The Sun. — London, England, 1840-06-12 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION. FROM THE DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. ( From the Globe.) !ler Majesty, on gaining het ovvn apartments, speedily recovered her equanimity, and took her seat at dinner ap parently as undisturbed as though nothing had occurred to interrupt the current of her feelings. At such a moment as the present everything which re lates to our beloved Sovereign is regarded with an interest heightened to intensity by her deliverance from death. A correspondent has supplied us with the following informa tion, and knowing the means of accurate knowledge pos sessed by the source whence we receive it, we have no hesitation in giving it as substantially correct The event to which her Majesty and her people look forward with delight, net unmixed with anxiety, has become the Abject of general conversation. It is even confidently said that some of the preparations have been settled, and that Dr. Loccck, the eminent accou cheur (whose professional services were rendered to the Duchess of Sutherland under similar circumstances), has been entrusted with the important responsibilit♦ of watching over her Majesty's health, and of at tending her on the interesting occasion. It is also whispered that Claremont has been selected as the place in which the object of a nation's hopes is to be ushered into the world ; in which, if preserved amid the dangers from which the highest rank is not exempt, and to some of which those who are placed in it are peculiarly exposed, the heir to Britain's crown is dsstined to perform a conspicuous part in life's drama. It will afford unqua lified satisfaction to the nation to know that her Majesty, in the peculiar circumstances we have alluded to, is in the enjoyment of excellent health. Every heart in her vast dominions will respond to the prayer for its continuance ; and that sho may live long, possessed of the full fruition of a mother's hopes, and of a Monarch's best riches and security—tile affectionate homage of an united and pros perous people I ( From the C'ourier.) The astonishment and consternation excited by the at tempt, equally wild, daring, and atrocious, o f an o b scure miscreant upon the sacred life of Majesty, and that also of the Illustrious Consort of Majesty, throughout the whole metropolis last evening and this morning is indescribable. It is in vain that, notwithstanding a careful consideration of all the information and evidence which have transpired so far, we look for any distinct and isolated fact which may lead to the inference of motives actuating the intending assassin traceable to a mistaken sense of fancied grefs or wrongs in some particular ; not as against the august pair themselves, who could not, by position or possibility, personally have ptovoked animosity or revenge, but in respect of functionaries of high or low degree, which might s , rea to work on a morbid and gloomy tempera ment, coacentreting and directing against the Sovereign head the feelings of hatred and vengeance really first inspired, groundless or not, by the conduct of some subordinate authority. Unable, therefore, not only f-om the ab.,ence of distinct facts, but from the general demeanour and reported answers of the wretcuod marl, when taken into custody and suLjectrd to examination, to assign motives or feelings of a personal nature fee this diabolical attempt on the lives of person ages no less exalted in rank than graced with all the vir tues and innocesiee of youthful and unotfending years, we are naturally led to inquire what other causes may have operated upon an untutored and ill-conditioned mind to produce a state of excitement combined with a cold-blooded determination of purpose equal to the consummation of a crime so 1 otrib:e. la this inquiry, however, we are as yet guided by no circumstance of a very specific or definite cha racter. for the allegation of the culprit's teeing a member of some secret society comes before us in a shape too vague and indistinct to war rant the foundation dant , satisfactory con clusion upon. If true, uncertainty would be at an cod, and speculation uncalled for, fee the fact itself would be a clue to the were mystery. The prisoner's reputed connection with Birmingham, where the most anarchical and subversive dectriues have so long been preacher:?. and prevail among the populetion so largely, would in that ease come in aid of a solution. But, as we before said, we are yet unpos eessed of such authentic det e il s as a l one could - warrant us in entertaining the inquiry in that sense. By the tiaso uer paper goes to press, we may, however, be able to commu nicate such results of the prisoner's examination tc-clay as may throw more light on the subject. ( From the Standard.) It is impossible to doubt that the treasonable assassina tion was premeditated : the place—the arms—the act itself—demonstrate that the young villain had gone to the spot with the deliberate purpose of murdering his Sove. reign ; bat equally impossible is it to suspect that he had any accomplices among sane men. Matere conspirators would not have trusted to a boy of his age and rank the execution of a crime so momentous, nor would they have placed at the mercy of his discretion the safety of their own lives, as they must have done, by engaging with him in such a plot. It is tee that a list of names, supposed to be the roll of a secret society —some crape and crimson ribbon bows --a sword, and gunpowder and bullets, were found at ,the lodgings of the assassin ; but there can be no reason to suspect that his brother conspirators, if he has any, are persons much above his station, above all, very far removed from his age. Men will not commit themselves with boys in such tremendous risks. It would be idle now to speculate farther upon the probabilities of the case. However, we cannot help h looking upon it as one of the peculiarities—and not one of t promising peculiarities—of our time ethmao" constitute a, greeable or more large towns of Edgland, boys now and, so to speak, a more independent clam; former period : they are the most common crime—they fill our gaols. In this respect the lower ever3- classes in the great towns present a 7reeise con trast to the classes above them ; for while in the latte seontthes adinni distinct, n a c n t y , the rising generation is decidedly better than that which is passing away, the sons of the former are, it is to be feared, generally worse than their fathers. Many causes co-operate to this effect ; per haps the principal are the early age at which the children of the poor are driven from the domestic roof to look for employment, which deprives them of traditional as well as every other sound education. Next, the fashion of de spising the wisdom of our ancestors, so sedulously inculca ted by the apostles of " the spirit of the age," the " march of mind," &c. To tell any man, rich or poor, that he is wiser than his father will go a great way towards tasking him a mischievous fool. Be this however as it may, as the foul crime leas disgraced our country, it is satisfactory to know that'it has been the crirac d a boy, not of a man— probably, if contrived b y more t h an one 'head, the execra ble contrivanc e of boys only. What man indeed could raise his hand against the lovely young wife by her hus band's side, even were she riot a Queen ? ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND GARDENS 0:1 Monday, no l ess than 2,900 persons visited the gardens at t ,e Regent's Park, and I tI. 175. was received from visitors. On Tuesday, amongst the distinguished visitors was Prince Albert and his suite, and the amount of money received at the gate, was 52/. The animals are ail in good health, and the Argus pheasant, Just brought over by Mr. Curving from the Phillippine Islands, seems to have suffered but little inconve nience from its voyage. At the meeting for scientific busi ness, held at the Museum, on Tuesday ev en i ng , W . H. Lloyd, n the chair, a portion of a pape r was read from the ERes,.:blr. L o vv, of Madeira, on the fishes of that Island, and on some new species of shel n is f t o h u e nd en t r h p e u r s e e ; wa q also a eommuni -- of blood in the ; Wirt! from Air. Gull:ter .; pigeon. o The Council i have deter snowy owl and passenger mined upon vacating t ,resent premises in Leicester-square, next Lady-day, - hen the term of the lease expires, but no other site for the museum has been detcrmined on. 4.„„ ..,--- - PIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. Our columns this day a.e necessarily filled with details, o far as 4 y e have vet triaispired, of the horrible attempt made las ring on the life of our beloved Queen. The announcement of this diab but happily abortive, act of trepan, with the particulars as they a cre gathered from the'eeveral sources of information, were given in successive editions of last evening's Globe. Taere was necessarily, from the confusion consequent upon the attempt, some dis crepancyi is the minor details; all, however, agreed in the astounduat'fact, that the life of the Queen had been at tempted by an assassin—tnat the attempt was made in the drive up Constitution-hill, while her Majesty was taking her usual airing in an open carriage in company with the Prince, her consort—that the murderous weapons were loaded pistols—that her Majesty had escaped unhurt— and that the assassin was in custody. It would be impos sible to give an adequate idea of the consternation and excitement which the intelligence produced as it spread through the several districas of the metropolis. Each in dividual felt as though the life of the dearest relativ e of his own family had ben placed in jeopardy by a mur derous assailant, and crowds of all ranks rushed to the spot to learn all that could be known of the atrocious act, and of the infatuated wretch by whom the crime had been committed. One feeling pervaded the crowds thu, drawn together in the parks, and in the neighbourhood of the Palace ; a feeling which was expressed in phrate homely or polished, according to the station of the speaker, but all concurring in deep hole or and detestation of the act, and in heartfelt gratitude to Heaven that the diabolical attempt had failed. The Queen's presenc.c of mind, under circumstances calculated to unnerve the most courageous, was the theme alike of astonishment and delight. At the moment the first pistol was discharged, the Prince instinc tively turned toward the Queen, and throwing himself over her, so as to cover her entire person, with one arm bent her head forward, in this way endeavouring to guard a life to him more p.eeicus than his own. The assassin aimed and discharged a second pistol ; and the Prince at that moment loudly directed the servants to drive on ward. Wnether in pursuance of their original in tention, or in consaquence of what had occurred, and in order