10 JUNE 1837, Page 10

The Peers gave the Ministers another hard kick last night.

In a speech full of insolent invective, but which contained not a syllable of new argument, or even of original vituperation, Lord Lventwasr moved as an amendment on Lord .Melbourne's motion tor going into Committee on the Irish Municipal Bill, that the Committee should be put off till the 3d of July ; by which time, it was possible that the Irish Poor Bill and Tithe Bill might be sent up from the Commons. This amendment was opposed by Lord MELBOURNE, on the saine grounds and with some of the same arguments which lie had used as objections to the first postponement. He saw nothing in the accusations which Lord Lypdhurst had raked up against the Government, and which had been made over and over again during his absence from the House, to prove that Municipal Reform was not necessary for Ireland, or that any inconvenience whatever would arise from considering the measure passed by the House of Commons at the present time, especially RS it was agreed on all hands that some measure of the kind ought to become law. The Premier abstained from using giv threats of resignation, and showed an evident desire of coming at once to a vote without the bore of a prolonged debate on a thoroughly exhausted subject.

The division was then taken.

For going into Committee immediately, Present 74

Proxies 45 For Lord Lyndhurst's amendment, l'resent Proxies 77 205

Majority against Ministers 86

So the Committee is postponed to the tki of July.

Lord PENMAN stated, that in consequence of proceedings " in another place," he should not bring on his motion on the privilege question on Tuesday.

It was evident from the numerous attendance of Tories in the House of Commons on the Speaker's taking the chair, that the passing of some jobbing private bill, before there could be a strong muster of Liberals, was in view. Acceordingly, the third reading of the Wigan Rectory Bill was moved immediately, by Mr. Bmerneteros, who on this occasion seems to have been made a catspaw of the Tories. Mr. EINDLEY moved to insert a proviso, that nothing iii the bill should prevent Parliament from appropriating part of the income of the living to the increase of salaries for ministers of the Establishment in Wigan. On the suggestion of the Speaker, the motion was withdrawn. The bill was read a third time ; and then Mr. Hindley's clause was proposed, and rejected, by 84 to 29. The question was next put" that the bill do now pass."

Mr. HINDLEY said, that this bill would increase the income of the Rector from 2,000/. to 4,000/, per annum, while there was another clergyman in Wigan, who, with a congregation of 1,800 souls, had only 401. a year. Mr. EDWARD ELLICE and Mr. GEORGE WILBRAHAM took the same side. The Tories, anxious for a division, said nothing ; and the bill "passed," by a vote of 112 to 59. But the debate had only begun. Mr. Hume, Mr. HARVEY, Mr. WAKLEY, Mr. ROE. BUCK, Mr. HINDLEY, Mr. BAINES, and Mr. CHARLES BULLF.R, availed themselves of the forms of the House to propose an altera- tion in the title of the bill ; and pronounced bitter invectives against the hypocrisy of the Tories, who, when it suited their purpose, canted about religious destitution, but when it came to a ques- tion of worship or money, the souls of the poor kicked the beam. The absence of the King's Ministers, too, was severely commented upon. Here was an opportunity of acting upon the prin- ciple of their Church-rate measure—of securing to the Church the increased value to be given to Church property by the Legislature ; but, though they could muster at an early hour to vote on the Brighton Railway Bill, they sneaked out of the way now. Lord SANDON, Lord STANLEY, and Mr. WILSON PATTEN, feebly defended the bill; describ- ing it as an arrangement between the Rector and the patron, advanta- geous to both. Lord JOHN RUSSELL and Mr. SPRING RICE dropped an during the discussion, which lasted for nearly three hours. One motion, to alter the title of the bill was rejected, by 189 to 108; ano- ther, for adjourning the debate, by 165 to 66. From the statement in the Votes, it would seem that tile matter is settled ; but there appears to be a general impression that the debate is to be resumed on Mon- day next.

After some minor business, Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved the order of the day for the second reading of the Irish Tithe Bill.

Mr. ROEBUCK rose, and delivered a three-column speech, prelimi- nary to a motion that the House should resolve into a Committee on the state of the nation. The circumstances in which the House stood were most remarkable, and he wished to call attention to the situation of the country. They were in a state of extraordinary difficulty. There was no Government in the country. " Vital measures" were rejected or mutilated by the Peers according to the humour of their insolence. In the House of Commons even, the Ministers had only a majority which must soon become a minority. Mr. Roebuck took a rapid survey of the present state of public business, and the policy of Ministers—whom he charged with doing nothing for, and much against the People. They adopted in too many instances the Tory policy of making false accusations against their opponents. There were super. sublimated priests on the Ministerial side of the House, who asserted with bigot self-complacency" Oh ye are naught, for ye are not as

— 119 holy as we." The Tories were dishonest, but why should the Liberds- be also dishonest ? It did not matter to the Tories what ends they ,

usedE—very falsehood propagated, every popular error maintained, is so much in their favour. The errors and the ignorance of the People have allowed the sinister interests hitherto to flourish ; by error and by ignorance alone can the; continue. Therefore every means which tend to maintain and increase norance, are to them legititnate. But to the Liberal cause, ignorance on Ge part of the People is fatal ; you seek to give the People power, to make their servants responsible. This cannot be accomplished but by spreading know- ledge among them; by the propagation of truth. Pursue the course of those oppo=ite, and you will slwrtly see falsehood triumphant, and your enemies in the ascendant."

The People had ceased to fear the return of the Tories ; and unless Ministers adopted the only means of salvation—unless they gave the masses something really worth struggling for—unless, in short, they abjured Toryism and resumed a popular policy—the return of the Tories to power would be speedy.

