The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-19 00:00:00

AGRICITLTURAL STATISTICS.

Mr. SANDARS asked the President of the Board of
Trade, what course her Majesty's Government intended
to adopt this session of Parliament, with the view of
introducing a system of Agricultural Statistics into the
United Kingdom.
Mr. CARDWELL said that, through the agency of
that excellent body, the Irish constabulary, very detailed
information of the nature which the hon. member de-
sired in reference to Ireland had been already laid on
the table of the house. With regard to Scotland, the
Scottish Agricultural Society were taking the utmost
pains to furnish similar information. An experiment
was now being made in the counties of Sutherland, East
Lothian, and Roxburgh. In conjunction with his
right honourable friend the President of the Poor-law
Board he had made arrangements for enabling an expe-
riment of a similar kind during the present year in Hert-
fordshire and Devonshire. These experiments however
were only in a limited scale, but their object was to
prove to the parties concerned that it was to their in-
turest to facilitate arrangements on a more comprehen-
sive scale in future years.
REFORM OF THE COMMON LAW.

Mr. KEATING asked the Secretary of State fir the
Home Department, whether it was the intention of her
Majesty's Government, during the present Session of
Parliament, to introduce any measures embodying the
suggestions of the report recently made by the Common
Law Commissioners.
Lord J. RUSSELL said he had to state in the absence
of his noble friend that it was the intention of the Go-
vernment to introduce a measure which would embody
the suggestions of the Common Law Commissioners.
BRONZE STATUES IN THE METROPOLIS.
Mr. B. WALL asked Sir W. Molesworth whether
the bronze statues in the metropolis were ever inspected,
or the rust cleared off; and whether they were under
the control of any Government-office; and whether it is
intended, before the scaffolding is removed from the
statue at Charing-cross, to repair it ?
Sir W. MOLESWORTH said he had to state that
the Board of Works were not officially bound either to
inspect the bronze statues in the metropolis, or to clear
off the rust upon them. To the second question he had
to reply that these statues were not under the control
of any Government department, and though he thought
it might be desirable to place them under some such con-
trol, it was not the intention of the Government to bring
in a bill on the subject. With regard to the statue at
Charing-cross, he had ascertained that the renovation of
the pedestal would cost about 1,0001. ; but there was no
immediate necessity for making the repairs. They might
safely be left for another year, and then perhaps it might
be expedient to propose a vote for the amount.
EDUCATION BILL.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE asked Lord John Russell
whether he had any intention of hereafter bringing the
metropolitan districts within the operation of his Edu-
cation Bill ?
Lord J. RUSSELL replied that he had no present
intention of bringing the metropolis within the operation
of the Educational Bill.
ADMISSION OF JEWS INTO PARLIAMENT.
Mr. M. GIBSON wished to ask the noble lord the

member for the city of London a question relative to
the admission of Jews into Parliament. It would be
remembered that some short time ago a bill was intro-
duced for the removal of Jewish disabilities. That bill
passed through the house but it was afterwards rejected
by the other house of Parliament. Now the city of
London had returned a Jew to represent them in that
house, but the gentleman who so represented the city
was unable to discharge his duties, owing to the state of
the law. The seat however was full and a new writ could
not therefore be Issued. The question which he had to
ask the noble lord was this—What course did the noble
-lord propose to take in the present position of affairs ?
Holding the noble lord responsible for the management
of business in this house, he wished to ask the noble
lord what course he would advise the house to take with
reference to the peculiar position of the City of Lon-
don, and also whether the Government mean to make
any effort during the present session, or at any future
time, to settle the important question. (Hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said with respect to the import-
ant question which his right hon. friend had put to him,
he had to state in the first place—that he did not think
this question could be settled by allowing things to re-
main as they were. His opinion was, that it was much
more probable that it would be settled by a bill which
should make a general alteration in the oaths taken by.
members, than by again recurring to a bill of the
nature of that which had Just been rejected by
the House of Lords. As to what time such an
alteration ought to be proposed he could not at present
undertake to say. However, he might observe that
there had been a bill introduced into the other house
for the alteration of the oaths. He had not seen that
bill, but it was possible the bill might ultimately come
down to them in such a shape as to remove the difficulty
in which they now found themselves. (Hear, hear.)
WAYS AND MEANS.

The report of the committee of Ways and Means was
received, and leave given to bring in a bill founded upon
the resolutions.

