The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-03-03 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-THURSDAY.

After the presentation of many petitions,
Mr. ORD presented a report from the elections committee,
regarding the " Ludlow" petition, as to alleged irregularity
in the service of notices. The report was ordered to be
printed, and to be taken into consideration on Thursday.
_Colonel SIBTHORP asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer
whether he should consider it consistent with his duty to re-
lieve the public mind on a point as to which some anxiety
was entertained—namely, whether the new taxes, which it was
understood would be proposed to the house, would include
the duty on salt.
The .CHANcutLor. of the EXCHEQUER observed that be
thought the house would see the impropriety of answering
such a question. At the same time he assured the house
that he was anxious to bring forward the budget as soon as
possible after the conclusion of the financial year.
Sir G. CLERK called attention to irregularity in the issuing
of the Perthshire writ—a second having been forwarded to
correct irregularity in the one first sent by the Crown-office,
and it was ordered, Mr. Fox Mauls seconding the motion,
that the Clerk of the Crown attend the house, to explain the
circumstance.

Sir E. WILMOT having inquired whether the government
would take command of the juvenile offenders' (summary
jurisdiction) bill,
Mr. FOX MAULE said that, though be should attend to it
in the select committee, he was not at present prepared to
undertake to superintend so important a bill as a government
measure.

Mr. EWART moved for a series of returns regarding the
" exclusive" right, claimed by the sergeants-at-law, to act
as advocates in the Court of Common Pleas, and which mo-
tion was agreed to.
Mr. WALLACE brought forward the subject of establishing
post-offices in villages, &c., not at present having them, but
withdrew his motion for the present, in order to enable the
chief establishment and authorities to carry out their own
plans.
Sir R. PEEL thereupon inquired when it was expected the
post-office would be able to introduce for general use the
proposed stamped covers.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he regretted
that he could not fix a day for introducing the covers gene-
rally. He intended to introduce them first into the local
districts for the sake of experiment, and then, having some
little experience there of the difficulty, be should be able to
introduce them generally with greater advantage to the pub-
lic. There had been some mechanical failures in making the
designs, that had delayed them longer than he expected. He
hoped to be able within three weeks to introduce them into
the limits of the twopenny post.
Sir R. PEEL asked whether the government did not mean
to make the experiment at first beyond the old limits of the
local districts ? . .

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rejoined, that he
did not refer to any particular division of the penny or two-
penny post, but he should make the experiment in this way
first, that he might have experience of its working.
Mr. WARBURTON suggested that such experiment should
also be tried in the local districts of Edinburgh and Dublin.
Mr. WALLACE hoped that the stamped covers would not
be issued at all until they were generally issued.
Mr. LANGDALE moved an address to her Majesty, " to
direct the commissioners for the asylum schools of Chelsea,
Southampton, and Greenwich, to make such modifications
in the regulations therein in force, as may secure to the chil-
dren of Catholic and Protestant dissenting soldiers and sai-
lors, if duly qualified, the benefit of those establishments
without the sacrifice of their religion."
Mr. MACAULAY said he must oppose the motion, but un-
dertook to inquire into the subject, and to afford all practical
remedy ; whereupon Mr. Langdale withdrew his motion.

