mutated anti prate el! n gst in parila men t.
1. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.
In the House of Commons, on Monday, Lord John RUSSELL, moved that the paragraph in theKing's Speech which referred to the distress of the Agriculturists, and a resolution passed by the House of Com- mons on the 24th April 1833, should be read by the Clerk. This was done; and it appeared that the resolution declared any alteration in the currency to be highly inexpedient. Lord JOHN Resst.u. then rose again, to submit a motion that a Sel lect Committee be appointed to inquire into the stets of Agriculture, and into the causes and extent of the distress existing in some impor- tant branches thereof. He distinctly disclaimed any anticipation of effectual relief being afforded by the Committee ; but acknowledged, that where any great interest was declared to be unprosperoua, it was incumbent on Parliament to institute inquiries, and, if possible, to de- vise remedies for the evil. Adverting to the resolution on the cur- rency, he said, that he did not wish to restrict the Con mittee from meddling with that 'subject, but in his opinion it would le much the wiser course not to make it a point of their inquiry; especially as he was persuaded that no recommendation to tamper with the currency would find favour with the House. Lord John then remarked upon the low price of wheat as compared with barley and oats, and said that this was a subject worthy of occupying the attention of the Committee. With respect to the Corn laws, he observed- " I do not mean to say that the Committee should not have the power to consider the question, if they should think fit ; but I doubt much whether the consideration of the question by the Committee would conduce to any useful object. I believe that the opinion which es isted some years ago, and which was very general both among owners and occupiers of land—namely, that Parliament could, by law, fix some price below which corn should not fall, has now been almost entirely relinquished. For my own part, I have neve r entertained an opinion that such could be the case, although I always supported some law like the present Corn-law, considering it necessary for the protection of the agricultural interest. But if that question is again to be discussed, the argu- ments ou it are so well known—they are so much arguments of principle—it is better, far better, that the consideration of it should be entered on by the whole House than by any Select Committee. I very much doubt whether the House would show great regard for the recommendations of a Select Com- mittee on such a subject. I think, therefore, that this is a question which it is not essential for the Committee to investigate."
After remarking on the beneficial influence of the Poor-law in re- ducing the burdens of the agriculturist, Lord John repeated, that he
did not see bow the complained of could be removed by Par- liament ; and having said thus much to prevent disappointment, he moved for the appointment of the Committee.
The Marquis of CHANDOS was glad that the subject of the currency was not to be excluded from the consideration of the Committee, though he would give no opinion respecting it. He rejoiced at the course adopted by Ministers ; but should wait anxiously for the an- nouncement of the names to be placed on the Committee.
Mr. CLAY said, he would postpone his motion on the Corn-laws until the Committee had reported.
Mr. T. ATTWOOD enforced the necessity of altering the currency; and said he should move an instruction to the Committee to inquire into the effects of Peel's Bill ; but he afterwards agreed not to press it.
Colonel THOMPSON hoped that attention would be paid to the com- plaints of those landlords who felt themselves aggrieved by the Corn. laws—
Ile had some time since been asked to reduce his rents in Yorkshire ; and he bad consented to do so on condition that he should be at liberty to raise them i
twelve months after the laws were repealed prohibiting the importation of foreign corn. The farmers, too, were becoming converts to the opinion that the Corn-laws were injurious to their interests. He was therefore for trying the experiment of repealing them. Let it not be understood from this that he was for a rash repeal of them ; no, he was for that gradual removal of them which would ,prevent any injury from being inflicted on existing interests. (" Hear, heart" and some laughter.) Mr. ROEBUCK wished for an intelligible definition of the term agricultural distress. If it should turn out that the labourers, the largest and most important portion of the agricultural body, were better off than formerly, the attention of the Committee need not be be- stowed on them— The next class of the agricultural interest was composed of persons who employed their capital on the land—of farmers. The first question to be asked was, whether capital employed on land was less profitable to its owner than capital employed in any other manner if not, then the condition of the farmers did not require any inquiry. The last and the least important class of the agricultural interest—the least numerous and the most unproductive and useless—were the landlords. (A laugh.) That was a proposition certainly which was not likely to meet with much support in that House. Although landlords formed but a small proportion of the population of the country, a large proportion of the Members of the House Commons—all the Members for Counties—were landlords. Still, however, he adhered to his proposition, that the least important class of the agricultural interest were the landlords. That they were in distress he did not doubt ; but their distresses were caused by their own conduct, and were not attributable to the measures of Government or to the laws. If they would probe the causes of their own distress, they would find that that was the case; they would find that it originated in habits formed at a time when they were in a very different condition, and when they enjoyed a mono- poly of which circumstances had deprived them. Expensive habits, together with large charges made on their estates, were the fruitful sources of their present state. They had no right, therefore, to come to Parliament and call
a i for helping hand in their misfortunes, when it was well known that those misfortunes proceeded from their own conduct, and not from the Government or the laws.
Sir ROBERT PEEL referred to the prosperity of the trading interests and the increased comforts of the labourers, as a proof that distress was not owing to the alteration in the currency ; and he thought that the prosperity of trade would be a greater relief to agriculture than any Parliamentary enactment.
Lorn•Jone RUSSELL proposed that the following gentlemen, thirty- three in number, should be placed on the Committee : twenty-six were County Members, and there were four each from Ireland and Scot- land—
Lord John Russell, Sir Robert Peel, Sir James Graham, the Marquis of Chandos, Mr. Shaw Lefevre, Mr. Evelyn Denison, Sir Edward Knatchbull, Lord Stanley, Mr. Miles (for Somersetshire), Mr. E. Sanford, Mr. Cayley, Mr. C. A. W. Pelham, the Earl of Lincoln, Sir Robert Price, Lord Francis Egerton, Mr. G. Heathcote, Sir William Molesworth, Lord Howick, the
Il -able W. Gordon, Mr. G. Evans, Mr. E. J. Cooper (Sligo), Sir John
Owen, the Honourable Sidney Herbert, Mr. Bingham Baring, Mr. C. P. Thomson, Mr. Hawes, Mr. Ord, Mr. Handley, Mr. Morrison, Mr. Dunlop, Mr. J. Young (Cavan), Mr. Loch, Mr. Clay, and O'Connor Don.
Mr. CAYLEY proposed that Mr. Matthias Attwood should be added to the Committee. And, after some demur on the part of Lord JOHN Russess, who did not wish to divert the Agricultural Committee into a Currency Committee, the motion was agreed to.
The Marquis of CHANDOS proposed to add Lord Darlington, Sir Charles Burrell, and Mr. Wodehouse.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL objected to the motion : it would alter the proportions of the Committee, and give an unfair preponderance to County Members. Mr. HUME said, they had better at once add fifty Members to the Committee, or make it an open one.
The Marquis of CHANDOS persisted in his motion, and divided the House ; when there appeared—for the addition, 142 ; against it, Pl9; majority against the addition, 7.
The Committee was then agreed to.
2. ENGLISH TITHES.
On Tuesday, Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved for leave to bring in a bill for the Commutation of Tithes in England and Wales. He spoke in a low and indistinct tone of voice, and was but imperfectly under- stood. Lord John began by descanting upon the difficulties of the subject, and the defects of previous attempts by Lord Althorp and Sir Robert Peel to effect a satisfactory adjustment of the Tithe ques- tion. He then proceeded to explain the new measure. He proposed, in accordance with the plan of Sir Robert Peel, that a Central Board of Commissioners should be appointed, consisting of three persons, two to be named by Ministers and one by the Archbishop of Canter- bury, with power to appoint Assistant Commissioners. He would allow six months as the period during which voluntary but permanent agreements may be entered into between a land-owner and a tithe. owner ; and he proposed to authorize the owners of three-fourths of the land in any parish to call a meeting and agree to terms with the tithe-owners, which should be binding on all. If at the expiration of six months after the bill shall have become law, no such agreement has been made, any landholder or tithe-owner may call upon the Commis- sioners to value the titbe in kind of wheat, barley, and oats, for the last seven years; and if it should be found that the tithe-owner had re- ceived 75 per cent., or more than 75 per cent., of the gross value of tithe in kind on the average of the last seven years, then the tithe to be p id by each tenant of tithe, in future, should be 75 per cent. and no more ; if it should be found that the amount paid was over 60 per cent. and under 75 per cent. of the gross value of the tithe in kind, as found by the Commissioners, then that sum, whatever it should be, would be fixed amount of tithe in future; if under 60 per cent., then the amount to be increased to 60 per cent. This is a calculation based upon the produce in wheat, barley, and oats. With respect to the money pay- ments, he proposed that the Comptroller of Corn Returns should make a return of the average value of wheat, barley, and oats, on which the sum to be paid to the tithe-owner should be fixed in the proportions agreed upon or determined by the Commissioners, in the various parishes ; so that, although the proportion, or the amount of the produce of titheable property, would be fixed and unchangeable, the money payment would vary according to tire average price of wheat, barley, and oats in the market. With respect to hop-fields and gardens, the above-mentioned regulation was not intended to apply; but it is difficult to understand this part of the measure as explained by Lord John Russell. It would seem that he proposed that the average value of the tithes on gardens and hop-grounds, for the last seven years, should be taken as the basis on which the Commissioners are to fix the tithe payment ; and that in future, land converted from the growth of grain to that of hops should pay I5s. an acre more than grain land ; but as regards the future conversion of lands into orchards and gardens, Lord John Russell said he was not prepared with any proposition. In this scheme, lay as well as clerical tithes and mineral tithes would be included. The claim of the tithe-owner is to take precedence of' all other claims, and the amount due to him to be re- coverable by distress and entry on the lands. Sir ROBERT INGI.IS complained of the robbery of the Church which this scheme would effect. If they gave the clergyman only 73 per cent., while 100 per cent. was his due, they would commit a depredation which would be fatal to all kinds of property.
