The Sun.
London, England, 1833-08-07 00:00:00

POST-OFFICE.

Mr. LYALL presented a petiti,in from the merchants,
brokers, and others in the city of London engaged in the
American trade, praying that an Act might be passed to
regulate the Post-office revenue, and to leave parties at
liberty to send their letters for foreign parts to the out_
ports of this country, by whatever means they might
think proper, without any control or interference on the
part of the Postmaster-General. The petitioners had
been in the habit of sending their letters for Ame ica, since
1814, to Liverpool, for instance,hy the most convenient con-
veyances to he sent by the earliest despatch ; that had gone on
until the Postmaster-General had interfered and threatened
prosecutions if it were longer persisted in, requiring that
the letters should be transmitted through the Post-office.
Every person in business most he aware how importa•it it
was fur merchants to have their letters at the nutports by
given periods, as no one could stay the wind and tides.
The Post-office could not insure the earliest and most
certain despatch, and it might be most important that in-
dividuals miAt he at liberty to embrace the oppor-
tunity of sending off their letters early in the morning in-
stead of waiting till the evening. N t doubt by granting
what the petitioners now asked for a little postage re-
venue would he lost, hut surely the postage of two or
three thousand letters ought not to he put in competition
with the interests of this great cammercial country. H 0
(Mr. L.) had had an interview with the petitioners, and
with the Postm ester General, and he found that his Grace
was disposed to rendcc every facility to the petitioners in
his power, but the petitioners were decidedly of opinion
that he could not afford them the required facilities with-
out an alteration being made in the law as it now stood.

S r J. GRAHAM wished that some person more in-
timately connected with the post-office than himself had
b.en present to give an explanation. The Hon.
man had done bnt justice to the Noble Postmaster in
saying he was desirous of affording every facility in his
power to the transmission of letters by merchants here to
their foreign correspondents ; but there was nothing more
unpleasant than that an executive officer should be charged
with a discretionary power. It was very well known that
it was a great annoyance to he put to the trouble of an-
swering letters—it was equ illy well known that it was a
greater annoyance to be put to the trouble of paying the
postage of thetn—(Latighter)_and the anxiety shown to
get franks pretty clearly proved how desirous persons were
that their friends should not be put to the latter 111111 yance.
On the other hand, it was the duty of the Postmaster to
take care that all the revenue that ought fatly to conic
from the transmission of letters should be obtained.—
(Hear, hear.) The mode of transmitting ship letters
to the outports, adverted to by the Hon. Member,
who bad presented this petition had gone on until a most
glaring abuse bad been de,ected. An irregular Post-
office had been established at a Coffee-house without the
knowledge of the General Postmaster for the con-
venience of persons sending to their foreign corres-
pondents; that Post.office actually charged the inland
postage upon the letters so transmitted; and even that
practice might have gone on to this day, but it was found
that the bag belonging to that Post-A-toe actually con-
tained letters for persons merely residing at the outpnrts,
and thereby a direct fraud was committed on the revenue.
Upon this discovery taking place, it was impossible that
the practice could be permitted to go on.
Mr. LYALL was not instructed, nor did he mean to
bring any eh age against the Postmaster. General.
Sir J. GRAHAM assured the Hon. Gentleman that
any communication that could be made, of any feasible
arreigement by the petitioners, would he listened to by
tl Noble Postmaster with the greatest attention, and
receiveie his best consideration.
Mr. HAWES mentioned an instance in which a letter

lag had arrived in Liverpool several hoot= before the
racket sailed, awl yet, from the neglect or w•mt of zieneo,
n the part of the Post-office agent, was left for do
next packet. He also stated that the made of deliverint
letters at the Liverpool Post-office to the clerks of 111,1'-
0111 rue, was determined by a species of interested fa
vouriism.

Mr. CLAY urged the necess'ty of hiving the inter-
course of this country with America at unrestricted as
possible.
Mr. WALLACE expressed his fear that nothing effec
tive could be done, until the 101 statwes now in existene+
for the management of Post office affair= were consolidated.
Toe petition was then ordered to be laid on the table.

Mr. LYALL presented a petition front the merchants
and others in the City of London, praying that the scavaer
and package dues leviable in the port of London might la
repealed. The Hon. Member went into statements show
ing the oppressive nature of these charges, and their in-
jurious tendency on the trade of the port of London, it,
wh;ch they were alone made.

