The Sun. — London, England, 1847-12-13 00:00:00

of the week ; and last week the increase amounted to 1,400, being double the average mortal ity. The scent report of the Metropolitan Sanitary ,Commis lion proved that during the years 1845, 1846, and 1847, our pet pestilence, typhus fever, bad gone on increasing week by week and year by year.—(Hear, hear.) He had thus proved, if figures could prove anything, the second clause of the resolution.— (Hear,hear.) On the subject of cholera he was extremely anxious not to create any unnecessa ry a l ar m ; but it was right to state that it was reported that cases of cholera had actually occurred in this metropolis.—(Hear, hear.) He would wish to put the most favourable construction on those cases, and to ats3ume that there was a mistake. What then? The whole history of the present epidemic went to prove that the cholera was likely to follow in its train.—(Hear.) The question, then, was—" How are we prepared to meet it ?" It appeared that they were altogether unprepared to meet this fearful epi demic.—(Hear, hear.) The report of the commis sion to which he had alluded pointed out, among other facts, one of a consolatory nature, that the cholera was not a contagious disease—(Hear) — and that, therefore, no one need fear attending on relatives and friends. But they must not forget that the cholera track was the fever track and the filth track—(Hear, hear)—that these diseases were found calling at the same houses and the same spots, and visiting the same persons.—(Hear, hear.) At a preliminary meeting held on the previous day to talk over these matters, he might state that the gentle men from Sheffield and N ottingbam stated exactly the same fact with regard to fever and cholera visit ing the same houses and spots. The prevailing epidemic (influenza) was found to visit the most un healthy districts. Indeed, the most unhealthy spots were those that uniformly produced the greatest mortality. Take the population of East London and that of Wandsworth, the latter a healthy locality ; Wandsworth lost 19 out of a population of 40,000, and East London, out of the same population, lost 75.—(Hear, hear.) Poplar lost 36, while Camber well loit 52. West London lost 64 out of the same population as Poplar. 'Hackney, with a population of 42,000, lost 37, while St. George's-in-the-East, a mast unhealthy district, lost 82.—(Hear, hear.) He -had called fever a pet pestilence.—(Hear, hear.) If :we loved it we could not take more pains than we had done to keep it among us and to nourish and cherish it.—(Hear, hear.) We had been taught over and over again, that where there was filth there was danger of fever, and yet we took no more pains to remove the filth of our towns than if we thought fever a natural blessing.—(Hear, hear.) Dr. Guy then referred to the efforts of the benevolent Howard for the removal of filth and infection from prisons, and remarked, that the houses of labouring men were now what the prisons were three-quarters of a cen tury ago, while prisoners received every comfort and convenience that was denied to our working men.— (Cheers.) It was a crying shame that three-fourths of a century ago we begfm- to do that for prisons which we now refused to da for -the labouring man. —(Hear.)' He rejoiced, however, that there was some prospect of improvement in this respect ; and he especially rejoiced that men possessed of good sound sense had united the commercial principle with benevolence, and begun to erect such houses as they knew the poor wanted, so as to enable a few of them at least to enjoy the same comforts in their own dwell ings that prisoners alone could at present obtain. It might be said he had been using the language ofexagge ration ; but when men heard without feeling such facts, they seemed to labour under an exaggeration of indifference.—(Cheers.) The people were beginning to discover the interest they had in the question. The necessity of sanitary reform had found a voice in the fashionable novel of Disraeli, in the popular work of Charles Dickens, who had shown his sym pathy in the cause by transmitting a contribution of 101. Mr. BOUVERIE, M.P., stood forward amidst some cries of "Cochrane;" but the interruption ceased on a remonstrance from the Chairman. Mr. Bouverie moved the second resolution, as follows : " That this meeting regards with lively satisfaction the earnest recommendation contained in the Speech from the Throne ; the expressed determination of her Majesty's advisers to renew the efforts made by Lord Lincoln and Lord Morpeth in . former sessions of Parliament ; and the practical step taken by the Lord Chancellor in remodelling the Metropolitan Sewers Commissions." When public opinion was definitively expressed, the obstacles to the attainment of the object in view disappeared. The Government had done what they ought to have done ; they had acted promptly and firmly, though there were " vested interests" in filth which had endeavoured to thwart their efforts. They had removed the Commissioners of Sewers, who were a great impediment in the way of sanitary improvement.—(Hear, hear.) In the midst of the great cou:ourse of people in large towns, in Lon don, Liverpool, Glasgow, Leeds, Hull, and other places, it might be said that there was a manufactory of poison—a manufactory which never worked short time—(Cheers)—and the result was, that thousands were carried to a premature grave, and that many more thousands of women and children were plunged into destitution. Sanitary measures would tend to lessen the numbers who required relief from the public, and were, therefore, to be desired, even in a pecuniary point of view. There was something strangely illogical in bestowing immense sums on the maintenance of their army and navy to protect them from a foreign enemy, while they had a domestic foe to encounter which destroyed more life than the other would, which spared none, and which never slept or rested.—(Cheers.) Mr. CARDWELL, M.P., seconded the resolution. There was one fact which, he thought, showed the progress made by this country. Within the last few years, by the multiplication of facilities and the cheapening of comforts, many of the advantages pre viously confined to the rich had become extended to those of comparatively humbler means. Comfort, cleanliness, domestic affections, were great practical enjoyments. Of these the man of competent means had his share as well as the rich man. But why should they not extend to the working man ? (Cheers.) He had not those enjoyments in their towns; and why ? Not because he had not the means of paying for them, a larger amount of wages being distributed in the large towns than within an equal space anywhere on the surface of the earth. Then why had not the working man those enjoyments ? From the manner in which the smaller buildings were collected together, individual cleanliness could not be secured without universal cleanliness. A family settled in a crowded neighbourhood with in dustrious cleanly habits they maintained an unsuc cessful struggle, till at last they subsided hopelessly into a state of discomfort.—(hear, hear.) The disposition to live cleanly would be general if the power were general. He knew not why he should be called on to second the resolution, unless it was that he had the happiness to be connected with a town which was not behind others in intelligence and en terprise, but which was unfortunately situated in re gard to public health. But they were striving to effect a salutary change. They were bringing water from the hills of Lancashire, which they hoped would afford an ample supply. There would he no cisterns in the place ; and all a person would have do would be to go to the spout and turn It. Neither would there be a fire-engine in Liverpool. It would only be necessary to open a plug and attach the hose, when the water would flow forth to save their merchandise. —(Cheers.) If the means of procuring comfort and cleanliness, with economy, were afforded, what fol lowed ? The means of cultivating domestic attach ments. Could they expect men to stay at home when they had scarcely a home to stay in ? It was idle to expect real religious training for youth when th e y were immersed in sin at home, which set at nought the lessons of the clergyman. And that which was offered as the result of the measures advocated by such meetings as the present was, in truth, economy, safety, opportunities of cultivating domestic attach ments, and the means of encouraging religious affections. Mr. SHAFT() ADAIR, M.P., moved the third reso lution, as follows : " That all past experience, and the nature of the case, enforce the necessity of combining in any sani tary measure an efficient local administration respon sible to the ratepayers, with the superintendence of a Government department duly represented in Parlia ment." Mr. HEYWOOD, M.P., seconded the resolution. Re stated that in Manchester, where there was a Health o f Towns Association, they had derived the greatest benefit from the report of the Government Commissioners, just published, particularly that part of it which related to sewerage. The formation of proper sewers and the opening up of streets were matters of the greatest importance to large towns. There was no place about which cholera loved to nestle so much as the mouth of a sewer.