The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-12 00:00:00

THE PUBLICATION OF

" THE

SUN"

COMMENCES EVERT AFTERNOON
AT THREE. O'CLOCK,
AND TEED
LATE OR THIRD EDITION,

of the Edinburgh,--remembering it through all
the derision of the Times, and all the spite of the
Post, and all the sneers of the Chronicle—we re-
peat, that substantial encouragement was afforded
to men of letters by the instalment as Chairman
of the Literary Fund, this year, of the Right
Honourable Gentleman the leader of Her Majesty's
Opposition. It was appropriate, moreover, that
he should have won his way to that position, that
he should have been selected to preside over the
anniversary proceedings of the Literary Fund
Dinner—himself a Scholar, and the son of a
Scholar—himself a labourer, and the descendant

sible for us not to admire the tone evidently
adopted throughout the remarks to which the
latter yesterday gave utterance, when speaking
of the band of authors, to him a veritable
brotherhood. That such was the feeling which
pervaded his allusions to them and their attendant
difficulties last evening, is to us, we repeat, suffi-
ciently evident, although we have listened to
them, not warm from the lips of the speaker, but
cold and faint, through the subtile but inadequate
echo of the stenographer. It is impossible, in-
deed, after carefully perusing, as we have done,
the speech delivered yesterday at the Literary
Fund Dinner by the ox-Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, not to admire the gentle and tender
appreciation evinced by him of that class among
whose honoured ranks he himself had first grasped
the guerdon of a reputation. No one but a man
who had himself struggled in that noble contest
for celebrity could have commented as Mr. Dis-
RAELI commented last night upon the inner life,
upon those hidden casualties and secret pangs
which impede from time to time, unknown to the
generality, the solitary labours of the student of
literature. No one but a man of literary experi-
ences could have referred in terms of such deli-
cate and refined sensibility to those intervals
when, the charmed public eagerly expecting to
witness a repetition of the spell it had found
fraught with fascination, " Nature might whisper
to the author that the brain which had been over-
worked should lie fallow, and that the frame
which had trembled with agitation required for
its nerves repose and stillness"—intervals which

CONTAINING TAB
DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT THE SAME EVENING,
With v.ll other News arriving up to the hour of Post,
AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.

of a labourer, in the beautiful fields of polite

EXPRESS EDITIONS
will be forwarded after the Post is closed by the

literature. As he intimated in the course of his

Latest Trains.

mGU WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
T r DAY —Morning 12 rain. after 4 1 Evening 28 min.aft. 4
TJ-Mos.r,ow—Morning 46 min. after 4 1 Evening 3 min.aft. 5

THE WEATHER.--Subt OFFICE, MAY 12.
THERMOMETER, IN IRE SHADE.
55--highest since noon yesterday.
42—lowest this morning and daring the night.
57-- this day at noon. _ _

remarks last evening, many years have elapsed
since the rise of the very institution over
the anniversary banquet of which he himself was

then presiding, was watched over with peculiar
solicitude by his father, then in the first glory of
the popularity which has now ripened into a
classic the " Curiosities of Literature." It was

just, therefore, and graceful, that what was
;ended in its infancy by DISRAELI the Elder,

the Exchequer, a gratuity to the Lord Chief

Baron's coachman. The Commissioners now pro-

pose that such matters should be referred, in the
first instance, and without the ruinous cost and
vexatious delay at present inevitable, either to one
of the Officers of the Court, a County Court

Judge, or an Arbitrator chosen by mutual con-
sent, upon whose report judgment may be entered
as upon a verdict. This will, indeed, be a boon
to a certain class of litigants, and is so obvious an
improvement on the existing system, that it is
only astonishing that it has not long since been

