The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-15 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

7,1)4 rt of the QIIZell yester-
day at Buckingham Palace.
Heil Majesty and her Royal Consort took their accus-
tomed early walk yesterday. His Hovel Highness Prince
Albert afterwards rode out on horseback, attended by
the Equerry in Waiting, the Hon. Captain Gordon.
Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, Prince
Alfred, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, took
their usual exercise yesterday in the garden of the
Palace.
The royal dinner party yesterday included her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Kent' the Marquis of Nor-
manby, the Earl of Liverpool, Lady Augusta Bruce,
Baroness de Speth, the Bishop of Salisbury and the Hon.
Mrs. Denison, Sir George Couper, and Colonel and Lady
Catherine Vernon Harcourt.
The band of the Scots Fusilier Guards was in attend-
ance at Buckingham Palace, during dinner, and under
the direction of Mr. Boose, performed the following
pieces :
Overture, " Cheval de Bronze,"—Auber.
Waltz " Nataiieu,"—Labitzki.
Selection, " Ernani,"—Verdi.
Polka, " Dobranos,"—Fahrbich.
Selection, " I Lombardi,"—Verdi.
After dinner there was a concert. Her Majesty's
private band attended at the Palace. The following
was the proeramme of the performance :
Overture " Konig Stephan,"—Beethoven.
Duet, " Du bist die Stutze deines Vaters—Madelle.
Beckholtz and Herr Pischek (Joseph)—Mehul.
Lieder, " Mein Kerz ist am Rhein," " Die Heimath,"—
Herr Pischek—Reissiger.
Fantaisie, Violincello, Mr. Drecholer—Franchomma.
Sicilians, Lied, "Warnung vor dem Rhein,"—Mademoi-
sells Bochkoltz—Per;olesi.
Bohemian National Melodies, Herr Pischek.
Duet " Liebesfruhling, "—Mademoiselle Bockholtz and
Herr Pischek—Speier.

Mrs. Anderson presided at the pianoforte.
On Wednesday evening the band of the Royal Rep-
inent of Horse Guards attended at Buckingham-palace,
during dinner, and under the direction of Mr. J. R.
Tutton, performed the following pieces :
Overture, " Stradella"—Flotton.
Introduction and Trio, " Yes time will show"—Mountain
Sylph—Barnett.
Ist Movement and Scherzo, from the Septett—Beethoven.
Selection. "La Peri"—Burgmuller.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager took an airing in
a carriage yesterday.
Baron Dedel, Minifter of the Netherlands, transacted
business at the Foreign-office on Wednesday.
Mr. C. K. Murray had an interview with the Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official residence
in Downing-street.
The Commissioners of the Metropolitan Improvements
had a meeting yesterday at the office in Whitehall-place.
There were present Viscount Canning, the Right Hon.
J. C. Herries, the Lord Mayor, Sir Robert H. Ingli',
Bart., Mr. Alderman Humphery, gr. H. T. Hope, Mr.
Milne, and the Hon. C. Gore.

Sir George Hayter, having her Majesty's gracious
permission, left on the 12th fora tour to Italy immedi-
ately after the celebration of his marriage.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat
yesterday. The Lords present were the Master of the
Rolls, the Vice• Chancellor Knight Bruce, the Chancellor
of the Duchy of Cornwall, and the Judge of the Ad-
miralty Court. The Court was oceopied the whole of
the day with the hearing of an oppeal from British
Guiana, " Macrae (attorney of Campbell) v. Goodman."
Mr. Parker, Queen's Counsel, and Mr. Wigram, Queen's
Counsel, were heard.

THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,—The remarks you make in your paper of yester-
day on some late communications between the Bible
Society and Mr. Hume, are concluded by the expression
of a fear that the great philanthropic religious associa-
tions of the day are becoming gradually, but, at the
same time, totally perverted from their original charac-
ter. lam not much acquainted with these societies ge-
nerally, but there is one, respecting which as a London
Missionary of some years standing, I can give you some
information, which, I doubt not, the religious public at
large will consider of no little importance. The Society
to which I refer is the Religious Tract Society ; and the
particulars referred to as follows. I have no doubt your
publication of, and remark upon them, will be of signal
service. 1. The materielitself, furnished by this society,
is of the most inferior description. It is entirely behind
the age. Sometimes the tracts are written in a spirit
which is positively mischievous : such, for instance, as
some of the tracts on Romanism and Puseyism. Some-
times their theology and logic are alike bad. Only
lately I carried a tract on one of those subjects to an
eminent dissenting minister, under whom I am labour-
ing, and asked him, after reading it to him, whether I
could circulate it ? His answer was to this effect—
Decidedly not. The argument has no more to do with
the point argued than it has with any other point. The
texts of Scripture cited have no bearing whatever on
the proposition they are meant to support." If I
had given the tract to a Romanist he would
have laughed at me. Again, a vast proportion
of the thought in them is mere twaddle. Men, used to
the downright matter-of-fact ways of the world, feel it a
degradation to be schooled by professors of the theology
of the nursery. Having become men, and put away
childish things, like the Apostle, their religious intellect
will not submit to be made any longer conversant with
the things of God and immortality, only through the
most puerile associations. I confess, with all my in-
eradicable biasses in favour of men set apart to holiness
and God, I often, as I look over a lot of tracts, have this
notion pass through my mind—" Well, the writers of
these are very good men, but really they are very silly
ones." Now, Sir, you may imagine what a wretched
thing it is for a missionary to have daily to penetrate
through the phalaexes of infidelity with such weapons
as these in his hands.
2. Books on religious subjects, of the most unequi-
vocal value and universal utility, are kept out of sight
by the Society. In fact, it has extended itself so widely,
and is so resistless as a monopoly of the religious book
trade, that I think it very questionable whether it is not
really keeping down books of a vivid spirit-stirring
character in religion at a cost greater than the positive
gain of its labours and influences. Booksellers speak of
it as a perfect nuisance. A very valuable bqok is offered
them ; they would like to publish it, but dare not. This
great religious book monopoly has its agents in every
town, its advertisements in every room, its brokers in
every pulpit. It has the market before them, and they
are afraid to speculate. Men of business in Paternoster-
row even go so far as to say that the Tract Society
watches their speculations, and if they strike out some
new and lucrative idea, immediately simulates it by
something of its own, divides the sale, and swamps their
project.
3. Taking the authorised reports of the Religious
Tract Society as evidence of fact, the governing body of
the Society is too circumscribed. It ought to have a
committee of at least fifty members, annually eligible or
re-eligible as may be, and the right of election should
be so vested as to secure correct representation of the
subscribers.
We know that this Society pays very handsomely for
its copyrights, and there seems something very extra-
ordinary in their being of such an inferior description.
The public wants something mare in return for its mu-
nificent contributions than the salarying of certain
clerks and shopmen for doing the " duties" of a trade
that answers its grand end in so very inferior a style.
It appears to me, Sir, to have become our imperative
duty to do one of these two things:—Either we ought
to apply our subscriptions to securing a better materiel
elsewhere, or insist upon this Society altering its pro-
ceedings. It was not meant to be a monopoly of trade
in religious books, underselling every body, and keep-
ing most valuable works out of the market. It was not
meant to confine itself to the mere function of instruct-
ing babes, or to supply to the infidel and papist a shaft
of scorn against the Christian missionary. But it was
want to be the vehicle of a printed course of religious
instruction for certain classes, and that at least not be-
hind the age in soundness of sentiment and tone of
expression.
Excuse the hurried manner in which, no doubt, you
will detect this to have been written, as I write it in a few
minutes snatched from my dinner hour, and because my
conscience has so long and so loudly importuned me upon
4.-1 am, Sir, yours truly.
May ,5, 1846.

