prevented from leaving enough to repay the author. He would not detain the house, or he could mention numerous instances of particular books and publications which, when the duty on the paper was replaced, left nothing to repay the author for his labour, or to encourage literary men in future to devote their talents to enlighten the public. That was not becoming in a country in favour of education, because they ought to do all that in them lay not only to remove those obstructions to the diffusion of good cheap literature, but also to remove all the im pediments that prevented the ablest men from turning their minds to the instruction of their countrymen. He knew no way so calculated to promote the interests of authors and literary men, and to furnish rewards for good literary labour, as the repeal or the duty on paper. It could not be obtained by adding to the price of small publications. If they wanted to command a large cir culation, they must have penny publications. They could say that, in consequence of the duty on paper, it should be sold at a penny and a fracti on . If t h ey in creased the price to lid. or 2d., as Messrs. Chambers had attempted, the sale decreased, as they had not a sufficient circulation. They were limited to ld., and therefore they ought to remove this duty. But, having taxed the paper as a vehicle of knowledge, the State was not satified. It said there were two particular kinds of information ; that, if they were printed on paper, they should each, under certain conditions, bear other taxes ; the one was the duty of ls. 6d. on an announcement known as an advertisement —the other was a tax for the particular kind of knowledge called news. Was it conceivable that if Parliament had in former times had nothing in view but to derive a re venue from paper, it would, after putting a tax on paper, immediately impose other taxes to prevent persons from making use of the paper, and thus lessening the revenue, which it professed to have in view? (Hear, hear.) If they put a duty on carriages, would they also put a toll on every man that got into a carriage, and so make it his interest to ride in some other description of vehicle ? No ! They would rather desire, he should fancy, to increase the num ber of those vehicles, so that, having taxed them, they might derive the great es t amoun t o f revenue from 'them. But there was nothing of that kind with reference to the duty on paper. Take the case of an advertisement. If a man made an announcement by word of mouth, no duty was put upon it ; if he made it by the crier, no duty was put upon it ; if he used an advertising van, no duty was put upon it ; but if had it printed on paper frequently and periodically, then the exciseman interposed, and charged him with a duty of Is. 6d. for each announcement, thus making it the direct interest of everybody to avoid making announcements in that manner ; and, as it was only leviable in the case of announcements being made pe riodically, it was a direct hindering of the growth of the periodical press. If a man advertised in a newspaper one would suppose he was attempting the most obvious and rational mode of making known his wants, because it was a newspaper, of all things, that, from its frequent publica tion, gave the frequent announcement so desirable for the advertiser ; but when he made such announcement he found the exciseman there, who said it should not be made without a tax to the State, It was a barbarous tax. Was there anything more desirable in soc i e t y t h an that men should make known to each other their mutual wants ? Anti did not this tax lie at the very root of all commercial transactions ? It was by this toll that they prevented the knowledge of commercial tranactions that might be most beneficial to those who were engaged iu them, and to so ciety. But what a monstrous thing it was, when the Amazon steam-ship was lost, or the Irish famine occurred, and it became necessary by repeated advertisements to arrest public attention to those calamities, that the excise man required is. 6d. to be paid on every one of those announcements—(hear, hear)—thus converting the adver tisement duty into a tax on calamity, and causing the funds of the subscribers, who fancied they were contri buting to the relief of the Irish famine, or the orphans and widows of the men who were lost in the Amazon, to contribute to State necessity, and to pay a portion of their money to the revenue ! This was a tax which ought not to be encouraged in a commercial coun try, where everything impeding the intercommuni tion of information should be carefully avoided by the State. It was a tax, in fact, worthy only of a barbar ous country—a tax raising a very small revenue at the ex pense of some of the most