The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 10, 1854.

has been canoelled • Gentlemen Cadet Walter Overbeck
Wade, from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign,
without purchase, vice Lane, March 10.
92d Foot—Lieutenant Christopher Edward Blacket to
Captain, without purchase, vice Carden, deceased ;
Ensign Edward Augustus Stotherd to be Lieutenant,
without purchase, vice Blacket, Feb. 4 • Gentleman Cadet
Edward Welch, from the Royal Military College, to be
Ensign, without purchase, vice Stotherd, Marcy 10.
99th Foot--Serjeant-Major William Browne to be Quar-
termaster, vice Alexander Macdonald, who retires upon
half-pay, March 10.
Cape Mounted Rifleman—Edward Alexander Lynar,
Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Davies, pro.
moted in the 74th Foot, March 10.

lINATTACHED.—Lieutenant William John Kirk, from
half-pay 46th Foot (Staff Officer of Pensioners), to be Cap-
tain, without purchase, Feb. 24.
MEMORANDUM.—Grenadier Guards—For Henry Law-
rence, Gent., to be Assistant-Surgeon, Feb. 24, read Henry
John Hughes Lawrence, Gent., &c. 50th Foot—For
Edward Gregg Noot, Gent., to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice
J. C. Purves, M.D., who resigns, Feb. 10, read Edward
Gregg Noott, Gent., &c. The Christian names of Ensign
and Lieutenant Amherst, appointed to the Coldstream
Regiment of Foot Guards on 3d March, are the Hon.
William Archer and not Arthur, as previously stated.
The removal of Lieut. Charles Nedham, from the 10th
Foot to the 53d Regiment, as stated in the Grvette of the
3d March, has been cancelled.
OFFICE OF ORDNANCE, MARCH 9.
Royal Regiment of Artillery—Serjeant William Reuben
Kirkman to be Quartermaster, Feb. 17 ; Hi tks Withers,
Gent., to be Veterinary Surgeon, vice Percivall, retired
on half-pay, March 6.
COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORD LIEUTENANTS.

County of Southampton—The Right Honourable Charles
Shaw Lefevre to be Deputy Lieutenant, March 7.
2d Regiment of the Royal Surrey Militia—William
James Sharpe, Esq., to be Lieutenant, March 6.
4th or Duke of Lancaster's Own (Light Infantry) Royal
Lancashire Militia—John Calcott Beatty, Gent., to be
Ensign, March 6.
Northamptonshire Militia—Henry Mincel Stockdale to
be Lieutenant, March 6.
Royal Glamorgan Light Infantry Militia Edward
Priest Richards, Esq., to be First Lieutenant, March 6.
The Queen's Ownlorcestershire Regiment of Yeomanry,
Cavalry—Lieutenant-Colonel the Right Honourable Wil-
liam, Lord Ward, to be Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant,
vice the Honourable Robert Henry Clive, Commandant,
deceased, Feb. 27.

The Lord Chancellor has appointed the following gentle-
men to be Commissioners for administering oaths in the
High Court of Chancery :
Sydney Pearson, Dawlish, Devonshire.
Anthony Wellington Irwin, Gray's-inn-square.
Edward Western, Great James-street, Bedford-row. _

Charles Francis Western, Great James-street, Bedford•
row.

Cyril John Monkhouse, Craven-street, Strand.
Edward Davison Welford, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
...

Edward Doyle, Verulam buildings, Gray's-inn.
William Henry Clapham, Great Portland-street, Mary-
lebone.

Frederick Tntton, Three Crown-square, Southwark.
Philip Augustus Hanrott, jun., Queen-square, Blooms•
bury.
BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED.

William Bennett, cotton spinner, Foster Mill, near
Hebden-bridge, Yorkshire.

BANKRUPTS.

