Dams anti Vroccetings in Vatliament.

THE CANADA BILLS.

In the House of Commons, on Monday, Lord dons RUSSELL moved for leave to bring in " a Bill to Reunite the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, and for the Government thereof." He said he was anxious to take the earliest opportunity after the arrival of the propo- sitions of the Governor-General of Canada, to call the serious attention of Parliament to the important subjects to which those propositions re- lated. Elie subjects of her Majesty in Upper and Lower Canada were more than a nil I bait in number—being calculated by some at 1,100,000, by otliers at 1,20o,(ioo. They formed a part of the great American family, and resided in one of the vallies of the American continent near the great outlet v. :licit communicated with the interior, aud on the shores of the magnificent lakes on the borders of Upper Canada—

To provide fiat tile interests of such a population, and to establish a species of government which a a lest suited to it, likely as it was to increase not only

by births bat live must i.e at any time a subject of very deep inte- rest ; but lttlund ti, e con,itlerathots, there were others which rendered the subject at the present moment one or peculiar importance. He was anxious to tiring forward at the earliest period snit measures as should be best calcu- lated to put a stop, except upon very rare occusious, to that ihterfbrence 011 the part of the Imperial Parliament wit:ch the events of late years had ren- dered necessary.

Twelve rears had elapsed since Mr. Huskisson had obtained a Com- mittee of tile Iloose to inquire into the grievances of which the inha- bitants of Canada et:mid:tined, and the difficulties with which the Government of Cantala had to contend. Since that period, two attempts had been made to separate the Provinces from the dominions of the British Crown, by intestine insurrection and the inroads of armed, banditti from without. It was considered advisable, under these cir- cumstances, to send to Canada a person in whom the Government had entire confidence, and who combined a knowledge of Parliament with the requisite information concerning the people whose affairs were ne- cessarily about to be again the subject of legislation. The present Go- Tether-General had ascertained by the most accurate means the sentiments of the people with regard to the union of the Provinces. In Lower Canada the Special Couicil, and in Upper Canada the House of Assembly and Legislative Council, after some delay and an attempt to attach certain inadmissible conditions to their consent, had agreed to the terms of re- union proposed by the Governor-General, without any restriction what- ever. The principle of the bill having thus been sanctioned, he would state the priocipal evils it was calculated to remove. These were, the complex and intricate nature of the tenures by which land was held, and the preponderance of the French race in the House of Assembly of Lower Canada. It had been clearly proved by Lord Durham, that although in the contest between the English and French parties, the appearance of constitutional freedom was on the side of 31. Papineau, and the English were compelled to seek protection from the Legislative Coumil, yet in reality the English were upholding the principles of government reverenceo in this country, while the French were using the weapons of llampden in support of the principles of Richelieu. By admitiing to an United Assembly representatives from both Provinces, the French party would be deprived of that predominance of which they made so ill a use. The French population amounted to about 450,o00 out of 1,100,000—the entire population of both Provinces : therefore he saw no reason why the (Jolted Province should not elect a representative body which should maintain the superiority of the British race, and at the same time secure the French from oppression.

It was intended to empower her Majesty to instruct the Governor- General to issue a proclamation declaring the union of the Provinces— the exact period of issuing the proclamation not to be fixed, but to be widths six tometies from the passing of the bill. It was most desirable that the existence of the Special Council in Lower Canada should not be prolonged ; the !louse of Assembly in Upper Canada would he at an end this year, and a fresh election ought to be avoided if possible ; hut, snore that, all, the inhabitants of both Provinces were anxious to see a termination put to the vexatious struggle in which they had so long been

engaged. For these reasons he hoped there would be no objection to carry log the Union him effect as soon us was practicable after the passing of the bill. The Governor, the Legislative Council, and the

