The Express.
London, England, 1849-06-30 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 30, 1849.

ADMINISTRATION
_CF_ usTNE (VANCOUVER'S

ISLAND) BILL.
Earl GREY moved the second reading of thls bill By
the present law all serious offence' and civil causis, wising
on thenordt-west coast of America, had to Ire tried in Ginada.
It was now proposed to repeal this law as to Vancouver's
Island, and constitute courts for the administration of justice
there. The colonisation of Vancouver's Island was inter ded
to hr made by the Hudson's Bay Company, and grantee( land
bid been made to them, on condition that they should
bear all the expenses of colonisation until a revenue could
be collected in the island itself ; they also were required to
sell land at a reasonable rate ; and all their receipts were to
be expended on the colookation and improvement d Van-
couver's Island. The governor would be commissioned by
the crown, and the gentleman appointed to that once had
been recommended by the Hudson's Bay Compel!, and
was, he believed, very well adapted for the performance of
its duties. It was not proposed that any legislative body
should be established, having the power to impose taus, but
the governor was to have the power of summoning a legisla-
ture whenever the number of inhabitants justified such a
step.
Lord MONTEAGLE °tinted to pants of largo tracts
of land to parties who were irresponsible. It was us only
place where coals could be found is that part of the world,
which was of the greatest consequence to vessels navigating
the Pacific Ocean. The grant of the whole island to one
company would, as was the care with retard to Prince
Edward's Island, canes much censure and regret. lhe
noble lord referred to the opinion of Sir Arthur Pigot and
the late Berjeant Bpaslis, sLowing that the charter granted
by Charles 11. to the Hudson's Bay Company was at least
questionable, and ought to be dealt with nredially by parlia-
ment.
The Earl of SELKIRK, as a director of _the Hud-
son's Bay Company, said that the imputad of the
noble lord were most unjust. The charter was granted by
Charles 11., sad was not at all unusual in its character. It
granted an extent of territory, and the only doubt
ever expressed as to its validity was with re-
ference to a certain limit. Opiniess of great
weight and value, those el Sir S. Romilly and Mr. J. Peil
bad been given se to the validity of the charter.
Lord BROUGHAM said the subject was new to him, but
before another stage of the bill he would be prepared to ex-
press his opinion upon it. He thought the charter was
illegal, and if all the lawyers of all the courts in England
had said that a charter giving power to a company to confis-
cate the goods and seize and imprison the persons of the
Queen's subjects, was valid, he would not think such an
opinion worth snob.
The Earl of ABERDEEN did not find fault with the ar-
rangement which had been made. He believed the Hudson's
Bay Company could better colonise Vancouver's Island than
any one ehe. He had always considered the possession of
this island to be of very great importance.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE disapproved of the arrangement
which bad been made with the Hudson's Bay Company ;
but did not think there were any grounds for imputing to the
company improper motives. The question was 'imply whether
the aeble lord the Secretary for the Colonies had taken the
beet course for promoting the colooisation of the island, and
firr the interests of this country, by handing the island en-
tirely over to the Hudson's Roy Company, whose other occu-
pations were somewhat alien to that of colonisation. Com-
panies were proverbially said to have no conscience ; and
there was strong evilness in the papers laid before parlia-
ment that the object of the company was to require a vast
extent al territory.
The Duke of BUCCLEUGH said he doubted the possi-
bility of eolonidng beyond the Rocky Mountains, where the
country was sterile in the extreme. Al to Venom/yip's
Island, if it were to be colonised at all, he conceived it would
be best done by a company baying a regular staff there.
Earl GREY said he was glad to hear that the noble earl
opposite (Aberdeen), approved of the terms on which this
settlement had been made. It was remarkable that, during
this long discussion no noble lord had pointed out any other
method by which ;he settlement could have been made.
Allusion had been made to the terms of their charter, and
to the doubts of its legality ; but it should be remembered
that they did not hold Vancouver's Island under this charter.
No political rights or power had bean given to the company,
but merely the possession of the land.
The bill wee then read a second time.
The County Cem (Ireland) Bill was read a third time,
and their lordships adjourned at a few minutia after seven
o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY, Jura& 29.

