The Sun.
London, England, 1836-03-02 00:00:00

READING UNION GAS BILL.

This Bill was read a third time and passed-
BIRMINGHAM AND DORCHESTER RAIL-
WAY.

Captain WINNING presented a petition against the
Birmingham and Dorchester Railway Bill.'
CAMBRIDGE ENCLOSURE BILL.

Mr. TOWNLEY moved the third reading of this Bill.

ULSTER RAILWAY.

On the motion of Mr. S. CRAWFORD the Ulster
Railway Bill was referred to Lord Castlereagh and the
Down list.

Several petitions were presented, and other miscellaneous
matter gone through, but nothing of any public interest
occur*ed up to the hour going to press.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, IlfAßatr 1.

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.-BRIGHTON.

Lord TE YNH AM presented a petition from the inhabi-
tants of Brighton, praying that when the Priioners' Council
Bill came before the House, a clause might be inserted
in it by which prisoners, when carried before
Magistrates might have the benefit of a solicitor. The Noble
Lord stated that he believed great dissatisfaction existed in
the town of Brighton relative to the mode in which justice was
administered there. The petition, which he believed expressed
the unanimous opinion of the people of Brighton, mentioned
the case of Mary Ann Booth, who had lately been deprived of
professional assistance by the Magistrates of Brighton. He
begged to be understood as casting no reflection whatever
against the Magistrates of Brighton.
The Duke of RICHMOND was surprised that the Noble
Lord should represent the petition he had presented as ex-
pressing the unanimous feeling of the people of Brighton
when it was only signed by three hundred individuals out of
a population of 40,000.—( Hear.) However, he considered the
petition contained no charge whatever against the Magistrates
of Brighton. The petitioners did riot deny that the Justices
of Brighton had a right to frame rules for their own guidance,
and to preserve order in their own Courts. In the case of
Mary Ann Booth, who was brought before the Brighton
Magistrates, she was charged with a felony, and
he would by and bye read the depositions that had
been taken, which in his mind were conclusive that she
was guilty of the charge brought against her; but it appeared
that the Attorney who had been employed for her on that
occasion had manifested great opposition to the magistrates,
and they had made an order that if the Attorney did not be-
have himself in a becoming manner, they would not allow him
to plead ; that no attorney unless specially permitted should
appear as an advocate for any party before thorn, but any
attorney might attend, take notes, make suggestioris, and
so on for the benefit of his client.—( Hear, hear, hear. )
The great body of the respectable people at Brighton
would not sign the petition, and Lao believed those who had
signed it did not know what it was about. He knew of no
gentlemen who devoted more of flitch- time to the public ser-
vice than the Brighton Magistrates. Every body knew that it
was a fluctuating population, and that the magistrates had fre-
quently a very delicate duty to perform. A great many persons
of all classes in the hot weather went. down to Brighton, for the
purpose of availing themselves of the sea-bathing, and indivi-
duals of loose character were often brought before them ; but
did they keep a close Court ? Was it not notorious there
were Reporters from three or four Newspapers always pre.
sent, and therefore it was evident that there was a whole-
some control of the public opinizu exercised over them.
In some cases it would be highly inconvenient that solicitors
should be present—for instance, in the case where one of the
gang was taken up, he might give )aotice to the others, so that
they might keep out of the way.- Be had said thus much for
the vindication of the magistrates of Brighton, and now for
the case of Mary Ann Booth--( Hoar, hear.) Why
the name of Sir David Scott should, ;have been selected in pre-
ference to any other, he could not tell ; but that gentleman
was perfectly willing to bear all flee blame.—( Hear, hear.)
It was true that this woman had, written a letter to him
as Lord Lieutenant of the county, on the subject; but it was
equally true that'the answer he returned was that he could
not attempt to take any steps. to in duce the Lord Chancellor
to remove him from the Peace. lele thought coming to the
House a most improper course, for LE: the Magistrates of Brigh-
ton had acted improperly, there we ee plenty of tribunals in the
country to which they were amenable, without coming to that
House.—( Cries of " Hear, hear, hear.") Now, as to these
persons being sent to gaol illegally, it was quite clear from
the depositions of the prosecutor, Mr. Colvey, a chemist at
Brighton, that she had been guilty of a felony ; for upon a
search warrant being procured, ar tides were found in her pos-
session with the name of the prosecutor upon them.—(Hear,
hear.) The Magistrates, therefo re, could do nothing else but
adopt the course they had done. In his opinion a more clear
case of felony had never taken p'.ace. But he had been told
that the prosecutor was dissatisfic d with the proceedings of the
Magistrates. Such could not be the case, for he had the declara-
tion' of the prosecutor himself th at the course they had adopted
was perfectly satisfactory to him-- _(Hear.) Then the Noble
Lord had said that the Bill had been thrown
out. Bills were often thrown. out, and probably the reason
why that course had been adopts d in this case was that the
prosecutor gave very different test imony before the Grand Jury
to that which he did on the trial. It was said that the Magis-
trates had acted under the feeli ais of enmity in causing this
person to be imprisoned. Now what was the fact ? Why
they had actually offered to take bail ; but this woman, per-
haps for the purpose of the pre! cent petition, had been advised
not to give it. In his opinion the parties ought to have been
satisfied with the opinion of the Secretary of State, who he
was satisfied that none of their "fseordships whatever political
opinions they might entertain v could consider capable of ad-
vising his Majesty improperly.
