The Sun.
London, England, 1833-04-02 00:00:00

THE FUNDS.

We understand that our Government has received tiqe
answer from Prussia and Austria respecting their plan
with Holland, and in which they coincide with England
and France. This is said to be the cause of the confe-
rence which was held yesterday, and which has had an
effect on the Funds this morning.

Consols, which left off yesterday at 871 s for account,
opened at 871 at which price they are at present.
In the Foreign Market nothing doing as yet. The
estafette from Paris is not of importance.
RALF- PAS T ONE.

An express has been received from Constantinople of
the 7th ult., stating that on the Egyptian troops
raking pos.ession of Smyrna, and putting down
the authorities there, the French and English Consul.
immediately struck their flag, remonstrating with the
commander of the detachment, and stating they would leave
Smyrna if Ibrahim's troops did not retire. When the
account. left, an accommodation was expected to take place.
. .

We also understand that the Dutch affairs are in a
favourable train of settlement; Dedel has expressed an
anxious desire to come to an adjustment.

We have no further accounts from Portugal.
The funds ate still improving. Consols, which were
in the early part of the morning at 13'7i , are at present
87-a ; and for next Account, 87k. Thie improvement
is attributed to the desire of the Dutch ambassador
ere, to bring the affairs of Holland to an amicable issue.
Also, the information received from the East is of a favour-
able complexion, and no doubt is entertained that a war
will be prevented in that quarter.
In the Foreign Mark,t, in consequence of the improve-
ment of the British Funds, the Foreign &curiae. are firm.
A large sum of money, to the amount of 80,000/., is
being shipped off for Don Miguel, it is insured at various
offices.

THREE O'CLOCK.
Consols for the Account, 87% N.

MEMOIRS OF THE UNION. The forty
nortraits which illustrate this very interesting work, by
Sir JONAH BARRINGTON, ate almost allengraved by the
elder HEATH. They comprise the most distinguished men
of the time in Ireland, and their likenesses are exhibit. d
with extraordinary fidelity. Among them figure conspi-
cuously Lord EDWARD FITZGERALD, ROBERT EM3IET,
FRANCIS HARDY, ARTHUR O'CONNOR, JAMES NAPPER
TANDY ; Lords CLARE, KILWARDEN, CHARLEMONT,
ROSS, MOIRA, CASTLEREAGH, HUTCHINSON, &C ; and
Mr.-4,5. GRATTAN, CURRAN, FLOOD, PLUNKET, BUSHE,
DAWSON, &C. _ _

Mr. WM. YOUNG OTTLEY, author of " A
History of Engraving upon Copper and Wood," has been
appointed by the Lord CHANCELLOR, the Archbishop of
CANTERBURY, and the SPEAKER, successor to the late
Mr. SMITH, as superintendent of the prints and draw-
ings in the British Mu,eurn. There were many competi-
tors for this situation.
IVIuNDEN used to say that an audience did
not know what it lost by not encouraging actors. "When-
ever I go on the stage," said he, "and am received coldly
:).y the house, I feel as if a wet blanket were thrown over
my shoulders, and I cannot possibly enter with spirit into
the put."

IMPERIALPARLIAMENT

THIS DAY, TUESDAY, APRIL 2.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER entered the House soon after twelve
o'clock.

MESSAGE FROM THE LORDS.

A message from the Lords announced that their Lord-
ships had agreed to the Commons' amendments in the
Irish Disturbances Suppression Bill, and to several pri-
vate Bills.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MIDDLESEX
SESSIONS.

Mr. BYNG presented a petition from tl.e Justices of the
Peace for the county of Middlesex, praying for leave to
introduce a Bill to enable them to allow a salary to the
Chairman of the sessions of that county, out of the county
rate.—Ref-rred to a Committee.

