The Sun. — London, England, 1847-03-31 00:00:00

TANCRED. In 3 vois., post Bvo., " Tattered is a brilliant book, abounding in adventure and enter tainment, rich in descriptions and lively touches of character. It bears the stamp, moreoy_er, of individuality. It has entertained us more than either Conftsby or Sybil—and, we think, may stand higher in public favour. It is, unquestionably, the most brilliant and illizprising novel of the season."—Athenxunk Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough•street. Now ready, in 2 vols. small Bvo., R EVELATIONS OF PORTUGAL, With a Picture ot TIIE PRESENT STATE OF SPAIN. BY T. M. HUGHES, ESQ., Author of " Revelations of Spain." " Mr. Hughes's volumes are full of entertainment, and contain much valuable information on the real state of the Peninsula. His notices of the Courts of Portugal and Spain are agreeable. His fluent and gossipping pen records anecdotes, tales, rumours, and jests of all sorts. It lets us into the secret scandal of all the Courts of Europe."—Britannia, Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough street. ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, COVENT GARDEN, Latablished for the purpose of rendering a more perfect performance ofthe Lyric Drama than has hitherto been attained in this country. under the Direction and Management of Mr. BEALE. The Nobility. Gentry, and Patrons of Music, are respectfidly in formed that the Royal Italian Opera will open the first week In April. It is proposed to produce, in the course of the Season, some of the established works of Cimarosa, Mozart, Rossini, Meyerbeer, and others of the more modern Italian School, including Operas by Bellini, Doni sett', Mercadante, and Verdi, on a scale of the utmost perfection in 'very department ; to which intent the management has assembled a Company embracing the greatest and most varied talent in Europe. PRIMI SOPRANI.—Madame Grisi and Madame Persiani (her first appearance in London for three years), Madame Ronconi and Steffanoni (of the Theatre La Scala, in Milan, her first ap• pearance in this couutry). CONTRALTL—Signora Alboni (of the Theatre La Scala, Milan, and of the Imperial Theatre in Vienna, her first appearance in this country), and Mademoiselle Corbari. TENORL—Signor Mario, Signor Salvator Lavia (of the Imperial theatre of St. Petersburgh, his first appearance in this country), Signer Tulli (of the Theatre San Carlo, in Naples, his first appear ance in this country), and Signor Salvi (of the Theatre La Scala, in liian, and of the Imperial Theatres in Vienna and St. Petersburgh, Lis first appearance on the Italian stage in England). PRIMI BASSI BARITONI—Signor Tamburini and Signor Giorgio Ronconi. PRIMP BASSI PROFONDI—Signor Marini (of the Theatres San Carlo, Naples, La Scala, Milan, and the Imperial Theatre, Vienna, his first appearance in this country), Signor Angelo Alba (of the Theatre Royal, Madrid, his first appearance in this country), and Signor Polonini (of the Imperial Theatre, Vienna, 1113 first appear ance in this country.) PRIMP BASSI COMICI —Signor Pietro Ley (of the Theatre Royal Madrid, his first appearance in this country), and Signor Agostino Rovere (of the Theatres Royal, Naples, Milan, Vienna, and St. Pe tersburgh, his first appearance in this country). Seconde Donne—Madame Antoimetta Mollidori (of the Theatre La Scala, Su Milan), Mademoiselle Amalia Linari, Mademoiselle Lulgina Bellini. Seconde Tenore—Signor Einmanuele Slane (of the Theatre San Carlo in Naples). Director of the Music, Composer, and Conductor--Mr. Costa. A powerful and numerous CHORUS of chosen and experienced Singers will complete the Vocal Department. Chorus Master— Signor Bonconsiglio. Prompter—Signor Monterasi. The ORCHESTRA, formed of Artistes possessing the highest executive powers, will comprise among its members Eighty distin guished professors. The Military Band of the Coldstream Guards will be under the direction of Mr. Godfrey. An ORGAN, of extensive compass, has been expressly erected In the theatre by Messrs. Flight and Son. Organist—Mr. V. Novelle. The BALLET, of a brilliant and costly character, will close the performance of the evening, and no Divertissement will be suffered between the acts of the Opera. The Director has the pleasure to announce that he has concluded an engagement with Mademoiselle Fanny Elssler ; and, during the season, the following eminent Danseuses will appear:—Premieres Danseuse—Mademoiselle Durni latre (of the Grand Opera, Paris), and Mademoiselle Plunkett (of the Grand Opera, Paris), Mademoiselle Bertin (of the Imperial Theatre, Vienna, her first appearance in this country), Mademoiselle Neodot (of the Theatre Royal, Madrid), Mademoiselle Marietta Baderna (of the Theatre La icala, Milan), and Mademoiselle Fuoco (of the Academie Royale de Paris). Monsieur Petipa (of the Grand Opera, Parts), Monsieur Gontie (of the Theatre Royal, Madrid), Monsieur Ferdinando Croce, Monsieur Delferier (of the Grand Opera, Paris), and Monsieur Auguste Mabille (of the Grand Opera, Paris). Meares des Ballets—Monsieur Albert (of the Grand Opera, Paris), and Monsieur Blasis (of the Theatre La Scala, Milan). Leader of the Ballet—Mr. Alfred Mellon. Regisseur de la Dance Mr. O'Bryan. Composer—Signor Alessandro Curad (of the San Carlo Theatre, Naples). THE THEATItiI.-ITo render the Interior at once commodious, elegant, and comfortable, it has bees entirely reconstructed and decorated, under the Immediate direction and after designs of B. Albano, Esq., with every attention directed to its proper ventilation. The Decorations have been executed by Mr. Ponsonby: The Management has happily secured the artistic skill of Signori Ferri and Verardi (of the Theatre Italien, in Paris), to embellish the ceiling and to prepare a New Drop Scene. The approaches to the Theatre will be found improved, by a carriage way being formed immediately under the Portico in Bow-street, whereby parties can leave or enter their carriages without exposure to the weather ; and ky increased facilities for ingress and egress. The Refreshment Room will be under the superintendence of Mr. J. G. Watson. Tickets, Stalls, and Boxes, for the night or season, to be at the Box Office, Bow-street ; and at Messrs. Cramer, Beale, and Co.'s, 201, Regent-street. THEATRE ROYAL DECRY-LANE. ON EASTER MONDAY Will be performed the Opera of MARITANA. After which the New Grand Oriental Spectacle, called THE DESERT; or, The Imaun's Daughter. In which the Two Ele phants, upwards of Sixty Horses, and the Camels will appear. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. under the Management of Mr. B. Webster, sole Lessee. ON EASTER MONDAY Will be performed the new and original Comedy, called THE SCHOOL FOR SCHEMING. Principal characters by Messrs. Far ren, Stuart, Buckstone, Howe, Selby, Brindal, Mrs. Glover, Mrs. Hamby, Mrs. Yarnold, Miss Fortescue, Miss Bennett, Miss Rey folds,-Stc. After which the Grand Astronomical Extravaganza, called THE NEW PLANET ; or, Harlequin out of Place. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHL uder the direction of Madame Celeste. ON EASTER MONDAY Will bo performed the original Drama, called THE FLOWERS OF THE FOREST ; a Gipsy Story. Cheap John, Mr. Wright ; Ishmael, Mr. 0. Smith ; the Kinchin, Mr. P. Bedford ; Leybourne, Mr. Worrell ; Cynthia, Madame Celeste ; Lemuel, Miss Woolgar ; Starlight Bess, Mrs. Fitzwilliam ; Lady Agnes, Miss Harding. To conclude with the Fairy Spectacle, founded on the Ballet of LA (I:SELLE, entitled THE PHANTOM DANCERS ; or, the Wills Bride. Principal characters by Mr. Wright, Mr. P. Bedford, Mr. 0. Smith, Mr. Cullenford, Madame Celeste, Miss Marian Taylor, Miss Emma Harding, Miss Ellen Chaplin, and Mrs. Laws. FRENCH PLAYS.—ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. Lessee, Mr. John Mitchell. Mr. 'Mitchell begs respectfully to announce that Mademoiselle ROSE CHERI will make her First Appearance on EASTER MON DAY, in the Comedie-Vaudeville of UN CHANGEMENT • DP: VAIN ; and in an entirely new Comedy, entitled LA PROTEGEE, `SANS LE SAVOIR. Boxes, Gs., Pit, 3s. Gd. Stalls, 35.; Gallery, 2s. Doors opened at calf--past Seven, and the performances commence at Eight. Private Boxes, Stalls, and Places may be engaged at Mitchell's Royal Library, 33, Bond-street; and at the Box-office. ETHIOPIAN gERENADERS, ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. Re-eagagement of the Ethiopian Serenaders. The celebrated ETHIOPIAN SERENADERS, Pell, Harrington, White, Stanwood, and Germon, will give their Attractive ENTER TAINMENTS, at the above Theatre, on EASTER TUESDAY, and will be continued every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Evening ; and a MORNING PERFORMANCE every WEDNESDAY, be ginning on Wednesdy in Easter week. Boxes, 4s. ; Pit, 2a. ; Amphitheatre,'2s. ASTLE I'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE, Proprietor, Mr. W. Batty. Under the patronage of the Queen, Prince Albert, and other Members of the Royal Family. Will open, for the Summer Season, with Lord Byron's Equestrian Dramatic Poem of THE BRIDE OF ABTDOS ; or, TILE CORSAIR AND THE AVENGER'S STEED. Introducing Mr. Batty's Living Camels, Elephants, and Stud of Zerses, Ponies, &c. HE WEATHER..--sum OFFICE, MARCH 30. TLIERMOHETER, Lowest, 31 ; Highest. 45 ; Noon, 44, BAROMETER, 29.76.—Wind W.N.W., fine. HIGH WATER AT LONDON-RRIIME THIS DAY. - Morning .. 49 minutes' after 1. I Evening .. 5 mLnatel afto• 2.. 4-7 , , T 0.0 I• 41 " . I.' 1‘ aj f A ' SO , r4.st 'i ... 4, • Pi...-i., i ` 3*- - o $ . 