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a THJ: NORTHERN STAR Auctst , -* , -Ifrl...
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fomjeiial JsrKamatt.
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HOUSE OF LORDS. TMosmt, Acocsr 4. The Xo...
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HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mosdat, Ace. 4. The ho...
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Pnoiwo.mo.v. of Pauuasik.vt — Summonses ...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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A Thj: Northern Star Auctst , -* , -Ifrl...
a THJ : NORTHERN STAR Auctst , - * , _-IfrlSJ ¦ _"¦" _.. ! _* _! _*¦ - * * * - - ' ' ' _¦¦¦¦; . ¦ ¦ __^^ . || „ I— ———— ' ll 1 " " .. _'" _¦—^ - — - ' _~ ; . . ' -
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House Of Lords. Tmosmt, Acocsr 4. The Xo...
HOUSE OF LORDS . _TMosmt , Acocsr 4 . The Xorf _Ch-mcellon the Earl of _Sbaittetrarj . ana Lerd ¦ Wha rndiffe , the lords Commissioners , having taken their sea ts in frontof the throne at a few minutes to four o clock , ana lhe members of the House of Commons , -with the speaker at their head , having appeared at the bar , on being summoned hy the Yeoman Usher ofthe lack Rod , 3 Ir . Pubnan , the commission forgiving the oral assent" to divers Klls , the titles of which are particularlymentioned" —adopting the phraseology used in the commission—was then read , and tlie hills in question , forty-nine in number , received the Koval assent , with the accustomed formalities : —
Customs' Laws K _? peal Bill , Customs * Management Bill , Customs' Itegiilatiou Bill , SmuggBrig Prevention BiU , _Shipping and _>" _ari-jation Bill , British Vessels' Registration Bin , Customs * i > _utjes Bill , Warehousing of Goods Bill , Customs' Bounties and Allowances Bill , Trade of British Possessions Abroad BiU , Isle of Man Trade Bill , Stamp Duties , Ac , Bill , Compensations Courts of law Bill , Bills of Exchange , & c , Bill , _Adminislration of Justice ( Court of Chancery Acts Amendment ) Bill , Uilitia Pay "Bill , Heal Property Bin , Testamentary "Dispositions Bfll , Bonded Corn Bill , Lunatics Bill , Masters and Workmen BUI , Coal Trade ( Port of London ) Bill , Stock iu Trade Bill , Joint Stock Companies Bill , Hallways Selling and Leasing Bill , Uatby Court , Westminster , Bill , Land Revenae Act Amendment Bill , Waste Lands ( Australia )
Bill , Poor Law Act Amendment ( Scotland ) BiU , Criminal Jurisdiction of Barristers ( Ireland ) Bill , Grand Jury Presentments ( Dublin ) Bill , Leeds and Bradford Rnilwny Extension Bill , Glasgow Junction Bailway Bill , Birmingham and Gloucester Extension Railway Bill , Oxford , "Worcester , and _AVolvorhampton Extension Bill , London and South Western Railway Bill , South Eastern ( Green--wich Branch ) Railway BUI , Londonderry and Coleraine Rail-ray Bill , Oxford and Rugby Railway Bill , Erewash Valley Railway Bill , South Wales Railway Bill , Monmouth and Hereford Railway Bill , Glasgow , Barrhead , and 2 f elision Railwav Bill , Dublin Pipewatcr _It-Mlvsay BiU , Duddeston and Xichelles Improvement Bill , Yokcr-road Bill , "White ' s Estate Bill , Ellison's _JEstate BiU , and _Roclidale _TicarageBill .
The Speaker , with the members of the House of Commons , then retired , aud thc Lords Commissioners likewise left the house to unrobe . The house was then adjourned during pleasure . Their lordships met again at fire o ' clock . The _Tajdn-r Masters ( Ireland ) _liiil was read a third time and passed on a division .
TBE P 1 BATES U . NDEB _SE-VKXCE . JEarl Foetescce desired to put a question of some importance to the noble lord the Secretary for the Colonies , respecting certain forei gn subjects who bad been recently convicted of piracy and murder . He had understood that eome delicate questions of international law were involved in this case , and that grave doubts existed in the minds ofa large portion of the legal profession , and of the public , upon the subject , andthe question he wished to put was , whether her Majesty ' s _Gowninent was fully satisfied of the legality of the sentence with Tcferenecto the question of international law involved ! And if not , wfaetherit were not better that the prerogative of the Crown should be exerted ?
Lord STAXtEr said , however heinous might he tlie offence ofwhich these foreigners had been guilty , he concurred with the noble _tarl iu thinking it desirable that there should not he the slightest doubt of the legality of the sentence , lie had had a communication ¦ with his right hon . fiiend to whose department the matter belonged , who had informed hiin that doubts had been raised as to the legality of the conviction . The question had , therefore , with the concurrence of Mr . Baron Piatt , been recommended to thc consideration of the fifteen _udges , and meanwhile the execution of tiie sentence was suspended . Lord _Stasiet moved the second reading of the Valuation ( Ireland ) Bill , but ultimately abandoned it , in consequence of the opposition offered to the measure by Lord Moiitengle and the Earl of _Wicklonv Several bVis were forwarded a stage , and the house adjourned . _Tcesdat , _Arctisi 5 . Their Lordships met at five o ' clock .
The Marquis of Cl 4 NRicat . de moved that certain petiions which he had presented against the London and York Bailway Bill be referred to a select committee , and hoped that no further progress would be made " with thc bill until the allegations contained in those petitions were investigated . After a short conversation the motion was agreed to .
