The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-19 00:00:00

PARTNERSHIPS
_DISSOLVED.

R. Cooper and T. Horsman, Manchester, tea dealers—
W. W. Undy and E. Lewis, Hatton-garden, lithographers
and printers—G. Betts and J. Betts, Bristol, grocers—
IV. Wainwright and C. Arkcoll, Manchester, engineers
and millwrights—W. Roberts and IV. Curtis, Gloucester,
grocers—E. Spoor and R. Lodge, East Tanfield. Durham,
tile and brickmalters—R. Landray and G. Denton, Bishop
Wearmouth, Durham, coachbuilders—P. Stoessiger, R.
L. Henry, J. Valery, and E. Henry, Birmingham, foreign
warehousemen—G. Mantell and F. L. Mantell,
Epping, Essex, butchers—J. Jennings and F. New-
comb, Newington-cluseway, stationers—G. Relph
and 11. Relpb, Carlisle, linen and wollendrapers
—G. Brown and J. Jackson, Derby, engineers
and gas fitters—E. Smith and W. Atkinson,
Huddersfield, surgeons and apothecaries—S. Peek and
J. Smith, Cheltenham, grocers—J. R. Taylor and W.
Farmer, Birmingham, cut nail manufacturers—T. Poul-
ter and A. Cooper. Great St. Helen's, City, wholesale
stationers—M. Maskell and Emma Stone, Pondyard,
Banlcside, Southwark and Chichester-rents, Chancery-
lane, painters, and glaziers, and copp(rtunith, and worm-
makers—J. Best and J. Best, Reading, seedsmen and
florists—D. Hill and P. Mason, Manchester, clothiers—
H. Elwell and T. Smith, Birmingham, Wolverhampton.
l3arhadees, and Liverpool, merchants—T. Prosser and
W. C. Carver, •Bolingbroke-road,- Battersea, cutters of
wood by machinery—F. Brown and J. 11. Rarnsbottom,
Grafton-street and Lichfield-street, Soho, egg merchants
—J. Birch and J. Grecn,Manchebter, wholesale bread and
biscuit manufacturers—E. V. Blyth, and J. Graham,
Birmingham, merchants and factors—R. B3rclay F.
Friend, and T. Gale, Little George-strcet, Bermondsey.
and Abchurch-lane, City, coluur manufacturers (so far
regardsas R. Barclay)—A. B. Maddock and H. Brod-
ribb,West Mailing, !tient, lunatic asylum ket.pers—J. P.
Cutts, W. IV. Cutts, and H. G. Cutts, Sheffield, general
merchants—J. P. Cutts, IV. W. Cutts, 11. G. Cutts, and
J. Sutton. Shttlield, opticians—G. Keighley, W. Neigh
ey, S. lieighley, and J. Keighley, jun., Yorkshire,
Worsted and stuff manufacturers—J. Watson and W.

Jchn Welbourn, Plunger, Leicestershire, dealer in bread.
The Hill, Willoughton, Lincolnshire, farmer.
Daniel Wootton, Weimer, Kent, beerseller.
wat:el Limeburner, Winton-cum-Swambrooks, travel-

I !r.
Charles Jnm?s Dillon, Bishorgate street, comedian.
Coymbian Frigot, Southsen, teacher.
Thomas o;ding, Southsra, baker.
Green, Old Basford, Nottinghamshire, baker.
Seattle! Clark, Nottingham, horscbreaker.
John. Lake Heighton, Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, jour-

neyraan commission s,,,ent.
Frederick Priestland, Ifasford, Nottinghamshire, shop-
keeper.
Rithard Nightingale, Nottingham, tailor.
Mary Julian, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire:
George Knight, New Lemon, Nottinghamshire, baker.
Jo! eph Earl, Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire, car-
penter.
George Wilkinson, Metheringham, Lincolnshire, tailor.
Willism Enderby, Scotborne, near Lincoln, boot and
s hoemaker.
Jar nes Neal, Dover, victualler.

Jal rivs Mills, Cirencester, nail manufacturer.
Jot;eph Part, Maiseyhamnton, Gloucestershire, letter
( art ier.
John Middleton, Milton next Gravesend, stonemason.

SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.
W. Miller, Edinburgh, umbrella manufacturer, to
me ft within Dowell's Rooms, Edinburgh, May 24 and
Jm to 14, at two.

Aird and W. Anderson, Glasgow' merchants, to
meet within Comrie's Hotel, Glasgow, May 24 and June
22, at one.

Gordon, Grange, BanffAlike, insurance broker, to
niece within Gillander'B Hotel, Banff, May 25 and June
15, a t one.

1). Bruce, Edinburgh, picture dealer, to meet within
Fat orison's Ship Hotel, Edinburgh, May 23 and June 13,
at t-le yen.

PRICE OF SUGAR.

This average price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, com-
puted from the returns made in the week ending May 15,
1849, is 265. B:Md. per cwt.

EXPERIMENTS AT WOOLWICH.
W.ooLwrca, MAY 17.—Lieutenant-General Sir Thos.
Dow-.nroan, C. 8., K.C.H., Commandant of the Garrison,
aed a large party, assembled at the Butt in the Royal
Arsenal, at two o'clock P at. to-day, to witness the prac-
tice of the two-gun battery xecently erected there, it
havit g stood remarkably well when fired
from,. Six rounds of 24 pounder shot were
fired at 80 yards' distance from a 24 pounder gust,
snow ited on a field carriage. The first round was directed
age it tat the centre of the battery, betwixt the two embra-
star es., and the solid shot entered the material to the dis-
tau it. of 14 inches, displacing the surrounding material
to a .diameter of rather more than two feet, and throwing
out Ittrge pieces and thousands of small fragments to a
con: aderable distance to the rear of the gun from which
the shot was fired ; one of the pieces struck LiPute-
nan:;- Colonel English in the arm, cutting the sleeve of
his e oat, and causing much pain. Another of the frag-
men ts, about the size of a hen's egg, struck one of the
gunners, who was considerably in the rear of the
gun, in the thigh, and he appeared to suffer much
for mune time, but did not leave the ground. The se-
cond, round was directed against the south side of the
soot It embrasure, and made an indentation to
the extent of fourteen inches, displacing a
spec 0 of four feet by three feet on the sur-
face .of the composition. The fragments were nume-
rous on the second round being fired, but the officers
and other spectators had gone a greater distance to the
rear, and many took shelter in an adjacent building. The
gunners also retired to a greater distance, with the ex-
ception of the gunner who fired, and during the whole
of the experiments he did not sustain the least injury.
Four other rounds were fired from the 24. pounder
gun, making six rounds of that description of
shot, which nearly destroyed the whole of the battery,
literally lif:ing up the massive pieces, separating them
at the joinings of the composition which fleneen put,
together at different meltings, the work having been con-
sglicte d when the material -was in a fluid state. :At
the conclusion of the experiments with the 24-pounder
shot a 9 pounder field-battery gun was brought to
bear u pon the other side of the remaining parts of
the lauttery, and the first round at about fifty
yards` distance, fired at an angle, displaced a
great portion, the fragments appearing as thick
as hail, many of them reaching a distance
considerably in rear of the gun. One of the young
officer 3 of Engineers received a severe blow in the face
from one, and his nose bled profusely. Several other
persons were also struck, but not to any serious ex-
tent. Three rounds were fired from the same posi-
tion, and the fragments were numerous, but no per-
son wus hurt, as all had retired to better positions.
The gun was then brought round to the inside of
the battery and two rounds fired from it at about ten
yard:[' distance, the discharge being effected by placing 'a
port- fire on the vent and the gunners all retiring to be
out of the chance of danger. The shot of the 9 pounder
entered ten inches, and at the completion of the 12
noun ds the battery was a complete ruin. The result of
the experiments has shown that the composition is not
well adapted for batteries, owing to its brittle nature
and great liability to splinter. I'he violent concussions
it stood when fired from affords evidence, however,
that it is remarkably well adapted for forming
breakwaters or harbours of refuge, as it would resist
the greatest shocks that could be given to it by the
most powerful waves, although it cannot resist the
effect of cannon balls. At the conclusion of the experi-
ments Captain the lion. W. E. Fitzmaurice submitted
to the inspection of the commandant and officers
present a gun-carriage, on which an 18-pounder gun
was mounted on a new principle. The present gun-car-
risges when required to be moved for firing at angles
have to be shifted by gunners with handspikes while
the officer or gunner is directing it against the object
it is intended to fire at, which prevents that degree of
nicety so requisite for good practice. Captain Fitzmau-
rice's plan renders it easy for the officer himself to rec•
tify the aim without any other assistance whatever, all
that is requisite being to turn a handle to which a pinion
is attached and moving in a row of cogwheel teeth de-
scribing the fourth part of a circle under the breech of
he gun.

