The Sun. — London, England, 1840-05-19 00:00:00

!:VEN - ING EDITION. THE PRAYER BOOK OPPOSED TO THE CORN-LAWS; OR, WHO ARE THE NON-CONFORMISTS. BY THE REV. THO MAS SPENCER, M.A. It has been asserted by a Bishop, in a recent cor respondence with one of his clergy, that it there be any portion of the services of the Church which a clergyman cannot conscientiously read, that clergyman is bound in honour to give up his preferment. Let this teat be applied to those who support the present Core laws, and thousands of Non-conformistmaust leave the Church. The object of the Corn-laws is to keep up the price of bread. The owner of land declares that high prices are necessary, in order to enable the farmer to pay his rent. The owner of tithes declares that high prices are necessary, in order to keep up the value of Church property. But what says the Book of Com mon Prayer? 1 . The minister , in the name of the congregation, prays, " Give us this day our daily bread." The Church Catechism explains that, by the terms " Give us," are to be understood, " to m© and to all people ;" and that by " daily bread," we under stand " all things that be needful for our souls and bo dies." In many parishes the poor cannot get bread to eat ; and in most parishes they have not as much as is needful for their bodies. There might be twice the quantity purchased for the money now spent in bread, if Parliament would permit the importation of foreign wheat ; and yet the minister who offers this prayer, petitions Parliament not to allow this importation. He asks of God one thing, and of Parliament he asks the very opposite. 2. In the Litany he prays, " That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so as in due time we may enjoy these ;'' and yet by those Corn-laws the kindly fruits of the earth are locked up in bond to prevent men from enjoying them ; and, instead of being pre served for our use, have frequently been spoiled or thrown into the Thames to escape the warehouse charger. 3. For a season of scarcity—that is, when, as at present, bread is at so high a price as to prevent the poor from obtaining a sufficient supply, the prayer book contains the following prayer, " 0 God, heavenly father, whose gift it is that the rain doth fall, the earth is fruitful, beasts increase, and fishes do mul tiply, behold, we beseech thee, the afflictions of thy people, and grant that the scarcity and dearth, which we do now most justly suffer for our ini quit's, may, through thy goodness, be mercifully turned into CHEAPNESS and PLENTY. " 4. When to the hungry inhabitants of Samaria the prophet Elisha predicted a speedy change from scarcity to plenty, " a lord, on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God and said, Behold, if the Lord would make win dows in heaven might this thing be. And he said, Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof." And when the abundant supply was brought in from the tents of the Syrians, " so it fell out unto him : for the people trade upon him in the gate, and he died." To this event allusion is made in the following prayer : " 0 God, merciful father, who in the time of Elisha the prophet, didst suddenly, in Samaria, turn great scarcity and dearth into PLENTY and CHEAPNESS, have mercy upon us, that we, who are now for our sins punished with like adversity, may likewise find a season able relief." There is a similar seasonable relief in the present instance ; will the Clergy ask that divine Pro vidence shall find a supply, and not use the means to obtain it ? Will they use the means to prevent it ? 5. When also there is abundance of food in the country, the landowner and the tithe-owner complain of the ruinously low plates, whilst, at the same time, the Church, of which the tithe-owner is the ordained minister, has inserted in the prayer-book a form of thanksgiving, " for having turned our dearth and scarcity into cheapness and plenty." The Rev. Mr. Head was censured by the Bishop of Exeter for holding sentiments not in accord ance with the prayer book. A clergyman has been recently travelling through Cornwall, addressing public meetings in favour of the Corn-laws, and defending dear bread as essential to the agricultural interest and to the clergy. Ought not the same Bishop, in whose diocese Cornwall is situated, to require this clergyman to recon cile his conduct with the prayers and thanksgivings of the Church ? 6. The prayer-book sets forth, as the principle of action, the consideration of the wants and wishes, the feelings and the prosperity of others. It says—" My duty towards my neighbour is to lore him as myself ; and to do unto all men as I would they should do unto me." But when his neighbour, the manufacturer, or the merchant, asks for leave to pursue his honest trade, and give food and employment to °pe rceives at home, and clothing and employment to labourers abroad, the clergyman says,—" It is for the selfish purpose of money-getting ; and thus to comply with your wishes would involve the ruin of the Establishment." 'I he clergyman has a neighbour receiving nine shillings a week, with which to support himself a wife, and five young children. The whole saes is required for bread and potatoes, leaving nothing for rent, fuel, clothing, or the education of his children ; whereas, if he might buy food of the foreign grower, he would have two or three shillings a week to spare for these purposes. In this case, what is tile meaning of the words, which the minister teaches his neighbour's children, "to do unto all men as I would they. should do unto me ?" This, perhaps, may be ap plied by the clergy to their rich neighbour ; and where there are conflicting interests, certainly there must be a choice between the two. 7. Of their Master they read, in the evening service, " He bath filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he heth sent empty away ;" eut they hale chosen to defend the cause of the wealthy. Ds. Adam Smith, in his " Wealth of Nations," says, "Toe clergy naturally endeavour to recommend them selves to the sovereign, to the court, and to the nobi lity and gentry of the country, by whose influence they expect to obtain preferment ;" and he adds, " they are very apt to neglect altogether the means of maintaining , their influence and authority sk ith the lower ranks." Whereas, the Christian is told to " mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate :" and, as a preacher, his commission expressly states that be is "to preach the Gospel to the poor." Will the poor receive the laws of God from him who supports the Corn-laws ? Will they look for spiritual food to him who kreps back part of their daily bread? The founder of our religion was himself poor, and he dwelt among the poor. He commended to the especial regard of his fol lowers the interests of those who were too poor to make any return. He pronounced the good Samaritan to be the best of neighbours, because he undertook the cause of the man who fell among thieves ; and his words to his followers are—" Go and do likewise." 8- Such ought to he the chief care of Christians now, if the langu.ige of the homilies of the Church be regwded, rather than ti:e interests of ecclesiastical persons. The language of cnc of then.) is very striking—" In relieving their hunger, y e relieved mine ; in quenching their thirst, ye quenched nape is clothing them ye clothed me ; and when ye leeriest:sled' them ye lodged me also ; when ye visited them, being sick, or in prison, )e visited me. For as lie that receiveth a prince's ambassadors, and en te rtaineth them well, doth honour the prince - from whom those ambassadors do come ; so he that receiveth the poor and needy, and helpeth them in their affliction and distress, doth hereby receive and honour Christ their master, who, as he was poor and needy hitnscif whilst he lived here amongst as to work the mystery of our salvation, so at his departure hence, he promised in his stead to send unto us those that were poor, b;' whose means his absence should be supplied ; and, therefore, that which we would do unto him, we must do unto them." 9. In the communion service the Church enjoins the com municant " to be in perfect charity with all men." Commercial intercourse promotes charity among na tiohs, whereas commercial restrictions, with their pre ventive soldiers, partake of the nature of war. Abun dance of work and of food promotes charity at home, whereas want of employment and dear bread cause discontent. The foreign merchant has a ship laden with wheat, and he wishes to take back clothing in ex change ; the English merchant has a warehouse full of clothing, and he wants food for his operatives • the landlord forbids the exchange ; the Church has suffi cient influ ence to b e a peace-maker, and to persuede rn tale unjust landlord t o f orego h i s el p a a i r m ti s es ; , abhudt this g would prom o t e c h ar i ty among the Church joins with th e landlord, beats the drum ecclesi astic, trumpets to the world that there is danger to religion, and thus arc bitter enmity and strife produced. 