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HOUSE OF LORDS, Moxdat, August 4. The lo...
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HOUSE OF COMMONS, Moxdat, Arc. L The hou...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Tarial Parliament
tarial parliament
House Of Lords, Moxdat, August 4. The Lo...
HOUSE OF LORDS , Moxdat , August 4 . The lord Chancellor , tlie " Earl of Shaftesbury , and Lard Wharncliffe , tlie Lords Commissioners , having taken their seats in front of the throne at a few minutes tofouroVIot * . and lhc members of tlie House of Commons , with the speaker attlieir bead , having appeared at the bar , on being summoned by the Yeoman Usher of the lack Rod , Jlr . Puliaan , the commission for giving the oval assent" to dims bilk , the titles of which are particularly mentioned "—adopting the phraseology used in the commission—was then read , and tlie bills in question , forty-nine in number , received tlie Xoyal assent , with tlie accustomed formalities : —
Customs' Laws llspcal Bill , Customs' Management Bill , Customs * Regulation Bill , Smuggling Prevention Bill , Shipping an-1 Savijation Bill , British Vessels' Registration Bill , Customs * Voiles Bill , Warehousing of Goyds Bill , Customs' Homilies and Allowances Rill , Trade of British Possessions Abroad Bill , Isle of Man Trade Hill , Stamp Holies , ic , Bill , Compensations Courts of Law Bill , Bills of Exchange , & c , Bill . Administration of Justice ( Court of Chancery Acts Amendment ) Bill , Militia Pay Bill , Real Property Bill , Testamentary Dispositions l . 'ill , Bonded Corn Bill , Lunatics Bill , Masters and Workmen Bill , Coal Trade ( Port of Loudon ) Bill , Stock in Trade Bill , Joint Stock Companies Bill , Railways Selling and Leasing Bill , Darby Court , Westminster , Bill , Land Revenue Act Amendment Rill , Waste Lands ( Australia )
BiU , Poor Law Act Amendment ( Scotland ) Bill , Criminal JurisJictioa of Barristers ( Ireland ) Bill , Grand Jury Presentments ( Dublin ) Bill , Leeds and Bradford Railway Extension Bill , Glasgow Junction Railway Bill , Birmingham and Gloucester Extension Railway Bill , Oxford , "Worcester , and Wolverhampton Extension Bill , London and South Western Railway Bill , South Eastern ( Greenwich Branch ) Railway 15 i ! l , Londonderry and Oleraine Railway Bill , Oxford and Rugby Railway Bill , Erewash Valley Railway Bill , South Wales Railway Bill , Morannutb and Hereford Railway Bdl , Glasgow , Barrhead , and Neil , ston Railway Hill , Dublin Pine-water Railway BUI . Duddestou and Xichcllcs Impiovement Bill . Yokcr-road Bill , White ' s Estate Bill , Ellison's Estate BUI , and Rochdale Vicarage Bill .
The Speaker , with the members of the Rouse of Commons , then retired , aud the Lords Commissioners likewise left the house to unrobe . The house was then adjourned during pleasure . Their lordships met again at fire o ' clock . The Taxing Masters ( Ireland ) Bill was read a third t : me and passed on a dii-ision .
¦ roc rnsiTEs vsseh sestexce . Earl FomrscuE desired to put a question of some importance to the noble lord the Secretary for the Colonies , respecting certain foreign subjects who had been recently convicted of piracy and murder . He had understood that some delicate questions of international law were involved in this case , and that grave doubts existed in the minds of a large , portion of the legal profession , and of the public , upon the subject , aud the question he wished to put ¦ was , -whether her Majesty ' s Government was fully satisfied of the legality of the sentence with reference to tlie question of international law involved ! And if not , whether it were not better that tlie prerogative of the Crown should he exerted !
Lord Staslev said , however heinous might be the oSence of which these foreigners had been guilty , he concurred wiih the noble carl in thinking it desirable that there should not be tlie slightest doubt of the legality of the sentence , lie had had a communication with his right hon . friend to whose department the matter belonged , who had informed him that doubts liad been raised as to the legality of the conviction . The question had , therefore , wiili the concurrence of Mr . Baron Piatt , been recommended to the consideration of the fifteen ndges , and meanwhile the execution of the sentence was suspended . Lord Stasiei moved the second reading of the Valuation ( Ireland ) Bill , bat ultimately .-lbanduucd it , in consequence of this opposition offered to tlie measure by Lord Jlonteagle aud the Earl of Wicklovr . Several bills were forwarded a stage , aud the house adjourned . Tuesday , August 5 .
Their Lordships met at five o ' clock . The Marquis of Cmseicaeds moved tliat certain petitions which he had presented against the Londou and York Railway Bill lie referred to a select committee , and looped tliat no further progress would he made with the hill until the allegations contained in those petitions were investigated . After a short conversation tlie motion was agreed f o .
SMALL DEBTS HILL . Thel . oKO CnA ! tc £ LLO £ presented a petition from the Society for the Protection of Trade , consisting of 1 , S 00 merchants , hankers , and traders , clueily the latter , wprcsenting tliat tlie Small Debts Bill would leave them without any effectual remedy for their jtist debts under £ 20 ; also a petition in favour of the bill in its present shape , from deputies now iu London from all the great trading towns aud cities of this country . The- noble aud learned lord said , he Lad now to call the attention of the house to the present state of this measure . In . 1 foimcr session a bill -was passed into a law for tlie purpose oi preventing arrest , even in execution , for debts under £ 20 . lie had always considered that a most salutary law , and was quite sure that neither house desired to have it
revoked ; but many inconveniences had been found in consequence of the impel fi-eiioii of that bill , and a noble and learned lord introduced a hill this session to remedy those defects . It was referred to a select committee , and underwent great consideration ; after which it was adopted by the house , aud sent down to the Commons . Trom the House of Commons it had noir come hack , with amendments , to which he had to call attention . They were of a twofold character . The one class rcierri--d to the bill as it went down . au < l to these he thought their lordships would accede , with some verbal alterations in them , and subject to one exception , which he would at once explain . A power was given to the Commissioners of Bankrupts to call before them persons indebted in less than £ -0 , to examine them and sift their
conduct , and , if ultimately dissatisfied with their explanation , to commit them to prison ; and tlie same power was given to the different small debts courts , presided over by a barrister , an attorney of ten years' standing , or a special pleader ; but an amendment had been introduced , tbe effect of which was , that the Commissioners of Bankrupts , whom he considered the most competent persons to decide questions of this description , would have no such power except where a judgment had been obtained in one of tlie superior courts . There was scarcely such a thing known now as an action in a superior court for a debt under £ 20 ; and therefore he should propose to tlie Rouse to disagree to this amendment , the history of which tras a little curious . The bill was intrusted in the other house to the present Solicitor-General , and no such
amendment was proposed until he had been called out of town by his professional duties ; and then , he ( the Lord Chancellor ) did not know from what quarter , it was proposed and adopted . Tbe other class of amendments were , in & Ct , additions to tlie bill , which originally consisted of eight clauses , hut now came up with above twenty others . These , however , were all consequential upon one clause , tlie 9 th , which proposed that her Majesty iu council should have the power of extending the jurisdiction in point of locality of any of the small debts courts in this kingdom , and also in point of amount , to the sunt of £ 20 ; with the power of contracting iu point of locality the jurisdiction of any oae of those courts , where it interfered with that of another . The clause was introduced to provide a reiuedy for debts trader £ 20 , because the costs , together with the
precariousness of the ultimate remedy under the existing law , deterred all persons of ordinary prudence from bringing actions in the superior courts for less than £ 20 , and there were very few of the small debts courts whose authority extended to that sum . A new class of tribunals -was , therefore , proposed to be created ; and he thought this amendment not at all inconsistent with the bill , while he was also of opinion that the clause was a wise clause , and properly framed , and if it had been introduced in the shape of a new bill it would have deserved their lordships' warmest support . The same remark applied to the eighteen or nineteen other clauses , consequential upon it , and providing for a new system of tribunals for trying causes where the debt was under £ 20—tribunals rendered necessary by the late alteration in the law . The question was , whether their lordships would feel themselves fettered by form from adopting these judicious and useful amendments ! They established a new
svstem , and anewsetof tribunals , and instead of coming in the shape of a biU , to pass through its various stages , the house was called upon in one discussion upon them as amendments to adopt or reject them . This was inconsistent with ordinary Parliamentary usage ; their lordships must decide whether tlicy would allow it in this case ; he wight just mention that in the session hefore last their lordships sent to the other house a Local Courts Bill , containing a clause exactly corresponding tilth this . In one point an amendment would be desirable , - in case of an execution against , the goods for a small debt there was an exception of the debtor ' s bedding , wearing apparel , and ether like necessaries , and all the tools of his trade , to the extent of £ 10 . Considering the description in life of such parties , £ 10 would often cover aU their goods , and seemed too large a sum . He now moved , hy way of form , that this house do agree to the amendments made by tbe other house , with tbe amendments apon them to which he had referred .
