The Sun. — London, England, 1831-03-30 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. ROUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 29. The LOAD CHANCELLOR. took his seat on the Woolsack shortly after Five o'clock. MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. W. CAVYNDISH and other Members brought up several private Bills. The Duke of WELLINGTON presented a petition from Bristol against shivery, also one from Manchester for alter. ing the poor laws. Petitions were also presented by Lord Got ford from Hertford in favour of Reform ; by Lord King from Canterbury and Melton in favour of Reform ; by the Mar quis of Bute from Greenock against the monopoly of the Eaat India Company. Lord KING presented A petition from a place near Exeter complaining of the levying of exorbitant rates. The Bishop of EXETER observed that the case was one over which be had no jurisdiction. Lord WYNVORD attributed such grievances as tho s e complained of by the petitioners to the present state of the Ecclesiostical law, The ARCHBISHOP of CANTERBURY considered no such grievance could exist where it was in the power of a Bishop to interfere, and he begged to inform their Lordships that it was his intention, shortly afeet the recess to bring in a Bill to remedy the grievances which were complained of its the petition. The Right Rev. Prelate also apologized for the delay which had taken place in introducing his Bill for the composition of tithes, observing that it arose out of a desire to make the Bill as perfect as possible. It was moreover his intention, immediately after the holidays, to bring in a Bill for the re.triction, not the abolition of pluralities. The subject then d roppe d . _ _ The Marquis of BUTS presented a petition from Greenock, praying for a compensation in case of the aboli tion of slavery. The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from Queenhithe in favour of Reform. Lord CARBERY presented a petition from Cork, praying for protection in case of the abolition of slarery. Lord GLENGALL presented a petition from Tippe rary against the introduction of the poor law% After some observations from Lord Auckland, Lord El lenborough, the Duke of Buckingham, and Lord Gode , rich, the Colonial Trade Bill went through a Committee, and ordered to be reported to-morrow. Oa the motion of Lord GODERICIT, an bumble ad dress was agreed to be presented to his Majesty for a copy of the report of the Commissioners on the expenses of the colonies. In answer to a question from Lord KEtrvoli, Earl GREY should propose to-motrow that the House should .adjourn from that day till Tuesday the 12th of April, then to re-assemble for public business. At the suggestion of his Learned Friend on the Woolsack, he would propose that the House should continue to sit for private business until Monday next. Lord KENYON wished to know what reason there would be for the House sitting, even for private business, on Easter-Eve and Easter Monday ? The LORD CLIANCELLOR should most willingly state the reason why it was proposed that the House should not adjourn, except for public, business, until Mon day next. Undoubtedly the usual course had been to commence the adjournment, both for private and public. buNiness, before Good Friday; but he did not aee any thing improper in the House continuing to sit for the dis charge of ita judicial functions until Easter Monday. The tea-on why he proposed that the House should continue to sit for that purpose was, in order, If possible, to get rid of the urrear of appeals.—(Hear.)—His great object, ever since he had come into his present office, had been to get rid of that arrear, and he hoped to be able to boast at the end of the session that he had disposed of not only all the appeals lying over from the former session, but of all the appeals which had been entered previous to Easter. That was the reason why he intended to sit until Easter Monday, and the mention of that arrangement would in itself be calculated to prevent new appeals from coming in. He had no objection to sacrifice his holidays, and in stead of going out of town, as he might do (for the Court of Chancery had risen that day), to sit hearing appeals till Easter Monday. He should hear only Scotch appeals in that period. With regard to a precedent for Courts of Justice sitting on Easter Eve and Easter Monday, the thing was constantly done on circuit in the country, where the Courts sat upon Easter-Eve and upon Easter Mon day, and on Good Friday also, with the exception of the two hours spent in church. There was, therefore, no thing contrary to precedent, nor against decorum, in the arrangement which he (the Lord Chancellor) proposed.— Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mine."' 29. 'Vile SPEAKER took the Chair at Three o'clock. LAMBETH s WATER-WORKS BILL. _ _ On the motion of Mr. DENISON, the Lambeth Water. Works Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be com, mitted. Mr. H. DAVIS presented a petition from the merchants and others of Bristol, praying for compensation in case the House should carry the measure for the abolition of sla. very. The petitioners stated that they had as just a right t i compensation for the loss of their property as any holder of a freehold estate, which was to be taken from him. The Hon. Member supported the prayer of the petitioners, which was ordered to be printed. Mr. MUNDY presented several petitions from various places for the abolition of negro slavery, and another pe tition from a place in Derbyshire in favour of the plan of Reform. Colonel LUSHINGTON presented three petitions from Carlisle against the plan of Reform. The Hon. Member hoped that when the Bill went into a Committee such al terations would be made as to secure the interests of all classes. The Marquis of CHANDOS should give his most de cided opposition to the Bill as it now stood; but he was not opposed to all Reform, and hoped when the Bill came into Committee it would be so altered as to make it a constitutional measure of Reform.—( Hear.) Mr. lIART DAVIS was not against all Reform, but it ought to be one not calculated to injure the interests of any class of the community. The Bill in its present shape should have his decided opposition. Sir A. J. DALRYMPLE said the parties about to be disfranchised had as good a title to the elective fran chise, granted as it was to them by royal charter, they had, he would contend, as good a right to retain it as Noble Lords in another House had to retain their titles. —(Hear.)—He supported the prayer of the petition. The petitions were then brought up, and ordered to he printed. Several private Bills were read a third time, and others forwarded a stage. Lord C. TOWNSIIEND presented twenty-eight peti tions from various places against the slave trade. Mr. MOORE presented a petition from the Sheriffs and Corporation of Dublin against the Bill for Parliamen tary Reform. 