The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-30 00:00:00

XEMEER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THIS PRESENT

PARLIAMENT.

Borough of Ring's Lynn—The Hon. Edward Henry
Stanley, in the room of William George Frederick Ca-
vendish Bentinck, commonly called Lord William
George Frederick Cavendish Bentinck, deceased.
WAR OFFICE, DEC. 29.
3d Light Dragoons—Samuel Pearson, Gent., to be
Cornet, by purchase, vice Hodgson, promoted, Dec. 29;
John Dunkin Bennett, Gent., to be Cornet, by pur-
chase, vice Brasses, whose appointment has been can-
celled, Dec. 30.

lath Light Dragoons—John Davis, Gent., (Riding-
master), to be Cornet, by purchase, vice White, Dec. 29.
15th Light Dragoons—Lieut. John Hallowell Ca-
raw, from half-pay 16th Light Dragoons, to be Lieute-
nant, vice Bennett, deceased, Dec. 29.
Ist Regimeat of Foot—Captain Charles Henry Dow-
ker, from 6th Foot, to be Captain, vice Isaac, who ex-
changes, Dec. 29.
4th Foot—Ensign Augustus Edward Henry Ansel!,
from 70th Foot, to be Ensign, vice Knott, appointed
Quartermaster; Ensign Thomas Knott to be Quarter-
master, vice Perry, appointed Ensign 70th Foot, Dec. 29.
sth Foot—William Alarcon Carter, Gent., to be Se-
cond Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Al.aylor, who retires,
Dec. 29.

6th Foot—Captain John Matcham Isaac, from lit
Foot, to be Captain, vice Dowker, who exchanges,
Dec. 29.

7th Foot—Ensign Stanton Senior, from 13th Foot, to
be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Carter, who retires;
Ensign Henry Dixon, from 41st Fool, to be Lieutenant,
by purchase, vice &Hairs, who retires, Dee. 29.
Bth Foot—Lieutenant George Edward Baynes to be
Captain, without purchase, vice Marsden, deceased; R
sign John Biggs to be Lieutenant, vice Baynes, Oct. 17;
William Raymond Ximenes, Gent., to be Ensign, by
purchase, vice Macadam, who retires, Dec. 29; Graham
Egerton Huddleston, Gent., to be Ensign, vice Biggs,
Dec. 30.

9th Foot—Lieutenant Sydney Darling to be Captain,
by purchase, vice Harvey, who retires; Ensign Charles
William Loinsworth to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice
Darling; Ensign William Daunt, from the 88th Foot,
to be Ensign, vice Loinsworth, Dec. 29.
13th Foot—Edward Boyd, Gent., to be Ensign, by
purchase, vice Senior, promoted in 7th Foot, Dec. 29.
15th Foot—Ensign Augustus Frederick Warburton
to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Walters, appointed
to 6th Dragoons; Richard Milbank Tilghman, Gent., to
be Ensign, by purchase, vice Warburton, Dec. 29.
17th Foot—Surgeon William Smith, from the 64th
Foot, to be Surgeon, vice Archer, who exchanges,
Dec. 29.

20th Foot—Lieutenant Edmund Gilling Hallewell to
be Captain, by purchase, vice Hennessey, who retires;
Ensign Nathaniel Steevens to be Lieutenant, by purchase,
vico Hallowell, Dec. 29.

22d Foot—George Onslow Deane, Gent., to be En-
sign, by purchase, vice M'Grath, who retires, Dec. 29.
26th Foot—Lieutenant Count George Rivarola, from
91st Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice the lien. A. E. G. Sin-
clair, who exchanges, Dec. 29.
41st Foot—William Edward Leche, Gent., to be En-
sign, by purchase, vice Dixon, promoted in 7th Foot,
Dec. 29.
44th Foot—Ensign John Charles Parks to be Lieu-
tenant, without purchase, vice Hotham ; Frederick Wil-
liam Gregory, Gent., to be Ensign, vice Parks, Dec. 29.
54th Foot—Captain Thomas Frederick Hill Alms,
from 70th Foot, to be Captain, vice Hay, who exchanges,
Dec. 29.
61st Foot—Major William Jones to be Lieutenant-
Colonel, by purchase, vice Burnside, who retires; Captain
Francis John Stephens to be Major by purchase, vice
Jones; Lieut. A. W. Gordon to be Captain, by purchase
vice Stephens ; Ensign Julius George Mangen Strode to
be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Gordon ; John Craw-
ford, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Strode, De-
cember 29.
62d Foot—Captain Francis Henry Kilvington, from,
64th Foot, to be Captain, vice Sibley, who exchanges,
December 29.
64th Foot—Captain Charles William Sibley, from the
62d Foot, to be Captain, vice Kilvington, who exchanges;
Ensign William Bell, to be Lieutenant, by ;purchase,
vice Heath, who retires; Surgeon George Archer, M.D.,
from the 17th Foot, to be Surgeon, vice Smith, who ex-
changes, Dec. 29.
70th Foot—Captain John William Hay, from the 54th
Foot, to 'be Captain, vice Alms, who exchanges; Colour-
Sergeant John lslowlan to be Ensign, without purchase,
vies Ansell, appointed too be
Foot, Dec. 29.
71st Foot—Lieutenant Henry Loftus to be Captain,
by purchase, vice Sutton, whose promotion has been
cancelled, Dec. 22.
91st Foot—Lieutenant the Honourable Alexander
Erie George Sinclair, from 26th Foot, to be Lieutenant,
vice Count George Rivarola, who exchanges, Deo. 29.
96th Foot—Ensign Octavius Lowry to be Lieutenant,
without purchase, vice Magill, deceased; Donald Wm.
Dundas, Gent., to be Ensign, vice Lowry, Dec. 29.
Rifle Brigade—Captain William Henry Frankland to
be Major, by purchase, vice Fitzherbert, who retires ;
Lieutenant Thomas Cochrane Inglis to be Captain, by
purchase, vice Frankland; Second Lieutenant John Ross
to be First Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Inglis; George
'Lord Bingham to be Second Lieutenant,,by purchase,
vice Ross, Dec. 29.
2d West India Regiment—John Dean Reece, Gent.,
to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Swanzy, whose appoint-
mint has been cancelled, Dec. 29.

MEMORANDIIM.—The commission of Quartermaster
Robert Webster, of the sth Foot, has been antedated to
the 19th July, 1847.
Erratum in the Gazette of 22d December 1448.-
08th Regiment of Foot—For Gentleman Cadet " Vesoy
Truell," from Royal Military College, to be Ensign, &c.,
read Gentleman Cadet " George Vesoy Truell," &c.

WHITEHALL, DEC. 21.
The Lord Chancellor has appOinted Lawrence Pem-
berton Rowley, of Bilston, in the county of Stafford,
Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary in the High Court
of Chancery.
Tho Lord Chancellor has also appointed Alphonso
Rowland Varley, of Bolton-la-Moors, in the county,
palatine of Lancaster, Gent., to be a Master Extraordi-
nary in the High Court of Chancery.
WHITEHALL, DEC. 23.
The Lord Chancellor has appointed George Williams,
of Cardiff, in the county of Glamorgan, Gent., to be
Court of Chancery.
Master Extraordinary in the high

BANKRUPTCY SUPERSEDED.
William Burchett, chymiat, Whitechapel-road.
BANKRUPTS.

