The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-17 00:00:00

TIIE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARN 17, 1846.1

Hon. Gentleman said, " Counsel ! That is an imputation on my
honour. lam counsel for the agriculturists—l am counsel for the
commercial interest—l am counsel for the whole country—l am coun-
sel for humanity."—(Loud cheers and laughter.) All I claim is to be
counsel for all the great interests of the country. have obliga-
tions superior to any which party engagements impose—namely, to
give that advice which is repaired of me according to my heart and
conscience, and which I believe to be the best for the country."—
(Cheers.) Well, then, there is the Member for Newcastie-under-
Lyne. He informs me that hereafter, and for ever he must with-
draw his confidence from me, and on this ground, that I
establish no gi eat principle in respect to the corn-laws.
Ido not know whether the Hoe. Gentleman has shared in my mis-
fortune, and read the pamphlet of John Colquhoun.—(Great
laughter.) I n 11l now refer, with greatresPect, to a Noble Lord who
has not yet spoken. I mean the Noble Member for Newark.--
(Hear.) But would it be possible for the Government to rely on his
support if they had taken the course of adopting a new and modified
system of corn-laws ?—(liear, hear.) I know not what course he
will take with respect to this measure, for though be says he is in
favour of a repeal of the corn-laws, yet he thinks that the present
Parliament is not the one to enact it. Surely that is no satisfactory
reason.—(llear.) The Hon. Member for Maidstone said he would
not ask whether the measure was right or wrong, but that he
would quote extracts from my speeches to show that I was not con-
sistent. Sir,
.the question for the country is this—is the measure
right or wrong? If it be right and necessary I call on you
to pass it; if it .be wrong, then withdraw your confidence
from the Government.—(Cheering.) You cannot justify an adverse
vote If you believe that we are right.—(Cheers.) The lion. Member
I t illuGimbeuectenierit":el.meoomucirotatuinertd shalls.
for Huntingdon is in favour of the continuation of the
present measure ; and be further gave me notice that henceforth I
cannot calculate on him as a supporter. I implore of hint to visit all
consequences on the Ministry which he may think we merit, but
not to injure the measure we now offer to the country.—(llear,
hear.) if you believe the measure to be necessary, pass it at tile
resisted
a Isofglt
teertadet
touch.—(Cheers
echelhea.w.asirt
Hs.
ycemenhlairteet tslutai
ahesvneltdtcourseclinnaet
um tgalaiitoni
laughter)
feui
drisraau)sciustt e
sujiiiiroeoeoal
manufactures,
present crisis ; but take any opportunity that may offer for punish-
ing the
greasebglground
proposed,
dews
ihejodou
Grease
said he, though grease may be introduced for the benefit of maanfac:

tares, yet I doubt the vigilance of the Custom-house officers, and
some persons may introduce and use the grease intended for manu-
factures as butter. Ido assure the Hon. Gentleman that It is rather

hard to devolve upon me the duty of defending protection, after such
meantres as that ; and I do not believe that the Hon. Gentleman, by
taking this stand upon grease—(Laughter)—did so much injury to
the cause of free trade as to the cause of protection.--(Cheers )
Mr. MILES—I merely stopped the, discussion in order that it
migh' go on the next day. I was not present at the division. •
Sir ROBERT PEEL—I think the Hon. Gentleman has shown

his qualification for the past of leader, by the discretion
which he used in being absent from the division.—(A laugh.)
New with regard to cattle and meat, the Hon. Member opposed the
introdectlon of foreign cattle, because he said it would tend to reduce
the price of home produce, but the fact is the price has increased
rather than decreased, and yet the Hon. Gentleman voted for the
corn-law of 1841, but strenuously opposed the admission of foreign
cattle.—(Hear, hear) And what is it the Hon. Gentleman does
now ? Why, while exulting in having opposed the prohibitory duties
imposed on the admission of foreign cattle into this conutry, he says,
in the year 1843, we suffered severely from a. defectivesupply of meat,
and in the course of the last six months he says the quantity of sheep
brought to Smithfield has been 250,000 less than in the half-year pre-
ceding—that the average weekly supply of sheep in the London
markets is 16,f00 less, and that the cattle bought in Smithfield in
consequence of deficient food weighed from 7 to 10 lbs. less than in
former years, and were extremely' lean and ill favoured.—(Hear,
hear, and laughter.) Now, in the course of the last six months this
deficiency of 250,000 sheep had been supplied from abroad, and with
this fact staring in the face ought be not to regret having opposed
the carrying out of this anti-protective principle.—(Hear, hear.)
But how does he think it is now possible for him or me to maintain
that law, when from diseases and defective fodder we are often
compelled to go abroad for our supplies.—(Hear, hear.) Was It
not a strong fact against the motion which the Hon. Member
brought forward some time ago to restrict the importation of fo-
reign cattle, that from the defective food produced by the land of
this county, 250,000 head of sheep were prevented Rom coining
into the English market? Did this not show that it was against
the interest of the landowner to restrict the free importation of
wholesome and healthy fodder?
Mr. MILES—My motion was not to prevent the importation of
grain. My motion relative to cattle was to tax cattle by the weight,
and not by the head.
Sir R. PEEL—Whatever the motion of the Hen. Member might
have been, his words were that he was disappointed with the work-
ing of the corn-law, and he wished to Impose a further restriction on
the importation of cattle.—(Hear, bear.) Now the Hon. Gentleman
must excuse me if I refer to flax? And what do we learn from the
history of flax ? When there was a duty of 101 per ten upon the im-
portation of flax, there was a certain parish in the county of Somerset
which grew flax, and let us take that parish for drawing our compa-
risons. In the parish of Chiselborough there were 100 acres of
land devoted to flax, and the Hon. Gentleman says the growth of
flax on that land was abandoned in consequence of the withdrawal of
protection. Now, I wk. the Hon. Gentleman at what period was
that ?

Mr. MILES—At the removal of the last duty.
Sir ROBERT PEEL—WeII, then, the last removal of the last duty
was only 2s. per cent. ; the higher duty on flax having been removed
in 1824. The duty upon foreign flax in 1821 was 101. per ton. It was
reduced in 1824 to the nominal duty of 25. per cent., and in 1812 it
was removed altogether. Now, by the removal of this duty you say
100 acres of land in the parish of Chisleborough were thrown out of
cultivation, and that is what you call withdrawing protection from
native industry. But let us see what has taken place in other parts
of this great empire, in consequence of this withdrawal of protection
of native industry. You will find that the growth of flax in Ireland
has become a very flourishing trade since the with-
drawal of protection. Some Honourable Members are very
fond of taking particular localities, and saying, what has
been the consequence of your policy here; and the Hon.
Member for Somersetshire had done the same to Chisellsorough, but

let us look at Ireland and see what has taken place there. What has
been the consequence of the withdrawal of protection in that country
where manufactures were very much restricted, why you will find
that the growth of flax is mach more profitable than wheat. F.ax
without protection affords a better return than wheat with It ; so
much for agricultnre.—(flear, hear.) Now what has become of the
manufactures in Ireland since the withdrawal of protection. Previous

to the withdrawal of protection the importation of cambric

Into this country from Ireland was as 6,000 to 1,000 from France,
New, since the withdrawal of-protection, has there been any increase
or not? In the year before the withdrawal of protection, the num-
bers were 10,000 French, 110,000 Irish. In the next four years the
increase of the Irish importations in London was 300,000. In the
next four years from 1838 to 1842, 400,000. And what said the great
manufacturers of cambric, in London, who waited on me the other
day, when they said ten years since three-fourths of the
cambric handkerchiefs Introduced into the London market,
came from France and four from Ireland ? Since the reduction
of the duty, they state that three-fourths come . from
Ireland, and the remaining fourth from France.—(Cheers,)
Then, whatever that parish of Chiselberough may have suffered in
consequence of this alteration, the culture of flax in Ireland has
prospered, and the linen manufacture in that country has long had a
degree of prosperity which its most sanguine friends could hardly
have expected.—(Cheers.) Well, now, will you restore this duty upon
flax ? (Hear.) This debate has chiefly turned en the corn-laws;
but it is not necessarily a corn-law debate.—(Hear, hear.) I pro-
' pose that we should go into a Committee of the whole House for the
purpose of considering the principles of our commercial policy—
(Hear, hear)—and no doubt the corn-law will come before that Com-
mittee. But it is perfectly open to you to reject the measure for the
cern-law and yet to consent to these measures. Sir, so much has
been said on the subject of the corn-laws that I cannot pass it by.
Her Majesty's Government have proposed, after the lapse of three
years, that the duties upon corn should be repealed, or at Mast re-
duced to a nominal duty. I proposed that measure on the part of
the Government from a sincere belief that it would be more ac-
ceptable than any other to the agricultural interest. I proposed it
from a belief, not merely that It would be more accptable to them,
hut that they would prefer it to immediate repeal. We combined
with the measure of the cern• laws—we combined, I say, for en-
couragement in the improvement of land by advancing money for
the purposes of such improvement.—(Cheers.) I certainly thought
it would be more probable that with respect to many parts of this
country we should be in a much better position to compete with
foreigners if the corn-law repeal were postponed to the end of the
next three years. I thought there would be more opportunity for
arrangements between landlord and tenant.--(Cheers.) But, above
all, we seriously considered what could be done with respect to
drainage, and what advantage could be taken of that proposal of the
Government. I certainly also thought that the consideration that
Canada has at present, the advantage of a repeal in the admission of
her corn compared with the corn of foreigners—l thought that it
would be much mere like to be acceptable to Canada and more for
the interests of Canada, and that some time should elapse
before their corn came into competition.—(Hear, hear.)
It was for that purpose bona fide, and believing the ar-
rangement upon the whole much better, believing also that it would
be more for the advantage of the agriculturists, that on the part
of her Majesty's Government I make that proposal. Believing it to
be the best, it is my intention to adhere to it —(Loud cheers)—that
is to say, it is my intention to propose it--(Cheers)—and to use all
the means—the legitimate means I can, for the purpose of giving
effect to it. But it was intimated the other night by the Hon.
Gentleman, the Member for Suffolk, that he greatly preferred
(speaking en the part of the agricultural body) that he greatly
preferred immediate repeal to the measure wtich I have proposed.
—(Protectionist cheers.) And when he uttered that sentiment he
turned round to his friends, and it received apparently their general
concurrence.—(Cheers.) Now, as I stated before, it is the inten-
tion of the Government to adhere to their proposition.—(Cheers.)
They have stated the reason why they propose it, and why they
are Inclined to prefer it.—Considering the advantage of the oppor-
tunity that there will be afforded for an improvement of the land.
But I stated this, that if the agricultural body are not of opinion
that it is for their advantage—(Protectionist cheers)—and if they
think that immediate repeal will tee preferable to the deferred repeal
—(Great cheers and laughter on the Opposition benches)—and if
they place the in the minority, then the only consideration that I
shall bear in mind will be this—What course can I best take to give
effect to the law as amended upon your instance ?—(Loud and re-
peated Opposition cheers, and laughter.) I will do all that I can to
carry thy; proposition of the Government.—(Cheers.) I prefer it,
and I will persist in believing it to be favourable to the 4ricultural
interest. I do not say what course—speaking for myself
I am to pursue. My opinion with respect to the final adjust-
ment of the corn-laws will remain unaltered, and I shall decidedly
prefer immediate repeal to the confusion of the country.—(Cheers.)
Sir, it is right carefully to consider what course we should pursue
on this question. This I do believe, that the final adjustment of
this question has become paramount to all other questions.—
(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Now, Sir, I was asked in the course
of this discussion what price I calculated for corn in the year
after the proposed repeal.—(Hear, hear.) I thought it, too, natural
to say that it would be very difficult for me to give a positive answer
to that question—that I thought the price of corn must be affected by
seasons, and by other considerations, and that therefore I could not
undertake to give an answer, and I am afraid that past .experienee
induced me to avoid giving any guarantee to any price whatever.—
(Laughter, and cries of "Oh, oh.") But this I will say, that I think
nothing can be more ruinous than to suppose that the interests of
agriculture are necessarily and intimately connected with the price
of wheat.—(Cheers.) Now I will own that I do not anticipate that
when the Hon. Gentleman talks of countless miles that are ready to
be cultivated, I will only ask the Hon. Gentleman to consider that in
Germany there has long been a free trade, and that corn from Bgypt
and Odessa is plentifully admitted, subject to a nominal duty.
The price of corn is dependent upon Its quality. Corn brought to
Malta from Egypt and Odessa, bears what is there called a fair price
of 31s. per quarter. It is stated that the same corn will bear a
price of 10s. less in the markets of England, on account of its infe-
riority ; and, therefore, it is impossible to draw an inference from the
merely nominal price of corn, or to ascertain the real value which

