Dcbatts an Vrortebings in Varlfament.

THE TARIFF.

The order of the day having been moved, on Tuesday, for the third reading of the Customs-duties Bill, Mr. JOHN JERVIS moved a clause to grant a drawback on coals proved to be exported for the consumption of British steam-vessels. He said that the effect of compelling steam- vessels to pay the duty would be, that they would be obliged to take out a supply sufficient for the outward and homeward voyage, or to pay an increased price at a foreign port : their cargo would thus be un- profitably increased ; they would be obliged to reduce the power of their engines, in order to diminish the expenditure on each voyage ; and the burden would fall with particular severity on those companies which have steam-vessels performing long voyages. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that it would be impossible to allow of a system of drawbacks without opening the door to fraud. When the duty of 48. was proposed, the owners of steam-vessels said that only 5,000/. would be derived from the duty ; and of course, the duty having been reduced to 2s., the burden would be diminished to 2,5001.; but a deduc- tion would have to be made even in that amount, on account of coals shipped in the Colonies. Sir ROBERT PEEL asked the House whether the amount of drawbacks claimed would not exceed 5,0001.: did they believe that it would not go far beyond 10,0001.? The clause was re- jected, by 80 to 42.

On the motion of Mr. GLA.DSTONE, a clause was added to enable Go- vernment to obtain returns relative to the prices and quantities of East India and Mauritius sugar, similar to the returns at present made of West India sugars.

Mr. THOMAS Du/camas complained that the reduction of the duty on onion-seed had been postponed, but not that on leek-seed ; so that dealers might fraudulently introduce onion-seed under the name of leek-seed at the lower duty ; the seeds not being distinguishable from each other. He moved to omit the words in the clause postponing the reduction on onion-seed. Mr. GLA.DSTONE denied the impossibility of distinguishing the two sorts of seed ; and it would be for Government to see that it was done: it was but fair to give time to the producer of onion-seed, who had hitherto been protected by an enormous duty. The amendment was negatived, by 93 to 63.

Another amendment, by Mr. TnorcAs BUNCOMBE, to reduce the duty on cork squared for rounding, from 168. to 4s. a hundredweight, was rejected, by 100 to 74.

On the question that the bill do pass, Lord Jona RUSSELL made a few remarks on its general provisions— He admitted that the alterations which it comprised were calculated to effect a great improvement in the commercial system of the country. He rejoiced that the bill was founded on principles on which the Opposition had proceeded last year, and which they contended ought to be established as the general com- mercial principles of the country. In the application of those principles, how- ever, there had been a lamentable deficiency, for they had not been applied to the most important articles of subsistence : a high revenue-duty was main- tained on butter and cheese ; a differential duty was maintained on coffee in favour of the Colonies; on sugar an almost prohibitory duty VMS retained, on grounds relating to slavery ; and the cogent arguments for admitting fish and potatoes as the food of the people had not been extended to corn. The present year is no ordinary year with respect to the industry and trade of the country: it was most essential to adopt some means for reviving that industry and im- proving that trade: the community could not wait one or two years without very great suffering ; and he regretted that the Government had neglected the opportunity afforded them by the great power which they possessed, to reduce the duty on the great articles of the people's consumption. Sir ROBERT PEEL acknowledged the support which, generally speak- ing, he had derived from friends, and also from political opponents. He denied that he had borrowed the principles of the late Government ; and he reminded the House that in 1825 he had cordially cooperated with Mr. Huskisson- Those principles he had uniformly held, and he bad to the best of his power applied them to the Tariff. The noble Lord said that they had not applied those principles to corn: but he must ask the House and the country to judge of the Tariff as a whole, and to say whether any Government could have made such great changes in the commercial system of the country with more general approbation ? The noble Lord said that the Government had not gone far enough, and he alluded to the article of coffee : the proposal of the present Government with respect to coffee was, however, better than the proposal made by the noble Lord, and they gave less advantage to our own Colonies in this respect than what was proposed by the noble Lord. Notwithstanding the Free Trade principles professed by the late Government, he believed the articles of cheese and butter had never been once mentioned by them. In foreign meat, the present Government was the first to remove the monopoly ; and a duty of Dot more than Id. a pound had been imposed. Sir Robert dismissed the Tariff in these words— When they came to legislate on questions of this km' d, they were met by many conflicting circumstances ; but, looking to the whole changes that had been made, and to the complicated interests involved, he could not help think- ing that the reflecting body of the community would be of an opinion different from that of the noble Lord, and that they would think that Government had exercised its influence for wise purposes, and that they bad effected as great changes as it was possible for them to do without violently disturbing the va- rious interests involved ; which, on account of the long time that they had ex- lilted, could only be approached with great caution. He thought that if the noble Lord considered the great changes which had been made, he ought to have come to a different conclusion. For his own part. he was unwilling to disturb by political feeling or party recrimination that general assent which, greatly to the credit of the House, had prevailed during the discussion of this measure; and he now bade adieu to it, with an earnest hope that the object of the present Government would be answered, and that, doing as little individual injury as possible, the ultimate result would be to promote the commerce of the country and to give new openings for its domestic industry. Such was his earnest hope; and if that end should be attained, he felt that all their labour would be more than recompensed by such a desirable result Lord JOHN RUSSELL explained, that he did not charge Sir Robert Peel with borrowing the principles of the late Government.

