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      February 21. 1846. The Northern Star. 7

      February 21 . 1846 . THE NORTHERN STAR . 7

      Yovtimx Fflommmte

      _yovtimx _fflommmte

      " And I Mil War, At Leal Tin Words, (And...

      " And I mil war , at leal tin words , ( And—should my chant- so happen—deeds , ) With aU who war with --ought !" ' I think I bear a little bird , who sings The people by and by will be the stronger . _"—Btroh

      THE FRATERNITY OF NATIONS-POLAND ASD RUSSIA -UNION OF THE SLAVONIANS . Although the following interesting document was adopted in this country so far back as the 25 th of July last , ihe anniversary of the martyrdom of tbe fire * Russian Republicans therein named , it has never before appeared in any English publication . It was Originally published in the French language , and a Short time since a { somewhat imperfect ) translation appeared in the $$ w York Tribune . For the following translation we are iudebt-d to a distinguished Polish democrat . At the present moment , when all eyes are directed towards Poland , this proclamation is doubly interesting : — F __ OCL _ UUTIO _ OF POlEi MOW IX 10 XDOX TO THUS

      & U _891 A ** BBSTH-XX . _Ro-staa Brethren I—It is to-day nineteen years since five of yonr compatriots , Pestel , _Bestujef , Jlourarief , _Rjlief , and Kohovski , periibed on the scaffold . The Poles , in whose behalf we now address you , have assembled to celebrate the anniversary of tbe death of those martyrs to yonr future regeneration , and have thought their homage wonld not be worthy the memory of the martyrs , if they did not communicate to yon the thoughts which hare , on this occasion , risen in their souls . Brothers ! & hatred , too -violent to be lasting , too _prolonged to ba matnral , separates us from on . another This hatred , for which hardly any among us can render adequate reason , ought to yield to the reflections natural !/ due between two people of the same origin and tbe same faith . As -5 _to-onf < Hir , we ought to have bnt one sad the same object—tbat of becoming free ; as Chris-Hans , we owe to one another mutual love .

      And , meanwhile , alas ! almost each page of onr history seems written in innocent blood , which the two nations have shed while massacreing one another in subs _ -T __«__ cy t « the interests oi a si-file family . And is there aaj cause , divine or human , which cau sanction the condnct of this bloody drama , where the actors struggle without carrying away any advantage except the spec _, tacle of the ruin of others ! Instead of that , have we no other destinies to pursue ! As to you , Russians , you bare agreat mission , ndble duties to accomplish in tha world , a great and imperishable glory to achieve , that which your martyrs indicated to you by their death—-which we have also indicated by remembering them in the midst of battles . It is the mission of _forming , in conjunction with us , into an army of European civilisa tion , and of the law of God , the entire Slavonian race , and of _directing this force upon those regions which need to beemancipaUdfromth- barbarism iu which they are at present , and to form there societies useful to _hunj-iritj —we speak of Asia .

      And this mission , obvious to our consciences , which the angel of onr race has whispered to you from the scaffold , and still urges on us in our exile , dun-suds that yoa should be free—that we should be free and independent—that we should be brothers ; and , meanwhile , what are you f A despot , foreign to you—the scion of a mixed German and Mongolian race , in whose veins does not flow a single -drop of jours , of the Slavonian blood , common to asabsorbs you , and places you in asondition unworthy of men created in the image of God . Instaad of wise Ia * s , in making which yon might all concur through the representatives of jour choice , laws which would put you in a j way of using freely yonr int _ l _ ect __ _l , moral , and physical : powers to realise great human destinies , and to bs in

      fraternity with all the other nations by harmonising thus the interests offathtrUnd , with those of humanity , you bav * the will , the capr ice of a single man , whom _nothing restrains , and who makes of yon _passive ins _ - ______ ts of oppression among yourselves , or of accomplishing foreign invasions intended to inerease the number of these instrnments or victims to his violences , with no other aim than that of satisfying the instincts of personal ambition . And this unlimited mil raises Mound j __ u _ n ___ - __* n _ - _ - * sble barrier—a Chinese wall , which separates yon from tiie rest of tbe universe—the universe in whieh there are for jou as many brothers as there are or shall be living men , and which now , in consequence of yonr condition , sees in you only enemies worthy of contempt or of hatred But we , oh , Russians ! we cannot hate you . From your hands we hare received , and are still receiving , hard blows , yet we wish to see iu yon only erring brothers , and our hatred is concentrated on the man who makes

      nse of you in the infernal service of a -violent despotism , ofa degrading slavery , which he makes weigh as heavily on yon as en ns—on the man who labours , by all means possible to him , to destroy what we hold most precious and most sacred , our nationality , which ten consecutive ages , under fhe guidance of Providence , bave created on fhe man , by whose command thousands of our little children are snatched from the arms ef their wretched mothers . Asd it is not from to-day that tha proofs of our love and hatred may be dated—love for you , and hatred for the oppressor of our tiro nations . In 1331 , on the ere of our bloody combats fur theindependence of our country , we wrote upon oar banners , "For our liberty and for yours . " Ask your men , made prisoners during the last contest , in what manner they were treated among ns ; they will not deny the fraternal sympathy with which they were received ; th « y will tell jou that the condition of prisoners of war among us was far preferable to tbat of soldier in the armies of jour Tsar 1

      Since that epoch fifteea Ion _? years have passed ; they have seen inerease to a frightful extent both our national misfortunes and your slavery . With us the autocrat grows zealous to deal mora and more terrible blows to our existence as a nation ; as to jou , he pursues unralentinglj h __ despotic and libsrticide system ; and , to perpetuate oppression , chooses mostly among foreigners , whom nothing attaches to jon or jour interests , venal , rapacious , and servile officials . It was to put an end to this state of humiliation , incompatible with the dignity of men to whom God prescribes a wide , free , active , and continually progressive life , and which jou have endured without a murmur , that the holy martyrs , to whom we pay the tribute of

      today , have given their lives . They have bequeathed to you a beautiful example of devotion to the general welfare—to the real glory of jour country . Will it not be followed 1 We do not know ; but for the honour of fhe race to which our two nations belong , we firmly hop . it will-. followed . We hope it above all , when , casting a glance npon past ages , we see the persevering energy and sublime devotion which enabled jou to shake off tbe Mongolian invader-, when their innumerable hordes were filling your _ceantry witb fire and bloed . Why should sot the same energy be awakened now , to shake off the yoke , not of multitudes—as in the case of your ancient ppressors—bat of a single one of their descendants whose oppression is so much the more humiliating that it cannot weigh npon a great nation without appearing to

      receive its assent . Tes , we must hope that soon there will be found among you thousands of generous men who will follow the noble example of these martyrs , to whose memories such power belongs , that a simple homage paid to them by the people of Warsaw sufficed to the Diet of 1331—although elected under tbe corrupting sway of your autocrat—to proclaim him fallen from tlie throne of Poland the -reryday on wliich this homage was rendered . By following ityou will emancipate _you-nation f rom the terrible yoke that weighs upon _itj ; _you will , as Slavonians , and in concert with us , extend a helpful hand to our brothers

      of the Slavonian race , whether oppressed by a German or Mussulman family . And then the great thought of a federation of the Slavonian nations , first revealed on the banks of fhe _Neva , may be realised—tliat cornerstone to the edifice of the redemption of humanity ; for you will hare annihilated the obstacle ef Tsarism , synonymous with tyranny , which alone opposes it . As Christ proclaimed , on the eve of his death , that he had conquered the ancient world—tlie world of privilege aud of brute force—so , from his scaffold , Pestel prophesied the realisation of this great thought , saying , " What I luxe sown , _uvJl gemmate aud hear fruit . "

