Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-26 00:00:00

---- vgS, Lree P e , n clude" ti at the a st3t ° g 111.1 1 ' 5 4 piedo o; that .°„t e h ece l '; b e ()ile 19 P i l elite o l 'Lee '- 0 5 rtes „er - al ....ilea re , - ati° deli, re' ° th e . rob' HE NOitrfiEßN TIMES, SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 1859 IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. The Ro HOUSE .0P LORDS.—FnmAY. yal assent was given by commission to various GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA. The rsarl of Ellenborough moved for copies of all notifi issuedTms by the Governor-General of India in Council, knee the commencement of 1857, relative to the mode in which the government would receive monies and loans. He ref erred to the deplorable state in which the finances of •Yldia appea r t o b e, and felt in consequence bound to bring Ule subject under the notice of the house. The Indian "titles had greatly fallen in value, and he could only attribute these results to the acts of the Indian government. The Earl of Derby consented to the production of the Papers, admitting the difficulty of the times, which had co mpelled the Government to apply to Parliament for ex ceptional p owers. The Government had received infer nottiobne t h s t e t i h en e t, £7,ooo,ooo lately raised in l oan wou ld Accessary. and that £3,000,000 more wou ld b e After some observati ons from Lord Monteagle and the Xan lof Albemarle, the subject dropped. BARON PENNEFATHER. Lord Clements asked if it was the intention of the Government to confer an mark of distinction on Baron Pennefath er. y The Earl of De r by a dmitt e d th e grea t mer it o f B aron rennefather, but said that the question of distinction was one for the Crown, and he could not answer it. THE lONIAN QUESTION. Earl St Germai n asked Lord Derby if his former speech o Sir the lonian question meant to convey any censure on is • Young ne Earl Of D er b y sa id t h a t h e h a d no such i ntent i on, % ,?lievi %cult cng that Sir J. Young had done his duty under ircumstances. The House then adjourned at 7.35. The Speaker HOlTSE OF M ech COMOfour S. —FRIDAY. took thair at 'clock. Ilk Mr. re Griffiths gave notice, that he should cal Monday the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether uniformity n , suffrage was t o b e one of those principles of the Reform - utli on which its fate was to depend, or one of those details ° Pen to such alt era ti on as P ar li ament might in its wisdom a gree to. -1 0 .. 4 r• Owe n St an l ey gave notice, that in the event of the rev ."' ef() rul Bill being rejected on the second rea di ng , h e s h ou ld e a resolution ' to the effect, that the measure o f th e Intilt Go ver n ment having failed to gi ve sa ti s f ac ti on, t h e Govern was no longer entitled to the confidence of the house: .14 SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES. Colonies''..a Stuart Knox asked the Secretary of State for the of the whether he had any objection to lay on the table hf Ortres a s c . 611 awll-11°48e of any orders that had been sent . to the in that "Les at Malta, relative to the garrison orders in force Also, what instruction government pro salute to issue in regard , to soldiers being called upon to either in host, or any religious personage or procession, t eolZ:.1:1,tollat ?sland, or .any other part of her Majes y s tape ine• the t " l 'ue S i i i r : e ll n. . had : 11 ,2 1stlem d s ;said that there was no garrison orders soldiers to salute the host. Instructions strictly corn ,ordering the circular of Lord Hill to be l culgei 1 ) —lll Nied with, and the host will therefore no e saluted by the soldiers. Whethe Arr. o l l it '"arEit O F LAND COURTS (IRELAND). ' .riffiths asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the Per r i t was the intention of the Government to equalise cinder Lariti4ceiTioarogtoe fees upon the sale of property in the Trans e in Ireland, to the amount payable on value tio li n °rd i N , Naas said that the matter was now under considera te e'rnt-Twas considered to be desirable that the fees . should 114, -I " a ttsed, but he could not then announce any decision. - would do so as soon as he was able. ~,. DAY OF GENERA L THANKSGIVING. Bi,-.. 1 • Verney ask e d th e Ch ance l lor of Vie Exchequer Whether her Majesty had been advised to appoint a day of g o e f il t e r ra l t hanksgiving to the Almighty, for the restoration ymanauillity n India. be e. O hancal l er of the Exchequer replied that he felt it to th e rabie that some public recognition should be made of lif ef aj est l ;,a s e mercy, in restoring tranquility in India, but her th at re pleasiure had not been taken as to the precise form cogntion. fir COIIMISSION FOR IMPROVING THE DANUBE. _ F ore .' Dodson asked the Under-Secretary of . State for pointed g ll Affairs whether the European Commission, ap - 185 G., under the 16th article of the Treaty of Paris, ne ee ° designate and cause to be executed, the works andas ;esliarYasbtehleow Isatcha to clear the mouths of the Danube, I. that i m lle ighbonring parts of the sea, from the sand to s t pediments which obstruct them, in, order sea in th e ?' : , - e Part of the river and the said parts . of the t _ e works ts. possible state for navigation, has designated_ h being care d w ui ch in its operation are necessary ; whether these or any others for effecting the same purposes, are twih y li v ti i rri be ed e :tit, i and if so, who are the persons charged et . direction of such works, and when it is probable Mr.obSta. had I.Fa!tdzginl3raeld.telsaid that the European commission__ and made much valuable information on the subject, had been tu ally useful suggestions. Those suggestions whieLerl:thrae 1;e:1,T s tfeorrpeerdattioontshe special commission of engineers, n aetic i l had made its report last autumn. The report recom should be commenced on the t. Tinhoeuethpeof the Danube, in preference to the Sulina h ration would cost £360,000, or if all . t e efleoerumendations of the committee were adopted, a , little thert of 4500,000. In the opinion of the commissioners ~operations.could not commence before 1860. risin g ,Solicitor-General, in moving that the house at its bron g t" a djourn till Monday, begged to contradict a chary osbr against him the previous evening by th e J a e, that having declared at Belfast iis oppositi r on to bill e ws in Parliament, he had voted in favour . of the admitting them. He had done nothing of the kind. INDIA. 