to prevent the alarm which a vague report of the alarming eveat would necessarily occasion, we are not informed ; it wus, however, at once appropriate and affeet ing to the persons present, to behold the Royal Pair pro ceed direct to the residence of the Duchess of Kent in 13elgrave Square : thus being at once the first informants of tae danger:au which the Queen, her daughte r , h a d b een exposed, gild el the miraculous deliverance she had ex perienced. Having performed this gratifying act of Wis.l duty the Queen and Prince Albert re-entered the carriage, and resumed their airing. As they ap proaceed Hyde Park, a scene at once characteristic and gratifying was presented. The aurnereus equestrians, to the number of more that 500 ladies and gentlemen who were in the Parks, drawn together by the reports of the occur rence which had spi•sad among them, no sooner saw the Royal cortege approach, than, animated with one cammon feeling of affectionate and joyous loyalty, they formed erotical the carriage, and amid cheers and waving of hand kei ch:efs, and other express:ons of congratulation, accom panied the Royal carnage on its route, and returned with it to the Pa:ace. This spontaneous demonstration seemed to unman the Prima, • and to affect the Queen more than the danger to which they had been exposed. Her Majesty with difficulty restrahien her feelings; and the changing colour of the Prince, alternating from the flush of ex citenieut to the paleness of agitation, his mind evidently reverting to the danger she had escaped, and to the conse quences which might result to the interesting being seated by las side—did net escape those % / hose intense gaze was fixed on them, and who could not, under such circumstances, allow a lock to escape their observation. Her Majesty and the Prince, with his hat in his hand, returned by continual acknowledgments the cheers and congratulations of her loyal subjects. ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. (From the Globe.) The West-end of the town has been quite in a state of excitement during the day, and the only topic of conversa tion has been the attempt of yesterday evening upon her Majesty's life. Numbers of ladies and gentlemen on horseback, as well as pedestrians of all classes, have visited Constitution hill, to inspect the garden wall, which bears marks of the balls, as does also a tree standing about midway between the roadside and the wall. A diligent search for the balls was instituted this morn ing by some of the servants of the Palace, but, as we un derstand, without success. It is supposed that striking against the hard brick wall they rebounded into the read and have been trodden into the earth. Some persons con jecture, however, that the marks pointed out are not those of the balls, and that the latter must have gone too high to touch the wall at all. When the miscreant was taken to the Gardener's-lane statien-house, be said, " I am very sorry I did not kill the pair of them." The prisoner is a dogged and determined sort of fellow, and appears rather to rejoice in his atrocious act than to experience any remorseful feelings. Shortly after the prisoner was brought to the station_ house the Hon. Augustus Murray, and other gentlemen connected with the Government, arrived, and had a consul tation with Mr. Superintendent May and the inspectors on duty. The prisoner in the course of the evening asked to be accommodated with a pillow, which was supplied him by Inspector Partridge. A police-constable was placed in the cell with him. He (the prisoner) however betrayed not the slightest emotion, and between 11 and 12 o'clock fell into a sound sleep, and continued so till between 7 and 8 o'clock this morning; he then requested to be furnished with breakfast and coffee and bread and butter, and made a very hearty meal. In the course of the morning he said to Inspector Part ridge, that if all the cells in the different station-houses were as comfortable as the one in which he slept, the papers had stated very falsely as to the want of accommo dation and comfort. At an early hour a crowd of persons assembled in front of tee station-house, which, by half -past nine, became very dense, and it required great exertion on the part of the police to prevent parties from forcing an admission. Shortly after 10 o'clock the sister of the prisoner, a very interesting female, respectably attired, and apparently about 18 years of age, came to the station-house, accom panied by a gentleman, but whether he was a relative or a friend our reporter was unable to learn; she was instant ly admitted, but was not allowed to see her brother. A gentleman named Wright, of Hemel Hempstcd, who is on a visit in town, and never having seen her Majesty, was very anxious to obtain a sight of her, was walking in the Park for that purpose, and saw the prisoner fire both pistols ; a lapse of three or four seconds having intervened. Immediately after the first was discharged, Prince Albert rose and was much flushed in the face. Her Majesty (notwithstanding the report to the contrary) appeared much alarmed, and turned very pale ; after the dis charge of the second, Mr. \Sri ight, who was on the oppo site side of tae road, crossed over for the purpose of seizi ,g the prisoner; but on his (the prisoner) placing his arms across and holding out both the weapons, he became alarmed, and while pausing as to what step he should pursue, the ruffian was seized from behind by another gentleman, who wrested one of the pistols from his grasp, and on several other persons coining up, he (the gentleman) was seized, as it was thought he was the person who had made the attempt at assassination, and he was also conveyed to the station house, but it scarcely need be mentioned that, cn an ex planation of the facts, he was instantly set at liberty, and will, as a matter of course, form one of the principal wit nesses. Mr. Wright further stated, that after the royal carriage had proceeded a short distance, it stopped for a few seconds, and then proceeded at a quick rate. The prisoner seemed greatly disappointed at the first pistol missing her Majesty, and before firing the second he advanced two paces, and seemed to take a more determined Shortly before eleven o'clock the prisoner was removed from his cell, and conveyed on fuet to the Home-office, accompanied by Mr. Superintendent May, Inspector Par tridge (who carried the pistols), and a posse of police con stables. He was dressed in a blue frock coat and black trousers, and appeared to be perfectly collected. As the prisoner passed through the station-house, the sister exclaimed, " There he is," and almost fainted. It was foolishly reported that the prisoner had inade a confession to Inspector Partridge that he (the prisoner) had been promised 10,000/. if he succeeded in killing her Majesty ; this, however, turned out to be totally untrue, no such communication haring been made—in fact, the prisoner has been quite silent on the subject. TWELVE o'Ceocx.—Among other rumours was one that the prisoner is one of the Birmingham Chartists, and be longed to one of the London Committees; this is merely, however, conjecture, and no intelligence could be obtained as to the truth or falsehood of the statement. The prisoner is slightly made, good looking, and about five feet six inches in height. It is scarcely possible to suppose that one so young, and without apparent motive influencing him, would, if sane, have attempted so sanguinary and foul a deed ; indeed, on the%contrary, on cooler reflection than the excitement of the occurrence would allow, many circumstances appear which may be humanely construed into acts of insanity on the part of the prisoner, and it is to be hoped that such will prove the case. The letters found on the prisoner arc not allowed to be read through, but there are ono or two addi tional facts relating to them which have not been pub lished. In one of the notes, " Harrow " is appointed as the place of meeting ; but it is conjectured that that word is only a by-word, and that the real place of meeting was to be elsewhere. It is signed "J. Smith." A further search of the prisoner's apartment ook place early this morning, to discover, if possible, any other papers secreted; but the search was not attended with success. It is generally stated that the house in which be lived is No. 6, West -street, West-square, Lambeth, and a great many persons sought the place last night, but could not find it, as the other numbers, as they are called, are mere doors, and five in number, next to which is a narrow pathway leading to a cottage behind. From the circumstance, however, of a public house being in front, it was fully believed by those who had only heard it rumoured that the prisoner was a pot boy, that that was the house, and they would scarcely believe to the contrary. An unavailing search has been followed up to discover the bullets. On the exa mination of the pistols there was demonstrative evidence of their having been loaded with ball. Hundreds of per: ens have visited the spot this morning, and the oc currence Corms the general theme of conversation in all companies. It appears that the evil intelligence was con veyed to the country with the most alarming exaggerations, and the military and civilians of Woolwich were astounded on hearing, at eight o'clock, that his Royal Highness had been shot at and seriously wounded ; great consternation and dismay were excited as, so few hours before, he had been amongst them. Great crowds of persons were as sembled round the station-house and Home-office, to catch a glimpse cf the prisoner on his being conveyed to the latter piece for examination, which was fixed to take place at a►even o'clock. The demeanour of the prisoner re mains unchanged. The prisoner throughout the night slept very soundly, and was frequently visited by Inspector Partridge, who was on duty. Mr. 