The Sun. — London, England, 1840-05-15 00:00:00

In EN 1 G EDITION. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS• FROM TTIE DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. (From the Standard.) This evening Sir Charles \Vethcrall and Mr. Professor Butt, of the Irish bar, a gentleman whose high talents are alreaaly known to the people of the United Kingdom, arc to be heard at the bar as Counsel for the Corporation of the C ty of Dublin against the Irish'MuniciPalibill. The cause of justice and sound policy is safe in such hands, as far as advocates can ensure safety, and we may hope that it must be successful. Whatever learning and genius, zeal and sincerity, can accomplish, will be accomplished by ' Sir Charles and his learned colleague, and it would be an insult to the House of Lords to doubt that learning, genius, zeal, and sincerity, will not be in vain employed before them to assert the truth. An opinion has been in dustriously propagated that a majority of their Lordships are pledged to the passing of the Irish Bill, with perhaps Zome modifications. To say this is to libel the House af Lords, to describe that august assembly as wholly unfit for the functions assigned to it by the Coestitu- Lion. pledged by some private compact (for there is no public record of my such agreement)—pledged by some private compact not to act as a deliberative body— not to follow truth—not to listen to the voice of convic tion If we were to say of the Judges of the Court of Queen's Bench, that they were pledged, by a private compact made by them, or one of them, to give a particular decisiou upon a case to come judicially before them—if we were to say this of a Clerkenwell juri, would not the Attorney-General issue an ex-officio infUraiation aga;nrt us, and with great propriety ? ( From the Globe ) Tte General Assembly of the Church of Scotland will very soon meet for the purpose of realising their expressed intentions of last year, and addressing the Legislature for a settlement of their present difficulties. It will then be the ety of the clergy and elders, by petitions, to instruct the Parliament and the Government regarding their wishes— to ask, either for the clergy or the communicants of their Church, the Pi esbyteries or the people of Scotland, the powers needful in their deliberate and collective judgments for ending the collisions and clashings of the civil and ecclesiastical authorities, which are now so fearfully shaking the very foundations of their venerable establishment. Lord Aberdeen, however, has been beforehand with them. He promises unasked. Prematurely offering them a gift of his own, he seeks to bias their requests by announcing what it will suit his in ter-ests to bestow on them, prior to any public expression of their wishes ; fearful, doubtless, that the expression cf their real wants may include demands with which he can not comply, and manifest necessitLs for which there are no supplies in the stores of his statesmanship. Oddly enough, his friends make his haste and temerity a ground of lauda tion ; and blame the Government for not being equally foolhardy. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. OLD COURT. DISCHARGE OF THE GRAND JURY. The Grand Jury came into Court just before the Judges left the bench, and made the following state ment : " The Grand Jury have visited the whole of the wards of the prison, and carefully examined the state of the prisoners confined in New; ate, and are fully convinced that the Sheriffs and Chaplain have done everything in their power for the personal comfort as well as the moral improvement of the unfortunate persons committed to their care. The Grand Jury were particularly struck with the extreme cleanliness of the gaol. " The Grand Jury wish to bear evidence to the very efficient and correct manner in which the members of the police force have performed that part of their duties which has been brought under the cognizance of the Grand Jury, and the very clear manlier in which their tes timony has been given. " SAM. CHAS. WHITBREAD, Foreman." " Grand Jury Room, May 14, 1840." POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HO USE. Mr. Tickner, a Proprietor of the Star Gravesend Steam vegsel Company, and formerly a leading member of the Corporation of London, waited upon the Lord Mayor, accompanied by Mr. Matthews, the solicitor to the Com pany, in consequence of the complaint made by the Rev. Mr. Palin, Rector of Slifford, Essex, on Tuesday last. 'rho complaint, it appears, has excited a sensation ; particularly among the innumerable visitors to Gravesend. Mr. Tickner said that a statement having been made be fore his Lordship, injurious to the Company he repre sented, trading to Gravesend, he attended at the request of his colleagues, to answer the matter of complaint. A gentleman who had nearly lost his life, and had providen tially escaped, made, as appeared from the newspapers, a highly-coloured statement, which had very much the tone and feeling of partisanship about it, before his Lordship. He should, however, say nothing on that point. Great allowances were to be made for a person who had been so circumstanced. The Directors of the Com pany had, immediately after the accident to which he adverted, caused an examination of the strictest nature to be mad(' into the circumstances, and the result was that those who had the management of the Star steam-vessel were wholly exonerated from blame. The facts from that investigation appeared to be that the Reve tend Gentleman and other passengers wished to land at Grays, and the vessel stopped as usual on the occasion. nr, Palin got into the boat, but perceiving that there was a fracture in it determined to return to the vessel. It was the habit of the watermen when it was proper to let go the hook to cry out "all right." That notice had been given, and then it occurred to Mr. Palin not to go in the boat, and having two large parcels with him, in trying to return he fell into the river. The fault lay not in those who ma naged the steamer, who exceedingly regretted the accident, but entirely originated in the gentleman's new movement. The LORD NIAYOR—This statement is very different Irt►m that which was made to me. Mr. Tickner said that he faithfully related to his Lord ship the substance of the result of the investigation. Mr. Matthews (the Solicitor to the Star Company) begged to add a few words to Mr. Tickner's statement. It appeared that the Reverend Mr. Palma's, brother, had said that an advertisement had appeared from the Star Company, signed by their agent, challenging to race for 200 guineas. Now, neither the Directors nor their agent knew anything at all of such a challenge, and if the agent or any person employed by the Company,had inserted such en advertisement he would be immediately dismissed. There were express instructions issued to the vessels of the Company, not on any account to race, but if a new Company chose to run at the same time, it was not the fault of the old Company. There was no evidence what ever to prove that any blame lay with those who were ac cused, except what existed in the apprehensions of the gentleman who had met with the accident. Two other persons had slipped into the boat from the steamer, and kept their places; and it was actually in the attempt to jump back from the boat to the steamer, that Mr. Palin fell into the water. Such a statement as had been made, was calculated, therefore, moat unjustly to prejudice the public against the Gompany. The LORD Mayan said he was convinced that the an swer to the accusation would be as fairly represented to the public as had been the accusation itself. As to any ulterior proceedings, however, what took place before him bad nothing to do with them. He considered it proper to state, that the account of the transaction, as given by the party accused, differed most essentially from that given by the complainant. Mr. Palin had declared that he saw the water rushing over the bows of the boat, and that the steamer did not stop at all. Mr. Marthea s declared that there was the strongest evidence to prove that the vessel was stopped, and that much misapprehension must have arisen from the trepida tion Mr. Palin very naturally felt. The LORD MAIOR—I have been in the habit of going to Gravesend in the vessels of the Star and the Diamond Companies, and I must say that I never witnessed any thing like racing, and never heard of anything like inci vility upon any occasion. BO TV-STREET, THF MURDER OF LORD WILLIAM RUSSELL. RE-EXAMINATION OF COURVOISIER. The Court, and all the approaches to it, were crowded from an early hour yesterday morning by persons anxious to catch a glimpse of the valet of the late lamented Noble man, who stands charged ivi•h the wilful murder of his niviter, and who was remanded on Monday last to this day. Among those prescut in the Court we observed, his Serene Highness: the Duke of Brunswick, who seemed very attentive to the whole of the proceedings ; Count Alton, his Equerry ; the Earl of Essex ; Slr W. W. Wynnci Sir G. Beaumont ; Mr. Murray. Mr. Il att ., t h e Chief MagisAratc, took his scat on the Bencl., shortly before two o'clock, and almost immediately ate% wards, Francois Bet,jarnin Courvoisicr was placed at the bar. lb.; appeared collected. Mr. Hobler conducted the prosecution, and Mr.F:lorw itp4x,ared for the prison er . M r. Wing, the solieio e to r the Duke of Bedford, was also in attendance. Mr. Hobler said that on the former occasion he bad mere ly given the evidence of Pearce ; he would now f , o through the case from the beginning, and call Sarah Mancell.