The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-30 00:00:00

THE E' PRESS, riIJFSDAY EVENING, MAY 30, 184 x•

tne table a part which formed the cam of the Spanish go-
vernment; that was to say, it had commonly bet n reported
that the Spanish government had matte certain statements
or charges splint the Britisb minittee at Madrid, and those
per roduoed. He
sataotwtembetnitat 4idiranbloet
thsePylesarhouinldtbehiadded, in order to eatsble
the house fully to judge of the whole affair.
Lord PALkuItSTON-1 can only say that at present I
have received no suck scatsments. t ear, and ■• laugh.)
POUR LAws.
Lord G. BENTINCK said he hid given notice of • quee-
tion he intended to put to the rieht hon. g the
President of the Pour Law Comnumion ; butsatleman reinmps the
right hon. gentleman would allow hi
m to alter
for his que
relief
of the poor. the comparstiye number of poor relieved, with
e comparative average prices of flour and potatoes per
th
stone, ape of bread per quarters loaf, in each period in the
six month+ ending Lady-day in 11146-1848, in the following
cities, towns, uniuus. and parishes: Semitone Bolton, Hali-
fax, Liverpool, Leeds, Lotoester, litanchest.r, Nottingham,
Stockport, Oiargovr, Paisley, Bethnal green Union, Sot tat.
&his Union, and St. Marylebone and St. Panetta p indite?"
Mr. C. BULLER replied that he had brought down with
hint not only the interns .tion *ought by the noble edit, but
also a similar return for the intermediate year 1847 If
the noble lord would move for the whole of them they should
be at once preeented.
Lord O. lIHNTINCIi moved accordingly, end the re-
turns were brought up and ordered to be printed,
THE LATE CONVICTION OF MR. MITCHEL.
Mr. KEOGH begged to ask the noble lard (L ird J. Rus-
sell) whether it was a fact that at the late dial of Mr. Mit
chet for
nu felony every Roman catholic on the pl, 18 in
umber, bad been excludee teem the jury by theane Attorney-
' General without any cause being weigned, and whether the
noble lord had rewired any further information on the
subject of his (Mr. Keogh's) motion with respect to the
trials of Mr. W. Smith O'Brien and Mr. Meagher a few
daEol Ag°l. RUSSELL replied that be bad recenived no in-
', formation on the p ,ant suggested by the questio of the hon.
lunatcr with reference to th r h
e trial of Mr. Mitchel. With
which the hon. membead
respect to the other caw, on
submitted • motion a few days since, he had in his p amain°
• letter written by the Attorney General for Ire and, in which
that hon. and learned gs ntletuan stated the instructions
Ili
which be had given respecting the striking of the juries,
which was to the following effect :
Dear Sir, —ln
to to your letter requiring my instructions Was
tire to the count to he pursued by you in settire aside jurors on the 1,
put of the crown in thecae/ of " The Queen r. Mitchel," I beg to
my it Is not, arid never wive my wise or Intention the.' any jurornot
should beset wide on account of his religions opinion. Ido
think the instructioas given by previous taw °Morro, that Jurors were
not to be *et wide on socount of their political uptoions, was ever
lo be
im
tended to apply to a case like the present. In which a party is
tried for a political often e, avid is openly supported and esesem
naneed by certain political essoctations. I hare therefore nu bolas
s that in the present and similar
simr cases yo
fed In u should set.
aside on aying
the part of the crown, without reward to their religious opts
Moos, all persons whom, from the igqinnea you have motto and the
information you hare recvareet, you end to entertain political manna's'
according with those of the prisooer and the arauciatidae by wham be
is supported. lam clearly of opinion that to leave such persona es
the jury would be to defeat the adrainistnitiun of the law, and be
totally inconsistent with the true principle of trial by jury, which is.
that the Juror should be Indifferent Mown the crown and the pri•l
weer. !nether respects 1 wish that the bastrucuons gives by the
previous law officers should be adhered to.
That was the letter of the AttorneyeCiete neral. e (Lord
John Russell) hail also received • priva letterli from the
Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, stating that after the awouldccusa-
tions brought, whether guilty or not guilty he not
say, against the late government with reference to Mr.
O'Connell's trial, it was important to be particular in the
instructioos to the crown solicitor se to etrikiug the jury.
Mr. Monahan takes the same view, and had no more Irish
to pack the jury in the late cm* than you had." (Rear )
Mr. IL GRATTAN inquired whether the noble lord
bad acquiesced in the course pursued by the Attorney-Gene-
ral on the occasions referred to?
Lord J. RUSSELL.-1 thin
and k the instructions g
rid I am
iven by
Mr. Monahan were very right very judicious, a
quits ready to adopt them. (Hear, bear.)
Mr. 11. GRATTAN said he held in has hand a report of
what Mr. Monahan stated the other day, which was widely
ditierent from his letter just read by the noble lord.