After some discussion the amendments , with some additional ones , were agreed to . Several bills were forwarded a stage , and the house adjourned .
House Of Commons, Moxdat, Arc. L The Hou...
HOUSE OF COMMONS , Moxdat , Arc . L The house met at a quarter before four o ' clock , soon after which it was summoned to the House of Peers to hear the commission read forgiving the Royal assent to several bills . The Speakfji , accompanied by several members , proceeded forthwith , and on his return informed the house of tbe names of the hills to which the royal assent had oeen so given ( for which see Lords * report ) . MSnOJf ASD TOBK BAUWAT MIL . ISr . Bit wes said he had a petition to present f o which he was anxious to call the serious attention of the house . It wis signed b y the chairman of the Cambridge and Lincoin Railway Company , who stated that within a very few days his attention had been called to several circumstances connected with the subscriptions to the London and York Railway ; that from the information he had received he had no doubt that a large proportion of the alleged suhseriDtions totherailwp-werefictitinne tiiow
House Of Commons, Moxdat, Arc. L The Hou...
being no such persons in existence as those who had been represented as holding shares ; and thatanothe ' r and a larger proportion of shareholders were persons who were not in circumstances to pay for them , The petition then went on to give the names of many parties thus circumstanced , but he ( Mr . Hawes ) would not go into them then , as an opportunity would occur for again addressing the house ou the motion for the third reading of the bill . The petitioner further stated that he was pursuing an inquiryinto the subject , and he hoped to be able to laybefore the house additional facts respecting it . Under these circumstances , he ( Mr . Halves ) hoped that the house would accede to the motion with which he should conclude , —that the petition be printed with the votes of nest day . Lord G . Somerset . —What course does the hon . member propose to take after that 1 Mr . Hawes . —To move that the matter be referred to a select committee .
Mr . B . Dexisox said , that the hon . member for Lambeth had shown him the petition , and the list of names of pet sons whose subscriptions had been impugned . He did not go through the list , hut on casting his eye over it he saw the name ( fa respectable solicitor , which was certainly not forged . 'Mr . IUwes said that no forgery was charged against him . Mr . B . Denisox . —Well , not forgery , but the charge was that many persons had appeared to have signed the contract of whose existence there was no evidence , and others had signed for sums for which they had no means of paying ; hut the name which had caught his eye in hastily ruuiug over the list was that of a gentleman whom he knew to be able to pay more than 10 times the sum for which ha had subscribed . He ( Mr . B . Dcnison ) opposed the motion of tbe lion , member , because the present was not the time for such an inquiry , aud beeauac the bill had
still to go through a strict investigation m another place . On the same ground he should oppose the motion for referring the matter to a select committee , for which the hon . member intended to move . Tbe present petition was not only a part of a systematic plan to defeat , if possible , and if not , at least to delay , the bill over to the next session , lie had seen a circular signed by a Mr . Croudier , a Parliamentary agent , which was addressed to the postmasters of every town in England where it was supposed that any of the shareholders in the Loudon and York Railway resided , in order to ascertain whether letters had been addressed to them with allotments of shares , as parties who were not known there . As another part of tlie system to which he had referred , he was i :. foraiedtliatptrsonshadwithin _ tbelastforty-eighthours been jjoing round as from the House of Lords to inquire into the circumstances of parties who had subscribedto the railway . This was very annoying to the committee , as no doubt its object was to defeat the bill , if possible .
Mr . Hawes said tliat he knew nothing of the parties promoting or opposing the bill , nor had he any interest in it one way or the other . He had presented the petition because it had been committed to llis care by parlies who were highly respectable , and because lie thought that the facts stated were such as the house ought to inquire into . The amount of subscriptions impugned was £ 058 , 000 . Of this amount upwards of £ 200 , 009 were altogether fictitious , and upwards of £ 400 , 000 were the subscriptions of persons who had not the means of paying for them . He ( Mr . Hawes ) gave no opinion one way or another on the facts , but he repeated his belief that they are such as would justify tlie house in inquiring into them , lie would not read the list of names in the petition ; he would mention only a few . One subscription for £ 25 , 000 worth
of shares appeared to be that of Mr . John Theobald , of Finsbury ; but no such person was known in that locality , even to the postman . Another , a subscriber to theamount of £ 12 , 000 , was Mr . Taylor , but nothing was known of him in his alleged locality ; another subscriber , to the amount of £ 3 , 000 , was equally unknown ; another , a resident i : i the Charterhouse , was down as a subscriber for £ 5 , 000 worth of shares . There were besides allotments of shares to clerks in the Treasury , the Excise , and and other public departments , and many to persons in stations iu life which would not enable tlicm to pay for thcin . lie repeated that he knew nothing of thefacls ^ but , coming from respectable parties who declared that they were able to prove them , he thought the , house ovyht to grant the inquiry .
Mr . Bebxal said , that nil that the house could do could not put an end to the gambling which day by day was carried on by speculators in these railways . With respect to the case before tlie house , he thought that more than the eleventh hour had already passed for such an application . If any injustice could be proved hi would support the petition , but he knew , and the house knew , that the bill had to go through an investigation iu anotherplace , where the parties would be examined . Mr . Roebuck . —As to the petition before the house , he thought the frauds it referred to were on the House of Commons , and not on tbe public . The ' othcr house had acted on this feeling in the case of the Dublin and Gahvay Bill , which , for frauds somewhat similar to those alleged here , dealt summarily with the case , and threw out the bill . That was tlie ease of an Irifh bill , and he thought that what was sauce for the goose should be , sauce for the gander—what was law for Ireland ought to be law for England .
