The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-11 00:00:00

Obienins

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 11, 1844.

In the House of Lords a number of Bills received
the Royal Assent, among which were eight railway
Bills.

The Duke of RICHMOND, after some brief remarks,
moved for several returns relative to the importation
of foreign wool.
The Earl of DALnousiE, Vice-President of the
Board of Trade, said he had no objection to the
mo-
tion. A brief conversation ensued, and the only re-
mark worth notice was made by Lord KINNAIRD,
who said he had been informed that at the commence-
ment of the session certain gentlemen, who concurred
with the Duke of RICHMOND, had waited op Sir
ROBERT PEEL, and had tried to stipulate that neither
the corn-laws nor the Irish Church should be touched,
but Sir ROBERT PEEL would give no pledges. The
motion was agreed to.
Lord CLONCURRY moved for- the appointment of a
Select Committee on Public Works in Ireland. The
motion was opposed by the Duke of WELLINGTON,
and after some remarks from other Noble Lords was
withdrawn.

The House adjourned at a Quarter-past Eight.
In the Commons Lord F. EGERTON, in moving
for a new writ for South Lancashire, in the room of
the late Mr. WILBRAHAM, paid a high compliment to
the amiable and upright character of that gentleman,
which was responded to by all Partiea is the House.

Sir J. GRAHAM presented some petitions, chiefly I
from millowners, employing 100,000 persons, and
paying 50,000/. a week in wages, against the Ten
Hours' Bill, as it would be fatal to the manufacturers
of the country and to the operatives also.
Mr. HUME gave notice that on an early day he
would put questions to the Earl of LINCOLN', respect-
ing the expenses of the new Houses of Parliament.
The CHAcCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that
he would bring forward the Sugar Duties Bill on
the 24th inst.
In answer to a question from Mr. SHELL, Sir J.
GRAHAM said the Irish Registration Bill was not
abandone3, and he would move its second reading at
an early day, but that day was not fixed. This ex-
cited laughter, as every one believes this obnoxious
Bill is given up.
On the motion that the Factories Bill be read a
third time, Lord ASHLEY moved, that from and
after the Ist day of October in the present year, no
young person shall be employed in any factory more
than eleven hours in any one day, or more than
sixty-four hours in any one week; and that from
and after the Ist day of October, 1847, no young per-
son shall be employed in any factory snore than ten
hours in anyone day, or mor' than fifty-eight hours in
any one week ; and that any person who shall be
convicted of employing a young person for any
longer time than is in and by this clause permitted,
shall for every such offence be adjudged to pay a pe-
nalty of not less than 3/., and not more than 10/.
The Noble Lord entered at some length into a state-
ment of facts regarding the price of labour, the pay
of operatives, and other details, for the purpose of
showing that the restriction proposed would not be
injurious. The House, he said, was placed in a cu-
rious position. It was called upon to rescind a reso-
lution to which it had deliberately agreed; but what-
ever might be the vote of that night, he felt that the
object for which he was contending must eventually
triumph.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM, after complimenting the

Noble Lord on the goodness of his intentions, op-
posed the motion, on the ground that, if carried into
effect, great evils would ensue. If, as some argued,
no reduction of wages would take place from the
change, then there must be loss on the capital, and
either that capital would be withdrawn from the
country, or parties would retire from that particular
branch of trade, and a fearful decrease of wages
must ensue, and with that would c•me general po-
verty, physical degradation, and increase of crime !
He was, therefore, convinced that shortening the
hours of labour would be most injurious to the work-
ing classes, and he never could vote for such a pro-
position.
Lord Ilowicit supported the motion. The Legis-
lature had already restricted the labour of women to
twelve hours, which was, practically saying, ten hours'
work, and he could see no danger if the practice was
carried still farther.
Mr. C. BULLBU, Mr. ROEBUCK, Mr. MUNTZ,
and several other Hon. Members, spoke on the
question, when, after some confusion, the debate was

adjourned.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed
of, and the House adjourned at One o'Clock.