Mr. VERNON SMITH rose, amid loud cries of " Oh, oh !" and said, that as Sir Robert Peel had asked them to look at the Tariff as a whole, he wished to state the effect which it would have on some particular in- terests : the interest which he wished to state as injuriously affected by the Tariff was the interest of the shoemakers. (Great laughter.) Mr. GLAD:mita begged to state, that the tanners had complained of the re- duction of the duty on leather, because the shoemakers would be the party who would be benefited by the reduction.

Viscount Howlett. declared, that the great advantage of the Tariff was, that Government had admitted the soundness of certain com- mercial principles, and that a beginning had been made in the right direction ; and the House would hereafter have to proceed in the same course.

The bill was then read a third time; and shortly after it passed, with loud cheering. The bill was brought up in the House of Lords on Thursday, read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Tuesday. FRENCH AND GERMAN DUTIES ON BRITISH MANUFACTURES.

Towards the close of the foregoing debate, Mr. CRAVEN BERKELEY asked whether Sir Robert Peel had received any information relative to the French ordinance for raising the duty on linen-thread? Sir ROBERT PEEL deeply regretted to say, not merely on account of commercial consider- ations, that the accounts which bad been published respecting the French ordinance were true. With regard to the German League, there had been no opportunity of raising the duty on mixed cotton and woollen goods, and he hoped that it would not be raised.

Sir ROBERT PEEL stated more distinctly on Thursday, that commu- nications had been received from the Prussian Government, intimating its satisfaction at alterations in the British Tariff which this country had voluntarily proposed without exacting any conditions whatsoever; and giving assurances—general, certainly—that they would be met in a corresponding spirit. In respect of iron those assurances had been realized, by the resistance to some pressure on the Prussian Govern- ment on the subject.

THE POOR-LAW.

The debate was resumed in the House of Commons on Monday, ask. Mr. Duncombe's resolution declaring that in the existing state of the country it was expedient to defer the final arrangement of the Poor- law Commission.

Mr. FIELDER denied that Mr. Roebuck, who had defended the law, was acquainted with the condition of the working class, as he bimsqlf was—a manufacturer employing thousands of people ; and he reente d upon a general attack on the law. Sir James Graham had said that there had been only 108 petitions against the Commission thib4ession but in fact, up to the 10th of June, there were 185 petitions, with 365344 signatures ; and the National Petition with 3,300,000 signatures con- demned the law and made it one reason for organic changes. The case of Susan Deacon, who drowned herself in the Rector's( garden at Wo- burn in 1836, the Keighley Union, and other oft-repeated topics, were enlarged upon by Mr. Fielden. Mr. LAWSON owed it to his constituents to vote for the amendment. It was negatived, by 156 to 37. The House went into Committee ; and Mr. WAKLEY moved that the first clause, which fixes the duration of the Commission, should be post- poned until the House had decided on the other details. After some sarcastic remarks on Mr. Wakley's inconsistencies Sir JAMES GRA- HAM said that he did not go to the length of Lord inconsistencies, in intro- ducing the Poor-law : he would not prevent charitable aid of the poor ; he insisted on the right of the aged, the sick, and the infirm to relief, and even on the right of the able-bodied when destitute. Having adduced some general vindication of the law, Sir James exposed the way in which some petitions against it are got up— A correspondent had sent him an account of a Vestry meeting in St. George's Southwark, a pariah containing 40,000 or 50,000 inhabitants, to peti- tion against the Poor-law. The meeting was composed of the following per- sons; two Churchwardens, two Overseers, one Vestry Clerk, one Sexton, one Parish-Clerk, two Poor-rate Clerks, one Beadle, two Reporters, Messrs. Boxer and Day, who came to make speeches, and seven others, the writer included. A petition having been proposed, the writer moved an amendment to the effect, that as the parish contained 50,000 souls, and there were not thirty persons present, it was evident that the parishioners were satisfied to leave the matter in the hands of the Legislature. Thirteen hands, however, were held up for the original motion; and these, forming the majority of those present, carried it. And it was resolved that the expenses of preparing and engrossing the petition should be defrayed out of the church-rates; because if it were set down to the poor-rates, the Poor-law Auditor would not pass such a charge.

The amendment was supported by Mr. BENErr, Mr. STUART WORT- LEY, and Captain PECHELL ; and opposed by Mr. RICE. Captain PECHELL again drew forth Sir JAMES GRAN/Lai; who read the reply of the Chester Guardians, refusing the invitation issued by the Brighton Guardians to the towns under local acts to oppose the bill Mr. THOMAS BUNCOMBE called upon Sir Edward Knatchbull, who last year had made precisely the same motion, to vote for it now. Sir EDWARD Ettevea- BULL said that he had withdrawn his motion in deference to the gene- ral opinion of the House • and now, in obedience to that opinion, he should Vote against Mr. Viakley's motion. (Cheers and laughter.) Be- sides clauses of a mitigating character had been introduced, and they materially modified the bill. On a division, Mr. Wakley's motion was rejected, by 206 to 74. Mr. BENJAMIN WOOD moved an amendment to the first clause, the effect of which would have been to abolish the Assistant-Commissioners. Sir JAMES GRAHAM declared that they were the eyes and hands of the Central Board, and that the one could not exist without the others. Mr. PERRAND renewed his charges against Mr. Mott ; and Sir JAMES GRAwAm said that he would support a motion to inquire into the admi- nistration of the law in the Reighley Union— The more prominent points to be substantiated by the Committee, should it be appointed, would be, whether one small bedroom had been occupied by three married couples ; whether a young woman in ebildbed had not been in a bed- room with twenty other individuals; whether there had not been an intermix- ture of males and females, and communications between their passages and doors ; and whether there was not the same yard to the gaol and poorhouse ? also—what was more horrible still—whether a woman who died in childbed had not been left dead in bed with the living ?

