The Sun. — London, England, 1832-05-08 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. (From the Portsmouth Herald of Sunday.) Porrsato UT kr, MAY s.—His Majesty's steam-vessel Canfiance,• 4 ', Lieut. Belson, proceeded on Saturday to Sheerness, with his Majesty's s chooner Viper in tow having on board nearly 200 prime volunteer seamen, who have entered at this port, for his Majesty's ships Vernon, SD, and Castor, 36, fitting out at Woolwich. His Majesty's surveying-vessel Mastiff, 6, Lieut. J. Wolfe, commanding, which left Malta on the 29th of March, in company with his Majesty's ships Donegal and Meteor, which have arrived several days since, anchored at Spithead on Wednesday, having, through stress of wea ther, parted company and put into Gibraltar, whereshe re mained eight days. His Majesty's sloop Philoniel, 18, Commander Smith, was the only vessel of war at Gibraltar. The Mastiff came into Harbour on Thursday, tinder orders to be paid off, and re-commissioned for the same service. His Majesty's steam-vessel Echo, 2, Lieut. Robert Otway, came in on Friday from Falmouth, having been despatched from that port with Mr. Hamilton Baillie, Sur geon of the Astrasa, labouring tinder severe mental aberra tion, for the purpose of placing him in the Asylum at Hasler, but who, on the passage hence, unhappily effected *4f-destruction. The William Harris transport, Lieut. Stevens, agent, sailed on Tuesday for the Little Nore, with troops for Chatham. After landing which she would proceed to 'Woolwich and Deptford. The Hope transport, Lieut. Ryder, agent, sailed on Tuesday with Government stores for Sheerness, where she arrived on Thursday. The Maitland transport, Lieut. Davison, agent, arrived on Tuesday from Jamaica, with the 33rd Regiment tinder command of Lieutenant-Colonel Knight. They were dis embarked on Thursday, and marched for Fort Cumber land. She brought passengers, Captain Mayne, R.N. late of his Majesty's ship Magnificent ; Lieut. M. Thomas, R.N. ; Mrs► Ingle)) , (and family) wife of the late Captain logien', of the 84th Regiment. The Lord William Bentinck, male convict ship, pro esededfor Van Diemen's Land last evening with 186 con victs, tnsdee the medical superintendency of Dr. Henderson. The Orestes transport, Lieut. Garrett, agent, was off Margate on Thvirsday last, on her way to Quebec. The Athol was undocked yesterday, after having been feted up in a temporary manner with fir plank. She is ordered round to the eastward, in order, it is supposed, that she may be surveyed by the advocates for larch limber, of which she is built. It would appear from this, that all parties are not satisfied as to the propriety of breaking her up. From an examination of the state of this ship, we may say, with safety, that the durability of larch has been proved to be greater than that of fir, but less than that of oak. The Briton has been docked during the present week, an d cn examination, her defects have been found to be ra ther gmater than were anticipated. She will probably be undocked the beginning or middle of next week. The Meteor, which was paid off on Thursday, will be docked during the week, previous to her going on another station. The Mastiff will also be docked shortly, prepara tory to her being re-commissioned. His Majesty's surveyir e-vessel Meteor, 6, Commander Richard Copeland, which arrived last week from the Me diterranean, was paid off on Thursday, and was yesterday re-commissioned by the same officer, for the like service. His Majesty's ship Britannia, 120, Donegal, 78, and Ta lavera, '74, still continue at Spithead, ready for immediate service. The Donegal, we hear, will not, as reported, proceed to sea with the experimental squadron, but will shortly proceed to the eastward, to be paid of. In Haibour—Victory, Royal George, Briton, Meteor, and Mastiff, surveying vessels, Pantaloon and Emerald tendere. PROMOTIONS, APPOINTMENTS, &c.—The following ilftir,ers are appointed to his Majesty's ship Vernon.—Cap lain Sir F. A. Collier, C.B. and Lieuts.J. H. Wyndham, C. H. White, IL I. Otway, J. W. Innes, and C. NY Pears : —the following officers are appointed to his Ma jesty's ebip Castor :—Captain Sir R. Grant, and Lieuts. s. C. Dacres, J. M'Cleverty, H. Jellicoe, and Hon. T. Pelham ; Commander W. Robinson and Lieut. J. Den anan are appointed to his Majesty's ship Snake; Lieut. G. Ramsay, of H. M. ship Orestes, is appointed to his H. M. ship Nimrod ; Lieut. C. Eden is appointed to bis Majesty's ship Victory; Mr. J. W. Hotham is promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, and appointed to his Majesty's ship Alfred, vice Barry, deceased; Mr. C. E, Tennant is promoted to the rank of Lieutenant; Mr. J. H. Murray, Mate of his Majesty's ship St. Vincent, is promoted to the rank of Lieutenant ; the Hon. S. T. Carnegie (third son of the late Admiral Earl Northesk) is promoted to the rank of Lieutenant ; Mr. C. Cleveland is appointed master of his Majesty's packet brig Cygnet ; Mr. T. Davies is appointed Surgeon of his Majesty's ship Astrsea, vice Baillie, de ea:useri; Mr. J. S. Pope, late of his Majesty's ship Wel lesley. is appointed Clerk of his Majesty's ship Excellent ; Mr. W. R. Walters, Mate of his Majesty's ship Talavera, is appointed to his Majesty's revenue cutter Cheerful; Mr. J. L. Jones is appointed Purser of his Majesty's ship Trin enlo ; Mr. J. Johnson is appointed Chief Engineer to his Majesty's steam.vesfe! Dee; Mr. H. Duncan is appointed Chief Engineer of his Majesty's steam-vessel Conflance, vice Johnson; Messrs. A. Lewe, J. E. Bingham, and J. R. Engledue, Slates, are appointed to his 111,,jesty's ship Excellent; Mr. W. Turner, late of his Majesty's ship Prince Regent, is appointed Clerk of his Majesty's ship Revenge ; Mr. J. Saunders, Master of his Majesty's ship l'rinculo, is appointed Supernumerary Master of the Royal George yacht, and to command the Emerald tender; Lieut. J. Hill, Commander of his Majesty's revenue cutter Camelion, is appointed to his Majesty's Revenue cutter Badger ; Mr. Charles Herriott is appointed a Second Lieu- &wait of Royal Marines at the Cbatham division. Mr. William Harvey, Midshipman of his Majesty's ship Talavera, has been found duly qualified in seamanship to serve as a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy. By a recent order of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, two Midshipmen (denominated extra Midship men), are to be allowed to each of his Majesty's ships. John Symonds, Carpenter of his Majesty's ship Britannia, Mr. John, Boatswain of the Princess Charlotte in Ordinary, and Mr. John McLachlan, Boatswain of his Majesty's ship Donegal, have during the week bten sur veyed at the Royal Hosfital at Haslar, and recommended for superannuation, as being unfit for further service. By a recent regulation, Second Masters are abolished in the navy, and such persons as have entered in the line of Master must serve eight years before they can serve as Mastrra. - 7 The Exceik . nt, 50, exercising ship in this harbour, is to hear, as part ri,f her complement, 15 Midshipmen, who have either passed their examination, or who are within a year of serving their tiiipe, and who are to be appointed by the Admiralty. A Board of Admiralty (to which we alluded last week) consisting of Sir .fames Graham, Bart. Admirals