'M'Cann, the surgeon, had a conversa tion with him this morning, but he still obstinately re fuses to give any explanation of the motive that led to the committal of so fiendish an act, or the object it was in tended to serve. The prisoner called upon Mr. Lenton, butcher. of the Waterloo.road, on Tuesday, night, and in a conversation with the reporter that person said, in reference to Oxford, that he wasia good boy, and his ( Mr. Lenton's) impressio n was that be had formed a bad connexion, and was the dupe o` some depraved party. The police, under the directions of Mr. Superintendent May, are most active in endea vouring to .race cut the author of the treasonable letters but they refuse to disclose the result of their activity for obvious reasons, and they state their belief that the signa. ture Smith is an assumed one. Soon after ten o'clock, Mr. Lowe, of Copthall-court ; Mr. Wm. Clayton, of Princes-street, Soho; Mr. J. Clay ton ; Mr. Pecks; Mr. George Skearce ; and the police consables, besides a number of other witnesses, who vo;un teercd to give evidence, assembled at the Station-house in Gardener's-lane, which was at this time (as well as the Home-office) surrounded by a dense crowd of persons anxiously waiting to catch a glimpse of the prisoner. In consequence of the crowds round the station-house, it was arranged that the prisoner should pass out as quickly as possible, turn to the left, and proceed the back way through Duwniaz-street passage to the Home-office ; and this was so excellently managed, that scarcely those who were admitted inside the station-house saw him pass along. He did not wear handcuffs, and as soon as he got into Gardener's-lane, he took to his hcels as fast as he could, and was followed, as was preconcerted, by Inspectors Pierce and Hughes. These arrangements prevented any confusion in :he public streets, and the prisoner reached the Home-office immediately before the clock struck eleven. At that hour the follow ing noblemen and gentlemen had arrived to conduct the investigation. Lord Normanby, the Hon. Fox Manic, Mr. Phillips, the Under-Secretary, Mr. Hall, the Chief Magistrate of Bow-street, and Mr. Barnaby, the clerk of the same police court. There were also present Lord Uxbridge, Lord Cardigan, and other noble personages, where names did not transpire. Several reporters to the public press were waitirg to be admitted into the Council Chamber, hut it was understood that the exam i nation, as in Capt. Good's ca.e (whe was charged with threatening her Majesty), would be strictly private. The Gazetted 3 e Trib ttneaus states t h at J o h n Irving, an I rishman been two y ears confined in the prison o f t h e Rue de wholCch bad obtain li y, for debts to upward s o f 60,000 francs, h av i ng received et the necessary c er tifi cates t h at hi s health wa s su tf erin . removed to the .llai'sonj.e permissi on , not l ong s i nce, to be of Dr. B e dd et , i n t h e Rue Notre Dame de s Champs, A few days ysasble ago ohe on make his escape, leaving thelDieoicst7r efocraltlrbi:edowet(oi to his detaining . creditor s . in his own country, and to hays been to be hi g hl y connected incar ceration by several persons of distinction.visit e d d ur i ng his with the Gazette der Tribunau x in reprobating We perfectl y concur probating this most dis honourable act, which not only throws a heavy liability n one ought to exist, but must be detrim enta l to in where hereafter really require t h e indulgence which any who m a was grant e d to Irving.— Galignani. RAILWAY TUNNELS.—THEIR USE. --A lad the , carriages on the Brandling Junction Railway , between N e nforms us, that being the other day a passenger in on e of ' castle and this town, she had for her opposite compani ons % loving couple, whose interchange of looks pretty plainly i nc h_ cateethe state of their hearts. When the carriage arrived about the middle of the darksome tunnel at Heyworth, amidst all the re-echoed rumbling, yelling, and rearing of the iron dragon and his tail, the quick ear of our informant detected the light chirrip of a kiss ! Another moment, and the train once more visited the " warm pr e cincts of the cheerful day." The gentle man l oo k e d a little foolish, - but his fair companion, with the most demure simplicity, innocently asked :—" Are there any more tunnels between this and Sunderland?"- - - Sunderland IT raid THE SUN, LONDON►. FRIDAY. JUNE 12, 1840. COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL THE ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE THE QUEEN AND PRINCE ALBERT. Yesterday a Court was held. It was an appointed day of meeting for the dispatch of a great deal of business, but by the unanimous voice of the members everything was postpored in their great anxiety to pour out their feelings of horror and indignation at the diabolical attempt made upon the lives of her Majesty and Prince Albert. The Lord Mayor, for whom Alderman Gibbs officiated in tile justice room, sent round summonses to the Aldermen to at tend a Special Court of Aldermen, at four o'clock, to vote an address to the Queen and Prince Albert, and the Duchess of Kent, on the pros idential escape of her Majesty and her Illustrious Consort. The Guildhall was in a bustle during the day, and although several committees were ap pointed for the morning the official business appeared to be wholly suspended. The Lord Mayor took the chair. Mr. RICHARD LAMBERT JONES rote, and said that the Court perfectly well understood upon what subject he thus early, and before the observance of the usual forms, ap peared in his place to address them.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") It was for the purpose of calling for the expression of their sentiments upon the atrocious attack made on the preceding day upon the lives of her most Gracious Majesty and her Illustrious Consort. He could scarcely trust himself in speaking upon a subject which struck terror into the hearts of every one who had heard of the atrocious outrage.—( Loud cheers.) Dear as her Majesty was to her subjects, it was impossible for them to contemplate the danger which she had so narrowly es caped, without feelings of the deepest sympathy, and without being thankful to Divine Providence for its inter position to protect her from injury.—(Loud cheers.) Whatever opinions might be entertained with respect to those by whom her Majesty was surrounded, there was but one feeling towards herself. Whatever view party took, there was but one sentiment of affection, and love, and loyalty, towards her.--( Cheers.) He blushed fer his county, when he thought that a single individual could be found in it monster enough to attack the life of one who had such claims upon the nation; but thanks to Providence she was preserved, and he trusted that she would long live to reign prosperously over a people in whose affections she was secure, not only for her own sake, but on account of those from whom she .vas de scended.—( Loud cheering.) He considered that the oc casion was one on which it would not be advisable to use many words. Indeed the language which nature spoke under such circumstances was limited to the brief expres sion of horror and indignation at the atrocity which had been attempted, and gratitude for the interference of Di vine Providence.—(Loud cheers.) Mr. Jones then stated that the course he should advise the Ccurt to pursue was, to follow the precedent which former attempts upon the lives of our Sovereigns unhappily afforded ; and he accordingly moved the following resolution That this Court view with feelings of the deepest indignation and abhorrence the atrocious attack made upon our beloved and most Gracious Sovereign, Queen Victoria, and her Illustrious Consort, Prince Albert, yesterday, the loth instant; and while this Court must agree that the mur derous intention of the traitor was providentially frus trated, they cannot forbear to express their unfeigned hor ror that any subject of the realm should have been ca pable of such a base and wicked act, and their heartfelt joy that her Majesty and his Royal Highness were provi dentially presersed from the fatal consequence which might have resulted therefrom." Mr. WIRE seconded the resolution. There was but one feeling, he said, pervading the Court and the nation cn the subject of the atrocious attempt, and there was but one feeling of gratitude, the most fervent and unfeigned, that this attempt had been by Divine Providence frus trated.—( Cheers.) It was undoubtedly matter of surprise and sorrow that an individual could be found who was capable of so diabolical an attempt, but a great proof was afforded in counteraction of the attempt, of the great goodness and mercy of God..—( Loud cheers.) Mr. LAWRENCE rose to support the resolution, which had his most unqualified approbation. He, however, thought that it would, on such an occasion, be advisable to call a Court specially at six o'clock that evening, in order that as many members as could be brought together might attend and express their unanimous feeling. Mr. R. L. JONES.—On such an occasion we ought to put all forms aside, and act promptly.—( Loud cheers.) Mr. LAWRENCE certainly approved in the highest man ner cf the prompt and energetic manner in which the sub ject 30 deeply affecting the nation was brought forward : but he still thought that very member of the Corporation ought to be present to join in the feeling which prevailed. Loud cheers, and cries of " ‘Ve will agree to the reso lutions.") He hoped the Court would wait until greater numbers assembled. Whatever occasion he might have had on former occasions to accuse members of tardiness, he certainly had reason to applaud them for expedition in the present.—(Cheers.) The LORD MAYOR said, that he had ordered a Court of Aldermen to be summoned at four o'clock, and he had no doubt, notwithstanding the fact that several members of that Court were in the country, that his brethren would as semb'e in sufficient numbers. Sir PETLR LArRIE said that as the Lord Mayor knew that the Court of Common Council would meet at 12 o'clock in pursuance of the summons, it was surely unne cessary to call a Special Court.--( Hear, hear.) Besides, as all the newspapers had that morning announced the atrocious attack, a sure calculation might have been made that the Court would entertain that subject before and to the exclusion of all other questions.—(Cheers.) He felt convinced that they would not delay one moment in pre paring an address to the Throne, and that they would de precate discussion upon a matter on which there could not exist two opinions. The whole nation, at least all who were in their senses, rejoiced in the providential escape of her Majesty.—( Cheers.) Mr. HEPPRI. said that he disapproved of the suggestion of Mr. Lawrence to wait for a 8, pedal Court, as the Mem bers mu.q be aware that as a Court bad been appointed the subject of the attack would precede all other questions. —( Cheers.) He trusted that no time would be lost in preparing the address. For his part, he should consider that he would be looked upon as wanting in loyalty if he absented himself upon such an occasion.—( Cheers.) Mr. °HUARD (in answer to Mr. Lawrence) begged to know what their constituency and the rest of the public would thick if the Court went to any other business be fore they took into consideration that paramount subject. The resolution was then adopted amidst loud acela- mations. Mr. R. L. JONES next proposed the following resolu tion ,—" That an humble, dutiful, loyal, and affectionate address of congratulation be presented by this Court to her most Gracious Majesty, expressive of the deep ab horrence and indignation of this Court at the recent trai torous attack on her Majesty's sacred person, and of their unfeigned joy, that by Divine Providence, her Majesty was mercifully preserved therefrom, and of the sincere and heartfelt loyalty of this Court to her Majesty's person and Government." Mr. WIRE seconded the resolution, which was carried amidst acclamations. Mr. R. L. JONES said he knew the Court would una nimously agree with him in the propriety of ccngratu lating Prince Albert on the occasion —(Loud cheers.) He then moved, and Mr. Wire seconded the following resolution :—" That an address of congratulation to his Royal Highness Prince Al'o,rt, her Majesty's Royal Con sort, expressing the deep abhorrence and indignation of this Court at the recent atrocious attack on the lives of her Mrijesty and his Royal Highness, and of the unfeigned joy of this Court, that by the interposition of Divine Pro vidence her Majesty and his Royal Highness were mer cifully preserved."