Mr. FF.RRAND afterwards gave notice of a motion for a Committee of inquiry into the charges contained in the reports of Mr. Mott and Sir John Walsham.

Mr. Wood's motion was rejected, by 228 to 45; and the House re- sumed.

A Select Committee to inquire into the allegations as to the manage- ment of the poor in the Keighley Union, contained in the report of Sir John Walsham and Mr.. Mott, was agreed to on Tuesday, on the motion of Sir CHARLES Namur, Tan AFFIRMATION BILL.

Moving the second reading of this Bill, in the House of Peers, on Monday, Lord DENMAN observed, the object in courts of justice is to get at the truth ; but by excluding the evidence of persons whose con- scientious scruples forbid them to take an oath, that object is frustrated.

A large portion of Baptists and Independents entertain those scruples; and he had presented petitions that night representing about 50,000 constituents. It could not be said that the measure would enable people to perjure themselves for hire under the evasion of an oath ; but if it were, the reply is, that it is notorious to all who know any thing of our courts of justice, that there are persons ready to be hired to come for- ward and depose any thing ; and a pretended religious scruple now en- ables an unwilling witness to use it as an excuse.

The Earl of WICKLOW objected to legislating for exceptional cases: he would rather vote for the abolition of all oaths than establish such a distinction as that now sought. The Bishop of LONDON felt the incon- venience under the existing law ; but he thought that the bill would lead to the abrogation of all oaths ; and while he felt satisfied that no great time must elapse before a remedy is applied, he was not prepared to vote for the bill. Lord CAMPBELL hoped that the House would per- ceive, from the Bishop of London's remarks, that this was a case for a Committee. The Earl of GALLOWAY thought that the subject had not been sufficiently discussed, and that the bill would be used to screen criminals from justice. Lord ABINGER said, that in all his experience he knew but one instance of a witness's refusing to take an oath, and that occurred two days before : a female stated that she was a Baptist, and refused to be sworn ; but when he informed her that he did not

-irk that a judicial oath fell within the prohibition in the Gospel, she to )k the oath. He had known witnesses examined before the House of Pipers and House of Commons, and convicted of some discrepancy in t ir evidence, exclaiming, "Oh, when I was examined at the House of Cfommons, I was not on oath." Of all witnesses that come into a court of justice, Quakers are the most difficult to fence with : he thought Yit,',1 he saw a Quaker enter the box, that he should not get a direct artswer,from him. Lord BROUGHAM trusted that Lord Abinger had inadvertently cast censure on one of the most honest and excellent sects that are to be found in this country : perhaps he confounded great scru- pulousness in speaking as to a matter of fact with an attempt to prevaricate. Lord Brougham reminded the House, that a highly useful public servant, filling a quasi judicial situation, had retired on account of his objection to take an oath. He thought that additional light would be thrown on the subject if it were referred to a Committee up- stairs. The Bishop of Losanorr suggested, that not the bill, but the subject generally, should be referred to a Select Committee. In that suggestion Lord DENMAN concurred ; and the motion was withdrawn.

THE DRAMA.

Lord MANOR drew attention, on Thursday, to a petition from dramatic authors which he had presented some weeks back. The petitioners stated that many of them were emulous of pursuing the higher branches of their art, but they were deterred by the condition in which it was placed. They had heard with regret universal complaints of the decay of the drama ; and they despaired of its regeneration until the laws which affected it had been taken into consideration of the House, and adapted to the intelligence of the age. He traced the origin of the evil to the patents which, were granted by Charles the Second ; and as one of the ill consequences, he pointed to the multiplication of illicit theatres, the schools for vice. The monopoly of the large theatres had been proved to be injurious to the public, to literature, and even, by the very accounts of the managers, to the lessees themselves : the only year in which Sheridan lost nothing by Drury Lane Theatre was the year in which it was burned down. The subject, he biped, would receive the attention of Government at a more leisure moment ; but no measure could give satisfaction until some change and limitation had been made in the power of the licensing department. Lord Mahon moved for papers on the subject. In secondi tg the motion, Mr. GALLI KNIGHT contended that the law of England should be assimilated to that of France ; where no theatre can represent a play without the consent of the author. Sir JAMES GasztAx candidly confessed that he had not directed his attention to the subject ; but, without pledging himself to any specific course, he ihould be most glad to take into consideration any plan which Lord Mahon might in future bring forward. The motion was agreed to.

POLAND.

