The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-05-27 00:00:00

imperial Varlammt* HOUSE OF LORDS.--MONDAY. Several bills were brought up from the House of Common and read a first time. - Lord CAMPBELL asked the Lord Chancellor if it was the intention of the government to bring in any measure to pre rent the locking up of passengers on railways ? The LORD CHANCELLOR said he could not answer the question in the absence of the noble lord the President of the Board of Trade. He had himself been that morning locked up and had suffered no inconvenience, and was not particu larly desirous that any alteration should take place. The house then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY. A new writ was moved for by Colonel RUSHBROOKE for the borough of Ipswich. Mr. C. WYNN called the attention of the house to the re port of the Ipswich election committee, which stated that extensive corruption had prevailed in that borough at the last election. That report should not be suffered to be passed over in silence, and he should recomme n d th a t an i nqu i ry be instituted, and, if requisite, that the Attorney-General should be directed to prosecute those who bribed as well as those who were Sir G. GREY hoped that some effective alteration would be made in the law to prevent the recurrence of such practices. After some further discussion, Mr. HUME moved the post ponement of the writ for 14 days, to give time to the house to ascertain the nature of the measure to be proposed by Lord J. Russell, for the purpose of putting a stop to bribery and corruption. Lord J. RUSSELL supported the amendment. Sir R. PEEL considered suth practices derogatory to the redit and authority of the house, and would support the mendment, in order to allow Mr. Wynn an opportunity of ,ringing the question before the house as to the expediency g the parties This arrangement was adopted, and it was subsequently rranged that the So u thampton case should be similarly dealt ....... Mr. WYNN then gave notice, that on Thursday he would move that the Attorney-General be instructed to prosecute in the Ipswich case, and the motion for the issue of the writ was postponed. OU the motion for going into committee on the Customs Duties Acts (the new Tariff), Mr. COLQULIOUN moved a resolution, to the effect that in removing the proposition to the importation of any article there ought not to be charged any duty on the raw material which should not be charged to articles the manufacture thereof; and that so long as living animals be charged with a fixed duty, salted provisions should be chargeable with an equivalent rate, and not be removeable from warehouses with out payment thereof for exportation. Mr. GLADSTONE contended that such a resolution, if adopted, would lead to fraud and evasion. It was impossible, in the present state of things, to give effective protection to the Irish provision trade. After some discussion, the motion was withdrawn, and the house went into committee. Mr. W. MILES then brought forward his motion " That the duties to be levied on all life stock imported from foreign countries for the purposes of food be taken by weight." He said he was surrounded by many hon. members who thought had now arrived when it became them to pause ae support which, as agriculturists, they gave to the esent Government. 'they had gone along with the right son. baronet as far as they thought they could go consistent ly with safety to the farming interests of the country. The hon. member then contrasted the comparative prices of ar tificial food for cattle in Denmark and in this country, show ing that in the former they were little more than half the price in the latter. He then compared the prices of cattle in various parts of the Continent, adding the expenses of importation, and the result of his calculations showed a loss to the British farmer of from £1 Ils. to £5 per head; or if an average of all those places were taken the loss to the farmer would be £2 13s. 4d. per bead,; if forced, as he ne cessarily would be, to sell at the same price as the foreigner. Unless the right hon. baronet would assent to his proposition he must respectfully, but decidedly give his opposition to this part of the tariff. Mr. R. PALMER seconded the motion, concurring in all f had fallen from Mr. Miles. that the time Mr. WYNDHAM opposed the motion, and said that in the places alluded to by Mr. Miles they bad no cattle to spare, and what they had was of a very inferior quality. Mr. HEavticoTE said in the experiments proposed by Sir R. Peel all the profit and all the benefit would accrue to the commercial interests, while all the risks and all the losses would be sustained by the agriculturists. Mr. GLADsToNE said thai the government were quite sa tisfied that the British farmer had no occasion to feel any ap prehensions from the part of the measure before the house, which related to the importation of cattle. It was alleged that a great panic prevailed through the country on the sub ject of the tariff, but the prices of cattle at recent country fairs proved that those fears on the part of the agriculturists had been much exaggerated. He admitted that theory was in favour of the proposition for levying the duty by weight ; but it would lead to great inconvenience if it were adopted, and indeed it was quite without precedent in any country whatever to take the duties on animals otherwise than by the head. He was of opinion that the duty of £1 per head bore a fair proportion to the duty on meat, because the expense of freight would be much greater on the living than on the slaughtered animal. For his own part he would feel grati- fled if he thought that a larger impOrtation would take place than he at present contemplated the possibility of, for he was of opinion that, considering the enormous consumption of England, and the increasing prices on the Continent, there was not much probability that the importation would pro duce any injurious effect on prices. It was asserted that 800,000 head of cattle would be annually imported under the proposed measure ; but, considering the ratio in which our population was increasing, it would require an additional an nual supply of 85,000 head of cattle to keep prices from Di: BowaiNG supported the proposition of the govern ment as au important step towards sound principles of le- Lord Non.B.Eys opposed the amendment. It was said that the agricultural members might vote for the proposition of Mr. Miles without injuring the government, because that proposition was sure to be negatived. To such a course of action he would be no party, for it was only throwing dirt in the eyes of the farmers. . M. G. KNIGHT said that any one who had seen the lean cattle of France, :its frightful pigs, and ate of its detestable mutton, would have no apprehension for our superior breeds. Lord ALFORD did not anticipate any extensive importa tion of cattle, and therefore opposed the amendment. Mr. 0. STANLEY supported the amendment, that if a market were created we should have a very large supply from the Continent. Lord J. RUSSELL thought the speech of Mr. Miles was full of argument against his own preposition. Parliament could not be wisely employed in legislating to compel the people to pay more dearly for meat than they otherwise would be called upon to do. If instead of such a course they tried to increase the comforts of the labouring classes, their im proved condition would be advantageous to the agriculturists themselves. Approving as he did of the measures before the house, he could not however reconcile them with the course pursued respecting the corn and sugar duties. He should support the proposition of the government, but he should like to see the principle carried yet further. Sir R. PEEL said there were peculiar circumstances con nected with the protection to corn and sugar, which rendered it impossible to deal with them to the same extent as they proposed to do with respect to cattle. He expressed his gratitude to the agricultural members, who had so generously supported his government, and he hoped that the difference between them would not last beyond that evening. He was firmly persuaded that the agriculturists were needlessly ap prehensive of a measure which the interests of the whole community imperatively demanded. He was of opinion that a duty of £1 a head was a protection amply sufficient con sidering the alarming rate at which the population of the was increasing, and he could therefore make no con- Jssion in his original proposition, which he hoped would be carried by a large majority. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL opposed the amendment of Mr. Miles, and attributed the alarm which had prevailed through the country, to those who were called the friends of the farmer. believing country Lord WORSLEY was of opinion that the amendment of Mr. Miles had not been fairly met in the course of the ar gument, and contended that it was not right to charge the same duty on a fat as on a lean beast, when the value of each was so materially different. Mr. VILLIERS opposed the amendment, and hoped that Mr. Miles's speech would be published by the Anti-Corn- Law League, for it was the most conclusivehe had ever heard against the corn laws. It was too bad that when the people were starving the honourable member should occasion a five hours' discussion in that house, from an apprehension that food might fall in price. Mr. F. SCOTT said that the agricultural classes had as much sympathy for the poorer classes as any other class of the community. After a few observations from Mr. WARD, - VII • Mr. O. GORE said he had made it his business to see se veral large farmers in the county he represented, and they were perfectly content with the proposition of Sir R. Peel. They only wished that a high protection should be given to the smaller animals—to the breeding rather than to the rear ing of cattle. Mr. Hula supported the government proposition. Mr. MILES replied, after which the committee divided, and the hon. member's amendment was negatived by a ma jopeof 380 to 113. leave to CHAIRMAN then reported progress, and obtained Mr. eit attain on Tuesday. •f • "littex obtained leave to bring in a bill to indem ni wanes.. to be appoi - n - Lwh , o may give evidence before the committee compror n iC i r by the house to inquire relative to corrupt The othe r , -11 ,certain boroughs. the house a e r "Til of the day were then disposed of, and iftrutd. novst Lord Cssipe ett LORDS.