The Express.
London, England, 1847-04-16 00:00:00

INFLUX OF IRISH PAUPERS.

—....-..
Lord BROUGHAM, in presenting a petition from the
' parish of St. George-the-Martyr, was about to state its ob-
ject, when the confusion in the house rendered him so in-
audible, that the noble lord exclaimed : '• There is such a
noise at the bar, that unless it ceases I shall be under the
necessity of saving that I see strangers in the house, and
bare the bar cleared, so that the business of the house may
go on ; I shall move that the bar be cleared, and shall persist
in that motion, if what I say has no effect. las about so
put a question to the government, and if they do not hear it
and I do not hear their answer, we might just as well not
be in the house." (Hear, hear.) The noble lord then pro-
ceeded to say that the petitioners, while they regretted the
prevailing distress in Ireland, stated that the poor-rates ia
their parish after the Ist December had been double what
they were before, and that nine oat of ten of the persons re-
ceiving relief came from the sister kingdom, and were
brought up by contracts entered into at the seaports, by
which the parties naturally, and, perhaps, not unjustifiably,
endeavoured to get rid of the pressure on themselves.
He (Lord Brougham) bad received letters from the magis-
trates of Liverpool, nhich stated that the influx of Irish
paupers was increasing. On Sunday last 3,714 came over,
and on the next day 2,3.16, making an aggregate of 6.070 in
two days. The arnountof the influx had more than trebled, for
whereas it had been 900 a day, it was now 3,000. He thought
that permanent measures could best be discussed after the
castigation of the pressure.
THE GOVERNMENT SCHEME OF EDUCATION.
Lord BROUGHAM presented a number of petitions from
protestant dissenters against the government plan of educa-
tion. He was prepared to take his share of the
responsibility of the preposition of the government,
and he regretted that so much objection was made
to so harmless and safe a measure. Money for
purposes of education had been granted for yews' and it
was only increased now. The plan had only been reduced
to writing; there had been no change of principle, nor had
any greater powers been given to the established church, or
any taken away from the dissenters; on that cardinal point
there had been no change. He did not expect to live to see
the Protestant church overthrown, and the Roman Catholic
church established in its stead. He would rather perish
than see that. (Hear.) He thought of all other persons the
protestant dissenters ought not to object to this plan. He
wished to correct another mistake. It had been said that by
his bill of 1820 no control of the schools had been given to
the established church that was not the fact, for it was on
that ground that the dissenters objected to it. He wished
to ask whether a statement which he had seen—that the
authorised version of the scripture* was exclusively to be
used in the schools—WY correct ?

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE was understood to say
that the minutes of the council of education were essentially
the same in principle as the former ones; and no new prin-
ciple was involved in them. The authorised version of the
scriptures was to be used exclu-ively in the schools.
Lord BROUGHAM said that he was sorry that the mea-
sure had not been brought forward in the shape of a bill'
Lord BEAUMONT expressed his concurrence in what
had fallen from his noble and learned friend, that the effect
of the exclusive use of that version of the Scriptures would
be to exclude the Roman Catholics. . . .

Lord STANLEY in presenting several petitions from
protestant dissenters in Lancaster against the government
plan of education, expressed his dissent from their prayer.
He agreed with his noble friend (the Marquis of Lansdowne)
that this plan was little more than an extension of the prin-
ciple of the measure of 1833. Although he differed on most
points with the petitioners, he concurred with them in oqe
objection to this plan which he had stated in 1839, namely
the irresponsible power which was given to the privy
council.
body of men uncontrolled by act of parliament, and although
he was aware of the difficulty of obtaining the consent ef par-
liament to any measure for education, he regretted that it was
lento the uncintrolled discretion of the government of the day.
It world be competent for the government to issue new
minutes of council, and so to alter the authorised version of
the scriptures to be read in the schools from time to time
without consulting parliament. This he thought was a dis-
cretiontuy power far too large to be intrusted to any tiovern-
reent. In this respect he still entertained the objections he
had expressed in 1839.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, of whose observations
only a few disjointed words could be heard in the gallery,
was understood to contend that the government would be
annually responsible to parliament for the mode in which
the education was administered, when the vote was called
for. With regard to the administration of the funds by the
privy council, instead of the lords of the tresiary, the only
practical difference would he that the privy counciPesould
give more ample details to parliament—there was no change
in the responsibility whatever.
OXFORD, BIRMINGHAM, & WOLVERHAMPTON
RAILWAY.
The Duke of RICHMOND, in reference to the resolution
to which the house had some on a previous evening, to
appoint a committee to consider the matters in
dispute between the Great Western and Mink
Western Railway Companies stated that he tutderstoed
a bill in Chancery had been filed in order to obtain the de-
cision of that court on the subject. Perhaps it would be
desirable before proceeding with the inquiry before the com-
mittee, to ascertain whether such proceedings were pending,
in order that they might not establish the dangerous prece-
dent of interfering with the jurisdiction of the legal tribunals
of the country.
After a few words from Lord LYNDHCRIT and Lord CAMP-
. . .