The position of Poland was brought before the House of Commons on Thursday, by Mr. GALLY Knorr ; who regretted to say that new infractions of the treaty of Vienna had taken place. He referred to the historical facts connected with the question,—the Emperor Alexan- er's letter of May 1814 to Kosciusko, promising to fulfil the hero's wishes respecting Poland, and solemnly pledging the writer to the re- generation of the country ; the late Lord Londonderry's letter, written at the Congress of Vienna, urging the necessity of tranquillizing Poland by conceding that form of government to which its inhabitants had been accustomed; the conditions on which the kingdom of Poland was established by the Congress of Vienna ; Alexander's confirmation of its constitution in 1818 ; the subsequent infraction of the treaty by Russia, and Archduke Constantine's stern rule, resulting in the insur- rection of 1831 ; which Russia now pleads as absolving her from all engagements. In 1833, Lord Palmerston asserted the right of the parties to the treaty of Vienna to require that the constitution of Po- land should not be infringed. Thus stood the question up to the end of last year ; but in September, Russia issued two ukases which annihi- lated the distinct political, judicial, and religious administration of Poland, and incorporated it with Russia. He had shown that it was the settled intention of Russia to obliterate the national laws of Poland, and to Russianize the country in every respect. Mr. Knight compared Russia's treatment of Poland with England's of Ireland; and referred to the good effects which a conciliatory rule is already beginning to produce in the once-oppressed British island. He moved for copies of the ukases of September 18, 1841.

Sir FRANCIS Burrozrr seconded the motion. Mr. Hurce recommended that the House should follow the example of the French Chambers, and every year pass a resolution asserting the independence of Poland. Mr. MILNES looked forward to the termination of Nicholas's life as the means of admitting the Poles to a more beneficent rule. Mr. P. M. STEWART quoted Lord Ashburton, who, as Mr. Baring, had declared that, "if ever a people was justified in rising against a Government, it was the Poles in 1831. He warned the House against trusting to Russian sin- cerity. Count Simonovitseh had been recalled lately from Persia, for the part which he had taken at the siege of Herat: he is now Governor- General of Poland; the children of Poles who assisted in the siege are under his protection ; and others are pages at the Imperial Court. Sir ROBERT INGLIS deprecated the production of documents relating to the municipal proceedings of other countries.

Sir ROBERT PEEL, said that in 1832 a similar:motion had been agreed to ; and if it were refused now, his refusal might lead to an erroneous construction as to his motives. If the motion had referred to a province strictly Russian, he should have offered to it his most strenuous oppo- sition; but, as a party to the treaty of Vienna, the condition of Poland became a legitimate subject for the consideration of this country. He felt bound to acknowledge that Russia had given practical proof of her amicable feeling towards this country ; and it was of the utmost import- ance to the world that those friendly relations between the two countries should be maintained. Still he could not make such a sacrifice of truth as to say the policy of Russia towards Poland was either a wise or a safe policy— When he recollected merely the expense which that course mast entail on the Russian empire, he could not consider the course a wise one. To abolish the nationality of Poland, he firmly believed, would be found impossible. Indi- viduals might indeed be removed from the country ; but to those who were re- moved, as to those who remained, the words of the poet would equally apply- " Ceelum non animum mutant." Considering what has since occurred in France, in Spain, and in Portugal, and considering the feelings of sympathy that had been expressed in those countries towards Poland, he feared there was more danger to be apprehended for Russia from provoking those sympathies, than there was advantage to be hoped from acts of force.

He was not prepared, however, for hostile remonstrance or armed demonstration.

Lord &woos, Mr. SHELL, Mr. STUART WORTLEY, and Mr. PHILIP HOWARD, having expressed sentiments favourable to the object of the motion, it was agreed to without dissent.

MISCELLANEOUS.

CONTROVERTED ELECTIONS. Sir ROBERT PEEL stated, OR Monday, that on the 14th of July he should bring in a bill to continue the Con- troverted Elections Act.

SUDBURY DISFRANCHISEMENT BELL. Mr. BLACKSTONE gave notice, on Tuesday, that on the third reading of the Sudbury Disfranchise- ment Bill, he would move the insertion of clauses to enfranchise the hundred, and to disfranchise voters proved guilty of bribery.

THE CITY PETITION AGAINST BRIBERY. The Sheriffs appeared at the bar of the Hope of Commons, in their robes, on Wednesday, and presented the petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and COIMII011 Council, praying the House not to relax its investigation into the bribery at the last election, and to prevent it for the future.

ATHLONE ELECTION. The SPEAKER acquainted the House, on Wednesday, that he had received a communication from Mr. Daniel Henry Ferrell, stating that he did not intend to defend his return for the borough of Athlone.

MmerereAL CORPORATIONS. Lord Jowsr RUSSELL gave notice, on Monday, that next session he should move for leave to bring in a bill to alter the law relating to Municipal Corporations.

THE IRISH POOR-LAW COMMISSION. The Earl of MOUNTCASHEL moved, on Tuesday, that certain "suppressed correspondence" of per- sons with Mr. Phelan, of the Irish Poor-law Commissioner, be laid on the table of the House of Lords. The letters in question had been written to give information respecting medical charities in Ireland, in reply to a circular by Mr. Phelan ; and he suppressed them on the pre- text that they were private and confidential : but several of the writers themselves did not so consider them ; and in point of fact, many of them were opposed to the views of the Commissioners. On the other hand, said Lord WHARNCLIFFE, several persons did regard their letters as private and confidential ; and he did not believe that the House would sanction the production of such documents. After a short dis- cussion, Lord MourreAswEL wished to withdraw his motion ; but the Duke of RICHMOND would not consent to that ; and it was negatived, without a division.