SHAU . DEBTS BIU . ThcLoBD CffAXCEttOJl presented a petition from the _Sodctyfor the Protection of Trade , consisting of 1 , S 00 merchants , bankers , and traders , chiefly the latter , representing ihat the Small Debts BiU would leave tliem without any effectual remedy for their just debts under X _. _'O ; also a petition iu favour ofthe bill iu its present shape , ftom deputies now in London ircm aU the great trading towns and cities of this country . The noble and learned lord said , he had now to call thc attention of the house to the present state of this measure . Iu a fotmer session abiU was passed into a law forthe purpose oi preventing arrest , even in execution , fev debts under £ 20 . He had always considered that a most salutary law , and was quite sure that neither _hause desired to have it revoked ; but many inconveniences liad been found in
consequence of tlie lmpeifection of tliat bill , aud a noble aud learned lord _introducid a bill this scission to remedy those defects . It was referred to a select committee , and underwent great consideration ; after which it was adopted by the house , and sent down to the Commons . 1 ' rom the House of Commons it had now come hack , with amendments , to which he had to call attention . They were ofa twofold character . The one class referred to the hill as it went down , and to these ln _> thought their lordships would accede , with some verbal alterations in them , aud subject to one exception , which he wonld at once explain , A power was given tothe Commissioners of Bankrupts to call before tliem persons indebted in less than £ 20 , to examine them and sift their conduct , and , if ultimately dissatisfied with their explanation , to COUUCit them to prison ; and the same power
was given to the different small debts courts , presided over by a barrister , an attorney of ten years' standing , or a special pleader ; but an _amendmenthad been introduced , the effect of which was , that the Commissioners of Bankrupts , whom he considered the most competent persons to decide questions of this description , would have no such power except where a judgment liad 'been obtained in one of the superior courts . There was scarcely such a thing known now as an action in a superior court for a debt under £ 20 ; and therefore he should propose to the house to disagree to this amendment , the history of which was a little curious . The bill was intrusted in the other _hoose to the present Solicitor-General , and no such amendment was proposed until he had been called out of town by his professional duties ; and then , he ( the Lord Chancellor ) did not know from what quarter , it was
proposed and adopted . Thc other class of amendments were , in fact , additions to the bill , which originally consisted of eight clauses , but now _caraa up with above twenty others . These , however , were all consequential upon or . e clause , the Sill , Which proposed _thatLerilajestyin council should have the power of extending the jurisdiction in point of locality of any of the small _Jebts courts in this kingdom , and also in point of amount , to the sura of £ 20 ; with the power of contracting in point of locality the jurisdiction of any oae of those courts , where it interfered with that of another . The clause was introduced to provide a remedy for debts under £ 20 , because the costs , together with the _precariousness of thc ultimate remedy under the existing law , deterred all persons of ordinary prudence from bringing actions in the superior courts for less than £ 20 , aud there were very few of thc small debts courts whose
authority extended to that sum . A new class of tribunals -was , therefore , proposed to be created ; and he thought this amendment not at all inconsistent with the bill , ¦ while lie was also of Opinion that the clause was si wise clause , and properly framed , and if it had been introduced in the shape of a new biU it would have deserved their lordships' wannest support . The same remark applied to the eighteen or nineteen other clauses , consequential upon if , aid providing for a new system of tribunals for trying causes where the debt was under £ 20—tribunals j rendered necessary hy the late alteration in tlie law . The question was , whether their lordships would feel themselves fettered by form from adopting these judicious and useful amcndniedts ! They established a new system , and a new set of tribunals , and instead of coming in the shape of a bill , to pass through its various stages , thc
house was called upon in one discussion upon them as amendments to adopt or reject tliem . This was inconsistent with ordinary Parliamentary usage ; tlieir lordships must decide whether they would allow it iu tliis case ; _henught just mention tliat in tlie session before last their lordships sent to the other house a Local Courts Bill , containing a clause exactly _coirespondiEg with this . Jn one point an amendment wonld be desirable ; in case of an execution against the goods for a small debt there was an exception of the debtor ' s bedding , wearing apparel , and otlier like necessaries , and all the tools of his trade , to tlie extent of £ 10 . Considering thc description ia life of such parties , £ 10 would often cover all their goods , and seemed too large a sum . He now moved , by way of form , that this house do agree to the amendments made by the other liouse , with the amendments apon them to which he had _referred .
After some discussion the amendments , with some additional ones , were agreed to . Several bills were forwarded a stage , and thehouse adjourned .
House Of Commons, Mosdat, Ace. 4. The Ho...
HOUSE OF COMMONS , Mosdat , Ace . 4 . The house met at a quarter before four o ' clock , soon after which , it was summoned to tlte House of Peers to hear thc commission read forgiving the _^ Royal assent to several bills . The _Speascs , accompanied by several members , _proceeded forthwith , aud on his return informed the house of the names of the bills to wluch the royal assent had been so given ( for which see Lords' report ) . IOSdOS AS » y 02 K BA 1 _LWAT BIU . Mr . Hj wes said he had a petition to present to which he was anxious to caU the serious attention of the house . It was signed by the chairman of the Cambridge and _LineolaJtailiray Company , stated that within a verv few days his attentien had been called to _scvwal circumstances connected with the subscriptions tothe London and . York Radway ; that from the information he had received he had no doubt that a large proportion of the _aneged subscriptions to the railway were _fiditlous _, there
House Of Commons, Mosdat, Ace. 4. The Ho...
being no such persons in existence as thole who had been represented as holding shares ; and that another and a lavger proportion of shareholders were persons Who " were not in circumstances to pay for them . The petition then went on tb give the names of many parties thus circumstanced , but he ( Mr . _Hawes ) would not go into them then , as an opportunity would occur for again addressing the liouse on thc motion for the third reading of thc bill . The petitioner further stated that he was pursuing an inquiry into the subject , and he hoped tobe able to lay before the house additional facts respecting it . Under these circumstances , he ( Mr . Hawes ) hoped that the house would accede to the motion with which he should conclude , —that the petition be _printedVith the votes of next day . Lord G . Somebset . _—TVhat course does the lion , member propose to take after that ? ilr . Hawes . —To move tbat the matter be referred to a select committee .
Jir . B . Dexisox said , that the hon . member for Lambeth had shown him thepctition , and the list of names of petsons whose subscriptions had been impugned . lie did not go through thc list , but on casting his eye over it he saw the name cf a respectable solicitor , which was certainly not forged . " Mr . Hawes said that no forgery was charged against him . Mr . B . Denisoh . —Well , not forgery , but the charge was that many persons had appeared to have signed the contract of whose existence there was no evidence , and others had signed for sums for which they had no means of paying ; but the name which had caught bis eye in hastilyruning over thelist was that ofa gentleman whom he knew to be able to pay more than 10 times the sum for
which ho had subscribed . lie ( Mr . B . Denison ) opposed the motion ofthe hon . member , because the present was not the time for such an inquiry , and becauae the bill had StiU to go through a strict investigation in another place . On the same ground he should oppose the motion for referring the matter to a select committee , for which the hon . member intended to move . The present petition was not only apart of a systematic plan to defeat , if possible , and if not , at least to delay , the bill over to the next session . lie had seen a circular signed by a Mr . CroucUcr , a Parliamentary agent , which was addressed to the postmasters of every townin England whereit was supposed that any of thc shareholders in the London and York Bailway resided , in order to ascertain whether letters had been addressed to them with allotments of
shares , as parties who were not known there . As another part of the system to which he had referred , he ivas isformcdthatpersonsliadwitliin . _tliclastforty-eighthours been going round as from tiie House of Lords to inquire into the circumstances of parties who had subscribed to the railway . This was very annoying to the committee , as no doubt its object was to defeat the bill , if possible . Mr . HA WES said that he knew nothing of the parties promoting or opposing the bill , nor had he any interest in it one way or the other . He had presented the petition because it had been committed to his care by parties who were highly respectable , and because he thought that thc facts stated were such as the house ought to inquire into . Thc amount of subscriptions impugned was £ G 5 S . O 0 O . Of tliis amount upwards of £ 209 , 000 were altogether fictitious , and upwards of £ 400 , 090 were the subscriptions of persons who had not the _nu-ans of paying for them . He ( Mr . Hawes ) gave no opinion one way or another on the
facts , but he repeated his belief that tliey are such as would justify the house iu inquiring into them . He would iiot read the list of names in the petition ; be would mention only a few . One subscription for £ 2-5 , 000 worth of shares appeared to be that ofMr . John Theobald , of Finsbury ; but no sueh person was knownin that locality , even to the postman . Another , a subscriber to the amount of £ 12 , 0 ( 10 , was Mr . Taylor , but nothing was known of him in his alleged locality ; another subscriber , tothe amount of £ 5 , 000 , was equally unknown ; another , a resident in the Charterhouse , was down as a subscriber for £ 5 , 000 worth of shares . There were besides allotments of shares to clerks in the Treasury , the Excise , and and other public departments / and many to persons in stations in life which would not enable them to pay for them , lie repeated that lie knew nothing of the facts , but , coming from respectable parties who declared that they were able to prove them , he thought the liouse ought to grant the inquiry .
Mr . _Becsal said , that all that the house could do could not put an end to thc gambling which day by day was carried on by speculators in these railways . With respect to thc case before the house , lie thought that more than the eleventh hour had already passed for such an application . If any injustice could be proved ha would support the petition , but he knew , and the house knew , that the bill had to go tlirough an investigation in another place , where the parties would be examined . Mr . Boebcck . —As to the petition before the house , he _thought the frauds it referred to were on the House Of Commons , and not on the public . The other house had acted on this feeling in the case of tlie Dublin and Galway Bill , which , for frauds somewhat < , iinilav to those alleged here , dealt summarily witli the case , aud threw out the bill . That was the case of an Irish hill , and he thought that what was sauce for the goose should be sauce for tlie gander—what was law for Ireland ought to be law for England .
