The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-05 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Formal Season of Mr. Benjamin Webster as Lessee and Manager,
THIS EVENING, FEB.. 5,
Will be performed the popular and highly successful Comedy of
MASKS AND FACES ; or, Before and Behind the Curtain—by
Messrs. Benjamin Webster, Leigh Murray, Stuart. Parselle, and
Lambert; Mrs. Stirling, Miss F. Maskell, and Miss Rosa Bennett.
After which (never acted). a new and original Farce, called TO
FARIS AND BACK FOR FIVE POUNDS.
To conclude with the Farce of BOX and COX MARRIED and
SETTLED.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Under the Management of Madame Vestris.
THIS EVENING, FEB. 5,
Will be performed the Comic Drama calledessrs A PHENOMhewsENON
IN A SMOCK-FROCK. Characters by
M. C. Mat, F.
Matthews, and Horncastle ; Miss F. Baker and Miss Extravaganza,
After which, the new and popular original Fairy
entitled THE GOOD WOMAN IN THE WOOD, in which Messrs.
F. Matthews, Suter, Horncastle, and Templeton ; Madame Veatris,
Miss Julia St. George, Miss Robertson, Miss Martindale, Miss Ellis,
Wyndham, Miss Eglinton, and Miss Rosina Wright will appear.
To conclude with LITTLE TODDLEKINS.
Sole Agent for the Private Boxes, Mr. W. Allcroft, 15, New
itond-street.

THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI.
proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste.
THIS EVENING, FEB. 5,

Will be presented the powerful new Drama of SLAVE LIFE ; or,
Uncle Tom's Cabin—by Messrs. Alfred Wigan, 0. Smith, and
Emory ; Madame Celeste, Miss Woolgar, Miss Harding, Miss Keeley,
and Mrs. Keeley.
To conclude with the inccecsful new Comic Pantomime, called
NELL GWYNNE ; or, Harlecuin Merrie Monarch. Principal
13ansense, Mdlle. Anriol ; Clown, Mr. Flexmore.

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET.
Under the Management of Mr. C. Kean.
THIS EVENING, FEB. 5,
Will be performed the new and original Comeiy, in three acts, by
Douglas Jerrold, entitled ST. CUPID; or, Dorothy's Fortune (as
played at Windsor Castle, by Royal Command). Principal eharae-
*tors by Messrs. Wright, W. Lacy, Harley, J. Vining, Ryder, F.
Cooke, Everett, and Chester ; Mrs. W. Laey and Mrs. C. Bean.
I'o conclude with the new and criginal Gland Comic Christ-
mas Pantomime, entitled lIARLEQUIN CHERRY AND FAIR
STAR; or, The Green Bird, the Dancing Waters, and the
Singing Tree. Harlequin, Mr. Cormaek ; Clown, Mr. Huline ; Pan-
taloon, Mr. Paulo; Columbine, Miss Desborough.

ROYAL OLYMPIC; THEATRE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. Farren.
THIS EVENING, FEB. 5,

----
Will be presented LILIAN GERVAIS. Supported by Messrs.
Compton, W. Farren, jun., Hoskins, Cooke, Edgar, Bender, and
Clifton; Misses Anderton and H. Gordon.
After which, JOHN DOBBS. John Dobbs, Mr. W. Farren, jun. ;
tternoster, Mr. Compton.
To conclude with ROMEO AND JULIET ; or, Harlequin Queen
Mal, and the World of Dreams. Clown, Mr. Edwin Edwardes, with
his highly-trained Dogs.
Box-office open from Eleven till Five, under the superintendence
of Mr. Edward Chatterton.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty.
Crowded Nightly to witness the Extraordinary Holiday Attractions.
LAST WEEK BUT FIVE of Mr. BATTY'S MANAGEMENT,
As he is about retiring from the Profession, having Let the Theatre
to XT. WILLIAM COOKE.
THIS EVENING, FEB. 5,
The Performances will commence with the Equestrian Drama of
L'iSCLE TOM'S CABIN.
After which, an unequalled Routine of Scenes In the Circle.
Ta conclude with the Grand Comic Pantomime of FORTUNIO
AND HIS HORSE COMRADE; or, Harlequin and the Seven
Gifted Men.
Deers open at Half-past Six o'clock. To commence at Seven.
Vox-office open daily from Eleven to Four. Stage Manager, Mr.
W West.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tins DAT —Mornint 32 min. after 11 1 Evening 0 min.aft. 0
To-Monnow—Morning 7 min. after 12 i Evening 40 min.aft. 12

DAILY WEATHER TABLB.