should be fixed upon that article. I entertain the hope that a re-
duction in the price will be caused by a more extended importation.
What I want to show, however, is this, that agricultural prosperity
is not necessarily connected with the prices of wheat. It is ad-
mitted upon all hands that there never was a time when science has
been so much applied to agriculture, or the cost of production so
much reduced as for the last three or four years. Now what
has been the prices of wheat? We shall see that it has a
natural tendency to decline in price.—(Hear, hear.) Now we will
just take the decennial period commencing with the year 1805.
In 1805, the price of wheat was 81s. 24. ; 1815, 975, fid. ; 1825,785.
id. ; 1835, 565, 74. ; 1340, 575. 1 Id. And during the last four years,
which have been years of great improvement in agriculture, the
price has been only 51s. 10d. So that the price ef wheat has fallen
from 975. fid. to the comparatively small price of 515. 10d., and yet It
is generally admitted that persons employed in agriculture are in a
state of greater prosperity than at any period before. And if there
should be a still further reduction in prices it will be
the result of scientific Improvements. The price of wheat,
therefore, cannot be taken as a criterion of agricultural pros-
perity. There is another circumstance to which I will also
allude. The rental of land. As taken from the returns made to this
House, makes the gross rental of land in England, in the year 1815,
the sum of 32,500,0001.—the price of wheat for the five years ending
1815 was 102 c. 2d. Now, this is very remarkable, for in the five
years ending In 1842 the price of wheat had fallen to 625. 7d., and the
toss rental of England had increased to 37,000,0001., so that, coin-
cident with price has been the increase of rental.—(Hear, hear.)
Now, I am perfectly ready to admit the benefit which you might
claim with reference to the difference of currency ; but, remember
that if
must
and still it
reduction,
You take 10 per cent off the price of wheat (102 s. 2d.), you
also takewit 10
prosperity .
Hon. Merriblirlir;
were the a per cent:off the amount of rental (32,000,0001.)
audislieave no question but that concurrent with the great
tthere has been a great increase of agricultural
hear.) New I must refer to the speech of the
arguments
Northampton (Stafford O'Brien). Nov, what
after these corn-laws sh:l(ll°Pted? " Now (says the Hon. Member)
to his landlord and he will have
landlord, " I cannot afrorP
hitherto—the bones of my forefather
churchyard of this ancient
of quitting the residence of Passed, the tenant fanner will come
ttoh ray attler essasinhei mr.c n
tH,ethwi
which
l Is
haveay t to theaid
my
ancestors,
painful for me to think
parish—it:l 8 have
been
collected
I"
the
fathers, and the home of my family, and att:setteihn;iyochurch of my fore-
fathers,
Memberttl
ii,e,ptaet.ht
ale,
itlintc tone
place." And it will be rememberedconscq...,
nfo.rctiettliteuieninaaustrmanadges
a great impression on the House in
in which the seech was delivered. The 11e%!
posed that the and,,3ilyoradeeds shfeoltlieldw,ta(kreeaarsspeefeic,hmtog
Makes him say, liter) "It is. mitee
true that your forefathers have lived In this parish, that thero ha
been an intimate relationship between your ancestors and mine, that
the principles of free trade are prevailing. I can purchase articles ef
Consumption at a cheaper rate, and I must deal with you upon the
same principle. It Is quite true that the land you now occupy pro-
duces only three quarters, whereas by the application of a little
capital and skill it might be made to produce fire quarters, and there
is a gentlemen close by who is connected,
landlordwith the Anti-Conillaw
League."—(Cheers, and cries of "No, no, from Stafford O'Brien.)
If I have not correctly quoted the 's speech,
I wish the Hon. Member would make the landlord's
thespeechaaglaliund.e—d
(Roars of laughter.) The Hon. Member says gentleman t
to was not necessarily a member of the League.
pellr,cieteadnsyinrahles,
he meant a person with large capital. The landlord
speech to the tenant to say he must sell in the
Rea* of dearest market, and
mast, therefore, give the preference to him (the capitalist). Now,
Sir, if the Han. Member win allow me,
[
I will suggest a better speech
for the landlord.—(Hear, hear.) " My good fellow "—,
laughter)—" your forefathers have been buried in the churchyard
adjoining, your forefathers have had their fortunes interwoven
witb, tile tbrtlmes of my mmeitom. It is POOSIDIC (flat a

stranger may overbid you in the market. Under this protecting law,
your laud, which should produce five quarters, produces only three,
and public opinion will hardly tolera.e this, or accede to our desire
that no foreign cattle shall be imported. We must therefore take
some measures to increase the production of the land ffom three
quarters to five. I have the advantage of the new tariff, and I pro-
pose to apply that advantage to your assistance.—(Hear, hear.) I
will not turn you out ; I won't let the manufacturer conic in to re-
place you. It is my interest as well as yours that the produce of the
land be increased from three quarters to five. I will lend you ca-
pital, I will assist you, and let you and your son, to whom this land
will descend, keep out this foreign invader. I, by my
capital, and you, by your industry, will remain by the land,
and let it be handed down to our posterity with all the
improvements which we respectively can give it." But if the tenant
should say this is a labourers' question, I should make him say in
reply to that—" If we make this land produce five quarters instead.
of three, surely more employment would be created, and all this by
the application of that saving which the rich shall derive from the
benefit of the land so improved. That was how he should be ad-
dressed. This was the question her Majesty in her speech had said,
" I recommend you to take into your early consideration whether,
after taking a review of the laws relating to protection, some altera-
tion might not be made so as to benefit the agriculture and the com-
mons of the country." The address was so worded as to give no
pledge on the subject. It said that the House would take into con-
sideration whether it would not be advisable to make such further
reductions in those laws as might be compatible with the interests of
the country. How then do you fulfil that assurance? You ref Use to go
into the question at all. I expected from the early notice which the Hon.
Member gave of his intention to move an amendment, that it would
have been either that the Government was not entitled to their
confidence, or that no change should take place in the protection to
Industry. Now what was the amendment? Why, not a great
pr:xciple was involved in it. You refuse to take the question at all
into consideration. Do you decide then against the admission of
. . .

foreign brandy? Do you decide against the admission of foreign
silks? This amendment proceeds so' far. The question for you to
consider, with regard to our commercial policy, is, will you advance,
or will you recede?—(Loud cheers.) You perhaps say, you will stand
which is the effect of the amendment—to postpone the cowl-
ieration of the subject for the next six months. I say to that, that
there is no stationary point—to stand still is to retrograde.—(Cheers.)
I do hope that this Parliament, which passed the law of 1842,
which simplified the Customs, which consented to a change in the
tariff, which passed the Canada Corn Bill, which assented to the
tariff of last year. I hope that this House will net accede to the
proposition that this question be postponed for six months.—(Leud
cheers.) The question at issue simply was, whether there should
be a relaxation of duties and of protection, or whether they should
restore prohibitory duties and increase protection.—(Cheers.) I
offer this challenge—l never said that it was upon the experience of
the last three years that I was induced to propose the alterations
now under consideration of the House. What i said was, that

.uring the last three years I have seen coincident with low prices
great prosperity, great contentment, diminution in crime, improved
health, and increasing commerce, and that experience of three years
has convinced me that cheapness and plenty were the
concomitants of relaxation in our prohih!tory duties, and
were the foundation of our commercial greatness.—(Loud cheers.)
I did not take credit to myself for the tariff. What I said was, that
it was a measure which had conduced to the general interests of the
country. This is the challenge which I throw out with respect to the
. _

tariff. Show me a taxation that on removal did not create some
unnecessary apprehension. I will go further; show me any removal
of a taxation that has not contributed to the general interests of the
country. Why, I was ashamed when I heard of many of these
petitions against the present measure. Why, here is a petition sent
from the shipowners. They invoke the wisdom of Parliament to
support the general interests of the community, and to
prevent all further rash experiments on the mercan-
tile interests ; and, above all, to continue the timber
duties—and this is a petition from the shipowners—the builders of
ships.—(Hear, hear.) You reduced the timber duties from 455. to
255., and the reduction did not work that injury which the opponents
of that reduction would have made •ut. There is one branch of the

