The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—THURSDAY, MAY 27. The Lord Chancellor took his seat at five o'clock. The Duke of Richmond presented petitions in fa- vour of copyhold enfranchisement; against the licen- sing of beer-shops; and against the Maynooth Grant. — lhe Earl ef Roden also presented petitions against the Maynooth Grant. The Earl of Malmesbury, in answer to Earl Fitz- william, stated that the case of Mr. Mather had been brought to a satisfactory conclusion. Upon investi- gation, it did not appear that the outrage committed by the Austrian officers had resulted from any anti- English feeling, but was the effect of fortuitous cir- cumstances and momentary passion. The Austiian Minister had expressed his regret at the occurrence, and the Tuscan Government had made pecuniary compensation to Mr. Mather to an extent equivalent to the amount he would probably have recovered as damages in an English Court of justice. In reply to the Earl^of Powis, who asked whether Welsh witnesses were not entitled to claim to be examined in their own language, the Noble Lord re- ferring to a special cast where the right had been de- nied by the Judge, the Lord Chancellor explained that in the case referred to the witness was peifectly able to speak English, and it was only in such cases the Judge insisted on English being spoken. Lord Truro, on moving the third reading of the Common Law Procedure Bill, highly enlogized the report of the Commissioners on which it was founded and said that no Bill ever came before their Lord- ships under circumstrnces more deserving of their approbation.—Lord Denman thought the Committed of their Loidships' House had very greatly improved the Bill, and deserved the thanks of the House.— After some discussion, and Lord Denman having withdrawn an amendment which he had moved re- garding Actions of Trover, the Bill was read a third time and passed. The Lord Chancellor nominated the select Com- mitte on the Enfranchisement of Copyholds Bill. On the order of the day for going into Committee on the School Sites Extension Bill, the Bishop of Ox- ford, who had intended to have taken the discussion at that stage of the Bill, finding the Lord Chancellor had pointed out some objectionable parts in it, moved its postponement to the 8th of Jane, which was agreed to. The Earl of Harrowby presented and supported a petition from members of the learned professions, praying that in any change which might take place in the constitution of the House of Commons, provi- sion might be made for the distinct and seperatate representation of the educated professional classes of the country. The Earl of Derby agreed with his noble friend that this subject was one of great importance but he thought it was one more fit for the previous con- sideration as the other House of Parliament than their Lordships' House. He concurred also with him in thinking, that it was not right nor just, that every- thing should be deferred to the mere question of num- bers-and i hit in whatever way they might distribute their constituencies throughout the country, there must always be a large minority to some extent un- represented. He agreed that. if it were hereafter necessary to enter into a new distribution of the con- stituencies in this country, and to make all those al- terations which the time and the circumstances might require, it would be exceedingly unwise to look to the single question of numeral amount, without also taking into consideration the question of property, and, as far as it could be made a matter of legislation the question also of intelligence. The interests of learning and intelligence were to some extent repre- sented by the Members for Oxford and Cambridge, but there were numerous distinguished scientific bo- dies unrepresented, and in any amendment of the re- presentative syitem their claims would come under the fair consideration of the Government. As to the Scotch Universities, perhaps they ought to be repre- sented, but some of them had not sufficient members to form a constituency, it must be remembered that tho.e who found the least difficulty in entering Par- liament were the lawyers. The Noble Earl then pro- ceeded to point out varions obstacles which would have to be encountered, showinc that. if wrmM h. very dimcult to draw a line between the different so- cieties which might prefer a claim to a Parlirmentary representation. In regard to Colonial representation, which had been referred to, his Lordship thought that if by means such an amount of representative government could be given to your colonies as would fairly represent the interests of seperate groups of co- lonies, and afford them the means of bringing before a<i!r i. questions which concern their welfare e a great advantage to them, and a great additional tie would also be established between the !!?nnUefi,an i !tl0iher country, and, perhaps, there nil • f*! ° some check upon amateur colo- ,'a, 8SJ8,a, °rS' were not always most discreet, although they were generally very zealous. But this was a question of extreme difficulty as to the number 0 f16/? CrS T ° sh°uld be admitted into Parliament, 9 A° ln which they should be returned, and as to the manner in which