The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-06-16 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-THURSDAY

The Earl of LINCOLN moved for leave to bring in three
hills to alter the law of landlord and tenant in Ireland.
These bills were, he said, of a cognate character, and
their object was to improve the cultivation of the soil,
to ensure to the tenant compensation for the expendi-
ture of capital, and to improve the relations of landlord
and tenant. The first of these measures provided for
voluntary and compulsory agreements with respect to
the investment of capital in improvements. In refe-
rence to voluntary improvements, if the landlord, when
applied to, gave his assent, they might be immediately
proceeded with; otherwise the matter was at an end.
In relation to compulsory improvements—and under this
head he proposed that building and thorough draining
should come—notice must be given to the landlord in a
prescribed form, and in case of disagreement, arbitrators
would be appointed ; and if they could not agree, an
umpire would be appointed by the assistant barrister
of the county, who would also have power to appoint
an arbitrator if the landlord refused. In order to obviate
the difficulty of serving notice, in consequence of the
number of landlords connected with the same land in
Ireland, the provisions of the bill would, in this respect,
include only those landlords who bad an interest in thirty-
one years, or three lives. The mode in which compensa-
tion would be arranged was, that where the tenant quitted
the land in seven years he would be entitled to all the
amount expended in improvement; if in fourteen years,
to three-fourths of the amount; if in twenty-one years, to
one-half; and if within twenty-eight years, to one-fourth
of the amount; but if the tenant was kept in possession,
his tenancy expiring before twenty-eight years, he should
not be entitled to any compensation. The second bill
introduced by the noble lord related to distress and eject-
ment. Its provisions, he stated, would abolish the
power to distrain upon growing crops ; it would lessen
the costs of law proceedings, and would give to the
tenants the power to stop proceedings, on payment of
the demand, at any time before he was actually dispos-
sessed. The bill would also give to the landlord power
to eject a superior tenant without serving notices on his
sub-tenants, and to retain the latter in the position in
which they had been. The third bill related to leases ;
and in order to encourage the granting of leases, a form
was attached to the bill, according to which a lease
might be drawn by the parties without the aid of a legal
gentleman. The measure would also give a diminished
stamp duty of 2s. 6d. on all leases of lands not exceeding
£5O a-year rent. The noble lord concluded by stating
that the amount of compulsory compensation to which
the tenant would be entitled was limited to three years'
rental. These measures, he trusted, would meet with the
approbation of the house.

Leave was given to bring in the bills.

HOUSE OF LORDS-FRIDAY

The debate on the Corn Bill was resumed by the Mar-
quis of EXETER, who opposed it.
The Bishop of ST. DAVID'S defended himself and such
of his right reverend brethren as had voted with him from
the imputations which had been cast upon them by cer-
tain noble lords opposed to the government. He (the
right reverend prelate) denied that the measure was not
likely to affect the clergy in the manner they had des-
cribed. The clergy had been perfectly neutral on the
question ; they had presented no petitions, and had never,
to his knowledge, privately signified to members of the
bench of bishops the course they desired to have pursued.
His lordship commended the clergy for their abstinence.
They might suffer some temporary loss, but he believed
that they would ultimately sustain no injury. Were it
otherwise, he could not consent to oppose the interests
of so limited a class as that of the clergy to those of the
public at large. The votes of himself and his right rev.
brethren would be given with a view to the general in•
terest, let the effect of the bill upon the clergy be what it
might. His lordship argued on the hypothesis that the
bill would secure cheap bread for the poorer classes. He
denied that the legislature would, by passing it, abdicate
'heir power in the event of its disappointing their expecta-
He believed that if it were found injurious to the
interests of any particular class, the government would
have the power of remedying the evil.
The Bishop of EXETER, in a speech of considerable
power, opposed the bill, and commented in stringent
terms upon certain passages of the speech of the right
reverend prelate who bad preceded him. He differed from
his lordship in his opinion that the interests of so insig-
nificant a class as the clergy ought not to be placed in
competition with those of the great body of the people. It
was not because the interests of from 10,000 to 12,000
clergy were likely to be damaged that the appeal, which
had 1..e3n so imperfectly understood, had been made to the
right reverend bench, but because the best interests of the
poor were at stake on the event—the interests of morals
and religion—and because the rich and the poor would
both suffer if airy injury were inflicted on the Church.
He considered that their lordships were perfectly justified
in appealing to the right reverend prelates on such a mat-
ter. He should not be restrained from declaring that
something more than cheap provisions was necessary to
the comfort and well-being of the labouring classes, by
the taunt that no one could be the labourers' friend who
opposed the measure. It was because he considered that
the interests of the poor would, in no respect, be pro-
moted by it, that he opposed it. He saw a great number
of the agricultural population of the country suffering, but
did not think their condition would be improved by bring-
ing them into direct competition with the serfs of Poland.
He did not sympathise with the right reverend prelate in
his apprehensions in the event of the rejection of the mea-
sure. If he were to follow the example of appealing to
other parties, he would call upon the noble lords now
about him to give their votes in this matter as in a judicial
cause, and laying their bands on their hearts, say, " con-
tent" or" non-content," upon my honour.