The gallery was then cleared for a division , but we understand that none took place . On our return to thc gallery wc found that the opposition to the printing ofthe petition had been withdrawn . The petition was then ordered to be printed witli the votes . Mr . B . DESisox then moved the third reading of the London and York Itailivay Bill . After a few words from Mr . Hawes , Mr . _KoEuncKmoved , "that the bill should be read a third time that day three months . " lie said his reason for taking that course was this : —The House of Commons and the House of Lords had determined that certain things should be done as a protection to the public , and amongst other requisitions was one that a _bontt fide
subscriptionlist should be prepared . In this instance it was directly asserted by the petitioner that the proceedings up to that point had been conducted on a fraudulent pretence . His hon . Mend would ask for the suspension of the standing orders ; but was the house prepared to suspend them for such a purpose ! Bailway proeeedirgs had been carried on in such a way as to astound the community . They could not go into any society in which they did not find persons who were mixed up with railway transactions ; they did not meet even a woman who was not interested in these matters . ( Laughter . ) The whole Hiing was now a monstrous phenomenon . ( Hear , hear . ) 2 fo harm could arise to the public from waiting in this case until next session ; and there was no necessity therefore for suspending the standing orders . Mr . Hawes seconded thc amendment .
After a short discussion , in which Mr . W . Patten , Mr . Aglionby , Mr . Ward , Mr . B . Denison , and Mr . Collctt tookpart , Mr . iioj-irccx withdrew his amendment , and the bill was read a third time and passed . Mr . Mackissos presented several petitions against the Anatomy BUI , and one against the practice of interment iu towns . The hon . member then gave notice that early nest session he should call the attention of the house to tlie resolution of the gth of April last— "That the practice of interment within the precincts of the metropolis and of large cities is injurious to the health of the population , and demands the serious attention of Parliament . " On tlie motion for the receiving the report on the Appropriation Bill ,
Mr . Heme called the attention ofthe house to the practice _ofexactin-j fees or receiving gratuitie' ; from the public as thc condition of their admittance to cathedrals and other public buildings . He thought that such practice was highly improper , and ought to be discontinued . Sir It . Peel had always expressed an opinion that there was great advantage iu giving every access to our ancient cathedrals that was consistent with their safety . That position was , however , liable to one restrictionnamel y / that security should he taken for the safety of the monuments and other works of art contained within them . He then gave the House an account of a recent order of thc Dean aud Chapter of Westminster , for giving the public free admission into the north and south transepts aud into the nave of Westminster-abbey . A small charge was still " to be made , as in continental churches , for permission to visit the different chapels . ¦ Mr . W . _CoirrES considered thc statement of Sir It . Peel very satisfactory .
A conversation on this subject then took place , in which Mr . Williams and Mr . P . Borthwick joined . The report was then brought up , and tlie bill was ordered to be rcail a second time to-morrow . The report ou the Silk Weavers BUI was also brought up and agreed to .
_ANOTHER . PABX . IAMI 5 _HTABY _iBXG 2 & A £ Zl ; 7 . - . ( Sot from the Cat andFiddle J . Mr . Ha wrs then proceeded to bring under thc consideration of thehouse the conduct of Mr . Wray , thc receiver of the metropolitan police district , in his transactions with Mr . Bonham in thc year 183 ( 5 . He showed , that at that period Mr . Wray was the retained and paid agent of thc South-Eastern Railway Cempany to promote the success of a bill introduced into Parliament ou their behalf . He then alluded to the letter which Sir J . Graham had written to Mr . Wvay , expressive of his strong disapprobation of Mr . Wray ' s conduct at that period , and quoted several precedents and _seYCTal strong declarations of thc House of Commons iu tlie best times of our history for the purpose of showing that some severer punishment should have been inflicted on Mr . Wrav than a mere
letter ofrcprchension . It appeared from the evidence taken before the committee that Mr . Wray , on behalf of the South-Eastern Railway Company , _paid ithe sum of £ 300 derived from the sale ofrailicay shares to Mr . _Bonliara roa HIS SERVICES AS A MEMBER OF MAT _HOCSE , ASD "AS A MEMEEE OF A SELECT COMMITTEE TO _WDICU TIIE BH . L OF that _compast was _EEFiWtED . It appeared also that Mr . Bonham was under pecuniary obligations to 1 Mr . Wray . Mr . Wray was therefore the last person who ought to have reproached Mr . Bonham on tlic subject ; and of all the parties who came under his consideration as chairman ofthe committee appointed to examine into this transaction , there was not one whose conduct appeared to hiin to le so indefensible as that of-Mr . Wray . He therefore called upon the house to declare that the conduct of Mr . Wray deserved uot only its serious animadversion , but also disqualified liim from holding an office of trust and _vesponsibUity under the Crown .
Sir James _Gbauam was not inclined to dispute the precedents and strong declarations of opinion liy the liouse of Commons , which Mr . Hawes had quoted as applicable
House Of Commons, Mosdat, Ace. 4. The Ho...
tothe case of Mr . Wray . Neither was he inclined to palliate the conduct of Wray , which he considered highly culpable ; for to the best of his judgment he ( Sir J . Graham ) had endeavoured to'doimpartialjusiicein this case , and to give _eff ct to the recommendation of that committee over which Mr . Hawes had so ably presided . Mr . Wray was utterly unknown to him ; and he had- received no application either from the friends of Mr . Wray or from any ofhis colleagues in office before he addressed to Mr . Wray that letter , which Mr . Hawes had so sevcrelv criticised . For that letter he alone was responsible . He msght have acted wrong ' y in writing it ; but , if he had to act again , he should act again exactly in the same manner . After defending his decision atconsidcrable length , he alluded to the share which Mr . Bonham had hadiu this transaction . Mr . Bonham had committed a grave error , whieh he did not even attempt to defend ; but he had done nothing to compromise his honour , and he ( Sir J . Graham ) was still as proud as he ever liad been to call Mr . Bonham his friend .
Mr . Sheil contrasted the language of the committee which had investigated Mr . Wray's conduct with the language of Sir J . Graham ' s letter to that gentleman , and complained that Sir J . Graham had omitted from his letter all mention ofthe rnostmaterial charge against himnamely , that he had paid money to a member of Parliament for services rend red by him as a member ofa particular committee . He contended that Sir J . Grahum had been guilty ofa dereliction of his duty , if there were any truth in the old maxim , "Judex daumatur , cum nocens _absolvitur . " ' Mr . W . Fatten regretted that Mr . Hawes had again brought forward this very painful subject . He was of opinion that sufficient had been done already to satisfy the justice ofthe case . Except as a matter of . indiscretion , the conduct ofMr . Bonhamand Captain Boldero was _perfectly unimpeachable , so far as regarded their personal honour . Considering the pain that this subject had already occasioned all parties , he should take the liberty of moving the previous question .
