The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-07-31 00:00:00

imprriat Partiam Ent. HOUSE OF LORDS, MONDAY. Several petitions were presented against the municipal corpo rations' bill. The Earl of Falmouth, who presented one from ;the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses of Weymouth and Met combe - Regis, gave notice that, at the proper time, he would move that the petitioners be heard by counsel at the bar of the • -house airaimit cm lain parts of the bill. The stamp duties' offices' consolidation bill went through -commit tee. Lord Bitouettam postponed the bringing up of the report of the certiorari bill until the sth of August, in order that he might communicate with the chief justice of the Court of King's Bench on the subject of the introduction of a clause suggested by the Duke of Richmond, tar allowing magistrates to receive bail in minor cases of felony. The Earl of A a RR UEEN presented several petitions against the union of the Marischal and King's Colleges, Aberdeen. The noble lord said. that the bill providing for that union was not then before their lordships; but still, some of the petitions were an worded, that he thought they might be received. Much dis satisfaction was manifested throughout Scotland at this mea sure, with reference to which he had received petitions from va- . riot's parts of that country. lie hoped that his Majesty's ministers would pause before they sanctioned a measure of such a nature. Lord Melbourne said that ministers had not sanc tioned the bill, which had been introduced by an individual member of the Howe of Commons without the knowledge of government. A conversation took place between the Duke of Newcastle and Lord Brougham, relative to the legality of the municipal corporation commission, the former denying, and the latter as serting, that the commission was legal. Lord Brougham, in defending the legality of the commission, said—" It had always been a eeseta qii,e , itio whether the crown had the power, in ex amining into matters of this nature, to compelindividuals to produce documents, and to answer upon every point on which they might he examined; and, therefore, it was sometimes thought better that the commission slniuld proceed rather under an act of Parliament than tinder the ,mere authority of the ernwn; and, for his own part, he was not prepared to say that the crown had the power to cnaspel persons against their wills to produce documents or to answer interrogatories; or that pee sons refusing:to answer would commit any illegality by-doing so. But still the crown hul a right to issue such a commission, un der which peonle might answer certain questions, though not compelled to rfo so. Some might answer, and some might not, as had been the case in the present inquire." The Marquis of CLANKICAROR postponed till Thursday the second reading of the Ronan Catholic marriages' bill. The Duke of NEWCASTLF. said he wished to ask Lord Mel bourne a question of great importtince, as it had reference to a subject which had greeted a strong feeling throughout the coun try. Some mouth 4 wee he observed an article in a newspaper, in which it was mated that W 33 acres of land had been sold to the Rev. Mr. Hunt, a Roman Catholic clergyman, at Lough borough, for the purptele of blinding a Roman Ca'tholie monas vary forio.lividimis of the order of Jesuits. It. was added, that Mr. C. Gisborne, to whom the land belonged, meant to end his days in the new monastery.-- He wished to know whether Lord M;lbourne could give him any information on the subject. It was important that no colleges of this description should be founded. Ile censitlered that the principles taught in them con tained the groundlstoik of everything that was injurious to the established religion of this country. Lord Melbourne replied, that be was no further acquainted with the matter to which the noble duke referred than the noble duke himself' was. He had seen the circuinstarrce mentioned in the public papers, but no thing had been done which gave him auy right to interpose. HOUSE OF COMMONS, MosnAT The Speaker took the chair at a quarter to four o'clock. Several petitions were presented by Sir M. S. Stewart, Mr. Sinclair and Mr. Spiers, in favour of the church of Scotland. Mr. JACKsoN presented petitions from different parts of Ire land azaiust the Irish church bill. Cots presented a petition to the same effect from the hih sheriff and grand jury of the county of F ermanag h . ,Ir. 11. M +xwst.l. presented similar petitions filial the county of Cavan. COI ONIAI. TIMBER DI;TIES. Mr. Em ert TENNENT rose to present a petition against the equalisation of the discriminating duty. ou Canadian and Baltic timber (rola the Chamber of Commerce of Belfast. lie had felt it his duty to call the especial attention of the house to this pe tition by a notice on the book of his intention to present it On -th a t clay, as well from that respect 'which he owed to it, as emanating from a body whose duty it was to watch over the in terests, and who represented the great mass of his constituents, as because the petition contained not the mere speculative ideas of political theorists, but the sound and practical Opinions of ex - perienced and intelligent ntercharits and men of business. if there was one spot in the kingdom whose sentiments on this subject, froth i:s extensive intercourse and intimate relations with Canada, should be entitled to more weight than another in that house, it was the town from which this petition'emanated, carrying on, as it did, a trade with our colonies in North America more extensive than that of any ort in Ireland, and surpessed only by a few iu Great Britai n . lie referred nut only to its im portance as an outlet for emigration, but to the number and tonnage of its shipping employed in the importation of timber; to the extent of which trade in reality that extraordinary emi gration was chiefly indebted for its facilities. The petition, after stating that the present import of North American timber into the United Kingilinn was equal to 1,000,000 of loads per annum, proceeded to show that the trade was carried on by British ship ping aiuue, fitted out by British capital, and gi v i ng em pl oymen t to British seamen, and creating a market for British produce to the amount of upwards of i:2,(200,00U sterling per annum, whilst on the other hand the European timber brought into this country was carried exclusively in foreign bottoms, manned by foreign Seamen, and tusk away none of our manufactures to any extent in return. ( Hear, hear.) The petitioners expressed their dread f the effects which any reduction of the duty on Baltic timber might produce on the current of emigration, tic well as on th e interests of British shipping generally, - and then concluded by praying that if the Legislature in its wisdom saw fit to introduce any iu the existing duties, no reduction should be male in those on Baltic timber, without a concurrent diminu tion on the produce of Canada, so as still to preserve the existing proportioabetweeu them, conceiving that a change on any other principle must be injurious to their trade, destructive of their shipping, and highly prejudicial to the progress of emigration. (fieti e -.) To these general observations of the petitioners he (Dlr. ReTeunent) Was not disposed to add any lengthened oh servationeuf his ()en. Whether or not the petitioners had ac curately stated tin: amount of our imports and expints from Ca nada or not, ke was net immediately prepared to say; but if the former did Out amount to 1,000,000 loads of timber per annum, he (Mr. E. Tennent) was aware that they were at least considerably above fikto,ooo, an amount which of itself engrossed upwards of 400,000 tons of British shipping, and gave employment to 22,000 seamen, nearly equal to the number enapite,ed iu the Royal Navy of Etiglaud. (Hear. heat.) The iniportauce of this branch (Amur commerce could not, in fact, be rated too highly; in Liverpool alone it occupied between 300 aud lea vessels of 141,000 1.0113 s Iwifthels ; it gave Ud uu uunU4l ()inlet I;rar between fea s ueekteej and 43 000.0.. A) at least of our manufactures, avid a fur emigration which year by year drained off upwetds of 1 ,5,000 of our ietlitudent population. (II ear, beer.) C9lnpared with the impirrtauee of this trade with Cauada, what was the value of all our intercourse with all time countries bordering nu time Baltic? Even previous to the year IKV, up to which period England was almost exclusively supplied with timber hum that qiietter, our imports iu nu nue year amounted to une-bait the quantity which we new draw annually from Canada, (hear, hare) amid tie to our exports in return, the whol' Baltic never took titan us more than £lelo,ooo worth in any oue year ; foe, -fifths ut this was in cutttai twists. O tt what principle, the n , were we to SAC! nice Our present invaluable trade with our ciiiu uieis for the sake of' aggrandieiug our niii them ueighboura ? -Meer, hear.) It was all very well fur traders its theory and putitieal economy uierelmaros to icier to the Rabin's or mire :Ara:tied competition- -to sipped to their reciprocity systems and treaticeof trade ; but it was somewhat immure difficult to bring ....envie:than, to the minds of uur owners or si.ippia br , whoop these lauciful expeinuente were already rapidly redticing to a mere coasting trade. and whumu the Pru.ssiatis anti the very Baltic merchants had already hustled omit ot' utmost the entire carrying trade of the Nei tnein Sens. (Hear, hear.) ftes regards our shipping interests at home, any alteration which would hevethe effeet of bringing European procure into direct competition with that of Canada must be regarded with the most serious alarm auil appreimensiou, as its first amid mostfatal injury will be ia s tlicted mutt ouise:ves. The preference will of course be given in the inerket to .Baltic timber, as well from its quality 'as from .its faciiite of access, and as a natural consequence the importa tion trout Canada meat cleciiiie mu prnpurmitiu as its competitor .advances. Wilde then is to become of our shippiug ? ‘4 e can not . convert them to other purposes, becau se b eing o f a Pecul i ar •saustruetiuu Linden iticourenieu: tonnage, wetly of them ranging from WU to 750 toes, they will be unlit fur other branches of ,trade. (clear.) We cannot apply them to the new trade with the Balti.e because there our iivuls in Prussia aud the North - van outdo us in every particular, since they can find their ves sels, their seamen, and stores MI terms white( we can never hap; to cumpete with them. But even supposing that we could