13cbatr4 anti Practtliingl in 13atliannut.

1. REPEAL OF THE MALT TAX.

Numerous petitions were presented at the morning sitting of the House of Commons on Thursday, praying for relief of agricultural distress, and especially for a repeal of the Malt. tax. It was plain that great preparations were making to support Sir William Ingilby's ex- pected motion for the total repeal of that impost. In the evening, Sir WILLIAM INGILBY moved, not for the repeal of the tax, but the follow- ing resolutiuo—" That the House do resolve itself into a Committee of 'the whole- House, with a view to take into its consideration the pro- priety of partially or totally repealing the duty on malt." In support of this motion, Sir William made a most amusing and singular speech, which kept the House in an almost constant roar of laughter. He very soon finished his arguments against the continuance of the Malt-tax. It was not necessary, he said, for him to repeat what had been so many times said about the distressed condition of the agricultural classes—of the desolation that was brought upon many owners and occupiers of land—of the great multiplication of beer-houses--of the sort of persons who frequented those places—of the consequent incen- ' diarisms—and of the vile stuff which was sold in these " ketley- witikey" shops, as they were termed. He maintained, that all these pernicious results were owing to the Afalt-tax, which prevented home- brewing, drove the labourers from their firesides to beer-shops and gin- shops, and filled the workhouses with drunken paupers. A tax which produced such shocking consequences was odious, oppressive, and im- politic, and ought to be repealed. But Sir William Ingilby admitted, that its lie proposed to take off a tax which produced bet seen four and five millions a year, he was bound, as Lord Althorp had told him last year, to find a substitute for it. This he was prepared to do ; and ac- cordingly the greater part of Sir William's speech was devoted to an ex- position of what he called the " Budget of the Knight of Lincoln transformed into a Chancellor of the Exchequer." This budget, he promised, should be much more satisfactory to the House than any which had been proposed by Ministers—though the repeal of the Malt- tax would not put a shilling into the pockets of the landowners, nor in- crease rents. In the first place, supposing the Malt-duty to be taken off, he would impose a. tax of 6s. a barrel on beer, which would be scarcely felt by the country, though it would produce in round numbers —he did not pretend to great exactness in his calculations—about a million and a half. He would then raise the tax on the noble wines, which Ivere drank bY gentlemen, by the rich Members of that House, from .5s. fid. to 15s. a gallon,—he would swim them up to 15s. a gallon. The Cape wines he would not meddle with; and he would have a lower rate of duty on the Spanish and Portuguese wines. From this increase he should expect 237,000/. He would then impose an additional duty of rid. a gallon on that imperial liquor gin ; which would give him 2,51/0,000/. Yes, he would tax that royal liquor ; which was so cheap that at present a man might buy enough to swim in for half a crown. Next, lie would let fly at the helLs. Those pestilential shops ought to be put down. How many there were of them he could not tell ; as he never heard of them except when every now and then somebody cut his throat there. There might be fifty of them, and he would tax every vagabond who kept one 1,0001. a year. Then as to the persons who frequented those places, they might take permission to go as men did to go out shooting—they might take out a licence to go to hell—

Here Sir ROBERT INGLIS ruse to order. Language such as the Ilouse had then heard, was not becoming in a Christian assembly.

Sir Wistaast INGILBY resumed. He admitted the phrase was nut such as ought to be addressed to " ears polite." lie would tax the gentlemen and tradesmen, the (minium gatherum who frequented such places, 10/. a year each ; and taking them at 5,000 in 'lumber, he should thus get .50,000/. ( The Leather-tax should also be reimposed ; its repeal had done no good.) Lastly, lie proposed to impose a duty on Sales of distinction, from Dukes down to Baronets and Knights.

They should all pay an ad valorem duty; from which, however, they might claim exemption by advertising in the Gazette, us he meant to

do, that they had relinquished their titlgs. He calculated, that by these several means, he should get a sum of 4,976A10/. ; and as the Malt-tax yielded only 4,902,000t, he should still have 45,0001 in sack. Besides, there were reductions to be male in the expenditure, and other resources, which would increase the balance.

The Alarquis of CHANDOS seconded the motion for the Committee ; but disclaimed all previous knowledge of or concurrence in Sir W. INGILBY'S extraordinary Budget.

There were some calls iiar Lord Althorp J but his Lordship did not rise; and the Speaker was about to say that the question had passed in the affirmative, when Mr. IVARISCRTON rose to oppose the motion, and a debate which occupied several hours commenced.

