The Sun. — London, England, 1839-06-29 00:00:00

EVENING ED IT i ON. IMPERi lAMEN T HOUSE OF .LORDS, JUNE 28. ) The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack at ten minutes past Five o'Clock. The Earl of R OSE BE RY presented a petition from the Chamber of Commerce, Edinburgh, and one from a parish in Linlithgow, in favour of Mr. R. Hill's plan of penny postage. The Duke of RUTLAND :roved for certain returns relative to the state of agriculture in the counties cf Cam bridge and Lineoln.—Ordered. BILLS OF EXCHANGE BILL. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE moved that the words " Goods, Merchandise, Warrants on Bills of Lad ing" be added to the clause, which was done and the Bill was passed. Mr. CEESSWELL, Mr. PRINGLE, and others, from the Commons, brought up several Bills which were severally I read a first time. The Bishop of EXETER presented petitions from the dioceses of Peterborough and York against the Church Discipline Bill. The Earl of ZETLAND presented two petitions from Orkney, praying for an extension of the Church of Scot land. Tke Marquis of SALISBURY begged to ask when it was intended to move the second reading of the Prisons Bill. The LORD CHANCELLOR, after some conversa tion, appointed Thursday week for that purpose. The Bishop of LONDON presented several petitions against the government plan of national education ; also one praying that public-houses might be shut up from twelve o'clock on Saturday night till a certain hour, say three o'clock, next day. Such a plan would meet with the approbation, not only of the public, but also of a great majority of the publicans themselves ; and one from the Clergy of the Arelideaconry of Colchester, against the Church Discipline Bill. He could not agree with them, and such alterations were likely to be agreed to in Com mittee as would do away with opposition. Lord BROUGHAM said with regard to public-houses being shut or. Sunday, he believed if it were made general it would do much good and would meet with very little op position from the publicans generally. The Bishop of LONDON hoped the Noble and Learned Lord would frame a clause for the purpose, as it would need much legal knowledge to do so, so as to avoid objection. Lord BROUGHAM said the only objection to that was that anything of the kind would meet with much oppo litiou in another place; lie did not say, however, that he would not turn his attention to the subject. Lord REDE SD ALE presented three petitions, pray ing for further extension of the Church in Canada. JAMAICA BILL. ' The Marquis of NORMA NB Y said he understood there was some objection to taking the second reading of the Jamaica Bill pro forma. If it was to be postponel till Monday he hoped there would be no objection to take t a Commit' ez on a; early a day as possible, as it was de ferable that the question shonld not longer remain open. The Earl of HA RE WOOD said he must oppose the second reading of the Bill t h at n i g h t, b ut wou l d throw no obstacles in th e way of proceedings after. Lord BROUGHAM said the second reading would be taken on Menday. He had an important motion for Tues day. He certainly in:ended to press his Education Bill, but he felt it would be much more convenient to have the whole Jamaica quesfon together; he would therefore post pone it till Tuesday week. The Marquis of SALISBURY begged to know what course the Noble and Learned Lord intended to take with respect to the Beer Bill. He saw, from what took place last night in another place, they were going to have an other and a different Beer Bill. Lord BROUGHAM said lie knew but little of what was intended or would be done in another place—( A laugh) —but:his intention was to pass the whole measure if possible; if not, to pass as much of it as passible. Their Lordship; must do their duty, let others do as they pleased. The Marquis of NORMA NB Y—Then we hear Counsel to night, take the second reading on Monday, and go into Committee on Tuesday. Counsel were then ordered to be called in. Mr. BuagE their appeared at the Bar, and said he bad the hocour of appearing there on behalf of the Assembly of Jamaica, and t;.e people whom they represented. against a Bill which would be a violation of their consti tution and would be an infliction of the greatest evil upon them. Before 1728 the Executive Government attempted a violation of the Constitution of Jamaica; but it'inust be said of the House of Commons of that day, whatever might be said of the present, that they would not agree to it. The course which the House of Assembly adopted in 1838, and which was the pretext of the attack now made upon it, was the same as that which former Parliaments and Governments justified. In 1765 the House of Assembly, under the Chancellorship of Mr. Littleton, feeling its privileges invaded, refused to legislate. Mr. Littleton was recalled. Mr. Ellison succeeded him, and fully justified the conduct of the Assembly, which had then • ceased to sit for two years, and revoked the decisions of his predecessor. In 1808, at the commencement of the Governorship of the Duke of Manchester, the Assembly summoned General Carmichael to give evidence before a Committee. The General refused to attend, the Governor concurred with him. The Assembly denounced the act as ' a breach of privilege, and refused to go to business until reparation was made. The Duke prorogued the House, but the Government at home being consulted, supported the Assembly, and the Duke was ordered to convene the Assembly again. In 1836 the Marquis of Sligo inter fered with the freedom of debate. A cessation of business was the consequence, and the Marquis was obliged to snake reparation. In all those cases reparation bad been or nerei, and had been met more than half way by the House of Assembly. In 1838 the House of Assembly did no more than what it bad successfully done on tornaer occasions. Consider the importance of Jamaica. It contained more than half the population of the West Indies. Its exports to England amounted to 4,000,0001. a 3ear ; its imports from us to 3,000,000/. It was, in the words of a distin guished officer, the brightest gem in the British Crown. Let their Lordships now consider what were the circum stances under which they were called upon to transfer the legislative power of the House of Assembly to a Governor and Council and paid Assistants, who should have the entire r control over the revenue of that great colony. The Learned Gentlaman then went into the history of the Bill, which was, unavoidably, scarcely other than a repetition of his speech before the House of Commons as already reported in The Sun in ti e course of the eebates on the Jamaica Bill. He thin contended against the error that legislative assem blies were inconsistent with the rights of a free people. For practical contradiction be referred to the United States of America. It was a mistake to suppose the Assembly of Jamaica was unchecked. It was checked r in tle colony by the Governor an d t h e C ounc il , and at ~ home by the Ministers in Downing -street. The present Bill, no !ass than the former, would destroy the representa tive respectability and independence of the House of Assembly. If the colony were to be governed by Orders in Council, then Jamaica would have the advantage of being governed in effect by an expert legal gentle man in the Colonial Office, who would have to draw up those orders, and would most probably have no more knowledge of Jamaica than what lie might derive from a perusal of the map on the walls of his office. This Bill would certainly introduce Peyning's law of 1687. There were insurmountable objections to the first clause, but to the second clause there were many additional objections. The Bill was against the spirit of the statute, 18 Geo. 111. cap. 12, which promised not to impose burdens on the Colonies except througlf their representatives. What pretext was there for proposing this Bill, which he considered to be a punishment on the freedom of Jamaica ? Nothing whatever was stated in the preamble that at all justified such a measure. The Learned Gentleman having at very great length narrated the circumstances, and the proceedings of the Imperial and Jamaica Legislatures, which had led to the introduction of the Bill before their Lordships, contended that it was a far more severe measure than the former, because it tended to make the Legislative Assembly work its own destruction. It was a fact that the Baptist Missionaries had done much to produce the present disturbed and unhappy state of Jamaica. These gentlemen had persuaded the negroes, in many inst ances , not to sign c ontracts for work. The proposed system of legislati:n, which wou'd supersede what had worked so long, added to the present contused state of the colony, would produce a social wilderness, that must deter enterprising settlers from resorting to it. The Learned Gentleman then specified a multitude of local Acts, and dwelt upon the con flict that must ensue between those and that proposed. He protested almost as strongly against a modification of the pro posed Bill, as against the measure as it stood at present. The Bill would destroy the moral influence over the inhabit ants, especially the negroes, making them deem that the Imperial Parliament del not think them worthy to be en trusted with the Representative Government of Jamaica. The result of it would be that capital would be withdrawn from Jamaica, and the country would become a desert and a scene of ruin. The Learned Counsel concluded by saying, that if their Lordships acceded to the proposition, and postponed legislating on this subject fur some months, they would show that in their legislative, as well as judicial capacities, they were the sanctuary of justice, and prayed their Lordships to reject the Bill. Mr. Sergeant Meeeweeuen then addressed their Lordships on behalf of the planters and Jamaica proprie tors resident in England. He thought he might assume that his Learned Friend had satisfied their Lordships there was in the Assembly of Jamaica an inherent right of legislation. A snore wanton or unnecessary interference with the rights of a Legislative Assembly ha had never witnessed than that which was sought to be accomplished by this Bill. He contended the Jamaica Assembly were perfectly justified inset:a course they had adopted. By this Bill a Constitution was to be annihilated without in quiry and without evidence. There was nothing before them but the suggestions in the preamble, which remained wholly unproved, and no Bill had ever been brought forward upon which less informa tion had been afforded. The second clause was open to all the objections that could be urged against the first. It was unnecessary and uncalled for, and was directly con trary to the legislative charter of the colonies, which exempted them from the taxation of the mother country, viz., the 18th of George the ~ Third. Whether interfering with taxation in Jamaica crotild produce similar results to those produced elsewhere, cr the ascen.'