      Think of these wot _ 3 , and then act . You can accomplish _ ae great mission which God has confided to the eighty-five millions of Slavonians ; you will enter fhe path of progress which He has prescribed to all His creatures , and be able to lead into it the nations of Asia . Bussian brothers ! will jou hesitate ta submit to this divine will , which promises you a real and imperishable " loiy , and , instead of the hatred and contempt that now menace yon , tbe blessings of so ma _ y millions now aad tiere-fter ? Tou will not hesitate . Inhabitants of the north and east of Europe ! you will have a mighty _influence upon the great work of the regeneration of uatious , began in the West towards the close of the last century . " With a profound hope which God has breathed into us . ¦ we salute the approach of this new era , offering jou , from onr state of exile , fraternal hands , always ready to rejoin those of onr nation to second your noble efforts , if not to officiate at the initiation .

      Committee of preparation : — ( Signed ] Lewis Obobsei , President . _Jdiie-T _KnzLKHowszi , M _ mb _ r Th _ B-s _Kres-Powiecki _, do . John _K-. _hski , do . _Chas . _Stot-H-jr , Secretary . Believing that there exists , above all countries , a country common to all , in which the title of citizenship is conferred by the love of right—of brotherhood by com inanity of idea , of religion by martyrdom , and that Pestel , _Mooraviefc _Beituj-f , _Jtjlief , and Kohovski , who died for the redemption of the Slavonian race , are the fellow citizens and brothers of those who strive for tbe cause of truth and justice on the earth i believing

      tha Slaron-ui race is called to a great mission , both as j to interior organisation , which they can accomplish only ] ¦ __ _ a Beiies of efforts fraternally co-ordinate , and that Poland and Russia _nnut be historically and geographically at the head of s _ eh efforts ; believing that the league of absolute governments can only be defeated by a _^ Lf _' c ! ' _? Bati 0 M -- " _« _sympathising especially ¦ mth the Slavonians , who must some da , unite in battle with Italy against the common enemy—Austria—the Central Committee of Toung Italj __ National Association , unitedheart and soul with the vows , the hopes , and the aspirations of thePolish patriots , unites , in thenameof lit . association , and with sentiments of gratitude for the invitation that has been given them in the above address . Signed on behalf of the Central Committee bj _iosau iUiziKi .

      Tmpmal Fiaruteitt

      _tmpmal fiarUteitt

      House Of Lords—Moswt, Fra. 16. For The F...

      HOUSE OF _LORDS—MoswT , Fra . 16 . For the first time this session , their lordships had a longsitting ; the house not having broken up until nearly ten o ' clock . The subject whieh occupied their attention was merely a branch of the question which in another shape lias absorbed nearly the whole time of the other house since the Commencement ofthe session .

      PECULIAR BURDENS ON LAND . Lord _B-abuost , in moving for a select committee to inquire into the burdens on real property , entered at considerable length into the subject , but our limits will not permit more than the mere statement , that he considered peculiar burdens and protection to agriculture were intimately connected , and tbat he would prefer the continuation to the repeal efbotb . The b urdens singled out as pressing peculiarly on the landed interests were the malt tax , the excise on bricks , tlie hop duty , and the stamps on tran sfer of property . He exempted the tithe charge and the land tax . Sir Robert had put forward certain mea . sures as a compensation to the landed interest , which were , in fact , no compensation for the protection he he

      was about to deprive them of . In conclusion , begged to say that he had remained true to the cause of protection to the last , but if public opinion pronounced against him , he should not turn sulky , but submit with a good grace . _ This w _^ ald be a better course than useless agitation , wh'Mii would raise class against class , and keep up invidious distinctions _, lie respected the courage and sincerity of Sir R . Peel , but if his measures were carried in the present Parliament , it would not be by the triumph of opinion , but in a trial of complaisance . Let the right bon . baronet appeal , then , to the country , and gain his ends , it they were to be gained , backed by a . majority of the nation , instead of _trusting to an able _manc-uyrein party _jwlities . Lord Bro-GHam said that liis opinions on the subject had not changed since 1820 ; he condemned all and

      burdens which fell exclusively on land , was ready to go much further than Lord Beaumont , who , in his opinion , was wrong in exempting the land-tax from the list of burdens . Lord Dacbe thought that the landloWswere a very ill-used set of people , and shamefully saddled with an undue share of national burdens . He concluded with a furious attack on the League " conspiracy , " and its purchase of 40 .. freeholds . Lord Sta _ i __ y argued that tithes were a peculiar burden oa land ; and said that even if the claims of individuals were settled , that would not settle in his mind the policy of maintaining or abolishing tho Corn Laws , which rested not upon personal pecuniary considerations , bnt upon their moral , social , and political effects , and on this ground he was prepared _t to defend tbem .

      The Duke of Richmond delivered a bitter invective against the League , and uttered some implied threats , which , from a Chartist , would be stigmatised as rank and open incendiarism . Pressed as we are for room , we must find space for a specimen of this d ucal speech : —Their lordships might rest assured that the farmers and yeomanry of England would take a leaf outof the book ofthe Anti-Corn Law League . ( Hear , hear . ) In no instance up to tbe present period had the farmers sent around their itinerant orators to excite the minds of the popular classes almost to the point of madness . ( Hear , hear . ) The Anti-Corn Law League , however , had adopted this policy . They ! __ ad sent out their rural peripatetic orators to scour the country right and left , and to " _blackguard'W

      he might be permitted the expression ) all the landlords and farmers of the adjoining districts . ( Hear _, hear , and laughter . ) Again and again had these agitators endeavoured to strike terror into the hearts of the farmers by alluding to the likelihood of their stacks being burned . The farmers had never retaliated by a similar policy . They had never attempted to intimidate the manufacturer-, nor had they ever ventured to throw out any such hint as this—that it was as easy _to'fire cotton as straw . " Ihe Duke continued , that : — "Success never produced moderation in any political body , and the Anti-Corn Law League might say what tbey liked about their approaching dissolution—it was iis ( the Dake of Richmond ' s ) opinion that they would never dissolve

      until they bad succeeded in destroying the Church in this country , and every other institution that was dear to the hearts of the loyal and well-disposed . " And after eulogising the talents of Lord Stanley , and his secession from the government to light the battle of native industry , lie concluded by hoping that if " members of the " other house dared , in defiance of their pledges at the hustings , to send them a bill for the repeal of protection , their lordships wonld kick it out , and give the country a fair chance of deciding upon it . Earl _Gkev , who made , on this occasion , his first speech in the Lords , said he agreed with Lord Stanley in the opinion , that the maintenance or otherwise ofthe Corn Laws must be based , not upon personal or exclusive considerations , but npon their general