—(l-lear.) He had the greatest pl easure in seconding the resolution. Cochrane fro m Mr. ivi r th loud cries li o ' f Here there were again calls fo ai collfusion. a portion of the audience, met r ra " No, no," . from others, and' g o e n ne obt , t z e ith a The Noble CHAIRMAN, all been 1. stated that the proceedings had a hearing, 4 committee, as was the custom in such cases, ty , view to give the greatest possible effect to de monstration. He therefore thought it would be for the convenience of the meeting that the arrangement which had been made regarding speakers should be followed out; but at the conclusion, if Mr. Cochrane or any otheuentlemen wished to explain their views, 1141 Mit hbiain and hear him wit h patience. Is 1 .14, o ion was then put , and carried unani ,/---..,,,-----: ......11,4". .• N i S rilOkleVq.k ,-_: / ' ; i 11.4-Gri-EijtA TON, M.P., said he and several other gentleing4,:ictik there not merely as members of ' Tarliams;nt,-11 as representatives in that meeting of ' their various:3i' oughs.—(Hear.) At a meeting held et Plymouth consider the necessity of sanitary re- s ~ 4 „ THE SUN, form a resolution was passed, in which the Mayor was j requested to communicate to Mr. Palmer, his col league, and himself, the desire of the electors that they should attend the present meeting, and give the weight of their influence to the sanitary cause. They had accordingly done so, regarding the wish of their constituents as an additional obligation upon them to be present on so important an occasion.— (Hear, hear.) He thought it would add greatly to the moral weight of the meeting when it was known that many members of Parliament, and among others, his friend Mr. Parker, of Sheffield, were in attendance at the request of their constituents. He had been requested to move the following resolution : " That although great exertions have been made by sanitary associations, ably seconded by the press, to arouse the public mind to a sense of the evils (physical, economical, and moral) which affect all classes, but especially the poorest, much ignorance and apathy still remain ; and that this meeting, while it pledges itself to aid the Health of Towns Associa tion in the efforts now making for their removal, would especially call upon the clergy and members of the medical profession to exert their powerful influ ence in furtherance of this great object." The Noble Lord expressed his satisfaction that the same apathy did not exist on this question as formerly. He then gave a variety of statements, having refer ence to the condition of the town of Plymouth, and the necessity that existed for great improvements in that town, notwithstanding all that had already been done. The necessity for sanitary reform was indeed evident in every large town. It was a question affecting not the physical comfort only, but the moral and spiritual welfare of millions. The Rev. Mr. Clay, of Preston, had well said that dirt, disease, and crime were concurrent.—(Hear, hear.) If they took a map and marked all the places where there was an absence of sewers and a limited supply of water, and where the fever, and cholera, and epi demics of all sorts prevailed, and if, on the same map they marked the residence of criminals and the habi tual haunts of vice, it would be found that almost the same spots, from house to house, would represent them.—(Hear, hear.) How could it be otherwise, when they found, as in the town of Plymouth, 11,000 people living in single rooms? And is this respect Plymouth was not a whit worse than other town, in - all parts of the kingdom. How could they expect to find a moral state of society in such districts, when families were herded together, more like pigs than human beings, in one single room ?—(Hear, hear.) The depressing effect of the bad atmosphere which these people breathed, too, was such as to produce the most lamentable habits, especially habits of gross in - tetnperance.—(Hear, hear.) It had been proved that in many districts, 'and even in the immediate neighbourhood of Regent-street, the depressing na ture of the atmosphere was such that it was almost impossible for the poor inhabitants to resist the te , riptations to intemperance.—(Hear.) In Glasgow there was one house for every five or ten for the sale of spirits ; and in that city the deaths from epi demics transcended the very worst places of this metropolis. It was therefore of the utmost import ance that all classes, especially the cleric a l and me dical professions, should exert themselves in this cause, so as to promote not merely the economical, but the moral and spiritual welfare of the poor and neglected labouring classes in our large towns. Mr. W. BAINES, M.P., seconded, the ; resolittion. He was glad to be able to say that the town which he represented had set on this question an example deserving of all honour and imitation. The clergy of all denominations had been exerting themselves in this great cause, and so had also the medical pro fession, with a unanimity and a zeal that had been attended with the happiest effects.—(Cheers.) Every medical man in the place joined in forming an asso ciation for the purpose of investigating the sanitary state of the town, with the view of pointing out those measures that might seem to be neces sary. A report had since been published containing many recommendations applicable not only to the locality of Hull, but to all parts of the empire. lie had no hesitation in concurring in the remark that had been made, that the hotbeds of disease, engen dered by filth, were also the hotbeds of crime —(Hear) —and that by a regard to our own interest's, as well as a regard for the moral and religious interests of that unfortunate people, by every consideration of love to our neighbours and of love to ourselves, we were bound to say that there could be no cause more important, more holy, or more deserving the support of the public and the Government of this country. The resolution was then unanimously carried. Mr. SLANEY, M.P., moved the following resolu tion : " That the thanks of this meeting be respectfully tendered to the Most Noble the Marquis of Norman-- by for his able and impartial conduct in the chair, and his valuable services to the cause on all occasions." He observed, that large measures of sanitary reform had been recommended by repeated committees and commissions, all of which tended to the same end, viz , to preserve to the community that first of bless ings—health. The Poor-law Comniission in 1838 made a similar recommendation in one of their re ports, as did also a Committee of the House of Com mons in 1838, of which he had the honour to he chairman.—(Hear, hear.) He was one of those who had volunteered to investigate the state of the large towns. The inquiry embraced no fewer than 50 ; arid, in drainage, cleansing, and the supply of water, 48 were found deficient so far as regarded the work ing classes. The advocates of sanitary improvement had worthy leaders in the Noble Lord in the chair ; Lord Ashley, the Duke of Buccleuch, the Earl of Lincoln, and Lord Morpeth. Dr. S. SMITH, who was received with great cheer ing, seconded the resolution, and warmly eulogised the noble chairman for the fidelity and consistency with which he had supported the association.. Mr. C. Cocuamse, having been again called for, addressed the meeting. He complained that he had been treated with personal disrespect, a gentleman having accused him of creating the confusion. He had attended in consequence of a letter from Lord Ashley, and was himself a member of the association. He had come forward to read the association a kind of moral lesson.—(Oh, oh !) In conclusion, he pro ceeded to urge the necessity of adopting a system of public agitation for the purpose of promoting sanitary reform. The resolution was carried unanimously. The Marquis of NORMANBY made his acknow ledgments, and, as evidence of progress in sanitary improvement, referred to a notice issued in St. Mary's NV hitechapel, stating that the trustees, wherever they found any nuisance, or any dwelling not in a habit able state, would proceed against the landlords. The meeting then separated. SOUTHAMPTON, DEC. 10.—The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company's ship Tagus, R. W. Evans, commander, arrived at Southampton last evening from Trebizonde, Constantinople, Smyrna, Malta, and Gibraltar, bringing the heavy portion of the East India mails, and twenty-three passengers. She brings sixty-one packages of specie, supposed to be worth 100,0001., and a large and valuable cargo, consisting of 57 bales and 180 cases of silk, 29 cases of opium, 214 bales of goat's wool, 47 bales of sheep's wool, 5 casks of wine, 17 tubs of leeches, 7 bags of yellow berries, 8 cases of otto of roses, 1,423 drums of figs, 50 cases of fruit, and 80 packages of sundry merchandise. The Tagus experienced very heavy weather between Trebi zonde and Constantinople, having at that time nearly. 800 Turkish passengers on board. On the 80th of No vember, during the passage from Malta to Gibraltar, a sea struck one of the boats, and an able seaman, named George Snooks, was washed away and lost. She had a very stormy passage across the Bay of Biscay, lost one of her boats, and had her deck-house washed away Some anxiety is felt for the safety of the Washington, and intelligence is hourly expected from Bremen, as to whether she has safely arrived there. She left Cowes on Friday afternoon last, with the United States mails and passengers for Breruen, and must consequently have been in the severe gale that raged from Friday to Sunday. From the Washington's excellent qualities as a sea-going vessel, hopes are confidently entertained that she has been able to reach Bremen haven in safety. ATTEMPTS TO OVERTHROW TRAlNS.