BOOK SOCIETY FOE DIFFUSING RELIGIOUS KNOW•
LEDGE AMONG THE POOlt.—Last night the 93th annual
meeting of the above society was held at Exeter Hall, in
order to receive the report, and on general btriness.
Alderman Challis having taken the chair, remarked that
it was surprising how little was cared for the poor man
at large, struggling to get an honest living for himself
and his family ; but once let him commit some crime,
and be lodged in a prison, every effort was made to re-
form and instruct him, and he learnt more in three or
four moths that he might be in prison than he learned in
the thirty years that he might have been out of it. Now
the objects of this society and its publications were to
reform and instruct him before he got into prison, and to
keep him out of it, which was much better. Mr. Shep-
herd read the report, which stated that more than 8,000
moral :and religious publications had been circulated by
the society, and many valuable works had been added
during the past year to the list of their books. The re-
port further stated, that as the year 1850 will be the
centenary of the society, the committee have come to a
resolution to offer a prize of 211. in that year to the
author of the beat essay upon some subject connected
with religion and morals. The receipts for the last year
amounted to 594/. Bs. 4d., and the expenditure to
5941. 2s. 7d., leaving a balance of ss. 9d. The report was
then unanimously adopted, and the ordinary routine
business having beets concluded, the meeting separated.
FIRE NEAR BRADFORD.—On Thursday a fire broke
out iu the vvoolhouse at the Upper Globe Mill in Man-
ningham, Bradford. Engines were promptly on the spot,
and the ravages of the fire were confined to the building
in which they were first discovered. The damage is
estimated to exceed 2001. The mischief jis supposed to
have been occasioned by the spontaneous combustion of
some greasy wool.
REPRESENTATION OF SOUTH ESSEL—We are au-
thorised to state that the report, copied into our paper of
Wednesday, from the Essex Herald, that Sir E. N. Bux-
ton intends to retire from the representation of South
Essex is entirely without foundation..
THE WILTSHIRE SOCIETY.—The thirty-third
lan-
niversarybion a,
aovfetrhni,s
Robertinstitution
rrs s)-ra sNhisebidet,on E
Esq.,
hThursdaygh sheriff
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, Mr.
of the county of Wilts, in the chair,
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G. M
Hr.. Goddard,neagr,
E supportedqMP C
wram. /tte. About
Neeld, Esq., DI. P., Mr. Serjeant Melren esti,e'r,illdr.'aM)jpeotarheinn-
eWn W.
satß r idtotawi nn,
toE rdqi.um,
dinner.
HTohheghms,usisiciarl. aGrrraantgmen-
invoce tnghteesnrt:wl gentlemen
e conducted by
saren and
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by Bradbury.don a t Theio
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ireresident
Lleonnddino,n
tohremwiathci,urttahien
sbillsm
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iumoouret)a. i
at3t'
of their apprenticeship, to establish them in business if
their conduct shell have been meritorious. The amounf
of subscriptionsvE R
s y
COLLEGE, received wasLlO4N-inL
UNIVERSITY os
.—At a recent ses-
sionslT of the council the following legacies were an-
nuunced:—For the college, Mt, duty free, by Thomas
Dyson, Esq., of Diss, Norfolk; for the hospital, 500/.,
by Mrs. Kennedy, of Pensylvania, near Exeter; 950/ ,
by Charles silica, Esq., of Park-crescent; soul., bY
John Curties, Esq , of Devonshire-place. Mr. Dyson's
legacy has been paid by his executor, Thomas Lombe
Taylor, Eq. The 300/, bequeathed by 1)r. Fellowes,
to be added " to the permanent endowment of the hos-
pital," has also been lately paid without deduction of
duty.

AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.—The Stamford Mer-
cury states that, in spite of agricultural distress, all kinds
of live stock and farming implements fetch full value at
the sales, and there is stong competition for every farm
that is to let.

His Royal Highness the Prince Albert, attended by
Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps and Lieute-
mint-Colonel the Hon. Alexander Gordon, left town 0
hall-past ten o'clock yesterday morning, for the Royal
Military College at Sandhurst, to attend the examination
of the gentlemen cadets. His Royal Highness returned
to Buckingham Palace at twenty-five minutes past live..
His Royal Highness Prince George visited her Majesty
yesterday, at Buckingham Palace.
Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal, the Princess Helena,
and the Princess Louisa, took their usual exercise yes-
terday, in the Royal Garden.
Her Majesty and Prince Albert, accompanied by the
Prince and Princess Augustus of Saxe Cobonrg Gotha,
honoured the French plays with their presence yesterday
evening. The royal suite consisted of the Counter of
Desert, the Earl of Morton, General Wemyss, and Lieu-
tenant-Colonel the Hon. Alexander Gordon. Her
Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent also honoured the
performance of the French plays last evening with her
presence. Her Royal Highness was attended by Lady
Augusta Bruce, Lady Fanny Howard, and Sir George
Cooper.
The Queen's private band was in attendance in Buck-
ingham Palace on Thursday evening, and played the fol-
lowing pieces:—
Overture, " La Neige"
Terzetto " Vanne a colci"

Introduction, "Hayden"...
Hochzait's March •••
Fantasia, Irlanciaise.

• Auber.
... Costa.
• Auber:`
Mendelashon.

Their Royal llighnesses the Prince and Princess Au-
gustus of Saxe Coburg Gotha visited her Royal Highness
the Duchess of Kent yesterday, at her residence, Cla-
rence House, St. James's.

Lord Portman had an interview with the Right Hon.
H. Labouchete yesterday, at the office of the Board of
Trade.

Mr. French had an interview with Lord John Russell
yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street.
Dispatches from the Governor of Van Diemen's Land
were received yesterday at the Colonial-office.
Dispatches were sent off last evening from the Colo-
nial-office for the Governors of the North American
colonies.

FIRE NEAR THE STRAND
THEATRE.
_ TO THE EDITOR OF TEE SUN.

Snt,—l beg leave to correct a misstatement that ap-
peared in the Homing Advertiser of today, respecting
what is called the " precipitate retreat" of the audience
from the Strand Theatre last evening. I think I may
positively assert tlett not a soul in the front of the
house was aware of the fire until reaching the street, I
having had the precaution to bring the performances to
a sudden conclusion, under pretence of the indisposition
of a principal performer, by which means the audience
was dispersed quietly, and without the least suspicion
of any deception having been practised on them.
I shall feel greatly obliged by the insertion of this
letter, as the present statement is likely to do me muck
injury.—l have the honour to remain, Sir, &c.,
New Strand Theatre, May 18.

H. FARREN.

THE MURDER AT BATH.

BATH, FRIDAY, MAY 18.—The inquest on the body of
Henry Marchant was resumed yesterday morning at ten
o'clock, and again occupied the attention of the jury till
near the same hour at night. The Guildhall continued
densely crowded throughout, and the utmost interest was
manifested by the public.
Mr. George King, surgeon, deposed to having assisted
at the post•rnortem examination, and expressed his belief
that the death was caused by poison absorbed into the
system.
Mr. Okely, chief of police, deposed that on the 3d of
May he saw Mrs. Shayler in a cell of the station-house.
She denied knowing anything of Charlotte Marchant,
and said she thought she was taken up because of her
going to a chemist's shop. She also said she knew about
the arsenic found in her house—it had been bought for a
field of wheat at Ball Easton.

A written statement by the same prisoner was also
produced, in which she said Charlotte Harris had al-
ways represented herself to her and Harris as a single
woman.