Mr. FIELDEN rose to present several petitions, on
each of which he made some observations, but from the
exceedingly low tone in which he spoke (scarcely more
than a whisper) not above one or two sentences were heard.
The names of the petitions we were obliged to collect from
the clerk's reading them. The that was from Wigan in
favour of a plan for building a new House of Commons;
a second from some place, the name of which we could
not learn, for the repeal of the Septennial Act, for vote by
ballot, and the liberty of the press ; three from Todmor-
den, for the repeal of taxes on newsp ipers, for the repeal
of the duties on malt, hops, and soap, and for the repeal
of the Septennial Act and vote by ballot; from Padiham,
in Lane rehire, complaining of the distress which the labour-
ing population suff-red ; from the township of Rossendal,
in Lancashire. The latter stated that 6-7ths of the popu-
lation of that township had not more than 21d. a-day, on
which to support themselves; in fact, one scene of dis-
tress pervaded the whole of that district ; and, said the
Hon. Member, a number of troops bad been sent thither
to give them something else than bread. The Hon. Mein-
ber then presented similar petitions from Haslingden,
Marsden, Longfield, Lackingworth, Barrowford, Wardle,
Spotland, Wardleworth, Blackburn, and Huddersfield,
reading almost every petition at length, and commenting
upon them ; but, although the House was perfectly quiet,
it was quite impossible to catch a complete sentence of
what fell from the Hon. Member.
Mr. G. W. WOOD was aware that it was not desirable
to occupy the time of the liaise in discussing petitions,
because, as the subjects could not be satisfactorily before
them, it was imßossitile that justice could be done to them.
He was aware of the distress in some parts of the country,
and he considered it a subject that ought to be duly con-
sidered by the House. He would, but most reluc-
tantly, offer a few observations on what had fallen
from his Hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, to whom
he gave the utmost credit for the purity of his motives
and who, he was sure, would not intentionally mislead
the House. He thought, however, that his Hon.
Friend was deceiving himself as to the actual condition of
the working people in Lancashire. He had stated what
each person had to live on pi r head per week, and
the result of his inquiries appeared to be, that eight
thousand three hundred and sixty two families earned only
4,4471. per week, which was something about 10s. fur
each family. That statement was obtained, he (Mr.
Wood) believed, in January—the season when wages were
lowest and the fewest pers.ins were in employ. The facts
also were gathered from the individuals themselves whose
condition was the subject of inquiry, and therefore it was
not unreasonable to suppose that they would make the
most favourable statement they could. Their state-
ments, therefore, were not likely to be altogether cor-
rect.—(Hear.) Besides, it was impossible in such a
condition of society that ihe poor rates should be so low as
they really were. As to the borough which the Hon.
Member represented (Manchester) he (Mr. Wood) ha-
lieved that it was on the whole in a prosperous condi-
tion; certainly it had increased in population and ma-
nufactures greater than any other town in the county
of Lancaster.—(Hear, hear.) The poor rates, with
every disposition to do what was necessary for the
poor, were smaller in Manchester than in any other
town in the same county. The persons whose situation
the Hon. Member referred to, were the hand-loom weavers.
No one could doubt that their condition was by no means
desirable, or that it was not one that the House should
endeavour to alleviate ; but a lalse statement had been
made as to the general condition of the working
classes of that part of the country.—(Hear.) He (Mr.
Wood) believed that the wages of persons who worked
in factories, and who formed the largest portion of
the population, were as much per head, or nearly so, as
the Hon. Member -bad stated them for a whole family.
As respected the entire population of South Lancashire,
he knew from his intercourse with it, that they bad been
for some years more prosperous than formerly, and that
there was nothing like the distress which bad been
described.

Mr. FENTON was understood to say that he did not
believe the statement as to the distress of the labouring
population had been much exaggerated.
Au HoN. MEMISFR was very sorry to see so thin an
attendance of Members, when such an important ques-
tion was before the House. He had counted the number
present when the petition was presented, and found that
there were only twenty Members in the House. In no
former -Parliament bad a refusal been given, at all events
to an inquiry into the causes of such great distress, yet
that Parliament had sat for two months, and had done
scarcely any thing. He trusted they would soon do some-
thing in order to alleviate the sufferings under which the
great body of the p.-ople were at present labouring.
Mr. FIELDEN, in a very low tone of voice, said he
did not wish to,raise a discussion upon the subject, be-
cause he was aware it must come before the House in a
different shape. He would merely say, that if there was
any doubt as to the truth of the statements he had made,
there ought to be a commission of inquiry sent down,
when he would pledge himself to prove that he had not
in any way exaggerated the case.
Mr. COBBETT agreed with the Hon. Member oppo-
site in lan-it-ming to see the House so thinly attended when
the distresses of the people was the subject which engaged
their attention. Nothing that had teen asserted by his
Hon. Colleague had been officially contradicted ; no de-
tails were laid before the House by which they could
Sod out that lie had stated any thing in an exaggerated
manner. For his own part he was satisfied of the
truth of every word that had been said. All that the
petitioners prayed for was relief, and the only manner in
which the House could give them that relief was to reduce
their burdens. Let the House take off taxes, so that the
poor man might get l.is pot of beer for a penny in place
of fourpence—his sugar at fourpence a pound in place of
sevenpence or eighipence.

