The Express.
London, England, 1847-11-16 00:00:00

Young Oxford" should be preserved from contami-
nation, and even the statutes were violated, in the
eagerness which was felt to guard against heresy in
high places. Three or four years, however, passed,
and circumstances had altogether changed. Ortho-
doxy, under the pressure of the tractarian innovators,
found itself on the point of falling over on the other
side. Dr. HAMPDEN, though he had been put ander the
ban of the united religious parties, was more especially
obnoxious to the followers of Dr. Pt sey and Mr. New-
MAN. On the base of communes inimiciti& against the
trsctarians the alleged heretic was pardoned, and those
who bad most fiercely voted against him as an anti-
churchman most eagerly forwarded his restoration to
university rights, when he had become identified
with hostility to Puseyism. This is, we presume, the
reason of the silence of the Standard, and this will
prevent any united or popular protest against the
appointment of the Bishop of Hereford. The Uni-
versity of Oxford must at any rate rejoice—that part
of it which supporta Dr. HAMPDEN in his success,
and the remainder in the hope of a more authentic
professor of divinity.
By the death of the Archbishop of YORK, a sum,
amounting, we believe, to 9,0001. a year, is placed at
the disposal of the ecclesiastical commissioners.
Their revenues would have been further increased by
the appointment of the Bishop of LONDON to YORK,
and the consequent vacancy of his present see. It
was, however, hardly to be expected, even if the offer
had been made, that a step in rank would induce the
bishop to accept a smaller income than that which he
at present , and a situation of perhaps lees
influence. Ve are not sorry that the offer was with-
held—Dr. BLOXIFIELD has, we think, no just claim to
any honour or reward beyond those which he has long
enjoyed.

AMIDST the congratulations naturally excited by
the gradually improving tone of the reports of the
great markets of Lancashire, there is one serious
drawback, and one important element of alloy, which
still creates anxiety and excites our deepest com-
miseration. We learn with the liveliest satisfaction
that among the leading merchants and manufacturers
of the great county palatine there is more confidence,
and many symptoms of returning prosperity. But it
must be confessed that this improved cheerfulness on
the one hand is almost more than neutralised by the
deepening gloom, which appears to be overtaking the
middle and lower ranks of that great commercial
community. The merchant is relieved, but dis-
tree' and insolvency are making . lamentable
havoc among the toiling and anxious trades-
people and shopkeepers, whose fortunes rise and
fall with the vicissitudes in the condition of the
labouring and artisan population. The wholesale
suspension of railway works has cat off the resources
of hundreds of families, and the sudden cessa-
tion
of the immense weekly expenditure of these
persons is exhibiting itself, we fear, in the shape of
engagements unmet, rents unpaid, creditors disap-
pointed, bailiffs on the alert, and all the other bitter
and afflicting indications, that a great and sudden re-
verse of fortune has fallen upon the poorer classes of
a whole district.
It is impossible to contemplate the mental anguish
and the physical suffering which, under any
circumstances, must be inseparable from such a
calamity, without recurring with an anxiety
whetted by every emotion of sympathy and solicitude
to the consideration of the argument which affirms
that our only, hope of ultimate deliverance is to be
found in an inflexible and sweeping discontinuance of
an expenditure on railways, which for so long a period
has been proceeding at a rate in excess of our resources.
The events which are passing on every hand urge us
more than ever to scrutinies the grounds and defences
of this doctrine with a most inquisitive scepticism. Is it
really trite that our labouring classes are being re-
duced to the condition of paupers, because the nation
is emphatically so near the brink of beggary that it
can no longer afford to Snd them employment ? The
magnitude of the interests at stake demands most im-
peratively that this question should be sifted to
the bottom before it is permitted to accelerate
the diffusion of a distress, which every man must
deplore. For our part, we totally disbelieve
in the dismal tenet of national poverty which
during the last few months appears to have
acquired many of the advantages or disadvantages
which appertain to a fashionable opinion. We do
not think that our spare capital is exhausted, and
that the policy of the country is reduced to the naked
form of a simple alternative, which places us in the
dilemma of ()easing to be merchants and manufac-
turers, and becoming railway contractors ; or of ceas-
ing to be railway contractors, and continuing to be
merchants and manufacturers. At the same time
we are not so simple as to suppose that
the question is not one of degree. We are
not possessed with the notion that the process of rail-
way expenditure is so purely a matter of mere trans-
position of capital, that, for aught that appears to the
contrary, it would be as practicable to indulge our-
selves with a hundred thousand as with ten thousand
miles of additional railway communication. We are
perfectly conscious that money spent in earthworks
and locomotives cannot also be spent in hardware or
house-room. And we are perfectly clear that beyond
a certain point the nation can no more go on making
railways and maintaining its previous extent of trade
and industry, than even the conjuror at ASTLEY'S
can be in two distant places at the same identical
moment. The whole question turns upon this saving
clause, " beyond a certain point." Where is this
point, and what is the evidence that we have already
got most decidedly beyond it?
The current hypothesis conceives that the question
was most conclusively answered by a simple reference
to the rate of interest, and the state of the money
market. " What," it is demanded, would you have
plainer? Interest at 8 per cent., and no money. to be
had, are evidences, sorely, of the most convincing
kind." We are not sure of this, and we will endea-
vour to give a reason for our hesitation. In the
first place, there was no difficulty in the money
market, and bo important rise in the rate of interest,
until, by the events which date their commencement
from the autumn of 1846, the element of apprehen-
sion and distrust was introduced into the problem.
There was an enormous railway expenditure taking
_ _ . .- of

