The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-10 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARC a 10, 1846.

Average Amount.
Pease's Old Bank, hull, the Hull Old Bank and
Beverley Bank, Hull—Pease and Co 44,435
Penzance Bank, Penzance—Batten and CO 9,189
?eterborough Bank and Oundle Bank, Peter-
borough—M.sqrs. Yorke
Peterborough Bank, Peterborough—Simpson,
White, and Simpson 10,401
Pembrokeshire Bank, Haverfordwest—J. and
W. Walter
Penzance lion Bank, Falmouth Bank, and

Truro Bank, Penzance—Rickets, Enthoven.

and Co
Reading Bank, Reading-simonas and Co 24,948
Reading Bank, Reading-Stephens,Blandy, and
Co 23,282
Richmond Bank, Richmond-Stapleton and Co 4,401
Ringwood and Poole Bank, and Town and
County of Poole Bank, Ringwood-Ledgard
and Sons
Rochdale Bank, Rochdale-Clement, Royds
and Co 3,811
Rochester, Chatham, and Strood Bank, Roches-
ter-Day and Nicholson 8,878
Royston Bank, Royston-Fordham and Sons... 13,184
Rugby Bank, Rugby-Butlin and Son 12,516
Rye Bank, Rye-Curteis, Pomfret, and Co 13,671
Reigate and Darking Bank, and Reigate, Croy-
don, and Darking Bank, Reigate-Nash and
Co 10,594
Ross 61d Bank, Herefordshiro, Ross-Pritchard
and Allaw ay 3,961
Saffron Walden and North Essex Bank, Saffron
Walden-Messrs. Gibson
Salop Bank, Shrewsbury-Burton, Lloyd, and
Co 10,060
Scarborough Old Bank, f3carborough-Woodall
and Co
Shrewsbury Old Bank, and Shrewsbury and
Ludlow Bank, Shrewsbury-Rocko, Eytons,
and Co
Sittingbourne and Milton Bank, Sittingbourne
-Valiance and Son
Southampton Town and County Bank, South-
ampton-Maddifmi and Son
Southwell Bank, Southwell-Wylde and Co 12,497
St. Alban's Bank, St. Alban's-J. S. Story 864
Salisbury Bank, Salisbury-Messrs. Brodie
Shaftesbury Bank, Shaftesbury- Brodie and
King
Southampton and Hampshire Bank, Southamp-
ton-Atherly and Fall
Stone Bank, Stora--W. Moore 4,906
Stourbridge Bank, Stourbridge -Rufford,
Wragg, and Co ... 12,507
Stafford Old Bank, Stafford-Stevenson and Co 12,628
Stamford and Rutland Bank, Stamford-Eaton,
Cayley, and Co. .„
Stourbridge Old Bank, Stourbridge-Bate and
Robins
Shrewsbury and Welshpool Bank, Shrewsbury
-Beck, Downward, and Co. 15,796
St. Alban's and Herta Bank, St. Alban's-Gib-
son and Stuart
Taunton Bank, Taunton-Messrs. Badcoek 17,775
Tavistock Bank, Tavistock-Gill, Rundle, and
Co 8,009
Th orn bury Bank, Thornbury-Rolph, Yates, and
Parslow
Tiverton and Devonshire Bank, Tiverton-Duns-
ford and Barne 6,226
Thrapston and Kettering Bank, Northampton-
shire, Thrapston-Yorke and Eland 10,430
Tring Bank and Chesham Bank, Tring-But-
cher and Son
Towcester Old Bank, Towcester-J. and S
Percival
Union Bank, Cornwall, Helston-Vivian and
Co 7,215
Uxbridge Old Bank, Uxbridge-Hull, Smith,
and Co.
Wallingford Bank, Wallingford-Wells and Co 5,763
Warwick and Warwickshire Bank, Warwick-
Kelynge, Greenway, and Co. 23,124
Wellington Somerset Bank, Wellington-Fox
Brothers
West Riding Bank, Wakefield, and Pontefract
Bank, Wakefield-Leatham, Tew, and Co.
Whitby Old Bank, Whitby-Simpson, Chap-
man, and Co 13,526
Winchester, Alresford, and Alton Bank, Win-
chester-Bulpett and Co.
Winchester and Hampshire Bank, Winchester
-Wickham and Co 4,087
Weymouth Old Bank and Dorchester Bank,
Weymouth-Elliott and Pearse
Wirkeaworth and Ashbourne Derbyshire Bank,
Wirkeswgrth-Arkwright and Co.
Wished' and Lincolnshire Bank, Wisbech-
Gurney and Co.
Wiveliscombe Bank, Wiveliscombe-P. and W
Hancock
Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton-Good-
riche and Holyoake.
Worcester Bank, Worcester-Farley, Lavender,
and Co. 9,418
Worcester Old Bank and Tewkesbury Old Bank,
Worcester-Berwick, Lechmere, and Co 70,032
Worcestershire Bank, Kidderminster-Farley
and Turner
Walsall Old Bank, Walsall-Charles Foster and
Sons
Warminster and Wiltshire Bank, Warminster-
Everett and Co.
Wrexham Bank, Wrexham-S. Kenrick 1,383
Wolverhampton Bank, Wolverhampton-
Messrs. Fryer
Yarmouth and Suffolk Bank, and Halesworth
and Suffolk Bank, Yarmouth-Gurney,
Birkbe'.ik, and Co.
Yarmouth, Norfolk, and Suffolk Bank, Great
Yarmouth-Sir E. K. Lacon, Bart., and Co 10,296
Yeovil Old Bank, Yeovil-E. and J. Batten
York Bank. York-Swann. Clough. and Co 38,467

