The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-14 00:00:00

THE SUN) 1-4 OWD ON, THITRSDA 1r EVENING, WI A "r"l4, 1846.

than the preceding, because the case of a private individual,
and hence the possible precedent of any and every person in
the realm) testifies that all the bragging in the world can-
not preserve an Englishman from the most disgraceful and
unconstitutional espionage. From their involving
the actuality of this axiom, that our habi-
tations cannot be broken open and entered
with impunity, and from affecting, as they do, the question
of the extent of our civil liberties as a people, the particulars
of the grievance complained of by the petitioner are ele
vated from a personal to a national importance. They are
simple enough in themselves, but absolutely monstrous in
their bearing. It appears from the documents already lying
before, or about to be submitted to Parliament, that Mr.
TouLmIN SMITH, a special pleader, residing and practising in
the Temple, has had the privacy of his dwelling house in-
vaded by two policemen and an Excise-officer, armed with
a search warrant which had been obtained by the Excise
authorities from a magistrate, solely—let this be especially
observed—solely at the instigation of the writer of an anony-
mous letter ! It appears, moreover, that under the cover of
this warrant, though they actually refused to produce it upon
the requisition of the petitioner, these three persons invaded
and searched every part of the tenement, garden, green-house,
bed-rooms, and private study; that "a full and explicit
apology has been most deliberately refused," and that "any
expression even cf regret had been evaded." In this ex-
traordinary transaction the immediate culpability appears to
rest with either the Excise authorities or the magis•
trate issuing the warrant, or possibly with both ;
but beyond this, and apart from the individuality of
the case, there is manifestly " something rotten in the state of
Denmark." There is a hiatus somewhere—a crack in the
very shield of our liberty. It is, impressed with this feeling,
and anxious to divest the matter of anything like an in-
vidious or personal character, that the petitioner here
endeavours to ensure the reformation of a system,
not the punishment of an individual. He adduces
the transaction which we have just mentioned simply
as a case in point, and with the view of directing the atten-
tion of the Legislature to the correction of a most grievous
abuse. Upon this head Mr. Tourzusr Smrrir, in certain
"considerations" (as to the real character and origin of the
proceedings instituted) which he has recently published in
the form of a pamphlet, himself observes :

the Royal Court of Guernsey. These powers great and un-
constitutional as they undoubtedly are, are enormously in-
creased by the practice of the Court and the manner in which
they are carried into execution. The grea:est protection to the
rights of the suitor of any Court is to be found in the ince-
pendence of the practitioners of that Court, the power
of selecting his advocate from a number of able, learned, and
fearless gentlemen, who will be ready to denounce any
injustice to their client without the possibility
of any evil consequences resulting to themselves from the
zeal and energy of their advocacy. It is to the knowledge
of this fact that many of the privileges of the bar in this
country are owing. It is not for the sake of the barrister
himself that he is permitted perfect freedom of speech in any
case in which he is professionally employed, the power of
commenting upon and exposing the conduct of the opponent,
of his witnesses—nay, of the Court itself, if he should think
it necessary to do so in the discharge of his duty to his
client—it is not for his own sake that he enjoys
the freedom from arrest, Eundo inorando et re-
deundo, in going to, remaining at, and returning
from the Court where his services may be required ; tut it is
because his possession of these privileges is found to be essen-
tial to the public welfare, to the protection of the rights of
those who may be engaged in litigation. Should the barrister
fail in his duty, should he not bring all the powers of an
intelligent and cultivated mind to the service of his client, lie
will speedily sink in the public estimation. His competitors
are so numerous, so talented, that his practice may be extin-
guished without his being missed from the courts. Next to
the independence of the Legislature, of the judicial bench,
that of the bar is found to be most essential to
public liberty. In Guernsey this independence does not
exist. The advocates, who alone have the privilege of prac-
tising, are limited to six; thus little power of selection is
afforded to the person seeking justice. The Court has the
sole appointment of those six. The situation is a lucrative
one, from the limited number, and is consequently much
sought after, and only to be obtained by the friends and con-
nexions of the jurats. In England, any person who goes
through certain prescribed forms, whose conduct and
character is unimpeachable, is, as a matter of course,
admitted to the profession, and when once admitted,
can only be removed for improper or disgraceful
conduct, contrary to the rules of his profession, his duty
to his client, or the laws of his country. But, in Guernsey,
no matter how zealously, how efficiently, any one may have
pursued his studies, may have folloWed the course indi-
cated for • those seeking admission to the bar, though
his talents may be of the highest order, though his charac-
ter may be unquestionable, unless he can curry favour with
the jurats, and secure their votes, he cannot be admitted, will
riot be entitled to practice. Again, the Court assume the
power of suspending, of disbarring the advocate at their mere
will and pleasure—he is wholly and entirely under
their control, and dependent upon them. It requires
little argument to establish the impropriety of this system,
and to exhibit the result attendant upon such a state of
facts. The advocate does not impeach the conduct of the
Court ; no matter what prejudice, what injustice he may see
exhibited, he is bound by every tie of interest to those by
whom he was selected, and on the continuance of whose
avour his pecuniary interests are so deeply involved.
The proceedings in this Court are carried on in the French
language, and there is no sworn interpreter to explain to the
Englishman the charges, the evidence against him, or to be
the medium of communicating his defence to the Court. Law
authorities, whether English, French, Norman, or Guern‘
'sey, are indiscriminately quoted, and weight is attached to
them according to the interests, the feelings, the prejudices,
or the passions of the individual jurats.
The wide discretion exercised by the Court in the sen-
tences it pronounces can hardly be conceived. A few plain
cases, simply stated, will do more to exemplify this than any
language to which we can give utterance. A Guernsey
man committed a violent and unprovoked assault upon a
British soldier in her MAJIESTY'S service ; he came behind and
struck the soldier a fearful blow on the head, in-
flicting a deep wound on the temple. The as-
sailant was not inebriated. No cause could be as-
signed fur the brutal attack. He was not arrested
at the time, and, when afterwards convicted of the outrage,
the punishment assignedfor the offence was imprisonment for
forty-eight hours.

