Star. — London, England, 1830-03-02 00:00:00

mil_~~ ) ~~ '~ IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, NlARcit L LEAD. GENERAL DISTRESS. BURNING WIDOWS IN INDIA. 51arquls of . CLEVELAND, who moved at the eighteenth February, for certain return,' of the quantity of lead and lead ore imported and exported in a given period. now moved that they be furnished fortiewith.—Ordered. The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from the owners and o:cupiers of land at Sittingboume, complaining of great distress, and expressing • hope that their lordships would grant an inquiry into Ihe subject. The noble duke likewise presented petitions from Adam and the c.tv of Canterbury to the like effect. The petitioners iron) the latter ;lace. tomplained of the malt and beer tax, and prayed to he relieved frwil them. CONDITIONS OF THE WOkKING CLASSES. On the motion of the Duke of RICHMOND, the order for sum. r.r. kg the peers, on Tuesday the 9th instant, (the day appointed by him for bringin3 forward the motion noticed below) was discharged. The noble duke then said, " I.now move, my lord.t, that this house be summoned on Thursday week, when I shall have the honour of pibmitting the following motion for your lordships consideration:— that x Select Committee he appointed to take into consideration the internal state of the country as far as the working classes are roncer”ed; and the effect of taxation on productive industry." The Duke oftwo petitions from the female inhabitants of two parishes in Derbyshire, praying the inter. • terence of the Legislature, to prevent the burning of Hindoo widows. The noble duke also presented a petition from Waterford, against East India monopoly. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Earl of WINCHIISEA presented a petition, most nume rously and respectably signed, from the owners and occupiers of land in Romney Marsh. He regretted that he had not an opportu nity of presenting the petition --. having been detained from the house by indisposition (we believe)—before the motion of his noble friend (Earl Stanhope) was brought before their Lordships for discussion. He would take the present opportunity of asking the noble duke at the head of his majesty's government, whether there was any inten tion of reviving the finance committee ? During tee short time that committee sat, their labours had given general satisfaction, from the report which they had made on the subjects of their investigation.— He should not then enter into any detail with respect to the reduc tions which they had recommended, some of which had been adopted. —He was ready to acknowledge that considerable reductions had been made, but he was not prepared to say that further reductions could not be carried into effect without endangering the safety of the existing establishments. (Hear, hear.) On the contrary, he was of opinion that they might tend still to preserve the honour, dignity, and high character of the country. (Hear hear.)— He sincerely hoped and trusted that the fi nance commi ttee would resume its labours, and that the country, distressed as it was, would ultimately be restored to a flourishing condition. He was, how erer, fully satisfied, either that the taxes must be reduced, or wine means brought forward to enable the distressed population to pay the taxes. The Duke of WELLINGTON said, it would not be expected of him to reply to the observations of the noble earl, with respect to the necessity of reducing the taxation. " I have, therefore, my lords," added the noble duke, " only to reply to the question put to rue by the noble earl—whether it be the intention of government to revive the finance committee? In answer, I beg to say, that there is no such intention." Earl DARNLEY was anxious to say a few words on the distress which prevailed. He had never denied that agricultural distress was felt severely in some districts, but he did deny that it was uni versal. In his own Immediate neighbourhood, he could state with truth, that there was no want of work, and that in two parishes, hich he knew, the poor rates did not amount to more than 4s. in the pound. lie was perfectly well aware that, in the county of Kent, although the distress was great, yet it was not so great as in other parts of the kingdom. , The petition was then read, and laid on the table. LATE BLOCKADE_ OF_ THE DARDANZLLM TM" The Marquis of LONDONDERRY, after presenting a petition, the object of which was not heard below the bar, took an opportu nity of putting a question to the noble earl, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affitirs. The noble marquis referred to a passage in the King's speech, at the opening of Parliament in February 1828, respecting the assurances given his Majesty by the Emperor of Russia; and then commented on the conduct of the Etnperor,t'in what was done by his Government within three months, by the blockade at the Dardanelles. The noble Marquis said such pro. ccedings, on the part of that monarch, were at least inconsistent. He hoped, however, that, in the correspondence which took place between the two Governments, the dignity and honour of Great Britain had been upheld. He wished to know whether there was any objection to the production of the correspondence ? The Earl of ABERDEEN bad no difficulty in answering the noble Marquis, and assured him that it would be