The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1826-04-14 00:00:00

P J greeted. It appeared, from the History of Scotland, that it w as in the year 14119 that the mode of election, called in Scotland self election, was first established. The preamble of the Act which eetablished It showed clearly what was the'right of the people pre. rious to that easement; that preamble stated that the provisions of the Act were alleviated to avoid " the clamour of the common, sent Ample persona." This expreetion sufficiently showed what were the rights of the peose before that period ; and surely it was now as competent for Parliament to restore those rights as it ever was to rewind them. From the year 1409 down to the Resolution, the Scotch books were full of Acts, made in consequence, as the preambles stated, of the malversation and corruption of •the maesustra and officers to whom the franchise was emnisted.— In the reign of Charles 11. so great were the grievances andso low) the trompininte, that It was found necessary to grant a conmiieeion to Inquire into the matter; the recital of the Act stated, that the murmurer of the bonnigiu; proceeded from the misconduct of the Magistraten, who preferred their private interest to public fluty, and squandered the revenues of the boroughs among their relatives and etinporters. The Convention Parliament saw the cell, and was willing to find a remedy; but the only true and rational remedy that cool-I have been devised was free eketicii. From the year !Th4 down to the present time the misconduct of the Magistrates had been the constant topic of complaint. and the evil continues just is it was. The effects of it are, first, to exclude the people from their constitutional tights: and next. In make a venal and ceettipt magistracy. who have lost the respect of the people, and who are morally unfit to choose the parliamentary reptesentati eve. lie would adduce, In favour of his arguments, the opinion of a great man, a lawyer and a philosopher, who, for the benefit of his country and of mankind in general. heed left his (minims on record ; the piomort of the opinion was, that the tampering of a cor rupt magistracy infected the morals of the people no the ore hand, and on the other introduced corruption and venality into the! Mouse of Parliament; that was the opinion of Lord !imbues. He bad only one other ar,rument to disp o se of. It lieu b e e n s a id that they should nteke no alteration. becanse by en doing they would encroach upon the articles of union. He would roil; if those gen. itemen whom he had then the honour of admiressieg recollected w hat ton:, place in the year 17 Si ? Aceordimig to the A rite., of Union heritable jurisdictions had been retained—they had not only been retained, but were also so completely reeognised as property. that they were sold, mortgaged, or seized, by time next Mar, all other heritable propetty ; vet it was &Oiled necessary by Parlia ment the, they ehould be abolished, and accordingly tiny were so. The Qmierier Sessions also had been rentodeliela and tins met in. deed a most imminent innovating on the Arim 1... of I 'Mon ; tor it' 'thelre len. any one point more jealously regarded than another by tNe people of Scotland—if they desired security against any one innovation rime than another—it was against the introduction of English law and Englieh punishments into the law of netitlanit. Ile would nsk the llocse what they had to be afraid of? lie could understand that any man might he afraid of entrusting power to an ignorant mob ; but none hut the most corrupt Mid shake at the imrodtimion of a more general elective franchise amonget tile en. lightened inhabitant,' of the City of Edinburgh. To whom were they granting the elective franchise if they conceded it to the householders of Edinburgh ?—Was it not to independent men, many of them connected with the admieietrat Om of jimetice_all loyal, antimgenerally speaking. in point of fortune, more affluent nom the householders Of any city in the kingdom, London excepted (Ilene) In England the elections were in many instances popular—there was no hostile feeling rimer° against property; on the contrary, when rack and property were united with good muttn, they in variably received the preference, even at the mos; palmier election,. Why, he would ask, should the ilimuee anticipate a diderein result in Scotland? At present in that ceuntry the people were excluded teem all eempathy with the electors or the elected. In England the remind dependency existing between cite electors and the elected was productive of harmony to all; but in Sereland the right of electine was enntined to an exclusive class. There, iliere was no such thing as popular election. but in Eoglsnd there were nume rous instances in which the people exercised the neat :teen to its fullest extent. None of the Scotch Members of that House could say that they represented the people of that cautary—tiny merely represented a small class. whose Interests they were bound to :,trend . to, or, it' they opposed then, ' they opposed the interests of those whom they rimpreented. Would it not he prepisterous to witness the /Topic of Edinburgh applying to sonic other Member of that ti mew. renticsiing Inns to oppose a Pleasure introduced by the Re presemative of their own city ? tit nue hear.) Vet such was the raw with mill Scotland. It was not the ecople who were :clammed, but a class whose interests often varied (roan these or the great ma's of the ' , lmitation of that country. Could anything be niece mini. tying to the people of Scat land, than to se: ,be i!,lLinitants of E ng _ lard and Ireland possessed of all the advantages of pen, ular election troll s-hi II they themselves were whoily .:mended ? They hot not O'er, a single solitary occasion upon which to menden their opt_ pions. A more tteimititiaele or a More injurious mode of repre sentinit a cnrr.try could not well be comnived. Ile eatrrated the Reuse to consider whether it was wen% their while to carry the. nenple of Scotland along with them, and if so. to show, i•i one nmetence at bast, a disposition to electele to the desires of the nilmabitarts ef that portion of the empire. (Hear. hear.) The IL/mime:de and Learned Gentleman then moved for leave to bring tea Bill to amend the representation of the city of Edinburgh, and Alt down amidst loud cheers. Mr. DUN DAS said that he mild not caneent to the motion. which bed a direct tendency to sweep away chartered rights wicelt lied the experience of time to support them. 'Pile Hon, ammd Leonard llontlentan had upon a former on- stun brought the rune measure berme the !louse. and it had tailed after a considerable discussion of its probable effects; and yet again it came before them in the seine shape, and with the tame prospective view of boating down and trampling upon chartered privilege.. which had rerciveti the seal of ages in confirmation of their ut:iity, and under which the city of Edinburgh I: od risen into comfort and affluence. There was no charge made against the I orporamion of any impurity in the exercise of their elective franchise, and yet the lion. and Learned Gentleman would induce the H o use to deer mile them and their names for ever • for who would or who coniml believe that Emir charter had been destroy cd unless some atrocious conduct upon their part superinduced its destruction ? %Thy should the House qutt the path of right and of justice fur the sake of altering the representation of the City of Emlinbugh ? The Itieht lion. Gentleman concluded by quoting the opinion of Lord II ardwicke, that the articles of Union should he maintained entire. a n d stated that be conceived it to be an imperative dutj so to n.nititein them. Mr. .1, P. GRANT said, that according to the articles of Uninn, a distinction was drawn between public and private !defile. The litter could not be altered. except upon the grounds of public etditr ; lint public rights might be altered as occasional policy might require. In the representation of England there were many defects, rind he apprehended that there was no Gentleman who would net lend himself to remedy such defects. Why should they be Ices wither: to do so in the case of Scotland ? It hail been mild, that the l,egiislature was n o t in the habit of interfering except in Cases of corruption ; but lie firmly believed that that 11.mse never altered the elective franchise by way of puniehnient.