SATIIEDAY, FEB. 5, 1853.

State of the wind and weather at each'of the following
places at nine o'clock yesterday morning. The stations
are arranged in order of latitude.
HASTINGS—N.E., gentle breeze—overcast.
FOLKESTONE--E., light breeze—rain.
TUNBRIDGE—N.E., gentle breeze—scud, rain,
Gumtwica—N.E., gentle breeze—overcast.
SWINDON—N.E., gentle breeze—rain and snow.
CAMBRIDGE—N.E.' gentle breeze—cloudy.
YARMOUTH—E., strong breeze—overcast.
The returns from the following places indicate the state
of the weather on Thursday morning at nine o'clock :
LixtEßlcK—N.,_gentle breeze—cloudless.
MIILLINGAR—N,. calm—partially cloudy.
TUNBRIDGE—S.E., gentle breeze—partially cloudy.
LEIGHTON—S.E., calm—overcast.
HOLYHEAD--S. Vr„ strong breeze--rain.
WHITBY—S., gentle breeze—overcast.
DARLINGTON—S.S.E., strong breeze—partially cloudy,
light frost.
SNAP—S., gentle breeze—sleet and rain.

THE WEATHER.--Sox OFFICE, FEE. 5.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
36 highest since noon yesterday.
30—lowest this morning and during the night.
37—this day, at noon.

BAROMETER, 29'85.
WIND, E.N.E.--Fresh breeze, with clouds and sun-
shine. A good deal of rain in the night.

vr.3)

A 0 --!=,

Axlv

LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1853.

We would solemnly warn the people of Eng-
land to be watchful of the course pursued at this
moment by their Government. There is need that
all impartial observers—that all men not truck-
ling to the holders of place in Downing-street—
should lift up their voice to bid the multitude
Beware of the policy now being adopted by the
Leaders of the Administration. Mr. COBDMT has
not issuedjiis pamphlet from the press too soon.
The evil scheme, against the revival of which he
and all honest citizens in the realm would protest,
is even now making its deplorable renewal mani-
fest, and doing this, moreover, in a manner re-
markable for its astounding effrontery. A
considerable proportion of the journals prepared
the way for the renovation of the old
policy, for the renovation of that atilbcious
and pernicious policy which the more sanguine
amongst us had fain imagined to have been long ,
ago altogether abandoned. It is the old aristo-
cratic element again rampant, again egging us on
into a contest with France—in the hope that
once embarked in war the national attention
must necessarily be diverted from the great aim
of carrying out a comprehensive system of poli-
tical alterations, or legislative improvements. In
illustration of the truth of this assertion, we have
witnessed of late the encouragement of the horrible
old war panic. We have it dinned into
our ears unceasingly that the French are
certainly coming to land on our shores, to indulge
themselves in a razzia more terrible than the world
has ever -witnessed, to carry off the gold from the
Bank of England, to sack London, to convey the
QUEEN from Osborne House close prisoner, and
to destroy the prestige of our insular glory, if
not to wipe the name of the British Empire from
the chart of Christendom. It began with a de-
parted warrior, grey in years and in renown.
It has been echoed since, in all the changing
notes of alarm, from the magnificent volume
of the merry old man of Brunnen, to
the single sheet octavo of the most melancholy
pamphleteer. FrOm the outset we have acknow-
ledged that more care ought, in reason, to be
taken of the maintenance of our National De-
fences. We have insisted all along that we have
too much at stake not to render ourselves, by every
rational precaution, as nearly as possible impreg-
nable. Satisfied that the adoption of this course,
under the circumstances, was, all things considered,
only reasonable, we have observed with compla-
cency the increase of our Navy (an increase,
indeed, for which we had, for one, during
many years past loudly and unremittingly cla-
moured), and the general re-organisation of our
militia. We have never dosed our eyes to the
weak points in the coast defences of the United
Kingdom. On the contrary, we have been
among the foremost of those who have besought
the rulers of England to watch more carefully
over this conservation. But throughout the
whole of this period we have recognised
the atrocity of those insults which have
been continually directed against a friendly
Government --a Government doing us no in-
jury whatsoever, but, on the other hand,
giving reiterated assurances of a wish to maintain
intact a cordial and lasting alliance. The con-
duct of those who have hurled these insults across
the Channel, has from first to last glared upon us
in their true light, namely, as being no less foolish
than it is criminal. Latterly, indeed, the
men who have acted thus, have done the utmost
to render Joint' BULL at one moment ludicrous,
and at another detestable in the presence of civil-
ised Europe. They have endeavoured to exhibit
him before the face of the whole world under
two aspects of most odious degradation—now,
as a whimperer, and now as a blusterer. They
have pourtrayed him after this fashion—as
though having stuffed his pockets and his carcase
to repletion, he had sat down in his old
age (and, one might almost fancy it,
in his dotage) to dwell over the hor-
rid presentiment that he was to be
A
kicked by Somebody ! going
Again, not satisfied with
this, they have represented him, if that were pos-.