—l was housemaid to the late Lord William Ilussrll. lie resided at 14, Norfolk-st reet, Park lane. I had been in his service three years the last of this month. I was in his service on Tuesday, the sth of May. His establishment consisted of a valet, a cook, and myself, residing in the 'house. The prisoner is the valet. His Lord:hip had two out-door servants, a coachman and groom. On Tuesday, sth May, I just saw his Lordship coming down stairs before breakfast, a little before half-past niar. Ile rc mai-sled iu the dining room a quarter ut an hour. He left the house the same day a few minutes before one. Ills Lordship hail then bre - akfasted. I after that saw the pri soner. He Insd been in attendance on his Lordship at breakfast. The prisoner came up into my bedroom, pa ,-, .5-ing ing through his own. I asked if his Lordship was gone out; lie said y es . li e said " his Lordship has given me five messages, and I ern afraid I shall forget some." One of his messages was regarding the carriage. He sUid his n Lordshi p h as ordered the carriage at five at Brookes's. He asked ire what it was, and I told him a club. He said if hi s Lordship had t o ld hi m that he should have known what it wrs. Nothing else ss d at that time Myself and the p r i soner dined together P-e aboutd l a . qua o rt n e e of his messages r. past one. The p r i soner left the houseafter was to M essrs. J arvis and Jones, nnfeCr.enduit street. The prisoner sa id there was a message o eat shout his Lordship's hat. The pri soner said if i.he men came to do th e bell in his Lordship's room, would I go upwith hi m He went out after dinner, and retu rne d a l i ttle before fiv.. I was in the dining-room is hen prisoner came in. He came to me there and spoke to me, but said nothing parti cular. A few minutes after he said be must lay his Lordship's things out to dress for dinner. He then l e f t me . I was in the kitchen, and there came a ring at the bell; the prisoner answered it, and said it w as t h e upholsterer's man ; this was about five o'clock. I aftf , r_ wards saw the oplio/sterer'i mart teh^u he emu down stairs; he lett the house by the front door I think, We then had tea. Whilst the prisoner and the upholsterer were up stairs there came a ring at the bell. I went into the area to see, and it was a friend of the valet's, named Carr. He asked to see the prisoner, and I asked him to come down ;he ultimately did so. I had seen Carr tiler • be fore ; he had come to visit the prisoner on former ecca :•ions. In a few minutes after the prisoner came into the kitchen. We all remained in the kitchen together. His Lordship returned at twenty minutes to six, in a cab. Whilst we were at tea the coachman came; he came down the area steps. 1 asked the prisoner if he had ordered the carriage, he said no, he had forgotten it. I said to the coachman you were ordered to Brook's at five, and ought to have been there, and the prisoner repeated the same thing. The coachman did not remain, he only asked the valet if he had been to Jarvis and Jones, and went with the carriage. The prisoner said he should tell his Lord ship he ordered the carriage at half-past five. I told him , he bad better tell his Lordship the truth, as his Lordship would sooner forgive his forgetting the carriage than tell ing a falsehood. Hu said his Lordship was very for getful, and must pay for his forgetfulness. Carr told the prisoner he had better tell the truth. After we had done tea, Carr and the prisoner went into the passage. When his Lordship came hcme I went to the pantry, and Courvoisier said his Lordship was obliged to come home in a cab. He went up to his Lordship ; he then returned to the pantry. His Lordship then rang the bell again. Courvoisier went up, and came down into the pantry with a letter, and said he was going to the stables with it by desire of his Lordship. He told me in his pan try when he came back that his Lordship had said " I thought I ordered my carriage at five." lie said " No, half-past." His Lordship —" I thought it was five," and he said ' No, my Lord, half-past five." He said his Lordship appeared rather angry at first, but after that he became quite good-tempered. Hs Lordship had a largo dog, and when prisoner returned from the stables, he told witness he was going up stairs to let the dog in. The dog was a large white one. The dog came into the house every morning and evening. His Lordship then went out; this was about six o'clock. His Lordship returned from his walk shortly after six. I did not see his Lordship go out. Prisoner tcld me his Lordship was gone out again. I said, suppose his Lord ship should meet William with the carriage; he said he had left word at the stables to tell William that his Lord ship was come home. His Lordship was absent about half an hour, when he returned. The prisoner then made preparation for his Lordship's dinner. I was in the dining room when the prisoner came up with the table-cloth. After that I went up in my bed-room. The bell-hanger came again about this time. The valet rang the bell ; I I came down, and the valet asked me to go with the bell hanger, to see him put a bell cn the dour; it was on his Lordship's bed-room door. I said I would, and went with him. I was upsteirs till 8 o'clock. When I came down I found the prisoner in the pantry. Iso v the man tighten the bell wire in his Lordship's bed-room, and then he left, taking with him the handle of the door. The bell is placed at the head of the bed, near the window, so that a person can ring it lying in bed. No one was with the prisoner in the pantry. The coachman came in to fetch the dog a little before nine, he came by the area steps, through the kitchen, into the pantry. He remained a little more than a quarter of an hour, and then he fetched the dog. It was usual for him to do so. He went to the drawing-room for the dog. It was his Lordship's custom to have the dog with him from dinner time until he had coffee. The b coachman took the dog away. I was in the pantry, and Courvoisier said they were going to have coffee made, and asked the coachman to have some. He said he could not stop. The cook was out. The prisoner and myself were [left alone. We supped together. We conversed together about a new servant coming, and Courvoisier said if his Lordship did not take his friend he should not stay ; that he wished he had not come into the place, as he did not like it so well as he thought he should. He said his Lordship was fidgetty, and he thought not pleased with him, and that he was cross and peevish. I said nonsense. He has at other times used similar expressions. I recollect his Lordship going to Richmond about a week before this, where he stayed a short time. The prisoner accompanied him. He complained shortly after their return of his Lordship's conduct to him. Ho said his Lordship had been very cross and peevish at Richmond, and that he had changed his room three times. He said he did not think he should be able to stay long wi.h his Lordship. I told him the changing his room had made his Lordship cross. The cook returned on Tuesday even ing, shortly after six. I was in the kitchen. The prisoner let her in. He said all the ale was gone, but he would fetch her more ; he did so ; he went by the area gate. There is a lock, the key is kept in the kitchen. I heard him take the key when he went to fetch the beer ; the gate had been locked at nine. I did not see him bring it back. In a quarter of an hour after I went to light his Lordship's bed-room fire. The room was then in order, and I then went to bed immediately ; this was at half-past ten. The prisoner's bed-room is on the same floor with mine, at the back of the house; the room where I and the cook sleep i 3 in front. His Lordship's room is under my room. The cook came up to bed about a quarter of an hour after I did. His Lordship did not go out of the house after he had dined. When I went up to bed his Lordship was in the back drawing-room ;he had just rang the bell. I met the prisoner on the stairs. After we were gone to bed, the only persons left up in the house would be his Lord ship and the prisoner. His Lordship retired to rest gene rally at twelve o'clock. It was the valet's duty to sit up until his Lordship had retired to rest. I did not quit my room during the night. I awoke about half-past six the next morning, Wednesday, May 6 ; and got up and went down about a quarter to seven. I was accustomed to knock at the prisoner's door as I went down. I did so that morning. I did not see him then. I cannot say fou l Lordship's custom performed by tere before, place. properinghis Lord. then into the sa.lttis i hh i ontli h ead:h e i f-,rstatpsvhi.aa. bed-room nl e: r eddhat I h lii nysr e ppdiorbna a ofgsvis n ms,doe s ehan w ndiett c .dorait r iirhi e nmsoeso d t enofe . ededti Lordship'scoho: l aeosr n d ae.r dbse i d tan It Ih not :at o 1 tw t lwrberoarl h aovooss e opaom a mshamn r ni aoa,s, h dtada i Ijnmeuonadf duty t yn found went a w d a o r m w i: back drawing-room, and drew the blinds. I saw his Lordship's writing desk turned round, the drawers open, and the top jammed up with some papers. His keys were lying on the top drawer, and some of his papers. A screw driver was lying on his chair. I had seen the screw-driver before in the valet's pantry, a few days before. I then went into the front room and opened the shutters, but observed nothing particular. I then went down stairs, and at the bottom of the staircase I saw a number of things against the front door. I saw his Lordship's large blue cloak, his opera glass, and a little trinket box lying on the top of the cloak, close to the street door. I saw a number of things tied up in a napkin, and in the folds were his Lordship's gold pen. cil-case and his tooth-pick tipped with gold, all lying in the same passage. I looked into the napkin, and saw a a silver sugar dredger, a pair of his Lordship's spectacles, a little silver caddy spoon, a silver top of a salt•dredger, and a silver thimble, and also a silver dish cover. The spectacles were mounted with tortoise-shell. It was the same, it appears, his Lordship had the day before at dinner, and he used it twice. I had last seen it in the drawer in the pantry. This was in the afternoon before his Lordship's dinner. The sugar-dredger was kept in the pantry, the caddy-spoon, the cover, and the top of the salt were also kept in tto pantry. Ido not know where the spectacles were kept. The tooth-pick and gold pencil were continually laid on a little table in his Lord ship's bed-room, covered with a white cloth. His Lordship had two cloaks, and they were generally placed on the last chair in the dining-room. His Lordship had not used that cloak for a fortnight before. I went up to the street-door and examined it. I found it unbolted, unlocked, and unchained, with no other fastening than the latch. I went into the front drawing-room, and saw something on the floor. I