Dux, which were not heard in the gallery
Lord BROUGHAM remarked, that if all inquiry wu to be
put an end to because proceedings were pending in a court
of equity, it would be in the power of any person by filing a
bill in chancery, at an expense of SI., to put a stop to in-
vestigation in any case.
The Duke of RICHMOND intimated that he would not
press his suggestion farther.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH laid upon the table a
bill relative to the occupation of land in Ireland, which was
seed a first time.

Lord GREY presented two bills, and stated their object,
but not a word of what he said reached the gallery.
Their lordships adjourned at a quarter past a: o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—Teuasner, APRIL 15.
The BPIAKZR took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE Busoress.

PETITIONS.—By Hr. G. R;;Kne7froin the nobility sad gentry of
the (vasty of Carmarthen, against the Holyhead Harbour Bill.
REPORT.—Hyde Improvement Bill.
THIRD READING —lpswich Om Bill.
PUBLIC BUSINERS.
PETITIONS.—Nomerom petition ogeinet the government pion of
education were presented.
FIRST READlNG.—Vagrancy (Ireland) Bill.
THIRD READINGS.—Army Service; Troops during Sections ,
Prison (Ireland. ; Esobegner.bille; Bills.
NEW MEMBER.
Mr. Patexat was introduced by Mr. Fox Moult and
another hon. membi r, and took the oaths and his seat for
the eastern division of the county of Somerset, in the room
of Col. Gore Langton, deceased.
MASTERSHIPS IN CHANCERY.
Mr. HUME asked whether, in consequence of the va-
cancy that had now occurred in the masterships in chancery,
there was any intention of making the changes which seemed
so necessary.
Lord .1. RUSSELL said that the Lord Chancellor had paid
very deliberate attention to the subject, and he had come to
the conclusion, from the connexion of the ofSoers of the
Court of Exchequer with the mastership; in chancery, that
it was not necessary to appoint a master in chancery to till
the existing vacancy.
JEWISH DISABILITIES.

Mr. SPOONER asked whetherit ;;;;he intention of
government to remove those disabilities which prevented
persons of the Jewish persuasion holding seats in that house ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said he wished to be understood as
saying that it was not the intention of government to bring
in any specific measure with reference to the laws disabling
Jews from sitting in parliament, but that if any general
measure with reference to oaths were introduced, it might
form part of that measure, to take out those words in the
various oaths which prevented the Jews from holding cer-
tain offices or from slang in parliament. It wee net at all
probable that he should introduce any such measure in the
course of this mission ; but le would not give an absolute
pledge that the subject might not be taken up.

THE EDUCATION GRANT.

....
Sir J. GRAHAM wished to ask—the noble lord two
questions, of which he had given notice, with respect
to the minutes of council on education, and referring to
two points, en both of es hick it was highly desirable that no
doubt should remain. First, whether, under the 01111111 Mb of
council, as heretofore, no aid would be girkn to any school
which was not in oenuexion with one or other of the two
societies, the National Society, or the British and Foreign
School Society? If it was answered that it was the inten-
tion of government to carry that aid further and beyond
this limit, then the second question was, whether it would be
limited to those schools in which the authorised version of
the scriptures was used ?
Lord J. RUSSELL said he would endeavour to explain
how the matter stood. No alteration had been made by the
minutes of 1845, which had been laid on the table of the
house, with respect to the granting of aid to schools not in
connexion with the National or with the British and Foreign
School Society, or to wheals which did not use
the authorised version of the Scriptures. But in-
quiries had been made with reference to the
intentions of the Committee of Privy Council, and
in the answer given, reference had been made to the
minutes of the committee in 1839. Previous to 1839, the
rule had been that aid should only be granted to the schools
in connexion with those two societies; an 1 the applications
had always been made through those societies, In 1839, the
committee had laid down the rule that they would be ready
to consider other applications not coming through those,
societies ; but the cases must be special ones, and the aid so
given was to be considered u special. It had been lately in-
timated, by the Lord. President of the Council (Lord Lame
downs) that th- council was ready to set upon that Intl
and that he did not think the totandttee of council