Lord John Kcssell declared / that the question now was , whether the House would express an opinion upon this transaction or would pass it by without the slightest notice . He considered that Mr . Hawes was justified in bringing it fovwavd , for it was a very grave offence , and could not be left unpunished without inflicting a grievous wound on the character of the house . The house was , therefore , bound to support the motion , because in supporting it , it would uphold and vindicate its _on'ii reputation . The house could not pass this matter by with the previous question , unless it intended to leave an impression upou the public mind that it considered it to baa venial offence to give a bribe to a member of Parliament to influence his vote as a member of a committee . He insisted that , if the Secretary of State had not shown a correct judgment in the course which he had pursued
towards Mr . _AYray , it was the . duty of the House of Commons to Show a better . Sir J . Graham had taken credit to himself for the lenity with which he had acted in this particular case . With aU ' _detereuce to Sir J . Graham , he must say , that that right hon . baronet was not always distinguished by the lenient views whicli he took of tiie conduct of individuals ; as , for instance , of M . Mazzini ' s of suborning perjury and promoting assassination , without ever inquiring , during the twelve months in which he had reiterated his accusations , whether those accusations were true or false . He could never forget the conduct of Sir J . Graham towards M . Mazzini ; and not forgetting it , ho could not allow Sir J . Graham to take
credit to himself for a wish to spare the feelings of another . He then entered into an examination- of the comparative criminality of Mr . Bonham , Mr , Wray , and Captain Boldero . To Captain Boldero no criminality , in his opinion , attached ; but Mr . Bonham and Mr . Wray appeared to hiin to have both been guilty of the offence of bribery . Gould it then be just in tlio Government , af ter receiving the resignation of Mr , Bonham and Captain Boldero , to let Mr . Wray , the briber , escape with a letter , merely stating that he must not act as a barrister whilst he filled the situation of receiver of the metropolitan _, police 1 ne could not concur in any such notion ; andhe should therefore give his most strenuous support to Mr . Hawes ' s motion .
Sir R . _Peeh took a review of the whole of these transactions , and in the course of it observed , that though he had been compelled to perform many painful acts . iu tho _course ofhis life , he had never performed any act so painful to himself as that of recommending her Majesty to accept the resignation of Mr . Bonham . He had long been attached to Mr . Bonham by the ties of private friendship ; and now that he was suffering under the pressure oi adverse fortune , he had no hesitation in declaring that , although Mr . Bonham had been guilty of an act of great indiscretion , his private honour was uniinpcachcd , and his ( Sir R . Peel ' s ) friendship for him remained the same as ever . He had also experienced cyual pain in accepting the resignation of Captain Boldero , although he was not connected witli that gentleman by the same tics of friendship which bound him to Mr . Bonham . Captain Boldero
had performed w ' uh great industry and integrity all the duties of his oflice , and possessed the entire confidence of the Government . BotU _gmlMsw *** , had acted from inadvertence , and not from _corruption ; and he referred to their case for the mere purpose of showing that no consideration of personal feeliug would deter her Majesty ' s Government from the performance of their public duty in this very painful transaction . He then proceeded with great warmth aud at some length to argue that the conduct of Sir James Graham in writing this letter did not deserve that censure whieh would be cast upon hiin , if the motion of Mr . Hawes were agreed to . He contrasted the terms of Mr . Hawts ' s resolutions with those ofthe report ofthe committee , and _shoned that the former were much more stringent and severe than the latter . He called upon the house to- look at this transaction as a whole . They would find that Mr . Hignett had been
dismissed—they would find that two oflicers of the Government had been compelled to-resign their situations . If , then , the object of Mr . Hawes was to deter others from the repetition of the same offence by the infliction of punishment , had not enough been done withoutineluding Mr . Wray in the same fate ! The Government could not be charged with indifference to this offence ; for it had accepted the resignation of office by ' two of its most valuable and trustworthy servants , on the express ground that they had been guilty of error , bnt not of corruption . If the house determined to-proceed further , and compel the Government to dismiss Mr . Wray , it wouldbe pushing punishment beyond its legitimate object , and would be involving the Government itself in the penalty , because its object had been to carry out to the full the judgment of the tribunals of this house , and because it had erred , if it had cried at all , on the side of lenity in not carrying it out beyond its just limits .
Mr . Bvsis considered Captain Boldero as an ill-used man . Corruption had not been traced to him , and yet his resignation had been received by the 'Government _,, which ought to have rejected it , and which in receiving it had dealt with him most harshly . He ( Jir . Hume ) , had been the friend of Mr . Wray for the last twenty years , and the publication of Mr . Wray ' s share in this transaction had given him ( Mr . Hume ) the greatest possible pain . He concurred with the speakers who preceded him , that the animadversion of Sir J . Graham on Mr . Wray ' s conduct was quite sufficient to meet the justice of the ease . He looked upon fhe conduct Of the _Soutll-Eastei'll Railway Company as more censurable than that of any other party in this transaction , and the point in which he considered Mr . Wray to be really culpable , was that he had lent himself as their agent to a very reprehensible offer to a member ef Parliament . He could not support the motion of Mr . Hawes .
Lord Edbisctos expressed his surprise that Mr . Hume should come forward to exculpate so strongly the agent of a guilty transaction . Mr . ¦ Ward declared his intention of opposing this motion . The question involved in it was simply this" Das the punishment already inflicted on Mr . Wray been sufficient , or has it not ! " He was of opinion , that it had been sufficient , and that the house would act harshly if it persisted ic runuing down such small game as Mr , Wray . He then entered into an exculpatory statement of that gentleman ' s conduct—made an appeal ad miscricordiam on his behalf and on that of his family—and asked the house whether it was determined to destroy a man fov au offence on whieh there had been passed a censure , which he felt severely at present , and would feel severely to the end ofhis existence . He should prefer meeting these resolutions which inflicted a punishment disproportionate to-the offence , with a direct negative , rather than with the amendment of the previous question proposed by Mr . W . Patteu .
Colonel Peel expressed his sympathy for Mr . Bonham aud Captain Boldero ; explained the circumstances which led to their tendering , and to thc Government ' s accepting , their resignation ; and entered into a statement of facts to show that as men of honour they were exonerated from all blame . Knowing what they did now , they admitted that tliey were guilty of indiscretion in holding shares in any company ,- but indiscretion was ike whole of tlieir offence , for they had no power whatever to influence the decisions of the Board of Ordnance on any projected railway which mightbc submitted to its consideration . SirJoiix _Eastiiofe expressed his intention of supporting the motion of Mr . Hawes ; but asserted that in so doing he had no wish either to destroy or to press hard upou Mr . Wray and his family .
Sir R . isglis observed that , as a member of the committee , he had felt that the sentence ofthe report fell with too great severity on these three gentlemen . He therefore could not concur in the resolutions of Mr . Hawes which went far beyond thc report , and fell with crushing ' severity _onVhehead-ofMr . Wray . Appealing to thejustice and not to the mercy of the house , Mr . Wray had a right to expect that the house would not agree to these resolution ? . Mr . _MircnELL contented , that it would not be justice to allow Mr . Wray to remain in office after Captain Boldero and Mr . Bonham had been compelled to resign it . He was the briber , and they were only the seduced .