Mt. H. PARKER presented a petition from the
hundred of Costord against the English Tithe Commuta
tion Bill. Also a petition from Long Wittenbam, Berke,
against the Beer Bill.
Mr. SINCLAIR presented a petition from the Mem
hers of the provincial Synod of Su,herland and Caithnes•
against the Government system of education for Irelatri.
Also petitions from the ministers and elders of the Presby
tery of Glasgow, and from the heritors of Brechin, aphis
,he church patronaze of the Church of Scotland.
Sir H. PARNELL presented a petition from the
weavers of Brechin, praying that they might be paid hs
the web in place of by the ell.

THE ST. MARTIN S VESTRY.-GROSS 'MIS-
APPLICATION OF THE PAROCHIAL FUNDS.

Colonel EVANS presented a petition from the inhabi.
tants of St. Mar,in's in the Fields, in favour of the Paris
Vestry Act. The petitioners complained that nine indi.
viduals, with a salary of 150/. a year, appointed thei,
successors in office as overseers and churhwardens, and
raised and distributed the sum of 50,0001. in poors' rates,
one halfof which, it was ascertained, they expended annually
in banqueting, and other improper expenses not concerns
with the support of the poor. About three Sundays back
an entertainment was given to them anti their families.
out of the parochial funds, which cost 6S/.—( Hear, heir.)
They were not content with a good dinner aro,
wine, it seemed, but they must also have music an,
profession!! singers from the Opera.—(Hear, bear,
and laughter.) The Hon. and Gallant Member depre
sated strongly so gross a misapplication of the p►tochi.t
funds, and called upon the Noble Lord the Chancellor of
the Exchequer to repeal that part of Sir John Hobhnuse's
or Mr. Sturges Bourne's Act, which hound the majority
in numbers of the inhabitants of a parish by the will of
the minority, in consequence of the superior influence of
their property. It was the duty of the Noble Lot d to to
something, to put an end to such atrocious and gross
mismanagement and misapplication of the parochial funds
—( Hear, hear.)

Lo,d ALTHORP said he had voted for Sir J. Hob-
hous,'s Bill, but gave no anstv,r to the latter part of the
appeal of the Hon. and Gallant Colonel.

Colonel EVANS then preserved two petitions from
R. Cathie and two other persons, praying for their iris
charge from prison, in which they had been confined fin
the expre-sion of their opinions on religious subjects.
Mr. CLAY presented several petitions from Fulham,
and from All Saints, Poplar, and other parishes in the
eastern vat of the metropolis, in favour of the introduc-
tion of pier laws into Ireland. The Hon. Member sup-
ported the prayer of the petitioners.
Mr. Sergeant PERRIN expressed his gratification at the
manner in which the subject of those petitions had been
t iken up by the population of England. Whatever daub
there might exist as to the best plan of poor laws for Iceland,
there could be none as to the immediate and pressing neces-
ofsome enactment to provide sustenence fur the poor of
that country. If, in the ensuing session, no Member of
more weight and consequence than himself should be found
to take up the subject, or if his Majesty's Ministers refrained
from bringing it before Parliament, be should himself
undertake that task.

Mr. CLAY then presented a petition from Wm. Crush,
late a licenced victu filer in Whitechurch, complainin.; of
not being able to obtain a licence, in consequence of undue
iufluence being exercised against him.
Mr. COBBET r asked the NoWe Lord opposite if it
was his intention to make any alteration in the Beer Laws
during the present session ?
Lord ALTHORP—Yea.

Mr. COBBETT made several comments on the evi-
dence given below the Committee appointed by the House
fir the purpose of inquiring gerieraliy into the present
system of beer laws, among which he stated that Mi.
Simeon, a magistrate from the county of Oxford, who
came before the Committee well prepared to give evi dna.,
h.d ascertained by queries sent to farmers residing in
different parts of the country, in fourteen cases out of
fifteen, that they were of opinion that the only radical
cure for the evils of beer shops and public house+, would
be the repeal of the malt tax. This was also Mr. Si.
meun's opinion, and in that opinion he (Mr. C.) concurred
mist beau tily.
Sir C. BURRELL said he was sure that the Magis-
trate+ had no desire to have the power given to them of
iieensing houses. He was of opinion, that if the Govern-
ment could consistently with the state of the revenue take
the duty off malt, it would be the greatest boon thi y
could confer upon the country—far greater than the re
duction of the assessed or any other taxes.
Mr. C. BULLER said, if the Noble Lord (Althorp)
persisted in bringing forward such an important measure
is the Beer Bill at this late period of the session, it woulo
be better to have a call of the House, when the Nable
Lord would find much more opposition to it than he pro.
bably expected.
Lord AL I'HORP said it would be better to wait until
the Hon. Member siw the Bill—(Herr, hear)—when lie
would most likely find not so much opposition to it as he
supposed there would be.
After a few observations from Mr. CLAY and Mr.
Runt YEN, the petition was ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. R. CAVENDISH presences petiti ins from three
parishes in Sussex, two of which were against the tithe
system, and the other in favour of Church Reform.
THE POLICE SYS FEM.

