The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-17 00:00:00

'_put an end ta.as speedily as possible. It was not however
for this country to tell other countries the blockades they
were instituting were unjust, and that there was no ground
for them. The Noble Lord had abstained from going
into the case of Mexico, and the grounds of the dispute be-
ween France and Buenos Ayres. It was well known the con-
duct of those States bad been such as could not be justified,
and this country had had great reason to complan of it.
As to the particular blockade to which the Noble Lord
had allude d, the blockade of the whole coast of South
America, of course if that blockade was not supported
by an officient force, it would, according to the law of
nation?, be void. With respect to the Island of Martin
Garcia, he was not prepared to say anything further
than that the French Government had given a promise
net to continue to occupy it. He thought the Noble Lord
bad not made a very prudent observation when he
stated what
_be conceived to have been the moving
e :use of the settlement of the affairs of Mexico,
considering the effect and impression which that obser-
vation might create, he could only say there would
be no slowness ; on the part of the Government, in aug-
menting her Majesty's naval force on that station, if a
neee,sity should wise for doing se. But he could assure
the Nt•ble Lord, that whatever might have been the con-
duct of the French agents in that port, or the conduct of
former Governments in France, there was, on the part of
the present Government of F. ante, a gt eat anxiety per-
manently to settle all their unfortunate ei,:putes with these
nations in that quarter of the globe; and he (Lord Mel-
bourne) was strongly disposed to think these disputes
would, without much further delay, be brought to an end.
Lord ASHBURTON contended that the encroach-
ments of the description that had been alluded to ought
not to pass without notice, because if such encroachments
were suffered with impunity, this country would at last be
forced into actual collision with other Powers. The ques-
tion was whether the States of South America, because
they happened to be weak, were to be trnmpled on by
stronger Powers.
The Earl of ABERDEEN was not aware of any in.
stance like that in question, except the blockade instituted
by this euuntry against Colombia three years ago, which it
was said at the time was for tilt! purposes of negociation.
In the course of three or four weeks this country by that
very cogent argument—the argument of blockade—ob-
tained that fur which she was so negotiating. France
was adopting the same system of negociation, and using
the same cogent arguments with Buenos Ayres.
The subject then dropped.
IRISH MUNICIPAL BILL.
Lord RODEN gave notice of his intention to oppose
the second reading of the Irish Municipal Corporation
8.11

The Duke of WELLINGTON wished to know
whether there was any clause giving compensation to per
sons for the loss of their offices ?
Lord MELBOURNE said he did not know whether
there was or not.
The Duke of WELLINGTON said the Noble Lord
had better inquire ; he could look at the Bill to-morrow.
BILLS OF EXCHANGE BILL.
The Marquis of L ANSDOWNE moved that the
House go into Committee on the Bills of Exchange Bill.
Earl FITZWILLIAM was not aware whether the
present Bill had been introduced in consequence of the
recent proceedings of the Bank of England.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said it would have
been introduced if no such proceeding had taken place.
Earl FITZ WILL lAM said the subject was one of the
greatest importance to the commercial world, and he was
not quite sure whether their Lordships were altogether
disinterested persons in the transaction, because all their
landed estates might not be clear from debt; and though
this did not relate to debts affecting land, nevertheless,
any law which had a tendency either to raise or legalise
tl.e interest of money, had a tendency to raise the interest
of money on land. His opinion was that it would be better
fee- the lender and the borrower that they should not be
bound by any of those laws which regulated the interest of
money. But he wished to hear some explanation of what
were the causes which had led the Bank of England to
take this step, and what were the;objects which they had in
view in taking it.
Lord ASHBURTON would not new enter into the
general subject alluded to by the Noble Lord. The pre-
sent Bill proposed to repeal the Usury Laws, and the ques-
tion was, were their Lordships prepared to abrogate those
laws. He thought the Bill a very clumsy one for the
purpose. The Bill was not one which the necessities of
the country required at the present time, but must be
locked at as an alteration of the general law. He did not
believe that the measure which the Bank had lately
adopted would effect the object which they had in view,
the curtailing their general circulation. He trusted that
their Lordships would not be disposed to pass the Bill in
its present shape —(The Noble Lord was very indistinctly
heard.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR said he could divine no
reason why, if more than five per cent. should be allowed
on bills, it should not be allowed where better security
was given ; and why persons might not negociate such
loans on the security of their property. He believed the
present Bill to be virtually the same as that which had
previously passed the House. He did not consider that
cases of extortion would be rendered more numerous by
this Bill, though perhaps they might be better known
when transactions a: higher interest were legalized.
Earl FITZ WILLIAM wished to have some explana.
tion of the causes which had induced the B:nk to adopt
its late measure with regard to raising interest—a measure
which was of very great importance, and excited great in-
terest out of doors.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the Bank
had acted as it thought it was entitled to do,_ and thts-Biii-i-
-arose not out of that proceeding. but. out of the necessity
to renew a former Bill now about to expire. The actual
purchase of goods in this country from abroad had been to
a great degree stopped from the want of some of the pro-
visions included in this Bill. It was necessary to legalize
an interest of 51 per cent.
Lord ASHBURTON explained.
The House then went into Committee on the Bill, and
the Bill passed through, and was ordered to be reported
upon.

- The House then resumed, and the Bill was ordered to
be read a third time next Friday.
THE SCOTCH PRISONS BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR, in making a statement
previous to going into Committee, said that the condition
of the prisons in Scotland was most deplorable, in point of
Fizo, security, classification, and ventilation. Ample evi-
dence of that condition was to be found in the Reports of
the Committees of the House of Commons in 1826, and
before the passing of the Municipal Corporation Bill. A
meeting of sheriffs lately held in Edinburgh highly ap-
proved of the Bill now before their Lordships.
The Earl of MANSFIELD had not ,objected to the
second reading of the Bill, nor was he prepared to object
to its going into Committee. lie did not object
to the principle of the Ball, that of improving
Scotch prisons, but he had objections to certain
parts of the Bill, and with respect to which he
should move an amendment in Committee. He thought
the Biil might with great propriety have been divided into
two parts, having for its object the building of local
prisons, and of improving the exiating prisons, and prison
discipline—a principle on which all were agreed; the
other for the establishment of central prisons, should that
be thought proper.
After a few observations from Viscount MELVILLE,
which were totally inaudible in the gallery, their Lord-
ships resolved themselves into a Committee on the Bill ;
the Earl of Shaftesbury in the Chair.
The Earl of MANSFIELD proposed several amend
meats, all of which were negatived without a division,
The different clauses in the Bill, with a few verbal
amendments, were agreed to, after a desultory discussion,
and the Report was ordered to be received on Friday.
On the motion of the Marquis of LANSDOWNE the
Tithe Bill was re committed. Several amendments were
introduced and the Bill as amended was ordered to be
painted, and read a third time on Tuesday.
The Bills on the table were forwarded a stage, and
the House adjourned at Half-past Eleven o'Clock, to
Thursday.