—TUESDAY. ing of passenger ca Husked his question respecting the lock- The Earl of Ras e on railways. ; 4 _, the opinion of the si r that the government had solicited propriety of the pra ct i ce c T:ligeneral of railways upon the carriages, and that gentlere en ring the passengers in the was certainly dangerous , end h ad a replied that the practice advantage to be derived from i t. not see any possible sequently been sent to all the rail ,4 circular letter had con theletailaitting them to continue the practice. This wit s satisi the . government had power to do; but he bad the his belief that there would be no dur i Zetio_ of expressing directors of the Great Western R a u,: "? 1 4 1? part of the Y 111 giving up the practice. Lord C A MPBELL expressed himself g rnt i gaa , led to infor mation, but thought the government o ug h t i' c r, s a .. t the sufficient power to interfere effectually in such fitters. ar t : fl ed with A petition, presented by the Duke of Iticnt a t a „,,, --er at some discussion upon that portion of the tariff relating importation of foreign cattle, in the course . of which Lord t° the Lord KINNAIRD referred to the distressed state of , country, and gave notice that on. Thursday week he "mold move for a select committee to inquire into the distressed condition of the country. He also gave notice that on Thursday next he would wove for wilat he called the Queen's begging letter—a letter to the clergy calling upon them to raise subscriptions for the relief of the present distress. The Duke of WELLINGTON said he was not aware of any such letter, but the no ble lord was, of course, at liberty to move for for what he pleased. COLBORNE said he Lord heard the letter read on Sunday last 51.• Some bills on th e t a bl e were f or warded a stage, after which their lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS_TUESDAY. In reply to a question asked by l‘lr. Hume on a former evening, Sir it. PEEL, without giving an opinion on the conduct o f Captain Elliot during the time he was in his embarrassing position in China, said he must, nevertheless, say that from communications with him since he returned, he felt the greatest confidence in his integrity and ability. The house then went into committee on the new tariff. Mr. MILES moved, as an amendment to the proposition for a duty of X 1 per head on cattle imported, that henceforth the duty should be ss. 6d. per cwt. Sir R. PEEL opposed the proposition . He thought no in jury would spring from the imPortation of fatted cattle under the duty proposed by government, while the farmers would derive a positive advantage from th e importation of lean cattle. Mr. PUSEY thought a select committee should be appoint edclei,a befor iti ' t adur4 without at t be e l t n u h a e t g a ut ri, im . tn. R, Pan sald It ha Were to agree to moll a proposal, oorarafttee would be demanded upon every artiOlo of the tariff. Colonel WOOD, sen. was of opinion that the duty Proposed by government was a very fair protection to the farmer. Mr. M. GIBSON said it was the duty of the landlords to inform the farmers that the system of protection could not be much longer maintained either for corn or cattle. After some observations from Mr. R. PALMER and Mr. WARD, Mr. Bucic said he was equally opposed to free trade and absolute prohibition, but he feared the proposition of the go vernment would lead to the adoption of a system ruinous to the best interests of the country. After a few observations from Mr. 0. STANLEY, Mr. VILLIERS said he did not consider the proposition of the . _ government sufficiently extensive to meet the enormous amount of distress prevailing through the country, and he should therefore move that the duty should be one shilling per head on all cattle imported. After some observations from Mr. ESCOTT and Mr. R. Lord J. RUSSELL said he could not support either of the amendments. He believed the proposition of the govern ment was a fair one, and ha should support it. The house divided on the amendment of which was negatived by a majority of 209 to 44. Major VIVIAN moved "that the duty on cattle, meat, and other provisions, mentioned in the tariff, imported from the Canadas, be equal to the import duty from other foreign countries;" but, after considerable discussion, withdrew it, as it was not assented to by Sir R. Peel, without whose con currence he knew it was impossible it should succeed. Mr. S. O'BRIEN moved that, instead of a uniform duty of ss. on hogs and swine, a blank should be left for the sum, with a view to its being filled up in such a way as to give more adequate protection. Mr. MILES seconded the motion, which, on a division, was negatived by a majority of 121 to 32. The resolutions respecting cattle having been agreed to, the committee proceeded to the article " fish," and a lengthened discussion took place as to the propriety of the proposed duty on lobsters. It was contended by Lord Howicx, Mr. LA BOUCHERE, Major BERESFORD, and other hon. members, that the proposed duty was injudicious. It could not be im posed for the purposes of revenue, for the duty would pro duce comparatively nothing, nor could it be proposed for protection, for the trade was principally carried on by British fishermen. It could, therefore, be productive of no benefit, and might do injury by an unnecessary interference with an important trade. _ _ _ . Mr. MILES, ii4r. HUME contended that the duty should be abolished on all fish, of whatever description, the produce of the duty amounting only to a few pounds. Sir R. PEEL admitted the force of the arguments respect ing lobsters, and would take time to consider whether the law should not be left as it was at present. He could not, however, agree that all fish should be admitted without any duty whatever. The remaining duties on fish, as proposed by the govern ment, were then agreed to, and the committee proceeded to the articles under the head of " fruits." The proposed duty on apples led to considerable discus sion, and an amendment was moved by Mr. WAKLEY, the effect of which would be to leave the duty as it now stood. .., On a division, however, the duty proposed by the govern ment was carried by a majority of 110 to 51. The articles of fruit having been gone through, the chair man reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again. The orders of the day were then disposed of, and the house adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY The house proceeded with the tariff in committee. Lord Howicx proposed that the import duty on foreign butter should be reduced from 20s. per cwt. to 10s., leaving the duty on colonial butter at 55., as imposed in the tariff. Sir R. PEEL objected to this reduction, which, he said, would work a serious loss of revenue. He remarked it as inconsistent with the anti-differential doctrines advanced on a former evening by Lord Howick, that the noble lord, in now proposing to alter the duty on foreign butter, should himself have made a difference between the foreign and the colonial article. Lord HOWICK pleaded that he was obliged to propose, not what he most wished, but what he had the best chance of carrying. _ _ Some of the country gentlemen represented the necessity of keeping up the protection of the small dairymen. Mr. C. BULLER thought it much more important to pro vide cheap food for the poor population. Lord J. RUSSELL was resolved to take this opportunity of supporting Sir R. Peel's general principles of free trade against Sir R. Peel himself. - The committee, dividing, sustained the 20s. duty. Some discussion then followed respecting the duty on cheese, which it was proposed by Mr. M. PHILIPS to reduce from the 10s. Gd. proposed on the tariff to is. Gd. Mr. LABOUCHERE referred to a Cheshire newspaper, in which the high rate of duty preserved in the tariff on this article was ascribed to the influential exertions of the county members with the government. Sir R. PEEL assured the committee that the decision of government had been taken upon considerations of revenue, before the county members had brought in any application whatever. Messrs. HUME, COBDEN, WAKLEY, and WARD, in veighed against the agricultural party, who, they said, re sisted the relief of the starving people, for the sake of their own rents. Mr. JERVIS, though generally favourable to free trade, would support the protection of cheese, on a mere compara tive question between 7s. 6d. and 10s. 6d. _ . Sir R. PEEL regarded the preceding speech as a strong il lustration of the difficulty of his task. Mr. Jervis was mak ing an exception in favour of cheese, as being member for Chester ; and thus it was that each man thwarted the go vernment measure in the matter that touched his own con stituents. This showed how necessary it was, instead of dividing on these single items, to take the tariff as a whole; and he believed the wisest thing the house could do would be to pass the entire measure that very night. The committee, on a division, negatived Mr. Philips's amendment. Mr. PALMER, of Essex, moved to raise the proposed duty upon onions from 6d. to Is. per bushel. Mr. GLADSTONE resisted this, as unreasonable in amount and unnecessary for revenue. Mr. PALlamn: refrained from pressing his amendment to a division; but moved t o ra i se th e d u t y on potatoes from 2d. per cwt. to a shilling ; and this he desired, not for the sake of rents, but in order to keep the country independent of fo reigners for this great article of food. The ministers, before their accession to office, had held out expectations of full pro tection to agriculture, and the agriculturists were not to be blamed if they now required th e fulfilment of that pledge. Mr. GLADSTONE represented the great importance of pro viding for the importation of potatoes in time of scarcity. The consumer of wheat could fall back on oats ; of oats upon potatoes; but the consumer of potatoes could fall back upon nothing. Still the ordinary importation of them was greatly checked by their bulk, and the consequent dearness of freight. Mr. WAKLEY said Mr. Gladstone was mistaken if he sup posed there would not be a very extensive importation of potatoes. The admission of them was one of the best points in this tariff, and would even have great effect in reducing the price of bread. Mr. ESCOTT opposed Mr. Palmer's motion, and said that the farmers of England did not desire to keep up the price of food. Mr. STUART WORTLEY and Mr. BECKETT having also declared themselves against the amendment, Mr. Palmer withdrew it. The schedule of duties upon food having been disposed of, the schedules relating to spices, seeds, and woods were passed without opposition ; and the committee then came to the schedule affecting minerals, on which Mr. TURNER raised a long discussion in reference to the mining interests of Corn wall. Mr. GLADSTONE replied, and refuted some rather extraor dinary statements with which Mr. Turner had surprised the house. He explained the peculiar advantages which it was expected the adoption of the proposed rate of duty would confer upon those engaged in smelting the metal ; and was followed by Sir C. LEMON, who supported the view taken by Mr. Turner. Mr. LABOUCHERE and Mr. C. BULLER were in favour of the government measure, and several of the Cornish mem bers having each said a few words, the house divided, seven members only voting with Mr. Turner. The committee then proceeded with the other descriptions of ores, the proposed changes in the duties upon which were agreed to without scarcely any discussion. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE, THE LEVANT MAIL. We have received, by express, the Levant mail of the 7th. The news brought by this conveyance is not of particular importance. It appears by our Constantinople letter that the contemplated removal of Ashbar Pasha will certainly take place. NEW SOUTH WALES Sydney papers to the 20th of January have come to hand. They contain no commercial or other intelligence of im portance. A violent storm was experienced at Parramatta and the neighbourhood on the 21st of December, and did considera ble damage. A sale - of farming stock had taken place, at which 12,000 sheep, in a sickly state, were disposed of at ls. 6d. per head, a mixed herd of 1,100 head of cattle, at £l, and 50 horses at £l4 each. This is given as an argument for the admission of Coolie labour, without which, it is stated, sheep farming cannot be carried on profitably, and consequently cannot be carried on at all. European labourers will not be induced to go into the interior except at higher wages than the farmer can afford to give. The Bishop of Australia held an ordination on the 19th of December, the candidates being, for priest's orders, the Rev. C. Kemp, late of Queen's College, Cambridge, licensed minister of Pitt Town ; and for deacons, Mr. Robert Knox Scone, late of Brazennose College, Oxford, and Mr. Thomas Wall Bodenham, master of St. James's Grammar-school. A SON SHOT BY T H IRE LATTER.IS FATHER, AND SUICIDE OF CHESTERFIELD, MAY 24.—Yesterday evening, the peace ful and romantic village of Ashover, about six miles from this town, became the scene of one of the most deplorable and heart-rending tragedies that ever occurred in this or any other country. Mr. Richard Eaton, a gentleman in independent circum stances, about 60 years of age. in loading his gun in the house to go in pursuit of a mad dog, accidentally shot his son, a youth about 16 or 18 years of age ; and immediately after, in the phrenzy of the moment, took a pistol and shot himself through the head, and fell dead upon the spot. The O of n gri se e e f in , gun was loaded with slugs, and its contents first struck the young man's arm, and afterpassing in an oblique direction ta t t h te e ri d u i g d the bone, entered his what shalt\ pistol, rushed Ou t side. in He instantly dropped, not expire till about seven o'clock this morning. seeing h c • i i . s son fall, the father was seized with an agony below his aexclaimed, •' My dear son ! what shall Ido ! Hutchi nson, ting the hrigdht lay dear, dear son !" He took a loaded instantaneous death. t into the , garden, applied the muzzle just ear b odies before,Ml:3. verdicts passed ant fired,. when the bullet, after penetra ea ant a little above the left ear, causing of Scarsdale, and Inquests were this day held over the was accidentally shot, andreturned to the effect that the son , the coroner for the hundred existence in a fit of ton was consequent h that th e accident. Mr. Eaton was a gentleman upon the previous father put an end to his by an extensive circle of acq us i u nt t l e e m e an very highly respected t : la es, to whom his urbanity greatly endeared him. of manners and his known worth and N l, l a Co s i? in business in His melancholy end will be a sub•ecci a ll who knew him. He has left wif e unfeigned grief to resided with him Th a e t 3,..k.osubiolgveerr, asonnd,awshono his life as Nottingham• above described, was also an apprentice with Mr the bookseller, in that town, and had retu rue l r • Micklin, few weeks at home, in consequence of indisposir t° S pend a of this at that b e is the circumstance the elder son adds if possible, to the deplorable character lan • Wh catastrop , . in commencing their tour of ' have been married this day, and the wedding party wereast.° have visited Ashover, were made to receive them; but alas! h ow and preparations changed the scene. _........................... DEATHS BY DROWNING. —TWO lads, the one named Henry Spence, about sixteen, and the other named William M'Cracken, about fourteen years 04 age. were dIVIVIICCI on Monday forenoon ill the ClYde. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY_ OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND. The sittings of the General Assembly commenced on Thursday week. After the roll was called Dr. Cook intima ted that he and his friends adhered to their protest against the legality of the ministers of quoad sacra parishes sitting in that house, when Mr. Dunlop immediately announced that this declaration might be considered as a call on the house, on a future day, to declare their determination to maintain the rights they had solemnly recognised in these ministers. Dr. Welsh was then unanimously chosen Moderator, after which the Queen's commission to the Marquis of Bute and the letter to the house were read, and ordered to be recorded. The commissioner then addressed the Assembly. He spoke in a pleasing manner, and the passages in which he expressed his interest in the church of Scotland were delivered with marked emphasis. There was no illusion in his speech to the present position of the church. A discussion was raised on the claim of certain of the de posed ministers and an elder to sit under a commission by the deposed ministers of Strathbogie, as members of the Assembly. On the one side it was declared that the claim was utterly incompetent, and even insulting, and the com mission ought never to have been even received by the officers of the house. On the other, the one argument that was pleaded was, that these deposed men were exactly in the situation in which they would have been if no sentence had been passed. A considerable number of members particu larly Dr. Chalmers, took part in the discussion, and after it had continued for several hours, it was carried by a ma jority of one hundred and thirty in a house of three hundred, that the commission of the presbytery of Strathbogie should alone be recognised even though the opposite motion was merely for refusing both commissions in hoc statu. On Friday the business of the Assembly was confined to devotional exercises, or to matters of a more religious cha racter. Mr. Dunlop gave a most gratifying report of the amount of the contributions to the schemes during the year. Notwithstanding the embarrassing circumstances of the church, the contributions during this year have amounted to £30,000, exceeding by £5,900 the amount collected during the preceding year. The report of the Jewish scheme, replete with interest, was then read by Dr. Keith, and adopted by the house. The business of the day was arranged, and when the hear ing of the Irish deputation was entered in the list Dr. Bryce gave notice of a motion which he meant to press to a division before hearing the deputation with reference to certain pro ceedings in the last meeting of the presbytery, " or, as it was called, the General Assembly" of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Saturday.—This has been a day of great and heart-stirring interest in the Assembly. It having been stated that two of the members of that Court had been interdicted by the Court of Session from taking their seats, it was moved by Dr. Cand lish, who characterised this interdict as " the most direct invasion of the constitution of the Assembly that had yet taken place," that no attention should be paid to it, which was met by a counter-motion on the part of Dr. Cook. On a division, Dr. Candlish's motion was carried by a majority of 173 to 76. On the motion of Mr. Dunlop, seconded by Dr. Willis, it was resolved that extraordinary collections should be made for the relief of those who are at present suffering under des titution. On the motion of Mr. Dunlop, a warrant was granted to cite Mr. Duguid of Glass, and the ministers who had held communion with the deposed of Strathbogie, to appear at the bar of the Assembly on Thursday next. Mr. Robertson of Ellon agreed to offer no opposition to this, only protesting, that his own rights, as well as those of the others concer n ed, should not thereby be compromised. The great interest of to-day's meeting arose from the re ception of the deputation of the Irish Assembly. Dr. Bryce alone, and, as he confessed, " in opposition to some of his friends," broke the harmony of the meeting by some re marks upon the speech which Mr. Wallace of Derry had made at the late meeting of the Irish Assembly ; but he was speedily put down by the unanimous sense of the house. The deputation consisted of Mr. Wallace of Derry, Mr. Gibson of Belfast, ministers ; Counsellors Gibson and Grier, elders. The last spoke very shortly, and the able and Chris tian speech of Counsellor Gibson was unfortunately but imperfectly heard throughout the house; but Mr. Wallace of Derry, and Mr. Gibson of Belfast, addressed the assem bly in speeches of thrilling interest, and which stirred every tender and hallowed association. The assembly adjourned at five till half-past six. At the adjourned meeting in the evening, Mr. Cunning ham commented upon the act of 1799, whereby the hands of ministers had been tied up from admitting into their pulpits any who differed from the church in subordinate matters of government, however much they were at one with them in the great doctrines of the gospel ' • and contended that it was high time that the restrictions of that act should be relaxed. Dr. Candlish and Mr. Guthrie enforced the same views, the latter remarking, what is well known to have been the case, that " the act in question was passed, not to exclude error from the church, but to exclude truth." Several other mem bers, on both sides, having spoken, the proposal was agreed to without a vote. Dr. Buchanan then brought forward his overture to pro vide for the religious superintendence of students while at college. A numerous committee was appointed to consider the best way of carrying the object into effect. On Monday the overtures against patronage were taken into consideration, when Mr. Cunningham moved a resolu tion to the effect that patronage is a grievance attended with injury to the cause of pure religion to the Scottish church and kingdom—is the source of all the difficulties in which the church is now involved—and,:therefore, ought