The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 27, IM7.

to the subject at the close of the last session, but, in conse-
quence ce their having so recently come into office, they
were not able to give the subject that attention which it
would require. The Government had since taken the
subject into their consideration, arid the result Of their
delinerations had been to recommend to the Helve to
abolish the charges at once and for ever. Besides, the
unequal mode in which the charges were made, it was
also more that. usually necessery to abolish those
charges when it was considered the high prices of
provisions at the present time ; and although those
pensions appeared to be of a small amount to Hon.
Members, still it was something considerable to the
pensioners themselves.--(Hear, hear.)
Captain LAY ARD euld belie his feelings if he did
not give exitre-sion to his satisfaction now that the Go-
vernment had taken the subject into their consideration
and resolved that the gallant and, in most cases, worn-
out warriors of this country should reeeive the full re-
ward of their toil, and he was glad that the promise
made to him by the Government at the latter end of the
last session had been fulfilled.
Sir DE LACY EVANS—It had been said that this
proposal was just and fair. Ho did not know whether
it was just and fair, but he was quite sure that the pro-
ceedings of the former Governments was a shameful
violation of the rights of these poor old veterans. At the '
same time he was highly delighted that the Government
had now taken this matter into consideration.
Sir H. DOUGLAS also expressed his high satisfac-
tion at this movement on the part of the Government.
TEN HOURS' BILL.
Mr. FIELDEN presented several petitions in favour
of this Bin, which were ordered to lie on the table.
The Hoe. MEMBER then rose to move for leave to bring
in his Bill for reducing the labour in factories to ten
hours a day. The lion. Member went on to quote a
number of authorities, medical and otherwise, in proof
of the injurious effects of the present factory system,
and the necessity of u change. We could only gather
the purport of the speech from an occasional word or
two, but the details of the Hon. Gentleman's address
were perfectly inaudible in the gallery.
Sir G EORGE GREY said the Bill, which was at
present sought to be introduced, and of which the Hon.
Member had obligingly furnished him with a draft,
was nearly the same as that which was intro-
duced last session by Lord Ashley, still there
were some additional causes which would deserve
the consideration of the House. The first of these re-
ferral e. the case of young persons, from the ages of
thirteen to twenty, and it was proposed to reduce their
hours of labour from 12 to 11. The second clause pro-
posed to enact a maximum of 10 hours in certain cases,
and the third was for the purpose of placing some
wholesome restriction on the labour of young persons.
It was his intention to assent to the introduction of the
Bill without eiocu•s'on, which m,ght be taken on the
principle or the 13.11 in an after .tage. He thought it
right to guard himself against the supposition that he
coincided in the inferences which the Honourable
Member for Oldham drew from a document which had
been published in September last, and which was well
worthy the attention of the House. The Honourable
Member seemed to infer from that document that a
great increase of mortality had occurred in the factory
districts. He did not thiek that the returns of
mortality from those districts showed a greater
amount of deaths than what occurred in Liver-
pool and other large cities where few or no manu-
factories were carried on. He should not, however,
detain the House, as an after opportunity would be
given for discussing the question.
Mr. TRELA.WNEY, while he admitted the
evil which existed, still he did not think it
right not to protest against a measure which
would militate so much against the interests
of commerce without being advantageous to any
class. If they legislate for those employed in factories,
they should also take into consideration the hundred
thousand female servants of London, who were most se-
verely used by their masters and mistresses Thellon.Mem-
ber beside him said they had not petitioned,but he (Mr.
Trelawny) censidered that it was the duty of that House to
remedy a grievance whether it waspetitioned against or not,
He thou .iht that the adoption of the present measnre
would lead to a reduction of the rate of wages; persons
employed in factories would be thrown out ofemploy men!.
and thereby increase the amount of competition in the
other branches of labour. In his opinion the principles of
non-interference were those which should be adopted by
the State, and the adoption of any other principle would
lead only to great harm and inextricable confusion
They were now undoing their work. They were again
raising the barriers which had been broken down. He
had warned the House of this last session, but his words
had been wasted. He should, however, oppose this motion,
and trusted the House would reject the measure. A. t
least to a certainty he should divide the House upon it.
Mr. FERRAND said, that year after year the work-
ing people had come to that House to beg for protection
for their wives and children. It was said that
this should be done to prevent the strike, but
he would tell the House that the working men of
this country came to the House, and on their bonded
knees begged for this protection of their wives and
daughters. And if the Hon. Member had an objection
to a strike, working men desired to obtain this pro-
tection without a strike. He was glad to see that this
measure was at last likely to receive something like
support from the Government. At least, so he learned
from the speech of the Hon. Member for Sheffield (Mr.
Ward) delivered at that place the other' day ; and
he would tell the Noble Lord at the bead
of the Government, that if they did give this measure
any support, he could rally rotted him such a support as
nn Miuist, r had before received from the masses of the
people, while, it it were refused. tnere would be such a
spirit raised in the north of England, as it would take
much trouble to allay. He trusted the .House would do
justice to the people of England, and pass the motion
of the Hon Member for oldham without a division.
S. G. STRICKLAND could not sufficiently express
the satisfaction which he felt at bearing that ti is mea-
sure was likely to receive any support f:om Government.
At the same time he believed that the Ten Hours Bill
for young persons was the right measure that should be
adopted by the Legislature. He could not possibly
conceive why any young person should work in a close
atmosphere, against the continuous power of steam, for
two hours it day more than the labourer of agriculture—a
labour, the most healthy in which human labour could
be employed. The only,argurnen's he had heard that
everting against the interference of the Legislature on
this most important subject, were the arguments of
those persons who called themselves political eoonomists.
He for one did not cry out against political economy.
by which a sound reason could be given for what was
done by the Legislature or the Government. Ha spoke
of that political economy which would-never listen to
reason on' this subject., which carried its doctrine
to such an extreme, that it could not be applied to the
simplest thing. To illustrate this, he would refer to the
argument made use of by the lion. Member for Corn-
well that the:House ought not to interfere with the labour
of young persons working in factories, because it did not
interfere with the male servants in the city of London.
He ci mid not conceive the cases so utterly dissimilar, an I
how the same measures or means could be applied to
the two cases he could not comprehend. They had
applied for the interference of the Legislature in the
cases of young persons who could not protect themselves.
In the case of the male servants, they had certain bar-
pins with their masters ; but in the case of the factory
labourers, no such barjaiti could be made, in conse-
quence of the rule of political economy. The customs
established by the capital employed overwhelmed them.
He would most certainly cordially support the motion of
the Hon. Member.
Sir It. PEEL (who was indistinctly heard) said that
he had heard what had been said on the subject by the
Hon. Member fur Tavi,tock. With regard to the
opinion he (Sir H. Peel) had heretofore expressed, he
retained it still ; and the House would not think him in-
different to the interests ot those employed in factory is-
hour if he opposed the measure, for he did so because
he firmly believed that the passing ot the Bill would not
tend to their benefit.— (Cheers.) When he was at the
head of her Majesty's Government last year, they had
postponed entering upon the discussion for the same
reasons that he now stated. If the House should come
to a decision adverse to the wishes of those favourable
to this measure, it was desirable that it should be done
with as kindly a disposition and manner as possible.—
(Hear, bear.)
Mr. HUME was anxious that the subject should re-
ceive the fullest and fairest investigation. He enter-
tained the strongest conviction from the evidence that
had been given before a Committee of that House on the
subject. 'the House had acted upon the principle that
labour should be allowed to regulate itself, and had in
consequence swept away several statutes on the ques-
tion. This had not been done, however, until after
several discussions, and he trusted that the Right Hon.
Bart. would not oppose the present di-cussion. He
(Mr. Hume) was of opinion that the plan now proposed
would not effect any good, but still be would wish that
the subject should receive, as he had already said, the
fullest., the fairest, and the most dispassionate discussion.
Mr. B. ESCOTT said he did not wish to say any
thing upon the merits of the question, but he thought it
would be strictly improper to oppose the Bill at present.
Mr. MUNTZ said factory labour was an exception to
the general rule, and required legislation upon it. Any
one who had been in a cotton factory would be able to
judge if it were net so. He had himse
It gone to Man
chester a few weeks ago to make inquiries into the con-
condition bf the factory operatives there, and he found
that all the improvements making were in favour of the
masters, and against the men. Considering the heated
atmosphere of the mills, the long hours of labour, and
the age of many of those therein engaged, he considered
the present Bill to be necessary.
Mr. B. ESCOTT rose, amidst loud cries of " Order,"
to repeat the question he had asked before. He would
ask the N. Lord at the head of the Government what
were the future intentions of her Majesty's Ministers in
regard to this Bid ? •
Lord J. ItUStELL replied that it had been agreed
t.ihtsathiloe.xaltivesi,3, read a firstuli
tgoe hbitet thewgino,b t
Bill should be given, and that
it s
eimpe.replaSilthdent.ohestti,,ll
whatcamei
to
e
tut-nth-et ttdo in regard to the measure.—(Hear.)E
Leave wasstuheGnAgilvtenatxophrilingoirifAthsesßttlil.
Mr HUME s .id, in consequence of the ehace
to layllor of
the Exchequer hae ing intimated his intentionn
Certain papers on the table, un Thursday next, respect-
ing the use of sugar and molasses in breweries atte dis•
tilleries, he would postpone the motion, of which he had
given notice, till atter that time.
NATIONAL GALLERY.

