The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-18 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 1845.

The Howe of Lords met at Fire o'Clock.
The Consolidated Fund Bill was read a third time and
passed.
The Earl of RADNOR introduced a Bill to amend the
Law of Blstardy.
The Nonlx EARL also brought in a Bill to prevent
the opening of letters at the Post-office.

The Duke of BUCCLEUCII moved the appointment of a
Select Committee to consider the state of the Parochial
School rnaters of Scotland, which was agreed to.
In answer to a queition of the Earl of MINTO, on the
subject of the publication by Government of the papers
of Captain Ross, relating to the recent Antarctic
Voyage of Discovery,
The Duke of WELLINGTON said be had not considered
the suble.ci, DIA that the Government would be willing to
give die most complete information on the subject.
The House then went into Committee on the Deo-
dands Bill. While the Bill was in Committee, the Earl
of ELLENBOROUGII, in consequence of something that fell
from Lord CAMPBELL, said that he was ready at any
moment to defend his conduct from the aspersions of any
man, treat or small, noble or mean, who chose to attack
it, and that he only wished what bad been said in his
absence might be repeated in his presence.
Lord BROUGHAM begged to assure the Noble Earl,
that whenever he had been assailed in his absence, he
hal been defended by the Duke of WELLINGTON, and
Dot quite so ably yet still defendel by himself (Lord
BROUGHAM).

The Rai of ELLENROMUGH expressed his obligation
to the Duke of WELLINGTON and Lord BROUGHAM.
The matter dropped and the Bill passed through
CoinLuittee.

The Property-tax Bill was read a second time, on the
understanding that a discussion should take place on the
third reading.

The Companies Clauses Consolidation Bill passed
through Committee, and their Lordships adjourned.

The House of Commons met at Twelve.
The amended report on the Railway Clauses Con-
solidation Bill was brought up.
On the 17th clause, giving certain powers to the
Admiralty to pull down railway works that obstructed
the navigation or defence of the coast,
Mr. HAwEs moved, as an amendment, that the Admi-
ralty should go before the Parliamentary Committee of
Merits. Oa a division, however, the amendment was re-
jected, the numbers being—For the Amendment, -t ;
Against it, 37 ;—Majority against it, 33.
The remainder of the clauses were agreed to, and the
Biel was ordered to be read a third time on Wednesday,
at twelve.

The report on the Land Clauses Consolidation Bill
was agreed to.
The Lund Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Bill passed
through Committee, and the House adjourned to Five
o'clock.

On the re-assembling of the House, the Jewish Relief
Bill was, on the motion of Sir IL PEEL, read a first
time, and the second reading was fixed for the 7th of
April.
Lord ASHLEY postponed the second reading of his
Bill relating to labour in calico print-works until the 2d
of April.
The second reading of the Law cf Settlement Amend-
ment Act was postponed to the 14th of April.

Sir It. PEEL announced that the two first measures
relating to Ireland which he should bring forward were
those relating to the College of Maynooth and to Acade-
mical Education.
In answer to Mr. HASTIE,
Sir R. PEEL stated that the Government intended to
renew the Act for grinding corn in bond.

Mr. WAKLEY gave notice of a motion on the subject
of opening Mr. DUNCOMBE'S letters for the first supply
day after Easter.
On the motion that the Speaker do leave the Chair to
go into Committee on the Customs' Bill,
Mr. W. MILES moved the following resolution as an
amendment—" That in the application of surplus revenue
towards relieving the burthens of the country, by reduc-
tion or remission of taxation, due regard should be had
to the necessity of affording relief to the agricultural in-
terest."

The motion having been seconded by Lord MARCH,
Sir JAMES GRAHAM addressed the House at considerable
length, and concluded by declaring his intention to op-
pose the motion.
Mr. NEWDIGATE, Lord JOHN RUSSELL, Mr. ESCOTT,
Lord WORSLEY, Mr. D'IsRAELI, and several other
Honourable Members then addressed the House, and
were followed by Sir ROBERT PEEL. The House
then divided, and the motion of Mr. MILES was re-
jected by a majority of 136.
The House then went into Committee on the Customs
Duties Act, and after several items had been agreed to,
the House adjourned at a Quarter-past Two o'clock.

