The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-03-13 00:00:00

)mpciiat VariOnunt. HOUSE OF LORDS..—MONDAY. The Earl of ROSEBEARY moved that an exteusion of time be, - allowed to the judges of the Court of Session to make their report upon Scotch entails. Various ,circumstances had ren dered it impossible for them to complete the report by the Ist of Februaly. Agreed to. The Marquis of BUTE presented, a petition from the owners of land and agriculturists in Banbury (as we understood) ex pressing their opinion that the repeal of the malt tax would not relieve the distress of the agricultural interests, and praying that some other means might be devised for that purpose. The noble marquis said he was happy to present a petition sigued by no fewer than 1,253 persons connected with agriculture, who so fully coincide in the views which he himself had thrown out upon the subject of the malt tax. ESTABLISHED CHURCH IN SCOTLAND. The Marquis of BUTE presented petitionsfrom Greenock and a parish in Ayr in support of the established church in Scotland. The noble marquis and the petitioners expressed their hopes that the spiritual instruction of the, lower classes in Scotland might be better provided for. To this subject his majesty's speech referred, and he believed that there was a general feel ing iu favour of the proposed grant. The Earl of ROSEBERRY denied that the passage in • his ma jesty's speech recommending a grant for the additional accom modation of rneinhers of the established church in Scotland had been received in that country with universal satisfaction. He was a strong supporter of the established church, whether in England or in Scotland, but he could not be blind to the fact that in Scotland there were many, too many, people who we re hostile to the proposed grant. , and who thought the extension of church accommodation should be effected by voluntary contri bution or the appropriation of surplus funds allotted to ecclesi astical purposes. lo show how strong was his opinion on the subject of providing additional church accommodation he need but refer to the fact of his having last session been a humble in strument of promoting a bill for that purpose by voluntary con tribution. But he could not agree in the statement that thA announcement of the proposed grant had been universally' re ceived with thankfuluess and appobatien. The Marquis of BUTR WHS perfectly aware that there were in Scotland men) , persons who advocated the " voluntary prin ciple," but all lie had intended to say was that generally-speak ing such at were attached to the established church highly approved of .the proposed grant. With regard to the grounds of the objection referred to by the noble earl, he thought no per son had a right to quarrel with the nature of the grant before it was known out of what. funds it would be granted, or lii what particular manner .it would be made. He agreed that there were too many who had shown themselves unfriendly to the . established church, but he could not, and he did not, believe that the greater proportion of the members of that church were unfavourable to the proposed grant.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—TUESDAY. °NEAT WESTERN RAILWAY. On the motion of Lord GEORGE SoSIERSET this bill *as read a second time and ordered to be committed. THE LIVERPOOL POLICE amt.. Lord Salloort presented a petition from the freemen and burgesses of Liverpool iu favour of this bill. EWART observed that the object of the bill was to pay a sum of money out of the funds of the•corporation, and to any such object he should feel it his duty to offer every possible op position, because it was only an indirect attempt to defeat the measure intended to be founded on the report of the commis sioners. He should oppose the bill when it came to a second reading. Mr. THO RNELY also expressed his intention of opposing the Lord EBRINGTON moved for some returns respecting his 'a weights and measures" bill. Mr. ORMSBY GORE presented a petition from the Ellesmere and Oswestry agricultural association praying for the repeal of the malt tax. 'I he hon. member said that it was far from his wish.to do anything that might embarrass his majesty's mi nisters, particularly after the vexatious and most extraordinary opposition which that government had received; but he had an imperative duty to perform—his duty to his country; and he believed himself bound by that duty to demand the repeal of tho malt tax. Besides praying for the repeal of the matt tax, the petition also prayed that a duty should be imposed on all foreign Frain imported equivalent to the difference of expense of grow ing grain in this country as compared with other countries not burdened with the same amount of taxation. 'nue hon. mem ber also moved for an account of seizures of umnalted grain, or any deleterious or improper article, from brewers since the sth of January, 1833. Agreed to. CANADA. Mr. R3EBUCK presented a petition from certain members of the legislative cieincil and the House of Assembly of Lower Canada, complaining of grievances. The hon. member stated that the population of Lower Canada was about 500,060, of wheal four-fifths were cathOlics, 60,000 we. e members of the established church, and the remainder dissenters. In this state of things, the government had thought proper to turn the Jesuits College into a barrack, and applied the funds which had been appropriated to the education of catholics to the support of the. established church. This was in accordance with the spirit which would maintain the established church of Ireland a;.tainst the wishes of the majority of the people. There were in the neighbourhood of Canada thirteen millions of republicans, haters of an established church, who, as soon as the deg of re bellion should be unfurled, would rally round it and trample in the dust the whole establishment. If the present mode of governing the colony be contined, in his (Mr. IL's) opinion, the sooner the Canadians got rid of our dominion the better. The hon. member censured Lord Stanley's administration of the colonial department. The qualifications for a statesman were, gloat experience, enlarged views, an even temper, and Feverous sympathies, none of which the noble lord possessed. !'he hon. member . proceeded to detail the grievances of the Canadians at great length, after which the petition was read by the clerk at the table. After Mr. Spring Rice, Lord Stanley, and Mr. Robinson had addressed the chair, Sir AOSERT PkEL said, that notwithstanding the redent.l change in the government, he could inform the house that the subject had occupied the attentive consideration of the secre tary of the colonies; and his majesty's government did, without delay. sienify their full intention to settle definitively the matters in dispute; besides Lord Aylmer was authorized to lay luck informatiun before the House of Assembly as ought to lead to the most satisfactory results. After the best reflection that •conld be bestowed upon the subject, it was thought expedient that the representative of the King's government in Canada -Should be a person wholly divested of all local prejudices and -connexions; that he should proceed to the colony in complete possession of the views and wishes of the government at home. This course was adopted for many reasons, and for this among the number—that great inconvenience was felt in conduct ing af f airs at such a distance through the medium of written -communications, subject as each of them might he to a mis understanding, and thereby give rise to fresh references at . home; the time thus elapsing would of necessity give rise to fresh embarrassments, and be productive of greater evil than any exercise of discretionary power which under the circum stances might be expected. He would further say, that it was intended to bestow upon the several matters which had been made the subject of complaint a most careful review, that every facility should be given to the arrangement of all differences-, and every thing done consistent with justice and sound policy. The debate was continued for a long time, during which Mr. Hume, Mr. Baring, Mr. Goulburo, and Mr. Shed addressed the house. The petition was then ordered to lie on `he table. In auswer to a question from Mr. Shell, Mr. GOULBURN said, that from inquiries he had made be had reason to believe that the report of the commissioners of public instruction in Ireland, though not yet ready, might be expected in a short time. COMMITTEE OP WATS AND MEANS. The house having, on the motion of Sir Robert Peel resolved itselt into a committee of ways and means, the right hon. baronet said. that the first vote which he _should move was con sequent upon the vote of the committee of supply of a former eveuing, for granting £29,000,000 of Exchequer-ills to replace those issued for the service of the last year. Ile would propose the grant of £15,000,000 at first, as was necessary that the sum should be voted in two votes. Agreed t o. The next was a sum of £2,00,000 (as we understood) to make good advances made for carrying on public works, and a sum advanced for payment to the West Indian colonies.— Agreed to. Tae next vote was the transfer of the sum of £2,000,000, being the part remaining in the treasury of the Exchequer in February; 1835, of the aids voted in 14.34 and 1835, to the ser vice of the year 1835-36.—Agreed to. The next vote was that the sum of £60,000 paid in the exchequer on account of half-pay and retiring allowances to government troops in the service of the East India Company be transferred to the service of the year 1836.—Agreed to: The next was that the balance of unclaimed dividends, which should be transferred to the current service of the year when those balances exceeded £lOO,OOO, should be so carried, Mr. Hu mu asked how did the present amount of thdse un claimed dividends exceed £100,000? The answer of an boo. member on the treasury bench was not heard. The vote was agreed to, and the house having resumed, the report wits ordered' to be received on Wednesday. listens - floe OF THE suPpLIEs. Mr. Hume, with reference to the motion of which he had given entice, of proposing that the vote of supply should be granted for only six mouths, said that on consideration he would alter his former notice, intending instead of - six months to propose that the grant should be limited to three months, as a period which be thought would be more acceptable to the house. (A laugh.) He would bring forward his motion on the first estimate being brought forward. ;tilt It. PEEL—The navy estimates will be the first. • Mr. Hum..