'lle petitioners stated the measure would destroy their chartered rights, and ultimately lead to a repeal of the Union, as it would have the effect of return ing Members for Ireland who would be anxious to co operate with the Ilon. Member for Waterford. The pe • titian, as well as several others he had to present, had his cordial support. Mr. SPRING RICE said no measure was so likely to calm the public mind as the plan of Reform proposed by Ministers. It would entirely do away with all apprehen sions respecting the repeal of the Union. Mr. G. DAWSON—There was a difference of opi- nien as to this measure being a revolutionary measure re garding England, but there was not the least difference of opinion as to its being a revolutionary measure as re garded Ireland.—(Hear, hear.)—The elective fran chise would be taken from Protestants and given to Roman Catholics. If it passed into a law, it would do the most serious and grievous injury to the Protestants of that country. It would have the ef f ect of returning so many Roman Catholics into the House, that he should tremble for the safety of the Pro testant establishment.—(Hear.) Sir JOHN NEWPORT said that passing this Bill into a law would be the only means of preventing a separation of th e B r iti s h Legislature. Having lived half a century in Ireland be thought he knew as much of that country " hi , Right Hon. Friend, and he did not hesitate in de claring that, in his opinion, if the measure was carried, it would be the best means of securing the tranquillity of that country.. Mr. O'CONN ELL said the petition coming from tLe Common Council of Dubli n against the Bill was the best possible i argument inits favou r . —(H e a r .) —About eighty persons composed the Common Council of the fist city in Ireland, and out of that number he bad a list of forty of them who had either been insolvent or become bankrupts —(Hear)—and yet these people arrog a t e d to them selves the right of petitioning against the liberties and just rights of their fellow-citizens.—(Hear.)— Respecting the Protestant Chur ch being in danger from the measure, the idea was absurd. He begged to repeat that this petition was the strongest possible argument in favour of the measure. Mr. NORTH should always contend that this lush Reform Bill would have the effect of laying prostrate the Protestant establishment of that country, and building upon its ruins a Roman Catholicaseendancy=(Hear.) . „ After a feW observations from Mr. Grattan, Mr. O'Connor Don, Colonel Rochfort, and Mr. Shcil, the petition was brought up, and after a few words from Mr. George Moore, ordered tn . 13* prihied. _ _ Mr. GEORGE MOORE presented a petition from Dublin, praying that no step should be taken to do away with colonial slivery, ufilees the principle was agreed to of affording compensation. ahe Hon. Member also presented a petition from the same quarter against the Reform Bill. General GASCOYNE complained, that the debates which were got up on every Irish petition greatly impeded the progress of busineta, and the evil had become so great, that if the Hcr. Member for Waterford would propose the repeal of the Union, be would vote for it, in order to get rid of the Irish Members.—(Much laughter.)—lf the Noble Lord who had brought in the Reform Bill would propose the removal of sixty-hvo Irish, instead of sixty two English Members, he would give the motion his most cordial support.—(Laughter. )—Evening after evening he was prevented from presenting petition. ; because he found the names of two or three Irish Members always before his. The Noble Lord was, it appeared, about to add to this calamity by increasing the number of Irish Members; but he should oppose that proposition When it was brought forward, because the number already in the House created considerable inconvenience.—(Laughter.)—After the ho lidays he would move that the names on the Speaker's list be taken de die in diem. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL (for Ireland) said that the two petitions were not at all out of keeping with each other. Those who could petition against Reform in Par- 'lament were just the petsotts who were prepared to peti tion in favour of colonial slavery. These two—slavery and the rotten boroughs—were the two great blots in the Constitution of the country, and he trusted that before the present Session passed over both of them would be en tirely wiped away. Lord ALTIIORP rose to make an appeal to an Hon. Member, (Mr. F. Buxton) in respect to a most important, interesting, and delicate subject, concerning which he had given notice of motion for that evening; he meant colonial slavery. His Majesty's Ministers bad certainly made up their minds respecting the principle they in tended to purNue; but as there were difficulties attend ing the subject which called for mature deliberation, he hoped he did not ask for too much when he requested the Hon. Member to postpone his motion until after the holidays. Lord Howtcx and Sir J. MACKINTOSH spoke in favour of the postponement. Mr. F. BUXTON wished to have the recorded opi. nions of the present House on that subject, but on the understanding that such an opportunity, as early as con venient, would be afforded to him, he should concur in the suggestion of his Noble Friend. Sir R. PEEL said it would be extremely inconvenient that the proceedings in Committee upon the Reform Bill should be at all interrupted. He should propose, there fore, that the discussion on the slavery question be brought on on Thursday, the 14th of April, and that the House should not go into Committee on the Reform question till the 18th. Shortly afterwards Mr. F. BUXTON changed the day, and selected Friday, April 15, for his motion. The Committee on the Money Payments Bill was post poned, on the motion of Mr. LITTLETON, to the 12th of April. Mr. WYSE postponed the motion of which he had given notice, respecting the poor of Ireland. Me had not expected to have an opportunity of bringing it forward to night, and he was not, therefore, prepared to proceed with it. Mr. RICE moved for certain returns respecting the po pulation of Ireland.—Ordered. LIVERPOOL ELECTION. On the motion of Mr. BENETT, the special report of the Committee appointed to take into consideration the Allegations contained in the petitions presented to the House against the return made at the last Liverpool elec tion was read. The report stated that gross bribery pre vailed at the last election. Mr. BENETT rose, as Chairman of the Liverpool Elec. tion Committee, to make the usual motion when a report of the nature just read was made to the House. He said that gross bribery had been traced by the Committee to a great number of individuals ; but as he was not aware that any opposition would be offered to the motion he was about to make, he should not trouble the House by going into the details of the evidence. He thought that the fact of such a report having been made by the Committee was sufficient reason to induce the House to grant the motion for the suspension of the writ for a new election for L verpool, until time was allowed for the Howe to take steps to do justice in the case. The crime of bribery had at tache I only to the lowest class of freemen in Liverpool ; and he thought, that as the proposed Reform measure, if passed into law, would not disfranchise the present free men during their lives, some other steps ought to he taken to deprive at once the guilty parti, s at Liverpool of the enjoyment of the elective franchise. He intended to call the attention of the House to the subject after the Easter recess, and in the mean time he moved that the Speaker he directed not to issue the writ for the election of a bur gess to represent Liverpool before Monday, April 18• An 'loss. Mrsums, whose name we could not learn, seconded the motion. He declared that a regular syste matic plan, of the most gross bribery had been established at Liverpool, aisd he thought steps ought to be taken to punish the guilty parties. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought the House would not be doing its duty, after having sus pended the writs for smaller places where bribery was de tected, not to apply the same rule to larger places. He felt I n bound to rely on the statement of the Committee, that gross bribery had been practised at Liverpool, and he should not offer any opposition to the motion. Mr. R. PALMER gave notice, that when the proposed Reform measure came into Committee, he should propose a clause, to compel Members of that House to take oath that they had not employed improper means to procure their return.—(Hear.) Whether he should propose that Members should take that oath at the hustings, or at the table of the House, he had not yet determined. The motion was then agreed to. The report of the Committee on Supply was brought up. On the proposed item of 155,905/. for superannua tions for officers employed in the civil departments of the Navy being read, Mr. HUME wished to know whether the Right Hon. Baronet had made inquiry into the correctness of his state ment, that one individual was in the enjoyment of two duperannuations. Sir J. GRAHAM admitted that the Hon. Member's statement was correct ; but he had found in the records of of the Admiralty, a letter from the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, strongly reprobating such a practice ; but pointing out the hardship of not continuing, in the case of one individual, what was the general custom. Ile pro mised during the Easter recess to take the subject into consideration ; and he hoped the Hon. Member would not take any objection to the grant at present. Mr. HUME said he should withdraw all opposition to the grant in consideration of the promise just given by the Right Hon. Baronet. The report was then agreed to. The Indemnity Bill was couunitted, and ordered to be reported to-morrow. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, in reference to the usual power give❑ to his Majesty to issue Exchequer-bills for purposes of temporary relief in Ire land, that it was important to have the money available in May. But as it would be a considerable time before the Bill could be introduced to the House, he proposed to take a vote on account ; and in the Committee of the House to• morrow, he would take an opportunity of stating the mode in which the money would be applied, and the regulations which would direct its distribution ; leaving the House to decide whether a vote of that kind ought to be adopted. Ile therefore gave notice, that on the House going into Committee to-morrow, he should move a reso lution to authorize his Majesty to issue Exchequer-bills, for a limited amount, for purposes of local and temporary relief in Ireland, on due security being given. Lord NUGENT gave notice, that be should on Wed nesday, the 13th of April, move for leave to bring in a Bill to abolish certain oaths now taken in the Customs de partments. Mr. lIODGSON presented a petition from South Shields, against the timber duties. The same HON. MEMBER also presented a petition from Newcastle-upon-Tyne (we believe), complaining that the number of freemen in that town would be diminished, by the proposed Reform Bill, to 2,000. Sir C. WETHERELL said, that the very respectable body from which this petition emanated were very natu rally anxious to preserve their rights, and as they, a very numerous constituency, were desirous of preserving a franchise which, as being more extensive, was less valu able than a right enjoyed by a small constituency, it was to be inferred that they were hostile to the general and sweeping disfranchisement contemplated by the Bill before the House. He hoped that other boroughs, following the example of this, would consider well the consequences of the Bill, and give a hint to their Members to oppose it. Indeed, he had reason to expect this, when the provisions of the Bill became more generally known. Sir M. W. RIDLEY said, that at the meeting at which this petition was agreed to, there were 400 or 500 free burgesses present, and not a word was said by any of hetn against the principle of the Bill ; but they thought the continuance of the rights which they enjoyed not in- _ consistent with that principle: The petition was then read. In moving that it be printed, Mr. HODGSON said, though he fully concurred in the principle of the Bill, and would do nothing to endanger that principle, yet he thought it by no means inconsistent with that principle that the franchises of large towns, with a constituency so ektensive as to secure their inde pendence, should not be disturbed. The petition was ordered to be printed. Mr. HODGSON then gave notice, that when the Bill went into Committee, he would move a clause to the effect he had just mentioned. STEAM NAVIGATION. Mr. C. DOUGLAS presented petitions from persons' interested in the n avigation of the Clyde and the Frith of Forth, praying that no tax might he laid on the steam na vigation. The Hon. Member pointed out the impott ance of the steam navigation established in the Clyde, and the advantages it had produced to the whole of the western coast of Scotland. There was a capital exceedinu . 400,0001. embarked in this navigation, which would be totally ruined if the proposed tax were imposed. He hoped, therefore, to bear the Chancellor of the Ex chequer state that it was not his intention to press a tax so injurious. Sir M. S. STEWART supported the prayer of these petitions, and was desirous of taking that opportunity of saying that although he had always been decidedly opposed to a tax on steam boat passengers, yet he had at one time felt disposed to concur in the imposition of a moderate duty on steam navigation ; but from more detailed and ac curate information, he was now quite satisfied that such a duty would at present be attended with severe and ruinous effects. The great, and as yet unproductive, capitals ex pended in the outfit of steam vessels, from the incessant progress of improvement in the machinery—the great im portance of this improvement in a national point of view —the vast comfort and accommodation of cheap steam conveyance to the labouring, and industrious, and poorer classes of society—these and other striking and important considerations, which he need not now enumerate, induced him to implore his Noble Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to abandon his intention of imposing any duty whatever on steam navigation at present, which, if unfor tunately prr•isted in, he should feel bound strenuously to oppose.