The Sun. — London, England, 1857-05-22 00:00:00

that principle should be preserved. He had therefore continued the exemption of evidence contained in the confession of the party ; and in order to prevent the pos sibility of the civil remedy being taken away by the in dividual being permitted to plead the criminal liability the bill enacted that the man who made the confession should not have that confession converted into evidence against him on a criminal charge. Eut he bad not in eluded in that exemption the extraordinary provision of the 42d Geo. 111., and the 7th and Bth Geo. IV., namely, that if the delinquent should go and voluntarily confess in any proceeding in bankruptcy or insolvency, that con fession should exempt him from criminal consequences. (Hear, hear.) There were other clauses in the bill cal culated, he thought, to provide that the criminal liabi lity should not interfere with the civil liability of the party ; but there was a particular clause which might possibly lead to some difference of opinion. It was this, that if the civil remedy was sought before the criminal proceeding, if there were a suit by a party who had been defrauded of his property against the trustee, no cri minal proeeeding should be taken during the con tinuance of that civil remedy without the leave of the judge before whom the civil suit was taken. These were the principal provisions of the bill which he ventured to solicit the indulgence of the house to allow him to intro duce. He might state, in conclusion, that he was by no means particularly enamoured either with its language or its provisions. He bad himself prepared the bill, and therrfore it might be more than usually faulty, but he was perfectly willing to receive suggestions without dis tinction of party. He should welcome every suggestion that was made, and he hoped that this instalment of re form would remove an opprobrium in our jurisprudence, that it would prevent breaches of trust, particularly as they applied to persons in humble life, where it was im portant that the injured party should have his remedy prompt and easy ; that thereby it would be the means of repressing the frequent occurrence of offences of this na ture, and place their legislation on a more satisfactory footing. (Cheers.) Mr. MA.LIIIS said he had listened to the speech of the hon. and learned gentleman with great interest; he had brought forward the subject in a manner worthy of his reputation and ability. He had long held the opinion that for breaches of trust the parties !should be criminally punished. The house would remember that in the last Parliament the distinguished predeoessor of the hon. and learned gentleman,the now Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, had in that house for some time a bill which had the same object. The learned gentleman felt, however, some difficulty in prosecuting that measure on account of a doubt which was entertained by some of the most distinguished judges of the land whether it would be expedient to endanger the civil remedy by giving a criminal one ? The hon. and learned gentleman opposite was, he was glad to see, fully alive to that danger. No doubt it was a very poor remedy to afford those who had been injured by a breach of trust,to send them to the Court of Chancery. Not that that was any fault of the court ; for there was no part of its jurisdiction which was more often or more beneficially exercised. In a great majority of cases breaches of trust were committed not for the benefit of the trustee, but for those whose interests were committed to his care. (Hear.) In numberless in stances trustees were entreated by the family to sanction some arrangement which was not strictly regular, and to such applications they often, unfortunately for themselves, assented. The office of trustee was, in truth, a thankless one. It was one from which those who held it were pre cluded by the rules of the court from obtaining the least pecuniary advantage, while on the other band they often found themselves great losers by it. He thought, there fore, that a distinction should be made between those who had departed from the strict letter of their trust for no other motive than to benefit the parties themselves, and those who had done so from motives that were cri minal. The bill would require the greatest possible care to render it on the one band perfectly efficient, and on the other hand to prevent it from treating as criminal those whose conduct was not justly open to imputation. (Cheers.) He (Mr. Matins) could not sit down without expressing his satisfaction that his hon. and learned friend bad grappled with the great question of frauds by the directors of joint-stock companies. Three cases had of late been brought prominently before the public, but those who practised in the courts of equity were familiar with many others. He would mention one. A. bank was established in 1844 or 1845 ; the capital was to be 300,0001. or 400,0001. The directors borrowed more than 300,000/ ma debentures, and they misappropriated the whole. The concern had been wound up by the Court of Ceancery, and the unfortunate shareholders had been compelled to contribute close up to hall-a-million of money. He (Mr. Malin had been concerned as counsel fora gen tleman wbo, relying on the presumed respectability of the directors, had taken shares to the extent of 5001., and had been called upon to pay in respect of that 560/. no less a sum than 10,000/. (Hear.) The public did not know all the cases of this kind that occurred, nor indeed did they know the worst of them. Such things were constantly taking place, and this showed that there was in this country, to a lamentable extent, an absence of commer cial integrity. It was true these cases were exceptional ones ; but the public could not discriminate between the high character of English commercial men as a body, and those who were effected by the disclosures which from time to time were made. There was no doubt that the country had of late been sadly disgraced. (Hear, hear.) He trusted that his hon. friend's measure would lead to a better state of things. (Cheers.) Mr. HADFIELD cautioned the house against resort ing to extreme measures. As it was, there was often the greatest difficulty in the world to find suitable persons willing to act as trustees. (Hear, bear.) With regard to joint-stock barks, be was amazed how any body could venture to hold a share in one. (Cheers.) Mr. NAPIER, wished to know whether the bill would apply to Ireland ? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL was understood to reply in the affirmative. Leave was then given to bring in the bill. INSOLVENT JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL asked leave to bring in a bill of a somewhat peculiar character—a bill intend ed to deal with an existing state of things, and therefore to a certain extent of a retrospective nature. It was a bill to amend the Acts of Parliament under which pub lic companies were liable to be made bankrupt ; and also to amend the Winding-up Acts. The spirit of the enact ment he proposed was precisely similar to one introduc ed last session, with the exception that it would apply to banks and insurance companies. The state of the law with regard to banks and insurance companies was this. There was a great conflict with respect to the manner of obtaining a remedy in case of insolvency, which might be done under a fiat of bankruptcy or by winding np under the Winding-up Acts. It was a most unfortunate peculi arity of this country that we did not confide to any one tribunal the duty of administering complete justice on any one single subject; but we gave to different tribunals a fragmentary jurisdiction over different parts of the same subject. If a joint-stock bank became insolvent there were, of course, two things to be effected. There was the payment of its creditors ; and there was also the task of deciding the proportion each individual share holder should contribute to make up the deficiency. He (the hon. gentleman) should have imagined that all that might have been committed to one tribunal ; but as it happened, if a public bank became bankrupt, the duty of winding up the estate might belong to the Court of Bankruptcy, and that of deciding on the proportion to be contributed by the