A MISSIONARY.

atre'rna,geldical..thin
FACTS FOR THE
of the prediction
tinually transpiring which prove
the
groundlessness
At all the markets in the
that free trade will ruin the
agriculturist.{an kinds of stock have for some time
north of England the prices
of
this description applies to the sales
MONOPOLISTS Facts are con
been inconveniently high
lace throughout Northumberland at
t Horses, which were last year scarcely
the May term just Pas
realise twice the sum then asked ; lean
saleable at any price, now
avidity
at good
with prices;
cattle are bought semis
the supply. To show that this general
sheep greatly
e-aggerated, we will narrate more particularly the
woo , , on Thursday last. The short-horned cows
sale of Mr. Johnson's stock, at Chillingham New-
bayecaouucnttioing
notwh which have t!.;lie'Ln P
Prices given at thel r
about 45/. each, some bringing nearly seventy guineas;
thirty to nearly ninety guineas, the best one
bulls ranged from
a trifle of 30/., and the calves between 161.
511. 10s. ; the
old queys averaged from 411. to 421., the one
two year
ogsold for 16 or 17 guineas, and ewes and lambs for
171. Draughtsorses averaged 36/., the best selling at 50 guineas.
90/. 165., and a year old bull
four guineas. Surely these are prices high enough to cheer the hear
'before them, the Dukes of Richmond and Cleveland will
of the most desponding protectionist. We cannot believe that, with
for It is deserving of remark, that though several
again venture to talk of the " alarmed agriculturist," still less of the
yeart e
these
edc
s i
foreign breeders and dealers were present, they failed, with only one
old within
exception, to outbid our native breeders. This proves that our
farmers do not mean to abandon stock breeding as a hopeless attempt
to compete with foreigners. But Mr. Jobson's farm supplies a still
more " telling" fact. The new tenant, we are informed, has taken
it at an advance of rent over that paid by Mr. Jobson of no less than
3001. a year; and this with a certainty of free trade 1 It is gratify-
ing to find that our agricultural labourers participate in this pros-
perity. At the hirings held here and at Morpeth last week, both
male and female farm servants were engaged readily at advanced
wages. We leave our readers to draw their own conclusions.—Eew-
castle Advertiser.
EFFECTS OF FREE TRADE ON THE FARMERS.—It is
passing strange that, despite the Serious apprehensions of a consider-
able number, and the positive conviction of a greater portion of the
agricultural body, that the proposed measures of the Government, if
passed into law, will most materially affect the profits to be derived
from the cultivation of the soil, there seems no lack of disposition to
embark capital in the pursuit, that improved appliances are brought
in aid with more earnestness than heretofore, and an increased vigour
manifested incompatible with the dreary prospects which would
seem to await the result of their labours,—Mark-lane Express.
THE BUILDING TRADE.—BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY.
—At length there is some prospect of the workmen employed in the
above trade, and who have been on strike, resuming work again,
and some amicable arrangement being come to with the masters.
0a Monday last the carpenters waited upon Henry Smith, Esq.,
mayor, and requested him to take the chair at a public meeting
which they inttnded to hold in th eTown-hall. The Mayor, on
hearing their case, desired them to have an interview with their
masters that evening, and try if they could not affect a reconciliation. •
The Learned Gentleman also had an interview with the masters, and
advised them to withdraw the declaration which they required the
men to sign. Accordingly, at the meeting on Monday evening, they
withdrew the declaration, but would require of the men to promthe
not to support the bricklayers in their strike. The following morning
a large meeting of the men was held in King-street, when it was re-
solved not to resume work again unless they r.iceived an advance of
4d. per day. At the meeting the men were advised to go the same
afternoon and try and make arrangements with their masters,
which in some instances was done, It is expected. that the masters
will accede to the demand, aid that they will shortly resume work
again.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, aray 14.
Their Lordships assembled at the usual hour.
ROYAL ASSENT.
Tho Royal Assent was given to-day by Commission to the
Exchequer-bills Bill (18,380,2001. ), the Indemnity Qualification
Offices Bill, the Insolvent Debtors' Continuance Bill, the
Burghs (Scotland) Bill, the Great Western Railway Im-
provement Bill, the Monckton Navigation Bill, the
Ellesmere and Cheshire Canal Bill, the Manchester
and Salford Waterworks Bill, the Boston Waterworks
Bill, the Glasgow Waterworks Bill, the York Waterworks
Bill, the Sunderland Docks Bill, the Birmingham Cemetery
Bill, the Rochester Bridge Bill, the Welsh Charity School Bill,
and several other Bills.
The Lords Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the
Duke of Buccleuch, and the Earl of Haddington.
SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS ON SUNDAY.
The Bishop of HEREFORD pre.ented a petition, praying
their Lordships to adopt some measure whereby the sale of in-
toxicating liquors might at least be prevented on Sunday, if