Mr. HODGES rose to order. He would ask the
Speaker wh•ther the Hon. G-ntleman was strictly con-
fining himself to the question that was before the House.
If an Hon. Member was to occupy the House upwards of
an hour upon one question, it would be impossible to ac-
complish the object for which the House then mat.

The SPEAKER said the Hon. Gentleman himself was
now out of order. Since the Alteration in the presentation
of petitions, when an Hon. Member presented a number of
petitions upon a variety of subjects, it was difficult for him
to sly, on the question that they do lie on the table,
whether any Hon. Gentleman confined himself to any of
the questions embraced by the petitions. In the meantime,
he would only say that no distress of whatever kind, but
what bnd been opened by tt.e Hon. Member (Mr.
Fielden) existed, therefore the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Cob-
bett) was not out et order.

Mr. COBBETT was mere), telling the House the way
in which they could relieve the distresses of these poor
people. There were the 16,0001. they had voted for the
Museum. If that sum were applied in the manner sug •
gested by his Honourable Colleague, it would
double the wages of 938 families, consisting of 4,960
persons, and that by merely taking away from the
loungers of the British Museum the privilege they
at present possessed.—(Hear, hear.) There were the 113-
Privy Councillors, who, according to a statement that had
never yet been contradicted, divided amongst themselves
650,000/. Let them take that away and distribute it
amongst the people, and it would relieve 180,555 persons.
That was what the people knew, and they would expect
their burdens taken off. He really believed that
tne Ministry did not. like to squander money,
but they were compelled to do it, because they were not
supported by that House as they ought to be. That House
had the power to put a stop to the prodigality of the
public expenditure—they hat the power, but wanted
the will. He would again say, let the House
strengthen the bands of the lllini•ters by cordially support-
ing them, and lie verily believed they would greatly
retrench. When be brought forward his motion
upon the stamp duties, he would show the House how
rich men became poorer and purer every day, till they
were brought down to a state of absolute poverty. It
was astonishing that the people were quiet, even though
they were guarded by barracks. When they saw the
soldier decked out in his fine clothes and lace, with his
prancing horse, and when they knew that to feed the
man and the beast took more money than would sup.
port seven families, how was it possible that they could
be contented ? He trusted that the subject would receive
the attention of the House, for none could be of greater
importance.
Au HoN. MEMBER, in rising to bear testimony to the
truth of the statement of the petition which had been

presented by the Hon. Member for Oldham (Mr. Fielden),
felt bound to complain of the course pursued by his Hon.
Colleague. Though it might be competent to that Hon.
Member if he thought fit to address the House at length, to
bring forward statements as to the distress of the country,
yet in those statements he thought he ought to avoid in-
troducing discussions which might have a tendency to make
the people discontented.
Mr. FIELDEN, for the purpose of showing that all
that could be earned by weavers was paid by their masters
to them, read a letter from the firm of Smith and Co.,
hut it was utterly impossible to catch hardly a single word
of the letter, in consequence of the low tone in which the
Hon. Member read it.

