Debates ant( Vrocetbinio in Vadiament.

THE Ms-omits FOR IRELAND.

In the House of Commons, on Monday, Lord Joins Roseau, moved the order of the day for the second reading of the Labouring Poor (Ire- land) Bill.

Mr. WiLmax Wimaams moved as an amendment, that the Poor Re- lief (Ireland) Bill should have precedence. He assumed that the bill to indemnify Government for the proceedings of the Irish Administration would be ultimately passed; but he insisted upon the paramount necessity of establishing an efficient Poor-law. Had it been passed last year instead of the Labour-rate Act, it would have saved an expenditure of at least 4,000,0001. The Poor-law measure is one which is necessary to the un- derstanding of the other Irish measures; and Mr. Williams quoted a pas- sage from Lord Lansdowne's speech in the House of Lords on the previous Monday, which threw considerable doubt upon the Ministerial intentions. Lord Lansdowne even went so far as to say, "You know that a measure in the nature of what is called out-door relief would be utterly unsafe." Mr. Williams enlarged on the ineffectual nature of the present law, and the defective nature of the bill, especially its containing no provision to enforce the collection of poor-rates.

Mr. Williams's amendment was not seconded; and the debate on the original motion proceeded.

Mr. BERNAL OSBORNE expressed the gravest doubts as to the merits of the Government plan—

The scheme enunciated by the noble Lord proposed to do no more than had been done at all periods by all Governments. The House was called upon to persevere in the same bit-by-bit style of legislation for Ireland which had Belong prevailed,— namely, that of adapting their plans to the exigencies of the moment, without laying the foundation of any great and comprehensive scheme for the improve- ment of the social condition of the people of that country.

Mr. Osborne went on with a long speech, censuring that hasty piece of August legislation the Labour-rate Act; condemning Ministers for not calling Parliament together sooner, and for the random and ill-considered measures taken in Ireland; and criticizing the Government scheme in de- tail. He quoted figures from Mr. Griffiths's report, showing that the cost of reclaiming waste land ranges from 61. to 91. 10s. per acre: previous ex- periments of the kind have been utter failures; and now Government pro- pose to spend a million of money in reclaiming land not worth more than half-a-crown an acre! He was sure the House of Commons would look with a little caution before it would vote a million of money for the Uto- pian scheme. He was surprised to hear Lord John Russell say that small holdings are not disadvantageous to Ireland. Lord John had instanced Armagh, a county which has small holdings, but is prosperous: Armagh is indeed a prosperous county, because it employs its population in manu- factures; which is not the case with the South and West of Ireland: the small holdings of Armagh are additions to the ordinary resources of the inhabitants. Mr. Osborne quoted the evidence of Mr. Kincaid, from Lord Devon's report, as to the condition of an estate belonging to Lord Palmer- ston in Sligo. He said-

" It was let about seventy years ago in large farms for three lives, or thirty-one years. In one instance, comprising a surface of 1,400 acres, where there were six leases, there were found 280 tenants at the expiration of the leases; other parts divided as low as an acre and a half. Taking the number of occupiers at about 2,000, and the rental at 4,0001., and allowing Is. per diem as the cost of feeding each occupier and his family, gives 1001. a day as the outlay necessary to preserve

the people; that is to say, the whole rental of 4,0001. would be spent in forty days." Mr. Otway stated in his evidence as to the state of Donegal—" Owing to the subdivision of the property, the people were in a stride of the most extreme sae- verb, I ever witnessed; mess of them emaciated from want, and confined to their beds from want of clothing. The poverty of these people had arisen from the in- competency of the land to afford the means of subsistence to so large a number; they cannot get food enough off it, let alone pay rent out of it." These were rather strong facts with regard to small holdings. Mr. Os- borne condemned the Poor-law, as calculated to convert Ireland into one Cholesbury : he demanded, not emigration, but systematic colonization,— he had hoped that the talent and ability of Mr. Charles Buller would be called into exercise on that subject; and he complained that reform of the Grand Jury system was omitted from the scheme. The whole system of the Irish Executive Government must be changed—

They must make the office of Lord-Lieutenant a reality; they must make him a real king, as far as delegated power was concerned, or they must abolish it alto- gether. The House ought to consider too the importance of the Parliament meet-

ing, at stated intervals, at Dublin Castle. What was the use of sending an ef- &dive Lord-Lieutenant to Ireland,—and he acknowledged the efficiency of the no-

ble Lord who now held that office,—if he was only to sit behind the cumbrous vehicle of Irish government, in his state livery, merely to sound the horn when some English statesman was driving them over roads made impracticable and dangerous by the Board of Public Works, or by the proverbial paviours of "another place." (Cheers and laughter.) If the Lord-Lieutenant was of any service at all, he ought to have a seat in the Cabinet. Ireland ought not to be left to those well-meaning men who would probably do a great deal of harm while in- tending to do a great deal of good.

Mr. SMITE O'BRIEN followed with a speech of some length, reiterating several Irish grievances. He imputed the distress to the forty-six years of the Union; contended that, as Ireland would have been called upon

to contribute blood and treasure in case England had gone to war about the Montpensier marriage, England should contribute propor-

tionably for the needs of Ireland. Mr. O'Brien approved of a poor-law if accompanied by auxiliary measures; approved of the plan for reclaiming waste lands; but wished that the scheme had included some measure for the relief of tenants, and for employment by means of railways.

Mr. ROEBUCK called for the English Poor-law, as necessary to terminate that state of things in which the people are in a condition of chronic starva- tion, and the landlords in a condition of chronic ruin. It should be made the interest of landlords to watch over the state of their tenants. He con- demned all projects by which Government should become land-jobbers, and corn-factors, and road-makers. and, referring to the blue book containing

the correspondence of the Irish Board of Works, he declared that in the course of his Parliamentary experience he had never seen such an exhibi- tion of wasteful expenditure, not by the Government, but in spite of the Government. The evils of misrule in Ireland are recoiling on England; but in no respect had the Irish been so misgoverned as in that of their religion— He would assert, that it was wholly useless on the part of the Legislature to attempt the regeneration of the Irish character' if they left that system of priest- hood in Ireland by which every man, whether for good or for evil, might stir up

the population to serve a particular purpose; and he did not agree with honourable Members who said that they did not wish to touch on religious topics. They

were about to reconstruct the Irish character, but they could not do that if they

shrank from dealing with that which most guided the people of Ireland. There- fore, he said, that so long as the Irish Church Establishment was continued as It was now conducted, it was utterly hopeless to attempt any regeneration. s • • "" The noble Lord `')e Member for London, the other night, made sundry allusione to what he proposed to do; and he would beg leave to warn the noble Lord, if he

would wish to retain the present Administration, not to propose any measure that had for its object the making of a State allowance to the Irish clergy;' for the Government that proposed such a measure would not remain so for twenty-four hours. (" Hear, hear!" and laughter.) If they were entirely to do away with the laws of mortmain, and allow every Catholic priest the power of acquiring land either by grant or otherwise, say to the amount of 3001., not many years would pass over before every parish-priest would be possessed of land to that amount, and would have thereby entered into a sort of recognizance to the tune of 3001 for the preservation of the peace. Touching Repeal, Mr. Roebuck expressed his willingness to grant Ire- land a federal union. He rebuked the Irish for their want of self-reliance—

The honourable Member for Limerick seemed to consider it as the first and great duty of the people of England to get food for the Irish; indeed, he seemed to wish the people of England to feed, clothe, and shave them. (General laughter.) It might be a jest, but he never witnessed so lamentable a spectacle as that which now presented itself—a great nation, blessed with a climate as good as that of England, possessing a population which they were told were physically stronger, and possessing intellectual qualities if not superior at least quite equal; but with this grand difference—void of that moral courage which enabled the English peo- ple to sustain themselves.

