The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-27 00:00:00

NEWFOUNDLAND.

The Earl of ABERDEEN rose to present a petition
from Newfoundland, which he said was of very great im-
portance, as Newfoundland had long been considered
the nursery of our seamen. The petition prayed for
the abolition of the Colonial Legislature of that coun-
try. This he admitted to be rather a startling propo-
sition, and one which ho was not prepared at once to sup-
pert; but he thought that ground enough had been stated
in the petition for Parliamentary inquiry. The petition
was founded on the conduct of the House of Assembly,
complaining of its tyrannical and corrupt measures.
The qualification for voters to elect the Members of the
Assembly was but the occupation for one year of any te-
nement ; for Members of the Assembly the qua•
lification was only such occupation for two years.
Newfoundland had been called a great ship,
moored in the ocean, the population being
chiefly merchants and fishermen ; the soil not
calculated for agriculture. The Assembly was formed
of persons by no means well qualified for legislative
functions. One of them was a hired servant at 101.
a year, receiving for his attendance in the House of
Assembly a guinea per day.—(Hear, hear.) Was not
that a burlesque on the representation of the people
\Vas it common justice that such individuals should be
permitted to fill their pockets from the public funds of the
erflony ? Yet this was alleged to be the case, and many
similar facts could be proved before Parliament. To
afford an example : a Member having quarrelled in the
streets with a respectable gentleman, who was sent to
prison, and liberated on !habeas corpus, the Assembly
seat officers who seized the judge upon the bench and
committed him along with the high sheriff to gaol.—
(Hear, hear.) This state of things was attributed to
the influence of the Roman Catholic priests.
The Marquis of NORMANBY said he did not
think it would be possible to justify all the Acts of the
House of Assembly.—(A laugh.) At the same time,
he knew there were two tales, and the allegations of the
petition were in great part denied by the Assembly.
He would, however, make inquiries into these conflict-
ing statements, and be prepared thereupon to state his
views to their Lordships. He could not at present say
that he considered a Parliamentary inquiry necessary.
The Earl of DURHAM said he had been entrusted
with a petition directly impugning the statements of the
Noble Earl opposite. He had received the petition
Lom the Speaker of the House of Assembly, and it
was signed by upwards of 2,000. It represented that
there was no truth in the statements which affirmed
the colony was disorganized or disturbed, and prayed for
a Parliamentary inquiry. The Noble Earl went on
state that there were two parties in the Colony. The
agricultural, desiring to promote the cultivation :of land
—and the mercantile, anxious for the predominance of
the merchants' interests.
The Earl of RIPON said that when it became ne-
cessary for the colony to be taxed, he had advised the
Crown to grant it a Charter for a House of
Assembly and a Council, Is hich he thought was
in conformity with constitutional principles.—(Hear.)
He presented a petition from the inhabitants of Liver-
pool, to the same effect as that presented by his Noble
Friend (Earl of Aberdeen).
Lord BROUGHAM thought the Government
should immediately apply itself to the subject, though
he doubted whether a Parliamentary inquiry would not
be necessary. The Noble and Learned Lord proceeded
to observe that the conduct of the House of Assembly
in respect to the Judge had some palliation, perhaps, as
there were precedents of similar cases in the Imperial
Parliament. Why in 1759, a man was committed
merely for presuming to enter upon some disputed right
el' fishery alleged to belong to a Member of that House
1 (of Lords). He by no means, however, meant to say
that the House of Assembly had acted right ; but the
statements on both sides being so contradictory, he cer-
taialy considered a full inquiry tleessary.—(flear.)
The Earl of ABERDEEN briefly replied, stating
rbiit those who had been most anxious for the House of
Assembly were now most desirous for its abolition, being
heartily sickened of it.
DEANERY OF EXETER BILL.

Lord MELBOURNE wished to postpone this Bill
in consequence of a request of the Chapter of Exeter,
that the Bill should not pass till after a meeting of the
Chapter, which was to be held next week.
TRIAL OF PRISONERS AT THE ASSIZES.

The Duke of RICHMOND brought forward the
subject of some prisoners who had been ordered by
Lord Abinger, at the last Assizes, to be discharged from
a House of Correction in Sussex, their names not being
in the calendar. The Noble Duke complaining that the
Learned Judges had no right to deliver the Houses of
Correction, but the " gaols."
~Lord ABINGER said what he had done he shou•.d
undoubtedly do again, till the law was altered. He
considered it the duty of the Magistrates to commit pri-
soners for trial at the speediest possible opportunity, and
ought not to retain them in prison over an Assizes to
tile next Quarter Sessions, when the Assizes occurred
before the Sessions.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said there required
be to some change in the law, to make the practice

uniform.

Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, ArAIL 26.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at the usual hour.
Sir M ATTIIE W WOOD moved the second read-
ing of the London Bridge Approaches Bill.
Mr. lIAWES objected to the Bill, on the ground
tlist it went to perpetuate the tax on coals, a tax over
v,iiich the Corporation of the City of London had the
tale control, and over which all the metropolitan be-
toughs, being equally interested in the subject, ought to
have an equal power.
The Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
committed.

NORTHERN AND EASTERN RAILWAY. •
Mr. HAYTER presented a petition from certain
parties against the Northern and Eastern Railway Bill.
—Referred to the Comalittee.