The Express.
London, England, 1847-12-21 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS. —MONDAY, DEc. 20.
The Bad of SHAFTSAIBUST took ha meat, m Deputy
Speaker, at 4 o'clock.
PUBLIC BUSINESS.
YETIVONS—By Lard FASNAAII, from various Oars in Ireland.
Lieveaare, sad Dorertshiret—the Earl of Ethasoacitem, from
pima out head, grata deauseadoas br llorasa catholic priests from
the allot : teas a place aot heard, *gaunt the admission of Jews to
parjament.
►lBnn BEADlNG.—ltallsray Audit Bill.
- - - -

ROYAL ASSENT.
TIM royal assent was given by commission to the Public
Works (Ireland) Bill, the Crime and Outrage (Ireland)
• Bill, and the Railways Bill. The lordscommissioners were
the Earl ef Shertesbury, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord
Campbell, and Earl Forteecue.
AUDITING RAILWAY ACCOUNTS.
Lord MONTEAGLE, after a few introductory remarks,
laid on the table a bill for the better auditing of railway ac-
counts by the Hsilway Commissioners, which was read a
tint tame.
POOR-RATES (IRELAND).
Lord MONTEAGLE said that it would be recollected
that, in the discussion last erasion on the poor-law for Ire-
land, nothing was morn debated than the manner in which
the rates were to be levied—whether on the electoral divi-
sions or the unions at large, and it had been decided that
they should he levied on the electoral divisions. He under-
stood that the poor-low commissioners in Ireland were treat-
ing the rates collected in the electoral divisions as a common
and united fund, and were issuing them indiscriminately for
the purposes of the poor-law. If it were no, it would in
fact be introducing union-mill which had been refused by
parliament. He wished to as whether the fonds were so
applied, and whether the rates were levied on the electoral
divisions or the unions ?
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE was not aware that there
bad been any deviation in this respect from the course pre-
scribed by the act of parliament, and he trusted that nothing
had taken place in Ireland inconsistent with the provision
that the burthen of the rate should be thrown on the elec-
toral divisions. Nothing had come to his keewledge to
came him to believe that such had been the case.
CRIMINAL CODE.—BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS.
Lord BROUGHAM said that in consequence of some
reports to the contrary he wished it to be understood that it
was his intention, after the recess, to bring forward certain
bills of which he had raven notice ; among others, one for a
digest of the criminal law, and another for the prevention of
bribery at elections. So far from the late election giving
him any reason to supposes that such a bill was unnecessary,
it had the more convinced him of its absolute nee, esity. Ile
believed the only remedy for such bribery would he the so-
lemn declaration, upon oath or upon honour, at the table of
the House of Commons, by every member that lie had not
directly or indirectly, by himself or his agents, given or pro-
mised any money, gift, or advantage to any person to induce
them to vote for him, and that if any one had done so on his
behalf it was without his knowledge. The noble lord also
urged the nue miry of the appointment of a public prosecu-
tor, and the establishment ef a board for drawing public acts
of parliament.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.
The Marquis of LA.NSDOWNE moved that the house do
adjourn till the 3rd of February.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said he would say a few
words on the question of adjournment. He did not agree in
the expediency of the separatiou of parliament at this mo.
merit, but he thought that since they had met, it would be
better to go on with the transaction of public business at a
period of the year when men would attend to public business,
instead of sitting till the end & July, when it was coal; known
they would not do so, and measures were shuffled through
both houses is a manner most discreditable to perliaineat.
When July came, be was sure they would deeply regret not
having better employed the month of January. It
was not, however, merely on these general grounds
that he objected to the adjournment, for he thought
it most expedient that parliament should continue
sitting with • view to the more effectual operation
of the act which had been passed for the supprs mien of crime
and outrage in Ireland. They knew that that had taken
place which invariably occurred, namely, that the meeting of
parliament itself, without taking any stem, tended to allay
disorders and check outrage in that country. Murders hod
not been so frequent as before—asamsination had been
checked, and the assassination committees, as they were
called, had held their hand-, because the eye and the hand of
parliament were upon them ; and if the operation of the act
which had been passed was carried out without their feeling
the hand of parliament upon them, and unless the govern-
ment were ready at any day to pass further measures if this
should fail, th. re would be great difileulty in carrying it out,
and any anticipations of its suocesa would be disappointed.
