The Sun. — London, England, 1835-09-02 00:00:00

"'+'. N thing - in t i l' A ° wer wow"; cheering.] oily for thent me eting at was bes t against ib c iim from I.l ' in which he 1 tsxes, he ins affecting ; they were ships' 'ego !reditary :ionsistent In to legislate, or his part, olution. " e of Lard s ' sm d, to sec ti:e he heinous-. d as by the a• any thing They re- starvation, There was , If the Lords ding in th e little in th 'he peoples 1 justice b° iolution, was caril n, was nor or ward, was 'hich he de' veral other Pte of thank s ated in the N wn. Chair" Dratiou go' e, and MB° n - his regre g entary Re' ad of infi x " accidenta l committed this opp or is Petition, lat e alarm the ure, in illn' : un icipal sDd e confidenc e rmed bY th e , t h e n ight et g the apPre: f grievance' itreat you. t° ma y requ'r e l ay be Sub [ t the thr IILL- habitants of )ndab ur a ended the tiled to 06 , cart° Lion, e$ ce )end 51 .0 nd bY ill l ?: toi sr). % Ce5S or , s i t ion urge ,e . the is ini d to e !ro t be of ,rbo re e• the' , a. a l bs .; [ 8 alsca , os vas ucSti- -__________________ then reso?ved itself into one of self-government, which the bpeople would possess, but the exercise of which the Lords a t s te rn t e y rfere t o prevent. lie congratulated the meeting and th e had arrieed at a state f i t to agitate that question, meeting which h e a dd resse d was a f i t evidence of the 9pabili ty of the people to govern themselves.—( Cheers.) The I,IZ ,'wnerte removed from the seat of local government, they did not participate in it. Mr. Lawrence concluded by di souse length, upon the iniquitous principles intro weed(into hie Corporation Reform Bill ; and added that the Bill of Commons could not, with consistency, receive the in its Present state, and would cover themselves with eternal disgrace if they backed out of the question.—( Cheers. ) The resolutions was seconded by the Rev. Mr. MukcH, and carried unanimously. Mr. FLEVCIIER proposed the third resolution; which stated that the House of Peers, as at present constituted, was inade quate to the* purposes of government, and that reform in that b ranch of t h e Legislature is essential to its utility, effective- li ess, and a li gnity. The people had been disregarded and duped by file House of Lords.—(Cheers.) The Municipal aßeform Bill had been deprived by them of all its strength ndlo p c ower. I n t hi s respect it resembled Sampson shorn of sks. But the House of Lords forgot that the hair of L.raPson grew again whil e h e was under the despotic power c a the Philistines ; an d that, in revenge for the injuries in meted upon him, he applied his mighty strength to the very P ill ars of their te m pl e, and b rought down its roof on their de .ted heads. Th e power of public opinion grew rapidly. iar poration r e f orm could not be long held captive by the hos. tile Peers, of h ; nay, th e attempt itself might prove the destruction bliththeir own orde r; an d , se i z i ng the two pillars of the State e Lord s T emporal with one hand, and the Lords Spiritual tie: other —the Corporation Sampson might retort on the modern Philistines the example set by his illustrious proto tY e..-(Hear, and cheers). r aa Prim:in( seconded the resolution. , Mr. OPPENHEIII then moved the fourth resolution, propos -111g that an address should be presented to the King, and a Petition to the House of Commons. Mr. OPPENHEIM, jun., seconded the resolution, and it was i ,unanimously agreed t o . The address and petition were then read and agreed to. and Mr. Molten then proposed that a vote of thanks and an ession o f compliment be presented to L or d M e lb ourne , and an address, founded thereon, b e s i gne d b y the Chairman sauteCommi in ttee, and that th e y b e requeste d to present the the manuur most acceptable to his Lordship. The resolution was seconded, and carried amid loud accla- i ' snation. Mr. /TARMAC% than proposed a vote of thanks to D r . "she n gton and M r . Cl ay, f or t h e i r earnest endeavours to secure to the people all the benefits of the' Reform Bill. The motion Was instantly acceded to. h Arr. CLAY, M. P•, in rising to return thanks was most en t-lisiasticallY remit/ ed. He spoke nearly as follows :—lt cannot be doubted but that recent events afford both a suffi clent reason for holding this meeting, and ample justification iol.afrteaebreeeseolutions to which it has unanimously come. What those events ? The Ministers of the Crown, sprtly after their return to power, matured and presented to veryarliament, With, as I believe, the cordial approbation of a t h‘rge majority of their fellow -countrymen, a Bill for ~,a reform of the Municipal Corporations of England and nales-_: great , LII aether words, for restoring to the inhabitants cf th . e - cities and towns of the kingdom that control over their vi O % pro i e a P e rtSi that power of regulating their own affairs, and a' 'I the creep;.ng in of abuse —by negligence on one . hand . encreachmente on the other—had in the lapse of time been taken from them, and transferred to self-elected and irre 31:iintsyihrljfe bo dies_.bodies . that had . in many cases- been proved theirevslifaspTher,fegertoss malversation, and in all had lost the confidence fellow-t awnsmen.—(Cheers. ) I do not say the Bill ; bet I do say it was a wise, a just, and noble mea taree'e-a'alleseing on the part of the constitutional advisers of th e i i. „ o ," a just appreciation of, and honourable reliance on, fell eva . "' c rmal ion, intelligence, and moral worth. of their of da -ecu ntryinen. This Bill passed through the House the ai;l nut ion's scarcely opposed—almost wholly unaltered— it embed e lead er of the Opposition fully admitting the principle , Tbeya ti •--Cheers.) What was its fate in the Lords . fre em ave retained in perpetuity the elective franchise of b the b e ,„ en---that franchise proved by unvarying testimony to l a % v e e s ate e e qual l'Y a source of degradation to the freemen themse • contreiv'ss eleaa a s a ur si-1 to their country ; they have retained the town coo , i la their situations for life, thus depriving the town of control over their own functionaries; ... they have L e _ id to keep alive all ancient animosities, jeaousies, and haVlblernings, by retaining the present aldermen ; they s • 0 done w h at i n them lay to revive the almost expiring „P f i rit tee religious discord, by enacting that none but members Z t . t r , 4 Church of England shall have a voice in the disposal z „ Church patronage in any corporation, though they have b`atralized this enactment by the absurdity of omitting to state i l What test a Church of England man is to be known ; they a 'a broke n in on the vital principle of the Bill, viz., the se eu4— tio'rt oche responsibility of the town council, and the concilia -1;, the members of the council, by means of that respon- Z 4i tY, the affection and confidence of their fellow-citizens, end a ccomplished by subjecting the whole of the council to l' ai n l ie etien at short periods--they have broken in on this prin fo;:°,'. hY enacting that one-fourth of the town council shall sit eedi f e , to consist at first of members of the . old corporations, 6111 last to and most extraordinary of all their amendments, not R. y have they inserted the pecuniary qualification which the nglit Hon. B aronet the Member for Tamtvorth proposed, and e 1 ; 10 1 the House of Commons rejected, but have added to it v e alm ost incredible affront on the people o f E ng l an d, that kin e-s ixtbs of t h e inhabitants of every corporate town in the gd ailjera are to h e Cons i dered unworthy to be entrusted with , share in the: management of the affairs of the society of a " _ t ell they constitute so large a majority. Upon hearin g th e amendrne•at proposed, I declared that I doubted the evi haevne° "ray 'senses. I appealed to others whether I could can heard correctly; and could not help saying, o . Where th eir these Noble personages have resided ?—in what society can Inte n t live s be passed ?—do they all, and always on the termi- to Vi n clf their Parliamentary labours, retire to Petersburgh, the etl ntt, or to the moon, that they can be so ignorant of tr y Intellectual and moral condition of their fellow-coun t:4n' as a to think such a prevision necessary ; or of their " • (Co -! as to suppose they will patiently endure . it ceetpued cheering. ) Gentlemen, it is impossible to con ourselves that the question of the fat! of is, la itiLciPal Corporations Bill, interesting as it certainly :it:: I Ur . : t e e sd in the greater question involved in your third constituted whether the House of Lords, as at present ' Can co -exist as a useful instrument of legisla self with a aeformed House of Commons ?—(Chee_rs e . m ) _l i m ,, my. to eon ' Talk no hostility to the andsHoue of Lords. 