sible, 1111.der a still more despicable appearance—
; himself, in the midst of profound peace,
with all kinds of warlike vapourings, alternately
shaking his fist and his cudgel at his old friend
JOHNNY CRAPAITD, on the other side of the
water--in short, they tried to make him out
at once. a coward and a bully. In say-
ing this, we do not exaggerate the re-
cent outcry by one tittle. We call things
by their right names. We say that • the
people who have fostered this war-cry of late,
have alternated simply between an almost craven
timidity, and a wholly intolerable insolence.
Under all this, moreover, we have not failed to
detect the meaning of the hubbub—the cause of
all this vapouring—the reason of all this ro-
domontade. It is the old story over again.
The people are to be deluded once more
by that aristocratic influence which abhors
the idea of innovation, and loathes the very
name of retrenchment that influence which,
to avoid those two evils, plunged us into a
war that lasted during more than twenty years,
and which cost the toiling population of these
islands a debt of 500,000,u001.—and which, if
not guarded against very vigilantly at this moment,
will plunge the nation again into a no less ruinous
contest, exciting once more an insensate hatred
against the French, and weighing us down under
another debt this time, perhaps, a debt of double
500,000,000/. We say, therefore, to the coun-
try at large—Beware ! We warn every calm
and unprejudiced spectator of events against the
criminal course being now pursued by men who
should guard them against calamity instead of re-
viving warfare, in order that they may the
more effectually retard civilisation. If it be
asked where are the tokens of this deplorable
cause being fostered by our statesmen, we point
simply to the remarks uttered recently by two of
our most eminent statesmen, when addressing
their constituents—one, some weeks back, at. Car-
lisle, the other, only yesterday, at Halifax.
Through those two occasions the world witnessed
the extraordinary spectacle of Cabinet Minis-
ters speaking in terms of unendurable insult
of the thrice elected chief of a friendly
nation, the supreme head of a powerful and
neighbouring Government ! It was as if Sir
JAMES GRAHAM had, in so many words, urged
NAPOLEON 11.1. to retaliate, by descending upon
our shores—as if Sir CHARLES WOOD had cla-
moured eagerly for a positive attempt at a French
invasion. Meanwhile, a general officer in the
rainy of the Queen of England so far forgets
his position both as an officer and as as Englishman
as to wager that the EMPEROR will bring his
soldiers down upon our shores, upon the un-
derstanding that in the event of our being in truth
thus assailed he—wearing the colours of his Mo-
NARCH, and.carrying the sword of his country—is to
be rewarded by the sum of 10,000/. for the arrival
of that great danger to his fatherland ! Beholding
all these disgraceful transactions, hearing all these
bitter and unstatesmanlike words, observing the
growth of this panic, and remarking the develop-
ment of these evil passions, we do, again and again,
beseech the more enlightened and conscientious
members of the community to review the whole
question in their calmer judgment, and to decide
which is assuming the nobler part—France or
England.