The arguments adduced in favour of, or against, repealing the Malt- tax.—for very little notice was nken of the Budget, except to laugh at

it—were the same which have been usually employed in former debates on the subject. The great relief which the repeal of the tax would afford to the depressed landed interest—the policy of encouraging the con- sumption of beer, in preference to that of gin—and the tendency which the permission to brew at home would have to bring about the old practice, so conducive to morality, of farmers boarding their own labourers,—were all insisted upon. Air. Concur especially adverted to the great increase in price which the monopoly enjoyed by the inaltsters created. Malt was now selling at retail in London for 6-Is. a quarter : the price of barley was 24s. ; the duty on malting a quarter of barley

was 20s. St/. ; the cost price of the malt was 4-1s. ed.; and the differ- ence between that and 64s. went into the multster's pocket. Now, if a

farmer were allowed to malt for himself, he could get nine bushels of malt from eight of barley, and that would pay for the expense of the operation. It was generally admitted by the advocates of the motion, that in order to supply the deficiency created by the repeal of the tax, addi- tional duties should be laid on other articles of consumption ; and it was proposed that a higher duty on spirits, and a renewal of the b2er- duty, would answer the purpose.

The Members who supported the motion for inquiry were Air. BaNerr, Colonel Dsvles, Mr. GOBBET r, Air. BARING, Colonel WOOD, Mr. Hume, and Mr. O'Costsrus.—Mr. Hume especially, on the ground that inquiry would certainly do good. He was also of opinion that a substitute for the Malt-tax might be found, without renewing the Beer-duty or increasing the tax on spirits. At the same time that Mr. Hume supported the motion for inquiry, he maintained very stoutly the doctrine of public credit, as opposed to those who advocated a re- duction of the dividends payable on the Funds.

Lord ALTHORP, Mr. WARBURTON, Mr. GISBORNE, Mr. CLAN, and Sir ROBERT PEEL, spoke against the motion. Mr. W'altarRTON Con- sidered it an attempt on the part of the agricultural interest to put their hands into the pockets of the people. The agricultural interest wished to raise a revenue On the other interests in the State, in order to place the revenues in their own pockets. In order to benefit the growers of barley, Sir William Ingilby would tax the poor in towns, who could not brew for themselves. The repeal of the Malt-tax would not re- duce the price of beer to any extent, unless that measure were accom- panied by the removal of the duties on the importation of foreign bar- ley: it would only benefit the owners of barley-growing districts.

Sir ROBERT PEEL laid great stress on the injury which the repeal of the tax would inflict on public credit. The surplus of 600,000/. retained by Lord Althorp was quite small enough ; besides, he much doubted whether the expected increase in the tea-duties would be realized. No good would come of the inquiry ; some sweeping measure would be proposed, and an immediate vote taken. He thought that benefit would result from a Committee to inquire into the nature and amount of those burdens which peculiarly affected the land. As to the fresh taxes to be imposed, he thought that it would be unwise to renew the Beer- duty. That duty applied to the brewer, from whom the poor man pro- cured his supply ; but the rich man with a large establishment brewed at home, and so escaped the tax. It was therefore a relief to the lower classes to repeal it. The Poor-rates were not a great dead more in amount than the Malt-tax. Now if the House were determined to abolish five millions of taxes, for which substitutes must be found, it would afford much more substantial and direct relief to apply the sum to the reduction of the Poor-rates.

Lord ALTHORP said, that if the Committee were appointed, it would be a palpable usurpation of the administrative functions of the Govern- ment. He ridiculed the variety of propositions which had been made for supplying the deficiency anticipated from a repeal of the Malt-tax. The beer-tax was unequal and unfair in its pressure : an increase of the duty on spirits would infallibly produce illicit titillation, as was found to be the case when in 1830 Air. Goulburn increased it by 600,0001., and instead of an advantage, there was a deficiency of 100,000/. in that account alone. lie did not believe that the agricultural labourers would again brew their own beer ; it could be done much cheaper in breweries : the repeal of the Malt-tax would not make any difference in that re- spect. He had plans in forwardness—plans which he pledged himself to produce—which lie really thought would relieve the agricultural interest.

The House divided : for the motion, 170; against it, 272; Ministe- rial majority, 101.

This debate produced some good speaking. The principal points, however, are given in the preceding abstract,—especially those contained in the speech of Sir WILLIAM ING1LBY ; who appears to have been re- garded as speaking almost in joke from beginning to end. Mr. BENETT gave some good advice to the lauded interest.

if the landowners took his advice, they wonid adopt every measure having a tendency to lower prices. Many years back, the,, had neglected to prepare fur a return to a me- tallic currency, and they bail suPrel severely Mr their want of prudence. Let them not betray a similar want of foresight well regard to the Cern-laws. Persevering en- de Avows 'would be made to obtain the repeal or those lams; and that they would tie successful hi the end, he could riot but believe. Under these circumstances. it was :lie interest of the landowners to prepare fax the evil day, by hovering the price of thee articles which they produced: and they could only effect this object by reducing the cost of cultivation. lie considered it Is' the interest of the landowners to repeal every tax alt.cting the prtsliati.ai of the adirles of life ; and for this reason, he was an advo- cate for a Property-tax, which pressed 1114m the rich and not upon the poor. Flo re-

collected that when a l'soperty-tax exillite.1 in this rountry, it was run down by the cla- issOor itinerant orators, who possessed no property whatever. Since that period, the people had becothe more enlightened ; nu! a Ptopertydax would, he had no doubt, be

putat• in the country. lie certainly thou:: ht that ett•ry gentleman, before he What in fat to, of the motion, ought to baPprepared with :t oil, tit at: to supply the delieieney in the 1,1, illtIle Which the repeal of Ow NI:at ill My woo1,1 create; for 11111eSi that deficiency wa, supplied, the notional faith, the 111:61.1',..a/e, of 01101 might to he the first care or Pa.11ahamt, could not lie pieserved. Ile m • prepared with a substitute in the shape of a l'r..pet-ty.t ax, and be Myren:ire considered hini,elf at liberty to vote in favour of the Institut.