111 reply, to Mr. V. Smith and Mr. Salisbury, of tore, Stanley entered into some explanation on the . de_tails ane e .mode in which the business of India was . carried-on, tak en that the opinion of the Indian council bad not been d est‘ e a on the despatch. of the 9th of December. For that iri4 a teh he was alone responsible. He had fully stated . his ()fl e s ' a s Was his duty, but it was not his intention to give nee to any one, and he was sorry if he had done so. shoed Lord EDINBURGH ANNUITY TAX. Advocate, in reply to Mr. Black, said that he A proceed with his promised bill on the Edinburgh l u e ltY Tax. a motion fpr the adjournment till Monday was then gre ed to. GO VERNMENT REFORM Th e a . BILL „„ aAourned debate on the Government Reform Bill 4 resumed b Sir S. N y °n ortb.cote, who said that the issue, as now raised th e L bi ll, by the manner in which it was raised, placed • 40 Use i n . In the fair great perplexity. They were neither engaged in th t , fight of the question of the second reading, nor l oos el °Pen council of committee. The resolution was so een c i e i - t 3 ; worded, that it was impossible to.say to what exact h ause l.ts the house would be bound if it adopted it. This the al 'was therefore called upon to decide for itself as the alt er a ttei orations it would adopt in either case. One of Was a tt; °ll4 " - one most loudly cheered when it was proposed t b at the opinions of Mr. Walpole and Mr. Henley h ill 't loe 0 i a cted upon, and that the preparation of a held b y be intrusted to those gentlemen, but the position hi g h ly "Y them in the Cabinet rendered such a proposition oeve embarrassing. Another alternative was, that the opi si ll'uent itself should alter the bill in the sense of those fal se Q4B. Such a course would place the Government in a idelit- P(lsiti°ll . He combated the arguments against the principle It Y a l suffrarre. The chief objections related not to the saidtatOifons for mi ght , i dentity, but the mode in which that principle coZ i , e 'r' e carried out. Those, therefore, were essentially practical they committee. The Government had never would refuse to consider in committee any themica` amendments. They only declared not to pledge s i.tfir selves to its a d opt i on. Again, as to the borough cont a i ned te o bjection wa s t o th e d eta il s, not to t h e pr i nc i ple w er d i h u the bill. L or d J . R usse ll ha d stated that there so e strgood p o ints in th e bill , b ut that he had objections to it he ong that he could not think it good. Why then did h ad. ll°t move a direct negative to the bill. By the course he Positt irB rt e tied, he had p l aced many of his supporters in a q u.esti f great difficulty They peferred the diect op en te ti n of th e second reading, but felt that they should be Misconception, if they voted against a resolution: e ufor e i governs a uniformity of suffrage. He repeated that the that t,_ent would not refuse to consider any amendment rni„,.l.,_ G• t- be proposed, and he defied any one to name the Minister O le - who had made a declaration to the contrary. But atoeYelnlild not say what course they would pursue on any Ike stated till they knew what that amendment was. fir ' ,a•ted this in to the observation made by reply (Laa Aral pole on the previous evening, who had .0 th e that on the government would consent to "e Consideration of all amendments, he must oppose the _ bill. He again entered upon the defence of the principle of identity of suffrage, contending that it would throw tile elections for every district -into the hands of those most interested in it. From official information, he believed the pr9posed change would add one-third to the constituencies. The electors in, England and Wales were 900,000, and 300,000 would be added by the bill. It ap peared that the number of savings bank depositors holding above £5O was 185,000. Making deductions for trustees and women, he calculated that 77,000 persons would be entitled to the franchise. No doubt many of them were already ' entitled to it, but a very large number would yet remain who would be entitled under the bill. The lodgers clause would likewise in London admit an enormous number of persons, equal in some parishes to the number of householders. The Government adopting these pro visions had to consider not a little temporary popularity, but a bill which should pass whatever proposals they made might be extended . hereafter, but could not be contracted hereafter. In fact the principles of the bill might permit of indefinite extension. He demanded of the house to go into committee on the bill, and assist the Government with its counsel and advice. If they refused this, looking to the sweeping nature of some of the plans which had been pro posed, the hon. gentleman opposite would wear a very grave responsibility. The bill he cont ended furnished all the elements for a practical settlement of the question. It was very possible that the Government might permit, in com mittee, its provisions to be carried yet further. Mr. Caldwell, admitting the difficulty in which the House found itself, had hoped to have found, in the speeeh they had just heard, some solution of that difficulty, and that the House would have been told which were considered by the Government as the principles of the bill, and which its details. But the conclusion from that speech was, that the bill contained no single proposition that could be dignified by the name of the principle, and that it was brought forward, not to satisfy the people, but to pass. The present time was eminently fitted for the discussion of a Reform Bill, when its provisions might be examined without setting one class against another. If that opportunity was missed, when reform was again brought forward it might be accom panied with a dangerous struggle between classes for the transfer of power. The question was, whether the bill diminished personal influence, and increased the power of public opinion, or the contrary. Now the principle of the bill, whatever else might be said, was uniformity of suf frage. Against suffrage was the most ancient principle of our Constitution, and that it was to lay the axe to the root of that Constitution if they destroyed it. He examined historically the borough and county franchises, showing the differences inherent in both. In any Reform Bill they should deal with those franchises according to their history and traditions, adapted to the exigencies of the time. It was by the variety of suffrage they had obtained in that house at once the representation and the community of various interests, to an extent unknown in any other deli berative assembly. He argued that the establishment of the principle of uniformity would be used against the House 'of Lords, whose position in the State rested on different grounds from those of other branches of its equality—in all its forms abhorrent to the temperament of the country, and abhorrent to the Constitu tion. How, then, could, he consider the equality proposed by the bill as a mere detail which might be amended in committee. Considering it even in detail, it would, he believed, only increase influence in the counties, and cor ruption in the towns. They were told that it was inconsis tent with the honour of the Government to abandon this principle ; but there was something above the honour of a Government, which wai;the honour of that House. Could they go into committee without' knowing the precise object of the bill they were to discuss. Would this be a dignified course for the House to adopt in the resolution. He expressed his own feelings on the bill, except that it did not go far enough to express his dislike and abhorrence to it. He should cordially support it, and whatever might be the consequence the re sponsibility rested with' those who brought forward in the name of reform a bill which was no reform. It was a policy which was neither Liberal nor Conservative, which professed to deal with an exigency without dealing with it, and thereby excited passions which it would be difficult to allay. He believed that even yet they mght pass a bill honourable to themselves and satisfactory to the country. Mr. Drummond said that they were all at cross purposes with the bill, not knowing which were its principles and which its details, or whether it had any details or principles at all. He would