The Principality

STATE OF THE PIIBLHTHEALTII IN THE LAST QUARTER OF 1848. The quarterly returns of the mortality in 117 districts of England have been published, and are of an interesting, and on the whole satisfactory, character. Thirty-six districts are in the metropolis, and the remaining 81 comprise, with some agricultural districts, the principal towns and cities of England. The population was 6,612,958 in 1841. It is gratifying to find that the mortality of the quarter has been below the average. Only 46,124 deaths have been registered. The deaths in the corresponding quarters of 1846 and 1847 were 53,055 and 57,925; so that notwith- standing some increase of population the decrease of deaths on 1847 is 11,801; and on 1846, 6,931. Taking the increase of population into iccount, the deaths are 2,571 below the average of the deaths in nine preceding years. The general mortality of the country was comparatively low in the five years of'1841-5; in the middle of 1846 epi- demics set in, and proved fatal through the rest of 1846, through 1847, and the winter of 1848. A manifest improve- ment took place in the spring of the year 1848; the summer was of the average degree of health and although cases of cholera have occurred in London and several districts during this quarter, the returns prove that the epidemic has hitherto produced no sensible effect on the mortality. The deaths in Wales and Monmouthshire were 5,903, 5,600, and 5,286 in the autumn quarters of 1846-7-8. The births were 8,537 in the autumn quarter of 1846, and 7,974 in the autumn quarter of 184-8. The mortality of Merthyr Tydfil, Newtown, and Holy- well, is lower than it was in the corresponding quarters of 1846-7. In Wrexham, 302 persons died within three months, the sanitary condition of the town being wretched. On a comparative view of the mortality in the large towns, as contrasted with the rural districts and small towns of England, during the nine last quarters of each of the last nine years, it appears from the returns that after every allowance has been made 100,000 deaths have taken place, which must be chiefly referred to the want of pure air and water, house room, and drainage, which good laws and in- stitutions might supply. With reference to cholera the Registrar-general remarks, that when it appeared in Eng- land in 1831 it was at the close of the year, and that it caused nearly all the mortality in 1832. Its advances were slow, but sanitary precautions advanced still more slowly. The returns contain a very elaborate description of the meteorological condition of the atmosphere, drawn up by Mr. Glaisher, of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. "The weather," he observes, during the past quarter has been variable. The changes of temperature have been frequent and great; there has been an unusually large number of exhibitions of the Aurora Borealis and the magnetic instru- ments have been greatly disturbed. The amount of elec- tricity in the atmosphere has been small, many days together having passed without the instruments at Greenwich bvin_ affected." From the 1st of October to the 10th the excess of tempe- rature above the average of seven years was 6-6 deg.; the greatest daily excess was 12-3 deg. on the 7th. Between the 11th and 21st the temperature was 4-5 deg. below the ave- rage. On the 18th it was 10 deg. in defect. From October 22 to October 30 it was 5-3 deg. in excess the greatest was 7-7 deg. on the 27th. From October 31 to November 16 the temperature was mostly below the average; its mean defect y n was 4*2 deg., its greatest within the period was 10-2 deg. on the 4th. From November 17 to December 19 the tempera- ture exceeded the average by 4-8 deg.; on December 7 the excess was 12-4 deg. on the 8th was 15-7 deg.; on the 9th was 14-4 deg.; and on the 10th was 10-1 deg. From De- cember 20 to December 24 the defect was 6'2 deg.; from December 25 to December 29 the excess was 5'8 deg., and it was 2-3 deg. below the average on December 30 and 31.