plate in 1844, 1845, and the early part
1848—an expenditure, we have reason to be-
lieve, much greater than is indicated by the
mere numerical amount of the calls at that time
made, and there was also a healthy and average
degree of activity in nearly all branches of trade
during the whole of these years, bat more particu-
larly in 1844 and 1845. But the rate of interest, in
the face of these large and full demands for capital,
did not exhibit any important rise, as long as the
temper of the market remained so free from extraneous
disturbance as to render the market price of money a
fair expression of the actual relation existing between
the supply and the demand. There was, on the con-
trary, a marked tendency to a decline in the rate of
interest through the whole of the summer of 1846,
and when the first alarm was excited, in the autumn
of that year, by the retrograde movement of the
foreign exchange, the rate of discount on first-
class paper was under 3 per cent. per annum—
in many instances, we believe, considerably under
3 per cent Then came the apprehensions inseparable
from a large import of corn, or lamentably deficient
cotton crop, a famine in Ireland, politicil disquie-
tudes and misunderstandings on the continent, a for-
midable drain of bullion, and short intervals of acute
internal alarm. Under the stimulus of such excite-

ments, the rate of interest was naturally subject to
the most violent disturbance. Bat it would be an
abuse of language to say, that for any single month I
since October, 1846, there has been so complete a re-
iteration of quiescent feeling as to render the rates of
Lombard-street a fair index of the relation between
the quantity of capital in the country and the appli-
cations for its use. It would be just as reasonable to
contend that the incoherent alarms of a man suffering
from a paroxysm of fever, are the just measure of the
dangers to which he is actually exposed.
If there is every reason to believe that in Sep-
tember, 1846—just about twelve months ago—the
natural price of capital was less than three per cent.,
the next obvious question is io ask, whether the ex-
penditure or the losses of the country since that time
have been so prodigious as to fully account for an
elevation in the rate of interest so perfectly astounding
as from 2; to 8 per cent.? We have no desire to
blink any single item of fact or seasoning that can
be alleged on behalf of the affirmatin.,
proposition ; but we take leave to thin!
after reckoning up the utmost farthing
Irish loan, the cost of corn, the r
of the railway calls, the sale of railway
and the eleemosynary contributions towards
viatiou of Scotch and Irish distress, and "

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 16, 1847.

ins Field-marshal Guninero from the captain-
ship of Burgos, and appointing Field-marshal
Francisco Fulgosio in his place.
A report was circulated at the Bourse that the
Minister of Finances had reed; private letters,
however, positively contradict this, and affirm, on the
contrary, that the minister was negotiating with the
Bank of St. Ferdinand a contract for the payment of
the December dividends.
The letter of our own correspondent, which will be
found below, discloses a curious net-work of palace
and cabinet intrigues, and presents a very
characteristic picture of the court and cabinet of
Madrid.

Dake of Gar and Prince of Anions se vioe-presidents. The
appointments of Pavia as Captain-General of Catalonia, In
the place of Concha dismissed, and of Fulgosio as Captain.
General of Burgos, in the pines of Caminero dismissed, are
likewise announced officially in the same paper.
Andres Boerego is to be appointed amberador either to
Switzerland or the United States of America.
The Fomento Bank not being able to complete their quick-
silver contracts with the government, the latter have applied
to the Bank of San Fernando to take up the contract. But
it is said that the bank wants to make, as a condition, the
renewal of the old contract it entered into with Mon for
collecting the revenue.
The Erpelador, which disappeared on the 15th October,
came up agem yesterday with very pale and mild articles,
contrasting singularly with its late fiery vehemence; a
change for the rest easily accounted for by the remodelling
of the old editorial phalanx.