William John Watson, builder, Upper Holloway, to
surrender March 21, at twelve, and April 20, at one, at
the Court of Bankruptcy. Bell, official assignee, Cole-
man-street-buildings • Brown, Finsbury-place.
William Cluff Hume, grocer, Putney, March 24, and
April 25, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards,
official assignee, Basinghall-street ; Hare and Whitfield,
Temple.
Win. John Hicks, draper, Waltham Abbey, March
18, at twelve, and April 21, aone' at the Court of Bank-
ruptcy. Canaan, official assignee, Aldermanbury ; David-
son and Bradbury, Basinghall-street.
Thomas Booth, innkeeper, Halifax, March 21, at twelve.
and April 24, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court.
Hope, official assignee; Mitchell, Halifax, Bond and Bar-
wick, Leeds. _ _

Jaines Potts, confectioner, Stoke-upon-Trent, March 23,
and April 25, at twelve, at the Birmingham District
Court. Christie, official assignee, Birmingham ; Smith,
Birmingham.
Christopher James Taylor, coal dealer, Birmingham,
March 22, and April 26, at twelve, at the Birmingham
District Court. Whitmore, official assignee, Birmingham;
Hodgson, Birmingham.
Frederick Bhear, hotel keeper, Lombard-street, March
22, at two, and April 25, at one, at the Court of Bank-
ruptcy. Stansfeld, official assignee; Miller and Carr,
Eastcheap.
Edwin Shaw, pocket book maker, Birmingham, March
25, and April 24, at ten, at the Birmingham District Court.
Christie, official assignee, Birmingham; Hodgson, Birming-
ham.
David Couzens, cab proprietor, East Stonehouse, Devon,
March 27, and April 24, at half-past one, at the Exeter
District Court. Hirtzell, official assignee, Exeter;
El worthy, Plymouth.
Henry Johnson, machinist and engineer, Turnwheel-
lane, Cannon-street, City, March 23, at half-past one, and
April 27, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Bell,
official assignee, Coleman-street Buildings ; Teague, Cheap-
side.

Thomas McKenna, draper, Belfast, March 24, and April
28, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court. Rerun-
man, official assgnee, Manchester ; Sale, Worthington, and
Shipman, Manchester.
John Harrison, licensed victualler, Sunderland, March
22, at eleven, and April 28, at twelve, at the Bankrupt
District Court. Wakley, official assignee, Newcastle-
upon-Tyne ; Abrahams, Southampton-buildings ; Harle,
Newcastle-npon-Tyne.
Henry James Rogers, surgeon, Callington, Cornwall,
March 22, at two, and April 20, at one, at the Exeter
District Court. Hirtzell, official assignee, Exeter ;
mends and Son, Plymouth ; Stogdon, Exeter.
SCOTCH SEQUESTR.TIONS.

Sawtell, Munn, and Desgraud, manufacturers, Paisley.
Gavin Irving Dickson, merchant Glasgow.

H. and J. Biird, manufacturers, Paisley.
Martin, Sons, and Company, vinegar manufacturers,
Glasgow.

BANK OF
An Account pursuant to the Act
the Week ending on Saturda:

ENGLAND.
7th and Bth Victoria, cap 32, for
ty the 4th day of March, 1854.

ISSUE DEP.
X
Notes issued .. • • .... 29,157,670

'ABTMENT.

Government debt.... 11,015,100
Other securities ...... 2,984,900
Gold coin and bullion 15,157,670
Silver Nth ion ........ -

£29,157,670

£29,157,670
f. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier.
854.
IPARTMENT.

Datod the 9th day of March, 1

BANKING DE
rr
Proprietors' capital .. 14.553,000
Rest ........ ...... 3,713,915
Public deposits Lin-
chiding Exchequer,
Commissioners of
Nat,onal Debt, Sav-
ing's Banks, and
Dividend Accounts) 2,713,915
Other drpoii• s ...... 11,214,639
Seven Day and other
Bills ........ . 1,09,,921

Government securities

(includg.llead Weight

Annuity) 11,751,555
Other securities ...... 13,241,821
rtes • • ............ 7099,720
Gold and sliver coin 751,233

ROYAL GENERAL THEATRICAL FUND.