10. If the desire of ministers of religion w ere to execute the commissi on to " go into all th e every for crea ture," and preach the Gospel to they would advocate free trad e ; s hips go, missionaries may go, and bibl es may be wsehnetre, but unfortunately the character of the evangelist is merged in that of tithe-owner, and appeals of that na ture are useless. Nothing moves the man whose self is his god, but an appeal to his fears. The Corn-laws, it is true, protect the wealth that is deposited in the eccle siastical treasury ; but they provoke an impoverished people to place a powder magazine near that treasury, and when it ie too late it will be found that the determi nation to keep all has caused the loss of all. There is more danger from the Corn-laws than from the self- a dj ust i ng system o f f ree tra d e . Th ere is a ge neral feeli ng o f di scontent amongst t h e industrious classes ; and although the folly of physical force has brought the Chartist agitation into disrepute, yet a better agitation will soon rise in its place, and by moral mesas accomplish the overthrow of every unjust mono poly. Already the question is openly discussed, before intelligent audiences, whether the Established Church is useful or injurious —already have able writers be gun to solve the problem—What is to be done with ecclesiastical property ? Already is it suggested to apply it to the purposes of national education, or towards the liquidation of the national debt. Already are men o f a prophetic turn describing the Episcopal Church that shall take its station among the religious denominations of England, similar to the Episcopal Church of the United States. Anothor bad harvest would probably bring the affairs of our country to a crisis ; we cannot much longer pay gold for wheat ; and when a com mercial panic or a monetary embarrassment arrives, then will the clergy learn that there are dense masses of people in oar manufacturing districts that are unem ployed, hungry, desponding, and that will ultimately become desperate A letter lately received by the THE SUN, _4()N - T)ON, TUESDAY, MAY 19, 1840. writer of this from a Christian minister in the Shetland Islands throws some light upon the state of things in the north, and makes some observations on the prospects in the south that are worthy of attention. He says, " I believe that the additional sweat that drops from the brow of fallen man, in procuring money to pay as a tax on food, is extracted from his frame, not by the ap polntment of heaven, but by the restless, domineering, and destructive passions which frequently make man a curse to his fellow-man. It is my opi ni(❑ that amongst the 30,000 in these islands we could not find 20 persons who would not rejoice to see the Corn-laws repealed to-morrow. It is true that we have had no Anti-Corn-law lecturers amongst us, but still we have bee❑ learning. Our schoolmaster has been going through the country, teaching us most effectually the value of bread, and the necessity of cheap bread to the starving poor ; his name is WANT, FAMINE, or HUN GER, just as you please to call him. May he never make his appearance in England i❑ the form in which ha has been amongst us, or I fear the Corn-laws will be repealed with a witness I Ido think that the possibility of Eng land's being visited with such distressing seasons as the Highlands and Islands of Scotland have experienced should teach our legislators to yield to the reasonable claims of the nation before hunger provokes passion to overcomP reason, and both rulers and the ruled regret their misconduct." Hinton, near Bath, May 1, 1840. THE MISERY and DEATH CAUSED • BY THE CORN LAWS. The evidence contained in the admirable pamphlet of Dr. Alison revealed the existence, in the heart of even our own splendid city, a❑d of others its superiors and rivals in wealth and luxury, of a mass of misery and disease, which it is tke more painful to contemplate, because it appears to have originated in a positive want, among a large body of the lower orders, of the commonest necessaries of life, and of decent shelter from the incle mencies of Me weather. To the credit of our country we have now to add, that the profound sensation pro duced by the discovery has not been allowed to die away unheeded. The benevolence and humanity which, to the apparent reproach of the national character, slumbered in inactivity when the evil was unknown, started into life the moment the extent of the wretchedness was recognised. Indeed, we recollect no instance in which an appeal to the judgment and better feelings of the public was responded to with greater warmth or with greater unanimity and readiness than in that of Dr. Alison in behalf of the destitute and suffering poor. There are, as might be expected, differences of opinion in regard to the best mode of meeting the evil ; but we venture to say, that all who have dispassionately perused the evidence concur in thinking that the evil ought not only to be mat, but met in the fullest and most effi cient manner, even, it is not at all probable, should it be at the cost of a considerable temporary sacrifice. No sane person, we hope, will be found to deliberately deny the right of every human creature, when disabled by infirmity or want of employment, to obtain the means of subsistence from the com munity in which he lives. Acknowledge this ight, and make provision to fulfil it in a cheerful and ungrudging spirit, and you not only make sure of relieving the really necessitous at the smallest possible expense, but you go far to destroy the possibility of hostile inroads upon property and the threatened attempts at spoliation by the ignorant, delu ded, and suffering followers of designing Chartists. But once deny the I ight to the means of subsistence to all who arc unable to earn them, and you plant distrust and desperation in the minds of the sufferers as certainly as if you tore the morsel from their mouths. Show a real sympathy for, and an interest in, the poor, without being compelled to it by their clamours for relief, and their good feelings will assuredly take the natural direc tion of respecting you, and repaying kindness with kind ness. Reverse your treatment, and you can legitimately look only for harshness and hatred in return.—Scotsman A PARSON'S PREFERENCE OF PORT.—On Sunday last, the Churchwarden of the principal parish in this town providal wine for the Sacrament, which was to be admi nistered that day, from funds obtained by the seizure and sale of goods of Christians of various denominations, belonging to the parish , and over this wine, obtained for such a sacred pur pose, and by such violent means, the following dialogue took place, in the vestry, previous to the service. Minister—ls this the wine you intend I should use at the Lord's Supper? Churchwarden—Yes, Sir. Minister—T hen, 1 tell you, it shall not be used. Churchwarden—lt is Tent wine, and is such as used to be had in this parish. Minister—l insist upon having Port wine, and unless you get it, I will neither go on with the service, nor will I administer the sacrament. Churchwarden—l neither care for you nor what you say. Minister—Nor do I care for yeu, Sir. After an interchange of many I-don't-care-for-you sentences, which amounted to brawling in the church, the churchwarden submitted, and sent to a public-house for some Port wine. With what feelings the minister and his churchwarden surrounded the altar, and par to,k of the elements procured under such circumstances, we are at a loss to conjecture. Is not the innkeeper in this case liable to a fine for selling wine during the hours of Divine Ser vice?—lpswich Express. THE SCHOOLMASTER, WANTED.—The fol lowing is a specimen of the English grammar, by a member of our Covrunon Council, in a placard posted upon the walls of the borough a few days since :—" J. H. In offering an article It is not his intention to puffing as it is now the custom of the day but will rely upon the judgment of customers as Oa the price and quality knowing that price and quality must be the line of conduct to insure that support and satisfaction which aught to govern the buyer and seller."—Stockport Advertiser. THE SCOTT MONUMENT.—A meeting of the General Committee of the Stott Monument was held on Thursday in the hall of the Royal Society , the Lord Provost in the Chair. It. appears that the sum hitherto received amounts to 7,700/. The estimated expense of the building is 4,630/. ; of the statue 2,60 W., which, with architect's fees, premiums, and ether expenses, amount in all to 7,135/. ; leav ing a surplus of 565/. But a considerably larger sum will be required for underbuilding. The following resolutions, on the motion of Sir William Rae, seconded by Mr. Cadell, were unanimously agreed to:—" That, its the oidnion of the mee'ing, the most desirable site for the Scott monument is that within the inclosnre of the Prince's street Gardens, immediately opposite to the foot of South St. David-street. That the Sub-Committee be directed to take all requisite measures for having the monument erected on the spot with as little delay as circumstances may admit of. And that the subscription be re-opened with the view of obtain ing funds to meet the increased expens, , , attending the founda tion of the etruetere, and in providing some means for its future maintenance."—Edinburgh Weekly Advertiser. About half-past twelve on Monday morning, ws two young men, of the names of John llarrisr;ti and Thomas Burt, otherwise Baxter, were returning from the railway station, Euston-square, when they arrived at Blaekfriars-bridge, the latter said he would take a swim, when he immediately took off his clothes and jumped into the water. The tide flowing rapidly, he was carried under the arch, and called out to his companion for assistance, but the latter was unable to swim. Samuel Kett, of the City Police, on duty at the time, was called by Harrison, but no trace could be found of the body. The circumstance being made known to Inspector Fosbery, at the station-house, he repaired to the spot and made every search, but to no effect. CHIEF BARON Joy.-A monument to the memory of the late Lord Chief Baron Joy is to be placed in tit. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, th• cost of which has already been raised by subscription. It is to consist of a marble statue, which Mr. Behnes has been commissioned to undertake, the execution of which will occupy two years. Mehemet Ali has adopted an expeditious method of having the English ansi other foreign languages taught to his son Said-Bey. The youth has three masters, who each of them give him throe lessons a day. Each master is supplied with a house and table, and receives a salary of 3,000 talari, or about 6001. a year. AN IRISH WAGER.—" Nate hand you are, then, my darlint," said one bricklayer to another. " You mount the ladder wid yer hod full of stones, and scatter them on the head iv us as ye go, Sir. Be me soul I'd carry ysurself up from de flags to de roof, an down widout you being split." " You'd not it, Sir. I'd lay a thrifle ye couldn't." " For a naggin I would den ; d'ye take me bet?" " Done ! the nag gin on't ye can't, Sir." " W'e'll thry that! bundle in !" Fear ful as the experiment may seem, it was successful, and Jerry once more landing the adventurous Pat on the pavement, said triumphantly, " The price of me stuff, if it's aqu'..l t'ye. H'a't I wan it ?" "Ye have, Sir," admitted Pat, reluctantly, lugging out his halfpence, "as it happens I'm bate. I'd rather lose any thing than my wager ; and just as we were cornea by the second story I was in great hopes."