Sir J . Cbaham hoped that Mr . W . Patten would adhere to the amendment which he had originally proposed- , finite should certainly uot like to put a direct negatire _' on the resolutions proposed by Mr . Hawes . Sw : \\ a _negative would be objectionable on many grounds , and especiall y on this—that a negative on the last resolutiou would be tantamount to a declaration that the conduct of Mr . Wray was less culpable than thatof Mr . _BoilhaiSl and Captain Boldero . To such a declaration he for _ons could never give his assent . Mr . B . Escott expressed liis satisfaction that this motion had been brought forward , as it had given Sir . H . Peel an opportunity of standing up manfull y for his friends Mv . Bonham and Captain Boldero . The real question before tlie house was a very narrow one—it resolved itself simpl y into this-. " Did Mr . Wray offer money or money ' s worth toa member Qf Parliament for i ) t discharge
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of certain functions in a . . certain way whieh fell upon him as a member , of a committee V' There ¦; could be but one answer to that question , and that was , that , whether you called it bribery or ; used the milder name Of » gratifica * tion , Mr . Wray had been guilty ofthe offence of offering one or the other to a member of Parliament . The guilty party in this transaction wa 3 Mr . Wray . He was at present free from punishment ; but Mr . Bonham and Captain Boldero had both beeu severely punished , for they had each been compelled , by a sense of what was duo to tho house and to themselves , to resign their offices . Under sueh circumstances , he shouldcertainlyvote for thc motion of Mr . Hawes . After a short but pregnant reply from Mr . Hawes , who commented with great severity on the ¦' . ' . shuffling " speeches of Sir , J . Graham and Sir B . Peel , the house divided , when there appeared , for the previous question , —Ayes , 81 ; Noes , 18 .. So tho resolutions were lost .
The Ciianceuor of the _Exchequeu then moved that the order made on tlie 31 st ult . for certain returns relative to the Property-tax Commissioners should be rescinded . His reason for making this motion was founded on the impossibility of making the returns in question . Ilr . Hume opposed the . motion , on the ground that the returns could be made with the greatest ease , if the Government ' would-. only ' giro tlic necessary orders for their production . Mr . _PiEt-DEN also maintained that there could be no difficulty in producing the returns which he had moved
for . He then recapitulated the grievances to which he hnd been exposed under tho oppression and tyranny ofthe Property-tax Commissioners . : "Another process had been issued ngainst his goods for payment of the income-tax since the period he had last addressed , tlie . house upon this subject , uHo should , ' however , allow the Government to sell them , but with this public notice , that he would again bring his case before the liouse at the earliest period in the next session of Parliament . The order of the 81 st ult . was rescinded . The other orders ofthe day were then disposed of , and the liouse adjourned .
Tuesday , August 5 The house met at four o ' clock .
LONDON AND Y 0 BK BAII / im Bill . Mr . B . Denisos presented a petition from tlie directors of the' London and York Railway _Con-nmny , complaining of the allegations contained in the petition presented yesterday from Mr , Henry Bruce , the chairman of the Cambridge and Lincoln Bailway Company , alleging the subscription contract to contain fictitious names and de * scriptlona , and the names of persons unable to pay the sums subscribed by them . Tho directors stated , that when : tliey were made aware of these charges they set their agents to inquire into them , and it was found , as far as the inquiry had gone , that the _allegations ' were absolutely false and scandalous , and they prayed to be allowed to take legal proceedings againstMr . Itenry Bruce , by whom tliey were made . The lion , member honed thc liouse would now allow him to move that the petition be printed with the votes .
Mr . Hawes was of opinion , that if inquiry _wese necessary before , it ivas doubly so since the presentation of the petition before the house . He would support any motion for such inquiry , and if ho found that lie had _Vmcnmnposed upon and made the medium of conveying misstatements to tho house , he would not rest until the fullest investigation had been gone into . . ilr-. T . Duncombe said , the object of the present petition was to enable the parties from whom it emanated to institute an aetion for defamation against the clients of the lion , member for Lambeth . It appeared from the counter-statement that there was . no truth in the allegations of the first petition ; and for the honourof all parties , and for the honour of that house , it was necessary that the desired investigation should not be delayed until the next session .
_.- _'• Mr . B , Denison said that the present attempt was , to say the least , an . attempt to impose on the houso in the discharge of its duties . It wa 3 for the liouse to-say whether , for its own justification , it . would take up-the matter and deal with it as one of privilege . He had given notice of a motion on Friday night , the object of which was to allow the _pnrlies to defend themselves in a court of law , and ho intended to act upon that notice . The motion for printing the petition was then agreed to . . Mr . Hawes said , he would now move that the petition presented yesterday by him , and signed by Mr . Bruce , the deputy . cliairman of the Cambridge and . Lincoln company , be referred toa select committee ; aad , under the circumstances , he hoped ; tlic house would not adhere to its-usual forms . After a short discussion , in which Sir Kobert Peel spoke in favour of inquh _" _.- , tho committee was ordered and appointed .
THE PIUS AT QUEBEC . Colonel D . Damer , the controller of her _Majestyls household , appeared at the bar , and read the following _answnr of her Majesty to the address of the liouse of the 1 st instant respecting the fire at ' Quebec : — " 1 have received with much satisfaction your address , in which you assure me thatyou will- make good a sum of money for the relief of the _suffcrors by the late calamity at _Qiw-bw _, and Ihave given directions that a sum not exceeding £ 20 _,-000 _^) _iall ba applied foi ? that purpose . "
. :.. . . ¦ : itAIMVAY : _TBAVEtllNO . Lord Palmekston said _,. l wish to ask a question of the right hon . baronet the Vise-President of tlie Board of _Ti'ade ,. and I will state the reason why 1 ash it . 1 have received a letter from a friend of initio , a party who is ho _longor a member of this house , and he says he had observed the statement I made in this house as lo the practice of employing rear engines on the Dover line , and that he had witnessed the same thing on the Birmingham Hue . He says— " The othei ; da } -, going- down in the fast tr . iin from the 'Weedon station to Birmingham , there was-an engine behind _j . tlic traimwas going at the rate , I suppose , of forty or fifty ' miles , an . hour . I remonstrated , but in vain ; and in tlie morning at Birmingham I complained of it , and the answer I reocived was , that they were in the
flonstant habit of doing so . " _jtfow , really , if tliis is-the general practice on railways , it dots seem to me that it is a matter of cotisiderabl _3 _. importance , and that it _is-vsry desirable ' hnd esscntial . to put a stop to it ( hear , hear ); and , therefore , what I wish to ask the right hon . baronet is , whether the Board ofi Trade has at present any power by law to prevent those proceedings , and whether , ifithcy have not , the Government would think it right to bring in now / before the session is over , some very short bill , giving them some power in these matters ? ( Hear , hear . ) A bill might be passed in the House of Lords tomorrow , and the next day , and it might come down to us on Friday , and go through all the stages in one day . A bill of that sort would give a security whieh her Majesty ' s subjects are entitled to .
The CiiANCEiion ofi the Exchequer . —You must have an engine behind to . get it passed now . ( A laugh . ) Lord Faihebson , —The liouse had butter do so . to get the engine placed before on the railways . ( A laugh . ) Sir 0 . Ciekk said ,, that a question had been , asked on a former evening with regard to the power of the Board of Trades in this respect , and it was then stated-that the Board of Trade had no power whatever to give directions in these matters .. All they had it in tlieir powca to do was to remonstrate with the companies , pointing . out to them what they thought dangerous in the practical working of the lines . If the-practice of running engines behind the trains became more prevalent , then it would beright for
Parliament early in the next session to interAre ; but the noble lord must see it was impossible to do what ho proposed during tb . 4 sliort remaining period of this session . As he understood the noble lord , the bill lie proposed was to give additional powers to the Board of Trade , but he ( Sir G . 'Clerk ) i apprehended that after tlie difference of opinion which had been expressed iu that liouse on the subject , before entrusting the Board of Trade with any additional powers , tho public would require that it should be move _fuUy discussed than it could be at present . At the same time , he was perfectly willing to state that the Board of Trade entertained tlieir opinion as to the danger of such a practice as he had referred to ,
BONE CRUSHING AT ANDOVER . Mr . B . OsnonNE said , a statement was made in that house a few nights ago by the lion , member for Finsbury ( Mr . Wakley ) relative to _oceurrenaes wluch were alleged to have taken place in a union workhouse in Hampshire , which had excited a great 3 cnsation in the country . He wished to ask the right hon . Home Secretary whether , in accordance with his promise , he had instituted any inquiries on the subject , and whether the hon . member for Finsbury would object to state to what union he referred ?