      operation , and on that ground he would join issue with Lord Stanley . Aa to the committee moved for , he would not oppose it ; but , at the s _ mie time , he would tell the noble lord , that having a common interest with him as a landlord , he thought the less said about this question the better . He wished he had not raised ic . He believed that upou examination it would be found that so far from the landlords bearing auy undue portion ofthe national burdens , the very reverse would be the case , and that they were exempted from numerous burdens which pressed on other classes of the community . His lordship then proceeded to reply at great length to Lord Stanley ' s

      questions with respect to tithes , as a peculiar burthen , and other matters , and was followed by Lord AsnBCRTo . v , wbo had great doubts of thc expediency of the proposed committee , which was more likelvtobeascene of wrangling than productive of any important collection of facts . It seemed impossible not to consider tithes as a tax upon land , and the house should consider that in the event of land going out of cultivation when protection ceased , the first portion to go would be that which paid tithe . After a few words from Lord Beaumont , the motion as amended was agreed to , andthe nomination ofthe committee fixedfor to-morrow ( Tuesday ) .

      Several bills were then forwarded astage , and their lordships adjourned .

      HOUSE OF COMMONS—Mosoay , Feb . 16 . From the mass of petitions , motions , and question , previous to the resumption of the adjourned debate , we select the following , as most interesting to our readers : —*

      FROST , WILLIAMS , AND JONES . Mr . T . Du . scoiibe gave _natice tbat on Tuesday , the 24 th of February , he would move that an address be presented to her Majesty , praying that her Majesty would be graciously pleased to take into her merciful consideration the petitions which bad been presented to that house in favour ofthe restoration of tbe liberty of Frost , Williams , and Jones . FACTORY BILL . Mr . Fib _ de \ gave notice that he would move the second reading of the Ten Hours' Factory Bill on Wednesday , the 25 th inst .

      THE ADJOURNED DEBATE . On the question that the house do now resolve itself into a Committee on the Customs and Corn Importation Acta , the debate was commenced by The Earl of March , who abused Lord Northland for kis sudden conversion—lectured Mr . B . Cochrane for au attack upon his lordship ' s father , the Duke of Richmond—predicted that the abolition of protection would be the ruin of the countrv— -opposed the opinions of Mr . Sidney Herbert , and , after dwelling at some length on the inconsistency of Lord Lincoln , Mr . Gladstone , and other members of the Administration , who at the last general election had denounced a more moderate measure than the present as " the fugitive humbug of a dying political faction , " and who were now supporting a proposition for the total abolition of all protective duties , he concluded by _declaring tbat he could not give his assent to a measure so detrimental as tbe present to all classes of the community .

      Mr . Milker Gibson made a very clever League speech , but there was not a single novel argument in it . He urged immediate , in preference to deferred repeal . The question was now insuchapositionthat it could not be endangered . It was indeed carried already , if not in Parliament , bythe force of public opinions out of doors . Sir R . P ___ was the surest of all political barometers . If they wished to know what the people were thinking of , let them look to what Sir Robert was doing . Mr . H _ i . SE . and Lord Al . bed _Cii-Bcni _ L , _recently returned Protectionist members , delivered themselves of maiden speeches against the measure . S ; r W . C _ . _ T _sooke in support of the plan . Mr . _DicKEitsdx and Lord Harbt vase avowed themselves to belong te the " deserters , " and their intention of voting against their former opinions .

      Mr . Buck gave vent to a dismal prediction of the ruinous consequences of the Ministerial scheme ; indulged in a passionate invective against Sir Robert , and a bitter attack upon the League , and concluded by declaring his intention to give the measure a most dec . led negative . Sir John TiaEu , made , as usual , a speech , which relieved the sameness of the debate , and gave rise to much laughter . Mr . James gave a little bit of history , wbich is so _tfseful at the present moment , that we give it entire : — " He was desirous to refer to the progress of public opinion up . u this question , which showed that , with a good cause , we never need to despair ; sooner

      or later it would be sure to prevail . In 1831 he had seconded a motion , made by Mr . Hunt , forthe total repeal ofthe Com Laws , and he found that he had bad the good fortune to make use of ai _* guments so much employed of late at Manchester and other parts ofthe country . How many did thc house suppose they had to support tbem by their speeches ! But one solitary member—the late member for Bolton , Colonel _lorrens . And by whom were they opposed ? Amongst others , by the noble lerd the member for the North Riding of Yorkshire ; by the right hon . pntleman , the Chanoellor ofthe Exchequer ; and _ t , not least , by thehon . me _ _ . ber for Montrose ( Mr . Hume ) , who moved the previous question , which w »

      House Of Lords—Moswt, Fra. 16. For The F...

      carried by a nRTjonty of 194 to ti . In the majority were the right lion _, bart . ( Sir . R . Peel ) , and tlw noble lord the member forthe city of London , and every other gentleman then present who was now a member of the house , with one exception—and that was the him * , member for East Somersetshire ( Mr . Gore Langiton ); l " ' _s horn friend near him , the member for Finsbury ( Mr . T . Duncombe ) , who bad always voted for the total repeal , having beon on that occasion absent from tlie house . Seeing , then , wkat was the position ofthe political world , was he not justified in reminding the house and congratulating the country upon the extraordinary change which had crept over the spirit of tbe dream ot all the most distinguished public men upon this most momentous question ¥ ' And then came the great event of the night , the rising of Sir Robert Peel , who delivered one of his very best speeches in a mogt telling and effective style . We can only glance at the leading topics touched upon by him .

      Sir R . Pbkl observed , that two matters had occupied thc attention ofthe house during this debatethe first was the manner in which a party ought to be conducted ; and the second , how the contingency ofa great politicalcalamity could be mitigated , and how the commercial policy ofa great nation sliould be directed . On the firet question a great part of the debate has turned ; but , surely , in the eyes of the people , that question wassubordinate to the two other questions—the _precautious against an impending danger , and thc principles of our commercial polity . On tbe party question lie had nothing to offer to the house ; for party interests the government measures were bad measures . He admitted , too , at once that it was unfortunate that the conduct of them was

      intrusted to his hands . He believed , however , tliat tliere was impending over the country a calamity which was perfectly appalling ; and whilst there was a hope of averting it , he did not think it consistent with bis duty a __ a . public man to evade the difficulty which ho saw approaching . He had not » word to say against the explanation which Lord John Russell made a few nights ago ; but he must read a letter which Lord John Russell had not seen , and which hc had _addressed te her Majesty during the period when he was out of ofiice , to show that he had not been desirous of robbing those ofthe credit of settling this question who had _originally brought it forward , or of embarrassing their course during the settlement of it . That letter ( which is of great length , and not

      less interest ) , was of such a nature , that he was certain Lord John Russell would be convinced by it , that he ( Sir Robert Peel ) had been prepared to give him the same cordial support wliich he ( Lord John Russell ) now boasted that he had given him . His belief at that time was , that this question ought to be adjusted ; and he had been prepared out of ttffiee to facilitate that adjustment both by his vote and by all the influence which he possessed . He admitted to the party which had honoured him with its support , that it was entitled to withhold from him its confidence . But was it likely that he should have voluntarily sacrificed its support , unless be had been influenced by strong motives ef public duty ? Be the consequence- to himself what tbey might , he

