The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 12, 1856.

THE AMERICAN QUESTION.

out. The next thing said is that there is nothing
for it but the discomfiture of the slave policy or
separation from it, and that this will be the upshot,
whether now or ten years hence.—Morning Paper.

MERCANTILE LAW AMENDMENT BILL.

The march of events in the United States is
almost as important, and ought to be almost as in-
teresting, to Englishmen as to Americans. In the
domestic politics of the States we possess the key
to the foreign policy of the Government ; and the
mystery of the insults offered to England is solved
by the graver wrongs offered to the elite of the
American nation by the Government, or under its
connivance. Therefore it is that we have been
anxious to keep the facts of the struggle about
Kansas before the eyes of our readers ; and for the
same reason we now lay before them a brief nar-
rative of a series of incidents which may not im-
possibly issue in a dissolution of the Union. Such
a dissolution has been the occasional threat of many
an angry State or disappointed party since the
great Nullification conflict, a quarter of a century
ago ; but the case of Massachusetts, of which we
are now speaking, is wholly unlike that of passionate
South Carolina. Massachusetts, the leading State
of the Union, would no more hear of a dissolution
of the Union 20 years ago than England would
hear of restoring the Stuarts or of setting up a re-
publican government : and gradual has been the
approach to the verge of such dissolution ; and
very stringent must have been the force of circum-
stances which could bring the foremost, the most
intelligent, and the most staid of the group of
States into such a position. _

Yesterday a meeting, convened by a circular, signed
by Baron Rothschild, was held at the London Tavern, to
consider what measures should be taken to prevent the
passing of the Mercantile Law Amendment Bill. The
meeting was respectably, but not numerously attended.
Mr. WELMRLIN (Governor of the Bank of England)
was c rolled to the chair, and briefly opened the proceed-
ings, by stating that the meeting, which he was sorry to
see so thinly attended, had been called together by the
invitation of Baron Rothschild, who was unfortunately
absent, in consequence of illness, but he (Mr. Weguelin)
was authorised to state that the baron fully concurred in
the object, and would support any measure adopted by
the meeting with all the means in his power. The
object of the meeting was to prevent the change which
it was proposed to make in the existing law of com-
mercial contracts by the abolition of the 17th section
of the Statute of Frauds. The bill, which had
been sent to the House of Commons by the
House of Lords, if allowed to pass with that clause in it,
would, in point of fact, do away with that protection
which the mercantile community bad hitherto enjoyed,
and would substitute for the written contracts, by which
parties were at present bound, mere verbal agreements
cr understandings. This change of the law appears to
many gentlemen of such a serious nature that he had
been requested to prepare a petition on the subject to
the House of Lords ; and, with the assistance of that
eminent solicitor, Mr. Freshfield, he had done so. The
petition was sent round to the most eminent houses in
the City, and in a short time received the signatures of
about 800 firms. Lt was presented by Lord Overstone,
who urged the Lord Chancellor to re-commit the bill,
and in the meantime to examine some witnesses upon
the subject. That had been agreed to, but be was sorry
to say without producing any effect upon the Govern-
ment, who seemed determined to carry the bill. It had
passed the Rouse of Lords, and was now in the House
of Commons. Under these circumstances it behoved the
mercantile community to take instant measures for
procuring a full consideration of the subject, and, if
possible, to prevent such a serious and injurious change
in the mercantile law of this country.
Mr. T. BARING, M.P., in moving the first resolution,
said it was not the object of the meeting to call for any
expression of feeling on the part of the mercantile com-
munity of the City of London, because that feeling bad
been clearly expressed by the 800 signatures to the peti-
tion to the Howe of Lords. (Hear, hear.) The practical
object of the meeting was to form a committee, who
should take steps to collect the general opinion of the
trading community throughout the country, and exert
themselves to &ter, improve, or reject the bill. The notice
convening the meeting had only been sent out last night,
and that sufficiently accounted for the comparatively
small attendance. The part of the bill to which objec-
tion was taken was that which abolished written contracts.
He could not understand why such a change should be
made. Nothing appeared to him more clear or more
reasonable when two parties entered into a con-
tract than that it should be put in writing, and thus
prevent the numerous mistakes thatmight arise from mere
verbal understandings. That bad long been the law of
this country, and why should it be altered without the

NATIONAL MERCANTILE ASSURANCE
SOCIETY.