Sir J . _GRAnAM said , he understood that thc hon . _ma-ai ber for Finsbury ' _vcferml to the Andover Union , lie ( Sir J . Graham ) had said tbat he would take care inquiries should bo instituted on the subject to whicli the hon . member called his attention ; and on the following morning lie addressed a communication to the Poor Law _Conmiissioiiers , directing that an inquiry should be instituted on the spot , He had not yet received tlie report of the inquiry , but be hoped that , before tlie liouse rose , lie would be able to state its result . He not only directed that inquiries should be instituted , but he also called upon the Poor law Commissioners to state . whether any information on tlio subject referred to by the hon . member for Finsbury had been communicated to them , The answer was , that thoy had received no such information . Mr . _Wakiet said , the union to which ho had alluded was that at Andover ..
NEW WHIT . On the motion of an lion , member ,, whose name was aot ascertained in the gallery , a new writ was issued for Chichester , for the election of a member in the room of _jiord Arthur Lennox , ' who has accepted the office of Cl » k of the Ordnance , vice Captain Boldero , resigned . ¦ Mr . Greene then moved the- thirdreailiug of ihe Silk Weavers'Bill . Mr . Hujie objected to proceeding further with this bill _. He was not ashamed to say that lie kuew nothing of its contents . It had como down to the liouse from the lords ; it had passed through every siago to the prestut sub silentio , - and he mush doubted whether It had ever been printed .
• A conversation then took place between Mr . Greene , Mr . Bright , Mr . Warburton , Sir James Graham , Mv . 1 \' --Borthwick , Colonel Rollcston , Mr . Yillicrs Sir John Easthope , and several otlier members , from which it appeared that an lion , nieiiiberfor Leicestershire ibis name was not mentioned ) had the charge of the bill when it camo from the Lords ; that he had been obliged to leave town , and had committed it to tiie charge of Mr . _Gi-ceue ; that Jir . Greene was not fully acquainted _lYltl _) its moi'itg _, but that he had aswrtfliwm that tlie ' llc _^ vd ol Trade had no objection to it ; " tliat it had not been introduced as a bill for tlio regulatieu of trade , _oujiM to 1 « _iutyo-
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dueed , in a committee ofthe whole house ; that it was a retrospective bill , which was to be considered as coming into operation on the 1 st of January , 18 * 5 ; and to sum up aU tne objections to it in _oueseuteucc _. _thatuQt-Aeiugle member _kneivanyihingabout its different clauses . Under these circumstances Mr . Warburton moved thatit be read a third time this day two months . Mr . _Broiherton considered the bill a very useful bill ; but still he could not approve of the very reckless and irresponsible manner in which the house was legislating
upon it . Sir J . _Gkaham proposed that the further debate on the bill be postponed till Friday next , in order that he might have an opportunity of conferring with Lord Dalhousie upon it . Mr . Warburton then agreed to withdraw his amendment , and the debate was adjourned to Friday next .
REYIEW OF THE SESSION . Lord John Russell then came forward to give the house an opportunity of considering in what way Parliament had performed the duties which her Majesty had called upon it tb perform at the commencement ofthe present session . If it were his purpose to imitate the practice adopted towards liimself when he held tlie seals oi office , and if it were his object to found a charge of incompetency against Ministers , on tho ground that a vast number of measures had been delayed to so late a period of the session that there was no time to consider them properly , he should have no difficulty in finding ampin grounds ; for one bill alone , the Physic and Surgery Bill , which had been materially altered two or three times after its original introduction , and which , after all , had licen _ignominiously abandoned , would have been a sufficient foundation for such a charge . Beferring to the Queen ' s speech , he was rejoiced to find that we were not now looking , as we were at the close of the last session , to the settlement of certaiu differences witli France which
seemed to threaten a rupture with that country . Rejoicing that there was every prospect of the permanence of peace with France , he adverted to the questions nowpending between this government and that of thc United States . Without interfering with the conduct of thc Executive Government , and without pretending to dictate to it the course which it out to pursue , he would merely state that the opinion which he hnd already given as to the justice of our claims upon the United States , remained unchanged by anything ! wliich he had since heard or read upon lhe subject . Sir R . Peel had desbwed that he w . ispreparcd to maintain our rights , and without asking how he proposed to do so , he would only express a hope that without anyloss of honour , and without any sacrifice of our interests , the negotiations now going on
between the two-countries would be brought to . an amicable and successful termination . With regard toour domestic concerns lie thought thatwc should not be disappointed with whathad been done in tlic course of theprcsc ' _utsessioii , although much had bten unsottlcd , many principles had becu unasserted ,, and many practical measures _vuniauuid to be accomplished . Ho alluded , in the first place , to tlic anxious subjeet of belaud . He rejoived that tlio opinions which had been- held by those opposite a few years ago upon this subject had been abandoned , and that the language held by Sir J . Graham on the subject of conciliation had been ., unequivocally retracted . So far as they were prepared totake a new course , there was just reason for congratulating the house and ; the country . Many years ago , when Lord Grey ' s Government was
divided on the subject of the Church of Ireland , not only did they oppose the appropriation clause , which at that time would have effeoted an amicable compromise on the Church question , but they had also opposed the proposition for granting to the people of Ireland municipal rights equal to those possessed by the people of England and Scotland . There wero other questions also on which tliey raised national _androli _g ious prejudices for thc sake of opposing the policy of the Whig Government . That course , which at the time was a great party move , had at first been doubtfully , but now at last had been explicitly , abandoned . They now allowed that the people of Ireland were entitled to havo the same electoral and municipal rights as the people of England and Scotland . He contended , however , _timt-they had hardly done what they
professed to do—with iespect to municipal and electoral rights they had not introduced a single measure . There had also been no legislation on the sub * ject of landlord and tenant ,, on which they had instituted an elaborate inquiry . The bill which they had introduced on that subjeet into the House of Lords was oho of the most extraordinary proposals ever submitted to a Legislative Assembly . It had never arrived in the House of Commons , but had been abandoned almost without a-struggle . The other Irish measures were the Maynooth College Bill and the Irish Colleges Bill , _llefusing to-go over the debates on that subject , he called attention to the fact that Ministers had declared that the _fe-st bill was to stand by itself , and that there was no intention to endow the clergv
ofthe Roman ' Catholic Church . ' -Now * if they had not some measure for that objpet in their ' contemplation , they were unwise in allowing sueh a clamour to be raised respecting the endowment of the Roman Catholic College of Maynootli . In his-speech on ' the eiidoivmciu of _Mnynooih , Sir R . _Pcel . told Parliament that he did not introduce that measure on-account of its justice , but for the sake of dividing the Itcpeal Association . Ministers , therefore , introduce their Irish Colleges Bill , not On the principle of andowment , but on the _voluiitm-y ptineiple , and thus offended one party without ' conciliating the other . He wished to J impress upon the house that those measures were not only-late , but also imperfect , and that all our difficulties both past and present in Ireland , arose from our always doing justice
imperfectly and too late . As to the Church of Ireland , he was convinced that Government would bo driven before long cither to endow the "Reman Catholic Church , and to place it on tho same level with the Protestant , or else to destroy the establishment of the latter , and to leave it to support itself , as the Roman Catholie Church now did , on the voluntary principle . Eitlien one principle or the other must be the foundation of our future _policy . Government must , therefore ,, bo prepared to say _YilttaYi _thty would aftopt , or the mind of Ireland would still remain unsatisfied . At present no party in Ireland wascontent with the policy of tlic Government ; for whilst there were millions under _O'ConnelLclaniouriiig for Repeal , there were a number of Protestants equally hostile to the Government . _ He had formerly proposed thatyou
should give the people of Ireland civil equality before you meddled with thc religious question . The Government , however , liad followed a different course ; and , 0 II ( I review of the conduct which it had _rcsciitly pursued , he drew this conclusion—thatit had done well in abandoning its-former opinions and declarations ,, but that , in not advocating some clear and large line of policy , its course was defective ; and it was worth its while to consider in what manner it could remedy it .. Having shown that there had been , no legislation on the invitation of her Majesty to consider the sanitary condition ofthe poor , lie nextaddrossed himself to the _consideration of the finances and trade of the country . He was not one of those who thought that the income-tax was required by the necessity of meeting thc deficiency of the revenue . But he thought
