The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-23 00:00:00

E SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY,-EVENING EDITION,-FEBRUARY 23, 1839.

is perfect ? It has a few thousand men more now than '
then, but it seems to be as much hated as ever. We
should have had reason to praise Lord MINTo, and
the Ministers, if he could have said, " I fortunately
induced your Lordships a few Sessions ago, much aided,
lam proud to say, as I was by the Right Rev. Bench,
to declare that impressment is a flagrant injustice,
which shall never be revived ; by that single
measure I have restored that noble profession
to, the high estimation in which it ought always
to be held by a maritime population ; our people
are now willing to enter the naval service, they
crowd to it, and we can now boast of having 25,000
picked and prime seamen in our sea-going ships, with-
out the admixture of one soldier ; and we have, my
Lords, a number of ships ready for sea in our various
ports, both abroad and at home, so that by drafting
the half of these prime seamen into other ships, and
completing the complements of all by volunteers or
soldiers, we can, in a short space of a week, now
that the Navy is, happily for the nation, restored to
the affections of the people, have fifty sail of
the line on the ocean, defying the world if ne-
cessary, but so displaying our mighty strength
my Lords, founded. on justice, that I hope never to have
occasion to call it into active and warlike operation."
If Lord MINTO could have said something of that
kind we should have thought he had made out a com-
plete defence of the Ministers, but as he could only say
that we have a ship or two more here and there, and a
few thousand more men than under the Tory Adminis-
tration, costing, however, more money, we see no-
thing in his conduct to merit our approbation. The
defence is good, excellent we will say, against his Tory
detractors, because he shows that his conduct is somewhat
better than theirs ; but what is that to the long• suffer-
ing seamen ? What to the public, necessarily left de-
fenceless by the just desertion of our seamen ? What
to insulted humanity, outraged by retaining ready
for use the vilest system that ever disgraced a civilised
country ? We see nothing in the debate to give us
one grain of satisfaction, except the admission on all
sides that this is no party question, that the Navy has
been neglected, and that it must be more attended to
and more honoured, or the country will be exposed to
great danger. •

position was the concluding observation in the following
•
sentence :
"We must not deceive ourselves, Gentlemen, with re-
spect to our actual situation ; whether the refusal to ac-
cept the treaty be considered as leading sooner or later to
hostilities, or only as tending to perpetuate our embarrasments
without leaving us the hope of retaining in the e id the inha-
bitants of Limburg and Luxemburgli, there can be no doubt
that such a resolution would be contrary to all tte real in:e. gists
of the country, and particularly that of these two provinces."
Yells and interruptions of all sorts followed. The
war advocates denounced the ministers as " Misera-
ble, prverse, and perfidious," sentiments which were ap-
i pl.uded by the galleries. MI this bluster will,
however, end in smoke, The more sensible part of the
Be'gian community regard the very idea of a war as
realness. Even the demagogues who make the most
nose have no stomach for fighting, now that they per-
ceive they can no longer calculate upon French sym-
pathy. To talk of fighting, and to fight, are two very
different things in the estimation of the most patriotic
Belgians.

We have received the whole of the Paris Journals of
Thursday. On Wednesday a number of colonial
delegates from the island of Martinique had the honour
of an interview with the KING to represent to his
MaJEsTY the distress to which the inhabitants were
reduced in consequence of the lata earthquake. The
KING received the deputation very graciously, and
immediately ordered that a remittance of 1,500,000
francs should be made to relieve such of the colonist
as are without any means of support. The /lioniteur
of Thursday contains the following articles of a Royal
Ordonnance, preceded by a report of the Colonial
Minister, detailing the destruction of life and property
occasioned by the earthquake in Martinique :
.. Art. 1. An extraordinary credit of 2,900,000 f. is
opened to the Minister of the Marire and Colonies, out of
the grants for 1839, to meet the urgent expenses, which
c•:uld not have been foreseen by the budget fcr this year,
to be thus appropriated :—To repair the damages done to
the military buildings at Martinique, 500,000 f. ; subven-
tion to the interior service of the colonies, 900,000 f. ; ac-
cessory services, 800,000 f.
" 2. The regulation of this credit shall be proposed to
the Chambers during the next session.
" The Minister of the Marine and Colonies is charged
with the execution of this ordonnance."

