The Express.
London, England, 1850-08-14 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUsE OF LORDS—Tom:IAT, AVOllort 13.
The LOAD CII•NCIILLOS took his seat at the anal leer.
LONDON-BRIDGE APPROACHES BILL.
This bill was reed • wound time.
GENERAL BOARD OF HEALTH (No. 3) BILL.
TM Karl of CARLISLE lama the committee on this
bill.
The Earl of LONSDALE complained of the manner in
which bills IMO brought up st this period of the session.
The bill then passed thrush emenittee, end was reported
to the house.
LIVERPOOL CORPORATION WATERWORKS
BILL.
Lord MONTRAGLI moved the order of the day that
Mr. Coulee Orem (solisiter), sad Mr. Michael Alexander.
Gage (engineer), snood at the ter. This. ',admen having
appeared, the noble and keened hod proesedei ft call the
attention of the house to the helleggrd is the com-
mittee with reference to the bile 'Wel **Wind to a
petition against the bill. It appeared that from 900 to 1000
of the neuters' to the petition were (undulate The
parties at the bar, who were interested is getting
up the petition, were informed of this freed at •
public meeting, and had the lamas of satertaning whether
theygn WS false tie aot ; bat it did sot appur that
bad dose se, sad there was so doubt that psge after
page Use written in the same kaadweiting. The committee
of their lordships, which had been appe need to faultiest,
tie subject, bad traced the antbre to the Chairman of the
COMlllittat la Liverpool, an engineer, sad their solleitar,
who were the parties now at the bar, and they were misled
shot Wes parties had not used due diligence to avoid the
*mid; moreover, they had subsequently employed counsel
so matted before their lordships' committee that the 4na
tares eir.te genuine. The petition potheilled is be sigma by
19,000 persons. who were said to be etheyepera, and is sea-,
legatee of the fraudulent aims= petition 1111111111.
terely rejected. Tacit lordship.' hei core lodes'
mention that the miles at the by had his. twig Op*,
fried, end were responsible foe it. He amid emeleis by
movies* resolution to thelollowietelbet That k opposer/by
tli• evidence of C harlegi ream osolieetor,u/IMishael Almada
Gage, the chairman, and of other perms taken before the
mid committtee appointed to Inquire into the Unmet/tam
attending the employment of persons to proms signatures
to • petition against the Liverpool Corporation Water Works
Bill, that the said Charles Orem and X. A. Op bed
name inch petition to be pressated is the base, well
knowing, or baring good reason to believe. that 111111101M1
&Otiose signatures, sad the names of parties without their
authority had been attached to such petition mid that the
said Charlie Orem sad M. A. Gap hael boom guilty of a
gross breech of the privilege's! the here.
The LORD CHANCELLOR mkt that erne evp meld
result it seek practices as these were allowed to p en-
puoiitied.
Alter • few words from Lied BTAMIONT,
The LORD CHANCELLOR put the reuilutios, which
was Lord MONTEAGLE then moved that the parties be takes
Into the custody of the Usher of the Black Rod.
The LORD CHANCELLOR having told the parties at
the bar that the house had resolved that they had been
guilty of• gross breath of the privileges of the house, caked
slam whether they had anyth*l to state by way of extant-
atioa er explaaation.
Mr. Gar-so claimed his right to be beard by annul
and whams on this most important subject. He was
totally Meant of the charge made against him.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that Mr. Gram had
himself gives seldom before tke eosamittee, and he mid
cwt now l e heard to controvert the judgment of the hem
Olathe had been guilty of • breach of privilege.
Mr. Minim then said he would explain NM Ilkelln•
etances. May of the parties employed had been nest
sanded by the Guardian Society. Re himself had ailies
whatever to do with the selection of the men who ewe to
proms the signatures. He knew, from Lis prude* am a
solicitor, that it war dialcult to olivion proper men ; but be
should say that law-writers were the best able to tram*
that kind of basini es, and such persons had been employed.
He was sot aware that he was to be charged with btiag a
party to the fraud until he saw it so stated in the Daily News
of yesterday. If he had known it before he
shoed have twouitht up those men and had them examined.
There was not sufficient time to do what their lordships
thought ought to be done. With regard to the parish mut-
ing held on the 20th of June, it had been stated by Plinth,
that it was in consequence of what be said the alterations 1$
the resolution were made. Bat that meeting bed nothing
to do with the petition ; it was held fur the purpose of ascer-
taining how the expenses of the oppoaitioa to the bill were
to be met. The elteratioas in the resolutin were made,
not because of what Placebo said, bat because a Mr. Earle
expressed his belief that there were not 19,000 'sumer, In
Liverpool. There were, however, upwards of 60,000 rate-
powers there. With Nord to the suspicious character of
the petition, occasioned by the number of " marks "it
contained, he (Mr. Guam) could only say that there were
very may unlettered ratepayers residing at the teeth end
oe Liverpool, and that his instructions to the agents who
were employed and sent out were that they might append
the marks " of such ratepayers to the yeti.