/louse of Assembly, would form the Legislature. The Governor, on the part of the Crown, would appoint the Legislative Councillors. Although many were in favour of an Elective Council, the Governor- Geoeral stated, that if that were not granted, all agreed in preferring the appointment of Councillors by the Crown as under the Constitution of 1791. The Councillors would be nominated for life, the only dis- qualifications for continuing to discharge their functions being bank- ruptcy or crime ; but a power of resignation would be given. The number would be unlimited, but not under twenty. The number of re- presentatives elected by Upper and by Lower Canada would be equal-- 39 each. Although at present the population of the Upper Province was less than that of the Lower, it was increasing more rapidly, princi. pally front emigration, and would, before many years elapsed, he the more numerous. ' The existing electoral divisions in Upper Canada would be adhered to ; but in Lower Canada it was deemed advisable, as a general rule, to recur to those divisions which existed previously to 1829 ; by altering which, the British population complained that they had been deprived of their due proportion of members- " j is proposed now, in order to reduce the numbers to those I have mere tioned, taking generally the existing divisions, that them should be a member for each county and each town. It is intended that in Upper Canada, the towns of Kingston, Hamilton, Brockville, London, Niagara, and Cornwall and that in Lower Canada, Montreal, Quebec, and the Three itivers—should each send one member. The rest or the members for each Province are to be returned by districts, which we have called coimties. huto ease havens placed together counties which heffire the act of 1629 were separate, but in nine instances we have combined counties which were separated into tiro by the act of The result will be, therefore, that 39 members will be sent by Upper and 39 by Lower Canada, making a total of 78. It is intended that the Province of Laquenay, inhabited chiefly by a British race, and which expressed a strong desire to be included amongst the counties of the Lower Province, should not be separated from it. Four years have been the period hitherto established for the duration of the Assembly ; and I do not see any reason for altering that practice.'

A general power of legislation would be granted, but bills on subjects relating to the Protestant religion and the Roman Cathodic Church would be reserved for the assent of the Crown, which would be with- held in compliance with an address from either House of Parliament, It was proposed, in conformity with the British constitution, that the House of Assembly should not have the power to originate money. votes, though it might address the Governor on the sulijoa of money- grunts: 'with respect to a Civil List, it was intended, in confiirmity with the expressed wishes of the Assembly of Upper Canada, that the salary of the Governor and the Judges should be permanent ; that the salaries of the Civil Secretary; and of other officers should be settled for a term of years, or during the life of the Queen. It was calculated that the salaries of the Governor and Judges would amount to 45,000/. a year, and of the other officers to 30,000/. It was intended to the the Rua of 711,0001., including 5,000/. or 6,000/. for pensions. On the demise of the Crown, of course the territorial revenues would revert to the sue- cessor. The duties given by Lord Ripon's Act to the Assembly would be restored to the Crown. By these money arrangements, and by depriving the Assembly of the power of originatiog immey-votes, it was belies-eel that the source of much contention and difficulty would be removed, and an end put to the abuse of voting RIMS out of the general le venue for personal or local objects. At the same finie, it was desirable that the Assembly should possess due contrel over the ex- penditure of the public money by the Executive. .Many abuses had arisen from the want of this control—

Ile was not ping to raise the question upon which he had folly expressed his

opinion in a despatch tvhich was already on the table of House, and which question happily did not now excite so much agitation in ITaper Camilla as it did a short time ago; he was not going to agitate what was v1 i tftc yiestion of responsible government. lle wi s liOt Of opinion, as he had often declared, that they could have the official servants of the Governor subject to ea./feu/a& same responsibility as the Millisters of the Crown here, because the Governor must receive his orders directly from the Crown, and therefinte fe was imps- slide to listen vs/together to the representatives of the Assembly. Bat he thought the practice that had prevailed, of having one set of men eisplayed it the confidence of the Governor, Minting, as it were, a vortical:it snelfl party in the colony, distributing according to their own notions-, with the skill at Far tice which long experience gasc—distrilaating the property and guiding the

administration of the colony, %elide other ambitious mid at men, perhaps

of great public talents, were entirely excluded from all share in the administra- tion of affairs, bad been an unIhrtunate and vicious practice ; and by some rule of administration, a better practice ought to be introduced. coati-nifty with this opinion, Lord Normaid,y, when at the Colonial Office, infiticted the Governor of Nova Scotia, that ii believer a vacancy occurred in the Executive Council, lie should fill it up by selecting, some one who was properly qualified, from the majority of the Assembly ; and, although thiS cut iii did at arise till after he had succeeded to the office, when the Governor of Nova Scotia air plied to know whether he should give effect to the recommendation, be told

there was no better way of giving confidence to the colony, and at the

saute time of making the members of the Assembly men of 1.:t4eteas,di1ios0 to look well to all the circumstances of the country, than to give them official station and official responsibility. Ile did not think, as he bad stated, that they could lay down any positive inflexible rule; but, as a general system of policy, those who were among the leaders of the majority a the Assembly should not be excluded from all concern in the Executive Government.