to be abo lished. The procurator moved as an amendment that the General Assembly, having considered the overtures and pe titions, find that it is inexpedient in present circumstances to adopt the motion. On a division, the numbers were— for the motion, 216 ; against it, 147 ; majority, 69. The debate was a lengthy one, but did not elicit any novelty of argument or illustration on the subject, and the result was not different from what had been anticipated. On Tuesday the Assembly was occupied with a discussion on the jurisdiction of the church. Dr. Chalmers introduced the subject in a very eloquent speech. Dr. Cooke made an able statement of the position and views of the two parties in the house, vindicating the conduct and motives of the minority, and clearly expounding their principles, in order to show that, though opposed to acts of the majority, they concur in the leading doctrines of the church—the headship, spiritual in dependence, and non-intrusion. The discussion was conti nued by Mr. Dunlop on the one side, replied to Mr. David Milne, in an able speech, who was followed by Mr. Robert son, of Ellon, Dr. Buchanan, of Glasgow, Dr. Bryce and Mr. Gray. After a lengthened debate, the house divided, when 241 voted for Dr. Chalmers's motion in support of the overtures on the exclusive jurisdiction of the church, and 110 for Dr. Cooke's resolutions—majority 131. The effect of this decision will be that the existing difficulties of the church will remain as great as ever, and as far from any settlement. REDUCTION OF THE LANCASHIRE COUNTY CONSTABULARY. In the Standard of the Ist ult. we gave a brief report of the proceedings at an adjourned annual session of this county, held in the Court-house, Preston, on the previous day. At this meeting it may be remembered that a motion of Mr. P. E. Townley for the discontinuance of the force was lost, and resolutions were adopted, that each hundred in Lancashire should be formed into a separate police district, corres ponding with the petty sessional division, and that, when the magistrates for the different petit sessions had arranged as to the number of men considered sufficient for each division, the result should be communicated to the Secretary of State for approval. In compliance with this, a letter and state ment were transmitted to Sir James Graham, of which the following are copies : 7 _ " Clerk of the Peace's Office, Lancashire, Preston, 17th May, 1842. " Sir,—We have the honour to transmit - fOr the Secretary of State, a copy of resolutions passed at the adjourned an nual sessions for this county, held on the 31st of March last, relating to a new arrangement of the county constabulary force. " In pursuance of the resolutions, the magistrates have held meetings in their respective petty sessional divisions, and have intimated the result to the clerk of the peace for transmission to the Secretary of State for final approval as to the number of constables required for this county : this result appears by the paper which we have the honour to enclose.—We are, sir, your most obedient servants, 66 GORSTS & BIRCHALL. " S. M. Phillipps, Esq." " Lancashire:-- - Count; Constabulary. " Number of constables required in each petty sessional division, as reported by the magistrates in petty sessions, pursuant to the resolutions of the annual sessions of 31st March, 1842: No. of No. of Names of Divisions. Townships. Cons. required Lonsdale, North Sands Lonsdale, South Sands 45 Amounderness Blackburn Higher.... Blackburn Lower ... 34 Leyland Bolton Middleton Ashton-under-Lyne 4 Manchester ............. ....... 33 Kirkdale ...................... 18 Ormskirk .. Prescot Warrington 34 ...... 45 General Staff—Chief Constable 1 Assistant Chief Constables ..... ......... 2 Chief Clerk 1 Assistant Clerks Storekeeper 1 Messenger Present strength of the force .... Total reported by the magistrates Contemplated reduction " GonsTs and BIRCHALL, " Deputy-clerks of the Peace." In reply, Sir James Graham expresses his " approval of the proposed districts, and of the reduction of the consta bulary force consequent upon the resolution of the justices." On this the Manchester Guardian remarks as follows : " We regret to find, that Sir James has given his sanction to a plan which we cannot but think will lead to numberless abuses. It is not of the large reduction in numbers, which, however, amounts to more than one-fourth of the whole, that we complain ; but of the apportionment of the force into petty sessional districts—the expense to be borne in propor tion to the number of men serving in each. It will soon be found, in practical operation, that the expense will fall very unequally on different districts, in every other respe c t simi larly situated; that whilst some have retained a sufficient num ber of constables to protect them, other and neighbouring dis tricts have reduced their numbers so co nsiderably:as to afford encouragement for the dishonest to abide there, as in a place of sanctuary, whence they can sally out to commit depreda tions around, counting upon the ease with which they can elude the police when they are thinly scattered over a consi derable extent of country. Take, for instance, the divisions of Higher and Lower Blackburn. In the former, there are to be only 10 constables to 45 townships; in the latter, 25 constables to 34 townships. To come nearer home, 13 con stables are deemed sufficient to protect 17 townships in the ,its property guarded, Middleton division ; while in that of Ashton, 14 constables are required for four townships. Deducting the eight indi dikefour viduals called ' the staff f , ; he th m e u g n r i e c a ip t al c b ou or n o t u y g o h f s L w a h n . cash ha i rvep , with the sole exception o is f t o o rc b e e of w s a o t ni ch e e th d ing an i guarded, by a constabulary fifths a police of their own, of a constable to each township in the county." A Sandwich Islands paper, the Polynesian, says—.. Typo graphical errors cannot altogether be avoided, as much of the type-setting is done by the natives, who are unacquainted with the English language." KINSALE PETITION.—This petition is not to be prose cuted :—why, is a question which, except on rumour, we are abandoned, unable to answer. It is said that Mr. Watson is, at a time specified, to retire, and that the seat is then to be left to the chances of a new election. If any such arrangement has Coan explanation been. made, we think it will be regarded as a very unsatisfac but which, ho w ever, ü b ir ryc e onclusion. Mr. Watson, it is to be presumed, would do , tie and why, this being so. the l' sa la te r . have proposed nor agreed to it unless he felt himself 1 Cork Cora petition should be now io we cannot comprehend except we are to adopt not very complimentary to the constituency, titizoenver, has, we understand, been offered.— ebt Eicarpoot atanbarb. FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 27, 1842. More than one of our contemporaries have of late " made • themselves merry" with the notion that the government of Sir Robert Peel is prepared to disre gard —nay, to outrage—the feelings of the Conservative party, by whom it has been advanced to the possession of power. Where are now, we have been scoffingly asked, the election pledges of a great portion of the Conservative body ? Where is the consideration shown to the Protestant feeling which denounced Maynooth ? —to the feeling of humanity which denounced the ini quity of the new poor law ?—to the supporter of agri cultural protection ?—to the opponent of the factory system ? That consideration, we feel bound to reply, upon some of these important questions, exists not. The government of Sir Robert Peel chooses to isolate itself with respect to them, from the sympathies of powerful masses of its warmest supporters. It is drawing around itself a barrier of cold respect,—re pelling the affection, —scorning the high enthusiastic feelings which have battled with that heartless abstrac tion, Utilitarianism, and would have battled with it still in its behalf. It has thrown down the affection ate support which would have grown with its growth, strengthened with its strength —aye, clung around it and warmed it in its ruin, if such an issue could, by any possibility, have been the end of a perseverance in the cause of truth and justice. Sir Robert Peel has chosen and is pursuing this sui cidal course, we admit, and we grieve whilst we record the admission. Lofty as is the character of that states man ; much as we still long to be able to confide im plicitly in his constitutional integrity—in his Protestant feeling—in hiS humanity, and in his justice ; he has struck down many of our fondest hopes, and taught the Protestant Conservatives of the empire to rely, more than upon him, upon their own strength and the justice of the cause which they have at heart. " Put not your faith in princes," was the wise counsel of one who knew well human nature and the world, and who sought not to scatter the seeds of disaffection. Put not your faith in governments, is the counsel which, without the most remote desire of engendering oppo sition or even dissatisfaction towards the administra tion of Sir Robert Peel, we are constrained to offer to the Conservatives of Great Britain. Maintain Conser vative principles rather than merely a Conservative go vernment! Maintain the cause itself, rather than the men, who shrink from asserting it in its stern inte grity ! We lay down this course advisedly, as that which it is the bounden duty of the Conservative body to pur sue;—not only in justice to themselves, not only in justice to those principles which are clear to them, not only in justice to the country, but in justice, even, to the Right Honourable Baronet himself, who is at the head of the government. That distinguished states man, elevated to the leading station in the councils of Great Britain, by Conservative opinion, when, at length, securely placed there, has taken up views, upon several important subjects, which we feel are distaste ful to a great portion of the Conservatives of Great Britain, and are calculated ultimately to damage, in the affections of the people, the Conservative government of which he is the head. We have no desire to impute to Sir Robert Peel any wilful desertion of the known principles of Conservatism ; we impute to him no breach of faith with any section of the Conservative par ty—no " betrayal," as the policy in question has been termed by his Whig Radical opponents, But when we see in the conduct of the Right Hon. Baronet, a wish to be guided solely by his own judgment as to the direction of public opinion, and are compelled to ack nowledge that that judgment betrays, too often, a leaning towards concession