Lord STRANGFORD was; sorry that the Noble Lord
should have thought it necess: xy to have brought forward a
subject of such insignificance I o the attention of the House.
The Earl of CH !CHEST ER defended the conduct of the
magistrates of Brighton. He believed that in no place in Eng-
land was the criminal busim
.zs conducted with such propriety.
In practice no attorney had, ever been prevented from attend-
iog and advocating any comae before them.
CHANCELLOR felt bound to state what
beTkhneewef LORDtb
this
tra
Auction. A petition had been sent up to
the Secretary of State, which was shown to him, and he
found but one ;Allegation in it which required explanation—
that was wheere it was stated that the magistrates de-
clared they `Acted as well upon other motives as from the
evidence 'taken before them in Court. It appeared
that what the magistrate said was, that they acted
not only from what happenedt in Court, but from what, on
consulting among themselves, they found to be the case,
Under eifese circumstances, of the magistrates had r.et :one.
witted the party, they would have been guilty of
grass neglect.
As to excluding attorneys, they had acted strive
law ; and no doubt, for goods reasons, had tly within the
exercised a wise
discretion. He merely did the magistrate
;justice, .by stating
these facts.
Lord TE YN HAM explained'.
The Duke of RICHMOND
41:11aed made no attack on the
petitioners. The Noble Deice
tions, praying for an eater ;oil for the
to twenty years, flirt/IT-AZ:Ivo peti-
payment of money advanced fear' building workhouses from ten
distress. Also a petitiirt on the subject of agricultural

HO USE OF C0).31140N5, )117.1Rcg I.
GREAT NOR'-MEI IN RAILWAY.
Mr. HUTT moved that the petition which he presented
yesterday, complaining that the standing orders had not been
complied with, in the case of the Great Northern Railway, be
referred to the Committee.— Ord ...red.
Mr. sTE WART moved the second reading- e the Lon-
don and Blackwall Railway Bill.
Mr. GROTE presented a pet :Om against the Bill.
Bill was then read a second toija4 .

Tie

~~~

AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.
Colonel LYGON presented a petition from Worcester on
the subject of agricultural distress.
RAILWAY SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT.
Mr. P. THOMPSON rose to move that the House do
take into consideration the Report of the Select Committee on
Railways.
Mr. WILKS objected to the House entering into the con-
sideration of the report until the period allotted for the presen-
tation of public petitions had expired, namely, 5 o'clock.
Several Hon. Members had petitions of great importance to pre-
sent, and he did not think that private business should take
precedence. Besides, no injury could be occasioned by de_
laying the motion of the Right Hon. Gentleman tOr an hour,
particularly as he could, from his position in the House, bring
it forward at any moment he thought fit.
Mr. WILKS again rose, but was obliged to sit down from
cries of " Order."

Mr. W. PATTEN thought it would 'be better to proceed
at once with the discussions on the report, as there were so
many Members present interested in the question of Railways.
Mr. P. THOMPSON-denied that injury could result from
delaying the presentation of petitions, and hoped the House
would allow him to proceed.
Mr. ROBINSON said, if it could be shown that any injury
would result from delaying the motion of the Right Hon.
Gentleman until five o'clock, why, let it be proceeded with ; but
in his opinion no such injury would be occasioned by it. He
hoped he might be allowed to present a petition which he held
in his hand. •

The SPEAKER put it to the House whether, from the
great accumulation of private business, it would not be better
to go on with the motion of the Right lien. Gentleman.
Mr. WILKS would defer to the opinion of the Speaker.