      would avow that his party could not rob him of the eonviction that tho advice whicli he had given to his Sovereign and the Parliament during these late transactions was consistent with all the duty which ho owed to that party . The month of May would not arrive without convincing the members of it that he should have abandoned jhis duty to his country , his Sovereign , and his party , if he had hoisted the flag of protection for a time , knowing that he must then have deserted it . Before the house came to a decision upon this measure , itwas necessary for them to know the state of Ireland as connected with it . For this purpose he read a series of letters received by the last two Irish mails from Sir D . Roche , Lord Stuart de Decies , and various other gentlemen in

      different parts of that kingdom , giving the most appalling description t » f the scarcity of the potatoe in . Ireland . One-eighth of the crop was always wanted ibr seed ; and if that quantity was not saved from consumption as food , Ireland would have to struggle with famine in the next year also . It was impossible to supply that quantity of potatoes from any foreign country ; and the government therefore proposed to get the seed potatoes into its keeping by giving other food in exchange for _thern . _^ Now , in that case , would it bo possible for him in May next , with a duty of 17 s . on the importation of foreign corn , to call onthe people to pay such a duty for the food to be distributed to the people of Ireland to save them from starvation ? Supposing famine

      then to ensue , would the aristocracy be able to bear the odium of saying , " We will throw on thc government the responsibility of supplying tho people of Ireland with food , but one iota of the Corn Laws we will not part with ? " He called upon Parliament to consider what had been the course taken by its predecessors on former occasions , when scarcity was impending over the country . On every occasion Parliament had removed for a time the duty on the importation of foreign corn . Tne cheer witn which that observation was greeted , he received as an unanimous , or , at any rate , a very general assent that at a period of approaching famine the proper course to be adopted was a free importation of corn . If that were so , then he asked

      thej house te expedite the passing ot this bill , or else that all the duties on the importation of provisions be suspended . He reminded the house that in November last he had advised , and three of his colleagues had supported , the suspension of tiie existing duties on corn by an order in Council . Tliere was no day in his political life of which he was more proud than that on which he had recommended that suspension of the law . But tbe law was not suspended ; Parliament was now assembled , and it was not within the competence of thc Crown to suspend duties by an order iu Council whilst Parliament was sitting . If there were a necessity for suspending the corn duties in November , that necessity was aggravated now ; and the house must come to one or

      other of these two alternatives—it must either maintain the existing law , or propose some facilities for the importation of foreign corn . If , then , all former precedent justified the suspension ofthe Corn Laivs in emergencies similar to the present , let thc house consider the laws to be suspended , and what the case weuld be then . His conviction was strong that it would be utterly impracticable , after suspending the Corn Laws for Bix months , to bring them again into operation . It was an utter misapprehension of the state of public opinion to suppose that any government , after the country had tasted for six months the sweetness of free importation , would be enabled to re-enact the existing Corn Laws in all their provisions . Would any sane man advise this

      government to give a guarantee in case of its suspending the Com Laws for six months , that it would renew them at the expiration of the suspension ' . He then proceeded to notice the arguments which had been offered against his plan by the different speakers in the debate . Mr . Baring had recommended a compromise on this subject . What was a compromise but a new law ? and was this a time for producing a new law whichjwould satisfy no party ? Referring to Mr . F . Scott ' s curious notion of the relation existing between a Sovereign and his Minister , which he compared to that ofa client and his own counsel , he observed that there was this difference between the counsel and the Minister—that the Minister took an oath to give his Sovereign the best counsel that his

      judgment could dictate , and that tho counsel did no such thing . Mr . Scott had spoken of him as tho counsel of a party , and kad claimed for himself the privilege which was formerly claimed for himself by _Anacharsis Cloots—namely , that of being the Attorney-General for the whole human race . Adverting to Mr . Colquhoun ' - assertion that he had not in this measure established a great principle , he remarked that if such were the case ne man in the empire ought to be more indebted to him . Mr . Colquhoun had voted both for and against the repeal of the Corn Laws . He had been since 1841 a determined advocate for a fixed duty ; and yet during thc subsequent interval be had done all tbat he could to support a sliding scale . He wondered how he should bave

      fared with Mr . Colquhoun , if , after he had carried the suspension of the existing law , he had got up and said , that government would stake its existence upon _restoring the Corn Laws at the period when the suspension ended . But this waa mere trifling . The real question before the house was , " Is this measure right ? " If it be , vote for it ; if it be wrong , vote against it , and withhold your confidence from the men who proposed it . He then entered upon a dissection ofthe speeches of Mr . Miles and Mr . S . O'Brien , controverting the statistical returns of the former , and turning into ridicule thc pathetic colloquies of the latter with the tenantfarmers of his district . Both those gentlemen—and indeed , every speaker on their side—liad treated this

      question as a Corn Law question ; but , in point of fact , it was not a Corn Law , but a great national and commercial question . That portion of Ms measure which related te the Corn Laws might bc rejected , and the otlier portion accepted , or vice versa , lie wished it , however , to be considered as a whole , and rejected or accepted as such . It was also the intention of the government to adhere to its own proposal . He stated this , however , distinctly ;• to } the house —that if the agricultural body sliould be of opinion that immediate was preferable to deferred repeal , and if by uniting with the Anti-Corn Law League they placed him in a minority , he should only consider what course he ought to take te give effect to the law so amended at their instance . Ho would do all he could to carry the _prnnosition of the

      government . He preferred it . He did not pretend to say now what effect success in the ilouse of Commons might produce elsewhere ; but his opinion that it was necessary to procure a final adjustment of this question was so strong that he should prefer immediate repeal so carried against him to the chance of throwing the country into confusion by postponing for six months the settlement of a question which was now paramount to all others . The great question was , " Shall we advance , in the relaxation of protection and in the removal of prohibitory duties , or shall we stand still ? " Mr . Miles said , " Stand still ; " but for the House of Commons to standstill on sueh a question was to condemn every previous step which it had taken in a liberal career of commercial pilicy . He then entered into an eloquent defence of hi . past , and iuto a lucid txplanation

      House Of Lords—Moswt, Fra. 16. For The F...

      of his present relaxations in our tariff . After showing that in every case the removal of prohibition had contributed not-only to the welfare of the consumer , but also to that of the producer , he called upon tliem calmly to reflect on what was the policv bust suited to a great commercial empire like our own . Let them look at the moral , social , physical _, and geographical advantages which God and nature bad given to this countrv ; let them also look at their acquired advantages ' ; let them reflect on their capital , their skill , their free press , their inimitable constitution , and then ict thom say whether this was the country which ought to dread competition ., What was it that they had to dread ? Which would be their motto , " advance" or "retrograde ?" Other

      countries were watching tlieir example . There was no reason for expecting that everywhere they would be met with a hostile tariff . Sardinia and Naples'had both adopted liberal systems . Prussia was already shaken . Tho most sound and sensible thinkers in France werc bearing on a willing government , which was desirous to follow that of England , and to reciprocate advantages with it . They wore giving encouragement in the United States to the party which wa _» seeking to procure a more liberal tariff . Evon if that party was unsuccessful , lie advised thc house not to punish itself by seeking to be revenged on others . His earnest advice to the gentlemen of England , founded not on the experience of three years merely , but on the experience of every previous relaxation of restriction , _was to persevere in the course upon which had

      they entered . By passing these measures they would take another guarantee for thc content and love and willing obedience ofthe population ; and if a calamitous time should come , when we must offer them exhortations to bear their destiny with fortitude , it would bo a consolation for us to reflect that wo had relieved ourselves from the necessity of regulating the supply of food in a time of famine , and that in a period free from clamour and excitement we had anticipated difficulty and removed every impediment to the free circulation of commerce . The right hon . baronet , after a speech which occupied two hours and three quarters in its delivery , resumed his seat amid loud cheering . On the motion of Lord John Mansers , the debate was adjourned till to-morrow ( Tuesday ) . After some routine business the house adjourned at a quarter to two o ' clock .

