The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-25 00:00:00

The adjourned debate on the second reading of the Corn
mportation Bill was then resumed by
Lord POLLINGTON, who opposed the second reading of this

checked, at any rate, until the result of Lord JOHN'S
motion in the House of Commons becomes known. Sup-
posing that Lord JOHN should have it in his power to
originate an auspicious line of policy towards Ireland,
we cannot disguise from ourselves, that before he can
do so the session will be too far advanced to admit of its
being effectuated by adequate laws; and in this view the
protectionists will have added to the responsibility which
they are now incurring, and should recollect that the effect
of their blustering on in a friendless and hopeless strug-
gle, which has already brought down upon them the
merited reproaches of our principal seats of commerce,
may be to deprive Ireland of the wholesome and timely
fruits of improved legislation.
It is idle for the Duke of WELLINGTON to furbish
up the old doctrine of finality. It is wholly unsuited to
the progressive enlightenment of our age. It has
been long since expended. The Duke cannot
forget his celebrated dictum on Reform in 1830,
which led to the fall of the Cabinet of that day, and no
Ministry can at this period turn upon the doctrine of
finality without meeting a similar fate. Lord FITZ-
WILLIAM aptly informed his Grace that "this genera-
tion had no right to disinherit their posterity of their
full legislative functions, and ventured to doubt whether
a past generation had a right to disinherit this." It is
a mockery, too, for the Duke to generalist
upon the improvement effected in Ireland since
the Union. So king as Ireland confirm!:
in her present prostrate condition, so long will it be
clear to the most superficial observer, that our legisla-
tion for her has been deplorably ineffective; neither can
you deprive the repealers of the colourable argument,
that with a domestic Parliament Ireland would not have
been in the degraded position she now is, alternately
requiring British loans and British coercion.

M. ODILON BARROT, and a further explanation
from the Minister, M. LACROSSE said, as his object had
been chiefly to obtain an explanation from the Govern-
ment, and that had been accomplished, he would with-
draw his motion. This did not suit the views of the
more violent party, and M. LASTEYRIE, considering a
vote necessary, took up the amendment. Previous to a
division, MM. BARROT, BERRYER, and a large number of
Opposition Members, left, and only 52 remained to vote
with M. LASTEYRIE, thus giving the majority of 230
for Ministers. The other domestic news possesses no
interest, though much anxiety prevailed in all quarters
respecting the mysterious movements in Spain.

Bill.
Mr. PLUMPTPF also opposed the Government measure.
Sir J. Trollope, Mr. Rashleigh, Mr. Shaw, and the Earl of
March opposed the second reading of the Bill; and Sir J.
llanmer, Viscount Ebrington, Mr. F. Baring, and the
Chancellor of the Exchequer supported it.
On the motion of Mr. Fixes, the debate was adjourned
till Thursday.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the
Ilouse adjourned,

We thought that the fate of the PoLIGNAC Ministry,
and a change of dynasty, would have furnished a useful
lesson to the statesmen of other constitutional Govern-
ments, and deterred them from risking their own lives
and the throne of their Sovereign, by destroying at
one blow the most valuable rights and privileges of
their countrymen. But the statesmen of Spain
are too proud and too desperate to take warning
from the past, and NARVAEZ and his reckless and dan-
gerous accomplices having once already tried a coup
d'etat, without exciting rebellion, think that the
Spanish nation will now submit patiently to any outrage,
and that any experiments may be made with a people
so lost to all sense of consistency and constitutional order.
Yet he may carry his experiments too far, and though
he calculates upon the devotion of the army, may find
that he reckons without his host, and that a brave people,
when a Sovereign, or the Consort of a Sovereign is forced
upon them, will set every consideration of safety at deli
ante, and rise up as one man against what they consider
a national disgrace. In the mysterious crisis which now
exists at Madrid, it is difficult to find any appa-
rent facts which can guide inquiry or lead to
a solution of the plot evidently formed by NARVAEZ
and Queen CHRISTINA. Every measure in that Court
is concocted in the dark: the Camarilla which environs
the QUEEN, with the Captain-General at its head, works
secretly, and by a strange perversity generally adopts
measures which suit their own views and selfish inte-
rests without the slightest regard to the good of the