The Bishop of Oxford, Lord Monteagle, Lord Grey,
and Lord Brougham spoke in favour of the bill; and Earl
Warwick, Lord Stauley, and Lord Ashburton against it;
when the motion was withdrawn, and the house would go
into committee on the bill last (Monday) night.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—FRIDAY.
The debate on the Coercion Bill was resumed, and the
most remarkable features were the approval of Mr. O'Con-
nel of Lord Lincoln's measure for improving the relations
of landlord and tenant in Ireland, the speeches of Mr.
Milnes and Mr. Scrope upon the Irish Coercion Bill, the
onslaught of Mr. Shaw upon Ministers and the ministe-
rial policy, and the defence of Sir R. Peel of his motives
in introducing the Corn Bill, and his reply to Lord G.
Bentinck's charge that he had "hunted Mr. Canning to
death."

FOREIGN

AND COLONIAL.

LATEST NEWS FROM THE UNITED STATES

The British and North American steam-ship, Britan-
nia, arrived at this port on Saturday night from Boston
and Halifax, and has brought some important intelli-
gence from the seat of hostilities in Mexico. From this
we learn that the United States army, under General
Taylor, bad achieved two successive victories over the
Mexican forces, on the Bth and 9th of May, on the west
bank of the " Great River," or " Rio del Norte." The
effect of this success had been to avenge the previous de-
feats of portions of the American army, including the
slaughter of a body of Texican Rangers under Captain
Walker, by the Mexicans, on the Ist of May, near the

same spot, and had also reopened communications with
Point Isabel. Preparations were also being made by the
now conquerors to invade the town of Matamoros, on the
opposite side of the river, and one small Mexican town
had already been taken possession of. By this time the
American army have probably made inroads into the
enemy's territory, as well as blockaded the Mexican sea-
ports,—and, it may be, attacked the castle of St. Juan de
Ulloa, at Vera Cruz, which, however, is a fortress so
strong that if at all well defended, may be considered the
Gibraltar of the South, and would stand out a prolonged