Lord BERNARD complained of speculations to raise the price of corn. This drew upon him a reproof from Sir ROBERT INGLIS for such anti-

quated doctrine. Sir Robert read passages from a report by the Quaker deputation which had lately visited Ireland, describing the horrible desti- tution and patience of the people. The Society of Friends have contri- buted 20,0001. towards the charitable funds for Ireland; an average of 51. for all Quaker families, rich and poor. Sir Robert approved of the Poor- law, as the best kind of absentee-tax. 6olonel CONOLLY thanked Lord John Russell for his liberal and enlightened policy towards Ireland; but deprecated out-door relief.

Mr. HUME passed severe strictures on the measures of Government, and on the bearing of the Irish landlords. They said that the able-bodied poor ought not to be a burden on Ireland: are they then to be a burden on England? It was lamentable to see gentlemen expressing approval of Ministers because Ministers were willing to give them money: they seemed to be going on satisfied, as if nothing were to be done but to advance them money, money, money. The House ought not to vote a single shilling without knowing how the expenditure was to be provided for. Ireland ought to be elevated from her degraded state. With equal laws granted to her, she ought to assume an equal share of the Imperial taxation. De- ficiency of employment is occasioned by the want of confidence which had resulted from bad laws—from the contests between Protestants and Ca- tholics—from constant fights going on; so that no man having money would venture to risk it in a country where the laws are not properly carried out. As long as palliatives only are applied to the surface, the calamities of Ireland will continue.

Sir CHARLES WOOD declared that the system of relief by public works has entirely broken down in Ireland. He reiterated a very long explanation of the measures already taken, but without adding anything materiel to what he, Lord Johu Russell, and, Mr. Laboeehere, had before anted. Be boasted that Government is.carryipg forward a change from ".the social system based on the potato," to one involving the existence of a class of small dealers. In very general terms he defended some few points in the Government scheme; declaring by the by, that he did not attach se much importance to the bill for the reclamation of waste lands as many people do; and finished by an appeal to the sympathy of the House, as in- clueing it not to be niggardly of assistance. The debate wae adjourned at a quarter past twelve o'clock.

• On. Tuesday, the debate was resumed by Mr. Gitonon Aereoes„xnett HAMILTON; who spoke at considerable length. He was followed by several

Irish Members,—namely, Mr. Joule O'Coarnante, Viscount CASTLEREAGH, Mr. CECIL LAWLESS, Mr. GREGORY, Sir HENRY WINSTON BARRON, Mr. BBFROY, and Lord. CLEMENTS. There was oe the whole a remarkable. &incurrence in the speeches of all these gentlemen. They urged the dis- tresses of Ireland; generally approved, of the Government measures, ex- pressing onsiderable gratitude to Ministers for the intended boensi, de- feeded the landlords of Ireland, and assailed Mr. Roebuck for lois attacks Qn that class; imputed, the distresses of Ireland to English mianlle, and ae,cribed that misrule to ignorance of the actual state of Ireland. Several of the speakers complained that England had checked manufactures in Ireland. Many of them also expressed a wish for some more decided measure in aid of emigration, and for employment by means of railways. There were some differences. Mr4John O'Connell made English ignorance and misrule an argument for advocating Repeal. Many difeered in respect of a Poor-law, and especially of ont-oleor relief: it was opposed by Mr. VISmilton; applauded by Sir Heeey. Barret:1i 'unopposed, though disliked, by Mr. John. O'Connell. The plan for reclaiming waste lands was men- tioned. slightingly by Mr. John O'Conergt called futile by, Atr. GragerYt approved of by Sir Fleury Barton.

Mr. HAMILTON deemed the most important part of the Government measures that for facilitating the sale of encumbered estates; and he sup- plied some explanation of its peculiar necessity in Ireland— It arose from the different mode of charging land With encumbrances which pre- Tailed in Ireland from that which was customary. in England. In England a mortgage attached only to the property which was mortgaged; whereas in Ireland the practice was to borrow money upon bonds and judgments, which judgments overrode every townland where landed property was possessed by the persons who had, borrowed the money; and the effect of this system was, that the proprietor whose property was affected, by a judgment found it quite impossible to disem- barrass or relieve himself by the sale of any part of his lands.

Mr. LABOUCHERE reiterated a defence of Government in respect of the Labour-rate Act and the measures taken by the Executive during, the re- cess. Be stuck to the assertion, that, on the whole, in grapplieg with the tremendous difficulties of the time, Government had not met with the sup- port which it had a right to expect from the gentry of Ireland; though there were striking exceptions to that rule, ae in the easesof Lord Farnham, Lord 11,0den, and Lord Lorton, To show that if Government had been more for- ward ilit establishing feed-depots, and selling provisions at prime cost, it would only have defeated the object of such, a plan, he quoted a pas- sage from a letter by au officer of the Commissariat to the Secretary of the department in Dublin, as a specimen of several similar reports-

" The advantages of our selling meal, tee. at a price that allows a fair profit to a dealer in provisions have been considerable; inasmuch as meal has been sold in the remote parts of our district at or about the same price at which it is sold by the Relief Committee, where it used not to be sold upti/ we obeyed the directions otthe Gevernment in the above respect."

Respecting the permanent measures, he deemed them so important that he thought it better to postpone the discussion on them until the bills were severally before the House. He would oely my, that it was most unjust to describe them as characterized by a desire to enrich the chess of Irish landlords without considering their effect on the main body of the people of Ireland. Be held it te be on a sound principle, that the money of Eng- land was proposed to be lent to the landlords of Ireland in order to pro- vide employment for the people. He denied the assertion that money for- merly lent to landlords had net been repaid, and declared the right of Government to expect that every shilling now lent to the landlords of Ire- land should be repaid. The great object is to give every stimulus by le- gitimate !newts to preduction from the soil: for that purpose, no means are so effectual AS drainage works on, a large scale, which will &table the Wintry by its natural fertility to prodnce grain, crops to a greater extent.

Sir RounaT Pe-e,r, concurred with Mr. Lahouchere in the opinion that it would be much more advantageous to discuss those measures intended to effect important improvements in the condition of society in Ireland when. the House should be in possession of the measures, than to obstruct the progress of the bill by entering into a general debate on the state of Ireland. He was prepared to grant, what Ministers were hilly entitled to nek, flail and complete indemnity for the responsibility which they had assumed in the crisis, He was also prepared to accede to the temporary measures; and en the time for the benefi.cial employment ef the people on, the soil is stow reduced to two months, he urged the necessity of pushing forward those measures without delay. He thought Mr. Labouchere un- derrated the danger of continuing the application of labour te the public works: in August last, when sixty or seventy thousand were ea employed, Mr. Labouchere saw the danger of diverting labour from its ordinary oe- Ovation, how much greater must be the danger now, when half a million of persons are employed on the works, and not more than three months remain for the application of labour to the soil? Sir Robert had looked into the two volumes laid on the table the day before, and it appeared to him that the utmost credit was due to the puli- lie officers—to the landlords, amongst all their disheartening difficaltiee- to), the Irish ladies and females, ever foremost in worka of charity—to Mr. Trevelyan, Sir Randolph Routh, the Conuniseariale and the Offteera superior- end inferior.