S:r J. GRAHAM sod the letter of Lord Clarendon, read
by the noble lord, referred to the instructions given by the
late government with reference to the selection of the jury
in the case of the late Mr. O'Connell, and as • similar refer-
ence had been made on the occasion of • former debate, he
(Sir J. Graham) thought that, on behalf of the late govern-
talent, and in juetic •to them, end in deference also to the
put, he might be allowed to assert in the most positive man-
ner that the instructions given by the late government in
reference to striking the jury in Mr. O'Connell's cam, wire
identical with the instructions given by Mr. Monahan, the
present Irish Attorney-General, in the cases now in
n
question. Those instructions were positive—that
juror should be struck off on account of his role
eious tenets, but that whatever might ire his ree ty ligionof,
if he was identified by association notori
communication with the political opinions and teesiime of
Mr. O'Connell—that then, and apart from his religioo, the
exercise of the power of the crown to strike him off should
be made use of. Ile (Sir J. Graham) repeated, teat the in-
structions given by the late government were elentical with
those given by the present government; and, if necessary to
go into details again, as he had done i n a former acetates,
he could prove cleat with respect to the ten Roman
neeholic to&
struck off in Mr. O'Connell's cue, there w I
show that they were all in connexion with the repeal also
ciation, and on that ground *lone the power of the crown
hal been exercised (Hear, beer.)
BOROUGH OF HORSHAM. Lord J. RUSSELL said the letter he had read certainly
The Earl of MARCH said that the Bemugh Elections alluded to an accusation which heretofore had been brought
Bill stood in the orders for Wednesday next, before the against the late government in reference to Mr O'Cunnes
Borough of Horsham Bill. He swished to know from the case • but that accusation had not been adopted, either by
noble lord at the head of the government what course would Lord 'Clarendon or by
Mr. Monahan. It was ouly in cisme-
be pursued in case the Borough Elections Bill should not 'pence of that accusation that he (Lord J. Russell) and his
pees, iu or
that Honks= should not any longer be kept noble friend Lord Clarenuion had been more alive to the pom
'without a representative. lability of • similar imputation bring made against them
Lord J. RUSSELL said that as the house had *greed to in a similar case. Ile (Lord John Russell) did not
the f econd reading of the Borough Elections Bill, he should mean to impugn the insuuttions given by the right hon.
prat. cd wilt it. in committee in the hope it would eventually baronet to the Lord Lieute- ant of the late government, or
be paned. to deny that these instructions were not identical with the
SUGAR DUTIES RESOLUTIONS. instructions given in the more recent instances.
Mr. BARELY inquired whether the hon. member for Mr. BRIGHT observed that it was quite evident flows
Moron"-, (Mr. Hume) want to-morrow to bring forward what had plowed this evening and on a former occasion that
Li restitutions relative to the sugar-growing colonies. it was thought desirable that tke trial of Mn. Mitchel
Mr. HUME said it would be remembered that some weeks should take place, and that a conviction ehould be °Main. d.
ago he bed postponed his motion until the select committee (Hear.) Now he ••• not in the least disposed to make any
upon the sugar and coffee duties should have made its report. complaint on that head; but there was another eonsidera-
The report, be understood, had been male this day, and he tion, quite as impertant, for the pacification of Ireland, and
also understood it contained cattail recommendetons. He for cementing the union between the two countries, and that
was prepared to submit his resolutions teemorrow, but he wil, thlt the people of Ireland should be fully convinced that
thought that the question was of too great and vital import- on the trial of a person charged with • great offence,
anee to he left in the hands of any individual member of the whether political or otherwise, such person should have that
Done, and ought to be taken up by the government. fair trial whieh the constitution offered and di dared
(Hear, hear.) He trusted they would do so, but if not be should he afforded to the meanest subject of the
should proceed with his motion. He leered it would not be crown. lie was not about to my that Mr. Mitehel was not
possible from the state
of business that he could bring it on guilty of eserything laid to his charge—neither was he ready
to.morrow, or indeed soner than four weeks hence, sales to declare that the verdict of the jury was not in accordance
the government filed a day for him. Perhaps th'e noble with the evidence and the lawn but if he might judge from
lord would now state what were the intent:lensed the govern. the reports in the public pape, which would he read not
went on the subject. only in Great Britain, but by every person in Ireland wit i
Lord J. RUSSELL said the question put as to what could read, it seemed that there .1-re 150 persons on the
course the government intended to pursue was rather vague, jury paml, of whom pnly 28 were Roman catholic, although
but it the hon. member meant specifi ally to allude to the it was ascertained on authority that the Want portion of the
quession of the duties fixed by the act of 1846, he would jurors of Dublin were Roman catholics. Of these 150 per.
state that be understood the report of the continOtee • ro- soos it appeared that only 65 or 7.5 answered to their names
posed a certain amount of differentEd duties for a fixed when culled, and of these the government had the power to
P' nod of time, and on that point he would at once say that strike off to ar. unlimited ext. nt, while the power of the pre
the government did not intend to propose
.any alteration of mace to strike off was limited. Nuw, it was quite possible
the act of 1846, either to increase or to continue for a longer that of these there might he some known to have political
period than was now fixed the diflerential duties. (Hear, sympathies with the prisoner,anel it emelt° quite rosaible that
bear.) He would in turn salt the boa. member for Mon• not one of there 28 Roman catholics was competent to give
Boise whether by the words of his motion he intended to a foie verdict, hut the people of Ireland, six sevenths of whom
propose the adoption of the report of the select committee? wereifomancetholics, would not soconsider it, and hebelieved
Mr. HUME raid be had not seen the report, and, there- that amongst these me-sevenths the universal opinion would
fore, could only state what his intentions were at the time be that the government did not consider them competent to
be had ten his motion on the paper of business- Thom give a fair orinion or to take a part id jurors on the trial of
intro•inns were to submit to the house that the act passed in any political offender in that country. He (Mr. Bright)
1646 'humid be continued with the present differential duties brought no charge against the pie sent govi cement, but he
for a pen lids
of six years, commencing from the present year, asked whether it was not worth while now to consider if the
ro
beeaus the facilities p
act pissed miern the colonists at the time the legislature had not at its d m iawal means by which to bring
had not been afforded them. Be could not, these six sevenths of the population of Ireland into harm my
according so the forms of the house, ismere in hie revolution and accordsnce with the opinions of the government, so that
any amount of duty without the consent of her Majesty's thesediscreditable political trials might he seen the last of.
