The Sun. — London, England, 1853-03-16 00:00:00

(THIS DAY.) THE DEBDALE STAKES. TiPperary Boy The Miner Four others started HANDICAP T.Y.C. Catherine lieroine . Six others ran WARWICK RACES. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) THE AUSTRALIAN NEWS. (From the Times.) The Australian advices by the overland mail were regarded in the city with great interest. They .ie.telid to the 28th of December from Sydney, and o the 3d of January from Port Philip, and com a%eteaY dissipate the' surmises raised by the vague W I counts lately received with regard to the proba ble exhaustion of the Victoria mines. The state rtlents of a sudden falling off in the yield, and a 'consequent panic, appears to have originated at 8 d eparture *here every rumour likely to c heck the of the population to Victoria is eagerly theStized and magnified. It appears, howeve r, that D ecember diminution of the rate of pro duction durin g eeeiaber is explained by the fact of the more experi ence d m i ners having been attracted to the e vens t diggings, near the New South Wales fron tier, so that the great majority of those that re illained were new-comers. The approach of Christ as had lik ew i se c aused an abandonment of labour. E ven under these circumstances, the total amounts brought to Melbourne were very large, and merely appear otherwise from being contrasted With those b roug ht d ur i ng N ov ember, which reached 349,185 ounces, and were in excess of the total of any former month. From the Ist of De cember to th e .25th , the quant i ty, i nc l u di ng s o me amounts from the Ovens, was 185,526 ounces, Worth 750,000/. and it was known that very heavy parcels were still waiting at the Ovens to be for _ arded, a cons id era bl e port i on o f w hi c h would be e a rried to Syd ne y, th e s it ua ti on o f these deposits causing them to be equally resorted to by the people o f b o th co l on i es. Th e popu l a tion of Mel bourne during the past three months had received an addition of 32,306 persons, and the extent of • e xploratio n which had been carried on in conse quence had strengthened the impression as to the ace through which the gold deposits are spread. , s 7. far from a heavy decline having occurred in the res of imported articles, business up to the latest 4 2e 8 was extremely active, notwithstanding the Qs that had taken place ; and there was a co ntinued aai demand for all descriptions of drinks T h c l luxuries, which were realising large returns. o f - N e Sydney had sailed from Melbourne on the 9th December with 77,835 ounces of gold and 123 as .,seligers, and was to call at Adelaide, where she w Q?" 1 -11 - be likely to receive an addition. The t: e at Britain was to leave on the evening of e3 d of January. Subjoined is an exact state mentef the quantities of gold brought to Mel th.surne during the preceding ten months, and also Principal part of December : . Ounces. February 56,408 March 51,865 April 64,472 May 99,006 June 149,372 July 296,941 August 268,576 September 211,814 October 348,511 November December (from the let to the 25th) 2,081,676 t i n T he above is equal to 8,300,000/. sterling, and -e s not include either the amounts retained in the t'seession of individuals or the large sums carried Y r ,tbe overland escort to South Australia. Sydney it appears that all the gold fields th::evir South Wales are yielding favourably, and 4,7 the production is increasing. The weekly total 4 .,7 11 gbt by escort is, however, comparatively small, t i e ,laging only about 4,000 ounces. The distance e ther mines and the abundance of employment in Ter branches of labour prevent their active de 'l):L'TPlnent. Out of a population of 200,000 it is believed that not more than 10,050 are at the dig ge. Although the yield at the Hanging Rock con ,il:llled abundant, most of the people had left that ,I)ot, o w i ng t o th e t emporary d eman d f or s h earers .',4 reapers, the latter of whom obtained from 30s. to Znri nperaere, with rations. There were, therefore, t opportunities for any number of immi grants. At the Louisa Creek, in the neighbour hood of the Great Nugget Vein, nearly all the Miners were doing well, and many had returned who had been tempted away to the Ov ens . Th e Colonial Gold Company of London, und er th e su -I,:rintendenee of Mr. Spence, had made an arrange i.kent with the Great Nugg et Com p an y to work 'their claims on a royalty of 20 per cent. on the gross yield of gold, when the amount per ton of crushed quartz shall not exceed 2 ounces, 30 p er tent. when over 2 ounces and under four, and 50 ter Cent when over 4 ounces ; M r. S p ence having en previously allowed every opportunity of test lhg company's claims. With regard to the T eel Ri ver d epos it s , it appears that the Rev. M r. C larke, the geologist, was at Tamw orth, one of the set tlements of the Australian Agricultural C0m ,,44.q , and that he was engaged in a g eneral exa- Vnlation of the northern districts. Thus far he had stated, that although he was not yet s ufficientl y Ite quainted with the sold field of the Peel t o re p ort ally upon it, he was satisfied the quartz veins are nu y7erous though of no great magnitude. " They are — b iat , all auriferous," he says, " but those which are I t') appear toalternate with such as are." Therock Intl between Cann's Plains and the Peel, " and it is on uth side that the gold is sprinkled most abun- C, I ,Y. It seems as if it were electrotyped in little The upon the surface." Mr. Clarke adds, 4- ne more I see of the great backbone of this con vent the more I am impressed with the high pro bdity of the extension of the goldfields far be -4,11d the present limits of search." Among the ~,_tonists generally a favourable impression with re ta.r,d to the value of the various quartz claims seems i'_n_ i ave increased. In the Colonial Assembly at L a TleY a bill for the management of the goldfields 0 , 4 4 1u5t been passed. It is to come into operation Ist of February, and, according to its clauses, t i 7 Government may grant leases by t en d er or am /burn. for quartz or other mining to Briti s h su bj ec t s any periods not exceeding 21 years ; they may t Suspend any pastoral leases that may be found tati extend over goldfields upon giving compen -4.t 30 n to the owners. The license fee is fixed z .„_, 8 . per month, and is to be paid by traders o r other parties as well as miners. In the case foreigners the charge is to be double. No license . "' oe to be given to those who shall not be able to tjtify that they have been duly discharged from wit hout l as t p l ace of serv i ce, an d persons wor ki ng def ault one are to be fined Si., and to be liable in j'„% l ault to two months' imprisonment with hard Zl i °ollr on the roa d s . Th e bill contains seve - zal her provision s equally stringent, and it is said .i., be regarded by the most intelligent classes with til tr° ' l g feeling of aversion, the narrow . policy of g a 6 Clause against foreigners being especially con y,!„Plaled. The prospects of the construction of the ,7 1 way from Sydney to Paramatta had greatly im k2ved, the Government having consented to allow Z"u railroad labourers to be brought out at the rie l ) ,_enee of the emigration fund, and also to sub -1,;`',..,°,e 150,000/. to the undertaking, if private ca kZuste would. subscribe 100,0001. upon a minimum, iVantee of 5 per cent. The estimated cost of the "is 220,0001. This bill incorporating the Great ti l r l a gget Vein Company had been read a third h a l and passed. The Bank of New South Wales badvertised a meeting for the 20th of January, y C onsider the propriety of increasing their capital atranch issu e o f new s h ares, and also of establishing atnch in L on d on . Th e Sarah Sands had arrived Sydney on the 24th of December, after a pas alFige of 93 days f rom C or k, an d th e Cleopatra had 1 4 2 reached Melb o u rne . Th e Ti con derago, from de'aYterpool to M e lb ourne , i s alleged to have 170 lat ei llB on board. Among the vessels which had y sailed from Sydney for London, where the INr o e xFriar, with 35,243 ounces o f go ld, an d the Orleans, with 25,562 ounces. %t at _ el?:1 Adelaide, South Aust ra li a , th e accoun ts 4 b l at a large nu m b er o f persons were profit oF .1, e e ngaged at th e E c h unga di gg i ngs. T h e pr i ce I c 4 ll shares of the Burra Burra mine was about be Hold, it is al so s t a t e d, h as a t l ength positively 4 b o el l u , discovered i n N ew Z ea l an d . T he locality is C so„,birty miles from Auckla n d, i n th e G u lf o f 401, where ten men obtained in one day about vi tt , _ e lbe Golreemneat has issued proclamations gard to it. • The oh new s usan, by which the present Australian was brought to 'Singapore, belongs to the sh .r „"2 l . ll ar and Oriental Company, and is a sister a nd ,the Formosa. She has been employed in ar i d v ' two experimental trips between Singapore kouceue Australian ports, preparatory to the corn- Alth ol l4 ent of the regular mail service in April. he ws lei it is nearly two months since the previous fur h i a ,"Y_ this route was received, the details then had lied e h r a e n u d p . to this 'morning the latest that °3lll e tow St. St. St. St. 13A 20 20 50 20 20 50 29 .THE S.ll ARE MARKETS. , BRITISH RAILWAYS. Closing Prices this day. RAILWAYS. 291 - 303 6 - 61 91 104 73 —63 dad 21 22 d 33 —23dxd 104 105 64 64 21A 22 18 - 194 padi 8 - 9 13 --134x A d 10 -11 A '4 73 —74 xd 55 57adl 74 76 I 32 34 62 64 81 82xd 45 47 122 —l24xd 1071---1086xd 914 —91 i 92 94 74 13 —134 p 76.