The gallery was then cleared for a division , hut wc understand that none took place . On our return to the gallery ire found that the opposition to the printing of the petition had been withdrawn . The petition was then ordered to be printed with the votes . Mr . B . Dzxisox then moved the third reading of the London and Yoik Railway Bill . After a few words from Mr . Hawes , Jlr . Roeiiuckmoved , "that the bill should be read a third time that day three months . " lie said his reason for taking Qiat course was this : —The House of Commons aud the House of Lords had determined thatccrtain things should be done as a protection to the public , and amongst other requisitions was one that a bond fide
subscriptionlist should be prepared . In this instance it was directlyasserted hy the petitioner that the proceedings up to that point had been conducted on a fraudulent pretence . Uis bou . friend would ask for the suspension of the standing orders ; but was the house prepared to suspend them for such a purpose ? Railway proceedirgs had been carried on in such a way as to astound the community . TJier could not go into any society in which they did not find persons who were mixed up with railway transactions ; they did not meet even a woman who was not interested in these matters . ( Laughter . ) The whole thing was now a monstrous phenomenon . ( Hear , hear . ) Xb harm could arise to the public from waiting in this case until next session ; and there was no necessity therefore for suspending the standing orders . Mr . IT . A . WES seconded the amendment .
After a short discussion , la which Mr . W . Patten , Mr , Aglionby , Mr . ^ Yard , Mr . 15 . Denison , and Mr . Collett took part , Mr . Roebuck withdrew his amendment , and tlie bill was read a third time and passed . Mr . Macsixxox presented several petitions against the Anatomy Bill , and one against the practice of interment in towns . The hon . member then gave notice that early next session he should call the attention of the house to the resolution of the Sth of April last— " That the practice of interment within the precincts of the metropolis and of large cities is injurious to the health of the population , and demands the serious attention of Parliament . " On the motion for the receiving tbe report on the Appropriation Bill ,
Mr . Hume called the attention of the house to the practice of exacting fees or receiving gratuities from the public as the condition of their admittance to cathedrals and other public building ! : . He thought that such practice was highly improper , and ought to be discontinued . Sir R . Peel had always expressed an opinion that there was great advantage in giving every access to our ancient cathedrals that was consistent with their safety . That position was , however , liable to one restrictionnamely , that security should be taken for the safety of the monuments and other works of art contained within them . He then gave tbe House an account of a recent order of the Bean and Chapter of Westminster , for giving the public free admission into the north and soutli transepts and into the nave of Westminster-abbey . A small charge was still to be made , as iu continental churches , for permission to visit the different chapels . Mr . W . CowrEE considered the statement of Sir It . Peel very satisfactory .
A conversation on this subject then took place , in which Mr . Williams and Mr . P . Borthwick joined . Tlie report was then brought up , and the biU was ordered to be read a second time to-morrow . The report on the Silk Weavers Bill was also brought up and agreed to . ANOTHER
PARXiIAllffENTAHY SSORALXXY . ( Sot from the Cat and Fiddle ) . Mr . Hawes then proceeded tobring under the consideration of the house the conduct of Mr . Wray , the receiver of the metropolitan police district , in his transactions with Mr . Bonham in the year 1830 . He showed , that at that period Mr . Wray was the retained and paid agent of the South-Eastern Railway Cempany to promote the success of a bill introduced into Parliament on their behalf . He then alluded to the letter which Sir J . Graham had
written to Mr . wray , expressive of his strong disapproba . tion of Mr . Wray ' s conduct at that period , and quoted several precedents and several strong declarations of the House of Commons iu the best times of our history for the purpose of showing that some severer punishment should have been inflicted on Mr . Wray than a mereletler of reprehension . It appeared from the evidence taken before the committee that Mr . Wray , on behalf of the South-Eastern Railway Company . paio * the sum of £ 300 derived from the sale of railway shares to Mr . Bonham eob HIS SERVICES AS A MEMBEB OF THAT HOCSE , ASD AS A
itEHBEE OF A SELECT COMMITTEE TO WBICIT THE BILLOF THAT COMPAXt WAS befebbeD . It appeared also that Mr . Bonham was under pecuniary obligations to Mr . Wray . Mr . Wray was therefore the last person who ought to hare reproached Mr . Bonham on the subject ; and of all the parties who came under his consideration as chairman of the committee appointed to examine into this transaction , there was not one whose conduct ap . pearedtohimtobe so indefensible as that of Mr . Wray . He therefore called upon the house to declare that the conduct of Mr . Wray deserved notonly its serious animadversion , but also disqualified him from-holding an office of trust and responsibility under the Crown .
Sir James Gbaham was not inclined to dispute the precedents and strong declarations of opinion by the House nf f > A »» " » n «» . ~ . ' . s t , ir » jt ,... * -- ' ¦ ' - - '• • ' - " "able
House Of Commons, Moxdat, Arc. L The Hou...
to the . case , of Mr ; Wray . Neither was he inclined to palliate the conduct of Wray , which he considered highly culpable ; for to the best of . his judgment he ( Sir J . Graham ) had endeavoured to do impartial justice iu tbisease , and to give eff . ct to the recommendation of tliat committee over which Mr . Hawes had so ably presided . Mr . Wray was utterly unknown to . him ; and he had . received no application either from the friends of Mr . Wray or from any of his colleagues in office before he addressed to Mr . Wray that letter , which Mr . Hawes had so severely criticised . For that letter he alone was responsible . He msght have acted wrongly in writing it ; but , if he had to act again , he should act again exactly in the same manner . After defending his decision at considerable length , he alluded to the share which Mr . Bonlium had hud iu this transaction . Mr . Bonham had committed a grave error , which he did not even attempt to defend ; but lie had done nothing to compromise his honour , and he ( Sir 3 . Graham ) was still as proud as lie ever had been to call Mr . Bonham his friend .