The discussion on the motion of Mr. MILES, last night,
led to no result, though it gave rise to an interesting de-
bate, and to at least one important speech, which told
with effect on the Conservative party, because it was
founded on fact. The object of the Hon. Member, who
is the mouthpiece of the farmers' friends in the House
of Commons, was to obtain a portion of the large surplus
revenue for the relief of agriculture, but why did he
apply so late ? All the spare funds had already been
appropriated ; the reduction of the sugar duties, glass
duties, auction duties, and the abolition of customs' dues
on more than four hundred articles of foreign produce,
has been, it may be said, irrevocably fixed, and no rea-
son, no argument, or even threat, could induce the House
of Commons to retract its resolutions, and adopt
other financial measures for the purpose of putting
money into the landlord's pocket. The proposition was
utterly absurd. The whole country, of course excepting
one small class, are crying out for the abolition of the
corn-laws ; the Minister refuses to listen to the general
voice, and in the midst of the disappointment Mr. MILES
comes forward with a bold front and " asks for more."
Never was there a more ill-timed demand, and the
House treated it according to its merits, for they re-
jected it by a majority of 135, the Honourable Member
having only 78 supporters. The arguments which he
adduced, too, were of the most flimsy description ; he
did not make one good point, or establish anything like
a claim on the sympathy of the House, or a necessity
for lengthened refutation on the part of the Govern-
ment. Sir JAMES GRAHAM, however, entered into
numerous details, and showed most satisfactorily that
the landed interest had no just claims to
relief from the burdens of which certain
persons complain. " I admit," said ho " that the
landed interest is entitled to protection, but at the
same time I feel that these burdens are rightly placed,
and lam opposed to their removal. The landed interest
derives a certain protection on account of these burdens,
and Ido not think it should attempt to throw them off."
The House was of the same way of thinking, and the
short speech of Sir ROBERT PEEL would, therefore
probably not have been made but for the rene wed
attack made on his flank by that skilful partizan and
plain-spoken orator, the Hon. Member for Shrewsbury.
The conclusion of his speech was admirable. It galled the
Premier, because facts cannot well be denied, and it made
all the monopolists who, in 1342, were so full of joy
almost melt into tears. They were convinced, when
too late, that their fate was sealed ; that they had
been betrayed by their enemy under false colours ;
and that their favourite Government, to obtain
which they had shaken off the Whigs, and
spent vast sums of money, was in fact only
"an organised hypocrisy." The epithet will stick to it.
Here is the vivid picture of Conservatism drawn by one
who had been behind the curtain. " Such," said Mr.
D'lsus.ELT, "is the fate of th.! great agricultural
interest—that beauty which every body wo ed, and one
deluded. There is a fatality in such charms, and we now
seem to approach the catastrophe of her career.
Protection appears to be in about the same condition
that Protestantism was in 1828. The country will
draw its moral. For my part, if we are to hare free
trade, I, who honour genuius, proper that such measures
should be proposed by the Hun. Member for Stockport,
than by one who, through skilful Parliamentary ma-
noeuvres, has tampered with the generous confidence of a
great people and of a great party. For myself, I care
not what will be the result. Dissolve, if you like, the
Parlir.ment you have betrayed, and appeal to the people,
who, I believe, mistrust you. For me there remains this,
at least—the opportunity of expressing thus publicly
my belief that a Conservative Government is an or
ganised hypocrisy."