timber-trade which required to be improved, and to which good
timber ought to be supplied. So trifling was the supply, that, at the
present moment, there was not, in one of the greatest maritime
ports in the kingdom, a single block of foreign wood of that descrip-
tion which was the most valuable for ship-building. I propose increased
facilities for procuring timb, r, in order that good ships may be built.
I relaxed the duties on timber, and with that relaxation as enormous
increase of Canadian timber had taken place, in the same manner as a
reduction on the duty on woolsaused a vast increase of the importation
of that article. That reduction increased the demand for Canadian
timber, in which we are so defflcient,and which is so useful in the
building of ships, that in the port of Liverpool was none to be found.
So much for that. The Noble Lord the Member for Liverpool made
a long speech about the colonies. What am I proposing ? lam not
proposing an immediate repeal of everything. I ain not proposing
that you should sweep away the customs' duty on spirits
and ether articles.—(Hear, hear, and cheers) I am not for
doing away with all protective duties for revenue. With respect to
the colonial interests, I know that very great interests are involved.
The Noble Lord the Member for Liverpool proposed that discrimi-
nating duties should be at once repealed, but it was not his policy to
diminish protection, where it was necessary. That was the prin-
ciple of the policy of any Honourable Friend. What did we do in
1842? We permitted the colonies to get the produce of this country
at a trifling cost. We said with respect to the colonies, that the
time was come for relaxing those principles of restriction which had
marked our policy for many years, and which could not any longer
be maintained, with the sustainment of the liberties of th's country.
Has it injured the colonies ? You are wrong to say that the affection
of the colonies for the mother country depends on the amount of
supply. Look at Australia—what is the great benefit derived from
her ? I propose to proceed on the path that leads to prosperity and
abundance, by gently reducing the protective duties. My Hon.
Friend who spoke on the first night of the debate was very
severe on the removal of the protective duties on foreign
carriages.—(Plear.) I really lo not know anything in this
country to prevent it. I knew that there was a duty of a farthing per
yard on printed paper, and I proposed that there should be a cus-
toms duty of 2d. per yard on foreign paper. Why is it that we can-
not compete with France in paperhanging? The patterns are not so
good, but a limited competition would give the trade a stimulus and
the talent would increase. I know of nothing in the physical consti-
tution of an Englishman that would hinder him from drawing a
proper pattern. Tile Hon. Gentleman had said that when he looked
out of the window of his foreign carriage he would see a number of
people standing idle, and he would be obliged to say to them, "My
good friends I have been obliged to sacrifice you. When has there
been as alteration made in any protective duty that this argument
has not been used—(Laughter)—that the same anticipations have
not been indulged in ? In the tariff of 1842, I proposed to let in
potatoes at 2s. per cwt., and the potato growers of
Yorkshire came to me in a body, saying that the

potato cultivation would be rained. With regard to hops, in 1842,
I reduced the duty from Si. lOs to 41. 10s. All Kent and Sussex
were in arms, saying that the trade would be injured. What is the
fact? Since that time only two cwt. of hops have come in, and yet
the hop growers had feared the influx would be so great and inju-
rious as to throw a great many persons out of employment. Mr.
Huskisson let down the protective duties on silk, and Mr. Baring,
the present Lord Ashburton, resisted it to the utmost of his power.
He said that hundreds of thousands of poor honest men, knowing
nothing whatever of political economy, would be thrown out of
employment. He had said that a duty of thirty per cent. was n
sufficient protection against foreign competition, and that an admis-
sion of silk at that duty would drive all the workmen from the trade.
Mr. Huskisson said, in reply to the clamours raised against his course
of proceedings, " I have been assailed by ungenerous appeals to my
feelings, appeals calling on me to commune with my feelings, and
asking me if I am not open to the visitations of sorrow. I hops I am
not wanting in the duties of a man or a Christian. But at the same
time that I entertain these feelings, I have a duty to perform as a
Minister." That was the language of Mr. Huskisson.—(Hear, hear.)
He, however, persevered and removed the prohibitory duties. What
has been the result ? Have the hundreds of thousands of silk manu-
facturers been thrown out of employment? Have the poor-rates
been burthened further for their support ?—(Hear, hear.) Have we
not been able to compete with the foreigner?—(Renewed cries of
"Hear, hear.") In ten years ending in 1823, the import of raw silk
was 19 million pounds, ha the ten years following it rose to
30 million pounds, and finally increased-. to 52 million pounds.
Now which was the true philanthropist—he who silk " Keep out
French silk, their patterns are superior to ours ; yon will never be
able to compete with them ; you will ruin thousands of workmen ;"
or the Minister who said, " Good God, do you charge me with
apathy? I am not insensible to the miseries of my fellow-men. I
have ascertained that Spitalfields is threatened with devastation by
famine. Let me try whether or net, by bringing in the free all of
competition, I may not improve the condition of my
country." (Great cheers.) Have we been enabled to
compete with foreign powers ? Why you have sent
more silk manufactures into that country which is said
to be the head of the manufacture you have sent in
the last year more silk manufactures into France than you exported
to the whole world in any year under the old system.—(Cheers.)
Now, I can go over the whole of these articles. I can enumerate
timber,silk—l can even refer io inferior articles, and I may men-
tion one reduction in 1842. In that year we reduced the duty on
foreign feathers.—(Laughter.) It seemed to me a small article,
made up by an aggregate of small articles—(Continued laughter)—
but a manufacturer came to me and said, "Oh, this is the most
hard-hearted measure you could have passed. It will ruin the Irish
farmer—(Laughter)—l have a house of call for feathers; the Eng-
lish farmer is very careless of his feathers, but the Irish farmer finds
his profit in their trade. He added, " I take all my feathers
from Ireland. I use 200 tons of feathers, at 20s. a stone. This
trade will be destroyed." The duty was reduced. Another letter
was received, stating that there never was such a stimulus given
to their trade as by the reduction. He had been able to import
300 tons from foreign countries, and 150 tons from Ireland, and in-
stead of 20s. per stone, he had been obliged to pay 225. 10,1. Ile
said also, that the greatest demand had been from Cornwall, and
the Cornish miller had been enabled, by these feather manufactures,
to rest himself from the labours of the day, without being obliged
to expend the greater part of his earnings. I offer you that chal-
lenge, that you cannot show me—l won't say some small manufacture,
there may be some which will be injured—but I offer this chal-
lenge that, looking for the last thirty years, to the re-
laxation of your Colonial policy—to the relaxation of your protec-
tive policy at home—l challenge you to produce an instance in
which the consumer has bees injured—l challenge you to produce
an instance in which the producer has suffered. You have to make
your choice, and vote on this question. It is a question of
confidence in the Government. It ought not to be. Reserve that
for a separate motion. The question is, will you advance in the
path you have hitherto pursued, or will you retrograde.—(Cheers.)
Just look at the amount of force you use for the purpose of prevent-
ing smuggling, and don't refuse to consider whether it may not be
right to reduce protection on Writs. Reduce the duty en foreign
spirits. I only ask you to reduce the present duty on French
brandy to 15s. On English spirits the duty is 9s. I am only asking
you to cut up the trade of the smuggler by the roots. I ask you to
permit French silks to come in at a duty of 15 per cent. Is it not
possible for a benefical result to follow this ? Thirty per cent. is
now levied, and smuggling is going on. A further reduction in the
duty en silk would cause the manufacture to increase. Vivify your
manufactures by a spirit of free competion, and see if a beneficial
result will not follow. But then you will have to decide by a vote
upon this question. Will you advance or will you recede ? What
is the policy best suited to this great commercial empire ?
I ask you to look at the advantages that God and nature has given
you. Look to your geographical position on the confines of
Western Europe, the connecting link between the North of Europe
and the great continent of America The improvement in naviga-
tion and the application of science have brought you within ten
days of St. Petersburgh on the one side, and ten days of New
York on the other. Look to your physical advantages. The nerves
and sinews of manufactures, iron, and coal abound in this country.
Look to your acquired advantages—yen have ten times the
amount of eapital possessed by any country in the world.
Look to the advantages derived partly from the innate tendency of
your own character, and partly from a constitution reconciling per-
fect liberty, with an absence from licentious rules.—(Cheers.) Look
to all these things. Look to your physical—your geographical posi-
tion. Your physical resources, your capital, and skill, are immense.
You have every advantage. Your powers are beyond any of the
other nations of the globe.—(Hear, hear.) And will you allow it to
be said that ether countries on this question are in advance of you ?
There are countries that are so, from whom I least expected such
conduct, and to whom I did not refer. I did not refer to Sardinia,
where the duty on the importation of foreign grain has been re-
pealed. Naples is stated as likely to follow.—(Hear, hear.) Prussia
is shaken in its present course, and France was desirous of following;
the only objection to that course being from the aristocracy of ma-
nufactures and commerce. The Executive are fully alive to the
question, but at present are restrained by the parties I referred to
in the Chambers ; but the opinion of all sensible men
is, that before long, the question will be settled in favour of a more
liberal system.— (Hear, hear.) The leading men of the United
States give us great encouragement to proceed, and by carrying the
measures of the Government we will be strengthening the hands of
the party in that country who are desirous of establishing coin -
mercial freedom. But whether these countries act in a liberal com-
mercial spirit or not —whether or not they relax the principle of pro-
tion, do not punish yourselves because others choose to do so. For
the sake of your country, and to show a good example to other ,
countries ; let the decision of the present debate be in favour of com-
mercial freedom.—(Loud cheers.) Let your vote be for a
principle, based, not on three years' experience, but on
the experience derived from every relaxation of protective
duties.—(Loud cheers.) Set the glorious example to other nations,
and you will force them to follow in your wake ; but if even there is
an uncertainty in that, pass the measure, and believe me that in so
doing you will be taking that step which of all others will be most
conducive to your own security—(Hear, hear, and cheers)—and at
the same time:by doing that, will settle a question that will lead to
the contentment and happiness and willing obedience of the great
body of the people.—(Loud cheers) It must be clear to all, that
after the measure is passed, there will be no certainty that pros-
perity will be generally secured, or that periods of distress in the ma-
nufacturing or agricultural districts may not arise. It will not make
a state of prosperity certain, though it will do much to
prevent the recurrence of distress. We shall have, no doubt, as before,
seasons cf scarcity following on seasons of plenty • or it may be that
a return of manufacturing distress will be coincident with a season
of agricultural scarcity. You all recollect the times of 1841 and 1842,
those are periods that may occur again.—(Hear.) Let me revive
the recollection of those sad years. The memory of the wiuters of
1841 and 1842 never can be effaced from my recollection.—(Cheers.)
wiin
Recollect the course that we pursued on every occasion on which the
come. And if then;
Sovereign met her Parliament when there was an expression of the
dLeoeaat
cheers.)
)by ANT-iilthosebuprtiivmateison and suffering—recollect that ex-
pressionifliethhe Isthaorms. est
ffaderniihirgastiownerfoer andhtl(rrhpeattheyncethe
pfeoorptilteu.d—e
sYmathy With sutTer ceme,o
don ask every man here
rd..y come, and tmheayy
y w th suffering
mhtsteelf.thls question :
pitaith
a conaolatio—n itefhaawhrstaevmmoe.efulasgitdo:eers,sirtieptlypetilhmaesesedoyi-rataalhsrreo-s
of plenteousness
and if it be our duty again to express
,toand again to exhort the people to patience,
li‘nothour exp
:—lf with his own heart, and to ask
to tortitupdreetws7l i these calamitous times do come—if we
must offer exhortation
selves, from the beau be
? (Cheer s
food of the people.—(CheesePrese,Pl-71 of regulating,
be more consolatory ressiens of sympathy
tude be more inspressive, if
vn
at
tahe-ilimnot the exhortations to
right-
fully,ford. that urged by no necessity, and ylellave ;a?, and say anticipated those difficulties.—(Cheers)—and re—m— mno clamours we
ment to the free circulation of the bounUeosv-Of etverY imPedi-
-(Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) Will it not be a greathean Creator.
consolation to us to be enabled to say to a sufferlug people, fitibl
are the chastenings of an, all-wise and beneficent Providence, sent
for same dreadful lina to abate our pride possibly, and convince us of
Qui tiothiuglisse—to Aram us to n sense of our openctenee ou our