they should represent the separate interests of each group of colonies. Con- si enng e difficulties in the matter, he should be sorry o pionounce any positive opinion on it either in his own name or that of his colleagues, while he assured his n.ble friend that he concurred in the greater portion of his observations on the subject, and in thinking that it was desirable to do something which would counteract what appeared to be the prevailing tendency, to throw all power, not into the hands of the most intelligent and enlightened, but into the hands of the most numerous and the most easily misguided portion of the community. The subject then dropped. The Earl of Derby intimated that on Friday he should move the adjournment of the House until 1 nursday next, because he understood it would be inconvenient to adjourn for a longer period, in conse quence of the great mass of appeals and business of that nature before the House, but as no very pressive public business would come before them from the House of Commons previous to the recess, no mea- sure of importance would be brought forward by the Government before Monday week. Earl Eitzwilliam gave notice that he would present a petition on the subject of local taxation. The: Marquis of Clanricarde gave notice that he should put a question to the Postmaster-General with respect to the postage between this country and France. & The Property-tax Continuance Bill was read a third time and passed. The Property of Luna- tics Bill, the Stamp Duties (Ireland) Bill, and the Turnpike Roads in Ireland Bill went through Com- mittee. The report on the Masters' Offices in Chan- cery Abolition Bill was brought UD and received. FRIDAY- The Royal Assent was given, by Commission, to the Property-tax Continuance, Copyright Amend- ment, Poor Relief Act Continuance, Loan Societies, Repayment of Advances Acts (Ireland) Amendment, Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, Stock in Trade, and Highway Rates Bills. About 50 other Bills, local and private, also received the Rt.yal Assent. The Lords Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Lonsdale, and the Marquess of Salisbury. The Earl of Galloway presented several petitions against the Maynooth Grant. In answer to a question by Earl EitzwiIIiam relat- ing to the damages awarded to Mather, the gentle- man who was insulted at Florence, the Earl of Malmesbury said the amount of damages was consid- ered equivalent to those which would have been awarded by anEnglish Court. After a few words from Lord Campbell and the Earl of Aberdeen, the subject dropped. Earl St. Germans moved for copies of all coires- pondence relating to the Sanitary Conference lately held at Paris on the subject ot quarantine, the regu- lations of which ha conceived injurious to the inter- ests of humanity and commerce.—The Earl of Malmsbury assured the House that the subject had not been overlooked by Her Majesty's Government, and he should be prepared to lay on the table such extracts as the Noble Earl might think requisite. Lord Beaumont presented a petition from a per- son named Constance Derra de Maroda, complaining of the arrest and imprisonment of the Baroness Von Beck and himself at Birmingham, upon a charge ot obtaining money under false pretences, owing to which the Baroness suddenly expired, and that after some investigation before the Magistrate the charge was dismissed. The Noble Lord contended that the Magistrate was not justified in granting a warrant, as a summons would be quite sufficient to secure the attendance of the parties. The ground upon which the warrant was issued was, that a Mr Geo. Dawson had subscribed to a work relating to the War in Hungary, which the Baroness had announced for publication, but it seemed that the real cause of the proceedings was that a former work published Baron- ess contained matter olfeusive to M. Pulski, a gentle- man who had been mixed up with the Hungaiian revolution.—The Marquess of Salisbury said that there being no notice pending, the House was not called upon to institute any inquiry into the subject. -The Earl of Aberdeen thought it was a most unjus- tifiable proceeding and one that demanded inquiry. -The Lord Chancellor said it was impossible to de- fend the proceeding so far as related to those who set it on foot, but the Magistrate was bound to issue the warrant upon information taken on oath.—The Earl of Carlisle thought the case was one of unparallelled hardship.-The Duke of Northumberland felt confi- dent that upon a proper representation to the Secre- tary of State for the Home Department, the matter would, if necessary, be fully investigated.-Lord Campbell deprecated the discussion, as the party might proceed against the Magistrate by criminal in- formation. He protested against any exparte injury. —The Earl of Derby thought it extraordinary that. the Noble Lords, members of the late Government, had never called for any inquiry into the matter which was now brought forward in a party spirit against the present Government.—The Marquess of Clanricarde and the Earl of Carlisle severally denied that they imputed any blame to the present Govern- ment.