The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,;* SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 4, 18617

yesterday, to dissipate at once and entirely any
such erroneou apprehensions. Referring to a
letter addressed to him by the Secretary of the
Mercantile Law Amendment Society, Lord DERBY
serio-comically remarked last evening in the
House of Lords—" I am (in this communication)
informed that they regret to learn that her
I MAJESTY'S Government, being unable to resist my

powerful influence, have consented to send this bill

to a select committee." Whereupon, still however
in a tone of pleasant bantering, whimsical enough

in its way under the circumstances, Lord DERBY
went on to observe—" Now, my lords, while I dis-
claim for myself the honour and compliment which
is thus paid me, of its being supposed that I possess
an' influence capable of overbearing the determina-

tion of her MAJESTY'S Government, I must be per-
mitted also to repudiate, on the part of her
MAJESTY'S Government, an insinuation so injurious

and offensive to them, as that they, from fear of a

political defeat on a question which really involves

no political difference, should have given way and
taken a course opposed to their own judgment and

views. Fax be it from me to taunt the Governmen

for a single moment by supposing the possibility of
there being differences of opinion between them.
We know that on this, as on all other questions

they are united in the strictest harmony. From
what quarter the Mercantile Law Amendment
Society has received the notion that the Government

has been compelled by my influence very reluc-
tantly to give up their own counsel I am sure I
cannot say, I am sure that her MAJESTY'S Govern-

went have acted on the conviction that the course

they have adopted commends itself most to their
own judgment, and that of the house, as the best
means of examining the very complicated details
of this • measure." So that actually, as it
happens, the Government and the Opposition are
perfectly agreed as to the advisability of referring
the Bill, as it is, to the deliberate scrutiny of a
Select Committee. Nor can this be wondered at
when it is reflected simply, in the first place, that
the Bill, as it is, never yet has been submitted
in a printed form to the House of Com-
mons for its consideration. As Lord DERBY
remarks, " It was never reprinted till after it passed
through committee, and when, by the rules of the
House of Commons, they could make no further
alterations. And," he adds, "I will mention one
instance to show the incorrect state in which it has
come up to us. It was intended to make some dis-
tinction between the acts which constitute the
bankruptcy of a trader and the bankruptcy of a
non-trader ; and I see that in the amendments
talked of by the noble and learned lord on the
woolsack he has observed the inaccuracy to which
lam about to refer. There are eight acts which
are taken to constitute bankruptcy on the part
of a trader; and it was intended to substitute for
these three or four acts which were to be held as
constituting bankruptcy on the part of a non-
trader ; bat now, as the bill stands, the non-trader
will not only be subject to bankruptcy on any of the
four acts which apply to his case, but also on all the
other eight which are intended only to apply to the
traders." So that, on the very face of the measure,
there are good and valid and obvious reasons Why
the Bill should be—as it is now—referred to a
Select Committee.
As to the fear entertained by some that by
being so referred it will be effectually precluded
from the chance of receiving the timbre of the
Royal Assent, of being, before the close of the
session, "willed" by the simple words la Reine le
veut from the draft of a Bill into a perfected Enact-
ment—as to this apprehension, what says Lord
DERBY, by whose motion last night, at vitnaa in-
stance (with the perfect consent of the Govern-
ment the Bill has now been formally referred to a
Select Committee.? Why, speaking of this dread
felt out of doors lest its reference to a select com-
mittee should cause so much delay that it would
by reason of that delay be impracticable to pass
the Bill before the Autumnal Prorogation, Lord
DERBY observed with perfect reasonableness yes-
terday :—" This anticipation shows great ignorance
of the proceedings of your lordships in select com-
mittees, and holds out, if it were true, a very melan-
choly prospect to those noble lords who may be
placed on that committee of attending it for the
three months that the session may be expected to
last." The dread thus set aside in a few frank bold
careless words of derision, is, in fact, wholly chime-
rical. The Select Committee has a simple task
before it, and that task can be, and doubtless will
be, speedily enough accomplished. Let the flaws
inadvertently occurring in the Bankruptcy and
Insolvency Bill be summarily struck out
of it, and the few amendments thought of as
necessary to be introduced, be introduced—and
the Bill so revised may be taken back to
the Commons for reconsideration, and returned
to the Lords afterwards in due form and
eventually enrolled upon the statute book—and all
that—without any unseemly haste whatever in the
doing of it, long before the arrival of Midsummer.
Associated inextricably and most agreeably in our
mind with the thought that the Bill has now been
referred by the House of Lords to a Select Com-
mittee, is the satisfactory reflection that the momen-
tary delay thus caused will enable the author, the
promoters, and the well-wishers generally of this
measure to secure for it betimes the supervision of
the greatest Law Reformer of the Age, the ex-
Chancellor, Lord BROUGHAM.
he