—(Hear, bear.) Mr. HUME said that a petition from Glasgow, signed by 10,000 persons, and one from Greenock, also nume rously signed, had been intrusted to his care against this tax. He did hope the Noble Lord would abandon the proposition. The tax, though insignificant in point of revenue, being calculated at only 75,0001., would be most seriously injurious to steam navigation in every part of the country. Mr. WARBURTON, Mr..O'CoNNELL, and Mr. WILES, severally objected to the tax as impolitic and unjust. Mr. S. WORTLEY said, that the remission of the coal-tax might be some compensation for the imposition of the tax on steam-boats in England, though he by no means admitted that it would be a fair ground for such imposition. But in Scotland, which had been exempt from the coal duty, and which would not benefit by its repeal, the weight of the proposed tax would be se verely felt.. After a few words from Mr. H. HUGHES, Sir R. PEEL suggested to the Noble Lord that before he took off any tax he ought to be prepared with a tax to supply its place.—The petition was ordered to be printed. CIVIL LIST BILL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER presented a Message from his Majesty, expressing his approbation of the measure which had been submitted to him for time re gulation of the Civil List, and giving his assent to (as we understood the Noble Lord) the surrender of his heredi- tary revenue to the country. The NOBLE LOAD brought in the Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time to-mor row, and to be printed. Mr. DUNDAS presented a petition from the Chamber of Commerce of Edinburgh, for the rvinoval of the re strictions on the China trade.—Laid on the table. THE RECORDER OF YOUGHALL. Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition from several respectable inhabitants of the town of Youghall, com plaining of abuses in the corporation of that town. That corporation had, amongst other officers, a recorder, and the residence of such an officer was necessary, because, by the Vestry Act, the appeals under that Act were to be made to him ; but the petitioners stated solemnly to the [louse that the present recorder of Youghall was an old woman.—(Laughter.)—This was not meant figuratively, but literally--an old lady residing at some distance from the place.—(Laughter.) The petition was laid on the table. Mr. O'CONNELL presented three petitions, complain ing of the manner in which the Kildare•street Society ap plied the funds given to it, and praying against any farther grant to that society. The HON. MEMBER presented a similar petition from a parish in Sligo, signed, amongst others, by two Roman Catholic Biabops. Mr. WYSE thought some general plan of education ought to be adopted in Ireland, and intimated his intention of introducing a measure to that effect after the holydays. After a few words from Mr. LEFROY, the petition was ordered to be printed. Mr. O'CONNELL presented eight petitions from Gal way, Drogheda, New Ross, and other places, in favour of Reform,-Ordered to lie on the table. Petitions against taxes upon knowledge were presented from a co-operative union of London, and certain inhabi tants of Westminster, by Mr. O'CONNELL. Petitions against the tithe system were presented from a parish in Devon, by Mr. O'CoststELL ; from two parishes in Kilkenny, by Lord OSSORY ; and from a parish in Gla morganshire, by Mr. WILES. Mr. Alderman THONIPSON presented a petition from the representatives of the late Mr. Hutchinson, com plaining that the East India Company had prevented their recovering a debt of considerable amount which that gen. tleman claimed from the Rajah of Travancore, and pray ing that they might be heard by themselves, their Coun sel, and agents, before a select Committee, in support of their allegations. Sir C. FORBES bore testimony to the hardship and oppres.ion of the case Mr. Hutchinson. In reply to a question from Sir T. BARING, Mr Alderman THOMPSON had already communi cated with the Chairman of the East India Company on the subject. The Hon. Alderman then gave notice, that he should move on an early day after the recess, that this case be referred to a Select Committee. Mr. Alderman THOMPSON also presented a petition from Coleman. street Ward, in favour of the Ministerial plan of Parliamentary Reform. Mr. SCOTT presented a petition of an opposite nature from certain inhabitants of the county of Roxburgh. Mr. WILKS presented a petition from Wareham, against idolatrous practices in India. Petitions in favour of Reform were presented from a parish in Stafford by Sir J. WROTTESLEY, and from the city of Waterfor,l by Sir J. NEWPORT. This last petition was supported by Mr. WYSE. Sir J. GRAHAM presented a petition from a parish in Cumberland, in favour of the Reform Bill. Mr. BRISCOE presented a similar petition from Rich mond, Surrey. The Hon. Member also presented a peti tion from Southwark, and sixteen petitions from other places in the county of Surrey, praying for the extinction of colonial slavery. Mr. FOWELL BUXTON presented 499 petitions from various parts of the country, praying for the aboli.• tion of slavery. One of them was from the Society of Friends. He said that he had great pleasure in presenting the petition from this body, as they had been the very first persons in the country who had promulgated the doctrine, that the buying, or selling, or holding of slaves, was con trary to the doctrines of the Christian religion. Forty years ago they had presented the first petition for the abo lition of the slave trade, and ten years ago they had pre sented the first petition for the abolition of slavery. He also presented a similar petition from Glasgow, signed by 19,500 of its inhabitants; and to that petition he attached considerable weight, as it came from a place more closely connected with our settlements in the West Indies than any other town in the kingdom. He then placed on the table a pile of petitions, which completely covered it. Mr. WILKS supported the prayer of the petitions. An Host. MEMBER denied that the Quakers were the first to petition for the abolition of the slave trade. The first petition to that effect was from the Colonial Assembly of Jamaica. It had been presented to the King in Council; but its prayer had been rejected. Mr. GOULBURN, in looking at the list of the names of places from which these petitions came (a list which occupies three closely printed folio pages), said that he ob served that two of the petitions came from persons who styled themselves " The Ingliamites of Greyrigge," and " The logliamites of Pear-tree Chapel." He should like to know who these persons were, for he had never heard of them before.—(A laugh.) Mr. F. BUXTON confessed his inability to answer the question, but bad no objection to have their petition read. Sir C. WETHERELL—Are they a corporate body, or what ?