Sir T. M. Hardy, Bart. G.C.B. and G, H. L. Dundas, C.B. and the lion. Captain Cleo. Elliot, Secretary, arrived at Sheerness, in his Majesty's steam-vessel Lightning, on Thursday, and after minutely examining the Dock-yard at that port, dined with Vice-Admiral Sir J. Beresford, K.C.B. Commander-in-Chief at the Nore. The Board I proceeded to Chatham in the same steamer on the follow ;ng day, and having effected the ueeesaary inspection re turned to Sheerness in the evening, and inspected the Vic tualling-office, and dined again with the same gallant officer. On Saturday after again visiting the Dock -yard, ' and going over the Ocean, fitting in the Basin, the Board re-embarked in the Lightning, and returned to London. His Majesty's cutter Ewan, 10, Lieut. J. E. Lane, was on Tuesday placed on the slip, At Sheerness, for examine tion. The Clyde, convict ship, sailed oa Wednesday from Sheerness, for New South Wales, attended by the Con fiance steamer. We regret to state that the boat of the Swan cutter, at Sheerness, was accidentally sunk in that harbour on Wed nesday, and one seaman moMt unfortunately drowned, leav ing a wife and family. The Falmouth Dock-yard lighter, from Chatham, for Deal and Plymouth, ran foul of the Terrible, Victualling Depot at Sheerness, on the 28th ult. and received trifling damage. By a letter from his Majesty's ship Imogene, 28, Capt. P. Blackwood, we learn that she sailed from Rio de Ja- neiro on the 22d of January, and arrived at the Cape of Good Hope on the 16th of February, all well. On the same day his Majesty's abip Alligator, 28, Captain G. R. Lambert, arrived from England ; and on the 20th, his ,Majesty's ship Curlew, 10, Commander H. D. Trotter, from the Mauritius. The Imogene sailed again on the 22d of that month, for Trincomalee. The following is the number and amount of claims preferred against the city for damages occasioned by the late riots : I Action for ...............X25,000118 For 1,000, and not ex. 1,500 1 Ditto 12,000'2.91,000 For 7,000, and not ex. 8,000 9 -- 300, ... • 500 2 --4,000, ... 5 , 000 12 -- 200, ••• 300 6 3,000 ... 4 , 000 9 100, ••• 2110 3 2,000, , ... 3,000 6 Under. lOO 5-- 1,500, ... 2,500 —Bristol Mercury. i , STATR... DF TRADE.—Tfie woollen cloth ,trade all, BeekiB - still very flat, but at Huddersfield there i t' ' . ./ .. ' viftimore liminess. , ,irone on Tuesday than for several weeks e "t., The worsteik stliff trade at Bradford and Halifax epia j !l ..x4 , 1 : ,i‹r stationarhlantl without any inaiiitial clitinve iti .4. 4 • ;.‘,.‘tp, tuaiv h ,.., 7 - i t t eo 7reu Ip. ...... 7 ,, f „ ~ : a L- 6 4., ; .....- - -- 1 ' Ati.. -- - ' ' - 2 - 14 11 Oa • . .. A A IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Mir 7. The SPEAKER took the ehair at Four o'clock. On the motion of Lord MORPETH, the Hartlepool Dock Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. EWART presented a petition from the Magistrates and inh ihitants of Liverpool against the punishment of death for other offences than those of murder. Mr. LITTLETON presented a number of petition from Dissenters against Negro Slavery. The Hon. Gen tleman also presented petitions from places in Staffordshire, praying for a repeal of so much of the Beer Act as allowed persons to trade in that beverage by a license from others than magistrates ; and, further, that no house should he allowed to be opened in that trade of a less value than la per annum. The Hon. Gentleman could not support the whole prayer of the petitioners; but he was of opinion that it would be beneficial that those houses should in some way be under the control of the magistrates. Mr. HUME was sorry to hear that his lion. Friend would in the least give in to the cry raised against these new beer-shops. He thought that it would be just that that they were put on a level with the licensed •ictuallers in regard to hours—he did not see why these restrictions should be laid upon the poor man who was in want of his glass of beer, and that the man who could afford to drink wine was not tobe meddled with. After a few words from Mr. SANnroan and Mr. TREVOR, Mr. FYSHE PALMER said that lion. Gentle men were expecting too much when they thot.ght that the system, which had only been in operation for two years, should be perfect : only give it time, and it would come round of itself. The petitions were then read and ordered to be printed. The lion. Gentleman then presented a petition from Sir C. Wolseley and others, in the county of Stafford, pray ing for the abolition of the Bank of England and private banks, and for the establishment of one conducted by the Government. Mr. SANFORD presented a petition from the manu facturers of Dorset and Somerset against the Factory Bill. The petitioners stated that the Bill would interfere with their manufactories, and that they had not been in the habit of overworking the children they employed. The Hon. MEMBER then presented a petition against the Registry Bill, and one from the town of Trent, in Cum berland, against the new system of education in Ireland. Colonel LINDSAY presented a petition from Fife, signed by seventy-three clergymen of the Church of Scot land, against the new system of education in Ireland. It was very seldom, said the Honourable Member, that the Clergy of Scotland interfered with secular matters, and therefore the House ought to pay more attention to their representations, especially upon the sub ject of education, with which they were well acquainted. The Board which had been constituted could not last, from the opposing materials of which it was constituted. It had been proved by past experience that it would not pacify Ireland ; for the repeal of the Test and Corporation Act, and the Repeal of the Catholic Disabilities had only led to further demands, and the result now was, that the Government were driven to the extinction of tithes. Mr. DUNDAS supported the petition, which came from a most learned body, some of whom were profes sors in one of the Universities, and he believed it spoke the opinion of the great majority of the people of Scotland. Mr. HUME thought the petition might have been presented without the remarks which had fallen from the Hon. Member who spoke last; but these remarks having been made, he felt called upon to deny that the petition spoke the feeling of the people of Scotland ; for the only public meeting which had been held upon the subject, had come to resolutions favourable to the system by a majority of live to one : be meant the late meeting which had been held in Glasgow. He could state upon good autbori!y, that it was both a large and respect. able meeting, and many who attended it were as learned as any one who signed the petition. Mr. GORDON was of opinion that the petition should be supported by every Scotch Member in the House. It seemed that toleration bad been granted, but now some thing more was required. Mr. O'CONNELL said, they did not want toleration now, for the Catholic was on a footing of equality with the Protestant. Religion had been prostituted in Ireland by a few canting hypocrites, for the purpose of keeping up the spirit of dissension between the Protestant and Catholic; but, thank God ! that spirit had decreased, was decreasing, and would so continue, until the number or those whose interest it was