George Thomas Saltmarsh, wine merchant, Hounds-
ditch, City, to surrender, Jan. 9 and Feb. 13, at two, at
the Court of Bankruptcy. Groom, official assignee,
Abchurch-lane, Lombard-street; Whittington, Dean-
street, Finsbury-place.
John Samuel Story, banker, St. Albans, Jan. 11, at
one, and Feb. 24, at eleven, at the Court of Bank-
ruptcy. Follett, official assignee Sambrook-Court, Ba-
ainghall-street; Letts, Bartlett's-buildings.
Erederick William Luck, tailor, cheitephign7j.An. 12,

and Feb. 8, rat twelve, at the Bristol District Cow:
Hutton, official assignee, Bristol; Lindo, King's -rms-.
yard; Packwood, Cheltenham. .
Richard Eminson, scrivener, Grantham, Line bire;
Jan. 12, and Feb. 9, at eleven, at the Birming to Di>
trict Court. Bittleston, official assignee, Nottnig4im;
Thompson, Grantham.
John Whitworth, millwright, Leeds, Jan, all
Feb. 23, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. ---
official assignee; Lambert, Gray's Inn; Preston, L6da., ; 1 ,
Robert Sullings Spurge, linen-draper, Halstead, Essex,
Jan. 12, at eleven, and Feb. 9, at one, at the Court of
Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee, Basinghall-
street; De Jersey, St. Ann's-late, Aldersgate.
Henry Cook, needle manufacturer, Studley, Warwick-
shire, Jan. 18 and Feb. 15, at eleven, at the Birming-
ham District Court. Valpy, official assignee, Birming-
ham; Browning, Redditch, and Hodgson. Birmingham.
Samuel Taylor, butcher, Poynton, Cheshire, Jan 12
and Feb. 8, at eleven, at the Manchester District Court.
Hobson, official assignee, Manchester; Williamson and
Stile, Great James-street, Bedford-row ; Worn:laid,
Ashton-undor-Lyne.

DIVIDENDS.
At the Court, Basinghall-street.
I. Denning, Titchbourne-street, St. Jamee's, West-
minster, watchmaker and jeweller, Jrn. 26, atone—Ann
Dr,,w, Portugal-street, Lincoln's Inn-fields, stationer,
Jan, 22, at eleven—R. Greig, Maiden-lane, King's-cross,
timber merchant, Jan. 25, at one—G. Heathcote and R.
Heathcote, Clapham, Surrey, coach and jobmaster. Jan.
25, at half-past twelve—H. C. Brown, Winchester,
builier, Jan. 19, at one—W. Reeve and R. Reeve, New
Bond-street, Westminster, upholsterers, Jan 26, at one
—R. K. Payne, Brighton, grocer, Jan. 26, at twelve—E.
Smith, Slide, Isle of Wight, brick and tilemaker, Jan.
19, at two—ll. Haynes. Scole, Norfolk, innkeeper, Jan.
19, at two—J. Miller, Oxford-street, bookseller, Jan. 23,
at one.

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In the Country.
J. Wilkinson, Stockton-upon-Tees, Durham, wharfin-
ger, Jan. 23, at half-past ten, at the Court, Newcastle-
upon-Tyne—Mary Ramsay and R. Ramsay, Scotswood,
Northumberland, paper manufacturers, Jan. 24, at half-
past ten, at the Court, Newcastle-upon-Tyne—Mary
Ramsay, Scotswood, Northumberland, paper manufac-
turer, Jan. 24, at eleven, at the Court, Newcastle-upon-
Tyne—R. Ramsay, Scotswood, Northumberland, paper
manufacturer, Jan. 24, at eleven, at the Court, New-
castle-upon-Tyne—J. Carter and J. Baines, Liverpool,
merchants and ship-brokers, Jan. 23, at eleven, at the
Court, Liverpool—G. E. Dinsdale, Middleham, York-
shire, scrivener, Jan.l9, at eleven, at the Court, Leeds—
J. Pulleine, jun., Selby4Yorkshire, brewer and maltster,
Jan. 19, at eleven, at the Court, Leeds—W. Cole, Cal-
verley, Yorkshire, consulting engineer, and W. Cole,
jun., Bradford, Yorkshire, tea dealer, Jan. 19, at eleven,
at
,the Court, Leeds—W. Cole, Calverley, Yorkshire,
consulting engineer, Jan. 19, at eleven, at the Court,
Leeds.

PAYMENTS OF DIVIDENDS.
E. Alanson, Liverpool, wine merchant, los., Jan. 1,
or any subsequent Monday, between the hours of eleven
and two, at the office of Mr. Bird, Liverpool
J. Coupland, Liverpool, 3s. boo. on account of first
dividend of 55., on Wednesday, Jan. 10, or any subse-
quent Wednesday, between the hours of eleven and two
at the office of Mr. Morgan, Liverpool.
D. Williams, Ruthin, Denbighshire, cattle-salesman,
41d., on Thursday, Dec. 28, or any subsequent Thurs-
day, between the hours of eleven and two, at the office
of Mr. Turner, Liverpool
J. E. Warden and V. Wanostrocht, Liverpool, mer-
chants, 2id., on Wednesday, Jan. le, or any subsequent
Wednesday, between the hours of eleven and two, at the
office of Mr. Morgan, Liverpool
J. S. Daintry and J. Ryle, Manchester, bankers. 3-1-1,
on Tuesday, Jan. 16, or any subsequent Tuesday, be-
tween the hours of eleven and one, at the office of Mr.
Potts, Manchester.

J. L. Bourdon and P. J. Meugens, Finch-street,
Whitechapel, sugar refiners, second dividend of lljd.,
and first and second dividend of 3s. .sfd., this day and
three following Saturdays, between the hours of eleven
and two, at the office of Mr. Edwards,
,Frederick's-
place, Old Jewry.
G. Clarke, Isham and Burton Latimer, Northampton-
shire, carpet manufacturer, sd., this day and three sub-
sequent Saturdays, between the hours of eleven and two,
at the office of Mr. Edwards, Frederick's-place, Old
Jewry. _

J. Rotting, Poole, Dorsetshire, currier and cord-
wainer, second dividend of 2s. 9d., and first and second
dividends of ss. 9d., this ' day and three subsequent
Saturdays, at the office of Mr. Edwards, Frederick's-
place, Old Jewry.
E. Elwell, Westbromwich, Staffordshire, ironfounder,
•warrants for interest, on any Thursday, between the
hours of eleven and three, at the office of Mr. Christie,
Birmingham.

NOTICES OF CERTIFICATES.
At the Court, Basinghall-street:
J. King, North Audley-street, Grosvenor-square,
coach-builder, Jan. 26, at one—C. T. Ansdell, Barnet,
coach-proprietor, Jan. 22, at half-past one—J. I. Win-
stanley, King William-street, hosier, Jan. 26, at half-past
one—J. Humphreys, Grove-street, Hackney, furnishing
ironmonger, Jan. 22, at two John Price, Belle
Sauvage Hotel, and Plaistow, Essex, innkeeper and
farmer, Jan. 19, at one—W. Brooks, Great Queen-
street, Lincoln's Inn-fields, carver and gilder, Jan. 25,
at two.