England is called a free country. Liberal institutions
have been established for centuries, the law protects the
psor as well as the rich, a man's house is his castle,
justice is even-handed, the Habeas Corpus Act secures
all against imprisonment without trial; these and twenty
other set phrases are constantly in the mouths of senators
and politicians, while in reality there is not a country in
the world where the eyes of justice are so open, where
the law-makers are so favoured and the poor are so utterly
destitute of protection. A certain class of senators
every session seem to exult and riot in discovering some
new scheme for improving public morality, while their
only object, if these contemptible beings halle any object
at all, is to oppress gee poor and the unrepresented.
The rage this session is to shut up all
public-houses on Sunday. Great numbers of
petitions have already been presented to this
effect, they are still pouring in, and come in such
numbers, and are presented by Members with such eager
zeal, that a stranger wauld suppose that drinking beer
on a Sunday is the most heinous crime. But even this
remedy is not enough. Sunday travelling by steam is
also to be put down ; and Mr. PLUMPTRE, on whose
shoulders the mantle of Sir ANDREW AGNEW has fallen,
is exerting himself to rival and even outstrip that Pha-
risaical and, happily, defunct legislator, in making in-
roads upon the established customs, the innocent amuse-
ments, and the only recreations of the poor. No opposi-
tion is made to to these wicked schemes. They evidently
come from high qusrters—from the country clergy,
the squires, the justices of peace, and the selfish
landlords, who would not only monopolise wealth,
but happiness and comfort. If a labouring man is not
allowed to take refreshment on a Sunday—if he is not
to visit his friends, to spend thessnly day he has to him-
self in rational employment and amusement, what is he
to do ? Most of his class are without education, thanks
to our wealthy Church ! They have little enjoyment in
books, even if they can read ; they may go to Church,
hoar a sermon from a Puseyi'e clergyman in a surplice,
listen to the prayer for the Church militant, and see
money collected while the offertory is recited, but what
is to become of them afterwards ? Would it not be
better to chain them up at puce, like wild beasts, than
curtail—nay, destroy—every source of harmless gra-
tification, and render the Loillis day the most mi-
serable day even of their painful week of labour ?
The Home Secretary, who is supposed to watch over the
totals of tin community, has set his face against this

tyrannical interference, and some two years ago said he
saw no harm in taking cakes and ale at a road-side inn
on a Sunday forenoon ; but this session he is silent,
while these attempts are made to bring the lower classes
down to the very depths of degradation. The party,
too, he has to contend with are indefatigable—they are
also unscrupulous—they manufacture petitions, clothe
their wicked policy in the garb of religion, and by per-
severance may accomplish their object. Forgetting the
Divine doctrines of the Book which they constantly
hold up as the guide of their conduct, they neglect the
education of the poor, and trust only to punishments,
to coercive acts, to imprisonment, and death. Never
was any class of beings so cruelly treated as the poor
of England, by men who call themselves their re-
presentatives ; and no argument could be brought
forward by the Chartists, so strong arid so irrefragable,
as this constant meddling with the rational amuse-
ments of the people, who have none to take their part.
Sir ANDREW AGNEW however has been defeated—nay,
disowned by his religious countrymen—the Member
for Kent and his bigoted colleagues may try to follow
in his footsteps, but if there is any spirit left in
Englishmen, or any virtuous spirit in the English
press, they also shall meet with the same just retribution.

We regret to state that accounts have been received
from Lisbon, dated the 12th inst., of a serious disturb%
ance in the wine country on the Douro attended with
the loss of many lives. This melancholy affair took
place in the district of Felguieras, in consequence of an
attempt of the tax-gatherers to levy a new impost on
wine. The farmers had resolved to oppose it, and they
were aided by a vast number of the country people who
collected in the district of Pena-Cova, ringing the church-
bells, and calling upon the inhabitants of the place to
arouse from their lethargy, vociferating " Death to the
Contractors !" " Down with the Taxes !" It was with
the greatest difficulty that the contractors, through
the protection of the administrator of the district,
together with the aid of a few other indivi-
duals, were enabled to escape with their lives.
They afterwards returned with an escort of
30 infantry, but in the meantime a great number of men,
heat:ed by the MonoADo MAGALAES, a, country gentle-
man of the district, had assembled at St. Afartinho, armed,
some with fowling pieces, but most with pikes or scythes.
The soldiers seeing this array, retraced their steps, and
took up a defensive position on a neighbouring height,
from which, however, they were soon dislodged by the
people, who pursued them, by firing a few shots at them
and abusing them as robbers and oppressors of the poor.
Next day a detachment of eighty infantry and some
dragoons, under the command of Captain GUEDES, at-
tacked the insurgents, who stood their ground for some
time, but at last fled and dispersed, leaving.ten of their
number dead on the field.

