The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-24 00:00:00

~ j 1 '!-3t%.,-)*. ~~, imptriat arttatniitt. HOUSE OF LORDS—MoNDAY. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack; at ten minutes to five. HER MAJESTY ' S ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS The Lotto CHANCELLOR shortly afterwardS rose, and, ad dressing their lordships, said, My Lords, I have to acquaint your lordships that this house has attended her Majesty to present the address, and that her Majesty has been pleased to return the following most gracious answer : " My Lords,-,—Upon an occasion -so deeply interesting as the present to my feelings,, I receive with great satisfaction„ your loyal, faithful, and affectionate address. " I feel thankful for your support and `c oncurrence in my; resolution ; and I am much gratified by ,the strong opinion', which you have expressed of the prince; and Which.l am_con fident he will justify. " I thank you for the readiness yeu have expressed to eon-; cur in the measures which may be necessary for a suitable establishment to the rank of the prince and the dignity of the crown. " I entirely rely upon your zeal for the welfare of the country, and your friendly attachment to my person." Lord STRAN GFORD availed himself of the opportunity of expressing his satisfaction at the language of the Royal speech regarding Turkey, and to express regret that all mention of the Portuguese slave trade had been omitted in her Majesty's speech. He also adverted to the conduct of Lord Howard de Walden, as British minister, in his negotiations with the Portuguese Government. Lord MELBOURNE stated the circumstance of the pro ceedings between Viscount Sada Bandeira and Lord Howard de Walden on the subject. The Duke of WELLINGTON stated his regret that the ne gociation had terminated as it had done, in a manner that he considered to be so fatal to the objects had in view by our Government. After some remarks by the Marquis of LONDONDERRY and Lord BROUGHAM, the conversation dropped. Lord BROUGH aNI presented a bill for the enfranchise ment of copyholds " SOCIALISM. The Bishop of EXETER inquired whether it was the inten tion of the Government to take any steps regarding the progress of Socialism ? The Marquis of NORMANBY answered that he was not aware of any case having occurred which called for the inter ference of the Government. The Bishop of EXETER thereupon gave notice that, on Friday next, he would present petitions on this subject. Lord MELBOURNE intimated his intention, at an early day, to move thanks to the army of India. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY. The house met at one'o'clock for the purpose of conveying to her Majesty the address .on the royal speech, hut till 20 minutes to two o'clock there was no houie, i. e. fort✓ mem bers could nbt be collected. The house being at last ob tained, the Right Hon. G..S. BYNG stated that her Majesty would receive the address at two o'clock. The house forth with adjourned till five o'Clock', and proceeded with no ordi nary alacrity, and the thin attendance of members presented no impediment to present the address. ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS. It five o'cloa, - Oniheresumption of the house, the FAKER read her Majesty's answer, thanking the house for . ..... . Sir E. KNATCHBULL eomplAned that no adequate notice had been ,gicen of the time when the address would be presented, so that the members on his side of the house had not had the opportunity of accompanying the presentation to her Majesty. Lord J. R.ussELL observed that he had pursued the usual course, and that he had mentioned, on •Friday night, that he expected the address would be received on Monday at two &Clock Sir E. KNATCEIRtLL replied that if any such communi cation had been made it was in a very thin house ; he had heard nothing of it. Mr. WAKLEY reminded the right hon. baronet that it was mentioned in the votes that the house would meet at one o'clock : that he considered was ample intimation. He ex pressed astonishment that there were only four members from the opposite side in the royal chamber, although up wards of 100 members were present. "We radicals," ex claimed the hon. member, " used to be denounced as dis loyal, but now disloyalty does not belong to us." Mr. BRADSHAW said that he was one of the four. Mr. BLACKSTONE remarked on the sort of loyalty evinced, for, in the royal chamber, at the time when the Queen's aunt was lying dead, and after mourning had been ordered, he saw members attired in cut green coats, with brass buttons : the brother of a cabinet minister was so dressed. PETITION FROM STOCKDALE, Capt. BOLDER.° presented a petition from Stockdale pray ing to be further heard at the bar, as he had never contem plated any breach of the privileges of the house. Capt. B. moved that Stockdale be called to the bar accordingly ; but the house ordered the petition to be printed and circulated with the votes. _ Mr. CHRISTOPHER gave notice of his intention to intro duce a bill to authorise the sale of the printed parliamentary papers ~- 't ~i Lord STRANGFORD asked Lord Melbourne whether there were any prospect of a termination of the unfortunate state of hostility in the river La Plata. The noble viscount had given reason last year to hope that it would be brought to a con clusion by the amicable arrangements of her — Majesty's go vernment. _ Lord MELBOURNE stated that he could not hold out any hope of a cessation of hostilities. Lord BaouGHAm moved the second reading of the En franchisement of Copyholds bill. He said that there had been 300 or 400 divisions of territory, in every one of which property was held by a different law ; and that it was certainly a most anomalous thing, and the wonder was that such a system had been allowed to exist so long. He intended to pro pose to refer his inlportant bill to .a select committee, as best calculated to examine its details. The. LORD CHANCELLOR concurred in the bill, which was then read a second time, Lord Brougham deferring the nam ing of the committee till Thursday, in order to get the names of the noble lords who would attend ; and to which day their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY. After many petitions had been presented for private bills, several others were presented by Sir R. Inglis, &c., for the extension of church accommodation ; by Mr. Fox Millie, from the Royal burgh of Elgin, and three other places in Elgin (founded on the result of the appeal cause in the Auchterarder case,) against the introducing of ministers into parishes against the wish of the parishioners, as being con trary to the constitution of the church of Scotland ; by Mr. O'Connell, from Monaghan, praying the house not to con sent to the restoration of Orange dominatioi in Ireland. ~ ~ ~~: N COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH.- - ‘A, TEDNESDAV. (Sittings in Banco.) STOCKDALE V. HANSARD. It being generally known that this important case was spe cially appointed for argument to4lay, the court long before the usual time for commencing business was crowded. There was a most numerous attendance of barristers. Lord Denman, after delivering judgment in two cases of no public interest, directed the case of Stockdale v. Hansard to be called on, which was accordingly done, when Mr. Richards said, in this case he appeared in behalf of the Sheriffs, who were called upon to show cause why they should not pay over to the plaintiff the damages levied under the execution, and he had to move that the rule-be discharged, _ _ leaving the plaintiff to his remedy by action against the She riffs to recover the sum now in their hands. This case was distinguishable from the common cases in which cause was shown by the Sheriffs. It was. laid down in all the hooks, that there are four remedies in the cases of Sheriffs where money has been levied under an execution issued in an action, but these remedies were in substance two—either by apply ing for the summary interference of the Court or by action. The facts in' the present case, as they appeared on the affi-' davit, were that an action had been brought against Messrs. Hansard, who had proceeded to judgment—that the money , had been paid under'an execution issued upon that judgment, and that a demand bad been made foi the money by the plaintiff, but that it had not been paid. On behalf of the Sheriffs he would suggest two grounds why the rule should not be made absolute. First, that the Sheriffs were in a situation of great difficulty—that it was impossible V for any person filling the ministerial office which they held, to know precisely what they ought, to do, or how to escape the perils by which they were encompassed, and he trusted their lord ships would, under such circumstances, leave the case to be determined by the highest tribunal in the country, the House of Lords. The first ground on which he claimed their lord ship's indulgence was, that an order had been made by the House of Commons. Mr. Platt—l have received no such affidavit. There is not a word about the House of Commons on the affidavit which I have received. Mr. Richards.—The affidavit annexed the votes of the House of Commons. Mr. Platt—My learned friend is mistaken. I see no such affidavit. I had a' number of papers put into my hand yes terday, but the Times newspaper might as well have been given to me. Mr. Richards.—l have also another affidavit which will be sworn in a moment, to the very proceedings which occurred last night. Mr. Platt.—l beg pardon. My friend, Mr. Kennedy, says, he saw the affidavit yesterday. Mr. Richards said he had been yesterday furnished with an affidavit, stating that the House of Commons, by their votes, had ordered the Sheriffs to pay over the amount levied in this action, to Messrs. Hansard, the defendants. Now the matter went further because last night the Sheriffs were committed, no doubt for not paying the money, but the war rant of commitment did not state the cause so as to allow a court of law to judge of its legality, but merely that they were committed for contempt. He would not go into the ge neral question, but would submit the case of the Sheriffs to their lordships as one to which they would grant such indul gence and protection as the power of the court could afford, because, unless the rule should be discharged , it must be fol lowed up by an attachment for not paying the money accord ing to the order of the court, the consequence of which would be that when these gentlemen were released from the custody of the Serjeant-at-arms, they must be committed to the cus tody of the officer of the court, unless they should pay over the money according to their lordships rule as well as accord ing to the order of the House of Commons. He had no doubt their lordships would interfere, if they had the power, to prevent the question being tried in the persons of the Sheriffs. If the rule should be made absolute the question could not be carried any further, but the money would have to be paid twice over, and he trusted that as these gentlemen had de clared bona fide, if their lordships would give them the op portunity of ascertaining whether they were by law com pelled to pay the money twice over. He did not think he should be acting correctly by going further into the case, but would put it -to their lordships on the ground of granting such indulgence as they could to the sheriffs. He (Mr. R.) had stated that there were two grounds for the present ap plication. The second was, that Mr. Stockdale had been an insolvent debtor, and that his assignees had given notice to the Sheriff, that they claimed the money as belonging to them under the process of the Insolvent Debtor's Court. Lord Denman.—The assignees under the insolvency have not, I believe, made any application to this Court. Mr. Platt.