The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-08-03

getting that he, SIR James, the ACCUSED, Oy nom
mating the members Of The committee HIMSELF ac.eo
in the relative position Of criminal selecting me-
own jury. Sir James Graham Is a very unpopular
minister and, moreover, bad tacticisn. From she
time this damaging subject was mooied 10 The pre-
sent hour, he seems to have courted unpopuiarity
and odium Instead of being at first as commuoics-
tive a. the circumstances Of the case warranted,
which would then in oil probability have satisfied the
public, he wrapped himself up in official mystery
and refused 10 give reason, even on "compdlson.
The second time the subject came under Discus
sion he was equally grand-equaJly suited but the
thunders OF the press, metropolitan and provincial
brought avalanche about his ears, that threatened
TO overwhelm not only the Cumberland bsronet, but
the ministry itself. Then, when tho storm was
bowling loudest he had the bad taste, the weakness,
to complSin of The fury with which he was assail.d
Those who have been prognoscating the speedy dis
solution of the Cabinet, and tie humber OF such
croakIDg prophets has been greatly on the increase
Of lste-professl 10 in this Post Office espion-
age lis coup de greece.
The Government, il is clear from these proceed
logs, intend TO retort upon their rivals, the wings
the tu quo argument, aud this may account Tor
their apparent liberality in placing four ministerial
and five Wing members on the committee Inc
Wings, however, stand in this more elevated posi-
tion--that whereas during their Government, thc
subject was never but once mooted nvidiousiy, and
then Lord John Russell professed his readiness to
communicate, without waiting, like his successor, to
he compelled to do So the details Of the case brought
forward
In fact the righteousness which he displayed, dis
armed suspicion as to the abuse Of the power. The
Lords have also appointed a secret committee 10
analyze this subject-and, anomalous it has been
in every stage, not The least singular phase that
while the lawyers have been studiously excluded
from the committee in the Lower House, two law
Lords -Brougham and CotteUham-have been placed
on the Peers committee. The Report is anxiously
looked for-and to calm the existing excitement, it
will be made doubtless before the session closes.
Few Parliamentary topics have excited more con-
troversy than the Railway bill introduced by the
Government for transferring the management oil
future railways from the Directors to the Depart
ment Of the Board OF Trade. Out of doors, the
whole combined railway interest, representing many
of the greatest Capitalists of the country, besides
the higher and large portion of the comm rcia and
middle classes are in arms against the project,
while within the walls Of Parliament the opposition
is equally fierce and more loud and wordy.
The tone of the Government has been apologize;
they appear afraid of the powerful interest which
they have provoked, and they plead accordingly that
the more stringent features of the bill not intend
ed to be enforced. As one of the clever commenta.
tors on the measure says, 1t is elaborate scare
crow to brighten railway proprietors into good beha-
v)ur 1t is declaratory bill-a bill decIara,ory of
what ministers do not mean to do; but by holding
over the railway companies the fear of what Gov
eminent does not mean to do, is to cause the said
companies 10 do what the Government thinks they
oughtto do"
The principal provisions Of the measure are
power on the part of the Government, after the ex-
praon of fifteen years from the passing of the act,
to revise the tolls if the clear profits amount to ten
per cent after the expiration OF fifteen years, the
Government to be enabled to buy at twenty years
purchase any OF the railways that come under the
provisions of the bill These and other stringent fea
lures about the revision Of the tolls by the Board of
Trade, make up the inqusitorial features OF the
measure. The most popular enactmcnt-albeit it is
One artle cd in tua rfy
greatly di.like-is the establishment of third class
carriages, TO run a week. for the conveyance of
the poor, at charge not exceeding penny mile.
The bill, in the teeth of the opposition which is
encountered within and without the House, passed
the second reading by majority Of l66 to 3d. OF
course there is not the slightest chance of the bill
getting through Parliament at this advanced period
of the session. and the prospects Of success in future
session. when the opposition to the measure will
have become better organized, are hardly less
predetermined.
The public are anxiously waiting the result Of the
State prisoners appeal to the House of Lords the
writ Of error. To the judges who were present, ana
who, at the termination OF the proceedings, were
obliged to leave for their respective circuits num-
Der Of queries, involving the technical points of the
appeal, have been submitted by the Lord Chancel
or, and Judgment will be given when their decision
has been received. In the mean time, it is believed
that the counsel for Cornell and the other travers
ers have picked out many and such fatal flaws in
the " monster Indictment" and the trial founded on
1t, that 1t cannot sustain the conviction.
Indeed, the Lord Chancellor admitted that the Jury
list was Jrauduiepfiy made ups an admission which
will be turned to good account hereafter, whatever
may be the result Of the appeal. It will be seem by
reference TO a statement made at the Repeal Asso-
citation on Monday last by MIR. OConne, Jr., that
his father had no hopes that the appeal TO the House
Of Lords would be successful.
discussion on gambling occurred in the House Of
Commons, last week, which was well seasoned with
personality Ii arose out of the qui actions the
late Running Rein affair, the charge Of Baron Alder
son. and the state Of things connected with the trf
generally. In legislative point Of view it was GER
tanly not very decorous, while, as an alteration
amongst gentlemen, 1t merely proved that when the
functions Of legislator interfere with those o. pro-
fessiona gambler, pot,ness be regarded rs
a virtue.
The subject of the Slave Trade was brought be-
fore the House Of Commons on Tuesday last, by
Lord Palmerston. This is Of his Lordship's f.
voriie hobbies, and on this occasion he rode il at
great length. The speech, which depicted the hor-
rors OF the traffic in terms eoquenty pathetic touch
ed upon The treaty with the five Powers, which was
on the eve OF completion when Lord Palmerston,s
government went out OF office In S4l This portion of
the speech we have given at length, as IL developes
the policy by which that government would have
been guided towards the United States this ques.
tioD had IT remained In Office. Sir Robert Peel is
just much opposed to the Slave Trade as his anita
gonist, only he does no, 70 the "whole hogm for its
suppression. The speeches Of the two leaders were
clever specimens Of party warfare-Lord PaImers-
tons, perhaps, the more eloquent; Peel's the more
practical Of the two.
REPEAL ASSOCIATION
At the weekly meeting OF this association, on the
9Th instant Mr.. f. Roche, M. p. for Cork. presided
He declared himself an ardent Repeater, but disap-
proved Of the proposition to coerce the Irish mem
bes who had not yet taken the Repeal pledge. He
spoke OF the times as trying, II not dangerous de.
scribed the Imprisonment Of Mr.. OConneIl as an aw
iul event. lauced the committees Of the association
Tor their industry, talent and patriotism urged all
lovers OF their country To join the association spoke
OF the cause as having within itself the elements of
triumph; recommended the electors at the next gen.
eral election TO vote for but RepcaIers and
said that much as he rcvercpced OConneil, he en-.
wed him Tor nothing so much as his present posi-
ton.