support the proposition of the noble lord in committee, but he could not support it on the question of second reading of the bill. The only principle of a Reform Bill *as enfranchisement and disfranchisement, all else was a matter of degree and of detail. He had said at the time of the first Reform Bill, that it was impossible to defend the limits of the franchise, and he now again declared that no one could say where they were to stop. If they carried the franchise much lower, they must adopt the ballot as a protection to the working classes, not against their superiors, but against themselves, equality of suffrage did not as was said lead to electoral districts, but it actually was electoral districts, and the only difference between the proposition of the bill and those of the Radi cals was, that one was unequal while the other equal electoral districts. Referring to the attacks made in the landed interest he asserted and endeavoured to prove in detail that in every branch of our manufacture we were beaten by other countries, while in our agriculture we were without a rival. Mr. Deut condemned the bill as in no respect fulfilling the conditions of Reform, and disappointing the just ex pectations of the working classes. Mr. Packe combated the claims of the working classes to a general admission to the franchise, and supported the bill. Lard Harry Vane opposed it, declaring that it was evi dent, from the speech of Sir S. Northcote, that there appeared to be no principle in the bill which the ministers thought worth sustaining. They appeared to commit the bill altogether to the discretion of the House. Mr. S. Wortley contended that, while it was agreed on all sides that the question ought to be settled, they would, by voting for the resolution, only delay the settlement of the question. They were not to take the declaration of Lord Stanley that it the government were defeated on the principle of identity, they would throw up the bill too liberally ; but no one could doubt that it was the intention of Lord John 'Russell to defeat the bill. Many members took advantage of the terms of the xesolution to give an apparently popular vote for ulterior reasons. lie, himself, agreed with both the propositions of the resolution ; but he thought that it was more respectful to the Crown to allow the bill to pass the second reading. Three successive times had parliamentary reform been recommended from the throne, and at the beginning of the present session, in answer to a fourth recommendation, the house pledged itself to give the question its calm and impartial, con sideration. To make this question a stalking horse for party quarrels, was assuredly not to give it a calm and impartial consideration. He had therefore proposed an amendment, if the resolution of Lord J. gussell was carried, in the shape of a further resolution, which while it admitted the necessity of further extension of the suffrage, stated the opinion of the hGuse that it ought to pass to the second reading of the bill. These views were, he believed, those of the government itself. He was astonished when he was told that the identity of suffrage constituted the principle of the bilL Not one in a hundred, reading the bill impartially, would have come to such a conclusion. The principle of the bill, on the face of it, was the enlargement and adjustment of the suffrage. This might be well or ill done in the bill, and might be variously considered by the house ; but it was the principle, notwith standing the resolution did not go to the extent of nega tiving identity of suffrage, and therefore was not logicaL According to the statement of the noble lord himself, they had most unduly' mixed up party considerations and thus complicated still further one of the most difficult questions in existence. There was much good in the bill—let them extend it. In the first place, there was no mention even of the ballot; no attempt to trifle with this detestable scheme. There was a negative good then ; there was the positive good arising out of the extension of the franchise in counties ; for which there were several propositions in the bill ; there was the household and other property franchise ; there was the reduction of the £5O occupancy to £lo—in his opinion by far to great a reduction. He enumerated the other clauses admitted by the bill to the franchise. the admission of whom might be greatly extended in com mittee. It was impossible to deny that the bill contained a groat extension of the franchise. He showed by how small an alteration in the wording of 'the bill they could get rid of the principles„ of identity or as it ought to be called, of the feature of suffrage. The mode of taking votes by voting rapers would again act practically . as a great extent - lon of the suffrage. He passed in review the objec tiGns to the transfer of borough 40s. voters • agreeing in the main with those objections, he objected further to the resolution as not sufficiently recognising the claims of the working classes to the suffrage. He felt, from his knowlege of those classes, that the time would come when artisans should be further trusted; but they must take worth for the test, not numbers, wages, apprenticeship. Payment of taxes might be admitted as profits of worth. The two grievances to be remedied were the representation of large constituencies, and the exclusion of the deserving and substantial class of artisans from the franchise. Refer ring to the party question, he said that it was now im possible for any Ministry constantly to command majorities. The difficulty in this respect commenced by the old Reform Bill ; there would be, therefore, no want of dignity on the part of the Government to give way on some of the questions involved in their bill. He trusted that they would not be pressed further than they could be had to the difficulties of their position. Who, he asked, was to introduce a measure of reform if this measure failed ? Was it the noble lord, the member for Tiverton ? That noble lord had always taken on the sub ject a moderate and conservative tone, which would be unsuited to any bill which in the present crisis he would have to introduce. Could the noble lord, the member for London, or the hon. member for Birmingham, hope at present introduce a bill with any chance of success. He denied it. With respect to the member for Birmingham, he had been tried and failed. The country admired his honesty, respected his courage, but would not have his bill. Whatever might be the consequences, he implored the government to pause before they ventured on a dissolution. The country was now quiet, but there was no knowing how far it might be roused. He trusted the working classes, but he dreaded the masses ; and if they were once allowed to be excited on the subject, a great peril would arise to the Constitution of the country, or, at least, to the settlement of the question. Lord Palmerston declared his intention of giving his cordial support to the resolution of his noble friend. That resolution was no censure on the Government. It was strictly appertaining to the matter in hand—bringing into discussion two of .the leading features of the bill, which would be better examined on this stage than in committee. The debate had been 'productive of some good ; at first they had thought that the transfer of the borough voters, and the identity of suffrage, were essential parts of the measure, but it