Mr. POULETT THOMPSON.—The course which he
proposed to follow was to call upon the House to agree to a
series of resolutions embodying the recommendations Of the
Committee, of which he had the honour to be Chairman,
with a view to the future conduct of railway bills through
that House. He had for that purpose framed five or six
resolutions—the first of which would be to the effect
that the House do give instructions to whateventommittee
the Bill might be referred, to inquire satisfactorily into the
several points adverted to in the various petitions, as subjects
on which the House should have information. The next reso-
lution referred to the division is Committees, and the atten-
dance of Members. The third resolution was with regard to
giving time for the nomination of List Committees, to whieh
the several Railway Bills were to be referred ; and with a
view to an amicable adjustment between the parties, that these
Bills for the same line should go to the same Committee.
The 4th resolution would be one by which the House would
be empowered to refuse to give further time to Committees
for making their reports, except under special circum-
stances, in order that no delay should take place in bringing
these Bills before the House. The last was, that the House,
whenever there should be three Railway Bills before it in a
state for the further consideration of the Report of thelCom-
mittee, would take the discussion on Tuesdays; prior to the
notices of motions, or other private business. These resolu-
tions were to be found embodied in the Report drawn up by
the Committee. It had been their most anxious wish to con-
sider as attentively as the House would permit, the best means
of affording information to' the House, But they had two
things also to consider—first, the best means of obtaining,
either through the Committee, or the House itself, the best in-
formation with regard to these different Bills. The other
was to take good care to do nothing that might be unjust
to those Railway Bills that had been submitted to the House
during the present Session, on the faith of the existing stand-
ing orders, and in obedience to which they had been prepared,
they had found it impossible, whatever their private opinions
might be of the propriety of such a course, to make any
alteration in the standing orders so far as regarded the Bills
introduced during the present Session. They had also given
their best attention to putting an end to a system which
the Committee had reason to believe prevailed to some ex
tent—that of votes being made matter of favour rather than of
judgment. They had also endeavoured to make arrangements
by which the House should have such information as would
enable it to come to a correct judgment on the comparative
merits of different lines, and, at the same time, afford ample
time for discussion. There was another point which attracted
considerable attention, and had been favourably received when
the subject had come under discussion before in that House—
he meant the propriety of sending Bills for similar lines to the
same Committee.—( Hear, hear.) They had been anxious
to adopt that plan, but when they had attempted to carry
it into operation, they had found it would be impossible to
do so with justice to the different Bills, as the time
in which they would take their different stages in that House,
would probably be different ; and one of them, after having
been read a second time, could not with propriety or
justice, be referrid back to the List Committee before
which the other Bills were then pending.—( Hear, hear. )
One Bill might have passed the second reading while anotkor
might only have passed the first reading, and might be thrown
out on the second reading. Would it be fair or just then, that
each should have the same power of nomination ? The Corn-
niittee thought it was the best to refer all Bills to the List
Committees. They were anxious also that the parties might
agree to refer the whole of the three Bills for Railways to Lon-
don arid Brighton, to one Committee.—(Hear, hear.) Also, -
that time might be afforded after the second reading of the first
Bill to bring up the other, so that all the parties might stand
on equal grounds. The Committee had not gone into the
question of what conditions should be imposed upon Railway ,
Companies—they, thought the House was the proper place for
that question to be decided. lie would then simply move the
first resolution (as above). Some objection might be urged
to the resolution, but he could assure the House there was in
that Committee the most ardent wish to meet nll the difficulties
of the very difficult case referred to them, and to attend most
carefully to all the details, which were of such vast importance.
Sir H. VERNEY was the next speaker, but be spoke so
low, and the House was so noisy, that he was very imperfectly
heard in the Gallery. We understood him to say that he was
as much interested in the success of Railways as any Hon.
Member in that House ; but he considered those now before
the House had too much of a local character, and not
enough of a national one, and he was afraid if the House sanc-
tioned the Bills stow before the House, they would find that
public interests would give way to private revenge. —( Hear,
hear.) He wished to see some body appointed by the
supreme authority in the State, so that there might be
some security to the public. During the war this country
possessed great advantages over other countries by being the
great carriers of the world, end being mistress of the seas ;
but now those countries were coming rapidly into competition
with us. Railways, therefore, he thought would do much
good for the country in this way ; but he wished to have the
Bills all well considered under the sanction of the Govern-
ment before the House gave their sanction to any of them.
He hoped the House would address his Majesty for the ap-
pointment of a Commission of military men and engineers to
decide upon all plans presented to them. He felt it.ne-
cessary to persevere in the motion of which he had given
notice. The Hon. Bart. then moved for the appointment of
a Select Committee to consider the different railways for which
application had been made to Parliament, with a power to call
before them engineers and other competent witnesses with re-
ference to the lines which had been selected.
Sir JOHN WROTTESLEY seconded the motion.
