The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-07 00:00:00

MARCH 7, 1846.

words fell from them. He should then show that Lieutenant
Hawkey went to Sherweod's shooting-gallery, asked if he
could have pistols, and had a few shots. Finding that Mr.
Sherwood would not lend him pistols, he proceeded to Mr.
Fiske's, and purchased a new pair of pistols; and Lieutenant
Hawkey returned to Sherwood's gallery, not then alone, but
in company with a person whom, he believed, the witnesses
would state was the prisoner at the bar. Lieutenant Hawkey
practised there, firing four or five shots. This brought the
transaction down to about two or three o'clock on Tuesday,
the 20th. • He should show, from the gvidence of Bearman,
the servant of Lieutenant Hawkey, andllarsh, the servant of
Mr. Pym, that they crossed the eater ivitis their masters.
Lieutenant Hawkey gave to 3larshlt alt.e in pope, and they
proceeded up the Stoke-road towards Alierstoke to the pre-
ventive station; they passed 111e•qatrolf, 3 the pripner
directed MaFsErtb "go to the beach,. and wait Mete till he was
called for; he accordingly went dw, to that qot, leaving
his master with Lieutenant Hawkey, rind they proceeded out
of his sight. After a short time his master came running to-
wards him, and, when about 100 yards off; beckoned to him.
He proceeded to the spot, and found three persons besides his
master; one of them was lying on the ground, bleeding from
a wound in the lower part of his body. The deceased,
having lost a great quantity of blood, was taken to the
Quebec Hotel. There was a lane running off from Brown
Down towards the Fountain Hotel, and about half-pdst seven
o'clock on the 20th two gentlemen came in there in a hur-
ried way, one of them carrying a square mahogany case, of
the size and description of a pistol-case, and the prisoner, it
would be shown, was the person who brought the case. The
next day, Marsh, the servant of the prisoner, took away that
case, which the landlord of the hotel was satisfied was a
pistol-case, and Marsh would prove that he carried it to
Lieutenant Hawkey's rooms. He should show that, within
20 minutes after they were,at the:Fountain Hotel, Lieutenant
Hawkey and the prisoner at the bar proceeded to Mr. Ellis,
the master of the Dream yacht, whose house was a quarter
of a mile from the hotel, on the Gosport side of the water.
Both these persons, in the presence of each other, made
statements to Mr. Ellis, and if these statements were legal
evidence, they would leave no doubt that the prisoner and
Lieutenant Hawkey were concerned in the duel fought that
day on Brown Down. Mr. Ellis would state that they came
to him again next morning, and he had never seen them
since. The commander of the regiment would prove that
on the morning of the 21st Lieutenant Hawkey and the pri-
soner were absent from the regiment, and that, up to this
time, they had never been heard of. To return to Mr. Seton.
He had been left with the medical man at the Quebec Hotel.
Every possible care was taken of him, and up to the 27th he
was going on favourably, and it was then thought that there
was a chance of his recovering ; still, he was in a state of
great danger from the nature of the wound. The pistol
ball had entered his right hip, and, meeting with some
obstruction in passing along the hip, crossed the belly and
came out at the left groin. ,The deceased was brought on
board the yacht, when his case seemed almost hopeless. The
medical men watched with the greatest anxiety the progress
of the wound, but its nature was such that it took time
before the obstruction occasioned by the coagulated blood
could slough off, and there was danger of aneurism form-
ing. The passage of the ball to the lower part of the belly
could be traced, and on the 21st a tumour had formed in
the right groin, the pulsation being distinctly felt. The
medical attendants, Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Mortimer, and Dr.
Stewart, of Portsmouth, watched it with great attention.
Oti the 29th the tumour had become on the increase; they
considered the danger of the patient imminent, and that his
case required the greatest skill and boldness. In conse-
quence of this, they sent for the best advice from London, and
Mr. Liston came down on the 30th to be present at a con-
sultation with the other medical attendants as to what ought
to be done. They gave the subject the fullest considera-
tion, and were satisfied, as they felt the tumour and pulsa-
tion, that, without an operation, the life of the deceased could
not be preserved, and nothing but that necessity would have
induced Mr. Liston, and the other medical gentlemen to
perform an operation. That the operation was performed
with the greatest possible skill no one could doubt ; for as an
operating surgeon, no man in the kingdom could compete
with Mr. Liston. The law upon the subject was this : if a
party inflicted a wound upon another, and in consequence of
it an operation became necessary, and the party died under
the operation, there could be no doubt that the party who
inflicted the wound would be answerable for the death which
followed. If, therefore, the jury were satisfied that an
operation was necessary, there was no doubt that the party
who inflicted the wound was answerable for the death of the
deceased. The operation being determined upon on the
evening of the 30th, on the 31st it was performed ; there
was scarcely any loss of blood, and the patient lived after the
operation for 60 hours. On the Sunday great fears were en-
tertained for the life of the deceased; next day it was evi-
dent that his dissolution was fast approaching, and on Mon-
day, the 2d of June, the deceased expired from inflamma-
tion, which had extended over the whole peritoneal coat of
the stomach. The jury would find from the evidence of the
medical witnesses, that this result had never followed in
other cases. The question was, whether the operation was
not absolutely necessary, looking at the state in which the
deceased was at the time of the operation. It was well-
known that the law of this country was, that if persons went
out deliberately to fight a duel, and one fell, the seconds as
well as the principals were guilty of murder. There was
one topic which he should not touch upon—namely, the
statements made by the deceased at the time he was lying ill.
The Learned Judge would decide whether those statements
were admissible as evidence or not. Taking the facts from
the witnesses and the kaw from his Lordship, he was satis-
fied that they would do their duty to the prisoner and to the
public.
Several witnesses were then examined, whose evidence
amounted to what was already taken at the Coroner's inquest
some nine months back.