not entite'y prohibited on all days.
LONDON AND YORK RAILWAY.
Earl FITZ WILLIAM presented:a petition from the Bishop
Dean, and other inhabitants of Peterborough, against this Bill,
SEES OF ST. ASAPH AND BANGOR.
Earl
PO WIS presented a petition against the union of these
two sees.
Lerd CAMPPELL presented a petition from the members
of a society, entitled " The Society for the Improvement of
Ireland, irrespective of sect or party," and also from various
religious and other bodies, praying their Lordships to alter
the present financial relations between Ireland and England.
CHARITABLE TRUSTS BILL.
Lord CAMPBELL presented a great number of petitions
from Churchmen, Wesleyans' Independents, Unitarians, and
Roman Catholics against the Charitable Trusts Bill.
SITES FOR CHURCHES (SCOTLAND).
Lord CAMPBELL also presented a petition from a con-
gregation in the county of Dumfries, praying their Lordships
to adopt some measures by which they might be enabled to
obtain sites for churches.
CHARITABLE TRUSTS BILL.
Lord ASHBURTON presented a petition against the Cha-
ritable Trusts Bill.
Lord COTTEN HAM also presented a number of petitions
from the trustees of Wesleyan property, in different parts of
the kingdom, against th;s Bill.
The LORD CHANCELLOR presented a petition from
Cork, signed by• 9,000 persons, in favour of the above mea-
measure ; also a petition from the University of Cambridge—
not in favour of the Charitable Trusts Bill—but in favour of the
Eastern Counties Extension Railway.—( Laughter.)
Lord CAMPBELL begged to move for a return of the
number of petitions and petitioners for and against the
Charitable Trust Bill.
Lord BROUGHAM conceived that all trustees connected
with charitable trusts in this country, and numbering between
3,000 and 4,000 percons, would prefer to have no inquisition
into the mode in which they manage their trusts. They
would no doubt petition against this Bill and every other Bill
that was introduced for that purpose.
The motion was then agreed to.
The Earl of ELDON presented a petition from the Wes-
leyan body of King's-cross, Lincoln's Inn-fields, and other
places in the vicinity of London, against the Bill.
IMPORTATION OF GRAIN.
Lord STANLEY called the attention of the Noble Lord
(Dalhousie) to the propriety of laying upon the table
two returns connected with the importation of grain into this
country. He wished to have the fullest information on this
point. A return had been made of the corn which had been
imported from Ireland in the month of February last. He
wished this return to be extended to the months of March
and April. He also wished to have a return of the number of
corn laden ships from the different countries of Europe, and
America, specifying the proportion of British ships, shi-:is
belonging to the places whence the corn was imported, and
other lot eign ships. In addition to these returns, to which he
hoped the Noble Lord would not object, he would now beg to
ask for an explanation of certain discrepancies which appeared
to exist in the returns already on the table with regard to this
matter.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE said he had no objection to the
laying of the returns wished for by the Noble Earl open the
table of their Lordships' House. His Lordship briefly ex-
plained an error to which the Noble Lord had alluded as
having been made in the returns already made.
Lord BROUGHAM moved fora return of the quantity of
corn taken out of bond during the last two years.
Earl DALHOUSIE said the motion was perfectly unneces-
sary, inasmuch as that return was already on their Lordships
table.
After a few words from Lord ASHBURTON, the motion
was withdrawn.
REPEAL OF THE UNION.
The Marquis of NORMANBY presented a petition
from a certain town in Ireland in favour of the repeal of the
legislative union.
DISEASES OF THE CHEST.
Lord NORMANBY presented a petition, the prayer of
which, he said, was rather of a singular nature. The peti-
tioner stated that he had invented a new medicine for diseases
of the chest, and he prayed their Lordships to appoint a Com-
mittee to investigate the merits of his invention. That meant,
the Noble Earl supposed, to try it themselves.
CHARITABLE TRUSTS BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR presented two petitions from
congregations of Independents in favour of the Bill.
Earl FOATESCUE presented several petitions from Wes-
leyan and other religious bodies against the Bill ; also petitions
in favour of the repeal of the Catholic Disabilities.
SEES OF ST. ASAPH AND BANGOR.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from the
clergy and rural deans of Chichester against the union of the
sees of St. Asaph and Bangor.
FRIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL.
Lord PORTMAN moved that a Select Committee be ap-
pointed to inquire into the merits of this Bill.
After a few words from Lord ITADDINGTON and the Duke
of RIBHMOND, the motion was negatived.
POLLING-PLACES IN IRELAND BILL.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE moved the second read-
ing of this Bill. The Noble Marquis expected no opposition in
that House, as it had met with none in the other, and therefore
felt it unnecessary to enter into any argument or detail on the
subject, especially as the preamble of the Bill spoke for itself.
The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be
committed.