The official journal of Oporto states that the disturb.
ance had been completely put down, and the district was
tranquil. The Chambers had been occupied during the
week in discussing the remaining articles of the project
for the establishment of savings banks, all of which had
been adopted.

Intelligence has been received from Madrid to the
10th inst. The debate on the Church Property Bill,
which was to commence in the Chamber of Deputies on
the following day, was looked to with interest. General
ARAOZ, who was said to have been implicated in a con-
spiracy against NARVARZ, had been brought before a
court-martial, and acquitted.
The Three per Cents. closed on the Madrid Bourse
on the 10th inst. at 35 5.16 for cash, and 35:1 at 60
days ; the Five per Cents. at 26i at 60 days ; and the
Debt without Interest at 8* at 60 days.

The Paris papers bring no news of importance. The
funeral o f M. ETIENNE, who seems to have been greatly
respected by all parties, took place on Sunday morning
at eleven o'cloek, in the Cemetery of Pere la Chaise.
The chief mourners were M. ETIENNE, son of the de
ceased, a Member of the Chamber of Deputies and his
son-in-law, M. PAGES. The pall was supported by the
Duke DECASES, M. TRIERS, M. Durni, and M. VILLE-
MAIN. Count MOLE was to hare pronounced the funeral
oration, but owing to indisposition he was unable to at-
tend. The melancholy duty was performed by M.
VILLEMAIN. Admiral MACEAU and Count SALVANDY
were present at the ceremonies in the church. The re-
mains of the deceased were interred close to the grave
of Mdlle. DUCHENOIS, and at a very short distance from
those of General FOY, BENJAMIN CONSTANT, and
LAFFITTE.—On Saturday a lengthened discussion
took place on the motion for abolishing the
stamps on newspapers. Several !amendments to the
Bill sanctioned by the Committee were proposed
and rejected, when M. MONTLAVILLE, who had intro-
duced the Bill, said it had :been so altered that he
must withdraw it altogether. The Bill was accordingly
lost.—A dreadful calamity is said to have taken place at
Algiers on the 10th, by the explosion of a powder maga-
vine. In the journals which we have received, no men-
tion is made of such an accident, but we find the follow-
ing in the' Times of this morning, no other English jour-
nal alluding to it :
" Letters from Algiers, of the 10th instant, contain the
details of a frightful event which took place there on the
Bth—namely, the explosion of the powder magazine of the
park of artillery. The entire building, and several others in
its vicinity were utterly destroyed. with the loss of an im-
mense number of lives, including upwards of 100 officers and
soldiers."

At TORTONI'S, on Sunday, the French Three per
Cents. were at 85f. Sc., but little business was done. A
great deal of business was done in the Spanish Internal
Debt, at 34+ I o

GIBRALTAR.
(FROlf A CORIZESPONDF,NT.)

On the 28th February her Majesty's steam-vessel Flamer
arrived with the news of E. W. A. Drummond Hay, Esq.,
late Political Agent and Consul-General at Tangiers, having
expired that morning.
The following morning the Flamer left again for Tangiers,
to convey the remains of Drummond Hay, Esq., to this
garrison for interment. She arrived during the night, and
the funeral took place on the following morning, Sunday,
March 2, at nine A.M. When the procession left her Majesty's
steamer Flamer, the Scout and Flamer, and foreign ships of
war in the bay, fired eleven minute guns.
The funeral cortege proceeded from the dockyard (which
had its flag half-mast high) to the cemetery.
The pall-bearers were—Captain Sir John Gordon Sinclair,
Bart.; Colonel G. I. Harding, C. 8., R.E. ; Mr. Carstensin,
Danish Consul-General ; Mr. Ehrenhaf, Swedish Consul-
General; Don Antonio Beramendi, Spanish Consul-General;
and Mr. G. do Martino, Sicilian Consul-General.
The chief mourners were—Mr. John H. D. Hay, son of
the deceased; Mr. Mauboussin, Gerant:of the French Con-
sulate, and son-in-law of the deceased; Mr. Murray, British
Vice-Consul ; Captain the Hon. J. R. Drummond, of her
Majesty's steamer Scout; and Lieutenant Charles J. Postle,
Commander of her Majesty's steam-vessel flamer.
All the officers from the ships of war in the bay, both Eng-
lish and Foreign, also the officers of the garrison not on duty,
attended as mourners, as well as the Foreign Consuls from
Tangiers.
Every sympathy on the part of the foreign representa-
tives, the )sloorish Government, and the inhabitants of Tan-
giers, was evinced on the sad occasion. About noon the
Flamer started for Tangiers, with Mr. John H. D. Hay, Mr.
Manboussin (Gerant to the French Consulate), Dutch Con-
sul-General, and Mr. Murray. The Danish steamer-of-war
Hekla followed, with the foreign Consuls, having also on board
the Swedish Commodore Ulner, who came over to attend
the funeral.

