Board of Admiralty, that it was impossible for any officer to stand higher in their estimation than he did. The board had also lately received a letter from the admiral commanding on the station, in which he said that he was perfectly satisfied with the part taken by Captain Williams in the proceedings. With respect to the third question, as to whether it was an act of clemency on the part of the Admiralty to release the unfortunate gentleman, he would only reply, the board found that this gentleman having been considered in confinement on his way home, on his arrival in the Marshalsea, it thought that the interests of the service would be satisfied by his release. This was the only inducement of the Admiralty to order his release. He hoped that his answers were satisfactory.

which had been signed by Austria, by Prussia, by Russia, and by France, for the suppression of the Slave-Trade, and that as soon as the ratifications had been exchanged, she would communicate that treaty to the House. This was that treaty as signed by the five powers. The rati. fications of the treaty had been exchanged between this country, Russia, Austria, and Prussia. He regretted he could not announce to the House that the ratification on the part of France had been received. The protocol of the conference, however, was still open, and France might, if she thought fit, accede to the stipulations of the treaty. France had entered into no engagement as to the particular period at which she would exchange ratifications, but he would express his confident hope, not certainly founded on any assurance received from the government of France, that that exchange of ratifications was only suspendled, and not permanently withheld. He did hope that the same motives which had induced France to unite with this country in inviting the three other powers to join in an object so interesting to humanity, would ultimately prevail in leading that country cordially to co-operate in the suppression of the slave-trade. Of course the treaties with France of 1831, and 1833, having the same object in view, still remained in undiminished force, but he did hope that a long interval would not elapse before France lent the moral sanction of her high authority, in combination with the other great powers of Europe, to the present effort for the suppression of this detestable traffic.

Captain Berkeley said, that no doubt the gallant Admiral's answers would prove satisfactory to the officers forming the court martial, and also to Captain Williams.

Mr. Jervis wished to know by what law an officer could be dismissed the service, and then sentenced to be imprisoned.

Sir G. Cockburn replied, that it was part and parcel of the sentence, and though the dismissal took place before the imprisonment, he apprehended it was perfectly legal.

LAW OF DEODAND.] Mr. Ewart wished to learn from the Attorney-General, whether there was any intention on the part of the Government to propose an alteration of an anomaly which existed in the law at present, namely, that persons could Viscount Palmerston was sure he was obtain compensation for injuries inflicted expressing the sentiments of the House, on them on railroads, but the families of in expressing his own satisfaction at the persons killed could not obtain the least presentation of the treaty which the right compensation. He wished to know whe-hon. Baronet had laid on the Table. He ther there was any intention to alter the law of deodand.

The Attorney-General replied, that he was not aware that there was any such intention.

also most sincerely shared in the wish expressed by the right hon. Baronet. The right hon. Baronet had expressed a hope, which being a Member of her Majesty's Government, the right hon. Baronet might be entitled to do, but he not knowing SLAVE-TRADE SUPPRESSION TREATY.] what had passed, could only express his Sir R. Peel presented, on the part of her humble wish that the hope of the right Majesty, the treaty which had been hon. Baronet might be realised by the agreed upon between Austria, Prussia, speedy exchange of ratifications with Russia, and Great Britain, for the sup-France. He could not but add to what pression of the Slave-trade. He said, that had fallen from the right hon. Baronet, in the gracious Speech which her Majesty that, according to his understanding of had delivered from the Throne, she had the usual practice of governments, the announced the ratification of the treaty only grounds which could be properly

