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

SPAIN.

The Marquis of LONDONDERRY gave notice that
on this day week he should put
_certain questions to the
Noble Viscount at the head of her Majesty's Government
upon the correspondence that had been laid on the table
relative to the affairs of Spain.
RIOTS AT BIRMINGHAM.

The Earl of WARWICK wished to put a question or
two to the Noble Viscount opposite, upon a subject of
great importance. Should he be premature in introducing
the subject, he should be happy upon an intimation from
the Noble Viscount to delay bringing it forward. But he
must say that the importance of the accounts seemed to press
with increased rapidity. Nevertheless, although he stood
in the Situation of Lord Lieutenant of that county, he had
received no communication wh-tever on the state of Bir-
mingham, either from the Magistiates or from the
Home o.Fice; had he done so, he should have given
any communication his immediate attention. He
wished to know front the Noble Marquis whether
there were a sufficient number of London police in Bir-
mingham, and whether they had all the extra assistance
that was necessary to enable them to preserve peace and
order? From the public accounts that were given, it
did appear en extraordinary thing, after all the
time for preparation which bad been afforded,
that the events should have been allowed to take place
which were represented to have occurred. Those who
were carrying on this Chartist outbreak against the re-
spectable inhabitants of Birmingham were neither more
nor less than a portion of the political union that had been
establi.shed for many years—a union which the
Government had declared to be illegal, but the
existence of which nevertheless had been connived
at front that time to the present. Those very individuals
had been supported through thick and thin by the Govern-
ment in such a manner as, he (the Noble Earl) verily
beliceed, gave them the impression that their existence
as a union was sanctioned.—( Hear, hear.) The power of
putting an end to such a union had been allowed to re.
main dormant a great deal too long. He would be glad
to hear from the Noble Viscount what his information of
the state of Birmingham really was, and if he (the
Noble Earl) could do anything in aid of the Noble
Viscount's views in putting an end to the unhappy
events there. Though he very much questioned the pro-
priety of the Noble Viscount's policy in allowing those
persons to go en so long, he (the Noble Earl) should most
williagly give him his anxious support, and if necessary
proceed this very night to Birrningham.—(llear, hear.)
The same language which had been held at the Political
Unions long since was held now, and he regretted that some
prompt step had not been taken before this. There were,
moreover, Magistrates put into the list in the course of the
last year, many of avhom had themselves been Political
Unionists and Chartists. Those individuals were placed
in a very •:iifficult situation, and he happened to know himself
one or two of them who had encountered great personal
danger. He trusted, however. that every assistance would
be given to hex Majesty's Government from every quarter,
when houses had been attacked, and such violent assaults
had been made, as had been reported to have taken place,
to put an End to a repetition of such misconduct.
Lord MELBOURNE said, if he understood the Noble
Earl tight, he had asked him what he understood to be