" Of all civil rights and liberties, security of house and
person is the most sacred, essential and important; and this
it is the first duty of every civilised government to secure
and maintain. Without it, all boast of civil rights and of
a free constitution is empty.
"The case of my petition shows that that security does
not now exist in England, but that any and every man's
house is liable to be entered by emissaries of certain public
boards, at any time, by day or night, on the suggestion of
any anonymous accuser, or the stroke of the pen of any
ignorant or incapable magistrate. It is sometimes assumed
that powers must exist, in constitutional governments, of
a wide nature, reliance being had that they will never be
unduly exercisetL Without admitting that such power
ought ever to be placed in any irresponsible hands, it is
sufficient to say, that such a plea cannot be entered here.
The very possibility of such an outrage as above named is
inconsistent with every idea of a constitutional government
or civil liberty, far more so than the long since abolished
powers of the Star Chamber. Moreover the outrage has
been perpetrated : it is not only a posse but an esse. The
existence, indeed, of such a power implies its constant
exercise. Public safety requires, then, the immediate re-
moval of the power."

To the accuracy of these remarks no exception whatever
can be made; circumstances have clearly demonstrated that
the impregnable nature with which the law was presumed
to invest our homes is most illusory and unreal. Far from
our houses being castles, they promise to degenerate
into lounging places for prying Excisemen, where cu.
riosity or suspicion may be satisfied at the charge
of a warrant. Unless some strenuous effort be made
by our legislators, we shall be liable, when in the studio or
the bath, the dining-rcom or the 'orchard, to the indecorous
incursions of policemen or the inquisitive agents of Excise.
An opportunity is afforded our representatives of preserving
us from these monstrous visitations, and of ren-
dering the boast of BLACKSTONE something more
than a mere dead letter. They must, if they
have any true estimation of the nature of civil liberty, enter
with earnestness into the sentiments which will be embodied
in the motion of Mr. Sroosxa; and they must remember
that while thellome Secretary declared that he possessed
"no authority to interfere" in the matter, that Lord
DENMAN, when presenting a similar petition to the
House of Peers, on the 6th of April, pronounced
such proceedings as those taken against Mr. Toui.uss
SMITE.' as " contrary to the spirit of the common law." The
matter, in short, demands the most serious consideration of
Parliament, and we hope that the motion advanced this
evening by the Hon. Member for Birmingham may be the
commencement of some powerful legislative movement
whereby the Constitution may be released from so great an
anomaly.

An English soldier (when drunk) struck a Guernsey man ;
he was forthwith seized and put in irons, treated as a criminal
of the worst class, having been (even before trial) kept for a
week in solitary confinement, and on bread and water, and
on conviction was sentenced to three months' imprisonment,
two of the three months in solitary confinement, and on bread
and water. Look at this picture and on that, and
see the justice meeted out to Englishmen in one of the
British dependencies, close to our very shores. Instances
might be multiplied illustrative of this conduct, but one
more will be quite sufficient.

