The Sun.
London, England, 1837-04-27 00:00:00

FREEMEN'S ADMISSION BILL.

Mr. WILLIAMS (Coventry), before moving the se-
cond reading of the Freemen's Admission Bill, presented
a petition in its favour from Coventry.
The Order of the Day for the second reading having

been red.
Mr. BENETT said that, even if he stood alone, he
would oppose the Bill, which he wondered to see brought
forward by a Reformer such as was the Hon. Member
for Coventiy. It was strange that he should bring in a Bill
to perpetuate such an evil as the existence of freemen, who
were the natural tools of corruption. Again he would re-
peat, that, though he stood alone, he should oppose the Bill.
Mr. JAR,VIS would support the measure. It was by
the aid of the freemen that the Reform Bill was car-
ried. They were the only representatives of the work-
ing classes.
Mr. WASON thought it was but right that freemen
should vote without expense as well as all other classes of
electors. They should be placed on the same level with
the ten-pound electors.
Mr. A. TREVOR defended the freemen, and could not
see why they should be called upon to pay for the exercise
of a constitutional right.
• After a few words from Mr. THORNLEY and Mr. JAavis,

BULLED, thought holding up the stamp had a).
tendency to promote bribery. The question was not whe-
ther the freemen were worthy of the franchise, but whether
,passt::.:;" it, they should pity more than others for the
pravil4
Cololnel TpompsoN concurred in opinion with :Ile
Iron. Member for Lisk,-,a4,

Mr. PEASE was understooel sly that the man who
IvoL3ld not par forty shillings for his franalk:::,e was not the
person in whose pc,,:;ass4:n he would :ash to see it,pl;lsed,
Lord ,t, RIJ SF,LL thattg4 the }..eeping up the stamp
did tend to promote bribery dna i;urrnution. But there
was another ► iew to fao :j,OCII of this Bk ti p)aeed the
freemen in a better condition nop iley were before tile
passing of the Reform Bill,- equis'aitz!: ought to be
given to the ten-pound householders; who were competed
to pay up all their taxeslaefore the 6th of April. The pay!,

ment of taxes was, to a certain extent, a fair criterion, but
after a few years' residence he did not think such a qualifi-
cation should be required.—(Ministerial cheers.) It was a
provision calculated to deprive many persons of their fran-
chise, who, from neglect, forgetfulness, or perhaps tempo-
rary inability, had not paid up their taxes. If the House
were so to relax the law as to place freemen in a better po-
sition than they were before the passing of the Reform Bill
it would also be right to relax the rate-paying clauses with
respect to the 101. householders, in a similar manner per-
haps to that proposed by an Hon. and Gallant Friend of
his now absent (Gen. Evans.) It would be well, instead
of April, to make the period of payment the October of the
previous year.—(Cheers.) The experience they had of the
Reform Bill showed that it operated hardly. Whilst he
would vote for this Bill he, at the same time, felt that some
relaxation was due to the householders, and he would,
before the Bill went into Committee, frame some clause to
that effect.—(Cheers.)
Mr. LO WTHER made a few remarks, which were inau-
dible. He was, however, understood to support the Bill.
Mr. WARBURTON expressed his satisfaction at the
announcement just made by the Noble Lord. The Re-
form Bill should be considered the starting point from which
the House should proceed in legislating on the rights of
voters. If any relaxation were made in favour of the free-
men he thought the 101. voters should also be considered.
The Hon. Member for South Durham had objected to the
Bill on the ground that it must have the effect of sparing
the money of candidates. As it was perfectly indifferent
in what manner bribery was effected, whether by direct
means or indirect (as when the candidates paid for the ad-
mission of the freemen), he hoped some stronger reason
would be advanced against the Bill to induce Hon. Mem-
bers to oppose the second reading. As be was convinced
of the utility of the measure he should support it.
Mr. M. PHILIPS had felt inclined to oppose the B

as he considered that it was about to give an unfair ad-
vantage to the freemen over the other voters ; but af-
ter the satisfactory declaration of the Noble Lord he
should not deem himself justified in doing otherwise than
supporting the second reading.
Lord J. RUSSELL hoped that he should not be mis-
understood, and that Hon. Gentlemen would not imagine
that he intended doing away with the rate-paying classes.
Sir R. PEEL could not see that the two questions just
adverted to could be separated. The Noble Lord opposite,
in so treating the subject, had, in his opinion, taken a very
unjust view of the merits of the case. The freemen should
be relieved on the broad grounds of justice, not because
they were in any measure opposed to the ten-pound voters.
If the Noble Lord persisted in considering it expedient to

afford relief to the freemen different from that to be afforded
to the other voters, he (Sir R. Peel) should reserve to him-
self the right of opposing at a later stage the Bill, as it
would then tend to break down the qualification alto-
gether. He had always defended the rights of the free-
men under the Reform Bill. Hon. Gentlemen opposite,
who now seemed so eager. to praise them, then appeared
but little sensible to their merits.—(Hear, hear.) He
trusted the present Bill did not owe its
_'origin to any

electioneering purposes. —(Laughter.) He hoped that
the Hon. Gentlemen who were so anxious to relieve
the freemen were only actuated by a comprehensive and
philosophical view' of the abstract questiOn.—(Renewed
laughter.) If the House was to believe the present state-
ments of these Hon. Gentlemen; the body of freemen were
remarkable for their good faith and purity, and yet,they had
on the passing of the Reform Bill been most anxious to put
down these very men.—(Hear, hear.) The lion. Member
for Coventry went so far as to say that the Reform Bill
had been forced on the 'country by the conduct of the free-
men. If so, was it not i'arik ingratitude in lion. Members
to try and make them the first victims ,Wielie Bill which
they had been chiefly instrumental infringing about?—
(Hear.) So well had he (Sir R. Peel) always defended
the cause of the freemen, that the Hon. Members for
Coventry, Chester, and Ipswich ought to present him with
a piece of plate, or some other memorial—( Laughter)—
fur promoting the cause which they were now supporting.
He had always defended their rights as hereditary, and
limited in extent, and pet fectly consistent with the institu-

