The Express.
London, England, 1850-12-16 00:00:00

CAPE OF 0001) HOPE.

We have received papers from CYIXi Town and
Graham's Town to Sept. 7, both inclusive.
The Governor opened the sitting of the Legislative
Coarcil of the 6th by reeding the following minute :
LIONOORABLII 01INTLEMBN,—Ycni are news thatepne of
the principal objects tor erbica you have been now called to-
gether is to pass an ordinance or ordinances, which are to
form the beau of r new constitution for the government of
the colony, founded upon liberal principli a of popular repre-
sentation. .

This subject has long occupied • large share of the atten-
tion bid' of the colonists and of her Majesty's government,
and wee particularly urged upon the consideration both Cl
my immediate predecessor and myself, when we respectively
sleuthed the government.
13 tying been directed by the Secretary of State to re
port upon the &nese of the colony to receive represent.-
nee lostitutions, I called upon the principal officers of
the executive government, and the judge. of the Supreme
Court, to tarnish ma with their views of the matter;
and, in reply to this reference, I received • series of
minutes and memoranda; .hob, together with my own
opinion thereon, were tranernitted to the Secretary
of Sate in my despatch No. 109, of the 29th July, 1846.
Earl Ores's despatch, No. 276, of the 12th February,lB49,
in reply to the above, conveyed the decision of her Majesty's
government, that some form of representative legisteture
should be conferred upon the colony, but reserved the details
for further consideration.

These despatches, with the minutes and memoranda above
referred to, were, by my direction, laid upon the table of this
Council, on the 10,h July, 1849.
I have since received two despatches from Earl Grey on
the same subject: one (No. 440, of the 3lst January, 1830),
enclosing a report of the Committee of Privy Council for
Plantetious and Trade, laying down the general principles ot
the new constitution which her Majesty's government were
prepared to grant the colony ; the other (No. 488, of the
29.8 May, 1550) enclosing the Queen's letters patent,
founded upon the above report, and empowering this Coun-
cil to pass an ordinance or ordinances for constituting a par-
liament for this colony.
These despatches and their enclosures I now lay upon
your table.
The duty which this Council is thus required to under-
take is a moat important one; it is felt to be so throughout
the entire colony; and I am persuaded that it is unne-
cessary to commend it to your most earnest care end de-
liberation.
The letters patent to which I have already alluded ordain
that the parliament shall consist of the governor, an electee
Legislative Council, over which the chief justice of the
Supreme Court is ex officio to preside, and an elected
Legislative Assembly. Toe outline thus presented, it is lett
for the present Counc,l to fill up, subject to the approval of
her Moja y in privy canine I.
The following, then, appear to be the principal points to
which your at entice should be directed.
I. The qualithtsuon of electors of the Legislative Council.
2. The qualification of electors of the Fiepresentative As-
sembly.
3. The qualification of members of the Council.
4. Toe qu .'itication of members of the Assembly.
6. The number of members of the Council.

6. Tne number of member. of the Assembly.
7. The dutricis by which the members of each Chamber
shall respectively be returned.
e. The duration of the existence of the Counefl and the
Assembly (it being proviced by the lettere patent that the
µescrow may diesolve the entire parliament, or the A-sem-
bly only, ►t his discretion).
Upon these paints many important suggestions are con-
tained in the report of the Bard of Trade and Planta
Wine, which are not incorporated in the letters patent, it
Laving been evidently the object of her Majesty's govern-
ment to leave all details to be settled, as ler as possible, by
thou who have the advantages of local knowledge. The re•
port, however, which is a very able one, and has been drawn
up by statesmen of great experience, will not, on that ac-
count, be leu deserving of your most careful and attentive
coneideraticn. . .

