The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-05-14 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS-FRIDAY.

Sir J. GRAHAM moved the third reading of the Facto-
ries'•Bill.

Lord ASHLEY, in an able speech, canvassed the argu-
ments urged in former debates against his proposition for
limiting the labour of women and children in factories to
ten hours, and concluded by moving the addition of the
following clause to the bill, " And be it enacted, that
from and after the first day of October in the present
year, no young person shall be employed in any factory
more than eleven hours in any one day, or more than
sixty-four hours in any one week ; and that from and
after the first day of October, 1847, no young person shall
be employed in any factory more than ten hours in any
one day, or more than fifty-eight hours in any one
week ; and that any person who shall be convicted of em-
ploying a young person for any longer time than is in and

by this clause permitted, shall for every such offence be
adjudged to pay a penalty of not lees than £3, and not
more than £lO.

Sir J. GRAftAM stated his opinion that the clause, if'
adopted, would be dangerous to the interests of the state,
and resorted to those arguments so often used bgainst the
proposition, and which must by this time be familiar to
the public, concluding by a declaration that he would give
to the motion of the noble lord his most uncompromising
opposition.

Lord liovvreic believed that the limitation to ten hours
would compel this country to give a larger amount of its
industry to exchange for forego produce, but the loss
would not fall upon either the workmen or the manufac-
turers, but would be sustained by the community at large.
At all events, a system should not be continued which
overtaxed the faculties of women and children.
Mr. BERNAL said, that if the proposition were to be
tried by the principles of sound common sense, there
could be no doubt as to the result. A spirit prevailed
upon the subject throus!hout the country which would not
be quelled by the defeat of the proposition of Lord
Ashley ; on the contrary, its rejection would probably
give rise to feelings of irritation which it would be difficult
to allay.
Mr. GALLY KNIGHT was of opinion that Lord Ashley's
proposition, although he had formerly supported it, would
be injurious to the interests of the operatives, and he
would therefore oppose it.
Mr. C. BULLER excited considerable amusement at the
expense of Mr. Knight, owing to the latter gentleman's
change of opinion since the proposition was formerly
discussed.
Mr. FERRAND supported Lord Ashley's clause, and
said that the working classes would cease to work if Par-
liament would not concede to them the boon for which
they were so anxiou'.
A discussion arose upon the question of adjournment,
which was eventually agreed to.

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL.

AMERICA.

Our accounts from New York are to the 17th ult.
The Tariff question occupied the attention of both
branches of Congress ; in the Senate, on the resolution of
the Committee of Finance to postpone, indefinitely, the
bill introduced by Mr. M•Duffie for the reduction of the
present tsriff to the standard of the Compromise Act, and
in the House of Representatives on the New Tariff Bill.
On the 10th ult. two ineffectual attempts were made to
take up the bill and assign a day for its consideration in a

special order, and Mr. J, R. Ingersoll offered a resolution
to postpone the further consideration of that question un-
til the last Tuesday in December next, equivalent to a vote
that there shall be no change in the present tariff, which
was also rejected, yeas 83, nays 100; being a majority of
17 against postponing the New Tariff Bill until next ses-
sion. Again, on the 15th, Mr. M`Kay's motion that the
bill be taken up was rejected by a majority of 11. He was
expected to renew his motion on the following day, and
would consider the result as the final test of the intention
of the house upon the subject.
The next subject of interest is the Oregon negociation.
It is said that Mr. Calhoun had proposed the parallel of
forty-nine as the boundary, but that Mr. Pakenham's in-
structions did not allow him to accept it. The opinion
seemed to be, that the negociation would be too protracted
to admit of the possibility of the formation of a treaty
during the present session of Congress. Meanwhile,
according to the New York Herald, the settlers in the
territory from the United States had established a regular
territorial government, consisting of judge, sheriffs, clerks,
&c., excepting that no governor was appointed. At
Williamette Falls, on a branch of the Columbia, there
have been erected two flour mills, two saw mills, and be-
tween thirty and forty frame dwellings.
The third subject of interest is the annexation of Texas
to the Union. It is confidently affirmed that the treaty
was signed on the 12th ult., and would be communicated
to the Senate in a few days. The affirmation is strenethened,
also, by an address which has been issued by the Hon.
Mr. Wilkins, the Secretary of War, to his constituents,
commencing thus : " A treaty has heen signed for the
annexation of Texas to the territories of the United
States ;" and he procee s to set forth his views of the
question. Some of the Washington correspondents of the
New York papers go so far as to give outlines of the chief
provisions of the treaty.
The following was the condition of trade at New York.
Liverpool Orrell Coal sold at 8.50; Newcastle at 7.50,
and fine at 6.50. English Epsom Salts, 3, cash. Bees'
Wax sold freely at 294 to 301 cts. per lb. Pig iron bad
declined in price ; pig lead sold at 34 cts. per lb. ; tin
plate at 8 dollars per box. Sales of English Linseed Oil
at 80 ets. 4 ms. A parcel spirits turpentine, on the
wharf, sold at 334 cents. Pork dull. 200 brls. prime
beef at 4 25. Flour would sell freely at 5 dollars, but
could not be had at that, and some sales were made at
5.06 dollars, and perhaps some at 5.12 dollars ; 500 brls.
Brandywine at something over 5.06 dollars, though it may
still be quoted with Georgetown, at 5 to 5.12 dollars.
There are buyers of rye at 70 cts. delivered, and this is
all that can be had. Two cargoes of North Carolina corn
sold at 5-1 cts. weight. Canal oats 32 to 321 cts. Business
generally going on well.
Money was plentiful, though in fair demand, at 5 to 6
per cent. Exchanges were quite firm. Sterling 1 pre-
mium ; Francs 5.27 k. Stocks were much advanced.

Our intelligence from Mexico is to the 28th March.
On the 12th, Mr. Bankhead, our new Minister, arrived at
Vera Cruz, and effected the release of such of the pri-
soners at Perote as were Englishmen. An armistice, to the
following effect, has been concluded with Texas :—There
is to be peace between the belligerents till the l st of May
next, previous to which a treaty for the pacification of
that " department" is expected to be ratified by other
commissioners, fully authorized for that purpose, and who
are to meet in Mexico. In no way is the armistice to be
prolonged, unless there be certainty that the difference can
be amicably settled.
Accounts from Havana to the 3d ult. state, that the ex-
citement caused in Matanzas by the recent plot among
the negroes to rise and take possession of the island still
continued, and arrests were daily made.