DEEDS REGISTRATION BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR presented a petition from
the solicitors and attorneys of the city of York against the Bill
introduced by his Noble and Learned Friend (Lord Camp-
bell). At the same time he wished to intimate that he would
express no opinion either far or against the Bill.
CHARITABLE TRUSTS BILL.

The LORD CHANCELLOR presented a petition against
this Bill from the Braziers' Company of the city of London.
SEES OF ST. ASAPH AND BANGOR.

The Bishop of EXETER preseAted apetition from the Dean
and Chapter of Westminster against the union of these two sees.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mayl4.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at. Four o'clock.
REPORTS.

The following reports were brought up and agreed to, and the
Bills ordered to be engrossed, viz.:—
Harrogate Gas.
York and North Midland Railway (Whitby and Pickering
Extension).
Edinburgh and Peebles Railway.
Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway (Humber
Ferries).
Carshalton Rates.
Northumberland Docks.

Edinburgh, Leith, and Granton Railway (Extension and
Branches).
Edinburgh and Leith Atmospheric Railway.
Edinburgh and Northern Railway (Branches from the Dundee
and Arbroath Railway and Tay Ferry Improvement).
Edinburgh and Northern Railway (Stratherne Deviation).
Edinburgh and Northern Railway (Newport Railway and St.

Andreies Branch ).
Rye and Dement Drainage.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Improvement.
Manchester M arkets.

Arbroath and Forfar Railway.

Airdrie Police.

Salford Hundred Court.

East Fife Railway.
BILSTON GAS-LIGHT AND COKE COMPANY.
This Bill was read a third time and passed.
ST. AUSTELL SMALL DEBTS.

This Bill was also read a third time and passed.
LONDON, BRISTOL, AND SOUTH WALES DIRECT

RAILWAY.

Mr. GREENE made the following motions, all of which
were agreed to : —That the order made on the 13th day of
March last, referring the London, Bristol, and South Wales
Direct Railway Bill to the Committee of Selection, be now
read ; and that the said order be di.charged ; and that
the said Bill be withdrawn ; and that the Midland
Railway (Nottingham and Mansfield Branch) Bill
be read a second time this day, notwithstanding the breviate
of the same has not been laid on the table one clear day pre-
viously; and that the Committee on the Caledonian Insurance
Company have leave to sit and proceed on Friday ; and that
the order of the sth day of May last, referring the Birken-
head and Llangollen Railway Bill to the Committee of Selec-
tion, be discharged. That the said Bill be withdrawn.
METROPOLITAN SEWAGE MANURE COMPANY.
Colonel WOOD proposed the second reading of this Bill.
Sir DE LACY EVANS objected because the Commis-
sioners of the Metropolitan Sewers had had no opportunity of
opposing the Bill before the Standing Orders' Committee. He
did not pretend to say that there might not be very great ad-
vantages to agriculture if the principle of the Bill were carried
into practice. He thought, however, that an experiment of
the kind that was contemplated had better be tried in some
lees populated district, but instead of that the most densely
inhabited part of the metropolis had been selected. The
effluvia from these operations would be very offensive.
And to understood it would be necessary to have a clairaney
100 feet higher than St. Paul's to carry off the effluvia. A
noxious gas would be generated, which would tend greatly to
injure the health of the inhabitants of the metropolis. A similar
experiment had been tried at Edinburgh ; but in consequence
of the numerous deaths that were occasioned, the scheme was
abandoned. Other experiments had been tried, but all had
been abandoned in consequence of the injury to health that re-
sulted from the noxious effluvia. He should move, as an
amendment, that the Bill be read a second time this day six
months.