It appears te me that it will be, on many Recoups% desir-
able that the ectum• of government which you have been
calved on to ma.tue *build accord, as tar m local dream
stances will allow, with the suggestions contaiced in this re-
port. By adopting this course we shall, as far as possible, en-
nuis the approval tat her Majesty's goverumcat, and thus ob-
viate delays which might other wise occur. 1 also have regard
to the circumstance that the general features of the plan see
forth by the board inviter to have i.ctived the approval,
I.y, both of the community at home who take an
merest in colonial politics and of the public hem. lam
well aware that local knowledge and experience will suggest
to you some indispensable alterations; but I only propose
that you should make the report the basis of your legislation.
Ab.ve all Wogs I would nave you remember that the
result ot your deliberations, be it what it may, will carry
greater weight, boyn with the government at home and with
the public lure, if it be arrived at unanimously. In the
discharge tat the great duty which you are called on to per-
form, I. know that you will be actuated only by public
motives, and by a desire to promote the interests of the um-
=unity at large. The constitution which you may establish,
with her Majesty's approval, will, like all constitutions, be
subject to such aturatims as future experience may prompt;
but it is not the lase essential that it should Irom the first be
made as perfect as pouible, and as accordant as may be with
the sentiments ot the people over whom its influence will
extend.

I therefore suggest to yon the expediency of obtaining re
complete a knowledge as passible of the views and wishes of
the public. You grill have observed that my despatch No.
Mt, with its enclosures—the minute. and memoranda above
referred to—was before the Board of Plantations and Trade
when they framed their report. The opinions of the colonial
public have nut, however, been under consideration, simply
because there was no official means of ascertaining them.
You will be in a position to supply this detect, and I doubt
not that it will be in accordance with plot own feelings to
do so.
I therefore propos that, should you concur with me in
this view, you should take into consideration the several
matters referred to you, and such others as it may appear
desirable to inquire tate, in committee of the whole Council,
which could tare the evidence, bath orally and in writing,
• of um persons se you may tnink best qualified to inform
you as to the feelings and wishes of the public. When this
evidence, tote titer with the report or report*, the committee,
has been presented to the Council, I shall be prepared to
perform my put by introducing an ordinance or ordinances
foui.sted upon such report or reports, for the consideration of
the Council. This course will be attended with the great
advantage that, in transmitting the ordinances for her
Majesty's approval, I shall be enabled to represent them as
the result of the detonation of the entire colony.
With these audgestions I leave the subject to your hands.
I do not now some forward with any definite measure; but
if the course which I pursue be attended with roam tempo.
rary delay, I Cope and believe that it is neverthelese calcu-
lated to secure 111 a greater amount of permanentgood.
The consideration which you are asked to bestow upon
this question, and the time which it will occupy, will not be
.

thrown away; for you cannot but feel the denser that would
attend an abrupt change of government, effected without
deliberation, al; the' wisdom of all laws consists in their
adaptation to the spirit of the society they are framed to rule.
Mr. Fairbairn read the following resolutions, ad-
dressed to him by the chairman of a public meeting
held at Graaff-Reinet, at which they were passed :
1. That it is the opinion of the meeting that in the
appointment of members of the Legislative Council of
this colony, his excellency the govetnor has not
sated in accordance with the government notice of the
6th May. 1850, inasmuch as from that notice the cola-
nista had a right to expect th ,t his excellen. y would
appoint those gentlemen who should be nominated for that
purpose by the greaten number of municipalities and
road boards in the colony, whereas his excellency has
now appointed ea one of the member, of the Legislative
Council, Mr. A. Qodlonton, the editor of the Graham's
Town Journal, who, it the summary of the nominations
published by him in Its paper of the 6th July, 1850, be cor-
rect, and the nominations by West Cowie and other places,
where there are no niunicipaitiell or road boards be struck
out therefrom, his been nominated far appointment to a seat
in the Legislative Council by a smaller number of municipa-
lities std road boards than Mr. J. J Meintjes.
2 That by the appointment of Mr. Godlonton to a seat la
the Legislative Council, in preference to Mr. Meintjes, who
was nominated by a greater number of road boards and
including Gra•ll-IVMet, injustice his been done to
Oraaff•Reinet and other interior districts of the colony,
whose interests have been thus postponed to those of Albany,
elready represented in Council by Mr. Cock.
3. That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded by the
chairman to Jobs Feirbidra, Esq., for the purpose of being
Mid before the Council.