Advice, from Berne have arrived to the evening of 1
the 10th, and from Lugano, in the canton of Tessin°,
to the morning of the 7th. No movement of import-
ance
had taken place. The Vaudois troops were to
have occupied the districts of Rue, Romont, and Billie
on the 10th. In these districts the Federal party
predominates, and no opposition was expected. The
Bernese troops were to have occupied Morat, another
protestant district of Friburg ,and to have established
communications with the other divisions of the Fede-
ral army. It was expected that on the 11th the
Federal army would have encircled the city of Fri-
burg, and that the attack upon it would be com-
menced simultaneously at four points. The catholic
cantons of St. Gall, the Grisons, and Argau are re-
ported to have evinced the most favourable disposi-
tions towards the Federal cause.

Letters from Bale, of the 12th, say that the bridge
over the Reuss, near Sins, has been broken and
mounted with palisades.

MADRID, Nov, 8.
The Into ministerial crisis, which has terminated
in the dismissal of Cordova and Rot de (nano from the
cabinet, in the expulsion of General Male to the wilds of
Estremadura, in the displacement of the Conches and a
crowd of other functionaries, whose moderado principles
were tinctured with liberalism, seems to have mystified
everybody. No sooner had the Gazette of the 4th appeared
than the Faro and Popular violently assailed the two
generals dismissed from the ministry. But what was the
surprise of all the world when the Heraklo of the 6th, ad-
dressing itself to the Portiar of the preceding evening, re-
commended its co-religionist to rectify its erroneous state-
ments and show greater respect to the decorum of the
moderado party; adding, that, so far were the two generals
in question from having been implicated in the attempt
to upset the ministry, the government had high re-
wards in store for their valuable services. In fact, the
Gazette of yesterday announced the promotion of Cordova
to the sank of licutenant-general, and his decoration with
the Grand Cross of Charles 111. In addition to these
honours, he is to be made senator. Ron de Olano, in the
same official paper, is appointed to succeed Ayllon as ambas-
sador at Lisbon. The Herald° adds : " The modification of
the ministry had no design beyond making the cabinet more
compact, and enabling it to present itself to the Cortes with-
out any responsibility relative to the acts which took place
before its elevation.

MALTA, Nov. 4.
The French steamer, Longsor, which arrived on the
2nd from Alexandria, brought Sir Charles Napier, late Go-
vernor of &lode, and family. They will remain here for
pratique. There has been almost a mutiny in some of the
ships of the squadron now In harbour—the Rodney and
Superb especially. The report is, that the commander bad
given an order to put a stop to all smoking in the ship. This
exasperated the crew so much, that they swore they would
smoke ; they arose in a body, threw the mess traps about
the ship, and acted in • meet mutinous manner. Finding
that the efforts of the officers to restore order were ineffectual,
the captain ordered the marines to arm and muster on the
quarter-deck : this order is stated to have been very re-
luctantly obeyed. The ship was at length restored to some-
thing like its former state of discipline. All this has arisen
out of the orders from Sir IVilliam Parker, the commander
in chief, that smoking is not to be permitted on
board her Majesty's ships of war. It is said that
before an officer can join the Hibernia, the flag
ship, he must give his word of honour that he will not
smoke. I have heard that the only reason given by Ad-
mind Parker (if admirals ever give reasons) for this order
is, that smoking leads to drinking ! It is to be hoped that
the assertion is not founded upon experience. It is to be
hoped that the Admiralty will issue some explicit orders re-
specting smoking, if it is to be included under the articles of
war, that when seamen enter for the future they may under-
stand the pains and penalties under which they serve. When
some officers of a French steamer here heard of the occasion
of the disturbance, they puffed their cigars, turned up their
eyes, shrugged up their shoulders, and exclaimed, "
IsCse de service !"
. . .

Admiral Parker gives the captains a dinner to-morrow.
The ships will put to sea on Saturday, but not leave the
vicinity of the island until Monday, after the arrival of the
French packet from Marseilles.

BELGIUM.—POTSONING BY A MESMERIC PRAC-
TITIONZIL.—The subject of animal magnetism is about to
come before n criminal court of law in Belgium, in reference
to a charge of manslaughter against a mesmeric practitioner,
hlndemwselle W., who professed to discover, by mesmerism,
inward diseases and their remedies. This woman prescribed,
while in a mesmeric trance, a certain medicine compound for
one of her patients at Antwerp. The prescription was made
up and taken according. to order, and the patient died very
shortly afterwards, obviously from the effects of some very
active poison. The woman is to he tried for the crime. It
appears to be rather against clairvoyance, that, while the
mesmerist professed to have power of detecting inward dis-
ease, she was unable to foresee that her medicine would infal-
libly destroy the life of her patient.—Medical Gazette.
TURKEY.—CoNsrAwriNorLE, Ocr. 26. The
cholera has broken out severely at Constantinople. The
following are extra:to from the report of the quarantine
authorities :—" A case of cholera morbus took place in this
city on the 24th instant. The person attacked was a domestic
—he died on the following day." Letters from Trebizood
state that the cholera has disappeared from that town. At
Erzeroum it had also ceased. The disappearance of the
cholera from both these places is attributed to the severe
cold which has already commenced in that part of the
empire. Besides the case mentioned in the above note, there
have been since two others equally fetal. The Greek govern-
ment demanded the intervention of Prince Metternich for
the settlement of the Turco-Greek question. Lstely King
Otho addressed a note on the same subject to the Emperor
of Russia; and by the last accounts from Athens we find
that the Greek government have demanded the intervention
of the five great powers. The Porte is totally indifferent to
all the chopping and changing and vulgar intrigues which,
during the whole of this question, have marked the conduct
of the Greek cabinet, provided'the satisfaction it demands be
accorded.