Mr . Sheil contrasted the language of the committee which had investigated Mr . Wray's conduct with the language of Sir J . Graham ' s letter to that , gentleman , and complained that Sir J . Graham had omitted from his letter all mention of the mostmatcrial charge against himnamely , that he had paid , money to a . member of ' Parliament for services rend red by him as a member of a particular committee . He contended that Sir J . . Graham bad been guilty of a dereliction of his duty , if there were any truth in the old maxim , "Judex damnatur , cum nocens absolvitor . "
Mr . W . Patte . v regretted that Mr . Hawes had again brought forward this very painful subject . He was ol opinion that sufficient had been done already to satisfy the justice of the case . Except as a matter of . indisere . tion , the conduct of Mr . Boriham and Captain Bohlero was perfectly unimpeachable , so far as regarded their personal honour . Considering the pain that this subject had already occasioned all parties , he should take the liberty of moving the previous question . Lord JohxRcsseil declared , that the question now was , whether the House would express an opinion upon
this transaction or would pass it by without the slightest notice . He considered that Mr . Hawes was justified in bringing it forward , for it was a very grave offence , aud could not be left unpunished without inflicting n . giievous wound on the character of the house . The house was , therefore , bound to support the motion , because in supporting it , it would uphold and vindicate its own reputation . The house could not pass this matter by with the previous question , unless it intended to leave an impression upon the public mind that it considered it to be ' a venial offence to g ive a bribe to a member of Parliament to influence his vote as a member of a committee . He
insisted that , if the Secretary of State hail not shown a correct judgment in the course which he had pursued towards Mr . Wray , it was the duty of the House of Commons to show a better . Sir J . Graham had taken credit to himself for thelcnity with which he had acted in this particular case . With all deference to Sir J . Graham , he must say , that that right lion , baronet was not always distinguished by tlie lenient views which he took oi the conduct of individuals ; as , for instance , of . M . Mazzini ' s of suborning pevjary and promoting assassination , without ever inquiring , during the twelve months in which he had reiterated his accusations , whether those accusations were true ov false . He could never forget the conduct of Sir J . Graham towards 31 . Mnzzini ; and not
forgetting it , he could not allow Sir . J . Graham to take credit to himself for a wish to spare the feelings of another . He then-entered into an examination of the comparative criminality of Mr . Bonham , Mr . Wray , and Captain Boldero . To Captain Bohlero no criminality , in his opinion , attached ; but Mr . Bonham and-Mr . Wray appeared to him . to have both been guilty of the offence of bribery . Could it then be just in the Government , after receiving the resignation of Mr . Bonham aud Captain Boldero , to let Mr . Wray , the briber , escape with a letter , merely stating that he must not act as a barrister whilst he filled the situation of receiver of the metropolitan police ? He could not concur in any such notion ; and he should therefore give his most strenuous support to Mr , Hawes's motion .
Sir R . 1 ' eei , took a review of the whole of these transactions , and in the course of it observed , that though he had been compelled to perform many painful acts in the course of his life , he had never performed any act so painful to himself as that of recommending her Majesty to accept the resignation of Mr . Bonham . He had long been attached to Mr . Bonham by the ties of private friendship ; and now that he was suffering under the pressure ot adverse fortune , he had no hesitation in declaring that , although Mr . Bonham had been guilty of an act of great indiscretion , his private honour was uniinpcaclied , aud his ( Sir It . Peel ' s ) friendship forhim remained the same as ever . He had also experienced equal pain in accepting the resignation of Captain Boldero , although he was not
connected with that gentleman by the same ties of friendship which hound him to Mr . Bonham , Captain Boldero had performed with great industry and integrity all the duties of his office , and possessed tlie entire confidence of the Government . Both gentlemen had acted from inad . vcrtciice , and not from corruption ; and he referred to their case for the mere purpose of showing that no consideration of personal feeling would deter her Majesty ' s Government from the performance of their public duty in this very painful transaction . He then proceeded with great warmth aud at some length to argue that the conduct of Sir James Graham in writing this letter . did not deserve that censure which would be cast upon hiui , if the motion of Mr . Hawes were agreed to . He contrasted the terms of Mr . Hawes ' s resolutions with those of the
report of the committee , and showed that the former were much more stringent and severe than the latter .. . He called upon the house to look at this transaction as a whole . They would find that Mr . Hignctt had been dismissed—they would find that two officers of the Government had been compelled to resign their situations . If , then , the object of Mr . Hawes was to deter others from the repetition of the same offence by the infliction of punishment , had not enough been done without including Mr . Wray in the same fate ? The Government could not be charged with indifference to this offence : for it had
accepted the resignation of office by two of . its most valuable and trustworthy servants , on the express ground that they had been guilty of error , but not of corruption . If the house determined to proceed further , and compel the Government to dismiss Mr . Wray , it would be pushiug punishment beyond its legitimate object , aud would be involving the Government itself in the penalty , because its object had been to carry out to the full the judgment of the tribunals of this house , and because it had erred , if it had erred at all , on the side of lenity in not carrying it out beyond its j ust limits .
Mr . Hume considered Captain Boldero as an ill-used man . Corruption had not been traced to him , and yet his resignation had been received by the Government , which ought to have rejected it , and which in receiving it had dealt with him most harshly . He ( Mr . Hume ) had been the friend of Mr . Wray for the last twenty years , and the publication of Mr . Wray ' s share in this transaction had given him ( Mr . Hume ) the greatest possible pain . He concurred with the speakers who preceded him , that the animadversion of Sir J . Graham on Mr . Wray ' s conduct was quite sufficient to meet the justice of the case . He looked upon the conduct of the South-Eastern Railway Company as more censurable than that of any other party in this transaction , aud the point in which he considered Mr . Wray to be really culpable ) was that he had lent himself as their agent to a very reprehensible offer to a member of Parliament . He could not support the motion of Mr . Hawes .
Lord Ebrington expressed his surprise that Mr . Hume should come forward to exculpate so strongly the agent of a guilty transaction . Mr . Wabd declared his intention of opposing this motion . The question involved in it was simply this" Has the punishment already inflicted on Mr . Wray been sufficient , or has it not V He was of opinion that it had been sufficient , and that the house would act harshly if it persisted in running down such small game as Mr . Wray . lie then entered into an exculpatory statement of that gentleman ' s conduct—made an appeal ad miserieordiam on his hehalf and on that of his family—and asked the house whether it was determined to destroy a man for au offence on which Incite had been passed a censure , which he felt severely at present , and would feel severely to the end of his existence . He should prefer meeting these resolutions which inflicted a punishment disproportionate to the offence , with a direct negative , rather than with the amendment of the previous question proposed by Mr . W . Patten .
Colonel Peel expressed bis sympathy for Mr . Bonham aud Captain Boldero ; explained the circumstances which led to their tendering , and to the Government's accepting , their resignation ; and entered into a statement of facts to show that as men of honour they were exonerated from all blame . Knowing what they did now , they admitted that they were guilty of indiscretion in holding shares in any company ; but indiscretion was tbe whole ot their offence , for they had no power whatever to influence the decisions of the Board of Ordnance on any projected railway which might be submitted to its consideration . Sir John Easibote expressed his intention of supporting the motion of Mr . Hawes ; but asserted that in so doing he had no wish either to destroy or to press hard upon Mr . Wray and his family .
Sir It . Inglis observed that , as a member of the committee , he had felt that Resentence of the report fell with too great severity on these three gentlemen . He therefore could not concur in the resolutions of Mr . Hawes , which went far beyond the report , and fell with crushing severity on the head of Mr . Wray . Appealing to the justice and not to the mercy of the house , Mr . Wray had a right to expect that the house would not agree to these vesolution ? . , . Mr . Mitchell contented , tkatit would not be justice to allow Mr . Wray to remain in office after Captain Boldero and Mr . Bonham had been compelled to resign it . He was the briber . and they were only the seduced .