It was at first proposed that the resolutions should
be received, but that course having been declared ir-
roguldr' they were withdrawn, the desired object
having been attained by the reading.
The Governor then said,
The next proposition I have to make to you is—a it ap-
pears you concur in my view that a committee of the whole
Council i. the
.best mode :of procedure, that you resolve
yourselves into a committee, end appoint one of youroelva
as chairman; and in so doing I recommend to you the
secretary to government. Gentlemen of the Council, you
are aware that the want of legislation hos compelled me
' to exercise en individual authority, which, however cheer-
fully I have done' for the bens it of this colony, the sooner
it is removed and the ordinary course of law pursued, the
better it will be for the country. I ffinch from no respon-
sibility. My wish is to do whatever I can for the colony;
but I prefer to do so strictly according to law. It will be
I my duty to lay before you the following different subjects.
1. The estimates for 1850. 2. Supplementary estimates for
1850 3. Estimates for 1851. 4. Resumption of public works.
6. Toe financial relations between the colony and Ot ange River
sovereignty. 6. The ordinances which were before the Council
lastyear. 7. The propriety of enacting a law to establish trial
by jury in civil cases. 8. Proposed establiomeat of rural
paha in the frontier divisions. 9. The state of the law
relative to the relations of masters and servants. 10. The

nmovsl of Oralitters.froul government lands. 11. Toe pro-
priety of appointing resident magistrates at missionary
institutions. 12. The wine and spirit ordinance. 13. The
educational establishment of the South African College. 14.
The sonftrencion of too amended rules of court proposed by
the judges of the Supreme Court. In the course of the pre-
ant session I shall beg lease to bring before you these most
important subjects; because, although I ►ope for an early
' eoasnuniation of our common wish and desire, in a parlia-
ment being established for this colony, yet some time must
seemarity elapse before all the arrangements he that por•

saw ass be perfected, and the sooner !fides
ere
apes lead principle the better. Aril cow, •

to adjourn the Council.

Hie excellency then withdrew, si,d ne
went into committee on the subje.et of
the
Council report relative to the estatilintroiCt o
presentative legislature.

After some-preliminary cotrerstt:on se to
course to be pursued, the Committee adj,tircrt:
the 10th.

IN SIMON'S IS Seringttpream J.
Russell, muster-commander , Ii.M.S. }terms F
bourne.

MARKET PRICES AT PISTERSIAEITZI4
TAL.)-Butter, per lb., 7d. to 94.; catll,-,,,n
to 4g.. 6d.; cows, An. 30s. to 451. ; vo .4, per
to ; bidet, buffed° each _6e. Gs. G 1 ;e,
horses, (rams) do., 76; to 200 s; is ay, per
lentils, per maid, 16s. to 275.; Itme. do , G, r, I
do., 6.. to 76. ; meal, do., 32.. to ; ovs, do ,
91 61.; onion., do., 18+. to 23. 6.1.; peas, d,
potatoes, do , 6s. 2d. to 125.; r. kW., per Nom .4 1
to 121. ; map, colonial, per lb., 5.1. to Cl..
25.; skins' lion, each, 6.. 91. •, tiger. do., C. to •
do., 4s. 64. to 9s. ; voor.lap, do.. 4i. 6d. 11 9t ; t
do., 4.. 61. to 6.. ; tallow. per ,5 ; thtteh. ;AT
dies 6+. to 6. 3d.; timber, beams, each, „ ,
d0.;2.. 6J. to 7s. • tobacco, culooial, Prr Jl.;
each, 7s. 6.1. to 9s!. ; wisest, per mold, 21.. t 4
Th. above quotations show Ow, eqtaith.tsal cz
freetinfleix of liansiirraitas, food is a long rims,,;rims,,;
"Mi.. pr

NDIA AND CHIN

Ve have received our telegraphic deepalchts
Trieste in anticipation of the Overland
The Europa arrived at Trieste on tip. I,•h
at 8.45 a-m., from Alexandria direct, otter a pit.
of 136 hours. She brought eighteen passe. 1,.tt,•
the following intelligence from Altxandris
7th inst.