The Court afterwards adjourned at six o'clock ; and the
verdict since received (by electric telegraph) is—" Pyrn has
been acquitted."

MIDLAND ClRCUlT.—Northampton, March 5.
(Before Chief Justice TINDAL.)
CHARGE OF ARSON.—John Wallis, a young man, was
charged with having, en the morning of Christmas-day last,
set fire to his house, with intent to defraud the Phoenix Fire-
office.
My..Waddington and Mr. Macauler conducted the case
for the prosecution. Mr. Humfrey, sand Mr. Miller
appeared for the prisoner.
This case engaged the attention of the Court and the jury
for upwards of six hours; the facts may, however, be ;com-
pressed into a small space.
The prisoner occupied a house in Gas-street, Kettering,
where he carried on the business of a printer and stationer.
He was unmarried, but had a sister living with him, though
she was absent at the time of the fire. On the morning of
Christmas-day the prisoner's house was discovered to be on
fire. The flames were first issuing from the back door, but
they soon, however, extended, and the whole of the interior
with the exception of a ;front parlour, was in less than an
hour destroyed. Wallis stated that the fire arose from
an explosion of gas, which ignited on his coming into
the shop with a lighted candle. The fact of this part of his
the house being the part that was not in the first instance
affected, caused further inquiries to be made, and among the
rest search was made for the remains of furniture and of the
stock, but nothing was found, with the exception of the
furniture in the front parlour. The insurance for furniture
was to the extent of 100/. It appeared further ;that Wallis:had
taken a cottage at the distance of about 200 yards from the place
where he carried on his business, in which cottage stock-in-
trade, &c. was found to the estimated value of 230/., and it
was urged that these things were removed clandestinely, and
for the purposes of fraud. A warrant was soon after obtained
for the prisoner's apprehension, but he left the place, though
he returned on the 7th of January, and surrendered. The
magistrates bound the parties over to prosecute, and ad-
mitted Wallis to bail. An inquest was held to ascertain the
origin of the fire; and the jury pronounced it to have been
wilful. It would appear that Wallis, up to the time of the
fire, had always been considered an honourable and upright
young man.
,The CHIEF JUSTICE, in his summing up, told the jury to
beware -how they acted on suspicion only ; that they were
not to do ; they must see clearly an intention to defraud the
office. The general charge of his Lordship was directly in
favour of the accused.