It was a favourite doctrine with a certain portion of
he landed interest and their supporters, especially
,hose who maintained the necessity and justice of the
corn-laws, that the prosperity and security of this great
country rested almost entirely on the land, and that the
advantages derived from manufactures, trade, and com-
merce, were only very secondary considerations. The
doctrine has rather become unfashionable of late, but
possibly it may bo revived by the RICH:IIO2.MS and
BUCKINGFIAMS when the time comes for pouring out
their wrath against the revolutionary Minister. The
proposition hardly requires refutation, yet, for the in-
formation of those who are often guided by the recorded
opinions of their superiors, and in order to destroy such
an unfounded pretence for exclusive privileges, it would
be desirable that some of the more liberal Peers should,
during the forthcoming discussion, lay open its fallacy.
It is a fact about which there can be no dispute, that in
all the manufacturing districts the value of land has
risen enormously since England became a great manu-
facturing and trading nation. At an average, possibly,
it has been raised fivefold ; and where towns have been
built, and large factories established, it has risen to an
extent of which it would be difficult to form any acurate
and proportional calculation. The shipping trade,
too, contributes its share in giving additional value to
property in land. But a very few years since, we may
say in the memory of persons still living, Glasgow and
Liverpool, and many other large sea-port towns, were
little better than fishing villages, and so small was the
population that the country around was not more valu-
able than in the most remote and comparatively unin-
habited districts. The communication, too, kept up be-
tween the manufacturing towns themselves and between
them and the sea-ports all added to the value of land.
Villages and towns sprung up from the impulse of
trade and the means of subsistence furnished to so many
thousands. All these of course paid their share of the
taxes, and, together with the vast wealth,ereated among
the landed interest, enabled the Government to build
and maintain fleets absolutely necessary for the security
of the country. Can any man for a moment imagine
that England could have resisted the powerful
fleets of France in the eighteenth century, es she did
after a severe struggle, but for the vast increase of her
trade during the reign of GEORGE II.? The land was
totally unequal to the contest. France possessed a large
territory, she had numerous colonies, too, and conside
rable commerce, but the activity, enterprise, and perse-
verance of English adventurers, traders, and manufac-
turers finally prevailed, and enabled the country, during
the nineteenth century, to meet and defeat an enemy
which no other power on earth could have withstood.
The fleets of England, mercantile as well as naval, did
it all, and but for these she would have been subdued
and made an integral portion of the great empire of
NAPOLEON. Even at the present day her very
existence depehds on her trade and colonies.
The wealth which they furnish, the employ-
ment they give to millions who must have
been starved to death on the land, the enormous re-
venues which they furnish in the shape of Excise and
Customs, and the large population too created by them
alone—all contribute to that power and stability which
renders the small island of Great Britain the most
powerful empire in the world. As an incidental proof of
the blessings of trade, it may be worth while to record
that within the last three or four days twenty Indiamen
have arrived in the river, all laden with valuable cargoes.
These are generally from 1,000 to 1,400 tons burden, and
bring the productions of the rich East in return for those
transmitted from this small territory. It is needless to
point out what increased employment is given by these
arrivals, what amount is paid to the Customs, and what
activity even this casual arrival must infuse into many
departments. If further proof were wanted, we have
Only to look to Holland, which began this trading
system long before England. After having established
a few dry spots on which they could secure a footing at
the mouth of a large river, the Dutch at once com-
menced trade, invited the people of all countries to their
shores, laid down as one of their first acts that inter-
course between them and other nations should be free
as the air, and carried out these principles so effectually,
that in process of time they became one of the first
among nations, successfully defied the whole power of
Spain, and even dared to meet at sea, and with marked
success too, the first naval power in existence. Holland
established settlements in the West as well as in the
East long before Ragland. About the year 1600 the
celebrated Dutch Fast India Company was formed, and
in the course of five or six years afterwards this Com-
pany sent out forty-six vessels, of which forty-three re-
turned in due course laden with rich cargoes. This
success only the more animated the people in their corn-
mereial enterprise, and as they were strict in preserving
public faith, and paying regularly every penny of in-
terest on their public debt, Holland was in almost every
respect a prototype of England at the present moment.
Even when her trade has considerably decayed her
honour still remains, and no nation pays with more
scrupulous fidelity its debts. All these are the happy
results of trade and commerce
On Sa

One of the six advocates stabbed a native of Great
Britain. It was said, and we believe truly, not to
have Leen his first offence of a similar description. He
was found guiltu, without extenuating circumstances.
One would have thought that this was a crime im-
peratively demanding a punishment of the weightiest de-
scription, that public justice would have been vindicated ;
the majesty' of the offended law avenged ; but, no, the
criminal was one of the favoured body—the friend, the
associate of his judges ; his sentence was two months'
imprisonment; and as if this mockery of justice, this ridi-
culously inadequate sentence, was-not sufficient to excite the
indignation and the disgust of the English inhabitants, the
Court condescended to bandy compliments with the criminal,
and he is told from what ought to be the bench of justice,
" that he would be discharged from his confinement without
a stain on his character."

Surely proceedings of this class and character cannot be
suffered to continue without stringent and efficient means being
adopted for their reformation and amendment. We trust that
the Commissioners appointed will closely investigate into, and
fearlessly report upon these, and the other cases which may
be brought before them. We doubt not that their conduct
will be worthy of members of the honourable profession to
which they belong, and that all parties will receive at their
hands full and impartial justice. One thing we would im-
press upon their minds (although we hope and trust there is
little necessity for the caution), they are deputed to investi-
gate into, and sit in judgment upon the conduct of the ad-
ministrators of the law in the Channel Islands; a large num-
ber of their fellow-countrymen of th e natives of the islands, who
are not connectedwith the clique, anxiously look for their report.
for the alterations and amendments which they may suggest.
Let them not be induced to attend at public banquets given
by, or to exchange laudatory speeches with, those on whom
they are sitting in judgment. We do not doubt their
integrity, or suppose their decision could be biassed by any
such paltry considerations, but the public will be better
satisfied if no such festive meetings take place, and will
think it more seemly on the part both of the Commissioners
and members of the Court that they should be avoided.
We know such things have been commented on before. We
trust there may be no opportunity for similar comments
again being made.

The state of Poland still continues disturbed. The Weser
Gazette of the Bth inst. states, that the peasants of Radom
have risen against the nobles, and murdered several of them.
According to the Voss Gazette, TYSSOWSKI, the insurgent
chief, and seven insurgent officers, who had been taken,
escaped on the 2d from Neisso. Accounts from Galicia,
published in the Nuremburg Correspondent, state that the
celebrated peasant insurgent chieftain, SZELA, has been
arrested.