Mr. P. SCROPE said that there was one point which
he did not quite understand in the statement of the
Noble Lord, it was relative to the system for increased
relief for the poor of Ireland. He wished to know
whether there was any security that effectual relief
should be afforded, or whether the board of guardians
would -be at liberty to set the law at nought, as was
the.case-with the Castlebar board at the present moment,
and to refuse relief to the destitute. His question was,
whether there was a right to enforce relief in all cases
ofdestitution ? His second question was, whether this
law was to be accompanied with any Act for the preven-
tion.of mendicancy in Ireland 2—(llear, hear.)
Lord JOHN RUSSELL—With regard to the first
question proposed by the Hon. Gentleman, namely,
as to affording out-door relief to thole who were
unable to work through age or permanent infirmity,
that was• intended by the measure contemplatea
by the Government. It was proposed to afford
that class relief. Another question arose as to the
enforcement of that relief, and he believed that
it would be necessary to introduce some clauses for that
Purpose. With respect to the last question—as to the
sppression of vagrancy—it was a most imp vent matter,
ut there was no Bill at present prepared with re-
gard to it.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.
The NOBLE LORD then moved,l as there was no
business of importance to be transacted to-morrow, that
the House at its rising do adjourn till Thursday.—
Agreed ta.
ABOLITION OF POUNDAGE ON CHELSEA.
Mr. FOX MAULEPENSIONERS moved for leave to bring in a Bill
to abolish poundage on Chelsea pensioners. These pen-
;ions had been granted for lone service in the army, and
.or wounds incurred in the service of the country, and
had begun
begtuh old system,
ne
tobeacharge on the revenue 100 years ago.
a long time intervened before the
Pensioner could withdraw anything in reward of his past
services, and the result was, he found at his elbow nume-
rous money-lenders ready to take advantage of
1"s position. Government, therefore, felt it to be
absolutely necessary to interfere and check
the abuse. After that interference the pensioner
Wits Paid six months in advance, hut a charge of 51. per
cent. was made of, the Hin.tunt In the navy, there was
no charge made, but this was a matter not of so much im-
portance, though, nevertheless, the' law was applied to
the WM. The atteatiou of the Gorecnsent had been celled

Mr. HUME moved an address for a copy of the mi-
nutes of the trustees of the National Gallery during the
years 1845 and 1846, with the names of all the trus-
let's resent at each meeting ; also, for copies of the
orders and in*tructiiins to :he keeper of the gal-
lery rep et.ing the cleaning of the pictures, and
any directions in respect to their arrangement.
All he wished to know was, whether the trustees
directed the improvements complained of to be made,
I ain what way, sad by ',bole Fla thought this !ma

~_

the most advisable course to adopt until the promised
documents were before the House.
Sir R. PEEL said, as he was, one of the trustees of
the National Gallery, he had no objection to second the
motion. The House of Commons had behaved very
liberally to the National Gallery, and therefore he
thought the Hon. Gentleman had acted very properly
in not making. any comments upon what had taken place.
The trustees had called on the gentleman to whom
reference had been made, to furnifh a full report of
what bad been done. lie trusted the House in cons►dera-
tion of the high character of the president of the gallery,
Sir C. Eastlake, would suspend its judgment until they
were in possession of the documents refered to. They
would be furnished in a few days.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
Government were anxious to afford the fullest informa-
tion.

LAW OF SETTLEMENT.
On the motion of Sir GEORGE GREY, the following
Committee, after some discussion, was nominated on the
Law of Settlement :—Mr. Charles Buller, Sir James
Graham, Mr. Bankes, Mr. John Evelyn Denison, Sir
George Grey, Mr. Thomas Duncombe, Lord Harry
Vane, Mr. Poulett Scrope, Mr. William Miles, Mr.
Charles Villiers, Mr. Borthwick, Mr. Charles Round,
Mr. Aldam, and Mr. Bodkin.
FACTORIES BILL.
Mr. FIELDEN then brought in his Bill, which was
read a first, and ordered to be read a second time on to-
morrow fortnight.
BUCKWHEAT, Ste., IMPORTATION BILL.
On the motion of Lord J. RUSSELL this Bill was
read a second time. The Noble Lord said that the
Government had, by an order in council, at once ad-
tnitted the importation of buckwheat without waiting for
the delay consequent upon the Bill passing through all
its stages.
The House then adjourned shortly after half-past six
o'clock, to Thursday next.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS.
From the Votes and Froeeedincs of the Rouse of Commons.)

MONDAY, JAN. 25.