Sir J . Gbaham hoped that Mr . W . Patten would adhere to the amendment which he had originally proposed for he should certainl y not like to put a direct negative on the resolutions proposed b y Mr . Hawes . Such a negative would be objectionable on many grounds , and especially on this—that a negative on the last resolution would be tantamount to a declaration that the conduct of Mr Wray was less culpable than that of Mr . Bonham and Captain Boldero . To such a declaration he for one could never give his assent , Mr . B . Escort expressed his satisfaction that this motion had been brought forward , as it had given Sir . R . Peelaaoppoitunity ofstanding upmanfuil yforhisfriends Mr . Bonham and Captain Boldero . . The real question before the house jwas a very narrow one-it maked ttself simpl y , „(„ this-. « Dia Mr . Wray offer money or -- . oupv - sworthtoamemher ofParha mentfor tiEarg
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of certain functions in a certain way which fell upon him as a member of a committee 1 " There could be but one answer to that question , and that was , that , whether you called it bribery or . used the milder name of a . gratification , Mr . Wray had been guilty of the offence , of offering one or the other to a member of Parliament . The guiltyparty in this transaction wus ^ Ir . Wray . . He was at present free from punishment ; but Mr . Bonham and Captain Boldero had both been severely punished , for they had each been compelled , by . a sense of what was due to the house and to Uteiusetvcs , to resign tliciv offices , Under such circumstances , he shouldcertainly vote for the motion of Mr . Hawes . After u short but pregnant reply from Mr . Hawes , who commented nith great severity on the " shuiiiing " speeches of Sir J . Graham and Sir R . Peel , the house divided , when there appeared , for the previous question , WesSINoesIS . So the resolutions were lost .
. , ; , The CiuvcELLOii of tho Exciiequeu then moved that the order made on the 31 st- ult . for certain returns relalive to the Property-tax Commissioners should be rescinded . His reason fur making this motion was founded on the impossibility of making the returns in question . Mr . Hume opposed the motion , on the ground that the returns could he made with the greatest ease , if-the Government would only give the necessary orders for their production . Mr . 1 ' iEtoEN also maintained that there could be no difficulty in producing the returns which he hud moved
for . He then recapitulated the grievances to which he had been exposed under the oppression and tyranny of the Property-tax Commissioners . Another process had been issued against his goods for payment , of the income-tax since tlie period he had last addressed the house upon this subject . He should , however ; allow the Govern , ment to sell them , but with this public notice , that lie would again bring his case before the house at the earliest period iu the next session of Parliament . ; The oriler of the 31 st ult . was rescinded . The other orders of the day were then disposed of , and the house adjourned .
Tuesday , August o The house met at four o ' clock .
LOXDO . V AND YORK BAILWAY BIU . Mr . B . Denison presented a petition from the directors of the London and York Kailimy Company , complaining of the allegations contained in the petition presented yesterday from Mr . Henry Bruce , the chairman of the Cambridge and Lincoln Hail way Company , alleging the subscription contract to contain fictitious names and descriptions , and the names of persons unable to pay the sums subscribed by them . Tho directors stated , that when they were made aware of these charges they set their agents to inquire , into them , and it was found , as far as the inquiry had gone , that the allegations were absolutely false and scandalous , and they prayed to be illoirctrfo fake legal proceedings against Mr . Henry Iiruce , by whom they were made . The hon . member hoped the house would now allow him to move that the petition be printed with the votes .
Mr . Hawes was of opinion , that if inquiry were necessary before , it was doubly so since the presentation of the petition before tlie house . lie would support any motion for such inquiry , and if he found thathehad been imposed upon and made the medium of conveying misstatements to tho house , he would not rest until the fullest investigation had been gone into . Mr . T . Buncombe said , the object of the present petition was to enable the parties from whom it emanated to institute an action for defamation against the clients of the hon . member for Lambeth . It appeared from the counter-statement that there was no truth iu the allegations of the first petition ; and for the honour of all parties , and for the honour of that bouse , it was necessary that the desired investigation should not be delayed until the next session .
Mr . B . Benison said that the present attempt was , to say the least , an attempt to impose on the house in the discharge of its duties . It was for the house to say whether , for its own justification , it would take up the matter and deal with it as one of privilege . He had given notice of a motion on Friday night , the object of which was to allow the parties to defend themselves in a court of law , n ' nd he intended to act upon that notice . The motion for printing the petition was then agreed to . Mr . Hawes said , he would now move that the petition presented yesterday by him , and signed by Mr . Bruce , the deputy-chairman of the Cambridge and Lincoln company , be referred to a select committee ; and , under the circumstances , lie hoped the house would not adhere to its usual forms . .
After ii short discussion , in which Sir Robert Peel spoke in favour of inquiry , the committee was ordered and appointed . THE FIBE AT QUEBEC Colonel D . Dameb , the controller of her Majesty ' s household , appeared at the bar , and rend the following answer of her Majesty to the address of the house of the 1 st instant respecting the fire at Quebec : — " 1 have received with much satisfaction your address , in whicli you assure me that you will make good a sum of money for the relief of tho sufferers by the late calamity at Quebec , and I hare given directions that a sum not exceeding £ 20 , 000 Shall be applied for that purpose . "
IUILWAT TltAVELLlNO . Lord Palmebsto . v said , I wish to ask a question of the right hon . baronet the Vice-President ol tho Board of Trade , and I will state the reason why I ask it , I have received a letter from a friend of mine , a party who is no longer a membor of this house , and ho says ho had observed the statement I made in this house as to the practice of employing rear engines on the Dover line , and that he had witnessed the same thing on the Birmingham line . He says— " The other day , going down iu the fast train from tbe Weedon station to Birmingham , there was an engine behind ; the train was going at the rate , I suppose , of forty or fifty miles an hour . I remonstrated , but in vain ; and in the morning at Birmingham I complained of it , and the answer I received was , that they were in the
constant habit of doing so . " Now , really , if this is the general practice on railways , it does seem to me that it is a matter of considerable importance , and that it is very desirable mid essential to put a stop to it ( hear , hear ); and , therefore , what I wish to ask the right hon . baronet is , whether the Board of Trade has at present any power by law to prevent these proceedings , aud whether , if they have not , the Government would think it right to bring in now , before the session is over , some very short bill , giving them some power in these matters ? ( Hear , hear . ) A hill might be passed in the House of Lords tomorrow , and the next day , and it might come down to us on Friday , and go through all the stages in one day . A bill of that sort would give a security which her Majesty's subjects are entitled to .
The Chancellor of the Exchequee , —You must have an engine behind to get it passed now . ( A laugh . ) Lord Paljiersos . —The house had better do so , to get the engine placed before on the railways . ( A laugh . ) Sir G . & . EKK . said , that a question had been asked on a former evening with regard to the power of the Board of Trades in this respect , and it was then stated that the Board of Trade had no power whatever to give directions in these matters . All they had it in their power to do was to remonstrate with the companies , pointing out to them what they thought dangerous in the practical working of the lines . If the practice of running engines behind the trains became more prevalent , then it would be right for
Parliament early in the next session to interfere ; but the noble lord must sec it was impossible to do what he proposed during the short remaining period of this session . Ashe understood the noble lord , the bill he proposed was to give additional powers to the Board of Trade , but he ( Sir G , Clerk ) apprehended that after the difference of opinion which had been expressed in that house on the subject , before entrusting the Board of Trade with any additional powers , the public would require that it should be more fully discussed than it could be at present . At the same time , he was perfectly willing to state that the Board of Trade entertained their opinion as to the danger of such a practice as he had referred to ,
BONE CRUSHING AT ANO 0 VEB . Mr , B . Osbobne said , a statement was made in that house a few nights ago by the hon . member for Finsbury ( Mr . Wakley ) relative to occurrences which were alleged to have taken place in a union workhouse in Hampshire , which had excited a great sensation in the country . Ho wished to ask the right hon . Home Secretary whether , in accordance with his promise , he had instituted any inquiries oii the subject , and whether the lion , member for Finsbury would object to state to what union he referred ?