The Athens papers of the 30th ult. publish a copy of a
dispatch from Lord ABERDEEN to Sir E. LYONS on the sub-
ject of the Greek loan, which the latter had communicated
to the Greek Government. After alluding to the exposé of
the financial state of the kingdom, recently made by the
Greek Minister of Finance, which, as his Lordship contends,
is a complete contradiction to the idea and practice
of economy promised by M. COLETTI, and which completely
justifies the British Government in insisting on a portion of
the revenues of Greece being set aside for the payment of the
interest of the loan, the dispatch concludes by stating that
if the prelent irregular system continues to be pursued in the
management of the Greek finances, that the British Govern-
ment will feel itself compelled to adopt measures for the
establishment of a state of things which shall prevent the
revenues of the state being dissipated by negligent or cor•.
rupt administrators, to the prejudice of English interests.

Madrid papers of the 6th inst. have been received.
According to the Eco del Comercio, a modification of the
Cabinet is daily expected to take place, as the divisions
among the present members of it continue, and are to all
appearance irreconcileable. The calling together of the
Cortes is the great subject of dispute. MM. MoN and
PIDAL insist on the necessity of their being called together
immediately, but this is strongly objected to by their col-
leagues, backed by the influence of Queen CuaisriNA.
It is generally understood that the QUEEN will visit Santa
Agueda, for the purpose of drinking the waters, before she
proceeds to the seaside.
M. SABATER, the political chief of Madrid, has resigned.
His resignation has been accepted by the Government.

General Don JOSE CONCHA was expected to arrive in
Madrid on the evening of the 6th. . _

The Impartial states that the University of Seville had
been the scene of some disturbances, which, however, bad
been speedily suppressed. From the same paper we learn
that NARVAEZ has at length accepted the embassy to
Naples, and that he will set out for that Court shortly.
In the Madrid official lists neither the. Three nor the Five
per Cents. are quoted. Exchange on London, 37.

We have received the Paris papers of Tuesday. The de-
bates on the Belgian Commercial Treaty still continued in
the Chamber of Peers. After the high protectionist speech
of Baron CHARLES DUPIN on Tuesday, M. GUIZOT addressed
the Chamber in defence of the Ministerial measure, but not
ding
mersmeritfullyi nalflavtohuerinotferuenstrsesotfriGctoed om
vecrnmlneent7,e "The
saysi‘i.
GulzoT, "but the producers also have claims on them." It
would appear that M. GUIZOT has yet to learn that all that
consumers or producers want or require is, to be permitted to
take care of their own interests themselves, without any
intermeddling on the part of the Goverument, in favour
either of the one class or of the other. He seems now to be
in nearly the same state of pupilage in the science of poll.
tical economy that Sir ROBERT PEEL was three years since;
and when M. GutzoT shall have had his three years' experi-
ence, he, too, will become a free-trader.

turday we alluded to the extraordinary powers
executive, legislative, and judicial, vested in, or assumed by,

The Journal des Debats_hasthe following observations on
M. Guam's speech :

"The consumers merit all the interest of governments, but
the producers also have claims on them. It is production
which provides for the necessities of consumption. What
could th latter do, if the sources of production were dried
up? This reasoning appears difficult to refute, for this mode
of stating the question of political economy is exclusive and
therefore inexact. M. Guizot had not any difficulty in show-
ing this, and he did so with that elevation of views which
is familiar to him, and which constitutes one of the charac-
teristic traits of his eloquence. There is, however, in the
judgment which he passed on political economy, a certain
severity which does not appear to us to be altogether merited.
When, he argued, this science perceives a right neglected,
it affords it protection, presents it to the world, and trans-
forms it into an absolute principle. Thus political economy
beheld consumers, took up their quarrel, and demanded free
trade. M. Guizot was replying to M. d'Harcourt, and ho
had a right to speak thus. But we may be permitted to
observe that it is not alone in the interest of the consumer
that free trade is called for and defended ; it is also in the
interest of the producers, it is in order to reach the best
possible conditions of a good production. The partisans
of the protective system have always maintained that
it is. better for the country to continue to produce the

A \IERICAN NEWS.

(EXPRESS FROM LIVERPOOL.)