seen, when the information was before the House—he hoped ample information on the point alluded to by the Noble Marquis--.that the honour of the country had not been compromised, and he believed that the course taken by his Majesty's Government, would prove perfectly satis factory. After a few observations from the Marquis of LONDON DERRY— Lord HOLLAND said he understood from the noble earl, that no definite period had been named for the production of the corre. spondence alluded to by the noble marquis. " I beg to ask the soble earl," added Lora Holland, " whether the papers and docu ments relating to the pacification and final settlement of Greece, and which I had hoped would have been presented to Parliament, are likely to be soon laid on the table ?" The Earl of ABIiRDEEN observed that It was not in his power to state when the papers would be produced ; not so soon, he feared as the noble lord expected ; but as soon as they could with pro. priety be laid on the table, it was the intention of his majesty's mi nisters to produce them. Lord HOLLAND (smiling)—l suppose at the " Greek ka- Mods."--(A laugh). Sir ALEXANDER GRANT, and other members of the House of Commons, brought up the Consolidated Fund Bill, with two pri. rate bills, all of which were read a first time.—Adjourned at a Quarter to Six. HOUSE OF COMMONS, MARCH 1. The SPZAILEIL took the Chair at four o'clock. Sir THOMAS BARING appeared at the par, and communi. cated to the house that the committee appointed to inquire into the Cork election bad met that morning, at 11 o'clock, pursuant to ad. journment ; but that Mr. William Russell, one of the committee, did not attend; that after sitting one hour, the committee adjourned to the following day. After some deliberation, it was ordered that Mr. William Rus. sell do attend in his place tomorrow. YEW WAIT. A new writ ♦u moved for Canterbury (we believe), but owing to the noise in the house, the name of the place WAS not distinctly heard. The new writ was said to be moved for on the resignation U . S. R. Lushington, En. The St. Katharine Dock Bill was read a second time and or dered to be committed. - - - Sir ROBT. HERON moved for the copies of warrants or corn missions by which the Hon. Robert S. Dundas held the office of one of the commissioners of the navy, and the Hon. William Bathurst the office of one of the commissioners of the victualling Mr. W. DUNDAB presented a petition from Edinburgh against the East India Company's monopoly.—Referred to the committee. MALT AND BEER TAX. Sir EDWARD KNATCHBULL presented seven petitions from Canterbury, Eastbourne, Ash, and other places , in the county of Kent, praying for a repe al of the above taxes.—Ordered to lie on the table. WOOL. TRADE. Sir EDW. KNATCHBULL presented a petition from the wool growers of Romney Marsh, Kent, complaining of the low price of wool, which they attributed in a great measure to the importation of foreign wool. Sir CHARLES BURRELL could bear testimony to the great depression existing at the present time throughout the whole of, this branch of trade. He was much surprised that when this subject was brought forward in the odor house of par. llarnent last sessions by, the Duke of Riclinionl, that it should have been met by an assertion from one of his majesty's ministers, that the distress was partial and not general; that it sipplied to short wools and tine wools, and not to the grostal de. .scrlptions. Now he (Sir C. Burrell) could have proved the con trary,_ and shown on plain grounds that the depression in prices ex tmded to all description of wools. He knew for a fact that long wools, which were formerly selling for Is. Bd. to 24. per pound were now reduced so low as from Bd. tot:taper pound. Heals. knew et the time that this unprecedented fall extended to all del and he felt much surprised at the fallacious grounds upon the noble lend alluded to had met tide (pinion. He would on se that the denial of the noble lord war intondonal, but he that it arose from • wept of proper imp*, Into the 11111061 6 .4 species of inattention on the part of minima* OCCOMIPOR occononos. With respect to* present state of the wool-towns,' be cortoidieol that their distress had been in a great mown broagbt se by the facilities Warded for: the importation of foreig n i trod, which, whilst It impoverished our own growers, greatly socou. .... raged, and put no less than 200,0001. into the pockets of the foreign farmers. Mr. IRVING made a few observations in a low tone of voice, and stated as his opinion that there was a prospect of improvement ere long in this branch of trade. With respect to importation of foreign wool, he would take the liberty of reminding hon. members that it was absolutely neenury to have some portion of foreign wool in the manufacture of cloth. Colonel SIB I'HORPE said that the farmer had been starved to a skeleton, and he would soon be starved to death if they continued to feed him on hope, and not give him more substantial food. Mr. HART DAVIS said that there was less foreign wool int. ported at this present time than had been known fee the last thirty years (hear.) He lamented as much as any one could do the pre sent low prices, but he did not consider that it arose from the ltd. portation of foreign wool. After a few words from Sir H. KNATCIIIIIULL, the petition was ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed. WAGES