WEST LONDON RAILWAY.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held
yesterday, at one o'clock, at the London Tavern; Mr.
H. H. Grounds in the chair.
The report expressed the regret of the directors that
the railway still continued in the same unproductive
state as at the last meeting, no steps having been
taken by the lessees to bring it more fully
into operation, whieh they attributed to the recent
commercial depression, but on its complete removal
they entertained a confident anticipation, and that the
works would be actively commenced. They regretted
that the North Western and Great Western Companies had
given notice of their intention to apply to the Commis-
sioners of Railways for an extension of time
for two years. One reason put forward by the lessees
for not at once proceeding with the works was, that they
could not do so with advantage to themselves, until it
had been extended to the Thames. It had been found
necessary to expend a mall sum in making some per-
manent repairs to the Kensington canal, in the traffic of
which there bad been a trifling increase. he following
directors went out of office :—Mr. Stephen Birch, and Mr.
William Cubitt, M.P.
The accounts to the 31st December showed that
276,8681. had been received, and 276,3214 expended,
leaving a balance of i 471. in hand.
The CHAIRMAN briefly addressed the meeting. He
attributed the non-completion of the line entirely to the
commercial pressure adverted to in the report, but anti-
cipated that the time was not far distant when the works
would be resumed. He appeared before them on
this occasion with more regret than on any
previous occasion, but they could not fail to bear
in mind that the pressure had not only affected
them, but the great railway companies. The directors
held a large stake in the concern, and it was unlikely,
having so great a stake, that they would leave anything
undone to press on the completion of the works at the
earliest possible moment. He then moved the adoption
of the report.
Mr. WHITE complained of the supineness of the direc-
tors, and urged upon them to submit to no further delay.
The report was most unsatisfactory, and with a view to
see what could be done, he begged to propose the ad-
journment of the meeting for a week.
Mr. HENLEY seconded the motion, and said, if a pri-
vate person bought land, and agreed to pay a certain
sum for it, by a given time, and at length declared that
the state of the money market would prevent him from
doing so, such a proceeding would not be tolerated.—
(Hear hear.) They had had meetings after meetings,
years had passed by, and, notwithstanding, they under-
stood, at the last meeting, that no time would be lost in
completing the works, yet they were just as far from
that consummation as they were two years ago.
Mr. RIGBY characterised the conduct of the two
companies as gross in the extreme. They had committed
a wanton breach of contract, and had deceived and
humbugged the shareholders.—(Hear, hear.) They
hadbeen kept out of the capital—principal and interest—
for ten years. Why he never heard of such monstrous
conduct. He suggested that they should memoralise the
Commissioners not to accede to the application of the
North-Western and Great Western Companies. Their
conduct towards this company seemed to imply that they
had entered into an arrangement which they could not
carry out, and that they had done so merely for the pur-
pose of deluding them.. These companies had recentlyvoted
themselves dividends of 8 and 10 per cent. He was
justified in calling them " brutes "—(Laughter)—for he
called that man a " brute " who did not feel for the
sufferings of another. Widows and orphans, who had
had property left them in the company, looked eagerly
from time to time for their dividend, but they looked in
vain, for meeting after meeting took place without re-
ceiving a farthing —(Hear, hear.) All conciliatory in-
tercourse with these companies he considered at an
end (they had not even replied to some of
the complaisant letters of the Secretary), and
the directors should now be authorised to
take legal measures to recover compensation for the
injury they had sustained.—(Hear, hear.) The share
holders should bear in mind that they had surrendered
up their property to them, and that their business had
long been in abeyance in consequence.—(H ear.)
Mr. GUNTER said the two great companies had
always deceived them, and treated them with evasion ;
and they ought now to be compelled to fulfil their con-
tract and to give them compensation for the injury they
had sustained in consequence of the delay that bad taken
place. If necessary, he hoped the shareholders would
enter into a subscription, according to their stake in the
undertaking, to bring the matter before a legal tribunal.
The voluminous correspondence between this company
and the North- Western and Great Western Companies
was then read by the Secretary (Mr. Thompson), at the
request of some of the shareholders. It was commenced
in 1846, and certainly contained many assurances that
no time would be lost in completing the work.
Mr. THOMPSON said that Mr. Parker, the solicitor to
the North-Western Company, bad stated to him that be
did not think the company he represented would consent
to do anything of the kind.
Mr. Cuntrr, M.P., said it would be useless to oppose
the Extension Bill sought by the two great companies,
because that would be a suicidal course, inasmuch as
they could not touch the new line before December; aid
it was impossible they could complete it within the time
prescribed.—(Hear.) The panic had come upon these
companies, and other bodies. and persons unexpectedly,
and had prevented them from doing what they had
honourably bound themselves to do. No one could have
foreseen what had taken place. These companies did
not deserve the aspersions that had been cast upon them.
A SHAREHOLDER said they must not infer from the
fact that these companies had sought more time, that
they would require the whole of it. It was unlikely a
great and honourable company like the North- Western
would break faith with them.

The Solicitor said they could undoubtedly bring an ac-
tion at that time against the North-WesternCompany for
compensation, hut he advised them not to do so ; first,
because a hostile feeling would be created; and, secondly,
because they could not well estimate the amount of
damage they had sustained.
After much discussion the report was adopted, the re-
tiring directors re-elected, and the best mode of protecting
the interests of the shareholders left in the hands of the
directors.

ELECTION COMMITTEES.
LINCOLN.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Robert Fotherty represented himself to bo so un-
well as to render it difficult for him to speak, but Mr.
Wordsworth, by a little cross questioning, got out the
fact that he had been drinking wine and water the whole
of the morning, while the tone of voice in which he gave
his evidence showed that he was not so bad as he would
have it supposed. He voted for Seeley and Sibthorp at
the last election, and for eight or nine months preceding
he was furnished once a week with bread at the expense
of Mr. Seeley. His four sons voted the same way, but
after the election the bread was stopped.
John Johnson, the proprietor of the Plough, at Lin-
coln, proved, that, some time before the election, a free-
and-easy was established at his house, which was always
attended by an immense number of voters. On the night
before the election there was a larger attendance than
ever—every room in the house was full, and,
during the night, Mr. Seeley was there, in
cumpany with Alderman Graham and others. His
bill for the drink amounted to 201., but he had never
received any of it. His wife, however, had, although
Mr. Seeley and his friends repudiated the orders that
were given.
Some other witnesses gave similar testimony; after
which

Mr. WORDSWORTH summed up on the part of the pe.
titioner.