—Within the past week two most daring and deliberate attempts have been made by some miscreants to throw the trains on the Taff-vale Railway, between Cardiff and Merthyr, off the rails, which, had they not been providentially discovered, must have caused a fearful sacrifice of life. In the first attempt the miscreants turned the points on the line; but, fortunately. it was dis Covered by the ser vants of the company. Having failed in tbeir first at tempt, they on Wednesday perpetrated a much more malignant act. It appears that the engine-driver of the last passenger-train, on seeing, about a mile from the tunnel on the Merthyr side, at a place where the rail way makes a sharp turn, and runs on the brink of a precipice, that there was something wrong with the plates, slackened his pace, but not in time to prevent the engine and tender and the three first carriages being thrown off the line with a considerable shock. On ex amining the cause of the accident it was discovered that a pair of the rails had been taken up, one on each side of the road. Twenty minutes before a train had gone down and all was then safe, so that the rails must have been taken up in the interval, and from the appearances it would seem that they had been taken up persons well acquainted with raising and laying down rails. Fortu nately the engine when running off the line inclined to the right side and ran into the bank; had it inclined to engaged river beneath, and the sacrifice of life would have been \ fearful. As it was, no injury occurred to the passerigvs the • i• se outrages. army of :India, endeavouring l) erty. Th e company'sto discover ,cat,hasAßMY.—Major-General Sir Dudley St. Le- Tux and been appointed to the staff of the ger Hill preasentto cotamand the Meerut division of the army a t Major- General Samuel under e Sir John Grey, K.CiB. pointed to the staff of Bomba y the umut Cae.rally', has been sip and proceeds go an ver :f the the provi ce immediately to take thecomara d vice Sir C. Napier. The troops in Sin e, has been committed to Mr. Pringle , Ma' r General Peter Augustns Lautour, succeeded to the increased good service pay of 1 " diem, from the 19th ult.—United Service G azette. • r LONDON, MONDAY EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA. ----- An important meeting was held on Saturday, shortly after two o'clock, at the residence of Mr. L. Boyd, N. 8, Waterloo-place, to devise the most efficient means of promoting an extensive scheme of emigration to the colony of New South Wales. "In consequence of the great destitution now existing amongst a class of small farmers and labourers in the north of Ireland and Scot land," according to the terms of the circular by which the meeting: was convened, " the present moment was considered a fitting opportunity to supply the want of the Australian colonies, so far as' regards: labour, by encouraging in every possible manner the emigration of such persons." The chair was taken by the Hon. F. Scott, M.P. Amongst those present were— Lord Farnham ; Colonel Matheson, M.P. ; Sir Ed ward M`Naghten, Bart., M.P. ; Sir Thomas Mitchell, Surveyor-General of Australia ; Hon. James Hewitt, M.P. ; Richard S. Bourke, Esq., M.P. ; John Boyd, Esq., M.P. ; Sir William Verner, Bart., M.P. ; R. Montgomery Martin, Esq. ; Sir Robert Ferguson, Bart., iI.P. ; Mark Boyd, Esq. ; Hananel De Castro, Esq. ; John Connell, Esq. ; Lennox Boyd, Esq. ; Capt. Ha milton, R.N. ; Mark Mackenzie, Esq. ; John William Sutherland, Esq. ; George Webster, Esq. ; Samuel Browning, Esq. ; Adam Duff, Esq. ; D. Q. Henriques, ; J. Montefiore, Esq. ; Sprott Boyd, Esq. ; S. H. Marsh, Esq. ; James Grant, Esq. ; F. Hale Thomson, Esq, ; Charles Balfour, Esq. ; John Evans, Esq. The CHAIRMAN briefly addressed the meeting. The circumstances of this company were, he said, in such a peculiar and anomalous state, and its relations with the colonies so unlike those which should subsist between a parent and its offspring, that he had deemed it necessary to call the present meeting. Within the last fifteen .nonths, according to a high authority, 13,000,000 of quarters of wheat bad been brought into the country, which had led to on outlay of not less than 33,000,000/. in addition to the expenditure of 5,000,000/. for the support of the destitute population. Thus 50,000,0001. of money had, during the last ten years, been expended in the support of that population, a vast quantity of whom might have been provided for elsewhere. Besides, 10,000,0001. had been voted by Parliament for the support and employment of the desti tute in Ireland, and in the Highlands of Scotland; also a million and a half for the poor in England, and some parts of Scotland. Our foreign relations were such that we were, to a considerable extent, dependent upon them for food during any season of difficulty; but these coun tries did not take more of our produce than amounted to sd. or 6d. a head on the population. Thousands npon thousands of the people of the three countries were famishing for want of employment and food, whilst millions of acres of land in our vast colo nies were .famishing, wasting for the want of men. — (Hear, hear.) What was the cause of this ? Simply. the obstacles which they had to encounter from the Colo nial-office.—(Hear, hear.) We had too large an empire, and too small a staff to manage it. During the last 20 years, out of one million and a half of emigrants, nine tenths, or 95 per cent., had found their way into North and South America—not one-tenth had gone to other colonies, and not one-tenth to the Australian colonies. What was the consequence ? Canada was getting too crowded, ships of emigrants had been sent back from St. John's, provisions having been pro vided for them, and Canada would become ere long like Ireland. During the last few months, whilst 3,000 or 4,000 had gone to America, not more than a few hun dreds had gone to Australia. He blamed the Colonial office for not grappling with great principles—(Hear, hear)—for acting upon old principles whilst masses of the people were famishing, and whilst there was plenty of labour and food for them elsewhere, He understood that the coloey had paid off the Government debt, and_ `that dearly - a — shundred thousand 'Pounds was aps plicable, 'arising from the land already let, for the promotion of emigration. He understood that 5,000 emigrants were about to leave the country next year ; but the number might be doubled if the Govern— ment adopted a proper course. He considered that a person who had a little money, and who wished to emi grate, should be afforded the means of doing so, the money being divided between himself, his parish, and the colony ; because, as emigration was important to the whole community, the country to be benefited, and the eompany to be redeemed, should also be benefited. — (Hear.) He called upon them not to separate without coming to a resolution to promote the object of the meeting in every way in their power.—(Hear.) Mr. ARCHIBALD BOYD proposed thelfirst resolution:—. " That the colony of Australia, from the salubrity of its climate, the demand for labour that now exists,, and is . likely. to increase, the abundance of food for the sup port Of the labourer, and its other advantages, both social and physical, offers, in the opinion of this meeting, an admirable outlet for emigration." He said he had considerable experience in the Colony, and perhaps was as intimately acquainted with its re sources as any man. He employed seventy shepherds, and they generally received 251. a year—some as much as 301., besides house, garden, 10Ibs. of fresh meat per week, 101 b. of flour, 21b. sugar, and lb. of tea; and where their wives and children could work they received half pay and half rations. So little was the demand for sheep and so difficult was it to get persons to tend them, that', vast numbers of them were melted into tallow. They had even been compelled to get natives from the He brides, and upwards of 1,000 Polynesian savages per month to tend their flocks ; they were compelled to em ploy heathens and savages , whilst their Christian brethren here were dying of hunger. The land was sufficient to afford stock for 3,000,000 sheep and 2,000,000 of cattle. Why they could feed half the po pulation of Ireland and Scotland. The Hon. Gentleman entered into interesting details with respect to the resources of the country. Flour was 71. or 81. per ton. The Colonization Company were now sending out three ships per month, and the cost of sending a peasant was 1/.; but he need not tell them that the 100,0001. alluded to was but as a drop of water in the bucket—not sufficient for the wants of the colony and not sufficient for their exigen ei, s. He contended that the members of the north-east of Ireland had strong claims upon the Government to aid in a vastly increased scheme of emigration. The colony now took from Si. to 71. per head for British manufactures, showing how much greater that demand would be if it was more thickly populated; it was calcu lated that the entire cost of each emigrant's transit was 15/., which was covered in three years.. Whatever , the Government adveaced the colony would advance an ,.other half. 50,0001. was last year raised to relieve dis tress in Scotland, and . as it had not yet been expended, he would suggest that it should be devoted to emigra tion from Scotland, as no doubt the colony would sub scribe the other half.