TN GOODS. Mr. LITTLETON presented a petition from the workmen of the Staffordshire potteria, against the practice of payment of wages in goods. The petition stated that there were thirty thousand persons employed in the manufacture of china and earthenware, and that it has become a practice for some time past for their masters to oblige them to take goods instead of money in payment of their wa g e s . As they were not free agents, but were obliged to take the goods at whatever prices their masters chose to put upon them, they sustained great loss, not only in being charged more than they ought, but also from being obliged to ex change the articles at an enormous discount. The petition prayed that the laws upon this subject might be revised. The petition was laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. Mr. LITTLETON also, presented a petition from the tradesmen and shopkeepers of the Potteries, on the same subject. Also, similar petitions from Burslem and Walsall, in Staffordshire. The petitions were laid on the table. Colonel SIBTHOEPE postponed his motion, which stood for the 3d inst. relative to the better accommodation of the persons en.. gaged in reporting the proceedings of that house, until Friday, the 12th. of this month. ABISINTIZIL Colonel SIBTHORPE then moved for a return of all passports granted to English subjects leaving England from the year 1826 to 1829, both years inclusive. The hon, member said, that he moved for this return under the impression that absenteeism greatly injured the country. A tax might be impo se d u p on t h em , w hi c h would bring back 4,000,0001. to be expended in the country. Lord LOWTHER said, he did not know the house could obtain such a return from the different foreign ambassadors ; but as far as the Foreign Secretary's office was concerned, the return could be granted. Mr. RIDLEY COLBORNE observed, that not one out of 20 went to the Foreign Office. A passport there cost 21. while a man could procure one for nothing from the French ambassador. Still the passport of the Foreign Office might, under certain circum stances, prove the cheaper of the two, for it carried you through all Furope,whereas the French ambassador's only brought you to Paris, or, at the utmost, through France. Mr. Secretary PEEL objected to the motion. He thought that it would be a very urwarrantable interference with the affairs of pri vate individuals going to foreign countries. He begged to suggest to the hon. gent. that he ought to withdraw his motion. Sir C. BURRELL also recommended his honourable friend to withdraw his motion ; he did not think he would attain by it the object he had in view. Sir G. WARRENDER suggested to the hon. member for Lin. colnshire, that he would be only showing up the lower classes of travellers by such a return, because the higher orders generally had their passports from the foreir ministers. Colonel SIBTHORPE said he had no wish 'to show up any one. His object by the returns would be to show what a great sum of money was carried out of the country. He withdrew his motion. The honourable member then presented a petition from the owners and occupiers of land in the hundred of Colney, in Suffolk, complaining of distress, and praying for inquiry into the cause.— on the table. laid Mr. BURRELL presented a petition, from the inhabitants of Ashbumham, in the county of Sussex, praying for the repeal of the duty on malt and beer. Sir C. BURRELL supported the petition, and suggested to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to reduce the duty on malt as well as on beer, for a reduction of the duty on the latter, without the for mer, would be of no avail. The CHANCELLOK of the EXCHEQUER said he had no difficulty in saying that the subject would have due conside ration. With respect to the committee for which he meant to move to-morrow, his hon. friend seemed to forget that its import was to consider the regulations respecting the sale of beer, and not the re duction of taxation. The petition was laid on the table. Mr. BURRELL presented a petition, complaining of distress, from the owners and occupiers of land near lichingham, in the county of Kent..--Lald on the table. Mr. CHAPLIN presented a petition from the gentry-, and owners and occupiers of land in the neighbourhood of Louth, in Lincoln. shire, complaining of distress, chiefly among the wool-growers. Laid on the table. Lord BLIOT presented a petition from the Worcestershire Me diced and Surgical Society respecting the mode of supplying dead bodies—Ordered to be printed. Upon the motion of Mr. JONES an address to the crown was voted for several returns of the number of probate of wills and ad. ministrations issued in the several dioceses of St. Asaph, St. David, Landaf4 and Bagnor, in the principality of Wales, for the last five years. Also the number of bills filed in Chancery for the principality in the same time. Mr. A. CAMPBELL presented two petitions from the mer- I chants and from the manufacturers, and other classes, in Glasgow, against the renewal of the East India Company's Charter. Both were ordered to be referred to the committee upon the trade to the East Indies and China. Mr. H. DAVIS presented a petition from certain West India planters, merchants residing in the city of Bristol, ,praying for a re. duction of the duty on sugar and rum. The hon. member made some observations upon the petition, which were not heard in the blr. C. PALLMER supported the petition, which was then laid on the table. Mr. 0. DAWSON moved that there be laid on the table a copy of the Twenty-tint Report of the Commissioners of the Public Re venue hi lreland.