--1 will make the motion on the first vote. HAN D-LOONI WEAVgItS. Mr. OLIPHANT presented a petition from Perth in favour of the hand-len to weavers. Mr. J. Maxwm.t. rose to move the reappointment of the committee of the last year to consider the condition of the hand loons weavers. • Mr. BARrso did not think the present,a subject for the ap pointment of a comm i ttee, b ut having heard the names of the members who composed the committee, and that they had ex pressed a wish to consider the subject further, and knowing the distress of many in the Manufacturiu,g districts, lie would not object to the motion. At the same time, he feared that expec tations would be raised by this motion which ne ither the house nor any committee d e l e gated by it could realize o f g ivin g relief to so large a body of meth B ut as others might think differently, he would recommend to the house the adoption of the lutuion. He had not attended the committee of last year, but would care- Sully look over the evidence, and give it his best consid eration. Lord P. EGERTON concurred in part of the objection to the motion. He was unwilling to to hold out hopes which might not be realized, and he feared the committee would fail in produc ing those plans of practical relief which ail must be anxious to see brought forward, if possible. He admitted the great extent of the distress, particularly in many parts of the county which he represented, but he feared that its causes lay beyond the reach of legislative remedy, and while lie assented to the motion he was anxious to guard himself against being a party to hold ing out hopes which the committee might not be able to realise.. As the committee. had been appointed, and expressed a wish to consider the subject further, he thought the motion ought to be agreed to. Mr. Attosvoern returned his thanks both to the hon. mem •ber who had again brought forward the subjectof the hand-loom weavers, and to the right hon. gentlema n at th e b ea d o f the board of trade , fo r acquiescing in the motion. It was only right -that in accordance with the wishes of (as we understood) the hand-loom weavers themselves, the tnaster inanufaeturersshoold also be heard before the committee. I:ie rejoiced to see the good feeling shown towards those unfortunate men—a feeling indicating an anxiety to attend to their complaints, with a view to relieve the distresses which admittedly they were now suf fering. (Hear, hear.) . An hon. member (whose name we could not aseertaiu) ex pressed a doubt as to the possibility of any specific relief being Afforded to-the hand-loom weavers through the intervention of the committee about to be appointed. He must, however, say, that as the representative of a manufacturing town, he had con suited with his constituents and the non-electors engaged in this branch of industry, and that though they furnished him with a resolution declara&ry of their opinions that no relief could be afforded them by specific legislation; yet they at the saute time wished for a fall•inquiry into the distresses affecting them. On this ground he should support the motion of the lion. member for Lanark. The motion was then put and agreed to, and a committee ap pointed. Mr. RoLFE moved fur leave to bring in a bill for investing in government securities a portion of the cash lying unemploye d in the Bank of England belonging to bankrupts' estates, and applying the interest thereon in diqeharge of the expenses of the t3ourt of Bankruptcy, and for the relief of the suitors of the said court.—Leave given. NEWSPAPER PROPRWTORS' INDEMNITY BILL Tbe. ( SOLICiTOk-GENERAL, in moving fur leave to bring in this till, said he was quite aware that bills of indemnity for any aro ration of the law, or indeed any measure which had a retro spective object, ought not, and would not, be dealt lightly with by the legislature; but in this instance he believed he co uld, s a tisfy the house rat the violations of the law had been so in advertent, the conduct of the informer so vexatious, awl that actions had been brought by bins solely for the purpose of ex torting money, and that having done so he hoped to obtain the sanction of the house to the measure he proposed even as a bill of indemnity. (Hear, hear.) The house would be aware from the conversation which had taken place a few nights ago, end from the conteuts of the petition which had been presented that evening by the hon. metnoer for Sornersetshire, of some of the circumstances of the case, but the house had yet to learn that at the present- moment there were pending no less than two hun dred actions, which had been brought to recover penalties of £lOO fur each offence—that was upon each newspaper published inadvertently without some of the requisites provided by the statute upon which those actions were based. The penalties to which the informer would be entitled to recover against a daily newspaper amounted to £30,000; and as against a weekly pa per of course not so much, but particulars of demand had been furnished to a weekly paper, amounting in the whole to no less a sum than £10,590. t Hear, hear.) The actions were osteusi bly brought by a person of the name of Smith, who, as far as he (the Solicitor-General) had received information; turned one to be a boy of 15. or lii years of age, a writing clerk, in the em• ployment of 'an attorney iu not very reputable peactice. (Hear, hear.) Ili truth, however, the actions were brought by another clerk, of the name of Rogers-, who was at present suffering an imprisonment uud'er a sentence pronounced by the Court of King's Bench for libel. (Ilcer.) It was necessary that he (the Solicitor-General) should shortly state the provisions of the act of parliament which was supposed to have been violated, in order to point out the remedies he proposed for the existing evil, for he did not mean the present measure to be one of in demnity alone, but also to embrace provisions which would pre vent a recurrence ortraniactions similar to those which had been described. (-Heer.) The act under which these actions had been commenced was the 08th George 111., chap. 78, and was passed in the year 1798, for the purpose of expediting and sienplifying proceeaings.,egainst newspaper proprietors for libel- IMO ptbtications. It was provided by that statute that no per son should publish a newspapec'until an affidavit had been made, delivered in. and filed et the Stamp-office, or if in the country, with the steb-commissioner of stamps, setting forth the names, the additions, or descriptions, and the places of abode of all persons intended to be the printers and publishers of such newspaper, and also stating in the same manner the proprietors as well as a description of the building in which it was intended to be published, together with the title of the newspaper Ip default of a compliance with this provision the penalty was £lOO. Another provision of the same act was, that no pape: should be published without setting forth in some part of it the names, the additions, and places of abode of the printers and publish ers; for a violation of it another penalty of £lOO was pro vided. The intention of these two distinct provisions was to Make proceedings against newspapers more easy, and ,in order that no further evidence of the fact of the publication of a libel should be required then the production from the Stamp-office of the affidavit or a certified copy of it, and the production after wards of the particular newspaper itself, for the purpose of proving that the title, the names, descriptions of the printers and publishers, anal place of printing tallied . with the affidavit. So far as the object of this w ent, the omission of the place of residence of the priuter and publisher was wholly immaterial, and these actions which had now been brought were founded upon a non-compliance with a wholly immaterial form. (Hear, hear.) 'The informer in the present cases had discovered of late years a practice had grown up among printers and pub lishers in some instances omitting the addition of their place of residence, but complying with the other requiired requisite by the existing law, and this omission formed the ground of the actions for penalties in the generality of the suits pending. But in order to show the vexatious spirit with which these proceed ings were instituted, he (the Solicitor-general) would mention one caee. A person resident in Cornwall, the proprietor of a newspaper, had died, and his widow, after regularly altering the affidavit at the Stamp-office, continued its publication in her own name, but in printing the newspapers, the addition to her name of "widow" had'been inadvertently omitted. For this omission an action had been brought, and the particulars of de mand in that action hail been delivered, claiming penalties to the amount of £10,500, being £lOO upon each newspaper so published. (Hear. hear.) fie thought this instance alone fully justified the interference of the legislature. (Hear, hear.) But what had been the whule course of theinformer's proceed ing? The first step he had taken was to send round to the editors, publishers, or proprietors of newspapers, a document purporting to be an elaborate opinion of an eminent counsel — nay, indeed bearing the initials of his noble and learned friend the Lord Chief Baron, and apparently dated at the chambers that distinguished personage had occupied, to the effect that the parties had no defence to the actions, and therefore advising them to compromise them on the best terms they could., (Hear, hear.) This was not ail, for the informer had entered into such a wholesale trade as to issue printed circulars (one of which he held in his hand) containing a form for returns of the number of printers and persons engaged in that branch of trade, and which he addressed to the clergyman of the parish or same other influential person in the town, and accompanied with renote to the effect that the object of the return was to lay it before parliament (laughter), and the immediate attention of the party to wham' it was addressed is particularly requested. The circular concluded by deSiring the return, when filled up, to be forwarded to the informer under cover to some member of parliament, who was named, and who in general was the re presentative of the town from which the information was sought. In the case he quoted time return was directed to be sent under cover to the Solicitor-general. ( Hear, hear, and laughter. ) He was satisfied the house would on this statement agree with him that some interference on its part was necessary, and the question then remained, in what way that interference should be made ? It had been suggested to him by the hon. member for Sussex that a bill of indemnity should be introduced to release