The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-02-27 00:00:00

Vrotettitimo in parliament. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY. On the order of the day for the third reading of the Habeas Corpus Su s pension (Ireland) Bill, The usual Irish debate followed. The house having divided, the third reading was carried by 117 to 23. Lord Jouti RUSSELL then rose to move a committee of the whole house on the oaths to be taken by members of the two houses of Parliament. The noble lord, who said he did not propose to interfere with the oaths to be taken by Roman Catholics, read the form of the oath to be sub stituted for the present oath of abjuration (and which he had taken from the report of 1845), which contained the words " on the true faith of a Christian," but he proposed that these words should be omitted when the oath was administered to a member of the Jewish religion. In the belief that his proposition would deer away ambiguities, and make the whole system defensible and justifiable, he asked the house to go into committee. _ . Mr. GOULBURN, whilst he did not oppose the motion of going into committee, protested against being supposed to adopt the principle of Lord J. Russell's proposition. Mr. PLUMPTRE opposed the whole measure, and would divide the house on this its first stage. After a debate, the house divided on the original mo tion, which was carried by 214 to 111, HOUSE OF COMMONS.-TUESDAY Mr. BAILLIE moved for a select committee to inquire into the grievances complained of in the Crown colonies of Ceylon and British Guiana, and to report whether any measures can be adopted for the better administration of those dependencies. The hon. member charged the colo nial office with tyranny and oppression, with a wasteful expenditure of the colonial resources ; and insisted that the time bad arrived when the colonies were competent to control their own expenditure and to manage their own affairs. .He then entered into an exposition of the sys tems of local government in the Crown colonies, and of the specific grievances of which they complained. He de tailed the fiscal eccentricities of Lord Torrington in Cey lon, to which he attributed the late rebellion in that island; and after condemning in strong terms the severi ties, some of them illegal, exercised towards the rebels, he produced a marked sensation in the house by the state ment, that a bill of indemnity was passed in his own coun cil only by the casting vote of Lord Torrington himself. Mr. HUME seconded the motion. Sir R. PEEL dotal d Giving I nation it might have from crim lation. , said the execution of a priest in his s hereby stigmatising and insulting the whole heforc ngton credit foi vigour and determi down the rebellion, he thought he s calculated not to deter but to alienate the minds of the native popu- JOHN RUSSELL, prefacing his observations by a upon the personal bitterness betrayed by Mr. Baillie, showed the injustice and partiality of his attack upon Lord Torrington, and complained that, having sup pressed the truth in his own speech, he had closed it with a most unuqual charge against I ; .or l. Grey, founded merely upon the report of a speech in the House of Lords. A discuss,on of some length and perplexity then took place, several members proposing changes in the phraseo logy of the motion ; at length the motion for a committee was agreed to. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY Aftertbepresentation of a large number of petitions, Sir J. PA KINGTON moved the second reading of the Bribery at Elections Bill, which he contended was more necessary attei 1841 and 1846. le occurrences ai Colonel SIBTHORP would oppose all bribery bills transactions, )r every man had a rig The bill was absurd, oppressive, and full of equivocation, and he should therefore, object to it, though he would not prevent its going to the committee up stairs. Sir G. GREY objected to the declaration proposed to be taken by the members at the table, as well as to many of the provisions of the measure, but if it was the general wish of the house that the bill should go to a select com mittee, he would not stand in the way of that wish, how ever strong might be his objections to the bill in its pre- sent shape. Mr. F. O'CoNwon stated, as an instance of the extent to which bribery is carried, the fact, that at the last elec tion for Nottingham he was waited upon by a deputation of publicans, who asked him, if they gave him their sup port, if he would pay the expenses incurred by Sir J. C. Hobhouse at the previous election. After some further discussion the bill was read a second time by a majority of 30. HOUSE OF LORDS.-THURSDAT The Bishop of OXFORD moved for a select committee to consider the best means which could be adopted by the Government of Great Britain for providing for the final extinction of the slave trade. He was sorry to perceive there was an apathy in the public mind on the subject ; but that was the stronger reason for their lordships to en ter upon the inquiry, the result of which, he believed, would be to establish the opinion that without a squadron on the African coast it would not be possible to effect the object in view. Lord STANLEY hoped that. inquiry would be specially instituted into the alleged fact, that since the year 1846, when slave-grown sugar was first admitted into this coun try, not only had the African slave trade increased, but the horrors and suffering attending it had been grievously increased also. If this were so, it would be proof that the efforts of our squadron on the African coast were pa ralysed by a measure founded upon wretched notions of mistaken economy. Earl GREY defended the Sugar Act of 1846 as a wise one, even in reference to the slave trade. The noble earl adverted to what had fallen from Lord Brougham respect ing the Governor of Ceylon, which he protested against as most unjust, and said if the noble lord : had any charge zovernor, he should have brought it forward h would give him m) opportunity of an- again s in 'a shape w swering it. Lord BROUGHAM promised the noble earl that he should have the opportunity he was desirous of. After some further conversation, the select committee was appointed HOUSE OF COMMON S .—T iirn v r ky. Mr. S. WORTLEY moved for leave to bring in a bill to amend and alter the Act of sth and 6th Wm. IV., c. 54, so far as relates to marriage within certain degrees of af finity. The object of his bill was to legalise marriages be tween widowers and the sisters and nieces of their de ceased wives. He proposed that the bill should be merely permissive, and that there should be no compulsion on clergymen of the Church of England to celebrate such marriages, nor should they be subjected to legal proceed ings if they refused to do so. The bill should not be con fined in its operation to England alone. Mr. HOPE would not oppose the bill in its first stage, as there would be ample opportunities in its subsequerit progress through the house ; but he felt it necessary to state his dissent from the measure, lest it should be as sumed by the country that the house was unanimous in its support, because they suffered the bill to be brought in without a division. He then, however, gave notice that on the second reading of the bill he would move that it be read a second time that day six months. Mr. R. PALMER believed the existing law to be a true exposition of the moralities of Christianity and of the will of God ; and he should therefore, on future occasions, discuss the tendencies of the proposed measure more narrowly. Leave was given to bring in the bill. Mr. BouvEntE moved that the house should resolve itself into a committee of the whole house, to consider what relief could be granted to persons in holy orders, in connexion with the United Churches of England and Ire land, declaring their dissent therefrom. It appeared, by a decision of the Court of Queen's Bench, that clergymen of the Church of England becoming dissenters were, al though exempt from statutory penalties, nevertheless lia ble to be proceeded against in the ecclesiastical courts for breach of discipline. There could be no reason why cler gymen in such a position should be exposed to penalties on account of their religious opinions, and he, therefore, should propose that a clergyman