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

-- of the week ; and last week the increase amounted to 1,400, being double the average mortality. The recent report of the Metropolitan Sanitary Commis sion proved that during the years 1845, 1846, and 1847, our pet pestilence, typhus fever, had gone on increasing week by week and year by year.—(Hear, hear.) His had thus proved, if figures could prove anything, the second clause of t h e resolution.— (ilear, hear.) On the subject of cholera he was extremely anxious not to create any unnecessary alarm ; but it was right to state that it was reported that cases of cholera had actually occurred in this metropolis.—(Hear, hear.) He would wish to put the most favourable construction on those cases, and to assume that there was a mistake. What then ? The whole history of the present epidemic went o prove that the cholera was likely to follow in its train.—(Hear.) The question, then, was—" How are we prepared to meet it ?" It appeared that they were altogether unprepared to meet this fearful epi demic.—(Hear, hear.) The report of the commis sion to which he had alluded pointed out, among other facts, one of a con=olatory nature, that the cholera was not a contagious disease—(Hear) — and that, therefore, no one need fear attending on relatives and friends. But they must not forget that the cholera track was the fever track and the filth track--(Hear, hear)—that these diseases were found calling at the same houses and the same spots, and visiting the same persons.—(Hear, hoar.) At a preliminary meeting held on the previous day to talk over these matters, he might state that the gentle men from Sheffield and N ottingham stated exactly the same fact with regard to fever and cholera visit ing the same houses and spots. The prevailing epidemic (influenza) was found to visit the. most un healthy districts. Indeed, the most unhealthy spots were those that uniformly produced the greatest mortality. Take the population of East London and that of Wandsworth, the latter a healthy locality ; Wandsworth lost 19 out of a population of 40,000, and East London, out of the same population, lost 75.—(Hear, hear.) Poplar lost 36, while Camber well lost 52. West London lost 64 out of the same population as Poplar. Hackney, with a population of 42,000, lost 37, while St. George's-in-the-East, a most unhealthy district, lost 82.—(Hear, hear.) He had called fever a pet pestilence.—(Hear, hear.) If we loved it we could not take more pains than we had done to keep it among us and to nourish And. cherish it.—(Hear, hear.) We had been taught over and over again, that where there was filth there was danger of fever, and yet we took no more pains to remove the filth of our towns than if we thought fever a natural blessing.—(Hear, hear.) Dr. Guy then referred to the efforts of the benevolent Howard for the removal of filth and infection from prisons, and remarked, that the houses of labouring men were now what the prisons were three-quarters of a cen tury ago, while prisoners received every comfort and convenience that was denied to our working men.— (Cheers.) It was a erring shame that three-fourths of a century ago we began t , ) do that for prisons which we now refused to do for the labouring man. —(Hear.) He rejoiced, however, that there was some prospect of improvement in this respect ; and he especially rejoiced that men possessed of good sound sense had united the commercial principle with b.nevolence, and begun to erect such houses as they knew the poor wanted, =o as to enable a few of them at least to enjoy the same comforts in their own dwell ings that prisoners alone could at present obtain. ,It might he said he had been using the language ofexagge ration ; but when men heard without feeling such facts, they seemed to labour under an exaggeration of indifference.—(Cheers.) The people were beginning to discover the interest they had in the question. The necessity of sanitary reform had found a voice in the fashionable novel of Di.‘raeli, in the popular work of Charles Dickens, who had shown his sym pathy in the cause by transmitting a contribution of 101. Mr. BOUVERIE, M.P., stood forward amidst some cries of "Cochrane;" but the interruption ceased on a remonstrance from the Chairman. Mr. Bouverie moved the second resolution, as follows : "That this meeting regards with lively sati.ifaction the earnest recommendation contained in the Speech from the Throne ; the expressed determination of her Majesty's advisers to renew the efforts made by Lord Lincoln and Lord Morpeth in former sessions of Parliament ; and the practical step taken by the Lord Chancellor in remodelling the Metropolitan Sewers Commissions." When public opinion was definitively expressed, the obstacles to the attainment of the object in view disappeared. The Government had done what they ought to have done ; they had acted promptly and firmly, though there were " vested interests" in filth which had endeavoured to thwart their efforts. They had removed the Commissioners of Sewers, who were a great impediment in the way of sanitary improvement.—(Hear, hear.) In the midst of the great concourse of people in large towns, in Lon don, Liverpool, Glasgow, Leeds, Hull, and other places, it might be said that there was a manufactory of poison --a manufactory which never worked short time—(Cheers)—and the result was, that thousands were carried to a premature grave, and that many more thousands of women and children were plunged into destitution. Sanitary measures would tend to lessen the numbers who required relief from the public, and were, therefore, to be desired, even in a pecuniary point of view. There was something strangely illogical in bestowing immense sums on the maintenance of their army and navy to protect them from a foreign enemy, while they had a domestic foe to encounter which destroyed more life than the other would, which spared none, and which never slept or rested.—(Cheers.) Mr. CARDWELL, M.P., seconded the resolution. There was one fact which, he thought, showed the progress made by this country. Within the last few years, by the multiplication of facilities and the cheapening of comfortf, many of the advantages pre viously confined to the rich had become extended to those of comparatively humbler means. Comfort, cleanliness, domestic affections, were great practical enjoyments. Of these the man of competent means had his share as well as the rich man. But why should they not extend to the working man ? (Cheers.) He had not those enjoyments in their towns; and why ? Not because he had not the means of paying for them, a larger amount of wages being distributed in the large towns than within an equal space anywhere on the, surface of the earth. Then why had not the working man those enjoyments ? From the manner in which the smaller buildings were collected together, individual cleanliness could not be secured without universal cleanliness. A family settled in a crowded neighbourhood with in dustrious cleanly habits ; they maintained an unsuc cessful struggle, till at last they subsided hopelessly into a state of discomfort.—(b ear , hear.) The disposition to live cleanly would be general if the power were general. He knew not why he should be called on to second the resolution, unless it was that he had the happiness to be connected with a town which was not behind others in intelligence and en terprise, but which was unfortunately situated in re gard to public health. But they were striving to effect a salutary change. They were bringing water from the hills of Lancashire, which they hoped would afford an ample supply. There would be no cisterns in the place ; and all a person would have do would be to go to the spout and turn it. Neither would there be a fire-engine in Liverpool. It would only be necessary to open a plug and attach the hose, when the water would flow forth to save their merchandise. —(Cheers.) If the means of procuring comfort and cleanliness, with economy, were afforded, what fol lowed ? The means of cultivating domestic attach ments. Could they expect men to stay at home when they had scarcely a home to stay in ? It was idle to expect real religious training for youth when they were immersed in sin at home, which set at nought the lessons of the clergyman. And that which was offered as the result of the measures advocated by such meetings as the present was, in truth, economy, safety, opportunities of cultivating domestic attach ments, and the means of encouraging religious affections. Mr. SHAFT° ADAIR, M.P., moved the third reso lution, as follows : " That all past experience, and the nature of the case, enforce the necessity of combining in any sani tary measure an efficient local administration respon sible to the ratepayers, with the superintendence of a Government department duly represented in Parlia ment." Mr. tizyw M.P., seconded the resolution. Re stated that °"' Manchester, where there was a lz2eal..._th‘of, To wn s Association, Association, they had derived the E o =;:e oers fi . from the report of the Government of it which rel ated published, particularly that p art and to sewerage. The formation proper sewers the opening up of greateststreets w e r o e f matters of theimportance There was no place about which large towns. cholera loved to had the greatest e mouth of sewer.