resorted to.
Another great and much-required amelioration
contemplated by the Commissioners is an altera-
tion in the qualification for Jurymen, which is to
be made higher than it is at present. An admixture
of persons of the class from which Special Jurymen
are taken is also recommended, so as to secure a
superior degree of intelligence in every case -with-
out the expenses incidental to the services of a
Special Jury, which can, however, if desired, still
be obtained in the same manner as at present—
the practise in that respect not being in any
degree interfered with.
Another, and a very important question, in
reference to the Trial by Jury, is that respecting
the "unanimity" now required, and the sugges-
tion for assimilating the practice to that in opera-
tion in Scotland, where the decision of the ma-
jority is binding. On that point the Commis-
sioners very properly consider that the present
rule requiring vnanimity should be main-
tained. And they ground that opinion on the
facts, that the verdict of a mere majority
would fail to give satisfaction, inasmuch as the
consciousness that a portion of the jury were in
favour of the defeated party would materially in-
crease his dissatisfaction at the result, and would
probably lead to renewed litigation, while every
divided verdict might be urged, and not unrea-
sonably be entertained, as a very strong ground
for obtaining a new trial. One of the chief ad-
vantages of unanimity is, that it insures a full
and complete discussion and consideration of the
evidence offered in all its varied aspects, and that
the minority, in place of at once yielding, as they
would most probably do if the expression of a sim-
ple dissent removed the responsibility of be-
coming participators in an erroneous verdict,
will be enabled to resist conclusions from
which they feel themselves bound in con-
science to dissent. One great evil is, however,
noticed, and an adequate remedy suggested.
The Commissioners naturally feel that verdicts
should no longer be obtained by coercion. That
every proper accommodation and necessary refresh-
ment should be allowed to Jurymen during their
deliberations ; and that the health of gentlemen
who may honestly differ as to their final verdict
should no longer be injured, perhaps their lives
endangered, unless they are prepared to violate
the solemn obligations they have taken. We
have heard the old adage, that " Wretches
hang that Jurymen may dine," and there
was, unfortunately, but too much truth con-
tained in the apophthegm. It is notorious that
the necessary agreement is occasionally obtained
in consequence rather of the " exhausted
powers" than the honest convictions of some of
the Jurors. It is also suggested that—unless
the Jury require further time, and state that
there is a probability of agreement—the period of
deliberation should not exceed twelve hours, which
is amply sufficient for the consideration of the
issues submitted for decision in all their varied
aspects. After that time, it is proposed that the
Jury should be discharged, leaving it optional
with the parties to try the cause again with a dif-
ferent Jury.
We have thus stated the views of the Commis-
sioners in reference to Jurie—the most important
point of any on which they have reported. We
shall take another opportunity of considering the
other recommendations, which, with few excep-
tion, are of a very important character, and de-
serving of attention and respectful consideration.

should be commended in its maturity to the in-
terest of DISRAELI the Younger. It is impos-

_ .
BAROMETER, 33'05.
WIND, E.N.E.—Sharp breeze, and annahiny weather,
with clouds.

the orator afterwards finely designated " those
great pausesphich are the universal appanage
of imaginative minds." Everything through- 1
out that speech of the evening, the speech
in which the Chairman proposed as a
toast, " Prosperity to the Literary Fund, and
the health of its President, the Marquis of LANS-
DOWNE," everything in it, from first to last, ap-
pears to have demonstrated more and more clearly
the appropriateness of yesterday's proceedings
being presided over by a man like Mr. DISRAELI
—a man who has proved himself not only a
writer, but a statesman, not only an essayist,
but an orator, not only a novelist, but a financier,
the author of " Coningsby," and tho Leader of
her MAJESTY'S Opposition.
Altogether the interesting festivities of last
evening in Freemasons'-hall, could not it would seem
have passed off more satisfactorily. Among the
toasts proposed, we are surprised to observe one
remarkable omission—that is to say, supposing
the report given to be scrupulously accurate.
There were toasts such as " Professor CREASY and
the Historians," proposed by Lord STANLEY ; or
as " Professor AYTOUN and the Poets," proposed
by Mr. DIGBY SEYMOUR ; or, again, as " Justice
HALIBURTON (Sam Slick) and the Esiayists," pro-
posed by Lord JouN MANNERS. But with the
witty author of the " Chronicles of Clover-
nook," in the apartment, there was no toast of
" DOUGLAS JERROLD and the Novelists." At
any rate, we can perceive no such toast in the
report of last night's proceedings. And we are
the more surprised at the omission, because we
remember it to have been once remarked by the
Chi irinan of the evening—if we recollect rightly
the thought occurs somewhere in " Contarini
Fleming"—that prose fiction has latterly taken
the place of poetry, or rather that the true poet
of this age is—the Novelist. Besides, some
tribute such as this was due, we conceive, under
the circumstances to a popular writer like DOUGLAS
JERROLD, to say nothing whatever about the toast
here suggested being in a singularly graceful manner
complimentary to the Right Honourable Gen-
tleman in the Chair. Excepting this single
hiatus, we can detect nothing in these fes-
tive proceedings of last night at which the
most captious could cavil, or at which the
most phlegmatic could carp. The dinner of
yesterday, in short, yields admirable augury for
the future prospects of the Literary Fund—to
ourselves, and no doubt to many others likewise,
the most interesting among our great eleemosynary
establishments.