1 w.IIII"g_ thei r ce ue to them the free independent exercise tat tin e , P°.,wers and privileges as a branch of the Legisla feetai, ',believe that such hitherto has been the prevalent t hat if, ,7, 4 , ,the country. But it is impossible not to anticipate th at i - a m this case it should be found that reforms of our l 4 nd deete,:t--, a nxiously and ardently sought for by thepeop re e, PreBe4tat""ned upon, after grave deliberation, by theird their ives slio 1 a efE c i en u (1 ' frequently be refused, or people will of be en3 l 3 ted . e Y by the Peers, that the th at ‘o as k dreg Provision Of our reform should not be applied to constitution which enables some hun hole andcn fifty irresponsible onsible individuals to impede the Iv z !lieh a-, - „ lirs ? of remedial p legislation ; and an instrument el th w -- aY In the hands of a faction be made themean; Inc wh: t rt rilg the wishes of a whole people- —(Loud cheers. tdat se rit • s Pirll, it may be asked, is legislation conducted tio ti ,,, ' ll the House of Peers ? Does the majority in: that A eirei.onatsynlpathize with any large portion of the people .. • will en tance connected with the fate of the Corpoiationß ill j o th., able us to judge. The leader of the Tory Opposition. e i ai " Hoe of Commons declared he approved of the prin aoe ef the Bill, and he proposed no amendments which could a eo lY be said to occasion any doubt of the sincerity of that ia. aration. But in the Lords, not only did the majority go aa l" O Committ ee protesting hostility to the whole Bill, but the t7entrnents carried were such as to change the whole cliarac 7Zr oy the measure the were such as Sir IL Peel could not, 51./Isistently with the opinions he professed, have proposed, ,o..eyen supported if proposed by another.—( Cheers.) We pteist, therefore, from the approvers of the course taken by the of w e r h s . , strike off all that portion of the Conservative party WE I tell the Right Hon. Baronet is the organ and the leader. • at th en r * new . , miming ? Will aught be left but a faction, as i mu the in point of numbers as most assuredly it is in toupe e e nce or consideration with the country ? Upon this ta,i. however, gentlemen, I will no longer dwell. No man of ,smore deprecate than myself a collision with the House donb rers, —disastrous (although its event would not be r ecd tful) as it would surely prove.—( Cheers.) Upon the atat4lMendation embodied in the resolution relating to the u „ t er which you have just adopted, I do not feel called filzeoa to offer any opinion ; but I repeat,- that under the very iinliar ci rcumstances attending the fate of the Corporation li fie t e i l the House of Lords the meeting is abundantly jus 14°t the expression of sentiment contained in that resolu -0111. In the approbation you have expressed of Lord Melbourne ( t he Cabinet of which he is the head, I cordially concur. , st . !itittinlied cheering.) An attentive observation of the course too ~e Ad ministration since their return to office has satisfied e ar29at they are disposed frankly and honestly to carry . into ke ' f et those reforms of our institutions to which Parliamentary te them was a means--( Cheers)—and I have accordingly given wi t i l ue in a fulness of confidence which I was compelled to Greys) h, with whatever regret, from ghat Government (Earl 14of which they were the successors. As well for the a,i„Presentatives of the people themselves, I think it is the ,i•Tt course, if there be reason to believe that the Ministers qotillr..,,rown deserve confidence . to yield it ungrudingly, those rat, rows, to impute to difficulties and obstacles of which the e f only who have to oppose them can fully appreciate p u ri erce, apparent falling short in carrying sound th o n _ c 'Ples into practical effect, than to an abandonment of eaa'e principles themselves. These feelings, Gentlemen, :•";`:e actuated not myself only, but a large portion of those night of the House of Commons with whom I have ina„t co the coincided in opinion.—( Cheers.) These feel daT's w ill, I doubt not, lead us—during the next eventful few te as ---- I will not say blindly to follow whatever course Minis eeti_zbaY Point out—but, at least, to have a very decided incli i;unustri to afford to them a firm and cordial support under eir antes of almost unparalleled difficulty.—( Immense cheer *) Wh ti oo , ether the course pointed out in your second resolu emoue.suchas it would be advisable to adopt, must depend taneac'remnstances of which I, at least, am at present in igno aosol"tit;i but of this I am quite certain, that the language of that "r red Inn (amply justified as it is by a recollection of what oc. rite ast autumn), will be felt by Ministers and the majo leatne the liouse of Commons, as affording them most va anoe ~caotuntenance and aid, by conveying to them the assur their that the people of England approve of their exertions . in tion,i '' ' a lf, and are prepared to sup Port them in all Constitu tions f u f r i i 4 a ff su e r e e t s ...... , Iv( I h m ic in h e m ns a e y e b b e ee n r e il c lg e . s ) sary to give those exer- THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1835. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) Lords' Amendments considered :—Clause 25, Amendment proposed to be made to the amendment made by the Lords, which amendment was to insert the words " nor shall any per son be qualified to be a councillor of any such borough, who shall not be entitled to be on the burgess list of such borough," at the end of the said amendment to add the words, nor unless he shall be seised or possessed of real or personal estate, or both, to the following amount—that is to say, in all boroughs directed by this Act to be divided into four or more wards to the amount of one thousand pounds, and in all boroughs di rected to be divided into less than four wards, or shall not be divided into wards, to the amount of five hundred pounds." — (Lord John Russell.) Whereupon it was moved, to amend the said amendment so proposed to the amendment of the Lords, after the words " one thousand pounds," to insert the words " or be rated to the relief of the pour in such borough upon the annual value of not less than thirty pounds."—( Sir Robert Peel.) Whereupon it was moved, to amend the said amendment proposed to be made to the amendment proposed to be made to the Lords amendment, by leaving out the word " thirty," and inserting the word " ten." Question put, " That the word ' thirty' stand part of the amendment." The House divided—Ayes 271, Noes 37. Amendment to Lords amend ment amended, and :agreed to. Clause 47, Amen dment proposed to the Lords amendment, which amendment was to insert the words " in respect of amount of rating or of estate as aforesaid," to prefix the words "at the time of ma king such declaration." Question put, " That the proposed words be prefixed to the sa id amend-. mendment." The House divided—Ayes 167, Noes 33. Clause 96—( Appointment of justices in boroughs)—M e _ tion made, and question put, " That this House cloth agre e with the Lords in the amendments to the said clause." The House divided--Ayes 69, Noes 164. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL LIST OF THE MINORITY Of 36 (Tellers included), who voted for the reduction of the Qualification of Town Councils from a rating of 30/. to that o. 101. per annum. Against the motion . For the motion . 273 36 -237 Thomson, C. P. Cooke, W. Tulk, Charles A Vivian, John Ennis Wakley, Thomas Walker, C. A. Wallace, IL Warburton, 11. Williams, W. Majority Elphinstone, Howard Ewart, W. Fielden, J. Grote, G. Hector, C.. 7. Marsland, H. Mullins, W. F. O'Connell, D. O'Connell, M. Palmer, C. Philips, M. Itippon, C. Aglionby, H. A. Attwood, T. Beauclerk, Major Blake, M. J. llowring, Dr. Brabazon, Sir W. J. Brady, D. C. Buckingham, J. S. Buiwer. H. L. • Byng, Hon. G. tonyugnam Lord A TELLERS. Crawford, W. S. Roebuck, .1. A. Dundas, J. C. i , C. Major Macnamara paired off with Mr. Arthur Cole. SECOND EDITION. SUN OFFICE, Seven o'cloci THE PARLIAMENT. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. Lord DENMAN took his seat on the Woolsack at five o'clock MUSIC AND DANCING BILL. Lord KEN YON presented a petition against the Bill, and suggested that the Noble and Learned Lord would postpone the second reading of the Bill till to-morrow. The Denmark and Sardinia Slave Trade Bills were seve rally read a third time, and passed. The Earl of WICK LOW presented petitions from Claren don Chapel and Swords, near Dublin, against the Irish Tithe Bill. On the order of the day for the third reading of the Abo tion of Capital Punishments' Bill being read, Lord BROUGHAM said a Noble Lord opposite had some objections to urge to the Bill, and moved that the third read. in. he deferred to Friday.