With respect to the other measures bearing on the permanent condition, of Ireland, they were not the measures before the House that night. The bills not being before the House, it was impossible to form a correct judg- ment on them. He would venture to say, that by far the most important —ten times more important than the bill before the House—was the one to enable nominal landowners to sell encumbered properties. As to the cul- tivation of waste lands, he begged Lord John Russell to pause before he proposed to expend so much money on that project-

" 1 beg the noble Lord to bear in mind the observations with which he con- cluded his speech the other evening. Addressing the people of Ireland, he ad- vised them to help themselves,' and then they might depend on external aid. I advise the noble Lord to carry that 'principle into effect as far as he can. I

_

would advise him, if possible, to teach the Irish proprietors to ;et independently of the aid of Government. (Cheers.) I would say to the Wilt proprietors,*k it is the constant invocation of ' the Castle ' which damps your energies. Ypia are not so inactive, so devoid of intelligence, that you need to ,be constantly calling, in the aid of the Goverement.. Let us be liberal—let us be jut to Ireland; b4; depend on it that we shall be encumbering that country, and paralyzing. hee exertions, if we teach her to rely too much on Government assistance. This et asr Wm in respect to the &titivation of lend as in respect to the feeling of the people. Depend on it, the cultivation of the soil must depend on the energies of the people, and not en the assistance of the Government (Cheers.) If we look to the hire- fory of works, undertaken by external aid, such as model-farms, 4c., with their, expensire agency, it will be found that the result is to deter be people front, entering into siniilar enterprises; and, generally, the work done by Csovernmeek agency is more imperfectly done than when effected by, individeel, enterprisk, qr by nidividoalspecultators, with al eye to gain, and who watch the expenditure 44 every penny, and dispense with the aid of an exteceive staff. of Dice:a. The letter,

i

is the way n which the permanent improvement of the land, et to be expected, Facilitate the drainage of private estates ; and, as the private proprietors, cannot undertake the great oullets, of water, this nem Ire a. very tit wetly, for the Government to uedertake, taking eare to insure the due pay- ment of the expense from those who benefit by it. But with respect too the &titivation of bogs and waste land a it; Ireland, I cannot help thinking?, that, with the encouragement there has been to employ private capital the cultivation of land which would repay the outlay, if the noble Lord's bill; for permitting the sale of encumbered estates should be effectiye, these enterprise% for reclaiming waste hinds will, be utelertaken by private indiehlurde if they am likely to be profitable; ,and if loot,. then public money would oely be thrown away. on them: (Cheers.) l trest that my readiness te give the uttlemnity, now ask4 for, to give discretionery powers, and the tone in whien I have spoken. will cour vim* the &hie Lord that I apo cot actuated by any party-spirit or hostility to the Government. With respect to these measure's of permanent operation in Ireland, We Gannet perform our duty without expressing our views fairly and bouestly, up- influenced by pert-spirit; apd I hope the noble Lord will weal* before he em- barks in so extensive an operation ad that of the cultivaticm of the waste lauds. He has plenty of other duties to perform besides undertaking to,improv,e the Irish bogs. (C/seer and, inufrerl With respect to the ter- etv I will not at present say a single word. Then ita.subject of the deepest impedance and it is better to reserve tbe diseussion.d it until we see the measure. It is, however, of the utmost importance that we should now give the Government assurance of the inderronity,asked for; and, aftee the present debate =chides I hope that we shall without delay set about the preparation of the new sy,steni.by w.Veh the present defective eyetem in Ireland ie to be superseded." Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN concurred- in Sir Robert Peera ohservations sPeeting waste lands: that proposition came from the English, not the Irish side of Si. Georges chennel. As to the tempt:IVY Incentives, Mr. O'Brien did, net at all believe that the time for the intended operations was passed-,, In the part of Ireland with which he was connected the proposes of sowing the spring.cern. would not, in ordinary years, have commenced yet. The chances of the next harvest were good. But that which must be impressed upon the land.- &mere and occupiers. was, that they must second the exertoona of Governmeeele, their individual efforts. Without those efforts, all. that any Golternment could,de for Ireland must hem vain.

The bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed' en Thursday.

Lord JOBE RUSSELL moved the second reading of the Destitute Personae (Ireland).,Bill—the bill providing for the immediate ehange in the merle of furnishing, feed to the people.

Mr. BegreiratE, observing Gott it WEIS apt a teralisiretY lint a use (114,44- ficiency with which they, were dealing, protested agebeett the principletoi attempting to feed an entire population out of the public funds.

Mr. Gel:MEI:IRE remarked, that the bill proposed to give the Government an indefinite power of drawing upon the Consolidated Feed for any amount: he would suggest to. them, that it would be more constitutione4 and. better in every respect, to call upon, the Hone front, t,hne to time. fea supplies however large, for a definite period, Pt:111)44y the Government would tIke this suggestion into couaiderktion.

The bill was read a, secon4 time, arel, ertiered to be cionimitted en Thursday.

On Thursday, the House, in a Committee of the whole, voted 300,0QQ1, from the Consolidated Fund to carry the Destitute Peewee piil into effect.; het the, other slope were postponed.

RAILWAYS IN IRELAND.

On Thursday, Lord GEORGE BENTINCK moved for leave to bring ha le bill " to stimulate the prompt alai profitalde Employment elf the People by the Encouragement of Railways in Ireland," He made a long state

explainipg the objects and nature of hie measure. It ha,d been prepared, he said, by men whose time might he measured in minutes and valued, in

gold—by Mr. Hudson, Mr. Robert Stephenson and Mr. Laing. Ifs how- ever, there were anything unconstitutional or had in its principle,, he ahem was responsible for it. He would not enter into any general discussion in regard to the state of lust. land. It sufficed for him that this great fact stared them in the face, that there were 500,000 able-bodied person@ in Ireland living upon the funds of the State; that there were 500,000 able-bodied persons, commanded by a staff of 11,587 persons, in employment upon works which had been variously described as WOrkft of worse than idleness. He did not, however, view the state of Ireland with des- pondency. They who at one period of the war, were expending upon an average for three years 103,41,0001. a year, should not be down-hearted at having. to provide for a deficiency which might be estimated at 10,000,8601. He had known the time when the counties of England.were ravaged by fires; and in 1842, Eng- land, though not, as it was now, stappioding Ireland, had to maintain 2,000,0 of persons at a cost of 14,000,0001.; of whomno leas than $8,000 adult able- bodied men were actually confined within the walla of workhouses, and 407,Q00, adult able-bodied labourers were supported by their parishes. There is not so great a difference between Ireland as it exists now and England as it existed i* 1841 and 1842, that they should despair of arriving at a solution of their diffi- culties. Some were disposed to attribute the subsequent change for the better ie England to the Free-trade measures which began in 1842; but he was incliited to ascribe it to the railway enterprise which rose about that period. In the lest three or four years, something like 13,000,0001 sterling a year had been, spent upon native industry in this country on the construction of railways; and for such construction it was stated, on the authority of a Committee of that House, that 200,000 able-bodied labourers had been receiving upon an average 22s. per week, who had been called from the workhouse and from the parish. In i.886 a Commission was appointed to inquire into the advantages of railway communica- tion in Ireland; but he would not repeat many proofs of the wonders which easy communication had performed in Ireland. Lord Devon's report pointed oat the opening of communications and assistance by loans from the Government as the best means of affieding employment to the people. Those circumstances led to the consideration of the existing state of railway enterprise in Ireland. There had passed acts of Parliament sanctioning 1,502 miles of railway for Ireland; but, in eleven years, only 123 miles of railway had been completed, and 164 more only were in course of completion this present year. This must prove to the Hones that there was some weakness, some debility in Ireland, which prevented the people from carrying out those enterprises which in England and Scotland had caused the completion of 2,600 miles of railway, and appications for new lines amounting to 4,600 miles more. Ireland is as densely peopled as England; and from a return prepared by the industry of Mr. Laing, be found that, comparing the passengers who had travelled on the Irish railroads• with the passengers who had travelled either on English or Scotch lines, the for- mer far exceeded in number: while upon Scotch and English railways the average number of _passengers per mile was 11,800 per annum, the numbers who travelled upon the Ulster Railway were no less than 21,700, and on the Dublin and Drogheda upwards of 18,000. The Ulster Railway was looked upon as the London and Birmingham line of Ireland; and it appeared that in the year nook past the Ulster and Dublin and Drogheda lines, together fifty-six miles in length, carried 1,111,000 passengers, against 1,108,000 passengers carried by the London and Birmingham, which measured double the distance.

