The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 27, 1844.

COURT OF SEWERS.

A special meeting of the Court of Sewers for the City and
Liberty of Westminster and part of the County of Middlesex,
was held on Tuesday at the Court-house, Greek-street, Soho-
square, for the purpose of further considering the correspond-
ence between the solicitors of Mr. George Bird, the con-
tractor, and the solicitors of this Court, on the subject of the
failure of certain portions of the "main line of the Ranelagh
main sewer, in the Gloucester-road, Paddington ; and for
other business. The chair was taken at 12 precisely by T.
L. Donaldson, Esq.
Mr. G. Bird was seated in Court, and his solicitor, Mr.
Garrard, took part in the proceedings.
The CHAIRMAN having briefly stated the objects for which
the Court had been called,
Mr. LESLIE suggested that the matter in question should
go before a jury. He was decidedly averse to any settlement
between the solicitor of Mr. Bird and those of that Court, and
should give such a proposition all the opposition in his
power. He could not see why the subject now before the
Court should be so quietly determined between the pro-
fessional men; and he thought that they (Commissioners)
should declare that the sum of money paid to Mr. Bird for
fulfilment of his contract should either be refunded, or that
that gentleman should be compelled, at his own cost, to re-
store the sewer in a workmanlike manner.

Mr. CUMBERLEGE said that he had paid particular at-

tention to the various reports drawn up upon this sub-
ject by Mr. Phillips, the clerk of their works ; and he
thought that the honour of that Court would be im-
pugned, unless they adopted some measures to guard
themselves against the infringement' of that and their
future contracts. He was of opinion that the Court ought to
appoint some eminent engineers, in addition to their own
officers, to report on the works in question. He had no
wish to speak disrespectfully of Mr. Bird. He believed him
to be an estimable man ; but if they were to place any faith
in the reports of Mr. Phillips—and he (Mr. Cumberlege) saw
no reason to doubt them—they must come to the conclusion
that the works had not been properly done, and that the
contract had been infringed. The Hon. Commissioner then
moved a resolution in accordance with his speech.
Mr. LESLIE said he should support the resolution proposed
by his friend Mr. Cumberlege.
Mr. HAWKES felt it his duty to oppose the resolution. He
thought it would be impossible for any contractor to under-
take any important work at the instance of the Commis-
sioners, if they were to be treated in the manner in which
Mr. Bird was proposed to be treated by Mr. Leslie and others.
Mr. GARRARD said that if the Court resolved itself into
a Committee of Inquiry, he would produce competent wit
nesses, men of good standing, who would proire the truth of
every statement he had, on the part of Mr. Bird, advanced
on last Court day.
The resolution was, after some further discussion, negatived.
Mr. LESLIE asked if he might be allowed to put a question
to their own solicitor at that stage of the proceedings?
The CHAIRMAN-If it did not involve a speech—(A laugh)
—he thought the Court would have no objection to a ques-
tion being put, if it was material to the subject they were
discussing. _ __ _ _

An Ha. COMMISSIONER asked if the question had any re-
ference to the propriety of Mr. Bird's restoring the sewer to
its original state? _ _ _

Mr.-LEsuE—Certainly it had. The question he wished
to ask of Mr. Smith was, if he had any doubt as to the liabi-
lity of the contractor to that Court?
The CHAIRMAN begged to know if the Hon. Commissioner
referred to a general or particular liability?
Mr. LESLIE repeated his question.
The CHAIRMAN thought that, if the question referred to a
general liability, the putting it was of no value whatever;
if to a particular liability, he thought it ought not to be put.
An HoN. COMMISSIONER (Mr. Allanson, we think) said that
Mr. Bird took the contract to carry out the sewer in a certain
line, and according to a certain plan ordered by that Court.
He did carry out that plan, under the inspection of their
clerk of the works. Now, he thought that, if the contract
had been infringed upon, either by a departure from those
plans, or by the use of inferior materials, it was the duty of the
officer paid by that Court to say, at once, to Mr. Bird, "You
are not doing according to your contract," and he ought, at
once, to have stopped the works before they had further pro-
gressed.—(" Hear, hear," from Mr. Leslie.) ' If he did not
perform his duty, he ought not to be retained in his situation.
—(Hear, hear.) In all public works they left it to the clerk
to see that those works were properly attended to, and that
they were finished as they ought to be. They ought to re-
member that the works they were now deliberating on had
been paid for by them, with the sanction of that officer, and
why now should they come to Mr. Bird, and say " You
have done your work badly, and we must take you
to task for it." It was a matter of gross injustice
to Mr. Bird, for they must not forget that it would not be
that gentleman's pocket alone which would be affected, his
reputation was also at stake. He repeated that it was a mon-
strous injustice to expect him to restore those works at his
own cost. He thought a more sensible proposition for all
parties would be for that Court to appoint some eminent en-
gineer, Mr. W. Cubbitt for instance, to meet another gentle-
man, nominated by Mr. Bird ; that they, after examining the
works, might come to some conclusion, or perhaps leave the
settlement of any difference between them to a third disin •
terested person, who would act as umpire in the matter. He
would embody a resolution to that effect, and read it to the
meeting.

Mr. GARRARD begged to state that he had consulted Mr.
W. Cubbitt, and that that eminent engineer did not wish to
interfere in the question.

Mr. ALLANsoi said that in that case he would leave the
name blank, and it might be filled up by the Court after-
wards.

Mr. LESLIE-By a species of ballot perhaps.—(Laughter.)
Mr. Allanson's motion having been put by the Chairman,
Mr. LESLIE said, that he objected to it on a point of form.
They had already, on a previous day, come to the resolution
of placing the matter in the hands of their solicitors, and the
resolution of that evening would rescind the prior one, by
transferring the question to the surveyors.
After considerable discussion, the resolution was in a mo-
dified form, carried by a majority of three.
The CHAIM/AN said, that the next subject to which the
Court would direct its attention was " to consider the Report
of the surveyors, herewith enclosed, with plan and section,
on the drainage of Plumptree-street, Belton-street, and Bow-
street, in connexion with the metropolis improvements."
The report argued upon the necessity of, and recommended
that a new sewer should be formed in connexion with the
proposed line of new streets, reaching from the New-road to
the river, and embracing the badly drained locality of Long-
acre and its densely populated neighbourhood. The report
further recommended that the sewer might be immediately
commenced, as those at present in existence were much too
inadequate for the purpose of drainage; and it also stated
that it was especially necessary in or ler to relieve the sur-
charge sewer which passed through St. Martin's-lane.
A letter was also read from the Lords Commissioners of
Woods and Forests on the subject.
Mr. LESLIE objected to the levying of a new tax on the
already over-taxed inhabitants, for the purpose of adding to
the value of a Government speculation, which they were
pleased to term improvements. By receiving and acting upon
that report they would be destroying all the shores at present
in existence, and adding to the value of Government pro-
perty at the expense of the general public. It behoved non-
professional Commissioners in that Court to be very careful
how they gave their votes in those cases of improvements,
for how did they know that gentlemen opposite had not an
interest in the very buildings for which this sewer was in -
tended.