With respect to this article, the Clamor, which seems at
present to posies. mysterious views of intelligence in all
quarters, observes: " The history of this disgraceful and
puerile retractation of the Heraldo deserves to be made
public. On the 4th and sth an active correspondence took
place between Senores Names, Cordova, and Roe de
Olano, in which significant threats and reproaches were in-
terchanged. The last of these persons, full of spite,
in consequence of the trick played him, announced
that he sae going to publish the whole of what
had occurred before the accession of Cien. Narvaez to power.
The friends of the latter, dreading the scandal that would
result from so indiscreet a revelation, had to mediate in the
business ; and at last, on the evening of the sth, it was
arranged that the government, by means of its organ, the
Ileraldo, should give the ridiculous satisfaction alluded to,
to Generals Cordova and Rol de Olano. Besides this, the
first was appointed senator, and decorated with the grand
cross of Charles 111. ; and the second was named ambassa-
dor to Portugal, ten thousand dollars being assigned to him
for travelling expenses, and twenty thousand to furnish the
house of his excellency at Lisbon. Nevertheless, it appears
that these gentlemen are not yet satisfied, and persist in
their intention of issuing a manifesto upon the camarilla
intrigues we have lately witnessed."
The Popular apparently has not changed its conviction of
the guilt of the two ex.ministers, but refrains from fur-
ther remarks in deference to the Heraldo's hint about
party decorum. The Espeflador of to-dsy doubts the authen-
ticity of the Clamor's version, lad gives one of its own in the
following words: " We hear that two moderado personages
(Salamanca and Escosura are doubtless meant) had an inter-
view with the Queen, in which they presented a list of new
ministers, with General Alain at their head. These two
persons assured her Majesty that Cordova and Roe de Olano
approved of the list that various illustrious moderado ge-
nerals in active service offered their co-operation with the
cabinet proposed; and, finally, that General Alaix con-
sented with alacrity to assume the part assigned to him.
But the real truth is, that the two ministers, afterwards
dismissed, had no knowledge of the affair whatever; nei-
ther had the moderado generals any finger in the business ;
nor, finally, had General Alaix agreed to lend his support.
On the contrary, this distinguished progresista, when con-
sulted upon the use, answered with the same noble words
which he has printed in his representation, that he
would never accept office without the legitimate con-
ditions of the representative government; that the
clandestine means, which had been put in play to
form the late ministries should never be adopted by him
to climb into a post of which be deemed himself not un-
worthy ; and lastly, that if he were destined to become
minister, he desired to be as in the face of the country, in
the light of the sun, without treachery as without fear.
However, it appears that the Queen, et the moment when
she communicated the plot to Narsaez, was ignorant how
much truth or falsehood there might be in the assigned
basis of the projected cabinet; and the government being
equally in the dark, in the precipitation, to a certain extent
necessary, of its preventive measures, could not make the
necessary distinction between innocent and guilty. After it
knew the truth it hastened to make thy reparations due to
the ianoeent. It remains that justice should be done to the
loyal conduct of General Alaix, by restoring him to his
former position."
Such are the irreconcileable suppositions of the press with
regard to this mysterious business. I am able to inform you,
on the best possible authority, that the denunciation of this
attempt to form a new ministry did not originate with the
Queen, and that the treacherous conduct assigned to her as
honourable and praiseworthy by the Popular of the sth, in
betraying to Harries voluntarily the names and designs of
the persons at work in undermining his power, and impli-
citly confirmed by the language of the Espeelador, has no
foundation whatever in truth. It was riot the Queen, but
another person who denounced the plot to the Duke of
Valencia. When the alarm was given both the President of
the Council and the Queen Mother repaired to the palace on
the night of the 3rd, aad employed all the resources in their
power to pump the secret out of her.