—Carried amidst acclamations. Mr. ANDERTON said that he felt great gratification in rising to move an address of congratulation to the excel lent mother of our beloved Queen.—( Loud cheers.) He then moved t. e following res•lution —" That an address of congratulation be presented to her Royal Higtmess the Duchcs,i of Kent, expressing the deep abhorrence and indi g nation of the C our t a t th e recent atroc i ous attack on the life of her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, and of the unfeigned joy of this Court, that, by the terposition of Divine Providence, her Majesty and his Royal Highness were mercifully preserved." R. L. JONES seconded the resolution, which was carried amidst acclamations. A Committee was then, upon the motion of Mr. R. L. Jones, seconded by Mr. Wire, appointed to draw up the Addresses, and strangers were ordered, as is usual on oc casions of voting addresses, to witticliaw. The addresses were soon prepared, and they were adopted amidst loud cheers. The Court. throughout the whole of the proceedings, manifested a feeling which did them high honour.—Adjourned. THE ATTACK UPON THE LIVES OF THE QUEEN" AND PRINCF. ALUERT.—The Court of Aldermen met at four o'clock, and, with closed doors, agreed to resolu tions and addresses similar to those adopted in the Court of Common Council, and for which see advertisement. The following selection of music was performed by the Grenadier Guards Band at Apsley House, on Wednes day evening : Overture—Don Giovanni Melange—Fairy Lake Auber and Lea Quick March, composed by her Royal High floss the Duchess of Gloucester. Duetto—Norma Walzer—Cavalier Cavatina—Torquato Tasso Donizetti. Les Bouquets des Dames Strauss. Finale—Lucia di Lammermour Donizetti. Mazurka—La Gitana. March, Coburg. TuTt.' NEW HOUSES or PARLIAMENT. The works for the sew houses are rapidly progressing ; but no inconsiderable difficulty is every day occurring in the different of f ices, where the clerks are compelled to shift their quarters, in consequence of their rooms coming down to make way f or laying the foundation inside the river wall, which has now been for some days completed. The Committee-rooms Nos. 24 and 25, in the Speaker's house, will be levelled to the ground in a few days, and four Committee-rooms are in preparation in the old building over the archway, at the entrance to the Court yard, and which was for many years used as a part of the Id Star Chamber, which stood near that spot. ESTABLISHMENT OF A LINE OF PACKETS TO SiNc;Aroac.—Our readers will be glad to perceive, from a notice in our advertising columns, that a line of packets it about to be established to run between Calcutta and Singapore, taking their departure every twenty days. The vessels provided fot this purpose, consisting of three schooners, are, we are in formed, in every way calculated for their object, and should the undertaking prosper, it is proposed to add an additisnal one, so that the periods of sailing may take place at intervals of fifteen days only. This enterprising undertaking is altogether novel with us. India having hitherto been altogether a stranger to regular packets; but the growing importance of our settlements to the eastward, calls for the establishment of regular and con stant intercommunication ; and the very critical position of affairs nisbnnadciCnuhenividar,tt.feroertnhddsehe hymeneal Hertfordshire peculiar l y desirable at the present moment. —HurAariz, February 3. Reeks tw We understand a marriage is on the tapis be h,amveee,nehtande th fa e ira o n u d na ac i c a o d mplished daughter of one of the first c a n n e r: l a al c tlt a r pt b a y in a i g n e t i h t e le ar in been .k it was supposed that the young lady would have gallant y, sona heart, e of ar t , I h a d r seems gbata e a i ma e l n l y : m o a w u l ecAnchgxfhi exists o r a senior, but tl . r. no to their anion. IMPERIAL PARLIAMEN T. HOL J.S'E OF LORDS, lu.vE, 11. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY took his seat on the Woolsack at Five o'Clock, during the temporary absence t of the Lord Chancellor. There was a very full attendance of Peers, and the Dukes of Sussex and Cambridge were among the first that entered the House. Around the Throne were seve ral Foreign Ambassadors, and t h e e ld est sons of Peers. la the boy of the Hence we noticed among the Peers present Lord Grey, Lord Brougham, the Duke of Wel lington, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Duke of Richmond, Lord Langdale, the Marquis of Connyngham, the Earl of Albemarle, Lord Abinger, &c., &c. M. Guizot, and the brother of General Paez, the latter of whom was introduced into the House by the Duke of Wellington, were also present. The space below the bar was crowded 'with Members of the House of Commons, and the whole House presented a most animated appearance. Several Peers, on entering the House, and perceiving the two Royal Dukes present, immediately went up and shook hands with them. Lord LANGD ALE presented netitions from the soli citors of Huddersfield, Colchester, Gloucester, Monmouth, and other places in favour of the Chancery Bills; also a petition from the solicitors of Liverpool, against the aboli tion of the Equity Court of Exchequer. Lord ELLE NB ORO UG I-I presented similar petitions. The Duke of RICHMOND presented numerous pe titions against any alteration of the Corn-laws, from Yeo vil, and places in Somerset, Essex, and Sussex ; also a petition from Newbury, in Berkshire, against the rating of workhouses. The Duke of RUTLAND had to present a vast number of petitions against any alteration in the Corn-laws, upon which he would trouble their Lordships with not a single observation in the present state of the House. The petitions were then laid on the table. ADDRESS TO HER MAJESTY. Lord MELBOURNE, who seemed to labour under strong emotions, and was heard with difficulty, said—My Lords, your Lordships have all doubtless heard with sor row, as well as myself, and with mingled feelings of sur prise and horror, which such an event was calcu lated to excite, that an atrocious attempt has been made upon the life of her Majesty—(the last words of the Noble Lord were scarcely heard, and a marked sensation of horror pervaded the House.) My Lords, it is now my duty, formally and officially, to ac quaint you that a desperate attempt on the Queen's life was yesterday made in a Royal park.—(Marked emotion.) Two piatols were fired, dnd the only matter of wonder is (as well as we could understand from the faltering tone in which the Noble Viscount spoke) that her Maj. sty was unhurt.—(Great sensation.) Upon all former occasions of which, my Lord , , unfortunately, the recent history of this country affords too many—it has always been the custom of this House to address the Throne, in expressing its horror at the attempt which had been made, and to offer its congratulation on the harpy and fortunate es cape. On all former occasions this House hes taken that course, and your Lordships will not be surprised that I seize this first opportunity of your meeting, without any notice—( Hear, hear)—to propose that your Lord!hips should follow a similar course. (Hear, hear, hear.) At the same time, I feel, my Lords, that it is unnecessary,—indeed that it would be indecorous,—to expatiate further on the circumstances, or to conjecture what might have been the consequences if the unfortunate event which has taken place—(The Noble Lord's voice so much faltered, that the termination of this sentence was not heard.) The matter is in course of legal inquiry, and it must hereafter be the subject of judicial investigation; and it would ill become me to make any observations which would in any degree interfere with a dignified and impar tial course of inquiry.—( Hear. ) My Lords, I have now to move that an humble Address be presented to her Ma jetty, to assure her Majesty " That this House feels it a duty to express its horror and indignation at the late atrocious and treasonable attempt against her sacred person, and its heartfelt congratulation to her Majesty and the country, for her Providential deLverance from so great a danger ; and to express to her Majesty the deepest concern to find that there exists within her Majesty's dominions a person capable of so flagitious an act, and to make a❑ eanest prayer to Almighty God to preserve to us the protection of her just and mild Go verarnent, and a life so justly dear to us." Motion agreed to. The following Peers were appointed to prepare the Address :—The Duke of Sus ex, the Duke of Cambridge, Viscount Melbourne, Duke of Wellington, Marquis of Normanby, Lord Privy Seal, Lord President of the Council, Bishop of Londoo, Earl of Abercorn, &c. These Peers then left the House. :Their Lordships shortly after returned, having revised the Address, and on the motion of Lord MELBOURNE a Con ference was desired with the House of Commons ; the Duke of Sussex, the Duke of Cambridge, the Earl of Shaftesbury, the Duke of Wellington, and father Peers were appointed to attend on behalf of their Lordshiks. During the absence of the messengers to acquispat the House of Commons with their Lordship's wishes. Viscount DUNCANNON moved the second readitlit9f, the Irish Grand Jury Cess Bill, and that it should be cocrl-!' mitted with the Irish Corporation Bill to-morrow, and the debate be postponed until that time.—The Duke of Wel lington having acquiesced, the motion was agreed to. CUSTOMS DUTIES' BILL. On the motion of Lord DUNCANNON, the second reading of this Bill was adjourned to Monday next. The Duke of RUTLAND presented several petitions against the Corn laws. The Usher of the Black Rod then announced to their Lordships that the House of Commons agreed to a con ference, and that the managers awaited at the bar for that purpose. The following Members of lira House were then ap pointed to conduct the conference with the Committee of the House of Commons:—His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the Lord President, the Duke of Wellington, the Bishop of Durham, and Lord Melbourne. Their Lordships returned after a few minutes, when The Duke of SUSSEX said that the Committee ap. pointed by the House had conducted the Conference with the House of Commons. He had left the Committee of the House of Commons a copy of their Lordship's address. The Duke of RUTL AND presented several petitions in favour of the present Corn-laws. Lord VESEY FITZGERALD presented a petition from Ireland, against the repca‘ of the present Corn-laws. Lord GOSFORD presented a petition from the county of Armagh against the importation of foreign c,rn. Petitions against the repeal of the Corn.laas were prc • seated by the Earl of Carberry and the Duke of Buck ingham. ADDRESS TO HER MAJESTY. The Noble "r 7 n 3 here interrupted 'oy the LORD STEWARD of the HOUSEHOLD, who had shortly before entered the House, and t.ho now informed their Lordships that Her Majesty had been graciously pleased to appoint to-morrow at two o'clock, at Buckingham Pa lace, as the time and place at which her Majesty would receive their Lordships' address of congratulation. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY took this opportu nity of explaining what he had said in the course of the evening. He had thought there should have been other motions nearer the heart of the Noble Earl this evening than the Corn-laws, but as the House wished to proceed, he had not persisted in his attempt to postpone the busi ness of the evening. The precedents which had been re ferred to, and particularly that of 1817, were directly in favour of the adjournment of the House. He had made his suggestion because he thought their Lordships wou'd not desire to go into the discussion of this question after the event which had taken place. The Earl of FITZ WILLIAM . , amid loud cries of " Go on ; go on," then proceeded—He was always de sirous, on matters indifferent to him, to comply with the wishes of the House--(" Hear, hear," and laughter)-- what he meant was, that it was his desire, in matters in which no public principle was involved, to consult and act in accordance with the wishes of their Lordships. —( Hear.) He was well aware that in approaching this subject he was mooting a question on which he would not presume to say, with his Noble Friend on the cross benches, their Lordships had made up their minds ; but on which considerable prejudice, or, at least, say strong feel ings were entertained, and by some persons diff eren t t o those he hims e lf entertained. But he thought on this oc. casion, above all others, their Lordships would not so much consider the individual who addressed them, as the thou sands, and he might say millions of petitioners of whose sentiments he was the organ. In some of their former incidental discussions on this subject, he had maintained that the people of England had for many months been suffering under severe privations--( Cries of " Hear, hear") that proposition had been, be would not say, denied, but at least there had been an endeavour made to show that he ( Earl Fitzwilliam) had taken an exaggerated view of this subject. Reference had been naturally made to the average prices of corn, as shown in the Gazette. These averages did not present a fair view of the rate at which the people of England paid for food. It had been the misfortune of this country of late years to experience two or three bad harvests,—certainly two exceedingly bad harvests. Their Lordships were aware scarcity might arise from two causes,—the crop being bed, and the har vest good, or vice versa, or it might arise from a combina tion of two misfortunes. The crop of last year was not a good crop, and the harvest, as all their Lord ships knew, was unfavourable. A large portion of the corn was introduced to the market ; the consequence was that the averages were brought down far below the point which their Lordships' Act had sought to fix at the rate at which the people of England should obtain their food. The averages undoubtedly had remained at some where about that price which the framers of the present law conceived they ought to do. They had been between 655. and 70s. during the last winter; bat that price did not at all represent the means which the people of Eng land had of supplying themselves wth food. If their Lordships would turn to any of those periodical papers in which statements were made of the price of corn in the leading markets of the country—he meant the mar kets of consumption, because it was necessary to distin guish between the two descriptions of markets—he did not mean the great markets of productions, where large quantities of corn were produced, and comparatively but a small quantity consumed, but those which provided for the sustenence of great masses of the people, such as Birming ham, Liverpool, Wakefield, and other places with which he was less acquainted, and their Lordships would find the average price in these markets was from 655. to 68s, a quarter. Their Lordships would find that the average price of best corn (by which he meant that description of corn of which the bread c )nsumed by the great mass of the people ought to be made) was as low as 655. to 675. There had been a much greater difference between the average price returned in the Gazette and the price paid last year, than was ordinarily found. In many years their Lordships would find that the price of corn had not varied more than ss. or 6s. above the constant average ; but during the last year the same corn had varied from 103. to 12s. above that average. He dwelt on this subject, because it struck him that it was one which perhaps had not presented itself to the minds of many of their Lord ships; but it was a very curious fact, and one to which it was most desirable to pay attention. There had oftimes been a sort of dispute between himself and others as to what was the intention of the Legislature in enacting this Corn-law. He had sometimes presumed to state that the design of the Legislature was to raise the price of corn, and he had been corrected when he made that state ment, and told that it was not the intention of the Legislature to raise the price of corn but to regulate it. —( Hear, hear.) Now, if that were true, it did not ap pear to him that the Legislature had been successful in their endeavours. It would be necessary to advert not merely to the present state of the law, hut to that for which it was substituted. The present system of Corn-laws was a perfect novelty in this country. It never had been the object of the Corn-laws of this country to exclude foreign corn, but to regulate or raise (whichever their Lordships pleased) the price of corn until 1815. It was proposed by a Committee of the House of Corn :eons, which had sat in 1814—and the whole gist of that inquiry was to show that wheat ought not to be produced in this country at less than 803. per quart. r. The object of the law of 1815 was to provide for the English farmer the prico of 80s. per quarter. They well knew with what effects that law had been attended—or rather, how it had failed in its effects. Under that law the price had fallen below 40s. per quarter, and the law itself was at tended with the greatest possible injury to the agricultural interests. He was not in the habit of doing so, but he was desirous of reading to their Lord siies a portion of the evidence that had been given before the Committee of the House of Commons in 1836, which came from that quarter, from whence they would always obtain the soundest information on agricultural subjects— from the southern parts of Scotland. It began at ques tion, 9,651, and was the evidence of Mr. Hope, who lived in Haddingtonshire. The Noble Earl then read the evi dence, which was to the effect that the Corn-laws had in duced the farmers to give higher rates, in expectation of obtaining greater profits, in which they had been universally disappointed The Noble Earl then proceeded to read the evidence of Mr. Howien, a farmer from East Lothian. He was asked what was the reason that the farmers had given up their farms, and his answer was, that they had all conceived that they were to have 80s. a quarter for their wheat, and on that their calculations had been made. They were disappointed, and ruin was the consequence. An early writer on political econornt (Sir Josiah Childe) had said that, when it was well with land, it would be well with trade ; and that when it was well with trade, it would be well with land. The Corn-laws, however, prevented that coincidence of prosperity, and rendered it im possible. It had never taken place under the Corn laws. The farmers have prospered for the last few years, but the manufactures have suffered. The Government of this country had the singular infelicity of so constructing its laws as regarded corn, that both classes of the popula tion could not thrive under them. The gentleman whose evidence he had quoted was afterwards asked whether the Corn-laws of 1815 had deceived both the landlord and the tenant ? His answer was, that they had. The calculation, he said, which they took, was al most universally 41. a quarter, as the Corn-laws had promised that amount, but not effected it. Their Lordships might suppose that • the questions put to that witness were put for the purpose of extracting from him answers favourable to the views of those who advocated a repeal of the Corn-laws. But who was the party who put the questions? It was Mr. Cayley, the Member for the North Riding of Yorkshire, who is the most d termined advocate of protecting du. ties. The evidence which he had just given referred to the law of 1815. He would next pass to the law of 1828, which was that under which we were now living. The witness was asked whether he was well satisfied with the law of 1828 ? His answer was, that the subject was one he was not able to grapple with—that he was satisfied pith the scheme at first, but that it had been of no benefit to the farmer for the last three years of agricultural distress. He said he should prefer a moderate fixed duty, but that the question was not one which he could properly decide on. That was the evidence of a farmer from East Lo thian, and that was a county which afforded the best op portunity of forming a judgment on the subject. The evi dence which he would next refer to would be that of Mr. Ellis, a considerable grazier iu Leicestershire. He stated it as his opinion that the present duty was too high. He was speaking of the duty of April 183 C, when the price was low and whenahe duty was accordingly raised. He said that the present law gave the farmer an expectation that something might come to his relief which could never arrive ; and it, therefore, raised the value of land fictitiously. In that opinion he (Earl Fitz william) entirely agreed. He had seen fluctuations of rent and fallings of rent with occasional increase. The question, in his opinion, was altogether a question of rent Hear, hear) misunderstood he believed—(Hear, hear)—grossly misunderstood by the landed gentlemen and Peers of England.