that if an income-tax was to ha uroposed , it was wise to introduce it on a large scale , and thereby free industry from the _restrictions placed upon it . The Government had fulfilled his expectations upon that point , but had wofully disappointed tliose who fancied that it would give protection to . native ' industry . There were three subjects en wliich the Government of 1810 had proposed to legislate , and on which the present had failed to . come up to the moderate doctrines of free trade proposed by Mr . : Huskisson . Those three subjects were—timber , sugar , ami corn . Oil timber and sugar the Government still kept up , as he thought most unwisely , large differential duties . Ou corn , previously to their coming into office , it was believed that the Government was in favour of the law of 182 S ,
preventing thc importation , of foreign corn . By the _prevaica ' p o of that belief they , hud carried many scats " at the last election , but after the election their decd . s wire mnch _betisr than their professions . A new law less resti ictive than that of 1 S 2 S was introduced-, and protection was diminished by that law ,. and still more by the professions which they made , not only on passing it , but on several ooeasions subsequently . The farmers felt that there was less security for the maintenance of the Corn Laws _nsiv than there was in the preceding year , in consequence of the declarations mado by Sir B . Peel and Sir James Graham thatin times of cheap corn the comforts , morality , and contentment of thc : poor were much improved . Gould any man of common prudence , who had witnessed the state of public feeling during the last ten days , and the
anxiety which prevailed respecting the harvest ,, _m-fraiii from wishing that we had greater facilities for the importation of foreign corn ? To the uncertainty of the seasons and to the uncertainty . of . the sup-fly there was now added a : legislative uncertainty , * whether in ten weeks henco the duty would be SSb . or is ' _, a quarter on foreign corn . This augmented almost incalculably speculation and gambling in covn . ; , anil , what was worse ,, exposed the country to the want of so necessary an article . Was it . then wise in the Government to rest thc law on its . present basis ? In addition to all this , there wero members of Parliament declaring thatthe law ivas not likely to . be permanent , and that it would expire ip _. aU probability in two years . If sueh were the case , then Government ought not to leave the country any
longer in uncertainty , but should begin the next session early , and begin it with the revision , of the Corn Laws . Though the Government had done much to approach to thc principles of free-trade , it had kept up restrictions on timber , sugar , aud corn , hostile to its principles , and hostile to the interests ofthe- country . At the _prcsgnj moment tho stock of corn in bond was unusuall y small and he stiould , therefore , nu > ve fov a return ' of it . It was small iu consequence of the law , and that he considered a national misfortune . He then touched upon the subject of education in England . "' IS appeared from , the gaol reports that there was a great mass of our _pogulatiou at present who had no religious , or moral instruction . JIe had always considered that statu of things , as most
melancholy . It appealed to him that eftatts ought to be made to reduce that lamentable mass of ignorance ami crime . Por that purpose he had _i-statlisbcd in the Privy Council a Board of-JEduuaiim .. Ho never Knew of more fierce invectives than ilmsu which were directed against this Ministry fov establishing tha ; board . Sir 11 . Peel liad spoken with more moderation than liis colleagues ou that point ; but still ho had objected to the plan of the Wl . _l-Government . ' . Now Sir It . Peel and his colleagues had got over the objections' which they had formerly _um- ' ed against it . He was glad to find that the grant for _eilue'l tion ' was not only increased this year , but was ' also to be increased in the next . He was glad of it , and would not express that want of confidence in the noble President of that _Boiu-d win that noble lord had expressed ' of
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him . In leaving these topics , lie asked Ministers to have some firm principles , on which they « er < i prepared to act , and to ahow their sincen ty by a strict adherence to those _Vriutiyks , and not by voting , as they had done in this session , against a test one day aiidfor a test the next . - If they did not adopt such a course , they could hardly expect that the peoplo would place any confidence in tho decisions of their representatives . As a conclusion of this session , and as a preparation for the next , his prayer was , that her Majesty's Ministers would agree to act on some fixed princip les : it would be a convenience to tho minority , and be far less of _puzzle to the majority , of the house . Lord John then alluded to-her Majesty ' s visit to the continent ; and complained that , as the former
precedents of appointing Lord Justices in the Sovereign ' s absence from England were to be abandoned , there would be no depository of the Royal power in England during her abserce from her dominions . He also lamented that her Majesty , who had twice visited Scotland , had not proceeded to visit Ireland . He thought Ihat her Majesty might rely on receiviHga cordial welcome whenever she visited that country . Yet it wns impossible not to draw au inference to the contrary when the very ambiguous answer to the address of the Lord Mayor and corporation of Dublin , put into her mouth by her Ministers , was broug ht to the recollection of her subjects . The noble lord concluded his observations by moving for a list of the bills which had been introduced and abandoned in
tbe present session . Sir J . Graium observed , that Lord J . Russell had made a party speech , which lie had concluded with a very harmless motion . At the clone of a session like the present , it was not unnatural for Lord J . Russell to pass under-review the principal events of it . He had _refcrrtd to some measures whicli had been introduced , and to somo which bad been abandoned by the Government , and to the abandonment of them as a proof of incompetency on the part of the Administration , more especially of himself ; for he haSpointed out his want of _suecess in his attempt to carry _in-Jo law the bills for the reform of the medical profession . Ho ( Sir J . Graham ) appealed to Mr . Warimrtoii and Mr . Hawes , who had bad some experience on the subject , -whether great difticultiesdid not surround
any man who-ventured to legislate upon medical subjects , and could not conceive that he had failed in his dutyin not carrying hio Medical _IMU through Parliament , especially as he had every chance of succeeding , had he not postponed it for more important measures ,- Ho agreed with everything that Lord J . Russell had said with respect to our foreign policy , both with regard toiVanccand to the United States , for he wns desirous of eontinuing with those countries- those relations ot amity which wero so much for the mutual interests of both . E & vd John Russell had adverted to thc present administration of Irish atliiirs , and had alluded to a hasty expression which he had employed some years ago in the heat of debate , and of which ho had long ago expressed his repentance . Ho assured Lord John
Russell that he would not be precluded from recommending any measures which he deemed necessary for _th-j good [ government of Ireland , by the recollection of any hasty ; speech which he might have made , or by any prejudice _; which he might have abandoned . He considered the best _isnle for the government of that country was to give it equality of civil rights , _and-to provide for thc equal-ad * - ministration of impartial justice . He defended the _iireferunce the Government had given to the endowment of Maynooth and the founding of academical institutions-ill Ireland , to a reform of the Municipal Corporation Act , and an extension of tho eleotoral franchise , by quoting the opinions of Lord Mouteagle , but promised that Uiodc _sublets should not _herentter- be neglected . He tlicu proceeded to vindicate the conduct of Government in not
carrying out at once all the _re-.-ommcndations containc . V iii the report of the _eommissiojisrs upon the landlord and tenant question in Ireland , and defended thc principle of Lord Stanley ' s bill . Considering that Lord J . Russell hadconcurred in the principles of the Maynooth College Bill and of the Irish Colleges Bill , he was surprised to find him reviving all tho angry recollections connected witlithe debates on tliose two measures . He was somewhat astonished at Lord John ' s reference to the appropriationclause , when he reflected that the Government of which . _, he was-the head , had formally and solemnly abandoned that clause . Thc noble lord had also said that the Government would be compelled to settle lhe Church question in Ireland , cither by elevating the Roman Catholic * Cliuicli to the level of tho Protestant , or by the
abolition of the Protestant Church altogether . Now , to the latter alternative the feelings of thc Protestants of England were distinctly opposed , and he , for one , would never give his consent to such a proposition . As to the otlier branch ofthe alternative , he would not argue it now ; _ho--would only say this , that tothe endowment of the Roman Catholic clergy , a Question which was at present full of- difficulty , he had personally no objection . Lord J . Russell had complained that the policy of the Government in Ireland satisfied no one . It was an old remark-that you could not moderate between two conflicting parties without incurring the resentment of both . He admitted that the Government had not been as successful as it . desired upon the question of education in England , but still it had succeeded in doing much .
