The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-23 00:00:00

AMERICAN PUBLIC LANDS.

In the New York papers just received, is contained a
table showing the ratio of the proceeds of the public lands,
if di% Hed among the States, with parallel columns of the
debts and interest ; so that a notion may be given bow

far the distribution-measure, even if carrier, would increase
the security of Sate credit. The general result
drawn from the examination of this table is, that the
western States, which are so deeply indebted, would gain
but little by the proposed distribution. The share of Il-
linois, for instance, in the proceeds is estimated at no
more than $37,070 per annum, while the deficiency
of that State amounts to several hundred thousand
dollars ; while the share of Pennsylvania, whose de.
ficit is $1,600,000, is estimated at $346,460 per
annum. This new argument against the distribu-
tion is very important, though its effect would
he to render the question of less interest to the
English capitalist than it would be if it were
proved that the public lands were an immense additien
to State security. Still it must increase the uneasi-
ness which the late aspect of affairs in America
has created, to observe one party eagerly grasping
at the distribution scheme as a means of sustain-
ing State credit, while there is an argument, and that
well supported, that those very means, if obtained, would
prove but a flimsy resource. In the meanwhile the anti-
distribution party have not been idle ; a Committee of the
General Assembly of Louisiana, to which the resolu-
tions of New York and Keatacky in favour of the
scheme were referred, have made a Report against it,
and submitted some resolutions, which have been adopted
by the State Senate. These are to the effect,
that the separation of the proceeds of the public
lands from the general revenue would be uncon-
stitu.ional, unjust, and illkeral to the row Staten,
destructive of the sovereignty and independence of
the Settee, and calculated to endanger the Union; dist a
conditional ccritiln of the public lands to the nine ice
Staten would be neither unreasonable nor unjust, and that
the new States, now the national debt is paid, have a
right to a liberal system in the occupation and settle-
ment of the public domain in America.
Another argument against the use of the distribution in
improving the State credit is, that it will increase the
borrowing of the Federal Government, which would thus
come into . the market as a powerful competitor.
With respect to this notion, the Federal Government
borrowing, it appears to be a rumour in the New York
market that a 5 per cent, national stock to meet the wants
of the Government will be a result of the extra session of
Congress.
The State Stocks seem to have been deeining in the
New York market. The Legislature of that :State
More consilering a 13111 far the issue of $4,000,000
of seven per cent, stock, and the City Corporat;on
had beers applying for leave to issue M 2,800.000
of five per cent stock. The states in general are said to be
doing nothing towards meeting their 1 abtliticF, bat to be
all looking forward with anxiety to some action by the
Federal Government.— Times.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.
(LLOYD'S.)
VESSELS SPOKEN AVITII.-The Erm, of Limerick, lat. 8,
lon. 22 ; Napoleon, Baltimore to Rio, lat. 19, len. 33 ; Janet,
Wildridge, lat. 44, lon. 14, by the Childe Harold, arrived off
Portsmouth ; Valuna, bound westward, 10th inst., lat. 49 N.,
lon. 13, and a Dutch brig, No. 375, bound westward, 11th,
lat. 48, lou. 8, by the Charlotte Lmtit,a, arrived at Antwerp ;
Eliza, Jones, from Liverpool to Mobile, March 6, by the Cod-
rington, arrived at. Antigua,. The Breeze, from Halifax to
13erbice, was spoken with, loss of deck, load boats, and bul-
warks, in lat. 24, lon. 45 ; Royal William, Clyde to
Bombay, 23d February, lat. 5 N., lon. 18, by the
Elliqm, arrived off Plymouth ; Colonist, Matanzas to
Halifax, 20th ult., lat. 25, Inn. 80; Juno, Havannah
to New York, 21st; Lima, Havannah to St. Petersburgh,
22(1, lat. 27, lon. 79; City of Waterford, bouud to Quebec,
13th, lat. 47, lon. 17, by the Spencer, arrived at Cork; her
Majesty's ship Tweed, 7th ult., lat 39, lon. 14; Lady Seaton,
from London, 15th, lat. 47, lon.' 11, by the Isabella, arrived at
Falmouth; Ann, Whitehaven to Bay Chateur, 13th inst., lat.
50, lon. 13, by the Reliance, arrived in'the Clyde ; American,
Byron, 16th, lat 50, lon. 6, and Ship India, sum,' day, by the
Reform, arrived in the River; Martha, bound to Tampico,
9th, lat. '4l, lon: 12; Romanoff, 15th, lat. 47, lon. 11, by the
Eliza, arrived at Bristol ; Perthshire, of, and for, St. John's,
hew Brunswick,' .9th: lat. 45, lon. 22 ; Lord Sandon, for ditto,
out seven days; lat.-48, 16n. 18. by the 11Ianby, arrived at Li_
verp(k.l.-

