The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-13 00:00:00

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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.,``
HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAT, Anil'. 12.
The Bezaxas took the chair et 12 o'clock..
PRIVATE BUSINESS...
SECOND READlNO.—lienctoones Corporation Waterworks Act
Amendment 1161.
REPORTS CONSIDERED.—Dover Loading Pier, Folkestont
Wateroneto, Bills
TUIRD READINDA—rn.--
Ne Lunatic Asp.

Bridge, Leieesu
ice-scegital Ade Amrlimet ;
PUBLIC MUM MI.

sEcoxD

7.7ll:7lo;:tiiiiiirrelanc But.

igTlilollll,—ily Ys. E. T. Tariw.lee6l47peiwiLMr. Enwnwo.
gm, time NOW, wriest the Diglemsele leledeme with Corot d
Bisme 1111.--Igr. F. intiewash • =Oft In Lando.,mistCrae
um= Glemeami= Dam fly BIL—Mr. Cannerms, bon eilielniss
fro2l=ilue seinewere
mayaszartiltritty==„
Mr. iILANNT, free•—plem. Is Mew et the ganinerg
Col. Tuoureog, Ism estimgdomere molding in Gimp= 11•111.
Omitting that S per amt ins derped firm them to support
limpital, and praying he robed
NOTICES OF 1101101C.—Csiwrier Descovermitiosr. —Lord Ix.
OESTIIIy on to-morrow (thia day) to move for a return of the number
of special columbine who had been morn in on tie OC.1•1011 of the late
chartist demonatration ; sad also a return of the mom= to which
the Horse Guards and Board of Admiralty had been put in tionsequence
of the measures taken to preserve the public! peace.
Camire AND Goviuutworr demean' Mtg.—Capt. Hauls, in coin.
=um on thin bill, to more &dime, =king it • misdemeanor, punialiv
able by • yeses imprisonment, in any person who mould be proved
guilty of manufacturing, selling, or buying pikes or pike-heads, end
giving the decretary of Hate power to iesue warrants to make me=

o- • —o
frarßroe‘ .oeneaxn, on tomorrow, to oak ',bother It.oo Hu
Intention of the goverment to introduce an Wien OW.

CROWN LANDS.

On the motion of Eord leave was given to
empower the Commissioners of her Illejcsty's Woods to re
claim crown lands and proceed to the completion of the docks
and other works at Birkenhead.
CROWN AND GOVERNMENT SECURITY BILL.
On the motion that the house go into committee on this
bill,
Mr. G. THOMPSON rose to oppose the motion on the
ground that the country were in ignorance of the nature of
tins measure, and hadnot bedtime to express its opinion upon
' it, although it was one of the worst that had been introduced
during the present century. lie could account for its intro-
duction only on the supposition that the government were
panic-stricken by recent events on the continent, and had
come to theiconclusion that her Majesty's throne was in
danger from the deep-seated disloyalty existing throughout
the kingdom. II her Misjesty had been so instructed, if the
royal ear h►d bees so abused, she ought to know that
there was no portion of British territory on which eke
could put her foot where the would not find a warm welcome
at the hands of all classes. (Hear, bear.) But the govern-
ment confounded loyalty to the Queen with obedience to
themselves. (Hear, hear.) He told them that there was
not a cabinet in Europe which lees enjoyed the confidence of
the people than the present government of this country.
(Hear, hear.) They had gated no ground for introducing
the measure. The right hon. baronet had not quoted a
single article or apcech delivered in England, Scotland, or
Wales to justify ham in applying this measure to llngland ;
and even in Ireland he had merely read articles which ap-
peared in the Nation and (',sited Irislonan, mid the
speeches of a few persons belonging to the Irish Confederation.
But it did not follow from this that the whole people of Ire-
land were disloyal, or that even those who heard those
speeches were disaffected. Let them rave at the chartists as
they would—let them endeavour to set the middle cfassa
against them as they would—still he challenged them to
point out any dialog ally on their part. He contended that
the proviso against open and advised speaking might be per-
verted to the meat oppressiv: and unconstitutional objects,
and, in fact, to the utter suppression of all free discussion
whatever. The result would be, that a largely increased
amount of discontent, and even disaffection, would asaame
the form of secret a- sociation—you might call it conspiracy.
He pointed out to the house that the chartists who assembled
la•t Monday on Kennington common were but a small frac-
tion of the chartist body. He paid a tribute of high com-
mendation to the intelligence and honourable character
of the chartist body. He paralleled the position of the char-
tists towards the government with that of the North American
colonists towards the mother country prior to their declara-
tion of independence in 1776. The number of subscribers to
the petition presented on Monday exceeded, in point of fact,
the population of our American colonies at that period. The
ministers of the Queen, when they called upon her to Aix
her sign-manual to this must unconstitutional measure, would
do more to lessen their popularity than any other act they
could commit__ . . .