It is much more pleasant to commend than to
censure, and as few of our readers read long
speeches, however carefully we report them, we
will just give them the best sample of our win-
nowings from last week's Manchester orations.
Very long, and we must own lively and spicey,
was the declamation, whether in the Corn Ex-
change, or in the Free-trade Hall. ; there was no
lack of various diet for this politically vegetarian
banquet. " The Services" were entertainingly
served up for the general amusement, so were
Emperors and Admirals, Prime Ministers, and
the Press ; Englishmen, Frenchmen, and. Ameri-
ctahues,e
npta se t
ain alarmsmelt tand present
diaercdit panics.the hosts, Certainlyani
most peaceful were the peace debates, if so they
may be called, for every resolution was carried
unanimously. To our mind the really valuable
part of the whole affair was its tendency to rectify
common opinions—suppositions we should rather
say—respecting France. It must be confessed
that the English Press generally has been guilty,
since the 2d of December, 1851, of an undesir-
able propensity to see hostile intentions, or at
least suspicious indications in everything across
the water. We are not going to apologise for the
coup d'etat and its first consequences. The con-
scientious moralist may find plenty there to con-
demn ; we have only to do with it politically ;
and from that point of view we must hold that
after the French nation had fairly elected the
subverter of the Republic, we were bound to re-
gard the act as theirs ; they had appropriated it,
and it was for us to treat their Government as we
should wish the French Press to treat ours. That
is, their public measures were, of course, fair sub-
jects of European discussion ; but their Ministry
and their President or Emperor, should at least
have been treated respectfully. Utterly alien as
the whole affair might be to our notions of politi-
cal and even moral fitness, Frenchmen expect we
should allow that they understand their oR A mat-
ters better than we do.

We were much struck with the good sense of
Mr. COBDEN'S remarks on these points at the
meeting on the 29th. It is, he observed, the
popular ignorance in England of the habits and
tastes of the French people which is at the bottom
of all our censures, and 011 our outcry about in-
vasion. Mr. COBDMT himself has long had much
personal acquaintance with France and French-
men, and is quite as good an authority as many of
our o Arn correspondents." He justly observes,
that the French have not yet acquired our full
appreciation of the value of Representative Go-
vernments ; and certainly they have had but
little since 1792 to inspire them with lasting re-
spect for Houses of Parliament. Public meetings
and voluntary associations, also, they have never
been able to avail themselves of successfully ; and
therefore their more sober men shrink from the
hazard of them in less qualified hands. The
Habeas Corpus Act, which we value as such a
guarantee of our personal liberty, has nothing
corresponding to it in France, nor have the French
people, when the fullest power has been in their
hands, ever bethought themselves of this first
safeguard against lawless despotism. The time
may come when they will prize these things as we
do, but it is a plain fact that they do not now.
The Freedom of the Press, also, is not, in their
view, what it is in ours ; and we may well re-
member that it is not very long since the Six Acts
were passed, and since chains were forged to
restrain the free circulation of English political news,
which are only lengthened a little at this hour,
but are not yet destroyed. Mr. COBDEN thinks
that, instead of self-complacently " stroking our
beards, and thanking Heaven that we are not as
other men are, we had better learn from their in-
difference to the Abolition of the Freedom of the
Press to take care that our Newspaper Press shall
be a useful organ in the cause of morality and of
truth, and, above all, of international peace ; and
that our public men and leading statesmen shall
be so truthful in their representative capacities,
show patriotism enough, for the people to trust
them, and cling to their Free Press and their re-
presentative institutions."

If, however, we wonder at the French indiffer-
ence to what we deem so valuable, Mr. COBDEN
well observes that they have their wonderments
also about us. What they do prize and praise
above all things is their Equality in Social Rank.
They have made a clean sweep of every vestige of
feudalism for upwards of sixty years ; they tole-
rate no arbitrary rank or titles, no entails, nor
anything indeed which creates social inequality.
They carry it into their religion, not even the
Church, which comprises nearly the whole popula-
lation, is selected for special endowment ; all
people are put upon a footing of perfect equality.
An hereditary House of Peers like ours would not
be endured for a moment ; LOUIS NAPOLEON'S
Throne would not be worth twenty-four hours'
liurchase if he were to attempt it. Their system
taxation is the most fair and equal in the world ;
and there could not exist in France such a thing
as a legacy and probate duty on one kind of pro-

perty, and not on another. Candid Frenchmen
envy us our personal liberty, but confess, nation-
ally, to a stronger passion for equality. Our
stronger passion is for liberty, indulging which,
we astonish them by our indifference to the social
distinctions which condemn the great majority to
a permanent artificial inferiority. Now, if a
spirit of impartial comparison like this, which
might be indefinitely carried out, be propagated
from the Manchester Meetings, it would be worth
all the trouble and expense incurred by the friends
of peace. JOHN BULL is egregriously conceited of
his own tastes, and contemptuous of those of
foreigners ; still he is fair-minded, and we hope
will take this lesson to heart.