The Gendral Steam Navigation Lotnpany s ves-
sel the Giraffe, R. Strannack, from Rotterdam, arrived
off the Custom-house at ten o'clock yesterday with the
Dutch mail.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, APRIL 22.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack (the first time since his illness) at five o'clock.
The South Australian Grant Bill, the Harrowgate
Improvement Bill, the Manchester and Leeds, and
Northern and Eastern Railway Bills, with scvoral pri-
vate Bills, were brought up from the Commons, and
severally read a first time.
The Report of the Import Duties Committee was
brought up from the Commons.
The Report of the Select Committee appointed to
ascertain the expenditure of Select Committees of both
Houses of Parliament, was also brought up from the
Commons.
Lord DUNCANNON laid on the table certain
correspondence from the Colonial-office relating to the
expenditure of South Australia.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH present d a peti-
tion from Athlone against the Intrusion of Ministers in
the Church of Scotland.
The Marcuris of LANSDOWNE presented a peti-
tion from Belfast praying for the abolition of Patronage
in the Church of Scotland. One from Truro in favour
of the Jewish Declaration anti one from the
traders and others residing in Wardour-street, Salm,
praying that the tails or, bridges in London might be
abolished.
The Earl of C ARLEVI I. LE begged to he al-
lowed to occupy their Lordship's attention for a few
moments, wilds he made a few statements in order to
clear his character from some imputatioes which
had been thrown on it by the Noble Mar-
quis (Norrnaeby) opposite. On the occasion of his
moving their Lordships the day previqus to tho holi-
days, the Noble Marquis gave a strong contradiction to
several statements made by him (Lord Charleville),
and said that he had not taken any pains to inform him-
self as to the truth of his information, and especially he
charged him (Lord Charleville) with omitting to state
that Mr. Biddulph bad expressed his entire satisfaction
with the Jury which had been impannelled in his case.
He had never known Mr. Biddulph before the attack
made upon that gentleman's life. He believed Mr.
Biddulph was considered a Conservative in politics,
but by no means an active or prominent partisan. The
Noble Lord then read a letter from that gentleman,
stating that he (Mr. B.) had not approved of the panel,
for the Jury selected to try the prisoners who had
attempted his life. He read also a letter from Mr.
Baker, to the efEet that the Attorney-General refused
to object to a juror name] Collins (wharves a man of
very bad character), upon the trial of the persons ac-
cused of murdering a man named Powell, who was
a servant of Mr. Baker. In reply to the charge
of the Noble Marquis (Nortnanhy), that he (Lord
Cbarleville) had employe I a man of infamous cha-
racter, named Goulding, in the search for the mur-
derers of Lord Norbury, be had only to say that
Goulding had been in the police upwards of 17 years.
The Marquis of NORMANBY said that lie had
now nothing to add to his former explanation upon
this subject. He had already given their Lordships
the statements of Mr. Moore, the Solicitor-General,
and Mr. Dale, the Crown Solicitor, and he would have
brought down the letters of those gentlemen, if he could
have imagined that the Noble Earl was disposed to take
up their Lordships'time by again reverting to the subject.
The Earl of CH ARLEVILLE said that the Noble
Marquis bad accused him of knowingly employing a
man of bad character.
The Marquis of NORMANBY assured the House
that he had not intended to convey any such charge.
He had only said that the Noble Earl, having
been himself so far imposed upon as to employ
a person of notoriously infamous character, who had
been convicted of fraud aed perjury, ought to be a little
mistrustful of his sources of information.—(Hear.)
The Earl of WICSLOW said the explanation of
the Noble Marquis was anything but satisfactory. It
was evident that in the case of Mr. Biddulph the Go-
vernment officers did not challengt; objectionable per-
sons ; whereas in the case of the Orangeman, Samuel
Gray, the prerogative of the Crown was exercised in
the strictest manner.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH said that the t.'n-
duct of the Officers of the Crown in the cases brought
before their Lordships by his Noble Friend (Lord Char-
leville), was calculated to sacrifice the lives of those
gentlemen, who, with himself and his Noble Friend,
had the moral courage to uphold the institutions
of the country. His Noble Friend was not a pen-
sioner upon the public, nor a political adventurer,
but a gentleman of ample fortune, who had
a good house to receive his friends in, and had the good
sense to live in it.—(Great laughter.)
After a few words from the Earl of Charleville
and the Marquis of Nortuanby in explanation, the con-
versation dropped.
The Earl of WARWICK presented a petition from
Hatherstone, in the county of Warwick, praying that the
petitioners' parish should net be held liable for the
damage of riots in the town of Birmingham.
The Marquis of NORMANBY admitted the hard-
ship of the cane, and he would give it his best attention.
Mr. Austin, from the office of the Poor-law Com-
missioners, appeared at the bar with returns relating
to the administration of Poor-laws in Ireland. On the
motion of the Marquis of Normanby, the returns were
ordered to he printed.
The Marquis of NORMANBY presented petitions
from Hackney, Manchester, Deptford, and Rotherhithe,
in favour of Drainage of Towns Bill ; from Sheffield, for
an alteration of the law of libel ; and from the Mayor.
Aldermen, and Burgesses of Birmingham in favour of
the Jews' Declaration B 11.
Their Lordships then adjourned at a Quarter past
S;x o'Clock.