BOLSE OF LORDS.—THURSDAY, FEB. 8. EDUCATION. In a reply to a question from Lord STANLEY, The of LA S-SDOWN F.said the correspondence which had been jxoing on between the Government and the National Society. on the subject of the educational grants, had not yet been brought to a HOUSE OF COMMONS.—THURSDAY, FEB. 8. RANK OF ROMAN CATHOLIC PRELATES. Sir R. INGLIS moved for a "copy of any communication from the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland to Earl Grey, on the subject of the rank of persons described as prelates of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, to which communication the Earl Grey adverted in his circular dispatch of the 20th Nov., 1847." It appeared to him that it was an unwarranted assumption on the part of the Lord- Lieutenant to make suggestions of any kind, in reference to the treatment of the colonies, to the Secretary of State for the Colonial Department. It also appeared to him, that it was an unwarranted assumptian on the part of the Colonial Secretary to issue instruc- tions to the colonial authorities in reference to the prelates ol the Roman Catholic Church—instructions which, in some instances, might give these prelates precedence over those of the Established Church. Lord J. RUSSELL agreed with his hon. friend, that it did not fall within the duties of the Lord-Lieutenant to interfere in the government of the colonies. But no such interference had taken place. The Lord-Lieutenant having in Ireland recog- nised, to a certaiu extent, the rank claimed by the Roman Catholic prelates, afterwards communicated what he had done to Earl Grey, thinking that what had been done in Ireland might very properly be done in the colonies. Lord Grey's letter, although it suggested that the Roman Catholic prelates should be recognised by certain names, did not authorise any of them to style themselves as of a see in which there was alreauy a Protest- ant bishop. The motion was agreed to. IRISH POOR LAW COMMITTEE. After much conversation, the following gentlemen were ap- pointed to act upon this committee:—Lord J. Ilusseil, Sir James Graham, Sir J. Young, Col. Dunne, Mr. G. A. Hamilton, Sir W. Somerviile, Mr. P. Scrope, Sir R. Ferguson, Hon. Mr. Clements, Mr. S. Adair, Mr. C. Lewis, Mr. Monseil, Sir D. Norreys, Sir J. Pakington, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. S. Crawford, Mr. Fagan, Mr. O'Flaherty, Major Blackall, Mr. A. Stafford, and Mr. Bright. The House divided on the question of Mr. Poulett Scrape's name being retained in the list of the committee, Mr. Grogan having moved its omission that Sir L. O'Brien's might be in- serted. For retaining Mr. Scrope's name. 119 Againstit. 44 Majority in favour of the motion —75 The House adjourned at twenty minutes to seven. HOUSE OF LORDS.—FBIDAY, FEB. 9. IMMIGRATION TAX. Lord STANLEY asked the noble lord, the Secretary for the colonies, what measures had been taken to induce the colonial legislature to reduce the tax imposed upon immigrants entering the British colo- nies in North America. Several of his own tenants were about to emigrate, and he wished to know whether it would be prudent to advise them to go to Canada, or to transfer the labour to a more hospitable though foreign region. Earl GREY said he had received a dispatch, stating that it was the intention of the Government of Canada to propose to lessen the tax on emigrants. The dispatches would be presented to Par- liament in a very few days, and that the House would be in pos- session of much valuable information on that subject. POOR LAW IN IRELAND. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE moved the appointment of a select committee on the subject of the Irish Poor-law, pointing out the defects and inconveniences that had been experienced in the work- ing of the measure. Lord STANLEY objected to the measure being referred to a select committee. The Irish Poor-law was a complete failure, and the Government ought to have been prepared with a great measure. He defended the conduct of the Irish landed proprietors, and re- commended colonisation at home and emigration as remedies for the existing pressure on the poor-rates. After a few words from the Marquis of LONDONDERRY, the Marquis of CLANRICARDE, and Lord MONTEAGLE, the motion was agreed to, and the house adjourned. >: HOUSE OF COMMONS.—-FRIDAY, FEB. 9. THE REVENUE. Mr. J. B. SMITH asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any steps had been taken by the Government to carry out, wholly or in part, the resolution of the House of the 30th of May last, proposed by Dr. Bowring, and whether the gross receipt of revenue, averaging about £ 7,0 JO,000 per annum, which has hitherto been stopped in its progress to the Exchequer, will in future be paid into the Exchequer, and placed under the direct authority and con- trol of Parliament ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could not undertake to say that all the surplus received into the Exchequer would be voted by Parliament. HABEAS CORPUS SUSPENSION (IRELAND) BILL. Mr. O'FLAHERTY commenced the opposition to ttie bill, de- claring that, although its professed objects was to check disloyalty, its real aim was to put down constitutional agitation, and the pre- cedent might hereafter be used to extinguish all freedom of