The question of establishing municipal institutions in the United

Province was an important part of the subject. In I; pper Canada a form of municipal government did exist in townships where certain officers were elected. They had the power of imposing a tax of a pinny an acre on cultivated, and one-fifth of a penny an acre on aid land. lie proposed that power should be given to lay a tax of threepence on acre on all land. The municipal inslitatious of Upper Canada would be extended to Lower Canada, the Governor being authorized to form .dis- tricts. There were fifteen such districts in the I :Hier, and there might be twenty-five in the Lower Province. On another subject of great importance he would not speak positively, because lie expected a report from the Governor-General in reply to is despatch he had sent to hue: he alluded to the sale of lands, and emigration—

It appeared that in Upper Cattatla there were great dillictilties oppo:ed to

emigration, and that the manner in which the taxies on land were imposed, and the way in which the wiles (Aland took place in that Province, operated as ob- stacles to the settlement of emigranta them. it was to these circumstances that wins in us great measure to he attributed that evil which bad been so constantly complained of, namely, that emigrants from this youtary, 101MC. diately aster their arrival in Canada, passed over to the United Slates, and lie clone labourers there, instead of remaitiing and flaming part of of the Province& fie was convinettil that some regulations of fiend! would be bUnkient to remedy it great deal of this evil. With respect to the principle which should regulate the sale of lands, it, appeared to hint Clod nothing tau the population m.110■ ore established than the superiority of that system of which Mr. Wakefield I me the most able advocate, over all other systems hitherto propounded. It was a scheme which enabled persors to be secure, at a moderate price, of pos- sessing a certain portion of the land to which they emigrated. It did not force them into the market to contend with any individual, who might speculate to Obtain a large tract of land, which he did not mem to cultivate himself, but enabled them, by the expenditure of a small sum of money, to obtain a fixed and certain portion of land; and the purchase-money being moderate, it also enabled them to apply the rest of their capital to the improvement of the land. This system tended, consequently, to increase the population, and therefiwe to increase the number of villages and towns, enhancing thereby the value of all the laud, and conferring strength on the population.

Ile did not intend to alter the qualification of electors, but he did in- tend to protest. thnt the qualification of the person elected should be the possessiou of land worth 500/. He then came to the Clergy Re- serves; a question which had occasioned the greatest excitement, and on which many votes had been passed in the Upper Canada Assembly, (no fewer than fourteen between 1835 and leses,) with a view to se- cure the division of the land among Christians of all denominations. At length a hill Ind been passed likely to give general satisfitetion-

The bill proposed that the Clergy Reserves should he sold, and that one- half of the proreeds derived from tlte sale or from the rents of leased lands should be given to the Churches of England and Scotland; and that the re- maining half should be divided among the Clergy of all denominations of Christians acknowledged by certain acts of the Province, such as that re- ferring to registration and others of that kind, in proportion to their numbers. The 1;111 likewise provided, that though the half of the proreeds should always be giveu to the Churches of England and Scotland, yet that that half should be divided between those two Churches in proportion to the munber of persons belonging to tlw two communions. It proposed that Commissioners should certain the number; and, as he read the bill, it did not provide that the pro- portion now settled should be invariably taken as the proportion. There could be no doubt that with respect to this subject a very strong feeling ex islet! in Canada ; so strong, indeed, that he had heard from more than one person that that partial insurrection which took place three years ago was to he attribute:I Co. more to the excitement which prevailed on this question of the Clergy lte•crces than to any wish to throw off allegiance to the Crown. There wested various feelings on the subject, but they were all united against the applicetion of the Clem), Reserves entirely and exclusively to the support of the Church of England.

The Sera slot having put the question that leave he given to bring in the bill,

Mr. Hirsos said, Lord John Russell was quite wrong in supposing that this Clcry Reserves Bill, obtained from a paelted Parliament, would settIe discontent in Canada. The queetion ought to have been left I'm. the I 'aited Legislature. Lord John Russell talked about free institmions of the Colonies, but they were not free ; they were ham- per,A 1).y.1.),.s:Cit:g Street patronage. All this blood,shed and difficulty in Cathola have been avoided if Lord Cleaelg had listened to those who o •:1,1 have laid the real state of the colony before him ; but he admitted enly Cie Family clique, and closed the doors of his office against Mr. 11,11.1ein, deputed by the Reformers, and who had since, how uver, lw a. i a Ic Solicitor General. There NCR'S a principle at work at the Coles' Office which, Mr. Hume declared, it was impossible for him in any li•ay to explain ; and with respect to this Union Bill, he fore- told that the In vii Assembly would not submit to the treatment it pro- posed to sulj.'et them to, and they would have the management of their own affairs.