still successfully compete with them under the new system, the vast majority or our shipping would be Useless. The great dlseauce we have-atepreseut to betel, mid the few voyages we can make In the year, compel us - at- present -tea azutirniuti the vast tieet of inerch e amineu'which are constantly crossing the Atlan tic t o C a n a da ; but When that distance is sheiteued by more than one-half, when we eau make five or six voyages to the Baltic ill the same time that a e eau now make tviu to the St. Lawrence, it must be evideut that, eveu supposing us totally above competitiou, one-nail' a one ;hipping .must inevitably be thrown out of employment. Hear, hear.) As to the remain der, we all know what the result would' be of a rivalry with our mmtmtaxeri Rue eaatly.equipped rivals in the nertheru seas, And white in such Sum eyeut, was to become of the twenty thousand who would inevitably be thruwu out of employment by such a •ratiolution of trade ? Thi s was suieiy a matter worth serious investigation hefor4 we ventured on any experiment which might by pestibiluy have seek' an effect. (Hear, lit:tr.) But there was anuthet consideration which ei.4.7.gested itself on this ipeestion, the result of which he ( Mr. E. Tenuent) was 'let very clearly satisfied about. The whore theory on which they were called upon Li make this change resolved itself into this —that the p..opie should be supplied with such commodities as they wanted from any country which ruuld supply them on the vhcupest terms. Now, before they hastened to destroy one market with which the country was at present pretty well sane ied, they had a right to he shown that the one which was offered to lieu of it would really be (Maud to lie the cheapest as well as the best. The °eject of the free-trade advocates at present was, he (Mr. E. Teunent) believed, to reduce the duty on the tim ber or both countries to the same level; but, it the superior timber of the Baltic wield be introduced at the swine cost ha the inferior pitaluce of Canada, the Canadian trade. would soon settee Altogether: If a renmant of it survived at all, it would be the import of the red pine, which might in some degree vie in „quality with the Memel; but the ordinary American timber would cease to be introduced. Now it Iva, well known that there were purposes tor which this inferior timber answered as well, it itca. better, than materials of a better description; but when it was no longer to be procured, we should, of course, be compelled to make use of the other at probably double the price. Thi s may nut, perhaps. be so important e coniideration iu Eng land, where capital was more abundant. and whete besides the poerer elaoes had a cutnparative resource in the growth of low native wood; but in Ireland, wher e we have nu such substitute, the case was widely different, and the effects of a stoppage in the import of cheap colonial deals would be felt with corresponding force, since in that country the alteration pro posed would thus have the inevitable effect of increasing, instead of diolinishine, the price of timber most generally consumed. It was not, therefore, without cause that he (Mr. t. Teunent) was induced to detiht the result of this experiment, at least in his own country. And the petitioners had very properly alluded to another topic in which Ireland was materially interested, viz. the effects of the alteration which was threatened upon emigra tion to esnada. This was to every quarter of the em pire a matter of the rnn s t vit a l moment.- Our emigrants from British ports to the British colonies in America were rinse upon 60,0(X) per annum. From the very town whence this petitiou eyes forwarded alone there were, last,, year, between B,OOU and 9,000 pascengerifor the Ci t nadas and New Brunswick, and the retie at.which tnese passengers were carried, was from £3 to £4 each, and . !Is (Mr. retptetat)• hack undereteod th;tt, this season and the last, passengers from Liindondeiry to the nearest Ame ricau settleincut had been taken out fur so trilling a sum as thirty shillings. (Hear, heai.) And how. was it that the owners Of shipping were - enabled to carry them out upon such terms'? Solely in consequence of that very trade which it was now threatened to destroy. Theyessels which were despatched for colonial timber, rather than sail in ballast, would carry their cargo of emigrants for ahnost any terms that would cover the bare cost of transport, and the competition was so great, that the fares were reduced to the trifle which he had mentioned. (Hear, hear.) It was thus we were enabled to drain off that vast superabundant and impoverished population with which Ireland was overrun, and to transport to Canada that enormous amount of labour which would otherwise Lind its way into this country, and inundate England with pauperism. All this would be inevitably destroyed by the contemplated change in the timber trade, since vessels for the sole purpose of carrying emigrants, without the ulterior object of bringing home pro duce, could only take them out on such terms as the impover ished settlers could never afford to pay. (Hear, hear.) But other causes trader the same system, if the contemplated change were effected, would produce the same result of checking emi gration. Canada herself would no longer afford the attraction —she could no longer hold out occupation and support for the uumnfloyed labour which now finds a settlement on her shores. Such a measure would involve Canada herself in difficulties and poverty-, from which generations might pass ere she would be fully extricated. Besides the floating capital of the Canadian houses which is now embarked in the timber trade, and which could only be withdrawn at a positive loss, in order to he in vested in such other pursuits as the present limited resources of the colony would afford, what was to become of the fixed capi tal which was there embarked in that trade, and expended in saw-mills and machinery of every description Z Not less tnan £IXI,OOO is at present stated to be so employed, and all this, no insignificant sum in a distant colony, must at one blow be sacrificed, were a change in the trade to be effected. (Hear, hear.) What, in such an event, was to become of the hosts of British emigrants who now find abundant employment as lumberers in cutting and dressing, and floating the timber down the St. Lawrence and its tributaries for exportation? He .might be told that they could still betake themselves to agricul tural labour--but even for this there could be but slow demand, where the destruction of the timber trade had ceased, as it would cease to give an impulse to the clearing of the lands. We all know at present the state of feeling towards this country which pervaded Canada, even io the midst of our protection of her commerce; She took but little pains to conceal her dissatisfac tion at not receiving still further favours; was it then wise still further to provoke such a spirit by threatening the destruction of the only profilalde branch of commerce on which she rested her dependence? Was it wise to drive her to seek a still closer attachment than she already manifested towards the United States? (hear, hear.) It was a portion of 9ur policy as a nation to afford support and protection to our colonies and our dependencies? We had strainei every nerve to maintain and to perpetuate that protect iou to our colonies in the West Indies, by guardin their sugars from forei g n competition in our own markets. All that he asked for Canada w a s, an extension of _ the same fostering protection, a policy which was the more in• cumhent on us, since we could not ktillict the injury, now con templated on Canada without giying.a Mow ts, our own shipping and marine which no length of time might be sufficient to remedy. He bad to apolog ise to the House for the length 'to which these observations had run—( Hear, hear)—but 'the subject, he felt, was one of the most vital moment to the nation at large, and his sense of its importance to his'QLVII constituents peculiarly, had impelled him to use every exertion to discharge to the uttermost the duty which they had entrusted to hint of conveying the expression of their sentiments fully to the House. (Hear, hear.) Mr. FORBES presented a similar petition from Grangemouth. The comprehensive and convincing speech of Mr. Teunent 10. hint nothing further to sav on the subject. Mr. B. Hoy gave his full support to the petitions. Mr. Sergeant JACKSON had to return the member for Belfast (Mr. Emerson Tennent) his thanks on behalf of his constituents and the merchants of the South of Ireland genererlly for the very able and powerful arguments'with which he had supported their cause. (Hear, hear.) Any alteration such as that threatened could not fail to prove the ruin of the interests of the city with which he was mere immediately connected. Mr. l'EssE complimented the member for Belfast on the eloquent statement he had made. WOLVERIIAUPTON INQUIRY. Mr..TiinaNgtv complained that the papers which had been laid on the table some time ago, relating to the Wolverhampton inquiry, were not yet read• to be placed in the hands of mem bers. It was his intention to call the attention of the house to the results of that inquiry, but he was prevented by the delay of the papers. He did not se why, when a printer received such sums for printing fur Parliament, he could not make an effort to have those papers ready in the lung lime since which they had been on the table. 