We subjoin some extracts from other Continental

papers: --

- -
The Invalide Russe, of St. Petersburgh, contains the fol-
lowing report addressed to the Emperor by the Commander-
in-Chief of the army, Count Paskevitch d'Erivan, dated
March 4 :-" A report of Lieut.-General Panutine, just re-
ceived, announces that yesterday the insurgents, on learning
the arrival of our tre Ts at Michalowice, evacuated the town
of Cracow, which was occupied by us at three in the after-
noon. One hundred Cossacks entered first, amidst cries of
Long live the Emperor from the inhabitants. They
were followed by a battalion of infantry, with four pieces of
artillery, the mountaineers, and other troops. The baud of
armed insurgents, which had quitted the city during the
night, and which amounted, it is said, to 500 horsemen and
1,000 foot soldiers, proceeded, according to some, on our
territory of Szial, and according to others towards the Prus-
sian frontier by Krzeszowice. Colonel Prince Bariatinsky,
aide-de-camp to the Grand Duke, heir to the Crown, v.-as
sent with 300 Cossacks to pursue them. Another body of
150 Cossacks is to join him at Olkusz. There are now at
Cracow three of our battalions, with 12 pieces of artillery,
and 500 irregular cavalry. The other troops who were on
their way towards that city have received orders to stop
short at the points where they had arrived. The inhabi-
tants have brought their arms, and delivered them up.'
A letter from Cracow of the 16th, in the German Universal
Gazette says :-" From yesterday all the prisoners have
been kept in close confinement, without being allowed to re-
ceive any one. The banker, Wolf, who was Minister of
Finance under the revolutionary Government, is kept guarded
in his own house, not only on account of his having assumed
that post, but as answerable for the large sums raised by the
insurgents from the Austrians at Wieliezka. Many women
have also been arrested. The Prussian General Count de
Brandenburg has informed the representatives of Austria and
Russia, that he has been ordered by his Government to give
up to them the Polish insurgents in his power who are na-
tives of the territories subject to Austria and Russia."
The constituent: assembly of the canton of Berne held a
second sitting on the 18th of March, which was almost en-
tirely devoted to the discussion of a new series of rules, con-
taining thirty-five articles. Before entering on the discus-
sion, the assembly took into consideration, and adopted, the
proposition that their deliberations should be made public in
the form of a bulletin, drawn out by as many stenographers
as might be deemed necessary to report faithfully the differ-
ent speeches; further, that many thousand copies should be
struck off, and one given to each deputy.
The Three per Cents. closed on the Paris Bourse on Monday at
84f. 30c. ; the Five per Cents., 120 f. 55e. ; the Orleans Railroad
shares, 1,317 f. 50 ; Rouen, 1,0601. ; llavre, 7651'. ; Great Northern,
7861. 25c. ; Avignon, 975 f.; Vierzon, 7221. 50c. ; Bordeaux, 687 1.
50c.; Boulogne, 5251. ; Troyes and Alontereau, 4371. 50c. ; Basle,
2451. ; Dieppe, 462 f. 50c. ; Paris and Strasburg, 5421. 50c. ; Tours
and Nantes, $731. 75e.; Paris and Lyons, Definitive, 680 f. 75c.;
Spanish Three per Cents., 3N ; Spanish Passives, 514.
The following are the quotations for other lines :-
Lyons and Avignon Railroad (Talabot), 512 f. ; ditto (Le-
eointe), 505 f. 50c. ; ditto (Compact lie 31eridionale), 503 f. 50c. ; Bor-
deaux and Cette (Mackenzie), 503 f. 50c. ; ditto (Espeleta), 511 f. ;
Charleroi, 498 f. 50c.
MARSEILLES, 3IARCH 19.-Marseilles and Avignon, 2971. 50c.
LYONS, 31Ancu 21.-Marseilles and Avignon, 9701. ; Paris and
Orleans, 1,297 f. 50c. ; Ronan, 1,050 f. ; Vierzon, 726 t. 50c.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAY & AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, MARCH 24.
Boulogne and Amiens, 121-Louvain and Jemappc,l%-Luxern•
bong, 1.?,4 -Madrid and Yalentia, 3,4,-Namur and Liege, 21,i -
Rouen and Havre, 30.