now appeared that every part of the bill was open to consideration, that no part was to be sine qua non with the Government. He hoped that further pro gress would be made before the debate closed in this con viction, and that they would all end in agreeine to the resolution. He reprobated the personal attack of the Solicitor-General on Lord John Russell, which was unworthy of his position, and ill deserved by the unex ampled forbearance of the opposition. He admitted that the Government had only done its duty in proposing a measure of Reform. They took the Government with its engage ments which they were bound to fulfil. One of those en gagements was the Indian bill ; they had ,opposed the Indian bill, but in office they carried it on, though it was true they spoilt a little. They were no doubt obliged to postpone Reform till the present session. Now they were a Conservative party pledged to gradual progress. They ought, therefore, to have taken their stand on the act of 1832, and to have carried out its principles. There were defects in that act. The exclusion of the £lO franchise which their present bill remedied. He did not join in the objection to what had had been called the fancy franchises of the bill, believing that they would admit a very deserving class of men. As to the borough franchise, he had been long of opinion that the £lO occu pancy ought to be maintained ; but he now believed that it might safely be lowered so, as to include the more honest and deserving part of the working classes. He would not by admitting a majority of the least instructed and poorest class, swamp and destroy the influence of property. Sub ject to that condition, he believed that a reduction of the franchise could and ought to be made. Provision ought to be made for the re-distribution of seats, and he did not quarrel with the bill for the small amount of those provisions. He defended the small constituencies, which included a vast class of educa tion and intelligence, not included either in the counties or the large towns. Ned the Ministers applied their minds to the detects of the act of 1832, and endeavoured to remedy them in the spirit of that act, he had no doubt they might have carried a measure, which for a time would have settled the question. The evils to be remedied. now were less than those of 1832, and was therefore more easily dealt with. But they had departed from the spirit of that act, and had introduced new provisions, alien to the constitution of the country. They had disfranchised the borough freeholders, and introduced identity of suffrage, cli.strayiux an ancient and reccognised principle of our stitution. The bill of the Government not only led to electoral districts, but it actually established them, adapting, them only to the distribution of population. The Govern ment would seem to have taken counsel with the member for Birmingham, and to be rowing in the same boat with him far more than Lord John Russell. The first impression of his own mind had been, that a bill so framed ought to be met by a direct negative ; but the amendment of his noble friend had met the case, and he gave it his cordial approval as soon as he had seen it. It brought at once under discussion the two prominent features of the bill, instead of waiting till they had got into the confusion and chance of a committee. So far from the resolution being a vote of censure the Govern ment ought to thank his noble friend for bringing it for ward. If carried, it would relieve them from a great diffi culty. He objected to the provision of the bill as to the proposal for voting papers, into whieh he would not then enter. When the House had affirmed that the second objectionable part of the bill should not remain—the bill was ready for committee—the resolution would, no doubt, be carried. What would fol low ? It was said that the ministers would resign. He did not believe it. He did not desire it. It would be a dereliction of their duty if they had undertaken the ques tion. They had great means of settling it, and they ought to settle it. Again, it was said they might dissolve. This, again, ho did not believe. They must obtain the concur rence of the house. Could they get their votes in supply ? In cases of peace or war, or great constitutional ques tion, an apppeal to the country was justifiable. This was not now the case. Would they allow the British constitution to be scrambled for on every hustings in the kingdom - they would not if they could, and they could not if they would. Again they might abandon the bill. He did not believe that they would show so little sense of the duty they had to perform. He felt assured that, if the house affirmed the resolution, the government would go on with their bill, subject to the control of the majority of that house. All doubt had fell as to their adopting this course—it had been removed by the candid and ample admission of the secretary to the Treasury. Let the house, therefore, discard all fear, lest the adoption of the resolution should retard the settlement of the question, while without it the bill would immediately have been lost. Mr. Whiteside declared that, in the course of the debate, the bill had been successively characterised as aristocratic and democratic -- as conservative and revolutionary—accord ing to the varieties of opinion of its opponents. He disclaimed with great ardour against the resolution, as a crafty device to stifle the discussion, and defeat the bill. He argued that the identity of suffrage proposed in the bill was not a positive identity, as a £lO householder in the counties was very different from a 410 householder in the town. All varieties of franchise were destroyed by the 'bill of 1832, by means of the same noble lord who now passed such a warm eubgium on variety disfranchisement, which was so loudly reprobated by those who abolished 260,000 40s. freeholders in Ireland. How could they:refuse consideration to a bill enfranchising so large a portion of the community. He contended that a large portion of the working classes would be admitted under the bill, while its opponents had never produced a bill which admits any. Recurring to the,ardour of Lord Palmerston, that the government should, adopt the amendment, and go on with the bill, he declared emphatically that they would never accept the bill accom panied with the offensive resolution. He pointed to the conduct of the present Parliament as a proof that no organic change was necessary in the representation of the people. He told Lord Palmerston that, while admitting the preservation of peace might not depend upon Lord Malmesbury, he was assured it did depend upon the policy prevailing at the Foreign Office. He imputed no unworthy motives to the noble viscount, but no one could doubt but that he was the author of all the confusion of Europe. He brought no charge against him except a total want of . j'agdment. Let there be no mistake about as to the intention of the Ministry. They had been told to accept the resolution, and to take back the bill. They would not accept the resolution, and they would not take back the bill. On the motion of Mr. E. James, the debate was adjourned. MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, The Municipal Elections Bill was read a third time and passed. The orders of the day were then disposed of, and the house adjourned at-one o'clock. HITTING IT TO A NICETY.