ministers, and, therefore, he had been obliged, after consult- Ile was persuaded that the deportation of Mr. Mitchel would
log with the S. esker, to put his resolutions in their present not pacify Ireland, and he trusted
form. He could only repeat he was anxious, if the govern- Mr. LAW roes to order. There was no question before
n eut did not take up the matter, to bring it on as speedily the house.
as poasiele—tan e months time had been it
already, and [We must here observe tnat the dimuseinn had been in-
ruin had hre caused by the procrastination. (Hear.) terrupted by the motion of Lord John Rumen for an address
Mr. BERNAL thought that th subject could scarcely he of cendolence to her Majesty on the death of the Princes,
aiseufweitdisposed of between the 30th of May and the Sophia es recorded below for the eake of consecutivene,s
Ist of Juoie, when the next packet would sail, and therefore, we continue uninterrupted the report of the debate on the
theugh he agreed that delay had been ruinous to the West late Irish state trials.]
India COhnlefl, yet the hen. member for Montrose would not The SPEAKER on Mr. Law's appeal to order) said the
be ale to do justice to the queetion if he brought it on to. hon. member (Mr. Bright) was strictly in order, as there
morrow. The hon. member might come to some arrange- was a question before the hoax, viz., that an address be pre.
ment with t' noble lord at the head of the government and seined to her Majesty..
bare • day Seed, fie if wee a question which de- Mr. BRIHT d—He truste that, as the e
served a day to be set apartever forthere its COUSi•ICTatiOII it was this went had now showncontinue the power of thed law, and their deter-
quest ion . ( !fear, hear.) mination to put it in force, they w .01--
Mr. HAWES should he glad of such an arrangement, Mr. LAW again rose to order. The hon. member was not
but he eon not in a position to effect it. If the noble lord speekine to the question.
would fix ri day he should be ready to adopt it. The SPEt-KER said that several preceding speakeire had
Lent J. RUSSELL seid that tmnight it was proposed to departed from the question before the houw, end the hon.
go on with the committee on the Navigation Lane, upon member (Mr. Bright) was not strictly out of order.
which the honourable member for Harwich had an Mr. BRIGHT said he haul nearly concluded when he was
ameedment to move before the Speaker left the interrupted. He repeated that he trus.ed, as the government
chair. The discussion would, doubtless, take some had shown thwanwer oi the law and their determination to
time aril tnignt le adjourned. lie (Lad
stated to . whim day that as soon as this debate was closed, to the people lreland that there was mersy and justice in
and before the bill founded on the reselutioos moved by his that scum° from which the law emanated. (Hear, hear.)
right hon. friend (Mr. Lebouchrtw) was reed a second time, He was sure the people of England would go with the go-
he tweet.' give the hon. and learned member opposite (Mr, vernment in favour op le
and abolishing me insti-
B lakes) an importunity, by fixing • day for • committee of ration in Ireland which was the root of all her eves, and
surip'ye of bringing forward the motion of which he hid which forced the government to tak s from the ranks of the
given notiu y with respect to the correspondence with the Prete-Mane church the only jurors who would cony'et. This
S. panish government. That day would be Feeley ;or if the was disgraceful to the legislature, and ought not to be con-
debate sow pending was not then over, certainly it would be tinned.
Moodey next. Such heir g the case he did not think it Mr. H. GRATTAN denied the assertion made by the hon.
poseible to fix ar y day in the present week. He quite agreed member (Mr. Bright) that Roman catholic jurors could not
that it was but reasonable it should be brought on at an be found who were honest enough and ready to do their
early period, but to-morrow would be premature. He saw duty. He could tell the house and the government that
from the report that the committee recommended a duty of yesterday at Kingstown, when it was announced that Mr.
104. in favour sal &Wish grown sugars for a period of six Mechel had been transported for fourteen years, every man,
years. This was an important qui stion, but it differed (rim woman, and child declared that though they had before
the prrposal inteuded to be made by the hon. member for hero anti-repealer, they were all repealer' now. He thought
Moutrose, and he was ready to give as early a day as possible the whole matter ought to be inquired into, for to talk of
fur there,
di-co-Pion of the question, trial by jury now wan out of the question. The government
Mr. HUME suggested Their elay week, hot afserwards had made a great mica 4., and had acted the patter cowards
said it cas
te perhaps be • hotter arnmeement fur the in miming to parliament for an abominable law, when they
matter to stem over until tomorrow (this day). bad ample power to put down political offenders by the
Lord G. BEN eINCK (in answer to a question put by operation of the common law of the land. if they went on
Mr. ttutcHT) said thatthe committee in their report made in their course. th• vernment muet increase their forces in
no dist ...lent het . esn slare-grnwn su_ars and other sugars Ireland, and rill they would net be able to put down the
the prod ue, .4 I.e. ion poseeieione. repeal 1•••• Writ.