Sir ROBERT PEEL wished that Lord John Russell had adopted the whole of his bill of last session, which recommended and facilitated a voluntary commutation, since he had taken several parts of it,—though he did riot complain of the " plagiarism." He declared his intention of again bringing forward his proposal, made last session, for a volun- tary commutation ; if, after Lord John's bill had been brought in, the House should wish to try the plan of voluntary commutation.
Mr. HARVEY thought that the plan of Lord John Russell would please the land-owners; but he objected to giving up 25 or 40 per cent. of what he deemed public property to that class.
Mr. Hume was anxious to have the Tithe question settled, more especially since the Poor-law had been passed: he wished much to have an outlet for capital in agriculture, in case it should become un- profitable to employ it in commerce. He thought that capital laid out in gardens, pineries, and hop-grounds, should be exempted from tithe, because it was like capital employed in trade ; so much did the amount expended exceed in value the property to which it was applied. Sir EDWARD KNATCIIBULL doubted whether the plan would work fairly in regard to hop land.
Lord Jotie Russets. replied to several of the observations of Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Harvey, and Sir Edward Knatchbull, but was quite inauditle in the Gallery.
The bill was then brought in. On Thursday, it was read a first time, and ordered to a second read: ing on Alonday week.
3. REGISTRATION Btu: MARRIAGE BILL.
Last night, Lord JOHN Ressess introduc. d two bills into the House of Commons,—the first to provide for the general Registration of Births, Marriages, and Deaths ; the second to amend the laws relative to the Marriages of Dissenters. He remarked upon the insufficiency of the existing system of Registration, and on the obstacles which had prevented the improvement of it ; one of the principal being the want of machinery for that purpose. That obstacle had, however, been removed
by the Poor-law. There had already been 238 unions of parishes formed under that law, and there would shortly be 800: each of these Unions Wan Overseer, Assistant, Auditor, and Clerk ; and be proposed that the Poor- law Commissioners should appoint any one of these persons
they saw fit to be the Registrar of a certain number of persons ; the
Registrar to be tinder the Auditor or Clerk ; another superior Regis- line to have a County Office, and a Central Office to be established in
Loodon. The subordinate Registrar is to take an account of the Was, Deaths, and Marriages, (the mode of registering marriages will be explained in the Marriage Bill,) and transmit the record every
teas mouths to the County Office, whence it would be transmitted to Loam to the Central Office. The registry.books, when filled up by the subordinate Registrar, to be deposited in the County Office— In eases of birth, notice is to be given to the local Registrar, by the occupier of the house in which it took place, within eight days of the birth of the child; and within fifteen or twenty days after notice had been given, the Registrar shoal& call on the father or mother of the child to fill up the particulars with seferrace to tho birth. The person also giving these particulars should give the Mane of the child, and if the parties did not give the name of the child ; or if they wished it to be entered afterwards, they should be obliged at a future period to give a certificate of baptism, so that the Registrar should afterwards be wailed to enter the name of the child. In cases of death, the occupier of the
base would be obliged to give an immediate account of any death that occurred in Iris house; and in those cases the Registrar should call upon the next of kin,
it resident in the house, and get any further particulars that might be deemed ameseary with reference to the dead person,—for instance, with respect to the semetry from whence he might come, the period of his birth, and other circum. Ammo.
Persons giving the information to the Registrar would pay no fee ; hat the Registrar would receive 2s. 6d. for every name entered within a period of twenty days from the birth or death, and after twenty days
a shilling extra. The Superintendent would receive on an average 2d. for each entry. There would be about 812,000 entries per annum. The 'sperm of the local Registries would be 40,0001. per annum, and the asesI chance would be 80,000/. The cost of the Central Office to be defrayed by the Treasury; of the local Registries by the respective parishes.
Lord John Russell then adverted to the state of the laws which irritate Marriages, and the conscientious objections of the Dissenters to these laws, and also to the measures hitherto proposed without sue- ems with a view to remove those objections. After this preface, he went on to explain his own measure. He proposed to abolish marriage by bans altogether, and that instead thereof all persons wishing to be married should give notice to the Registrar, who should insert their slum in a notice-book ; that these names should remain on the book her twenty-one days, unless the parties wished to be married by licence. sad then they should remain eight days only ; that the book should be open to inspection ; that after the names had remained on the books the prescribed time, the Registrar should give a certificate that the marriage might be performed, within a certain period, to be fixed when the bill game before the Committee ; the parties giving their names to the Registrar should also satisfy him that they were the parties they pretended to be. Persons wishing to be married in church may be neassiod there by a Church clergyman ; persons wishing to be married by s )issenting minister may be married in a chapel duly licensed for that purpose, on the application of twenty householders ; but the Re- gistrar is to be present at the marriages in the Dissenting chapels, and ao make an entry of the marriage ; as it frequently happens thatDissent- Mg ministers lay down their ministerial charge, and the chapel remains foe a time unoccupied ; whereas the designation and habitation of a Chweh of England clergyman is fixed. The latter would have to keep a record and send a duplicate of the entry of the marriage to the London Office. Persons who thought that marriage ought only to be a simple contract, might be married before the Superintendent of the &strict, according to a form prescribed by the bill.
Lord John in conclusion observed, that although he feared there was Ink chance of obtaining admission for Dissenters into the Universities
of Oxford and Cambridge, they would soon have the advantage of the New University; and he added, that a measure was prepared respecting Church-rates, intimating that one of its provisions would prevent the burial of Dissenters by their own clergy in Church burial-grounds. fie then moved for leave to bring in his two bills. In reply to a question from Mr. O'CONNELL, Lord JOHN RUSSELL mid, that his measures would extend to the Catholics of England and Wales.
Sir ROBERT PEEL saw little material difference between these bills and his own of last. year ; though, if the Dissenters liked Lord John
Russell's measures better than his own, he certainly had no objection to make. He approved of the principle of the bills. As to the attendance of the Registrar at every Dissenting marriage in the Union, he did not see how that could be secured. The same day might be -red. upon for several marriages.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL replied, that there would generally he one Registrar to every .5000 persons ; and as the marriages were only as sec per cent. to the population, this difficulty would not be very serious.
Mr. BAINES and Mr. O'CONNELL strongly approVed of the bills. Mr. COULBURN said, sufficient precaution was not taken against fraud.
Sir ROBERT PEEL hoped that when no point of honour was concerned, many of the Dissenters, especially the females, would prefer being married in church.
heave was then given to bring in the bills.
4. REGISTRATION OF ALIENS.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL on Tuesday, moved, for leave to bring in a tall to abolish the Alien Office, and to provide an apartment in the Home Office for the registration of foreigners. It was proposed that they should simply declare their names and where they came from, in order that Government might know how many foreigners were in tee country at one time.
Mr. ROEBUCK, Mr. HUME, Mr. WA RBURTON, and Dr. BOWRING, were in favour of doing away with restrictions of every kind upon aliens. Mr. WaairuseroN said that there was no penalty for giving a She name in this ghost of a bill. Mr. ROEBUCK said that in France passports were of no use, for recently he had puzzled the police in that ametry by telling them that he was really Don Carlos. Dr. Bowarrio aid mentioned that one of the French authorities had assured him that seaports were of no use to the Government. Mr. O'CONNELL and
Mr. SPRING RICE spoke in favour of the bill; and leave was given to bring it in.
