The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-07 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS.

(From the Votes and Proceedings of the Thuse of Commons.)
MONDAY, MARCH 6.
SEVERN NATIGATION IMPROVEMENT COMMIS-

SION BILL.

Motion made, and Question proposed,
." That the Bill be
now read a second time :"—Amendment proposed, to leave
out the word " now," and at the end of the Question to add
the words " upon this day six mouths." Question put,
" That the word now' stand part of the Question." The
House divided:—

MINORITY—AYES, 91.
Adderley, C. B. Fox, W.V. Pllkinston, James
Arkwright, G. Fuller, A. E. Plewden, W. 11.
Arundel, Earl of Gaskell, J. M. rower, Dr.
Bailey, Joseph Graham, Sir James Raphael, Alexander
Bailey, Joseph, Jan. Hardcastle, J. A. Rendlosham, Lord
Barrington, Viscount Hay, Lord John Rioardo, J. L.
Bellow, R. M. Hayter, W. G. Ricardo, Osmaa
Benbowpohn Heatheote, Sir W. Robinson, George
Birch, Sir Thomas Hill, Lord Marcus Rushont,,Captain
Blakemore, R. Hughes, W. B. Sanders, George
Bewring, Dr. Hams, Joseph Scholefleld, William
Boyle, Colonel ! Humphery, Ald. Sidney, Thomas
Bracktey, Viscount Inglis, SirAR. • Smith, Vernon
Bremridge.:Kichard Ireland, Thomas J. Stanfield, W. R. C.
Bright, John Jackson, William Staunton, Sir G.
Brotherton,y. Kershaw, James Strutt, Edward
Brown, W. Labouchere, Henry Theeiger, Sir F.
Carew, W. P. Langston, J. 11. Thompson, Colonel
Childers, J. W. Lucelles, W. 5. Thompson. Aid.
Clay, James Lemon, Sir Charles Thornely, T.
Cobden, R. Littleton, E. R. Townshend. John
Colvile, C. R. Locke, Joseph Turner, E.
Cubittt, William Mackinnon, W. A. Verner, Sir W.
Deering, John Maitland, T 4 Villiers, Charles
Divett, E. Marshall, William Wantsley, Sir J.
Drumlanrig, Via. Maoterman, J. ' Ward, H. G.
Drummond, H. Melgund, Visootutt Willoughby, Sir H.
Duncan, Viscount Mitchell, T. A.
Duncuft, John I Molesworth, Sir W. MUMS.
Edwards, Henry Movratt, Francis Spooner, R.
Evans, William Ord, W. Ingestre, Viscennt
Fordyce, A. 1). Patten, J. W.

MAJORITY—NOES, 104.
Abdy, T. N. Emlyn, Viscount Parke, C W.
Adair, Hugh LI Ewart, William Paget, Lord 'George
Anson, Viscount Fagan, William Pendarvee, Edward
Baldock, E. H. Ferrer, James Finney, W.
Baring, Henry ' Fitzroy, Henry Powell, Col.
Barnard, E. G. Forester, G. C. Pugh. David
Bateson, Thomas Fox, S..L. Rice, E. R.
Beckett, William Gaskell, J. M. Rutford, Francis
Bentinck, Lord G. Gore, W. 0. Scrope, G. P.
Berkeley, H. Goring, Charles Seyiner, Henry Ref
Berkeley, Grantley Gower, Leveson Shelbunie, Earl of
Blackall, S. W. Granby, Marquis of Shirley, Robert A.
Boldero, Henry Heneage, G. H. W. Smythe, G.
Broadley, Henry: Henley, J. W.; Somers, J. P.
Brown, Humphrey Hervey, Lord A. Somerville, Sir IT.
Bruce, C. L. C. Bildyart, It. C. Sotheron, T. H. S.
Buck, L. IT. Hildyard, T. B. T. Stafford, Augustus
Buller, Sir J. T. Holland, Robert Stanley, Edward
Bunbury, W. Hood, Sir Alexander Stanton, W. H.
Burke, Sir T. J. Hernby, John Stint, Henry G.
Burrell, Sir C. Hudson, George Talbot, J. H.
Cavendish, G. H. Hutt, William . Taylor, Thomas B.
Charters, Francis Knox, Colonel Tenison, B. K.
Clive, H. B. Lascellet, E. Trollope, Sir J.
Codrington, Sir W. Lygon, Gen. Vane, Lord H.
Conolly, Col. Mackenzie, W. F. Vyvyan, Sir R.
Cerbally, M. E. WGregor, John Waddington, H. S.
Cowper, W F. Maher, N. Wall, C. B.
Cripps, W. 3,fenners, Lord G. Wawn, J. T.
Davie, Sir IL Martin,l J. Wilson, Matthew
Deedes, W. Miles, P. W. S. Wyld, James
Devereux, John T. Milaes, R. M. Wynn, Sir W.
Douro, Marquis of Morris, David Wyvill, Marmadnke
Duncan, George Neeld, John TELLES..
Dundas, George Newport, Viscount Hope, Henry T.
Dune, fra,nois P. OT lahtrty, Aatliou7 Periwig, Captain