1-1 c hoped they would not be longer delayed. (Attie said hereditament, sums of money, chattels, securities for RI on ey, and other personal estate,"— in what way ?. Why, ` , for such uses and trusts respectively as they were subject to before the passing of this act."' This certainty was anything but confiscating those estates. Ile thought, however, that with respect to this part of the measure. some further guards might be introduced with advantage; and he had actually brought in a bill which, by the favour of their lordships. had been read. a first time (he wished it to go on with the'present measure,), that appointed such a tribunal as would render it utterly iinpos sible for one-twentieth of the abuses of charitable funds to be perpetrated which had occurred muter the old corporation sys tem. A great number of petitions having been presented from other places, Lord WitatiNcueez .presented a petition against the bill from the mayor, burgesses, and common council of Liverpool. The petitioners complained that the measure would not only affect their interests, but the interests of the town generally. By their charter they were entitled to certain tolls and other privileges, of which this bill would deprive them. They stated that the stipends of the clergy-were now paid out of the corpo rate funds and other endowments, which, if this measure passed, would be taken out of their hands, and those stipends would not be so well secured as they were at present. If the bill passed, they expressed a hope that some measure would be devised for supporting the clergy in a proper manner. In conclusion, the petitioners prayed to be heard by counsel against the bill. Vitleount Sritarsnenito also moved that the corporation .of Coventry he heardyy counsel against the bill at the bar of their lordships' house. • Viscount MaLnourtrie opposed the motion. The bill was one of generat policy, and hot one founded on the report of the commissioners. Its object was to alapt the'governing body of towns and boroughs to the enlarged condition of those places which had outgrown their old institutions. They wanted to put an end on general principles to a system which gave great dis satisfaction and impeded improvement. The bill was in spine respects like the reform bill, which disfranchised some and en frauchised others; vet no counsel was beard at their bar against that bill, no counsel hail been heard against the Scotch burgh reform bill, nor against the disfranchisement of the Irish forty shilling freeholders. Therefore on these general grounds he submitted that there was no ground for hearing counsel on. the present occasion, unless, indeed, their lordships waisted to defeat the bill by delay. (No, no, and hear.) He had no idea of say iug that this was their intention; but, if it was, their best course would be .to hear counsel. If, on the contrary, they did not mean to defeat it—if they wished to give the measure a bona fide consideration, to afford it fair play, they would, as he now begged them to 'do, refrain front hearing counsel at the bar. He assured their lordships that he held them in the utmost re spect; that, casting aside all idle clamour, he believed and knew that their authority was well fixed, their dignity well assured, their rights and powers well and perthanently settled; but, however great and undoubted might be their dignity, their powers, their rights, and authority, it was impossible that in these timei they could be so fixed, assured, and settled that they could afford to 'trifle with them or to trifle with such a subject. Therefore be implored their lordships not to listen to the pro position, het go into the discussiei, of the at toice. The Duke of WiiLLINGTON: agreed with the noble.lord in thinking that nothing could be more unworthy of the House of Lords than to trifle with such a subject, and more particularly when it was one which affected the property and the privileges of his Majesty's sulijects. He wished the noble lord hadOvoided charging the house with delay or the desire to create delay in pioeeeding with this measure; for if there ever was a question with which a body of men had evinced their anxiety to proceed with the greatest possible celerity that was consistent with safety, it struck hint it was the present question. lu point:of fact, the evidence on which they were to proceed to legislate had only been for a few days On their lordships' table, so that he appre hended that not one in ten of their lordships had been vet able to peruse it, and he indeed doubted if many of them had yet received the last report. Yet, notwithstanding this, not the slightest desire had been displayed to delay the discussion on the second reading or the suusequent proceedings upon the sub ject. For his own part, if the noble lord bad not thought pro per to make such a charge upOn their lordships' house, he was ready to have come tot ward with a proposition respecting the mode of hearing counsel, which would have prevented all delay against which the slightest murmur could be raised, while at the same time the people of England would be satisfied that justice had been done to the subject. The noble lord had stated that the measure was one of general policy, and that it was not a measure founded on the report of the commissioners. Ile (the Duke of Wellington) admitted that it was a matter of general policy, but must at the same time contend that it was founded on the report—on the report, of the truth of which the parties concerned complained violently, and prayed that their lordships would hear their complaints on this subject at their bar. The noble lord (Melbourne) had been pleased to compare this mea sure with that for the disfranchisement of the 40s. freeholders; he forgot that in their case the question had been mooted three or four years previous to the passing of the measure, that ample time had been allowed, and that it was admitted in that beuse that they werasheeless and injurious as an electoral body. This being the case, it was natural enough that they should not be heard by counsel at the bar. As to the reform hill, it was true that by it many men were affected in their property and inte rests, and they were not heard at the bar by counsel, but there were other precedents iu which parties interested were so beard. There was that of the heritable jurisdiction in Scotland, on which counsel was heard, both on the question of the second reading and on the question of going into committee. He had been ready to offer, in order that there might be no - delay, that sup posing the house agreed to the'second reading, mullet 'should be heard on the question of going into committee. He was ready to commence the discussion on the following day after the arguments of counsel had been heard; and he must say that the charge made by the noble lord against every body who might think that the corporations should be heard by counsel of wishing to cause delay was unjust, and he would go a step further and say that it was not quite founded on fact. Their object Was to offer no unnecessary uelay, and to extend equal justice to all men. But as to the question of going into com mittee on this bill, it could not be entertained. It could not be expected that any body could be prepared to do so for sonic days. There was no reason why counsel might not be heard from day to day, and their. loidships, after haying' heard them, in the coursQof next week could go into committee. ' Lord Bu aerthavi was Satisfied that his noble friend (Mel bourne)_ had no intention of imputing to their lordships a desire Jo defeat the bill—his object was to dissuade them from pur suing course which less candid judges much considered had that object in view, His noble friend was_ apprehensive that if • counsel were to be heard, the matter would be interns:Liable. They had already twenty petitions to be heard by counsel, and if they heart counsel in one case, they would assuredly have similar pet thins from the 200 corporations affected by this mea sure—if they allowed two 'counsel only to be heaid on each e,tse, they would then have to hear 40) speeches, at an aver age Of four hours to a speech. (Hear , and a laugh.) Even with this the parties would not be content—evidence must be heard, exaudued, cross-examined and re-examined. With this prospect they had better decide that the house should sit for two years, or throw out the bill at once. Suppose they allowed two counsel to be heard against the principle of the measure. Now it all the corporations agreed to consolidate their. opposition—to fight, as it were, under one banner—the affair would he quite simple. Let them, he would say, for instance, take his learned friends Sir Charles Wetherell and Mr. Knight. He named them because they were gentlemen of great learning and ability, and because they had the confidence of their countrymen. (Hear, hear.) I.et them be brought to the bar, and if their ar eoteents prevailed, well and good;• but certain was he, that if they could not convince theirlordshipa nobody else could. But even yet there was another difficulty. Why might not petitioners pray to be heard iu favour of the bill? .Freemen romplained not that they were deprived of advantages, political end other wise, themselves, but that these advantages were extended to others. Why should nut, then, others their fellow-citizens have an opportunity of endeavouring to make good their claim to a participation in those advantages ? The uuble lord next alluded to the money which had been spent amongst the free emu at (we believe) elections for Liverpool; at oue .C40,0(X), at another £Bl,OOO, and he concluded by referring to the fact of counsel having under • goud mauageineut been heard on the question of the abolition of slavery without undue delay, and by stating that he had no objection to have two counsel heard con earning the principle of the bill. but he protested against any preposition which would admit of all the corporations being heerd separately by counsel, aunt which would thus get rid of the bill by a side wind". The Earl of It weal thought that nothing could be .more ab surd than any attempt to get rid of this measure by delay. 1t did not follow, bewever, that it would not be right to hear • couueel. Its had listened with great satisfaction to the prop sitter] of the noble and teamed lord. If they were to hear counsel from every borough or city on the principle of the bill, there would be peat and inevitable delay ; but there was tln thing to prevent them acceding to the noble and learned lord's • proposition, which, from the way in which he hail stated it, would not, lie t Lord Ripon) should hope, prove unacceptable to the noble duke. tie must say for himself, that he considered the freemen had much mute need to be heard by counsel on the suhject of their pecuniary rights in ease or in raise than cut that of their political rights. And if it could be so arranged that the I eases of the petitioners could be censolidated, and, that there should nut be a great and unnecessary waste of time, he thought they were coaled to be heard upon the subject. The Earl of Fa LsiouTii agreed with the noble earl that - the bill might lie argued by two-counsel, but the various charges Chuld Vat be dealt. with in tbe saute way. Ti k e petitioners had been accused ; it was prolapsed to puuish them. Wlly should' not they he allowed to defend themselves? Were they not British subjects ? Ay, but, said the noble lord, the bill was not founded on the report ; the inference frinn which would be, that the petitioners were not accused, and therefore bad not A right to deltoid themselves. True it wits ha had looked into the report, and observed that the government had saved themselves from quoting the report; but in the name of common sense, he asked