}-76 4 1 -4 d 34 34 d 16 —16 i d 8i 9A-xd 18 103 —104 k 119# —1 1 9 i 243, xd 1$ —lBpxd 90 91 5 4 11 12 19 21 29 30 3i -- 3 d 753 76 44 46 I ... '-- ••• 50 52 3 1 3IJ 3i 3 d 38 3i 9 -- 10 53 -- 55 8 1 2i -- 2R d 35A -36 i 1 d 8 - 31 8i 3 4p 47] —48 i 100 102 64 66 64 66 70 75 d 18 -- 20 9 -- 10 14 -- 15 1 3i -- 8 d 21 -- 22 781 -78 i 36 37 12i -- 13 . 4 -- 44 2 15 9 — 9/ 29 31 -- Id— in 69 70 7i 7 a 2g 2id 59 60 Bush) .ess done thi s day. Aberdeen.............. Ambg. Nottng. Bost. & Eastn. Junct.... Birmg. Wolverh. & Stour Valley Birkenhd. Laucsh. & Cheshire Junct. Do. Chesh. & Birk., £5O and £25 Cons. Do., £2O Bristol and Exeter Caledonian Chester & Holyhead Cork and Bandon Cork, Blackrock an dl Passage Dublin&BelfastJunc 1 Dundee Perth&Aber deen Junction fl Do. New 11 East Anglian (£25 L and E. & L. & D.) ill Do. Do. (181. E.& H.) L ll Eastern Counties Eastern Union, Class A. (late E. U. Sh.) 8?, Do., do all Do., B. and C 00 East Lancashire a ll East & West Ind. Dk & Birming. June 100 Edinburgh & Glasgow Edin. and Peebles 100 Edin. Prth. &Dundee wo Glasgow &S. Western 100 Great Northern Stk 100 IDo., A. Stock 100 iDo., B. Stock 1100 Great Southern and Western (Ireland) ] Great Western Irish South-Eastern Lancaster & Carlisle 'Do., Thirds Lancash.& Yorkshire Do., Fifths Do., Wet. Riding Un Leeds Northern Liv.Crsby.&Southpt London & Blackwall Lond. Tilb. & Sthend. Loud. Brigt. & S. Cat. London & N. Western Do., Fifths Do. ,£lO Sh.M. &B. C London & S. Western Do., £5O Do., £4O Londerry. &Colerine Lndndrry. & Enuisk. Manch. Shef. &Lincln Do., Man.& Lin. Un. Midland Do. Binning. & Derby Midland G. West. (Ir.) Do. , Shares Newcastle & Carlisle Newmarket Do. Bury Extension Newp. Aberg.&Hftd Newry & Enniskillen Newry, Warrenpoint, and Itestrevor N0rf01k.............. Do., New Northn.Counties Un North British North Devon, No. 1. Do., No. 2 Do., 1, A Deferred Do., B Guaranteed North Staffordshire North Western N. &S. Westrn. June Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverhampton Scottish Central Scot/ash Midland Shrewsbury & Do., L. & N. Westn. Guaranteed Stock. Shre wsby.& Hereford Shrewsby. & Chester (Nor. W. Min.) Do. Halves do .. Do Do. Oswesti y Shropshire Union ~., South Devon South Eastern.. Sou Wales S. Yorksh.River Dun Do. Stockton & Hartlepl Thames Haven Dock and Railway' Vale of Neath Waterfd. & Kilkenny Waterford& Limerick West Cornwall Wimbledon&Croydn Woodford . York Newctl.&Berw. Do. Extensions Do. G. N. E. Purchase York & N. Midland xd :x d. ad 65 4A 461 a d 131 k 1: ; 744 3i : e d : c d PREFERENCE SHARE l&berdeen Do., No. 2, 7 p. c Bris. & Ex. 4 p. c. St Do. 4 p. c. Shares Caledonian £lO Chester & Holyhead Guar. s : i per cont. Cork&Bandon 54 P.C. Dundee, Perth, and Aberdeen Junction E. Ang. (705.) 6 p. c. Do. (£5), 7 per cent. Do. (£7 17s), 7. p et. Eastern Counties Ex tension, 5 p. c. No.l Do., No. 2 Do., New 6 p. a. St Eastern Union Scrip Guar. 6 per cent East Lancash. 6 p.cts Edinb. Prth.dr Dund Glasgow &S. Western Guar. 5 per cont Great Northn. 5 p. C . Do. 5 p. s., Redeem at 10 p. c. prem.. Gt.S outhn. & Westn (Ireland) Eights Gt. Westn. (Berks & Hants Ex. 5 p. c.) Great Western, fixed Lan 4i & cent . York. F. £2O Do., 6 p. c., Stock London and Brighton Guaranteed 5 p. o Do. Pref. 5 p. c., St Do. Convertible, 5 p c., 1852 Do. New Guar. 6 p. c ' London &S. Western, Con. Thirds LondondeiTy&Coler , Shares Londndry. & Ennisk ' Shares Manch., Shef.,&Lin , Shares, No. 1 Do., New, £lO Marypt. & Carl. 4p: c. Do. 4 per cent...... . Mid. Consol. 6 p.e.St. Do, Consol. Bristol & Birm. 6 per cent.... Do. Pref. 4A percent. Norfolk Extension... Do. Guar. 5i per ct. Do. Waveney Valley 5 per cent........... North British ..... North Staffordshire.. Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverh. £15,6p. C. D 0.................. .... Shrewsbury & Birm. New Guaranteed... Shrewsby. & Chester Nor.W. (Min), 3 p.c. Do 5 per cent. 10 all 1f all South Devon Do. New S. Eastern (Reading Ann.) f£l Os. 6d. S. Yorksh. 4p. c. Guar. Waterfd. &IQlk. 6p. c. York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 4 p. c. Pref Do (York & N. Midland, H. & S. Purchase... .66 1 . - los 1166 19 20 id 61 6 , 3 3$ 3e r ak 4 4. 11 2 p 1 14 p 14 15 Isi 19 3i - 3i 1128 - 129 1110 --f 112 Bi-- 9I 61 -- LO5 107 id 4 L5O —152 • . ..•-..... ..• - 1.53 31 - 3'p 10 11 -13 i 8 - 9 161 - 111 146 - 148 i - 11 , 22A - 23 5i - 61 2 - 2i 109 - 111 25 - 26 1 _ I~pl 11 - 11 117A 4 —18 i ip is 17 par t P 261 261 20 21 par 101 103 5 -- 51 par-' i pi Pm 15 a FOREIGN. Antwrp. &Rotterdam Belgian Eastn. Junct. Charleroi & Erquelin Dijon and Besan9on Dutch Rhenish East Indian Do. Extension Gt. Indian Peninsula Gd. Junct. of France Gt. Westn. of Canada Shares 1 Lucca and Pistoja, 5' per cent. pref ' [5 Luxembourg LO Do. (Railway) 2 Do. _ Do. (Canal) Do. 6 p. cent. pref Lyons &. Med*erran Madras Maria Antonia Do. New Namur & Liege (with interest Do. (ex interest) Northern of France Do. 20/. 3 p. o. Bds (fmy. B. &Ams.Shs.l Norwegian Truk. Pref Paris and Lyors Paris and Orleans Paris and Rouen Paris and Strasbourg Paris Caen &Cherbrg. '4uebee & Richmond Rouen and Havre Sambre and Meuse , D. 5i per cent. pref., S m thern of France 1 Upper India Scrip ' West Flanders Do. 5i per c. Pref Western of France West. of Switzerland ,New Zealand id , p 1 1 L 3 — 1 21 a 6 1.1 pp p p i -- i p 7 —B4xin 4 -*Lin 1. —lxin -2 xin P 9 —ll iP p 2 74 - 8 6 - 7 36 , 1 - 37 14i -- 15' 8 --9 18 -- 19 p 42 2 -- 43 4.21 331 -- 34 4i -5/ p 20i -- 21 P 91 -- 9i 5 sip 4i d Par P ld 11 ra 19 . ar . VA , 100 all all ' all St. 10 St. St. St. 50 161 St. 20 all 100 114 all all all 20 10 St. 50 40 100 - 100 474. 17 all 100 50 25 100 St. 50 St. 16 16 all 100 all 15 litisl 100 20 11i 100 THE Sr i% LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 16, 1853. LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS, Leasing Compans. Closing Prices this day. Business this day RAILWAYS (Paid, 1 Bedford and Bletchley.... Birm. & Oxfd. guarantee...., Do. withoutgr Birm. Wolf. & Dudley guar. Do.w Lilt guar. Buckghamsh. Clydesdale Jc. E. Lincoln gr. 6 per cent. Glstr.& Dn. Fr Hrtlpl. Dk. & Railway Hull & Selby Do. Shares. Do. A Sha-des. Lon.&Greenw Do. Preference) Lowestoft gr. 4 per cent. Do. 6 per ct. Manch. Bxtn and Matlock Middlesbro' & Redcar Micild.Bradfd Northern and Easternsp.c. Do. 6 per ct. Do. Fixeds p c Prest. & WYre Do. a shares. Roystn.& Hit. Do. Shepth.S t Shef.Roth.and Gooleg.s p.c. S. Siaffordsh. Wear Valleygr 6 per cent Do Wilts&Somrst London & N. West. Gt.Westn Do Do Do L. &N. W Caledon Gt.Nrthn. Gt. Westn Yk. New. Berw. Y. &NMd Do IS. Eastern] Norfolk Do L.& N. W. & Midld. Stekton & Darlingt. 'Midland.. 'E. Count Do L. &N.W &Ln&Yk Do Gt Northu Do Lancash& Yorksh. M.MClean Stoc's.t. & Darlingt. D 0...... ... !OtWestn. 30 - 31 29.4. -30 k 30 - 31 29 - 30 105 -107 -53:3/4 L5l - 153 - 32i -33 A 111 - 113 556 - 56, 266 --- 27 13i - 14) 25A - 26 19 -19 ti 25 - 27 2 - 3ixd .05 - 106 64 - 66 149 —lslxd 1 148 —lsoxdl 1 - 32i - 33 103 - 104 IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.) COUNTY COURTS. Lord BROUGHAM rose to move for certain returns containing the same information with respect to the superior courts of law which had already been furnished to the other house of Parliainent with respect to the county courts. The noble lord said that he would take that opportunity of setting right a mistake which had gone abroad with respect to a statement which he had made a few nights ago, as to the amount of the sums re covered in the county courts as contrasted with the enormous amount of taxes levied in those courts in the form of fees. He had stated that a sum of 272,0001. had been levied during the last year in the form of law taxes, and that that bore a great proportion to the whole amount of sums recovered in those courts. Six hun dred and odd thousand pounds had been the amount of the sums recovered by judgment ; but this by no means represented the whole amount recovered, for it might perhaps be said that not less than 100,0001. had been paid into court, and that sums to the amount of 300,0001. had been settled by the parties ; so that they had to compare this 272,0001., which was extorted from the suitors in law.taxes, with 1,000,0001. or 1,200,0001. recovered by this beneficial system of local judicature, but their lordships would see that that the law taxes still bore a large proportion to the sums recovered. Neverth e l ess , he was bound to admit that notwith s t an di ng this evil, which it would be their duty to remedy, the advantage was prodigious which suitors and the public had gained by this admir able system of local judicature, and he could not help hoping that the system wou l d be improired in England, and would be extended to Scotland. The difficulties which stood in the way of extending the system to Scot- ' land were all but insuperable ; but he thought that they might do so much as this, namely, to extend to Scotland a local judicature to the amount of 501., parol proceedings and not written proceedings, and no appeal to the sheriff from the local court, nor from the local court to a non-resi dent judge, but an appeal, as in England, on matters of law alone, to the Supreme Court. If so much were given to Scotland; he thought that the most prodigious advan tage would be gained by that country, and the agitation now existing against the whole of the system at present established would be put an end to. He was rejoiced to learn that the Government had resolved to issue a commission to inquire into the whole of that great sub ject, the