— Hear. resolution. pleasure in seconding the Here there were again calls fo a portion of the audience, metr Mr. Cochrane from " No, no," from others, and generalwith loud ' cries of The Noble CHAIRMAN, on obt:i7 f T i r . stated that the proceedings had all been ar ra nged - hearing, a committee, as was the custom in such aerrasaenged by view to give the greatest possible effect to the a inonstration. lie therefore thought it would b e e d f e i the convenience of the meeting that the arrangement which had been made regarding speakers should be followed out ; but at the conclusion, if Mr. Cochrane or any other gentlemen wished to explain their views, be would remain and hear him with patience. The resolution was then put, and carried unani mously. said he and several other L o rd EBRINGTON, M.P. , gentlemen stood there not merely as members of Parliament, but as representatives in that meeting of their various boroughs.— (Hear.) At a meeting held a Plymouth to consider the necessity of sanitary re- T !) E form a resolution was passed, in which the Mayor was requested to communicate to Mr. Palmer, his col league, and himself, the desire of the electors that they should attend the present meeting, and give the weight of their influence to the sanitary cause. They had accordingly done so, regarding the wish of their constituents as an additional obligation upon them to be present on so important an occasion.— (Hear, hear.) He thought it would add greatly to the moral weight of the meeting when it was known that many members of Parliament, and among others, his friend Mr. Parker, of Sheffield, were in attendance at the request of their constituents. He had been requested to move the following resolution : " That although great exertions have been made by sani+ iry associations, ably seconded by the press, to arouse the public mind to a sense of the evils (physical, economical, and moral) which affect all classes, but especially the poorest, much ignorance and apathy still remain ; and that this meeting, while it pledges itself to aid the Health of Towns Associa tion in the efforts now making for their removal, would especially call upon the clergy and members of the medical profession to exert their powerful influ ence-in furtherance of this great object." The Noble Lord expressed his satisfaction that the same apathy did not exist on this question as formerly. He then gave a variety of statements, having refer ence to the condition of the town of Plymouth, and the necessity that existed for great improvements in that town, notwithstanding all that had already been done. The necessity for sanitary reform was indeed evident in every large town. It was a question affecting not the physical ccmfort only, but the moral and spiritual welfare of millions. The Rev. Mr. Clay, of Preston, had well said that dirt, disease,' and crime were concurrent.—(Hear, hear.) If they took a map and marked all the places where there Ras an absence of sewers and a limited supply of water, and where the fever, and cholera, and epi demics of all sorts prevailed, and if, on the same map they marked the residence of criminals and the habi tual haunts of vice, it would be found that almost the same spots, from house to house, would represent them.—(Hear, hear.) How could it be otherwise, when they found, as in the town of Plymouth, 11,000 people living in single rooms ? And in this respect Plymouth was not a whit worse than other town, in - all parts of the kingdom. How could they expect to find a moral state of society in such districts, when families were herded together, more like pigs than human beings, in one single room ?—(Hear, hear.) The depressing effect of the bad atmosphere which these people breathed, too, was such as to produce the most lamentable habits, especially habits of gross in temperance.—(Hear, hear.) It had been proved that in many districts, • and even in the immediate neighbourhood of Regent-street, the depressing na ture of the atmosphere was such that it was almost impossible for • the poor inhabitants to resist the to nptations to intemperance.—(hear.) In Glasgow there was one house for every five or ten for the sale of spirits; and in that city the deaths from epi demics transcended the very worst places of this metropolis. It was therefore of the utmost import ance that all classes, especially the clerical and me dical professions, should exert themselves in this cause, so as to promote not merely the economical, but the moral and spiritual welfare of the poor and neglected labouring classes in our large towns. Mr. W. BAINES, M.P., seconded the resolution. lie was glad to be able to say that the town which he represented had set on this question an example deserving of all honour and imitation. The clergy of all denominations had been exerting themselves in this great cause, and so had also the medical pro fes,ion, with a unanimity and a zeal that had been attended with the happiest effects.—(Cheers.) Every medical man in the place joined in forming an asso ciation for the purpose of investigating the sanitary state of the town, with the view of pointing out those rnea , aires that .might seem to be neces sary. A report had since been published containing many recommendations applicable not only to the locality of Hull, but to all parts of the empire. He had no hesitation in concurring in the remark that had been made, that the hotbeds of disease, engen dered by filth, were also the hotbeds of crime —(Hear) —and that by a regard to our own interests, as well as a regard for the moral and religious interests of that unfortunate people, by every consideration of love to our neighbours and of love to ourselves, we were bound to say that there could be no cause more important, more holy, or more deserving the support of the public and the Government of this country. The resolution was then unanimously carried. Mr. SLANEY, M.P., moved the following resolu tion : " That the thanks of this meeting be respectfully tendered to the Most Noble the Marquis of Norman.. by for his able and impartial conduct in the chair, and his valuable services to the cause on all occasions." He observed, that large measures of sanitary reform had been recommended by repeated committees and commissions, all of which tended to the same end, viz , to preserve to the community that first of bless ings—health. The Poor-law Commission in 1838 made a similar recommendation in one of their re ports, as did also a Committee of the House of Com mons in 1838, of which he had the honour to be chairman.—(Hear, hear.) He was one of those who had volunteered to investigate the state of the large towns. The inquiry embraced no fewer than 50; and, in drainage, cleansing, and the supply of water, 43 were found deficient so far as regarded the work ing classes. The advocates of sanitary improvement had worthy leaders in the Noble Lord in the chair, Lord Ashley, the Duke of Buccleuch, the Earl of Lincoln, and Lord Morpeth. i)r. S. SMITH, who was received with great cheer ing, seconded the resolution, and warmly eulogised the noble chairman for the fidelity and consistency with which he had supported the association. Mr. C. COCHRANE, having been again called for, addressed the meeting. He complained that he had been treated with personal disrespect, a gentleman having accused him of creating the confusion. He had attended in consequence of a letter from Lord Ashley, and was himself a member of the association. He had come forward to read the association a kind Of moral lesson.—(Oh, oh !) In conclusion, he pro ceeded to urge the necessity of adopting a system of public agitation for the purpose of promoting sanitary reform. The resolution was carried unanimously. The Marquis of NoamANny made his acknow— leigments, and, as evidence of progress in sanitary improvement, referred to a notice issued in St. Mary's %V hitechapel, stating that the trustees, wherever they found any nuisance, or any dwelling not in a habit able state, would proceed against the landlords. The meeting then separated. SOUTHAMPTON, DEC. 10.