—Lord Truro said if the case had been brought before him when he held the Great Seal he should have thought it one which demanded inquiry, but it had never been brought under his notice. However, in place of petitioning this House, the party should have applied either to the Lord Chancellor or to the Secretary of State-if redress were not had it would then be quite right that they Lordships should insti- tute an inquiry.—The Earl of Derby, in reply to Lord Beaumont, declined to advise the Secretary of State to institute an inquiry.—Lord Beaumont then said he should bring the matter fefore the House by a formal motion for inquiry. The Births, Deaths, and Marages Bill, the Practice of the Court of Chancery Improvement Bill, the Ju- risdiction in Equity Amendment Bill, the Turnpike Road (Ireland) Bill, and some private Bills were read a third time. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-THURSDAY, MAY 27. Lord Stanley, in answer to Lord Dudley Stuart, narrated the circumstances connected with the arrest and condemnation at Rome, of Mr. Murray, a British subject, so far as they were known. After giving the details regarding Mr. Murray's connection with the Republican Government, his supposed implication in the assassinations at Ancona, his arrest, and the various proceedings which took place subsequently, his Lordship stated that on the intelligence being received that Mr. Murray bad been taken to Ancone, for the purpose (as it was apprehended, though not absolutely known) of having the sentence of death there executed upon him, a despatch was immediately transmitted to Mr. Moore, the British Consul at Ancona, in which he was charged to exert his utmost efforts to save Mr. Murray. A communi- cation had subsequently been received from Ancona in which Mr. Moore stated that, fearing least an order might come down for the immediate execution of the sentence, he had written to the Governor of Ancona, requesting that at least 24 hours' notice should be given of the intention to carry the sen- tence into effect, and he even addressed an earnest appeal to the Governor, praying that, in the event of an order coming down from Rome, for the immediate execution of the sentence, the Governor would take upon himself the responsibility of suspending the execution. When the negociations, were concluded the correspondence on the subject should be laid on the table. After some conver- sation, in which Mr. Bright, Mr. Anstey, and other members tool: part, Lord D. Stuart said he should call attention to the subject again on a future occasion. a In reply to a question from M r. Bagge regarding the question as to what country two guano islands, named Lobos Afuera and Lobos de Fierra on the coast of Peru belonged, Lord Stanley said the Go- vernment had expressed an opinion that the islands did not belong to England, but his Lordship said they were not without hope that such arrange- ments might be made as would facilitate the opera- tions of those who were engaged in the guano trade they could not, however, take upon them to decide the conflicting claims, and they were decidedly of opinion that it was not possible for them to send out a British ship of war to the islands without violating the laws of nations. 0 The Militia Bill, as amended, wAs considered, and some amendments made. The third reading was fixed for Monday, week. v., Lord Naas moved the second reading of the Valuation (Ireland) Bill, and having shown that the present state of the Jaw with respect to the valuation of property in Ireland was most anoma- lous and unsatisfactory, concluded by expressing his belief that, if the House would give its sanction to this measure, the expense of valuation would be very much reduced per acre. After a discussion, in which Sir D. Norreys, Colonel Rawdon, and Mr. V. Scully expressed their opposition to the Bill, the House divided, when the numbers were— For the second reading. 89 against it, 6; majority in favour of second reading, 83. The Bill was then read a second time. The House then went into Committee on the Law of Wills Amendment Bill. Mr. Bethell gave the Lord Chancellor great credit for his desire to amend the law, but contended that the present Bill would only aggrvaate the evil it is intended to remove. The existing Act contained the words that the signature of the attesting witness must be "at, after, following, under, or beside," and this Bill attempted to remove the confusion and difficulty which had arisen, by stating, in an intre- predatory^manner that, if' it were apparent that the testator intended to give effect by such signa- ture, &c." as his will," thus introducing, as he (Mr. Bethell) contended, all the elements for future differences and litigation. He did not think this part of the Bill could be passed into law with any security or safety, and should propose, as an amendment, that the will should be valid if the signature of the testator were so placed, and in such a manner, as that it would be apparent that the testator gave effect to the signature, and that such was the intent of the will. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman concluded by moving formally the omission in the preamble of the whole of the first section, and in lieu thereof the insertion of a section to the above effect, but on the suggestion of Mr. Bernal, he agreed to move that the original clause be rejected, and to bring up his clause as a new one. The Master of the Rolls could not sup- port either the Bill of the Noble and Learned Lord or the amendment of his Hon. and Learned Friend, as he considered the question one which ought to be decided according to the principles of common sense, and they ought, as far as possible, to avoid all technicalities; and after going into several details in support of his view, concluded by moving that the Chairman should report progress that the Hon. Secretary and the Solicitor-General might take into consideration the proprietv of the Bill before a select Committee. The Solicitor General considered that the whole of this clause was necessary to the object of the measure and the real question, in considering a clause of this description, was whether an Act of Parliament containing it would enable a court of justice called upon to give effect to a will to carry out the real intention of the testator. He hoped the Committee therefore, would pass this clause without any alteration at all. Sir Page Wood objected to the manner in which it was drawn up, and recom- mended that it be referred to a select Committee. After some remarks from Mr. Whiteside, Mr. Stuart, and Mr. Walpole in favour of the clause, the Committee divided on the motion for reporting progress—For the motion, 64; against, 121" majority against reporting progress, 57. The clause was then agreed to and an amendment by Mr. Bethell to omit certain words, having been also negatived, the HouRe resumed. 1:1 The House afterwards went into Committee on the General Board of Health Bill, when several clauses were agreed to, and new clauses added. The House having again resumed, a division took place on the motion that it go into Committee on the Burgh Harbour Scotland Bill, when there appeared—For going into Committee, 61 against Z, m e it, 106; majority against going into Committee, 42. Mr. Walpole, on the suggestion of Mr. Anstev, it being now past one o'clock, said he should not press the second reading of the Colonial Bishops Bill. The order was consequently not pressed. Mr. Freshfleld moved that the adjourned debate Ion Mr. Spooner's motion on the subject of May- nooth College be resumed at 12 o'clock on Friday. Mr. Walpole opposed the motion, on the ground of its excessive inconvenit nee to the public business it being very unlikely that members would meet at y noon, and then come down to protracted sittings with anxiety to shrink from the responsibility they had incurred. Mr. Newdegate adduced facts to show that the shrinking from discussion was all on the side of the opponents of Mr. Spooner's mo- tion. After suggestions from Sir John Puckington, Mr. Horsman, Sir Archibald Campbell, and other Members, Mr. Spooner expressed his willingness, if the Government would give him a day, to defer the resumption of the debate till the day so fixed. Mr. Walpole could make no promise ot the kind, in the present state of the public business. After some remarks from Mr. Reynulds and Mr. Miles, Mr. Freshfield withdrew his motion, thus leaving the question of adjournment where it was. I:J The Public Works Bill was read a third time and passed. The Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages Bill was read a second time. The Industrial and Provident Partnerships Bill passed Committee without amendments, and was reported The Passengers' Act Amendment Bill also passed through Committee. FRIDAY. The Speaker took the chair at four o'clock. The Usher the Black Rod appeared at the table and summoned the House to attend at the bar of the House of Peers, to hear the Royal Assent given by Commission to several public and private Acts (for the names of which see Lords' report). Mr. Hardcastle presented a petition from the Master and Wardens of the Brentwood Grammar- school, praying that the Attorney-General may be called upon to explain the grounds upon which he bad compromised their claim upon the late Head- master. Petitions were also presented for the inspection of religious houses against the Maynooth Grant, El y and against monopoly in guano. In reply to Sir De Lacy Evans, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said it was not in his power to pro- pose any remission of the duty on carriages. In reply to a question from Mr. Carter as to the existence of any law authorizing County Magis- trates to inflict the lash on persons of mature age convicted of larceny, Mr. Walpole said there was a statute by which they might be whipped at the discretion of the Court where they were tried. In reply to Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Spooner said be had come to no understanding with the Govern- ment as to fixing a day for resuming the debate on the Maynooth question he should move that the order of the day be read for the purpose of being discharged. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said that he would move that the House, at its rising adjourn till Thursday next, in order that he might be ena- bled to state what course he thought it best to take in order to expedite the progress of public busi- ness. (Hear, hear.) He should still adhere to the original arrangement of proceeding with the Com- mittee on the Militia Bill on Thursday next, but with regard to other Bills, he had placed certain resolutions upon the paper, for the purpose of making their morning sittings more efficient. The Right Hon. Gentleman specified the resolutions, one of which was, that whenever the House shall sit, tor despatch of business, at twelve o'clock on any day except Wednesday and Saturday, if such business.be disposed of not later than three o'clock, the House will resume its sitting at five o'clock; and if such business be disposed of after three o'clock and before four o'clock. After proposing his ar- rangements for the discussion of several other mea- sures. he suggested that the Maynooth debate should be resumed that day week, at twelve o'clock, and concluded by moving that the House at its rising adjourn till Thursday next. The sup- ply he should take after the New Zealand debate on Friday. Mr Labouchere deprecated any inquiry on the Maynooth question so near the close of the session, — Mr Spooner complained of the factious opposi- tion offered by hon. members opposite.—Mr Goul- bourn suggested that the Government should in- stitute an investigation on their own responsi- bility, and report the result to the next Parlia- ment.-In this suggestion Mr Hume, Mr H. Her- bert, and Sir B. Hall concurred.—Mr Reynolds thought it clear that if this inquiry were ordered the Committee could ouly sit two or three weeks, and the subject would be buried in the tomb of all the Capulets. They invited inquiry, they would not consent to a division until they dispelled the cloud which had been thrown before the indepen- dent electors of the country.After a long and somewhat discursive discussion, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in reply to certain attacks of Mr Keogh, avowed his perfect consciousness of his having abstained from using the question for party purposes. With reterence to the apparent want of a Commission, as recommended, such a step would be quite useless, as it could not com pel the attendance of witnesses without legislative "I ive sanction. It was only in deference to the wishes sanction. It was only in deference to the wishes of a considerable portion of the House that be had consented to give up Friday morning next for the debate, but in so doing he had fulfilled his duty. —The discussion then dropped. Lord Dudley Stuart wished to know whether iteps had been taken to see jnstice done in the case of Mr. Murray.—Lord Stanley could only repeat what he had said on the previous night, that the Government had taken the most prompt steps when the case was brought to their notice. With respect to the correspondence he; would not produce it until the House ordered it to be laid on the table.—After a few words from Lord Palmerston, who bore testimony to the high character of Mr Freeborn, who had exerted himselt in the affair, Lord D. Stuart gave notice that he should move for the correspondence on Thursday. Mr S. Crawford read a private letter, charging Geneial Thomas and other military officers with having attempted unduly to iufluence the vote of Serjeant M'Kinlev, a pensioner, at the late Ennis- killen election. He wished to know if the Chief Secretary for Ireland had received any information on the subject.—Lord Naas said he did not feel called upon to interfere officially until he had some better authority than that of an anonymous letter. —The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Major Beresford were of the same °PIlllOlJ,- Toe subject then dropped. On the motion of the Chancellor of the Exche. quer, it was agreed that the House at its risin" should adjourn till Ihursday. ° Upon the order for going into Committee of Supply being read, Mr Hume called attention to the light dues levied on the commercial shipping and also to the correspondence between the United States Minister and Lord Pelmerston, as laiJ be- fore Parliament last year. The hon. member con- tended that the imposition of the light dues pressed most severely upon our mercantile marine, which it was essential to preserve as a nursery for our naval service.—Mr Henley said the Government was disposed to afford the utmost possible relief to the mercantile marine, but as the lighthouses must oe maintained these dues must be enforced.—After a short discussion, in which Mr Labouchere and Mr M'Culloch participated, the subject dropped. Viscount Jocelyn called the attention of the House to the tenders which were accepted from the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Packet Com- pany, for the performance of the postal service be- tween England, India, and China. The noble lord insisted that the sums paid to that and other Companies were much too large, and be thought it would be far better that the Government shoiihl take the packet service into its own hands, or il not, that it should be thrown open to public com- petition.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied that he was influenced in accepting the tender of the Oriental Steam Company, because it was the cheapest and gave the best assurance that the ser- vice would be efficiently performed.