—Ordered. Mr. DAWSON brought up the Navy Estimates. The Consolidated Fund Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition fmm the Roman Catho lics, and other inhabitants of the island of Grenada, praying for a speedy removal of all disabilities on account of religious distinctions in that island. COMPLAINT OF MISIZPRESINTATION. Mr. BROUGHAM rose to correct a misrepresentation of the grossest nature that had ever been made in that house.— He understood, that the Honourable Member for Colchester had said on Friday night, that ifs member of the profession of the bar should give notice in that house relative to any public character, and if that public character should afterwards give him a brief to plead his cause in another place, it was the etiquette of th e b ar ' f or the counsel so retained to withdraw his opposition from that public character. On the part of the bar, he (Mr. B.) disclaimed any such eta uetl , te. The charge was made in allusion to a notice given by him (Mr. B.) relative to Lord Charles Somerset, which, it was said, he ad declined, in consequence of his having been retained as counsel on behalf of Lord Charles. To this he (Mr. B.) gave the most unqualified and peremptory denial. He never .had any re. tamer at all front or on behalf of Lord Charles Somerset. The im putation was as unjust towards Lord Charles as it was to him. He explained sometime ago the cause of his not proceeding with that charge. A petition had been presented in that house charging Lord Charles with bribery respecting the purchase of a horse. He said if that charge were substantiated, he would impeach Lord Charles. A few days after he had been employed as counsel, in an appeal from a deeision of Lord Charles's to the Privy Council, and the subject of appeal was this very question which involved the charge, and he (Mr. B.) was retained to support the judgment. He stated the circumstances in the house at the time, saying that he would not be employed one day in supporting the judgment. and another in impeaching it. But independently of all this, he found that the facts contained in the petition could not be supported, and that he had no grounds for impeaching Lord Charles. This took place in 1827, and he then explained the facts as he did now, and he hoped he should never be called on again to say a word more on the* sioject. Mr. D. W. HARVEY was induced to make the remarks which he had made, as they were applicable to what fell from the learned gentleman himself at the time. He (Mr. Harvey) then felt surprised at the course pursued by the learned gentleman, who stated that it was preposterous for a person to be counsel and judge in the same case; but was it not well known that there were 80 or 60 Commis. sioners of Bankrupts, who were alternately counsel and judges, and very often in the same causes. The hen. member here entered into a comparison between the profession of barrister and solicitor, ob. serving that if *solicitor ced more than a apechic sum, Ss. 4d. or Os. lid. the master would make him refund it; whereas if a bar. rioter took 100 guineas as a fee, there was no means of compelling hint to refund it. 1 Mr. O'CONNELL presented two petitions front Dublin, pray's' fora repeal of the vestry act, and.one from Naas to the same effece ; also one from Drogheda, complaining of distress, a nd stating that there were 16,000 inhabitants in that town destitute of food, fuel and clothing, and complaining that the corporation had misapplied 110,0001. , designed for the poor. The learned gentleman p resente d soother petition from the tanners of Drogheda, praying foe the re- - peal of the duties on leather. He then ' , awe notice, that he would defer his motion respecting the law of libel, from the 3d instant to the 519th of May. Mr. PENGUSSON bored to know from Nome of his Majesty's ministers, whether Lord Wynford was to be appointed Deputy Speaker in the House of Lords, to hear Scotch appeals, and if be was to have a salary, along with his retired pay se a Ju4s ? M. Secretary PEEL could not say whether Lord Wynford was to be so appointed or not; but, even if he should, there was no in. tendon of attaching a salary to that office. Mr. SLANEY presented a petition from the county of Salop, eetnplainieg of distress, and praying for a repeal of the duties on milt and beer. The hon. member trusted that ministers would take the subject into consideration, and that such members as were in. terosted in it would urge the administration to it. Mr. PORTMAN observed, that the chancellor of the exchequer informed him last year, that he would bring in a bill this year to modify the malt duties. He would not urge the right bon. gentle. man to give an answer now, but he hop ed that the right bon. gen tleman would repeal the duties altog ether. BOROUGH OF XEMAILIC. Mr. P. THOMPSON Raid that he had a petition to present which , would command the best attention of the house. He felt it would be necessary to ask for the indulgence of the house, because, con curring as he did in the prayer of the petition, he would feel t his I duty to found a subsequent motion