Mr. R. OSWALD presented a petition from the hand-
loom weavers of Glasgow, complaining of distress,
stating that that distress chiefly arose from the competi-
tion of manufacturers themselves; and suggesting as a
remedy for their grievances, the appointment of a board
composed of an equal number of masters and workmen,
whose duty it would be to watch over the interests of the
trade, fix prices, and do other acts beneficial to the
weaving trade in general. The Hon. Member also pre-
sented a similar petition from a district in the same
neighbourhood.
Mr. MAXWELL trusted that the House would not
enter into the discussion precipititely, but would appoint a
committee to inquire into the subject. He believed the
commission which had been suggested by the Hon. Mem-
ber opposite to inquire into the distr.sses of the weaving
population would be considered as a great boon, and be
hoped the House would not withhold its sanction from the
Government if they expressed themselves inclined to go to
this small expense, as the expenditure of a small sum
would effect the objects of the commission, and would be
productive of great good.
Mr. ROOPER presented three petitions for the abo-
lition of slavery.
Mr. TENNYSON presented a petition from the parish
of St. Mary, Newington, signed by 2,500 persons, all
paying the house and window tax, and praying for
their repeal. They hoped that ose of the first acts of
a reformed Parliament would be, to remove those taxes which
affected the industry of the country, and they stated that
the house and window tax was a most oppressive and un-
equal impost. He also presented a petition to the same
effect from the parish of Lambeth. He had next a peti-
tion to present, also from the parish of Lambeth, agreed
to at a public meeting, praying for the repeal of
Sturges Bourne's Vestry Act, and complaining that
the great body of rate payers were deprived of
any control over their parish affairs. They con-
sidered that that Bill gave a monopoly in favour of
wealth, by allowing a person who was rated at 1501. to
have a voice equal to five who were rated under :50/.,
and thus concentrating in the power of a few persons the
parochial government and parochial taxation. He bad
also a petition from Lambeth, agreed to at a public meet-
ing, for triennial Parliaments and vote by ballot. In all
those petitions lie most cordially concurred.
Mr. HAWES, although he could not go the length of
supporting all the prayers of the petitions, said that most
of them should have his cordial support, particularly those
praying for the repeal of the house and window tax,
Sturges Bourne's Act, and the establishment of triennial
Parliaments. He did not, however, entertain the same
view of the necessity of vote by:ballot as his Right Hon.
Colleague did.

Major BEAUCLERK supported the prayer of all the
petitions. The Hon. and Gallant Member then presented
a petition from the Hor,ll .m Union of the working
classes, for the repeal of the Septennial Act, and for vote
by ballot. The petitioners prayed for annual Parlia-
ments. In that, however, he could not concur, as he be-
lieved that triennial Parliaments would be the most beneficial.
He also presented a petition from Christopher Barlow,
for the repeal of the assessed taxes; and one from a
place in the county of Sussex, also complaining of those
taxes, particularly of the taxes upon horses, spring-
carts, and servants, which were necessary for the carry-
ing on of trade.

Mr. COBBETT and Mr. GORING supported the prayer
of the petitions.
Mr. CAYLEY presented petitions from the Dissenters
at Pickering and E isingwold, in Yorkshire, praying for a
removal of the grievances under which the Dissenters
laboured. Also a petition from Pickering for the imme-
diate abolition of slavery, and stating that if the slave-
own,rs could make out a good case for compens►tion,
then the petitioners would he willing to pay their share
towards accomplishing so desirable an object.
Mr. COBBETT said, he for one was net willing to pay
any share for such a purpose.
Mr. TOWNLEY pre-ented petitions from Great Slid-
ford for the better employment of agricultural labourers,
and from the towns of March and Wisbeach, in the Isle of
Ely, for the abolition of slavery, accompanied by provi•
sions for the safety of all parties concerned.
Mr. COBBETT, in reference to the latter part of the
prayer, said the petitioners prayed for a miracle, and they
were not likely to get it.
Mr. G. VERNON presented a petition from the town
of Worksop, in the county of Nottingham, for the better
observance of the Lord's Day.
Mr. H. GRATI'AN presented a petition from the pa-
rish of Screen, in the county which he represented, com-
plaining of the Act of Union, of absentees, and the poverty
of the people. The Hun. Member considered the principal
distre-ses of Ireland to arise from the enormous tithes that
were exacted by the clergy, and stated that such was the
unfeeling manner in which the tithes and church cess
were collected, that in one instance the rector threatened
martial law, as soon as the Irish Coercive Bill was passed,
if the cess was not paid. (Cries of " Hear, hear.")
The people of Ireland were in an extreme state of wretch •
edness and misery, in consequence of the exaction of tithes,
and was it therefore to be wondered at that they committed
acts of violence, which in their more sober senses they
would never have attempted ? As a proof of what
wretchedness and misery would do, he would only advert
to the unfortunate individual who was now in custody for
having in a mcament of insanity, brought on by disappoint-
ment, committed that indecorum tot; ards the House,
which, but for his misery and wretchedness, he would
never have done.