5. REFORM OF TILE ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS.
In the House of Lords, last night, the Loan CHANCELLOR moved for leave to bring in a bill for the Consolidation of the Ecclesiastical Courts. His Lordship pointed out at some length the glaring abuses of the existing system. He dwelt on the great variety and extent of the powers vested in the Ecclesiastical Courts, which Courts amounted in number to no fewer than 386!
About 300 of them were peculiarly constituted during the time of Popery, when jurisdiction was given in these matters to particular monastic institutions, and also to certain manors, the jurisdiction of which remained to the present day. He need hardly draw their Lordships' attention to the very great 'neon. veuience which must necessarily be felt on account of the great number of these
courts by all parties who happened to be concerned in matters within their jurisdiction. There being for instance so many Courts to which a party might resort for the purpose of proving a will or obtaining administration, how was it possible for any person wishing to object to such process to find out where it was being carried on? The course such a person had to pursue was to issue a caveat; but, amongst 360 Courts, which should be resort to in the first in- stance for the purpose of tendering his caveat? And how long. might he not be going from place to place, in hopes of finding out the court in whichwir' was available?
The chief provisions of his bill for the reform of this monstrous system were these— In the first place, it was proposed that there should be one General Court in London for proving all wills; the jurisdiction of all Local Ecclesiastical Coons being entirely abolished. The Bishops, however, it was proposed, should still hold their jurisdiction over their clergy, excepting only in criminal proceedings, in which, it was proposed to abolish it altogether. f he jurisdiction in matters of tithe was also to be taken from the Ecclesiastical Courts, which were found to be wholly insufficient in authority for the purpose, and would be transferred to the Court of Exchequer. The jurisdiction of these Courts in respect to church- rates woold also he abolished, and all disputes connected with those payments subjected to the same course as those connected with poor-rates--viz. appeal to Quarter-sessions. The bill also abolished the authority of Ecclesiastical Courts in the repression of immoral practices, which would be left to the ordinary operation of the common or statute law. The bill also regulated the mode to be pursued :in the sequestration of livings; a matter of great importance to clergymen, and all those connected with them.
Lord LYNDHURST expressed general approbation of the measure, and promised to give it his support, if the details corresponded with the Lord Chancellor's description of it.
The bill was then read a first time.
6. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE : CARLOW ELECTION.
On Thursday, Mr. HARDY rose, amidst a rush of Members hasten- ing to their seats, to call the attention of the Commons to a breach of privilege. He was anxious, be said, to use his right of taking prece- dence of other Members, as the case he had to submit to the lionsa involved serious charges against one of its Members, which, if proved, would bring the House into considerable difficulty as to how they should act in the matter.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL would not interpose any obstacle in the way of considering the case alluded to by Mr. Hardy ; and would postpone two motions until the next day, in order to give him every facility of proceeding : but he was anxious to understand that the course taken by Mr. Hardy was perfectly regular. He thought that the petition—
Mr. HUBIE—" There is no petition."
Lord JOHN RUSSELL had understood Mr. Hardy to say that a peti- tion had been presented.
Mr. HUME and Colonel BRUEN rose together : after some delay, the latter sat down, and Mr. Hume proceeded. The House, he observe 1, should not be called upon to form an opinion on any statement founded on a petition until that petition had been presented and printed ; arid then a day should be named for its consideration. Mr. Hardy's mode of proceeding was unusual and unprecedented; and he would suggest to Mr. Hardy, that he was not serving his own case by adopting it.
Mr. WYNNE stated the right of every Member to precedence, even though it interrupted other business actually before the House, in bringing forward a case of breach of privilege.
Colonel BRUEN then rose to present a petition from certain free- holders of the county of Carlow, and gave the following statement of its contents.
From various statements and letters which have been made public, it op.. peared that a certain agreement or treaty had been entered into between Daniel O'Connell, Esq., and Alexander Raphael, Esq. ; by which Daniel O'Connell undertook to procure the return of Alexander Raphael for the county of Carlow, on consideration of receiving two sums of 1000/. each. That this agreement or traffic was represented as a safe speculation, and carried into effect by both parties accordingly. That 10001. was paid on account; and that, in fulfilment of this agreement, an address was put into extensive circulation in the county of Carlow previous to the election by Mr. O'Cardiell, and which strongly recommended the return of Mr. Raphael, who was a t tal stranger to the place. That after the return of Mr. Raphael, a seci,it sum of 10001. was paid to Mr. John O'Connell, on the account of and by .:c-ire of his father. That a petition was presented to that House against the .ctorii of Messrs. Raphael and Vigors; and that a ballot of Members took place after the second sum of 10001. bad been paid to Mr. John O'Connell for the use of his father ; and that after having received the money, Mr. O'Connell and Mr. John O'Connell both attended the ballot for a Committee; and that Mr. John O'Connell was balloted as a Member, and suffered to remain Is the Ikt of Members to serve on the Committee; and was sworn at the table of that Honourable House to try the merits of the petition, and a true judgment ',.e according to the evidence. The petitioners considered this transaction a gross violation of their privileges, and prayed the House to take it into their consideratto.t. Colonel Bruen said he should abstain from remark on the allegations of the petition; and, knowing the sensitiveness of the House at the here idea of such a monstrous proceeding, should commit the whole matter in confidence to their hands.
The petition was read by the Clerk; after which, Mr. HARDY rose to present another petition.
Mr. O'CoNsieu. rose at the same time. A Member near him said he had better wait : but Mr. O'CONNELL said, " No, I will not ; " and went on to address the House-
" Sir, the reason for my interfering between the presentation of these peti- tions must be obvious. Let me in the first place say, that I hope there is not a single man in the House who will not agree with use that there areParba- inentaty grounds for inquiry in that petition. It is certainly my opinion that there are. ( Cheers from both sides.) I have undoubtedly always voted for inquiry, when Parliamentary grounds have been stated for it ; and whether the case be my own, or that of any body else, when grounds are alleged for it I trust] always will vote for inquiry. (Much cheering from all parts of the House.) For the preseut, so far as I am concerned myself, I shall not complain of the unusual—I will not call it monstrous—proceeding, that a petition of this kind
i
should be in the hands of any Member without giving a copy of it, or even an intimation of its contents, to the parties against whom it is presented. ( Cheers.) But as I have said, for myself 1 scorn to complain. There is another, how- ever, in whose behalf I appeal to every man of good feeling-1 appeal to every father in this House, whether it was right to introduce the name of Mr. John O'Connell on this occasion ? (Loud cheers, and some, cries of " Yes l" from the Opposition.) I don't say it was wrong to introduce his name into the petition ; but I do say that it was unfair and unjust tc bring his conduct before the House in the manner in which it has been referred to, without giving any notice of the intention of the honourable Member fur Bradford. How could the honourable Member—is he a father ?—consent to lend his authority to an allegation against the integrity on oath of Mr. John O'Connell, without giving him intimation that such a charge was to be brought against him ? is cheering.) Party-spirit is bad under any circumstances, but it s infernal when it tears up by the roots every kind and generous and honourable feeling of our nature. (Loud cries of " Hear, hear ! ") Arid it is through the influ- ence of this party-spirit that I am to be now harassed with the imputation of —what ? Perjury! against, before God, as pure a creature as ever breathed, the Member for Youghall. (Loud cheers, amid which, however, an ironical cheer from the Opposition could be discerned.) Why, Sir, if the honour- able Member (Colonel Bruen) had in his composition any thing of humanity— if he were not a person whose desolated villages have 'mike(' him out—( Tre- mendous cheering drowned the remainder of the sentence)—If the scream of the widow and the cry of the orphan against his tyranny were not vet crying in his ears—if he were not of such a nature, lie never would have made this attack on the honourable Member for Youghall, without giving him that notice which would enable him to throw back into their foul den the calumnies"—(Loud and vociferous cries of " Order!" and " Chair !" from the Opposition.) The SPEAKER said, that on reflection, Mr. O'Connell must see the propriety of moderating his expressions.