-A curious incident occurred at Lloyd's on Saturday, in connection with the collision in the channel on that morning on which the Thalia foundered. An underwriter was in the act of writing his name for £5OO on the insurance of this vessel, when a friend in the room strolled from the place where the notice of casualties are posted, and accidentally remarked to him, " The Thalia's gone, I see." This was sufficient to stop his pen, and escape his loss. A quarter of a minute later, and it would have been, as our neighbours say, un fait accompli. THE LIVERPOOL NEW EXCHANGE BUILDINGS PROTECTION OF THE COMPANY'S RIGHTS. IMPORTANT CLAUSE PROM OUR OWN REPORTER HOITSE OF LORDS, FRIDAY The select committee on this bill re-assembled this fore noon, at eleven o'clock, the Earl of Lucan in the chair. The other members of the committee in attendance were—Vis count Effingham, Viscount Dungannon, Lord Dunfermline, and Lord Churston. Mr. Burke said that , on behalf of the opponents of the bill, he had to suggest a clause which, inasmuch as it had not been acceded to on the other side, he would explain to their lordships. The words of the clause were short in them selves. Their lordships had been good enough to state that this property of the existing Liverpool Exchange Company should be purchased within a given period, and that not a portion of the property should be taken, but the whole of it. By the act of last year, as they would remember, the com pany were empowered to make certain extensions, but all operations under that act were sus pended with a view to what ? For the estab lishment of a more comprehensive scheme. Well, the parties promoting the bill now before their lordships, had come forward with such a comprehensive scheme, but his clients had felt this, that as the bill stood at present, it would be in the power of the new company to purchase the adjoining property before they purchased that belonging to the old company, and to deal with the property in competing with them. Now that was obviously unreasonable, and thinking that they surely could not have such an intention, he prepared a clause, which was to this effect :—" That no powers in the present bill shall allow the New Exchange Company to open an exchange, news, or reading-room, until they shall have completed the purchase, and paid for the present building." Well, the reasonableness of this, and the consciousness that such a clause should appear in the bill, were so obvious, that it struck him as very odd that it should have been rejected by the promoters. But as they did reject it, it must be clear that it was the intention of these parties before purchasing the present Exchange Buildings, to purchase the other property, and establish a news-room in competition with the existing company. Now, what would be the effect of such a state of things ? Be fore purchasing the existing buildings, they might, under those circumstances, when taking this property, come before an arbitrator, and say " Your property is diminished by another company." Unless this clause was inserted in the bill there would be no certainty that the property would ever be purchased at all. At the- end of the two years there was no security that it would be purchased, and if not the consequences would be ruinous to the present proprietors. He felt some curiosity as to what argument there could be against the introduction of the clause which he had pro posed, for it seemed to him that it was quite consistent with the professed objects of the bill. Mr. Calvert would tell their Lordships why he ob jected to the introduction of the clause. As to saying that the... new company could make a news room of the Sessions-house that was not correct. There was no part • of the building that they could make a news-room of, But the promoters cer tainly objected to the old company being allowed to go before a jury for the purpose of enhancing the value of their property. What they said was, "let them go before a jury under circumstances as they existed, but do not give them powers to go before a jury for an enhanced value." He was quite sure it was the intention of their Lordships to give the company the full value of their property, and such was the intention of the promoters, and with that feel ing, a clause providing for it had been inserted in the bill. [He read the clause.] The clause now proposed embodied an entirely new suggestion, and was an addition to the prin ciple affirmed by th committee yesterday. By the clause inserted in the bill by the promoters, they were secured a fair price for their property, and therefore the clause pro posed was altogether unnecessary. Mr. Burke, in reply, said that if he thought the clause necessary before he heard the argument, he most certainly was confirmed in that opinion now, because their lordships now heard that the promoters objected to the clause, on the ground, as they admitted, that they intended to go before an arbitrator to contend that Parliament had given them powers to complete with the present company. They said that Parliament having given them power to complete a part of their buildings, they were_ at liberty •to complete only a portion, and having done so, they could come before an arbitrator and say to the old company, that their pro perty was not so good as it had been. He was sure it never was the intention of Parliament last year, that any com pany should come forward and establish a competition, but that whatever new company might be formed, it should purchase the whole of the property of the existing com pany, for the purpose of carrying out a comprehensive scheme. Lord Churston : I understood yesterday, that the value of the property was to be estimated at once, and paid for in two years. Mr. Burke said, he would be satisfied if the promoters would insert in their clause, that the property should be valued forthwith, and that it should not be argued before an arbitrator, afterwards that the property was of less value. Lord Dungannon : One of your argunients is, that they might purchase this sessions-house and turn it into a news room, and at the end of two years compete with you. Mr. Burke : Yes but that is not all. In addition that ; Parliament having sanctioned a general competition with us they could do so. Mr. Calvert : We never should argue anything of the kind before an arbitrator. We do not say that we shall not establish a news-room, but we say, do not by this clause put into their mouths a declaration that they have a monopoly. We say they have no monopoly. The room was here cleared, and on the re-admission of strangers. _ _ _ _ . The Chairman said, the committee approve of the intro duction of the proviso. The other clauses were then agreed to, and the bill was ordered to be reported. NAPOLEON 111. WALKING OUT.—IS it treasonable to tell how the Emperor looks at Plombieres, divested of external pomp ? He is grizzled, candaverous, and lame in the left hip, and labours to conceal this last defect. His walk is awkward ; he turns out his toes, and leans heavily on the strong stick he carries in his well gloved hand. He is care fully dressed ; but, though his coat fits him very accurately, he has nothing of the air of a well-dressed man. His figure is not improved by the cuirass which his coat will not con ceal. Every step he takes is studied, while his eye scans every passer by with a look which has something uncanny in its expression.---Household Words. SCENE AT A FIRE YESTERDAY.