It is striking to observe how ready the House
of Commons is to deal with one class of electoral
matters, compared with its vacillation and per-
plexity when obliged to vote upon another class.
Propositions to amend our constituencies can be
got rid of with ease by withdrawment ; even a
division is not needed. Mr. HUME, the Nestor of
the Radicals, backed by younger and earnest co-
adjutors, could be of one mind with Lord JOHN
RUSSELL in recuesting Mr. LOCKE KING to with-
draw his indubitably excellent motion for the ex-

tension of the franchise in counties to 101. house-
holders. Not a word can be said against the pro-
posal, but the comparative independence of the new
voters. They would not be under, not absolutely
under, the dictation of the great territorial land-
lords. This was Lord JOHN'S zeal meaning when
he spoke of the greatness of the change it would
introduce, and the prolonged discussion he should
see fit to raise upon it, if the House allowed Mr.
KING to introduce a bill. Therefore, as Lord
JOHN threatened it should waste the time of the
House, and as Reform was to be the Coalition
work of next year, even old and tried Liberals
agreed that county 10/. householders must wait
Cle pleasure of her MAJESTY'S Coalition. We
think the Government ought to have supported it

('

~~t~~e

LONDON, THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1853.

It is observable from the statistics of the annual
mortality furnished by the Registrar-General, that
the most critical age of man is—Sixty-Three.
Why it should be so, it were perhaps difficult to
decide. But so it is, and so it continues to re-
main a problem. baffling the elucidative powers of
the physiologist. Its solution may be traceable
possibly to the mystery of numbers ; or it may
be arrived at through what has been aptly termed
the metamorphosis of the tissues—one of the most
surprising of the many marvels making up the sys-
tem of the animal economy. However it may be
—there the fact is perpetually before us, in the
Doomsday-Book of Death, that momentous re-
cord which is being published ever and ever, leaf
by leaf, in periodical instalments. An average
proves beyond the reach of doubt, that the sixty-
third year is the most critical age with the gene-
rality of individuals. Philosophy shows us that
every seventh year the human frame, even to the
very marrow of our bones, is entirely renovated.
Whether any peculiar crisis is reached on the
attainment of the ninth seventh, it were some-
what puzzling to conjecture. About as puzzling
as it would be to attempt anything like a distinct
estimate of the relative value of the numbers
involved in the matter under discussion. As we
have already remarked, the only certainty in rela-
tion to the subject, as shown by the incontestible
evidence of statistics, is the fact that the sixty-
third is our most critical anniversary.

heartily, as an earnest of something worth hoping
for next ilpring, and as a guarantee so far of a better
'constituency in the very possible case of a dissolution
before a new Reform Bill. Had the Lords
thrown it out, yet the Government would l lave
stood immeasurably better before people gene-
rally, and that in supporting no merely clap-
trap measure. We do not blame the Liberals.
They knew they should damage their object by
persisting. We, however, have none of M.
Humß's new-born faith in Lord JOHN'S promises.
He has once more wielded his old anti-Reform
weapon, the wet-blanket, with his wonted success,
and we doubt not he is fully prepared to give
Mr. BERKELEY also, and his supporters, the be-
nefit of his cold-water cure on the 10th. Yes, the
House (for Lord JOHN is now the House) is quite
prepared to deal with every proposition of elec-
toral reform. It has one course ready for all
such intrusions—Lord JoHIO. 's wet-blanket policy.