In the Country.
H. Nicholls and T. Hilliar, Eastham, Cheshire, steam-
packet owners, Jan. 24, at eleven, at th© Court, Liver-
pool—J. Ingram, Liverpool, merchant, Jan. 24, at
eleven, at the Court, Liverpool—F. Brown, Tunstall,
StiLffordshiro, tanner, Jan. 20, at twelve, at the Court,
Birmingham.
At the Court of Review, Jan. 19.
J. Lee, Manchester, paper hang r—E. Smith, Shide,
near Newport, Isle of Wight, brick and tile maker—T.
Carden, Oxford-street, silk mercer—F. Davis, Luton,
Bedfordshire, merchant—J. liippax, Pirnet-bridge, near
.*
Colne, Lancashire, cotton spinner—T. Ridpath, Leeds,
auctioneer--j. Walters, Union-street, Southwark, and
London-wall, bottle merchant—G. Webster, Royston,
Yorkshire, nail and bolt maker—A. Peters, Manchester.
spirit merchant.

PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED.
S. Hull, T. H. Riches, J. Smith, and H. Hull, Ux-
bridge, bankers (so far as regards S. Hull)—J. Jackson,
J. Astin, J. Balker, J. Jackson, J. Astin, and B. Sut-
cliffe, 'Rochdale, millwrights—J. Dawes, sen., and J.
Dawes, jun., Wednesbury, Staffordshire, tailors—W.
and J. Sutton, Knightsbridge-terrace, Knightsbridge,
general drapers—J. P. Whitmore and H. W. Goulding,
Bartholoarew-close, City, Foreign and British lace ma-
nufacturers—S. and J. Boyle, Altrincham, Cheshire,
grocers and corn dealers—G. Knight and T. Cardus,
Leamington, Warwickshire, railway contractors--E.
Sheldon and J. Turley, Cowley, Staffordshire, iron-
founders—R. Anderson and W. Rewcastle, Llexham,
Northumberland, tailors and drapers—W. Appleby, R.
Strong, and C. D. Makepeace, Birmingham, screw
makers (so far as regards W. Appleby)—T. Hunny-
bun and E. Venden, Cambridge, coach manufacturers--
C. J. Parry and J. Parry, Manchester, boot and shoe
makers—M. Cragg and J. Lancaster, Colne and Burnley,
Lancashire, tea dealers—G. Price and G. Williams,
Wolverhampton, printers and stationers—G. Birdseye
and C. Harding, Fenchurch-street, City, tea dealers—
Elizabeth Saul and R. Saul, Tylor's-court, Newgate-
market, meat salesmen—E. Smith and J. Jordan, Bir-
mingham, surgeons—l. Jay and E. Unwin, Addle-
street, Aldermanbury, City, warehousemen Frances
Montgomery Kleckhoefer and Emma Collins, Bank,
Highgate, schoolmistresses —J. Parkin and J. G. V.
Millingen, Battersea, lunatic asylum proprietors—E.
A. Bignell and C. Fryer, Kingsbridge, Devonshire,
brewers—J. Corbett, sen., J. Corbett, and J. Corbett,
jun., Birmingham, carriers— T. and R. Butler, White-
haven, tobacco and snuff manufacturers.
INSOLVENT PETITIONERS.
Jonathan Thorp, Huddersfield, eating-house keeper.
William Tipple, King's Lynn.
Walter Hendry, Grimstone, Norfolk, butcher.
George Eldridge, King's Lynn, engraver.
Ellis Brook, Huddersfield, waste, size, and flock dealer.
Edward Cooke, Fartown, Yorkshire, attorney's clerk.
Frederick Peters, Swindon, Wiltshire, clerk.
Mark Tomlin, Downholme, Yorkshire, joiner.
Joseph Priestly, Stainland, Yorkshire, stone delver.
William Clegg, Barkisland, Yorkshire, farm labourer.
William Bowen, Trevinon,Brecknockshire.
John Davies, Senny- bridge, Brecknockshire.
Thomas James, Llethergnien, Brecknockshire.
Clement Keys, Derby, publican.
James Down, Milton next Sittingbourne, Kent, black-
smith.
John Baldwin, Borough-green, Cambridgeshire, black-
smith.

SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.
T. F. Smith, Dumfries, writer and nurseryman, to meet
within the King's Arms Inn, Dumfries, Jan. 2 and 28, at
twelve.

A. Richardson, Edinburgh, silk mercer, to meet
within Stevenson's Sale-rooms, Edinburgh, Jan. 4 and
26, at one.

PRICE OF SUGAR.
The average price of Brown orMuscovado Sugar, computed
from the returns made in the week ending
December 26
1848. is 225. 3;i41. per cwt.

EMIGRATION.—PrTMoirriI, DEC.2B.—The Spartan,
Captain Pain, from London, the 25d, with 100 passen-
gers, left the Sound to-day for Adelaide and Port Philip.
The Jullindar, Captain Burn, from London, having
embarked 184 free emigrants for Sydney, sailed also
this morning. The Mary Ann, Captain Darby, arrived
on the 21st front Bristol, bound for South Australia,
took 173 statute adults, and sailed yesterday for Ade-
laide. The Lady Amherst, Captain Myhill, is now in
the Sound preparing for the embarkation of her passen-
gers for Sydney direct. 164 free emigrants are waiting
the expected arrival of the David Malcolm, of London,
Captain Smith, bound for South Australia. The John
Mitchell, from London, bound for Adelaide, and the
Sir George Seymour, Captain Millman, from London
for Port Philip, are hourly expected; the free emigrants
for the latter ship assemble on Monday, Jan. 1. The
William Watson, for Adelaide and Port Philip, sailed
on the 16th inst., and the Pakenham, bound for Port
Adelaide, and the Digby, for Sydney, on the 17th. The
Hamburgh ship Nord America, Captain Ratlije, from
Hamburgh for New York, sailed on the 18th. Tho
Coromandel, for Port Adelaide, Port Philip, and Syd-
ney, on the 19th, and the General Palmer, which ar-
rived on the 20th from London, left for Port Philip on
the 22d.

In excavating for the new sewer now making in
Quay street Bristol, the workmen came upon the found.
anon of the old city wall, which, centuries ago, it is pro-
bable, was washed by the tide, as, at a considerable depth
from the surface, they discovered a canoe, fourteen feet
long, and four feet wide, shaped from a single trunk of
timber, the wood being comparatively sound. Unfortu-
nately
..
nately this relic of antiquity bad to be sawn through, as
it was found impossible, without great risk of injury to
the workmen, to ;owi e t entire.—. Bristol Gazette.