The Hindostan steamer arrived at s 4cz at it
on the 4th inst., with 98 pusengirs, aLd adric
Canton of the 28th of October; Cs N
and Bombay, November 16.

The political intelligence from Ind a preset
feature of extraordinary interest.
From China we learn that to oil lrp,attec
troops are gaining the upper hand over :Le
gents.

TRAM., IMPORT.
Trade is rather bittk in China act at Ca:
dull at Bombay.
Exchanges on London at Hong 1.,
Calcutta, 28. 11d. to 2s. 13d. ; Bombes,
2s. 1 16-16 d.; Alexandria on 19nd0n,96!.,
on Trieste, 163 to 170.

SECOND DESPATCH 01, TIIE $kS,
The Hindustan steamer from C, eLets
Baez on the 3rd inst., with 89 pease grro,
made the voyage in 23 days. The Or, rl
tram Bombay of the 16th of November, fc
of the 7th of November, from Singapore t
of November, and from hang Kong of :lit
October.

grro,

The political intelligence preaenta no
LOOM than usual interest. The greatest tr,
prevails in Indio. The Governor-General
paring to proceed to Lahore and the 1
frontier.

The Nepaulese ambubador arrived at Buubg,
the Gth Met. from Suez.

The Nimrod goeernm.•nt iron strainer has
wrecked.

The late rumour of the Afredees having mf
descent upon the salt mines on the Koine. trc
remained withoat confirmation.

Piracies were of frequent occurrence in the s,
of the Indian Archipelago. Java is tranquil.

The Chinese on the .inistern cos,t of inn
disc,intinned their resistance sigairot the lilt(

At Hong-Kong the fever his declined a
troops.
The gangs of Chinese robbers in the pror
Kwangse are gradually diepereirg.
TRADE ItEl'oßT.
Expert market at humbay and Calcutta bri
looking up. Indigo commando high prigs.
much in demand, with difference (Auisth:alo
andes. Saltpetre sought after for 'hippie:.
firm, the supply insufficient. The peke of o
going down. Large quantities of cA•on had
sold and shipped. At Bombay 4,t3.5n heSee att
candies were sold within the last few dap,.
The import trade was getting brisk now the
Indian holydays are over. The favourable ill
exchange permitted some modification in the p
and a still more favourable time was I coked
the arrival of purchasers from Upper India. Lugo
sales were effected in the better sorts of graup•it end
the inferior sorts of madapollain. 431 Wes of sew
and 100 bsles of mule twist were sold at Bombay.
Nothing was doing in coloured goods.
Prieto of metals were going down.
Freights from Bombay to Lood en or Liverpool
21. 10s. to 21. 15s. A lower freightage expected.
Exchange, 2e. I,ld. for paper. A great des: of
business was done at this rate. On document
2s. 2d. to 2s. nd.