—" Playing about," by Benson Hill. Mr. Edward Ellice, jun., paired off on Thursday with Sir George Sinclair, in favour of the further suspension of the writs for Ludlow and Cambridge. We regret to learn that the Hon. Charles Law, M.P., Recorder of London, has been confined to his room for the last ten days with a severe bilious and aguish attack. Prince Albert, when he was thrown from his horse the other day, in the Park, said to his Aide-de-Camp, who dismounted to render him assistance, " Ah, ah, I thought I hail improved in my riding, but I find that I have fallen off." AFFRAY BETWEEN THE COUNTY CONSTA BULARY AND COLLIERS AT MIDDLETON.—For two or three years past, as is tolerably well known to many of our readers, the neighbourhood of Middleton has been in an extremely law less state; and all classes of offenders, even if but moderately numerous, have set at defiance the only peace officers existing there, and who, it must be added, have taken very slight pains to enforce the law amongst them. We anticipated, therefore, that the introduction of the county constabulary into that neigh en t portion l e ad to of bthoelirthuorbodul would some co u ll l i a s t io io n n s ; be a t z e t e h n ia th se e e o m ffi s c a e l r r s ea a d n y d ( t i o ay ha e v r e en h i a n p g, happened. Between of . seven and eight o'clock on Mon- Middleton t o another theconstabulary were conveying, from station,a collier named J ac k son , w h om they had app re h en d ed for assaultingrowb some of their body, they were met at Alk r i ngton B demanded that the prisonershou h l i c y lb i a e n se u t mber athh o e f rty co . llie T r h s, e w p h o o_ , and th the colliers attacked the m , lice refused to give hi m up, on which striking them with their fi s t s , B ro si w atiec iF eed s e to d ne i s n a r t e t s h on en i and by these means they e ven t ua ll y thereeing was the ng Jackson, driving the police to war d s hour at which the factory hands were leaving work, It being speedily a very large concourse of persons on the spot. Ye s _ terday morning a numerous body of the county constabulary, from Heywood and other stations, entered Myddlet on , in order to apprehend the rioters. During the forenoon they visited Alkrington Colliery, where the rioters were supposed t o be working; ; but at noon the y had not succeeded in discovering any of them. At tha t hour a g ood deal o f excitement appeared . ' to prevail; and a party of the polite were quitting Middleton in an omnibus, in the direction of Blaekley—it was supposed to obtain a further reinforcement. None of the police who were attacked on Monday night are seriously injured It is stated that several of the parties concerned in this outrage are well known to them. At all events, it will be absolutely necessary that the authority of the law should be vindicated, and that prompt and vigorous measures should be taken to ensure the apprehension of the parties concerned in this lawless rescue. When the new police was first introduced into London, it had to contend for a while with difficulties similar to those that will be found to arise, and indeed that have in some two or three instances in this county already arisen, in the way of the county conßtatilklary....3lanctiester Guardian. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. ( From the Globe.) We repeat, the Opposition should decide upon one course or another. If they cannot be the Government, and they seem to confess they cannot, they may depend upon it they will not improve their position in public 'pinion (upon which alone they can build hopes of any future possession of power) by playing the mere indis 'riminate Obstructives of Government—and that often principles the most opposed to their own traditions nd antecedents. Perhaps some allowance should be made for them o■ the score of comparative want of uractice in the constitutional functions of Opposition— cr cbad advisers. The poor innocent puzzled Tories ave been sadly misled by the restless renegades whose ead they have of late, in their simplicity, followed. They have gone into opposition on Canadian, Irish, Chinese affairs—under the guidance (bless the mark) of a Brougham, a Graham, a Stanley ! they have run into all the rash courses of the ex-professors of Liberal principles ; and which could only be successful while impelled by the popular favour. They have dashed into anti-popular measures in the wake of lost popular characters ; strangely supposing, it would seem, that the rashness and fickleness which had damaged the one party, would prove the best and safest guides to the course of the other. If we wished to see the party now in opposition excluded from power for over, we could not wish them better leaders than those whom they have won from our ranks. _ _ (From the Standard.) Her Majesty's Ministers will this evening be driven to their last shift to maintain the position they have so long and so impudently usurped ; and as no falsehood, however glaring, no trick, however contemptible, has been or will be omitted to save them from the defeat which impends over them, it is to be hoped that no legitimate exertion, no sacrifice of personal convenience which the cause of truth demands at the hands of her professed advocates, will be wanting on their parts to render that defeat as overwhelming as possible. The real question at issue is not one of party so far as Lord Stanley and his supporters are concerned ; but one in which every man who would assist in carrying out the much vaunted principle of the Reform Bill, and who would not be ranked among the advocates of perjury and fraud, is directly interested. Ifto restrain the movements of a knave, who is about to introduce his hands into his neighbour's pocket, be to abridge the liberty of the sub ject, then may the measure which is destined to impose the same sort of restraint on perjury and fraud in Ireland, be fairly entitled, " A Constituencies Disfranchise ment Bill." But until the code of public morals admits of such a prostitution of terms, Lord Stanley's Bill will deserve a very different designation, it being infant nothing more than a Constituencies Purification Bill. After nine years' experience of the Reform Bill, we find one of its leading features denounced by the Morning Chronicle as " a canker in the heart of the constituency," because it is proposed to apply it to that core of rottenness and corruption which has vir tually disfranchised for a time so many Irish electors ; for of what use to a man is a voice in the representa tion of his country, if it be notorious that it is to be neutralised by a wholesale system of perjury and fraud, igainst which no perseverance, no legitimate exertion, pan contend with success ? (From the Courier.) It is incredible with what alacrity and ostentation he Ministry and their journals parade a passing notice of approbation on ome isolated points, rather of detail than principle, from opponents to-day who yesterday only were the objects of their trocious slander. The smallest crumb of com fort is eagerly swallowed from the charity of the great Duke or the contemptuous alms of Sir Robert Peel, and thus because the first appearance o Mr. Baring in his new character of Chancellor of the Exchequer has met with the encouraging recep tion ever accorded to similar exhibitions and young be ginners, the benevolent toleration is tortured into a " splendid and gratifying personal triumph to Mr. Ba ring," and a " signal testimony in favour of the prin ciples of sound political economy, and of the financial policy pursued by the Whigs since their accession to power. What wretched balderdash is all this ridiculous boasting. Is it a " signal testimony" of " sound politi cal economy" that in the tenth year of Whig rule taxation has to be swelled by increased rates to the ex tent of nearly two millions and a half per annum, repre senting a capital of debt or burden equal at the present prices of the Funds to some 70 or 80 millions sterling ? And this exclusive of various other additions before to the permanent and floating debt in the shape of loans and Exchequer Bills. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. (LLOYD'S.) VESSELS SPOKEN WlTH. —Frederick, bound to Gibral tar, lat. 44, lon.lo,by'the Lord Redesdale, Taylor, arrived in the Creek. Richard and Ann, Plymouth, to Nliramichi, 29th ult., lat. 44, lon. 32, by the Clarinda, arrived in the Downs. Bolivar, from Kirtch, Ist inst., off Malaga; Reynard, from Naples, sth, off Cape St. Vincent, by the Treasurer, Lawrie, arrived at Falmouth. Royal Adelaide, steamer, 9th inst., off Cape Espichels, by the Royal Tar, steamer, ar rived in the River. Blakely, Liverpool, to China, 6th ult., lat. 1, ion. 19, by the William Jardine, arrived at Liverpool. Aurora, Liverpool to Cape Breton, 2d inst., lat. 30, lon. 46, by the Grace Brown, Duff, arrived at Liverpool. Wellington, London to New York, 26th ult., Int. 42, lon. 58, by the Thomas, Cope, arrived a t Liver pool. Orleans, Cameron, London to Port Adelaide, 28th March, lat. 4 S., lon. 27 W.; Glencoe, 16th ult., off Cape St. Vincent; Rosalind, Newcastle to Constantinople, 30th ult., lat. 39, lon. 10, by the Justitia, Tydernan, arrived in the River. Blenheim, Waterford to Placentia, with loss of bowsprit, 12th ult., lat. 46, len. 41, by the Fanny, Mac dowall, arrived at Newfoundland. NOTICE TO MARINERS. Regulations to be observed at the Lighthouse on the Island of Maudjough, near Archangel. The following is a Z:opi , of a letter received at Lloyd's:— Dated London, May 15, 1840. have the pleasure to hand you herewith, tut- the information of Lloyd's Committee, an extract from the in structions issued to the Inspector of the Lighthouse situated on the Island of Maudjough, near Archangel, respectirg ita signals and pilots. I have the honour to remain, Sir, Your obedient servants, (Signed) G. BINKIIAUSEN, To W. Dobson, Esq. Russian Consul-General. Extract from the instructions issued to the Inspector of the Lighthouse situated on the Island of Maudjough, near Archangel, respecting its signals and pilots, confirmed by the Council of the Admiralty Nov. 9, 1839: On the approach of any ship near the bar at Archangel, the pilots on duty at the light-house must hold themselves in readiness to go on board as soon as the vessel is abreast of the iron gates,—they must endeavour to go on board even during tempestuous weather, if possible. As soon as the pilots are on board their boat, the In spector of the Lighthouse must indicate by signal the di rection of the current, and the depth of the principal chan nel on the Bar. The signals to he used will be those shown in Table No. I. hereto annexed. If, from the high sea, or the violence of the wind, the pilots should be prevented from going on board the vessel, the Inspector must give notice of it to such ships requiring a pilot, by hoisting balls, which will indicate the setting of the current, and the depth of the principal channel, as shown in the annexed Table, No. 2. If, however, after the signal has been made, indicating the impossibility of a pilot giving assistance, the vessel should be compelled to enter the river, then the Captain must give notice of it, by hoisting half-mast high, on his top-gallant-mast, the flag which he had hoisted for a pilot, and the Lighthouse must answer that signal by lowering the balls half-mast. The vessel will acknowledge that signal by re-hoisting her °wit flag to its former position, and if the buoys arc in their proper places, the Lighthouse will re-hoist the balls; but if the buoys should hare drifted then the balls must be taken down altogether, which will signify that there is no reliance to be placed on the buoys, ' and therefore the Captains must use their own discre tion. Mem.