Mr. HYETT presented petitions from Kiusq, Stanley,
Stroud, and other parts of Gloucestershire against slavery.

FACTORIES BILL.

Mr. HUME present, d a petition from the manufactu-
ring districts of Gloucester, in favour of the Factories
Bill. The Honourable Member said he could not agree
with the prayer of the petition, as he deprecated all inter-
ference between masters and servants, and believed that the
I rnitation of the labour of children to ten hour., would
increase rather than din.inish distress. It was to that
part of the Factories Bill he should state his objection
when time Bill came under the consideration of the House.

Mr. HYETT said, as the representative of the district
from which the petition originated, he begged to state
that he entirely agreed with every word that bad fallen
from the Hon. Member for Middlesex.
Mr. HUME presented a petition from Gravesend,
against the Gravesend Pier Bill. Also, a petition from
.the stage coach owners in London and Greenwich, against
the Greenwich Railway Bill.—Referred to the Commit-
tee. Also, one from the inhabitants of Reading, com-
plaining of abuses in their Corporation.—Referred to the
corporation committee. One from an individual
named Webb, residing in Liverpool, complaining of
abuses in the administration of the poor laws, and
one from the inhabitants of Norwich, complaining
of the Bible monopoly, and stating that Bibles would be
sold at one-third of the present price if the trade was
thrown open, and that the monopoly had failed in the
object for which it was granted, for the Bibles were lull of
errors.

Mr. ROEBUCK said there was a printer in town who
had offered a large sum of money for the liberty of print-
iog the Bib e, and would give security that the public
should have a perfect one, as far as the printing went,
and at a cheap rate.

Mr. HUME presented a petition from retailers of beer
in Chichester, to be placed on the same footing as the
publicans ; also a petition from St. John's, Hampstead,
against the house and window tax ; also from the hun-
dred of Wineford, in Suffolk, for the repeal of the
malt, soap, and the assessed taxes ; also a petition
from 1,190 persons of Mansfield, in Yorkshire,
for the repeal of the corn laws—the greatest evil of this
country ; also one from Stoke-upon-Trent, signed by 2,000
people, for triennial Parliaments ; from Yeovil for the
ballot, triennial Parliaments, and universal suffrage; from
St. Andrew's, Norwich, for a repeal of the assessed taxes ;
also from St. Michael's and St. John's, Dublin, against
tithes; from Whitechurch, Cork, against tithes and
church rates ; also a petition from Greenford, Middlesex,
against tithes ; also a petition from Baltic mer-
chants of Newcastle, against soap duty; also a peti-
tion from Stanfield, against the taxes on malt,
hops, and soap ; also a petition from Rochester, Chatham,
Stroud, and neighbourhood, against the Irish Coercive
Bill ; also a petition from Walsall, complaining of the in-
terference of the military at t, .e late election there.
From documents he had seen, he thought the
presence of the military perfectly unnecessary, and
that ;the magistrate, Sir Samuel Hoare, had neglected
his duty in permitting it; also, a petition from
James Watson, to which he would call the attention of the
Paymaster of the Forces. The petitioner had been im-
pritioned, for selling the Poor Man's Guardian, for six
weeks. He hoped the Noble Lord would call the atten-

tion of the Government to the matter. He was impri -
boned in the New Prigon, Clerkenwell, and was refused
to be allowed to retire to his cell to avoid the company of
the prison.

Mr. ROEBUCK said, that the hardship to which the
petitioners had been subject arose entirely from the Tana.
ticism of the Magistrate.

Lord J. RUSSELL said, when the Hon. Member for
Middlesex had a petition to present complaining of a Ma-
gistrate by name, it would have been but right of him to
have applied to that gentleman, to have seen whether the
allegations were true or not. He believed that
Sir Samuel Hoare, was a man of great hu-
manity, and was not likely to act in the manner that
was described. As to the other part of the petition, he
could only say, that, while the Stamp Acts were in
force, it was impossible for any Government to interfere
between those who violated the law and their punish-
ment. It would not be fair to those persons who
piid the duty, and it would be like giving a premium for
offences against the laws.