—for, as a mat ter of distributive justice, nothing could he more unjust ; because tee innocent would be thereby punished with the guilty. He dereght they would do well to seize the first favourable opportunity et trying the experiment of granting a popular election to Scut. „land. and in doing so no better place mad he selectee! than Etlin burgh t for from thence the House might learn the read sentiments of the people of Steotland. In England the elections were of such a various character that there was no class which wail not repre sented, while in Scotland there was no class which was represented; lend therefore it was impossible that Scotland emmuld neliotain jowlf upon any other footing than that of a colony .:r pro% ince, until the system of its renerientation was altered. Sir G. hK said that if the charters of Scotland, which had existed for so many ages, were in this instance to be brokea down, it would be but the first step to the introduction of more extensive • i movatmens. la no case in England did that House interfere with or alter the representation of any place whatever, unless upon the Freund of corruption. and surely it would not be so far iticon taetent as to adapt a dinerent principle with regard to Scotland. If thee established the principle of extendeig the elective franchise to the imoneeholdere of Eilinbareh, the eorpo;soloti of which was creninly small, upon what principle could they refuse to extend it to large corporate towns? Why not apply time principle to Lon don, and extend the elective franchise to toe buten:l:olden instead of the nervy ? If the experiment was to be made at sit, it ought metier to be made on some English borough, than, by making it in Semlioal, to interfere with rights sanctioned by the articles of Comm llowever. he would contend that hovaig once broken down the harrier, it WOniti be impoetable to sal wirre the system of in novation would end. It was asked what i!,ll4;t:r could be ante healed ? He apprehended no but it they once adopted the principle, they would not find it so easy to strip us they might imagine. Thee would be drawn on, not merely to householders pity. ing rents of M. but until they admitted the full principle of universal suffrage, and gave the elective franchise to p er•on Rover 2lyears of age. If the present system in Scotland was :niacin( veto, they would have telt it ere this; but, on the contrary, there was no portion of lir! empire which had made such progress ia wealth , and in the various branches of knowledge and education, as hail Scotland doing the last half century. About two years since a pettier., similar to that upon which the lion. and Learned Gentleman niunded his motion, wait adopted in a theatre in Edinburgh, where there cer tainly was a numerous attendance,•owing douloless to the number of persons of talent who were expecoO to. and who did, attend. They were not, however, likely to be drawn together in such num bers again, and therefore the pveset.t petition was not got up at such a meeting—in fact the people of Edinburgh knee scarcely anything about it. An address had been sent round to them, re questing that it might be as numerously signed as the former; and It also complained that they werelukeaarnu in support of the mem. sure. From this he would at once say—it there was no feeling on the part of the inhabitants of Edinburgh, there was no ease made out fur the alteration of the elective franchise. (Hear, hear.) lie entreated the House out to consent to the motion, because, upon the same principle, they might disfranchise the Ceirparations of Salisbury and other places. Sir R. FSHOUSON was anxious to address a few words to the English Members, for from the blembers fur his own country ha feared he could anticipate but slender support. Ii England the pries. ciple was, that the Member should represent the people ; and Udell principle was correct, the Scotch hi etnbeee were hot sent as they ought to be sot to that House. They were Pen tby close boroughs, or if from s county, a Member was sent who had not perhaps • tingle acre of load. It had been intiniatedrhat no feeling existed infleot land with recr e d to its system of representation : but the fact Was Mean. timed that, with a single exception, all the boroughs of Scot land jigged In a petition to that House for a reform ef the elective franchise. tilts FRANCIS BURDETT then rose, but owing to she low toes of vo i ce is oskh bo yoke, we were unable foe some time to catch his eherevadeas. We understood him to say, that the Ud one before the Boom famished strong and cogent mesons why the friends to the pcieciples whidt be hod long advocated should perm. vu. in'theit efforts. He agreed with much that bad fallen from his Honourable and Gallant Friend (Sir F. Fergus's); but he \in. &mood biota() observe that everything in Scotland was Imperfect. Now, with this opinion he could not coincide; for a more perfect system—a more scandalous and untilushit:g exclusion of s worthy and intelligent people—a system of more perfect corruption—a more disgraceful perversion of public means to particular private ends. it would be difficult for the ingenuity of man to devise. (Hear, hear.) On this occasion he felt, perhaps, less zeal than had accompat.ied or ditected some of his former exertions, hearse he saw, from the motion being special in its nature, it was impoa. fible to support it on general principles. He count not, however, help wiabittg that the country would unite, and struggle for their great and common good. The opposition that was offeredeo any. thing like reform wits like the corruption of Scotland—it had no fellow. it lied no wade mart t instead ',fits being imperfect. it was "lotnN terra algur rotundas." (Hear.) Individual.' who supported the existing abase,' bat consciences sit tremblingly alive to any innovation- that it became necessary to show them one reform would not open the doer to annther, to persuade them they might without inennaiatency do al act of juteiee. Those who would advance mea sures like the peeve must be able to affix the immovable seal— must pewees the power of Hermes, for nothing short of this could close the never-rlceping eye of that (l ouse. On this occasion an opportunivi offered, of which Gentlemen might avail themselves, to show their dispettition to entertain t. enelicial measures ; but in stead of th:s thcy aought to put a apeke in the wiled of generalreform. Iteeetned impossible to remove the suspicions ettertainedby certain Geallenter. They made it a practice, too, whenevtr one abuse was mentioned, to meet it by showing that these were numerous others in existe:tce ; bat surely this was no argument against refor mation ? An Honourable Baronet tsiir G. Clerk) bad alluded to Bath ; and Mere was no system perhaps more disreputable than that of this city. The few apothecaries returning the mock-repre sentativea of Bath. were about equal in number to the electors who returned the chain represeotetivest of ihtinhorgh. Meat.) But ibis was the way in which their ccanplaints of corruption was met. However this might sound. the gentlemen on the other side of the H nose said, " We can beat our drum as loudly as you can yours." (Cheers.) Ott this occasion he did hope lute Hon. Friend, the member for Cline (Mr. Abercromby), who brought forward this motion for the second