The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-15 00:00:00

" TO THE RIGHT HON. SIR ROBERT PEEL, BART.

" The Directors of the Trent Valley Railway have at length
the pleasure of commencing those mechanical operations by
means of which their lengthened struggle will speedily attain
its consummation, and they sincerely thank you for the
readiness with which you have consented to aid in those,
their crowning labours. They derive the happiest auguries
from the fact that the Prime Minister of the empire has
found it not inconsistent with his position, while onerous
duties press upon him, to share with them the triumphs of
this important day—but they dwell with greater pride and
more peculiar pleasure on the fact that one whose name is
identified with the most momentous improvements of modern
times should have selected this undertaking as worthy his
especial support and consideration.
" To the inhabitants of Tamworth the occasion is one of
unusual interest. They cannot fail to see in the accomplish-
ment of this undertaking the seeds of great advancement to
their town, restoring. as it will to this locality the advan-
tages which Rave been withdrawn froth it, opening the rich
resources of the Valley of the Trent, and achieving, as well
for them as fOr the empire, the more extt nded purpose of
bringing into closer communion the metropolis of legislation
and the metropolis of commerce and manufactures.

" The Direjtore fervently hope that the advantages in
which the county of Statlitrd is now about to participate
will, in due time and with befitting care, be extended to the
remotest districts, and that One +•hose enlightened policy has
given new energy to the commerce of England, will continue
his care and support to those great undertakings which bind
the commonwealth more closely together."
Mr. TotriAL here proposed three cheers for the Trent Val-
ley Riilway, which were given with great enthusilsm.
Mr. YAMS PEEL suggested the same compliment for the
ladies who had favoured the proceedings with their presence,
and having been cheerfully responded to, the proceedings
terminated.. .

The spade, originally intended for the use of the Right Hon.
Baronet on this occasion, was manufactured expressly for the
purpose in Sheffield, but upon being examined by the com-
mittee apirinted to attend to the arrangements, it was not
appr..)priate, and at a very late period, Messrs. Elkington and
Co., of Birmingham, were instructed to make one in
electro silver plate, which they succeeded in finishing in
time. The metallic part of the spade is in electio silver,
awl shaped somewhat in the form of an heraldic shield, sq 3
preserving the characteristic of.a spade, On the front is
engraved the arms, crest, and motto of the Right lion. Ba-
ronet, and underneath the following inscrip' ion :—" wta::s
of the. Trent Valley Railway, from Statibrd to Rty,by, were
commenced on the 13th day of November, 1815, on which
occasion the first sod was turned by the Right Honourable
Sir Robert Peel, Part., upon lands in the parish of Tam.
worth and county of Stafil,rd." And upon the reverse
the official seal of the Trent Valley Railway Company, to-
gether with the names of the Chairman, Edmund Peel, Esq.,
the directors, engineers, solicitor, secretary, &c. The shaft,
or "tree," is formed of a piece of old English oak, the upper
part divided into two branches, forming the handle, which is
appropriately carved with oak leaves, acorns, &e., and highly
polished. The wheelbarrow was of the finest Spanish ma-
Ir.gany richly carved and ornamented with the arms of the
Right non. Baronet. Sir Robert, on leaving the ground,
carried off the spade, exhibiting it from his carriage to the
spectators who crowded around.
The &actors give a dinner this evening to the various
employees of the company, at the King's Arms tavern, at
which Mr. J. Stephenson, one of the contractors, has under-
taken to preside.
The whole of the arrangements of the day have been very
admirably carried out, under the direction of Mr. J. Jones,
who superintends the construction of the line, under the
contractors.

The dinner party at the manor this evening, included
the Right Hon. the Earl of Talbot, the lion. Colonel
Anson, M.P., the lion. Captain Carnegie, M.P., Mr. T. L.
Ricardo, M.P., Captain A'Court, M.P., Mr. G. Hudson,
M.P., Mr. Houldsworth, chairman of the board of directors
of the Manchester and Leeds Railway; Mr. W. Yates Peel,
the Mayor of Manchester; Mr. T. Hilton, of Manchester;
Captain Cleather, Mr. Richard Creed, and the following
members of the board of the Trent Valley Railway Com-
pany :—Mr. E. Peel, chairman; Mr. E. Tootal, deputy-
chairman ; Mr. T. Smith, of London ; Mr. T. Booth, of Liver-
pool ; Mr. J. Hornby, Mr. J. P. Westhead, Mr. Redder, and
Mr. T. L. Gooch, the engineer, as well as the following mem-
bers of the late board :—Mr. J. Ridgway, Mr. W. Higgins,
Mr. E. Tootal, Mr. I'. 11. Wanklyn, Mr. J. Wheeler, the
solicitor, and Mr. Watkin, the secretary to the company, and
Mr. Brassey, contractor to the line.
The same party, with one or two exceptions, were enter-
tained last evening by Mr. Edmund Peel, at Bonehill-house.
Among the toasts proposed during the evening was the health
of Mr. Hudson, by Sir Robert Peel. The Right Hon.
Baronet complimented the Hon. Member in very flattering
terms upon his successful career, so much so that we are in-
formed Mr. Hudson was completely overpowered when be
rose to return thanks.

