The Sun.
London, England, 1830-12-21 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL ELECTION.

Mr. ROBINSON presented a petition from Mr. Righy
Mason, stating that a rumour had gone forth that the
sitting Member for Liverpool, fearful of an investigation
into the circumstances of the late election, had intimated
his intention to resign his Wit. The petitioner hoped,
however, the House would not allow, if such a course
should be adopted, the bribery and corruption that had
been practised to go unpunished.
General GASCOYNE said a few words which were in-
audible in the gallery.
The SPEAKER said, if this was an election petition
it was too late to be received ; but if not, he should sub-
mit to the House that it was irregular, inasmuch as it
went to prejudge the merits of the petition, that must,
by the law of the land, go betine a Committee.
Mr. MART regretted be was not in the House the
other evening when a Noble Marquis intimated his
intention to bring forward this subject,--(Hear, hear.)
—He would, however, state that he did not shrink
from inquiry, but denied the charges of bribery and cor-
ruption. He should always be an advocate for extending
the elective franchise in Liverpool, for although he had
been elected by the middling classes, he thought all who
contributed towards the burdens of the State ought to
participate in the election of Members.
After some further observations from Gen. GASCOYNE
and Mr. ROBINSON, the petition was ordered to lie on the
table.

Mr. C. TENNANT moved that an humble Address be
presented to his Majesty, praying that be would be
graciously pleased to order the appointment of a Select
Committee to enquire into the state of the waste
hinds in Canada, Australasia, Asia, and South Africa, for
the purpose of considering what means might be devised for
bettering the condition of the labouring classes.
Mr. HART DAVIS presented a petition from Bristol,
praying for compensation to the slave-owners in the West
Indies.

Mr. BAILEY said that, as a West India Proprietor, he
was ready to give his support to a measure for the eman-
cipation of the slaves if it was coupled with one for com-
pensation to the slave-owners.
Mr. EVANS was not disposed, looking to what had
been already done in the West Indies, to place muck con-
fidence in the planters; and if the Government did not
take some steps to promote the amelioration of the condi-
tion of slaves, it would lose the confidence which he, in
common with the great mass of the community, was dis-
posed to place in his Majesty's Ministers.
The petition, which was from Bristol, praying that the
Government would nut take any steps to ameliorate the
condition of the slaves, without paying due regard to pro-
perty, and without considering what was likely to be the
result on the slaves themselves, was brought up and reed,
and laid on the table.
TITHES—IRELAND.

Mr. O'GORMAN MAHON presented a petition,
complaining of tithes and church-rates, from Clondegad,
in the county of Clare. The petitioners complained that
they were called on to pay tithes and rates to the Pro-
testant Church, though there was no Protestant Church
in the parish, nor a Protestant Clergyman, nor even one
Protestant inhabitant. Of all this, the inhabitants being
Catholics, complained, and complained justly, when the
Protestants of England were also complaining of the came
exactions. They were the causes here of outrage, and in
Ireland they were the causes of much of the discontent
which prevailed.
Sir R. INGLIS reminded the lion. Member that tithes
were paid exclusively by the land, and if the Church did
not receive them, a sum equal to them would go to the
landlord, and the people would not be benefitted.
Mr. O'GORMAN MAHON, though he wished not to
treat with levity what fell from the Hon. Member for
Oxford, could not avoid noticing that that Hon. Member
seemed to think that the land produced wealth without
labour, and accordingly, in his estimation, the people and
their just complaints passed for nothing. It was not the
land but the people who complained that they had to pay
tithes to a Protestant Church, though there was not a
Protestant in the parish.