felt alarmed, and set the door open, and opened the shutters. I saw all the drawers opened, and the knives and silver lying on the floor scat tered about the room. I felt dreadfully alarmed, and west up stairs—the silver consisted of the candlesticks, the snuffers, and the bottoms of the dish-covers and other articles. I went up to call the cook ; she was in bed in my room. I opened the door and asked her if she knew if anything had been the matter last night, and de scribed to her the state I had seen the room in. She said " Call Courvoisier." I did so. I said, Courvoisier, do you know if any thing has been the matter last night ? He said, No. I said, All your silver things are about. He came to the door immediately, He was dressed all but his coat. He ran down stairs, and took the warming-pan with him. I told him what I had told the cook. lie looked pale and agitated. He was not usually so quick when he was called. Not more than five minutes elapsed front the time I first went down until I returned. I am sure it was not ten minutes. He would sometimes be nearly an hour after he was called before he came down dressed. Sometimes half an hour or 20 minutes. I never knew bins dress in a quarter of an hour. His time varied from half an hour to an hour. He washed and dressed him,elfgenerally in his pantry There was a basin and eater- jug in his room. I fol lowed him down stairs ; he went first to the dining-room arid laid the pan down ; he then proceeded to the pantry. , He said something, which I do not recollect, when he came into the dining-room. I went with him to the pantry and observed the cupboard door and drawers open, and several things on a bench there. He made his way to the drawers and said, " Oh, my God, sonic one hes robbed us." I 1 1 said, let us go up stairs ; we went. On goiag up I said, ' For God's sake go aid see , here his Lordship :s." He went up and opened his Lordship's bed-room door. I was close to him. The door has a spring ; 1 opened it ins tantly, and went in after hire. I saw the prisoner in the act of opening the shutters of the middle win dow. I had got as far as the foot of the bed. The curtain s were open. I saw blood on the pillow. L i o o r i tl l s y l 1 i y p a . and screamed end ran out. I do not think I saw his right aide, with hisifnaebeeali ~,, the i) %en d erally . 14 on the side nee the window He I . s . towards,Lordship t ile window,generally Il haveay on often the tie l e ] n ed h h i t . r k e r i c ia P r n e s c i i n t g h e bed anti,h(Llrfawn the curtains at the side ii: that way. The night before the same state I had left thi;in.ot l eu d i i t i ains ; they were in next the door, and a little eoncr city anything. I ran out and leftn i o u t ni hear the i t c h , t p h r e i l; went cut and gave the alarm to the I Itsafew minutes I servants of a neigh bour. The door was on t h e l atch. returned, and met the c oo k i n t h e pascal c of the stairs. I saw the prison er sitting in : t > chair bottom front dining-room. There was a l arge bookuron i3 t t i l ' i n e table, and he was writing on a pi ece o f paper in the i book. He wrote two words. I said "What th e d ev il are you sitting here for ; why don't you go and s ec f or zome one, or fur a doctor ?" He said h e must wr i te to Mr. Russell ; and I said so me one must go. He went out on the step of the trout door and beckoned to a labouring man passing. I said, don't call such a man as that. He then I came back into the house. Mr. Cutler's man shortly after I came in, and others also. Mr. Latham's butler and his Lordship's coachman were the first who went into his Lordship': room, before the police came. I accompanied them, as did my fellow-servant tho cook. I did not see the prisoner. I do not recollect that he went with us. I did not go into the room then, but ran down stairs, when I heard Mr. Latbam's butler ask for a doctor. I went down stairs, and sent for ore. The police came in about ten minutes, and. then I went into the room with them. I went to the foot of the bed, and sew his Lord- shtp' 4 face. (The witness was much affected while giv ing this part of her evidtpeti.) I went to t h e dressing- THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY 15, 1840. table ; there was nothing on it. There was a great deal I of blood on one side of his face and on the pillow. The ! shutters were then quite open. All the things he used to keep on the dressing-table, such as his rings, his pencil case, and toothpick, were all gone. His Lordship was accustomed to wear a small wedding-ring, a large thick plain gold ring, a large ring with a large dark stone in it, engraved with an animal ; another ring with a smaller stone, and another which I cannot describe. I have seen these articles many times, and should know them. I have seen a silver medal, with a ribbon to it in his Lordship's possession. The one produced is the one, it used to be kept in a box by his Lordship's bed. I have never examined it, but I believe it to be the same. The rings produced are those his Lordship used to wear. The witness also identified the pencil-case, toothpick, spec tacles, and other articles, which were produced by the police, as the property of Lord William Russell. The napkin was also isroduced and identified. It was marked "W. R., No. 2." It was the one found in the passage, which I had given out for his Lordship's use on the Mon day. His Lordship had some pieces of foreign gold in his possession. The pieces produced resemble them. It might be three months since I saw those coins in his Lord ship's possession. I know the purse produced. It was Lord William Russell's. The Monday before his Lard ship's death I saw the rings all on his Lordship's table. The pencil case and toothpick would be lying on the dress ing-table with the rings. This purse was not his usual purse; his usual purse was a long silk one. I have had conversations with the prisoner about money ; the last time was Tuesday morning, sth May. Prisoner said he never took any money out with him, and never left any at homa, nor had any in the Bank. After that he said he had Si and some odd shillings in the Bank. I asked him what Bank, and he said St. Martin's-lane. I said that was the best Bank he could put it in. He said that he had brought some money to England with him, and all the money he had then was 51., and he must ask his Lordship for more. I asked him if he had spent all that money I saw him take out the other day. He said he had, all but 3s. he had paid a tailor's bill; that was all that passed then. At tea time Carr was talking about a rathe, and said be put pri soner down for one. He said he would be put down for two. He said he was not so well off as when he came to England. I have never seen any Bank-notes in his possession as his own property. He had never shown me any, or boasted of having any. The prisoner had been in the employ of Lord William Russell five weeks on the Monday. James Ellis was his Lordship's former valet. Mr. Flower declined asking any questions at present. In answer to Mr. HALL, witness stated that on Wednes day morning prisoner put on his coat as he was coining down stairs. Witness went into prisoner's room the fol lowing day. There were no clothes lying about. Witness did not hear any disturbance during the night. She never woke all night. Mary Hanel! was then sworn and examined by Mr Hobler.—l was in the service of Lord William Russell as cook. I had been in his service two years and nine months. The housemaid was there before me. The pri soner had been in his Lordship's service five weeks. James Ellis, the late valet, left the day prisoner came. On the evening of Tuesday, the sth of May, his Lord ship dined at home. It was the prisoner's duty to wait at dinner. There was a small quantity of plate used, which I washed. I went out that evening a little before nine, and returned a little before ten o'clock. I came in at the street-door. Courvoisier let me in. The house maid was at home. I had some supper. Cour voisier fetched me beer. He went up the area steps and returned. I believe he locked the gate, and brought the key in. I do not recollect seeing the key in his hand. He locked and chained the door when I came in. I went up to bed. I believe the valet asked me to look at his Lordship's fire as I went up. This was about half-past ten. Nothing occurred during the night to disturb me. His Lordship usually burnt a rushlight. The housemaid was up first the next morning. I heard her knock at the prisoner's door. I did not hear any answer. My door was shut. The housemaid, in about five minutes, came back and told me the house was in confusion. I desired her to tell Courvoisier, arid she knocked at his door. I heard them both go down stairs. I got up immediately and went down stairs. I heard the housemaid scream, which fright ened me. I ran down, and she told me his Lordship was killed. I went into the dining-room and saw the housemaid and prisoner. He pointed out the things lying about. He was sitting down with pen and paper, as if going to write. He afterwards was sitting in the back dining-room, and he said, •' Oh, dear, they'll think it's me ; I shall never get a place again." There were various articles lying scattered about the dining-room and passage, as if they had been disturbed in the night. After the police came in I went into his Lord ship's bed-room, and saw the corpse. I generally bolted and locked the down-stairs doors, the front-kitchen door and the back-kitchen door. I fastened the back-door before I went out, and do not recollect opening it after wards. Ido not recollect whether I went to look at the door the last thing. It was the man's business to fasten the door that led frem the passage into the yard. Mr. Flower declined to cross-examine the witness. In answer to Mr. HALL witness said she had lost a thimble, which she saw in a dinner napkin on the morning in question, with the other articles. The thim ble produced is the one. She did not ace what the pri soner had written, but thinks it was in French. Sarah Mancell re-called, and examined by Mr. HALL-1 cannot tell what the two words were the prisoner wrote. I do not know whether be finished the letter and sent it off, or what became of it. He said he must write to Mr. Russell. _ _ On