CUSTOMS, &c., ACTS.
The report thereupon was received.
EXCISE DUTIES ON SPIRITS BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
Captain JONES said he was bound to express his
_ _ _

strong apprehensions of the results-of this bill. In 1842
the Government of the late Sir R. Peel proposed to raise
the duty on Irish spirits by is. a gallon, and he then
toldm easthe house what would be the consequence of the
He told the house then that it would not in-
crease the revenue, but that it would have the effect of
encouraging illicit distillation, and of filling all the gaols
in Ireland. Such turned
out' to be the case, and ulti-
mately the increased duty had to be abandoned. From
1834 to 1839, the consumption t. 1010 of spirits in Ireland varied
from 10,000,000 to 12,4 gallons, but in 1842,
when the duty was increasedo ls. a gallon, `the
spirits brought to charge in Irelandly fell to 5,000,000
of gallons. It must not be supposedat this was owing
spirits in to any any falling off in the consumption
land, but it was owing to the increase tvis.olfloich took place
Re
calculated
would
in the manufacture of illicit spirits.
be the effect of the present measure. ed that
if the law was allowed to stand without alteration,uae the
quantity ,of spirits that would come into
in Ireland would be something between 9,000a,g0
and 10,000,000 of gallons, but if the bill passed the re-
venue would be injured and the gaols of Ireland filled as
before. He must therefore protest against the second
reading, though he should not put the house to the
trouble of dividing upon it. (Hear, bear.)
The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to
he committed on Monday next. ,
".1"--
- AFFAIRS OF INDIA.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, in moving that the Speaker
do leave the chair for going into Committee of Supply,
took the opportunity of stating, that 011 Friday, the Udi

.POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.—Edward Mortimer, a young man
who has been for many years in the employ of Messrs.
Ingram and Cooke, the proprietors of the Illustrated
London New, was charged with stealing a number of
cloth covers, gilt and lettered for binding, and several
copies of the paper, belonging to his employers.
It was proved that the property in question had been
left by the prisoner at a coffee-shop in Drury-lane,
where he proposed to call for it subsequently. Mr.
Ingram could not swear to the identity of the property,
but stated that the prisoner had access to the room in
which the stock was kept. The prisoner was a ware-
house clerk.

The prisoner said that he received the papers from his
brother, and he knew nothing about the other property.
He did not know his brother's present address.
A. dozen copies of last week's number of the paper
were found at the prisoner's lodgings, in Angel-court.
Mr. Henry remanded him for further examination.

WESTMINSTER.—Jonathan Robt. Richardson, 17,
King's-road, Camden-town, cab-driver in the service of
Mrs. Birch, cabowner, was summoned for neglecting to
pay her the sum of 155., due for the hiring of a hackney
cab on the 4th of May, as he had agreed for.
The agreement having been put in by a person in the
employment of the complainant, who carried on her
business in the Horseferry-road, Westminster,
Defendant stated that he had only commenced to
drive a cab on the day in question, when he obtained one
from the complainant, agreeing to pay her 15s. a day.
He had not been long out with the vehicle before he
found the horse in such a condition that it could not
work. When in Camden-town, he met a gentleman who
engaged with defendant to take him to Cremorne Gar-
dens, and who agreed to give Bs. for the journey there
and back. Defendant was to take him up in the New-
road at 2 o'clock. He was, however, fearful that the
horse would not be able to do the distance. At the
time appointed he met the gentleman. On the way to
Cremorne Gardens the horse showed great symptoms of
weakness, and suffered so much, that the perspiration
dropped off its body. The wheels of the cab squeaked so
loudly, that he thought they would be on fire. He was
two hours in going to Cremorne Gardens. Many per-
sons in the streets called out to him, " why do you not
take the horse home ?" He went with the horse to the
yard and complained of the state of the animal and cab.
He was provided with another horse, but he had the
same cab. He wished the complainant to make him
some allowance, but she would not. The interior of the
cab was unfit for any gentleman.
Mr. Arnold—Why did you not take the cab back
when you found the horse in the state it was ?
Defendant—l had entered into a contract with the
gentleman to take him to Cremorne Gardens, and I was
not aware whae might be consequences if broke the
contract.

Mr. H. F. Davis said that he was under an en-
gagement on the day in question to be at Cremorne
Gardens. He observed that the horse laboured with
great difficulty.
Mr. Arnold—Did the horse go at a proper pace ?
Witness—No, sir. I have been the same distance on
a former occasion, for which I have paid 65., and the
journey was performed in three-quarters of an hour.
In answer to the magistrate, the witness stated that
he rode on the box and that the inside of the cab was
in a bad state. He had two attendants inside.