—The tables referred to in the above, contain various signals by means of flags and balls, therefore we are unable to publish them. We are glad to learn that Mr. Crawford's health is improved, although he has not yet been able to leave his room.—Brighton Gazette. ___ HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Lucia di Lammermuir was repeated on Saturday, with the same surpas sing excellence in all its parts that marked its previous perfor mance. The homely adage, however, of " too much of a good thing," &e., will probably be applied by some oersons to too fre quent repetitions of even Lucia. The Lac des Fees gave Cerito another opportunity of displaying those marvellous feats of choregraphy which we have before alluded to. She traverses the stage from side to side, throwing jettes battus in the air, so high, and so much out of the line of perpendicularity, that to describe the achievement is beyond our powers. The theatre, which was not only most numerously but also very fashionably attended, was graced with the presence of her Majesty, who ar rived at the commencement of the third act of the opera. The Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Augusta, the Duchess of Richmond, the Duke of Wellington, and a large number of fashionable and distinguished personages were there. Something very like a small emeute occurred. It is the custom with many of the young noblemen and gentlemen (subscribers) to go be hind the scenes between the opera and the ballet. This privi._ lege was sot permitted, by order of M. Laporte, on the evening in question, the consequence of which was that an attempt was made to kick the door down. Two of the panels had yielded when a message from her Majesty to know what was the matter calmed the noisy disputants, the entrance being directly under the ante-room to her Majesty's box. OPIUM-EATING IN ENGLAND.—It is melan choly, if true, that the habit of chewing opium is increasing in this country. It is now constantly alluded to at public meet ings where temperance principles are discussed : and on a re cent occasion, we remember it was the subject of discussion among the members of the Statistical Society. Within these few days the vice has been again animadverted upon by some of the dignitaries of the Church. At the anniversary meeting of the British and Foreign Temperance Society, the Bishop of Norwich called attention to the subject ; and the Report concludes by " deprecating the practice of chewing opium, un happily gaining ground in this kingdom." The Manchester Times says, " There is every probability that w h en a g e nera l e l ec ti on takes place Mr. Philips and Mr. Greg will not be candidates together, in deference to the prejudice against the representation of Manchester being conferred upo n one f am ily." The M arqu i s o f A ng l esea , t h e E ar l o f B e lfast, and will give th e ir anniversary banquet the officers who have served i n th e 7th ( or th e Q uee n's own Hussars) at the Clarendon I Hotel, on the kith of this month. liktV AL INTELLIGENCE. (From the Woolwich Gazette.) WooLw Ici t, MAI( 16.—The Thames frigate arrived on Sunday frc ar, Chatham, to be fitted as a convict hulk for Deptford I )9ck-yard. The Mc isenger steam vessel arrived on Thursday even ing from r lymouth, with a detachment of marines from the Rodne y, 74; her engines and boilers are to be taken out and put into the Hermes. The latter vessel is to be taken to ( atham to be docked. The Le sc n was towed to Deptford by the Fearless and Lightning on Wednesday, for the reception of convicts until the Tb amcs is completed. DOCK-TA en.—Several distinguished individuals have visited the 3 and during the week, amongst whom were his Grace the. Duke of Leeds, Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, Lords Alfr oc, l and Clarence Paget, the Hon. Capt. Cust, &c. One of prisoners, in crossing over the deck of the Hermes, f, 43 with great force into her hold, and broke his leg. We hear the poor man is since dead. The new r 90 gun ship, ordered to be built, is to be named the Hanni' bal, and the new steam vessel the Devastation. In Harb )ur.—The William and Mary yacht, Lightning, Fearless, Lizard, Echo, Monkey, African, Messenger, and Thames. In the BrIS in.—The Medea, Avon, Alban, Lucifer, Lo cust, Firebps nd, and Hermes steam vessels, and Cygnet brig. In Dock.- -The Cuckoo steam vessel. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, MAY 18. The LORD• CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack at Five WC!, )ck. The Duk a of ARGYLL presented petitions against intrusion of ninistcrs, from various places in Scotland. The Duke. of RICHMOND presented petitions from Sussex, agai.nst alteration of the C orn -l aws; a pet i t i on from the Board of Guardians of Hastings, against the rating of workhouses ; and another from Stelling in Sus sex, praying that Assistant Commissioners of Poor-laws might be dispensed with. Lord RED E SDALE presented a petition from an in dividual praying that the .Newcastle-upon-Tyne Water works Bill might not pass without further inquiry. The Earl of ROSE BE RY moved for a return of the average price of wheat imported in the last six months, with the duty paid thereon. The Marquis of BRE ADALB ANE presented several petitions from places in Scotland against intrusion of Ministers. The Earl of RIPON gave notice that on Thursday next he would move for returns relating to revenue.—( Hear.) A message from the Commons brought up the Rox burgh am'. Selkirk Roads Bill, and other Private Bills. The Marquis of NORNIANBY presented returns re lating to Parkhurst Prison. TITHE COMMUTATION ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY brought up the Report on the Tithe Commutation Act Amendment Bill. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE and the Bishop of SALISBURY each proposed certain additional clauses, which were agreed to without discussion. NAPLES. Lord LYNDHURST gave notice that to-morrow he should move for Copies of the Correspondence which had taken place between Mr. APGregor, Lord Palmerston, and the Neapolitan Government relative to the Sulphur Mono poly in Sicily. The Marquis of NORMANBY presented a petition from Liskeard in favour of Medical Reform—the Noble Marquis likewise laid on the table certain returns from the Poor-law Commissioners. Their Lordships then adjourned at Half-past Five o'Clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAy 18. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'Clock. On the motion of Colonel CONOLLY, the Rox burgh and Selkirk Roads Bill was real a third time and passed. Mr. LOWTHER presented a petition from York, praying for the introduction of certain protective clauses in the Hull Dock Bill.—Referred to the Committee on the Bill. Lord E A STNO R brought up the Report of the Com mittee on the Belfast Waterworks' Bill. Duke Sforza Cesarini's Naturalization Bill was read a second time. On the motion of Mr. W. FIELDING, Forrest's Estate Bill was read a second time. The Tavistock Small Debts Bill was read a third time, and passed. Mr. G. CRAIG presented a petition against the Edin burgh and Glasgow Railway Bill, whence we did not hear. On the motion of Sir T. TROWBRIDGE, the Royal Naval School Incorporation Bill was read a second time. On the motion of Mr. T. D UNC OMB E, the Clerken well Improvement Bill was read a second time. Mr. ARC lIBOLD presented several petitions from Ireland. against the Registration of Voters ( Ireland) Bill. Mr. J. POWER presented petitions against the Irish Registration Bill from Enniscorthy with 1,135 signatures ; Bannow 702 ; Newtownbarry 685 ; Lady's Island 617 ; Bally's - lore 664; also similar petitions from Maglass, liilli nick, Sharman, Came, and Saint Iberians, all in the county of Wexford. Major C H ET W YND presented a petition from Stafford against the Constabulary Bill. Lord ACtIESON presented a similar petition from Armagh, from places in the county of Armagh, and from several parishes in Tyrone. Mr. CORBALL Y presented several petitions from places in Cavan, Meath, Monaghan, and Tipperary. Also petitions against the importation of foreign flour into Ire and from places in King's County. Mr. HA WKINS presented a petition from the Isle of Wight against the Constabulary Bill. Mr. ORDE presented a petition in favour of the Vacci nation Bill. . . Colonel BUIL ER presented petitions against the Irish Registration 13111. Colonel CONNOLL Y presented petitions from places in Donegal in fav,)ur of the Irish Registration Bill. Mr. RE DINGTON presented a petition from Cole raine against Lord Stanley's Registration Bill. Mr. EA STEIO PE presented several petitions from Protestant Dissenting congregations against Church Ex tension. Mr. THORNELY przsented a petition from Liver pool a,gailast the importation of Hill Coolies into the Mau ritius. Mr. HODGSON presentel a petition from Berwick in favour of the Vaccination B;11, and