THIRD DEFEAT OF MINISTERS THIS SESSION.
Mr. LIDDELL then rose to move the resolutions of which
he had given notice respecting the Rice and Newport job.
He began by some comments upon the amendment of which
notice had been given by Lord Morpeth. That amendment,
he said, was incorrect in representing Sir John Newport's
withdrawal from public life as having been subsequent to his
acceptance of the controllership ; for, in fact, the office was
not given to him till after his public renunciation of political
life. The amendment alleged that the grant could not be
drawn into aprecedent. He preferred his own form of !words,
that it ought not to be so drawn ; yet drawn it would be, unless
this house should now deal with the subject. The controller's
office was one which should be independent of the crown ;
but where would be its independence, if the crown were thus
to hold out pensions to its occupiers ? Public services were
of two kinds, parliamentary and official. The house had al-
ready expressed itself adverse to the principle of rewarding
parliamentary services by pensions ; and as to services of an
official kind, the analogy of the act respecting official pensions
was applicable, which required a tenure of at least two years.
The amount, too, the proportion of £lOOO. out of the total
£l2OO. disposable, was much to be disapproved ; to give
four-fifths to one individual was to leave but £2OO. in the
whole year for the reward of merit in other departments.
The present resolutions were certainly mild, but they would
affirm two great principles—that of the independence of the
controller, and that of adherence to the legitimate objects of
the pension list.
The following were resolutions :
That it appears, by a copy of a warrant on the table of this
house, that a pension of £lOOO. a-year has been granted by
her majesty to the late Controller of the Exchequer on re-
tirement from that office, on the ground of " zealous and
efficient services rendered to the public during a period of
nearly half a century, in which interval of time he filled the
offices of Chancellor of the Exchecper for Ireland, and Con-
troller-General of the Exchequer for the United Kingdom."
That it appears that the said Controller-General of the
Exchequer filled the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer
for Ireland during the period of thirteen months only, viz.
from thernonth of February, 1806, to the month of April, 1807.
That it appears by reference to the act 4 and 5 William IV.,
c. 24 (by which the granting of pensions for political services
was regulated), that no person is qualified to receive any pen-
sion on the ground of public duties performed in the highest
offices of the state, unless he shall have continued in the per-
formance of such duties for a period of two years at the least.
That it appears that it was also specially provided by the
said act 4 and 5 William IV., c. 21, that the holder of the
office of Controller of the Exchequer should be precluded
on his retirement from that office, from all claim to any of
the pensions which the crown was thereby empowered to be-
stow for civil or political services.
That it appears that the person: holding the office of con-
troller of the exchequer now constitutes the sole check (in lieu
of all others formerly existing under the ancient regulations of
the exchequer) on the expenditure of all public monies issued
through the exchequer by the authority of the commissioners
of the Treasury ' • and it is specially provided that he should
be incapable of holding any other office under the crown in
conjunction with such controllership, and should be irremov-
able from his office except in pursuance of an address from
the two houses of parliament ; this officer being thus with
drawn from the exercise of any influence of the crown over
him in the discharge of his functions.
That it appears that provision was made in the act 1 and 2
Vic. c. 2, that the sum which her majesty might be empow-
ered to grant in pensions on the civil list, in any one year,
should not exceed the sum of £l2OO ; and that, in conformi-
ty with a previous resolution of this house, such pensions
should be granted " to such persons only as might have just
claims on the royal beneficence, or who, by their personal
services to the crown, by the performance of duty to the pub-
lic, or by their useful discoveries in science, and attainments
in literature and the arts, had merited the gracious conside-
ration of the sovereign, and the gratitude of the country."
That, considering all these circumstances, and more espe-
cially the great importance of keeping the Comptroller-Ge-
neral of the Exchequer independent of the influence of the
Crown, as also of ensuring a strict adherence to the spirit
of the resolution of this house on the subject of civil list
pensions. this house deems it expedient to express its decided
opinion that the grant of £lOOO a year to Sir John Newport
under the warrant before mentioned, ought not to be drawn
into a precedent.
Lord MORPETH began with a few facetious flourishes ; re-
joiced that this motion was all which the great opposition
could bring against the government; boasted of " the fight
which ministers had shown," and treated the proposed reso-
lutions as a specimen of " didactic twaddle," the fate of which
was really, in his opinion, a matter of no sort of importance.
He denied that Sir John Newport had retired to make way
for Lord Monteagle and this denial he desired to make on
behalf of all the pa' rties concerned in the transaction. Sir
irt Pee
John had put his office into Lord Melbourne's hands in
18tisteryplhatiode tahtenhibseaebnsomloutrec
than
9 , and Sr
momentary, Robe
would havefound hisministry
disposal. Lord Melbourne returning the
power postponed
the acceptance of the resignation till the close of the session.
The office had, in the •
mean time, been offered to another
person, and as to Mr. Rice, it was well known that at that
time his views were directed to the chair of the house.
The
controllership was excluded, and properly from the right to
a pension; but Was it therefore to be said, that
all claims
from former services were to be defeated by
ensai.oholding of it ?
The tories had themselves granted many
justifiable. Lord Morpeth- then gave ;le hi'sstor muchr less
John's merits, beginning gravely with the fact that at
young Newport had had Lord Wellesley and some other .n
nent noblemen for his fags, and used them so well thaetmaill
parties had continued on friendly terms throughout life. Sir
John had come into Parliament and been Chancellor of
the Irish Exchequer, had made a great many useful mo-
tions, and saved, by a measure for reforming the Irish courts
of law, an amount of £75,000 per annum. But his services,
continued Lord Morpeth, having been for the most part par-
liamentary rather than official, it was thought by some that
the reward should be voted by Parliament itself. This course,
he thought was open to two objections—the addition of a
burden beyond the amount of the civil list, and the danger
of canvassing in the house. As to the complaint that others
with good claims were left unprovided for, he deprecated
Cr'own'sselecting the
any discussion of the discretion in
objects of its bounty. Lord Morpet s amendment was as
follows :
That it appears to this house that the Right Hon. Sir
John Newport, in his official capacity of chancellor of the
exchequer in Ireland, exerted himself to the utmost to re-
strain useless expenses, to promote education, and to im-
prove trade and intercourse between Ireland and the other
parts of the United Kingdom ; that while in the said office
he directed, and after leaving office suggested, various inqui-
ries which led to the ado by parliament of measures
highly conducive to the tion
better administration of the law,
and beneficial to the revenue • that after serving for five
years in the honourable controller of the exchequer,
being then upwards
of eighty
office of
of age, and afflicted with
bodily infirmity, he withdrew
years
public life, respected for
the unblemished integrity
from
of his character, to pass in retire-
ment the remainder of' )s. dthat Sir
That, considering
John Newport was not in attlays.
withdrew from office,
this
houseuent circumstances when he thus.
satisfied that the grant of
a pension to a retired controller of is
sf
the exchequer in circum-
stances so peculiar cannot be drawn
of persons who have not ''just claatso a precedent in favour
on the royal benefi-
cence,"
to the and are not
.distinguished by ,
the performance of
duties public"
Mr. LEADER contended that the pension to Sir John
Newport could only be viewed in connection with the
Pointment of Lord Monteagle. He concluded with ap-
observ-
mg, that it was a job, and not only a job, but a job perpetrated
by those who professed a great abhorrence of jobs.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM did not cavil at Sir John Newport's
appointment when it took place, though he certainly thought
it an objectionable appointment ; but he complained of minis-
ters keeping open the office of Comptroller of the Exchequer
from April, 1839, to the end of September, in order that it
might be given to Lord Monteagle. The right hon. baronet
proceeded to detail the financial blunders committed by Lord
Monteagle, while chancellor of the exchequer. This, he
said, was no attack upon Sir Jobn Newport, but a direct