—(A laugh.) Sir E. LLOYD presented a similar petition from Overton. Sir E. LLOYD presented petitions from the freeebolders of the county of Flint, in county meeting assembled, from the inhabitant Lomeholders of Mold, and from the inha- bitant householders of Holywell, in favour of the Reform Bill. He also presented a petition from the burgesses of Flint in favour of the same Bill, expressive of their rea dihess to surrender their exclusive privileges for the public good of the county. He likewise presented a petition from the inhabitants of the city of St. Asaph, praying that they might be gifted with the privilege of returning one Mem ber to the House of Commons for their ancient city. Mr. WEBB presented a petition in favour of the Re form Bill from the inhabitants of Wootton-under-Edge, in the county of Gloucester. HAMPSHIRE PETITION FOR REFORM. Sir T. BARING rose to present to the House a peti tion from the freeholders of the county of Southampton, in of the plan of Reform introduced by his Ma jesty's Ministers. He had endeavoured to present it to the House before the second reading of tie Bill, but had al ways been prevented by the number of names which had been placed on the Speaker's list previously to his own. The petition was signed by the High Sheriff on behalf of one of the most numerous, the most respectable, and the most intelligent meetings that he had ever seen in that or any other county. There were upwards of 5,000 free holders present at the mewing, and the petition bad been carried without any hands being held up against it, save those of the two Hon. Members for the county.—(llear.) lie had otated to those two Hon. Members his intention of presenting this petition on an early day, and he should be sorry if they were not at that moment in their places. The Hon. Member then read the petition, which we pub lished in our journal along with the report of the pro ceedings of the meeting, and concluded by saying that in every sentiment which the petition contained he most cor- dially concurred. Sir R. R. VYVYAN said, that if he had heard aright the prayer of this petition, one of its statements was that the petitioners were anxious for a Reform of Parliament, because the House had regularly refused to institute an inquiry into the causes of the distress of the people. He therfore wished the petitioners to recollect that many of the Ministers who now advocated the new plan of Reform, .. . . were the very men who had denied the existence of dis tress in the last Session of Parliament, and who had voted against the motion for going into a Committee to inquire into the causes of it. Those who now deprecated the plan of Reform proposed by Ministers were the men who had most strenuously insisted upon the propriety of in quiring into the causes of the distress of the country, in order that they might be remedied as speedily and effica ciously as possible. Let the people, then, judge between those who were their real, and those who were only their professing, friends. -- Let them judge between those who had acted, and were still continuing to act, on their own deliberate conviction of what was due to the public safety, and those who were tamely, and he would even add, basely yielding to the ill-advised clamour which was now raised throughout the country. He was glad to find from the statement of the Hon. Baronet, that there were still men in that House, who had the cou rage to stand up in the face of thousands at county meetings, and to tell them, even at the risk of losing their seats at the next election, that they deemed this new plan of Reform most injurious to the Constitu tion of the country, and that they were determined to op pose it. He was nearly in the carne predicament with his two Honourable Friends, the Members for the county of Southampton ; and as a person who would never have thought of standing for the county of Cornwall under other circumstances was now standing for it on account of the vote which he had recently given—(Hear, hear)—he would only say, that had he to give that vote over again twenty times, he certainly would give it as he had already given it,—for he never would submit to the degradation of letting his opinions truckle to the base cry which was now set up by the country. He wished that the country would give itself time to ponder on this new plan of Re form. He wished that the country would give itself time to consider whether this plan contained in itself such moral and political excellence as to be the only one which it ought to adopt. He was sorry that his Hon. Friends the Members for the county of Southampton were not then in the House. He knew that he had but small right to interpose upon this occasion, as the petition did not come from his county ; but it was impossible for him to keep silent when he heard the petitioners alluding to the dis tress of the country as one of the reasons for calling fur a Reform in Parliament, at the same time that they were very likely to be abusing those very Members of Parlia ment who had voted for a Committee to inquire into the causes of it. Mr. RICE could not allow the observations of the lion. Member for Cornwall to pass without a reply. The Hon. Member had said, that the denial of the existence of distress in the country, and the refusal of the House of Commons to inquire into the sources of it, was the cause of the clamour of the people for Reform ; and had then pro ceeded to assert that the Members of the present Govern ment were among those who had strenuously opposed themselves to all inquiry. Now he thought that he could show in a few words which of the parties into which the House was now divided was most worthy of the confidence of the people of England. They would find among the members of the present Government, those who had voted for inquiry,—among the members of the late Government, those who had voted against it. Let the people look at the list of Cabinet Ministers at that moment in the House of Commons, and then, if they were to decide who most deserved their confidence by the division on that question, they would find that those who were the friends of Reform had voted for inquiry, and that those who were the enemies of Reform had voted against it. His Noble Friend the present Chancellor of the Exchequer— Sir R. VYVYAN—Had voted against the motion for inquiry. Mr. RICE—No such thing. His Noble Friend had voted for it. Sir R. VYVYAN.—No, no. Mr. RICE contended that his Noble Friend had voted for it. The Hon. Gentleman was not regular in the in. terruption which he was giving him. He (Mr. Rice) was speaking, he admitted, from recollection only : hut within the next twenty-four hours he would either re assert this statement if correct, or retract it if incorrect. He asserted, that on the amendment to the address moved by the Hon. Member for Kent, his Noble Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, had affirmed the existence of distress, and had voted for inquiry ; and he recollected the fact well, for he had gone out of the House along with his Noble Friend.