ME SPANISH CORRESPONDENCE. Mr BRIGHT said it appeared to be as dangeeous to meek
Mr. U. BAILLIE said that h : Meet-veil that there was in favour of tree:tile as it was to speak against it. Tee hon,
emitted !rum We currespundeace which had been laid on member had mistaken his (Mr. Bright's) obeereatious with

IMPEttikL

110USII OF COMMONS.—NIoteDai, MAT 2D.
The Selenaa took the chair at 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BURNES'S.
REPORTS CONSIDER.ED.—CIoyence Railway aed Leeds and
Ililrsk Kearny Amalgamation; Dublin sad Multiyear 'turnpike
Bawl ; W hitshavvn J aeon°. leallway • beta
TIDED RE titINGS.--Oaford Pa'sting; Payne's Patents (On-
movement* in prnierviag vegble matters); Nantwkas and When
npikv 'laud ; Kendal sod Windermere Railway Act Amend.
meat ; 'London, Brighton, and south (twat Railway (London-bridge
and Newmows Atatiol2l, lies)' Dundalk, C.istle Blaney. sad Carrick.
macros. Stool; South Yorkshire. lAsanwitar. nod 06 B.H.liil
Amendment (Eatcusion to Peru(,
and alteration of Dodger
Brv'tch) ;
ANIENDMENTS CONSIDERED.— Mathias lloapitid
Let ,51101.
PUBLIC BUSINESS.
PETIIION,k—By Mr. CARDWELL, from inhabitants of Liverpool
to ;whom ineeting asecuiblesl, signed by ihe mayor, against the alter..
tics of the navigation taws; Kr. W. PATTEN. from Preston ; Mr.
lIUSON, (min sh.pbuilders, and another from stilpownent of dun.
deraind Iiate.NTIPICKAoin West Indio merchants and bankers
of city of ()tummy, and from 1011141 TWIT 1111r1 and seamen ot a place
not bond ; Mr. WAWN, from South Shields; and far. SONSI.: .L,
trots Limerick. to the manse eflbct.—lty Mr. LABOUCiIItiIF„ from
therehants of the city of Loudon. 'needles the Como., met d,PoiY
governor of the &ink of Eneland, in favour of the alteration of tutu
Sarig.dloll
LONDAY(LONDOON, BRIGHN
BRIDGE SOAND UTH CNEW CROSS
OAST RAIL-
STATIONS, tile) BILL.
On the order of the day for the third readin of this bill,
Sir D. L. EVANS tom to move to omit such clauses or
put of clauses and so much of the preamble of this bill as
relate to the employment of the money of the company for
purp.oes of steam-packet navigation ; but on being informed
that the motion was not in conformity with the standing
. orders, and that, therefore, it was not cemptent for him to
peeved, he moved that the third reading be postponed till
• Thursday, in artier that he might in the meantime remodel
his motion.
Att. r a few words from Capt. PECIIELL. on the neces-
sity of establishing low fares,
Si, It. PEEL stated the grounds on which the committee
came to the conclusion of recommending the clauses objected
to by the hail. and pliant member—the principal one heing
• the importance of rapid commeinication between these shores
and the F'...t.ch coast. A railway, for instance, would shortly
be completed trom Dieppe to Peril, and it was desirable that
there should be • steam conim UR icatiothe n bet
railway een that port
company
and
Newhaven or Shoreham, which
pmpuse3
eight hoursi is four
tinr andti Taoyhalf
.hottirse.wabsilneotthte. old
t
expected that steam companies would establish stations
while
where there was no likelihood to be a profit,
rail•vay companies would do so because the loss on
the- ir steam-packet communication would be counterbalanced
by the ince eased traffic thereby brought to the railway. He
bail only to add that the conclusion come to by the committee
on this bill a as in conformity with the opinion of the general
committee and the Board of Trade.
Sir D. L.EVANS pressed his motion for postponement, on
the ground that there was already a steam packet company
supplying the public want ; and he apprehended that this
measure was anly intended to favour private speculatim.
Mr. OItEN FELL (who bad charge of the bill) vindicated
the pc>, rie•ore of the London, Brighton, &c., Railway
from the imputation of being actuated by private motives or
interest. 'The hon. gentleman subsequently (on the bill being
passed) stated (in reply to Capt. Peen ELL), that the steam
communication empowered by it would be established this
summer—he might say almost immediately.
Mr. OWEN supported the hill on public grounds ; Mr. P.
110MARD opposed it, because it interfered with vested rights,
and because the sea communication ought to be left to sea-
men ; and after a few words from Mr. Bsttett,
Sir D. L EVANS said that after the opinions elicited,and
e eatzment of Sir R. Peel, as chairman of the committee
the ht.itunent of Sir R. Peel, as chairman of the committee
to whtich the bill was referred, he would not press his motion;
whereupon
The bill was read a third time and pseud.
Cti ELTEN 11 A5l ELEC lON.
Mr. Di. J. O'CONNELL reported that the commi.tee
app-int.d to try the mi rite of the petition in this election
had found that Sir Willoughby ;ones was not duly elected ;
thst the election was void ; and that he had been guilty of
bribery through his agents, but without his personal
knowledge.
SUGAR AND COFFEE.
Lord G. BENTiNeIi having moved that the committee
appointed on these subjects have power to report from time
to time, and the motion having been agreed to the noble
lord brought up (amidst cheers) a brief report.
LAW OF SETTLEMENT.
Mt. C. BULLER (in reply to Mr. V. Smith) said he bad
considered it his duty to institute an inquiry into the opera-
tion of the law of settlement. But the two gentlemen so
*staged had not proceeded sufficiently far to enable him to
wive ,he house any information at present on the subjne
Ile might, however, 'tete that respecting the question of
ruing he heel two measures in preparation, which he hoped
to bring forward in a law days.