4 , 0 , 04 ..,,t -- tp,- ' I: , ~ -. .. I , t € I . '3t 6 'a <. ROIT ~.... ' 2,111.....::irir ortung un LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1847. The Royal Assent was given by Commission to various Bills The Lords re-assembled at Five o'clock. The Waterworks' Clauses Bill, the Gasworks' Clauses Bill, the Markets and Fairs' Clauses Bill, and the Commissioners' Clauses Bill were respectively read a third time and passed. Lord BROUGHAM explained that he had not changed his opinions with regard to arrest on mesne process, and he thought that the manner in which the late law authorising imprisonment f o r forty days for small debts, had been overstretched by the Commissioners, would lead to the entire abolition of imprisonment for debt. In reference to a petition from Nottingham which claimed for the labourers a right of support out of the produce of the land, the Noble and Learned Lord declared emphatically that, in his opinion, the only title which any able-bodied poor man had to support was upon the produce of his own work. peril. Lord COL VILLE th en d rew th e a tt en ti on o f t h e The Easter vacation comes upon us s i multaneously house to the vo t e w hi c h b a d b een g i ven i n t h e l ate with the vernal promises of the s eason ; i t comes upon election of a S co t c h R e p resen t a ti ve P eer, b y a person us appropriately in that segment of th e annua l cycle calling himself L or d C OLVILLE , o f O c hil tree, and which is peculiarly redolent of hope ; it i n t errupts t h e znoved fur a return of th e li s t o f vo t ers on t h at oc- session of each Parliam en t ar y y ea r under th e gra t e f u l auspices of Spring. O n th e recurrenc e of th e E as t er casion, w hi c h was agree d t o . Earl GREY, in moving the adjournment to the 15th vacation we are always induced to cast a retrospec of April, announced that on their reassembling, their tive glance, however momentary, at the preceding Lordships would meet in the New House. labours of her MAJESTY'S Ministers, of the hereditary Their Lordships then adjourned. senators, and of the popular representatives. Never The Commons met at Four o'clock. might we be more justified in experiencing emotions The: second reading of the Dublin Improvement akin to those of trepidation on taking such a retro- Bill was, on the motion of Mr. GREGORY, postponed spective survey as at the memorable Easter which until after Easter, has just arrived. From the tribulations of the In answer to a questi on , C ap t a i n B ERKELEY said he winter of 1846-47 th e emp i re i s on l y j ust emerging. bad every reaso n to believe that a commission would The new Cabinet has only just completed the first be issued to inquire into the administration of the portion of its first entire session. The old Parlia- Merchant Seaman's fund. ment----the Parliament which commenced its sittings Mr. SPOONER then moved for leave to bring in a as far back as August, 1841, and which is, copse- Bill to suppress trading in seduction and prostitution, quently, rapidly approaching the term of its septennial which was ultimately granted. existence—has been compelled again to enter upon the into details Mr. G. BEIZKELEY rose to order. The Hon. most embarrassing and laborious deliberations. With Member to make good his case must go so many adverse circumstances against it the Legis unfit for publication, and lie (Mr. G. Berkele y ), lature has valorously wrestled against all difficulties, therefore, cailed the Speaker's attention to th e f act 1 and has reached without a catastrophe its present that there were strangers in both galleries. The gal_ vacation. that has leries were ordered to be cleared, and the debate pro- When we bear in recollection the amount of work ceeded with closed doors. been got through since the 26th of January; we • On the opening of the galleries we found Lord hen. . consider the length of the discussions, the En. rapidity with Which 21ORPETH moving for leave to bring in a Bill to measure after measure has been I prove th e H ea lth o f T owns, w hi c h was gran t e d. passed, th e dryness of the statistical details which - Variou s returns on the motion of several lion. have been exa mined in both Houses; the liberality of the Commons in voting moneys Members were then order e d. for the assistance of On the ques ti on b e i ng put f or t h e H ouse going into the starving million s , t h e toil of the Ministers, of their of their rs te, age n t s ; when Sir on th e A rmy Serv i ce Bill , supporters, we remember, moreover, the earnest and u oi n ,„ . Sir H. DOUGLAS moved that it be committed that--owing industry of NOW READY. By B. DISRAELI, every iniividual concerned in the evolutions of I the great political machine, from the First Lord of the Treasury down to the subordinate clerks in the Commissariat Department, it would be ungracious and unjust, as one of the exponents of public opinion, to refrain from expressing our fullest satisfaction. The present Parliament and the present Ministry have had to-battle against misfortunes which would have appalled the pusillanimous and have over whelmed the incompetent. By the very fact of their having conducted the affairs of their country through so terrible a chaos of calamities as that which has latterly descended upon Scotland and Ireland, the Parliament and the Ministry have shown themselves adequate to any occasion however dismal, and to any emergency however imminent. And with the exception of a few fragmentary discussions upon our disruptured relationship with foreign Powers—discussions which were absolutely requisite in consequence of the ex traordinary occurrences which had recently trans pired upon the Continent—excepting these fragmen tary discussions, what has been the predominant and almost exclusive subject of Parliamentary and Minis terial labour since the 26th of January but Ireland ? For upon whom have the eyes of the Legislature been turned if not upon the Irish peasantry ? To what portion of the British empire has liberality been evinced, and sagacious statesmanship been applied, if not to Ireland ? Whither, during this brief but fruitful interval of two months, have the capital, and the charity, and the precautions, and the provisions of England been flowing, if not into the lap of Ireland ? And all this has been accomplished immediately under the guidance, at the instigation, in accordance with the example of the Government. Whatever private munificence has been displayed towards Ireland—and there has been much—is alone owing to the emu lation excited by a provident and benignant Legis4tfire. We are depicting no Arabic fable, we are describing no Oriental allegory ; the truth of whatve utter is visible in the golden boons, and the wise provisions, and the lavish bounties which have been showered upon Ireland by the Go vernment. Hitherto the recommendation contained in her MAJESTY'S Speech from the Throne, that in endea vouring to provide for the necessities of the starving multitude, all party spleen and animosity should be forgotten or disguised by our Legislators, has been complied with admirably. Hitherto our Legislators have postponed their personal or party antagonism until the gloom of famine and disease shall be dissipated from the land. Hitherto they have acted like obedient lieges, like humane statesmen, like earnest and enlightened Christians. Before the Easter recess has commenced, however, the suppressed passions of the representative of Lynn break through all obstructions. In defiance of the entreaties of his SOVEREIGN, in defiance of a spurious friendship, in defiance of all Parliamentary usage, in defiance even of the commonest decency, Lord GEORGE BENTINCK utters language the most abusive and calumnious against Lord JOHN RUSSELL and his colleagues. He accuses of inhumanity a Government that has striven with the noblest fortitude against the inroads of dearth and pestilence. Ile attacks, as the cause of the mortality in Ireland, a Government by whose exertions alone it is that Ireland has been pre served from becoming one vast lazar-house. He endeavours to hold up to popular abhorrence a Go vernment whose whole energies have been tasked unceasingly to ensure the happiness, and to effect the salvation of the million. The retort of Mr. LA BOUCHERE upon these gross and inexcusable asper sions was at once so dignified and emphatic as to render further allusion to them superfluous. After directly, explicitly, and completely contra dicting the assertions of the Member for Lynn, the Right Hon. Gentleman the Secretary for Ireland says—" I apologise for having interfered, even for a moment, in referring to such a speech as that of the Noble Lord." We should be induced to apologise in like manner, did not our duty as journalists compel us to make this allusion to Lord GEORGE BENTINCK 7 and to mention him in terms which must render him the object of national opprobrium. day six months. After a short debate, the Hon. M.P. mher withdrew t amendment. The House then went into Committee pro forma, and, on the motion of Mr. F. MAULE, it was agreed that the Chairman should have leave to sit again to-day. The Irish Waste Lands Bill passed through Com mittee, the report to be received this day. Lord MORPETII then brought in the Health of Towns Improvement Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on the 23d of April. The House adjourned at Half-past One. The Bill for limiting the term of enlistment in the army has excited the wrath of many of the old officers--men who cannot tolerate the idea of any improvement or amelioratio❑ in the condition of the private soldier at variance with their own preju dices—who look upon him as a dull, unreasoning machine, without the feelings of ordinary