time, recommended, as it was, by the good sense displayed in the temperate manner of its production, would meet with support from some part of the 31inistry. lie hoped this, fur measures at a gond and hemsl description had certainly been letterly effected. (Chsent.) But they hal been of by Minis ters, let it net tw forgotten, in conjunction with What his Hon. Friend (Mr. Tieroev) heel on a pies-ions evening most happily called •• his llnjesty's Opposition." (Hear.) Otte good turn de. served another; that the Opposition had contributed to the success of titters there could be tie doubt; and of this Opposition he most say. theugh he diaclaimed connexion with any particular party, that in has memory one every way more highly gifted never sat in that House. (Hear, hear.) Ile repeated. he hoped the libe , cal part of the Administration, who might be called the cork on which the weevil swam; he bared they would step forwar I and lend their influence and their elnquence in favour of the present motion. lie appealed to hut one part of the Administration; for it scented to consist of strangely opposed elemeata--of two halves. linked together like slaves to row iti the ,:titre g.lley. (Cheers and laughter.) 11'hat power kept them together, lie was at a loss to imagine: who was the Mezentius compellins them to serve in this State he could not tell. 'tile Administration as now constituted remindtd him of Curhota in the Tempest: it was a thing with two voices; a two-bodied, two-headed nonde script ; a sort of • contplc.riu iu taiero." Ile visited to know if the principles of philosophy, those abstract principles which a Right lionour.thic Member bed said, might be pushed to excess. He 'visited to know, and he called on the Right Honourable Gentle- man to show if they were not practically and beneficially to be brought into action ? He knew of no occasion more proper than the present, when an appeal was made in behalf of a most learned and enlightened class, in every respect entitled to call on the just feeling of the House. (Hear, beer.) They would see whether that spirit which talked of "rolling back the tide of civili. ration" was inclined to advance or not ; whether or not they were still to be influenced by these darkened and bigoted minds which dreaded the light. because they did pot know to what it might lead. (Cheers.) lie defied the ingenuity of the Right Honourable Gen tleman to whom he had alluded, to show any reason why the pre sent motion should not be acceded tn. 11 hat was proposed if carried into effect would be productive of permanent good, and be trusted the citizens of Kdinbargh would, therefore, be allowed a shste-4 small sheer, of the privileges extended to other'. If, how ever, this were refuse& he consoled himself with the hope, that the expression of such a determination to fly in the face of the people of the United Kingdoms, would cause all to joist in their demand for general reform. He repeated, that he trusted this would be the result when they sew it was vain otherwise to hope the attainment of rationel freelom. (Hear, hear,) Yee, his consolation was, that they would become a united band of tenfold force on the question of Reform, of the necessity for which the longer he Hied tne more tie became convinced. Unless they paid some attention to the abuses which existed, there would come, as Lord Chatham said, •• a voice 11'0111 without." which it would he impossible for them to resist. infusing new health into the decrenid and crazy constitu tion. lie was obliged to confess lie should have liked the motion better had it leen more connected with the general principle of re torm, the only reason for his not being able to give it his full eon. currency was, it appeared too much like " the be-all and the end all." (I I eior.) if the House opposed the motion, it would amount in his opinion to telling the country there was to be but little re liance placed on the numerous protessions it had heard. (Cheers). Mr. W. DOUGLAS opposed the motion. He agreed with the Honourable Baronet that tea wend grounds had been shown ; and and if Me question were extended to the general principle, be should consider it liable to even greater objection than at present. Mr. J. C. PELHAM said a few words in support of the motion, which were scarcely atulibl). Lord A. HA M ILTt oral Mr. Secretary CANNING rate to gether; but his Lordship being first in possession of the Chair, the Ittght lion. Gentleman resumed his seat. Ills Lordship said would not detain the Holm, for tie was himself most anxious to learn the sentiments of the Right Hon. Gentleman on this ques. tion. The only argument lie had heard opposed to the motion was one which he thought entitled to very title weight. It was con tended that the present measure, if carried into effect, wonld amount Pa an infraction of some of the articles of the Union. It was well known that the Union had been violated by the abolition of the heritable jurisdiction, and in numerona other instances; reason ing on such a foundation as this was not calculated to have much effect on the House. The LORD ADVOCATE said, he considered the subject be fore the House one of considerable importance, and from that feel ing rose to make some observations on what had fallen from the Noble Lord who had just addressed the House. The two Bills which he had brought into the House, anti which were read a se eland time, were lost from circumstances which had occurred in that House. The fate of those bills was not attributable to any con. flexion or arrangement which he had with any Member of the (louse of Innis. He disclaimed any collusion or arrangement to proivre the failure of those Bills, which was entirely owing to the difference of opinion which prevailed as to their merits. It was because some parts of the Bills were approved of by his friends, and others disapproved of, thut the Bills had not succeeded. As no union of opinion existed with regard to the Bills, he had not the support he calculated on, and they, in consequence, had failed on the second rending. Haring said so much in explanation of what bad fillen from the Noble Lord, he would now advert to the ques tiini I core tie House. The case of Edinburgh had been inquired into; it had gone through a severe ordeal, and nothing had bcvn elicited to stamp an unfair character upon its proceedings. The person who was in office in Edinburgh, was a man of high character, and had effected great good for that city. He thought if they abolished the charter of Edinburgh, they could not stop there, hut 'Mould extend the principle further ; and when the en tire qmstioii of Parliamentary Reform came Wine the House, then they could discuss the principle. If the principle involved in this motion was to be acted on. Edinburgh alone should not be the ob. jr-ct of attack. If they wet-a to try an experiment, Edinburgh should not be the example of that experiment. The thirty persons in whom the right of election was vested, were themselves chosen by large bodies, and therefore the objections taken to the unpopular mode of election of that city was not as strong as was insisted on ; the Convener of the Guild of Trade was of the same principles as Gentlemen opposite, whicti showed that they bad not such grounds for complaint as they would wish to enforce. Ile objected to the idea of the !possession of a house of lof. a year being a sufficient qualineation to vote for the representation of the City of Edit). burgh ; such houses were inhabited by gentlemen's servants, and persons in a sphere of life which precluded their being so compe tent to exercise a duty of such importance. The general feel ing was said to be adverse to the present state of things ; he was SLITC the respectable portion of the inhabitants of Edinburgh were opposed to any such arrangement as he had alluded to; they would oppose the ntrosule. He was himself oppns•td to