. lacy of a particular class should be followed by results like those which had already taken place in A neighbouring island, he should not now attempt to anticipate, but he would advise their Lordships to be warned by what was al ias-de written in the page of history. He thought it would be a greavbardship that the revenue of Jamaica, which was about 30 0,0001., should be disbursed by a Governor and Council not connected with the population of the island. His chief argument was there was no necessity for the Bill, and that it was neither supported by the preamble nor by the clauses. The Learned Sergeant then withdrew, and._ At a Quarter past Ten o'Clock their Lordships aljoarned until M ond ay. 110 CI SE OF COMMON S, JUNE 25. Th e SPEAKER took the Chair at the usual hour. HULL DOCK BILL. Sir W. JAMES was sorry to be again under the neces sity of calling the attention of the Howie to this Bill. Through some inadvertence on the part of the solicitor, the parties were not prepared according to the Orders of the Committee on Private Bills, and he would therefore now move that the Order of the Day for the second reading of the Bill should be discharged. He would also move that the Bill be withdrawn. Mr. W. PATTEN said he had been requested by Mr. Greene, the Hon. Member for Lancashire, to state that the parties had consented to withdraw the Bill and introduce another in its place. He had promised his Ho nourable Friend that he would certainly mention this to the House, although he could not agree with it himself. He thought the parties having already in fringed the rules of the House twice, ought not to be per mitted to adopt the course they were now attempting. Mr. POULETT THOMSON said it was his in. tention upon two grounds to resist both the second reading of the present Bill, and also the substitu tion of another Bill in its place. The first ground of objection was that he considered the conduct of the par ties with regard to the measure such that the House ought not to sanction ; and, secondly, he thought it would be a great deal fairer to oppose the second reading now than allow the case to be brought forward in an amended form. The circumstances of these Hull Docks were rather peculiar, and the public revenue was interested in not proceeding to legislate too hastily upon the su bj ec t. B y the Hull Dock Charter, the Company was entitled not only to levy dues on ships coming into the Docks, but also upon vessels entering the harbour, and they were also entitled to levy dues upon foreign vessels, and these dues, according to the reciprocity Acts, must be repaid by the Treasury.—( Hear, bear ) Then, as to the limits of these Docks, the Company contend that they extend over the entire river Humber, which was extremely doubtful, and it was intended to try that question in a Court of Law. It would be premature, under these circumstances, to give to any party the exclu. sive right to the land in question, as it would debar others from competing with them on a future occasion. On these grounds, and because it was contrary to the forms and pro. ceedings of the House, he should object to a second Bill being introduced, and he would then move that the Bill be read a second time that day three months. Mr. HANDLE Y said it was owing to a mistake of the solicitor, that the clauses in question, to which the Hon. Member for Hull had alluded, were not introduced. Mr. BROA DLE Y supported the Bill, The parties had done nothing at all suspicious, as they had acted un der legal advice. It was impossible that the Bill could have been brought in sooner, as the petition for it was actually presented before the Bill enabling the parties to sell the land had received the Royal assent. All parties in Hull were in favour of the Bill, and he hoped the House would allow it to be brought on. Sir W. JAMES said the Right Hon. Gentleman said the case was one of much suspicion, but he could assure the House that he had the word of honour of the Solicitor for the Bill, that, acting under the advice of professional men, they were of opinion that the clauses could only be added in the 'Committee on the Bill, and that it was by mere inadvertence that the mistake arose. He should have no objection, to introduce a clause pro. viding that all those pending questions to which the Right Hon. Gentlemen in his very lung speech attached so much importance, should not be affected by the present Bill, and he therefore hoped that no further objection would be offered to his motion. Mr. PR YM E agreed there was a great demand for duck rcom at Hull, but he did not see why they should allow this Company to gain possession of this piece of ground, which was the most eligible for a dock, and to keep all other persons out of competition for two years. He should vote against the Bill. Sir J. Gli - A HAM woaid support the motion of his Right Hon. Friend. The only point on which he bad any doubt was as to whether Parliament ought or ought not to interfere. Mr. PEASE had inquired into the merits of the case, and from that inquiry he felt bound to support the Government in the line which they proposed to adopt. Mr. BETH ELL felt assured that the Company had no possible interest in making the Docks. Sir E. KNATCHBULL thought the Bill ought to be allowed to proceed. Mr. CA YLEY said the Corporation, the Trinity House, the Town Committee, and the Chamber of Com merce were in favour of the object. The Bill was then withdrawn, and, Sir W. JAMES moved for leave to bring in another Bill "to empower the Hull Dock Company to hold cer tain lauds for a limited period. The House divided, and the numbers were— Fel- the motion Against it 70 Majority Mr. FRESH FIELD moved the further consideration of he Report of the Committee on Alison's Divorce Bill. The Hon. and Learned Member then moved that the Bill be read a third time on Monday next. After a few words from Mr. WYNN and Mr. WILSON PATTEN, the motion was agreed to. On the motion of Mr. BAINES, the Pontefract Honour Court Bill was read a third time and passed. On the motion of Mr. BROTH E RTON, Lord Tern- Wernore's Estate Bill was read a third time and passed. The Lords amendinents to the Ballochney Railway Bill were agreed to. On the motion of Mr. WODE HOUSE, the Lords amendments to the Norwich Tonnage Bill were agreed to. Colonel VERNER moved that the Standing Orders be dispensed with in the case of the Belfast Waterworks Bill, and that the Committee have leave to sit on Monday week. Agreed to. SMALL DEBTS BILL. Lord STANLEY wished to call the attention of the ouse to the state in which they were with respect to nu. tn,rous Bills to which reference had been made by his Noble Friend and Colleague—he alluded to the Satall Debts Bill.—( Hear, hear.) It would be in the re collection -.of the House, that upon that occasion, the further proceedings of the Committees on these Bills were suspended until the general Bill on the sub. ject was introduced. He understood that the Com mittee which the House had appointed on the County Courts Bill would sit on noiday, and that they would be enabled to report in a few days afterwards. If such was the case it would be most desirable that some person should take the trouble when that Report was brought up, of extracting from the Bill its leading prin ciples, in order that they might be discussed, for the pur pose of establishing them as precedents upon which the House might proceed with respect to the Small Debts and other Bills similarly situated. He would suggest whether it would not be expedient to make a further pos•ponement of these Small Debts Bills for a few days, with a distinct understanding that the House would fix an early day next week, when the question might be discussed, and some general principle adopted. Sir G. GREY believed the Committee had already agreed upon the principle, and it was likely they would make a report early in the ensuing week. Lord STANLEY said the main object of the House should be to lay down some principle, by way of resolution, for the guidance of these Private. Bills. Lord J. RUSSELL was anxious that these Private Bills should be proceeded with as soon as possible ; but it was necessary that some general principle should be laid down before they could come to any satisfactory conclusion. Sir GEO. STRICKLAND complained of the delay which had been occasioned to the progress of these Balls through the House. He thought parties ought to be allowed to go on with their Bills, and that a general Bill should, if possible, be passed this Session, but at all events next Session ; and that the other Bills should only remain operative until such general Bill was passed. Mr. P. THOMSON thought the better way would be for the adjournment of the Committees on Small Debts Bills to be extended till Monday week, and that the House should in the mean time decide on what course should be pursued. This was agreed to, and the conversation dropped. Mr. FOX MA ULE gave notice of a motion for leave to bring in a Bill to continue the Turnpike Act. "NEW LIGHTS." Mr. WALLACE—Seeing the Member for Kilkenny in his place, I wish to ask what prospect there is of the " New Lights."—( Laughter.) Mr. H UME said the Committee would be ready to re port on Wednesday. IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT. Mr. HUM E then moved for a return of all persons now confined for debt in the prisons of London, Middlesex, and Surrey ; and a similar return for the rest of the country, with a view of ascertaining in what way the Imprisonment for Debt Bill had worked.