The Sun.
London, England, 1829-05-20 00:00:00

LONDON,
WEDNESDAY EVENING. MAY 20, 1829.

The THIRD REPORT of the Commissioners
of the Metropolis Turnpike Roads North of the
Thames, has just been published by order of the
House of Commons, and we gladly seize this
opportunity of thanking Lord LOWTHER, the
noble Chairman of the Commission, for the great
benefits which his very eminent services have
bestowed upon the public, in his successful endea-
vours to correct the abuses of the Turnpike-trusts.
The public are most particularly interested in
the labours and inquiries of the Commission,
which owes much to his Lordship's official
knowledge, and much more to his unwearied
perseverance in bringing that knowledge to bear
upon a question of such a forbidding nature,
beset with all the trammels of self-interest, local
prejudice, and legal chicanery.
There can be no greater nuisance in the
streets and vicinity of a large city than the re-
peated interruptions of toll-bars, and the frequent
insults of the tollmen. These vexatious an.
noyances it is the object of Lord LOWTHER and
the Commission to remove entirely ; for we learn
from the Report that it is intended to submit the
subject to Parliament, and the extent of space from
which these Turnpikes will be removed is between
eight and nine miles, and all this will be accom-
plished at the average rate of one penny in the
pound to the parishes through which the roads
'pass.

The whole expence of the maintenance of the
roads now proposed to be given up to their
respective parishes is 8,0821. per annum, and the
loss of revenue which the Commission will sustain
by the relinquishmentof tolls amounts to 9,2451.
per annum. The great advantages in point of
convenience to be derived from the proposed
alteration may be estimated from the fact, that
it would cause the removal of fifteen gates, as
well as numerous side bars, which are now an
obstruction in the free passage around the Me-
tropolis.
We have only to add that the Commission
deserves, and will no doubt receive, the thanks
of the community at large for its labours.
'We trust Lord LOWTHER will next look to the
Surrey side of the water.

Mr. HUME'S motion for a Committee of the
whole House to consider of the Corn Laws, with
the view of substituting a fixed duty on the im-
port of Foreign Corn into the United Kingdom,
and a bounty on the export of Corn, instead of
the present graduated scale of duties, was last
night lost by a majority of 1.54 to 12. So much
for the Corti Laws.

Mr. O'CoNNELL's affair is not yet settled.
A new discussion is to take place to-morrow
evening upon Mr. O'CONNELL'S refusal to take
the Oath of Supremacy, and the motion of the
Solicitor-General for a new Writ being issued in
consequence. I'Ve refer our Readers to a report
of the Debate for more particulars. We are
tired of the business, and we think so is the
public.

Lisbon Gazettes to the 2d instant have been
received. Their contents are remarkable for one
thing—a proclamation, or notification, from
Don MIGUEL, leaning to the side of mercy.
Understanding that many criminal proceedings
had been instituted which would not have taken
place, "if the excessive zeal of the authorities
had not concurred sometimes to induce them to
employ these proceedings, founded upon anony-
mous accusations, which almost always proceed
from revenge and other obscure passions, covered
with pretence of the public good," his MAJESTY,
actuated by considerations of clemency, and de-
sirous to put at, end to the anxiety of families,
has been pleased to order that while " all crimes