Everybody admits, and always has admitted, the
necessity of educating the rising generation. What-
ever business the man is likely to follow, it has
been considered necessary, in all ages, and amongst
all people, to educate the boy to perform it well.
Education, therefore, may 1)e considered as an essen- '
tial part of social life ; wanting which, if it were
possible to want it, one generation would lose the
knowledge. another had acquired. Such being its
vast importance, it savours somewhat of imperti-
nence, much of arrogance, and still more of usurpa-
tion, for any body of clergy to petition against all
National Education which is not placed under their
controul. In a country like ours, where men are not
constrained to be of one religion, the members of
every other sect can never consent to such an
enlargement of the power and dominion of one
body of priests ; and such a claim, therefore,
is tantamount to a demand that there shall be no
National Education. The Clergy of the Established
Church, who now actually make such a demand, so
far as the State can provide for education, are re-
solved to withhold from the people that essential
element of social welfare, unless they can make it
subservient to their own aggrandizement. How
very wicked ! In the same manner, and on the same
principle, they long song ht to prevent marriage,
and therefore to make men and women live in con-
cubinage or promiscuous intercourse, unless the
ceremony were performed by them, and were made
the means of adding to their worldly power. In
like manner, they long tried .to prevent children
being baptised, unless by them, and denied them
all security for their civil rights, by refusing to
acknowledge any system of registration, except that
kept of baptism by them. The necessity to pro-
vide an income for them is at the bottom of the
present Corn-law. In every quarter, in every
relation of life, in every part of society, we
meet the priesthood, and are controuled,
thwarted, and oppressed by them. Their
advice, assistance, and influence may perhaps assist
the members of the community to reach another
' world, but it most certainly gives them complete
dominion in this. These remarks are dictated by
observing that numerous meetings have of late been
held, and petitions agreed to at various places in
.Holborn, amongst other parts of the metropolis, to
resist all National Education, except it be placed
under the controul of the Established Church. We
venture' humbly, but respectfUlly, to inquire how
long the priesthood, under the pretext of promoting
[ religion, are to assume the controul and mastery of
civil society ? At least, let them confine themselves
to their own sphere, and not make religion a means
lof establishing a worldly dominion foe them, which
goes even to withhold from the people an essential
; element of social welfare, unless it can be made sub-
servient to their ambition. .

The election contest is carried on with great anima-
tion. M. ()DILLON BARROT, following the example of
GUIZOT and THIERS, has published a long address to
hiss constituents of Chauney, which, contrary to general
expectation, turns out to be a very dull affair.
The cotton manufacturers of the Eastern departments
of France have protested against being restricted in the
purchase of raw material to the markets of Havre and
Marseilles.
Reports had reached Paris that Russia was preparing
to take possession of the principalities. of Wallachia and
Moldavia, under pretence of crushing commotions dan-
gerous to the interests of the Sublime Porte ! This
will be an appropriate sequal to the denationalization
of unhappy Poland.
The following are extracts from the French papers :
Our correspondent at Toulon sends us the following
statements under the date of the 16th of February :
" As the latest accounts gave reason to apprehend Spain
is losing its possessions on the coast of Africa, we have
received, through Algiers, important intelligence from that
coast. Alhucemas had held out, and some troops that
presented themselves before Metilla met with a very bad
reception; this last city is blockaded, it is well furnished
with ammunition and provisions, and Morocco supplies it
with fresh provisions. The insurgents have repaired the
fortifications, which are now in good condition, and they
will be able to hold out for a long time. The Moors have
offei ed them their services." _ _ .