Mr. Arnold said that if a proprietor sent out a vehicle
which was not in a fit state, he could not compel
the driver to pay the sum he agreed to do. He had no
doubt that in this case it was not in proper condition,
as it had taken the defendant two hours to do the dis-
tance which had been done in three quarters of an hour.
He trusted that before long the law would be altered in
reference to hackney carriages. The only means he bad
of teaching proprietors that they should provide proper
vehicles was to prevent drivers from paying them.
The summons was dismissed.

THAMES.—.Toh,n Fawkes, James William, Pearce,
and William. Whitbread, police-constables of the II
division, appeared before Mr. Yardley to answer a
charge of assaulting a married woman named Jennot.
Owing to the irregularity in the manner of presenting
the case to the court, the magistrate was unable to pro-
ceed to a decision, but took the information of the prose-
cutrix as follows :

Mrs. Jenuot said she was a married woman, and mo-
ther of five children. On Saturday night she was pass-
ing the station-house in Lernan-street. A great many
persons were assembled there ; and, in endeavouring to
make her way along the footpath, a police-constable
pushed her violently against the railings in front of the
station-house ; and, on expostulating with him, she was'
assailed with the most gross abuse, and called a prosti-
tute, with the accompaniment of a very low expletive.
Three constables pushed her against the railings a second
time, and on further remonstrating with them, one of
them struck her violent blow on the nose with his
clenched fist, and she bled profusely. She attempted to
enter the station-house, to complain to the inspector of
the outrage committed upon her, and was refused ad-
mittance, rudely pushed back, abused and further as-
saulted in the grossest manner. Four police-constables
were concerned in the outrage. The defendants were
three of them.
Mr. Yardley inquired what had become of the fourth
man alluded to by the witness ?
Inspector Kendall said he was out of the way.
Mr. Yardley said he should be looked after.

Certain Cure for Eruptions and all Diseases of t _
[ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Ointment an a
hesilkl .
—Extract of a letter from Mr. J. Hird, draper, Keady,
dated Feb. 14, 1852, to Professor Holloway :—" Sir,—
My child, when three months old, was afflicted with a
severe eruption all over her body. I sought every aid
and the advice of surgeons and physicians, by all of
whom the case was considered hopeless. I then tried
your Ointment and Pills, and without exaggeration the
effect was miraculous, for in a short time she was restored
perfect health, so remains. Mr. Bowden, book-
seller, riellPeer, cransbuair,
and myself, would be happy to
satisfy any inquiries as to the truth of this statement."
Sold by all druggists ; and at Professor Holloway's Esta-
blishment, 244, Strand, London.
EDUCATION IN IRELAND.—The annual report of edu-
cation in Ireland was yesterday printed. The commis-
sioners had nothing to report of a special nature.

INSIDE THE HOUSE.

By AN EYE-WITNESS.

THURSDAY NIGHT.
Gentle reader, what shall we tell you of Gavan Duffy,
who, the last few days, has filled so large a space in the
world's eye and his own ? Shall we tell you how, dla
Palmerston, he found a mare's nest—how the house first
became vehemently indignant, and then went off into a
fit of laughter ? The matter %would have died away on
Friday, had not Mr. Ball unwisely resuscitated it with
funereal solemnity. Mr. Ball, a fine, jolly-looking man,
is a ruined tenant-farmer, and an advocate of ruined
tenant-farmers, and always speaks as if he was not only
"going, going," but actually "gone." However, he
does not speak worse than the Marquis of Granby, and
that is something. It is to be hoped that here the matter
has terminated, and that Gavan Duffy will, by his future
sensible conduct, remove the prejudice which his foolish
escapade has created against him. The lower you go in
society—the more vulgar and ignorant are the men
with whom you mix the more you will hear of
bribery and corruption. I take it there is not a pot-
house in Clerkenwell where you will not find beery poli-
ticians who will tell you how Government buys up whole
batches of M.P.s, and the exact amount of money paid
down for the bargain. Men who are depraved, and
gross, and selfish themselves, will believe anything that
is charged against other men. After all, the House of
Commons is an assembly of gentlemen and men of
honour. Of course there are exceptions ; but I speak of
the mass.