The Committee then adjourned till to morrow,
eleven o'clock.

BEWDLEY.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Robert Clarke, messenger to the committee of Mr.
Ireland that sat at Stourport, proved that nine voters
were " bottled up" at the Swan Inn on the night of the
nomination-day. They were plentifully provided with
drink and eatables, and at night they were accommo-
dated with a comfortable bed, all free of expense. The
following morning they were carried to Bewdley in a
body, and polled for Mr. Ireland.
Two other witnesses gave similar testimony, and the
evidence for the petitioners closed.

Mr. Sergeant linioLAxis then summed up at great
length for the petitioners, after which
The Committee adjourned till eleven o'clock to-morrow,

HARWICH.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Three witnesses having been called to prove a con-
nexion between Mr. Attwood and Sir Dudley Hill's
committee, the evidence of bribery was resumed.
John Harnock, a barge-master and freeman of Har-
wich, proved that he received 201. as expenses to ♦ote
for Sir Dudley Hill. The money was paid by Mr.
Heath, one of Sir Dudley Hill's committee-men, and it
was understood between them that if Sir Dudley Hill did
not go to the poll, he would still vote for Sir Dudley's
party. Sir Dudley did withdraw, and then, in accord-
ance with his agreement, he gave a plumper for Mr.
Attwood.

Thomas Horricks, another bargeman, of Harwich,
proved that he received 201. in the same way; but in his
case he had really incurred some heavy losses, through
being brought away from his business to vote.
James Knight, another bargeman, received 161.,
under similar circumstances.

The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow al
eleven o'clock.

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGI-

NEERS.—MARcu 7.
(Joshua Field, Esq., President, in the chair.)
The discussion upon r. Redman's paper "On Dock
Entrances," occupied the entire evening, so that no paper
could be read. -

The speakers examined the merits and defects of the
several dock entrances in the Thames and in other situ-
ations, and the general result appeared to be, that al-
though the engineer must be guided by local circum-
stances, yet that in situations where the river was
sufficiently wide, and the position of the land permitted
an acute angle, pointing up the stream was the best for
docking vessels with the flood. That the reverse would
be best for unlocking ships. In ordinary widths of
rivers, therefore, the end would be attained by form-
ing a bay sufficiently deep to render the water still
in front of the dock, the wing wall being so much splayed
as virtually to give the directions up and down the
stream as circumstances required. The peculiar posi-
tions of the Docks at Ipswich, by Mr. Palmer; the
alterations of the Duke's Dock at Liverpool, by Mr.
Cubitt, and Other cases were sustained in support of the
arguments of the speakers, who all united in praising the
industry and talent of Mr. Redman in bringing forward
the subject in the complete manner he had done.
Mr. Chubb, St. Paul's-churchyard, exhibited an iron
box for the transmission of money, bullion, &a, on rail-

ways. A wrought iron box, lined throughout with
hard steel plates, is locked down at the terminus to a
strong iron plate in the guard's carriage. The key of this
lock, and also the key by which access can alone be ob-
tained to the interior, is kept at the principal terminus
by the officer who has charge of the cash. Each station
master is provided with a key which opens a small lid at
the top; when he has money to send, ho unlocks the lid,
places h►s bag of money or parcel in an open drum
underneath, moves a handle which turns the drum, and
the sash is dropped inside. Before he is able to take out
his key, he must move the drum back and see that the
money is gone. It will be observed that he cannot leave
the lid unlocked. When the box arrives at the terminus
it is unlocked from the frame, taken into the office, and
placed on a similar frame there. The cash-keeper only
can with his key then get access to the money.
At the monthly ballot, the following gentlemen were
elected:—William Baker, John England, Samuel Clegg,
jun., James Elliot, and Henry Fowler, as members;
Edward Adams, Ed ward Hughes, George William Harris,
Stephen William Leach, Alexander Drysdale, Robert
Rawlinson, Frederick Ransome, and George Henry
Saunders, as associates. _ _ _

The following paper was announced to be read at the
meeting of Tuesday, March 14:—" On the Forms and
Construction of Sea Walls," by W. J. Maquorne Ran-
kine, Assoc. Inst. C. E.