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS.
The following are the results of "A Table of Mortality
in the Metropolis, showing the Number of Deaths from
all Causes registered in- the Week ending Saturday, the
22d of June, 1844." The Table is issued from the Office
of the Registrar-General:

Weekly
CAUSES OF DEATH. Total. Average of
Five years.
Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases 226 178
Diseases of variable or uncertain seat B7 111
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses l5l 157
Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration 233 286
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 24 21
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other
Organs of Digestion _

The CHAIM/lAN must really call the Hon. Commis-
sioners to order. He thought it most indecorous to impute
motives to any. Commissioner in that Court.
Mr. LESLIE was sorry that simple truths were so badly
received in that Court.—(Laughter.) He was not imputing
motives. He was merely stating a possible case ; and if
the Chairman were so minded he (Mr. Leslie) could state
many of a similar character.
An HON. COMMISSIONER begged to correct a term used by
Mr. Leslie. He had called the new improvements a Govern-
ment speculation. Now, he found, by the book in his hand,
the evidence taken before the House of Commons, that
Government would actually lose by the so-called speculation,
to an amount exceeding 99,0001.
Mr. LESLIE wished to know the intended width of the new
street.

Diseases of the Kidneys, &c 1 5
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. 8 10
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles 7 6
Diseases of the Skin, &c
Old Age, or Natural Decay 46 • 71
By Violence, Privation, or Intemperance
Causes specified 9lB 942
Deaths from all Causes 920 946
DEATHS FROM THE PRINCIPAL DISEASES INCLUDED UNDER
THE ABOVE HEADS.

Total. Weekly Average
of Five Years.
Consumption 125 147
Scarlatina
Pneumonia . .. ..... 66 79
Dropsy .. ... .. .. ............
looping Cough 22 33
Typhus 36 31
Small Pox 3O 15
Disease of the Heart
Measles 2l 28
Apoplexy
Diseases of the Brain ......
Diarrhcea.. .. ..••• 9 12
Sudden Deaths l5 15
DISTRICTS.

The CiamotAN—Fifty feet.
Mr. LESLIE said that that of itself was sufficient to show
that the Government property would be improved in value.
He thought, and he repeated that the Woods and Forests
ought to pay for their own sewers.
The CHAIRMAN contended that the proposed sewers, being
a great public benefit, ought to be immediately commenced.
When finished, the Woods and Forests would be charged at
the usual rate of lOs per foot frontage on all their line of
property. He should, therefore, propose that the Court
approve of the report of the surveyors.
The resolution was carried.

After some further discussion on the subject, an amended re-
solution was put, to the effect that the Lords Commissioners
of Woods and Forests should, ere the sewer was finished, pay
into the works a sum of 1,0501.85., being the rate of sewerage
upon their line of property.
Some other business having been transacted, the Court
adjourned.

West 142 138
North l9l 171
Central
East
South 230 242

_
Total ••. 00000000 ••.... ..... 920 946

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(YESTERDAY.)
CLE RKEN WELL.
Two sweeps, named Housley and Gryfin, were charged
with the following outrageous conduct :
Between seven and eight o'clock in the morning an-
other sweep, named Palmer, was coming out of a house
in Ball's Pond, Stoke Newington, when he was attacked
by Housley, who, actuated by feelings of envy at
Palmer's having obtained employment, then knocked
him down, and kicked him on the head, so that blood
flowed from his eye and nose. Police-constable 175 N,
hearing cries of " Murder," ran up and seized Housley,
but he tore himself away from the constable, and, taking
up the leg of a mahogany chair, struck him twice on the
head with it. The constable again grappled with him,
but Griffin ran to the rescue of his associate. In the
first instance he attempted to throw a sackful of soot on
the officer, but failing in that struck him with his
clenched fist, and endeavoured with all his might to
rescue Housley. Other police-constables, however,
arrived, and both prisoners were secured.
The prisoners, when asked for their defence, impu-
dently said that Palmer had no business coming into
their district.

THE LOSS OF THE MANCPLESTER.
By the Vivid steamer, which arrived la•3t evening from
Hull, we ascertained that the Transit str4amer made that
port on Monday, from the Elbe, and Cu., additional particu-
lars brought by her confirm the mela- Acholy fact that not a
life was saved. When the Transit lef the Elbe on Saturday
the wreck of the Manchester could b e seen to the northward
of the harbour, but the crew were ur table to gain any tidings
of any bodies washed ashore. The following is a copy of a
circular sent by Mr. Sanderson, the: agent of the Company
at Hull, to which the Manchester belonged, to the several
parties interested in her loss :

_
"Hull, June 24.
"In reference to my advices of the i 21st inst., the following
is an extract of a letter received t' As morning from Ham-
burgh, too truly confirming the r melancholy anticipations.
We have now no hope as to the di: ;estrous fate of the Man-
chester and those on board :

" Ha xaburgh, June 22, 1844.
" Our apprehensions have unfo•. qunately been too well-
founded, and the loss of the beautifi d vessel, the Manchester,
is no longer to be doubted. The wi •eck has been seen at the
north-east end of the bank of Vog el Sands, about 13 miles
distant from the Danish coast, where a great number of pieces
of wreck have been driven ashore. T here is a report that part
of the valuable cargo has been pick ,ed up, but we have no
particulars about it. The clock of th, 3 cabin has been brought
to Cuxhaven, showing the time of I lalf-past one o'clock, and
also a pocket watch, showing the ti me of one o'clock, so that
the unfortunate accident appears to have occurred about mid•
night, after a run of about 32 hot In from Hull. Her frag-
ments brought here are nearly a' 1 dashed to pieces by the
violence of the breakers, and all li 'yes are undoubtedly lost.'
" I may further add, besides the e irew, consisting of 22 per-
sons, the following are ascertained to have been on board:—
Mrs. St. George Smith and her so n and daughter (the two
latter being about 26 and 22 years of age), from Drogheda,
on their way to Graffenburgh, in Silesia, for the benefit of
their health ; Mr. Rothsay, of Leed a, wool merchant ; and it
is thought that there was one or tw '0 others, but nothing par-
ticular has positively been ascertai aed.