Colonel SIBTHORP had beard, with some satisfaction,
what had fallen from tho Hon. Baronet opposite, and he con-
sidered he should not be doing a public duty, if he did not
support his motion. He admitted, with the Hon. Baronet
opposite, that many of these undertakings had emanated from
local interests, without any regard to national ones. He had
no hesitation in saying, that upon grounds of public duty,
in preference to private interest, he had taken every means of
opposing these undertakings from beginning to end.
wished to put the public upon their guard with respect to
them, for he was afraid Ministers were not inclined to give
the subject due consideration. He thought time ought to be
given for investigating the subject, for in some points the
resolutions proposed by the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite -
were not sufficiently specific. Every opportunity ought to be
given of entering into the merits or demerits of the subject,
and though he might agree -.vith many of the resolutions pro-
posed by the Right Hon. Gentleman, yet he was so satisfied
of the good effects of further delay, that he should vote with
the Hon. Baronet opposite for the appointment of a Select
Committee. He had some additional resolutions to propose,
but be would postpone doing so at the suggestion of the Right
Hon. Gentleman opposite till the great question was decided.
He was much afraid if these undertakings went on, that many
who had embarked in them would find they had lest their al..
Many persons had realised large fortunes—ten, twenty, and
even eighty thousand pounds lr these rail-road speculations.—
(Cries of" Name.") It must be evident to the House that
he could not mention. tames—he was only stating this
to show the extent to which these speculations '.were
carried on.—( Hear.) An Act of Parliament had been
passed some time ego to suppress little goes--( A laugh)—as
dangerous : he this a very great go indeed.—( Great
laughter.) Pesties were in many instances acting upon the
premises of s'ame attorney who wanted to make money, or some
engineer, which was not uncommon. He knew, to his owl
cost, how such practices were carried on. He bad envied).
:ties
an engineer, or architect, to build a bridge, who Prom's
perform it within a certain time ; but he found it too much
interest to twohorowlohnegn customer's
business too
well for shat."—( A lastglL
hair short, rcpled, " Oh, no, Sir; I know
amend-
ment he
f or the appointment of a Select Committee.
wpeats"i"ito'ldlikteo cti
ui et
ah a
cr cuus tt
ot cmr
he 'considered
be coming one of national import_anmcoen. e
y was embailed in it,
)
'that upwards of 28,000,6400 t et .
He would suppraoyrt the
S;.r G. STRICKLAND felt that this
interestsen subject
stake,
ta
ey
sacrifices that
waniinthdditsp,hiudebulailcs were,
grebset thought that this subject had becom
celled upon to make.
.
sa\n-hden
the
ee considered d e r etdh e
rt
the Government was
noa ttfenapaert iritvoihnanagaet
ance.—( Hear.) e
right
in stepping
these Bills, and if possible to introduce a plan by which rail-
roadsa matter not of,Af,
forwards
wv aatred,efeoabrnuegdtr
thoughtei
progressim por
oft
should be more attentively considered. He had been
placed on that Committee which had been appointed, and he
I must say that he entered it with great expectation of being
able to come to some resolution similar to that proposed by his
Noble Friend who
had moved this amendment—seine
resolution of more importance, and making greater changes
in the proceedings of the House respecting railroads,
than, upon mature deliberation they bad found possible. He
thought that they might appoint such a Committee as that
proposed, which should ride over all the other Committees, and
consult the Government Engineers, as persons well calculated.
to consider how far these railroads could be adopted. The
Committee had maturely considered this point, and he must
say with great regret that theg found that they could nr,t
adopt any such plan.—( Hear, hear, hear.) They bad
examined some of the most intelligent of • the Governor .ent
engineers, and they said that •it would .be impossible to give
any useful information, unless they had time and oppoe _unity

o make inquiry, and their expenses must be some how pro-
tided for them, as they were provided for local inquiries. He,
therefore, was of opinion, that when his Hon. Friend ( Sir H.
Verney) more maturely considered his proposal, he would see
the same difficulties in the way of its adoption which the Com-
mittee saw, and would come to the determination that nothing
could be done, by sending them to a Committee at this period

of the Session.
Lord G. LENNOX would be happy to attend to any sug-
gestion of the Committee, but the parties to the Bill of which
he had the conducting were placed in the situation of being
obliged, if they adopted the recommendation, to wait for the
Committee on the Bill till the Monday before Easter.
He understood that several of the lines between London and
Brighton, for which petitions were presented, were not in-
tended to be proceeded with this Session. He regretted that
the Committee bad not recommended that no Member having
a share, or being a director of the railway, should be eligible
to serve on the Committee of the Bill.
Mr. POTTER thought the Committee omitted one thing,
namely, a jury clause. He hoped this defect would be reme-
died, and that juries would be summoned who were competent
to decide upon the value of the property affected by the Bill.