—(Hear.) An appeal since that time had been made to the country, and the answer which the country had made to it by the petitions which were already laid upon their table, entitled him to say that the country had given a verdict in favour of the present Administra tion, and not in favour of the Hon. Member for Cornwall and his friends. On the occasion to which the lion. Member alluded, those who supported the address had affirmed the existence of partial distress, and those who supported the amendment had affirmed the existence of ge neral distress. In the first party were the members of the late Administration ; in the latter the members of the pre sent. He was quite certain, that if the Hou. Baronet would only take the trouble of looking through the di vision, he would find that those who were friendly to Re form in Parliament had voted in favour of the amendment proposed by the Hon. Member for Kent. Sir R. VYVYAN did not mean to deny that on the amendment to the address moved by the Hon. Member for Kent, the present Chancellor of the Exchequer had af firmed the existence of general distress in the country, and had voted for inquiry. But he contended, and he believed that he was correct in contending, that on a subsequent occasion, when a motion was brought forward by Mr. Da venport, for an inquiry into the causes of the distress of the nation, the Noble Member for Northamptonshire, now Chancellor of the Exchequer, had voted against the ap pointment of any committee of inquiry. The petition from the county of Southampton stated, that one of their rea sons for calling for a Reform of Parliament was, that the House of Commons would not look into the distress of the country. He said that upon that score the present Ministers were as culpable as any of their predecessors. He thought that they had always been opposed to inquiry into the causes of our di s t ress , an d i n t o th e o p e ration of those principles of free trade which had operated so inju riously on the country by making one class of society the prey of another, and by luring the different interests of it to attack each other. Sir T. BARING was sorry to interrupt the Hon. Ba ronet's declamation, but there was no such statement as the lion. Baronet imagined in the petition. The chief grievance of which the petitioners complained was the want of a full, fair, and sufficient representation of the people in the Commons House of Parliament. Mr. DUNCOMBE contended that his Hon. Friend was perfectly correct in stating that the distress of the country was one of the grievances which the petitioners thought would he most effectually cured by a Reform in Parlia ment. He recollected perfectly well, that when a motion was brought forward by Mr. Davenport, for appointment of a Committee to inquire into the causes of the general distress, the Noble Member for Northamptonshire opposed it, on the ground that it would lead into a useless inquiry into the state of the currency. Now this, he contended, was a paltry and + (the Hon. Member added some other epithets which were not heard in the gallery) ground for opposing that motion. He denied that what ever might have been the views of some, there were many gentlemen who supported Mr. Davenport's motion in order to obtain an alteration of the currency. Sir JAMES GRAHAM did not rise to prolong this discussion, but he must protest against such language be ing used with regard to his Noble Friend (Lord Althorp) in his Noble Friend's absence. He thought it would be difficult for any Hon. Member—even for the Hon. Mem ber for York—to point out any of his Noble Friend's con. duct to which the epithets paltry, pitiful, and insignificant, could be justly applied.—(Hear, hear.) An Hon. Mem ber opposite had said that since he had voted for Mr. Davenport's motion, he had had an opportunity of facing his constituents ; but so also had his Noble Friend, who had voted against the motion—(Hear, hear)—and if they should all have a similar opportunity again at no distant period, the respective constituents of the Hon. Member for York and of his Noble Friend would have an oppor _ tunity of showing to the conduct of which of them—if to the conduct of either—they considered the epithets _ _ paltry, pitiful, and insignificant, as most applicable. Sir CHARLES WETHERELL was quite sure that the epithets complained of by the Hon. Baronet must have been intended to apply to the reasoning, and not to the conduct of the Noble Lord. He was as sure of this as he was of the fact that most of those who had voted in favour of Reform had voted against Mr. D.:ven- port's motion. Now no man, he contended, could read this petition from Hampshire, without seeing that the pe thinners, in effect, asserted that the House had not at tended to the distress which prevailed among the agricul tural labourers last year : and, moreover, that the peti tioners imputed that as a fault to the House. And, although he should be sorry to say any thing disrespectful of the Noble Lord (Althorp),—although he never would say any thing of the Noble Lord in his absence, which lie would not say in his presence,—yet lie must beg leave to say, now, since the subject had been broached, that in his opinion the failure of Mr. Davenport's motion was mainly attributable to the speech which the Noble Lord made against that motion. An Hon. Member opposite had said that the meeting in Hampshire ays a mist respectable one, which was true,—and that only two hands were held up against the petition,—which was equally true : but whose hands were those ? Why, they were the hands of two illustrious Members for the county, who had had the manliness to come forward and act according to their judgment, and to tell their constituents plainly. that they would so act. God forbid that the time should ever arrive in which county members would come into that House as mere machines, acting merely as their constituents directed them, and not as men exercising their own judgment and their own intellect. This was the true character of a county Member ; and whenever the character of the representatives was inverted, he believed that the representative would be ruined, and that with them the people also would be ruined. He was sorry that neither of the Members for Hampshire was present now, for he highly applauded their conduct, and had read with the greatest pleasure the speeches which they made at the meeting. He wished that all county Members would f,llow their example. His Hon. Friend near him, the Member for Cornwall, had kept up the character of a Metnber of that House by differing from his constituents. (Hear, and laughter.) He would only add that he was glad of having this opportunity of offering his testimony of admiration of the conduct of the two independent Alum bent for Hampshire. Mr. DUNCOMBE thought that the Hon. Baronet opposite (Sir J. Graham) was the only Member in that House who was of opinion that he had imputed unworthy or paltry conduct to the Noble Lord the Chancellor of the Exchequer. All lie had said was, that the excuse which the Noble Lord had made for opposing Mr. Davvn- port's motion was a paltry excuse—and so it was, in his opinion. Sir J. GRAHAM had understood the Hon. Member to have said that his Noble Friend bad opposed Mr. Diven- port's motion on the ground that it would lead to an in quiry into the currency, with the view of effecting an al teration in the currency; and that, in his opinion, such a ground of opposition to the motion was paltry, pitiful, and insignificant. He thought that he had distinctly heard those words from the Hon. Member. However, he was glad to hear that he was mistaken ; but if he had not been, he felt assured that the Hon. Member for York would have been the only Member of that House who would have thought his Noble Friend's conduct on that occasion, or on any other occasion, could be properly characterized by the epithets paltry, pitiful, and insignificant.