—TWENTY-POUR LIVES SAVED.—A fire, which occurred in the metropolis yesterday morning, would, in all probability, have been attended With the loss of twenty-four lives, had it not been for the prompt arrival of a fire escape. It appears that police-constable No. 165 G, ran to the conductor's station in Hatton-garden, and informed the man that a fire had taken place in a large double house occupied by Mr. Kitchen, a cheesemonger, &c., situate at the corner of Greville-street, Leather-lane, The escape of the Royal Society was immediately taken to the spot, when a scene that can with difficulty be described presented itself. Out of each window issued volumes of black smoke, which obscured the front of the building, and the loud cries for help from 25 persons clearly indicated that no time was to be lost to effect their rescue, for the lower part of the premises and staircases were burninc , like a furnace. The conductor (named Arkell) at once placed his escape in front of the house, and brought from the first floor seven persons, who were safely landed below. The jumping sheet attached to the escape was next taken off and held by the police, when five or six persons were thrown from the second floor, and were received in the sheet without receiving any material injury. The remainder of the unfortunate persons were taken from the third floor and passed down the escape, save one man who managed to get upon the roof and pass through an adjoining house. TILE PROPOSED NEW BOROUGHS. -A return, mewed for by Mr. Byng, and issued yesterday morning, gives the po pulation and rating in the proposed new boroughs of the government reform bill.: The population and inhabited houses according to the census of 1851, and the rating for each in 1853. In West Bromwich. and Wednesbury, the population was 48,872; the inhabited houses, 9,253 ; the number rated to the poor at 101. and upwards, 1,542.; at 61. and upwards, 2,709. In Birkenhead, Cloughton-cum-Grange, Oxton, and Tranmere, population, 33,525; inhabited houses, 4,883, rated to the poor, 3,130 and 4,387. In. Burnley and Habergham Eaves, population 27,255; inhabited houses, 4,884; rated to the poor, 736 and 1,124 ;- in Staleybridge and Duekinfield, population, 32,892 ; inhabited houses, 5,986; no return of rating ; Croydon and Prenge, population, 21,512 ; inhabited houses, 3,604 ; rated to the poor, 1,688 and 1,857. .In Graves end, Milton, and Northfleet, population, 21,671; inhabited houses, 3,627; rated to the poor, 2,296 and 2,5036 ; in Hartlepool; &c., population, 16,068 ; inhabited house s, 2,582; rated to the poor, 287, and 1,41 4 . The obj ect of the return appears to be to show the disproportion between the claims of these proposed new boroughs and the parishes of Chelsea, Kensington, and Hammersmith, which are not elevated to the position of a parliamentary borough, but by , the bill are made to form part of the western division of Middlesex, which county, it is proposed, shall return two additional members: The population of the three parishes in 1851 was 118,351; the inhabited houses, 16,842; the number of persons rated to the poor at £lO and upwards, 12,648 ; and at z£6 and upwards, 13,021. EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF ARSON, At Derby assizes, on Monday, James Grundy, a farmer, occupying 200 acres of land at Lullington, in the county of Derby, was charged with having, on the 29th December last, maliciously set fire to a stack of wheat, a stack of barley, a stack of beans, and divers other stacks, the property of Mr. John Payne Moxon, farmer. The corn destroyed was valued at £l,OOO. Mr. Mereweather and Mr. Leigh prosecuted; Mr. O'Brien and Mr. Bell defended the prisoner. John Payne Moxon, the prosecutor, said: I am a farmer at Lady Leighs, in the narish of Lullington. On the 29th of December, I went to bed about ten o'clock, leaving eighteen stacks of corn in the rick-yard, in the direction of prisoner's house. I live about half a mile from Mrs. Wetton's. Prisoner's farm adjoins mine, but is not under the same landlord. Scott, the keeper, called me up about three o'clock the next morning, and the stacks were then burning. I did not see prisoner or any of his men there when I got up. On the 4th January I observed Mr. Rust looking at the footmarks in the fields, and I saw a man in the prisoner's stackyard, on the top of a rick, looking at us, but I could not tell who it was. He did not remain on the rick more than a minute after he saw us. By Mr. O'Brien : Can't say how long prisoner has lived in the neighbourhood; he was there when I came. I was insured. Harriet Parker : I was in the service of prisoner on the 29th Dec. last. Prisoner left his house that day about twelve o'clock at noon. He returned home at two o'clock the next morning. I had gone to bed then. The waggon-boy let him in. There were also two servant boys in the house. I got up because Mr. Grundy said Mr. Moxon's stacks were on fire. I heard Mr. Grundy say they were on fire, as I lay in bed. I came down stairs and went in the yard with the prisoner. We did not remain there many minutes. When we returned into the house prisoner said, " I am the man that set them on fire." He said it to a man named Kelly, and Kelly, in reply, said, "Hold your noise, say nothing." Prisoner said nothing more to Kelly, but he said to me, " I will give you ten pounds if you won't say any thing." Prisoner also said, " I set them on fire at each end," Thomas Kelly : I lived as a general servant with the prisoner. I went to Rosliston on the 29th of December with a load of barley, and afterwards left Mr. Grundy at the Plough Inn, and returned home. I next saw Grundy at ten minutes to two o'clock on Thursday morning. I heard him knocking at the door. lie called for George, meaning Bott. Grundy said, " Oh, dear! oh, dear ! Mr. Moxon's stacks are on fire." I and Bott they came down stairs, and we saw the fire. I saw the fire from the kitchen door. Grundy said," Oh, dear ! dear ! Moxon's stacks on fire, and I have done it." I said, "You have done a bad job." I said that I and Bott would go over to the fire, but I remarked they might take us up for being out at that time of night, so Grundy then said, "You had better go to bed." Grundy then said, " Moxon thought to do me au injury," and also said that he would give us £lO if we would say nothing. We then went upstairs and had some gin, but I can't say how much master drank. Grundy told us he set the stacks on fire, but he did not say how he had fired them. I got up about four in the morning, and I saw my master about eight the same morning. I saw Grundy again about four o'clock in the afternoon, standing against Radford's public-house. I did not see Rawson that day. When I saw Grundy against Radford's public house I told him to come home, but he refused, and gave me 2s 6d to get some drink, but I put it back into his pocket. Gruny then came home with me. On the way he said, "the policemen are after me—they think that it is me that did it. I did do it, and I will do some more." The next morning I went and asked prisoner for my wages, saying that I wouldnot stop with him any longer. I had not had any quarrel with him. Prisoner told Johnson ' the wag goner's boy, to say nothing. By Mr. O'Brien : Mr. Rust knows the day on which prisoner told John not to say any thing. I told prisoner the reason I wanted to leave was he would be taken up, and I did not wish to have anything to