Sir Romer Ise sits protested against Mr. Hume's proposition to allow the United Assembly to settle the Clergy Reserves question. What had the Assembly to do with them? The land was not their property; it belonged to tie Church. The bill was founded on injustice, and never could pess. Ilewever, he would reserve himself for the future stages of these measures.

Mr. PAKINGTON had grave and serious doubts as to the Reunion Bill, but the Chess, Reserves Bill he viewed with the strongest and deepest disapprobation. Ile wished Lord John Russell to say whether the thirty days during which the bill would lie on the table included the Easter holydays?

Sir CHARLES GIV:It gave his entire and cordial concurrence to the Reunion Bi!', and supported the other measure as the best that circum- stances allowed.

Sic Rotuma Mot. suggested that discussion should be postponed until tile Ili!list! had further inforniation on the matters now betiwe it. lie rose to ask Lord John Russell what would be done with the Clergy Reserves of Lower Canada?

Lord Jolts 11 esssit.r, said, they would be dealt with by the United Leeialatere, -11tjeet to the Act of 1791. He believed an act of the British Parliament weuld be required to transfer that part of the Clergy fund invested in England to Canada. In reply to Mr. Pakington's question respeeting the thirty days during which the bill was to lie on the table before it became law, he would consult the Law Officers of the Crown. He also explained that the debt of Upper Canada would become part of the debt of t fie I itited Province.

Leave given to bring in the bill.

LORD SEATON'S SERVICES.

Jon Russsos. appeared at the bar of the House of Commons, with a messaity front the Queen. It was read by the SPEARER ; and Wits in substance—

That her Alaiestv, taking into considerat km the important services rendered 1.y John laa,i while Gocernm•-General of Upper and Lower Canada, and being lie' is of conferring some signal mark of her favour upon the said

,Tohu ii !tont it ii, and the two next surviving heirs tusk' of his body, recom- mends to her faithful Commons the adoptitM of' such measures as might be necessary for earrying that object into effect.

It nits agreed to take the message into consideration on Friday next, liscassmaTion limn ELF:emus.

On Wednesday, Lord STANLEY moved reading of his bill to alter the laws regulating tlte registration of Parliamentary voters in Ireland. -Under the existing law, certificates are granted to persons proving thetr claims to the electoral franchise ; which certificates are valid for tight years, on the parties producing them making oath, when required, that the certificates were originally given to the holders.

n; alleged that these certificates are used by many unqualified Persons, who have acquired possession of them illegally ; and Lord

•

Stanley's bill was ostensibly intended to prevent these frauds. For this purpose, the author of the bill proposed that there should be an annual revision of the registry, and that persons claiming the franchise, and those against whom objections were urged, should, when required, exhibit with the utmost mineteness the nature of their qualification before the Revising Barristers, :.ntl that an appeal from the decision of the Barristers should lie to the Judges of Assize. If any person should, without reasonable CallFo, according to the judg- ment of the Barrister, object to or defend a claim in the Barrister's Court, he would be liable to a penalty of 5/. ; and the penalty for a situuilar offence in the Court of Appeal would be 101. These were the main provisions of' Lord Stanley's bill; \Odell, though apparently simple, were intended to be carried into operation by a complicated system.

The opponents of the bill were Mr. Fie ZsTSPITEN l'!;ENCII, Mr. Hawes, Mr. Ssiero O'Beisos, Mr. Ilessew, Mr. It!!!,INGT,N, Sir WIL- LIAM SOMERVILL-E, Mr. COi.1:11.I.V. Mr. JA7,11::, GRATTAN, Mr. Mon- CAN JOHN liCoN:e].t.t., Mr. rer71'.yre :ear. Sir Cr.:ad: STRICKLAND, Mr. Pima, and Mr. Sims. It was supported by Mr. SHAW, Lord GRANVILLE S■■•‘11::1;,,,:T, Mr. 1:O,'1;•oN \ T. 1CKSON, and Sir WILLA.; m Fosses-is The Fees,. a 1110V, I Ilse the bin be read a second time that day six months.