assimilation of the mercantile law in the differ ent parts of the United Kingdom. The most important branch of the subject, and that which had most occu pied the attention of the English mercantile interests, both in the provinces and in the city of London, was the assimilation in a certain degree, and in some manner, of the law of bankruptcy and insolvency. He would not say that this could be done by applying the English system entirely to Scotland, nor by substituting the Scotch system in place of our own, but in all probability they might arrive at a third system better than either, and compounded of the best ports of both ; and he had that the result of the inquiries about to be instituted would tend substantially to effect that object. He was about to present a bill to their lordships, which he considered as going in a right direction, and which, if the English syst em were t o b e applied to Scotland— namely, that of administering bankruptcy in a court and by judges, of giving the inestimable blessing of official assignees to that country, and the equally solid advantage in a legal, commercial, and moral view of three classes of certificates—would be found to work out those objects satisfactorily. He would not pledge him self to the whole of the details of the bill, nor would he undertake to say that he might not upon inquiry be of opinion that it would be inexpedient to apply to Scotland the bankruptcy system which was established in this country. But if the principles of our English system could be safely and beneficially applied to Scot land, then he felt that the great mercantile body, whose wishes and views he on that occasion represented, would have done good service by urging upon their lordships' attention the details and principles of the bill which he had now the honour of laying on their lordships' table. His lordship concluded by moving the first reading of the bill, which was entitled, "An Act to Improve the Administration of Bankruptcy and Insolvency in Scot- I land " The bill was read a first time, and the returns moved for by the noble and learned lord were agreed to. Lord WHARNCLIFFE gave notice that he should ask the Postmaster-General on an early day, whether her Majesty's Government proposed to take any mea sures for the more certain t ran s m i ss io n o f ma il s to Aus- tralia, and particularly for enforcing the contract for that purpose with the Australian Royal Mail Steam Na- vigation Company. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-(YESTERDAY.) CONSOLIDATED FUND BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. BOROUGH OF CANTERBURY. Mr. K. SEYMER said he was not going to propose, as he had done in the case of Great Yarmouth, to disfran chise any part of the electors, but he coincided in opinion with the other members who tried the Canterbury election petition, that further inquiry was necessary. He might take it for granted that there existed generally a wish on the part of the house to put an end to bribery and corrup tion. (Hear, hear.) An HON. MEMBER—It is all humbug. (Laughter.) Mr. K. SEYMER—An honourable gentleman said it was all humbug, but he must admit, at all events, that the election committees appointed by the house had done their duty. (Hear, hear.) - Whatever might be thought of it, the great body of the middle classes, who stood aloof from those proceedings, who were neither in a position to take nor to offer bribes, viewed the system with increased dis gust. (Hear, hear.) It was advisable that the House of Commons should take the lead, instead of lagging behind public opinion, because he did not know of any question on which it was more dangerous to be behindhand than on this question of election bribery. (Hear, hear.) It might do very well for the gentlemen who were employed to attend to those matters to have a list of boroughs for which gen tlemen could be returned, but he trusted that the great body of the house would have no sympathy for those gen tlemen. (Hear.) After the publicity that had been given to these matters by the press, it was impossible to think that the claim for amendment would be rejected, and he trusted that in his efforts to enforce it he would have the support of honourable gentlemen opposite. (Hear, hear.) They had their own views with regard to the preven tion of bribery and corruption, but he thought it would be admitted that, Parliament having in its wisdom passed a measure to prevent bribery, that measure ought .to have a fair trial. (Hear.) The gentleman on his own side of the house were specially bound to support his proposition, and it was necessary that such powers as they possessed should be put in force on every fitting occasion for the prevention of this system. (Hear.) There were thousands of persons not admitted to the elective fran chise who were proudly conscious that if they were ad mitted to it they would not abuse it as it had been abused by certain electors of Canterbury ; and if they showed any tenderness towards those who systematically abused the franchise, such a storm of indignation might be raised as would sweep away the whole of the representative system, and endanger the constitutions of the country. (Hear.) With these observations he should now state to the house what had taken place at the last Canterbury election. (Hear.) There were in the city of Canterbury two par ties, designated by the names of " the blues" and "the reds." He might pay them the great compliment of saying that they had no political opinions. (Laughter.) They were neither Whig nor Tory, Protectionist nor Free-trader ; and even the cry of " a big loaf" would produce little effect amongst certain classes of the electo rs unless it was accom panied by a colourman's ticket. (Laughter.) At the last election " the blue" party had abstained from the practice on which the committee reported, and they met with the most decided defeat. (Laughter.) Therefore all they had to do with was " the red" party. (Hear.) Their head quarters were established at the office of Mr. Ward, and an elector went to the committee at Ward's and asked to be put down as a messenger, and if the legal authority who managed these matters thought there was no objection to the voter, he was put down as a messenger accor di ng ly. (Hear, hear.) But the electors who knew nothing of the law made their being put down as messenger the condition for giving their votes, as would be found by the evidence of William Pickering in the report. It would be found that Mr. Taylor, the gentleman who put down the names, took the same view. When a man asked to have his name put down as a messenger, he asked if he promised his vote ; he said he would go to the committee to see if all was right, and when he went to the committee he put down the name. (Hear, hear.) The person would also receive colourmen's tickets—that is, h e as k e d t o b e allowed to recommend two persons, each o f w h om rece i ve d ten shillings after the election. If an elector voted for one candidate ho got one colourman's ticket, and if he voted for two candidates he got two colourmen's tickets, the value of which varied at different times, but at the last election it amounted to ten shillings each. It would be found that persons who had promised their votes to "the blues," on finding that they were not to get colourmen's tickets, went to the red party. One man went to " the blues," and on being refused a colourman's ticket said he never had been so insulted. (Laughter.) H e said that on going to the chairman of the committee he was treated in a way that he had never been treated in his life, because the chairman turned his back on him and and refused to give him a colourman's ticket. (Hear.) Those tickets were considered a valuable security ; they were circulated in the borough of Canterbury, and dis counted in the market at Bs. a-piece. One man said he could have bought a dozen of them in the st reets of Canter bury, as would be found on reference to th e ev i dence of James Wilson, p. 37; (Hear.) The hold er of the ticket ic il k w et ay forls., and the sa me process officer, and gave it b ac k t o went to Taylor on the day of nomination, w h o punched the holder w as it d h he on an e o b t ya r r t a was repeated on the day of polling. He m en ti oned that to show how very complete the system wa s . H ad these tickett e as tickets been given on the day of election to voters who had come some distance to poll, he should not have thought very much of the matter, for he did think in counties, where the electors had to travel considerable distances to a polling place, or in boroughs, where voters, temporarily non-resident, had to undertake a journey for such a pur pose, some moderate system of allowing refreshments was not objectionable—(hear, hear)—provided it was so ma naged as not to become a sort of corruption to publicans. The colour tickets having been purchased or obtained in the manner he had mentioned, they were finally taken to Mr. Smith, and the holders of them received 108. each. To prove how entirely colourable the employment was, he might state that a boy, six years old, received one of them, and afterwards exchanged it for money. It might be asked what benefit the, jectors got from all this ? The house would find how, in some remarkable way or other, the actual hard cash obtained on the colour tickets came some instances to the electors. The el ec ti on, i n f ac t , inssome instances to the electors. The election in fact, seeme seemed to be a period for the recovery of small. debts. An