The Sun. — London, England, 1853-04-27 00:00:00

that number 70,000 are Protestant c hildren, naniodofo the number of Protestants there are 26,000 Church of England. The hon.memberforthe Meath say is great inconsistency in those who advocate sys a te t m he o re f mixed education in Ireland not being prepared to England. But the circumstances ofthet towo extend countriest i England the members of the are entirely different. In to the Established Church Church constitute the majority, but in England thereis an infinite variety of sects opposed —(hear)—and the system here has been to grant to the Church, and to the bo . dies dissenting fromthe Church sepa rate grants of money in order that the members of the dif ferent sects may be educated separately, and that religious education should also be given separately. In Ireland the c i rc umstances are very d eenif r t. The There the the members the members of the Established Church are a small minority; of the Roman Catholic Church constitute the immense majority—(hear, hear) — and the endeavour has been, by the exclusion of all religious teaching from the system of joint education, to combine in one _ aer common system the ) Now it is members of different creeds. (Hear, h im portant that there should be no doubt as to the original principle on which the system was founded , and I contend there can be no mistake whatever with respect to the in tentions of Earl Derby in founding that s y stem. In the original statement of this plan, and a was made that the nd in the plan itself as it originally was recorded, provision in struction should be altogether secular. The introduction of the Scripture extracts was subsequent to the original formation of the system. I t formed no part of the original plan, and even now the Scripture extracts are not enjoin e d e s a portion of the teaching in those schools. They are taught p er mitted to be subject to an absolute veto on th e part of the parents of any one child who may object to the use of these extracts. Such is the rule now—such has been the rule from the very first commencement of the system. (Hear, hear.) Now it has been said that the late Govern ment were not unwilling to have promoted an inquiry of this description if it had been brought forward by some independent member. I am afraid that neither of the members for the University of Dublin, considering their relation to that Government, could have been the mover or seconder of such an inquiry during the existence of the late Administration. But was it ne cessary for Earl Derby, if he wished, to alter the system, to have an inquiry before a committee in order to ascer tain the success or failure of that system ? We have it from himself that he, the author of the measure, having the deepest interest in its success, occupying the highest station in the Government, conferring with the Lord Lieu tenant of Ireland, making every inquiry which he might think necessary—we have it from himself, in his place in Parliament, that he, having made those inquiries, having carefully deliberated, came to the conclusion that no ma terial change could be effected in the system consistently with its maintenance. (Hear hear.) With respect to the hon. and learned member for the University of Dublin, I believe I am correct when I state that, when he was first a candidate for the representation of that university, about the year 1847, he was most anxious, in his address to those whom he was desirous of calling his constituents, t( impress upon thei r m i n d s hi s f ee lings with reference ), this system ; an d , if I m i s t a k e no t, these were the words tc of his address "I am thoroughly averse to the delusive system of Irish national education. (Hear, hear.) sys tem, as I conceive, can prosper in which the No word of God is not sincerely honoured as the greatest blessing to a nation. Remember that the word from above is first pure, then peaceable, and you cannot compromise its authority. (Hear.) Now the hon. and learned gentleman, on becoming a member of Earl Derby's Government, I have no doubt honestly suspended his opposition to the system. No doubt he had every reason to believe that some inquiry would be in stituted. Pending that inquiry he with perfect honour re mained a member of that Government. After Earl Derby had come to the conclusion that no change could be effected, it is not for me to inquire what course he ought to have taken. But he continued to hold office, and I con sider his speech to-night to be perfectly consistent with his hostility to the system. (Hear, hear.) It appears to me most extraordinary that the two principal promoters of this motion, representing the University of Dublin, should be in this peculiar position. They represent a university which does give to the rich of Ireland a purely secular education without the slightest tincture or admixture of religious teaching—(hear, hear)—and yet they are the per sons who are the most prominent in denyine to the poor of Ireland the very benefit which the learned body whom they represent has conferred, and will, I hope, long con tinue to confer, upon the upper classes. (Hear, hear.) Tho speech of the hon. member for Meath is a striking practical illustration of a truth, for which on former occa sions I have contended, and which, I think, it is most desirable the house should bear in mind before it consents to this inquiry, which is subversive of the principles of a mixed education. It is this, that the great body of the Protestant clerg,y in Ireland concur with a very large por tion of the Roman Catholic priesthood in Ireland in ear nestly desiring to overthrow this mixed system, with the view of obtaining separate grants for the purpose of pro selytizing, and teaching in conformity with their respective creeds. (Hear, hear.) Now what is the fact ? I am speaking from the authority of others, but I have reason to believe —that there is a marked difference between the priesthood and the laity of Ireland, with out distinction of creed. The Protestant Bishop of Waterford (Dr. Daly) is known to be most hostile to this system of mixecli education. I believe, notwithstanding the Ecclesiastical Titles Act, I may say that the Roman Catholic Bishop of Waterford partakes of the same hos tility. They both are opposed to the system of mixed education. But the laity of Waterford, both Protestant and Catholic, are most anxious for the establishment at Waterford of a model school in connection with the mixed system of education. (Hear, hear.) They have presented a memorial to the board to that effect, and I believe in pursuance of the wish of the laity that a model school of that description is about to be established. (Hear, hear.) Now what has been the result of this system of mixed teaching ? I believe that there is no country in Europe at at this moment where education is conducted on so large a scale, or I would say, notwithstanding religions differences, where spiritual knowledge is so widely diffused by teaching as in Ireland. (Hear, hear.) I contend that a clergyman of the Established Church, the patron of a school under the national system in Ireland, has at this time every op portunity of administering to the youth i n th a t sc h oo l o f which he is the patron, not only instruction in the Holy Scriptures, but instruction in the Church Catechism and in all the particular doctrines of the Church of England, to the utmost possible extent he could desire. (Hear, hear.) If it be not during the hours of secular instruction, day by day he has the opportunity and right of adminis tering religions instruction to all the members of his church who attend that school. And that right is not peculiar to him. Every minister of a different persuasion, whether Presbyterian or Catholic, has the right of attend ing that school, and of administering religious instruc tion day by day to those who will take it. (Hear, hear. ) But what is re a lly th e p re t ens i on o f t h e Church Education Society ? (Hear, hear.) It is neither more nor less than this : They put in on the eime footing as the claim of the Dissenters of England. The Dissenters of England, if they send their children to the national school must allow them to be taught the Church Catechism. That is the rule of the National Society. The state of the national school in Ireland is exactly the reverse. The child would not be taught the Church Catechism there ; it need not receive any religious instruction from w - hick the parent dissents ; and the real desire of the Church Education So ciety in Ireland is to obtain aid from the public purse for the purposes of teaching all those who shall attend that school a creed from which the larger portion of the popu lation of Ireland dissents. (Hear, hear.) I warn the house from yielding to this motion ; it is not in a covert sense seeking to dissemble the desire of abandoning "the phan tom of mixed education," but it is for the purpose of esta blishing a separate system with a separate grant ; and what will be the conssenence ? The claim put forward by the hon. member for Meath will be irresistible ; the claim of the Roman Catholics to a participation in that grant will be in reference to their numbers, and that claim, too, will be irresistible. The largest proportion will be given to the Roman Catholics, and the smallest to the Church of England ; and you will have the flame of religious discord spreading throught the country, and a proselytising spirit unhappily adding