individual shareholders might devolve upon the Court of Chancery, under the Acts passed in the year 1848 and in the year 1349. Sup pose a company had failed, and cne of the shareholders had been called upon to pay 20,0101., while another had been called upon to pay only 2,0001. The question would thus arise how the 18,0001. was to be made up to the person who had paid the larger sum ; and, in order to solve that problem the Winding up Acts had been passed. A conflict had in this manner arisen between the two jurisdictions of Bankruptcy and Chancery, of which the community had lately had a most painful and distressing illustration in the case of the Royal Briti-h Bank. In that case all the separate exerts of that great tribunal, the Court of Caanc , ,ry, had been occupied for a considerable time, not in determining the rights of the creditors or the liabilities of the shareholders, but in determining the conflicting c aims of the offi,:ial manager under the Winding-up Acts, and of the official assignee under the subsequent fiat. (Hear, hear.) In the case of the British Bank the creditors were 6,000 in number, and the shareholders 300 ; and such was the state of the law that every creditor bad a separate right of action against every shar,holder ; and there might thus be 6,0011 times 300 suits. The shareholders were aggrieved by this state of things, and there was no corresponding benefit to the shareholders. (Hear.) He (the hon. gentleman) held in his hand a list of the actions which had actually been brought ; and he found that one creditor, for a sum of less than 1501., had brought no fewer than 25 actions. (Hear, hear.) And what had been the practical results He had another Ist of shareholders who had fled the country ; and another list—a very long one—of shareholders who had become bankrupt ; and many others had made set tlements of-their property or arrangements with regard to their effects, in the hops of evading the claims to which they were liable in the present state of the !ha- (hear, hear.) It was, of course, utterly impos sible, when th e r e were 6,000 creditors and 300 share hollers, that anything like a mutual arrangement could be made ; whereas common sense would recom mend that somebody should be empowered in the inte rest of the shareholders, and somebody else empowered to represent the rights of the creditors ; and that then some arrangement should be e to by shareholders migh t at all events be which rescued from the the cumulated costs of the It ti e e l rable actions which must now be added to the originall' would therefore propose a remedyes (Hear, hear.) He loss. the following de scription ; Let an advertisementbe inserted in the publie prints, calling the shareholders together, and enabling them to appoint one or more of their number for the pur pose of making some arrangementleithosthe o f personsobt:in tog w h om they were liable, and for the Depose the amount of contrib utions from the shareholders thatil' might be requisite for the payment of the debt. In ne _ diately after that advertisement appeared, he Proposed to protect the shareholders from their present liability to actions, provided that they submitted themselves to such terms as the court might think right. At present the shareholders were placed in a position of great difficulty, or, while the property of the company was taken away from them by bankruptcy, they were liable for the company' debts. He, therefore, proposed that the CortunisSlOner should have power to give protection to the shareholders. Under the existing law a creditor for a very small amount had it in his power to defeat ar rangements, by bringing actions against the individual shareholders. One provision of the bill was, that a cer tain proportion of the creditors should have power to bind the whole in accepting any compwition, and that when such an agreement was come to, the shareholders might apply for and obtain protection from individual nits. These provisions would be applicable to all exist ing as well as future companies. They supplied an im portant omission in the bill of last year. Mr, MALINS referred to a similar bill which he had ' HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. TO-MORROW EVENING. ALBONI, SPEZIA, GIUGLINI, VIALETTI, and BENE. VENTANO. First Night of Verdi's Opera of IL TROVATORE. Leonora, Mdlle. Spezia ; Azucena Madame Aiboni. Manrico, Sig. Giuglini. After which will be produced an entirely New Ballet, in Two Tableaux, composed expressly,for her Majesty's Theatre by M. Massot, entitled brought in last year, and which, if passed, would have saved the public from great calamity. In the case of the Royal British Bank, shareholders had been obliged to flee the country, not because they would not pay their proportion of the liabilities, but on account of the multiplicity of actions brought against them. He would suggest one improvement in the measure submitted by the Attorney-General. The process under the Winding-up Acts was an exhausting process. He would suggest that the moment a company was brought under the jurisdiction of the court the right of the creditors to bring actions against individual share holders should immediately cease, as in the case of an or dinary bankruptcy. To prevent shareholders absconding to avoid their liability, he would provide for stopping them by a judge's order, as might now be done with an ordi nary debtor. Had not the right et suing shareholders existed in the case of the Royal British Bank, the whole affair might have been wound up, the calls made, and the debts discharged long ago. The bill he introduced last session would have provided for this ; but, as there was then a feeling against the bill, the government had not the moral courage to support it, and it was thrown out. Now the government was obliged to come forward and do that which he would have done for them last year. Mr. DEA.SY approved of the bill, and said that if it had been law last year, the creditors of the Ti pp erar y Bank would have got I , os. in the pound. Unfortunately, they were not likely to get one-fourth of that amount. There was no greater delusion than that creditors of joint-stock companies derived greater security from un limited liability. (Hear.) Mr. WYLD hoped the Attorney-General would not adopt the suggestion of Mr. Malins. In the case of the Royal British Bank nearly 70,0001. had been expended as costs in actions brought against individual share holders. Both the creditors and shareholders of that concern were indebted to the hon. and learned gentleman for bringing forward this measure. At least one-third of the wealthy shareholders were abroad ; had this mea sure been passed a year earlier, they would have re mained and have met their liabilities. He hoped no time would be lost in passing the bill. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he thought the bill would carry out the view expressed by his hon. and learned friend (Mr. Malins). Sir H. WILLOUGHBY wished to know how the At torney General meant to deal with the fees. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he hoped no long time would elapse before a measure would be brought in on the subject of bankruptcy and insolvency, by which the question of fees would be dealt with. He did not venture to deal with that matter in the present bill. The house then went into commitee, and agreed to a resolution for the purpose of founding a bill upon it. The house having resumed, The Chairman reported that the resolution was agreed to, and the bill was then read a first time. PUBLIC CONTRACTS. On the motion of Mr. MAILJORIBANICS, that the com mittee on public contracts do consist of seventeen mem bers, and that Mr. Mansell and Col. Gilpin be added, Col. BOLDERO objected to the addition ofa fourth Government member on the committee. He thought fifteen members were quite sufficient. If any addition were to be made to the committee he should prefer to have the 'non. member for Frome placed upon it, who, from his knowledge of the subject, would be able to afford useful information. (A. laugh.) Lord PALMERSTON said he hoped, although 15 members were quite sufficient for a committee on gene ral grounds, that the house would not object to the addi tion of two members who were acquainted with the subject under discussion. After a few words from Mr. Moffatt, Sir C: Napier and Lord J. Manners, The house divided, • For tife motion Against Majority —s3 Mr. Monsell and Colonel Gilpin were then added to the committee. CHATHAM LANDS, &c., BILL, This bill was read a third time and passed. ELECTION PETITIONS. ACA LISTA, FIRST TABLEAU—Terpsichore, Madlle. Rolla ; Acalista, Madame Perea Nena; Aglaia, Thalia, and Euphrosyne, Mdlle. Michelet, Mdlle. Karliski, and Mdlle-. Brunetti; Amyntas, M. Baratti. SECOND TABLEAU—(The Vision Realised).