dissenting should make a declaration of his dissent from the Church, which decla ration should be registered in accordance with the Art of ineaeTiOre%fan 9gtsPart4°,,tkkish9Xeytll2.Slic.':. give full effect to any steps which might be taken for the deposition of the party dissenting. He proposed that this being done, the party dissenting should cease to be liable to all penalties for such dissent, and should, at the same time, be deprived of all privileges and exemptions to which clergymen of the Established Church were entitled. Mr. GLADSTONE quite agreed in the propriety of the proposed measure. The motion was agreed to. Mr. S. CRAWFORD moved that the laws relating to landed property in Ireland, as affecting the rights and powers both of landlords and tenants, required the imme diate consideration of this house, with a view to such al teration of these laws as would remove the obstacles at present existing to the improvement of the soil, and the employment of the people. The hon. gentleman stated his views upon the state of the land question in Ireland, and suggested a variety of measures, in order to place it upon its proper footing. Sir W. SOMERVILLE expressed his surprise that the hon. gentleman should have proposed an abstract resolu tion, the truth of which no one could deny, instead of bringing forward some practical measure upon a subject to which he had devoted so much attention, and followed up with so much zeal and perseverance. He hoped, not withstanding the difficulties in the way, to introduce some measure during the present session to secure to improving tenants in Ireland the benefit of their outlay. He also proposed to bring in a bill to amend the grand jury laws, and another bill for the conversion of renewable leases into a tenure in fee. He hoped the house would not as sent to a resolution aiming at nothing, and not cal cu l a t e d to lead to any practical result. After some observations from Mr. O'Flaherty, Mr. J. O'Connell, Lord Bernard, Mr. Reynolds, and Mr. Mon- sell, Air. S. CRAWFORD withdrew his motion. Mr. TAELAWNY moved for a select committee, to in quire to what extent the public are entitled to claim an interest, present or prospective, in the management of the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, respecting which returns are annually presented to the house, and whether there is not reason to hope, from those returns, as well as other circumstances, that an improvement in the manage ment of those estates, in partitular by the suppression of antiquated and superfluous offices, and the diminution of the salaries of officers, would greatly increase the joint net income of the two duchies. Lord J. RUSSELL opposed the motion, which would b. A direct violation of the compact made with the Crow; at the commencement of the present reign, if the object which the hon. gentleman had in view should be carried out. The 'motion was supported by Mr. Carew, Mr. Hume, Mr. Ricardo, and Mr. M. Gibson, and opposed by Sir G. Grey and the Earl of Lincoln. After some observations from Mr. BASS and Mr. HEYWORTH, Mr. TRELAWNY replied, and the motion was negatived on a division by a majority of 74 to 27. HOUSE OF LORDS-FRIDAY The Marquis of LANSDOWNE moved the second reading of the Habeas Corpus Suspension (Ireland) Bill, and stated the necessity of its continuance for the period pro posed by the Government. Lord BROUGHAM supported the bill, the necessity for which could not be doubted, and he only regretted that the Government had not asked for those powers for a longer time than was proposed by the bill. HOUSE OF COMMONS-FRIDAY The House having resolved itself into committee upon the Parliamentary Oaths Bill, Lord J. RUSSELL moved his resolutions upon which to found a bill for their alteration. _ _ _ Mr. V. SMITH said he thought that few things could be more pernicious than to heve a multiplicity of oaths, and believed the house would be conferring a great public benefit if they diminished their number and simplified their character. Those oaths, he was convinced, gave no security whatever, and he, therefore, moved as an amend ment, that all parliamentary oaths be abolished, except the oaths of fidelity and allegiance to her Majesty. Lord J. RUSSELL entertained a different Opinion from his hon. friend, and would, therefore, oppose the amend ment. Mr. HuME warmly supported the amendment. The house divided, and the amendment was negatived by a majority of 140 to 68. Mr. BANKES said, as the forms of the house would not permit a second amendment to be moved to the resolu tions, he would postpone the one of which he had given notice until the house should be in committee on the bill itself. He would not oppose the resolutions, because he would not object to any alteration of the oaths which might be for the better ; but he would decidedly oppose any alteration which could have the effect of admitting Jews to Parliament. The hon. gentleman also suggested the necessity of so framing the oaths to be taken that dissenters might give the same securities to respect the rights of the Established Church as were given by the oath taken by Roman Catholics. . Lord J. RUSSELL said the hon. gentleman was right in even w The resolutions were agreed to FOREIGN AND COLONIAL THE WAR IN INDIA ,—CAPTURE OF MOULTAN. ceived in London, by express, in anticipation of the overland mail, from Calcutta to the sth of January, from Bombay to the 19th, and from Moultan, the seat of war, to the 7th of the same month. The intelligence is most important. The following sum mary is from the Bombay Times : --- "Moultan has at length been captured, after one of the most obstinate and gallant defences on the part of having been battered and bombarded by nearly a hundred and fifty pieces of ordnance for a week, was taken on the 2nd. This fort was expected to be stormed on the 7th instant. The Bombay troops joined General Whish on the 21st December. The besieging army now amounted to 15,000 British troops, the allies amounting to about • 17,000; or m 32,000 in all. The artillery amounted to about 150 pieces of ordnance, of which nearly one-half were of the largest caliber. On Christmas-day, and the lowing the force c grounc the troops advanced in four columns to the attack, and, clearing the suburbs, and driving in the enemy on all sides, established themselves within five hundred yards of the walls. Batteries were now constructed in every direction, and on the morning of the 28th a terrific can nonade and bombardment commenced. On the 29th the heavy guns were battering within eighty yards of the ramparts. On the morning of the 30th the principal magazine in the fort blew up with a terriffic explosion, — nearly 800,000 lbs. of powder are reported to have been stored in it, —blowing a vast column of dust a thousand feet into the air. The destruction it caused all round must have been tremendous. A mighty conflagration, supposed to be that of the principal stores, was now spreading in the town. £50,000 worth of grain were afterwards found to have been destroyed. The enemy's artillery slackened their fire, but still continued unsilen ced. On the two next days the cannonade continued ; shells were thrown, sometimes every reipute, sometimes at intervals of ten minutes, and fearfulgilvos were from time to time discharged from the heavy batteries. A furious cannonade having been kept up all the previous night, on the morning of the 2nd a column of Bengal troops, commanded by Colonel Franks, consisting of her Majesty's 32nd, 49th, and 72nd Native Infantry, pushed forward to a breach near the Delhi Gate. Here they found the enemy determined to oppose them to the last. The breach, besides, proved impracticable; so the troops retired, and moved round to the opposite side of the town, where the entrance of the Bombay column had already been effected. The breach stormed by them bad been much more complete than the other, and the enemy defending it were driven off at the bayonet's point. The Fusiliers entered first, and speedily placed their standard within the walls of the town. The Bengal column fol lowed them, and the city of Moultan, which was captured about three p.m., was, before sunset; filled with British troops. The fire from the fort, which had for a time slackened, was meanwhile renewed. In the course of the night