Our invasionists were also reminded of many
facts which it behoves them well to remember.
They were assured, if they have forgotten it, that
Frenchmen have something to lose by war as well
as we. That their Bank had contained more sil-
ver than the Bank of England contained of gold
and silver put together ; and that silver is far
more common there in even private families
in middling circumstances than in England. That
instead of about 30,000 they have 8,000,000
landed proprietors,—farmers who plough their
own land, certainly not men likely to leave their
homesteads to enrich themselves by marauding in
England ; and that the rural population generally
are in a very far superior state to our own. But
then the French Navy and Cherbourg, and those
steamers to America ! Well, we and they both
keep building together ; and we are in a condition
to have almost as many sailors and guns afloat in
the Mediterranean as we have on our own coasts
at home,—well, towards a thousand guns and ten
thousand men in both, not to speak of our large
reserve and our comparatively immense mercantile
marine. And Cherbourg,—Mr. MILNER GIBSON,
who speaks like a sailor, and seems to know all
about it from frequent personal inspection,
thanks the French _heartily for it ; de-
clares that all who navigate there owe
them thanks also for such an invaluable port
of refuge on a coast which needs it so much, and
for the large sums expended on its fine but costly
breakwater. As to the fleet of American steamers
to be subsidised by Government, he affirms, from
personal knowledge, that Cherbourg is the only
port suitable for them, as being one adapted to
vessels drawing much water, and capable of being
entered in all weathers, by day or by night. We
have previously remarked on the reasonable call
of the speakers for more efficient employment of
our military and naval expenditure ;—with such
facts to tell of, as that military authorities dis-
puted in the House of Commons whether we have
9,000 men or 60,000 to meet an invasion with ;
that Sir JAMES STIRLING himself, a man high in the
Navy, stated, before a Committee of the House
of Commons, " that the number of officers in the
British Navy over and above what was necessary
for the work to be done, either in peace or war,
was equal to the keep of 20,000 seamen (a state-
ment never contradicted)—it is clear that revision,
economy, and efficiency, not increased estimates,
are the first work in this department for the new
Government.

The Dissenters are beginning to combine for
Parliamentary action. They are adopting the
regular and approved plan of operations. Their
forefathers built Meeting-houses, and initiated
public business by fasting and prayer. They
are building a Club House, and propose to begin
their Parliamentary action by feasting and speechi-

fying. We know not who can reasonably object
to all this. They occupy by the laws of the land
a somewhat different political position to Church-

men ; they have, therefore, their own peculiar
political points to maintain, or make good ; and
if they choose to come to Parliament " eating
and drinking," instead of appearing there in
fasting and sackcloth, we shall but welcome them
the more heartily. We not only do not grudge
them their MILTON Club, in Ludgate Hill, nor
the dinner which its committee has advertised for
' the 16th, to " the Members of Parliament re-
cognising the principles of Evangelical Noncon-
formists," but we wish their Club success, and
wish them as merry a banquet as their hearts
can desire. The Dissenters of the class in ques-
tion are very numerous, and comprise much of
the respectable portion of the tradesmen and
manufacturers, and it will be a political and
public advantage that they should have a
recognised public centre, where their leading men
will natv rally associate, and whence they can
exert the same kind of general influence as the
other Clubs have long done. By the term
" Evangelical," we presume they wish to exclude
Unitarian and Catholic Dissenters. With the
pranks of the Irish Brigade before their eyes, the
wisdom of the latter exclusion will be disputed by
few ; but with so many able Members of Parlia-
ment professing Unitarian sentiments, and the
unquestionably improved character of Unitarian
theology in England, it appears somewhat unde-
sirable to separate themselves from such efficient

