The Express.
London, England, 1851-04-15 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE 01: LORDS.—MONDAY, APRIL 14.
The LORD CitAncitti.on took his seat at tire o'clock.
PETITIONS PRESENTED.
Assuswase 011 TITHES TO THE POUR-ILtui.—By the
Bishop of EXETER, from places in Ins diocese, complain.
bit of the made of 'mewling tithes to the poor rate.
?AVM. A 0011,2.4,0111,1.—By the Bishop of EXETER,
from places in his diocese ; Lord CAMPBELL, from ,Ftfe
aad other places in Scotland; the Earl of EOLINTON,
from Killredge, Ayr, and other places; the Earl of MIN
TO, from places in Scotland ; the Earl of MOUNT-
CASHEL!, from Armagh end other places in Inland the
Earl of teIANOALL, Irma Tipperary ,ind usher places;
sad the Earl of BARILOWBY,- from places in Stafford-
shire and Cheshire, against pore' agirmsion.
PATIXT LAWIL—by Lord BROL rillAM, from a place
to Lancashire, in favour of au amendment of the law of

patents.
COUNTY COURTS.—CRIMINAL LAW DIGEST.
Lord IIItOCUIIAM morel for some returns connected
with the salaries paid to County Court judges and their clerks.
The noble and learned lord contended that the public
money was well spent in affording ample remuneration to the
administrator, ofjust Ile weaned to take that opportunity
of askiag his lecc and learned friend on the woolsack a
question with reference to the Criminal Law Digest. About
nine nrenths since he had had a correspondence with him
So which he had expressed himself sensible of the labours of
the criminal law emaniissionere, and he (Lord Brougham)
bad hoped that something would bare been done on the
subject: but the government had allowed the matter to ex-
pire. Every one was aware that the labours of the commis-
sion hra been very great, and even if it w. not renewed,
be howl advantage would be taken of what it lead already
done. Ile wished to ask his noble and learned friend
whether the commission we, W be renewed
The LORD CHANCELLOR admitted that his atten-
tion bed la en celled to the subject, but the government
were eel up,ni,n that it was not iseces,ery to renew the con-
mimeo.. With n lerence to the County Courts, he might
have mule the statement imputed to him by his noble and
learned friend, and if he was somewhat incorrect in the
repletion., w. sure that a very large proportioo of the
benne,. ot the County Courts woe of the nature he real
alluded —saw ly, to reserver sowil debts under Yob.,
which accounted tor the joelzes gettiul through their lists
ne rapidly.
Lord liltOt:011.111—One of the printipal MUMMA why
pe rhino their dative more rapidly than other judge.
I. that tie y I 1..1,1 the inestimable adeantage of living able
talifllliii the partile• in the suit. (I fear.)
CHCID "II EICILDINO ACT'S ANIENDNIENT BILL.
The ball of CA ItLI sLE moved the second reading of this
bill.
After u few words from Karl and Lord STANLEY.
MUM fir lahic, the bill wu• real u scowl time.
The Earl uf CAIitLISLE the a Mal on the Lade another
bill with refers-Dee to the church, the name of which did
not marls the gall. ry.
The 101 l wee. re ad a first time.
RAILWAAs IN THE souitt (11 IRELAND

Lord :JUN TEAtoI.E, pursuant to notice, fuse to present
a petition from tenthly/tiers of Kerry, rot the subject of
local wowestuent for the construct...it of railway.. in the
mouth et Inland. 'The petition iiivole..l a most important
pritnipl• , and he wished tin call particular atti-iithei to it.
Horne yens ago,wheu this subject first carne before their lord-
at
—that ol alf•ording public assists tar railway foul panies
in rsland although at was late in the evokes, the measure
,P.2.1r, d on likely to improve the condition of the country
that their lerdships n :eddy sanctioned the bill. The line
of railway from :Dublin to Cork had now been completed.
Mr. Itruiwoond, however, in hi. report neouirticieled its
being carried further west to Mallow, and from thruee to
Killarney. 'Theo railway had fain partly constructed, but
the resource" were inadequate for its completion, in conse-
quence of which the growl juries of the Milian-1 of Cork
and Kerry had wonted to the principle of assisting by the
county notes the completed of this railway ; aua the ques-
tion vat. whether, under the sin •iiitstances of the caw, pars
lit would be dispirit d to solution that proesnition. The
railway would give employee id to from thn-e to four thou-
sand uhle-lotelierl men, del In: of the greatest advantage to
the district. A hill was now 'whore tht other hoUro. Of par-
Lament .on the sabjeet, and he hoped when it came up to
their lordships they would give it their a-vent.