On Ash Wednesday, as has been usual, the annual
general meeting of the members of this body, established
in 1839, and last year incorporated by royal charter, for
granting permanent pensions to decayed or infirm mem-
bers who may have practised the art of acting, dancing,
or singing, as a moans of subsistence, in Great Britain
and Ireland, was held in the saloon of the Lyceum
Theatre. The chair was, in the first instance, filled by
Mr. Addison, afterwards by Mr. Buckstone.
Mr. CULLENFORD, the secretary, stated that a grant
of 201. had been made by the committee to the fund for
the relief of the children of Mrs. Warner, which required
the confirmation of the general meeting. The matter
had been brought under the consideration of the direc-
tors by Mr. Charles Bean. According to strict rule the
directors could not touch the funds except for the benefit
of the members, and therefore this grant was irregular,
but it was not without precedent, and it would be per-
fectly regular when confirmed by the meeting.
Mr. WORRELL was happy to move a resolution con-
firming the grant.
Mr. CULLENFORD reminded the meeting that the di-
rectors had made the grant with the clear understanding
that, if the meeting would not sanction it, they would
themselves bear the expense, and had, therefore, contri-
buted it at the time when it had been sought, and when
perhaps it had been most needed. (Cheers.)
Mr. YoUNGE seconded the motion, which was unani-
mously agreed to.
Mr. CULLENFORD said that during the past year twenty
new members bad been enrolled—a larger number than
in any other single year ; four members. had died, and
one had withdrawn, so that there was a clear gain
of fifteen members on the year. There were now 131
subscribing members, and seven annuitants upon the
books of the association. They were now also, after the
payment of all expenses, richer by 6901. 7s. Bd. than
they had been that time twelve months—a result which
he hoped would be satisfactory to them all.
Mr. SAVILLE wished to know how the directors deter-
mined the sum to be allocated for the payment of annui-
ties.

Mr. CJLLENFORD informed him that they halved the
sum of the adtuission fees and members' subscriptions,
after the payment of all expenses, and applied a moiety
to the annuity fund. The sum of 43:31. 3s. 4d., men-
tioned as annuitants' fund in the balance sheet, was the
amount so apportioned last year, but had not been alto-
gether required. The balance 1281. 7s. Bd. had been
carried to the reserve fund.

The report was then adopted.
A vo'e of thanks to the Chairman, who, in acknow-
ledging the compliment, congratulated the meeting on
the increasing prosperity of the association, terminated
the proceedings.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.)

SANITARY CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY.
The Earl of HARROWBY called attention to the
sanitary condition of the country, more especially with
regard to the metropolis ; and, in moving for papers,
asked the Government what steps they intended to
take in order to meet the visitation of cholera which
appeared to be impending.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY said that unhappily
there was no doubt that the cholera was approaching
this country. Having described the authority and the
proceedings of the Board of Health, he pointed out
numerous causes which endangered the public health,
and detailed a series of preventive measures which might
be expected either to defeat or greatly to mitigate the
distressing consequences of the pestilence. The Board
of Health, however, required additional powers. They
should be enabled to give orders, in certain cases, for
permanent sanitary works to be executed, with power to
charge the expense to the board of guardians. Houses
of refuge should also be provided, either for single or
combined parishes, to receive the healthy and sound
population in overcrowded places where the epidemic
broke out.

Earl GRANVILLE said the Government were in-
debted to the two noble earls who had just spoken, for
their attention to this important subject. His noble
friend the Home Secretary was now engaged in making
inquiries in relation to it ; and he was considering what
further powers could be given to the Board of Health
without unnecessarily interfering with local exertions.
After a short conversation the subject dropped, and
their lordships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.
MINISTERS MONEY IN IRELAND.

Mr. FAGAN moved that the house resolve itself
into a committee to take into consideration the law re-
lating to the rate or tax called " Ministers' Money" in
Ireland, with the view to repeal the same ; and further,
to provide a substitute therefor out of the revenues of
the Ecc:esiastical Commissioners as a provision for the
Protestant ministers in certain corporate towns in Ire-
land, in lieu of the annual sums now received by them
under and by virtue of the Act 17 and 18 Charles 11.
c. 7. The hon,gentleman stated that this was the sixth
time since he had been in Parliament that he had tried
to induce the house to repeal this unjust tax.
Mr. HUME seconded the motion, believing that the
continuance of this tax was just as much a source of re-
ligious discord in Ireland as church rates were in Eng-
land.