FINANCIAL REFORM.
PUBLIC MEETING.
(From the Caledonian Mercury of Thursday.)
Last night a public meeting, under the auspices of the
Financial Reform Association, was held in the Waterloo
Rooms, for the purpose of passing resolutions in favour
or economy snd retrenchment in the national expendi-
ture. The meeting was very numerously and re-
apectably attended. Amongst those on the plat-
form we observed the Lord Provost, Charles Cowan,
Esq., M.P., William Chambers, Esq., A. Dunlop, Esq.,
advoebte, Jots Wigham, jun., Esq., Duncan M'Laren,
Esq., William Duncan, Esq., S.S.C., Professor Dick,
James Maelaren, Esq., Archibald Thomson, Esq., Bailies
Tanis and Melville, Dean of Guild Wilson, Con-
vener Weir, auncillors James Gray, A. Fyfe, R.
Miller, Hay, Ridpath, Sclanders, Gulland, Drum-
mond, and Anderson; Thomas Russell, Esq., Peter
Ilowden, Esq., Robert S. Grieve,
,jun., Esq., William
Tait, Esej., Robert Cox, Esq., W.S.; Ralph Rich-
ardsen,q., William Deans, Esq., Thomas Ire-
land, Esq., Alexander Craig, Esq., William M•Crie,
:Esq., Dr. T. Alexander, John Richardso, Esq., Leitch
Ritchie, Esq., Jobe Johnstone, Esq., R. Sheds, Esq.,
R. Howden, Esq., W.S.; Hugh Rose, Esq., Provost
M'Laren, Leith; George Stone. Esq., Hew Crichton,
Esq., Robert Richardson, Esq., Peter Wilson, Esq., J.
M. Mitchell, Esq., Leith; James Durham, Esq., J.
Menzies, Esq., J. P. Falkner, Esq., R Whyte, Esq., R.
W. Jameson, Esq., W.S.; Thomas Nelson, Esq., &c.
On the motion of Mr. JOHN WIGHACI, jun., the Lord
Provost was called to the chair.
The Loss PROVOST said, he was desired to state, that
Mr. Duncan, the Member for Dundee; had sent en
apology regretting that he could not be present on that
occasion. He (the Lord Provost) begged to thank them
for placing him in the chair at such a large and influen-
tial meeting of Isis fellow-citizens. They were met for
no party purpose.—(Hear, hear.) They were about
to make no party warfare; but they ware about respect-
fully, and he trusted firmly, to urge upon the Govern-
ment of the country the duty, and he would say the
necessity, of keeping the national expenditure within
the national income.—(Applause.) There eould be no
doubt that this great country had been stricken with
a fit of thrift.—(Hear, and a laugh.) From one end of
the land to the other, they had people calling out " eco-
nomy, economy," and he had no doubt that, sooner or
later, and to a larger or smaller extent, they would hare
their humour out.—(Applause.) He trusted that their
demands that evening would be reasonable, that they
would prune the overgrown branches of the State with
something like caution; that they would enforce their de-
xemn4s with no other force than the force of reasoning ;
that they would make their demands firmly but reason-
ably; and he had no doubt, if this were done, to both
Bongos of the British Legislature the British public
would not call in vain.—(Applause.) He trusted,
at the same time, that they would ask nothing
that might tend, even by implication, to weaken the
faith of the nation, nor yet to injure in any way the great
institutions of the State. He had a strong feeling that
those gallant men who had fought our battles by land
and by sea ought to be honourably and liberally re-
warded.—(Hear, and applause.) He knew that there
were amongst them, not there, but elsewhere, some who
would not care to scuttle the labouring vessel of the
state; but he knew that it was theirs rather to stop the
leak, and to right the vesseL—(Applause.) Believing
this to be their sentiments, he trusted that everything
would be done decently and in order,—(The Lord Pro-
vost resumed his seat amidst applause.)
Mr. Wenulet CHAMBERS said, the motion that had
been put into his hand referred to the present unsatis-
factory condition of the national finances, and the great
waste in various departments of the State; and these
were truths so universally acknowledged, that he should
be fortunately spared making any very lengthened
explanations or remarks. According to the last annual
exposition of affairs, it appeared that the expenditure
for the year exceeded the revenue by about three
millions. To find means for the exigency, the Govern-
ment attempted to raise the income-tax from three to
five per cent. and failed.—(Hear, hear.) Instead of re-
sorting to any scheme of retrenchment, they had bor-
rowed money, and thus increased the national debt.
Alarmed at this state of things, and perceiving a re-
markable natty on the subject among the party in
power, financial reform associations had spontaneously
sprung up in different parts of the country.—(Hear.)
Whatever be the aims of these bodies generally, our ob-
ject was clear before us. It was to show by a proper
exhibition of figures and facts, that so far from adding
to the burdens of the people, taxation might be ma-
terially diminished, merely by effecting certain impor-
tant retrenchments in expenditure, and that without im-
pairing the necessary efficiency of the public service.—
(Applause.) He would, in the first place, allude to the
various items of income and expenditure. Our present
annual income was said to be fifty-one millions, and our
expenditure fifty four millions. But here, at the very out-
set, he was under the necessity of complaining that means
were not afforded for the country learning what was the
actual or whole revenue, or how it was spent. The me-
thod of keeping the Government accounts was so com-
plicated, that they never got a clear debtor and cre-
ditor statement; and the tru:h was only got at by sifting
a large mass of blue books. Instead of fifty-one mil-
lions the income was fifty-eight millions, and instead
of fifty-four millions, the expenditure was sixty-one
mlllione.—(Hear, hear.) The source of this mystifica-
tion was very easily explained. The various departments
of the customs, excise, taxes, &c., were in the practice of
detaining certain moneys as they passed through their
hands, and paying the salaries of officials and other ex-
penses which were incurred. The amount which was
thus detained, in the aggregate, amounted in the various
departments to seven milliMis; therefore the income of
this country was fifty-eight not fifty-one millions.—
(Hear.) The ready excuse for this kind of practice
was, that it was convenient and saved trouble; and that