Occasionally this great sluggish discussion about the
Customs is enlivened by intense gleams of the ludi-

crous. Disgusted, probably, with tha dry details of a

matter which has been drawn out to the most miserable

community. We believe this is the case at the
present moment. The QUEEN-MOTHER is bent upon
marrying her daughter to a Prince against whom the
nation generally, and even the Cortes and the press, have
evinced the greatest repugnance. Hence the suspension
of the representative body, preparatory to its dissolution
and perhaps ultimate extinction, and the POLIGNAC
ordonnanco for annihilating the liberty of the press.
While they were allowed to perform their usual
and legitimate parts in the Government of the
country, the public would be informed of everything, the
timid might be roused to action, and the firm supporters
of the constitution be only the more encouraged to per-
severe in their duty. 'lt was necessary, therefore,
to get rid of such troublesome agents when a
settlement, almost universally opposed, was resolved
upon in the secret recesses of the Court. With a view
to the accomplishment of this dark plot, the
Cabinet of MARTINEZ DE LA HosA was purposely broken
up, NArorAEz was appointed Captain-General, his mo-
deration and ostensible wish for retirement into private
life were extolled in the Ministerial journals, and a new
set of puppets, called Cabinet Ministers, were set up, to
be knocked down when the moment for action ar-
rived. Then the NArtvAez Ministry was installed,
consisting of men generally without ability or character
and ready to obey the Captain-General with as much
alacrity as an ensign or a corporal looking for promo-
tion. The new Minister of Finance, ORLANDO, the
second successor to a Minister who had done so much
to raise public credit, is totally unknown as a states-
man, and, we believe, never had any pretensions to fill
the most difficult department in Spain. The Minister
of Marine is a Carlist, and was one of that daring band
of conspirators who made the attack on the QUEEN'S
palace. The new Minister of the Interior had some
years since been denounced by General ALAVA as a man
convicted of frauds on the public in the negotiation of
foreign loans, and we believe was expelled on those
grounds from the Chamber of Peers. The rest of the
members are scarcely known for anything,
and had evidently been selected as blind tools
for carrying out the obnoxious scheme. How
the affair will end it is impossible to an-
ticipate. The Spaniards are like no other people. We
cannot reason, therefore, from experience, except only
in respect to one quality, their obstinacy ; and when
their patience is exhausted, and they are fairly put to
the trial, NARVAEZ and CHRISTINA may find that even
the army, on which they entirely rely, may be only a
" broken reed."

MPERLIL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock.
SECOND READINGS.
The following Bills were read a second time, and ordered to

be committed, iz. :
Furness and Windermere Railway.
London and Birmingham Railway (Leamington Extension
and Coventry and Rugby Stations Enlargement).
Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, and Forth and Clyde Navi-
gation Junction.
Edinburgh and Glasgow, and trishaw and Coltness Railways

Junction.
Edinburgh and Glasgow, Monkland and Kirkintilloch,
Bal-
lochney, and Slamannan Railways Junction.
Midland Railway (Birmingham Extension).
London and Birmingham Grand Junction, and Manchester
and Birmingham Railways Amalgamation.
Midland Railway (Darfield to Elsecar, and other Branches).
London and Birmingham Railway (Aylesbury Railway
Purchase).
Leicester and Birmingham Railway.
Great Grimsby, Louth, Horncastle, Lincoln, and Midland
Junction Railway.
Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Manchester Railway

(Worshorough Branch).
Leeds and Thirsk Railway (St. Helen's Branch Deviation

East Coast Railway.
THE TEN HOURS' BILL.
Sir G. STRICKLAND presented a petition from Preston
in favour of the above-named Bill. The meeting at which
the petition was agreed to was most numerously attended,
and presided over by the Rev. Mr. Parr, the vicar of Preston.
EDINBURGH, GLASGOW, AND SCOTTISH CENTRAL

In the additional intelligence from the army on the
Sutlej, published in another part of The Sun, will be
found a general order by the Commander-in-Chief,
which will afford universal satisfaction. It relates to
the 62d Regiment, so unjustly stigmatised by Sir JOHN
LITTLER, in ore of his dispatches describing the battle
of Moodkee. This officer evidently had not been aware
of the circumstances under which this brave regiment
retired, but that is no justification for the remarks which
he had thought proper to make on its conduct. The fol-
lowing extract from the general order places the affair
in its proper light, and shows that the troops, even amidst
the awful fire to which they were exposed, did not retire
until ordered by the Brigadier, commanding that part