—Seville.— Acalista, Madame Perea Nena; Conchitti and Carmen, Mdls. Pasquali and Morlacchi ; Pepe, M. Gambardelli ; Manolo, M. Massot, Spaniards. For particulars, see bills. A limited number of Boxes in the Half-circle Tier have been specially reserved for the public, and may be had on applica tion at the Box-office, at the Theatre Colonnade, Haymarket. I Price One Guinea and One Guinea and a Half each. In all his sufferings poor Mr. SPOONER found one point for self-gratulation ! " His arguments were altogether unanswered 1" It was not, how ever, because they were unanswerable, but because they were not worth answering. Learned judges frequently disappoint ambitious aspirants for forensic honours by thinking it unnecessary to hear their elaborate arguments. The opposing counsel has not establibhed his case, and therefore there is no necessity for discussion. The discre tion of the House last night was displayed in a similar manner. They simply voted, and fur this session at least—would we could say permanently —put a practical extinguisher on the SPOONER light that was to have illuminated the "collective wisdom." The precedent is truly valuable, and we trust that it may be duly observed on all similar occa sions. These are questions that may be much better answered by votes than by speeches. The most severe castigation that could be administered by an opponent was far less than the total and unbroken silence, the impressive, the contumelious taciturnity that prevailed ! It was indeed a memorable circumstance that will not speedily be forgotten. The Honourable Gentleman stood crestfallen— galled to the quick—Quantum 7nuta tatus ab illo Spoonere, who erst obtained a majority on the very point that now banished friends and foes; effectually clearing the House of nine-tenths of its occupants, and acting as a sleep-compelling soporific to the few who remained There were few who last night envied the new Speaker the distinguished position to which he had been ele vated by the unanimous vote of his fellow-repre sentatives. He was the victim who could not escape the persecution. One good result was, at all events, obtained. Much valuable time was saved to the country, and really important mea sures were brought forward, despite the Spooner ean eloquence and the Exeter-Hall whippers-in. The CLERK ;;;30; table announced that petitions bad been preseute.l against the returns for the following places :—Peterborough, Beverley, Sligo, Queen's County, Portsmouth (two petitions), Taunton, Ipiwich, Chatham, Lymington, Sandwich, Bridport, Gloucester (two peti ti ins), Newcastle-under-Lyme (three petitions)—(laugh ter)—and Staffordshire (North Division). It being the last day for presenting election petitions. The SPEAKER read the order of the house to that effect, and then directed the Sergeant•at-Arms to go out any inquire if there were any more election petitions to be presented. The Sergeant-at-Arms left the house for that purpose. After a short absence he returned, and having advanced to the centre of the house, informed the Speaker that there were no more election petitions. The announcement was received with a hearty burst of cheering from the members present. The house then adjourned at half-past 11. "It's only a breach of trust." Such was the defence (!) too frequently put forward for the robber of the widow and orphan—the mis creant who had appropriated to his own use the fund confided to his charge by a departed friend as a provision for his helpless family. Only a breach of trust ! What offence connected with property could be greater ? What villany could inflict greater suffering on the innocent victims ? The property painfully accumulated, and carefully invested by the deceased husband and father, swept away in one fell swoop, and the sufferers, who might have enjoyed competence and indepen dence, involved is all the horrors of destitution, possibly consigned to the tender mercies of the union workhouse. What ought to be the greatest aggravation of the crime, was considered a auffi.. cient answer to the charge, and the unblushing criminal escaped, because he added to ordinary guilt the crime of treachery and deception of the most unpardonable character. Thanks to SIR RICHARD BETHELL, this monster grievance is likely to be speedily and completely redressed. Fraudulent trustees will no longer escape with impunity from the penal consequences of their misconduct, and those who have appro priated to their own use the property which they have received for others will receive the punish ment they so eminently merit. This is indeed a great amelioration in the existing law, and every legal reformer will feel grateful to the Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman for having effectually grappled with the evil, and provided efficient remedies for the most flagrant grievances, which were previously irremediable. It is obvious that sending parties who had been plundered of all they possessed to the Court of Chancery for redress, and treating the robbery as a mere debt, was but adding insult to injury. The machinery of the law could not be set in motion without ample funds, and the original loss was but too often largely enhanced by the costs to which the sufferers were subjected in the vain attempt to obtain redress. We know of one case, where a person occupying a high po sition in society received payment in a single day of three sums of 10,0001. each, on which three families were dependent, under the pretence of investing them in securities bearing a higher rate of interest. He absconded with all the money, and went to reside in affluence in another land with the proceeds of his threefold crime. There was no unexpected misfortune. The money had not been previously squandered. It was wilfully and deliberately taken from those to whom it belonged—the three daughters of a deceased friend, and relative, and yet the miscreant could only be treated as a debtor when ever he might be caught 1 This is no stretch of the imagination, but a deplorable fact. And surely the anomaly should be removed that afforded the law's protection to such an offender. The case, however, requires delicate handling. The office of trustee is one of a peculiarly harras ' sing and vexatious character, and if parties were made criminally responsible for unintentional losses, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain persons willing to act in that capacity. The honest trustee should be protected in his office—while the highest secondary punishment should be inflicted on the dishonest one. Sir R. BETHEL has, therefore, provided a certain impedi ment to vindictive and unfounded prosecutions, The sanction of one of the Judges of the Superior Courts, or of the Attorney-General for the time being, must be obtained before an indictment can be preferred. This will, necessarily, be an ex parte proceeding, similar to that which takes place in procuring a Judge's fiat for the arrest of an absconding debtor, under the act for the abolition of arrest on mesne process. It will effectually pre vent prosecutions being instituted merely for the sake of annoyance, while it will not impede any bona fide and straightforward case from being thoroughly investigated before the criminal tri bunals. There are other breaches of trust of no less dangerous a character, that will be fully met by the contemplated enactments. The directors and raanazets of public companies', who by means rHE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MA Y 22 , 18 5 7 only two of the party had sufficient fortitude to of false and fraudulent misrepresentations, listen to the verbose and dreary oration. Poor induce too credulous parties to part with Mr. SPOONER ! It was indeed a painful but their money, or who keep false accounts, salutary lesson that he received, and we trust