The Commissioners appointed to inquire into
the process, practice, and system of pleading in
the Superior Courts of Common Law have pub-
lished a second Report, an analysis of which
appeared in our impression of last Monday. It
is a well-considered and carefully-formed docu-
ment, containing many valuable suggestions and
recommendations for the further improvement of
the procedure and practice of the several tribunals.
With the majority of these recommendations, we
fully coincide ; and we trust that they may be
speedily brought into practical operation by
a judicious extension of the Common Law Pro-
cedure Act.

The first point adverted to by the Commis-
sioners is the " Trial by Jury." They review
with great acuteness the various argu-
ments as to its comparative advantages
and disadvantages with the existing system.
The conclusion at which they arrive is favourable
to that which has long been considered the
" Palladium of English liberty," stating that,
" whilst they feel that there are canes in which a
jury may be advantageously dispensed with—as,
for instance, in matters of undisputed facts, and
where the question turns upon the legal effect of
evidence—they do net feel themselves warranted,
except in cases of account, to recommend that it
should be dispensed with ;" adding, that " on the
whole it works well, mid enjoys th confidence of
the public." We believe that there are few per-
sons who will not concur in this view of the case,
or in the slight modification suggested by the learn-
ed. Commissioners, viz., that while Trial by jury
constitutes the ride, it may be dispensed with, and
the issues of fact, as well as of law, left to the
decision of the presidingjudge, but only with the
consent of all parties. While every litigant., there-
fore, is entitled, n debito justitice, to the judgment
f twelve of his peers, he may, if his opponents be
also willing, leave all matters in dispute to the
judgment of the Court, without the delay or ex-
pense of impannelling a Jug, or subjecting men
of business to the great inconvenience of absenting
themselves from their counting-houses, at the
greatest posSitle inconvenience to themselves and
their tustoniers.
There is a class of cases such as are not fitted for
investigation before a jury. Loud and welt.
founded complaints have been repeatedly pitt for-
ward by Judges and Juries at the time of the
Court being most uselessly and vexatiously wasted
in investigating matters of merit' account that
could be far more easily settled, and at a tithe of
saieaefls chzervn see
been
expense, by an accountant or arbitrator. Theu u
in such cases is, after all the expenses
v
ineceunrrepdr,epawrd
When
asnedvendlivveorleudm, iwnoituhs
r
heavy fees to leading counsel, to merely open the
question ; and then,
ithite strong
tionisTatotethrnbtgoy satthhv eee of the Juclg: at s
judicial coercion—to ze Jlse
matter
to
arbitration of some barrister
nominated
Judge or selected by the parties.
the public time is saved by this practice. Even
the Court foe must Jbe satisfied, including, ill

Without any question, it would be altogether
frivolous to place under this head within the same
category, not only men, butt institutions. Our
conduct in doing so would, of course, be merely
idle and preposterous. Yet, remembering the
rather formidable coincidence of the crisis, as it
occurs to man, it is satisfactory (at least to our-
selves) whenever we see the perilous interval
Passed by in safety, by institutions in whose ex-
istence our sympathies have become in any man-
ner iiiterested.

" Recently it so occurred in reference to the
Literary Fund, now firmly established as a Royal
Corporation.
fourth anniversary Yesterdayof its
witnessed the sixty-
fourth event
was, was, naturally enough,'
custom, by a public dinnero at Freemasons' Hall—
a banquet presided over,
jAnlslthe present occasion,
by the Right Hon.
n: of the.
happier selection
intrusted with the management of Those
could scarcely have made institution
to un-
under the circumstances. Encouragementmen of letters, fortunate and desponding
Yieusly implied by the nomination as chairman
hearmwas• °,l-
- the proceedings of last evening, ecf ,-----m;
who has risen to power simply through the infi
ence acquired by aid of his intellectual achievue:
ments—one who ultimately became a Ministerial
adviser of his Sovereign, by the exercise of those
capacities which first gained him a name in litera-
ture—one, in fact, who presented to the world in
his own proper person, the unpreceented pheno-
menon of a novelist gazetted as Chancellor of the
Exchequer. Remembering the career of Mr.
Dim/am—remembering it even under the lurid
1,14 44490448 lied I
tbxowu out by the malevolence