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. DUNCOMBE thought that the Hon. Baronet was decidedly out of order, in imputing to him what he had already declared that he had not said. Mr. ATT WOOD had understood the Hon. Member for York to have used the expressions as he had said he had used them, and not as the Hon. Baronet had thought proper to apply them. With this understanding, he begged leave to say that he was ready to use the same expressions to the same extent as the Hon. Member had used them. He was confident that the people were only praying for Reform as the means of relieving their distresses, whirh they thought would disappear before a Reformed Parlia ment. Upon this delusion was founded the popularity of the present Ministry ; and that popularity, therefore, was as ill-deserved as he foretold it would be short-lived.— (Hear, and a laugh.) The Hen. Member then went on to argue, at some length, that the currency ought to be altered. Mr. Alderman WOOD protested against the question of the currency being debated upon the presentation of a pe tition for Reform.—(Hear, hear.) He must say that he thought the attack which had been made upon the Chan cellor of the Exchequer, in his absence, and upon a peti tion with which he had nothing to do, was a very unfair attack. An Hos:. MEaruEn. thought that the Hon. Baronet op posite had correctly stated the expressions which had fallen from the Hon. Member for York, but that he had not cor rectly stated the application of them. Sir W. HEATHCOTE was sorry he had not been aware that this petition was to be presented,—for, if he had :wen, he certainly should have been in his place sooner. He certainly was opposed to the prayer of the petition, and in saying this he begged to declare his regret at find ing himself compelled to differ from so respectable a por tion of his constituents, as those undoubtedly were who composed the meeting. But, after the best and most de liberate consideration which he had been able to give to the measure of Reform, he must say that he became day after (lay the more confirmed in the belief that it was a measure founded upon the most impolitic grounds, and that if it passed into a law, it would he productive of the most injurious effects. It was true that the meeting at which this measure was agreed to was of a very dif ferent opinion : but he had reason to know, from com munications which he had since received, that this opinion of his was by no means universally opposed to that of the wealth and respectability of the county. He conscientiously believed, that the feeling in favour of Reform among the people was founded, to the greatest extent, upon distress, and upon the refusal of the House in the last session to inquire into the causes of that distress. Mr. H. HUGHES said, that if there was strong lan guage in the petition, it might be accounted for by cir cumstances peculiar to the county, and which, very natu rally, excited a strong feeling in the county. The Isle of Wight—in which be resided—sent six Members to Par liament, and those Members were often not even seen by their constituents. Now, with this fact before them, and when two of these Members thought proper to insult their constituents, the Ilouse, and the country, by saying that no Reform was necessary, and that no Reform was asked for by the people,—and this had been said by the two Hon. Members for Newport,—it was not to be wondered at that the inhabitants of the county of Southampton used very strong language in their petitions. The SPEAKER said the Hon. Member had allowed language to escape him, —unintentionally, no doubt,— which he was sure the Hon. Member would be anxious to explain. First the Hon. Member had said that the lan guage of the petition might be accounted for by what the two Hon. Members for Newport had said. Now the Hon. Member must be aware that what was said in that House could not justify any thing in a petition. Next, the Hon. Member had said that observations of two Hon. Members of that House had been insulting to their constituents, to the House, and to the country. He was quite sure that the Hon. Member would himself see the propriety of ex plaining, and be himself anxious to explain this language, which had, no doubt, fallen from the Hon. Member in the heat of debate. Mr. HUGHES HUGHES really did not see what he had to explain.—(Hear, hear.) It must have been quite obvious, he thought, to everybody that he bad not meant any thing personal to the two Hon. Members for New port—(Hear, hear)—that he had merely spoken of them as public men acting in their public capacity, and of the effect which it was natural that the language of those Hon. Members should produce in the minds of men circumstanced as the inhabitants of Hampshire were.— ( Hear, hear.) He said, too, that he thought that that lan guage might justify the petitioners in expressing them selves strongly, and he must say that lie still thought so; for although it was irregular to allude in a petition to any thing that was said in that House yet it was quite im poisib!e to prevent language used in that House having the effect which the same language out of doors would have. Sir. T. BARING, in moving that the petition be audible in printed, made gallery.esomeobservations which were altogether in- After a few words from Sir W. Heathcote, Sir R. Vy- vyan, Mr. .Atwood, and Mr. Milks, the petition *as ordered to be printed. Sir T. BARING presented a petition from the borough of Chipping-\Vycomh in favour of the measure of Reform. Lord NORREYS presented petitions from Woodstock, and from several other places, against slavery. Sir J. BURKE presented a petition from Ross, praying for relief from distress, and a petition from Tuam for Par liamentary Reform. Sir R. BATESON presented petitions from the inha bitants of Londonderry and from Newtown.Lirnavady, in favour of the Ministerial plan of Reform. He was him self friendly to the principle of the measure, but objected to some of its provisions, as he should state on a fitting occasion. Mr. DICKINSON presented a petition from the Arch deaconry of With against the Free Sale of Beer Act. Mr. RICE presented a petition from Bakewell, in Derbyshire, in favour of the Ministerial plan of Reform. On the motion of the same Hog. MEMBER returns were ordered of the number of gallons of spirits exported from Scotland to this country within the last ten years, with a specification of the amount of duties paid, and draw back allowances. Sir C. WETHERELL presented a petition from Vis count Stirling against the grant of lands in Canada, with out a due consideration of individual interests. Mr. BROWNLOW presented three petitions from dif ferent parts of the county of Armagh, in favour of the Reform Bill. Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN presented a similar peti tion from the inhabitants of Cordwainers' Ward. - Mr. WHITMORE presented a petition of like nature from Bridgenorth. Mr. ATTWOOD presented a petition, from persons in the neighbourhood of Bristol, praying for the repeal of the assessed taxes. The Howe then adjourned at Half-past Ten o'clock. REFORM! REFORM! ! REFORM!!! TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Stk,—Our righteous cause has gained another triumph —the result of our late county meeting, and the unequi vocal expression of public opinion there, and, indeed, everywhere, has unseated an old Tory Member, Mr. Wilbraham Egerton, whose intention not again to offer himself as a candidate is advertised in the Courant, which I send you. Thus, day after day, is our cause gaining fresh accessions of strength, and we must succeed. Our city Member, Sir P. Egerton, is also in the same predicament as his namesake, though he has not yet taken a similar step ; but it is said he will do so, and then he will, with his compeer, gain the only weed of popularity now in his power, namely—by retiring with a good grace. The most active treasures are taking here to bring for ward a gennine Reformer at the next election, happen when it may ; and an invitation has been sent to Cunliffc Offley, Esq. (who married the only daughter of our late truly- noble and high-minded patriot, the late Lord Cre we ). This gentleman is not only talented, but a thorough-going Reformer ; in short, we will not have any other : and our friends are almost impatient for the conflict. Excuse haste. Yours, &c. Chester, March 28. A CONSTANT READER. EXETER HALL, STRAND. Yesterday this very capacious and splendid building, lately erected in the Strand for the accommodation of the religious, benevolent, literary, and scientific institutions of the metropolis, where they hold their annual or periodical nitetings, was opened, in order that the proprietors and shareholders might explain the purposes for which it was built. Upwards of 3,500 persons were admitted by tickets, and the platform contained a great number of gen tlemen connected with the societies referred to. Sir THOMAS BARING, Bart., was called to the Chair. The Rev. D. WII.soN, Vicar of Islington, offered up a dedicatory prayer, and a psalm was chaunted by scientific vocalists. The CHAIRMAN then briefly stated the object of the present meeting ; and he did so with great diffidence, be cause he saw before him such a crowded and respectable assemblage as be never before had addressed ; and he was, moreover, surrounded by persons eminent for learn ing, and, therefore, more capable than himself of address. ing them. He trusted that botk at the present and all future meetings held under that spacious roof the motto in front of the building would be in continual remembrance The love of the brethren." The Rev. Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Vicar of Harrow, ad dressed the nice ing at great length, and gave a detail of the rise and progress of the various religious institutions, the anniversaries of which were in future intended to be held in tins boil Ling. The Rev. Mr. BURNETT, and Dr. Cox, of Hackney, followed. The latter gentleman enumerated 336 religious institutions in and near the metropolis, which were sup ported by voluntary contributions. The Rev. and Hon. BAPTIST NOEL spoke of the various benevolent institutions, such as hospitals, pensions, annuity societies, &c. In the Heathen world those matters were overlooked, and it was long before Christians had any pub , lic charities or institutions for the extension of religious knowledge, or the amelioration of the condition of human miser•. H. DRUMMOND, Esq., then adverted to the various literary and scientific institutions of Vie metropolis, which were 50 in number. There were others likely to be founded. This was a practical age, as well as the age of intellect. The inquisitiveness of the human mind would not be diverted from its course ; and he, for one, was quite sure that science would never destroy, but rather tend to promote, true religion, and destroy fanaticism and bigotry. Professor HOPPERS perfectly coincided with the last speaker. He hailed the day when religion, benevolence, and science, u ere to be advocated under one roof. He considered the first to be the parent of gnod, the second the daughter, and the last the handmaid. Well•directed science was calculated to promote the ends of religion. After an address from the Rev. Dr. MORRISON the meeting separated. FUSEL' AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES. — Among other celebrated individuals of whom new and inte resting anecdotes and particulars are given inlMr.KNowLEs's life of FUSELI lust published, are the following : —SIIOL LETT, FALCONER, GARRICK, Sir GRAHAM MOORE, ROSCOE, COWPER, the poet, MARY WOLLSTONECRA FT, Lord ERSKINE, Dr. JOHNSON, LASATER, ROUSSEAU, HARLOW, Sir THOMAS LAWRENCE, STEK.NE, GIBBON, Iloa NE TooKE, CANOVA, &c., with most of whom the distinguished artist was on habits of the greatest intimacy. The faithful portrait of FUSEI.I prefixed is considered a very clever work of art. A Court of Aldermen was held yesterday, at Guildhall, to proceed further in the consideration of the petitions for and against swearing Mr. SCALES into the office of Alderman for the Ward of Portsoken.—Mr. ALLEY, in a very long speech, argued against the power of the Court to act in the matter. Mr. BODKIN having replied, the Court overruled Mr. ALLEY'S objection, and directed Mr. BODKIN to proceed in the ex imination of his witnesses. Some witnesses were then called and examined as to Mr. SCALES' age,and his being hound as an appren tice before he was fourteen years old. The examination was continued till half•past four o'clock, when the further consideration of the subject was adjourned to the 19th o f April next. We are authorised to state that the new personal novel entitled " The Premier," is not written by Sir R. P., though it is not difficult to account for the endeavourto fix the authorship of the volumes on that individual . It is needless to add, that the report w hich seeks to con. nett the work with the coterie of Ho lland House cann ot for a moment be entertained. What ever may be the effect of the story the author has determined not to come for ward, but to turn a deaf ear to all inquiries wheth er of a, flattering or of a hostile nature. Man y of both kinds h ave we hear been already made. Ai r. has \ l T ILI announcedß A II is i n tention A l i ALP. for Cheshire, representation of the coun t y , in the event of a dissolu tion of Parliament. Mr. EG ERTON voted against the se cond 1E G li i 1 T of °ll' retiring from th e reading of the Reform Bill ; and as the expence of a con test, under such circumstances, inevitably would be very great, and the result by no means doubtful, it would stem that the Han. Gentleman, by the course which he has adopted, has manifested a proper regar d for number one. The opponen ts of Reform in the University of Cambridge must he either the most short-sighted, the most disinterested, or the niost blinded by Tory zeal of any men living ; for not only does the Reform Bill pre serve their peculiar rights untouched, but by throwing open the borough of Cambridge, will virtually transfer its representation in future front the Duke of RUTLAND to themselves. DADE, THE FORGER. —This person, who escaped from Lancaster Castle, where be was confined on a charge of forgery, was re-taken on Tuesday last at n, place in New Islington, near 3lanchester. We believe that when he made his escape from gaol, he very seriously injured himself in the back, but to what extent we are unable to say.—Bolton Chronicle. Mai Braz:] Bum Chia Cohn Ditto Dani 2 Greel Ditto Guat Alexi Ditto Angl Brazi Dit Prot( Cana or th fiJ