The Sun.
London, England, 1837-04-25 00:00:00

one being inserted which had not a population of 3.000
inhabitants. Their Lordships were aware that the qualifi-
cation would be a posses.sion of 101. house in the larger town,
while in the smaller the franchise was given to the possessor of
a 51. tenement. There were certain differences in the
present Bill from that of last year ; but it was unne-
cessary fur him. to detain their Lordships by detailing
them, as they were principally fotinded upon the
experience which they had had in the working of the Mu-
nicipal Reform Bill for England, and although greater
part of the differences were already contained in the
Bills for the Amendment of that Act—one of which
was now. before their Lordships. There was only
one difference of any very great importance, and that
was with respect to the manner of nominating Sheriffs,
in cities and counties of cities. At present the nomi-
nation was absolutely in the Town Councils. By the
81l of last year the power was as oh .olutely
given to the Crown, but by the 95th clause of
present Bill a middle eourse had been enacted, so that the
Town Council were to gelid up the names of three persons
to the Lord Lieutenant, one of whom he might appoint, or
he might reject the whole. In such a case the Town
Council were to nominate any three persons, tns of
whom the Lord Lieutenant might appoint, or again
he might reject the whole.—(hear, hear.) If he dis-
approved of the whole six, he might then rominate
one upon his own responsibility. He was not aware of any
other change in the Bill that in any way affected its prin-
ciple, so as to render it necessary to bring it under their
consideration. He introduced the Bill in pursuance of the re-
commendation contained in two paragraphs of his Majesty's
Speech from the Throne, which had just been read to
their Lordships. In that gracious Speech. his Majesty
bad been advised to call the attention of Parliament to the
state of Ireland, as being that part of his dominions
which required the greater share of attention, and in Which
measures likely to Unproductive of the greatest benefit were
ie the power of Parliament. His Majesty had commanded
these measures of which the present stood forward—not
that. they were in any way connected in the slightest degree,
or that any one of them was dependent ti! car the other,
but three measures, with respect to which it. was for the
Legislature to consider them separately and distinctly, so
that they might adopt any one and reject the others. All
.of them had been recommended, as being of the highest
possible importance, to their Lordships' consideration,
and as such he (Viscount Melbourne) had brought that on
which was first in order now under their consideration,
and intreated of them to give it a second reading. The
Bill divided itself natural), into two parts ; the first
went to the abrogation of corporations as they at
present existed, and upon that point there had been
last year no difference of opinion whatever.—(Hear.)
On one ground or another, every one had agreed in the
propriety of that clause, which abrogated, so far as was
inconsistent with the present Bill the charters of those
Corporations—some because they conceived they hard
abused the trust 'reposed in them—some because they
appeared to be at variance with the Bill passed by
their Lordships for the reform of English and Scotch
Corporations and others, and most probably the
greater part, because these corporations were of
an extremely narrow, limited, and exclusive nature.
It had been generally felt that they did not comprise
within them any part of the real respectability of the Pro-
testant body of Ireland. He apprehended that that general
feeling,• together with two decisive votes of the other, and
one of that House sanctioning the measure, would
very fairly exempt him from the necessity of entering
into further arguments on the present question.—( Hear.)
He could not help feeling a hope, indeed he flattered him-
self with it that that House came to the discussion of this
question upon the present occasion in far more` favourable
c rcumstances, with better feelings and better temper. Last
year the House was irritated by the manner in which the
English Municipal Bill passed ; a considerable party tri-
umph was considered to have been gained on that occasion.
'That Bill had not passed in the most temperate manner, but
by debstes of a stormy character, and that feeling had been
increased by the r s tit of the elections in the boroughs.
There was a strong feeling that one party bad had a
great triumph over the other in those elections. It. was
eow said that those Town Councils had become good Con-
servanive assemblies ; that they were not so dangerous as
had been expected ; and that the measure which was at
one time considered- so dangerous, was now mellowing
into one of a very salutary character.—( Hear, hear.)
in Which the English Municipal -Lill ia I worked. He had
t dten some little trouble- to learn What had been
the operation of that measure in England with respect
to the objacts they had in vicar, and with respect
to the better administration of justice ; and he
food that it had had • the effect of ,producing
In framing a measure of this sort to be introduced into
Irclaini, great alvant,,ge and assistance would have
been neglected did thry tot: look a little to the manner
that :vhich it, was very difficult to attain, namely, a greater
• harmony aid a less di,cord in the provinci to.vns.—
( Hear, hear.) He had re parts from several parts of the
country on this subject. He had been anxious to have po-
litics kept crairely out or view, in the Reports he desired
to be made to him ; but, as might have he •n cx; ccted,
he had not been able to attain that object.—(Cries of
Hear, hear," and Jauginee) lie would not trouble
their Lordships with the whole of these reports, but there
was one from Bistol, which he would just state to their
Lordships, and then point out in what material respect
the other ,rei:orts differed. The petition set forth
that had 'there hesn an equitable allotment of
Coancitlors, there would have leen a majority of
six for the Liberals ; but by the error of the barrister,
there was i majority of two for the other party, and in
c n secatence part'san aldermen had been chosen—this,
sattement he ( Lord. Melbourne) considered added
authority to the Report, but it was not at all
li srly that a pa titan would see the proceedings of
tae corporation with so much favour as if his own party
had been successful ; anti yet the Report stated, that by
the operation of the Act confidence had been increased, and
animosities oftened—that considerable improvement had
taken place in the administration of justice, which was
now more accessible, for the Magistrates were resident
in the boroughs, and it was cheaper, from the saving
of the time of the applicants. The puldie safety, too,
was advanced by the Bill ; for, as the report stated
I ad exhibited the financial rsterin that had been acbiexed ;
fur although tile income of the city was 1.6,0001.. yet its
estates had been involved by the old Corporation. There had
the old system of witching was a bad one—it was not
practicable to amend it before the Act was passed.—
( Hear, hear.) The managemvnt of the street property also
been a sAving of MN/. also in the salaries of the officers..
Party and seetarian virulence had been softened, whereas
formerly there was no place ran higher than in Bristol.
He (Lord Melbourne) had obtained similar reports from
other places—from Leicester, Norwich, Liverpool, Cam-
, br.dee, and from Ipswich ; and though they all differed
in some respects ; yet they all agreed upon the general
roint, that hostile and party feelings had been much appeased.
. They were nearly unanimous upon the fact that the Bill
would give a better ado of the finances, and the di-
minution of abuses, but they every one agreed that it would
lead to an improved -system of police, which many Noble
Lords opposite had said was highly necessary.
(LEFT SPEAKING.)