it was much the same thing in the end, as the money
"I" must be paid at any rate.—(A laugh.) There might be
some reason for this were the payments only the salaries
cyf icffecials ; but it appeared from an inspection of cer-
tain blue books, that such was not altogether true. It
seemed that, besides paying the salaries of officers, there
were a number of payments or pensions to individuals
altogether unconnected with those departments. They
would, perhaps, be somewhat surprised to learn that in
Scotland the whole expense of our courts of judicature
and our sheriffs' was not paid out of the Exchequer,
but taken one of money intercepted as >t passed through
the customs. In other words, 169,000/. out of the
customs were detained to pay the Court of Session and
the other ceurts ; which sum did not make its appear-
ance in the national accounts. Another payment was
detained from the taxes to the extent of 17,0001., in
order to augment the stipends of the clergy of the
Established Church. This sum did not make its ap-
pearance in the usual way through Parliatneat, but
was paid,lin a kind of behind-backs way, out of cer-
tain departments of the State without making its
appearance in the expenditure. But there was some-
thing much more objectionable than that. He alluded
to certain pensions. The Post-office revenue, for in-
stance, was charged with a pension to the Duke of
Marlborough of 4,0001. ; the Duke of Grafton
3,407/. 100. ; and the heirs of the Duke of Schomberg
2,200 i. ; in all 10,3078. 10s., which was intercepted as it
passed through the Post-office, to pay pensions, which,
he ventured to say, were imposed fully a century ago.
The same thing was done with respect to the Excise.
He fonad, with reference to the blue book before him, that
there was another pension to the Duke of Grafton, who
received 7,12]Z from the Excise. The Earl Cowper
received 1,595/. from the same source ; while 1,1001.
was given Is a moiety of the Earl of Bath's pension ;
making. 9,980/. odd from the Excise. This was a state
of things which they had great reason to complain of ;
and what they wanted was this, that all payments neces-
sary to be.paid should be paid directly from the Exchequer,
and that those payments should pass under the revision
of the House of Commons, so that they would
know exactly how they stood.—(Applause.) By this
Paeans, and by this means only, would they have a clear
debtor and (median statement. There were various
ether things connected with the book-keeping of the coun-
try which he could mention; as for instance, the national
debts of Ragland and Ireland were still kept separate,
as well as the consolidated funds of Great Britain and Ire-
land; just as if Great Britain and Ireland were two dis-
tinct nations, whereas they were incorporated into one at
the period of the Union in 11100.—( Applause.) In reality,
this sytem of mystification in making up the books of the
country rendered it quite impossible for any man who did
not sit down, and take a week to study a great variety of
I, Wee books, and that with the greatest possible trouble, to
have an accurate idea cif the moneys which were paid out.
11% Passed from that, as one of the things which they
wished se have reformed, to much graver matters. He
had stated that the expenditure of the country was
shoat 54 millions. Now, of this 28 millions were ex-
pomaded in the shape of payment of the interest on
the national debt. That could not be meddled with.
The national creditors' rights would not be invaded
by anything he should say. Whatever obligations had
been incurred, they must be honourably met.—(Hear.)
Moe next item in the national budget consisted
of about 11,700,0001, for the civil Government. The en-
tire cost of the civil Government of this great empire
was 2,700,0001.; which, at the present amount of po-
pulation, came to about 2s. a head. But they paid, be-
sides this, such an enormous sum for what was set
down under the war establishment, that it left the
civil Government altogether insignificant in amount.
The present amount paid for the war establish-
ment was IS millions. This, with the 28 millions of
interest on the national debt, which he considered to be
nothing more than a postponed war tax, brought the
total payment of this country for the war principle to
forty-six millions.—(Hear.) That they paid forty-six
millions for war there could be no doubt. Now, forty-
six millions for war, two or throe millions for the civil
Government, and two or three millions extra for such
parposea as affording relief to Ireland, was all that we
had to pay; and if, therefore, there was any saving to
be effected at all, it mist be, as Mr. Cobden said, out
of oar enormous expenditure--(Applause.) The sum
of 18 millions Was so vast, that they could not form a
right or adequate idea of its amount. They saw the
fignres before them, but they could not form in their
imagination what it would buy. He would, therefore,
suggest to their mind some idea of its The annual rental
of Edinburgh and its suburbs was about 500000/ , and
taking the property at 25 years' purchase, which Would
be 12,500,000 L, it thus appeared that eight months of
the present war expenditure was equal to the value
of the whole fee simple of Edinburgh. As a similar
comparison could be drawn in reference to Glasgow,
Liverpool, Manchester, and other cities, they had
the startling fact of the war expenditure gradually swal-
lowing up the whole value of the country. It was alleged
that this expenditure on the war establishment was re-
quired to defend the country from invasion, but he be-
lieved that to be a complete fallacy. The greater pro-
portion of our armaments were employed iu interfering
in the government of foreign nations, and for maintain-
ing our colonial possessions—but they surely had come to
this knowledge, that in future they should not interfere in
the quttrreli of foreign nations,—(Applause.) They had