the partieS from, the actions which had been brought against them, and for such a course he had found precedents in a bill to indemnify printers from the penalties they had inadvertently incurred under the 29th Geo. 111., and which passed both houses in 1809, and in a similar bill which passed some years after. But it struck him (the solicitor-general) that the pass ing of a mere bill of indemnity would only be meeting the matter half way, and that the act which had so improperly been put in force ought not to be left in the hands of a common in former to deal with, lest the seine transactions should occur again. (Hear, hear.) From inquiries which had been made at the Stamp-office, it appeared that until these actions had com menced by the informer Smith, the officers there had supposed that no actions under this statute could be brought by an in former, but that, on the contrary, the right to institute proceed ings for these penalties was only vested in the law-officers ofthe crown. This mistake arose from the fact that previous to the year 1804 all penalties for the violation of the stamp-laws might be recovered by actions brought by common informers, but that in the year he had mentioned an act was passed, providing, that in future such penalties must be sued for by informations at the instance of the law officers of the crown, and such he appre hended most have been the intention of the legislature when it passed that law, because in a subsequent act, the Goth Geo. 111., for regulating the publication of pamphlets, &c., a similar pro vision was made. This intention lie now proposed to carry into effect by the present measure, and the only reason why this was necessary was, that iu a case which had been argued in the courts of law, touching upon these statutes, it had been decided that as these acts-were not acts of revenue, a common informer might sue. He therefore proposed to introduce into the present bill a provision that in future no common informer shall bring actions for violations of the stamp lairs ; and next, that the edi tors and proprietors of newspapers against whom actions had been already brought shouln be relies ed from their liAbilities in those respects (hear, hear) ; but he did not think that he should be justified in bringing forward a bill of indemnity when it was remembered that the informer bad brought his actions and in curred expenses ote the faith of the then existing law; and though the house perhaps would not be inclined to show much indulgence to him, yet probably it would not think it right that those expenses should fall on him. tie (the solicitor-general) therefore proposed that in all the actions which had been com menced the defendants should be at liberty, on taking out a summons before a judge, to stay proceedings upon payment of costs. (Hear, hear.) Anxious that the house should' at once agree with the principle of the bill, and in order to its being passed as speedily as possible, he had conveyed, he hoped clearly, the full scope of its intended provisions, anti he should conclude by moving for leave to bring in a bill to indemnify persons who have omitted to comply with certain of the regula tions contained in an act of 38 Geo. ill., c. 78, respecting the printing and publication of newspapers, from penalties incurred under th it net. (CheerS.) Sir Jon el Cesteneeteeepressed his entire concurrence in the - iireasuCe vrliieliTilabCen proposed by his hou:anil laihed Mend" the solicitor-general. . Several wernhees expressed their approbation of the bill, and their thanks to the learned gentleman for introducing it. Leave was then given to bring in the bill. The Solicitor- General shortly afterwards brought it up. It was read a first and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow. C.l.Pli OF GOOD NOPE.--11111UFTION OF THE CAFFRES. Mr. BAGSHAW, after apologizing . for bringir.„..on his motion at so late an hour, and after promising to treat it in consequence with great brevity, proceeded to reiniud the house of the afflict ing. news which had been received within the fast ten days from the eastern part of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope: That news had filled the friends of the settlers in that colony, and also of the missionaries, who had gone thither to convert the natives, with the utmost alarm and dismay. After detailing the outrages committed by the Caffres, (which were given in a former number of the STANDAIID,) the hon. gentleman said that he could not help shuddering at the consequences when the Caffre force invadiug the colony was estimated at not less than 10,000 men. It would be in the recollection of the house, that iu the year 1819, £50,000 was granted by parliament to celonize ' the south-eastern part of the continent of Africa; 5,000 persons went out in consequence to form a colony. They suffered at first the most extraordinary hardships, hut in a short time, ow ing to the energy of the British character, they triumphed over all the obstacles to their success. In a few years afterwards they formed an affluent colony, and were going on most pros perously up to the occurrence of the late disastrous events. When they first landed at the Cape of Good Hope the hon. and gallant member for Berwick was governor of the colony. From all ihat he Lad heard whilst he (Mr. Bagshaw) resided in the colony, 00 man could have bestowed more attention on the co leniste upon their first arrival than Sir Butane Donkin had done. (Hear, hear.) His name was revered by the colonists, and would continue to be revered, so bug as there were any residents to recollect trim. (A 'msh.) During the two years Sir R. Donkin was governor of the colony there was no irrup tion the Caffres. On the frontier, hOwever, a Caffre mut / dere_ a boy and stole the cattle intrusted to his charge. Coin plaid-t of this outrage was made to Gourka, time Caffre chief. The offender was seized, tried, convicted, and strangled, by or der of his tribe. Things went on well iu this way for two years more. At the end of that time there was a change in the con duct of the colonists. The boors became tired of the system of conciliation, and adopted a new one. By the law of the colony a boor, when his cattle is stolen, is not allowed to fellow them himself into the enemies' quarter. He pursues ' however, this c ourse,—as soon as he is informed of his loss, he goes to the nearest commando, or military post, and makes his loss known. Then with an officer and a detachment of the Colonial Rifle Corps he follows the skure, (we think the boo. member said,) a term which is untrauslateable, the Hottentot, following this skure, or tract, like a bloodhound, by the scent, until the party reaches the first eta-al ip Caffre land. When the cattle reach are a-al, it, is impossible to fellow their track any further. The officer then demands frour this era-al twice She number of cattle stolen, and if the owner refuses to give them up quietly, they are taken from him by force. This system has been going on for a long time, and ueeessarily leads to the punishment of the innocent, instead of the guilty. A Caffre robber steals cattle front the colony, and the nearest Caffre proprietor, who, in ail probability, is innocent and peaceable, immediately suffers for it. \Vas it to be wondered at that ail forbearance was at last aban doned by the Caffres, and that they had taken the law into their hands. This result, which was uaturaily to be expected, had been predicted some - months ago by the editor of one of the colonial newspapers. [Here the hou. member read al. extract Irons a coloutat uewspaper in proof of his position.] The holi. member then proceeded to express his concurrence in the pro position made by the commissioners sent fi 9111 England to in quire into the -state of the colony some years ago,—a proposi tion whis.di recommended that a lieutenant-governor should be appointed to conduct the affairs of the eastern part of the colony. Alter alluding to the reasons which prevented lieutenant-gene ral Bourke, who had been appointed lieutenant-governor by the goveinment at home, from proceeding in person to that part of the colony, and after entering into some details on the subject, he proceeded to state' that the colonists had at different times re ceived great support from a mounted corps of Hottentot rifles. He appealed to the gallant colonel near bins who had served with that respectable body of men (a laugh), whether any , troops of their class could behave better. bloat was the use of a Bri tish soldier when he coul:l not find an enemy to fight with ? (Loud laughter.) The Caffie was on one hill in one. moment and on another in the next; and as the house must have seen from the extracts which he had read to them, Colonel Somerset declared his inability to come up to them. The plain truth was, that nobody could put down this sort of strife but those who had been long accustomed to it. The causes which had led to this last irruption had been tha want of a lieutenant-governor at Graham's-town to control the colonists in the first instance, and a want of a proper local force to back his authority with the Caffres in the second. The hon. member concluded by moving that "au humble address be presented to his Majesty, praying that he will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid on the table of the house a Copy of any 'despatches that may have been received from the Cape of Good Hope relative to the late sanguinary irruption of the Caffres with the eastern part of that colony." Sir G. CLERK presumed that the hon. member had had some communication with his hon. friend the secretary for the colo nies on the subject. Ile was not aware that there was any ob jection to this motion; but the facts were new to hint, and lie was not prepared to give an opinion upon them. lie felt, how ever, great sympathy for those whose calamities the hon. mem ber had so forcibly depicted, and was quite certain that their unfortunate condition would command the immediate attention of the government of this country.. Mr. 13 AGS II AW said that he had ascertained that evening that government had received no despatches on this subject. (A sensation in the house.) The public, however, thought that de spatches bad been received, and that government was unwillieg to publish them. Thatuotion had created au impression that things were much worse off in that colony than they really were. His object would be answered if the attention of, government was called to the subject.