!Awl REOESItALE said that wiled something wax
stated 1.1111.11 etivnger Vl4ll an)110111 lie had yet heard as
reason for dispensing with the orders of their lord-
ships* hooase, he thought they ought nut to vanllion
ouch a I tide as that sought to he obtained by th.•
bill. The eialwity ease was not in ;mint. lu that
ease great 'horsed ea isted, and that was the only ground
upon whieli the public money woo advanced, whilst in the
prevent instance it uppearon to him that private parties
Coale forward and sought to rine° toner for their own pri-
vate nolvuntage upon the *murky oat where.
Earl liltAN VILLE delineated the practice of discussing
• general priuciple upon the presentation of a petition, and
referring to a measure not hetwe the house. There Was soma
excuse. howl err, fur this matter lk ing then brought before
their lordships% and he found hinvelt in the somewhat in-
nougrwous positi ~,, of to u certain extent, with
both of the noble lords whoa had addressed the honor. (A
laugh.)
Atter a frw wow& from the Earl of IlanailWaY, slick
were inauottole in the entry,
Earl 6ILEV thought it possible that there were
"arts of In land altieh •uffered no much from the
want of toninsuutcat• with other tuna of the empire-,
from want of a good market for their produce, that it
might he worth rue while of 'mien. of property iii those
Particular pant, of the eouutry to ceinent to become yule
pet to ...ult• liability in orolo r to entourage the formatiou of
railiewls in this district*. Ile quite agreed with the
so* lord opposite. that it was quiti. right to call the at.
Mutton it tin house to a bill of so unusual a character, and
be quite .tined with Ins 'idol.. frisid near him that any
mewaro• ton this jrinciple ought to be looked at
with the untied CAM. lie 1110114114 that, e•peCilillY when
they wee legisleting for Ireland, they ought to be careful
there was not Wine Jul intended.
After MOM• further conversation, the petition was or-
dens' to lie on the table.
LEtiInLATIVE 134TITI'TIONS OP niurrisu
(WI ANA.
laird S'fANLEY said he had now to lay before their
lordships a petition of which he Rose lotus, on is fernier
evening, signed by a very large number of all classes in
the colony of Mita% Guiana. praying for sn entire altera-
tion 111 the legislative nonoitut of that colony. The pe-
tition was to tut unusual twat but he hoped it was nit in a
form as to render it ineonsistent with the ruts s oar the house
to r, cease it, in...much as the only departure Was, that ins
*trail et its laiug on pier. •of parthment it was on paper
and leound together. There had liven unusual pains taken
to test the solidity of the siguatun•e. lie saw that it was
Warmed by not less than ,i,llllll person., and he saw among
them man) oat' the none, vi lurk, who n he held the office now
Ylled by -the 'noble bird opposite, were familiar to Lim
w holding prominent pewit Uons in the colony. Ile
saw anions them all classes, clergy, barrister', landed pro-
prietore, niterhants, tradesnieu, shopkeepers, sniall tree-
holders, and labourers Ile Was sorry to Pee, 1111"1,1• it old
not give him a high idea of the pnntrusil of education and
instruction in that colony tot late years, he was sorry to we
that a large number of these eigilatun• were subscribed by
Masks, and not by name, and the se marks were ninth. lint
only by the Labouring chows, lout in many eases even by
p"r"oms stiguaral in trade. Out hr must say that with re-
gard to the whole of these rise thousand signatures, almost
without eleeption the profession Or trade of almost ceery
single is r..tnn Was stated in it, and with regard to every
street there wan the art...tattoo of a respectable witness
wpm the page itself who steel to the a:nuance....
of each miniature. lit le-liev..l Cut a great number of the
lower clawsle of the country had Wetted this petition, be-
feast• it hail been reran.. lava that the views of the lab-
titmers were out the clews of the community at large, hut
that they were the views of .1 small number of pewee. who,
at, he eel hail been slated en the authority of thenolok
earl opposite, desired rather to. establish an oligarchy. Ile be-
lieved that tinder thew circumstances the petition led been
signed by • larger number Of the lower chews than it would
prohaloly have ben signed by under ether circumstances.