It will be remembered that Captain Walker, after the
disastrous havoc amongst his small force, determined to
march the surviving troops to join General Taylor, whose
position he had learned, and he succeeded in conducting
them to Point Isabel, without interception by any of the
enemy. On the 3rd, a heavy cannonading was heard in
the direction of Matamoras, which continued during the
day, at intervals through the night, and during the day of
the 4th ; and on the sth an expedition, which had been
despatched to ascertain the cause, returned with intelli-
gence that the Mexicans, discovering the absence of Gen.
Taylor and his division, had thrown over the river a force
estimated at six thousand men, and opened a brisk fire
upon the fort from their batteries. The bombardment
was maintained until the evening of the 6th, but without
effect. On the 7th, having obtained reinforcements, am-
munition, and supplies, General Taylor set out on his
return to the camp ; and in the course of the Bth, at Palo
Alto, came in front of a Mexican force estimated at 6000
men, with seven pieces of artillery, and 800 cavalry. The
American force numbered 2,300, with two eighteen-
pounders and a couple of light batteries. An engagement
ensued, and after a spirited struggle of five hours' dura-
tion the Mexicans were dislodged from their position and
forced to retreat. The American force encamped upon the
field. On the 9th, the General renewed the march with
the main body of the army, having previously thrown for-
ward a body of light infantry into the forest which covers
the route to Matamoras. At Reseca de la Palma a ravine
crossing the road was discovered to have been occupied
by the enemy with artillery. The action took place on the
edge of the ravine, and one mile from the chapporal, which
was near twelve miles in width. The Mexicans com-
menced the action with their artillery, which was posted
so as to sweep a narrow passage through which General
Taylor was advancing, there being a swamp on the other
hand. General Taylor immediately ordered a charge in
the teeth of the enemy's destructive fire, and the troops,
promptly responding, carried the enemy's guns at the
point of the bayonet. Eight pieces of artillery fell into
the hands of the Americans, and an innumerable quantity
of small arms, munitions, baggage, camp equipage, a
military chest, containing a large quntity,,ot gold, General
Arista's carriage, baggage, portfolio, with all his official
correspondence with the government, with full plans of
the campaign and instructions from the Mexican govern-
ment, authorizing him to send General Taylor and his
army, when taken prisoners, to the city of Mexico, and to

treat the General and his officers with such care and at-
tention as becomes the magnanimity of the great Mexican
nation. Four or five hundred mules, &c., with a large
number of stands of colours, were also taken.
The instructions of Arista were to possess himself of
Point Isabel, and fortify it as strongly as possible. The
Americans, it is estimated, sustained in the action the
loss of three officers and forty men killed, and thirteen
officers and one hundred men wounded. The Mexicans
had upwards of three hundred killed, many wounded, and
a considerable number taken prisoners. General Taylor's
force afterwards encamped at Point Isabel. The town of
Baritta was taken the next day by the Americans, and as
the Mexican troops had marched out of the town of Mata-
moras, it was supposed that General Taylor had taken un-
disturbed possession of the town. The Mexicans, it is
stated, :used copper balls, a wound from which is ex-
tremely dangerous. Numerous requisitions had been is-
sued by the Executive, calling upon the governors of
several of the northern states for troops of volunteers.
New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,
&c., had each been called upon :to furnish their proper
quota.

Some apprehensions were entertained of the operation
of Mexican privateers, which it was contemplated to put
down and treat as pira►es. Measures had beep taken by
the Secretary of the United States Navy to protect the
commerce exposed in the Gulf of Mexico, should it be
menaced or interrupted.

The proceedings in Congress had been interesting. On
the 18th ult. the Senate passed a bill to repeal so much of
the appropriation bill of 1845 as limited the number of
men in the naval service to 7,500. On the 19,1, in the
House of Representatives, Mr. King reported from the
Committee on Naval Affairs a bill for building by con-
tract twelve iron steamers and one iron frigate ; the
steamers to be of not less than 1,200, nor more than 1,600
tons ; the boilers and the machinery to be so arranged as
to be secure from the enemy's shot; the speed to be at
least fifteen miles an hour; engines not less than 1,000
horse-power ; to carry an armament of at least six
wrought-iron guns, of not less than twelve-inch calibre ;
from two to four smaller guns, of the same manufacture;
and to have at least fifteen days' fuel under high-pressure
steam. The frigate to carry sixty heavy guns ; and one
of the steamers to be built on the plan of Erricson. Five
millions proposed to be appropriated to carry the law
into 'effect. The bill was referred to the appropriate
committee. In the Senate, on the 23d ult., a bill autho-
rizing the construction of ten war steamers was made a
special order for the following Monday. Subsequently
both houses passed votes of thanks to General Taylor and
the " Army of Occupation." The extra appropriations
so far sanctioned by Congress amount to upwards of
seventeen millions of dollars.