God; they are to be borne without murmuring, and the dispensations
of Providence have net been, aggravated by human institutions which I
prevent the supply of food.—(The Right Hon. Baronet resumed his
seat amid the loudest cheering, which lasted for some minutes.)
Lord J. MANNERS moved the adjournment of the debate, which
was atones agreed to.
COUNTY WORKS PRESENTMENT BILL (IRELAND). •
The House then went into Committee on the County Works Pre-
sentment Bill.
Atter some discussson, in which Mr. Redington, Mr. F. French,
Sir J. Graham, Sir R. Ferguson, Mr. Sharman Crawford, Lord
Clements, and other Hon. Members took part, the clauses were
agreed to, and the Bill ordered to be reported.
THE FISHERY PIERS, &c. (IRELAND) BILL.
On the motion of Wl' JAMES GRAHAM, that the Fishery Piers
and Harbours. (Ireland) Bill be read a third time,
Mr. WYSE said, that at many of the harbours the people were so
poor as to be unable to get boats to pursue their trade. Ile suggested
that loans should be allowed from the Government for that purpose.
Lord CLEMENTS asked why the 5,000/., granted in 1822 for that
Purpose, had not been applied to that purpose ?
Sir J. GRAHAM made some observation in reply, which was quite
inaudible in the gallery.
The third reading of the Drainage (Ireland) Bill was then
postponed.
The report of the County Works Presentment (Ireland) Advance
of Money Bill was then read and agreed to.
The House adjourned at a Quarter to Twe o'clock.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS,
From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Comnzons.)
MONDAY, FEB. 16.

The following Petitions' for Railways were reported, and the Bills
ordered to be brought in !,37 the undermined lion. Members :
Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle—Lord James Stewart, and Mr. Ewart.
Cheltenham and Oxford—Mr. C. Berkeley and Mr. G. Berkeley.
Lancashire and Yorkshire North-Eastern—Mr. B Denison, Sir G.
Strickland, and Mr. Cayley.
Blackhurn and Preston and
,East Lancashire Amalgamation—Mr.

Patten and Mr. Walker.
London and Croydon (Thames Junction Branch)—Mr. Kemble and

a(Entais3tirßiHdlingison.
Mr. Antrobus.
Branches-No. 2)—Mr.
Great North of England and Boroughbridge Branch=—Mr. 0. bun-
combe, Mr. Lawson, and Mr. Hudson.
Midlandth r,
Great North of England Purchase—Mr. 0. Duncombe, Mr. Lawson,
and Mr. Hudson.
West of Scotland Junction—Mr. Oswald and Mr. Hastie.
Great North of England and Bedale Branch—Mr. 0. Duncombe, Mr.
Lawson, and Mr. Hudson.
Midland (Syston and Peterborough Railway Deviations and
Branches)—Sir J. Troliope, Mr. Fitzwilliatn, and Mr. Farnham.
Glasgow Harbour Mineral—Lord J. Stuart and Mr. Baird.

WESTMINSTER ELECTION.

NOMINATION.-(THIS DAY.)

To-day, at twelve o'clock, the nomination of a Member to repre-
sent the city of Westminster in Parliament, consequent on the resig-
nation of Captain Rous, by his appointment as one of the Lords of
the Admiralty, :took place in front of St. Paul's Church,
Covent-garden. The number • of persons assembled before
the hustings could not be less than 5,0C0. The candidates were the
late Member, Captain Rous, who again offered Muse f, and General
Sir De Lacy Evans. When these gentlemen, accompanied by their
respective friends, came on the platform, the crowd, wh!ch seemed
pretty equally divided in opinion as to the merits of the candidates,
expressed their partialities by the most discordant noises ; and one
clique, whose begrimed faces proclaim.d that they belonged to the
genus coal-heaver, favoured ti* company with a series of yells that
would have done honour to an Indian war dance. A strong body of
police were in attendance to preserve order, but it was soon very
evident that they were insufficient for the purpose, and after gal-
lantly withstanding for nearly half an hour the efforts of the assail-
ants to get close to the platform, they at last, by command of Super-
intendent Pearson, retreated in good order behind the breastworks,
from where no effort of the enemy could dislodge them. This ma-
noeuvre was beautifully effected, with only the loss of one policeman's
baton.

Among the gentlemen who accompanied the candidates we ob-
served Lord Francis Egerton, Lord James Stuart, Lord Marcus Hill,
Lord Charles Fitzroy, Lord Elphinstone, Lord W. Bruce, Lord Can-
talupe, Colonel Fox, Mr. Bouverle, M.P., Mr Tennyson D'Eyncourt,
M.P., Mr. B. Hawes, M.P., Mr. Ellis, M.P., Colonel T. Wood, MT,

Hon. F. Byng, Mr. Merryweather, &c., &c.
Mr. SMEDLET, the High Bailiff, then came forward, and, as well as
we could hear him, for the gentlemen who composed the crowd were
too much engaged in listening to their own sweet voices to attend to the
speakers, said that he had that day the honour of attending there as
the returning officer for the city of Westminster. The electors were
assembled to express their opinion as to who of the two gentlemen
who solicited their suffrages should be their representative in the
Commons House of Parlitunent. The electors were no doubt aware
that the present vacancy had taken place in consequence of one of
their representatives—he meant Captain Bout— having accepted
office under Govermuent —(Cries of " 31ore shame for him," from one
section of thocrowd, and cheering tom the Gallant Captain's partisans.)
That gentleman was, however, eligible to be re-elected, and he was
there to offer himself to them. The other candidate was General
Sir De Lacy Dvans. He need not point out to them the importance
of the privilege they were met that day to exercise—(Shouts of" We
know it")—but he would at once conclude by causing the writ to
be read.
The preliminary forms were gone through amid much interruption,
when
Mr. J. C. WOODS rose to propose Captain Eons as a fit and proper
person to represent the city of Westminster. The speaker's aktiress
could, however, only be heard by the favoured few who stood beside
him ; when shortly afterwards
Lerd F. EGERTON seconded the nomination. lie was equally in-
audible, the terrific noises which issued from the persons in from
completely drowning every sentence.
Mr. BOUVERIE then rose to propose General Sir De Lacy
Evans. He said that the electors were met that day for the
purpose of returning a Member to Parliament, and it was with
great pleasure that he proposed to them General Evans.—
(Mingled cheers and hisses.) They had unfortunately elected
a Tory and monopolist once before, thus rendering the city of West-
minster a nullity in the House of Commons; for if one of their
. .

Members on all of the great questions which concerned the happi-
ness of the people said " yes," the other ➢fember as invariably
said " no." (Cheers.) If the one sought to advance every
great social and political reform, the other opposed
him. If the one contended that these reforms were ne-

cessary, the other maintained that they were not.
The city of Westminster had at one time always been considered in
the front ranks of liberalism, and the period was now come when she
should resume her former position—(Cheers)—when she should show
that she had within her the first, the most liberal, the most enlight-
ened constituency in England.—(Cheers, laughter, and cries of
" Don't come over us," &c.) They had that day a place at their
disposal, and they had two applicants for it. It was no place of
emolument, althOugh, judging from Captain Rous, it was a mode by
which a place of emolument could be obtained.—(Cheers and great
confusion.) One of the applicants had always been a free-trader
and lie was so still (Cheers) --he had always been against the
present corn-laws and he was so still ; he had always been a Reformer
and he was so still.—(Contlxued cheering.) They had one who had
always been on the side of popular rights and he was so still. But
the other applicant what had they bad to say for him ? He had
been a Tory. What was he now ? He was a most extraordinary
combination of opposite opinion. He seemed a sort of amphibious
animal, a kind of horse-marine, not one thing or another. They
had been asked the question by Sir Robert Peel, would they have
free trade in the country ?—(Cheers.) Let them, as elect;rs, answer
yes.—(Cries of " Yes.") Then let them return General Evans for
he was a staunch Liberal.—(Cheers.) Would they have Captain
Rous ? Let them loudly answer "No."— (Commingled cries of " No"
and " Yes.") They had no confidence in the fixity of his opinions.
They would rather that Westminster were represented by one who
was for the people and not against them. Let them, then, be early
,st the poll and return General Evans to Parliament.