In the course of the discussion, Lord MONTEAGLE remarked, that under similar attacks on the Commissioners, a useful public officer, Mr. Stanley, had been driven from office, on account of a mistake which he had made in the Poor-law returns ; a mistake which deserved no such punishment. The Earl of WreiLLow expressed his regret at the step which had been taken last year ; and he believed that it would be only justice to Mr. Stanley that he should be reinstated. The Earl of GLexcaLL fully concurred in these observations ; and hoped that, from the very high qualities he possessed, Mr. Stanley would be reinstated.

GRANT TO MAYNOOTH COLLEGE. In answer to Colonel VERNER, on Thursday, Lord Exam. said that Government intended to make no addition to the grant for Maya hoot_ e 11

_o_ege this session. Sir ROBERT PEEL exhorted his honourable friend to distrust statements about the Irish Government in the newspapers: he had read accounts of dissen- sions and quarrels of which he knew nothing ; and he took that oppor- tunity of begging Members of that House not hastily to draw conclu- sions as to matters which were most positively asserted in the Irish newspapers.

THE DISTRESS was the subject of two conversations in the House of Lords, on Thursday. Lord BROUGHAM presented the petition of a de- putation in town from the manufacturing districts in the North of Eng- land, calling upon the House to apply a remedy. Urged by their im- portunity, he should call the attention of the House to the subject on Monday week. Lord KINNAIRD presented a petition signed by six thousand inhabitants of Paisley, complaining of the way in which the relief-fund is administered in that town ; which, on their showing, may be described as harsh, inconvenient, and unthrifty. The Duke of WELLINGTON said, that the office of administering the fund had been transferred from the Government Commissioner to the body in London, called the Manufacturing Relief Committee ; who acted on certain fixed rules laid down for their guidance. He was exceedingly con- cerned to find that satisfaction had not been given.

DESTITUTION IN IRELAND. In reply to Mr. DILLON BROWNE, on Tuesday, Lord ELnyr stated that Government had received information of great distress in various parts of Ireland, and especially in Galway, Mayo, and Connaught generally. They had taken such means as had been thought expedient to mitigate that distress ; but he did not con- sider it expedient more particularly to describe what those measures were. Ample information on the subject would in due time be com- municated to Parliament He was happy to say, that there was every prospect that the distress, though severe, would not be lasting. Mr. O'CorneELL asked whether Lord Eliot was aware that people were, he might say, driven to the absolute necessity of taking other people's property in order to save themselves from perishing ? Lord ELIOT replied in the negative.

SILVER COINAGE. Mr. THOMAS DITNCOMBE read, 011 Tuesday, notice by the Norwich Guardians, that, inconsequence of the scarcity of silver and copper coinage, they should issue to the paupers tickets for 18. and 1s. 6d. each ; and that tradesmen advancing goods or money on those tickets would receive the full value on presenting them in sums of not less than 108. The effect would be, to enable the Guardians to give light sovereigns to the tradesmen, and to subject the poor to extortion on the part of the tradespeople. Mr. GLADSTONE said that he would make inquiries into the matter. The Mint had been at work to add to the silver coinage ; and every measure would be taken on the part of Government to remove the inconvenience felt.

An argumentative question from Mr. WALLACE, on Thursday, elicited the adverse reply from Sir ROBERT PEEL, that Government did not in- tend to make any alteration in the standard of value by establishing a silver standard.

GREENWICH HOSPITAL &woofs. Mr. COWPER called the attention of the Commons, on Thursday, to the state of the Greenwich Hospital Schools ; which comprise a thousand scholars. For want of an efficient staff of instructors, the education of the boys in the lower school is utterly neglected, many being unable to read or write after being a long time in the institution. Mr. Cowper moved a resolution, that the schools should at all times be open to the inspection of inspectors appointed by the Privy CounciL Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT admitted that the statement was not exaggerated, especially as applied to the lower school, up to 1829. In the upper school, however, the pupils attain a high degree of proficiency in mathematical and scientific knowledge. Since the forma- tion of the present Board of Admiralty, improvements have been dili- gently introduced : an entire change of masters has been effected ; two additional masters of high attainments are about to be appointed ; and the Admiralty propose a regular inspection of the schools. Sir CHARLES NAPIER objected to the sons of merchant-seamen being admitted to the lower school, and to the small number of sons of warrant-officers in the Navy admitted to the upper, only a hundred. After a short conversa- tion, Mr. COWPER withdrew his motion, on understanding that Govern- ment have taken active steps in the matter.

IMPERIAL DUTIES IN CANADA AND THE WEST INDIES. 012 the motion for the third reading of the British Possessions Abroad Bill, Mr. LABOUCHERE brought up a clause to allow the free importation of flour from the United States to Canada. Mr. GLADSTONE opposed the clause ; which was negatived. by 160 to 83. Mr. MILNER Grimm moved that the clause which subjects sugar refined in this country in bond and exported to the Colonies to an ad valorem duty of 10 per cent be struck out. The votes against him were 105 to 36.