Sir ROBERT INGLIS seconded the amendment, and al-
though the promoters of the Bill contemplated conferring be-
nefits on agriculture, he would not he a party to benefiting the
agriculturists at the expense of the health of the inhabitants of
towns. The scheme was one which, if undertaken at all, ought
to be undertaken by the Government, and not by a public com-
pany. The Bill contemplated raising a large reservoir of ma-
nure, and then squirting it up to the height of Highgate-hill.
The effluvium would overtop the neighbouring hills of the me-
troeolis, and would give rise to typhus fever and other diseases.
Mr. MANNERS SUTTON said it was a general rule that
in private Bills Members of the Government should take no
part; but the present Bill was one that interfered with public
health, and therefore the Government were bound to give an
opinion upon it. It appeared that the public health was likely
to suffer if the princliles of the Bill were allowed to be carried
into vractieal operation, from the malaria and noxious effluvia
which would be generated.
Colonel T. W OOD stated, in reply, that he considered Go-
vernment should not in'erfere in the measure—at any rate not
on the second readil%
Sir G. GREY thought the Government had acted quite
proper'y in causing an inquiry to be instituted into the matter.
Sir J. GRAHAM proposed that the consideration of the
question should be postponed till Monday next, when the re-
port prepared for the Government would be placed in the hands
of Hon. Members. _

Lord R. GROSVENOR supported the proposition. '
The further consideration of the question was then postponed
till this day week.
RYE AND DERWENT RAILWAY.
Mr. EVELYN DENISON called the attention of the House,
at the time of bringing up the report on this Bill, to the opposi-
tion of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to the preamble of that
Bill. The Hon. Member stated that it appeared strange to himself
and other Members of the Committee that the society should
have fumds to-spend in.this opposition, while it could not pay
tie sums required for the carrying out of its legitimate pur-

poses. It was. however, accounted for by the circumstance
that Mr CI arlcs R%ight Murray uas Secretary to the I.!om-
mision ; Air, J. Murray, his brother, AN as the solicitor who
conducted the case; and Mr. Murray, the third brother,
was the Counsel before the Committee.
The Speaker was here summoned to the House of Lords to
hear the Royal Assent given to several Bills. On his return,

Mr. E. DENISON said, that during the absence of the
Speaker from the House, a paper had been put into his (Mr.
Dennison's) hands, which was addressed to himself, and which
was signed White and Murray;• hut he begged to say
that, until he came into the Hoe e, he had had no
knowledre whatever of it. He now begged to say that it ap-
peared to the Committee that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
had failed to prove their case, and he appealed to several
members of the Committee whom he now saw present to state
whether he was correct or not. .

Mr. G. PALMER said, that he, as Chairman of the com-
mittee, quite concurred with the Hon. Member.
Mr. HASTIE said it appeared to him that no case had been
made out ; from all he had heard of it, he should say it ap-
peared to him very like a job.
Mr. E. DENISON said that he did not know now what the
House would think of the paper he held in his hand.
A similar case existed at the present moment in that House.
The Hon. Member for Sunderland had been obliged to leave
the House, and had placed in his hands two cases, which he
desired him (Mr. Denison) to lay before the House. One
of these cases was on the Newcastle and Darlington Railway