—None, my lord. Mr. Richards was not aware of that. The proceedings under the authority of that Court entitled the assignees of an insolvent, who might have acquired property after his dis charge to apply to the Court. The question now was, whe ther they were to pay the money twice over, or, as his learned friend (Mr. Watson) suggested, three times, namely, to the plaintiff, to the assignees, an d un d er th e order of the House of Commons. He did not mean to say who might be right or wrong, but let the rule be discharged, and then the assignees would have the opportunity of trying the question. Mr. Justice Coleridge;--What does your' affidavit state exactly about the assignees of the insolvent ? Mr. Richards then read the affidavit of Jacob Walker, setting forth a copy of the order of the Court that the sheriffs should hold the money until the Court should make a further order, and that the insolvent debtor and the sheriffs should show cause to the Court why the money should not be pail over to the provisional assignees of the estate and effects of the insolvent. . Mr, Watson followed on the same side. This was a case in which the summary interposition of the Court'otight not to be allowed. The object of that interposition,was to bring the Sheriffs into contempt ; for if the rule should be made absolute, and they did not pay the money, their lordshipi would grant an attachment. The proper remedy against the Sheriff in such a case as the present was by actiOn ' The mode of ruling the Sheriff to pay over money was,he be lieved, of modern practice, and was only resorted to where there was no just ground for not paying over, the money, where no question of law or fact could arise. If their lord- , ships should determine the rule against the Sheriffs that would be final and conelusive ; but if they discharged it, Min Stockdale might then bring his action, and the Sheriffs wont& have the opportunity of defending themselves. If tlielf lordships should' then give judgment against the Sheriffs, on' demurrer, the question ought then to be taken to a higheil tribunal, and this he submitted was a right to which then Sheriffs were entitled: •- - -- • - . - --- Mr. Kennedy followed on the same side. He rested his case on the two followin , r grounds :—ln the first place, tak ing the facts from Mr. Platt's affidavit, he contended that the applicatiop. was totally'ywithout precedent, as . well 'as Inv-. necessary ,• and in the second place he contended that tlie. order of the Insolvetit Debtor's Court, served on the She riffs, was a sufficient defence for them. The learned counsel contended at considerable length that the rule ought not, under the peculiar circumstances of the case, to be made ab solute, and cited a number of cases to show the practice of the Court in ordering Sheriffs to pay over money. Mr. PLATT said it now became his duty to address the Court in support of the rule, and he had little doubt but that their lordships would feel themselves bound to make it abso lute. The facts of the case were very short. On the 12th of November the Sheriff executed a writ of inquiry on an ac tion brought by Mr. Stockdale against Messrs. Hansard. On that occasion the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff —damages £6OO. The action, their lordships would bear in mind, was undefended. On the 23d a writ of fi. fa. was issued out of that court. On the 25th of November a rule was served on the Sheriffs to proceed to a sale of the de fendants' goods. The Sheriffs obeyed that writ and made a return, stating the facts he had mentioned. They also stated that they had in their hands the money arising from such sale, and were ready, if commanded, to pay it over to Mr. Stockdale. An application was accordingly made for that purpose, and the Court granted a rule to show couse, which he trusted their lordships would make absolute. On the first day of the present term the rule was obtained. And what was the cause now shown against it? Why, principally, that on the 15th instant the Sheriffs were served with a rule, or a supposed rule, from the Insolvent Debtors' Court, not to pay over the money io Mr. Stockdale, but to that gentleman's assignees. The affidavits did not state how the rule was ob tained, and, therefore, for aught the Court knew, it might have been by collision, to defeat the verdict of a jury. The Sheriffs, it was said, were ordered by the Insolvent Court to retain the money in their hands ; that was a fact, however, of which the affidavits took no notice. There was no proof that this notice was a legal or authentic document, and therefore the Court could take no notice of it. Their lordships could have no difficulty on that point. Another ground of argument against the rule, however, was the pro ceedings which had taken place in the House of Commons. Under the peculiar nature of those proceedings, the sheriffs must be committed either by the house or by that court. He (Mr. P.) saw a smile at this observation, but he was sure the court would not think it a jocose subject : it was not a trif ling question ; it was not a matter of mirth. One branch of the legislature had ordered into custody two honourable men, bolding high official situations, and he would ask for what ? Why, merely because they were determined to. obey their oaths, and to support the law of the land. (There was con siderable approbation manifested at the observation of the learned counsel.) Mr. Platt then proceeded to read at length the petition of Messrs. Hansard to the House of Commons, which has been published at length in the debates, and pro ceeded to say that the humble advocate who was then ad dressing the court, was guilty of contempt of the resolutions of the Commons' House : but little did that branch of the legislature know of the temper of the bar, if they supposed counsel would shrink from the duty they owed to their clients. Sending the sheriffs to prison for honestly and nobly discharg ing their duty, he would say, disgr a ced th e authority which committed them. He denied the power of the House of Commons legally to carry the warrant into effect. If the she riffs, in the honourable and legal discharge of their public duty, denied the validity of the Speaker's warrant, and which they might have done, and the messenger persisted in exe cuting it; suppose in such a case the officer of the house had been killed, the courts of law must have pronounced it justifiable homicide. A writ had been regularly sued out, in which execution had legally followed. That was the short fact of the case. His learned friends said, the Court ought not to proceed in a summary manner. Surely the Queen's writs were to be obeyed, and the Court was bound to see that full obedience was paid to them. It was idle to talk about bringing an action against the Sheriffs ; the question had been treated all along as a contempt of parliament, and there fore suppose an action was brought against these officers, and a verdict was obtained, the next step would be of a writ of execution issued for the House of Commons to call the Co roner, whose duty it would be to execute it, to the bar ; and if such a course were adopted interminable actions and inter.. minable motions for contempt would ensue. He trusted nothing which had been said would induce their lordships to overrate the solemn decision they had given. Why was not the case carried to the House of Lords as a higher tribunal? If the action had been defended, that might have been done ; but the Attorney-General knew full well that such a course would not be advisable, as their lordships must have affirmed the decision of that Court. A great deal had been said about contempt ; was not disobedience of the Queen's writs the greatest contempt a public officer could be guilty of ? Was it not a contempt of the highest civil court in the kingdom, The wfiole proceedings of the House of Commons was a contempt of that Court. (Applause.) The house had no more right or authority to interfere or control the proceed ings of that Court than a parish vestry had. (Applause.) A parish vestry was useful in its place, and so was the House of Commons— (laughter);—but they had no business to attack the liberties and character of her Majesty's subjects. The question for their lordships' consideration, however, lay in a narrow compass. The action was undefended, a verdict was given for the plaintiff, a writ of fieri fades issued, execution took place. The sheriffs had the money in their hands, and there was, therefore, no excuse why they should not pay it over to Mr. Stockdale. 12 0 heir I D o r e d a s t h a i a p a s consulted f o a r a a o s p h y o r o t f t i t m h e a , warrant beconsultationhandedof of the Speaker of the H ouse o f C ommons for the commitment of accordingly took place, whente sheriffs e r sootheri which Lord Denman said that this was a ' rule calling on the sheriff to show cause why money paid into th e i r h an d s by Messrs. Hansard, at the suit of Mr. Stockdale, should not be given to the plaintiff. The original action was for libel, d an judgment had been allowed to go by default. A writ of renditioni exponas had been issued, to which the answer on the part of the sheriff was that the levy had been made and the goods were ready for sale. Some time had been allowed to the sheriff for his convenience. The plaintiff, it appears, received the money in the due course of law. The question then was, what was there to prevent him from ob taining the fruits of that verdict. There was nothing which he (Lord Denman) could perceive. It was said that the House of Commons disapproved of the law which had been laid down in that court. If so, for various reasons, he deeply lamented it, but in whatever manner that disapprobation may be announced, he could see no cause to prevent the Court of Queen's Bench from doing full justice to every one of his fellow subjects who may require it at their hands. (Here a murmur of approbation ran through the court.) With re gard to the first resolution of the house, he saw no reason why the fact of the Sheriff having the misfortune to incur the displeasure of the House of Commons should deprive the plaintiff of his just right. No cause was shown why such should be the case, and, in fact, the Court had not. sufficient infgrmatiodbefore it to interfere. Another. resolution was that the Sheriff should refund the money to Messrs. Han sard. That was no ground of interference on the part of the Court. The, supposition was -made of the Sheriffs being deprived of the money by superior force. He did not think the plea of vis major applied. It was the duty of the She riffs to-pay the money when they had received it. The next resolution of the, House of Commons was that, the Sheriff should be committed for a contempt of that house. He was not at liberty to make any comment on that, as contempt of that house _may be committed without at. all violating the rules and orders of that Court by which the plaintiff had no, right to lose his money. If any discretion in the matter rested with him, he should certainly have before made the rule absolute. There was as he said here no discretion on the part of that Court, as the plaintiff here called on the Sheriff to do that which was the ordinary practice of the Court. Mr. Kennedy had said that the case was unprece dented, but the reason was that unless something extraordi nary occurred the practice would never be departed from. The practice grew out of the relations between the Sheriff and that Court, whose officer he was. He would not advert to the various delicate topics which had been introduced, or to consequences which might ensue, but, confining himself simply to the facts of the case, they were such as left no doubt on his mind that the rule should be made absolute. The other judges concurred with the Lord Chief Justice. Rule absolute. _ _ _ The court was crowded to suffocation during the whole proceeding, and the decision of their lordships appeared to give the greatest satisfaction to the bar. MISCELLANEOUS. An insolvent in a late Gazette describes himself as a " Matrimonial Alliance Conductor." The day of election of a candidate for the representation of the borough of Penryn and Falmouth is fixed for this day. Lord Howick and Mr. Charles Wood, on the opening of the session, took their seats upon the forrain a line with the treasury bench below the first gangway. FRANKING LETTERS.