huma nity, whose comfort and happiness is a matter of perfect indifference, so long as he can be brought to go through the usual routine of his duty, and who disregard the motives by which he is led to the performance of those duties, the main tenance and preservation of discipline, and of a fit and proper subordination. The Marquis of LONDON DERRY on Monday night led the attack in the House of Lords. He could not wait patiently until the measure, to which he was opposed, had been brought properly under the consideration of their Lordships. He could not restrain himself for the brief period that must necessarily elapse until the Bill was brought into the Upper House, when in his legislatorial capa city, he would have the full opportunity of express ing his opinions, and when his brother Peers would be well pleased to hear the fruits of his experience. He sought to 'attain his object by asking whether the illustrious Duke 'at the head of the army had sanctioned and approved of the measure. It must have been obvious to the Noble Marquis that it would introduce a most dangerous precedent as regards the confidential communications of persons holding high official stations, if the opinions expressed by them, as to the prudence and feasibility of any con templated enactment, while the same was under con sideration, were to be promulgated and published ; and that any answer to his question must be denied. The veteran Commander-in-Chief is a Member of the Senate, and most punctual and assiduous in the discharge of his duties. It is not to be supposed that he will suffer the Bill to be passed sub silentio, without stating his opinion as to the pro bable effects and policy of a measure of such import ance to the service over which he so worthily presides. We have every respect for the Marquis of LONDON DERRY as a gallant and distinguished officer. We have not any desire to detract from his brilliant ex ploits, or the acknowledged services he has rendered to his country on many a sanguinary field; and through many fierce encounters ; but with all that re sp'ect, we cannot succumb to his authority, nor would we do so, even to that of the Iron Duke himself on a point where an opinion could be formed on the jus tice and propriety of the proposed change. We shall gladly weigh and pay full attention to the arguments which the Noble Marquis may urge in favour of his own views, but if not convinced thereby, we cannot 3 ield to the authority of his name, or the respect we entertain for his distinguished services. We cannot agree with the Noble Marquis, that it is a question that can only be understood by military men, and on which they alone should decide. Expe rience has proved that persons interested in any profession are the worst legislators with respect thereto. Their minds are chained down to petty for malities, and are more or less prejudiced, so that they cannot take enlarged or comprehensive views on the subject. We should be sorry indeed if no change in the law could be effected without the sanction of those who made the profession of the law their pe culiar study. We conceive that a person of clear in tellect and sound judgment would be as fully quali fied to decide on the means by which crime could be repressed, although wholly unskilled in legal subtleties and technicalities, as the sharpest prac titioner in the criminal courts. In In like manner. we conceive an intelligent and well informed civilian as competent "/' to form a correct opinion as to the policy of limiting the time of enlistment, or improving the condition of the soldier, as those who have spent their lives in the service. Indeed, more so; for he would have no pre-conceived opinions to obstruct his view or bias his judgment. The opponents of the measure contend that there is no necessity for it, because a man, if he has good conduct marks, can obtain his discharge at the end of ten years' service for a mere trifle. We confess that we would prefer retaining the services of such men, if by any means they could be induced to remain, and getting rid of the less meritorious soldiers.' By the present system, the careless and good-foi•-nothing man, who is perhaps disgusted with the army, is forced to remain, and in consequence he becomes ab solutely reckless. He has no hope of being discharged within any fixed time, and he frequently commits offences in order that he may be sentenced to trans portation, or—still more horrible—maims and mutilates himself, in the hope of thereby obtaining his dis charge. He becomes an habitual drunkard, or deserts, because he is without hope, and cannot look for ward to the time when he will at length be liberated from his thraldom ; but if there is a certain time for his discharge, he consoles himself with the idea that he will shortly be free. His chagrin passes, his pride, and the desire of having a good character at the time of his discharge, induce him to behave himself properly ; he becomes con tented with his position and probably re-enlists, or else the service gets rid of a man unsuited to the military life. Many will enter the army under such circumstances with the full consent of their pa rents and friends who would not otherwise be pro cured, and in cases of emergency there will be a body of men trained to arms, ready to come forward for the protection of their country or the maintenance of its rights and privileges. The Easter vacation has happily not arrived before the Poor Relief (Ireland) Bill has passed triumph antly through Committee. Parliament has nobly fulfilled the expectations of the people in labouring night after night for the alleviation of Irish destitu tion, for the diminution of Irish mortality, for the assuagement of Irish sorrows, for the final termina tion of Irish misgovernment. Nobly has the present Administration championed on the aggregate Legis lature of which it is rendered by the laws of the Constitution the natural guide and admonisher —nobly, we say, has the present Administration championed on the aggregate Legislature in these labours of political benevolence and national gene rosity during days of unparalleled darkness and Matters hare come to the pass we anticipated. The increase of juvenile criminals has, so far as the letter of the law is concerned, thrown justice off its balance. The Judges, actuated by motives of the highest benevolence, wink at the provisions of the statute. Youths are placed at the bar of criminal jus tice of such an exceedingly tender age, that common sense resists the supposition that they could scarcely have been either the conscious or willing instruments in the perpetration of the offences with which they are charged; and humanity revolts at the idea of the certain consequences, adverse to their morals and future welfare, that would directly emanate from their commitment to prison. Our prison discipline is so imperfect, so deficient in point of classification, that would admit of a wise discrimination being exercised between the different ages and characters of prisoners, that the youthful offender is sure, at the termination. of his sentence, of quitting the gaol far more depraved in his morals from the contamination he has suffered by having been mingled with old and hardened criminals, than when he first entered within its walls. Thus, upon the whole, we have a fearful picture to contemplate. We have first crime gaining a rapid and frightful ascendancy; ne it, we are unprovided with the requisite means for checking it in a salutary manner ; and, lastly, we have the Judges shrinking from the strict performance of their duties, as enjoined by law. Society is diseased down to its very roots. According to Mr. Sergeant ADAms, the judge at the Middlesex Sessions, we are assured thst " experience has proved to a court of jus . :ice how often it happens that parents endeavour, by i uducing their children to commit crime, to throw the m upon the State for support, and that only a few da d 'a back he had four cases where the parents had endea,'7ourea to rid themselves of the natural burden of their ch i l dren by prosecuting them !" Last week, at Bury Sc. Ed munds, a boy of ten years, stood indicted hefore the LORD CHIEF BARON ; no com)sel app( whereupon the jury were addressed by the Judge in the following terms : He was unable to comprehend what benefit the public could possibly derive from the prosecution .of' the child. His parents were able and willing to take care of him ; they were respectable persons, to whom the task of reclaiming him might safely be confided ;, and without determining the age at which responsibility might safely be enforced, or disregarding the poss.ibility of precocious maturity, he thought that, as the deposi tions did not show the boy to have been the to )1 of others, the interests of society did not require th at this child should be branded as a felon for life, and be e .xFosed to the contamination of a gaol On these grounds he had not permitted the boy's plea of ' guilty' to stand ; on the same grounds he should abstain from offering ev.'d ence for the prosecution, so that it would be the duty ,f the jury to acquit ; and on the same grounds he should ch. ecr fully encounter the whole blame, if any was merittul, for the course he now adopted." One cannot but commend the excellence of the motive which induced the Chief Baron to tak a this step. On the other hand, we cannot shut ;our• eyes to the fact that a precedent has herein been set which might lead to pernicious results. A disp, ?.Ltsing authority was assumed which the law does not re cognise. The Judge clearly stepped beyond his pro vince. He is bound to