charge against her majesty's ministers. The resolutions
declared, that if this act of the government were to be drawn
into a precedent, it would be subversive of that independence
of the office of comptroller of the exchequer which parliament
declared should be incidental to that office, and that was a
declaration which he trusted the house would not hesitate .to
affirm.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL reproached Sir James Graham with
the ungenerous manner in which he had attacked a for-
mer colleague, unable, from his absence, to defend him-
self. I should have- th-might- (Mid thee noble- lord) that
the right honourable gentleman would have recollected,
with some gratitude, the able, zealous, and eloquent speeches
which Mr. Spring Rice made in defence of that government,
when the right hon. gentleman so often shrunk from his
duty in maintaining its acts.—(Vehement cheers.) He dwelt
on the services rendered by Lord Monteagle to the govern-
ment, and observed, that if the right honourable gen-
tleman ventured (which I am sure he never did) to make
such an attack as he had indulged in to-night, on my noble
friend's conduct of the financial affairs of the country, he
would have met such an answer as would probably have de-
terred him from repeating it. (Loud cheers.) As to Mr.
Ellis, he was deemed by Lord Althorp (the Chancellor of
the Exchequer) to be unsuited for the controllership. Lastly,
when so much had been said about showing fight, and the
house had been reminded of the two occasions where minis-
ters were in a minority, how came it that the great debate
of four nights was not referred to, where ministers had been
triumphant, discomfitting their opponents on every side ?
Sir ROBERT PEEL, with much warmth, vindicated Sir
James Graham, and reminded the house how often Sir
James's value had been acknowledged and praised by his for-
mer colleague, Lord John, who now, stung by his speech,
ventured to accuse him of shrinking from his duty. Sir
James had shrunk indeed ; but it was not from duty, it was
from office, which he felt he could no longer conscientiously
hold when the appropriation clause was made an essential
question. For his own part he respected Sir John Newport,
but he could not consent that the ministers should shelter
their misconduct under Sir John's fair character. If the
amendment of Lord Morpeth were adopted, the very conse-
quences of which that amendment denied the possibility would
he sure to follow—that it would be drawn into a precedent.
Every future controller whom a minister might want to pen-
sion off, would be found to have done some public services or
other, which would serve to take him out of the general ob-
jection against pensioning controllers.
Mr. HUME said, it had been declared by Lord Althorp that
the pension list was not to be applied to political purposes.
In the present matter, the public impression was, that the
vacancy had been created on purpose. He would fain have
seen the letter in which Sir John Newport first tendered his
resignation.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL repeated, that the fairness of the
transaction was vouched not only by Sir John himself, but by
Lord Melbourne and Lord Duncannon.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE observed, that none of the proposals
went to save a shilling to the public. It was certainly a gross
job ; but he approved neither the resolution nor the amend-
ment, and in that state of circumstances he should vote with
that party which he thought most useful to the country.
Mr. 'WYNN said a few words against the motion, which,
therefore, were well received by the few whigs, who sat near
enough to him to collect his sentences with accuracy.
Mr. LIDDELL shortly replied, and the house then divided,
when the ministers were defeated by what ought to be the
fatal majority of TWENTY-ElGHT—the numbers being 240
and 212. The announcement of the numbers was received
with tremendous cheering.
Lord MORPETH, with a very long face, and in a tone of
voice very different from that in which he delivered himself
of his schoolboy oration in the early part of the evening, was
understood to fix the further discussion of the Irish munici-
pal bill in committee for the ensuing evening.
Colonel SIBTHORP thought the noble lord could hardly be
serious,'as the ministers would of course resign in consequence
of the vote to which the house had just come. The members
on and behind the Treasury benches expressed their anguish
at this suggestion by cries of " Oh, oh," which were drowned
in approving shouts of " Hear, hear," from other parts of
the house.