assigned by a Sovereign for refusing to honourably could under the circumstances. ratify a treaty concluded by his plenipo- In the speech from the Throne, the attententiary, were, first, that the plenipoten- tion of Parliament had been drawn to the tiary had entered into the negotiation and revision of the law affecting the trade in concluded the treaty without being au- corn, and also the trade in other foreign thorised by his Government to do so, or produce. His questions related to those else that the plenipotentiary having en- other articles of foreign produce. The tered into the negotiation by the authority effect of the mention of this subject in the of his Government, had either exceeded Speech from the Throne, and of the artior violated his instructions. He appre- cles in question being still unknown, had hended that neither of these objections been to paralyse every market in the could be felt by the French government country. It was no exaggeration to say, on the present occasion. The original that business to all intents and purposes negotiation had been entered into, not by was at a complete stand still-in the England towards France and the other state of doubt in which merchants were three powers, but by France and England left. His question to the right hon. towards the other three powers. The Baronet was this he did not presume draft of the treaty was equally proposed to ask, though he was almost tempted to by the French, as by the English Govern- do so, what were the articles to which the ment. The negotiation, therefore, was sentence in the royal Speech referred? not undertaken unknown to the French He would be answered that the scheme government, but with its sanction and could not be given out imperfectly or approval, and well might the French go- piecemeal; but he would ask the right hon. vernment sanction and approve a measure Gentleman, as some relief to commercial that reflected such high honour, not only interests, to state when he intended to on itself, but on its representative, Count divulge his whole scheme, including those Sebastiani, by whom the negotiation had articles of "other foreign produce." He been commenced. He apprehended that would beg further, as people out of the the first objection could not lie, nor, so House were not versed in the technical far as he was informed, the second, be- terms of its proceedings, that the right hon. cause this treaty had been signed by the Baronet would not mention such or such present representative of France at this a day of supply, but would, in plain Engcourt, of course in consequence of special lish, name the day and date. instructions sent to him for the purpose, or of authority given to him before he left Paris to conclude this very treaty. It appearing to him (Viscount Palmerston) that no reason, consistent with the practice of governments, could be assigned by the government of France, for refusing its ratification to what was concluded by its own direction and sanction. He entirely shared in the hope, he might say the confidence, of the right hon. Baronet, that no consideration of a local character-no consideration even though it were one affecting the strength or solidity of a government or a ministry-should induce the sovereign of the French nation to withhold his ratification from that which, he must say, did such infinite honour to all parties engaged in it.

CHANGE IN IMPORT DUTIES.] Mr. P. M. Stewart had to put a question to the right hon. Baronet of the greatest importance to commercial interests, and he hoped the right hon. Gentleman would give him as explicit an answer as he

Sir R. Peel would first call the attention of the House to the state of the discussion on the Corn-laws. Without, in the slightest degree, wishing to precipitate the decision on that subject, or to complain of the time which the House might deem reasonable for its discussion, he trusted that those most adverse to the principle on which the measure proceeded, would bear in mind the manner in which the sense of the House had been expressed upon it, and would recollect that it made a great change in the existing law. The passing of this measure would permit corn now in bond to be brought into consumption at a much lower rate of duty than it was now subject to, and therefore he trusted there would be as much expedition as possible in passing the bill into a law. He was perfectly willing to open his views on financial and commercial policy. But, as he had stated before, there were considerations of public interest which would be intelligible to those who were aware of the financial condition of the country, that compelled him to postpone that statement until he could make

it in a Committee of Ways and Means. | course that was considered extremely inThat committee he would move for as soon convenient and unsatisfactory by the pubas the Committee of Supply had ceased. lic at large. One of two things was eviHe thought it of great importance that dently about to happen-either, if the bill they should conclude as soon as possible was not to be brought in until after Easter, the discussion on the Corn-laws. There the country would not have sufficient time was great inconvenience in directing their to consider the provisions of this new attention to more than one subject at the Poor-law Act, or the present Government same time. It should be recollected that were about to pursue the course that had the corn trade was suffering from the same been pursued during the last two or three paralysis which the hon. Gentleman spoke years, and they were about to introduce a of as affecting other branches. He could short bill for the purpose of continuing the not, therefore, name positively a fixed day commission for another year, and thereby for the statement to which he referred. He to blink the question of the Poor-law wished he could. He could only state that Amendment Act in a manner which would, at the earliest possible opportunity he would no doubt, be very convenient to a great bring forward the views of her Majesty's number of Members who sat behind MiGovernment with respect to the financial nisters, and also to her Majesty's Governand commercial policy of the country. ment themselves, after the pledges given Even if the hon. Gentleman had been at the late general election on that subject. tempted, against his better discretion, to Now, what he wished to ask the Governask for the details to which he had adverted, ment and the right hon. Gentleman to do he should have felt bound to resent the was, to introduce their bill on this subject, counter-temptation to give an answer. on which the House ought, of course, to He thought the hon. Gentleman had ex- have full time for consideration-to introercised a wise discretion in resisting the duce that bill before Easter, so that it temptation to make the inquiry. might lie upon the Table; and further, he should ask them not to proceed with the bill until after Easter, so that the country might, in the meantime, be prepared to consider the provisions and alterations of the Government before the House met again after the Easter recess. He wished also to ask the right hon. Baronet whether in his proposed amendment of the Poorlaw he intended to interfere with the Gilbert corporations, or in any way with local acts?