A special meeting of this company was held at the
London Tavern yesterday, to take into consideration a
proposed alteration in the regulations of the company, in
order to render the policies indisputable ; Mr. Wilcoxon
in thechair.

The advertisement convening the meeting having been
read,

M. J. JONES, the secretary and actuary, real a letter
which had been addressed to him by the board of di-
rectors, and since communicated to the policyholders, in
which he expressed his opinion that to render policies
immediately indisputable would be dangerous, owing to
the many fraudulent attempts to effect policies by cul-
pable concealments or culpable falsehoods. The letter
then proceeded to say :—" Some time since the Institute
of Actuaries, with a view to fix upon a uniform scale of
rates, obtained a return from various offices of the
number of their policyholders who had gone abroad,
to what places they had gone, and the number of
deaths that bad taken place; but the result ha, been
that on account of the smallness of the number that had
proceeded to any given place, the data were not sufficient
to enable theta to deduce any rates therefrom. Taking all
I these circumstances into consideration, I feel justified in
advising the directors to allow any policyholders, not
being naval or military men, at the end of five years to
proceed to any part of the world, and to reside there as
a right, without any extra charge, and at the end of that
period, upon a certificate of age (if not already given)
being produced, and found to be satisfactory, then to give
tb each policyholder, not being a military or naval man,
a certificate embodying all the privileges allowed, and
declaring that from and after that date nothing shall
vitiate the policy, or render it void, except the non-
payment of the premiums. In these days of active
competition, and having regard to the excessively large
commission in many instances given to agents, I am not
very sanguine as to any great results being derived
simply from any course of liberality that may be adopted;
but whether any accession of business shall result or not
the directors in this, as in other matters, will be mainly
influenced by what is due to the justice of the case, and
I am sure that there will be no difference of opinion as
to its being the duty of the board to make every policy
as valid and as negotiable an instrument as possible, and
that can be done by removing all restrictions therefrom,
and making their validity either during the lifetime of
the policyholder, or at his death, dependent only upon
the condition of the payment of the amount of premium
at the periods prescribed by the policy."
The CIZAIRMAN said that he was aware it was always
difficult to make alterations in the constitution of any
company, but the matter having been remitted t them
at the last meeting they bad duly considered it, and
after six months' deliberation, and obtaining every pos-
sible information and statistics, they were prepared to
recommend the policyholders to adopt the alteration,
believing that the carrying out of so liberal a policy
would be for the benefit of the company. He would
leave the question entirely in the hands of the policy-
holders, but would be happy to answer any questions
with regard to it.
Mr. RUSTON moved, "That the board of directors be
authorised to make an alteration in the terms of the poli-
cies to be hereafter issued by the company, to the follow-
ing effect—viz , that all policies which shall have been
in existence for five years, upon which premiums for five
years shall have been paid, shall thenceforward be indis-
putable, under such regulations as may be prescribed by
the said board of directors. And also that the said board
of directors be authorised to make such arrangements ss
may be neci s iary or expedient f, irgiving the same benefit
to the assured upon all subsisting policies which have
been, or which shall continue in existence for five years,
and on which premiums fur five years shall have been
paid." _ _

About 18 years ago a clergyman from New Eng-
land, a citizen of Massachusetts, was settled at St.
Louis, Missouri. Having denounced by his mis-
sionary press the denial of justice in the case of
burning a negro alive, which prevented the mur
derers being brought to trial, he was driven out of
the State, after his press and types had been thrown
nto the Mississippi. On the opposite bank of the
river, at Alton in Illinois, which was not a Slave
State, he established his press again. There he re-
mained, through many scenes of violence, quiet
and inoffensive, but continuing to publish his news-
paper. At length after his press had been destroyed
three times, he was shot ; and it has been custo-
mary from that day forward to call Lovejoy the
first martyr in the cause which is now approaching
its crisis. Dr. Channing, as soon as the murder
was known in Massachusetts, headed the citizens
of Boston in a requisition to the municipal authori-
ties for the use of Faneuil Hall—the old " Cradle
of Liberty," as it has been called since the Revolu-
tion—for a public meeting, on occasion of Lovejoy's
murder, in defence of the press. The authorities
refused the use of the hall on the ground that
public sentiment was opposed to such a meeting
as was proposed. This stirred Dr. Charming to
such a remonstrance as shamed the leading citi-
zens to action ; and the same requisition, bear-
ing an immense mass of signatures, was presented
again with success. Very critical the occasion
was ; and there were moments when the friends of
constitutional rights feared that all was lost, and