to the evils and sorrows of that country. I believe, instead of a system of peace and concord, you will have unfoi tunately a great aggravation of all the evils and sorrows of the country. (Hear, hear.) Now, I think something was said by the right hon. gentleman the mem ber for the University of Dublin with respect to the opinion of Dr. Chalmers with regard to m i xe d e d uca ti on. I t i s true that Dr. Chalmers thought that secular education without any intermixture of religious teaching, was incom patible with the good of the community ? I think I have hero the opinion of Dr. Chalmers on this very point, re - corded within a very short period of his lamented death ; and, with the permission of the house, I will read his words :—" During the last few months of Dr. Chalmers' life (says his biographer), the subject of national education was much upon his mind, and the following was written about a week before his death. Dr. Chalmers says on this subject—' I would suffer parents to select what part of edu cation they wanted for their children, and would not force arithmetic upon them if all they wanted was reading and writing ; and as little would I force any part of the reli gious instruction given in the schools if all they wanted was secular education.' " (Hear, hear.) That was the opinion of Dr. Chalmers. Now, will the house permit me to read the opinion of Archbishop Usher, a still higher authority, on, this very point? Archbishop Usher said, the state of the Country was much to be lamented, when the people generally were suffered to perish for want of know ledge ; adding " the consideration whereof hath sometimes driven me to treat with those of the opposite party, and to move them, however much we may differ in other things, to join together in teaching those main points, the knowledge whereof is necessary unto salvation, and of the truth whereof there is no controversy." (Hear, hear.) Now, I feel satisfied if Archbishop Usher, having given expression to those opinions, were now alive, that he, the Primate, would be the p a t ron o f th e National School Society of the city of Armagh. That is my firm convic tion. But I say, mixed with all this system of religious difference, there lurks a degree of political difference. Something was said about the examination before the committee of 1839. I was a member of that committee, and perhaps you would like to hear a specimen of the evidence given before it on this very question as to the use of the Bible among the poor in Ireland. A witness said as soon as the system was announced meetings were got up in every town of Ulster, at one of which Lord Roden preensidea ; the people were led to believe that the Govern triliatt were about to take their Bibles from them ; and at it waineeeovting they carried their Bibles with them, and after enabling gun clubs were established, for the purpose of lair. Ls r a. n . sart s to protect their Bibles. (Laughter). Sir J. GRAIT—What is the name of the witness? question and arisw--The evidence will be found in the witneers„r,reinbered 7,687 and 7,688. lam not aware of the honourable and leargi name at this moment, but if the laugh.) he will find it. (Am igentleme.n will go into the library, think I show you that therearioeee lurk under the whole of Again, I say, I this semblance of reli political animosity. Let speakin%read what the Rev. Mr. also a bitter ingredient of Trench says. He states, town in which Church Edu he lived—" There is a national scii(e)foltbe the national cation school • I visited both of the ai l d i n a :icl,l;terl asked the school I found' Scripture extracts werme master of tie Church Education school w ean ' turo extracts were read in that school." Whatthe Scrip reply ? " Oh, no, sir; we aro all Tories here." (L w ag th e Now, I say this house will act most unwisely if tli r tl' e L i ) sent to this inquiry, moved for the reasons and withethe intentions, hardly dissembled, which have been avowed this evening. lam quite satisfied that this system, of which we have had twenty two years' experience, has wrought infinite good in Ireland. Is it stationary ? Un happily the population of that country has been diminiahed by nearly two minions • and do the number s a tt en di ng t h e Y. national schools diminish in the same . proportion? On contrary, during all the period of the la;t four YearB ' while , the population has been diminishing , the numbers attending the national schools have progressively and largely increased. In the last year, when emigration has been at the greatest height, the number attending the schools has been larger than ever before was known, and that number exceeded 25,000 children. When, therefore, torsi Derby, the author of this system, and who has lately had an . opportunity of controlling its operation, has; ): you deliberately that he cannot ;contemplate any change which can be made in that system which will not be injurious to it—when you have the example and expe rience of twenty-two years—when there is no reason d th and re l l e i a a y n n e e e e gentle- anbe assigned placed, e x f c e e r p t the his opinioninquiry of up t e h n e hon. wh mantime t h h a s e T e r m i v b e e a r w f h o r e nt "then U i p v h e a r n s i t t o y of m of m D i u x b e l n e , d o t hat oa h t o t n, e , is to be abandoned, but which phantom I have shown is a reality—(hear, hear)—l ask, can you have a system more successful than that which embraces within its sphere a larger number of the youth of the country than that of any country in Europe ? For these reasons Ido sincerely hope that the house will agree with me that it would be highly inexpedient to assent to the motion that has been been made to-night. (Cheers.) Mr. WHITESIDE said he had endeavoured to gather from the right hon. gentleman who had just sat down the reasons on which he resisted the very moderate motion of his hon. and learned friend. The answer of the right hon. gentleman was that the system of the National Board of Education in Ireland, though in danger, was faultless, and that the more it was inquired into the more its advan tages would appear; but tho right hon. gentleman, not withstanding, contended that that system would be in peril if a fair and honest inquiry was instituted into its working. He (Mr. Whiteside) believed that the hon. member for Meath spoke the truth when he said that the National Board was lately on the very point of dissolution. He believed also there never was-a time when inquiry into this system could be conducted with greater benefit than ,-, at the pre sen t moment. With regard to the present na tional schools, he might state that upwards of 2,00 0 of them wer e in the yards of Roman Catholic chapels—a fact which indicated clearly enough the character of the schools and the kind of education imparted to the chil dren. The Presbyterian schools were attended by Pres byterian children separately and almost exclusively ; and it was a curious fact, and might be regarded as a compliment to the Established Church, that her schools were attended by about 40,000 Roman Catholic children, while very few were to be found in the schools of the Church of Scotland. The reason assigned by some parties was, that the people belonging to the Established Church were half Papists ; but he thought that was a mis take. (A laugh.) He might say, on the part of the Roman Catholics, that it was wrong to suppose they obj ec t e d w h o ll y to the reading of the Scriptures in their schools, because he knew many parishes where the Roman Catholic clergy pre sented the Douay version of the Bible to the people of their own flock. (Hear, hear.) It had been said that certain parties in Ireland wanted to force the Roman Catholics to read the authorised version. He denied it. Even the Kildare-street Society did not dare to propose anything of the kind. He subscribed himself to a school which main tained, about two years ago, 150 children, of whom 55 were Roman Catholics. The Scriptures were read every day in the school ; no party objected to it ; and he was not aware that any of the Roman Catholic children had by proselytism abandoned their religion. The motion before the house was commenced by justice and fairness. He asked for inquiry into the system of education. If it isras proved to be sound, let them maintain it ; but if they could make it better, he hoped they would not refuse the modifications desired by the Protestant people of Ireland. (Cries of "divide.") Mr. FAGAN moved the adjournment of the debate. (Cries of "no, no," and "divide.") Lord J. RUSSELL opposed the motion for an adjourn ment. This was a question upon which the house had fre quently deliberated—all its merits were sufficiently before the house. (Hear, hear.) The hon. and learned gentlemen who had conducted the debate on the other side had stated the whole case in the most powerful manner against the present national system of education. The hon. and learned gentleman who last sat down had stated that what the Protestant clergy of Ireland wanted was that they should have the power of reading the Bible in the authorised version to Roman Catholic children as well as to Protestant children. He was glad the hon. and learned gentleman had stated thus openly and frankly the object of the motion now before the house. It was true that object was implied in the nomination of the committee. The house would observe that what the hon. gentleman opposite wanted was, not a general committee to inquire what