Sir J. YOUNG moved as an amendment, that the
acts relating to ministers' money in Ireland, and the
Church Temporalities Act (Ireland), be now read.
Should the house agree to this amendment, he should
move that the house do go into committee for the pur-
pose of obtaining leave to bring in a bill on the subject.
The effect of the bill would practically abolish the tax by
providing a substitute for it. The bill would exempt
houses under 101. from payment of the tax, as well as
all houses to be built in future, and the difference which
would thus be created would be made up partly by the
consolidated fund and partly by the funds of the Eccle-
siastical Commissioners. With regard to the proposition
he had made, he had consulted persons well known in
Cork, Limerick, and Dublin, and whose names, if he
were permitted to mention them, would command re-
spect ; and they stated tnat this proposition would meet
the requirements of thoee towns. The clergy would he
withdrawn altogether from the collection of the tax,
which would be paid to the commissioners. He put this
plan forward as a compromise, knowing that .it was
liable to the objections that might be male to it, but he
believed if it were accepted it would go far to remove
the evils which arose out of the present system.
Mr. HADFIELD said he could feel for the pain the
right hon. gentleman must have felt in proposing a com-
promise for such a paltry sum. Only one-sixth of the
people of Ireland belonged to the Established Church,
which had a revenue of 600,000/. a year, and yet she
could not afford to give up 15,000/. a year, not of pro
perty, but a tax, and which was levied principally on
the Catholics. He hoped the house would be content
with no compromise, but that this tax would be abo-
lished, and then there would be a fair hearing for Pro-
testantism in Ireland.