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 12, 1853.

finitely worse than with us in this respect.
Hundreds and thousands of postmasters and
minor Government officials are actually turned
out, though already to make room for the
n inees of a new Cabinet. TYs kind of bribe:4.
-'6h.e.2e is a perfect mater of course. Hardly any
one complains of it but the actual sufferers.
Aristocratic England contrasts most favourably on
this point with democratic America, for we hardly
recollect a case of subordinates, whose livelihood

MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL
INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

CITY, TWO O'CLOCK.

The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday wen
estimated at 10,000 bales—of which 1,000 Ameri-
can
were taken for export and on speculatioi.
The market was animated, and prices of American
were a point against the buyer. The sales com-
prised 6,500 American, 700 Pernana and Maranham,
at W,d. to Id. ; 250 Bahia, at 64d. to 61-d. ; 1,50 J
Egyptian, at 6ild. to 10d.. ; 800 Surat, at 3kd. to
; and 40 Sea Island, at is. 9d. to 2s. 2d. per
lb. Railway Shares were steady.
The six weeks' average price of wheat is 445. 7d.
per quarter.
At the Indigo sales yesterday there was no im-
provement in prices, or in the amount of business
done.

depends on their employment, being ejected by a
new Ministry. It were, of course, exceedingly
desirable that Government appointments of every
kind should be decided by merit solely. This,
however, seems to be impossible with an elective
Government. Undisturbed despotism can look
simply to the qualifications of its agents. Eut
where opinion is the virtual governor of a country,
it seems necessary that agreement in opinion with
the Government should be considered at least one
qualification for office under it. The old rule,
eadem de republiccs sentire, to hold the same po-
litical creed, cannot well be dispensed with. Of
course, the rule is wholly out of the question
where the public service would suffer by it. It
can only apply where, amongst equally-qualified
candidates, some would be supporters of, some
opponents of, the existing Government. What-
ever the right or wrong of the case, it is certain
that every Constitutional and Republican Govern-
ment will give the turn of the scale to those who
uphold it. Sir F. SMITH'S offence, therefore,
was in the line in which Members are, most of all,
expected to befriend their supporters. His error,
his great error, we admit, was in bestowing the
situation at a time when every one but himself
perceived that it became a bribe to GREATHEAD'S
father to keep his promise to vote for him. But
what with the frequency of the practice, the ab-
sence of injury in this case to the public service,
the frank and gentlemanly way in which Sir FRE-

The Overland Mail is telegraphed, but some dis-
appointment is felt that there is no mention of
later news from Australia. On previous occasions,
however, it has happened that the first telegraphic
dispatch has omitted the mention of Australian
news.

There has been the annual meeting of the
National Provincial Bank of England to-day, at
which the encouraging report, of which the follow-
ing is a portion, was unanimously adopted
"The circumstance, however, which exercised the
most powerful influence upon the prosperity of the last
six months of the year, was the undeniable evidence
which poured in, from time to time, of the great extent
and richness of the gold fields of Australia. The effects
of this vast gold discovery upon the enterprise and con-
dition of the workl, is only beginning to appear in the
great undertakings recently projected, and in the tide of
emigration now setting in from various points towards
our Australian colonies, but its more immediate effects
at home have been already sensibly felt in a continuous
and active demand for all our manufacturing products—
in the marked improvement which has taken place in
the important staple of iron—in the revival of the ship-
ping interest, and of the general trade of the country."
" The directors are happy also to report a change for
the better in the condition of the agricultural interest, '
with the prosperity of which the welfare of the National
Provincial Bank is so closely identified.
" Such are the prominent features of a year, which
may fairly be characterised as one of gener.al prosperity,
the main cause of which, however—an influx of bullion
—has naturally operated against banking profits, but an
increased extent of business has gone far to compensate
for the low rate of interest which throughout the whole
of last year prevailed.
" The usual summary for the year ending 31st Decem-
ber last, is as follows :
" January 1, 1852—Amount of undivided
profits £115,613 6 1
Dec. 31, 1852—Net profits of 1852, after
making allowance for bad and doubtful
debts and a proportion of preliminary
expenses 39,759 18 2