STATE OF SYRIA. In replying to Dr. Bownixo, on Tuesday, Sir ROBERT PEEL disclaimed any responsibility on the part of Government for acts done by the Turkish Government, except where this Govern- ment had been bond fide a party to engagements. The Five Powers, however, were acting in Unison; and all must see that it was the policy of the Turkish Government to administer the Government of Syria in a lenient spirit. He did not abandon the hope that the appointment of Omar Pasha (a renegade Christian, whose rule is hateful to the Christians of Syria) would be only temporary ; and that the Albanian troops, if not withdrawn altogether, would at least be confined to the coast,—as he was assured they had been.

ELECTION COMPROMISE COM3IFITEES. Mr. ROEBUCK, as Chairman of the Election Compromises Committee, brought up a special report, on Monday, and read some correspondence by Mr. Walter ; from which it appeared that that individual had refused to attend on the repeated summons of the Committee ; objecting gene- rally to give evidence, but especially before Mr. Roebuck, who had re- commended, in a reply to an attack by the Times, that Mr. Walter should be horsewhipped. Mr. Walter denied that be had any connexion with the article in the Times, or any knowledge of it. He said that he should be unable to furnish any information to the Committee ; and he

referred them to his agent, Mr. Francis Soames, of Wokingham. On the motion of Mr. ROEBUCK, II was ordered that Mr. Walter be called to the bar on Tuesday.

Mr. Berr.r.re COCHRANE complained that be had been excluded from Mr. Roebuck's Committee. Mr. ROEBUCK explained, that there must have been a mistake on the part of the person who gave the refuse/ From the conversation which followed, it appeared that Major Beres. ford had applied for admission to be present as a party accused. The Committee informed him that they did not enter on the investigation as one of charges against individuals ; and they had come to the conclu- sion that it would be most for the public interest that only the witnesses under examination should be present ; but that if he insisted on his right to be present as a Member of the House, (a question now raised for the first time,) he would be admitted. On those terms, Major Be- resford declined to avail himself of his privilege as a Member.

On the motion of Mr. ROEBUCK, Mr. Walter was called to the bar on Tuesday ; and he made a statement not materially different from that conveyed in his correspondence. He claimed the indulgence and protection of the House, when he was placed by no act of his own in so embarrassing a position. He hoped that his observations would be taken as a respectful protest ; but he would submit to any order which the Speaker might think proper to address to him. Mr. Walter having

withdrawn, Mr. ROEBUCK moved that Mr. Walter do attend the Com- mittee and give evidence on Wednesday. An animated conversation ensued. Sir ROBERT lionas contended against Mr. Walter's being compelled to appear before Mr. Roebuck ; who did not deny the words which he had formerly used, and who was, moreover, both accuser and judge: Mr. Roebuck could not sit as juryman at the trial of Mr. Walter ; and if not as juryman, how could he as judge ? Colonel SIBTHORP and Mr. WAKLEY heartily concurred in all that had fallen from Sir Robert Inglis: the Colonel promised to be the first to visit Mr. Walter if the House visited him with its pains and penalties ; and Mr. Wakley thought that the House had been a party to one of the most ridiculous and unconstitutional proceedings which had ever occurred in its his- tory : he would never forget the way in which honourable Mem- bers had lately got up so submissively and answered questions pat to them relating to private transactions. Sir GEORGE GREY observed, that Mr. Walter bad demurred to the authority of the Committee, and he thought that the House ought to do something to enforce that au- thority. Sir ROBERT PEEL considered it would be the most dignified course, as in the case of Mr. Fleming, to signify to Mr. Walter that it was his bounden duty to attend the Committee and give evidence : but Sir Robert afterwards added, it was not to be supposed that the Com- mittee had not fall power to order the attendance of witnesses. Mr. Roebuck's motion was affirmed, by 223 to 77.

Sir GEORGE GREY moved that Mr. Walter be called in, and that the Speaker communicate to him the resolution of the House. A new dis- cussion arose ; in the course of which Mr. O'CONNELL laid down the rule, that no witness had a right to canvass who and what a Committee is composed of: the proper way would have been for the objector to come before the House and complain that one of the Committee was not neutral enough. Lord STANLEY added, that the proper time to da this, would have been when the House delegated to the Committee the power with which it is endowed. He pointed out the fact that Mr. Walter was not summoned as an accused party, but as a witness.

After a contest, the motion was agreed to. Mr. Walter was called in. The SPEAKER stated to him the substance of the resolution. Mr. Walter bowed submission, and withdrew. Mr. ROEBUCK brought up the following report from the Commita, on Wednesday-

" The Select Committee on Election Proceedings have to report, that on their first proceediog to the investigation of the matters referred to them by the House, the Committee, after mature consideration of the best mode of carrying on the inquiry in which they were about to engage, unanimously re- solved, that it was desirable, for the interest of the inquiry and all parties concerned, that no person should be present except the witness under exami- nation.' The Committee have hitherto been able to carry out in practice the course which to them had seemed so necessary for the due discharge of the duty delegated to them ; but the Committee having now reason to believe that the right of Members of the House to be present at their proceedings will be insisted on, have unanimously resolved to direct their Chairman to call the attention of the House to the subject, in the hope that on this statement of their unani- mous opinion, the course they have adopted will be sanctioned by the House."