had been the operation of the national system of education in Ireland, but a committee to introduce into that system the modifications to which reference had been made during the debate. Well, supposing the house were to agree to those m o difi ca ti ons , sure l y i t wou ld not b e denied that the Roman Catholic priests should have a power similar to that given to the Protestant clergymen— that they should have the right to teach Protestant children the Roman Catholic doctrines which were contained in the formularies of their Church? Now he asked the house whether the effect of this would not be to destroy the mixed system of education in Ireland ? Agree to the pro posal of the honourable and learned member who intro duced the motion, and they would have to establish at least two separate systems —one Roman Catholic, the other Protestant—and each endowed perhaps to the extent of 100,009/. or 120,003/. Why this would be raising a new Maynooth question. (Hear, hear.) As th e su bj ec t h a d been sufficiently discussed already, he certainly should oppose the motion for adjournment. (Cries of " divide.") Mr. KIRK, who vainly attempted to address the house, presented a petition from the dean and inhabitants of Dro more, in favour of the national system of education. Mr. CONOLLY having seconded the motion for adjourn ment, The house divided, when the numbers stood thus : For the adjournment of the debate 2B Against Majority —234 For Mr. Hamilton's motion Against Majority against the motion —7o SOUTH SEA AND OTHER ANNUITIES COMMU TATION BILL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the third reading of the bill. Mr. SPOONER hoped that the right honourable gentle man would not press his motion at that late hour. His honourable and learned friend the member for Suffolk (Sir Fitzroy Kelly) had a notice on the paper in reference to this bill which he would not be able to bring forward if the third reading were taken that night. lie begged to move that the house do now adjourn. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the honourable and learned member for Suffolk had been in the house at the commencement of the evening, and had s sid that he would be prepared to move his amendment that night. Sir JOHN PAKINGTON said that when there was a notice of an amendment on the paper it might have been fairly concluded by honourable members that so important a measure would not be pressed to a third reading at so late an hour. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought that, after the distinct declaration of the hon. and learned gentleman the member for Suffolk, they bad no right to presume that he would not have attended in his place to irring forward his motion. The house then divided on the question of adjourn ment For the adjournment Against . Majority against the adjournment ... 37 On our re-admission to the gallery we found Sir J. PAKINGTON moving the adjournment of the house. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that this was a question with respect to which every day's delay was matter of most serious inconvenience. (Hear, hear.) Here were parties the whole foundation of whose property was to be changed to the amount of 10,000,0001., and they could not krow the terms under which it was to be changed until the bill had become an act of Parlia ment, when it would be the duty of the Treasury to state the terms under which the Exchequer bonds would be issued. Under these circumstances he certainly felt great difficulty in consenting to the further postponement of the third reading. (Hear, hear.) The absence of the hon. and learned member for Suffolk was as much a matter of regret to him as it was to honourable gentlemen opposite. Mr. SPOONER thought there was good reason for not proceeding with the bill that night. There was a very important point connected with the measure still unde cided, and that was the situation in which the trustees were placed by it. Trustees for reversionary interests, as the case stood at present, had the power of altering and disposing of this stock without the consent of the persons who had that interest. The right hon. gentlemen had said that he did not wish to change the law, and that it must be left exactly as it had been before. In every other pro position of a similar kind which had been made to parlia ment, trustees had been obliged to act according to the provisions of the new law, but under this measure they might take any one of three courses.. A clause, he thought, should be introduced, preventing them from act ing without the consent of the person who had the rever sionary interest. Sir J. Y. BULLER said it was clear that if the right hon. gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer would not give way, the house would be involved in a debate upon the third reading of the bill, and as he thought this would be most unadvisable he would move that the debate should be adjourred. The SOLICITO T t-GENERAL said that in consequence of communications which had taken place with the hon. and learned member for Suffolk, a clausehad. been prepared to accomplish the object desired by the hon. member for North Warwick (Mr. Spooner), namely to restrain trustees for parties having a limited interest from accepting the one particular portion of stock that would have the effect of di minishing the capital without the consent and approbation of a judge of the Court of Chancery. There was a clear un derstanding that the bill should pass,through its final stages that night, and he was sure that the greatest possible desire had been shown to meet the wishes expressed by hon. mem bers on the other side of the house. Mr. NEWDEGATE having briefly supported the ad journment, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that it was perfectly vain to proceed with a bill of this kind in the face of such a determination as was manifested by hon. members opposite. He would not, therefore, waste the time of the house by pressing it, but he could not with draw the motion for the third reading without entering his protest taninst this proceeding. The hon. and learned member for Suffolk (Sir F. Kelly) having made an express declaration on this subject, disappeared from the house. It was alleged that he had done this because it was half past one o'clock. but the hon. and learned member was not in the division which had taken place; and then honour. able gentlemen come forward with their presumptuous suppositions and interpretations, flatly in contradiction of the intentions which the hon. and learned member had stated. (Hear, hear.) He should propose now to read the bill a third time, inserting the clauses, and making the amendments he had t o p ropose, and then to let the final stage of the bill stand over, ii order to give the h on . an d learned mem b er an opportunity to move the additional clause of which he had given notice. Sir J. PAKINGTON disclaimed. any intention to offer unfair opposition to the progress of this bill ; his con viction ("Wednm easaeayjfn part was that there was some misunderstanding on the be taken up to fina t i of t ther hon. and learned member for Suffolk. If tle the bill were fixed for the following day branch of the le,: no delay could be occasioned, as the bill could After a few w'orBdas House of Lords on Thursday, and that re did not sit on W ednesday. Sir J. Y. EULLEIrrn Mr. HENLEY , journment o f t h e debateNv. ithdrew his motion for the ad- The amendments and the additional clauses proposed by third rhegirnere were then inserted in the th bill,eCwhhaincchelwloarsorfetandeaEthx the final stage should be ia'o3n tlii i s t being understood that Y, when the honour able and learned member tor Suffollw9' :Id have an oppor tunity, on the motion "that the bill the addition of a new clause, of which he o h f id mo g N i' v in en g notice._ The house then acijommed at a quarter to two o'clock. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 27, 1853. This day is published, prxe 3s. Gd., neatly bound, R OSALIE ; or, the Truth shall make you Free. An authentic Narrative. By Mademoiselle R. B. De P 99 •. With introduction by Rev. Josses RIDGEWAY. Arthur Hall, Virtue, and Co., 25, Paternoster-row. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Under the Management of Mr. Bnekstone. THIS EVENING, Aearr. 27. First time, COLOMBE'S BIRTHDAY. Supported by Messrs Howe, Rogers, Barry Sullivan, W. Farren, Corri, Tilbu:y, and Vin cent; Mi.s Helen Faucit, and Miss Vining. After which MR. BUCKSTONh'S ASCENT OF MOUNT PAR NASSUS. To conclude with OUR MARY ANNE. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD -STREET. Under the Management of Mr. Charles Kean. THIS EVENING, APRIL 27, Will be performed the Tragedy of MACBETH. Principal cha racters by Mr. and Mrs. C. Kean. To conclude with the new Drama, adapted from the French of Mons. Scribe, by Mr. Pegrave Simpson, called MARCO SPADA. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vastris. THIS EVENING, APRIL 27, - - Will be performed A.S.S. Characters by F. Mathews, Suter, awl Roslere ; Mrs. Macnamara and Miss Wyndham. After which, A FAST TRAIN—LIIGH PRE-SUItE—EXPRESS. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, Baker, and Suter. To be followed by THE GOOI► WOMAN IN THE WOOD. Cha racters by Messrs. F. Matthews, Suter, florncastle, and Temple ton; Madame Vestris. M sees Robertson. Egliaton, &c. To conclude with LITTLE TODDLEKINS. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster. —Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING, APRIL 27, Win be performed MASKS AND FACES; or, Before and Behind the Curtain—by Messrs. B Webster, L. Murray, Honey, P. Bedford, and 0. Smith; Mesdames Celeste and Woolgat. To be followed by THE PRETTY GIRLS OF STILSBERG. To conclude with THE DANCING SCOTCHMAN. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Farren. THIS EVENING, Aram 27, Will be performed FAINT HEART NEVER WON FAIR LADY Characters by Messrs. H. Farren and Morgan ; Mesiamea Ander ton, Turner, and Bartlett. After which, UNCLE CROTCHET. Supported by Mr. Farren and Mrs. Phillips. To be followed by MACBETH. Supported by Mr. F. Robson and Mrs. Phillips. To conclude with CATCHING AN HEIRESS. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke. Continued and brilliant success of the New Spectacle. Third Night (of an entirely new Drama. THIS EVENING, Alum 27, And daring the week, the performances will commence with the Increasingly popular spectacle of ABIAKOSA ; or, Scenes of Kafir Warfare; with all its new and beautifel scenic, intresting dramatic, and astonishing Equestrian effects. The Bureing Wood, the Leap through Fire, and the terrific spring of Amakosa's Steed over the Falls of the Umtata, nightly received with enthusiastic approbation. To be followed by a novel and incomparable display of Equestrian Achlevementi in the 'csnes of the ARENA, supported by the mos: accomplished Artistes of the day. To conclude with a new Cemic Drama, entitled IN FOR A EIG ; or, Life at the Diggings. Box-ottlee open daily Prom Eleven to Four. Stage Manager, M.. W. West. HIGH WATER AT LOND' lON BRIDGE. rIII9 DAT —Morning 15 min. after 4 Evening 38 min.aft. 4 I fo-Moaßow—M orn i ng 2 m i n . a ft er 5 Evening 25 min.aft. 5 THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, APRIL 27. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 55—highest since noon yesterday. 38—lowest this morning and during the night. 51— this day at noon. BAROMETER, 20'83. WIND, W. by S.—Light breeze, and fine, sunshiny weather. THE PUBLICATION OF "THE SUN" COMMENCES EVERY 'AFTERNOON AT THREE O'CLOCK, AND THE LATE OR THIRD EDITION, CONTAINING THE DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT THE SAME AVENIN6,. With all other News arriving up to the hour of Post, AT SEVEN O'CLOCK. EXPRESS EDITIONS will be forwarded after the Post is closed by the Latest Trains. antc, England is criminal. Otherwise the CHAN CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would never have as sumed to himself judicial authority —subjecting the country to criminal treatment--sentencing the people of the United Kingdom virtually to seven years' transportation ! Seven years' trans portation to the penal settlement of the Income Tax. A sentence of this duration is ordinarily reserved for individual felons, convicted after long . trial of some heavy and grievous misdemeanour. It is seldom pronounced, without defined culpa bility in the recipient, upon the aggregate of an enormous population. It is so, nowadays, never theless. Mr. GLADSTONE, like a judge on assizes rather than a sedate administrator, has—in re ference to what we have called the penal settle ment of the Income Tax—devoted the inhabitants of this land to seven years' transportation. There fore—we repeat, and the conclusion must be ob vious—England is criminal. She will be criminal at least if she submit quietly 'to this criminal treatment. She is criminal already in the estimation of the CHANCELLOR of the Ex- CHEQUER. Criminal in what ? Can it be in having consented, almost without a mur mur, to the recent organising of the Coali tion—to the formation of a Ministry unsus tained by any perceptible principles --to the con solidation consequently of what may for that reason be termed a glaringly unprincipled Govern ment ? Really so it would appear. If the de duction be in any way unsatisfactory to the ad visers of the SOVEREIGN, they have, in this, solely and entirely to thank themselves. They have shaken the confidence of the community in the good faith of its statesmen. They have trans formed consistency into a shibboleth. They have violated all preconceived ideas as to the laws of political propriety. They have ren dered their past a mockery—their present a contra diction—their future a source of national solici tude. All this they have accomplished in build ing up an anomalous and heterogeneous Administration. And now, having fulfilled their intentions, having grappled the reins of office, having comfortably settled themselves down to official toil, with a view, no doubt, to their becoming permanent squatters in Downing-street —her MAJESTY'S Ministers deem it but right to subject the nation to the penalty due to its late indifference. They sentence it, through the mouth of the Financial Administrator, in the manner already specified—namely, with reference to this delectable settlement of the Income Taw — to Seven Years Transportation. Querf—Will the country, having consented to accept the Coali tion, consent also to accept the consequences of the Coalition ? Having permitted the wholesale abandonment of principle by the Members of the new Government, is the nation to tolerate, as the first result of that concession, the continuance for seven years of the most unpopular tax ever imposed during a time of profound peace upon a multitude peculiarly alive to such injustice ? Coupled with this, moreover, we have seen a bribe of many thousands sterling held out, not by stealth in a back room at Derby, but openly on the floor of the House of Commons. A bribe offered, not by W. 8., not by FRAIL the barber, not by MORGAN the bricklayer, but by the Members of her Britannic MAJESTY'S Government. A bribe not to some half-inebri ated elector, but to a portion of the Fourth Estate—to a division of the Press—to a section of incorruptible (!) Journalism. Well, the people of England see a Budget brought under the con sideration of the lower branch of the Legislature, having in it those two remarkable items—the re newal of the Income Tax for seven years—its renewal until 1860, when it shall " cease and determine," and with this the remission of up wards of 40,0001. sterling hitherto derived from the stamp upon newspaper supplements. Ministers must have counted rather confidently upon the gullibility of the British population, before they could venture to introduce such pro posals in the course of their Financial Statement. If we might judge, indeed, from the facility with which the Budget has entrapped the veteran Mem ber for Montrose, we should presume that the Cabinet had not altogether calculated without its host. The 'bated breath of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, using the word in its double applica tion, has decoyed the Political Father of the whole body of the Reformers into a virtually uncondi tional acceptance of the Budget in its entirety. The melancholy extravagance of this proceeding on the part of Mr. HUME was sufficiently in dicated by the deformity, or distortion, or perhaps we should rather say by the di- re,ct contradiction and irredeemable absurdity of his argument. His argument, in fact, was this—" I so fully concur in all that has been said by the Hon. Baronet the Member for Herts in condemnation of the Income Tax as heretofore levied, I so fully agree with him in reprobating its injustice and severity, that I shall give my cordial support to the Budget of the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer." In other words, " I regard the Income Tax as so odious, without some distinction being made between pro perty fixed and precarious—that—l shall forward, by every means in my power, its extension to in- comes of 1001. per annum, and its renewal for a period of no less than seven years' duration." Never was there a more preposterous non sequitur, And this from the veteran Reformer ! The course pursued by him in this matter bears a painful re- semblance—we venture to introduce a qua tation from Othello, even with the fear of the Earl of CLARENDON before our eyes —bears, we say, a somewhat painful resem blance to that of lAGo, when exclaiming, in a voice of indignation, " Stab a mau in the dark ? 0, shame, shame !" all the while perforating with his sword the bosom of the duped and defeated RODERIGO I. TUE DUBLIN EXHIBITION.—The number of season tickets sold up to yesterday evening was 5,312. There are now nearly 1,300 men employed at the building every day. PRICE or GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Paris its about at par (accordinc , to the last tariff), which, at the English Mint price of 31. 17s. 104 d. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 25.17; and the ex change at Paris on London at short being 25.074, it follows that gold is about 0.38 per cent. dearer in Paris than in London. By advises from Hamburg the price of gold is 427 per mark, which, at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 10d. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 13.6 ; and the exchange at Hamburg on London at short being 13.51, it follows that gold is 0.12 per cent. dearer in Hamburg than in London. The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight is 1094 per cent., and, the par of exchange between England and America being 109 23-40 per cent., it follows that the exchange is nominally 0.17 per cent. in favour of England : but. after making allowance for charges of transport, the present rate leaves no profit on the importation of gold from the United States. DIVIDEND.