to the factious agitation, and the utilitarian projects of Whig Radicalism, we are impelled to the conclusion, that Conservatism must, perforce, speak out upon those questions in which it feels the policy of government wanting ; and, if need be, even agitate, respectfully however and peacefully, to ensure its voice being heard by Sir Robert Peel himself, and by the country. With the complaints of the agricultural party against Sir Robert Peel, we have no syrripathy. That he has legislated for the injury of that party, we do not be lieve; and that he has " betrayed" its interest, is utter ly untrue. It is not, therefore, with his financial or commercial policy that we quarrel at all. With respect to the Protestantism of his government, we have, as yet, no weighty cause to complain, although we may, justly perhaps, entertain serious doubts. With his re fusal, however, of a full measure of protection to the infant labour of the kingdom, and his determination to maintain unbroken the stern despotism, by which the poor of England are ground down to the abject and hopeless misery of the workhouse system, we have just and deep cause to quarrel ; and no consideration shall induce us to refrain from expressing our thorough de testation of the course pursued by him, with respect to those questions. And this we are satisfied will be the course pursued by the great conservative party throughout the country. That party has looked up to a Conservative govern ment, for a mitigation of the evils inherent in the fac tory system, and in the regulation of labour in other branches of industry. It has looked up to a Conserva tive government for the adoption of at least a Christian system of poor laws ; for a system which does not treat the unfortunate poor man as a mere machine—a mind less, soulless, unsentient thing, which, when its hour of usefulness has passed by, may be cast out from the busy workshop of society, to rust and rot unheeded. It has looked, above all, to a Conservative govern ment for a firm and unflinching maintenance of the Protestantism of the empire ; and upon none of these questions will the conservative people of England per mit their just and temperate demand to be denied, or even temporized with. We invite the Whig Radical party, who taunt us with the alleged disregard for conservative opinions, on the part of Sir Robert Peel's administration, to challenge, as unworthy of a great party, the course which Con sevatism is prepared to pursue, in this emergency. On the one hand, it will take up no factious position ; it will pursue no measures of undistinguishing hostility; it will resort to no intemperate tone or language ; yet neither will it shrink from offering a firm and unflinch ing resistance to every deviation of the Conservative government of Sir Robert Peel, from the maintenance of sound Conservative principles of legislation. In such a course, its object will be not to weaken but to fortify that government; not to destroy, but if possible to res- cue it from shipwreck upon the rocks a-head, towards which, by a subserviance, or at all events an evident leaning, towards the utilitarian opinions of Whig Radicalism, it is being fast hurried; and to bring it back to its only sure ground of rest and strength—the affection and respect of the people. The faction, who for the last ten long years, smoth ered the anti-corn law agitation, to enable a profligate administration to enjoy, at ease, the sweets of office, and to gorge upon its plunder, might, instead of taunt ing Conservatism with its present position, improve itself by contemplating the course which we propose to pursue for its amendment. Ours, at least, is not the feeble party which dares not express its honest opinions, at all times, and upon any question ; and the govern ment of Sir Robert Peel is not that ricketty, swaddled thing, which need fear the fullest expression of opinion from its friends, as well as from its opponents. The league party in the House of Commons were thrown on Tuesday night into a chuckle of perfect ecstacy, by a fancied "admission" of the noble mem• ber for Liverpool, with respect to the working and ob jects of the new corn-law, and the clause in the amended tariff which regulates the admission of Fo reign cattle : " There was a wide difference, his lordship contended, between the two articles involved—namely, corn and cattle. There was no ground whatever for apprehending that this country would be inundated with cattle. (Cheers from the opposition benches.) The foreign markets were exceedingly limited as regard e d a supply of catt l e, b u t of the article of corn there was an almost unlimited supply (Cheers from the same quarter.) Therefore, was it, that those who were desirous of affording some protection to native industry deemed it necessary to accommodate the a mount of that pro tection to this state of things. It was evident that in no single year would there be produced an extraordinary amount of cattle. Not so with corn. In one year there might be so extensive a crop of w h eat as to inundate the E ng li s h markets, to the injury, and perhaps ruin, of the English farmer, if he were not protected by a duty, which, under this circum stance, was perfectly justifiable mid perfectly consistent With cam= tenso, but nrhlch was unnecessary, and therefore notjustiflable, ae regarded cattle." Well, what is there in this, the reader will exclaim, except what is perfectly consistent with the declared views of Sir Robert Peel's government in regulating those important measures ? Certainly nothing. The object of the corn-law was to secure to the farmer that moderate protection which the interests of native agri culture require, and to the consumer those moderate prices to which, in justice, he was entitled. The object of the reduction of the prohibitory duty upon Foreign cattle and meat was, equally, that of securing to the farmer a moderate protection, and, at the same time, of securing. the consumer from scarcity and immo derately high prices. In both cases the duties were adjusted, as Lord Sandon justly observes, "to accom modate the amount of protection" to the circumstances affecting the two commodities. The ex-President of the Board of Trade, however, —Mr. Labouchere—affected to discover, in this plain and intelligible explanation, an abandonment by Sir Robert Peel's government of the principle of free trade, added to " great inconsistency ;" and that amazing philosopher, Mr. Richard Cobden, whose profound observations are duly re-printed and scattered abroad by anti-corn-law ladies " at the low charge of one half penny each,"—(as the peripatetic hawkers of " last dying speeches and awful executions have it)—abso lutely thought that " he might be excused for rising to express his astonishment at such a declaration from such a quarter." The same oracle went on to inform the house that "he had recently returned from Lanca shire, where he had found precisely the same opinion of this tariff as that just expressed by the: noble lord. The people of Lancashire believed that they were legis lating, as stated by the noble lord, for the purpose of admitting articles which could not be imported, and of excluding those which might be introduced from all points of the compass." We will not enter into any serious refutation of the flimsy and seditious remarks ventured upon by this very flimsy personage upon the occasion under notice. We will not either be guilty of the supererogation of vindicating Sir Robert Peel's government, or Lord Sandon, from the charge of inconsistency made by a Whig ex-Minister t 7) Our readers, however, will par don us for referring to the amusing confession at length wrung from Whig Radicalism of the lying pre tences with which, for months past, its followers have deluded the people of England. Let it be borne in mind that these very "ARTICLES WHICH CANNOT BE IMPORTED," according to the haypenny member for Stockport, are the very excellent beef, mutton, and pork—" the fine, fresh, and tempting beef, fat and lean beautifully mixed"—so eloquently descanted upon by the veracious George Thompson and other anti-corn-law worthies at many a free trade gathering ! This very commodity, " which cannot be imported" at a penny a pound, is the " three halfpenny beef and pork" of friend Henry Ashworth; the excellent mutton which Mr. Charles Holland assured the admirers of his see saw oratory could be imported " through our house in South America," in such unlimited quantities ; the same which had been eaten with such exceeding relish by Mr. John Brooks, of Manchester; the same stuff, in fine, whose cheapness and superior excellence was, by the aid of such a reduction as that which is now discovered to be a perfectly inoperative reduction, to drive "the roast beef of old England" out of the mar ket, and to enable every working man throughout the kingdom to add a joint and gravy to his dish of pota toes! Oh, rare leaguers—excellent free-traders—veracious spouters ! HUMBUGS are ye of the first water ! We are not in the habit of remarking upon the line of conduct which right-minded and pious clergymen of the Church of England may pursue in the exercise of what they may conscientiously deem their Christian duty. We are not, either, inclined to maintain that such clergymen should withdraw their helping hand from the support of works of Christian benevolence because men of a different form of worship, entertaining, however a belief in the essentials of Christianity, are to be associated with them in it. We must, however, protest against that excess of complaisance which leads a man, in entering upon such a fellowship in well doing, to go out of his path to pay compliments to dis sent which never have been, and never will be, received in the same spirit in which they were bestowed. Our attention has been led to this subject by the perusal of a report of a meeting of "the London Mis sionary Association," a body composed exclusively of Dissenters, at which a reverend gentleman of this dio cese—the Rev. Doctor Byrth—is stated to have made use, amongst other expressions honourable to himself, of the following somewhat extraordinary language : " I should be false to the very purpose for which I am here, if I did not say, that, as a churchman, I feel it an ho- nour to be present at this meeting. I should forget some of the most delightful associations connected with my own study of the progress of evangelical religion in this country, if I did not say that I believe I am, at this moment, occupying, how ever humbly, my own proper position." With due deference to the Rev. Doctor we are in- dined to doubt whether, as a speaker at such a meet ing, he was occupying the " proper position" of a mi nister of the Church of England. Upon