consent of the mercantile community t He believed that
the great body of the trades of this country were opposed
to such an alteration, whatever might be thought on the
subject by a few lawyers, and the first step therefore to
be taken was to elect a committee with instructions to
them to take such steps as would secure fulltime and op-
portunity to consider the whole bearings of the change,
and if the feeling of the mercantile community should
be found to be against that change, to take the ne-
cessary measures to prevent it. He would not fur-
ther detain the meeting, but conc'ude by moving :
" That this meeting view with alarm the progress of
a bill in Parliament, entitled the .Mercantile Law
Amendment Bill, by which it is proposed to repeal the
English law requiring contracts for the sale of goods to
be in writing. That the estal fished principle that mer-
chants are not to be bound by contracts until reduced to
writing is of the deepest importance to the commercial
communr y, and it would be attended with risk of the
most grievous fraud and perjury if contracts could be
enforced in a court of law without any written note.
The meeting, therefore, invite the assistance of the mer-
cantile community throughout the country in opposition
to this measure, which is new to the law of England, has
not been called for by the commercial public, and
threatens an entire subversion of the present course of
business, without any adequate advantage."
Mr. J. B. HEATH, late Governor of the Bank of Eng-
land, in seconding the motion, said, as the president of
the eldest commercial body in the City—" The Society
of Merchants Trading with the Continent"—be felt it to
be his duty to call that body together when this bill was
first introduced. It had been fully discussed by them,
and he was then requested to go with a deputation to
the Government on the subject. He did so, and
saw Lord Stanley of Alderley and Mr. Lowe, to
whom he stated the views of those he represented, and
urged upon their attention the fact that no peti-
tions had been presented by the mercantile com-
munity calling for such a change—that it would give
relief to nobody, and that it was certain to cause great
litigation and open the door to numerous frauds. He
found, howsver, that he made no impression. Lord
Stanley of Alderley, indeed, courteously said he would
communicate his statements to the Government; but
Mr. Lowe, when reference was made to the opinions of
Mr. Freshfield, said that he did not consider that emi•
vent lawyer a great authority on mercantile law, and
added, there might still be written contracts between
thos I who wished to have them. To that observation
he (\Jr. Heath) replied that the change would alter the
character of these written contracts, and they would no
longer have the same legal character and bearing which
t'ley now had under the statute of frauds. He found,
however, that the Government meant to carry the mea
sure coute qui coute, and it was, therefore their duty to
appoint a committee, and induce the members of Par-
liament who might be said to represent the mercantile
community in the House of Commons to exert them-
selves to the utmost to defeat this measure.
Mr. J. P. GASSIOT supported the motion. He would
onlysadvert to one point which bad not been touched
upon by either the mover or seconder of the motion.
However necessary it might be to the mercantile com-
munity of London to retain the law unaltered, it was
still more imperative for the protection of country
traders. • They were called upon by large numbers of
travellers, and it they were in future to be bound by the
verbal statements made (by these travellers, the conse-
quence would be that they would be forced to take
goods which were thrust upon them, or be forced into
endless litigation.
The resolution was then agreed to.
Mr. J. G. HUBBARD said the object of the promoters
of the bill in Parliament was to assimilate the law of
this country rito that of Scotland. He believed that if
the opinion of the Scottish traders could be taken on
the !suli,ct they would prefer that their law should
be assimilated to that of England. However applicable
the Scotch law might be in places like Glasgow or Man-
chester, where the business was mainly of one descrip-
tion, in few hands, and transacted in their own count-
ing houses, or warehouses, it was a totally different
thing in London, where so much of the business was
conducted by brokers, and transacted upon 'Change
and elsewhere. Scotland was, besides, not preeminently
a mercantile country, and if they chose to be without
the protection from their contracts, they had no more
claim to ask that the law of England should be made
uniform with theirs than to insist that the English peo-
ple should wear kilts instead of trousers. (Laughter.)
The substitution of verbal evidence for written contracts
could not fail to introduce fraud, uncertainty, and litiga-
tion into trading transactions ; and he did think that
before the Government introduced such a bill, they ought
to have ascertained the opinion of the commercial com-
munity of the city of London. He had great pleasure
in moving—" That a committee be now formed to take
such steps as it may deem proper to obtain an expres-
sion of opinion in accordance with the foregoing resolu-
tion."