—A circular was issued yesterday by Mr. Coleman, the accountant, announcing a first dividend of 7s. 6d. in the pound on the estate of Messrs. Coil mann and Stolterfoht, who failed on the 10th of January, and whose direct liabilities amounted to 153,8111. It is understood, at the same time, that the general liquida tion of the estate is proceeding as favourably as was anti cipated when the meeting of creditors- took place in February, and that a further early distribution may be looked for. carried his resolution respecting the Advertise ment Duty by a very clear and decisive ma jority. The sum could be easily spared, and, in deed, the Chancellor of the Exchequer was willing to surrender the amount. But in place of be stowing it as a general boon on journalism, in which all, from the highest to the lowest might participate, he determined to offer a handsome, shall we call it " bribe" or " gratification ?" We leave it to our readers to fill the blank according to their own fancies—to the Times. The com plaints on this subject are loud and general ; the majority are indignant at the contemptuous dis regard of their views thus exhibited. The substi tution of another of his crotchets for that which had obtained the sanction of the House, and one which would greatly affect the value of the boon about to be conferred on journalists. As we have repeatedly shown, a reduction of the duty would not meet the exigencies of the case, and the with drawal of a portion, more especially for the pur pose of disposing of the balance in the proposed manner, was merely felt to be adding insult to in jury. No, We venture to assert that the resolution, deliberately adopted, must be carried out in its integrity, and that no compromise can be adopted in this portion of the Financial Scheme. MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.) .CITY, TWO 0 CLOCK. The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at 5,000 bales, all to the trade. The market was very tame, with a large supply. The sales comprised 4,000 American, 130 Pernam and Marauham at 6/d. to 7d., 50 Bahia at Gad., 400 Egyptian at sd. to Is. 3d., 400 Surat at aid. to 4d., and 20 Sea Island at Is. 9d. to 2s. 2d. per lb. Railway shares were flat, at lower prices. Three or four vessels have arrived from Australia, the latest dates they bring from Port Philip being January 12. There are a few items of intelligence that possess interest. The John Taylor, from Mel bourne, has on board 10,847 ounces of gold ; the Clifton, 27,507 ounces from Sydney ; and the Sir Robert Sale, 20,000 ounces from Geelong. Respecting the wool clip, the advices appear to be favourable. Large quantities were coming into Melbourne, and were being rapidly shipped, but it is probable very little will arrive here in time for the May auctious. The quality is described as being good, but a considerable proportion is in the grease. The letters from the settlers in the (interior state that labour was much more abundant, but that this alteration did not occur in time to allow of the wool being washed as carefully as on former occa sions. The Legislature were busy in passing the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Bill, and there is every prospect of this important under taking being carried out by local capitalists. The sum of 100,0001., it is estimated, will suffice, and large contracts for timber were already taken in the neighbouring colonies. The railway will be carried out upon a pier so far into the Bay as to allow of at least 40 ships lying alongside, and trains will run every quarter of an hour. This disposes, we presume, of the Melbourne Dock and Railway Company started here a short time back. Tlie advices from the Eureka " ns" were satisfactory, but there was not so much gold ob tained there as at other fields. The Creswick gold field was also well spoken of. The last price of gold at Geelong was 3/. 10s. 3d. per ounce. The Union Bank of Australia was issuing bills at 6 per cent. discount, 30 days. The labour market was well supplied by recent arrivals, but tradesmen and agricultural servants found ready employment. The escort which reached Melbourne on the 9th January brought 20,007 ounces of gold from Ben digo and Mount Alexander. The Australian Cordillera Company have issued a statement of their plans, and these appear to be satisfactory. A few miners will be sent out to work the quartz property leased from the Australian Agricultural Company ; but the bulk of the labour will be sought in the Colony, where it can be had cheaper. Quartz breaking with machinery will be a much better test of what_ companies can do than mere digging for gold. The Agua Fria Mining Company have had their first remittance of gold delivered to them this morning. A dividend of 7s. 6d. in the pound has been de. dared on the estate of Messrs. Collman and Stol• terfoht. There was a meeting of the Galvanised Iron Company this day, but it was only formal, and in compliance with the Winding-up-Act, and of no public importance. The meeting of the Great Indian Peninsula Rail way Company this day paired off very satisfactorily, in consequence of the able and lengthy explanation afforded by Lord Wharncliffe, as to the engineering difficulties and commercial prospects of the under taking. The directors. hoped that their plan for the extension of the line over the Ghauts w ou ld receive the sanction of the Government of India, in which case any further capital would be guaran teed at five per cent. as before. His Lordship stated that the average cost of the line might be taken at 8,8001. per mile, and that the inclines over the Ghauts would not be more , difficult than those of many of our railways. The report of the directors was adopted unanimously. The rates for bills of exchange on the principal Continental cities were firm yesterday afternoon. Paris, 90 days', was taken at 25 25 to 271: Amster dam, 11 18 to 181 ; Hamburgh, 13 71 to 8; and Trieste, 11.5 to 8. Public Securities have been very &lA, but there is not much business doing. Consols realise 1091 to 101 for transfer, and 100} to 101 for account. The New ai per Cents. have been meg to Bank Stock is firm, at 226 k to 224. Indian Stock brings 262. Exchequer Bills of June are 4s. to Ss. pm., and India Bonds 355. pm. Foreign Securities have been very quiet. Peru vian Deferred have touched 682, and the scrip is 4 to 4i pm. Brfizilian New 4.h. per Cents, are 100 i. The Swedish Loan is at I'.l dis. Dutch 2 per Cents. have been as low as 641 to 65k. Nothing has been done in Spanish Bonds. In Railway Shares there is not so much doing, the arrangement of the account being now chiefly attended to. Prices, however, have an upward tendency for the Great Northern, the Lancashire and Yorkshire, Midland, and several other lines. North-Western continue fluctuating in consequence of the intended increase in the capital for the pur pose of extension. French Shares are heavier, and the many new lines that are being sanctioned would prove a drawback upon the position of the old companies. The Gold Mine Shares are steady generally, and the Agua Fria have risen l 4 .. The shares of the Agricultural Company have rallied 2/. to 3/. The British American Land also aro better. The Joint Stock Banks after yesterday's depres• sion are rather looking up. BRITISH FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK THIS DAY (From the Official List.) _ Business done Bank Stock 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities IOO 100 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities New 34 per Cent. Annuities Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 India Stock 262 India Bonds, £lOOO South Sea New Annuities Bank Stock :or Account ' 2271 Consols for Account Exchequer Bills Iz3d. June. March £1000..... £5OO 8 4 Small 8 4 3 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK Brazqian Bonds, s'per Cent. Ditto Small Ditto 5 per Cent. (Rothchild's) Ditto New, 1852, 44 per Cent Equador Bonds Mexican 3 per Cent. Peruvian Bonds, 41 par Ceut Peruvian Scrip Peruvian Dererred. 3 per Cent. Portuguese Bonds, 4 per Cent. Russian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Ditto 44 per Cent Sardinian Bonds, 5 peg Cent . ..... Swedish Loan Dividends on the above payable in London. Belgian 44 per Cent. Dutch Exchange, 24 per Cent. 12 Guil. 611 54 101. 1001 1001 27g 881 4 681 40 1041 . HALF-PAST TWO. Consols. Ditto May Account lOOB 1 OCEAN PENNY POSTAGE.—A bazaar in aid of the funds necessary to agitate this movement was opened at the Manchester Exchange yesterday. The goods gra tuitously furnished from all the large towns of the three kingdoms are valued at 1,5001. to 2,0001., and 17 stalls have been opened for their sale. The attendance was very large, and money was coming in fast. Elihu Bur ritt was present, but Mrs. H. Beecher Stowe had been unable to come in consequence of precarious health. The first letter, dated Glasgow, April 15, said it would be impossible for Mrs. Stowe to come on account of her health ; but a subsequent note said Mrs. Stowe would, come to Mancher if it were possible, but it must remain ascertain. QUARTZ ROCK MARIPOSA COMPANY.