nearly got enough of interference with foreign nations.
The national debt was incurred in a great measure, be-
cause we interfered with our aeighbotirs. quarrels.
Since such was the case, on what grounds did they
continue to keep a fleet of war vessels in the Mediterra-
nean or in the Tagus? He wanted to know from Lord
Palmerston what right the people of Britain had to main-
tain the present Queen on the throne of Portugal, if the
people of Portugal desired somebody else? The same
thing might be said with respect to Naples and
Sicily. If there was a quarrel between the Nea-
politans and the Sicilians, let them settle that quarrel
amongt themselves.—(Continued applause.) But instead
of this we were in the habit of keeping up a fleet of
vessels in the Bay of Naples and in the Straits of Mes-
sina, with a view of acting, as it were, as police-
officers for the Neapolitans.—(Laughter and applause.)
He observed that there was at one time as many
as six vessels of war lying with their guns pointed
to the city of Naples. Could that be considered either
as a just or a Christian action ? How should we like
if a fleet of Neapolitan vessels were lying in the Firth
of Forth, with their guns pointed to Edinburgh, and
determined to lie there until we settled some internal
outburst ? We should say, in all likelihood, " Go
away, we will be quite able to settle our disputes our-
selves."—(Loud applause.) If the Government con-
sidered that the present war establishment was abso-
lutely necessary for the defence of the country let them
say so; but they did not say so; for we were told by
the Speech from the Throne, year after year, that her
Majesty was at peace with all foreign nations.—
(Hear, hear.) Therefore there must he some fallacy
tinder the matter.—(Hear, hear.) If Lord John Russell
now chose to tell them that it was necessary to pre-
serve these large armanents, because foreign powers were
at this moment also powerfully armed, he could just turn
to his own learned treatise on constitutional government,
printed almost 25 years ago, where he found his Lord-
ship saying, that " As long as the numbers of the army
can be proved to be indispensable for maintaining garri-
sons and fortified places, and preserving a nucleus of
war, the nation may consider general harangues against
a standing army as puerile declamation ; but when
they hear it urged, that it is necessary to assimilate
our peace establishment to that of the Continental
Powers, and that a large army is rendered necessary
by the increase of our population, then it is time for
them to rouse themselves, and shake off, before it is
too late, the burden of a military Government."—
(Applause.) He believed that Lord John Russell could
not deny that another large department of the expen•
diture was incurred by what was generally considered
the misgovernment of the colonies. It appeared by an
admirable speech on the subject by Sir William Moles-
worth last session, that the colonies required very
few soldiers indeed, provided they were properly go-
verned. On the contrary, however, we denied
them their proper constitutional rights, while we en-
tailed on 'them heavy taxes.—(Hear, hear.) The
consequence was, that those colonies, whose arrange-
ments were managed in connexion with the Co-
lonial-office were always in a half state of re-
bellion, and therefore it was necessary to keep troops
in the colonies with the view of suppressing these pos-
sible revolts. He thought it was quite passible that they
might purchase the colonies, and the whole colonial
possessions, at much too high a price.—(Great applause).
The amount of our trade with them was not more than
from seven to eight millions. Now, the colonies cost us
in cash four millions, and as at this moment we were
losing three millions in connexion with certain differen-
tial duties, therefore we were, in point of fact, keeping
these colonies for the purpose of making them a
present of some seven or eight millions worth
of goods.—(Hear, hear.) It seemed that the expendi-
ture on the colonies was always in the ratio of the man-
ner in which they were locally governed. The cost
for the local government of those colonies which had
representative assemblies was, he believed, only
14s. 11d. a head ; whereas those colonies which
were managed by the Colonial-office were 11. 14s.
a head. Sir William Molesworth alluded, in the
course of his speech, to the singular difference that
prevailed between the salaries paid to certain func-
tionaries in these colonies and similar officials in the
United States. He said, that in Canada, with a popula-
tion of 1,200,000, the Governor was paid 7,0001. a year,
while the President of the United States received on's]
5,000/. ; and the Governor of no individual State recai*" New
York, than 1,2Q0/. The Governor of the State of
York, for instance, received 800 L Then the Chief Jus-
tices of, Upper and Lower Canada were paid 1,500“ a year
each, while the Chancellor and the Chief justice of the
State of New York received only 800/..: p year each—
and so on. And not only so, but there were frequent
payments to parties in the colonies who also possessed
situations at home. It was quite a common thing, for
example, for a person to be a Governor, and to possess
two or three other situations. He might, perhaps, be
the colonel of an army in England. By such means, he
might swell his salary to en enormous amount. Such
was the case with the Governor of Bermuda. He
was the Governor of Bermuda, while he was at the same
time a captain of the royal navy. In short, there was
no end of it. They must, therefore, agree with Mr.
Cobden when be said that the principal saving in our
overgrown expenditure was to be effected by an enor-
mous reduction in our armaments.—(Applause.) It was
his belief that such armaments were not necessary or
desirable. They wished then to take off a number of the
millions off that account. But independently of this,
and which had escaped Mr. Cobden's attention, they held
that there might be an immense saving by the re-orga-
nization of certain departments within these. Could any-
thing be more monstrous than for every regiment to
have a colonel and a lieutenant-colonel; or one man to
do the duty, and the other to sit at home and do noth'irs
Yet these colonels were well paid. In tnrning to the
Army List, he found that their salary was about 600/.
a-year; but, over and above this, they also enjoyed the
privilege of supplying the army with clothing. They
were, in point of fact, merehant tailors.—(Laughter
and applause.) They might draw 6001. a year as
colonels, but perhaps they might pocket 4004 or 5001. a
year in the shape of cabbage.—(Renewed laughter and
applause.) They were now let into the secret of how
the Merchant Tailor Incorporation of London enter•
tamed the Duke of Wellington and other generals and
colonels to dinner. They were all birds of a feather.—
(A laugh.) With respect to the navy, the same thing
went on there. In turning to the blue books he found,
that they had at the present moment 199 admirals; and
and that of that number 185 were on half pay, so that
there were only, in point of fact, 14 performing their
proper functions.—(Hear and cheers.) This was pleas-
ing enough for them, but hard enough for us. All this
was monstrous and must be reformed. Mr. Osborne
mentioned in the debate, on the army estimates that by
Bach matters alone, at least 570,0001. could be saved every
year. If this were the case, why was it net done? Why
had not the present Government the energy to investi-
gate this matter? We need not say any more respect-
ing our war establishment, which had been so admirably
treated by Mr. Cobden. Therefore, he would go to
some other departments where the pruning knife was
required. He would re:Cr to the Woods and Forests,
where monstrous abuses existed. It appeared that the
entire revenue of the Woods and Forests for one year
was 470,000/., and that the expenditure was 332,060/.
He observed with respect to the New Forest, that it con-
sisted of 66,000 acres, valued at a million and a half. 52
keepers were required, the head keeper being the Duke
&Cambridge. He would be far indeed from wishing to
rob England of the dignity of having these forests, but
he thought that as matters stood, economy earnestly
demanded that they ought by all means to be got rid of.
—(Hear.) One of the forests was a dead loss, the keep-
ing of it being more than the remuneration got from it.
The Government had one farm for keeping deer, which
deer were kept for official presents. This farm was a
dead loss. It did not realise a shilling.. But it was said
that these forests were necessary for the purpose of fur-
nishing timber. This, it appeared, was also a fallacy.
One would suppose that the timber required to build
our ships would be transferred from these fo-
rests direct to the dockyards, without having to be
sold in the usual way that timber was sold.
It appeared, however, that the Woods and Forests
Commissioners sold the timber to the Admiralty, which
was just the same as if one's left hand was to sell to his
right.—(A laugh.) Now, the charge which the Com-
missioners of Woods aad Forests made for the load of
timber was eight guineas ; but the Admiralty had found
that they could get timber for six guineas equally good.
It was a mystery how contractors, that get their wood
from these same forests could undersell the Commis-
sioners ; and it was perhaps only to be explained on the
principle laid down by King Richard, when he gave a
warrant to kill three deer, saying " If that bo not a war-
rant for killing thirty, I am no true King."—(Laughter.)
Therefore, perhaps, when they got a warrant to cut
down ten trees, they cut down a hundred. Hence it was
clear 'that the Government made nothing by being
timber merchants, and the sooner they gave it up the
better.—(Applause.) But it might be said, what would
we do for these forests in time of war, as we could not
get wood to build our ships ?—(Hear, hear.) Sir
Williamgot as Symonds, however, said that timber could
ho
good, and much cheaper, from the Appenines,
and hence it was better at once to retire from that
which they wished to get rweafoarmoende. olfinthcehampobienrtss
trade. This, therefore,
services, and stated, thatenormoussums expended in diplo-
maticthen referred to the
exclusive
vdei diplomacy
aboutf macy costs3o,
o oouls.
annually 170,0001., which was efx
ncAi telranadentaasislaindgorst,hheo itemsss
Ppaalidd tfoora nstemebiselr reofistshioenps.ri
if it was not altogether monstrouspa ked
should be allowed to go on ? nexthethat such a system
re-
quired revision was the pension list. It thing that
year to 586,000/., and was made up fasnanoniiilnte d last
21,0001. a-year to the Duke of Cumberland, who items
as
present the reigning Bing of Hanover ; ancla greatwasat
..
number of sums paid to individuals who never did
any-
thing for their pensions. He would be the last man to
take a penny from any man that had done any service to
his country. He held that young men entering" the
army or navy should be paid the best price that was paid
by any state ; but ho would say to them, no, we ex-
pect that you will do your duty for it ; and when von
are no longer able to perform your functions, we will give .
you a proper retiring allowance. Mr. Chambers 1
then alluded to the large sums that were paid annually
for the police of Dublin and London, as well as to the
grants given yearly to the benevolent institutions of the
former city ; and said that it was unfair to give nothing
to Scotland for those purposes, when so much was given
to England and to Ireland ; although his own opinion
was that the police of eaeh city should be paid by the
inhabitants of it.. , He then adverted to the expenses in-
curred in the slave trade, and said it cost us 700,C00/.
a-year, or about 2301. for each slave liberated; indepen-
dently of a loss of life equal to one Englishman for
every four slaves liberated. This should also be re-
formed; and the only way, in his opinion, for !putting
an end to this inhuman traffic would be to belt the coast
of Africa with civilised communities like that of Liberia,
recently established. Mr. Chambers concluded, amidst
much applause, by proposing the first resolution, which
was as follows ;—" That the national finanoes are at it