The jury, after considerable time spent in deliberation, re-
turned a yerdict of Not Guilty.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—Durham, March 5.
(Before Mr. Justice PATTF.SON.)
Joseph Dixon, aged 25, and William Dixon, his brother,
aged 21, and Robert Barron, aged 22, were indicted for the
wilful murder of George Middleton, of Pithill, near Chester-
le•street, in this county.
This was the result of a public-house affair, in which the
deceased was struck on the head with a poker, which was
bent by the force of the blow, and inflicted such injuries that
Middleton died of the wounds.
Verdictr-Guilty of manslaughter.
His LORDSHIP directed the prisoners to stand down, saying
he would consider of the sentence.

The notoriously great increase of late in the business
of the Bank of England, arising from the advance in the rate of in-
terest, the use of the railway deposits, and other causes, appears to
have created an expectation in the proprietors of Bank stock, that
at the approaching meeting for the declaration of a dividend they
will find themselves in a better position than on the last occasion of
the kind. Letters have been received from various correspondents
on the subject, and they so entirely assume the fact of a great
increase of profit as certain, that the only question remaining in
their minds is whether it shall reach the proprietors in
the shape of a bonus or a higher dividend. It is well known
that the fund out of which the dividend is paid is the " rest,"
which forms a regular part of each weekly return under
the Act of 1844. Formerly the practice was at the half-yearly
meeting to make an estimate of its probable increase between the de-
claration and the payment of the dividend, and to take credit for
such amount; but the rule now adopted is, we believe, so far as re-
garcSs uncertain profit, to take the last return of the month previous
to the declaration of a dividend as the basis of profit, adding of
course the certain profits to accrue from the dead weight anti other
dividends payable by the Government up to the expiration of the
financial half-year. This alone is some evidence of a sound
th e
state of affairs. That parties so directly interested as
proprietors are should be thus sanguine is very natural, but
from inquiries in ether quarters it Appears to be thought very doubt-
full( either of these expectations—that is, of a bonus, or increased
dividend—will be realised. The new system has undergone as yet
but a short trial, and the recent great profits, so far as they arise from
the railway deposits, are so decidedly of a temporary nature, that no
safe conclusion for the future course of business is to be drawn from
them. In the proportion in which the directors have extended their
loan and discount business must the risk of bad debts be taken into
account ; but, supposing everything to go on favourably, the directors
would be more popular perhaps with their constituents if they de-
voted their efforts to strengthening their position so as to lead
hereafter to a permanent increase of the dividend to 8
per cent., than by giving a small bonus, and then to
relapse to the old rate. Equality of o.ividend is very much to be
desired, as it prevents speculation in the stock, and gives to it some-
thing of the character of a Government security. The present board
of directors possess a character for prudence and sagacity beyond
some of .their predecessors, which they aro not likely to place at
hazard by doing this half-year what they must undo the next; and
to offer either a bonus or an increase of dividend at present would
expose them to that danger. Hence the proprietors will do well to
moderate their expectations of immediate benefit, without abandon-
ing, at the same time, the hope that the directors at some future
period may be able to place them permanently in a better position.
Considering to how low a point banking profits have been reduced
until within the last three months, it is a species of congratulation to
know that they are in no danger of a reduction of dividend, and, if
any change does occur, that it must be for the better.—Tintes.
APPROACHING MARRIAGE IN HIGH LIEE.—WO un-
derstand that the marriage of Lady Agnes Ilay, second daughter of
the Earl and Countess of Erroll, and Mr. James Duff, M.P., eldest
son of the lion. General Sir Alexander and Lady Duff, and nephew
of the Earl of Fife, is to be solemnised on Monday next at Paris.
Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence has gone expressly to be present at the
ceremony, and Vise.suntess Campden, s'ster of the fair betrothed, has
already arrived at Paris.
We understand that all leaves of absence to officers
belonging to regiments serving in India have been cancelled, and
they have Deen ordered to join their respective head-quarters by the
overland pinto.

PRICE SD,

METROPOLITAN ASSOCIATION
FOR IMPROVING THE DWELLINGS OF THE
INDUSTRIOUS CLASSES.