valuable interests of the country, and not improbably, destroying in other ways a greater ntehwanspiatpecrrsel for,ted. pressurethTohueghbylaw a o l f l ths ad vertisements, whether in newspapers or books, ought t o pay the tax, those published in books were allow e d t o tax amount was of limited f revenue t o evadeade the tax. How great an injustice was here ! Take the catalogue of the Great Exhibition. In that volume, purchased by thousands and thousands of persons at Is., there were 53 pages of advertisements inserted, not one of which paid the duty ; and, no doubt, in the same way the catalogue of the Crystal Palace would have its 100 pa ges , of advertisements, all equally exempt from that impost, which was rigidly exacted to the last farthing by the Ex cise from the struggling proprietors of newspapers. He held in his hand another illustration of the grossly unjust competition to which the proprietors of newspapers were exposed with reference to advertisements. Here was the prospectus of a railway advertising association " The importance of this novel system of advertising can not be two highly estimated, when it is remembered that rail way travellers include within their numbers every individual of rank, property, or influence in the three kingdoms, while the frequency of their journeyings may be calculated from the fact, that the number of passengers booked at the princi pal railways in Great Britain alone in the year 1850 exceeded 60,000,000. It must be borne in mnd that these immense numbers—the possessors of the aggregate wealth of the coun try—are concentrated, day by day, at the railway stations ; and the circumstances of each journey are such, that either on the departure or arrival, or in the course oftratsittheevely presents It may passenger must of necessity become acquainted his with an nouncements which present themselves be safely asserted, that no other . mode so favourable a means of reaching that class which the adver• es of to adveiris t itg e. tiser desires most to attract." Now all this might be very true, but was it just to the newspaper proprietor to tax the advertisements in hiR columns, and to leave untaxed advertisements published in railway carriages, under circumstances manifestly so advan tageous? (Hear.) The only remedy against this injustice was to repeal the tax altogether; its mere reduction would leave the inequality and the unfair competition completely unredressed for the newspaper proprietors, to whom the advertisements should supply the fund mainly enabling them to diffuse that information which was becoming more and more emphatically a daily necessary to the people. He doubted even whether the remedy, if now ap plied, would come soon enough to save many of those pro prietors from the effects of that injustice to which they had been exposed. The repeal of the tax had been opposed on the ground that we could not spare the revenue it supplied, but he was satisfied that its repeal would, in reality, occa sion no loss to the revenue at all. (Hear.) The whole t me it un w t. as ureeaddyentoi Eamvoonunatnopfporsetvnegnutehartaistehdis fr l o 7 m B,ooo thi g. s w so e ur re c w e e d sacrifice how ever, that the 178,000/ would be l os t t o House of Commons had on many occasions h h w o a l I s y 1 1 7 0 8 s t , ? r e . s own that f or uch im la p i nfin i t o et l a y less m important a p public urPoß moneypurposes i the public. The house should boar in mind that well nig h every advertise ment gave rise to more or less c Now, at the present time there were (He ar .) B"t • 2in Great ri am 000000 of advertisements, or perhaps somewhat more. In the United States with with the same population, there we re 11 , 0 00,000 of advertisements pub lished every year. (Hear.) There was no advertisement duty in the United States, yet - under a free trade system we were called upon to thus the advantage of compete with a country which had age of being. able without let or hindrance, t to intercommuni ca t e all h ' o mutual wants of its people. (Hear, hear.) W e l l, in the United States there were 11,00t4,000 of advertisements, in Great Britain 2,000,000 ; let him ask, was i t not probable that in this country, piruilar as its population was in many respects to that of the United States, we might look for a correspond ing increase in our advertisements if this impediment were removed? (Hear, hear.) He had remarked that every advertisement well nigh gave rise to a greater or less num -I)e,r. of letters in reference to it. He held in his hand a ;Ater he had received from Mr. Edward Baines, the pro- Tietor of the Leeds Journal, who informed him that the average of advertisements in his journal requiring answers to bo sent to the office was about 15, and the average of Bs. 4d., to which he wrote 100 re pli es , p a ying anotk 3 l Bs. 4d. ; v ar i ous persons i nserted 25 advertisemen t s in r N Leicester ifercury, payi ng 37 5 . 