Dr. ilataieernoe seconded the nomination of General Evans, and
he now appeared before them for the sixth or seventh time, to pro-
pose or second the nomination of the long-tried friend of the people,
General Evans - (Cheers)—a gentleman who had always been op-
posed to the corn-laws, and a stern defender of the rights of the
people.—(Hear, hear.) He was a supporter of free trade principles
when they did not lead to place or emolument, and he was still the
same.—(Cheers.) His Hon. opponent (Captain Rot's) had told them
that he was still unchanged. He came into Westminster as the
child of the Tories and the Opponent of free trade.—(Cheers and
hisses.) On a former occasion, on these very hustings, he spoke
against free trade, and told *the electors that it would be
carried out, and send the labourers and artisans to live on
bread and onions and a sack at the pump.—(Cheers and laughter.)
Latterly, however, he had made a change, and he (Dr. Bainbridge)
must say, judging from that, that the Gallant Captain's judgment
must be very defective, or he must be acting dishonestly. If he has
not changed his opinions, and is in favour of a repeal of the corn-
laws, then he must in the previous election have spoken in opposition
to his convictions—(Hear, hear)—and thus have acted dishonestly,
or he must have laboured under an aberration of judgment, and did
not know what he was doiug. In either view of the question such a
gentleman was not a fit representative for a great and intelligent
city like Westminster.—(Cheers and uproar.) He (Dr. Bainbridge)
would leave him on the horns of this dilemma. Just before the as-
sembling of Parliament, a great meeting of the electors of
Westminster was held on the question of the corn-laws,
which was then so extensively agitating the country,
and a requisition was sent to the Gallant Captain, most numerously
and respectably signed, inviting him to attend. But he refused to
do so, because he (Dr. Bainbridge) supposed the Gallant Captain
did not then know the course the Ministry would take.—(Hear.)
Was such a persona proper representative for them ?—(Cries of
" No, no," and " Yes, yes,"from the suppporters of the respective
candidates. lie might add many other reasons why they
should vote for the Liberal candidate—(Cries of " So we will,")—
and reject Captain nous, but he would leave them to be given by
the Gallant General himself; who was much more able to enter into
en explanation of those reasons than he (Dr. Bainbridge) was. He
now called on them to emancipate themselves and this great city
from the disgrace of being represented by an apostate Tory—
(Loud cheering, and great uproar(—whom no one can
understand—a nondescript politician, who is neither fish,
flesh nor fowl, but a sort of marine monster with a long tall and
1,0001. a-year tied to it— (Laughter, cheers, and hisses)—who comes
to Westminster expecting the electors to help him to a good place.—
(Cheers.) Ile (Di. Bainbridge) trusted that they would rescue their
fair fame, and restore the city to the former high and proud position
from which Jihad been hurled; and to enable themi to do so, he begged
leave to second the nomination of Gen. Sir Le Lacy Evans.—(Cheers.)
Captain Roos then came forward to address the electors, and was
received with loud hisses and groans from the supporters of General
Evans, and cheers from his friends. The Gallant Captain, who was
much interrupted in the course of his speech, spoa e to the following
effect :—He came forward at the present crisis to take the sense of
the electors of the city ofWestminster on the measures of the Govern-
ment. He considered that it was the duty of all who wished well
to the measures of Sir R. Peel to unite and say we will support no
half-and-half men, who desert their colours every day, but men who
will labour faithfully to serve their country, and also will support
measures calculated to advance its true intereste—(Hear, hear.) In
1841, when he was first sleeted, there was a great stagnation in the
commercial, manufacturing, and agricultural interest of the country ;
they were engaged in two wars, the funds were low, and a general
despondency pervaded all classes. When Sir R. Peel accepted office
such was the state of the country ; but under his Administration
trade amended, the wars were brought to an end, the funds rose,
and general prosperity pervaded all ranks of society.—(Hear, hear,
and cheers.) To what but to the policy of Sir Robert Peel could he
(Captain Rota) attribute the change. In 1841 and 1842 he was a
protectionist—(Hear)—but the events that had taken place during the
last three years had caused an alteration in his views. What had
taken place since the alteration of the tariff in 1843, had shown him
the great advantage of the working of the free trade principle, and
therefore he could come to no other conclusion than to advocate
free trade now, and support the Government in its endeavours to
carry them into effect.—(Cheers and hisses.) Upon the pre-
sent occasion it would be necessary for him to state that in
the House of Commons, he proposed that Australian corn should be
admitted at a greatly reduced duty. In September last, when in
Suffolk, he told his friends, not only that a free trade in corn must
soon come Into operation, but he went further, and said that as
population increased, it would be necessary to give a bonus on the
importation of foreign corn. That disposed of the asser-
tion that he had changed his opinions in order to serve Sir
Robert Peel. His (Captain Rous's) opinions had been changed long
before the proposition of Sir Robert Peel had been submitted,
or perhaps before that Right Hon. Baronet had himself changed.—
(Hear, hear.) • And now he (Captain Rona) supported the Govern-
ment of Sir Robert Peel, because he believed no man was so well
calculated to carry oat free trade as that Right lion. Gentleman.
He considered that no person could more effectually carry out the
principles of free trade than Sir Robert Peel. The electors of West-
minster will recollect (continued the Gallant Speaker), that, in no
single measure calculated to promo' e their interests had he been
unfaithful to his duty.—(Tremendous uproar and confusion.) He
had supported a motion for the repeal of the window-tax, and
he had opposed the contemplated alteration in the Vestries Act.
He would support the present measures of the Government, as being,
in his opinion, likely to conduce to the welfare and promote the hap-
piness of all c'asses of the country.—(The confusion at this time be-
came tremendous, and a combination of the most discordant sounds
entirely drowned the voice of the speaker.) In conclusion the Gal-
lant Captain stated that whatever should be the issue of
the contest nothing should erabe from his :mind the
memory of that confidence which four years since
had returned him as the representative of a constituency
which, for a quarter of a century, had not been represented by a
Conservative Member. The electors of this city had brought him for-
ward ; they turned the current of opinion in his favour, and he
defied kis opponents to point out a single vote or act of
his during the four years he had been their representative
which was not for the benefit of his constituency
and the people at large, and he felt convinced that he had not for-
feited that confidence which had been so honourably reposed in him.
Re had accepted office, not to promote his own advantage,, but for
the simple reason that he thought he should, however humble his
abilities, be made useful in effecting those much to be desired re-
forms in the office of the Admiralty to which her Majesty
had been graciously pleased to appoint him.—(Great cheering and
uproar.) To-morrow will decide the question ; and, he repeated,
that whether beaten or victorious, ho should continue to feel an into-
rest in the welfare and prosperity of the city of Westminster, and to
remember with feelings of gratitude the confidence they had hitherto
reposed in him.
General EVANS (whose appearance was the signal for most voci-
ferous cheering from his own supporters, as well as groans and other
marks of disapprobation from his opponents) then said that although
it was not Isis first appearance before the electors of West-
minster, he never felt a greater interest in their
prosperity or more desire for the success of a measure
than for the one which now affected not only their interests but the
interests of all classes of the community. The returning officer had
saved hint the duty of declaring the reason that they were now
met upon such an occasion as the present. They had been
told that it was becadse his Gallant Opponent had ac-
cepted the office of one of the Lords of the Admiralty.
In all fairness to his Gallant Opponent, he must bear witness to his
excellent personal qualities, to his unblemished and manly character
in society, and begged tc say that if any remarks should
fall from him calculated to wound the feelings of his op-
ponent, he at once disclaimed all intention of doing so.
His opponent had stated that he would support hir R. Peel ; and he
(Captain Bons) believed that the measures proposed by him were
calculated to promote the interest and happiness of all classes. Sir
Robert Peel had not always had the interest of these classes
at heart; he had for years opposed the measure for the
emancipation of the slaves, and also his Roman Catholic fellow-
subjects. Ile also opposed the Reform Bill, and even when that
measure was carried, has he not since opposed to his utmost by the
technicalities of the Registration Courts, and he extended the opera-
tion of the benefits to be derived from that measure to the commu-
nity at large..—(Cenfusion apd uproar.) The Gallant speaker said
that he had supported the principles of free trade for upwards of
twenty years, and would continue to do so. He considered that
the true test of sincerity in change of opinion was that laid down
by Sir J. Graham, lie said that they should consider whether or no
any advantage or emolument would result from this change of opi-
nion, if not, it was pretty clear that the change of opinion was
according to the dictates of conscience. Applying' this test
to his Gallant opponent, he could hardly give hint credit
for disinterestedness in his change of opinion. For was he not
receiving advantage or emolument from this change of opinion ? He
had obtained by it the situation of one of the Lords of the Adnai-
ralty.—(Tremendous uproar.) His Gallant opponent, previous to his
appointment, had stated with no very great national taste,
that the removal of the corn-laws would give them only
bread and onions, and a suck at the pump.—(Great laughter.)
If he were to seek the office it was not for emolumentary porposes.
He was always the friend of the people—he was always the oppo-
nent of restrictions on trade—and he would now tell Captain Rous
and his party that the question of free trade did not depend on them.
Itdid not depend on either Sir Robert Peel or Lord John Russell—
that amiable and enlightened nobleman—but it depended on the will
and the disposition of the)people.—(Tremendous cheers.) Yes, the
people of England had decided on free trade, and it mattered
not who were the parties in power, that free trade would, and should
be carried.—(eireat cheering.) His honourable opponent now said
that he had among his supporters many of the aristocracy. In the
election of 1841 he said nothing of that kind ; it was not then fashion-
able to entertain such principles. But he (General Evans) could also
boast of having some of the aristocracy at his side—those illustrious
families who were an honour to this country—be respected and ad-
mired; but he did not at the same time, like his gallant opponent,
boast of the glitter of the aristocracy. (Hisses.) But what do the
exponents —the representatives of that high free-trade party—say?
What does the Standard and the herald newspapers say ? Why, that
it was necessity that drove them to these measures of free trade.
lie lately met a Member of the present Parliament, a man of as high
principles, of as high character, and of as honest independence as was
new in Parliament, that man said to him (General Evans) he was
glad he was going to stand for Westminster, for although he had voted
against him at the last election ho would give him (General Evans)
his cordial support on that occasion. This gentleman was a
high Tory, but he was disgusted with the party who pro-
fessed liberal principles, but did not feel them.—(Loud cheers.)
That friend said, that in common wills the English people, he loved
and honoured consistency. He felt obliged to that gentleman, and
he (General Evans) hoped that they would all vindicate,
mid prove before to-morrow eveutus how much they re-

vered the great principles of civil and religions liberty.
He (General Evans) supported free trade measures when it produced
no profit to do so.—(Cheers.) When office was not procured by
doing so—(great cheering)—when it brought no rewards, but,
on the contrary, when it brought indignities.— (Loud cheers.)
His Gallant opponent came forward on free-trade principles, but he
(General Evans) had always been the staunch supporter of poplar
rights, and-he hoped his conduct would be estimated as it desek-ed
by returning iiiin to Parliament on that occasion.—(Cheers.) .
On a show of hands for Captain Rous a few-were held cp, amidst
the shouts and laughter of the assembled thousands ; and oe a similar
display taking place for General Evans, the immense assembly,
with a few exceptions, declared in his favour.

A poll was then denlanded by the friends of Captain Row, and the
time fixed for its commencement was at eight o'clock to-morrow
morning. After which the Yost multitude quietly dispersed.

MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS.
CITY, QUARTER TO THREE.

In the Liverpool Cotton market yesterday the sales were 3,000
bales. The market was dull, without change in prices. There was
but little done in Railway Shares.
The debate in Parliament is almost the exclusive subject of con-
versation here to-day, and all are hopeful of the free trade measure
being carried.
The English Funds have been very unsteady, and there has
been not only a very decided disinclination to buy, but an
absolute decline in prices in most instances. The bales
are not large, but the continued absence of purchases by the
Chancery broker, and the protraction of the corn-law debate,
have a marked influence on the quotations. Consols have
realised 96% to 95%, and are 96 again for present transfer:
time bargains have been made at a decline to 9631 and 96. The pre-
mium on Exchequer-bills has been down to 395. and 365. Bank Stock
is dull at 20731, and India Stock 258 to 260. The New Three-and-a-
Quarter per Cents. have been 98% to 97%.
The Foreign Investments have been heavy. Spanish Five per
Cents., owing to the change of Ministry, have declined to 27, and
the Three per Cents. to 37%. Portuguese Four per Cents. have been
at 59. Mexican Bonds are worth 30% ; and Grenada, 23%.
Railway Shares are flat in most instances, and there is not much
doing.
ONE CLOSING
BRITISH FUNDS. O'CLOCK. PRICES.
Bank Stock .. .. • • .. 2074 20731
Three per Cent. Annuities .. 97 95 % 963
Three per Cent. Consols Annuities 96% 96 95% 96 963
New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cent. Arms. 98% 97% 98'4
Long Annuities, Expire Jan. 5, 1860 .. 10 9-16 % 10%
Ditto, 30 years, Jan. 5, 1860 .. 10U 5-16 10 5-16
India Stock .. . .. 260 258 258 -
Bank Stock for Account .. 20714 20734
_ . .

Constls for Account .