—Agreed to. ° On the motion of Lord BROUGHAM the Arrestment of Wages (Scotland) Bill was read a third time. PRISON, DISCIPLINE. The Duke of RICHMOND, as chairman of the Committee on Prison Discipline, brought up the fifth Report of the Com mittee. He trusted that many of the evils which at present existed would speedily be remedied by the Secretary of State. In justice to the Committee he would state that they had spared neither time nor trouble in investigating the subject—they had per sonally visited many of the prisons of the Metropolis, and had examined a great deal of evidence. One very great inconve nience to which unfortunate persons were subjected in these pri sons was, that when under sentence of death they could not have a private cell to themselves. This he trusted would be reme died by the Secretary of State, as he would be empowered to do by the late Bill. He begged in conclusion to move that copies of the evidence and report be sent to the Keepers of the various Prisons in the metropolis. The Earl of CARBERRY bore testimony to the zeal and industry with which the Noble Duke had discharged his duty as Chairman of that Committee. After a few words from Lord FARNHAM and Viscount DUNCANNON, the report was ordered to be printed. ORANGE LODGES. Lord PLU KETT, seeing an illustrious Duke in his place, begged to allude to a report of a statement attributed to the il lustrious Duke (Cumberland) in a newspaper ofyesterday, at an Orange Lodge at which the Illustrious Duke had presided. The statement attributed to the Illustrious Duke was, that he had been subjected to attacks of the most violent and vi rulent character, andi that a Noble and Learned Lord, mean ing himself; bad taken the liberty on the occasion of a petition having been presented from the University of Dublin to charge him the Duke of Cumberland) with tampering with the heads of the University, and establishing an Orange lodge therein. The Report further stated that the Illustrious Duke said he should treat such observations with contempt, that the conduct of the Noble and Learned Lord was ungentlemanly, and that he (the Dnke of Cumberland) would not submit to be bullied. If such statements were made, he regretted the Noble Duke had not made it before his (Lord P.'s) face in that House, and however great the difference of their respective ranks might be, neither that illustrious Duke, nor any man alive, had a right to state that he had been actuated by violent or malig nant feelings—that his conduct was ungentlemanlike—or that he was authorised to treat him with contempt. The Duke of CUMBERLAND—.I never said so.—( Hear, hear.) If the Noble and Learned Lord will allow rue I shall state what I did say. Lord PLUNKETT—With the greatest pleasure. The Duke of CUMBERLAND proceeded to state what had occurred on the occasion of his presenting a petition from the University of Dublin (as reported in a former number of The Sun). He had felt it his duty to call a meeting of the Grand Orange Lodge a few days ago, and had then alluded to the charge brought against him, of having established an Orange Lodge in the University of Dublin. He stated there might or might not be a Lodge, but he was not aware of it. He then stated, and he appealed to the Noble and Learned Lord if such , was not the fact, that he had been most cruelly maligned and attacked. That statement bad been made generally, but without any reference to the Noble and Learned Lord— ( Hear)—and no one could deny that he had not been so abused, because he had adhered to his principles firmly, manfully, and boldly.---( Hear.) He had further said, that no man, whoever he was, should attempt to to bully him (the D. of Cumberland.) That statement had no reference to the Noble and Learned Lord—( Hear, hear)—but it was a general statement with respect to his determined adherence to those principles which he believed to be the salvation of the country and the support of the Protestant religion.—( Hear, hear. ) He had never said anything of any man behind his back that he should not be ready to say to his face.--( Hear.) Lord PL UNKET expressed himself perfectly satisfied with the statement of the illustrious Duke, and should be sorry that an erroneous impression should be abroad of his having made so improper and unjustifiable an attack upon the illustrious Duke. REGISTRATION OF VOTERS (IRELAND.) Viscount DUNCANNON, in bringing up this Bill, en tered into some details of the measure, which, he observed, would tend to assimilate the Irish to the existing English system. The Earl of LIMERICK opposed the introduction of the Bill at so late a period of the session. It was full of novel legislation and difficulties, which he feared could not be got, over in the short time that remained to their Lordships for the despatch of public business. Lord PLUNKETT defended the Bill, and urged the pro.. piety of allowing it to go into Committee, unless their Lord ships wished to throw out the Bill altogether. CLEFT SITTING.) The petition was also supported by two Hon. MEMBERS, whose names were unknown in the Gallery. Lord MORPETH also presented a petition from the Mo derator and Presbyters of the Synod of Ulster, complaining that the Commissioners of Education had very much under. rated them in their Returns. TOWER HAMLETS. Mr. CLAY presented a petition from the inhabitants of the borough of the Tower Hamlets, which was agreed to at a meeting held on Monday, which consisted of not less than 10,000 persons.—( Hear, hear.) All the resolutions were unanimously adopted, and within a few hours the petition was signed by three thousand persons whose residences were attached,, and if another day had been allowed, ten thousand names would have been added to the petition, which in substance stated that the electors of the Tower Ham lets viewed with satisfaction the introduction of the Mu nicipal Reform Bill, and their regret at the mutilations made in the other House. They stated, that in consequence of this and other proceedings of that House, it had become apparent that in that House there was a disposition to frustrate and de lay all reforms, and therefore they prayed that such a reform might be made in that House as would render it an useful establishment to the country.---( Hear.) The petitioners declared themselves ready to support Ministers. He trusted that this petition would yet operate as a warning to the other branch of the legislature, and that it would not continue to proceed in a manner which he regretted to say was spreading a spirit of contempt for that House amongst the people. Dr. LUSHINGTON was happy to add his testimony to that of his Hon. Colleague, in support of the petition. Cir cumstances had intervened since the meeting, which would render it advisable for him to abstain from making such obser vations as he should otherwise have made, because they might now lead to an inopportune contention.—(Hear, hear.) He must be allowed to say that in that immense district, con taining 370,000 inhabitants, the majority of them entertained the sentiments contained in that petition, and if justice were not accorded to the wishes of the people, they were prepared, by every constitutional effort, to support their Representatives in Parliament in finally obtaining it. Mr. SINCL AIR had seen many petitions calling for a re. form of the House of Lords. He wished some Hon. Gentle. man opposite would explain what a reform of the' Lords meant ? How was it to be effected? Did Hon. Gentlemen opposite think they could get an Act of Parliament passed through the Legislature to effect it?—(" Hear, hear" from Mr. Hume and Mr. Roebuck.) It must be without the consent of the House of Peers then.—( Hear, hear.) That House would most properly resist such an attack. By their conduct with reference to the Municipal Reform Bill, the House of Lords had acquired the gratitude of the country, and had shown themselves to be actuated by the most just and honest principles. Mr. ROEBUCK—The Hon. Member has asked what we mean by a reform of the House of Lords ? The motion which he intended to make very early next session would show. He would propose that the veto possessed by the House of Lords in all matters of legislation should be entirely taken away— ( A laugh)--and that they should substitute in lieu of it a suspensive power—( Hear)—so that when a Bill passed the House of Commons, and was thrown out by the House of Lords, and during the same Session was again passed by the House of Commons, it should, upon receiving the Royal Assent, become the law of the land. He meant to ask for leave to bring in a Bill for this purpose : and as this House did consent, very much against their own wishes, to reform itself, he was very much inclined to believe, that the same pressure from without would conipel the House of Lords to reform themselves.—( Cries of " Hear, hear.") That is, he be lieved they would be enabled to pass a Bill into an Act by the aid of the Commons, Lords, and King, by which the House of Lords would be made an efficient instrument of le gislation, which under present circumstances they were by no means calculated to be, viz. while they remained irrespon sible, ignorant, and interested. Mr. HUME was gratified to be able to make so satisfac tory a contrast between the conduct of this House and the other. 