—(Hear.) Captain HAMILTON, R.N., seconded the motion, and felt great pleasure in corroborating the statements of Mr. Boyd. Mr. MONTGOMERY MARTIN supported the resolution. He said convicts were not now sent to New South Wales. The convict population did not amount to more than two and a half of the population. Out of a popu lation of 200,000 not more than 5,000 were con victs. Fifty ships were rotting in our dock yards. (Hear, hear.) Why should they not be launched again, manned by retired officers, who would gladly come forward and be seamen for th e pur pose of emigration. The service, he was sure, w ould become a popular one.—(Hear.) Every minute in this country a child was born, and so dense was the popula tion becoming that England with her vast resources could not find them food.—(Hear.) A deputation should wait upon Lord Grey to tell him firmly that the time had come when emigration to this extensive colony should be at once promoted. He was sure of this, that nothing but the pressure of public opinion would in fluence the Colonial-office.—(Hear.) Our colonies were more a home than a c ilonial question.—(Hear.) _ _ Mr. J. MONTEFIORE said several of liis miners had consented to go out to the colony, but he had been told they could not be sent by the Commissioners, as " miners" were not set down in their instructions. He trusted the Chairman would do his best to remedy this defect. Lord FARNHAM proposed the next resolution:— " That this meeting will do its utmost to urge upon her Majesty's Government the propriety of giving pe cuniary assistance in aid of an emigration to the colony on a large scale, being deeply impressed with the con • viction that the relief that would thus be afforded to Ire land and Scotland, while it would secure a comfortable provision for the emigrants themselves, could not fail to lay the foundation of wealth and prosperity in an im portant part of her Majesty's dominions, the benefit of which the mother country would ultimately reap." He said the north-west of Ireland was the most un healthy part of the world, for fever had committed there the most dreadful ravages. He was glad to find that Lord Clarendon entertained favourable views on the subject. He had gone to great expense to reduce the crowded population of his neighbourhood by sending them to Canada and other parts, and be had felt the great advantage of w h a t b e h a d done. Too much was expected of Irish landlords ; even when they did their best they did not always succeed—they were not omnipotent. They therefore required the aid of a well devised scheme of emigration.—(Hear.) He should be ashamed to say anything in defence of the south and west of Ireland; but this he would say, that the proprie tors of the north-west would feel most happy to co-operate with their brethren in the east to carry out the objects for which the meeting had been called ; and he would say further, instead of sending the colony their refuse population, or the ready tools of the designing villain, they would send as honest men, whether Protestant or Roman Catholic, at were to be found in any other part of the world. Mr. Tour; BOYD, M.P., seconded the motion. The next resolution was moved by Sir EDMUND MAC-. NAGHTEN, M.P., seconded by Mr. R. S. BOURKE, M P.: " That this meeting feel confident that the colony itself will liberally contribute to any measure of pe cuniary aid which the Government of this country may sanction." The various resolutions were then adopted, and a vote of thanks having been passed to the Chairman, the meeting separated shortly before five o'clock. MANCHESTER, FRIDALT.-.-The market here con tinues dull and flat; and, though, generally speaking, spinners and manufacturers show no disposition to press sales, we have heard of some sales, both of goods and yarn, made at a reduction from rates previously current. These sales, however, afford no criterion of the actual condition of the market ; having been generally made for cash under the pressure of stocks, at a time when, owing to the season, there are few buyers in the market. Most parties engaged in the trade look forward to tha commencement of the new year, when they hope for e gradual and steady increase of demand, and for prices, which, if not actually remunerative, will, at least, pro tect them from loss.—Manchester Guurdian. _ BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, DEC. lo.—For refining descriptions there is a good demand, but the supply offering continues most indifferent, and quite inadequate to the wants of the trade.—Bilstoilliercary: POLICE INTELLIGENCE. 1' MANSION-HOUSE. THE FORGERY OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT NOTES. —Leybe Aaronson, Jacob Friedeburg, Raphael Kauffman, and So/omonMuscovitz, the personscharged with having forged a vast number of Russian Bank notes in this country, were brought up for further examination. Mr. Ballantine appeared as counsel for the Russian Government, together with Mr. Peachey, the managing clerk to Messrs. Oliverson and Co., of the Old Jewry, for the prosecution. Two solicitors attended for Aaronson Friedeburg, and Muscovita. Mr. Ballantine said, it was his duty to propose another remand of the prisoners, in consequence of the non-arrival of the witness whom it was necessary to produce to prove that the notes which were found in the possession of the prisoners were forgeries upon the Government of Russia, and that notes of the kind they pretended to be were current in that country. It would be recollected that the Russian authorities, upon being applied to at the commencement of the institution of these proceeedings for evi dence as to the fabricated instruments, sent over a detailed statement and a genuine note, under the impression that nothing further was necessary in the courts of justice in England to prove the guilt of the prisoners. The error rendered it necessary that another message should be sent to Russia. That was immediately done, but as the expected witness had not yet arrived, it became incumbent upon those charged with the duty of the prosecution to apply for further time. The Learned Counsel then said he should call a couple of witnesses to connect the evi dence already given in such places as would save future trouble. Mrs. Lee, whose husband had let a printing press to two of the prisoners, proved that she had given to them another press in exchange for that which they had received from her husband. (The latter press was found in the possession of the prisoners.) Friede burg and Kauffman were the persons who called upon her for the exchange, but she did not consent until she saw Aaronson upon the subject, and then she no longer hesitated. Mr. James Oliphant, paper-manufacturer, said that he received an order from one of the prisoners to pre pare some paper, and he accordingly prepared some. The witness kept a sample of the paper, as he expected a further order for a similar article. A quantity of the paper found at the lodgings of the prisoners was produced, and identified by the witness, who believed the forgeries produced to have been struck off some of the issue - sort. Mr. Peachey, clerk to Messrs. Oliverion and Co., stated that he was conversant with all the facts of the case, and had managed the whole affair for the Russian Government. He had sent a second letter to the Russian Government, on the 19th of November, for a witness supposed to be essential to the case. It was addressed to the Russian Consul. At such a period of the year, during the prevalence of the south-west winds, the voyage to and fro might be computed at about twenty-seven or twenty-eight days. The time occupied at other seasons was twenty-four or twenty five days. The solicitors for the prisoners complained of the delay which had taken place, and which, they con tended, had been occasioned by the Russian Govern ment alone, who ought, in Justice to the prisoners, who had been .detained so long in custody, to have either caused the discharge or the instant prosecution of their clients. Mr. Ballantine said the evidence already pro duced showed that the prisoners underwent no hard ship by being remanded, as the forged notes, and the machinery by which they were forged, were found in their possession ; a great number of other notes being in an incomplete state, and the whole mass having been, no doubt, intended to be circulated amongst the poor inhabitants of Russia. Kauffman said he wished to say a few words. He was, he declared, quite surprised at finding himself charged with forgery, at the same time that nothing could be brought forward in support of the charge but a bundle of rubbish.