POOR-LAWS.] Mr. T. Duncombe did not think his hon. Friend (Mr. Stewart) had much reason to congratulate himself on the explicitness of the answer which he had just received from the right hon. Baronet. He wished to put a question to the right hon. Baronet the Secretary for the Home Department, on a subject which, unlike the previous one, had not been included in the Speech from the Throne. The House would remember Sir J. Graham begged to assure the that the Poor-law Commission would cease hon. Gentleman, that in the course which and determine in July next, and that her the Government intended to pursue with Majesty's Government had announced regard to the introduction of the Poor their intention of not introducing any Law Continuance Bill they would not lose measure to that House, either to continue sight of what appeared to them to be the the Commission, or for the amendment of public interest. They had already brought the Poor-law, until after Easter. Now, before the House a measure relating to the such being the case, he hoped her Ma- laws regulating the trade in corn--a mea. jesty's Ministers would reconsider their sure on which they had had the assurance decision on the subject, and bear in mind of his right hon. Friend that the necessity the extreme inconvenience that must arise for their coming to a decision was most from the adoption of such a course as they urgent. Pending the discussion of that had announced. One of two things was measure, it would be useless to introduce evidently about to happen. [Cries of "Or any subject so important as that of the der."] He was perfectly in order; there was continuance of the Poor-law Commission. a question before the House. What he His right hon. Friend had also announcwished to do was, to point out the incon-ed, that as soon as the forms of the House venience that was likely to arise from the course which the Government proposed to pursue with regard to this subject-a

would allow, by there being a sufficient number of votes in supply to raise the question in the Committee of Ways and

Mr. T. Duncombe had only wished for explanations upon a question which had been put to the noble Lord (J. Russell) during the last session of Parliament, and answered most explicitly by him.

--

Mr.

Sir R. Peel had received many letters on the subject, which were under consideration. It was not now quite convenient to answer the question, and he would state his intentions on the subject when bringing in the bill.

Means as to the financial arrangements | Sir J. Graham had purposely abstained of the country, he would with the least from answering that which was a question possible delay bring under the considera- of detail. He declined to enter into such tion of the House the financial measures explanations at all, until he should be which the Government intended to sub- prepared to state the whole measure. mit to Parliament. He did not imagine that the discussions that must arise on those propositions could fail to occupy a considerable time, and he thought, therefore, that there was every prospect of their time being fully occupied till the Easter recess. The hon. Member, however, apCORN-LAWS INSPECTORS.] peared to anticipate that the measure Milnes inquired what was to be done which the Government proposed to intro- with the class of persons called Corn Induce after the Easter recess would be inspectors? He heard that they were in a effect a short bill to continue the Poor-state of great doubt and difficulty, not law commission for one year, and so to knowing whether they would not be deblink the general question of the Poor-prived of their situations under the operalaws. Now, he was in a situation to tion of the new system. satisfy that hon. Gentleman by a direct assurance that the Government had no such intention,--that it was their intention to bring forward a measure which should not only continue the Poor-law Commission for a time considerably longer than one year, but that in that bill it was also intended to introduce such modifications of the existing law as they, after a full consideration, should think it expedient to submit to Parliament. He could, therefore, give a direct assurance to the hon. Gentleman that the measure which they proposed to introduce would be in itself a full and complete measure. He Sir R. Peel said, that he felt the great would further state to the hon. Gentle-inconvenience of answering particular man, that immediately after the Easter questions of detail in this way. He would recess it would be his duty to lay the Bill rather wait until he was able to state geon the table of the House. To do so be-nerally his whole views on bringing in the fore the recess he thought would be inex-bill. He would at the same time make a pedient. The hon. Gentleman advised similar statement with regard to barley, him to lay the Bill on the table before the oats, and other kinds of grain. Easter recess, in order, in fact, that it might be canvassed and made the subject of adverse observation during the recess, without explanations of it, on the other hand, being given. That advice he was not prepared to follow, but immediately after the recess he would lay on the table a full and complete measure. That measure he would be prepared to detail at the right time, and, at the same time, to give the fullest explanation of the intentions of Government with regard to the whole sub-offence; that it had been committed from ject.

Mr. T. Duncombe said, the right hon. Baronet had not answered his question as to whether the proposed bill would interfere with the Gilbert incorporations or local acts?

CORN-LAWS-FLOUR.] Mr. Hutt inquired whether the right hon. Baronet meant to preserve, under the new plan, the same relative proportions in regard to the fixing of the duties on foreign wheat and four that existed under the old?

DEATH FOR KILLING A GOAT (IreLAND).] Lord Eliot begged to explain that he had been misinformed as to the fact that the man sentenced to death for killing a goat had been immediately liberated. On the Irish Government communicating with the assistant barrister, it appeared that the act in question was committed under very aggravated circumstances; that it was not the man's first

wilful malice; and that, under those circumstances, it had not been thought fit immediately to liberate him, but his pu nishment had been commuted to twelve months' imprisonment. The matter was not of much importance, but he was anxi