The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-12 00:00:00

THE SUN,

tories from the disputes . which must necessarily arise
upon the meaning of the word " opaque." Smoke
COMMONS,might be made opaque by the colour of the
HOUSE OF
July 11. but he had another technical
DUR ATION OF PARLIAMENT BILL. sky above it,
objectionit to the Bill. One clause, for instance, provide
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
n in cases of irregular lightings of fires; but the
Mr. BRIGHT explained that the last person to Pileuas
ies
o e perhaps, was not aware that in most of the ma-
whom the remark " pulling at the Treasury" nufa,ctu' ring districts the fires of the furnaces wore never
Could be applied was his Honourable Friend
allowed to go out, and the clause might produce great
the Member for Rochester (Mr. Bernal). Never- annoyance to the manufacturers, but certainly it never
theless, the Government possessed much Church could be carried into operation by any bench
patronage, whioh WAS equal to money value, and he be- of magistrates. Some centuries ago, in the time
hived that the Treasury exercised much more influence of Charles the Second, a book was written upon
over Ministers during Parliaments of six or seven years the smoke nuisance, a copy of which he held in his
duration than they could if they were shorter. Direct hand, and if the House would give him leave he would
bribes might not be known, but Members were more
read some very amusing extracts from it. The Hon.
likely to attend to the wishes of their constita- Gentleman then proceeded to read some of the contents
ants if they appeared oftener on the hurt- of the book, which represented London at the
ins. It was notorious that since the ales-
period to be so continuously enveloped in smoke
Lion of the present Parliament greater deference
as to render it dangerous to live in, and then
bad been paid to the popular will than during any
went on to contend that this smoke nuisance
former period. In 1720, Burke, speaking of septennial
had always been a subject of dispute, and to
Parliaments, said, that annual Parliaments, which he
defy the House to prove that London was worse off now,
supported, prevented that corruption of the deputies of
so far as smoke was concerned, than it was in the time
the Minister which must result in Parliaments of longer
of Charles the Second. The manufacturers were as
duration. There could be no doubt that the state
anxious to prevent the atmosphere being poisoned with
of things mentioned by Burke was in existence
smoke as any one, and they bad long been encouraging
at the present moment. His Honourable Colleague had
scientific experiments to discover some means for con-
alluded to pledges. Many honourable men did not ap- suming smoke. Instead, therefore, of crowding the
prove of giving pledges; but hustings pledgee were statute with useless, mischievous measures like these,
merely the statement of opinions on certain measures. it was far better to leave the matter in the hands of the
On the hustings he should not pledge himself scientific men who were now engaged in endeavouring
to vote this way upon this matter, and to devise some means for getting rid of the nuisance
another way as to that. A Member must, to do his duty this Bill was intended, but could not get rid of. The
properly, be unshackled by pleiges. To show the im Bill, however, which the Hon. Member for Lymington
propriety of doing so, he must point to the instances seemed anxious to pass without reference to the
they had had during the last three years of
parties whom it would more immediately affect,
Members voting directly in the teeth of the prin- it adopted by the House would lead to
eiples they ' had advocated.—(Protectionist cheers.)
endless disputes, and in the end prove a miserable failure.
Constituents should have a guarantee that their Members
For instance, the parties to be liable to its penalties
would appear oftener before them and be informed of
were to be the owners of fires producing the smoke.
their sentiments. The Member for Surrey generally
Just consider for a moment that in the manufacturing
acted so eccentrically that when he got up it was
impos- districts there were such things as chimneys used by fur-
Bible to tell which way he intended to vote. Hewas
uace owners in common, and the smoke of each furnace was
bath Democratic and Conservative, and says
conveyed to the chimney by a common tunnel passing
which, but for the good humour with which they were
said, would dcribtless be hard hits. If they wouldhave under ground. Now, how could it be decided in such a