this subject, however, we will not enlarge here, but proceed with another quotation. " I feel it, indeed," continued Dr. Byrth, " to be a privi lege to say, that, all Churchman as I am, and fond of Episco pacy as I have avowed myself to be, and attached to the Church of which I am a minister, yet there is a bond still holier than that—a feeling which triumphs even over that affection—a principle which is mightier than that which unites me to the section of the Church to which I belong; it is the love of our common Christianity. (Cheers.) It appears to me that it is impossible to behold such a meeting as this—keeping in view its past proceedings and successes, looking at the spirit which now animates it, regarding the glorious object which it has in view—and not to feel that it is a benefit to the spiritual character to withdraw one's self occasionally from the circle in which, commonly, our best affections are engaged, in order to contemplate what is the beauty and the grandeur of Christianity when looked at alone." Undoubtedly the reverend doctor felt, whilst he uttered, this beautiful sentiment. It was one which might have befitted a good man to utter : but that it was one which was likely to be appreciated in the place where uttered, we leave it to Dr. Byrth to determine after the perusal of the following extracts from the report of a meeting of the Voluntary Church Associa tion, abridged from the same dissenting organ, The Patriot. The Rev. Dr. Byrth had felicitated the dissenting body before whom he spoke, upon the " denunciation of what has justly been called the Modern Heresy, Puseyism," which he had heard that day "coming as if from the heart of that large assembly ;" and added, " I believe that I shall not stand less accepted in the few observations which I propose to make, because I boldly, before this audience, declare myself to be an Episcopalian." At the meeting alluded to, of the " Voluntary Church Association," held the 14th May, two days after this confidence in dissenting love for the Church was expressed, the Rev. C. Stovel re- marked,— " I have looked already into the circumstances connected with Puseyism, and I am fully convinced that the doctrines circulated through the means of the Oxford Tracts are not the peculiar sentiments of Dr. Pusey and his coadjutors ; but they are the real_sentiments of the Church of England." (Cheers.) Again— " That system, which be it remembered is the expression of the real sentiments of the Church of England, is to all the interests of religion, just what an atmospheric blight would be to vegetation. No northern blast can strike with such a deadly stroke the bloom of spring, or the early set fruits, as as that pernicious heresy must blight the tender, delicate, vital, and vitalizing interests of true religion." (Cheers.) Again, another instance of dissenting love— "Your remark, Sir Culling, was quite right—the Bishop of Jerusalem is my representative and yours. lie goes in our name, and is the representative of every Dissenting, as well as the Established Church. It is delightful, at this season of the year, to look over our activities. Then a thousand streams are pouring into the physical world ; but they are nothing, compared with the streams that are pouring life into the religious festivities of April and May. But it is not pleasant to recollect, that wherever our activities can extend, if there should be a solitary wanderer maintained by one reli gious Society passing round the shores of the Mediterranean, then there must be a Bishop in Jerusalem ; if there be two or three individuals successfully labouring in Cacicutta, there the soul-devouring heresy must appear." Again, stronger and still more unequivocal— The Established Church is a means whereby Christianity is disgraced ; and wherever the energies of the nation spread, the Establishment will likewise diffuse itself." (Hear.) The same intolerant sentiments were expressed by other speakers; but We have, we trust, quoted enough to shew with what gratitude and Christian charity the co-operation of Church of England clergymen with dissenters, in any work, however good, is repaid, when these meek and pious people have an opportunity of mounting their own rostrum, and indulging in their fondness for vulgar railing against the Church and her ministers. Another time, we trust, Dr. Byrth will be slow to offer the language of compliment to people, who have so little feeling of reciprocity to the establishment to which he belongs. We refer our readers to an important letter in ano ther column from the Rev. Hugh WNeile, (now on a visit at Jersey,) in reply to a requisition forwarded to him at Paris from his congregation, which we also insert, and feel honoured in being selected as the me dium of communication. We spare ourselves the pleasure of commenting upon it, feeling assured that all our readers will gladly avail themselves of the privilege of reading and satisfying themselves on a subject of such acknowledged difficulty and delicacy. We therefore commend to their calm and unprejudiced perusal a statement so replete with scriptural power, dispassionate reasoning, and unanswerable argument. LOCAL NEWS We beg to call the notice of our readers to an advertise ment in our paper of to-day, well worth the notice of sports men. Capt. nanny's beautiful mansion at Castleroe, on the banks of the Bann. at the Salmon Leap, is to be let fur nished or unfurnished, with the exclusive right of shooting over 2500 acres, both of grouse and partridge lands. The best salmon and trout-fishing in all Ireland, is at the very door, and the mansion and offices are in perfect repair. STARRING.--A sailor belonging to the Amelia, a Sicilian vessel, was placed before M?. Rushton on Wednesday, on a charge of having stabbed a brother sailor with a knife on the side of the head. It appeared from the evidence, which was interpreted by Mr. Commissioner Dowling, that the parties had been engaged in the hold of the vessel, when they had a quarrel about their respective families—that from words it came to blows—and that the prisoner, after having received considerable provocation, seized a knife which was lying on the floor at the time, and stabbed the complainant with it in the head. The prisoner was ordered to pay a penalty of £3, or to be imprisoned for a month. IMPORTANT TO AGRICULTURISTS.—Guano, the new ma nure lately introduced from South America, will prevent the fly from taking the turnip plant if dusted upon it at the rate of about one hundred-weight to the statute acre. It was applied in this manner, during the late dry weather in this neighbourhood, with the most beautiful effect. This newly discovered property of the guano, in addition to its acknow ledged extraordinary fertilizing qualities, will render it the most valuable article to the British farmer which modern science and enterprise have yet introduced; and we have great pleasure in communicating the fact to our agricultural readers. We shall hereafter report progress with regard to several breadths of turnips, &c., where it has been used, as compared with the produce of the same soils in which the ordinary manures only have been employed. BODY FOUND IN THE RIVER.—On the evening of Sun day last, as two mariners named Glennon and Cusack, were on the river in a boat, they observed the body of a man floating on the water opposite to the Magazines. On taking it up they found it much disfigured about the head, and con veyed it to the dead-house, where it was recognised as the body of James Thompson, a warehouseman ' in the service of Messrs. Hornby and Roughsedge, who had been missing for a period of three weeks. On his person were found a sove reign, one half-crown, 31d. in copper, and an office pen knife. A few days before he was missed he wrote a letter to one of his employers, in which he stated that as he was suf fering from extreme low spirits, the cause of which he did not mention, he could not attend to his business, and hoping that his accounts would be found correct. His accounts, we un derstand, balanced within a sovereign.—An inquest was held upon the remains on Tuesday, before Mr. Curry, the borough coroner, at which the above facts-having been given in evi dence, the jury returned a verdict of " Found Drowned." DISTRESSING ACCIDENT IN HARRINGTON DOCK.—A distressing accident occurred about noon on Monday last in Harrington Dock, whereby Richard Birkenhead, a fine little fellow of eight years of age, lost his life. He was the eldest son of John Birkenhead, master of the flat Mary Jane, lying in the dock. It appears that he had been left on shore by his mother, who had gone on board to prepare her hus band's dinner; and in a very few minutes afterwards she was alarmed by a cry that a child had fallen into the water. Her feelings may be imagined but not described, when she found that it was her son, whom only a few minutes before she had left playing on the quay. A boatman dived three times to rescue the poor boy, but without success, but after the drags had been used for three quarters of an hour it was brought up. As may be expected life was totally extinct. An in quest was held on the body on Monday, before Mr. Curry, when the mother and father of the deceased described the above circumstances, but no evidence was produced to show how the deceased fell into the water. The verdict of the jury, therefore was, " Found Drowned." LIFE BUOYS AND BELTS.