'This House had received the mutilations of the Bill in the spirit of conciliation. He would put in contrast the manner in which this Bill had been received, and this House spoken of in another place, and he would ask whether the House of Commons, as contrasted with the House of Lords, had not the advantag e . The Hon. Gentleman h as asked what; we mean by a Re form of the House of Lords ? What he was anxious to do, and, if it were in his power—( A laugh)—would do, and what he meant to propose to effect was this :—there were three propositions : the first was that no man, even though he had the qualifications of an angel, could act to good purpose unless he was properly responsible—unless be was under some responsibility to authority. Now, the House of Lords was irresponsible altogether. The House of Commons was formerly an irresponsible body, till they were reformed by a Bill which was passed by the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the King. They were made responsible by this measure, and be had no reason to doubt but that the time would ar rive when by a similar Bill they would see the House of Lords made equally responsible for their conduct. The public should know the situation of the House of Lords, which combined the qualifications of Members of the Legis lature, and of a court of appeal.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") He had intended and was ready for some time to put on the table of the House this Session a notice to the effect which he had stated. He should early in the next session move for the appointment of a Select Committee, to inquire into the number of Peers in Parliament, their qualification as such—(Cheers)—to inquire into the powers of the House, and to consider how far the 'House had fulfilled its important duties of a legislative body, and also as to the manner in which conferences took place, and communications were held between the House of Lcrds and the House of Commons.—(Cheers.) He (Mr. Hume) thought the distinctions that were kept up between the House of Commons and the House of Lords were most degrading. The Commons were obliged to stand uncovered, while the Peers sat with their hats on.—( Cheers. ) The fact was that the House of Commons were in effect denied the opportunity of communicating their opinions or sentiments to the House of Lords.--( Cheers.) A conference was a com plete farce, as it was only the medium for the exchange of bits of paper.—(Cheers.) He thought when the House set itself against all improvement in the country, it was high time to see whether or not Reform should take place. He was sure, however, that the House of Commons, when they desired the correction of improper abuses, did not wish to abolish the House of Peers.—(Loud cheers.) He had never heard any person w.ith whom he had conversed express such a wish, but he had heard a desire stated that they should be made a fit and proper instrument of good government. (Cheers.) He could not conceive a better form of government than that of King, Lords, and Commons, if they were all placed in their pro per sphere; but when he saw one branch taking to themselves the prerogatives of the three, he thought it was high time some change should take place.—( Cheers.) He begged pardon for having said so much about the House of Peers, but he considered the subject demanded it. The petition was then laid on the table. Mr. GROTE presented a petition from the "Ward of P ort soken, against the amendments of the House of' Lords in the Municipal Reform Bill. REMOVAL OF THE BISHOPS. Mr. C. RIPPON gave notice, that early in the next Ses sion he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to remove the Archbishops and Bishops from the House; and also a •resolu tion, that Deans and Chapters not having the cure of souls were useless, and that it was proper to place the property of such bodies in the hands of Commissioners, regard being had to existing rights and interests.—(Cheers.) Mr. SCALES then proposed a vote of thanks to the Chair man, which Mr. Goucli seconded, and the meeting separated. Within the course of one hour, the petition received up. wards of 2,500 signatures. PORTSOKEN WARD. A public meeting of the inhabitants of the Ward of Port saken was held yesterday at St. Botolph's Church, Aldgate, pursuant to requisition. Michael Scales, Esq., was unani mously called to the chair. The CHAIRMAN adverted to the leading principles of the Corporation Reform Bill, and the present state of the country at large. The House of Lords had mutilated the most im portant principles of the Bill. The duration of the offices of alderman and town-clerk was prescribed to be for life. The greatest sympathy had been exhibited towards the freemen of corporations, who were the willing tools of the opposition to forward the purposes of that portion of the House of Lords at general elections, although constitutionally they could not in terfere in the return of Members to the Commons' House of Parliament. The inhabitants of boroughs and corporate towns were divided into classes, and property was made the qualifi cation for office, and honesty, principle, and integrity wholly disregarded. The principle of qualification by right of pro perty was unjust ; it was a bar to the honest man, and it fre quently opened office to the vicious, who sometimes swore to the possession of property to double the amount they really owned, in order to enjoy the sweets of office. The House of Peers were of all men the last who should countenance such principle, as they were irresponsible, and themselves and their sons were exempted from the requirement of any quali fication at all.—( Cheers.) Mr. JONES moved the first resolution. He said the Bill had been called by the House of Peers a Bill of pains and penalties, and a spoliation Bill, when it was intended only to restore the rights of the people to them in the same spirit with which those rights were conferred. Many who formed the Opposition were insolvents, some were State paupers, who but for their pensions derived from the country would be insolvents too. Others were imbeciles and idiots.—( Laughter.) The absurdity of having aldermen for life, which was supported by the Opposi tion, was instanced in the present " Tom-fool of a Lord Mayor" for the City of London. Mr. Jones concluded by com menting upon the impropriety of securing ♦otes by proxy in the House of Lords, after which he proposed the first resolution, which was seconded by Mr. HADLOW, and carried unanimously. The remaining resolutions were proposed and agreed to una,. nimously. The address to his Majesty and the petition were read and approved by the meeting. Thanks were unanimously voted to the Chairman, after which the meeting separated. YORKSHIRE GREAT WEST RIDING MEETING. A numerous and most respectable meeting of the West Riding of the County of York, was held at Wakefield, on Monday last, in pursuance of a requisition signed by nearly 700 gentlemen, including four Baronets, and a great number of Magistrates and landed Gentry. A very strong feeling prevails in the Riding on this impor tant measure, and the attendance at Wakefield far exceeded any we have ever seen at a Riding or County meeting, ex cepting only the great Riding meeting, when Earl Grey re signed in 1832, and may, we think, be fairly computed at from twelve to fifteen thousand persons. From Leeds alone nearly three thousand Rersons must have gone to Wakefield. Sir Francis Mod and other requisitors assembled at the White Hart at teat' o'clock, and soon after that time they were agreeably surprised by the unexpected arrival of the Earl Fitz william, with Lord Milton and two of his other sons. At eleven o'clock they adjourned to the hustings, which had been erected in the large area of the Corn Market at the top of Westgate. As soon as the gentlemen had taken their stations on the hustings, Siy,,F. L. Wool) took the Chair amid the unanimous acclamation,g of the immense assembly. Mr. R. STANSFIELD moved the first resolution, to the effect that,the meeting being firmly convinced of the evils of the present Municipal system, had seen with much satisfaction the Bill for the Reform of the Municipal Corporations, which had been introduced by the present Administration, and had also witnessed with regret and astonishment the alterations which the Lords had thought to fit make in that measure. The resolution also stated that the meeting should forthwith peti tion the House of Commons not to consent to these pernicious alterations. Earl- FITZWILLIAM then presented himself, and was received with loud and continued acclamations. The Noble Earl said— Now, gentlemen, although I certainly agree with the resolu tion moved by Mr. Stansfield, yet you must not expect me to say that I entirely disapprove of the alterations which have been- made by the House of Lords.