FATHER MATHEW.—We have much pleasure (says
the Cork Reporter) in presenting the following letter to our
readers. It comes from that distinguished Indian banker,
Dwarkanauth Tagore, whose munificence and princely acts
we have already had occasion to record, during his late visit
to this country. We are delighted that this Indian noble
has confided the execution of the work to a fellow-towns-
man, for, we are proud to say, that Mr. Edward D. Leahy
is a Cork man, and takes his position with Maclise, Fisher,
and Hogan, in maintaining the high reputation of this city
for native talent and genius. We hope he will remain suffi-
ciently long amongst us to enable his fellow-citizens to take
advantage of this, his first visit for many years to his native
city :
" My dear Father Mathew,—The bearer of this, Mr.Leahy,
is commissioned by me to undertake the painting of your
portrait, which you have been so kind as to promise to sit for.
Mr. Leahy is, I believe, already:known to you, and I feel as-
sured that he will, under the circumstances, fulfil his pleasing
task in a manner that will do justice to his subject. I have alreadv
endeavoured to express the high honour and gratification •I
felt at snaking your personal acquaintance, and I am now
doubly anxious that my countrymen should behold adorning
the walls of my house, the portrait of the man who kas re-
deemed his con-try from the national stigma under which it
was held so long.
"Believe me, my dear Father Mathew, with sentiments of
the highest esteem, to remain ever your attached friend,
DWARKANAUTII TAGORE.
" St. George llotel, Nov. 1, 1845."

DEATH OF LADY MARY COOTE.--We have to re-
cord the demise of Lady Mary Coote, who expired in the
early part of the Week, at her residence in Chapel-street,
Grosvenor,tquare. Her Ladyship was the daughter of the
last Earl of Bellamont. Her mortal remains will be interred
in South Audley-street Chapel.
GOVERNESSES' BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.— Thurs-
day a special general meeting of the patrons and sup-
porters of this excellent Institution, and an election of annui-
tants, took place at the llanover square looms, B. B. Cabbell,
Esq., treasurer, in the chair. There was a very numerous and
influential attendance of the patrons, patroness, and sub-
scribers. The receipts to the last audit amounted to
11,959/. 18s., and the expenditure, including annuities, divi-
dends, and investments, &c., left a balance of 1,0741. 15s. 11d.
The provident fund figured 15,0001. The general business of
the meeting having concluded the annuitants from about
sixty candidates were elected.

1 RANSMISSION OF BULLION.—Last Tuesday three
tons of bullion were transmitte d iu three covered vans ac-
companied by clerks from the Bank of England via the Bir-
mingham Railway, to the banking-houses in Manchester and
LivcrpcOl.
[ADVtRTISEMENT.]—The Atrapilatory, or Liquid
Flair Dye, the only dye that really answers for all colours, and
does not require re-doing, but as the hair grows, as it never
fades or acquires that unnatural red or purple tint common to
all other dies. Ross and Sons can, with the greatest confidence,
recommend the above dye as infallible, if done at their esta-
bli,hment ; and ladies and gentlemen requiring it are re-
quested to bring a friend or servant with them to see how it is
used, which will enable them to do it afterwards without the
chance of failure. Several private apartments devoted en-
tirely to the above purpose, and some of their establishment
having used it, the effect produced can be at once seen. They
think it necessary to add, that by attending strictly to the in-
structions given with each bottle of dye,numernus persons hue
sneceeded equally well without coming to them. Address
Ross and Sons, 119 and 120, Bishopsgate-street, the celebrated
Perruquiers, Perfumers, Hair-cutters, and Hair•dyers. N.B.
Parties attended at their own residences, whatever the
distance.

LONDON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1845.