Mr. Roebuck said that the object was to receive the evidence in a manner the least painful to the witness ; and the infliction of personal pain was most likely to be effected by the publication of the evidence from day to day in the newspapers. The Committee had nearly com- pleted its labour ; and then the report would be laid on the table to challenge inquiry. If the public were admitted, however, every witness would necessarily be subjected to a strict cross-examination. (" Hear, hear I" from Mr. Eseott.) That might be a very agreeable proceeding to some parties ; but the inquiry was not instituted for the sake of incrim- ination; it was merely desired to discover the process by which certain things had been done, as illustrations of a general practice. If the pro- ceedings were not suffered to go forth until the whole could appear together in the report, no individual would be singled out for the finger of scorn to point at. He trusted that the House would continue to repose the same confidence in the Committee which it had hitherto done; and that individual Members, by exhibiting the same forbearance which had hitherto been displayed, would render it unnecessary for the Committee to apply to the House for the formal exclusion of Members. Mr. Roebuck moved that the report do lie on the table.

Major BERESFORD acknowledged that the demeanour of the Com- mittee, and its Chairman Mr. Roebuck, towards himself had been kind, courteous, and gentlemanly ; but he courted a public investigation of the charges against him. He knew that there was indemnity for witnesses against pains and penalties ; but where was the indemnity against mental pains and penalties on being excluded from a secret committee where his character and conduct came under investigation ?

Colonel SIBTHORP said, that he regarded the Committee as little else than a committee of secret assassination. (Laughter). He moved as an amendment, "That the order appointing the Select Committee on Election Proceedings be discharged." (Loud laughter.)

Lord Join; RUSSELL could not have supported a motion of which Mr. Roebuck had given notice, to exclude Members from the Commit- tee ; but he thought that Members would exercise a sound discretion in not attending, and he hoped that Mr. Roebuck's object would be gained by a general voluntary absence on the part of Members. He need hardly say that he could not support the motion of the honourable and gallant Member opposite.

Sir ROBERT Pm believed he need scarcely say, that it was also his intention to oppose the motion of his honourable and gallant friend. Be had not consented to the appointment of the Committee in a mo- ment of haste and he did not repent of the vote which he had given. Nay, he doubted whether the authority of the House could have been supported had it refused inquiry into the allegations which had been made. When the Committee was appointed, he referred to such cases as those of Yarmouth and Stafford, for proof that the House had not understood the failure of inquiry before Election Committees to pre- clude them from adopting other modes of investigation ; and he then said that individual gentlemen should not be held up to censure. He was glad to hear that the Committee had acted on that principle. He did not see how the motion, to exclude Members could practically be made ; and he thought that it would be an inconvenient course to con- vert the Committee into a secret committee : the matter should be left to the personal discretion of Members ; and he, considering the object of the Committee superior to personal feeling, should certainly waive his right of admission. Sir ROBERT Inca's, who warmly supported Colonel Sibthorp's mo- tion, said that he had understood two honourable gentlemen to have stated that they would not consider themselves bound by any thing constructive, or even decisive, on the part of the House; but that they would attend, exercise their memories, and transmit through the ordinary channels of intelligence all that passed at the Committee. After some further disputation, in the course of which Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN declared that he should attend the Committee on the follow- ing day, the House divided ; and Colonel Sibthorp's amendment was thrown out, by 177 to 45. The original motion was agreed to.

[The Standard informs the world, in a leading article, that Mr. Stafford O'Brien duly "asserted his right and redeemed his pledge," by entering the Committee-room on Thursday morning; and "after watching the proceedings for some time, without the least interference of any member of the Committee, the honourable gentleman withdrew."]

Mr. ROEBUCK then moved that Mr. Alexander Baillie Cochrane, one of the Members for Bridport, do attend before the Committee on Elec- tion Proceedings, and give evidence, on Monday next. Mr. BAILLIE COCHRANE opposed to the motion some general reasons, and the special reason, that ever since his return indictments have been pending against him in the county of Dorset, and he might be called on to make a state- ment before the Committee which would be used against hint else- where. And he complained that it was the intention to examine him and his agent first, reserving the allegations of Mr. Warburton and Mr. Nicholetts until afterwards, to be left unanswered. Mr. ROEBUCK offered that Mr. Cochrane should be examined face to face with Mr. Warburton, if he pleased. Sir ROBERT Pm remarked, that he had certainly misunderstood Mr. Cochrane's speech on a former evening : tor he understood him to be exceedingly anxious that no aspersions should be cast on,his character ; and that he should be allowed the benefit of investigation, conducted on the same principles as that with regard to the alleged malepractices of other honourable Members : he certainly never imagined that Mr. Cochrane's offer of a reference related solely to Mr. Warburton. However, Sir Robert was not aware of any precedent for compelling a Member to attend before a Committee, and he referred the question to the Speaker.

The SPEAKER stated the result of his examination of the journals— He found that in the Committee of Grievances a Member refused to at- tend: the House ordered him to be reported by name, but no further proceed- ings were taken. In a Committee appointed with regard to Slavery, it was reported that Sir G. Brooke could give important information: the House resolved that it should be an instruction to the Committee to examine Sir G. Brooke, if he should think fit to appear before them. In 1782, a Committee was appointed as to Indian affairs, and Mr. Barlow refused to answer a ques- tion which was put to him during its proceedings : they reported the fact to the House, and Mr. Barlow got up in his place and agreed to answer. But he found no case where a peremptory order was made to have an honourable Member attend a Committee when he was unwilling to do so.