THE MARRIAGE MESSAGE IN THE HOUSE OF
LORDS.—When the Lord Chancellor was reading the Mes-
sage from the Queen, relative to the marriage of the Prin-
cess Alice, the house became so suddenly dark by the sky
becoming overcast, that he had to pause until a light was
procured to enable him to read.—Bra.
OFFER OF A BARONETCY TO MR. COBDEN.—Lord
Palmerston, on the part of the Government, has signified
his desire to advise her Majesty to bestow on Mr. Cobden
a baronetcy and the distinction of a Privy Councillor, both
of which honours the hon. gentleman has declined.

•••.••_
M. Ladislas Palmy, the late President, by senio-
rity, of the Hungarian Diet, whose death has been an-
nounced by telegraph, was 78 years old, and had presided
in the Diet of 1848. The assembly suspended its sittings
three days, and resolved to wear mourning for him for six
weeks. Both chambers were present at his funeral, the
expense of which was defrayed by the Diet.
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.—The May
general meeting of the National Rifle Association will be
held at Willis's-rooms, on Monday, the 27th inst., at half-
past two o'clock. His Royal Highness
.the Duke of Cam-
bridge, K.G., President of the Association, will preside.
THE BUDGET.—A return moved for by Sir S.
Northcote, shows that the revenue received in the financial
year just closed, from income tax, malt duty, and hop duty,
amounted to £17,885,000, which was more by £3,141,000
than would have been received if the time and mode of
collection had not been altered.

The managers and directors of some of the prc-
vincial savings banks have given notice that the banks will
be open twice a week in future, instead of once.

FIRE AT PRICE'S PATENT CANDLE WORKS.-
Yesterday morning a most serious fire broke out at the
above manufactory, at Bromborough, Cheshire. The fire
is .said to have been confined to the :oath-east end of the
building, next the saw mills, where the oil is stored. The
factory is quite safe. The damage is estimated at £lO,OOO
to goods, and £5,000 to the building, all of which is covered
by insurance.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT POPLAR.—Yesterday
morning, between the hours of eight and nine o'clock, a de-
structive fire broke out in the premises of Mr. William
Squires, marine store dealer, No. 40, Robin Hood-lane,
Poplar. When the alarm was first raised the flames had
obtained a strong hold of the lower part of the building, so
that it was utterly impossible for any one to render the least
assistance in saving any of the contents. The fire was not
extinguished until the premises were burnt down, and the
houses Nos. 1,2, and 3,Terrace-court, considerablydamaged.
The origin of the misfortune is 11414.91411. Th 9 Ws will
lifa Maw Ua and other cidceo,

LATEST NE-WI:3.

CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA.

Q U EEN ST OWN, MAY 4.

The Royal Mail steamship Persia, Capt. Jndkins,
from New York on the 25th April, arrived here at
6.30 a.m. to-day.

She brings 182 passengers, and diamonds to the
value of 20,000.

She landed 12 passengers and all mails (except
those for Liverpool), and proceeded at 7.10 a.m.
All well.

The Persia was detained 15 hours at New York
,o receive despatches from Washington.

NEW YORK, APRIL 25, 2 A.M.

(via Queenstown.)

All telegraphic and regular mail communication
between New York and Washington is interrupted.
The National Guard have arrived at Washington.
The latest advices from Washington state that
6,000 Secessionists were in the neighbourhood of

the city, and that the Government had thrown up
defences round the principal buildings.
An attack was expected.
Baltimore is in the hands of the mob, and a reign
of terror is said to prevail there.
The Gosport Navy-yard at Norfolk has been
burnt by United States officers.
Eleven war vessels have been destroyed by the
Maryland people, and the telegraph wires cut.
The chartered steamer Star of the West has been
captured by the Southern Government.
Kentucky has declared itself neutral.
The municipality of New York have appropriated
1,000,000 dols. for the expenses of the volunteers.
Large bodies of troops are leaving daily for
Washington.

Warlike preparations on a large scale are making

in Texas.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENGE.