a mine was sprung on us, which occasioned some mischief. Moolraj seemed determined to maintain him self to the last, and showed no sign of fear amidst all his reverses. On the morning of the 3rd the cannonade was again resumed by us, and the Dowlut Gate, the last hold of the enemy, destroyed. Large quantities of pillage were being collected ; and the bankers were said to have offered £30,000 if we would leave their establishments alone." It does not appear, however, that down to the evening of the 6th of January the fort of Moultan had surrendered. A letter of that date says,—" Moolraj had sent a communication to General Whish to request -' The answer was,—" An unconditional surren- To that the reply was not known when the letter A letter from Moultan, of the 7th, published in the Bombay Telegraph and Inquirer, says, tnat the citadel had not yet fallen, but was being mined, with the object of blowing the counterscarp into the ditch, and then storming the fort. Another letters tys,—" The fort still holds out. Moolraj appears deter nined to stand to his walls to the last. 1 understand that the plan now is to blow the counterscarp into the ditch, which will enable the breich to be stormed. We still bombari night and day. Moolraj sent in a Vakeel yesterday offering to sur render, on condition of his life being promised. This was refused. I suppose a day or two more will give you the accounts of the fort being ours." _ __The following is a list of the killed and wounded at Moultan : " Killed.—Major J. Gordon, 60th Rifles ; Lieutenant E. Younghusband, 9th Bombay Native Infantry. " Wounded.—Lieutenant Colonel Nash, 72nd Native Infantry ; Major Case, 32d Foot ; Lieutenant H. A. Playfair, (since dead,) 52d Native Infantry ; Lieutenant Hill, Bombay Engineers ; Captain Bailey, Bombay Artillery, (arm lost ;) Lieutenant Baugh, 9th Bombay Native Infantry ; Lieutenant N. W. Dyatt, 31 Bombay Native Infantry, slightly; Surgeon J. P. Malcolmson, 3d Bombay Native Infantry, slightly ; Second Lieut. G. Napier, 3d Company Ist Battalion Bombay Artillery, slightly ; Lieutenants Brooke and Straubenzee, 32d Foot, severely ; Lieutenant Tyrwhitt, 51st Native Infantry ; Lieutenant Armstrong, and Ensigns Gillon and M`Dou gal, 72d Native Infantry. These casualties all occurred on the 27th of December. No account of those which happened on the 2nd of Janu ary has yet appeared, further than that Captains R. W. D. Leith and T. Tapp, and Lieutenants E. A. Law, W. Gray, and E. Dansey, of the Ist Bombay Fusiliers, with about 40 men, were wounded, and four men killed ; Lieut. Garforth, Bengal Engineers, severely wounded ; Lieut. Taylor, of her Majesty's 32nd Foot, wounded, with two men killed and ten wounded. The Bombay correspondent of the Times, writing on the 19th, says,—" By late advices we learn that Moolraj had prepared to treat, and that General Whish had given 'Bombay - GO L Verirgait' s o f n iegath i Afeh a l,, TiriC er ßtr:‘,..l l 4 further deferred the mail during the last fourteen hours ; but, if any intelligence has been received during the course of to-night, as to the submission of Moolraj, it has not been disclosed." _ _ The commercial accounts by the overland mail continue, on the whole, to be very satisfactory. At Bombay both cotton goods and metals are in active demand, and the stocks of both have become so low that considerable transactions have taken place for arrival. At Calcutta also the import market as regards cotton goods is ex tremely firm. From China the advices are less favourable, but, although there was a general dulness in the markets, it was attributed in some degree to the season, and an early improvement was anticipated. INVASION OF SCINDE BY THE AFFGHANS Telegraph and Courier-office, Van. 19. Official information has been received of the advance against the Scinde frontier of 12,000 Affghans, with four teen guns, under Dost Mahomed's nephew, and one of the Candahar chiefs. They are said to have already tra versed the Khojuck Pass, and to be now marching on Shikarpore ! We know not how they will get through the Bolan, which, at this time of the year, is covered with snow. An extra council sits to-day, doubtless to consider the necessity of fresh reinforcements being sent to Scinde. PRUSSIA.—The state . of siege in Berlin is still main tained in all its severity, several recent attempts to hold political meetings having been nullified by the interfer ence of the police. The Board of Aldermen had refused to join the Common Council in its address to the govern ment in favour of the raising of the state of siege. HANOVER.—RESIGNATION OF MINISTERS.—The re signation of ministers was officially announced, on the 19th instant, in the Second Chamber. The ground for the step is the vote of the above Chamber respecting the recognition of the bill of fundamental rights (as drawn up by the Frankfort Assembly), ministers not being prepared to make that bill unconditionally binding in Hanover. CAERERA.—The following story is current of Cabrera on the evening he was wounded. The fierce moustachioed leech who was attending to the wound was observed by Cabrera to be busily occupied in probing , c ausin g great pain. Cabrera asked him impatiently what he was about. " Searching for the ball," was the doctor's response. " Then search in my waistcoat pocket," was Cabrera's retort. The fact was, that when hurried from the field by his guides, and conveyed to a farm-house, his trousers wcro cut off, and the ball fell out at the same time. THE LITURTOSI STANDARD. FRANCE. In the National Asseinbli on Wednesday, ;a division took place on. the amendment to the eleetoralllaw pro posed by M. Pierre Leroux, rendering . all persons con victed of adultery ineligible to the Legislative Assembly, when there appeared—for the amendinent,2B6 ; against it, 229 ; majority, 57. The amendment was consequently adopted. Some disturbances of a rather serious character took place at Niort, in the department of the Deux Sevres, which were, however. suppressed. The anarchists threw stones at the military, and had commenced two barri cades. The disturbance, which at first was only of a local character, received this grave turn through the intrigues of the Anarchists, who happily failed. ITALY Advices from Civita Vecchia, of the 12th instant, state that the Neapolitan government is preparing an expedition against the Roman States of 15,000 men, Neapolitans and Spaniards. The Semaphore of Marseilles, of the 16th, has advices from Rome to the 12th, which announce that the Assembly had named an executive commission of three members—MM. Armellini, Salicetti (of Naples). and Montechi. It was stated that the Roman Republic would have no president, but that the fun.:tions of that magistrate would be exercised by three consuls. A Te Deum was sung on the 11th inst., at St. Peter's, at Rome, to celebrate the proclamation of the republic. The regular clergy refused to officiate, and the mass was celebrated by a military clergyman, assisted by the sol diers, who held the torches. Amongst the miscellaneous proceedings of the United States Conress are projects to establish a telegraphic communication across the Atlantic to Europe, to form a similar line across the American continent, and also a pro ject to form a line of railway from the Lakes of Michigan to the Pacific. DEATH OF PRINCE WALDEMAR OF PRUSSIA.