to perpetuate it, would be so small, that they would not be worth the counting. As to the petition before the House, he thought the meeting in Glasgow had given a direct contradiction to the greater part of it. There was one fact to which he had before adverted, and which not one of the high Protestant party had ever thought fit to combat, and that was, the dismissal of two officers of the army at Malta, because they could not con scientiously adopt a religion which they disliked. Sir R. INGLIS said be had onee brought that very subject forward, and he was supported in it by the Hon. and Learned Member—a circumstance that that Hon. and Learned Member had forgotten. The language of that Hon. Member was scarcely parliamentary, and such as he would not have addressed to any body of gentlemen out of the House, in speaking of canting hypocrisy. Mr. O'CONNELL observed, that he alluded to the canting hypocrisy out of the House. Sir R. INGLIS would leave the Hon. Member to settle that with the parties to whom he had alluded, as he best could ; but it could not be supposed that those Members who advocated petitions like the present could be made answerable for all that par ties said out of the House. Mr. CUTLAR FERGUSSON had no doubt but that the petition was very respectable, but he must deny the statement made by the Hon. Member for Edinburgh, that the clergy of Scotland were universally against the new system ; he believed that there was a majority in its favour.. The proposed plan was not so well understood in Scotland as it was in Ireland. He saw nothing in it that,wati at all reprehensible. Colonel LINDSAY, in moving that the petition be printed, denied that the clergy of Scotland had shown any intolerance in their petition; they merely prayed that none of the national funds should be voted for the purpose of carrying that system into effect. On the motion for the House going into Committee, Mr. TREVOR wished to ask of the Noble Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any steps bad been taken to punish some persons who had used language, at a meeting of a Union in the neighbourhood of the Metropolis, wbich, in his opinion, went to set aside the Royal Proclamation, and which bordered very closely on sedition. Lord ALTHORP said he could only repeat what he had before stated to the House, that the Government would take every step to have the laws respected. Sir R. VYVY AN inquired of the Noble Secretary for the Foreign Affairs whether any more papers relative to the rati6e4tion of the Belgian treaty would shortly be laid on the table. Lord PALMERSTON wou!d inquire whether it was usual to lay such acts of ratification before the House, if so, they would be produced; but he thought it would not be a beneficial proceeding during the pendency of the question. BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. The Order of the Day for taking into consideration the Breach of Privilege was then read. On the motion that the printer of the hand-bill complained of be brought up, Mr. HUME was anxious to know for what offence that Gentleman was to be brought up—he was not present, and the proceedings of the House gave him no information. The SPILAMita explained to the Hon. Gentleman, that the breach of privilege was a hand-bill that was printed and circulated in Sunderland, detailing and commenting upon the proceedings of a Committee of that House Mr, Reid, jun., was then brought to the bar. To queat;ens put by the SPEAKER, _ - He said that the hand-bill shown him was printed by him by order from the Committee of the Sunderland Wet Docks, at a meeting where more than a hundred attended. In answer to questions put by different Members, he said he got the or der verbally, from a number of Members of the Committee, of which he was a Member himself. He was then ordered to withdraw, when Lord STORMONT said, that be must move that the witness be declared in contempt, for be had in two ways committed a breach of the privileges, being both the printer of the paper and a Member of the Committee from whom the or der for its printing proceeded. The SPEAKER thought the best way would be for the other person in attendance to be examined by the House, when a more clear explanation might be got. Mr. Wright, the London attorney and writer of the letter, was next called upon. He made a long address to the House, the substance of which was, that in writing the letter he had no idea of committing any breach or in any way offending the usages of Parliament. In answer to questions put by Mr. O'CONNELL, he said be wrote the letter to the Committee, as his clients and acting as their attorney, and had no connexion with the printing of it. Lord STORMONT asked whether he bad any instruc tion from the Committee to write such a letter as might appear either in the public papers, or in tie shape of a hand-bill. The witness said, No. The witness having withdrawn, Mr. CAMPBEL L thou=ht that the bus:ness hat hien 'Fo s r • .i carried far enough, and the best way to settle it would be now to let it drop.—(Hear.) ,Mr. C. WYNN was not an advocate for a punishment being . pas s iied, but a breach of privilege having been com. mitted, that vote must pass, then the House might do as it pleased. Sir W. RIDLEY said Mr. Kelson was anxious to be called to the Bar to express his deep sorrow at having done any thing that could be construed into a breach of the privileges of the House. Mr, Kelson was then called in, and said he was the Attorney of the Committee, and the letter which bore his and his partner's name, was written in great excitement, when the Bill was lost; but he had no hand in the print ing of it. Lord STORMONT then moved that the hand-bill be pinted in the proceedings as a breach of privilege.._ Agreed to. The NOBLE LORD then moved that Mr. Reid and Mr. Wright be called to the bar, and reprimanded by the Speaker ; the one for writing, and the other for printing, the letter in question. Mr. BEAUMONT moved an amendment, to the effect that the House was satisfied with the explanation and apo logy which had been offered at the bar, and that the indi viduals be discharged. Mt. CAMPBELL seconded the motion. Sir R. PEEL thought that the proposition of the Noble Lord was a very proper one. The offence was a very bad one, and it was but strict justice that the parties should be cautioned against such conduct in future. Mr. O'CONNELL did not consider the individuals had been guilty of such an offence as to warrant so severe a punishment as a reprimand from the chair of the House Was, especially after the ample apology that had been made at the Bar. Sir R. PEEL had only just learned that the word repri mand carried a degree of punishment along with it; h a d be believed that the parties had to be in custody, b e would not go such a length on this occasion ; he only meant that they should be admonished. Mr. C. WYNN thought the House would not consult its dignity unless it in some measure punished the parties guilty of such a gross breach of its privileges. Lord ALTHORP thought that the House best con sulted its dignity when it most seldom resorted to the punishment of a reprimand ; in his opinion, the justice of this case would be amply met by an admonishment. Sir R. COLBORNE, though a Member of the Committee which was complained of, had no ill feeling towards the parties. He would move that the word " admonished" be introduced in place of "repri mand" in the motion of the Noble Lord. Lord STORMONT had no objection to the word ad monish being introduced—it was what he meant, but like his Friend, Sir R. Peel, he was not aware of the import of the word. The parties were then brought up to the bar, and were admonished by the SPEAKER. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. In answer to a question from Sir R. PEEL, Lord ALTHOHP said he did not expect to get into offi cial business to-night, but if the House were able to pro ceed so far, he should first move the second reading of the Division of Counties Bill, and if that were disposed of shortly, follow it up by moving the ordnance estimates in a Committee of Supply. BLOCKADE OF MADEIRA. Lord ELLIOT adverted to a question he had put to the Noble Secretary (Lcrd Palmerston) before the holidays, when that Noble Lord was not able to give any informa tion respecting the then threatened blockade of the island of Madeira. That blockade had now been established, and perhaps the Noble Lord would not object to afford the House some light upon the subject. The first point he wished to put to the Noble Lord was, by whom the block ade of Madeira was notified to Government ? Secondly, in whose name it had been established ? In his letter to Lloyd's, the Noble Lord had stated that the blockad e had been imposed by part of the naval force of her most faith ful Majesty; but it was generally understood and believed that the squadron bore the colours of the unrecognized Regency of Terceira. Thirdly, be (Lord Elliot) wished to hear from the Noble Lord what, in hie opinion, con stituted an effective blockade of the island of Madeira. It appeared, that only two vessels were employed on this ser vice—a force that appeared quite inadequate to the pur pose. Fourthly, he was desirous of knowing whether the Noble Lord was aware, that the two vessels were com manded by British officers, and manned exclusively by British seamen? Lord PALMERSTON answered, that he-bad already stated, in his letter to Lloyd's, that the blockade had been 'established by part of the forces 'of Donna Maria, Queen of Portugal. He believed that it was effective, and that the squadron employed was perfectly adequate to the duty. As to the birth-place of the officers and men, he was not able to give the Noble Lord any distinct information, hpt he knew that the officer commanding the squadron was an Englishman—that he was formerly in the naval service of this country as a midshipman, and that he was so no longer. Lord ELLIOT observed, that the Noble Lord had not answered the question, from whom the news of the blockade had been received by Government ? Lord PALMERSTON was understood to reply, that it bad been communicated by the Admiral or Commander of the Squadron to the British Consul at Madeira, and by the Consul it was sent to London. SCOTCH AND IRISH REFORM BILLS. Mr. C. FERGUSSON remarked, that it might be convenient if the Noble Lord would state what course was intended to be pursued with the Scotch and Irish Re form Bills—whether the Noble Lord proposed that they should be proceeded with without the intervention of other measures ? Mr. O'CONNELL had .no objection that the Scotch Bill should have priority, provided no alteration was made in the present po,ition of the Irish Bill. Lord ALTHORP said, that the course already laid down would, as nearly as possible, be adhered to. COLONIAL SLAVERY. Mr. G. ROBINSON observed, that an Hon. Member had a motion •upon the books given only in the general words of colonial slavery ; he hoped that Rome further explanation would be given before the day on which it was to be brought forward. Mr. F. BUXTON replied, that before the day fixed for the motion, he should be ready to state the precise nature of•it. CORONERS' BILL. Mr. CRIPPS moved that the House resolve itself into a Committee on the Coroner's Bill. Mr. CAMPBELL recommended that it should be post. poned. Mr. GORDON thought that the subject ought first to be investigated by a select committee. Mr. HUNT also opposed the further progress of the Bill ; and the question having been put, the House divided on the question. that the Speaker leave the Chair— A yes 34 Noes 2 Majority —32 These numbers, with four tellers and the Speaker, made forty-one Members, but almost immediately afterwards, Mr. HUNT moved that the House be counted, and as there were then not thirty Members present, the House adjourned at a Quarter past Seven. ROUSE OF LORDS, Mar 7. Loid SHAFTESBURY took his seat on the Woo!sad: at five o'clock. delivered red Pr in est co on pi a es tte o n f d r ed from egulaion the East saffecti Inugdia Fort St. t se and , George. Lord AUCKLAND presented a petition from the mer chants and guild of Leith in favour of Reform. The Duke of GORDON presented a petition from :the county of Ross, praying that the Distillery Laws might not be altered. The Duke of GORDON presented a petition from a place we could not hear the name of, against the Govern ment system of education in Ireland. Lord DUNDAS presented two petitions, one from York, and the other from Richmond, in that county, respecting the proposed measure of Reform; but in so low a tone of voice, and which were repeated by the Clerk of the House so indistinctly, that we could not learn their nature. Lord FINGAL presented a petition from Meath, against the Tithe System. The Duke of RUTLAND presented a petition from Cheveley, Cambridgeshire, against the Government system of Irish education. Lord KINNOUL presented a petition from Stirling, and also one from Perth, to the same effect. The Marquess of SALISBURY presented petitions from the ship, smack, barge, and other craft-owners, of Rotberhitbe, Blackwall, and Greenwich, against the Gravesend Pier Bill. Lord STRANGFORD presented petitions from North fleet, Purfleet, Erith, Rochester, Chatham, and other places, to the same effect. Lord CARNARVON presented a petition from Mine head, Somersetshire, praying that that town might not be disfranchised. a petition l f rom Greatma,Bill. The Duke of RICHMOND Presented thr ee pet i t i ons from r A d y r R , in o s f s a v L o y u r s o f p t of e e e ß n e t f e o d rtuiii Grimsby, against that town being disfranchised. The same Noble Lord presented a petition from the wives and daugh ters of the freemen and tradesmen of the same place, praying that their rights might be preserved under the present Reform Bill. Lord RADNOR prE,!ented pa;Kons from Kilhourbie, ' Ayrshire,' Rochdale, Morpeth, and Perth, praying their Lordships to pass the present Reform Bill unmutilated. The Earl of RODEN presented several petitions from Ireland, and one from Rochfort, Essex, against the Irish system of Education. Lord HAREWOOD presented a petition from Ding wall, praying their Lordships to take into consideration the state of the West India colonies ; also a petition from another place, to the same effect. Earl GREY, who, we are glad to perceive, looked in the enjoyment of excellent health, presented petitions from eleven different places, many of them in Scotland, in favour of the present Reform Bill. Lord DURHAM presented a petition from the Asso ciates and friends of the Northern Political