—( Hear, hear.) They did not comprehend their own interests—they looked merely to the next rent-day without looking to the permanent in. terests of themselves oe of those who were living under them. They took a short-sighted view of the matter, but not he believed from any selfish motives on their parts as a body. That had always been his opinion. He did not accuse the landlords of selfishness, but he thought they did not look beyond the surface. They did not see how the value of their land was increased by its connexion with other interests. They did not, in short, act on the wise sentiment that when it was well with trade it would be well with land. That maxim presumed a free system.— ( Hear, hear.) It was because they endeavoured to 'else artificially the price of land that they could not ensure the prosperity of the labouring and the manufacturing interests at the sometime. Let them return to a sounder and more natural system than the present. Let them take courag-„ and not have those wretched apprehensions of what might iriPPem Under an alteration of the present law, even the poor lands of England would not be thrown out of cotta_ vation. Lincoln Heath could never swain appear in Eng_ gland. N e i ther could they again see 'Norfolk and Suffolk in the state in which they were formerly. He thought that it would be impossible to exaggerate the present dis tress of the manufacturing districts. He had warned the Noble Viscoun. at the head of her Majesty's Government on the subject at the commencement of the Session, and the condition of those districts had not improved strew. He would not hesitate to say, that if their Lordships would institute a Committee for the purpose of inquiry into the subject, they would find that the state of things was infi. nitely worse in the manufacturing districts than any of their Lordships could imagine. He did not say that the Corn laws were the immediate cause of these evils, but he said that they had a good deal to do in producing these event s which caused them. The Corn-I :ws had destroyed the cemmerciat intercourse between this country and America. The Government had been warned that that would be the result of the Corn-laws by their official representative at Washington. The Core-laws grievously aggravated that distress which might proceed from other causes. They raised the price of corn under certain circumstances but not under all circumstances. They did not raise the price of co:er when there wr , ; r 7 rianee. of it he cottc:try. L I Bee, 1e35, and 1836, they had not raised the price. In 1835 the average price was lower than it had been since the year 1793, The Corn-laws therefore raised the price of corn then only when there was a scarcity of it in the country—that was to say, at the very moment when , it should be the object of the Legislature to diminish the price as much as possible. There was thus an unhallowed alli ance established between scarcity and the present system. During the last twelve moi,ths the Corn-laws had probably raised the price of wheat by 12i. or 15s, a quarter. Let it not be imagined that the agricultural labourer himself re ceived any benefit from those laws. Prices might rise while wages would not rise in proportion. On the people of England the existing laws operated with great severity, and that severity their Lordships had the means of alle viating. He would venture respectfully to say that it was their duty to do so. Were their Lordships aware what was the amount of the debt which America now owed to this country ? He could not himself state it exactly, but it certainly amounted to many millions. America was willing to discharge that debt. If the present Cot n-laws were repealed she would also be able to do so —(Hear.) He knew that the subject he was discussing was distasteful to their Lordships; but unless they were prepared to incur a degree of odium which no men would wish to be exposed to they should put an end to the present Corn-laws. He thought their Lordships would act with great wisdom if they agreed with him in reconsidering the subject. When the present Corn-law was passed he recollected a Right Hon. Friend of his who was then in the House of Com mons, but who was now a Noble Lord, saying that the law he was then proposing was a very good temporary alteration of the last law—that it was very good for that time, but he did not say it was permanently good. Though it was a great improvement upon the then sys tem of law, it was one that he proposed in one sense as a temporary law. In that view of the law he concurred ; be had supported it, and he thought he did right in doing so, as the present system was far better than the mischie vous one that preceded it ; and it was therefore for their Lordships now to say whether it was a system to which they could permanently adhere. The law was not intended to effect absolute exclusion, but it did effect it by high duties. It effected the exclusion of foreign corn up to 655.; and if there was anything in what his Friend had stated with respect to the currency, and he was in. clined to think there was, the price of 645. in 1828 im plied a great deal more than 645. in 1815. They were now, in fact, excluding corn up to the price of 703., taking it at the currency of 1815. The principal argument in favour of the exclusion of foreign corn, was that advanced by an eminent man out of Parliament, He alluded to what had been stated by Mr. Malthus. The view he took of the Corn-laws was, that it was desirable, with a view to national independence, to exclude foreign corn. That might be a sound political view, but he would not go into that question then. Ifs Noble Friend near him had said that was an important point...--( Hear.) Su it might be, but when they were told they could not do without foreign corn, there was an end of the important point, and the question was, how they were to admit foreign corn ? He understood that the President of America had said that it was important that a eountry should be independent of of foreign supply. That gentleman might very well say that, because that country, of all °there, was least likely to require a supply of corie_( Hear, hear.) In this country they could hot do without foreign corn. What was the condition of their farmers when they did without it in 1834, 1835, and 1836? They were then suitors at their Lordships' bar, praying their Lordships to alter the Corn-laws, and not, as at the present moment, asking that it might not be repealed. On that occasion Com mittees were appointed to inquire into agricultural distress —( Hear, hear, hear)—and in 1836 a Noble Lord gave, before a Committee of the House of Commons, some good advice. That advice was honestly given, and being so he trusted that it would have its weight with their Lord ships. That Noble Lord stated, in answer to a question put to him by the Committee, that he really did not know anything they could do for the agriculturalists but to tell them honestly that no Parliamentary relief was possible, for he was not aware of anything that could be done for the agriculturalist by Parliament. He (Earl Fitzwilliam) entirely subscribed to that opinion—(" Hear," from the Duke of Richmond)—and it was with that view that he desired to enforce his motion upon their Lordships. Lord ASHBURTON wished to know whether the evi dence the Noble Earl had alluded to was that which he had given. Earl FITZ WILLIA M said that it was—(Hear)—and he was satisfied that the sentiments contained in that an swer were founded in fact. He remembered being told on the occasion that there had always been Corn-laws in this country ; there could be no doubt of that, but they never had Corn-laws in the country with the same ob. jects as the present.—( Hear.) They never had this system till 1815, when the landed gentry in an evil hour thought they were going to be ruined by the peace. The attempts that had been made to bolster up the present law were miserable in the extreme, and he was sure that the landed interests of the country stood far too high to re quire such quirks of legislation.—( Hear, hear.) He thought, therefore, that it wou ld b e w i se in Parliament to re-consider the law, because if they did not, they would hare alternate complaints from one or other of the two classes of society ; for the moment they established an artificial system, the coincident prosperity of both classes was impossible.—(llear e hear.) In the year 1810, when tho Continent was closed against this country more than ever it was known, even at that time] aspelies of fresh corn carne into the English market. Therefore, to talk of the law being essential to their political independence was preposterous.—( Hear, hear.) With respect to culti vation, it was remarkable that in an Sc districts of the country which were best cultivated there was little or no desire to maintain the present Corn-laws ; but where agriculture was at a low ebb, there there was a desire for the retention of those laws. There was no fear that the poorer lands of the country would be thrown out of cultivation; there was in reality no rational cause of apprehension.—(Hear, hear.) He would not, however, deny that the rent of some of the weaker lands must be lowered, but it would be to a very limited extent. During the last 25 years, what had been the changes in practical and theoretical agriculture ? He supposed in that period the advance had been greater than in the proceeding cen tury, aid the effect was to make lands very tolerable which before that period were very bad; such a knowledge had now been obtained of the proper management of manures, that even if the Corn-laws were entirely swept away, he would be bound for it that there would still be as much corn grown in the counties of Norfolk and Warwick as there was now. The price of land might fall; but that was a consi leration which would not influence their Lord ships—that was a consideration which their Lordships would put far from them. The landowners were a very wealthy, a very respectable body, but they were far from being numerous—they did not amount to more than from 30,000 to 40,000 persons—he admitted they were a very powerful, a wealthy, and most respecta ble body, but he could not admit them to be a numerous one, and, therefore, while considering what was for the good of the nation at large, it is a class that ought to be the last considered ; they are not suffi ciently numerous to justify their Lordships in sacrificing other interests to theirs. But that was what they did by the Corn-laws ;to what other interest d d they give any similar boon ? They did not to the fun holder, nor to the manufacturer,: or any other class. He saw the Noble and Learned Lord was ready to catch him on that point ; he remembered that about a month ago, on his pre senting a petition, the Noble and Learned Lord (Lord Wynford) asked him if the manufacturers were willing to give up the protection the State afforded thorn. At that period he was not prepared to answer the question, but lie would now say that they were perfectly ready to do so.