----•--
At the date of these accounts, there had been no move-
ment at Ceuta ; Spain had sent fresh troops to that place.
Matillo is only 30 leagues from Tlemecen, the ancient
capital of the province of Oran, and in the kingdom
of Fez.— Constitutionnel.
BOURSE—PaaIs, THURSDAY, FEB 21.
HA Lr. PAST Tusee.—For the account the Three per Cents. opened
at 78f. 75c., rose to 78f. 85c., declined to 78f. 70c., and closed at
78f. 75c. The Five per Cents. from 11 If. 5c., rose to 111 f. 15c ,
declined to 111 f. 5c., and closed at 111 f. 10c.
First Highest low st Last
Price. Price. Price. Price.
French 5 per Cents.
4 per Cents. lO2 50 ... 102 50 ... 102 50 ... 102 50
np r Cetrs.
Lafitte Bank I,ooof. Sh
5,000 f. Sh. 5105 ...5105 ...5165 .. 5105
Belgian 5 per Cents.
8 per Cents. 6B 40 ... 6,4 40 ... 61 40 ... 63 40
11a..k 555 ... 560 ... 555 ... 564
Spanish Acti,e
New Deferred 77i ... 734 ... 71i ... 71i
Portuguese 3 per Cents.
Neapolitan . 99 10 ... 99 10 ... 13) 10 ... 99 10
Boman
it ,ILWAY SHARES.
St. Germain s+s ... 585 ... 585 ... 595
Ve sallies, R.B.
Charleroy 450 ... 450 ... 450 ... -;5 /
'1 leans
',men
... 3:0 - 320 ... 320

A debate of considerable length and some interest
took place last night in the House of Commons, on
Mr. HAWES'S motion for going iato Committee
on the Affirmation Bill. This Bill, our readers are
aware, was intended to give relief to those who
have conscientious scruples to the taking of an
oath, by allowing such persons to make an affirma-
tion—an indulgence which the Legislature has
already granted the sects of the Quakers, Moravians,
and Separatists. To common understandings it can-
not fail to appear passing strange, that one man
should not have as good a right as another to have
his scruples of conscience, in regard to the same reli-
gious matter, respected. Yet we find our enlightened
legislators have, in their plenitude of wisdom, seen
proper to establish a distinction where no other
persons can perceive a difference. With them the
measure of a. man's claim to relief is not the weight
of the burden he feels on his conscience, but the religi-
ous banner under which he has chosen to enlist himself.
If he call himself a Quaker, a Moravian, or a Separa-
tist, his objection to oaths is at once recognised as valid,
his conscience is not to be coerced ; but if he have
the misfortune to be a Member of the Church
of England, he is presumed to have no conscience at all.
This is literally the sum and substance of the arguments
advanced by the opponents of Mr. HawEs's measure.
They stated broadly, that as there was nothing
in the Thirty-nine Articles which prohibited church-
going persons from taking an oath, they had no
business to entertain any religious scruples on the
subject, and that their call for relief ought not for one
moment to be listened to. These gentlemen pay a high
compliment to their Church. Here we see the real value
they set upon the great Reformation principle, the right
of private judgment, for the assertion of which they are,
after the lapse of three centuries, raising monuments
to Cranmer and Ridley ! "If the Members of the
Established Church," remarked Mr HENRY GOUL-
BURN, " made such a declaration, they could not he
sincere in their profession, and they must be acting
either ignorantly or fraudulently." Let this Gentleman
hold his tongue about ignorance. When such gross
ignorance of the very first principles of religious liberty
is displayed by one who has enjoyed all the advantages
of education, and all the means of enlightenment
which an extensive intercourse with society can afford,
he is the last man on earth who should tax others either
with ignorance or fraud, because, forsooth, they do not
choose to see with his eyes—with the distorting optics
of bigotry and intolerance. When a Light of the
Church—a great man and. a •Captain in our Israel, is in
the very blackness of darkness on the fundamental
point of the Protes'ant . faith, what must be the
deadening, the blighting, influence which a State-esta-
blished, creed-bound, priest-riding system of religion
exercises over the minds of the unreflecting, and un-
educated portion of its members ?