Mr. ROEBUCK said the persons confined for this
offence were really crown debtors, and ought to be treated
as such. They ought not to be compelled to associate
with criminals.

Mr. HUME then presented a petition from the parish
of St. Mary, Newington, respecting the imprisonment of
Robert Taylor, and also a similar petition from the Political
Union of Norwich ; from the inhabitants of the metropolis
praying for the release of two persons imprisoned fur blas-
phemy; and from the Separatists of Wick, praying to have
the same privileges as Quakers. He also presented a petition
from certaia members of the Christian church in Alderman-
bury, for the better observance of the Sabbath ; sail one
from the National Political Union, for the repeal of the
Septennial Act.
DUBLIN AND KINGSTON RAILWAY.

Mr. O'CONNELL moved the second reading of the
Dublin and Kingston Railway Bill.—Read a second time,
and ordered to be committed.

The House then adjourned until five o'clock.

FRENCH PAPERS.

(From the Journal des Debuts of Sunday.)

PARIS, MARCH 3O.—A fact is reported in several
journals, as extracted from the Age, an English journa►,
respecting the negotiation of a loan, in which three agents
I.f his Majesty Louis Philip are said to be engaged at
London. This statement is entirely incorrect. No agent
has received authority from the King to negotiate any
loan. It is very true that the administration of the pro-
perty left by the Prince of Conde have opened negotiations
for a loan, which is intended to pay off the mortgages on
the estates; but the loan is not negotiated for fifte.n mil-
lions, or by Messrs. Lambert, D'Haussez and Count Du-
mesnil, with whom the administrators are not acquainted,
or on the conditions stated by that journal.
Neither the German journals received to-day, nor the
private letters, contain the report of the decree of the
Diet at Frankfort, suspending all the representative
chambers in Germany for five years; we would therefore
still doubt its authenticity.
(From the Gazette des Tribunaux.)

Baroness Feuchei es, to whom the Prince de Bourbon
bequeathed a fortune of several millions, finding that the
rich dornams which she has inherited cost too much to
keep them up, and desiring, it is said, to quit France, and
setle in England, her native country, has applied to the
Court for license to sell the greater part of the estate of
the Prince of Conde. The tribunal has granted the li-
cense, on condition that the proceeds, with the exception
of 300,000 francs, shall either be employed in the pur-
chase of real property, or inv,sted in the public funds.
(From the Quotidienne.)
_ _

PARIS, MARCH 30.—M. de Kergolay arrived at Paris
yesterday, with his family.
A letter from Toulon, of March 24, says :—" The
Duke of Rovigo has been admitted, to-day, to free
pratique, and landed at the hotel of the maritime prefect.
"'lhe Perle, Captain Gutzennee has received orders to
sail to-tdorrow for Boujee, on the coast of Africa.

" It seems that the Government, with a view to the ex-
pedition which is preparing in Africa, has resolved to begin
by burning all the woods on the road to Constantina, in
order to ferce thel3,douiris to fight in the plain and not to
hat ass the army on its march against that town. A
large quantity of materiel is preparing at Toulon to set
fire to the forests with which the country is covered. A
quantity of Congreve rockets is likewise preparing."
(From the Messager des Chambres.)

PARIS, MARCH 30.—The papal Government has just
created a special commission both political and military in
the city of Imola. Already more than twenty persons
have been arrested by ord r of this commission.

The Government of Lombardy and Venice has just
instituted at Wan a new military police guard, like that
which already existed in the cities of the Austrian empire.
This corps, which will commence its duties on the 15th
of this month, is subject to military discipline and law,
and will be under the direction of the police.
The three Belgian Commissioners left Paris yesterday,
but they are to ret4rn in some months. As we have
already stated, it is in contemplation to form, after the
session, a mixed commission to revise the Tariff of Customs.

In the sitting of the Chamber of Deputies on Saturday,
the proposal for continuing the law relative to foreign
refugees was discussed. The measure was warmly
opposed by M. Odillon Barrot, and some other members of
the opposition withdrew, so that the Chamber was not
sufficiently numerous to come to a decision, and the
Chamber adjourned till Monday.