case as that which furnaces had produced the smoke?—
large constituencies, despite little cliques in those con-
(Hear, hear.) Well, then, the House might depend upon
atitusncies, Members who represented them, if they
it that the best course for them to adopt was to leave
pursued an honest and independent course in that
House would in the end conciliate the goodwill of those the matter to science. He and other manufacturers
were as anxious as any one .to get rid of the
constituencies. He insisted this House ought toimpossible to
represent fairly the intelligence, the virtue, and the mentsraindceol.
smbohte,
as
sitit was just
preventassome portion of the
indus'ry of the country ; he utterly denied that itoccasional) suffering
did either the one or the other. Those questions i. - '
)eleulationof the was to
from
and he hoped the House would not allow the
ought not to be met in that flippant manner in which roin want; .
rid of
desire of (setting rid the smoke
they were too diem met, but gradual concessions ought '
to pass the Bill.
to be made to public opion, so as to bring the institutions
Mr. CUBITT was as anxious as any man, and so was
of the country remit into harmony with that public his brother, to do all in his power to purify the atmose
opinion.
phere of Lendon, but he telt that he could not carry on
Mr. WILLYA7e'i was opposed to any definite period his works, and at the same time consume his own smoke.
for the duration o. Parliament; but he would support He should be happy to support any practicable measure.
the second reading of the Bill on the ground that seven Mr. LABOUCHERIS said that it the Hon. Member
ears eas too pretract, d a period for the duration of
, who bad introduced this Bill felt himself justified in
Parliaments, and that if Members were oFtener remitted proceeding with the measure at the present late
to their constituencies than at present, there would be period of the session, tied proposed to go into
leis room foe the existence of bribery at elections. Committee on the Bill, he should feel himself
Mr. HENRY BERKELEY said he should vote fur bound to vote for that motion. He had
triennial- Parliaments as a part of that system which he formed his opinion with respect to this Bill from the
thongc,t ()tient to be accorded to this House. report of a Committee appointed at the suggestion of
Lord DUDLEY S rumi-r thou ht it did little credit
the Noble Lord the Member for Falkirk, and the evi•
to the Government to oopese such a measure as this,
dente produced upon it. Without pledging himself to
and some day they would find out the very great mis-
all the provisions of the Bill, considering it founded
take they had committed, and that it was not safe long
upon the report of the Committee he had alluded to, he
to disregerd the loudly expressed wishes of the people.
thought the Bill ought to be allowed to be further pro-
Ile knew that occ nionally they awoke a little from their
carded with.
apetny . and prerni-ed some cur cessions to the people;
Mr. THI)RNELY objected to the further proceeding
but sell nil that could be got out of them was a slight
with the Bill, conslderine that the matter—
should be left
glimmer of their future intentions. There must, how- to the supervision of the'local authorities
ever, be something more than shadows. The workiisg
Mr. SPOONER contended that there were different
cla set of the country must have the pledge of a
local Acts now in existence which would effect all
measure, and they would never be satisfied that was contemplated by the present measure,
until Government came forward with a Bill for im
and that, therefore, the present Bill was unnect ssary.
proving the representation of the country. It bad been
stated •by the Right Honourable Baronet at the They might put their machine in the best possible con-
dition, yet its operation was left to their workmen, and
head of the `h me Dep irtment that the Triennial
they could not get those workmen to attend. assiduously
Bill only provided that Parliament should meet
to the working of the machine. The smelting of metals
once in three years, a statement that betrayed depended on a certain heat, and any inattention on the
either great ignorance of history or great carelessness;
part of the working men irreparably damaged all the metals
for, so far from that being the case, the Bill provided under the process of smelting. Again, this Bill not only
that Members of that House should be re-elected every applied to towns, but it applied also to the mines of the
three years. The Hon. Member for Truro had fallen country. It would be a thorough waste of time to go