Sir J . Gbaham said , ho understood that the hon . member for Finsbury referred to the Andovcr Union . He ( Sir J . Graham ) had said that he would take care inquiries should be instituted on the subject to which the hon . member called his attention ; and on the following morning he addressed a communication to the Poor Law Commissioners , directing that an inquiry should he instituted on the spot . He had not yet received the report of the inquiry , but he hoped that , before the house rose he would be able to state its result . Ho not only directed that inquiries should be instituted , but he also called upon the Poor Law Commissioners to state whether any information on the subject referred to hy the hon . member for Finsbury had been communicated to them . The answer was , that they had received no such information . Mr . Wakley said , the union to whicli he had alluded wasthatatAndover .
NEW WRIT . On the motion of an lion , member , whose name was not ascertained in the gallery , a new writ was issued for Cliichester , for the election of a member in the room of Lord Arthur Lennox , ' who lias accepted the office of Clerk of the Ordnance , vice Captain Boldero , resigned . Mr . Greene then moved the third reading of tho Silk Weavers'Bill . Mr . Hume objected to proceeding further with this bill . He was not ashamed to say that he knew nothing of its contents . It had come down to the house from the Lords ; it had passed through every stngeto the present sub sSeiieio , and he much doubted whether it had ever been printed .
A conversation then took place between Mr . Greene , Mr . Bright , Mr . Warburton , Sir James Graham ' Mr . P . Boithwiclc , Colonel . Rolleston , Mr . Villiers Sir John Ea ' sthope , and several other memhers , from which it appeared that an hon . member for Leicestershire ( his name was not mentioned ) had the charge of the bill when it came from the Lords ; that he had been ohugea * to leave town ,, and had . c < mu » Uted " it to the charge of Mr . Greene ; that Mr . Greene was not full y ' wquatotedvifh its merits , but that ht had ascertained that the Board of Trade had no objection to it ; that U had not been intra , duced as a bill for thercgulattouif tv & fc , wjU ^ he intro-
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duced ; in a committee of the whole house , that it was a retrospective bill , which was to beconsidered as coming into operation on the 1 st of January , 1815 ; and to sum up alt ttie objections to it iu one sentence , that not a single member knew anything about its differentclauses . Under these circumstances Mr . Warburton moved that it be read u third time this day two months . Mr . DiioriiEitTO . N considered the bill a very useful bill ; but still he could not approve of the very reckless and irresponsible uuuiner iu which the house was legislating upon it . , , . . , Sir J . Graium proposed that the further debate on the bill be postponed till Friday next , in order that he might Have an opportunity of conferring with Lord Balhousie upon it . Mr . Warbubton then agreed to withdraw his amendment , and the debate was adjourned to Friday next .
HEVIEW OF THE SESSION . Lord Jobn Kussell then came forward to give the house an opportunity of considering in what way Parliament had performed the duties which her Majesty had called upon it to perform at the commencement of the present session . It' it were his purpose to . imitate the practice adopted towards himself when he held the seals of office , and if it were his object to found a charge of incompetency against Ministers , on the ground that a vr , st number of measures had been delayed to so late a period of the session that there was no time to consider them properly , he should have no difficulty in finding ampin grounds ; for one bill alone , the Physic and Surgery Bill , which had been materially altered two or three times after its original introduction , stud which , after all , had
been ignoiniuiously abandoned , would have been a suflicient foundation for such a charge . Heti'iTing to tlie Queen ' s speech , he was rejoiced to find that we were not now looking , as we were at the close of the last session , to the settlement of certain differences with France whicli seemed to threaten a rupture with that country . Bc-joiciiig that there was every prospect of the permanence of peace with France , he adverted to the questions now pending between this government and that of the United States . Without interfering with the conduct of the Executive Government , and without pretending to dictate to it the course which it out to pursue , he would merely state that the opinion which he had already given as to the justice of our claims upon the United States , remained unchanged by anything which he had since
heard or read upon the subject . Sir It . Peel had declared that he was prepared to maintain our rights , and without asking how he proposed to do so , he would only express a hope that without any loss of honour , and without any sacritice of our interests , the negotiations now going on between the two countries would be brought to an amicable and successful termination . With regard to our domestic concerns he thought ihative shouldnot be disappointedwith what had been done in the course of the present session , although much had been unsettled , many principles had been unasserted , and many practical measures remained to be accomplished . He alluded , in the first place , to the anxious subject of Ireland . 1 I « rejoiced that the opinions whicli had been held by those opposite a few years ago upon this subject hail been abandoned , and that tho
language held by Sir J . Graham on the subject ot conciliation had been unequivocally retracted . So far as they were prepared to take a new course , there was just reason for congratulating tho house and the country . Many years ago , when Lord Grey ' s Government was divided on the subject of the Church of Ireland , not only did they oppose the appropriation clause , which at that time would have effected tin amicable compromise on the Church question , but they had also opposed the proposition for granting to the people of Ireland municipal rights e < iu .-il to those possessed by the people of . England and Scotland . There were other questions also on which they raised national and religious prejudices for the sake of opposing the policy of the . Whig Government . That course , which at the time was a great partv move , had at
fh st been doubtfully , but now at last had been explicitly , abandoned . They now allowed that the people of Ireland were entitled lo have the same electoral and municipal rights as the people of England aud Scotland . He contended , h ' owcrer , that they had hardly done what they professed to do—with icspuct to municipal and electoral rights they had not introduced a single measure . . There had also been no legislation on the sub . ject of landlord and tenant , on which they had instituted an elaborate inquiry . The bill whicli they had introduced on that subject into the House of Lords was one of the most extraordinary proposals ever submitted to a Legislative Assembly . It had never arrived in tlie House of Commons , but had been abandoned almost without a struggle . The other Irish
measures were the Muynooth College Bill and the Irish Colleges Bill . Befusiug to go over the debates on that subject , he called attention to the fact that Ministers had declared that the first bill was to stand by itself , and that there was no intention to endow the clergy of the Iloman Catholic Church . Now it' they had not some measure for that object in their contemplation , they were unwise in allowing- such a clamour to be raised respecting the endowment of the ltoman Catholic College of Maynooth , In his speech ou the endowment of Maynooth , Sir 11 . Peel told Parliament that he did not introduce that measure on account of its justice , but for the sake of dividing the Repeal Association . Ministers , therefore , introduce their Irish Colleges Bill , not ou the principle of endowment , but on the voluntary
principle , and thus offended one party without conciliating the other . He wished to impress upon the house that those measures were not only late , but also imperfect , and that all our difficulties both past and present iii Ireland , arose from our always doing justice imperfectly and too late . As to the Church of Ireland , he was convinced that Government would be driven before long cither to endow the Roman Catholic Church , and to place it on the same level with the Protestant , or else tu destroy the establishment of the latter , and to leave it to support itself , as the Iloman Catholic Church now did , on the voluntary principle . Either one principle or the other must be the foundation of our future policy . Government must , therefore , be prepared to suy which they would adopt , or the mind of Ireland would