the application of Mr. Hobler;the further considera tion of the case was postponed till this day week at 10 o'clock precisely. Mr. Flower said his client was anxious for the fullest investigation. :asioned by the retirement of Captain Probyn, is to be supplied." Mr. BROWN moved the adoption of the Report, the statements in which, he observed, must be highly satis factory to the Proprietors. Mr. FlidoENs, Chairman of the Stock Exchange, seconded the motion in a very able speech, in the course of which he highly complimented the Directors upon the foresight and prudence which had marked their calcula tions and arrangements, and the result of which was so gratifying to all those connected with the establishment. The motion was carried unanimously. It was then moved and carried that Robert Bell, Ecq., Isaac Nicholson, Esq., and Thomas F. Wilson, Esq., three of the Directors who went out by rotation, be re elected. James Gordon Duff, Esq., was then elected a Director in the room of Capt. Probyn, Who had retireii. Mr. DUFF returned thanks for the honour conferred upon him. Mr. HICIIENS said he did not think they ought to sepa rate without offering their cordial thanks to the Directors for the very able and ediciew manner in which they had managed the affairs of the Company. The motion having been seconded, was carried with ac clamation. The CHAIRMAN, in his own name, and that of his brother Directors, returned thanks for the confidence reposed in them. He could assure the meeting, that so far as lay in their power they would endeavour to promote the interests of the Company. Mr. 13itowNE said they had another duty to perform be fore they departed. All the ab'lity and exertion of the Directors would be unavailing in bringing the affairs of the Company to their present prosperous and satisfactory posi- tion if they had not zealous and efficient agents.--( Hear.) He had bred pleasure in moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Robertson, the principal manager, and the other officers of the establishment. . _ The m R n o t n i E o n n T I s l n • a s s c r e a t r u r i r e n d e d u Mr. The compliment that ' t " l a t thanks, m k s o . o si had just been paid them was one that must be very gratify ing at all times, but it was particularly so on the present ccasion, coming as it did from so respectable and nu merous a meeting. lie could assure them that no efforts would he wanting on his part, or that of his brother offi ers, to forwarl the interests of the Company, and to en savour to merit on future occasions a similar honour to that which had then tseen conferred on them. I he meeting then Jcparated apparently highly gratified with the proceedings of the day. RUS,IAN POST-OFFICE DEPART MENT. In the course of the year 1838 the receipts of the Post Depaament yielded a sum of 12,760.872 roubles ass. ; the expenses having amounted to 6,370,680 roubles, the Treasury derived a net pro fit of 6,390,191 roubles. In English money —re venue, 531,000/. expenditure, 265,5001.—and profits, 265,570/. The following improvements have contributed towards the increase of the Post-office revenue : The light post between the two capitals, which was despatched but twice a week, goes now six times, and takes but two days and a half, instead of five, to go over the same distance. The Odessa post, so important owing to the Black Sea trade, and the intercourse between that city and Constantinople, has been rendered more direct, and converted from an ordinary into an extra post. It departs twice instead of once a week, and is seven days less on the road. For the interest of trade, extra posts have been established between Moscow and Nijny Novo gorod during the fair, as well as between Kieff and Riga, Kieff and Itomir, and Odessa and Warsaw. Extra posts required by the Government have been established from St. Petersburgh to Tiflis, Orenburgh, Warsaw, and %Vilna. By these means the Tiflis post has been accelerated by seven days, the Orenburgh by six, the Warsaw by six, the \Vilna by three, and all the intermediate places si tuated in those directions in the same proportion. The light posts have also been accelerated by three, five, and six days, between St. Petersburgh and Tobolsk, Astrakan, Kaminiec Podolski, and many other places. To the frontier of Prussia, and the return by Riga, instead of two posts there are now five a week. The extra posts go that distance in a little more than two days, and the ordinary posts in three, thus keeping up a constant intercourse between the commerce of St. Petersburgh and of Riga with foreign parts. The letters from Berlin and the other cities of Germany arrive now in five instead of six days ; those from Paris and London in eleven instead of twelve. Previous to the conclusion of the conven tion with Prussia, letters from Berlin took nine days, and those from Paris and London twenty-two, to reach St. Petersburgh. Since the arrangements entered into with the Russian and Austrian Post-offices, the correspon dence between the South of Prussia and the North of Europe is despatched by Warsaw and Russia, and that between St. Petersburgh, Moscow, the Governments beyond Moscow, and Italy, by War saw, Cracow, and Podgorge, by the means of extra posts between the two capitals and Warsaw, that from St. Petersburgh departing twice instead of once a week. The Southern Governments have obtained means of despatching their correspondence with Austria and Italy, either by Radziwilow and Novosselitsq, or by Warsaw, on paying in the latter case the transit through the kingdom of Poland. Before the late Convention, the letters between Austria and St. Petersburgh passed by Radziwi low, and reached in 12 or 14 days in the fine sea son, and in 16 or 18 in bad weather. They now, by Warsaw, take but nine days, when the diligence which daily leaves Vienna for Warsaw, reaches the latter city in time for the departure of the extra post. The Post-office has ava►led itself for the des patching of letters of the steam navigation esta blished by Companies on the Baltic between St. Petersburgh and Lubeck, and on the Black Sea between Odessa and Constantinople. The conveyance of parcels and goods has been organised between Russia and Prussia. The inconvenient regulation which permitted letters to be received at the Pose-office but twice a week has been abolished at St. Petersburgh and Moscow. Daily posts fcr the summer have been established at Tsarskoe Selo, Pauloosk, Peterhoff, Oranienbaum, and Cronstadc ; and, lastly, a petite poste has been established at St. Petersburgh. The change introduced into the postage rates has yielded a satisfactory result. Instead of seven hundred different rates, as first fixed, after the num ber of towns served by the post, fifty-two have been established, after the number of Governments; and the conversion of those rates into silver roubles has diminished them for a large number of places. In 1839, with the Emperor's approbation, a wholly new post operation was undertaken, by the establishment of mail coaches, vehicles, and britschkas for travellers. The object is to employ the profit anticipated from it in introducing an im proved method of post conveyances. The building of those vehicles, for which a contract has been en tered into, is in successful progress. Those mail-coaches will be first established on the line from St. Petersburgh to Moscow, and here after they will be established by degrees in the dis tricts where the state of the roads may render them most expedient. At Oustiloug, near Vladimir Volhynsky, a ser- ' vice for the despatching of money and goods to and from Poland, has been established on the plan of that existing at Brzcse-Litewski and Kowno. The corresponden ce of the Governments of Podolia, Taurida, Kherson, P e nza, Orel, Catherinoslaff, the territory of the Don Cossacks, the province of Bes sarabia, and the foreign Post-office of Yassi, is for warded to Oustiloug. This measure will have the twofold advantage of embracing the transmission of the letters destined for, the kingdom of Poland, and of easing the business of the Brzese-Litcwski and Kowno offices. In order to revive the commercial activity of Ou ralsk, the correspondence destined for that place is to be roceivcd by the extra post from Orenburgh to St. Petersburgh, Moscow, Vladimir, Nijny Novo gorod, and Kasan. With the Steam Navigation Office of Findland an arrangement has been concluded, whereby during the whole duration of last navigation the singl e letters from St. Petersburgh to Rene! and Pernau have been conveyed by the steam-packets running between S. Petersburgh and Hclsing, for and stopping at Revel. The plan for the improvement of the post de- , partment throughout the empire is perseveringly fol►owed up. In the course of the year 1839, one hundred and forty-six post lines were put into ac tivity upon the roads of the capitals and chief places of Government and districts, embracing altogether a distance of 23,271 vversts. A second class post-office has been organised at Fort Bomborz, in Abkhasia. The letters for Abkhasia and back, are despatched, between Tiflis and Koutais, by the post existing upon that line ; from Koutais to Bomborg, a new post service has been established, which starts once a week, and passes by the Cossack picquets. (Extracted from the Report for 1839, presented to the Emperor by the Director-in-Chief of the Post Department. IMPERIAL PARLIAMEN T. HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAY 14. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'Clock. On the motion of Mr. Alderman COPEL AND the Tunstall Market Bill was read a third time and passed. Lord SANDON presented petitions from the Mayor and Corporation of Liverpool, against the Herculaneum Docks Bill, and against the Liverpool Watch-rates Bill. The River Wcar Watch Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from the Trustees under the will of the late Earl of Devon against the Exeter Post Dues Bill. On the motion of Mr. HODGES the Gravesend Im provements Bill was read a third time and passed. Lord HOTHAM presented a petition from the parish of West Mousley (surrey) in favour of Church Extension. The Noble Lord presented also a petition from the Medi cal Practitioners of Great Ripon, in the county of York, praying for Medical Reform. On the motion of Mr. FRE S H FIE LD, Dr. Stock was appointed to the Committee on the Divorce 13i11, in the place of Mr. Sergeant Curry, lately appointed a Master in Chancery in Ireland. Sir GEORGE STRICKLAND presented fifteen pe titions from Bradford, Huddersfield, and other places in the West Riding of York, against Church Extension. Sir R. INGLIS presented eighteen petitions from places in Essex, Surrey, Kent, Worcestershire, Somerset shire, Yorkshire, and Durham, against any further grant to the College of Maynooth. Mr. WARBURTON presented thirty-seven petitions against the Copyright Bill, and a petition from Hudders field against the Beer Bill. Mr. BAINES presented petitions from places in Wilts, Sussex, Northampton, and Yorkshire, against Church Extension; also twelve petitions from different manufacturing establishments in the West Riding of York shire, praying for a repeal of the Corn-laws, and three petitions for the repeal of the post-horse duty and the duty on carriages. Colonel THOMAS presented a petition from Kinsale in favour of the amendment of the Registration Bill. Mr. GIL LON presented petitions from Perth and For far for the repeal of the Corn-laws; a petition from the first United Secession C6ngregation of Auehtermuchty, in Fife, against Church -rates, and in favour of the release of John Thorogood ; petitions from William Davidson, of Spring field, Glasgow, and Rahert Henderson, weaver, of Paisley, praying for Household Suffrage, Vote by Ballot, and the abolition of the Corn-laws; petitions from the Post-mas ters of Leith, praying for a repeal of the post-horse duty, and from Lanark, Falkirk, Newton Stewart, and other places to the same effect; also petitions from the Mail Coach Contractors of the Great North Road, complaining of the Post-office having been competitors with them in the conveyance of parcels by the reduction of the postage, in consequence of which the weight they had to carry was greatly increased and their remuneration diminished. Sir W. SOMERVILLE presented a petition from Drogheda, against the Irish Registration Act. Mr. CLAY presented 14 petitions from districts in the neighbourhood of London, against the Corn-laws. Captain GORDON presented 12 petitions from parishes in the county of Aberdeen, in favour of the principle of non-intrusion of Ministers. Lord TEIGNMOUTH presented a petition from the medical practitioners in Marylebone, praying for medical reform, and one against any further grarit to the College of Maynooth. Lord WORSLEY presented a petition from the Dis senters of Southampton, and one from Lincoln, praying for the abolition of Church-rates. Mr. HUTT presented a petition from the Corporation of Gateshead against that clause in the Constabulary Bill consolidating the police of boroughs and counties. Also one from the Fine Arts Society of Newcastle, praying that the House would foster such institutions. Mr. RICHARDS presented several petitions from Merionethshire against any further grant to the College of Maynooth. Mr. BUCK presented petitions from North Devon against any grant to the College of Maynooth, and also against the Constabulary Bill. Mr. Alderman THOMPSON presented a petition from Sunderland in favour of Church Extension, and one from the Presbytery of Newcastle against the grant to May nooth. Mr. PLUMPTRE presented a petition from the Post masters of Kent, praying for a reduction of duty on their trade; one for the maintenance of the present Poor-laws; in favour of Church Extension, for the Better Observance of the Sabbath, and against any grant to iVlaynooth. Mr. STANSFIELD presented a petition from Hud dersfield and the neighbourhood, praying for the abolition of the Corn-laws. Mr. W. TURNER presented seventeen petitions from Lancashire, praying for the total repeal of the Corn-laws; also petitions against any further grants for Church Ex tension. NATIONAL PROVINCIAL BANK OF ENGLAND. The Seventh nlnual Meeting of Directors and Prn. prietors of the National Provincial Bank of England took place yesterday at the Company's Offices, 112, Bishops. gate-street Within. The meeting was most numerously and respectably attended, there being a large number of influential gentlemen present from various parts of the country. At twelve o'clock, on the motion of Philip Courtney, Esq., M.P., seconded by James R. Todd, Esq., JoriN MELviLLE, Esq., Chairman of the Board of Directors, was called to the Chair. The CIiAiRMAN briefly congratulated the Proprietors upon being enabled to meet them in their own house, and re ferred to the gratifyidg progress which the affairs of the Company had made since their last meetin g , and the in creased and increasing - confidence which the public gene rally evinced towards their establishment. The following report was then read : " On this, the Seventh Anniversary of the Company, the Directors feel it to be matter of congratulation that the Proprietors are now assembled within their own premises, the advantageous purchase of which was announced in the last Report. The necessity of a permanent place of busi ness for the head establishment, affording suitable acco modation for the transaction of its affairs, as well as a safe re pository for records and securities, has long been felt ; and the Directors trust that the Proprietors will approve of the selection of these premises, as in all respects well adapted for the purposes in view. The only additional branches that have been esta blished are the following : Northwich. Knutsford. Dartmouth. Bangor. Holywell. At Dartmouth the Directors were induced to open a branch, from having an offer, upon advantageous terms, of the business of thn old and respecta ble firm of Messrs. Harris and Co., private bankers in that town. Under an arrangement with that house, their business has accordingly been transferred to the Com pany, and the connection, while it is safe and profitable in itself, will also, the Directors anticipate, have a favourable influence upon the operations of the other branches in that (iistriet. The business of the branches previously openeti in North Wales rendered an establishment at Bangor desirable, and at the other three places last mentioned the field was left almost unoccupied by the retirement of other Banks. The progress of these branches, which have only been a short time in operation, is very promising. The period which has elapsed since the Directors last met the Proprietors, has been marked by the recurrence of one of those revulsions in our monetary systeFn, with which at irregular intervals this country has long been visited ; but it is consolatory to find that the pressures of 1836 and 1839, although of longer duration, have been less extensive and severe in their effects than those of former years; a circumstance greatly attributable to the mainte nance of public confidence by the Joint-stock Banks, and the support which their large paid up capitals has en abled them to give to the commercial and trading inte rests. The mon, tart' difficulties of last year were early foreseen by the Directors. So far back as the month of December, 1838, the state of the Money Market appeared to them so unfavourable, as to call for the greatest cir cumspection on their part ; and, although money was somewhat easier in April and May following, yet the drain of bullion and the other symptoms of an approaching crisis convinced them that caution was their wisest policy. Accordingly, from the date first mentioned, the Directors continued carefully to pursue a discriminating and resttie live course, which enabled them to pass through the sessan of derangement and difficulty which ensued with compa ratively little anxiety. During this protracted period of excitement it is grati fying to the Directors to be able to state that the confi dence of the public in this establishment remained unim paired ; and that notwithstanding the distress which gene rally prevailed, its business continued to improve. Having taken this brief notice . of the recent comm erc i a l revulsion, with the exception of which there has occurred no circumstance to affect the profits of the Bank, the Di rectors now beg to submit the annual statement of accounts, from which it will he observed that a sum of upwards o f 9,0001. has been added to the Reserve Fund. The returns of the past year would have justified a larger appropria tion, but for the circumst ances of the late crisis, which im ; vitably involved a more than usual proportion of loss :- 18.39.—January 1. Amount of undivided d. profit,, 31. Nett p a t this d a c t t e. . ... ro . ... profit for 8 .. 3 . . a . t .. t . c . r . 36,670 5 0 December making a liberal allowance for had debts, and a proportion of preliminary expenses 30,339 4 9 Making a total of 67,029 9 9 20,541 1 ) 0 Deduct Dividend for 1839 Leaving of undivided profits at 31st De -46 487 1 9 9 ember, 1839 With a reserve fund of 46,0001., and a large increasing revenue, the Directors feel that the time has now - arrived, when they are fully justified in making an addition to the Dividend. Accordingly, they have the gratifying an. nouncernent to make t 9 the Proprietors, that a Dividend will be declared fur the half year, commencing Ist January last, at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum. Th e Directors have only further to state that three of their number go out of office by rotation, viz —Robert Bell, Isaac Nicholson, and Thomas F. Wilson, Esqrs. ; hu p i r t o r p o r c ie li t g or ib s l a n ce t o o rd b i e re ngly .e . lee A te n d n a , a th ( a l t o a ffe v r a t c h a e n i c n y s , el o v e c ! I.:i_outthiNe BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS. Mr. L A MBTON presented a petition signed by a large number of the electors of Lewes, complaining of the bribery, intimidation, and coercion which prevailed at the election of Members of Parliament for that borough, which the petitioners attributed to the frequency of elections, there having been one on an average every two years for the last thirty years, and as the petitioners believed bribery, intimidation, and corruption to be on the increase, not only at Lewes, but in other parts of the kingdom, they prayed the House to provide a remedy without delay. Mr. FITZROY objected to the receipt of the petition under the circumstances under which it was presented. Ho had cast his eyes over it, and found it was apparently signed by about 200 electors. If these persons had known of the practices they complained of going on for so many years, he thought they had shown themselves unworthy of the franchise in not having given the House an opportunity of testing the truth of their allegations before a Committee of the House.