6d ., an d re ceived N ei answers, paying in postage 1/. 55., and Henry Pitmac , l Guildford, inserted one a d ver ti sement i n t h e Times, PaY,Id 1 ls. 6d., and received 43 answers, paying in postage 38• i f. to which he wrote 42 re pli es , pay i ng i n pos t ag e 33' 04 He trusted that, on th e b as i s o f suc h f ac t s as these, house would think he had made out a fair case for the n, peal of the tax. (Hear.) H o s h ou ld a dd th a t the =lll4 nate proprietor of periodicals was not required to Pay tax merely on the ad ver ti semen t s for which he himse lf 1: if ceived payment ; he had also to pay it on those which inserted for the purpose o f g i v i ng u tilit y t o his paP3l., as announcements of coming events, pieces of iutelligeDo of news, in fact, for th e i nser ti on o f w hi c h h e rece ived payment. This was a great injustice in itself, and 3 ' g r „ c il, impediment to the diffu s i on o f i n f orma ti on, an d, as 3 " ge various subterfuges were practised for evading it so far o was possible. For example, when new books wer e 0 1 nounced, in the Publishers' Circular say, the practice to state that such or s u s b r a book had been published,_; the information to the public was left incomplete, bee`'` in order to avoid the impost, the publisher's name,. 0 , omitted. New pe r i o di ca l s wou ld g l a d ly i nser t such p nouncements for the public information free of charg e the book publishers were the tax repealed. (Hoar.) gVI ing thus disposed of the subject of the advertisement he came to the second resolution he had to propose , p reference to the p o li c y o f ros t ra i ng th e cheap peri°' for press from inserting news. He had good justificatio% it i submitting this matt er t o th e h ouse. H e h a d been °1,,,4 man of the committee of that house which, in s {o n tj Parliament, inquired into the working of the stamp on newspapers. The report of that committee mended that the attention of Parliament should be no to the anomalies of the stamp d u ti es, th e s t a t e o f the If on the subject, and the expediency of the policy of Pfp venting the cheap periodicals from containing news. rr would not read the w or d s o f th e report, b ut he had re { , te e to it as a justificati on for calling the attention o f the to the subject. It was said that this was a question 'l eg venue; in the first pl ace , h e was prepared altogether t° test that view of the question. From the time wilt press first lad influence in this country there had_, be o legislaticu for the p ur p ose o f res t ra i n i ng i t—there th censorship, there had been the licensing system, Pl ' 10 which were abolished in 1699, and throughout ther e always been a great jealousy on the part of the authonto of what was called news. (Hear.) It had been said 4)4 extreme political writings, and writings qu es tioning t oj truths of religion oug ht t o b e prevented ; but, if; looked into the proceedings of past times, they would y ; that there was something else which the authorities always been very much afraid of, and that was the cir!„,) , tion of news— the n arra ti on to the conntay of the clui 4 !,, events of the day. (H ear .) I n t h e London Gazette el' 5, 1680, there was this announcement : " This day the judges made their report to His MajO t l i ) Council, in pursuance o f an or d er o f this board, bY they unanimously declare that His Majesty may by 1 ,1 1 hibit the printing and p u bli s hi ng o f a ll new books an°, 0. phlets of news whatsoe ver , not licensed by Hi s Majest9 3 thority, as manifestly tending 0, to the breach of the pos 6 'o disturbance of the kingdom. Whereupon a p r oclo o . s p was issued restraining the p r i n ti ng o f newspapers , and pamphlets of news without leave." This restraint upon news continued down to the ° 11 .1; 1694, when the licensing system expired. The a uthony then went on for a few years without interfering With d " press, but in the latter part of the reign of Queen " regular newspapers," wrote Mr. Hallam in his Co' tional History,- - t • ttP " Not merely desi gne d f or th e communication o f gence, but for the discussion of political topics, 0 1 ; 1 7, great circulation, and be came th e accre dit e d organs 0' ferent factions." " The Tory Ministers," added Mr. Hallam, " were 3 10 , s ot at the vivacity of the press, both in periodical and tl writings, which led to the stamp duty, intended chief. 