that liberty of the press, and all the liberties that
are implicated with it, would be sacrificed to

dread of political da,nger.on the one hand, and the
cupidity of the merchants on the other. To Dr.
Channing's low voice and quiet manner were op-
posed the loudness and blustering of the Attorney-
General of the State, who seemed to carry the
waverers with him. in his denunciation of the press
as a troubler of the relations of the North and
South ; and all seemed lest when a very young man
made his first great speech—the first of a series
with which no other American oratory can com-
pare. Mr. Wendell Phillips, whose name is becom-
ing more important to England every day, was a
young citizen of good property and good family ;
and he obtained a bearing at once, and roused
others to support the right, so that it finally pre-
vailed. Mr. Wendell Phillips has for many years
been a leader of the Disunion party, foregoing all
the usual aims of republican ambition rather than
take the oath of allegiance to the Federal Consti-
tution which countenances slavery, and is therein
in direct opposition to the constitution of his own
State. Sooner than others, the Disunion leaders
saw that unconstitutional laws like the Fugitive
Slave Law and the Nebraska Bill must be carried
through the compromises of the constitution ; and
they took their ground in good time, so that if
others had joined them the final collision and dis-
ruption of the Union might have been avoided.
Among the hearers at that critical meeting was a
law student, the favourite pupil of Judge Story
—Mr. Charles Sumner, whose name► is just now the
label of the cause throughout the United States.
Mr. Sumner lived for some time in Landon, and
travelled extensively in our country. He made many
friendships among us, and the selection of him as a
victim of Southern violence.is perhaps a fortunate
circumstance, as the personal sympathy of many
Englishmen will necessarily quicken their compre-
hension of American politics, in which Mr. Sumner
is so deeply concerned. This gentleman's conclusion
as to the right method of action was not the same
as Mr. Phillips's, though their advocacy of their
common principles was equally earnest. Mr.
Sumner decided for political action, and entered
Congress as a leader of the Free-soil party. He has
for some time been one of the Senators from Mas-
sachusetts ; the honest, plain-spoken abolitionist,
Mr. Wilson, being the other.

The motion having been seconded, a short conversa-
tion took place, in which it was stated that the limita-
tion in the resolution—" under such regulation as may
be prescribed by the board of directors"—would only re-
fer to the proof of age, and that the certificate of indispu-
tability would, subject to that proof where it had not
already been given, be sent to every assurer as a right,
and that the liberty of proceedieg abroad without per-
mi3sien was even more liberal than the policy itself. Mr.
Alex. Robertson argued for all policies being made im-
mediately indisputable, as superinducing greater care in
the selection of lives ; but Mr. Jenkin Jones maintained
that the best safeguard against fraud would be to have
the probation of five years, as no man wont.' fraudu-
lently insure his own or another life on the speculation
of what might occur five years hence.
The resolution was unanimously adopted, and a vote
of thanks given to the chairman.

PRESERVATION OF LIFE FROM SHIP•
WRECK.