elector who 'could not get in any other way money which was owing to him, obtained a colourman's ti c k e t for debtor, on the understanding that some of the money got. for it, lxas to go in discharge of the debt dike to the voter. Other of the voters again put down fictitious names tion. for colourmen's tickets, and actually sent and got the money for them, which they put into their own pockets. Trifling, however, as all these sums were, they were the conditions on which the men voted. (Hear, hear.) They forined inducements for violating their promises, and for voting contrary to their principles, if, indeed, such men had principles at all ; and so far from thinking the small ness of the sums told in favour of the voter, he (Mr. Ker Seymer) thought it told against him. It showed the small esteem in which the electors held the elective franchise. When a poor voter was tempted by what appeared to him an almost fabulous sum to break his promise, one would be disposed to have some sympathy with him; but at Canter bury the electors held so cheaply the franchise with which they were entrusted by the constitution that in many in stances they were willing to barter it for less than a pound. He said such a state of things was intolerable ; and men esteeming the elective franchise so lowly should no longer be allowed to disgrace their country. (Cheers.) One Allen Engleman, an old freeman.of Canterbury, and a very re markable witness, gave the history of all the elections there within his memory to the committee, and it appeared from his statement that for a long series of years a universal system of corruption had obtained in that city by means of those small payments to sham colourmen. In all those corrupt boroughs, when they were submitted to inquiry before a parliamentary committee, some expression or other generally fell from the witnesses to indicate the nature of the corrupt influence which prevailed in them. For example, a witness would say he expected in giving his vote to be treated as all the rest were treated, or that he thought he should have a freeman's right or a freeman's treatment. There were some other cases of a different nature. For instance, a man went into a public-house during the election at Can terbury with an agent, and after the interview found 4/. lying on the table. ,The man afterwards made no secret in saying the 4/. was given for his vote. He was in poor circumstances, and in fact asked for the 41. In another case two voters went into an unoccupied bed-room of a house where they had been instructed to go, and there they found, one of them 5/. the other 3/. They afterwards said they supposed those sums were placed there because they voted in a particular way. He thought he had now stated enough to show what was the system carried on at Canterbury at the last election. With regard to the num ber of persons bribed by those colour tickets, a list of 350 was handed into the committee ; but of course it could not be expected that the petitioners would go to anything like the expense of proving such a large number of cases. He thought, lowever, it might be fairly inferred that a great portion of the electors were bribed at the last election for Canterbury. The house was aware that, in order to have an address to the Crown for a commission in a case of this kind, the concurrence of the other house was neces sary. He thought it almost a pity that the statute con tained such a provision, because he feared it might lead to delay, and because he was one of those who thought the house should not unnecessarily delay, even for one day, the issuing of writs to boroughs whose members had been unseated, so as to deprive the honest and bona fide electors of their right to be represented in that house. He could not go into the historytf the previous elections for Can terbury. He was told, however, that the election before the last was uncontested; and therefore a pure election ; and if that was so, the commission for which he meant to move would be limited to the last election. He had been told that he had no locus standi for a motion of this nature, inasmuch as the committee in the Canterbury case had not reported that the bribery practised at the last election was "extensive," in conformity with the term used in the statute. But he would remind the house that they reorted that it had been " general and sys tematic," which he thought was tantamount to its being " extensive." (Hear, hear.) He felt he had now done his duty in bringing this question before the house, he thanked them for the attention with which th e y had listened to him, and he confidently left the case in their hands. (Cheers.) The hon. gentleman concluded by moving that an address be issued to the Crown, for a com mission to inquire into the state of the borough of Can terbury. The question having been put, Mr. MALINS, as a member of the Canterbury election committee, thought the justice of the case would not be met if the proposed inquiry was limited to the last elec- Evidence was adduced before the committee show- ing that for the last 50 years colonrmen's tickets had been given at elections, both on the one side and on the other. It might be some satisfaction to the house to know that it was made perfectly clear to the committee that the prac tice in question prevailed only among the lower class of voters in Canterbury. There was no single instance proved of a ten-pound householder having availed himself of a colourman s ticket. The practice was limited to the free men alone ; and a more miserable class of persons than those brought before the committee to give evidence it was impossible to conceive. He thought any hon. member who would take the trouble of reading through the evi dence would come to the conclusion that there was but one remedy against the repetition of the practices which had so long prevailed in the city of Canterbury, and that was to prevent the franchise descending to the class of persons who had so lamentably abused it. (Hear, hear.) Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said he did not rise for the purpose of opposing th e mo ti on o f th e h on . gen tl eman opposite (Mr. K. Seymer), but he did not see, as the hon. gentleman pro fessed to do, any great anxiety on the part of that house to put an end to the abuses in our representative system. He (Mr. T. Duncombe) confessed he was not competent to form an opinion on that point. He should be able to form such an opinion if he saw on the table of the house the new Reform Bill—the bill, he might say, which was to re-reform the representation. (A laugh.) Until he Baiv that bill, and the mode in which the house dealt with it, he would not say that the House of Commons was anxious to put down corruption. He wanted especially to see how honourable gentlemen opposite would deal with a bill that should greatly extend the franchise. (Laughter.) If it was possible to arrange that there should be no con stituency under 20,000—(oh, and hear, hear)—he was quite satisfied that bribery would be put down, for it would be utterly hopeless to attempt to bribe so large a constituency ; but so long as the present small borough constituencies re mained, things would continue as they were. He did not believe with the hon. and learned gentleman opposite (Mr. Mathis) that poor men as a body were more corrupt than many of the rich among the borough constituencies. (Hear, hear.) The hon. gentlemen opposite (Mr. K. Sey suer) had said that the election committees on this occasion had nobly done their duty. He (Mr. T. Duncombe) sup posed he meant by that they had been unseating the mem bers and making special reports. (A laugh.) He did not say the committees had not done their duty. So they did during the last Parliament. Then there was the same sort of corruption disclosed as now; and he (Mr. T. Duncombe) was afraid that all this virtuous indignation against bri bery and corruption among committees of that house was too good to last. (Laughter.) Thirty-three petitions were tried during the last Parliament—not all for bribery, some' being on the ground of want of qualification, and others for prematurely closing the poll—hi twenty of which the members were unseated on the ground of bri bery and corruption. In ten of those twenty cases special reports were made. There was the Great Yar mouth case, in which the members were unseated, and the committee reported that there had been systematic bri bery and treating, and recommended the disfranchisement the freemen ; Lyme Regis, in which there was a special report ; Carlisle, extensive bribery and treating—(derisive laughter from the Opposition)—carried on under what was called travelling expenses ; Bewdley, treating in public houses and beer-shops during the week of the election, and drink given away to a large extent ; Harwich, three peti tions, and the members three times unseated—but really Harwich was so old and incorrigible a sinner that the *house had given up dealing with it altogether. (Laughter.) Lincoln, treating, and a special report ; Derby, the mem bers unseated—bribery and treating, with the knowledge of the Right Hon. Edward Strutt and the Hon. Leveson Gower, the sitting members. (Laughter.) Leicester, the members unseated on the ground of bribery and corruption and the attention of the house recommended to the case ; Aylesbury, ss. refreshment tickest distributed before and after the poll, the member unseated, and a special report ; and, lastly , St. Albans, which proved that the unseating of a member was not always a criterion of corruption, because there the members were allowed to sit though a _ _ . . bill had passed for disfranchising the borough. (Laughter.) Now what was the cure for all that ? He confessed his only hope was in the new Reform sill. The noble lord (Lord J. Russell) had promised to re-reform the represen tation, and he was well aware that the bill or anything like the bill, that he introduced last year would not do on the present occasion. He (Mr. T. Dancombe) had great hopes of the bill that was to be introduced, in consequence of the _ _ speech of the right hon. baronet the member for Carlisle. (Laughter.) Ever since the Reform Bill passed, he (Mr. Buncombe) had made more motions with the view to cure insufficiencies in the Reform Bill, than he believed, any other member of that house ; and one of his greatest antagonists had been the right honourable baronet the member for Carlisle. (Laughter.) But now that the right hon. gentleman had broken his sword, and thrown away the scabbard, he (Mr. Duncombe) looked upon him as likely to afford valuable assistance in pre paring a good Reform Bill. The right honourable gentle. man lately told his constituents at Carlisle that he was not Lord John Russell's man—(laughter.)