administer the law as; he finds it laid down, regardless of the consequ, aces, good or bad, in all its bearings ; instead of whi c h he declined to enforce it, because in his indivi dual judgment, the effect upon the criminal W( tuld be prejudicial in the extreme. This is, iry Vact, to confound the duties of the judge -with those of the legislator. Again, this judicial laniel icy may tend to increase the very evil by which s ocie ty is beset. Parents may be stimulated, by its e xhib 1- tion, to persevere in their atrocious speculation, as in - dicated by Mr. Sergeant ADAMS in the fore going; for whilst their offspring may escape with imi )unity, the parents take the chance of benefiting the: riselves by the amount of the property whit h they have incited the children to steal. o.ne of two things must happen ; either the Law in respect to prison discipline, as affecting juvenile delinquents, must be promptly and materially r evised and amended, or the Judges must be taught not to go beyond the limits to w hich they are r esti •ained by law. The first of these is undoubtedly the. task to which the Legislature should at once devote i is .unre- miffing attention. Matters cannot remain as they are. It is not very easy to provide an efficient remedy for the disease which is preying u . pon the vitals of society. We shall, however, upon a a early occasion, offer some suggestions for future legi olation on this important subject. SUS', LONDON, WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 31, 1847. Madrid Papers or the 23d have arrived. The Ministerial crisis still continue:l. It was, how ever, observed that none of the Ministers attended the sittings of the Chambers on the 23d. It was re ported that NARVAEZ and GONZALES BRAVO were to join the Ministry, and that then an appeal would be made to the army to coerce the QUEEN. There can be little doubt but that the money necessary to corrupt the army will be forthcoming from Paris, and NARVAEZ is an adept in the art of investing French gold to the best advantage in the purchase of a military revolution. Senor PACHECO will be got rid of by being sent Ambassador to Rome. MADrtria BorsA, MAYO 23.—The Three per Cents. closed at 30 1-16 cash ; the Five per Cents, 19 ; Passives, 53/ 4 ; and Coupons, 17 cash. We have received the Paris papers of Sunday. The differences between the supporters of the Ministry continue. The breach is evidently widen ing, and the Presse, as the organ of the Progressist Conservatives, has declared war against M. GUIZOT. This party numbers in its ranks no less than 43 Members of the Chamber of Deputies, and to show their sense of the gross insult which M. GUIZOT offered them, when in the course of his speech on the motion of M. DUYER GUIER DE HARANNE, he told them that " they, did not know their own position," they all absented them selves from his levee on Friday, and have openly de clared that the Ministry must no longer reckon upon them for support. According to the Constitutionnel a further decline in the price of flour took place in the Paris market on Saturday. The National, in the course of a long article on Spanish affairs, represents the QUEEN as held in a perfect state of captivity by her Ministers ; and that such is the case there can be no doubt. There is treason brewing against her. Of that treasonable plot NARVAEZ is the leader, and Queen CHRISTiNA the director. It is in order to enable her to conduct this plot in safety tnat she has removed to Paris. The telegraph between Paris and Madrid is constantly at work. The object of the plot is to depose the QUEEN, and declare the Duchess of MONTPENSIER Regent. The celebrated Count DROUOT, the friend of NAPOLEON,Aied lately at Nancy, in his seventy-third year. Mr. O'CONNELL was to leave Paris on Monday on his way to Rome. Scarcely any business was transacted on Sunday in the Passage de l'Opera.—The nominal price of the Three per Cents. was 79f. 323-c. --------- - BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, Alsacii 29. Boulogne and Amiens, 16% —Dutch Rhenish, 41A—Namur and Liege, 4%—Northern of France, 13 —Orleans and Bordeaux, 7 Paris and Lyons, G—Paris and Rouen, 34%—Sambre and Meus.,6%. THE POTATO CROP. 7'O THE EDITOR OF WE SUN. SIR,--In your paper of last evening appeared a letter, signed " Altred Smee," relative to the failure of the potato in Ireland, and recommending that eff .rts should be made to prevent a like occurrence in future. The letter was headed " Food or Famine," and was calcu lated, I think, to impress persons with the notion that the Irish are still to continue to depend on the potato as they have hitherto done. Now, sir, my object in trou bling you, in this hasty and very imperfect manner, is to endeavour to call attention to this subject, for I am satisfied it is a subject that has not yet had that atti n- Lion which it demands. I remember the time when Mr. Cobbett went over to Ireland for the purpose of seeing. with his own eyes, the condition of the Irish people, :Ind on his return, I remember he stated that they could only be rescued from the destitution in which he found them, and which he so forcibly described, by introducing the English poor law, and banishing the potato ; he gave it as his opinion, that the Irish people could never have been reduced to such utter poverty if the potato had not been introduced, and he considered it the curse of the country. When we reflect that failures more or less extensive have constantly attended the potato crops, and that the people have been so fre quently on the verge of starvation, I think it becomes the duty of every man to do what he can to prevent the continuance of such a state of things. The sufferings which the poor Irish people have endured from time to time within my recollection on account of the failure of the potato, induces me to inquire if it can be desirable that they should continue to live on this lowest description of food, which has, in the opinion of men who have thought a great deal on the subject, been the means of degrading the Irish people below the people of any other country in Europe, and has caused more suffering than has been endured in any other country on the face of the earth. I am, Sir, your obedient servant. JOSEPH HEYLIN. 25, Fort-street, March 26, 1847. TEXAS. Wo have received the following letter in reply to some remarks which have appeared in the different journals regarding emigration to Texas : SlR,—The eagerness with which the Government emigration agents have seized upon the slight expression of the Acting British Vice-Consul at Galveston, suffi ciently indicates the alarm they feel lest emigration should be diverted to Texas from the less-favoured Bri tish colonies whose interests they have the honour of representing. Besides a crowd of other writers, Mr. Kennedy, very lately Consul in Texas, publishes a book lavishing un qualified praise on climate soil and advantages; he had travelled not with the mere view of satisfying an un profitable curiosity, but encharged with the serious duty of making a true report with views to lucrative operations. Against such testimony is placed the loose allegation of the young shopkeeper of Galveston, Mr. Arthur Lynn, appointed by the said Consul Kennedy, on his de parture for England, to act ad interim. Mr. Lynn's knowledge of the interior is believed to be very circumscribed, but be it what it may, he has far too much sense of his obligation to Mr. Kennedy, to intend holding him up for an impostor—the inference therefore is, that Texas has been praised for climate, &c., by some yet more enthusiastic writer than Kennedy, and as the instance adduced by Mr. Lynn relates to the German settlers, the ardent eulogium he complains of - is probably to he found printed in that language. Having myself, seer. a g ,, oedeal of Texas, and of ~ ther parts of the world, and moreover being a lover of lair play, I make bold to assert, that although there are unhealthy portions near the coast, the upper country, the counties of Milarn, Robertson, Bexar, &c., are of elim:ite more delightful and healthy than I ever ex perierced in any other part of the world, and that in point of soil Texas possesses a larger portion of the eery best, intermixed with less of the worn, than any other state I have visited. In regard to the term ad. vantages," I am unable to comprehend what Mr. Lynr. might mean, but, if he was thinking of streams and minerals, it would be difficult to name an extent of coup try that is so rich in them. 'The German emigration was too rapidly pres , ed—th. well doing of the first settlers at Braunsfels has been re ported home, and set all Germany emigration mad—the ships have been over-crowded, the old and sick and sedentary would not consent to be left behind by their relatives, the strength of some has, by inevitable se quence, failed on the route. The pious weakness that suffered such persons to accompany an expedition calcu lated, at first, for only healthy and laborious agricultur ists. may be blamed, but it appeals to the best sym pathies of our nature; and if the victims choose to take the risk, we may lament their infatuation, but ought to inculpate neither the climate nor the prudence of the emigration scheme. AN OLD TRAVELLER. London, March 26, 1847. Mrs. Nisbett (Lady Boothby), the most popular actress of the day, has resolved to return to the stage, and will re-appear at the Haymarket Theatre (the scene of her former triumphs) in Sheridan Knowles's comedy of the Love Chase, in her original character of Constance. MILK AN ANTIDOTE TO OXALIC ACID.