I would now say something of Duffy himself. He
sits below the gangway, on the Opposition side of the
house, with the rest of the Irish Brigade. He is
youngish looking, rather under the middle size, and, in
person and manner, very much like Disraeli ; but he
has not the grace and polish, the Belgravian finish, of
that distinguished advocate of the Semitic element. • He
is Disraeli, minus his gentlemanly appearance. Nor can
he have that. Doth not Disraeli dine with dukes? Has
he not a lord for a private secretary, in the same way
as Moses a poet ? While, on the contrary, poor Duffy
has languished in gaol, has been tried for high
treason, is the mouthpiece of priests, and the companion
of the people. Still, after all, Duffy is one of the most
noticeable of the Irish representatives. He is the editor
of the Nation. He helped to break down the power of
O'Connell. He is one of the leaders of the Young Ire-
land party, whose cause he pleads in glowing verse and
passionate prose. He is what few men are—a name
and a power. But he must remember that the House
of Commons is not a partisan mob—that it contains men
of the highest attainments, of the finest intellect, of un-
sullied honour; that he speaks there to the nation's jury,
who require argument and fact alone—to men who, like
the gods in Olympus—

"Approve
The depth, but not the tumult of the soul."

Poets talk of " the merry month of May." Con-
sidering the snow, and rain, and bitter winds we have
endured, it is questionable whether it be that : that
may well be doubted. About the fact, however, that
May is the month of meetings there can be nodoubt
whatever. That it is so is very clear from 'the aspect
of the Strangers' Gallery in the House of Commons.
All around you are provincials, with sun-burnt faces, and
their best clothes on. Many of them have white neck-
cloths, that badge of the waiter or the divine—a very
unbecoming one, and, in London, where you don't get
your linen washed gratis, a very expensive one. Most
have a strong Protestant bias, and, on Tuesday night,
felt very much inclined to sympathise with Mr. Cham-
bers in his Bill for the inspection of nunneries. Then
there are several farmers up, who can't get the barley in
this wet weather, and so have come to town—

" The dodges for to see."