Mr. O'CONNELL then resumed his speech- " Perhaps, Sir, I may be excused if, with the Provocation I received, I was carried away by my feelings. I must be permitted, however, to say, that when I spoke of casting the calumnies referred to in the petition back into their foul den, I ought to have been understood as meaning the expression to apply to the petition. ( Cheering, and cries of " Oh, oh !" from the Opposition.) ft appears, then, that by some I have been understood otherwise. Be it so. (Loud cheers, and renewed cries of " Oh, oh !" during which Mr. H. Grattan, who sat behind Mr. O'Connell, exclaimed, "'Tis the Orange den.") And suppose I had used that expression, and applied it as some would infer, let me ask whether I should not be justified in doing so ? Is there no Orange deli—is there no conspiracy there. (Pointing to the Opposition.) Well, 1 teas carried away by my feelings. Be it so j but I don't think that in appealing on his behalf to the House—in whose behalf alone I do appeal—that any man would condemn tne of any great error in being a little more violent, if you please, than I slued,' be on any other subject. But 1 will go on. I will speak on behalf of the Member for Youghall, who has been thus assailed. I will appeal, in the first place, to this fact—was it net perfectly well known that I addresnel the electors of Carlow in favour of Raphael and Vigors, the men petitioned against ? And was nut this perfectly well known to the peti- tioners; and when they chose to leave on the Committee Mr. John O'Connell, (lid they not know that I was a strong partisan of Raphael and Vigo's? Have they a right, then, I say, to impeach for attending the ballot of the Com- mittee, him whose duty it was to be present? Had they not a full and perfect knowledge of the part which I had taken in the election ? Why, then, did they suffer the name of John O'Connell to remain on the list of the Com- mittee? Oh ! every body who understands any thing of the Committees of this House, understands why they did so. They were secure of their Com- mittee. Es en though it is I who say it. I call upon—nay, I taunt any man on that Committee to deny, if he can, that John O'Connell as conscientiously and fairly exercised his duty as any other 31eniber upon it? Why do I say this? recluse the very Chairman of the Committee, in auswer to something more than an insinuation which I felt it my duty to throw out against their conduct, expressed his regret that I had not followed the example set ore by the conduct of Mr. John O'Connell. The very Chaiimin, I repeat, bore testimony upon that occasion to the integrity of his conduct, and referred to it ae he:eg worthy of my imitation. But what, after all, is the accusation against him? That he was his father's messenger on the subject of 1,0001., when it seas known that that father was an open partisan of Raphael and Vigors. So that his name has now been introduced, riot to give weight to this charge, but for the purpose of influencing those feelings which are endeavoured to be roined by means of public meetings abroad, and its order to halloo on the cry of the Tory Press; to which, as a stock in trade, I am worth nine-tenths of you at the opposite side. ( Laughter and cheers.) It is fur these purposes that the feelings of affection, of love, are to be grossly outraged. But when I can express a sincere belief that there is not a more dutiful and respectful son than the Member for Youghall—when I am conscious of that-1 do not envy the Orange triumph, which amounts to aiming a dagger at my heart, that bills blunted from the shield of the honour and integrity of my upright, loved, pure, and (except through falsehood) my unimpeachable son." (Mr. O'Con- nell sat down amidst cheering, which lastedfor some minutes.) Colonel BRUEN indignantly repelled the charge of desolating vil- lages; which, he said, was as true as Mr. O'Connell's accusations generally were, and would meet with the same credit that the House usually gave to them. He was not aware that any further notice than that which he had placed on the books could be required from him. He hoped that a Commitee would be appointed whose labours would undeceive gentlemen as to the mode in which Irish elections were managed.
Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL then addressed the House.— It can hardly be expected that I should be able to command my feelings, after the expressions which have been uttered with reference to me by the honourable Member who has spoken last but one in this discussion. 'f here are ties and relations between that honourable Member and myself which I shall not further refer to than to say, that I find it extremely difficult to repress my feelings, after what has taken place to-night, and after the observations which he has addressed to the House. I will, however, at once address myself to the matter under discussion, and say, that although 1 believe the present attack upon me is made for the sole purpose of injuring him, yet I care as little for it as I run sure he does. I, just as he, court inquiry, and most anxious to have a Committee appointed. ( Cheering from all parts of the House.) The honourable Member who spoke last called on me, as one of the Members of this House, to vote for a Committee; which he says will prove must useful is top- plying information to the inhabitants of this country as to the practices et elections in Ireland. I am quite willing, Sir, to vote for such a Committer- I call upon him to do the same, and let an impartial inquiry be instituted iste the conduct of both parties. (Much cheering.) I do nut know what Wiener* machine may be in store for us ; so I shall intrude no longer on the patierseemi the House, than to say that I am, and always have been, and ever shall In ready to answer, either here or elsewhere, for any conduct of mine which mar be considered objectionable or unjustifiable. ( Cheers, and a faint cry if " Oh ") Well, then, I shall only say that I ant prepared to answer sag charge that may be brought against me." (Loud cheers.) Mr. Haim rose to pi esent a petition from Bath, signed by certain inhabitants who professed to be "friends of purity of election eel enemies of corruption." Loud laughter followed this announeemet Mr. Hardy said that this petition had been printed, and he had imam several copies of it in the hands of Mr. 0 Connell's friends ; thiamine he had abstained from making what he thought an unnecessary std tam very gratifying communication of its contents to Mr. O'Connell: be did not intend to be guilty of any breach of courtesy. He least considered it necessary to send a copy of the petition to Mr. Jan O'Connell, for he considered that be only acted under his father's Ai- rections,—and he was himself a father : he imputed no blame In ilk John O'Connell. He moved that the petition be read by the Clerk.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL suggested that Mr. Hardy should state tie substance of it.
Mr. HARDY began to read the petition- " From disclosures lately made by Alexander Raphael, Esq., of Great Saw- hope Street, it appears that shortly before the last election "—( Criesof "Rid the prayer !" Mr. Hardy accordingly read the prayer of the petition)--4' Asa your petitioners pray that the principles of Reform may be fully and fan* carried into effect"—( Shouts of laughter and vehement cheering from dr Ministerial bench.) I am glad, said Mr. Hardy, to see the honourable Yts- bets opposite display such merriment on this occasion I do not know whet/arm that merriment may be diminished when I tell them that I believe this wain. emanated from the Committee and supporters of the honourable Member far Bath. (Loud cries of " No, 1.0 i" and cheers.) The prayer of the petition concluded in these words—" Your petitioners are anxious to see the prise*s of reform carried into effect in all cases, and against all offenders alike. sal pow your honourable House to inquire into this strange transaction, includis4 the contents of the said unpublished letter (mentioned in the petition), Radian such measures as they deem fit for protecting the rights of Parliamentary elec- tion, and bringing punishment on all persons, of whatever political party may be, who deserve it." (Loud cheers, in which Mr. 0' Conner. Joined.) General PALMER expressed surprise that he bad not 'been is.- trusted with the presentation of that petition from his own eon ents, as he had never refused to present-any petitiea out of delicacy the feelings of individuals.