—The Wavle Gazette announces the death of Prince Waldemar of Prussia. He breathed his last at Munster, at half-past three o'clock, on the lith instant, in the arms of his fa ther, Prince William of Prussia, uncle of the present king, and governor of Mayence. The prince was 32 years of age, and died from the consequence of a fall received while hunting. The prince was present at all the operations of the campaign against the Sikhs, under Lord Hardinge. THE TEMPLES AT JERUSALEM—The Sultan had granted the Jews permission to build a synagogue on Mount Zion. In this Cage there will be a Turkish mosque, and a Christian cathedral, and a Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Thus, the spirit of indifference and equality, which now predominates in Europe, will be introduced into the Holy Land. As we conceive that this chosen spot has been set ligious confusion, we look upon this Measure as the first step in advance towards the accomplishment of those terrible and decided revelations which shall settle for ever those disputed questions, which have so long shaken the foundations of social and political order, concerning the union and suoremacy of the Church and State. To the building of this temple all Christians should look for ward with great anxiety, and we have much to say of its future destinies. LABUAN. — From Labaun, the accounts are to the 18th of December, and are less unsatisfactory than those last received regarding the health of the island. On the hill where the new residences were being erected, there was perfect freedom from sickness, and the dangerous locali ties were supposed to be very limited. Sir James Brooke had exchanged ratifications at Bruni with the sultan, for the occupation of the island of Labuan, and the sultan had sent 300 labourers to assist in the construction of the new town. He had also despatched letters to every part of Bomeo,requesting the nati-es to trade freely with the new settlement. The colony had been left for some time in an unprotected state, but the Auckland and the Mean der had since arrived, and had landed eighty sepoys. On the 3rd of December, Sir James Brooke had sailed from Labaun to negotiate a treaty with the Sultan of Sulu. Native boats are beginning to trade regularly from the coast of Borneo, bringing various articles of provision.— Times. A FEW MORE FACTS FROM THE GOLD COUNTRY Up to the sailing of the steamer, the gold from the mines received in the United States did not exceed 4100,000, while the amount of specie taken by the swarms of adventures who had already sailed was up wards of '-3'500,000; goods and provisions having also been shipped to the estimated value of 8500,000 or 5600,000. Under these circumstances it was felt that unless considerable arrivals of gold should soon take place a severe pressure might ensue, since the goods sent off, and for which the returns can only come at a distant date, must be supplied by fresh importations that will call for remittances. Amongst other speculations a small river steamer has been bought by a company to run on the Sacramento river directly into the heart of the gold regions, and an hotel, complete in all its parts, has been constructed at New York, and shipped, with furniture and fixtures of every kind, to San Francisco at a total cost of 410,000. Captain Judkins reports that New York has been cleared of spades, shovels, and all other implements with which the ground can be dug and turned over ; and an American gentleman, recently arrived from New York, states that the bakers are almost worked to death, in supplying ship bread, for the Each of vessels which are sailing to the land of gold. Each of these vessels takes out a cargo of " notions,"—that is, of all manner of things that any one has a notion of selling. The consequence is that the shops and stores have been cleared, and that very large orders have come to Europe. A private letter, received by the last steamer, says : "You may think the accounts of the gold discoveries ex aggerated, but I can assure you that they are not. The follow. ing fact I hesitate to tell you because it seems incredible, but it is nevertheless a fact. A Mend of the French Consul—and the Consul has reported the same to his Government—went out some days since to the gold region. He dug four days, during whi-h time he got 401 b of gold ! There are plenty of lumps found weighing from Ilb. to 21b. each, and it is said that there is a piece in San Francisco weighing 251 b. Indeed, an acquaintance assured me that he held it in his hand." The advices from the Sandwich Islands also continue to harmonize with those from other quarters. Several persons, it is averred, had already returned to Honololu with very large sums, and such was the excitement caused by their statements that not less than 20 vessels, and about 400 passengers, had left the islands, and every available ship was still being pressed into the service. POLITICAL MISCELLANY. -*- Sir R. H. Inglis, M.P., has been seriously indisposed, and is still confined to his house. _ . . The new Jew bill for the future is to be designated as " A Bill to return the Right Hon. Lord John Russell as Member for the City of London free of expense." At a public meeting of the merchants, shipowners, &c., of Leith, held on Monday evening, the Lord Provost in the chair, a petition against any alteration in the naviga tion laws was unanimously agreed to. JEWISH DISABILITIES ' . — hI the majorityfor going into committee on this bill we find Sir T. B. Birch, E. Card well, A. Henry, Sir J. Graham, W. Jackson, T. Thorne ley, Earl Grosvenor, and W. E. Gladstone. In the mi nority were Sir P. Egerton, J. Tollemache, Lord H. Ben tinck, &c. A parliamentary reporter, in a letter to The Times, suggests that a great saving of time might be effected in the House of Commons, when a division takes place, by the members simply passing through a turnstile, con structed so as to indicate the number that have passed. The present cumbrous mode of " telling" sometimes oc- . cupies two or three hours. It is understood that Chevalier Bunsen, the Prussian Minister in this country, has returned to his post invested with full powers, not only from the Court of Berlin, but from the Germanic Government at Frankfort, to enter upon a negotiation for the conclusion of a definitive treaty of peace between Denmark and those States of Germany which thought fit to interfere by arms in the dispute rela tive to the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. THE AGRICULTURAL INTEREST. — Let the friends of British agriculture take heart ! and let the despondency which recent events have been so directly calculated to create, be converted into hope and cheering confidence ! In the House of Commons, on Thursday, Mr. Disraeli gave notice that on next Thursday week " he should call the attention of the house to the present condition•of the agricultural interest of the country, with a view to the more equitable apportionment of the taxation to which it is subject." This notice was received with demonstra- . patriotic portion of the assembly. REDUCTION IN THE ESTIMATES.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer is able to effect a saving of £592,258 upon the navy estimates for this year as compared with last, and as nearly as much in the army estimates. The total army estimate for 1849-50 is £6,142,211; that for 1848-9 was £6,520,835. showing a decrease of £378,624. The number of men voted last year was 113,847 ; the number now proposed (we, of course, exclude the troops in the pay of the East India Company) is 103,254, a reduction of 10,593. But as there is to be an increase in the troops in India, from 24,922 to 28,267, the real number of men to be discharged is 7,248. Add this to the 3,000 to be turned adrift from the navy, and we have ten thousand men thrown, by the mistaken economy of the day, into the already over-crowded labour market. But this is not all, it is not the good and the well-conducted that are to be discharged. No, the instructions are to get rid of the dis•olute and depraved. If the officers can find 7,000 profligates in the ranks, men notorious for drunken ness, debauchery, violence, or theft, they are all to be let loose upon society. The nation will thereby realize a saving in the army estimates of £378,624. But against this, how much must be set in the matter of police-rates and prison expenditure? A CURIOUS WITNESS.—In the Commons; on Thursday, on the motion of Sir J. Pakington fora bill to prevent bribery at elections, Colonel Sibthorp said, that he would not oppose the motion, as the bill was to be referred to a select committee, from which he hoped it would never come out. The hon. baronet talked about the purity of public men. Good God ! the purity of public men, where was it ?—what was it ? (Hear, and laughter.) He had always thought, and now boldly declared, that the Trea sury Bench was the seat where, above all others, the grossest. corruption prevailed. (Laughter.) The purity of public men, indeed ! Faugh ! Stuff! It was mere moonshine. (Hear, and laughter.) It was impossible for them to be pure. Bribery and corruption was part of their system, and their impurity was as notorious as the sun at noonday. (Hear, and laughter.) If there were to be all this secret inquiry, no man would be safe. Bribery and corruption existed, and doubtless would exist,—but any man had a right to do what he liked with his own ; that was only carrying out the vaunted principle of free trade. He believed the bill to be absurd, to be full of equivocations, and that it would prevent the purest and most honourable men from coming to the house and co , . scientiously taking the usual oaths. IRELAND. ..