      HOUSE OF LORDS-Tubsday , Feb . It . BURDENS ON LAND . On thc motion of Lord Bhaumont , the following noble lords were proposed as a select committeo to inquire into burdens on real property , and also into the legislative exemptions and pecuniary advantages in respect to taxation affecting landed property , vis .: —the President of the Council , the Lord Privy Seal , tho Dukes of Buckingham and Richmond , the Marquis of Lansdowne , the Marquis of Salisbury ; the Earls of Aberdeen , Stradbroke , Lovelace , Grey , Radnor , Malmesbury , Hardwicke , and _Eilenborough ;

      Lords Ashburton , Pacre , Brougham , Cottenham _, Beaumont , Monteagle , _lledesdale , Colchester , Stanley , and Dalhousie . A short conversation ensued as to thc mode iu which the committee should conduct tho business entrusted to it . Earl Grey and Lord Campbell recommended the adoption of some of the Standing Orders of the House of Commons with respect to such committees ; but the subject was ultimately dropped , on the understanding that Earl Grey is to bring it on again next week . The other business was of no public importance , and thc house adjourned at a quarter to six o ' clock . HOUSE OF _COMMONS-T-ksoat _, Feb . If .

      Several railway bills were read and ordered to be committed . A great number of petitions in favour of and against protection , wero _presented . Petitions against the enrolment of tho militia ( a . being , according to some of the petitions , altogether unnecessary , and , according to others , contrary to the doctrines of Christianity ) were presented from three places in Cornwall—from Bristol , Leicester , Monmouth , St . Luke ' s , Chelsea , and other metropolitan parishes ; from 7 , 900 inhabitants of Salford , tho West-Riding of York , and various other places . Petitions in favour ofa Ten Hours' Bill wero presented by Mr . Duncombe and Mr . Duncan .

      TIIE LATE ASSISTANT POOR LAW COMMISSIONER , MR . M . W . PARKER . Mr . Christi- presented a petition from this gentleman , complaining that the Poor Law Commissioners had sacrificed him in order to _. avert from themselves the odium which had arisen from the proceedings at Andover . The petitioner prayed that a committee might be appointed to investigate his conduct and that of the commissioners . The hon . member gave notice that he would , on "Wednesday , move that the petition be printed with the votes , with the view of bringing tho subject under tho consideration of the house .

      FRIENDLY SOCIETIES _, ilr . T . S . Duncombe , in _puratuince ofthe notice ho had given , rose to ask leave to bring in a bill to amend tho acts relating to friendly societies , in order to give _protection to those very valuablu institutions . The lirst act that had been passed for the regulation of those societies was the 10 th Geo . IV ., cap , 56 , which was amended by the 4 th and 5 th William IV ., cap . 40 . The object of those acts was declared to be to give greater security and power to extend the objects of friendly societies for any purposes wiiich " were not illegal . " Now it would appear to every one not learned in the law , that those words were sufficiently comprehensive ; but he was sorry to say that very lately a doubt had arisen upon the subject , in

      consequence of a case whieh had been tried in the Court of Queen's Bench , in which Mr . Justice Wigbtman had pronounced judgment . That judgment had had the effect of paralysing the certificate given to those societies . The case h „ d arisen in consequence of a dispute between thc directors and one of the members ( named Scott ) of the South Shields Investment Friendly Loan Society . Tbat society had duly submitted its ru log to Mr . Tidd Pratt , who hud certified it iu 1841 . The'dt-e-tors , on the dispute arising with Scott , summoned him duly before the magistrates ; but they refused to entertain the case , which was finally and consequently brought before the Court of Queen ' s Bench , when it was ruled by Mr . Justice Wightman , that the society did not

      como under the provisions of the law . The learned judge had said , " I am of opinion this society is not a friendly society , and that the words , for any purposes which are Not illegal , ' must be considered so as to bear _soms relation to the objects of the act . " Now , it would be probably found that two-thirds of thc friendly societies in the _kingdom might be disputed on the same grounds , and the object of his amendm-fl- was simply to make more plain tha meaning of the words , " purpose which is not illegal , " Those societies were most valuable , and it woiild be a very serious detriment to their utility if they were not supported in time . The amendment which he was about to propose had received the approval of all persons connected with loan societies to

      whom he had submitted it , and it hud the approval also of Mr . Tidd Pratt . With respect to the opinion of Mr . Justice Wightman , he should say that the Solicitor-General hud given another opinion , to the elites that Mr . Tidd Pratt waa right in certifying to that very society the rules of which wero now doubted . The Solicitor-General had given a similar opinion with regard to another friendly society ; and whon tliey saw such doubts upon tho subject it was evidently highly necessary that they should bo removed . He , therefore , asked permission of the house , and the _right honourable baronet , to bring in a bill to amend the law relating to friendly societies . Lcare was given io bring in the bill , whieh was ordered to be read a first time , printed , and read a second time next Wednesday .

      THE EMIGRANT SHIP CATA 1 UQUE . On the motion of Mr . Hum * ., copies of all reports and correspondence respecting the loss of the emigrant ship Cataraque , in Bass ' s Straits , in August last , having 3 . 0 emigrants on board , were ordered ; as was also a copy of the report of tho officer _** t Liverpool , on the state of the Cataraque before sailing from Liverpool in April , 1845 , and what tho length of contract , whether the captain and mate hud passed any examination , and how long the captain had been at sea . In moving for those reports , ho ( Mr . Hume ) bad no wish to cast blame on nny one , but Where they saw out of 415 persons who left Liverpool on board that ship no tower than 409 lost witliin a few hours , it did appear that something should be done to investigate the cause , to prevent a recurrence of such a calamity , and to preserve tho lives of peoplo in future .