The following petitions for Railway were presented, and
the Bills ordered to be brought in :
London, Brighton, and South Coast (Extension to London•

bridge).
London-bridge Termini General Englargement.
London, Brighton, and South Coast (London-bridge Station
Enlargement and Arrangement).
Fleetwood, Preston, and West Riding Junction (Burnley

. _ . .
and Colliery Branches).
Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland (Newcastle,
Anniskinnan, and Baltrasna Deviations).
London, Oxford, and Cheltenham Railway and Branches.
Windsor Railway.

Wilts, Somerset; and Weymouth (No. I—Bruton, Pitcombe,
and Rodden and Bradford Deviations).
East Lincolnshire (Deviation at Boston and Branch to Great
Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway at Grimsby).
East Lincolnshire (Branch from Louth to Lincoln).
Manchester. Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Sheffield Canal

Purchase).
Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilaton Direct Railway.
Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston Direct, and Glasgow
Southern Terminal Railways Amalgamation.
Scottish Midland Junction (Amendment and Branch to
Laurencekirk).
Caledonian and Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railways
Amalgamation.
The following Railway Bills were presented, read * alle
time, and ordered to be read a second time :
Rochdale Canal (Sale to the Manchester and Leeds Railway
Company).
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Supply of Surplus
Water to Manchester, Salford, and Stockport).
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Junction with the
otidland eM Barnsley-, and Branches therefrom).
Mancheiter, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Branch to Chapel-
town and Thurgoland Coal Branch).
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Branch from Ash-
ton-under-Lyne to Oldham).
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Branch at Bugs-
worth to join the Peak Forest Canal Tramway, and
Amendment of Acts).
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Station Approach
in Manchester).
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Aston Canal Put,
chase).
Leeds Central Railway Station.
Yeovil, Bridport, and Exeter, with Branches.
llartlepool and Stockton Junction.
London and North-Western (St. Alban's, Luton, and Dun-
stable Branch).
London and North-Western (Newport Pagnel l Olney, and
Wellingborough Branch).
Shropshire Union Railways and Canal (Lease to the London
and North-Western Railway Company).
Norfolk (Branch from Thetford to join the Ipswich and
Bury St. Edmund's Railway near Bury St. Edmund's).
Norfolk (Branch from Wymondham to the Norwich Eaten-
, sion of the Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's Railway, and
the proposed Thetford and R-edham Railway, near Liss).

CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS.
The following Hon. Members have claimed exemption '
from serving on Election Committees, being upwards of sixty
years of age :—William Astell, Colonel Baillie, Walter Baine,
John Benett, J. Ireland Blackburn% William Brown, Sir
Charles M. Aurrall, Aaron Chapman, Edward Connolly,
William Sharman Crawford, William Joseph Denison, Sir
Howard Douglas, Edward Ellice, Sir William Feilden, John
Fielt:en, Augustus Eliott Fuller, William Ormsby Gore, John
Hardy, John Heathcoat, Sir John Hope, Kedgwin Hoskins,
Joseph Ilume, Sir Robert Harry Inglis, Sir Charles Knight-
ley, William Gore Langton, Sir Charles Lemon, James Loch,
lqajor Macnamara, Lord Charles Manners, Stewart Marjori-
banks, Sir Charles Napier, Cornelius O'Brien, William Ord,
James Oswald, George Palmer, James Pattison, Edward
William Wynne Pendarves, John Phillpotts, John Round,
Thomas Sheppard, Sir Henry Smyth, Sir George T. Staun-
ton, Sir George Strickland, Sir Frederick W. Trench,
Richard Walker, Edmond Wodehouse, Colonel Wood, and
Charles Watkin Williams Wynn.

NOTICES GIVEN Al' rtiE YtcIVATE BILL-OFFICE.
The following Railway Bills are appointed to be read a
second time on Friday, Jan. 29 :
Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's (No. I—Yarmouth Ex-
tension).
Dundalk and Enniskillen.
Great Western (Branches to 'join the West London, Ham-
mersmith, &c.)
Great Western (Berke and Hants Amendment and Branches).
Great Western ( Branches to Egham, Staines, &c. ).
Lowestoft Railway, and Harbour (Alteration at Reedham).
South-Eastern (Mid Kent and Direct Tunbridge).
South-Eastern (Croydon and Bromley Branches).
South-Eastern (Maidstone to Chart).
ScutEasern
((NStorrotahlKteontl and aidstone)
South-Eastern Bricklayers'
South-Eastern (North Kent Line). Arms Junction).
North Staffordshire (Alterations and Branches).
North Staffordshire (Churnet Valley and Trent Valley
Junction).
Llynvi Valley Extension.
Direct London and Portsmouth:
Bristol and Exeter (Taunton and Castle Carey Branch).
Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock, and Ayr (No. 2).
Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, and Glasgow, Paisley,
Kilmarnock, and Ayr (No. 4).
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Station at Sheffield
and Branch to the Sheffield Canal).
Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction (Deviation
of Main Line, Sec.).
Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction, and Chester
and Birkenhead Railways Amalgamation.
Blackburn, Darwen, and Bolton Acts Amendment (Diver-
sions of Line in the parishes of Blackburn and Bolton-in-
the Moors).

PETITIONS ON PRIVATE BILLS.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
(Room 22, before Mr. Examiner SMITH and Mr. Assistant-
Examiner FIIIRE.)
UNOPPOSED LIST.
In the following cases the Standing Orders were complied

with :
Bristol and South Wales Junction Railway and Aust
Ferry
Shipley Gas-light Company.
Bristol and Clifton Oil-Gas Company.
Manchester and Lincoln Union Railway Deviation
Clerkenwell Improvement.
Lynn and Ely Railway Extension to Bury St. Edmonds.
GLASGOW, KILMARNOCK. AND ARDROSSAIN
RAILWAY.
This case was resumed, and occupied the Examiner during
the remainder of the day.
(Room 23, before Mr. Examiner MAT and Mr. Assistant-
Examiner GusNELL.)
17N01.1'05ED LIST.
The following petitions being unopposed, the customary
formal proofs were put in, and the Standing Orders complied
with
Chard Canal and Railway Company.
Extensionmati witoifi Railway
Blwa);idfrgoemwaltlemr inasntderTtoanCnhtaern Canal,
Chard, maanld-
grtStolford Railway and Harbour Company.
Whathiale Railway Act Amendment, Skipton and Copley
Hall Deviations.
Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Stour Valley Railway
(No. I ), Southwick Deviation, proposed alteration of the line,
with powers
Bthiorefmßsiuni brginshciarnimgp tic!
aoomninbc:itnnkii, ononmddopotan
nAa nym,daaNnl
gdoarmtthhae-t Wisohnerswetweirtsnh.
Cbuomrypaaundy,
the London and North-Western Company.
Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne Junc-
tion Railway Acts Amendment. Railway from the East
Lancashire Railway, near Burnley, to join the Burnley
Branch of the Blanchester and Leeds Railway, with power
to sell or lease to the East Lancashire Railway Company, or
to the Manchester and Leeds Railway Company.
ADJOURNED CASE.
BRISTOL AND EXETER RAILWAY EXTENSION
COMPANY (CREDITON AND LAUNCES TON).
This case was resumed, and in the end the standing orders
were found out to have been complied with.
OrrOSID LIST.
In the following case the customary formal proofs were
completed.
NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY.—(No. 1.)
Increase of capital, and enlargement and amendment of
Acts, Junction with Leith Branch of the Edinburgh and
Dalkeith Railway, Extension of Haddington and Kelso
Branches, Deviations of Hawick and Kelso Branches, Alte-
rations of Leith Branch of the Edinburgh and Dalkeith
Railway, and Amendment of the Acts relating thereto, and
Purchase of additional property and formation of Branches
adjacent to the terminus at Edinburgh
The petition was opposed by several memorialists, includ-
dasetneiranand Carlisle, the Maryport and Carlisle,
Company. Two allegations, impugning
oeufrntieled
the correctness of the
and the
ed
casethe accuracy
waa
aadjourned
includ-
ing;
ntstti,oll lewr
re Lancaster
eenot sustained,

STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE.
The Committee to whom are referred the petitions against
the Bills that the Examiners have reported not to hare com-
plied with the standing orders met at one o'clock.
READING, GUILDFORD, AND REIGATE RAILWAY.
GLASGOW, DUMFRIES, AN!) CARLISLE, AND
GLASGOW, PAISLEY, KILMARNOCK, AND AYR
RAILWAY (No. 2).
In each of these cases the standing orders were allowed to
be dispensed with.
GLASGOW, PAISLEY, AND KILMARNOCK RAIL-
WAY, AND AYRSHIRE AND BRIDGE OF WEIR
RAILWAY (No. 3.).
The parties were allowed to proceed in this case.
The Committee then adjourned. •

LITERATURE.
THE WESTMINSTER AND FOREIGN
QUARTERLY REVIEW. No. XCI.
Already in another portion of The Sun we have
shown the fallacy of the political article in this Review
relating to the Spanish marriages. We have shown
that the writer has based his reasoning upon a misinter-
pretation or rather upon a misconception of the course
pursued by the English Government in reference to the
nefarious proceedings of the French cabinet in the
Peninsula.. Any
.further refutation of the arguments
contained in that contribution would consequently be
superfluous. It were, moreover, unnecessary to insist
upon facts which are now notorious, namely, the devious
and ungenerous policy of King Louis Philippe in award-
ing husbands to Queen Isabella and her sister the In-
fanta Louisa, the discourteous juggling practised at the
interview in the Chateau d'Eu, the bold and admirable
conduct of Mr. l3ulwer the British Minister at Madrid,
the decisive remonstrances given to M. Guisot by the
Marquis of Normanby, the British Minister at Paris,
and the shuffling explanation tendered in documents by
the former to the Chamber of Deputies. As a key to
the distinct and candid behaviour of England in this
transaction, it must never be forgotten that the policy
astronomy clever
of Lord Palmerston has therein been identical with the
policy of his predecessor the Earl of Aberdeen. In a
ncian d
of the Telescope," the rtcent discoveries in
sagacious article styled a Revelations
the discoveries effected through
the colossal telescope of Lord Rosse are admirably com-
memorated. And the excellence of this very beautiful
paper is not merely restricted to an enumeration of the
achievements of modern astronomers—it takes a corn
prehensive and succinct view of the origin, progress,
and development of that most sublime science. The
writer glances back even as rem tely as the Chaldeans,
the Egyptians, the Chinese, and the Indians. lie re•
lates the establishment of the philosophical doctrines of
Aristotle, to the effect that the heavens were an incor-
ruptible concave. He records the appearance of the
great theory of Pythagoras, that the earth was a vagrant
orb revolving round the sun, and the appearance of
Ptolemy, whereby the mind of man retrograded to the
old blundering notion that the earth was motionless.
The resuscitation of the Pythagorean scheme of the
celestial world by Copernicus, in the sixth century, is
then mentioned, and also the opposition given to the
Copernican hypothesis by Tycho Brahe. We are glad
to observe the enthusiasm with which the illustrious
philosopher Kepler is afterwards named, hut we are
amazed to see the revival of the foolish fable of the
persecutions of the Inquisition when alluding to the
advent and deeds of Ga!:1. o. Does the reviewer, while
speaking of " the ignorant bigotry" of those times, forget
that the great work of Copernicus De Revolutionibus
war published under the patronage of Pope Paul 111.,
and that the expenses of its publication were liquidated
by the Bishop of Eremeland ? In-commemorating the
intellectual victories obtained by our glorious country-
man, Sir Isaac Newton, the writer evinces his capability
of appreciating the benefits conferred upon mankind by
this extraordinary man, and the vast additiocs which
his one mind made to the accumulating treasures of
human knowledge. Since the remarkable career of
flerschell, no such startling step has been taken for the
fathoming of the infinite depths of creation as the con-
struction of the great telescope in Ireland, under the
direction of Lord Bosse—a-nobleman whom thereviewer
ne
elegantly styles an emulator of Tycho Brahe. From the
aL:
supposition, ie
o f
astonishing circumstances connected with the discovery
of the
orplanet
of a
by M. Verrr—" n
or ot
o the i
the
result
chance w
in-
creased power of our telescopes, but of the unaided
power of profound thought, and of abstract mathema-
tical reasoning"—we transcribe the following brief but
sufficient memorial from the pages of the Westminster
Review :
" The irregularities of the orbit of Uranus having been for
a long period a difficulty to astronomers, induced M. Le Ver-
rier to a more close examination of that planet's motions, and
he found, that of the whole amount of irregularity in its
path, or of its perturbations, only a comparatively small part
could be accounted for by the attraction of any known forces.
Upon examining, too, tables which had been constructed of
the orbit of Uranus, he found that they in no way agreed
with the latest observations. These discrepancies he con-
ceived might be either due to want of precision in theory, or
want of exactness in observations ; or Uranus might be sub-
ject to other attractions than those of the sun, Jupiter, and
Saturn; and he resolved to endeavour to determine the
cause of these perturbations. Finding so much inaccuracy
in the data and calculations on which the previous tables of
the orbit planet's 1, were founded, he set himself to the laborious
task of investigating and calculating everything afresh, with
the utmost rigour, and, after much perseverance, he deter-
mined with great nicety the amount of perturbation in the
orbit of Uranus due to the attraction of Jupiter and Saturn.
With these corrected data before him, he proceeded to com-
pare the calculated path of the planet with its actually ob-
served positions • and he came to the conclusion, not merely
that there was difficulty and discrepancy in the comparison,
but that, on grounds of the strictest geometrical reasoning,
none of those known forces were adequate to produce the
observed irregularities of the planet's course. Several ways
had been already suggested of getting rid of the difficulty—
the resistance of the ether—a vast satellite of Uranus—some
variation in the law of gravity at that enormous distance
from the sun—the shock of a comet, or lastly, an unknown
planet. But M. Le Vernier showed that all these suppositions,
except the last, were inadmissible, and that, if the disturbing
force proceeded from an unknown planet, the stranger must
be, not within the orbit of Uranus, because, if a large body,
it would disturb Saturn's orbit ; if a small one, it would not
be adequate to produce the actual amount of disturbance in
that of Uranus: nor, for the same reasons, near on the out-
side of the orbit of Uranus; but far enough without the
orbit of Uranus to act upon it, without acting upon that of
Saturn, and large enough to act upon Uranus for long and
continapus periods of time. According to Bode's law of
planetary distances which we have already enunciated,
namely, that the planets double on one another in their dis-
tances from the sun as they are more remote in the system,