it; and lie thought that if they attacked the chartered rights of Scotland, they would soon come to the boroughs of England. Mr. H. DRUMMOND. as we understood, made a few observe dons, the import.oe which we could slot collect. -- Lord A. HAMILTON explained. Mr. Secretary CANNING said, from what had fallen from the Noble Lord (A. Hamilton), and as a mere spectator of what had occurred with reference to what he had alluded to, he felt himself eased upon to take part in the debate. In that character Iteshould tell the Noble Lord, that in the allusions he had thrown out, he seemed not to have attended m what what had fallen hoot the two Hon. 31embers who had last adiltessed the House. Ile had said that there was collusion in the mode of disposing of the Bill ; that imputation bad been distinctly disclaimed, and that disclaimer should be deemed sufficiently satisfactory ; be knew no tribunal in such a case, except the honour of the intividual, to which an appeal could be made; toe charge or volition had been met by a distinct denial, which, was the only mode of extracting the sting from the accusation of the Noble Lord. In corning to the question imme. diately before the Hr.use, he answered the call which the Hon. Baronet (Sir Francis Burdett) had made upon him in such compli. utentary terms; he, however. did tint know by what mode of sea. sorting he could be expected to give his vote for the measure then before the House. From what had been stated by the Hon. Ba ronet he seetned to expect that he should vote for the measure, but it was an arbitrary interpretation of hie conduct to suppose that he would support innovation for innovation sake. He was opposed to Parliaoseutary Helene, and, far from being thought favourable to such a measure, be had been ac used of giving de cided opposition to that question—of having plated his opinion, not upon variable, transitory. end evanescent principles, biat upon the grounds of the danger which that question might produce. He thought the endurance of any ineesvenience from the present state of the mpresestatitm, preferable to the excitation and. bickering which the discussion of that qualm would inevitably produce. As he was opposed to Parliamentary Reform, he could not vote for • I 'v. THE BRITISH. PRESS. the present measure, because he considered Ilan attempt to la y the foundation of Parliamentary reform. But evert if he was a friend to that reform, he would oppose the measure, because he could not be persuaded that such an attempt would produce the result which Gentlemen opposite expected from it. The snidest of the Union between England and Scotland. which had been alluded to, could not be brought forward against Parliamentary reforms for no com pact could be binding when opposed to the same of the entire ono starchy. When the interests or England and Scotland were in col beton, the weaker party had a right to say "try the experiment en yourselves first, before you try the e ff ect of your speculations upon us." If it was urged that ri . Member should not be elected fur the Parliament of England on any other principles titan that which were applicable to the election of Members for Scotland, the prin ciple applicable to England could nut prove an exception for Scot land, and if the some could be predicated of Scotland they would have no representation. He thought that there should be a large infusion of popular spirit in the Parliament of England ; it was adapted to the feelings of the country, mid suited to the genius and natute of its Constitution. A Parliament otherwise constituted would rot be lit for this country, in which there were such various and different interests to be represented, and which conse quently required • mixed representation: He would not say that the representation of Scotland was not liable to objection—he would not argue that it was en excellently good and imperfect system—nor would he pledge himself that. if he was casting anew the representation of that country, he should give her the same all she now had; but theory and practice were different. Ile might with to improve tile representation of that country, but it would be difficult to reduce those views which were formed on theoretical principles, to a plan which might effect what in his mind might appear to be an improvement. As the representation of Scotland was now nioulded, it produced a compound, in con. junction with that of this country, which was salutary and advantageous to both. Whatever might be the opinion of some persons on this sujbect, he (Mr. Canning) certainly thought there was no necessity for the measure propaeed ; its adoption could not effect any real good, and though in theory he might not altogether approve the system,yet that opinion should not induce him to interfere with a system which worked well. Though he did not defehd the Parliamentary system of ecotland, he would not change on that account the present institutions ; no injury had been sustained by Scotland in consequence of the pre sent system ; she kept pace with England in progressive improve. mcnt. She was not exposed to any inconvenience which her more wealthy partner in compact was not subjected to. When E^gland advanced, Scotland followed. Witness the rapid progress which that country had made in wealth and national prosperity, Since the Union it was clearly observable; her improvement in every depart ment was apparent. He had heard allusions made to the disparage. ment which some Members received in that House; whatever might be the acute powers of vision enjoyed by other Gentlemen, he con. fessed he never saw it. (A laugh.) He did not think Scotland had to complain of the state of her representation ; it was at least ' national. /le did not know a single instance of an Englishman, except one, becoming a representative for that country ; the ex ception was in the instance of Mr. Fox, who, when he was bmomislied from Westminster, took refuge in the arms of Hirkwaid. That instance occurred, but the exception proved the general rule when the Southron invaded the representation of Scotland. He knew no other instance of his limiting made a successful lodpnent. ,(A laugh.) The Scotch bad sufficient persons of their own country to fill up the representation of their boroughs, and some to scare for those of England. In Illustration, he would refer to the 11,m. Member (Mr. Abercronobiel, who had brought forward the prcecnt motion, who represented the borough of Caine; and if that gentle man bad acted as he (Mr. Canning) thought he ought to have done, arguing on the principles and views of lion. Gentlemen op posite, who were favourable to the measure of Parliamentary Re form, he shauld have begun with that borough. It wield have been a more logical mode of proceeding than that which he adopted. He ass better acquainted with the state of that boooiXt than he could be with that of Edinburgh. Had he to amend the law, he would suggest, as an amendment, that the borough of Caine should be substituted for the city of Edinburgh, in the lion. Member's motion. Those who made the paucity of electors a ground for supporting this measure, in his eptnion acted unfairly. To those gentlemen he would say. look at home : and then many Gentlemen whom he then saw would find that in that particular they could not stand a comparison with Edinburgh, if the number of their electors were token into account. If every 3lember was to take up his particular borough on those g-.s n it. there would be no end, and parliamentary reform would follow. Never but in this instance had such a reason been urged to en force the necessity of disfrarchising any corporation. His ob jection to she motion of the Hon. Member arose front his having applied the principle of reform, which, as a general principle, was good, to the particular case of the representation of Etlinturgli. He did not argue that the principle of