PROPERTY AND INCOME-TAX.
It appears by a Parliamentary return just issued that
the number of persons in trades or professions whose
incomes amounted to 1501. and did not exceed 2001, and
who paid the income tax for the year ending the sth of
April, 1846, was 38,392. The gross income on which
duty was charged amounted to 6,102,1951 ; and the sum
received for income- tax to 177,980/. 13s. 9d. The total
oumber of persons engaged in trades and professions
who paid the income-tax in the above period was 111,818.
They are classed as follows :-2001. and under 3001.
income, 6,585,7151.; number of persons, 29,441; amount
of tax received, 192,0831.75. Id. 3001 and under 4001.,
income, 4,680,4981. ; number of persons, 14,599 ;
amount received, 136,514/.75. 7d. 4001. and under 500/.
income, 3,073,998/. ; number of persons, 7,244 ;Amount
received, 89,658/. ss. 6d. 500/. and under 600/. income,
2,803,2711. ; number of persons, 5,388 ; amount re-
ceived, 81,782/..95. 9d. 600/. and under 7001. income
1.915,343/.; number of persons, 3,062 ; amount received,
55,864/. 3s. sd. 7001 and under 800/. income,
1,514,1271.; number of persons, 2,065 ; amount received,
44,162/. Os. 9d. 8001. and under 900/. income,
1,365,434/. ; number of persons, 1,656 ; amount
received, 39,825/. 33. 2d. 9001. and under 1,000/.
income, 863,478/. ; number of persons, 924 ;
amount received, 25,184/. 15s. 63. 1,000/. and
under 2,000/ income, 6,924.203/. ; number of
persons, 5,287 ; amount received, 201,955/. 18s. sd.
2,0001 and under 3,000/. income, 3,313,4321.; number of
persons, 1,523 ; amount received, 162,475/. 25.; 3,000/.
and under 4,000/ income, 2,568,779/.; number of per-
sons, 717; amount received, 69,089/. 7s. 93.; 4,0001. and
under 5,000/. income, 1 699,5464; number of persons,
392; amount received, 49,570/. 18.103. 5,0004 and under
10,0001, income, 5,207,535/. ; number of persons, 793;
ium received, 151,886/. 7s. 7d.; 10,0001. and under
50,0001. income, 56,728.27/. ; number of persons, 319;
amount received, 165,457/. 9s. Id.; 50,000/. and upwards
income, 1,198,842/ ; number of persons, 16 ; amount
received, 34,966/. 4s. 6d. The number of persons in
receipt of salaries, pensions, annuities, and other pay-
ments, who paid the tax in the like period, was 26,671.
Of this number, 8,683 paid on incomes of 1501. and
under 200/4 8,570 on 2001. and under 300/.; 3,702
on 3001. and under 400/.; 2,081 on 400/. and under 5001.;
957 on .5001. and under 600/. ; 543 on 600/. and under
700/. ; 488 on 7001. and under 800/. ; 268 on 800/. and
under 9001. ; 150 on 900/. and under 1,000/ ; 808 on
1,000/. and under 1,500/. ; 204 on 1,500/. and under
2,000/. ; 153 on 2,0001. and under 3,000/. ; 46 on 3,0004
and under 4,000/. ; 26 on 4,0001. and under 5,000/. ;
and 55 on 5,000/. and upwards. The total amount of
income and property tax received in the year ending the
sth of April, 1846, was .5,603,443!; and that received
for the year ending April 5, 1847, 5,593,109/.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, March 9.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the
Woolsack at Five o'clock.

The Archbishop of YORK presented several peti-
tions against the removal of the Jewish disabilities.
The Bishop of OXFORD presented several peti-
tions with a similar prayer.
The Earl of EGLIN TON presented a petition from
Berwick praying for a:repeal of the currency laws of
1844.

Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home !
Department whether he had received any informatien
with respect to the expulsion of the English la-
bourers from France, and if so, whether the Go- 1
vernment had taken any means to forward those
persons so expelled to their respective homes. He
had also been requested to ask whether it was the
intention of her Majesty's Government to retaliate.
Sir G. GREY said that, in answer to the latter
part of the question, he would state that the Govern-
ment had not the slightest notion of retaliation.
(Hear, hear.) With respect to the former part of
the question, he would state that early on Sunday
morning last he received a letter from the Noble Lord
the Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Lord Palinerston),
enclosing to him a communication which that Noble
Lord had received from the British Consul at Havre,
stating that a number of French workmen employed
in the factories at Rouen had demanded the imme-
diate dismissal of all the English men and women
employed in those factories. Those persons
had been in consequence compelled to leave
Rouen suddenly, and had taken refuge on
board a steam-boat, which fortunately happened to be
in the port. So suddenly had these persons been
compelled to leave, that they had not had the means
of obtaining the payment of the wages due to them,
and in many instances they were only partially
clothed. Upon their arrival at Havre they were
in a most destitute condition, and the British Con-
sul there, acting under the general authorities which
all British Consuls had, and which had been fully
acted upon in this case, viz.—to provide for the wants
of any British subjects who might be in distress, had
made such provision as was necessary to meet their
present emergencies, and caused a number of them to
be sent to this country by a steam-boat from Havre.
Upon the receipt of this information, he (Sir G.
Grey) sent instructions down to the Mayor of Ports-
mouth that he would make such provi.ion as was ne•
cessary for the workpeople upon their arrival there.
Since addressing that letter he had received a com-
munication from the Mayor of Portsmouth, informing
him that two vessels, with ninety-seven
.persons on
board, had arrived at Portsmouth, all of whom were
flax• workers, or connected with that trade ; that he
bad obtained from them their names, the names of the
persons by whom they had been employed, the place
at which they were employed, the period of their
employment, and the amount, if any, of wages due
to them. The whole of the persons would be un-
shipped in the course of yesterday, and would be for-
warded at once, a number of them to Glasgow,
and by far the greater number to Duolin and Belfast.
Before they could be forwarded to their destinations,
it had been necessary to provide a great number of
the men with clothes, and the women with
bonnets, and other articles of clothing. The Com-
missary of Rouen, who had been communicated
with, had stated that he should do all in his
power to prevent a similar occurrence; and, further,
he had taken upon himself to guarantee, on behalf of
the Provisional Government, compensation to those
poor persons who had been expelled from France.
An HON. MEMBER inquired whether the expulsion
of persons of the class mentioned was confined to
Rouen ; and whether the Right Hon. Baronet had
received any communications with respect to the
expulsion of railway labourers.
Sir G. GREY replied that no facts had reached him
in his official capacity to lead to the inference that simi-
lar expulsions had taken place in other localities. He
was notaware that railway labourers had been sent away
from their employment, but no doubt a bad feeling
was entertained towards them by the inhabitants of
the places where they were employed.
Lord DUN CAN inquired if the Hon. Gentleman,
the Member for Honiton (Mr. Locke) had received any
intelligence on the subject ?
Mr. LOCKE replied that he had received intelli-
gence from the Locomotive Superintendent at Tours,
that a great many English workmen had been ex-
pelled from that town in the same way as at Rouen.
He believed a great many English labourers were
working there at the time in question.
THE TREASURY.