Mr. HUME believed several of the recommendations of the
Committee would be excellent if there was a proper tribunal
before whom enquiry should be made. There could be no doubt
that the public business in private Committees was not properly
proceeded with, both as regarded the protection of individuals
against rash schemes, and proprietors themselves from embark-
ing capital in bad speculations. He thought the question
should be viewed so as to render the conveyanoe for the public
safe and expeditious, and he did suppose the profits of the pro-
prietors, whether they should be large or small, was not for the
consideration of the Committee. In calling upon the House
to enquire, the case was generally referred to a tribunal con-
sisting of not less than 120 of the Members; and if to them
were added those through whose counties the railways were
intended to pass in some instances, the Committees would con-
sist of 200, 300, or 400 Members. These Members, as at present,
were in the habit of coming in and going out, and could not, be
would contend, give agood decision when called upon to make
up their report, as they had not heard the nature of the evi-
'oence. It was said the House was always called on to decide
upon the reception of the report; but it was well known that
it was always taken for granted that the Committee had duly
enquired into all the facts of the case. The manlier of con-
ducting business was a disgrace to the House, and would not
be tolerated in any other society. When they saw the millions
of capital that were embarked in those undertakings, when
they saw the speculations that were daily set on foot, he
thought it right to ask that a proper tribunal should be
established to inquire into all the circumstances of the case.
He was told that they could not force the Committee to attend
without a general Act. Now he for one denied this doctrine.
He maintained that the House had full power to enforce
th attendance of its Members. He proposed that a
a Committee of 15 or 20—he should say 15—should be ap-
pointed ; no fewer than 12 to be present during the sittings of
the Committee ; and if that number did not attend, the Com-
mittee should suspend its proceedings, and report the names
of the absent Members to the House, who should be called
to account for their neglect of duty. —( Hear, hear.) Let
the Committee be drawn by ballot—say the first twenty-
no name, unless there should be any objection to their ap-
pointment on the ground of their being directors or interested
on Railway Companies. He thought this a subject of great
national importance, and of public justice ; and he, for one,
would never agree to the resolutions, unless his proposition
was acceded to.
Lord STANLEY believed the principle upon which the
House agreed to the appointment of the Select Committee was,
to use the words of the Hon. Member for Middlesex, that they
might debate the question day after day in that House, without
arriving at any satisfactory conclusion. He therefore ex-
tremely regretted to find that the Hon. Member for Middle-
sex only favoured the Committee with his attendance for
about two hours for the first day of their meeting, when
he submitted to them the proposition which he had just made
to the House. The Hon. Gentleman never afterwards
favoured them with his presence. In the present in-
stance the Committee judged wisely in not adopting any
such system as that recommended by the Hon. Member for
M dd esex during the present Session, as it would occupy too
much time in the discussion ; but in order to carry into effect
as far as it was posslb;e the principle of the Hon. Gentle-
man's proposition, they had recommended that certain restraints
should be put upon the conduct of Committees ; that the
names of such as attended should be reported to the House,
and also the names of those who voted oil every division.
The House were to remember there were fifty-seven Railways
before the House. How, then, could any one single Com-
mittee consider and specifically report upon them all as pro-
posed by his Hon. Friend, Sir Fl. Verney. The proposition
was bid on the face of it.—( Hear.) By the course recom-
mended by the Committee, the Noble Lord (Lord G. Lennox)
-would not be precluded from going into Committee, and exa-
mining witnesses in support of the line he advocated—he be-
lieved Stevenson's. He might do so, and make their Report
to the House. All the resolution did was, that the House,
by agreeing to it, bound themselves not to consider such Re.
port until the other lines were before them. The reason was
obvious—two lines might have calculated upon the same traffic.
Now, there might be enough of traffic to render one railway
profitable ; but if the House were to sanction two, then the
.result wouldi be the ruin of both, without any benefit to the
public ; on those grounds it was rational for the House to say
that it would not sanction any one plan until all the o hers
were before them. He could not think that the plan proposed
by the Hon. Member for Middlesex was one which was at all
practicable ; there were 57 Railway Bills, and if all of them
were sent to a Committee, appointed by ballot, the House
would see what a loss of time there would be—each
would take from an hour or an hour and a half. There was one
more consideration—each Committee would consist of 15; there
were 57 railways before the House. According to his arith-
metic that would make 855 Members out of 658. —( Laughter.)
It was admitted that the resolutions would effect a great im-
provement on the present system, and it would be for the
House to consider whether, when a means of doing substantial
justice was proposed, it should not be taken advantage of.
The plan proposed was not to be a permanent one, but to
remedy evils very generally complained of and acknowledged.