Mr. Beavis and his wife were recalled to prove that
there were no rats in Ole house in Angel-place, and
The CoviirEa having summed up, the jury found—
" That the deceased died from poison feloniously admi-
ninered to him by his wife, Charlotte Harris."
Tfie other prisoners were then discharged, and Mrs.
Harris committed for the wilful murder.

ROYAL OPHTHALMIC HOSPlTAL.—Yesterday the
annual dinner of this long-established and valuable cha-
rity took place at the Albion Tavern, and was atthded

jsy-upwards of 70 gentlemen. The Lord Mayor presided,
and amongst the company present were the Sheriffs of
London, Dr. Russell, Dr. Farre, the Rev. S. R. Cattley,
the Rev. 11. Christmas, Mr. Pitcher, and the Rev. J.
Ellis. The toast of the evening, viz., " Prosperity to the
Institution," was coupled with the " Health of Dr. Farre,"
and was proposed by the Lord Mayor in a very effective
manner. He said that since the establishment of the
charity upwards of 200,000 patients had been relieved
by it, and that the sight of 250 patients barn blind bad
been restored through its agency. Dr. Farre, in reply-
ing to the toast, pointed out that the hospital had edu.
sated in a thorough knowledge of the diseases which
affect the eye 1,496 medical gentlemen, in which number
many of the most eminent names in the profession were
comprised. It had been the parent and model of many
similar institutions, not only in this country but all over
the world. In India and China the wonderful results
which these branch institutions'had achieved had exer-
cised the most powerful influence on the minds of the
natives, and to a very great extent in consequence
medical men in the east were becoming the pioneers of
civil zation. Dr. Farre concluded by proposing the
memory of John Cunningham Saunders, the founder of
the charity, whose talents and untimely death he dilated
on with affectionate regret. A variety of ether appro-
priate toasts were proposed and duly responded to before
the proceedings terminated. The secretary during the
evening announced a list of subscriptions amounting to
more than 7001. The dinner and all the arrangements
connected with it were excellent, Mr. Toole officiating as
toastmaster.

,
.LxING. 8 COLLEGE HOSPlTAL.—Yesterday (Friday)
evening an adjourned meeting of the committee of this

institution wt.CS held at the board-room, Portugal-street,
Lincoln's Inn-fields. Some routine business having
been disposed of, the Secretary announced that the
subscriptions and donations on the occasion of the anni-
versary festival, on :Saturday last, amounted to the
handsome total of 2,0981. 3s. thl., including a liberal
subscription made by the pupils of King's College
School, and forwarded by the Rev. Dr. Major. It was
also stated that a large amount had previously been sub-
scribed by the students as well as the pupils, not only of
the college itself, but from some of the schools in union
with it.