Strasburgh to Basle 320
ASP H A LTES AND DI l U AIENS.
Seyssel (A) t3.o ...23 ' 0 ...'_'3oo ...2300
D,z Maurel. (B.)
Galvaniz.d Iron

NELSO7

ONIAL

A meeting of the Generni Committee of Subscribers
was held this day at the Thatched House Tavern for the
purpose of . receiving the Report of the Select Sub
Committee on the different designs submitted to
them, when it was determined to adjourn the re-
ception of the Report until this day fortnight ; and that
in the mean time the models should be open for the
inspection of the Committee and their friends during the
next week, at Mr. Rainy's Gallery, with his permisson,
ar.d to the public at large the week following.
Tickets of admission to be obtained of Mr. Scott, the
S cretary.

THE MARKETS.- (THIS DAY.)

Last night a public meeting of the electors of South-
wark was held in Davis's Riding School, Webber-street
Blackfriars-road, Mr. Anderson in the Chair,' to take
measures for securing the re-election of D. W. Harvey,
Esq. Resolutions to that effect were passed unani-
mously. Mr. Harvey then addressed the meeting ;
and afterwards introduced Colonel Thompson, who,
though not an elector of Southwark, urged on the
electors, from personal experience, the importance of
sending Mr. Harvey back to the House without delay,
to be " the terror and scourge of hypocrites of all
classes." With reference to allusions by preceding
speakers to the Corn-laws he said—" The enemy need
not rejoice ; it was reckoning without their host. The
delegates, it was true, w ere gone to their constituents ;
but it was with instructions to take earth seven spirits
worse than himself, and be back with them in West-
minster in three weeks."

COVENT-GARDEN.

Plentiful supplies of everything at Market. The new crops
of Sallads, Asparagus, and Scakale are very fine. Old Onions
scarce and dear. Trade generally br,sk. Plants, 3s. to 3s. 6d.
per doz. ; Asparagus, 4s. to 9s. per bundle ; Celery, is. to
1;. (id. per bundle; Onions, Is. per sive ; Carrots, 45. to
4s. 6d. per doz. ; Brocoli, 6d. to h. 6d. per bundle; Tu nips,
3.1. per bunch ; Oranges, 4s. to 14s. per 100 ; Lemons, 4s. to
10s. per 100; Apples, 4s. to 21s. per bushel; Rhubarb, 9d. to
6d. per bundle ; Scakale, 2s. to 2s. 6d. per punnet ;
Cabbages, Is. to Is. 6d. per doz. ; Spinnsch, Is. to Is. 6d. per
s:oie ; French llmns, .ss. per 100; New Potatoes, 2s. to 2s Gd.
pm- lb. ; Cucumbers, 10s. per brace.
II UN G RIIFORD MARKET.

Supplies of Fish good ; Turbot, ss. to 10s. 15s. and 20s. ;
Cod, 2s. to ss. 10s. and 12s. ; Soles, 10d. to 4s. per pair ; Lob-
ste•r>, Is. to 4s. each. Vegetables in fair supply and prises the
same as at Covent-garden.

We have not space in our leading columns of today
to notice, as it deserves, the subject of a petition pre-
sented in the House of Commons last night, by Admiral
Sir EDWARD CODRINGTON, from 1,758 seamen of North
Shields, praying for an amendment of the regulation for
the payment of seamen's wages ; but we shall take care
not to lose sight of it the first convenient opportunity.