There Wert. at present in Widish (leans two legislative
bodies, Or rather One tlniatd into two. One wax called the
Court of Policy, the other the combined Mull. The l'ourt of
di-
vided wan constituted in this manner : The colony was di-
into Nee diericts, and these Nor districts elected by a
franchime which wee a very high franchise, hut which had
Wen moistly lowered. wveu is-isona. who formed what was
called the electoral college, and who were eleseted fur life.
This college. consisting of at v. it pewees, had the power, as
a vacancy weltered in the le-gi•lstive council, to whet two
person., who were then renorninendt•l to the remaining
illeinlisrs of the Court of Police, and the Court of Policy out
of these two selected este to till up the vacant place. Now,
the Court of Policy censieted of ten members, the go:Merlinr
and four other °acids, and five other persons. 'They would
see that in the coustitution of the court the system of re
presentative did enter. The-re were doe persons undoubt-
edly who were ticketed by a body who were themselves
eketed for life by general otecterm. and to whose return
to the Court of Policy the previously elected otercieed
the veto, which conetste.l of chiseting one out of
two. Out inesnauch as the Court of l'elicy eosotstett only
of ten in.-misers, and that of thous teas niembeis the go-
vernor and tow others wens edictal members, these four
aways acting as • matter ovf ontrae under the authority of,
and in conjunction with, the governor, and the governor
basing. besides his vote as • member, the noting sot,', it
was evident that all matters might be do titled eu by lie
governor le means of his own vote and coating vote rad
lbw Tow* of the oftleial measlier' in what way he pleased.
And, with regard to the eel, entice of the iseam! members,
the governor alum had the power for the act of sacasay
having nduced the attioloe-r of the council, the go.
sterner and official menhers formed an absolute
majority, and therefore th.• whetione of one of the two
ward by the electoral college was absolutely in the hands
of the governor and the edictal members. Now, this Court
of Policy, constituted as be' had described, Was properly
speaking the mole lefiblative body iu the colony. It had the
wale control of the legislation. The vice of the want of tepee-
siltation still caned; the e ice of the cdatrol of the governor •
or the legielature aill subsisted, but the electoral college
o chosen—the choosers were thswen by inferior and pro-
• less influential persons than before. Hoarser, the
sas that gnat dierontent had prevailed in the colony
•gartl to is institution. for a rrest number of years,
t previously to the lest of April of last year many
—arc held and pe'titiorts wen.agreetlon to the Court
s for their ulijont a change bathe repeesenta-
of the country. On the 3rd of April •
le that the present representative system
.0 exist, and that it should be replaced by a
amitably sad a tOnatil. as in Barbi/ow and other
Coact of Policy negatived that resolution—
ms Gait el Peke: desiot thee the peti-

tion should lie on the table, and they took no further steps
regarding it. A large public meeting was held in Geom.
Town on the 15th of April, and another meeting on the
6th May, at which ••committee Mai appointed of
sixty persona, for the purpose of originating ope- I
rations m order to effect the change, which they
desired to adopt. But, unfortunately, in eonsequenee of
no notice having been taken of the previous patties'
on the 3rd of April, on tie 15th of April .thno
demand went something further. The people deter.
mined no longer to rest satisfied with a house nominated by
the crown, and a house of assembly; but they demanded •
purely representative conatitution, conaisting of a Co
not nominated by the crown, but elected by the house of
assembly ; and on the 13th June a petition from these two
meetings was laid before the court, and—from what motive*
he could hardly divine or understand—but this same Court
of Policy, which had refused the petition of the 3rd of April
come to a resolution, "that it is the opinion of this matt
that the legislative institutions of British Guianaare incon-
sistent with the existing state of society, and it is desirable
that they should be abolished, and that a house of assembly
and an elective legislative council lie established in their
stead." That resolution, condemning the existing
appeared actually to have been passed by the Court ofroilticyln.