reform might not be acted upon, to pmmote a great and general advantage. If such a general plan was to be adopted, no individual borough could be excepted. But a particular borough could rot be disfran chised, because the electors bore no proportion to the population. If they acted on that principle they would do what they had never done before. It the agitation of the question was merely meant as a theme for declamation, or for the puropse of annual or triennial display, he could not object to such ambition. Ile thought the disfranchisement of Edinburgh could nut produce any assignable advantage, and could not effect may good. Mr. HOBHOUSE said. the argumenti adduced by the Eight Hoo. Gentleman were very contradictory. He said that the re presentation should, in the general view, be popular, but in some part it should not be popular. To say that a portion of the re presentation should not be popular was holding up a shameful example. To bring forward the borough of Caine was nugatory, there was no parallel between the two cases. Those lion. Gentle men who sat on his aide of the House for boroughs, would have no objection to a reform in the representation. in • the present instance • strong case was brought fortrard when we say that the elective franchise of Edinburgh is confiued to thirty-thee persons, we bring a strong case before the public eye. By the operation of that state of things, we see • man re turned for that city having no common feelings with the important population of that city; that was no representation ; they might call it what they pleased, but it was in fact no representation. The system was gross, absurd, and foolish. The Right Hon. Gentle man often told the House there was nothing wrong, that the system worketi well, and he had said so that night. Could that sytem be fairly said to work well which was opposed to the opinions and feel ings of the people ? The Lord Advocate had said that the respectable portion of the inhabitants of Effriburgh were opposed to the preseht measure . • he was not much acquainted with Edinburgh, he had visited that, as many other Members, doubtless, had done, but from what he had been stole to collect, he would take won him to deny that fact. That might beleaeily ascer tained by any Member of the opposition, who should be at the trouble of becoming acquainted with sentiment!' of the population. Ile wouldsay that, without disparagement to the gentlemen also re presented that city, he forgot there was but one ,Member for that place, which made the thing doubly absurd, his opposition was directed against the system, and not against any indivi dual, which was one of the grossest that could be imaained. It was impossible that such a systeni could be productive of any beneliciel effects. Had it not been in existence, Scotland would have derived several advantages of which that country had been debarred. In the sentiment., which he had expressed he had alluded to a power, but he did not mean thereby the power of the Crown., neither was he talking of the power of Parliament, but he was then speaking of that power which the people alone can give --the para. mount power of public opinion. He would only see, that if the Hight Honourable Gentleman had not induced the (louse, by what might be considered equivalent to a promise of reform in this re spect, some advocate of the people's rights might have been ex • pecttd to stand forth, and bring forward maitre.' calculnted to relieve them from a condition worse than a state of Egyptian bi mi. age. (Hear, hear.) It would he impossible fur any person to allege that the people uf Edinburgh were fairly represented. It was not attempted to be said that they. considered as a body, consisting of so many individuals, were duly represented. But it bad been stated that, in connexion with the people of England, they were fully represented. Edinburgh however, was not represented in proportion to the people of England; but that was a di3irent sub. ject from the one before the House. %Veit what truth or candour could it be asserted, when 37 people of Edinburgh return a .lent. bee of Parliament, that the city was fairly repreeented ? Such a statement was incaneiereint with reason. •Mr. ABERCRO3I IIY replied. He del not consider hemself as liable to the censure thrown from the other side of the House, on those who maintained the necessity of granting their rights to the people. film had been one of those shrinking Mem bers alluded to, he might ',eve been nestling in a Scotch borough. Ouch however was not the case, and it was because he did not come under the description of the shrinking candidates that he was re turned as an English representative. He must confess that he felt astonished to hear the Hon. Baronet, who was a Scotch Member, using the language which had fallen from him. Whatever hap_ prised in England, whatever system of liberality might be intro duced for the public benefit, it was determined that the people of Scotland must proceed according to the old rule; they must he always miareprestmed. (Hear, bear.) They were not to parti cipate in any system of relief which might be considered expedient and eligible for adoption in this country. For them no retirees was intended. Could there he a greater proof of the feeling which was entertained towards the Scotch people, than that which might be deduced front the manner in which he had been taunted for brit-w -ing forward the present motion. It may be sail that there is some probability of an alteration and improvement, in the introduction of an improved representation for England and Ireland, but that there was to be no such infusion for Scntlaud. No promise of the kind had been given, and that wets a ground of complaint, for if the principle was good in those instances, it would, he presumed, be applicable to the case of Scotland. Ile could not perceive the va lidity of any of the objections which were urged against the ndop tion of his minion. From some observations made by the Right lion. Gentleman (Mr. Secretary Canning) it might be inferred that he thought at requisite to be consulted on the occasion of introducing any such mode of relief as was contemplated in the motion before the Ilouse. Such a comet, however, would hare been exceedingly inconsietent, and the Right lion. Gentleman, who was a professed anti.reformee, should have been necessarily the last man whose ad vice ought to be expected or asked for the regulation of a measure adverse to the principles which he advocated. Another strange ground of opposition, which had been relied upon, w as s t a t e d to be that the operation of the measure was proposed to be gradual and progressive. That objection certainly seemed to come with a bad grace from those who wished that no alteration whatever should take place. lit fact, the petitioners had been told that they need not expect redrew' of any kind, or at any time. They were not to partake of the general remedy which was adopted towards other parts of the United Kingdom, neither were they to be indulged with any particular relief suited to their special case. It remained fur the people of Scotlaud to pursue the course which may SC4:4I best calculated to promote their object. He did not know whether they intended to make common cause with the reforniers of Eng land, to obtain the prayer of their petition, but from the language which had been uttered on the subject. and from the tone that was adopted towards them during the night, they might easily learn what. chance they had for a compliance with the purport of the petition. The House then divided, when there appeared ' Fur the motion, 97; Against it. 122 —lllajori:y, 25. WES'IMINSTER ABBEY. -.--- -.....--..—.. On our return to the gallery, ..