Ma. PEEL.—Sir,—ln your number of the 2nd of
this month you think it worth your while to produce a pro-
minent article on the present unsettled state of Switzerland,
in conjunction with which you are pleased to lament, as you
say, the want of an efficient representative from the British
government to the Swiss confederation, and add some sweep-
ing remarks (not over flattering) upon the gentleman at pre-
' sent resident here as charge d'affarres—Mr. Peel. Much as
I admire your very able and generally Impartial paper, I
must be excused if I confess that in the present instance it is
too palpable nut to perceive that your columns have been
abused by an admission therein of a eta'ement far from true,
'rising, perhaps, rather from ignorance than malevolence ;
but unworthy of such a channel be the origin what it may.
Whatever other faults Lord Palmerston may have, he is nut
a man to risk the ruin of his political plans by allowing in-
competent agents to be retained in any important post (and
surely Switzerland at the present moment may be considered
one) even to oblige his best friend. And whoever knows
anything of Sir It. Peel will feel convinced that to compli
meat him at such a price would be neither very flattering
nor acceptable, even though the professed object be the tem-
porary advancement of his own son. I say temporary, be-
cause Mr. Peel is not the resident minister, but simply the
charge d'affaires. Under such circumstances, in what,
it may naturally be inquired, is Mr. Peel so glaringly
deficient u to make his being suspended necessary,
or desirable ? Surely not his want of age, as some have ab-
surdly advanced ; for, if at 27 or 23 years of age he be not
able to judge and act both dispassionately and correctly,
when may he be expected to do so ? Surely not his want of
initiatory experience, for he has had both tune and opportu-
nity, at horse and abroad, to gain knowledge, and he has
neglected neither. And if it appear otherwise, may it not
be that the necessity of action has been wanting, or his self-
elected judges prevented proper opportunities of proving
their opinions ? To those who have closely watched
his career since his entrance on his present responsible
post (and these have been neither few nor altogether
friendly parties), it has rather been a source of great marvel
that he has, with so much decision and assiduity, coped with
a position alike trying and difficult, as well from its reality as
its novelty. And many are beginning now to find out, and
some of them tardily to acknowledge, that they little ex-
pected from one apparently only a man of fashion'an energy,
promptness, and clearaightednese belonging only to a man
of business. To those who have seen him only in the street,
or the salon, he appears the one—but to those who see him
in his chancelline,or study,engroased for eight and ten hours
a day in the work of his mission, giving his usual meal time.
only a few momenta' attention, he is known in the latter,
his real character, and he stands confessed as one who feels
and knows that he has no ordinary work in band. By many
of the "patrician" party in this " republic " (if you can
understand this apparent contradiction) he is blamed in no
very measured terms, as being too friendly with the radical
party, and especially its head the President of the Vorort ;
but they seem to forget that her Britannic Majesty's charge
d'affaires is accredited to the members of the Swiss Confe-
deration as the recognised members of the government,
and that it is in such a capacity he meets them, and not
u private individuals only. If these men in power
pro tent, are not worthy or desirable rulers, let the people
who elected them, and the country who permits their conti-
nuance in office, be blamed, and not our government, or its
representative. On the other hand, the radical party view
with no little displeasure, and perhaps jealousy, his intimacy
with the most influential members of the co tive body
but let them remember that he is bound, both in his public
capacity as the British representative, in me, and in his pri-
vate character as an English gentleman, to be polite and
easy of access to all, and that their differences of opinion
neither could nor ought to influence him in his acts of cour-
tesy. To assert that he has not an influence with either or
both of these parties is to state that which is not correct, and
nothing can more fully prove the reverse than the fact of
the desire both parties have to make it appear to the public
that they stand well with him. To those who are not well
acquainted with the Swiss character, and the extensive sad
powerful local dissentions and jealousies which exist (in-
creased tenfold at the present moment), it would be hard to
realise the greatness of the task, equalled only by it; neces-
sity, of walking evenly and wisely in the crooked path of
diplomacy. To those who are, and have had an opportunity
of judging, if they are honest and unprejudiced they will
confess that few older or more experienced diplomatists could
have trod it more carefully—scarcely env of his contempo-
raries in offices(' much 10.-0118ERVER.—Berne, Nov. 6.

The severe form of exoneration applied to the dismissal of
Cordova and Res, instead of allowing voluntary resignation
of office, proves that the government was at first satisfied of
their guilt. Let no one suppose that the conscience of the
hero of Ardor is so tenderly composed, that the posterior
fact of their innocence being rendered plausible (for it could
not possibly be proved) would have stimulated him to the
generous compensation of promotions, embassies, and MOO.
it is merely rational to suppose that some solid service was
bought by these presents, probably silence, as the Clamor
Mater.