----.---. The accounts from this country, alike from private and public sources, are such as to afford little hope or prospect of improvement. What with the wretchedness that pre vails, and the empiricism of legislation practised for its mitigation, one is mournfully reminded of the description given by the Roman historian of his country verging to its downfall, when it could bear, he said, neither the diseases that consumed it nor the remedy to relieve them. Popery, idleness, and wretchedness are amongst the fester ing diseases of the country, and our enlightened states men speak of an endowed priesthood, an amended poor-law, and an enlarged elective franchise, as the certain specifics. The first is abandoned for the present, the temper of this country wont stand it : the last is still kept in reserve. But the fate of the Irish Government has already been cast upon the great measure of amended Poor-law. Our readers have already become acquainted no doubt with its provisions, which, according to the most approved pattern of Whig legislation, are so moulded, as to bring about what ought most carefully to have been guarded against ; he involving the peaceful and industrious north in the ruin and misery of the west and south, and to omit, what must be the main aim of any measure really beneficial, the producing a spirit of industry and 'fore thought in the population. How long can this course be continued in Ireland without implicating more deeply the resources and energies of this sorely burdened country ? No axioms are clearer than these-Ist, that England can not, ought not, to maintain Ireland in idleness ; 2nd, that the soil of the country and the labour of the popula tion are the only materials out of which capital is to be produced, and any country rendered respectable and self supporting. Therefore, until reproductive employment is set on foot, and a spirit of self-reliance infused into the minds of the people, there is no hope of any lasting or pro gressive improvement. We look in vain for any symp tom of either, from the measures of trio se at present in office. And as long as this state of things is suffered to continue, we can regard Ireland in no other light than as the " old man of the sea " on the shoulders of the unfortunate Sinbad, paralyzing the industry, eating up the resources, and disturbing the peace of this country, un happy in its connexion with, and proximity to her. Whereas, had a different course been pursued, or were it even now resolutely and honestly to be undertaken, Ire land, in no very long time, herself peaceful and compara tively prosperous, might become a source of strength and r ejoicing, instead of being the vulnerable heel of her friendly and more peaceful neighbour. We may call the attention of our readers to the ad mirable address of the late Mr. Canning's private secre tary, delivered in this town on Saturday, and reported elsewhere. There are twenty-four prisoners in Clonmel gaol, for trial at the March assizes, all charged with murder. Fourteen new cases of cholera took place in the Derry workhouse last week. " Twelve The Limerick Examiner heads a paragraph, inquests !—Twelve deaths by starvation in Clare." Farmers are generally engaged sowing potatoes in the counties of Limerick and Clare, to the great surprise of the country gentlemen, who did not conceive that such a quantity was reserved for seed. The cultivation of pota toes is also going on very fast among the farmers in parts of Kerry. . THE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.—" We Irish are a poor people," says the Province of Munster, " yet will it be credited that we send annually out of Ireland upwards of £120,000 for fish, while our own seas abound with it, and our people lie down despairingly, and starve in idleness?" _ _ THE RATE IN Am.—Every northern post brings some fresh manifestation of hostility to the ministerial project for levying a sixpenny general rate in aid of the distressed unions of the south and west. The flourishing county of Down has taken the lead in the opposition, by the adop tion of an explicitly worded resolution on the part of the Downpatrick Board of Guardians. THE IRISH PRESS.—The Dublin Pilot, of which the late agitator might be called the father, has ceased to exist. It was started at his suggestion, and, throughout the last eighteen years of his life, he made it the especial vehicle of his palavering appeals to the heads, the hands, and the pockets of the " hereditary bondsmen." The first number of a new paper called the Press was pub lished on Monday, to succeed the Pilot. The poverty-stricken people of the diocese of Meath have subscribed £lOOO in aid of the Irish fund for the support of Pope Pius the Ninth. If every county in Ire land contribute to the same extent only, the fund will amount to thirty-two thousand pounds : and yet we see Ireland on her knees at the footstool of the:British Trea sury, craving an alms of £50,000, to save her wretched children from starvation and pestilence. The £32,000 will go abroad just as the £50,000 arrives on our shores. And thus -is another proverb reversed. Thus the priests rob Paul to pay Peter. SHIP ON FIRE.—The ship (the Lord Sandon) destroyed by fire at Kinsale, was a joint property, and was valued at £2,000. She had just lieen fitted up for passengers to America, and on the day of the accident there was a quantity of tar put on board. The fire is said to have been caused by the apprentices having lit a match on their return on board from " larking " in the town on Tuesday evening, which communicated with the tar, and thus ori ginated the fire, which raged with such fury as to render every effort to save the ship useless. There was an attempt made to scuttle her, but without success. She had last year been insured against fire, but the insurance was not renewed.—Cork Constitution. Ma. DUFFY. — The trial of this gentleman concluded on. Thursday, and ended in the discharge of the jury in con sequence of their not agreeing. The prisoner was again removed to gaol, and will be tried on another indict ment. The Dublin Herald says that, on retiring, eight of the jury were for a verdict of guilty upon all the counts. The dissentient minority were believed to be unanimous for a verdict of guilty upon all the counts except the first. With the view to securing unanimity, the eight jurors consented to acquit upon the first count, and having made this concession, they were for the first time apprised that Mr. Burke was for a verdict of acquittal upon all the counts. In this view of his duty he remained perfectly immoveable, and the, jury ware ultimately discharged. Mr. Burke is a Roman Catholic. _ _ An important meeting of the clergy of the diocese of Down and Connor and Dromore was held on Friday, in the Clerical-rooms, Belfast. A large number were as sembled, many of whom had arrived from distant plat~ s, in order to record their testimony on behalf of unshackled scriptural education, and to seek at the hands of the State that aid to which they are so justly entitled. The first resolution was moved by the Archdeacon of Down, and seconded by the Rev. Dr. Drew. In this resolution testi mony was given against the Board of Education as pos sessing a " destructive principle, that the holy Scriptures may be excluded from the schools intended for the in struction of Christian children, at the will of any man or body of men." Subsequent resolutions were moved and seconded by various clergymen. A committee was appointed to prepare addresses, which retired, and after some time returned, bearing petitions to both houses of Parliament, also a memorial to the Queen, which were generally adopted by the meeting. The petition to the Queen is to be intrusted to the Bishop of Cashel. CHOLERA ON BOARD A PASSENGER SHIP IN LOUGH FOYLE.