into a mistake in supposing that this Bill enunciated the into Committee on this Bill. Ho should, therefore, vote
principle that the duration of Parliament ought not to against it.
exceed three years. It only declared the principle that Mr. PARKER hoped his Hon. Friend (Mr. Mackin-
at present the duration of Parliament was far too long a non) who had brought forward the Bill would post-
period, but for his part, althoupi he admitted that the pone its consideration for another year ; for after
reduction of years would be an improvement in the sys- all that had been said respecting it by the several Mem-
tero, he was decidedly in favour of triennial Par- leers who had spoken on its merits, it was quite clear the
liaments ; and if the House wished to make Bill ought not to pass in its present shape. Before the
the representation of the people full, free, and House legislated on this subject it would do well
effsctive, they must reduce the duration of Parliament to consider what they could and what they could not do
to that extent. Of course such a measure ought to be in relation to it.—(Hear, hear.)
accompanied by other reforms, such as the ballot and au Mr. G. SANDARS cited the opinion of an eminent
extension of the suffrage, and in supporting this Bill he
engineer in Lancashire to show that the smoke proven-
was quite ready to give the people all the rights which
lion clause in the Manchester Local Act worked ad-
they had so justly demanded of Paliament.—(Hear.) mirably well. It would be desirable, in his opinion, that
Colonel SALWEY said nothing had been so painful
the House should go into Committee on the Bill.
to him, as a consistent Liberal, as witnessing, as he slid
Mr. BONH.AM. CARTER had no steam-engine of ,
last night, the contrast between the professions of the his own, and he lived in an agricultural district; but
Government while in opposition, and their practice while the other day he saw an enterprising miller who
in office. To him it was painful in the extreme to see had erected a stationary steam-engine on his farm.
them abandoning the principles and the people who had Any man who bad a spite against the miller
placed them in power, and much as he disliked Toryism, might lodge an information against him for work-
ho despised still more that spurious kind of Whiggism log hisleteam-engine, which he thought a very hard case.
which professed liberal opinions when in opposition, He thought this was not wholly a manufacturing question,
but when in office was regardless and wanton in the
and he would vote against the Bill in its present shape.
expenditure of the country, and took no sort of Mr. W. PATTEN said he would vote for the House
interest in the wishes of the people.—(Hear, hear.) going into Committee on the Bill, but he did not think
So thoroughly did he detest such a mode of proceeding,
tnat much good would result from that course.
that he thought no honest Liberal ought to sit on the
Mr. MACKINNON replied. To the manufacturing
Government side of the House.—(Hear, and a laugh.)
a Wnt ion this was merely a question of pounds, shill
The establishment of the Septennial Act was the eings, and pence. When it was said this Bill was ob-
most daring act of usurpation that had ever taken
jectionable on the score of expense, the Hon. Gentleman
place in this country; it was the seat of all the
evils that attached to our representative system; who made that remark spoke of furnaces generally, and
it had promoted bribery and corruption at elections, not to furnaces which fed steam-engines only. He
and in all departments of the State, and he considered it (elr. Mackinnon) thought that that distinction should
had been the means of enormously increasing the na- be borne in mind. There could be no question that
tional debt; it allowed Honourable Members six years the smoke could be wholly prevented in furnaces which
for sinning and only one for repentance, and with these supplied stationariesteamle-ednegdinhes, and. that too
we altavertye
views he should Rive his most cordial support to the
atomraltheexf House golds Conarrittseaey.l7Divide.)4 vote
Right Hon. Gentleman who had introduced this motion After a fewe words from Mr. LACY,
to the House.—(Cheers.) Mr. BRIGHT said it was impossible for any general
Mr. KERSHAW. adverted to the necessity of the law to work so well as a local municipal Act.
measure, and said it was a melancholy sight to witness After some observations from Mr. DUNCAN,
the Government abandoning those principles which they The House divided, when there appeared—