      FAMINE AND DISEASE IN IRELAND . Mr . _O'Cosnel- gave notice , that on Monday , the 23 rd of Feb ., he should move for a committee of the whole house on the state of Ireland , with a view to devise means to relieve the miseries of tlio people . In the course ofalong speech on thecondition of Ireland , the hon . member showed that the population of that country , so far from _augmenting , as seme peoplo believed , was actually falling and wasting away . The population retiirnsproved , that between 1821 and 1831 . the population increased by one million ; between 1 S 31 and 1841 only by half a million . This fact , the ; surest test of deep internal misery and suffering in the condition ofa people , was attempted to be accounted for by emigration , but thoso who did so , while they gave the emigration in between tba year 1 SSI and 1841 , did not take into account the emigration during the

      former ten years _. and thus left out of sight an essential ingredient in the question . Lord Devon ' s _commirsion had stated , that from thc evidence they collected on oath , and from their own observations , they found that the agricultural population of Ireland sufi ' ered great privations and hardships ; that they wero badly housed , badly fed , badly clothed , and badly paid for their labour ; that in many districts the only food of the people was potatoes , and their only drink water ; that their cabins scarcely _protected them against the weather ; that a blanket was a rare luxury to them ; that their pigs and their manure constituted their only property ; and that altogether they endured more suffering than the people of any other country in Europe . This was not the assertion of any _agistor or demagogue , but _thedistinctandemphaiicassertion , ofmen who were beyond the possibility of suspicion , and beyond the possibility ot being deoeived , Xiw

      House Of Lords—Moswt, Fra. 16. For The F...

      agricultural population of . Ireland is calculated at 7 , 000 , 000 , and 5 , 000 , 000 of these at lcast are labourers , in the situation thus described . But during the last four years , in which tho people of Ireland were thus living , tliey had produced anil exported for'the consumption of this country , ao less than-2 , 000 , 000 of quarters ot bread _stufw , and 2 , 000 , 000 cwt . of flour find diff . rentsort . sof meal ; and even between the month ot October , l __ 4 o , and January , 1846 , they had exported to this country oxen ,-bulls , and cows , 32 , 883 ; calves , aS 3 ; . shecp and Iambs , 82 , 57 . ; ' . swine , 104 , 141 ; so „ that the dreadful anomaly existed in Ireland , that while she produces _hvabundaiice'hcr . people are starving . Mr . O'Connell then . adduced an * immense , mass

      ot'statistical and documentary evidence , _bearing on the present slat , of that country , and showing ' -the alarming nature of tbe crisis . He next proceeded to show that scarcity was always accompanied by disease , and especially by typhus . On this head he said—It has not been found that fever is diffused by tlie atmosphere , for the disease has uniformly ceased when provisions became abundant . You have the cause , tlie effect , and the cure . The cause is scarcity * , the effect , fever : tlie cure _, _^ a moro plentiful supply of food . It is singular to observe how constantly this has occurred . I have several instances of great . amine in Ireland , showing how invariably scarcity has brought fever in its train , and that fever lias dtoappeaved when harvests becamo abundant . In

      1731 and 1735 there were wot summers , with bad harvests ; fever appeared in the winter of 1734 , and did not disappear till the autumn of 173 f _» , which brought a most abundant harvest ; between 1740 and 17-13 , 179 S and 1 S 02 _, 1 S 17 and the autumn of 1818 , 1825 and thc autumn of 1827 , the same sequence ol bud crops and disease , of good crops nnd tlie disappearance of disease , was to he observed . Mr . O'Connell thou suggested the remedy . Tliey could easily command funds for meeting tbe emergency . A revenue of £ 74 , 000 under the " Woods ; md Forests , derived from Ireland , had been for years applied to the

      improvement of the metropolis , and the " ornament of Trafalgar-square . Let them lay an income tux on the rents of Irish landlords ; thirty or forty per cent _, on absentees , ten per cent , on resident . * , for tiie tenant must perish if the landlord did not con tribute _, lie suggested other expedients , as that of the government taking into their own hands the control and direction of the construction of railways , so as to provide the moans of immediate employment . Tlio measures already adopted by the government he highly applauded , but they wore trivial when compared with a great exigency , when dearth threatened theland .

      Sir James Graham complimented Mr . O'Connell for tho moderation ofhis tone , and the absence ofall exaggeration in his statements . He thou recounted whatt . be government had done , from the appointment of thc commission in November last to inquire into tho failure of the potatoe crop , down to tlie introduction of the Public Works Bill , tho Drainage Bill , fee , in each of which there is a grant of public mon _. y ; the entire amount , in thc shape of grant or otherwise , intended to be applied by government for the promotion of employment being no less than £ 468 , 000 . In addition , it was anticipated that no less a sum than nine millions would he expended during the next three yeavs in the construction of railroads . Under the operation of tlio Poor Law ,

      destitution would be relieved in the workhouse , and disease would be attended to in temporary fever hospitals ; and the government were prepared to introduce a measure , founded on a precedent in the year 1832 , for the purpose of providing extraordinary precautions to guard against tiie spread of infectious disorder . These efforts , he trusted , would meet the present emergency , in which it was calculated that nearly one-half of the potatoo crop had failed ; and in order to preventthe recurrence of similar calamities , and to lay a foundation for the permanent improvement of Ireland , he trusted thatthe house would promptly take the primary step of relaxing the laws which restrict the importation of food . Mr . Shaw , while admitting the habitual poverty

      of the Irish people , was of opinion that the failure of the potatoo crop had been much exaggerated . Mr . John 0 'Co _ _i _ . i ____ considered thc officialinformationadduccdbythe _governmentasiiiRcientguaraniefor thc accuracy of tlic allegations as to the nature and extent of the distress . Since ho had come over to his parliamentary duties , he had found a strong sympathy existing on the part of members respecting it , and a great anxiety to adopt measure * for its alleviation . Hitherto Ireland had been sacrificed to the selfish interests of England ; the country had been treated on the now useless hand-and-mouth system , _temoorary remedies being provided ibr pressing _exis-ncies , but for years forgetting and neglecting it . The Union had depressed the material and moral interests of Ireland ; the life-blood of its body politic was oxliau 8 ted by the drain of tho _absimtce system ,

      under which four millions and a half wero annually abstracted from its resources ; and thc public money which tlie government now proposed to bestow wns not equal to tho public revenue raised in Ireland and expemled elsewhere . Lord John Russell advised Mr . John O'Connell to seize every opportunity of urging , within that house , the wrongs of Ireland , and the remedies which he considered applicable . The House of Co / Tmons represented the United Kingdom , and it was its duty to listen to any statement of any grievance which might afflict any portion of it . He hoped that after the statement of Sir James Graham as to whi-t the government intended to do , Mr . O'Connell would not at present press his motion . It would bo in his power to renew it if lie found that tho proposed measures were ineffective for the crisis .