—The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company's ship Tagus, R. W. Evans, commander, arrived at Southampton last evening from Trebizonde, Constantinople, Smyrna, Malta, and Gibraltar, bringing the heavy portion of the East India mails, and twenty-three passengers. She brings aixty-one packages of specie, supposed to be worth 100,0001., and a large and valuable cargo, consisting of 57 bates and 180 cases of silk, 29 cases of opium, 214 bales of goat's wool, 47 bales of sheep's wool, 5 casks of wine, 17 tubs of leeches, 7 bags of yellow berries, 8 cases of otto of roses, 1,423 drums of figs, 50 cases of fruit, and 80 packages of sundry merchandise. The Tagus experienced very heavy weather between Trebi zonde and Constantinople, having at that time nearly 800 Turkish passengers on board. On the 30th of No vember, during the passage from Malta to Gibraltar, a sea struck one of the boats, and an able seaman, named George Snooks, was washed away and lost. She had a very stormy passage across the Bay of Biscay, lost one of her boats, and had her deck-house washed away Some anxiety is felt for the safety of the Washington, and intelligence is hourly expected from Bremen, as to whether she has safely arrived there. She loft Cowes on Friday afternoon last, with the United States mails and passengers for Bremen, and must consequently. have been in the severe gale that raged from Friday to Sunday. From the Washington's excellent qualities as a sea-going vessel, hopes are confidently entertained that she has been able to reach Bremen haven in safety. ATTEMPTS TO OTERTIIROW TRAlNS.—Within the past week two most daring and deliberate attempts have been made by some miscreants to throw the trains on the Taff-vale Railway, between Cardiff and Merthyr, 1 off the rails, which, had they not been providentially discovered, must hare caused a fearful sacrifice of life. .In the first attempt the miscreants turned the points on the line; but, fortunately, it was discovered by the ser vants of the company. Having failed in their first at tempt, they on Wednesday perpetrated a much more malignant act. It appears that the engine driver of the last passenger train, on seeing, about a mile from the tunnel on the Merthyr side. at a place where the rail way makes a sharp turn, and runs on the brink of a precipice, that there was something wrong with the plates, slackened his pace, but not in time to prevent the engine and tender and the three first carriages being thrown off the line with a considerable shock. Oa ex amining the cause of the accident it was discovered that a pair of the rails had been taken up, one on each side of the road. Twenty minutes before a train had gone down and all was then safe, s) that the rails must have been taken up in the interval, and from the appearances it would seem that they had been taken up persons well acquainted with raising and laying down rails. Fortu• nately the engine when running off the line inclined to the right side and ran into the bank; hal it inclined to the lett the engine and train must have fallen into the river engaged their P in beneath, rop ert an d the sacrifice of life would have been fearful.or As it was, no injury occurred to the passengers tgheerrraellominiit,klests:r. endeavouringThe company'sto discover army of ;India, and is een a officers the perpetrators e a r r p e et r e diligent ly tors of . 11 — as lIter-General Sir Dudley St. Le ppointed to the staff of the present to command the Meerut division of the army at under Sir John Grey, K.C.B. Major -General Samuel of therßo Auchmuty, C B , has been ap staff ff ke the command of the troops in Sinde, b y ' army,. and proceeds i p r:n ) i m n t e e d fl i a t t o e l t y h et to Mr. Pringle of the province and KAI., has • vice Sir C. Napier. The has been committed to General Peter Augustus LautouZ 6.ll, eivllian • Major sue;;eeded to the increased good service pay of 25s . di e m, from the 19 th ult. — United Service G azette. per tbtrtf 92bitton SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Cluck. COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY.) The Lord Chief Justice sat to-day at the Guildilall:to try common jury cases. The Court wag engaged all the morning in trying an uninteresting case of alleged illegal distress. WORSHIP-STREET.-(THIS DAY.) James Scraggs Foster was brought before Mr. Ham mill, charged with fraudulently obtaining money from tradesmen transmitting goods by the Eastern Counties Railway. A clerk in the granary department, named William Fearn, stated that it was the duty of the prisoner, who was also a clerk in that department, and who had been in the company's service for several year past, to make out from the invoices duplicate copies of tickets for grain sent by the carmen for delivery to houses in town, and that in consequence of its having been discovered by accident that fradulent overcharges were being com mitted inquiries were made, and it was discovered that the prisoner had been e:ttensively engaged in such transactions, and he was accordingly given into custody. A clerk, named Bolton, in the employment of Mews. Noble, seedsmen, Fleet-street, proved that cn the 19th of list month their house received by one of the com pany's trains 11 quarters of peas from the country, for the freightage of which 13s. Ild. was char,Ted in a bill ho produced, and Bs. for the cartage. The bill and goods were delivered by a man named King, the carter employed, to a him the . money was paid ewl who received the ticket. Mr. Fearn deposed that the ticket in question was in the prisoner's handwriting, and produced a book in which the proper account was entered. Witness added that Messrs. Noble had 1. esti greatly overcharged, and that the prisoner had only paid to him the correct value of the freightage and delivery. Sergeant Price said that, from information he re• ceived from Mr. Capper, one of the superintendents of the Eastern Counties Railway, he proceeded to the ad• dress given by the prisoner,which,however, proved to be a fictitious one, and he was at length found at a house in Wellington•strcet, Stepney, in a very ill state of health. Upon his person he found ten tickets not in any way accounted fur to the company, and on making further inquiries he discovered that a great number of other trade men around the metropolis had been defrauded in a similar way to the one above described by the prisoner. It was also stated that the prisoner, by his delin quencies in the way stated, wai in the habit of m' king about 31 per week over and above his salary. The prisoner was ordered to find bail, himself in 2001. and two sureties in 1001. each, for bis appearance here next week. THE AUSTRALItiN MINING COM ' PANY.—(TIIIS DAY.) An extraordinary general meeting of the share holders of this company, to receive the report of the directors, and to fill up the vacancies in the direct on occasioned by the resignation of Sir Hyde Parker, Bart., and the decease of Samuel James Capper, Esq., was held to-day at the Company's Offices, No. 1, Adelaide-place, London bridge J. Master man, Esq., junior, took the chair, and after the usual preliminaries. the secretary read the report, from which it al4 eared that thei e was every prospect of the Company's having a good range of ore to break down, aril economical mearr , of bringing it to ,he surface. Tha transfer of 2,000 shares sent to the colony was attended with com-ider able difficulty, and the shares had consequontly been returned. The committee in Au.Vralia had conse quently drawn upon the directors in London, at sixty days Fight, in favour of the Bank of Australia, or 4,0001. A mining officer had been sent out to the colony, and the directors considered that it would be advisable to send out a resident superintendent to the mines. The CHAIRMAN said they must consider the distance of the colony, the difficulties that necessarily encum bered the working of the mines there, and the total want of practical mining knowledge in Australia. The latter cause was then removed, and they hoped under the skilful management of Captain Philips, whom they had sent :out to the colony, that the causes that led to the - delay in their onward progress would be speedily removed.—(Hear.) He regretted extremely that from the return of the shares it was necessary that they should make another call upon the share holders of 10s. a share before they could make any good dividend. The chairman concluded by moving the adoption of the report. Mr. hoGAN seconded the motion. Some discussion ensued, in the course of which an Hon. Proprietor read letters from parties resident in the colony, which stated that it abounded in the:richest mineral vtealth, and offered a favourable field for speculation in this country. The resolution. was then unanimously adopted. They then proceeded to the ballot for the election of the directors, which being concluded, the meeting broke up. IMPELUAL PARIAAMi<AII. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY took his seat upon the Woolsack (in the absence of the Lord Chancellor) shortly after Five o'clock. TURNPIKE TRUSTS. The Duke of RICHMOND presented several pe titions, praying for an inquiry into the state of turnpike trusts. PENINSULAR MEDALS. The Duke of RICHMOND gave notice that he should to-morrow ask when the Peninsular medals would be distributed, and whether it was the inten tion of the Government to do a similar act of justice to the other officers. soldiers, and sailors engaged in the late war. SWITZERLAND. Lord BEAUMONT gave notice of a question for to-morrow on the proposed mediation in the affairs of Switzerland. CASE OF J. A. BROWNE. Lord BROUGHAM postponed the presentation of that petition of which he had given notice, for Mr. Matthew Anderson, a solicitor, praying for inquiry into the case of Frederick Augustus Browne, who had been sentenced to transportion for bigamy, but whose sentence had subsequently been commuted.• - SPIRITUAL DESTITUTION AT rEVONPORT. The Bishop of EXETER presented a petition from several of the clergy and other inhabitants of Devonport, complaining of the spiritual destitution prevailing in that place. The Right Rev. Prelate contended that Devonport possessed greal claims upon, their Lordships, from the fact that it possessed a public dockyard, and that the persons there congre gated were employed in the service of the Govern ment. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE was understood to say that the Government was most anxious to adopt some measure to r€lieve the spiritual destitu tion complained of, and more especially to establish schools, but that the subject was surrounded with difficulties.—[We believe the above to be the substance of the observations of the Noble Marquis; but as, during the whole time he spoke, he turned his back to the gallery, it wasimpossible to catch accurately what fell from the Noble Marquis.] The Bishop of tEXETER thanked the Noble Marquis for the interest he had manifested on the subject, more especially for what he had said as to the establishment of schools. EMIGRATION. Lord MONTEAGLE asked the Noble Earl at the head of the Colonial Department, whether he had received any information from the Governors of the Colonies on the subject of emigration ? and if so, whether he was prepared to communicate the same to their Lordships? _ _ _ Earl GREY replied that he had received an immense mass of documents from the governors of different colonies on the subject, and that before the recess he would lay them on the table of their Lordships' House. (This concluded the regular business before the House, but their Lordships continued sitting for the purpose of giving an opportunity for bringing up the Irish Outrages Bill from the House of Commons, which stands for a third reading in that House this evening.) (LEFT SITTING ) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. Three new Members took the oath and their seats. NEW WRIT. On the motion of Lord DUDLEY STUART, a new writ was ordered to be issued for the election of a new Member in the room of the Right Hon. W. Yates Peel, who has accepted the Chiltern Hundreds. PETITIONS. The Earl of ARUNDEL and SURREY pre sented a petition against the Roman Catholic Trusts Bill. Mr. WILLIAMS and other Hon. Members presented petitions in favour of the claims of the late Raja of Sattara. ----- General LYGON presented a petition from a place in Worcestershire against the admission of Jews into Parliament. Mr. WADDINGTON presented a petition to the same effect from Suffolk. Mr. EWART presented two petitions from Van Dieman's Land, praying the House to abolish the penal settlements in that colony. The Hon. Member also presented a petition in favour of the claims of the late Raja of Sattara. Air. WILLCOX presented a petition praying for the removal of the civil disabilities affecting the Jews. Mr. MOORE presented a petition from a parish in the county of Mayo in which it was stated that the parish originally contained 8,140 inhabitants of whom 650 had recently died of famine; that the inhabitants in consequence of deficiency in the potato crop, were subsisting on turnips, and as their stock of food was gradually diminishing, they have nothing to look for ward to but famine, if the Legislature did not afford them relief. The Hon. Member presented a similar petition from another parish in the county of Mayo. Lord ASHLEY presented a petition from Bath in favour of the claims of the Raja of Sattara. The Noble Lord also presented a petition from an associ ation in Manchester, complaining of the spiritual des titution of that parish. The Noble Lord intimated that it was his intention to bring the subject matter of this petition before the House, and therefore he should move tomorrow that it be printed with the votes. Mr. STANLEY presented a petition from West moreland against the admission of Jews into Par liament. Mr. FREWEN presented a petition from Leices cestershire, praying the House to pass a law to inflict the severest penalties upon all Roman Catholic priests who denounced persons from their altars. Mr. PATTISON presented a petition from the City of London in favour of the claims of the late Raja of Sattara. ELECTION PETITIONS. The SPEAKER informed the House that he had received a report from the Clerk of Elections, stating that the recognizances in respect of the petitions com plaining of undue returns for the following places had been completed, namely :—Gloucester, Kinsale, Abingdon, and Lyme Regis. The recognisances were unobjectionable. DR. HAMPDEN. Dr. LUSHINGTON, seeing the Noble Lord the First Minister of the Crown in his place, wished to, ask htn a question. The question related to certain correspondence which appeared in to-day's news papers, which contained a letter bearing the signature of certain prelates of the Established Church, and related to the prerogative of the Crown, and another letter, stated to he the reply of the Noble Lord. Now, he begged leave to ask the Noble Lord whether this correspondence had been correctly ascribed to the parties whose names it bore ? Lord J. RUSSE LL stated, in reply, that the let ters which had teen published were authentic, with the exception of two paragraphs, and the mistakes were not material. He wished to state, however, that he did not insert them in the newspapers. DEFENCES OF THE COUNTRY. The NOBLE LORD hoped the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Middlesex would withdraw his motion on this subject until after the recess, after which period the Government intended to state what they had done, and what they proposed to do. Mr. OSBORNE consented to the request of the Noble Lord. ASSURING THE LIVES OF PERSONS LIVING IN IRELAND. Mr. WAKLEY presented a petition from Mr. Harper, the chairman of the Crown Life Assurance Company, stating that assurance companies objected to assure the lives of persons living in Ireland, though unwilling to do so; that the life of the Rev. Mr. Lloyd hail been a ssure d i n L on d on offices for 7,000/. ; and that these companies had come to a resolution not to assure the lives of persons living in Ireland, unless the Government would guarantee that the counties in which persons so assured were assassinated should indemnify them from loss. WEST GLOUCESTERSHIRE. _ _ Mr. WAKLEY moved that the petition of the electors, complaining of the conduct of Earl Fitz• hardinge, be printed with the votes. Captain BERKELE I could not but view the presentation of the petition by a stranger to the lo cality as somewhat suspicious. On the part of the Noble Lord, he had been requested to state that he did not fear any investigation into his conduct, and that if the House should think fit to print the petition with the votes, that he entertained no objection to such a proceeding.—Agreed to. THE BANK OF ENGLAND AND THE GOVERNMENT. Mr. PATTISON called upon the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ex plain who were the authorities that informed him that the Bank had suggested the rate of interest mentioned in the letter of the Government, and that a portion of the profits of their transactions, in accord• ance with it, should be carried to the public credit. As the authorities of the Bank had been much blamed in consequence of the statement recently made by the Right Hon. Gentleman, he thought that some explanation ought to be given. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER complained that the Hon. Gentleman had not given him notice of his question ; nevertheless, he was in a position to state that the Governor and Deputy- Governor of the Bank were frequently with him at the time in question, and in the course of the com munication he had with them, they agreed that it would be fair and proper that the provision in ques tion should be inserted in the letter. Mr. PATTISON had seen the Governor and Deputy-Governor this morning, and could assure the Hon. Gentleman that they were no parties to the transaction. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. Lord J. RUSSELL said, I wish to give a notice with respect to the business of the House. In the event of the Royal Assent being given to the Crime and Outrage Bill at as early a period as we expect, it is my intention to move, on Monday next, that the House, at its rising on Thursday, should adjourn until the 3d of February.