The house adjourned at a quarter past twelve o'clock.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-FRIDAY.

The Marquis of LONDONDERRY stated that he should,
on Tuesday, present a petition regarding the municipal cor-
porations of Ireland ; and that he should then put questions
to members of the administration as to the principles on
which they intended to carry on the government, after what
had taken place " elsewhere."
Lord STRANGFORD presented a petition from merchants
relative to the African trade, and moved for papers relating
to the " French aggressions" on the British trade on that
coast.

Lord MELBOURNE opposed the motion, as negotiations
were proceeding which he hoped would secure indemnifica-
tion for the British merchants. He complained of the lan-
guage of the petition as being very like the noble lord's own
composition.
Lord STRANGFORD declared that he knew nothing of the
petition until it was sent to him for presentation.
The Earl of ABERDEEN recommended the withdrawal of
the motion under the peculiar circumstances, and it was with-
drawn accordingly.
Lord ASHBURTON inquired whether the commission to
investigate the complaints of the inhabitants of Portendic
was to sit in London or in Paris ?
Lord MELBOURNE answered in Paris.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-FRIDAY.

Mr. LEADER complained of not having had an opportu.
laity to bring forward his motion regarding Frost, Williams
and Jones, and inquired whether it was true that the vesse
containing them had sailed? '

Lord J. RUSSELL answered in the affirmative.
Mr. LEADER intimated that he should still persevere in his
motion. (It is fixed for Tuesday.)
Sir G. CLERK, (after the clerk of the crown, &c. had been
examined at the bar as to the transmission of two writs for
Perthshire) said that he should not press any motion regard-
ing the irregularity in issuing a second writ, his only object
being to guard against such a proceeding being drawn into
precedent.
The report of the controverted elections committee, regard-
ing alleged irregular services of notices, was taken into con-
sideration, and persons were examined at the bar on the
subject. The further consideration of the subject was, at
length, deferred till Monday.
The house then again resolved into committee on the mu-
nicipal corporation (Ireland) bill, the desultory discussions
in which occupied some time.
The report was ordered to be received on Monday.