JUNCTION RAILWAY BILL.
On the motion that this Bill be read a second time,
Mr. FOX MAULE moved as an amendment, that the Bill
be read a second time upon this day six months.
Lord DUNCAN observed, that notwithstanding his Hon.
Friend had moved that the second reading of the Bill be
postponed for six months, he trusted the House would allow
it to go into Committee, where its merits might be fully dis-
cussed. He had heard that there were other Amalgamation
Bills which were opposed to this, and which the Hon.
Member as a member of the Amalgamation Committee had
allowed to pass without opposition. He (Lord Duncan) did
not think it was quite fair of his Hon. Friend to come
down now, is endeavour to influence Hon. Gentlemen to
oppose the further progress of the Bill, especially as he
(Lord Duncan) was quite ready to meet him in discussion
on its merits. _ _

of the division:
" The Commander-in-Chief finds that seventeen officers
and 185 men fell on this occasion, and that the regiment did
not desist from its noble efforts to carry the position until
ordered,by the Brigadier commanding to fall back, as stated
in the following extract from the Brigadier's report, only
now received :

...
Mr. FOX MAL LE observed that his Noble Friend was
entirely wrong in the charge which he had brought against
him. He trusted that hie Noble Friend would withdraw
the charge against him of having canvassed any Hon.
Member to come down with him, and oppose the further
progres of the Bill. In opposing this Bill, were he guided
by the interests of his own constituents, he should be the
last man to throw any obstacle in the way of its being car-
ried. In fact, he opposed this Bill in opposition to the
opinion of his own constituents in the city of Perth. His
opposition to the Bill was founded on public grounds alone.
in order to prevent the through communication between
the north and south from falling into the hands of a great
monopolising body. When he gave notice of his intention
to move that this Bill be read a second time this day six
months, the-subject had not come under the notice of the
Classification Committee. It was not now his intention to
press that motion, but he should be satisfied with the
simple motion, that the Bill be read a second time on
this day six weeks, in order to let it come
under the motion for the postponement of the
consideration of all railway amalgamation Bills. There
were several distinct lines of railway communication proposed
between the north and the south. They had a line which
went by Newcastle, along the coast, into the city of Edin-
burgh, and continued its progress to the north by the Queen's
Ferry. Another line was by the London and Birmingham
Railway, on to Lancaster, and thence to Carlisle and the
north. Then there was the Caledonian Railway. Another
means of communication was proposed by the Scottish Cen-
tral Railway; and, finally, a trunk line, by the west coast,
was proposed to be constructed. What, he would ask, did
the promoters of the Bill now under discussion propose to do?
Instead of amalgamating in a continuous line in
the east coast district, they proposed to come into
the centre trunk railway communication of Scot-
ian, and amalgamate themselves with a short line
of forty miles in length, thereby rendering it utterly
impossible that a direct communication in a northern direc-
tion should be obtained. The Caledonian and the Scottish
Central Railway had .been permitted to be constructed, on
the express condition that a direct communication between
the north and the south, giving the best facilities to
the public convenience, should be carefully preserved.
He was anxious that the question of railways should be
clearly settled by that House, and he apprehended that that
could be done within a period of six weeks; and he would,
therefore, instead of moving that the Bill be read a second
time that day six months, content himself with moving that
it be read a second time that day six weeks.
Mr. COLQUIIO UN said, that as he had been appealed to
on this question, and as he had no private interest whatever
in the matter, he could give an impartial opinion. He had
taken a warm interest in the passing of the Scottish Central
Railway Bill during last session, and he did so, not on pri-
vate, but on public grounds. The Board of Trade, in their
report, had stated that it was desirable that that Company
should receive the support of the Legislature, because, of all
other lines, it would give the most important outlet to the
district of Scotland through which it was proposed to pass.
He would now turn to the case mentioned by the Noble Lord.
The ground taken by the Noble Lord was this,that the Scot-
tish Central Railway should be connected with a railway that
travelled, not from north to south, but from east to west.
Now he conceived that nothing could be more inconvenient
than that, because if they were to travel from the south of
England to Scotland, the railway that .lay from east to west
would force travellers as much as possible to go round by
Glasgow on the one tide, or by Edinburgh on the other, and
so swell their traffic as much as lay in their power. On that
ground, then, it was desirable for the public interests that
the Scottish Central Railway should be prevented from an
exclusive monopoly of the districts lying between the east
and west of Scotland. He would say that it was not for the
public advantage that the proposed amalgamation should be
made between the railways lying from east to west and
north to south of Scotland. He believed that the House
had good reasons for entertaining their suspicion on
the question of amalgamation.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.")
He thought it was but right that a Committee should be ap-
pointed to consider that question, and state in their reports
how far amalgamation of railways would suit the interests of
the public. He did not mean to say that amalgamation
should not be permitted in some casee. He should, on the
grounds stated, give his support to his Hon. Friend.
Mr. W. PATTEN could not see how the decision of the
Committee, which he had moved for a few nights ago, could
have anything to do with the case of the railway in ques-
tion.—(Hear, hear.) That Committee, as the House must
recollect, had been appointed for the purpose of considering
the Bills of amalgamation now under the consideration of
Parliament. The Hon. Member concluded by moving the
temporary suspension of all amalgamation Bills.
Lord DUNCAN said that he was very much delighted
to hear the speech of the Hon. Member for North Lancashire
(Mr. Patten), and he must say that he believed the Hon.
Member who had moved the amendment had had some com-
munication with the directors of the Caledonian Railway.
Why did he shrink from that amendment, and why did his
" six months" dwindle into six weeks? The Scottish Cen-
tral was a most unfortunate company, and he hoped that
the House would not add to their misfortunes by adopt-
ing the amendment, which he conceived to be unjust.
The directors cf this railway thought it would be better for
them to amalgamate, and their rates and fares would then
be discussed in a Committee in a much better manner than
by any discussion in the House. The amalgamation, at
which the Hon. Member was so much alarmed, did not ex-
ceed eighty-one miles in length. He trusted the House
would fully consider the question as a great benefit to Scot-
land. Edinburgh and Glasgow were the principal centres
into which all tlio Lilac lutist converge. Zie hoped the