—Mr. Anthony, surgeon, of Brixham, was lately called to a young married female, about nineteen years of age, seven months advanced in pregnancy, who had taken about one hundred grains of oxalic acid. He adminis. tered milk, with a view to form a coagulum, which suc ceeded in the most effectual way by producing instan taneous vomiting, as he expected ; after every ejection from the stomach, Mr. A. repeated the dose of milk, in quantities of a pint and sometimes half a pint, until vomiting ceased, and the pulses were restored to their natural tone. Milk being a decided antidote to the poi son, too much publicity cannot be given for the informa tion of the public.—Plyinouth Journal, DARING OUTRAGE AT DURIIAM.—An attempt was made to break out of the gaol at Durham late on the night of Sunday last. It appears that a person named Isaac Daw son, who is undergoing two months' imprisonment, rang his bell, and when Robinson, the turnkey, answered the call, Dawson told him that his bedstead was broken, and upon Robinson stooping to look at it, he immediately received a most severe blow from the prisoner, who was in possession of the leg of one of the stools used in the prison. Robinson instantly ran out of the cell, but not until he had received another blow, and getting the gate at the end of the passage locked, gave the alarm, and with assistance secured the pri soner, who, upon his examination on the following morning, stated that he and some others, who were under the sentence of transportation (who left for their destination by the mail train on Monday night), had agreed to disable the turnkey, who should attend the call, get possession of the keys, and let themselves out, but in this they were fortunately frus trated.—Newcastle Guardian. CALEDONIAN RAILwAy—BRANCII FROM ECCLE FECHAN to ANNAN.—The petition from Annan to the House of Commons in favour of this branch of railway, adopted at the public meeting, a report of the proceed ings at which appeared in this paper of the 10th instant, was last week forwarded to Mr. Ewart, M.P., fur pre sentation, with a request that he would support its prayer. The petition was signed by 625 individuals, in cluding the magistrates, councillors, and, with very few Dumfries and G a ll oway S tan d ar d . exceptions, the Parliamentary el ec t ors , res id ent w i t hi n the -- DUCATION ME ASURE .—P ROPOSED GENE RALTbuuE burgh : CONFERENCE. — The Patriot of last night states that steps have already been taken fo r ca lli ng a genera l confer ence to discuss the subject of the proposed measure of national education. MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS. (From The Son of last Night.) The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were 10,000 bales, including 2,000 on speculation and 1,000 for ex portation. Prices were firmly maintained, and, in some cases, * per pound higher ; 7,300 I)A:es American sold at 64 , 1. to 7a 1., 600 B a h ia at 7id., 1.000 E-,0 ptian at 71d. to 101 d., 500 Sur , t .t 3i(l. to 41(1.. and Sea at 10d. to 22,1. per lb. Shares were dull, The sale of Railway Shares *)-day, by Messrs. Lamond and Co., was dull, and participated in the general depression. Shropshire Unions have had a serious fall. The following are a few of the princip a l sa l es : South Yorkshire, Doncaster, and Goole 19 0 North British Extension Shropshire Union and Canal 0 16 6 South-Eastern and Dover, No. 4 4 5 0 Louvain ala Sambre 1 0 0 Great Western of Bengal 0 6 0 Leicester & Bedford, Exchange Certificate 0 11 6 Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A) 4 1 0 Eastern Counties, York Extension ... 417 0 Calcutta and St. George's Point 0 4 6 Direct Northern (scrip) 2 7 6 Reading, Guildford, and Reigate Newport and Abergavenny 1 15 0 Taw Vale Extension and Dock .. Asnbergate, Nottingham, and Boston Advices from the Cape of Good Hope of January 23, still describe the troops as being in pursuit of Pato, and engaged in the capture of cattle. By yesterday's arrivals from New York, the following statement of exports, important at the present time, has come to hand. It will serve to elucidate the question of our indebtedness with that one port, balanced against the imports of British manufactures there:— First as regards the general exports of New York in February, 1847, they were:— Domestic Merchandise Foreign " free . " dutiable Specie Total It will be perceived that the bulk of the exportation was in domestic merchandise, and the bulk of this was breadstuffs. The shipments of breadstuffs from this port to Great Britain, in February, were as annexed:— BREADSTUFFS EXPORTED TO GREAT BRITAIN, FEB. 1847. Bush. Bbls. Bush. Bbls. Wheat. Flour. Corn. Meal. To England and Scotland 72,666 100,973 393,496 26,826 1re1and........................ 15,869 17,241 402,904 10,719 Total 88,535 118,214 796,400 37,545 This is a pretty fair month's business, observes the New York Herald, particularly in corn, and exceeds the shipments for January. if there had been vessels enough in port to have taken what offered, the shipments of all kinds of breadstuffs would have been more than double the above. The Stock market is very heavy again this morning, and sales, where pressed, can only be made at a further decline. Consols realise 888 for present transfer, and 881 8 for April. Bank Stock is dull at 205 to 2051. Consols scrip is to a discount. Exchequer-bills have been Is. discount, and 2s. premium. The Funds are now acted upon by the state of ffArs in Spain, by the large remittances we have yet to make for grain, and by the approaching payment of another instalment on the loan. There has been more doing in the Foreign Market, but sellers predominate. Spanish Five per Cents. have been quoted 22 : 1-, and the Three per Cents. 34. Portu guese Four per Cents. have been 33H to 34 ; and Bra. zilian 86k. Mexican Bonds are worth 218 a ; and Grenada 208. Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. have been at 58q:. Railway Shares are all very dull, and lower again, tht , Account being against the Bulls. Still it does :n , t appear that thtere are many selitrs, aid the depres)iot. is likely to be but temporary, though depending upon the Funds. git IT ISII FUNIM CLOSING PRICES. ONE O'CLOCK. Three per Cent. Consols Annuities .. .. 88% %% New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cent. Anns, wig Annuities, Expire .lan. 5. 1860 .. Ditto, 30 years, Jan. 5, 1860 .. .. India Bonds, 1,000/. .. .. .. .. .. I )itto, under 1,000/. .. .. .. .. par par flank Stock for Arril 14 .. .. .. .. 205! , 205 1 / 2 •ons.ils for Account .. .. • .. .. 8s 7,', !-4 88% Three per Cent. Consols, 4crip .. .. . •VO4 dis dis • ' , chequer Bilis. 1 301. 2.1. 1,0001._ ... _ .... 2p 1 dis 1p lp 5001. ". .. .... I dis 2 p Ditto. Small 2.1) 9 3-16 ONE E , S I ex div 89% cLOSIN. PNICEs 86 20 86 54 FOREIGN FUNDS. Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent Danish, 3 per Cent • • .. Grenada, 1 per Cent .. •. 20% Ditto, Deferred 3%, Mexican Bonds, 1846, 5 per Cent .• 21% Ditto, for the Account .. 21% Peruvian Bonds, 6 per Cent. .. 39 Portuguese Four per Cent 33% 34 Russian Bonds .. 111% Spanish Bonds, 5 per Cent .. 2214 Ditto, Passive Bonds .. Ditto, Deferred . •15% Ditto, Three per Cent .. 31 Dividends on the above payable in London. Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cent .. 58% 5. Ditto. 4 per Cent. Certificates .. 93 93 PRICES OF BUSINESS CLOSING DONE AT RAILWAY SHARES. PAID. PRICES. ONE O'CLOCK. Amber., Notting., Boston, and - Eastern Junction . , .. • • 2% .... 2 % ...... • • Birmingham and Oxford Junction 5 .... .. •• • • • • • .. Wolver., and Dudley.. 5 11 1 4 Buckinghamshire .. 6/. 45... .. % p Caledonian .. 30 .... .. • . Ditto, half Shares 2% ....2%.• ........ Direct Northern Scrip 234.... 2% % •• Dublin and Belfast Junction .. .......... Eastern Counties .. 20 19% % . . . Do. I'erpet., 5 per Cent. No. 1.61. 135. 4d. % p...... Ditto, ditto.. .. .No. 2. Cl. 13s. 4d. 4 p...... Ditto, York Extension .. • East Lancashire .. • • .. 17 • 18.7 4 Ditto New .. .. 7% Ditto, ditto Now Scrip .. .. 14,•,• 2% • East Lincolnshire .. 4 .. • • 6 •4 ••••• • • • • • Edinburgh and Glasgow .. .. 50 .... Ditto, Half Shares .. .. 10 .... ••.. • Edinburgh and Northern .. .. 15 .... 16 Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester .. .. 1% Great Northern (London & York Regd.) .. .... 2% 2.... Great North of England . 100 Ditto, New .. 1 18 Great Western .. ........85 ..... Ditto, Half Shares .. .. 50 .... 7034 Ipswich and Bury St.Edmunds .. 14 .... • • • Ditto ditto, and Norwich .. 5 .... Leeds and Thirsk 2234 Ditto, Preference 6 per Cent. .. 3% .... Liverp., Mauch., & Newc. Junct. 234 London and Blackwell .. 161. 13s. 4d. ..... Ditto. New, No. 1 .. 4 .... London, Brighton, and S Coast.. 50 .. • • 52% Ditto, Consol. Eighths .. 10 .. • • 11% .• .. 1 London an North-Western • .100 •• • • 178% 176 .. • • 17 Ditto, Quarters . .. 2 .... Ditto ditto, New Shares • • .. 2 .... 13 .........• Ditto, Fifths . 2 .... 16% 16 . • it London and South-Western-41/. 6s. 10d... 6134 64 .. 63 Ditto, New .. 22% .... 25% 25 Ditto, Tenths (Consolidated) •. 50 ••• • 54 .......... 54 Ditto, scrip • • .. • • .. .... 5% ...... . 5 Ditto, ditto .. .. • • 4 .... . .......... 4 I,onooli and York Extension Scrip 2% •• .. .......... 23 London, Salisbury, and Yeovil .. 1% .... Lynn and Ely .. .. 20 .... 21% •. • ..... 21% Lynn and Dereham .. • • 15 .... 16%%,,,.. 1634 anchester and Leeds .. .. •• 82 .• ...... Ditto, Fifths 5 .... 1035 10% Ditto, Sixteenths 8 Ditto, Thirds (Beg.).. .. • • 71. 45..... p Manchester, Buxton, & Matlock 425. • • %34 p...... • • % p Manchester and Southampton 2 .... 1%......,,,, Midland .. 100 ..116 115 116% 114 114 Ditto, New .. 30 3434 .......... 