Congress had further discussed the Oregon question,
and evidently with a wish to shelve the subject for the
present session. Several propositions were submitted,
one of them by Mr. Benton, in support of a compromise
on the 49th parallel of latitude, and of the rights of the
United States up to that line : but no final decision had
been come to up to the 29th ultimo—the last paper we
have received (The New York Herald) being of the 30th.
Having their hands full of the Mexican war, and its an-
ticipated great costs—for which 17,000,000 of dollars are
proposed to be appropriated, no immediate response from
the United States is to be expected to the relaxed system
of commercial policy adopted by Great Britain. The
proposed outlay had damped the never very warm advo-
cates of free trade. The official organ still calls upon
Congress to pass the bill ; but, in the heat of war and
fancied glory, the appeal was utterly neglected. A similar
fate appears to thi eaten the Independent Treasury scheme.
Owing to the warlike position of the country, several
propositions for the adjournment of Congress had been
rejected, and the question was deferred for consideration
to the Sth of June.

The Great Britain steam-ship had arrived out at New
York on the morning of the 30th ultimo, after a run of
twenty days. Her prolonged passage arose from a slight
accident to the engine having deprived her of the use of
steam for a portion of the voyage. She was appointed to
leave New York on her return on the 6th instant.
The predictions of public money being heedlessly and
extravagantly squandered upon a war heedlessly provoked
appear to be in course of realisation. At New Orleans
no less than 16,500 dollars per month was paid for the
hire of a steam-boat to transport troops and supplies to
the Rio Grande !

The New York Commercial Inquirer, of May 30th,
says, " Two thousand two hundred and forty-four pas-
sengers from Europe arrived at this port yesterday."
Intelligence from the Havana, in the American jour-
nals, reports that no less than sixteen members of the
Mexican Confederation had notified their Government,
that, if the scheme of establishing a monarchical govern-
ment were forced upon them, they would be compelled,
in self-defence, to ask admission into the union of the
United States of America.

The news from the Canadas is unimportant, if we ex-
cept the fact that vegetation was rapidly progressing, and
that the prospects for agriculture were most promising.

From Vera Cruz the advices were to the. 7th ultimo.
The whole of the American squadron, with the exception
of the Falmouth, had sailed on the sth to the relief of
General Taylor; and, on its return, would proceed to
blockade the Mexican seaboard, and, probably, to attack
the castle of San Juan d'Ulloa. Extensive and spirited
preparations in men and metal were being made for the
defence of the castle; and, the weather being excessively
hot, the vomito had made its appearance. This would
prove a valuable ally to the Mexicans. The Cabinet
formed by. Paredes still remained in power:

The exiled chief, Santa Anna, still remained at Havana,
with little prospect of being recalled to power.
The revolt of Alvarez in the south had been entirely
suppressed. Several alterations in the constitution of the
Cabinet bad been made by Paredes. The Mexicans, re-
mote from the seat of war, were universally confident of
victory upon the Rio Grande, founding their hopes upon
the numerical superiority of their troops. Ttie acts of
the 'Executive were universally approved of. The re-
ported sale of the Mexican war-steamers Montezuma
and Guadaloupe is said to have been contradicted.
Accounts from Campeachy to the 13th ultimo state,
that the Congress was still engaged in constructing a new
constitution, and would no doubt confirm the declaration
made some time since of the separation of the state of
Yucatan from the Government of Mexico.

The following are a few laughable scraps from letters
relative to the Mexican war and the assumed valour of
the Yankees, from the New York Herald, the founder of
which, Mr. James Gordon Bennett, announces, in amusing
terms, his intention to revisit Europe this summer, with
a view to organize a system of correspondence for his
journal from the several courts of this quarter of the
globe :
" About twenty minutes after the commencement of
the action, poor Major Ringgold (of the Bth) was struck
by a six-pound shot, and mortally wounded—he has since
died. I had lent him my pistols on going into the fight.
The shot struck one holster, cut it and the pistol in two
pieces, cut all the flesh off the upper part of the Major's
thigh, yassed through the shoulders of his horse, cut the
other pistol in two, and the flesh off the other thigh. He
fell from his horse—and Sherer offered to assist
him—but he said, " no sir—let me stay—go on—you have
enough to do—go ahead 1" We rested on our arms until
three o'clock, and then commenced the action again; and
fought them till night closed the scene of carnage. We
slept on the field of battle, amid the dead, dying, and
wounded, without refreshment, upon the bare ground, and
with our arms by. ur side. In this engagement I lost my
mare in extricating myself from a party of seven Mexicans
who bad fired at me whilst executing an order on the ex-
treme left for Col. Twigge. I snapped her shoulder in
wheeling to shoot a Mexican who rushed at me with a
lance.