this new planet ought to be twice as far from the sun as
Uranus. And this probability became almost a certainty;
for, as its distance cannot be much less, so it cannot be greater,
e. g., treble the distance
of Uranus; because, as in that case
it must be of enormous mass, it must act upon Saturn as well
as Uranus, and its great distance from both planets would
its inluence on each comparable; whereas, there
.urther. is no
trace of any such influence on the orbit of Saturn. Further.
urn.
-
such a body, acting on the orbit of Uranus, must
.b e,
. e.,with t
mus
out doubt, in much the same plane as that planet; t
be looked for nearly in the ecliptic. was
• made this abstract,.
" The paper, of which we have
the Ist of June in
read before the Academy of Sciences on ,
in
iCo tes Rendus,'
the present year; and in a second paper ~
fix still more ex-
August 31, 1846), Le Verrier proceeded to itx
unseen planet.
actly the place, size, and distance of the yema
be desirous
-(To this paper we must refer the reader who y
by Le Ver- 1
of acquainting himself with the elements
givenfor an article
rier. They are too abstruse and too technical
many times the size of the earth
was a body
general in its nature.) His
idea
was,
that it
much less than
, and not
about the
Saturn, taking more than two centuries to revolve within
sun, at a distance 33 times greater than the Earth.tiWithin
one be-
one month after M. Le Verrier had thus mint?. c
vry s
a actually
forehand, the place of this mysterious body, t.
Of the observe-
seen. On the 23d o f September, Dr. Galle,
urging him
tory at Berlin, received a letter from Le Verrier,. might
to look out sharply for the new star,
which
possibly Gall on be recognised by its disc. That very evening,
heavens,es com-
paring Bremiker's excellent map with the not marked
ob-
terved, near the place fixed by Le 'Vernier, a star
night with
by Bremiker. It was compared three times that
suspected;
a known fixed star, and a planetary motion was its
d motion
the following night it was again observed, a
an
confirmed, and agreed perfectly with its discoverer's2sth Galle
nouncement ; and, on the third night, . September
lace of the
observed it fire times, and Encke ten, and the p
bserved ' the
planet had again changed, and, as Encke o
' This slight
place of the planet agrees within one degree.
position of the
difference between the calculation as to e
t theactua ob-
new planet by the theory of Le Verrier, andthe
most striking
servation by Galle and Encke,
is
perhaps
snote by M. Le Ver-
fact connected with the discovery.
Ina
'—
tier to the Academy, on this point, he observesexceedinglY small,
"'Min My error calculation will be found which I
11 n
when the slight nature of the perturbations,
taren into con-
planet, 3 after 30 or
determined the position of the new
bope, that
sideration. This success must inspire a
astronomers may
40 years' observations of the new planet,
the next that
use it in its turn as a means of discovering
sum They will,
follows in the order of distance from the t
on account of
unfortunately, soon arrive at stars invisible,
whose orbits may
their immense distance from the sun, bu
be correctly ascertained by theory.'
been frequently ob."
Since this discovery, the plane Anasin
many parts of the
served, both in our own country
esed in common mea-
continent. Its present distance, exprel s from the sun, and
sure, is about 3,200,000,000 English
mites distance from Ura-
about 3,100,000,000 from the earth. a
bot 140,000'000 of miles.
nus, whose motions it disturbs, is 3
miles, that of Uranus i
Its diameter is estimated at 50,000
of Saturn 79,000, of the I
being 35,000, of Jupiter 86,000,0
f the other planets are less
earth 8,000, while the diametersu with the exception of Jupiter
than that of the earth.
Tb • s 1 h e largest in ours system.
Its
and Saturn, the new planet is
250 to 1. Considering that
• is to that of the earth
each attended by a train of
cubic
and Uranus are
Jupiter, Saturn, that
s extremely.probablethe new planet
satellites, it appears
1 r accompaniment. Indeed, a subsequent
will have a simi a
ii
f Liverpool, has stated his belief that
Ar Lasse , o
observe!, •
dove d not only one accompanying satellite, but
he has disc- re
also the existence of a . ring round the planet. ' With respect
ring,' ' observes Mr. Cassell, ' I am
eof the ri , .
to the existence
to declare it, but I received so many
not able able absolutaely
ays
in
the iamc form and directions, and
pressions of it, iwnt mnifi powers, that I feel a very
with all the differe nothing but a finer state of atmo-
• n that
strong impression
to enable me to verify the discovery.
Of
sphere is necessary
0 the star, having every aspect of a sa-
tellite, there is the exist
not
the shadow of a doubt.' These matters,
however, cannot
be determined until the observations of the
planet have been continued for a longer period."
The claims of
mr.
Adams to a share in the credit of
d with
0 trace much candour and the discovery discovery atr
-13 without detracting in an manner from
partiality. u entleman, it cannot be denied
that
the credit of that
le Verner deserves to b
the name of 31•
e mighty orb whic be associated
pre-eminently which wilt perpetuate that genius has
divulged, and
with name to the
the
te names of Galileo, of Kepler,
remotest posteri .7
er..c e .
of ii a b 11
nd No more marvellous
of Newton, a
ewer of the human intellect
evidence of the p
has ever
. than that affordedby the mathematical ene
astronomical phenomenon indi-
cation of an , non by this illustrious
The revievternext asks the question whe-
Frenchman.
ther the planets are inhabited,
from and conceives the proba
bility of their being soto this variety
of facts proving
their analogous condition
ofis earth, among others from
the periodical accumulations ice at the poles of Mars.
He then comments upon the extraordinary cavities and
fissures in the moon, one cavern being sixty miles in
diameter, an one crack..extiding 150 miles in length,
as straight asd a railway I Erom the discoveries effected
by Lord Rosse's telescope, and proclaimed by Dr.
Nichol, it would seem that the renowned theory of
Laplace as to the birth of the solar system, and the
nebular hypothesis of Herschell are virtually exploded.
The article altogether is of remarkable interest. A
strange review of " Grate's History of Greece," follows,
in which the arguments of Bulwer and others
as
to the
individuality of Homer are feebly attempted be •
to dis-
proved. Besides these there are papers upon the history
of " British Ferns," (illustrated with wood e •
the "Camp and Brirrack Room," )
n g r aavni r 2 gs, "
Bankruptcy
In-
solvency," and " Travels in Lyei e Ptny d
a- Upon the collee-
FOx erma.—The first meetin ----
o tion of the letters an ------f
the Fox Club 1 d speeches of Oliver Cromwell, by
g
which et - Thomas C y arl le, there is an excellent critical contribu-
n-
this year was held on Saturday, at rooea,s, on F x was lion. With a large quantity of minor criticisms and
late Charles James o. f . r
casion a beautiful portrait of thenotices of oreign iterature the
e and Sele. Westminster and Foreign
preeented to the club by Lord Say

Quarterly Review is completed for the January quarter..
The combination of these two eminent publications pro-
mises to effect a brilliant innovation upon the ordinary
style of periodicals.