Mr. GREENWOOD sentenced Housley to pay a fine of
2/., or a fortnight's imprisonment, for the assault on
Palmer, and to a week's imprisonment, without fine, for
the assault on the constable. Griffin was sent to prison
for five days, without fine.
A young man, named Passon, of miserable appear-
ance, was charged with refusing to perform the work
assigned him in the Holborn Union workhouse.

The evidence of Baldwin, the task-master, and of
Barlow, the porter, went to prov ethat the prisoner had
been received as a casual pauper into the workhouse c.n
the previous night ; that he had slept and breakfasted
there that morning, and, when asked to perform the
work assigned him by Act of Parliament, four hours'
labour at picking coir yarn, he refused. When told
that, if he persevered in his refusal, they would bring
him before the magistrate, he said he did not care if
they brought him to h—l.
The prisoner, in answer to questions from the Magis-
trate, said he had been ten years at sea ; he had been
in London for the last fortnight, wandering about the
streets half-starved.

"J. SANDERSON."

BRIGHTON, WEDNESDAY.— By the return of the
General Steam Navigation comp any's packet, the Magnet,
this morning, we learn that the I king of the French was ex-
pected to arrive this day at Vilh I d'Eu. His Majesty's car-
riages and horses arrived at the Chateau yesterday. Prince
Soitokoff, from Russia, arrived by the Magnet to-day, and
lended on the chain-pier.
The Prince de Joinville h as done Captain W.
Hall, of her Majesty's yacht Vic toria and Albert, the honour
to address to him a letter highly complimentary, wherein he
has expressed the high gratificati on he has received from the
perusal of his book, the .6 Voyage 8, &c., of the Nemesis," and
much extols her various exploit s in China. He concludes
with requesting Captain Hall's a cceptance (as a small token
of his esteem) of a brace of pistols . The pistols are of a most
elaborate manufacture, and most . highly-finished twelve-inch
barrels, half stocked with ebony ; Ordaici with silver, and were
contained in a most superb rosew. Pod case inlaid with silver.
The value is said to be 100/.

assigned Mr. G RyEorOPODrrsoNnVehr—y dßiedcyauosue nwoht
epnelr fm
mm e tihn et
ot a sk
the
workhouse last night, after being out all day in the rain,
they gave me no supper, and although my clothes were
all wet I was obliged to lie on boards all night.
Mr. GREENwoon (to the porter)—Did he get his sup-
per ? The porter replied in the negative.
Mr. GREENWOOD (to the prisoner)—But you got your
breakfast, and would have got your dinner if you had
picked the yarn.

The pris-Oner said he did not think the treatment he
received justified them in asking him to work.
Mr. GREENWOOD said as the prisoner had refused to
do the work, and persevered in that refusal, he must
send him to prison for five days.

We have reason to believe f ;hat the appointment of
Lord Heytesbury as Lord Li .eutenant of Ireland has
been all but definitively settled .—Evening Paper.