— ( Hear, hear.) But what was the protection the manufac turing classes enjoyed ? It was intended that they should have a protection of 30 per cent. ; even if they had that protection, was it anything compared to that enjoyed by the farmer? No, the protection enjoyed by the farmer amounted to thej absolute exclusion of the article produced by him until the price rose to sixty-five s'eillings a-quarter. The price of wheat at Dantzic say 40s.a quarter, then a duty of 20s. a quarter Vv7iS pro tection to th e amoun t o f 50 per cent. ; but that was not I all; when there was a little scarcity, then the difference in the price was much greater than the difference in quan tity—the farmer's protection was actual prohibition, until the price of the foreign article rose to 655. ; therefore the Legislature had dealt more liberally with the agricultural interest than they had done with any interest in the coun try. Now that might be all very right and very proper, but for the life of him he could not see it. On the ground of justice to the other classes, and still more upon the ground of true policy, he would say the time had arrived when they ought to revise the Corn-laws. He was about to use a phrase which he was afraid might give offence-- The Duke of RICHMOND—Don't use it then.—(A laugh.) Earl FITZWILLIAM—Oh yes, I will, for however harsh,ll think it true. The immediate object of the Corn laws was to make corn scarce in the country, He knew others said it was to raise and regulate the prices; he knew that was what was said of the object of the laws, but the immediate object was to make corn scarce until it had arrived at a certain price. In a year of abundance, the Corn-laws were a dead letter—they did no harm `to any one but the farmer, to whom they held out hope', of getting 655. while he might be forced to ply.: up with 355. In abundance then they were useless, but when there was a little scarcity —to take a supposed case— suppose in place of having 100 quarters there were only 98, then the Corn-laws immediately commenced ope rations. Suppose the natural price of wheat, when there we's precisely as much in the country as was sufficient for the maintenance of the people, neither more or less--suppore under these circumstances the price of wheat were 50s. a quarter—that is, with an exact supply ; but then suppose in place of 100 quarters they had . only 99 ; the deficiency caused a much greater effect upon the price than the deficit appeared to warrant—in place of rising to 50s. 6d., it would be 525., or 55s.—it was impossible to say 'what, be cause then come the Corn-laws ; they step i.n and say you shall not import any corn until the price vises to a cer tain height. The intention of the laws was to aggravate a slight scarcity —he would not for a mow nt suppose that they were intended to aggravate a great one—and he con sidered the system as entirely inconaiseent with sound le gislation. They could never regulete prices nicely and exactly, and it appeared to him that they should not at tempt it at all. Durir"e a period of ',25 ye ars th e y h a d b een making th e attempt, arid never yet had they succeeded, and they never would ; therefore he would conclude by moving " That it i s expe di ent to recons•der the laws re gu l at i ng ' the, importation of foreign corn." Several Noble Lords rose, hut there being a cell for— Lord WESTERN, the Noble Lord addressed the House, but in so low a tone of vnie as to render it impos sible to hear hint in the gallery. We understood him to contend that the average price of corn for the five yeas preceding 1815 was 1003. a quarter, and there was no com plaint against it—the great fell which had taken place after that period was clearly to. be attributed to the change then mode in the currency. By the Act of Chadcs the Second the price was raised to 53s a ceuartere which was subject t o a d uty o f Bs, a quarter. The. only object he had had in view.in consenting to these laws had been to prevent the agricultural interest from being ext , rrminated. If foreign countries, the inhabitants of which were content to live on EVENING E DIT lON the offal corn which they sent to us, Supplied to the" population food ea eco-i i. 3 tca, of the ie.r.i) country, they would not have much to spare.—( Hear, hear.) He looked to the commercial and manufacturing* prosperity of this country to sustain the prosperity of the agriculturists. What was the reason the price of corn in this country was so much higher than on the Continent: which was always the case ? It was the accumulated weight of taxation.—( Hear, hear)—the artificial situation in which this country was placed. The distress which had taken place in Ireland in 1822, was never equalled. The price of wheat wits SO low as 38s. a quarter, et at that time Ireland export e d n ear ly a m illi on quarters , wh le her own people were dying of s t arvat i on . Why was tine? Not from the want of corn, but of money, in consequence of the want of employment. This was the greatest pos.. sible infliction on the poorer classes. It was this which broke their spirit ; but where men could get employment and carry their labour to market they felt themselves in dependent and of their proper value in the scale of society. He had looked with some curiosity at a document which had appeared some months ago—the report of the Man chester Chamber of Commerce. This Indy being de' sirous of ascertaining the cause o f t h e di stresse s whl .ea prevailed had met t o enqu i re respect i ng it, the sat for a long time ; b ut among all ed topcs they had repre sente d i n t h e i r report , t hey" si" nothing about the Corn-laws, but attributed the distress which prevailed to th e extraor di nary fl uctuat i on of the currency; and were they to s it aga i n , t h ey wo uld still base to come to the concusion that this was the real Cat" of the di.tress in this coun t r y an d A mer i ca. H e was one who had looked with extreme alarm at the distress whic h ' for the last twenty years, had pressed upon the manfactu.r ing districts ; but if th e C orn -l aws , w hi ch h a d ex i s ted for , t‘ , enty-five years, had occasio ne d t hi s , w h y did they not, also attribute to the Corn-l aws t h e great prosper i t y whil had also prevailed durin g th e same per i o d? H e cou ld not but think that it was indirect taxation that had caused thi s distress, and he thought if the Noble Earl succeede d in lowering the price of corn to the continenta l price, ho would produce still greater distress thS4 at present exist e d.—( H ear .) Th e N o bl e E ar l o' oll . have it supposed this was a l an dl or d' s quest i on . I t was"' a landlord's question—the Noble Earl had failed in convinc; ing him of that. The farmers and labourers of Essex ba d d been more active in getti ng u p th e pet i t i ons w hi c h he h' presented than the landlords. A mong t h ese there wag but e one feeling of indignation at th e means ta k en to b u lly and overawe the Legislature by the Anti-Corn-law League' The Noble Lord concluded his speech, of which we hr only been able to present unconnected frogmen% by passing a severe censure upon this bodyo and expressing a bop that their Lordships would not be deterred by such ages% from persevering in such m easures as t h ey believed 1101" best conduce to the prosperity of the country. The Earl of ROSE BERY said that as be intended to vo:e for the motion of the Noble Earl, he was anxious to state to their Lordships the grounds on which he Wee duced to du so. He was most anxious to contradict the up nion advanced by those who advocated a free trade"' corn, that the restraints upon it proceeded from what Off termee the cupidity of the landlords, end that it was ,'° ll their personal interests an injurious system was impose) on die country. It was said that the present system viro d o " tritnental even to the landlords. He believed this: .tba t proposition was self- con t ra di ctory . A ga i n i t was ,sid those who contended for a repeal of the existing law, that it was a source of monopo l y . I t did not appear to him that it cou ld b e l oo k e d on i n that light. Very large importations of foreign core bite this country had taken place within the last fel years, and that was a pr oo f th at t h ere was no monopoly of the corn trade in the hands of the lendlords. There were, however, erroneous v i ews ma i nta i ne d by the advocates. ni the present system, as we ll as b y its opponents. For las , stenee, a Noble Duke (th e D u k e o f Ri chmon d) con tends' that if the Corn-laws were repealed, a great portion of al° English soil would be put out of cultivation, and aft "?: tnense number of the labouring population would thus b e left without work. H e did t hi n k the statements ma de on this subject were at least exaggerated. In his o pinion, the great evil of th e p resent system was the grea t influx O f foreign corn to whi c h it gave r i se at certa i n periods, and , the total absence of it whi c h i t cause d at other t i me s. enabled speculators to come forward into the market, and. have recourse to unfair means for the purpose of advancing' their own interests and injuring the public. To that he thought their Lordships should apply a remedy. He, wished, ther e f or e, t h at i nstead of t h e pr esent. scale they should substitute that which had he, introduced by Mr. Canning in the year 1 82 , 1 _ If that was not ad o pt e d, t h ere were on l y two ot h e r moo!: that could be adopt e d i n th e p l ace o f t h e one at presert existence—either a fixed duty, or an unrestricted poser t: import. The latter seeme d a most w ild sc h em e, arid cn tr.at was calculated t o b e i n j ur i ous to t h e country at .. large. With regard to a fixed duty, he had many an d serious objections to it ; an d w i t h respect to duty at all, he thought such a sy s t em was anti-national, wild, an a nos i visionary. Conc e i v i ng t h at i t wou ld b e utterl:/ kora--; 6, bl& for their Lordships t o ma i n t a i n muc h l onger so me most important provisions of the present Cornele%A at thought it would be more wise and just to dctermift" raii , a • change should take place, and in doing so, to make as vial:- compromise betwee n a ll p ar ti es as t h ey cou ld, ftithcdt ing for some great chang e , w hi c h wou ld certa i n ly ultimately take place unless something was done. It was fro.n a firm conviction of this that he had n o t h es i tate d to bring his mind to vote for the motion of his Noble Friend, under the impression that the best change would be to continue the present principle of the system, accompanying it with a set of duties varying in amount according to the price of carn,• and altered so as to render the price of corn between t. Continent, America, and this country more certain than it was at present. The Earl of FALMOUTH opposed the motion. He admitted that the question was on of great importance. lie agreed entirely