The first public meeting of this Association was held, in
pursuance of the 47th clause of its charter, at the London
Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, at two o'clock yesterday. Among
those present were Sir Robert Grosvenor, Lord Morpeth,
Lord Claud Hamilton, Lord Ebrington, Lord Francis Eger-
ton, Lady F. Egerton, Sir Ralph Howard, Rev. Sir H. Duken-
field, Wm. Booth, Esq., Hon. Wm. Cowper, M.P., and other
gentlemen.
Sir Ralph HOWARD took took the chair, and called on
The SECRETARY, who read the report, which, considering
the time the association has been in existence, could not be
expected to set out much more than the general objects of
the founders. It was only in Ootober last year that the
association received a charter, in consequence of the
approbation bestowed by Sir Robert Peel and Lord Lincoln
on its objects, which are, first of all, to provide good, com-
fortable, well-ventilated and drained dwellings for the indus-
trious classes. But, in doing so, the promoters disclaim any
intention
of making the Institution a charity on the one
hand, or on the other, of "setting on foot a money-getting
speculation." It is intended that those who invest shall have
five per cent. return for their money, and a capital of 25,0001.,
according to the charter, must be raised, and ten per cent.
paid before beginning to build.
Sir RALPH HOWARD, at the conclusion of the report, said
it became his duty, as chairman, to sett before the meeting
the objects of the Association, and he felt great honour in
occupying the chair on that occasion, for he thought the
association whose interests they were met to promote was a
noble institution. For money could not be better expended
than in providing dwellings better than they at present have
for the labouring classes. Those who knew these classes in-
timately knew well that they did not receive an amount of
comfort and advantages at all equal to the worth of their
money. The builders for the wealthier classes knew this,
but believed at the same time that it could cot be remedied.
That which others left undone in that matter it became the
duty of that association to accomplish, for they had the
power, and they could effect it, after paying all expenses,
with less profit than was proposed. But for those who would
invest their money a sum of interest had been proposed,
which would amply remunerate them. He said they had
guarded themselves against allowing the institution to be
considered as a charity, for if preponderance were to be given
to one feature of it over another, they would rather that it
should be considered as a mercantile investment association,
especially as there was the more probability of greater num-
bers joining them under that notion. At the same time
their main effort was to be made in improving the dwellings
of the labouring men by means of drainage, ventilation, and
those other advantages which contributed to comfort, and
that Effort was to be put forth under the best scientific super-
intendence and skill. He concluded by moving that the re-
port should be adopted and confirmed.
Lord MoRPETII said he had been requested to second the
motion, and he availed himself with great pleasure of that
request. He was aware that those who were met on that
occasion were all shareholders, and that they could hardly
be supposed to require incitement as to the purposes fur
which the institution had been set on foot, and which indeed
they had sanctioned by taking shares in the association. The
same reason had limited the company, and he did not think
it expected of him, therefore, to occupy their time by
making any formal address. But, as that was the
first occasion they bad had of making the asso-
ciation public, and as he saw three or four gen-
tlemen before him who had the means of making their
object known, which he trusted they would not withhold,
be would, therefore, make a few observations. They had
embarked in that concern because they wished a real and a
practical good.—(Hear, hear.) At the same time they were
not in a position to plume themselves ; they could not boast
themselves as better than their neighbour'. For though
they thought their object laudable, as it was, yet they looked
for remuneration for what they did; whatever money they
might lay out they had stipulated for a return on that of
five per cent. Railway speculations had been the rage of the
day for some time past ; but he questioned much whether
any railway returned greater remuneration than that—
five per cent. ; he questioned whether any railway, however
prosperous and however well situated, connecting large towns
in its progress, could compete with the benevolence of their
object in reference to those whom it was most intended to
serve. For those who were to benefit by railways, those
who could afford to be passengers on them, were in easy cir-