Dlr. tilsnottNe spoke some tin%vi !come truths.

a....fitam of the Moltoluty would I. • lo nefit to I i.e agricultural pier ; for the vat route of giling relief to a -toial.1 poi,,,Ialtot,, 73, to ittorea.,, the de.

riamt t..: labor, Ile It that Elea c I., a:itir-ipated :toy adequate relief Pm the of the aericidtmists from the ‘.1 the honourable baronet's mauler.

ro '•. I • ,1•,•31 I y lilted by the res:.:1 . 'I le: Injimiltural interests mould Iieyaer • ',wit on !lie and occupiers Or land were •• ) 111. ‘• .441 oecovels el- bad.- . ei.e Ic .1 ti•ot ut hr uLl elnm lotVillu, bargained to ply I,. se: em 1,, ume compeiled by to p.sy t'oor iitiarti•ri. Ile %las, however.

.■ tied 1 1.• ring out of o,e,1,,,,nts was considerable pro• . !I, : •,. 11101 coll. 1,1 f of Needys000. s•,or.

• , ,,,,! at the tae,:lt 11.f• •lit it •;!14'... 1:4,C11pkt1 land

1,t% ar.o. TIo• ol•I 1,0•11 aultillitated, or swept away to

r. „, mei bloat it we:lams.

I Zw.1,ItT 1'1:1:1. alluded to pl'o,plont Of a reduction of the

'ents.

, ...,,,aama 11 interest a I I, it a much greater elianee of re-

. thaa 1,:. ,.!1.• the pohlic credit. His

'I "" •!•0 • "` ••' 1 •>“":1- "I" ! limIl• to • aml.•,,Inaal 1/.1, c•I; al 11, 1,...,,111 p1 zi•., Or the F1111Ik.

:te 4,1:111.•■• I- 01:.1 :.1, raili risto,ti.ai or ow public bee- di,..inishing the intere-t on those Floids, his fixed al1,1

, ;■•11 11..11 1,1141 •11"...11 I,: 1, etolan...,ered or lessened by:toy

• .; pi.s•ipitate d, she Gar the rep, .,I it the tax it: 40-.,1 ion. lbe had heed aslo- t. • • !,ort, to, refer, Iwo 1.1.4110 1.% 1[10 171..A.t.,•11.1-111 the Emlitspier to the state of

t I - per ('ruts. iu Ids

i• resi.t•t to the laueused in the duties on wine and gin,

4

• ra•c, aise.s.-al la Lie as he:svy a y 1,11 win as could possibly i.e collected I. 41'111 iy with the ion:rests of the fair trader, and the maintenance •.t the ..,,oad of the poldie leyelete. Pic if 1.y lay iug on an enormous tax on gin, all o age eta, s:iy en to illicit di-Id:oz. it was very difficult to see in what nay ..1.• t, ould 1.0 11 the t,It1s, of piddle morality improved, by the -,ill, hawser. I he interests lit' V: • ficdu.L mil- clasSt's or society ought to be ; and it' it e,m1,1 I,.• shown that any inter, ase °in:Nation on a luxury like 1:,-

, • 7 •,,thl net tlintini•Ii it lonsunipt ion. and hi-cease the puddle reveir.:,, it

q• •a very- maiy• t,irul reinsert nneur of the present nuition, lint w w. sass :in ill, i..t a tilde more expel:ell, • its hi, olliee of Chancellor of the E.,che

,• .,•11.1 o, hiial w lialevet it miglit be in arithmetic, two and Leo 104 uui i:1 • ■ •• 1I ay s 11.ake

IF. I 'unt:ETT tleset4.1n:(1 the effect., of the Alalt-tax on the habits and of the agrietiltei;i1 population.

own, ■,11 a ill. 1.11St. 1.1 lout, cmititine to sprrad themselves over

y, yoor taxes upon the titles of yem• and it w let be

I .: 1.,•• ..• ait: tit e‘tat 1,y the tersest or yoor people. It might be said the it was 111,111fore:i1 1,11,1 1:1.:. yoll prop...14110 1A) up.111 the:

so it was. nith•re. the proye.: injutious in it. operation. Noy, ;his taa,

iltovt• the ia, tilt' to Ili,. beer .111,..4,, an l what ;not are r.e, douse y voile - • • • ••:- :1 of Ittr f,,In homes. 1:y ery man who 1,11•w :my thing about tin• tv floe laoIettoldc nii,111,:e fill- the %%1/1.S1.• I taken plam, :mim!

