The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-11 00:00:00

to the greater improvement and industry of that country.
It has been already resolved by this house that two bills
relating to the question of landlord and tenant in Ireland
should be referred to a select committee. I have now to
state that it is the intention of the Chief Secretary for Ire-
land to take his seat in the house in a few days, and that
he will propose the nomination of that committee, placing
upon it such members as have given the most attention
to this important subject. We have great hopes by this
means of being able to bring forward a measure which
may be of use, and which may diminish, if not prevent,
future causes of irritation in that country. It is also our
intention to bring forward a measure with respect to
ministers' money. (Hear.) Such are the measures which
Majesty's Government at the present time intend to in-
troduce. There is one other subject upon which I have
no doubt that I shall be asked questions, and is quite
as well that I should now declare what it is the intention
of the Government in regard to it—l allude to the im-
portant subject of the amendment of the representation
of the people of this country. (Hear, hear.) My noble
friend at the head of the Government has already stated
that amendment in the representation of the people
formed part of the measures which it had been in his con-
templation, as well as in my own, to introduce; and I have
now to beg the attention of the house to the few words
which I shall say in reference to the present state of that
question. In 1849, in 1850, and in 1851, the Cabinet
over which I had the honour to preside considered this
question • and early in 1852 I obtained leave for the
House of! Commons to introduce a bill on the subject.
The Government over which I presided, however,
shortly afterwards dissolved, and it has been asserted
that I then stated that I should introduce a more com-
prehensive measure than that which I had submitted to
Parliament. That statement is utterly unfounded. I
never said that I would introduce a measure either more
comprehensive or more restricted. What I did say was
that I was quite ready to reconsider the mattdr. Now,
sir, the question occurs of whether it was the duty of
the present Government to propose that the various sub-
jects to which .I have alluded should be laid aside, and
to endeavour to 'obtain the renewal of the income-tax for
one year more on its former footing, in order that we
might devote our whole time to a measure on the sub-
ject of parliamentary representation. Now, Ido not say
that it would be impossible in point of time to attend to
.
a measure of
this kind as well as to the others of which
I have spoken. It would have required, no doubt, con-
siderable effect in obtaining information, and very con-
.tinual attention and deliberation on the part of the Go-
vernment ; but, sir, considering -the present state of
affairs, and considering the inquiries and deliberations
which would have been necessary in order to perfect
such a measure, her Majesty's Government have been
of opinion that that subject ought not to be introduced
in the present session of Parliament. In arriving at this
conclusion, I think that we have consulted best for the pub-
lic interest, for I believe that if we had given up all other
measures for this purpose we should neither have well con-
sidered what is due to the public welfare nor to public
opinion ; and it is far more likely that a measure intro-
duced at a future time, with all the information which
can be procm:ed on the subject, and with further delibe-
ration will be such as will settle this important question
for a• considerable period: • At the same time I am far
from wishing, and certainly I could not be a party to
making the necessity of deliberation or any necessity of
• inquiry a pretext for delaying a measure on this subject
beyond a certain time. - I think, therefore, that imme-
.diately upon the commencement of the next session the
.Government ought to introduce a measure upon this
important question. (Hear.) We have no intention of
appointing a commission of inquiry, which I am sure
. would only be transferring to others the responsibility
which ought to be entailed upon ourselves. Ido not
. believe that-this is a proper subject for inquiry by a
commission, and I think that the Government have it in
their own power to procure all the information that they
may require. (Hear, hear.) There is but one thing
further to which I have to call the attention of the
house ; it is with respect to the complaints which have
been made, andi fear justly made, of acts of bribery and
corruption which have prevailed during' the late elec-
.tions. (Hear, hear.) Supposing that these complaints
.and accusations are well. founded, I will say that there
is no defect in ,our Parliamentary representation which
is so destructive to public virtue, and so destructive of
the credit of our representative constitution, as those
acts of bribery. (Hear, hear.) With respect to many
of these cases, investigations before select committees
will. prove whether the complaints that are made be
true or not ; and I think we shall be better able to judge
after these investigations have been made, and after the
committees have reported on the nature and extent of
, the evil, whether any further legislation is necessary. I
will now only say, therefore, that without pledging our-
selves to bring forward any measure on the iubject, the
case is one which, in the opinion of her Majesty's Go-
vernment, is of the very highest importance, and that,
in order to purify our representation, no efforts should
be spared. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers.)
Mr. HAYTER gave notice that to-morrow (this day)
-the Chancellor of the Exchequer would move to bring in
a bill to authorise advances from the consolidated fund
to- discharge money borrowed • for metropolitan improve-
ments on the security of the Crown estates, and to charge
the same on the London-bridge approaches fund ; that
on Monday, the 14th, the Lord-Advocate of Scotland
would move to bring in a bill to facilitate procedure in
Sheriffs' Courts in Scotland ; that on Tuesday, the 15th,
Mr. Peel would move to bring in a bill to enable the
Legislature of Canada to make provisions concerning the
clergy reserves ; that on Friday, the 18th, Sir James
Graham would bring forward the navy estimates in Com-
mittee of Supply ' • that on Tuesday, the 22d, Mr. Card-
well would move to bring in a bill to amend the law re-
lating to pilotage ; and that on the same day Lord John
Russell would move for a committee of the whole house
NthNerUe IwnasE a S
subject
to take into consideration certain civil disabilities affect-
ing the Jews.
pthwat A.ere deeply concerned
i n
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theS
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on which the no le lord had not touched. He begged to
f
r eeSs
ask, had the Government come to any decision as to the
eNN Fof IrelandlDobservedATE
course they would pursue in reference to the unanimous
report of a committee of the other house with rospect to
the Irish Consolidated Annuities ? _

Lord J. RUSSELL was understood to say that the
subject was under the consideration of the Government,
and that any proposition which they might have to make
respecting it they would give due notice of.
ECCLESIASTICAL TITLES BILL.
Colonel SLBTHORP—There is a report current that
the present Government is pledged to give up going
further with respect to the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill.
(Hear, hear,_ and a laugh.) I beg to ask the noble
lord if it his intention to proceed any further with
that which was considered a most important measure ?
(Laughter.)
Lord J. RUSSELL--I do not quite understand the
question of the hon. and gallant member ; but, if he will
repeat it, I will endeavour to answer it.
Colonel SIBTHORP.—The question I am anxious to
ask the noble lord is this,--whether it is his intention to
give up that measure, which was formerly onsidered
one of the greatest importance, in reference to the in-
sidious attempts of certain individuals (such as Cardinal
Wiseman), and whether he means to proceed further with
that most important bill with respect to that religion to
which he Iprofessed to be particularly attached ? (A
laugh.)
Lord J. RUSSELL.—I hope I understand the hon.
and gallant gentleman's question. I understand him to
allude to the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill I [Colonel Sib-
thorp.—" Yes."] If he alludes to that measure, I have
to say there is no intention to make any proposition
with respect to it. (Hear, hear.)
Colonel SIBTHORP.—Then, Sir, I give notice that I
will call attention to it on a future day, and see how far
the noble lord has forfeited his promises. (" Order,
order.")