The hduse then resolved into committee of supply, in which
Mr. MORE O'FERRALL brought forward the remaining- navy
estimates. Considerable, but desultory discussion, arose
thereon.

Sir G. CLERK adverted to the difficulty that, he was aware,
had arisen in manning the navy, and suggested that there
should be an arrangement to allow those who held long-ser-
vice pensions to re-enter the navy, if so disposed and still
able, without forfeiting such pensions.
Captain PECHELL and others concurred in the policy of
such an arrangement, adding, that when there was jealousy
existing among various powers, it was important that our
ships should always have their full complements of men.
The several resolutions proposed on the estimates were
agreed to.

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LONDON AND

DUBLIN.

(From the Correspondent of the Monitor)
I understand that Sir Edward Smith, Professor Barlow,
and a third gentleman whose name I do not at the moment
remember—the commissioners appointed by Government to
investigate and report upon the best line of communication
between London and Dublin—will, within the next month,
send in their report, which i 3 in favour of the route by Ches-
ter and Holyhead, in preference to that by Shrewsbury and
Port-dynlaen ; a company of which Mr. G. Stephenson is the
engineer, was formed some time ago, for carrying this line
into effect, but the state of the money market with reference
to railway shares is, and is likely to be such, that unless they
obtain assistance from the Government, which I learn is at
present confined to a loan on the part of the company, of one
million sterling, the re-payment to he spread over a series
of years, they will not be able to carry out their intentions as
set forth. This railroad from Chester to Holyhead, if ever
finished, will be eighty-two miles in length; the first thirty of
it will be almost a dead level, and will skirt the coast of
Wales for that distance. The engineering difficulties on the
subsequent part of the line are by no means of as formidable
a character as might have been anticipated and are certainly
not greater, if so great, as those which have been success-
fully contended against on the London and Birmingham, and
the Manchester and Leeds lines. The great point at issue
was the risk of crossing the Menai bridge. Independent of
the dangers of suffering so much as eighty to one hundred
tons, the average weight of a train, being on it, in rapid transit,
it is well known that the vibration of a suspension bridge im-
pedes the action of the locomotive, and that there is, conse-
quently, an immense loss of power. To obviate this, as well
as the danger, I believe the commissioners, will recommend
the granting permission to the company to transmit one or
two carriages at a time, by means of a stationary engine ; the
weight on the bridge at any one time not to exceed about ten
tons. Whether this railway is ever completed or not, the
Irish public will shortly reap the benefits of even more rapid
railway communication than that at present in existence, as
in August next the Crewe and Chester railway, branching off
at the first named place from the grand junction railway, by
which company it has just been purchased, and the Chester
and Birkenhead railway (a continuance of that from Crewe)
will be opened, there will be a saving of nine miles in dis-
tance—and in consequence of the superior gradients twenty
minutes will be saved on that account—making a total of
about an hour, no small consideration when the present fast
mail-train from London only Occupies 9+ hours in its journey.
The corporation of Liverpool have recently bought a large
tent of ground on the Birkenhead side of the Mersey, close to
two principal ferries, opposite to Liverpool; and in conse-
quence of the bed of the river lying on the Chester side
they are about to construct docks, which will be accessible at
almost all states of the tide, and from whence it is probable.
that the Irish mail steamers will start. The railway will run
as close to the water's edge as the Kingstown railway does
to the harbour, and the transference of the mails, passen-
gers, &c., will not occupy more than ten minutes, instead of
as, at present, nearly three quarters of an hour. A saving
in time of altogether an hour and a half might thus be gained,
which would—except in severe ales from the westward—en-
sure the delivery of the night London mail in Dublin the
evening following its departure.