in the principle of protection laid done by the Noble Earl. The Noble Earl who had brough t forward the present motion had so framed it as to catch all: the stray fish, and he had cautiously abstained from telling,' them that his object was a repeal of the Corn_laws. It w an then said that th e o p erat i ves were i n favour o f re p e a' , what had caused that ? Why, the highly improper Prt" ceeding of the Anti- Corn-law League, a body which, must say ought not to be suffered to exist, or spoken' off - without disgust. He was anxious to see the question properly laid before the operatives—he was anxious to see the Anti-Corn-law Lectures properly reet, as Ire was sure if they were, a year would not c' apse without their having the operatives in their favour. The Noble Bart had been rather shy of stating why he wished the question to go before a Committee—he had not referred to it in his speech, but he had in his letters, in which he had lugged in words of Scripture for political purposes. The (m l l thing in which he agreed with him in that letter was era' high compliment he had paid to the clergy of Eug bend. 41 He was sure that that compliment was deserved, and, that a er the clergy would support him if he could show that opinions he entertained on the subject were soured ones. The Noble Earl quoted Sir R. Peel's speech order to prove that under the present system of Corn.).asva the nos tuations had been less than under former ser g enr e, and only a strong necessity would justify them in m a-king any altera tion. An isolated passage of the Ri- 4 h t Hon. Baronet's speech had been qu o t e d i n an attemr,t to prove t h at be bs4 glorified the manuf ac t ur i ng interest'at the expense of tuto landed. It was unnecessary f him to say that there wen no foundation whatever for the assertion. No patriotic mart would attempt to crer.te differences between the two interests, but certain nt.rties had been actively en gaged Is inciting the labourer s against the proprietors, and tY:ey were of the manufacturing interest. They sough?. to take care that - while they joined with the Anti. Born law agitators, they ought to be aware that they ha'd often heard of the vitiated morals of large towns_of tb e condi tion of the factory—they ought to be careful tb at a body of exasperated farmers did not go among them rind stir up the workmen against The masters. Both bce.Y,es ought to he united, as theie interests were closely ii,entified, and any one tryieg to separate them was an enemy to his country. He denied that there was any truth in.t, h ! cry e.f. a bread tax—it wa s not a b read to x upon English wheat—it was a tax upon foreign when c and when they had ruined and beggared the agriculterral classes of this country, it would then, be dearer rib an it is now. The Noble Earl then quoted the late ci'seumstances attending the sulphur question, in order to e'dow the impolicy of 0 0 being dependent on a foreign ne'tion for an article of ne cessity. He thought both in.t wrests were entitled to the same protection, and that it was the duty of the State t riterpose equally for both. In their present situation, whichever way they loaked, they saw a complication of difficulties, but the Noble Lord must know t hat if any measure c ou ld, b e devised to increase th ose difficulties, it would be. tampering with the Corn-laws. Ho • did not complain of th e N o b le Earl briing forward t° lll 7 question, but he did, comp l a i n of the Government this an open question, which he thought, if the Noble vitssr::;,„s jest, he ought mor,nrc,ontLe mariner A o i nRb whichaEv N e done.—( o oi n l eeN. had da ( count retained the opinions he held last year on this i b il d e , c e a a n i f after the alludedthe somewha t (t Mrs t u n b u e r t c E o a u r s i and by reti tilTel been ediide tto9 eja,re,rld- 'troublep go l eo of uponeFt d h Ae iiLtri Lords this dgussaur subject, ect, h Conventions,fe ifelt Noble Earl, wno said that persons who had lived abroad , Kith a a f f e e w w ° w b o s r e d n' s 24 a i c ° rO s s .e. the table in explanation. h w im er s e elf ne eo t e el; 'Etc Earl of CL ARENDON:continued. The l'ite b s i. Earl had repeated the very words that be bad useu: s sark,,, s Although he freely admitted that what he might 9 5.: 5 "„:.; might prove the truth of what the Noble E s ': had said respecting his unfitness ever t o resent a petition on the subject from Liverpool, he could assure their Lordships he had not the presumption to think be could add any weight to what the Noble Earl had said or ) introducing this motion.—( Hear, hear-) If the N'ih ie Earl's powerful, an d to h is m i nd most convincing spe ech, should fail t o i n d uce t h e H ouse to ' consider that it w s" necessary to reconsider the laws which regulated the i ll !: portation of c orn i nto t hi s country, lee must indeed despa ir of doing so. B ut t hi s quest i on was one which increase d every year in importance —one which would force itself mo:e and more urgently upon their Lordships' considerati on —and as this w as th e fi rst t i me h e had had the opportualti° C etfoir : . 4 1 delivering his sentiments in their Lc,rdships' H ou se, be .;;,;:f trusted he should b e p erm i tte d to state the reasons en 80,: which he suppo r t e d t h e mot i on o f t h e Noble Earl. He 4;14 .:1 thought there c ou ld b e no d ou bt t hi s question was one O' 9901 r 11- $ f _ annually incre as i ng imp o rtance, w h ether they regfu lled the vast interests c o ncerned in it, or l oo k ed at it i n that ;.,/, 6 5 ;:; point of view in which it had been p l aced by the N o ble_ e s, Earl— the mode in which the attac'e and defence was cone ..„,, ducted by those persons who entertained different opinion s - , on the subject; and he thought it was the imperative duly lov: 16 "0 of Parliament to regard the effect of impressions on the .erti: ke l public mind with respect to th e production and price of the, the necessaries of life. He thought Parliament ought au entl t il deal between the two classes --the agricultural and en anu facturieg—with impartiality; and be thought w;eh the Noble Earl they s h ou ld cockeye ur to restrain 0, 9 exag-.lenr: gerations of both ; of the. arriculturalists, em the one , 0 0210 9 1 ; hand, who maintained that without the, protection 0 10 c = they now en j o) ed they could not 'maintain the rfj, value of th e l an d , end dischar ge the 'ow-dens imposed it uf tric o ds n edt t :teehmapiriutch, e op le n f acbtoohfuefro,oot,ll) would,,e rha nd the m ufa , tu r s con• • steel - atoll o t ese Corn.laws be greatly reduced. He thought the Agri' culturists, by exaggerating tbe adrarittiges they derioad t ri ti . t. cer a , t?tin . . es extent rehgo- ADDRESS TO HER MAJESTY. Lord J. Russell, (accompanied by Mr. F. Mau-le, Sir R. Peel, and other Members), brought to the bar a Message from the House of Commons, and said,—My Lords, I am directed by the House of Coemons to acquaint your Lord. ships that that House has agreed to the Address which your Lordships sent for their concurrence, and that they have filled up the blank with the words " Houses of Lords and Commons." The LORD CHANCELLOR having read the mes sage to the House, Lord MELBOURNE moved that the Lord High Steward be requested to wait on her Majesty, to ascertain when it will be her Majesty's gracious pleasure to receive the Address.---Agreed to. It was then agreed that the House meet to-morrow at half-past one o'Clock to receive her Majesty's answer. The Duke of BUCKING HAM presented several petitions from places in Essex in favour of the present Corn-laws. Lord KINNA IRD presented petitions from Newcastle, and from places in Perthshire, praying for an alteration in the present Corn-laws. NON-INTRUSION (SCOTLAND). The Earl of ABERDEEN gave notice that he would postpone the second reading of the Bill he had introduced on the subject of intrusion in the Scottish Church, from to-morrow until Tuesday next. The Bishop of EXETER said, that in consequence of the intention of the Noble Earl, be would himself post pone the motion of which he had given notice for Tues day, till Monday week. The Marquis of BRE ADALBANE wished to ask the Noble Earl (the Eall of Aberdeen) if it was his inten tion to persevere with the Bill ? From a letter he had re ceived from Edinburgh he had reason to believe there had been a sort of understanding between an Hon. Friend of the Noble Ea,-1 and an eminent clergyman of the Scottish Church, that the Bill would not be proceeded with, it' the majority of the Church of Scotland were op posed to it. A majority of the ministers of that Church had since, however, come to a resolution that the Bill would be inconsistent Gf Scotland.oinsistentwitl 1 t he principles of the Esta blished The Earl of ABERDEEN said that he would proceed with the second reading of the Bill on Tuesday next. He was no party to any understanding with any one on the subject.—( Hear, hear.) CORN LAWS. Earl FITZWILLIANI said he would be ready to pro ceed with the motion of which he had given notice on the subject of the Corn-laws, if it was the wish of their Lord ships that he should do so. At the same time lie thought , it would be p roper to postpone t h e motion.—(Cries of "Go on, go on," from the Opposition benches.) He was really at the disposal of the House.—(" Go on.") But undoubtedly he had understood that some Noble Lords were of opinion that it would be more complimentary and decorous to her Majesty that they should not then go on with any business. He wished to know what was the opi nion of their Lordships.—(Cries of "Go o n. " ) The Nobl e E ar l h av i ng said that he would accede to the wishes of the House, was proceeding to present a number of peti tions on the subject the Coro-laws, when The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said he would pro sug e g e e e s d t i t n o the N o bl e E arl w h et h er it would not be more decorous t o a dj ourn the consideration o f t h e que stion t o notano tdheevriadtagey. Preced en t s we re all in favour of such a FI proceeding, zonmdwhtiheLetzh withoutuAg A h i t sa t i h ds a o t t na the g hiso good donbleria desiresEarlon. Earl ws should s t o y do what he thought wou'd be most agreeable to their 7 L a o s r Lordships. iopnse in the 1100 .If he proceeded had a stranger would not be from the slightest want o f decorum towards her Majesty, as there feeling of attach ment to h(r M a j esty than he had—( Hear, h ear , h ear .) r s eeded st it n He though: their Lordships had dealt rightly on this sub ject in going on with business of which notice had been been given, and of so great importance to all the interests of the empire. Before he proceeded, however, he would lay on the table of the House several petitions with which he had been entrusted on the subject. The Noble Earl then presented a number of petitions from the counties of Stafford, York, Isle of Wight, Sheffield, London, and other places.