On Thursday a meeting of the Royal National Life.
boat Institution was htld at its house, John-street,

A.delphi Thomas Chapman, Esq., F.R.S. in the chair.
We also observed present Capt. Sher:herd, Deputy-
Master of the Trinity House, H.C.S. ; Gen. lillanshard,
C.B. ; Admiral Sir Thos. IL-rberr, K.C.8., M.P. ; Mon,
t4gu Gote, Esq.; Edward Hurry, Esq. ; Admiral R,
Saurnarrz, K L. ; Capt. a A. Halsted, R.N. ; Capt,
M‘Hardy, R.N. ; Capt. Lambert Perr)tt, and Capt.
Ward, R.N., inspector of life-boats to the institution.
Mr. Lewis, the secretary, having read the minutes of
the previous meeting,

The silver medal of the institution was presented to
Capt. Nercock, R.N., inspecting commander of the coast-
guard ; and also to Thomas Hen wood, coastguard man,
and Richard Johns, seaman, in testimony of their very
gallant conduct in putting off at the imminent risk of
their lives in a smelt punt to the rescue (.f one of the crew
of the schooner Endeavour, of Ipswich, which during a
gale of wind was wrecked near theGribbon Rocks, on the
Cornish coast, on the 6th ult. The vessel, having struck
on the rocks, soon went to pieces. Three of her crew were
unfortunately Crowned in attempting to swim to the
shore. Anotberreached and remained on a half tide island
rock, where he was seen from the land. Through
the very creditable exertions of Mr. Geach—to whom
the institution voted its special thanks on vellum
—a small punt was brought on a waggon near the
spot. The boat was then lowered over the cliffs, 200
feet high, to the shore. Captain Norcock, having first
.2tln,psei,rl,
ri,iii‘t.oasthe thpeunret,adaked who wouldysresponsefr
.from
acnciaonmypatnoyn
tongues.
T xo able swimmers having volunteered, the punt pushed
off amid the silent admiration of the spectators on the
cliffs, who anxiously watched the result. The ship-
wrecked sailor having been reached, was safely brought
on shore in a very exhausted state. Captain Norcoce'e
gallant services have been duly appreciated and rewarded
by the Admiralty, and the B ,ard of Trade have voted
61. to be divided between Hen wood and Johns.
A. reward of 81. 10e. was also voted to the crew of two
boats for their praiseworthy conduct in rescuing four out
of eight of the brig Reform, of Belfast, which, during
squally weather, was wrecked near Shark Heal, on the
coast of Galway. The vessel having struck on a sunken
rock, two of her crew took to the long boat, which hav-
ing upset they were unfortunately drowned. Three
other hands took to another of the ship's boats, but being
unable to manaee her, they were taken up by the fisher-
men. They also took the master from the sinking ship,
which immediately afterwards went down, carrying with
her, unhappily, the mate and one man.
A reward of 21. was likewise voted to a boat's crew
of four men, in consideration of their laudable services
to the crew of five men of the brig Phi!ippa, which,
during a heavy gale of wind, was wrecked at the mouth
of the River Dee. The crew were seen early in the morn-
ing on the rigging, where they bad been all night. The
fishermen immediately got their boat and proceeded to
their assistance, and brought them, after two attempts
at their rescue, to shore. One poor fello w had been
washed overboard during the night and drowned.
A reward of 31. 10s. was also voted to the crews of
two Margate boats, for putting off, with the view of
rescuing two men who were upset from a boat by being
struck with heavy seas, near the harbour of that place.
The two poor fellows had, however, unhappily perished
before assistance could reach them.
The institution decided to place forthwith one of its
first-class life boats at Deal, so as to be made available
in cases of shipwrecks on the fatal Goodwin Sands. The
Deal and Weimer boatmen having entire confidence in
the excellent qualities of the life boats of the society,
have promised the undertaking their hearty co-opera-
tion. The establishment will, like most life-boat sta-
tions, involve an expenditure of about 3001. in life-boat-
house and traasporthig-tarriag,e.
A new life boat was ordered to be placed at Apple-
dore, Devon, in lien of a small boat, on the late Mr.
Plenty's plan, stationed there by the National Life Boat
Institution more than 30 years ago. It was said that
this boat had been instrumental in rescuing 88 mariners
from a watery grave.
Life-boat houses at Rhyl and Rye were ordered to be
built at a cost of about 1601. New life-boats had just
been sent by the society to Padstow and Rhyl. The
institution has now about 50 lire boatBsl.ina mostyear, much
m ueffich
improvement -
cient state, and ready for instantaneous service. By
a coxswain, with havingtrain
hedas takencrews attached to each boat, together
wb
place in the
hasa salary
of
management of those
important little vessels; and, surely, an institution
which has for its object the preservation of life from
shipwreck has claims which come to all our hearts, and
there plead for support and sympathy.
The proceedings then terminated.