LONDON SOCIETY FOR THE PEOTECTON Or YOUNG
WOMEN.—Tho annual dinner of this useful society took
place on Thursday, at the Albion Tavern, and was pre-
sided over by Lord Nelson, who, in proposing " Pros-
perity to the Institution," expressed his belief that it
was Utopian to suppose that Acts of Parliament, how-
ever stringent, could sufficiently protect public morality.
By the operations of the society 300 houses of ill•fame
bad been suppressed in the metropolis, and when the
difficulty in obtaining convictions was considered, the
wonder only was that so much had been done. The
total amount of subscriptions announced during the
evening was 7601. The dinner, snd every arrangement
connected with it, were well worthy of the Albron
Tavern.
Thursday last, being Ascension Day, the schools
of the district parish of St. Mark, Kennington, amount-
ing to more than a thousand, assembled for Divine wor-
ship, when a sermon was preached by the Lord Bishop
of Hereford, who addressed the congregation and chil-
dren in a most appropriate, impressive, and affectionate
manner. The congregation was unusually large, and
the collection greater than on any preceding occasion.
THE SUPPOSED MURDERER, JOHN GLEESON
SON.—This individual, it is known, is in custody at
Kirkdale, for having murdered Mrs. Henrichson, of
Leveson•street, her two children, and servant maid.
Since his committal for trial his conduct generally has
been peaceable in prison. Last week, however, one of
the keepers took him out into the yard to have a walk. As
they were walking, the prisoner observed some hammers
left by labourers who had been working in the yard,
upon which he made a rush, and seized one of them.
The keeper instantly followed, grasped him by the back,
and held him fast; but the fellow began to kick, strike,
and bite, and was in the act of overpowering the keeper,
when two of the prisoners camp fortunately to his assist-
ance,until the three with difficulty restraining him
further assistance came; and, on being sec
lamented much that he had not a
knife, saying thatred
if
he would have ripped them open. He was then
u he
had one
ho stated that he would not eat
nsve, and for three days never tasted food. On the
yol
this extraordinary
fourth day, however, he demanded his victuals; and on
mantaheinlegd' for u
resolve,
the usual allowance being brought to him, he demanded
t)hurewehdicahys. He kept
the arrears, and that the three days' supply should be
given to him at once.—Liverpool Journal.
THE IRON TRADE.—BIRMINGHAM, FRIDAY NIGHT.
—At a meeting of the ironmasters of South Staffordshire,
held at Wolverhampton, it has been resolved to reduce
the price of iron 20s. per ton, and the wages of workmen
in proportion. Although all descriptions of stock aro un-
precedentedly low, it is said present prices cannot Ix+
maintained. No dependence is, apparently, to be placed
in the decision of quarterly meetings.
His Royal Highness Prince William Henry of the
Netherlands is hourly expected to arrive from Holland,
apartments having been engaged for his Royal Highness
and suite at Ativart's Hotel.
WIMBORNE.—DISGRACEFUL ANONYMOUS COMMU•
NICATIONS THROUGH THE POST-OFFICE.—A practice has
lately prevailed here of enclosing vermin, rats, mice, &c.,
with stones, coals, or other materials in parcels, and ad-
dressing them to various respectable parties in the town.
The vermin are bedecked in clothing, and made to re-
semble as nearly as practicable the human form. The
shock occasioned to a lady to whem one of these pack-
ages was directed, and by whom it was opened, resulted
in her premature death! and in a second case communi-
cated to us, extreme illness was produced. The cowardly
actor in the latter instance is known, having been seen
by the postmaster actually to
,place the packet in the
office.—Poole Herald.
Mr. Baillie Barrie, one of the magistrates of
Forfar, has committed suicide by drowning himself. He
was walking out with his sister when he leaped into the
water, and could not be rescued before life was extinct.

NDON , SATUR )Ai, MAY 19, 1849.

During three hours last evening the House of
Commons discussed the Parliamentary Oaths Bill
with closed doors ! At ten minutes past five o'cloch
the reporters were compelled to retire from their
gallery, and, being only re-admitted at ten minutes
past eight, the country must remain in ignorance of
the intermediate proceedings. It is scarcely neces-
sary to observe that this system of " secret legisla-
tion'' is beyond the remembrance even of " the
" oldest inhabitant." But that we are assured by
the historian of a bygone and benighted generation
that this plan of deliberation on the laws of the em-
pire sub rosa was, a long while ago, in vogue among
the popular representatives, we should have protested
in sheer disgust that the incident was without prece-
dent—for certainly, to employ the quaint
old phrase of the jurisconsult, " the memory of no
man living runneth to the contrary." Whether or
not the custom of excluding the public from the
debates of Lords and Commons were permitted by
our ancestors, it is pretty certain from the views en-
tertained by the community now-a-days that no such
underhand mode of dealing with questions of a con-
stitutional importance will, in the middle of the
nineteenth century, be tolerated. One man thinks
otherwise—that man an Irish Member—that
Irish Member Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL. It i 3
to that Honourable Gentleman that the
people are indebted for the absurd and
preposterous incident of last evening. To gratify a
petty grudge against the London journals, the repre-
sentative of Limerick had the effrontery to require
the galleries to be cleared, thereby excluding_ from
the House of Commons, for no less than three hours,
the gentlemen who report the proceedings of that
Honourable House for our own columns and for
those of our morning contemporaries. We say the
effrontery, because the conduct of Mr. JOHN O'CON-
NELL was in direct opposition to the wishes of the
Lower House of Parliament, besides being the source
of an irksome and embarrassing deprivation to the com-
munity. That the proceeding of the Hon. Member was
distasteful to the representatives was sufficiently
demonstrated by the storm of hisses and the con-
temptuous exclamations which were audible even
through the walls of the House aft-r the exclusion of
the reporters. As Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL leaves us
only to conjecture in such moments of emergency,
we are reduced to the necessity of supposing that
those derisive " bates " and indignant " hisses! "
were directed especially to the Honourable Gentleman
himself, in con-ideretion of his having formally
repulsed the remonstrances of the more rational
Members assembled in Coeimittee.,