had previously adhered to. He cordially supported the For going into Committee 83
motion of the Right Hon. Gentleman, and he trusted
For the amendment
the Liberal Members of the House would support the 64
principle of it. Majority for going into Committee —HI
The House then went into Committee on the Bill.
Mr. CAMPBELL denied that the Noble Lord at the
head of the Government had abandoned the principles On the first clause being proposed, a lengthened dis-
which he advocated when in opposition, and defied the cussion took place as to the meaning of opaque smoke,
Hon. Member for Montrose to prove that such was the Mr. Mackinnon describing it as smoke that could not be
case by any documentary evidence.—(Cries of "Divide.") seen through, a definition which Mr.Villiers, Mr. Bright,
a
Mr D'EYNCOURT said the simple question before and several other Members thought very vague.
the House was, whether or not they should return to The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought it ought to
triennial Parliaments. He aitreed in many of the ob- be required that the smoke should bo such as to consti-
servetions that had been made, for the debate had taken tate a nuisance, and that it should also be required that
a far wider range than he had anticipated. The policy informers or other persons who complained of it should
of the Reform Bill had been discussed. When the give notice to the parties to stop the emission of smoke
Noble Lord had stated on his motion in 1837 from the chimney before any proceedings could be taken.
that five years was a fair duration for Par. Mr. ROEBUCK said, as it would require the
liaments, how could the Government justify the draughtsman of the Bill to remodel the whole of it
course they were adopting? The Right Hon. Baronet before he could introduce the suggestion of the Attorney-
(Sir G. Grey) treated his observations in the same General, he would suggest that his Hon. Friend should
flippant way as he had done when he spoke upon the withdraw the Bill for the present.
second reading of the Bill. It was true, the demise of Mr. MACKINNON said it was unfair at that late
the Crown and political changes had reduced period of the session to ask him to withdraw the Bill.
the duratioa of three septennial Parliaments ; but
,ehu therefore, to the recommendation of the Hon.
He thought he was bound to press it, and could not
that was no argument against his motion. life de-
assent,
clared that long Parliaments induced Members to be
AltrePmdandAßDO thought the Hon. Gentleman (Mr.
more easily seduced from their allegiance than they
Mackinnon) when he sought to get rid of opaque smoke
would be if they were shorter. should consider whether the getting rid of it was not
The House then divided, when there appeared—
more mischievous than its going off by the chimneys.
For the amendment ... ... ... 132
Sir JAMES GRAHAM had looked at this subject
Against it ... ••• ..• ••• 57 repeatedly, with a view of devising a method of getting
Majority ... ... ..• —75 rid of the smoke nuisance, but he had come to the con-
SMOKE PROHIBITION BILL, elusion that there was no remedy but such as was pro-
On the motion for going into Committee on this Bill,
Mr. ROEBUCK rose to oppose the motion. He said vided by the common law. A Bill more absurdly drawn
:he represented a great number of the manufacturers of was he had of
than this never seen in the course his ex-
'Sheffield, Rotheram, and other places. Science had not perience, and if a motion were made for the rejection
arrived at such a state as to enable large manufacturers to of the clause under the consideration of the House,
consume their own smoke. The Act said that proceed- he would vote for that motion ; and if no
ings should be taken on information against manufac- such motion were made, he would vote for the amend-
ment of the lion. Member for Sheffield, that the Chair-
issue,turers from whose chimneys opaque smoke was seen to
provided it was proved injurious to the neigh- man should report progress.
.bourhood. Why, could they conceive that anything After a few words from Mr. E. Damson and Mr.
could lead to more litigation, or be more harassing to Memzerietoze, who said be was decidedly opposed to Mr.
manufacturers than this? Speaking on behalf of a large Bernal's leaving the chair,
number of manufacturers, he felt it his duty to move Mr. WALPOLE called the attention of the House to
that the House go into Committee on the Bill this day the report of the Committee which sat on the subject of
three months, smoke nuisance, in which the proposition was laid down