'a - h • Lamer: had been compelle to dike the young awn in their employ.

:0 I....a !.dc ha:•.e..-,.1.y., It %las that lisoit• any nisei. %avit ,„ , „ , .1 shill ,1 tit, inaltio•rs an 1 the emu!' ry.1 eople: and lie. •• o. it and 1,.• 4,1 it 1,1•1‘:.,....4,114t 0.110 ;. 14:11 M 4,...,1 4.14.01 exp,•use .••1 : ants iu y•ton 07 it kuse :11 , fr,,n1 the csil•i, 4,• hit aural iu r Ilan beers 1;....•r they will halo, I, •er I 11111.4 haw..; liver they ott4lit to ,•. ,,!.•! ith•tily too. Fara,e1S11,41'1 as thvy 11,..1 to tok,...s.j.,.s, hr was ,el-, ants in lossletialry into their lems••,.; bat tile} hire Mr the day, or for yl„••;,. 4111: MO 01011 :111111111.r, ,,t 1,„%;,,, any !• ••• t• lalatorers. Item, Igo yoillig 111e1 ayol oi•Ii4ts1 1,. reAtie in tla•ir fathers' • eitt of which they are ,tilleeLt.,1 1, s' by a I.rothets and I Imam they- are Ill'ho•it iuu,, the :111.1 that dehluiahL.111011 of

••• II • leanly gentienteu isle nosy

Mr. IluNlE thus explained his re.tsoe,. for voting for the motion.

. that win the lir,' in m I lo Mini:tent of the Cron, with a •" • that tni,dtt apploo:an. I ;..:II., o j. eat or tsoe Jan. riot IA, im; made ‘, tnxes they uoqid redee.., and telling the I I °Ilse that they lea lateens to light as best 1 t for !heir out parlieillar relief. Ile y. I he toll:ell:so a every la,: !hal 41,1y be reduced, ats.I he should

: • ,. r the preseol motion. lb cruet that the rea,o•lion of the Malt.

; .,..;M:!:-.4k ,e1:.;eitage to tbe rieutt mat, the 111:5101 met in and the

. : it t, of the e..,tittiy. II, IL granted,that if this burden shotsid be l's:';-.6 .ducal in! Ldmtry w051,1 not tppi.e the plat: M.! I; tm ❑ piep.n j"1■1:1.■c. I.4.

As his :Majesty's Miniiters

01 it ":1.. t' I :,-,:,• tll 1[1, The present motion cm:- .1, •• th,,zree Irea,11 :la. •. ••: .1, • C:citicollor of I 11,1 ; but

'• ...I had to titan!. ithu,..I1 for timt, refosed lulu Ids duty.

oNNEt.t. spoke in favour of inquiry ; and tool: an occasion t:, dere; .1 Ids late proposition fur le.eaking faith with the national ere- In ,tooting the example of Alinieters and Sir Itubert Peel, who hurl tit, I.I a Ives done and proposed to eh., the sante thing.

I - :11 that it neela 1.• prol.m..t Inunl: ter, whether • ■■•• •ert,•••••••••,1 oil the pro,larlive itithistry of the country out be commuted u..; • .• .11 Not %I ithstandiug Co. Ma; y ysi:11 hich he had been assailed -, and the Parliamentary fermity tilled hunt etwountcred in that lIouse on 1.1., • tl'.• nets should such al:W[111.1111.Y “ti lids he appointed, he would maintain that it a., .pero to it to irp.uis, wfritier a debt that had been rout ranted in one medium

.. • . •• :Mother and is dearer ono. It was cant on the one hand to say that

r1.1: wa • •...: a vhdatiou of notional faith, :lad it was cant on the other haul to say' that -.1 • adjustment would be is vidation of that faith. The Chancellor of the • 1:,••,,, Lad in a iot nier Ses4011 plop., eel to 1st' ta:s 111.011 Trans: erg in the o.iv• tat iv, as 1111101 a 'V iOlat ion of In lt halal faith as n relilletion of the Debt.

r. nIcy hal accused him of political proftgaey for snaking melt a propt:Mtion ;

y, as a political, Pr011igate fur wise~ a statement, he could point 10 att. of the right honourable gentleman -to Sir James Ili raltann who sat beside I, much better deserved that title. Sir James Grahaut had formerly proposed to if a red:it:thus of Y3 per t•eut. should be made in the Debt. 11e was astonished t.• see the right honourable Secretary sitting close by a " political Urolligattt." II: Is...-.ant the right lumouralde baronet's pardon. lie did not mean that such a terns cms!,1 Ise justly applied to him; but it was certainly as applicable. to Sir James as it sy.1., L. him tat the subject.

2. ltIll'EAT. OF TILE HorsE TAX.

Immediately after the numbers of the division on Sir William Ins el!hv's motion bad been declared, Lord ALTILORP gave notice, that on Thursday next he should move for leave to bring in a bill to repeal the I louse-tax.