" Under these circumstances, seeing her Majesty's 62d
was exposed to a most destructive fire without any object,
as they could not move forward, I conceived it my duty to
direct them to retire, which they did in almost as good order,
making allowance for the heavy loss they had sustained, as
that in which they had advanced.' "

Lord J. RUSSELL confessedly resigned the task of
forming an administration when he learned that he
would not have the advantage of the Ministerial ser-
vices of Earl GREY. He felt that, deprived of so power-
ful a colleague--cne who, with respect both to free-
dom of trade and the political evils of Ireland, had
evinced a prophetic sagacity commensurate with the
boldness and soundness of his views—he could not
successfully care with the difficulties which would
have environed his position as First Minister of

the Crown. Lord JOHN took occasion to state
in Parliament, during the debate upon moving an ad-
dress and answer to the Royal Speech, that his chief
regret in not having succeeded in forming a Govern-
ment arose from his belief that he could have brought
forward measures productive of great benefit to Ireland.
It is the recollection of these circumstances that impart
I peculiar interest to Lord GRVY'S speech on Monday
night on the state of Ireland. The mutual political
esteem known to exist between Lord J OHN and Earl GREY
leads us to feel deeply interested in any observations of the
latter touching the momentous subject he introduced to
the Lords. Every one is aware that the Upper House
is not the most genial sphere for favourably discussing
the grievances, or eliciting a sympathy for the millions
of our humblest fellow-countrymen, who are smarting
under wrongs without a parallel in any other state,
their poverty, wretchedness, and political degradation
being unequalled throughout the civilised world. Earl
GREY considered that sot a moment should be lost in
conveying to the Irish nation, pari passe with the Co-
ercion Bill, that a different spirit would animate the Le-
gislature in dealing with the interests of that country.
Lord JOHN is unquestionably identical in his opinions,
but, out of consideration to the Ministry, anxious to re-
lieve the immediate wants of Ireland, and embarrassed
by the dilatory and selfish manoeuvres of the monopo •
Using protectionists, has felt himself constrained to put
off his motion until after the Easter recess. Notwith-
standing his consciousness that the matter would have
been much more felicitiously broached in the
Commons under the auspices of Lord JOHN
RUSSELL, even though it should be simultaneously
deliberate.] on in the Lords', Earl GREY unflinchingly
Presented himself in the chilling atmosphere of the
hereditary branch of the Legislature, and in a well-
tempered, luminous, and skilful speech, invited them
to present an address to the Throne calculated to con-
sole Ireland under the new and stringent provisions
about to be imposed on them by the measure for insuring
increased protection to life in Ireland. Upon the simple
fiat of the Duke Of WELLINGTON, and solely be-
cause Earl GREY pressed upon their attention (amongst
other matters) the necessity of effecting a salutary change,
by a better distribution of the revenues of the Esta-