—(A laugh.) He did not think that any man, with ordinary understanding, could be capable of looking upon the bundles of paper upon the table with any other feeling than one of surprise at t:he possibility of such a charge. It was- all rubbish and nonsense from beginning to end. : The prisoners were then again remanded, and; Mr. Ballantine assured the solicitors for the prisoners that he should certainly, upon the next examination, pro pose the committal of the prisoners, so that they; might be tried at the January sessions. His LORDSHIP said the case was one in which he could not consent to take bail. GUILDHALL. Charles Carr, a genteel-looking middle-aged man, who has previously been examined at this court, was brought up before Mr. Alderman Farebrother, that other cases of felony of a sacrilegious description might be proved against him. By the number of persons who crowded the court it would appear that he had carried on the system in the metropolitan churches, and others in the suburbs, to a very con siderable extent. Amongst the families robbed of their books may be mentioned those of Lady Dillon, Sir A. and Lady Spierman, and Colonel Wright. The property stolen amounted in value to upwards of 30/. Mr. Alderman HUGHES, hearing that a number of pawnbrokers were present with books pledged with them by the prisoner, and intimating that they were prepared to give them up to the rightful owners, a host of gentlemen crowded to the front cf the bench, and received their lost books. It appeared that the prisoner got admission into the churches by representing that he wished to view the tombs, and thus got an opportunity of carrying away the property. - The prisoner was removed to Newgate. A Polish refuge ll e, O who s g r fv E e E th r e name of Louiski, stated b t e e g d ging letters. that he and his family were was placed at the bar, charged with attempting to im pose on Lord John Clinton, of No. 8, Whitehall place, bymeans o Lordship constantly plagued with begging letters, and he thought it right to give the prisoner into custody, particularly as he was intoxicated when he applied to him. The officer produced a volume of begging petitions, addressed to the higher classes in society. Horsford, the officer of the Mendicity Society, identified the prisoner as being an impostor for years. The prisoner and his wife had repeatedly been in prison. The prisoner said he was in bad health, and he and his family were in the greatest misery. Mr. HENRI' ordered him to be sent to hard labour for one month, the conviction to be returned ; and his family to be taken to they workhouse, if they would accept of parish relief. MARYLEBONE. John and Catherine Bentley, man and wife, were brought before the sitting Magistrate on a charge of attempting to defraud the London and North-Western Railway Company of the sum of 21. 145., being the amount of their fare in a second-class carriage from Liverpool to London. Inspector Dolby stated that on the arrival of the train, at five o'clock on Friday evening, at ; the Euston terminus, and upon the usual examinations of the passengers taking place with regard to their passage tickets, he found that the prisoners had none. Upon inquiring of the male prisoner if he had the money to pay for his passage he said he had not, but that he expected his brother would have met him, according to appointment, at the station, and paid it for him. Mr. Barker stated that he allowed the prisoner to remain in the travellers'-room from half-past five until nine o'clock, on the assurance of the male prisoner that he expected his brother every minute to meet him ; when that hour arrived, and no brother ap pearing, he gave him into custody. The male prisoner said he would most willingly pay the company in hard labour, and work it but with them. • The - Magistrate's decision was, that the prisoners should pay 1/. 7s. each, or in default thereof, be con fined in Coldbath-fields Prison for seven days. MARLBOROUGH - STRE ET. Mr. Richard James Webb was charged by llen dillon, one of the park -keepers, with having ridden his horse furiously through Hyde Park. The Park-keeper said that on Wed nesda y , about three o'clock, the defendant and another gentleman came riding at full speed through Hyde Park. As this was not the first time the defendant had done the same thing, and - as there were special orders and notices to the contrary, witness went up to the de fendant and told him to desist from riding at such a dangerous speed. The defendant applied some most opprobrious epithets to him, and said he would ride over him. Witness was obliged to lay hold of the reins; the defendant then charged at him, and would have ridden him down if witness had not made exertions to prevent him. The defendant offered a card, which had a false address on it. The other party who was with the defendant refused to give his address. Mr. John Leech, an independent gentleman, said he witnessed the whole transaction. The defendant and his friend were riding through the park as hard as their horses could go. The speed was very dan gerous. The park-keeper stopped the defendant, and requested his card. The defendant attempted to ride him down. Another witness gave the same corroboration. The defendant admitted that he was riding at a smart pace. He could prove by the testimony of his friend Sir John Malcolm, who was riding in the park at the same time, that the pace at which his horse , was going was not at all dangerous. Hembery, the head park constable, said there were boards placed in different parts of the park, by order of her Majesty, cautioning equestrians against furi• ous driving. The defendant must have been aware kir - ENIP4G, EIRCEMBER. 13, 1847. of the fact as several r boards were in Rotten-row where the defendant wat ; riding. Mr. HAanwicx said M. fair gallop in the park no one could reasonably obj ect to ; but when the speed was exercised to an e: dent not only contrary to orders but likely to prove of dstnger to the public, it must be restrained. The defendant was :fined 205., with an intimation that the fine would be; increased if the offence were repeated. OBTAINING MONEY :BY FRAUD.—Thomas Williams was charged with hay big obtained money from two parties by fraudulent •aoteans. William Penprice, postmaster, 25, Queen-street, Golden-square, said tb.at in September last the de fendant told him he 'was a sheriff's officer of Red Lion-square, and if h.e• had any debts to collect he would collect them. Complainant told the prisoner he might call on Mr.. Rolfe for an account. i Com plainant subsequently- ascertained that the prisoner had received the money, though the prisoner had no authority to do so. Mr. Rolfe, 89, Great Portland-street, proved that he paid the prisoner if.. 7s. on Mr. Penprice 's account. John Delatontaine., harness-plater, 9, Archer street, said the prisoner told him he was a sheriff's officer, and was willing to assist him in collecting his debts. Witness told the defendant to call on Mr. Carrington, of Oxford-street, for a small account. Mr. Carrington, horse-dealer, Oxford-street, said he paid the prisoner 21. 17s. on account of Mr.Dela fontaine. William Nightingale, sheriff's officer, proved that the prisoner was not attached to the Red Lion-Square court. Thn prisoner said he had not represented himsel to be a sheriff's officer, but a sheriff's officer's man. He was fully committed. LAMBETH. Harriet Fry, a servant in the family of Mr. Haines, a gentleman residing at Brixton, was further exa mined on a charge of stealing a gold watch and chain, and three rings, of the value of 351. From the evidence, it appeared that on the night of Wednesday last Miss Taylor, the sister of Mrs. slept at her house, and on going to bed she placed her watch, chain, and rings, on the dressing table, and hung up her dress in a closed press.' On the following morning at eight o'clock, on being awoke, the watch, chain, and rings were gone, and a purse, which was in the pocket of her dress, was found empty on the floor. It was satisfactorily proved that no person i could have entered the house from the outside, and the prisoner herself on the Thursday morning admitted that the doors and windows were all perfectly secure. Since the prisoner's apprehension, it has been found that she has been a common prostitute, and had been, for 18 months, at the Gloucester House Asylum for reclamation. After a lengthened examination, the prisoner was remanded to a future day. QUEEN'S PRISON. EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF BOORS AT A BARRISTER'S CHAMBERS.—Mr. Seeker, one of the magistrates at the Southwark Police-court, attended at the Queen's Prison for the purpose of investigating a charge against Charles Sampson, who is in custody for steal ing a carpet And 500 law books, the property of Henry Hemsworth, Esq., barrister ; also for stealing a carpet, the property of Mr. Huntingdon, accountant, of Clement's Inn. The inquiry took place in the governor's apart ment. Mr. Hemsworth said that he had chambers in Clement's-inn, and in October, 1846, he left them with all the property safe. A short time ago he re turned, when he found that five hundred of his books and a carpet had been stolen. He made in quiries, and ascertained that the prisoner was in the habit of calling to see his laundress, who waS his sister, which led him to suspect that he had robbed him. A short time after the prisoner called upon him, and said that he did not like to see his sister's character ruined, that he had taken the keys from the kitchen and entered his apartment, from which he took some books and the carpet. The reason that he assigned for doing so was that some of his friends were :in trouble, and he wanted money to enable them to .employ legal assistance. A number of books was produced by various pawn brblik4,-and--identified by Mr. Hemsworth. `Mr. ILint.uThgdon said he had chambers in the same place with-the - latter gentleman, and about the same time, tie iniiiea his carpet. The prisoner was engaged to gaiiVit -down, but instead of doing so, he ran away with itlhd sold it. The prisoner was committed to Newgate for trial, and the witnesses were bound over to prosecute. PQM:44:4IMM STATISTICS OF AUSTRIA.