34% Ditto, New .. 2 .... 51,E %• • Midland, Birming. & Gloucest...loo ....12334 ......... 1234¢ Northern and Eastern .. .. 50 .... .......... Ditto, Quarter Shares .. • • 12 34 •. • . 13% .......... 13% e rrea.:stle and Berwick .. 20 .. • 28 34 .... • • 28 3 4 Ditto, New .. • • • • 5 .... 83 4 % ........ Nortblk ..100 ...... 136 Northern Counties Union .. • 25 2% .. • . % ..... Norm British • 33 •• 3:3 Ditto, Quarter Shares • • .. 2 x .... • 3% Ditto, Extension .. • • .. 11 4 North Staffordshire .. • • • • 5 •• • • 87% • • •. North Western .. • • 4 .......- 4 Oxford•Worcest.,& Wolverhmptn. 2234 .... 15% % •• 15% Preston and Wyre • • • • 25 .... 34% •• • ...• 34% Reading, Guildford, and Reigate 5..•• 5 4% ..... • • 4% Scottish Central .• . .. 15 •••• • • • • 22 Shrewsbury and Birmingham .. 3 .... 4 Ditto, Class B • • • • 1 4 •••• 1% •.. • • • • 13 a Shropshire Union .. . 42s l'S 34 di5..... 14 dis. South Devon .. .. 40 ..... Preference • • • • • • 5 •• • • 5% ••••• • .• • • 5t 4 South Staffordshire .. • . .. 2/. 12s %p• . • • •• • • South Eastern and Dovor .. • . 33 1 / 4 — .. •••• • • • • 3744 Do., New (d 0.33/. 65.85,) No. 2. 12 .. 13% .......... 13% Do.. New (do. 30/.) .. No. 3. 15 Do., New (do. 151.) .. No. 4. 3 % 414 .......... 4134 Vale of Neath 2 % ..... Waterford and Kilkenny .. 1334 West Riding Union • • • • .. 4/. Is p........ p York and Newcastle .. .. 25 35 34% ...... 34% Ditto, New.. .. .. 10 ... j 1534 %15 .... 14% ' Ditto Preference . • ••4•.• • 7% • • .• • • 7% York sad North Midland .. 50 Ditto, Extension • • •. .• 20 •• •• •••• • • • • 36 1 % Ditto. Preference • • .. 2 ••1 1 % Do. E. and W. Riding Eaten.— 10 ...- 21% • • 2134 FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Boulogne and Amiens .. 0 Hord., T0u1.,& Cette tConstituted) 4 Namur and Liege .. .. • • .. 10 4%.......... Northern of Franco .. • • 8 .... 13 Orleans and Bourdeanx • • • • 6 •• • • 6 75% ••• • • Paris and Lyons .. •.. 8 .... 5%1 4 • West Flanders . 8 .... 16% 1% 4% 13 6% 5U 4% JOINT-STOCK BANKS. Provincial of Ireland .. .. 25 .. .. 44 MINES. Real del Monte, Unrezistered •• • • 3V, ••• • • • ••• COURSE OF EXCIIANGE.-(YESTERDAY.) Amsterdam .. ....C.F. 12 334 Gibraltar ...... •• Ditto, at sight ...... 12 1 Leghorn ........ • • • • 30 30 Rotterdam .... •.2 U. 12 4 Genoa 25 90 25 85 Milan fLimburgh • M.B. 13 1034 Venice .... A1t0na........ ........ Naples ....•. • 40% Paris, 3 days' sight .... 25 50 Palermo, p er 0z.... •. 121 Ditto, 3 months...—. 25 80 Li5b0n................ 53 Marseilles '25 90 Oporto.. 43 • • 43% B ourdeaux.. . .• 25 85 Rio Ja ne i ro .• .. • • 26 Frankfort on 121 Bahia Petersburgh, 3 U 5.... • • Buenos Ayres . Berlin • • • • ..... • • • • • • • Vienna, effec. do ••• • • • 10 3 rrieste, ditto .. ••• • • • 10 3 Nfadi id • . ....... „ 36 % 1 Cadiz • • •.. : Bilbao .• • • Barcelona • ... .• •••• •• New York, 21 days' sight Philadelphia .......... PRICES OF BULLION, PER OZ Foreign Gold in bars.. X 3 17 9 New Dollars ..... • 0 4 10% Portugal Gold Coin .. 0 0 0 Spanish Doubloons .. 0 0 0 Silver in bars •• 0 6 p ad ---- TH. STEA M - SHIP G HEAT BRITAIN.—The break water to the Great Britain. respecting which we gave some particulars in a recent number of our paper, still continues to attract attention. An eve-witness informs us that several engineers and officers of the navy visited the ship on Mon day and Tuesday, some of whom, on the spot, stated their opinion that after such a gale as that of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, when the wind was in the worst possible quar ter, and the sea terrifically high, they fully expected to find her destroyed. The contrary, however, has been the case ; and if we except a large spar, which was broken in two, the whole has stood well, and the seamen assured us the break water has admirably protected the ship. Two artists were sketching the ship at high water, where she affords a striking object to those who are desirous of seeing what, in most cases, would be a dreadful case of shipwreck. The sea rolls along her deck in awful grandeur, occasionally breaking as high as her masts. The noise of the seas rebounding and meeting could be distinctly heard amid the roar of the wind and noise of the breakers on the beach, The tides, with the wind at the south, are expected to be the highest of the year, and we understand Captain Claxton has given orders that the crew should not remain on board during the night tides of the re mainder of the week, not because of any fear for their safety, but solely on &must of their health and comfort —Down rob. irk Recorder. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen, attended by the Countess of Gainsburough and Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey, visited her Ma jesty the C,.aeen Dowager yesterday, at Marlborough House. The Queen al,o visited her Royal Highness the Princess S-phin nt her residence in Kensington. His It yal Highness Prince Albert, attended by Colo nel the Hun. C. B. Phipps and Colonel Bouverie, ho noured the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Ma nufactures, and Commerce, in the Adelphi, with a visit yeuterdav, L ,rd john Russell had an audience of her Majesty yes , erilay at Buckingham Palace. The Royal Family took their accustomed walking and riding exercises yesterday, in the royal garden. The Duchess of Sutherland, the :Marchioness of Or monde, Colonel the Hon. C. B Phipps, and Captain Francis Seymour. had the honour of joining the royal circle at tiuckingham Palace at dinner yesterday evening. A Cabinet Council was held at three o'clock yester day afternoon, at Lansdowne House, Berkeley-square. It was attended by Lord John Russell, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Minto, Sir George Grey, Earl Grey, Earl Auckland, Lord Campbell, Sir - John Hub house, the Marquis of Claaricarde, the Earl of Claren don, Viscount Morpeth, and the Right Hon. T. B. Ma caulay. The Council sat an hour and a half. The meeting took place at Lansdowne House, owing to the continued indisposition of the Marquis of Lansdowne. The Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson has for some days been prevented by indisposition from attending at the Board of Trade. The Right Hon. Gentleman is now much better. Dispatches from the Governor of the Cape of Good Hope were received yesterday at the Colonial•office. ST 'ATE OF THE FRENCH CORN MARKET. Looking back at the movement of the corn trade - during the past week, it is impossible not to admit that all the intelligence that has come to hand. concurs in showing that prices have again risen in the greater part of France. In the immediate neighbourhood of Patis, the advance has been from 3f. to sf. the heeto. Of all parts of this district, the quotations are the highest in the Beauce, the prices being from 44f, to 491., and even 50f. the hecto. In Brie and Picardy, prices are not so high, but then the qualities offered fur sale are not so fine, nor so productive f or gr i n di ng. Th e neighbourhood of Paris, which was for a length of time cheaper than Bur gundy and Champagne, is now dearer ; the great demand made in the capital by buyers from ,the departments is the cause of thin change. The arrivals at Havre during the week have not been sufficient to compensate for the quantity of corn and flour taken away by country buyers. The wind still continues contrary, and vessels are in a great measure prevented from arriving. All the breadstuffs that were to be disposed of in that port have been purchased by buyers from Lower Brittany and the Manche, where the wants of the inhabitants were at one moment so pressing, that prices rose to an extraordinary height. It was only when the steamers despatched to Havre for corn had returned, that prices subsided at St. Malo, Morlaix, and Cherbourg. At the latter place, at one moment, wheat was at 58f. the hecto; at present it does not average more than from 44f. to 45f.; but even these are unusually high prices. The wants of Brittany and part of Lower Normandy add to the general embarrassment, because they were totally unexpected. In general, these coun tries supplied large stores to Paris and many -other places in the north of France, but now, so -far from their being in a position to do so, they in their., turn are obliged to demand assistance. The north or France has been somewhat calmer during the week. The -arrival at Dunkirk of some cargo( s of wheat from England, had the effect of bringing down prices about if. in that port. At Douai it also fell 4f, and at Cumbray and Valenciennes sh,_;ut If. to 50c. the hecto. However, at Cergues, prices again ruse about If. on the last market-day. In Alsace d Lorraine an advance has also taken, pace at Strasburg prices have risen exceedingly. 1 7, r st.me weeks back, the municipal corporation of slitittown had produced a c. rtain depreciation in thi- qua:Along, U) means of sides of corn which it had purchased at prices ; ut last the natural force of things gained the mastery, and prices have again risen. rapidly; Th, supplies procured by the authorities are nod approach ing their term, and should the additional supply ot grain which they have lately purchased not arrive within a very brief period, the town will be placed in great neces sity. The purchases made in the Paris market for Champagne and Bur g undy have sufficiently supplied these countries, and th e advance in the quotations has been arrested. In French-Comte, prices are lower than at Paris; at Dijon, Chalon-sur-Saone, and Lyons, prices are stationary at from 25f. to 551. the 100 kilos. of wheat, and at from 88f. to 90f. the 125 kilos. of flour. Berry and its neighbourhood is at present the dearest point in France; at Chilteauroux, Bourges, and Tours, flour is from 125 f. to 130 f. the 159 kilos.