Mr. Alderman COPELA.ND condemned the Bill, and that opaque smoke might be so managed as to be no
considered that a proceeding of this kind should emanate longer a public nuisance. He thought a clause might
from the Government. If there was a valuable patent by be drawn for the obviating of opaque smoke which
which the inconvenience of smoke might be prevented, would work well.
let the Government purchase it and try it. The Bill Sir J. GRAHAM was sorry to hear that the Bill had
the manufacturers of would be found most injurious to emanated from a Committee of this House; and also
this country. that the Hon. Member (Mr. Mackinnon) adhered to
Sir G. STRICKLAND said no one was more dean t'ne original form of the Bill, though it had been for some
rotas than ho was that the Bill to effect the abolition of years before the House, and ho had obtained so much
hmaFromrea,hsahnod,lherefore, he was at a loss to
smoke should be passed; but the plan which would bn,
amended
dce in the meantime. The clause could not be
u not report progress, in order
applied under it having been tried, had not been fotene
see why titt'exCte
so susceptible of advantage as had been predicted of in
that this defective Bill might He trusted that the Hon. Gentleman would withdraw the be
arp.'"ld''d. Wherever life
his Bill for the present, because, as the manufacturing was endangered,, person injured: had a right at common
law. Smoke was necessary for the carrying on of the
interests were now much distressed, it would not he ad-
and the House should be
visable to Put them to any additional expense in manufactures of the county"-,
altering their furnaces. He would • himself, how- careful how it interfered 'with them, and opened a door
ever, advise him niott to abandon it alto- to the common ,c.—(Hear.)
gether, but to 7 being Mr. LABO ITCHF;ftE expressed himself in favour of
it
Was forward again next year,
for he admitted that
much as p ,ssitle the. emisaionnecessary to prevent as •
of smoke from menu- the Bill, believing, on the faith of Dr. Lyon Playfair and
factories. Sir Henry Delaiteche, that manufacturers in large towns
Mr. BANEES. aheuld certainlycould consume their own smoke, anti that such a
because he iesahma : that
wour of going into n vote in fa- course. was necessary for the health of the
thought the time bed now conic, Wants. But he had never disguised from him the
ought to look to the health of those wh were
w. when they ' cis...l=lllos
Not having
vise
most seriou,ly injured by the smoke matter. His Learned Friend the Attorney-General
nuisanceßill was defective. he assured bim that the .
ad-
only then, but every day they sat, they wer *
large sum of money for having air pumpedei3yinga 1 the Hon. Gentleman to take the advice which
.had
House which was adulterated and mad into the been
~,w tendered eßriel cli
until
i him
l another
Bitl
tiltrh.
eC.dimlt
unwholesome .4
bylithe manufactories on the ether side of the water.—
(This created a laugh, owing to the House being at the
the discussion theaetn
VILLIERSf said the moment they read the
yhoad debating with the subject presented
time full of smoke.) He might mention as an instal: c itice if, and it
eat Id an informer prove the issuingliraeewed in the course
of the injurious effects of smoke that a fine row of treese c'ff
of an (Alluvia from
attache Ito the grounds of the Westminster School hadtaken place. How
it might be brought t
been almost entirely destroyed owing to its vicinity to e himney ?He could not obtain possession . of it and
pee duce it.—(Laughter.) Why,
tese nostrils by a aide-wind. The Honourableo
the manufactories in the neighbourhood.—(Hear.)
lo
Mel nber for Dorsetshire said that a disagreeablep
eunserom
Mr. FORSTER deprecated such an interference with
manufactories, and said tile House might as well attempt
eente ivia had to-day found its way into the
to prevent expectoration in the streets.—(A. laugh.)
the, process of Dr. Reid. Why, it might ha
Sir CHARLES BURRELL supported the motion.
Mr.'BRIGHT said there were two or three reasons n tan ufacturer at Lambeth might be indicted byp an i thatf a
us :in that House for an effluvium which uponn or-
7hich be Sitheld object to the measure. The firstmight have
clause was objectionable in a legal point of * eof i nto it from his works, or, perhaps,
view. In , from that of
the le t three lines' there 'was. the word opaque,and if some, body else.—(Laughter.) ' •
.
this B:II passed a good dealAn, er some observations from Mr. MACKINNON and
of and InecP,—
yeaienee would result to • annoyance Sir C<- GREY, it was agreed that the Chairman should
parties engaged in lar:cifaC. Nprogrest.
- repair .