Mr. MAGUIRE said he would endeavour to show
why those who were anxious for the peace of Ireland,
and who advocated civil and religious liberty, shout I
respectfully decline the proposition of the right hon.
gentleman, the Secretary for Ireland. The last peti-
tion from Cork against the measure was signed by at
least 12,000 to 15,000 persons ; and indeed there was
no Protestant layman in that city who was not
anxious to have the question set at rest for ever.
(Hear, hear.) Last year the Lord Advocate, in
introducing a bill respecting what was called the an-
nuity tax, stated that his measure substantially em-
bodied the recommendations of the committee which had
sat on the subject. Now, why did not the Government
carry out the suggestions of the committee on ministers'
money ? (Hear, hear.) But they did the very opposite
of that. They came down to the house, and asked the
Irish members to accept a paltry compromise, which
was at once unworthy of those who proposed it, and
which would be degrading to those who should accept it.
(Cheers.) The measure had been represented as a boon ;
and the hon. gentleman opposite (Mr. Fagan) had been
so far deceived by the unscrupulous assertions which
had been made about it last year, that he wrote a letter
to a newspaper stating that it would take off 9,0001.,
leaving only 6,0001. or 7,0001. to be collected. The
right hon. baronet had stated that there were 80,000
persons in the city of Cork alone whom it would excuse
from payment. But what was the fact ? From a re-
turn, prepared by the clerk of the Cork Union, it ap-
peared that in that union there were no fewer than 5,113
houses rated to the poor-law at 1/. a-year. Did any
clergyman at the present time ever think of collecting
ministers' money from the occupiers of these miserable
tenements ? Certainly not. Such persons were already
excused by their poverty and the generosity of the Pro-
testant clergy, or their unwillingness to cause such scan-
dal as the attempt would give rise to. (Hear, hear.)
The same thing applied to all that held houses rated at
sums below 51., of which there were no fewer than 7,877,
while the number of houses rated at 8/. was only 298.
(Hear, hear.) The total amount of the valuation of
Dublin was 622,0001., while the total valuation of the
houses rated at 81. and up to 101. was 50,0001., that was
to say, one-eleventh instead of three-sevenths. The
total valuation of Cork was 120,0001., and that of the
houses rated at 81. and up to 101. 22,8681., or one-fifth.
There would not, in fact, be 1,000 houses exempted in
Cork by the bill. (Hear, hear.) But this was not all.
The measure (supposing it to be the same as last year)
actually provided that the corporations of Ireland which
had so strenuously protested against ministers' money
should be the imposers, the collectors, and the distrain-
era of the tax. Was that fair? (Hear, hear.) The
right hon. baronet talked about the principle of not
meddling with church property even for the purposes
of the church ; but by the Bth section the Ecclesias-
tical Commissioners were to pay the incumbents 80
per cent., and if the funds to be raised under the bill
should not be sufficient, then they were to make up the
deficiency out of the moneys that were in their hands.
Where, then, was the right hon. gentleman's prin-
ciple ? Why, having thus given it up, did he not go
further ? (Cheers.) The bill proposed to give the house-
owners a boon. It permitted them to compound for
the tax at the rate of sixteen two-third years ; whereas
everybody knew that seventeen two-third years' pur
chase had been considered a very high price for the lands
which had been sold in the Encumbered Estates Court.
He would leave the house to consider this very hand-
some offer, especially when they remembered that every
successive Government had promised redress of the
grievance. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member then quoted
the admissions of several Protestant clergyman against
the justice and policy of the tax ; and observed that
one of these gentlemen, the Rev. Mr. Howell, had sub-
mitted a plan similar to that of the Government to Sir
W. Somerville when Chief Secretary, so that the mea-
sure of the right hon. gentleman opposite had not even
the merit of originality. Mr. Howell candidly admitted
that his object was to collect the tax disguised under
another form. (Hear, hear) But would any disguise
render the impost less odious to the Roman Catholics
that paid it ? That the Roman Catholics did chiefly pay
it admitted of ready proof ; for in Cork the Protestant
population was only 15,000, while the Roman Catholics
numbered 79,000. In Kinsale there were 1,070 Pro-
testants and 5,234 Roman Catholics. In Limerick there
were 4,500 Protestants and 50,000 Roman Catholics,
and in Waterford there were 4,253 Protestants and over
22,000 Roman Catholics. There was no bigotry at all
on the subject in Ireland, for all the respectable Protes-
tants wished to get rid of the system. He would ap-
peal to the right hon. gentleman himself, how he would
like to have to pay for the support of Roman Catholi-
cism? Would it be consonant with his feelings of pride
to submit to such a tax ? The right hon. gentleman
would not submit to it for a month. He would rouse
all England if such an attempt were made upon'
him. (Hear, hear.) As a question of charity, if they
excused men who were rated at 101., why should they
insist on those who were rated at 11/. or 121. pay-
ing it ? There were many persons rated up to 201.
who could ill bear the impost. As a matter of prin-
ciple, he would ask the house whether the tax was likely
to be less hurtful to the feelings of the man who was
rated at 121. than to those of persons rated at Si.?
(Hear, hear.) Having read the opinion of several mem-
bers of the Government on this question, and cited nu-
merous instances where seizures had been made to re-
cover the tax, the hon. member concluded by conjuring
those who had the interest of Ireland at heart to reject
the amendment as a mean and contemptible compro-
mise. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CROSSLEY observed that this tax of ministers'
money must have one or two objects, either it was to
secure a good living for the minister, or to promote the
cure of souls. If it was the former, he thought it was
wrong, because those who were taxed did not require
services of the ministers. If, on the other hand, it was
to save the souls of Christians, he did not think it was
going the right way to obtain that object to take money
from a man against his will. The notorious Joseph
Ady when he applied to parties, told them that if they
would send him a certain sum of money he would tell
them something to their advantage, but here the mini-
sters did not ask for the money, they demanded, they
seized upon it, and then said, "if you will come and
listen to us you will hear something to your advantage."
(A laugh.) Now that was not the way to promote
Christianity, at all events it -was not the way the founder
of Christianity and his disciples promoted it, and he
thought the best thing the house could do was to abo-
lish the tax altogether. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. NAPIER felt bound in honour and conscience to
support the amendment, because when he sat on the other
side of the house there was a kind of pledge given that this
question should be settled. Not, however, that he agreed •