VOTE FOR EMIGRATION.
Lord
for m
MAHON, seeing the hon. gentlemen the Under.
Secretary the Colmies in his place wish•d to put a
question to him. In a despatch written last' month: yvote Earl
Grey, it was stated that it was intended to propos
parliament to assist free emigration to Van Diemen
at 's Land.
the
Be (Lord Mahon) would be glad to know wh was
amount of the vote intended to be proposed, and whether it
was turlud.el in tne eatimat. a already lett before the house ?
Mr. HAW ES replied that the sum proposed to oe voted
was shut 10,0001., sad would be fauna in the present

------- . ,
_........ ~.._:..„ I.
Merinos to Roman amebae° jurors. Ei • lad War OSA( flat grow or geeing rut u the ........—on —Wa, all, did she not
they were not fit to sit eluded, but that the course pursued begin with abolishing bee own. which were quite u stein-
would lead to the interenee that the government se thought, gent as those of this eirenta7. (Hear, be
The Da men
and
would net trust them in that termite. was not equal—the terms were not just. (Hear, he) Ur.
Mr. B. B. ROCHE said he wished all offenders to be tried Bancroft said that Aerica was disposed to meet ear. open-
In • fair, hoeest, and Inspertial manner. Snell had not been Ay. He that
{t wa the opinion that assurance was not
the euein thee,
recut instances. If the priuMple ex reeled • quality wanting tows America. statesmen, but the present
in Mr. Monahan's letter was acted upon, every repealer proposition went even beyond that. (Hear, hear.) Then it
charged with a poliecal offence must be tried by antere- was said that their colonies asked fur the alteration of the
pealen, and thus the boasted trial by jury would buome a navigation laws. He believed that enough had passed since
delusion, a mnekery, and a snare. wend of the colonies petitioned that house to make them
Mr. KEOGH. told the noble lord had not, by readM; Mr. altar their opinion. Enough had transpired he should hope
that Roman catholic* of the highest respectebility, of the truth it was not the Interest of the colonies, and particularly
greatest wealth, and who were in no way connected with of their West Indian colonies, that the navigation laws, with
the repealer., but distinctly opposed to them, had been all their concomitant unditions, should be repealed. (
Hoax.)
(truck off by the Attorney-Geseral. In that statement he The evidence of thirty merchants, of character and rpect-
(Mr. Keogh) persisted, and was pr
to mention two or atulity, who were examined before the lords'
the
three mimeo, which to his own knowledge had been greatly preponderated in favour of the opinion that the co-
struck off. lonia" did not wish for their abolition. The evidence of these
one
letter, romped from his (Mr Keogh's) objection to satisfy the right hon. gentleman and the house that in
Lord J RUSSELL said be had given the hon. member all gentlemen would, he boiled, put an end to all doubts an this
the intortnetion he postured on the subject, namely, the in- subject. The eight hon. gentleman read a document, which
- structions the Attorney-General had given to the crown soli- had been presented to that house from the House of Mune
cater. If be received any further information he would bly of Juneau. That petition was of very doubtful cheese-
communicate it pettedly to the hon 11,01211 LT. Having add ter. (inc of the members of that assembly, in his evidence,
thus much, he mute remark that the house had nut been stated that there was no such document at all, and that
very regular in raising ercontinugthe
we et then could be none such In that he was mistaken. But
Sir I). L. EVANS said that is they were on the ques- he then said that it must have passed at the close
lion of the coesetutien of juries, he begged to ask the right of the session • that no attention was drawn to the
bon baronet the Home Secretery whether it was intended to subject ; arid that in that evening it might have
alter the law so se to make the deciseez of the majority of a romped his notice as well as that of othes. If, in-
jury,in the proportion of three to one, condemn ? This mead of giving up our coloniel beading ter ree competi
wee the rutin in Scotland, where it worked satisfactorily. then, we had given up, as much uhe could get, of our coast-
Sir 0. GREY replied that it was not the intention of the ing trade, to the foreigner, It would have been far better than
povernment to prepue to parliament any such plan fur the the plan proposed by the government. Ile hail no objection
alteration of the English •jury system. to go into committee, with a view to the mewed of those
Mr. HUME ',vented against t
ry t in Scotland m
oatlih it was confessed by Mr. Ilueltisn among ,
being introduced into this country. Here they were ce hers m distinctly, existed In our relationsith the
%abetted with the present jury system, and in Scotland the Dutch trade, for example, but he implored the h usetot to
system did not work to the satisfactien of the people. assent to any fundamental changes in our navigation laws.
TILE DEATH OF THE PRINCESS SOPHIA. There could be no doubt that our navigation oystem, eo intl.'