ROUSE OF COMMONS, ArRiL 22.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'Clock.
On the motion of Mr. BROTHERTON, the Man-
chester and Leeds Railwsy Bill was read a third time
and passed ; and the Deptford Pier Bill was read a
second time.
Mr. LOCKHART presented petitions from Ren-
frew, Paisley, Glasgow, Govan, and Polloc, against the
P lloc and Govan Railway Bill.
Sir JOHN HOBHOUSE presented a petition

from Nottingham against the Nottingham Gas Bill.
Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from
8,644 inhabitants of the borough of Salford, com-
plaining of the heavy duties on corn, sugar, coffee,
and other necessaries. The petitioners prayed the
House to revise the whole of the tariff, and abolish the
food and all other mcnopolics, and establish a free sys-
tem of commercial policy, by which the rights of in-
dustry would be secured, the internal resources of the
country developed, and unrestricted intercourse se-
cured with the whole world, which would lead to a
prosperity hitherto unenjoyed by the people of this
country _

Sir C. COOTE presented a petition from the mod'.
cal practitioners of the King's County in favour o
Medical Itzforrn.

Mr. .MuNTz presented a petition from the Mayor
and Corporation of Birmingham, praying the House to
adopt the Report of the Import Duties Committee as
the basis of its commercial legislation. Also a petition
signed by two thousand five hundred inhabitants of
Birmingham against the County Courts all. Alio a
similar petition from the Commissioners of the Birming-
ham Court of Requests. Alio a petition from Mr. J.
Guest, Clerk of the Birmingham Court of Requests,
and another officer of the Cow t, praying for compensa-
tion in the event of the passing of the County Courts
Bill.

Mr. H. BERKELEY presented a petition from South
Austral a, complaining of the appropriation for other
purposes of sums devoted to the service of the colony.
Sir G. CLERK preliented a petition from Stamford,
and three petitions from the county of Rutland, pray-
ing for Church Extension.
Mr. 11A WES presented a petition from the Dis-
senting Congregation of Devonshire-square, against
Church-rates and Church Extension.

Lord MORPET LI presented a petition from work-
ing people in the county of York, praying for the repeal
of the Corn-liws ; alio, a petition from the Protestant
Dissenters of Zion Chapel, Wakefield, praying for the
abolition of Church-rates ; also four petitions from the
Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, one praying that the
medical institutions of Ireland might not be placed under
the control of the Poor-law Commissioners, another
praying that under till; Vaccination Act medical prac-
titioners might be remunerated by salary instead of
feu, another praying- the House to adopt some mea-
sure of Medical Reform, and another praying for ade-
quate remuneration for medical practitioners attending
Coroners' inquests.
Mr. RAIKES CURRY presented a petition from
Northampton, for a Reform of the Ecclesiastical
Courts, and the abolition of Church•rates.
Colonel SALWE Y presented petitions from Bethnal
Green and PeAham, for the repeal of the Corn.laws.
Lord SANDON presented a petition from the
Leeds Philosophical and L.t2rary Society, praying for
the removal of burthens to which such institutions are
subjected.