expres- sion in England. He was tollowed by Mr. SADLIER, who had supported the bill, when first introduced, as a measure of mercy towards young and misguided men. He moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months. Mr. S. CRAWFORD exposed the insufficiency of the reasons as- signed in the Lord-Lieutenant's letter for the renewal of this law. He denied that there was the slightest chance of the revival of the O'Connell agitation, to which he had always been hostile, and lie was convinced that until the land question was put upon a better footing, the hope of permanent tranquillity and improve- ment in Ireland must be deferred. He opposed the bill as an Irishman and as an English member. Colonel THOMPSON said he should reluctantly vote for the bill, but only in the hope that its duration might be limited to a less period than six mouths. Mr. OSBORNE thought that an unnecessary amount of adulation had been offered to Lord Clarendon. Several hon. members spoke for and against the motion, after which Mr. DISRAELI said, the reason why he had supported this mea- sure was that it was required by the exigency of the case; but Sir W. Somerville had rested it upon the ground of confidence in her Majesty's Ministers. Against that doctrine he begged to express his protest. He had not forgotten the conduct cf the Whig Go- vernment with relation to the Irish Church appropriation clause, nor the circumstances under which the last Government was ex- pelled from power, whose measures the present Ministers had de- tended when in opposition, and whose policy they had pursued when in power. He therefore declined to profess confidence in the present Government. The Chief Secretary had come forward to smooth the troubled billows of opposition, by telling the Repeal members not to be afraid that "there is a differen ce between treason and agitation." The measure, however, he trussed, would put down both treason and agitation, and it would enab.e the Go- vernment to bring in remedial measures ivhich, they had been told, could not be delayed. Lord J. RUSSELl, said he had had much conversation with Lord Clarendon on the subject of agitation in Ireland, and he was of opinion that it ought to be carefully watched, and if it fell into a clubs,and conspiracies it would be his duty to secure the peace of the country by the application of the powers given by this act. The noble lord then proceeded to give an explanation of conduct with reference to the Irish Church appropriation clause, to the alleged connexion of the Government with the late Mr. O'Connell, and to other matters referred to in way of accusation by Lord C, Hanilloi). Sir R. PEEL supported the second of the bill, it being his firm belief that if the act were permitted to expire we must look forward to a renewal of the attempts by which the public tranquillity had been disturbed. He supported the measure, not from confidence in anyone, for it was an evil precedent to grant such a power, which could be justified only by its neces,ty. The right hon. baronet then criticised, with a happy mixture of 1 0 humour and sarcasm, what he termed the "historical remini- scences" of the noble lord upon the Jrish Church appropriation clause, which he corrected from-his-own recollection of the transac- tion, to the great amusement of both sides of the House. The noble lord, he observed, was equally inaccurate in his history of the Coercion Bill of 1840! and he (Sir H. Peel) should not attach to his assent to this bill the condition required by the noble lord in 1846, but should give his cordial support to the measure as ne- cessary for the vindication of the law and of the authority of the Crown,, The House then proceeded to a division, when the numbers werp— For the second reading 275 Against it 33—242 ,The Inland Revenue Bill went through committee. The House ad journed till Monday. HOUSE OF LORDS.—'MONDAY, Frm. 12. The Marquis of LANSDOWNS named the members of the com- mittee on ihe Irish Poor Law. NORTH WALES RAILWAY. On the motion of Lord íOXTÈAGLE, it was agreed that a com- mittee should be appointed to inquire how far existing railway acts required amendment, and also that the accounts of the North Wales Railway should be referred to the said committee. Some other business was also disposed of, and their lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY, FEB. 12. Sir J. WALMSLKY (member for Bolton) took the oaths. RAILWAY TRAVELLING ON SUNDAY. Mr. LOCKE asked whether the Government intended to intro- duce any measure for securing to the public on Sundays the li- mited use of those railways which are open for passenger traffic during the week ? Mr. LABOUCHBRE.