The agitation caused in Boston and the rural dis-
tricts by the enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Law
in Burn's case so far brought the citizens to the
point of practical action that they passed the Per-
sonal Liberty Law, and are abiding by it, in oppo-
sition to all threats. The aid they have given to
the free settlers in Kansas is well known, and the
completest exposure of the betrayal of Kansas by
the President and his creatures that has yet been
made, is to be found in the speech in the Senate of
Mr. Sumner. Out of that speech has arisen the new
crisis which so fills every American mindthat whole
packets of letters and newspapers by the last mail,
contain no notice whatever of the quarrel with
England. Mr. Samner's speech was long and ex-
haustive. The reports given of it in the American
papers vary so widely that it is impossible to judge
whether it was or was not offAisive in its person-
alties. If it was, this is a new feature in Mr. Sum-
ner's oratory; and there is a strong presumption
that it was not in the fact that, while addressing a
hostile auditory for two days, he was not once
called to order. Mr. Butler, a senator from South
Carolina., came in for his share of Mr. Sumner's
reply and accompanying censure. A consultation
was held by some Southern Representatives the
night after Mr. Sumner's speech to decide how he
--diould be punished and silenced ; and it was un-
der the direction of this clique that a member of
the other House, Mr. Brooks, a nephew of Mr.
Butler, to:,k up Mr. Butler's quarrel—not by
sending a challenge to Mr. Sumner, but by twice
waylaying him on his way to the Senate
Chamber, and finally attacking him there when
he was incapable of self-defence. Mr. Sumner
was writing at his' desk, which was fixed to the
floor ; and ho was also confined by the weight of
the senatorial arm-chair—he was alone in that
part of the room, unarmed, in every way unpre-
pared, when his enemy came behind him, and,
without a word spoken, struck him violently on the
head. Mr. Sumner sprang up with such force as
to tear up the fastenings of his desk ; but he fell
unconscious, and was beaten as he lay till the per-
son who mounted guard over his assailant was
pushed aside, and the assailant himself over-
powered. Mr. Sumner will not die of this. He
is pronounced out of danger. But if Ile had died
on the spot, the wrath of his State could not have
been greater than it is. It will not be appeased by
the conduct of the authorities at Washington,
whose partiality in favour of the assailant, Brooks,
is evident enough. Mr. Seward moved for a com-
mittee of inquiry into this breach of senatorial pri-
vilege ; and the committee could not, of course, be
refused ; but Mr. Seward is not on it, nor any
other Northern man who can be supposed to have
any bias against the South. The Washington ma-
gistrate saw no occasion for committing Brooks to
prison, or for even taking bail for his appearance.
Throughout Massachusetts and a great part of New
England public meetings were immediately called.
The first Boston meeting, instant and spontaneous,
is very striking. Dr. Charming has been long in
his grave ; but the white-haired old Dr. Beecher,
Mrs. Stowe's father, was there to open the meet-
ing with prayer—according to the old custom of
the State. To us the most impressive fact is that
the general cry of this and the great subsequent
meeting, composed of citizens of all politics and
religions, all professions and parties, was for Wen-
dell Phillips, the abolitionist and Disunion leader.
Ail his speeches aro splendid ; and it may be ima-
gined how this one will work. The situation of
Disunion, virtual before, will ere long become ac-
tual and recognised. The sentiment of the first meet-
ing may be briefly expressed in the words of one of
the speakers—" The bloodof this Northern man, who
had dared to stand up in the Senate of the United
States under circumstances that would have discou-
raged a man of less ardour, less enthusiasm, and
less courage—that blood now stains the Senate
floor, and not all the water of the Potomac can
wash it out." .A prodigious meeting was held in
Faneuil Hall the evening before the departure of
the last mail ; and the next will bring detailed ac-
counts of the proceedings, and of Mr. Phillips's
speech. The New England annual Convention was
to take place the week after to w- and it may be confi-
dently predicted that it will pore like the con-
ventions of Washington's dayiPtan any that have
been held since. Meantime this quarrel puts out of
sight and out of mind the quarrel with England ;
acid the President's purpose in aggravating that
dispute will he so far baffled. Every man is repeat-
ing to himself and his neighbour that the, blood of
their representative now stains the Senate floor;
and not all the water of the Potomac call wash it