On the next day the enemy made a show, but retreated,
and took up their position in a thick undergrowth, having
every advantage. We commenced the fight; the most
awful ever known ; and the old officers say equal only to
New Orleans or Fort Erie. I was in the front rank du-
ring the whole fight, and thank God, escaped without a
wound, though unhorsed, a ball through my coat, and my
horse struck. We whipped them to death. I took the
sword off a captain, just wounded by me, and mean to
keep it—you shall see my trophy one of these days. Lieut.
Randolph Ridgely won as much glory as any officer on the
field—he is a glorious fellow. We lost some few officers
and run. Among the officers was poor Lieutenant Inge
—he hod just joined, and was killed in the charge on the
enemy's batteries ; I charged by his side, and was un-
horsed, and doubtless thus escaped. I am too grateful
first for the opportunity of being in the fight, and then to
escape unhurt."
MR. JOHN 13. COZZENS.—Extract from a letter dated
" Camp," May llth.—Your brave friend, Lieut. Roland,
was always proud of his sword, as every American officer
should be; and he now feels prouder than ever of it, for it
was struck by a six-pound shot near the centre, as it hung
by his side.—P.S.—The muskets of the. Mexicans, I no.
ticed, were all marked George Rex, or Fourth, Tower."
The following are miscellaneous extracts :—LtotiT-
NING SPEED.—lmmediately, when the Great Britain
was telegraphed, we sent on the account by the lightning
line to the editors at Philadelphia, who sent back a re-
quest to be forwarded an abstract of her news. The en-
tire was performed within an hour ! to and from Phila-
delphia. What next !—New Hork Herald.
_ _

(From the:Mobile Herald, /11ay-2-2.)
A specimen of patriotism wits related to us yesterday.
A man threw a silver dollar into the street, because it
was of Mexican coinage. Whether some less patriotic
individual picked it up, we did not stay to ascertain.
Camp opposite Matamoras,
On the Rio Grande, May 14, 1846.
Dear M.,—We have had two hard-fought and victorious
battles, on the Bth and 9th instant, of which you have
doubtless had accounts in the papers. lam well and un•
harmed, though much exposed in both fights. Not until
next morning did we know our entire success, when we
found they had retired, leaving their dead, and many of
their wounded, upon the field of battle. As my regiment
was marching down in line, my company marched directly
upon a poor Mexican, who raised his arm, as if to depre_
cate any harm being done to him. My men shook hands
with him, and re-assured him, giving him water and re-
freshments, and he was turned over to our surgeons, and
very kindly treated. Since then, 150 or more of their
wounded fell into our hands, who have been all kindly
treated.

We captured one of their generals—Gen. La Vega—
and about twelve other officers, and 170 men. As for
their killed and wounded, the whole ground around was
covered with them. Every feeling of humanity was
excited in my breast by such sights. We bivouacked that
night on the field of battle and of victory, and late at
night, about eleven or twelve o'clock, myself and another
officer sallied out in quest of wounded men. We had the
satisfaction of saving one wounded Mexican, who was
nearly exhausted from loss of blood, abandoned in the
field, and passed over as dead by all who had previously
seen him. A serjeant who could talk Spanish was along
with us, who gave assurance to the pocr fellow that he
should be treated kindly, and taken to the doctor, which
was his desire.--New York Herald.

General Taylor speaks in bigh and doubtless unexag-

gerated terms of praise of the conduct of his subordinates.
Of himself, however, of course, he could say nothing.
His junior officers, however, will not permit injustice to
be done him. One of them, writing to his correspondent
in New Orleans, for example, says, " The General be-
haved most gallantly. In the second battle he was more
exposed than any one else; and there he sat, part of the
time, giving his orders, with his leg `cocked over' the
pummel of the saddle, unheeding the solicitations of the
staff to retire."—Letter in the New York Herald.