The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-24 00:00:00

SOCIALISM.

The Bishop of EXETER inquired whether it was the inten-
tion of the Government to take any steps regarding the
progress of Socialism ?
The Marquis of NORMANBY answered that he was not
aware of any case having occurred which called for the inter-
ference of the Government.
The Bishop of EXETER thereupon gave notice that, on
Friday next, he would present petitions on this subject.
Lord MELBOURNE intimated his intention, at an early
day, to move thanks to the army of India.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY.

The house met at one'o'clock for the purpose of conveying
to her Majesty the address .on the royal speech, hut till 20
minutes to two o'clock there was no houie, i. e. fort✓ mem-
bers could nbt be collected. The house being at last ob-
tained, the Right Hon. G..S. BYNG stated that her Majesty
would receive the address at two o'clock. The house forth-
with adjourned till five o'Clock', and proceeded with no ordi-
nary alacrity, and the thin attendance of members presented
no impediment to present the address.

ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS.

It five o'cloa,-Oniheresumption of the house, the
FAKER read her Majesty's answer, thanking the house for

. ..... .
Sir E. KNATCHBULL eomplAned that no adequate notice
had been ,gicen of the time when the address would be
presented, so that the members on his side of the house had
not had the opportunity of accompanying the presentation to
her Majesty.
Lord J. R.ussELL observed that he had pursued the usual
course, and that he had mentioned, on •Friday night, that he
expected the address would be received on Monday at two

&Clock

Sir E. KNATCEIRtLL replied that if any such communi-
cation had been made it was in a very thin house ; he had
heard nothing of it.
Mr. WAKLEY reminded the right hon. baronet that it was
mentioned in the votes that the house would meet at one
o'clock : that he considered was ample intimation. He ex-
pressed astonishment that there were only four members
from the opposite side in the royal chamber, although up-
wards of 100 members were present. "We radicals," ex-
claimed the hon. member, " used to be denounced as dis-
loyal, but now disloyalty does not belong to us."
Mr. BRADSHAW said that he was one of the four.
Mr. BLACKSTONE remarked on the sort of loyalty evinced,
for, in the royal chamber, at the time when the Queen's aunt
was lying dead, and after mourning had been ordered, he saw
members attired in cut green coats, with brass buttons : the
brother of a cabinet minister was so dressed.

PETITION FROM STOCKDALE,

Capt. BOLDER.° presented a petition from Stockdale pray-
ing to be further heard at the bar, as he had never contem-
plated any breach of the privileges of the house. Capt. B.
moved that Stockdale be called to the bar accordingly ; but
the house ordered the petition to be printed and circulated
with the votes.
_

Mr. CHRISTOPHER gave notice of his intention to intro-
duce a bill to authorise the sale of the printed parliamentary

papers

~- 't

~i

Lord STRANGFORD asked Lord Melbourne whether there
were any prospect of a termination of the unfortunate state of
hostility in the river La Plata. The noble viscount had given
reason last year to hope that it would be brought to a con-
clusion by the amicable arrangements of her—Majesty's go-
vernment. _

Lord MELBOURNE stated that he could not hold out any
hope of a cessation of hostilities.
Lord BaouGHAm moved the second reading of the En-
franchisement of Copyholds bill. He said that there had
been 300 or 400 divisions of territory, in every one of which
property was held by a different law ; and that it was certainly
a most anomalous thing, and the wonder was that such a
system had been allowed to exist so long. He intended to pro-
pose to refer his inlportant bill to .a select committee, as best
calculated to examine its details.
The. LORD CHANCELLOR concurred in the bill, which was
then read a second time, Lord Brougham deferring the nam-
ing of the committee till Thursday, in order to get the names
of the noble lords who would attend ; and to which day their
lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY.
After many petitions had been presented for private bills,
several others were presented by Sir R. Inglis, &c., for the
extension of church accommodation ; by Mr. Fox Millie,
from the Royal burgh of Elgin, and three other places in
Elgin (founded on the result of the appeal cause in the
Auchterarder case,) against the introducing of ministers into
parishes against the wish of the parishioners, as being con-
trary to the constitution of the church of Scotland ; by Mr.
O'Connell, from Monaghan, praying the house not to con-
sent to the restoration of Orange dominatioi in Ireland.