We understand that the adjourned meeting of the
Anti-corn Law Delegates has been fixed to be held in
Manchester, on Friday, the Bth March, when a more
numerous attendance from all the important towns is ex-
pected to be present than even at the former great
meeting.
The future course of proceedings will then be finally
agreed upon, and we should not be surprised if from that
meeting a movement originates that will influence mate-
rially the complexion of our political and Parliamentary
history.

shire
Ashley, Lord—Dorsetshire
Bailey, Joseph—Worcester
Bailey, J. D.—Sudbury
Baker, Edward—Wilton
Barrington, Lord—Berkshire
Bateson, Sir R.—Londmderry
Bentinck, I ord G.—Lynn
Berkeley, Hon. C.—Cheltenham
Blair, J.-- Wigtonshire
Blakemore, Richard—Wells
Blennerhassett, A.—Kerry
Bolling, W.—Bolton
Bradshaw' James—Canterbury
Bruadley,Henry—East Yorkshire
Bruce, Lord E.—Marlborough
Bruges, W. H. L.—Bath
Buller, Sir J. Yarde—Devonshire
Burroughes, H. N.—East Norfolk
Calcraft, John Hales—Wareham
Canning, Right Hon. Sir S. Lynn
Cantilupe, Viscount—llelston
Chapman, Aaron—Whitby
Clerk, Sir G.—Stamford
Clive, Viscount—Ludlow
Cole, Hon. A rthurH. —Enniskilleh
Compton, H. Combe—Hampshire
Copeland, W. T..—Stoke.upon-
Trent
Darby, George—East Sussex
Davenport, John—Stoke-upon-
Trent
Dunbar, G,?orge—Belfast
Dungannon, Lord _Durham
Du Pre, Gearge—Bucks
Eastnor, Viscount—Reigate
Egerton, W. Tatton—Cheshire
nstcourt, 'l'. G. B.—Oxford Univ.
Fatnhain,E B.—N. Leicestershire
Fei!dcn, W. J.—Blackburn
Fitzroy, lion. Henry—Lewes
Fazsimon, Nicholas—King's Co.
Gladstone, W. E.—Newark-on-
Trent
Godson, R.—Kidderminster
Goulburn Right Hon. H.—Cam-
bridge University
Graham Right Hon. Sir J. R. G.,
Bt.--Pembroke
Grant, Hon. Colonel—Elginshire
Grimsditch,
Halford, Henry--Lei.:estershire
Handley, Henry—Lincolnshire
llawkes, Thomas Dudley
Hepburn, Sir T. —Haddingtonsh.
Hodgsory ltd.—Berwick-oil-Tweed
Hope, Charles—Linlithgowshire
Hope, G. w._wilmouth
Hotliam, Lord—LeominsterHonston, G. J. ew:h ire
Hughes, W. 13.—Carnarvon
Hurt, Francis—South Derby TELLERS.
Ingeare, Viscount—Staffurdshire Fremantle, Slr Thomas—Rucks
highs, Sir R. 11.—Ox. University Holmes, W.—Berwick-onTweecl

The Brussels Papers of Thursday received to-day,
represent the debate in the Chamber of Representatives
on Wednesday, on the ultimatum of the London Con-
ference, as violently intemperate. In urging the abso-
lute necessity of settling the question at once, the Mi-
nister for Foreign Affairs placed the situation of Bel.
gium fairly before the Representative body. The Go-
vernment did not approve of the Treaty,
butt it was
without a remedy. We quote the words he Mi-
nister :
" Before it decided on the proposal which it submits
to you, the Government has materially weighed the
situation of Belgium, both at home and in respect
to foreign countries, All further attempts at negocia-
tion being fruitless, nothing remained but to place itself in a
state of opposition to the five great Powers, who have again
bound themselves by formal conventions."
The Minister then went on to show that not only the
Five Powers, but the German Diet were opposed to
the claims of the Belgian people. But what served to
bring down upon him the clamorous censure of the Op-