Mr. B. denounced the measure as a return to
the most unpopular policy of Mr. Pitt. It struck him very
I forcibly that the policy of the day was the policy pursued by
Mr. Pitt in 1795, with this exception, that the descendants
of those who opposed Mr. Pitt at that period were now the
advocates of his policy. (Hear.) Front what be had seen of
the temper of the house within the last few ye►rs he was sa-
tisfied that the house was prepared to do anything that
might be advent to the feelings of the people. In 1795 Mr.
Pitt dared not pass 'oche bill as this ; and was it to he said
that in this advanced period,..of enlightenment they ought to
pans a law which would make things in this country worse
than they were in Russia ? In Rusiia a man might say any-
thing provided he did not offend the authorities, but if this
bill passed such a privilege could not be exercised in this
country. He had no fault to find, he said, with the govern-
ment for their conduct in reference to the meeting on Moe-
day ; the precau:ions they took were quite judicious, but he
protested against the bill they were now seeking to
introduce, trading upon a panic in that house, which, he
verily believed, would induce a large majority there to vote
for a 10 per cent, income tax, if government chose to ask for
it "in the Queen's name." Nothing could be more despic-
able than the manner in which the government put for-
ward the Queen's name as a cover for their own unconatitu-
thinel demands upon the parliament. Why her Majesty was
never more popular than she was at the present moment
throughout the land. (Hear, hear.) As to this bill, it was
preventing that free discussion which had been called the
safety-valve of this country ; and this safety-valve once shut
up, there would be no security against the formation of
secret and armed association', most dangerous to the pesos
and order of the country. Mr. Fox, in his speech sgainst
the measure of Mr. Pitt, denounced the suppression of free
discussion, and said

- ,
" The power and influence of the crown was ao great, that all the
liberty that existed in UM country was preserved only by freedom of
speech
and liberty of the prim • if either of them were oven up, the
only barrier we had against the annihilation of liberty would be emu
piggy deetroyed."— • Depend upon it it men speak lees they will feel
more, and arms will be left than se the only resource to procure re"
dress for themselve', ig exercise vengeance on their opprestoni."—:

itniiianceio such 1 metal
obAgaUon..

He contended that the people had no party in that as-
sembly, and as that and another assembly were now consti-
tuted no chance of obtaining a people's government. The
present administration was a mere collection of political
invalids, resting on one aide en the crutch, Sir Robert Peel,
and on the other on the crutch, Lord G. Bentinek. (Hear.)
Unless the government, however, took the initiative with
some measures of decided reform, and shook off the uneasy
old lady who acted as their secret adviser, he would wars
them that they were involving the country in real danger
from popular disaffection. He saw with alarm that they
were now talking of bringing in an Alien Bill, totally for-
getting, apparently, that it was the Alien Bill of Mr. Pitt
which had mainly tended to produce the great war with
France. In a word, the nominal followers of k'ox were
now reverting to the most tyrannous policy of Pitt.
This tory policy was not confined to the Home Department.
It had already spread itself into the Foreign-otlice. H.
remembered the manner in which the noble lord at the head
of that department last year interfered in the affairs of Por-
tugal, and if he could get an opportunity of meddling with
the affairs of France he would doubtless not let it escape.
There was a certain influence at work which would prevent
his doing that. (No, no.) Hon. members said "no,
no," but let them read the history of 179.5, and there see
what influences were at work then. (Hear.) As one of the
representatives of a large and important constituency he felt
it to be his duty to express his abhorrence of the policy
whisk was about to be pursued by government, and he
called upon the members of that house who had been
returned by liberal constituencies not to be carried away by
a temporary panic. He called upon the shopkeepers of
London, because a few windows had been broken, not to
sacrifice the essential rights of the constitution, but to rally
round thine honourable men who were prepared to fling
from power those professedly liberal ministers who had so
disgracefully deserted their principles.
Mr. AGLIONBY hoped the house would go into com-
mittee on the bill, in order that its objectionable features
might, if possible, be then removed.
Mr. F. O'CONNOR complained of the conduct of the
hon. member for Dublin in giving way to the government on
this oiteation, and observed that the time-serving Irish
mem-
ben, who conciliated government in this sort of way, were
almost as much to blame for the ill administration under
which Ireland suffered as government itself. He referred
to the peaceful demeanour of the meeting on Monday, as a
proof of the loyalty and good feeling of the working clause,
and claimed for himself the credit of having ever discoun-
tenanced and thing approaching te disaffection to the crown
and constitution of this country. It was the government
itself, whose apathy, if not hostility, towards the welfare of
the working dames, was calculated to excite disaffec-
tion. lie had never heard one single chartist raise
his voice against the Queen or her crown. The
right hon. baronet the member for Harwich and the
hon. member for Westminster (Sir D. L. Evans) had in
former times gone much further in their seditious expres-
sions their those who were denounced by the bill. But all
the promises of Rimier years made by those hon. members
and the noble lord and his colleagues were now buried in
the repose of the Treasury bench. Once the bill was parsed,
and the safety-valve of the British constitution wonid be
taken away. It was an act of treason against the crown to
propose such a aware—(hear)—and the government for
bringing it forward would rind that they stunk in the nos-
trils of the people. It was especially levelled at those who,
like himself, openly and avowedly opposed the measures of
ministers. They would select their victims from amidst the
general mass of discontented persons. and upon them alone
would the tenors of the law fall. He implored the
noble lord, not to sully his name, by penieting
in carrying the bill out, and making it • law.
Let there be at least breathing tints allowed to the people to
consider well what their representatives were called upon to
epee to. He venture.' to assert _
that if the bill were pared
.
late a law, there woo'
ameelationa formed
MIL
It P. HOWAT
would adopt the a
mouth, and give
of transportation
yews. If such
would be to •
In all other
intrailYNf

to goTerament
minglation

bare would be within a week hundreds OVnut
formed which otherwise would not have es-
°WARD said that rlO,
the amendment of
give the court the, • •f"' •
anon under the bill al v• e..
uch an alteration wr."
a prevent any eon
rc respects he would
NOLDS vindicated • .11,
meat to take • frt.
OM, municipal insti •
• •