still remain unsatisfied . At present no party m Ireland was content with the policy of the Government ; for whilst there were millions under O'Gonnell clamouring for Hepeal , there were a number of Protestants equally hostile to the Government . He had formerly proposed that you should give the people of Ireland civil equality before you meddled with the religions question . The Government , however , had followed a different course ; and , on a review of the conduct which it had recently pursued , he drew this conclusion—that it had done well in abandoning its former opinions and declarations , but that , in not advocating some clear and large line of policy , its course was defective ; and it was worth it ' s while to consider in what manner it could remedy it . Having shown that there bad been no legislation on the invitation of her
Majesty to consider the sanitary condition of the poor , he next addressed himself to the consideration of the finances and trade of the country . He was not one of those who thought that the income-tax was required by the necessity of meeting the deficiency of the revenue . But he thought that if an Income-tax was to be proposed , it was wise to introduce it on a large scale , and thereby free industry from the restrictions placed upon it . The Government had fulfilled his expectations upon that point , but had wofully disappointed those who fancied that it would give protection to native industry . There were three subjects on which the Government of 1840 had proposed to legislate , and on which the present had failed to come up to the moderate doctrines of free trade proposed by Mr . Huskisson . Those
three subjects were—timber , sugar , and corn . On timber and sugar the Government still kept up , as lie thought most unwisely , large differential duties . On corn , previously to their coming into office , it was believed that the Government was in favour of the law of 1828 preventing the importation of foreign corn . By the prevalence of that belief they had carried many seats at the last election , but after the election their dced . i were much better than their professions . A new law less restrictive than that of 1828 was introduced ; and protection was diminished by that law , and still more by the professions which they made , not only on passing it , but on several occasions subsequently . The farmers felt that there was less security for the maintenance of the Cora Laws now than there was in the preceding year , in consequence of
the declarations made by Sir E . Peel and Sir James Graham that in times of cheap com the comforts , morality , andcontentmentof the poor were much improved . Could any man of common prudence , who had witnessed the State of public feeling during the last ten days , and the anxiety which prevailed respecting the harvest , refrain from wishing that we had greater facilities for the importation of foreign corn ? To the uncertainty of the seasons and to the uncertainty of the supply there was now added a legislative uncertainty , whether iu ten weeks hence the duty would be 20 s . or Is . a quarter on foreign corn . This augmented almost incalculably speculation and gambling in com ; and what was worse , exposed the country to the want of so ncces sary an article . Was it then wise in tlie Government to
rest the law on its present basis « In addition to all this there were members of Parliament declaring that the law was not likely to be permanent , and that it would expire in all probability in two years . If such were the case then Government ought not to leave tho country anv longer in uncertainty , but should begin the next session early , and begin it with the revision of the Corn Laws Though the Government had done much to approach to the principles of free-trade , it had kept up restrictions on timber , sugar , aud corn , hostile to its principles and hostile to the interests of the country . At the present moment the stock of corn in bond was unusuall y small and he should , therefore , move for a return of it . It was small in consequence of the law , and that he considered a national misfortune . He then touched upon the sub ject of education in England . It appeared from the gaol that there
reports was a great mass of our population at present who had no religious or moral instruction Ho had always considered that state of things as most me lancholy . It appeared to him that efforts ou « ht to he made to reduce that lamentable mass of i gnorance and crime . For that purpose he had established in the Pri ™ Council a Board of Education . He never knew-of more fierce invectives than those which were directed acainst this Ministry for establishing that hoard . Sir It Peel had spoken with more moderation than his collesumes on thaipoint ; hut still ho had objected to the plan of the Wb > Government . Now Sir It . Peel and his colkwues had got over the ejections which they had formerly urued agauut it . Tic was glad to find tliat the grant for coW tion was not only increased thfc jwr / but im aSt ... creased tn the next , lie wasglad of it , and would iS express that waitf of confidence in the noh & FnJS of that Board Wv to nolle lord m iSSSH
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him . In leaving these topics , ho asked Ministers to h some firm principles , on which they were prepared t 0 W f and to show their sincerity by a strict ndlieience to fh principles , and not by voting , as thoyhad dy nc iu 1 ? . ° session , against a test one day and for a test the next w they did not adopt such a course , tliey could Iiai-dlv pect that the people would place any confidence in » ' decisions of their representatives . As a conclusion ' f this session , and as a preparation for tlie next , his pnv , was , that her Majesty ' s Ministers would-agroe to act * IT some fixed principles : it would be a conveniuneo to t ] " minority , and be far less of puzzle to the majority , of i \ ' house . Lord John then alluded to her Mnjcsty ' s ' visit t " and that ^
the continent ; complained , as the former prccc dents of appointing Lord Justices in the Soverei gn ' s ab sencc from England were to be abandoned , there would " be no depository of the Iloyal power in England duiinher absei-ce from her dominions . He also lamented tint her Majesty , who had twice visited S cotland , had not proceeded to visit Ireland . He thought that her Majesty might rely on receiving a cordial welcome whenever slm visited that country . Yet it was impossible not to draw an inference to the contrary when the very ambi guous answer to the ni'dress of the Lord Mayor and corpora tion of Dublin , put into her mouth by her Ministers , was brought to tho recollection of her subjects . The noble lord concluded his observations by moving for a list of the bills which had been introduced and abandoned in
the present session . Sir J . Guaiiau observed , that Lord , T . Russell had made a party speech , which he had concluded with a very harmless motion , At the close of a session like the pre . sent , it was not unnatural for Lord J . llussell topass under review the principal events of it . He had referred to some measures which had been Introduced , and tosome which had been abandoned by the Government , and to the abandonment of them as a proof of incompetency on the part of tho Administration , more especially of himself ; for he had pointed out his want of success in his attempt to carry into law the bills for the reform of the medical
profession . He ( Sir J . Graham ) appealed to Mr . War . burton and Mr . Hawes , who had hud some cxpt-rienee on Hie subject , whether great difficulties did not surround any man who ventured to legislate upon medical subjects , and could not conceive that he had failed in his duty iu not carrying his Medical Bill through Parliament , especially as lie had every chance ofsueeeeding , had he not postponed it for move important measures . Ho agreed with everything that Lord J . llusaell had said with respect to our foreign policy , both with regard to France and to the United States , for he was desirous of continuing with those countries those relations of amity whicli were so much for the mutual interests of both . Lord'Jullii