ADOKF,SS TO THE QUEEN. mutely connected with the preservation of our naval supra- I
Lord J. RUSSELL briefly moved that an address be pre- mem must be maintained iu all its essential feature, if we !
tented to her Majeoty, to express the deep corium the house desired to maintain our naval supremacy. All our greatest I
felt in the lose her Majesty had sustained by the death of her statesmen had held by these laws, as being essential to oar 11
Royal Highness the Princess Sophia, and to condole with maritime well being. Mr. Huskiwm had emphatically
her ?deicer ins
the melancholy event. proclaimed that should our commercial interests come intol
Sir R. PEEL seconded the motion. Though from severe collision with our navigation system, our commercial into.
indispositi tttt her late royal Mebane had lung lived a life of rests must give way. There wee no enmmereial advantage
great retirement, yet every one acquainted with her knew which he would notetrive to cur e forthis country, if it could
we.l the inftweice of her royal highness's kind and hence°• he shown that the advantage was not purchased by a &acre
lent dispose ha (Hear, hear.) Nee of a portion of our naval supremacy, for he felt that if
The motion woe then put and agreed to nein. con• this supremacy ware weakened, our foreign pretensions
ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS. would slip through our lingers, and we should speedily sole
In answer to a question put by Mr. A. 82ittegOaD, side into the punier, of a second or third rate power. Let
Mr BOUVERIE stated it was his intention to proceed it never be forgotten how great was the interest here at stake.
to-morrow (this day) with his motion on the subject of the The tonnage of the vessels engaged in our merchant traffic
ecclesiastical courts. was not less than four millions of hundred weight ; the
NAVIGATION LAWS. railer* who worked these nestle numbered no fewer than
Lord 0. BENTINCK, on presenting a petition of a body 230,000 ; the capital embarked in the trade was not leis
of master mariners and seamen awaited any alteration of the than lerty millions sterling, while the trade immediately
etisting navieation laws, said he felt it his duty to call the connected with the interest represented a capital of between
attention of the right hon. gentleman in the chair to the sixteen and seventeen milliono. Ihe number of edemas em-
strong linguine in which the petition was couched. It corn- I ployeel in connexion with this interest was 80,000, whose
m need with respectfully auhmitting too the house that, by wages amounted to no less than five millions sterling, the
the measures now proposal by her Majesty's government, victualling of the ships occupying a sum of nine millions ster-
three-fourths of the 11 • h seamen now engaged in the fo- ling, and the annual freight carried bring not under thirty
reign and colonial trade would he thrown out of employment millions sterling. lie begged, therefore, to move as an
and driven to fall back upon the coasting trade—that amendment " That it is essential to the national interesu
this would reduce the wages of the seamen in that trade— of this country to maintain the fundamental principles of the
and the result would be that they would have to seek the existing navigation laws, subject to such modifications as
teatoetion of foreign countries. The petitioned then stated may he best calculated to obviate any proved inconvenience
tht it could not be expected tint if this country withdrew to the commerce of the United Knutdom and its dependent-
from them its protection, and drove them into the service of Mee. without danger to our maritime strength."
foreign nation., that they should hereof er fight the battles Mr. LABOUC HERE said that haviog already
of Englend, end they net it their duty to declare to that plained the intentions of the government, he shouldconfine
house that if by unjust and unpatriotic legislation they himself to a very few observations on the present occasion.
should he driven to seek the shelter, support, and protection The question was whether the house would SHIM the
of foreign couutrits, and under a foretgn flag, they should accent policy of England, or deviate from it to a very
consider that country as their country, and that flag as their great extent. The amendment of the right bon. gentle-
flag, and that they will not consent hereafter to serve those man had very fairly put the question at issue before them.
who had destroyed them against those is ho in the day of Ile bad considered it tbe his duty to propose the
their need had sheltered, protected, and Rumoured them. He measure now under consideration,and tie was prepared to
(Lord G. Bentinek) had felt the, to be strong language, and stand by it. He had listened with great attention to the
therefore put it to the Speaker whether, in his opinion, it right hon. gentlemen, but had failed to make out el. air
coo • fit petition et he laid upon the table ? what he meant to propme. Ile had in one part of bisspeech
The SPEAKER said that though the language was seemed disposed to alter the navigation laws—if foreign ne.
strong, and adopted appsrently under feelings of some ex- 1 tinns would meet England halt-way. In another part he de-
citement, yet, as the petition was respectfully worded, he " eared it to be his opinion that the navigation laws, u lair as
Saw no grounds for i- a rejection. the colonies were concerned, ought not to be relaxed, and
On the motien that the Speaker an leave the chair, he supported Mr. liuskisvon's opinion in support of his
Mr. HERM ES TOW to address the Moue, when views. But he (Mr. Labouchere) doubted whether, under
Dr BOWKING rue to • point of order, and asked the the present circumstances, that statesman would have ad-
opinion of the Speaker whether it was competent for the 1 hered to what Mr. Burke had declared to be the paper chain
right hon. gentleman to move the reemsideratiun of the of the navigation laws. Various high authorities had
question atter it had been disposed of to a committee of the otrongly recommended the relaxation of the navigation laws
whole hnu.e ? in favour of the celonies, and recently Lord Harris had
The SPEAKER decided that there was nothing informal distinctly eeclared for the abolition of the restrictions ins
in the course whetted by the right lion gentleman. (Hear.) posed on the Wes Indies, by whit , means alone tney would
Mr. II ERRIES then r. se, and said that he wi bed it had be en bled to supply themselves with free labour at mode-
fallen to the lot of some other person than himself to address rate rates. But the fact was that the protection party in the
the holm eon the mornebtousquestion which had been brought West Indies were afraid that if the navigation laws were
before it and the country by her Siojestra government. lie given up, that party in the House of Commons would aban-
don tine!. came. lie was ashamed to take up the time of
thought the rem. rnrnent would have adopted a wirer course
if, Instead of moving resolutions in committee, they had the house in referring to ouch noted and toed argument.,
but they had been toned upon his attention. Were the
brought betnre the house separately and distill, fly the peer-
sitions on which they intended to found en-tetments, fn or er Cando to he 'utilised flee views of one small *action of
that the members of the house migte a
bet
able to espouu the colonise ? Whose r bad read Lord E:gin's admirable
such of them as they agreed to, and oppose
t de
npatche on that subject would at once see the justice of
as appeared to them not to be fit oubjects for legis- ocedeng what those colonists claimed—namely, freedom
lotion.