theological
posi-
tion.a
occupying a precisely similar
We acknowledge the deeplinn
dis-
tinction,e but we presume that theologyeithoer
at the
i s to be
gentlemen, however,
of
course no subject of action or discussion,
business best, and we
Cluborrstehe knowdinner.
t their
Theseew n
are sorry to own that there are not wanting mem-
bers of the Daily Press who would have made a
most unworthy use of it, had the Nonconformists
Parliamentnconformists
adopted The Dissenting
awider
basis.
Membersasis in this
form quite a noticeable body—one capable, if fac-
tiously inclined, of giving no small trouble ;
they
are more numerous than the Peelites, and if they
do not include in their number so many " Talents
~
they are not destitute of it by any means; neither
are they likely to fold their talent in a napkin
and to bury it in the earth. There are amongst
them a full supply of men " who have a stake in
the country," and men of high social standing.
The City at least will do all honour to such names
as CHALLIS and PET o.
h.
large i r
t Wy-eeai
mgwhoetu
nr e t
Dissentingf oo mf e somewhat t s
whatpanridsedoftoelfineetderspopulationur
e
Mem-
bers represent. They sit for counties and
boroughs containing 228,057 electors, and a po-
pulation of 4,290,905—one-fifth of the electors,
and more than a fifth of the population. Of
course our remarks exclude Ireland and its incal-
culables from consideration entirely. It has also
been observed that, omitting the county Members,
the Dissenting Members, although not more than
one-tenth of the borough Members in the House
of Commons, yet repiesent fully oneethird of the
borough electors of the United Kingdom. Such
facts are very instructive. They clearly show
either that Dissenters are much
constituencmi more numerous
proportionally in the populous
admitting this to be in some degree the case, they
rather show, we think, that large constituencies
are much more free from religious bigotry, and
that a man's being a Dissenter is amongst them
no hindrance to his obtaining the honours and the
confidence to which every good citizen may justly
aspire—the truth being, that in such. constitu-
encies the electors concern themselves, very pro-
perly, not about a man's religious creed, but about
his political creed. No religious views probably
could be more diverse than those
we know
of e
both the two Hon.
Members for Finsbury, but they
and no opposing
rn
as consistent and hearty Liberals,
candidate could venture to attack either on the
score of his faith without the certainty of arous-
ing the just indignation of the electors. Would
that as much coulAmerica of every constituency
in the kingdom.
certainly surpasses us in
this resp ect. Lord CARLISLE declares that he
envies them their religious freedom ; and. Sir
CHAnnEs LYELL states that itble to was
tell him a long timeto what
be-
fore he could find any one a
denomination the President !
calculating
There is,
we conceive, no difficulty belongedn
the course which Dissenters will pursue in the
House Commons. With but one exception,
from of
Cambridgeshire, they are all Liberals, mostly
steady, and many of them very earnest, Liberals.
A great part of them are men of business, or well
acquainted with practical life ;
hence they have not
a tinge of faction about them.
vote Thagainstey will,
all fur-
less, steadily and consistently
grants for religious Purposes, but they will
then
no Bill to separate Church and Sate, or
bring in
even to relieve their old o onents, the Bishops,
pp

from their legislative duties in the House of
Lords. They will not be, likely to obtrude their
voluntaryism into the debates, though it were too
much to expect that if Mr. SPOONER or Mr.
GLADSTONE, according to their respective modes,
give them occasion, they should abstain from em-
bracing it. The Coalition may probably expect
their full support in any measure of Reform,
whether relating to India, or the Colonies, and
especially to the Income Tax and Electoral Reform.
Nothing, probably, will more detract from the
cordiality of the support they would render the
present Government than any paltering with
schedule D, or any shuffling with their favourite
question of Representatiire Reform. We have no
idea that they will be in danger of dissenting par-
tisanship ; they were elected for their political,
not for their religious, views. The utmost their
constituents wish, or even would allow, is that
they should guard with a jealous and firm hand
the common religious liberties of all. They come
in great part from districts which have for a long
time refused to pay church rates, and in which
the numerous new churches have been built by
generous individuals, or by voluntary contribu-
tions ; and this will give the tone we imagine to
their habits of thought, and their speaking on
ecclesiastical subjects.
In regard to National Education, there is a
schism amongst them. The thoroughgoing Vo-

luntaries objecting to State grants for religious
purposes conceive themselves bound to oppose
Government grants to schools in which religion is
taught. Perhaps none of them object on princi-
ple to the Government support of Secular Educa-
tion ; and probably a majority would gladly sup-
port anything in furtherance of education that
did not give undue power to the Established
Church. Dissenters have always been zealous and
active friends of education. They began 50 years
ago, amidst great opposition, the movement which
has now absorbed the Church itself in the stream,
and they may therefore be safely reckoned on to
support earnestly any fair proposition.

NATIONAL DEFENCE AND THE MORAL
RELATION OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE.