their lordships, if the bill were not founded on the teport, on what was it founded, or what was the use of that commission, on which so much of the public money had been expended? With reepect to the report itself be had examined it, and must sey that e more diagrac,efal mass of exaggeration, if not abselnte falsification, had never been put upon the table Ulan) , legislative aescaiblv, Lord 'Vitra excuree regretted the expressions which the noble turd (Melbourne) had thought proper to uddress to their lordships; he would leave it to the noble lord himself to consider' if the troult of what tell from him was not a threat. ((lear, hear.) Ile said their dignity, rights, pi ivileges, authority, were now firth enough; but he intimated ''beware how you trifle with them." It was Wu clear not to strike everybody there who heard it (hear, hear), and he feared it would be equally plain to everybody who read it elsewhere. (hear, hear.) As to tile property of those corporations, they had acquired it by kinga' charters :roil :tby the wills or iudivicitta!s. It was thet as . If their io t o s hip e t o ok It swats for miseouduct, these corporations had a tight to be heard in their utt n defence; if not, they had a right to be hearth to snow the injustice of the proceedings. The case of tilt corporations of Scotland bail been quoted ; but he believed they did petition to taw heard at the bar by counsel. But he protested aeain,t going back to those times which immediatdv succeeded the passing of the retorts bill—at least it was in lan But whether there wan or was not a precedent fur depriving men of their political rights without hearing them in their de fence, they surely should net he in like manlier stripped of their pecuniary advantages, and theretbre, at least so far a s these were coneerneii, they should he heart! by counsel. lie by no means wished her delay. Ile thought an arraneenient might he easily enough made by which the corporations should choose certaiu gentlemen ire counsel to state their case. It would be eou veuient, and it would save their lordships from the charge of deciding on the question without hearing the parties who were thereby affected. lie had rather however, that his nobl e friend • had deferred his proposition until after the second reading. The Earl of WINCIILLSgA saint that nothing could haVe in. duced hint to present himself to their lordships that t ight but his deep sense of the injustice and unconstitutional nature of the ineesure which, if passed into a law, would affect all ex i st i ne privileges, all property, and all existing rights, from those of the crown itself down to those of the lowest subject connected with it. He could offer to his fellow-ceuntrythen no' stronger proof of his desire faithfully to discharge his duty by them and to guard their rights au'd privileges, which were as abar to themes his own were to hint (Lord Winehibea„) than his having been induced to appear among their lordships that evening, and thereby aborting the' sincerity of the advice he had so often 4,4(0 there and:elseSehereaanamely; that every Englishraan must ceosider'thet thiv thine had come when private feeliag must THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. 1 ' ~~, yield to public duty. Never, its his 'opinion, had their lordships, who stated the guardians of property and of the public peace, to discharge so important a duty as at present. (Hear, hear.) From the bottom of his heart he could say that if the hilt went only to the extent of communicating additional rights and pri vileges, upon constitutional grounds, to a great portion of his countrymen—if the measure, going further, went only to correct the abuSes which had crept into the management of property, he would give it his insist cordial support. He found indeed that. ,these two principles were, to a certa i n ex t en t, embraceasin the measure, but it contained o th ers t o w hi c h h e never cou ld assent. 'lle never could agree to having any class of his fellow-country men 'deprived of privileges which" were relatively of as much value to them as those he enjoyed were to himself'. They were called too to alter the tenure of property, and they were asked to make this change without any other evidence excepting that of the report laid on the table—the report on which the bill was founded—the report against the allegations in which the peti tioners prayed to be heat& Allusion had been made to the 40s. freeholders; he had voted inalisir favour, and was therefore not acting inconsistently now. in raising his voice in favour of jus tice, and a fair trial - for the freemen. Certainly he should divide the house unless the noble lord (Melbourne) pledged himself that he would not unneessarily destroy any of the existing rights and privileges in csse or in posse. He had been anxious to record his opinions on this occasion, and he was thankful to their lord shiiis for-hearing him. (Hear, hear.) Lord BROUG n n at then proposed that the bill be read a second time proforma ; thus it would gain a stage, and it would he shown that no vexatious obstacles would be thrown in the way of the measure. On the next and subsequent stages ft would be understood that noble lords might vote just as they pleased; they were nut to be at all pledged by the second read tug. The committee might then be put oil for a day or two until counsel wore ready, and the corporations had agreed upon whom they might select and prepared their cases. The Duke o' CesterateAND begged it to be distinctly under stood that in agreeing to that propisition he did nut pledge himself in favour of the principle of the measure. Lord la .ti Mil:rise observed that the corporations petitioning did not elaitit to be heard against the principle of the meesure, but claimed to defend themselves at the bar of their' lordships' house front the charges brought against them in the report of the commissioners—charges involving neglect, abuse of privi leges and trusts, and non-performance of duties. The noble viscount himself did not appear to have read the preamble of his own bill, which ran in these words:—" Whereas, partly by defects iu the charters by which the said bodies corporate have been constituted, partly neglect and abuse of the privileges by such charters granted and cqufinned to the inhabitants of the said cities, towns, and boroughs, and partly by change of circumstances since the said charters were granted, the said bo dies corporat e f or th e mos t p ar t h ave no t o f long time beep, and are not now, useful and efficient instruments of local govern ment." If the noble viscount had made himself acquainted with the preamble of that bill, he would have seen that neglect and abuse foamed the foundation of the bill; and, according to the plainest principles of justice, the parties against whom .cliarges of that nature had been brought should be altiswed the opporf,unify of stlatiug their defence, and of meeting the allega tions aid the charges of their opponents. It was well known to their lordships that certain corporations had been selected as the especial objects of those accusations ; the evidence against them was garbled and unsatisfactory, and it was derived front false and corrupt sources. Those were the grounds upon which , they demanded to he heard at the bar; but a definite under standing should be come to us to the course to be posited when counsel were at the bar; for, if they were now to be heard on the principle of the bill, he could not suppose that they were not also to be beard in committee aisainst the details of the measure. It was obvious that the arguments of counsel would occupy a great deal of time; but he did not see how their lord ships could refuse the hearing. Here was a bill which professed to deal with 240 corporations, and it was presumed by some noble lords that counsel ought to be refused them. 'fad the 'case been that of one corporation, did any noble lord attempt to say that the privilege of being heard at the bar would be de-. niecr? and when they ruse to the number of 240, did that weaken the claim for a hearing—did the sweeping and comprehensive character of the hill deprive those affected by it of the common rights of justice? For these reasons, then, he should support the proposition fur allowing counsel to be heard at the bar of that house; and, beginning with Coventry, he should sity,that the, corporation of that town had a right to be heard, not merely in the first iustance against the principle of the measure, but for the purpose of disproving the allegations and the charges con tained in the report of the conetuissiuners. Certain facts had been stated, and certain recommendations made : if it came out that those statements were without foundation, the result would cover weh disgrace the particular gentlemen upon whose au thority they halt been made. Viscount MELBOURNE wished to say a few words in explana tion. In the first place he wished to state that his opinion, ,which he expressed at the outset .ou the question they were called on to decide, remained uuchanged. The propiniiiieu which ho felt it his duty to resist was of this nature;—certain petitions had beets presented from various boroughs; on one of these a noble lord had moved that counsel be heard; to that he could not agree, for if every one of those boroughs were to be heard in succession, the proceeding would smother the mea sure; hut the proposal now made altered the grounds upon which he had to make a decision. It was true that he. had ad dressed a strong admonition to their lordships. and should feel it his duty to do so whenever he saw them falling into a course likely to be prejudicial to themselves or the country at large. Once more he would repeat, he was opposed to hearing counsel at the bar; nevertheless, if the feeling of the house were decid edly in its favour, he should not offer an extreme opposition to . anything which did not interfere with th e spee d y success o f the measure, and was therefore ready to agree to any reasonable pro position that might come from the other side of the house. His hopes, however, of anything of that sort had been considerably diminished by the speech whi c h h e h a d h ear d f rom a no bl e l or d opposite.. If one ccrporatiou established its right to be heard, he saw no reason why the efforts of another should not be equally successful, and in such an event he hesitated not to say that the proceeding would he interminable. A certain number of boroughs claimed to be heard by two counsel each; Bristol and Liverpool by one each. Now, if every borough in the sche dule claimed equal rights, he confessed himself unable to see when the proceeding might be expected to close. !teen the. other hand; a fair and reasonable limit were placed Ist the hear ing of conbsel; taxa. that the object did not appear to be'-to delay the progress of this bill, then lie should, pinhaps, be induced to accede to that which otherwise he might feel it I his duty' ti op peas, fur he was most anxious to attain the end in -view, 'tamely, the accomplishment of the Menett re. After a few words from the Earls of Mansfield and Harcwood, Lord Psu N ka . r observed that the precedent of reform act had been mentioned hv one side and objected to by the other side of the house; it had been contended that the two cases were dissimilar, that the one case involved a question of property, and time other did not. At the union with Ireland one hundred boroughs sere disfranchised. A Noble Lord.