It was urged against the iii ,e ,ere, that the eril it professed to remedy was not extensive ; in not nice.): tim 111 rfty or sixty persons had voted et the dtst eleetion tin unlawf;t1 certificate, : that the annual registratien of voters in England was allowcel tO be a grievance which needed rt'rltr1,1: that Lord '-1..traley would transfer 11 ,is gri•!vance to Ire- land in a ti ctold shape, as by the proposed appeal he would annually create a twofeld registration : that already it Wn■ dinilt to bring the voter to the Registration Courts in detimow of his le Akira, but if he were required, as he might be, to appear t wive in each year, lie would rather abandon his franchise; and the effect of the hill would he to dis- franchise a large proportion of the Irish voters : that even persons perfectly independent would be subjected le esiet me annoyance, and

much trouble, by the minute mei eompl de-crip:ien they might be called upon to give of their qu.dificati9n : 1 that annoyance was aggravated by a pros ision I. dm ._I1-i. dex was exempt, ;;. allowing objections to he male, fiat only I changes during•

the year, but nny 14,6,1 withins-1 'a the eight years, since the Irish voter ohninel 1,i, (vs' 1dieete.

! On the other hood it wile a:leg,-1, Ci.!t !'.. ■, aetails were .1. out of place on the motion for the see •.. 1A only the 1 principle 0111w 1.11 woilid iv..jyt • I •:-•• ...el the t Govtonneett Ind ..heady ' e the

Irish rel„Istri,-.1•,11 T. al as vexatious v w.1 1, 1 all:el l e. nary• protect hint. tia ••• Of :in immense

,uan:ity of false number or p,L■■21.:i swearims.

It In' ml e ,t ))11.en Lorl O'Ct•NNLi., set 1 he sli not ;lila))

t1 tly nes': near t11:■1 ' "c! ...IVO in ex trell,c House: le I le; 11 e e 1 11111 I. eel John I'm ; to take pre, s. •, ee other matters on dared not (lc:ley n !in'n to the country ] Lord ,Iottx Bus I

to allow Mcinl..:s wlea bad moti,ms Friday.

On Tlearsday, the debate was resumed by

Mr. Ser-geato CTRRY ; wins admit it ii tl-t the present mode of regis- tering Parliamentary voters in Ireland leel many imperfections. and was liadde to strong oldections : lett I. ;l St anIey's bill would effect no improvement. It stout 1 nederially impede the aegaisidon of the elec- tive franeltise, and therefore lie opposed I. T11: slats its of the measure se of time, and would subject the claimant to much • • expense-

1. !!1:1,1 making the l'he notice requiring tin pie 1'. ef elaimant on omission ur Oil,' th0111 .1 t the register—the annual let 'ti the

bar- v)ter, whos; 11:1111C p

claim, to

taster, after a carelV - • t • .n.srt. the deci-

the expense and eteme. r;,', ,vaete.1 against .sion of the liarriqcr, and at t!,,-

the Ro•I Dine luni if he should dill in donee so—] i.t,

: into this bill, of empowering the latrrister s agai nst the

II r be on the

claimant or the franchise, and ee.linst the ).,.,

register—these are a 11".‘ of the c. ..s ei,jectionable When Sergeant Cury sat don n, ry was elcar,..,1 for a divi- sion ; but

Colonel PEncEvai. r. s••, a, ■11, tioned a eircurnstatwe At the election of 1:•••:17, ui.tte holders came forward to )0., the Duke of Clarence ; end , that the Duke of ('larenee and iv

rept) ; but ''ate bt terminate that •• 1, sail, lie had left a ,bny in that

-••.: ••■•, the debate follon Li,: night. as he :•,• than t CV•gty-four hours.

• 1' ' • at business. and

r . .17' recedence on

1 Ile men-

' s \ stem - ; .; am free- : .1 on flit' life of ; el:tined to thein person. they in England. There was, in fact, an annual election in the counties under the name of revision. There was a growing desire among men of both parties, that in counties the revision should be triennial ; though in boroughs the general impression was in favour of annual registration.

Dr. STOCK opposed the bill, as a blow aimed at the electors of Ireland, and a violation of the national ibith pledged at the passing of the Reform Bill.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM denied that the bill would impose any additional hardship on the bona fide claimant, though it would prevent perjury and fraud. He went into an explanation of the details of the bill, to show that many- provisions which were represented as odious and oppres- sive, were taken from the existing law and practice ; but unless Mem- bers were prepared to affirm that the present system needed no altera- tion, they ought at least to support the principle of Lord Stanley's measure by voting for the second reading. Faults of detail might be amended in Committee. Ile waited to hear from some member of the Government the reason why this bill was opposed by Ministers. He knew that Mr. O'Connell had denounced the measure, and had declared

that Ministers durst not differ with hint on the question— •

He feared, in the absence of stronger reasons, that the declaration on the part of the honourable and learned Member would be found strong enough to decide the policy of her 31 aj esty's Government. If it should not so decide them to opppose a measure, just in principle, necessary on account of the admitted defects in the existing sestet% for purif ing that which was the very essence of popular government, -the constituent body—if they should not yield, then there was a threat of the repeal of the Union. This, after all, was the peace, the hollow peace, that existed in Ireland; and these were the means by which her Majesty's Government sought to prolong it.