Wished Church in Ireland (a topic, which be it recol-
!cctecl, was not even
: vrhgiceh majority,r
assent to the patriotic step refused their
specified in the terms of the
address), the Peers, by a l
t
arl GREY so fervently
neighbours,
urged them to adopt. What may the
etr e
withe t success,oafrethiins
conduct upon our sensitive and
oppressed
will, we fear, too speedily be exhibited. There
that country those who will not fail, and
to depict in the strongest and most stimulating language,
that, because Earl GREY recommended a betteruage
,
provi-
sion for the religious wants of the Roman Catholics, and
that the vast majority of the people should lte placed
on a footing of perfect equality with their more favoured
brethren, his compeers declined to approach the Throne
and express their willingness to improve the laws affect-
ing their country and the mode in which they are ad-
ministered. We feel convinced that these and similar
statements, tending to kindle and inflame the strongest
feelings of the human mind, will be sedulously
propagated, and that their conaequeacee will remain tw-

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 2b, 1846.

House would not, therefore, consent to the motion of the
Hon. Member, to read the Bill a second time at the end of
six weeks.
Mr. F. BARING considered that as the House had ap-
pointed a Committee to inquire into the principles of amal-
gamation, the House should keep the amalgamation Bills
before the House in their own hands until they had received
the report of the Amalgamation Committee, and the rules
which they considered necessary to be laid down in the case
of new railways.
Sir G. CLERK thought the House ought to agree to the
suspension of amalgumated Bills until the House was in
possession of the report of the Committee. He thought
the House should, however, act upon a general rule, and
suspend all the Bills, and not allow an advantage to any one
Bill over another. He would recommend the motion of the
suspension of the present Bill for six weeks to be withdrawn
as the report of the Committee might be laid upon the table
of the House before the expiration of that period. And be
did not see why this or any other Bill should be delayed
beyond that period.
Mr. FOX MAULE consented to withdraw his motion.
Mr. LOCH hoped that the House would not agree to the
proposition of his Hon. Friend, but let the Bill take the usual
course of all other Bills. The traffic between London and
York was as nothing to the traffic which existed between
Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Lord EBRINGTOI'; entreated the House not to be led
astray by quarrels between Hon. Gentlemen, let them take a
general principle and act upon it, and the question would be
whether they were to adopt some rule on which they were to
act in future, or permit the different Committees to come to
the most conflicting opinions.—(Hear, hear.) He regretted
that the Committee was appointed, for he considered that the
Government should have brought a Bill upon their own re-
sponsibility before the House to regulate these Bills. He
considered the Government had abdicated their functions in
not standing more by the reports of the Board of Trade