..;10.-LVEY AN.

VAL NEWS.

CITY, Two o'CLocic.
The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday, were
estimated at 12,000 bales, of which 6,000 were
taken on speculation. The market closed with a
hardening tendency. Railway shares were rather
firmer.

The great decrease in the amount of bullion in

the Bank of England, stated as being likely to ap-
pear in the weekly return to the 29th ult., is actu-
ally shown to have occurred, and by all accounts,
will probably take place again in ensuing weeks, as
there are still exports to the Continent. So long
as these go merely in payment of staples which we
work up into manufactured articles, yielding a
handsome profit, there can be no valid reason for
complaint. All we are concerned to prevent, is
participation in the loans of bankrupt, foreign
States, and unhealthy speculation, and if the Bank
lost two or three millions sterling more, it would
be a positive advantage, and ultimately would ren-
der a larger stock of bullion than ever, a matter of
certainty, if the money is known to be employed in
our export trade. Of course, should there be a
deficient harvest, a new combination of circum-
stances totally distinct, would arise. The circula-
tion of notes last week was lessened, the withdrawal
of private balances being met by the specie. In
discount there was a failing off, and should this
continue, a further increase in the charge will not
at present be attempted. Compared with the pre-
vious week, the changes are as follows :

Active circulation
Decrease
Bullion
Decrease

£22,983,450
490,325
19,042,835
362,084
4,235
237,239
661,444
1,837
29,794
13,654,165
516,580
67,095

Rest— Increase
Public Deposits—lncrease
Other deposits—Decrease
Seven day and other Bills—lncrease
Government securities---Decrew.e
Other securities
Decrease
Notes unemployed—lncrease

The banking interest throughout the country
appears to be very flourishing, and both in the
metropolis and the provinces large dividends have
been recently declared as the result of business
done in the last six months. The Royal British
Baak made yesterday its third annual report, and
made, with the consent of the proprietary, a divi-
dend at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum, and
made an addition, besides, to the reserve fund,
which now amounts to 7,5001. Since the Bank
commenced business, 2,1411. have been written off
the preliminary expenses, besides improvements
and repairs being liquidated out of current revenue;
and, upon the general progress of the Bank, and
the condition of the Money Market, we have the
following information :
" The abundance and cheapness of money alluded to in
the report for the half year ended on the 30th of June
last, as necessarily tending to the reduction of all bank-
ing profits, continued to operate in the same way through-
out the half year just concluded ; and although the rates
charged by this bank for its advances on cash credits
and convertible securities did not fluctuate, and were
not, therefore, on the one hand subjected to the depres-
sion which the discount of purely commercial paper un-
derwent ; yet, on the other hand, the directors, from a
regard to one of the main purposes of the institution—
namely, to induce parties previously unaccustomed to
banking, to make deposits and keep balances at their
credit, considered it right to continue to allow the same
rates of interest as had been announced at the beginning.
The sums so paid by the bank were, in 1850, 4.4561.
14s. ; in 1851, 9,6011. 10s. Bd. ; and in 1852, 13,3941.
Bs. 6d. The accounts open at the end of the first year
were 2,989, second year 3,994, and last year 4,411.
" Notwithstanding. however, the comparatively large
amount of the payments for interest, and their progres-
sive annual increase, the directors have been encouraged
to continue the shtem the bank adopted and has hitherto
followed, from knowing that very industrious persons
have been benefited by it,---and that, while depositing
customers have had much the greater part of the earn-
ings of the bank, the proprietors have had an ample
return on their investments, and have had these made
more valuable by the formation of a Reserved Fund,
now equivalent to 15 per cent. on the paid-up capital."
Bills of Exchange on the principal continental
towns were negotiated here yesterday afternoon at
very full rates. Paris, 90 days, 25 27-i to 30 ;
Amsterdam, 11 18-i to 19 ; Hamburgh, 13 6to 6 ;
Frankfort, 1191 to ; and Trieste, 11 7to 12.
The exports of gold direct from London during
the week to Thursday last, were 87,456 ounces and
2,0001., all but 256 ounces being sent to the Conti-
nent, and 17,900 ounces of silver.