Lord MORPETH thought that the speech of Mr. Pigot, Solicitor-Ge- neral for Ireland, must have satisfied Sir James Graham of the course which Ministers intended to take. Ile bad, however, no hesitation whatever in " declaring, that he was prepared to give his most down- right opposition to the bill." He would not deny the imperfections of the present system ; but the question he had to deal with was this— would Lord Stanley's bill amend it ? would it not, on the con- trary, fetter, embarrass, and contract the franchise ; and turn out to be a clog, a burden, and a mockery? He admitted that he had himself, in conjunction with Chiuf Baron Woulfe, brought in a bill to improve the system of registering Irish voters ; but be denied that his bill, or the others introduced by Government, con- tallied the vexatious provisions, or would have had the contracting Operation of the measure before the House. He again repeated his re- solution to give unhesitating opposition to the further progress of this bill.

Lord STANLEY had listened to the discussion with unmitigated sur- prise. He was not astonished that his bill was opposed, but the ground on which the opposition was offered did surprise him— He had understood, that on Saturday last, at the Corn Exchange, Dublin, the honourable and learned Member for Dublin' whom he had hoped to have heard before that time in tile course of that debate, made a long speech to a large body of his constituents there assembled; and after going at great length into the details of the bill, ended by stating that he was utterly unable to fathom all the details so as to prepare a report for the Committee appointed specially to investigate the provisions of this bill, and who ought to have sub- mitted such report. The honourable and learned gentleman formed a sort of monopolologue. He remembered that some years ago an ingenious gentleman, Mr. Mathews, gave such a performance; and they saw in the play.bills of the day, the part of so and so by Mr. Mathews, the part of the second character by Mr. Mathews, the part of the third character by Mr. Mathews, and, in Ilia, the part of every part in the play by Mr. Mathews. So the honourable and learned gentleman on Saturday last stated, that the time had not been enough, and that he had not had sufficient leisure to prepare the report for the Com- mittee on the bill, the provisions of which he was still investigating. On Sun- day, however, he appeared in the second part—he produced an elaborate report to the Committee, the Committee produced it to the meeting, the report was read, it was unanimously adopted; a petition was put forth, and then the honourable and /earned gentleman came birth in his third character—of a petitioner. The petition was at once adopted; it was to be circulated through- out Ireland, and these were the professions which were set forth by the peti- tioners—" Your petitioners most respectfully intinm your Honourable House, that they have with much anxiety considered the provisions of that measure ; they implore your Honourable House to believe that they have done so with the sincerest desire to form a just judgment upon it, and with the truest in- tention, and the hope of being enabled, even if they could not approve of all its details, to suggest any alterations which might fairly carry out the true spirit of the Reform Act, and fulfil the just expectations of the people." That very meeting before the bill load been intmduccol, had issued thew instructions that any bill proceeding from Lord Stanley should be opposed. Ile believed that the gentleman who presented that report had said, that it was a sufficient ground for repudiating this hill, that it woo; introduced by Lord Stanley ; and afterwards, said the honourable and learned gentleman, in the name of himself in his character of the Committee that presented the report, and again in the name of the People of heland in his character as petitioner—" We have con- sidered the provisions of tlois bill with much anxiety ;" and they who had condemned the bill, whatever it should be, because it came from him, stated further, that they had the " sincerest desire to I;orm a judgment upon the bill, and with the true!.t intention, and with the hope of being enabled to suggest alterations that might render it ii bill that would fairlyi carry out the true provisions of the Itethrin Act." Now, alter rcaoling this petition, lie would enly ask the House itself, whether it could lid eve what the petitioners Said ; or whether it onutit not rather to place this allegation in the report and in the petition among that class which the tight honourable gentleman the 3Iember fur Tipperary called political professions, and to which, as he said, /10 great credit attached, Lord Stanley defended his own consistency in bringing forward this measure. He had distinctly stated, when he introduced the Irish Reform Bill, that if lii. finind annual registration worked well in Eng- land, he should endeavour to engraft it on the Irish system : and it did work well in England. 'there were no complaints against it. It was not looked upon as vexatious or annoying. ( Cr;csf " Oh, oh ! ") Not a single petition had been presented against it ; and, though bill tiller bill had been introduced to amend the registration syste In,' in all of' them the annual revision was retained. He referred to notorious net and evidence given 1,1•Pire Parliamentary Committees, to prove the ne- cessity of' fregnently revising the Irish lists of Parliamentary voters.