WIT AND numoun. By Leigh Hunt.
After the fashion of the ancient trilogies, a very beau-
tiful notion of a literary character has been recently
conceived by Leigh Hunt. As our comparison will
imply, this] notion, branches off in three directions.
Imagination and Fancy, the first ; Wit and Humour, the
second ; Action and Passion, the third. As every mind
that feeds upon the fruits of modern literature is already
aware, the first portion of this exquisite series has been
some time published. The second portion is now await-
ing the scrutiny of the critic, and the exploration of the
reader. The third portion is as yet prospective ; may
be it is now developing itself under the industrious pen
of its originator. It must be acknowledged by every
one who has examined the two volumes lately written
by the Poet of Rimini, that the plan upon which they
have been penned is as admirable as their influence is
calculated to be beneficial, and as their manner of com-
position is fascinating. While each acts as a cicerone to
the curiosities and riches stored up in different depart-
ments of English poetry, each acts likewise as an
incitement to the intellect of its reader. As thus :
While the glories of the imaginations and fancies of our
bards are divulged to us, our own imaginations and
fancies are simultaneously ripened and enlarged by the
very contemplation. And, again :—ln analysing to us
the characteristic wit and humour of our various poets,
the writer has thereby endeavoured to enhance our
capacities of appreciation in regard to wit and humour
generally, and has done good service, moreover, for the
eradication of that passion for spurious wit and
burlesque humour, which, in latter yens, has so sadly
deteriorated the pleasantness of society and the advan
tages of the drama. No one was more peculiarly suited
for the carrying out of this excellent scheme than Leigh
Hunt. He has enough poetry in his own nature, to love
the charms of his predecessors in the divine art. He
has enough drollery to detect the veriest scintillation of
wit, and the merest glimpse of humour, in his prede-
cessors. He has enough aptitude for criticism, to pass
sentence upon his brethren of the lyre. He has enough
knowledge of the foibles and failings of this generation,
to discover where they exist and whence they arise ;
and above all, he has enough acumen to discern the
properest means of correcting those foibles, and eradi-
eating those failings. In proof of this, witness his
most charming " Story of Rimini," his shorter poems,
his critical papers in the Examiner and elsewhere, his
picturesque romance, Sir Ralph Esher, his Indicator,
and his Miscellaneous Essays. Talk, as many do,
about Hunt regarding Nature through the atmosphere of
London, it is undeniable that his compositions
are flawed with Cockneyisms, just as Keats's
Endymion was injured by its jejeune imagi-
narics, and as the majority of Wordsworth's
verses are tarnished with puerilities. Blachwood, to a
certain extent, judged rightly of Hunt, the Quarterly of
Keats, and Byron of Wordsworth. But that "certain
extent" only embraces the naked fact of Cockneyism in
the one, jujuneness in the other, and puerility
in the last. With all his conventional marks as a
dweller in Cockaigne, how beautiful is the poetry
of Leigh Hunt even in certain passages
of the despised " Feast," and especially in his apostro-
phies to the months and seasons ! With all his imma-
turity, how exquisite we the works of Keats, how fanciful
his " Larnia," how touching the " Pot of Basil," how
impassioned his " Ode to the Nightingale," how sublime
Pe
i visibler t iiees,
the
ew
productionstrul y and ma j eesft
William), i s the
vvp oeertdos fwnearttuhr
his fragment of " Hyperion l" With all his indisputable
Throughout the whole of the writings of Leigh Hunt there
have been some such comparative blemishes, though always
accompanied by excellencies which had immeasurably
the preponderance. It is, therefore, to our thinking,
the most striking characteristic of the present serial
that it affords no similar opportunities for the
cavilling of the stupidest curmudgeon of a hyper.
critic. The nature of the work, indeed, renders failure
with such a man as Mr. Hunt little short of an impos-
sibility. To employ a trite but expressive metaphor,
each book is a string of literary pearls : th© pearls
he has selected from the most eminent of the

bards of England, the string alone is his own. In
the previous volume we had the choicest jewels of imagi•
nation and fancy threaded together. In the present we
have those of wit and humour. In the one which is to

COURT OF ALDERMEN.
Yesterday a Court wns held specially, to consider a
motion by Alderman Humphery—" That the Remem-
brancer be directed to prepare a petition to Parliament
for a Bill to alter and amend the Act of the II th of
George I. cap. 18, for regulating elections within the
City of London, with a view, amongst other things, to
extend the elective franchise in the election of aldermen
and common councilmen. The Court was numerously
attended.
THE NEW ELECTION OF FARRINGDON WITHOUT WARD.
Sir JAMES DUKE in presenting the return of the new
election for the ward of Farringdon Without, the for-
mer election having been vitiated by the wrong casting
of the poll, and other matters connected with the neces-
sary forms, said he was desired by the wardmote to ex-
press their dissent from the decision of the Court of
Aldermen, and their feeling that the common councilmen
had been treated with indecorum by that Court, and by
the Recorder.
Alderman FAREBROTHEII asked whether that state-
ment constituted part of the return?
Sir JAMES DUKE replied, that he spoke as a member
of that Court. His constituents complained that they
had not been heard.
__

Alderman HUGHES lltrorme said that the consti-
tuency had no ground for complaint, as the Court of
Aldermen could not by any possibility arrive at any
other decision.
The LORD MAYOR denied that the gentlemen of the
ward had been treated with any disrespect, either by the
Recorder or the members of that Court.
[lt is proper to state that the Recorder did all he
could at the last Court to induce the members to allow
the counsel for all parties to speak to the subjeet before
the Court, but without success.]
Sir PETER LAURIE hoped the complaint would be a
lesson to the Court to give the parties interested an op-
portunity of being heard, by adjourning the decision
upon such a return.
Alderman HuctuEe -HuunEs observed that the court
were bound to correct any manifest error as soon as they
discovered it.
Alderman SIDNEY called upon Sir James Duke to ex-
plain a statement which he had made at the wardmote to
the prejudice of the Court of Aldermen, that some of the
members bad been canvassed by others to throw out the
return, and that they were glad to gratify a secret ani-
mosity to Sir James Duke's ward. Sir James had stated
that his informant was a member of the court.
Alderman COPELAND hoped Sir James Duke would
have the manliness to name the Alderman who had made
such a statement.
Sir JAMES DUKE explained, that his statements to his
constituents had been misunderstood. He had said that
the moment one of the Aldermen loqiced at the return, he
declared it must be thrown out.
Alderman HtroffEs HuotrEs remarked that the defect
was not known till the return was presented to the
Court.
Alderman WOOD defended the decision of the Court,
and said the conduct of the representatives of the ward,
furnished some evidence of the position in which the
Aldermen would be placed, if they were subjected to
frequent election. He had heard bitter invectives uttered
against Members of the Court, and even villanous
motives attributed to them, on account of their opinions
and decision on the matter, the tact being, that the
Court could legally come to no other conclusion than
that at which they had arri'ead.—(Hear, hear.)
The subject was then dropped.