Half an hour ero poor Mr. Hay departed this world for a
better one, he quietly sent for his Vice-Consul (Mr.Murrav),
and said, " Murray, you will take charge as Consul; my ;on
John will do the political duties. Good bye; God bless you.
We shall meet again."
The feeling at Tangiers by one and all of the Chargi
d'Affaires and Consuls-General, is that the late Mr. Drum-
mond Hay lost his life through a deep devotion to the cause
of his Queen and his country, at the same time taking a
great interest for the welfare of Morocco
The Amazon man-of-war, Captain Stopford, arrived here
yesterday, five days from the Cove of Cork, and proceeded to
Malta. The Fantoine, Sir E. Nicholson, is at. Cadi2h. The
Scout, the Hon. Captain Drummond, and Flamer steamer,
Lieut.-Commander Postle, are at Gibraltar.

ADVICE TO THE CONSUMERS OF

SUGAR.

The reduced duties on sugar have been taken at the Cus-
toms : on yourselves depends whether you buy sugar at low
price or not. Exercise that economy which you have re-
cently so laudably displayed, anti you may set favouritism to
the West Indians at naught, whether it be decreed by an Act of
Parliament or by the cunning of a particular set of 11Iinisters.
The game is in your own hands; contrive to use a less quan-
tity of British sugar than is imported, and you will have
good lump sugar at sixpence per pound, and good moist at
fourpence, sold throughout the empire. But if consumption
exceed the importation of British sugars, wholesale dealers
will be driven to purchase foreign sugars, and to pay a
duty of 235. 4d. per cwt. on them, and the enormous re-
duction of I Is. 3d. per cwt. will be dwindled down to Is. I Id.
being the difference between what the duty was, 255. 3d.
the cwt., and what it will be, 235. 4d., if the wholesale dealer
is compelled, by your eagerness, to buy foreign sugar. Ab-
stain, therefore, as much as practicable, and you will pur-
chase British sugars at 345. per cwt., duty paid—you will
then ensure to yourself and families lump sugar at sixpence,
and moist at fourpence. Already the accumulation of the
stock of British sugars is unprecedently large, and most
alarming to the importers, and this accumulation entirely
arises from your commendable habits of economy: persevere
in those excellent habits, and the Gazette average price of
British sugars will be under 20s. per cwt. before Christmas-
day next. On the other hand, if you heedlessly rush into
the markets, the average price will be higher than ever—
perhaps 365. or 375. per cwt.; and you will not obtain sugar
a fraction cheaper than you bought it before the reduction of
duty occurred. Ever bear in mind that the income-tax
is imposed upon you to make good the deficit in the duty on
sugar. The income-tax you cannot avoid, but you can
avoid putting your money, in the price of sugar, into the
pockets of the West Indians, by exercisieg a prudent atten-
tion to economy.

DEATH OF WILLIAM HOWELL'S WlFE.—This un-
happy woman, the wife of William Howell, who was lately
executed in this town, expired yesterday week at Ilulver.
Report stAtes that she died of a broken heart.—lpswich Ex-
pr-ess.