Prisoner—Thank your Worship ; I wish it were for IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
five years. He was committed. HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 26.
QUEEN-SQUARE. The SPEAKER took the Chair at the usual hour
ATTEMPT TO EXTORT MONEY.— William Burns, a (Four o'clock), at which time there were exactly forty
• man about thirty years of age, having the appearance of Members present.
• a cabman. was placed at the bar, before Mr. Bond, i The Lords' Amendments to the Manchester Police
chfirged by Mr. Lympus Hurst, a gentleman, holding an Bill were read and agreed to.
Marianski's Naturalisation Bill was read a third time
appointment in the Royal Hospital Chelsea, and who I
resides in Priory-place, Walworth-road, with endeavour- land passed.
ing to extort money from him. On the motion of Lord INGESTRE, the Gasps
The complainant, when he entered the witness box, Fishery and Coal Mining Company Bill was read a
was seized with faintness, and was removed from the second time and ordered to be committed, after a few
t
Court into the air. On his return, he stated 11at observations from Mr. ROEBUCK and Mr. GLADSTONE.
about one o'clock this morning, as he was crossing West- Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from Rochdale,
Iminster-bridge towards the Surrey side, on his way home, signed by 6,000 persons, against the formation of a
the prisoner, who was accompanied by two women, came troop of yeomanry in that town and district. The Hon.
up to him and said in a determined tone, " I want some Member gave notice that, on reading the Orders
money." He asked him what he meant by such a de- of the Day to-morrow, he should call the attention of
mand, and feeling alarmed at his conduct which was unlike the Secretary of State for the Home Department to the
that of a beggar, or of a person in distress, and fearing subject.
that it was his intention to rob him, he told him that he Mr. DENISON presented a petition against the union
had no money and went on. The prisoner, however, of the sees of Bangor and St. Asaph.
followed and pushed against him repeatedly. A police- Mr. RUTHERFORD presented a petition from the
man, who appeared to have been watching the coopers of Leith, praying for the repeal of the duty on
prisoner, came up, and he gave him into foreign staves.
custody, when the two women who were Mr. W. MILES presented petitions from Somerset-
with him absconded. The complainant further said setshire against the agitation carried on by the Anti-
that he had taken some whit key-and-water during the Corn-law League, and in favour of protection.
evening, but was perfectly conscious of all that occurred. On the motion of Mr. WYSE the following resolution
Policeman, 53 13, corroborated the preceding evidence. was agreed to---That the Second Report from the Com-
missioners appointed by his late Majesty King William
When the prisoner was taken to the station-house and
searched, four sixpences were found on him which he the Fourth, and re-appointed by her Majesty the Queen,
attempted to swallow, but was prevented from doing so. to inquire into the manner in which railway communi-
He was quite sober. catintido,nssigcnaedn mTo. st
Drummondadvantag,eoTu.slpy. promoted inpelrteer-
Policeman, 25 B, said he had known the prisoner for l by
some time, and had frequently seen him in the society of Barlow, and Richard Griffith, dated the 13th 'day of
convicted thieves. He had been a cabman. He did not July, 1838, and the appendixes annexed thereon, and
know how he obtained kis living. presented to both Houses of Parliament by order of her
The prisoner said he had been to the Bower Saloon Majesty, be referred to the Committee on the Great
with the women, that he was drunk at the time of the Southern and Western Railway (Ireland) Bill.
occurrence, and pushed against the complainant by Dr. NICHOLL presented several petitions against the
accident. He did not demand money of him. Dissenters' Chapels Bill.
Mr. BOND said he had no doubt but that it was his in- Lord INGESTRE presented petitions from Wolver-
tention to commit a felony; and he must have been suc- hampton, Milton, Brough, and other places, against the
cessful had the complainant been a person easily inti- repeal of corn-laws.
midated. He should commit him to the House of Cor- APPEAL IN CRIMINAL CASES.
rection for six weeks, with hard labour. Mr. GODSON, for Mr. Kelly, moved the Order of
WORSHIP-STREET. the Day for the second reading of the Appeal in Crimi-
EXTRAORDINARY ASSAULT CAsE.—Thomas Walter Wilson, nal Cases Bill, for the purpose of postponing it until
a tall, well-dressed man, was, placed before Mr. Broughton, next Wednesday, when Mr. Kelly would take the sense
the sitting magistrate, and charged on a warrant with assault- of the House upon it.
ing, and attempting to violate Mrs. Eliza Vale, a married COURT OF ARCHES BILL.
woman, whose husband is a plumber by trade, and resident Mr. 11. ELPHINSTONE moved that the Order of the
in Plumber-street, City-road.
Day, for the adjourned debate on the second reading of
Mr. W. Heritage appeared in support of the complaint,
and Mr. E. Vann for the defendant. the Court of Arches Bill, be postponed until this day
Mrs. Vale, a very good-looking and respectably-dressed fortnight.—Agreed to.
woman, about thirty years of age, deposed that the defendant, NOTICES OF MOTIONS.—SECRET DEPART-
who is of the same trade as her husband, had lodged in their MENT OF THE POST-OFFICE.
house seven or eight weeks, and about twelve o'clock last Mr. T. DUNCOMBE gave notice that he would, on
Saturday night he came home, and into the kitchen, where Tuesday next, move for a Select Committee to inquire
she was making some gruel for her husband, who had come into the Department of the General Post-office, corn-
home an hour or two before, and retired to bed rather un-
well. The defendant, while she was so engaged, kissed her, money called the Secret-office, the duties of the persons
engaged therein, and the authority under which the
but she declared solemnly, upon her oath, that he did no- •
'unctions of the said office are discharged.—alear.)
thing more, and did not attempt to disturb any part of her
dress, nor make any improper proposition to her, and both IRISH AND SCOTCH BANKS.
of the doors were open at the time. Mr. WODEHOUSE gave notice that, on the motion
Mr. BROUGIITON put various questions to witness, who re- for going into Committee on the Bank Charter Bill, he
plied that she had been married several years, and she and would ask a question of the Right Hon. Gentleman at
her husband had always previously been on good terms, but the head of the Government, whether it was the intention
she believed, from his keeping closely about her, that he was of the Government either this session or next to extend
rather jealous, and since this occurrence he had been so the provisions of the Bank Charter Bill to the banks of
violent that she appehended some danger. Ireland and Scotland.
James Vale, the husband, said that he returned home be- CORONERS (IRELAND) BILL.
tween ten and eleven on the night in question, and went to
bed rather unwell, and lie afterwards, hearing the noise of On the motion of Mr. GROGAN, the Coroners (Ire-
the defendant below, went softly down stairs to listen, and land) Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
.
there heard the defendant tell his wife that he had reason to committed on Wednesday week.
believe that witness had "a fancy woman," but the wife re- The Appeals in Criminal Cases Bill, the Lime Toll
plied that she had never any reason to suspect it. The wit- Exemption (Wales) Bill, and the Juvenile, Offenders
ness said he then distinctly heard the sound of two kisses, Bill, were postponed.
and having got into a situation where he could see into the CORN-LAWS.—ADJOURNED DEITATE.
kitchen, witnessed conduct on the part of the defendant, The Order of the Day for resuming the adjourned
which proved unequivocally his criminal intention. He im- debate on the corn-laws was then read.
mediately rushed in and beat the defendant with all his
might, and pursued him to his bedroom, beating him until Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN said, the Noble Lord
who had occupied the last hour of last night, and the
he rushed out again. He then, he said, got hold of a brass t o
candlestick, and beat the defendant with that until he broke first hour of the morning,had alluded the agricultural
it over him, and then threw his clothes out into the street labourers of Dorsetshire, but he should leave the Hon-
after him. His wife, he said, went upon her knees, and pro- ourable Member for that county to reply to his state-
tested to him that the defendant had not attempted any- ments. There was much, however, in the Noble
thing but to kiss her, but what he saw on the part of the Lord's statement, in which they must all ag, Tee. There
defendant, he said, proved the vile intention of the latter, was an acknowledgment of the extreme difficulty and
from whom his wife was receding when he entered. importance of the subject under consideration, and there
Mrs. Vale being recalled, declared repeatedly, in the most
w