      Mr . _Lawsou was afraid that Sir Robert Peel's measures would reduce England to the condition of Ireland , and he could not see the wisdom of permanently ruining one country in order to provide for a temporary calamity in another . Mr . O'Co . _v . vel- withdrew his motion , with tlie understanding that he reserved the power ot again bringing the same subject under _consideration if

      necessary . ADJOURNED DEBATE . The adjourned debate on the Corn Laws wasfurther resumed by Lord John Manners , who quoted Carli , professor ef political economy , at Milan , in favour of the opinion that corn ought to be an affair of administration and not ef commerce . Without giving in too readily to'the " Oligarchyof Red Tape , " he had been disposed to bow to the opinion of government ; but tliis question , if it waa to be settled , ought to bc settled upon comprehensive principles , aud not upon transitory , evanescent , self contradictory grounds . The noble lord contended that the government ought

      to have opened tho ports , and then _alterw . wls to hare come to Parliament to authorise _sugIi steps as might be expedient , and not proceed by the " lumbering" measure proposed . Me told the right hon . baronet that for the future no man in England would have any confidence in him , nor care what he thought upon any subject whatever , lie wanted some proof that Prussia was " shaken . " He denied that the people were inclined towards ' free trade , as they were led by Arago , Thiers , and Louis Blanc , who opposed it . lie feared thc new law would alicnatetlie rural classes , upon which the Sovereign relied , in eases of emergencies , and accordingly should oppose it ,

      Captain Layaud , in an energetic free trade speech , supported the measure , and Mr . Robert Palmkk , of Berkshire , opposed it ; but tliere was nothing novel in either of their addresses . On the last named member taking his seat , about forty or fifty members rose to address the house , but Sir Chaklks Napier caught the Speaker's eye . The Galkuit Commodore , amidst loud cheers , said he thought that the speech of the Right lion . Baronet on Monday night would have terminated thc debute , by carrying conviction to all ; but the protection party seemed desirous to prolong it , in the vain hope of procuring some mitigation of their doom . He asked them , did they want to _ploujih with thesame horses thev did twenty years aeo 1 If Sir Robert Peel

      had opened the ports , as one ofthe preceding _speakers had recommended , the protectionists would have opposed bim as fiercely as they do at present . Ilo thought Sir ltobert Peel had gone as far as he could . Sir Charles then proceeded to amuse the house , and at the same time give somewhat of a new aspect to the debate , by deseribing his own farming system , and exposing the unfounded fears of tbe agriculturist _, lie advised the landlords , instead of making long speeches , to give long leases . ( Laughter and cheers . ) If they were not satisfied with this advice just let them go down to Scotland , and see the way in which the land wns cultivated there . ( Hear ,, hear . ) They had an adverse climate , at least three weeks behind this country , but let any one go through the

      Lothians , and see how turnips were cultivated , and wheat drilled , and look at their improved implements , thoir steam-engines threshing out their wheat , instead of thc clumsy system _pivssued in many parts of England . ( Hear . ) If the same plan was pursued throughout England as the Seotck did , this country would soon become an exporting instead of an importing country . Although , a sailor , he was also a practical farmer of four years * standing . ( Much laughter . ) He took a _tkrm . in his neighbourhoodnot a very large one—sf forty acres . ( Renewed laughter . ) Gentlemen Hiight laugh , but what wns good for forty acres was . good for _400-. ( Cheers . ) lie took these forty acres , and found it was bad landwhat was called in Hampshire forest land . His predecessors could « row nothing ; thc land waa foul , and had never been cleaned out * , like many gentlemen

      opposite , they went with thc plough four inches deep , and kail men with four horses drawing it . They lost niouoy , as might have been expected , and three or four of them went away ruined . Ho began to farm exictly as his predecessors had done , and at tho end of the yew ho had lost £ 200 . ( Laughter . ) He began to thin . t this was bad farming , especially when he found ' that a good fellow near him , who farmed ten acres of the same land , had constantly fine crops _, liis land was dry , though he had no capital , and he seer fled to live very well on ths profits ofhis farm . He at last said to him , " Old boy I I wish you would _explain to mo how it is that you , who have no ' i-pital at all—you , who have only a little pony and ; , your . wife ( laughter ) , get so good crops out of your ( land . " His reply was , that if he ( Sir C . Napier ) _fol-I lowed his advice he would soon have as good crops a . *\ ho had . He told him to take Iho water off , to cle / _m

      House Of Lords—Moswt, Fra. 16. For The F...

      out his ditches .. o > _eaii his iields well , ami lay his land over—that he should first ofall get a plough , go with it as deep as _jlie could , and-then go over the furrow with another plough cuttimr deeply . JI _«; followed this a <_ vice , 4 ani \ ' produced an excellent crop nux' y ar The land . that never produced more tli .- n four or five quarters s of oa ! s produced eleven qua iters . ( Hear , hoar . ) He continued to follow the _< _-Jd man ' . * _syu-. tern , and now , instead ofthe laud Jyini , ' tallow and idle , iis it & . l . was inthe neighbourhood , he had only three acres that were not growing crops . But the _hoiugmitleman might wish to know wha . mm growing on the land . He had one field with turnips as

      • largo jus . thm head of most of the gentlemen in that house . * ( Laughter . ) He had had his slicep _feeding upon-tbwe turnips for tlie _lasn two moiltlh . _Affop _deacribiiij _, ' the mode in which lie should iced l ) isshu . p after the turnips were exhiusted , the lion , and gallant member strongly advised tlm _aiirieutiurists iu that house to follow the advice ofhis poor neighbour , and put in drains into their ditches , to level tlieir banks , which only bred vermin and aii sorts of weeds , to go to _Scotland and get proper im ; lements , and let them cultivate their land propetly , and he was _si > _ra there would be no more heard ot the fear of inipouation from a road .

      Mr . F . Siuw next addressed the house at great length , in a speech replete with the bitterest _invective against Sir Rob- _i't Peel . He considered the damage ofthe potato . Giop greatly _exa » _- _ ei _* ateil ; bur although , no doubt , great distress would exist tor some months , he still insisted that there had been an average crop in Ireland ; and for the temporary contingency a temporary remedy should he applied . He said Ministers would bo handed down to _posu-rity as the greatest political coward * that ever _existed . The epithet " political apostate" was vehemently cheered by a knot of Protectionists around liim , and after a speech , full of _th-i most pointed abll _. _t ' , the i 01 . _gentlemanMtilUioped lie might chum tiio ri ; ht lion _, baronotas liis friend , whieh elicited the derisive chi er of the tiouf ) C .

      Mr . Bright aa . I , that instead of abuse of Sir Robert Pcol being the subject in debate , he had thought that thegreat question of protect ion _wts to be discussed . The people out ol doors did i _.-ot care one rush lor the split in the Conservative party , lie was ready to admit that the principle ofthe abolition ot prom-turn must be extended to all _tilings , nnd indeed the free traders had supported the abolition nf the duty i < n machinery and cotton yarn . Mr . Cobden , in 1 * 8-12 , proposed a law , having for its object to raise wav . es , but the agricultiiri * : ~ answered , that wages coh _' u not be raised by Act of Parliament ; bnt an i . ourafter they voted for a law , the _ci _. *' . _* t of which was to raise the price ofthe _pr-uiuceof their owh estates . The labourer has no protection ; nor do the Jautllortis over

      thmk of passing a law to enable him even to get ironey to buy the corn which the landlords ibroe lum to buy at their own shop exclusively . Mr . _Brigiit . said tliat England exceeded all other countries in the world in the comparative quantity of grain _uniwn ¦ but protection had brought the labourer to a stato of _decrepitude . He then argued upon tho state ofthe _inortagos of the landlords , and the Game Laws , and showed how thoy contributed in perpetuating the Corn-Law , The public press was against tho _Protecti-. nists . He scarcely believed that the landlords in their heart ; _, were averse to the measure ; but they voted against it to spite and avenge themselves on the Minister . He had heard ofmen goin _<_ whistling to execution , but the jovinl faces of the Protectionists surpassed

      even this . Within the memory of man Sir ltobert Peel ' s speech waa the finest ever delivered within t . e walls of the house , and h « envied him as he went home the delight he must experience at the thought of givingjoy and hope to the poor man . The L- antic had beon condemned fur inukiii _' , ' votes , but thc Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas s _< id , tliat this was not only legal but laudable . _. No fun d * ol * the League had , however , been applied to this purpose , and lie wotikfsay , that when the object of the _League was obtained , the League would be dissolved , anu he wouid add , _t hut it was only the factious opposition of the Protectionists which prolonged its existence , by perpetuating the law , and eausiiu ; distress to the _^ reac body ofthe people .

