The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-16 00:00:00

trbtrbr

SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The SPEAKER took the Chair a few minutes after
Twelve o'clock.
The report upon the Leeds and Thirak Railway was
brought np and agreed to.
The Lords' amendments to the Grimsby Corporation
and Freeman's Arrangement Bill were brought up and
agreed to.
Mr. MATHESON moved that Mr. Grey be allowed
to attend an,..4.e ote in the Committee on the Tyne
River Conservancy and the North Shields Quays and
Improvements Bills, notwithstanding the Clerk of the
Committee of Selection has not received from him the
prescribed form of declaration, with his signature at-
tached, not later than the day immediately preceding
the first meeting of the Committee, provided he deliver
in such declaration forthwith.
After a short discussion the motion was agreed to.
PETITIONS.

Mr. MATHESON presented a petition against the
Scotch Registration Bill ; also one in favour of the
Clergy Relief Bill.
Mr. MACKENZIE pesented a petition against the
Scotch Lunatic Bill.
Mr. HEALD presented several petitions from North-
umberland and Yorkshire against trading in seduction ;
also one in favour of Church reform.
An Host. MEMBER presented a petition against the
Health of Towns' Bill, and also one praying for the
repeal of the game-laws.
Colonel THOMPSON presented a petition praying
for a revision of taxation and for the extension of the
suffrage.
Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from Falkirk in
favour of the Affirmation Bill.
CANADA.

Mr. HAWES brought up some papers relating to
Canada.
Mr. ROEBUCK said he rose to make some observa-
tions with reference to those papers, and also with re-
ference to the statements which appeared in the public
papers of yesterday, and which had naturally created a
good deal of excitement. He, in common with others,
had been naturally startled by the intelligence which
had been received; but since then he had received some
private information from a gentleman who lived in that
country, and he stated that the riots at Montreal had
arisen in consequence of a Bill having passed both
Houses of the Legislature, for the purpose of compen-
sating persons who had suffered losses by the
insurrection in 1837. He (Mr. Roebuck) had ob-
tained from his Honourable Friend (Mr. Hawes)
a statement of the actual mode of procedure in the
Canada Hcuse of Parliament, and he found that the
Bill which had raised all this commotion was brought
in by the present Administration of the Canadas, and was
carried in accordance with the feelings of the majority
of the Legislature. The Act of Union united Upper
and Lower Canada, and the consequence was, that there
were two distinct states of population, and it appeared
that the dispute was not simply a question of party, but
a question of race, between the French and the English.
The letter from the gentleman to whom he al-
luded stated that, in a time of profound peace,
the Governor-General went down to the House
to sanction several Bills, and among others the one
which had caused so much emotion; and that on his
way he was not only insulted, but meetings were got up
on the spur of the moment, which were summoned by
means of fire bells, and at which infle.rnmatery speeches
were made. He further stated that the mob hurried to
the Parliament House, smashed the windows, seized the
mace, and finally drove out all the Members, r.nd after.
wards the House was set on fire, and wholly consumed,
as well as its valuable library. The writer further
added, that the loss was irreparable, and that the pro-
ceedings were altogether discreditable to the national
honour. It appeared that the magistrates sat up
all night to take the depositions of parties, and
early next morning the men who directed the mob were
arrested. There were other outrages en Thursdsy
night, but in consequence of the leaders being masked
they were not known, and could not be afterwards
arrested. He (Mr. Roebuck) found also that Lord Elgin
was fully sustained by a majority of the Legislature; in
Upper Canada the majority was 16 to 11, and in Lower
Canada 21 to 1, and it was stated that in a full House
the majority would have been no more. He was further
informed that the rabble was headed by bankrupt
magistrates, who had no stake or interest in
the country, and who, although they pretended
to great loyalty, would be rebels at any
moment to serve their own purposes.—(Hear.) Great
alarm is this country had ,been created that the ques-
tion of annexation was connected with the riots, but
that was not the case, and he warned the House not,
upon any misunderstanding of that kind, to interfere
prematurely with the affairs of Canada. The money
which the Legislature was about to appropriate was the
money of Canada, and not the money of England, and
he found that the Canadian Legislature could not pass a
money Bill without the sanction of the Crown.
Mr. PLTSEY rose to call the Hon. Gentleman to order.
It would be utterly impossible for any independent
Member to proceed with their business, according to
his view, and his not short experience, if motions of
that kind should have precedence of the orders of
the day.
The SPEAKER said the question before the House
was that the papers relating to Canada should be laid on
the table, and therefore the Hon. Member for Sheffield
was clearly in order, if he confined his attention and ob-
servations to that business.
Mr. ROEBUCK said his desire was to relieve the
public anxiety only—(Hear, hear)—and he would close
his remarks which he wished to make if it was the
desire of the House that he should do so, for he did not
wish to throw any obstacle in the way of Hon.
Members proceeding with their Bills—(Cries of
"Go on")—but this was a question on which
the House should not only have every information, but
should do all in its power to settle the commotion
which had unfortunately risen in regard to the subject
to which he had called its attention. The Ministry of
Canada were principally responsible for the proposal in
question; and he could not imagine that the Colonial-
office was not perfectly cognizant of all the facts of the
ease. Those facts they must have known long before;
and the paper that his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hawes) had
sent round this morning of itself showed that the
ground-work of that proposition was thoroughly well
known at the Colonial-office, and had its sanction and
approval. He begged pardon of the House for having
interrupted its proceedings by calling its attention to the
subject on which he had addressed it.—(Cheers.)
Mr. HAWES thought it would be extremely incon-
venient to raise any general discussion on this subject
at this moment. The Government had taken the very
earliest opportunity of laying the papers relating to ,
Canada on the table of the House ; and it would be ex-
tremely inconvenient to provoke any general dis-
cussion until the papers had been circulated among the
Members.