last year.
Mr. J. S. WORTLEY considered that the motion of the
Hon. Member would not lead to any benefit, but, if it were car-
eed, might injure the Company ; for if the Bill were now read
a second time, it would by no means advance them, as they
would not proceed further until they had received the report
of the Committee on Amalgamation Bills.
Mr. H. JOHNSTONE considered that the Bill ought to
receive a second reading, providing that further proceedings
should be postponed until they received the report upon
which they were to form a judgment upon the merits of the
case.
Mr. P.M. STEWART was of opinion that, the House having
appointed a Committee on Amalgamation Bills, should abide
by the reports of that Committee.—(Hear, hear.) He had
come to the House to propose the second reading of the Lon-
' don and Birmingham line, 'which stood for that day; but if
the House opened the door to a second reading of the Edin-
burgh and Glasgow Bill, he (Mr. Stewart) would immediately
follow and claim a like right for the London and Birming-
ham Bill.—(Hear, hear.) if the House should concede to
the motion of the Hon. Gentleman, they would, in his opi-
nion, be only stultifying all their former proceedings.
Mr. FORBES felt no personal interest whatever
in the line, except the interest which he was
assured every Honourable Gentleman present felt,
namely, a desire to do justice to all parties concerned. —(Hear,
hear.) Now, if the Bill were read a second time, it would
be merely a reading pro forma, as no further steps would be
taken in the matter.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it ap
peared to Zino that the House having adopted a certain course,
they could not depart from it, though be was not prepared
at that moment to offer opposition to the second reading.
Mr. FOX MAULE begged to withdraw his original mo-
tion, and to substitute for it—" That the Bill be suspended
until the Amalgamation Committee have reported on it, as
well as on all other amalgamation Bills."—(Hear.)
There being cries for a division, strangers were ordered
to withdraw, when the House divided—
For the second reading
Against it 34
Majority in favour of the second reading —6
On our return to the gallery, we found
Sir GEORGE GREY addressing the House. He hoped, if
the Committee of Classificntion should report against the
policy of amalgamations, that the House would allow of a
motion hereafter to rescind the order for referring this Bill
to the Committee, so that the Committee might not have the
trouble of sitting on a Bill the principle of which had been
condemned by the House.
Mr. WILSON PATTEN hoped that they would deal with
all these Bills in the same way.
Mr. F. MAULE said if this was to be a pro forma pro-
ceeding only, and he was at a future day to be at liberty to
move that the order for the committal of the Bill be dis-
charged, of course his object would be gained.
Lord DUNCAN said the promoters of the Bill would not
take any further step until the report of the Committee was
before the House. They merely wished to place this Bill in
the same situation as the Caledonian Bill.
The Bill was then read a second time.
EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW (FORTH AND CLYDE)
RAILWAY BILL.
This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be com-
mitted.
EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW (WISHAW AND COLT-
NESS) RAILWAY.
This Bill was read a second time, after a few observations
from Lord EBRINGTON.
EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW, MONKLAND AND
KIRKINTILLOCH, BALLOCHNEY AND SL AMAN-
NAN RAILWAYS JUNCTION BILL.
After a few observations from Mr. FOX MAULE, this
Bill was also read a second time.
The following Bills were also read a second time, viz.
Furness and Windermere Railway.
Midland Railway.
Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester and Sheffield Railway.
Leeds and Thirsk Railway.
East Coast Railway.
And reports on the following Bills were brought up by Mr.
GREENE :
Glasgow, Paisley, and: Kilmarnock Railway Amendments
and Branches (No. 1.)
Bury Gas.
Woodstock Roads.
Brighton and Chichester Railway (Steyning Branch.)
The following Bills were read a second time :
Blackburn and Darwen Railway.
Blackburn and Clitheroe Railway.
Belfast Gas Bill.
London and Birmingham Grand Junction.
Grand Junction and Manchester and Birmingham Railway
Amalgimation.
London and Birmingham (Aylesbury Purchase.
The second reading of the Election Notices (Ireland) Bill,
and the County Elections (Ireland) Bill, which stood for to-
day, were postponed, in consequence of the absence of Sir
James Graham.
The order of the day was then read for the second reading of
THE TURNPIKE ROADS (SCOTLAND) BILL.
Mr. FOX MAULE hoped that the House would pass this
Bill. His only object in rising to support the Bill was the
public interest ; he had no personal motives whatever to serve
in this case. Hadit not been for the crying evils which were
proved to have been perpetrated by drunken and dissolute
carters purchasing intoxicating spirits, at the differ-
ent toll houses, in `Scotland, on the Sabbath, he
should not have interfered with this matter.
He thought that, upon the ground of morality, the House
would allow the Bill to be proceeded with.
Sir JOHN M'TAGGART should oppose the Bill, unless
some clause was introduced to limit the sale of liquors at
toll-houses. •
Mr. FORBES thought it a most uncalled for Bill.
Mr. P. STEWART said the law, as it then stood, placed
the justices of the peace in Scotland in a very
difficult position. There were shameful establishments
existing in Scotland —he alluded to those toll-
houses which were situated in a thickly populated
districts, and the turnpikes were inaccessible to travellers
who, like himself and other Hon. Members, were of a sober
character, in consequence of the great accumulation of car-
riers' carts around the toll-house, the drivers of which were
inside drinking the worst kinds of spirituous liquors. Let
the House restore the law of Scotland to its original purity—
let the turnpikes be what they were originally intended to
be, stations for the toll-collectors, and not drinking houses
during the day and at night the rendezvous of poachers.
Mr. B. DENISON would support the principle of the Bill,
he would also suggest the introduction of a clause to prohibit
the sale of liquors within half a mile of any turnpike.
Mr. HODGSON would support tha Bill, if a clause was
introduced limiting the license to certain cases.
Mr. FOX MAULE said he was quite willing to introduce a
clause preventing the sale of spirituous liquors, except in
cases where refreshment could not be obtained unless at a
distance of five miles.
Mr. F. MACKENZIE said he was quite willing to move
for a Committee to take into consideration the whole state of
the question of licensing in Scotland, and he wished the
Hon. Member not to press his motion.
Mr. H. DRUMMOND said he was not there to say there
were no abuses under the system, very far from it, and he
was most anxious to see a thorough reform effected in the
system ; and, therefore, on these grounds he most decidedly
should support the measure.—(Hear, bear.)
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For going into Committee
Against it
Majority for going into Committee —l2
The House then went into Committee.
(Isarr SITTING.)