Mr. CORBE I T pr. seated two petitions, one fi•om the
National Political Union of Newcastle •on-Tyne, and the
other from Nottingham, azainst the sys.em of police
adopted in the metropolis ; the Hon Member read a portion
of the first petition ; it stated their abhorrence at the conduct
of Popay; who was a member of that novel and unconati
tutionasi force calle f the New Polk-, the members of
which were employed as spies, as instigators of mischill,
as ensnaritu, netrayine., and coercing the people. In
those opinions, and in th it description, he most cordially
concurred, and the whole of it bad been proved to fie
correct by the evidence taken before tne Committee,
whose report was presented Let night. He did not
approve of that report, and so he told the
rest. of the Committee, and he told them also that he
should say so in the House ; it fell so far short of what he
approved of, and of what he felt due to the petitioners, to
the House, and the coutury, that he could never give his
consent to it. He knew when he first presented the
petition not a Member of the House could have
'ielieved the facts stated in it were true.—( Hear.)
The petition divided itself into eighteen different allega-
tions, every one of which had b-en distinctly substantiated.
The witnesses, without exception, proved themselves to he
men of good characte' ; and after the in lulgence of a
fortnight given to Government and the C immissioners,
nothing coun be brought forward in any way to impeach
their character or testimony. They had before them the most
infamous spy ever employed by any Government in the world,
and he was proved to be guilty of the grossest prevarication
and barefaced falsehood. The Superintendent also had
been fund guilty of equal prevaiica ion, and he must be
taken notice of by the House. They had traced the money
into the hands tif the spy, from the Secretary of State
himself, and the only apology they received was that it
had not come out of the parish money, but from the
Home-office, out of that secret service mom): which that
House voted every year. They had fixed the same prevarica.
tion, though not to the same extent, on the Commissioners
themselves ; and he (Mr. Cubbett) did not see how the
House could refuse calling them to the bar. Government
had been clearly convicted of encouraging and supporting
a notorious system of espionage. They said the word was
unknown to our I inguage, but happy would it be if the
thing itself were unknown to our Government. What
then was to he done ?—( Hear, hear.) The House
must either say that the spy system was proper,
and that gentleman could nut eo on without it, or they
must put a stop to it at once and for ever. He h id in his
possession the reports of the spies which had been sent to
the Secretary of State and sinned by him, and which
were produced before the Committee. He (Mr. Clibet)
had taken copies of them, and when Hot. Members came
to look at the minutes of evidence they would be as astonished
at he was. If the system was not put an end to, Govern
ment would le come irretrieva.aly the detestation of the
people. The Hon. Member tl.en presented another petition
from the 'own of Nottingham to the same effect.
Lord W. LENNOX thought the Hon. Member for
Oldham had not acted fairly towar,is the House in giving
parbled and exaggerated statements of the evidence given
on the Committee. With every respect for the Hon.
Member's talents, he mould not think be could in five

kites give the pith of the evidence. When die evi
h v,t).Nt ,‘t tit- c•••:-
Ito a the police. la th, meantime, he (L -rd
TiViatu Lennox) would only say that he ilislwelieved
•htemenis c.f the Hon. Gentleman. and that he had
n rom-olttee heard the evidence of the good
conduct of the police.
Mr. said that at the time this re.
r port was agreed upon, some conversation tool:
place respecting the propriety of raising a di.eus.
.ion upon its being brought up to the How., and
t‘!at the Committee were decidedly of opinion that such a
liscussi,.n would be extrem ly unfair. For his own part,
e thought the better way would be that nothing more
4%nuld he said upon it, as whatever was said was cal.
•tilate.l only to produce an inconvenience and mis.
which nothing could counteract.—(Hear.) B-fore
.itting down, however, he would say that the Hen.
',entlemin had taken away the police reports which had
een furnished to the Government, and by the Gsvern.
nent to the Committee. without any right in him so to
I and of which he had kept posaession for at leant
wo dayr.