3. SEGAR DUTIES. Government the necessity of equalizing the duties on East and West India Sugar. Sir Router PEEL said, he trusted the House would never sanction this discriminating sort of policy between two sets of colonies, which were entitled to thir and equal treatment. He cautioned the House not to commit this injustice : there was a growing ktelli- gence in the natives of India, that would teach them to resent it. He was ready to admit, that any precipitate step might be injurious ; but the East Indians, at any rate, were entitled to the fullest and most un- equivocal assurances on the part of Govermnent, that justice would be done them at some definite and not distant time, and that the present policy was not permanent. Mr. WaiteettroN said, it had been ascer- tutted, by the experiments of Dr. U re, that the West Indians received a bonus of 5s. a hundredweight on till the sugar refilled for exportation, which would be found to amount to several hundreds of thousands of pounds. All the members who spoke on this side laid much stress out the extreme injustice turd impolicy of the favouritism shown to the West Indies at the expense of the East.

On the other side, Mr. P. M. Sal:water, Colonel Davas, and Mr. GLansToan, spoke a few %%teals against any alteration, especially a pre- cipitate one. Lend Armour and Mr. STANLEY expressly declared that the present system was not permanent ; that it was only adapted

to the state of aorairs in the West ; and that it %void() be highly impolitic by any change at the present time to hazard the stteccss of the Emancipation Act. The question was merely one of time ; all that was asked was to ore the working of the Emancipation in the Colonies. This was repeated three times by Lord A larllOtte, in answer to Mem- bers Ivho pressed tur a more definite reply. Mr. STANLIN Sithl, that all must be agreed upon the necessity of assimilating the duties at no distant period. The West Indians Nvould, from what had passed that night in the House,arerei ye an intimation of the measures they must

w shortly expect. It ould show bow far the doctrines of free trade grew with the growth of opinion—that they were becoming strung and gene- ral ; and the hint of Sir Robert Peel would not fail to produce the salutary and desired effect on the parties concerned in the event. Mr. Poemerr Tnomsoo, in reference to what fell from Mr. ll'arburton on the subject of the 5s. bonus enjoyed by the West Indians, said that he thought 4s. was nearer the mark. 1Ie had a measure in preparation, hick be hoped would remedy the losses to the public which accrued tualer the existing regulations.

In the cour-e of the disens.den, Mr. ALLxxxoen BaniNa adverted to the great increase in the foreign slave-trade; and asked Sir James Graham it' the accounts in the newspapers were true which he had read on this subject? Sir JAMES GRAHAM thought dale was :at increase in the slave-trade, especially in that carried on by the Spanish in Cuba ; but directions had been sent to the Admiral on the West Ieslia station, to surround the island and prevent the traffic. A steam- vessel of great IttM el- had also been sent to aid in the suppression of the trade. Dr. LUSIIINGTON 1-aid, that the treaties with foreign nations were so badly framed, that it was impossible by any exertion to put au end to the slave-trade until they were modified and made IIIVre Clrt:etire.

Lord Althorp's resolution for the continuance of the Sn;.2,..ar-dtitirs was thee, agreed to, without a division.

.1. INkIrlItY INTO THE. PENSION LIST.

Lord ALT' last night moved the appointment of a Select Com- mittee " to exturine the papers respecting Sinecure Offices, :tad to :e- port their observations thereupon to the House." !le should recom- mend that pensioas granted by Parliament by was of compensation should not be included in the examination of the Committee. Dir. llumE thought, that all pensions, by whomsoever granted. should lie taken into consideration. Those which were deserved might be re- tained ; but the people were entitled to the benefit of every possible cbance of getting rid of them. Lord Althorp's motion was agreed to, and the Committee appointed.

1 THE ARMY ESTIMATES.

The Army Estimates were brought forward last night, by Mr. Ewer:, in a Committee of Supply. He proposed a vote for 88.912 111&11. Mr. Hume moved to reduce it by 9,001); this would still have a force of apwards of 72,000: which was greater, lie said, than existed in 1823. The amendment was negatived, by 282 to Mr. ELLICE made all able speech, full of details, relative to the con- struction of these Estimates, as compared with those of former years.

The principal facts appeared in the. Spectator two weeks ago, when the Estimates were printed. The military force of the country would be reduced by eight thousand men, and there would be a reduction of 299,000i. in the expenditure. He mentioned the labours of the Com- mission which had been appointed for the purpose of consolidating the Civil departments of the Army. In compliance with the feC011111a dation of '.the Commissioners, it was proposed to abolish the Board of Control of Army Accounts ; to take to the War-office the charge of the Ordmince Half-pay; and to transfer the whole of the Commissariat to the iVar-ollice. It ','as also proposed not to grant the present al- lowance of half-pay to the officers who might hereafter enter the Army. The recommendations of the Committee on Military Expenditure which sat last session, had been attended to in every instance but one, which related to the Staff at Head-quarters. When that vote was pro- posed, he should take the opportunity of stating the objections of the Commander of the Forces to the proposed reductions. Altogether, the Estimates were the lowest which had been presented to the House since the Union with Ireland.