—TiIe franked letters, under the old system, amounted to nine" 'millions per annum ! This at even a penny each, amounts to £38,000. The Nottingham relief committee lait week distributed 1,000 stone of bread and 2,100 pecks of potatoes : 475 men are still unemployed on the forest. The loss to the Excbequer consequent on the existing state of affairs with China will amount, it is said, in the year, to no less a sum than four millions sterling. The Earl of St. German's has, in consequence of the un favourable harvest in Cornwall, returned his tenants £lO per cent. of their rents. A few days since, two potatoes were dug out of the garden of Mr. Twist, Anchor Inn, Rhuddlan, weighing 71b. 100 Z. PARCEL CARRIAGE BY THE POST.—A gentleman ' who is accustomed to employ a silversmith at Birmingham, broke a silver salt spoon at his breakfast table on the morning of the 10th inst. It was despatched by a penny letter to Birming ham to be repaired, with a request that it might be returned by'the same means. CHARTISM. — WhiIe the northern districts and the neigh bouring towns are placed in a state of alarm by the infatuated Chartists, it is most highly gratifying to find that at no for mer period of public excitement has Huddersfield ever been so perfectly tranquil. We hope the Huddersfieldians will still persevere in the same line of conduct.—Halifax Guar dian. It is rumoured that certain ladies of the Royal household, whose influence is supposed to have been hitherto para mount, do not feel quite confident of its continuance under approaching altered circumstances. Even Mrs. Smashem herself doubts whether her counterfeit coin will pass current under a husband's eye.—ilrgus. Normanby is coming " the jail liberator" freak in Eng land. He has commenced at Clerkenwell. There is nothing Like accustoming oneself to all positions. His lordship's pa:: tronage of Jack Sheppard is now easily accounted for. On leaving the NeW Prison the other day, his lordship whistled —" Nix my Dolly ; pals, fake away.'—Age. It is a circumstance not generally known that the three last pretenders of the dethroned family of the Stuarts have recorded upon their tomb-stones, in the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, at Rome, their pretended titles of Kings of Great Britain and Ireland, under the names of Charles 111, James 111, and Henry IX, the last being the Cardinal who lived and died a pensioner of George 111. - Lord Audley's estate owes £12,000 to the Mining Corn panrof Ireland.< The smelting establishment and lead works at Ballycorns are complete, a casting-house having been added to the works, in order to secure for the company or ders for cast lead, now preferred by aichitects to milled lead. The Glenpatrick Slate Quarry is to be surrendered to the proprietor, Miss .osborne. There are favourable returns from , the Killaloe State Quarries ; but it has been thought advisable to withdraw all consignments of slates for sale, and to close the Company's yards at Limerick and Dublin, rely ing altogether upon sale at the quarries and wholesale orders. Limerick Standard. RI PRI:SENTATION OF CHESHIRE.—An active canvass has for some time been goingon in both divisions of this county, on the'part of the:supporters respectively, of the Hop. E. J. 'Stanley and George Wilbraham, Esq. ; and of their oppo nents; on behalf Of George Cornwall -Legh, Esq.,,: , and J. Tolleriiache,.Esq. Our contemporaries have positiyely .maiii taitted the certainty of the success of each party,.according 'as they have been moved by their-.political biases,. thus, prov ing;Af their opinions were honest,.that. their meansof,infmr matimi were voty defective. We cannot pretend to speak positively, but; if the conservatives are true to ,themselves, we do not think there is much doubt as to the result—Mac cleVield Courier.— . OPENING OF A NEW POPISH. QILAI'LL AT OVER DAR 'Thursday last a nevi Popish Chapel was opened at Over -Darwity; as we didnik - „iiitness ,the. performances which took place on the beeaSibliVecazinOt gratify our read ers with an account of them. rt' pray be observed that Dar wen has heretAre'Lbeen reinarkitbleldr purity from the Ro man liereSy, b4t the Romanist r i, l9 ollo.4ire." cunning as see- Peas," act Oda.' principle Whie'iSitr-Trotgstatit government would do well to imitate, and erect inasS'-hOuses around which converts may gather. In Irelandour Whig ministers, out of their exceedingly high regard for the interests of the Na tional Church, would faii; destroy that Church in every parish where a certain number of Protestants do not already exist. Fas est ab haste doceri is a hacknied motto, which we Pro testants would do well to pay some attention to.—Bfrckburn Standard. ASTONISHING SPEED. — The ./Eo/us, one of the most p4w erful locomotive engineson the Great Western Railroad, was employed to bring up the Dispizteh express on Saturday night from Monmouth. The Zo/us having waited the arrival of the express boy at the Twyford station, the engineer imme diately set the machine in motion, and completed ten miles in seven minutes ; he then (knowing that there was a train about three quarters of an hour in advance of him, and that the jEolus would overtake it) lessened his pace, but, never theless, performed fifteen miles in fourteen minutes. The speed was again slackened, and the iEolus approached' the terminus at the same instant with the train! Had there been no impediment, the whole distance, thirty-two miles, would have been done in twenty-five minutes. In point 'of speed, the . Dispatch express has never been surpassed, and we doubt whether' it has been equalled. TUE ROYAL MARRIAGE. — The following sentiments upon the subject of marriage are extracted from the Socialist, whose author, Mr. Owen, was lately introduced to the Queen as one of her loving subjects, by her Prime Minister, the de fendant in Norton v. Melbourne :—" In social communities the irrational sounds of husband and wife, parent and child, will not be heard. In the new moral world there will be no public worship, no forms and ceremonies ! no public prayers ! no gloom !no mortification of the. flesh or spirit !" * .* " Marriage is the sole cause of all prostitution ; it is a Sa tanic device of the priesthood 'to keep mankind within their, slavish superstitions. There is, however, no hope for you whatever until you acquire sufficient strength of mind to over come this evil, and openly denounce it both in principle and practice—until you put away from among you and your chil dren this accursed thing, you never know what real hap piness is." WARLIKE PREPARATIONS AGAINST CHlNA. — There is no question but that government have determined to take active measures against the Chinese, and that the month will not pass away without our dealing with the Celestials as becomes their long-continued insolence, not only to this country but to all other nations trading with them. The Blenheim, 72, Blonde, 46, and Andromache, 28, all de stined to reinforce the East India station, are nearly ready for sea, and will go out of harbour iu a few days. These ships take as many flat-bottomed boats for the landing of troops as they can stow, and also as much ordnance stores and missiles as their magazines will hold. They should take also, flat boats in frame Of a character to be able to carry the 10-inch hollow shot guns, as we learn that, above Wauapoa, the river leading to Canton has only 11 feet water • there fore, none but our smallest men of war can reach that city ; and then only by discharging water, ballast, stores, and every weighty article. Orders are received at Woolwich for the embarkation in these ships mentioned of a captain and lieute nant, and a strong party of Royal Artillery, who are to take with them rocketA of the largest magnitude, Shrapnel shells, &c. and they will be here in a few days. Sixty marines, with an officer, are also to embark on board the Blenheim, as su pernumeraries.—Hampshire Telegraph. THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.—The Standard thus expresses itself on the subject of the breach of privilege question :—" Should the House of Commons be compelled to yield, or should it yield voluntarily, to the force of reason, and the authority of that law by which it has its existence, in either case the house must sink more or less in the estimation of the people, although undoubtedly a volun tary submission would cause the less humiliation. On the other hand, should the house prevail against the Court of Queen's Bench, the consequences would be far more lamentable. No man can conceal from himself that the dis pute is a dispute between the House of Commons on the one side, and the law itself on the other." The Courier, in a leading article on the privilege question, observes :—" The very necessity of the special privileges pleaded for and exer cised by the legislature, requires that they be clearly defined and placed beyond the power of misconstruction, whether of those who may have to adjudicate upon, or those who have to obey them. From the conflicting opinions in the case of Stockdale v. Hansard, on which the ablest lawyers on all sides are at issue, and, above all, on which the supreme court of law has decided adversely to the claim of the commons, it is placed beyond doubt that the question is not without its complications, although the balance of evidence tells decided against the house." CURIOUS CASE FOR THE CROWN LAWYERS. —We learn, that on Saturday night the revenue-cutter Jackson, Captain Bicker, was ordered by the collector of this port to proced to sea in pursuit of the packet-ship George Washing ton, whose letters and papers were received in town on Friday last, but the vessel herself held off and on the Hook for the purpose of escaping the duties of the present year. It will be recollected that this packet has sailed from Liver pool for several years past' in the early part of December, under contract not to enter New York until after the Ist of January, in order to take the benefit of the usual 10 per cent, ' reduction in duties, which have taken place for several years past in the tariff laws. Mr. Swartwout constructed the law in favour of this, but Mr, Hoyt the reverse. We arc not sure but he intends to condemn the whole cargo and vessel, valued at 600,000 dollars, for a violation of the revenue laws, if the fact warrant it. It is also doubted by some, Whether, under the facts of her arrival outside—sending up her letter , bags and papers—and then going again to sea, for the purpose' alleged, do not also vitiate her policy of insurance. If any accident should take place, we are informed, that one of the Insurance Companies would contest the question. It will be recollected, that the brig Hebe fell in with the George Washington about forty-five miles S. E. of Sandy Hook, and there put on board her letters and papers to be delivered in town. The question is whether the George Washington was on the high seas, or in the waters of New York ? or whether the act of sending her papers to town is an evasion of the revenue law for 1839 ? At any rate, the fees accruing, both to Mr. Hoyt and Mr, Butler, the crown officers, , by testing the question, are valuable items in their perquisites, equal to the " pickings and stealings."