Union, declaring their satisfaction at the second reading of the Reform Bill, and praying their Lordships to pass it un. mutilated. The same Noble Lord presented petitions from the Corporations of Perth and the Royal Burgh of Dysart, to the same effect. The Duke of SUSSEX held in his hand a petition— Lord ELDON, interrupting the Royal Duke, wished the House to understand that one of the petitions which had been presented by the Noble Lord who had last occu pied their attention was irregular—that it could only be received as the petition of the individual who had signed it, and net as the petition of the corporation of Perth. Lord HOLLAND said, of course the petition could only be received as that of the individual who had signed it, and if there had been any thing singular in the presentation of that petition, he could tell the Noble Lord of something that was much more irregular, namely, that of a Noble Lord, after another Noble Member of that House had made a motion, and obtained leave to lay his petition on the table, had laid his petition on the table, and another Noble Lord had risen to address the House—that of a Noble Lord rising to interrupt the Noble Member then speaking.—(Loud cheers from the Ministerial, and cries of " No, no," from the Opposi tion, sides of the House.) Lord ELDON explained. Lord DURHAM said that the petition had been sent to him by Mr. Bruce as the petition of the corporation. It certainly had not the corporation seal attached to it ; but if the Noble and Learned Lord would examine the petitions which had come from different corporations in the North, he would find that the majority of them had no seal attached to them. THE CITY OF LONDON PETITION. The Duke of SUSSEX. lam not sorry this conver sation has taken place, as I am about to present a petition of a somewhat similar character : it was delivered to me by the Lord Mayor, and a deputation of the Common Council, as the petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and the Common Council of the city of London ; but is only signed by Henry Woodthorpe, clerk to the Corporation. I believe, however•, I am correct in presenting it as the petition of the Corpora tion of London. It humbly prays that the Bill of Reform now before your Lordships may be speedily passed into a law. I conceive it to be my duty to accompany the presentation of this petition with some remarks upon the subject to which it re lates. On the second reading of the Reform Bill I remained silent, conceiving there were many Noble Lords who would more strongly advocate it than it was in my power to do. In the course of the debate which then took place, some doctrines were promulgated by several Noble Peers against which I wish to take this opportunity of entering my protest.—(Hear, hear, hear.) One of the topics which it was endeavoured to press upon your Lordships' attention was, that the passing of this Bill would militate against the coronation oath. I have now been many years in this House, and have often heard with regret the same argument applied to the passing of another question, now happily settled, although a Peer then at the head of his Ma jesty's Councils,—(Hear, hear,)—and since dead, admitted that the coronation oath had nothing to do with the matter. I do not wish to be under stood as making any personal remarks, but on the con trary, as using the most general and cautious terms; but still I must say that I do not think that argument can be urged with any delicacy on questhins of this kind. As I have, all my life, been the advocate of Re form, it cannot be matter of any surprise to any Noble Peer who hears me, for me to declare that I cordially subscribe to the proposed plan of his Majesty's Ministers. I am satisfied, my Lords, that in doing so, I take that course which is best calculated to promote the tranquillity and welfare of the country. I do not go the length of granting the principle of Re form solely ou the ground of expediency; but it cannot be denied that this is a measure which will be of great advantage to. the country at large. Objections have been made to the Bill before us on the score of its being too extensive in its nature, and, perhaps, had it been brought forward at an earlier period it would have been so ; but it is the continual procrastination which this question has suffered that now renders it necessary for us to grant more than heretofore might have been sufficient.—(Hear.) The step we now take is to be attributed to the delay of carrying improvements, the object of which was admitted to be required, more than to any other cause whatever. In looking at the Constitution, and the prin ciples upon which it rests, it does strike me that the objections which have been made by certain Peers to this measure are founded in some degree in error. I conceive, my Lords, that the Crown has the power of creating Peers, but I do not conceive that the Crown has the power of nominating any individual to represent his Majesty in the Commons. if the Crown, the first branch of the Legislature, have not this power, 1' cannot conceive that the second part of the Legislature, or any individual portion of it, can have any title to it.—(Hear, hear.) I con sider that the very principles of the Constitution, nay that specific Acts of Parliament, distinctly prove, that it never was intended that a No ble Peer, or any individual whatever, should have the power of nominating a Member of any branch of the legislature. If such were the case, why have Acts been passed requiring Members of the House of Commons taking office under the Crown, to return to their 'constituents to see whether they approve of the line of politics they are likely to adopt? Surely it was never intended that a Member of the House of Commons taking office under the Crown should vacate his seat in order to ascertain whether a Peer or any other individual ap proved of what he had done, and would return him again. Ido not think that the dangers, which some think ►ikely to arise from the increase of the democratic influence in elections, will be found to exist. In countries where no political power has been exercised by the people, no doubt great dangers might arise from suddenly invest. ing them with the influence which this Bill will give to the people of England. But in this coati- try, such a power as is here bestowed, has been already, to a certain degree, in the hands of the people. Our object is to extend that power ; and as the people are deeply in- terested in the measures which their representatives propose, I cannot imagine that the power which it is - - - - proposed to vest in their hands will be misused, as some apprehend. I shall therefore feel it my duty to support the Reform Bill as it now stands. I consider schedules A and B as of vital importance, and as far as say own individual exertions go, shall give them my complete support. I think it likewise but fair to state to your Lordships, that the ten-pounds clause is one which I do not think myself justified in giving up. When we settled the lash consti- j tuency we fixed upon a 10/. freeholder as the lowest q ualification for a country voter, and I do not think it more than fair that we should take an English 10/. house holder to vote for the Members of our towns. With re spect to the great question