praying that those who innoculatcd with variolous matter might be declared guilty of a misdemeanor. Lord ELIOT presented a petition from Cornwall, praying that Catholics might be excluded from Parliament. Mr. B ROTH ERT 0 N presented a petition from Roch.. dale against a clause in the Constabulary Bill. Captain P E CHELL presented a petition from a Mr. Bennett, complaining of the present stamps used by the Post-office, vi hich he considered a libel upon her Majes ty's countenance—( A laugh)—and praying that the cor respondence between the petitioner and the Lords of the Treasury might be laid on the table of the House. The 'petitioner further stated that the public were deeply dissatisfied with the contemplated Post-office labels, or rather libels upon her Majesty's countenance ; and he prayed investigation into the claims of those who had sent in plans to the Treasury. Also a petitioir from the mem bers of the new Temperance Society of Brighton against the trade in opium. General O'NEIL presented petitions from Antrim in favour of the Irish Registration Bill. Mr. WALLACE presented a petition from the spirit dealers of Greenock against the sale of spirits on Sundays. Captain BERKELEY presented a petition from the trustees of a public charity of Bristol in favour of the Charities Bill. Mr. LITTON presented petitions from Dublin, Loughlin-Bridge, Rathdouncy, and other places, in favour of the Registration Bill. Lord POWERSCOURT presented thirteen petitions in favour of the Irish Registration Bill. The Wicket! (Cambridge) Inclosure Bill was read a second time. Commissioners is G si l o Z n l s SD of lTC le H presented a tropolitanßoads,petiti againston from the m the Bir. mioglaain Bristol ( Thames Junction) Railway Bill. The Great Milton (Oxford Inc:osure) Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. HUME presented a petition for certain alterations in the Poor-law Amendment Act from Scotland; in favour of Universal Suffrage, and nine petitions frown Ireland for a repeal of the Corn-laws. Mr. C. CLIVE presented three petitions from Scar borough against certain clauses of the Constabulary Bill. Mr. BAINES presented two petitions, praying for the repeal of the Corn-laws ; also a petition from Essex against any grant for Church Extension. Mr. E. ROACH presented a petition from Cork against the Irish Registration Bill. Mr. I, EFROY presented six petitions from Ireland in favour of Lord Stanley's Registration Bill. Mr, A. WHITE presented a petition from the Anti- Corn-law Association against the Corn-laws. Mr. E. BULLER presented two petitions, one of which was signed by 4,000 persons, against the Corn-laws —a petition from Protestant Dissenters of Uttoxeter against any further grant for Church extension —a petition praying for the release of Mr. Thorogood—a petition against the Union Workhouse Bill—and a petition from the Attorneys of Burton-on-Trent, praying for the removal of the Law Courts into a more central situation. Mr. E. TENNENT presented petitions from Long ford, Donegal, Monaghan, Wicklow, Inniskillen, and Bel fast in Ireland, in favour of Lord Stanley's Registration Bill. Mr. VERNON SMITH presented a petition from Northampton, praying that no further importation of Hill Coolies might take place into the Mauritius. He could not quite agree with the petitioners in their prayer. They expressed a desire for further information, and when his H A WES presented be rlvel l Extension. an d Mr. other pla ces aga i nst any gran t o f public money for Church a N g o a b in le st F a r n ie y nd brought forward his meas ure on that sub j ect ho tru s t e d t h e pet i t i oners wou ld see that such precautions had b een t a k en t h at no m i sc hief could possibly arise. Also a p e titi on f rom t h e B ap ti s t Dissenters of Northampton grant o f public petitionsmoney f for o Church extension, Sir G. STRICKLAND presented a petition from some place in the neighbourhood of Halifax against the Corn laws. Col. PERCEVAL presented petitions from the county of Sligo, and from certain inhabitants of the county of Meath, in favour of Lord Stanley's Registration Bill. Lord CLAUDE HAMILTON presented various pe titions with a similar prayer. Mr. HENRY GRATTAN presented 2l petitions from various places in Ireland, one of which was signed by 18,500 persons, against Lord Stanley's Registration Bill. Sir M. BELLEW presented a petition from Louth to the same effect. Mr. LUCAS pr esente dt w o petitions in favour of the I Bill, Mr. O'CONNELL presented 56 petitions, one of which was signed by upwards of 60,000 persons, against Lord Stanley's Registration Bill:, Mr." Sergeant JACKSON presented a petition from the City of Limerick, in favour of Lord Stanley's Irish Registration Bill ; also petitions to the same effect from places in 6.1 county Meath, and the King's county. Lord STANLEY presented fifteen petitions in favour of the Irish Registration Bill—from Clonmell, Ros crea, and other places in the county Tipperary ; also a petition to the same effect from the county Meath ; also a petition with a similar prayer, from an aggregate meeting of the Province of Connaught. cenvened for the purpose of petitioning against the Bill. —(. Hear, hear," from the Opposition benches.) At that meeting, however, so called by public requisition, resolutions were passed and signed by 500 gentlemen of the province in favour of the Bill.—( Opposition cheers.) Mr. FITZSTEPHEN FRENCH said that he be. lieved the Noble Lord was not accurate in his statement. --(Loud cries of " Hear, hear," and' Order, order.") Sir CHARLES GREY said that the Noble Lord, in presenting the petition, had made a statement, the ac curacy of which was doubted by the Men - ber for the County, and he thought that Hon. Member should be allowed to contradict it. Mr. F. FRENCH said that the petition presented by the Noble Lord was that of a very small section of the gentleman of the province, and that the meet ing was held at a different place from that at which it had been called by advertisement. The meeting so called for had been held, and the petition signed there was entrusted to the Hon. Member fot Dublin. Mr. O'CONNELL confirmed this statement. Lord STANLEY said that the petition had been for warded to him by one of the gentlemen who bad signed it. He stated that th© meeting had been convened for the purpose of discussing the merits of the Irish Registration Bill, and that after waiting from 11 to 2 o'clock, in the hope that the requisitionists would make their appearance, and after having vainly endeavoured to ascertain in what part of the town of Ballinaslae it was intended to hold the meeting, the petitioners at length assembled of themselves. The first resolution which they then passed was, that they beheld with indignation the attempt to turn the town of Bal linasloe into a scene of agitation.—(Chcers and counter cheers.) The petition then agreed to was the ono which he had presented.—( Opposition cheers.) Mr. BARRY presented petitions in favour of the Irish Registration Bill. Sir JAMES GRAH AM said he had a petition to pre sent signed only by one person, but he thought under the circumstances, entitled to the consideration of the House. It was from a Roman Catholic Gentleman, a large pro prietor in the county of Roscommon, and a near rela tive of an Irish County Member, who sat opposite. The petitioner stated that in 1832 he gave permission to large bodies of his tenantry to register, not anticipating that the elective franchise would have been usurped as it had been by paupers having no qualification, or by indi viduals personating those who were dead, and that evils of great magnitude had originated in this nefarious system, affecting the Parliamentary rights of the electors, the morality of the people, the prosperity of the peasan try, the security of property, and the peace of the country ; that the genuine electors were discouraged by the num bers and the threats of the fictitious electors from esta blishing their rights ; that false swearing had become habitual ; that the electors and the elected were alike corrupted; and that the whole of the Parliamentary suf frage was in danger of becoming utterly fraudulent and fictitious. The name of the gentleman was Mr. O'Con nor (giving the name of his estate), in the county of Ros common. PRIVATE BILLS. On the motion of Lord SAND ON, the Lords' amend ments to the Chester and Crewe Grand Junction Railway Consolidation Bill were agreed to. NEW TAXES. Captain PEC HE LL gave notice of some amend ments he had to propose in the Bills for imposing the new taxes; most of them were inaudible, but one of them re lated to the exemption of furnished houses from the in creased window tax when they had been six months vacant. ECCLESIASTICAL:REVENUES BILL. Lord JOHN RUSSELL, in answer to a question from an lion. Gentleman cn the Opposition benches, stated he should not propose to proceed with the Eccle siastical Revenues Bill before this day fortnight, but he could not name the precise day on which the Bill would be again brought before the House. NEWFOUNDLAND TRADE. Mr. WALLACE wished to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether any communication had been re ceived by him of a new tariff having been passed by the Government of Spain which would have an injurious effect on our trade with Newfoundland. Mr. L ABOUCHE RE replied, no. His Hon. Friend was probably aware that a Commission had been appointed by the Spanish Government to consider the existing trade. He believed that Commission had made its Report, but that Report had not been received. CHURCH EXTENSION. Mr. HUME wished to ask the Hon. Baronet the Mem ber for the University of Oxford whether he could state to the House the exact nature of the motion he intended to make on Thursday next relative to Church Extension, and whether he intended to propose a vote of money or not. Sir R. INGLIS would answer the question to-morrow. STEAM-VESSELS ANWPILOTS. Mr. MACKINNON wished to ask the President of the Board of Trade a question in regard to steam-vessels. The Commission appointed on that subject had reported that all steam-vessels navigating coast-ways, where the voyage did not exceed 24 hours, and having competent persons on board, should be exempt from taking a pilot, and he wished to know whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Govern