—neither was he Derbyite ; that in preparing a now Reform Bill, the Go- - vernment - ought not to begin de novo, but to commence where the previous Reform Bill had left off. " Why did you leave off at Schedule A?" said the right hon. baronet ; " let us now have a schedule C, and a schedule D." so said he (Mr. Duncombe) ; let Parliament but extend the con stituencies, so as to make it perfectly hopeless to attempt to corrupt them, and they would have no more petitions complaining of bribery and treating from the city of Car lisle. (Laughter and cheers.) A conversation arose out of an objection made by Lord John Manners, as to whether the address was in accord ance with the decision of the committee and the terms of the Act of Parliament. Ultimately the motion for the address was agreed to, and ordered to be carried up to the House of Lords. BLACKBURN ELECTION. Mr. W. PATTEN presented a petition from the mayor and magistrates of Blackburn, signed by all parties, and among them by the gentlemen upon whose petition the late member, Mr. Eccles, had been unseated, praying that a writ for a new election might immediately issue. The hou. member also presented a similar petition from the watch committee of the borough. Mr. PILKINGTON presented a petition from the inha bitants of Blackburn to the same effect. Mr. W. PATTEN then, pursuant to notice, moved that a writ be issued for a new election for the borough of Blackburn, in the place of the late member, unseated. The house would recollect that, about ten days ago, several propositions were made with regard to the manner in which the issue of new writs should be dealt with where committees had unseated members on reports on the ground of bribery and treating. His hon. friend the mem ber for Westminster (Sir John Shelley) took part in the debate on that occasion, and proposed that in every case where a member had been unseated for bribery, a com mittee of inquiry should be appointed for the purpose of investigating whether the bribery had been conducted on an extensive system, or whether it was merely confined to the cases brought before the committee. The house de cided that in every instance where a committee had un seated a member upon the ground of bribery and corrup tion, it should be necessary for any member moving for the issue of a new writ to give seven days' notice of his inten tion. Having waited for the expiration of that time, he (Mr. W. Patten) had acceded to a request made by gen tlemen connected with the borough of Blackburn, which was in that part of the county of Lancashire which he had the honour to represent, and should now move that the writ be issued. No case had been made out in Ow com mittee establishing the fact of a system of bribery at the late election for the borough. He made inquiries whether there was any wish on the part of anybody in Blackburn that the writ should not issue ; the result was that all the feeling was the other way. Great excitement already pre vailed there upon the subject, which according to the uni versal opinion would be evaded if the writ was issued, for really no ground had been laid for longer suspending it. He concluded by moving that the Spe a k er do issue his warrant to the clerk of the Crown to issue a new writ for the election of one member for the b oroug h of Blackburn, r Sir J. V. SHELLEY opposed th e motion, the ground that time had not been, given for inifficien' n t o inquir Fula moved as an amendment the reference of the matter to a select committee. Mr. WILLIAMS seconded the amendment. Mr. DEEDES, as chairman of the Blackburn committee, was for altering the law, if necessary, but •not for inter fering with the power given to a committee under the existing law. Lord J. RUSSELL hoped the house would carefully consider the course it was a b ou t t o take ; and more espe cially he hoped they would do so after the speech of the hon. gentleman opposite (Mr. Deedes). If he understood the honourable gentleman rightly, he proposed to reverse altogether the course of proceeding which the house had now taken for a very long time. The question was, what course the house meant to take in these cases 9 He was most anxious that, if possible, the house should take a consistent course with respect to them, and not have to judge as to the weight of the particular evidence in each particular case. (Hear, hear.) He did not at all regret that the evidence in the Blackburn case was not before the house, because no doubt the committee had decided properly, and he did not want to confound with that evidence his vote on this occasion. (Hear, hear.) There were certain reports with regard to elections in certain boroughs, and he supposed the house would not be far from the truth in supposing that in several of the cases in which the seats were voided by bribery, that bribery was only proved in a few cases—that ,it was the excep tion not affecting generally the character of the elec tion. In several other cases the house could not very well refuse to believe that, although only a few persons were reported to the house as guilty of bribery, the bribery was very extensive and very general. Suppose the house ap pointed a select committee in every one of these cases, the committees would probably find with regard to several of the boroughs, that there were no reasons why the writ should not immediately issue. They would find in other cases that bribery and corruption were very extensive ; and on their reporting so to the house the act of last session would come into operation, because the act was not con fined to those cases which were reported by select commit tees appointed to try election petitions, but extended also to cases in which select committees were appointed to in quire into the existence of corrupt practices. Therefore that act contemplated that there should be select commit ees in certain cases without the power of taking evidence on oath, to which the hon. gentleman objected. But the act took no such objection ; it admitted of inquiry by a committee ; and if the committee reported that a prima facie case of general bribery and corruption had been made out, on an address to the Crown, a commission was ap pointed. If the act so contemplated, he could not conclude that in the face of their own act, and in spite of that act, select committees should never be appointed to inquire into bribery at all. (Hear, hear, hear.) He had men tioned that the first course was in all these cases to appoint select committees, and then there would be no party divi sion on the subject ; because the rule would be laid down . that immediately an election was declared void by bribery Majority for issuing the writ l3l a select committee of inquiry into that bribery should be appointed. Another course was to appoint committees on THE SHIP VIOLET. petitions from electors, to inquire into corrupt practices, Mr. WHALLEY said he had given notice of a motion on and in no other cases. The third course was not to appoint the subject of the capture of the ship Violet by pirates in such a committee in any case, and to carry the investiga- 1851; but, as the information which he had received on tion no further than by the inquiries made by select con- the subject from the Government rendered the motion un mittees on election petitions. The last course, he must necessary, he begged to withdraw it. say, was very objectionable, as it was a course which would Motion accordingly withdrawn, screen a great deal of bribery. (Hear, hear, hear.) It was for the house very much t o d ec id e f or it se lf. H e did no t SELECT COMMITTEES. wish to make any motion on the subject. His preference Mr. EWART rose to move for a select committee to in certainly was for taking the first course. Still if the house quire whether the constitution and action of the select should think fit to take the second course, he should sub- committees of this house might not be improved by gene nit to the decision of the house ; but he confessed, if the rally diminishing the number of members composing such house were asked to come to a decision, he should give his committees, and by making provision for their giving more vote on the division in favour of the motion of the hon. undivided attention to subjects committed to their consi. member for Westminster. (Hear.) deration