—New York Morn ing Herald, of Dee. 3. BEER-HOUSES Mr. PAKINGTON inquired whether it was the intention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to introduce any bill re garding the pernicious beer-shop system ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER answered that if he saw there were any prospect of carrying a bill on the subject through the house, so that the law regarding the beer-shops might be amended, he would immediately bring in a bill; but at present he did not see that he should have any chance of proceeding with such a bill. At the same time, though he gave this answer, he should reserve to himself the power of initiating such a bill, if he saw any change of feeling on the question. Mr. PAKINGTON thereupon gave notice that on Tuesday, Feb. 6, he should move for leave to bring in a bill " to im prove the present system of licensing houses for the sale of beer." . Lord GRENVILLE SOMERSET said, that the disturbances in South Wales had chiefly arisen froth the present system of licensing beer-houses.—(Cries of " Order, order.") Lord JOHN RUSSELL said, that he had given it as his opinion last year, that, although the law with regard to beer shops had been much improved, it was still a most essential thing with regard to the preservation of order, that a consta bulary force - should be established.-H(' Hear; •hear, hear," from the ministerial side.) IMPORTATION OF FLOUR. INTO IRELAND. Mr. HEAtrncoTE inquired whether the , proposed bill to amend the clause regarding thp importation of flour into Ire land would be limited to that part of the kingdom, or ex tended to the whole country? • `Mr. LABOUCHERE answered that the bill would be limited to Ireland. SLAVE TRADE. Lord PALMERSTON, in answer to Sergeant Jackson's in quiry, gave the date, May, 1839, of the note of Lord Howard. de Walden to the Portuguese minister, marked " confiden tial," regarding the signature to a treaty for suppressing the slave trade, and making the conveyance of negroes for such purpose piracy. Sergeant JACKSON observed that the explanations did not satisfy him. He thought that the conduct of Lord Howard de 'Walden had affixed a stain on the diplomacy of this coun try which it had not before sustained. PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE. Lord J. RUSSELL stated, that it ,now became his duty to state to the house the precise course which he considered, in conjunction with his honourable and learned friend the At torney-general: should be taken in the present stage of the proceedings. 'He would state what he conceived to be mate rial to be considered, that the House of Commons was placed, in respect of eases of this description, in a situation of disad vantage, as compared with other courts, which had likewise to vindicate their own proceedings, to maintain their own privileges; and to exercise the functions which were allotted to. them by the law and the constitution. The noble lord showed that the . Court of Chancery would not permit, in a case which was before it,' that the parties should be brought into a court of law. The Court of Exchequer had, on cer tain subjects Which they conceived to belong. to their pecu liar jurisdiction, prevented actions from being brought, and protected their officers when persons had attempted to bring against them actions for false imprisonment for acts done in the execution of their duty. The general rule of the House of Lords had also been to stop the plaintiff at once from pro ceeding. His lordship said they must throw out of view the peculiar degree and amount of blame of sheriffs. The question was, in what manner their privileges were to be pre served, if they did not proceed against the sheriffs. Who were the next great culprits ? The judges. He did not mean to impute moral blame to either sheriffs or judges. He would conclude by moving, that it appeared to the house, that an execution in the case of Stockdale v. Hansard had been le vied, to the amount of £640, by the sale of the property of Messrs. Hansard, in contempt of the privileges of that house, and that such money then remained in the hands of the she riff of Middlesex ; and if that resolution should be carried, he would move further, that the said sheriff be ordered to refund the said amount forthwith to- Messrs. Hansard. Mr. KELLY opposed this motion, and moved, as amend ment, the following resolutions : " 1. That it appearing to this house that an action has been brought against James Hansard and others, for the publication by them, under an order of this house, of certain papers containing libellous matter upon John Joseph Stock dale, and that judgment has been obtained. and execution issued by due course of law against the said James Hansard and others in such action, it is expedient that the said James Hansard and others be indemnified against all costs and . damages by them sustained in respect of such action. " 9 . That in case of any action or actions being hereafter brought for the publication of any papers under the order of this house, the Attorney-General be instructed to defend such action, and to report thereupon to the house." The ATTORNEY-CENERAL supported Lord J. Russell's motion, and contended for the right of the house to " privi lege" the sale of its papers Sir E. SUGDEN, with great energy, denounced the Attor ney-General's speech, as wholly consisting of unsupported assertions,--and as against all law and every principle of the constitution ; for it held neither more nor less than that whatever the House of Commons chose to call its privilege was to ride'over cll law, and deprive the subject of all remedy. Sir R. 'Nous, Lord Howlcx, and Sir R. PEEL (who strongly supported the right of the house to be the judge of its own nrivileges,) afterwards took part in the debate. The house then divided, and the numbers were—For the motion, 205 ' against it 90— ma j or ity 115. Lord J.'llussell'S resol u ti on , it was understood, was then put, as to the money being refunded by the sheriffs forthwith. Captain BOLDER() proposed, as an amendment, that Stock dale be called to the bar, agreeably to the pr a yer of his peti tion ; but he eventually withdrew it. %. The house then divided on the original motion, and the numbers were—for it, 127 ; against it, 83—majority, 112. On motion of Lord J. RUSS ELL , the sheriffs re called to the bar and informed of the resolution regarding the re funding, to which the house had just come ; and on being asked whether they had anything to say to the house, both • bowed, but made n o observation. They we re then ordered to retire, a result that was greeted with loud cheering. Lord J.- RUSSELL moved that the sheriffs, having been guilty of a breach of privilege, be committed to the custody of the sergeant-at-arms. Mr. LAW and Sir R. INGLIS condemned the proceeding s as requiring them, in ordering them to refund the money, to forswear themselves—to be guilty of direct perjury. Mr. Sergeant JACKSON moved the adjournment of the house, that there might be time for temperate reflection, for he considered the proposition to be a most harsh one. After some discussion the house divided, —Ayes, 86; noes, 189—majority against the adjournment, 103. After some further discussion the gallery was cleared for a division on the question of adjournment, but none took place, and it was agreed that the sheriffs should be ordered to attend the house on Tuesday. HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY. A. Bill, for " Exhibiti ng a Bill f or t h e Naturalisation of Prinee Albert" went through all its stages ; and it was after wards conveyed to the C ommons b y M r. J ust i ces Erskine ;and Maule (the judges examining all Naturalisation Bills,) where it was read the first and second ti me . The Bishop of LONDON presented petitions against further public grant, to Maynooth College, and for church extension. • The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from persons belonging to the Church of Scotland, complaining of the sus pension of seven m i z isters of their ch urc h w i thout any ap parent cause, and contrary to the wishes of the parishioners, among whom they for a Jong time had resided, and by whom they were nniverFally esteemed: Lord Buot-o•rt.tm alluded with pain to the transactions that had lately taken piate, and Which' were.so discreditable to one part of the empire: Rethought tliat measures should be taken for the quiet of that part of the United Kingdom, and as promptly as possible. STOCKDALE VERSUS HANSARD Mr. KELLY presented petitions from the sheriffs referring to the resolutions of the house in the case, Stockdale v. Han sard, declaring that they had been guilty of breach of privi lege, and ordering them to refund to Messrs. Hansard the amount levied, in which they expressed their deep sorrow and concern that they had incurred the displeasure of the house, especially as they had considered that they were only ful filling the duties which they had sworn to perform. The petitions were read and ordered to lie on the table. Mr. SLANEY gave notice that on Tuesday week he would move for a committee "to inquire into the causes of the discontent existing amongst a large portion of the population in many of the manufacturing districts, with a view to remove the evils and remedy the complaints, so as to strengthen the affection of the people to the institutions of the country." And he stated that Mr. Pakingtoc would on the same day move for a bill to amend the laws relating to the sale of beer.• Mr. F. FRENCH gave notice, that on the 31st instant, he would move for an address praying her Majesty to appoint a medical commissioner on board, for the purpose of improv ing the medical profession in Ireland. Mr. MACKINNON gave notice that, on the 30th instant, he would movefor a bill to improve the laws relative to turn pike trusts. Mr. HUNIE moved for a return respecting all the sums paid out of the consolidated fund to the several branches of the Royal Family, in the years 1838 and 1839 ; also for an account of all the sums paid, during the same period, to wards her Majesty's civil list ; which was ordered. Sir R. INGLIS observed, that in order to make that re- turn complete, it ought to contain the whole amount which her Majesty would have received, provided she had not been advised to give up her hereditary revenues. Lord J. RUSSELL said that there could be no objection to the production of both accounts. Mr. HUME added, that the only difference between the re alm he had moved for, and that desired between Sir R. Inglis, was that his return would show the actual amount of the money received, while the one which the hon. baronet wanted would only show an imaginary amount. He took that opportunity of giving notice that if the proposition of making an annual allowance to Prince. Albert of £50,000 should be persisted in, he should take the sense of the house as reducing it to £21,000, so as to place the allowance on an equality with that of the other members of the Royal Family. Mr. KELLY then moved, on the petitions previously pre sented by him, that the sheriff's be called to the bar for the purpose of being discharged from further attendance. Sir R. INGLIS seconded the motion. _ _ Lord J. RUSSELL moved as an amendment the resump tion of the adjourned debate. The motion proposed by his Lordship at the previous sitting, for the commitment of the sheriffs, being again put, After further and considerable debate, in which Lord TEIGNMOUTH, Mr. LAW (the Recorder), Mr. Erle, Mr. D'lsnAzu, &c. took part, the house divided on Mr. Kelly's motion, for which there was—ayes 99, noes 210; majority against it 111. The house then proceeded to Lord John Russell's motion of the former night, the proposition that the sheriffs be com mitted to the custody of the