Mr. J. J. TRAVERS seconded the resolution. lie bad
been connected with his firm for 20 years, and with a
very large number of country traders, and he was quite
satisfied that they were as much opposed to the bill as
the merchants 'of London, and he was satisfied that, if
time was given to them for an expression of feeling, they
would rise unanimously against the bill. During the
whole period he had been connected with the country
trade he had never known a verbal contract broken.
Mr. T. HAMMY, M.P., was in favour of the resolu-
tion, but he did not clearly understand what steps they
were about to take. The opinion of the merchants of
London bad been stated distinctly enough ; but it was
said in the House of Commons, "if the traders in the
country were opposed to the bill, why do they not say
so?" Mr. Moffatt, who, like Mr. Travers, was largely
connected with the country traders, told him that his
communications from country traders showed him that
they were in favour of the bill. He (Mr. Hankey)
could not deny that statement, because he had no
personal knowledge on the subject, and no contracts
of that kind. They ought, therefore, to consider
well what means they would give members who were
of their opinion to substantiate their views in Parlia-
.

ment, and especially what should be done to obtain the
opinions of the country dealers generally. He must say
that the statement of Mr. Travers, that in 20 years he
bad never known a verbal contract broken, was an ar;u-
ment in favour of the bill.

Mr. HUBBARD explained that they did not stand up
for the Stwute of Frauds in its present shape. All they
contended for was, that the protection of written con-
tract?, contained in the 17th section of that statute,
should not be abolished, and that the law of this country
should not be assimilated to the law of Scotland.

Mr. TBAVERS said that Mr. Moffat supported the bill
on the ground that verbal contracts were constantly re-
pudiated at present, whereas he should say, from his
large experience, that such was not the case ; but if a
Select Committee of the House of Coinrnons would ex-
amine this subject, the facts would be ascertained before
any legislation took place upon it.
After a few words from Mr. KEELING in support of
the motion,
Mr. GASSIOT said the opinion of Mr. Moffatt, which
had been stated by Mr. Harkey, would, no doubt, have
great weight in the House of Commons ; bnt if the bill
could be delayed only for t iv° or three weeks, be was
sure there would be no difficulty in getting up petitions
against it from all parts of the country.
The resolution was then, agreed to, and the following
gentlemen were appointed a committee, with power to
add to their number :—Baron Rothschild, M.P., Messrs.
M. T. \Veguelin, T. Baring, M.P., J. G. Hubbard, E.
H. Chapman, D. Meieuertz Nagan, J. B. Heath, J. p.
Gassiot, J. J. Travers, Malcoinson, and D. Grant.
On the motion of Mr. KEELING, a subscription was
commenced to defray the expenses of the committee, and
Mr. Travers was appointed Treasurer.
The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to th•
chairman.

SUICIDE OF A PRESTON MANUFACTURER AT LYTHAM.
--On Sunday Mr. Thomas llinksrnan, the eldest son of
11. Hinksman, Eq., of Lytham, lately one of the part-
ners in the firm of Messrs. Hinksruan, Furness, and Co.,
manufActurers, Preston, committed suicide. The de•
ceased, who was about twenty five years of age, had
been in a somewhat dejected state of mind for a short
time previously.—Manchester Guardian.
- -

MELANCHOLY DEATH or AN OCTO!;ENARIAN. • -Yes-
terday Mr. C. C. Bedford, coroner for Westminster,
held an inquest, at St. George's Hospital, on the body
of John Rymer, aged 82, of North-row, Park-lane,
whose death occurred under the following melancholy
circumstances :—From the evidence of Martha -Rymer,
the aged widow of deceased, and other witnesses,
it appeared that a few weeks since deceased was left by
himself for a very short time prior to his retiring to
rest, during which period he fell from his cbair (supposed
in a fit) and fractured the neck of his right thi2h bone.
Ho was subsequently removed to the above hospital,
where he expired on Saturday last from the effects of
the injariee deocribed, Verdict, acoideutal death.