—( Hear, hear.) I disap prove of many of those alterations, but there are others which I approve of. Ido not approve of that part of the Corpora. tions Bill proposed and passed by the House of Commons, resting the granting of licenses to public-houses in the town council. Ido not approve of that part of it. But now, let me come to some other of their Lordships' alterations; and the first I meet with is this—" That for the election and for the formation of the town-council, the burgesses in each town are to be divided into six lots, according to the amount of rate paid by the persons in each lot. and the town-council to be chosen only out of that lot which is the highest rated.—( Shame, shame.) Now, I think that is a most unjust alteration.— ( Hear, hear.) I say that it is unjust in one branch of the Legislature to tell the people that they shall not put into the town-council a man, whatever may be his abilities, virtues, or qualifications for exercising political power, unless he is among the wealthy rate payers who come under the sixth de nomination,—( Hear, hear.) That, 1 repeat, is unjust, and not calculated to lead to good local government. I will be bound to say, in those places which retain a far greater share of commercial character than this, that men of the wealthiest character would not be by the rate, in the first six por tions of the rate-payers.—( Hear, hear, hear.) Now, the next alteration was, that the mayor and assessors are to revise the list. In case of an objection made to a person on the list, the objector is not required to prove his ob jection until the person objected to has proved his quali fication.—( Hear, hear.) It is, in my opinion, most unjust to lay upon the person objected to the onus probandi that he is so qualified. I think there is no great harm in retaining the al dermen, who are a class associated with our oldest recollec- tions of English history. But we now come to one of the alterations which I conceive the most pernicious of all. What is the alteration ? The Lords have decreed that the Crown shall appoint justices without any nomination of the town council. I ant of opinion that that is the worst of all the alterations. Now, gentlemen, there is another part of the Bill ; the alterations made in the House of Lords carry for ward the principle of dividing corporate towns into wards. I confess this alteration appears to me to be desirable, in order to prevent the corporation being too much (if I may so say) of one colour. The only way of preventing that result is to divide the towns into wards, and in that respect the House of Lords has made an improvement in the Bill. Now, having stated these details, I am afraid I may have detained you longer than may be agreeable to you.—( No, no ; go on.) I have thought it right, not only to state the alterations of which I disapprove, but also those which I do approve ; but the por tions of which I disapprove are of sufficient importance to jus tify me in seconding the resolution of Mr. Stansfield, and I do it the rather, because it does not enter into any of the details ; because it does not call upon the House of Commons to take any steps which might lead to that sort of collision which would not be conducive to the public welfare ; but calls upon them rather, in their dealings with the House of Lords, to distinguish with them as I have distinguished with you, and leaves them at liberty to take what is beneficial in the altera tions, and reject what they think is pernicious. The Noble Earl concluded amidst loud cheers. Lord MILTON next presented himself, and was received with enthusiastic applause. The Noble Lord spoke as follows : Gentlemen, certainly every one who has watched the progress of the Municipal Corporation Bill through the House of Commons, cannet have seen what Lord Brougham termed the unsparing application of the butcher's knife to the Bill, without feelings of deep regret.—( Hear, hear.) In a mea sure which had for its object the reform of the local govern ment of the country, it might have been supposed that Tory Lords would have forgotten something of religious differences. But no. There was an opportunity, and it was too favour able a one to let slip, to have a back-hand rap at the Dissen ters.--(Hear, hear, and cheers.) I will just explain what I mean. This is one of the improvements adopted by their Lordships' House—That the aldermen, if present, are to preside in council, in the absence of the mayor. Members of the Church only to appoint persons to fill the vacant be nefices, notwithstanding anything heretofore contained to the contrary. Gentlemen, what a change is this l—( Hear, hear.) Where is the restriction existing now upon a Dissenter ap pointing to a vacant benefice.—( Hear, hear.) What is the object of this ? It is the curtailment of religious liberty.— ( Hear, hear, and applause.) The Noble Lord concluded by reading an address to his Majesty, expressive of a hope that his Majesty would continue to support his present Ministers in carrying into effect the great measure of Municipal Reform, and to give entire confidence to the Administration who now conducted with so much ability and patriotism the affairs of Government. Sir E. VAvAsourt seconded the address, which, having been put from the Chair, was carried unanimously. THOMAS BENTON, Es 1., then moved an address to Lord Melbourne. JOSEPH LEES, Esq., seconded the address, which was una nimously adopted. Sir W. B. COOKE, Bart., then moved the adoption of a petition to the House of Commons, expressing the earnest hope of the meeting that with the same uncompromising spirit it had hitherto manifested it would now reject this muti lated Bill as delusive and utterly unfit to afford satisfaction to the people of England. T. GREENWOOD, Esq., having seconded the petition, it was put from the Chair, and unanimously agreed to. After a vote of thanks to the Chairman, who returned the compliment in a suitable speech, the meeting separated at half past one. It appears from a printed plan, that fifty-three class leaders, formerly connected with the societies under the Con ference in Liverpool, are now in connection with the Wesleyan Methodist Association in this town.—Liverpool Albion. THE WEATHER.—Copious rains have fallen since our last, which have proved highly beneficial to the turnip and potato crops, as well as the pasture and the corn crop on back ward soils. Shearing in a few days will be general throughout tho country, and even at present many fields are cut down in the neighbourhood. On Thursday evening lightning was very prevalent, and on Saturday night and Sunday morning it was again seen, accompanied by low distant thunder. The atmos phere this season appears to have been charged with the elec tric fluid in a degree very uncommon in the North.—lnverness Courier. LIST OF THE MAJORITY Of 166 ( Tellers included), who voted for the rejection of the Lards' Clause giving to the Crown the nomination of Magistrates, without the intervention or recommendation of the Town Council. For the rejection of the Clause Against it, 7l • Adam, Admiral .Aglioirby, H. A. Angerstein,John Anson, Sir G. Astley, Sir Jacob Attwood, T. Baines, E. BAliiwin, Dr. Baring, F. T. Barnard, E. G. Barron, H. W. Barry, G. S. Bellew, R. M. Berkeley, F. ISernal, R. Bewes, T. fish, T. Blake, M. J. Blamirc, W. Blunt, Sir C. Bowring, Dr. Israbazon, Sir W. Brady, Denis C. Bridgman, H. .. Brocklehurst, J. Brodie, W. I). lirottierton, J. Buckingham, J. S. Buller, C. Burden, W. W. Butler, Hon P. S. Buxton, T. F. Byng, George Byug, H. 4;. Campbell, Str John Carter, J. B. Chalmers, P. Clay, %V. Clayton, Sir W. Crdrington, Sir E. Collier, John Cooper, E. J. Crawford, W. S. Curteis, H. IVErncourt, C. T. Denison, J. E. I iiyett, E. Doan), Sir It. Duncombe, 'l'. S. Dundas, J. C. Itinlop, J. Dykes, F. L. I brington, Viscount Eip iinstorse, H. Etwall, Leans, G. Ewert, W. Fellowes, Hon. N. Ferguson, R. C. Fielder), J. Majority Fitzsimon, N. French, F. Gaskell, Grattan, H. Grey, Sir G. Guest, J. J. Handley, H. Harcourt, G. G. Hawes, 13. ELwxins, J. H. Hay, Colonel L. Hcathcote, R. E. Hobhouse, Sir J. C. Hodges, T. L. Howard, It. HOW IC k. Lord Hume, Joseph Hutt, W. Jephsm. C. D. 0. Jervis, J. Kerry, Earl of Labouchere, H. Leader, J. F. Leferre, C. S. Leonard, 'l'. B. Lister, E. C. -Locxe, W. .Lushington, Dr. Lushington, Charles Lynch, A. H. M'Leod, R. Maenamara, W. Maher, John Marshall, W. Mars'and, Maule, Hon. Fox Moreton, A. H. Morrison, J. Mostyn, E. Mullins, W. F. Nagle, fir R. North, F. O'Connell, D. O'Connell, J. O'Connell, Morgan O'Loghlen, M. Ord, W. Ord, W. H. Oswald, J. Palmer, C. Parker, J. Parrott, J. Pattison, James Pechell, Captain Pease, Joseph Phi.iips, M. INmsonby, Hon. W. Poulter, J. S. - Power, P. Pryme, G. MINORITY. Gaskell, J. M. Gladstone, W. E. Gore, W. 0. Goulburn, H. Goulbuto, Mr. Serjt. Grimston, Hon. E. Hamner, H. H wkes, I'. He r.iker, Lord Berries, J. C. Jackson, Serjemit Jervis yn, Earl Jones, T. Kerrison, Sir E. Knightl, y, Sir C. Lewis, D. Mathew, Cant. Meynell, Nichol!, J. Palmer, It. Peel, Sir It Perceval, Colon 1 Plunkett, Hon. R. Poliiill, Frederick -95 Pr vse, P. Ita - nusbottom, J. Rice, 