— The ship Brutus, Captain Le Craw, sailed from Liverpool on the 11th instant for Boston, United States, with 211 passengers, and a cargo of iron and salt. The water-casks were piled on the top of the iron, and owing to the shifting of . the cargo, were stove in while at sefi: The captain, fearing a scarcity of water, bore up for the nearest port, and reached Moville on Sunday last, the 18th instant. He states that on the previous day (Saturday) he was not aware of any sickness being on board ; but on his arrival at Moville he was apprised that many of the passengers were unwell, and he immediately went ashore for the purpose of obtaining medical advice, when the dis ease under which they laboured was pronounced to be cholera. At this period (Sunday) there were eight deaths new tie - s — OrdalOr rurciti eight additional cases. On Wednesday and Thursday, there were neither deaths nor new cases. The Ballast Office placed in the ha nds of the authorities a vessel provided with all the requisites of a well-regulated hos pital. This vessel is capable of accommodating from twenty-one to thirty people. She will remain in the lough, near Moville, under the charge of medical gentle men.—Derry Sentinel. LAW INTELLIGENCE. The Vice-Chancellor of England on Wednesday decided that railway debentures are not within the statute of mortmain, but that bank shares are. CURIOUS ANOMALY.—By the General Turnpike Act of George 111. an exemption from toll is provided for in the cases of Dissenters and their families attending public worship, but not for clergymen of the Established Church. Mr. Tidd Pratt has decided that a special constable does not belong to her Majesty's service, and therefore a benefit society which had expelled a member on that ground, in accordance with their rules, had acted illegally. THE DUTY OF A POLICEMAN.—In the course of a trial at the North Lancashire Assizes just terminated, t'he po liceman by whom the prisoner had been taken into cus tody, stated that the latter was about to make a statement to him, when he advised him not to say any thing, as it might be used to his prejudice. Mr. Baron Alderson told the constable he had no business to do anything of the kind. It was his duty to preserve a neutral position— neither to induce a prisoner to criminate himself, nor to deter him from making such a statement. UNJUSTIFIABLE SALE OF CARGO BY A CAPTAIN.—In the Court of Common Pleas, on Monday, the case of " Millbank v. Nutting and another," one of some inte rest to the mercantile community, was decided. It was an action of trover by the plaintiff, a merchant in London, and owner of a cargo of salt shipped at Liverpool on board the barque Triton, to be discharged at Calcutta, to recover damages against the defendants, the owner and master of the Triton, for an alleged unjustifiable and disadvantageous sale of the cargo by the latter at Bahia, in South America, which sale took place in consequence of the unfit state of the vessel to proceed on its onward voyage to Calcutta. The Lord Chief Justice (Wilde), in summing up the case, said the sale should be. such a one as the law con sidered was a sale of necessity to furnish an answer. The jury found for the plaintiff,—damages £725. CLERICAL INTELLIGENCE. On Ash Wednesday, his Grace the Archbishop of Can terbury preached in the church of St. Mary, adjoining the Episcopal Palace, Lambeth. A CLERICAL HERO !—One of the new war medals has been conferred on the Rev. Dr. Symons, vicar of All Saints, Hereford, chaplain to the forces, who, under the fire of the enemy, assisted to bear to the grave and per formed the funeral service over the remains of the lamented general, Sir John Moore. NEW CHURCH AT BOWDEN, ALTRINCHAM.—Some months since the Earl of Stamford announced his inten tion to erect, at his own expense, a new church at Bow den. His lordship's intention is about to be carried out immediately, the necessary preliminary steps having al ready been taken. The church is to be built of York shire stone, and with a tower, from designs by Mr. Smith, architect, London. The interior will be calculated to ac commodate from 800 to 1000 persons on the ground floor, it not being intended to have any galleries. The church will be endowed, and of the number of sittings, estimating them at 800, 350 will be free. THE ACCRINGTON MEMORIAL.—The memorial of in cumbents agreed to at Accrington, for the complete sepa ration of ecclesiastical districts, of whatever kind, into distinct parishes, has been forwarded within the last few days to the Archbishop of York, and to the Frst Lord of the Treasury. A copy was also laid before the bishop of Manchester, by deputation on Tuesday last, at the Dioce san Registry Office. His lordship was pleased to receive the same most graciously, and admitted the importance of extending the parochial system, but at the same time, in a very kind and frank spirit, pointed out some of the difficulties which stood in the way of accomplishing all that the memorialists desired. Incumbents whose pastoral charge extends over 175,000 souls, have signed the memo rial. The whole subject is likely to engage the attention of parliament during the present session. THE SCOTCH EPISCOPAL CHURCH.—We have it upon authority, on which we place great reliance, that Mr. Gladstone, M.P., for Oxford University, will, during the present session of Parliament, introduce a bill for the purpose of lvaliziny the admission of Scotch Episcopal ministers to English benefices ! Such a step, we need hardly observe, would, in the present temper of the Scotch Episcopalians, which leads them into a close alli ance with the Romanizing section of our own Church, be strenuously resisted by the great body of the Church of England who still adhere to Protestant principle,. A pamphlet has, however, lately appeared in Edinburgh , which has created some sensation, suggesting the desira bleness of an alteration of that canon which makes the use of the Scotch communion office (savouring as it does of transubstantiation) imperative in the case - of all new chapels ; and which, while it is unaltered, compels us to look upon every English clergyman who unites himself with the Scotch Episcopal Church as a seceder.—Church and State Gazette. A CONTRAST.—The present Archbishop of Canterbury has appointed the Rev. C. Smith, as our readers are aware, to the Bishopric of Victoria, at Hong Kong. He is a gentleman pre-eminently well qualified in every re spect for the important sphere, and intimately acquainted, from a residence there, with the manners and wants of the people ; and yet, because he is a true evangelical minister, and has spoken at several meetings of the Church Mis sionary Society, he is singled out by the London Times, and made the subject of most shameful attacks by various correspondents, who also make base insinuations against the Primate himself, and all explanations are scrupulously excluded. The Times, in this department, is as is well known in the hands of a full fledged tractarian. This is only another lie to the deference for the episcopal bench so vauntingly professed by these tractarians. The nomi nation of colonial bishops, as every one knows, is placed by law in the Primate of the Church. And assuredly the late Primate, surrounded by a clique of such persons as could perceive no Christian beauty in Milner, and no truth in Fox, exercised his powers in a way which gene rally could give little satisfaction to men of evangelical principles. What, in these circumstances, did they do ? Did they begin to disparage the nominees ? To pry into their past history, so as to discover whether in their health, their habits, their ministerial unfaithfulness, their worldliness, or otherwise, they could discover a specious ground to cavil at them, and hold them up to the ridicule or contempt of the Church and the world ? Nothing of the kind. However much they might grieve and mourn over the appointment, as the act of lawful authority exer cised under the permissive providence of God, they were quiet and hoped the best. GLASGOW CHURCH BUILDING SOCIETY'S CHURCHES• —These Churches are fifteen in number ; and since the Secession in 1842. thirteen of them have been in the pos session of the Free Church. In September, 1844, an action was instituted by certain members of the Society, for the purpose of having these places of worship sold, and thus severed from all connexion with the Established Church. This action was resisted by certain other mem bers of the society, and also by the Presbytery of Glasgow, and by the Home Mission Committee of the Church of Scotland. The case was first tried in the Court of Ses sion, where, some time ago, it was decided against the Free Church pursuers. They then appealed to the court of last resort, the House of Peers ; and judgment has at length been pronounced there. After the case had been fully pleaded on both sides, during two days, the Lord Chancellor and Lords Brougham and Campbell, on Tl.ursday, the 22d instant, unanimously affirmed the judgment of the Court of Session, with costs. The noble and learned lords held that the Free Church pursuers required to establish two points in order to maintain their ease (1.) That the chief object of the rhorch Building Society had been the erection of twenty separate parishes ; (2.) That that object could not now be attained The Free C . 