upon it. The petition was from the town of Newark, containing about 2,000 houses, a great portion of which were the property of the Duke of Newcastle. Around the town there were 960 acres belonging to the Crown; and he only I wished he could be allowed to offer to the house a map of its situation, in outer to show their great importance. This land was held by a species of monopoly in the hands of one person, which was most injurious to the extent and prosperity of the town. But it had a privilege given to it, which, if rightly ev.er eised, would be of the greatest advantage; but that not being so, this privilege was turned to their disadvantage. The town of Newark would be flourishing if it were not that the lessee of the crown charged a monopoly price for the ground, and the surrender of body anti soul to the noble proprietor. But in saying this, he meant not to say that property should not have its proper influence; but at Newark the influence over the tenant was exactly like that of a slave-driver over the West India Degrees. The late representa tive to his honour. declined his seat, because he felt it his duty to vote against the opinions of his noble patron. He meant nothing offensive to the present hon. member for Newark in any thing which he had said; but, upon the resignation of Oen. Clinton, the electors wished an unfettered exercise of their right, which they were not al lowed. Upwards of five hundred electors of Newark had the manliness to oppose the nominee of the crown lessee; but their efforts proved unavailing. The unfortunate electors knew well with whom they had to deal; and, although the vengeance of the crown lessee slumbered for a while, it was not the less certain of being put into active operation when the period had passed at which an election petition could have been presented with certain effect. It so oc curred, that every tenant of the noble duke who had voted for Sir. Serjeant Wilde was served with a notice to quit at the ensuing half year after the election —no, not every one; for there was one who said he had voted for him In a mistake, and the agent of the noble duke stated, that in that case the notice to quit was also a mistake.—(Hear, hear.) He wished he had the eloquence of the honourable member far Newark (Mr. Sadler,) for then he would be enabled to paint In proper colouring the disadvantages which resulted to that town from being subjected to the control of the crown lessee. After the notices had been served, a public meeting was convened, a most respectful petition was sent to the noble duke and the hon. member (Sir. Sadler) to attend, which they severally declined. Hr did not blame the honourable member for acting upon his discretion in not doing so; but the noble duke, in reply, had sent the requisitionists for answer, that he had a per fect right to do as he pleased with his own property. (Hear.) — That might, however, he (Mr. P. Thompson) entirely denied. The noble duke, as &landlord, might have, and-had, a certain right as to his tenants ; but he had no right whatsoever over the votes of the electors. The exercise of such an influence was at variance with the standing orders of that house, and their violation should, at all events, be inquired into. (Hear, bear.)--If the noble duke had read the work of the hon. membe r for Newark he would per. haps have taken a different course, for there he would have found a passage to the effect, that more misery resulted to the people }tom the interference with the freedom of election than from almost any other possible source.—(cheers.) Pecuniary as well as political in. jury had been inflicted upon the people of Newark, and It now only remained fur him to show that the very existence of a free re presentation in this house was involved in the consideration of this petition. When the petition should be laid on the table, he meant to move that a select committee should be appointed to inquire into the manner in which a crown lease of the lands he had al luded to had been given to the Duke of Newcastle. The first lease of the property at Newark bad been granted in 1760 to the Earl of Lincoln, by his relative the Duke of Newcastle, who was then prime minister, at a rent of 361. a year. The lease was renewed in 1816, it having expired about nine years before, and the fine paid fee the renewal was no more than the rent for those same nine years. In 1816 the rent was increased to 2,0601. a year, which he was informed that the real value was at least from three to three thousand five hundred pounds a year. So far there was a pecuniary loss to the crown, which though great, was not half so great as the political in jury which it inflicted upon the inhabitants of Newark. The leases granted by the Duke of Newcastle were only from year to year, with a view no doubt to secure the subserviency of the electors, as in fact ap in the case of those who voted against the candidate of the no le in favour of Mr. Sergeant Wilde. The land in and about the town of Newark was of considerable value, for he found that four acres belonging to the estate of Lord Middleton had been sold on building leases, at the rate of 10001. an acre. Why not the land of the Duke of Newcastle sell at the same price, if the condition of the tenants' tenure were not different to that of Lord Middleton ? By an alteration of the mode of letting the crown lands, more