—A" long dis- cussion ensued, but without any result. ° Mr Horsman, in calling attention to the institu- tion of Mr Bennett to the Vicarage of Frome, said he persisted in calling for inquiry into the conduct of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, as it \\as evident that the law offered no redress, even though a Bishop should institute to a living a person ia-ho was openly and avowedly of another Church. Sir F. Thesiner admitted that the hon. gentleman had stated the law correctly. There was no appeal against the decision ot the Bishop, but if it. were shown that a clergyman held unsound doctrines, that would be an oifenee under the Church Disci- pline Act. He thought, however, that the assu- ranee given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the subject should undergo inquiry, ought to be satisfactory.— Colonel Bojle had the authority of Sir John Harrington for saving that the story ol Mr Bennett having attended the Roman Catholic ic Chapel at Kingston was wholly unfounded. Sir S'i r B. Hall complained of the appointments to offices in the Ecclesiastical Courts, and mentioned a case where a boy only five years old, was appointed Registrar at a saiary ot noo a (carl the duties beinc performed by a deputy and in another case in the evening. Air. Keogh taunted Ministers the duty was performed by a young lady. It was a farce to send the parishioners of Frome to seek redress from such a tribunal.—The Chancellor of the Exchequer considered that as the subject was so soon to be fully investigated, it was unfair to en- trap the House into a prolonged discussion at pre- sent.—Mr Henlv also deprecated premature dis- cussion on the subject.—Mr Yorke vindicated the conduct of Mr Bennett, and referred to an address to him, signed by 1,000 parishioners of Frome, ex- pressive of their confidence in the soundness 01 his doctrines. The House then resolved itself into Committee of Supply pro forma, but no vote was taken, and the House resumed. The General Board of Health Bill, the Procla- mation for Assembliug Parliament Bill, and the Ecclesiastical Courts Bill, were read a third time and passed. Mr. Keogh complained that the adjourned debate on Maynooth College, and which stood last on the Order paper, had been taken at an early haur of evening, during the absence of the Irish Members, which be must term a mean and unworthy trick. The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied, that the order of the day relating to Maynooth College was not a Government order. Mr. O'Flahertv said. that such conduct showed that the Government was not entitled to the confidence of the people of Ireland. Mr. Walpole said that the Government had nothing to do with the matter, the question having been brought forward by an independent Member. Mr. Keogh then moved the adjourn- ment of the House, upon which a division took place. For the adjournment, 1Q; against, 42. The Bill was then read a second time. The House adjourned at 20 minutes to three o'clock.

As AFFAIR OF HONOUR."—One of those exploded events an affair of honoxir '—took place on Friday week between the Hon. G. Smythe, M.P., and Colo- nel Romilly, M.P., arising out of some expressions made use of by the former in a speech hy Mr Smythe to the electors of Canterbury, which Colonel Romilly considered to exceed the fair limits of a political contest. Explanations being refused, the parties met, and after an interchange of shots. Colonel Romily declared himself satisfied," and the affair termi- nated, A "little bird has given an account of the "affair." It seems the parties went by the South-' Western Railway to the Weybridge station, and there chartered a fly, in which they travelled some two or three miles into the country, when a re- tired spot near a wood was selected. The principals were then conducted to their positions, and Mr. For- tescue, one of the seconds," was one the point of putting the ominous question, Are you ready gen- tlemen 1" when a cock pheasant, which had been a quiet observer of the scene thus far, suddenly rose within a few yards of the combatants, and with a loud cry dashed into the adjoining wood. This un- toward circumstance occurring at such a moment caused no little "excitement" among the party, who at first feared they had been sui prised, or perhaps shot. The alarm having subsided, the combatants resumed their places and exchanged shots, as is known without effect, as already stated.—Tuesday's Times had some hard hits at the preux chevaliers engaged, in this tomfoolery." The correspondence be- tween the. seconds and the sequel is thus disposed cJ: — Same ten or twenty bits of nousence pass from one club to the other, each one dated with the most painful accuracy-' S. U.S., 20 min. past 2 p.m. Co- lonel Sham presents his compliments to Colonel, Flam, and begs to acknowledge the receipt of Colonel Flam's communication of 15 min. 25 sec. before 1 p.m. of this day Thursday, 2Qth of May 1852, in which Colonel Flam expresses his willingness to withdraw the term liar' if Colonel Sham, on his part, will withdraw the term 'scoundrel.' Colonel Sham regrets his inability to acquiesce in the sugges- tion as proposed, but if Colonel Flam will consent to attach the signification of 'truth-teller' to the term har,' Colonel