come, we are to have those of action and passion.
Leigh Hunt, as might be expected, has prefaced the
volume under notice with an illustrative essay on
wit and humour, in which he has, like Cowley, and
Locke, and Addison, and Barrow, and Hazlitt, and
Campbell, and Beattie, and a thousand others, endea-
voured to define the line of demarcation between those
two subtle and most assimilative phenomena of the
human mind. Mr. Hunt differs in a measure from
all his predecessors, and he condenses his theory
into a single sentence :—" Wit is the arbi•
trary juxtaposition of dissimilar ideas, for some
lively purpose of assimilation or contrast, generally of
both." So far the definition is good, but it is merely a
repetition of one very recently advanced elsewhere, to
the effect that " Wit is the lustre resulting from the
quick elucidation of one subject by a just
and unexpected arrangement of it with another
subject." We give the preference to the latter defini-
tion, as being, at one and the same time, more con-
densed and comprehensive. Leigh Hunt very happily
terms humour " a tendency of the mind to run
in particular directions of thought or feeling, more
amusing than accountable." Of itself, however,
this felicitous explanation of the meaning of
humour is insufficient. The definition might
apply to eccentric insolence, enthusiasm, eloquence, or
in fact, to anything almost as well as to humour. He
subsequently gives us a catalogue of what he calls the
••princpal forms of wit :-Is., the direct simile ; 2d, the
metaphor ; 3d, the poetical process, the leap to a con-
clusion, the omission of intermediate particulars
in order to bring the two ends of a thought
or Circumstance together ; 4th, Irony, or saying one
thing and meaning another ; sth, Burlesque or pure
mockery ; 6th, Exaggeration, Ultra Continuity, and
Extravagance in general ; 7th, Any kind of
juxtaposition of ideas, having a pleasant effect,
down to those depending on sound ; Bth, Cross pur-
poses, or contradictory intentions mistaken by their
Entertainers for Identical Ones ; 9th, Unconscious ab-
surdity in a man's character apart from mere circum-
stances ; 10th, Conscious humours indulged ; 11th,
Humours of Nations and Classes ; 12th, Humours of
mere temperament ; 13th, Moral and Intellectual incon-
gruities; 14th, Genial Contradictions of the Conventional
In drawing out this vocabulary of " forms," ue con-
ceive that Mr. Hunt has straggled very widely from his
original definitions of wit, and has sped across
the barrier which should have divided it from
humour. In this catalogue wit and humour merge
into each other, and become almost inextricably
blended together. We cannot regard that as a
just and accurate lists of the " forms" of the former,
which embraces burlesque, nonsense, verses, and every
description of pun. We can perceive wit, for example,
in that verse by Tom Hood, descriptive of the death
and funeral of a sailor ;
" His death which hanpened in his berth,
At forty odd befd,
into
:g Madame
fiisimultaneously."
ult italnaenoutasllyin:i,
n
They went and told the sexton,
And the sexton tolled the bell."
We can see wit, moreover, in that remark in "Nicholas
N
wrung her hecnds with grief, and rung the bell for her hus-
band,ick le
ay,"
llioe a
chair Dickens
a nd
a says,
fainting
Neither of these specimens of wit have been '
inserted by
Mr. Hunt in his volume, but we can see positive wit in
them, whereas it would take a million years of the most
unheard of logic to convince us that
bndfewh t
Rorum, corum,
Sunt divorum,
Harum scarum divo;
Tag-rag, merrv-derry, perriwig and hat-band,
Hic hoc horum, genttivo,
is wit. Humourous nonsense it may he, and is in short,
but wit it certainly is not. Yet it is actually quoted as
such by Leigh Hunt in page 51. It is amusing, more-
over, to hear him propounding as a doctrine in
literature, that Lawrence Sterne is the greatest wit
that ever lived ! With Shakspere, Cervantes, Moliere,
Swift, Addison, and glorious old Rabelais in his recol-
lection ; he says that Lawrence Sterne was the greatest
wit ! A first-rate wit Sterne was, without question—
" Tristram Shandy" is a grand proof of that—but cer-
tainly he was not the first. We are amazed to hear
so discriminating a critic as Mr. Hunt speak thus
emphatically about Lawrence Sterne, and yet make no
mention whatever of a much greater wit—Charles
Dickens. Notwithstanding these inconsistencies, how-
ever, the volume is right excellent; it is a delightful
culling of witty and humourous passages from Chaucer,
Shakspere, Ben Jonson, Beaumont and Fletcher, Ran-
dolph, Suckling, Brome, Marvel, Butler, Dryden,
Philips, Pope, Swift, Green, Goldsmith, and Wolcot;
accompanied with brief but felicitous commentaries of
Leigh Hunt bimielf.

SPORTING AT CHELTENHAM.—A
steeple chase took place on the south side ofwCellel
Braiocendwauy lra.sidtd,ebnetawteaenslalSpirp.inGg e-vceonHtielslteodn
were taken in a true sporting style, withoutW estall,abflari.lo. nly' s
.pffia'ce°,lltshegfenreces
ch. ra. Amazon, and Mr. Hnurlstth's
walls)The
P(enincorsatilgy.
running was commenced by Amazon, and taken up in The
suc-
cession by Westall and Pencraig. Amazon, who carrid ethwco-
one extra, would have been in a b ' abetter place at the close,
n
had she not refused three fences. Westall baulked once.
The little grey mare took all that came in her way. Amazcoe.
n
came in as though she had been taking her usual exercise ;
Weatall, ranch distressed, came in winner by about 70 yards.
Westall, 10st. 7lb.
Amazon, 12st. 71b
Pencraig, 10:t 71b. ... ......... (Oliver) 3
It is a matter on which we may congratulate our-
selves and our readers, that not a single case of cholera has
been reported at the police-office for the last three months.—
Bombay Telegraph.
SOUTHAMPTON, SUNDAT.—Last night, about nine
o'clock, a fire broke out on the premises of a Mr. Spincer, a
farmer and extensive cattle dealer, regularly attending
Smithfield-market, at a farm in the neighbourhood of
Romsey. We understand that four o
res,
a co
row and calf
The,
pigs, some stacks of corn, hay, destyed.
premises were the property of Lord Palmerston.
A vessel, arrived in the West India Docks from
Hamburgh (the first arrival from that Hanseaticport f
or
several weeks past), has brought the immense quantity
77,610 rape cakes, which are compressed for oil, and then
made use of for manuring land; and also 16,820 linseed cakes,
for cattle-feeding purposes; being an entire cargo of these
articles, and one of the largest we remember to have taken

-- - .
place.
SINGULAR CIRCUMSTANCE.— On Thursday after-
noon last ipartridge, supposed to be pursued by a hawk, flew
into the bed-room window of W. Hawkins, Esq., of Martins-
town, pitching in a bandbox that lay open in the room at
the time, and which, by the flitting of the timid bird,
brought the cover to a close, at once making him a cap-
tive. A lady, of the name of Richards, hearing something
moving in the room, began to be in some measure a little
alarmed, but having discovered what it was, she secured and
speed took the prey to the owuer of the malusion.—Salis-
bury Ewald