sergeant-at-arms, and on that question the house divided—the numbers were for the motion 193, against it 93 ; mejority for the motion for the commit ment of the sheriffs, 101. Lord J. RUSSELL then intimated that it was not hislinten tion to proceed against the under-sheriffs, or the sheriffs' officers ' • therefore on his Lordship's motion, they were dis charged from further attendance. He would, however, move that Mr. Howard, Stockdale's attorney, be called to the bar ; but the propriety of examining him, so as to crimi nate ~himself, it will be observed, called forth discussion. Adjournment was moved, to which Lord J. Russell said he had no objection; but at the next meeting of the house, he should proceed with the case. He was for proceeding with the subject now. Mr. KELLY said he should oppose the bringing to their bar any other person on account of this transaction. Mr. Litw proposed as an amendment, that the house do adjourn. Lord JoHN RUSSELL moved that Howard do attend on Wednesday. The house thereupon divided, and the numbers were—for the adjournment, 39 ; against it, 113 ; majority against it, 74. Howard was then ordered to attend on Wednesday. Lord J. RUSSELL, in answer to Col. Sibthorp's inquiry, said that be should bring forward the proposition regarding Prince Albert ; but that the question of privilege would have precedence. Lord J. RUSSELL brought in a bill to carry into effect the recommendations of the church commissioners, which was read the first time. Mr. E. TENN ENT obtained leave to bring in a bill for ex tending the copyright in designs in calico-printing from three to twelve months. - Col. SIBTIIORP said that he should move a clause making the apnuity of Prince Albert cease, should he survive the Queen, except he resided six months in England each year. The remaining business being disposed of, the house ad journed. _ HOUSE OF LORDS—WEDNESDAY. The House of Lords did not sit this day. HOUSE OF COMMONS-WEDNESDAY. Mr. Alderman WOOD gave notice that on the 27th instant he will move for the appointment pf a select committee to consider of improvements in the metropolis. ' Mr. FECTOR gave notice, that on Monday next he will put some questions to Lord Palmerston relative Ito the civil war in Spain. Lord J. RUSSELL stated, in answer to a question from Mr. Christopher, that he hoped to be able, before Easter ' to in troduce a measure to effect certain improvements in the Poor Laws. The CHANCELLOR os the EXCHEQUER stated, in answer to a question from Colonel Conolly, that he had no intention of introducing a measure to repeal the drawback on malt. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER also stated, in an swer to a question from Sir R. PEEL, that he will, as soon as possible, lay on the table returns showing the result of the reduction of postage. _ _ _ Mr. F. MA. uLE stated, in answer to a question from Mr. MACKINNON, that it is the intention of government to intro. duce a measure, making certain alterations in the count) constabulary act. _ The house then resumed the consideration of the question of privilege, arising out of the case, " Stockdale v. Hansard." Mr. T. DUNCOMBE moved for copies of the warrants under which Stockdale and the sheriffs had been committed to custody. Lord J. RUSSELL said it was very unusual to make such an application ; but the motion was ultimately agreed to. Sir E. KNATCHBULL asked whether it was intended to remove the individuals, now in custody, from the house ? Lord J. RUSSELL answered that it was not. It was stated that there would be, elsewhere, an application for a writ of habeas corpus ? and, under all the circumstances, it was deemed advisable to keep the prisoners in the custody of the house for the present. The noble lord, having moved that Mr. Burton Howard, the attorney of Stockdale, be again called in. _ _ Sir E. SUGDEN, as an amendment, moved to add the words " for the purpose of being forthwith discharged." He contended that there was no necessity for this further vindi cation of what were termed by the majority the privileges of that house, by the exercise of a power that was already ex- hibited in the committal of Stockdale and of the sheriff's into custody. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the amendment. The attorney had proceeded in the action, in the knowledge that he was thereby acting against resolutions of that house. The object of his commitment would be to deter others from act ing in a similar manner. There was no ground for hesita tion, and, unless the house agreed to the present motion, they would stultify all their former proceedings in this mat- ter. A long and heavy discussion followed. Eventually the house divided on the motion ; and it was decided by 178 for, and 68 against the motion, that Mr. Howard be called to the bar, reprimanded, and dischaiged. The motion having been carried, Mr. Howard was called to the bar, reprimanded, and discharged. Ou the motion that the house resolve into committee on that part of her Majesty's speech which related to the mak ing of a provision for his Serene Highness the Prince Albert, Lord J. RUSSELL said that he had, as closely as possible, endeavoured to follow precedent. Mr. GOULBURN urged the importance of having the fullest information possible on the subject, previously to being called on to sanction any vote or proceeding. Lord J. RUSSELL -said that, under such circumstances, he was ready to defer his statement until Friday. The Bill for the Exhibition of " a Bill for the Naturaliza tion of Prince Albert" was then considered, and proceeded with. After some conversation, the house adjourned. THE REWARD OF MERIT.—We remember seeing the im portant fact announced in the ministerial newspapers that the Sultan, in consideration of the eminent services, and out of respect for the great talents of Lord Viscount Palmers ton, had been graciously pleased to confer upon his lordship the illustrious order of Nichan Iftihar, and to transmit the insignia to his lordship, splendidly ornamented with diamonds. The Semaphore of Marseilles states that the Sultan has been also graciously pleased to confer the same important and distinguished decoration on M. Soulier, the clown at the Circus, "in token of the delight hi s f eats h ave a ff or d e d hi s s ubl i me Majesty." It is also to be conferred on the cele brated juggler Rodolphe. The distribution of this honour able distinction must be extremely gratifying to the Foreign Minister of the thimblerig Cabinet.—john Bull. - --- For the amusement and information of teetotallers we may state that the average value of the hops consumed in the United Kingdom, amounts to £ 2,000,000, sterling, annually ; and the 5,361,000 qrs. of malt to .Z 16,000,000, making a totalof 138,000,000 per annum for beer. The actual value of bread consume d, on a m ean of several years, is £30,000,000 per annum.—Doncaster Gazette. w which, c o hh v , L a t. PIECE OF MACHINERY.—A new piece of mecha nismlately been put in operation in the city of Glasgow, e a pa la pe b r o_u r r a -saving machine, bids fair to surpass everything of the kind ever invented. It is called by the i t n io v n en o t f or th s the 'Whig dographist, and seems to be a combina tion to been a work of of signatures but now, by calling and printing machines. The pro curing anxiety on the subject n o ti r l Whig-radical petitions has hitherto g m i ense labour and considerable expense ; o e tt but shall merely with. We have neither time aid of the Whigradographist, all of this novel engine, e iour and expense is done away nor space to give a minute de scriptionwith the help of a couple off upwards of two thousand boys,signatures mention, that,; it is capable of throwing in an hour, in all their o' G relination, not usual grotesqueness, from the smallest'at hand to letters an inch hurry, long, and at all their wonted angles ingradographist the .anti-corn-law. omit ting the flourishes if desired. The , Ir e of the petition being in a desperate as 25,000 one day this week was made to throw off as , signatures in ten hours, and we believe it is sti'll'ioing on at the same rate of speed. We have not heard the ingenious inventor, but we happen to know that Edin burgh whig clique have ordered one for their sole use, a, that the radicals and chartists are in treaty for another, but n the inventor is rather shy, the necessary funds not being forthcoming in the shape of hard cash.—Edinburgh Evening Post. THE LATE GALES. During the last few days the weather at Liverpool has been exceedingly rough and boisterous, with alternations of calm, and, for the season of the year, warm and beautiful weather. After continuing thus capricious during several days, on Fri day night the weather appeared to have settled into a calm, which bade fair to be durable. A change, however, speedily took place, and Saturday was dark, wet, and gusty. To wards night the wind rose to a gale, which, with occasional intermissions oushort duration,- increased till Sunday morn ing. During the early part of Sunday morning the weather was what seamen call squally, the storm blowing with much vehemence, and .occasionally increasing to heavy gusts. A few niinutes after four in the afternoon it increased to a hur- ricane, which continued during about fifteen minutes. It then abated to a steady but rather heavy gale, which conti nued during the whole, of the night and the early part of Monday. In the afternoon of the last-mentioned day, fre. queut symptoms were manifested that the storm was on the increase.. The barometer, before low, fell considerably, and the frequent strong gusts damped the feelings of some who had cherished hopes that the tempest was abating. Such was the violence of the wind towards midnight and shortly afterwards, when the tide was at flood, that many families residing in the more exposed situations near the town, either did not retire to rest at all, or, having done so, arose and kept watch during the night. Of Monday night, from its greater intensity and steadiness, we are inclined to treat as distinct from those which preceded it, and in some of its characteristics it resembled that of the 7th January last. Like that terrible tempest, it rose in the south-east, gradual ly increased in violence as it wore round to the south and south-west, and ultimately settled in the west. In the latter point it fixed about midnight, and, fearfully as it then blew, it rather increased for about two hours, when there was a short lull. This, however, seemed but to be a pause to ena ble the wind to gather strength ; for it returned with renewed violence, and about three o'clock on the morning of Tuesday it was terrific. During a full hour it blew with such fury, that those whose dwellings were in exposed situations, ap prehended a repetition of something like the extensive da mage caused by the visitation of last year. Fortunately the damage done on shore was trifling : a few chimney pots were blown down in the vicinities of Everton and Kirkdale, and a few squares of glass were broken. So far as is at present known, the damage to the shipping on this part of the coast has been inconsiderable. The hurricane spoken of as having occurred at three o'clock, settled down into a steady but heavy gale, which continued till noon, when there were again indications that the weather was changing for the worse. The tempest seem ed to come, as it frequently does, on the top of the tide, which was the highest of the mOnth, being a nineteen feet tide. So far, however, from abating with the reflux of the sea, which seamen frequently expect to be the case, the gale increased. It was flood about one o'clock. and from that time till three the wind blew a tornado ; and we have heard many express an opinion that the gale at this period was the heaviest that was ever experienced in Liverpool. In