than they are able to do wider the present system. Mr. Bouverie, Mr. Barrow, and Mr. Wortley opposed He said he was anxious to call the attention of the house the amendment, as introducing an inconvenient and dan- to the subject, with the view of remedying what he consi gerous system. dered the evils of the present system of constituting select Mr. HEYWOOD said a few words on the part of Black- committees. It often happened that there were conflicting burn, and Mr. Bess attempted to say a few words against committees sitting • that members were appointed to more it, but was not listened t o . th an one committee at the same time, and were thus pre- Ultimately, after a brief reply, from Mr. W. PATTEN, vented from discharging the duties imposed on them. The Sir J. SHELLEY yielded to the advice of that hon. gentle- hon. and learned member concluded by proposing the above man, and agreed to withdraw his amendment, upon which motion. the original motion was agreed to. The question having been put, BRIDGNORTH ELECTION. Mr. SOTHERON, as chairman of select committees, Mr. WHITMORE presented a petition from 325 electors bore testimony to the inconveniences of the present sys. of Bridgnorth, praying that the house would immediately tern, and concurred generally with Mr. Ewart as to its issue the writ for the election of a member in the place of reform. At the same time he urged the postponement of Sir R. Pigot, who had been unseated. the motion, in order to give more deliberate consideration Colonel FORESTER said the discussion on Blackburn to the subject. would be similar to the discussion on Bridgnorth. The Lord J. RUSSELL said he was ready to accept the wag committee appointed to inquire into corrupt prac ti ces gestion of his hon. friend who had just sat down, as to its alleged to have been committed at Bridgnorth reported being advisable that the motion should not be pressed at that , - 1 oseph Mason had been bribed with 10/., but without that moment. He thought it would be better to make the the knowledge of tie sitting members ; that the petition motion at a future time, and in more general terms ; so against one of the members was frivolous and• vexatious ; that the committee which should be appointed might not and the other member was not duly elected. The petition be confined exclusively to the suggestions contained in the against one member having failed, and only one case of motion of the hon. member for 'Dumfries, but might be bribery being proved though many were gone into, he enabled to offer other suggestions which would tend to thought the house would not hesitate to order the issue of facilitate the progress of business in that house. He the writ. He moved that the Speaker be directed to issue quite agreed with his hon. friend that it was highly desir his warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, for the issue of a able, now that there were so many subjects for the consi new writ for the el ec ti on o f one member to serve in Parlia- deration of committees, that the number of members ment for the borough of Bridgnorth, in the room of Sir R. usually appointed to sit upon those committees should be Pigot whose election had been declared void by a select as small as possible. He hoped, at all events, that his committee of that house. hon. friend would set an example in the nomination of Sir J. SHELLEY said it appeared to him this case stood the committee for which he had moved, of the advantages in a very different position to that of Blackburn. The of a small number, and that he would not propose a large electors, by petition, alleged that gross bribery and intimi- number to consider the subject which he had brought under dation were carried on at the last and at previous elections their notice that evening. It was highly desirable also that for Bridgnorth, and that the public-houses were generally members should be constant in their attendance with respect open at the last election. H e th oug ht it would be very to the subjects which they might be appointed to consider. little use giving time, if, when a petition was sent up to It often happened that members were absent, without the house, they did not appoint a committee to inquire into whose opinion and authority the report of the committee its allegations. He would, therefore, move the amendment would not be looked upon as of as great value as it other of which he had given notice, that a select committee be wise would be. That was a question, however, with appointed to consider the allegations contained in the peti- which it was extremely difficult to deal effectually, and tion from certain electors of Bridgnorth (presented 10th one which required much deliberation. Very often the March), complaining of corrupt practices at the last and day of the appointment of the committee was early in the former elections of Bridgnorth. session, and members usually attended in very full num- Sir B. HALL seconded the motion. hers to hear all the evidence ; and then about the middle of Mr. BOUVERIE was satisfied that there was no reason July, it being proposed by the chairman to come to a reso for the appointment of ali committee, and he would vote lution upon the subject of investigation, out of the fifteen for the motion of the hon. and gallant officer opposite, as Or sixteen members who had been originally appointed, not he could see no substantial ground of difference between more than seven or eight generally appeared. Four or five, this case and that of Blackburn. therefore, formed a majority, and it was upon the opinion Mr. F. FRENCH did not intend to sanction the suspen- of those four or five members that the house was obliged to sion of constitutional rights merely for the sake of some frame its decision. He repeated, however, that the object problematical possibility. He thought the hon. member which his hon. friend had in view was somewhat difficult for Westminster asked the house to go beyond what might of . attainment, and he hoped he would not proceed with fairly be termed its ordinary powers. his motion for the present. Mr. COBDEN wished to know if there were a dozen Mr. RICH thought the suggestions of the hon. member members in that house who were really ignorant of the for Dumfries deserved the Serious consideration of the true state of affairs in the borough of Bridgnorth ? There house ;he (Mr. Rich) felt assured that there was hardly a was a little book in the hands of every member, called the member of the house who had not observed how very hastily "Parliamentary Companion "—an authoritative book in committees were usually nominated. He did not wish his that house. This book, after stating that Bridgnorth sent hon. friend should press the motion, however, at that two members to Parliament, and contained 747 registered moment, though he sincerely hoped that he might ulti electors, alleged that the borough was in some degree under mately succeed in the object which he had in view. the influence of the Whitmore family. (Hear.) That was Lord H. VANE thought it a matter of extreme impor the mild way in which Mr. Dock made up his genteel vo- tance that the members usually appointed to serve upon lame. From what was said on oath before the committee committees of that house should be lessened. It would be by Mr. O'Callaghan—(laughter) —no, the Hon. Mr. Cede. better, however, in his opinion, that the hon. member for gan, the member who was unseated—(no)--the unsuccess- Dumfries should postpone his motion until he should have fel candidate—pretty nearly the same thing. In the evi- been enabled to place himself in communication with the deuce he found that Mr. Cadogan gave a description of the Government upon the subject. borough of Bridgnorth. He said—" I certainly shall not Mr. E WART said if the hon. member for Malton (Mr. stand again for Bridgnorth unless the family of the Whit- J. E. Denison) had been present when he (Mr. Ewart) had mores assent to a Liberal being brought there. Mr. Whit- introduced the question, he would have been aware th a t more could get an y one into a sea t for Bridgnorth ; he he excepted very important: committees, such as those sit could return his own footman if he Pleased." (Hear, and ting upon the affairs of India, from the same regulations laughter.) That was stated on oath by an hon. gentleman as those which he proposed for the appointment of those who canvassed the borough, but the hon. and learned gen- of minor consideration. In bringing forward his motion tleman who presided over the election committee, and who his only desire had been to improve, as far as possible, the had spoken on the subject, had forgotten to give the house interior organisation of that house. He would at once that piece of information. That hon. and learned gentleman yield to the suggestions made by the noble lord the member was anxious that inquiry should not be pursued into the for London as to the propriety of not pressing it prema conduct of the Bridgnorth constituency. The hon. and turely upon the attention of the house, and would, there learned membe r talked of bribery and treating, but he fore, postpone it until some more favourable opportunity wanted to know whether the house could consider that re- of introducing it should present itself. • . presentation was a reality, when it was alleged that a family The motion was then withdrawn. living in the neighbourhood of Bridgnorth could return Mr. WHALLEY moved for a select committee to exa whom they pleased to that house, even their footman. mine the