IMPORTANT NE WS FROM THE
UNITED STATES.
LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY MORNING.
The Royal Mail steamer Caledonia, Captain Lott, arrived
here this morning, with the mails from the United States
and Canada. She left Boston on the Ist, and Halifax on
the 3d instant, and has, therefore, made the voyage in
twelve and a-half days.
The news by this arrival is important and decisive upon
the long debated question of the Oregon. The Committee
of Conference, appointed by the two Houses, which at the
last previous accounts were in collision, had, without much
difficulty, resolved to adopt a notice almost identical with
that which had passed the Senate—the preamble only dif-
fering—the actual resolutions themselves being the same.
The passage of tke notice in this form seems to have
given general satisfaction to the press, and to all
moderate men, and is considered and approved by them ass
necessary step to the amicable settlement of the dispute with
Great Britain. It is said that in this spirit Mr. M‘Lane will
be instructed immediately to deliver the notice required by
the existing treaty, and at the same time would invite or
offer himself a proposition for the renewal of negotia-
tions. A general expectation had existed both at Wash-
ington, and throughout the country, that th Caledonia
would have brought out fresh proposals from the British Go-
vernment, but none were received either by her or by the
Great Western.
The army in Texas, under General Taylor, was encamped
on the banks of the Rio Grande, and the squadron was at
Vera Cruz. No hostilities had taken place, the United
States army being instructed to act only on the defensive.
No further step had been taken in Washington as regards
the New Tariff Bill introduced by Mr. Secretary Walker, and
it was doubtful if it would pass this session.
The aspect of commercial affairs had improved. The
cotton market was firm; still money was tight. The rate ed
exchange on London was 1091/2 to 110.
The Great Western arrived at New York on the 28th ult.
(Correspondence of the Journal of commerce.)
PASSAGE OF THE OREGON RESOLUTIONS 114.
BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, Amur. 23.—1 n the Senate, after the recede
tion of a message from the President, Mr. Berrien made
report in behalf of the Committee of Conference on the part
of the Senate, recommending, as the unanimous result of the
Conference, that both Houses recede from their amendments.
and adopt the resolution in the following form :--
"JOINT RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE OREGON TERRITORY.
" Whereas, by the convention concluded the 20th day of
October, 1818, between the United States of America and the
King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
for the period of ten years, and afterwards indefi-
nitely extended and continued in force by another
convention of the same parties, concluded the 6th day
of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun-
dred and twenty-seven, it was agreed that any country that
may be claimed by either party on the north-west was*
of America westward of the Stony or Rocky Mountains, no
commonly called the Oregon territory, should, together with
its harbours, bays and creeks, and the navigation of all rivers
within the same, be ' free and open' to the vessels, citizenAr
and subjects of the two Powers, but without prejudice to
any claim which either of the parties might have to ant
part of the said country; and with this further provision, i,.1
the second article of the said convention of the sixth ofAuut,
eighteen hundred and twenty-seven, that either party might
__
abrogate and annul said convention, on giving due notice
of twelve months to the other contracting party—an"'
whereas it has now become desirable that the respective
claims of the United States and Great Britain should
be definitely settled; and that said territory may no longer
than need be remain subject to the evil consequences of the
divided allegiance of its American and British population.
and of the confusion and conflict of national jurisdictions.
dangerous to the cherished peace and good understanding of
the two countries. With a view, therefore, that steps b
taken for the abrogation of the said convention of the 6th,
August, 1827, in the mode prescribed in its 2d article, and
that the attention of the Governments of both countries may
be the more earnestly directed to the adoption of all proper
measures for the speedy and amicable adjustment of the diva'
culties and disputes in respect to said territory.
"Be it resolved—That the President of the United Stale!"
be, and lie hereby is authorised, at his discretion, to give
the British Government thenotice required by its said second
article, for the abrogation of the said conventien of the 6tll.
of August, 1827."
Mr. Allen said the result of the labours of the Committee
was to restore in substance, though with some slight varia-
tion in form and phraseology, the resolutions as they ode"
pally passed the Senate. For reasons which he had hereto'
fore given, therefore, he would be compelled to record his
vote against the adoption of the report of the Committee.
After some conversation, the further consideration of_the
report was postponed until one o'clock, several Senators not
having yet made their appearance.
The Senate then, on motion of Mr. Upham, took up the
Bill for the reiief of John P. Skinner and others, which Wel
debated by Messrs. Sevier, Berrien, and Niles, until one
o'clock, when it was laid aside to take up the report of the
Committee of Conference.
The question being upon concurring in the report of the
Committee, Mr. Cameron stated the reason which should in.'
fluence his vote in its favour, the substance of which was
that being unable to get the naked notice, and deeming the
notice of more importance than the form in which it wag
authorised, he would go for it in its present shape rather
than run the risk of having no notice at all. He expressed
himself out and out for 54 40.
The question was then taken and the report concurred ins 42 to 10, as follows :
AvEs—Messrs. Archer, Ashley, Atherton, Bagby, Barrow'.
Benton, Berrien, Calhoun, Cameron, T. Clayton, J. M. Clay-,
ton, Colwin, Corwin, Crittenden, Davis, Dix, Evans, Greene.
Haywood, Houston, Huntington, Jarnagin, Johnson, Lae
Johnson, Md., Lewis, M'Duffie, Mangum, ller, Morehead.