Members opposite had l'ormerly supported both the annual revision and the double appeal ; but they had lately received new impressions. And Mr. O'Connell had said--

I was wrong in what I before did. I supported an annual revision mid the double appeal ; in 1835 and 1836 I supported those provisions ; but I have changed my mind since, and if the Government dare to do now that which they proposed, and I assented to, and supported, and eulogized, and declared to be essential to the welfare of Ireland, in the years 1835 and 1836—becau5e I have changed my mind, and for no other reason—up goes the cry of Repeal of the Umon.'" Therefore it was that Lord Morpeth had "new impressions." and he, too, thought that the principles were not quite so clear as they were'— that there were great objections to the annual revision—that fundamental ob. jections existed to the double appeal—that giving costs was monstrous—sod that not only the details of the bill, but that which he asked the House te adopt, its principle, was objectionable, and such as the House of Commons could not for one moment assent to.

Lord Stanley referred to the provisions of a bill introduced by Mr. Smith O'Brien, and showed that all which was deemed objectionable in his measure was contained in Mr. O'Brien's. He then dwelt for some time on the question of " beneficial interest ;" warning the House emphatically against making alterations in the suffrage, or passing re- solutions declaring the necessity of such alterations. lie contended that the real intent of the provision of the Reform Act, which established the 10/, qualification, was that the voter should possess property worth

10/. a year, over and above all outgoings—it should have a marketable value of 101. a year. He denied that the deficiency of the constituency in Ireland as compared with that of England arose front the establish- ment of too high a qualification. There were other causes— In England the landed proprietors knew that they possessed the confidence of their tenantry ; but in Ireland the landlords had no such confidence, be. cause they knew that there was a constant and active influence to create dissen- sions between the tenantry and themselves, which did not exist in England. What was the natural result of this? The landlords in Ireland were anxious that the influence of their property should not be directed against their own opinions. So strong was this feeling, that the landlords of Ireland only gave such leases as would not operate against them at the period of an election. The unfortunate tenant, from fear of offending his landlord, and from fear of excommunication from the altar—( Lead cheers from the Opposition benches, an- swered by cheers from the Ministerial benches)—lie begged that he might not for a moment lay himself open to misconstruction, but the unfortunate ter. soil who was thus denounced was put out and expelled from the pale of the ciety with which he associated. He was denounced in the chapel and in the market-place ; lie was threatened with the visits of the midnight legislators, and was held up to the execration of his fallow-men by the denunciations of the political agitator. No doubt, under thee circumstances, the unfortunate tenant would not come to claim the franchise if he could avoid it, and readily took the kind of lease which his landlonl offered to him ; and then he readily excused himself by stating that he had not the power of voting.

In conclusion, he recurred to his bill, and maintained that no valid reason had been assigned for refusing to read it a second time.