—Ordered. The Hort. MEMBER inquired why certain returns from the Royal Academy, ordered on the 7th of March, had not been made. He moved that they be made forthwith. Lord J. RUSSELL said it bad been discovered that there was an objection to these returns, but the matter should be looked into. Mr. H UME would postpone his motion until Tuesday next Mr. O'CONNELL withdrew the motion of which be had given notice, that the Directors of the Grand Canal should be heard by Counsel on the Shannon Navigation Bill. CANADA. Sir ROBERT PEEL wished to ask the Noble Lord what course be intended to pursue with respect to that Canada Bill which was intended to unite the two provinces. Lord JOHN RUSSELL replied that he did not intend to press the second reading of that B:11. METROPOLITAN POLICE BILL. Colonel SIBTHORP wished to know when the Noble Lord inter:deo to bring on the Metropolitan Police Bill. Lord JOHN RUSSELL—On Thursday next. CANADA. Mr. C. BULLER did not know whether be had quite understood the course intended to be pursued with respect to C a nada--whether it was the intention of the Noble Lord to take any steps about the Bill for the Government of Canada. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said the Bill for the Go vernment of Canada would be proceeded with, with the view of carrying it into law. With regard to the Bill respecting the union of Canada, he stated some time ago that there were despatches. from Upper Canada, stating the opinions which were entertained by the House of As sernbly, and by the Committee of the House of Assembly. Further despatches had been received yesterday from the Governor of Upper Canada, stating several important cir cumstances, which induced him to think it would not be advisable, without absolute necessity, to have a discussion in this House upon the subject of the union of the two provinces, which might produce some unexpected and unforeseen difficulty. Sir R. PEE Lth,ught that was exactly the g r o un d on w hi c h it ought to be discussed. He had not seen the despatches. As they were not proceeding to legislate for the perma nent Government of Canada during the present Session, perhaps the Noble Lord would indicate to the House what course her Majesty's Government intended to pursue with respect to that province on some future occasion. There was some feeling of anxiety to know what the inten tions of the Imperial Parliament were upon the subject, and he would venture to say that it was absclutely necessary tliey should apply to that as their para mount obj-et, —( Hear, hear.) He did not ask the Noble L or d to j u di„ te to-night what:course be meant to pursue, but it was of the utmost importance that Parliament should know at the earliest period in what manner the Government meant to proceed. Were they early in the next Session to invite the Legislature of Upper Canada to send over persons for examination at the bar of the House; or in what way were they to proceed in order that the difficulties which interposecrtheraselves:tnight be removed ? Lord J. RUSSELL thought it better to answer the Right Hon. Gentleman's question now. He proposed, in the course of the present Session, as already stated, to move the further stages of the Bill for removing the difficulties and obstacles which stood in the way of the temporary Govern ment of Lower Canada. It was his intention to have pro pos a plan, of which he bad previously given the outlines to the House, for effecting a union of the two provinces. It appeared, however, from the accounts that had been re ceived, that not only in Lower Canada, but parties of great weight and influence, and A - embers of the Howe of Assembly of Upper Canada, by whom the question bad been a good deal discussed, had expressed a general desire that the House should not proceed to legislate on the subject without hearing the whole of the case on behalf of Upper Canada. He therefore did not think it necessary to carry further the measure for the union of the two provinces, without giving every lair and full consideration to what might be urged as to the manner in which it should be carried into effect. It was therefore the intention of the Government, having prepared the Bill, to send it out to Canada, and instructions at the same time, with a view to obtaining as general a concurrence as possible to a plan which might be fur the general benefit of both these provinces; and he hoped that, at an early period of the ensuing Session of Parliament, they would be prepared with .a plan which was likely to tend to the permanent stability and tran quillity of these provinces. The Right Hon. Gentleman said he object( d to the course it was intended to pursue. He (Lord J. Russell) did not find fault with his making these objections, but he would say that a great part of the difficulties now existing in Canada--a great part of the want of security that any plan that might be proposed would not be made matter of discussion fur other purposes, arose from the course which was taken at the end of the last Session of Parliament.--( Hear, hear.) His cswn impression and belief was, that if Lord Durham had been allowed to continue in the government of Canada, the difficulties that bad since presented themselves would have been put an end to. Lord STANLEY wished to know whether it was the intention of the Noble Lord to send out to Canada for ge neral concurrence the Bill which had been printed and de livered to Members this morning, or shether it was his intention to withdraw that Bill, and send out one founded on different principles. Lord J. RUSSELL replied that it was intended to send out the Bill that had already been &livered to Members. FACTORIES. Lord ASHLEY inquired at what time the Noble Lord intended to lay on the table of the House the last Report of the Factory Inspectors, which contained very important ma!ter relating to the Bill that was to come on on Monday. 14::rd JOHN RUSSELL was not certain that the Re port was itt the pri.per state to be laid on the table at present, but as soon as it was ready it would be presented to the House. HARBOURS OF REFUGE. Mr. CA LEY wished to ask the Hon. Gentle man, the President of the Board of Trade, whether he was prepared to introduce any measure on the subject of harbours of refuge on the north-cast coast. He had understood, after the general expression of the House the other day, the Govt rnment would take this natter in hand. Mr. P. THOMSON had never said this subject was to be takes up by t h e G ayernment. What he had said was, that there ought to be a public Bill, and that he objected to passing tolls being introduced into a private Bill ( Hear.) As to the question put by the Hon. Member, he could not answer it in the affirmative; and it would be seen from what passed the other day that no sooner was any harbour projected than up started seven or eight Hon. Members, and insisted that a harbour ought to be formed in his own part of the country. He could nct promise any more than that the Admiralty would be willing to give their assistance in any survey of that coast. COMMUNICATION WITH INDIA. Mr. M. PHILLIPS asked whether the President of the Board of Trade would have any objection to lay upon the table the paper moved for last Session as to steam communication with India. Also whether any communication had taken place with a public body, re specting overland communication with India. And whe ther the R'ght Hon. Gentleman would have any objection to lay them before the House? Sir J. C. HOBH OUSE said the first mentioned papers should be produced. Certain communications had taken place with Mr. Curtis, Governor of the Bank, regarding overland communication with India, and Le (Sir J. Hob. house) had no objection to Mr. Curtis's publishing them. Mr. M. PHILLIPS ine i uired what had been done re specting communicatam by Madras, &c. ? Sir J. C. HOBHOUSE said nothing had yet been done further than respected Bombay, which it had been agreed should first be tried; and the time which had elapsed had not been sufficient to try the exprinueit. ATHLONE BRIDGE. Sir F. TRENCH asked what the Chancellor of the Exchequer meant to do respecting the Bride of Athlone ? The CHANCELLOR of the 'EXCHEQUER said that he had postponed the Bill, but he understood that the individual who had presented a petition asainst the mea sure had withdrawn all opposition to the Bill. IRISH BANKS. Mr. HUNS E .wished to know ahether the Chancellor of the Exchequer could appoint the day on which he proposed to hying on , he Isiah Bank Act. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would fix the earliest opportunity for making his statement on the measure. Mr. O'CONNELL doubted whether the R 7 ght Hon. Gentleman would give satisfaction to the people of Ireland ; by bringing th e 8 1 11 i n at that late period of the Session. He might announce what his plan was - , and then let the measure stand over till the next Session. MEXICO. Lord INGESTRE seeing the Gallaet oppo site in his place, wiseed to put a question to him relative to a subject of some importance. He had seen in the public prints that a fresh outrage had been committed on the flag of this country in the Mexican seas, he wished to know a hether he had received any official account of that at the Admiralty. Sir THOMAS TROUBRIDGE said, that no regular notice having been given by the Noble Lord, of his inten tion to put the question, he thought he should be acting improperly if he attempted, from his own memory, to give an answer to the Noble Lord. Lord INGESTRE then gave notice that be should put the question again on Monday. POOR RATES. Mr. HAWES wished to know from the Noble Lord at the head of the Home Department, when it was his inten tion to bring forward the Bill relating to the collection of Poor-rates. It was a measure of great public interest, and he hoped it would not be brought on at a late hour. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he would take care that the Hon. Member should have full notice of the period at which he would bring it on. The Bankrupts' Estate (Scotland) Bill, was read a third time and passed. ELECTION PETITIONS TRIAL BILL. The House, on the motion of Lord J. RUSSELL, re solved itself into a Committee on the Election Petitions Trial Bill, Mr. Freshfield in the Chair. Lord J. RUSSELL said that the Committee had al ready gone through that Bill, and it was now his intention to bring up the clauses of which he had given notice, pro posing that they should be read a first and second time, and that then the Bill should be recommitted. On the first clause being put, which gives power to the General Committee to Select Members, Sir ROBERT PEEL said he did not object to this clause, although perhaps it would have been better if it had given a wider discretion. Mr. ESTCOURT thought it would be better to insert the clause which had been proposed afte the 41st, and not the 421 clause. Lord J. RUSSELL bad no objection to adopt the suggestion. The clause was then agreed to, as was also the clause that gave power to the General Cotnmitteeto appoint other Members in the place of those who had either ceased to be Members of the House, or had obtained leave from the House to absent themselves from the Committee. Colonel DAVIES objected to the clause which gave power to the six Members chosen to sit on a Committee to choose their Chairman from the Chairman's ballot. He thought the power of such a choice ought to be in the General Committee. Sir R. PEEL thought the selection ought to be more general. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said confidence in the Committee was the great point.—(Hear, bear.) _ln the Courts it bad been decided that arbitrators could not select an umpire by lot, because their judgment should be exercised SHANNON NAVIGATION. The CHANCELLOR. of the EXCHEQUER moved the second reading of the Rive r Shannon Navigation Bill. Much misinformation existed upon the Bill and he would shortly endeavour to set himself right upon it. General Burgoyne, who was at the head of the Board of Works, was to serve as one of the Commissioners, without any addi tional salary ; so also was the oth er C omm i ss i oner ; but they wished to have the assistance of a paid Commissioner, and General Burgoyne recommended Captain Jones. of the Royal Engineers, who was totally unknown to the Go vernment, except professionally, to be the paid Corn missioner. The claims for compensation amounted to 60,0001., but, from strict inquiry, they were now reduced to 14,0001.—( Hear, hear)—a proof that there had been a sufficient investigation That work was a great and very urgent necessity for Ireland, and, he would add, also, for England ; for the repayment of the money from Ireland would be rendered a matter of certainty. But to do so, it was absolutely necessary to give the Government every power to enfo.ce it, and that was the object of the stringent clauses in the Bill. If they did not mean to enforce the re payment of the money, it would be the duty of the Go vernment to come down and ask for a grant at once. It would be disreputable in the Goverment to deceive, I and is would be equally so on the part of the country receiving the benefit. The inquiry into the im provement of the Shannon had been commenced even before the formation of Earl Grey's Government—it was now completed. It was found it would prove a very great ria.ienal benefit, and he asked them only to read the Bill a second time, not pledging them to the details of the Bill, which could be far better discussed in the Committee. Mr. LUCAS would not object to the most stringent clauses that could be framed, for it was necessary to make the repayment of the money perfectly certain, in order to assure the Members from England and Scotland who bad an idea that no money advanced to Leland would ever be repaid. He was glad therefore the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed to make the repayment of the money ordersafe, in liike to t Ireland stud odoawa E ,gland.wrththep prejudice which was Mr. O'CONNELL did nut think it was proper to call the Commissioners unpaid Commissioners—they were sel dom the best. He agreed that the two gentlemen named were quite efficient for the purpose, and that better could not be got ; but they both received large salaries, md they would perform that duty as part of their other duties. The Bill would be perfectly useless, if the awards were not made find. He knew of one case where there was a claim of 30.00 n/ , and W. was awarded ; but he re commended that there should be no appeal, as it was essen tially necessary thartire hill should he passed. The clauses fur the repayment of the money could not be too stringent, for if the money was repaid there was an end at once of all their stringency ; but it W 43 a mistaken notion that was abroad, that money advanced for public works in Ireland was never repaid. He would unhesiiatingly say that not one shilling h a d ever b een a d vanced upon the faith of the Irish counties, fairly, that had not been repaid ; and the money so advanced was i n d ee d no b ounty, f or I re l an d paid five per cent. interest for money borrowed at 31 per cent., so that there was no great generosity in such advances. Mr. SHAW agreed that the proposed works were a great national object fur both countries, and that there ought to be the fullest assurance given for the repayment of the money. Mr. HUME thought himself bound to support the Chancellor of the Exchequer upon Irish grounds. No doubt the money would be repaid, and had it not been for the mistaken notion which prevailed, the Government would not have been obliged to give up thegreatest tional work ever un d erta k en f or I re l an d—therailways.— (Hear, hear .) It was for the benefit of both countries that the credit of England should he lent to promote public na. i works in Ireland, and he hoped the Government would nut fail to hen - educe the railway scheme eat ly next Session. Mr. AGLIONBY suggested the words " by lot, or otherwise," to meet the doubts which might exist. Sir T. FREMANTLE objected strongly to the in troduction of the words, for he thought the practice would be by lot; and-this would be a most unwise and unfair system; as, perhaps, a Member, after having served some months upon the Carlow Committee, might be in stantly chosen n n another. Mr. O'CONNELL said it was not to be absolutely by lot ; it was " by lot, or otherwise." Sir JAMES GRAB AII was cohvinced that the suc cess of the measure entirely depended upon how far con fidence would supersede chance. The present was the fi.st occasion in the Bill on which chance had been pro posed, and he saw no reason for now departing from the principles of the Bill, and for inserting the words " by lot or otherwise," which would naturally point to lot.— ( Hear, hear.) Mr. C. BULLER strongly concurred with the Right Hon. Baronet, who had just spoken, and expressed his decided aversion to the principle of lot.—(Hear.) He should recommend that the words " by lot" be omitted_ ( Hear, hear)—and leave the matter to the discretion of tfie Committee. Mr. AGLIONBY :said that would exclude lot; and lie wished it to be optional to have recourse, if neces sary, to lot. Lord J. RUSSELL did not think it desirable to ex elude it altogether. The clause, as amended. was then agreed to, and or. dered to stand part of the Bill. Several other clauses were also agreci to. Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN thought it desirable that there should be the power of appointing Commissions to take evidence in the country, and he would suggest that the clauses which were in the Bill of the Hon. Member for Liskeard be added to the present Bill. The SOLICITOR GENERAL belkved it would be found cheaper to take the evidence in London, than to appoint a Commis:Ann for the purpose o f taking evidence in the country. Mr. O'CosxELL and Mr. AGLIONDY were of the same opinion. Mr. S. O'BRIEN said, as the opinion of the Committee THE SUN, LONDON SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 1639 appeared to be against him, he would not press the propo sition. On the motion of Lord J. RUSSELL, the House re sumed, and the Chairman reported progress. Lord J. RUSSELL then moved that the Bill be re• committed, for the purpose of making some verbal amend ments. The House went into Committee on the Bill a second time, and a few verbal amendments were made. Mr. WARBURTON, before the Chairman reported pro gress, begged to ask the Hon. Member for Liskeard, whe ther it was his intention to proceed with his Bill—the Re gistration Courts of Appeal ? Mr. C. BULLER was most anxious to do so, but feared the Government was anxious to bring foreard some other measure. He wished the Noble Lord to fix some day when be could bring it forward. Lord J. RUSSELL could not give the Hon. Member any:answer. Mr. C. BI 7 LLER. said, if that was so, he supposed he must give up the Bill. Lend J. RUSSELL thought it was rather unfair of the Hon. Member to ask him to give way with the measures the Government was anxious to bring forward, in order to accommodate the Hon. Member. The House then resumed, the Chairman reported pro. gross, and the Bill, as amended, was ordered to be printed, and to he re . committed on Wednesday next. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS (IRELAND). Lord J. RUSSELL moved the Order of the Day for the House going into Committee on the Municipal Corpo rations (Ireland). Bill. Sir. te. S ties W hoped the Noble Lord did not mean to proceed with the Bill that night. H in. Members on his (Mr. Shaw's) side of the House had been asked not to object to the second reading, it being usual to take the discussion going into Committee. It was convenient, however, for the Government to commit the Bill pro forma, and having thus obtained the sanction of the House they had introduced a very large Bill, .in which very extensive changes were 'made, and thirty-four clauses added. Then, as to franchise, a principle altogether new had been introduced, namely, the principle of the English franchise, which fur the first time it was proposed to adopt. Not one word of explanation had been offeed by the Noble Lord, and, in fact, the general impress:on was, that the Bill would not be persevered with. He would, under these circumstances, as there had not been sufficient notice given to Hon. Members on his side of the House, make a compromise with the Noble Lord. lie proposed that the House should go into Committee on the Bill, and take only three clauses on which there was no like lihood of any diffi renee of opinion. He th .ught There was no objection on his side of the House to the clauses up to six. —( A laugh.) H. would suggest that the Bill be then reported, and the re commitment fixed for a future day. Lord JOHN RUSSELL could not say that the Hon. Member had proposed to make any very great concession —( Hear, hear.) The House would recollect that last )ear a different course from that usually adopted had been pursued, and no discussion had taken place in going into Committee. There was no opportunity of going back to that question now, and it appeared to him that he had certainly kept the Bill lone enough before the House. ( A laugh.) The Hight Hon. Gentleman now conceded to them the first five clauses, reserving to himself the right to object to every word and syllable of the remaining 245 clauses.