Niles, Pearce, Phelps, Pennybacher, Rusk Sevier, Simmons.
Speight, Turney, Upham, Webster, Woodbridge, Vulee.
NOES.—Messrs. Allen, Atchison, Breese, Bright, Ca"
Dickinson, Fairfield, Jenness, Semple, and Westcott.
The French Spoliation Bill was then taken up, and Mr. J.
M. Clayton resumed and concluded his remarks in behalf of
the justice of the claims.
In the House of Representatives, Mr. Boyd, of Ky., offered
a resolution to close the debate on the Smithsonian Bill, I
an hour and a half after taking it up in Committee of the
whole.
The resolution was laid on the table, and on motion of gr,
Owen, the House went into Committee of whole, and the
Bill was taken up.
A motion was then made that the Committee rise for the
purpose of receiving the report of the Committee of Confer"
ence on the Notice resolutions.
Mr. C. J. Ingersoll said that according to the proper forte
of legislative action, the report should not be made in the
House until it had been acted upon by the Senate, and tilere
was, therefore, no occasion for the Committee to rise.
The motion to rise was withdrawn.
Mr. Marsh, of Vermont, spoke for an hour, and advocated
the prompt application of the money to the purposes for
which it was designed by the donor. He also called the at.-
tention of the House to the importance of a choice and exten"
sive library, which it would take many years to establish.
and which he thought had not been sufficiently estimated by
the framers of the Bill. The library of Congress he consi-
dered sadly deficient in some of the most necessary works of
history, astronomy, mechanics, and mathematics.
Mr. Morse, of La., defended the Bill as it stood, in pre-
ference to the plan recommended by Mr. Marsh. The insti-
tution woull confer great benefits upon the people. The
money he regarded as having been held much too long by
the Government, and it was a shame that it had not bees
expended as was contemplated by the testator.
Mr. Chipman, of Mich., opposed the Bill with much v oho"
mence. It was an insult to make the offer of this money
and it was an act of degradation to have accepted it. Mt.
Chipman concluded his amusing tirade with threats of de;
nunciation upon the heads of the 54 40 men, if they dared
to yield one inch to British oppression and tyranny.
Mr. Bayly, of Va., moved that the Committee rise.
Mr. Owen offered a resolution to close the debate in half fie
hour, which was laid en the table.
Mr. J. Q. Adams offered a substitute for the whole 8.,_011
the
Arkansas, main object of which was to exact the payment of '
Arkansas, Michigan, and Illinois bonds, in which the legacy
had been invested in those States.
The Bill in relation to the tonnage duty on canal boats'
then briefly considered, when the Speaker resumed the chew
for the purpose of receiving a message from the Senate, en,.:
1.l
nouncing the concurrence of that body in the report of w
Committee of Conference.
Mr. C. J. Ingersoll then read the report at the cieF-
desk, and moved that the House concur.
and
The previous question was demanded by Mr. Bayley
Mr. Brodhead, which was seconded, and the main quest[
being put, the report of the Committee was concurred' It
Ayes, 142 ; noes, 46.
The following are the nays :—Messrs. Anderson,
G. Brown, Cathcart, Chipman, Cobb, Cummins, Cunningharet
De Mott, Douglass, Faran, Ficklin, Fries, Gordon, Harmsir
son, Henley, Hoge, George S. Houston, James B. mote
James H. Johnson, Andrew Johnson, Kennedy, Presto'
King, Leib, M'Clelland, M'Clelnand, Morris, Moultatir
Norris, Parish, Perrill, Pettit, Rathbun, Reid, Relfe, Sawyer'
Scammon, Leonard H. Sims, Thomas Smith, Robert
Smith, Starkweather, St. John, Thurman, Tibbetts, Wont"
worth, Wheaton and Wick-46.
A motion was made to reconsider, and the House rehtlaa
to reconsider, and at an early hour adjourned.
WASHINGTON, APRIL 25. It will be the fault of the
British Government if a treaty be not made on the (We;
question in sixty days from this time. If it is wise it
...„.tvi"
avail itself of the ebb tide here, and offer terms at once, wuP"
they can be accepted. Whatever terms may be offered,.
President will submit for the advice of the Senate. If tn
are too exacting, the Senate will show an undivided front
Y
opposition to it; and, after that, there will be but one P'^-#
to
Itfhtehe questionßrit British
in
Governmentthis country.w
action of Congress on the Ore wait after the notice, for the
gon Bill—if, for any resTre
they continue their reserve, they may lose the opPort"--
of a pacific and liberal adjustment The present unexpecit;
edly moderate policy and measures of the Senate on this su t jest cannot be expected to continue beyond the pres"
session. The temper of the people would not permit it.
The Senate would now undoubtedly advise that the country
be divided by forty-nine and the Straits of Fuca ;
and I.iief
sitt
might even be willing to consent to concede to Great Bni
the navigation of the Columbia river for half a century
_so
There are some reasons, as it is understood, for the opt"'
.that the British Govornment will make an overture or ennif.'
one of a reasonable kind.
The President, it is...understood, will send out the notice bf
the packet of the Ist of May. He will not make all °Wish
ture, but he will accompany it with an expression of
for an amicable and speedy adjustment of the questler, be
peating, perhaps, the assurance on that subject whltr_',„.
gave through Mr. Buchanan, in the last correspoluv—
with the British Minister.
IMPORTANT FROM WASHINGTON. tbe
WASHINGTON, APRIL 28.—The British Minister pr, to
Secretary of State a long visit to-day. The object of ii
sir
not yet leaked out. There seems to be rather an unusw
amongcertain distinguished Senators belonging both t:0
54 40 and 49 parties. We shall have the proclainat
einestcria
solving the join occupancy, probably to-morrow or n
him for the adjustiree
tShheo üBI
rdi t
elhr.Aßliunci
shtaenr atoll
maybe
ouffnearbtleo to agree to whatever %ern].
_sf
the matter, he will leave the department forthwhhe
be succeeded by Andrew Stevenson, of Virginia. xi is
„s
i
already agreed upon. Mr. Buchanan will never consent,
for its
batsh
sign a treaty having less than the 49th pare
(From the New York Herald.)
LATEST INTELLIGENCE.
Our private accounts from Washington are not of th
encouraging character, as respects the early adjustmente
the Oregon controversy. Mr. Polk is now planed in a roost
=beaming attitude between the two wings nt hie Po". 1
rn