The NOBLE LORD also presented a petition from
the Directors of the Grand Junction Railway against
certain parts of the General Railway 13d1.
The Waningorc Inclosure Bill was read a third time
and passed.
Mr. VILLIERS presented petitions from Bermond•
soy, St. Paul's Church-yard, and other districts of the
metropolis, for the repeal of the Corn-laws.
Mr. E. BULLER presented a petition from Buck-
ingham, complaining of spirituol destitution in England
and Wales, and praying for a remedy.
Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition from cer-
tain E iglish Catholics ip favour of the grant to the
College of Maynooth ; also a petition from Manchester
against the Corn-Ims, and a petition from a place in
Scotland, praying for the prohibition of distilled liquors
except for medicinal or manufacturing purposes.
Mr. THORNELY presented a petition from the
West Riding of Yorkshire, for the repeal of the Corn-
laws.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL presented a peti-
tion from the Lord Provost and Council of the city of
Edinburgh, praying that that city may be exempted Irom
he Scotch Boroughs Bill,

Mr. ELLIOT presented a petition from the town
of Kelso and its vicinity, stating that the only remedy
for the differences existing in the Scotch Church is the
separation of Church and State.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented petitions from the
labourers of the metropolis, and from the National
Association of the borough of Lambeth, praying for
the liberation of Mr. O'Connor, and of all political pri-
soners ; also a petition from two _Polish refugees, com-
plaining that the bounty .of this country had bee❑ ille-
gally withlield from them.
Mr. L. HODGES presented a petition from Maid-
stone, praying for the abolition of Church-rates and of
he Ecclesiastical Courts.
Mr. HUME presented a petition from Brentford
praying for the abolition of Church-rates and the Eccle-
siastical Courts, and the release of Mr. Baines ; a peti-
tion from the smile pl►ce praying for an extension of the
suffrage ; and from 123 Irishmen, inhabitants of Man-
chester, complaining that under the present system of
Poor-laws they will be compelled to return to their own
country in casell!cy should require paroc'aial relief.
Sir R. INGL IS pre tented several petitions in favour
of Church Extension.
Mr. EASTHOPE presented petitions, praying for
the abolition of Church-rates, from Newport, Waltham
Abbey, and forty other places.
Sir R. PEEL presented a petition from an indivi-
dual, named James Morrison, praying that out door
might be given in certain cases.
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS (IRELAND).
Lord MORPETH said that, pursuant to what he
said the other night, he had to stafe to the House that
tie only alteration of any material nature which ho
was prepared to propose in Committee on the
Irish Parliamentary Voters Bill was to raise
the amount of rate which might be necessary
to give the elective franchise in the rate of county
voters from the sum of 5/. to Si.
Mr. C. WOOD said it would be perfectly indis-
pensable to enable them to proem] with any satisfac-
tion that they should know the number of persons
rated to various amounts in Ireland. At present they
were unable to ascertain the number rated at SW., 20/.,
10/. and 51., and even if the returns could not be obtained
for the whole of Ireland, still if they obtain it from
those unions, from which reports had been already made,
they could calculate the probable numbers in other parts
of the country. His Noble Friend, the Secretary for
the Colonies, and the Right Hon. the Attorney-General
for Ireland, were agreed upon the necessity of having
that information, hut on referring to the Reports which
had been laid on the table from twenty-four unions in
Ireland, he found there were only two in which •
that species of information was contained. He wished
to know from the Noble Lord whether that information
would be produced, and if so, what was the probable
time when it would be laid before the House ?
Lord MORPETH said that instructions had been
forwarded to the Poor•law Commissioners in Ireland,
who were desired to communicate their information to
the House with the least possible delay, but their reply
had not yet arrived. When it did it would be
communicated to the House without delay.
THE EARL OF CARDIGAN.