Mr. GLAD STONE quite concurred in the remarks
which had fallen from his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hawes) ;
but those which had fallen from the Hon. and Learned
Member for Sheffield were not suck as he (Mr. Glad-
stone) thought he ought to pass over.—(Hear.) He did
not think it right for the lion. and Learned Gentleman
to warn that House against apremature interference either
in the affairs of Canada, or in any other affairs whatever.
He(Mr.Boebuck)himself, perhaps unconsciously, had done
much to prejudge the question—(Hear, hear)—on which
he (Mr. Gladstone) thought the House was as yet very
imperfectly informed, as he (Mr. Roebuck) had himself
admitted. He (Mr. Gladstone) confessed, when the first
intelligence on this subject reached this country, his
mind was deeply affected, but still that intelligence
convinced him that we were not, and could not be, in
possession of the merits of the case or of the informa-
tion necessary either to form a judgment on the Rebel-
lion Losses Bill, or on the conduct of his Noble Friend
Lord Eigin.—(Hear, hear.) For those reasons he had
abstained from putting any question or taking any pro-
ceedings on this ease which might have a tendency to
agitate thisqtkstion. The Hon. and Learned Gentle-

man warned that House against interfering with the Re-
bellion Bill ; but on what principle ? If he offered that
warning on the condition of imperfect information, he
(Mr. Gladstone) heartily concurred with him; but when
be heard the Honourable and Learned Gentleman,
not content with warning the House against its
interference, but laying down a principle as the
ground of his warning, which principle would' be as
good now as when the House was perfectly informed.
When he heard that the Legislature of Canada had
been voting money for the people of Canada, he (Mr.
Gladstone protested against a doctrine which interfered
with the supremacy of the British Legislature.—(Loud
cheers from the Opposition.) He merely protested against
the reason of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman. He

(Mr. Gladstone) contended that that House ha'l a per-
fect right to interfere in all Imperial concerns. It was a
question of wisdom and prudeilco whether the
House should interfere or not; but the fact
of the money of this Bill being provided
by Canada would not be conclusive of itself
against interference, provided that interference should
be called for on other grounds.—(Hear, hear.) He well
knew this was a question of race, but the statement of
the Hon. and Learned Gentleman had read did not

touch the question at issue. He had seen a hundred times
over that this was a quession of race, but never had he
heard it stated before that this was a question of race in
the House of Assembly. Everybody knew that the
Members in that House of Assembly who were of
French origin were in a minority in that House. The
question was whether this was a question of race not
within the walls, but without the walls of the House of
Assembly. The Colonial Government had a discretion
over matters which were not important; but the super-
vision of the Government of this country over all
colonial affairs was, or ought to be, strict and unlimited.
On both sides of the House Hon. Members would doubt-
less think it their imperative duty to examine with care
every step of the proceedings that bad taken place in
Canada when in possession of the whole of the facts; but
in the meantime he trusted no judgment would be pro-
nounced on the conduct of the Executive or of her Ma-
jesty's Government until the House had been afforded an
opportunity of carefully emamining the whole of the
papers.
Sir G; GREY considered that they would act
wisely if they abstained from passing any judgment upon
the itnperrect information which
Ised. He did not wish to continue
wished to state that he did not
Ind Learned Gontleman to deny
,rnment to give or withhold its ap-
done by the Assembly of Canada.
Tear, hear.
at that a Governor was sent

out, and that his sanction was required to the Bills
proposed by the Assembly, implied that this was so.
Had the Hon. and Learned Gentleman contended that
we did not possess that right he should have denied the
accuracy of his statement. As the Hon. and Learned
Gentleman had explained that this was his meaning, h
hoped that the discussion would then end, and not be
renewed until further information was placed before the
House.—(Hear.)
Mr. GLADSTONE explained that he understood the
Hon. and Learned Member not to deny the right of
Parliament to interfere. He rather looked to the rea-
sons the Hon. and Learned Member had adduced in
support. of his views than to his abstract reasoning. He
had argued that the money belonged to the colony, and
that, therefore, they had a right to expend it as they
thought proper.
Mr. NEWDEGATE expressed a hope that the:country
would not prejudge the question at issue.
Mr. ROEBUCK explained that he read the names of
members who had voted on the questicn from a list
which had been sent to him from Canada.
Mr. J. E. DENISON thanked the Hon. and Learned
Member for affording the House any information on the
subject. He thought it would be understood from the
discussion that the House did not wish to prejudge the
question, or to act immaturely with respect to it.
The papers were then laid upon the table.
ASCENSION DAY.