TWENTY THREE LIVES LOST.--A Cumber-
land paper gives an account of the loss of 23 lives by an explosion
of fire-damp. The melancholy event occurred on Monday in the
" William pit," about a mile and a half from the foot of the shaft,
in the direction of Parton ; Of the 23 who perished, all, with the
exception of two or three, who had evidently been burnt to death,
died from suffocation, caused by after-damp.
DEATH FROM LOCK-JAW.—An Inquest was
held onTuesday at Charing-cross Hospital, on the body ef a journey-
man butcher, named Spicer, aged 19, who died of locked-jaw in that
Institution. The deceased had at one time attributed his illness to
a strain in lifting a piece of meat weighing 20 stone, and at another
to a fall received in "larking" in a public-house. No fatal conse-
quences had been anticipated. The Surgeon said lock-jaw might
follow the most trifling injury. Verdict—": Accidental death."
DREADFUL ACClDENT.—Yesterday morning
shout eleven o'clock, as a man of the name of George Carpenter,
aged about 40, a carman, in the employment of a Mr. Hutchins, a
builder, of Hammersmith, was driving his cart, laden with rubbish,
along the Belgrave-road, Pimlico, he fell down in a fit, and the near
side wheel of the cart passed obliquely over both his legs and over
his left hand. The door fellow's left leg was fractured, and his right
leg Woken at the knee-joint. His left hand was literally smashed;
Ile was conveyed to the hospital in a state of insensibility.
DEATH OF AN INFANT FROM SUFFOCA-
TION.—CAUTION TO MOTHERS AND NURSES.—An inquest wad held
on Tuesday in lligh.street, Lambeth, on the body of an infant aged
four months, whose death, according to the medical evidence,
was occasioned by having the bedclothes too closely pressed over
its face, no doubt accidentally. Verdict—" Died by the visitation
o: God."
MYSTERIOUS DEATH.—On Tuesday week the
body of Mr. Thomas Sales, farmer, of Penshurst (whose mysterious
disappearance took place about six weeks ago and caused so much
sensation), was found by Thomas Pankhurst, near the Ivy tree at
the Footbridge, near Leigh. It was floating at the time, in a
shocking state of decomposition, one hand being entirely gone. The
body was taken home, and an inquest held upon it ; but nothing
transpired which could throw a light on the cause of the fatal act,
though numerous reports have been in circulation since the deceased
absented himself—Brighton Guardian.

NE SPAPER STAMPS

FROM THE RETURN TO AN ORDER OF THE HOUSE OF COM-
MONS, DATED FEH. 5, 1839.
( We have i oom only for the returns relating to the Lon-
don Daily Morning and Evening Papers.)
Quarter ending June, 1838 101,000
Courier — Sept. 94 000
Dee. 98.000
June 234,000
Globe - Sept. 216,000
Dec. 216,008
June 523 000
Morning Chronicle Sept. 496,000
Dec. 491,000
.). June 239,000
Morning Post — Sept. 221,000
Dee. 199,000
June 340,000
Morning Herald ... - - Sept. 460,000
Dec. 455,000
June 390,000
Morning Ade,rtiser)_ Sept. 390,000
Dec. 390,000
June 265,000
Standard — Sept. 250,000
Dee. 255,000
( _ June 402,000
7he San
Dec. 276,000
June 870,000
The Times
Dec. 020,000

A PROTESTANT PARSON'S

STORY.

" He would mention a circumstance that occurred yes-
terday. His friend and himself were coming from Liver-
pool, and who did the Meeting think sate back to back?
Why, Dr. Cooke and Daniel O'Connell I Dan had not
his stockings fairly pulled en, but there was the Doctor,
stockings and all in order. When they reached Birming-
ham, no one was so noisy as Dan in looking after his dinner,
and the travellers said, for once they would follow Dan. It
happened that there was a scarcity of one of the two things
that are plentiful in Ireland, namely, potatoes and children.
I)an was bawling lustily for potatoes, when an Irish Pro-
testant clergyman handed him dish and all. And were
they not angry with this clergyman for doing so? Only
let them think how it would sound in the House of Com-
mons, to have it said that a Protestant clergyman had been
—not spoon feeding—but dish feeding no less an indi-
vidual than Dan O'Connell."—Vide the Rev. Thomas
Drew's speech at the London Hibernian Society, reported
in the Morning Herald of yesterday.