The plea raised by the Honourable Gentleman
himself as an excuse for his proceeding only betrays

very conspicuously that his conduct was partially the
result of a lackadaisical sentimentality and partially of
a very silly and preposterous spitefulness. His
vanity was wounded by the abbreviation of his own
diluted platitudes, and he endeavoured to diminish the
cravings of his egotism by that smallest possible de-
scription of vengeance still unfortunately within the
reach of any political lunatic who may happen to
find his way into Parliament.

Although the whole occurrence has about it much of
the frivolity of a burlesque, insomuch that it is scarcely
possible to think without laughing of the ridiculous
figure cut by the Hon. Member for Limerick, we
cannot but feel satisfied that the feelings excited by it
throughout the population will be those of sup-
pressed, but serious, indignation. For ourselves
the matter assumes altogether a decidedly comic
phasis. To our view Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL could
not have presented himself before the public on the
stage of Parliament under a more ludicrous aspect—
had he undertaken to grin through a horse, collar, or
to talk the brogue through the bubbles of a pan of
treacle, or to dance the College hornpipe like the
gentleman's gentleman in " Pickwick," who went
through the same hilarious movement among the
oyster-shells on the table, while Mr. SA.M UEL WELLER,
surveyed the entertainment with unmeasured admi-
ration, and Mr. JoHN SMOLKER played a melodious
accompaniment on a hair-comb and a curl-paper !
Such at least is the absence of anything at all like
importance in the proceedings of the Hon. Member
for Limerick, that we can afford to observe his vaga-
i ries with a good-natured indifference, an indifference
that only betrays its existence now and then in casual
explosions of laughter.
1 A moment's reflection, however, is sufficient to
' assure us that what may be all very amusing once in
a way, is liable to be a source of very serious annoy-
ance, so long as the Press, the People, and the Par-
liament are at the mercy of any spiteful egotist.
According to the standing order of the House of
Commons any Member may, as Mr. JOHN 0' CON..
NELL did last evening, exclaim in obedience to a
momentary freak, or in consequence of a tem-
porary hallucination—" Sir, I see strangers in the
gallery !" And, thereupon, in compliance with the
regulations of that standing order, the reporters to
the public journals are excluded from the precincts of
Parliament, the discussions are continued in si.,eresy,
the multitude is left to guess at the nature of the
arguments and the results of the divisions—and all
the while this may be, as it was last night, in direct
opposition to the wishes of the rest of the Represen-
tatives ! The galleries, in short, as the rules of Par-
liament are at present, may be cleared, not by a
majority of votes, but by the whim of a single
Member! No matter if that Member be
mad, eccentric, or splenetic, so soon as
he chooses to exclaim—" Sir, I see strangers in the
gallery !" so soon must those strangers, and with
them the reporters, walk out of the House and. into
' the streets of Westminster.- The absurdity of this
is plainer than a pikestaff. Some safeguard is required
in its regard•—and that not only for the advantage of
the public, but for the dignity of Parliament. Al-
ready we are rejoiced to see the oppostunity
of that safeguard being secured through the
instrumentality of the Hun. and Gallant Member for
the borough of Bradford. Thanks to Colonel. PET-
BONNET THOMPSON, we shall by a speedy modifica-
tion of the standing order of the Commons be, saved
from the chance of any more such eccentric interrup
tions—arising from the total aberration of that little
modicum of intellect which it has pleased PROVI.
DEIS CE to bestow upon Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL.