If anything were wanting to prove the almost universal
discontent with the present system, it wag proved by *at
self-condemnatory vote. Well, many meetings were subse-
quently held—great activity prevailed. Ile would not trouble
their lordships with details, but he would state that in the
course of September, on the 18th of that month, whether
by the instruction of the noble earl opposite, or of his own
authority, the governor introduced a resolution to increase
the number of financial representatives front six to ten,
and adding one person to the elected Court of Policy in
the person of the mayor of George Town. That resolution
was promulgated on the 19th of September, and immadi•
ately afterwards the governor adjourned the sitting till
the 30th of September. in the interim another meeting,
very numerously attended,was held, in whiehthey affirmed
more strongly the previous declarations at former meet-
ings, declaring that they would not be satisfied with such
modifications as had been before proposed, but that they
claimed institutions on the model of other colonies. On the
30th of September resolutions eauctiouing that principle
were proposed to the Court of Policy, and that same Court
of Policy which, in the tint place had nausea to do more I
than receive the petitions—whichitalthen affirmed the peti-
tion, and passed a resolution supporting it, on the Bth of
October got rid of the resolution by sulatituting an emend-
ate% to the effect that this court, recognising the prin-
ciple of not altering the constitution at tier pre-
east time, without the full sanction of all classes
of inhabitants, sill abstain from legislating on the
subject until a sufficient opportunity has beta afforded
fur explaining in detail their opinion of what would be a
full, free, and popular repreatotatiun. Now, here was a
Court of Policy which eimiltaaned its own institutions,
and said they ought to be abolished. The petitioners
stated that there existed a spirit of deep discontent against
the arbitrary character of the politieal institutions of the
colony—a strong and general cone iction that the public ex-
penditure hall not only been moot enormous, and had
pressed heavily on all classes, bat that, cn-idering the de-
pressed state of the colony, it had bean reck-
leady extravagant. The petitioner.' also stated that
the cost of living had been enhanced to an ex-
tent which was severely felt by all persons in the
colony except those in receipt of government pay. In
common with all the other Weal India colouies British
Guiana had suffered from the effects of our recent legisla-
tion. lie (Lord Stanley) did not mean to discuss this sub•
lied, but he could not avoid remarking that in the ease of
liritiah Guiana, while the revenue of the colony had thini-
nisheel—while the pressure of taxation meviously imposed
was telt still more heavily than under the existence of
higher pricey—it wag felt by tho colonists as an special
gricsanee that (while their own produce was subject to
competition with that of other parties, mid gave inadequate
remuneration fur the labour expended on it) they
were obliged to auffer a large amount of taxa-
tion upon imported liCeeS.lfici for the support
of salaried 'Alcoa's. They felt it as a very great
grievance that while all protection to their produce was
thus withdrawn, they were compelled to pay a very high
amount of taxation on those articles which they did not pro-
dace but imported ler their hUSL(111111CC, and this fur keeping
up theolficials of the colony. lie Legged to commetal the peti-
tion to their lordship notice, and to the attention of the
noble earl opposite (Earl Grey). Ile did nut pretend to dictate
I or straw:at to him (Earl Grey) what pr,ei,e course should In
taken, but lie had to hope that the attention of her Majesty's
servant would he directed to the getting rid in time of
well-founded complaints regarding) au old obsolete system,
and the establishment of auinething more consonant with
that British coustitutional freedom %Well they were su
much disposed to value. Ilia lordship concluded by pre-
senting the petition.
Earl tiltEY concurred with the noble lord opposite
(land Stanley) that it was must desirable that the British
colindea should cuter me the enjoyment of represeutative
government as far us practicable in the model of those A:eh-d-
-ont iu this country. lie begged, however, to offer a few
übservatioa'ten ammo important points iusolved in the re-
marks of the noble lord (Lord Stanley.) And first of all,
he could not admit that thin petition expressed the general
opinions of the people in the colony. So much was it the
contrary that oar looking over the signatures to the petition
the tootle lord (Lord Stanley) would find that the algae-
tires of a large portion of the persons of weight and
authority in the colony were not there. Ile (Earl Grey)
held in Isis tl4llll a despatch froth the Governor, in which it
was muted that the memorial addreiewil to the Court of
Policy, itlthonigh originated by 4111Ie respectable parties,
had not the aanetioni and concurrence of the large hotly of
reapectable resident preprietore, but was signed mostly by
clerks and others, who, although entitled to respect, were
out of the chi.s of iufluential colonists. Ile (Earl Grey) had
always held that, if it was desirable to have representative
government, it was coistuelly desirable to have it resting on
a really wide basis. lint au far were tb' parties from whom
the petitiou hail emanated Luau belie agreed on the
point, that although they La be asked to pro-
vide a bill embodying their views, they bail never been
able to agree among themselves what sort of franchiee they
would grant. All those who knew the politics of the
colony, knew that this petition cm:mated from it coalition
of two %mutate parties—the extreme de num:rats and those
who wialied to re-establish the sort of oligarchy which
formerly existed—who desired that a small number of per-
sona about' hold in their hands great power as representa-
tive,* of the large proprietors. Up to the year 1849, see or
seven gentlemen could virtually return the elected members
of the legislature, and in effect poaaessed greater authority
than the goveruur on the one hand, or the real residents on
the other. It was from a coalition 'if that kind that this
petition mainly emanated, tend us he had already übaerved,
they hail never yet been able to agree among
theinaelver as to chat franchise should be estab-
lished amongst them. 'llw franchise previous to 1849 had
been so high that it was confined to a very few, and these
mostly alreentees, alto being able to act through their
attentive* to a preponderatiug extent, the result had
laces that practically very few 'orisons indeed were able to
lecture members of the College of Electors and the Court
of Policy. By the alteration ut 1519 the number of electors
I had been extended to between WO and 1,000. Under the
law, hoarser, OS it stood, O very largl, 11111411 Cr of persons
would be qualified if they chose to enter themselves so
electors; but so ignorant were they, that they would not
fill up the returns, being afraid that they were preparatory
to the imposition of wow u, w tax. The financial represen-
tetives were chosen by the electors, although the noble lord
(Lord Stanley) had said the Court of Policy only was re-
turned by them.