Exchange on London is quoted 106 to 1061.
Stocks are dull and heavy. Illinois Central, 571 ;
New York Central, 711; Erie, 191.
Cotton stuff.—Middling Upland, 131. Sales 700
bales. Wheat dull. Corn steady. Breadstuffs
irregular.

The City of Washington, Niagara, Jura, and
Asia have arrived out.

The Columbia has put into Halifax short of coals.
NEW ORLEANS, APRIL 22.
The cotton market is dull. Middling, 11d. Sales,
2,750 bales.

MADRID, MAY a

The Correspondencia Autografa of to-day says—
" All the towns of San Domingo have issued a
pronunciamento in favour of annexation to Spain."
The Correspondencia Autografa also asserts that
Spain has announced to the Powers that she would
accept this annexation.

THE BRAZIL AND RIVER PLATE MAILS.
SOUTHAMPTON, SATURDAY.
The Royal Mail steamship Tyne, with the above
mail, has arrived.
She brings 131 passengers and £103,748 in specie.
On the 30th ultimo she spoke the English ship
Malacca.

The revolution in San Juan had terminated I
peaceably, and Don Francisco Diaz had been named
Provisional Governor.
In the Argentine Republic Congress had been
convened, and the representatives were flocking to
the provisional capital.
Business at Buenos Ayres was brisk, and prices
of produce were advancing.
Freights were firm. Exchange, 635. to 645. per
doubloon. Ounces had risen from 357 dols. to 357
dole.; the last price on the Bolsa was 355 dols.
At Bahia sugar was in brisk demand, at 2 dols
400 c. to 2 dole. 500 c. for whites.
Freight to Channel, 655. Exchange on London,
90 days, 26k.
At Pernambuco the stock of sugar was small.
Prices without quotable change. Cotton, prices
had declined 600 reis per arroba. Dry salted hides
had declined to 200 reis per lb.
Freight had advanced, owing to a scarcity of
shipping. Sugar charters had been effected at from
40s. to 50s.

Exchange on London, 90 days, 26/ ; discount 10
per cent. per annum for first-rate four months' bills.
At Rio Janeiro business in coffee was limited,
owing to the smallness of stocks.
Freights were active, 40 vessels had been char-
tered for the Channel. Rate to London, 60s. Ex-
change on London, 26, at which rate £500,000
had been drawn. Discount, 9 per cent.
Nothing worthy of notice in specie or stocks.

MARSEILLES, MAY 4.

The Vectie, with the above mails, arrived at
Marseilles at 6 a.m. this day. The mails were to
leave for London at 10 a.m.

The Ellora, with the heavy portion of the mails,
was to leave Malta at 6 p.m. on the Ist, and may be
expected at Southampton on the 10th inst.
The Nepaul, from Mauritius, and the Ottawa
from Bombay, reached Suez on the 23d and 26th of
April respectively.
The Simla, with the London mails of the 20th-
26th of February, reached Calcutta 4th of April.

MARSEILLES, MAY 2.
Count Trani is expected at Marseilles, on his

way to Bavaria.

ROME, APRIL 30 (via Marseilles).
The King of Naples has left Rome for the Villa

Albano.

The official Giornale di Roma gives a denial to
the report that conciliatory proposals had been
made by Sardinia.
A petition is circulating in Rome demanding the
evacuation of Rome by the French.

NAPLES, APRIL 30 (via Marseilles).
Three thousand troops of the Italian army have

arrived here.
Military operations are being continued against
the insurgents in the Basilicata.

TURIN, .M

King Victor Emmanuel will proceed to Naples
at the end of this month, and will, it is said, reside
there for two mouths.

THORN, MAY 3.
The municipality of Warsaw have placed their
resignations in the hands of General Gecewich.
It is said that General Paniatin, the military
governor, and General Zabasckoi, have been dis•
missed, and that the former will be succeeded by
General Lambert.

but without losing any of its firmness, and the
prices of yesterday have been well maintained. For
the Account, Threes commenced at 69f 10c, and
receding to 691 5c again rose to 69f 20c, and are
now at GM 15e. Railway shares have been quiet,
but firm.

The following were the last quotations:-
41 per per Cents ... 96 —; Credit Fonder 945
Do end month.... —\ Belgian 4i lOl
3 per Cents
Do. end month 69 15. Roman
Bank Shares — —1 Austrian
Credit Mobilier.... 705 --Spanish Threes 4B
Do. Account .. 707 50 ; Home Debt