Sir B. HALL gave notice that on Monday, the
13th instant, he should move for the original estimate
of the improvements in the Treasury, with the name
of the architect, tog►ether with the entire cost.
THE IRISH POOR-LAW.

Mr. S. CRAWFORD then rose to move for leave
to introduce a Bill to amend the " Irish Poor Relief
Extension Act," with a view to the repeal of the 10th
section, called the " quarter-acre clause." He said
the clause as it stood inflicted the greatest injuvice
upon the poor tenant, as it crippled his industry, and
kept him constantly in the most abject state of poverty.
The provisions of his Bill might be stated in a few
words. He proposed to repeal the quarter-acre clause,
and empower the guardians to give relief to such
persons as in their judgment might deserve it. The
third clause would enable the guardians to afford
relief to parties in distress by way of loan, and to take
as security for its repayment a lien upon such pro•
perty as the parties might possess. These were the
short provisions of his Bill; and without troubling
' the House further, he begged to move for leave to
introduce it.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. O'FLAHERTY said he had been requested by
the Hon. Member for Limerick, who was unavoidably
absent, to second this motion, and he certainly had
great pleasure in doing so. In the present state of Ire-
land it was absolutely necessary that the House should
amend the existing poor law. All the institutions
in his own district had been converted into receptacles
for the starving population, and he had this morning
received a letter from a Roman Catholic clergyman of
the neighbourhood, giving a most frightful account
of the state and condition of the poor.—(hear, hear.)
He earnestly trusted that the Government would look
to the fearful state of things in Ireland, and endeavour
to provide some remedy for the same.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE said that it was with
considerable pain that he rose to oppose the introduc-
tion of this Bill. The Honourable Member had gone
in his remarks entirely upon a wrong supposition—
he had confounded the interpretation of this quarter-
acre clause with the manner in which the landlords
had carried out the provisions of that clause. The
Right Hon. Baronet then proceeded to read extracts
from a correspondence which had taken place
between the Commissioners of the poor-law
and several persons who had applied to them on the
subject of the operation of that clause, to the effect
that the boards of guardians were bound to relieve all
destitute persons without regard to their being
possessed of a quarter of an acre of land.—(hear )
After reading the instructions of the Relief Commis-
sioners, he said he thought the House could have no
doubt that all the objections of the Hon. Gentleman
fell to the ground. He wished the House and the
Hon. Member to bear in mind that the horrible
cases of ejectment to which he had referred had not
their origin in the poor-law. If the houses of poor
persons were entered during their temporary
absence and levelled to the ground, the poor-
law could not be blamed, as it could
neither provide against nor punish any
such proceedings—proceedings which he was bound
to say were of the most shocking character, and
most harrowing to the humane feelings of Hon.
Members in that House and the community
out of doors.—(Hear, hear.) He opposed the Bill
because it would give rise to hopes that could not be
realised, and would accomplish more mischief than
good. He believed he should best consult
the interests of both rich and poor by re-
sisting the introduction of the Bill.—(Hear, hear.)

Mr. FAGAN said that if there were abundant agri-
cultural employment in Ireland there might be some
justification for this quarter-acre clause; but with
2,300,000 people in a state of destitution for six weeks
in every year, and 95,000 families endeavouring to
subsist on farms under one acre, it was certain to work
both cruelty and injustice.
Mr. P. SCROPE complained of the want of suffi-
cient authentic information as to the operation of the
poor-law in Ireland ; but as far as he had been able to
ascertain, his worst suspicions as to the effect of this
clause, which he originally opposed, were being
realised by its being made, as he had foret.)ld, the in-
strument of clearances upon a small scale. He hail
always been of opinion that the application of the
English poor-law to Ireland would never suffice
to meet the necessities of the country without some
supplemental measure to provide for the employ-
ment of the people, and at the same time to develop
those natural resources with which no country was
more blessed. It was a monstrous anomaly to se7,.
thousands of able-bodied men daily fed in idleness,
with those resources untried. This was not the prin-
ciple of the poor-law of Elizabeth, nor of the exist-
ing English poor-law. The true principle of a poor-
law was to relieve, gratuitously, the aged and infirm,
and find productive labour for the able-bodied.
During the past year no less than 740,000 able-bodied
men had been relieved, and there was every likeli
hood of a similar number being relieved in the course
of the present year. He warned the House that if
immense masses were to be thus made chargeable on
the rates for their support, without giving any equi-
valent in the shape of labour, the country would soon
sink to ruin. The Hon. Gentleman having declared
himself favourable to the introduction of the Bill as
likely to amend the law, announced his intention of
renewing in the present session his proposition for
makng the waste lands of Ireland available for giving
at once employment and relief to the able-bodied poor
of that country.
Mr. F. O'CONNOR complained generally of the
want of sympathy in England for the Irish poor,
while the warmest sympathy was evinced towards the
English in France. If the Government persisted in
their unjust and cruel treatment of Ireland, that
country would not remain much longer subject to the
dominion of England. Conceiving that the Hon.
Member for Rochdale had fully made out his case, he
would support his motion. It was not only a great
anomaly, but most unfair, that in such a country
man possessed of a quarter of an acre of land, and in
,a state of destitution, should be refused relief.