positive manner, that the defendant, as she was pouring out as an admission of the duty they owed to the poor ;
and there was a very feeling allusion to the great interval
the gruel for her husband, came in, and putting his hands on
her shoulders, kissed her. That was all he did or attempted, Members
which now separated the poor from the rich. Hon.
and that, she said, was of course without her consent. In
everything else her husband was entirely mistaken, and all opposite often alluded to the extreme import-
ance of providing a sufficient supply of necessaries for
that he had described must be a delusion of his jealous and the people. The question was one of great importance,
excited imagination. as it included the question of cheap provisions.—(Hear.).
The husband admitted that he had previously a jealous feel- It was part of the tactics of the members of the Anti-
ing of the defendant, for he once before saw him kiss his wife Corn-law League, when they met with an argument
in the kitchen, and then spoke to him about it. that they could not answer, to call it an exploded fallacy,
Holland, the warrant officer, stated that, when he served
the warrant, the defendant, as they were proceeding to the and to talk about old ladies and country squires, and
when they had raised a laugh under cover of that, to fall
station-house, said, " I did kiss his wife, to be sure, but then back upon some argument more easily manageable, and
I had a
sufficientund thrashing for that, and I think that ought
to be " On the way to this Court yesterday, how- to call that returning
ever, he intimated a more particular intimacy with the com-
wife. League had a great advantage in haranguing multi-
plainant's..tudes on account of their violence and their ea:treme
The defendant now denied the construction put upon what pies. They contended for total and immediate repeal, and
he had said by the officer, and his solicitor said, in his de- this gave them a great present advantage over more
fence, that on the occasion in question, he had been drinking moderate men ; but when they came to put their theo-
a little, and that what then took place was correctly stated ries in practice, they would discover that they were im-
by Mrs. Vale, and not such as the jealous imagination of the
practicable. One of their principles was to buy in the
husband represented it. cheapest, and to sell in the dearest market. Now, he
Mrs. Vale again assured the Magistrate that the fact was had never heard of any one that would object to that as
as she had stated it.
an abstract proposition. But were Hon. Gentlemen op-
Mr. BROUGHTON, after commenting upon the case said, that
posite prepared to carry out that proposition without
the wife completely negatived the charge of assault with the
intent imputed to the defendant, and he should, therefore, compromise?— (Hear, hear, from the Opposition.) Were
dismiss that; but the defendant might be indicted at the they prepared to carry it out in private life ? Would
sessions for a common assault, and he would require the de- they dismiss an old man, whom they had long employed
fendant to give bail, his own recognisance in 501., and two at 12s. a week, because they could get a younger man to
sureties in 401. each, to appear and answer any such charge as undertake the same work for 10s. a week ? If they car-
might then be preferred. ried out that principle strictly, there would be an end
The defendant was locked up in default of bail to all neighbourly feeling and domestic charity, and if it
were to be earned out without compromise in public
life, it would destroy our honour, our defences, and our
national character. If any foreigner, acquainted with
our social state, were to be told that there were a set of
men who were in favour of a total and immediate
repeal of the corn-laws, he would say that
they must be either too visionary to be listened
to, or too dangerous to be trusted. The Pro-
tectionists might as well raise a cry for a return to the
war prices, as the Anti-Corn-law League for total and
immediate repeal. The League had done themselves
injury by their violence. For one recruit that joined
them, many left them ; and those who were leaving them
were the parties who supplied the sinews of war.
Did the League consider, because of the violence of their
exertions, that the Right Hon. Baronet was induced to
make the declarations he had done ? The attempts of
the League had been unworthy of them. Whatever
the conduct of the landowners bad been, it
was very different from that of the League.
He would now go into the history of the
League, and in doing so he must ask for some consider-
able patience from the House ; but before doing so he
would advert to some of the statements of the members
of the League. The Hon. Member then referred to a
speech of Mr. Cobden's, and also to one made by tin
Hon. Member for Bolton. He also read several extracts
from speeches delivered by Mr. Ward and Mr. Bright.
The Hon. Member for Durham spoke of the aristocracy
as the enomies of the human race—as locusts preying
on the community, and said that the distresses of the
people were laughed to scorn in the halls of the aristocracy.
The Hon. Member for Stockport did not entirely confine
his censure to the landed aristocracy. He said much
greater scorn was due to those mercantile men who be-
came allies of the aristocracy. He must now beg the
patience of all the House, except the Members
of the Anti-Corn-law League. (The Honourable
Member here untied a large bundle of quotations
from speeches, &c., made by these gentlemen ; the ap-
pearance of it excited a general cry of " Oh, oh," from
the House.) The first quotation read by the Hon. Mem-
ber was one from a speech of the Hon. and Learned
Member for Bolton, at a dinner at that town in 1838, in
which he called on merchants and tradesmen to join the
League. In another part of the speech the Hon. and Learned
Member (Dr. Bownng) said that the "Anti-Corn-law
League would be the arbiter of political power."—(A
laugh and ironical cries of "Hear" upon the Opposition
side.) The next quotations read by the Honourable
Gentleman were from the "Anti-Corn-law League," the
"Circular," and other publications of the League, which
gave instructions to travellers and others as to the mode
in which they were to distribute the papers, and
disseminate the doctrines of free-trade, and inculcate a
hatred of the " most infamous of human laws."—(Laugh-
ter on the Tory benches.) One of these instructions was
to cause copies of the " League Almanac" to be hung up
in club-rooms, public-houses, reading-rooms, black-
smiths' shops, &c.—(Great laughter.) The Hon. Mem-
ber then exhibited to the House a copy of the Almanac,
amidst renewed laughter. This Almanac gave the
names of all the anti-corn-law saints—(Laughter)—the
first of whom was the Hon. C. P. Villiers, M.P. for
Wolverhampton, who was born in the year 1802—
(Great laughter)—John Bright first saw the light in
1811 (Renewed laughter) and though great
obscurity existed with regard to Homer
and Shakespeare, they had great pleasure in
stating that Dr. Bowring was born on the 17th of
October, 1792.—(Great laughter.) He now came to
another part of the proceedings of the League, called the
pulpit agitation. The Hon. Gentleman here read ex -
tracts from the Anti-Corn-law Circular recommending a
system of pulpit lectures on the subject of the corn-laws.
The Hon. Member, also, read extracts from the
speeches of the Dissenting ministers assembled in the
Manchester conference. The Hon. Member for Stock-
port had stated at the conference, that this was a middle
class agitation, and that they had had recourse to the
usual methods adopted in carrying on middle class
agitation ; they had procured the co-operation of Dis-
senting ministers, of ladies, and they had organised
tea parties. So that it appeared that the characteris-
tics of a middle class agitation were Dissenting minis-
ters, ladies, and tea parties.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.)
the Ministerial benches.) He was sorry not to see the
Right Hon. Member for the city of Perth in his place, in
order to congratulate him on the most remarkable in-
cident of modern times; for according to the opinions of
the League, the most remarkable incident of modern
times was his declaring himself in favour of total and
immediate repeal. That declaration had been looked upon
as the precursor to a similar declaration from all the
members of the late Whig Cabinet. The Noble Lord the
Member for Sunderland was on the same side as the
Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Perth, but the
Noble Lord the Member for the City of London had,
by his speech last night, injured the cause of repeal.
The League had not been neglectful of the sinews
of war, and this was the manner in which they provided
them. (The Hon. Gentleman then read several extracts
from the addresses of the League, and from the speeches
of its leading members, inculcating the necessity of
providing sufficient funds to carry on the agitation.)
He next read an account of the expenditure or 2.484/.
Bs. 6d., which he said was the first, the last, and the
only account they had ever given, although they had
received 159,0001., thus leaving a balance of 156,5151.