of the metropolitan Members, I for one shall give it entire support, and I shall do so upon the principle, that if population and property jointly give a right to have representation, London has that right in a most pre-eminent degree. I do not, how ever, pretend to speak to a figure ; but if your Lordships will look to the returns of the assessed taxes, I think you will find that London and its subu►bs pay one-third of the assessed taxes in England and Wales. With respect to knowledge and intelligence, I think there can be no doubt that the inhabitants of the metropolis are as much entitled to increased representation, as on account of their great wealth and popu lation. I have spoken calmly, and without making personal o bservations, because I wished to imitate the example set by my Noble Friend at the head of Government, who has taken every conciliatory step it was in his power to do. beg to move that the petition be laid upon the table. The Marquess of SALISBURY rose to inquire by whom the petition was signed ? The Clerk replied that it was signed by Henry Woodtborpe. The Marquess of SALISBURY submitted that it could only be received as the petition of that individual.—(Cries of "No, no.") Earl GREY said it was solely a question of usage. He bad always understood that petitions from the Cori rnon Council had been signed in a similar manner• to the present, and he therefore hoped that their Lord ships would not upon this occasion depart from the usual practice. Lot d ELLENBOROUGH observed, that petitions which came from corporate bodies bad usually the peal of - , 1! the corporation affixed to awl/ which was sot the Ca , c' in this instance. The Duke of SUSSEX said the petition purported to come from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council. Lord TENTERDEN said that if the corporate seal was not attached, it could not be the petition of the corporation. The Earl of ELDON concurred in the view taken by the Noble and Learned Lord. The subject then dropped, and the petition was under stood to be received as from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council. EDINBURGH REFORM PETITION. The LORD CHANCELLOR—My Lords, I hold i n my hand a petition, front the inhabi tants of Edinburgh and its vicinity, agreed to at a public meeting assembled for that purpose. l am bound to state, my Lords, that in order to suit the convenience of so large a meeting the petition is signed, as it was directed to he signed, by the Chairman, the Secretary, and 12 gentlemen, who were chosen from among the rest, and, therefore, it can only, I suppose, be received as the petition of those persons; but I will ven ture to say, that no petition ever more deserved the title affixed to it, as the petition of the inhabitants of Edinburgh and its vicinity, than this does. The meet ing was attended by a vast concourse of the inhabitants of that populous district, and I believe I shall underrate the number who attended if I state them at less than 40,000, and indeed I am informed that the number was consider ably greater. Men more zealous for the question which called them together, your Lordships would be unable to find ; men more temperate and snore peaceful in their demeanour, both at and subsequent to the meeting, it would be impossible to discover. There was not the slightest indication of tumult, or even of any thing like the smallest approach to a breach of decorum, to be observed during the whole of the day on which the meeting took place. I will now, my Lords, state the representation and the prayer of the petition in which the inhabitants of the metro polis of Scotland are joined by almost the whole body of their fellow-countrymen.—(Hear, bear.) They state that they received with great satisfaction the confirmation of the second reading of the Reform Bill by your Lord ships. They state their unaltered desire for the speedy enactment of the measure into a law, and they state that that is the only effectual mode of establishing the Constitution on a firm and lasting basis. They therefore pray that your Lordships will be pleased to pass the measure without any alteration, and particu larly without raising the qualification for voting.—(Hear.) The Earl of ELDON said there could be no possible objection to receiving the petition as that of the persons whose signatures it bore, but he thought that the best time to speak of the system of Scotch representation would be when the Bill for Scotland came before the House. The Duke of BUCCLEUCH said be had taken some pains to inquire respecting the meeting at which the peti tion was agreed to, and also those who composed it; and from the information which he had received, he had no doubt that there was a large assembly, but he believed that as many persons went there from motives of curiosity as those who went with a desire to petition in favour of the Bill. That the meeting was conducted with great temper and moderation, was certainly to the credit of those who were assembled, and he had no doubt that it was got up with great care—(Hear, bear, from the Ministerial side) — but as to the petition expressing the opinions of the majority of the most respectable and intelligent classes of Edinburgh, he begged to differ with the Noble and Learned Lord in opinion. He referred their Lordships, in support of his assertion, to the address which he had the honour to present to his Majesty from Edinburgh, signed by 16,000 or 17,000 Fersons, who represented six or seven millions of property—(Hear, hear)—and in the Gazette he begged to observe that he found that petition was in a most extraordinary manner stated to be in favour of Reform, and only about two sentences of it were printed, and the most important parts omitted. The Earl of CAMFERDOWN admitted the respecta bility of the persons who attended the meeting, at which the address referred to by the Noble Duke was agreed to, but he begged to call to their Lordships' recollection that it was an exclusive meeting, and none were.admitted but those who were of a certain opinion._ (Hear, hear, hear.) In the town of Edinburgh there were from 140,000 to 150,000 inhabitants, and if only about 17,000 couldise found to petition against Reform, it was a strong and conclusive argument that the general opinion of Edinburgh was in favour of Reform. —(Hear, hear.) With respect to the meeting, from which the petition presented by the Noble and Learned Lord (Brougham) emanated, his information was very diffe rent from that which had been stated by the Noble Duke. He had been informed that that meeting was attended by 'persons of great respectability, and by persons of high character, and speeches had been made which would not disgrace any assembly whatever. The preses of that meeting was known to him, and most of the inhabitants of Edinburgh, to be a person of the highest talent and of the highest character. The general fea ture of the meeting was the middle class, and they conducted themselves in such a manner tended'hy able ,o t i s h s e NEt r ooß e bsdElpeoeß,Fa ftßrraioybeminedtweph(e)eitbcrrnhersaflaolioainmuthneefevoseponeteure• that he was sure would put down that infamous falsehood which had been disseminated so industriously, that the people could not assemble together for political purposes without confusion and