—Not by this house. Lord PsustKETT.—Was it attempted to be said that the pre cedent was on that account less in point? On that occasion not tine of these corporations was 'were by counsel, although to some of them compensation was granted. The noble duke now appeared disposed to accede to a proposition which it was thought might prevent that interminable scene of litigetion that the first proposal could not fail to have had time effect Of producing. He professed himself unable to see how it could be brought toe on elusion. All the boroughs were as well entitled to a hearing as the corporation of Coventry. Persons were now in town who represented the great body of the corporations; by those re preseutatives counsel might be chosen to appear at the bar of their lordshipi' house ou behalf of the several corporations named in the bill. It had been suggested that there might be some difficulty in the'counsel applying themselves to each parti cular ease, the merits of no two of them being alike. It was au error to suppose that many of the cases were not similar ; on the contrary, he believea it would be found that they could be classified in pretty large numbers, 'and nothing would be easier than rum counsel to say that such and such principles apply to ten or twelve, cud such other to twenty or thirty, and thus they could be argued in divisions. That mode of proceeding might not be familiar to noble lords unconnected with the legal pro fession, but it was of daily occurrence in the courts. Ile would out saw that couusel ought to be confined to the principle of the bill, but ho thought some such arrangement as he suggested ought to be estop:ea reepectiug the details. Lord I'llLc:Lit A LD contended that the precedent derived by the noble and learned lord who spoke last from the history of the umou was wholly inapplicable. Ile cc' taiuiy had not ex pected to find that nuLle and learned lord laying the foundation of his precedent in that which he hail himself designated as the most tudefeusible of all the acts of the Irish parliament. He had told the house that 100 corporations had been disfranchised without a heating, but he omitted to state that they had mot ap plied to be heard. (Cheers.) The case of the union was eitui lar to the reform; both dealt with privileges, not with property. There was un pat tof t he corporate property toadied; the powers of c ( "P"atielts were not annulled—there was no extension of rights—uu eiteries of property or pecuniary possessions affected. (Hints.) Hoping as sincerely as the noble and learned fuel did that the union was a final iiud irrevocable meitsure—joining with bite in the wish that it might never be distut bed —believ leg that its repeal would be neither fur the advantage of Iretaiel our the prompt' ity of the empire at large —concurring with him that it woulit be neither for the honour of the King nom the safety of the subject, he still could yield no assent to the other senti ments of .the noble and learned lord; he could not agree with him, for example, That the precedent upon which he se much melied was at all in point, fur the reason was plain enough why afre Irieh beroughs did not claim to be heard by coepeta : they, received each E 15,000 as compeusation to reconcile them to the flieasere of disfranchisement, and that circumstance, he pre sumed, manila be considered sufficient to account for their not having petitioned. lie deemed it not unfitting to make these few remarks, just to let their lordships see the value of the pre• Wisli t the he e ti ilel d rui.: e bg u wah t uereu c roe i nfi t , e etai d iedni eac b cs y li t ea: t yi t tu. e ysi ande of rthgfheoi airwit atehhtsaelersa that step tlitedl petitioners I tuf: . ehtrri sis(ti noble brnagine aoi, friFurends (oetiagrafer h udeu i er n anae t he e , worthy mode than that would be of meeting a measure to which they were adverse—a proceedin g to which no consideration would induce hint to become a party. On the question that the bi.i be read a second time, The Earl of FA 1.110 took that opportimity of putting a question to the trouble viscount at the heed of his Majesty's the u bill stow t 7 t o b il e si l d ko e u ra s consideration. government on a subject which was intiinately counected with the table st( t i v w he u the d l r::t i t .e o he o t i t n r oble viscount (Melbourne) would have ally objection to kept by the th s o e t. ho cu a n i s •d id o e f mk e b o:n i t i i iffi ss e io u i l i t e y r .s Lond ,f o rn n odn ? ltetn 'l h : ie h l ii nv t :t d ie. ;: i . la u nl i a : ; ; ; : : , )Clu i lt r u,a l d ) r r ew t o tr il:i .si t! in : ita , i eh c v i l e l t : ) ,:i e a u h: l i tie d j i tti n .iib r g ipt e u a l th i i riae v y svi e: oe i t t t r. s t h ee i t e t t hi l .e i r g e r : rhei armingrn proeeedings of the commission which, in his opinion, called for some further itiformation. Viscount MRtßoultNit said if such a hook existed, it could only have been intended for the piirposes of the commissioners' private reference, and therefore he could not see the propriety of producing it. The Earl of Fe Lstor contended that by recent acts of par liament-under the pour law art, f or i nstmce—it was specially directed that a minute-book sh ou ld b e kept, iu which all pro ceedings of the board shonid be duly entered, It was, there fore, impossible to believe that no such book existed in tbe pre sent case. Viscount MELBOURNE intililatell that if it did exist, he should refuse its production. 'the Earl of FA imorrti.—Then let it Ao forth to the coun try, that us there must necessarily be a minute-Look kept by this board of commissioners, the noble viscount positively refuses to produce it. (Hear.) 'The. bill was then read a second time; it having been agreed that counsel should be heat don Thursday Friday, and Satur day, at five o'clock, and the principle of the hill discussed on the motion for going into co mmittee.—Adjourned at 1) minutes to nine o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—WIMNESDAT. The ballot on the Carlow (county) election petition pre- vented the gai!ery from being opened until after four o'clock, when a great outolier of petit unA, were presented to the house. THE LADIES' GALLERY. Mr. G. BERKELEY, SITIICIEt cheers and laughter, brought up the report upon the ladies' gallery. Th e hon. neither moved that it do lie on the table. ( Loud cheers.) The hcn. member thimatuved that it be printed. (Vociferous cheering.) •- Hats coAcu CONTRACTS. • Dir. WArtauxTOk oiled whether it wat ilite.ailed to ettatul GREAT YARMOUTH PETITION COMMITTEE:. Dr. NICHOL!. wished to know from the hon. and learned member (Mr. Wason) when he intended to present the petition which he spoke of nu a former evening? He did not think it was fair to the committee now sitting to have a petition of this kind hanging over their heads. Mr. WasoN said, that if the hon. and learned gentleman had had the courtesy to give him notice of the question—(cries of "Oh, oh !)—he woulo have been prepared to answer it. lie bad understood that an bon. member had come down to that coin mittee and inflicted a string of resolutions upon it. The hon. member was proceeding, when A Memuer rose to order. The hon. and learned member bad no right to go into a long statement in answering a question, and still less to refer to what took place in a committee appointed by the house before that committee had reported. Mr. WAsoN said that he would not give an answer to the question unless he were allowed also to give his reasons for .the course he was prepared to take. Mr. C. W. WYNN said it would be only courtesy for the bbn. member to answer the question one way or the other, but it vies quite irregular for the hon. and learned member to a ll ude to the conduct of any member - in the committee. After an oiloervatiun from Mr. Wason, which did not reach the reporteie gallery, Mr. C. W. WYNN said he understood the petition related to the eundut:t o: the committee. M. WAsoN replied that the petition did not refer t ► th.: con duct of the cointurt:ee, but to Some.resolutions whiph had been u m :reed to in it. Dr. NICHOLL thought it eteeedingly oaf:Li:4l)ot a...,petition should be allowed to hang over the heads of a committee ap pointed tor a particular purpose, while they were performing the duty which the house had imposed uu them. Mr. Wssos repeated his objection to give an answer, unless lie were at the same time allovied to state his teasons fur the course he iuteuded to pursue. - IRELAND. Lord iklortPETH gave notice, that on Wednesday he would inure for leave to bring i❑ a bill for the better prevention of uffence4 against the peace in Ireland. Ct3L'RCli 01 1 11ti , .1.AND BILL The house went iuto cotainittee on this bill, and proceeded as far.as the 49ili clause, no opposition being of f ered; but ministers themselves proposed and carried some aniendments. The only circumstance worth reporting is the following:—The Irish Attoruey-Gractal having proposed an amendment in dense 9, Mr. WeoNNALL exclaimed in a very snipy tone to Mr Per rin—".Leave your amendments out—it is an idle mockery to introduce all these things into the bill." (" hear, hear," from the Irish members.) The hon. and learned member proceeded to say, that if the Attorney-Genera fur Ireland's amendinents were agreed to, it would be a million to one against the reduc tion of the amount of composition in any case. At all events, the time prescribed in'the clause (six weeks) within which the claims for the revisiun of compositions must be made should be extended. It should be three mouths at least. Ile concluded by again expressing his disapprobation of the amendments pro posed by the Attorney-General fur Irelaud, and said that the bill, instead of tranquillizing the people of Ireland, would be considered an additional insult by them, if the persons seeking to se-open the tithe compositions should be turned un round technicalities. The Chairman reportea progress, and obtained lease t agaiu to-oma row. 