      Mr . Hudson condemned Sir Robert Peel's measures , which be deeni _(* d uncalled for ; but he would willingly have _suliHcribedorhave Yoted a grant to relieve the distress in Ireland . On the _motion of Lord Duncan the debate w _, i then adjourned till Thursday . The other orders of the day werc then disposed of , and the house adjourned at half-past two o ' clock . IIOUSE OF COMMONS-Wedxksiuy . Feu . 13 .

      FROST , WILLIAMS , AND JONES . Captain Pkchell presented a petition , praying that the sentence of transportation wiiich had been paused on Frost , Williams , and Jones , might be rescinded . Mr . Aglionbt presented a petition from Ccckermouth . signed by 600 persons , praying that the convicts Frost , Williams , and Jones , might be lib-rated . TEN HOURS' BILL . Mr . I _ -land _BLACKiiuitsBprescntttUliree petitions from Warrington , in favour of the Ten Hours' Bill . Mr . Fielde . v prc . entcil petitions from i _' _orksiiira and Lancashire to the samo effect . EMBODIMENT OF THE MILITIA . Mr . P . llowAiii ) presented a petition , agreed to by a meeting in _Carlisle , against the incisure contemplated by government for calliti ! . ' out tiio miiicia .

      OREGON QUESTION . A potition was proentud from the inhabitants of Leeds , pra \ ing the house tu admit all peaceable measuies for thc _bettk-ment ofthe Oregon question . COUNTY WORKS PRESENTMENT (

      IRELAND ) BILL . On the order ofthe day for the bringing up tlie report on this Bill being read , Sir J . GiutiAM said , that in consequence of what had taken place last nignt , he wished to make three alterations ; the lirst was for the appointment of surveyors , the second for the payment of county officers , and the third for the purpose of giving power to summon four additional grand jurymen w ) ieii the number sworn was not sufficient to torm a quorum . He proposed that the bill should be re-committed iu order to make these alterations . The house then went into Committee , when the additional clause and the _report was agreed to .

      POOR LAW . Captain Pkcuku . moved for a return of the copy of any instructions _issued by the Poor-law Commis-- \ - _ -V- forthe purpose ol * uniting the parish of Fariiltani , in Surrey , now under Gilbert ' s Act , with certain other parishes under thelPoor-Law Act ; also , for a copy of any memorial of the Poor-Law Commissioners from the ratepayer , of the parish of Faniham remonstrating against such union , or any interference whatever . The house adjourned at one o Vlock . [ Continued in our eighth page . ]

      Attempted Assassinatiux I.V C_I.P_.Kgat:...

      Attempted _Assassinatiux i . v C _ i . p _ . kgat :.. —On Tuesday evening , about tivo o'clock , extreme oxekement was caused in th , immediate vicinity of Red Cross-street , Cripplegnte , from the lacs that a matt , by the name of Lacey or Faecy , had made an attempt to murder another puny , whoso exact name could not be ascertained , but who at the time was at the house occupied by a Mr . Lewis , cordwniner _, of No . 8 , Cradle-court , Red Cross-street , Cripplegate . It appears that about three o ' clock in the afternoon the neighbours in Cradle-court were much annoyed by a serious disturbance wliich had taken place in the tirst-tloor of No . S _, iu tho court . About five o ' clock , however , the _noi-e was so great that it was feared that some violence would be committed , ami consequently the assistance of the police was . sent for . Immediately afterwards , however , a cry of murder

      was heard , and upon Mr . Lewis entering the _rorai he found the poor fellow , who it seems was visiting ; with Lacey , _weltering in his Wood , the-man Lacey ' holding in his hand at the time a large curving _knite about eight inches in length , with which- it seems iie had stabbed the unfortunate- man , as his clothes were perforated , and streams of blood wero _Lsuing . from the wound . Some of the neighbours instantly ran for Mr . Ponder , surgeon , of 54 , Red Cross-street , who promptly attended . During il' je time the surgeon was sent ibr the police arrived , who took the mail Lacey into custody and con-eyed him to the Moor-street station . When the surgeon examined the wound he declared it to bo of » most serious character , it being incised and of considerable depth , penetrating the interstice just below the sixth rib on the leftside , immediately under ihe hoast .

      _Accwkxt o » nm Gbkat _Wjis-TEit . v Railway .. —On Monday morning tin accident of a scri-iis nature occurred ' on the Great Western Bailwav ,. between Box and Middlehill tunnel , by _whis-h tholives of several i persons were endangered ; nad it is Humoured that ; one person was killed . It appears that the up-mail I on leaving Bath had an open truck ,, containing seve- ral workmen , attached to the train ; : and whan be- - tween Box and Middlehill tunnel , the tire of sue of t ' the leading wheels of the truck How uff _, which caused tl

      such an _oscillation , that cither through frar a mini- - ber jumped out , or were thrown from the truck l _; y y the motion . Neither the engimvd - iter nor the guards Is were cognisant of any _accident , until eiiterins : the _« tunnel the echo of the screams of those in the truck k alarmed tlio engine-driver , _w-bo instantly stopped the ie train ; anil on going back , it was discover-. dthat at nine persons were on tlw lino so seriously injured ed that it was considered ncjessnry to take tlicm to the lie hospital at Bath , and one of * them , it is said , has as since died .

      Rob __ ry os Tim Thambs . —On Monday , at tha lie Thames Police-office , John Purcell and Anthony my Gorman were chai . gcd with being upon the river rer with intent to conrmit felony . One night last week -eltwo chests of tea were stolen from a coasting vessel , > e _' , and lowered into , a boat . The thieves were _iraiu-g _i-g off with their \ _iooty , when they were pursued by the the crew of a Thames police galley . The robbers tkr . w r . w the tea overboard and made their e . « _caj-e . The pri- prisoners weve seen about half-past one o'clock on M o- I _nday morning in a skiff , among the shipping brtwi ea ¦ ¦ ea Battle-bridge aid Picklc-heri n : tior , Sou h * an . in . The tea was stolen from area ' s . 1 near the saint * 1 lae * . ae * Tliry were sentenced to t ! roe mouths' imprisonment _icnt and hard labour in Brixton Howe of _CorrecttoB .

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Feb. 21, 1846, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns3_21021846/page/7/