that he will profit by it, so as to avoid similar humiliation for the future. The dining-room possessed metal far more attractive for Noble Lords, and Right Hon. and Hon. Gentleman. BELLAMT'S was thronged, while the House was deserted. We 'Emily think that the worthy pro prietor ought to establish a " SPOONER Plate" to b© run for by popular representatives. The dis tance is certainly rather short. But that enabled even the most thick-winded specimens to exhibit their powers during the " spurt" Well, it is an ill wind that blows nobody good, and the able chef had reason to congratulate himself on the cause which gave his supporters ample time " inwardly to digest" the creature comforts, which he supplied with liberal and unsparing hand. Two Derbyites listened to his speech. Some seventy or eighty were solacing their inner men with postprandial enjoyments, ready, at the first signal of the division bell, to hasten to the lobby and record their votes, so as to satisfy the expec tations of their constituents. make false entries, or declare unearned dividends out of fictitious capital, will be made amenable to the criminal law as well as the assignees of bank rupts and insolvents, who appropriate the funds which should belong to the general body of the creditors. These are, unquestionably, great im provements, and we heartily thank the Attorney- General for the enlightened and comprehensive spirit in which he has dealt with a great social evil, and which we hope and believe will have the ' effect of materially restraining, if it cannot altoge ther prevent, frauds of the most distressing and atrocious character. The Attorney-General has fully and faithfully redeemed the pledge which he had given. He has brought in a measure to amend the law relating to Joint Stock Companies, more especially so far as banking and insurance companies are con cerned. The cases of the Tipperary and Royal British Banks will no longer serve merely " to point a moral and adorn a tale." The notorious grievances to fair creditors and innocent share holders which have been so painfully developed, will be removed. It will no longer be possible for sharp practitioners to obtain undue advan tages, or to crush those desirous of fully and fairly meeting their responsibilities to the utmost extent of their power. Nor will there be a conflict of jurisdictions to squander in liti gation the means that might be applied to a far better purpose. Under the present system there is a scramble for the assets. t " First come first served "is the principle acted upon, and the creditor can choose his victim, or series of victims, who, by the cruel costs, are debarred from acting fairly towards other creditors. The effect of this scramble, generally speaking, is .to send solvent shareholders into exile, and others to the bankrupt and insolvent tribunals. The simple fact stated by the Right Honourable and Learned Gentleman, that ono enterprising attorney purchased a debt due by the Royal British Bank, and forthwith issued some 200 or 300 writs for its recovery, clearly indicates the magnitude of the evil and the nature of the re quired. remedy. We are too fond of permitting men to take the law into their own hands. When property is seized in execution, and it is clear hat the defendant is not capable of satisfying all his liabilities, the proceeds should be appropriated to the general body of the creditors. The rapa cious should not be benefitted at the expense of the indulgent and forbearing. The whole law of debtor and creditor requires complete revision. It is even more essential for the protection of credi tors than of debtors. It would, in fact, be equally beneficial to all parties concerned, giving a fair division of the assets, in place of permitting the sharp practitioners to accumulate useless costs and appropriate the entire spoil to their own purposes. Sir R. BETHEL also announced that "no long time would be suffered to elapse before some comprehensive measure would be introduced on the subject of bankruptcy and insolvency." We thank him for the intimation. Both codes should be amalgamated, and the standing reproach to the British nation of the present system of impri sonment for debt removed. He has made an excellent beginning, so far as the shareholders in Insolvent Joint-Stock Companies are concerned. The great object is to have some party capable of representing the general body of creditors, and sanctioning arrangements that would give all that could possibly be obtained to bonK fide creditors, without wasting it in wanton and unnecessary litigation, while those anxious to do what was right wonld be saved from a cruel ag gravation of their original loss. The Honourable and learned Member for the county of Cork declared that, if the proposed measure had been passed a few years since, the creditors of the Tipperary Bank would have received at least 10s. in the pound, where they will not now receive a fourth of the sum. We yield implicit credence to the statement, and we likewise believe that in many private cases, where not sixpence in the pound is obtained, there would be fair dividends for the creditors. Let Sir RIMI AM) BETHEL per ♦ere. If he carries out the judicious principles which he last night enunciated, he will deservedly obtain a high place amongst legal reformers, and his name will long be remembered with thanks and gratitude throughout the entire kingdom, as having secured all that could under any circum stances be obtained by creditors, and affording protection to poor but honest debtors, who are unable through unavoidable misfortunes to satisfy all the pecuniary demands for which they are responsible. A most interesting ceremony took place yester day in the Court of Common Council, at Guild hall, in the presence of the Lord Mayor, and the assembled magnates of the Corporation. It was nothing less than the presentation of the Freedom of the City of London to one of the most humane and enterprising of all modern Travellers—Dr. LITIVGSTON ! And the manner in which that pre sentation was announced, or rather commented upon, through the eloquent speech delivered im mediately afterwards by the Chamberlain of the municipality must, we are fully satisfied, have been exquisitely gratifying to the distinguished philanthropist, of whose great public services the occasion itself was designed to be the emphatic and signal recognition. The earnest and touching harangue, addressed to Dr. LIVINGSTON yesterday afternoon by that city functionary, was altogether conceived in the happiest strain of mingled eulogy and encouragement. It was a truly oratorical tribute of admiration, offered in the name of the representatives of the capital of the Empire, to a noble-hearted Englishman, who has spent Fifteen Years of the very prime of his life in a laborious and perilous journey of Eleven Thousand Miles into the interior of the Great African Continent. An undertaking ad ventured upon, as Sir JOHN KEY admirably ex pressed it, addressing himself to Dr. LIVINGSTON —" for the honour of your country and the moral elevation of mankind by the peaceful triumphs of the missionary, by the expanding influence of scientific discovery, by preparing the way for that intercommunion and commerce bet ;nen alienated races, the tendency of which is to make a corporate guild of all nations, to unite all the tribes of earth in a bond of universal brotherhood." That was the elevated aim, those were the elevating prin ciples actuating this brave Traveller at the outset, and sustaining him manfully to the close, of his memorable enterprise. At the same time that we recognise the accuracy and the force of every sentiment that fell from the lips of the City Chamberlain yesterday afternoon, in reference to the particular object of his encomiums, we cannot but think that he was entirely mistaken in speaking •f what he termed the " contented ignorance" in which we have allowed ourselves to remain in refe rence to the interior of the vast southern continent of the Eastern hemisphere. Ignorance, there has been, but not contented ignorance. Valuable PA. RLIA MEN T A ItY Dlnaro..v. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MAY 21. MAYNOOTH COLLEGE. Motion made, and Question put, " That this house do resolve itself into a Committee to consider the Acts for the Endow ment of the College of Maynooth, with a view to the with drawal of any Endowment out of the Consolidated Fund, due regard being had to vested rights and interests." The house divided : Ayes, 21, Noes 125. ATES-91. Anderson, Sir J. Arbuthnott, Ball, E. Barrow, W. Baxter, W. Beach, W. Belitinck, G. Bernard, T. Blackburn, Peter Bramley-Moore, J. Bralges, Sir B. Butler, C. Caird, James Campbell, R. Carden, Eir R. W. Cheatham, John Child, Smith Cobbold, J. C. Jollier, R. Y. Coningham, W. Cowan, C. Craufurd, E. H. J. Davies, D. A. S. Davison, it. Dobbs, W. Duke, Sir J. Dunbar, Sir W. Dondas, F. Dunlop, A. Dutton, R. Ellice, E. Elphinstone, Sir J. Finlay, A. Gard, B. Goddard, A. Greenall, G. Griffith, C. Grogan, Edward Gurney, J. Hadfield, G. Hamilton, G. A. Banbury, Robert Hams, J. Hay, Lord J. Harwood, John Horsfall, T. B. Hotham, Lord Joliffe, H. Jones, D. Keating , H. S. Kendall, N. Kin L. King, E. Langton, H. G. Lace, T. Mackie, J. Matheson, A. Miller, T. Miller, 8. B. Mills, Arthur Morris, D. Mowbray, J. H. Muntz, G. Napier, J. ROES-125. Nicol, D. Packe, C. Pevensey, Viscount Pigott, F. Platt, James Rebow, John Robertson, P. Rolt, J. Roupell, W. Rust, Janes Salisbury, E. Stapleton, J. Steuart, Andrew Sturt, C. Tite, W. Tollemache, J. Vance, J. Vansittart. W. Verney, Sir H. Walcott, Admiral Warren, S. White, J. Whiteside, J. Williams, W. Willoughby, J. Wise, J. Wyld, James TELT.FIS. Spooner, R. li - owdegate, C. Adeane, Henry Bagwell, John Bailey, C. Baines, Rt. Hon. U. Barnard, T. Beamish, F. Bethell, Sir B. Biggs, J. Black, A.dant Blake, J, Bland, L. Botfield,B. Bowyer, G. Brady, J. Bratnston, T. W. Briscoe, John Brown, W. Buchanan, W. Buckley, Gen. Buller, J. W. Hwy, Lord Cal att, 11. Clark, J. Cogan, W. 11. F. Cowper, W. F. ConynAltam, Lord F. Corbally, M. E. Cotterell, Sir IL Cox, William. Dalglish, R. Davey, R. Deasy, It. De "Yen, S. Devereux, J. T. Diiwyn, L. Drummond, H. Donne, M. 10 9 Elt , n, Sir A. Ennis, John Esmonde, J. Evans, T. W. Fagan, W. Farquhar, Sir W. Fenwick, H. O'Brien,.J. Ferguson, Sir R. O'Donoghoe, The Fitzgerald, J. O'Flaherty, A. Fortescue, C. Ogilvy, Sir J. French, F. Paget, C. Garnett. W. Paget, Lord C. Grace, 0. Palmerston, Visit. Greer, S. Pease, H. Gregory, W. Philips. J. 11. Grerille, Col. F. Pinney, W. Haekblock, W. Potter, Sir J. Harcourt, G. Power, N. Ila3sard, M. Ramsey , Sir A. Hatch 11, J. Roebuck, J. Heard, J. Russell, Lord J. Henchy, D. Russell, F. W. Herbert, 11, Schneider, H. Hope, A. Scholedeld, W. Ilornby. W. Somers, J Howard, Lord Stuart, Lord 3. Ingram, H. Stuart, Colonel Jermyn, Earl Sullivan, Michael Kingiake, A. Tancred, 11. Kirk, W. Thompson, Gen. Knatchbull-Hugessen Thornely, T. Lanuston, J. H. Tollemache, Fred. Levinge, Sir R. Townse❑d, J. Lincoln, Earl of Trefusis, C. Locke, J. Trelawney, Sir J. Macarthy, A. Turner, J. A. M`Cann, J. Tyntc, Col. C. MacEroy, E. Waldron, L. M`Clintock, J. Warre, J. Mac Mahon, P. Westhead, J. Megan, W. 11. Williams, M. Maguire, J. Willyams, E. Manners, Lord J. Winnington, Sir T, Merry, James Woods, El Moore, G. Worsley, Lord Neate, C. Norris, J. O'Brien, P. O'Brien, Sir T. TELLEAS. Flayter, W. Mulgrave, Earl of PAIRS ON MR. SPOONER MAYNOOT l'S MOTION ABOUT THE 'IC GRANT. FOR. AGAINST. SirGMontgomeryMr. G. Duff C. A. Moody Lord Ebrington Sir J. East Sir E. Berl, g Sir J. Walsh Mr. Cayley Mr. Hardeastle Gen. Wyndham Sir E. B. Lytton Lord Eleho rod. AGAINST. Hr. Stafford Mr. J. Brown Sir C. Burrell Sir Thesiger Mr. J.II. Hamilton Mr. Pritchard Mr. Repton Sir W.Williams Mr. Shirley Lord Stanley Mr. Ayrtm Mr. Gladstone Mr. H. G. Sturt Sir T. Barke Lord Burghley Mr. Greenwood Sir W. Galtwy Sir E Parry Mr °reeves Mr. G. G. Glyn Lord Newark Mr. Bathurst Col. Somerset Mr. W. Stirling Major rAbthorp Mr. Tottenham Mr. Bennett SirW.W.Wynn Lord C. Hamilton Mr. Headlam Mr. J. B. Smith Mr. Moffatt Mr. E. Egerton Col. Herbert Lord A. Lennox Capt. Darner Hon. G. Noel Capt Berkeley ) Lord Curzon Ld.Grosvenor . Mr. Colville Lord Advocate Mr. G. Dundas Mr. Western Mr. Brocklehurst MrC.Cavendish Mr. Neeld C of Exchequer Lord Ashley Sir Robert Peel Captain Archdall Mr. Foley Mr. Morgan Col. L.Watkins Mr. Pilklngton Mr. J. Greene Mr. Smollett Mr. Lockhart lir. Fergus MrA.Forteteue Col. Gilpin Mr. H. Russell Sir J. Shelley Mr. C. Legh `Air W. Verner Lord Sendon Mr. Palk Mr. Whitbread air. Farnham Mr. W. Faster Hon. H. Cole Mr. Foljamhe Sir J. Carnac Mr. Beaumont Gen. Windham Mr. Steele Lord Ossuieton Mr. Ridley Mr. Adderley Mr. K. Seymer sir H. F. Davle Mr.Labouchere Mr. Beresford Col. Ferguson Mr. Macaulay Mr. Ingham ISir W. Fraser Mr. Liddell Sir M. S. Stewart Hon. E. Ellice Lord V. Tempest Mr. Grenfell Marq. Blandford Lord R. Cecil Mr. B. Wood,' Mr. Bass Mr. King Mr. G. Clive Mr. Cooper Mr. D. Norreys Mr. G. Langton Mr. Wrightson Mr. Knightley Lord Cavendish Mr. Knatchbull Mr. Wyvill Mr. Percy SirW Heathcote Lord Bective Hon. 0. Stanley Mr. Du Pre Col. Birldulph Mr. Alcock Mr. Heneago Mr. Close, M r. Slaney C'ol. Maxwell Mr. Denison Mr. Molina Sir C. Coote Mr. Macartney Mr. Fitz william Mr. Dn Cane Mr. Warburton Lord E. Hill Mr. Collinsjan. Mr. It. Hill Lord Althorp Col. Forde Mr. Palmer Marq. of Stafford Mr. Horsrnan Mr. Dod Mr. Marsh Mr. Cairns Col. sykes I Sir J. Trollope Mr. MT. Smith' Mr. Miles Mr. Kinglake Sir F. Smith (3en.Codrington Mr. Kershaw Capt. O'Connell Co!. Lowther Lord Ingestrie Mr. Pugh Mr. Mangles Lt.-Col.Kingseote Mr.J.S.ltleard Major Knox Hon.C.Howarrd Mr. T. Mills SirJ.Johnstone Mr. S. W. Taylor Mr. Ker Sir F. Kelly Mr.H.llerkeley Col. North Li.RGrosvenor Col. Forester Lord Euston Mr. rindys.rd Mr. Divett Sir. F. Egetton Mr. Caicraft Sir H. Meux Mr. Rich Mr. Nisbett Mr. C. Forster Mr. Bovilt Mr. Crawford Mr. Traill Mr. Cordon Mr. Long .Mr. Herbert Sir E. Kerrison Lord Milton Mr. } :gerton Mr. Gregson Mr. Laurie Mr. J. Locke Col. Pakenham Mr. 0. Ricardo Sir J. IM,theson Mr Ackroyd n.O.Duncorabe Mr. W. M ,rtyn Hon. E. Yorke Sir F. Barn; lion. W. Clive Mr. G. Glyn Mr. Palmer Mr. Huguesson Mr. Wadlington SirJ C Jervoi-e Col. Freestuu Sir G.B.Pectie2l Mr. Welby Lord IL Vane Viac. Galway Lord Goderlch Idr. Ewart Mr. J.O Ewart Mr. Kinnaird Ld. Castlerosse Vansittart Mr. Monsell Adm. Duncombe Mr. Clay Mr. Christy lord Meigund Nlr. C. Bruce Sir J.Ramsden Colonel Taylor I ord A. Paget dr. Whitmore Sir G. Grey The Hon. Miss Gordon, v ,1 10 ,, - ---" — T i - --mouhing marriage with the Hon. Ashley Ponsonby has been announced, is daughter of the preliunt Lord Henry Gordon, and not fatherles&, as reported in this journal of the 19th inst. ;-~ y. moilmommasec HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Piecelomini, Giuglini, Vialetti, Belletti. EXTRA NIGH P. THURSDAY EVENING, May 23, LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR. Lucia, Piccolomini ; Edgard°, Sig. Giuglini, To conclude with the entirely new Ballet, by M. Massot, entitled ACALISTA. Foe particulars see bills. A limited number of boxes in the Half Circle Tier have oeen specially reserved for the public, and may be had on ap plication at the Box-office at the Theatre Colonnade, Hay. market. Price Ono Guinea and One Guinea and a Half each. aE R MAJESTY'S THEATRE , GRAND MORNING PERFORMANCE. MONDAY, JUNE 1. Piccolomini, Alboni, _Spezia, brtolani, Giuglini, Reichardt, Bottardi;Beneventano, Belletti. To meet the many applications that have been made, and to accommodate the numerous families resident in the en virons, a GRAND EXTRA PERFORMANCE will take place on MONDAY MORNING, Juno 1, when will be performed Verdi's opera, LA TRAVIATA. Violetta, Piccolmini ; Alfredo, Sig. Giuglini. Clermont Giorgio, Sig. Beneventano. To be preceded by (arranged in one act), Rossini's opera, IL BARBIE RE DI SEVIGLIA. Rosina, Madame Alboni. This Evening, May 21—LA TRAVlATA,—Piccolomini, Ginglini, and Beneventano. SATURDAY, May 23-1 L TROVATORE—Spezia, Alboni, Giuglini, Beneventano, and Vialetti. " Lucia di Lammermoor" will be repeated the following week. Ballet—LA ESMERALDA. Betw4en the Operas a DIVERTISSEMENT. Morning Dress only will be necessary. Doors open at One, to commence at half-past One, and end at half-past Five. LES BOUFFES PARISIENS—St. JAMES'S THEATRE. THIRD REPRESENTA TION, THIS EVENING (FRIDAY), May the 22d, the entertainments will commence at half-past 8 o'clock pre cisely, by the production of (for the first time in this country), Operetta, en un Acte, *LE DUEL DE BENJA MIN : M. Guyot, M. Jean Paul, and Mdlle. Mace. After which (first time) Operette-Bouffe, en un Acte, LES PATINS DE VIOLETTE : M. Pradeau, Mdlles. Mareschal and Dalmont, and M. Anthonini. To conclude with (third tine) Bouffonnerie Musicale, en un Acte, LES DEUX AVEUGLES. M. Pradeau and M. Mesmacer. The Orchestra of the Theatre des Bouffes will accom pany these Representations, under the direction of the composer, M. Offenbach. This Engagement being limited to one month, Performances will be given EVERY EVENING. Boxes, stalls, and tickets may be engaged at Mr. Mitchell's Royal Library, 33, Old Bond-street. T HEA TR E-R OYA L, DRURY-LANE. Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith. OPEN EVERY EVENING. GREAT EQUESTRIAN AMERICAN and CONTINENTAL COMPANY, under the direction of Miss Ella. Prices—Pit and Promenade, is ; Boxes, 2s. 6d., 25., and ls. 6d. ; Galleries, 6d. Doors open at half-past 7. Commence at 8. First Equestrian Artistes in the World :--Madame Schap lain, Madame Neusome, La Petite Wells, Signora Delavanti, and Miss Ella ; Miss E. J.Wells, Mdlles. Flora, Fabia, and and Mario, Misses Neusome. Moffatt, Delavanti, Potter, Jen nings ; the Manchester Boy, Masters J. Wells, A. Wells, E. Moffatt, Henrico and Carlo Delavanti, Sig. Felix Delavanti, Mons. Becq, dons. Ferdinand, Mons. Eugene, Mr. Tom Swann, Mr. B. Fuller, Mr. W. Fnller, and the groat Shaks perian Clown, Wallett, will appear each evening in a series , of Performances, original and unapproachable. Director—Mr. Stokes, Acting Manager—Mr. E. Stirling. T HEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET i Lessee—Mr. J. B. Buckstone. • NEW ARRANGEMENT OF PRICES OF ADMISSION. ' THIS EVENING (May 22) to commence at Seven o'clock, with A LIFE'S TRIAL. After which, the successful Classical Love Story, un der the Apple-lation of ATAL ANTA • or, The Three Golden Apples ; in which Miss M. Oliver will appear; also Miss M. Wilton, and Miss Ellen Ternan. To conclude with AS LIKE AS TWO PEAS. In future the prices will be : Orchestra Stalls (which may be retained the whole of the evening), 6s. each. (No charge for booking.) First Price. s. d. Second price. s. d. Dress Boxes 5 0 Dress Boxes 3 0 Upper Boxes ... 3 0 Upper Boxes 2 0 Pit.... 2 0 Pit 1 0 Lower Gallery 1 0 Lower Gallery 0 6 Upper Gallery () 6No half-price to Upper Gallery. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, THIS EVENING will be performed Shakespere's tragedy of KING RICHARD THE SECOND. King Richard 11., Mr. C. Kean ; Queen, Mrs. C. Kean. Preceded by a new Farce, in one act, called AN ENGLISHMAN'S HOUSE IS HIS CASTLE. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI Lessee—Mr. Ben. Webster. THIS EVENING, will be performed a new and original drama, entitled JOSEPH CHAVIGNY ; or, Under the Thumb. Ben. Webster, Paul Bedford, Madame Celeste, dec. Followed by a new Farce, called FEARFUL TRAGEDY IN THE SEVEN DIALS. To conclude with the new and original domestic sketch, entitled WELCOME, LITTLE STRANGER. Mr. Wright, Mr. Paul Bedford, &c. T RAND T FIE AT RE. —Manager, Mr. T. Pavne. —THIS EVENING will be performed TIIE MIDNIGHT HOUR. Messrs. J. Neville, G. Lee, W. Suter, Howard, Wilstone, and Miss Cuthbert. After which, ROLFE'S G )SSIPING CONCERT. Followed by OVER THE WAY. Mr. Kinloeb, Mrs. Woollidge, and Miss Craven. Commence at Seven. Stalls, 3s. ; Boxes, 2s. ; Pit, ls. ; 3allery, 6d. L STLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE AND OPERA HOUSE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke. Mr. WILLIAM COOK.E begs to announce that THIS EVENING (FRIDAY), will be produced, for the fifth time at this theatre, Verdi's far-famed Opera of IL TROVA TORE ; or, The Gipsy's Vengeance. The whole of the Recitatives and Music as performed at the Italian Opera, with Grand Equestrian Illustrations, New Scenery, Costumes, and Appointments. The following celebrated Artistes are engaged : Miss Rebecca Isaacs, Mr. Augustus Braham, Miss Marian Edwards, Mr. Brookhouse Bowler, Miss M. Somers, Mr. Francis Kirby, and Mr. J. A. Leffler, and Miss Fanny Huddart. Mr. Borrani. Composer and Director--Herr Meyer Lutz. Manager and Director of the Opera—Mr. Augustus Braham. To conclude with Peerless and Classic SCENES in the CIRCLE, by the First Artistes in the World. Commence at seven o'clock. Dress Boxes, 4s. ; Upper Boxes, 3s. ; Private Boxes, from 215., no charge for booking; Pit, 2s. ; Gallery, Is. ; Upper Gallery, M. Notice—During the Opera Season Half-price will take place at 9 o'clock. Box-office open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Ai% W. West. Equestrian Director, Mr. W. Cooke, jun. CANTERBIJRY HALL, Westminster-road.— OPEN EVERY EVENING..—The follow n;; company of Vocalists are engaged for the perforniance of , elections from all the popular Operas, Madrigals, Choruses, Glees, Duets, &c., viz.: Miss E. Pearce, Mrs. J. Caulfield, Miss Brunel', Miss Summers, and Madame Marietta; Mr. J. Caulfield, Herr F. Jonghmans, B. Grover, T. Farrant, S. Jones, J. Barker, W. Melling, P. Corri, Senor Antonio M. Lie Solla,, and E. L. Hime ; Masters Bennett and Corri; Messrs. Sam Cowell, Sam Collins, and E. Mackney. Pianoforte, Mr. Cecil Hicks; harmonium, J. Caulfield, jun.; Erector, Mr. J. Caulfield. Commence at Seven o'clock pre• cisely. Suppers, &c., until twelve o'clock. aiaa WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. T tIB Dap—Morn. 11 min. aft. 12 —Even. 35 min. aft. 12 ,' , .-Mmutow—Morn. 0 min. aft. I—Evening 24 min. aft. 1 T3tE WEATHER—SUN Omar, MA.T 22. THERMOMETER, IN TEE SHADE. 72 'l!ghost since noon yesterday. 55 lowest this morning and during the night: 53 -this day at noon. 3AROMETEB, 29.90. WIND, N.E.—Fresh, with rainy weather: _" LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY 22, 18157. We congratulate the House of Commons and the country ! The Maynooth bore has been got rid of for the present Session. The annual in fliction has boon patiently sustained, the dose of Spoonerism duly swallowed. The Hon. Member for North Warwickshire his had his field-night, and he had it all to himself. He was literally " left alone in his glory," abandoned alike by friends and foes. There was not even a staunch Tory with a word to say on the queetion, and liveA have been sacrificed in hitherto fruit'esq researches—in endeavours to penetrate into Cen tral Africa, such as have proved utterly futile, time after time, until the fortunate advent upon the scene of those great labours of the Rev. Dr. LITINGSTON. H 6 has at last accomplished in regard to Central Africa, what has recently been effected by Captain Sir ROBERT MACLURE, in re ference to the North- West Passage. He has proved its penetrability ! And he has not only done this, but he has demonstrated the still more im portant fact in regard to the interior of the African continent, that when penetrated, it is really found to be worth penetrating. He afforded to his hearers yesterday new and most entertain- ing illustrations of this most important truth, in reference to the results of his Fifteen Years toil- some journeying over eleven thousand miles of the African Continent. He observed for example, upon this point, that the tribes in the interior of the country are "totally different from those on the coast." And, furthermore, b• described the former as always evincing eagerness to have inter course with Europeans. Adding-Lwas it in bitterest satire, Dr. LIVINGSTON ?—that they had scarcely any knowledge whatever of anything relating to the Europeans. Supposing them to have known something about the Europeans, supposing them to have known, for example, that time was, as Sir JOHN KEY remarked yesterday in the course of his eloquent harangue, when " every year some 150,000 of Africa's sons were trans ported with ruthless violence to other climes t , ) furnish victims for fraud and cupidity !"