ment to take any steps in consequence of that report. Mr. LABO LTC HERE would be most willing to bring in a Bill on the subject of pilotage generally. A general measure of that description would be desirable, but after the vote which the House came to upon a Bill in troduced two years ago by Mr. Poulett Thomson, which he believed to be perfectly sound in priu. ciple, until he saw an altered feeling in that House and a more general disposition on the part of Members repre senting certain places to suppress local interests in favour of a measure for the general good, he thought he should be but needlessly occupying the time of the House if he were to ask them to consent to any such measure. CANADA. Mr. Sergeant JACKSON wished to ask whether it was the intention of the Noble Lord, the Secretary for the Colonies, to fix any day for the Bill relating to Canada? Lord JOHN RUSSELL intended to bring forward that question on Friday se'nnight. Mr. BAINES wished to ask the Noble Lord, the Secre tary for the Colonies, whether he would have any objection to lay upon the table of the House the Report made by the Poor-law Commissioners and Guardians respecting religious instruction in the country. It was calculated to throw much light upon the expected debate on Thursday. Lord JOHN RUSSELL was not aware that he had any such Report in his possession. Mr. GOULBURN begged to ask the Noble Lord when he intended to proceed with the Poor-law Amend ment Act? Lord JOHN RUSSELL could not then state the day on which he would be able to proceed with those Bills. The order in which he intended to proceed was this. He would take the Committee on the Canada Bill first, and as Monday next was her Majesty's birth-day, Friday was the first day on which it could be taken. He would they proceed with the Ecclesiastical duties and Revenues Bill, and then he would take the Bills relating to the Poor Laws. Mr. AGLIONBY wished to ask the Noble Lord whether it was the intention of the Government to bring in a measure for the establishment of County Courts. Lord JOHN RUSSELL had frequently told the House that the Lord Chancellor wished him to postpone the bringing in of that Bill, as the subject was then under the consideration of the law officers. He had not had any communication with the Lord Chancellor on the subject, and could not at that moment answer the question. IRISH REGISTRATION BILL. Lord STANLEY moved the Order of the Day for going into Committee on the above Bill, when petitions in favour of the Bill were presented by Mr. Shaw ; Colonel Vernon, from Armagh ; Sir Robert Bateson, from eleven places in various counties in Ireland ; and Mr. Dunbar, from Belfast, signed by 9,800 persons. Petitions against the Bill were presented by Mr. Sheil, from the county of Tipperary ; Mr. Hume, from Kilkenny, and other places; Mr. D. Callaghan, from Cork; and by Mr. M. O'Ferral. Lord NIO R PET H presented petitions from two towns holding the first rank in either that country or in Ireland —they were from the towns of Liverpool and Belfast : they had been both adopted at public meetings, that from Belfast being signed by 8,000, and that from Liverpool by upwards of 16,000. Both of them very emphatically prayed that the Irish Registration Bill might not pass. Mr. BARRON presented two petitions from Waterford against the Bill. Lord SANDON presented a petition from Liverpool, agreed to at a public meeting, and signed in the course of Oree days by 23,137.—': fory cheers.) To about 20000 of these the profession and place of residence were affixed. He could fearlessly say that it was the most respectable as well as the most numerous that had ever emanated from that town.—(Hear, hear.) They prayed the House to go into Committee on the Registration Bill, and not to allow factious opposition to prevent the third reading. The petitioners stated that the opposition to it was personal, fraudulent, and mistaken—personal be cause it had been brought in by a particular individual —fraudulent, because it was opposed, on the pretence of keeping the franchise extended, the real object being to permit the introduction of fictitious votes—and mistaken, because it was founded on misapprehension of the prin ciple of the Bill.—(Cheers.) The petition, which was of enormous size, was then carried up to the table from the bar by Lord Sandon and Mr. Cresswell, the two Members for Liverpool, amidst loud cheers from the Opposition benches. Petitions against the Bill were presented by Sir Win. Somerville from Tyrone, Mr. V. Stuart from Waterford, and Mr. M. J. O'Connell from three places in Kerry. Lord STANLEY then moved that the Speaker do leav3 the Chair. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he believed the motion of the Hon. Member was a little informal, and that he should have moved that the House should resolve itself into Committee on the Bill. Lord STANLEY replied, he believed his motion was correct. The SPEAKER assented. On the motion being put, Sir W. SOMERVILLE said, in rising to move th at the House sh ou ld go into Committee that day 6ix months, he addressed the House with more than ordinary diffidence, because he believed this was the most important occasion on which he had ever presented himself to the notice of the House, but he trusted the vast impo r t ance , of the occasion, and the mighty interests that were at stake, the inconzeivable constvtenees which he conseielitiQustv believed would follow the adoption of the Bill of the Noble Lord, would obtain for him the indulgence of the House while he endeavoured to state the reasons which had induced him to undertake the task which he was just commencing. He thought it would be necessary, if the House would allow hire, more particu larly as he knew that much misapprehension existed on this subj-ct, and as he had seen put forward in that House, in the petition just presented by the Right Hon. Baronet, and em bodied in other petitions presented, and in statements made by different Members the House would naturally be lead; and he knew that such an impression existed out of doors, that the constituency of Ireland were so numerous, and of so low an order, that property, respectability, and intelli gence were altogether overborne ; and that such a sate of things called for active measures on the part of the House to provide an immediate remedy. He therefore begged the attention of the House to what the facts were and would in a few words strike the difference in numbers between the population and constituencies of England and Ireland. In England the rural population was eight millions and a half ; the constituency 344,000. The rural population of Ireland was upwards of seven mil lions—the constituency not 60,000. This was remarkable, but it was not enough for his purpose. He admitted with regret that the difference in wealth between the two countries was very great, and he would there fore enter more into detail.-4 Hear, hear, hear.) He would be the last person who would wish to mislead the House. And he would therefore think it his duty to state nothing which he had not taken every pains to make himself well informed on. He would state nothing to the House which ho could not verify by official documents. He would therefore confine himself particu larly in his statements to the counties of Meath and of Louth, inasmuch as they were the counties in which he resided, and on which it might be supposed he would be able to afford the House the most correct information. The Population of the county of Meath in 1821 was 159,000. The population in 1832 was 176,000, showing an increase of 17,000. Suppose the population had gone on increasing in the same ratio, they would find that the population of the county of Meath amounted at the present moment to about 190,000. At the registry which had taken place after the passing of the Reform Bill the constituency was 1,570 ; but he could state to the House, from documents on which he could as confidently rely as on anything which was not certainly known, that the population now about to be re gistered would amount only to 1,350 ; thus showing a de clining number of voters with an increasing population.— (Hear.) When they saw such a state of things—when they saw a declining constituency with an increasing population, and that population increasing in wealth and intelligence, they should see at least that they should not proceed with any measure in a harsh or hasty manner, and that the Noble Lord had not made out a prima facie case for going into Committee aris;ng from the fact of the re gistry being overloaded by fictitious voters who had made good their claims by fraud and perjury. But let them see farther what tvas the state of those constituencies. Was the voice of intelligence overborne in the county in question? Not at ail. The constituency of the county of Meath was composed as follows :—there are of 501. and 201. voters, 712 ; and of 101. voters, 810. Now, could it be said the property was there overborne by number.; ? Let them next look to the case of Dublin. There were in that county 4,165 voters, and of these there were 2,745 501. and 101. rent charges, and 1,420 10/. voters. This, he thought, showed nothing which could bear out the state ments of the Noble Lord, and imposed on tire House the necessity of proceeding with caution before they went on with a Bill of pains and of penalties such as that introduced by the Noble Lord. It showed, he believed, that they should proceed with forbearance and with prudence, and that the animus which should direct them ought not to be to restrain and restrict, but as far as possible to encourage the registration of voters, and to remove those obstacles which it was very evident now existed against them. The Noble Lord would perhaps say that there were abuses in the present system. Undoubtedly there were. So there would be in any system ; and so there would be in every human system. But the object should be to throw difficulties only in the way of the fictitious voter, and to give every facility for the honest and bona fide voter.—(" Hear," from the Opposition.) Having now exposed the erroneous ideas entertained of the existing state of the Irish consti tuency—he would now proceed to the plan of reform re commended by the Noble Lord. He could sincerely declare that he was not influenced in his opposition to the Bill by any personal feeling against the Noble Lord.