Mr. COBBETT said, with respect to those police reports,
hey were the reports of the spies, and it was the duty of the
Members of the Committee to put themselves in pes,es.
eon of their contents. The day after they had been laid
hefore the Committee, he inquired of the Han. Alderman
vho filled the Chair, what had become of them, who
replied, that they were at his house, and that he had read
hrough a great part of them during the previous night,
le (Mr. ('.) then said to the II an. Alderman, " W II
Wo d, suppose I sit up, and read a good part of them,
-nags t?" He got them, and did read a good part of
them that night. On bringing them bark to the Coin-
eittee, he intended, if possible, to read them through,
and remained in the room after the Con •
nitt,e bad all dispersed, perusing tho.e reports,
Hr. Witham, the Clerk, preferring his (Mr. C.'s) mom
to his presence, told him they would not be wanted again
till Monday, and that he had better take them home with
aim, where he could read them more conveniently. He
lid so, and brought them back to the Committee on the
11.mday, having in the interim read every s)1131.1e.
An Hon. MEMBER rose to order, and submitted that
these observations could not be considered to fall within
the Hon. Gmtleman's reply.
The SPEAKER considered that they were within the
r ply, and even if they were not, the statements were of
the greatest importance. After the candid manner in whit!,
he Hon. Gentleman expressed himself, there could be
eo doubt that both he and the Hon. Chairman had acted
inter the purest, although the greatest misapprehension,.
be !ause it was impossible to suppose that any Me bet of
Committee had a right to take away with him the pri-
ate 0411., that were laid before any Committee appointed
by that House.
Nr. O. MOSLEY presented a petition from Eccle-
411all, in the county of Stafford, against the Stafford
Disfranchisement Bill, and praying that they may be
joined with the borough of Stafford in returning Members
to Parliament.

Mr. O'DWYER hoped the House would take care, if
the borough of Stiffold were to be allowed to return
Umbers to Parliament, all the voters whose names were
appended to the report as having accepted bribes would
1)e prevented from ever exercising their franchise again.
Mr. CHETWYND admitted the corrupt practices
,f some persons at Stafford, but that was no rea-
von why the innocent should be confounded with the
guilty. _

Air. RUTHVEN was in favour of disfranchising the
o igh altogether.

Mr. N. CALVERT repreeent d the borough of Stafford
f 23 years, and during that period be never heard of aoy
eJrrup,ion being practised there.

Several ()thei. 'petitions were then presented, and the
Speaker left the Chair.

CITY ELECTION.-(THIS DAY.)

An advertisement, with the above heading, appeared in
the papers of yesterday, calling a public meeting r•f
electors of London, for the purpose of inviting someii vial
candidate to Stand in the place of Sir John Key, amd to
pledge them to his support.
At one o'clock (the time appointed) we attended, and
,ound the ball-room at the London Tavern prepared, and
'hoot 30 persons assembled. Between that and two
i'clock there were about f.om 90 to 100 altogether, going
out and in. Near that time a gentleman mounted the
platform, and moved that J. IVA, El., be called to the
chair, which was seconded and carried unanimously ; but
llr. Bislo (who hat just then been in the room) was no
where to be found.

After another quarter of an hour's waiting, and there
being no appearance of a Committee, or any managing
per-on,

Mr. BRASHER rose and said, he had attended to
assist in the proceedings, but as it was then more than an
hour past the specified time, he would move that the
meeting do then adjourn
The meti•'n was put and carried amidst murh laughter.
We could find no ane to tell us who were the originatm a
of the affair which was PO badly sarrang-d.

THE MARIE FS.-(THIS DAY.)

COHN ExCHANGE.

The arrivals of most kinds of Grain this week are short, and
not much Flour. The weather conti,,ulng tine, the market is
very dull for every article, at Monday's prices. There is tint
much doing in the Flour trade.

Wheat.
English 2,44lqrs.
Irish
r oreign

ARKIVALS.
Barley.
420 gra.

Oats. I Flour.
810 qr.. 1 2.16 sae', a
1,590 I

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

FROM LLOYD'S.