—would they then evince the same anxiety to have inter- course with the Europeans ? Nay, but supposing that they knew something in addition, supposing they knew, for instance, that among those white men there is a nation which has ex pended, as it were, at a single opening of its hand, 20,000,0001. sterling, on the abolition of the slave trade throughout its own vast domi nions, and that yet further dedicates annually since then a quarter of a million, year after year, in the suppression elsewhere of that odious traffic in human blood and human lives ! Supposing them to know THAT, perhaps, after all, those central tribes of Africa might not evince any abatement in their anxiety to have intercourse with the Europeans ! At present—however this may be—they have that anxiety Dr. LIVINGSTON tells us : so that there is " welcome" for the white men in Central Africa, when Central Africa has at last been reached ! And as to its fertility —mark what Dr. LIVINGS'TON said yesterday about travelling there through grass " so high that when sitting upon an ox it quite covers the head of the person so sitting !" Among the hitherto unknown vegetation of those unexplored regions being, for example, a substitute for flsx mentioned yesterday iu the Guildhall by the Great African Traveller as worth, upon a reason ' able calculation, from 501. to 601. per ton. To say nothing of various kinds of fruits totally un known in England, in reference to which fruits (said Dr. LIVINGSTON naively), " I cannot be a very good judge of what they are,, because gene rally I was very hungry when I got them —but certainly they were very much better than the crab-apple, from which we suppose our own apple to have come, or the sloes, from which have come our plums." Speaking of the merely commercial importance of the Discoveries brought to light by this adventurous Englishman, Sir J•HN KEY had previously exclaimed :—" What, sir, has been elicited in the course of your laborious journey of 11,000 miles, through the damp morass and arid desert, across roaring torrents and under scorching suns, in feverish sickness and with wasted frame 7 Why, that instead of a waste and howling wilderness, there is in the heart of that unexplored continent a mine of ma terial wealth ; that nature has scattered there with lavish hand the choicest of her products ; that roots are embedded in that soil of highest value to the healing art ; that the indigo plant throws out its spreading leaf in wild and useless luxuriance ; and that tusks of ivory which would be well bartered for the best commodities of European merchandise lie rot ting in the rain or bleaching under a torrid sun." Important results—these alone—of a daring and brilliantly successful enterprise. But not by any means the sole results—not even the most important ! For penetrating into those fruitful regions by the broad current of the Zam besi River, the white races may now hope to carry not merely the " benefits of knowledge," but with those benefits the " blessings of reli gion"—not merely Civilisation, but with Civilisa tion, Christianity ! The Earl and Countess of Abergavenny and Lady Caroline Nevill have arrived at their house in Portland place, from Billing Manor, rent. Lord and Lady Kingsale and family have arrived at the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street, for the season. Lady de Lisle and Dudley will arrive in town to-day, for the season. Colonel and Lady Laura Meyrick entertained at din ner, on Wednesday, at their house in Curzon-street, the Marquis and Marchioness of Downshire, Lord and Li.dy Rivers, Lord Castlerosse, Lord and Lady Alvanley, Lord Ravensworth, the Hon. G. Heathcote, &c. _ We understand that a marriage is arranged to take take place between the Right Hon. Frederick Peel and Miss Shelley, only daughter of Mr. John Shelley, of Avington, and niece of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. The Right Hon. W. G. Hay ter, M.P., entertained at dinner, on Wednesday evening, at his house in Hyde Park-terrace, the following member 3 of the House of Commons, viz. :—the Earl of Mulgrave, Lord Alfred Paget, the Attorney-General for Ireland, Mr. Knatch bull-Hugessen, Mr. Baxter, Mr. Hatchet', Mr. Kirk, Mr. Black, Mr. Dodson, Mr. Beamish, Mr. Thorn ely, Mr. Puller, Mr. Steel, Mr. Hardcastle, and Captain Gosset. The Right Hon. T. W. Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Fitzpatrick, and suite, have arrived at their residence 'in Grosvenor. place, from Ireland, for the season. Sir Richard Bulkeley's eldest son has married Miss Baring in Paris. THE LAMBETH ELECTION.—In the Southwark County Court, yesterday, a cabman sued a Mr. Gray, one of the agents for Mr. Williams, M.P., for the amount of his cab hire for the day of the electiOn. Tee cabman said he had applied several times, and could get no set tlement. The judge said he had no remedy ; he should have applied within seven days, and then gone before a magistrate. The plaintiff said he thought it a very hard case ; ha had been told to ge to the County Court, and now he was tcld he had no remedy. The judge said he would orcla him back his hearing fees ; that was all he could do. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—The Queen's box was occupied by Lady Elizabeth de Ros, Captain the Hon. Dudley de Ras, Col. and Lady Macdonald, Capt. Peel, &c. Amongst the distinguished company honouring the theatre with their presence, we observed the Duke of Wellington, Vacountess Palmerston, Frances Countess of Waldegrave, the Marqui. of Affesbury, the Mar quis of Kildare, Lord Ward, the Marquis of Clanri carde, the Countess Granville, the Countess of Bec tire, the Countess of Shaftesbury, the Countess of Cork and Orrery, the Countess of Wilton. the Earl Granville, the Earl of Sueiburne, the Earl of Bee tive, Viscount Doneraile, Viscount Powerscourt, Vie- Sidney, Viscount Villiers, Sir Henry and Lady Oxen den, Lady Harry Vane and Miss Southwell, Lady Moleswortb, Lady Dormer, Lady o.way, and Lady Loc Lurd James Stuart, Colueel the Hon. James M'Donald, C. 8., Lord Charles Bruce, Lard Robert Clinton. Sir George Wombwell, Mr. and Lady George Balfour, Mrs. Petre, the Hon. Mrs. Norton, Lady James Stuart, Lady C. Egerton, Lady Nichol son, Sir A. and Lady Weodford, and Miss Wood ford, General Monteith Douglas and the Misses Doug the Hon. Mrs. Ca.t, 110 i). Mrs. Osberne, Dgby, Colonel Cliallaner, Major Fowler, Mips Trafford seuthwell, Mr. John Toweeley, Mr. Croonibie, Mr. Bebb, Mrs. Adolphus, Mr. R. Dick, Mr. Trrlawn Captain Bateson, Mr. and Mrs. B -s=-, Mr. and Mr , . D ummond, Captain and Mrs. Macdonald, Captain Winders, Mr. Pugh, Captain Thellusion, Mrs. and Mrs. Campbell Wyodhsan, Captain Lyon Mrs. and Mau 'inner, Mr. Lucas, Hon. Mr. Grey, Lyon, Alfred Mout.. goniery, Mr. ManuiLg, Mrs, Vivrtu, &c. . 4: 1 ; I_,ll /I_lJ AUSTRALIA. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) PLYMOUTH, FRIDAY, 10 A.lll. The Australian Auxiliary Steam-ship Company's mail ship Istamboul, Cap . ain Coles, the first of the line from Plymouth, arrived this morning from Melbourne, having made the passage in 79 dciys. She left, Port Phillip Head March 3; rounded Cape Horn April 2 ; and crossed the line April 37. She has 120 passengers, and brings about 45,000 ounces of gold, 1,290 bales of woo], and sundries. Her Australian intelligence is anticipated. The Stamboul experienced a succession of light winds, and had no south-east trade winds. She was under steam 18 days. Oa the 16th of May she spoke, in lat. 42 32, long. 30 50, the Bosphorus, from Callao to London,l32 days out. The Stamboul will leave for London when her mails are landed here. • BERNE, MAY 20. The. Grand Council has voted the Constitution in principle unanimously, 45 votes were given for the immediate revision, and 25 for it, after a certain delay. In a wool near Berne, the body of Colonel Gevret, ex-commander of the foreign .legion, has been found. Ile had blown out his brains with a pistol. PRANCE. PARIS, THURSDAY EVENING. This being Ascension-day, the Bourse and all the public offices are closed. The Emperor, the Empress, and the King of Bavari, left the palace of Fontainebleau yesterdaY afternoon about three o'clock, and went in a char a-banc to the rendezvous appointed for a stag hunt. The lateneis of the hour and the heat not all :wing the sport to take place, their Majesties, after a short collation, took a ride on horseback in the foresr, and returned to the palace a little before nine o'clock. Prince Napoleon, on the 17th, after having visited the new museum of Dresden, attended Divine e-rvice at the Roman Catholic church. On his return to his apartments, his Imperial High ness received thewhole of the diplomatic body, and afterwards dined with Baron de Forth Rou,n, at the French legation. At seven o'clock the Prince