—Motion withdrawn. The Loan'Anvocaze brought in a bill for making. certain alterations and reductions in the establishment of clerks and officers attached to the Court of Session in Scotland; and a bill for abolishing in Scotland imprisonment for civil debts of small amount, &c. They were read a first, and ordered to be read a second time on Wednesday next. NEWSPAPER STAMPS. Mr. BULLER, .in rising to move that the motions made by himself and by the hon. member. for Salford, on the 26th and 27th ult.,. for returns of the number of stamps issued by the Stamp-office for all the Lonoon and country newspapers during the last year, specifying eac h newspaper, be discharged , ob served that proprietors Of newspapers had complained of the inaccuracy of these returns, because they did not in all cases show the real number of stamps issued to the particular paper which actually used them, s t a mps being issued nominally to one paper which were used by another. The injustice of this was most felt by country papers. Still he thought that the public ought to have some means of knowing which papers had the largest circulation, and that means ought to be taken to obtain accurate returns; and he suggested to the secretary of the trea sury whether the stamp . might not contain the name of the news paper to which it was issued. ELECTION PETITIONS. Petitions, complaining of the returns, were received from Halifax, Horsham, _Bandon Bridge, Leicester, County Cork, Monmouth, and Limerick. The house adjourned at a quarter to 12 o'clock. ROUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY. EDUCATION IN IRELAND. The Earl of Ft onEN said that the part he had already token in the discussion of the system of education in Ireland made him anxious to obtain their lordships' leave to be allowed to lay upon the table certain documents connected with that im portant subject, by which, when it came to be debated by their lordships, they would be made fully aware of its merits. The question involved a great principle, and from the numerous petitions which had been entrusted to him upon it, which bad loaded their lordships' table from time to time, when the ques tion came to be fully debated he was sure that their lordships would consider it to be one fraught with the greatest import ance to the intellectual happiness of the people of Ireland. He was aware that he had otteu troubled their lordships upon this subject, but the anxiety he feat about it he trusted would be considered by their lordships his sole reason for trespassing upon so much of their lordships' time. The noble earl move,' for a return of the seven hundred and eighty-nine schools, specifying where situated, the names of their patrons and sup porters, what sums had been made to them, and how expended; a return of the reports of the 52 schools, and of the 199 schools, and the amount of local subscriptions; a return of the names of the clergymen of the established and Roman catholic churches who had received, sums in aid of such schools; also a return of all schools held in nunneries, catholic chapels, and other places of religious worship. In moving for these returns his object was that every facility should be afforded to noble lords that they might be properly informed upon the subject when he should have the honour of bringing it under their consideration_ The returns were ordered, and the home adjourned. THE LI V ERPOOL ST AN DA.RD . HOUSE OF COMMONS.--TCEsn.+Y• A great number of petitions wen, presented to the house, the greater part of them praying for the repeal of the malt tax. • DUTY ON SUGAR. Mr. EWART wished to ask Sir Robert Peel whether the go vernment contemplated equalising the duties on East and West Indian sugars? Sir R. PF.EL said he thought he should best consult the public convenience and interest by adhering to the rule which he laid down on a previous evening, namely, not to enter into details upon every individual question that was put. Ile apprehended that his best course would he to reserve himself for a gen.:ral exposition of all those subjects until after the Ist of. April, when he would be able to lay a statement of the public finances before the house. MALT DUTIES. The Marquis of CIIANDOS, in opening this debate , ass ured the right hon. baronet at the head of his Majesty's government, that he had no wish to embarrass them by tt e course which he meant to pursue. He acted from a sense of duty, and in con irmity to a promise made to his constituents; end having once given a pledge nothing under heaven should prevent him flout redeeming his word. The malt tax was first imposed in the reign of William and Mary, and was then four shillings a quar ter. It had been at different periods increased, and he found that in 1787 it was 10s. 6d.; in 1791, Its. 6d. • in 1802, 183.6 d.; in 1804, 38s. 6d. ; in 1817 it was reduced 20s. Bd. • Many gentlemen were of opinion that a partial reduction of this duty would be beneficial to the country, but this would still leave the whole machinery of the excise and the expense of collection un 'touched, while the total extinction of the duty would effect a considerable saving, not only to the farmer, but to the country. The operation of the malt tax diminished the ,oro wth of barley, and prevented the - farmer from receiving into his house the la bourers he employed, and they were deprived of that b ev er age of home produce by which, in former times, their strength and happiness were so beneficially sustained. (Cheers.) The malt tax, like the sugar duties, used to be voted annually until the year 1822, when that course was altered. It then became a permanent tax. The extraordinary pressure of this tax has caused an immoderate increase in the use of ardent spirits gin palaces were flourishing while brewerie s went to decay. No one could doubt that this had tended to demoralise the people, and to promote the increase of crime.- (Hear.) To prove this the noble marquis referred to the returns which had been laid before the house on the state of crime throughout the country. From this return it appeared that, from 1812 to 1819. the num ber of criminal offences was 52,216; from 1819 to 1826 it was 95.628; and from 1826 to 1832 it amounted to 131,818; and what most to be lamented was, that of this last number there were 12,000 women, all of whom were brought before the ma gistrates for offences arising out of a too free use of ardent spirits. It was much to be regretted, that while relief was ex tended to different classes of his majesty's subjects, not the slightest attention was as yet directed to the relief of the agri cultural interest.. The right hon. baronet, in the relief which he proposed, intended to do away with the county rates and other local expenditures. This would be of no advantage to the farmer ; for on a farm of 250 acres these taxes would not amount more than eight pounds a-year, whereas if the malt duties were removed, the benefits would amount to seventy or eighty. The farmer was now unable to give his servants a good, cheap, and • wholesome beverage • he, as well as his labourers, were com is ellsetto - resort - iv beewer -rortr deterinrated4rtiete; at a high price. (Hear.) In those days it was cheering to look at the farmer's•comfortable fireside, with his happy servants con gregated around it; but now, he was sorry to say, the pump or the nearest ditch was resorted to to satisfy the demands of na ture. In behalf of these men he appealedlo the House of Com mons, and he hoped be should not appeal in vain. Many of them had been compelled to abandon their homes and seek for subsistence in a foreign land, while others had been compelled to take refuge in a workhouse. He did not ask for relief to this class at the expense of another, or one that would not benefit the country at large. The tradesman depended upon the pros perity of the farmer for success, and what tended to raise the condition of one, would also, by its influence, act upon the other. By a reference to the revenue tables it would be seen that the consumption of malt, to the 10th October, 1830, amounted to 40,758.900 quarters, which, at eight shillings per bushel, made £16,303,560; and it further appeared that the duty paid to his majesty's government for malt, in 1833, amounted to 1:4,923,074 barley increased 7-14th part in the malting, and this was gained by the malteter. Looking, then , at this slim of 1;16,303,560, and comparing it with that paid to the Exchequer, it must be evident that the difference found its way into the pocket of the maltster. Redueing the tax one hair, he admitted, would confer a benefit, but it would not put an end to the monopoly which existed at present. The noble marquis proceeded to show that the quantity of malt consumed now, as compared with 1720 and 1730, had considerably de creased, while the business of the brewer had increased. in many counties the feeders of cattle would prefer .feeding theist on the refuse of barley , but in conse q uence of th e ex ciO laws we dared not wet it 7 for that purpose. Were they pertnitteid to do so that -which now is of but tittle value to the farmer could be made available, as it was well known to those who were con versant with rural affairs that two Isushels of malted grain was more nutritions than three bushels of bailey. He might nut suoctchealed.einthhe itspresent motion, and he regretted that he should n support of his right him, friend (Sir Robert Peel); but he had the gratification of feeling that lie should have Ike support of many country gentlemen, who were pledged to imp port•the proposition which he should have the honour of sub mitting to the house. He admitted that his right hum friend had a right, when snch a reduction was proposed, hatlea right to ask what was intended to be substituted in its place ? But he (the Marquis of Chiandos) might answer in the words of the late Mr. Tierney "that it was his business not to suggest taxes but to endeavour to take them off." 