In the meantime, the chief pert in a plot, whose pro-
gramme was to open with the murder of Names, having
been attributed to Mr. Bulwer, our ambassador lost
no time in seeking an interview with the Duke et
Sotomayor, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Ba-
wer had no need to employ the emphatic lan-
guage of indignation with a civilised Spaniard, who
had represented his country in England. to repudiate so
ridiculous a charge as his being implicated in a scheme te
assassinate the president of the council. As to the co-opera-
tion assigned to him with Salamanca In the reeant attempt,
if any had been made, to subvert the ministry, a suspicion was grounded, as be believed, open their both having
been three days in Arenjues at the same time during the
last week; he could assure the duke that he had not even
seen the ex-minister of finance during his stay in the country.
At the same time if he disapproved of the conduct pursued
by ber Majesty's ministers he should always reserve to him-
self the right of supporting her Majesty in the cue in which
she should think proper to change her advisers; and that if
he observed any attempt on the part of the present ministry
to debar her Majesty from exercising her prerogative in the
free choice of her servants, he should certainly conceive it
his duty jo support her Majesty in the vindication
of her conllstational right. The Duke of Sotomayor stated
in reply that he *omitted Mr. Bulwer entirely of any
designs such as were imputed to him by the l'opular and
assured him that no attempt whatever would be made by
the present ministers to curb or control her Majesty iti the
free exercise of her preregative, as far as the nomination of
ministers or other servants of the crown was concerned; nor
to debar their political opponents from due &CCM to the
Queen. Mr. Bulwer was satisfied with them explanations.
Those who appear to regret that our diplomacy in Spain
should be one-aided, and that the interests of England
should be bound up in this country exclusively with the
cause of the progresistas, may satisfy themselves by reading
the Eco of Saturday (6th) that our ambassador is by no
means a partisan. The clearest proof of hp impartiality is
getting abuse from both aides. The Eco del Comereio has
caught up the cry of the Faro, and suddenly discharges a
torrent of reproaehes against Mr. Bulwer, without assigning
the least motive. It calls his diplomacy " ridiculous, de-
testable, useless, and base." In a succeeding letter I shall
attempt to explain the reasons, which the Eco withholds, for
this sally of rage.
I hear that the place of Minister of Public Instruction
has been offered to Phial, but declined by him; doubtless,
because the ministry of finance Is denied to his inseparable
cousin, Mon. The F-wrador states, that at a late hour last
night reports prevailed that Orlando had been replaced by
Mon. tti.

REMOVAL OP TuastistEs.—Last night a very nu-
merous meeting of the inhabitants of the Caledonian road,
Islington, and vicinity, took place at the Duke of Richmond
Tavern, Caledonian-road, for the purpose of adopting mea-
sures for the removal of the turnpikes in that loeslity; Mr. J.
Vousley presided. The Caledonian-road turnpike was, it ap-
peared, established under 6 Goo. IV., by gentlemen holding
property in the vicinity ; but the tolls had been very unproduc-
tive, while the road has remained in a woeful state of rep dr.
It was suggested that there would be no difficulty in getting
the read into the hands of the parish, and of thereby abolish-
ing the toll-gates, and rendering the Caledonian-road (u it
should be) one of the principal thoroughfares from the west-
end of London to Highgate. After a brief discussion, reso-
lutions in furtherance of the objects of the meeting, including
that for the appointment of a committee, were unanimously
canted, the proceedings closing with a vote of thanks to the
chairman.

THE ALDERMEN AND THEIR Nf AGir,TERIAL DUTIES.
—9ir.—Eurinese at the Guildhall polite-court did not commence yes-
terday until after I Oslo*, being without an alderman. This Is of
frequent oecurrcnee. to the great annoyance of solicitors and parties
who have the misfortune to be obliged to attend the court. This
week it way Alderman Tbonthecsi's turn to attend; but, as isoftoa the
mss with him, be treated the note wttith it in sugaipps, to ihraim
with indifference. It has been mid that the reason be dose set it Is
on account of an affection of the beart,ond that any thelteeneittsidgbt

sympathised, but from some of the statements which bad
been made he must withhold his assent. The people of this
country, although taking such a lively interest in domestic
policy, were extremely ignorant of the internal state, feel.
Ingo, and opinions of foreign countries. The object of the
International League was to remedy that ignorance, to maks
the nation of the world know each other better, and thus to
bind all in one eternal bond of brotherhood and pellet.
While expressing his dissent from some of the statements
which had been made, he must at the same time ustify kit
cordial concurrence in the observations of his friend Col.
Thompson, respecting the present flagitious war in Mexico.
(Cheers.) The real object of that war was wholly distinct
from the ostensible one—the real object wsa the extension of
slavery over the whale continent of America. (Hear, hear.)
The policy of the United States was the extension of
personal slavery, and they would never cease until they
had spread it from the Frozen Ocean to the Gulf
of Panama. He knew that the invasion of Mexico we, ite
sudden thought of the Americas government. Nineteen
years ago it was in contemplation, end the occupation of
Texas was merely a prelude to the conquest of the capital.
It wits the moat flagitious, unprovoked, and cruel aggression
ever avempted by a civilised people, and the end to which it
must lead was the extension of penonal slavery over the
entire of the American continent. (Hear.) On this point
his mind was made up, and therefore he had given hie
opinion ; but with respect to other topics within the provisos
of the International League, he should reserve his opinion
until longer connection with that body had enabled him to
obtain further information.