He might be asked, if the poverty of the country does not make railways in Ireland ruinous speculations, why does not English capital come forward for in- vestment? He could impute it only to the distrust and ignorance of Ireland which prevail in England. He stould give an instance. There were already completed of the Great Southern and Western Railway fifty-six miles; and this part was now opened for passenger traffic, but not for goods. 'There were completed of the North British Railway and its branches seventy-two miles; which were partially opened for goods as well as for passenger traffic. The result was, that the traffic receipts of the Great Southern and Western Railway amounted for the last week to 1,0281.; while the North British Railway, which cost 26,3001. a mile, against 15,0001. a mile which the Southern and Western cost, yielded only 3391. per week more. According to all common sense, the Great Southern and WesternHailway should be the most profitable to all concerned, and the best speculation of the two. Yet, such was the feeling in the English money-market, that the shares of the worse of the two railroads were selling at 401. premium, and the shares of the better at 21. discount on the 501. shares. He thought he had shown that there was either something in fashion or something in want of confidence which occasioned the un- willingness of English parties to vest their capital in Ireland. He begged the House to bear in mind, too, that many of the railway proprietors in Ireland were the landlords and tenants of that country, and that the very calamity which now impoverished and afflicted Ireland afforded an ample reason why the local pro- prietors should not be able to meet their calls; and the consequence was, that some of the best speculations in Ireland were at this moment what was commonly called "stuck fast" for want of money. Lord George mentioned several M-

o ts? of this stoppage.preposition was that Government should come to the aid of the railways; and Shit for every 1001 of private capital to be expended in railways 200L should begent by Government, at the interest at which on the credit of Government it might be raised. He calculated that the total amount required would be 24,000,0001.: 16,000,0001. to be advanced by Government, 8,000,0001. by share- holders. Mr. Hudson, who is chairman of railways amounting to 1,700 miles in length, and involving 45,000,0001. in money, would tell them that the worst rail- ways under his management would afford 7 per cent security to Government. Although the interest was at present 31. 6s. &I. per cent, he would assume it to be 34 per cent. He proposed that Government was to take the security of the entire East Consequently, if a line was to yield 71. per 3001., it would afford ample security to Government; and he was prepared, therefore, to show that a dividend of 21. 6s. &L per cent would afford perfect security for the interest payable to Government. But there was no line that did not do far more than this. The line in this empire in which the gross traffic receipts were the lowest was the line between Arbroath and Forfar. The gross receipts upon that line—which cost 9,0001. per mile—were, daring the first year, but 4681, and the cost of working it 2021.; leaving, even here an amount which would have yielded 34 per cent interest to the Government and 2 per cent to the share capitalist. And, to show what this line was, he might tell the House, that all the traffic which existed previously to its formation amounted to what could be carried by a single horse and light cart passing three days a week between Arbroath and Forfar. After its formation, the daily passenger traffic averaged 274; and last year it carried 90,000 passengers, and paid 5 per cent to the shareholders. He proposed to make the Railway Commissioners a Board responsible to Parliament for administering the loans; and unless they should report to the Commissioners of the Treasury of any railway that it at once promised to be beneficial to the country, and to afford profitable employment to the people, as well as a reasonable and sufficient security to the Government, the State should not be called upon to advance any money to the company.

The shareholders would have equal security under his proposition. The line that paid 4 per cent upon the entire cost—that is to say, 121. upon every 3001. laid out —would pay the share capitalist 5 per cent interest, after repaying the Govern- ment 84 for their 2001.; ancl se on. The line which paid 5 per cent upon the en- tire coat would, alter-patring 7 per cent for interest upon the 2001. lent by Govern- ment, yield 8 per cent to the Share capitalist. He would show the operation of his plan on railways which are stopped for want of money. The Waterford and Limerick Company have power to expend 1,000,0001. on their railway: they have expended 324,0001., and the railway is stopped. The market value of the 324,0001. which had been expended upon the Waterford and Limerick Railway was worth but 162,0001. Now, under his pro- position it would not be necessary to make any furtber vain calls upon the share-

holders, as they would be entitled at once to receive from the Government a loan equal to 648,00011 which would complete the railway. Whet would be the effect

of this? The estimated traffic of the railway would give a dividend of 5 per cent on the entire cost of the railway. But if Government lend two-thirds of the capi- tal at 34 per cent, the effect would be, the 324,0001. of the share capital which had been already expended would have a fair and early prospect of yielding a dividend of 8 per cent; and the next effect would be that the shares of the company, in- stead of being dead in the market, instead of being at a discount of 162,0001, would instantly rise to a considerable premium; and the landed proprietors of Ire-

land and the tenants of Ireland, who WOW DOW unable to meet their calls, would be enabled to get rid of their shares it a premium, and to employ the money so

ebtained in improving their estates, and in giving employment to the people of Ireland. So that his pespeeition would have a double effect,—it would at once set to work an immense number of persons on the railways; and it would enable the landed proprietors who were now shareholders in the concern to make use of the money for the improvement of their estates and the employment of the people thereon.

Lord George stated several facts to show the amount of employment that would accrue from railway works. In May last, the chairman of the Great Southern and Western Railway stated to Sir Robert Peel that a loan of 500,0001. would have set 50,000 men to work. Had that been done, would not the effect have been, that, with regard to the seven counties through which that railway would ws, this country would not have been called upon to pay half the expense of the baronial assessments which had been made to keep the people in idleness?

Here Lord George interposed a declaration' that he did not bring forward his plan either in hostility to or rivalry with the Government of his noble friend. Ile

had assured the House publicly, and he had privately pledged his honour to his noble friend, that the party with which he acted sought no advantage by tarrying the measure; and he hoped that the House would come to its consideration as if it were a great private bill and they were all selected members of the Comniittee to which it had been referred. The idea of the measure originated as far back as September last, at the house of his honourable friend Sir John Tyrell; and, although the bill was drawn as far back as November, until the day on which he gave his notice on the subject, with the exception of the honourable Member for Harwich, (Major Beresford] who enjoyed the full confidence of their party, they had not confided the secret to any Irish Member or to any gentleman connected

with Irish railroad or other Irish property. They thought that, as this was a measure which called upon England to make large advances of money, it would be more becoming to have no jury sit upon it but a jury of English Members•,

and he hoped that, under these circumstances, the Irish Members would not think that he had exercised any discourteous discretion in forbearing to consult with them before introducing the measure to the House. He returned to the subject of the employment derivable from railways. The London and Birmingham fiailway employed 100 men per mile for four consecu- tive years. Taking the Irish railways at 60 men per mile, 1,500 miles of rail- road would employ 90,000 men for four consecutive years on the earth-works and lines alone. It was also estimated that the employment given to artificers and others not actually engaged on the line would occupy six men per mile for the whole number of miles under construction; that gave 9,000 men more. Expe- rience had shown that where a railway was carried through a line of country, it caused new fences to be made, fields to be squared, new drains and watercourses to be cat, new roads and approaches to be constructed; all of which would furnish employment for at least six men more per mile, which would give another 9,000; m altogether 108,000 men. There are other incidental sources of employment and he felt that he was making a low estimate when he took the total number of able-bodied men to whom his measure would furnish employment at 110,000, re- presenting in their families no less than 550,000 persons. If he could find sub- sistence for 550,000 of the population of Ireland for four consecutive years, with- out costing the country anything, (if, indeed, it would not add greatly to its wealth,) it must be admitted that he was going a very long way to assist his noble fnend in carrying out his Poor-law Amendment Act. He had not forgotten the immediate interests of the labourer. He had inserted clauses in the bill compelling the railway companies to see that their contractors paid their labourers once a week in hard cash. It was also provided that railway companies should be compelled, when called on by the Railway Commissioners, to construct decent and suitable dwellings for their labourers before any work com- menced.