, 11s. 6d. wholly unaccounted for.—(Tory cheers and
laughter.) The Hon. Member having concluded the
reading of the extracts of the speeches of the members
of the League on this subject, referred to a paragraph in
the Quarterly Review, and then said he would now ad-
vert to the last section, namely, the interference of the
Corn-law League in the elections of the country. The
' Hon. Member then proceeded to read extracts from
speeches made by members of the League on the subject.
The League had offered a reward of 1001. at several of
the elections for the detection of bribery, but had not
succeed in establishing a single case.—(The Hon. Mem-
ber exhibited a placard offering the reward. He then
read a letter from the Right Hon. Gentleman, the Mem-
ber for Edinburgh, to Mr. Maclaurin, a member of the
League, declining to attend an Anti-Corn-law meeting.)
He (Mr. S. O'Brien) had learned that, in consequence of
this refusal, Mr. Maclaurin had determined to contest
the representation of Edinburgh with Mr. Macaulay ;
and he (Mr. O'Brien) hoped, if he did, that he would be
well beaten. The League had recently interfered in
several elections, but had been successful in none—all
the victories of the League came at first, all its reverses
at last. The only borough that had returned a member
of the League, was that in which the League had not,
and would not, be permitted to interfere. The League
was very extravagant in its promises, but very scanty in
its performances. Notwithstanding that they had vast
res)urces, and considerable ability, six months ago the
League was in the height of its power and influence—
what were they now ? and what had they accomplished?
If he had desired an organised body, possessing all the
means and appliances for the destruction of our insti-
tutions, he would have selected theAnti-Corn-law League.
They had endeavoured to sow dissension among the
different classes of the community ; in fact the League
possessed all the elements for sedition—they had de-
clared that this House did not represent the people, and
had impudently attempted to tamper with and influence
the constituencies of the kingdom.—(Laughter.) If
the proceedings of this body were not adverse to the law,
they certainly were abhorrent to the Constitution of this
country. He would vote against the motion, because he
did not wish to see protection to British agriculture
abolished, and because he did not consider the present a
fitting or a proper time to make the motion ; and, at the
same time, he would enter his protest against the narrow,
selfish, unconstitutional policy of the Anti-Corn-law
League.

