The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-06 00:00:00

town. He asked, then, should they withhold the writ ?
Surely, they were not to suppose that the guilt of whole
communities in the absence of some presumption against
them ; and.if no party had come forward from the borough,
and no member of the committee had thought it devolved
upon him to be present, it was certainly neither equitable
nor just, on suspicions so inadequate and so impalpable in
their nature, to deprive all the inhabitants of the town of
their franchise. From these considerations, as well as for
the dignity and consistency of the house, he ventured to
urge the honourable member for Wolverhampton not to
press his motion. Though the writ was issued, any
necessary inquiry into corrupt practices might take
place.
Mr. H. DRUMMOND never had taken part in these
discussions, but was always surprised that the hon. gentle-
men who did so had adopted measures so inadequate for
their purpose as they had. He hoped, however, that the
noble lord's (Lord J. Russell) measure would consider all
these points together. One thing struck him as very re-
markable, that in almost all these petitions they had
punished the innocent members and had let off the guilty
agents. (Hear.) That seemed very extraordinary. They
did nothing to the attorneys who'were at the root of the
evil, who played with the members as if they were playing
at the game of chess. These things should be considered
on some general system, and he hoped the noble lord would
not lose sight of them. He did not see how, after giving
the notice in this case, they could help acting upon it.
Lord STANLEY thought the manner in which they
dealt with these cases was, on the whole, most unsatisfac-
tory. He once had some connection with Lancaster, and
believed that corruption did prevail among the freemen ;
but it was absolutely necessary that in these, as in other
matters, they should act on some fixed and definite prin-
ciples. The rule laid down by the house was, that they
were not to act unless the committee or the inhabitants of
the borough required their intervention. Here they had
neither a petition from the inhabitants nor a recommenda-
tion from the committee ; therefore, he thought they were
not justified in suspending the writ, though at the same
time he was glad to hear that they were not precluded by
the issue of the writ from further inquiry. From what he
knew of the borough, he thought such inquiry desirable.
Mr. THORNELY withdrew his amendment, and the
original motion was agreed to.
It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. W. BROWN,
that the following reports of committees should be reprinted,
viz. —Report on the Police of the Metropolis, LBl7 ;
Report on the Police of the Metropolis, 1822 ' • Report on
the Sale of Beer, 1830 ; Report on the Sale of Beer, June
21, 1833 ; Report on Victualling House Licences 1.833 ;
'
Report on the Sale of Beer, with the Queries and Ingwers
from the Chairman of Quarter Sessions, and the Chapaains
of County Gaols, 1850.
COMBINATION OF WORKMEN BILL.
Mr. DRUMMOND moved the second reading of the
Combination of Workmen Bill. An act had formerly been
passed on this subject, the object of which was to place
masters and men on precisely the same footing. To that
enactment—a dispute having arisen—the judges haql re-
cently given different interpretations, and this was de-
claratory measure to define the real meaning origin ally
intended.

Mr. HITME said it was simply declaratory, and con-
tained but one clause. He hoped the house would agree
to it.

Lord PALMERSTON did not object to the second read-
ing, but wished to reserve to himself the right of cons ider-
ing whether the bill agreed with the act it professed t o ex-
plain. He knew some doubt had arisen as regarde, a the
construction of the word " molestation," but thou: Kh it
would be exceedingly wrong to alter the existing act so as
to permit that kind of molestation which, without; any
actual violencci, hinders men from their work. He kLd no
objection to the general object of the bill.
The bill was then read a second time—to be comm itted
on that day week.
The Sheriffs' Court (Scotland) Bill was read a scicond
time—to be committed on the 14th inst.
The house then adjourned at ten o'clock.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Under the Management of Mr. Buckstone.
THIS EVENING, Aram 6,

Will be performed THE SHERIFF OF THE COUNTY. Cha-
racters by Messrs. Tilbury, William Farren, Henry Corri, Ruck-
stone, A. Payne, Compton, and Rogers ; Miss Stanley, Miss Po.piter,
Miss Ellen Chaplin, &c.
4fter which MR. BUCKSTONE'S ASCENT OF MOUNT TAR-
S-31M
To conclude with DR. DILWORTH,

ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STIMICT.
Under the Management of Mr. Charles Keen.
THIS EVENING,. APRIL 6,
Will be performed the Tragedy of MACBETH. Principal oho trac-
tor by Mr. C. Kean.
After which will be produced a new Drama, adapted from the
the French of Mons. Scribe, by Mr. Palgrave Simpson, called
MARCO SPADA.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Under the Management of Madame Vestria.
THIS EVENING, APRIL 6,

Will be perform(' THE GAME OF SPECULATION. Charac-
ters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, R. Roxby, Baker, Suter,
and Butler ; Mrs. Horn, and Miss M. Oliver.
After which, LITTLE TODDLEKINS.
To conclude with A HOUSE OUT OF WINDOWS.

THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI.

Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster. —Directress, Madame Celeste I.

THIS EVENING, APRIL 6,

Will he presented WEBSTER AT HOME, AN ADELPHI FARE
OF THREE REMOVES AND A DESSERT. Characters by D (essrs.
R. Webster, L. Murray, Keeley, &c. ; Miss F. Maskell and 3 (Ts. L.
Murray, &c.
After which, A NOVEL EXPEDIENT.
With TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS.

THE PRETTY GIRLS OF STILBERG.
PEPINO THE DUMB BOY, AND PUG, HIS MONKEY .