~ ~ ~~:

N
COURT OF QUEEN'S
BENCH.- -‘A, TEDNESDAV.

(Sittings in Banco.)

STOCKDALE V. HANSARD.
It being generally known that this important case was spe-
cially appointed for argument to4lay, the court long before
the usual time for commencing business was crowded. There

was a most numerous attendance of barristers.

Lord Denman, after delivering judgment in two cases of
no public interest, directed the case of Stockdale v. Hansard
to be called on, which was accordingly done, when
Mr. Richards said, in this case he appeared in behalf of
the Sheriffs, who were called upon to show cause why they
should not pay over to the plaintiff the damages levied under
the execution, and he had to move that the rule-be discharged,
_ _

leaving the plaintiff to his remedy by action against the She-
riffs to recover the sum now in their hands. This case was

distinguishable from the common cases in which cause was
shown by the Sheriffs. It was. laid down in all the hooks,
that there are four remedies in the cases of Sheriffs where

money has been levied under an execution issued in an action,
but these remedies were in substance two—either by apply-
ing for the summary interference of the Court or by action.
The facts in' the present case, as they appeared on the affi-'
davit, were that an action had been brought against Messrs.
Hansard, who had proceeded to judgment—that the money,
had been paid under'an execution issued upon that judgment,
and that a demand bad been made foi the money by the
plaintiff, but that it had not been paid. On behalf of the
Sheriffs he would suggest two grounds why the rule should
not be made absolute. First, that the Sheriffs were in a

situation of great difficulty—that it was impossible V
for any
person filling the ministerial office which they held, to know
precisely what they ought, to do, or how to escape the perils
by which they were encompassed, and he trusted their lord-
ships would, under such circumstances, leave the case to be
determined by the highest tribunal in the country, the House
of Lords. The first ground on which he claimed their lord-
ship's indulgence was, that an order had been made by the
House of Commons.
Mr. Platt—l have received no such affidavit. There is
not a word about the House of Commons on the affidavit
which I have received.
Mr. Richards.—The affidavit annexed the votes of the
House of Commons.

Mr. Platt—My learned friend is mistaken. I see no such
affidavit. I had a' number of papers put into my hand yes-
terday, but the Times newspaper might as well have been
given to me.
Mr. Richards.—l have also another affidavit which will be
sworn in a moment, to the very proceedings which occurred
last night.
Mr. Platt.—l beg pardon. My friend, Mr. Kennedy, says,
he saw the affidavit yesterday.
Mr. Richards said he had been yesterday furnished with
an affidavit, stating that the House of Commons, by their
votes, had ordered the Sheriffs to pay over the amount levied
in this action, to Messrs. Hansard, the defendants. Now

the matter went further because last night the Sheriffs were
committed, no doubt for not paying the money, but the war-
rant of commitment did not state the cause so as to allow a

court of law to judge of its legality, but merely that they
were committed for contempt. He would not go into the ge-
neral question, but would submit the case of the Sheriffs to
their lordships as one to which they would grant such indul-
gence and protection as the power of the court could afford,
because, unless the rule should be discharged, it must be fol-
lowed up by an attachment for not paying the money accord-
ing to the order of the court, the consequence of which would
be that when these gentlemen were released from the custody
of the Serjeant-at-arms, they must be committed to the cus-
tody of the officer of the court, unless they should pay over
the money according to their lordships rule as well as accord-
ing to the order of the House of Commons. He had no doubt