1,4 diminish their number, and was nea r ly p ro d uc i ng mo re I"` i nicious restrictions, such as renew i ng th e Li cens i n g compelling authors to acknowledge their names." h They did not rene w th e Li cens i ng A c t, indeed, which been abolished, but with the same intention they adoPt e "ll! stamp duty on newspapers for the purpose of lessening,, number of thos e p a p ers . If h on. gen tl emen wou ld over the journals o f th e h ouse a t th a t per i o d th e Yl t see that Ministe rs h a d come down, time after time, "' t ilt purpose of doing some thi ng to restrict the press, WI last a Committee of Ways and Means suggested the o ff ; object in view, o f restricting the press might be a; e° o i lished by a hea v y t ax on all newspapers 1 newspapers and printed e l phlets. That was th e or i g i n o f t h e stamp duty on IV, papers. He now come to the act of 60 George prr ,:'rap. 9, one of L or d C ast l ereagh ' s Six Acts, thy Imble of which fairly set forth :—" Whereas, ji ; i;' expedient to restrai n the small publications 10 1 issue from the press in great numbers, and at °, 1 , 1 price, be it therefore enacted that a stamP pl shall be imposed on every paper containing Pi , news, intelligence, occurren ces , or any remar k s or olo 3 d tions thereupon." The act, then, was not "for thelet, pose of granting a supply to hi s M a j es t y ," but nv°lo, for the purpose of restrai n i ng th e p ress . In Deelt, 1819, Lord Ellenborough said, upon the N ews paper Act : "It was not against the respectable press that this 1 .„ / directed, but against a pauper press, which, administer',V the prejudices and the passions of a mob, was convern) the basest purposes—which was an utter stranger to and only sent forth a continual stream of falsehood and'? l nity—its virulence and its mischief h e i g ht en i ng as 14 ceedcd. If he was asked whether he would deprive theo est classes of society of all political information, he wO o ti that he saw no possibl e goo d to be derived to the c o from having state smen a t th e loom and politicians at t he ' fling jenny." (Hear, hear.) tl 4 At present, how ever, we l eg i slated against the v er y 0 1 which were the antidote to the poison ; for by prey°. the circulation o f f ac t s an d o f th e current even t s d' we prevented the circulation of the antidote, and perlit, men to become th e d u p es o f po liti ca l or o th er iiinPv tr, Lord Erskine was so impressed with this at the tinl o e he left upo n th e t a bl e o f th e H ouse o f L or d s the fdi protest : ix " Becaus e b y th e stamps imposed by this bi ll, 3nci 1.1 ° , 1 ;1 mfuerntltlicorneddi:caltainigu s r u e m eo:n so isa u n l c .g es e - a to n be entered into l' i ro• probable credit of such persons, or the printers and publisher s of the pamphlets and P a P e t 7 to 1 1 publications, it is manifest, and has, indeed, been no t nt indistinctly admitted, that a discouragement a moun'te, almost a prohibition is thus suddenly aimed at a veil and often useful, branch of trade ; because the great 13 r,)0 1 British subjects have no such moans of being informed of f passes in Parliament and in the courts of justice; or general transactions of the world, than through chenP P to es cations within their means of purchase ; and I desire ° dew, press my dissent from that principle and opinion that th_ 0 : 40 0 p _ rofi p t o s rt c)f ou s a uc c h of the State and the happiness of the multitude in the IsO n lo condition of life may be best secured by their being k e T V : ignorance of political controversies and opinions, as I h° the contrary, that the Government of this country continue to be secure while it conducts itself with fidclo , t el justice, and as all its acts shall, as heretofore be thor n k now n and understood by all c l asses of the people ; . 1) , 7 4)1 this obstruction to the sa l e an d circulation of small Pel l e t , ' publications is not confined to those of a po liti ca l chs°ol o but most unaccou n t a bl y extends to all such as shall co ,r; any public news, intelligence, or occurrence, or any 0 00 or observation thereon, or description which obviously prehends and involves all the transactions of human lif e ,o 3 which reasonable beings, putting national freedom vril% of the qu es ti on, can seek or desire to communicate vg" another." , Now, wh o , h e as k e d , were th e opponents of the a° t t d , 60th Geo. 111., c. 9 ? Th e y were Si r J ames M a ckiO rd Mr. Brougham, Mr. Ti erne y, Vi scoun t Althorp, 14°40, Russell, and. Sir James Graham—(hea r )—whosetb d were to be found in the minority against that bill eT . 4! ground, as stated by Sir James Mackintosh, that , 1 attempt to put a restraint upon the liberty of the press. The distinguish e d l ea d ers o f th e Whi g P 34 Ili that day were the men, sm a ll i n num b ers , w h o fog!' e x good fight of freedom in behalf of the press ovine; 01 ) , ? 