The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-17 00:00:00

DERBY ELECTION.

Mr. GOULBURN brought up the report of the com.
mittee on the Derby Election Petition. The report was
as follows :—" The committee have gone into the allega-
tions of the petitition, and they have to report there-
upon, that they have examined witnesses and heard coun-
sel in support of the petition, as well as on behalf of the
Right Honourable Major Beresford, the Secretary at
War, and they have agreed to the following
resolution, namely, to report that, respecting
the specific allegations contained in the petition before
them, the evidence which was taken satisfied them that
an organised system of bribery and corruption was car-
ried out at the last election for the borough of Derby.
That the Right Honourable Major Beresford wrote
a letter to a Mr. Frail of Shrewsbury. [The
letter which has already been before the public as
one of the W. B. series, was to the effect that a good and
safe man was wanted at Derby, but as Mr. Frail could
not be spared from Shrewsbury, he must send some one
in his place. The letter also gave explicit directions by
which such a person was to make himself known at
Derby, and was signed W. B.] That in consequence of
the said letter, a Mr. Morgan was sent to Derby by
Mr. Frail, acting on the instructions which he had re-
ceived, and subsequently Morgan was apprehended in
Derby while engaged in carrying out the plan of the or-
ganised system of bribery proved before the committee.
Your committee do not find that there is sufficient evi-
dence to satisfy their minds. that the organised schemes
of corruption referred to in the petition were known to
the right hon. member the Secretary at War ; but your
committee are of opinion that the equivocal expres-
sions of the letter ought at least to have suggested
to the writer the idea of the improper use to which that
letter might be and was applied, and your ellll 111 l itteo
are of opinion that the terms of the letter show a reck-
less indifference to consequences, which they cannot too
highly censure."
The report was ordered to be printed.
NOTICES OF MOTION.
Lord HOTHAM gave notice that early after the re-
cess, he should move for leave to bring in a bill to pre-
clude the Judges of the Superior Courts of Law and
Equity from sitting in this house.
Lord D. STUART gave notice that early after the
recess, he should move for leave to bring in a bill to re-
peal the Septennial Act, and to shorten the duration of
Parliaments.
Mr. ROCHE gave notice that early after the recess
he should move the following resolution, viv. :—That
this house do resolve itself into a committee of
the whole house, to take into consideration
the present mode of levying duties upon home-made
spirits in bond.
Lord JOCELYN gave notice that, early after the re-
cess, he should call the attention of the house to the
general question of railway communication in India.

NEWSPAPER STAMPS.
Mr. COWAN wished to ask the law officers of the
Crown, if their attention had been drawn by the Board
of Inland Revenue, or otherwise, to the fact that a
weekly paper, entitled ". The Commercial Journal,"
containing advertisements, intelligence, and news, has
been published in the City of Dublin for some time
without a stamp, and circulates notwithstanding free
through the Post-office ; and whether it is the intention
of the law officers of the Crown to take any steps against
the proprietors or publishers of the paper in question ?
Mr. WHITESIDE, the Solicitor-General for Ireland,
knew nothing whatever of the case.
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD said as the billwas to have been
brought in on this subject, particularly with reference to
the Household Narrative of Current Events, but it had
had not yet been. laid on the table. Might it be ex-
pected before the house broke up for the holidays ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had
requested the Attorney-General to turn his attention
to the subject, as ho thought the grievance complained
of ought to be remedied. The Attorney-General, how-
ever, was not in the house, and he could not say whether
the bill would be laid on the table before the recess.
THE HOUSE TAX.
Mr. PELLATT wished to ask the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, in reference to houses under P. parochial tax

[PRICE 5D .

composition, being let at weekly rents, whether, under
the proposed double house tax landlords or owners would
have the option of a similar composition ; and whether,
in the case of the extension of the area to houses of ten
pounds rental, or 4s. per week, a deduction would be
made for repairs and for local taxation.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it
was not the intention of Government to take notice of
the parochial composition, but each house would be as-
sessed according to its annual value, and no allowance
would be made similar to that made by the local
authorities.
Sir B. HALL moved for a return, in columns, of-1.
The number of houses in every county in England and
Wales charged to the window duties in 1851 ; 2. The
gross amount charged thereon in 1851 ; 3. The number
of houses charged to house duty in the year ending
April, 1852 ; 4. The amount of duty thereon.
Agreed to.