their lordships would interfere, if they had the power, to
prevent the question being tried in the persons of the Sheriffs.
If the rule should be made absolute the question could not
be carried any further, but the money would have to be paid
twice over, and he trusted that as these gentlemen had de-
clared bona fide, if their lordships would give them the op-
portunity of ascertaining whether they were by law com-
pelled to pay the money twice over. He did not think he
should be acting correctly by going further into the case, but
would put it -to their lordships on the ground of granting
such indulgence as they could to the sheriffs. He (Mr. R.)
had stated that there were two grounds for the present ap-
plication. The second was, that Mr. Stockdale had been an
insolvent debtor, and that his assignees had given notice to
the Sheriff, that they claimed the money as belonging to
them under the process of the Insolvent Debtor's Court.
Lord Denman.—The assignees under the insolvency have
not, I believe, made any application to this Court.
Mr. Platt.—None, my lord.
Mr. Richards was not aware of that. The proceedings
under the authority of that Court entitled the assignees of
an insolvent, who might have acquired property after his dis-
charge to apply to the Court. The question now was, whe-
ther they were to pay the money twice over, or, as his
learned friend (Mr. Watson) suggested, three times, namely,
to the plaintiff, to the assignees, and under the order of the
House of Commons. He did not mean to say who might be
right or wrong, but let the rule be discharged, and then the
assignees would have the opportunity of trying the question.
Mr. Justice Coleridge;--What does your' affidavit state
exactly about the assignees of the insolvent ?
Mr. Richards then read the affidavit of Jacob Walker,
setting forth a copy of the order of the Court that the sheriffs
should hold the money until the Court should make a further
order, and that the insolvent debtor and the sheriffs should
show cause to the Court why the money should not be pail
over to the provisional assignees of the estate and effects of
the insolvent. .
Mr, Watson followed on the same side. This was a case
in which the summary interposition of the Court'otight not
to be allowed. The object of that interposition,was to bring
the Sheriffs into contempt ; for if the rule should be made
absolute, and they did not pay the money, their lordshipi
would grant an attachment. The proper remedy against the
Sheriff in such a case as the present was by actiOn' The
mode of ruling the Sheriff to pay over money was,he be-
lieved, of modern practice, and was only resorted to where
there was no just ground for not paying over, the money,
where no question of law or fact could arise. If their lord-,
ships should determine the rule against the Sheriffs that
would be final and conelusive ; but if they discharged it, Min
Stockdale might then bring his action, and the Sheriffs wont&
have the opportunity of defending themselves. If tlielf
lordships should' then give judgment against the Sheriffs, on'
demurrer, the question ought then to be taken to a higheil
tribunal, and this he submitted was a right to which then
Sheriffs were entitled: •- - -- • - . - ---
Mr. Kennedy followed on the same side. He rested his
case on the two followin,r grounds :—ln the first place, tak-
ing the facts from Mr. Platt's affidavit, he contended that
the applicatiop. was totally'ywithout precedent, as .well 'as Inv-.
necessary ,• and in the second place he contended that tlie.
order of the Insolvetit Debtor's Court, served on the She-
riffs, was a sufficient defence for them. The learned counsel
contended at considerable length that the rule ought not,
under the peculiar circumstances of the case, to be made ab-
solute, and cited a number of cases to show the practice of
the Court in ordering Sheriffs to pay over money.
Mr. PLATT said it now became his duty to address the
Court in support of the rule, and he had little doubt but that
their lordships would feel themselves bound to make it abso-
lute. The facts of the case were very short. On the 12th
of November the Sheriff executed a writ of inquiry on an ac-
tion brought by Mr. Stockdale against Messrs. Hansard.
On that occasion the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff
—damages £6OO. The action, their lordships would bear
in mind, was undefended. On the 23d a writ of fi. fa. was
issued out of that court. On the 25th of November a rule
was served on the Sheriffs to proceed to a sale of the de-
fendants' goods. The Sheriffs obeyed that writ and made a
return, stating the facts he had mentioned. They also stated
that they had in their hands the money arising from such
sale, and were ready, if commanded, to pay it over to Mr.
Stockdale. An application was accordingly made for that
purpose, and the Court granted a rule to show couse, which
he trusted their lordships would make absolute. On the first
day of the present term the rule was obtained. And what
was the cause now shown against it? Why, principally, that
on the 15th instant the Sheriffs were served with a rule, or a
supposed rule, from the Insolvent Debtors' Court, not to
pay over the money io Mr. Stockdale, but to that gentleman's
assignees. The affidavits did not state how the rule was ob-
tained, and, therefore, for aught the Court knew, it might
have been by collision, to defeat the verdict of a jury. The
Sheriffs, it was said, were ordered by the Insolvent Court to
retain the money in their hands ; that was a fact, however,
of which the affidavits took no notice. There was no
proof that this notice was a legal or authentic document,
and therefore the Court could take no notice of it. Their
lordships could have no difficulty on that point. Another
ground of argument against the rule, however, was the pro-
ceedings which had taken place in the House of Commons.
Under the peculiar nature of those proceedings, the sheriffs
must be committed either by the house or by that court. He
(Mr. P.) saw a smile at this observation, but he was sure the
court would not think it a jocose subject : it was not a trif-
ling question ; it was not a matter of mirth. One branch of
the legislature had ordered into custody two honourable men,
bolding high official situations, and he would ask for what ?
Why, merely because they were determined to. obey their
oaths, and to support the law of the land. (There was con-
siderable approbation manifested at the observation of the
learned counsel.) Mr. Platt then proceeded to read at length
the petition of Messrs. Hansard to the House of Commons,
which has been published at length in the debates, and pro-
ceeded to say that the humble advocate who was then ad-
dressing the court, was guilty of contempt of the resolutions
of the Commons' House : but little did that branch of the
legislature know of the temper of the bar, if they supposed
counsel would shrink from the duty they owed to their clients.
Sending the sheriffs to prison for honestly and nobly discharg-
ing their duty, he would say, disgraced the authority which
committed them. He denied the power of the House of
Commons legally to carry the warrant into effect. If the she-
riffs, in the honourable and legal discharge of their public
duty, denied the validity of the Speaker's warrant, and which
they might have done, and the messenger persisted in exe-
cuting it; suppose in such a case the officer of the house
had been killed, the courts of law must have pronounced it
justifiable homicide. A writ had been regularly sued out, in
which execution had legally followed. That was the short
fact of the case. His learned friends said, the Court ought
not to proceed in a summary manner. Surely the Queen's
writs were to be obeyed, and the Court was bound to see that
full obedience was paid to them. It was idle to talk about
bringing an action against the Sheriffs ; the question had
been treated all along as a contempt of parliament, and there-
fore suppose an action was brought against these officers, and
a verdict was obtained, the next step would be of a writ of
execution issued for the House of Commons to call the Co-
roner, whose duty it would be to execute it, to the bar ; and
if such a course were adopted interminable actions and inter..
minable motions for contempt would ensue. He trusted
nothing which had been said would induce their lordships to
overrate the solemn decision they had given. Why was not
the case carried to the House of Lords as a higher tribunal?
If the action had been defended, that might have been done ;
but the Attorney-General knew full well that such a course
would not be advisable, as their lordships must have affirmed
the decision of that Court. A great deal had been said about
contempt ; was not disobedience of the Queen's writs the
greatest contempt a public officer could be guilty of ? Was
it not a contempt of the highest civil court in the kingdom,
The wfiole proceedings of the House of Commons was a
contempt of that Court. (Applause.) The house had no
more right or authority to interfere or control the proceed-
ings of that Court than a parish vestry had. (Applause.) A
parish vestry was useful in its place, and so was the House
of Commons— (laughter);—but they had no business to attack
the liberties and character of her Majesty's subjects. The
question for their lordships' consideration, however, lay in
a narrow compass. The action was undefended, a verdict
was given for the plaintiff, a writ of fieri fades issued,
execution took place. The sheriffs had the money in their
hands, and there was, therefore, no excuse why they should
not pay it over to Mr. Stockdale.
120 heir IDo redasthaiapas consulted f oar
aaosphyo rotf t itmh ea ,
warrant
beconsultationhandedof of the
Speaker of the House of Commons for the commitment of
accordingly
took
place,
whente sheriffs e r
sootheri
which
Lord Denman said that this was a '
rule
calling on the
sheriff to show cause why money paid into their hands by
Messrs. Hansard, at the suit of Mr. Stockdale, should not
be given to the plaintiff. The original action was for libel,
d
an judgment had been allowed to go by default. A writ of
renditioni exponas had been issued, to which the answer on
the part of the sheriff was that the levy had been made
and the goods were ready for sale. Some time had been
allowed to the sheriff for his convenience. The plaintiff,
it appears, received the money in the due course of law. The
question then was, what was there to prevent him from ob-
taining the fruits of that verdict. There was nothing which
he (Lord Denman) could perceive. It was said that the
House of Commons disapproved of the law which had been