96% 96 96% 964

Exchequer Bills. I%d. I%d. -
1,0001. .. .. .. .. 36 39 . pm. 39
5001... . .... 36 39 pm. 39
Ditto. Small .... 36 39 pm. 40
ONE CLOSING
FOREIGN FUNDS. O'CLOCK. PRICES.
Danish, 3 per Cent •• • • • • • • 88% 88%
Grenada, 1 per Cent .. .. .. .. 23% 23%
Mexican Bonds, 1837, 5 per Cent ..
Ditto, for the Account .. .. .. 30% 30%
Ditto, Deferred .. .. .. .. 16% 16%
Portuguese Four per Cents .. .. 59 49
Russian Bonds .. .. .. .'. .. 1111 A 111%
Spanish Bonds, 5 per Cent .. • • - 26%
Ditto, for the Account .. .. .. 27 271 A
Ditto, Passive Bonds .. .. .. 61/, 6%
Ditto, Deferred .. .. .. .. .. 16% 16%
Ditto, Three per Cent .. .. ..
Ditto, for the Account .. .. .. 37% 37%
Dividends on the above payable in London.
Belgian Four-and-I-Half per Cent .. 98
Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cent .. 59%X 59%
Ditto, 4 per Cent. Certificates .. 94% 95 95
BUSINESS CLOSING
PRICES OF
RAILWAY SHARES. PAID. DONE AT PRICES.
ONE O'CLOCK.

Aberdeen .. 10 .... .......... 10%
Birmingham and Gloucester.. .. 100 ....128 ex die..... 128 x d
Ditto New (issed at 7% dis.) .. 173 . 3l
Birmingham and Oxford Junction 2 .... 2% 23i
Bristol and Exeter .. 70 ...... .
Ditto New .. .. 5 .. • '12% .. • • ...... 1234
Caledonian .. .. 10 .... —..........—
Ditto Half Shares .. 2% .......... 3%
Chester and Holyhead .. .. 20 .... 21% ........ • • 21%
Chester and Manchester .. 425. .... % dis (its
Direct Manchester (Remington's) .... 13h
Direct Northern 2%.... 214 .......... 2%
Dublin and Galway .. .. 4 .... 4% • • ........ 414
Eastern Counties .. .. 141. 16s. .... 22% 21% 22
Ditto New .. 8/. 16s. ... 7 p.. • • .... 714 p
Do. Perpet., 5 per Cent. No. I. 61 13s. 4d. % p...... % p
Ditto, York Extension 105..... 154% .. •• ..
East Lincolnshire .. 114 2% % .. 2%,4
Edinburgh and Glasgow .. .. 50 .... 79% •• • •
Glouc., Aberyst., & Cent. of `Vales 13s .... %..
Goole, Dousast., and Ateffield, &c. 425. %34 p. 1% p
Grand Union (Nottingh. & Lynn) 1%.... 1% ..... 1%
Great Eastern and Western .. 2% .... 1 .......... 1
Great North of England . ..100 ....220 ex div...... 221 x d
Ditto, New .. .. 5 .... 52% 52%
Great Western .. 85 .. 155 ex div .. 155 x d
Ditto, Quarter Shares .. 5 .... ..........17% d
Ditto, Fifths .. 20 .. 343 ex div. ..3436_ x d
Guildford, Fareham, &Portsmoth 5 .. .. 5 ••••• • • • • • 516
Lancaster and Carlisle .. .. 35 .... 57 • • ..... 57.
Leicester and Birmingham .. 225. ••••• • • • • • 'A di

Leicester and Bedford 225..... par .......... i,fi dis
Leicester, Tantworth, &c.
London and Blackwall .. 161. 13s. 4d. 9

London and Brighton .. .. 50 .... 66 65% ex div 661 A xd
Ditto ditto Fifths .. .. 20 .... 30%.......... 30%
London and Croydon 131 15s. 9d. 22%
London and South-Westent.. 41/. 6s. 10d. .. • •
Ditto, New . 12% 241,E •• • ... 2414
London and York .. • • .. 2%.... 43% • • 37
Ditto, Half Shares • • • . 2% • .. 234.% •• • • • • 2%
Lynn and Ely .. • • • . ••5••• • • • • ...... • 6 A
Manchester and Leeds .. .. 82 ..
Ditto Extension .. 425..... 3% p• • ...... 3% p
Manchester and Birmingham .. 40 - • • ••. 79
Ditto, Quarter Shares .. .. 4 .... 12%. 12%
Manchester, Buxton, & Matlock 425. .. • • 1% A p•• .. 1% p
Manchester and Southampton .. 2 .... 2%
Midland ..100 ....152 .. 152
Ditto, New .. • . .. 12 .... 281, •••• • • .... 281,E
Ditto, Birmingham and Derby 100 ....122 .......... 132
Newcastle and Darlington Junct. 25 .... 45 45
Ditto, New .. 1 .... 10% •• • • ...... 10%
Newcastle and Berwick .. .. 10 .... 22% ••.. • • .... 22%
Newark, Sheffield, and Boston .. 2%.... 1% •• ••
134
North British .. 171/ .... 24% 25 .• .... 25
Ditto, Half Shares . 3%.... 71,!
Ditto, Carlisle Extension .. 11A .... 3 3
North Kent and Direct Dover • • 2% .. • • 3 . ...... 3
North Staffordshire .. .. • • 425. •• .. p p
Norwich and Brandon .. 18 .. • 25134 xd

Northmpton,Banbury,&Cheithm. 2 .... 13/ 2........ •
Oxfd.,Worcester,& Wolverlunpto. 12%.... 15%1A • • ...... 1514
Portsmouth ldreet .. 3%.•.• 4........ 4
Rugby and Huntingdon .. 2 ...• ...... 11,4
Scottish Central . • • • .. 734 •• .. ••• • • • .... --
Ditto New • • • • • • • 2% •• • 9% •••. • • • 934
Shrewsbury and Birmingham .. 2% 3% •• ..... 3%
Shropshire Union .. 421..... dis.... % dis.
South Devon .. 35 .... 36% • • • 36%
South Midland 425......
_234% p • ..... 2% p

South Eastern and Doror .. •• 33% .... 38S .......„ iiis/i
Do., New (do. 33/. 65.8 d.) No. 2. 10 .... 121 i • • ..... .. 1251
110., New (do. 301.) .. No. 3. 10 .... 1051
Do., New (do. 151.) .. No. 4. 21A .... 3%.70/2 ...... 351
South Wales .. .. .. .. • • 5 •• • • T ••!• ••• • • • 6%

Trent Valley .. .. 5 .. • 25% 25 ...... 25
Trent Valley and Holyhead June. 2% .......... 1%
Warwickshire and London • .. 425. % dis. ••• • .. !4i dis.
Wexford, Waterford, & Valeatla .. • • ...... 1 g
York and Lancaster .. • . • . 2% .... 1% ..... ••• .. 1%
York mid North Midland . • . • 80 • 101
Ditto, Selby .. • • .. .. 30 .... 74 75 .. • • .... 75
Ditto, Extension .. .. 15 .... 33 33
FOREIGN RAILWAYS.

Boulogne and Amiens : • • 10 .• .• 11% ...... 11%
Bord., TouL, Cette kiackenzie) 2
Ditto, ditto (Espelete) .. 2 .... 2% • 2%
Central of Spain .. • • .. .. 2 .... 1% 1%
Dutch Rhenish . • .• • . .• 5 .• • • 7% • ... • • 71,6
Grt. North. of France Constituted 5 .... 14% ...... 15
Great Indian Peninsular ss. ....
Louvain and Jemeppe •• .. 4 .. . .......... 1%
Luxembourg .. • . .. 4 .... 2%
Madrid and Valentia .. 2 .... 1% • • ........ 1%
Namur and Liege .. .. 4 .... 3% .... •.• . • • 3%
Paris and Orleans .. 20 .... . . 39%
Rouen and Havre . .. 20 ....28% 29 28% 29 29
JOINT-STOCK BANKS.

British North American .. 50 .... 45 45
National of Ireland .. 20 .... 20 ••• • • •• • • 20

------- - MINES.
Real del Monte, Unregistered .. .... 4 ••• • • • •• •

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.

LONDON, FEB. 17.—Wind W., light breeze and hazy.
DEAL, FEB. 16.—Wind N.N.W., light.—Arrd. Sirius, Mulder, Ba-
tavia, for Ilollang“ Arrd. from the River and sailed, Eleanor Lan-
caster, Lodge, Port Phillip ; Richard and William, Brigstock, Singa-
pore ; Aner. Dunker, Cape of Good Hope ; Portland, Charleston.
OFF TORBAY, FEB. 14.—Isle of Wight, Betsey, Mauritius; William
Duke, Pitts, Denia.
PEirmouxn, FEB. 16.—Wind variable.—Sid. her Majesty's ship
Grampus, South America.
BRISTOL, FEB. 16. —Wind N.W., light.—Sid. John Hullett, Chris-
topher, Mauritius ; Neptune, Bevan, Jamaica.
PILL, FEB. 14.—Sid. John Hullett, Christopher, Mauritius.
CARDIFF, FEB. 14.—Sid. ICdward Thurne, Johnson, Valparaiso;
Pandora (of Cork), Martinique.
LIVERPOOL, FEB 16.—S1d. Athena, Ogg, Calcutta; Nelson Village,
M`Lamie, Savannah ; Fredonia, Lunt, New York ; Perseverance,
Bennett, St. John's, New Brunswick.
Coax, FEB. 12.—Sid. Lewes Castle, Florence, Port Talbot. The
Effingham has been towed to West Passage, to discharge, having
eight feet water in her hold.
LONGIIOPE, FEB. 9.—Shi. Rolla, St. John's, New Brunswick.

HULL, Ens, 15.—Acrd. Forrester, Steele, Monte Video.
SHEERNESS, FEB. 14.—The Nymph, Roberts, from rwllhelli to
London., got on shore on the Shoebdry Knock Sand, during a fog, but
was assisted off yesterday and proceeded.
LIMERICK, FEB. 14.—The Susan, Jones, hence to Liverpool, in
proceeding down the river, 12th instant, got en shore; assisted off
and put back here, with pumps choked, and is-discharging.
NOTICE TO MARINERS.
The agent to Lloyd's at Vince!, states that by late observation
made it had been ascertained that the current caused by the Great
Jetty across the Bar formed at the mouth of the port of Malamacco,
had already cut a channel across it of about 40 fathoms from the
edge of the Jetty, the uniform depth of water on which was about
fifteen feet and a half at mid tide, decreasing abruptly at the termi-
nation of the 40 fathoms to about 12 feet. The pilot had received
in-
structions to avail himself of this channel in bringing vessels into port.
CHARTS OF THE LEVANT, &c.

The agent of Lloyd s at Smyrna, mentions that few masters of
vessels going that way appear to be aware that the Charts of the
late survey, made by Capt. Greaves, in the Grecian Archipelago, Lc.,
have been published.

LOSS OF TWO VESSELS.

-
Isle Jeremie, King's Posts, Hudson's Bay, Deo. 190845.

