19 FEBRUARY 1842, Page 12

Mr. Sharman Crawford has written a letter to the Times

explaining his absence from the division on Wednesday night. The speeches of Lord John Russell and his principal supporters appeared to Mr. Craw- ford to convert the negative proposition against the sliding scale into a positive declaration for a fixed duty ; and, as the advocate of total re- peal of all Corn and Provision duties, he could not vote on either side.