—The Ger man journals have just published, relative to the popula tion of Austria, some statistical details which are curious. In 1843, exclusive of the army, the population amounted to 37.491,120 souls ; at present it reaches 39 millions. The German and Sclavonian provinces contain 17,072.146 inhabitants; the Italian provinces 4,808,464 ; and Hun gary, with Transylvania and the military frontier, 15,610,510 inhabitants. In 1820, the whole of the po pulation amounted to 30,857,103 souls ; in 1830, to 34,503,824 ; in 1840, to 36,950,401. Thus, the increase has been 11.8 per cent. from 1820 to 1830, and 7 per cent. from 1830 to 1840. This increase is due only to birthM, for the immigrations have given only 186,111 persons, and the emigrations have certainly attained that amount. In 1843 there were 18,331,183 men, and 19,159,937 women; the number of women thus exceed ing that of men by 800,000. This result is the more surprising, as the number of male children born is to that of females as 106 to 100. The proportion of mar riages was, in 1840, about lin 1,285 inhabitants. The proportion of natural children born in 1843 was to that Of kgitimite childfen as 1 to 29 in the part of Austria on this side _of the Ens, and only 1 to 87 on the military - frontier; I'to - 29 in"Gallicia, 1 to 25 in Lombardy, 1 to 43 in Transylvania. In general, the number of illegiti mate births has gone on increasing. In 1843 the deaths were in the proportion of one man in 34 and one woman in 35. The mortality of children, below one year of age, attained in some provinces the proportion of 37 in 100 of the whole number of deaths. The number of deaths by accident is estimated one year with another at 5,500, and of suicides at 200. Not including Hungary, there are committed each year, it is calculated, in the Austrian stati s, 550 murders, and yet the number of executions is not more than 40. SUNDERLAND ELECTION.—The contest for the expected vacancy in the representation of Sunderland is likely to be a very severe one, as the Liberal party sup porting Mr. Wilkinson are found, on the result of the general canvass, to be much stronger than was ex pected, and the opinion is all but general that he will succeed. Since Monday Mr. Wilkinson has been ac tively engaged in calling on the electors, and in every part of the borough his success has been uniform in ob taining promises of support, and many Tories, it is said, will vote for him in preference to his opponent, who is locally unpopular, in consequence of his hostility some years ago to the formation of docks on the south side of the Wear, and also from the hostility he always before evinced to the Tories returning one Member in their interest. Every effort is making to unite the Tories against Mr. Wilkinson, but great numbers will either remain neutral or vote for that gentleman. The shipowners are only induced to support Sir Hed worth Williamson very reluctantly, on the ground of the navigation laws, and even with their strong prejudices on this subject many of them declare they will not vote unless it be necessary to defeat his opponent. With such cold support Sir Hedworth Williamson has to con tend that even his most devoted followers admit that his election can only be won by the general aid of the Tories, and it is expected that this party will at the last not be found to give the extent of support which will be requisite to gain the election. The writ is not expected to be issued before Tuesday or Wednesday next, and the election will consequently be delayed till the following week. There is great energy used by both parties to obtain promises, and it is said intimidation has been ex ercised more strongly than at any former election. CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS.—The Speaker's war rant for the appointment of Members to serve on the general committee of elections for 1847.8 has been issued. The following Members have been a pp o i nte d , as appears from a Parliamentary paper yesterday printed :—The Hon. Mr. Fox Meule (Perth), the Hon. Sir George Clerk (Dover), Sir W. Heathcote (Hants), Sir Robert Alexander Ferguson (Londonderry), Mr. T. Thornely (Wolverhampton), and Sir John Buller Yardo Buller (Devon). The warrant bears the date of the Bth inst. SINGULAR CASIL—A RETURNED TRANSPORT.— A man named John Jones, who was dressed as a sailor, was yesterday brought up at the Borough Court, before Messrs. Gladstone and Consterdine, on a charge of having returned from transportation. It seems that in 1837, the prisoner was tried at the Salford sessions for stealing a cow, convicted, and sentenced to be transported for life. Having been found in Manchester, he was accord ingly apprehended. Mr. Harding, who appeared for the prisoner, admitted that his client had been transported, but contended that a free pardon had been sent out for him, or for some person named Jones, and that the pro secution ought to show that he had not been pardoned. Mr. Gladstone thought that the onus lay on the prisoner to prove that he had been pardoned. "He has been remanded for a week," continued Mr. Gladstone; "have you written to the Home-office?" Mr. Harding—" No; it is for the police to do that." Mr. Higson—" No; all we have to prove is, that, after being transported, he is at large." The prisoner was then committed for trial at the assizes. We understand that Jones was actually, in October, 1846, taken before a colonial magistrate and discharged, in consequence of a pardon received from the Home-office, but that the pardon was intended for another person of the same name.—Manchester Ex aminer. _ _ ..... . SOUTH LANCASHIRE ELECTION.—MANCHESTER, FRIDAY.—This election, which has already caused so much discussion, is now finally fixed to take place on Monday, the 20th inst., at Newton. Mr. Henry's com mittee received a communication to this , effect from the under- sheriff last evening. No opposition is now anti cipated, although the Tories, at the beginning, threat ened a fierce one. Indeed, opposition would now be hopeless. Mr. Henry's committee now numbers 2,200 names, all of them electors, beside a large number of positive voluntary pledges, consisting of c l ergymen of the Church of . England, magi s t rates, merchnis, 'ma nufacturers, and, in fact, of all classes of electors.' SWITZERLAND. The following note of the Diet, dated Berne the 6th inst., has been transmitted to the French Minis ter for Foreign Affairs : " Excellency,—The Swiss Diet has received the note which the Count de Bois le Comte, Ambassador of the King of the French to the Swiss Confedera tion, has addressed to the President of this Assembly, under date of Bale, the 30th of November, and in which the Ambassador communicates to the Diet on the part of the King's Government, the offer of his mediation conjointly with that of the Governments of Austria, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia, with the object, says your Excellency, of re-establishing peace and concord between the cantons which com pose the Swiss Confederation. Although the Diet is very grateful for the solicitude which the high Powers deign to express for Switzerland, it cannot accept the offer that is made to it, because the facts supposed by the Government of the King and his allies do not exist, or have ceased to exist, and especially because the principle itself of the proposed mediation is not in harmony either with the position recognised for the Swiss nation in Europe by treaties, or with the constitution of the Confederation. In fact, the object of the mediation is to put an end to the civil war in Switzerland, and effect a reconciliation between the Diet and the Sonderbund. This mediation sup poses the existence of the separate League, and the existence of two belligerent parties. But we have the satisfaction of announcing to your Excellency that hostilities have been completely at an end for several days, and thus there is no civil war and there are no belligerent parties in Switzerland ; that the seven cantons which formed the Sonderbund have expressly withdrawn from it ; that their troops are disbanded and disarmed; that a considerable portion of the federal army has been dismissed, and that the troops which are still on foot have been received as friends in the seven states, which they occupy essentially with the view of maintaining order and preserving persons and property from the vengeance of the par tisans of the Sonderbund, irritated against those who have led them to their ruin by fanaticising and grossly deceiving them. "It is not, properly speaking, a civil war that Switzerland has had to deplore. There has been no war between the cantons; but the competent federal authority has been compelled to have recourse to arms to cause to be respected its decrees for the dis solution of an unconstitutional league, prejudicial .to the Confederation and incompatible with its exist ence; and to force a rebel faction to return to its duty--to re-establish order and tranquillity, and maintain the internal security of Switzerland, accord ing to the duty imposed by the Federal pact. Thanks to the firmness of the Diet, the Governments of the cantons, which were faithful to the pact, the support of the people, the courage and enthusiasm of the federal troops, and the skill and humanity of their chief, order and legality have been re•established. There has been comparatively little bloodshed, and of the seven members of the league which have made their submission, six of