'Feeling a loss for a budget, he would adopt the proposition made last sear by the Right line. the President of the Board of Trade, and increase the ditties on spirits, wines, and other articles to meet the deficiency which the abolition of this tax rnig!.t create. These taxes sectad press upon the higher classes to the relief of the poorer. He could have wished to introduce into the resolution the exact time whets those duties should be taken off, but as considerable interests were involved he found the difficulties to that plan not easily overcome.' He thought he should best consult the interests individuals and of the community by proposing a resolution fur the gradnal abolition of the tax by one, two, or three instalments, by which means time would be given to the ma lster to get rid of his stock in hand and the Chancellor of the Exchequer relieved from the embarrassment in which lie might be placed by the total and instant repeal; and vet the people of England would be perfectly content. He could have wished that it had been his good fortune to address a house more favourable to the inea sure which he advocated than the present one, but of this they might rest satisfied, that the malt duties couid not Imig main taro their position in the financial arrangements of the ceuntry, and it might soon fall to the lot of same more worthy advocate of the measure than he was to witness the repeal of that pressive tax for the abolition of which the country so loudly called. (Cheers.) The object of his resolution was to call upon the house to vote altogether fur the extinction of the ma ltduties, but at the same time he begged leave to state,-that if he should succeed in his motion it was his intention to ask leave of the house to bring in a bill for the purpose of regulating and arrang ing the time when the reduction would take place. Having stated thus much, bon. gentlemen would perceive that in con senting to kis motion they did nut bind . themselves to any spe cific time or manner. Ills resolution went merely to pledge the house to the extinction of the tax. The question of time was one of after consideration, as also whether the reduction should take place in one, two, or three instalments. It was with this consideration, and because the detail could be afterwards dis cussed, that he thought proper to forego any long resolution, which would only have the effect of encumbering the question. The noble marquis concluded by moving "That the duties on malt shall altogether cease and detetinine." Major HANDLE"( seconded the motion, and spoke at great length in support of the views taken by the Marquis ofehaudos. Sir ROBERT PEEL said that the question he was called upon to consider was not a party question, but whether he could con sent to a resolution which pledged him irrevocably to the total repeal of the malt tax. He was called upon to consent to that resolution at a period when the house bad had no opportunity of hearing any financial statement from him, at a period when the house was ignorant of what was the amount of disposable reve nue, and before it had had any other opportunity of considering any other claim to the remission of taxation. Ought not, then, such a motion, if necessary. to have been brought forward after an authentic declaration of the national means had been laid before the house. It would be his duty to make such a commu nication as soon as possible after the close of the financial year, the lit of April. '1 he noble marquis would not wait fur this ex- planation, and he (Sir It.) was Vous forced into a discussionwhich he thought oughtto have been postponed, and it became necessary for hitn to enter into a statement, with the view of con vinciog theta of the impropriety of acceding to the noble marquis's motion. The noble lord, (Althorp;) iu his budget of last year, after provid ing for the repeal of the house tax, made a calculation of what would probaie y be the available surplus for the year beginning Ist April, 18-35, and ending on the same day of 1836;—his lord ship made a calculation of the probable financial prospects of the country for two years. Although some of Lord Althorp's calculations were erroneous, yet, upon the • whole, he was not far from the,truth. Lord Althorp estimated that the- demands for the .service of this year would be identical with the last, but he (Sir IL P.) trusted there would be a considerable reduction in the estimates for this year compared with the last. (Hear.) L Those fur the ordinary service of the year would exhibit a re , duction of £470,000. (Cheers.) Although this would of course f increase the available surplus revenue, yet as there were mis calculations in the statement of the noble lord (for which his lordship was iu uo degree responsible) from which a correspond ing reduction must be made, Lord Althorp's estimate of the amount of available surplus was, upon the whole, not far from the truth. Lord Alttiorp calculated that on the sth of April next the revenue would exceed the expenditure by about i.:250,0007 He (Sir H. Peel) thought that after reducing nearly half a million on the estimates, he could not calculate upon hay- ing a greater surplus than £250,000, that was to say, after pro viding for £750,000 for compensation to the West India pro prietors, and after the revenue bad been subjected to the ope tation of the repeal of the house-tax. In this state of our finan cial prospects, with a surplus of £250,000, the noble marquis asked the house to pledge itself on thiS night to the repeal of the whole of the malt-tax. The gross produce of the malt-tax last year was £5,150,000. In the year ending sth Jan., 1832, the stun paid into the Exchequer on account of malt duty was 1;4,208,000 ; in the year 1833, 4,675.000; in 1834, £1,772,000; and in the yeer ending sth Jan. 1835, £1,812,000. Thus, with only a surplus revenue of £ 250,000, the house was called upon to sacrifice an increasing revenue of £4,812,000. (Hear, hear.) There could be no doubt, that, in determining on the policy of a tax, the charge of its collection was a material consideration. For that reason lie had taken pains to as certain what was the charge at which the malt-tax was col lected; and he ventured to assert that there were few taxes the collection of which was accompanied with less expense to the public than this tax. He believed he could state with con fidence, that the charge of collecting the gross revenue of £5,100,000 derived from the malt-tax did not exceed to £150,000, (Cheers) and he did not believe that it would be possible to reduce the excise establishment to any extent beyond that amount. He could further state, that there was no tax by which £5,009,000 was raised,- nor any combination of tai es pro ducing the same amount, which on the whole admitted of so few opportunities for fraud and unfair dealing. The noble lord and the honourable gentleman who seconded his motion complained that no remission had taken place with reference to the malt tax. They had fergetten that in 1830 the duties on malt were relieved by taking off the duty on beer. In the mean time the price of barley had increased, and at the present moment, in reference to the price of wheat was higher than it hid ever been known before. The price of wheat, being untaxed, was low, while the price of barley, subject to a tax, was high. Such being the facts of the case, by what process of reasoning did the unuourable gentleman arrive at the conclusion that the removal of the tax on malt would necessarily increase the price of barley ? Anticipatiug that it would be alleged that there had been a defective harvest in barley last year, and that the rise in price of the article was sufficiently accounted for by that fact, he had taken the troubie to obtain from the Excise-office that very morning an account of the number of bushels of malt brought to charge from the 10th of October, 1833, to the 19th of February, 1834, in order that he might compare the amount then brought to charge with the quantity brought to charge since the 10th of October, 1831, to the - 19th of February in the present year. Having examiued these returns, lie felt great satisfaction in being able to state, that the rate of duty remain ing the same, there had beets an increase in the resent year, notwithstanding the defective harvest, of 816.7/9 bushels of barley: . (Hear, hear.) In discussing the present question he had uo desire to refer to any topic which might excite a feeling of enthusiasm calculated though it might be to influence the house to take the same view as he did of the present question. He would willingly deprive himself of the advautage which the excitement of such a feeling would give him, if the house would only consent to give him its patient attention while be strictly confined himself to a statement of facts, and to a review of such arguments as had been urged in favour of the revision of the malt-tax The advocates of that measure, though aware that the surplus revenue Might not amount to 1:250,0q), vet felt themseives pledged to the repeal of a tax yielding I:5,000,000. They contended that there was no other way of relieving the agricultural interest, and prophesied that many advantages would result from the removal of the malt tax. Matters of prophecy were, however, matters of uncertainty; he was anxious to inquire into their probable realization. It had been said that the consumption of the old national bevemge had been greatly diminished. This he (Sir H. Peel) admitted, but did it notarise hem the competition of other articles which had come into general use during the last century. The people now drank inure tea, more coffee, and more spirits than formerly. That they did not drink more beer also was owing to a change in our national habits and not to the operation of te malt tax. (Hear, hear) He would state a case unfavourable to himself. In 1722 the population amounted to six millions and the number of bar rels of beer consumed as stated iu the returns was six millions. In 1833 the population amounted to fourteen millions, and the average annual consumption for the last three Years previous to the repeal of the beer duty amounted only to 8,200, 0(111 barrels This he attributed to the increased coneusreption of other arti cles. In 1722 the quantity of tea coaehmediti this country did not exceed 370,00'aib. In 1833 it amounted to 31,829,0001b5. `the use of tea, had in fact superseded to a certain extent the use of beer: In like manner the consumption of spirits bad also increased. This the hon. member had deprecated, hut he would find it impossible to prevent. The hon. gentleman might increase the duty on spirits, but by doing so he would in fact be only lessening the revenue with diminisuingtheir donsimiption.: In 1722 there were 3,000,000 gallons of spirits consumed; in 1831, 12,332,000 gallons. In the year 1760 the quantity of coffee consumed was not. more than 262,0001b5.; in 18.3.3 it had in mused to 20,691,0001b5. With these returns before him he Caine to the conclusion that the increased consumption of tea, coffee, and spirits did account for the decreased consumption of beer, and as far as morality was concerned he doubted whether any great advantage would be gained by discountenancing the use of tea and coflee for the purpose of substituting beer. The hon. gentleman (Major Handley) seemed to think that the use of tea and coffee was unfairly encouraged, and fancied that their consumption was increased in consequence of the dirty on those articles being lower than that which was applied to beer. That such was not the case wquld easily be shown by comparing the rate per