went to Pillnitz to take leave of their Majesties/ and passed the evening with the Royal family. Cu l the morning of the 18th, after again visiting dif ferent collections of art, the Prince left by an e,'" press train for Bautzen, to which place horses 110 been previously sent from the Royal stables, it order that his Imperial Highness might visit th e remarkable points of that field of battle. TO Prince was to return to Dresden in the evening, and to leave the next morning. BRUSSELS. Prince Alfred of Rigland, second son of Queen Victoria, aged 13, arrived from Cologne at Bruss e f the day before yesterday at half-past three in t 5 afternoon. The Duke de Brabant and the Cone' s ' de Flandre, in plain clothes, with some officers,e4 their suite, went to the station to meet him. T. W. Waller, English Secretary of Legation, aed acting as Charge-d'Affaires in the absence of lA r Howard de Walden, was likewise at the statiel3; The Princes embraced each other affectionately/ ~ military band striking up " God save the Queevt a The Princes proceeded at once to the Palace, O tt in the evening there was a grand dinner at C o t, in honour of the young visitor. Afterwards th King and the Royal family returned to LaYlge! : Prince Alfred remaining at the Palace at Brussels' The next morning the Prince went to Lackey. l" pay a visit to his Majesty. THE PRINCIPALITIES. A letter from Odessa, in the Siecle, says : ; " The question of the organisation of the Princ i fo lities excites great interest here. A circular u, been communicated to the resident Wallachiat' containing the principles of th e cons tit u ti on , which . 4 ; alter its adoption by th e Di vans , w ill b e subrai 6t 4 , to the approbation of the foreign cornmist•O ner- This circular contains the following : " Chap. I, Art. I. The sovereignty of the Porte is 1 ; cognised in virtue of treaties contracted with it. Ar t 'd The government is independent both at home 113, abroad in virtue of laws and their guarantees. ii-r'd e r The union of the Moldo-Wallachian principalities 1 1 ° o f an hereditary prince chosen from a reigning Europe, His successor must be brought up in the pies of the Greco Oriental faith. Art. 4. The form ofd vernment will be representative ; the person of the of the State is sacred. Ministers alone are responsl Art. 5. Abrogation of all intervention of foreign p? l ' et o in the affairs of the principalities. Art. 6. All foreig / q v / are subjected to the laws of the country. Art. 7• ,11 property And revenues reserved for for e ig n c h u rches ft, be administered by the principalities.—Chap. IL `" te rl I. Wallachians of all ranks and positions are subje c ; o , to the shale laws, and contribute equally to the e°_,„r' il l diture of the State. Art. 2. All Wallachians wit aspire to places in the administration according to tli e j o capacity. Art. 3. Liberty is given to all to ei' r r e' and publish their opinions, provided the laws o re tgt V spected. Art. 4. The liberty and independence of payers are guaranteed." All these articles are founded on treaties, the te of which are joined to the circular. AUSTRIA. 74 7 0 1 4 A letter from Vienna of the 17th, in the of Brussels, says : " The two young archduchesses are now gettingool pidly well. Tha Princess Giselle, who wa s die d , taken ill, is in full convalescence, and the state cn d re' elder sister is satisfactory. The Court is living ve rJ ,tei tired at the Palace of Pesth, and almost ad the mg", have already quitted that capital. The day befor, terday the Emperor received two Envoys from r (0 ,0 1 Alexander Cirageorgevitch of Servia, and the Ptc ;6s l B,lgrade, sent by the Sultan to congratulate his on his arrival. These personages afterwards dine the lap3ror. Their Majesties will remain at i', o o l until t.e 22d, and proceed on their tour. The 8010. is expected at Vienna to be present at the c o ntenarl e roe of the military Order of Maria Theresa. The BreFictli; is said to be well satisfied with the results of the Pg', tural exhibition which Las just closed, and has add': the to the Prince de Li ec ht ens t e i n , th e pres id en t Agricultural Society, a very fl a tt er i ng au to g raph l o te l ; containing the exp re s s i on o f hi s sa ti s f act i on a t the'," ligent efforts to render the exhibition so generally 10 0 as possible. The numerous foreigners who bad attracted to this capital by the exhibition are ab °- jor leave. Prince Charles of Prussia, who passed tWe re li 6 here, has lett for Berlin. On the eve of his depart ° dined at the Russian embassy.' • A second letter from Vienna, given -- Union, says :—" It appears positive that, c ,lf Emperor will not contine his measures 431 ,A mency in favour of Hungarians to the ate' e granted to political prisoners and refugee 6 A will also restore them their landed properT t err, fiscated after the revolution, and adnaill'r since that period by a special commission. stated that tables are being drawn up in then tries of the interior, finance, and justice, , 0 property situated in Hun g ary and other P a d fC r the empire belonging to persons coudetn ee n rthi political offences. According to statistics , t ee of of faith, the value of the landed property 5e 4311 trated in Hungary amounted in 1850 to ne a i• 1.0„ million francs. Since that time the value % f ro,' has increased. One family, that of the unfor". o tor; Colonel de Kiss, who was shot after the I ri of the Austro Russians, alone had proper tY 11 0 liscated to the extent of 10 millions of franeli ie sister of Colonel Kiss, who, previously to ir t ° , O volution, occupied a high position at the eeto-bei Vienna, is now in the United States, wher e io compelled to obtain a living by giving rou S ci sons." Another letter from Vienna says :"" t o O f , portant sums have been granted this year 0881 navy budg-t, and Austria will soon posse ss t oil There are at present in course of construe 0300 Venice, Trieste, and Pola, eleven screw i1 3 : 13 of various sizes. Th e g overnment has t 3P 6. e riP c p its employ the former commander of the i irce fleet organised in 1849 at Bremoihaven? " 0 bs' i o mind Browning, w h o h as b een placed at " t - holf of the Admiralty-offices in Milan. It is te cl. that a Ministry of Marine will soon be or°. The accounts fromW st E o p k E hohn confirra t he, s 13" tint the Kingef Sweden has recovered frova 11 . 1 10 °, presidesillaccto accustomed ist u Tt . ries, H a e s l n ie o w w as was taken ill. A let er from Stockholm statedstththoeatdteoli%elelscifteeb::°f the Bourgeois and tine Peasants of the P.° 0 0 0 decided that the four orders shall unite,;Therti assembly for the discussion of the budget. il l " Y ? the four orders have always voted separatelle'f tS C recent law allows them to assemble toget,bi the discussion of certain laws, and this je time that the regulation is about to be c oli c „Ittr execution. The vo t e , however, will still OR" separately. sales Share suppc Du colon demi tnaint Althou realise( Notl trad e , i an occa obtai n busines that of Tanoun liabilitic especial Variolis insecure Prevail 1 every p: thes e Caf The E has arri, gold. a allowing This sup doubt be the Ban The der; ( )Wing to India an feared th tralia wil in the Mu from Chi: exchange Accoun 'ship Alai from Ma 2 that the and may of gold to there can East will I time to ti The 0 PeOrrat:tol rate ]units Pressur e c a nd on the advances. ,A furthc 14 the En, hale; by t Oovernme] Anreh a3e 0 Consol s , bu e "sols hai Ab ney It educed 9 .Tho M ar 111 2ln; and Notice has Ju ne and I the Present to 99 . Foreig n rather lower t he 4 per cially c recor 221 ; s pani tents. 68f. 7 4 Per Cents, Tha folio; 22 4; Peru : 111 s., 53i 'latia n 5 Def erred, 96 1 2 1, 484 ive, 51 Messrs D th e 8. "week t -azerican , 11..v.01. States Quad States d btq :locanhnr 8 5r et p i) e s P t t k1a 4:31, 1 ). {{ b an d Itti t , ..... I "iPpi N l ll l4 Ylvania . N l 4, lYlv an i a I ;l l 2 l egaee 6 p, li l !!tli % 6 , e , (gitlia ape; ko ht Newl 6 e litti llsii 2 : 1 1 4:5:::1;44. I S C : t Do ,rel;+louretc £/06 0 ttell knall Ditto Bon. ? IIaCES exie l l Bend bitt: 3 P e Ac o rt ,, co , gues 1 bitt se 18r)6 bit n t a ' n 11.3 ' ,h co atithAc"‘ Ditto A ...Lee() Cm. 1 3;t ilo to Ditto Get Di tto Acc e Fren ch Rent Ditto 4 : 1 1t,:h 1 4 1 ) 6, 1 Ditto 4 Fe Cons o l s Ditto, \ Th Itgad