- At Nantes a rise of sf. has taken place within the week. The 78 kilos. are sold at from 43f. to 44r. Some parcels of American flour were even disposed of at from 601. to 63f. the barrrel of 88 kilos., being a higher price than at Havre. Bor deaux also shows higher prices ; some cargoes of Span. ish wheat arrived there during the week, and were im mt diately disposed of, the supply in the town being quite insignificant, not more than 5,000 kilos.; flour is here at 34f. the 50 kilos. In Languedoc, the quotations are advancing rapidly ; and the Toulouse and Bergerac prices for wheat are from 32f. to 39f. the hecto. At Marseilles, the amount of business transacted has been moderate, and the prices remain about stationary. But few vessels arrive, and the last accounts declare that there are now no vessels in quarantine. This is looked on as the commencement of the falling off in the supplies from the Black Sea. Turkey and Egypt will, no doubt, send some thing, but the amount will not in all probability be more than 200,000 or 300,000 hectos. per month, in plaCe 800,000 or 900,000 hectos , as has been hitherto seen. Such is the general position of the country ; from which it results that the ascensional movement continues in the west, the south-west, the centre, and the east of FVance; and that prices are pretty stationary in the south and the north. In the Paris market, on Saturday, sellers seemed but little inclined to give either wheat or flour at lower prices. Intelligence had arrived of a further rise in the east of France. At Rembervillers and Raon in the Vos ges, and at Gray (Haute-Sac - me), prices were from If. to 2f. higher. At Rouen also an advance had taken place of about the same amount. On the other hand. the great regulating markets were well supplied, and tended to wards lower prices ; Orleans, Chartres, and Etampes, were all from If. 30c. to 2f. lower. With this very op posite intelligence before them, both buyers and sellers seemed rather inclined to wait; but it is probable that at the market of to-day prices will be lower. The gene ral impression, indeed, appears to be that for the present prices have seen their highest limit, and that they must now somewhat give way. Whether they are to rise afterwards will depend on the arrivals.-- Galignani, 9 3-16 2% 2% 3% 19% P 414 181:i 2% 6 3 4 71% 19% A great number of Spaniards are resident in Algeria, aid it appears that sonic of them carry to that colony the political passions which distract their own unhappy ceuntry. On the 7th December last, a Spaniard named Fernandez, a drummer in the militia at Oran, fell in, after a day's hard drinking, with a fellow. country man named Oliva' es, and offered to treat him. " I will drink with you," said Olivate s, " but you must first tell me your political Opinions !" Fernandez, it appeared, was not of the same way of thinking as Olivalas, for they engaged in a violent quarrel. After a time, how ever, their dispute ended, and they cemented their truce by drinking together a great many glasses of brandy. The liquor eventually re-excited their political enthu siasm, and they again began to quarrel most violently. At length Fernandez became 30 exasperated that he drew a knife from his pocket, and exclaiming— "lt is with this that I fight !" attempted to rush upon Oliva , a 3. He was withheld by his com panions, and shortly after both disputants quitted the public-house in which they had spent the even inc with their respective friends. After walking some little distance, Fernandez left his companions for a short time, and on rejoining them, exclaimed —"It is finished!" They understood perfectly well that those words meant that a crime had been committed; and so it turned out, for a person passing at the same time found the unfortu nate OlivarL lying on the ground weltering in his blood, and a few minutes after he died. It was proved that he had been stabbed from behind by Fernandez. This man was accordingly brought to trial before the Tribunal of Oran, which convicted him of having inflicted wounds which had caused death, without, however, intending to commit murder, and he was consequently condemned to twenty years' imprisonment, with hard labour. An appeal was made to the Cour Royale of Algiers by the Procureur du Roi against this sentence, and the Court declared Fernandez guilty of murder, and condemned him to imprisonment and hard labour for life. In the course of the proceedings it was proved that he had quitted Spain to avoid prosecution for the murder of a young officer, and that he had been condemned to death for not appearing to take his trial. TRIAL FOR WIFE•STEALING IN VIRGINIA. — The Baltimore Visitor reports a curious trial which lately took place before the Court of Loudon County, Virginia. The following are a few of the particulars:-- A coloured man, named Talbot, had been legally ma numitted by the will of his late master; but his wif e Maria, who was claim e d by a l a dy named Russell, st ill remained in slavery. They . h a d been married a b out three years previous by a minister of the Gospel, and with the consent of INlaria's mistress. Talbot, who, on hie liberation, was compelled by the law of Virginia to leave the state, made two attempts, but without success to purchase his wife, ina leaving i order thea that st tshee,Mari a might a i s c a c p o p ni e p a a r nz him. On his finally le about the same time. They were arrested together at Washington, and taken back to Vi rg i n i a, where his wife was restored to his mistress, and th e h usband thrown into prison, to await his trial at Leesbu rg, on the charge of stealing her. The prosecuting attorney brought for ward Maria as a witness against her own husband, and read the law, which declares that negroes awl mulattoes, whether bond or free, although not competent witnesses against a white person, may giv e ev id ence against a person of their own colour. To the great joy of the poor woman, this attempt was over-ruled, on the ground that she was not a, free agent. In the course of the pro ceedings, the prosecutor asserted that the law regards slaves not as persons but as property. He also toy k the eositii n "that there is no lawful marriage for slaves, and that they can make no contract that their owners may not annul." The defence was ably and feelingly conducted by three legal gentlemen, and the prisoner was finally acquitted; but there is every reason to believe that the poor man would have been convicted of wife stealing, had it not been for the inability of the witnesses to identify him, in consequence of the darkness of the morning on which the escape was effected. MAILS FOR CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. — The royal mail ship Cambria sails hence far Halifax and Bos ton, with the usual mails, on Sunday next. The Sarah Sands screw steam-ship, leaves fur New York on the follow ing Tuesday.-•LiverpoolAteion. LITERAT URE. THOUGHTS ON THE SYSTEM OF THE WORLD. By J. P. Aiello!, LL.D. Since the science of astronomy was first afforded some appreciable stability by the revelations of the telescope of Galileo, no more startling announcements have been made as to the mechanism of the heavens, than those contained in this noble and eloquent volume from the pen of Dr. Nichol. The book has been suggested ira mediately by the facts revealed through the instrumen tality of the monster speculum fabricated lay Lord Rosse. Gratitude to that nobleman for the exercise of his genius and industry in unfolding some of the mysteries of God's creation, has incited Dr. Nichol to compare him to the illustrious Danish astronomer, Tycho Brabe, and in ad dition to that has instigated the production of these very beaut ful, extraordinary, and intereeting chapters. It is but natural that the stellar discoveries which are con tained in the present volume should have become by this time universally known ; they are such discoveries as are most readily promulgated throughout society, they are discoveries not 'one jot less marvellous than those pro claimed by the Tuscan, in his " Nuncio Sidereis," when he beheld the cusps of Mercury, the moons of Jupiter, or the maculas upon the disc of the solar globe. From the time which has elapsed, therefore, since the original appearance of the revelations of the great Rosse tele scope, it will be unnecessary for us to do more than simply mention the nature of those revelations. Our chief purpose just now is to remark upon the exquisite graces of the book as a composition, upon the enthusiasm into which the writer frequently soars in the course of his sublime narrative, and upon the majestic morality by which every sentiment and disclosure is characterised. The broad fact upon which its pages are based is .jn re lation to the Nebular hypothesis of Sir William Her schel, and its utter and eternal dispersion by the monster speculum at Parsonstown in Ireland. That is the arch revelation which Dr. Nichol has blown through this volume as through a golden trumpet. With an intense reverence for the vast intellectual capacities of the great Herschel, and with something almost like remorse at destroying a scheme of so much intrinsic loveliness, Dr. Nichol here entirely dispels the notion that the nebulae are suffusions of vapour, in certain loca lities of space, being the germs of worlds. From the magnificent hypothesis of Sir William Herschel, or rather simultaneously with its conception, grew up the celebrated theory of La Place as to the birth of the solar