1 tlereagh and the ministers of that day; and he calleu_ ; , 4 them t o re f er t o th e i r former eloquent and outhliT e col speeches, exp resse d some ti mes w ith a f ee li ng an d id cofr that he w ou ld scarcely venture to imitate, to ac t in , o sistency with th ose grea t pr i nc i p l es ; an d , to come other and better times, whin we had a contented and population, when there was no signs of disorder/ „O ; when th e y were con t emp l a ti ng the of therf cal franchise—he called upon them to let the proem'? that political franchise be a free and unrestricted P e t/ giving to the masse s th a t k now l e d ge an d i nte lli g enG which alone they could be enabled to exercise theirg,P; cal franchise with a d van t age to their country. , Tba But he would pursue the question to a later date", t 1 60th of George 111., c . 9, was i mported into the I? William which reduced the duty on newspapers . that occasion Lord Lyndhurst said, acting in co-01)°',V with the members of hi s own par t y, " Bring in titewpt, bill—bring in a bill to repeal the whole of the stare yr, on newspapers." Th a t was th e reception which o ' l Lyndhurst gave t o th e bill for reducing th e stare Pot, newspapers. The answer of Lord Lansdowne upe° occasion was this— " The noble and learned lord, in concurrence with P i ik with whom he w ou ld no t o ff en d th e no b le and learne d 1 (, ) _ l e saying he usu a lly ac t e d , d ec l are d hi mself anxious to O s " , the whole of the duty levied on newspapers ; but, 11 .. present circumstances, he was not prepared to say th ie v tax could, with safety, be remitted to that unqualifiede4l to which th e no bl e an d l earne d l or d expressed himself f d able." si' eL s The term "safety" was applied to the policy. Ile the house was it safe now? (Hear.) Was there Old , " son why th e l ea ders of both parties s h ou ld no t unite ti the altered circumstances to remove that duty : betl trusted he did not appeal in vain to gentlemen on op t sides of the house. Ho declared, upon his conscience 44) he did not view this as a party question. (Hear, P o ol' All parties had an interest in their views being P l ly gated ; and in these days he did not see that any Pe s tr A the State could fear the consequences. On the 00 0 they ought to hail with exultation any means that ,40 be devised for extending useful knowledge—aye, Al'" Ill e j j tical information, among the great body of the peoplejtic house would remember thatwhen Lord Melbourne re`` tO j the stamp duty he was charg e d w ith h av i ng " co urts be Radicals.' , (A laugh.) But these were times whop_ a a Radical could be no repr oac h. W e h a d go t a Rs s 4 the Administration, we had a Radical in the Cabinet; i 4 lll more than that, we had a Radical acting with tho se d4,l once were Conserv a ti ve Mi n i s t ers . (Ch eers. ) The tP,, then, for any reproach upon Radicalism were past. i ber party watchwords had lost their force. Each dal 4 . tio; old conflicts were b ecom i ng more an d more ma tt e rs e' l ,4 dition, and every party now that aspired to powe r found its claims upon the utility of of its policy sincere desire to benefit all classes of the people. - 1 - 1 ' ec oP; be supposed by some that the reduction of the duty :1 ,,, 0 0 plished all that was required, and that a penny t i r t J'o newspaper was but a small tax after all. 1 , 3 „ 1; 0 101 member that the penny tax was upon the ` - _," s sc Penny publications there might be • but insert ne" be i the paper became liable to the tax ; be; price must ta vc, ° : vanced to 2d., which' might prov e a f a t a l c i r ctuus and securities must be found. Upon this part of the j., tion Lord Brougham, in a letter recently written, 594 ,,5 , Now, the stamp is by f ar th e mos t h ur tf u l o f t , " "„f taxes in one essential parti cu l ar . Th e i ns t ruc tion, " 0 0 0 working classes in the coun t ry di s t r i c t s, w h ere it T ieo wanted, has been almo s t en ti re l y preven t e d b y it. W e ef e l ,u Useful Knowledge S oc i e ty ma d e, f or years, e ff or ts °' ja kind to diffuse sound information among the peasantry t villages, cottages, and farm-houses, we. were always n ie tli°`, defeated by this sta m p. O ur on l y c h ance o f ma kiq o 0; 3 poor people read. was by wrapping up good inforniat i too g fa Ili lasting value in news—especially news respecting a ta matters and things i n th e i r own ne i g hb our h oo d. P o ol r penny stamp made this impiassible. The paper ncer o e r ) octavo pages, of which four would have been Oa and the other eight of a more general description 83 1 , co 01 , permanent value„instructive or entertaining, orb °",' o o t easily have-been sold for a penny, after the uccess%Y s tort oo auce to the hawker or -other retail dealer. The '' o ls o the Penny Magazine shows this, But the vast cite