The Express.
London, England, 1849-06-23 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSH OF LOWIL—FRIDAY, huts 22.
Lon' DINSIMN (Deputy Speaker) took Ws seat at
6 o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
SECOND READINGS.—Tempos.'. Estate; Hlinburgh
and Northein Ridway (formation of slip quay and outer
wcrks at Greaten, extension of station at Edinburgh, regu-
lation of Perth stations, ai.d amendment of acts) ; Stockton
mid Darknicton Railway (concolidation of acts, ffic) ; Truro
Turnpike 'lnnis, Peuryu and Itcdrutit Turnpike Roads
(consolidation of trusts, alteritions of tolls, formation of new
rosds); Hospital for Consum,,tion ; Bills.
COMMITTEE.—Hudson's Divorce (India) Bill.
TRIAL) READING. Black B:uice Drainage Acts
Amendment (arneuctmeut of acts, extension of time for cm-
pletion of work.., powers to h.vy and mike further tit:. a and
money., to alter existing rates and tolls, sad for other pur-
poses) Hilt
PUBLIC BUSINESS.
PETITIONS PRESENTED.
SVPISRANNVATION FUND YOH POUR-LAW OFFICERA.—
By Earl NELSON. from poor law officers of a union 3.0
kiesid, praying for superannuation.
JEWS IN PARLIAMENT.—By L 1%1 REDESDALE, from
Lyme Itcgis and other places, against Me admission of J..ma
to parliament.
AGRICULTURAL DIaTILTS3.—By the Duke of RICH-
MOND, from Ku by Caur, in Nortilk, on the subject of agri-
cultural distress, and prayinir to • return to :ha system of
pr4tectiom.

SHEET' STEALERS (IRELAND) BILL.
Oa the moti n at the Earl 01 OLBNCIALL this bill was
read a tlard tim 3 and patted.
.

-
PAiSESOBRS' BILL.
On the motion of tal Glitzy two bill was read a third

time and passed.
GRAND JURY CESS (IRELAND) BILL.
This belt *as read a third lama std pigged.
ENCUMB tEED ESTATES (IRELAND) BILL.
Lord CA.uPBELL brought up the report ut the select
committee on this bill, sued rated that the principle ut the
but had not in any way been 'fleeted by the *iterations
which had been mane in committee. The noble and learned
lerdexelaiseed what thou alterations were, and stated that
he c.nandered they heal improved the hill very maatrially.
Re Impelled that the bill seemed be r. printed, and on Mon-
day next that it should be re.csonnittee,proforma.
Lord STANLEY was satisfied that there was no inten-
tion to obstruct tee bill, or to interfere with its principle,
and was glad she noble and learned turd wa, satistie i a ith
the amendments which had been made in e.mai.ttie.
Tres Marquis of LANSDOWNE beret testimouy to the
value of the elsueee which had been Inm:sauced into the b.ll
in committee. S., important were some of them that he
had before contemplated a Ultimate bill to embody them.
Tne Duke of RICHMOND also approved of the amend-
meats.
Lord MONIEAGLE said it was very gratifing to hear
the general acquiescence in this but in its emended form.
After a sew *ode trout the Earl of GLEMIALL and the
Earl of Wleithow, upon some of the dash el the WU,
Lord BROUGHAM objected to the measure because it
dealt viol-oily with vested Helve; and he saw no reason in
the present state et Ireland to justify it.
POSTAL ARRANGANEMENTS
ABETWEEN ENGLAND
D F
Lord ROWDEN inquired whether any negotiations were
going on with a view to the reduction of the peadage between
England and Franca.
the Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that regotlations
had been pending on the subject ever since be came ihto
eiliac. A proposition had been made by the net-0111:o a.a-
therities at Parts far a reduction of rates which he could not
advis. her Maj.s..) to aeca da to. lie had made a couuter
proproition, which be trusted would be tavonrebly received
by the French Post-Ake. There was not so anima diffl:ulty
as to lowering she re..es; it was chiefly se to the mode ut
which the two hiatus shunt I accour.t to ene another.
SPAIN.