'l'. S. Rickford, V. Rippon, C. Robinson, G. R. Roche, D. Roche, W. Rolfe, R. M. Fionayne. D. Russell, Loid John Ruthven, E. S. Scale, Colonel Sheldon, E. R. C. Simeon, Sir R. G. Smith, E. Stanley, E. J. Steuart, R. Stewart, P. M. Strickland, Sir G. Strutt, Edward Sullivan, R. Talbot, J. H. Taltourd, I'. Noon Tattered, H. W. Thorneley, Thomas Tooke, Wiliam Tuner, W. Wakley, Thomas Walker, R. Walker, C. A. Wallace, IL Warburton, H. Ward, IL G. Westenra, Hon. H. Wilde, Thomas Wilks, J. Williams, W. A. Wilson, Henry Winnington, Sir T. Wilmington, H. J. E, Wood, C. Wood, Alderman Wrightson, W. B. WrottesleY, Sir J. B. Wyse, Thomas Young G, PAIRED OFF FOR. Johnstone, A. Williams, W. SHUT OUT. Bulwer, 11. L. Hindley, Charles Mackenzie, J. A. S. Murray, J. A. O'Connell, Maurice Potter. R. Scilolefield, J. Tynte, C. J. K, Arbuthnot, Hon. H, Ashley, Lord Ashley, Hon. H. Attwood, M. Barclay, Charles Bram,ton, T. W. Bruce, Lord E. Bruen, Francis Calchift, G. H. Cartwright, W. H. Chapman, A. Cole, Hon. A. Pollen, Sir John Powell, W E. Price, Samuel Grove Reid Sir J. R. Ross, C. Rushbrook, Robert Sibthorp, Colonel Stormont, Viscount Sturt, H. C. Trevor, Hon. G. R. Twiss, Ho race Vere,'Sir C. 13., Bart. ' l / 4 V. 1 er J. Dare, IC W. H. Dick, Q. Dillwyn, L. W. Eastnor. Viscotmt Eaton, Riel?ard J. Egerton, W. Elley, Sir J. Elwes, J. P. Fleming, J. Fremantle, sir T. Freslltielil, J. W. Wilbraham, R. B. Wood, Colonel Worcester, Marq. of Wortley, Hon. J. S. Wyndham, W. Wynn, ict. Hon. C. Yorke, Elliot Thos. TELLERS FO'let t, Sir W. W, Scarlett, Hon. R. LIST OF THE MAJORITY Of 169 (Telle. , :s included), who voted, on the Attorney-Gcneral's motion, agi.inst requiring Councilmen to prove the possession of a money qualification, except at the timo of their making the declaration previous to their entering on office. For the Motion •••• Against it Majority for the Motion Adam, Admiral C. 1 Evans, G. Aglionby, H. A. Ewart,W. Angerstem, John Fergusson, R. C. Anson, Sir G. Fergusson, Sir R. C. liagshaw, John Ferguson, Sir R. Baring, F. Fitzsimon i N. Barnard, E. G. Fketwoo t l, H. Barron, H. W. Haskell, I). Barry, G. S. Grattan, H. Beauclerk, Major 4 Grote, G. Bellew, It. M. Guest, J. Berkeley, F. F. Harland, W. C. Bernal, R. Harvey, D. W. liewes, T. Hawes, B. Blackburne, J. Hawkins, J. H. Blake, M. J. Heatheote, R. E. Blamire, \V. Hobhouse, Sir J. C. Blunt, Sir C. Hodges, T. L. Bowring, Dr. Hoskins, K. Brahazon, Sir \V. Howard, P. H. Brady, D. C. Howick, Lord Bridgman, Hewitt Humpliery, J. Brocklehurst,J. Hurst , I t . H. Brodie, W. B. Hutt, NV. Brotherton, J. Jervis, J. Browne, D. Kemp, T. R. Buckingham, J. S. Leader, John Temple Buller, C. Lennard, 'l'. B. Burdon, \V. Lennox, Lord 0. Butler, Hon. P. Locke, W. Buxton. T. F. _Lynch, A. H. Byng, Captaih Macleod, R. Byng, ueorge Maher, John Callaghan, D. Mangles, J. Campbell, Sir J. Marshall, W. Carter, J. B. Marslaad, H. Chalmers, Patrick Maul r, Hon. Fox Clay, \V. Methuen, V. Cl yton, Sir \V. Mostyn, E. Clements, Lord Mullins, F. \V. Clive, E. B. Musgrave, Sir R. Cockerel], Sir C. O'Connell, DI ('odrington, Sir E. O'Connell, J. Collier, I O'Connell, Morgan Conyngham, Lord A. O'Connell, M. J. Crawford, \V. O'Feri all, More Crawford, W. S. O'Loglilen, Sergeant Curte.s, H. B. , Ord, %V. H. Den;.son, J. Oswald, J. D'F.,yncourt, C. T. Palmerston, Lord Di.gett, E. Parker, J. liuncombe, T. S. Parn e ll, Sir H. Dundas, J. C. Parrott, J. Dunlop, C. Pechell, G. R. Ebrington, Lord I'endarves, E. \V. Elphinstone, H. Pepys, Sir C. Etwall, R. Phillips, G. R. MINORITY. Goulburn, H. Grimston, Lord llalford, H. Hawkes, T. Herries, J. C. Jackson, J. 1). Jones, Captain Law, Hon. G. Lewis, NV Lungfiela, R. Lowther, J H. Manners, L9rd R. Neeld, J ,, hn Nicholl, J Mauler. R Peel, Sir K Pemberton, Thomas l'raed, \V. M. Price, S. G. 169 55 ,• .......... 14 Philipps, C. H. Phißiot, Mark Pinney, W. Potter, It. Poulter, J. S. Power, P. Price, Sir R. Pryse, 1 ) . Ramsbotton, J. Robinson, G. R. Roche, 1). Rolfe, It. M. Ronayne, Russell, Lord J. Russell, Lord Charles Russell, Lord Scholefield, J. Scrope, G. I'. Seale, Colonel Sheldon, E. Simeon, Sir It. Smith, R. Vernon Steuart, It. Strickland, Sir G. Strutt, Edward Sullivan, K Surrey, Earl of Talbot, J. H. Talfourd, T. N. Tancred, H. \V. Thorneley, Thomas Tooke, W. Townley, It. G. Troubridge, Sir T. Tulk, C. A. Tyhte, C. K. K. Villiers, Charles Wakley, Thomas Walker, C. A. Wall, B. Warburton, H. Whalley, Sir S. Wilbraham, G. Wilde, T. Wilks, J. Williams, W. A. Williams, W. Wilson, Henry Wood, C. Wood, Alderman Wrightson, J. Young, G Wrottesley,. F. Sir J. TELI,ERS. Ward, H. G. Bathes, E. Alsager. Richard Arbuthnot, Hon. H. Ashley, Lord Baring, T. Barneby, John Bentinck, Lord G. Bonham, Francis R. Borthwick, Peter Brownrigg, J. S. Bruen, Colonel H. Cartwrisht, W. L. Darner, Dawson Davenport, J. Domieswell, W. Eaton, R. J. Elwes, J. Fleming, Admiral Gaskell, J. M. Gordon, Hon. W. Reid, Sir J. Ross, Charles Ross Russell, C. Bandon, Lord Sheppard, I'. Sibthorp, Colonel Somerset, Lord G. Stormont, Lord Trench, Sir Frederick 'ere, Sir C. B. Walter, J. Wilbra!)am, B. Worcester, Marq. of Wortley, J. S. Wyndham, W. 11. Wynn, C. W. TELLRES. Fresh field, J. W. Goulburn, E. Yesterday George Shadford, a master tailor, living at Pimlico, and Mark Nicholls, an upholsterer' s l a b ourer , were brought before Mr. Chambers, at Marlborough-street office, charged, the latt er w i t h h av i ng stolen a quantity of silver-gilt lace from Buckin g h am P alace, and the former with having feloniously received it. Mr. Chambers remanded both pri soners to Saturday next, but he would accept two good bail of 1001. each for the prisoner Shadford. MR. ST. JOHN'S NEW ORIENTAL ROMANCE, " TALES OF THE RAMAD'IIAN."—“ The fiction by which these various and entertaining stories are linked together is as good as the stories themselves. The author, during the month of the Ramad'han, enters freely into the secret pleasures of Cairo, and gives himself up to the most agreeable company he can find—dancing -girls, story-tellers, and revellers. It is on these occasions that the stories are narrated. The story of Fatima (the Scheherazade o f t h e wor k ) is quite a little r omance, and her self-possession and playful talents invest her with no in considcrablc share of interest."—Atlas. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at a few minutes to four o'clock. Mr. SHIPTON appeared at the Bar, and presented an nual Returns of Dover Harbour.—Laid on the table. MUNICIPAL CORPORATION BILL. Lord MO RPE T H presented a petition from the freeholders, merchants, and bankers of the West Riding of Yorkshire, agreed to at a public meeting held or, Monday last. The petition, for the purpose of avoiding loss of time, had been signed by the Chairman, Sir Francis Wood. He (Lord Morpeth) was informed, from authority on which he placed the most implicit confidence, that the meeting was most numerously attended, there being 15,000 persons present—that its composition was most respectable, and its proceedings most orderly....-( Hear, hear.) The petitioners stated that they approached that House with feelings of gratitude for the past, and confidence for the future.--( Hear, hear.) They expressed their approbation of the Bill for the Reform of Municipal Corporations as origi nally introduced into that House ; and, with equal force, they expressed their disapprobation of the alterations sub sequently introduced into the Bill, and in consequence of the character of these alterations, they solicited that House, with the same resolution they bad hitherto manifested, now to reject the mutilated Bill, as being useless and unfit to afford solid satisfaction to the people of Eng land.—( Hear, hear.) That was the prayer of the petition, and he submitted it to the notice of the House with the confident assurance derived from his own knowledge of the sober and rational character of those whom he had the honour to represent, that in dealing with a measure of such vast importance, of the two alterna tives that may present themselves, they would prefer that which he trusted the House would be able to do with honour and advantage to themselves, by embracing judicious amend ments, in place of giving the measure a precipitate rejection; and in so doing, whether they would not be effecting a great practical good, by a steady adherence to the great principle by which those whom he (Lord Morpeth) had the honour of representing had been ever influenced, of being at the head of every great movement of national amendment in religion, morality, and freedom.