the pre_ent state of Birmingham. With respect to that,
lie must say that the accounts he had received were of a very
general tiatuie, hat be we.s assured from all that he had heard
that the accounts of the newspapers were too true. Some
houses had been burned, and others pillaged and plun-
dered, but he believed that the quiet of the town
was now :restored How far the authorities of
the town were to blame for allowing these
things to go so far he was not then enabled to state. The
Noble Earl then asked him whether there was a police force
in the town of Birmingham sufficient for the purpose of main-
taining tranquillity in the town. In answer to that he had to
state that he apprehended unquestionably that there was a
sufficient military and police force to effect so desirable an
object. The Noble Earl had then stated that he as Lord
Lieutenant of the county had not been applied to on the
present occasion—that no application had been made
to him either by the Magistrates of Birmingham, or any of
the authorities of the, place. Why that course had not
been taken he (Lord Melbourne) was unable to state,
or to give any explanation of it. The Noble Lord then
proceeded to what he conceived to be the cause of the
present outrage, and in refering to that, ho stated that the
Political Union had been connived at by the Government
of his late, and that of her present Majesty, that the con-
duct of those persons had been so entirely supported by the
Government, that people naturally entertained the belief
that the conduct of those who had disturbed the peace
of the town upon the occasion the Noble Lord had re-
ferred to, were upheld and supported by the Government.
He could only say with respect to the meetings that had
been held and the language that had been used in that
town, and the opinions that had been uttered at these meet-
iriese he had always in the highest degree disapproved of
them. He had always been el opinion that sooner or later
they would meet the results that had taken place, and so
far feom his being surprised at them, his only surprise was
that these results had not taken place much sooner, and
upon a more extensive scale. At the same time he eon.
tended that her Majesty's Government had acted with per-
fect propriety in the course which they had pursued, and
he thought it would have been extremely injudicious if
he had acted towards the political unions in any
forcible manner. He believed the evils did not arise
from the formation • of these political unions, but
that the evil arose from the Meetings that had
been held, and the language which these gentlemen had
given themselves the license to use, and which they had
been undisguisedly holding forth to the people, that it was
by force and violence they were to carry their objects and
their designs. Ile ( Lord M.) had always seen the
danger of these proceedings, hut in the state of the law and
the present state of the country lie had not seen, nor did he yet
see the means by which these proceedings can be put an
end to, and he rn.ver knew a time or an occasion on which
it would have been so extremely inexpedient to resort to
strong measures. With respect to what the Noble Lord
had said relative to these persons having been supported
by the Government, he could state with the utmost con-
fidence that they never had been supported in anything
that was illegal, or that could be considered an infraction
of the law ; and with respect to what was imprudent or
dangerous, it was impossible for the Government to take
any stronger measures than expressing their disapprobation.
The Duke of WELLINGTON said that, from the
statement of the Noble Viscount, it appeared that there
was no deficiency of force of every description, but it did
appear that there was a deficiency of authority—(Cheers)
defieiency on the part of the Magistrates to keep the
peace, and he should like to know who were responsible
for hese magistrates?—( Cheers.) The Corporation of
this town had been formed contrary to the advice which
had been given towards the end of last year, and with-
out having had the consent of Parliament.—( Hear,
hear.) But not only had the Corporation been formed,
but Magistrates had been appointed—( Cheers)—not by the
Government, not by the Noble and Learned Lord on the
Woolsack, but by the Secretary of State, in consequence
of recommendations, in a manner, in his opieion, contrary
to the laws and constitution of the country, and, as he be-
lieved, contrary to the intentions of Parliament, who, when
they passed the Corporations Bill, understood that the Ma-
gistrates should be appointed in the usual manner by
the Crown, and not recommended by any party or
any body of men residing within the Corporate district.
What had been the consequence? After a most dis-
graceful riet had existed for more than a week, for
he believed upwards of ten days at least, this large
town, one of the largest manufacturing towns in the
kingdom, containing property to an immense amount,
and one of the most respectable populations in the countryha
had been treated like a town taken by storm—houses d
been burnt down. He had been in many towns takenby
storm, but never had such outrages occurred inonly
them as had been' committed in this town .
last night, under the eyes of MagistDraetesartamprtinted
by the Scretary of State for the
°nmo
out ofp housesn ; d
their presence property had been tank
burnt in the public streets notwithstanding thei presence of
police and troops. This ought
eyes of
ftothieave. been
Magistrates
al-
lowed to go on under the
and almost under the eyes of the troops, without anything,
being done to prevent these outrages. It would have been
impossible formerly that these things could have gone on
in this great country, once so peaceab!e and so happy.—
(Cheers.)
The Earl of WA R WIC K said the Noble Viscount
denied that the Government had given any countenance
to the Political Unions, but they had appointed the very I
mon who formed these Unions to the office of Magistrates,
and they had appointed even Delegate Chartists, and
lin had had much correspondence with the Secretary
of State upon that point. He had the names
of the parties,did
but not wish to mention
them unnecessarily—but there were six Political Union-
ists, and three. or four Chartists now performing the duties
• of the Magatraev, but it was clear and made so upon
the examination of Lovett, the Secretary to the Convention.
From the position which he held in the county he bad pai