—The Government have no present intention of proposing to compel railway companies to carry passengers on Sundays. The Railway Commissioners have expressed their opi- nion on the subject by refusing to sanction by-laws passed by sev&ral companies which shut up their railways on Sundays. TREATME OF PAUPER CHILDREN. Lord DRUMLANRIG asked whether any measures had been taken for regulating the disposition of the pauper children of the metro- polis, and what was the number of those children who had been sent to Tooting. Mr. BAINES said that the number of children at the Drouet es- tablishment on the 13th of January last was 1,372, sent from thirteen different unions. The Poor-law Board had certainly seen the necessity of altering the system of farming pauper chil- dren, and doing away with the present regulations, and provision had been made for the reception of the children of twelve out of the thirteen unions. The number of children who had been alto- gether attacked by cholera in the Drouet establishment, or after their removal from it, was 2-23, of whom a great many had been declared convalescent. He was happy to say that no new case of cholera had occurred at Tooting since Saturday, the 13th of Jan- uary. With regard to Mr. Drouet he had not been convicted of any offence, he was waiting his trial under two or three criminal charges, and till those were disposed of he did not feel that it was necessary to take any steps as regarded that individual. CALIFORNIA. Sir F. T. BARING, in answer to a question from Sir De Lacy Evans, said he could not hold out any expectation to him that a ship of war would be permanently stationed at California. NEW HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. GREENE, in answer to a question from Mr. B. Osborne, observed that he could not say when the new House of Commons would be in a fit state for the reception of members (a laugh). SUSPENSION OF THE HABEAS CORPUS ACT (IRELAND). On the motion that the House go into committee on this bill, Mr. J. O'CONNELL moved an instruction to the committee to introduce into the Bill such provisions as should save the right of the subject to hold meetings to petition for constitutional objects, without other restriction than existed previous to the act of last year. The hon. member contended that the vague language of the Bill rendered such provisions absolutely necessary, in order to se- cure the right of meeting to petition, without which the to petition was a mockery and the necessity became more evident from the antagonism manifested on Friday night betwixt Lord J. Russell and the chief secretary for Ireland, on the subject of agi- tation for the repeal of the union. He then diverged into a variety of collateral topics, accused the present ministers of political ter. giversation, vindicated the purity and patriotism of the late Mr. O'Conneii's motives, and upbraided Mr. Disraeli, as the "coming man,"will' his attachment to a law which robbed the poor of their bread. He stigmatised the bill as an act of tyranny, the measure being uncalled-for in the present tranquil state of oppressed and powerless Ireland. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL opposed the motion, as totally incon- sistent with the scope of the bill, and even with the object which the hon. member had in view. The bill was intended solely to enable the Lord-Lieutenant, or chief governor of Ireland, to appre- hend and detain persons whom he might have reason to suspect of conspiring against the Government, and there was nothing in the bill which would interfere with the holding of meetings for legiti- lrw te and constitutional objects, but acts apparently innocent in themselves might be coupled with secret intentions of a criminal nature, which might come to the knowledge of the Lord-Lieute- nant, and he would be intrusted with a power, under this bill, upon his own responsibility, of apprehending and detaining such persons in enstedy. Mr. O'CONNELL consented to withdraw his motion but wished to extract a distinct recognition from the Home Secretary of the legality of an agitation for the repeal of the Union but Sir GEOnGE GHRY declined to give a more specific answer than had been furnished by the explanation of the Solicitor-General, in which he concurred. On the question that the Speaker leave the chair, a division was called for by Mr. O Connell it was carried by 84 against 14. The House then went into committee on the bill, when Mr. ANSTEY moved certain amendments, which were nega- tived by 79 against 12. Mr. J. O'CONNELL moved the insertion of a clause in the bill embodying the substance of the instructions he had proposed to give to the committer; which was negatived by 105 to 11 and the bill was ordered to be reported. IRISH DISTRESS. The House then went into committee upon the Relief of Dis- tress (Ireland) Bill, Ni,lieti Mr. GKATTAN iiiovc(l, as an at-nerdi-ncpt, the ap- ropriation of all Crown and quit rents in Ireland to the relief of distressed Poor- Law Unions, which would render this vote unnecessary, and ex- empt the landlords of Irelandfrom the imputation of mendicancy. The hon. member read a list of noblemen and others, whose merits as Irish landlords he very freely discussed, and showed that £ 150,000,000 had been drawn from Ireland during the last 50 years by absentees. Send back, he aid, the aristocracy-the Irish are an arhtocraticai people—or tax the absentees, and it would then be needless to vote money to the It-ish, and to taunt them with these miserable doles. Mr. ORMSBY GORE, one of the Irish landlords whose names were contained in Mr. Grattan's list, defended himself and ab- sentee landlords generally from the invidious remarks of that gentleman. At the same time he agreed with him that Ireland had been shamefulJy-nay, infamously, treated by the Govern- ments of this country. Mr. STAFFORD entered into official details to show the gigantic destitution