returns made to that house by the Inclosure (Divide.) He would not consent to a division until the Commissioners and the Commissioners of the Board of house had probed this matter a little further. A doubt Health, and to inquire into the operation of the Tidal had been raised, if the committee were granted, as to Harbour commission, and to report whether any inconve the possibility of getting evidence. The honourable thence or any benefit has resulted from the mode of pro member did not know how evidence was to be not at. ceeding in regard to private bills adopted by those com- Why, by witnesses who were to be sought out and paid missioners respectively, and whether the same can with their expenses for attendance. A select committee of the advantage be extended to other classes of private business. House of Commons was as good an ordeal for bringing out Mr. W. PATTEN said, he thought the same objection facts as he knew of. H e h a d a letter from a respectable which had been urged against the last motion also applied person at Bridgnorth. (Name.) No ;he would state on his to the one then under their consideration—namely, that it authority as a member of that house that the letter was would be very difficult to obtain members at present to from a highly -respectable person, who would attend before serve on any committee which would have to inquire into a committee. He said the reason why the petition was not any new subject. He should furthe r sa y , that althou g h he more numerously signed was bec ause of the t influence thought there ought to be a change in the mode of conduct of Mr. Whitmore, the efforts of the publicans to stop in- ing private business in that house, with a view make it quiry, and the indisposition of other electors to publish as little expensive as possible, it did not appear to him that their own disgrace. If this committee were granted he the motion of the hon. member was calculated to promote would produce the letter. The letter concluded by stating that object. that plenty of evidence of bribery* and intimidation would Mr. W HALLEY intimated that he did not mean to be brought forward: The names and the amount of bribes press his motion to a division. were all registered in a book, and it would be proved that The motion was then withdrawn. , persons had been turned out of their shops for not voting THE NATIONAL GALLERY. as required. He believed as bad a case as that of Sudbury Colonel MURE moved that the following gentlem en would be established against Bridgnorth, if the facts were should be the select committee on the National Gallery -- inquired into. They had the evidence of the Hon. Mr. F. Colonel Mure, Mr. Labouchere, _ _Lord_Seymour, M r . Sti r- Cadogau that Mr. Whitmore's evidence was so great that, if ling, Mr. Milnes, Mr. Harduage, Mr. Ewart, Mr. Goulb , he pleased, he could even return his own footman. His Mr. Baring Wall, Mr. Raikes Currie, Mr. Hamilton, Mr, argument was that they ought not to have members in that house returned by Vernon, Mr. Marshall, Sir William Molesw or th, an d Mr, undue influence. He hoped, as the eyes of the country were upon them, and the facts of bribery Charteris• Mr. C. BERKELEY objected to the cons tit u ti on. of the easily obtainable, that the house would not let the m a tt er rest where it was. committee. Sir J. GRAHAM felt with the hon. member for the Sir J. PAKINGTON believed that it w as th e general West Riding that the eyes of the public were fixed upon practice to have both sides of th e h ouse represented in committee. In this case, with t wo or three excep' a that house with reference to the bnbery at elections ; and t the members og' f this committe e were taken th . lon had the motion in relation to the Blackburn election not - . - frome other been member for er been withdrawn, he should have been disposed to vote for Bide. o it. He would not trouble the house at any length as to Mr. W. PATTEN sugge s t e d th at the hon. the reasons which would induce him to give his vote for the South Cheshire would be a valuable addition to the cm issuing of the writ, because he had already stated to the mittee house that he should be prepared to vote, in all cestes where Colonel MURE assured the house that • a member was unseated on a charge of bribery, for furtherof the committee it had been endeavo cl. in the selection inquiry into the conduct of the constituency. To give services of those who took an inter t ure to procure the effect to that determination, he should have voted for the ence to political consideration es in it, without refer motion of the hon. member for Westminster ; but the hon. made to two or three gentle 8. Applications had been member had withdrawn that motion, and he could not do side of the house, and. on their sitting on the opposite so. It was of the last importance that the house should committee was constituted eir declining to serve, the act with the strictest impartiality and justice in this house. as it now appeared before the matter. The house had not withheld the writ in the case Mr. HENLEY did of Blackburn, and it would therefore be an injustice if the as the report of th objection unimportant, not think the for writ was withheld in the case of Bridgnorth. If the ques- an expenditure ofe committee might lay the foundation tion was pressed to a division, he should certainly vote for Colonel IMRE, public money. had conceived that expenditure of public the issuing of the writ, unless, indeed, there was anything money Would be which removed it from the rule which had been established After a few a collateral question. in the case of Blackburn. He admitted that after an in- Colonel words from Mr. SOTHEEON, th e pre sen t. MURE withdrew the motion for Prebe"" terval of seven days, no petition came up, and that there Mr. C. n otice that he should BERKELEY .thengave was this special circumstance of difference in the case of move "That to the committee to in- Brideorth, that a petition was presented. But that ' it be an instruction for the purchase of quire into the expenditure of money petition was not very numerously signed, and it" no allegation which had not been distinctly raised contained pictures for the National G a llery- " before invooD. the committee and thoroughly investigated b FOREST OF WFIIC N given to the WILso , leave was The committee had laid the evidence before the them. 111. On the motion of Mr. Forest of Whichwood, which proved that competent witnesses h e —°118 e) bring in a bill for disafforesting the d bee BILL. mined—one gave the result of twenty years'a n exa- D ASSAULTS AGGRAVATE reading of this bill, and the result was that no doubt could remain experience— tion for the second . to the power given in of hon. members as to the true b • on the mind On the motion an objection • . Taking all the circumstances dis earrng of the evidence. Mr. HENLEY urged . tion and imprisonment without bill of summary conviction ration, he did not think he shOuhll)a.ssionately into sid- the to this he refused the writ. be act ing With if i*PP eal * warexpressed his strong repugnance justice mr. BARR e ' Mr. HUME said the house in had agreed P ower. that the bill would be nugatory if every case in which a member to the rule that as e . FITZROY said a further inquiry should talcs unseated was unseated for bribery with such power of appeal. clogged, second time. hon. member withdrew hi e . place. He was sorry the The bill was then read a s MO • burn election, li tion m the case of the Black- . UNIVERSITIES (SCOTLAND). e vras for allegations in the B • allowing the inquiry into the On the motion of the LORD ADVOCATE, leave was nd orth to be 'made, especially after ; to bring in a bill to regulate the admission s 4 profes the statement of the hoßiding, given . that the family of the n. member for the West 0 sore to lay chairs, &c., in the Universities of Scotland, - footman if th _ VVlitanores could return their . EXCHEQUER LOAN FUND COMMISSION. would not stultify themselvesey Pleased. He trusted the house such serious The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER laid on the by opposing inquiry into allegations. Mr. DISRAELI said the hon. member for the West serving that the gentlemen composing it had performed. Riding had placed his whole argument on one alleged fact their office tuitousl and had_saved gray, the country a mil lion and a half of money. — that the Whit more family Pes sess ' e th c e n ot c onsiderable, and that, as Mr. DISRAELI said that he had but preelorainant influence in Bridge° , both members, charge against these never intended to patrons of the boron h th y could return h . g, e ......( n o —t eir foot- own.testimony to the exem officers, and he now bore la manner in which they had and, if they liked, their own butler bat considerable influ- fulfilled their duties. . man. Either result would she what possessed. in the , I al l eg ed they The house then adjourned at eleven o'clock. ' j ence the hon. gentleman borough, So would, borevor, produce • . 184 . 50 the one quoted by the hon. member—an authority open to every gentleman in the house— the authority of the public journals—in which some circumstances were stated , 14,1,ich had relation to the borough of Bridgnorth. It N ',Mere stated that that a gentleman, having all the advanta f,l 1,14 r, mop and high respectability, of long experience 'lonia- , as a member, and who had held an eminent dal polit-44. 4: :EN qualifications which entitled him to the co takce.4o siiii, constituency—this gentleman did not entirety reh"thr hoe'. I t t li.. i c birth, Parliamentary experience, social posit le l or-the' rii4: "- - ,... 