The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-22 00:00:00

of the EXCHEQUER in the course of his reply to
Mr. GILLoN's speech on the railroad question,
pledged himself to introduce a Bill for the pur-
pose of regulating and equalizing the duties on
post-road and railroad travelling. The Right Hon.
Gentleman, with his usual caution, abstained from en-
tering into any of the details of his measure, which
he stated was actually in preparation ; but if is
satisfactory to find that something is to be done
to remedy the evils complained of. It appears, by
the statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman, that
the duty paid last year on all descriptions of horse
conveyance, taking all the roads into the account,
had considerably exceeded that of the five preced-
ing years. Now, as it is agreed on all hands that
there has been a great falling off on those roads

which, running in the same direction as the rail-
roads, come into competition with them, it is quite
clear that the revenue can afford, and that the
Chancellor of the Exchequer is bound to propose,
not merely an equalizatio❑ of duty, but, as regards
those particular lines, a complete exemption from
all duty. This, we think, would be far preferable
to laying an additional duty on the railroads, though
we may be obliged to come to that at last.

Mr. HumE presented a petition from Mr.
uns, of Bungay, last night in the House of
Commons, complaining of the hardship to which
Dissenters are exposed, in being compelled to pay
rates for the support of a Church to which
they could not conform, and pointing out the
great evils—in a social view—which had been
produced in the locality in which he resided,
by the persecuting proceedings of the Ecclesias-
tical Courts. The abolition of these Courts was
also a part of the prayer of the petition. The Ho-
nourable Member for Kilkenny stated that it was
his intention to bring the subject before the House
to-day. We shall see how Hon. Members redeem
their pledges to the Dissenters. We trust there
will be no shirking.

By the arrival of the packet-ship Columbus,
from New York, we have received the Journals of
that city to the 2d inst. inclusive. The news from
Canada is of no political interest. The Honour-
able Colonel Mn ITLA ND died at London, Upper
Canada, on the 18th of January. The trial of
the prisoners goes on very slowly in Lower
Canada. Only three were hanged since the date
of the last arrivals. Were the " sympathisers"
kept within proper bounds by their own Govern-
ment the Provinces might be tranquillised without
any more bloodshed, whether in the way of punish-
ment or example.
There is no domestic news of any moment from
the United States. When the packet sailed all in-
land navigation was interrupted by the ice in the
rivers and canals, and trade was consequently very
dull. A hurricane had visited the Atlantic cities,
and caused a considerable destruction of property.
Rumours of fresh commercial embarrassments in
New Orleans were rife in Wall-street.

The news from Mexico brought by these Jour-
nals is recent and interesting. On the Gth of
January a formidable British squadro❑ ap-
peared in the Gulf, prepared to offer every protec-
tion to her Majesty's subjects. It then consisted
of nine sail, and was to be joined by two more,
making in all a force more than a match for the
French blockading squadron. Other letters from
Mexico, dated the 27th of December, assert that
there were then fourteen English vessels of war at
anchor in the Gulf. Between the French and
English officers the best understanding prevailed.
We subjoin the latest account of the state of the
New York Money Market :
(F.om the New York Daily Express, Feb. 2 )
FOREIGN EXCHANGE.—There has been a good deal of
Exchange sold since our last; the rate has dropped about
1 per cent., which has induced many to invest; 109 to 1091
on London is the steady rate. At the South it has been
lower, 106 to 107 per cent. ; a good deal has therefore
found its way to this market. Bills on Fracce have been
dull at 520.