matey could be put into the Exchequer, while it would relieve the petiti oners especially from the political subjection of which they had so much reason to complain. The crown lands at Newark, rrh. were let to the noble duke as a benefit to the inhabitants, had been completely turned to their disadvantage. For these reasons, es be said before, he would move that the petition be referred toe select committee, to ex amine into the truth of the allegations which it contained. This cause be preferred to referring it to a committee of privileges. Honour. able members generally anew that suet) a course was fully open to him. He asked for no punishment on the noble lessee; be wished no greater indignation to pursue him than every one who read the proceedings at Newark had already heaped upon him ; be sought for no vengeance on the noble duke; but he (Mr. P. Thompson) called upon this house to prevent the recurrence of the evils so justly complained of. and to vindicate the crown from the obloquy which must also necessarily attach to such transac tions.—(hear, hear.) On the motion that the petition be brought up, Lord LOWTHEIt said, he did not deny the right of the peti. tioners to present this petition ; but be was aware that some of the facts stated ir: the hon. member were either gross mis.statemems, or a great perversion of the truth. (Hear, hear.) Ile would not fol low the honourable member through all the allegations he nad yen. Lured to make, and he would admit that the amount of the popula tion of Newark was correctly stated. With respect to the tolls, mentioned in the petition, their amount was only 801. n ear, one third of which was claimed by the corporation of Nottin gh am, and the grant was made so fat back as the reign of Charles t e Second. As to the 060 saes of land, so much dwelt on by the honourable member, It was not surrounding Newark, as had been described; they were scattered over several villages, and some of them at the distance dually three or four miles R out that town—(Hear.) He was aware that the right of voting for Newark was the payment of scot and lot; but the house would be surprised when he told them that the crown property there consisted of twelve houses and twenty-six cottages. (Hear.) After all the parade about the in- Ifluence—after all that had been said about extortion and tyranny in the noble duke, who was called the crown lessee, he (Lord L) won dered that the hon. member who had inspected the map of Newark at the office of woods and forests. had net described it more accu rately than be had done. It; in fact, as had been stated, it were to be defended as crown lands, no less than three sides of It would be open and defenceless. There were three or four proprietors of land who had a Luger property at Newark than possessed by the crown. True, the rent or iginally was only 361. altar. But, then, the re newal was in 1800, and not in 1815 as had been mated. The an nual rental was now 2,060!. a.year, which was the amount regu lated after a fair valuation by surveyors sent down from London, who acted upon their oaths. If then the statements of the hon. member had been so far exaggerated or unfounded as to the ma. etagere of the crown lands, so should the alleged interference of the crown lessee be stated with a greater degree of caution. Who, he begged to ask, would take ground if he were not to let it as he thought proper? As he, in his present situation was only in the condition of tenant at will, he could not say what might'oecur in the letting of crown lands in some aix years to come; but it was quite evident that the present was nothing more nor itas than an election petition, and he would strongly advise the house not to grant the petitioners a journey to London at the public expense,•for that was the principal object which they sought. Mr. F. CLINTON contended that the petition was filled throughout with very gross misstatements. It stated that the land was let solely for electioneering purposes , ft beinglet, not on lease, but from year to year. Now t so happened that almost all pro. ipetty in the county of Nottingham was let from year to year, so that the Duke of Newcastle's property was let upon the same terms as the property of other gentlemen, there being no such thing as i le ssee I n t h e c ounty. This, therefore, was an unfair repteeemation lupon the part of the petitioners. The hon. member farther contended that so fathom the DO* of Newcastle being a bar to the extending of the town of Newark, then was no town in Hoghafd more over. Ibulh than that town ; for at this moment there wore tom new houses unlet. He thought the present petition was brought fur- ~ ward solely for election purposes ; for It appeared th a t t h e w h o l e number of lessees upon the crown lands of the Duke of Newcastle were 74, seven of whom voted for Mr. Sergeant Wilde, while the number of voters was upwards of 1,300. So that if the whole 74 had been given to Mr. Wilde, Mr. Sadler would still have been re. turned by a very large majority. Sir F. BIJRDETT considered that the matter was of so much ire as to deserve the appointment of a committee. When a lest was presented to the house, the statement of any individual ,emeraber was no answer to such a Petition, especially upon a subject dso much importance. But before he entered upon the discussion otthat topic he wished to say a few