Mr. ROEBUCK, having examined the petition, said he oPolv to say a few words upon it- " And first, as to the assertion that it emanates from my vopportetA. 16, in their name repudiate it wholly, both in spirit and tire way in which it vimm under the notice of the House. (Loud cheers.) In order to proved it does not emanate from my supporters, it is only necessary for me to state that it proceeds from a society calling themselves "Ile Liberal Association ;* which has taken that name because they knew that if they went by one mere appro- priate to their views, they would at once utterly fail of their object. (Cheers.) It issued from a society which, under the name of ' The Liberal Assoc-664n; put forth a scut-Tibet, address against me when I was a hundred mile., &stars from Bath, and with reference to a mere personal matter actually cenvarresd the 3Ienibers of this Home. These things they did under the guise of being a Liberal Association, when every man in Bath knows that the society in com- posed of the most rabid Tories. (Loud cheers.) For men who were meek strenuous advocates of purity, they took a somewhat extraordinary made of showiug their regard for purity of election. Why, my gallant friend, Genmai Palmer, when he received a requisition calling on him to support the piteyerei this petition, asked me whether I believed the Association to be what at pro- fessed ? for, said he, on looking at the name that is signed to this letter, I heed that it is a Tory name. though the letter professes to come from a' Liberal Asso- ciation.' But I suppose my pliant friend was not perfectly conversant with all the changes which take place in the political world, and does not know that men who call themselves Radicals and Liberals to-day, may be SCCII on the nett day seated on the Tory beaches ; and that those who are Tories this week, nay be found coming back to this bench the next. There is one name attaclarel ea the petition which I verily believe to be a forgery,—a belief in which 11 ism somewhat confirmed by the address of the parties not being annexedu their names. (Cries of t Name, name !") I shall ascertain by the Next= whether it be a fi.rgery or not ; and I pledge myself to this House to inform whether or not I am mistaken. But if it should so happen that it leant s forgery, I c in only say that it is not three days ago since I received a letter frame this very person, enclosing me a copy of the scurrilous address to which I hare before alluded, in which he wholly disclaimed it himself, and made use of very strong trims against this Assuciation : therefore f am bound to say thee I be- lieve that name to be a forgery. At all treats I know that this petition coo= fiom the Tories of Bath.' (Loud cheert ) Mr. O'CoNNEL.L said, that Mr. Hardy had adopted a-stranga mode of sparing his feelings—iinitating the ludicrous tenderness of the butcher to th- calf, " to whom he would not show the krefe'.for the world." He went on to defend the conduct of Mr. John O'Crartneli; and refused to admit the excuse Mr. Hardy made for him, that he acted by his father's orders. As to the fair mode of proceeding- in this affair, he thought that both the petitions should be printed, std copies placed in the hands of every Member of the House. lben a fair, not packed Committee be appointed ; and let the subject beitarry investigated. When the petitions are printed, Mr. Hardy might MOM that they be taken into consideration ; and he would second that mo- tion : but he must have an opportunity of making a full statement— a statement that might go forth to the people of England—in reply to the charge. He demanded a fair Committee—an impartial tribunal. At present he bad much business to attend to- " It appears, that the 2flth of the month is the day fixed on for the consiins- tiou of the Dublin election ; the Report of the Commission of Inquiry 'raper which consists of eleven thousand folios. I mean, when the Committee tosser„ to nuke ao application to send back a portion of the investigation, launder due inquiries may he made respecting points which it has been attempted to tam I shall be myself ready to go on on the 1st of March ; and I have no with its postpone the subject. I have, however, a good deal of complicated base to transact in the mean while; but I am ready to go on from day to day, if it should be so decided. Let the petitions be printed, and let an early day, say Tuesday next, be appointed fur bringing forward the charge against me. The
honourable Member for Montgomeryshire says this question, relating to a breach of privilege, has pilot* over all others. Let the honourable Member for Bradford make his statement, and let me make my defence. I will give names and dates ; I will enter into the fullest explanation of all the circumstances of the case ; and if, after having done so, the slightest stain remains on my cha- racter as a thorough Radical Reformer, I will cheerfully submit to the conse- quences. But, Sir, I feel perfectly satisfied that no imputation whatever can be thrown on my character, and that I shall stand as unimpeached in point of fact, as I certainly do in point of feeling."
Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL said, that though perhaps the youngest Member of the House, he knew what he was about when he went for the papers referred to, and felt that he was doing nothing blame-worthy. If there were any blame, however, he was ready to take his full share of it.
Mr. HARDY gave as a reason for the prominent part he was taking in this mutter, that a clause in his Bribery Bill of lust session respect- ing the expenses of nomination of Members, was applicable to the Carlow case : that clause was stn uck out, but he should move for its reinsertion ; and in order to justify its reinsertion, be had resolved to move fur an inquiry into the Carlow case, if nobody else did : he had waited to the last moment on the first day of the session in the hope that somebody else would, From the correspondence and facts that had been published, be certainly did not infer that Mr. O'Connell had put any money into his own pocket. He did not impute this to Mr. O'Connell' though it had been imputed in the newspapers, and in some sort by the person by whom the charge was made.
Colonel PARRY very much disapproved of the conduct of Mr. Hardy in attempting to wound Mr. O'Connell through the mention of his son.
Some conversation ensued respecting the day on which the subject of the petition should be brought before the House. I: seemed to be the general opinion that Tuesday was the must culivr:iiietit day. Mr. WYNNE and Sir GEORGE. CLERK said, that it was desirable that as early a day as possible should be named : every one must be very anxious to have this important case investigated.
Mr. O'CONNELL would not acquiesce in the tone of mock solemnity with which the charge was treated : he thought it perfectly ridiculous. He preferred Tuesday because be intended to take part in two im- portant discussions on Monday—
Tuesday would lie quite time enough; and he could assure the House he Should repulse with the utmost nonchalance under all the anxieties of this mighty and weighty accusation, in regard to which he had already been acquitted of all pecuniary turpitude by the honourable Member for Bradford. (Loud cheers from the Ministerial benches, and cries of "No, no !" in which Lord Stanley's voice was distinctly audible.) He did not mean the noble
lord ; lie did not say the noble lord had acquitted him. Oh nn, he knew too tell the "delicacies of his enmity"—(Loud cheers from the Ministerial benches)—he had experienced them too often already ; but he understood the Member for Bradfoid to acquit him of any pecuniary tut pitude in the matter. (Cheers.) If the blouse would fix Tuesday, these he should be, lie trusted, in perfect health, certainly in gaud I spirits, and ready, at all events, to meet and
refute the charge--Refatc, did lie say Oh no, it could not he necessary fur him—but to convince every intim' tial man in that Home chat t' me was not one particle of ground fiir the imputation. Ile was entitled to that assertion ; and all he required fur the pi ..mit was, that the House should suspend its judgment till Tuesday, when the Member for Bradford might speak at any length he pleased. and with all his accustomed power, and the
Member for Callow 1111 nen) would be at liberty to talk as dis- paragingly us he had ventured, most owl illy, to speak of him to-night. (Cheerb from the Minister nut benches, and luta cries if " (Irder, milt, !") The SPEAKER interposed. Ile was sure the honourable mid learned Member would see at once that the expression he had used u.ss very strong, and altogether unparliamentary.
Mr. O'CusrNF.LL was sorry if he had made use of imparlianientary language. If be had done so, he begged leave to retract St ; but he did not think that to say he had been untruly accused was very miparliamentaly language. If it were so considered by the House, lie had no feeling of resentment to gratify, and therefore lie repudiated the expression. Having said thus much, he would not now enter into the subject more at length, beyond again expressing the hope that the House would postpone till Tuesday entering further into this diacussion.
Mr. ROEBUCK said, that it would he a serious inconvenience to postpone his motion respecting the Mauritius, which was fixed for Monday ; and as Lord Stanley would have to meet a very serious charge which would be brought against himself, no doubt he would prefer that Tuesday, instead of Monday, should be named for the Carlow case.