DERIC treated every promise, even against him,
as a settled case, and might, therefore, naturally
think GREATHEAD'S vote already secured, and the
almost impossibility of a candidate's setting
temptation at defiance in the Dockyards, we do
think it would have been hard upon Sir FREDERIC
to make a public example of him. Indeed, we
do not think a jury would have convicted ; and,
in addition to all, his punishment has already
been abundantly severe. With impartial men it
is the system which is in fault, and Sir FREDERIC
is its victim. No doubt he is guilty, but about
as much as most of us would have been in the same
position. We only hope that he, and all who
take lenient views of his case, will be honest
enough to become staunch advocates of the Ballot.
We dislike the whole system of disfranchising
persons employed by the Government. Why
should Government be served by electoral eunuchs ?
To most Englishmen losing their political privi-
lejes is losing half their better energy ; losing
their interest in the chief thing which gives
them a thought and a life beyond their nearest
and selfish interests. Bribery is most to be
hated as converting that .to narrow selfishness
which ought to be expansive patriotism. Let us
not, however, destroy the motive to patriotic
feeling because it can be tampered with ; let us
place rather the one great and obvious barrier in
the path of the corrupter. If the Ballot be re-
fused everywhere else, let its virtue be tried on
Dockyard constituencies, at least, before they are
finally disfranchised.

£155,373 4 3

Total
Deduct dividend on company's
stock for 1852 £24,619 16 0
Bonus of 2 per cent. declared
and paid last year

COURT CIRCULAR.

OSBORNE, WEDNESDAY.

The Queen and Prince took their usual early walk
yesterday morning. The Princess Helena and Princess
Louisa drove out in the afternoon in an open carriage.
The royal dinner party yesterday included the Earl of
Clarendon and Sir Edwin Landseer, who has arrived on
a visit.
Lord Clarendon returned this afternoon to London.

32,866 8 0

Leaving undivided profits at 31st Decem-
ber, 1852 £122,506 16 3
" It will be observed, therefore, that after payment
of the dividend of 6 per cent., a surplus of the year's
net profits remains of 15,1101. 2s. 2d., out of which the
directors recommend that a bonus of 2 per cent. be de-
clared, and that the same be made payable with the
usual diN:dend in July next.
" The directors going out of office by rotation are Sir
J. Campbell, K.C.11., Thomas F. Wilson, and Jo'ln
Kingston, Esqs., but being eligible for re-election offer
themselves accordingly.
" A strong desire having manifested itself among the
officers of the Company for the formation of a fund for
their mutual benefit, the directors recommend the pro-
prietors to pass a vote of 5,000/. for this purpose, as a
mark of appreciation of the past zealous and faithful
services of the executive of the establishment. In what
manner this sum can be most advantageously disposed
of for the common good of the gnneral staff—whether
by a guarantee fund, a benevolent fund, or by the adop-
tion of a scheme, embracing both objects, has not yet
been decided upon, but the directors intend to give their
early and best consideration to the subject, should the
meeting sanction the vote of 5,0001. now recommended,
and which it is intended to form the foundation of the
scheme that may finally be determined upon."
In their report upon the indigo market, Messrs.
H. W. Jewesbury and Co. states
"The quarterly sales commenced ye;terday, consist-
ing of 15,116 chests (including 7,359 chests of old goods,
bought in at, or withdrawn from, former sales, and
2,954 chests in second hands), comprising the following,
viz.:—
Catalogue A... 8,477 Chests Bengal, Oude, &c.
1,586 ~ Madras.
1,911 „ Km pah.
9 „ Bimlipatam.
7 „ Pondecherry.
16 „ Madras fig.
20 „ Manilla.
136 „ Withdrawn up to the 9th
instant.

The Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary
visited the Duchess of Kent yesterday, at Clarence
Rouse, St. James''
The Duchess of Kent, accompanied by the Duchess of
Cambridge and the Princess Mary and the Princess Ade-
laide of Hohenlohe, and attended by Lady Anna Mal.;a,
Dawson and Lieut.-Colonel F. Seymour, honoured the
performance of the French Plays with her presence last
evening.
A deputation, consisting of Mr. Charles Turner, M.P.,
with Mr. D. Rowland, secretary to the Liverpool Pilot
Commissioners, and Mr. John Shepherd, master pilot,
had an interview with the Right Hon. E. Cardwell on
Tuesday, at the Board of Trade.
Colonel W. L. Freestun, M.P., had an interview with
the Earl of Aberdeen yesterday, at his official residence
in Downing-street.
Mrs. Chisholm had an interview with the Duke of
Newcastle yesterday, at the Colonial-office.
Earl Granville, Lord President, and the Countess
Granville, left town yesterday morning for Dublin, to
be present at the opening of the Irish Industrial Exhi-
bition. AMIN

12,162 „
Catalogue B 2,954 „ Various, in second hands.

Total... 15,116 Chests.
" The qualities of Bengal are about one-third good
and fine, and two-thirds middling and ordinary ; the
Madras one-fourth good and fine, and three-fourths mid-
dling and ordinary ; the Kurpah one-third good and
fine, and two-thirds middling and ordinary ; the Oude,
Bimlipatam, and Manilla, ordinary.
"The sale room presented a thin attendance, and, pre-
vious to commencing, 1,074 chests were announced as
withdrawn ; after which a parcel of good and fine qua-
lity, including 125 chests of the mark J and R W was
offered and mostly bought in, a few chests selling from
6s. Bd. to 7s. 4d. per lb., being last sale's rates to 3d.
per lb. advance. The flatness with which the sales
opened continued throughout the day, and the quantity
sold has been so insignificant, that prices cannot be said
to be established, but may be quoted at par for, for good
and fine indigo, and at 3d. to 4d. per lb. discount for the
lower qualities. Madras and Kurpah were mostly
bought in at 3d. to 4d. pre lb. under last sales' rates.
" 1,640 chests have passed to-day, of which 283 were
withdrawn, 9GB bought in, and 239 sold.
"The following are the highest and lowest prices :-
955 Bengal Os. 9d. to 7s. 4d. per lb.
138 Madras
159 Kurpah
5 Poude2l;erry 20. 6d. ~
233 Withdrawn

Not so, however, in regard to Election Com-
mittee Reports. It really hardly knows what in
the world to do with them. Nearly all the
motions founded on them are motions of pains
and penalties ; of pains and 'penalties for what
has been done in the spirit or in the letter by
nearly every Member in the House. Added to
this, in the case of many boroughs there is no
satisfactory evidence before the House as to
the extent of the bribery, and the Mem-
bers are in the awkward predicament of being
called on to vote in ignorance and doubt. Of course
Englishmen in such a case must give the benefit
of the doubt to the borough. It would be hard
indeed to risk disfranchising for the session a
whole honest constituency because of the borkuv
tion of a few testers% We want, however, some
better machinery, if possible, for working out the
entire facts of each case.
,
Still more was it rierpieied, and riqviiitablY ho,
with the 'notion d Sir JOHN SHELLEY to prose-
cute Sir FREDERIC SMITH for bribing JOSEPH
GREATHEAD by provaing for his son the office of
a letter-carrier. No one will suspect us of any
merciful leanings to bribery in any form ; we con-
demn entirely Sir F. SMITH'S reported acts We
consider him really guilty of bribery, yet we must
ourselves hatre recommended the culprit to mercy.
There were, we must in all candour say, so many
things which mitigated the guilt of the man,
however wrong the thing. With Mr. DRUMMOND'S
amusing caricature of the universal corruption
of Lords, Commons, and electors (we wonder he
did not include her MAJESTY), though we enjoy
his genial humour, we cannot syD'atliise. There
is, however, no doubt that situations under Go-
vernment have come to be regarded as almost the
perquisites of Government supporters. ThroUgh-
oat the whole kingdom, the Liberals or the Con-
servatives expect to procure for their own man
even a walking post to a village, according as the
Postmaster-General is a Whig or a Tory. Mem-
bers of Parliament unquestionably expect to have
this humble patronage in their hands. We could
name instances in plenty. One is just now
before us,, every way a perfect parallel to the
W 111,145 and Cour.u4 case. 1.4 America it ja in.