Kussell had adverted to the present administration of Irish affairs , and had alluded to a hasty expression which he had' employed some years ago in the heat of debate , and of which he had long ago ex . pressed his repentancf . He assured Lord John Russell that he would not be precluded from recommend , ing any measures which he deemed necessary for the good government of Ireland , by the recollection of any has ty speech whicli he might have made , or by any prejudice which he might have abandoned . He considered the List rule for the government of that country was to give it equality of civil rights , and to provide for the equal aO . ministration of impartial justice . He defended the pre . ference tiic Government had given to the endowment of
Maynooth andthe founding of academical institutions in Ireland , to a . reform of . the Municipal . Corporation Act , and an extension of the electoral franchise , by quoting the opinions of Lord Monieagle , but promised that those subjects should not hereafter be neglected . He then proceeded to vindicate tho conduct of Government iu not carrying out at once all the recommendations contained , in the report of the commissioners upon the landlord and tenant question in Ireland , and defended the principle of Lord Stanley ' s bill . Considering that Lord J . llusscll hail concurred in the principles of the Maynooth College Bill and of the Irish Colleges Bill , he was surprised to find him reviving all the angry recollections connected niih the debates on those two measures . lie was somewhat
astonished at Lord John ' s reference to the appropriation clause , when he reflected that the Government of which he was . the head , had formally aud solemnly abandoned that clause . The noble . lord had also said that the Government would bo compelled to settle the Church question in Ireland , either by elevating the Unman Catholic Chuich to the level of . the Protestant , or by tlie abolition of the Protestant Church altogether . 2 foiv , to the latter alternative the feelings of the Protestants of England were distinctly opposed , and he , for one , would never give his consent to such a proposition . As to the other branch of the alternative , he would not argue it now ; he would only say this , that to the endowment of the Iloman Catholic clergy , a question which was at present full of difficulty , he had personally no objection . Lord J . Russell had complained that the policy of the Government in Ireland satisfied no one . It was an old remark that you could not moderate between two conflicting parties without incurring the . resentment of . both . He admitted that the Government had not been
as successful as it desired upon the question of education in England , but still it . had . succeeded in doing much . It had founded during the last year a number of schools throughout the country ; it had provided better education for the masters ; it had improved the quality of education for the people ; and , by the Factory Act , had secured education for children in the manufacturing districts . Lord John Russell blamed the Government for not having done anything in the present session for the health and comfort of the working classes . The Maine was uncalled for . Lord Lincoln had placed on the table a well digested bill for that purpose , and he trusted that it would be read and well considered by the country during the recess . At that expiring hour of the session he would not revive the memory of former
debates . He would merely say , that with . respect to flic amount of the duties levied on timber , sugar , and corn during the late Administration , they had all been reduced during- the existence of the present Government , Actuated by his fears , Lord J . Russell had stated that this country , owing to the doubtful state of the harvest , was now in a position which excited great and almost unparalleled anxiety ^ He was surprised to hear it , for there were now 450 , 000 quarters of foreign Corn in bond ; but on the Ctli of August , 1839 , there were only in bond 50 , 000 quarters , there were now iu the coffers of tho'Bank sixteen millions of specie ; in August , 1839 , there were only two millions aud a half . Neither , then , nor in the following session , did Lord John Russell propose any alteration in tbe corn law of that day . What right , then , had he to call upon the Government to do now what he had himself refused to do then ? Lord John Kussell hail spoken of the sliding scale as " small hy degrees , 'Mi beautifully less : " but what had becomoof the noble lord ' s
own resolution for an 8 s . fixed duty ? First , itsank down to Gs ., then to 4 s ., and last session Lord John had bad some difficulty in convincing the house that he was for any fixed duty at all . He then entered into a defence of the existing corn-laws , and showed that at the present moment the stock of corn iu bond was fast accumulating . Instead of sharing in the apprehension Of Lord Ji liuSSl'U , Ministers entertained a confident expectation that no great increase in the price of corn would now take place , Lord J . llussell had spoken of the possibility of her Majesty paying a visit to her Irish subjects , and had fancied , from the speech which had been addressed ti > the Mayor of Dublin , that doubts were entertained of the reception which her Majesty would receive In Ireland . He mast either have misconceived or forgotten the nature of that speech . However torn that country might be by angry party conflicts , he was quite sure ; that the presence of her Majesty among her Irish subjects would hush into oblivion alt their acrimonious and irritated passions .
Mr . M . J . O'CossELb thanked Lord John Russell for the mode in whicli he had brought forward the subject of Ireland in this debate , and contended that it was calculated to produce much good in that country . He then expressed his views generally on the condition of Ireland . After a conversation , in which Mr . Plumptre repeated his dissatisfaction with the Maynooth Bill and the Irish Colleges Bill , Mr . Motiatt condemned the conduct of Government in retaining tlie present duties on ten and sugar . Mr . Villiers and Mr . Gibson advocated the repeal of di « corn laws , Mr . Darby insisted on the necessity Of protecting the agricultural interest , aud Mr . Sheil recommend ^ Sir R . Peel to follow up by acts the conciliatory professions which lie had given to the people of Ireland , the motion was agreed to . Some routine business was then despatched ; after which the house adjourned .
# Pnonooatio.V Of Parliament.—Summonses ...
# PnonooATio . v of Parliament . —Summonses wore « issued on Tuesday movuing for holding a VYivv Con * *• oil at Buckingham Palace on Friday , at half-pa st t < tf Q o ' clock , when the royal speech on the prorog ation o . »• Parliament would be submitted for her Maji'stJ ' * s sanction and approbation . Orders have been g' « •" for making the necessary preparations forhcrMaj ^ l ? proroguing Parliament in person . # A Loudly TuB-raujirEn . —An announcement ' lllV ' lV ' ing been sent forth that the Right Hon . Lord Tep- «• ham would preach at Castle-street Chanel , Swansea , ; a , on \ l edncsday evening last , the mecting-HO 1151 - : f \ " literally crammed at seven o ' clock , the hour m Y-. ft for holding the service . His lordship selected for »> »> text tho tin
4 th verse of the 51 st Psalm , " Against * ec . thee only , have I sinned , " & c ., and preached about an hour . It appears that his lordship has nn * . * tiscd preaching from an early age , and previous , succeeding to the peerage , laboured in coiuicetf ; f with the Home Missionary Soeiotv , which so " pleased us father , the late lord , that , in bis iriO , * ? , * ? , depmea-him of everything , with the exeepWf " »» the entailed estate . A portion of the pi' 0 P ' -vS tl however / since reverted to him bv the death ot i » t » of his brothers . His lordship was on his fS ^ f ^ Ireland , and preached on Thursday evening ., . Llanelly , and will preach this evening ( TuesuW' ' )• Carmarthen . —Cambrian . . , . , REPBESENTATIOSf OP SoSlff . RL . VXD . —S oSB , ? tW . tiiei Monday Night .-A letter has been received ») - - Mayor of Sunderland from lord Howick , whicU * » J » factorily accounts for the delay that has owf- J m , m > —— ! xii mio
... ,. „ ,, »„ , quputua puiv " " . ' una ' ^ '" peerages held in llis lordship ' s family cou " tfl , s tf ; i hound for some days , though diligent scare ^ i t made for it mm the private $ uuiiy docuni . ea * f j . by the late earl . On Saturday , however , iW V ^ ? iB . Atl \ e necessary documeifttivfeve on that "V , ^ warded tc London . Tho-reau ' red forms havi " - ? . ^ gonei through , it -is es ^ efcd ^ he wri t # ' ^ $ 1 bability be received In Sunderlpd- by ta-m 0 ; ct 0 ; Wednesday . Thtj Mayor willm eitheycitf' X «& H Monday next fcMhe , ^ QmiaaSlonj and . Tucstis ) Polling .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Aug. 9, 1845, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_09081845/page/6/
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