words upon a subject of a more personal nature. The noble duke had addressed a letter to the editor of a newspaper, which it well suited an idle man to have to do with, for, fortunately, it was one requiting no answer. In what he had said he entertained not the slightest idea of offering the noble duke any offence. He had not applied to him personally the appellation of boroughmonga—hs had simply stated a matter of fact. In the present state of the house he was ready to admit that he cont. dered it no crime to purchase a seat in that house; he was ready to become so far the friend of corruption as to acknowledge that the purchase of a seat was in the present times less an evil than the pal. native of an evil. The purchase of which he spoke was made at a dote when the noble duke was an infant, " mewling and puking in his nurse's arms"—long before he bad attained that maturity of age and wisdom for which he was now distinguished. At that time he (Sir F. B.) thought of nothing so little as of coming into a Parliament ; the representation of Boroughbrldge was pressed upon him by his Mends. One of the parties was an infant in law and the other (him. self) was, at that time uncontaminated by politics—they were both, therefore, entitled to be called Simon Pure. He knew almost a s little ab out the matter as did the noble duke. He found himself placed in that house by a sum of money, 4,0001. and no very great payment it was, considering that the seat was secured to him for a t pr i tOd m d igh a t X ocz ye i r with no i t n w t i h th a s t ta periol nding ani t dissolution ct tolls% p a rliament e l t n t e f n or t Boroughbridge In consequence of the payment of 4,000/. on his be half to those who acted on behalf of the Duke of Newcastle. But in stating that he surely meant—nor did he convey anythin.; offensive to the noble duke he spoke of a Duke of Newcasth, for the time being—Pelham , Duke of Newcastle, or any other. it made little difference to him. Mr. Portman. the father o: the present member for Dorsetshire, succeeded him in that borough ; and so strictly honourable was the conduct ob served towards him in that matter, that In consequence of a dissolution of parliament shortly after his return he was returned a fair proportion of the purchase-money, though he had made no stipulation to that effect. In speaking of transactions such as that...he mean no blame to the individual, whether called a bo roughmooger, a borough master, or a borough forcer, or quocun. gum isominegatufee-.there was no blame to the individual ; the blame rested upon that house • and it was for that house to vindicate its own privileges and the liberties of the country. He had listened with much pleasure and attention to the clear, lucid, strong, he might say, irresistible statement of the ho. nourable member for Dover (.Ir. P. Thompson) and he could not understand how the house could refuse to accede to his motion. He hardly knew in what way to consider the peti tion—whether as an ordinary election petition, or as one affecting the rights and privileges of that house, and the right of election particularly ; and it complained, too, of what very nearly concerned the house—the interference of a Pcer in the election of a member. That interference was, in the eyc of the common law, a high crime and misdemeanor. A maxim of that law was elec.:lows flu at ilbera—it was an acknowledged princi ple of the law that elections should be free. Again, the Statute of IVestminster, which was but a collection and interpretation of the common law, asserted the same principle—the offence of a Peer in. terfering with elections, was specially noticed in that Act, and pro. nounced to be a high crime and misdemeanor. It was absurd to cally anything an election that was not free—lt was either free, or it was not an election at all—not only were elections by the law to be nominally free, but they were to be practically so, and without interference.—(hear.) There was nothing which our fore-fathers guarded more jealously than the freedom °relations-- elections of every kind; for in ancient times the dignitaries of the church were elected, and by them the interference of a peer was regarded as the highest offence. Since then nothing could be more indisputable than the freedom of elections, and in that light, perhaps, the petition might be considered a petition of privileges ; at the same time, it was substantially an election petition from the defeated candidate. (Hear, bear, hear.) In whatever light it might be regarded, the petition was one of considerable importance. The petitioners alleged that the present practice was most injurious to the interests of pro perty in Newark—to the progress. the wealth, and prospe. rity of that town. With that averment before them, the friends of of the noble duke ought to be anxious to have the matter inquired into. There was a bill before the house for the disfranchisement of East Retford ; and here was one where a peer was accused not only of using undue influence, but of using threats and force. Could they, with any show of consistency, disfranchise the one and allow the othet:to escape ? Further, a crime, accompanied with violence, is greatly aggravated by that violence. Now, if, upon examina tion, it turned out- and examination was most necessary—that that peer had interfered, they could not allow one borough to es