The Sun.
London, England, 1836-03-25 00:00:00

ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.

Sir G. GREY moved for leave to bring in a Bill " to
revive and continue in force until the Ist of August, 1840,
an Act passed by the Legislature of Jamaica on the 4th
of July, 1834, to explain and amend an Act for the Aboli-
tion of Slavery in that Island, and in aid of the same."—
Leave granted.

PRINTED PAPERS.
Mr. TOOKE rose to call the attention of the House to
the subject of the delivery of printed papers to Members of
the House. He had a short time back applied for two
copies of a Report which he thought it desirable that his
constituents should have, and which he intended to present
to two public libraries with that view. The Speaker, how-
ever, at the suggestion of the Committee, declared that he
did not feel himself authorised to order those Reports to be
given to him, but that he might purchase them. Now it
was very well for his Hon. Friend the Member for Middle-
sex to send any of his constituents to the shops where these
documents were sold, but when the request for them came
from the country, seldom accompanied by remittances, few
Hon. Members would have nerve enough to make their
constituents the same reply, and he thought it hard that
Hon. Members should be put to the expense of purchasing
papers which were necessary to give information to their
constituents. Another objection was that no place of sale
was provided for them within the walls of the House, and
that Members had no Parliamentary privilege, not even the
right of pre-emption, but were obliged to go to a: common
shop, and take their chance like any ordinary customer.
Some place within the walls of the House ought to be set
apart for their sale.
The SPEAKER inquired whether the Hon. Member
intended to make any motion ?
Mr. TOOKE said that if he made any motion it would,
br., that it was not within the province of the Select Com-
mittee of Printed Papers to interfere with the discretion of
the Speaker in the distribution of the printed papers of that
I louse.
The SPEAKER said that it was not his wish to be un-
corteous to any Member ; but, the House having intrusted
him with a certain discretion, to be used for the attainment
of a certain object, he felt himself bound to avail himself
of the advice and opinion of the Select Committee with
regard to the particular case mentioned. The Hon. Mem-
ber applied to him for two copies for two libraries. Now,
had he granted that application, he should have opened the
door to so. large a number of similar applications, that be
deemed it right to avail himself of the assistance of the Com-
mittee, which decided that to public libraries copies of re-
ports of this kind should not be given.
Mr. HUME said that the Committee which had come
to the decision of selling the papers to the public, did so on
the ground that there were two millions of copies by them,
and that there were great numbers who would be glad to
avail themselves of the privilege of purchasing these papefs
at a cheap rate ; and that Committee was moved for at the
suggestion of his Hon. Friend .himself.—(Hear.) That
Committee had for two days together taken into considera-
tion the question whether copies should be given to public
libraries and institutions, and had at last come to the deci-
sion that it would be so utterly impossible to draw a fair
line of distinction between those institutions to which it
might be desirable to extend such a privilege and those to
which it would not be so desirable, that they negatived the
proposition altogether. These papers were sold for a half-
penny a sheet, infinitely less than they cost, and he thought,
therefore, his Hon. Friend had nothing to complain of on
that score. It might, perhaps, be a matter of complaint
that he was compelled to go any distance from the House

to obtain them.
Sir T. FREMANTLE said as the Hon. Member being
put to the expense of purchasing these reports at the cost
of but a few shillings, he thought that many Hon. Members
would be glad to oblige their constituents at so cheap a

rate.
Lord G. LENNOX thought every facility ought to be
given to Members to obtain these papers.
After some further desultory conversation,
Colonel SIBTHORP thought it shameful for the House
to entertain this trumpery proposition of a three-halfpenny
saving to Members in procuring, documents for the use of
their constituents.
Mr. TOOKE denied that he was actuated be any pal-
try feeling of parsimony. He would withdraw the motion.
ACCIDENTS ON RAILROADS.

