The Sun.
London, England, 1839-08-07 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, AUGUST 6.
The SPEAKER resumed the chair at Five o'Clock.
Mr. DUNBAR presented three petitions from places
in Ireland, praying that soldiers belonging to the Presby-
terian Church might have the liberty of attending their
own Church in the same manner as those belonging to the
Catholic Church.
Colonel PERCE VAL presented a petition against the
Government scheme of national education.
Captain PE CHEL L presented a petition from the
Guardians of the East Preston Union in Sussex,
complaining that endeavours had been made to create a
prejudice against such incorporations—the petitioners sta-
ted they were beneficial, and prayed they might not be done
away with.
Sir S. LUS HINGTON brought up the Report of the
Committee appointed to search the Lords' Journal respect-
ing the Slave
,Treaties' Bill. The Learned Doctor also
presented a petition against the Collection of Rates Bill.
Mr. HARVEY then rose to make the motion of which
he had given notice.
" That the following Resolution, passed on the 23d day
of April, 1839, be made a Standing Order:—" Resolved
—That, in all Bills for inclosing commons or waste lands,
provision be made for leaving an open space in the most
appropriate situation, sufficient for purposes of exercise
and recreation of the neighbouring population; and
that the Committee on the Bill have before
them the number of acres proposed to be inclosed,
as also of the population in the parishes or places in
which the land to be inclosed is situate ; and also to see
that provision is made for the efficient fencing of
the allotment, for the investment of the same in
the churchwardens and overseers of the parish in which
such open space is reserved, and for the efficient
making and permanent maintenance of the fences by such
parish • and that in any case where the information hereby
required is not given and the required provisions are
not made in the Bill, the Committee on the same
be directed specially to report to the House the
reasons for not complying with such Standing Order."
It was only at the present late hour that this concession
had been made, and, narrow and contracted as it was, it
was the only practical recognition in the present Session
of anything that could be called a solicitude for the public
interests. But it was net enough to say that if this principle
had been observed in past years, and extended over 4,000
Inclosure Bills, the labouring classes would have enjoyed
the advantages following the possession of a large
Geld of property. But let them contemplate how
many cottages had been swept away by these mercenary
Acts, and levelled, without any regard to the rights of pro-
perty, either to accumulate the inordinate possessions of
the rich, and to minister to that pride which could not bear
to see within sight of the castle or park-wall any tene-
ment occupied by the lowly cultivator of the soil.
He felt a melancholy satisfaction in moving the house to
give permanence to this resolution, and trusted that it
would only be the precursor of many attempts to ameliorate
the condition of the neglected classes of the country.
Mr. HUM E seconded the motion, which was agreed to.
DIVINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN.
Mr. SHA W wished to ask the Noble Lord whether it
was the intention of the Government to grant a charter
for the new Divinity College in the City of Dublin.
Lord MO RPE TH said that a proposal had been sub.
mitted to the Government, and the subject was under de-
liberation, but he could not give a more peecise answer to
the question.
Sir E. CODRINGTON gave notice that he should,
next Session, if the Admiralty or the Board of Trade did
not take the matter up, submit a motion to the House,
relative to a petition which he had presented in regard to
the management of the funds in the hands of the Mer-
chants' Seamen's Corporation. Although he had had a
notice on the books relating to this subject for some time
he had not as yet had an opportunity of bringing the
subject forward.