Mr. LINToN seconded the retaliation, which was untai-
mously agreed to, after which thanks were voted to the
chairman, and the meeting broke up.

ANTI-GOLD LAW LEAGUE.
The sixth public meeting of this body was held
last evening at the London Coffee-house, Ludgate-hill, sod
was very respectably attended. The chair was occupied, so
on former occasions, by Mr. Fres. Bennoch, the chairman of
the league.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, remarked On
the importance of the subject. It was a material question
whether the circulating medium should possess antri •
value or not. The league held this unnecessary; other,
thought that the circulating medium ought to be an article
of value, and therefore preferred gold. The objectiou to
gold were that, by the other uses to which it was applied, it
I was liable to be withdrawn or secreted, and could not con-
sequently be the standard of value. Some said it was the
only standard of value ; how was that value to he measured s
If in copper and silver, their value moot be ascertained by
the amount of labour which they condensed; and the MS
was true of gold. The fact of its being sometimes dear and
sometimes cheap, scarce or plentiful, proved that it could not
be a standard of value. Money was now ten times dearer
than it was eighteen months ago ; it was therefore a papa.
ble absurdity to talk of fixing the price of gold at 3/. 17s. 104 d.
the ounce. As well might a person attempt to plug up his
barometer to "set-fair." (Cheers.) In a country like
ours this was trebly absurd, inasmuch as it gave all the ad-
vantage to the foreigner, at the cost of the home producer.
Our home trade constituted six-sevenths of all our trade;
and if we bail no foreign trade, and consequently no geld,
our commerce would have been carried on without it. It
was only to balance foreign transactions that gold was
needed. (Hear, hear.) One of the greatest bUROCHS aver
presented to the public notice was the reiteration of the
statement, lay a leading jourosl, that there was a scarcity of
capital, because a certain amount of bullion had left the
country. It would be the most palpable absurdity to tactile
lice property to the extent of hundreds of millions, for the
sake of getting back the gold that had left us. Equally
absurd would it be to atop the mills, and throw thousands of
workmen on the poor rates, with the view of increasing the
country's wealth. What the league recommended was a simple
currency based on the security of the crown, valueless in
itself, but a legal tender. In all the distresses of this country,
a paper currency had had to be resorted to. It was used at
present in Russia, where there was an accumulation of 50
millions of gold in the emperor's cellars. The autocrat let
us have a million or Owe now and then ; but if the present
system went on ten or twenty years longer, England and
}ranee would be completely at the beck of the autocrat of
the north. Suppose that he had ten millions in our funds,
—a mere trifle to him—he could depress them to any price
at his pleasure. (Hear.) It was impossible to resolve all our
transactions into gold ; for there was not enough in the
world to pay our national debt, nor enough in the country
to pay the interest of it for one year. (Hear.) On Satur-
day morning, the Times had announced that the panic was
past, and warned the public to beware of railways in fixture.
Scarcely was the ink of that statement dry,before the public
had been startled by the announcement of the failure of the
largest colonial broker in the world. (Hear, hear.) A
statement had been put forth showing that of twenty homes
which had failed, they were only able to pay, on the average,
13s. 6d. in the pound ; recollecting that colonial produce
had recently fallen from 30 to i 5 per cent, it was evident
that these men would, wider other circumstances, have been
able to pay 25e. in the pound. (Hear.) Ile rejoiced to
know that a large majority of the public press was with the
league on this question; and the sophistical statistics of the
Times might safely be left to be dealt with by them. f Hear.)
Mr. Carers, the secretary of the league, explained the
evils remitting to our foreign transactions from the present
system of currency. He contended that we had parted with
much more than we had received, estimating rightly the
value of our exports and imports. This had bees the ease
in every year from 1810 to 1843, especially since
the close of the war ; and so long as our exports
had gone on increasing, it was supposed that we were doing
" a roaring trade." It was imagined that the excess of the
exports over the imports was balanced by a payment of gold
and silver. Had this been the case, there would now have
been 1,000 millions of gold in the country, or about 250
sovereigns for each house of every class! (Hear.) Even in
the houses in Belgmve-square or Portland-place. probably in
not one in five was there '2501. in gold. Then the difference
between official and declared value had been urged as ex-
plaining the excess of exports over imports ; but if they were
both measured by the same scale, where was the difference?
It was true the official value had been fixed by the govern-
ment in 1696-150 years ago ; but owing to the extremely
mystified way in whisks the public accounts were kept, it was
difficult to institute any comparison at all. Mr. Porter, and
others of the Board of Trade, said the official value was too