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

The House then resumed, the Chairman reported
progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Wednesday
week.

STOCK-IN-TRADE BILL.

The second reading of this Bill was postponed till to-
morrow.

YOOR•LAW UNION CHARGES ACT AMEND-

MENT BILL.

The House then went into Committee on this Bill, when
Captain PECHELL moved that the Chairman should
report progress.
This motion was agreed to without any discussion.
The CHAIRMAN then reported progress, and the
House resumed.
HIGHWAYS DISTRICT SURVEYING BILL.
On the motion for going into Committee on this Bill,
Sir GEORGE GREY said that the Bill had been
read a second time on the understanding that it should
not be further proceeded with during the present
session.

COUNTY-RATES AND EXPENDITURE BILL.
On the motion for the resumption of the debate on
the second reading of this Bill,
Sir J. PAKINGTON declared his intention to press
the motion of which he had given notice, that the Bill
should be read a second time that day six months.
After some observations from Mr. STAFFORD and Mr.
HUME, the Bill was read a second time, and ordered to
be comm:ttpd certain amendments having been agreed to.
PROTECTION OF WOMEN BILL.

After several petitions had been presented in favour of
this Bill, the House went into Committee on the Bill.
Mr. C. WYNN objected to the course pursued with
respect to the Bill which had come down from the House
of Lords, but which was now proposed to them with
only seven lines of the original measure as it passed that
House. The Right Hon. Gentleman moved the rejec-
tion of the clause.

Mr. BRIGHT felt some difficulty as to the course he
should pursue with respect to the Bill until he had
heard the opinion of the Attorney-General upon the
present state of the law on the subject.
After some observations from Mr. SPOONER,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the clause ap-
plied to all persons who for lucre or gain, and by frau-
dulent representation, procured the seduction of any
young female. He thought, however, if the clause were
carried, that it would defeat the object which the Hon.
Gentleman had in view.
After a few words from Mr. ANSTEY,
At the suggestion of Sir GEORGE GREY
The House resumed, the Chairman reported pro-
gress, and obtained leave to sit again this day week.
HIGHWAY RATES BILL.

This Bill was read a third time and passed.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of,
and the house adjourned at Six o'clock.

THE LATE JAMES KNOX POLK
Official intelligence has been receivrd at this Legation
that James Knox Polk, so lately President of the United
States, expired on the 15th day of June last. Unlike
his predecessors, he has ended life before the even-
ing of old age ; but not before completing an
illustrious and memorable career. The judgment of
his countrymen ever marked him out for high services.
Raised successively to the first places in the sate--chair-
man of the most important Congressional Committee,
head of the House of Representatives of the whole Ame-
rican people, supreme Magistrate in his own Com-
monwealth, President of the Federal Republic—he
ever approved his fitness for the highest trusts; excel-
ling not more in station than in laboriousness, prudence,
temperance, and fortitude. He defined, established, and
extended the boundaries of his country. He planted
,he laws of the Anr•rican Union on the shores of
the Pacific. His inflaeneo and his counsel=
tended to organize the national treasury on the
principles of the Constitution, and to apply the
rue of freedom to
_navigation, trade, and industry.
Most beloved where best known, he lived happily, and
died in the midst of his country's unexampled prosperity,
which his own measures had contributed to establish.
I invite the Consuls and Vice-Consuls of the United
States, and all others of my fellow-citizens now in the
United Kingdom, to share the sorrow of his family and
his country. His memory as a public man lives in honour,
and will endure ; the youth of our country will be
formed to virtue, by emulating the purity of his private
life. GEORGE BANCROFT.
United States' Legation, London, 11th July, 1849.