Mr. CLEMENTS addressed himself to the quesl•
tion of the poor.law unit.ns, observing that he did
not think the Commission promised by the Govern-
ment for re modelling tho'e unions would be at-
tended with advantage. They were all anxious to
have the poor-law fairly tried in Ireland, but it could
never be done unless the area of taxation
were greatly reduced. The unions in Ire.
land were three limes the size of those
in England; and as the Right Hon. Gentle-
man the Secretary for Ireland had not given any
pledge for the diminution of the area of taxation, he
t.opeta the contemplated commission would be aban-
doiied. They had suffered in Ireland already too
much by the habit of trusting to the Government of
the country more than to themselves, and to their
own efforts.—(llear, hear.) If it was determined
that the poor-laws should be administered in that
country by paid guardians, their administration
would inevitably be much snore oppressive thais even
it was at present. lie trusted, therefore, that the
Right lion. Baronet would see the necessity of re'
considering the Llatter, and that the Government
would show seine regard for the opinions of so many
gentlemen connected with Ireland upon the subje.et
of having the poor-laws administered by Pod
guardians. There was another matter worthy
the consideration of the House —he alluded to
medical relief. Persons seeking relief in Ireland
constantly applied on the ground of sickness.
The boards of guardians had no possible means of
ascertaining whether the applicants were fit objects
for relief, or what sort of relief should be granted.
It would, therefore, he necessary to employ a larger
number of medical officers. There must be upon an
average at least five medical officers to each union.
The whole system,was too cumbrous; and it vise
impossible for boards of guardians to attend to the
proper discharge of the duties of their officers. There
were altogether in Ireland 944 medical officers, 699
collectors of rates, and, upon an average, seven re-
lieving officers to each union. In many cases there
were nine, ten, eleven, and even twelve relieving
officers in an union, and he need hardly say he distil)•
proved of the expenses as well as the organization of
the unions and electoral divisions in Ireland. He
thought there should be a general reduction in the
area of each el( ctoral division, so as to make the ad-
ministration of relief effectual.

Sic W. SOMERVILLE, with reference to an ob-
servation made by one of the Hon. Gentlemen who
had previously spoken, denied that he had attributed
per.,onal motives to any person.
Sir G. GREY said that the motion before the
House had been altogether lost sight of, but the Hon.
Gr ntlernan (Mr. Clements) who had given notice of s
motion, which stood fourth on the paper, was deter-
wined the House should nut lase the benefit of his
speech ; and the result was, not one word had been
uttered by the Hon. Gentleman with reference to
the question under consideration. It was a dangeroue
example, and be (Sir G. Grey) hoped other Hon.
Gentlemen would abstain from following it. As to
the poor-law boundaries and their proportions, the
Government would be happy to receive suggestions,
and Hon. Gentlemen would see there should be more
sanguine grounds for satisfaction than seemed to be
anticipated. The question before the House was dis-
cussed at very considerable length about seven
months ago. The clause was not in the original Bill,
but it was introduced in committee by Mr. Gregory,
the then Member for the city of Dublin, and there
were only found nine gentlemen to oppose it.
Six of these nine were English Members
and three were Irish.—(Hear, hear.) The
clause was adopted in consequence of the state its
which Ireland was situated, and the manner in which
the soil was suffered to remain uncultivated. He
iegretted to say there was still a great deal of pan•
perisin in Ireland. There were many persons there
who held quantities of land—in some instances so
much as 20 or 30 acres, who were living at the
public expense, and neither cultivated the soil them-
selves nor would surrender it to the proprietors, who
would have it cultivated by others. The land was
thus suffered to remain uncultivated, and it was
quite clear a material injury would be inflicted upon
the country if something was not done to prevent the
continuance of that state of things. He would ask
the House, under these circumstances, whether it was
wise, because there may have 'been some individual
cases of hardship arising from the operation of the
clause in question, that the restrictions 'it imposes
should be removed and the door again opened
to a repetition of such evils?—(Hear, hear.)
The hardships enumerated by' the Honourable
Member for Nottingham and other Hon. Members
could not have arisen from the operation of the
quarter-acre clause. The Hon. Member (Mr. O'Con-
nor) said that when persons who had been compelled
to receive relief from the poor-laws returned to their
dwellings they found them levelled% Now, the clause
did not require the occupiers of land to give up pos-
session of it; but as they had absented themselves
from their dwellings, and being, in the majority of
instances, only tenants at will, the landlords no doubt
exercised their privileges, and put an end to the
tenancy. In whatever way the House might think
fit to deal with the clause, he felt bound to say that
the Government now relied exclusively upon the
operation of the poor-laws, as the only source of
maintaining the poor of Ireland. He was sorry to
have to repeat that pauperism and suffering existed
still to a very great extent there, notwithstanding
the large charitable expenditure which was being
made in aid of the ordinary rates. By the returns
it appeared that from 94,000 to 100,000 children
were fed for many months past, and continue to be
fed by daily rations distributed through the instru-
mentality of agents connected with the British Asso-
ciation for the Relief of the Distress in Ireland and
Scotland. By another return it appeared that 150,000
children were fed from the same source where dis-
tress was severe, and that 20,0001. a month were
distributed in relief in 25 or 30 unions where poverty
and destitution were excessive. He had not, in
enumerating those sources of relief, referred to the
land improvement loans or the other moneys available
for the improvement of Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) He
wished then to take that opportunity to refer to a
question put to him a few evenings ago by the Hon.
Member for Galway (Mr. O'Flaherty), whom he
then saw in his place. The Hon. Gentleman's
question related to an application made to the Lord-
Lieutenant of Ireland for temporary relief for the
prison of Galway, which was represented to be
greatly overcrowded. It was said the Lord-
Lieutenant had refused the application on the
ground of expense, and he (Sir G. Grey) thought
he had explained the matter. However, he found by
the report in the Times that the answer he had given the
Hon. Member had been completely misapprehended.
He had looked over all the other morning papers,
and he found his answer had been correctly reported.
lie wished; now to repeat what he wished then to
convey distinctly. He had not denied the fact of the
gaol of Galway being overcrowded to an inconve-
nient, even to an alarming degree. But it had been
stated that the application had been made to the
Lord-Lieutenant for temporary relief, and that it
had been refused upon the ground of expense. What
he had stated was, that he was convinced the Lord-
Lieutenant of Ireland was most anxious to remedy ,
the evil complained of, and to provide such accommo-
dation as could be legally given ; but if the persons
who were imprisoned were not under sentence of
transportation, they could not legally be removed to
a hulk.