this opinion, however, we cannot concur. The river, between one and three o'clock on Tuesday a , ternoon, presented a wildly magnificent appearance. The tide was of course increased in height from the westerly di rection of the wind, and the water was nearly on a level with the piers, over which the wind carried the spray in a com plete drift, drenching those who exposed themselves so far to the fury of the storm. In fact, when the tide was at flood, the billows rolled completely over the pier walls which fronted the river, and rendered a near approach to the brink impracticable. The force of the wind, too, was occasionally so great, that individuals who ventured to quit the sheltering projections where they had placed themselves, were fre quently whirled away without any command of their persons, while others deprived of breath, baffled by the rush of the wind against which they had not the slightest chance of stemming, made a precipitate retreat. The Camera Obscure on the George's pier, which has more than once been blown away, and which, in the storm of last year, was shivered to fragments, bore the gale bravely. The floating wooden landing slips were knocked to and fro in a manner that ex cited considerable apprehensions for their safety. Some times they were completely buried in the frothy waters, but they rose again to be again buffeted, and they stood all the force of wind and water gallantly, though their unwieldy proportions did not promise such worthy behaviour. The ferry steamers, during the period of which we are speaking, suspended their operations, and we believe we are correct in stating that but few trips were made in the course of the afternoon. The terrible effects of the storm of the ith of January, last year, have necessarily made many of the inhabitants of the town tremblingly apprehensive at every token indicating a repetition of that fearful eeene ; but we are happy to state that, thus far, both the town and the shipping have escaped almost unscathed. We have only heard of one accident of a serious nature, on shore. At three o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, as a woman named Mary Garrick, a fruit vender, was sheltering from the severity of the gale in the rear of a landing waiter's hut, on the south quay of the Waterloo Dock, a furious.g,ust of wind overturned the hut upon her. A police-officer arid several men instantly raised the hut, and extricated the poor woman, who was severely injured. She was conveyed to the Northern Hospital, little hope being entertained of her recovery. On Tuesday, about two o'clock in the afternoon, shortly after high water, when the gale was at the highest and the river very rough, a boat, with four seamen, named Robert Cawson, William West, John Petterson, and Evan Owens, left the government packet Medusa, for the purpose of mak ing a rope fast to a mooring-buoy, opposite the George's Pierhead, on the Cheshire side of the river, but the wind and tide being too strong, they were unable to reach it, and were carried down, notwithstanding they made the greatest exer tions in order to gain their vessel. The critical and danger ous position in which they were placed being observed by a number of individuals on the Pierhead, ropes and life-buoys were procured, in the hope that the poor but bravt fellows would be able to make the George's Dock-basin ; in this at tempt, however, they were foiled. Nothing was expected but that the boat would swamp, and those on. hoard meet an untimely death.._ On'several occasions the unfortunate crew held -up their oars, as if supplicating aid, which• were but dimly visible through the spray continually lashing over them ; while the boattikas tossed from one billow to another, and seeming,; at ieach succeeding dash, tolie engulphed be tween the waves. Hope cheered the hardy crew to further exertiOns, and' bY good management they kept the bow of their little craft to the wave. Ikthis state they were rapidly driven down the river, followed` by, hundreds, on the Prince's Pierhead, who exhibited the keeneat hnTiety for the safety of thafelur Men, a,number,of persons carrling with.them ropes and life-buoys. The boat was at laSt cbiverl'against the sed wall at the Waterloo Dock, and lines-being thrown 'down. the four seamen wereliappily landed safe, to the great joy of those who, had so anxiously wataed their fearful situation. The boaewas afterwaids'ltailled round to the Prince's Dock basin, being - very slightly damaged. The same day, the schooner Mary Anne, of this port, Ted ford, commander, inward bound from Dundalk, with a cargo of seeds and oatmeal, was driven on shore opposite Breckell's mill, about half-past two o'clock. She is the property of Messrs. Battersby and Macfold. She had not sustained any considerable damage. The Red Rover, from Newfoundland, was also driven ashore opposite 'Waterloo, in the early part of the day. All hands safe. • During the gale of wind on Tuesday, two pilots unfortu nately, lost their lives by drowning, in the Mersey, abreast of the Magazines, They were stowing away their mainsail on board the boat, No. 5, when the gaff fell to the leeward, and knocked a man named Robert Lloyd overboard. Four of the hands, . named, John Jones, Mark Hudson, Edward M'Alister, and John M'Clunkey, put off in the punt to his assistance. The sea ran so high that they could not get back to the boat, and, ran alongside the ship Majestic, when the boat swamped. The crew of the ship saved all of them but Hudson. The mate, whose name we do not know, and the pilot d o board, Hugh Owens, letting themselves down the vessel's side and over the stern by ropes, in a most daring and adventurous manner to rescue the unfortunate immersed. Hudson was seen for ten minutes or - a quarter of an hour, a long way a-stern, holding to a rope which" had been thrown to him. The mate of the ship got hold of 'him, but was obliged to i jet go. Lloyd sunk before the punt could reach him. Ile was a single man. Hudson has left a wife and child. - They were each about twenty-six or twenty-seven yearsiold_. Lloyd was an apprentice. Part of the wreck of the Alarm, of Woodbridge,was washed. ashore at Leasowe Castle. The stern of the same vessel was , washed up at the Canning Dock gut. .The. Dock Committee, we learn, sent out a steamer to as . certain, the state of the light-ships. The sea, however, ran so high that the steamer could not get alongside of either of 'hem, as she at first intended. She reported, however, that they were all secure, and would, without doubt, be enabled t o ride out the gale. BLACIEDURN.—During the last few days we have had ex ceedingly boisterous weather, and yesterday the wind from the west and north-west increased until it blew a gale. In various parts of the town slates have been blown from the buildings, and we believe a chimney was blown down at St. Albans ; but we are happy to state that no serious accident has occurred.—Blackburn Standard. GLASGOW.—The boisterous weather which, since our last, has occasionally amounted to a hurricane, must, we fear, have proved very disastrous at sea. On Saturda.. night and Sabbath morning it blew terrifically, and the streets of the city were, in consequence, here and there strewn with frag ments of chimney tops, slates, &c. Throughout the day the wind came in sudden gusts, while the rain fell heavily ; and in the evening, about half-past ten, a very loud clap of thun der broke over the city. Betwixt four and five yesterday morning several thunder claps were again heard, the light ning being exceeding vivid, We understand that the Royal Sovereign, which sailed from the Broomielaw for Liverpool on Saturday, did not proceed any farther than Greenock.— Scottish Guardian. LONDON.--Yesterday (Tuesday) the metropolitan and suburban districts were visited by as severe a gale of wind as we have experienced for some winters past. In the fore-part of the day it blew tremendously hard from the' `south-west, accompanied by heavy showers of rain ; the weather, how ever, between the showers, was very fine, the sun shining cheerfully. As usual upon such occasions, we regret to say that many accidents have happened owing to the violence of the wind, particularly on the river, some of which have been attended with fatal results. Considerable loss and damage of property have also taken place amongst the numerous craft on the river. About mid-day several deeply-laden coal barges were swamped off the south shore between Blackfriars and Waterloo Bridges. At Millbank similar loss of property took place, as well as at Chelsea and other places up the river. Between 10 and 11 o'clock in the morning a barge, laden with grain, sank between Battersea Bridge and Wandsworth, and it was with the utmost difficulty that the two men and a boy that were on board could save their lives, which was effected' by a boat reaching the spot just as the barge sank and pick ing them up. About three o'clock in the afternoon a boat, containing two watermen, was upset off Lambeth church, by coming in violent collision with a barge which was drifting with the tide in the centre of the river. Several boats put off instantly, and succeeded in picking up one ; the other poor fellow, a young man about 20, was drowned. Another fatal accident occurred near Putney Bridge to a lad, named Holmes, who was on the river with his uncle in a fishing boat. While assisting in hauling in the net a violent gust of wind blew him overboard, and he unhappily perished. On shore much damage has been sustained ; stacks of chimnies were blown down in various parts of the town, and in the Parks con siderable damage has been done, particularly amongst the young plantations near Grosvenor--gate, Hyde Park. — Standard of Wednesday. FATAL OCCURRENCE ON THE RIVER YESTERDAY DURING THE GALE.—AS the Comet, Gravesend steamer, was going down the river yesterday morning, ft 10 o'clock, her captain (Smith) and crew perceived, as they were passing through Erith Reach, a man floating on a plank of about 10 feet long and 14 inches wide. The man was not descried until the steamer bed passed him, and in consequence of the state of the weather and the water, it was with great difficulty !that she was enabled to tack round and approach near enough - .to pick him up. The poor fellow said his 'lime was Piper, :that he had been nearly an hour in the water, and belonged tO the sailing barge William, of London, the property' of Mr. 'Marsden, of Eas,.lane, Rotherhite, which was capsized that - Morning by the gale in Erith Reach, and that her captain, Sapock, was drowned.—Standard of Wednesday. EniNDuaGn.—We have had very stormy weather here during the last few days. On Saturday night, Sunday, and Sunday night especially,.the wind blew with great fury from the west, frequently rising to the violence of a hurricane, and occasionally accompanied :with rain, hail, and snow. Slates and chimney cans were blown from the houses in all directions; but we have not heard of any accident worthy of notice.—Scottish Standard. The first name on the Roserea registry. is " Terence Alt, Esq., Ringroe Cottage, parish of Ardcrony, barony of Lower Onnond.' POLICE INTELLIGENCE.-Tu ESDAY. William Woodier, Edward Williams, Edwin Leigh, and William Jones, were charged with having entered the house of Mr. Conolly Thomas Hamilton, Brunswick-vale, Bootle lane, on Sunday morning, whilst the family were attending divine service, and stolen therefrom a quantity of valuable plate.