laid down in that court. If so, for various reasons, he deeply
lamented it, but in whatever manner that disapprobation may
be announced, he could see no cause to prevent the Court of
Queen's Bench from doing full justice to every one of his
fellow subjects who may require it at their hands. (Here a
murmur of approbation ran through the court.) With re-
gard to the first resolution of the house, he saw no reason
why the fact of the Sheriff having the misfortune to incur
the displeasure of the House of Commons should deprive the
plaintiff of his just right. No cause was shown why such
should be the case, and, in fact, the Court had not. sufficient
infgrmatiodbefore it to interfere. Another. resolution was
that the Sheriff should refund the money to Messrs. Han-
sard. That was no ground of interference on the part of the
Court. The, supposition was -made of the Sheriffs being
deprived of the money by superior force. He did not think
the plea of vis major applied. It was the duty of the She-
riffs to-pay the money when they had received it. The next
resolution of the, House of Commons was that, the Sheriff
should be committed for a contempt of that house. He was
not at liberty to make any comment on that, as contempt of
that house _may be committed without at. all violating the
rules and orders of that Court by which the plaintiff had no,
right to lose his money. If any discretion in the matter
rested with him, he should certainly have before made the
rule absolute. There was as he said here no discretion on
the part of that Court, as the plaintiff here called on the
Sheriff to do that which was the ordinary practice of the
Court. Mr. Kennedy had said that the case was unprece-
dented, but the reason was that unless something extraordi-
nary occurred the practice would never be departed from.
The practice grew out of the relations between the Sheriff
and that Court, whose officer he was. He would not advert
to the various delicate topics which had been introduced, or
to consequences which might ensue, but, confining himself
simply to the facts of the case, they were such as left no
doubt on his mind that the rule should be made absolute.