And who, with becoming reverence, stare at Lord John,
admire the size of Sir J. Graham, and are all struck with
the splendour of Dizzy's unrivalled vest. Outside the
house, too, there has been some curious scenes. On
Tuesday I saw a group that only Hogarth or Wilkie
could have done justice to. It consisted of some fine
Milesians come to give evidence relative to one or
other of the disputed Irish elections. The group was a
small one, but it was arrayed in every variety of costume,
and consisted of grown-up individuals of either sex, and
male and female were alike regaling themselves with the
darling weed. Their costume evidently was not made
for them, but it was their best, and they were proud of it
accordingly. The house was meeting, and passed them
hurried peers and M. P.'s, and high-born dames—and
coroneted carriages dashed up—yet calmly they smoked
on with a coolness and self-possession perfectly delightful.
Charles Mathews, in Used Up, never exhibited greater
nonchalance. Nothing touched them—nothing excited
them. One might as well have shouted to the Sphynx or
sought a glance of its stony eye. It is said 'that it is
civilisation that produces the embarrassment so common
and so painful amongst us, that the savage is always dig-
nified and self-possessed. The wild Irish group that
excited my intense admiration certainly, to my mind,
gave some ;additional weight to the theory to which I
have just referred. " Go' get thee to a nunnery," says
Hamlet. That is the very thing Mr. T. Chambers, mem-
ber for Hertford, wanted to do, or did, on Tuesday night,
when he got leave to bring in a bill for the inspection of
nunneries. Though printed as it was in the notices as a
bill to facilitate the recovery of personal liberty in cer-
tain cases, it was not at once that the real object of his
measure was seen. The house was not very crowded,
and several efforts were made to close the debate, but it
was kept up with some spirit till about eleven, when the
most tremendous cheering that I have heard for some
time made it clear that Government had been beaten,
and that Mr. Chambers had got leave to bring in the
bill. Lord John, however, did not take it much to heart,
for he went through the lobby on his way to the Lords,
looking more lively and smiling than usual. All night
the Opposition side of the house was almost forsaken.
Disraeli occasionally looked in and then went out again.
On the second Opposition bench, which, as Disraeli told
Sir James Graham on Monday night, he had made
almost classical, sat old Spooner and his colleague,
Mr. Newdegate, who, if the Freehold Land Societies
had done their duty in Warwickshire, would have ceased
tormenting the house long before this ; but they were
almost alone. The Ministerial benches were much better
filled. Chambers made a maiden speech, and it was one
that told well—and so did his reply. But Chambers is no
younker. He is already nearly bald, and a barrister in
good practice. What a pity it is that we don't achieve
fame earlier ! Our young poets, our rising barristers,
are all middle-aged men. Alas ! for the mockery of life.
Just as we get great we get old. Whiteside, Sergeant
Murphy, Mr. Lucas, and Henry Drummond, all spoke,
and spoke well. Lord John's speech reminded us of the
wicked entry in the last volume of Moore's Diary.
" Lord John, mild and sensible." Ido not say this to
disparage Lord John, for I do think he is the model of a
Parliamentary orator : but one of the worst speeches—
if not the worst speech, was that of Newdegate.
There are some men that excite your antagonism
directly they rise. Newdegate is one of them.
Tall, very awkward, with a self-satisfied air, narrow-
bodied, narrow-headed, narrow-minded, looking as
if he could only take in one idea at a time, and that
a very small one. I felt it a great relief when Mr. New-
degate sat down. Poor Berkeley looked very unhappy
all night. He went limping about the house disconso•
late. The Ballot debate was knocked on the head, and
when he can get another night for it neither he nor any
one else can tell. Fat bucolic Sir John Tyrell closed
the debate with a few leaden words, and the house went
to a division, and left us thankfully to go home.
On Thursday we had, as if that were needed, an ad-
ditional illustration of the way in which the time of the
house is wasted. When we went in we wondered why
the house was so unusually full. In the lobby every seat
was occupied, and up in the gallery were assembled hon-
ourable M.P.s. eager for a little fun. It soon came out
what it was that attracted such crowds at such an un-
usual hour. It was a notice of Mr. Magan's, member for
Westmeath, relative to the affair of Monday. He wished
to get up another Duffyad. His part was very easy.
The game once begun, it was the easiest thing in the
world to keep it up, and amidst " Oh, ohs," and " Hear,
hears," and " tremendous laughter." Maurice O'Con-
nell, Lucas, Mr. Hayter, Sir Charles Wood, and many
more spoke and respoko. That very useful man, Mr.
Hayter, according to one set of statements, had hum-
bugged the Irish members; according to another set,
and according to his own statements, he had done no-
thing of the kind. As for myself, I could not help think-
ing of the passage in "Sybil," in which the late Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer favours us, the uninitiated—many
thanks to him for charging only eighteen pence for
the favour—with his idea as to the use to which such
pleasant men as Mr. Hayter can be put. Speaking
to Taper, in the prospect of a change of Ministry,
Tadpole says, " At present go about and keep our
fellows in good humour. Whisper nothings, that sound
like something. But be discreet ; do not let there be
more than half a hundred fellows who believe they are
going to be Under Secretaries of State. If they push
ou, give a wink, and press a finger to your lip. I
nut call here,' continued Mr. Tadpole, as he stopped
efore the house of the Duke of Fitzaquitaine. 'This
,entleman is my particular charge. I have been cook-
ing him these three years. I had two notes from him
yesterday, and can delay a visit no longer. The worst
of it is, that lie expects that I shall bear him the non-
official announcement of his being sent to Ireland, of
which he has as much chance as I have of 'being
Governor-General of India. It must be confessed that
ours is critical work sometimes, friend Taper. But
never mind : what we have to do to individuals,' Peel
has to do with a nation, and therefore we ought not to
complain.' "
A conference with the Lords was desired. That
always puts a stop to the business of the house till the
deputation sent by the Commons returns ; but that pause
did not interfere with the little row Mr. Magan had
so ingeniously contrived. That lasted till half-past six,
when it was put an end to by a few good, sensible
words from Sir Harry Inglis. Generally Lord John
Russell does that sort of thing ; but he was absent all
night, and Sir Harry Inglis wisely saved the house from
an idle waste of words, Alas ! it turned out that the

house had merely escaped Scylla to get foul of Charybdis.
The Speaker left the chair, and Mr. Vansittart rose to
propose the exemption of certain classes of farmers from
the income tax. Mr. Vansittart may be—undoubtedly he
is —a very nice young man for a small tea-party ; but he
certainly is not the man to teach or electrify a British
House of Commons. He might have made a very good
speech, but we certainly did not hear a word of it. It
was a relief when Mr. Gladstone rose after him and spoke
with that fluency and power which he has always at
command. He was followed by Sir Fitzroy Kelly,
who, since he has bought an estate in East Suffolk,
and represented the county, has bitterly repented the
vote he gave for free trade under Sir Robert Peel,
and is, new that Protection is gone—now that it can
only be a cry with which to clog and embarrass Govern-
ments, and nothing more—a Protectionist to the back-
bone. Bright demolished the elegant lawyer with one
of his usual murderous speeches, and then the debate
languished terribly, bill about ten, when a clivisiou took