LATEST ENGLISH INTELLIGENCE.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue II, 2 September 1843, Page 310

LATEST ENGLISH INTELLIGENCE.

The Vanguard has brought on from Wellington the Tyne's mail, and also the remaindef of the Mary's. 1 Our file of English papers extend to the 15th of March, but for the present we can only give the following summary of news: — "I*\ M'Naughten has been acquitted for shooting pHr. Drummond, on the ground of insanity. The Emperor of Russia has presented the Literary Fund Society with £150. Epidemic fever is raging with great severity in the metropolis. ■ - Large, quantities of Chinese silver have arrived in England, inpart payment of the compensation agreed to-by the Emperor. * Alarming earthquakes took place throughout ,tl^e West India Islands early in February, Several towns were completely destroyed, accompanied with great loss of life. p -Sir Eardley Wilmot, Bart., has been appointed Governor of Van Diemen's Land.

. .The corn laws were discussed in the House of Lords on the 14th of March, Lord Monteagle having moved " that a select committee be appointed to consider the operation of the act passed last session to amend the laws respecting the importation of corn." Lord Wharncliffe and. others opposed the motion on the ground that the late actjiad not been sufficiently tried ; they also denied that the existing distress would in any way be mitigated by arepeal of the corn laws. The motion was lost by a majority of 122. On the same day Mr. .Ward made a motion in the House of Commons for a special committee to inquire what peculiar burdens are borne, and what peculiar exemptions enjoyed, by the landed interest. Mr. Ward stated that he had framed his motion with a view to enable the land proprietors to make out a case if they could, but that he did not himself believe any peculiar burdens were borne by them. In the course of a long discussion, Sir R. Peel informed the house that he was not prepared to concur in any further change of the corn laws, the ncr cessity for which he did not discern, and that he should stand by the. present law until the circumstances of the country required a departure from it. The motion was negatived by a majority of 99. The Corn Law League meanwhile is pushing on with an energy which must ultimately succeed. Country gentlemen are evidently alarmed, and are endeavouring to frighten the. ministry by expressing their firm belief that the peace of the country is endangered. A debate of considerable length has also taken place in the House of Commons respect* ing the proclamations of Lord Ellenborough, the Governor-General of India, and his conduct in carrying off the gates of Somnauth. A motion of censure was moved by Mr. V. Smith, but

his lordship was strongly supported by the ministry. We extract the following remarks on the Governor- General's proclamation from the speech of Lord John Russell : — " That document showed in many of its passages a sort of inflation, which looked as if Lord Ellenborough had been flushed by success into a notion that he was become a permanent and sovereign prince [laughter]. The noble lord concluded thus — ' May that good Providence, which has hitherto so manifestly protected me, still extend to me its favour, that / may use the power,' &c. Now, sir, I do not find any instances of persons of the highest rank, who have held the most important stations in this nation, resorting to such expressions [cheers]. I have never found an instance of a sovereign of this country having used such language [loud cheers]. It is impossible not to admit the singular blessings which Providence has bestowed on this na'-» tion; hut when I consider the conduct of this Governor-General, thus assuming to himself that he , is the person for whom all this was brought about, and taking upon himself also to assume the merit of that to himself which belonged to the system, and to the wisdom and blessing of Providence, I am utterly astonished at the presumptuous arrogance and self-suffi-ciency of this man." The motion was lost by a majority of 85.

The French cabinet has gained a signal victory. The division on the Secret Service Bill gave Ministers a majority of 45 in a very full meeting of the Chamber. M. Guizot boldly advocated an adherence to the English alliance, and set forth its advantages so .strongly, that all the waverers voted with the Government. , The elections in Spain are proceeding, decidedly in favour of the Ministry. The stand made by the English Government on the commercial treaty with Portugal has induced the latter country to somewhat abate its terms.

Colonel Roberston, who came to England some time ago, to negotiate a loan on behalf of the Federal Government, has published a letter in the American papers from Messrs. Overend, Gurney, and Co., the bankers, who have had so much to do with American securities, in which those gentlemen impress upon the Federal Government the necessity and the justice of assuming the States' debts under certain conditions. The colonel strengthens the proposition by the results of his own experience in this country, and speaks of the irritating feeling which exists amongst capitalists on this side of the water about American securities.

We learn from Canada that the health of Sir C. Bagot has become much worse. Accounts from Kingston, of the 4th of February, stated that dropsy had supervened, and that, in all human probability, his days are now numbered. The Canadian Parliament was prorogued on the 4th of February to the 18th of March, hut was not then expected to meet for the despatch of business.