—( Hear, hear, hear.) It was wrong in these persons to make vague and unfair charges in petitions to the House, when there was a pro perly constituted tribunal where their accusations might be proved, if true. He had known the borough some years, and since 1835 had stood three elections, and the only in stance of bribery he had met was during an election at which the Hon. Member for Leicestershire was a candidate—when having got scent of the practice that was going on, be (Mr. Fitzroy) put a person to watch the briber, who was detected in the act, and an action being brought against him, he was convicted in a penalty of 5001. He thought the ease with which this offence was proved and verdict obtained, proved that an extensive system of bribery could not exist, and, therefore, thinking it was unfair that vague charges should be brought in this manner against a pure constituency, he should move that the petition should not be received. Mr. LAMBTON suggested that the petition should be read by the Clerk. Sir - GEORGE GREY said if the petition were not brought up it could not be read. From what the Hon. Member who presented it had said, he saw no objection to its being brought up.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. FITZROY said be should not object to its being brought up, but he should object to its lying on the table. The petition was then brought up and read by the Clerk, to the effect above stated. Sir G. GREY said he heard nothing in the petition, which should prevent the House receiving it. The peti tioners stated there existed at Lewes what they conceived to be a grievance ; and he was, therefore, quite sure the House would not reject it. After a few words from Sir J. GRAHAM and Mr. DARRY, Mr. FITZROY said, as it appeared to be the opinion of the House the petition should be received, he would not divide upon it, but he thought it his duty to protest against such sweeping accusations being made against what he be lieved to be a pure-constituency. Sir. WILMOT presented a petition (row. Aston against the Birmingham Police Bill. Mr. ROUND presented a petition from a place in Essex, in favour of Church Extension. Mr. LEADER presented a petition from certain me dical practitioners, and other inhabitants of the parish of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, in the City of Westminster, in favour of medical reform ; also, twenty-one petitions from Montrose, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and other places in Scot land, praying for Universal Suffrage ; also three peti tioni from Bridgewater, and one from Glasgow, praying for a repeal of the Corn-laws. Mr. E WART presented a petition from Lancaster against any grant for the purposes of Church Extension, and for the abolition of Church-rates ; also, a petition from Wigan, praying that Dissenters from the Established Church might be exempted from the payment of Church rates. Mr. B. WOOD presented a petition from Protestant Dissenters in Rotherhithc against any grant for the pur pose of Church Extension. Lord ADARE presented a petition from Limerick in favour of Lord Stanley's Irish Registration Bill. Mr. PALIVIER presented a petition from Bradfield in favour of the present Corn-laws. Lord CLEMENTS presented two petitions from the county of Leitrim against Lord Stanley's Irish Regis tration Bill. Mr. ELLIS presented a petition from Newry, against the importation of foreign flour into Ireland; also several petitions from places in the county Down to the same effect. Mr. ELLIOT presented a petition from the Presbyte rians of Kelso against the payment of Church-rates. Sir JAMES GRAHAM presented a petition from Glasgow, against certain clauses in the County Constabu lary Bill. The Right Hon. Baronet, however, did not coincide in the prayer of the petition. Major MACNAMARA presented a petition from the landed proprietors of the County Clare, against any al teration in the Corn-laws. On the motion of Mr. F. MAUL E, the Report of the Committee on the Banff Police and Harbour Bill was further considered, and a clause added to the Bill. Lord G. BENTINCK presented three petitions from Lynn, in favour of Church Extension. Mr. MORRISON presented petitions from Inverness and other places in Scotland, agaimt Church Extension. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented petitions from I3ir mirigham and its neighbourhood against Church -rate, and praying for the release of John Thorogood. Lord G. LENNOX presented petitions from Sussex against any alteration in the Corn-laws, against any grant to the College of Maynooth, and in favour of the Clergy Reserves (Canada) Bill. Mr. G. KNIGHT presented nine petitions in favour of Church Extension. Mr. lIALFORD presented petitions from Leicester against the grant to the College of Maynooth, and f rom Luttcrworth praying for a reduction of the post-horse and carriage duty. Lord DUNGANNON presented petitions from Devon and Gloucester in favour of Church Extension. Sir S. LUSHINGTON presen ted two petitions against Church Extension. Mr. BLENNERHASSETT presented a petition from the inhabitants of Enniscortby an d its vicinity, county Wexford, signed by the po rtrcove and 303 persons, i n fa vour of Lord Stanley's Irish Registration Bill. Mr. FITZROY KELLY p resented petitions from Woodbridge, and a place in Hertfordshire, praying for the abolition of capital punishment in all cases except murder. Mr. HANDLEY presented similar petitions. Mr. PROTHE ROE presented petitions from variou Dissenting congregations in Halifax, against any grant of public money for Church Extension. Viscount CASTL ERE AG H presented a petition from a parish in the County of Down, against the im portation of flour into Ireland, and a petition from the Board of Guardians of the Poor law Union of Down patrick in favour of the Irish Mendicancy Bill. Sir ROBERT PEEL presented various petitions in favour of Church Extension, and against any change in the existing Corn-laws. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL presented a petition from the Chamber of Commerce, Edinburgh, complain ing of the manner in which the duty was now imposed on railroads, and proposing that a tax should be levied on the gross receipts of every Railroad Company. Mr. LITTON presented a petition from a parish in Kilkenny, in favour of the Irish Registration Bill. Mr. hI ENE AGE presented a petition from the Corpo ration of Devizes, against certain clauses in the County and Districts Constable Bill. Mr. O'BRIEN wished to call the attention of the House to a subject which he deemed to be of the greaten importance. His object was to ascertain how the ques tion of precedence might he decided between five or six Members who happened to be down at four o'clock, for the purpose of giving notices. He was down a quarter before four with Mr. Hutt. At four o'clock another gentleman came in. He had arranged with Mr. Hutt that as soon as the clerk had put down his name he should put down his (Mr. O'B's.) Three or four gentlemen were standing around the table, and a dispute arose —( Cries of " Order.") He believed he was perfectly in order. His object was to ascertain whether there was any rule whereby those differences might be determined, and if so, what that rule was. It certainly would be most desirable to have some measure adopted by which that interminable confusion and indecent scrambling might be prevented. The SPEAKER said the rule was, that when the Speaker took the Chair the paper with the notices of mo tions was put on the table, and every Member entered his name upon it. He believed that no one Member could enter the name of another. Every Member ought to enter his nome. If the House were satisfied with the present arrangemet, there could be no alteration except by adopting the balloting plan.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. O'BRIEN said he wished to know in what manner the priority—( Oh, oh !)—of Members was to be settled, when three or four were standing together at the table, all waiting to put their names down. The S AK E —I apprehend that whoever first puts his name down, will be called on first. —( Roars of laughter, and cries of " Hear, hear. ) GRINDING CORN IN BOND. Mr. H UTT gave notice that, on the 26th, he should bring forward a motion respecting the grinding of corn in bond. CHINA. Mr, G. PALMER said, as the motion respecting China, of which he had given notice, had been so long delayed, that its being carried could not now prevent hos tilities, he should not bring it on.—(Loud ironical chceis from the Ministerial benches.) CANADA. Mr. C. LUSHINGTON gave notice, that in Com mittee on the Canada Bill he should move an addition to the clause restraining the Crown from appointing any spiritual person to the Legislative Council. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. Mr. O'BRIEN said he would, to-morrow, move that the name of every Member desirous of giving a notice be written on a separate slip of paper, to be put into a glass box, and thence drawn at random by the Speaker when he took the Chair. PERSIA. Sir S. CANNING said he wished now to put some in quiries to the Noble Lord the Secretary for Foreign Af fairs on the subject of our relations with Persia, and he trusted the House would feel the deep importance of that subject to the interests of this country, particularly at a period when so many of our foreign relations were in a state of doubt and perplexity. He wished to know what was the character of our relations with Persia? Sup posing our diplomatic relations with Persia to be sus pended, whether negotiations were in progress to restore them ? What difficulty, if any, had arisen, to retard the suc cess of those negotiations ? Whether that difficulty, did it exist, had arisen since the assurances given in her Majesty's speech from the throne at the opening of the Session, that our difficulties with Persia would soon be satisfactorily settled? At present he would confine himself to these questions. On the answers to those queries would depend whether he should have to make any further inquiries. Lord PA LM ER STON said the present state of our relations with Persia was exactly what it had been for the last twelve months. The state of those relations was pre cisely this—last summer an Envoy from Persia came here, to whom he (Lord Palmerston) gave a distinct statement of our demands, to which the envoy gave a reply far from satisfactory, fcr, professing to agree to all those demands, it in reality proceeded to neutralise that profession by the way in which it pretended to carry it out. To that reply a rejoinder had been sent, which would have reached Teheran, late in March. The answer had not yet been received. The Right Hon. Gentleman would perceive that negotiations were in progress for bringing about a settlement, and nothing had occurred ito destroy the hope held out in her Majesty's speech, that this settlement might be expected at no distant period, because the last communications from Persia announced the determination to comply with our demands, and probably that bad not been done because of the misunderstanding of our demands. Sir S. CANNING wished, with the permission of the House, to put one more question__ Was Sir John M'Neil still invested with the powers of Envo ! • ? Lord PALMERSTON—Sir John M'Neil was now on leave of absence received by him last year. The Second Officer was in office as Charge d'Affaires. Sir S. CANNING begged pardon of the House for putting one more question. He wished to know whether our important trade with Persia was still under Consular protection. Lord PALM E RSTON said the Consul at Tabreez had his commission still. Mr. M. PHILLIPS rose amidst loud cries of " Lord Darlington." He merely wished to ask the Attorney- General when it was likely that the question respecting the validity of the Charters of Corporation lately granted to some large towns was to be settled. The liti gation which was going on was leading to a state of total disorganization in those towns, and it was most important that it should be settled at the earliest period. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL had expected that that day the case would have been argued in the Exche- quer Chamber; however, some of the Judges had been obliged to attend th e Central Criminal Court, and the case was now fixed to be argued on the 21st of this month, on which day he trusted there would be a favourable result. In answer to a question from Mr. W. PATTEN, Mr. LABOUCHERE said that negotiations were still being carried on between this country and France— no treaty had actually been concluded. In answer to a question from Mr. T. PARKER, • Mr. F. MAULE said the Bill stood for committal, and the Hon. Member for Kent had given notice that he would move that it be referred to a Select Committee. He (Mr. F. Maule) intended to oppose that motion, and if he succeeded he should have the Bill committed pro forma, and have it reprinted, with certain amendments which he proposed to introduce, in consequence of suggestions that had been made to him. NEW WRIT FOR LUDLOW. The Earl of DARLINGTON rose to move that the Speaker do issue his warrant to the Clerk of the Crown, for a new writ for the borough of Ludlow. He was happy to see the Noble Lord the Secretary for the Colonies in his place, and as the public journals must have made him acquainted with the proceedings in that House, he would offcr no further observations to the Noble Lord, than to say that, if lie supposed ho meant any discourtesy, lie begged to assure hies that it was far from his intention to do anything of the kind.---( Hear, hear.) No person . could have been more happy to have done anythine to meet the wishes of the Noble Lord, and if, after that explanation he still thought he was in the wrong, no one could regret it more.--(Cries of " Hear, hear.") With these observations he would move, that a new writ do issue for the Borough of Ludlow, and after he had heard what the Noble Lord had to say on the subject, per haps the House would allow him to make a few remarks. Lord JOHN RUSSELL could assure the Noble Lord that he had no intention of accusing him of any want of courtesy to himself, and he presumed to think that the Noble Lord had been influenced (entirely disregarding any request that he might have made) solely by a wish to discharge his public duty in that House. He considered, however, that the present was a question of very great public importance, and the Noble Lord would allow him to say further, that he did not think the Noble Lord had taken up that view which was consistent with the advantage of that House in making the proposition he had done, without giving the House an opportunity for the fullest consideration _ ( Hear, bear, hear.) In saying that he certainly thought that no party advantage could be derived in any way from giving the subject the fullest consideration with respect to the parties who had been concerned in such di sgrace f u l procee di ngs w hi c h had been brought to light by the Committee.—( Hear, hear.) He could not undertake to say that either one political party or the other had any reason to pride itself on bring free from the contamination of those proceedings—( Cries of " Hear, hear")—but going on from the proceedings before the Committee, after it had conic to a resolution, declaring that the can didates for these two boroughs had been guilty by their agents, both of bribery and corruption— having likewise ertered into a special resolution, which was then pre sented to the Ilouse, and the House having thought fit to order the whole of the evidence to be laid before it, he must tell the Noble Lord that any one who interposed an obstacle to the proceedings which the Ilouse might think proper to adopt to mark its sense of the grave and important character of the subject, would be doing an injury to his own party.—( Hear, hear.) The two parties he believer' had little advantage the one over the other in respect of the election, but that party would be prejudiced who should in that House in any way appear to the public as being justly chargeable with the endeavour to slur over these proceedings--( hear, hear)—to consider them az; a light matter, and to proceed at once, without further notice, to issue writs, as if this was merely an unfortunate Case in which, corrupt practices having been discovered, the parties must be more prudent for the future, but not marking in any way a sense of the dereliction of the parties and their determination to remedy the evil of such prac tices.—(Hear, bear, hear.) Therefore he thought the Noble Lord had committed an error, and though he no doubt would differ from him in opinion, he (Lord John Russell) thought he would agree with him in the general principle that that party would he the loser which appeared to countenance these proceedings ; and that there could he no greater advan tage, if he wi s h e d t o ma k e a p ar ty use o f this, an opportunity o f s h ow i ng th a t his (Lord John Rus sell's) sell's.) party in the H ouse were anxious to dis courage, prevent, and punish such !: favourable and those o pp ose d t o th e m took and lenient view of them. But he felt assured, or stated the course he meant to take , that whatever on there might be as to the propriety of the proceedings when opinion n ni he pt, that whatever which he should ask the House to ado VENING EDITION might have happened in the last few d a ys ( w hich he I wished not further to notice) he felt quite sure all parties would join in what he had just now said, and feel it not only disadvantageous hut disgraceful to them not to show themselves forward in adopting any measure which would appear to remedy the evils exhibited in the Report— ( Hear, hear.) With respect to the notice of the Noble Lord, he would state at once that he did not mean to oppose the issuing of the writ ; but he must at the same time state he did not take that course because he did not think there was sufficient ground to induce the House to suspend the writ, nor that he thought there was wentrig precedents for taking such a course ; but looking at the whole proceedings—looking to what was the case with respect to every other borough, and what had taken place at the last general election, he thought it would be more advisable if the House should proceed by some general measure to provide a further re medy against bribery and treating than that which at present existed (he alluded only to what was done at pre sent in this particular case) than to use what was the undoubted power of the House, and which it had frequently exercised, but Ts hich certainly was a very strong power, that of keeping below the proper number the Members of that House, and refusing the electors of any particular place the right of sending Members to repre sent their interests, and the enjoyment of the franchise. He would make a very short observation with respect to the evidence in these cases, for the Noble Lord must al low him to allude to Cambridge as well as Ludlow— ( Hear)—because there was a very great similarity between the two cases, and because he was not then making an objection solely to the passing over the case of Ludlow, but an objection to their not considering the whole of the case as of great public importance. It appeared by the evi dence before these Committees that there had been parties bribed directly by gift of money, and that there had been most notorious cases of treating in both the boroughs.— ( Hear, hear, from Sir R. Peel.) Indeed, although ho had looked into many cases of this description—although in former times he had had to deal with several cases in which there was more direct evidence of bribery among a great number of electors, in which in certain cases the great majority of the electors were proved to have received certain sums of money, and thus the evidence went more directly to the disfranchisement of the borough, awl the punishment of individuals, yet he must , say, cases more disgusting, or showing a more profligate state of the constituent body—( Loud cries of Hear, hear")—and showing more degrading practices on the part even of those who stood in the highest situations with re gard to the elections, down to the lowest, he must say ho never saw in evidence taken before any Committee.