Bill, against which the Ecclesiastical Commissioners peti-
tioned, and required their costs to be paid by the parties
againstwhom they petitioned. He had, in speaking of this
case, gone somewhat beyond what he ought to have said. He
had stated that no reasons had occurred to the Commissioners,
instead of which he should have said that no reason presented
itself to the minds of several members of that Com-
mission that there was no cause for those proceedings,
except the fact that Mr. Charles Knight Murray petitioned,
another Mr. Murrray was the solicitor, and a third Mr.
d:
nayng wd ahsi
thatr
nt hhetenctobhuroinunsggehl
Mur-
tthfeothrsauttbh
jtech,netßtiinlmlndeewrAhntehontehietnrowtraineseansnoen which in-
fc
thee s sa ry House
that
)hh
the
He
Ace
rodemihdbmni
silts sopansy, so without great respect
some reconstruction of the Ecclesiastical Commission should take
pit
it
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everyaes. —co Hear,(mmpe
omseb de hr con, aff r
tt
andfor whenßst
i be stated
E England
thatand
and Wales, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord ChieofPLost.
First Lord of the Treasury, and other gentlemen of thleTi'ithe
respectability, no one could doubt that they were all honourable
men. There was not sufficient individual responsibility, the
business was entrusted to toe few ; but if there was a secretary
in whom the public could rely; the business would be better
conducted. He did not think Mr. Charles Knight Murray
was a man of that description. He had been put down in va-
rious railways as a subscriber to the amount of 500,0001., and
he wished to know whether the reports current were correct—
viz., that Mr. Knight Murray had had railway clerks waiting
in the office of the Commis,ior.ers while he signed scrip up
stairs. He did not think that the public interest would be rro-
perly entrusted in the hands of Mr. Murray.
Sir J. GRAHAM said that the question had not been
brought under his consideration, and that therefore he would
confine his observations to the report which was then under
discussion. He had no opportunity of knowing the exact
merits of the case. But if he was rightly informed,
the whole charge consisted in the alleged improper
sale of two hundred acres of ecclesiastical lands, from the cir-
cumstance of the secretary to the Board of Ecclesiastical Com-
missioners being a brother of the solicitor engaged for the
Company, and a third brother being the advising Counsel.
This commission had most invidious duties to perform. In
behalf of the church it was their bounden duty to defend their
reversionary interests. Reference had been made to the con-
duct of these commissioners with regard to railway Bills.
Now no less: than sixty notices had been served upon the com-
mission, and they would have neglected their duty if they had
not presented petitions to have clauses inserted in the various
railway Bills for the protection of the Church. They were
compelled to present petitions, because it was by that course
alone that they obtained a Lees standi before the Committee ;
but in no case had they opposed the preamble of a railway Bill.
With regard to Mr. Murray, he could see nothing in that
gentleman's conduct which should render him censurable or
unworthy of the greatest confidence.
Sir G. G IiEV, who was most inaudible, was understood to
say that a petition was necessary for the protection of certain
rights, anti, that being the case, he could not see anything
wrong in presenting it. The question for the House
was, whether the Ecclesiastical Commissioners had
carried their powers as Commissioners out too far,
He could only say, with regard. to Mr. Murray, that he had
done nothing which could be blamed in the slightest manner,
for he considered that he had discharged his duties with great
efficacy. He hoped, however, that some arrangement would be
come to so as to prevent any mistake occurring in future.
Mr. STEWART said it was very satisfactory to him to
see the turn which this case had taken. But it appeared to
him that some Honourable Members laboured under some
misapprehension as to the actual injury which the
property of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners would sustain.
Here was a Bill which was proposed to drain two hun-
dred acres of land, and in addition to that, this same
property would also be most injuriously affected to the extent
of 4eo acres by the manner in whieh this Bill proposed to deal
with them. No doubt the wanner in which the Committee
had dealt with the matter might be right, but the effect of it
would be to burden these 400 acres of land, which the tenants
would not have to pay, but which would fall exclusively upon the
commissioners. And now let him ask, was it because those
commissioners had thought proper to suggest that they could
deal with those lands in a more advantageous manner than was
proposed by the Bill, that therefore they were not justified
in adopting this proceeding? Be should say also that he did
not think that the Honourable Member who had brought
the motion forward had stated the matter quite fully.
He considered it was a very strange charge to make, that a
brother of a barrister employed by the commissioners could
not be secretary to the board ; and he understood it was made
for the first time, for it was not considered as such by the mem-
bers of the commission. He knew the gentleman in quest ion, he was
a member of the Chancery bar, and he hoped the House would
forgive him for saying that he considered that it was very im-
proper to make charges against a gentleman without giving any
notice either to him or his friends, so as to enable him to ex-
' plain his conduct or even defend it. He could state
that he knew the gentleman some years ago, and he
knew him to be a man of honour and integrity—( Hear, hear)
—and he fully deserved the commendations which he had re-
ceived from the Right Hon. Baronet.
Mr. EVELYN DENISON said he would not take the
trouble to again advert to the various circumstances
of the case ; his opinion remained unchanged.—
(Cries of ‘. Order, order.") Well, then, as a matter of ex-
planation, he would say that he acquainted the gentleman of
what he intended to say in the /louse ; so, therefore, the com-
plaint of the Hon. Gentleman that due notice was not given was
by no means well founded.
Mr. SPOONER, in pursuance of notice which he had al-
ready given, moved that " the petition of the Company of
Proprietors of the Oxford Canal Navigation, presented on the
12th of May against the Midland Railway Bill, be referred to,
the Committee on the Midland Railway (Burton-upon-Trent)
to Nuneaton Branch and Ashby Canal Purchase Bill."
Mr. WILSON PATTEN opposed the motion. He dill so
with regret, as he did not wish to interfere in any motion on
private business, but he thought his friend the Member for
Birmingham bad relied too much upon the Report of the Com-
mittee of Amalgamation.