" And now, as an earnest for a new course of conduct, and a commencement thereof, 1 would entreat the noble lord to consider his position, and grant the

inquiry. Ile may soon, if he pursues this course, contemn the taunts and

threats of his opponents, secure in the love and respect of the nation. But if he should determine not to adopt this plan. then his Ministerial reign will be quickly over, and he and his friends will he thrown aside as tools win a out sad useless, or': he and they will very soon he utterly forgotten. Then, in Oppesi. tion, supported only by a minority, the Radicals will have to fight the hauls of freedom with their implacable enemies. The day of our final victory will be distant ; but he whose eyes are not dimmed by prejudice, whose courage does not quail in danger, will see, in ' clear reason' and solemn vision, the hour of our certain triumph. Labouring patiently for the great cause of human free. dom, we must bide our time, well assured that, though our reward in the wel- fare of our country may be distant, yet it will be finally accorded and when that happy time arrives, we shall have the proud satisfaction of having, single- handed, finight the good fight for freedom, and, single-handed, gained for her

glorious victory. In the present state of parties in this House and of the Go.

vet ninent, the whole machinery of legislation is at a dead stop. Coder these circumstances, does it not behove us, instead of proceeding with a bili which we know can in no case pass into a law, to endeavour to discover the means of rescuing ourselves from the difficulties in which we have been involved by the conduct of his Majesty's Government?"

Colonel THOMPSON having seconded Mr. Roebuck's motion, Dr. LUSIIINGTom spoke in disapprobation of it. Mr. Hume, after his "patting on the back" fashion, professed to think that the Whigs had done much good ; that they were much better than file Tories', and that the Tories could not return to power, as the nation would not tolerate them. Now that the Lords had postponed the Irish Muni- cipal Bill to the 3d of July, he really thought that they should be "bombarded with good measures,"—with more twaddle of the like description. Mr. O'CONNELL reproached Mr. Roebuck with not having given Ministers credit for the evil they had prevented. Mr. Roebuck's plan was like that of Dr. Sangrado ; be complained that the Ministry wile not strong enough in Liberalism, and he proposed to effect a cure by letting out blood and letting in water. Colonel THOMPSON joked about himself and Mr. Roebuck being like the fat soldier, the remains of the regiment. As they were two, however, he could speak at least in the dual number, and say that, in their opinion, Ministers were sinking and the Tories rising; and that the process would be continued, unless Ministers adopted a more Liberal policy.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL replied to Mr. Roebuck, in a strain which evinced considerable soreness. He threw the blame of the delay in public business on the conduct of Members, who interrupted its pro- gress by repeated motions and debates on the most frivolous matters, and yet cried out that nothing had been done by the middle of June. Why, it was their own fault. Lord John expressed his hope that the Lords would yet come to some understanding with the Com- mons on the Irish measures ; but if they did not, he would not adopt any plan for invading the privileges of the Peers. To be sure, they had had only a majority of five on the Church•rate mea- sure,—though it might have been six, had not Colonel Thompson thought fit to take himself away ; but the reason was, that their measure Was too liberal ; had it been less favourable to the Dissen- ters, there would have beers. a larger majority ; and yet they were taunted with the smallness of their majority, by a professed friend to the people. But what right had Mr. Roebuck to pretend to such extraordinary patriotism ? What had he done in the cause ' of the people ? What single measure to benefit the country had lie ever pro- posed, or carried ? While all his bitter and ironical sarcasms seemed to be in favour of liberty, he was in reality doing his best to mar the steady progress of reform.

The motion was negatived, without a divison ; and the order of the day for the second reading of the Irish Tithe Bill having again been read, Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD moved that it be put off for six months. Mr. DII.I.ON BROWSE seconded the motion. It was opposed by Lord Mmteerit, Mr. SHAW, and Lord STANLEY. Lord STANLEY dis- approved of the present distribution of clerical incomes in Ireland,

arid therefore would support the second reading. He taunted Minis-

ters with having adopted, verbatim et literatim, his clauses for the ap- portionment of the income of the Irish clergy, although they rejected

them last year ; and with much bitterness attacked that part ot the plan by which it was proposed to tax the Irish clergy. He would take the sense of the house on that question at the proper stage of the measure.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL, ill a brief reply, said that Lord Stanley was very unreasonable. He was angry, apparently, because his own. plan had been adopted. From his tone it, might be supposed that Ministers had

inflicted upon him a severe personal injury. Bia if Lord Stanley was so much annoyed that there should be any points of agreement be- tween himself and Ministers, Lord John could assure him that there still remained numerous points of difference, and very important ones too.

On a division, the second reading was carried, by 2.29 to 14. Lord Jolts Russet.t. mentioned that the "taxation resolution" would not be brought forward till Friday next, when the bill is to be committed.

The House adjourned at half-past twelve, to twelve o'clock this day. The extraordinary meeting to.day is -for the purpose of forwarding some Government measures, on which no discussion is expected. Mr. HUME gave notice, that on Tuesday next he should move an address to the King to purchase Primrose Hill, and the Chalcot estate, for the recreation of the public of the Metropolis. [This notice has reference to the attempt now making by the Portland Cemetery Corn. puny to enclose Primrose Hill. On Thursday there had been some discussion in the House, on a charge made against Sir SAMUEL WHALLEY of inserting in the report of the Committee on this bill, after the words " Primrose Hill," the words "or any part thereof," which were not in the resolution as passed. Sir SAMUEL WHALLEY said, that he thought the omission was merely an error of the clerk. The subject is again to be brought forward on Monday, having been postponed last night.]