—(Hear, hear.) ORDNANCE MAPS. In reply to Mr. HUME, Colonel ANSON stated that the Board of Ord nance intended shortly to issue the Ordnance maps at half the former price. Mr. HUME said, if they would allow him to supply the maps, he would do so at 6d. each.— (Laughter.) NAVIGATION LAWS. The CHAN CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in reply to Mr. Sandars, stated that it was not the in tention of the Government to propose any further suspension of the Corn or Navigation Laws. Mr. SANDARS gave notice that he should move, after the recev , , for a return of the imports from the suspension* of those laws up to the Ist Sept., and from the Ist Sept. to March next. TRANSPORTATION. Mr. EWART inquired if five hundred convicts, recently sent to Van Dieman's Land, were to remain in the colony, or to be sent to Port Phillip ? Sir G. GREY was understood to say that they were to be sent to:Port Phillip, and that, if their , :onduct was good, they would receive tickets of leave, which would place them out of all restraint, except that they must not come into this country before the expiration of their allotted term. The Members of the General Committee on Con tested Elections were called to the table, and took the oaths. _ _ THE BLOCKADE OF LA PLATE. Mr. T. BARING inquired whether the Noble Lord the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs was prepared to state the present position of the negotia tions with the Government of France on the subject of the French blockade of the River Plate, and whether there was any prospect of a speedy removal of the blockade ? Lord PALMERSTON said that the Government had been in communication with the Government of France on the subject ; and recently he had been engaged with the Duke de Broglie . in preparing in structions to be sent out to the British and French representatives on the subject ; and he had no doubt that upon the arrival of those instructions a speedy termination would be put to the long continued Mr. DISRAELI wished to know who was .her Majesty's representative at the River Plate ? Lord PALMERSTON was understood to say that Captain Gore would act as such. At present there was no official representative there. SWITZERLAND. Mr. J. O'CONNELL wished to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he had received official information of the decrees of the Provisional Governments of the cantons of Friburg and Lu cerne, banishing fur ever the Jesuits, the Liguorians, the Brothers of th e Ch r i s ti a n Doctrine, the Ursiline Nuns, the Si s t ers o f P rov idence, and other denomina tions of religi ous , ma l e an d female, under pretence of their being affiliated to the Jesuits ; also , confisc ating their entire p roper t y , an d annulling any and every provision whi c h t h ey m i g ht m have made of it during nearly two months previous to the surrender of Friburg and Lucerne. Also, w h e ther the Noble Lord had received official information of the enormous demands made upon the cantons of the Sonderbund for the expenses of the war, one million of francs being demanded by the 20th instant, and two millions more within a brief space afterwards, besides other charges and exactions ; and whether, considering these acts of a tyrannous majority in Switzerland, theinsults and outrages to the clergy and the religion of the minority, the extreme persecution and plan dering of indi v id ua l s among that minority, whose only crime was to discharge faithfully the duties imposed upon them by their fellow citizens, an urgent case has not arisen for the intervention of the Powers who guaranteed in 1815 the cantonal independence of Switzerland. Lord PALMERSTON said that the Government had received official information from Friburg of the intention to banish the Jesuits, and certain other religious orders supposed to be connected with them. The Government had not received any official account of any similar intention on the part of Lucerne, or the other states. With respect to the -amount of the levies for the expense of the war, the Government had also not rece i ve d an y o fficial information. With respect to the latter part of the question, there did not appear to her Majesty's Government, in the pre sent state of things, any grounds upon which the powers that were parties to the treaty would be jus tified in interfering in the matter. RETIRING ALLOWANCES (ARMY). Lord A. LENNOX wished to ask the Secretary at War whether it was his intention to extend the benefit of the retiring allowance of ten-twelfths of full pay to regimental surgeons and paymasters, which has been granted by the royal warrant of May, 1846, to veterinary surgeons and quartermasters. Mr. FOX MAULE stated the subject was under dr,. consideration of her Majesty's Government. SWITZERLAND. Dr. BOWRING wished to know whether the Go vernment had received any dispatches from Berne, containing any account of the proceedings of the Diet which could justify the lion. Member for Lime rick (Mr. J. O'Connell) in speaking in such violent terms of their conduct ? Lord PALMERSTON said that the dispatches received from Berne did not contain the details of any of those acts :of violence which had appeared in some accounts of the transactions referred to. INDIA. Viscount JOCELYN moved for a return of Europeans in the military or civil employment of any of the native States of India, with the amount of salary paid to each individual.—Agreed to. POOR-LAW (IRELAND.) Mr. P. SCROPE wished to know whether any returns relative to the working of the poor-law passed in the last session would be placed upon the table of the House before its rising. Sir W. SOMERVILLE said — that the returns were in a forward state, and he had no doubt that they would be ready to be placed in the hands of Hon. Members before the rising of Parliament. INFLUX OF IRISH-PAUPERS. Mr, P. SCOPE wished to know whether any steps had been taken to procure accurate returns of the number of Irish paupers that might land in eny of the ports of England and Scotland. Sir G. GREY did not know that any steps would be taken for that purpose by the local authorities, nor whether it would be necessary for the Government to order such accounts to be taken. JEWISH DISABILITIES. Mr. GLADSTONE wished to know whether it was the intention of the Noble Lord at the head of the Government to bring forward his measure with respect to the Jewish Disabilities on Thursday next. Lord J. RUSSELL said that it was his intention to bring forward that measure upon Thursday. NEW ZEALAND. Mr. GLADSTONE wished to know whether it was the intention of Governmet to bring forward this evening the Bill foe the partial suspension of the existing acts relating to New Zealand, as, in conse quence of a protest of the inhabitants of that island, recently published, there was no doubt that the mea sure to be introduced would call for very serious con sideration. Mr. L NBOUCHERE said that it was the inten tion of the Government to introduce that measure after the orders of the day had been disposed of. TURNPIKE TRUSTS. Sir W. JOLLIFFE wished to know whether it was the intention of the Government to bring in any measure for regulating the affairs of turnpike trusts. Sir G. GREY said that the subject was at present under the consideration of her Majesty's Government. CRIME AND OUTRAGE (IRELAND) BILL. On the motion for the third reading of this Bill, Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL rose to offer a few remarks, but the earlier portion of his brief ad dress was indistinctly heard in the gallery, owing to the noise that prevailed from Hon. Members leaving the House, and from the conversa tion of those that remained. He earnestly called the attention of those who were too apt to vituperate the Roman Catholic priesthood of Ireland to listen to a letter which had recently been written by the Rev. Mr. M‘Dermott, the parish priest of Strokestown, who distinctly and solemnly averred that not only was Colonel Mahon not de nounced from his chapel, but that he had not even mentioned his name within its walls. He had also received a letter from the Rev. John Hughes, stating that the language which had been imputed to him had not been used by him, but by a Conservative newspaper, which wished to cast blame upon those of his sacred pro fession. The Honoul-able Gentleman, after reca pitulating what he stated on the introduction of the Bill, and justifyik bis subsequent charge of opinion with respect tp it, proceeded to say that the Government having now obtained their measure of coercion by overwhelming majorities, all he had to ask them was this—having secured coercion, to turn their serious attention to improve the deplorable condition of the people. The state of Ireland would not Brook delay. Delay would be disastrous, because it would be fatal. He warned them not to rely upon the poor, and assured them, if they did so, that they would lean upon a broken reed. Let them approach the evils of Ireland in a sincere and peaceful spirit, and although the late Mr. O'Connell possessed an influence over the people never equalled—they might by acting in a conciliatory spirit ob tain a share of the affections of the people almost equal to that possessed by the deceased gentleman to whom he had referred. A good beginning was half the battle. if they acted in the spirit he had indicated, they would solve the problem of Ireland's government—that government being, in his opinion, one of a peaceable and conciliatory character. He concluded by moving that the Bill be read a third time this day six months. He im plored the Government during the recess to devise remedial measures, and to bring them forward imme diately after the recess. Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN seconded the motion. He said he was sensible that the House was thoroughly weaned of these repeated discussions—. (Hear, hear)—and he should therefore confine what he had to say in as brief a space as possible. There was no man in the House who felt a greater horror of the outrages committed in Ireland, but he trusted that when the bad government which had produced that state of things should cease, that then those outrages would cease also. With respect to the measure before the House, he did not see through out the whole of it one single proposition calcu lated to produce the effect sought to be obtained by this measure. He should say thet the safer and more effectual mode of suppressing those outrages would he by the establishment of a sufficient moral force to overawe the people.—(Hear, hear.) THE CHANNEL ISLANDS. An HON. MEMBER asked whether Government had received the report of the commissioners appointed to inquire into the state of the law relating to the Channel Islands, and if so, whether they were pre pared to lay it upon the table of the House ? Sir GEORGE GREY said it was received some months back, and laid upon the table of the House at the close of last Parliament. Dr. BOWRlNdhopedGovernment, after the recess, would be prepared to tell him whether they had any objection to extend the labour of the Com mission of the Isle of Man ? COMMERCIAL DISTRESS. Lord G. BENTINCK wished to know at what period of the evening the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer intended to nominate the Commit tee on Commercial Distress, He ventured to hope it would not be at an unseasonable hour. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could not say at what hour he would bring it for ward ; but immediately after the Bill for the Sup pression of Crime and Outrage had been disposed of he shonld ask the House to take his motion out of its order. An Hox. MEMBER wished to know whether the Hon. Member for Montrose intended to persevere with his amendments ? Mr. HUME replied in the affirmative, and declared his opinion that the Committee ought not to be appointed till after the recess. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER appealed to the Hon. Member whether it was fair to persist in moving his resolution. The House had come to the determination that the Committee should be appointed, and the appointment was, therefore, not now an open question. The only question that remained was, what Members sho u ld compose t h at Committee, and it was not fair to interpose any motion or amendment upon such a question. Besides, each of the resolutions of the Hon. Member would give rise to a week's debate.—(Hear and laughter.) CRIME AND OUTRAGE (IRELAND) BILL. On the question being put for the third t reading of this Bill, Mr. URQUIIART rose to support a statement which he had made the other night relative to a speech which the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth delivered in 1844, while supporting his Currency Bill. The Hon. Gentleman read se veral extracts from the Times of the period, to show that the Right Hon. Baronet had expressly stated that the Bill was not to apply either to Ireland or Scotland. (LEFT SITTING.) SOUTH LANCASHIRE ELBCTION.—MANCLIESTER, FRIDAY.—This election, which has already caused so much discussion, is now finally fixed to take place on Monday, the 20ih inst., at Newton. Mr. Henry's com mittee received a communication to this effect from the under sheriff last evening. No opposition is now anti cipated, although the Tories, at the beginning, threat ened a fierce one. Indeed, opposition would now h e h o p e less. Mr. henry's committee now numbers 2,200 names, all of them electors, beside a large number of positive voluntlry pledges, consisting of clergymen of the Church of England, magistrates, merchants, ma nufacturers, and, in fact, of all classes of electors. BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, DEC. 10.—For refining descriptions there is a good demand, but the supply offering continues most indifferent, and quite inadequate to the wants of the trade.—Brigol Alereury. SWITZERLAND. The following note of the Diet, dated Berne the 6th inst., has been transmitted to the French Minis ter for oreign Affairs : " Excellency,—The Swiss Diet has received the note which the Count de Bois le Comte, Ambassador of the King of the French to the Swiss Confedera tion, has addressed to the President of this Assembly, under date of Bale, the 30th of November, and in which the Ambassador communicates to the Diet on the part of the King's Government, the offer of his mediation conjointly with that of the Governments of Austria, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia, with the object, says your Excellency, of re-establishing peace and concord between the cantons which com pose the Swiss Confederation. Although the Diet is very grateful for the solicitude which the high Powers deign to express for Switzerland, it cannot accept the offer that is made to it, because the facts supposed by the Government of the king and his allies do not exist, or have ceased to exist, and especially because the principle itself of the proposed mediation is not in harmony either with the position recognised for the Swiss nation in Europe by treaties, or with the constitution of the Confederation. In fact, the object of the mediation is to put an end to the civil war in Switzerland, and effect a reconciliation between the Diet and the Sonderbund. This mediation sup poses the existence of the separate League, and the existence of two belligerent parties. But we have the satisfaction of announcing to your Excellency that hostilities have been completely at an end for several days, and thus there is no civil war and there are no belligerent parties in Switzerland ; that the seven cantons which formed the Sonderbund have expressly withdrawn from it; that their troops are disbanded and disarmed ; that a considerable portion of the federal army has been dismissed, and that the troops which are still on foot have been received as friends in the seven states, which they occupy essentially with the view of maintaining order and preserving persona and property from the vengeance of the par tisans of the Sonderbund, irritated against those who have led them to their ruin by fanaticising and grossly deceiving them. " It is not, properly speaking, a civil war that Switzerland has had to deplore. There has been no war between the cantons ; but the competent federal authority has been compelled to have recourse to arms to cause to be respected its decrees for the dis solution of an unconstitutional league, prejudicial to the Confederation and incompatible with its exist ence ; and to force a rebel faction to return to its duty--to re-establish order and tranquillity, and maintain the internal security of Switzerland, accord ing to the duty imposed by the Federal pact. Thanks to the firmness of the Diet, the Governments of the cantons, which 'were faithful to the pact, the support of the people, the courage and enthusiasm of the federal troops, and the skill and humanity of their chief, order and legality hare been re-established. There has been comparatively little bloodshed, and of the seven members of the league which have made their submission, six of them have done so by capitu lation, and fire of them without its being necessary to undertake any combat in their territory. The recep tion given to the troops of the Diet in the seven can tons which have not been treated as conquered coun tries, or tha countries of enemies, the joy expressed by the population of these states on finding themselves delivered from the Sonderbund, the abdication of most of the Governments, and the flight of two of them, sufficiently prove that the separate league was a factitious work at the service of the Jesuits, but re jected by the best part of the population. "If the Diet were to enter into a discussion on the bases of a mediation which it cannot accept, it would be easy for us to show that, by reason of the events which have just taken place, the mediation is really without