" I'll tell you a story, sad, but true"—
Quoth the Protestant parson, Tommy Drew—
" I chanced to be coming per rail-way fast,
From Liverpool on Saturday last,
When who should I sec, as I cast a look
Of horror towards them, but Doctor Cooke
And Daniel O'Connell I—alaek ! alack
Sitting quite cozily, back to back 1
Dan's stockings (the sloven) were bath half-off,
A sight that from modesty made ma cough,
But the Doctor's were on, and he looked as neat
As a candy one meets in Regent-strt et,
Which made me observe Ivith pride, ' What a man,
Is this Doctor of ours compared to Dan I'

" When we got to Birmingham, Dan, the sinner,
Roared out, like a hurricane, for his dinner,
Whereon the rest of the travelling clan
Said, " Well, for once we will follow Dan,"
And beckoning, bid the attendant waiters,
Bring dinner, and not forget the taters*.—
Well, dinner came, but the taters few
Scarcely sufficed for half the crew,
And Dan, who seemed in a terrible pout,
Would, spite of his bluster, have gone without,
Ilad not an Irish parson caught
The only plate with Utters fraught,
And shoved it towards him, with a face
Full of pity for Dan's distressing case.

" Oh, scandal to Mother Church I' cried I
As I marked this act of courtesy ;
What ! a Protestant parson treat as a mar.
Worthy politeness, tho Papist Dan,
And, disregarding his cloven feet,
Give him the wherewithal to eat ?
Shame on such heresy ! Gracious Heavens,
What will the Tories say in St. Stephens,
When once 'tis known that a Protestant priest,
Who ought to have cursed him, to say the least,
Has dishonoured his cloth, by treating Dan
As a Christian, and worse—as a gentleman?"
s The Rev. T. Drew's mode of pronouncing the word " potatoes.

METROPOLITAN POLITICAL

SUMMARY.

The Morning Post of this day bas a lengthy leading ar-
ticle, full of abuse of . the "Anti-Corn-law agitators," in
the course of which, speaking of the Delegates, who since
the commencement of the Session have been daily holding
" a little ridiculous conclave at Brown's Hotel," our spright-
ly Contemporary compares them to " a bull in a china-
shop I " We hope this waggish simile is inappropriate ;
f otherwise, Mr. Brown will have an immense amount-of
crockery and furniture to pay for. Oa Messrs. Villiers
and Wood, the Post is particularly vituperative, but as the
abuse is general, it is not likely to do these gentlemen any
very alarming injury. In another article, meant to be sta-
tistic, our Contemporary endeavours to-prove that the re-
peal of the Corn-laws would not be attended with the
slightest benefit to the community.
The Times indulges in some speculations on the proba-
bility of Ministers making the Ballot an open question, by
nay of purchasing the continued support of the Radicals;
and adds, " any contract of the Cabinet to make the Ballot
an open question, is a mere bubble bargain. Open it they
may, but they cannot open it wide enough to let inal 1
the Radicals want. Every individual in the Administration
knows that very well ; and it is, therefore, exceedingly
probable that the Administration will concede the opening,
as required. They will trust to the good sense of the
country, to prevent their feint from taking effect." We
wish Ministers would trust to the " good sense of the coun-
try ;" and the Ballot would be carried before the rising of
Parliament. In another part of this ingenious, but sophis-
tical, article, the Times insinuates that " Lord John Rus-
sell is tired of public life, and sighs for retirement." The
object of this sly, unfounded inuendo, can deceive no one.
Speaking of the debate which took place in tha Lords
last night on the subject of the insult offered to the British
flag by the Prince de Joinville on the coast of Mexico, the
Morning Chronicle justly says :—" This insult to our flag
has fortunately had no unpleasant results ; but it might
have been otherwise; and it is only necessary to look to
the sensation which the circumstance has produced in
Parliament, to be satisfied that it is dangerous to trifle
with the feelings of British seamen." Our Contemporary
observes in another part of the same article,—" Though
Earl Minto has proved himself an able and efficient admi-
nistrator, enough transpired in the course of the debate to
show that it is well for the country that Sir James Graham
is no longer at the brad of the Navy. He seems to have
done more to cripple that main arm of the national defence,
than any man who ever filled the office of First Lord of the
Admiralty."
The Morning Herald takes fright at Lord Colchester's
motion in the House of Lords last night on the subject of
the Navy, and observes, in a perfect fever of apprehension,
most injurious to our fair Contemporary at her time of life,
—" The case is one of the last necessity. England must
make any sacrifice that may be required, in order to pre-
serve her independence : or England must be prepared to
surrender that independence, at the first summons of any
powerful antagonist."
The Morning Advertiser has a leading article on the
Corn-laws, in which our Contemporary says, and justly,
" The Corn-law question is not a struggle of classes, but
the death-struggle of a nation."