only get the market value of his land. If they were re-
duced to continental prices, would they not be compelled
to adopt the continental system of the proprietors culti-
‘ ating their own estates without the intervention of the
tenant farmer ? Now, as to the poor man, for whom so
much was said in that House, and so little was done—
Jlear, hear)—he believed that he was better off with
high prices and high wages, than low prices and low
wages. He believed also that the object of the League
' was to reduce wages to the continental level, and quoted
a passage from a speech of the Hon. Member for Wol-
verhampton to bear him out in the assertion.—(Mr. Vil-
liers denied the correctness of the report.) In that case
he would retract it ; but the Hon. Member for Birming-
ham had made a declaration to the same effect. He did
not think that the corn-laws could be said to be detri-
mental to trade and commerce, when it was stated by
the free traders themselves, that in the last forty years
the manufactures of the country had realised enough to
purchase the fee-simple of the whole land of the king-
dom. Other nations, too, had seen the advantage of the
protective system, and were more extensively adopting it.
Mr. WARD said they ought to express their obliga-
itions to the Noble Lord for having, brought back the
debate to something like its proper object ; for as to
spending two hours in reviewing all that had been said
I and done by the Anti-Corn-law League, he considered
it a mere evasion of the main question, of how these laws
bore upon the interest of the community. If the Hon.
Member for North Lancashire had come forward a
twelvemonth ago, and charged the League with being a
seditious body, it might havo been open to him to have
done so ; but for him to do so now, holding the position
of the President of the Publishing Council o
the Agricultural Protection Societies, which had
used the same means as the League, with the ex-
ception of the great talent which that body brought
to the question, he thought was rather out of place.
Those societies were now copying, though at a very
humble distance, the efforts of the League. Now, as to
the question itself, if he could believe, according to the
Noble Lord, that there was a regular sliding-scale be-
tween the landlord and the tenant, and that the land-
lord always reduced his rent in proportion to the price
of corn ,he would concede that to be just. But they
never heard of anything but miserable abatements of five,
six, or ten per cent. The tenant took the farm in the
expectation of making a rent according to the price pro-
mised by the corn-laws, which those laws were not able
to secure to him. The Right Hon. Baronet had not been
able to secure to the farmers the minimum price of 565.
promised by the sliding-scale.—(No, no.) He contended
that if he did not make an actual promise, he did a
virtual oue, and that promise had not been kept. The
Noble Lord alluded to the interests of the poor man,
about which so much was said in that House, and so
little done. God knew that was true enough. But
where were those who called themselves the friends of
the poor to-night. They shrank from this discussion.
Where were those who, when they were dealing with
the interests of others, practised a cheap humanity at
other people's expense.--(Hear, hear.) Where was the
Noble Lord, the Member for Dorsetshire ? Where were
all the " young England " party? They were all repre-
sented by the solitary gentleman (Mr. P. Borthwick)
who had the peculiar distinction of being the only man
in the House who could be found to second the amend-
ment moved to the resolution before the House, and he
must do the Hon. Member the justice to say that he
never saw a man more unwillingly dragged into a
dilemma. He thought too, it was to the credit of the
House, that no allusion had been made throughout the
debate, to that amendment, except by the Right Hon.
President of the Board of Trade, who said that where it
could be proved one man had been thrown out of work
by machinery, he would show a hundred families main-
tained in comfort by it. But where were all those who,
when they were dealing with other people's property,
used such loud language about zeal and care for the poor
man ? Had they all had time to get sober like the Hon.
Member for Nottinghamshire? He could conceive nothing
more contemptible than the position they would henceforth
occupy in public opinion. He totally denied what had
been stated by the Noble Lord as to prices and wages.
A position more untenable, and more unfounded than
that of wages being regulated by prices, he had never
heard. In many parts of the country wages were lower
than they were five years ago. The farmers were not
responsible for this ; there were more persons pressing
on them for employment, and consequently there was
less money to be divided among them. And he would
take this opportunity of alluding to a practice adopted
in Suffolk, against which he, as an old supporter of the
poor-law in that House, must strongly protest,
that , was the introduction of another test besides
the workhouse test, before giving a man a right to
relief. It was the intention of the law that
the workhouse text should be the only one.
That was generally understood in 1833, but it appeared
that in the county of Suffolk a certificate was required
that a man could not obtain work. The Noble Lord had
said that commerce had flourished even when the corn-
laws were more stringent than they were at present. It
was a bold assertion that the corn-laws could in any way
tend to promote commerce ; but the Noble Lord was one
of a clique, and bold assertions of this kind were always
received with favour by gentlemen opposite. Why, it
was well known that every Government found it difficult
to make commercial treaties with other countries in con-
sequence of those laws. The correspondence which had
taken place between the Noble Lord and the Secretary
for Foreign Affairs with the Government of Prussia
proved that.—(Hear, hear.) He should like to know
what advantage it was to the Noble Lord to pay double
for his sugar. But he supported the sugar duties in order-
that the corn-laws might be protected ; for there
was an implicit contract that one interest was to
support the other. The Right Hon. Gentleman the Pre-
sident of the Board of Trade was fond of abstract princi-
ples. He declared that he regarded dear bread as the
greatest of public calamities, while in the same breath he
said that the admission of 160,000 quarters of corn, at a
duty of 17s. was a proof of the admirable working of the
present law. The Right Hon. Gentleman, at the head
of the Government also dealt in abstract assertions, of
which, if he performed but the tithe, he, and the band et
free-traders by whom he was surrounded, would most
gladly follow him. He would prefer him ten times to
his Noble Friend the Member for London, who was the
type of the fixed duty. Should the Right Hon. Baronet
have any further quarrels with his party, the free-
traders would most gladly accept of him for their
leader.—(Laughter.) The Noble Lord upheld the
principle of a fixed duty. The Right lion. Baronet ad-
hered to no principle at all. The Noble Lord hinted
that when they came to a compromise, Hon. Gentlemen
men opposite would find him a most convenient person.
No doubt a fixed duty would be preferable to a sliding-
scale, but if the Right Hon. Baronet could get rid
of the drag chains by which he was encumbered, and
work out a partion of that large theory
which he put into such a comprehensive shape before.
the country, there was no person whom he (Mr..
Ward) would like so well to follow, because the Right
Hon. Baronet made a great deal of a bad cause, and if
he only set himself seriously to carry out the principles.
which he knew to be right, his eloquence would carry,-
everything before him; but when the Hon. Member for
Somerset said he now depended on the Government, and
when, after praising the manliness and straightforward-
ness of the speech of the Hon. Gentleman the President'
of the Board of Trade, which he (Mr. Ward) never
before heard were characteristics of that Right Hon.
Gentleman's speeches—(A laugh)--he said he hoped
they would engage in a new compact with the Govern-
ment, the Right Hon. Gentleman actually got excited
on the subject, and put himself out of his ordinary calm
course to cheer the appeal made to him. He had asked
for a fair trial, and he believed the Right Hon. Gentle-
man intended to give the law a fair trial. What was a fair
trial? Was it one, two, three, five, or ten years ?
He did not believe the Right Hon. Gentleman, the Pre-
sident of the Board of Trade, would have made the
speech they had heard from him last night were it not
for the rain which had fallen, and which had, in siyme
degree, removed the fears for the harvest. Was the
country to undergo all the misery and suffering of two
or three bad harvests before they had—he would not
say convinced the Right Hon. Baronet, because he was
convinced, as he (Mr. Ward) was—but before he could,
with as decent a regard for consistency as possible, re-
verse his mode of action? The Right Hon. Gentleman
would then tell Hon. Gentlemen opposite that the Ume
was come when it was impossible to resist any banger
the general demand for the repeal of the corn-laws. He
knew that at present the advocates for a repeal of the--
corn-laws were labouring under a disadvantage, because
there was no scarcity of provisions, and there 'was no
great deficiency of work. But that was a bad state of
legislation which depended on the state of the weather.
—(Hear.) This was a landlord, and not a tenant cities tion.
There was never anything so bolstered up as %his Pro •
Corn-law League. The first association was gsat up by a
landlord, Mr. Tower of Essex. It was the landlords
who raised the fund to support it. He did not believe
that in a single county the tenants had origin ated
any movement. It would be wiser—more honours tble,
and more profitable, for Hon. Gentlemen opposit e to
look at this question fairly and openly; instead of sta ring
off the evil hour by a large majority of votes, wit bout
convincing any, being that they had a single sound tuegu-
meat upon which to take their stand.—(Cheers.)
Sir sr. TROLLOPE said he did not intend to speak
upon this motion, were it not that the Hon. Genileman
who spoke last asserted the Pro-Corn-law Society had
copied the Anti-Corn-law League in everything but
their talents. They did not copy it in interfering
with the elections. One of the fundamental rules of
the Society with which he was connected was not in
anyway to interfere with the elective franchise, there-
fore that part of the statement of the Hon. Gentleman
was not founded in fact. He also denied the statement
of the Hon. Gentleman that the Pro-Corn-law Ass o-
ciation was repudiated by the tenants of the country.
On the contrary, it was originated by the tenants them-
selves ; at least, that was the case in the county which
he, represented. The principle of the Anti-Corn-law
lasague was an aggressive one—their's was a defensive
one. They were not jealous of the Anti-Corn-flaw
League ; they simply wished to stand on the protective
system as regarded themselves.—(Hear, hear, from the
Opposition.) One good result which followed from the
Anti-Corn-law League was, that they taught the land-
lords to know their own strength, and they did not
mean to lose it. The Hon. Gentleman them referred to
the agricultural improvements which had taken place in
the county of Lincoln, and said that if the poor in the
county of Suffolk were employed, and their wages
raised, they would hear no more of incendiary fire:se—.
(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for Sussex recom-
mended capital punishments to put a stop to those in.
cendiaries. He (Sir J. Trollope) hoped that such a
course would never again be resorted to.—(Hear, hear.)
If the corn-laws were repealed all the land must be lee
stored to a state of pasture, and it would afford ma in.
tenance only to shepherds, and the labouring elas:les
would be ruined.