Lord George showed several incidental advantages that would flow from his plan. When Mr. Smith of Deanston was asked what measure he thought best calculated to promote the improvement of Ireland, he at once answered, "The construction of railways, to be sure." He says," Construct railways, and agricul- tural improvement will follow." When Mr. Smith was asked what would be the

value of these railroads in Ireland in an agricultural point of view, he said the improvement of the land, for one mile only on each side of a railway, would be an great as to pay for the whole constraction;. allowing, in this calculation, 640 acres,

after deducting the fences, to a square mile on each side of the line. Mr. Smith made a long calculation in support of this statement; and he brought a practical proof of enhanced value from the effect of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railroad,

along which land that was worth but 5s. an acre was now letting at 10s. and 40e. If, therefore, they took only 10s. per acre as the amount of the improvement in the land of Ireland through which the railroads would pass, it would coins very near the other calculation of 23,033,6251.

Among the "works of idleness" are 3,800 miles of road: now a new road be- comes at once an expense to the district and abstracts from the breadth of land paying poor-rates; whereas a railway is no expense to the district, and contributes

to the poor-rates. Landowners and occupiers would profit largely from the land which it would be necessary to buy for the completion of the railways: taking the

purchase-money at only 1001. an acre, the 15,000 acres required would yield 1,500,0001.; of which 1,290,0001. would go to the proprietors, 240,0001. to the occupying tenants for their rights, and the remainder has been paid for land al- ready purchased. There is a whisper that the raising of 16,000,0001., which under his proposition Government would lend, would disturb the money-market and bring down the Funds. Now he did not believe that the raising of 16,000,0001. spread over four consecutive years, at the rate of a million for every three months, would have the slightest effect on the Funds. When Government raised a loan of 15,000,0001. to pay the Slave-compensation money in 1835, the average price of Consols was 89; and so far from falling, the Fends gradually rose, till next year they stood at 91; while the loan, which was contracted at an average premium of 11. 4s. 6d., rose at last to 41. 14s.

Lord George pointed to the money sent out of the country to be sunk in such concerns as the Anglo-Peruvian Company, the &drums, the Guanaxuato, the TIalpaxahna-13,000,0001. in Portuguese securities, 22,000,0001. in Spanish Bonds," Active," " Passive," and "Deferred "—United States Canals, &c. &c.—all without profit to the country; whereas 24,000,0001. invested in Irish railways would cause an increase to the revenue. Mr. Pete, the contractor, had found it

necessary to restrict each of his railway labourers to a gallon of strong beer a day; which would yield 4d to the malt and hop-duties, or 51. 4s. paid by the la- bourer to the revenue in the consumption of beer alone, without reckoning tobacco, or tea, sugar, and other articles eonsumed by his family. Were the 110,000 labourers anetheir families raised from the Irish level of comfort and of tax-pay- ing to the Excise, (3s. 10id. a head,) to the Scotch level, (11. Os. 2d.,) allowing for the difference of taxation in Ireland, the increase to the Excise revenue would be 440,0001.; and taking all sources of revenue there would be a nett increase of 642,0001. yearly, representing a capital of more than 18,000,0001.

To show the value of assistance in the infancy of enterprise, Lord George Men- tioned, that he had that very day received a letter from Mr. Moss, one Of the earliest promoters of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, to the effect that, if it had not been for a loan of 100,0001. advanced by the Government of that day, it was much doubted if the railway would ever have been undertaken. He glanced to the future, when railways should be general throughout Ireland, when Valentia should be the packet-station of the United Kingdom, and when there should be a general prosperity contrasting with the present misery. Talk

to him of discontent, of rebellion, or of sedition in Ireland ! Let him fill the bellies of the starving peasants, as this bill would, with good beef and good mut- ton, with wheaten bread and good strong beer; let him Ell-their pockets with English gold, wherewithal to purchase for themselves the broadcloths of York- shire and Wiltshire, the fustians of Manchester, and for their wives and daughters the cotton prints of Stockport—may be, also the ribands of Coventry; and he, a Saxon, would answer with his head for the loyalty and honour of the Irish people. (Great cheering.) Let their wants be listened to and their wishes gratified, and then, through their sympathies and through their warm hearts, he would appeal to them; and the world would see that the result would not sever, but cement the union with England. Lord Jour( RUSSELL acknowledged the patriotism which had induced Lord George Bentinck to bring forward his motion and his ability in

framing and explaining the plan; and he wished that he could at once have agreed to the proposition, and adopted it in aid of the measures which Government have brought forward for the relief of Ireland. In fact, the matter which Lord George Bentinck had brought forward, though not the particular plan, had for some time been under the consideration of Go- vernment.

"My noble friend [Lord Morpeth] some years ago brought forward a plan with respect to railways, which I thought then, and still think, was one that would be of essential advantage to Ireland. This plan proceeded on a totally different prin- ciple from that embodied in the bill of my noble friend opposite. It went on the principle of railways being formed by Government, and conducted by persons un- der their control; the amount thus expended to produce four per cent interest, any additional interest to be applied either to the extension of railways or the diminution of debt upon those existing. According to that plan, the object would have been attained which many still think of great importance, namely, a Govern- ment control over the railways of that part of the 'United Kingdom with respect to the conveyance of stores and with respect to the direction of the lines and the places to which they should go. In all these respects the Government Commissioners thought it would be advantageous to have them under the control of Government; and many persons indeed think that the plan adopted in France in this respect is superior to that followed in this country. But that is not the plan of my noble friend. Speaking of the proposal as a general plan, I would say that it is not ad- visable for Govenment to step out of its way to interfere with the general adap- tation of capital to railways, and to favour one set of companies, having set on foot particular railways, rather than others." For instance, to interpose so as to alter the market-value of shares in the North British Railway and the Great Southern and Western would be an undue departure from the functions of Government, and an undue interference with the application of capital, where both parties are equally deserving. The plan, however, was proposed in reference to the existing distress. Now the urgent want in Ireland is the supply of food; and the application of money—of which Government has no unlimited command—would not meet that particular object. Again, the labourers employed would not be the most destitute, but the able-bodied fit to do the work; and the proposed railways would not pass through the counties which suffer most from the distress. Applications to assist railways had often been made to pre- ceding Governments, and the late Government had felt obliged to resist claims for aid.

The present works may be useless, but they have the effect of sup- plying 580,000 persons with the means of purchasing food- ' This seems to me to be the chief object you ought to aim at. There are other objects of a more permanent nature- but the present object is to do in Ireland what you do in England, by means Of the poor-rates, in a time of distress. When that pressure on the poor-rate comes, you do tot ask whether the persons em- ployed are employed at useful works or not. Your object is to give them food to maintain themselves in life. Now, this is an object towards which the railway system can do very little. With respect to the general improvement of Ireland, I agree generally that the establishment of railroads in Ireland would be of immense

vantage, and I do hope to see railroads established in that country. Nor do I say altogether that in every case public assistance ought to be refused; but this

I say, that having a case of extreme destitution to provide for, I do not think it would be wise to give 16,000,0001. of the public money to the promotion of rail- roads. I do not believe it would be a wise expenditure- and, considering the vast demands upon us, if we do so we shall be obliged to cheek other expenditure more immediately necessary."