cent. of the duties on beer and on those other articles to which he had already referred. The duty nu malt was 25.7 d. per bushel, or 57 per cent.; and the lion. gentleman opposite said that that duty was higher than the duty on coffee. So far from that being the fact, the rate el duty on West India coffee was 63 per cent, ad valorem.' (Hear, hear.) On port and sherry the rate of duty was 75 per cent.; on rum, 407 per cent.; on English spirits, 7s. 6d. per gallon, or 333 per cent ; on brandy 627 per cent.; and on geneva, 930 per cent. Sue] being the facts of the case, he would ask the hon. gentleman opposite Whether the increased consumption of those articles could juetly elm_asttrileoed to .any favour shuwu them with rerzard_ to the amount of duty over beer ? (Hear, hear, hear.) The malt duty was 20s. Bd. per quarter, and the total amount received by the Exchequer was not more than £5,000,000; but according to the statement of the noble lord, a sum of £16,000,000 found its way by some mysterious process into the bands of the maltsters, and was divided among them. He (Sir H. Peel) certainly did not pretend to understand this matter, but lie would ask, was it credible that in this country, and in art open trade, such extravagant profits should be made by the manu facturers of malt? It had been stated last year by the honoura ble member for Oldham, that 'the price of barley being 255. per quarter, and the duty 20s. Bd. that the price of malt ought not exceed 455., but inst ea d o f this price it was raised to 665. He (Sir 11. Peel) always thought it desirable, in discussing any subject, to have the latest information respecting it that could be obtained; and he had therefore sent to Mark-lane, to learn what was the price of barley, and the price of mal t of eq ual quality; so that be m i g ht h e able to judge whether the state ment respecting the enormous gains made by the maltsters was well-founded. He was informed that the rice of good malting barley in Mark-lan e th a t d a y was f r om 3 6c. to 40s. per quarter. That was undoubtedly a good price for barley, (near, bear,) and notwithstanding the high price, the consumption had according, to the last returns increased, instead of having dinii nished. 1 Hear, hear.) Adding to the price of the quarter of barley the amount of the duty on malt, which was 205.81., he eaten iated that the price of malt ouht to be 603 8d per quarter. The , price of the best malt was in tact 665. per quarter , leavi n g. a dierence of ss. 4d. between the price of malt and the price o f barley, increased by the amount of the duty; and he (Sir Peel}. did not think that an extravagant profit. The noble marquis (Chandos) and the lion. member (Major Handley) had spoken of the advantage which would result from the remission of the malt duty, in consequence of the facility which would thereby be afforded to the farmer of malting barley, not for .the purpose of making beer, but of feeding his cattle. (Hear, hear, hear.) ' He (Sir It. Peel) was not ignorant of th e advantages to the farmer which this would produce, and he kid great satisfaction in being able to inform his noble friend that his object was effected by an order of the Board of Excise, which he regretted had not been sufficiently known before. The eider was in the following words :—" The practice of steeping barley in water to prepare it as food for cattle having become prevalent, and as the revenue may be injured by the applica tion thereof to other purposes,—ordered, that the respective su• pervisors and officers endeavour to ascertain the parties who carry on this practice within their several districts, and their manner of disposing of the corn so steeped; but that no inter uption whatever be given thereto, except upon actual proof, or well-grounded suspicion of fraud. Particular attention must be paid to the situation of the premises where the corn may be steeped, with respect to any kills or oven upon or in which it nwy he dried, as well as to the proportion which the quantities of hurley steeped bear to the number of horses or other cattle to be fed therewith; and it' any suspicious circumstances shall be discovered, the matter must be fully investigated, -- and the par ticulars stated to the board." One favourite argument in favour of the repeal of the malt duty was, that it would encourage the pour wan to brew his osn beer. The arguments by vkhich it was attempted to support that the assertion appeared to him ex ceedingly defective. What inducement could the poor Mau have to brew •his own beer which he did not possess at the present moment? Why should he not buy malt, and with that brew as much beer as he needed for his own consumption ? The hon. member for Oldham argued, that in consequence of the high price of malt, and the large profits of the malsters, it was quite impossible for.the poor man to buy malt in retail. But sup posing that the matt duty were repealed, .would the poor man then be in a better conditicn to compete with the great mats- ter. If the poor snail were disposed to brew his own beer, why did be not do so previous to the duty on beer being repealed? The hon. gentleman (Major Handley) had said a great deal against beer-shops, and came to the conclusion that beer was of no value unless it WAS drank by labourers in their own houses and brewed by their own hands. He (Sir It. Peel) entreated the house not to consent to the loss of £5,000,000 of revenue under the delusive expectation that encouragement would thereby be given to the agricultural labourers to brew their beer in their own cottages. (ear, hear.) The same rea son which induced them, to go to t e beer-shop at present would continue to operate after the repeal of the malt duty. If the labouriug man purchased his beer at the public-house, and took it away to drink at his own house, he might have the beer at a reduced rate. There was a considerable difference between the price of a pot of beer purchased at the public-house and carried away, and the price which was charged to a man who sat and consumed a pot beside the tire in the public-house. Notwith standing, however, this difference of charge, there was some thing in the charm of a good fire and of company which tempted the labourer to pay an additional penny for his pot of beer. (Hear, hear.) The repeal of the malt tax would not reduce the price of a pot of beer Inure than a halfpenny. The right hon. baronet then alluded to Sir Wm. lugilby's motion last year, . and remarked that he lost his election even for au agricultural county. Such would he, he (Sir R. P.) apprehended, the fate of every man who should rise to propose new taxes in lieu of the £5,000,000 produced by the malt duty. (Hear.) He was there fore of opinion that the arguments founded on the advantage which the agricultural interest would derive from the repeal of the malt duty were not valid ones. If the house did away with the malt tax, he would ask what they expected would be the consequences of the total repeal of that impost? His noble friend said, that if the nialt tax were taken off there would be a great increase in the consuinptioa of beer. Now he (Sir H. P.) must say that he had an impression that the very contrary effect would be produced by the removal of the tax. He was greatly afraid that tlie direct consequence would be to promote illicit .distilia tion; for although it was comparatively difficult to distil spirits from unmalted barley, the process by which illicit spirits were distilled from the barley after it had been made into malt was very ea (Hear.) He would ask then lion. members how, wi!h the increased facilities given to the defrauder of the public revenue by the removal of the malt tax, it would be possible for the excise to watch the proceedings of the unfair trader with the same vigilance and success with which they now checked him, without interfering with the domestic concerns of private indi.• virluals to such a degree that the country would never submit to it? Supposing the house determined to vote in favour of his noble friend's resolution, what was the course it proposed to pursue? There were but four uaehods which could be sug gested for its adoption, and one out of the four they must act upon. The house might increase the duties imposed on other articles of consumption, or they could resort to a property-tax (hear, hear), or they might look to a reduction of the estimates. (Great cheering from the opposition.) He could assure hou. members that he felt no pleasure in witnessing improvident expenditure, and that he had no interest to serve in maintain ing the present amount of the public burdens; but he would ask any man in that house whether he conscientiously be lieved that, looking to the reductions which had been made by Lord Althorp in the last year, and a further reduction in taxa tion to the amount of £500,00b which would be made in the pre sent year—whether, looking at this, it was possible to make any even the most trifling reduction in the estimates? But, at any rate, if any reduction was to be effected, let the question of such reduction - be looked at abstractedly with reference to its own merits (hear, hear) and not with•a• view to substitute the sum thus saved for the produce of the malt-tax. But be really could not persuade himself that any man, bearing in mind the reduc tions which had been made, and the demands of the West India proprietors on the public purse, could hope to replace the £4,600,000 which the malt-tax furnished, consistently with the maintenance of the public honour and regard to the interests of the country, by any considerable reduction in the sums voted for the public service. There were other considerations which affected this question. In the last session the duty on spirits in Ireland was 'educed, and now some members were fa vourable to an increase of them. This unsteadiness of pur pose was the unwisest course any legislative assembly could adopt— Were they to increase the duty on spirits and re move the duty from malt, the farmer would find that the defrauders of the revenue would not use grain, but molasses, on account of thp greater facility of distillation, and the increasing knowledge of chemistry. He now came to the third substitute for the malt tax, one on property. There was a majority of the house, under circumstances not dissimilar to the present, when the late chancellor of the exchequer had at his disposal an available surplus of £1,500,000, and with this it was proposed to make up for the repeat of the malt-tax and the house and window tax, amounting in the whole to £5,000,000 sterling. The surplus which, after providing for the exigencies of the public service, would be at the disposal of