Lord Sl'ANLEY assured the House, that he should never shrink from meeting any charge brought against him—
It was a matter of perfect indifference to him whether the motion of the Member for Bath came on upon Monday or on ally other day ; and it was equally indifferent to him, as far as be was personally concerned, whether the motion relative to the conduct of the Member for Dublin was fixed for Tuesday or not. Whatever that honourable and learned Member might be pleased to think of the delicacy by which his enmity towards him was characterized in that Howse or elsewhere, he trusted it would never lead him to take any step which would be disgraceful to his feelings as a gentleman and as a man- He considered the honourable and learned Member's political character and political position fraught with danger to the empire at large. Politically he had always opposed him ; and it was at high gratification to hear the expression of his belief, that during the Administration of Lord Grey be had essentially served to thwart that honourable and learned Member's political schemes. (Loud cheers.) But political grounds of humility he would never suffer to degenerate into personal vindictsveue.s. He would 'sever sit on such a Committee as that to be moved for by the Alember for Bradford, because he should distrust his own judgment in u case where be sat on the character of the honourable and learned Member. (Loud cheers.) Nominated on the Committee, he should at once decline serving on it. Ile never had made an attack on the honourable and learned Member — he never would do so — in his absence, when it was impossible for the honourable and learned Member to answer for himself: but he was boiled to say, when the honourable and learned Member appealed to him if lie was not already exempted from any charge of personal corruption, —that whatever might be his opinion as to the ju.ti.e of the charge, that charge did hang over his head, and answer it he roust in that House and before this couutry. (Loud and continued cheers.) Whatever application the honourable mod !carried Alember was prepared to make of that money which it was alleged he had received, the allegation that he did receive it, and that for such a sum he contracted that a Member should have a seat in that House, fixed him distinctly and substantially with the charge. (Loud cheers.) Whether he meant to apply it personally to his private advantage,
or politically as a means of public corruption, it was equally discreditable to him
as a charge of personal or pecuniary corruption. He had not intended to gay one word on this subject. ( Ironical cheers from the Ministerial benches.) He declared on his honour as a gentleman he had no such intention ; but the learned Member provoked him to do so. He denied that he considered him exempted from the charge of corruption. He pronounced no opinion as to whether he was guilty or not, but this he would say, that the honourable and learned Member was not justified in representing—and much had he been astonished in seeing his right honourable friend opposite (Sir John Ilobhouse) intimating his assent to the statement by a loud and vociferous cheer,—as if so grave an imputation on the character and conduct of any Member of that House should rather be laughed away, and treated as a thing too ridiculous to demand the serious and deliberate investigation of that Parliament, which had already proved itself determined to do away with the corruptions which subsisted under a former system, and which, most of all, was bound consistently to ascertain and punish the delinquency of those who had been the foremost in denouncing and the readiest in determining and in inflicting the punishment of others. He hoped he hall misunderstood his right honourable friend ; and yet his mariner was so marked that he could not persuade himself that he had been mistaken ; he heard him so loudly cheer the assertion which fell from the Member for Dublin, that this was a charge so utterly ridiculous that it should . be treated altogether with contempt—that it was one which that House was taking up as a matter of mock solemnity, and for that reason it was matter of indifference on which day it should be brought forward. He thought it could be no matter of mock solemnity to that House, which had already instituted so many proceedings into cases of corruption in various' towns and boroughs, such as York, Ipswich, Yarmouth, and even the alleged case of Chatham. It must be a matter of deep importance to the Members of that House, whether there was or not an individual in it capable of exercising such influence as to introduce into a county of Ireland a person utterly unknown to the consti- tuency, of whom he expressed the lowest and the meanest opinion, and who, possessing that influence, was prepared for its exercise to receive, on whatever
pretence, the sum of 20001. If there was any thing in Reform,—if there
was any desire to support the purity of election,—if there was any desire really to maintain those principles to which he ever had been, and now was, sincerely attached,—the last thing that should be urged on such an occasion as
the present would be, that this was a mere matter of mock solemnity, and on that account it was quite indifferent whether brought forward on one day or another. (Cheers.) As he said before, he cared not on what day it was brought forward : if the honourable and learned Member preferred Tuesday, Tuesday let it be. He knew not why it should not be proceeded with at once. The honourable and learned Member confessed that be thought it fitting for inquiry before a Committee; the Member for Bradford only moved for a Com- mittee—nothing more; yet, said the honourable and learned Member, give us three days between the time of giving notice and the moving for that Com- mittee. It was not for him to say how that time was to be employed. (Cheers.) It was not for him to say whether a delay of three days was necessary or desirable for the honourable and learned Member. He freely confessed he could not enter into his feelings; he did not understand them—he never had understood them ; but this he knew, that if he sat in that House under such a charge—a charge repeated over and over again—a charge supported by documents, detailing facts, some denied, much admitted on both sides—a charge that he bad obtained money corruptly to procure for an indi- vidual a seat in that House—twenty.Mur hours should not have elapsed from the meeting of Parliament without he himself moving for the appointment of a Committee. (Loud cheers.) He remembered one occasion on which the honourable and learned gentleman found it convenient to take some days to answer a charge which had been made against bins; he never quarrelled with him for taking as much time as lie considered necessary to enable him to answer any of his observations; he dill not complain of his requesting till Tuesday on the present occasion ; but were it his case, rather than now move for the postponement of one single hour, if the matter had not been investigated spoiler, he should have called on the House at once to express its judgment. (Loud and continued cheers.)
Mr. O'Costos:br. said, that Lord STANLEY bad entirely misrepre- sented him : he never insinuated that he had acquitted him of the charge of pecuniary corruption, but he said that Mr. Hardy had acquitted him. Why did he propose delay ? In order thatmthehpt be n - tios, which formed tile only tangible ground of inquiry, might
printed— Did Lord Stanley mean to say that it was not a fair and legitimate course to require that they should be printed ? For what purpose? That in the reply to them, deliberately made, that calumny against him so industriously circu- lated—that calumny which the noble lord had repeated to-night, in defiance of the facts, should be repelled from that House, and every one of those insinua- tions which the noble lord threw out shown to be as unfounded as were ever dictated by malevolence and countenanced by party-spirit, (Loud cheers from the Ministerial benches.) That was his object. Not one word had fallen from the noble lord of chargeagainst him but he should be able to prove wholly des- titute of the slightest shadow of truth. And when that noble lord talked of having thwarted him in his plans and exertions for Ireland during Lord Grey's Government, he declared be did not believe he had ever said any thing of the kind : the assumption of the noble lord, therefore, on which he congratulated himself, was incorrect ; or at any rate the noble lord must have misunderstood hi ))) for so far from having thwarted his plans, be had materially advanced them. (Loud cheers from the Ministerial benches.) There was about the noble lord something he could not describe, that the Irish did not fall in love with—whether it was in matter or in manner, or in the combination of both— whether it was the want of impartiality, of judgment, and bias— Lord HOWICK rose to order. He was not surprised that Mr. O'Con- nell should desire to reply to Lord Stanley, for he bad beard the speech of his noble friend with feelings of the deepest pain and regret ; but he thought it much better that the discussion should be dropped until Tuesday. He was sure that Lord Stanley, whose generous feelings ,. he well knew—(Ironical cheers, and cries of " Oh, oh l")—Yes, whose generous feelings—he would repeat the expression notwithstanding that cry—would be the first to regret, that, in momentary warmth, he should have entered into the statements be bad just made.
Mr. O'CONNELL spoke a few words, amidst much interruption. The SPEAKER said the discussion was irregular, and ought to cease.
/Mr. HOME contended that Lord Stanley bad behaved in a manner the most unfair and unparliamentary- Notwithstanding the authority of the Member for Montgomeryshire, that Monday was the soonest moment at which they could go into the matter, the noble lord, not knowing the rules of the House, said he would have proceeded instanter, and asked very significantly what would be done in the course of three or four days ? Did the noble lord think they were so stupid, as not to he able to understand what be meant to convey by that iusinuation? ("Rears
hear I") He had no hesitation in telling the noble lord, that he believed him to insinuate that in asking for Tuesday they meant by improper means to pre- vent the discussion from coming on. What else could he mean to say 1 Let the noble lord explain himself, otherwise be would tell him he had made a most unfair and most unparliamentary attack. The honourable Member for Bradford bad himself proposed Tuesday—(" No, no ! ")—he thought he had—at all events, that honourable Member had immediately adopted the suggestion ; and .therefore, in every point of view, the noble lord was in fault when he conde- scended to throw out insinuations of so abominable a nature. When he beard the noble lord insinuate that while in office he did every thing in his power to thwart his honourable and learned friend, he could nut but thank God he no longer had the power. (Loud Ministerial cheers.) Much had Ireland to rue the influence of the noble lord. ( Cheers from the Irish Members.) Hun- dreds offamilies had to bewail the effects of that infernal policy which had been pursued by the noble lord in that country. ( Cheers from the same quarter, eronical cheers from the Opposition, and loud cries of " Question, question ! " " Chair, chair ! ") The noble lord had now admitted, for the first time, that lie was the individual who used all the influence he possessed to raise the power of his honourable and learned friend by increasing the grievances of Ireland. ( Cheers and loud laughter.) The noble lord had, unfdrtunately, succeeded for two years in stopping the career of improvement ; but his evil influence was now gone, and he could look upon all his insinuations and all his efforts as per- fectly harmless. He protested against the injustice which had been done to his honourable friend. It was not the first act of injustice to which he had been obliged to submit ; perhaps he would yet have to bear others, but he would rise above them all ; they would only add to his power and influence, and the con• fusion and dismay of his enemies.