Lord John would not oppose the bringing in of the bill; but when the House was asked to go into Committee for the purpose of voting the need- ful money, he did not know that he should be prepared to assent to the plan.

Mr. OSBORNE admired and praised the proposal, and blamed Lord John Russell for suffering the bill to be introduced with an after purpose to throw it out.

Mr. RoEnticx blamed Lord John for suffering the bill to be introduced at all: Lord John had confessed to the expenditure of 9,000,0001. for Ireland; adding 2500,0001. for "presentments" that had been sanctioned, there is already an expenditure incurred of 11,500,000/. to be paid by English taxes, in addition to the ordinary expenditure of 55,000,000/. To that Lord George Bentinck proposed to add 16,000,0001. They should consider the condition. of the English poor—their poor constituents. The Mayor of Bath had told him of a poor woman who was obliged to strip off the rags that covered her child's nakedness, in order to sell them at 2d. a pound as old rags, to buy food. He had the certificate of the taxgatherer in that town—in Ireland they have no assessed taxes—that women are obliged to take the wedding-rings from off their fingers to pay taxes. When these things were told of Somersetshire the clamorous sympathizers with Irish distress listened with apathy, or smiled! Lord John Russell had shown that, to relieve the immediate distress in Ireland, the proposed rail- way expenditure would be quite useless: in fact, it was nothing less than - taking advantage of the present distress in Ireland to throw the burdens of the Irish landlords upon the people of England. If the bill should ever go so far as the Committee, he would propose a clause to the effect that no Irish landlord, being a Member of either House of Parliament, should re- ceive a single fraction of the money to be advanced for the purchase of land belonging to him through which the State-made railroads should pass.

Avery rambling debate followed; in which the measure was supported, among the English Members, by Alderman THOMPSON, Mr. POULETT SCROPE, Mr. HUDSON' the Marquis of GRANBY, Mr. MUNTZ, Mr. MON- Lulu GORE, Captain lanais, and Lord JoHN Mammas; opposed by Colonel WOOD, Mr. HI7ME, Mr. WARBURTON, Sir CHARLES WOOD' and Mr. LABOUCHERE. Mr. Labouchere stated that Government is already prepared to aid companies who have obtained their acts, in executing earth- works.

It was supported by all the Irish Members who spoke, except one,

GRATTAN, Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN, Mr. MORGAN JOHN O'CONNELL Mr. G. A. HAMILTON, and Mr. P. S. BUTLER; and by Mr. WILLIAM C:OLLETT, who, though sitting for an English borough, may be counted among Irish Members. Mr. JOHN O'CoNNELL thought there was something specious in the scheme; but he hoped that it would not divert attention frem the Government measures. Most of these Members attacked Mr. Roebuck with bitterness; the first and the fiercest being Mr. GRATTAN. He said of Mr. Roebuck's speech, that he would not call it satire, nor virulence, nor calumny, but rather the dropping poison of the shrivelled adder! He should not be surprised if next day he saw in the newspapers a narrative to this effect- " The other night, a number of Irish gentlemen were assembled in the neigh- bourhood of Whitehall, when an individual got of the Bath csach and presented - at them his brass blunderbuss; which missed fire, and the villain made off." (Laughter.) Mr. Joine O'CoNEELL asked Mr. Roebuck, in the name of humanity, to postpone his attacks, and after the measures were over, take a day on which he might utter all his sordid bile, all his taunts and all his vile slander against Ireland and Irishmen! Mr. MORGAN Jonsi O'Contirxx. said that his indignation was changing to a feeling of pity. Mr. GOULBURN called upon Lord John Russell for a more distinct state-

went as to the course which he intended to pursue. Lord Jona Rung". at once replied, that he had suffered the bill to be introduced out of respect for his noble friend Lord George Bentinck ; but that when Lord George should move for a Committee of the whole House for the purpose of ap- proving of the amount of money to carry it into effect, he should refuse his assent to such a proposition.

Lord JoLtE MANNERS announced that Lord George and those who acted with him would persevere with the measure.

Leave was given to bring in the bill.

When the motion was disposed of, Mr. Roznucx begged to say a few words. He had asked Mr. Morgan John O'Connell, as soon as he sat down, whether he had heard the speech which he assailed. Mr. Morgan John said—" Some of it; but I confess I took the greater part of it on credit." " On credit "! Mr. Roebuck appealed to the House to say whether he had done more than use plain language without one harsh word. Mr. Grattan condescended, in a frantic speech, to expend sarcasms on his unfortunate form: he would not retort that; but even the ox might feel the sting of the "shrivelled adder "—his darts were barbed with truth, and it was evident they hit the mark. Several Irish Members rose to reply; and Mr. FITZSTEPHEN FRENCH said that the only part of Mr. Roebuck's speech of which they could complain was the imputation that the Irish landlords desired to put money in their pockets.

RAILWAY LEGISLATION.

The following resolutions were passed by the House of Commons on Wednesday, on the motion of Mr. STnurr. I. That a Committee of five Members be appointed, to be called "The Clas- sification Committee of Railway Bills," and that three be the quorum of such Committee.

2. That copies of all petitions for railway bills presented to the House be laid before the said Committee.

3. That the Committee of Classification shall form into groups all railway bills which, in their opinion, it would be expedient to submit to the same Committee.

4. That as soon as the Committee of Classification shall have determined what railway bills are to be grouped together,. they shall report the same to the House; and all petitions against any of the said bills shall be presented to the House three clear days before the meeting of the Committee thereon.

5. That there be no more than seven clear days between the first reading of any railway bill and the second reading thereof, except by special order of the House.

6. That the breviate of every railway bill shall be laid on the table of the House, and be printed and delivered one clear day before the second reading.

7. That such railway bills as shall have been read a first time before the House shall agree to these resolutions shall be read a second time within seven clear days thereafter. 8. That such of the Standing Orders as relate to the com lion of the Com-

mittees on Private Bills, and the orders consequent thereon, suspended, so far as regards railway bills pending in the course of the present session.

9. That Committees on railway bills, during the present session of Parliament, shall be composed of a Chairman and four Members, to be appointed by the Com- mittee of Selection.

10. That each Member of a Committee on a railway bill or bills shall, before he be entitled to attend and vote on such Committee, sign a declaration that his

constituents have no local interestst and that he himself has no personal interest, for or against any bill referred to him; and no such Committee shall proceed to business until the whole of the Members thereof shall have signed such declara tion.

11. That the promoters of a railway bill shall be prepared to go into the Com- mittee on the bill on such day as the Committee of Selection shall t subject to the

order that there be seven clear days between the second reading of every private bill and the sitting of the Committee thereupon, think proper to appoint, provided that the Classification Committee shall have reported on such bill. 12. That the Committee of Selection shall give each Member not less than fourteen days' notice of the week in which it will be necessary for him to be in attendance, for the purpose of serving, if required, on a railway bill Committee.

13. That the Committee of Selection shall give each Member a sufficient notice of his appointment as a member of a Committee on a railway bill, and shall

transmit to him a copy of the 12th resolution, and a blank form of the declara- tion therein required, with a request that he will forthwith return it to them pro- perly filled up and signed.

14. That if the Committee of Selection shall not within due time receive from each such Member the aforesaid declaration, or an excuse which they shall deem sufficient, they shall report to the House the name of such defaulting- Member.