in Ireland, and the utter inadequacy of the sum pro- posed whence it appeared that in the 21 unions in question, the number of paupers receiving in-door and out-door relief was 441,000, besides 100,000 children, and taking the cost of support- ing the paupers at only 20s. per head per annum-the debtsW the unions being E123,000-lialf a million of money would be re- quired to maintain the paupers in these 21 unions until February, 1850, at which time he had no hesitation in affirming that the state of things would be worse. He inveighed in strong terms against the whole course of conduct pursued by the Government with reference to Ireland, and in particular for throwing upon a com- mittee the responsibility of remedying the defects of the Poor- Law. Without opposing the grant, he moved certain additions to the resolution, requiring, prior to the vote, an estimate of the whole probable charge, and declaring that such continued applica- tion for money raised from the general taxation of the country is vicious in principle, unjust and impolitic, and that it is the duty of the Government to introduce, without delay, measures which may obviate the future necessity of such applications. Lord J. tilecoui-se which the Government had taken by reference to precedents, and upon the ground that this was an obvious and a necessary course. He admitted that grants of this kind were vicious ia principle; but cases of emergency must be met by extraordinary expedients. The state of Ireland, for which a remedy was now required, was not, as Mr. Stafford seemed to assume, its natural and ordinary state, but the result mainly of unforeseen and UMConLrolhibie causes. He showed that the operation of the Poor-law, under all its disadvantages, had diminished the area of the evil. A sum of £ 1,700,00 J had been collected in Ireland, and paid for the maintenance of the poor, and thenuunber of able-bodied paupers supported by the poor-rates had materially diminished. With respect to the prospects for the future, he would not pledge himself that this should be the only grant. The noble lord then proceeded to explain some of the views he entertained with reference to amendments of the poor- law. He thought that, in some way or other, Ireland should be made to support cases of exception there. The country was undergoing a great transition, and he looked forward with a confi- dent hope that the transition might be brought about with less loss of life than from the vastness and suddenness of the evil might have been-anticipatcd." The Marquis of GRANBY questioned the accuracy of the noble lord's conclusions as to the diminution of pauperism in Ireland, which. on the contrary, in the west, appeared to be increasing, and he asked how long these grants were to be made by the over-taxed people of England. After a flagellation severer than usual of the Ministers by Colo- nel SiuTiiDRV, and some remarks from Mr. IluME as to the state of the question, and from iv: r. MUJSTZ, showing the injustice of the v "te towards the people of this country, the committee divided u;) i, the motion of Mr. STAFFORD, which was negatived by a majority of 120, there being 125 ayes and 245 noes. Mr. Hum: then stated the reasons why he should oppose the grant. The Government were bound to come forward with some other measure to meet the distresses of Ireland, and to render the money given by this country really useful to her. As he did' not. think the grant good in principle, or likely to be of any service, he would take the sense of the House upon it. The House again divided: tlw numbers were- For the original motion 2C0 Against it 143 Maiorit.y 77 The vote was then agreed to. The House resumed, and the report was received. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL obtained leave to bring in a bill to enable overseers of boroughs and surveyors of highways to recjver costs on distraining for rates also, a bill for the holding of p y sessions in boroughs, and for providing places for the holding of such petty sessions in counties and boroughs. POOR LAW (IRELAND) COI IlTTEE.-MR. BRIGHT. Sir ,"V. SUMIHwrLLE proposed that the names of the Earl of Lincoln, Sir Lucius O'Brien, Mr. Moore, Mr. Bright, and Mr. Grace, be added to the Select Committee on the Irish Poor Laws. On the question that Mr. Bright's name be added, Mr. TAYLOlt objected to the nomination of a delegate of the Manchester school. From the unhappy recollection of Mr. B.iight's service on another committee, he looked with jealousy on the addition to the present committee of one who could not know the interests for which he (Mr. Taylor) felt an atf ction (a lauh). The hon. member concluded by proposing to substitute a Welsh member, Sir John Walsh. Mr. M. GiBjON begged to remind the House of the enormous interest which Manchester and Lancashire generally had in the proper administration of the poor laws in Ireland. The burden imposed by the poor rates required to support the Irish poor in that district was very large. Mr. F. MAULE believed, that when the hon. member for county of Dublin spoke disapprovingly of the hon. member for Manchester's conduct on a committee he meant to reler to the Dublin Election Committee. This was the first occasion on which the conduct of a member of an election committee had been called