-- ( Cheers.) It was not, therefore, on account of the light ness of these cases, t r that either of them was to be con sidered as venial, that they ought to refrain from such measures as they might think the case properly required. But he would observe, before he went any further in stat ing what he proposed to do, that these eases of continued treating, of opening a great number of public-houses, and allowing persons to go to those houses for any period of time, and to drink to any extent, provided only they were supporters of a certain candididate—( Hear, hear)—to risk no question as to expence, and thus as it were to drug the electors into voting for a particular candidate—he thought that was not only bribery, but was one of the most disgusting and offensive tricks of bribery.—( Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") It was certainly a distinction, and it was a distinction which was favourable to taking means to prevent these; prac tices, that there were more means of discovering treating than there were of discovering bribery. Wit h respect to sums of money being given, he thought thst was au offence upon which it was the most difficult to procure satisfactory evidence, and therefore the House would ob serve that those few instances that were given with respect to bribery could not be taken as giving anything like the whole of the amount of bribery ; but there were cases which did afford a sample of the proceedings of the party by whom bribery was resorted to ; because if they had a person who was not much connected with the borough willing to distribute money, and they had an elector ready to receive that money, that t ransac tion mightbe heP l so secret that it would be very difficult, if not almost im possible, for any Committee to discover the fact. There fore the way in which the truth came out with regard to those cases was in instances where a person not intending to conceal the bribery that was offered, either pretended that he was a person willing to be bribed, or being a per son willing to be bribed, afterwards betrayed and gave evidence. But in the greater part of the instances in which bribery took place no evidence whatever could be given.—( Hear, hear.) With regard to treating the ease was so far different that it was impossible there could be hampers of wine, a quantity of brandy, and gin, consumed in public houses, without there being some notorious evidence of the fact, and therefore they would have more to go upon to treat the commission of the offence. There were, as he conceived, with respect to the manner in which those offences were to be investigated, some very ircPe r " tent defects in the existing state of the law. He had, ih; former instances, attempted to remedy some °f those those defects, and he would now speak of others. With respect to offences of this kind, whatever the law might be, there were parties who by some turn or double would endeavour to evade the pursuit of that lase, and therefore they must be ready, though they might maintain the same principle of law, to make the law met e s stringent and effective, so as to meet the evasion of th at which they had formerly enacted. With respect to the offence of treating on which be had spoken, there was a remarkable difference made in the resolution of 1677, with respect to the offence of treating than there was with re spect to the offence of bribery. At first sight that reso lution seemed to be as stringent against treating as against bribery, and it positively declared that the gift of food, mgba farnuaa and made, eh:t meat, eogt hre at resolution anegwni on with nhi offencewn tn i or e ds pes respect ocl agreed o aft ur bribery, el tord what treating,behi rteahyt, therewviha astitt considered wohmae sub aes this hadt hd b b i osje r nu i bribery. e t nwr distinctionyo statedtranrSceco! committed after the testing of the writ, and before the 401 4 election. In the 3d or 2d of Wm. 111. it was carried y el e f r u h r e . ther, and everything was i nc l u d e d b etween t h e tests c" writ and the declar a ti on b y t h e return i ng o fficer. But -he thought that effectually to prevent such corrupt the prohibition must be extended over a much lonfiec. space of time, and include anything before the el s tion and for one month after it : referring, that not to cases of bribery tried in Courts of Law,..b . t to cases tried before Committees. Now, with regard . te!, Special bribery, there was a difficulty arising from the very manner in which the law referred to engagements the words being, " Any gift before the elec tion, or if the gift be received after the election received in pursuance of any promise or practicer engagement t" —the consequence of which had been, he though often a great evasion of the law. He proposed, there fore, to declare all gifts, whether before or after the elec tion, taken for votes, or fur having voted, for abstain ing or for having abstained from voting, to be bribery— bri r e d , that the vote of every perscn giving or taking a be void. Then came next the most important question t on which upon former occasions he had consulted the Rig Hon. Member for Montgomeryshire (Mr. W. W. Wy ne) ' who had acquired a great knowledge of the law upon the subject, and of whose advice he should be glad upon the present occasion to avail himself—and that question was , in respect to the indemnification of witnesses before EleF; lion Committees. The House was aware, a witness could_ not be asked any question which would criminate himselt., Now on various occasions there had been passed Acts of Indemnity for the witnesses in particular cases ; t he last w.as.that of the bribery at Stafford. This was often the cause of obstrueting the most important inquiries; for it vvas trejust to compel persons to give evidence which might in jure, themselves, who yet might be able to throw the most important light upon such cases. He tho u g h t, 11 therefore, that it would be best to give all witnesses an indemnity before the Election Committees, ascl thus he trusted that Committees would often be able to get to the bottom of transactions, often cautiously v eiled . r There was another question upon which he had upon otigr occasions made sonic observations to the House, and still which he proposed to make provision in his Bill- Il e gave it as his opinion that with respect to the Grenville Act there were many disadvantages attending it , _ they must also attach to the proceedings Bill of Sir Robert Peel, because it was inher e .% in the nature of having a special tribunal for t h e purpose of trying election petitions. Under the Grc.1..1: ville Act there were undoubtedly many play ,ti! ci cisions ; still that was countervailed, because the House n.„ always looked at the whole case, and in anything gross or notoriously tending to the corruption of that House, it was always in the power of the House, and it was aci,u,__ a matter of course that the House should evince its aril under tries approbation of :such proceedings, sad their determnen, to preserve inviolate, as it was stated in the old b their free and independent election. The consequence sl departing from that practice, and having a special oda . r e for the investigation of such proceedings, was that lh, o ' special tribunals considered not that they had before them not of a general nature, but a mere q ue r t i he between two parties claiming a seat in that House il ere same manner as two parties who in a court of law sts claiming property. That was quite obvious in the rePt it of our Election Committees for many years past. 3fialie was a consequence very greatly injurious to the P - bid interests. With respect to the Ludlow Committee he impression was that they had confined themselves to t a. , mete ease before them, and left it to the House to whether there was any general bribery or treating i affect ing the borcugh. Ile proposed to enact that Cow ie a l - a quest!nan tees should proceed in future to inquire into any ge ner a . allegations of bribery and treating without waiting to 7 _ o shier whether it could or could not be brought horu , any candidate or sitting M em b er , o r friend of theirs • te_ l `, l they should report first gen era lly, and then separatelcyc,_,no's, matters of fact relating to corruption, and any with its sitting Member, candidate, or friend of . 11 :_roPe to r —(hear, hear.) This would not give power, but a scope more properly belonging pur them ; those Committees were not sitting foe e , _. ed __ pose of inquiring whether A. and B. was duly , ec‘ they whether or purposeT a r o y f ought prese sat wlie for th the r \Vd °now stated and the independence of the House. He ha • h regard to a the course which he proposed to pursue with stated the rv t i o ng ha t v l e ie t i p te ur s i e ty at— f general measure on the subject, and be had t"to betaken House that ho thought no proceedings ougantd that they with regard to these Election Committees,. a or take any should not have proceeded to issue the writs, statement proceedings, without the House having some before it from some Member, whether there were anymean s, L rest for twit g and what means, which would offer a cure uestion b :l t cction evil. But there were other lights in which the he could undertake to bring in a general might be viewed. Ii seemed to him that it was measureim possibleqcitlte on the subject. He had been formerly eng a g ed in bonves: th at tigating the delinquencies of particular boro u g hg • , nor ,. the bar of the House and otherwise , in or der to u n_r t h es e corrupt practices, and bring the parties to pu went. Now he thought the House would agree with him, that from his present occupations he could not undertakee c. to prepare a measure with respect to these or any onces_r boroughs. When he was engaged in investigat in g u t.r et .. practices, and endeavouring to maintain or restore the purity and character of the House, im did not fi . the then Minister of the dab, Lord Coati his rerigh, throwing any obstacle in his way , pursuit of these inquiries. He had already said he did i c at Li t , sa, bat