DEAL, Auc. 6.—Wind N.E.—Arrived from the
river and sail,d the Columbia, Cock, for Sr. Jo n'a,
New Brunswick ; Belina, Thompson, for Rio Janriro ;
Elia iheth, for Bilboa; and Minerva, for New York.
PORTSMOUTH, Auc E.N E.—Arrived the
J ihn, Storey, from thiega, and Five Hundred and Seventy-
fon., Garbutt, from Aichangel. Off port the Grob n,
B.ker, from Batavia ; Laurel, Frances, from Matanz
Sided the John, Lowe, for Van Diemen's Land.
FALMOUTH, Auc s.—Wind N., modetate.—Arrived
off port the Maria, Pitearin, from Ti-neriffe.

TORBAY, Auc. s.—Arrived the Emerald, Gr;ffor.l,
from Liemn.

LIVERPOOL, Atm. s.—Arrived the Rapid, Rona, from
nutte Waketi Id, Armstrong, from St. John's,
New Brunswick ; Toomas, Naylor, from 0 Tessa.
port the Seafortr, Robertson, from Demerara.

DUBLIN, AUG 5 —Arrive 1 the Britannia .teatner,
rom oJorto ; and Resolution, Roberts, from London.

STocrroN, Auc. b —Arrived the Branch, Gourby,
and Tumuli; Hiil, from► St. Petershnrgh ; and Steplwo,
Irvin, from Miramichi.

THE FUNDS.-(THIS DAY.)

CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.
Commis opened se they left off yesterday, BSt for the
Acermr, since which they have been done at SSI 89 ;
Portu4oese Scrip has imoroved from 23 to 24, and Spanish
Stock may b. quoted 23A. Some anxiety is exprtssed for
news from Portugal.

HALF•PAST ONE.

The Britannia steamer which has art ived at 1:;:tbltn,
from Oporto, is the same vessel that brought the Marquis
Louie to Brest, consequently she does not firing any later
intelligence than which has been already received.
The general topic of conversation in the city is relating
to our troops going to Portugal, and it is exp,cted that no
further notice for more transports will be sent to Lloyd's.
Cons-is which were 88i.89 for the Account are at
present

In the Foreign Market Portuguese Scrip 23k.24;
Spanish 22i 23. No arrivals.

We hear that a letter is in town from Ridajos, stating
that the Spanish troops quartered there, and at Delis,
were on the point of proclaiming the Spanish Constitution.

THREE 0' CL nC K.
The parties waited on the Tr.,nsport Board to give their
tend. rs for transports, which Government refused, Leitig
too high in price.

Consol, fur the Account 88/ i

CLOSING PRICES,
Bank Stock 21
3 per Cent. Red B9l
3 pet Cent. Cons B9
:ii per Cent. 961
34 per Cent. Red 9(ii
N'ew zii per Cent 95
1 per Cent 11'3/
Long. Ann. to expire
Jan. ISM 17 5-16
Oct. 1859
Jan. 186 u 16 15-16

—FOUR O'CLOCK
India Stock 240
Ditto Bonds—. .........
South Sea Stock 9Bl
Ditto Old Ana B7f
Ditto New Ann.
Ex. Bills, 10 i / 4P pm
Ditto 50/ 4,4 rm.
Ditto Small 49
.pm.
Bank St. for Ace 6,07
Consols for °pg.—.
India Si. for Opg.
N . 24'

FOREIG
Austrian, 5 per cent.
Belgian, 5 per cent 9 ,1
Brez,lian Bonds
Buenos Ayres, 6 per cent 241
C110,:-.n. 6 per cen, ., 27
COuiniiian, 6 per cent...... 21
DAN. 152424
1)._:11:h 75
Greek, 5 ,er cent i t'
Alexican, 5 per cent ' ft
et trt tucc,i., . p,
6 per cent 4:21
cent.
23

FUNDS.
er cent 90f
Portugoe.e, '
e'l4,
..... pm
Ditto, !leg.
S
Prussian, . per cent......, lot
s,ids 5 per milt 6l
llic OO
sp,,, sh 5 e 2u
i)i
t o,
F .......... 105 f. 25e.
Exchange2sl. SOe
French per C nt .
Ist:77
21' ep .
.t...
Dutch, 2i pvr cent 514
Ditto, 5 Ater ceut„.%