Sir,—Letters received from Captain Edwin Penheath, of the ship
Jane Morrison, of Quebec, and ,from Captain Donald Campbell, of the
ship Sir Richard Jackson, from Montreal, bearing date, Mascicongan
Shoals, 7th December, inform me of the loss of both these ships on
the night of the Ist to 2d instant, and that they had at the time the
ships struck cut away the main and mizen-masts of both ships seve-
rally to ease them. The boats of the former having been all stove in
or washed overboard, the crew were saved on a raft constructed by
them of deals, of which consists the cargo, and the crew of the latter
ship, after having been a day and night fast in the ice in their boats
at last get on shore, where both crews were without provisions, and
In the former case with hardly any clothing.
"An Indian whom they met relieved their temporary distresses
out of a scanty quantity of provisions, which afforded only about half
a meal a day to these crews, numbering with master and one pas-
senger (Mr. Midleton, from Liverpool), about forty souls. This
Indian brought, after a few week's delay (on account of two large
rivers intervening between this and the wreck, which were not strong
enough frozen to cross) the above intelligene, conveyed through the
letters from the masters, and lost no time in repairing to their assist-
ance, and am happy to thank the Almighty that thirty are now safe
here ; five are in charge of Indians, with slightly frozen feet ; two
elderly men have died ; and four, at their own choice, were left on
the wreck of the Sir It. Jackson, which does not appear to be break-
ing up ; but which, I fear, will be carried off by the Ice, as is invariably
the OEM with vessels cast away on these shoals. This vessel is laden
with provisions and grain. The Jane Morrison I did not see ; but
understand that she is much damaged about her bows.
" Wm. Dobson, Esq., Secretary, Lloyd's."

MARKET NEWS.-(THIS DAY.)
EAT MARKETS.
SMlTrinELD.—Meadow Hay, 3/ 5s to 4/ lOs ; Clover ditto, 41 5s to
51 lOs ; Oat Straw, 11 lOs to 11 12s ; Wheat Straw, 1/ 13s to 11 lis
per load. Both Hay and Straw, the supply of which was good, mend
off slowly, at about last week's quotations.
CUMBERLAND.—Meadow Hay, 31 88 to 4/ 128 ; Clover ditto, 41 5s
to Si 88 ; Oat Straw, 1/ lis to 1/ 138; Wheat Straw, 11 14s to 11 16s
per load. A moderate supply, and a sluggish demand.
WRITECIIAPEL.—Meadow Ray, 31 5s to 41 lOs; Clover ditto, 4188
to Si 15s ; Oat Straw, 1/ lOs to 11 12s , Wheat Straw, 11 12s to 1/ lbs
per load. Supply tolerably good, and trade dull.

SUDDEN ATTACK OF ILLNESS.—T. H. Phipps, Esq.,
the Chairman of the Quarter Sessions held at Warminster, Wilts,
was attacked with a tit of paralysis on Monday, and remains in a
very alarming state. Mr. Phipps was at the same time sitting at
the Petty Sessions at Westbury.
MELANCHOLY SUDDEN DEATH.—We regret to an-
nounce the sudden death of Mr. Edward Jorey, clerk in her Ma-
jesty's dockyard at this port. Deceased was in the act of preparing
to go to the evening service of St. John's Chapel on Sunday last,
when he complained that he felt a pain in his chest, and almost
instantly expired. He was universally respected. Devonport
Telegraph.
Yesterday morning the remains of Jeremiah Spence
Stark, and Helen Stark, his young wife, whom he murdered, after-
wards destroying himself, were buried in one grave in the Tower
llam.lets Cemetery, near Bow.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer acknowledges the
receipt of a 501.-note (No. 51,567, 21st May, 1844), from " Con-
science." This money will be placed to the public account:—Dowil-
b3l-tialte Feb, 16, •
M 111141,111

QUEEN'S BENCH-(THIS DAY.)
(Before Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN and a Special Jury.)
BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE.
SMITH V. LORD FERUERS.
The Court sat this morning at half-past nine o'clock, and, as O;I:
the previous day, the Court became crowded to excess. Several
ladies, relations of the noble defendant, were accommodated with
seats on the bench.
l'rudence Scott was the first witness called—
I am the daughter f
the Postmaster of Shirlyweek. I did not assist in the post-office. ~
knew that Lord Ferrers had a post-bag there. I kept the key. who!!
e
the bag comes it is locked, ar d I open it, and take the letters out. !;
have done this for the last two or three years. I have seen" Ferrell
on the corner 01 his Lordship's letters, and knew the handanting:
Within the last IS months I have observed a change in the writing, and
it appeared to be rather larger. I know a person named Leadbeater:
He is Lord Ferrers' house-steward. About half a year ago, sine'
Lord Fcners' marriage, Leadbeater called at the Office. I never saw
Lord Ferrers write, but the writing now shown me is a great deal
like the signatures I have seen. The letter No. 9 is like. NO. BIS
not so much like. No. 7is much like it. No. 6is like it, but rather
smaller. No. sis rather smaller than he is in the habit Oi Will
now. The same answer applies to letters No. 4, No. 2, and No. ••
The letter marked "A" is rather like ; that market letter "B" 1

great deal like it. end
Cross-examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL—My father _
mother are not here. The'reason I began to notice the writing ifer
because Lord Ferrers used to write to my father, requesting nth
register letters. I have seen perhaps half a dozen of those, u_y;ct
the inside and the outside of them ; this was during a Pe"
spread over two or three years. I did not look at the letters for the
purpose of identifying the 'writing, I merely picked them up
look t them i
. ent
Re-aexamined—When Lord Ferrers lived at Chartley he sent
letters constantly to the post-office. I have seen a good many lettege
during that time ; he has sent fewer since his marriage.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL then asked if the Solicitor-General AS
prepared to accede to the proposition he made yesterday ?
eon to
Mr. CHAMBERS said he did not think he should be called
do this until he had heard the case for the defence. It appeared ur_,
the offer to inspect all the letters was made to defendant's eons.
several mouths ago, but they denied that any such offer was rnade,',..
His LORDSHIP could not see what objection there could be to ur
Inspection of theletters,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL raid he would not now accept thefavenre
as it had been refused. eetiee
Frederick Hilyard, clerk in the General Pest-office—Thepr- „a,
in the Post-office with regard to refused letters is to open them,
11 possible, return them to the writers. They are not registered uni:
they contain value. If they happen to be letters addressed to lit;
men, they are selected and sent out ; and if all efforts to find ,8:43
fail, they must be opened. I have examined the register for
and 1844, and find no register of such letters to Lord Ferrero. Will;
a letter is opened and the writer cannot be found,
then the letter
destroyed. ei
James Hatton, postmaster and parish clerk at Appleby—. —life
say that more letters passed through my office for Mr. Atkin'.
atal
1843 and 1844 than usual. They were generally letters on f
affairs between Atkins and his wife. Not so many as two or torl.
a week, or four or five a month. The post-mark on the letters ni;
" Hammersmith," and on ethers " Ashby de la Zouch." Since tile
middle of 1844 I have received lone letter from :Atkins, with
not
postmark of " Ashby." I did not notice them particularly",
having any suspicion. ,ne
Mrs. Perry was called, but the answer was that she was
ill
and could not attend. me Into
A clerk In the Will-office produced a copy of 'the will of de.
Lord Ferrers, by which It appeared that the estates, &c., 10.- •
seended to the defendant. ~e
Mr. CHAMBERS called upon the defendant's counsel to produ— •
letter of the 24th of June, 1844, from Mr. Smith to Lord Ferretag
The Register read a copy of the letter, which was one esre.,ic.
the pleasure the writer felt in the expected alliance, and his con
tion that the defendant's happiness would be secured by his eiwene,
though the writer had no hope of seeing the plaintiff married Fete
peer of the realm. The Register then read the letters, which "
ten in number. •e•l4
Mrs. Elizabeth Perry was then called.—l recollect being en -cote.
with Miss Smith's father, in the month of April, 1844, at Ste' 01
Mrs. and Miss Smith were there one or two days. They
returned sooner than I expected. While I was there MIS° oot
gave me a letter to put in the poet. It was directed to the ,c tbe
lion. Earl Ferrers, Chartley Castle, 6taffordshire. I did not 6' tbeY
contents of the letter. Ladies do not generally show the letterset
write to gentlemen.— (Laughter.) I put that letter in the Pettree
Lichfield. I was lu constant commucicatio:i with kliss Snit of 6
her contemplated marriage with Lord Ferrers. lam the oir, c
clergyman of the Church of England, and reside in Oxfordshire.
Here the case for the plaintiff closed. for tl2,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL then proceeded to state the eel-
defexdant, when our report left.

COURT OF REVIEW--(THIS PO)

(Before Vice-Chancellor W IGLUS.)
FRANK V. WALLER. _
A case of some interest to Benefit Societies came before hisbB tbsti
on a bill, filed by the plaintiff and six others, members of A ed
society, called the " Welwyn Club." These seven com Plain f iii
they had been illegally deprived of all share in the benefits lei'
club by the remaining seven members, there being but fourteen ,rucor
hers in all. The Welwyn Club was formed in 1824 with ten,. ip43,-
bers, some of whom are plaintiffs, and continued to exist up t:otto
when there were fourteen members, and the funds Ow, gat
to 2701. Con=ols, and 401. in hand. In January of that Yea';,e'setO'
quarterly meeting of the club, when all the members were PO—
except one of the plaintiffs and one of the defendants, it 1.1,,,d0001
posed by the plaintiff, Frank, that 101. apiece should be WDse pre!'
from the funds of the club; of those present adhered to the
poser, and the sixth did the same by letter, read on the ,4,', a4'The recusants to this proposition considered that 1.7 pro'
hereuts had violated the rules of the society, 87,1e6:",
ceeded to expel them, on the ground of the following
Rule 19 says that the society shall not be dissolved, so long a';,410.
members are willing to support it, and any member proponiug., be 10'
solve shall be expelled ; and Rule 27, that any alteration 11131 firdit
troduced into these rules and be binding, if agreed to by fott_ri;
of the members, always provided that such alteration nUny
dissolve, or tend to dissolve, the society. Under the authos'Pfb
these rules the defendants acted, and contended they 115 d 0
00,
to act. It was contended, en the part of the
they had done nothing to merit expulsion, and
the ground of a verdict by Lord Eldon, they '1;-,,p01.;
right, if they so wished, to withdraw, :and take their 'e ro).`:
tion of the funds. It was remarked on in court that tleco.,'
in the present case were absurdly stringent, and even contrAl‘ss "
and it was deprecated on all hands— by his Honour as till it
the counsel engaged—that the case had been pressed
,on‘Ze
came a suit in Chancery. The counsel for the pininth" ;ad
Romilly and Mr. Walford ; for the defendants, Mr. rarleer
Tremenheere.
Judgment was deferred.