—( Cheers. ) Sir G. STRICKLAND, as a Representative of a portion of that vast district from which the petition emanated, begged to say a few words. He admitted that the leading feature of the petition was praying of that House to re ject the Bill as it had come from the House of Lords. Now he firmly trusted and hoped that the wishes of the petitioners would be fully gratified in the amend ments which had been made to the Bill as it now stood; bec ause h e was sure that any rational person who viewed the Bill as it now stood, would admit that the great and leading principles of the measure had been fully preserved. He ( Sir Geo. ge Strickland) considered that the leading principle of the Bill was a popular control over the Municipal Corporations: that popular control had been pre served. Another principle of the measure was, that appoint ments to corporate offices should not be made for life— that also had been preserved, and, therefore, the persons appointed to these offices would be under popular con trol. lle h o p e d t h at the sentiments to which he gave expression would be heard in the county from which the petition emanated, and he was happy to say that that most odious provision which excluded Dissenters from the exercise of those rights which they had so long enjoyed, had been excluded from the alterations that were made by the House of Lords, and that the attempt to restore the T es t an d Corporation Acts had totally failed.—( Hear and cheers.) He would only say, that that House had done all in its power t o ma k e suc h a l terat i ons as wou ld ren d er the Bill effi c i ent , an d h e hoped that for the peace and happiness of th . _e country those amendments would pass in another place. r. BLACKBURN, as a Representative of that part of the country, begged to express his hope that those amend ments would be agreed to. He trusted also that he should have an opportunity of doing what he considered his duty in giving to that House a statement, to shew that the Munici pal Commissioners had had a most arduous and difficult duty to perform, and that they had done it with the strictest justice and impartiality.—(Load cheering.) Whether they had con trived to please all parties was another question, and was not very likely ; but he believed they had faithfully performed the duty allotted to them.—( Hear, bear.) Mr. BAIN ES observed that the prayer of the pe tition was, that the Bill as amended by the Lords should be rejected by that House. He was persuaded, however, that the meeting from which that petition had emanated could not have been aware of the alterations which bad been since suggested and effected in that Ilouse. The gentleman who presided at the meeting was one of high respectability. A resolution was agreed to, expressing an ardent wish that Lord Melbourne and his colleagues in office would not desert their posts in consequence of the conduct of men who represented their order, but were not the repre sentatives of the people of England, Ireland and Scotland. VETO OF THE LORDS.. Mr. ROEBUCK gave notice of his interation, next Ses sion, to move for leave to bring in a Bill to take away the veto of the House of Lords, and to provide, in the event of a Bill passing the House of Commons being rejected by the House of Lords, and again passing the House of Commons in the same Session, it should be in the power of the King to make that Bill law.---( Cheers.) Mr. H UAIE also gave notice of his intention in the next Session to move for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the number of Peers, their privileges, and how they had performed their functions as legislators. STEAM VESSELS. Mr. G. F. YOUNG presented a petition from the owners of a Gravesend Steam Boat, which had been run on board of by a King's Ship on the .sth of last November, by which damage was done to the amount of 4001., praying for relief. He cited the case of the owners of property in the Dublin Custom-house, which was destroyed by fire ; the House was called upon not long ago to vote 68,0001. for the payment of it ; in that case the Government of that day had acted most properly, for they waived all technical points of law, in order to have the question fairly tried before a competent tribunal. That was all he wanted the Government to do in the present case ; let the Board of Admiralty waive all technical points, and let the owners of this destroyed pro perty go before a jury, and try the question by the proper legal tribunal of the country. Mr. C. WOOD said the two cases were very dif ferent. The fire in Dublin was a very extraordinary cir cumstance, but the one now complained of, a collision at sea, was a matter of almost daily occurrence. During the last twenty-five years there had not been a case brought against the Admiralty, and he had heard no reason stated for departing from the usual practice pursued by the Board--that of letting the Officer in command be answerable for the da mage done. kr. AGLIONBY would like to inquire whether there had been no complaints made to the Admiralty, when they had paid the amount claimed. The owners in this case had no remedy but against the Master or the Captain, and the case cited by the Hon. Gentleman of the owners, &c. being non liable to any damage when they had a licensed pilot on board was not far under the statute which gave them that protection. They were bound to take a pilot on board, and having done so, they and the Master or Captain lost all command in their o cvn ship. Mr. C. WOOD explained, but in so low a tone as to be Lnaudible. Dr. L USHING TON rose for the purpose of supporting the petition. The practice in cases of this kind was, that when a collision happened between two private ships, an action lay, unless there was a licensed pilot on board, against the owner, the master ; and even the ship, were liable for the damage ; but where a King's ship was engaged in the collision an action lay only against the officer who was in command, he did not see why either the ship, or the Crown, should not be substi tuted for the individuals. It was not just to skreen the Crown pro perty while that of private individuals was rendered so fully lia ble, and some measures ought to be taken to give the ship owners that equity which was their due. The Admiralty, in this case, were judges in their own cause, and they would not even grant a reference—they refused all investi„, , -ation. The Admiralty ought to put the case into a fair course of adjudication. Sir E. C ODRI NG TON was once sum,snOileil W attend a - S diaavip trial respecting an East Indiani an th at h a d run doyva a vess sva el o , and remembered that the East India Company were converted to pay damages. Mr. A. Cti A PMAN defended the conduct cf the Ada dralty. Mr. G. F. YOUNG said if the Admiralty would conseet to go into the facts of the case, and to hear both side s, he wo rid venture to say ne behalf of the petitioners, .that they would be perfectly satisfied. Mr. C. WOOv ouseryed that in many cases when the party gained the cause, they lost consilerably by the costs. Mr. G. F. YOUNG said, if the Admiralty would sustain the costs, he would advise the petitioners at once to commence their action. The Hon. Member then presented a petition from an individual named Edward Edwards, complaining of the loss of life occasioned by the defective mechanism of the pumps now in use in the Royal Navy. DELFAsa 1t:1.661'10N. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD presented a petition from certain electors of Belfast, complaining of the conduct of the revising barristers at the late election. The Hon. Member was proceeding to read the petition, when Mr. GOULBURN rose to order, and objected to the Hon. Member reading the petition through, especially as it contained allegations against individuals whose conduct might become a subject of enquiry before the House. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD was not going to read the petition at length, he was only stating the allegations.— (" Order, order.") The SPEAKER reminded the Hon. Gentleman of the other objection, and put 'it to the Hon. Member whether it would be proper to present a petition calculated in any way to prejudice a case which was likely to come before the House. Mr. S. CRAWFORD was ready to submit to the decision of the Speaker, and therefore would withdraw the petition. The SPEAKER made some observations which were in audible in the gallery ; but Mr. S. CRAWFORD said that he certainly would abide by the opinion of the Speaker, and withdraw the petition. The petition was then withdrawn. CORPORATION BILL. Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved that the Order of the Dey be read for resuming the consideration of the Lords' amendments to the Municipal Reform Bill. Mr. HUME postponed till Friday next the resolution of which he had given notice, respecting the loan of fifteen mil lions contracted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Lord JOHN RUSSELL proposed now to take the post poned clauses. He meant for the present to postpone the preamble of the Bill, as he intended to move the omission of certain words introduced by the Lords, and he would therefore proceed to the second clause. The first amendment he meant to propose was, to leave out the word " unjust" as applied to depriving persons in Corporations of their property ; and next he would move to leave out that part of the amendment of the Lords, by which exemption front toll was perpetuated to freemen, instead of being confiaed to present freemen, and to place the clause in the some condition in which it had left that House.