Mr. O'Coxsa-aa, defied Lord Stanley to prove that intimidation of voters had ever been attempted in a Roman Catholic chapel. Never was there so unfounded a calumny. (Cheers from the Opposition.) Oh I he was not to be put down by their mock cheers. If they would not hear him, he would take another opportunity of speaking to the question. He would now proceed ; and in the first place deny that he had dared the Government to support this bill. He had gone to Lord Morpeth, immediately on his arrival in town, with a correct report of his speech in the Freeman's Journal, which contained no such menace against Ministers ; though he did set at defiance the enemies of Ireland, and the most malignant amongst them. Ile charged Lord Stanley with being the perpetual enemy of his country. To him was to be attributed the restricted franchise of Ireland, which this bill was calculated to an- nihilate. Lord Stanley had attempted to destroy the leasehold frau- chise— The noble lord came for that purpose to the House at a moment when, as it seemed, it was pleasanter tbr him, and it ought to be, to be elsewhere. (Loud and deep groaning, flit/owed by cries of" Shame, shame !" from many Members on both sides qf the House. Tim honourable and learned Member, however, folded his arms, and endeavoured to proceed ; but the indignation of the House was too loudly evressed to permit any of his observations to reach die gallery for some time. Order was at length restored, though with sonic difficulty.) Hr. O'Connell then said—" It was not I who invited him here. (Renewed uproar.) I know the cause of these brutal exclamations. (" Oh, oh!" 4, Adjourn!" and "Chair I") Nothing will keep those who are inimical to Ireland from the indulgence of their hostility towards that country. It is not any fault. I have heard of other instances, which may, perhaps, be found among those who are accidentally present to-night. I will now come back to the point on which I • was enlarging." He proceeded to contend that the bill would annihilate two-thirds of the Irish constituency ; and contrasted the actual number of voters in Ireland with those in England, to show that the former were already too few. He examined the details of the bill at great length, to exhibit its vexatious and disfranchising operation. lie warned the Opposition, that in their contest with the people of Ireland they would be defeated— The people of Ireland were too numerous not to attain peaceably and loyally, but firmly and constitutionally, an increase of rights. This attempt to spoil them would be met with a firm and manly indignation. They were now T- ried away by no unnatural excitement. They were exhibiting another in- stance of their high excellence among the nations of the earth. They had of all others been the most faithful to what they believed the true creed—ainidst war, plunder, des',lulloii, and blood; and now they were rising in the might of a giant morality. They were now universally avoiding every species oh inton- rating excitement, Prudence was inarking their steps and their conduct. In- discreet marriages, Namely a blemish in their character, had altogether ceased. The moral lesson WZIS I wroming a prooctical one. Dispose of them as England might, insult them if she choose—in his Ininffile opinion they were her ,equals in constitutional rights—he honeyed (liens to be her superiors in morality and political integrity. (Cries of" OhI" and cheers.) The House then divided— For the second reading 223514)

Against it

Majority 16

The announcement of' the numbers was received with loud cheers by the Opposition.

• The above report is from the Times ; t1t or 'to. chruhah.he h; soh,,-1h,hhiAlY no, N111111! lii its &Neill/n(141A I hi, groans " mutinies of " wait which. Mr. Coil heti 13 MiltSion to tlw domestic affliction of Lout Slintlitv's family was Tint /11orn big Pont ;olds, that this reeertion was tint confined 1.7., thin Oppo.ition blde uf the house'.

ORDNANCE ESTIMATES. CASE OF Ma. FOOT.

Sir HUSSEY 'VIVIAN, ell Monday, moved that the report of the Com• mittee on the Ordnance Estimates be brought up. Sir Jottsr YARDE BULLER asked for an explanation of the dismissal of Mr. Foot, solicitor of Devonport, from the office of Solicitor to the Ordnance in Devonport. Sir HussEw VIVIAN read extracts from a letter written by Mr. fig- nett, Solicitor to the Ordnance, which explained that Mr. Foot had been removed because Mr. Hignett wished to give the employment to one of his professional friends. According to the rule of the profession, when he was appointed to the Solicitorship the agencies under his predecessor terminated. He had decided upon changing the agent at Devonport before the 1st of January last ; and therefore, although Mr. Foot and his son were active partisans of Mr. Dawson, and had signed a placard with others, offering their professional services gratuitously to that gentleman, their removal had nothing to do with the election for De- vonport. Sir JOHN YARDE BULLER acquitted Sir Hussey Vivian of any im- proper conduct in the affair ; but he did think that Mr. Foot had been uulturly treated.

The report of the Committee was received.

MISCELLANEOUS.

PRIVILEGE: Mr. PEARCE. On Tuesday, the House of Commons, by a 'VOW of 88 to 63, refused to grant the prayer of a petition presented by Sir FRANCIS Bunmerr from Mr. Pearce, Mr. Howard's clerk, for "rations" during his confinement. Lord JOHN RUSSELL, however, intimated, that on Pearce's discharge, his expenses might perhaps be paid. Couserv CONSTABULARY. Mr. LAW HODGES obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend the laws respecting the County Constabulary in Eng- land and Wales.

SEWERS. A bill to amend the laws relative to sewers was read a second time on Monday, on the motion of Mr. CHRISTOPHER.

CHURCH 01' SCOTLAND. Lord JOHN RUSSELL, when questioned by Mr. COLQUIIOUN on Thursday, said be was not yet prepared to state the intentions of Government respecting the Church of Scotland.

TRANSPORTATION. Sir WILLIAM MOLESWOIITH gave notice of a motion for Tuesday the 7th of April, to call the attention of the House to the Report of the Transportation Committee.