parliament in the present year, was but £250,000, and the proposition was now renewed which was made when there was a surplus of £3,500,000. (Hear, hear.) But even with that surplus, a large majority decided that the revenue which would be given up by the repeal of the malt-tax could only be supplied by the impo sition of a property-tax. Now his prophecy was, that they would make that tax necessary (loud cries of "(tear")—to that they must come if they repealed the malt-tax. They would try their taxes on trifling articles of consumption, on tabacco and spirits, and wine (hear; hear), and they would meet with a storm which would make them hastily undo what they had been doing. (Renewed cheering.) To a property-tax, then, they must come; "and," continued the right hon. borouet, "I con gratulate you, gentlemen of the landed interest, on finding yourselves relieved from the pressure of the malt-tax, and fall ing on a good property-tax, with a proposal for a graduated scale. (Great cheering and laughter.) And you who represent the heavy land of this country (general and `continued laughter and cheeringy, I reiteit.te lull oh tt' pyoctisuet you." If they believed that the substitute would he advantageous to their interests, let them not, when they found out their mistake, lay the blame upon those who warned them in time, but upon their own comprehensive views and sound judgment. (Cheers.) The hon. and learned member for Ireland, (laughter,)be . meant for Dublin, in refereuce to the imposition of a property tax, had said that if it was to be laid on it ought to affect all his majesty's subjects equally, and certainly this was no more than justice. He begged, then, the representatives of Ireland" to consider what would be their situation if they voted for the re peal of the duty on malt. It would be infinitely worse than that of the occupiers of clayey soils, and a thousand times worse. Ireland paid'ut present but £240,000 out of the £4,600,000 which the malt tax produced, and it would be a great hardship to Ire land to have a property tax imposed upon her as a countervail ing substitute for her moderate portion of the malt tax. (Hear, hear.) 'They might depend upon it, however, that a property tax was inevitable if the malt tax was repealed, and the attempt to, he would not say levy that tax, for he was sure the people of Ireland would obey the laws, but to exact it, would be a fruit less undertaking. He now came to the fourth alternative, and that was to make adeficit and do nothing, (laughter and cheers,) and lie was afraid there were many members who, when it came to the trial, would, upon the whole, make up their minds to act in that manner (renewed laughter and cheering)—who, upon the whole, would prefer that plan. The hon. member (Mr. Handley) had recommended a small loan, (a laugh,) but why not a large one? (Laughter renewed.) He also had suggest ed the sale of the crown lands, and advised that there should be no jobbing in granting the crown leases. Now he (Sir R. Peel) had always thought that the crown was an indulgent landlord. But as to the proposition for raising a loan to meet the deficit, he earnestly hoped that the house would not resort to that discreditable "alternative, that they would not con sent to incur the risk of that disgrace, if, after having made the declaration which was the object of the noble lord's motion, they found it impossible to "maintain the ser vice of the state without some adequate equivalent. (Hear.) By keeping up the value of the public securities, and faithfully performing the national engagements, the government of the country had been enabled, since the year 1822, to nfake a re mission of the public burdens to the amount of £2,350,000. (Hear.) If they continued to pursue the same course they would derive the same advantages. They had a debt of £250,000,0 00 in the 3i per cents., which they might hope to redeem at no distant period. They had the experience of the benefits of good faith, but if they were careless to secure the honour of England, and maintain the national credit, they would simultaneously lose that fame which they hitherto had always sustained. Ile warned the house not to - forget that on three several occasions it had been obliged to retrace its steps -on this question. In 1811 a part wf this tax was taken off, but reimposed in 1819. In 1821 the house, by a small majority. took the whole tax off, but was obliged to rescind this vote one month after it had been passed. In 1833 the house, in a mo ment of enthusiasm, resolved that it should be repealed on a Friday, but found it necessary to annul that vote on the fol lowing Monday. If the house agreed to the motion of his noble friend; there would be no other course than retractation and repentance. It was his great desire to preserve parlia ment from the charge of vacillation and inconsistency. Ile was told there was no hope of keeping on the malt tax—he had beeu informed so—many members were pledged to its repeal— .....alnuahey must vote for its abolition. But his uniform ati•ewer was, that he could not believe that men, having heard the delihe , rations in that house, would be influenced by any other consi deration than an attention to the interests of their country. (Hear.) He was so sure that, with a mere surplus of £250,000, they would never think of taking off the malt tax without a proper substitute, that he could not believe those who told him he must despair of' a majority, or that the house would sanction so rash and dangerous a measure. (Hear, hear.) He still retained that hope; but whatever might be the determination of the house, it was enough for him to have stated his views; but if the house chose to reject them, lie would leave them sub ject to the responsibility of the consequences. (The right lion. baronet resumed Isis seat amid loud and continued cheering from all parts of the house, which lasted fur some time after he had sat clown.) Mr. COnBETT complained that the right hon. baronet had endeavoured to scare the people by the insinuation whiCh, he had thrown out of leaving them to themselves if the motion of the noble marquis was carried. Lord NoiluEys was afraid many who would vote for the motion of the noble lord, ptofessing themselves friends of the landed interest, would turn round upon him, and make the repeal of the malt tax a ground for repealing the corn laws, There had been a notice of motion given for the 23d of very great importance, and if ever there was a time when it was necessary that there should he union amongst the friend§ of government, and that they should consider it essentially im portant to avoid a division, this was that period. Mr. BENET spoke at considerable length, and concluded by saying that he could not, as an honest man and a faithful re presentative, do otherwise than support the resolution of his uoble friend. (Hear, hear.) Mr. C. Wool) was prepared to give his Majesty's govern ment the support of an honourable and not a factious vote—a support such, he was happy to say, as had on a former occasion been giueu to the late administration, much to his credit amid honour, by the present chancellor of the exchequer. (Cheers.) But, of whatever materials the majority of the evening might be composed, he sincerely hoped and trusted the decision would be, not to spurt away so large an amount of revenue, but to take care that in the result they left unendangered and unimpaired the national faith and honour of thesouutry. (Loud cheers.) Sir EDWARD KNATCHBULI. spoke against the motion, and was followed by Mr. SeitiNG Ries, who animadverted upon the language used on a former occasion by Sir E. K. and Mr. Baring with reference 'to this question. • Ile concluded by say ing, whether in the government or out of it, he could entertain but one opinion of the members of that house—namely, that they would feel it as a paramount duty to maintain the national faith. (Hear, hear.) The members who followed in the debate were Mr. A. Baring, Mr. P. Thomson, Sir James Graham, Mr. R. Gordon, Mr. Hume, Mr. Giote, Mr. H. Fleetwood, Sir R. Gresley, Mr. Hall Dare, Mr. eurteis, and Mr. Trevor. The Marquis of CHANOO3, in reply, expressed his regret that any hon. member should deem his resolution unseasonable. If he had supposed that his right hon. friend would in his budget have given up either the whole or a part of this tax, he would not have brought his motion forward. If that motion were lost Ni.4.v.cn 13, to.night, he hoped that the country would see that he had-done' his duty, and that the failure was not his fault. (Hear, hear.) His right hon. friend had said that he bad exaggerated the quantity of malt consumed on a farm of ZU acres; but he had referred to a farmer from North Buckinghamshire, then in the house, who bad given him the account, and who had since stated that he was perfectly correct in his statement. (Hear, hear ) He expressed his surprise at the change of opinioh which be had that. night witnessed in the house. (Hear, bear.) He had a deep feeling of alarm lest all confidence in public men should be lost by it. (Cheers from the opposition.) If hon. gentlemen' could make promises and protessions on the husungs to their constituents, and then, when they appeared is. parliament, could change their sentiments and votes, the con stituency could no longer place that confidence in them which, ought to'be placed in them, and on which he believed the security of the country depended. (Cheers.) The house divided, when there appeared— For the resolution Agaiust it Majority against the resolution —l5B The announcement of this majority was received with loud cheers. On returning to the house we found .11 large body of mem bers collected round the table, listertingto some observations passing between Mr. Hume and Sir A Peel, no part of which it was possible for us to hear. Mr. llottnucx moved that the evidence taken before the 'Canada committee of the last session be laid on the table. Sir R. PEEL said he could not concede the motion, aria hoped that, as a committee was about to be sent but, in order to effect an amicable arrangement, the hon. member would with draw it. POST-OFFICE. Mr. WALLACE moved for a copy of a letter from the Com missioners of revenue inquiry to the treasury, in reply to the ob servations of the postmaster-general on their 23d -report; and R copy of the report of the late commissioners appointed to inquire into the management of the post-office. Sir T. FREMANTLE requested the hon. member to postpone his motion; we could not hear the grounds. Mr. WALLACE said, that the letter had been laid on the table last session, but from some reason it had not been produced in sufficient time to be printed, and he had procured two copies to, be made at his own expense, which were at the service of the house; and in deference to no post-master-gencral would-be withdraw - his motion. Sir R. PEEL recommended the hon. member to postpone the latter pall of his motion, as the subject was under the considera tion of a new commission. Mr. W A 1.1. ACE acceded. The rest of the motion was agreed to. Mr. l'asss put a question to Mr. Goulburn respecting two men who had been sentenced to death for highway robbery, though it had been understood that the law had been altered last session on this point. Mr. GOUI. 13 URN'S answer was inaudible. ' In answer to a question from Mr. Hums, Sir R. PEEL said that he could not undertake to 'make an declaration as to the probable surplus in the current year until the accounts were made up, and he could not see the ad vantage of ant'cipating fi nancial statements which it might be found necessary on a subsequent occasion to alter. The house adjourned at a quarter-past one o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS.—VEDNESDAY. The house met this day at a few minutes past four. Earl SPENCER took the oaths and his seat. The Earl of MULGHAVE presented a petition from the county of York against the factory bill. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. The Duke of RICH uo;n pre,ented thirty-three petitions from different places in York s hire, complaining of agricultural dis tress. GAOL ACT. Tho noble duke moved that. in the returns which had beea laid on the table, in . pursuance of an act entitled the gaol act, the schedules be printed. CHESTER CRINITHAL COURTS' RILL.. On the motion of the LORD CHANCELLOR, the Chester Cri minal courts' bill was read a seebnd time and committed. The house then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—WEDNESDAY. UNIVERSITY OF eAtIBRIDGE. Sir GEORGE CLERK moved for a new writ for the University of Cambridge, iu the room of the Right Hon. Charles Manner's Sutton, now Viscount Canterbury. Mr. HODGES presented a petition from the Medway "Ravigo - Lion Company, praying for leave to enlarge the powers of that company. Petitions were presented by Sir SAMUEL WHAL LEY, 11 ,!:: GUEST, Sir FRANCIS BURDETT, and Mr. SI NCLAIR; th a t of tuw latter prayed for protection to the church of Scotland. Capt. ALSAGEK brought in a bill to form a railway from Croydon to London. Mr. DANIEL WHITTLE HARO,Y -gave notice of a motion on the pension list for the 19th March. Mr. E. L. BULWER wished to know what the extent of the Easter vacation would be ? Sir • R. PEEL did not at present think it would exceed three or four days. EAST INDIA COMPANY. Mr. ROBINSON presented a petition from certain maritime officers of the East India Company, excluded frum the compen sation granted by the act 3 and 4of William IV, cap. EG. After a short debate the petition was ordered to lie on the table. NEW WRIT FOR THE COUNTY OF NOTTINGHAM. Colonel VERNON rose for the juirpose of moving that a nesr writ be issued for the northern division of the county of Not tingham, in the room of the late Lord Viscount Lumley, dos e Earl Scarborough. Before doing so, however, he wished state that the writ of summons had not been issued calling tb! noble peer to the upper house. (Hear, hear.) He was hou r, ' to state, however, that Lord Lumley had authorized him 0 apply for this writ, ho having applied for his own writ of sum' mons to the upper house ten da)s ago. It appeared that ill consequence of the late earl not having taken his seat in th e House of Lords, there was some difficulty relative to the issir log of it; but he should like to know from the speaker whetls the new writ could not now be issued ? He thought, howeve r ; 6.d "over talron cool ". House of Peers, and that for that reason some doubt might arise as to the legality of a new writ being issued on the coiisequ 4 e e , i .promotion of Lord Lumley to the House of L or ds, that ' tingham ought not on that account to be deprived of its repre sentative at this important period. The SPEAKER, as we understoodhim, observed thatit wasp (4 the usual practice of thisl6o years to issue writs for the purpobe l of elections, occasioned by the promotion of representatives t c ,: the upper house before the writ of summons itself was issu e ' s ' calling upon the peer to take his seat. But as to the partic ula A point to which the hun . gentleman alluded, in the case of Lo t ' Scarborough, he did not think this house was the most c ompe' tent to give a decision on the course which was to be pursued. _ Sir ROBERT PEEL conceived that the writ for the electi ovi r should not issue until the hoose had ascertained that the writ summons, calling the sitting member to the Upper house, ha been issued. They ought not, without having clearly aster tained that fact, admit a principle which might deprive an i l . l ' dividual of the privileges which he at present exercised of sit; tin{' in that house. Suppose, for instance, there was a contesteu claim to the title, by such a motion they might prejudice th e cluini 7 as the issuing of the writ would , be tantamount to an er g pression of their opinion upon and then, if the claim wal established, they might by their act deprive him of his seat b " that house. (Hear.) H e conce ived tnat they ought to refill to issue their writ until the w rit s ummons had been issued, se' he would beg leave to make a motion to that effect, if the ba l 'i member should render such a proceeding necessary. (Cries withdraw the motion.) Colonel VERNON said he Was entirely in the hands of th e house, but he considered that the cooduci of the late Lord Sc' borough ought not to prejudice the right of the present Pe er ' lie should not, however, press his motion as it appeared to b e the opinion of the Speaker and the house that it would b e against precedent. (Hear, hear.) He did not know what tim e ought to elapse before moving for a new writ—it was now a for t ; night since the death of Lord Scarborough. He would of' d press his motion—he would only pr o te s t a ga inst its being la' down as an indisputable doctrine that no writ should issue fr o "' , that house until a writ of summons had been issued from lh e other house. Sir R. PEEL said he had never wished to lay down an ind l/. putable rule—all that he did was to lay down one for his 0 , guidance. Perhaps the palish register might never be founu f and what right had they to deprive not only the noble lord his seat in that house, but to deprive the county of N ottingh,l; of its member, and that without any thing before them wh i t they could call good grounds for so_doing._ gr. After a few'Wordi from Mr. Wynn ? ' Dr, Lushiugtou, Rolfe and Lord John Russell, the motion was witudrawu. THE QUEEN. (From a correspondent of the Times.) be t Several years since, before any report was spread of t, Majesty the Queen's interfering in any affairs of goverritne!' two clergymen, deputed for the purpose, one of them belone s i to the established church, the other an eminent and influello dissenting clergyman, waited on the late worthy Air. Bart 0. , the confidential treasurer of the Queen, and requested to ',;l. before her Majesty a respectful solicitation frOm the directo rs, '„ an excellent and most useful charitable institution whic h r4 , QUOC II especially patronised and munificently Supported. "",..• purport of the solicitation was,, that her Majesty would be g 1;e ciouslv pleased to forward the object of obtaining a grant fo r t o instittit ion of a piece of ground (out of the crown lands, Rege t) ,,t, Park) for building an asylum for the charitable establishw e 'i a It was thought by the directors that this situation of the asyltk would be highly advantageous to the institution, and that, ; small a piece of ground as would suffice for building the a6r u might be obtained without diffi c ulty if her Majesty would sr a in favour of the petition. Mr. Barton laid the particulars before the Queen; and inj, subsequent interview with the two clergymen referred to, ported her Majesty's answer. He stat e d that the Queen 'd the warmest interest in favour of the charity, and he mentiq b le very strong proofs of this,—that her Majesty repeated in force be terms her peculiar attachment to it, adding that she wouid happy to serve it in any way in which she could promote its " et i terests within her own proper sphere of duty. But the Quf said that, however small a favour it might appear for a gran' o s be made only of a site for the proposal asylum, yet as, e 'o making such a grant bonged to a department of the ' government, her Majesty would on no account interfere in o' ' case; that it was her constant rule not to interfere at all in ` he r matter of government, but to confine herself strictly N.:l:bin own province. II ERA LDS OF ANCIENT Times.—These officers in early tJI had many active and dangerous duties to perform, sornetwt. being exposed in a manner by no means enviable. On the I'd tie field the royal standard was borne by them, they nurabe,rio the dead, exchanged prisoners, summoned cities and castle :0 surrender, and assisted in all capitulations. The last instilbe on record of a herald being dest:attbed to declare war is ic o , time of Louis Xlll. of France against the Cardinal 1015 131 . vernor of the Low Countries. Since that time the S o verell'hi of Europe have contented themselves with declaring war manifestoes. 10' CON SU M PT ION. —A young lady in the last stages of co lo i re tion was lately restored to her health by the following e lc ,;( 4 ordinary and accidental remedy. She had long been attelYoo by the faculty, but derived no benefit from their prescliPilocto and considered herself verging to the end of her existe when she retired during the summer to a vale in the c 0 ON with the intention to wait in solitude the hour of her dissolu, l ; o i While in that situation, it was her custom to rise as W l ' of the malady would permit, and contemplate the beautie s be t nature and the wonderful works of God from her chOthe window, from which she observed a dog belonging t 0 0 0 house, with scarcely any flesh on his bones, constantly lick the dew of a camomile bed in the gat den, in doing % / ov er the animal was noticed to alter in appearance, to rec strength, and, finally, to look plump and well. The singullipal of the circumstance a vs impressed strongly on the lady's 't o e and induced her to try what effect might be produced by 1 0 jet ing the dog's example. She accotdiugly procured the 4 ,0 from the same bed of camomile, drank a small quant it not morning, and after continuing it some tone experience ° 0; relief; her appetite became regular, and she found a rel. ° spirits, and in the end was completely cured,