present in a most unsatisfactory condition, there being
not only an excess of expenditure over revenue, but an
enormous waste in various departments of the State."
Mr. ALEIANDER DUNLOP, advocate, said that he rose
with very great pleasure to second the resolutions which
had been proposed. He felt that be could not rise to the
expectation which his friend Mr. Chambers had held
out, because his leisure did not permit him to make that
preparation for addressing them on the subject as he
would wish to do. He, however, gladly appeared to
show his good will for the cause which had brought
them together. Although he feared he stood very much
alone, at least on the platform, in the profession to which
he belonged—(Applause)—yet he must say that he
was cordially prepared to take part with his fellow-
citizens in any change which should be made against
a penny-wise and pound foolish economy—(A p-
plause)—and to take his stand along with them in
insisting on whatever Government should be in power,
whether Whig, Tory, or Radical, that the matter of the
national finance should be put right. (Continued ap-
lance.) He was happy in having been preceded
by a gentleman who had made himself so thoroughly
master of the details connected with this subject, and
' he would nut say a word upon the dotails. There were
just two general facts which he thought were sufficient
to satisfy him as to the necessity of this meeting being
held, and of corresponding meetings being held through-
out the kingdom. The first fact was, that for the last
three or four years this country, in financial !nat-
ters, was, as it were, swimming for existence, the in-
come being unable to meet the expenditure, and trying
to make up the deficiency here at one time and there at
another.—(Hear, hear.) Last year it was found that
they could not increase the taxation of the country; and
in this way they were cramped, crippled, and hampered,
unable to do any one thing; and so far from being in a
state to be the dread of any nation who might attempt,
or might be supposed to attempt, to attack them,
they might just be regarded as an object of prey,
from the very circumstance that they were so
fettered and embarrassed that tkey dared not
turn their hand to any one single thing.—(Hear, hear.)
All that they could do was just to keep themselves afloat,
as they found that they could scarcely pay the current
expenditure of the year. Now this state of things must
be put an end to—(Great applause)—because, if they
went on as they were doing, they must make up their
minds to look in the face all those terrible dangers to
which embarrassed finances has always exposed, and
must continue to expose, every nation. This state of
things must, however, be put an end to. They must
have an expenditure less than their income; nay, they
must have a surplus income over their expenditure, or
they must be prepared to face dangers which were be-
yond all calculation. The question then was, how a sur-
plus income could be realised. It has been proved that,
for the last two or three years, there has been in-
creased taxation.—(Hear, hear.) The country will not
bear this, and it ought not to boar it.—(Applause.)
The only way, therefore, in which a surplus tincome
can be effected, was by a reduction of the expenditure;
and at whatever sacrifice, this must be done.—(Hear.)
They, however, knew from the experience of past years,
that a reduction of the expenditure could take place.
present.
When they looked to 1835 they found that the expendi-
ture in that year was ten millions less than at
He did not say that all the reductions which were made
in that year were the very best that could have been
made. He believed that what was done in that way then
was not intended for a permanent redaction. He believed
that there were clippings and pariogs, and perhaps un-
wise pieces of economy then made, in order to reduce
the expenditure for a year or t•"; but he knew from it
that a large reduction could ao made with perfect secu-
rity to the country, and ail their available means of
defence.—(Hear.) He
concurred entirely in the obser-
vations that had been°slide, that those who were engaged
at present in this agitation would scorn the idea of desir-
ing to clip and pate down the men who really served the
country.—(Applause.) They wished that all those men
who served the country should be well paid; and no class
new better that it was the worst economy to
p.i.valuable services, than those who were now
of men k
gaged in promoting financial reform—men who were
under
en
engaged in conducting trading establishments, and who
knew the value of good services, and that it was the worst
economy that could be conceived to give inadequate
remuneration for that service.—(Loud applause.) But
what those who were engaged in prosecuting financial
reform must insist upon was, that men should not be
paid for doing nothing et all, and that establishments
should not be kept up beyond the country's necessity.
It has been said that the defence of the country re-
quires an enormous military and naval force, and that at
present no reduction can be made in these branches.
For his own feeling, although they could not
certainly know that the nations might yet hang up the
trumpet in the hall and study war no more, yet, un-
doubtedly there was a general inclination and a prevail-
ing love of peace and of brotherhood among all nations.
—(Applause)—and this was a feeling which they ought
to cultivate and endeavour to promote everywhere. He
felt that they were far more safe now from foreign foes
than they had been for many years; but he was con-
vinced that by keeping up a large army they rather
tended to keep up hostile feelings.—(Applause.) But
beyond this, it was not by maintaining a very large stand-
ing army that they could put themselves beyond the risk
of invasion, because that could never now be accomplished
by a coup de main.—(Hear, hear.) There were now no
hordes of Normans or of Danes to come upon them as in
ancient times. It would be the longest purse in the long
run that would ultimately gain; and if any nation were
inclined to attack or to interfere with them, they would
dread this country far more, and would be far more
unwilling to interfere, if they saw their finances were
in a satisfactory condition, and that they had got a
surplus revenue, than if they saw a standing army of
200,000 men crippling their finances, and alto-
gether preventing them from raising new taxes, if they
were required.—(Loud applause.) The truth was, that
it was not the defence of the country that required their
present large war establishment. He did not believe
that the parties who said the present large army and
naval establishments were required really thought that
there was any danger to the country. What was it that
the statesmen of all parties wished ? They wished for
a large existing standing army and navy, in order that
they might be employed in any quarter of the world
where they wished to interfere, for the purpose of back-
ing their diplomatists in their intolerable intermoddling
between nation and nation—(Applause)—and between
the rulers of the nation and the people of the nation—a
course of conduct by which we have been intolerably
annoyed by all cur rulers for generations past.—(Hear,
hear.) Just take the case which Mr. Chambers has put.
They had a fleet in the Tagus, and a fleet at Messina ;
and as if to show that there was no earthly principle in
the matter, that the only objeet which their rulers had
at heart was the insane desire of intermeddling in the
affairs of other countries, they found that the
fleet in the Tagus was stationed there to maintain
an absolute throne, and to put the people down, while
the fleet at Messina was to support the popular party
against the King of Naples.—(Loud applause.) Did not
that conclusively show that it was not for liberty and
monarchial Government that their rulers intermeddled,
but that it was from the insane desire to intermeddle
with other people's concerns.—(Hear, hear.) He trusted
that they would soon put an end to this evil. At all
events, the reduction of their standing army and their
navy would prevent their statesmen from interfering in
this way. It was now time that the people of this coun-
try were convinced of the folly of such lntermeddling.
When they looked back for a period of a quarter of a
century, during which all the nations of Europe, and
this country along with the rest, co-operated to pre-
vent France from choosing her own ruler, and
when they saw that after having succeeded in com-
pelling that nation to part with the man they
desired, and against whom we had, he might almost
say, an intense animosity, he thought they might
learn an instructive lesson, when they found that after
all the fearful expenditure of blood and treasure which
that occasioned, that very people had made choice of the
heir of that very man—(Loud applause)—and when
they saw that by universal acclamation the whole of the
people of France had elected him as supreme ruler, the
only difference being that if we had let things alone—if
we had not spent all that money and blood, and had not
gone into a fearful foreign war which had desolated the
world, this individual would have succeeded as the heir
of his uncle in a quiet and orderly way, and in a manner
which he thought would have been far more satisfactory
to the parties who so determinedly resisted Napoleon,
than in having been elected by universal consent to rule
over them. The other object for which their great stand-
ing army and the navy was kept up was for maintaining
order in the colonies. New, here again the reduction
would be attended with a great collateral advantage in
addition to a saving in our finances, namely, that it would
compel their rulers to administer the affairs of the colo-
nies in a manner far more enlightened, and far more
suitable for the interests of the people of this country,
and also for the colonies themselves. They had always
treated the colonies as foreign states to be managed for
us. They had excluded them from all foreign trade—
they had insisted on forcing a monopoly of their trade
on the colonies, and they had to give them a monopoly
in this country in return. That system was now ended;
and he trusted they would soon:see that they must treat
their colonies as young nations to be trained for as-
suming a position of independence as soon as it suited
the mutual interests and inclinations of both parties.—
(Cries of " Hoar, hear.") The first step that would lead
to this was, as far as possible, to leave the colonies to
manage their own concerns, and as a corollary to this,
leaving them to maintain the burden of their own in-
ternal administration. Now, if these two principles
were carried out—the non-intervention with other na-
tions, and a more just, liberal, and intelligent dealing
with their colonies—he had not the least doubt that,
without in the alighest degree affecting the means of the
country's defence, the standing army and the navy might
be reduced to such an amount as would remit a very
large portion of the excess of expenditure which had
taken place between 1835 and the present time.—(Hear.)
This would be a relief to the country from the fearfully
oppressive load of taxation under which it groaned.
Now, the importance of this no one could judge of. It
would be an advantage to the country, in adding to its
firmness, its stability, and its respectability in the eyes
of foreign nations, and it would be of farther advantage
to the Government itself, in enabling it to patronise the
liberal arts, and to promote internal improvements. In
addition to this, consider what an immense relief
the removal of a considerable portion of tho :taxes
would give to the commerce of the country. That was
an object of the utmost importance. The Learned
Gentleman then stated, that he conceived that the pres-
sure of taxation upon the great mass of the people had
an injurious effect in regard to their moral improvement,
although ho could not go the length of thinking with the
Liverpool Financial Association, that the main means of
elevating the mass of the people of this country consisted
in a change in the mode of taxation. Another most
valuable effect that would be produced by reducing the
taxation of the country was by removing the strong feel-
ing and irritation that existed between the different
ranks of society, They should remove all grounds for-