cumstances; but those whom they had joined to assist were
exposed to the most wretched circumstances, to noisome
discomfort, bringing on disease, and not unfrequently ending
in premature death ; but all this they had the means of
alleviating, and five per cent. for their money besides. It
was no phantom they had taken up, nor was-it a romantic
fancy; it was not the issue of a merely chivalric feeling.
They were not to imagine that it was a money-getting
speculation ; he believed it was as free from that
as from being a romantic speculation at creating a
charity which had not the means of maintaining its own
existence. It had been calculated that the scheme they
had begun would return eight, nine, and even ten per
cent., but they thought proper to limit themselves
to five per cent., and to give whatever more might
accrue over to the same object. They guarded, on the one
hand, against framing a money-getting speculation, fcr they
would thus have frustrated their intentions towards the
classes whom they sought especially to benefit, and on the
other hand, for the sake of setting the example to others
who might be induced to follow them, they had guarded
againstaimingat their object without getting a return fortheir
money. They were against having this understood to be what
is usually called charity. He (Lord Morpeth) did not un-
derrate charity, for so long as there were such occasions for
its exercise, there would always be a fitness and a moral
beauty in its application. At the same time it was their
object to put the labouring population in such circum-
stances as might enable them to help themselves and main-
tain their independence. It was not their intention or wish to
injure the builder, they only wished to hold out an example
which he would do well to follow, and would follow with
safety by putting up such buildings as the working man re-
quires, and has a right to demand. When therefore he had
cleared their way of all imputation of intention to
undersell the builder, cleared their way of all risk
and all loss, and had secured a return for their
capital, he thought he might appeal to those in the meeting,
and to those out of it—to the moneyed men out of doors—
whether a great good might not thus be done—what an im-
mense mass of bloated evil might thus be entirely swept
away.—(Hear, hear.) If they examined the reports laid
before the Commons' Committees, by the Health of Towns
Commission, or, better still, if they had allowed their eyes
to rest on the reality, if they had allowed their feet to wander
into the haunts and back purlieu of the metropolis—if they
followed blighted manhood, decrepid old age, and stunted in-
fancy into their reeking haunts, the abode of filth
and fever—if they would then go over to those in
widely different circumstances, whose means enabled them
to surround themselves with cleanliness and with comfort,
with those advantages, in fact, which, as an association, they
could offer to the others, they would not long hesitate be-
tween an act of benevolence, with profit to themselves, and
laying up their talent in a napkin. He might quote them
the saying of the Emperor, that he found his capital built
of brick, and left it in marble, and they might outrival him
by transferring the worthy and the industrious from garrets
and from cellars to abodes conducing to their comfort and
their health and their moral and intellectual well-being.
His Lordship seconded the motion.
Lord EBRINGTON moved, and Dr. SOUTBWOOD SMITH se-
conded, the adoption of the bye-laws which had been read
by the Secretary.
Lord F. EGERTON, in moving a vote of thanks to the
Chairman and the directors, said he could not do so without
expressing his entire approbation of the association. He
said they were proceeding in various parts of the metropolis
in widening. the streets and snaking great improvements,
but these advanced with a crowd of attending evils, which
proceeded pari passe, like slaves in a Roman triumph, as
though they could not do good without producing much evil.
He had seen by Mr. Chadwick's pamphlet that the intro-
duction of the central terminus into the metropolis was cal-
culated to displace 50,000 inhabitants, and all those of the
poorer classes. He did not believe that more instructive
volumes could be found from end to end of the shelves of the
library of the House ofCommon: than the five or six volumes
of reports alluded to. He had consulted these
could not
tothuetr
volumes published by Mr. Chadwick, and
heartily concur in the object which had
lietreonuigdlintethbein
together.
Mr. Coop= seconded the motion, which was carried una-
nimously.
Lord CLALDE
HAMILTON acknowledged, on the part of
the directors, their sense Ed the honour the meeting bad done
them, and their continued attachment to the object of the
association.
Mr. Slayney, Mr. Finlaison, and Mr. Soynbee several:y
addressed the meeting, which then separated.