Mr. HAWES gave notice that he would to-morrow
move for a return of the number of instances in which
corporal punishment had been inflicted in the British
army on a Sunday within the last ten years.—(Hear,
hear.) There appeared to be some misunderstand-
ing on what fell from the Secretary at War
on this subject on a former occasion, and he
would therefore ask the Right Honourable Gentle-
man whether there was any instances, of the infliction
of corporal punishment under the circumstances which
occurred in the case of the 11th Hussars under the
direction of the Earl of Cardigan.
Mr. MACAULAY said he was much obliged to
the Honourable Gentleman for asking him the ques-
tion, as it enabled him to set right a misun-
derstanding of what he had stated on this
subject. It had been imagined that ho (Mr. Ma-
caulay) had stated there were precedents for the con-
duct, which he believed to be both unfortunate and cul-
pable of the Earl of Cardigan the last week.—(Hear,
hear.) What he stated was, that having con-
sulted officers of long experience on the sub-
j;nt, he had heard that there were precedents in the
sen-ice of the infliction of punishment on Sundays, but
not of punishments which would bear out the con-
duct of Lord Cardigan, because those punishments
were inflicted only under circumstances of great
exigency. lie (Mr. Macaulay) had also stated
that in this the punishment might have
been postponed until next day. With respect to the
return required by the Hon. Gentleman, his own be-
lief was that such return would not produce any in-
stance of punishment on a Sunday—certainly not ex-
cept in case of some great exigency on the line of
march.—(Hear, hear.)

Sir H. HARDINGE said he had understood the
statement of the Secretary of War as it was now ex-
plained, and he begged to say he thought it perfectly
satisfactory.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. O'CONNELL obtained leave to bring in a
Bill to facilitate the proof of bribery and corruption in
the election of MeCtbers of Parliament.
The HON. GENTL.:"IIAN said he might be permitted
to add, that he had bt:ard with great regret the an-
nouncement which had beet: made by the Noble Lord
of his intention to raise the franchise from M. to 8/.
It was manifest that be would h-et nothing from the
other side by doing so, and he was sorry to say that it
would not give satisfaction elsewhere.
Mr. HUME moved for the returns 1.2 ;d before the
House of Commons in the Session of 1839 and 1840,
relative to corporeal punishments in the army, navy, and
ordnance.

On the motion of Mr. FOX MAULE the Srnb;ll
Debts' Courts Bill, and the Local Courts Bills were
postponed until Monday, the 3d of May.

MR. CANDLISH.

Sir GEORGE SINCLAIR said he would again
ask the Hon. Gentleman opposite whether her Majesty's
Government had or had not announced to Mr. Candlish
their intention of appointing him to the Professorship
of Biblical Literature ; and if so, on what ground the
appointment had been suspended or cancelled.
Mr. FOX MAULE said the Hon. Baronet could
hardly have taken a more uncourteous course than he
had done on that occasion. The question which he had be-

fore asked was totally different. He would with the per-
mission of the House state the facts as they had occurred.
His Noble Friend the Secretary of State had been
anxious upon the occurrence of vacancies in the Dean-
eries of the Chapel Royal to make those vacancies
subservient to the purposes of education in Scotland,
instead of continuing as formerly, under the name of

prizes in the Church.—(Hear, hear.) The first
vacancy that occurred was given to Dr. Lee,
the Principal of the University of Edinburgh,
as an endowment to that chair, which, of course, met
with general approbation. On the next vacancy oc-
curring, his Hon. Friend consulted how he might
best bestow that with similar Lenefit to the Univcr-

sity ; and having referred to the Report of the Com-
missioners appointed by the Right Hon. Gentleman op-
posite to inquire into the state of the Universities
in Scotland, he found that those Commissioners univer-

sally recommended the establishment in the University
of Edinburgh of a Professorship of Biblical Criticism.
Mr. Candlish appeared, from his learning and
theological talents, best fitted to discharge the duties

of that office. Before, however, any communication
had been made to him of the intention of her Majesty's.
Government that the appointment should take place,
Mr. Candlish had performed duties in the face of a inter-

diet from the Court of Session. He had done this in

company with many of the most eminent Ministers
of the Church of Scotland. The case was to

come before the Court of Session for their

decision, but until that decision had been given,
and die whole pro( eNlings were known, it was

wpossible that his Noble Frieud should rsevcre io

!le appointment.