leading the people to suppose that the army, naval, and
civil establishments were not kept up for the weleare rand
defence of the country, but for providing stations for
the younger sons of the aristocracy. As an earnest
friend of the aristocracy and of the constitution of the
country, he deprecated from his soul the existence of any-
thing that created intense irritation between the diffe-
rent classes of ail community; and he conceived that it
was the duty of the aristocracy themselves, if they were
clear-sighted to their own real and true interests, to do
away with every real and apparent ground for irritation
and-dislike on the part of the lower ordersvAnd to make
common cause with them, and to show that they were
all members of the same community, and they were
willing to promote the common good.—(Loud applause.)
Then it was also of immense consequence that financial
reform should be conceded, in order to enlist the cordial
support of the great mass of the people in their existing
constitution. It was very painful to thick that the pro-
posed reform did not come from their rulers.—(hear.)
lie had hoped that, after the passing of the Reform Bill,
the Government would have taken the initiative in mat-
ters of this kind, instead of compelling the country to
resort to agitation. He regretted, however, to say that
it was only by agitation that any relief had been ob-
tained; and they were now still compelled to agitate,
instead of having cause to rejoice in the circumstance
that their rulers were going before them in the march
of improvement. —(lleer.)
Mr. CHARLES COWAN, M.P., in a short address,
which our space will not allow us to give, urged that
petitions should be sent into the Legislature from ail
parts of the country, and said that he would support
the movement in his place in the House of Commons.
Mr. JAMES TORROP then came forward from the holy
of the hall to move an amendment in the shape of an
addition to the resolution, but on the suggestion of the
Chairman, he postponed it till he should hear the others
that were to be proposed, as the addition might be
thereby rendered unnecessary.
The resolution was then agreed to.
Councillor Law moved the next resolution, to the
effect, that the existing system of taxation was unequal
in its pressure, and required very considerable modifica-
tions, to the relief of trade, and an improvement in the
general circumstances of the country.
Mr. W. DUNCAN, S.S.C., in seconding the resolution,
which was agreed to, adverted to the inequality that
existed in reference to direct and indirect taxation; and
in particular referred to the smallneas of the duty exi-
gible on landed property on the death of the proprietor,
as distinguished from Personal property.
Mr. SIBRALD, Master of the Merchant Company, said
the resolution he had to propose was so simple and self-
evident that nothing was needed to be said in its favour,
and the substance was that they thought a different
mode of keeping the public accounts should be adopted.
Reference had been made by Mr. Chambers as to the
mode in which the tax accounts had been kept, and as
to their net getting a correct estimate of the real yield
ca the taxes from the deduction of expenses, and from
their being saddled with pension grants, and so forth.
This not only concealed from the public the real amount
paid, but prevented the House of Commons from having
any control over the seven or eight millions. The ob-
ject of the resolution he was about to propose was to make
the country thoroughly understand the expenditure
and income of the nation, and which they could not do
according to the present mode. It was as follows:
" That besides the necessity for retrenchment, and a mo •
dification of taxation, it is very desirable to have a more
correct method of keeping the public accounts, by which
a clear debtor and creditor statement may be presented
to the country annually."
Mr. JAS. RICHARDIiON seconded the motion. Let
them look for a little at the annual statement for the
year ending sth January, 1846. So as not to detain
them, he would talk of it by millions. The net revenue
was then 54 millions, of which the Customs collected
20i millions from 150 articles, at an expense of two mil-
lions. The Excise yielded, from the seven articles under
its charge, 14 millions, at an expense of one million and
a half. The stamps were seven and a half, the assessed
taxes four, the income-tax five and a quarter, and the
miscellaneous taxes two and three-quarter millions.
Now, let them see what was done with this money.
The national debt, as they were all aware, was
830,000,000/., the interest on which must be paid, and re-
quired 28,000,0001., and then the army, navy, and ord-
nance estimates swallowed up 17,000,000!. Then they
had a civil list, including the allowance to the Queen,
whom might God in haven long preserve to reign over
them! This came to something like nine millions, but
what was all that compared to the fearful waste of 17
millions spent in the War Department, and that at a
time when they were at peace with all the world?—
(Cheers.) It was absurd thus to cherish the worst of all
teelings in the heart of man—envy and strife—forgetful
of the commandment, " live ye peaceably with all men."
They were told that their numerous possessions and ex-
tensive commerce required a large standing army; but
if they ruled their colonies on the principle of justice,
they required no bayonets to attach them to the mother
country; and for their commerce, as a British merchant,
he would say, in the words of the merchants of France,
when invited by a Minister of the Crown (he thought it
was Sully, in the time of Henri IV.), then to say how he
could aid them--" leave us alone." Let them live in
peace with all the world. Their flag was the 11 tg of
peace—which all respected and welcomed wherever it
went.—(Loud cheers.)
The motion was then put and agreed to.
Mr. JAMES MACLAREK then proposed the fourth re-
solution :—" That it is expedient to form in Edinburgh
a Financial Reform Association, which, acting inde-
pendently of party, and without aiming at organic
changes, shall adopt all lawful and constitutional means
for effecting a thorough reform in the national financial
affairs.

Councillor FYFFE seconded the motion, and after ad-
verting at some length to the dangerous situation of a
country whose revenue did not equal the expenditure ;
to the numerous new appointments made during the last
three years, and to:those anticipated in the proposed re-
gistration bills, concluded by remarking, that when the
object of the association had been accomplished, the
springs of industry would be relieved, the toiling mil-
lions would and themselves supported and encouraged by
those above them, and the nation, with a heart buoyant
with joy, an eye beaming with light, and with an elastic
step which nothing would impede, would start onwards
in a new career of glory, happiness, and peace.—(Cheers.)
Mr. TORROP then moved the following addition to the
fourth resolution:—" In so far as they are consistent
with the maintenance of the establishments which are
essential to the safety, dignity, and integrity of this
great empire."
To this the LORD PROVOST said lie had no objection;
but
Mr. DUNCAN WLIREN, as well as the mover of the
resolution, opposed it, on the ground that it was quits
unnecessary, because its import was sufficiently im-
plied in the previous resolutions, and in the proceedings
of the meeting.
The motion was agreed to as it originally stood.
Mr. M'CRIE moved the appointment of a committee,
which consisted of nearly all the gentlemen connected
with the city known to be favourable to the objects of
the association, of which committee William Chambers,
Esq., was appointed president.
Bailie MELVILLE moved a vote of thanks to the Lord
Provost, and the meeting separated.