system. With the dissipation of the one dream the foundations of the other are loosened; with the downfall of Herschel's hypothesis La Place's theory is left without any extrinsic support. As the writer of the work before us intimates, the latter will henceforth have to rest solely upon its own merits. The difficulties around it are doubled; its permanency is more questionable than ever; but under these remarkable emabarrassments the glory of its ultimate demonstration (supposing that ultimate demonstration to be possible) will be wonderfully in creased. So bewildering is the vastness and profundity of space, as conveyed to the imagination by the resolution of the riebulm into infinite multitudes of stars, so astonish ing is the bare supposition that those blear masses of light lying in the depths of the sky are literally star dust, SO sublime are the suggestions arising from this rending in twain of the veil of the celestial temple, that the mind of man is almost appalled by the accession of grandeur dawning upon his finite intelligence. Hence it is that we can appreciate the sentiment which way probably have originated the crude belief of Herschel in eluci dation of three impenetrable problems of the nebular lights. " What wonder," as Dr. Nichol exclaims in a burst of beautiful emotion, " what wonder though even he who had clomb heights so lofty, and passed unbewildered through many untracked lands, should yet, in presence of a phenome non which portended to summon into view schemes of being so unknown before, and so surpassingly dazzling, have felt that his imagination had lost its daring, and thereupon assumed as a refuge the easier and more pro bable hypothesis of a sill shining fluid, whose existence would veil the variety and temper .the glories of this overpowering univere !" But the ineiorabto and solemn voice of science has procla,med the omega of that ignorant and credulous vision. Toe dire has , has become more and more perceptible under tfie scrutiny of telescopic agencies until it has broken up into distinct stars upon the eye of the ti-1 scope of Lord Rosse. The announce ment of this grand rev. lstion was made iu a letter written to Dr. Nichol by that enlightened and laborious noble man, dated March 19th, 1846. The nebula examined was the famous nebula in Orion. "We could plainly see," says that memorable letter, "that all about the trapezium is a mass (f stars ; th i g rest of the neb u la a l so a b oun di ng with stars, and exhibiting the characteristics of resolvability strongly marked.' What fields of creative glory open upon the fancy at the enunciation of those few but thrilling words ! What infinitudes of life I What A pomp of globes shining upon us from the incalculable distances of the heavens ! " The nebulous spots," says Dr. Nichol, " resolved into stars is a fact which of itself vastly modifies our conception of the magnitude of the Creation ; but how hopelessly does imagination strain to enlarge itself, that so we realise the interior gorgeous ness of these distant groups ! In 4he masses of nebulous stars, circular or compact galaxies of all orders of glory may now be traced, leading from the splendid cluster in Hercules, as their lowest point up through schemes of being, in which sun is nearer sun, until their entire skies merge into one blaze of light and one throng of activities; —not like ours, coldly.studded with points far apart, whose mutual influences are sundered by huge aby ss es! But high above all stands Orion, the pre-eminent glory and wonder of the Sidereal Universe. Considering it as so remote that its light cannot reach us in less than sixty thousand years, and at the same time as occupying so large an apparent portion of the heavens, how stu pendous must be the extent of that Nebula! It would seem almost as if all other clusters hitherto gauged, were collected and compressed into one, they would not sur pass this mighty group, in which every wisp, every wrinkle, is verily a SAND-HEAP of stars!" It is atter this superb delineation of perhaps the grandest spectacle in the visible creation that Dr. Nichol makes this meek and beautiful ejaculation—" There are cases in which, though Imagination has quailed, Reason may still adventure inquiries, and prolong its speculations; but at times we are brought to a limit across which no human faculty has the strength to penetrate, and where as now —as if on the threshold of the very Infinite—we can only bend our beads and silently ADORE!" Not only, however, does he picture to himself and to the reader the resolvability of the nebular haze into multitudes of con tiguous suns, not only does he insist upon the migration of the whole of the solar system through space round a given centre, say the brighter point in the Pleiades, not only does he enlarge upon the mutations which this very system must have undergone in the course of its pro gressive formation, but he dilates upon the probability of the grander revolutions of the constellations in the skies, he marvels as to the lapse of time since the three stars in the belt of Orion appeared in a different aspect before they merged into their present symmetry, and muses upon the modifications of form which in!" tke dread past" must have bean perceptible in Perseus and the Milky Way! After commenting upon the exquisitely sequen tial character of creation and the matchless uaiformity and adaptation throughout, the author rises to a theme beyond even the majesty of those mighty orbs that glitter in the night sky. The passage is among the most masterly and earnest in this masterly and earnest work. There is a harmony in it that drowns the dissonance of infid. lit, . That grand display of segn -nee must surely have life within it, and a condition different from mere orderly collocations between one event and another as the sub stratum of their concurrence, the mind demands a CAUSE. That cause is not discernible, and therefoie not repre sentable ; but lam assured, by the strongest intuitions of my being, that it exists. I must seek it, then, in the — region of the UNREPLI ESENTABLE-111111011g realities inde pendent of time and space. Now, I know no cognate idea unless that of WILL. Power or force has no anala gon in my mind, except a FREE ACT; and, therefore, as the link of every tur►i of the infinite successions of the material universe, I descry even the immanence of its GREAT GOD! Law is not merely the Almighty's minister: the order of the world is nut merely his ordi nance; the forces, if so we name them, which express oiler, are not powers or inferior energies he has evoked from the silences, and to whose guardianship he has in trusted all things, that so he himself might repose. No! above, below, and around there is GOD, there his dread Omnipresence, speaking to finite creatures through Finite Forms, a language, which only the Living Heart can understand I In the rain and sunshine, in the soft zephyr, in the cloud, the torrent, and the thunder, in the bursting blossom and the fading branch, in the returning seasons and the rolling star—there is the INFINITE ESSENCE, and the mystic development of His Will ! " Upon the geological reflections of this eloquent writer, and also upon his weird-like topographical account of the surface of our earth's satellite, the moon, we shall not pause to make any detailed observation. Both por tions of the work can perform their own missions, with out any adventitious assistance, without guide -post or interpretation. Besides storing the mind with novel and wholesome knowledge, this production is calculated to exercise a mural influence over its readers, filling their hearts with awe, and humility, and admiration. THE STORY OF LILLY DATVSOIV. By Mrs. Crowe, Authoress of" Susan Hopley." 3 Vols. The story of Lilly Dawson presents a strange compound of the natural and the improbable. The main incidents which it relates are about as mar vellous and unlikely as any to be met with in any romance ; while, on the other hand, the lesser occur rences, the minor particulars and various minutiae of the whole are detailed in the most natural manner possible. Although from its many extraordinary coincidences and unnatural catastrophes we are corn, pelled to regard the whole work as purely fictitious, yet from the accurate delineation of character, from the probable manner in which events, however unlikely in themselves, lead one into the other, and especially from the great simpli city and truthfulness with which domestic scenes and incidents are pourtrayed, each chapter (with a few exceptions) is invested with an air of reality; and as we read on, all appears natural, and, consequently, interesting. The character of Lilly, the heroine, is in its entirety certainly not a natural one—it is purely ideal—but it embodies a very beautiful notion, one full of truth and worthy of all attention, and one which, though generally admitted in theory, is as generally denied in practice—namely, that in the various duties and difficulties of life, the heart is the best teacher and the best guide; and that as our purest thoughts and noblest actions—humility, devo tion, s elf-sacrifice, and a myriad others--are inspired by its gentle promptings, so is a pure and affectionate heart the best portion and suret guide, better, more valuable, and more available than these merely mental endowments or fascinating i manners or refined ac complishments. This idea s fully carried out in the history viva of &Orrle sr as their kind, w heart, and ill -1 of inclus S ay, he while i] sotneth 141 3 r, h( found • words first th taught logg er to I t s pr correct!, tho ug h She obe tinned it