—(Cries of " Hear, hear, hear.") On the con trary, he should rather be disposed to give greater consideration to any measure coming from so distinguished a Member.—( Hear, hear.) He opposed the Bill upon public grounds, and because he was convinced that every one of the Noble Lord's provisions would tend to cripple and to impair the franchise.—( Hear, bear.) He would not occupy the House for any time, but would confine his observations to the two main principles of the Bill. Upon those two principles he considered himself fully warranted in objecting to the House going into Committee, and pro posing as an amendment that they should go into Com mittee on that day six months. \Vhat was the process which the Noble Lord proposed by this Bill ? The unfortunate claimant under the present system was obliged to appear before the Assistant Barrister to confront attorneys, agents, and overseers, to be examined, and cross-examined, or, to use an expression familiar in Ireland, to be haggled and cross-haggled. The Noble Lord by his Bill proposed to bring the party before the Judge of Assize, and stated that in proposing what would be a great benefit to the claimant, namely, to bring the Registration Courts close to his door, that be would introduce a clause to enable the Lord Lieutenant to institute fresh Courts of Registry ; but the Noble Lord took away with one hand what he gave with the other. He brought the Registration Court close to their door, but he made them walk 50 miles before they could reach the Judge of Assize.—( Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord said he would give costs ; what benefit would that be? Look at the costs of the poor man, and the costs of the rich. Si. costs against a poor man would ruin him. But what would bo 5/. costs to the rich man, deducted from the funds of the Conserva tive Club ?—( Cheers.) What would be Si. deducted from the strong chest of the Carlton Club?—(Laughter from the Opposition benches.) \Vhat would be 5/. deducte' from the funds of the Spottiswoode Con spiracy ?—( Loud cheers from the Ministerial benches.) It was very well known that there was a difference of opi nion among the Judges as to the value of the franchise— that some thought it ought to be restricted, whilst others were favourable to its extension.—( Hear, hear.) Suppose, then, that the claimant who had passed the or deal of the Assistant- Barrister, should be brought before a Judge of Assize who happened to be one of those that were favourable to the franchise and accordingly allow the claim to pass ; then, suppose, next year, havin g again under si one the same process, he has to appear before a Judge isles is unfavourable to the franchise, and his claim is dis allowed.—( Hear, hear.) Was it right to mulct that man in costs?—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") He might have had to bring his witnesses fifty or sixty miles. Now no one knew better than he how ready the Irish peo ple were to do a good turn to one another, but every man neigh: not be able to go fifty or sixty miles at Iris own expense to serve a neighbour—indeed it would be too much for any claimant to ask his friend without paying the costs. The claimant, therefore, who was unable to do so would be disfranchised. He solemnly declared he thought that a more vexatious, troublesome, or expensive system no ingenuity could devise, and he would ask any fair and reasonable man whether it was not a matter of cer tainty, by such a system of annoyance, that people would be worried out of their franchise, or deterred by the example of their neighbours, from making any claims ?—( Cheers.) The franchise would be destroyed, and the representation of Ireland thrown into the hands of those who possessed the longest purses, and were best able to endure the annoyance of those expensive and vexatious oppositions.—(Cheers ) Such a Bill as that would entail upon the country an -un ceasing agitation.—( Hear.) It was not in effect an annual registration but it was a perpetual agitation, Hon. Gentle men who did not reside in Ireland, might not under ' stand the effect of the Bill ; but that any gentleman who resided in Ireland, and understood how much that country stood in need of repose and quiet, should advocate it, surprised him.—( Ironical cheers from the Tory benches. ) He understood the meaning of that cheer from Hon. Gen tlemen opposite perfectly well. Ile would say he was as anxious as any man could be to see the tranquillity of that country firmly established. He had made as many sacri fices as any man to obtain tranquillity for that country.— ( Cheers from the Ministerial side of the House.) But he differed from Hon. Gentlemen opposite as to the means of securing that tranquillity. He was satisfied they never could expect tranquillity until they did justice to the people. —( Loud cheers.) He did wonder how Gentlemen, re siding in Ireland, and knowing the country, could support such a Bill as that.—(Cheers.) Their support of the present Bill was to him perfectly incomprehen sible.—(Lond cheers.) He would admit that the Bill of the Noble Lord would bo successful at last—( Cheers from the Tory benches)—it would be successful at last in destroying the franchise—(Cheers from the Ministerial benches) but not until it had left behind it a spirit of and rancour, and had divided land lord from tenant even more than they unfortuately were at present—( Hear, hear, hear)—not until it had left behind it, he had almost said, a feeling of revenge.---(Loud cheers.) No man can calculate the dreadful effects likely to be produced by that Bill ; and he solemnly believed that those effects would not be worn out during the lifetime of the youngest man now in ex istence.—(Loud cheers.) He must suppose that Hon. Gentlemen in that House understood the provisions of the Bill, but he was satisfied that much misapprehension existed in Ireland, or they never would have had those petitions which were presented in its favour. Many persons had given their support to the Noble Lord's Bill who were not at all cognizant of the nature of its details. The Hon. Baronet the Member for Londonderry had presented a petition from the town which he ( Sir William Somerville) had the honour to represent in favour of that Bil: New in Drogheda the Conservative party, as they were called— but, having consented to the destruction of the Municipal Corporations, and being now desirous of the destruction of the franchise, he thought they might as well drop the name of Conservatives—in Drogheda, however, the Conservative party had an organ. Let them see whether the Conservative party in Ireland were well informed upon the subject. The Honourable Ba ronet then read a paragraph from the Conservative paper belonging to the town h e h a d th e h onour to represent . It stated that the Bill did net give an annual regis tration of the entire registry—if it did, they would be amongst the very first to deprecate such a troublesome pro ceeding. It did provide for an annual revision, and it was not only a troublesome proceeding, but it was a dangerous and a mischievous one, and he hoped Hon. !lembers belonging to Ireland, would pause and re-co :seder the question before they gave their vote for ale com mittal of such a Bill. Let such a 13111 pass, and there would not be a 101. voter in Ireland, not be summoned before the Judge of Assize—(Oh, whocoll.lw, voter ° 0 1 ) —they certainly would so long as there w f( a )r s many •ears. left in tire registry, but that would not. be , of was justice iw th i n i in Tr7arlca.t"iunitaoteCi9tnot)letrnpntg; EVENING ED iTION. or calculated to destroy the incipient confidence which the people were beginning to repose in the Government , than the passing of such a measure. The Noble Lord would say that these provisions might be altered in Com mittee ; but if so, it was nothing but a waste of the time of the House to introduce such a measure. The appeal to the Judge of Assize was said to be one of the main provisions of the Bill, but he would rather sec the appeal to the Assistant-Barrister and the Judge done away with, and confided to other parties. Ha had received a letter from Mr. Murphy, the Assistant- Barrister for Cavan, on the subject, in which he said-- That he spoke the unqualified and unhesitating op'- Mon of every Assistant-Barrister, and every member of the Irish Bar—( No, no)—whatever his political opinions might be, when he said that Parliament made a grievous mistake when they inflicted upon Assistant-Barristers the duty of registering voters. That no imputation had been cast upon them, but that at the:present moment, when an Assistant-Barrister was appointed or transferred from one county to another, the sole question was what his politics were, and this was regarded in judging of every act and decision he made, whether in a civil or cri minal court. If these objections were well founded, as to the Assistant-Barristers, with what additional force did this not apply to the Judges in their exalted and sacred character ?—( Hear, hear, bear.) Mr. Murphy went on to say that, in his opinion Parliament should endeavour to restore to the Assistant-Barristers the con fidence they formerly possessed in the estimation of the country, and protect the Judge from suspicion. In these sentiments he (Sir William Somerville) cor dially agreed, and he could not conceive how any person who knew anything of Ireland could differ from him, still less how they could propose an annual system of registration, or what was still more preposterous, an appeal to the Judge of Assize. With regard to certain clauses of the Bill he had heard no one say that they were not most unjustifiable. Every man said that to compel a man who had established his right to the franchise to appear before the Judge of Assize, an d to pay costs if his claim was disallowed, w as m onstrous. Be had heard no one say that brin g i ng th a t ma n many miles to appear before the Judge was not a l so mo nstrous. Be had heard no man say that an appeal to th e J u dges of Assize conferring on them the odious task o f di s f ra nchising the people was not calculated in the least degree to destroy their confidence in the administration of justice, an" to undo all the good that had been eff ec t e d f or I re l an d within the last five or six years. The only answer he had heard to those objections to the Bill of the Noble Lord was, that the present Master of the Rolls in Ireland had brought forward a Bill containing the principle of annual registra tion, while the Hon. and Learned Member for Dublin had supported the measure, and that the Hon. Member for Limerick had brought in a Bill containing a clause of a similar nature. It should, however, be remembered, that the Bill of the Master of the Rolls only permitted the opening of the registry under certain circumstance s. For his part, lie should say that so long as there was any danger of placing the hostile parties in Ireland in per - , petual collision, he should be loth to int ro d uce a system of annual registration into that country. Had Sir M• O'Lod,lati attempted anything like this annual revision or annual registration, whether supported or not by the Hen' Member for Dublin, he (Sir William Somerville) would always have opposed it, believing that it would be de structive of what he had more at heart than anything els ° —the peace end prosperity of Ireland.