Captain LAYARD said another opportunity was now
given to the House of taking under consideration a law
which, in his opinion, was opposed to the best interests
of the people, and in direct opposition to the principles
of humanity and justice. And although there was no
doubt that the Ministers would, on this occasion, com-
mand an overwhelming majority, and that the Hon.
Member for Wolverhampton's motion would be defeated,
yet he felt that the opinion of the people of this country
was, that the interests of the many were sacrificed for
the benefit of the few; and that the tower of strength
which the agriculturists prided themselves upon, not
being founded on the rock of justice, would finally be
swept away by the tide of public opinion, which, for
some time had been setting in against it, and by which
it was already undermined.—(Hear, hear.) It was not
only the injustice of this law in itself, the depriving the
people of cheap food, the restriction it put upon manu-
factures, the feeling of distrust which the people felt
against those who acted upon such selfish as well as
ridiculous opinions, but the other bad consequences
which it entailed ; for it was for the sake of the corn-law
that the House had been made to lower itself as it had
done upon the Factory Bill; and alas! which miserable
example it had again followed on the sugar duties. We
were apt to speak of the superiority of this country to
others in her laws and institutions; but for his (Captain
Layard's) part, he thought that as long as this law was
in operation we could not do so with justice. Some
years ago, when in China, he was fortunate enough to
become acquainted with one of the Hong merchants, a
clever, intelligent person ; and they often used to con-
verse on the different customs and manners of their re-
spective countries. He (Captain Layard) told his
Chinese friend how barbarous the practice was ac-
counted which they (the Chinese) followed of bandaging
up the feet of their children as soon as they were born, and
pressing all the small toes under the sole of the foot, and
he asked his friend if many of the children did not die
from such treatment, and what could sanction such a
barbarous custom? The reply was, the custom is a
cruel one. Hundreds die from mortification; but we
have a set of old women who live by it, and is a part of
their trade, and we cannot break through it. Now, if
the Chinese merchant had asked him (Captain Layard)
if it was true that we had a law by which the food of
our people was restricted, if he had said, true, our wo-
men take short steps, but yours are on short commons;
ours die in infancy from mortification, but yours die at
all ages, from disease and decline, brought on by insuffi-
ciency of food—what could he (Captain Layard) have
answered, not at that time having heard the celebrated
speech of the Paymaster-General of the Forces, that
this law must be enforced for the.dower of young ladies
and the jointure of old ones? For his part, he thought
our Legislature quite as barbarous as the Chinese. He
felt that some gratitude was due from the Right Hon.
Baronet at the head of her Majesty's Government to the
League ; for the very man, who some time ago he had
charged with wishing to have him assassinated, had
come to his assistance, and saved, for a time his political
existence. The Right lion. Baronet had certainly lost
the great guns from his party; but as they had been
pretty well used up, perhaps the Right Hon. Baronet
did not think it of much consequence. He alluded to
the Hon. Members for Knaresborough and Shrewsbury.
The Hon. Member for Knaresborough was at first con-
sidered a great gun; indeed, he had been fired right and
left amongst
.the manufacturers ; the Hon. Member for
linaresborough having, as he thought, had enough of
the manufacturers, took a shoot at his own party,
when the Right Honourable Baronet the Secre-
tary for the Home Department, calling Mr.
Jlott to his assistance, rushed in to stop the
discharge, but it had taken place, and in his (Captain
Layard's) opinion, had considerably damaged all who
had anything to do with it. The Hon. Member for
Shrewsbury, he thought, might very fairly be compared
to a clock which went pretty well for some time, but not
having been oiled, at last began to go rather irregularly.
The hands at one time were supposed—the clock hav-
ing gone three or four hours without stopping—upon
foreign policy, to point to some diplomatic appointments
abroad ; it had been hinted that the Shrewsbury clock,
though it had not yet aspired publicly to being the
clock at the Horse-guards, and thus to regulate all the
other clocks, had certainly wished to be the clock at the
Admiralty, where exact time was not of se muck conse-
quence. The Right Hon. Baronet not thinking the
Shrewsbury clock to be a chronometer, was perfectly re-
gardless of what way it went ; so at last it became quite
irregular, attacked the Right Hon. Baronet for taking
the liberty of talking about the gentleman who said he
would squeeze himself into a quart ;bottle, no doubt
knowing it was no very pleasant operation to try to
squeeze into any place, however small, and not be able
to effect it.—(Loud laughter.)
" A fellow feeling makes one wondrous kind."
But now the Right Hon. Baronet, and the Right Hon.
Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade, might
boldly come forward upon free trade principles, seeing
how little power those gentlemen had, and having no
reason to fear the watch-word of the Hon. Member for
Reading, however powerfully exerted—" To your tents,
O Israel !"—(Laughter.) Nothing could be more as-
tounding than to find the Hon. Members for Knaresbo-
rough and Shrewsbury against Ministers, and the Hon.
Members for Stockport and Durham supporting them.
But such had been the case. The Noble Lord, the Se-
cretary for the Colonies, had brought forward a fixed
duty for Canada ; would he do so for this country? Why
he had not done so, he (Captain Layard) could not
tell ; except that, following the example, instead of
learning from the history of Jeptha, and having made
unwise promises and rash vows at the end, it might be
called the twilight, of one session of Parliament, he was
determined that the House should pay the sacrifice in
the next, which it accordingly did. At any rate, he
thought the Noble Lord ought not to object to an in-
quiry into the law as it at present stood.—(Cheers.)
Some short time ago he (Captain Layard), being at the
Opera, had the pleasure of seeing the Right Hon. Ba-
net there—(Laughter)—and he certainly thought that
the beautiful ballet of Ondine—(Renewed laughter)—
was a fair representation of what was going on in the
Right Hon. Gentleman's mind. Cerito seems a fair and
lovely representation of free trade, flitting and dancing
before the mind of the Right Hon. Baronet, and when
the Ondine comes out of the shade and is startled at her
own shadow, how just a representation of what happened
to the Right Hon. Baronet when he first- broached free
trade principles !—(Cheers.) How he started back
(though the start was not quite so graceful as the one
made by the fair Cerito) when he saw, not indeed his
shadow, but the shade which came over the mournful
countenances of the agricultural Members. But for his
(Captain Layard's) part, he trusted the Right Hon. Ba-
ronet would soon give up coquetry, after the manner of
the fair Cerito, with the shadow, and that when he
opened his arms to embrace it, it might prove to be the
reality and not the shadow of free trade. The Right
lion. Baronet had said he would not go back.
" E'en not to retrograde is to advance,
And men must learn to walk before they dance."
For his part, he would rather have a small fixed duty,
thinking it a fair source of revenue to the country, but as
there seemed no hope of that, he should vote in favour of
the motion of the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton.
Trusting that the time would come -••—
When free as seas or wind,
Unbounded Thames would flow for all mankind,
While nations enter with each swelling tide,
And seas but join the regions they divide."
Colonel RUSHBROOKE, who spoke in so low a
tone of voice as to be scarcely audible, read a statement
to the House, in reply to the letters which have recently
appeared in the Times, respecting the state of Suffolk,
and the cause of incendiarism in that county. He
regretted that such letters had appeared in a journal so
widely calculated as the Times, as he thought they
would do more harm than good. The writer of those
letters seemed to have a strong prejudice against the
new poor-law. Now the partial and superficial inquiry
which he, a stranger, must have necessarily made could
only have led him to a lame and impotent conclusion.
The Times reporter stated that the increase in the num-
ber of prisoners in Suffolk, since the passing of the
new poor-law, was very great. Now, he (Colonel Rush-
brooke) had ascertained that, in the seven years before
the passing of that Act, the number of prisoners was
upwards of 5,000, while the number since was only
4,100. Notwithstanding the representations of the
Times reporter, he (Colonel Rushbrooke) could say
that in no part of the kingdom were the poor better
taken care of than in Suffolk.

Lord RENDLESIIAM b.,lieved that the tenant-far-
mer and the poor man were as much interested in this
question as the landholder. The assertion that the te-
nant-farmer would be benefited by the repeal of the
corn-laws, because his rent would be reduced, was un-
founded; it seemed to be supposed that there was but
one party to the letting of a farm, but it should be re•
membered that the landlord, like every one else, could.

Mr. M. GIBSON said that in investigating thrmode
in which the society for maintaining the corn-laws acui
the society for abolishing them had originated, they had
been led away from the real question, which was, what
was the benefit supposed to be conferred upon tb a cow!