1,540 chests."
The following is from Jamaica, vie/ New Yor::,
dated April 21:--
" The House of Assembly, as you must be aware f:om
my previous correspondence, passed a bill to reduae the
mependiture of the colony, which bill in its operations
would have lopped off' from certain officials twenty per
cent. of their incomes. With one or two exceptions, the
second branch of our Legislature---our "miniature House
of Lords"—is composed of such officials, and they have,
through dsfferent sessions, seven times refused their as-
sent to the Reduction Bill. The House of Assembly, in
consequence of this, passed the Provincial Revenue Bill
—the Import Duty Bill—and tacked to it appropriation
clauses, in which it was ordered that salaries should be
paid at the reduced rate contemplated by the last Re-
trenchment Bill. This bill was sent to the Council, and
an the 15th inst. they rejected it unanimously, not having
the power of amending a bill of supply. In consequence
of tjes the Governor prorogued the Legislature, on the
19th inst., until Monday the 25th inst., to afford the house'
an opportunity of retracing their steps, and enacting a bill
more ag..eea..)le to the Council. This, lam pretty confi-
dent, the house will not do, and that,• they will offe: to
the Council the same "Retrenchment Bill," and if that
be rejected, the same Import Duty Bill. In the mean-
time, there is every chance of a great loss of revenue,,
for the present Import Duty Bill will expire on the 30th
1: of this present month, and then goods will be received
here free of duty, unless a new bill is agreed to.
Rumours ate rife as to the steps the Governor will take—
one is that he will issue his proclamation, declaring all
old laws in force, and suspending the constitution. This
is perfectly idle. The more likely course is another pro-
rogation, and after that, perhaps, a dissolution. But
this seems certain--notwithstanding all the rumours—
unless the two branches of the Legislature can agree to a
bill, great loss of revenue will be the consequence. 'The
Council, of course, will charge the Assembly, and the
Assembly will eharge the Council, as being the authors
of this mischief. '] dispassionate minds there can be no
doubt that the fault—ray, the crime—is fairly charge-
able to the Council, for it is The undoubted constitutional
right of the house to raise and appropriate the pubic
money without dictation from any quarter. This state
of things of course unsettles trade. Our bonded wan,
house contains large quantities of goods, and holders
are unwilling to release them, in the hope if the bill ex-
pire, and no new bill is enacted, they will be taken out
df tydtid duty free ; but this is a question of some doubt.
My next letter will advise you, perhaps, of some de-
cisive step on the part of the governor. If he dissolve
the house folly forty days must elapse before a new
house cast be formed.
" This is t.Le most important topic—other matters
scarcely secure any attention. lam sorry to announce
the appearance of yellow fever among the Aipping.
Europeans lately arrived seem to suffer most. A. few
cases have proved fatal.
" Among the passengers from Jamaica is Dr. Lyon,
agent for the Pioneer line of vessels to Australia. The
object of his visit was to promote the interests of the
conipany. If he has not been successful, then no man
will ever succeed on a similar mission. Dr. Lyon has
made friends of all to whom he has been introduced, and
his temporary absence from Jamaica will be so much
felt as if he had been an old resident there.
" Copper mining is now all the talk. No doubt there
are excellent specimens to be found ; but without your
enterprise nothing advantageous can be expected. Cer-
tain it is, nothing will be done by Jamaica enterprise."
Stocks are dull still. Consols have been loofa
for Transfer, and 1001 for the next Account day,
the Ist of June. The " settlement" is progress-
ing satisfactorily. The New 31- per Cents. have
been marked 103 to and the 3 per Cents. 99i to
par. Bank Stock has been very firm at 223 i.
Exchequer Bills are firmer, being up to par, and
4s. premium.
Foreign Seeuritieri are heavy. Peruvian Deferred.