Colonel CONOLLY vindicated the landlords of
Irelaud, and opposed the motion.
Mr. E. B. ROCIIE supported' the motion. He
admitted that the Irish landlords were very badly
treated in that House. Whenever a difficult question
relating to Ireland was to be dealt with by the Go-
vernment, they deliberately turned round and ;made
the Irish landlord the scape. Even the Secretary for
Ireland took a fling at them that night.—(Laughter.)
That Right Hon. Gentleman held up his hand, and
seemed horrified with the " exterminator." But he
(Mr. Roche) would show him a greater exterminator
—a greater criminal than the Irish landlord—and
that was the present Government and that House.—
(Hear, hear, and laughter.) The people of Ireland
I-ad no other resource hat their potatoes, which failed.
On their failure they were driven to the necessity of
obtaining any advantage or relief the poor-laws
afforded, and by the clause now proposed to be re-
modelled or repealed, that House enacted the law,
that if the poor man retained his hovel and his quarter
of an acre of land, he should not receive any relief
from the poor-laws. lie, therefore, told them plainly,
that the British House of Commons and the British
Government were the real exterminators, and were
much more guilty than the guiltiest and most op-
pressive of any of the Irish landlords. They were
now in an age of social revolutions, but before he
further adverted to that topic, he wished to say that
he was not amongst the three Irish Members who
voted against the clause in question. The question
whether the people should live by their industry, or
be converted into paupers, was one of growing im-
portance, which must ere long compel attention,
however thin the House might be on this occasion.
Nothing more revolted the feelings of the poor than
going into the workhouse ; and this was one of the
great difficulties in the way of working the poor-
law. It was, therefore, most unfair in the Right
Honourable Baronet the Home Secretary to allege
that if this clause were repealed, numbers of small
holders would grow their potatoes during one
half year, and go into the workhouse in the
other.—(Hear, hear.) They would not do this,
but if the exterminating system were persevered
in, they would soon he beyond the reach of poor-
laws or any other laws. The political economists
alleged that Ireland would soon right itself; if it do so,
no thanks would be due to the British Parliament or
the British nation. The much vaunted charity
.of
the British Association doubtless did good in its
way, by supporting a number of poor children, but it
was not a subject which ought to be continually
paraded before; the Howe by 8 Alinister.

hIr.AGLIONBY, after expressing his determina-
tion to adhere to the question itself, said he ad
flitted that few Members had an accurate knowledge
of the condition of Ireland, and few English Me►n
bars, himself included, could form any just
idea of the relations of the rich and poor
in that country. They were mainly led by the re-
presentations of the Irish INlembrs, which were
themselves sufficiently various. Probably he should
have supported the " quarter-acre" clause, and have
voted with the 117 against the seven, had he been
in the House, but now he thought the clause a mon-
strous one. Under its operation a poor family might
die in a ditch, without any possibility of the• clause
being relaxed in their favour.—(llear.) It was in
effect a sentence of death, under certain circum-
stances : even the Lord-Lieutenant himself could not
give relief in such cases.—( [fear, hear.) It was
said that the destitute partiess might give up their
holdings—(Hear, hear)—hut they had no power to
do this in many cases, where the land was held in
common by several individuals. The evidence before
Captain Wynne's Committee, of which he had been
a member, had led to the conclu..ion that neither the
Clare board of guardians nor the officers of the
board of works had acted in contravention of the
law; that, in fact, there were many cases where the
Possession of several acres of land and heads of cattle
could not possibly be any test of circumstances.—
(tlear, hear.) It often happened that the landlord
Would not talc() the land if thrown up ; so that the
tenant could not possibly bring himself within the
terms of the clause.
After a few words from Major MACNAMARA,
Mr. R. M. FOX advocated the continuance of the
quarter-acre clause, as absolutely necessary for the
efficient administration of the law.