.The right Men. gentleman had, however, nroposed to compete with others in the carrying trade. It
a sweeped and comprehensive reeolution accompanied by coy
useless to contend any longer with the broad
some muditicetions, not many hut important, and which they facts that stared them in the tea. Prussia had
were lett to gather from the outsell of the minister who in- declared that she was willing to put herself upon an
troduoed the sehjeet to the house. It was for this real oft equ lit with England, provided she bad a fair reciprocity
particularly that he adopted the course he bad taken, with a allowed to her It was useless for England to contend any
view of inducing the house to express an opinion in oppniii- longer for her.
ehew Prisilee"• If he tnheeed that Eng-
tion to the sweeping proposition of the governmen and at land could not compete with foreign countries in respect .it
the name time to give the country en assurance that,
tthe great the commercial marine, he would then tremble for her supre-
and main principle of the navigation laws would not he e., macy. No m ivileges, no ezalustveness could preserve her
tared. The right hon. gentleman having referred to the *up, marl it her ships and her sailors were not able to do so.
As for the United States, the facts of a few years last put
appointment of the committee of that house on the navtga-
lion laws, said that as that committee had made nn report to
the house the government ought to have proceeded to make
farther ievestigetion on the subject before they proposed a
would show that England could compete with them under
the present system. He would merely cite a (ter bets to
show the relative proportion of increase between the tnnnage
measure involving such portentous results, especially as there of Great Britain and the United States, which was
was not the shadow of a shade of any nee salty presaing upon obwrvable during the course of 19 years. He found that the
them to bring it forward at the present moment.
hear.) Another reuon which induced him to(hti.lnrii
the subject forward was this, that the other house of
pariament had adopted the wiser, the s der, and the
morn constitutional course, Mine...time ing the subject. A
portion of the evidence niece before that committee was be-
fore them, and it was of such a nature as to afford grounds
to those who opposed the measure to moist in further
precede or, at teem, to delay it. It was possible—nay,
it was very probable—that their inquiry would lead to
a result diametricelly oppos.to to that which hart been
come to by her Majesty's government. (Hese hear) tonnsge of American ships in the year 1827, was 1,621,000
whilst in 1846 it had increased to 2,562,000, showing an in
crease of 941,000 tome The amount of British tonneme in
14427 was 2,460,000 ; in 1816, it was 3,817,000. showing an
Merease in the same space of time of 1,365,000 tons, or 44
per cent. greater than thatof the American commercial navy
within the same number of yeare. The number of Britten
ships engaged in the trade of the United States in 1842
*bowed ate aggregate mount of 45,000 tone. In 1845 the
tonnage had increased to 205,000, these being ships employed
exclusively between the United States and England. But
if he were to take the trade from all pore the increase would
What was the plan of the government ? It professed to be still greater, for it would show 766,700 tons in 1844
destroy the protection which had heretofore been given to against only 54,000 in Mt These facts were overwhelming,
the British seaman and to British shipping, and even the ani they proved that even under the present
trade with their own colonies. (Hear, hear., The c salting system the increase had been enormous. lie en-
trade was alone excepted. The right hon. gentleman tertained no fear of the competition which would
alluded to their fisheries. He understood the right hon.
gentleman to say that only certain fishing. grounds now esta-
blished by law would he protected, but that the produce of
the deep sea fisheries would be admittee into this country in
British or foreign ships. 1f that were so, it had nothing to
do with the navigation laws. All mon ction was to be re-
moved, while the British seaman and British shipping were result from the attention of the navigation laws, fur it
England could compete with America she would have still
leas to tear from Sweden, Denmark, or Prussia. He would
not enter into any further details. Those were subject matter
for discussion in committee. The real question which the
house had to decide wu whether the legislature would content
itself wi h patek-work legislation, and It aye the great blot
still to be exposed to all the onerous parts of of the navigation laws on the statute book, or whether the
the navigation laws. They were left to bear the house was prepared to carry out the principles which it bad
, heavy burdens imposed on them, not for any benefit .declared. to be the true basis of commerce. He had never
lof their own but for national purpose., whilst that disguised the importance of the question to himself or the
protection without which they could not bear these bur- house, and the amendment of the right hon. gentleman
dens was to be removed. (Hear, hear.) He should be Put that subject fairly before the house. It leis motion
much attonished if any parliament should be tuffteiently was carried it would be fatal to the views wt ice he enter-
unwise to pass such a measure. (Ilear, hear) The right tined, awl he should deeply regret it, for the time
hon. gentleman said that this was a moat important mem- had arrived at which it was limes/eery to make a correspon-
sure, and far more extensive than any preview' premeition dent alteration in the navigation laws to that which had I
which hail been made at any time to parliament. That was been made in the commercial policy of the country. He I
perfectly true. It was • mat impentant chin te, and no would not detain the house further. Tne details were, as he
legislator, however free his opinions on the subject of trade had already said, subject matter for discussion in committee,
generally, heel ever yet proposed the repeal of tete navigation and having stated his reasons for opposing the motion, he
house.