The Earl of ABERDEEN gave nntice that on Monday
he would cab atteution to the present sate of our relitious
wish Spain.
TENANTS AT RACK RENT RELIEF BILL.
The Earl of RAILItO W BY, moved the seeund raaubig of
this bill.
Lord PORTMAN said the bill would impose great
burdens on landlords without relieving the tenants. Toese
was no sawn why lunatic reptilians should net be charged
on the consolidic'd fund instead of the lend, the olject r f the
bill being to trader the county rat. , by wbic i sus h in-
stitutions were supported, from 'he tenant to the lacellord.
lie should move that the bit bas read a scc .nd time that day
six months.
Lord WHAIINCLIFFE :greed to some tent w:th the
noble lord (l'or.suau), but he could not go the length of
supporting the amendment.
Lord RE DE.SDALE opposzd the bill.
The Earl of HARROWLY said that in a hours of land.
lords, he coold hardly expect that such a bill would be sup-
ported. (A laugh ) At present the whole burden was
thrown on the menpying tenant. He would not, however,
against the opinion of the house, press the second reading of
the bill.
The bill was then negatived without a division.
AFFIRMATION BILL.
Lord DENMAN moved the second rea'ing of this bill.
It had pos.ed the House of Commons, and 'Ma awaited
their lordsh.ps decision ; and he thought no bill ba 1 ever
been brought into their lordships' house with respect to
which so much misornception prevaileo. It appeared to him,
from what he had ?Lard, that many noble lords had not the
slightest to iou of tne evil whica rho bill sought to remedy.
There were mu), persons in the comma .ity who had religi.
out scruples as to taking au oath. He had brought forward
a bill on this subject some years ago, which was re.erred
to a select committee, and the eviCence taken before
that committee nad recently bto printed. 110 did not
however, pt all rest the !resent measale upon anything
which appeared in that evidence. Two or throe gentlemen
were called, ou that occasion, to taste their saupil P, aud thi y
were surrounded by it or 12 noble lords well versed in the
subj. et, and who subjected them to a rigid examination.
Those gentlemen, he thought, did not defend their opinions
very wall. They were nit, however, convinced by the
arguments of the noble lards who were an tae com-
mittee, bemuse those very individuals ware now eager
petitioners for this bill. The persons on whose part
he appeared, were those who °cc osioaally objected to take
an oath, because they thought the book upon which it was
sworn prohibited the taking of oaths, and they considered it
a sin to do so. (Hear, at) Sorely such persons were
entitled to some respect and consideration ; and his humble
request wa,, that such individuals might be permitted to
make an affirmation, under a sense of the presence of Uad ;
and not he sent to ga. 1 as felons. for refusing to take an
oath. The society of Quakers were allowed to make
affirmations in the reign of Charles the Second. What he
(Lied Denman) required now, upon behatt of nonjurors,
WY that they should have the same privilege and in-
dulgence that had been accorded already with safety to
quaker' and Moravian and others, and hot b, se .t to gaol
u felons for refusing to do that to which they had con
scientious objections. Tee noble lord cited various cases of
the failure of justice from the refusal of witnesses to be
sworn, and in conclusion called upon the house to agree to a
measure which would be of great service, and tend to the
better administration of justice. Fur the reasons he had stated,
and for the advantage of the administration of justice in this
country, he submitted that the bill would be of great service,
and he hoped, therefore, their lordships would assent to its
being read a second time.
Lord BROUGHAM said he had always entertained the
utmost deference for everything his noble and learned
friend who had just ant down stated. The exalted judicial
station of his noble and learned friend, and his long practical
experience, gam immense authority to all his opinions.
Nevertheless, he must say his noble and learned friend was
not dealing fairly with so important a subject u that under
their lordships' consideration. Ile (Lord Breugbam) hesi-
tated in giving his consent to the measure, attar having gone
so far already in the same direction. He doubted the ad.
vantage of lawgivers listening so attentively to all the private
scruples entertained by people of tender consciences. A man
might say he had a scruple and would not take an oath be-
cause it was forbidden by the third commandant " to take the
name of Gad in vain." No one could say with any reason
in the case of an oath administered under the unction of a
court of justice, for the very phrase explained itself, that
taking an oath was using the name of the deity in vain, s
bi l All
the text writers on this subject said so too, hat ley his
the alleged scruples would be sufficient to exempt the witness
from being sworn at all. Another man might my it was
inst his conscience to pay his honest debts, and deprive
bites children of the sum he was bound to pay his creditors.
Why should not that man's scruples be respected upon the
principle laid down in the bill? He ht say, " I have 10,0001.„
but I have • c mscientiaus scruple to pay my debts, because
if I do my children must go into the workhouse"—another
man might object to pledge his oath, as it would deprive his
friend or his neighbour of his property. Could it be said
that it was just to yield to those scruples been No. lie very
greatly doubted whether they had.not. all oo eager for
the tenderness represented as existing in people's consciences.
His noble and learned friend stated it was in vain to expect
that the mere administration of an oath would elicit
the truth. His own experience was that there were
many persons who would not hesitate to state untruths,
but would be utterly afraid to swear to them.
lie did not intend to make any motion against the bill; but,
as he was convinced it would not be productive of any advan-
tage, he felt bound to submit his opinions upon the subject
to the house.
Lord CAMPBELL said, if he thought the legiolature had
pus too far in the direction objected to by his noble and
learned friend, he would earnestly beg of them to stop. But,
in bin opioion, the legislature had hitherto acted justly and
wise, and so be thought they ought to go a little further
nowt and pus the bill. It was unjust to put the man
who had a scruple against being sworn in the same
category with the man who refuted to pay his just
debts, or to perform those duties which religion, justice, and
morality required him to perform. All he thought was that
the members of the church of England who entertained
scruples should be relieved from therajust as the Quakers or
the Morticians.
After a few words from Lord BROUGHAM,
The Duke of ARGYLL said, ea he had presented a con-
siderable camber of petitions, praying their lordships' assent
to the measure, he wished to state the reasons which infla-
med bin in supporting it. He was induced to do so
bseeme he believed such a measure was very much
anise to give relief to the consciences of many
we semplee upon the subject ought to bo ndivi-
iris