them have done so by capitu lation, and fire of them without its being necessary to undertake any combat in their territory. The recep tion given to the troops of the Diet in the seven can tons which have not been treated as conquered coun tries, or the countries of enemies, the joy expressed by the population of these states on finding themselves delivered from the Sonderbund, the abdication of most of the Governments, and the flight of two of them, sufficiently prove that the separate league was a factitious work at the service of ,the Jesuits, but re jected by the best part of the population. " If the Diet were to enter into a discussion on the bases of a mediation which it cannot accept, it would be easy for us to show that, by reason of the events which have just taken place, the mediation is really without an object. But we will lay these questions aside, for, being within the internal domain of Swit zerland, they cannot form a ground for a mediation, or any other mode of intervention by the Powers. We will even, without admitting it, suppose for a moment that the Sonderbund exists, and that hostili ties continue. In this supposition international right and federal right do not permit the Diet to ac cept the offer that is made to it. The mediation of one or more neutral powers would suppose the exist ence of a difference between Switzerland and some other powers—an international quarrel. If this were the case, nothing would be more natural than an offer of mediation or arbitration, although this offer could not oblige the parties to accept the proposition ; but Switzerland is not in such a position. The supreme authority of the Confederation has felt it necessary to have recourse to the force of arms to obtain obedience to its decrees, to put an end to dis order, and to put down revolt. The Sonderbund being a prohibited league by an express dispo sition of the Fedral pact, and an alliance destructive of the Confederation itself, cannot be considered as the adverse party of the cantons forming the majority of the Diet; it cannot be opposed to the Confedera tion. The Council of War of the Sonderbund can not be assimilated to the Federal Assembly, or the representatives of the League to the representatives of the Diet, and still less those of the five Powers. The President of the Council of War of the Sonder bund is not, or rather was not, equal to the President of the Diet. If so, there would be two confederas tions in Switzerland, two or more separate alli ances, that is to say, there would be no longer any Confederation. Now, by placing the Sonderbund and its dependencies on the same footing as the Con federation and its constituted authorities, by calling a representative of the Sonderbund to the proposed conference, by assimilating this representative to that of the Diet, and even those of the Powers, the me diation lays down a principle which Switzerland cannot admit without committing self-destruction, viz., that there are two rival confederations, and that the Sonderbund has a place amongst the states of Europe. If this were to be the case, the Diet would protest with all its force against such an attack upon the integrity of Swit zerland, against so flagrant a violation of its rights and entreaties. No, the Sonderbund was not and could not be anything but a factious minority in the Swiss Confederation. The cantons are not, as re gards each other, independent and foreign powers, like France and Great Britain, for example, but the members of one body, united by the same federal bond. This body, this confederation, has interests which are common to all the cantons. Thus, Swit zerland has a general constitution—the federal com pact, which is above all cantonal constitutions. As the Federal sovereignty is above that of the cantons it has a general assembly, the Diet, in which the de cisions are come to by a majority and not by unanimity as in the congresses of sovereigns; it has a Federal directory, exercising essentially the ex ecutive power, a capital, the Vorort, an army, a flag, a seal, property revenues, public treasuries, adminis trations, functionaries, codes, laws, regulations, tribunals,—in a word all that constitutes a Govern ment. The Diet declares war and concludes peace; it alone makes alliances with foreign powers, and alone enters into commercial treaties ; it is not the cant ons w hi c h are represented at European courts, but the Confederation ; it is also to the Confederation and not to the cantons that ambassadors, ministers, and charges d'Affaires are accredited in Switserland. The populations of the twenty-two cantons, notwithstanding their di versity of opinions, morals, local institutions, and religion, form one and the same body—the Swiss nation. Never during the centuries that the Con federation has existed has the sovereignty been abso lute and unlimited; it has never been otherwise than relative and subordinate to that of the ensemble of the Confederation. The whole history of Switzer• land, ancient and modern, as well as her successive constitutions, establish clearly that the members of the Confederation have always formed a Helvetic body by the Federal bond which unites them, al though according to ancient alliances anterior to 1798, the cantons had fewer objects placed in common than by the treaty of 1815, which much more centralized the Federal union. That bond, at one time drawn more tightly, and at others loosened, has always obliged the minority of the cantons to submit to the majority of the states or votes in the general Diet of Switzerland; and when the majority and minority are in disaccord on the question of knowing whether the object was or not within the competency of the Diet, h r y that decided some m t h e e question,one must i a s ti t n" l c' a ae s s t iat d g e wa c ia i n d s e toh ; f e a c n rno d ual b os e er c i t a ny u e s we e el f si , ca in order to escape from a decision of the Diet, it was sufficient for a majority to contest the competence of the assembly on any question, the central authority would be paralysed, and the Confederation rendered an impossibility. To admit the principle of the offered mediation, that is to say, to treat on equal terms with the Sonderbund, would be to compromise the integrity of Switzerland, which only recognises a confederation, a diet, a federal directory, a federal council of war, and which declares in Art. 8, that in all the affairs in which the compact does not require a different majority, it is the absolute majority which decides. This would be to break the bond which unites the canton in one federative body, and would dissolve the Swiss nation, which has known how to win at the price of its blood that in dependence which has been acknowledged by Europe for ages, as well as by the treaties of Vienna, in which France contracted towards the Swiss Confederation engagements to which the King's Government is pleased to remain faithful. In a word, it would be to divide Switzerland into two confederations, which would end in its ruin, and make a disturbance in the balance of power in Europe, the consequences of which it is difficult to calculate. His Excellency will comprehend with what painful surprise the Diet has seen that in the note of M. de Bois le Comte the President of the Council of War of the Sonderbund is placed on the same line as the President of the Federal assembly, the chief of the Confederation—a rebel placed by a Government upon a level with the legitimate authority. Surely, M. leMinist Ministre, if,assur hi Majesty's Ambassador had not given a po sitive ' ance that his Majesty's Government is inspired with the most sincere sentiments of friendship for the Swiss nation, the position which the Government has al' cially given to the ex-President of the ci-devant council of a dissolved league, would be of a nature to give rise to the most strange suppositions , such, for instance, as the intention to cause the Sonderbund to revive and to support it. There would not be found in the greater number of the confederated states a single magistrate who would consent to sit on a conference with a man who has been forced to fly from the just anger of the citizens of the cantons, dragged b 3 him into the late fatal league. The national feeling would be profoundly afflicted at a supposition to the contrary. The Diet has no doubt that when the Government of the King and his high allies shall have become acquainted with the state of things in Switzerland, and weighed the preceding considerations, they will comprehend the motives which prevent the Federal Assembly from accepting a mediation, the principle of which implies a recognition of the Sonderbund with all its disas trous consequences, for they might load to anarchy. This would be much against the will of the fife Powers, but such a result would not be the less fatal. A mediation or any other kind of intervention i s the less founded, as the events which have just take n , place in Switzerla n d h ave i n no d egree compro mise d the security of the neighbouring states. Their ter ritories have not been invaded nor even menaced; their institutions and their tranquillity have been in no danger. The reason of this is that Switaer' land, anxious to fulfil her international obligation s, has also, happily, the power of doing so. T he measures which she has taken for the prompt re - es tsl• blishment of order and tranquillity in the count* for the maintenance of internal and external s ecurit