1 failed t -tablish church pursuers hat o esta- both these points; the erection of new parishes having been proved to be merely the -cleans -which were thought best fitted for securing what was truly the primary object o the Society,—the religious instruction of the poorer classes of Glasgow by the erection of churches and the ministration of clergymen in connection with the Estab lished Church of Scotland,—and this object, even as avowed by the statement of the Free Church pursuers, not being yet incapable of fulfilment. The Lord Chan cellor said, that even should the erection of these churches into parochial charges never be accomplished, still much of the original object of the society could be fulfilled by their being occupied as Chapels of Ease in connexion with the Established Church of Scotland, as their titles and constitutions directed and contemplated. The judgment of the House of Peers has thus been plafled on such grounds as should settle all the other cases of a like kind now in dispute between the Established Church and the Free Church.—Glasgow P aper. CHESTER DIOCESE.—WANT OF CHURCH Accommo- DATION.—A. variety of returns from the respective dio ceses through the country were read at the meeting last week of the incorporated society for building, &c., churches. From the diocese of Chester the returns were obtained from 12 places, with a population of 94,087, the churches in which accommodate 22,845, including 6,828 free seats; 14 places in the diocese of Manchester which contain 174,378 inhabitants with barely church accomoda tion for 35,594, of which not more than 15,404 are free seats. On the deficiency of church accommodation in the dioceses of Chester .and Manchester, the Archdeacon of Manchester reports that the (on the founding of the latter see in September, 1847) "the diocese of Chester has 48. and Manchester 30, entire townships, or parishes, within the limits of each of which there is a population averaging in number from 500 to 1,000 souls, without church or chapel! Chester has 22, and Manchester 18 townships, with a denser population—viz., from 1,000 to 2,000 each, equally destitute. The former has five, the latter four townships, with populations varying from 2,000 to 4,000, similarly situated ; and be former diocese has two town. ships each with 5,000 to 6,000 souls, for whose religious instruction no adequate provision had been made." The following townships, with their respective populations stated, have each but one church :—Chester diocese.— Dukinfeld, 25,000 souls; Hyde, 10,000; Cheadle, 9,000; three of 7,000 to 8,000 ; seven of 5,000 to 6,000. Man chester diocese. Castleton, 15,000 souls • Burnley, 10,000; Habershaw and Haslingden, 9,000. ft is gratify ing to report that 10 churches for these districts are more or less in progress; yet here alone 18 new churches are urgently required. The lowest proportion of church room, as compared with the population, is 4i per cent. in Dukinfield, parish of Stockport, and 5 per cent. in Cas tleton, the parish church district, the town of Rochdale. In the former one church is building, and means have been provided for erecting a second ; in Rochdale is a licensed school-room. In the two dioceses above-named some parishes have church room varying from 5 to 10, 15, 20, and even in a few instances 25 per cent. It has been ascertained that 15 new churches will be completed here required may follow with God's blessing, and a return of more prosperous times, especially when we are told that at present the aggregate amount of bequests lately an nounced for special cases, or now being laid out by private individuals in the diocese of Manchester alone, is £35,500. RAILWAY AFFAIRS A company is about being formed to construct a railway between Armagh and Dundalk. The traffic on the Chester and Holyhead Railway for the week ended 18th February, 1849, was as follows : Coaching traffic, £734 18s. 6d. ; parcels, £34 14s. lid. ; goods and cattle, £228 3s. ; steam-boats, £lO2 10s. 6d. Total, £llOO 6s. 11d. SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.—It is now understood that this great project, which was to be the connecting link between London, Bristol, and the south of Ireland, through Wales, will be stopped at Swansea. The capital is (to be) guaranteed by the Great Western Company, and 5 per cent. interest, ad interim • so also is the Com pany's subscription to the I r i s h an d Welsh lines. ASSESSMENT OP RAILWAYS.—On Thursday an influ ential meeting of gentlemen interested in the great lines of England was held at the. Queen's Hotel, Birmingham, for the purpose of considering the propriety of petitioning both Houses of Parliament for an alteration in the present mode of assessing railway property ; Samuel Thornton, Esq., mayor, in the chair. After several speeches had been delivered, petitions to both Houses of Parliament, praying for an alteration in the present mode of rating railway property, were unanimously adopted. The formation of libraries at railway stations, according to the project of Captain Huish, which we mentioned a fortnight since, is coming fast into execution. One was to be opened on Thursday last at the Great Western ter t to charge and of u . f o Thei ter minus at Paddington, with upwards of one thousand vo lumes of modern works, chiefly of fiction and amusement. se the London papers, Among other novel features which will be introduced, everylibrary bbrara; yy twaipassengerbiillee will waiting besupplied will for ha v t r e ai free nw s t fhoarac all lbs periodicals, and other publications for sale. ALARMING COLLISION ON THE EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY.—On Tuesday night, is the passenger train to Manchester, a little after eight o'clock, was slackening speed to run into the station at Haslingden, it was met by a heavy goods train, coming from a siding. The two en gines, on coming in contact, were dreadfully shattered, Feb. 27, 114 f, and both thrown off the line. The first passenger was of the third class, and contained eightee„cf/ but the force of the collision was broken by the ell {elf/ of this carriage being lifted up, so that it rode P 3 e r, o the tender. The under part of the carriage, hovel much shattered. r o V THE RECENT ACCIDENT ON THE CALEDONI.O p wAy.