The other judges concurred with the Lord Chief Justice.
Rule absolute. _ _ _

The court was crowded to suffocation during the whole
proceeding, and the decision of their lordships appeared to
give the greatest satisfaction to the bar.

MISCELLANEOUS.

An insolvent in a late Gazette describes himself as a
" Matrimonial Alliance Conductor."

The day of election of a candidate for the representation of
the borough of Penryn and Falmouth is fixed for this day.
Lord Howick and Mr. Charles Wood, on the opening of
the session, took their seats upon the forrain a line with the
treasury bench below the first gangway.
FRANKING LETTERS.—TiIe franked letters, under the
old system, amounted to nine" 'millions per annum ! This at
even a penny each, amounts to £38,000.

The Nottingham relief committee lait week distributed
1,000 stone of bread and 2,100 pecks of potatoes : 475 men
are still unemployed on the forest.
The loss to the Excbequer consequent on the existing state
of affairs with China will amount, it is said, in the year, to
no less a sum than four millions sterling.
The Earl of St. German's has, in consequence of the un-
favourable harvest in Cornwall, returned his tenants £lO per
cent. of their rents.

A few days since, two potatoes were dug out of the garden
of Mr. Twist, Anchor Inn, Rhuddlan, weighing 71b. 100 Z.
PARCEL CARRIAGE BY THE POST.—A gentleman' who is
accustomed to employ a silversmith at Birmingham, broke a
silver salt spoon at his breakfast table on the morning of the
10th inst. It was despatched by a penny letter to Birming-
ham to be repaired, with a request that it might be returned
by'the same means.
CHARTISM.—WhiIe the northern districts and the neigh-
bouring towns are placed in a state of alarm by the infatuated
Chartists, it is most highly gratifying to find that at no for-
mer period of public excitement has Huddersfield ever been
so perfectly tranquil. We hope the Huddersfieldians will
still persevere in the same line of conduct.—Halifax Guar-
dian.

It is rumoured that certain ladies of the Royal household,
whose influence is supposed to have been hitherto para-
mount, do not feel quite confident of its continuance under
approaching altered circumstances. Even Mrs. Smashem
herself doubts whether her counterfeit coin will pass current
under a husband's eye.—ilrgus.
Normanby is coming " the jail liberator" freak in Eng-
land. He has commenced at Clerkenwell. There is nothing

Like accustoming oneself to all positions. His lordship's pa::
tronage of Jack Sheppard is now easily accounted for. On
leaving the NeW Prison the other day, his lordship whistled

—" Nix my Dolly ; pals, fake away.'—Age.
It is a circumstance not generally known that the three
last pretenders of the dethroned family of the Stuarts have
recorded upon their tomb-stones, in the Cathedral Church of
St. Peter, at Rome, their pretended titles of Kings of Great
Britain and Ireland, under the names of Charles 111, James
111, and Henry IX, the last being the Cardinal who lived and
died a pensioner of George 111.