articles which it produces at the moment at which they
speak, and that the public interest commands to have
them defended by prohibitive duties against foreign com-
petition. If this doctrine had been always followed
there would be no commerce whatever, and each nation

would fabricate all that is necessary for its own consumption.
Europe would refuse to purchase from America cotton, sugar,
coffee, and spiees ; America, on her side, would reject all
articles of European manufacture. Mankind would work
much more than they do at present, and would be a hundred
times poorer and more wretched. The partisans of free
trade, on the contrary, maintain that their real interest calls
on nations not to obstinately produce all that is necessary
for their own wants, and that it might be advantageous to
renounce the partial or even total production of certain ar-
ticles, and to consecrate to other works their efforts, which
would be thus far better rewarded. For our parts we are of
opinion that France could at present without loss, and even
with profit, diminish the duty on iron, on certain tissue.,
and some other objects. She would receive a little more of
them from foreign countries; she would lose, no doubt, the
profits of this fabrication, and it is on that account that the
protectionists regret such a reform ; but she would gain double
onlanother side, and that they shut their eyes to."
The Debats, albeit it is progressing in the right path, has
yet much to learn on the subject of political economy. By
far the most enlightened views on freedom of trade are those
entertained by the Courrier Francais, which, on this subject,
is far in advance of its contemporaries. In commenting on
the speech of Baron DuPIN, it says :
" M. Charles Dupin has charged himself with the manifesto
of the pure Anglo-phobic protectionists. M. Charles Dupin
is as angry against England for having invented the freedom
of commerce asfor having abolished slavery. It is well known
that M. Charles Dupin maintains that England has granted
emancipation to the negroes of the Antilles from no other
motive than to ruin the trade of the colonies of all other
nations, and insure to herself a monopoly of the seas. M.
Charles Dupin goes still further in attacking freedom of trade.
He affirms that England has formed a design to ruin and
subject the world by means of this detestable liberty, and as
a specimen of the condition with which we are threatened
he unrolls before our eyes the miseries of Ireland, of Portugal,
and of India. It is this commercial liberty which has ruined
these three unfortunate countries, as this sage tactician as-
sures us, with a faltering voice and tears in his eyes; it is
commercial liberty that has cast them down from a height
of grandeur and fortune into an abyss of misery. Ireland
was prosperous while she remained separate from England,
Portugal was wealthy before the treaty of Methuen, and
India was the land of Arabian Nights' Tales before the in-
troduction of British cotonnades. The same destiny awaits
us, if we open our barriers to the invasion of British pro-
duce—we shall be inpndated, and our wealth and greatness
will be for ever ingulphed in this grand cataclysm. We
shall not now make any answer to the arguments
of M. Charles Dupin, but content ourselves with observing
that if England has been labouring to ruin the other nations
of the earth by this commercial liberty, she has at the same
time been working out her own ruin ; for the fortune of Eng-
land is founded upon the exchange she makes of her own
productions for those of other countries. Now, if all these
unhappy countries are in the end to be ruined, and conse-
quently become no longer able to supply England with their
produce, where will have fled the industry and commerce of
Great Britain? What does M. Le Baron Charles Dupin
think of this!"
On M. GUIZOT'S speech it has the following:—
" We shall content ourselves with citing only one of the
sophistries of the Government orator. According to M.
Guizot, the question of commercial freedom is a question to
be discussed between the consumers and the producers. Eco-
nomists look only at the interests of the consumers while the
protectionists consider nothing but the interests of the pro-
ducers. The duty of Government is to hold an even ba-
lance between the consumers and producers without suffering
it to incline more towards freedom of commerce than to pro-
tection. We beg M. Guizot's pardon, but this theory, which
classes the consumers on one side and the producers on the
other, is completely false. The question of freedom of trade
is not debated between the consumers and the producers,
but between the operatives and the capitalists. To whom
are the amelioration of custom-house tariffs beneficial, if
they be not to capitalists? Have not these ameliorations
the invariable results of increasing factitiously the rent of
land and the value of shares in manufacturing undertakings ?
If they increased in an equal proportion the wages of the
operatives, nothing could be more desirable—no one would
have to complain. But is this the case? Have wages in
England been ever seen to increase in proportion to the in-
crease of the value of land? Has in France the pay of the
workmen risen with the prices of shares? Undoubtedly
not. Nowhere has the protective system raised the level of
the salaries of the workmen and labourers ; on the con-
trary, it has lowered them. both directly and indirectly. In
a direct manner, by diminishing everywhere the demand for
the consumption of foreign produce, by raising their prices;
and in an indirect manner by reducing the quantity of ar-
ticles of consumption which the workmen might buy with
their wages. We therefore repeat that the question of
freedom of trade is in debate between the capitalists whose
revenues it increases, and the workmen and labourers whose
pay and profits it reduces. There is no balance to be held
between these two contending interests. All that can be

done is to render justice to the injured workmen by destroy-
ing this machine d'exploitation which the capitalists have
devised for their own profit. Commercial liberty is an ab-
solute theory, for its application alone can make an absolute
justice to prevail over the relations between workmen and
capitalists. This is what M. Guizot has not comprehended,
and ruins his theory."
The Presse is ultra-protectionist in its comments on the
debate.