'rile other orders of the day were diaposed of, oud the house edjoul &led at a quarter put uue o'clock. HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUEsDA Y. Sir JaatEis GaAitAm brought up the second, third, and fourth report Of the select committee on pistol discipline. Mig4I:CIPAL unIIPOKATIoIss Petitions. spinet - this toll were presented from Carmarthen b Lord Etyneetw; float Orauthent by Lord Willoughby de hrresby ; front Boston and Hereretri by Earl Brosidow ; from ' the may or and aldermen of Grantham, and front 6.&99 freemen of the city of Ciereutq by the Duke of Cuuiberlaud ; from Truto by the Earl of ealualutb, who rebutted, iu indignant ternik the charges a n.l misrepresentation* brought against that corporation by the conniussioticis in their report : thekr pool. l tious pray ell to be heard by counsel at the bur of the house; from •Dafteireith and Iletivitree by the Earl of Devon ; from Alnwiek by the Duke of Northumberland; troop !twofold by the Marquis of Saiisnury ; from Lancaster by Lord Skelniers dale. and from the motor, Llaiiiffs, «nd cut:menially of the city of Coventry, playing to be heard by counsel ageibst the bar by Viscount SIKA:.nt specking of what would be the operation of the hill in that plat* as respected the freemen, said that this bed woulri deprive 2.000 young men cf rights the attainment of which they had anxiously expected. (Hear.) hadvosuratted the mitigation of apprentices on the faith of the printese held iiut to diein;fhat, at die expiration of their term of servitude, their good conduct and their honourable ser vice in the humble situation iu which they had been placed wuuld have earned for them the privileges of freemen. This bill, however, took from them the right of voting fur members to serve in parliament for their native city. Its operation would, therefore, bo to repeal, to a certain extent, the provi sions of the reform bill, awl to reduce the number of voters trout 3,600 to something between 1,-/J1 and 1,600. The petitioners went on to state, that they were themselves ready to prove at the bar that the evidence on which the report was tounded, and on which the bill proceeded, it bill which uespoiled them of their property and their fellow-citizens of their rights, was imperfect, partial, and inconclusive. He should now move that the peti tion be read; and he should afterwards move that its prayer be complied with. Lord .littouottass said, if his noble friend would look at the 67th section of the act, it would show hint that the petitioners were very much mistaken with respect to the operation of one part or the measure. He wuuid say nothing against their be ing heard by counsel; for, in some points of their statement they appealed to have taken au accurate view of the bill. One of their complaiuts, however, was, that borough property would under I b is bill be coufiscated. He, however, vend very easily show that they were doing nothing uow whit u the% hiol nut doors with respect to the Scotch bortmgils two pa is a z o, and that too without a division. (" Hear, hear," from Viscount Sirens:lord) He (Lord Brougham) knee that his noble friend was not sa tiAtiAl with that ailusiun. lie. certainly' did nut Ilieeto the oh ' servatitui as an arytarnetititin ati much as he esteeme d • and admired the man. (A laugh) Still, however, he muin tented that they Isere called on to du nothing inure in this in stance than they bed already done in the case of the Scotch burghs. Further, he would argue that the part of the bill to which he was referring involved a principle of preservation, not of confiscation. Ile wonel say that property was confiscated by the malversation of that property, (Hear, hear.) This was the same cart of confiscation which their lordships had agreed to without a division iu 18:33; it was the same sort of confisca tion which they were constantly in the habit of sanctioning, when,sitting in their judicial cap ac i ty , t h ey had to give judg ment in cases where one man by frau'd got possessiou Of ano ther man's property. It was the &MIS In kotc , utiscatien to which his noble friend (Lord Plunkett) was a petty in tic Irish Court of Chancery—the saute Sort of confiscation which be sanctioned for flour years, witotitig one day, in the Court c r. Chancery in England—the same sort of confiscation which his hon. and' learned friend on the woolsack was frequently a party to in his court. When he as vice-chancellor found a trustee who availed himself of his situation to apprupriat e fonds to his own us., which were intended for the oats of another, he, 10 use the phraseology which had been this evening used, vonGs cuted it. They called it iu equity restoring the property, hut the petitioners denominated it contiseatiou. (A laugh.) The petition stated, "that certain lands, and other property to a large am oun t, h a d been b e queathed by pious i ndividua l s for charitable uses," and, according to the opening-or his noble.] friend, the bill would take away this property, would confiscate I it, and apply. itlo'perfectly differeutnstesSruns those fur which it was intended. But what said the 67th clause?: It, set forth, " that the trueteesunder the bill shall stand seised and 13chiseesect the time for making - tenders y r contrActs with respect to mail coaclics ? Mr. LA Rouen ERE was tmderstood to reply, that under all the circumstances, he did not think the extension of the time de sirable. Mr. Wsu.scE hoped that the attempt now made to .saddle the country with the old establishment would not be permitted. He understood that new plans of coaches of an improved con struction were ready to be tender e d, a nd th e public ought to have the advantage of those improvements. BONDED WAREHOUSES Mr. BAINE asked whether it was the intention of govern ment to extend the bunding and warehousing system to certain out-pins ? Mr. P. Timm sots was understood to say that it was not the intention of government to bring in any measure uu the subject in this or even the next session. K 1 NGSTON-UPON-H UL L ELECTION Mr. BANNERMAN appeared at the bar with the report 6f the committee appointed to try the merits of the petition against the late return fur Hull. 'the cotnmitte reported that T. P. Thompson, Esq. was duly elected. to serve in parliament fio. the borough of dull—that neither the petition nor the opposi tion to it was frivolous or vexatious, and that the committee had struck off certain names from the poll 7 book. The report was brought up, and ordered to lie on the table. THE BUDGET. The Marquis of CHANDOs asked when the Chancellor of the Exchequer would be ready with his financial statement? Lord J. ltusss►.►. believed his right hon. friend would be ready to bring forward his statement on Monday, hut, in the absence' of his tight hon. friend, he would not pledge himself that it would be made on that clay. The noble lord then ex pressed a 11.,pe that those hon. members whose motions stood before that of his right hon. and learned friend the Attorney- General for Ireland, would give way ; and allow him to bring on the motion respecting Irish munic►pal corporations. ItVGISTRA CION IN IRELASID: Mr. E. TENnENT asked whether government was prepared with any measure for the improvement of the parliamentary registration in Ireland ? _ Lord Mottearti said that a measure was in preparation on the subject. . natio-Loom wnavalts. Mr. .1. MAXWELL then rose to briny; forward the motion of which he had given notice on this subject. Ile had nir wish to throw any impediment in the way of any measure nt govern ment, but he did not think that he should discharge his duty if he did not bring forward a motion which involved not merely the comforts, hut he might almost add the existence of nearly one million of individuals. The case of the hand-login weavers was one of nearly complete destitution. lie might cite thousands of instances where individuals had been reduced from a state of comparative eoinfi)rt to almost starvation. He would mention as an illustration of a w hole class of cases that of an intelligent weaver who•was summoned as a witness ,before a comintttee which sat no the subject in Mr. Pitt's time. That man could then earn 275. a-week. At present, though hut-dened with increased taxes.ang °bilged to work itra ,hours a-day,more, 116 could not earn more than Os. 6d. a-weet. Had not the pour' hand-loom weaver good reason to .complaia of this change ? .Other classes were protected; the brewer and distillers were protected from foreign competition, but the hand-loom weaver was not protected against it. The hon. member then proceeded to contrast the general condition of the band-lompweave.rs at that time with what it was in the present day. lie added, that they did not ask that the interests of other classes should be sacrificed on their account. All they asked was, that they might be - put into a condition which would enable them to sup port existence by obtaining the same degree of protection which was extended to other classes. The hon. member coucaoled a speech of considerable length by moving for leave to bring in a bill for the better protection of the artizans of Great Britain and Ireland employed in weaving by hand-loom. Sir MICHAEL SHAW STEWART seconded the motion, 'which' op a division was negatived, the numbers being For the motion Against it Majority against it -88 CONSOLIDATION OF PUBLIC OFFICES. Mr. S. Rice then moved for leave to bring in a bill to con solidate the offices of Paymaster of the army, Paymaster of the Navy, Paymaster of Chelsea hospital, and Treasure, of the Ordnance. The house was awiare, that on the formation of the present government he had given notice of his intention to bring in a bill for this purpose. His right hon. friend (Sir H.. Parne,ll) now held the three offices of Paymaster-General, Pay master of the Navy, end Treasurer of the Ordnance,' under three separate appontmente, and the object of the bill was to make one appointment suffice for the three offices. Thee had found from experience that the duties of these otlices could be advantageously performed by one person, and when this conso lidation was effected it would enable the government to make further reductions in the subordinate departments. In point of fact, there were not three, but four offices, which would be con solidated, because the office at Chelsea was connected with the Pay-office. The right hon. gentleman then read some papers which he held in his hand a comparative statement of the ex pense of salaries paid to the heads of these deprtments iu times past, of the present charge under this head, and of the saving which would he made under the proposed arrangement. He would only further observe, that, in carrying this arrange ment into effect the government would pay due regard to the claims of those officers who had been employed in these depart ments, but whose future services might not be required. Mr. HOME was extremely happy that the right hon. gentle man had at last brought in this bill. He hoped he would situ plify the mude in which this branch of the public business was conducted. Mr. B. 1 - lor was afraid, that whatever was tavern expense by this consolidation would be lost in efficiency. * Leave was then given to bring in the bill. Mr. Hosts moved fur severalicturns.