—There are now exhibiting in the Underwriters' Rooms in this town a life buoy and life belt, the invention of Lieutenant Carte, of a very simple construction, but very efficient for the purposes for which they are intended. The buoy consists of a hoop formed of layers of cork, covered with painted canvass ; the exterior diameter 33 inches, the interior 20 inches, the thickness or circumference about 15 inches. It is divided into four equal parts, from which depend small ropes to hold on by. It will support four persons, and can be put on and off at pleasure. The person in the water has only to press on the part of the buoy nearest to him to make it assume an upright position. in this situation the head and arms may easily be intro duced. The arms once over the buoy, the person is in per fect safety, and may assist another without danger to him self. Two of the buoys, lashed one upon another, will sup port as many persons as can conveniently cling to them. They are in general use on the coast of Yorkshire, and have also been adopted by the Humane Society in Scotland, the Shipping Company of Bristol, and about two hundred steam and sailing vessels in different parts of the kingdom. The swimming belts or life preservers weigh only thirty ounces, and are particularly adapted to the use of the crews of life and other boats, to passengers and seamen, and to gentlemen accustomed to the amusement of rowing. They are tied on loosely round the waist, resting on the hips. In this position they will not interfere with the arms in rowing; and if a person falls into the water, or should the boat be upset, the belt will be forced up under his arms and remain there, and form a protection to the body, if dashed against rocks or any hard substance. These belts are used by most of the crews of the life boats on the coast of Yorkshire, by the masters of several steam and sailing vessels, and by many other indivi duals. MANSLAUGHTER. — On Tuesday, and, by adjournment, on Wednesday, an inquest was held before Mr. Curry, the borouzli coroner, on view of the body of Peter Carlin, a carter, 19 years of age, who died on Monday at the Northern Hospital. From the examination of several witnesses it appeared that the deceased was on Friday, the Gth instant, carrying some boxes from a vessel, at the Victoria Dock on shore, when a quarrel ensued between himself and another carter, named William Cringle. The latter told his son to get a stone and to dash out the brains of the deceased, and then both deceased and the elder Cringle commenced to fight. While they were in the act of fighting, Cringle's son continued to throw large paving stones at the deceased, who, at length, stopped fighting and pursued the son. Being unable to come up with him, he returned again and re—com menced the fight with the elder Cringle, who, during his absence, had taken up a piece of copper dross and kept it in his right hand until the deceased returned to him. Several blows were then struck by each of the parties at the other, but, at length, Cringle hit the deceased on the back of the head with the copper dross, which caused a large gash, from which blood flowed profusely. The deceased was subse quently taken to the Northern Hospital, when it was found that he had received a wound on the back part of the head, about an inch in length, and a slight fracture of the scull. Erysipelas afterwards set in, which in the opinion of Mr. Harris, the house surgeon, had been caused by the injuries, and produced his death. Upon a post mortem examination, considerable congestion of the brain was discovered. The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter against William Cringle, the elder, and William Cringle, the younger, who were both committed to Kirkdale to abide their trials at the assizes THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.—The second gala of the season took place on Monday evening, and, notwithstanding the cloudy and somewhat threatening state of the weather, the attendance was numerous and highly respectable. The gardens, after the refreshing rains, presented a truly beauti ful appearance, affording delightful promenades through the winding and diversified walks. The trees and shrubs have considerably increased in growth since the spring of last year, and may now be said to be arrayed in the delicate and luxuriant garb of the early summer. We do not remember to have seen so comparatively small a piece of ground so tastefully laid out, and presenting so great and pleasing a va riety of hill and dale, wood and water. The numerous rare quadrupeds, land and aquatic birds, &c., were also highly attractive, particularly to the juvenile portion of the assembly. The pictorial model of 'tome was, however, the grand " lion" of the evening, and was gazed upon long and intently, with wonder and admiration. As seen after sunset, the illusion is complete. The eternal city, with its numerous streets, the bridge and castle of St. Angelo, and the Tiber (real water), in the foreground, St. Peter's Church and other prominent structures more behind, and the hills in the back ground, apparently many miles distant. As darkness sets in, the whole of the streets and public buildings become brilliantly illuminated by thousands of lamps, as if by the work of en chantment. The scene presents the rejoicings in celebrati on of 11 Giorno di San Pietro, in completion of which a variety of beautiful fireworks are introduced. The rockets, discharg ing balls of brilliantly coloured fire, the serpents, &c., rising as it were from the water, and the apparent conflagration of the whole city, were triumphs of pyrotechnic art. Mr. Stubbs's excellent harmonic band was on the ground, and played a variety of pleasing national airs. This band is ha bited in the full uniform of the Ist Dragoon Guards, and seem, by the military regularity with which they march to and from the ground, and their attention to their leader, to have imbibed much of the discipline of that celebrated corps. The exhibition will be repeated this evening, and from the eclat with which it has hitherto passed off, a very numerous and fashionable attendance is anticipated. ROBBERIES AND ASSAULT.—In our last we gave a report of a case in which six persons were placed before Mr. Rush ton, on the previous day, on the respective charges of having robbed and assaulted a man, and breaking into and robbing a shop in Dale-street. The case stood over in consequence of the man who was assaulted, and whose name is James Rimmer, being too ill to be removed to give his evidence. The shop did not belong to Mr. Wolf, as we stated on Tues day, but to Mr. Joel Hart. The case was resumed on Tues day, and the prisoners were all committed for trial. Mr. Rimmer, it is stated, still lies in a dangerous state, at the Northern Hospital. From his statement, taken at the hos pital, it appeared that, at twelve o'clock on Sunday night, he was passing along Dale-street, when he! was accosted by two girls, with whom he fell into conversation. They entreated him to accompany them home, which he strenuously refused to do. He had turned into Fountenoy-street, when he was knocked down by some men from behind, and they with the girls rifled his pockets. Amongst the articles taken from him were some keys, a knife, a pair of spectacles, &e. The last-named articles taken from the prisoners were produced and identified, but he could not swear to any of the indivi duals. It appeared from the further evidence adduced, that police-officer Lynch, hearing a cry of murder, went to see w er l e what the matter was, when be found Rimmer lying i nsens ib le in the street. , He gave the alarm, and the prisoners, Halla and Doyle, were taken ne ar the spot. The others seen, but they made their esca p e. Lynch, havi ng deposited Mr. Rimmer in a place of safety, went to the house where he e knew the prisoners resid ed in Ford-street, a nd there, on searching, the above-me ntioned articles we re found,_ w , ith sundry other property w hich subsequentl y proved that the prisoners bad been concer ned in aburgtlwareylve which a was nd half-past com mitted on Saturday morn in g , between one o'clock. The circumstances attending the robbery of Mr. Hart's premises were fully detailed in our publication of Tuesday. SWEEOING CHIMNEYS.—A correspondent of the Morning' Herald calls the attention of the public to the necessity of making alterations (as sweeping by boys must shortly cease) in their chimneys where required, either by the insertion of trap-doors, or such other alterations as may be deemed ad visable. An early attention to this matter, he says, will save considerable inconvenience and possible risk of accidents by fire through insufficient sweeping of chimneys by the new machines. THE PROPOSED NEW Poon. LAW.—We understand that a deputation from this town have had an interview with Sir James Graham during the present week, for the purpose of showing how extremely inapplicable several of the provisions in his amended poor-law bill are to the circumstances of the town, and how grievously they will press upon the inhabitants in the increase of poor rates, and in inflicting severe priva tions on the poor in inbancing unnecessarily their already numerous and bitter sufferings. ELECTION OF SURGEON TO THE LADIES' CHARITY.—A meeting of the subscribers to this valuable charity was held on Tuesday, at one o'clock, for the purpose of electing an ac ccouheur for the institution, in the room of Mr. W. H. Bain brigge, who was lately appointed one of the surgeons to the Northern Hospital. There were only two candidates, Mr. H. Cauty and Mr. H. S. Taylor; and on casting up the votes the former gentleman was declared the successful can didate by a majorty of 55 votes, Mr. Cauty having 189, and Mr. Taylor 134 votes. OPERATION FOR CLUB FOOT.—The operation, one of the triumphs of modern surgery, of dividing the various tendons about the ankle joint for the relief and deformity of " Club Foot," was performed with success by Mr. Vale, of Birken head, about a fortnight since, on a boy eight years old who was born with this infirmity on both feet, and who from his infancy walked in great pain with the whole weight of his body resting on the outside of the feet. He is now able to put the heels and soles of his feet flat on the ground, and when seen by our correspondent the other day, appeared in high delight at being capable of walking in the ordinary way. The past week has witnessed here a very great influx of strangers from Manchester and the surrounding districts. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company consider ately provided a third-class train for the labouring holyday people, great numbers of whom have availed themselves of the advantage afforded by the reduction in the fare (half-a crown each way.) On Wednesday the Runcorn steamers brought no less than 3000 persons from Manchester. The fare by this conveyance is, we believe, two shillings. EV. HUGH M'NEILE.—The following is an extract from a private letter received in this town, dated Paris, May 2:— " The Rev. Hugh M'Neile preached at Marbroeuf Chapel yesterday, both morning and evening, most clear, eloquent, and admirable sermons. The evening lecture was peculiarly beautiful on that passage in St. Luke, 9th chap., 27th ver. " There be some standing here which shall not taste of death," &c. I hope we shall hear him again. The church was filled to overflowing, chairs placed in the aisles, and ladies sitting within the chancel."—Betfast Chronicle. ALBION BANK.—This' bank was dissolved only about three months ago, and the last instalment of its paid-up capital is now being paid to the proprietors, who will soon receive in addition a division of the surplus fund, which we understand is no inconsiderable amount. This result reflects the highest credit on the talent, probity, and judgment of the management and direction of the company. CII ARGE OF FELONY.