- Lord Audley's estate owes £12,000 to the Mining Corn-
panrof Ireland.< The smelting establishment and lead works
at Ballycorns are complete, a casting-house having been
added to the works, in order to secure for the company or-
ders for cast lead, now preferred by aichitects to milled lead.
The Glenpatrick Slate Quarry is to be surrendered to the
proprietor, Miss .osborne. There are favourable returns
from , the Killaloe State Quarries ; but it has been thought
advisable to withdraw all consignments of slates for sale, and
to close the Company's yards at Limerick and Dublin, rely-
ing altogether upon sale at the quarries and wholesale orders.
Limerick Standard.

RI PRI:SENTATION OF CHESHIRE.—An active canvass has
for some time been goingon in both divisions of this county,
on the'part of the:supporters respectively, of the Hop. E. J.
'Stanley and George Wilbraham, Esq. ; and of their oppo-
nents; on behalf Of George Cornwall -Legh, Esq.,,:,and J.
Tolleriiache,.Esq. Our contemporaries have positiyely .maiii-
taitted the certainty of the success of each party,.according
'as they have been moved by their-.political biases,. thus, prov-
ing;Af their opinions were honest,.that. their meansof,infmr-
matimi were voty defective. We cannot pretend to speak
positively, but; if the conservatives are true to ,themselves,
we do not think there is much doubt as to the result—Mac-
cleVield Courier.— .
OPENING OF A NEW POPISH. QILAI'LL AT OVER DAR-
'Thursday last a nevi Popish Chapel was opened
at Over -Darwity; as we didnik-„iiitness ,the. performances
which took place on the beeaSibliVecazinOt gratify our read-
ers with an account of them. rt' pray be observed that Dar-
wen has heretAre'Lbeen reinarkitbleldr purity from the Ro-
man liereSy, b4t the Romanistri,l9ollo.4ire." cunning as see-
Peas," act Oda.' principle Whie'iSitr-Trotgstatit government
would do well to imitate, and erect inasS'-hOuses around which
converts may gather. In Irelandour Whig ministers, out of
their exceedingly high regard for the interests of the Na-
tional Church, would faii; destroy that Church in every parish
where a certain number of Protestants do not already exist.
Fas est ab haste doceri is a hacknied motto, which we Pro-
testants would do well to pay some attention to.—Bfrckburn
Standard.

ASTONISHING SPEED.—The ./Eo/us, one of the most p4w-
erful locomotive engineson the Great Western Railroad, was
employed to bring up the Dispizteh express on Saturday night
from Monmouth. The Zo/us having waited the arrival of
the express boy at the Twyford station, the engineer imme-
diately set the machine in motion, and completed ten miles
in seven minutes ; he then (knowing that there was a train
about three quarters of an hour in advance of him, and that
the jEolus would overtake it) lessened his pace, but, never-
theless, performed fifteen miles in fourteen minutes. The
speed was again slackened, and the iEolus approached' the
terminus at the same instant with the train! Had there been
no impediment, the whole distance, thirty-two miles, would
have been done in twenty-five minutes. In point 'of speed,
the. Dispatch express has never been surpassed, and we doubt
whether' it has been equalled.
TUE ROYAL MARRIAGE.—The following sentiments upon
the subject of marriage are extracted from the Socialist,
whose author, Mr. Owen, was lately introduced to the Queen
as one of her loving subjects, by her Prime Minister, the de-
fendant in Norton v. Melbourne :—" In social communities
the irrational sounds of husband and wife, parent and child,
will not be heard. In the new moral world there will be no
public worship, no forms and ceremonies ! no public prayers !
no gloom !no mortification of the. flesh or spirit !" * .*
" Marriage is the sole cause of all prostitution ; it is a Sa-
tanic device of the priesthood 'to keep mankind within their,
slavish superstitions. There is, however, no hope for you
whatever until you acquire sufficient strength of mind to over-
come this evil, and openly denounce it both in principle and
practice—until you put away from among you and your chil-
dren this accursed thing, you never know what real hap-
piness is."