It had founded during the last yean a number of schools throughout the country , it had provided better education for the masters ; it had improved the quality of education _foiithe people ; and , by the Sactory A . ct , had secured education for children ill His . manufacturing districts . Jiord John Russell blamed-the Government for not having . ( lone anything in the present session for the health and comfort of the working-, classes . The blame was uncalled for . Lord Lincoln had plaecd on the tablo a well digasted bill for that purpose ,, and he trusted that it would be read and well considered by the country during the . recess . At that expiring hour of Hie session lie would not revive the _rosmory of former debates . He would merel y say , that with respect to tho amount of the duties levied on _timbsr _, sugar , and corn
during the late Administration , they had all been reduced during the existence ofthe present _Government . Actuated hy his fears ,-Lord J . Russell had stated that this country , _O-iYitlg _to-the doubtful state of the _hai-vest _, was now in a position which excited gr « at and . almost unparalleled anxiety , lie was surprised to hear-it ; for there were now 450 , 000 _quarters of foreign Corn in bond ; but on tlie 15 th _of'Augnst , 1839 , there wero only in-bond 50 , 000 quarters , there weve now in the coffers of the Bank- sixteen millions of specie ; in August , 1839 , there wero only two millions- and a half . Neither , then , nor in the following session , did Lord Jolnii Russell propose any alteration in the corn law of that day . Whatright _, then , had he to eall upon the Government to do now what ho had himself refused to do then ? Lord John Russell had spoken of the sliding scale as " -small by degrees , and beautifully less ; " but what had _becoino of the noble lord's own resolution for an 8 s . fixed , duty ? First , it sank
down toCs ., then to 4 s ., and last session Lord John had had some difficulty in convincing the house that he was . for any fixed duty at all . He then entered into a defenceofthe existing corn laws , and showed that at the present _, moment the stock of corn in boad was fast accumulating .. Instead ofsharing in thc apprehension of Lord J . Russell * Ministers entertained a confident expectation that no . great increase in the price of corn would now take plaee _^ Lord . J . Russell had spoken cf . the possibility of her Majesty _. paying a visit to her Irish subjects , and had fancied ,, from the speech which had been addressed to thc _Mayoe of Bublin _, tbat doubts were entertained of the reception which her * Majesty would receive In Ireland . He must either havo misconceived cv . forgotten the nature of . that _spjccli . However torn that , country might bo by angry party conflicts , he was quite sure that the _prcseuw of hrr Majesty among her . Irish subjects would hush . iuio oblivion all their acrimonious and irritated _pussioss .
Mr . M . J . O'Connkll thanked Lord John Russell for the mode m which he _hadibrought forward the subject of Maud in this debate , and contended that it wus ' _ealeulatcd to produce much . _good in that country . ' He then sxpressed his views gcne :-ally on the condition oft Ireland . After a conversation ,, in which Mr . _Plumptre repeated his dissatisfaction _withithe Maynooth Bill andthe Irish Colleges Bill , Mr . _MoiTatt condemned the conduct of Government in retaining ihe present duticson tea and sugar , Mr . _Villiu-s and Mr . Sibson advocated tlie _sc-poal ol tlie eorn Jans , Mr . Darby insisted on tlie necessity of protecting the agricultural interest , and Mr . Sheil recommended Sir R . Peel to follow up by acts the conciliatory pro . fessious which he hud given to thc peoplo cf Ireland , the motion was agrccil . to . Some routine business was then despatched ; after which the house adjourned .
Pnoiwo.Mo.V. Of Pauuasik.Vt — Summonses ...
Pnoiwo . _mo _. v . of Pauuasik . vt — Summonses were issued on Tuesday morning ibr holding a Privy Council at Buckingham Palace on Friday _,. at halt-past two o clock , when the royal speech on . tlic prorogation of Parliament ; would bo submitted , for liw Majesty's sanctionand approbation . Orders liave been . rirai for making the necessary preparations JB » hcr _MaiCBtvproroguing Parliament in person . J " . A _Louou Tun-TiiuMi'Eii . _^ iVn _. aiiaauneementliav ing bceasent forth thatthe Right Hon . Lord Teynhani would preach at Castle-streci Chapel , Swansea , on Wednesday evening last , the meeting-house was SSvT _^ . scven o ' clock , the horn * _appointed o _» ding the wvico . 1 J is lordshiselected for hia
p texv tho 4 th verse oi tbe 51 st Psalm , " Against tlicc _, thee only , liave \ imeA » & c and _^^ _* about an hour . It appears that his lordship has pro * _, _uscdpi-eacliiiigh-ojii an early age , ami _devious te _^^ li " rt t 0 til % . Peera « e > laboured in connection _ri « . i _?* _ff _Mwdoiiiwy Society , which . ' so displeased hw lather , the late lord , that , ia his will , he deprived . him tf everything , with the' exception of the entailed estate . A portion of the property has , however , since reverted to him by the death of two 01 His brothers .- His lordship w _^ on his way to Ireland , and preached on _Tl- " - « l . iv evening at _i-lanclly , and will preach tlr ¦ ' ( _TucsdavJ _' at Carmarthen . —Cambrian
_llErSES-ESIATiOS OF St . '* _W ' . _VDKIir _. A . Vo , Mtos Night—A letter , -ed bv the Mayor of Sunderland from J . vhichsaiislaetorily accounts for tlie ci ¦ _••(¦ c uiTfd ill issuing tlio writ . ' It _apj-t-.-.-. Yv which the peerage is held in his . tonl . -i .. . ., uld not bo found for some days , though .. , . _^ _H-a-rcli was wade for it among the private family ' _iloaumciifs kept by tho late carl . On Saturday , however , itwas found , and thc necessary documents were on . that Jay forwarded to . London . Tlio required forms _having , ) em gone through , it is expected tlw writ will in _^ pro - bability be received in SvwulcviJwd by ' to ' _-wovvow or Wednesday . The Mayor wvil in cither case appoint Monday next fov _tlionomiyjation , and Tues day for tho polling ,
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Aug. 9, 1845, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns4_09081845/page/6/
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