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.

WATERFORD, wmxrorm, WXCELOVT, AND

nunLxN.

Their Lordships Committee on this Bill met to-day at twelve
o'clock in the -Lord Chancellor's Court—present, Lord Auckland
(Chairman), Lord Kinnaird, Lord Sydney, Lord Colville, and Lord
Rossie. •
The object of the line is to connect by railway the principal ports
and towns on the east coast of Ireland. The length of the contem-
plated line is 163 miles—the estimated cost (including the branches
to Carlow and Wexford) is 2,000,0001. The engineers are Mr.
Brunel, Mr. Farren, and Mr. Gibbon.
After the usual formal evidence had been put in,
Air. J. GEORGE, counsel for the Bill, called Mr. Farren, who was
examined at great length as to the engineering advantages and diffi-
culties. The evidence of this gentleman was corroboratei by
Mr. Gibbon.

Mr. HATCHELL, on the part of the Carlow Railway Company, op-
posed the Bill, and cress-examined the witnesses at great length, as
did also
M. PERCEVAL BANKES, who appeared as counsel for opposing
landholders.

Mr. BAKER appeared also for other parties.
The details were not of an interesting character.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
GROUP IX.

TM Committee met to-day, at half-past twelve o'clock, Lord
Woraley in the chair, when the further consideration of
THE GLASGOW GI AN) JUNCTION Hall-

noun TERMINUS.

was resumed.
Mr. Cawl said, that since last night an arrangement had been
come to with the Clyde River Trust, by which their opposition was
withdrawn. A clause had been agreed to, which would give the
trust the regulation of the rails to be laid down on the quay.
Mr. Gale, civil-engineer, was recalled, and briefly re-examined,
with the effect of showing that the nearest gradients and curves were
on the portions of the line that would be used the least, being on the
branch that joined with the Barrhead and Neilston line. The great
ti afflc would come from the Pollee and Govan, which would be a
straight line. The forks at the harbour would be worked by horse
power, and at the rate of four or five miles an hour, so that there
would not be any inconvenience.

Mr. Miller, civil engineer, examined. He agreed with Mr. Gale's
estimate. They were quite =pie enough. He had not surveyed
the line, but he had looked over the plans and sections of
all the schemes, and he considered the Grand Junction one of the
best. He did not think the gradients and curves ought to give
any preference to the other two schemes. On a nominal line they
were perfectly workable. It was quite practicable to reduce the line
at the crossing of the Paisley road, so as to work locomotives if it
was required. This could be done without a great increase of the
gradient there. Generally, he preferred the Grand Junction to the
other two.

The witness was cross-examined, with the object of showing the
difficulty of working the gradients and curves and the using of loco-
motives ; but the answers were only a re-iteration of the examination
in chief.

Mr. Robertson, a coal and mineral proprietor, was briefly examined,
and deposed as to the superiority of the Grand Junction scheme over
the other two, for all minerals coming og WY Clydesdale Jueettea
owl the Pollee 0414 QOM Settware.