Mr. HUME complimented Mr. Ellice on his speech, and on his per-

sonal exertions to reduce the Army expenditure. He had no doubt that if more had not been done, it was no fault of his. He was of opinion that much greater reductions might have been made. The pre- sent Estimates, he was prepared to show, were higher than in 1822 or 1823, by the sums of 500,t100/. and 700,0001. He reminded. the House, that propositions which he had made a few years ago, and which wire

received as if the man who made them was fit only for Bedlam, had since been adopted, and fully carried into effect. The force kept up in Ireland—namely, 23,000 men, exclusive of Artillery and armed Police —was more than ought to be maintained : in 1788, 1789, and 17w, only 8,000 or 9,000 men Were sufficient. He would much rather vote to provide for the parsons for the rest of their lives in England, titan

maintain them at so enormous a cost in Ireland. Ile also dwelt for some time on the vast expense of the Colonial Military establishments ; which, he contended, were only necessary in consequence of our mis- government.

Mr. airaaaav defended thc Estimates, especially those for the Colo- nies. Sir HENRY ARDINGE, Major Beataiata, and Colonel DAVIES, also expressed their approbation of them. Colonel EVANS spoke a few words against keeping up so large a force in Ireland and the Colo- ides. The Colonel remarked on Lord John Russell's; appointment of Mr. Gleig to the Chaplaincy of Chelsea Hospital : be had known Mr. Gleie in the army when only seventeen or eighteen ; and had since seen him discharge the duties of his parish in the country in a most exemplary manner. He was not, nor ever had been, the editor of a violent political paper. *

The resolution proposed by Mr. Ellice was agreed to, and repertel by the Committee to the House.

• The Chronicle or this morning assorts that he was: awl, on suet, a suhjoct, Claunide is likel■ tole better.iiihameit th:in Colonel E‘aas.

6. CHURCH PATRONAGE IN SCOTLAND.

On Thursday, the Horse, on the motion of Mr. Gratio: SiNceara, appointed a Select Committee to "inquire into the state of the right of patronage in the Church of Scotland." The motion was :weeded to by Mr. JEFFREY; who, however, eXpresily guarded Iiinttlf fretni being' stIpposed to coincide in the views of Mr. Sinclair. Tin: tte:to:went on this subject in Scotland had become so great, that the settlement of it was absolutely necessary. A debate then ensued, in width Captain Goitrous:, Mr. Crmixa Buren, and Sir Roneuer Peer. opposed, ;at Colonel LEITH HAY, Mr. CFTLAit FFRC.FSSON, Mr. C01.QVIIOUN, Mr. GILLON, and Mr. SINCLAIR, supported the motion.

Captain GORDON said, that the present Government had misused its patronage for political purposes; au instance of such miseonduct had occurred in his own county. If an inquiry, limited in its objects to such proceedings as these, were sought for, he should not object to it ; but he would not support a measure for overturning the while system of patronage, as it had existed, with two slight interruptions, since the time of John Knox. Besides, the settlement of this business belonged more especially to the General Assembly of the Church. The line of argument adopted by Captain Gordon was followed with little deviation by the other speakers on the same side. Sir Roamer PEEL considered the attempt to interfere with the right of patronage, which had now existed for one hundred and twenty years without in- terruption, in the same light as an attempt to deprive the patrons of livings in the English Church of their advowsona. He enboged also upon the evils arising from popular election of ministers, and of the great advantage of the union of Church and State. On the part of the supporters of the motion, it was urged, that the right of patronage had always been considered a usurpation ; that after it had been abolished, it was restored by the Jacobites in the reign of

Anne; that the General Assembly in 17:36, had earnestly protested against it ; and that it was directly at variance with the (';tons of the Presbyterian Church. It was the opinion of 1)r. AP Crie and other men of eminence, that the increase of Dissenting congregations, now amounting to live hundred and fifty three, or a hundred more in number than half the parish churches, was mainly owing to this abuse. The people of Scotland had resolved upon seeing the Church reformed in this respect. As to leaving the matter to be settled by the General Assembly, that was out of the question, as the time of the Assembly was already sufficiently.occupied for the short period of its sittings ; and the people expected the subject to be fairly discussed and settled in Parliament.

7. Disses:Terts' MARRIAGES.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL on Tuesday obtained leave to bring in a bill "for the relief of persons dissenting from the Church of England in re- gard to the celebration of marriages." The chief provisions of the bill, as explained by his Lordship, are as follow. Dissenters must either be Married by bans or licence. If they prefer being married by bans, they must give regular notice to the clergyman of the parish in which they reside, or to the clergyman of each parish, if the parties do not maid,. in the same, to publish the bans. They will then have to apply for a certificate of the publication of the bans; and the clergyman, upon granting it, will reword the transaction in a book kept for the purpose. The Disseatina, minister must then give notice of the day on which he intends to solemffize the marriage ; and he will be required to keep a registry of all such marriages. Licences will be procured by lassenters in the usual way ; and notice of the licence having been obtained is to be sent to the clergyman. Dissenting meetinghonses are to be licensed, upon application of twenty householders to the Magistrates at Quarter- sessions ; and the Dissenting ministers are to scud registries of the marriages which have been performed in their chapels every three months, with a fee to the register of the diocese. These regulations are to apply to Catholic as well as Protestant Dissenters.