21 ,„ 1 fleeted lustre of his, past official position ;for hefs , he went ' ) ,!77.,(' as a candidate to Bridgnorth he proceeded tq L ,pva4l,.:liim'Selr i ;:k7. l .. - ii of the assistance of the gentleman asserted It h r . ItY ". overpowering influence in the boron h. 444.. man, Mr. George Hope, not only went to Brieli4ll2r .„ north, but he went as a guest - to Mr. Whitmore's mansion - 1L. 1310 ' at Bridgnorth. This gentleman, who not only possessed singular advantages in his own person, which other candi dates did not enjoy, had the addititional advantage of being introduced to -the electors of Bridgnorth by Mr.. Whit-, more at a public meeting, the asserted patron of the borough. After canvassing the town Mr. Hope found he could make no way. The opinions he expressed were favourable to the Government, but they found no favour with the electors of Bridgnorth, even though backed by the influence of the alleged patron. Now, in the face of these circumstances, he thought it was rather too much for , the lion, member for the West Riding to get up in such a peremptory manner in that house, using his great influence to make the people believe that Bridgnorth was a rotten borough in the hands of a particular family, and that elec tions were not free. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member for the West Riding had not the slightest authority for his statement, which, though endorsed with his usual facility by the hon. member for Montrose, was proved to be utterly void of foundation. It was stated by the authority referred to, that the family of the Whitmores exercised some in fluence in the borough —some influence they did possess (ana they deserved to possess it), and because they exer cised some influence, Mr. Cadogan chose to say they could return their footman if they liked. This was the evidence' of a disappointed candidate only, who, like all disappointed candidates, wished easily to account for a result not alto gether pleasing to himself. That was all the evidence ad duced for the unqualified statement of-the hon. member for the West Riding, and the hasty confirmation of the hon. mem ber for Montrose. The information afforded by the publicj our nals no one would pretend to contradict, that information clearly proved that the asserted patron of the borough of Bridgnorth, who had recommended a gentleman with every qualification in his favour except that the electors could not agree with his political opinions, could not prevail on the borough to elect him. (Hear.) After a few words from Sir H. WILLOUGHBY, Mr. H. HERBERT, and Mr. BALL, the house divided— For the motion. Against it MINES. 1 all Agua Fria 103 all Anglo Californian — p 10 2 A istralasian. 20 5 A as.,r-lian 1 all Aust - -,l'an Cordillera par p 1 1 all Australian Freehold. 1 a p 14 1 all Ave Maria 1 all Baden(Gd. Duchy of) par p 1 all Brhish Austrin. Gold 1 p 20 13.5 Br: Lish Iron 7 9 p 35 241 Brazilian Imp.(issued at £5 pm.) 's 6 30 all Do. Cocaes & Cuiaba 3/ - - 4 81 11 4 20 15 Do. St. John Dcl Rey 29 —3O 1 1 Carson's Creek.. par p 1 40 all Cobre Copper 46 —47 5 1 Colonial Gold 2/ —3l p 4/ 4 14 Copiapo 5l 6} Si. all CopperMinersof Eng 7O —75 721 25 all Do. Preference 7l —Bl p 5 all English and Austin Copper Snaeltg. Co n— id lf 31 20 all General lB —2O 2 all Great Nugget Vein: 3.1 —3l p 5g 1 3 all Great Polgooth 1 all Lake Bathurst dis— par 1 all Liberty — p 1 all Loud. &Californ. Gold Quartz Crush. Co 1 g d 1 all Marie aita d par 1 10 9 Mexican &S. Americ Bl 9 981 1 all New Granada P 1 all Nouveau Monde ll p 21 5 1 Port Philip l— 1 p 1/ 211 2 1 all Quartz Rock par— 1 p 50 all Rhymney Iron 22 —24 15 Do. New 7 8 30 10i1 Santiago de Cuba 1 all South Australian 1 p 30 7 Tin Croft ll —l3 281 all United Mexican 6l 7 6 1 all Waller 1 all West Granada — p 1 all West Mariposa Rdis g p 1 1 all Yuba t p JOINT-STOCK BANKS. 40 all Australasia 93 -- 94 931 50 all British N. American 20 2 Chrtd. Bak. of India, Australia, & China n —21 p 100 25 Colonial — 100 20 Commercial of Lon don .•. 4 English Scottish and Australian 3 alp 131 13 20 71 Lond. Chart. Bk. of Australia 5l —51 p 181 50 20 Loudon and County ... 50 10 London Joint Stock - 100 20 Lond. &Westminster 20 2 London Bank of Aus tralia and India 50 221 National of Ireland 25 all Oriental Bank of Corporation. 55 56 551 25 5 Do. New — 100 25 Provincial of Ireland ... 10 all Do. New — ••• 5 1 Royal Australn.Bkg & Gold Imp. Co par— ip 25 25 South Australia 5O 52 50 25 all Union of Australia_ 78 79 781 9 21 Do. New Bl 9 9 50 10 Union of London — 40 all Union of Madrid MISCELLANEOUS. 100 35 Australian Agricult ) 107 112 20 6 Austrlasu.Pcific.Mail' 10 5 Australn. Royal Mail ... 5 381 Brit. A merlon. Land ... ... 52 a, 100 321 Canada — 5 6 Crystal Palace 4 2 Crystal Pal. of France 6 6 tsi 6 I 20 1 Eastern Steam — 1 1 Electric. Teleg. of Ir — 15 14 Gen. Steam Navigat „„ 100 50 General Screw Steam — 111 12 20 21 Irish Beetroot Sugar 1 all Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel! 10 2 Nethe :lands Land — 20 21 Nzt'• .of Europe Steam, 50 all reninsular &Orienial 84 50 25 Do. Do. 100 60 Royal Mail Steam, 25 25 South Austral. Land 57 59 594 8 1 1 Submar. Telegraph 5 2 Universal Emigration 10 and Colonisation — 100 281 Van Diemen's Land 25 —26 24 A 3 I A 6154 25 --: 2. 124i3ii645i MARKET NEWS-(THIS DAY.) CORN EXCHANGE. Notwithstanding that the supply of English wheat on sale in to-day's market was very limited, and in but mid ling condition, the demand for all descriptions was in a depressed state, and low qualities were freely offered at is per quarter beneath last week's quotations. For forward delivery very little was doing. The show of fresh foreign wheat was small, but a full average number of granaried samples was brought forward. Good heavy wheats realised full prices ; but all other kinds were dull, at barely late rates. The arrival of floating cargoes off the coast has increased to some extent, yet prices were not lower. Fine barley was sarce, and quite as dear ; grinding and distilling sorts were very dull. We had a fair inquiry for malt, the value of which was well supported. The oat trade was slow, at Monday's prices. Beans, peas, and flour moved off slowly, at late cur rencies. ARRIVALS THIS WEER. Wheat. i Barley. i Dian. 2,320 2,910 5,180 English .. Irish •• • • Foreign .. 3,430 WHITECHAPEL. For each kind of meat at this market to-day the inquiry was in a very sluggish state, at our quotations Beef, 2s M to 3s 6d ; mutton, 3s 6d to 4s 6d ; veal, 3s 2d to 4s 4d; pork, 2s 6d. to 4s Od. per Sibs by the carcase. BOROUGH HOP. Our markot continues steady, and last week's prices aro well supported. LLOYD'S SHIPPING-(THIS DAY.) LONDON, March 16.—Wind at Noon, E., light breeze, and cloudy. The St. George, London to Port Philip, struck on a reef at Port Philip on the 28th Dec., and was run on shore, the water flowing in and out of her ; crew and passengers saved. DEAL, March 15.—Wind, E.S.E. Arrived—Swithamley, China ; Salvadore, Boston ; Johanna, New York ; Patrick Henry, do. ; Laura, Rio Janeiro, for Hamburgh ; Gustao, New Orleans. Sailed—Diana, Sydney, N.S.W. Anived from the River, and sailed—Frolic, for the South Seas Urania, Melbourne ; Greeian Queen, do. ; Andalusia, New York • Eliza, Trinidad. OFF`THE2WIGHT.—Brothers, Calcutta, for Hull. OTT DOVER, March 15.—Dona Teresa, New Orleans. LOWESTOFFE, March 15.—The James, of and from an Sailed—Onega, Strait. Straits. PORTSMOUTH, on NOWCOT Re L on d o n for Seaham, s ha d s been brought in leaky, having 15.—Sailed—Rose, Salils.et—wßinoscie.: s.w Davi . es' Rio Janeiro. Put back—Moslem, Colcutta. L IVERP OOL, March 15.—Wind, N.W. Arrived—Rising H Po u n L T I LI M o ar uTenh, March N.S.W., on freight 14,655 oz. of gold ; Samuel Badger, Sun, New Orleans ; Peter Marey, do. ; Falcon Sydney, New Orleans ; Alberta, do. ; Polly, do. ; New Brunswick, do. • lawa, Savannah ; Leonie' Charleston ; Alwine, do. ; Western World, New York ; Arctic, do. ; Arendina, Ja cobs ; Champion, Boston ; Paragon, Newfoundland. Sailed—Bryn-y-Mor, Pernambuco. Off Port—Emigrant, Mary Holland, and America. PLYMOUTH, March 15.—Wind, S. Sailed — Lady Jocelyn (a), Cape of Good Hope and Calcutta. BRlSTOL,Marchls.—Wind, W.N.W. Sailed —Triumph, Melbourne. ALICANTE, March 7.—The Ceres, from Newcastle , is on shore on Cape La Heurton, and is not expected off. SYDNEY, N.S.W., Dec. 20.—The Young Queen, of New castle, is on shore on Nobby's Island ; four of her crew anFdACLMapOtUaTinH,, Odessa-; . 14 cido, IndW, N.W. Arrived—Carl, drowned. The Cassip o r e was on s hore on Princes Shoal, twenty-five miles from Geelong, on the 6th inst. Patterson, Porsground. v ed o — b e C r t a a l Constantinople; s ROYAL WEST INDIA MINING COMPANY.—This com pany, which was proposed to be established a few months back, have notified a return, without deduction, of the subscriptions received, in consequence of their having failed in obtaining a charter. The negotiations on the matter seem to have been attended with misun derstanding and disappointment, owing to the absence of those definite principles . which alone can enable the public to escape uncertainty as to the course that will be pursued by the Board of Trade in any given case. 1081 911 i 17n 76 i i 10 119 20 1 9 x.. 29i I 76J 51 f- 13j 13i li 2 15k 101 5/1 101 lli 12 i 87/ xin 4i x in x in x in 2 36 7i 281 i 9/1 43 2i A pm A oats. 630 1,780 -- 350 I 12,140 Flour. 1,280 1061 1071; 1061 148} 2i 3 21 i 11,4 100 100 18g 1121 ad ad ad ad