ENLARGEMENT ON THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE.
Alderman HUMPHERY rose to submit to the Court the
motion of which he had given notice, and for the dis-
cussion of which the Court had been specially summoned.
IHis object was, he said, to go to Parliament for the
power of extending the franchise of the election of Alder-
men and Common Councilmen. There seemed to
exist amongst some of his fellow-citizens, a
decided impression that if the Corporation, or
any part of it, went to Parliament, a death-blow
would be dealt upon its privileges. He did not believe
any such thing. On the contrary, be thought that if the
the corporation applied with an unanimous feeling to
Parliament, the most attentive and respectful conside-
ration would be given to the object of its application.—
(Hear, hear.) His object was, to alter and amend so
much of the Act of George the First as would enable
those who paid the largest amount of rates and taxes,
and contributed most largely to the support of the
wealthy character of the city, to have a voice is the elec-
tion of aldermen and eonsmon councilmen. As the law
at present stood, the voters must not only keep houses
or warehouses, and pay scot and bear lot, but they must
sleep, either by themselves or their servants, within the
wards. He recollected that when he presided at the
election for aldermen in the ward of Bread-street, he
had had experience of that doctrine having been observed,
the rejection of the votes of many of the most respect-
able and influential men on that occasion, because they
could not prove the fact of their sleeping in the
ward. Such a system inevitably threw upon men
who ought not to have such an authority the power of
electing whom they might prefer, thus leaving the su-
perior classes in the ward unrepresented. Now, his
intention was to throw open the franchise to all persons
paying scot and bearing lot in the city of London,
whether they were freemen or not.—(Hear, hear.)
There were in all the wards individuals who were not
free, and who would not be free, but they bore the great
burden of the City taxation, and no one in his senses
eould at this time of day say that they were not entitled
to votes in the election of those who were to impose
taxes upon them. Generally speaking the merchants
were free, but they were exempted from the privilege of
voting because they thought it was advisable to sleep in
the suburbs after the toils of the day.—(Hear, hoar.) He
wished to establish the constituency of the Aldermen
and the Common Councilmen upon the basis of the ex-
isting parliamentary constituency. He proposed, too, to
limit theduration of election for members of the two courts
upon the parliamentary principle of the Reform Bill.
The present Lord Mayor had witnessed in the case of his
election, the inconvenience and annoyance of an eight
days' poll, when the business could have been accom-
plished as effectively in one day. The election of Com-
mon Councilmen, which occupied, in the event of a con-
test, three days, it would be also necessary to limit to
one day's pulling.—(Hear, hear.) Now, into whose
hands would the power of electing Aldermen, as well as
Common Councilmen, fall, if the present practice were
now discontinued ft In the ward of Farringdon Without,
there were 180 licensed victuallers, all of whom had
votes, and they could by their votes at 4 influence, which
was considerable, and claim whatever candidates they
pitched upon to the Court of Common Council. These
licensed victuallers, if the Act were not altered and
amended, would by and by return members to the Court
of Aldermen, as well as to the other Court. There were,
he believed, 1,000 licensed victuallers in the city of Lon-
don, and if the change were not made in compliance with
the demands and spirit of the times, to these individuals
would devolve the power of supplying the Cor-
poration of London with representatives, of the vast
wealth and power of this great city.—(Hear, hear, and
a laugh.) Now that would be a state of things not
likely to find advocates in the Court of Aldermen. In-
effectual attempts had been made Cr compel wholesale
dealers to take up their freedom, and it appeared to the
authorities of the Corporation, to be too hard to use
compulsory means with the retail dealers, after such an
issue. Ihe constituency, then, must soon be narrowed
in an extreme degree, if the means he proposed for
extending it were not adopted. It was idle to talk of
the danger of the sacrifice of the privileges of the Cor-
poration upon coming in contact with Lord Brougham in
the House of Loris, and Mr. Williams in the House of
Commons.—(A laugh.) He had no apprehension of the
stability of the Corporation, if they would only go
along with the spirit of the times.—(Hear, hear.) The
Court of Common Council was naturally anxious to
have the privilege of keeping their establishments in
the City, and to sleep oat of town. To that position
he subscribed—(Hear, hear)—but the existing law
prohibited it. The Bill he was desirous to introduce
to Parliament would quite put an end to that pro-
hibition, and place the Common Council and
the constituency on a level as to privileges. The Com-
mon Council, he believed, were anxious thee such should
be the case, but they were frightened at their own
shadows the moment Parliament was spoken of, and still
without going to Parliament nothing could be done.—
(Hear, hear.) Alderman Humphrey who Is listened
to throughout without marked attention, then read the
motion as above.
Alderman IiIIORES HUGHES suggested the propriety
of submitting a question of so much importance to a
committee to inquire into the expediency of an applica-
tion to Parliament.
Alderman WlLsott seconded Alderman Humphery's
proposition. All parties had, he said, agreed that the
time had arrived for an application to Parliament
for the reform of a portion of London, which had,
notwithstanding all that had been threatened and
promised and predicted, ever since the Reform Bill
had passed Parliament, never undergone any
reform at all.—(Hear, hear.) Of late an attempt
had been made in the Court of Common Council, but
they had evidently begun at the wrong end by bringing
in a Bill to alloy the representatives to live out of the
city. It would be very well to introduce that privilege
after the production of other reforms more pressing
ergency. There should be alterations affecting the
conservancy of river, the improvement of the city and
of the police, and many other matters, the go-
ment of which, made the Corporation of London the
laughing stock of the world.—(Laughter below the bar.)
It was an absurd and fatal jealousy which interfered with
the power to render the two bodies of the corporation
effective, and largely beneficial to the community, pos-
sessing es they did the elements of good.—(Hear, hear.)
He concurred in the proposition that the franchise ought
to be enlarged. The only doubt which chindividuals
came across
mind related to those cases in w_
h
)
paid 30L each for their freedom.—Teeia;,aphelaicar.
believed, however, that there was a
There wepre applicable to
that condition.—(Hear, hear.)
alarmists who said, that if the corporatione wentdead
letter, t o Par-
liamentand their charters would become a d
it would become the counterpart of the other municipal
institutions of the counta.
A VOICE—And wby not?
Alderman WILSON—The question was fairly asked,
Why not? Ho would rather see the City corporation
like one of those which had been mentioned than see it
what it had been for a long time, and what it was at
present—the ridicule of the whole country.—(Laughter
below the bar.) The Alderman concluded by saying,
that as Alderman Humphery was an uniform supporter
of the present Government, he would procure the con-
currence of the head of it on the present object, and
use every exertion of which he was capable to advance
so important a step to corporate reform.—(Hear.)
Alderman litranEe RIIGRZB said he should move SD
amendment, that a committee of the whole court be ap-
pointed to consider the expediency of directing the
Remembrancer to bring a Bill into Parliament for the
purpose stated by Alderman Humphery. He thought
that so important a measure ought to be preceded by a
committee. He believed the time bad arrived when it
it should be made apparent to the public, that whatever