—.. Dlr. HUME was addressing the House. He said that a tonsi doable expense had been incurred in forming a collection of pic tures to furnish a national gallery. lie wished to know whether, according to the spirit which hail dictated that proceeding for the public advantage, it might not be expected that some mode should he adopted for laying open to the public view the monuments of Westminster Abbey. lie hoped that the House, which acted AO liberally in other instances, would relieve the people from the pay ment of those feat which were required for admission to sec the public monuments. The fact, he believed to be, that there was a sufficient endowment originally given for the support and main tenaere of those persons who now depended on the fees paid for ad mission; hut it appeared, from some documents which had been placed in his hands, that the Dean and Chapter had been gradually appropriating for several yens matitra of emolument which ought to have gone to the benefit of Minor ilanons, who were entnnenaated by the fees collected at the door. Now it had been alleged, on the part of the Minor Cations, that, by the charter of Queen Eliza beth, certain sums had been appropriated fur their support, which were subsequently diverted from that channel. It haul been also stated to him, that In the year 11;97 a grant had been made to the choir, with a condition annexed of keeping the monuments clean. The information which lie wished to acquire by Isis motion wan, whether the sums of meney had been given by the charter. as was *Hegel; for the benefit of the Minor Canons; and lie also was de sirous to ascertain from what sourcTs the money an alleged to have been left for the support of the Minor Canon. was derivable. Ile conceived it to he very unfair that the Dean and Chapter should year by year be depriving the proper owners of the several sums alleged, and it was deisituble that the troth of that statement should be sifted. It was also anid, that several sums of money had been bequeathed by private individuals far the benefit of the Minor Canons, in order that the public might be saved from the impo sition of the fees exacted for admission to the monuments. On that point. ;also, he was anxious for information. He at first in. tended to have asked for a Committee of imp ire, but he had been induced to alter his intention by several ;Members whom he had consulted, and who were of opinion due it would be a better cour.e to procure copies of the documents to which he had alluded. lie should therefore move for a copy of the charter passed in• the second year of the reign of Qiiren Eliaalseth, conferring Westminster Abbey on the Dean and Chapter. The motion having been put, Mr. Secretary YEEI. rosi and said, that from the readiness with which lie acquiesced in the former motion of the Hon. Member, respecting the fees received at ‘tiestminater Abbey and their appro priation. he did not expect that the lion. Gentleman would have asked the House to consent to so ample a motion as he lied g;vet. notice of for that night. The Hon. Gentleman had called for re turns of the lands and houses appropriated to the main•enance of the :Minor Carbone and inferior officers of the church ; for a copy of the grant of Mr/ to the Choir, on condition that receiving the benefits of exhibition they should keep the monuments clean ; an account of allowances and income received by the Minor Ca. none, &c. : and in whose possession are the lands sad houses. etc. from which the some are derived ; also, a lust of benefac done to the Choir. Air. flU3lli denied that such was his motion. PEEL. (pointing to the printed Notice Rook) said that was the only mode whereby Mein here could judge of the nature of the motion?' of which notice was given by Members. Mr..111:11E observed that if, he said, it was not his motion, it was rather too hard to insist that it was. The Right Honourable Gentleman was out of order in his perseverance. Mr-PEEL said that he had appealed to the manuscript which was given in by the lion. Member and that it concurred word for lord with the hook in his hand. How could the House know that it was the Honourable Member's notice unless by consulting the Order Book, in which he had entered it. With what propriety then could the lion. Gentleman charge him with being out of order when he quoted from the Oilier Book. (A laugh.) Beside the Hon. Member would not deny that lie meant to follow the application for the copy of the charter by the appendages. The reason which lie had assigned on the former occasion, that the rights of the Dean and Chapter of Westmitister Abbey did not differ from those of si milar corporations, was applicable in the present instance. He did not approve of the practice of the Hon. Gentleman in intro ducing to dint House matters which ought to be brought forward elsewhere. It surely was not fair to require individuals to produce documents and evidence there, when the information so given might be afterwards used to their prejudice. The Hon. Gent. may he quite correct in stating that disputes exist between the Dean and Chapter and the Minor Canoes. (Hear. hear.) But was that a reason why the House, which wan pressed by urgent business, should he occupied In the details of the parties ? The Honourable Member wishes to know what houses and lands belong to Westminster Abbey, and in whose possession they are; but such an iteerfererce in the concerns of individuals was unuarliamentary. and totally unfit for the Howe to adopt. If the Minor Canons hail any clam, to prefer against the Bern and Chapter for a restitution of rights, let them go to the proper tribunal; but die House should not con stitute itself into such a tribunal. Having before consented to give the Honourable Gentleman the accounts for which he moved, of all the fees received at Westminster Abbey, and of their appropria tion, he did not think that any more could be fairly required, and he should therefore oppose the motion. • 131r.H1'31b; said the Right Hon. Gentleman ( Mr. Peel) had taken upon himself to sly that his notice of motion wits wrong ; but he.never understood that a Member of that House was obliged to confine himself, word for word to his notice on moving for papers. The fact, however, was, that the paper lie (Mr. Hume) held in his hand was a copy of one lie sent to the Right Hon. Urn. tleman (Mr. Peel) six clays back, and a copy of which he had also given to the Clerk to enter, and when the Right lion. Gentleman (Mr. Peel) said that the copy he held in his hand was his (Mr. Hume's) notice, he was presuming and extremely— ' The SPEAKER rose to order, and asked the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Hume) whether he rose to explain, or reply. It was true that although it was rot strictly matter of right that a notice of motion should exactly correspond with the aatice given, yet it was very desirable that they should correspond as nearly as possible in order to prevent irregularity. The lion. Gentleman (Mr. Hume) was in the habit of giving more notices, perhaps, than any other Member, and it was very desirable they should be ascorrectly given as possible. Mr. lIUME said that in the paper handed to the Clerk there were four distinct heed*, and he had entered the substance, and not the words, but, therefore, he (31r. H bound was not to be ound by the abstract so made. The Right lion. Gentleman (Mr. Peel) had said, that on moving for these papers, his conduct was unjust and ungenerous; he would state to the House the reasons that had induced him to do an. It appeared that the amount received for admission to Westminster Abbey, realizod tomewhereabout 2.000/. a year ; last year it was .15151. and which lie contended was impro perly taken from the pockets of the people. The Dean said it went towards the payment of the minor canons and choir. He (Mr. flume) would contend dust they had other funds front which those payment, should be made. Ile would contend that the monuments were public monutneute, and that the public had a right to see