15. That the Committee of Selection shall have the power of substituting, at any dere before the first meeting of a Committee, another Member for a Member whom they shall deem it proper to excuse from serving on that Committee. 16. That power be given to the Committee of Selection to send for persons, papers, and records, in the execution of the duties imposed on them by the fore- going resolutions. 17. That no member of a Committee shall absent himself from his duties on such Committee, unless in case of sickness or by leave of the House. 18. That all questions before Committees on railway groups or bills shall be de- cided by a majority of voices, including the voice of the chairman ; and that whenever the voices shall be equal the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

19. That, if the Chairman shall be absent from the Committee, the Member next in rotation on the list, who shall be present, shall act as Chairman. 20. That Committees shall be allowed to proceed so long as three Members shall be present, but not with a less number, unless by special leave of the House. 21. That if on any day within one hour after the time appointed for the meeting of a Committee three Members shall not be present, the Committee shall be ad-

journed to the same hour on the next day on which the House shall sit which had been fixed for that day.

22. That in case of a Member not being present within one hour after the time appointed for the meeting of the Committee or of any Member absenting himself

from his duties on such Committee, such Member shall be reported to the House at its next sitting.

23. That each Committee shall be appointed to meet on each day of its sitting not later than twelve o'clock, unless by the regular vote of the Committee. 24. That Committees on railway bills have leave to sit, in the present session, notwithstanding any adjournment of the Haase, if the Committee shall so think fit.

25. That it be an instruction to all Committees upon private bills not to hear parties on any petition hereafter referred to them which shall not be prepared and

signed in strict conformity with the rules and orders of this House.

26. That all Select Committees on railway groups or bills be empowered to refer, if they shall so think fit, to the Chairman of Ways and Means, together with the Members ordered to prepare and bring in each such bill, any unopposed railway bill submitted for their consideration; and that such bills be severally dealt with by the said Chairman and those Members respectively acting with him as other unopposed bills are to be dealt with.

27. That the following clause be inserted in all railway bills passing through

fitie ffense..-"Anlilbelit ðer enaeted, that nothing herein contained shall ins deemed or tonstrueidee exempt the railway by this or the said recited acts ate. therteed to be made, 'fratin the provisions of anygeneral act relating to suchhille, erof any general get /elating to railways, which may hereafter pass daring this or any future session of Parliament, or from any future revision and alteration, under the authority of Parliament, of the maximum rates of fares and cheep; ftuthorized by this act."

On Thursday, VIr.Sritterr gave notioe,That on Teesday neitlie would move for leave to bring in a bill for regulating the proceedings of the Com- miseioners of Railways, and for amending the law relating to railways.

HOWARD WOMBS 'GOSSETT. On Tuesday, Sr 'FREDERIOR THESIGER COM- tannicated to the 'House of Commons the result of the proceedings in the Court of Exchequer Chamier, by whith the judgment of the Court of Queen's Bench *as leVerseti; and lie toted for a copy of Ihe abort-hand-Writer's dotes of the pro.. 'eeklings, withVeietv their being prieted fort* use of the House. The an- MOuneement was hailed by the House with cheers; tied the enotien passed as %if 'ahem.

IPrionstaw. 'On Tuesday. teril 'Fir.CeLev waked these questions—Whether tette eras ithygtitetitien of remodellitig the Poor-law Commission; whether the Illiottritaw•Commtstiket -for-Irelind was tube wholly Independent of 'the Commis- *ion for :England; mid whether the measure for remodelling the Poor-law Com- mission for Ireland would be laid before -Parliament, if not settled by ,Parliament, previously to the discussion of the bills conferring powers upon the Poor-law Com- missioners P—which appertfetilbhitn so itnixtrtant,Iiiat he considered, before dele- Wing snob poWers,ehey °heat) be acquainted with 'the constitution of the body 'to whom they were to be intrusted. -Lord LANSDoWNE replied, that it was in liolided to prepese the remodelling of the .Poor-law Commission in England. He Idkl net knotratthismonient what effect that elteratioh might have upon the powers of the Poor-law Commission in Ireland: it was considered that there -Abould, at-all events, end under any change be a resident Commissioner in that country. The Irish bill to which Lord Stanley alluded [the -Destitute Persons aini was ef a merely temporary nature. iThe'Committee appointed to inquire into the 'Operation of the.existing law of apirochial settlement'cummenced its labours on Tuesday.

ilaireovrisietter 'tee EtersrueD EeTATIM. fel Tuesday, the 'Duke of Slott- 'Meth moved the-reeppohltinetit Ofthe Select Committee of 1845 to inquire into the expediency of •eniblingpoesesters Of 'entailed -estates to charge such estates Writb Aaiun 'to bellimited, 'for purposes- Of lIttiiiiage and pernitieedt 'Improvement 'IPhe,Committee was'appoidted accordingly. MILBANK PRISON REPORT. On Wednesday, Mr. MONTAoU GORE 'moved tt 'a copy of Mr. Eseott's 'report as One of 'the COMMrisidners'for 'Mr:paring into thestate of Milbank 'Pristie should be htill befere the House. Sir Gennent Hater tdhjeeted, that Mr. 'Eseott he'd •no'praver 10 make a separate Infant In the'Qatien he-could only Via 'in a letterlothe Secretary ef•State. When the document was received in the proper form it should immediately be laid before the /louse. Mr. %ewer contendeill'fhat by the terms of 'the commission the Commissioners were itepre.ssly required to "report seveeally"- and this view Was supported by Mr. THOMAS OHNOOMBE and Mr. floEBUC'k. Milliners, however, -were obstinate, and the motion WO withdrawn.

THE Wzwirairbx STATUE. In reply 'to captain POLHILL, on 'Monday, Lord MORPETH said—" The Government have-signified their wish to the Sub- 4ommittee of the Wellington Statue that it should he removed from the place 4hieh it occupies:" • PROCHIESS OP RAILWAY 'BILLS IN 'THE HOUSE DP COMMONS. BILLS READ A Pow TIRE. Monday, Feb. 1.—Manchester-and-Leeds (branches, ex- devistlone, and alteratffink df levels and otherworke).. Gloucester-and-Dean- ;Forest voonetractionof docks). West-Cornwall (branches to St. Ives and Nonvayrnan's 'Wharf, and nonstruction and enlargement of (Mays at Hale). Glasgtiumfeles- End-Carilsle, and 'GlargoVe-Talsley-Killicarnoak-andAyr (N. b. 1). ManeheSter-and- 'Leeds ibratich'frOth fhe'fludderelield-and-Sheflield-jurictIon -Railway to Barnsley, and extension of Holltinrth brrincilt). 'ablagownffilaltfpand-Greenock .(itmendment and tbranehes to the,Olasgow-KllmarnoCk-tm&kyr, the -Glasgow-Barrhead-und-Nallston, nd the Olasgow-Strathaven-and-teemahagow Railways, and to Haugh Pita). Bud- derarield-and-Manchester (branch from Oldham to Ashton and Guide Bridge). Ipsvitch- and-ilury-St.-Edmand's (No..2) (eiftension from tdry "St. Effintind's 'to Newmarket :anti Leeds-I)ewsbUry-and-Sninehester (eeteneidn'to Wakefield and junction at ntitathley with thenViikelted-Ponteltaat-and-Goote, andtheYork-aird-North-lliblffind). eiiisegow-Paistey.:Kninarneckaand-rAyr ;(bib. 0). SonthaMpton-and-Dorabester (New 'Forest deviation and tirancitee). Eastern-Union i(branch from Mamiingtreeto Har- wich). Wilts-Somerset-and-Weymouth (No. 2). ' Tuaday,Yeb.41.—Midland (Syston and-Peterborough RallWaydevlatiOns and approach 'to Manton station). .Clarence-iihn-Leeds-and-Tbirs'k Amalgamation. PaisleyBarr- tettd-and=fhirldt. Itotith,eastern (widening iii' the Greenwich Runway, an"derrrange- tikietaturel enlingenicht-cif the fLontffiniRridgo atittien). South-eastern (London-Bridge .station arrangement and enlargement). Leeds-Wakefield-and-Midland Junotion. fiLlereigookcrostiy-and-southport -Railway and -branch. Buckinghatn-and-Bnickley --Ouractloo, and Oxforil-and-:Bletchley Junction Companies (amalgamation and extension Of tines). -Exeter:Temil-and4torchester and britnehts. Midland (extension from near Uneasier, via BOMB, to Hltehlh, andloNorthatnptoltand Huntingdon, and enlarge- anent-of the Leer-Star Station). Midland (Lelcester-end-Swannington 'Railway, widen- nag, deviations, gad branches,,enianrimen t of Leicester station, and extending. powers as to Ilvdrick branch).