— (Much laughter.) He proposed eitheethat the Committee should go at once to the clause on which it was likely there would be the greatest difference of opinion, namely, the franchise clause, or to go regularly through the Bill..—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Sergeant JACKSON hoped the Noble Lord would not press the Bill that night. All parties were led to believe, from the long period that had elapsed since its introduet:on, that it was not intended to proceed with it. He believed the amended Bill had not been printed, and in the hands of Members far more than a fortnight. The Bill originally contained 216 clauses, but now there were no less than 250 clauses in it. The clauses from 184 to 194 were clauses the object of which really was to amend the Poor Relief Act, and he could not see upon what ground these clauses had born introduced. Under these circumstances be thought that some further time ought to be give n to enable Hon. Members to make them selves masters of the new provisions of the Bill. As he read the Bill, if it became law, it would give, power to the Town Councillors to create any number of officers, to give . any amannt of salary, and they would be enabled to supply any diffieiency out of the Borough Fund, b) taxing ad libitum the inha bitants of the towns, and the clauses he relied upon to support that proposition were the 79th and the 103 d. By this Bill the town Cottrell would have power to appoint the Hon. Member for Dublin to the office of Lord Mayor of that city, and to vote him 50.0001. to support the office. —( Laughter.) He ( Mr. Sergeant. Jackson) should cer tainly be happy to see the Hon. and Learned Member fill that office, but he must object to the principle laid down in the Bill. In conclusion, the Hon. and Learned Member trusted the Government would adopt the sugges tion of his Learned Friend the Recorder of Dublin. Lord 111ORPETH said that be was disposed to take that course which was most likely to advance the public business of the eeteitry. If the Learned Recorder of Dublin still adhetiM to the course he had pointed out, that of only discussing those clauses which were necessary to be discussed, he (Lord Morpeth) could have now no ob jection to allow the House to go into Committee now for the purpose of taking sonic of the unobjeeted clauses, and postponing theee on which a discussion was likely to arise. Mr. O'CONNELL trusted, if the Noble Lord allowed this course to he adopted, Hon Members would really go on with the business of the Cororni-tee, acid discuss only , •li.•ctiorottle clauses on art-her occasion. If Finn. M nib,rs opposite were sincere, he thought the Noble Lord had purchased place at a cheap rate.—(Laughter.) Sir G. SINCLAIR believed the measure would be productive of gre4 injury to the Protestant interests in Ireland; and on the bringing up of the Report he should certainly take the sense of the House upon it.—(ironical cheers.) The /louse then went into Committee ; Mr. Bernet in the Chair. Clauses up to 5 were agreed to withou - t opposition. Clauses 6 and 7 were postponed. Clauses 8,9, and 10 were agreed to, and clauses 11, 12, and 13 were postponed. On clause 14 being read, Mr. LIT YON objected to the Bill being proCeeded with for that night. Lord MORPETH hoped the Hen. Member would al lew the Committee tc go as far as clause 20. They were merely formed clauses respecting boundaries, to which no objection could be token. The remaining causes up to 20 were then agreed to. Lord JOHN RUSSELL hoped the Hon. Member would give some notice of the amendment he meant to propose. Mr. SHAW would certainly take the earliest opportu nity of doing so. The House then resumed, the Chairman reported pro gress, and the Bill was ordered to be recommitted on Thursday next. DOWNING-STREET OFFICES. On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EX CHEQUER, the following Committee on the Public Offices. Downing-street, was appointed :—Mr. Gordon, Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Warburton, Mr. Goulburn, Mr. Hawes, Sir R. H. Inglis, Mr. R. Steuart, Sir T. Fre mantle, Mr. Flume, Colonel Davies, Mr. E. J. Stanley, Lord Charles Fitzroy, Mr. Planta, Sir De Lacy Evans, and Mr. Greene. —( Cheers.) The inquiry which the Government undertook in Ireland did them great credit. In England 29 millions had been paid, and 12 more were owing for Railroads— had such an inquiry taken place here, many millions would have been saved, and the railroad much more convenient. Hear, hear.) The Chancellor of the Exchequer could not be too particular in taking powers for enforcing the repayment of the money, as it would do benefit both to England and Ireland, in doing away with the prejudice at present existing against lending money for public works. Mr. Serjesnt JACKSON felt the very great import ance of establishing Railroads in Ireland, as well as the immense benefit the object of the present Bill would con fer upon her. He knew that there was a strong but mis taken feeling abroad that this was a job, and that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had been subjected to much unjust obloquy on the subject. —(llear, hear.) He also felt it was his duty to state--as one of thaEe who had opposed the Government plan for railroads in Ireland, on its first introduction—to state that the measure subse quently brought forward by the Noble Lord had entirely obviated the objections which he had entertained to the original proposition, namely, the unfairness to the North of Ireland, and the increase of patronage to the Government. With regard to the loan to the clergy of Ireland, that could not be considered in the light of a loan but of compens Alen, because every farthing- of the tithes due to them would have been:repaid had it not been for the interference of the House. Ile trusted the public would understand that every farthing which could fairly be considered as a loan from this coun try to Ireland, had been repaid with interest. Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN would not object to the com pulsory assessments in this case. He joined Hon. Gen tlemen on the other side in imploring the Government to re-consider the decision they had come to of abandoning the Irish Railway scheme. He wished the question could be brought to an issue, and the sense of the House fairly taken on the subject, and he believed it would be carried by a considerable majarity. Lord MO R PETH would not now enter into the discus sion of the Railroad question ; he trusted his Right Hon. Friend would be more successful in his scheme of water carriage than he ( Lord Morpeth) had been in his scheme of land carriage. He had been necessi tated to abandon that scheme ; but if he had been allowed to prosecute the measure, he could assure the lion. and Learned Member for Bandon that be would not have found any thing in it tending to increase the patronage more than was to be found in the present measure. Mr WYSE was glad that the time had come when the prejudices existing on this subject could be set at rest, The same prejudices had eiCsted as to the impossibility of obtaining repayment of loans advanced when the Board of Public Works was first constituted. lie was astonished at the gross ignorance manifested in the discussion on the railroads of the mariner in which public works and roads -re conducted in Ireland. It was, in fact, merely propos • ing to extend a principle which hid for years pest been in successful operation. He regretted to hear the decision of the Noble Lord, and hoped that if in the course of next Session lie did not bring the sulject before the House, some other Member would, and give the Irish people an opportunity of repelling the imputations which had been east upon them. He agreed entirely with the Hon. Msm bsr for Kilkenny in the remarks he had made relative to the railroads of England, and the effects which would pro bably have been produced had proper inquiries been pre viously instituted by the Government. Mr. WARBURTON was anxious for the success of the Government plan of railroads in Ireland, because he should like to see a railroad undertaken by the Govern ment, in order to institute a comparison between that and those undertaken by private companies. He hoped the scheme was not altogether abandoned, but would be brought forward in the course of the ensuing Session. As a i\l'ember of the Committeeon Railroad Bills, he had seen the public interest so f.equently sacrificed to private bar gains, in the present system of private companies, that he was anxious to see one railroad undertaken by the Go vernment. Mr. DARBY d'l not consider that by consenting to this - Bill he was pledged to support any Government plan for railroads in Ireland. Mr. SHIEL thought that although in ninety-nine eases the award of the Commissioners might be just, yet in one it might be unjust, and therefore an appeal from the dicision ought to be alloweel. After a few words from Mr. Fisica and Sir D. RoenE, the Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on \Vednesday. PUBLIC WORKS (IRELAND). On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EX CHEQUER, the House resolved itself into Committee on the Public Works (Ireland). The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved as a resolution that 50,0001. of the 500,0001. voted for Public Works in Ireland, be appropriated to the purpose of granting loans in conformity with the Act 4, Wm. IV., and Ist Victoria. Mr. 11 UhIE wished to know how much of the 500 000/ at present remained nnappropriated. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the object of the resolution was to subject all loans to the provisions of the Act of Ist Victoria. He could state the exact sum that remained unappropriated. After a few words from Mr. AGLIONHY and Mr. Lucas, Captain BOLDER() said there were no less than three money Bina on the paper to-right, and he'wished to know what sums had been given in the shape of loans and grants for Englanri, and what fir Ireland. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the three Bills were the Loan Bill, a vote from the Consolidated Fund, and the Shannon Navigstion 13i11. The Lean Bill applied to a charitable loan society, which did not receive sixpence frem the public purse, but was for the purpose of lending assistance to re c,ssitous persons, not exceeding 51. each. As to the second vote, it was a sum appropriated in the previous Session. With respect to the third, it was a subject to which the attention of the House !1,11 1),Y11 repeatedly directed, and there were these or four volumes of reports containing the whole of the estimated expendinues. This was a matter which it was now proposed to carry into ffect, aid he trusted tbe Han. G 'talent:or weuld see the:e was not any disposition to act with uhclue partiality towards that country.—( liar ) Captain BOLDER.° never before heard a que , tion so complet, ly evaded. His question was, what wits the sum toted advanced to In land ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—The first, as he had already stated, was the loan fund. Captain BO LDE R o—The amount? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—No thing at all.—( Loud laughter.) Under the second head riot a 'attiring of new money was voted; for the 50 000/. wos taken out of a previous surd of 500.000 l , of which 450,0001 had been granted far England. With respect to the Shannon, the whole sum, distributed over five or six years, did not exceed 220,000/.--( Hear.) The vote was then agreed to, and the House resumed. SUGAR DUTIES BILL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. moved the third reading of the Sugar Duties Bill. Mr. E WART said he hard understood that this Bill was not to be taken to-night. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, as the Municipal Bill for Ireland had been put off, anal as his Hon. Friends the Members for Wigan and the Tower Hamlets were in their places, he thought it would be far more proper to go on with tine Bill now than to put the House to the inconvenience of sitting to-morrow, on such an unusual day.—( Hear, hear.) Mr, MART could not ,allow the Bill to b e rea d a third time witho u t ma ki ng , some remarks. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said of course the Honourable Member would be at full liberty to bring forward the discussion which he wished to introduce. Mr. E WART said he was afraid he was unprepared to do justice to the subject he wished to notice, but if it were the wish of the House, he would endeavour to proceed.— (" Go on.") He desired to draw the attention of the House to the probable high prices which sugar would before long attain in this country, and the advantages which would result to the cause of humanity, from so modifying the laws protecting colonial sugar, as to admit the produce of free labour. The House was perhaps aware that petitions had been presented from some large commercial towns, such as Liverpool and Glasgow, in favour of a reduction of the duties on one species of fo reign sugar—that coming from the Brazils; representing that our exports to the Brazils were so extensive, that they amounted to several millions annually, whereas our im ports scarcely amounted to a million ; and that it was therefore desirable to enlarge, if possible, our imports from that country. Now the objection raised to this, by the friends of freedom, was, that the produce of the Brazils, was the produce of slave labour, and that it was desirable to encourage the produce of free labour. The price of British Plantation Sugar was 41s. 2d. per cwt., of course exclusive of the duty of 245., and Manilla of the same quality was selling at 235. 61. in bond. Look ing to the immense quantity of sugar consumed by this country, between 3 and 4,000,000 cwt. anually, we had a right to complain that the price of the article should be-so much raised as it was by a duty imposed to favour colonists, who heel already received, as he thought un justly, 20,009,0001. from the nation by way of compensation. From all appearances there would not be a sufficient sup ply of sugar for the demand of this country during the part of the present year which had passed, as compared welt the corresponding period of 1839 there was a falling off of importations to the amount of 18.500 casks. That was a fact showing the necessity of a reform in the sugar duties, and it ought to teach them to look with anxiety to the future, because sugar mu s t r i se to such a price as must force the question upon th e attent i on of the Government probably at a time when they were not prepared for it. 'Tea, coffee, and cocoa, had much increased in consumption, while sugar had actually retro graded; of coffte, in 1801, the consumption for each individual was one ounce ; in 1838, it had amounted to 11b. 6 oz. The consumption of sugar in 1801 was 301bs. to each individual, while in 1838 it was scarcely 241bs. The people, therefore, were worse off now, so far as sugar was concerned, than they were 30 years ago. If the effect of reducing the duties upon coffee, cocoa, and tea, was such an theressed consumption, surely he was entitled to submit that they ought to attempt the same means with re gard to sugar. The question was one of great importance to our shipping interest, for every one knew that without returns commerce with foreign nations was out of the ques tion and must soon languish and decline. The sugar re finers had long b een comp l a i n i ng o f an i nadequate demand for their manufactures—all traceable to the same cause. Government had certainly done something during the last two years in the Drawback Bill and the equalization of the duties on East India Sugar; but they had not gone far enough, for they ought to have totally abolished bounties, and have admitted the sugars of our possessions in India, without any clog of certificate as to where it was grown. It was not India alone that could supply us with free labour sugar —it ought to be admitted from all parts of our pos sessions in India, undoubtedly, and we could get a plen tiful supply of good sugar from Singapore, Siam, and Java. The principal supply would be from Siam, where thirty years ago the cultivation of sugar was unknown, at all events the people there were totally unacquainted with its manufacture. Siam could now supply 15,000 tons of sugar, the produce of free labour from Manilla, that might export 15,500 tons, and from. Java 20,000, the produce of free labour; for al- - Mr. H. HINDE said his constituents felt deeply in terested in this subject. He would be sorry to admit any competition with our colonies if it was possible to avoid it, but he was afraid the time had now come when their monopoly must cease. Mr. THORNE LY felt great satisfaction at hearing the declarations of the Right Hon. the President of the Board of Trade, and quite agreed with him that no distinction could possibly be made between the produce of free or slave labour. He was most anxious to reduce the price of all these necessaries of life—their price might not make much difference in the weekly expenditure of Hon. Mem bers, but it was very different with the poor man. Were gentlemen aware that the price of raw coffee in Java was 3d. per lb. ? Persons in this country were mystified as to the cost of foreign productions. It was of the utmost im portance that this subject should be thoroughly understood He believed it was impossible to draw the distinction be tween ,lave labour and free labour; but was of opinion that before long slavery would cease throughout the World. Mr. M. PHILLIPS was convinced of the correct ness of the opinion of the President of the Board Trade with regard to the importance of the trade with the Brazils, and felt it was impossible to draw the distinction between articles the produce of slave labour and of free labour. If they were sincere in the desire to encourage habits of temperance in the labouring classes, they should adopt measures to render such articles as sugar and coffee as cheap as possible. Mr. E WART, after the explanation of his Right Hon. Friend, would withdraw his motion. The motion was then withdrawn and the Bill was read a third time and passed. CUSTODY OF INFANTS BILL. On the mulion of Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD. the Custody of Infants Bill was read a third time and passed, 'tiler certain amendments had bren introduced into it. ADMIRALTY COURT. Mr. C. WOOD moved the second reading of the Ad. miralty Cour, Bill. Cal;tain PECHE LL said great abuses axisted in those Courts. After a few remarks from Mr. HUME and Mr. C. WOOD, the Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Monday. Mr. LANGDALE postponed the Land Tax Double Assessment Bill until next Session. The Joint Tenants Voting (rieland) Bill, and the Bank rupts (Ireland) Bill were reported, and ordered to be committed. On the motion of Mr. BAINES, the Borough Watch Rates Bill was read a third :line, and passed. After tome verbal amendments had been made, The Tin Duties Bill was reported, read a second time, and ordered to be committed. On the motion of the SOLICITOR GENERAL, the Borough Courts Bill passed through Committee. The Exchequer Pleas Bill was read a third time and pissed. The Summary Jurisdiction Bill was postponed. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL obtained leave to bring in a Bill for abolishing arrest on mesne process in civil actions, except in certain cases; for extending the remedies of creditors against the property of debtors ; and for amending the laws for the relief of insolvent debtors though the old Dutch settlers possessed a few slaves, all the cultivators of the land were free. From China they might expect an annual supply of 6,000 tons, and from Cochin China of 1,000, and thus while they were extending their commerce and manufactures, they might strike a death blow at that odious traffic the slave trade. He was sanguine enough to look forward to the time when they might hope for a supply of sugar and coffee from that seat of slavery, and the slave trade Africa itself. He believed that the slave trade could not be put down by armed vessels, but by commerce. Once introduce commerce into Africa, and the slave trade would be virtually at an end. He understood that recently Coffee, the produce of free labour, had been imported from Sierra Leone, and he was anxious that this trade, as yet in its infancy, should receive encouragement, because it held out to Africa the hope that she would at length rise to her proper state among nations, and emerge from that darkness into which she had so long been plunged. He had been induced to direct the attention of the House to this subject, because from the present defi ciency in the supply of sugar it was necessary to look out for other sources from which to obtain it, and because by giving the preference to free labour in sugar, we should be setting an example to other countries who were rapidly following our steps in the race of emancipation. He hoped the adoption of such a measure would induce the French colonies to adopt measures for immediate emanci pation, and that that mightier child of a mighty parent, the United States of America, would follow our example, and no longer suffer her liberty to act as the pander to slavery, or permit her flag of stars to be the harbinger of darkness instead of light. If this measure should be the means of striking a blow, however indirect, at the odious traffic in slaves, lie should feel himself happy in having been the instrument of those persons who bad requested him to undertake this duty. He would now, thanking the House fur the attention with which they had listened to this dry subject, con Jude by moving that sugar, the pro duce of free labour, should be admitted at the same rate of duty as West India Sugar. Mr. PEASE seeoud , d the proposition. The CHANCELLOR of tile EXCHEQUER said that his Hon. Friend the Member for Wigan must be aware that this question involved many more considera tions than those to which he had alluded. It was no doubt a general principle to get as much as we could at as cheap a rate as possible ; but, in applying that principle, it opened the whole question of colonial policy, which it was not just to discuss on an incidental question of sugar, without taking into consideration the general subject. They ought n tto select one branch of the colonial policy, and discuss it on the question of supply and demand; fm when that question was open, it ought to be open to all kinds of produce. With respect to the reduction of the bounties on sugar and their equaliza tion, the steps which had been taken by the Governmei t tended to the extension of trade and to increase the supply of the article, and these steps had been assented to by the West Indian body..—( Hoar.) The Hon. Member had intimated that he looiced back with repentance on the grant of 20,000,0001. He (the Chancellor of the Ex chequer) could not entertain any such belief.—( Hear, hear. ) The lion. Gent. had also stated, that the course which he recommended would haSe the effect of inducing foreign countries to adopt our plan, and that they were eager to rush forward in the race. He wished the Hon. Member could inform him what foreign countries were so extremely desirous of following our example—( Hear, hear)—for his Noble Friend, the Secretary for Fo reign Affairs, was not aware of any. But if there were any, he believed the course pursued by the Hon. Member, would be calculated to impede them in doing so. He hoped the day would come when they would see this measure followed out by foreign countries, but he hoped the day would never come when gentlemen, who were earnest in the cause of humanity, would extend it so far as to interfere in the internal concerns of other States. Mr. CLAY said the question of whether they were to accede to the motion of the Hon. Member for Wigan or not must depend on two points. First he had alluded to the expediency of ascertaining whether the supply from our Colonies, was adequate to the home consumption of the country. That contingency had arrived, for the supply was not adequate.--( Hear, hear, bear. ) The refiner came into competition with the home con sumer: and if, therefore, there was no refined sonar ex ported, that was a proof that there was less than the home consumption required. The President of the Board of Trade had last year lessened the amount of the drawback on refined sugar, and in the policy of that measure he (Mr. Clay) quite agreed; but no one knew better than his Right Honourable Friend that he had not hereby taken off the whole of the concealed bounty, which still amounted to 6s. per cwt. It was clear that the people of England were now paying the monopoly price for sugar. With regard to the p"inciples which should govern this, in respect to our West Indian colonies, he (Mr. Clay) certainly admitted that we ought not to allow the slave produce of other colonies to come in competition with theirs. Hear.) Though this, indeed, looked like straining at the gnat and swallowing the camel, for this nation took 400,000,0001b5. of slave cotton from America annually. If, however, it could be shown that in any independent coun try the produce of free labour could be obtained more ad vantageously than in our own Colonies, we were bound to give the people of this country the ben, fit of such advantage. Mr. P. THOMSON said the Hon. Msmber for the Tower Hamlets was under a misapprehension respecting the concealed bounty he spoke of attaching to refined sugar, for no such bounty remained. It was quite a delu sion to speak of the possibility of excluding all slave pro duce. —( Hear.) Why, besides the case of American cot ton, we annually raised 3.000,000/. from tobacco, ail grown in slave colonies.—( War, hear.) The whole rt,' j et of our treaties with for. ign countries was to awnit their commodities; and would not the United States, or the Brazilians (with whom we bed a most important com mercial treaty) reproach us with a violation of Treaties, were we to exclude their produce ? Would they not say-, " You agreed by treaty to take our produce, and take it you ought. What tratters it to you Wll.l her it was grown by free or slave labour ?"—(Hear.) The Hon. Menthe" fur Wigan had himself often used this argument, and it was only lately that he had taken up his present doctrine, which no doubt would be popular with the and-slavery party. The question must soon force it-elf upon their attention, eot only from the sho,n, supple, but because the treaty with Brazil expired in 1842. with two years notice. Our trade with tot country amounted to upwards of four mil. lions—it was second only to that with the United States, and its produce was almost confect! to sugar and coffee. That must force the question upon the attention of the Government and Parliament, and he trusted they would conic to a satisfactory and safe conclusion upon it. As fur the short supply—the present state of the West Ladies, and our growing papulation would also naturally e.di the particular attention of the century to the qu. stion. The duty on coffee had been greatly reduced, and the increase of consumption had been enor mous—( Hear, hear)—but being confined for a supply to our own possessions, and it being short, the price had very greatly risen, and the consumption was now nearly sta tionary. The Government felt the deep importance of the qnestion, and his conviction was, that before many years they would be forced by the people of this country to con sider the whole question, as well as by the expiration of the Brazilian Treaty. Mr. HUME was much gratified to hear the admissions of the Right Honourable Gentleman. Time question was whether the people of this country would consent to pay the same price this year, for -a two-third supply as they did last year for a full one. They would not ; and it was idle to talk of putting off the consideration of the question till 1842 or 1844. The people of England had been most liberal to the West In dians, and they would never allow the present monopoly to exist. It was, however, absurd to attempt to draw any distinction between free grown and slave grown sugar, or anything else. in Ireland. - Mr. E. TENN ENT obtained leave to introduce a Bill to repeal eo much of the laws now in force relating to the linen, hempen, union and cotton manufactures of Ireland, as relates to. manufacturers and weavers; and to make other provisions in lieu thereof, for the regul a ti on of the above manufactures in that part of the tfaited Kingdom. EVENING EDITION. Mr. P. THOMSON obtained leave to bring in a Bill to provide fur the warehousing of goods at inland towns. Mr. BARING obtained leave to bring in the Church Indemnity Bill. The House then (One o'Clock) adjourned till Monday EGYPT AND TURKEY. • (FROM 'A CORRESPONDENT. The Morning Chronicle has taken a strange view of Ori-:ntal affairs. Its yesterday's Leader exhibits a violent passion against Mehemet Ali, and an incomprehensible igno• ranee of the true state of things. To call Ibrahim Paella the aggressor is to be obstinately blind. Who invades Syria? Who but liatiz Pemba ? Has any part of Tur key been attacked by Ibrahim? Nobody pretends that it The Treaty of Kutayah binds the Sultan to nominate Ibrahim Paella to the Government of Syria. The advance of Ilafiz is a violent rupture of the engagement between them ; and so, according to our Contemporary, because the Sultan is prepared to violate his engagements , and because Ibrahim is disposed to respect them, Syria is to be wrested from Mehemet Ali, and the Sultan to be supported in his want of faith ! And why is this abomina ble injustice to be done ? Because, if it be not done, Russia will come forward and aid the Sultan, and, rather than allow Russia to do this, Mehemet Ali shall be sacrificed. Of all delusive dreams, that of reconstituting the Otto man Empire upon its Lid basis is the wildest. You allowed Russia to tear away province after province —you esta blished her pit - amount influence in Wallachia and Mol davia—you made Milosch the hereditary Prince of Servia. —you set up Otho, an independent despot in Greece—you consented that France should possess herself of Algeria — fragment after fragonent of