The act itself was most ineffective, as well as the
means of carrying it into effect. It was only by military
means, by a winter campaign, 11 sudden and secret marches,
by combinations, and by tho use of masses of men that the
government could carry it out with the limited means
which they had in their power. He could not expect from
the Irish governent nt, or even from the skill of the wile,"
lord at its heal, that perfection of plan, that secreey of
execution and of combina'ion with the limited military
means which were at his disposal, which alone could pro-
duce the effects intended by parliament ; therefore, parties-
anent should have been kept together, se that at any mo-
ment the government might have been ready to come down
and propose other measures. The cardinal point for their
consideration was, the tranquillity of Ireland; and un-
less that were obtained, so long as that country re-
mained distracted England most continue to be not a
first, but a second-rate power. As parliament was
abcut to separate, he was desirous of considering why
they had been called tog thin, and what ha I been done
He believed that bat for a letter addressed by two of her
Majesty's ministers to the directors of th Bank of England,
counselling them to do that which might have caused au
infraction of the Bauk Charter Act, and which would have
rendered neceseary a bill of indemnity both for the govern-
ment and the Bank direction, they would never have been
called together. As it happened, there had been no viola-
tion of the law, and parliament having met, the govern-
meat proposed certain measures. What were they ? There
was not one which could be considered other than as a repa-
ration ef previous and recent error iu measures passed by
parliament. The Public Work; (Ireland) Bill was a mea-
sure to repair reckless and inconsiderate legislation eighteen
months ago. The noble earl at the head of the colonial
department had been compelled to brier/ in • measure to sus-
pend the constitution which, with little knowledge of the is-
lands for which he was legislating, he bad established for the
government of a portion of the antipodes. Another measure
of reparation for the tactics of parliament was the redress of
the monstrous grievance of railway speculation. The Biil
for the sappers:win of Crime and Outrage in Ireland, which
was, in fact, an arms bill, was the reparation of an error in
rejecting an arms bill a year ago. They ought to legislate.
so 01 to be able to wait reto see the effect of measures in a few
years, though that was *parliamentary ambition which could
hardly be expected from a reformed parliament. A year ago
a letter lad been written, which was called Mr. Labouchere'a
letter (we were governed now more by letters than by acts
of parliament), which extended the provisions of an act
which had been passed six weeks before. Then there was a
letter from two of her Majesty's ministers, which sus-
pended an aet which had been passed three years two.
We were beginning to be governed more by royal
ordinances than acts of parliament. He was wrong
in saving that all the measures of this session were passed for
the rparation of errors; there was one original measure
which some persona might say was ono for the reparation of
a eery ancient error, an error by which parliament was de-
dared to be exclusively Christian. Remedial =mural fir
securing the tranquillity of Ireland, and for establishing the
defences of the country against foreign invaders, it was not
considered expedient to bring in in this sudden session ; but
they were postponed until after Christmas. One only on
ginal measure was introduced, mid that was not of a na-
tional or public character, and hardly rose to the animation
of a party character ; but it was one of a local and personal
nature—it was a City bill, brought in by • City member, to
enable a Jew millionaire to sit in the House of Commons.
All other measures were postponed ; but the government
could not postpone making the amends honorable to the
Stock Exchange, and gi ing to an individual the distinc-
tion, Wit was one, of being the first Jew member who sat in
the House of Commons. Ile viewed this state of things with
distrust and dismay. It was said these were bold measure*,
and characteristic of a bold minister Another measure had
been adopted by which the brand of discord had been cast
into the church, and that was called a bold measure. But
this was not the boldness in a minister which be (Lard Ellen-
borouge) wished to see. He wished for a minister who would
tell the teuth to the people, and would propose what he
thought right—who would tell parliament the extent of the
extreme peril in which the interests of the country stand,
mid who would manfully proeues such extreme measures
by which alone those dangers could be averted. If instead of
such bail Ines* they proposed measure. for the mere repave' ion
of recent errors, and brought in no original measure,
but one of a paltry and personal nature, questionable in its
principle, and abhorrent to the fee-jests of a great portion of
the community, he cure-seed, that whatever dismay be
entertained with regard to the real dangers of the country,
it was increased when he contemplated the character of the
government, and the manner in which the affairs of the
country were administered.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said it was only because
he did not believe that pailiarnent e mid usefully legislate
at preeent beyond what had been done to provide for the
suppression of crime and outrage in Ireland that he had
proposed the adjournment of the house. lie believed, and
such was the opinion of that and the other house, that that
bill was passed, not because there were no other mea-
sures which might have been introduced, but be-
cause enough had been done to enable the local
government in Ireland to try the experiment of how for,
-with the powers which were given to them, peace and tran•
quillity could be restored to that country. Some weeks must
edemas before that could he judged of; and, if circumstances
showed the insufficiency of the measure, parliament could be
convened at a short notice. With respect to the other obser-
vations of the noble earl, he did not desire to offer any reply
to them ; be would only say that, with regard to the parti-
cular original measure to which the noble earl had alluded,
it was one necessary to the complete representation of the
people, which would otherwise have been left imperfect.
Their lerdships then adjourned to 3rd February.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAT, DEC. 20.
The Brum Wok the char at a quarto. before four

teOloak.
PUBLIC BT:SEKILBS.
Cam Low &norm l'aernos.-Col. Donwa presented a petition
from Oapt. Badller. 111 co-nplaining that the petition peseanteti
spinet bag Mum Ina informal as to the monotonies entered into.
!IRBY BEA DLNO.—Jens ihaabilinea Belief Bill.
IsECOND ILEADINCL —New Zealand Bill.
Several members took the oaths and their seat'.