Sir G. GREY thoughtit was quite advisable that this matter
should be referred to the Committee of Amalgamation.
Mr. SPOONER thought that a clear case had been made out,
and his impression was that under the circumstances it
would be better to wait the report of the Committee of Se-
lection. Yet, as the matter now stood, the probability was the
House would not agree to his proposition, and that the report
of the Committee would be consequently of little use.
Mr. W. PATTEN would wish to guard against any sup-
position that this petition was treated with disrespect, or had
not received sufficient attention from the House.
Mr. SPOONER said as matters now stood it would be bet-
ter to withdraw the motion, and it was accordingly withdrawn,
on the motion to that effect being put from the Chair.
Mr. C. BERKELEY presented five petitions against the
Oxford and Cheltenham Railway.
Mr. SEYMER presented several petitions against the East
Cornwall Railway.
Mr. MILLS presented a petition from the landowners on
the line against the Oxford and Worcester Railway Extension
Bill.

Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition in favour of the
Manchester and Sheffield Railway.
Mr. H. HINDE presented a petition against the West
Yorkshire Railway.
MR. SMITH O'BRIEN.

Mr. O'CONNELL presented petitions from Dublin, and
several other places in Ireland, regretting the detention of Mr.
Smith O'Brien in custody, and stating their belief that it was
unjustifiable in a constitutional view.
Mr. P. SCROPE presented a petition from the poor of
Ballingarry, stating that they received sixpence a day with two
meals during the winter from the farmers in their district, and
that they received eightpence a day during the summer, making
an average of sevenpence a day, and with what they received
they were obliged to pay debts incurred during scarce seasons,
and for the credit which they received then they were obliged
to pay a most usurious interest. The petition wassisned
by
upwards of 300 persons. It appeared by this petition there
were 600 families at the present moment in a state of star-
vation, whom it was the bounden duty of the Legislature to
relieve.

CORN-LAWS.
Sir John Eastitope, Lord George Bentinck, Mr. Esteourt,
and Mr. Hawes prevented
ApYNOOTHetiiions on the corn-laws.
M.

Mr. P. BORTIIWICK stated that he had postponed his
motion the other nigi.t on the Poor-law Settlement Bill in
consideration of the debate on the corn-law, and he should
bring it on this day fortnight.
Mr. PLUMPTRE presented a petition praying for the re-
peal of the Bth and 9th Victoria, which provided a grant for
the College of Maynooth out of the public funds.
ROMAN CATROLIC RELIEF.
Mr. B. ESTCOTT presented a petition from Richmond,
in Surrey, in favour of the Roman Catholic Disabilities Re.
lief Bill.

THE RAILWAY MEETING'S.
Sir JOHN EA STHOPE wished to ask the Right Hon.
Baronet at the head of the Government, supposing a meeting
of scripholders in a particular railway company to be held
before the Bill passed through Committee, and the Bill after-
wards passed;the Committee, whether, if the Committee should
materially alter the Bill, another meeting of the scripholders
would be necessary ?
Sir ROBERT PEEL said that his answer to that question
was, that lie did not think it requisite for any further meeting
of the scripholders to be held in order to obtain a third read-
ing to the Bill. The resolutions of the Government did not
render it obligatory to hold a further meeting, and he did not
think such a course at all desirable.