them without payment. The House would not do their duty to the public unless they instituted an inquiry. Sir J. IVROTTESLEY said he could not avoid stating his opinion upon the question before the House. If the practice in question had been all ancient practice. then there might have been ' some reason for the line of conduct pursued by the Dean and Chap. ter. Ile knew. and there were many Gentlemen in that House who knew, that the present arrangement of IVeetminister Abbey, in regard to the admission of the public, was an infringement of old rules. He could state from his own knowledge, as well as that of the Honourable Member for 'Somerset, that the system was totally different to what it was some years ago. Formerly the public had /I righter passing from Poet's-corner through the Abbey, which he well knew from having been six yearned that school. He would ask if it was a proper tiling that a person should not be able to walk into that sacred pile without basing talkative Verger by his side? Or that a person having an hour of leisure on a rainy day, should be debarred front deriving knowledge, and studying the history of his country, handed down to posterity the recital of the achieve ments of her mighty dead. Ile (Sir J. IVrotterley) ?membered that upon upon bang there last year there was orly one small door for the egress of the public. There was a large apace towards the west door, which was assigned to the Dean, Prebends, and King's Scholars, and the door in that situation was furnished solely for their accommodation. The circuit of the Abbey was ball a mile, and yet there was only one now open, although there were no less than five in the Abbey. The amount of the money was the least importaut pert of the subject; but he considered it highly in. decorous, that a person not seeing a small door door open in Poet's Corner, and being of a pensive mind or in a period of distress, should be prevented !tom gaining admittance. and having the be nefit of the serviix. In respect to the return made by the Dean and Chapter, they said that the mot.ey did not go into their o wn pockets, but that it was applied to the use of the Choir, and the manner of making that statement was in a most haughty style. Ile recollected very well on a cold morning in winter. the poor minor canons having to attend service, and having to tertian' the duty to, perhaps, three old women In red cloaks. (A laugh.) If the minor canons were to be paid nut of that fund, who then had the Dean and Chapter to pay. Ile was happy to say, that the present regulations had taken place since the time of a Dean, where memory was held in the highest veneration and respect. He (Sir John M - rottealey) had been in the habit of attending at an annual meeting, where the apt planar, when the name of Vincent wu mentioned, made the walls ring with applause. Ills name was profaned when placed upon that paper ; and what would his feelings be, if he could rise front his grave and are such a statement as that which appeared on the paper returned to that House? If the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Hume) would divide the House, he would Elise him his vote. The intetference of the House had been complained of; but who had began Hest? Why the Dean and Chapter began by taxing the public, and he should like to kbow by what authority ? Mr. PEEI.--Ay law. SirJ. WROTTESLEY doubted that, and observed that the Right Hun. Gentleman (Mr. Peei)bad said that the House had no right to examine into it. If that was the case, then the Right Hon. Gentleman ought to have stopped the proceeding In limbic. If the Dean and Chapter had only returned things to their tomer dtua dun, then the boon would not bare proceeded further. Mr. HUDSON GURNEY said, that in reference to the Ili& culty of getting slight of the Mena, es sointioped by the Right lion. Gentleman (Mr. Peel), he (Mr. Gurney) presumed that copy of it must be lodged in the Tower or some public depe,,b o , It were no certaitnly open was the a nat public.ional complaint that the n a ti ona l monument' Mr. Mr. ASHIJRST defended the conduct of the Dean and 0.„ ter, and said that the motion ought not to be granted (mina a Ve r y strong round were laid. Sir J. NEWPORT said that if the present practice had wailed from the earliest time, then there might have been some ground for the present conduct of the Dean anti Chapter. B ut when it was shewn that of that part which had been open a cor , ii derable part was shut up, he would ask upon what gmund the refused to restore it to what it was in earlier times. The qu ea n,, n Y was, whether the Minor Canons ought not to be paid out of the in. cone derived by the p r incip a l s ? an d t h ere f ore it was, rh, e public had a right to know the nature of their title, and the appi,, cation of the fees of admission, for it appeared that they had applied the money so received to an improper use, and the 1 1 ,,,, t earned emolument of the Minor Canons thrown upon the r,g14,,, which they ought to have borne. It was not the first instance at Such a prartice in Fuel a body, nor of the public being called um , to pay. He (Sir John Newport) also objected to the surd, duced into the return. It was not right that any body, wh o called upon to make a return to that House, should say any 'al:, fur themselves upon the face of that return. If. in judgin g ~r parties, they felt themselves aggrieved, then they might tom, , r ; he heard, but they ought to confine themselves to die indiialt: 1 farts which they were called upon to answer . They 'vice of i . . fringrment, and being bound by the intentions of the founder. Ile (Sir John Newport) would, however, contend that the Muse had a right to see bow the funds had been disuoted of. Ile hoped the House would protect the people against all impes!dou hy the Dean and Chapter of Weotminster, or by any other ',Ab e 6 v , It hod been said that the question ought not to be tried in M a r i House. but in a court of law ; but how were the fords f o r that purpose to lie supplied ? It was hardly to b 2 expeetd that a pri. vale individual was to be put to an e xp ense f or such a purpoe: but he had s still greater objection to their being pal out of the funds of which they were already compl a i n i ng of the improper ad. ministrati m of. the 3l ,: r x . i ed C. Fn l t 4 ; . olfVtlii.eN,N did not mean to d e f en d the pmpri.,y er orders that had ben given at Ma same iim.l he balieved the Dean and Chapter had the rig's of doss ing the Abbey; in the same way that the power coning Church at Other times than divine service was ocruir,,,,, b y Otte , parties. IVithin his (Mr. Wynn's) recollection the charge for admission was sixpence; the incseaking the amount enuld not be gone into by that House, Tney were not the proper judges of it. If a road was !topped up. then, to try the right, the partias melt have recourse to lair, When the time should urriva that the Dean and Chapter came to the House of Commons Cra money, then they *night be called upon for an account, but the question of rght such per. l a 3 rt t e n r, t! :l l le t n i eby House could only be decided by legal prosecution. Ile could not but regret the conduct of the Dean and Chapter , but, for the reasons he had stated, lie was compelled to oppose the movo n . Mr. 11.1 RING condemned the language of the Dean and Chap. the grant was. The House was then cleared for a division, when the numbers sons.ki n r o . w w w h h c; a l t t h ee ie n o l c i . u sieb r i o i a couldi siened tehcer'rcltj uppeareJ as follows: For the resolution, . r •6—Against it. 72—Miajnti•7 01 (Air return to the gallery 31r. II L 111 . : was moving his scond re.nlutii n, " for a Copy of the Grant of 16'37 to !he ch o i r. on on. dition that. on their receiving the benefits ot • the exhibition of the monuments. they ►hould keep them clean." A 311:31111:11„ whose name did not reach the gallery, expressed his inteltion to vote for the present resolution, th.itigh he had op. posed the former. 