lien if they had their (the .r‘tejnyen') authOrity
for doing so. He might add that Planate', speech at
the meeting was coesidered of so unimportant a character,
that not one of the Liverpool Aspen reported it, cr even
mentioned the man's name. Brennan had certainly come
to the local committee, and said he bad heard of and seen
the manufacture of names to the petition ; bat afterwards he
said he had not seen, that he had only hued of the mann-
facture, and, in fact, he prevaricated so stub, that no ere-
donee could be given to hie statements. It was matter of
regret that there wee at present no opportunity to contradict
Inmates evidence by calling winnows. He was cony if soy
errors had been committed. If he had been guilty, should
he have recommended the ratepayer to get up • second
petition, or should he have asked their lordship to punish
the parties who had calmitted the fraud upon their employ.
en' He concluded by saying that in his own breast he felt
izcocent of any intention to inmate upon their lordships.
The LORD CHANCELLOR, having directed Mr. Dream
to withdraw, silted Mr. Michael Alexander Gage If he bad
earthing to arge in 'mitigation or defence ?
Mr. Gabs said it was impossible he could do jusice to
himself, or that he could enable their lordships to do justice
in the case, units he referred at same length to the pureed-
Ines which had taken plus before the first and second com-
mittees of inquiry. Tae main point urged against him and
his colleague was, that they bad not taken sußcient pain to
Inform their lordships of the fraud alter they had received
information from the woridess Brennan. But they were
not an culpable in this matter ha the noble lord (Montepagle)
seemed to think. There we. no time, for instance, to lova*.
tigate the character of the 18,000 signatures. There had
been a committee eppoieted by the petitioners last September
for the purpose of guarding the initabiteate of Liverpool
against the infliction of the Rivington-pike scheme.
At the vestry meeting then held a parochial com-
mittee was appointed to attend to the matter. That
committee betrayed Its trust, and *Bain remained quiet until
the lining:on bill paned the House of Commons. Then,
the people 44 Liverpool becoming impatient, smother vestry
meeting was held on the 7th of Jane, and • "'tithe to their
lordships' house was determined on; and between the 7th
and the 20th of Jane the petition was got up and presented.
Three days after its presentation Mauch. made the speech in
question at smother meeting. But then it was said that their
lordships ought to have been made acquainted with Been-
aan's communication of the 24th of June. Brennan had,
however, prevaricated, and he had not told the Liverpool
commit:se all that he now alleged. Now, their lordships had
taken a moot unjust and unfavourable view of the ease, so far
u himself and hie colleague were concerned, from the com-
mencement, for it had been said in that house, in the
count of • former debate, that the employ ere of the agents,
who ware the really guilty pasties, ought to be brought to
the bar.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said It was not competent
for Mr. Gage to refs. to what might be supposed to hays
in that house on a former cousin ,sad , what might
pseud
been reported in the newspapers.
Mr. Gaon said he would forbear from doing so, and that
he wculd now quote from the evidence given before the
parliamentary committee.. [He here read long extracts
from this evidence, most of it bearing on the manner in
which the signatures to the petition were alleged to have
been obtained.] Resubmitted that the whole accusation was
nothing mon than a deep-laid conspiracy for the purpose of
defeating the petition, sad his efforts should he directed to
discover the authors of this iniquity. The utmost that could
he charged *Oast them was en error la judgment. There
was no latent= of imposing on their lordship, by the
thuree which had been adopted ; indeed, any each intention
we his part was Impossible, for no one bade deeper respi ct
for that house thee he had, and he cordially jnwrd Ia the
sentiment, "Thank God we have • House of Lords." Ile
concluded by praying their lordships' most favourable Con-
sideration.
Mr. Gage having bees desired to withdraw,
Tee LORD CHANCELLOR, after resoling their lord-
skin' attendee to the magwtode of the casco which the
two persons who had been celled to their bar had committed,
both to the public. in the iaterfennes with the right of pe-
titioning, and to the authority of their lordships' house, said
that it would be his painful duty I. recommend that
their lordships should peresysn in punishing them. If
that punishment were in proportion to this Genies and
to the dist' 'poet which thon two penoas had ex
Whited to their lordships' &althea', it would be far more se-
vere than be apprehend-d their lordships would be disposed
to inflict; it would therefore he for the. to consider how
small a mune. of punishment would, wader all the circum-
stances, be sufficient to vindicate the right of petitioning and
maintain the authority and dignity of the hoses. But, en-
eldering the respectable position la whin these pantos had
occupied, he eonosived that by fen the nearest part of the
punishment would be that which would commence when
that inflicted by their lordship, bed expired. (Hear.) He
recommended that,looklng at all the circumstances of the ow,
and after the statements which had been mode by the penis,
at the bar, bat in which statements he saw no /Emends for
laitinatios of punishment, that the parties, Mr. WISIIIII and
Mr. Gage, be committed to prison for a fortnight.
A resolutioa that Charles Gomm be committed to the