- - -
The Brawn took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
REPORTS CONSIDERED. Busters Marla and
Bement Counties Railway Companies (amendment of acts,
and power to lease, sell, or amalgamate to or with the
Eastern Counties Railway Company) ; Norfolk Estuary
(amendment of acts and powers of contribution by the Eau
Brink Commissioners cf Dr.inage, and by the corparation of
King's Lynn) ; Bills.
THIRD READINGS. Great Northern Railway
(antandasat of acts, deviations,' and ea meats at and
near Bests., Nutley, Lincoln, and King's Crou);
Holm Rees (increase of rates and amendment of
act) (No. 2.) ; :Stirling and Dunfermline Railway (devia-
tion of branch to Alioa harbour, diversion of certain works,
extension of time for comp!etirg line and taking land, and
amendment of seta); Bills.

LORDS' AMENDMENTS CONSIDERED.—East An-
glian Railways (Ely and Huntington Railway extension of
time); York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway (Bumoor
and Alamonth new branches, &a.); Bills.

PUBLIC BUSINESS.
PETITIONS PRESENTED.
PIUMICTION TO WOKEN 'S BILL. By Mr. HOB.
HOUSE,(IB) from ,Lincoin ; Mr. HODGSON, from Bridg-
water, in favour of this bill.
SUPZILLNNUATION FOND POE POOR LAW OFFICIALS.—
By Mr. BARNARD, from Greenwich; by Mr. BUN-
BURY, from &drain, in favour of a measure for this pur-
peee.
Mannutoss BILL.—By Mr. LACY, from Bodmin ;
Mr. COWAN, from Abernethey, against this bill.
BANKRUPTCY BILL.—By Mr. TURNER, from Coventry,
in favour of this bill.
Tun PEOPLE'S CHARTER.—By Mr. BARNARD, from
Greenwich, in favour of the People's Charter.
Aoarcusruara. PROTECTION. —By Lord C. MAN-
NERS, from Leicestershire, preying for protection to agti.
culture.
RDVCATION.—BT Mr. P. WOOD, from Oxford and Man-
chester, in favour of an extortion of education, by means of
local taxation.
PUBLIC) HEALTH (SCOTLAND) BILL. —By Mr. DUN-
CAN, from the royal Itortrighs of Scotland, spinet this till.
NATIONAL SERVANTe' BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.—By Mr.
GLADSTONE, from tile directors Of the National Sr-
vents' Benevolent Society, praying for a charter of incor-
poration.
PETITION REJECTED.
UNIVERSAL SUPPILAOL AND ABOLITION OP THE HOME
OP LORDS.—Mr. LUSHINOTON presented a petition from
an individual in Westminster, in favour of universal suffrage,
and praying for the abolition of the House et Lords ; alter
perusing which, the Speaker informed the hon. gentleman
that it could not be received.

POOR LAW UNION CHARGES AMENDMENT
BILL.
In reply to Capt. Pacitair.,
Mr. BAINES said that he proposed to road the Poer-law
Union Charges Amendment Bill a second time that night,
and to take the discussion upon it on Wednesday, the 11th.

THE STATE OF THE NATION.
Mr. HUME said he swished to know the terms of the
Emotion of the boa. member for Buckinghamshire respecting
the rate of the nation ; but, whatever they were, be pro-
sed to move an amendment upon that motion. (Much
laughter, during which Mr. Disraeli entered the house).
Perhaps the hon. gentleman would state now the precise
words of his motion.
Mr. DISRAELI said the exact words of his motion were
a long time on the roper. He should be now happy to
bear the amendment of the hon. gentleman. (" Hear,
hear," and a laugh.)

Mr. HUMS said the words used by the boa. gentleman
were for a committee on the state of nation. The amend-
ment which he meant to propose was that though the free
admission of food by the repeal of the corn laws has contri-
buted to the relief of the country during the late period of
sanity and suffering, and though the recent substation of
our oonnnersial system must gr, atly tend to the gradual im-
provement of trade, commerce, and agriculture ; never-
theless, in the opinion of this house, the state of the
nation is suck se to demand a thorough and
general financial revision with a view to a reduction of the
public expenditure which is greater than is required for
securing the peace, order, and safety of the kingdom ; so
that parliament may be able to repeal or modify such of the
excise duties and other taxes as restrict the applisation of
capital, reduce the dentani for labour, and prevent the full
development of the resources of the country. There was at
least something positive in his amendment, whereas the
language of the hon. gentleman's motion was rages and un-
ased. (Hear, bear.)

NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.
Mr. ORRENE said Ito wished to asmct an error into
which he had fails yesterday in answorivqg the qualm put
to Na by the hen. usaber he MM/Mss reappoint the
fentheaff of the sisal ntlisiasas is the now Haar of
Pratlaasat Os beep*, he Ises,l that the return referred
to AM Lends the tarshitlog st the allobil add/naps. He
b doo to sa y that the outlasts was ander 2,000,0001.,
&rat 2,600,0 W. as dated by tits hon. gontlassn. He should
be hsppy to answer any questions wasoeted with the new
Haan a Parliament. bat he hoped has gentleman would
/Ns kin alike el thar trustless. (Haw. hear.)

THE BLOCKADE OP THE ELBE.
Mr. SANDARS wished to ask the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs if tiny reply had been received from her Majesty's
minister at Copenhagen in answer to the nr,ble lord's dts
patch (on or about the 12th of June last) informing him
of the tact of the Spanish vend', the Anita, Piquete de
eantstria, sod the e .rmen, hawing obteined permission
through the Sped& minister at Copenhagen, to leave the
Elbe with cargo. e, notwitbs-antling the blockade of that
river, and that two of the said ships had previously broken
the blockade.
Lord PALMERSTON said that no answer could be 're-
wired tilt this afternoon by the Hamburg packet, which had
jut corns in He would le: the hon. gentleman know if he
received any communication on Moody.
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH SPAIN.
Lord MAHON wished to know from the noble lord
whether there were any negotistions now on foot for the
resumption of diplomatic intercourse vri.h Spain, and whe-
ther the comidar anon which had been lately shown by tl e
Spanish goveinment for the just eliding of British merchants
would not, in hie epo'nion, justify • c inciliatory spit it on our
part in dealing with the apology and reparation which
they had an u..doubted right to claim.
L and PALMERSTON said it had been already stated in
another place that in O:tuber last acommunicatien was made
on the part of the King a* the Belgians that • disoesiti. n
existed on the pal art the Spanish government to ask Li,
good aka for the purpose of brieging about a rezonciliation
between the British a..d Spanish government'', and he
wished to know whether the employment of his good t [fires
would be agreeable to her Mej. sty's government. The
answer he gave was, that her Majesty's government weal
be very glad t a avail themselves of hia good offices, if he
so thought fit to employ them. 8 1 communicatio, 5,
chiefly vernal, had passed since that time, but they had not
as yet led to any result. With regard to the consideration
shown by the Spanish government to British mereb%nts, he
was not aware ot any particular circumstances to wisich the
noble lord could have alluded. He had heard no complaints
from British merchants, and therefore he was bound to sup-
pose that the Spanish government had not aced with in•
justice towards British merchants. There was no merit in
that. (Hear, hear.) It was true, a tariff had teen propmed,
but he was not aware that it had ben passed. A modifi-
cation of the tariff had been proposed by the government to
the Cortes, not as a concession to E tgland, or as a favour to
the British government or nation, but from a just regard to
the interests of Bpelo beret If. (Hear, hear.) And any per-
son who knew anything or thee mullion of Spain sau,t only
morns' that the different Spanish givernm. um had not
sooner seen how much the interests of Sp sin were injured
and sacrificed by the absurd a; stem of to IS which so lung
prevailed to the impoverishment of the revenues of Spain
and to the detriment of her national industry. (II ar,
hear.) Bet these were Spantsh matters with which they did
not interfere, and therefore if the noble lord meant to say
that because the Spanish government had takes a step dic-
tated by a regard for Spanish interest', but which, whatever
it might be, was not yet brought to a pravical result, the
British government should on that account show less regard
than they otherwise should fur the honour and dignity of the
country. he was not ;weltered to at-guise,* in such a senti-
ment. (Hear, hear.)