—The inquest was concluded on Wednesdal.i question_ turned entirely upon the proper fittillg? wheels of the carriages to the axles, if ha . ving been that the accident was caused by one of the wh e ' tender having become loose, and thus thrown the the line. Upon this point several witnesses wer e but their evidence was of so technical a characclo, is unnecessary to state more than the result, w!' 1 ',1 1 ,0! found embodied in the following verdict : cs # deceased met their deaths in consequence of tu e 1 in which they travelled on the Caledonian 1 1 ai ~a thrown off the line; that the cause of the acciden • ,% displacement of one of the wheels of the ten de rt axle; that the wheel had originally been improp e on its axle by the workman formerly in the 04 1 % 1 ; Caledonian Company, but- whose name has proved. It does not appear that blame attaches Do the o ffi cers of the Caledonian Company, attach 1e5 9 ci party who had the charge of the construction of the wheels and axles of the tender." MISS KEALE'S GRAND CONCERT A THEATRE-ROYAL. r aise We anticipated a rieh treat from the asse eminent talent engaged for this concert, and we been disappointed, except in observing that the, drawn together to enjoy it was not quite so 0) 1 ,1 deserved. Mons. Thalberg alone was a host; such vocal ability as is possessed "..iy Lablache ,bis ;o ,° Nicolla Lablache, Mdlle. Vera, and Miss 1 33 '1 0 11 surprise is that the audience was not an overflow si We trust, however, that it has been rernuneratiogroto! spirited young lady, whose ability as a pianist e sc beo' acknowledged by every musical critic, even , played in contrast with her accomplished m aster , the powers of Lablache, senior, require frootio, description or comment. It is sufficient to seal was on this occasion in great force, and was It, nearly every piece in which he sung. We ean 1) ; 0 11P, ever, pass over his name without echoing the Jrnej remarks of the musical critic of the Manchester that it is a pity that a man endowed with so sP,l e organ should confine his efforts so m uch to WC( UP I What would we not give to hear Lablache 111 'y sublime strains of Handel, Mozart, Mendelsohn' in the more serious songs of Rossini ? No O e :if , aware, can sing the " Non piu Audria " like hirs e , such powers are thrown away upon such a then; be zart himself never intended a voice like his t° desecrated. Signor N. Lablache, who appeared on this 00 0 the first time in Liverpool, is a most promis itt ibt i and executed what was set down for him s gramme with great ability. In both his duet s , great relative he shared in their c l a i m s to ~ which rewarded them. Of Mdlle. Vera and :Nli s° „fe too, we cannot speak too highly. Th e f o rmer:a is a most accomplished vocalist. The instrume n 'ile of the concert, however, was its great feature. 0 0 from " Norma," for two piano -fortes, by Ti ni d Miss Keale, was beautifully played by both, a l ' fo applauded ' • and the new grand fantasia on th e e ,' airs sung by Jenny Lind in " l'Elisire d'Aur ° eP formed for the first time here by Thalberg, by acclamation ; the performer,. however, subsil b o it the air " Come e Geutil," with variations , 11 most delightfully played. COUR/ AND FASHION Her Majesty and Prince Albert on Tuesday 7if Louis Philippe and the royal exiles at Claret° visit. The Queen and Prince Albert honoured th e anee of the French plays, on Tuesday, with their P e e The Dutch dwarf, Van Tromp, had the hoe ° tending at Buckingham Palace, on WednesdaY . „o The Queen held a levee (the fi rs t thi s season) ' l ,l day afternoon, in St. James's Palace. His Illy, ness the Duke of Cambridge was present, and t he Highness the Prince of Orange also attended Among the presentations were Mr. Baines, •m'i dent of the Poo r -l aw B oar d, b y L or d J. Russeli, , The Queen and Prince Alb er t h onoure d the Theatre by a visit on Friday evening, when they the performance of the Messrs. Brough's " Camazalzaman and Badoura." The Queen, Prince Albert, and the rolsl visited M. Dejean's Cirque Nationale, at DrI?" Saturday evening. Her Majesty appeared P; lighted with the performances, and frequently by clapping her hands. Her Majesty is expected to revisit Osbo iso r Wight, early in the ensuing month. The Fair,Y,„ to be in readiness for the royal embarkation 1 .,;',,cel The new arrival and departure room in the t l ie ef, ence victualling establishment, Gosport, for e eS r of which a sum of £3,500 was asked in the last is nearly finished. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE ,_This THE LIVERPOOL STEEPLE-CHASE cat A_inta.a. Phcs h. ft., with 50 sous. aaaea Next the off to-mow., Stakes, of 10 sous. each, Earl of Sefton, &c.: 9 subscribers Ipnng Cup, of 100 sovs., subscriber a d d/ Sefton Welter Cup, of 100 sovs., with 30 secs O f there were 6 subscribers. For the great deed o f the Grand National Steerle-chase Handicalk., each, with 100 sovs. added, &c., no fewer t i. ."" accepted, and 24 or 25 are likely to start. Stakes, of 10 sovs. each, h. ft., with 30 soil' o p be next contended for, by two and three-Yes r " finishing race is the Selling Stakes, of 5 sons' 30 sovs. added. THE CHASE The CHESHIRE HOUNDS will ille e t,p 3 T To-morrow, (Wednesday,) Feb. 28th, at DO for d , Thursday. March Ist, at Saturday, March 3rd, at Par e At half-past ten. ea / Sir W. W. WYNN'S HOUNDS Will TO li t 1 1° This day, (Tuesday,) Feb. 27. Thursday, March Ist Saturday, March 3rd At half-past ten ALTERATION OF OATHS I-30 ble:1 In this new bill there is a very remark from the bill of last year. By that bill no sP o d. , made in the oaths now taken by p er s on s retnrolY 'lament, who were not Jews : but in the prese subtle and important alteration is introduce d ' At present all members not Roman v' t o obliged to swear that they " a do not believe 'to of Rome, or any other foreign prince, pre state, or potentate. hath, or ought to have, ti °op , t c i i o e n sja p s t o superiority , iwcaeir,or spiritual,w pre th -eminence,lomr;eit,. : f , To taking this oath scruples have been on; sincere Protestants, on the ground that thO'yor, scientiously swear that they believe that tne.„e any spiritUal power in this country, se elP i ftl power has been more or less recognised, as a by the acts of the present Administration. Now this objection could easily be re mescli?", sertion of the word " lawful" before ` Pio" advantage has been taken of the objection', into the present bill a complete alteration T e ne t , ant oath ; and the alteration is such that, %OS: with reference to the existing oath, no Pro te- 01 it without a constructive admission that th e oliF., undeniable and spiritual power within this 0 4: For, the Protestant members would, in f a t f the alteration, no longer have to swear t? 0 ,0l neither hath, nor ought to have, any spin s „1y siastical power within the realm," but o f neither hath, nor ought to have, any ciri tr jurisdiction." tha t When, therefore, it is remembered, t claim to a spi en ritual authority is notorio us ' o4 Protestant members have been compelledt r , that claim,—deliberately to cease to requirief." nothin" less than an insidious, but neve rtbe moveuthm, towmas 611 v Lvcognlttoni - by: 6 0 1 ' of this spiritual authority —a recognition' Ministry are covertly aiming. It is true, as the Premier remarks, t b± ' 4 admit Roman Catholics, from them th;. 1 1 81 i been dispensed with ; b u t if thi s i s to be t i- e r dispensing with it in the case of a ll other 0 ' Legislature, it raises a very grave question+ co indulgence can any longer, with safety, _ be ,t ll :; Roman Catholics. For, so long as the g r n't" Legislature is compelled to swear that, I,‘; Rome neither 'oath, nor ought to have, sT a ,„ ual or ecclesiastical power within this re ° e - pt!! safeguard exists against Popish encroach safeguard is to be done away, on the sOPt.4 that we are requiring a more stringent u` i - at : Romanists than from Protestants, it is att ig yo,, , for obtaining a tacit, but most significant toeli Protestants themselves can no longer Ye.tc',` l° r Pope's claim to spiritual power over Br" I , For men who have acted as the meraboLdv, Government have acted, no doubt it is e ie tf sant to be compelled to swear that they be' Pope neither hath, nor ought to have, o n ' s et': thority in this country." But this only ot v l Y the practical importance of the existing o e,' withstanding such restraint, they have gfil which they have do ne , t o w h a t l eng ths ell g er when they have succeeded in freeing the } salutary restraint ? tbe " k t tarfil But this is not the only objection t 0 scheme. A' A present Roman Catholics cannot , di et 'ant oath ; in order, therefore, to take ' I 1 must avow themselves Romanists. 'Pe r ot 0 11 upon to take the special oaths for theol Pod purport of one of these oaths is, that ' t, l their power, as members of Parlianie,, l 'ot n°' Established Church. Now. it is plain t,ii i ii9 proposed new oath for Protestants, ,11:, which Roman Catholics cannot swear i s', i r r e o l will be able to take their seats on taktn 11' !}, there will be no necessity for them, as fret fess their faith ; so that, by taking thc i fig they can altogether escape taking that ° t he my the Established Church, which was the 4 exactedfor the Protestant religion by e Di i and which Lord John " thi n ks that th pit country are generally satisfied has been and honestly observed" li P e