laws. Mr. Huskistion had never made any such proposition. should content himself with leaving it in the hands ot the
But he thought that some strong anti urgent case of necessity
would have b. esimade out for having recourse to • essere Mr. Alderman THOMPSON said that, in offering his oppo-
sition to the proposed alteration in the navigation laws, he Wall I
involving such vital consequences —the weal or woe of Eng-
land. The right hon. gentleman, however. had stated nothing quite disinterested, as he neither paseessed any ships, nor did •
to just il y a measure of this kind. The right hon. gentleman he represent any constituency that was engaged in maritime
said that there was a premed on the part of some foreign pursuits. The hon. member proceeded te contend that eh
countries. From Engd there ~,,, none. (Cheerio -''lt our legislation of late years on maritime affairs had tended
did not exist. (Heir, hear.) The right hon. gentle- to give the foreigner an advantage over the British ship-
man said that there were emphatic applications from owner, inasmuch as that while the latter was hampered with
three quarters from reused, America, mad eternities. all kind* of restrictions, the former heed every facility both in
Now with what right er propriety could Prue& ship-building and manning his vessels, for working at rates
come to this country to reek in a kind of menace which would be ruinous to his competitor. Even so late as
for a repeal of the narication laws ? (Hear, hear.) Prue- 1844 we had passed an act, called the Merchant Seamen's
sit came before them, alter having shown for 20 years or Act, by which several offences were created, and made mite
more every dispositiun on our part to meet fairly and freely demeanors against the British shipowners, of which the
the commer interests of Prussia. They. had entered into foreigner knew nothing. Having reel an extract from the
treaties conceal
Prusia, by which she derived great benefit act in question in proof of his assertion, the hon. member
to that naval interest which she was above all things concluded by expressing he intention of voting against the
prtpaaition.
desirous to foster. The tonnage of Prussia as against England Me "meat
was enormously increared. It had increased two or three Dr. BOWRING contended that, of late years, British
fold, whilst the amount of British ships in the same trade shipping had not hat the worst in the race of competition
bad diminished. (Hear, hear.) Ile was a party with Mr. 1 with American vessels, even in American ports, but rat re
Huskisson to the treaties by which Prussia gamed those ad- especially in neutral markets. A voluminous paw-
vantages, and he never repented of the course he had taken, phlet had been printed and sent round to every
because, whin they could promote trade and commerce by member of parliament, which he presumed contained
mutual concessions, there the more stringent provisioos of the whon case of the protectionists, but, in his opinion, that
I the navigation laws mittht be relaxed in favour of higher case was not at all satisfactorily made out. Among other
considerations (Hear, here) But what right heal Prussia things is asserted that even it the repeal of the navigation
to come to them at the close of this long reciproc a coin- laws lowered freight', the reduction of price tothe consumer
pact, and to ask for more? What was tht ie in the would not necessarily follow. Surely every one at the pre.
character of Prue, to (denten them from their propriety, sent day knew that prices were re gestated by supply and de-
Or what teen hail the to insist on such an enormnus emcee- mend, wed that any means by which the supply could be in.
Mon as the abolition of their navigation 'swot What could crease must inevitably result in the reduction of prices.
Prussia give them in enshange ? (Hear, hear.) By the last Adam Smith was also celled into the service of restriction,
return which he could precuts he friend that Prussia took as having expressed an opinion that the navigation laws were
only 500,0001. worth of their manufactures, whilst they tools necessare for the maintenance of our navy. He bad a great
produce to • much larger amount from Prussia. Of all the respect for many of the opinions of Adam Smith, but,on this
powers of the continent it least became Prussia, which bad, question, the experience of subsequent years had proved
as the principal state of the Zollventin, been carryin nan him to have formed on incorrect opinion. The
He hoped that some better P
aggressive policy ruttiest them by her high tariffs top make change now proposed was only the complement of
revious alterations. The aim of • 1 recent commercial
such a demand. (li at, hese.)
grounds would be alle.ed to induce them to alter their nevi- legielation had been to cheapen the cost of transit. First of
gation lawr, by means of which this country had heretofore - all canals had been encouraged, then railways, and tow the
maintained her naval power, but which, he eelieved, if abe- repeal of the navigation laws would remove ail unnecessary
(thed, would eink and decay. (Hese, hear.) But it was and artificial elements in the price of merchandise or manu-
said that America invited theta. Now, with all Fusible fat:tures as between producer and consumer. The naviga-
respect for America, he would say that it must be admitted tion laws appeared to hint to be founded on the perverse
that America never made any proposition to &n
ether Principle of pre-supposing that hostility among traders was
state with regard to which America did not believe a necessary ingredient in their prosperity, and that when we
that she would be greatly benefited. (Hear, hear ) diminished the prosperity of our neighbour we, in equal
Their brethren on the other side of the Atl entie did not ratio, increase our own. But he hoped we bad now ar.
want smartness when suoh propositions were to be made. rise' at a period when such doctrines would be scouted out
America end that she would abolish err navigation laws if of parliament, when it would be conceded that the prosperity
we abolish( d ours. But America could give lie no equiva. of our neighbour was not onl consistent with, but highly
lent advantage for the benefit which she would obt-in by prometive of, the commercial advantage of our own conntry.
the aheliiion of our navi2ation leen. (Hear, hear.) Where One di lusien uncle r which the gentlemen who opposed the
were her colonies ? She had none. It America were so de- government proposition seemed to labour was, that the ship-

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