high ; abut this had not been the case until the passing of the
Act of 1819 : in fact, the official value before that time was
not high enough. But the moment Peel's bill came into
operation the scale turned ; the year after the declared value
fell below the official value by two millions: this difference
had increased, until, in 1842, the official exceeded the de-
clared value by 53 millions. This was placed in a more
striking point of view, by the fact that, in 1814, the value of
53 million pounds of cotton manufactured was 20 million
sterling; while, in 1834, 201 millions only was received
for the manufacture of 308 millions of pounds of cotton. It
was said this was done without injury to the producers ; but
let any one attend to the distressed state of the manufacturing
districts, and he must be convinced that this was false. The
true reason why so great an amount of goods had to be sent
abroad was, because we unduly debased the price of gold,
keeping it at 31. lis. 104 d. the ounce; and thus the
foreigner was induced to take away our cheap gold in pre-
ference to any other goods. This fixed price of gold might
do with wheat at 4.55. a quarter, but so far from the value of
money being fixed, it had varied in the last 10 years from
an interest of 21 to 8 per cent. These fluctuations neces-
sarily caused corresponding and. opposite fluctuations in the
value of commodities; for if commercial men could not ob-
tain money for less than 8 per cent., they must part with
their goods at a sacrifice. When money was plentiful
goods fetched higher prices; the foreigner came here and
took advantage armlike high prices to sell his produce, and
finding that gold was the only article to be had here cheap
he would take that only in exchange. Out of about 1,000
foreign ships which had come here with good*, upwards of
600 had thus returned in ballast. Then the Bank, getting
alarmed at the gold leaving the country, put on the screw;
the price of commodities was thus reduced to the level of
the fixed price of gold, and in this way only could the gold
that had left us be got back. (Hear.) Other countries
were wiser than to act on such a principle. In America,
Russia, Prance, Austria, and other countries, the imports
bail exceeded the exports; and thus they took care to get
more than they parted with. (Cheers.)
Mr. CHISHOLM ANSTY, M.P., wished to express his warm
sympathy, and that of the country with which be was con-
nected, with this meeement. He felt that by so doing he
contributed his utmost to bring about a state of things
which would render impossible the recurrence of such a
condition as now prevailed in Ireland. Probably the chief
pert of Ireland's misery was due to imperial legislation on
the currency. (Cheers.) The two acts of 1819 and 1814, se
strenuously upheld by the bullionists, had been sufficiently
tested to enable the public to judge as to the propriety of
their continuance. Both these acts had been passed since
the legislative union. Where were the wealth and pros.
perity that had been promised Ireland at the union? Why
had she been subjected to an experiment which had an-
swered unfavourably in this country ? (Hear.) The we
of Ireland was more grievous than that of England. inas-
much as she was destitute of nearly all the resources of
England. Had England's condition been the same as that
of Ireland, the unfortunate bank charter of 1696 would not
have stood 20 years. Ireland was more dependent on Eng-
land for the means of employing and feeding her population
than were any of our colonial possessions, conrequealle
Ireland was affected in a tenfold degree by the causes from
which England suffered. Whatever might be the cause, it
was a fact that capital could only be invested in Ireland in
agriculture. Agriculture of all other occupations suffered most
severely from derangements of the currency, owing to the
fixedness of the capital, and the 'downer of the returns ; sad
the consequence was that agriculture was the last channel into
which capital wasdirected. There being no other employment
for the people in Ireland, the consequence was that out of eieht
millions three millions rose every morning not keen
where the day's food was to come from, and wages ranged
from 4d. to 7d. a day. (Hear.) Such was the state of Ire-
land under Sir R. Peel's laws, the price of the maintenance
of which might be said to he equal to the maintenance of
three millions of people. (Hear.) Another effect ,of thee
currency laws was to put a direct premium on absenteeism,
and to give the Irish landlord and creditor a positive induce-
ment to quit his country. Gold being sold on the conti-
nent at St and 61. an ounce, while its price here was fined at
104 d., a landlord was able to receive 61. or it in
lieu of 51. by residing abroad. (Hear, hear.) Mr.
Cargill, of Newcastle, a most extensive merchant, in a
pamphlet recently published, took the same view as Mr.
Capps, of the excess of our exports over imports, and showed
that many articles had been sold at less than the cost of their
production. This he knew to have been done in Australia.
in 1840 ; and whenever such calamities beret English mtg•
chants the effect was doubly felt in Ireland. All the bane-
ful consequences of the currency laws were there aggravated,
and the effect on the peasantry could not easily be' conceived.
He trusted, when the question came to be discussed in the
proper theatre, that there would be no shrinking back, no