Mr. SHELL said, there appeared to be no great difference of opinion in the House as to the day on which the discugsion should come on : therefore he should not detain them by speaking on that subject— He thought his honourable and learned friend, the Member for Dublin, had been out of order, and that he ought to be very much indebted to the noble lord, the Secretary at War, for his interruption. That noble lord had taken the opportunity, wiieu rising to order, of speaking in commendation of the generous feelings of his noble friend (Lord Stanley.) No doubt, that noble lord had better oportunities than he could possibly have of appreciating those generous feelings. But of those generous feelings he perceived but little evidence on the present occasion. The noble lord had asked, with that marked power of emphasis for which he was distinguished, how the few days that would elapse, consequent upon the delay of the inquiry, were to be employed. Generous insinuation ! (Loud cheering from the Opposition.) He might select another instance of generosity from the conduct of the noble lord. The honourable member for Bradford, who had been selected as the Leader of the Opposition on this weighty and momentous question, had brought forward his motion for inquiry, after the subject of the transaction to be inquired into bad been discussed during the last three months by the Tory newspapers—he loved to call them by that good old name, to which they had an unimpaired and unimpeachable right—and in the course of his speech acquits the honourable Member for Dublin of all corrupt dealing in the transaction. (Loud cries of " No, no ! ") At any rate acquits him of all pecuniary corruption—(Loud cries of " No ! ")—and yet the noble lord rises and corrects the mistake of his Leader, and persists In making the charge. ( Cheers.) He would not sit down without doing an act of justice to the noble lord the Member for Lanca. • Lire. The noble lord had said that he was so swayed by prejudice, that if he were nominated he would not consent to sit us a Member of the Committee of in- quiry. (Loud cries of" Nn, no! ") it was to that effect : the noble lord mis- trusted his judgment !—his judgment influenced by his feelings. The noble lord might depend upon it that iftedoubted himself as a judge, they should doubt him as a witness. ( Cheers from the Ministerial side.) The noble lord boasted that be had endeavoured to thwart the honourable Member for the City of Dublin. He did endeavour to thwart him, and failed. ( Cheers.) Ile did endeavour to thwart him when he was there. (Pointing to the Treasury bench.) Where was he now ? ( Chars.) Let the House behold the juxtaposition. (Cheers.) Let the House look at the noble lord ; let them contemplate, and let him ruminate upon, a juxtaposition honourable to the Member for Tam- north—and to the noble lord the Member for Lancashire, the great sustainer of the Reform Bill, that annihilated the party on the Tory side of the House, be hoped not altogether an ignominious and suicidal one. (Deafening cheers.)
It was then agreed that the petition should be printed, and taken into consideration on Tuesday next.
MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS.
POST. OFFICE. In reply to questions put by Mr. WALLACE, last night, in the House of Commons, Mr. Laeoucneae stated, that the Post-office Commissioners had recommended the abolition of the office of Postmaster-General—to be vested in future in a Board ; and bad reported against any further outlay on packet stations. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACT. Slr JOHN CAMPBELL (Attorney- General) obtained leave on Monday to bring in a bill to amend this Act. His object was to remedy the difficulty which had occurred at Rochester and elsewhere, where an equal number of opposing parties bad been elected to the Town-Council, by giving the senior Councillor a casting. vote; to prevent any bond fide election from being vitiated by a flaw in the qualification of the returning officer ; and to put a stop, on payment of costs, to all suits arising out of the defects or misunderstanding of the Act.
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS. On Monday, Sir Joint CAMPBELL Ob- tained leave to bring in a bill to simplify the Registration of Parlia- mentary Electors. One of its provisions would empower Revising Barristers to mulct in costs persons who made frivolous objections ; but the other details were not stated. On Thursday, the bill was read a first time ; to be read a second time on Monday week.
On Tuesday, Mr. HOWARD ELPHINSTONE had leave to bring in a 'bill for the same purpose.
bring OF ELECTIONS. Mr. HUME, on Monday, had leave to
.bring us a bill to lessen Expenses at Parliamentary Elections.
BOROUGH OF STAFFORD. Mr. DIVETT had leave, on Tuesday, to bring in a bill to disfranchise Stafford ; and on the motion of the same ;gentleman, the issue of the writ for that borough was suspended till the -21st of April. The bill was subsequently brought in, and read a first itune; to be read a second time on Wednesday week.
LIGHT-HOUSES. On Monday, after a discussion of some length, in which Mr. POULETT THOMSON, Lord SANDON, Mr. PEASE, Mr. ROBINSON,. Mr. O'CONNELL, and Mr. G. F. YOUNG took part, Mr. Home obtained leave to vest the management of Light-houses in the Trinity House. According to Mr. liume's statement, based on the Report of the Committee of Light-houses which sat last session, the
sum of 70,0001. is sufficient to maintain all the light-houses of the United Kingdom ; instead of which, the shipping interest is taxed to the amount of 240,000/. annually for their support.
ORANGEMEN IN THE ARMY. Lord HOWICK stated, on Monday, in reply to a question from Mr. Hume, that it was the intention of Go- vernment to deal impartially with high and low offenders against Lord Hill's order respecting Orangemen in the Army; but the order applied only to officers actually serving— Officers not upon full pay, as the honourable Member was aware, were not subject to the provisions of the Mutiny Act, and could not be tied by court- martial for disobedience of any orders that might be promulgated. Any officer actually serving, and taking any part in the proceedings of an Orange Lodge, after the date of Lord Hill's order, he had the Commander-in-Chief's authority for saying, could immediately be brought to a court-martial for disobedience of orders. He was authorized also to state, that the Duke of Gordon, as soon as he became aware of the order, immediately signified that he no longer belonged to the objectionable body. From inquiries Lord Hill had caused to be made, there was reason to think that Orange Lodges existed in the Army, as far as regarded the privates of different regiments, in consequence of ignorance of the order; but effectual measures were taken to make them acquainted with it. Every officer and man now knew, that if ht became a member of an Orange Lodge, he would be guilty of a positive breach of orders, and would be liable to punishment accordingly.
Mr. IlumE then gave notice of a motion for a return of the officers who, though not on full pay, or liable to be tried by a court-martial, had nevertheless been struck out of the Army-list.
Mr. FINN, in proposing a resolution, last night, on the subject of Orange Lodges, entered into several details respecting the power and proceedings of the Orangemen ; but, after some remarks from Mr. E. BULLER, Lord JOHN RUSSELL, and Mr. HENRY MAXWELL, the fur- ther consideration of the subject was postponed to Tuesday week.
Mr. Humk then moved fol it return or the number of Officers dis- missed from the Army, though not on full pay at the time of their dismissal; and the reasons for their dismissal. His object was to show, that several officers now on half-pay were noted Orangemen, and ought to have been dismissed. Lord HOWICK would give the return of the names of those who were dismissed, but not the reasons for their dismissal, as this would be like punishing the parties twice over. Colonel VERNER, Colonel THOMPSON, and Mr. Hume, each ad- dressed the House on the propriety or impropriety of punishing officers who formed political associations in the Army. The returns were then ordered, with the modification proposed by Lord Howick.
POOR-LAWS IN IRELAND. Sir R. MUSGRAVE, on Tuesday, obtained leave to bring in a bill to provide for the Destitute Poor of Ireland ; and Mr. Ssirrit O'BRIEN also had leave to bring in a bill on the same sub- ject—both with the understanding that their measures were to lie over until the Government plan had been introduced.
EDUCATION IN IRELAND. In the House of Lords, on Thursday, a long conversation occurred respecting the national system of educa- tion in Ireland. Lord RODEN and the Bishop of EXETER denounced it, as tending to the injury of Protestantism ; and the former declared that it would " create a famine of the Word of God " in Ireland. He wished, in order to show its real working, that returns of the number of Catholic and Protestant children educated in the National Schools might be produced. Lord "MeLeourter, Lord LANSDOWNE, Lord PLUNKETT, and Lord CLONCURRY, defended the conduct of the Commis- sioners of Education, and approved of -the system generally.Many Protestant clergymen had aided in establishing schools on the Govern- ment plan. The Duke of NORFOLK called the Bishop of Exeter to account for stating that the Catholics were averse to Scriptural educa- tion. The Bishop of EXETER quoted Dr. Doyle and Dr. Murray, as holding the opinion that Christian morality was not best taught out of the Scriptures. The Duke of NORFOLK denied that such was the opinion of the Catholic body. Lord LANSDOWNE refused to produce the return asked for by Lordi Roden ; but said he would admit at once that the Catholic children educated in the National Schools were much more numerous than the Protestants: Lord Roden might make any use be pleased of that admission.
APPOINTMENT OF MAGISTRATES. A conversation took place in the House of Lords, on Tuesday, respecting the appointment of Magistrates by the Lord Chancellor on the recommendation of the Home Secretary, without the concurrence of the Lords-Lieutenant of Counties. The Marquis of SALISBURY strongly condemned this prac- tice, which he said was contrary to all precedent ; the Home Secretary was liable to be swayed by party feelings in his selection of Justices. He moved for a return of the Magistrates appointed without the con- currence or the Custos Rotulorum since 1st January 1835. The Marquis of WESTMINSTER and Lord MELBOURNE reminded Lord Salisbury, that Lords-Lieutenant themselves were liable to be swayed by party feelings. The LORD CHANCELLOR said, that the power of appoint- ing Justices rested with the Great Seal ; that he had in some instances acted in opposition to, but never without consulting, the Lords-Lieu- tenant, whom it was highly improper to trust with uncontrolled autho- rity in this matter, us different Lords. Lieutenant adopted different rules of conduct,—some, for instance, making it a rule never to appoint a clergyman to the bench of Magistrates. After some observations from the Duke of CLEVELAND, Lord PLUNKET, and the Marquis of LaesnoweE, Lord Salisbury's motion was agreed to.