Some conversation followed, which terminated in the appointment of this Committee, on the motion of Sir ROBERT PEEL, to search for precedents— Lord John Russell, Mr. Goulburn, Sir George Grey, Sir George Clerk, Sir Robert Harry Inglis, Mr. Charles Wood, Sir Thomas Dyke Ackland, Mr. Bernal, and Mr. Greene.

Mr. E. YORKE, a member of the Election Proceedings Committee, observing that the discussion seemed sometimes to turn upon personal objections to the course taken by Mr. Roebuck, declared that he fully identified himself with that course. He added, that he never knew a person more alive to the delicacy of the position in which he had placed himself, or who could act in a more honourable and delicate manner towards every person implicated in the inquiry.

The Southampton Committee resumed on Monday the examination of John Wren ; who described several transactions in which he had acted as an electioneering agent for the Conservatives, under the di- rection of Mr. Abraham, the Returning-officer-

rie told Abraham that Whitmarsh would not vote for less than 204 and that he would not on his own responsibility guarantee it to him. Mr. Abraham answered, "We must have Whitmarsb, and any arrangement you make will be fulfilled." We then went to Whitmarsh and secured him for 20/. Whit- marsh fixed that sum, and said he would not vote for less. Mr. Whitmarsh and the Dibells went to poll together; and Mr. Whitmarsh said, "We will aRpoll for the same." After Whitmarsh polled they went into a tavern, and remained there for a few minutes; after which they returned to the Castle, and in a private room there he gave the 20/. to Mr. Whitmarsh, in the presence of Mr. John Bennett Luce, the landlord of the Castle Hotel. Mr. Abraham told him to go to Twyford, as he understood he wanted 5/. He met Twyford ; and intro- duced himself to him by mentioning Mr. Abraham's name. He said he knew Mr. Abraham very well. He said that he understood he wanted 5/. Twyford answered, he did. Witness told him he would give him 51. He went to Abraham, and got his signature as guarantee to the finance committee that the 5/. was to be paid. "Here is Mr. Abraham's signature." [The witness here

handed in a mall book to the Committee.] Mr. Wren described the way in which he had distributed 63/. to seven persons under the authority of Mr. Abraham.

He explained how he bad been tampered with at the time of the late Committee— Daring the proceedings before the late Committee, Mr. Deacon' the Town- Clerk of Southampton, and an active Conservative partisan, and tiMr. Brown, were conversing together. This was the first day that he was examined. Mr. Brown after the conversation, came to hint, and said, "Now, Wren, if you. make Mr. Martyn's election secure, I am authorized to offer you a check. for 100/." He said he had but one course to pursue, and he refused it. In reply to Mr. SEIM, Mr. Wren said that the word "paid" attached to the names of several persons in the book was written by Mr. Thomas Duncombe. He was of opinion that the Whigs practised extensive bribery at the late election ; he had heard that they had expended 1,000!.: he was of opinion that three hundred persons had received money at the last election. In March 1841, Mr. Abraham discounted a bill for 301. for him ; but that was before there was any rumour of a dissolution of Parliament : Mr. Abraham charged him 31. 10s. for dis- counting it. [It is stated that Mr. Abraham is of the Jewish persua- sion.] Mr. Wren said that he had asked for a situation in the Customs at Southampton and he received a letter from Mr. Fleming enclosing one from Sir Thomas Fremantle he was promised a situation "at a distant day."

Mr. STUART WORTLEY reported to the House from the Committee, on Tuesday, that John Bennett Luce had refused to attend ; and he moved that Mr. Luce be ordered to attend at the bar on Thursday. This was agreed to; but on Thursday the order was discharged.

The Belfast Committee began their inquiry on Tuesday ; when Mr. Robert Francis Gordon stated the terms in which the compromise had been effected— It was ultimately arranged that the seats were to be vacated ; Messrs. Camp- bell and Macneile [the Liberal and Tory agents] undertaking to use their in- fluence with their respective parties to induce them to agree to return a Member each. It was also agreed that 6001. was to be paid Mr. Campbell in the event of there being no contest at the election, consequent upon this ar- rangement; and a further sum of 4001. if Mr. Robert Grimshaw of Belfast, to whom the matter was referred, decided that it ought. This sum of 1,0E01. was to indemnify the petitioners for the expense they had been put to in conse- quence of the other party retaining the seats. Mr. Macneile, on the part of the Tories, undertook to pay the money. There was no other person present at this arrangement.

Mr. John Macneile said that a sum amounting to nearly 4,0001. was subscribed by the Conservative party ; but he could not say by whom : Mr. Johnson, one of the candidates, subscribed 1,000/. : Mr. Tennent, to the best of his belief, did not subscribe one sixpence. Mr. Henry, of

Island Bridge, at Dublin, a friend of Mr. Tennent, was the means of obtaining 2,0001.; collected, he understood, from persons not resident

in Belfast. Elections lasted six days ; and during that time all who were not Temperance men were drunk, and the town was in such a state of tumult and disorder that life was unsafe.