for the preservati on o f neutra li ty—measures ' w hich articles 1,2, 6, and 8 o f th e F e d era l pact have plac e d within the competency of the Diet—the milite r •T forces which the Confederation has displayed, the courage and disciplin e o r it s m ili t i a, the sentiments, goodwill with which the people of Switzerland ar e animated for other nations, and the prudence an d energy of which th e au th or i t i es h ave g i ven prole' are the best guara n t ee aga i ns t d angers w hi c h can onli have been supposed to exist from erroneous or incour plete information, too frequently derived from inte r. ested or impassioned sources. We take this opport u ll ; nity of reque s ti ng your E xce ll ency to accept tl"‘ assurance of our high consideration.' The Provisional Government of Lucerne has issued the following decr ee concern i ng t h e Jesuiti, a ndt the other religiou s or d ers connected with thil. body : " The Provisional Government of Lucerne, Wis h, ing to prove to the High Diet that it is eager to core" ply with its demands, made with a view to the dor: able re-establishment of peace, and so far as these demands are not of a nature to cause new comelie l ; tions in religion and p o liti cs — cons id er i ng th e decre e of the High Diet of the 4th September, 1847 ; e °° ' sidering also the pacification of the canton of L 1 1; cerne, decrees as f o ll ows : —Th e J esu i ts an d t" orders affiliated with them, particularly the Ur st d . line, and the Sisters of Providence it Lucerne an Sursee, are for ever banished from the c antoo.. Those who are absent s h a ll never be permitted ag li b lo e to cross the frontier, an d th ose w h o are still within t he t , territory shall q uit it b etween t hi s t i me an d t he lv" at the latest. Th e anc i ent f un d s of the F ranc iscans shall be again administered as they were before t he e recal of the Jesuits. An understanding shall u e , come to with the episcopal Commissioners for be ligious service in the church of the Franciscans. 1 ,." 0r future Government take the necessary mea surs 3 .'. l the reconstituti on an d di rect i on of the theolog i t institute and th e sem i nary . Thi s d ecree ,ball published in the official journal of the canton, An posted up at th e usua l places, communicated to Bishop and all the authorities to whom it belo n g s+ deposited in the a r c hi ves .—L ucerne , this December, 1847." The follow ing appears to be a summary of the ie" telligence from Switzerland : s s e , s ee " The interest of th e moment i s now l ess at bi than at Friburg. We find in the Swiss journals the text of the decree of 29th November, declaring the members of the late G overnmen t respons ible for war and its consequences." RAILWAY SHARE 111 ARK". , ac. 11. STOCK EXCHANGE.—Our LIVERPOOL Share D Market today has bees steady, and prices are lower than yesterday. The roliet c y, are the quotations :=E a st L ancas hi re , Old, 21; L on Quarter Shares (Gra n d J unc ti on ), 37 ; Dit to Quarter S har i Old, 11% p. ; Leeds, Fifth Sh ares , p ar; Midland, New' 13 dis. ; Liverpool and C ros by (W. L.). A i di,. PreSton 111 Wyre ( B), p. ; Dovers, Old, 30:% ; Ditto, No. 1, Ditto, No. 3, 534 dis. ; Ditto, N 0.4, 1% dis.; Newcastle, ' ference, Iti p. • Berwicks, No. 2, 2 p. ; Midland, 40/. Sh are " 42%; North ' Staffordshire,. dis. ; Sheffield, Prefer ence ' IA3 p. MANCHESTER, DEC. 11. STOCK EXCHANGI9.—The sales are—Lancashire and York shire, 321. Shares, 5 die. ; North StatF or dire, 5-16 dis 4 e South-Eastern and Dover, No. 4, 1 11-16 dis. LEEDS, DEC. 11. STOCK Excibutom—The sales are--East Lancashire. • 3 dis.—Ditto, New, 3 - S i dis.—Ditto, Quarters, 18s. 6d, dis. Lancashire and York s hire (,Wept Riding Union), 503. 6d. die' —Leeds and Thirsk, 15 1 x 2 l'reference, Leicester and Bedford, 3s. (id. dis.— North British, Thirds , Is. p.—Ditto, Quarters, 6s. 3d. dis.—North Staifordshiret 7s. 6d. dis.—North- Western, '4% dis.—York, Newcastle,4 lo4 Berwick, No. 2 (New Berwicks), 2 1 , 4 p. NEWCASTLE-UPON-TINE, DEC. 10. and STOCK EXCHANGE.—The.onIy sale leas—Newcastle Carlisle, 100. BRISTOL Dxc. . STOCK EXCHA.NGE. —The , market was quiet, but th .d general impression was, that the market by next accoaw would experience' an upward tendency. The sales 0 5, Great Western, Quarters, 2 p.—Ditto,' 17/. Shares, v w , Lancaster and Carlisle, 44 p.—North British, 2 p• — " Ile castle and Berwick, New, 2 p. YORK',. Dec. 10. 4L STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are— Great Nortbern:spd 10s. 6d.—Leicester and Bedford, 125.--York, Newcastle' Berwick, No. 2 (late New Berwicloo, 12!+2 c. EDINBUIttiII, DEC 10. Neor STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Caledonian, so , 11. ss.Edinburgh and Northern, New, 2/. 25.--ktt ° ', l , 06' ports, 5/. 7s. 6d.—Great Northern, 41. 10s. 6d.--Pio r `itto, tish, Halves, 12 1 ,4—Ditto, Quarters, 41. Ils. 6d.— c ott ish New Quarters, 12 5 . —Di tto, Thi r d s, 2/ . 4 s . 6d. --"° c Centrals, 23/. 10s. • _ VICTORIA-PARK.—Th e Commissioners of . W .l,) ° : d r: and . Forests make the following statement in their ca p ip r i iapnseetneddd appendix, N o g during Saturday 2tktf e, contains : r ar e isnpesencdatei ended o g thhe V ed u i s c l t t e o h Victoria-par k " f a f - c p jr a no r np h t i i ro; .2,01 a u s ti : under the authority of the Act sth Victoria, ee',.; of 20, to extend an Act passed in the 4th and sth Yernti.,-ais er present Majesty for enabling her Majesty's C y gi — s for v sio ie n t e o r r s ia. o p f or W k, oothdes,purchase m pu o r n c e h y ase certain Je n- „, - rtY amounts to 4251., making, with the su f m or ofB h2i,cBh9SPl , l : 3l ;7 lscll: paid for former purchases, and the further sum 0.. "' m on' still due for a purchase already agreed for, but o °t i 7 1,, of plated during the period of this report, the sti , v - re' 87,2981. 3s. Id., being the total cost of the proPe r- i n ol quired for the site of this park, with the building-gr'ot attached thereto, exclusive of the expense of coost r oc . in the lodge, bridge, sewers, and roads, phtotiNr..,' „Ilea ing, and other works now in progre s s for the feru'o hrt iii; of the park; the amount paid in respect of Which w and of all other expenses _relating t o the park UP Ic 'h c ie sth of January last, was 30,521/, making the at outlay to that date 117,819/. 35. . Id." Since the lied report, roads and plant a ti ons h ave b ee n rapidly Pie ce° with, and an ornam en t a l p i ece o f wa ter is now in cola" of formation. WAKEFIELD CORN MARKET, FRIDAV-0111* SUP; plies to-day are less than of late. There is only aP. display of wheat samples, and having n healthy dewin g : an advance of ls. a quarter is obtained on the fiat parcels, and for other descriptions ;there is a freer 6. 01 ; aantda full l g y ht improvement. Barley is more sough t steel in retail dalemala.lintda,inasndlataerePrsicoeld3. on ° a r t a s t h a a ri r d e s a h s e ie l i r in t g l!r O°3l Beans are the turn dearer. Olt CORN AND N AVIGATI ON LAWS.—The Gov ernil ; have announced that it is not their intention to.pro:o3 the suspension of the corn and navigation laws b e ./ the Ist of March next. 811C7918. II" of On the 9th inst., at the Paragon, Blac.kheat h , J. Drew, EN., of a daughter. °1 • 081" On the 10th inst., the wife of Mr. G. Singer, Of court, Fenchurch-street, of twins, stillborn. MARRIED. nerel l " La On the 9th inst., at th e c h urc h o f St. P e t e r il— pot' Norwich, by the Rev. C. Chapman, rector of Aerie', a we- H. B. Branwhite, on ly son of H . B . Mason, E sq ., 0' h 'i er of ham, Norfolk, to Elizabeth Anna, only surviving m u g a the late R. Hwkes, Es. of that it. tb. On the 9th inst., at St q . , Nicholas c Ch y urch, Briglito e r Rev. H. Allen, Henry, son of C. Cox, Esq., •f Sw c o f the park. Surrey, to Fran c es A nn B e ll, youngest daug hter late L. Smith, Esq., of Bo g n or , Sussex. . dr On the 9th inst., at her DIED residence, Alpha-road, Beg_. e " of park, in the 78th year of her age, Helena, County.'" Kinston. T Ar r• On g the 4th inst., at her house, in Clarence-street, '"' e pool, Sarah, relict of the Rev. T. Hill, aged 86. d 63. On the sth inst., Mr. E. Darley, of Covent-garden eVi lco , On the Bth inst., Mrs. Symons, of Queen's-row:PO aged 91. cfeerer On the Bth inst., at Sillwood House , Brighton, BIWA/loot, daughter of the late L. S. Steere, Esq. of Jayes, vc Surrey. Susanll .h ' the On the 9th inst., at South-row, St. Pancr as, wife of J. Brine, Esq., aged 77. r Sight' On the 9th inst., Kezia Ann, wife of Mr . I. Peck, 0 - - ton-street, Gray's Inn-road, aged 79 . .Vi C• Mr. On the 9th inst., at Bethnal-green, aged 56, Thornthwaite. . 1 T. On the 9th inst., in Claremont-square , Pentonvil et Colbeck, Esq., aged 78. On the 9th inst., at Hastings, aged 35 , Mary Anne n, S°Phith the wife of Captain D.r. C. Elwes, of Brigg , lateLincolnshirof On the 9th inst., at Croydon, Mrs. Jane Ca p o Great Yarmouth, aged 84. le of On the 10th inst., at Upper H o merton, Mary, the Iv , Mr. C. H. Pulley. On the 10th inst., at his residence, Strood 11111, near 11 ° . che,ster, Kent, T. Carlton Esq., aged 68. tilen• On the 10th inst., at drighton, aged 22, Frances isck. youngest surviving daughter of R. Paterson, Esq., of ri heath. nr:".7 London: Printed and Published.by INURPO:1:911114,6i1S1 No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The :Sun 'Office,—_l4, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy , in the •91m. Middlesex, Monday, December 13, 1341.