The door was thus opened, and it would be the duty of the
House to make such further improvements hereafter as it
would think fit. He gave his cordial support to the resolutions
of his Right Hon. Friend, and he trusted his Hon. Friend the
Member for Buckingham would see the expediency of with-
drawing his amendment.
Mr. HUME explained. It was quite true that he had only
attended the sittings of the Committee one day, but he be-
lieved three or four of its members had agreed with him in the
propriety of the course he had suggested. He thought the
House would agree with him that every thing depended upon
the tribunal, and that was the best means to render it im-
partial.
Mr. G. F. YOUNG thought the House was deeply indebted
tio the Committee for the suggestions it had made. At the same
time he thought that, even at the expense of a little inconveni-
ence to the parties, it was most important, when not less than
57 Bills were brought before the House, some arrangement
should be made to protect the interests of the public. It was
consequently more important that that should be done during
the present Session than the next. He contended that the
publication of the names of the Members would not ensure
their attendance at these Committees, and he therefore thought
that proposition would fail in its object. He would further
suggest that the reports of the Committees should be printed
with the votes of the House in order to ensure their publicity,
and that the time between the several stages of the Bill should
be lengthened.
Mr. D. W. HARVEY thought that the resolution pro-
posed would advance the object which the House had in view.
He would recommend that the plans, estimates, &c., of
all railroads should, in the first instance, be submitted
to some office—say the Home Office—on a given day of the
year, that the promoters of such plans should be called upon
to deposit a considerable sum of money, say 1,0001.,
wherewith to pay some disinterested party to go over
the line of road, look at the maps and plans, and make a
report as to its feasibility.—( Hear, hear.) By these
means Government would be enabled to state to the House
their sentiments upon the proposed plan. He had no doubt
that these resolutions would be productive of very great
advantage. It would lead to this conclusion that no
Bill would receive the sanction of the House this session,
which did not recommend itself so palpably as at once to dis-
miss all their objections.—( Hear, hear.) He complained of
the insinuations thrown out by the Noble Lord (G. Lennox)
against those Members of Committees who held shares
in the railroads. He was himself a shareholder, but that
would not prevent him from doing his duty honestly and above
board. He could say this, that during all the time that he
had the honour of a seat in that House, he had never given
a vote as a member of a Committee, unless lie had attended it
from end to end. With respect to the loss of time, they
ought to come to some resolution not to hear Counsel. The
greater part of the time of Committees was consumed in lis-
tening to the contests of these Learned Gentlemen.
After a few words from Lord G. LENNOX and Mr.
GISBORNE,
Sir R. PEEL said that the discussion involved matters in
which the public took a very deep interest. Respecting the
propriety of excluding Members who had a direct interest from
serving on Committees prima facie, the reason in favour of
it appeared very strong. But it was clear that the principle
involved in the suggestion ought to be applied more extensively.
The security was a false security, which deceived the public.
The man whose interest was notorious, who had a considerable
stake at hazard, was, in his opinion, the least liable to
suspicion ; and if they were to permit the man through
whose lands the Railway was to run, or who had some
object or interest in opposing the Bill, to sit on a Com-
mittee, while they excluded the man who had an interest in
it,they would be acting in opposition to their own principle.
He maintained they could not exclude private interests, and it
would be better to leave it to the honour of individual
members as to whether they should attend or not. It was
quite clear that the resolution could not be carried into
.effect during the present Session. There were other private
Bills, beside Railways. He believed the number of private
Bills amounted to 250. Committees sitting on those Bills
would require a House of 3,000 Members. It would not be
satisfactory to select 15 by ballot, who might be ignorant of
local matters, and it could not be adopted, unless
accompanied by the principle of challenge. The House could
not c.ompel attendance on Committees without some special law.
It womild he impossible to ensure a full attendance of Members
at these Committees—and if, according to the resolution, the
absen,ae of three Members would compel the Committee
to close, it would be in the power of any three who
were opposed to the Bill to put the parties to great
inconveni, Ince by protracting their proceedings.—( Hear. )
the systen I proposed would be most unfair and unjust towards
those Bills which had been submitted to the House on the
faith o. the existing regulations ; and for these reasons ,he

should feel it his duty to oppose the resolution of the Hon.
Member for Middlesex.
Lord S ANDON suggested the expediency of having the
engineers called before the Committee, and to ascertain from
them the expediency and practicability of the several lines.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed
that the principles upon which these railways were esta-
blished was one of monopoly, and he would suggest
the propriety of a clause being introduced for the purpose of
compelling these companies to carry the Post Office communi-
cations, either at a fixed moderate charge, or at the rate at
which they were at present carried by other modes of convey-
ance.—( Hear, hear.) This would be in some measure a
protection of the public interests in that particular.