disorder. He was inclined to attach importance to anything which fell from the Noble Duke, from the high station he oc cupied in that part of the country. But be was astonished to hear it insinuated that that meeting had not been at aMs made by r w b a y a, R l leadrmr influence corroborated werEitit arising h h n c n i a )e ni o l h n :u nu g e d s l er d t n aga i h ao l th s ed ae t hm v d a moa t i n r e em nt en i cys c i t e w sa df i ssrvji from f l y : : Isl y -1 : which was not likely to be inaccurate, from the local situ oath that a t ° t sis itu ation fear wh ichob feeling,e o fahsFr iend h e held.contradiction, wasdstrictly thel the rank of the Noble Duke (Buccleuch,) but also from his great respectability of character and liberality of conduct in the country where his great possession s were situated, he felt much gratified in his acknowledgments, not only that this was one of the largest assemblages that had taken place for the purpose named in the petition, but that it was conducted throughout with a regularity, decorum, propriety, and peacefulness, that could not be excelled by any meeting, however small or select.—(Hear, hear.) He would only add, with reference to the meeting to which the Noble Duke alluded, on the other side of the question, which led to the address which the Noble Duke presented to his Majesty, that it was not only one of an exclusive character, and called purposely to as semble those persons together who were adverse to the Ministerial measure of Reform, but that in order to catch votes and obtain signatures, they were obliged in their resolutions to state, not that they were hostile to Reform in general, but that they only opposed certain par ticular provisions of that Bill brought in by Government, and even that they were ready to unite in a pretty extensive measure, though they would not advance so far as to accede to the Ministerial measure. The Duke of BUCCLEUCH believed there had been a great many respectable persons present; but at the same time he adhered to his former statements, that many had been induced to attend it more from curiosity, than from their approval of the principles which they were assembled' to promulgate. The LORD CHANCELLOR presented a petition from various isodies of his Majesty's subjects. The first was from Dalkeith, signed by 2000 persons. In allusion to what had fallen from the Noble Duke (Burcleugh), he admitted that many had attended the Edinburgh meet ing from curiosity ; but they would form a very improper estimate of the number of those who had attended these meetings, if they imagined that even an linen. siderable portion had attended merely front curio sity, and did not feel the deepest and warmest interest in the proceedings. The next petition the Noble Lo r d _ . presented was from Leith and Portobello; another from Fife, and other three from different corporate bodies in that part of the country. These petitions were couched in language respectful to that House, and the sentiments they expresseed were strongly in favour of the Ministerial measure of Re. form. The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from seventeen electors of St. Mawes, comphining of cruel and tyrannical conduct on the part of his Grace's (Buckingham) agent, and praying the House seriously to pass that part of the Reform Bill which referred to St, Mawes, and confer on that benighted village the inesti, tnable boon of total disfranchisement. The Duke of BUCKINGHAM acknowledged' tke courtesy shown him, in his Grace having forwarded a col: t 4 , of the petiti on t o him that evening; but said that the as sertions contained in the petition were wholly groundless. REFORM BILL. On the motion of Earl GREY the whole House re solved itself into a Committee on the Reform Bill. After the LORD CHANCELLOR. had put the question, which was carried, and left the Woolsack, Eirl GREY rose and said—My Lords, I congratulate your Lordships — on' this questioh, this important queS don, having now arrived at that stage of the business in which the House having sanctioned the princi ple of the Bill, we are now to be occupied upon the details of it. My Lords, the first motion to be made in the Committee is, that the title of the Bill be postponed ; the next motion to be made will be, that the preamble of the Bill be postponed--to both of which, as matters of course, I trust there will be no objection. —(Hear.) We shall then come to the consideration of the clauses ; and perhaps it may be necessary; for me to state, in now moving that the title be pond poned, an alteration which it is my intentie to propose in the first clause. The first clause, according to the natural course of the proceeding which appears to me to be intimately connected with the general principle of the measure, is that of disfranchising a certain number of boroughs. —( Hear.) In that clause it is stated, that each of the 56 boroughs in schedule A shall cease hereafter to send Members to Parliament: this was introduced into the House of Commons, a Bill having before :passed in that House, in which, after examination, fifty-six bo roughs had been disfranchised, when a new Bill was intro duced for the convenience of the proceedings which had already been sanctioned by the House of Commons, and received again the sanction of that House. I mean to propose that the introduction of this number be deferred till after the other clauses of the 'Bill have been gone through. To this mode of proceeding, perhaps, there may be some objection in this House ; but I understand there are persons here who, admitting the principle and necessity of disfranchisement, feel that they would be embarrassed by being called upon, in the first instance, to say that the exact number of fifty-six boroughs should be disfranchised. In order to obviate that, it is my intention, when we come to the first clause of the Bill, to which I trust we shall proceed immediately, to propose that the words fifty-six should be left out, and that the clause should then proceed to state that each of the boroughs mentioned in schedule A, shall cease to send Members to Parliament; that is to say, the boroughs mentioned in it, nominating the different boroughs to be disfranchised as we pro ceed. My Lords, I think this will be the more regular and convenient mode of proceeding, and calculated to obviate ob jections which seem to me to be reasonably entertained to the construction of the clause as it at present stands. I shall be prepared to propose, as soon as we come to that clause, the boroughs intended to be included in schedule A. My Lords, I have now to propose, that the title of the Bill be postponed. Earl SHAFTESBURY having put the question, de clared that the contents bad it. Earl GREY next moved that the preamble of the Bill be postponed. On the Chairman putting the question, Lord L YNDHURST presented himself on the floor of the House, and said—" My Lords, I rise for the purpose of proposing to your Lordships that the motion h r e e c s o d t n o f mde he Majesty's and j esty suggested Government by th e should No b b e I c e Er o ne e a de l. d at the fa r t her than he has stated. My Lords, I rise for the purpose of proposing that the consideration of the question should be altogether postponed,—(Hear, hear,)—and I beg leave to state to your Lordships, that if I should succeed in prevailing upon your Lordships to post pone the consideration of this clause, my propo sition is to be followed up with another, which will be that the clause that immediately follows it should be postponed also.