do with it. Prisoner did not give me the whole of my wages, saying he had not got it. He gave me 71., and he now owes me 2/. I, Bott, and Parker had some talk about what prisoner said on the Thursday morning. I, Bott, and Harriet Parker used to talk about master having said that he fired the stacks. I heard of the reward. I saw it in the " catalogues." The reward did not affect me at all, for I did not want it. I don't know who was to get the reward. It stated in the papers that the 1001. would be given for evidence. I don't know that I shall get the reward. I want nothinc , but my wages. I and Bott had some gin up stairs with ° the master, and then we went down stairs and had some more. It was in the pas sage that master said " I fired the stacks ; " he also said he would give us £lO not to say anything. I have been brought from Stockport to give evidence. George Bott, the waggoner, gave similar evidence. The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and his lordship sentenced the prisoner to penal servitude for 12 years. TI ADM AND NAVICIATIOIV RRTURIVS The following arc the amounts of the principal articles of commerce exported from England to the month of February for the last three years : 1857. 1858. 1859. Apparel and slops £119,946 £115,284 £159,648 Beer and ale Coals and culm 191,541 203,972 181,674 Cottons, calicoes, mus lins, &c., Coton yarn Earthenware and porce- 2,372,187 .550,169 2,116,391 640,681 3,029,624 754,967 lain Haberdashery,, &c 381,299 Hardware and cutlery . . 283,711 Leather unwrought .. . 22,049 Ditto, wrought 123,588 Saddlery and harness 18,655 Linens (clothes of all kinds and cambrics .. . Linen yarns Steam machinery Other machinery 80,855 219,113 188,699 94,996 327,144 254,898 30,950 14,391 90,085 93,889 17,986 20,852 268,175 76,766 76,798 130,160 47,337 124,372 9,693 321,672 159,038 43,336 129,412 Metals-Pig iron Bar iron 200,217 160,495 Wire iron 23,589 13,638 Railway iron 292,352 153,696 158,402 Cast iron Wrought iron 219,014 140,146 189,627 Steel, unwrought .. . 58,008 28,564 52,392 Copper, unwrought .... 58,700 62,103 68,870 Ditto, sheets and nails .. 133,643 122,710 98,524 Lead .... .... 32,982 28,169 31,430 Tin, unwrought .... 19,305 16,926 20,096 Tin-plates .... .... 135,585 80,502 107,726 Oil, seed Painters' colours Pickles and sauces Plate, platedware, jewel lery and watches '4, , Salt Silk manufactures (silk only) Other articles of silk 21,724 17,786 32,063 Silk manufactures mixed with 35,344 27,638 35,741 21,920 44,464 47,175 12,944 10,987 other materials 41,907 28,216 41,444 Silk, - thrown 99,882 18,022 53,155 Ditto, twist and yarns 35,665 10,181 17,275 Soap 19,571 11,316 13,847 Spirits (British). Stationery 54,151 57,522 65,564 Sugar, refined Wool Woollens (cloth) 276,372 178,048 238,471 Flannels (mixed, stuffs, carpets, &c.) Worsted stuffs 285,373 Woollen & worsted yarns 209,930 294,673 220,973 328,063 195,535 351,822 136,873 163,749 DEPARTURE OF COUNT CAYOUR. The Times announces that Count Cavour left Turin, for Paris, on Thursday night, Everything was Tranquil in Sardinia. THE MINISTRY AND THE REFORM BILL. The Star says it is still uncertain whether the Govern ment will resign or dissolve, but considers it most important that the constituencies should_everywhere be on the alert. The Herald is surprised that experienced politicians can be deluded by the idea that a ministry, which came into office in a minority, would retire without an appeal to the constituencies. THE CONGRESS. PARIS, Friday.—The Moniteur of this morning contains the following : " The Cabinet of Vienna has given its consent to the proposal of Russia to convoke a Co ngress. Count Cavour has quitted Turin. for Paris on the i uvitation of the Emperor." , WANTED A PEW BACIIIELOE.B.•-••It 1 - eported that emigra tion to a great extent is about to take place by many lair d am sels from the p ar i s h es of Blagdon, Charterhouse, Paxton, Congr.esbury, Churehhill, Wri ng t on, Barrington, and But combe, to some more fortunate and hrr o py 'locality ; for, though otrange, it i s only too true, ,t l , O lon one marriage was solennnsed in a n y or e i the - Y 30th day ol June last to th e " etst4of December. of th o se parishes fr . om th. LIVERPOOL POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-YESTERDAY. BEFORE MESSRS. PEEL AND HOUGHTON THE LII;E:STITEETgUPPER ROOM—Joseph Bendano, the keeper of certain supper rooms in Lime-street, was sum moned by Inspector Smith, for " unlawfully suffering prostitutes to meet and remain in the rooms, contrary to the act 5 and 6 Viet., whereby a penalty of not more £5 was incurred." Mr. Temple, instructed by Mr. Snowball, ista n whicht ia 1 I y was appeared f or th e d efendant, an d w h en th e c a se at t nti t l he an sessions,ind indictment, ern substantially b was called on, a p p li e d t h at i t m i g ht s t an d ov er hangingonveee. could r aa him l t the same offence. be disposed of by trial. This information was issued since the bill was found, and the officers knew the case was hang ing over the defendant, and that the ca s e h a d b een b e f ore the Judges in Chamber in London, and had been p rose c u ted by Messrs. Jones and Pattison, solicitors, for some certain society in this town, and it was decided that the case should go into the Queen's Bench by certiorari, and as the case was exactly the same, he thought it a proper case to stand over until the discussion of the Superior Court could be had on the whole question. Mr. Peel said, he understood the cases were not the same, but it would depend on the evidence altogether that now might be given. Mr. Temple con tended that the case was the same, and the indictment was founded on a similar information; the first count was on the same information, so they were exactly similar. He contended that it was not an information in the ordinary disorderly house, and certainly he thought the bench ought not to refuse to grant his application. Mr. Peel said, it would depend altogether on the evidence, and the magis trates would hear the case. Mr . Temple said, if the evidence went a "tittle" beyond the information, the case must fall. The case was then proceeded with. Inspector Thomas Smith was then called, and said : At twenty minutes to one, on Sunday, the 13th of this month, I visited the house in Lime-street. Inside the coffee-house were forty men, and forty-five prostitutes. Inspector nough was with me, and informed Mrs. Bondano that all the women were prOstitutes, and if allowed to be laid ; some of them Nv minutes past one o'clo' innn information would rpfmchments. At ten ;k, I found-t} fire prostitutes_ there'; on he liitter had ments found fifteen men d nine out. not laid At half-past or prostitutes, six 01 __ ...Le were on the two previous nights ; none were taking refreshments. Cross-examined by Mr. Temple: I go in by the instructions of my book ; I got the book from the store-keeper; I did not get orders to .eceived any instructions, lay information ; I have not directly or ir.direcly front Major Greiff*, or any superin- tendent, to lav the frif I laid informaiinnsyears ago, in Mr, Rushton's time. There were other hou at that time, but I have not laid in nations the prostitutes in them were turn, The public-houses were shut; informations against other houses on that occasion_ The information is not laid on oath. I have appeared in other informations, but not since '55 ; there was none of them dismissed. Inspector