- -This Company state, that they have been informed by their agents in California, under date the 14th of March, that they had received the report of the superintendent of the com pany, who had surveyed, tested, and assayed the quartz of the veins at Maxwell's Creek, on the Merced River, and had also examined all the calculations furnished by the proprietors with regard to the profit to be derived from working them. These calculations, it is alleged, showed that by the crushing of 30 tons of quartz per day there would be a net gain to the company of 4,5001. per month, and the agents therefore had concluded the purchase of the mines, with all the machinery, buildings, &c., and were making arrangements for immediately working the company's heavy machinery. COLONIAL GOLD COMPANY.—At the annual meeting of this company held yesterday the reports and accounts were unanimously adopted. The report entered at length into the origin of the undertaking, embracing the whole proceedings from the period of obtaining the char ter, in March, 1852, limiting the responsibility of share holders to Si. per share, down to the date of the last accounts from the colonies. The contract with the Great Nugget Vein Company, the profit made on the purchase of gold, the satisfactory conduct of their staff, and the ultimate anticipations of a successful result were the points mentioned. The remittances made on account of the purchases of gold already showed a profit of about 8,1001., and others were shortly expected. In reply to a question, the chairman stated that there was no intention on the part of the directors to make a call. CARLOW ELECTION.—The election of a representative for the county of Carlow in Parliament, in the room of the late Col. Bruen, took place on Monday at Carlow, when Captain N. M'Climteck Bunbury was returned without opposition. A. troop of dragoons and a com pany of the 81st Infantry were drawn up in front of the Court-house, inside and about which a large number of constabulary were stationed. There was not, however, the slightest necessity for their presence, as there were Icarcely fifty electors and non-electors assembled on the occasion. The proceedings did not occupy more than half an hour, and were conducted in the quietest pos sible manner. ALARMING FIRE.-.LOSS OF TIVO LIVES. (THIS DAY.) ThiS morning, shortly before three o'clock, a fire of a most alarming character, which at one time threatened a vast destruction of property, and which, we regret to announce, terminated in the loss of two lives, and per tonal injuries to some other parties, broke out in a dwelling-house, situate in Phoenix-street, Gray's-inn road, immediately facing the walls of the House of Correction. It appears that the fire commenced its destructive ravages in the back kitchen, which had the evening be fore been used as a laundry, and burnt with such rapi dity that the whole of the house was in flames before the inmates could be made aware of their great danger. Mr. Holden, the occupier of the second floor, having been awoke, and finding escape by the staircase impos sible, at once judiciously threw the bed and mattress on to the pavement, and'hy that means he and his family escaped. Having effected the safety of his own family, he next endeavoured to save the two children of Mr Brown, who were sleeping in the first floor back, but his efforts proved of no avail. At this juncture the Royal Society's fire escape, sta tioned at the Foundling Hospital, came up, and every effort was made by the attendants to save the children, but unfortunately without success. We regret to state that one of the escape men, in his brave attempts to reach the poor children, met with a severe accident, he having the whole of his face and eyes severely burnt, besides having the skin on both his bands charred off by the action of the fire. Shortly after the breaking out of the fire, several engines from th e var i ous fi re stat i ons attended, and owing to a plentiful supply of water being at hand, got the fire under. A search was then made for the bodies of the children,'who were found dreadfully burnt, and conveyed to a neighbouring public-house there to await an inquest. Great fears were at one time entertained for the safety of the surrounding property— there being a very large number of valuable funeral horses, the property of Mr. Chancellor, in the stables adjoining. The ages of the, children were, the youngest eight and the eldest ten. None of the parties, who are very poor, have saved a single thing, they having, as stated above, had to mah their escape in their inght clothes. The cause of the fire has not been ascertained. None of the parties are insured. BANKRUPTCY COURT-(THIS DAi.) Mr. Commissioner Fonblanque was the Commissioner of the day, .but the only case for the morning was pro forma. IN RE WEST AND WEST. These bankrupts, brothers, had carried on business at Donnington, as drapers, and absconded a short time since with considerable property, a great portion of which, however, was recovered through the exertions of Russell, one of the " detectives," and the bankrupts were apprehended. A petition has been filed to supersede the proceedings in bankruptcy, on the ground that one of the bankrupts is a minor. A day was appointed for argument in the case. MARLBOROUG_H-STREET-(THIS DAY.) CHARGE OF UTTERING COUNTERFEIT COlN.—Loatisa Lovick, a respectably-dressed middle-aged woman, was brought before Mr. Bingham, charged with uttering two uounterfeit shillings. Charles Westerbrook, an omnibus conductor, stated that about ten o'clock last night the defendant got into his omnibus near Wilton-place, and requested him to put her down at Regent-circus. On arriving at the latter place she got out and tendered him a shilling in payment of her fare, and which he immediately detected to be a counterfeit. He told her the coin was bad, when she gave him another which was also bad. He then called a constable and gave her in charge. Wright, 48 C, said he took the defendant into custody and conveyed her to the station, where eight other coun terfeit shillings and a good half crown were found upon her. He had since been to her address, and found that she had lived in service there for 14 years, and bore an excellent character. The accused, in reply to the charge, said she was coming from Brompton last night, and on crossing the road she kicked against something wrapped up in brown papal'. On picking it up and opening it, she saw it con tained several shillings, and not having the remotest idea they were base coin, and having no smaller change, she gave one of them to the conductor of the omnibus for her fare. He directly told her it was a bad one. She gave him another. He said that was also bad, and he then gave her in charge. Mr. Jennings, hairdresser, 100, Regent-street, said the defendant had lived in his family for 14 years. She afterwards left them, and went to reside at Birmingham. She was at present out of a situation, and from the great respect they had for her, they allowed her while in town to make their house her home. He was convinced she was incapable of a dishonent action, and that she was not aware the coins were bad. Mr. Bingham said he was inclined to believe her story to be true, and would take Mr. Jennings' bail for her appearance to -morrow. Mr. Jennings readily consented to be answerable for her appearance at the required time, and she was at once discharged from custody. SOUTff RK.-(THIS DAY). ROBBING A SAILOR. Emma Williams, a fashionably dressed young female, of questionable character, was brought before Mr. Combe, charged with stealing the sum of 55., the property of Samuel Fuller, a sailor. Prosecutor said he had recently arrived in London from Charleston, and last night about ten o'clock, he met the prisoner in the Westminster-road, and having treated her to sundry glasses of grog and supper, they proceeded to her lodgings in White Horse-street, New cut. After remaining there some ti me , b e p u t his hand into his pocket and missed ss. Being satisfied no other person had been near him, he called in a constable and gave her into custody. Police-constable, 65 L, said the prisoner was searched at the station-house, ti,nd two pounds seventeen shillirgs found on her. Among the silver were two shilling pieces which the sailor said were his. Mr. Combe asked what account she gave of hay gso much money in her possession. The constable replied that she said it had been given to her by a gentleman, but he believed she had stolen it, and if she was remanded, no doubt he might hear of another robbery of a similar nature, for she was well known as a thief. Mr. Combe accordingly ren 7 mrded her for a week. TOBACCO LICENCES. IMPERIAL PARLIAiVIENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS DAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock. The Reading Mark e t an d W es t on -S u p e r-Mare Was works Bills were considered and agreed to. CIO Mr. W. EVANS presented a p e titi on against Rates. Mr. FITZGERALD p resen t e d a pe titi o n from rinij ' agaMr.inst the Advertisement Duty. BAIRD presented a petition in favour of a l Public House (Scotland) Bill. On the motion of Mr. BENNET, the evidene e ,c: before the Hudd ers fi e ld Election Committee was °a en to be printed. ATTORNEYS' CERTIFICATE DUTY B- --- th i l On the order of the, day for the s econ d reading of bill being read, Lord R. GROSVENOR said that since this bin 13 /131 been introduced, the Chancellor of the Exchequ er 6; declared his intention to deal with the tax ; a nd el! d turday last he (Lord R. Grosvenor) had accornPt e vs deputation of professional gentlemen to the Cb t ar '' - t sef of the Exchequer to l a y b e f ore hi m t h e reason wuY„sl. were dissatisfied with th e measure o f reduction