—Agreed to. The clause as amended was then agreed to. Clause 8., which provides that no freeman shall be admitted by gift or purchase, after some observations from the ATTOR NEY-GEKERAL and Sir. W. FOLLETT, and a few verbal amend ments, was also agreed to. The clause with respect. to town-clerks was also agreed to. The amendments to the clauses up to 11 were agreed. to without any observation. • On the al th clause coming under consideration, the amend ment to which was " for the purpose of enjoying the rights conferred for the first time by this Act," Mr. WILKS said he had never seen such phraseology in any Act of 'Parliament. Lord J. RUSSELL thought the words were necessary for the purposes of a former amendment.—Agreed to. Lord J. RUSSELL said the next clause which gave coun cils the right of purchasing common lands had been struck out—he was very sorry for it, but at present he would consent to it in the hope of a future amendment. Clauses 14 to 16 inclusive were then passed pee forma. A Message from the Lords brought up the Tithes oa Tur nips Bill and other Bills. Lord J. RUSSELL would offer no opposition to the 17th clause, as amended. Mr. C. BULLER observed, that according to the original clause the objector was to prove his objection to the officer elected, a provision which had been done away by the amend ment. He supposed it was not of much use to stand out upon this point, but he thought all these alterations ought to be noticed, in order that the country might be roused to exer cise a wholesome dissatisfaction, which should enable this House next year to get rid of all those defects.—( Hear.) Mr. SC ARLETT—Then it would appear from the decla rations of Hon. Members opposite that they do not intend that this measure should be final.—( Loud and repeated cheering from the Ministerial side of the House.) The clause was then agreed to. Clauses 19 and 20 were agreed to, as well as Clause 21, (the words " Councillor's" being left out,) and Clause 22, (the words " Councillor's roll" being left out.) Lord J. RUSSELL then proposed to go to the 47ih clause. On clause 47 being proposed, Lord JOHN RUSSELL said, the question was whether . the qualification should. be a continuing qualification, or whe ther the person who was qualified having a bona fide qua lification at the time he qualified, should be consi dered afterwards bound to qualify according to the pro visions of the Act. He wishCd to state the question as fairly as possible, but there were great difficulties in either point of view. On the whole, however, he did not think they would be actin! , consistently if they allowed a person who was once qualified to be so during the three years he would be a Councillor. He should therefore propose, after the words that had been agreed to by the House, the insertion of the words, " without being qualified” at the time of making such declaration, or during Iris continuance in office. Mr. ROBINSON had an almost insuperable objection to the introduction of theee words. A tradesman might render himself obnoxious to a knot of individuals, who might sue him by a joint-stock purse. How was a tradesman to know what his property was at the time a party failed who owed. him money. That might be taken advantage of, and the man ruined. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL then rose, and was left speaking. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. ROUSE OF COMMONS, SEPTEMBER 1. MUNICIPAL CORPORATION BILL-QUALIFICATION CLAUSES. Colonel LEITH HAY said it was notorious in S3otland that no system ever worked worse than allowing town-clerks to remain as they at present were.—(Cheers.) He trusted that the system would soon be done away with altogether. Mr. SCARLETT supported the amendment. Mr. GOULI3URN thought the House was bound to afford more protection to the town clerks. The CHANCELLOBof the EXCHEQUER thought the amendment of the Noble Lord (Lord J. Russell) a great im provement upon the clause as sent down by the Lords. He agreed with what fell from the Right Honoerable Baro net, that some part of the Bill would give distrust without security, and he .applied it to this clause ; for if the Right Hon. Ba ronet's amendment was carried, it would imply distrust without any security. The proposition was that a Town-clerk, whether qualified or disqualified, should be forced upon the new Corporations ? Was it proper that he should be so forced upon the Council? He said forced against their will, because, if he was an efficient officer, he would be re-elected by the new Council. Compensation was not left to be decided by the town-council If the town-council had the power of offering inadequate compensa tion to a town-clerk, and turning him out, it would be most unjust but an appeal lay on the part of the officer to a perfectly disinterested tribunal, and it' inadequate the Treasury had the power of setting the matter right. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) did not want to do these gentlemen an injustice, nor did he want to encumber the new Corporations, and have forced on t hem instruments who had the charge of all the documents and charters of the old cot-prate bodies, and who distrusted the new Corporations, and might he likely to withhold from them the necessary information. That, perhaps, implied a distrust of the town clerks, but was it not as reasonable to distrust those who had openly avowed their distrust to the whole com mu ity, as t o di s t rus t t h e w h o l e commun ity? The clause was inconsistent with the principle of the Bill, as laid down by the House of Lords. There was another instance of this in the case of the Recorders, and in thei case a qualification had been introduced, to which they must all submit—all who did not come within that qualifi cation and who held that office must loose it at once, and it became the duty of the Crown to fill it up. He would give an instance in the case of the county of Surrey, where the Recorder was a solicitor, a man of great respectability, and had held the office many years. He was at once removed by the Bill, and it was now urged that five years standing at the bar was a sufficient qualification. He would say that if the Town Clerks were duly qualified, if they were men of respectability, and possessed the good opinion and confidence of the Town Council, every possible motive, both economical and of public convenience, ought, and would induce the Town Councils to re-appoint them. But how differently would they stand, if they were appointed by the goodwill of their fellow-citizens, instead of being forced upon them ? Suppose a man (and he would assume a case) were disqualified, and of a disreputable character, only imagine the irritation that would be caused by such a man being thrust into a town council. Would they not worry such a man to death ? (Laughter.) The man himself would exclaim against it. He would support the amendment of his Noble Friend Lord J. Russell. Lord SANDON supported the amendment. Mr. CUTLER FERGITSSON thought, if . they allowed the town-clerks to hold office during life, all the good effects of the Bill would be lost. Several Members rose amid ioml cries of " Divide," when Sir R. PEEL withdrew his amendment. He would not consume the time of the House in dividing, but would at once agree to the amendment of the Noble Lord. The amendment was accordingly agreed.to, as were some others. CHURCH PATRONAGE. Clause 11 , 1 (after clause 63), inserted by the Lord:, to pro vide that members of the Church only should appoint to va cant benefices, &c., in the gift of Corporations, was then taken into consideration. Lord JOHN RUSSELL observed that this was entirely a new clause, and one to which, as he observed last night, he could not give his assent. He was no. anwilling to agree to a proposition which might be framed Iv: ! living every possiblo security to the Church in the exerciseof the patronage is sues. tion, but he was not disposed to agree to any proposition by which the council would be divided into two parts, one being composed of members of the Church of England, and the other of Dissenters. At the time of the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts, no security was required from Di,icnters on being admitted into Corporations, except that contained in a declaration to be taken alike by Churchmen and Dissenters. He would repeat that he was ready to accede to any propoFi, tion by which security to the Church could be further ob tained in this respect; and that he was not prepared to can.. tend, as an abstract principle, that those who dissented from the Church were therefore the persons in whose hands taiyht to be placed the appointment to Church benefices in any por tion of tbo p'atkiage of the Church ; but be re:;arUcd ft a:3 . 3. .. ;