an object. But we will lay these questions aside, for, being within the internal domain of Swit zerland, they cannot form a ground for a mediation, or any other mode of intervention by the Powers. We will even, without admitting it, suppose for a moment that the Sonderbund exists, and that hostili ties continue. In this supposition international right and federal right do not permit the Diet to ac cept the offer that is made to it. The mediation of one or more neutral powers would suppose the exist ence of a difference between Switzerland and some other powers—an international quarrel. If this were the case, nothing would be more natural than an offer of mediation or arbitration, although this offer could not oblige the parties to accept the proposition ; but Switzerland is not in such a position. The supreme authority of the Confederation has felt it necessary to have recourse to the force of arms to obtain obedience to its decrees, to put an end to dis order, and to put down revolt. The Sonderbund being a prohibited league by an express dispo sition of the Fedral pact, and an alliance destructive of the Confederation itself, cannot be considered as the adverse party of the cantons forming the majority of the Diet; it cannot be opposed to the Confedera tion. The Council of War of the Sonderbund can not be assimilated to the Federal Assembly, or the representatives of the League to the representatives of the Diet, and still less those of the five Powers. The President of the Council of War of the Sonder bund is not, or rather was not, equal to the President of the Diet. If so, there would be two confedera tions in Switzerland, two or more separate alli ances, that is to say, there would be no longer any Confederation. Now, by placing the Sonderbund and its dependencies on the same footing as the Con federation and its constituted authorities, by calling a representative of the Sonderbund to the proposed conference, by assimilating this representative to that of the Diet, and even those of the Powers, the me diation lays down a principle which Switzerland cannot admit without committing self-destruction, viz., that there are two rival confederations, and that the Sonderbund has a place amongst thp states of Europe. If this were to be the case, the Diet would protest with all its force against such an attack upon the integrity of Swit zerland, against so flagrant a violation of its rights and entreaties. No, the Sonderbund was not and could not be anything but a factious minority in the Swiss Confederation. The cantons are not, as re gards each other, independent and foreign powers, like France and Great Britain, for example, but the members of one body, united by the same federal bond. This body, this confederation, has interests which are common to all the cantons. Thus, Swit zerland has a general constitution—the federal com pact, which is above all cantonal constitutions. As the Federal sovereignty is above that of the cantons it has a general assembly, the Diet, in which the de • cisions are come to by a majority and not by unanimity as in the congresses of sovereigns ; it has a Federal directory, exercising essentially the ex ecutive power, a capital, the Vorort, an army, a flag, a seal, property revenues, public treasuries, adminis trations, functionaries, codes, laws, regulations, tribunals,—in a word all that constitutes a Govern ment. The Diet declares war and concludes peace; it alone makes alliances with foreign powers, and alone enters into commercial treaties ; it is not the cantons which are represented at European courts, but the Confederation ; it is also to the Confederation and not to the cantons that ambassadors, ministers, and charges d'affaires are accredited in Switzerland. The populations of the twenty-two cantons, notwithstanding their di versity of opinions, morals, local institutions, and religion, form one and the same body—the Swiss nation. Never during the centuries that the Con federation has existed has the sovereignty been abso lute and unlimited; it has never been otherwise than relative and subordinate to that of the ensemble of the Confederation. The whole history of Switzer land, ancient and modern, as well as her successive constitutions, establish clearly that the members of the Confederation have always formed a Helvetic body by the Federal bond which unites them, al though according to ancient alliances anterior to 1798, the cantons had fewer objects placed in common than by the treaty of 1815, which much more centralized the Federal union. That bond, at one time drawn more tightly, and at others loosened, has always obliged the minority of the cantons to submit to the majority of the states or votes in the general Diet of Switzerland; and when the majority and minority are in disaccord on the question of knowing whether the object was or not within the competency of the Diet, it was again the majority which decided the question, since it was of course necessary that some one must at last decide ; and because if, in order to escape from a decision of the Diet, it was sufficient for a majority to contest the competence of the assembly on any question, the central authority would be paralysed, and the Confederation rendered an impossibility. To admit the principle of the offered mediation, that is to say, to treat on equal terms with the Sonderbund, would be to compromise the integrity of Switzerland, which only recognises a confederation, a diet, a federal directory, a federal council of war, and which declares in Art. 8, that in all the affairs in which the compact does not require a different majority, it is the absolute majority which decides. This would be to break the bond which unites the canton in one federative body, and would dissolve the Swiss nation, which has known how to win at the price of its blood that in dependence which has been acknowledged by Europe for ages, as well as by the treaties of Vienna, in which France contracted towards the Swiss Confederation engagements to which the King's Government is pleased to remain faithful. In a word, it would be to divide Switzerland into two confederations, which would end in its ruin, and make a disturbance in the balance of power in Europe, the consequences of which it is difficult to calculate. llis Excellency will comprehend with what painful surprise the Diet has seen that in the note of M. de Bois le Comte the President of the Council of War of the Sonderbund is placed on the same line as the _President ont of o the Federal assembly, the chief of the C fe den a rebel placed by a Government i. le n Iv a level iinis ra e r with if the his legitimate authority. Surely, M. Majesty's Ambassador had not given a positive assur- ante that his Majesty's Government is inspired with the most sincere sentiments of friendship for the Swiss nation, the position which the Government has offi cially given to the ex-President of the ci-devallt council of a dissolved league, would be of a nature to give rise to the most strange suppositions, such, for instance, as the intention to cause the Sonderbund to revive and to support it. There would not be found in the greater number of the confederated states a single magistrate who would consent to sit on a conference with a man who has been forced to fly from the just anger of the citizens of the cantons, dragged by him into the late fatal league. The national feeling would be profoundly afflicted at a supposition to the contrary. The Diet has no doubt that when the Government of the King and his high allies shall have become acquainted with the state of things in Switzerland, and weighed the' preceding considerations, they will comprehend the motives which prevent the Federal Assembly from accepting a mediation, the principle of which implies a recognition of the Sonderbund with all its disas trous consequences, for they might lead to anarchy. This would be much against the will of the five Powers, but such a result would not be the less fatal. A mediation or any other kind of intervention is the less founded, as the events which have just taken place in Switzerland have in no degree compromised the security of the neighbouring states. Their tero, ritories have not been invaded nor even menaced ; their institutions and their tranquillity have been in no danger. The reason of this is that Switzer land, anxious to fulfil her international obligations , has also, happily, the power of doing so. The measures which she has taken for the prompt re-esta blishment of order and tranquillity in the country, for the maintenance of internal and external security, for the preservation of neutrality—measures which articles 1,2, 6, and 8 of the Federal pact have placed within the competency of the Diet—the military forces which the Confederation has displayed, the courage and discipline of its militia, the sentiments of goodwill with which the people of Switzerland are animated for other nations, and the prudence and energy of which the authorities have given proofs, are the best guarantee against dangers which can on l y have been supposed to exist from erroneous or incom plete information, too frequently derived from inter ested or impassioned sources. We take this opportu nity of requesting your Excellency to accept the assurance of our high consideration.' The Provisional Government of Lucerne has issu ed the following decree concerning the Jesuits, 04 : the other religious orders connected with t ill '. body : " The Provisional Government of Lucerne, wish ing to prove to the High Diet that it is eager to ow ply with its demands, made with a view to the &Iv able re-establishment of peace, and so far as these demands are not of a nature to cause new complic tions in religion and politics—considering the dean ( ' of the High Diet of the 4th September, 1 847 ; con sidering also the pacification of the canton of Ltl" cerne, decrees as follows :—The Jesuits and the affiliated with them, particularly the Ursu c i line, and the Sisters of Providence at Lucerne an Sursee, are for ever banished from the canton.