The plan was approved of by Dr. LosanNoece; and opposed by

Mr. Ilemr. and Mr. Farriiaur. By the former, because it was com- plicated, and because he thought marriage ought to be a simple civil contract ; by the latter, because he considered it an act of flagrant in- justice, though he would not then state his objections to the measure. Sir Roneter 'Nous and Mr. I:Isnot:at would not pledge themselves on either side, till they had an opportunity of seeing the bill.

8. DISFRANCHISEMENT OF TILE LIVERPOOL FREEMEN.

The bill for disfranchising the Liverpool freemen passed its second reading on Wednesday in the House of Commons, by a majority of 190 to 38, and was ordered to be committed on Wednesday next. Mr. BENETT wished to avoid all discussion on the merits of the question at that stage of the proceeding; but Lord SANDON having intimated that he should divide the House, be proceeded to detail the reasons which rendered it imperative on the Reformed Parliament to pass the bill. Mr. Benett stated, that 2,661 freemen had received bribes. The registered householders of Liverpool amounted to 8,800; the unregis- tere4 to 3,627. The bribery that had taken place at Liverpool he would affirm to be unparalleled. In seconding the motion, Mr. Wasost en- tered into the details of some charges against the Mayor and Town- Clerk of Liverpool, of having been concerned in the bribery of the freemen; and particularly alluded to a transaction, in which a sum of

4901. had been paid for G oemeal Caseoyne's hallo:nye in prOCI:. M.; place in the Customhouse for a Air. Roluinson ; the 400/. being; to defray part of the Genevan; electioneering expenses.

Dr. isTicitou, Lord SANDON, Mr. iltcren, and Mr. Faerreaneu posed the bill ; and complained of Mr. Wason's attack upon the a . r- and Town-Clerk, whose conduct they maintained to be unexceptieea,a• Complaints Were made that Aliniaters were not present at, alai t: no inte*est in the debate on this question ; but Mr. P. Tio»isoe sael that they considered it most proper to leave the matter entirely la tac I louse ; a determinatioa which Air. Waste.: highly approved of.

9. BoitorGit or WARWICK ELECTION BILL.

On Wednesday, Sir R. C. FlaterssoN moved the second readioa this bill; the object of which is to incorporate Leamington Priers leta Warwick for the purpose of returning Members to Parliament. ' referred to a petition against the bill Nvhich had been sent from I ing,ton last year, and in which it was Stated that the Poor-rate essesa :omit of the petitioners :sae 47,223/. (is. ta/. ; whereas it appear:ea a'. the whole assessment of Leamington ',vas only !2(1,052/. The mitt-:- 119 femeles had been appended to this false petition. The diseta. „ of the details of the bill Sir H. Fergusson wished to postpone tia v in Committee.

Wter.orottav, IlIr. Haecoura Mr. BAUM:, and Sir 11ANYER, opposed the measure. On the ether side, Ala LAN' Mr. TowEa, Mr. E. B. KING, and Mr. TANciti•O, wuutcud ;l it was absolutely necessary, in or& r to preserve ail): thing uppre..vi it to purity of election. The bill was then read a second time ; teal e•.:, ordered to be committed on 1Vethiesday next.

ho. SUPPRESSION OF THE PILOT; TRIAL. OF MR. 'BAltRf.': P.

These cognate subjects occupied much of the time of the Ito Tuesday. At the morning sitting, Air. LITTLE ON Illentitni his attention had been called, by a private letter from an official to the clause in the Irish Stamp Act, passed in the aetIt of Gee:;:, Third, by which the Commissioners of Stamps were prohibited : supply:.,„ than to the proprietor of a newspaper who lent been cue , of a seditious libel. Ile desired that the paragraph in the at • then he sent to Mr. Wood at the Stamp Offiee; which was part he had taken in the transaction. In the evening sitting, ! ALTDORP gave notice, that on the following Thursday he should for leave to bring in a bill to repeal so much of the act in pee- related to the refusal of stamps. Subsequently, Mr. O'l)wvam brought the matter of Mr. Bele, ■ trial before the House ; and moved a resolution, to the effect, tie.: exclusion of Catholics from the Jury on that trial was calculea affect public conthhowe in the purity of the administration of jua.:;.:. Ireland, and that the House hoped that on all future occasions • same nature, Catholics and Protestants would be allowed ind , nately to serve on the juries. This resolution became the subje long. debate, in which Mr. O'Coaseta. and Mr. Seaare:v spud:, great warmth warmth and personal bitterness ; Mr. O'Comell allegiee the Government had packed the Jury with the determination of ing a conviction ; and Mr. Stanley, that the whole proceeding le:a perfectly regular and fair. Mr. LIrrnrros and Lord Auritoe.,. defended the conduct of the Crown officers on the trial, but were more temperate in their language than Mr. Stanley. Mr. Smote air. AGLIONBY, and Mr. HUME, condemned the conduct of Goverrumea which Mr. WYNN and Mr. LAMBERT approved of.