—Mr. Wardle, solicitor, appeared for the prisoners. Jane Jones stated, that she resided in the capacity of house servant in the family of Mr. Hamilton. On Sunday morn- ing last, while the family were absent at church, sfie went out also to attend church. She left the house at twenty . - minutes before eleven o'clock. No person remained in the house. She went out at the front door, which fastens by. a snap latch. She did not lock the door. She returned about half-past twelve o'clock, and found a person . .named Trafford (a witness in the case) standing in the road. He gave her some information. She went into, the house .by. the front door, and proceeded to the• kitchen door which she found unbolted. She had bolted it on theoutside previous to going oul She had also locked the doors of the two bed4oomS, - - - and placed the keys in a parlour, the door of which she locked, and took the key with her. She unlocked the parlour door, and found the keys where she had. left them. She proceeded up stairs, and found both the bed-room doors open. She went into Mr. Hamilton's room, where she missed three sil- ver table-spoons, five silver tea-spoons, three silver dessert-. spoons, six silver forks, and two silver salt-spoons, from a basket which she had placed that morning on a chair. She found also that a box, in which plate was kept, had been re-_ moved from under a bed, and left in the middle of the room. This box had been forced open. She found in the room a pair of tongs, a poker, and a carving -knife, which had been removed from the kitchen. The box had had the plate in it, but there was nothing left in it but table linen. Mrs. Hamilton stated, that on Friday week she put into the plate-box, in her husband's bed-room, three silver ladles, six silver table-spoons, nine silver dessert-spoons, twenty three silver forks, one pair of plated candlesticks, and a pair of snuffers. She locked the box, and placed the key in her pocket. The box was placed under the bed. On Saturday she saw the box there. Shortly after ten o'clock, on Sun day morning last, they went to church, leaving the servant Jane Jones in the house. They returned shortly after one o'clock, and were informed of the robbery. She went into the bed-room, and saw that the plate chest had been broken open, and all the plate taken away. The value of the pro . perty was about .t3O. John Neale stated that he kept a public-house in Bootle lane, about two hundred yards from Mr. Hamilton's house. On Sunday morning last, about twenty minutes before eleven o'clock, he was 'in his house when the prisoner William Woodier entered and asked for a glass of ale, with which he was served. He remained in the house a minute or two . and then went out. Witness knew the prisoner, as he had been pointed out to him as a bad character : he therefore desired . . his wife to notice him. The prisoner turned up the lane in the direction of Bootle, and went about forty yards, where he joined two other men. Witness watched him through a win dow, and saw the prisoner Edward Williams advanoe towards his (witness') house in a, hurry. He passed it, and then beckoned to the two other men. They crossed the road to wards him, and witness immediately went to another window where lie could see further down the road. He saw the pri soner 'Williams receive something from Woodier ,' who ad vanced quickly towards witness house. Witness left the window and went into the lobby. The prisoner Williams en tered the house and asked for . a glass of ale, with which his (witness') daughter served him. He drank it standing in the lobby, and immediately departed. He went towards the other three, who advanced a little nearer to the house, and joined them. All four then went away in the direction of Mr. Hatnil- ton's house. Witness went out in about five minutes to look after them, but could not see them, nor did he see them again till they were in custody. Witness was quite sure the pri soner Edwin Leigh was one of the men who passed his house with the two other prisoners Williams and Woodier, and he had then a red handkerchief round his neck, similar to that produced. He had also a top coat on. James Trafford, a miller, residing in Bond-street, stated, that on Sunday morning last, about nine o'clock, he left his house for the purpose of taking a walk. He went up the canal as far as the Bootle Coffee-house, and then turned to come through Bootle. He was passing Mr. Hamilton's house about eleven o'clock, when he saw six men standing together, about twenty yards therefrom. He passed them, and noticed them sufficiently to make him quite sure that the prisoners, Woodier, Leigh, and Jones, were three of them: Witness went on about fifty yards, and then turned and looked at them. Two of the men passed him and went to the end of a lane, where they stopped. Witness went to a hay-stack, and lay down in such a position that he had a view of every house in Brunswick-vale. When he got there he only saw two men, and they were walking backwards and forwards in front of Mr. Hamilton's house. About ten mi nutes elapsed when lie saw two men come out of Mr. Hamil ton's house and join the two men that were walking about. They turned away to the left, upon which witness left his po sition near the hay-stack, when he saw the other two men at the end of the lane. They turned up a small lane that leads into the Walton road.' Witness passed on into Kirkdale road, thinking they would go that way. The three prisoners. Woodier, Leigh, and Jones, passed him, and went along Boundary-road. Leigh was carrying his top coat over his arm. Witness returned to Mr. Hamilton's house and re mained there till Jane Jones, the servant, returned home. He told her his suspicions, and went into the house with her, and found matters as she had described them. He afterwards went to the police-office and gave information of the robbery, and described the men. He knew Woodier, by name, and gave information of his name at the police-office. Lloyd, a constable, and Cottam, a police-inspector, de scribed the apprehenAon of the prisoners, and stated that none of the stolen property. was•found upon them. They were all committted for trial. WEDNESDAY. ) 1 CRUELTY TO A NEGRO, AND ASSAULT. Thomas Robinson, a young and broad-shouldered seaman, was placed at the bar, charged with having committed an assault on Mr. Walter Smith. The latter stated; that he was on duty at one of Harbord's warehouses, when he saw five or six sailors cruelly ill-treating a• black man. Annoyed at their •conduct, he went and remonstrated with them. They resented his interference, and one of them put himself in a fighting attitude. As they continued their sport at the ex - - pense of the poor negro, he requested them to desist. The prisoner asked him if he were going to take the part of darky, and, without waitior fora reply, put himself beffere him (Mr. Smith) in a boxing attitude, and struck at him fiercely several times.- He received one blow on his neck, which had' injured him Severely: It "was at first very bad, bugle had•hud leechestii it, which had relieved it. The pvi soner denied that be had touched the black man. Mr. Smith said, if s he could have brought the negro as a witness, his appeartihae`and' torn apparel would , have .shown how he had been ill-treated. He wished it to be understood, that he had not brought the prisoner - there so much to gratify any resentful feeling of his own, as to show the prisoner that a black man was not to be ill-treated any more than a white one. Police-n4cer - 111 confirmed Mr. Smith's statement The priSoner was fined five shillings and costs. In default of payment, he wad sentenced to be i m p r i sone d seven d a y s . YESTERDAY. STEALING A WATCII.ThSINGULAR CASE. Henry Aaron, a Jew, was brougfitupcharged with having a stolen watch in his possession. It aPpeared that the de fendant, who is a hawker of pens, jewellery, °&c. called a day or two ago at the shop of • Jame - s Lepp, watchmaker, Bath-street, wishing to dispose of sonic of his goods. Lepp' offered him a watch in exchange, but nO business was trans acted. This morning (yesterday) defendant called again, when Lepp asked him if he would buy a watch. He did not do so, saying that he had one, which he produced. Lepp looked steadily at the watch, and, after consulting his books, claimed it as his property, and said that it had been stolen from his shop. Aaron told him that he had bought it of Mr. Jones, watchmaker, Manchester-street, for 255. ; and took• him (Lepp) up to Jones's shop, in order to prove the truth of his assertion. On their arrival, Lepp again declared that the watch was his property, but that an alteration had been made in the dial. Jones (having heard this statement) then denied having sold the watch to the defendant, and stated that Aaron had employed him to alter the dial and pendulum. On the suggestion of Aaron, they then went to the police-office, for the purpose of having the matter pro perly investigated ; and when there Aaron called some per sons who,witnessed his payment of the money to Jones. A boy, in the employ of Jones, when asked whether his master had sold, the watch to defendant, so prevaricated in giving his evidence, as to render it of no value, and to create a feeling of dependence on tie testimony of the defendant. A cousin of Jones's did not See him sell the watch to defen dant. At this period some persons were despatcheir from the court to make further investigation into the case ; the result of their inquiry was not announced in the court, but it must have been one of favourable import to the prisoner, (who, from his demeanour, and straightforward conduct throughout the trial, had not the appearance of a guilty man), as, on Mr. Rushton again taking his seat on the bench, he said, although it was evident that a robbery had been committed, and that the persons brought before the court had been in very recent possession of the property ; still, from the con tradictory nature of the evidence, he d►d not feel justified in keeping any one in custody. The prisoner was accordingly discharged ; and, in reply to a question from Mr. Jones, Mr. Rushton said, that the less he (Jones) said about the matter, the better. ILLEGAL PAWNING. Bridget Waters, and Jane Anderson, the latter with a very young infant in her arms, were brought up charged with illegally pawning several shirts, chemises, and other pro perty, belonging to the complainant, Mrs. Cowley, who stated that she had given the former prisoner several shirts to make, which she had pledged, without her consent ; and to the latter prisoner divers articles to wash, which she had also pledged without her authority. The officer who took the prisoners into custody, produced four tickets, by which, and the evidence of the pawnbrokers, it appeared that two shirts, value is., had been pledged with Mr. Limon ; one shirt, value 3s. 6d., and one chemise, value Is., with Mr. Philip Cann ; one shirt, value 2s. 6d., with Mr. Hughes ; and two shirts, with Mr. Astbury, which the complainant could not identify ;—all by the prisoner Waters. It also appeared that one shirt, value 2s. 6d., one chemise, value Bd. ; a pocket handkerchief; and a piece of striped Lin sey, value 2s. Bd. ; had been pledged with Mr. Kitchen : two sheets., value 35., with Mr. Astbury ; and one chemise, value Is. with Mr. Catni;- - -;all by the prisoner Anderson. The prisoners stated that they were distressed, and that the complainant assisted them in their distress, and allowed them to pawn the property. They also stated that the complainant owed them money. Both these statements were denied by the complainant, and the prisoners were ordered to refund the value of the goods, and pay a penalty of £2 each, or, in default of pay ment, to be imprisoned for two months. AN IRISH ROW. James Waldron, and Michael Butler, were brought up charged with having assaulted Catherine Dolan and Nicholson. It appeared, from the evidence, that there had been a disgraceful disturbance ; that the prisoners, although the aggressors, were not the only persons culpable ; and that murderous weapons had been used in the melee, by which Nicholson had had his arm broken, and the