On Sir JAMES GRAHAM moving the Order of the
Day in the House of Commons last night, for the
third reading of the Factories Bill, Lord ASHLEY
brought forward his clause respecting the limitation
of the hours of labour for women and children, which
led to an interesting debate, in which his Lordship
and the Home Secretary were the chief speakers.
The former, after a brief but impressive exordium,
wherein he insisted that " what was morally wrong,
could not be politically right "—a noble sentiment,
which we recommend to the Premier's special con-
sideration—went on to adduce a variety of docu-
mentary evidence, with a view to show that
the proposed reduction in the hours of factory la-
bour would not be attended with the slightest injury
to trade ; but on the contrary—and here the Noble
Lord quoted the authority of one of the most exten-
sive mill-owners in Europe—" that the workers
would be so improved in their physical condition, that
they would do very nearly as much work in ten and
a half, as in twelve hours." On the subject of the antici-
pated fall in wages, on which the opponents of the mea-
sure lay such stress, his Lordship observed—"the opera-
tives, in contemplation of the great advantages which
would otherwise accrue, were ready to accept this reduc-
tion of wages. They say that by working fewer hours they
would enjoy greater health and vigour of body; they
would obtain increased social enjoyment, for they
would have first to learn, and afterwards to practise,
domestic thrift and home economy. But the greatest
advantage they would obtain, and the one which they
wanted to press more particularly on the country was,
that they would have conferred on them two or three,
or, may be, four or five years' prolongation of
their working lives, which they could devote
to the support of their families." These forcible
reasons made, as might have been anticipated, not the
slightest impression on Sir JAMES GRAHAM, who
opposed the measure with more pertinacity than ever;
and hinted, in no very ambiguous terms, that if it

should be carried against him, he should feel it his
duty to retire from public life, and cultivate a modest
privacy among the classic shades of Netherby. This
threat, which, to our thinking, is anything but an
alarming one, was nevertheless not without its effect
on the minds of some of the more sensitive Members,
and so excited the apprehensions of Mr. LIDDELL,
that he announced his intention of voting with Go-
vernment, though he declared that his " feelings were
with Lord ASIILET." And he made this announce-
ment, notwithstanding—according to his own state-
ment—" Ministers had not acted on this question
with their usual ability, consideration, and foresight !"
Who, after this naive confession, will ever again
dream of placing confidence in a man who, for
mere party purposes, votes against his own
feelings, and the impulses of his better nature,

in favour of a Government which has
shown itself deficient in " ability, consideration, and
foresight," and which, as such, is unworthy of the
support of a considerate and conscientious Member ?
But Mr. LIDDELL'S was not the only instance of
apostacy exhibited last night. Mr. GALLY KNIGHT,
too, evinced a strong desire to recant the heresy of his
late vote on the factory question. When he gave that
vote, he was drunk, as he told the House—metapho-
rically speaking, of course—but since then he had
had time to grow sober, and the consequence of his
restoration to unclouded sense was, that he was re-
solved to throw the poor faCtory operatives overboard,
and stick to the Government ! Truly a most cre-
ditable and benevolent determination, and one that
will be pretty sure to be followed by many other
Members, who will, no doubt, plead the same " un-
toward" state of mental eclipse as an apology for their
former vote, and urge, like Mr. KNIGHT, their
restored sobriety as a reason for their now siding
with Ministers ! What_ a humiliating confession for
public men to make—that they were wholly in the
wrong when they advocated the cause of humanity,
and are in the right only when they declare against
it! Mr. ROEBUCK, who, with his usual success, at-
tempted to reply to an admirable speech of Lord
HowicK, quoted, in allusion to what he
was pleased to call his Lordship's " rash
and meddling legislation," Porz's well-known
line, that " fools rush in where angels fear to
tread." The point—the delicacy—the gentlemanlike
propriety of the word " fools," applied to an indivi-
dual with whom the pert, pragmatical Member for
Bath cannot bear an instant's comparison in point
of intellect, is worthy of all praise ; and not
less commendable is the spirit of modesty which
induced Mr. ROEBUCK to omit that portion
of the line which refers to " angels, " for
as he himself is one of the non-interference gentle-
men, who
had he
ho" fear" to touch the factory question, the
quoted the whole line, could not have
failed to apply the word " angel" to himself, notwith-
standing that he has as little of the angelic character
about him as any man we ever remember to have seen,
not excepting even Mr. MUNTZ. At a late hour the
debate was adjourned, but we fear that there is little
humili-
ating chil-
dren doubt
.that Ministers will carry the day, and that
the cause of the oppressed factory women an
will, for this session at least, sustain a
defeat.