--: Those who are absent shall never be perm itted agar, to cross the frontier, and those who are s till within the territory shall quit it between this time and the iota at the latest. The ancient funds of the Franciscans shall be again administered as they were before the recal of the Jesuits. An understanding shall be come to with the episcopal Commissioners for re ligious service in the church of the Franciscans. 'l_7 future Government take the necessary measures fq the reconstitution and direction of the theologic.aL institute and the seminary. This decree shall bei published in the official journal of the c anton, posted up at the usual places, commun i ca ted to in° ° and all the authorities to whom it belong s; and deposited in the archives.—Lucerne , this 2d December, 1847." in ' The following appears to be a summary of the telligence from Switzerland : " The interest of the moment is now less at Berne c than at Friburg. We find in the Swiss journals text of the decree of 29th November, declaring ..be _ members of the late Government responsib le for the war and its consequences." RAILWAY SHARE MARKET LIVERPOOL Dac. 11. STOCK EXCHANGE.—Our Share ' Market to has been are the quotations :—East Lancashire, Old, 21 ; steady, and prices are lower than yesterday. Tbe following Quarter Shares (Grand Junction) 37 ; Ditto Quarter Shares, Old, I I Ye p. ; Leods, Fifth Shares, ' par;' Midland, New , 13 3 i dm ; Liverpool and Crosby (W. L.), % dis.; Pregt9, ll ,, l . in , Wyre (13), 4p. ; Dovers, Old, 30% ; Ditto, o• 1, 3 - 4 uls* , Ditto, No. 3,5% dis. ; Ditto, N 0.4 1 1 7. dis.; Newcastle, Pre". ference, lis p. ; Berwicks, No. 2, 2 ' p. - Midland, '101• Shares, London 42-X 3 ; North Staffordshire, i i i dis. ;' Sheffield, Preference. l A IL MANCHESTER, DEC. 11. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Lancashire and York shire, 321. Shares, 5 dis. ; North Staffordshire, 5-16 die.; South-Eastern and Dover, No. 4, 1 11-16 dis. LEEDS, DiC. 11. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—East Lancashire. 34i die.—Ditto, New, 3% dis.—Ditto Quarters, 18s. 6d. dis. -- Lancashire and,orkshire (West Riding Union), 50s. 6d. die. —Leeds and Thirsk, 15 1 / 2 dis.—Ditto, Preference, 1 4 Leicester and Bedford, 3s. 6d. die.— North British, Thirds, ls. p.—Ditto, Quarters, 6s. 3d. dis.—North Staffordshire, 7s. 6d. dis.— North- Western, 4% dis.—York, Newcastle, and Berwick, No. 2 (New Berwicks), 2 1 4 p. NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, DEC. 10. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The only sale was—Newcastle and Carlisle, 100. BRISTOL, DEc. 11. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market was quiet, but the general impression was, that the market by next accouute would experience an upward tendency. The sales area Western, Quarters, 2 p.—Ditto,. 174 Shares, 1 NPew Lancaster and Carlisle, 4 1 4 p.—North British, 2 p.— castle and Berwick, NeW, Fp. YORK, Dac. 10. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Great Northern? 41:, 103. 6d.—Leicester and Bedford, 12s.—York, Newcast le, an Berwick, No. 2 (late New Berwicks), 12 c. EDINBURGH, Ditc 10. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Caledonian, _,Nely' tish, 11. sa.Edinburgh and Northern , New, 21. 2s..—Ditto , Myr.' Halves, 12 1 4—Ditto, Quartrs. ports, 51 . 7s. 6d.—Great Northern , 41. 10$. 6d.—North sr.' ports, Quarters, 12s.—Ditto, Thirds, 21. 4s. 6d.—Scottoll Centrals, 231. 10s. 41. lls. 6d.--Dit.to, VICTORIA-PARK.—The CoMmissioners of Woods and Forests m a k e th e f o ll ow ing statement in their re po printed on Sat u rd a y res p e cting Victor ia- p ark rt :—" he appendix, No. 21, c o ntains a schedule of property pur chased during the year ended the sth of January last, under the authority of the Act sth 'Victoria, sec. , 20, to extend an Act passed in the 4th and sth years . 0 ' her present Majesty for enabling her Majesty's Comml sioners of Woods, &c., to purchase certain lands for Victoria-park, the purchase money for which proper_ y amounts to 4251., making, with the sum of 82,898/. 3s• paid for former purchases, and the further sum of 3, 97 °' still due for a purchase already agreed for, but not Wei. plated during the period of this report, the sum 87,2981. 3s. ld., being the total cost of the property re 7 quired for the site of this park, with the building-ground attached thereto, exclusive of the :expen se of construct , ing the lodge, bridge, sewers, and road s, p lanting, fe ion l l°- ing, and other works now in progre s s for the for of the park; the amount paid in respe ct of which works, and of all other expenses relating_ to the park up to the sth of January last, was 30,521/., making the who outlay to that date 117,8191. 3s. ld." Since the lset report, roads and plantations have b een ra p idl y p roceeded with, and an ornamental piece of water is now in course of formation. WAKEFIELD CORN MARKET, FRIDAT.--OUr SOP" plies to-day are less than of late. There is only a poor display of wheat samples, and having a healthy demand an advance of ls. a quarter is obtained on the finest parcels, and for other descriptions ;there is a freer sale at a slight improvement. Barley is more sought after and fully maintains late prices. Oats and shelling only in retail demand, and are sold on rather easier terms' Beans are the turn dearer. CORN AND NAVIGATION LAWS.—The Government have announced that it is not their intention to prolog the suspension of the corn and navigation laws beyona the Ist of March next. BIRTH& On the 9th inst., at the Paragon, Blackheath , the lady °t J. Drew, Eiq., of a daughter. On the 10th inst., the wife of Mr. G. Singer, of 114111°I court, Fenchurch-street, of twins, MARRIED. oft, On the 9th inst., at the church of St. Peter mancr t, Norwich, by the Rev. C. Chapman, rector of Acrise, neat, H. B. Branwhite, only son of H. B. Mason, Esc'. of Wer_ f ham, Norfolk, to Elizabeth Anna, only surviving c l aug hter u the late R. Hawkes, Esq., of that city. On the 9th inst., at St. Nicholas Church, Brighton, bY tl Rev. H. Allen, Henry, son of C. Cox, Esq., firer tell he park, Surrey, to Frances Ann Bell, youngest daughter or late L. Smith, Esq., of Bognor, Susse__________....---' On the 9th inst., at her DIED residence, Alpha-road, Regeni'oi park, in the 78th rear of her age, Helena, Cottnteet3 Kingston. On the 4th inst., at her house, in Clarence-street, Liver'. pool, Sarah, relict of the Rev. T. Hill, aged 86. On the sth inst., Mr. E. Darley, of Covent-garden , s6 e l- 6 .!, On the ilth inst., Mrs. Symons , of Queen s -row, rial' h '" aged 91. On the Bth inst., at Sillwood House, B r i g ht on , Mise Stee, ll9 , r " daughter of the l ate L. 5. Steere, Esq. of Jayee , . o c lue- S Onthe 9th inst., at South-row, St. Pancras, Susannah , the wife of J. Brine, Esq : , aged 77. Wiri On the 9th inst., kezia Ann, wife of Mr. I. Peck, (if ton-street, Gray's Inn-road, aged 79. On the 9th inst., at Bethnal - green , a g ed 56, Mr. W. C. Thornth waite. On the 9th inst., in Claremont-square, Pentonville, Colbeck, Esq., aged 78. On the 9th inst., at ings, aged 35, Mary Anne Sophia, the wile of Captain D. H. C. C. Elwes, of Brigg, Linco l ns hire. , On the 9th inst., at Croydon, Mrs. Jane C a p on, late 01 Greatarmcuh, aged 84. On t h e 10th t inst., at Upper Homerton, Mary, the wife Of Mr. C. H. Pulley. On the 10th inst., at his residence, Strood Hill, near 1 1 °' chester, Kent, T. Charlton, Esq., aged 68. On the 10th inst., at Brighton, aged 22, Frances Elle?, L o a u t n h gest surviving daughter of R. Paterson, Esq., o f Bladt London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOU G 't No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 1 ' ;1 Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the comity Middlesex, Monday, December 13, 1647. P i