The re-imposition of the bread tax, as a means to
establish high rents, is the real question at issue in
the opposition to the repeal of the Navigation Laws by
certain prominent Members of the House of Lords,
and their dependents and adherents out of doors ;.
writhing under the mortification of the majority in
favour of the Government on the second reading of
the Bill, are ready to go any lengths to nullify the
proceedings. The evolutions of the Duke of Rica•
MOND and the Earl of WINCHILSEA in the House on
Tuesday night are not with Ont deep meaning, as is
evident by three separate leadiiik irticles all on the
reactionary movement, and extending to the length of

three columns, appearing in the Carlton Club organ
of yesterday morning.
It would appear that there are no lengths to which
a few frantic Absolutists would not go to establish
absolutism, and if the speech of the Noble Duke and
Earl on Tuesday night, and the scribes in the official
organs of the party do not point to Conspiracy, Re-
bellion, and Revolution as means to attain their end,
if all others fail, they certainly indicate something
very closely allied to it.
The combination to accomplish the desired object
was avowed, and the intention to seize upon the pos-
sessions of the Church as one mode of action. The
Carlton Club organ reproduces the threatening lan-
guage of the Duke of RICHMOND, quoting him as the
authority :
" The condition of the agricultural mind upon com-
mercial matters generally was fairly enough put by the
Duke of Richmond, when his Grace, in his own blunt
way, stated that 'farmers would not stand it much
longer.' "
What course they are to adopt when the time comes
that they won't stand it any longer, was not definitely
declared by the noble Duke beyond the intention of
seizing upon the tithes ; but to upset the Government
of the country is more definitely pointed to by their
organ of the press :
"Among 400 Peers there must always be a few ner-
vous and easily frightened old gentlemen. These, even
in quiet times, would dread the thought of overturning a
Government."

1
But these bold Richmonds have no apprehension
whatever as to the consequences of "overturning a
Government!" " There be six Richmonds in the
field," and what care they for the decision of the na-
tion solemnly expressed by three readings carried by
large majorities in one legislative assembly, and con-
firmed by the deliberate decision of another legislative
assembly, having the sanction of a clear majority of
the Peers Spiritual and Temporal, and which there
can be no question that the SOVEREIGN is prepared to
sanction by her Royal prerogative. What care these
intemperate politicians for the dynasty or the Church,
when these stand in the way of privileges ?
What though the majority on the second reading
was composed of proxies. If the the Duke of RICII•
MOND or Lord STANLEY disapprove of voting by
proxy, let them move for the abolition of this ancient
custom, let the Peers be placed on the same footing
as the Lower House, where the right of voting is
restricted to those who are present on the division.
It is quite probable that this would be agreeable to
the nation; but let not Noble Dukes or Lords ima-
gine that they are to be permitted to avail themselves
of proxies to carry their own measures and reject the
votes of proxies when Opposed to their wishes. Yet
this is the idea which appears to be promulgated.
It is known that proxies cannot vote in Committee,
consequently one of the tactics of the faction is
to mutilate the Bill in that stage of its progress
by rejecting or qualifying the more objectionable
sections; but then her MAJESTY'S Ministers, who
have the conduct of the Bill have only to exercise
common firmness, call forth the proxies on the third
reading, and re-introduce the rejected clauses. Noble
Lords are fond of precedent. This course is known
to have its precedent. Such an occurrence took place
on the third reading of the Regency Bill in 1811.
But desperate men resort to desperate measures, and
the plot seems to be thickening as to what is to be
the course of the Absolutists when the Bill has passed
the third reading. "For" says their organ—
" If they mean to treat the Committee of the House
of Lords with contempt;—saying, 6 You may
.alter what
you please, but we have got sixty-eight proxies in our
pockets, and when we proceed to the third reading, we
shall undo all you have done,'—if, we say! the
Govern-
ment mean to (teal with the question in this spirit, it will
remain with their Lordships, when assembled in Com-
mittee, to discover whether some means do not exist,
whereby the House may effectually assert its legislative
character."

"Effectually assert its legislative character" is some-
thing very vague, and we are not told in distinct lan-
guage what this means, but we are left to draw
conclusions from the connecting circumstances.
Overturning the Government has been shown by
these bold spirits to be something only to be viewed
with alarm by " a few nervous and easily frightened
old gentlemen." APOLLO might be rather sensitive at
the Pea of upsetting the chariot, but PHAETON views
it wMI no such apprehensi6n. Hence imniedisteiy
after the hypothesis of the measure being constitu-
tionally carried through the third reading of the