Prer; oI They hoped that bef ore th e t ime t h at the resolutler the right hon. gentlem an came b e f ore the house, tbetheeit sons laid before him wou ld i n d uce hi m to yie ld t° f so wishes or else to stat e th a t it was t h e intention °co, Government to propose this partial reduction prev' e f a further reduct ion; an d fi na ll y a total abol i t i on of tax. If neither of those alternatives should be ad ° P,,sl it would be hi s d u t y t o propose an aniell,,sS to the resolutio n o f th e r i g h t h on. gentleman Pl'sl'yes' the house to the a b o liti on o f t h e duty. lie should,isoo fore, postpone the second reading until Wednesday' Ist of June. Mr. BASS said he had always opposed the inotiollai i the noble lord, n o t b ecause h e saw any peculiar 6'? in a tax on attorneys' certificates, but because/ trades and professions being taxed in a similar nv o r he saw no reason w hy a tt orneys s h ould be the first 0, relieved. The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Excbe 4 o it appeared, proposed to reduce the tax upon attott;), but he also proposed to imposeupon seven other 110 of trade very impo r t an t res t r i c ti ons. H e was informed s the certificate duty t o b e i mpose d upon Barclay 0 ,0 would amount to 2,8501., w hil e t h e whole amount "os was to be raised from brewers and malsters amount to no less a sum than 100,000/. H e undeO r ; that so great were th e difficulties antls . pated in the Vs tics,' operation that the right hon. gentleman bad Ill; taken to reconsider thi s p ar t o f hi s proposition, fact it amounted in plain English to an additional tax of 100,0001., he thought it ver y d es i ra bl e th 9 subject should be well and duly considered hi bearings. He had no objection to such a capitati° l/ d if it were made g enera l, b u t if it were confined t41:1 branches of trade only, it was nothing less than', cation and communism. Captain SCOBELL sa id th a t h e h a d a l so if representations to make with respect to the teams tobacco dealers, but as be understood the Chanelne the Exchequer had un d er t a k en t o reconsider t. 1 3" 1 0 tion of his scheme, he should postpone his reml o 7 .l the present. The second reading of the bill was then p° until Wednesday, the Ist of June. AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS BILL. The report on this bill was brought up and agl'd Mr. FITZROY brought up several new claus e ' u t ing reference to costs and the removal of indictlue ll writs of ce;tiorari, which were agreed to. JUDGES' EXCLUSION BILL. The report on this bill was agreed to. ABSCONDING DEBTORS' BILL. _ A d The second readi ng o f thi s bill was postpone' Wednesday next. COUNTY RATES EXPENDITURE W i tt° The further p rogress i n comm itt ee o f t hi s tu postponed until this day week. SOUTH SEA AND OTHER ANNUITIE S COMMUTATION BILL. On the motion for the third reading of this big, s dl l Sir. F. KELLY, after apologising for his absennol night, when the bill was brought under the con sidel e l/ of the house a t a l a t e h our, which was entirely 00 y his ignorance that the bill was on the notice paF e s r 0 1 / portant as the measure was it was most des i ra e l s e so l it should not be hurried through with too gre at h precipitation. (Hear.) He bad two clauses to p50r,,,,; one to regulate the m o d e o f convers i on of r by parties beneficially interested or trustees. d i The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUE R bjO that a clause had be en p re p are d t o carry out the 10 which the hon. and learned gen tl eman h a d i n vigils as the Solicitor-General, who h a d d rawn it up, vi efi tir the moment absent, perhaps the hon. and learned Lila man would postpone moving his first clause M I return of the Solicitor-General. Sir FITZROY KELLY said he would 7, 0 0" postpone his fi rs t c l ause , an d procee d to the s if se c which was to limit th e crea ti on o f two-and-a -I° el° cent. stock (proposal No. 2) t o t en m illi on s. S r , lieved that there was no i ns t ance o f any great ope L so e g a shown, as was proposed by the Government , r6l been effected solely by th e means , an d at the absolutely by the Finance Minister. The 103 t i o , was to submit the bargain to public comPe ti ,„L t he in this mode it was easily ascertained wb° o . - to eff lowest terms on which the public were vvii",T, p qu th o e cs e e p zs e e r d at t io h n e . gift Either o f divination h Ojle r raea s eCliatnocewllhoiscohf the wer strangers, or else he was advancing ra" money mark e t, care l ess of the loss which lie mig ht P ip duce to the public by the manner of his operation. al therefore, wished to limit the scope of such a operation. d ba The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER 531 01 r objected to the p roposal of the hon. and learne d "8 man, both on the ground of precedent and r eason• must give a most unqualified and positive denial t t ° l". statement of the hon. and learned gentl eman , that was no instance of a Finance Minister having pr° c ,, e in the manner in which he now proposed to ac'ir point of fact, he was persuaded th a t h e was no cir a d suing the very course which had alwaY s d o tit proposed in cases of conversion of stock. No sr, in point of technical la w , th e s t oc k w hi c h 06, about to create was a n ew s t oc k ; b u t i n f ac t it l mere conversion, and not c r ea ti on , o f stock svilichiestle! were about to effect. He admitted that the El%: ° '" t s;' Bonds which he propo se d t o crea t e were a ne w 6 1 .siP t but here he proposed not a fixed rate, but ae e° ,, s 3 to what could b e obt a i ne d i n the market, due e 'lciv i course being taken of the interest of the p u blic. g or regard to the r easona bl eness o f t h e hon. an d I evelef gentleman's propositi on , h e con t en d e d t h at there the had been such a thing known as to raise moneY ti° market for the purpose of applying it to the e% t 1; g of stock. In d o i ng th a t, th e Ch ance l lor o f , s chequer would be creating just an artificial st or rol in the market by g o i ng i n t o i t t o 30,000,000/., and then directly a ft er an artifiel'inselli., when he went in to p a y o ff th e s t oc k. S uc h a Pr 310 e) in, would be most irrational, an d cause enorlu ° ,; p o:,; to the public. The operatio n w h ic h was now Pr would not, in fact, increase the amount o f debt, bi , fund which would be at th e s ame ti me provided ipooli, house would reduce the d e bt t o a muc h gr eater d than that by which it would b e necessarily inerels, this operation. If the op era ti on were li m i te d to t 1.1 b° proposed by the hon. and l earne d gen tl eman it 0° much too small ever to com e p ro p er l y i n t o th e view - r Ol public, and would not aff or d a f a i r t est o f t h e w. ° ec ti° of the principle on w hi c h it was f oun d e d . Th e obi of the hon. member for Huntingdon (Mr. Barinill r 4 spoke on Friday ni g ht in f avour of the hon. an d Le, is r ij gentleman's motion, wa s th a t even 30,000,000/. small a sum fairly t o t es t the principle, and Chancellor of the Exchequer) could certainly „ sent to reduce its sco p e t o 10 , 000 ,0001. alone. .4 V Mr. HUME th oug ht th e mo d e of operation W`" very best which could be adopted. d ova Mr. SPOONER s a id th a t th e b arga i n was a - ° l . th s altogether, and a great d ea l t oo muc h i n f avo ur 0 capitalist. [LEFT SITTING.] COURT CIRCULAR• Her Royal Highn ess th e D uc h ess o f K en t visite d Majesty yesterday afternoon at Buckingham P gi3 tel' h l e His Royal Highne ss P r i nce Alb ert presided Yre e d tr t , morning at the Council f or th e Management ver'e Duchy of Cornw a ll, a t th e D uc h y - o ffi ce, Soo9' house. His Royal Highness was attended by the ha c: B. Phipps. The Countess of Mount Edgcumbe has succee o iti Viscountess Canning in her duties as the lady in to her Majesty. N ora His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out efl co lot back yesterday afternoon attended by Li eu t en ant - F. H. Seymour. ae r9 of Hsr Royal Highness the Duchess of Kentp,ide„4 panied by her Serene Hi g h ness th e P r i ncess Au:' Hohenlohe, went to Cla remon t y es t er d ay roornNo _t l , visited the Countess de Neuilly and the FreecAgey Family. The Royal Duchess returned to 'clg ° House, St. James's, in the afternoon. r VI VI Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of i mi%lit le te r and the Princep Mary dined with her Roya;., -- mu ce 6 k ba the Duchess of Gloucester at her residence, ( 1 ,7,., House, Piccadilly, on Monday. Her Royal ifig' - v e e voy Duchess of Kent joined the royal circle in the 1 3 , 6 1te Mr. Hutt, M.P., had an interview with th e 4 k Newcastle yesterday, at th e Colonial-office. Co OP' Dispatches were sent yesterday from the office to the Governor of Gibraltar. THE BUDGET.—MEETING IN SOUTIIIVARK.-1 e 5/ ;. dayl a meeting of the inhabitants of Southwe'r7Asiti°,;l - by the High Bailiff, in pursuance of aretl-,5 he{. signed by a large number of the inhabitants, ‘vl;.