—Agreed to. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. • Mr. Got - Lnuarr wished to know train the noble lord opposite, if it as his intention to proceed with the Irish Church bill to morrow or if he then meant to int ro du c e the I r i s h Corpora tion bi ll. Lord J. HussELL said he shOuld propose that the order of the, day should be read for going on with the Irish Church hilt itt the first place. The orders of the day were then disposed of. Poon . t.ASV COMMISSION. Mr. WAK LEY was desirous of :eking wheu the report or the poor law connuissioners.vould be said on the table.• Mr. F. MA LA.2 said that he had received a note-the other day from the head of that commission, stating that repOrt worth! be ready in a very short time, which as soon as it was ready should be laid on the table. Mr. BR oTIiEn2 . ON in.ived that the house do now adjourn. Adjourned at half -past twelve o'clock. HOUSE OP LORDS.--Witrisimsnsv. Some petitions against the corporation bill were presented to the house. Some private bills were brought up from the other house, and a report from the commissioners fur building churches was received showing their expenditure for a given period; after which the house adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—WEDNESDA Y. Mr. 'fooK K presented a petition from the mortgagees of 49000 upon the Sputuhead Point Lighthouse, complaiumg that the bill of Mr. Hume was a gross violation of private property. ......- . . . STEAM ISAVIGATII/N. Lotd SA N noN presented a petition from the pilots of Liver pool against the bill for exempting steani-vessels from pilotage dues. IPSWICH ELECTION. Mr. FP,ESHFIELD moved the order of the day for resuming the adjourned dehAte upon the motion that Mr. Clipperton be' called to the bar of the house and discharged. A slim t discus sion arose on this question, which was carried by a tnajority of 22. PROCLAMATION OP DON csitros. Captain Botnatto bogged to ask whether his Majesty's go vernment had received any information of the shooting three British seamen by order of Don Carlos, in virtue of his decree of the 28th June .? He wished to know whether these men were armed or unarmed. Lord PALMERSTON said the only information government had received was a letter from the officer coinmauding the Ringdore. The letter stated that three English seamen be !oiling to the steamer Aegna d' Krpagnola, who were stranded near Bilbua were taken prisoners, and one of them who made the (Treat...mt. resistance was instantly shot. (Hear.) Th e l etter stated that this had been done in consequence of the proclaim.- lion of Don Carlos, that the life of no foreigner taken in anus would be spared. This was all the information government had reeeive4. The men were not mariners in his Majesty's men ice, but in that of the Queen of Spain. The stemn-vessel had ai l e d in tiefence orßilboa—the three men bad strelltd outof thetown and had beeettaken by surprise. IRISII BILL The house, on . the motion of Lord Mon PETH, ..went into conunitwe on this hill. The remaining clauses were 'Atli! and agreed to. The house having resumed, Lord Morpeth moved that the bill be recommitted for the purpose of considering the additional clauses which it was proposed to engraft upon the bill Upon these clauses the house was in deliberation when the last reports were dosed. CHEAP KNOWLEDGE Knowledge is power !—Get knowledee—horipsily if you can—but at all events get knoteledgc,--( Cheap knotelefig‘J-mungering motto.) WANTED IMMEDIATELY, a great number of clever handy scissors-anti-paste men,- whose-business it will bit to keep a sharp look out for early impressions of the atanrped morning and evening papers, and to snip, tut, and slash thereout all the news and original seticlea, and to paste and prepare the same for speedy republication (without the stamp) for the use anti behoof of a posse of ezmutms LIBERA LS who. have resolved to avail themselves of Usc labour and capital of the present news paper proprietors, in miler that the nightmen, scavengers, chimney-sweepers, cab and buss drivers, drovers, carters, ploughboys, and journeymen -knacker, 'of these realms, may obtain cheap knowledge and become a match rot their masters. Persons applying to be appointed to the scissor-and-paste pot department of this establishment will be regoiredlirstly to entertain extremely liberal notions on the riltis of Invent el lawn in respect to every body b u t t h e i r emp l oyers; stxundly, they will be required to give in an estimate of the least poasthis quantity of money upon which they can exist and do their duty to their etnploye s; and thirdly aid lastly, they will be ex pected to give ample security for sticking to the employment provided fur them, and never running away from it on any pre tence whatever. Apply to the Cheap - Knowledge-mongering Junta—care of the landlord of the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand ; or to Messrs. Lord Brsughum, Daniel O'Connell, Joseph 1 - lurne and Arthur lioebtick, Penny contractors for Cheap Knowledge, St. Stephen's Chapel, Westminster. • N.B.—Ali applications by leiter must be post paid ; ot herwise they will nut be received —the Cheap Knumedge-mougering Junta being determined to distountenauce and suppress all ex truvagani expenditure, and confidently hoping ere tong to utterly and fur es er abolish that iniquitous impost en the interchange of mind, vulgarly denominated " postage duties." 40 ,01 Cheap Knowledge' now ready for delivery : I.—Mr, Ilinne's Essay on Cheek Scrip, neatly bound in rough ca 1: and a treatise on the legislatorial capacities of a Goose. Also by the same author, an estimate of the expense of the Parliamentary returns moved for and obtained but never used, IL—Lord Brougham's Penny Magazine, No. 182,67G—con touting an interesting anecdote of 1/ cock and a bull—showing why the cock crows, and why the bull wears horns; and why , the twigs of the bttul a alba hive been kdopted by all the school master's of Europe, time out of mind, as the cheapest and most efficient instrum en t for the imitilling of knowledge at the wrong end of t he young of the genus lunne. 111.--Mr. Roebuck's three halfpenny treatise on the popu lation of Kin_gsmead in the c ity o f B a th. IV.—Dr. Bowring's celebrated summing up of the benefits which have resulted to this country by his- labours on the Con tinent with an estimate of the cost thereof; and a sympathetic sonnet on single-sided reciprocity. ADMIRAL PA KENHAM.--We are happy to sarthat tho ac couut of the death of this touch-respected and gallant pet village, copied from a Hampshire paper, tuts no foundation in 'fact The Admiral has.beea indisp‘,yed, out is nuw, we ploire to say. ;tut only: out or Ail dancer but is in a state of rogiessisa eon valuscauste. Atoll. JULY 31. 1835-, ASSIZIe INTL LLIGEI),-tE CHELMSFORD, Titi•asnar, Juty 2:3. George Crinfield, aged 34, labourer, was iudicted for baring feloniously antis maliciously set fire to a barn, and ther e Ly de stroyed vorn, Sic., the property of G. Wood, at Burrs, near Suiniurv, on the night of the 24th of March last. The jury, alter being absent for a considerable tiro., recurc &GI with a verdict of guilty. The prosecutor recommended the. prisoner to mercy. His lordship, having put au the black cap, proceeded in the usual way to pass the sentence of death. Joseph Fitzgerald, aged 20, labourer, and Charles Jones, tinman, were indicted f o r bu rg l er i ous ly tit caking and entering the dwelling.huuso of Jonathan B u ll, a t Ardleigh, on the night. of the 23d of January, and stealing some articles of wearing apparel, several watches, some silver, an a promissory note for £5. Charles Jones pleaded guilty. The prosecutor, an old man of 72 years of age, stated that on the night in question he was awoke at about twelve o'clock by seeing one man in the staircase with a light and an iron bar, and hearing the voice of another. The prisoner Fitzgerald was the man with the light. He carried a torch in one hand and a crowbar in the other. His face was besmeared with paint, and he looked very frightful. The witness was very much frighten ed. The prisoner of erwards came into the room, and, seiz►ng him by the throat, demanded sonic money. The witness seized a stick, but the prisoner knocked him down, and put the iron to his throat. He begged him not to murder him; but the other man cried out, " Murder the -." The prisoner, after rob bing the house of the articles in question, went away. The prisoner made no defence. Verdict, Guilty. Sentecce deferred. ABSTRACT OF THE BILL FOR ABOLISHING IMPRISONMENT FOIL DEBT. The bill provide., that if the plaintiff in any argon for any debt ( no amount is specified) shall, after suit einnmenced in. any court, show that the sum sought to be recovered is due, and on what account, and that demand for payment was made be fore action brought , plaintiff shall be entitl e d t o a r ole of co u r t giving defendant notice of final judgment,.unless , defendant shall within tell days give security fur debt and costs in case of final judgment against him, or unless sufficient cause hi ehown why final judgment should nut be signed. If plaintiff shall have obtained tinal judgment against a de fendant, and if the defendant shall not satisfy the judgment within ten - days after the same shall have been entered up. a commissioner of bankruptcy shall have power to summon de fendant before him for the purpose of examining him touching his property; and, if he will not attend on a summons, the com missioner is to have power to apprehend him on a warrant. The defer lent is then to be examined on oath touching his property, a specification of which is to made‘out in writing. If the defendant refr.ise.to sign this specification, or to lie mcmv, or to answer questions, the. cimmissioner may cottallii. hiix to prison. The