—A young man named Owen was yesterday brought before Mr. Rushton on the following charge :—Mr. Cotton said, he had lodged at a public-house kept by a Mr. Hunt, but had some weeks ago gone to Staf fordshire, leaving his chest, which was locked, in the care of the landlord; On his return he found the chest still locked ; but on opening it, missed a pair of trousers, a satin vest, a neckerchief, and other articles. The prisoner lodged at the same house at the time witness left, but had, it ap peared, since gone to lodge in London-road. Mr. Hunt said, he had nitssed other articles from the house belonging to lodgers and guests, and as he suspected the prisoner, he took steps to find him, and in his trunk found the handker chieY produced, which was identified by Mr. Cotton as his property. The prisoner was remanded, in order that further enquiry might be made relative to the other property. ASSAULT ON A GENTLEMAN AND HIS DAUGHTERS.—A. man, named William Baker, who stated himself to be a book keeper, was yesterday charged at the Police-court with an unprovoked attack on Mr. William Hardy, of Mason-street, Edge-hill. Mr. H. said that on the previous evening, about a quarter past ten (his daughters having gone to a missionary meeting at Everton), he heard a loud ringing at the door bell, which was repeated before it could be opened, and he also heard one of his daughters cry " Oh, papa !" as if in alarm. On opening the door, he found his two daughters had been pursued by the prisoner. They ran in, and the prisoner fol lowed them into the lobby, where he several times struck the complainant, who was obliged at last to retort in his own de fence. The prisoner denied that he struck the first blow ; but the case was distinctly sworn to, and he was fined 40s. and costs, or to be imprisoned 21 days. STEALING MONEY FROM A SHOP.—A boy, named M'Cabe, who was well known to the police, was yesterday brought be fore Mr. Rushton on a charge of stealing from a shop. Margaret Roberts said she was attending in the shop of Mr. Keran, Sidney-place, Edge-hill, that morning at half-past -nine, when she observed the prisoner stooping under the counter, and asked him with some alarm what he was doing there. He replied, " Nothing," and made towards the door. She called Mr. Keran who, with another person, pursued him for a considerable distance, and succeeded in securing him. A police-officer came up and he was given into custody. In his possession were found four five shilling papers of copper, which he had taken from a box placed in the shop grate. He was committed for trial. CAUTION TO SEAMEN.—SMUGGLING TOBACCO.—At the Police-court yesterday. William Scott, second mate of the ship Bradshaw, was placed at the bar on a charge of smug gling tobacco. One of the revenue officers stated, that on searching the vessel he found 36 lbs. of foreign manufactured tobacco (produced) concealed under the prisoner's sleeping place. He stated at the time that be had got it to sell to the passengers on the outward voyage, as he did not intend to leave the ship. He also admitted that he was a native of Scotland. He repeated the same statement in court, and was remanded until Monday, when the reply of the commis sioners should be received as to proceeding against him. — Another, a seaman in the same ship, named John M`Gowan, was also brought up for a like offence-4 lbs. of tobacco being found onboard, which he acknowledged to be his. He stated that it was for his own use, but it appeared that he had also a sufficient stock in his chest for his own consumption. As the quantity was under 6 lbs., the magistrate could adjudi cate summarily, and fined him 20s. and costs, or, in default of payment, to be imprisoned seven days. THE BODY OF MR. ALFRED LITTLEDALE FOUND.—We have the melancholy satisfaction to state that the body of Mr. A. Littledale, (who, together with two other young gentlemen, Mr. Royds and Mr. Ramsay, was accidentally drowned in the Mersey on the 27th ult.,) was found in the Formby Channel, near the Light-ship, on Tuesday last. The captain of the flat " Union," bound to Preston, observed the body floating on the water, and picked it up. It was taken up the Ribble, and deposited at the Ship Inn, at the bottom of Preston Marsh, which borders the river near that town. An inquest was held on Wednesday, on view of the body, before Richard Palmer, Esq., coroner of that district. The remains of the unfortunate young gentleman were, as might be expected, much decomposed. Mr. Taunton, one of the survivors from the melancholy accident, was the principal witness ; and his evidence was exactly similar to that of Mr. Crewe, on the inquest held here on the bodies of Mr. Ram say and Mr. Royd, and which was given at length, in the STANDARD a fortnight ago. The Superintendent of the Preston police stated, that he found on the body three sove reigns, two half-crowns, and one sixpence. The jury re turned a verdict to the effect, that the deceased had been " Accidentally Drowned." ANTI-CORN -LAW AGITATION.—The inhabitants of Bir kenhead have been visited by one of the paid agents of the Anti-corn-law League, with a 'view of stirring up their dor mant energies against what the tool of that contemptible body chooses to denominate the bread tax. On Tuesday evening the lecturer called together, by placard, as many of the inhabitants as could be induced to listen to the stale jokes, the vulgar witticisms, and the thrice refuted assertions of the wily demagogues ; but the attempt was altogether a failure. True it is that some hundred persons, chiefly of the working classes, assembled in the Albion-room ,• but for ladies, who were " particularly requested to attend "—ad mission gratis—we looked in vain. Mr. C. Bentham, a Qua ker, consented to occupy the post of chairman ; and he briefly opened the business, requesting those who were to address the meeting not to call their opponents hard names; yet, in defiance of this injunction, the aristocracy were denomi na t e d every thing v ile, and c a ll e d names which a Billingsgate fish wife would hardly have defiled her tongue with using, whilst the people were designated great fools because they did not exactly conform their opinions to those professed by the League. The blasphemous mode in which the League use Scripture as a pretended authority for some of their dogmas, justly entitle them to the title of the " unholy alliance," and to the well-merited contempt of all the wise and good, of whatever creed or party. A FRIEND AT COURT.—At the Police-court, yesterday, a female, named Elizabeth Richardson, charged a man, of the name of William Morris, with having stolen from her a bed, some chairs, and a quantity of other furniture. It ap peared that for some time previously to the month of April, the prisoner lived with the prosecutrix, who kept a brothel in Smithdown-lane ; and a quarrel taking place between them, they parted. Shortly after the separation, the prosecutrix was committed for trial at the last sessions, on a charge of felony, when the prisoner availed himself of the opportunity to strip the house of all the furniture, which he carried to a baker's, named Charles Smith, by whom lie was employed. At the sessions the prosecutrix was acquitted, and finding ber furniture gone, she sought out the prisoner, whom she caused to be taken into custody. The defence of the prisoner was that the prosecutrix had given him the furniture ; but this statement was met by a flat contradiction. He called the man Smith, who said he could prove the fact. in corrobora tion; but on his testimony being sifted, it was found so con tradictory, that no reliance could be placed upon it ; and, further, that the stolen goods had been conveyed direct from the house of the prosecutrix to his own house. Under these circumstances, Mr. Rushton ordered Smith to be placed in the dock as a receiver ; and the depositions having been re duced to writing, both prisoners were committed for trial at the next sessions. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ENGLAN D AtoNwiVo mb REILuAi.::e--; of ascertainin the best mode m th i e t t e i m e of f o the r tan l t i s o u u b s ec o t f Commons, of facilitating the communication between the two countries, Theconfi committee m d have concluded their inquiries, so far as the South of Ireland is concerned, and are now proceeding to examine witnesses respecting the necessity of establishing a railway from Ches ter to North Wales. Mr. Cubitt and Captain Denham have already been examined, and the London correspondent of the Dublin Evening Mail, has means of obtaining correct cbhto informationhas frequently shown s u t b h j a e t e t h s e , says :—" There i s little doubt that the committee will re commend in the strongest manner the necessity of m a ki ng a railway communication between Chester and North Wales; and in the event of the proposition receiving the sanction of the government, the committee will most probably recom mend that the whole of the Irish correspondence shall be transmitted via D u bli n. T h i s w i ll set at rest the rival claims of Cork and Waterford." tOY AL VICTOR IA G ALLERY .—P REVENTION OF SM OKE . —lt will be seen by an advertisement elsewhere, that a pub lic meeting is to be held in the lecture-room of the Victoria Gallery, on Thursday next, in the forenoon, for the purp ose of directing p u bli c attent i on to p l ans f or the prevention of smoke, with the ultimate view of bringing the subject before the British Association, at the next meeting of its members; and that it is expected that the Rev. Dr. Molesworth, of Rochdale, who has taken an active part in this inquiry, et Leeds and elsewhere, will take the chair on the occasion. The subject is one of some importance ; and there will, doubtless, be various suggestions offered, some of them worthy of attention.—Manchester Guardian. [We are somewhat surprised to find a rev. g entleman, of the peculiar the Rev. Dr. Molesworth, opinions entertained by " ex pected to take an active part in this " or any other inquiry of the nature ; for we'have always been given to understand, by the organs of the Tractarian party, that the professors of Tractarian doctrines confined their attention, and at all events their personal countenance, to spiritual concerns alone. Had any rev. divine of the Protestant party in our church proposed to take the chair, or to " take an active part," in the proceedings of a meeting for any public or private object, however meritorious, we should have been told that such was a secular object, w i t h which a clergy man had no right to interfere ; but a follower of Dr. Pusey, it would appear, can do that without offence, which to an ordinary person is forbidden. Perhaps, however, there is something peculiarly hallowed in a meeting " for the pre vention of smoke " ; or is it that this peculiar spiritual mindedness of Puseyism is itself all smoke P]