Lord S lAN LEY—I stated that the financial representa-
tives were returned by the sum: burly as the Court of
l'oliry, but that they had no power to originate any

measure.
Earl GREY had then mitiunderstood the noble lord.
The present body of electors were eub.taotially the intelli-
gent class of the population. The financial representatives
hail the power of preventing the imposition of any new tax,
wo that on all financial matters the colony did possess, to a
very great estent, the power of self-government. Ile bad
stated that this petition did not represent the opinions of
the great majority of persons of intelligence who were resi-
dent
in the colony, and still less did it represent the
'ono of persons in this country, who were interested In
the colony. Ile held in his land a resolution he had re.
etived only a short time before coming to the house that
evening. It had been transmitted to him by Mr. Kay,
chairman of a meeting of proprietors in Rehash Guiana.
The opinion then• gentlemen entertained was this, that
under these institutions as they exist the taxpayers
possess an effectual control over the imposition and- to-
penditure of taxation," said they went on to point oat cer-
tain reforms and alterations in the existing constitution
which they considered desirable and gteatly preferable to
the sweeping alterations proposed by then' petitioners. To
the alterations suggested by this rewilutiou he saw no ob-
jection. On the contrary. he believed they were sound in
principle, and calculated to impart to the colony a fair and I
proper enjoyment of power. It would be his duty to send
est the resolution to the governor, and recommend that a
IMeasure rootlike! thereon should pass through the Court of
Policy, for he was doubtful if any alteration of the cooed-
I ninon could be legitimately made except through the
Collet of Policy. Having combated Lord stoniers position,
that the state of the colony was becoming worse than hereto-
fore, he oboerved that at that moment the governor hail been
able to propose a reduction of taxation to the extent of
from 150.000 to 200.000 dollars, and this mainly owing to
the increased produetiveneos of the existing totes. This was
SO proof of diotrese in the colony. but rather the
owns. lie (Earl Grey) was ialso happy to inform
the noble lord ( lewd Amide') that a large portion of these
redactions were to be reduetwas on imported provisions. be-
Wow he cordially concurred with the noble lord with
nova to Guiana, and he (Earl Grey) wished the noble lord
=Ohl) would concur with him in regard to
, that no more suieidol policy could be adopted
than 'heavily to tax the necessaries of life. Self-govern-
fed, he was afraid, could not remedy these evils, fur he
arm afraid that the burdens of our other West India colo-
nies had not been much lighter than those of Guiana. lie
loped, however, that the Combined Court now sitting
would be enabled to make very large reduetions. Ile
'night say, its fora he coueluded, that he believed the effect
of these duties on pruvioions was injurious both to the I
and to the labourer. To the labourer toteati4e be
it was is all countries injurious to the labourer that ;
Mew should be diverted from its legitimate channel, and
to the planter because, while the growth of provisions was
encouraged by the enhancing tit their price, labour was
than drawn from the planting of sugar and the wages eOla,
monsmtly raised. while provisions were cheap the negroes,
is*ee of growing for themselves on their own provision
grounds, hired their labour in the production of
eapt, and he was therefore persuaded that the
had taken a judicious course in re-
these duties. It would, in his opinion, be
IMO it Oa people et Claims couldbempent

"anatmler'tin' rl:Ygi l'i'lsl;jlE..nt
belly less influent!
fact was that grea
with r,,tar,l to Its 1
and that preriousl
meetings were hcl
of Polo, ,haring f
tire institutions c
motion was mule
should cease to ea
house of assembly
colonies. The Li
%list was W Ng, t