CARLIST REBELLION. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY, last night, delivered a long speech on the subject of the civil war in Spain. He condemned the conduct of Ministers, enlarged upon the power of Don Carlos and the prowess of his troops, and spoke very disparagingly, of the British auxiliaries. He moved for an account of the warlike stores and ammunition furnished to the Queen of Spain. Lord MELBOURNE defended the conduct of Ministers, praised the gallantry of Colonel Evans's troops, and acceded to Lord Londonderry's motion. Lord ABERDEEN condemned the proceedings of the present Ministers, and glorified the Duke of Wellington's policy. The papers moved for by Lord Londonderry were then ordered.
RAILROADS. Mr. HARVEY moved last night, in the House of Commons, for a Select Committee to which all applications for Rail- ways might be referred. But the motion was opposed by Sir Roams PEEL, Mr. rout-Err THOMSON, and others; and withdrawn. STEAM-BOATS AND OMNIBUSES. Mr. Alderman WOOD, GII Tues- day, obtained leave to bring in two bills for the regulation of Steam- boats on the Thames and Omnibuses in the Metropolis.
PLURALITIES AND NON-RESIDENCE. Lord JOHN RUSSELL men- tioned, on Monday, in answer to a question by Sir 0. MOSLEY, that a bill would be introduced this session, either by a member of the Church Commission or by one of the Ministers, on the subject of Pluralities asit the Non-residence of the Clergy.
LAW or L BEL. Mr. O'CONNELL obtained leave, on Thursday, to bring in a bill to amend the law of libel. He mentioned two or three points in proof of the necessity of amending the law; but wished the discussion to be postponed. He intended that the bill should be sent to a Select Committee. Sir F. POLLOCK and Sir JOHN CADIPBELL promised their assistance in perfecting the measure.
BRITISH MUSEUM. On the motion of Mr. ESTCOURT, a Select Committee was appointed, on Thursday, to inquire into the affairs and the management of the British Museum. Mr. WARBURTON and Mr. HUME expressed their approbation of this motion ; which, Mr. Huste said, would- lead to an entire change of system. Mr. EWART said, that in Paris five libraries were open to the people at all times : why should not the British Museum be conducted on a plan equally liberal ? Lord SANDON remarked, that books had been stolen from the Paris libraries, in consequence of the indiscriminate admission of the public.
NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. In the House of Lords, on Mon- day, Lord DUNCANNON stated that the King had approved Of the Re- port of the Commissioners appointed to examine designs for the new Houses of Parliament, and had ordered the Commissioners to lay the plans they had selected before the House— The esneelLie,sil the ...de.. sr the ITfloqe, sehick was; that they should select not more than five nor less than three designs; but they had found it quite impossible to examine the whole of the designs within the time originally.specified, namely, the 20th of January. Nut less than ninety•seven plans had been submitted to the Commissioners, embracing fourteen hundred drawings. On the 1st of February, the Commissioners had finished their report, having selected four different plans. The first ( No. 64) was the work of Mr. C. Barry ; the second (No. 14) of Mr. J. C. Buckler ; the third ( No. 13) of Mr. D. Hamilton, Glasgow ; and the fourth (No. 42) of Mr. W. Railion. To the first gentleman was awarded the prize of 1500!., and prizes of 5001. each to the other three gentlemen. Ile trusted that in the course of two or three weeks Ministers would he enabled to submit a substantive proposition on this subject to both Houses of Parliament. He concluded by moving for the reappointment of the Committee to which this subject had been referred last year.
The motion was agreed to, and the Committee reappointed.
In the house of Commons, on Tuesday, Mr. SPRING RICE moved the reappointment of the Committee on the new Houses of Parlia- ment. Mr. Ilv3tE dwelt on the advantage of selecting the site of St. James's Palace, as more airy, healthy, and convenient, than that of the present Houses, where it was proposed to build the new ones ; and he moved an instruction to the Committee to consider the propriety of adopting this suggestion. He did not think that the cost would be grudged. Hitherto only WOOL had been paid for plans.
Mr. SPRING Rice and Sir F. POLLOCK opposed the motion.
Mr. KEARSLEY said, that all that had fallen from Mr. Hume was humbug, sheer humbug— After all his t dked-about economy, to come and tell the House that they must not be niggardly about giving another 3000t. for a littla presumed impitivenient in architecture ! (Laughter and irohical cheers.) The honourabla Member for Middlesex, it was clear, was not acting honestly. ( Renewed laughtcr, and disapprobation.) The SM.% e Ea called Mr. Kearsley to order. Such language was, as be must perceive ou a moments reflection, nut at all consistent with the usages of Pat- liament, or the courtesy due from one honourable Member to another.
Mr. KEA itsr.rni said, with all deference, he thought lie had a right to say that be had a right to speak what he thought. ( Shouts of laughter.)
The SPEAKICIC repeated his remonstrance. This was quite improper Ian. gunge, and lie trusted the honourable Member would discontinue it.
Mr. Kawasaxv would humbly kiss the rod. (A laugh.) Ile would only say, that he should conceive that if he had acted as the honourable Member for Bliddlesex had done, he should only conceive himself dishonest. (Shouts laughter, and ironical cheering.) He did not wish to— The Sl'EA Elt trusted the honourable Member would see the propriety of retracting the expression he had made use of as applying to the honourable Mendser'for M iddlesex.
Mr. KEaimSbsv said, lie could not say he did not think what he had said. (lienewed laughter.) Mr. T. Arrw000 was sure the honourable Member could not seriously mean to apply the words he had used to the honourable Member for Middlesex.
Mr. K A It SL said, his remark was intended to apply to the argument, not to the individual. (Laughter.) Before God and own he was ready to stand to all he had said ; he did not require the assistance of the Birmingham bridge to carry him over. ( Renewed looghtcr.) Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR supported, and Sir ROBERT PEEL Op- posed Mr. Ilume's motion ; which was negatived by 141 to -ht.
FEES TO OFFICERS OF THE HOUSE OF CoMMONS. On Tuesday. Mr. Hums moved a resolution that all fees fur the delivery of sessional papers, to messengers, door-keepers, and the keeper of the Members' Waitieg-room, should be discontinued. After a dry discussion, in the course of which Mr. F. T. BARING, Mr. Wwitaca'rox, Mr. HomNsoN, Mr. Pommels, and Mr. O'Cosstaa. supported the resolution, and Mr. GoULRURN, Colonel SIMIORPE, Mr. RICHARDS, Mr. KEARSLEY, and Sir ROBERT INGLIS, opposed it • a division took place, and the motion of Mr. Hume was carried, by a majority of 171 to 93. Mr. HUME then gave notice, that he should move for aSelect Committee to consider of the compensation to the officers of the House, who would be deprived of their fees by his resolution. On Thursday, the Com- mittee Was appointed.
PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Mr. BERNAL complained, on Thurs- day, that by Mr. Ilume's resolution, adopted last session by the House, only one copy of each Parliamentary paper xcept bills) was fur. nished to each Member ; and that it was necessary to send to the
Turnstile, Lincoln's Inn Fields, to obtain them. The SPEAKER stated, that in this matter lie had followed the direction of the House. Mr. F. BARING said, it was necessary to cheek the former unlimited supply of papers to Members. Mr. EWART thought that all Societies wishing to possess them should be supplied with Parliamentary papers. Mr. Hume said, that in the warehouses there were no fewer than 2,200,000 Parliamentary papers ; and he thought that they should be distributed among libraries and public institutions. There were to be three places for sale of the papers,--one at Mr. Hansard's ; another at Mr. Knight's, Ludgate Hill; and the third ought to be in the neigh- bourhood of the House.
ENGROSSING OF BILLS. After some discussion, on Thursday, re- specting the use of block letter or plain round hand in the writing of bills of Parliament, the House decided, on the motion of Mr. Hume- " That a message be sent to the Lords, to desire their concurrence in the the arrangement, that all bills before Parliament should in future be engrossed in plain round hand, instead of being in black letter."
NOTICES or MOTIONS. The following are among the notices of motions given during the past week. Fur leave to bring in a Bill to Amend flue Registration of Voters in Ireland, by Mr 0.1.ocomere, on the 23d instant.
For a Select Committee to inquire into the Municipal Election at Poole, by Mr. BLACK BURKE, on the 15th. For leave to bring in a Bill to Disfranchise the Freemen of Great Yarmouth, by Mr. EmmissvervE (no date mentioned.)
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