—(Cheers.) then, run the risk of so fearful a result ?—( Hear, bear .) The only reason the House was called upon to do so was; that the Noble Lord might attain o ffi ce .--( Cheers, an d " Oh, oh," from the Opposition,) The Spottiswoo de Conspiracy had failed, so the Irish franchise was to be de stroyed.—( Cheers.) The Irish Members obstructed the Noble Lord's attainment of office, therefore they were to be removed, at any cost.—( Hear, hear, hear.) No mad more sincerely admired the Noble Lord's high talents than he ( Sir William), but among the admirers of his legisla tion he certainly could not reckon himself.—( Hear, bear. ) Supposing that the Bill were car r i e d, th e Liberal Iri sh Members would certainly be removed. But the res ult would be the stifling of an imm e n se amo unt of pub lic f eeling, which must somewher e fi n d ven t, and which would endanger the peace of the c oun try.—(Cheer s.) See what a mass of public feeling would be unrepresented in Ireland. He asked how would you control it ?--(Ch eers) Would such a state of things b e s a fe?—(Cheer s.) If he sat on the other side of the House, he would b 0 sorry to bring about such a state of things. ( The Hon. Gentleman here spoke in s o l ow a tone, his sinking to a whisper, apparently from exhaustion, t hat be was scarcely audible.) There was no Gentleman on e ither side of the House who would do m ore than he would do to put down immorality, or to take away every inducem ent to fraud or false swearing.--(Hear, hear.) But he en treated the House not to be led away by the statem ents which they had heard on the other side. He looked up on that as the dangerous part of the question—as it were, the opium ingredient—( Hear, hear.) And he supposed they should be told that every Member who was opposed to going into Committee upon the Noble Lord's Bill wa s fa vourable to fraud, imposture, and false swearing—( Hear' hear)—just as they were told, when it was attempted to cripple the arms of her Majesty's Government on an occ dN sion of great national emergency—that every one w ho i , not vote for the attempt was friendly to the smogg” n s ; of opium--( Cheers.) If the Noble Lord was why desirous of putting down the false swearing, if did he not define the franchise ?—( Hear, hear, hear.) u r .. , he would not do that, why did he not try his hand little nearer home ?—(Cheers.) Had he seen nothing nearer home to rouse his indignation ? Had there been no false swearing, no fraud, at Cambridge and Ludlow ? But on the late occasion, when those transactions w ere exposed, who heard the Noble Lord express his indigna tion? The Noble Lord's indignation appeared to be re served for the poor Irish ; and the rich and powerful man, whose example was ten times as pernicious, was allowed to go unyueished. Let the House apply another test to the sincerity of the indignation, profe sse d at i mmor ality. T ke Hon, Member for B e lf as t (M r. E . T enncn t) had Pre sented a petition that evening, in which fraud and : rality were denounced in very indignant terms. Thel d P o C ti t tition stated that " the defi c i enc y o f the law he great facilities to the commission o f p e rjury and the nity of offenders, and so tended to densoralizatweed to the deficiency of the law, and define t he These were very fine words ; but why not put an close ?—( Loud cheers.) It was impossible for any man fran man to say that the effect of the Noble Lord's Bil l would not be not only to reduce, but to destroy the franchise ot the poorer classes.—( Hear, hear.) He would call the at of the House to the language in another p etition from Belfast, agreed to at a meeting conve ned to petition the House against the Bill. The Rev. Mr. Montgome r y stated at that meeting that he had seen persons swe ar t`,.., the premises of a voter were worth no more than 71., °,"'S that, when the same premises cam e into the possession 0.! true Protestant, they were sworn up to the proper sta d d ard. By the Noble Lord's Bill the man elainslOg the franchise would be discouraged, bat the man who opposed it would be encouraged, because fresh power of and novance, and fresh weapons of opposition would be p lace in his hands. He would now tell the Noble Lord , W a d apart from all party considerations, he most sincerely tend deeply regretted the introducti o n o f the Bill. He had bat hoped the time had come w h en e very man in t d House was convinced it was necessary to proceed in their legislation for Ireland with caution, prudence. I 'l. bearance, and he would almost say with kindness.--( a hear.) In the late debate upon confidence in Ministeris! everything connected with Ireland was studiously kept ; o n it_ of view. He had thought that a very shabby procee g ni —(Hear, hear, and laughter)—but he took it as a l e that Gentlemen in that House did not agree with thoca, who maligned Ireland out of it.--( Hear, hear.) tic ' f o r glad that the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member .a , Tainworth expressed himself on that occasion with o a total absence of all bitterness and malignity, indeed his obseLr vations stood out with a mos t f avoura bl e contrast t o ae .. remarks of the N o bl e L or d.—(Ch eers .) He decolY u rc h gretted that the Nobl e L or d s h ou ld proce ed with s mt . hurried, helter-skelter l eg i s l at i on . I t was n o light .„, 4 ter to have the people of Ireland quiet, when the privatioda they underwent were consid ere d. Th e N o ble Lords 91 was neither more nor less than a disfranchising me asure ; and those who would inflict such as a Bill as that he Ireland, wanted not th e w ill b ut t h e power to inflict 1301 same on England.—(Ch eers .) H e con sidered the b e would degrade the ad m i n i strat i on o f justice, and bring tdo Judges into contempt—that it wou ld strengthen the " il ere of those who were already t o o s t rong , a nd who °v ea abusing the power they possess e d, w hil e it would Wea e a those who were already too feeble; in f ac t he consi de a it an unjust, partial, hasty, and wanton measure', an would therefore, in conclusion, mese that it be comi''' t y that day six months. (The Hon. Baronet sat dew amidst loud cheers.) Mr. JAMES GRATTAN seconded the amen — . e to His lion. Friend had gone so cl ear ly a nd minutely every argument against the Bill, that it would not the necessary for him to trespass on the indulgence 0 ' i d Whichdeprive He believed i n hi s consc i ence the Bill t deprive the lower cl asses o f R oman Catholics o f t hat ee ethheisye. A were c ß le il a l r m ly e e r neteitefair entitled to, u n e a j m us e t ly " , ,a t s h n e ev e e l r ec i t e i t v r e od f u r c a c d into the House. E ven at pressent Ireland could se arec/ , be said to be represented, but th e N o ble Lor d i Bill would still further reduce the re resentatioo. A worse Bill had n ever b een i nt - educed intoPthat Be, a ;„' and his respect f o r th e H ouse h a d much dim i n i s hed, "" 1 ,,1' i - tj by a majority of 16, they affirmed the principle of a eli which must tend to reduce Ireland again to party and like gious strife. He opposed the Bill because he did n e s . te st to see Protestant against Catholic and Catholic ega as Protestant, which the Bill would certainly do. , 1-1 /e i e ble astonished to see such a Bill brought in by the m e t i e r Lord—he might have expected it from the Hon. ir r but for Belfast, who was once a Radical and a Repel"' '. te d having now changed his opinions, it was to be ell ) , h is that he would do all in his power for the purposens:_ow new party. The poor Catholic farmer would ,t 5 " 8 0 ; yet t h e Noble L .' come forward to register from fear of their landlord their agents—they were intimidated was not allowed to wait for the progress which stieh m l i `,; l i i it raidatiou and the refusal of leases to Catholics have done for his party, he was hurried on by the Inse Member for Belfast and others of the violent part was anxious to record his sentiments early in the debate,A for he was would not he allowed to proceed any further. o decidedly opposed to the Bill, which he hop' Dr. L E FRO Y said he would nut follow the tvr OLa Members through their declamation. It appeared !vine, their wish to lead the House altogether from gi the Bill on the table a calm and sober consideration;od ( Hear, hear.) They had carefully avoided ewhoe s q uestion. Were they aware that it was not nunot. whether the Irish Registry might he opened or .e Twelve Committees had determi ne d t o o pen it, and scs c ame to a different conclusion. I n what situation wit! c andidate placed—it was imp oss ibl e f or him to know wn,c he ther he ought to go befor e a C omm ittee or not, f or could not possibly know what his fate would be, notwith standing he had a clear case. It was a disgrace that question of s uc h i mportance s h ou ld rema in unsettled, b e- cause it was inju r i ous to b ot h t h e represen ted and the ea ", didates. Even the last Committee, that appointed to tr! the merits of the L ong f or d p e ti t i on , e a rnestly called tl attention of the House to the unsettled state of that qi?,",: tion, and pray e d fiat. its being settled at the earliest p ossie f moment. Ile trusted he would have the votes of tact I