WARLIKE PREPARATIONS AGAINST CHlNA.—There is
no question but that government have determined to take
active measures against the Chinese, and that the month
will not pass away without our dealing with the Celestials
as becomes their long-continued insolence, not only to this
country but to all other nations trading with them. The
Blenheim, 72, Blonde, 46, and Andromache, 28, all de-
stined to reinforce the East India station, are nearly ready
for sea, and will go out of harbour iu a few days. These
ships take as many flat-bottomed boats for the landing of
troops as they can stow, and also as much ordnance stores
and missiles as their magazines will hold. They should take
also, flat boats in frame Of a character to be able to carry the
10-inch hollow shot guns, as we learn that, above Wauapoa,
the river leading to Canton has only 11 feet water • there-
fore, none but our smallest men of war can reach that city ;
and then only by discharging water, ballast, stores, and every
weighty article. Orders are received at Woolwich for the
embarkation in these ships mentioned of a captain and lieute-
nant, and a strong party of Royal Artillery, who are to take
with them rocketA of the largest magnitude, Shrapnel shells,
&c. and they will be here in a few days. Sixty marines, with
an officer, are also to embark on board the Blenheim, as su-
pernumeraries.—Hampshire Telegraph.

THE PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.—The
Standard thus expresses itself on the subject of the breach
of privilege question :—" Should the House of Commons be
compelled to yield, or should it yield voluntarily, to the force
of reason, and the authority of that law by which it has its
existence, in either case the house must sink more or less in
the estimation of the people, although undoubtedly a volun-
tary submission would cause the less humiliation. On the
other hand, should the house prevail against the Court
of Queen's Bench, the consequences would be far more
lamentable. No man can conceal from himself that the dis-
pute is a dispute between the House of Commons on the
one side, and the law itself on the other." The Courier, in
a leading article on the privilege question, observes :—" The
very necessity of the special privileges pleaded for and exer-
cised by the legislature, requires that they be clearly defined
and placed beyond the power of misconstruction, whether of
those who may have to adjudicate upon, or those who have
to obey them. From the conflicting opinions in the case of
Stockdale v. Hansard, on which the ablest lawyers on all
sides are at issue, and, above all, on which the supreme court
of law has decided adversely to the claim of the commons,
it is placed beyond doubt that the question is not without its
complications, although the balance of evidence tells decided
against the house."
CURIOUS CASE FOR THE CROWN LAWYERS. —We
learn, that on Saturday night the revenue-cutter Jackson,
Captain Bicker, was ordered by the collector of this port to
proced to sea in pursuit of the packet-ship George Washing-
ton, whose letters and papers were received in town on
Friday last, but the vessel herself held off and on the Hook
for the purpose of escaping the duties of the present year.
It will be recollected that this packet has sailed from Liver-
pool for several years past' in the early part of December,
under contract not to enter New York until after the Ist of
January, in order to take the benefit of the usual 10 per cent, '
reduction in duties, which have taken place for several years
past in the tariff laws. Mr. Swartwout constructed the law
in favour of this, but Mr, Hoyt the reverse. We arc not
sure but he intends to condemn the whole cargo and vessel,
valued at 600,000 dollars, for a violation of the revenue laws,
if the fact warrant it. It is also doubted by some, Whether,
under the facts of her arrival outside—sending up her letter,
bags and papers—and then going again to sea, for the purpose'
alleged, do not also vitiate her policy of insurance. If any
accident should take place, we are informed, that one of the
Insurance Companies would contest the question. It will
be recollected, that the brig Hebe fell in with the George
Washington about forty-five miles S. E. of Sandy Hook,
and there put on board her letters and papers to be delivered
in town. The question is whether the George Washington
was on the high seas, or in the waters of New York ? or
whether the act of sending her papers to town is an evasion
of the revenue law for 1839 ? At any rate, the fees accruing,
both to Mr. Hoyt and Mr, Butler, the crown officers,, by
testing the question, are valuable items in their perquisites,
equal to the " pickings and stealings."—New York Morn-
ing Herald, of Dee. 3.