irfThitl3larATtoel, con:
veyed to bar Majesty's gaol of Newgats, and them confined
for a lortaight, was formally put and carried ; as was a
similar reonlatioa la nferenes to Miami Alex. Gags ; and
the parties mem committed acoordusgly.
RELIGIOUS PRIUISCUTIONti (IRELAND).
The Earl of EOI)EN, In rising to propose the question
of which he had eves maw, disclaimed any feeling of hos-
t:lo4 towards the government, to whom he gave full credit
for their intentions to benefit Ireland, bet whose ads is that
direction had safortunatsly not been attended with success.
When he looked at the nuaerosa crimes, at the many stunts
of blood which had take, plies wklain the last few years,
and were still occurring, he saw nothing to justify the hope
that improvuagat was really going forward, either In the

Cite ezyprefSo.

OUTGOING MAILS.

Th. malls for BiltiaiinithAlierim, Bermuda, sad
the United Stites will be made cap as the evening of August
16.
The Neat India Mails, excluding Honduras, Nassau. Ha-
?wash, and Jam& (St. Domingo), and including Vase •
gala, New Granada, sad Grey Town (St Juan de Nicaragua)
will be made up on the aiol,lllnif of August 17.
The mails for Havannah, Honduras. Nassau, Jaemel,
Chili and Peru, will be mode up oa the morning of Aug. 17.
The mails for Lisbon, Spain, aad Gibraltar will be made
up
on August 17.
The malls for Gibraltar, Malta, Greece, the lonian Islands,
ggypt, Ceylon, India, and China, Ma Southampton, will
Ise made up on the amain, of August 20.
The mails nut liaresillas, to the Mediterranean, Egypt,
Colon, ladia, Hong...Hoag, ite., will be made up oa the
sawing of Auzust 24.
The snails for Mexico will be made up on September 2.
The mails for Maderia, the Brazils, and Buenos Ayres, will
M made up on the evening of Sept. 4.

MON WEI= AT LOWDOX AMMON.
Tau Dal-Mar . lIC pa Altman.. I MAL,
Tipionaur-Alatemkg. Th.lo Moues. IL W.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14.

THE state of parties at the clove of the session
differs in many essential features from that which
existed at its beginning. No section has changed
sides ostensibly, nor has any crupicuous privateer
changed his seat. Ministers have preserved, through
many fluctuations of fortune, pretty much the same
I species of predominance in divisions that they have
claimed from the commencement of their official
regime. And the elements of the popular and pro-
gressive party remain in somewhat of the same chao•
tic condition that they were in six months ago. Yet
all have undergone a conscious mutation. To all the
conviction has irresistibly come, that the undefined
and suspensive position they have lately occupied is
ao longer tenable, and that the knell of their passivity
has sounded.

Proteetwo, which began the session with loud pre
hidings and threatening rappel, has gradually sub-
sided into a low and drowsy hum—half malediction
and half moan. Not once, during the six continuous
months, during which parliament sat, did its cham-
pions venture to avow their belief in the possibility
of retrogression in commercial policy. On the address,
indeed, Mr. DISRAELI., with a pensive manner and
expression, offered to fold its mantle round its sink
ing frame, in order that, as it could no longer move
with dignity, it might die with historic grace.
But the animal instincts were too strong.
When it could no longer strike, or even
use " the sheltering shield," it would still
kick and cry. It would not die in peace; and so
with pitiable wailings and toothier barkings it has
finally expired in an unseconded amendment of Col.
SIBTIIORP'B, on the Copyright of Designs Bill, and a
few broken utterances from Mr. STAFFORD est
anything being done for the farmers at the landlords'
expense.
Availing themselves of the decrepid state of this,
their old beast of burthen, the ci-devant tory officials
made sundry ingenious and strenuous efforts to jump
into the saddle again. They sent Mr. GLADSTONE,
sieve in hand, up to the hnogry creature's
nose ; but though it suffered the knowing groom to
stroke its face and smooths its roughened coat,
no cozening or coaxing would prevail on it to let the
bit within its mouth again. In vain young emit-
TEM and old 0011LBORN lay down at its feet affect-
big to fondle aad give it food. With a look of
ineffable shrewdness and sadness the creature shook
its unreasoning head, as though it would say, had it
the gift of speech,—who brought me to this sorry
pass ? As a last resource, the great political Ducaow
attempted to throw the lasso over the heed of
the wanderer. Regardless of all ooneequences,
and reckless wholly OA to means, Sir JARIA
GRAHAM undertook to guide the outcast back
to the stall where royal provender is daily
spread, or at least to clear that much coveted
abode of all rival oirupants. Bat his failure proved
more signal still; and so unmercifully bruised was
the Netheiby Knight in his fall, and so cruelly did
the intended daps of his efforts seen to enjoy his
discomfiture, that it is now believed no earthly in-
ducement will ever induce him to make any approach
to one so vicious again. In fact, Sir Jaya feels sen-
sibly bow disastroasly his reputation for skill and dis-