cape and inflict punishment on the other. In justice then to all parties, he thought that the house could not refuse a committee. Mr. D. W. HARVEY said he saw no greater reason for attacking the Duke of Newcastle than for attacking any other noble lord who salt their nominees to that house, except that the crown lands are the property of the public ' and ought not to be made the means of =ing them. There had been a precedent for that house ad. n i g the King, in order to prevent a particular disposition of crown property. King William the Third had signed a grant to the Earl of Portland giving him five-sixths of the County of Derby. (Hear, hear.) The House of Commons addressed his Ma jesty upon the impropriety of the grant, upon which he revoked it, saying that he was under particular obligations to the Earl of Port. land, but in deference to the House of Commons, he would remunerate him in some other manner. (Hear, hear.) He did so remunerate him, and his descendants now profited in a way which would MOTS fully appear to the House when be brought forward his motion on the 30th of March, relative to the crown lands On that night also he would be prepared to prove that since the days of Queen Anne the crown lands were worth 700,0001. per annum, and yet that they had not returned as many peace ; and he now threw down the challenge to the noble lord opposite (Lad Lowther) to disprove his assertion when the discussion should come on. He knew a person in Newark, unconnected with any party, who informed him that the crown lands near Newark would bring, if sold by auc tion, full 200,0001. (Hear, hear.) The people there were now com plaining of manacles which they wished to throw off; therefore. a sale effected at the present period would prove pre-eminently ad vantageous. But, perhaps, it would be said, that though indi viduals m;ght thus eventually have a claim to property, they might. for the omit five or six yenta. be expelled from what was virtually their own by the Duke of Newcastle. To avoid this. the house should interfere, and pass a bill, for the purpose of enacting that the tenantry should not be thus violently divested of their rights. But let him ask one question. Why should they not buy up the Duke of Newcastle (a laugh)? A man who would sell a seat to 4,0001. could of course have no obection to sell any interest he might possess (a laugh, and hear, bear!). The sur veyor of the crown lands would easily be able to find out the valet,: of the bargain. as his experience in the neighbourhood of St. Mar tin's.lene had given him some opportunities that way (a laugh). Thus two or three hundral captives would be set free, and a sub stantial value would be given to the crown property. He would not row say further on the subject, as he should on the 30th of 3latch take an opportunity of unfolding such a train of abuses and corruptions as would astonish every one—even those who were best acquainted with the system. Alr. SADLER : Although this subject in the event of a select committee being granted, would again come under discussion, yet be did not think that he should be discharging his duty if he suffered the present occasion to pen without erdeavouring to explain the circumstances which had been so mist:sprain-a I. And in the first place he begged to ask the hon. member fur Dover whether the pe tition hut had presented was carried at a town meeting, and whether the full notice of that meeting had been given ? Mr. P. THOMPSON—T:.e petition was carried at a public meeting, convened after full notice, not only to all persons residing in the town, but one of the no ices was even sent to the hon. gentle.. manhimstif (a laugh). The letter, howeeer, which ceuta.neti n. travelled in the most extraordinary way about Cie country, and was not till long after that the honourable gentleman wrote a letter to the chairman of the meeting, stating that he should have written before on this subject had the letter conic to him ,corer. Mr. SA DLER—The honourable gentleman, in Inc opinion, bad not given a specific answer ac to whether the petition emanated from a public meeting (a loud laugh.) It war of importance to as certain this point, because the principal part of the voters of New. ark had already expressed their opinion of the petition, as he looked upon the h ludcd, laid somewhat facetiously, to the circumstances by which o i n t . t gt o h n e de t n o mn al . l i in nte h n is ts ans an w d er pu to rposes the y a w n c ion lect j i u o st n pe pu ti t t , io i r l u ad a ts the rodeo: leas prevented reaching him (31r. Sadler). he would say a word or two on that subject. All the travel that that letter had had was entirely owing to acc idents ; and bad it Peached him in time, he should have had no hesitation in an swering it ht the negative; and he should have done this because be hod shady waited upon his constituents since his electioa, and afrlns circumstances called him to a distant part of the country, he Y that he was bound to return to Newark. after having as *hod it. Besides which be said that he Amid have had already offsmosts at the election. I.peor before a commit M]]]es s sosielayed by some mistake; not that he made any s eas. Isis saint the postmaster. 'But Ant It had gout to Leds, lid the se Manchester ; then it was sent on to Clainsborougb by committee, every bodwry.wh:::hetiadhadbeen his g l fWgi ■