-esellt, at the Town Hall, to consider the propriety ef U n do ing a petition to Parliament in favour of t he 4s ed iv h e and praying that the whole might speedily be P,'.i f 'a t'Lt a law ; William Pritchard, Esq.. the High Ba ia chair. The chairman having briefly stated ° vice t he for which the mee ti ng was convene d, Dr. C i 113 .,/th d sit dressed the m ee ti ng , an d sa id t h at h e agree . terms expressed by Mr. Hume and Mr. Williale t be the budget, t a k en as a whole, was o ne of th e , r be o s i erli, ° :t, gets that had b een l a id• b e f ore t h e House t for many y ears . H e move d a reso l u tion to 'bi - "- her it Mr. Wilson seconded the resolution. dressed the meeting, agreeing with the resolutl .. e 0 0 0 f as it went, but a t th e same time he thought the' s ition 4 to be some exp ress i on o f o bj ec ti on to the i ll/ o rliee l l i c e e ;: a tax on inc3ines of 1001., and the i n crease Tholo t ie and moved an amen d men t t o th a t effect. I ° 4 ' l , o r g e/i n jo• Mr. Sturmey, M r . H earne , and several 317„.1 men, having addre s s e d.thameeting, the ovg'":„ tion was carri e d, an d a - )et iti on , in aceerd4l2v with, agreed to. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN, SIR, —About three years ago you did me the honour to insert in your journal a letter I wrote you, exposing the fallacious theory expounded by Professor Muspratt (a gentleman, I believe, employed by the Government to find out the " mare's nest" connected with the tobacco trade), and I believe the result was, that that gentleman never afterwards inserted another letter in your journal upon the subject. This induces me to believe that I related indisputable facts then, and I now venture to supply you with a few more equally as certain. It is with much pleasure I see the question of the pro posed alteration in the tea and tobacco trade taken up by the public, and the fillacy of such alterations exposed. I know not how many tobacco licences are granted by the Excise throughout the United Kingdom, but this I do predict, that, so far as regards tobacco licences, if the alterations proposed are carried into effect, next licensing day will not be a very busy one for the clerks, as the tobacco licences are sure not to be much in demand ; so far am I convinced of this, that I venture to assert that the demand will at once be decreased at least two-thirds, if not four-fifths. For instance, go into any town in Eng land, take an account of the number of tobacco licences that are being traded under, and I venture to assert that (if all the parties now having licences to sell tobacco were compelled to renew such licenses upon the proposed principle of alteration) all the profit procurable upon the article would go for licences, and more too. There is not an article consumed in this country which the sale of is more divided than tobacco. In many instances one man living in a house of 101. or 121. per annum, sells more tobacco than 10 or 20 of his neighbours whose rentals vary from 501. to 300/., yet tobacco (in one shape or other) is equally an article compatible with their trade as with his. The Chancellor of the Exchequer certainly could not have inquired into this fact, that tobacco, either cut, ground, or in the shape of cigars, is more or less sold by all and every class of tradesmen ; as a proof of which, I am myself a wholesale dealer in the article, I turn over many thousands in the course of the year, and I have nearly 2,000 accounts open in my books. Amongst these customers, I believe, I could supply myself with almost every article consumed or required for any pur pose from a quartern leaf down to a farthing lollypop ; up again from a Whitechapel needle to a five hundred guinea carriage, or a splendid hunter ; in fact, all classes, even private gentlemen, deal in cigars. This being the case, take the average returns of each party, and I do not believe it would amount to el. per annum, most certainly not to 121. per annum each. Hundreds of these parties are occupying hotels, at rentals vary ing from 50/. to 3001. per annum and upwards. I know many of this class who have been wavering for years whether they should keep cigars or not, but they have been compelled to keep them for the sake of accom modating their customers. I forward you my name and address, and if the Hon ourable Chancellor of the Exchequer requires proof of my assertions, I shall be happy to afford him such, for which purpose you are at liberty to give him my name.— I remain, Sir, yours obediently, B. C. J. NOVA SCOTIA MINING COMPANY.—The announcement of the result of the exploration by Messrs. Petherick and Hitchens of the lands at Indian Point, conditionally leased by the Nova Scotia Mining Company, has attracted a degree of attention which will perhaps cause it to ope rate as a warning in mining matters against trusting nny statement whatever that has not been verified by disin terested parties. It appeared in the prospectus that the reliance of the directors was chiefly placed in a report of Mr. Adam Murray, who estimated the amount of copper at the spot to be equal in probable worth to about 9,000,0001. sterling, after deducting all smelting and other charges, while the true state of the affair, accord ing to Messrs. Petherick and Hitchens, is, that such copper as exists there has no commercial value. FOREIGN EXCHANGES.—In the foreign exchanges the rate upon Amsterdam was a shade lower. With regard to Paris and Hamburgh, the quotations were about the same as last post. •Bills on Leghorn were again in de mand, and obtained better prices, tfb LONDON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1853, There was a remarkable unanimity, on one point, perceptible during the debate of Monday evening, on the renewal of the Property and In come Tax in its present form, without change or alteration, in which the friends and opponents o the measure fully and completely coincided. Al] (with the single exception of Mr. EVELYN DENI SON, whose advocacy we freely and willingly re linquish) agreed in recognising a distinction be tween precarious and permanent income, and de ploring the unbending resolution of the Chan cellor of the Exchequer, which based a finan cial scheme, good in many respects, on a gross and palpable injustice. The strongest speech in favour of the amendment--next to that of its distinguished proposer —was de livered by Mr. HUME, who, however, at the same time announced his intention of voting in favour of the proposition which he had so clearly and unequivocally condemned, and against the amend ment, in every word and portion whereof he en tirely coincided. Others, with greater consistency, refused to support that which in their souls and consciences they believed to be wrong, however highly they might approve of other portions of the scheme, and felt themselves bound to refuse becoming in any degree participators in the infa mous swindle, which, having been suffered to expire, is now attempted to be resuscitated with out modification or amelioration. A revision of the schedules producing anything like an approxi mation to justice would at once be accepted on every side, and would, notwithstanding other ob jections, insure the adoption of the Budget, with comparatively trivial alterations. The Right Hon. Gentleman has, however, determined to stand or fall with his crochet. He apparently mis takes a perverse obstinacy for a laudable firmness, and neutralises the value of the boonshe is willing to concede by the nauseous and unwelcome addition which he is endeavouring to force on the unwilling recipients. What, then, will be the duty of Fiscal Reformers on this critical emergency ? Should they, like Mr. Huirs, surrender at the first summons and swallow the unpalatable dose, or should they rather, like Mr. MUNTZ, refuse to identify them selves with such unjustifiable proceedings, and give their votes according to the merits of the pro position under consideration at the moment, and without reference to the quarter from whence it has emanated ? Shall men of intellect and ability surrender themselves as the slaves of the Minister for the time being, succumbing to his imperious dictates without venturing on a remonstrance, or, if, with " bated breath and deep humility," they should hint their objections ; at the same time, professing their readiness to vote black white, in order to gratify the unrelenting task master. Surely, even SIMON LEOREE never ex acted from his miserable serfs a more despicable and humiliating submission. The principle is, however, so objectionable in every particular, the precedent established and that on high authority —so danger ous—that, notwithstanding our high respect for the 'veteran Member for Montrose, we must enter our earnest protest against it. No thing can possibly be more dangerous, more sub versive of that due control which independen Members should exercise over the Government than the notion that they must adopt any crotches however absurd or indefensible, of one of its lead ing Members. It is a complete recognition of the nearly-exploded doctrine of "men not mea sures," calculated to create a Ministerial despot ism, rendering the official, for the time being, indifferent to the remonstrances that may be ad dressed to him, because, however urgent may be the complaints, the Minister can afford to despise them, when assured that his so doing will be attended with no untoward result in the shape of votes alienated, or supporters changed into vigorous opponents. It encourages, too, the injudicious and unconstitutional threat of " resig- nation " whenever the high behests of the would- be Autocrats are called in question. It should, therefore, be strenuously and energetically re= sisted whenever it should be put forward. Even the high character of Mr. Huiu cannot justify so great a dereliction of duty. On another point of the Budget there will also be a determined contest. Mr. MILNER GlnsoN