Hough was examined, and said he was along with Smith. and all he had stat true. To Mr. Tenple : I case of the indictmen, am one of the witnesses in the .nd bound to prosecute. Mr. Patterson, an attorney, summoned me as a witness. been a witness with Inspector O'Brien, who laid informa tions against Bendano, whose cases were dismissed on the SP -..0 at idence as now given. - ed that I have sme evidence as now given. The bill of indiettnen+ the sessions was found on the sar ,ed the court, and conteri s oppression and persecution, and th^' dismissed the evidence, whicl- Mr. Temple then addres cas to be L._ _ on ,now that the house was being emptied, on each of the three visits, of the unfortunate creatures who were entitled to refresh ments, and not to be hunted like wild beasts. The Society r,„. +bn iTYM.I,IOO; ATI nf Vino rliel not vn the right way to rr work, by leading the unfortunate creatures from their 'evil ways, instead of persecuting the person who gave them refreshments. He alluded to the London case, near Covent-garden, and the decision of Lord Campbell and Mr. Justice Earle, which is well known, and called on the Bench to dismiss the case, and put an end to the persecutions that had grown up in this town against such houses. The magistrates consulted for a short time, and then Mr. Peel said it was his opinion that the women went to get refreshments, and the Magistrates did not think that the time sworn to was an unreasonable time to remain for that purpose, particularly as the evidence shewed that only six of the women, who were there on the first visit, were there on the last visit. They were, therefore, of opinion, that the case should be dismissed. Dismissed accordingly. Thomas Millar, publican, London-road, was charged for allowing drunkenness in his house on the night of the 10th. The officer proved having seen five women and one man drunk in the house, at half-past eleven on the night in question, Mr. Snowball was for the defence, and cross examined the officer (621), and alleged that his statement was an utter falsehood. He called several witnesses who disproved the policeman's statement, and the case was dismissed. DETAINING A VESSEL'S REGISTER —Mary Lougherne summoned Mr. Richard Morley for detaining the register of a fishing boat called the Undine, which trades between Liverpool and the Isle of Man. Mr. Cross was for the plaintiff, and Mr. Campbell for the defendant. The case appeared to be thus :—The plaintiff sued, as the executrix of her husband, who was the owner of the boat; but, according to Mr. Campbell, and it was admitted, the defendant lent the deceased some £lO or £l2, and that for this sum he held the certificate as security. In the course of the case it appeared that the probate of the deceased's will had not yet come down to the plaintiff, and Mr. Campbell objected to the proceedings, as the plaintiff had not shown any title to the boat at the time the summons was issued. After some discussion the case was withdrawn, and a fresh summons was ordered to be issued. Robert Bradley, publican, Kensington, was summoned for allowing drunkenness in his house, on the .20th of this month. Police officer 826, told a confused story about a fight, and an assault, when Mr. Brem argued that there was no case proved for the defence, rainst his client. He +he complaint called some witnesses to dispro . ire the ea — se, and was dismissed Ann Harker, publican, Scotland-road, was summoned for allowing drunkenness on Sunday last. The defence was, that some persons had called to see an old lady, who was in the house ill, but no business was done—dismissed. [There were a few beerhouse cases, but the details were void of public interest.] THE BOGOTA. CASE.—Mr. Mansfield acknowledged the receipt of £2 2s. from " Kelly the Butterman," for the wife of Landon, the poor fellow who was killed on board the Bogota steamer ORMSKIRK SESSIONS. -YESTERDAY BEFORE MESSRS. WRIGHT AND ASHTON.. CURIOUS CHARGE OF FELONY.—Sarah Cali was charged with having 64, of respectabh stolen £2 6s in money, a quantity of tea, sugar, and other things, belonging to Charles Sumner, of Formby. Mr. Cobb, of Liverpool, appeared for the prisoner. It appeared that up to some four years past, the prisoner followed the occupation of a monthly nurse, and was held in high respect by all who knew her. On the 4th inst., the wife of the prosecutor was about being confined, and the prisoner being a distant relation of his, he induced her to undertake the office of nurse to his wife during her co nfinement. It appeared that there were two other persons, one a domestic servant, and the other a neighbour. Mrs. Sumner told the prisoner she had missed sugar, and other groceries, and requested her to have an eye after the things of that sort, during her confinement. The old lady, having a pair of large old fashioned removeable pockets about her. and in order to keep the thin g s safe, she roll e d u p sugar an d the like in paper, and placed the articles in the aforesaid pockets. Mrs. Sumner had placed the money in her pocket and put the latter under her pillow, and it seemed that this, along with other articles had been removed as dirty clothes, and thrown into the wash tub. When the money was mugged the prisoner was charged, as she was seen to take something from -under However, when search was made , was found in the wash tub, but the old wom frightened, that she let fall her moveable pocket s w i sugar, &e., and then Mr. Sumner charged her with st taking, and carrying away his property as a dom es ' vant, and this was the charge on which she had 1 prison for seventeen days. Mr. C o bb sa i d, into the merits of the case, h e h a d before a point Their was no agreement as to - that the pos sess i on of servantthe in of law to raise goods ds She was in th e h ouse as a friend, and he contended wages or remuneration, she was not a dom es ti c and given to her by Mrs. Sumner, and if she had '• d even the money and property to her own use, at most it would be only a breach of trust. He quoted several cases from the authorities in support of this view of the law. The Magis trates then retired, with their Law Clerk, and in about half an hour returned, when Mr. Wrigley said, he quite agreed 'with the law as laid down by Mr. Cobb, and was' therefore of opinion that the old lady did not take the articles with a felonious intent, and directed her discharge. Mr. Cobb said he had a complete reply to the case on the merits had the law been against him. The old lady, ho-said, was v 1 y re spectable in her position, and - he - held certificates of her character, of the first-class, from gentlemen who bad known her long and well. She was then discharged, and was joined by a large number of her friends, all of whom seemed highly respectable. MAIL NEWS.—The Salseth, with mails via :Mauritius and Egypt, was-to sail from Melbourne on the 15th Feb. No intelligence had arrived at Suez of the Calcutta mail up to the 17th. IL W A Y NEWS. - The Times says that by mere accident RA the trading commu nity have discovered, M tim►e to take steps for its defeat, that a private bill has been introduced by the Great Western Railway Company, in a covert form, to enable them at pleasure to raise their fares for passen"ers and goods to an extent ranging from 50 to 100 per cent°. [ta n ivf ea t 61 ~herb are to, eQ lsgor ed l u e to $ tl3l•b Of ° II 05C ail Pfor, P. r es P- at as , _A V, ora'