MURDER IN DRURY-LANE'
BO W. STRE ET.— (THIS DAY.) ..,,oter:
Thomas Wicks, who stands charged with the murder of hie—rl.l)
dames Bostock, was this morning placed at the bar before 31:0'013,1_,:,
ford as soon as the night charges had been disposed of. T. be.gditioP
nation, of which we shall give full particulars in our Tiila' '"
had not concluded when we went to press..
MURDER AND SUICIDE AT Cali
BERWELL. sooi
otir
Shortly after seven o'clock yesterday morning' the neight.--oste
of Southampton-place, Camberwell, was throwd into the goo
consternation by the screams of a woman, who had JostScoitrto
escape, by the back door of No:s, Wellington-place, st
residence, only two stories high. The first person WM pd
the spot was Mr. Pratt, a surgeon, who resided at No. s,ito",„
upen entering, was horror-struck at the scene which prestdt.:
In an upper room, upon the floor, lay the lifeless body oft or
rote Moreau, a Frenchman, aged 53, with his throat cut froTitiist;
ear ; on the bed, his son, aged 13, quite dead, shockinglYriotnlo
about throat ; and in a lower room another son, aged lrw
-
throatthe cut, a wound on the cheek, and his hand muchlacera toilio. to
at first supposed to be dead, but afterwards showed some srui of to,
life, but totally unable to articulate or give the least accotolv offf In
dreadful catastrophe ; and in a short time afterwards a foultral
aged eight months, was found dead in a water butt which i 5
the garden, but having no wounds whatever about its nerlonittle
pears that the unfortunate man had resided at No. 5 %es. .0
twelvemonth, supporting his family as a teacher of langula,
°i o 0
had been in the habit of rising about seven in the Ivell:00 °OO
usually took down stairs with him one of the twin infante, riling:Jo
in the same bed as he and the n:other. Yesterday Lne.,,,'"itri ,tee
dressing himself, he did the same thing, taking one child zairto,
and leaving the other in bed with the mother. In a fect,
the mother, being alarmed, by a loud shrieking, went to tbo ile";a1
and on opening the door was met by the younger boy, 21 t.,11001
diately ran down stairs bleeding, at the bottom of which be row 'OO
apparently lifeless; and on entering the room Mrs. l'f,rost,„ta
her unfortunate husband in the act of cutting his ovo 100 pot
before she could interpose he had fallen down a corpse' -could ifif
farther, she discovered her eldest son dead in the bed, bat silo t
perceive any traces of her infant child, who was, boweNlearteret'i
afterwards discovered to have been drowned in the rot
There is no doubt whatever but that the unfortunate father r‘icit
to the garden instantly on leaving his bedroom, and 110114,,itere't An
the child, then ascended to the children's room, where he - 000 ge
io
perpetrated the other murders committing suicide the P,ope, ef
alarm was raised. As no vital: organ has been severed,
entertained that the youngest boy's life will be saved, --,Do ri•
course, there is great danger that he will not survive. 'their rtDie
There seems to be little , doubt but that owing to ..,4e of for
vations, temporary insanity was the immediate CO'. DO po
shocking affair, as his pecuniary embarrassmeotto.
some weeks past induced great depression of oPL! to PicS
widow states that she believes it was her husband's inteol'f;
murdered her, and all the children, before he destroyed hunt cos efgis
he doubtless would have done, had it not been for the sere,gtoor-1 to
son Philarete. Such precautions had he taken, that the , doe ;,0
was found so twisted that she could not open the streelo
escape, had he made an attack upon her life. She sass 1a(00V
been married nearly twenty years ; that the deceased
A schoolmaster at Leicester, but had of late been obtailo;',7oo °Jo
subsistence for his family y teaching the French and ltd, eliere
guages. In the back room, first floor, were a crib bedstl, Ole
mattress, and scarcely any clothes to cover the child_rero,
were neither chairs, tables, or any other article of furrlit..,olll.Ki,
adjoining room was an old mattress, on which the inao v7O e'coof
fortunate wife, with her twin children, slept. There
of the
stead, only three old chairs and a table. The whole "

rooms were perfectly empty. .
. .
RAILWAY SHARE MARiivr Sttd,
MANCHESTER, FEB. 16. r.. ossttipre'R.l
STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are -Birkertheaci, --,,n ame'lit, '
Cheshire, 4 p.-Blackburn and Preston, 6 p.-Eastern ,I, sol...tiirei
--Goole, Doncaster, and Sheffield, 1% p.-Fluddersfiel.l y0r78.10
cheater Railway and Canal, 7% p.-Lancashire ani7s°,lferre,„ools
% p.-Leeds, Dewsbury, and Manchester, 9% P.--''',..rid r',.1,0r
Bury, New Shares, 3% p.-Liverpool, Ormskirk, ""i; p• 4 p.',
3% p.-Liverpool, Preston, Manchester, and Stockpor
t,tiocic, ;root
don and York, 1% p.-Mauchester, Buxton, and 3,013010 f
Manchester and Birmingham, Quarters (A), 8% P•-•-pitt°'.:astfyi
(C), 6% p.--Manchester and Leeds, Fifths, 11% P. „oral ..A-O/c:
sion, 3% p. c.-Manchester and Southampton, % P.-- Oa P• OW'
% dis.-North Staffordshire, 3% p.-North Western, 3.lancli Or
field and Lincolnshire Junction, 2% p.-Shelßeltl and riever'
No. 2,6% p.-Ditto, No. 3,3% p.- South Eastern au
solidated Halves, 1% p.-West Riding Union, 3P. OP
LEEDS, FEB. 16. ,iirtiiitgioN
Szoca EXCHANGE.-The sales are altcyd'pte obafP
New Quarters (C), 6% p.-Great Grimsby and Shettle„d DesciOst's
14 p.-Huddersfield and Manchester, 6% p.-Leeds 4,„1i01c, :or,
16% -Ditto, New Branches, 3 % p.-Leeds and . ~ 11-7._o'e.
Ditto, New, 53. dis.-Lancaster and Carlisle, New t'ilutreb 21,i ..-//1'
-orn, , 4..
British, New Carlisle Branch, 21. 19/1.-Direct Not._- V• k 4 slid
Riding Union, 5/. ls.-Lancashire and North Yorkg110'0:, n'',2.„17,
ceder and Bedford, par-Manchester, Buxton, .313`.,,, 21. 1
_,,6
land, 343. p.-North Staffordshire, 4 p.-North Wcst° 4 , :',
HULL, FEB. 16. -rolls 1 0°
,„i v. e,13
STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales F
are--DerbY+ "--liiiisphi ..--, 43
Grimsby, 18s.-East Coast, 305.-Grimsby and She' e-In aliaCtir
17s. 6d.-Hull and Barnsley Junction, 365. Briti"l'
fleet, SO.-Newcastle and Berwick, 22% -North
Branch, 3-West Riding Union, 5.
,apld l'1,0.:'".
SHEFFIELD, FED. 16. A she.-- colo +3.
STOCK Exeffahoz.-The sales are-Grimsby all" ~......1.111, ;il. ',.
sion, 21. 168.-Leeds, Wakefield, and Midland. 21. •10';1 can,,,.. lot-
Walnfleet, IL 1 Is.- .Manchester and Lincoln Union au
- Sheffield, Rotherham, Wakefield. and Goole; 2'3 ~..,
sh!re Coal Railway, 21. ls. 205,,,i,
HUDDERSFIELD, FED. 16' d crold,,l-1,./vold
STOCK EXCHANGE.-The Bales are-Lcndon an,ro. 4, x,eiersitls.
South Eastern and Dover, New (issued at 1tr.),,,',1111_h, ?A,
dersfleld and Manchester Railway and Canal, 7YI
and p0ru5......0,-
and Sheffield Junction, 21%-Armagh, Coleraincileato, 30
-North Western, 2%-Goole, Doncaster, and b and
gow and Dumfries, 465. ~....n. 3
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, 1, flan"' 101 ,f•
STOCK Excites/oz.-The sales are-LiverPoO _- and .. (C
liuN1"1" 101"
Newcastle Junction, 11s. p.-Manchester.
1% p.-North British, Halves (Hawick). , i•
--e 1
lisle), 1%. Os. Ps
11. fl '
YORK, FEN+ 16. d raw,
_saito „ad,
STOCK ExCHANGE.-The sales are-Gran___,., 44
an
11dritos,
tester and Bedford, 11. 223.-London and ). or" lc
NatlOC' trtil 15 ter
Driffield Junction, 2%-Manchester, Buxtoniah ~,sz__;....
..,,i p 6
3/. 195.-Newcastle and Darlington Extensio North ydidt'w
25 IA -Ditto, Carlisle Extension, 3 -york and 011
, P
sion, New (East and West Riding), 'oe), DO
-1, Jol ~ 01 Ai
P' tourde'otoPY"
Margaret Joicey (the sister 0 the you,, in the
_t the.
4 11.-Pitte,
imprisoned in Morpeth gaol, charged witil`tunt,orianc.,..„ trial o!
father, Robert Joieey, at Cockle Park, I`T°r""
committed taue'eessorlolto
of December last, by arsenic), has beet! she wAs all,i.e tio Coat th
forthcoming assizes. The charge is. thaeL ter to
spe frodre,....
the fact. It appeared from the e
videnb;other to ~,a or Pt ortell,,
ing magistrate, that she assisted her __43,tescriP....„,o tba , :se'
hands of justice, by giving his pursuersafatilue ootintrY rod s.
and directing them to a different part , the
calieswtlea,s nn gat/ let ".0-
bfeoiunngdt;heitn
owiiilhilbserorecadottl.eeictedeswiltl,Fratui,.l:__c 75_ ;:st
inrodia.tai'eli
OFFENCES IN ST. JinADtliep'
usual notices of offences 8:u;:h, in'clotshiler°P."Vt. elirte.o7.l°os
„oaths for ...la atte A to Pl,OO
park, Postedbayt
orderall the
of
the principal
au
ni issientrances°rw,
rost
oriwoo ailnade•cenrocypi'oot.o
par
was committed for girt() :i
of a feltn,rorniser„out i_e,
darlsz. patit.
herself;A shseecw.ottout
her in some asylum. ,k (wen,.
almost entirc 3 ----
parka has been the means of ,
.., oace,
-----
„gor
of indecency that were nightly tams.
_____---------- Weir' AC-
viil'eaalii: de. et
id:tsonihi :enr:g friends,
blcse,e:ie..,;hiLerd;
thir,
eo many a,,,c-
. 10114
----------- DIED. ~, tin„.cort
of her
-, _de of - .....,
. 53kim.......12•,.............................„.............„, - - .To• 11 t
On the
Rlo.Nth.,halt..,
natatdhveartZeagneee,
Isabella, r‘,
.....--'- ,2,
gTegor Skinner, Esq., of Belfast. _
0.-1704, of. -.1.0,100
London:Printed and P b
------- --usl,;hoitid
ee,
)...leet.llll)2,°esliaTunldeeci. 114t4:141'/11 I
Strand, ranter, at The _t, of giddied
of the Savoy, in the C 01.3 ~ ,
17, 1846.