SKETCHES OF THE FRENCH

REVOLUTIONARY LEADERS.

(Concluded from the Weekly Dispatch.)
111.—M. ARAGO.

This gentleman, who is the first astronomer of the
age, was born in the year 1786, and the greater portion
of his life has been devoted to study and passed in scien
tific pursuits. During the last few years he has,
however, appeared conspicuously upon the political
stage ; and from the first moment that he set foot
in the Chamber of Deputies he declared him-
self a Republican. Immediately joining the small
but staunch band headed by Garnier Page; and
Dupont de l'Eure, Arago proclaimed war against
the re-actionary policy of Louis Philippe and his
Ministry; and no liberal Deputy spoke more boldly from
the tribune than he. When the atrocious September
Laws (as the coercive measures in respect to the Press
were denominated), came on for discussion, Arago de-
clared that the ruin of the House of Orleans was thereby
placed within the range of prophecy ; and when called
to order by the President, he bent an indignant look
upon that functionary, and proceeded with his argu-
ments in a strain that produced a marvellous impression
upon the Chamber. But, perhaps, the most brilliant
oratorical display of this gentleman was on the occasion
of a learned or literary debate that arose about twelve
years ago in the Chamber of Deputies, and in the course
of which Arago found himself pitted against De Lamar-
tine. We shall permit a French historian to relate this
incident in his own florid style:—" M. Arago, the illus-
trious representative of science amongst us, attacked the
worship of antiquity, and placed the learned men and
the philosophers of modern times far before the masters
of art and of imagination. M. do Lamartine could not
control himself at a speech which displaced from their
pedestals Homer, and Virgil, and Plato, and Cicero,—
all the poets of antiquity—all the gods of his youth.
And with what genius, with what prevailing grace, with
what an earnest and intimate conviction of the spirit, did
he handle the cause of taste and imagination
that cause which was thenceforth his own I M.
Arago, in turn, replied with admirable temper,
with sound logic, and with a deep conviction
also ; it was a combat in the lists, with the arms of
courtesy, between contemporary science and contempo-
rary literature, each represented by its most distin-
guished professor. The Chamber gazed upon this
elegant and loyal passage of arms, applauded the com-
batants—and found both in the right. That was a
brilliant day of repose and reaction amidst our political
annals. The public business, to be sure, was not
a bit advanced by it ; but the world had the
opportunity of hearing two men of genius
speak their own language—and the result was
two fine discourses the more, and perhaps one
law the less." Arago is a man endowed with all the
strength of an unbending spirit—self-possessed, even
amidst that generous political enthusiasm which made
him a Republican. When the Pritchard Indemnity Bill
was brought in, he denounced it as " as the most detest-
able job that had ever disgraced a servile, truckling, and
unprincipled 2ilinistry," and declared that " war with
England were even preferable to such a degrada-
tion,"—although his principles had always been for
peace. A contemporary writer has described Arago as
" an excellent patriot, a sworn enemy of privileges, a
hater of monopoly, a friend to free trade, and an
ardent defender of the rights of the people." Such,
indeed, he has consistently shown himself ; and now we
find him associated with De Lamartine, between whom
and himself that " loyal passage of arms" took place,—
associated, too,with those fine republican leaders, amongst
whom he took his seat the very first day that he entered
the Chamber of Deputies. M. Arago has written a most
admirable and much esteemed biography of our cele-
brated improver of the steam-engine— James Watt; his
works upon astronomical and other scientific matters are
numerous; and ho has long filled the honourable post of
perpetual secretary of the Academy of Sciences. He is
likewise a member of the Office of Longitude, and
president of several scientific bodies.