The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-05 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Earl GREY presented a petition from the merchants
of the city of Montreal, complaining of the loss of the
advantages they had derived from protection, and praying
for a repeal of the navigation-laws.
The Earl of EGLINTON presented a petition from
Arbroath against the repeal of the navigation-laws.
Lord STANLEY presented a petition from certain
operative silkweavers of London against the repeal of
the navigation-laws.

Lord kONTEAGLE presented several petitions from
certain guardians of the poor in Ireland in favour of
a property tax, rather than a rate in aid.
The Bishop of CASHEL presented several petitions
in favour of a grant for education to the Established
Church in Ireland. He denied that the Established
Church in Ireland was rich; he knew no rich Protes-
tants of the Established Church in Ireland.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE explained.
CANADA.

Lord STANLEY had understood that it had been
stated that no official correspondence had taken
place with regard to the Bill for granting in-
demnity to those who had suffered during the late re-
b:llion in Cana la, but that correspondence had taken
place, and taken place privately, in order that they
might not be laid before Parliament. If such a system
of private correspondence were suffered to prevail
Ministerial responsibility was at an end, and the suc-
cessor of the Noble Earl would have no records before
him as to the opinions or information received by his pre-
decessors. He hoped to bear that the correspondence
would remain in the office, and might hereafter be pro-
duced. He word l ask if any offici.d communication had
taken place on the subject, and whalier the responsi-
bility of assenting or dissenting from the measure was

to be cait upon the Earl of Elgin.
Earl G REY said no official correspondence on the sub-
ject had taken place, neither had the reports of the
proceedings of the Canadian Legislature been trans-
mitted to the Colonial-office. It was not the practice to

transmit them until the close of the session. He had or-

dered all debates to be forwarded up to the latest date.
He had had a correspondence with Lord Elgin, in
which he claimed the right of assenting or dissenting
from the Bill in the first place, and then to be sub-
mitted to the Government. The Governor had
stated that ho thcught it inexpedient that he should
be called upon to state what course he intended to pur-
sue until he should be called ❑pon to act. That
Bill had not been submitted t,) the Earl of
Elgin, nor were public Acts ordinarily submitted
to the Governor until the close of the ses44on, and Lord
Elgin had stated that the time had not come for his
decision: He (Earl Grey) had a Ivisedly ab-

stained from givik Lord Elgin any advice directly or
indirectly as to how he should act, fur he was convinced
that the best way of ruling the colonies was to give
their governors a lsrge discretion and a generous and
trusting support. Should he leave office next week, the
documents left would furnish his successor with
every information they could desire. He had, as all his
predecessors had done, written private letters to the
governors of colonies, but he should think he
was departing from his duty if the official correspond-
ence did not contain every information that could be
useful or necessary with regard to the government of
the colonies.
Lord BROUGHAM said that the question of his Noble
Friend had, no doubt, originated in the monstrous doctrines
laid down in another place, that the government of a coleny
could be carried on by private communications.
The subject dropped.
NAVIGATION-LAWS.

The Earl of ITARROWBY presented a p3tition from
Liverpool against the repeal of the navigation laws.

POOR-LAIV

The Earl of POSSE then moved for the production of
any correspondence that might have taken place between the
Poor-law Commissioners in Ireland and the boards of guar-
either with the view of inducing the guardians to give
or withhold out-door relief. Ile was particularly anxious
for the correspondence which had recently taken place with
the unions of Balinasloe and Dungarvon, in reference to out-
door relief. The general opinion was, that where no out-
door relief was given, the poor-law had been well admi-
nistered, but where out-door relief had been given, that
the law had been badly administered; and the peasantry
had remained in a state of destitution. In the union with
which he was connected—that of Parsonstown—there was
no out• door relief, and the poor-rate last year was 3s. 9d.
in the pound ; while in the union of Tullamore, in the pro-
vince of Leinster, adjoining the union of Parsonstown, and
where there was out-door relief given, the poor-rate was so
high as 12s. 6d. in the pound for the last ten months. It
was therefore of great importance that they should have some
information on the subject; as also as to the expense of ad-
ditional workhouse accommodation in Ireland. Should it
require any length of time to make and produce all the cor-
respondence, he had no objection to limit his motion to the cor-
respondence which had taken place within the last six months.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE had no objection to the
production of the return under the modification stated by the
Noble Earl. At the same time, he thought the system of
out-door relief not a bad one, as the ratepayers said, why not
give out-door relief to the poor, as while it only cost them 2s.
in the pound to relieve the poor out of doors, it cost them 6s.
in the workhouse.

Lord MONTEAGLE condemned the system of out-door
relief, as it was the means of opening the door to fraud.
The return, as modified, was then agreed to.

The Earl of CARLISLE introduced the Freemen's Lands
Bill, to enable the corporations of municipal towns to take
leases, without applying for a special Act of Parliament.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 4.
The SPIAHER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
CONSIDERATION OF LORDS' AMENDMENTS.
The Lords' amendments to the Epsom Rates and Not-
tingham Gas Bills were considered and agreed to:—
ABDY'S ESTATE BILL.
This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
committed.