3lr. PEEL wished to know whether he was to understand that the Dom!!! eniavr (31r.liume) would wi hdraw his other motions na the subject, because if such were the case, he (Mr. Peel) would not wish to oppose the present resolution, inasmuch as public money a as you'd for the repairs of monuments, aid there'ore there was a distinction in that case feenn the rest. As to the question of right even if the House came to a decision upon it, it had not the power or enforcing compliance on the part of the Dean and Chvpter. At the same time it had the right of withholding the public montv, should it see lit to do en. 11: (lilt. Peell wished every access to he alliirded to the public, at the same time he thought if the right was to be ascertained. a court of law was the pimp'? place 'o tecide it. lie regretted that they had not complied with the enter of the House in a proper manner., and should not object to the motion as it involved a question es to the grant of public money. 3lr. 111:31E stated it was not hi.; intention to abandon his othet motions. 31r. GOULBURN said a few words which were inaudible in the gal.l! Mr. PEEL proposed to postpone the motion, in order that im q•tity migitt be made as to whether the grant was to the Dean and Ch tpter, or the Choir. - . Mr. E objected to the postponement on that ground. Mr. W. SMITH supported tne motion. The gallery was then cleared for a division. On our return to the gallery no division had taken place, lut Mr. CANNING was addressing the House. We understooa him to say that there did not exist the same ground of objection to the production of the grant of ICI, because it appeared that the House had already interfered to relieve the Dean and Chapter from a portion of the repairs of the monuments of the Abbey ; but, be fore the motion could be acceded to, it was necessary to sacertata whether this was a grant tram the Crown ; if it was, then there would be no opposition trade to its production; but if u eurid prove to be a grant from the De a n and Ch a p ter to t h e Choir. there certainly would be a very great objection to accede to the motion, on the ground that the cocument asked for would, in the latter case, be private property. Under these circumstances, he could recommend the Honourable Member (Mr. Hume) to poslione his modal until it were ascertained w h et h er t hi s grant was from the Crown or from the Dean and Chapter. Mr. HlialE could not understand the flight lion. Gentleman. In the first place, lie objected to the production of the el:arter be. cause it was to grant from the Crown. and the party might hare his remedy in a court of law ; and in the second place he objected to the production of: the grant, because it was supposed to he not a grnnt from the Crown. He must leave it to the Right Hon. Gen tlernan to reconcile this inconsistency. Mr. Secretary PEEL would attempt to explain what the His. Or ntleman conceived to be an inconsistency, but which was no in consistency at all. The Right Hon. Gentleman then repeated the observations made by the Right Hon. Secretary for For:ign Affairs, and concluded by expressing a hops that the Hon. Gentleman would withdraw his motion till it was ascertained whether the grant was of a public or private description. Mr. HUME said that it appeared that the public money had been appropriated for the purpose of relieving the Dean and Chapter from the expense of maintaining the monuments. The House was entitled to have every information as to the right of the parties to have the public money entrusted to their appropriation. Mr. DEN MAN saw no occasion to withdraw the mo ion. It was known by his H n. Friend (Mr. Hume) that this was not a grant from the Crown. but that it was one from the Dean and Chapter to the Choir. The object of his Hon. Friend was to as. certain whether the duty of maintaining the Abbey did not befell to the Dean and Chapter, and whether the Dean and Chapter had notdevolved that duty upon the choir by means of this grant. Het wished to say one word on tnis occasion with reference to what hail fallen from some Honourable Gentlemen on the other side. It had been argued as if it were merely a qnestion of private property. He could not think it was at all gracious to say that this House was not to enter him any inquiry into the subject, because there might, by possibility, be a right at common law. This argu ment might equally well apply to a great many other question which were frequently brought under the consideration of the House. If every individual who complained that he was chrged two shillings for seeing the Abbey, when he thought there ought to be so charge at all, was to be made a champion of public rights in a Court of Chancery, then this House certainly did not afford that species of protection which the public had a right to expect from it. Here was a public trust imposed on the Dean and Chap. ter, and this House had an undoubted right to see to its being pro perly discharged ; and in order to that it was necessary to lawn the documents called for by his Hon. Friend ; he therefore hoped his Hon. Friend would not consent to withdraw his modem. On our return to the gallery, we found that the nutnbas wete— For the motion, 3 7 I Against it. 68 Mejerity, 31. Mr. HUME, after making a few observations, said he should withdraw the other motions of which he had given notice, relative to the same subject for the present, but that it was his intention on a future occasion to move a resolution expressive of tile opinion which this-House entertained of the extraordinary conduct of the Dean and Chapter of W. stminster. Lord PALMERSTON moved for legve to bring in a BM to amend the Act of 52 orthe Ilte King relating to the retired al lowance to Quarter-Masten.. Mr. HUME wished to know whether the Bill was to meal the fordier Act, and to re-enact some of its clauses, or was to coral. tute an additional statute on the books; if the latter it would be entirely inconsistent with that principle of consolidation which had been recently acted upon, and he should object to the Bill being brought in. Lord PALM ERSTON said the present Act enabled the King to place 'paymasters on the retired list after 30 years service: did object of the Bill he wished to introduce, would be to make it lawful to grant retired allowances to persona incapable of further duty after 20 years service. If the lion. litentlentan would permit the Bill to be brought in, it would be found to be framed as the Hon. Gentleman proposed.—Leave was then given. Mr. It. 31A ItTIN postponed his Bill to prevent the cruel sad improper treatment of dog, to Monday next. BRIBERY AT ELECTION BILL. Or, the motion of Lord JOHN RUSSELL this Bill went through s Committee, when several amendments were agreed to: and the Bill ordered to be printed. The House resumed, the Report was brought up and ordered to be taken into further consideration to-morrow se'nroght. On the motion of Mr. TENNYSON, a Bill to ptohibit spring. guns and men traps was read a first time, and ordered to be rend a second time on Thursday next. Mr. HUME brought in a Bill to repeal the duties on sheep skins and lamb- , itins, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow. Mr. BERRIES brought in a Bill to amend an Act of the late King, so far as related to the Board of Trade, and to sffix a salary to the office of the President of the Board of Trele ; but that the said office should not be considered a new office ; which was raid a first time, and ordered to be read a Second time to-morrow. The motion of which Mr. W. SMITH lied given notice. Nerd' ing the slave population in the colonies of Demerara and Runic'. was postponed till the 11th of May next. The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the !bete adjourned at TsVELVE O'CLOCK.