NORTH NOTTINGFIAMSHIRE
ELECTION.

cFROM A CORRESPONDENT
FINAL STATE OF THE POLL.
Lord Henry 399 Bentinck-. Lord Lincoln
Mansfield
Nottingham
Nuttall ......... 253 ••• 11
Retford
Majority for Lord Henry Bentinck, 1,523.
The total registry is e• 3646
Deduct those supposed been neutral lOO

2)3546

1773
Lord 11. Bentinck polled ...... ......... 1741
Deduct those who voted for him, who came
for Lord Lincoln, which may fairly be
stated at least

Would leave him in a minority of
Therefore, as but a partial canvass had been made for Lord
Lincoln, no committees formed, and no polling for him
(except the 218, who were resolved to do so, upon pure prin-
ciples), he would, upon Lord Henry's showing, have a majority
of 53, or thereabouts. And there can be no doubt if Lord
Lincoln bad been a bond fide candidate—even after the close
of the poll in South Nottinghamshire—be would have been
returned with a respectable majority. Lord Henry's party
may assert that they could have polled more, but will find
much difficulty in convincing the public of it. They had
canvassed (actively) for more than a fortnight, had plenty of
attorneys employed, and fetched voters from all quarters, far
and near, and there is no doubt cleared their canvass books.
It is well known that on the morning of the second day of
polling, they expressed fears lest, on that day, a rush might
be made for Lord Lincoln, and that they might be defeated.
Such were their fears. North Nottinghamshire can return
free-traders there does not now appear a doubt; Lord 11.
Bentinck has, at a good deal of trouble and expense, con-
vinced the public on this point.—From a Correspondent.

THE LATE MAJOR. BROADFOOT.—We are rcqueste3
to state that the first report of the manner in which the late Major
Broadfoot met with his death (copied into the London and provincial
papers from one of the Indian journals), namely, that ho fell from his
horse and *as speared by three Sofllls, is not correct. Private
letters have been received from Sir Henry Hardinge and also from
Major Broadfoot's secretary, from one of which the following is an
extract:—" His end was caused by a shot through the heart, while
accompanying the Governor-Generation the battle:field of Ferozeshali
on the 21st December. He was first wounded through both thighs,
but, with that gallantrywhlch distimmistted him through life, he again
mounted his horse, when almost immediately he was pierced through
the heart and the arm, and fell dead. Ills remains were broug,lit in
and buried with the usual honours at Ferozepore, in the presence of
the Governor-General." Thus fell ttds able and gallant officer, in
the 39 al Year of his age.

THE GOVERNMENT MEASURES:

- -
(From the Times.)
It will probably be a surprise to all parties to hear that last night%
sitting of the House of Commons, which began with the promise at
endless divisions and delays, and might have been one of twenty, ail
equally misspent, concluded both quietly and speedily with the &lope
tion of the Ministerial resolutions. That first and most imports:4s
part of the tariff which relates to corn end flour passed without
division. The various amendmenss which yesterday bade fair to
diversify the discussion have been one after another withdrawn, anil
really there is now almost room to congratulate the country, alai
particularly the agricultural party in the Commons, on a eheerfid
e e ther
resolutions
s Hotol
u tiso e n i
s but,t e progresstbe p r
ootfec thetl o
n lii
surrender of the question. Of course, there will be various opportu.s
as
nwiltdieeshomf dividing,stupeabkeinfoguanndded
on t
party have not attempted to qualify the measure, or introduce any
substitute of their own, it may be presumed that they will not thin
it necessary to do more than record their votes on the general prin.
ciple of the change. We are ineined to hope that we have not
hitherto done justice to the negative tactics of the Opposition.
We construed them rather as indicating a want of Inge.
nutty, and even of feeling; as if either the importance
of the crisis had not been perceived, or it had been
found impossible to suggest a remedy which should no;
approximate too near to the Ministerial measure. Undoubtedly, mg
opposition must be feeble which was based ma blindness or ind.ffere
once to the peculiar exigencies of the time. Undoubtedly, also, it
would run some risk of being considered frivolous and vexatious If le
admitted that something ought to be done, but contented Itself with
objecting to the only remedy actually proposed. The more genial
results of last night seem to show that the protectionists have
merely been satisfying the moral claims of consistency, and the ab.
strati merits of their cause. It was really what was called "the
flag of protection." It was only " true blue." The three weeks'
debate was a three weeks' mourning for the departed object of their*
regards. That ended, they have no wish to distress the survivor*
with any further and more obtrusive memorials of what is now no
more. Such an opsosition assumes the modesty and decorum of e,
protest, which virtually acquiesces in a great change of policy with
out thinking it necessary to pronounce against the principles of the.
departing system. Last night was the chance, the last chance, of
urging the merits of a fixed duty. There was a double promise of ey
last debate on this point. Mr. W. O. Stanley proposed the fired
duty of ss. a quarter on wheat, and Mr. 31. Wilms a perpetuation of
the three years' scale in the Ministerial measure. But, seeing that
the battle was against them, both consented to withdraw their mea-
sures. It is difficult, we will not say impossible, to suppose that this
means of compromise of a moderate fixed duty will be ever revival.
We have seen its last. Yet we cannot forbear from pausing to con-
sider its singular destiny. Never was there a proposition so reason-
able, so modest, yet so unfortunate. Fate was always against it. It
was always too liberal for protectionists, too close for free-traders.
Whenever it was brought before the Legislature it was at a crisis
when the vela, stars fought against it. The Whigs
caught at it when
they were drowning, and dragged it along with them to the bottom.
11l fares the stalking horse of a fallen party. Its undoubted merits
were of no avail. Sir Robert was ever precluded from it, because
It was a Whig measure. It has been the work of half
his life to avoid it. The Whigs had charmed it for
their own special use, and woe to the uninitiated hand that might
dare to grasp the weapon, though it lay on the public road, and
courted the eye and hand of the passenger. Its evil fate has pursued
it to the last. '1 he last resource of the Whigs has now done the same
duty fbr a section of the protectionists. Again, in the midst of a
great collision, when a minority is rapidly yielding to an over-
powering coalition—when an ancient and respectable party finds
itself outnumbered, outflanked, pushed in the front, and threatened
in the rear, and has no resource but to give way, then, then again,
too late common sense comes uppermost with them, anu we hear of
a fixed duty. Its very name, however, by this time is the omen of
defeat. It has become rather a conventional demand for mercy
than an actual proposition of terms. Yet this is the misfortune, not
the fault, of the plan. A fatality, it would seem, haunts measures as
sometimes men, and sometimes even nations. Reason pleads
in vain against fate. The very fact that the many
recommendations of a moderate fixed duty have not availed to pro-
cure for it a favourable hearing, seems to prove that it is now irrevocably
doomed to rejection. We cannot, of course, anticipate an entire
cessation of hostilities. Though the army seems prepared to accept
a defeat, yet the skirmishers will have their amusement. Ministers.
last night, purchased their substantial success at the price of some
not very serious molestation. Sir Robert, who for so many years
has been endeavouring to adjust the price of corn, cannot easily re-
sign his prophetic pretensions. The dupes of his craft still flock
mind him, and demand a vaticination of the exact price of corn
from this year to the end of the world under an open trade. In valu
does he profess himself to be no more than man. In vain is the
oracle silent. All the more is he urged to say something or other
which shall fill that horrid vacuity of doubt which yawns in the
protectionist intellect. Some distinct augury, some figure-say
53s ,—say 49s.,—say 45s.,—say anything, will do. It will be
something to look at, something for the mind to repose
on, something to worship. It will be giving form and circumstance
to hope, which cannot realise its objects, unless they have some defi-
nite outline. Monday promises a renewal of these lesser fights. On
that day a great question is to be discussed. Wheat, barley, oats.
and rye are given up, and Mr. Miles takes his stand on buckwheat,
maize, and rice, which have been taken from their alphabetical
places in the tariff for au early and separate discussion. Mr. Miles—
we readily excuse the instincts of offended dignity—wishes to retreat
with gravity and deliberation. Ile veal not be hurried off his legs.
'He will pause before he consents to Indian corn being introduced at a
nominal duty. We beg to suggest it reason for delay. The experi-
ment has yet to be tried. Will anybody in these islands eat it? If
they will not eat it, Mr. Miles will not object to so harmless an Im-
portation. If they will eat it, and relish it, then let the
plan of the protectionist be duly considered. Meanwhile,
Mr. Miles has no objection to a small Bill permitting
the importation, duty free, Into Ireland. It is scarcely
necessary to explain how ibis would (secrete. The Greek "Joe
Miller " supplies us with an illustration. A certain slave was once
charged with the care of a vessel of wine. He tapped it at the bot-
tom, and abstracted a portion of its contents. By-and-by his master
observed that the surface had fallen, and charged him with the theft.
lie denied it with great simplicity, on the ground that what he had
taken was from the bottom, and what his master missed was from
the top. We should imagine that, if we Introduce 100,0001. worth of
maize into British consumption, it does not much matter in what
part of these islands it is. It may be forced in at the bottom, but it
will nevertheless tell at the top. However, we do not expect that
Mr. Miles will do more than look at the resolution relating to these
articles, and then let it quietly pass. The two former ive believe to
be especially for the benefit of the agriculturist.