Mr. POTTER moved " That no railway or tramway
whereon carriages are propelled by steam shall be made
across any highway on the level, unless the Committee on
the Bill report that such a restriction ought not to be
enforced." The Hon. Gentleman said he would very shortly
explain the reasons which induced him to bring this question
before the House. In a very short period it was probable
that railways would be so numerous that the country would
be intersected in almost every direction, and it was conse-
quently of great importance that public roads should be
protected. By the vigilance of a Noble Lord in the other
House of Parliament, no railway can cross a turnpike-road
or the canal. In the new High-way Act there is a clause
which provides that whenever a railway crosses a highway
used for carts or carriages, gates are to be erected,
which are to be closed, so as to prevent carriages crossing
on the approach of trains propelled by steam. This causes
considerable delay, and even with this precaution,
accidents have happened. Bridle-roads and foot-roads are
entirely unprotected ' • many of them are of great conve-
nience, and much used. He (Mr. Potter) could detail to
'the House a long list of very dreadful accidents which have
happened by persons being overtaken by the teams, but he
would only mention two, Which occurred in Lancashire. In
the spring of 1835, Mrs. Wood with her infant child was
passing on a lane which the Bolton Railway separates on
the level ; the train came upon her and threw her down ;
her shrieks brought her husband to the spot. ; on his arrival
his wife and child lay dead on the tram, which had passed
over her, completely severing one leg and one of her arms.
—(Hear, hear.) Only last January a woman was killed
whilst crossing at the Yarmington Junction Railway.
When it is considered the rapid rate at which the trains
proceed, there is no wonder accidents occur—they generally
travel 20 miles an hour, but frequently much quicker.
The distance from Manchester to Liverpool (31 miles) has
frequently been performed in an hour ; and he understood
such was the improvement in the steam-engine, that there
u-as scarcely any limit of speed to which they will be brought..
Colonel THOMPSON seconded the motion.
The subject was referred to a Select Cpmmittee.
EDUCATION IN IRELAND.
Mr. WYSE asked leave to move for a Bill for the esta-
bllishment of a board of national education, and the ad-
vancement of elementary education in Ireland. His object
was that a permanent Board should be established under
the sanction of the Legislature, and that there should be a
regular and constant superintendence of the funds.
Mr. W. ROCHE seconded the motion.
After a few -words from Mr. Lefrov,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER. repu-
diated the charge that Government encouraged Members to
bring forward motions from sectarian or party views.
• Mr. LEFROY explained. •
Dr. BALDWIN said a few words in support of the

motion.
Mr. WYSE replied.
Leave was given to bring in the Bill,
Mr. BARRON moved for the return of all fees for 1835
charged by Judges' criers in circuit in Ireland for affidavits,
recognizances, records, appeals, traverses, and burning peti-
tions ; also, of all fees paid by each sub-sheriff in Ireland to
the Judges' criers, and under what Act ; also, all fees or sa-
laries paid by each county and county of a city in Ireland to
the Judges' criers.—Agreed to.
Also, the return of the fees charged by the clerks of the
Crown in Ireland for summonses to compel the attendance
of witnesses for each traverse and burning petition ; also, for
searches made in the Crown Office, and under what Act,
for 1835.—Agreed to.
Sir T. FREMANTLE presented a petition in favour of
the Bristol, Birmingham, and Thames Junction Railway.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and
the House adjourned at a Quarter to Eleven.

EXPLOSION.—On Wednesday last, the neighbour-
hood near Mr. Whitfield's distillery, lower end of George-
street,
street, was suddenly thrown into a state of alarm, by a loud
report, as if a gun had just been fired off in the distillery it-
self. It appeared, on inquiry, that Mr. W. had put about a
quart of spirit in a cask, and had set fire to it. for the purpose
of charring the inside, previous to its being filled with liquor.
The moment the fire reached the spirit, it rarificd the air in
the cask to such a degree, that a stream of liquid fire soon
issued out at the bung-hole. Alarmed at this, Mr. Whitfield
attempted to roll the cask on its hung, expecting that it would
soon smother the fire ; instead of which, however, a tremen-
dous explosion took place, which fortunately did no other mis-
chief than smashing the cask to pieces. Nor did Mr. W. and
another man, close by, receive the least injury. The fire was
soon extinguished, which providentially did not reach a load
of hay, that had been taken in a short time before, and which
wits only a few yards from the spot where the explosion took
place.—.lersey Argus.
Dissatisfaction, it is said, prevails in Newark,
respecting the arrangements that have been made under the
new Poor Law Act, as Newark, with a population of more
than ten thousand, is only to have four guardians under the
n7...w Bill.

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1836.