Sham will consent to attach the signi- fication of virtuous man' to the term 'scoundrel.' Colonel Flam refuses to fall into the suggestion, and straightway the two seconds and the two principals plan and carry out a hostile meeting. The hostilities consist in dodging ahout the country in the cool of the morning, when the two principals are stuck up at twelve paces distance from each other, and let off a brace of pistols in the most harmless mannei imagin- able. Honour is satisfied. Sham and Flam go home with satisfied consciences. Their precious corres- pondence is forwarded to the newspapers for publica- tion, and there's an end of it. Let us simply recom- mend any couple of hot-tempered fellows who feel that their valour is not equal to a combat a loufrance upon the Boulogne sands, with two red-breeched French soldiers to see fair play, not to go dowu to the Weybridge covers in the grey of the morning to play at 'duellists.' If they are not themselves afraid of eatly rising. let them remember that those sacred birds, the pheasants, should not he unseason- ably disturbed. It is May. not October." THE CHURCH ESTATES COMMISSION.— The follow- ing is the first report of the Commissioners To the Right Hon. Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department, &c. We, the Church Estates Commissioners, have the honour to make our first general report oi our proceedings, un- der the act passed in the session of parliament held in the 14th and 15th years of Her Majesty's reign, entitled An Act to Facilitate the Management and Improvement of Episcopol and Capitular Estates in England. Under this act any ecclesiastical cor- poration may, with the approval in writing cf the Lnurch Estates Commissioners (who shall pay due regard to the just and reasonable claims of the pre- sent holders of lands under lease, or otherwise, aris- ing from the long-continued practice of renewal), sell to any lessee's interest, or deal by way of exchange, or otherwise, as may be agreed upon between the parties. Certain sub-lessees are to be considered as entitled to the privileges of lessees. The act further provides that the surplus moneys arising from trans- actions under this act shall be appropriated to the common fund of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England. The short time that has elapsed since the passing of the act has afforded little opportunity for ascertaining the extent to which its powers are likely to be made available but we see no reason to doubt that its operation will materially facilitate the settle- ment of the church leasehold question to the satis- faction both of the lessors and of the leases. Propo- sals to sell reversions, or to purchase leasehold inter- ests, have been submitted by theArch Bishop of Lon- don and Norwich, by the Chapter of Durham, and the vicar-choral of Lichfield and we have reason to believe that similar applications will shortly come be- fore us from several other ecclesiastical corporations e have received one proposal for the enfran- chisemant of five copyhold tenements under the See of Xorwtch. No purchase or sale has yet been con- cluded, but the several transactions are progressing satisfactorily towards completion. ° & CAUTION TO WJJNE AND SPIIUT MERCHANTS. before the City bench on Monday, Messrs. J. and P P. Cother were charced with selling two dozen pint bottles of porter, and one gallon of whiskey, beine less quantities than they are permitted to send out by tnefr wholesale license, to the prejudice of the re- tailer a third charge was that they t'eod out a gal- lon of whiskey without a certificate; whereby they had incurred penalties of SIO, £50, and £100. It appeared that Mr Alexander David was sent down to Salisbury by the excise authorities, and. on the 16th of April went to defendant's counting-house a"d or; dered two dozen pint bottles of porter and a gallon of whiskey. An hon, afterwards David received the goods at his lodgings from the same peison who gave the order. He then went to the countin«-house, and paid for it. when he stated who and what he was Mr Cother stated by way of extenuation-that the spirits were sold with the understanding j ti -t th« witness was a gentleman residing in the country an<* that it would be an accommodation to have one gal- on instead of two, as the larger quantity would be too much. He further contended that no fraud had been committed on the revenue, and as they were in possession of certain retail houses in the -city they could easily have supplied the gallon of whtskev had they chosen it, from'one of those establishments' then observed they were aware that no certificate was sent; this was owing to the fact that no certifi- cate was required 'or one gallon of spirits, and had they given such an one, they would insvantly 1,V writing it have incut red a penalty of £ 50 L„ „ vi, the decision of the rouruthe Mayor said that a t on Viction must ensue; iu lookin-. lu>\vever u, -,11 the circumstances of the case, they were unanimous their determination to reduce the penalties to* the lowest possible amounts namely, one-fourtli j and that would be for selling the pol ler, £ 2 10" ai d I i- neglecting to issue ace. tificate, £ ->b 11.: whule the sum of £ 40. .1