A Vienna correspondent of the Germah Journal of Frank-
fort reports, that it is the Prince Augustus of Saxe Coburg
Cohary, brother of the King of Portugal, and the Princess
Victoria, who is to marry the Princess Januaria, sister of the
Emperor of Brazil.
INUNDATION OF THE VISTULA.—We are favoured with
the following interesting information from Messrs. Gibson
and Company, of Dantzic, through the medium of their
friends in Leith, Messrs. Maxwell, Marshall, and Company :
—" Dantzic, Feb. 5, 1840.—A circumstance has occurred
which may derange the corn trade this year, and put all par-
ties interested in it in very un-looked for positions. In our
last we referred to the very dangerous appearance of the river
(the Vistula.) The result has been such as no one ever con-
templated, and which at first none but eye-witnesses would
have believed. The Vistula, front the mild weather and the
heavy floods from Poland, had partially broken up, and came
down with great force, committing frequent damage to the
dykes, bursting the sluices, and overflowing a district called
the Binnen Neyrung. About four miles from Dantzic, at a
spot called Neufebr, a stoppage of ice occurred, which di-
verted the water from the channel. At this point the Vis-
tula runs near the sea, being separated by only one-half to
three-quarters of a mile (English) of land, from which, how-
ever, it again diverges, and proceeds on to Dantzic. The
channel being blocked up, the river, bursting across the
country,floa,v ed de onv en tolotohe feetse a ;
high,
the
inftoerrmveeidiin no gsand-h
i oppositionll s , of
70 and 80, and
ansdinteehettreenadutihe
sand-hills. In a few hours the cut
steheenyliwnegrley
rszerddilleyssuonfdaermloiwneedr undermined,
channel
dnethl eonribvoetrh rolled
sides, oinn:
wards of the downs or
of the river at the sea t
and the hills fall hourly down, as
feet wide,
opening is 2,000
fiercely through, making
if cut with a knife. The river rushes
through the sand
higher up the most
-hills
inhabi-
tants of the populous district.
t the river saves a distance
this cu
dan-
ger of being inundated. By
What effect this strange work
of about ten English miles.
of the river, the supplies
fearful ravages in the dyke. The
aotfiaNrVi erder are hourly in
of nature will have on the navig
of corn, &c., no one can tell. What the human hand can
do in it, 'tis impossible to say ; the
old bed of the Vistula
lies fast with the ice hillocks, and it may be months ere they
melt."—Edinburgh Courant.

COURT CIRCULAR.--FRIDAY.

Her Majesty gave audience, yesterday, to Viscount Mel
bourne, Viscount Duncannon, and the Judge Advocate-Gen
eral.

His Royal Highness Prince Albert having consented to en-
roll himself as a member of the Goldsmith's Company, of
which her Majesty is-the head, a deputation from the com-
pany, consisting of Mr. Bridge (prime warden), and Messrs.
Hodges, Smith, and Buttemer (wardens), waited, yesterday,
-upon his royal highness, at Buckingham Palace, and had an
audience, to receive his commands with respect to his royal
highness taking the usual oaths. .
The royal dinner party at the palace, last evening, included
the Baron de Nieumann, the Austrian Minister on a special
mission, the Earl and Countess of Carlisle and Lady,Elisabeth
Howard, the Earl and Countess of Minto, Viscount Mel-
bourne, Viscount Boringdon, and the Right Hon. G. S.
Byng.
The band of the Coldstream guards attended at Bucking-
ham palace during the evening.
On the return of her Majesty from Drury-lane Theatre,
on Wednesday night. the elegant cup, presented to Mr. C.
Kemble by the Duke of Devonshire, the Duke of Beaufort,
the Marquis of Lansdowne, and other subscribers, was sub-
mitted to the Queen and Prince Albert.
An address of congratulation to her royal highness the
Duchess of Kent, from the London clergy, was presented
on Tuesday to the royal duchess, atßuckiugham Palace.
Her Majesty the Queen Dowager had a dinner party, on
Wednesday, at Marlborough House.
The reigning Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha visited her Ma-
jesty the Queen Dowager, yesterday, at Marlborough House.
His serene highness also paid a visit to the Princess Augusta,
at Clarence House, St. James's.
The Duke of Cambridge visited her Majesty the Queen
Dowager, yesterday.