PRICE OF SUGAR.

EFFECT OF AIONOP9LY.

Table showing the ex-duty price of West India Subar in Mina
ing.lane, and comparing the same against foreign sugar, :
London, Feb. '22, 1839.
The Gazette of this day quotes the average price of British Per cwt.

Plantation Muscovado Sugar, exclusive of duty, at... 355. 91d
Although some purchases of Foreign Sugars, made by the London
Sugar Refiners in the last week had the effect for a few days of
simulating an . dvance in price, yet, upon importers finding tha
the buyers were firm, in most instances, in refusing to pay the ad
vance demanded, the market has receded to the old rates, and some
Foreign Sugars have since been sold on previous terms; free labour
Sugar, therefore, from the Manilla may be quoted as before at from
21s. to 235. per cwt., being about 13s. per cwt. less titan the average
price of West India Sugar.
There have la: en no sales of Refined Sugar for exportation, the
ex-ts.unty price of that article exceeding the foreign value of it by
6s. per cwt.
British Treacle is worth Bs. 6d. per cwt. in the foreign markets.
The same has been sold, duty free, this week in London at 31s. per
cwt., being an excess of price paid by the nation of 225. 6d. per cwt.,
in other words, fid. per cwt. on Treacle contributed by the pour
roan towards West India Bounty, and not, as it is erroneously sup-
posed, towards ir venue. In fact, the poor man might purchase Ma.
nilla Sugar. if duty free, for 10s. per cwt. less than he pays for the
cwt. of British Treacle duty free.
The protective duty on Bri ish Plantation Coffee over that on
Foreign Coffees, is 250 per cent. ad valorem.
We have already stated the figures demonstrating that favouritism
in the duty on West India produce costs the nation 4,210,0001. per
annum, over and above the amount of duty paid on, mind the foreign
value of, the different articles supplied.

CONVERSIONS TO THE CATHOLIC FAITH.
—James Wheble, Esq., of Woodley Lodge, late High Sheriff of
Berkshire, in a letter to the editor of the Reading Mercury, reckons
the number of conversions to the Cathode faith in England, to be
about 2,000 annually. Within the last few months, Dr. Walsh,
Bishop of the Midland District, has confirmed 692 converts in the
Eastern Counties. Among other converts, Frederick Lucas, Esq.,
of the Middle Temple, barister-at-law, has abjured the tenets of the
Society of Friends, and embraced the Catholic Faith.— Catholic Ma-
gazine.
Mr. Briscoe, the Member for Westbury, it ap-
pears by the published List of Votes, was the only Wiltshire Mem-
ber that voted in favour of Mr. Villiers' motion : several of our
Members, however, were not in the house on the division.— Wilts
Gazette.
USURY IN FRANCE.—M. Libaud, formerly an
officer of cavalry, has been sentenced by the Tribunal of Correctional
Police in Paris to pay a fine of 3,000 f, with costs, for the offence of
habitually lending money at the usurious interest of between 12 and
'24 per eent.
ALLEGED CRUELTY TO PAUPER CIIIL-
DRE:I.—At Worship.strect yesterday, the churchwardens of the
parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, applied for, and obtained, a sum-
mons against the matron of an establishment of pauper children at
Enfield, on a charge of gross cruelty to several of the unfortunates
committed to her care.