—(Laughter.) My Lords, my inten tion in doing this is simply for the purpose of submitting to the House the propriety of considering those clauses by which certain places are to be allowed the privilege of sending Members to Parliament; that that part of the Bill should be considered and de termined, and resolved upon before we proceed to consider the clause of disfranchisement.—(Hear, hear.) Now before I proceed to state to your Lordships the ground on which I submit this proposition to you, I than for a moment call your attention to the position, in which we now stand. Your Lordships have decided, and to that decision I am bound to defer, that the Bill should be read a second time, and that it should be referred to the consideration of this Committee. The question is, what is the point that you have de cided by this decision ?—(Hear.) You have decided upon the principle of the Bill with reference to an inquiry in the Committee. My Lords, a question might arise as to what can properly and fairly be considered as the principle of this Bill. It might have been a subject of much consideration, of much discussion, of much argument; but I frankly state to your Lordships, that having, upon the motion for the second read ing of this Bill, attended minutely to the pro gress of the debate, I am bound in candour to state that I consider that those Noble Lords who voted for the second reading of the Bill, intended thereby to establish the principle of enfranchisement,—( Hear, and .fairly; samndbotohanta to h t e a e a t r e e x)t—theanttshitin your.principle d r i s o g h f h i p t i o s ffriavnocthi admitge . m i t e n f l u t. s lly and in the consideration of this question in the Committee, I shall act uniformly and, constantly upon that assumption. My Lords, although you have, by deciding upon the second reading of this Bill, acknowledged the principles I have stated, it is equally clear you have not in the slightest degree fettered us as to the extent to which those principles are to be carried. We come, therefore to the consideration of enfranchisement, of disfranchisement, and of the important question with respect t otheextensi extension of f elective franchise, danceheiision._ se,entir ( el ffe entirely free, ree, unfettered, and unlimited But your Lordships will allow me to state, _that after all that has passed on this important subject i t i n n h g a t d p i a ff s e ,e re d ot oo d t eb o a f tes don o rs f o P n ar t l h ia e me s n u t hTee aLter loo a h l - 1 expectations with respe c t t o t h e resu l t o f 'this t t o the present state o f th e country and at i ts the enis pro ceeding, I am bound to state, that after the best consideration I have been able to give to this 'most im portant question, and after consulting much with others indisposed, oeeasio n w i nor he do indisposed,l bel thoseto present. with to your consideration, some alterati ons w hi c h, if t h ey shphunomld it, a l I i c e t am on adoptedhos ulti mately be of such a charact e r as t o sat i s f y , I w ill not whom by your Lo r d s hip s , w ill ti say the Radical Relimmers of the country, but all the intelligent Reformers ; and without going into details at pre sent, I think when they are stated, they will satisfy the Noble Lords themselves from whom this Bill originated.. With respect to the manner a n d t one i n w hi c h thi s ini3 p as those Noble Lo r d s with w h om h e ac t e d on t h e occa sion was concerned, as m eu e w and a he e o b w e s s su considered, reth as fa at he might r as d h i ss m s f e a l r i were concerned, it would be a manner and tone of temper, candour, and conciliation. He was persuaded that this tone and manner would be met by a corre spondent tone and manner on the other side of the House. He relied on this on the part of the Noble Earl, from hie knowledge of that Noble Earl's general character. It might be said in that House, as it had been said out of that House, that those who opposed the Bill were actua ted by a spirit of personality and party. For himself he disclaimed being actuated by any such spirit. Indepen dently of this question, the Noble Lords on his side of the House had, from time to time, felt it their duty to com ment on other measures of his Majesty's Government du ring the period at which the Noble Earl opposite bad been at the head of that Government But he would con fidently say, from his knowledge of those Noblelords, that at no period of the history of the country during the last hundred years, had an opposition to Government been carried on less in the spirit of party and personal feeling.—(A loud laugh, and cries of Hear, hear.) He would confidently say, from his own knowledge, that there never had been an opposition to Government pos sessing less of the concert and co-operation which usually characterized a party.--(A laugh.) With respect to the particular measure under their Lordships4considera tion, the opposition to it had been occasioned by no party or personal feeling. He—and the observation was equally applicable to many other of their Lordships had opposed the principle of the Bill, because, having endeavoured to inform his mind upon the subject, he had arrived at the conviction, that if the Bill were passed in the shape in which it had been sent up by the House of Commons, the effect would be the destruction of the just rights and au thority of the House of Lords and of the Crown. That was his conscientious opinion; and be'would dare any man 1. to say that it was not so. Such being the case, what could '''' he do but oppose the Bill ? How could he act otherwise ? It was on his thorough conviction of , the mischievous ef fects which would result from the adoption of the measure. What he now desired was the postponement of the first and second, or disfranchising clauses, until after their Lord ships had considered the enfranchising clauses, conferripg the right of representation on places by which it had not hitherto been enjoyed. He begged that he might not be misapprehended. What be proposed was simply the postponement of the clauses... His proposition .did not involve any prejudgment of the question. If he might use the language of his profession, he simply desired to postpone the clauses " without prejudice" to their being subsequently and fully considered. He would now briefly state to their Lordships the grounds on which he proposed this postponement. He considered that a Bill of this description ought to be essentially a Bill , of enfranchisment. That doctrine he had always held. When he first addressed their Lordships on the subject he had said ao, and had objected to the Bill because it bore • the appearance of a. Bill of disfranchisement instead of enfranchisement. The Bill ought to lie a Bill of enfran chisement ; and disfranchisement ought to be only the consequence of that enfranchisement. He knew no other principle on which such aBM ought to proceed. If it were considered necessary for the benefit of the State to enfranchise a great many large towns, it might be consi.