with all the views expressed by the right hon. baronetwho
had moved it, or at all sympathised with him when he con-
fessed himself favourable to giving Roman Catholic
clergymen some assistance or support from the state.
With regard to the tax itself, he could not concur with I
those who talked so loudly of its injustice. It was
charged by the crown upon its own property in the
reign of Charles 11., when Protestants were invited over
to Ireland, and those who had succeeded to the pro-
perty had taken to it with the full knowledge that the
charge existed. Where, then, was the injustice ? As
well might they say that a Roman Catholic who came
into possession of an estate under the Ricumbered
Estates Act has a right to repudiate the just and law-
ful charges he found upon it because the previous owner
who first imposed them was a Protestant. The two
cases were precisely analagous, and there was no more
injustice in the one than the other. He decidedly ob-
jected, then, to relieving the owner of the property sub•
ject to this tax in the manner about to be proposed by
the Government. The fund placed at the disposal of
the Ecclesiastical Commissioners was chiefly devoted to
equalising the stipends of Protestant clergymen in the
counties, and it would ho the height of injustice to re-
duce their incomes for the sake of keeping up those of
their brethren in towns whose incomes had hith Tto
been charged upon the proprietors of the houses that
were to be relieved by the right hon. baronet's measure.
If it was viewe 1 simply as a question between man and
man, as it undoubtedly was, the injustice of the pro-
posed change would become too glaring to be tolerated
for a single moment ; but views and sentiments of a re-
ligious character had been improperly imported into the
dispute, and by that means no doubt the injustice he
complained of would ultimately be effected. Divesting
the question of all religious feeling, he appealed to the
good sense of the house whether the measure proposed
would not open up the whole question of church tempo-
ralities. Some members had a great idea of the value of
the voluntary principle ; there was room enough for that
principle, but could not they let the church alone ? (Hear,
hear.) The fact was, they wanted to make their volun-
tary principle compulsory. (Laughter.) He thought
the house would act wisely bs adopting the amendment.
Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD said that he had listened
attentively to the speech of Sir J. Young, and the rea-
son he had given would induce him to vote for the
motion. (Hear, hear.) He admitted that it was an
anomaly and an injustice that Roman Catholics should
be required to pay this tax ; but the proposition he
founded on this was altogether a delusion. He laid down
as a principle that the property of the established church
ought not to be interfered with ; but his own bill actually
committed this interference, for he proposed to take from
the Protestant clergy 25 per cent, of their income from
this source ; therefore his amendment was condemned
by his own argument. Would he seek to make up the
difference out of the Consolidated Fund? The Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer himself would not allow this.
(Hear, bear.) If parties were left to themselves it
would be seen how ready and willing they were to assist
themselves. Sidney Smith had well said that the Esta-
blished Church was a church of beggars and bishops.
(Hear, hear.) In his own parish a sum of 30,0001. had
recently been raised by voluntary contributions from the
poorest of the inhabitants for the erection of a church.
(Hear, hear.) The right hon. baronet the Secretary for
Ireland could never show the justice of a law which
taxed the Roman Catholics of Ireland for the support of
the church of the rich minority. He was in error as to
the property of corporate towns having been confiscated
and re-settled in the time of Wm, 111. This was not
the case ; the corporations were removed from their
office, and replaced by Protestants, but their property
was not confiscated. (Elear.) It had been laid down by
Lord Campbell that this was not a tax upon property, but
upon persons; for if the houses were unoccupied they
. did not pay the tax. In Dublin it was known that the
majority of the householders were Reman Catholics, not-
withstanding the number of Protestants in that city ;
the proportion of Cathodes was still greater in Limerick,
Cork, and other large towns ; how then could it he said
that the Catholics were not taxed by this ministers'
money ? (Hear, hear.) For 200 years the Catholics
had raised their voices against this unjust impost; and
now a remedy was proposed which was sufficiently con-
demned by the statement of Mr. Napier, that it was the
very measure which the late Government would have
proposed. (Hear, hear.) It appeared to relieve Dublin
to the extant of one-ninto ; but it should be remembered
that the impost could never be levied from the poor in-
habitants ; and now it was proposed to enforce it by
legal process. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. POTTER referred to the losses which the Pro-
testant clergy in Ireland had recently suffered, and con-
demned the proposal to strip them of other 25 per cent.
of their income. It was fortunate for the place he re-
presented that, owing to some ancient arrangement, the
inhabitants had never been subject to this tax. He
thought that a substitute for this tax might easily be
found in the surplus revenues of Trinity College. (Hear.)
Mr. COWAN said that his constituents had suffered
severely from a similar tax, the annuity tax. The Govern-
ment had supported a bill for its abolition last year, which
was not carried ; but he hoped it would be re-introduced
and passed. Nothing could be more prejudicial than the
disputes and bickerings which this tax gave rise to. If
this was a grievance, it was one of the first duties of the
house to redress it ; for there was nothing worse for the
people than class legislation and class taxation. He
hoped that justice would be done in Edinburgh as well
as in Ireland.
The house then divided—
For the amendment
Against it BB-15
Sir J. YOUNG said he proposed to introduce the
bill next day.