commissioner may, "by a short indorsement on the ape cificati,n 0, memorandum of the defendant's property," assign to a trustee so much of the " lands and tenements, goods and chattels, debts, credits, specialties, securities, or sums of u:ouey, or stocks in the British or other feuds, or of any public corn patty, or other property of the defendant, as shall be sufficient to satisfy the plaintiff's judgment; and such assignment of (lie defendant's lands shall he sufficient to pass any lands, tene ments, or hereditaments whereof the defendant ;hall be seised in tail, in possession, reversion, or remainder." The trustee, on receiving such assignment, to dispose of _the property to discharge plaintiff's judgment, and to pay over the surplus, if any, to defendant. . - If the property be insufficient to satisfy the judgment, de fendant may be again examined, and required to assign other property, or satisfy plaintiff's claim. • Parties dissatisfied with the decision of the commissioner may appeal to the court from which the judgment was issued. Sheriffs prevented making execution by any incumbiance may inquire into the natur e of it. _ • Any judgment obtained to have effect upon stuck in the funds, or of any public company. Sheriffs also empowered to seize obligations and securities belonging to a judgment debtor, and assign them to plaintiff for his debt,. for which the plaintiff may sue in his own name as assignee of his debtor. Having thus explained the manner in which debts of any de scription are to be recovered,the bill proceeds to state that, if the defendant be a trader, and shall not satisfy the judginent within twenty-one days after it is signed, he shall be deemed to have committed an act of bankruptcy. If a debtor owe debts to the amount of £2OO, and has assets to the amount of £5O, he may present a petition to the commis sioners giving a true account of his property and liabilities; but before stii:h a petition can be teceived notice most be given to all his creditors. The notice of petition to be inserted in the Gazette. The commissioners to appoint two public hearings of the petitioner, the last on. the forty-second lay from filin g th e petition. . . . . Official assignees to be appointed to act with the assignees of petitioner's estate. After filing the petition all the prisoner's personal estate and effects, present and future, whether in Great Britain, Ireland, or in any hart of his Majesty's colonies, to vest in the issignees. The pay, half-pay, or pension of any petitioner having been an officer iu the army, navy. excise, or customs, or in the mili tary or civil service of the East India Company, not to be taken for the purpose of this act ; but a portion may be appropriated ou application to the court. Petitioners to deliver up their books of accounts upon oath, and to explain their contents. Commissioners to have power to order concealed property to be seized, and to ,break open premises to secure it. Property seizable in Scotland. After the last examination, petitioner may compound with his creditors. Three-fourths of the creditors in number and value, who shall have proved their debts, agreeing to accept the same, the couimissioner may dismiss the petition, and declare ail the proceedings thereunder mill and .void. Debts to be proved at public meetings appointed for the purpose. Commissiouers may order six months' aalares to ho paid, if not exceeding .f.:50, or two weeks' wages to workmen, if nut exceediug 40s. • Cumnii: , siutier may return a portion of an apprentice-fee, or assign an apprentiee to another person. Commissioner to inquire into the nature of debts sought to be proved. To prevent frauds on conveyance of property to be good unless wade three months before filing ;tie petition. Assignees may obtain a sequestration of the profits of any benefice or curacy tor the payment of the debts of. any clergy man. • Distress for rent not to be avails-ble for more than one year's rent; the landlord may pro Ye for the residue. Where'petitioners are.entitled t o l e a se s whi c h the assignees have accepted, the petitioner not liable fer altar rent. Assig nees not obliged to accept leases or agreements, not to complete the purchase of any estate, unless they think fit to do so. Commissioner to have power to sell copybottl or other land belonging to petitioner; may summon petitioner before,,biin at any tune for examination, or persons supposed t have property belonging to him; May take evidence vied voce or upon affida vits; and may examine petitioner's wife touching his property. If any goaler suffer a person committed under this act to escape, to forfeit £s:y). Porsous concealing any part of petitioners' estate after busiest examination to forfeit ELK and double the value of the pro petty so concealed. The commissioner to have power to snake an allowance to a petitioner until he shall have passed his last exam/Fallon. Proceedings tinder the act not liable to stamp duty. Assignees to keep an account of petitioners' property, but the creditors arc to direct Wilert it is to be lodged fur safe custody. If any assignee retain money ordered to be invested, or per mit his co-assignee to retain or employ it, to be charged 20 per cent. interest. Commissioners may order money to be invested in govern ment securities. An assignee hemming a petitioner, and having money in his bands belonging to an estate, not to be discharged front his lia bility from that debt except fur the amount of dividend paid. Interest to be charged upou the whole amount of the debt. Assignees' accounts to oe audited, and dtvideuds made at pub lic meetings of creditors. ' Assignees may compound with petitioner's debtors; mutual aebts to he set off against each other. Every petitioner who shall have in all thing s con f orme d him self to tills act shall be discharged from his debts, and shall have a certificate which is to be signed by a certaio number of his creditors; but no petitioner is to have a certificate if tie has lost by any sort Of gaining and wagering in one day 120, or if be shall within one year next preceding the tiling of his pe tition have lost L2OO by speculating in the funds, or if he shall have destroyed Or Kinn cut his books or ; old ings, made fraudulent entries in his accounts, concealed propene, or al lowed a false debt to be proved against his estate. . All fraudulent contracts to order to obtain signatures of ere dittos to the certitieaie to he void. Many persons having given large sums of money by deed.' will, or otherwise, for the relief of petsous imprisoned for debt, in future such money is to be paid to the accountaot.generat, who is to carry it to the credit of the fee fund. Pioperty in the hands of the proyisional assignee of the insolvent court, or vested in the funds for the benefit of the insolvent wort, to be vested in the accountant-general. Old commissions and fiats to be removed to the court of the commtssiouers; .and insolveut debtors are to be under the jurisdiction of •the commissioners wider this nil. DobtorsOintler the pretence of eariyitfg-on btkaness, obtaih goods under fake pretenecs, to betznprisoned not exceeding two years, with or without hard labour, as the court shalt think fit. Courts of Request may imprison debtors, incase of fraud, for any time not exceeding thirty clays, nor less than feu, and that without destroying the right of the creditor to recover any debt owing to any such debtor. • Debtors making fraudulent grants with intent 'to defraud any creditor, to be imprisoned two years, with or Without hard 4abou r. Debtors concealing their property to be deemed guilty of it misdemeanour, and liable to three years' imprisonment, with or without hard labour. Persons guilty of pee jury to be punished ft+E such offence. Debtors making false accounts or statements to be liable to two years' imprisonment, with or without hard labour. Debtor falstt►ing or mutilating his books, &e., to be liable to three years' imprisonment. Debtors absconding to be liable to twelve months' imprison ment. After the passing of the act the power or arrest to cease, and no person is to,he arrested tor nebt unless he is about to ab scond, or on special order made by one of the judges, and then the party is to be admitted to bail. Persons in contempt for non-payment of money oi costs only shall out be arrested, except they are about to abscond. Any prisoner who shall at the commencement of this act be in custo dy for any debt shall be entitled to his dischar g e ; but he is li able to be detained, or after such discharge to Le again . arrested upon such process as might after the conunet;cetneut , of this act have been sued out against hint, had he not been se t previously arrested. Prisoners in custody in execution for any debt or damages, or 7 for contempt for non-payment of money er costs, io be entitled . to their discharge; but tnvir propeity is to be liable-to such pk ceedings as might after the commencement of this lAA have be taken in case the debtor had trot been arrested. Defendants in judgment for critu. con., seduction, breach of promise of marriage, libel, slander, or in any other action for a malicious injury, or in any action of tort or trespas, to be im prisoned not more than two years.—The act is to commence Jun. 1, 1836. T A x ON OLD !het-mimes.— On the last clay of the last session of the Maine Legislature Mr. Smart, of Tay, introduced in tile House of Representatives a bill to tax "oleitrclieiors, tbr the benefit of Maiden ladies of a cer tain age!" 'I is created nut only. a long but amusing debate. Several emeodineuts were in troduced by the bachelors, one of which was, that every person who had been crossed iu love more than five times should beer empted from the provisions of the act. Mr. Jordan oi Raymond, to amend the bill, se tiro bachelors should receive a omintv itt Norma) to their ages, and ailvueeted his wotioa st length. The bill was finery reterred.to the nest legislate:l% 07- in the bachelors staple time, if they think pr,•pvt, to ese'ttp• train its clu:t hey:—+l+Rs riges torTlrEt, from till ~Ve ( the we with th his M 'word s, ' Sit 4. nightt 11 4(1 —but Itient w , V , ts A ? MONAit D en ,. 4)f thi, . ' ' . . ' ' .I._ EN Flai Sig n 'arm, or t h e 411, 1 tia .a)revioi / 3 011 It„es 111 ( Airead tele, July savag, vag , til e 0 i 46 0 1 itim e Iv i tick is asei the ht. eft th ose vhai S ever woum W ere, tilciod4 t or i ne tx cep , would ' a bera, w hich hands iii 16 The worth I 'n'•;a Fill , I t Stize, %el►'e 1 4114 11 is foo ~''~hal Prop ( ,__ or a d Dill 0- (if Pare r l 'hintl; the. h 4 1)tet Petit; he he °Pitli l egel not 1 the t Pc/se l °Pot CI