in question since he (Mr. F. Maule) had been the Chairman of the Committee of Selection. If the hon. member had miscon- ducted himself upon the Dublin committee, the question ought to have been raised at the proper time but, for his part, he believed that the lion, member had conducted himself uprightly and h as due a regard to the affirmation which he had made as any other member would have done under the obligation of an oath (hear hear). Mr. BATESON professed himself unable to discover the peculiar qualifications which entitled the hon. member for Manchester to be placed upon the committee. If Ministers thought the hon. member ought to be one of the committee, why did they not nomi- nate him ol-igitiall), ? They could not IUive overluoked him be- cause the hon. member was accustomed to hide his light under a bushel (a laught. He had heard it whispered that the hon. mem- ber and some of his friends had made arrangements for the pur- chase of a considerable amount of landed property in Ireland as soon as it should become sufficiently depreciated (a i;lugh). It was impossible to give the hon. member credit for an unprejudiced mind, for when he addressed the House upon Irish questions he usually exhibited a vitulent and vindictive feeling towards the landed interest of that country. One example of the lion. mem- ber's eloquence would suffice to justify the character which he at- tributed to it. [Here the hon. member read an extract from èI; speech made by the hon. member fur Manchester, in which the hon. member complained that everything was Protestant in Ire- land—that Protestant judges polluted the seat of justl;ce-tiiet Protestant magistrates would not do justice to Catholic peasantn —that Protestant landlords exterminated their tenants, and that Protestant soldiers, by the command of a Protestant pritst, had butchered a Catholic peasant in the presence of his mother. The reading of this passage was received with cheers and counter-cheers.1 It was not difficult to understand the mot.ve in which the hon" member for Manchester's nomination for the committee origi- nated it was a sop thrown to a party which the Gov eminent could not satisfy, and dared not offend (hear, hear). Sir G. GIIEY hoped that the whisper which the hon. member who tpoke last had heard relative to the lion, member for Man- chester being about to invent capital largely in Ireland would prove to be correct (hear, hear). That in Itself was a good rea- son for placing the hon. member on the committee. It ought not to be forgotten that many members of the society with which the hon. member for Manchester was connected, had displayed their usual benevolence,—he could not say more,—in relieving distress in Ireland at)(!, in addition to a great sacrifice of time, had made a generous application of capital to develop the resources of that country. It appeared to him that the hon. member, instead uf attempting to depreciate ihe labours of that society, ought rather to speak of them with the gratitude and respect to which they were entitled (hear, hear). Mr. BATESON protested against, the uncalled-for lecture which le tight, hon. baronet had read him. He did not say a single wou. against the members of the society to which the hon. mem- ber for Manchester belonged (hear, hear): and he entertained for them as deep a resl,)cct as the right lion. 'b "roi)et hii-r,,se.f. could feel. Mr HENRY said' that lie had suggested the hon. member for Manchester's appointment on the committee on account of 5uiiW remarkable speeches which he had made. After a few words from Mr. SCULLY and Colonel DUNNE, Mr. HUME said that never before since lie had haá a seat in that House had he heard any personal motive attributed to any iion. member (hear, hear), and he must say that the hon. member who made this charge had greatly neglected his duty if he had any complaint against an hon. member as to his conduct upon a. committee, and had not brought it forward at a previous period. Air. REYNOLDS said it appeared to him that this was a military attack upon a member of the Society of Frirnds-the hon mem- ber for Manchester had been attacked by three colonels and A captain (daughter). Mr. BATESON I am not a captain. Mr. REYNOLDS Although the hon. gentleman had parted with his military rank, it still belonged to'him (laughter). Once a priest always a priest—once a lieutenant always a eaprairr (laughter). It was clear that this attack was prepared—the- volume of Hansard quoted by the hon. gentleman proved that she- attack had not arisen at the moment. The charge made against the hon. member for Manchester might be attributed to him (Mr. Reynolds). It was not because the hon. member was unfit to dis- charge the duty the Government were about to impose on him, but because he happened to sit on his (Mr. Reynold's) election com- mittee, and the old story of the grey mare. which was familiar TO every man's ears-or it should be (a laugh)—applied. It, was this ;—A countryman of his was indictedat the assizes at Tralee for felony. [lis innocence was proved, but notwithstanding that the jury found him guilty. The judge was shocked, and said,— "Gentlemen, the prisoner's innocence was clearly proved." "Yes," said the foreman, ke is innocent of the crime now charged against him, but he stole my grey mare last Christmas" (great laughter). The hon. member for Manchester was junCle-Pllt of the charge found against him, but he happened not to have pnt him (Mr. Reynolds) out and put Mr. Gregory in. It was fur thfit reason he was unfit to be on this committee ljut^lie cotild a,siie- the House that of the 55:1 British members composing that House there was not one in Ireland so popular as the hon. member. He- was'recognised as the friend of the poor, as a man pleading fur- popular liberty. After a few words from Lord BERNARD, Tiie liotise divided,- For the motion 129 Against it. 74 Majority 55 The name 01 the hon. member for Manchester was then to the committee, and also the name of Mr. Grace. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved that the following gentlemen form the Seiect Committee on Army and Oi,dl)aiiee Lord Seymour, Mr. Fox Maule, Mr. Hume. the Marquis of Granby, Mr. Walter, Sir W. Molesworth, Lord 0. Wellesley, Sir J. Gra- ham, Mr. W. Miles, Mr. Cobden, Mr. S. Herbert, Nlr. J. Grace l\fl'. E. E!Jice, Mr. V. Smith. and :\11'. BlIÙe8. The House then adjourned at two o'clock. HOUSE OF LORI) S. FEB. 13. The Earl of MOONTCASHRU. presented a petition, praying for assistance to the schools in Ireland in connexion with the Church of England. The Earl of C ARLISLE presented a petition from Leeds, praying s' P' that all differences between this and other nations may hencefo th be settled by arbitration; also, a petition from Stourbridge, pray- ing 'hat clergymen of the Church of England seceding from the- Church might enjoy full religious liberty. Their lordships then adjourned until Thursday.

number of written questions put to them, to which written answers were expected (ample time being given to solve each) amounted to 1 To these there should have been 84,270 answers, if each scholar had been able to answer but there were only 31,161, leaving unanswered 53,109. Tha 31,161 answers contained 2,802 errors in grammar, and 3,747 errors in spelling-. In geography the wrong answers amounted to 4,671, and in history 2,0,41." The Committee sav, these answers show beyond all doubt that a large por- tion of the scholars of our first classes, boys and girls of fourteen or fifteen years of age, when called upon to write simple sentences—to express their thoughts on common subjects without the aid of a dictionary or a master— cannot write without such errors in grammar, in spelling, and in punctuation, as we should blush to see in a letter from a sm or daughter of their age. There is another melan- choly consideration, which is that of the first class. If the children who have during a year enjoyed that special care and attenion which our teachers give to the upper classes, go out imperfectly instructed, what must be the case with the hundreds and thousands of the children of our less favoured citizens, whom necessity forces to leave the schools without even reaching the first class ?" The superintendent of common schools for the State of Vermont, in his Report for 1846, says That there is a very general deficiency in the qualification of teachers in our schools is painfully apparent—that an illiterate dunce, a finished dolt, or one grossly reckless of all moral responsibility, is instated at the head of a school, is a fact too notorious to be denied." A Now York superintendent, in his Report for 1846, says :— 44 It must be admitted that the system adopted in them is neither the most rational, appropriate, or uniform that the interest felt by the people in their prosperity is more theoretical than practical; and that the moral influence they are exerting is neither so great or so salutary as it ought to be." The editor of the District School Journal, published under the authority of the State of New York, says :—" We are suffering from the evils of neglected and imperfect edu- cation. Want, vice, and crime, in their myriad forms, bear witness against our educational institutions and demand in- quiry, whether they can prevent or remedy the evils which are sapping the foundations of society. That the schools have not accomplished the object of their creation, unfortu- nately requires no proof." A writer in the Princeton Re- dew for J aly, 1846, says The conviction, we are per- 61 suaded, is fast taking hold of the minds of good people, that the common school system is_ rapidly assuming, not a mere negative, but a positively anti-Christian -character; and that in self-defence, and in the discharge of their highest duty to God and their country, they must set themselves against it, and adopt the system of parochial schools, in which each Church shall teach fully, fairly, and earnestly what it be- lieves to be the truth of God." This suggestion had been pretty extensively acted upon when I left the United States last June, and from information I have since received it appears not unlikely the different religious denominations will take their schools from under the control of the State, and support them, as they do their Churches, on the volun- tary principle. From what I have now written, your readers can judge whether a scheme developing such results as these I have described (and I could have mentioned many more instances of a similar character) is worthy of imita- tion. I remain, yours respectfully, WILLIAM CORNS.