The Madrid Gazelle of the 4th publishes a list of
the new Ministry, and it will be seen from a tele-
graphic dispatch received at Paris on Thursday, that
the state of siege was raised on the same day.
On the 3d the Three per Cents. were done at 29

for cash, and 31 at 60 days, and the Five per Cents.
at 21.

The Journal des Debats states that the Committee,
appointed to examine the proposed line of rail;vay
from Paris to Belgium and the English Channel,
bad resolved, by a small majority, that it was their
opinion the line should be completed by the State,
and that it should also conduct the working and
traffic, as well as the formation of the railroad. This
announcement has caused some sensation in Paris, as
it was feared other Committees would follow the
example, and either compel the Government to call
out the two remaining instalments of the loan, or
put a stop to the construction of railroads for many
years. The Government journal, therefore, expresses
great alarm as to the consequences of this resolution,
and says, "If it be persevered in to its full ex-
tent, and formally carried to the Chambers, it is
of a gravity which we shall not attempt to con-
ceal. In the present state of affairs, it amounts,
in fact, to a proposition for the adjsurnment of
all the railroads, without exception ; and at
the end of a few years France would find herself
behind all the rest of Europe. It is not at all pro-
bable, however, that the Chamber will accede to the
recommendation of the Committee. The discussion
on the Education Bill was proceeding in the Chamber
of Peers, when, on the introduction of a clause
evidently directed against the Jesuits, the Count DE
3/10NTALEMBEUT and the Duke VHARCOURT de-
fended that body, and opposed the clause. M. PAM
and M. DuriN supported it, and the debate was ad-
journed.

The state of affairs in Italy and Sicily appears
to be very unsettled. The Augsburgh Gazette of
the sth publishes a letter from Palermo, announcing
that serious disturbances had taken place in Catania,
and that the country was also suffering from the
effects of destructive fever, which had carried off
many of the inhabitants. The following letter from
Leghorn is also very unfavourable : . .

" LEGHORN, MAY 4.—The news which we have just re-
ceived from the legations is very serious. On the evening of
the 2d, several: persons were arrested at Bologna, among
whom are M. Galleti (doctor of laws, and one of the most dis-
tinguished lawyers of Italy), and his first clerk, MM.
Orsina, father and son, who are furnishers of military stores
to the Government, a student of medicine, and two or three
others. These arrests make the greatest impression, as it
was expected that after the numerous condemnations by the
military commission, the Government would have relaxed
in its rigour. With regard to the condemned prisoners, it is
expected that they will be shot within the soldiers' barracks,
and not publicly. At Ancona, M. Giannini and two others
had been committed to prison, and at Rimini, M. Leipiri and
several others have been arrested, and are to be tried before
the military commission. The Maria Christina, which has
just arrived from Naples, says that at Rome also, severalper-
sons were arrested, and in Calabria a great number have
been shot."

The French Funds continued firm. On Thursday
the- Three per Cents. closed at 84f. 40c., and the
Fives at 122 f. 60c.

The following telegraphic dispatch was received by
the French Government on Thursday :
" MADRID, MAY 4.
" The state of siege was this day ordered to be raised. By
two decrees of the same date M. Mazaredo was appointed
Captain-General of Madrid, and General Shelley, Captain-
General of Seville."
THE BOURSE—THURSDAY, MAY 9.
First Highest Lowest Last
Price. Price. Price. Price.
French Five per Cents 122 35 .. 122 35 .. 122 30 .. 122 35
Four per Cents.
Three per Cents.•. • • 84 40 . • 84 40 • • 84 25 • • 84 25
Bank of France 3105 .•3105 3105 ..3105
Laftitte Bank, I,ooof. Sharesll7o —ll7O .1170 .• 1170
Belgian Bank...—. ...... . 687 50 .• 687 SO .• 687 50 • • 687 50
Belgian Fives, 1831.
1840 1051 .. 1051 .. 1051 .. 1051
1842 1081 • . 108 f •• 108 f 108 t
Spanish Active •.• • • • ..... 32* .. 32f •• 32} • • 321
Threes . • 34 • • 35i • • 35 . • 35
Passive
Old Deferred •• • • 7 7 •. 7 .. 7
Portuguese Five per Cents • • 46/ .. 46i •• 46i •• 461
Neapolitan •• • • •- • • • •• 102 20 .. 102 30 .• 102 20 .. 102 30
Roman, ex div.• •••• •• • 104 104 • 104 • . 104