tions of the country. If now Hon. Gentlemen should de-
sire, by the present Bill, to extend the qualification as pre-
scribed by the Reform Bill, he should hesitate before he
supported the measure.—(Hear.)
Mr. WAKLEY tl.olght the taunts of the Right Hon.
Baronet against Hon. Members at his (Mr. Wakley's) side
of the House. were richly deserved.—(Hear, hear.) He
could recollect well when they anxiously voted for the dis-
franchisement of the freethen. With respect to the mea-
sure before the House, he should support it. If the free-
man was obliged to pay 11, for his freedom, he was in fact
forced to pay for his vote. The House might recollect
the old boroughmongering, saying,. " If we buy, why should
we not sell?" Thete should be no occasion given for any
such deelaraco ; and if th? present Bill took away the
purchasa of the right of voting, it should be supported.
He hoped the measure would eventually be carried even
farther than the Noble Lord intended to go. He knew
that Gentlemen at loth sides of the House must now bid in
earnest for popularity. The Noble Lord was inclined to
bid 55., the Hon. Baronet perhaps IL. In the ,acrd prin-
ciples of purer Radicalism would, he hoped, be carried into
effect.

Mr. BROTHERTON would support the second

reading.
After a few words from Sir L. PARRY and Mr. BENETT,
the House divided, and there appeared—
For the second leading 76
Against it
Majority ..
iSir R. PEEL said, that as the Noble Lord intended
giving a bonus both to the freemen and householders, per-
haps he could inform the House if he intended also produc-
ing something as a bonus for the freeholders in counties ?

Mr. C. BULLER said that he proposed doing some-
thing to relieve them, as he should move that they be
exempt from paying the shilling imposed on them for regis-
tration.—(A laugh.)
Colonel THOMPSON, on the part of Mr. Hume, who
was absent, postponed the second reading of the Expenses
at Elections Bill to Wednesday next.

On the motion of Captain PECHELL, the House re-
solved itself into a Committee on the
SHERIFFS' COURTS BILL.
Captain PEC HELL said that the intention of the Bill
was to extend the 3d and 4th of George IV., and •to take
suits under 501. from the jurisdiction of the superior Courts.
The Bill would altogether supersede the necessity of Local
Courts, and the only opposition which it had met with was
from the Law Society,- who felt a jealousy against it, be-
cause it would lessen the practice of members of the legal
profession.
After a protracted and desultory conversation, the Com-
mittee divided on the first clause, when there appeared—
For tiv clause
Against it l2
Majority for the clause —43
Clauses 2,3, and 4 were negatived, without a division.
The Bill, consisting of one clause, then passed the Com-
mittee : the Chairman reported progress ; and the House
resumed.

The second reading of the Public-house Regulation Bill
was postponed, after some observations from Mr. C. But.-
LEE, Mr. F. BARING, and other Hon. Members, until this
day se'nnight.
The Theatres Regulation Bill was, on the motion of Mr.
T. DUNcoMBE, read a second time, and ordered to be com-
mitted this day fortnight.
On the motion of Mr. TULIP, a return of the number
and nature of all charges brought before the Magistrates of
each police-office in London, including the Mansion-house,
Guildhall, and the Town-hall, for the last twelve months,
and the manner in which each charge has been disposed of,
were ordered.

On the motion of Sir G. CLERK, returns connected
with the manufactories in Scoland were ordered.
Mr. R. STEUART obtained leave to bring in two
Bills—one for the' registration of births, deaths, and mar-
riages in Scotland ; and the other to alter and amend the
laws relating- to•clandestine marriages in Scotland, and to
provide for'the better registration of marriages in that
country. _
_ _ _

Read a first time, and ordered respectively for second
reading on the 17th of May.
Colonel SIBTHORP gave notice that on the 4th of
May he should present a petition from the Dean and Chap-
ter of Lincoln against the Church-rate abolition measure,
and at the same time to submit to the House a return of
all lands alienated from monasteries, &c , and the names of
the parties to whom the same had been subsequently granted.
Mr. A. TREVOR said that he should also take an ca ly
opportunity of presenting a petition from Sunder iand, signed
by 1,300 rate-payers, against the Church-rates' abolition
plan. .
Sir G. STRICKLAND said that he had a petition of a
contrary tendency from Yorkshire, which he meant to take
an early opportunity of presenting.
The other Orders of the Day having been disposed of,
the House adjourned at a Quarter past Twelve.

CARLOW ELECTION COMMITTEE.

Yesterday the Carlow Election Committee met at three
o'c'ock, at the Committee-room, No. 21, in the late Speaker's
house. Francis Baring, Esq., Chairman.
The •1,,;;.11 statements and lists were interchanged, and at
the suggestion fir trio phairman the petition against the re-
turn of M. A. Vigors, 14sq., viii read
at length. It stated that- the election took place on the
anti on thp it-401 of February litst i that the
numbers polled were, for 11fr. l';gurs 009,0 d fur
bury 633, gibing u " colour; idea' majority to the form', pr
ati ;Veg. The petition went on to Allege that the return
of Mr. i'igOrs 4iit4inp4 fit tfien!p 401'44ra, corrup-
tion, and " the illegal and unconstitutional interference of the
(cithlTlic priesthood," by the improper conduct of the Hitilt