.WedNesday, .Feb. B.—North-British (No. I). Southampton-and-Dorchester Acts Amendment (Weymouth branch). Caledonian and-Olasgow-Palsley-and-Greenock Amalgamation. Caledonian (lease or purchase of the Glasgow-Barrhead-and-Nellston 'Direct and Glasgow Southern Terminal Railways). Norfolk (brandli from Norwich to dAylsham. with ti 'branch to North Walsbam). Newmarket.and-Chesterfield (eaten- anon to Thetford). 'Itegentt4mnai Company .(Paddinston-and-Limehouse 'Railway and 'branch).

.T/Wrsday, Feb..4.—Windsor-Staines-and-Sonth-westem (Staines to Ascot and -Wo- litnnham, with branches). Windsor-Staines and-South western (111chmonti and Wind- sor, &e.) East-lintdInshire (South Navigation purchase). Southampton-and-I:Mr- Mbester. , Blanfiftlffilteancli).

illeiday, 5..--4landhester-anti-southuort and branches. 1.ondon-nnd-matirnisu Vmprorement, Itatiffiranehes to-the St..Katharinea and London Docks. IdldbincI(glas- ;borough and Normanton stations enlargement). Caledonian (Glasgow-Garukirk- .and-Coaibridge Railway, branch to'Glasgow and station). 'London-and-South-western "(widening, Sm.)

..Buda RIUD A SECOND TIME AND COMMITTED. Monday, Feb. 1 .-3Tanchester‘SheMeld- tnd-LincoluShIre%supply Ofsarplaswater to Vanehester, Salford, And Stocapeirt). 1.on- Rob-BrIdge Reffitray'rertinni eenerdl Enlargement. London-BrIghton-and-Sbuth-Coast 1(ntent.Rallwarto SIVIdetoati,iCanterbury, and Tunbridge). Manchester-Sheffield-and- Lincolnshire (station approach to Manchester). Manchester-Sheffield-and-Lincoln- eibitte .(bnutch Iran Aseiton-under-Lyne to Oldham). blanchester-Sheffield-and-LIn- oolnehire (Junotion with the Midland Railway vli Barnsley, and branches therefrom). Tdanchester-Sheffiild-nrid-LincolaShire (branch to CapeltoWn, and Thurgoland coal Iblrandh). Sidnehaster.SINfillet&and-lIntdInstilre (Ashton Canal ptirchase). Stanches- fter-Shelneld-andAdneiffiniffire (brandi at Bugswerth, to join the Peak Forein Canal Strawrivery, affilatnatitIment 'Niamey Manchester-Sheffield-and-Lincolnshire (Sheffield klabal.pdrahsee). ManeheMer-Shedleld-and-Lineolushlre and Idanchester-and-Lincoln- Vnion-Itattway .and Chesterfield-and-Gainsborough Canal Amalgamation. London- . Itsighton-and-Soiitheait (London 'Bridge station emergemeet and arrangement). clpondou-Briglitelianil-Solith-COagt (extension 'to London Bridge). 'Bristol-and-Exeter- lEaliviray (Untrldh *tab rIllehilonlb Weds, Otesteheure, and Street). Nest-uncomshire • thevintiati to Eolith anilffirtinch to.Oreat ()dinghy rand toisehati Junction Railway at 100Inisby). Eaat-Linetanshire.(brauch from Loiith to Lincoln). Windsor. Glargotv- allairchead-and-Nallston-Direet, and Glasgow-Southern Terminal Railways Amalgama- tion. (llasgow-Bafrhead-and-Nelltton Direct. Scottish-Midland-Janetion (amend- ment and branch to Lamencekirk). Mffilancl-Great-Western-Itantrray-Oti/reland reeressae,A.liniAtinnda,`antt 'Mittman Ildidattoref). Weehtionieniet-and-Waymouth Oto. (BMA), Intbombe, 'and 'Redden, and Branford 'deviation?). Isieder-ind- 14MM-western .0SelaBort Pagnell-Olney-and-Weffingborongh 'branch'). ,LiondblvErs- 40rd-end-Cheltenham Railway and Branches Bill. Ilartlepool-and-StoCkton ilenothla. Olasgow-Paisley-Kil inarnoek-and-Ayr Railway and Glasgow-and-Belfast UnionkNo. 13, _Glasgow-Paisley-Kilmarnock-and-Ayr (No. 4). Leeds-Central -Railway station. 'Nor- tela (branch from Wymondham to the Norwich extension Of the Ipswich and Eury-SS. 'Edmund's and 'the proposed Menial and Needham Railway near DNS). SICifdlt "(branch from Thetfordlojoln the Ipswich and Bury fit. 'Edmund's 'Railway, ewer eery tSt.'Edninntre).

Tuesday, Feb. 2.—General-Termintel-and-Glaslitow Harbour branches. Birmingham- Wolverhampton-and-Stoar Valley (Smethwick deviation). Shrom il

hire-Union Raways an'd Canal (lease to the London and North-western Railway Company). Ltskeard-and- Carailon. VortffiV(Yarmouth extension, Sce.). Lynn-and-Ely, Ely-and-Htintingliten, and Lyinr-and-Dereharn Amalgamation. Fru isy, Feb. 5. — Glasgow Airdrle-and-rMonlilaffils Junction (Covrbilrs, TarmYle branches, ice.) Gisagow-Airdrie-and-Menklands (Cowlairs branch). Glasgow-Palsloy- Kilmarnodk-and-Ayt, and Ayrshire-and-Bridge-of-Weir (No. 3). Preaten-and-Wyre. North-western (dive-slons at Sklpton, &c.) London-and-North-western (purcharie of Lord 'Ellesmere's interest, ?cc.) Liverpool-Manthetter-and-lieweestie-Upon-Tyrte Junction. Llskeard-ardi-Launeeston Branch. Lynn-and Ely-(extenliton to Spalding, Ise.) DireCt-London-and-Partamonth and London-Erighton.anti-Soattimoast image- Triancliester-and-Lincnin-union de-nation. 'Manehester-SheMeld-and•Lin- • eoln-(Soute, Sm. branches). Norfolk (nom Thetford, Sm.) Metuling-Gaildford-and- 'Reigate. Glasgow-Dumfries-and-Carlisle and Glasgow-Paisley-Kilmarnock-and-Ayr. 'Bristol-and-South-Wales Junction and Aust-Perry-Wharfffirle (Sklpton and deviations). Wear-Vaney-ittabo)-Aucklantikandlireardale. Weardalc-ExtenNon, and Wear-abn- Derwent Railways, and Sheldon-Tunnel Amalgamation.