Mr. WARBURTON suggested the best course would be
that the Chairman should examine every person before the
Committee, as to their interest or non-interest in the passing
of the Bill.
After a few observations from Lord G. SOMERSET, Mr.
GUEST, and Sir H. VERNEY,
The SPEAKER read the twenty resolutions recommended
by the Committee on Railways, which appeared in The Sun
of yesterday, and put the question on each seriatim, which were
all carried in the affirmative, with the addition of a line (at the
suggestion of Mr. Hume), providing for the specification of the
time at which " the whole railroad and the several parts thereof
shall be completed."
The following additional resolutions were then agreed
tro
t-
-1. Resolved, That this House will not proceed with he
further consideration of Report of any Bill, until it has re-
ceived from the Committee specific replies in answer to each
of the questions contained in the foregoing resolutions.
2. Resolved, That the clerk of every Committee on a Rail-
way Bill do take down the name of every Member attending
the Committee on each day ; and if any division shall take
place in the Committee upon any of the matters which the
Committee are directed to inquire into by the preceding reso-
lution, or upon the Special Report in respect of such matters,
the clerk do take down the names of Members voting in any
such division, distinguishing on which side of the question they
respectively vote ; and that such Bills be given in with the
Report to this House.
3. Resolved, That in order to afford time for the proper
discussion of the Reports on Railway Bills, this House will
upon every Tuesday proceed in the first place to the consi-
deration of Reports on such Bills ; provided, however, that
three or more such Bills have been reported, and stand for
further consideration of Report.
Sessional Order, That this House will not receive any
Report of any Private Bill after Monday, the 6th day of June
next, read;
4. Resolved, That, with regard to such Railroads as are
classed as competing lines of railroad, this House will not en-
large the time for making any such Report, ai has been the
practice in former Sessions of Parliament ; and that the said
Order be peremptorily enforced in this Session, in respect of
Railway Bills.
5. Resolved, That when any Railway Bill has been read the
second time and committed, this House will not immediately
nominate the Committee, but appoint some future day for
such nomination, with an interval of at least three clear days
between the day of the second reading and the day for the
nomination of the Committee.
Colonel SIBTHORP begged leave to introduce the fol-
lowing resolution, of which notice had already been given :
That no sale, or agreement for sale, or disposal of any
share or shares in any railroad (an application for which has
been or may be submitted to this House) shall be valid or le-
gal, as far as regards sale, or disposal, or contract, until after
the completion of such work, or until the sum or sums entered
into or subscribed for under certain name or names have been
} paid in full, or the amount of payments duly guaranteed, as
regards the responsibility for each share."
He added some remarks on the subject of penalties and se-
curities, but the noise in the House rendered them unintelli-
gible.
Lord G. SOME R SET also offered a few observations,
which were equally inaudible.
Colonel SIBTHORP read his second resolution:—
" That the publication of every name under the respective
heads of assent, dissent, and neuter, be duly inserted, three
times, at least, in each county newspaper ; or, in case there
should be no such county public paper, in the public paper of
the adjoining, county or counties through which the line of any
railroad is to commence, pass through, or terminate ; such
publication to he signed by the attorney and engineer engaged in
each undertaking ; such publication to be made previously to
the second reading of the Bill."
He thought it highly desirable that some efficient plan should
be pursued for the prevention of surrreptitious signatures to
articles of agreement, and that individuals should be effectu-
ally protected from the forgery of their names while at a di- -
tance of 300 or 400 miles perhaps, and quite unaware of the
injury so perpetrated.
Mr. P. THOMPSON and Mr. HUME offered some observations,
which were not distinctly heard in the gallery.
Major BE AUC LEHI( asked if the resolution just pre-
sented to and accepted by the House were intended to apply to
Bills which were not opposed.
Mr. P. THOMSON said he did not think it likely that
parties would be put to any expense whose proceedings did
not invite it, but that it was considered desirable and expedient
to provide for the extension of investigation, wherever it might
be deemed necessary.
Mr. WILK S suggested the postponement of further pro-
ceedings to Wednesday, instead of Tuesday, for which day
there already stood 25 notices of motion.
After a few observations from Mr. Robinson, Mr. Hume,
Mr. P. Thomson, and Sir R. Inglis,
Colonel SIBTHORP declined pressing his amendments,
and they were negatived without a division.
All the original resolutions having been agreed to, the fol-
lowing Committee was appointed :
Mr. Poulett Thomson, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Stanley, Sir
John Wrottesley, Mr. Patrick Steuart, Lord Granville Somer-
set, Mr. Hume, Sir James Graham, Lord Viscount Sandon,
Sir George Strickland, Mr. Loch, Mr. Oswald, Mr. Gisborne,
Mr. Thornely, and Mr. More O'Ferrall.
AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.
Mr. EATON, in rising to present a petition, said—Sir, I
have received a most important petition from Cambridgeshire
and the Isle of Ely, and although I am at this moment so un-
well, that my medical adviser desired me not to quit my bed,
still I conceived it my duty to my petitioners to use every
means in my power to present their petition. I hold in my
hand an important petition, signed by a very numerous, loyal,
and most respectable body of the landowners and yeomanry of
the county of Cambridge and Isle of Ely. It comprises
natures of men of every political shade of opinion, for all alike
unite in seeking for redress and justice in their present ember-
i-assed and almost hopeless state. The grievances which has e
long weighed so heavily upon the agricultural classes of this
land, now press with such extreme severity upon all connected
with the cultivation of the soil, that I have great reason to be-
lieve and fear that a large portion of the rent of England is paid,
not from the profits of the farmers, but from the little capital
amassed by honest industry in better times, and that this re-
source is now exhausted. I beg to submit to the House, that
the distress of this part of the community is felt with addi-
tional pressure by the honest and industrious labourer; and
I must say, that the patient and hard-working husbandmen
are most deserving of the public sympathy and assistance.
It is my duty to inorm the House that my petitioners have
frequently preferred their most humble petitions to this Hon.
House, in the hopes that they would be deemed worthy the
consideration of the Legislature ; and they again entreat the
attention of the House to their just demands ; that they are in
full hopes that their distress (which must be admitted by all)
may be alleviated by the intervention of Parliament ; but hi-
therto, unhappily, little or no relief has been afforded to them.
I now congratulate my petitioners and the country on the ap-
pointment of an Agricultural Committee within these walls,
and beg to submit that the petition be read, and submitted fur
the further consideration of the Agricultural Committee.
Agreed to.
REMUNERATION TO MEDICAL MEN AT
INQUESTS.
Mr. WILK S presented a petition from a medical gentle-
man named Barker, in favour of the Bill which was that night
to be brought in by the Hon. Member for Finsbury (Mr.
Wakley), for granting compensation to medical men attending
as witnesses on Coroner's Inquests. The petitioner stated
that on the 22d of July, 1834, he made a post mortem
examination of the body of a person supposed to have been
murdered by the administration of poison. The Coroner
postponed the inquest until the next day, in order to give time
for the petitioner to analyse the contents of the stomach—
an operation which occupied him for several hours each day
for several days. The Jury had expressed their gratitude to
him for the trouble he had had and the skill he had exercised
on the occasion, and recommended the parish officers to com-
pensate him for his loss of time. That ten guineas would
have been scarcely sufficient- to remunerate him, but that he
was willing to accept of three guineas, and that even this mo-
derate sum the parish officers said they had no power to give.
The petitioner therefore thought that the Legislature ought
to interfere in a case of such public importance.
Sir J. R. REID presented a petition to the same effect
from a place in the county of Surrey.
Mr. C. BARCLAY presented a petition of the same na-
ture from Dorking.
Mr. HARVEY presented a similar petition, signed by 826
members of the medical profession in this metropolis, amongst
whom were Sir H. Halford, President of the College of Phy-
sicians ; Mr. Andrews, President of the College of Surgeons ;
and Sir A. Cooper and Sir A. Carlisle, Vice-Presidents. He
also presented another petition, signed by 36 professional men
of the borough of Southwark.
Mr. WAK LE Y, in rising to ask leave of the House to bring
in a Bill for granting compensation to medical men attending
as witnesses at Coroners' inquests, said that medical men at-
tended professionally at inquests, and not as mere casual per-
sons wbo might have chanced to witness an accident by which
the loss of life was caused. The duty, too, of medical wit-
nesses on those occasions was of a most important nature, and
often attended with great danger to themselves, as they were
frequently obliged to occupy twelve, and not unfrequently
fourteen hours in a post mortem examination ; and vet after all
this trouble, hazard, and loss of time, the Coroner had no
power to award any compensation. Within a very short pe-
riod several lives hac' been lost tinder circumstances which
could only be explained by men acquainted with medical
science. He alluded to those unfortunate persons who had
been destroyed by the ;use of quack medicines, and he la-
mented to say that never in the history of this country was
quacking so general or successful as it was at present, chiefly
owing to the encouragement it received by advertisements in
newspapers. He thought it was the duty of the Government
to interfere, and he hoped they would interfere to prevent at
least the circulation of those quack medicines under the sanc-
tion of a Government stamp. At an inquest lately held, aris-
ing out of the use of those medicines, the ends of justice would
have been defeated if the attendance of medical men could
not have been procured. He should conclude by moving for