Mr. HAISFIELD gave notice that he should offer
every opposition to it.
KINGSTON-UPON-HULL REPORT.

Mr. HUME moved that the report of Mr. Solly
Platt, one of the commissioners who conducted the in-
quiry into the case of Kingston-upon-Hull, be laid on
the table of the house. He did not ask to have it printed,
but merely that it should be in the house, so as, if neces-
sary, to be accessible to members.
Mr. FITZROY had no objection to the laying of the
petition on the table, but he would object to its being
printed, as a tremendous expense had already been in-
curred in this inquiry.
The motion was then agreed to.
THE SUSPENDED WRITS.

Lord J. RUSSELL said that in moving to postpone
the issue of writs for the boroughs which formed the sub-
ject of inquiry before the various commissions, he did
not intend to move the postponement of any of the writs
for the period he had named in the notice papor (6th of
April), but only till the 17th of March. The reason
why he took this course was that the house certainly
was not in a condition to judge whether all of these
writs should be issued or not. That was especially
the case with regard to the borough of Tynemouth.
It was also desirable, before the house came to any de-
cision with respect to the issuing of these writs, that the
house should be put in possession of the intentions of the
Government with respect to the Bribery Prevention
Bills which his hon. and learned friend (the Attorney-
General) would state on Monday next. (Hear.) With
regard to the borough of Tynemouth, the report, he un-
derstood, would be delivered to-morrow morning. The
borough of Tynemouth was, as far as he was able to con-
sult the report, in a different position from the other
boroughs. But when the house was in possession of that
report, and the evidence, they would judge if any dis-
tinction should be made with regard to that borough or
any other borough. He would now only move that no
warrants for new writs for Barnstaple, Cambridge, Can-
terbury, Hull, Maldon, and Tynemouth, be issued be-
fore Friday, the 17th of March next.
Mr. DISRAELI thought the noble lord had adopted
the best course in postponing the issue of the writs till
the bills of the hon. and learned gentleman (the Attor-
ney-General) were before the house. (Hear.) Those bills
were on the paper for that night, and he expected that
the hon. and learned gentleman would have made his
statement now.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the bills were
placed on the paper for that night instead of Monday,
by mistake of the clerk.
The motion was agreed to.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

Mr. BASS moved an address for returns showing
the various weights and measures customarily used for
the sale of corn and grain in the different unions in the
counties of Stafford and Salop.
Mr. HUME hoped his hon. friend would extend the
terms of his motion to the whole country, as from their
variety and different names it was impossible to under-
stand the language of buying and selling corn. (Hear.)
The motion was then agreed to.
PUBLIC PROSECUTORS BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL requested his hon.
and learned friend (Mr. J. G. Phillimore) not to move the
second reading of this bill, as he (the Attorney-General)
was in communication with his hon. and learned friend
the Lord-Advocate, and his hon. and learned friend the
Solicitor-General for Ireland, with a view to the intro-
duction on the part of the Government of a general
measure on this subject. If his hon. and learned friend
left the matter in the hands of the Government, he could
assure him no time would be lost in bringing in a bill on
the subject.
Mr. PHILLIMORE having assented, the second
reading was postponed for three weeks.
The house adjourned at half-past 9.

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