The meeting which was held at Birmingham on Thursday
as a tribute to that consistent Reformer and independent
Member of Parliament, the Hon. C. P. VILLIERS, was alike
honourable to that thriving and industrious town and to the
gentleman whose undisputed merits gave rise to this national
demonstration. About 700 gentlemen sat down to dinner,
probably not more than one-half of the number that would
have attended could accommodation have been procured ;
the galleries were filled with ladies, and the display alto-
gether was of the most animating description. The chair
was taken by Mr. PHILLIPS, late Mayor of the borough,
accompanied by several aldermen, and among other indi-
viduals present were Earl Ducie, Mr. Cobden, Mr. Bright,
She Scott, the Member for Walsall ; Colonel Thompson,
Idr. Smith, the present Mayor ; Messrs. Scholefield,
Craw-shay, Thornely, Brown, of Liverpool, &c. Mr. VIL-
LIaRS, on whom this honour was conferred, has long been dis-
tinguished in the House of Commons for his rational, en-
lightened, and impartial views on the question of the corn-laws-
Couldhehavebelieved that they really answered the purposes
Ibr which they were intended, he probably would have been
among the last to oppose them, He has great interests con-
nected with landed property, he belongs to the landed aris-
tocracy, and might naturally be supposed inclined rather
to favour that party than to join with manufacturers,
traders, and, indeed, the greater portion of the community
ho have an object in lowering the value of agricultural
'produce ; but be is convinced, and in his place
in Parliament has often expressed the conviction,
that thesa classes are the best customers of the landlords,
that the interests of landlords and the cotton lords are most
intima's'y conaected, tint good crops invariably benefit the
manufacturing districts, that flourishing trade equally
benefits the earmers, or rather the landowners, and that
'without the rotmtless hives of industry spread over one-h: if
of the English counties, the price of land would not
amount to even one-half of what it has been
ler the lam. fifty years. In fact, no proposition can be more
clear and undisputed, than that the power of this small
ieland--entall as compared with many continental States—
woulds be speedily annihilated but for the vast in-
fluence of its manufacturing industry, and the supply
which it furnishes to the numerous colonies. Landlords may
talk we long as they please about the importance of the landed
Uterine—they may represent it as the first—and demand
far it on that account the greatest protection at the hands of
the Legislature, but only a few of the incorrigible bigots,
• ho detest every improvement, and would, like madmen,
sweep manufactures from the soil of England, pay the
aightest attention to their one-sided views Nearly all the
leading men of both parties, in both Houses of Parliament,
are fully convinced that the days of the sliding-
scale end exorbitant protection are numbered.
Many of them believe that protection does only
mieehief even to those for whose benefit the law was made.
eese symptoms, within a few months, have been mani-
fested in no doubtful language, at various agricultural
meet irge, and as a pr: of of the revolution which has taken
place, eeatly all the speakers on the subject, who have at-
triteteet public attention, have belonged to the old school,
that. echoel which made it one of its first principles to sup-
ped the glorious corn-laws at all hazards. Captain Roes
breaks silence one day, Lord ASHLEY another, and Mr.
Escort' joins with the two Arcadians in denouncing the
present system as ruinous—nay, to use a French phrase—
" intpossilele," and warn their party that in a very briefperiod
the whole fabric must necessailry fall to pieces. When we look
to the Cabinet, the Caine phenomena are visible. Possi-
bly two or three of those who regard themselves as fathers of
the miserable abortion may wish to prolong the existence of
the ruinous impost for a time, but all the active, experienced,
and most aisle of the Members are fully convinced that no
party whatever in the State can ward off its destruc-
ten. Sir RoBERT PEEL'S saying, that "we ought to buy
in the cheapest market," is so evident to common sense, that
no practical minister can, or even dares, for a moment to
gainsay it. His free-trade principles, too, are well known,
WA! their effects have already been felt. He has compelled
tie few remaining monopolists to yield to his policy as
regards cattle and a variety of agricultural produce. The
Canada Corn Bill was a grievous inroad upon the corn-laws;
it was supported too by one said not to be too favourably
disposed towards the Prime Minister, and should, from some
unknown canoe, a rebellion rise up against him in the Ca-
binet, what could they do without hint ? Could the
old Tory party govern the country for six months,
or, miles,: they roused up a foreign v. ar, keep at the
lo lin? and ev;it that would not be of much as-ail. The
}l)llSi2 of Commons is not as it was in the days of yore,
when It was half filled by the nominees of the landlords, and
when the Minister of the day, if he only yielded to their
terms, might carry any measure. The great towns—the
marts of industry—are represented, and they will not lose
their trade nor throw away their money at the nod of any
M ulster. In short, the merits of the question are settled,
and it remains - only for the people to urge on
the Minister and his willing colleagues to do
their duty. The concluding remarks in Mr. COB-
DEN'S speech, a little abridged, are most appropriate at
the present moment :_« Let the opponents of monopoly in
every county in England obtain for themselves votes by the
outlay of 50!., as had been done in South Lancashire. The
aristocracy would probably then give up the corn-law, lest
they might otherwise be compelled to give up a good deal

more. This was a paradise of a country for an aristocracy if
they only knew 'how to behave themselves, he would
not say as angels, but as decent, honest, rational men.
And yet their aristocracy seemed disposed to risk all
the undisputed advantages which they securely possessed,
for the maintenance of that miserable tax upon bread,
which was of no benefit to them in the end, while it in-
flicted on the community at large incalculable injury. He
predicted that next session would bring on a crisis con-
nected with that question. There would be agitation at
head-quarters which would augur impending changes ; but
his advice to the people would be, not to mind who was in
or who was out of office, but to keep their eyes steadily
fixed on the corn-laws until they saw the question settled
at once and for ever. Let them, when the fitting time had
come, with one mighty effort level to the ground, with all
its crimes and all its painful associations, that fatal system,
and establish on its ruins national prosperity, peace, and
contentment."