the Ottoman dominions has fallen down—the rotten lath and plaster of a ruined e difice _and still men talk of the integrity of the Ottoman Empire! In only one part of the East is there really a government —with regular order—with systematic administration, and it is now the poli c y o f R uss i a to a id T ur k ey to destro y this work. It ought to be our policy to cement it. The attempt to overthrow Egypt is the perdition of Turkey—it is the delivery of Turkey, fettered hand and foot, to the Czar. At no expense to hureif, Russia will urge the Sultan to exer tions reckless and ruinous, and her end is attained,—the exhaustion of bot.b the belligerents. She has no other pur pose, and unfortunately our policy has too much forwarded that purpose. No one acquainted with the state of the East can sup pose that Turkey i. able to keep permanent possession of Syria. The Syrian race is not Turkish—they hate the Turks. Not a word of Turkish is spoken south of Aleppo. Syria may no doubt be easily wrested from Me hemet Ali by the Europea n Powers, but Turkey would he less able to hold it now than she was twenty years nf7, when a singe petty Pasha (of Acre) trampled her authority in the dust. Her unaided attempts to re-conquer Syria will end just like her attempts to govern Trip o li. They Kill plunge her only deeper and deeper into distress. - The Sultan alleges to the Ambassadors, as a justification of the war. that he must re-establish the dignity of the Caliphate, which lie has lost from not being the Sovereign of the Holy Cities. But he was the possester of the Holy Cities, and was so feeble, so helpless, that a horde of Bedouin Arabs was able to conquer them. Who restored the Holy Cities to the Sultan ? Who has made the pilgrimage to the Holy Cities both safe and easy ? Who but Mehemet Ali and his son Ibrahim , on whom the Sultan conferred the Pachalic of Arabia, and conferred it with expressions of boundless gratitude to the saviour of Islamism ? We agree that the oriental question must be settled, but on condition, to be looked for in the realities of the East-- not on conditions built upon chimeras. We cannot make Turkey a great nation—we can no more re create the political influence of the Sultan in the East than we can re-establish that of the Pope in the West. They both re present epochs that have passed away, and which will never return. But to establish peace—to combine such elements of strength as the Levant offers—to aid the development of good government and commercial liberty—this we may effect, and out of the confusion and ruin which have now the sovereignty, some hope for the future may be ex tracted, GERMAN PAYERS. The Crown Priiree of Prussia, and the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Strelitz, arrived at Hanover on the 21st. VIENNA, JUNE 15.—Accounts from Presburg of tae 12t 1 i say that a satisfactory dispcsit ion - prevails in the Hanoverian Diet. A great impression was caused when it was known that the Emperor Lad g, , ciared the religious differences. ra-spccting mixed marriages, should not have any effect In the kingdom, for that the laws which have been in force in the whole empire ever since the time of Joseph 11.. shall be maintained. —I/and/ray Borsen-Halle, June 22. VIENNA, JUNE I7.—The last mail from Constantinople of the sth states, that the Turkish army has continued to advance, so that the two armies being in face of each other, the probability of the rupture of the peace is naturally in creased. The accounts respecting the armament of the Sultan's fleet are of an equally warlike character ; it was fully prepared to sail in a few days for the Dardanelles. CONSTANTINOPLE, JUNE s.—The statement that Nouri Effendi had declared to the French Ambsasa dor that Hafid Pasha had been ordered to fall back is not confirmed. The Turkish Minister seems merely to have intimated that such an order would be sent, but nothing has yet been done, and it thus becomes daily more evident that the Porte only seeks to gain time for the execution cf its plans, especially in regard to France, on the ground of Mehemet Ali. The Porte is more open in its declarations to Lord Ponsonby, who can scarcely conceal how welcome the overthrow of Mehemet Ali would be to him. It lately told his Lordship that hwwcver desirable peace might be to the European powers, it was not so to Turkey, the financial and political state of which rendered the recovery of Syria indispensible. The Porte as plainly requested the British Ambassador that it might be allowed to make use of the favourable moment, and that England would remain neutral. People differ in opinion whether England agrees with the Porte. The Foreign Ministers look on the matter in a very serious light, and it is said they intend to make serious com plaints to the English Government of the equivocal con duct of Lord Ponsonby. Another letter from Constantinople of the same date (June 5) says, that the Sultan will not listen to . t'e Ambassadors of England, France, Austria, and Russia, who have had a conference with him to recommend con ciliatory measures ; they could only obtain a repetition of the termer declaration that the Porte would withdraw its troops as soon as the Egyptian army is recalled to the interior of Syria. The Sultan, however, takes measures which prove that he is 'resolved to proceed to extremities. Thus, in spite of Lord Ponsonby and Admiral Roussin, 10,000 troops sailed a few days ago for Syria. Hatiz Pasha is supposed only to wait for this reinforcement to commence hostilities. T Dubt libitiz Pilot, we see, still continues to assert that the saf e ty o f t h e Q ueen ' s person under a Tory Administration would be extremely doubtful ; denying, too, that "the sentiment of fear for the Queen's life in Tory hands is merely Irish." The Pilot boasts of having been the first to sound the tocsin of alarm for the safety of her Majesty's person. "We more than hinted what the Tory women if let into the Palace m'ght do. We have a slight inkling of bitory in our heads. Griffith's gruel and the short illness of the unfortunate Princess Charlotte are not quite banished from our recollection ; but when we found the rat Peel (as the Tories used to call him) had got Into the Palace, all these historical facts and recollections o p e ned back upon us in vivid colours." The Devil is not so black as he is painted, n e i t h er i s t h e T ory, perhaps, quite so deeply steeped in cr i me as i s asserte d some times. i - - . Gammon POISON OF ARSEN IC .—The Rev. W. Thorp, of Wornbersley, has di scovere d a perfect autidote for this most fatal poison, 11 hich ought to be made known t o a ll the faculty omm ititli used eUt by ited Kingdom. It is, we believe, the the shepherds to m ar k their sheep, on raddle and which is made at Micklebring, from a mineral ore, called bwrnetite.— Glasgow Chronicle. SUDDEN DEATH OF A MERCHANT.—Wed -fireidneedie-6t:Tet, City, on the body (lralien4idndat,ycooarifft:ecor:nholoo3uns,or .rinquest was held at the New En land Coffee-house, Richard Walker, Esq., aged .54 years, an opulent mer who was found dead sitting in -:beet, -house, at eleven o'clock He was last seen alive on the pre vious afternoon, at fcur o'clock. There being nothing to show the actual cause of death, the case was adjourned, to Miles) to make a post ntortent enable the surgeon en n is Ta r u m es e d h ay air rn i o n: °l is i g. examination, when death was found to be caused from inflammation of one of the membranes of the brain. Ver diet—Died by the visitation of God. DEATII OF A GENTLEMAN UNKNowN.—On Wednesday morning, between two and three, the police constable of the C division of police, while on duty in Bend -street, Hanover-square, found an elderly respect ably-dressed gentleman sitting on the step of a door. On being questioned by the. policeman Le complained of being extreme ly ill; the policeman procured assistance, and he was conveyed to Middlesex Hospital, where, almost imme diately on his arrival, he expired. There were no d0c0 7 .- ments found on his person to lead to a discovery of whO ffd was. liamnuno, JUNE 22.—The prices of foreign fund ° have not experienced any change to-day. The Hanoverian Gazette announces that the Assembly of the Estates was prorogued on the 20th. In the sitting of the 18th, the King's answer to the address was taken into consideration. A Member propoSed that:the Estates, respectfully thank ing his, Majesty for the generously promised participation in preparing the draft of a Constitution, take the liberty. to declare that they do not think the proposed participatio n of Commissioners of the General Assembly of the Estates desirable, but would rather leave the further measures for preparing such draft to the wisdom of his Majesty, in which they fully confide. No opposition was made to this motion, which vras unanimously agreed to, with an acknowledgment of the fa vourable impression which the King's answer was calcu lated'' to mak e , an d t h e propr i ety of leaving it ent i re ' , to the Governm e nt t o d raw up t h e new plan for a const i tu tion, should be sub sequent l y di scussed in an A ss ernblY do e f the Estates,:whieh it wa s t o b e h ope d would be coolPse the full Lumber of Member s . The motion of a M e mb er , w h o t h ought they s h ou ld ob serve to the King that they had p ropose d not rn erelY prorogati,n of the Assembly, b u t a di sso l ut i on , me t with very little support ; th e m a j or it y cons id ere d t h at a proro gation did not prevent a dissolution, if it should hereafter appear necessary ; hut ti,at the Assembly thought it nei ther becominig nor .thisable to counsel his Majesty respect ing the exercise of the fUyf.ll ..przrogatire, or to recent ! mend a step, the consequence of which at this moment especially, it naig,la be chtlieult to foresee. And though the King's answer does not expressly notice the desire in the Address that the election of Ikputies to the Second Cbarnber sitould be aliowed to take place without the very fact of the election being c,qisidered as an acknowledg ment of the val;aity of the Constitution of 1819, the As seinbly, considering the w hole tone of the King's an3 3 c n was convinced that it might look forward with confidenc e arid composure to a treatment of the question in a manner coeformable to its wishes.