wife of one of the p irties so injured that she had been sent to the In firmary. Mr. Rushton said it was their duty to put a stop to such conduct as this in the streets of Liverpool, and ordered the prisoners to pay a fine of 40s. each, with costs, or be impri soned for one month. CAUTION TO LODGING-HOUSE-KEEPERS. Henry Tweed was brought up under the following circum• stances : Elizabeth Townson stated that she had lodged with the defendant a considerable time, and only owed him a fort might's rent. On Monday last, although she had been re cently put to bed with three children, the defendant, taking advantage of her temporary absence, had locked her out ; and, on her return shortly afterwards, for some necessaries which she much wanted, he assaulted her, turned her into the street, and threw,her. on the ground. He had also kept her husband's clothes, and,other property, in his possession. The defendant said he found the lodgers troublesome, and acknowledged that his wife had fastened the door upon com plainant; he denied having touched the woman on her re turn, until she bade defiance to any one to turn her out. Mr. Rushton, addressing the defendant, said that the woman and her husband were his tenants, and, therefore, he had no business to lock her out; he was also highly cul pable in taking hold of a woman, who had just been brought to bed, and throwing her on the ground. He had no right to take the law in his own hands. Mr. Rushton then or dered him to pay a fine of 55., and costs, 2s. The complainant then asked the magistrate what course she should pursue, in order to regain possession of her hus band's clothes, &c. Mr. Rushton advised her to consult some respectable at torney, who would soon enable her to recover her prOperty. IMPORTANT TO SEAMEN. 'John Horsfall, steward on board the ship Alice, trading to the Mauritius, applied to the court for arrears of wages, stated by him to be due from the captain, Mr. J. Anwyl. It appeared, however, on the cross-examination of the com plainant by Mr. Wardle, solicitor for the defendant, that he had not only repeatedly got drunk while on board the vessel, but had also refused to perform his duty. Mr. Rushton told complainant that by such behaviour he had forfeited all claims upon, the defendant, and ordered him to leave the court. Another sailor, a Creole, summoned the captain of a ves sel trading in the Mediterranean,"for arrears of wages. It appeared that the complainant was shipped at Marseilles, on the 18th of November last, and arrived. here on the 23d of December. He. stated that be had been engaged at 54 francs per month, and had only received 34 francs 6 sous, from M. Friedrich, ship chandler, at Marseilles.—The captain stated that he had given complainant an advance note for a month's wages, and had got it discounted by M. Friedrich, to whom he (the captain) had paid the full amount.—Mr. Rushton said that if complainant had imprudently got his note cashed at discount, he must put up with the loss ; the 'only thing which remained to be decided, was the arrears for the five .days over the month.—The.captain seemed in dined to object to paying this, on the score of the incom petency of the complainant ; but rather than have any fur ther dispute, he paid the money (eight shillings.) CAUTION TO SHIP-APPRENTICES. Joseph Clark was brought up by James Stephens, a ship captain, to whom he was apprenticed, charged with having absconded from the ship on Saturday night last. The prisoner stated that he had left the ship on account of ill-usage by the mate. The captain said he had investigated the matter, and was convinced that the mate was nut hurting the boy. It was sometimes found necessary to chastise him. Mr. Rushton said lie did not approve of chastisement ; it would be much better to do without it. He then repeatedly asked the boy if he would return to his master, to which he uniformly answered that he would go back if he got better usage. The captain said he was not ill-used, but that be was very abusive to the mate. Mr. Rushton said, that the boy appeared very dogged, and ordered him to be sent, for the present, to gaol. ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE OF ARTS. THIS present FRIDAY, and To-morrow (SATURDAY) EVENING, will be produced, the Historic and Magnificent TOURNAMENT, With all the unequalled pomp which crowned its long and splendid career, during the greater part of last season, in London. In order to produce this favourite, fashionable, Chivalrous Picture of By-gone Days, with correctness of Armour, Cos tunic, and Pictorial Effect, two spacious outlets have been joined to the stage, which is thrown back and added to the Arena, and the side scenes removed, so as to form on exten sive Field for the Contests. _ An Extra Band has been engaged. THE WHOLE STUD OF FIFTY-EIGHT HORSES, 7 Mr. DUCROW, and every Member of the Company will appear in the above Pageant. This costly production of the Amphitheatre will not offer merely an outline of the Tilting . ift the Barrier, or any Representation of the k:glinton Pa eant, but a true and effective Living Picture of the Three Days' Ceremonies, Encounters, &c., and Scenes at the LISTS OF ASHBY By, Sir Walter Scott. Passage of Arms—Running at the Mirrier—Encounter of Single Knights—Geueral Melee— Joust-a-la-Outrance—Unhorsed Knights—Splintering of , Lances—Combats with Mace, Double-handed Sword, &c. — Varied Processions—Rustic Sports and Military Pastimes r. Chivalrous Array of Horse and Foot—The Pavilion of Love : , t and Beauty—Grand Banquet of the Knights, and the Feast of the Peacock ! with splendid introductory Ballet of Action, representing THE BATTLE OF THE AMAZONS, And Chivalric Carousal of Prince John and hia Followers. The whole produced and arranged by Mr. Ducitow, who has spared neither pains nor expense to render this production worthy of the great encouragement and patronage so liberally bestowed on his endeavours, and to assure his patrons that their Liverpool Amphitheatre shall stand classed as one of the first in Europe, and such as their patronage entitle then) to. To render the Evening's Entertainments unequalled for variety and effect, the admired . SCENES OF THE CIRCLE are this week select and new, and in which MR. DUCROW WILL APPEAR. The whole of the Entertainments will conclude with the late new Drama, entitled THE BEGGAR AND THE SOLDIER. TO CORRESPONDENTS. We regret that we have not yet had time to notice the pam phlet on the " Erection of Warehouses on the Dock Quays." The same remark applies to Mr. Loyd's letter to the Chairman of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce,. and Mr. Jevon's pamphlet on the Corn-Laws. rbt Vint :pool eglAanbarb. FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY 24, 1540. `We have received a file of the St. John's (New foundland) Times to the 11th ultimo, inclusive. They contain very little intelligence. Indeed, we have not discovered a paragraph in them that may be considered as news. They are chiefly filled with extracts from English and Canadian papers, most of them having reference to the government and prospects of our North American colonies. The Legislature of New foundland, after having been five month s in session, had been prorogued. The Times complains that the prorogation took .place without any provision, on the . part of the : Legislature, for the relief of.the,sick and indigent:poor, The consegnences of ,iiiisonAssion, to whatever cause it may be attributed, are likely to be !more serious than any of the " ephemeral patriots" of . the colony could have contemplated. A strong repre sentation had been made on the subject to his Excel , - lency the Governor, by persons u'llo had heretofore been the main supporters of such sick, aged, and in firm paupers as were in need of assistance. The Go vernor's reply was, that lie had neither the power nor,,, the means of affording any relief. The island appeared to enjoy a greater degree of tranquillity than had been/ 1 experienced for some time. Of the - Election Contests which take place this day, important as every opportunity now is, which can be seized by an indignant nation to vindicate her outraged rights, and her insulted dignity,—of ail these we regard the fight at Newark with the highest sense of interest. It is not for the numbers of the popula tion, nor the importance of the town, but the unspeak- . able value of the gallant Candidate who is there lead— ing the Conservative phalanx to battle, and, we trust,. to victory. Able, popular, accomplished, bearing along; with him the good wishes of all who have known hint in public or in private, and arresting the admiration of those who, like the Electors of Newark, see him for the' first time, Mr. Thesiger is a subject of pride and con-- gratulation to every conservative in Britain. Firmly' fixed as his opponent has been in his seat for Newarlt hitherto—favoured by long connection and old ac- - quAintan.cp— T backed by his own vast wealth and the' most unsparing Ministerial .patronage—we confidently' anticipate that Mr. Thesiger will to-morrow be nietri - * ber for Newark. We know that a computation has' been made, in which every vote not unqualifiedlY' pledged in his favour has been counted against him,' and that still the apparent majority in his favour . is de cided. Upon these elections will greatly depend the scanty . majority on which the Melbourne myrmidons reclioA• for the 28th. Twenty is their fondest hope : ten, two,• one—the Speaker's casting vote would suffice these' peddling politicians. Mr. Baring Wall is said to have• retired from the Carlton Club, and it is supposed lend all the glory of his support to the Ministers. If= their majority he gained by Mr. Baring Wall, w e shall! wish them all joy of their distinguished convert. Meanwhile a Dissolution of Parliament may be ren dered necessary by the insane course the House of: Commons is pursuing on the question of privilege;; and with a dissolution of Parliament comes the end. of the Melbourne Ministry. Whatever line the great Conservative leaders maybe pleased to take on this question, we know we/ what their masters, the Conservative nation, will say wad do. The impolicy is as manifest as the gross injustike. To make over to a democratic assembly the absolute pow' ers of despotism ! Surely this is an end fitted to the means employed. It deserves to be eariried, - by arbi trary violence and base subterfuge:by imprisoning an officer for adherence to his duty and his oath—by net daring to state the grounds of his imprisonment, lest they be brought into collision with the Judges o f the Land, and the old constitutional authority of the Courts of Law. We had almost forgotten the challenge, or invitation" given to us in the last number of the British Fariner's Magazine, on the subject of national education. 'I editor of that excellent periodical, whose erroneou s views on this important subject we deeply regret, 0 correct in surmising that the question of national edtv cation has been amply discussed in the columns of the Liverpool Standard. Our opinions on the subject at sufficiently known to the generality of our reader!" but we have no objection to re-state them for the satis faction of the gentleman who has invited us " to g ° over the queStion in a friendly way" once more. shall explain, our views as briefly as possible. The British; Parmees Magazine wishes to spbstitot ° ethical for religious teaching, or,.in other words, ado"' cates " a system of national educatio n which . Shill elude religious instruction." BefOre entering any ther into the question,. we yrould . ask, what is impli by a system of ethical teaching knoW Ong 6 8 ; tern of ethics, which is worth ,n moment's - study t ba is not . based Upon, and - drawn , " from, Sip, *tures. The Bible, wit hesitate Motto 'say, 'iti.thelow- da ut