It appeared to be allowed on both sides, that the mode in whit'!, the panel was struck was the following. The original panel consisted of 714 names, the majority of %thorn were Catholics. The Crown suai- eitor and the defendant's solicitor went through 207 of these natZ and out of these selected 4S persons. From this list, the names u,:' tie • only four Catholics were struck off by the Crown solicitor, %ace :lie July was finally formed, and so there remained a Jury of Prot, t tel to try the defendant. The names struck off were stated to be :mantes the most wealthy and respectable men in Dublin ; while the Foreman of the Jury and several of the other members of it were noted Waage- men, and personal opponents of \Ir. O'Connell. It was urged by iii Ministers, that no objection had been taken to any of the 4e1

selected for the Jury by the defendant's solicitor : it was therefi te be presumed that all of them were unobjectionable.

During the latter part of the debate, Mr. names O'Coxxoa ili,i, id as an amendment, that a Committee of inquiry into the creme-tea- should be appointed. This was resisted by Alia STANLEY ; it a mere device to escape from a total defeat on ,fir. O'Dwyet's lotion : and it Ivan finally rejected, by 132 to alS. The original :ea: tion was then put, and negatived without a division.

AirSCET.LANEOUS SUBJECTS.

COMMUTATION OF ENGLISH TITHES. In reply to a question !'.-".77.- Mr. BARING last night, Lord A unioac said, that he should ta, pared to open his plan for the commutation of English tithe- day beare Easter ; though the bill for that purpose would net a.- brow at in till after the holydays.

I::: gut TITHE COMPOSITION BILL. On the motion of Mr. Lrre TON: this bill was read a first time on Thursday, and ordered to a stoat:A reading on the Ilth of April.

CORPORATION OF DUBLIN. Mr. O'CONNELL moved on Tieadaa for leave to bring in a bill for the better regulation of the Dublin lae7- peration. He supported his motion by a speech of some length. a, which he gave a number of details tending to show the necessity of .k reform in the management of the affairs of the city of Dublin. Loaf A LTIIORP and Mr. LITTLETON Objected to the motion, on the gro:i:,!1 that the subject was under consideration by the Government ; that tae Irish Corporation Commissioners would soon make their report on Ca: state of the Dublin Corporation, as well as others; and that them would be the proper time for legislating on the subject. Upon doer representations, Mr. O'CONNELL withdrew his motion.

PREROGATIVE COURT OF CANTERBURY. On the motion of Mt. HL'ME, on Wednesday, returns were ordered of the amount of feea received by the Registrars and Deputy-Registrars of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury; also a return of the offices in that Court at the disposal of the Archbishop of Canterbury. He mentioned that the gross amount of reee:idi in that Court, from 1825 to li327, was 14,933 ; and that the net profits were 8,000/. He had no wish to say any thing against the persons who pocketed these sums; but the law should be altered, for it was very oppressive. As an instance of this, Mr. Hume: mentioned that an individual who had lately a legacy of 321 left to him, was obliged to pay more than 71. to this office before he could get it. Dr. Nualor.t. said, this charge included the stamp- duty, which was five-sixths of the whole. Mr. C. FERC.USSON said, the tax was the most odious that could possibly lie imposed.

CHURCH AND STATE. At the early sirriag on Wednesday, Mr. Geol.'. presented a petition signed by 360 out of 655 rate-payers of St. Botolph's parish, against the connexion of Cheryl' and State, and com- plaining of certain grievances to which their parish was peculiarly liable.

PaocimATons-FiseAL. On the motion of Mr. J. A. MI-ISItAY, On Monday, a bill for vesting in the Crown the right of appointing Procurators- Fisc.al in Sheriff's Courts in Scotland, was brought in, read a first time, and ordered for a second reading on the 10th of March.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. On Wednesday, a bill for making a rail. way from London, through Reading, to Bath and Bristol, was brought in WA read a first time, on the motion of Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET.

COrNTY Hares. Iu the House of Lords on Tuesday, the Duke of Rommoan moved for u Select Committee to inquire into the charges for County-rates in England and Wales. The great increase in the amount of these rates, Which had taken place during the last few years, was a sufficient reason for the appointment of a committee of inquiry. In Middlesex, the county-rates had increased from 39,800/. in 1822 to 77,7721. in 1833. Moreover, the debt of the county of Middlesex was 244,983/. After a few words of approval from Lord WYNFORD, the motifs!' was agreed to, and the Committee appointed.

REPEAL OF THE CORN Laws. Earl Frrzwitaaam last night pre. seated a petition from the Chamber of Commerce in Edinburgh, pray- big for a repeal of the Corn-laws; and gave notice that in the course of the session he should submit a motion to the House on that subject.