Mr. REYNOLDS, believing that the proposal be-
fore the House would remedy one of the most ob-
noxious provisions of the new poor-law, should give
it his support. He deeply regretted it should be
opposed by the Right Hon. Secretary for Ireland.
The question was simply whether pauperism was to
be increased or diminished.—(Hear.) It was said
the poor-law commissioners in Ireland had placed a
humane interpretation on the quarter-acre clause, by
allowing destitute tenants to divest themselves of
their holdings. If this were done it would be a
fruitful source of increased pauperism. A man, sud-
denly impoverished, who held 10 acres, might claim
relief by giving up 91 acres ; he would thus be de-
prived of his means of support, be reduced to a quarter
of an acre and a mud cabin, and must remain a
pauper always.—(Hear.) There were doubtless some
liberal and kind-hearted landlords, but they were a
Mall minority; the great bulk of them were of far
different character, and were largely responsible for
the destitution of their countrymen.--(Hear.) Anxious
es he was to maintain the principle of the Irish poor-
laws in its integrity, as the foundation stone of the
Prosperity of Ireland, he should support the motion of
the Hon. Member for Rochdale.—(Cries of "Divide.")
Mr. MON SELL conceived that the repeal of the
quarter-acre clause would afford means for landlords
to throw their tenants on the poor-rate. The com-
plaint now was that the rates were over burdened,
While the proposal now snide would vastly ag-
gravate that burden. In the Rathkeale union, at the
Present moment, about 25 per cent. of the population
were receiving out-door relief ; the rate was 7s. 6d.
in the pound on the whole union, and yet the amount
of relief only averaged ninepence a head. Let the
House imagine the effect of throwing a large number
of persons on the rate. The consequence would be to
deprive the whole population of relief. It was a
great mistake to introduce the poor-law alone ; it
should have been accompanied by measures for the
reclamation of waste lands, and for promoting emi •
gration. The evil of enforcing the poor-law without
other remedial measures had been much aggravated
by the size of the unions. The Hon. Member for
Cockermouth was quite in error as to the construc-
tion of the quarter acre clause, by which he supposed
relief in urgent eases was prevented.
Mr. WAKLEY said that was clearly the common
sense interpretation of the clause, which had been
well described as a sentence of death against the poor
occupiers. Better would it be for the House openly
to doom these poor wretches to destruction than to do
it in this insidious way.—(Hear, hear.) He took
blame to himself for not being in the House to oppose
the clause when it was passed. Its effect was even to
preclude medical relief from being administered in
the most urgent cases. He could not conceal his
conviction that this House, largely composed of
landowners and rich men, had little sympathy with
the poor. This conviction was growing and spread
lug; and he warned the House, gentlemen calling
themselves Conservatives especially, to beware of the
result. If some landlords could be made to change
places with their miQerable tenantry it would pro-
duce a wonderful alteration in their views. For a long
time all parties, Whigs and Radicals, as well as Tories,
had opposed the introduction of any poor-law into
Ireland, and it had only been introduced at the last mo-
ment. Had such a law existed there since the time of
Elizabeth we should now have heard little of Irish
distress. It was a gross calumny to call the Irish
an idle people. In their own country they had not
the physical ability to work, owing to their destitute
condition; but, in London, where properly fed and
paid, they performed work which Englishmen could
not do. Out of twenty thousand bricklayers' la-
bourers in London, only about five hundred were
English—the rest were all Irish.—(Hear, hear.) The
inevitable consequence of the House persisting in its
late course of legislation towards Ireland must he
that the people would, themselves, take possession of
the land ; they must either do this or starve ; and
they could not be expected to lie down and die
quietly. He, for one, should be perfectly willing to
let the Irish gentlemen try the experiment of legisla-
ting for themselves.— (Hear.) It was his settled
conviction that there would be no proper legislation
either for this country or Ireland so long as the aria•
tocracy had such a powerful share in the Legisla-
ture. He had been in this House eleven years, and
he felt it his duty to his constituents to make this
declaration. The Hon. Member for Rochdale was a
kind and benevolent landlord, a practical man, and
intimately acquainted with Ireland, but not being one
of the aristocracy, nor a rich man he had not been
able, during the ten years he had roan,
in the House,
to obtain the passing of any of the numerous mea-
sures which he had proposed for the benefit of his
country.—(Hear.) Last year Government had held
out promises of remedial measures for Ireland ; those
were still unproposed, still in process of preparation.
Did the Government propose to meldle with the
overgrown Church Establishment of that country ?
Not at all.—(Hear.) Unless remedial measures
were proposed, and that soon, he feared that a feeling
of indignation would spring up in that country which
would endanger the existence of the throne itself.
Mr. DRUMMOND said that the picture which
bad been drawn of Ireland in 1642 by Dr. Madden
might serve, by simply altering the date, as a repre-
sentation of that country in 1848. That House
should not be charged with the misery of Ireland,
because the people of that country were the same
now that they were several centuries ago. He main-
tained that the House departed from the true prin-
ciple of a poor-law by admitting the quarter-acre
clause at all.—(Hear.)
Colonel DUNNE thought that there should be
inquiry before any alteration was made in the law.
He considered that there should be some limit to the
right of relief. With regard to occupation, he be-
lieved that it was not necessary to give up the title to
the land to acquire a right to relief.
Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL said that the clause under
consideration was an unpopular one, but it was easier
to cry out against evils than to suggest remedies. He
bad supported the clause when it was introduced, and
be saw no reason to regret that course. He thought
the cases which had been referred to as having taken
place in the west of Ireland should be investigated,
and the Government would not discharge their duty
if they did not punish those who committed the illegal
acts alluded to. He looked upon those who committed
those criminal acts as more guilty than the criminals
of Tipperary and Roscommon. The question they
had to determine was, whether the right to relief in
Ireland should be unlimited. He thought that by
giving such a right the great benefit :of a poor-law,
which was designed for the really destitute, would
be altogether defeated.—(Hear, hear.) It would
keep up that system which had been found so inju-
rious in Ireland—namely, of having persons who
were neither farmers nor lahourers, but something
of both.—(Hear, hear.) He should, therefore, give
his vote against the motion o f the Hon. Member for
Stroud.

After a few words from Mr. CRAWFORD,
Sir W. SOMERVILLE said that where a poor
person offered to give up his land, and upon inquiry
the guardians founi that the surrender was not a
bona fide surrender, he would not thereby obtain a
right to relief; but where ho made a hors fide sur-
render of his land, even though the laiadlord would
not accept it, he would be entitled to relief.
The House divided, when there appeared,—
Against the motion
For the motion 2l
Majority —93
POOR-LAWS (IRELAND).
Mr. FOX postponed his motion for a Bill to sub.
stitute townlands for electoral divisions as the area o
rating.

EXPIRING LAWS.
The following Members were appointed as the
Committee on Expiring Laws : —Mr. Parker, Mr.
Tufnell, Mr. Attorne- General, Mr. Bernal, the Judge
Advocate, the Lord Advocate, Mr. Hume, Mr. Ag-
lionby, Mr. Forbes Mackenzie, Mr. Bellew, Mr.
Greene, Mr. Gibson Craig, Sir G. Clerk, Mr. Cripps,
and Mr. Stafford.
The House adjourned at half-past Nine o'clock.

Dispatches were sent off yesterday evening from
the Colonial-office, for the Governor of the Cape of
Good Hope.

PA RLIAMEN TARY DIVISIONS.

(From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Comoro.)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8.
ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL.
(IN THE COMMITTEE.)
Amendment proposed, p. 3, 1. 5, to insert the words " also
so much of an Act passed in the thirteenth year of the reign
of the said Queen Elizabeth, intituled, ' An Act against the
bringing in and .putting in execution of bulls, writings or
instruments, and other superstitious things from the See of
Rome,' as does not relate to such bulls, writings, and other
things as are mentioned in the Preamble of the said Act,"
instead of the words left out : Question proposed, " That the
proposed words be there inserted :"—Whereupon Motion
made, and Question put, " That the Chairman do now report
progress, and ask leave to sit again." The Committee di-
vided:—