Besides these amounts, the steamer from South-
ampton takes out between 200,0001. and 300,0001.
in silver to Alexandria and the East Indies.
The English Stock Market has been very dull,
but nevertheless a shade firmer. Consols 99k to
for Transfer, and 99k for Account. The New
Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents. have been 103 to
14-, and the Three per Cents. 100 to *. Exchequer
Bills have been quoted 50s. to 555., and India
Bonds 60s. premium.
Foreign Stocks are also very dull, but Grenada
have improved, as adividend is coming forward.
The Active Bonds realise 22, and the Deferred llf
to 1. Mexican Stock has been heavy at 22k
The Turkish Loan is at discount, and the Aus-
trian Scrip, 7i premium. Dutch 4 per Cents.
have been 97i
_Railway Shares have been all better, and the
Bears have been buying back.
Mines are dull.

BRITISH FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK THIS DAY

(limn the Official List.)
ItuAness none.
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities... ....... ICI4 IC3
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities
New 34 per Cent. Annuities.... ..... .....
India Bonds, £lOOO
Ditto, under £lOOO 6O
Consols for Account 10th February 'J9.} g
Exchequer Bills lid. March. June.
£lOOO.. .. 59 5
£5OO 5O 5
Small 55 5

PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK,

Austrian Scrip, 5 per Cent 7l
Grenada Bonds, Deferred, I . lli 4
Ditto Ex Dec., 1849, Coupon 22
Mexican 3 per Ceut 22a i
Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent 22i
Swedish Loan li d
Turkish Loan, 6 per Cent., 1852 i d
Venezuela Bonds 31 per Cent.
Dutch Exchange 24- per Ceut —
Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates... .... .
TWO O'CLOCK.
Consols . - $
Ditto February Account
4

SALE OF RENTERS' SHARES IN THE COVENT-GARDEN
THEATRE.—Yesterday, at the Auction Mart, Messrs.
Shuttleworth and Sons, the auctioneers, offered to public
competition two renters' shares in the Theatre Royal,
Covent-garden, the income from which is 121. 10s. per
annum, and the possessor is entitled to a free admis-
sion, transferable once in a season, which usually sells
for 51. or 61., held for an unexpired term of 41 years—
the first was sold for 1701., and the next 1601. The
original cost was 5001., and they have been sold at a
premium.
A MILITARY POLYGAMIST.—Ann Proud, a woman
aged 39, and Emma Derby, aged 19, were brought
before the Sheffield borough magistrates on Thursday,
charged with being disorderly. The prisoners both
claimed to be the wife of Wm. Proud, a private in the
21st Regiment of Foot, now stationed in Sheffield. The
elder prisoner had for several years been received as
Proud's wife into the barracks where the regiment had
been stationed. Latterly, he had formed an acquaint-
ance with the younger prisoner, who lived out of the
barracks, and passed herself off also as his wife. The
two women went into the town last night, and after
quarrelling about which had the greatest right to the
soldier, resorted to fighting to settle the point. The
result was, that they were both taken to the lock-up.
It was stated that the soldier was among the spectators
in the court. The Mayor ordered him to be called.
On presenting himself before the bench, the follow.
ing dialogue passed :—The Mayor—Which of these
women is pour wife ? Soldier—One of them is as
dearito me as the other. The Mayor—Explain what
you mean by that. Soldier (smiling)—They are
both my wives.—The Mayor—You may think it a
laughing matter, but you will find that it is not. Do
you mean to say that you have been married to both
these women, and that they are both of them your wives ?
—Soldier—Yes, and I can bring you two more, if you
want them. (The younger prisoner, who with the
soldier appeared to think the whole proceeding a piece
of fun, here burst out a laughing.) Mr. A. Smith (to the
soldier—What do you mean by the answer you just now
gave the Mayor ?—Soldier—l mean that I have four
wives.—Mr. A. Smith—Where did you marry your first
I, wife ?—Soblier—l married one in Ireland, one in Scot-
land, and two in Engllnd..—Questions were then put to
the soldier as to the names of the four women, and the
places where he had been married. The light then
began to dawn upon him that the matter was not quite
so much of a mere joke as he had at first thought it, and
he returned very evasive answers. The smile entirely
left his countenance a moment afterwards, when the
Mayor directed him to be taken into custody. on the
charge of bigamy, and remanded for •
younger prisoner finding matters growing serious,
dis-
claimed that she was the wife of the sold
a moment before had stated that
Leeds. The whole of the threeparties The
~ though he
he married her at
were remanded.