The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-20 00:00:00

knew better than many Hon. Gentlemen opposite that these
things are often managed when the candidate has no-
thing to do with them openly—(oh, and laughter)—and
often when he is totally ignorant of what is being done.
What I stated was, that a petition had been presented
against the return of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman ;that ,
the Hon. Gentleman's friends—(Shouts of " Oh, oh" and in-
terruption)—proposed, as he had said, to enter into the case of
his opponents; and that parties to the petition in the bo-
rough—(Loud and continued cries of " Oh" prevented the
Hon. Member from concluding the sentence.) I never had
the slightest idea that the Hon. and Learned Gentleman
would have been a party to any such arrangement.—(" Oh,
oh," and cheers.) I may appeal, at least, to the evidence
of your own ears. Parties in the borough, as I was informed
at the time, and as I have been informed recently, upon
what I believe to be very good ruthority—(oh)—were ap-
prehensive that the result of an investigation into the con-
duct of both parties in the borough might end in its dis-
franchisement. I was further teld distinctly that the
known price in the market of the borough of Abingdon was
3,000/.—(Laughter, cheers, and cries of " Name.") I acquit
the Hon. and Learned Gentleman.—(lnterruption, cheers,
and renewed shouts of "Name, name.") When the Bill of
the Noble Member for the city of London is passed, if the
House allows it to pass— (Laughter)—l shall be very glad
indeed if the borough of Abingdon comes under its provi-
sions, or if that borough is subjected to the same ordeal
wbil the borough of St. Alban's has gone through
Colonel THOMPSON wished to express his satisfaction
at the certain increase of what he would denominate just
popular influence which must arise out of all these pro-
ceedings. The House and the country could not fail to
be aware what was the species of decision to which they
were now referred. They did not think of refusing the
reference, because they knew that, though bad was the
best, it was the best and only choice they were likely
to have. They were aware that they were referred to a deci-
sion where the chances were 10 to 1 against them. He
found front Dod—and Dod was a powerful authority—that
10 counties, having a population altogether less than the
county of Lancaster, sent 23 Members to Parliament, while
Lancashire sent only four. That, then, was 6 to 1 against
his side of the House. Then 17 borough Members were re-
turned by an aggregate number of voters who did not equal
two-thirds of the constituency of Manchester, and that
borough returned only two Members. He had heard in that
House something like an expression that the decision about
to be given was to be what was called final. Now, he could
very readily believe that Hon. Gentlemen opposite had a
conviction that if the decision went against them it would
be, and must be, final—( A laugh)—but it did not follow that
Hon. Gentlemen on his side the House entertained a similar
conviction For him-elf, and for all who chanced to think
with him, he protested against being supposed to be involved
in any agreement to make anything like a final affair of the
struggle upon which they were about to enter,. He begged
to assure the House that if those who entertained similar
opinions to his were defeated, from that very hour they
would begin to move Heaven and earth in order to recover
the position they were desirous of holding.
The CHAIRMAN asked whether the Hon. Member for
Middlesex proposed to divide?
Mr. BERNAL OSBORNE said that the few remarks by
which he had brought on this discussion had been intended
to extort some avowal of their policy from her Majesty's
Ministers. He had failed in this object. He should not di-
vide the House on the present occasion. He had been met
on the part of one member of the Government, the Solicitor-
General for Ireland, with an imputation on his skill as a
debater, which, of course, the Hon. and Learned Gentleman
was quite at liberty to suggest; but the Hon. and Learned
Gentleman had also thought proper to impugn his cenvic-
tions on a more sacred subject. As to his skill as a debater,
he would only say that, at all events, he never indulged in
pompous periods of vapid declamations. As to the other
matter, he never made professions of pharisaical sanctity,
ebullitions of Orange piety engrafted on the zeal and fanati-
cism of a Latter-day Saint.
The vote was then agreed to.
Mr. BERESFORD said, that before he proposed the next
vote he wished to state that the version which the Right
Hon. Member for Ripon on a former night, and the Hon.
Member for Middlesex that evening, had given of words said
to be used by them were altogether misrepresentations. The
Hon. Member then moved that a sum of 3,682,0671 be
granted for her Majesty's land forces et home and abroad,
from the 30th of April, 1852, to the Ist of March, 1853.
Mr. HUME objected to proceed with the vote at so late an
hour, after so long and wearisome a discussion.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER pointed out
that the agreeing to these would facilitate the ultimate object
which the Hon. Member had in view.
Lord J. RUSSELL said the vote of the House for the num-
ber of men required for the army and the navy indicated
the deoire of the House to deal fairly with the Government,
but he thought that the vote now proposed might very well
be postponed till Monday.
Mr. GLADSTONE concurring with the Noble Lord, the
vote was postponed, and the House resumed.
PASSENGERS ACT AMENDMENT BILL.
. _

This Bill was read a second time.
IMPROVEMENT uF TOWNS (IRELAND) BILL.
This Bill was read a second time.
On the motion of Lord R. GROSVENOR, a Select Com-
mittee was appointed to inquire into the best means of im-
proving
the ventilation of the House, and to report thereon
at as early a period as might be.
Upon the nomination of the Select Committee on Crime
and Outrage in Ireland,
Mr. MONSELL expressed his apprehension that, although
three counties only had been named by the Attorney-
General for Ireland in his speech the other evening, it was
intended to include the whole of that country within the
purview of the Committee, and he suggested that it should
comprehend more Members from the south of Ireland, or
that the appointment of the Committee should for the pre-
sent be postponed.
Mr. NAPIER said that he had chosen as impartial a Com-
mittee as he could select.

Mr. REYNOLDS objected to the composition of the Corn-
mitte, and asked what Mr. Drummond and Mr. Yorke did
there? The former had no connexion whatever with Ireland,
and the only claims of the latter rested upon his being a
relative of Lord Clarendon's. He trusted that the appoint-
ment of the Committee would be postponed. Why not sub-
stitute the name of the Hon. Member for Rochdale for that
of Mr. Drummond ?

Mr. S. CRAWFORD had no desire to be upon the Com-
mittee, but he thought it of the utmost importance that it
should be so composed as to command the confidence of
the people of Ireland, and he suggested that some friends
of tenant right should be added to it.
Mr. ANSTEY was glad that the Committee comprised so
many English Members, and was convinced that it was one
well qualified to deal with the subject.
After some further conversation the House, on the sug-
gestion of Mr. WALPOLE, agreed to the first 12 names
on the list,- on the understanding that on a future day
the Government would propose to substitute other names
for those of Mr. Yorke, Mr. Hallewell, and Mr. Solicitor-
General. _

The following are the names which were agreed to, viz. :
—Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland, Sir James Graham, Sir
John Young, Sir William Somerville, Sir James Emerson
Tennent, Mr. Baines, Mr. Henry Drummond, Mr. Leslie,
Mr. Forte cue, Mr. Caulfield, Mr. Hatchell, and Mr. Bright.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
On the motion of Mr. EWART, the following gentlemen
were appointed a Select Committee on Public Libraries :
Mr. Ewart, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. George Alexander Ha-
milton, Lord Seymour, Mr. Slane'', Mr. Cornewall Lewis,
Mr. Cardwell, Mr. Bunbury, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Greenall,
Mr. Hutt, Mr. Charteris, Mr. Heywood, Mr. Mackinnon,
and Viscount Melgund.
The House adjourned at a Quarter past One o'Clock.