EXCHANGE. —DONIESTIC. —Between Philadelphia, New
York, and the New England States there is really no dif-
ference, per cent. at the utmost, is all. On New Orleans
the rate is as near par as can be. At New Orleans the
rate is against New York. On Augusta, Savannah, and
Mobile, the difference is very small. The change in rates
is very favourable, particularly at this season when mer-
chants and others want funds on New York to make spring
purchases.
MoriEv.—There has been a little pinch among the
stock-jobbers in Wall-street, which has left an impression
on stocks, but the general appearance of the money market
is that of ease and abundance. There is a general dispo-
aition to eXpand, if not to inflate the currency. New
'banks'arid'assoelations arc fast organizing. Merchants are
all easy. Funds from one end of the country to the other
are transmitted and realized without the slightest difficulty.
We never knew a time when there was so little merchants'
paper in Wall-street, and that deseriptien of paper can
only be had in very moderate amounts, and not better than
6to 7 per cent. per annum. The crops of cotton and
flour are going rapidly forward to Europe. Exchange
keeps [down. The produce of the country is high, and
everything tends to great ease in the market.
SPECIE. —There is no demand for specie whatever. The
rate of exchange is just about equal to par when the rela-
tive value of specie is considered. Gold is, however, more
abundant than silver; the latter is constantly finding its
way out of the country, while the former is dead and un-
called for in the banks. The following is the extent :
To the West Indies, 9,077 dollars of gold ; 19,930 dollars
of silver.

STocas..—This has been a week of immense specula-
tions—old times are revived. Some days the speculations
have been as large as 6,000 shares. In the early part of
the week the rise was sudden, but at the close there was
a decided falling off. The abundance of money is one
great cause of these immense speculations. Exchange on
England, 109 to 1091; United States Bank Shares, 1191.

The Paris Journals7i)f'7'.N ednesday arc more occupied
with the Belgian question than the electioneering war-
fare in the provinces. At the opening of the Belgian
Chambers on Tuesday, M. DE THEux, the Belgian
Minister for Foreign Affairs, closed the reading of a
long list of diplomatic notes and dispatches by the pre-
sentation of two projects of laws, the one autho-
rizing the
,KING to sign the treaty ; and the other
granting permission to such of the inhabitants of
Limburg and Luxemburg as continued stedfast in their
attachment to Belgium, to remove with their families
into the Belgian territory, there to enjoy all the rights,
privileges, and immunities of Belgian subjects. It was
expected that the debates upon these laws would occupy
the Chambers for several days.
The advices from Madrid are of the 13th, but they
are totally devoid of interest.
The following are extracts from the Paris Papers :
A letter from Constantine of 27th January has the fol-
lowing paragraphs :
" Constantine is becoming peopled with Europeans—
trade is rapidly increasing—large magazines have taken the
place of the miserable booths of the Arabs. We have now
a clockmaker, an apothecary, and workmen of all kinds.
Constantine is improving daily. A reading room, which
was established some months ago, is an immense resource
to-us. The streets of the city receive historical names,
such as the Streets Damremont, Combes Vieux, Potier,
Hackett, Cahoreau, &c.; the Valee Gate and other streets
have received the names of the several corps which took
part in the expedition, others again have retained their old
names, either in Arabic, or translated into French, the
names of the streets arc painted on the walls."
The Madrid Gazette of February 12 has the following
letter from Bilbao, of January 30: —" It is reported that
the factions intend to besiege this place. Maisto, with
several battalions, has made a movement towards Durango,
and with two of those battalions has made some advance
towards Galdacino. He means to besiege us, or to take
and fortify the mountain of Las Banderas and the moun-
tain of Las Conteras de Azpe, opposite Portugalette, and
the old convent del Desierto. The object of these opera-
tions is to 'reduce Bilboa by famine, by interrupting its
communication with the sea, as it is already cut off on the
land side. Our troops will probably advance on the high
road from Vittoria to Bilbao, by Mount Attulei and
Orosco.:—Vitzette de .Franre.

A letter from St. Pierre, Martinique, of 11th January,
giving an account of the earthquake, Says—
" The account brought by our boats, which arrived at noon,
from Fort Royal, which they left at eight o'clock, give but
a few details. All the houses and walls of that town are
levelled with the ground, and between 400 and 500 per-
sons had been found dead, and laid in the Savannah. It
is to be hoped we shall better informed to-morrow."
"P. S. It is two o'clock. A boat from Fort Royal
brings word, that about 800 persons have been found, either
dead or wounded."

Another letter of the same date says, " We learn:that
two-thirds of the houses of Fort Royal are destroyed, and
that above 700 dead bodies aredeposited in the Savannah."
—Moniteur.