The adjourned debate on the extraordinary supplies was
resumed on Tuesday in the Chamber of Deputies. The
Chamber was addressed by MM. DE LAROCIIEJAQUELIN,
LEGRAND, and DE MELVILLE, who dilated largely on the
misapplication of a portion of the funds asked to the cor-
ruption of the electors in the provinces. The debate had
not concluded when the post left.

The KING had received letters of congratulation on his
recent preservation from the PorE, the King of the Two
SICILIES, the Queen of SPAIN, the Kings of SWEDEN and
BAVARIA, the Grand Duke of TUSCANY, and the Grand
Dukes of MECKLENBURG-STRELITZ and OLDENBURG. They
were presented to his MAJESTY by their respective Ambas-
sadors and Ministers.

The Count D. DANNESKIOLD SAMBOIC, Grand Equerry of

the King of DENMARK, had an audience on Monday of the
KING, at which he presented to his Majesty the insignia of
the Grand Order of the Elephant, in the name of the Danish
monarch.

The adjudication of the Lyons and Avignon Railway
has been fixed, by the Minister of Public Works, for the 10th
of June.

On Sunday TBRAHIM PACHA visited the Blind School.
His Highness, after going through all parts of the build-
ing, and witnessing the mode of instruction, declared that he
had not seen anything in Europe which so much surprised
and interested him as this establishment.

=On the Bourse the Three per Cents. were for cash, 84f. ; for Ac-
count, 83f. 95c ; Five per Cents., for cash, 119 f. 90c.; for Account,
119 f. 90c ; Bank of France Shares, 3,430 f. ; Neapolitan, 101 f. 50c. ;
Spanish and New Loan, not quoted.
RAILWAvs.—The Share-market was heavy, and most of the lines
closed lower. For cash—Paris and Orleans closed at 1,242 f. 50c. ;
Rouen and Havre, 752 f. 50c. ; Avignon, 905 f. ; Strasburg and
Bale, 218 f. 75c. ; Boulogne, 505 f.; Northern, 760 f. 1 Bordeaux,
621 f. 25c. ; 3fontereau, 400 f. ; Paris and Strasburg, 510 f. ; Paris aLd
Lyons, 550 f.; Naates, 525 f.; Dieppe, 450 f. ; Fampoux, Yierzon, and
Rouen, not quoted.

,BUSINESS DONE
_IN
__FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE

LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, MAY 13.

Central of Spain, 114—Dutch Rhenish, 6% —East Indian, •N
Great Indian Peninsular, % —Jersey, % —Louvain and Jemappe, 1?,,
—Luxombourg, 2 —Madrid and Valentia, I—Namur and Liege, 4
Orleans and Vierson, 1614—Orleans and Bordeaux, 10%— Paris and
Lyons Constituted, 7%—Paris and Strasbourg Constituted, 5%
Rouen and Havre, 29—Sambre and Meuse, s%—`Vest Flanders, 2%,

NATIONAL PROVINCIAL BANK
OF ENGLAND.—(THIS DAY.)
The annual General Meeting of the Proprietors of this
Bank was held at the Company's House, 112, Bishopsgate-
street, to-day, at twelve o'clock.
Mr. MELVILLS, having taken the chair, remarked that
the report which would be read to the proprietors was
shorter than usual, but not the less satisfactory. The posi-
tion of the bank was favourable; the testimony which had
been received from every part of the country was very
satisfactory, and he believed that the character which they
had acquired would more and more contribute to the advan-
tage of the business of the bank. As to the operation of the late
Banking Act, they had no fault to find with it. He believed
that the rapid communication afforded by railways between
different parts of the country enabled the business of the
country to be carried on with a much smaller circulation.
The CHAIRMAN then read the Thirteenth Annual Report,
which stated that the business of the Bank had progressed ;
that money had continued abundant till towards the close of
the year, when a pressure was felt, arising from railway spe-
culation, which about that time raged to such an extent;
that the directors, however, throughout that period had not
allowed anything to draw them aside from the proper banking
business, and that the Company had thereby been saved the
losses which others had been called on to sustain.
The accounts showed :
Jan. I,lB4s.—undivided profits in the reserve fund £59,678

Dec. 31, —Nett profits, after allowing for bad
debts
A.moufft divided

Balance to go to the reserve fund... £6,790

Total amount of the reserve fund ... X 67,468
The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report, which
was seconded and unanimously carried.

Messrs. John Hicksman, Patrick Cruickshanks, and Chas.
Heaton Ellis, the three retiring directors, were re-elected as
members of the board.
A desultory conversation arose concerning the local direc-
tors employed at some of the branches or the Bank and the
remuneration which they received, but it ended without any
definite result beyond leaving the matter to the discretion of
the directors.
An HoN. PROPRIETOR suggested for the consideration of
the directors whether an alteration of the form of the annual
statement to that adopted by the London and Westminster
Bank, giving a detailed statement of the capital employed,
&c., would not be more comprehensive and complete and
more satisfactory to the proprietors?
The CHAIRMAN said the form adopted was that of the
Provincial Bank of Ireland, and he believed it had been, and
would continue to be, satisfactory.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman and directors was una-
nimously passed.
When a vote of thanks had been passed to Mr. Robertson,
manager and agent, the meeting separated.

CHELTENHAM COLLEGE.-Sir James L. Lushington,
ono of the vice-presidents of this institution, has expressed his inten-
tion of presenting the College with a cadetahlp, to be given to the
he ;t pupil In the modern department.