THE BALTIC, Cantain Comstock, sailed from Liver•
pool on Si' urday lee New York.
THE ROYAL WEST INDIA MAIL STEAM PACKET
COMPANY will, we understand, be prohibited by the se-
vernment from taking paseengers and cargo for Li-ban ly
their Brazilian pockets, in order that they may not inter-fed
with the trade of the Peninsular and Oriental Counsel's
mail steamers. The object of the Bres.lien packets carat
at Lisboa is to secure the traffic between Portugal, the Cap
de Verdi, Madeira, and the Brasile.
THE MAIL FOR TILE CAPE OF GOOD HorE.—(ll2
the ececasie's of the despatch of the first mail for the Caw
of Good Hope the people of Plymouth in•end to mei. I
grand demonstration by a procession, a mod diner,
The corporation of Plymouth and Devonport will meet the
directors of the company to which the steamers belong, nol
present an address.
HACKNEY PAROCHIAL REFORM ASSOCIATIOS.--
At the last periodical matting of this body ammonia:l9u
were received Irons the Islington and Shortdirth abocistoce,
inviting their co-operation in such measures as rui.re; Is
necessary for obtainieg a repeal of the existing local us,
so far LI they operate injuriously to the is tem," of the rite
payers. These acts, it was shown,me in general based upon"
exclusive and monopolising rinciple. In Mackin, for
instance, no ratepayer is eligib • to hold office under the loal
act unless he is rated as high as 401. per annum' • wbrO
equivalent to a much higher rental. This bee ben
Ivt
ftlt to be a hardship, especially since the financial reformers
of the parish have sought to take an active part in its ann.
The meeting unanimously resolved to memorialise ..1
George Grey on the subject; also to bring before pulls.
meet, In the ensuing serion, the propriety of relieving MI
various suburban metropolitan parishes from the union op
ration of these local acts.
LONDON DESTITUTION.—Mr. H. M. Wskley
held
an inquest on Saturday, at the Globe, New road, on Ms
James, aged seven years—John James, the father, wbo ea
the very pereoaffication of misery and despair, stated that
wife died three years ago, leaving five helpless infant., tin
of whom died soon afterwards. He lived in s room te
Charlese,rett, Bat:on-street, Portman -square. Iron °Charles.strstt,
kept the three surviving children. He had beenout of wort
two years. They lived on anything they could get. A Ins
person, named Williams, occasionally gave them some bead,
butter and tea. They seldom or ever test d meat. 6ow
times he bought twopenny worth, which he divided smool
the children. lie got his living by cleaning ben" and
omnibuses, by which he occasionally earned a shilling or
sixpence. He went out at six in the morning, and tamale
out in search of work and food until twelve m night "4„,
that time the children were left by themselves. He mot"'
as usual on Thursday morning, and when he returned 11,
found deceased sitting naked on the fluor, erlioll r°° th'
pains of his melded body. One of the civil -teen told Muses
that deceased upset over himself a pot of boiline 0:
took deceased as quickly as poesible to the Imo •
loose infirmary, where he died, after intent* sufferior;
A Juror remarked that the body presented the aggro:o°'
starvation. The coroner deeply regretted the ocroult
but said that no one, in his opinion, was to blame, ;
father could not give his children the protection and loPc:.
which they required. Verdiot, " Acciden•al death."
woman William, who was so kind o the family, berto"
Mr. Boyles the sunsmor.ii.g officer,t to bnng the starvOrt
some nourishment as soon es possible, which Mr. 1301!!!
promieed to do. The jury also subscribed a amll 0102,1
the relief of the family.—Oa Saturday an inquirl "'
before Mr. Lanham, deputy coroner, et the Feathen. Or!:
street, Westminster, touching the death of George Mt:
It appeared that deceased, whose only means of sePloo° "at;
begging, had been for some time in a very destituteco,„
Lion, and in the beginning of the week be was (sand 044'
lodings, St. Stephen's-buildings, Soho, quits delta.
surgeon who examined the body proved it was is s
emaciated oondition—the whole of the wavers were bleached
and bloodless, and in the stomach were about two quiertstl;
liquid like water. The intestines were perfectly elorPll,,
liverlnd ie
dh white,e
dida d. alotltthhiealatheg:,:oloewebl. otwf
the whole body. There was considerable s Zi
in the chest, and all these denoted want of food. :111:;j1g
of death was, undoubtedly, starvation. Verdict,
dammed died or starvation." othoeinh,rareitofbirloodo.lesl,

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