Mr. ADDERLEY moved that to-morrow, being As-
cension Day, no Committee do meet and proceed with
business before two o'clock. He said he saw no reason
why the same rule as existed with respect to Ash Wed-
nesdays should not be applied to Ascension Day. He
was utterly at a loss to see why any distinction should
be made between the two days. Ho trusted, therefore,
no opposition would be offered.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER seconded the motion.
Mr. BRIGHT disapproved of the motion, because he
did not see where the adoption of such a course would
end.—(Hear.) There seemed an extraordinary halluci-
nation: as to the periods when that House should not
transact any business. For instance, last year they had
a debate whether they should or should not adjourn on
the Derby-day. The Christian Church held several
days in the year as important and which should be re-
ligiously observed. One of those days was the anniver-
sary of the day on which an unfortunate monarch suf-
fered, and when members were expected to go to
church—but very. few went.—(Laughter)--he meant
upon that particular day. He saw no reason
why they should give up part of to-morrow.
They had no Act, no custom by which the whole
day, or any part of it, should be devoted to other
purposes than business. He was a member of
an important Committee en the Irish Poor-law.
Several persons bad come over from Dublin
yesterday to be examined upon it to-morrow and Fri-
day; and if the Committee did not sic until two to-mor-
row these gentlemen, who were anxious to get back,
might be detained over Sunday. It was
doubtful if they could conclude their examination
if they sat during the ordinary period to-morrow and
Friday. He opposed the motion because he could not
see where it would end, if their common sense
did not prevent them. Why, if they pro-
ceeded in this way, they might be asked
to adopt a similar course with respect to all the parti-
cular days named in the Testament. Then, as the
people of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland had
each its particular set of saints, they might be asked
to adjourn upon those days.
Sir GEORGE GREY said when the Hon. Member
spoke to him first about his motion, it was that the
House itself should not sit until after two
o'clock, and he said the Government would
oppose it. He then altered it to its
present form. He said he saw no reason why the same
rule should not be applied to Ascension-day as Ash-
Wednesday ; but that was acceded to by the general
consent of the House.—(Hear.) If the House wished to
a similar rule, the Government would not object.
Mr. SIMEON supported the motion.
Mr. BRIGHT thought if the permission was to be
left with the Committee, to take any course they chose
upon the subject, the difficulty would be got over.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD thought the time had come
when the House should act upon some fixed principle
upon the subject. He could not see, if this motion was
adopted, why it would not be competent for the Roman
Catholic Members of the House to insist that their
saint days should be observed by the House.—(Hear.)
The motion was then agreed to without a division.
LANDLORD AND TENANT-BILL.
The House then went into Committee on this Bill; Mr.
BERNAL in the chair.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER rose to move the amend-
ments of which he had given notice, the first of which
was to omit in the first clause the words relating to
the purchase of food for cattle or sheep.
Mr. PUSEY objected to the omission of the words.
Sir R. PEEL supported the clause as it stood.
Mr. EVELYN DENISON said that the clause ma-
terially affected those persons who had invested capital
in what might be called temporaryimprovements, as, for
instance, those who had dressed their lands with arti-
ficial manure, or any other expensive condiment of a
natural character, such as guano, a case for which he
thought a provision ought to be made. The law as it
stood provided to a certain extent, but only to a certain
extent, and, believing that the amendment would pro-
vide for the deficiency, he should vote for it.
Sir W. JOLLIFFE said that the Bill as it stood
would certainly lead to no end of litigation. How were
they to arrange according to the custom of the country
in Surrey, Sussex, and the neighbouring counties ? For
his own part, he conceived that some better arrangement
was necessary to secure the outgoing tenant upon short
holdings.
Mr. SIDNEY HEBBERT said that as the Bill stood
it was quite sufficient for the purpose for which it was
intended. The land would be greatly amended by it,
and it left the tenant, whether on lease or at will, at
liberty to do as he pleased, and did not compel the
tenant for life to sacrifice his own interest for the benefit
of his successor. lie might improve the land if he
pleased, but he was not compelled to do so. •
Mr. NEWDEGATE said, notwithstanding the
high respect in which he held the opinion of the Right
Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth (Sir R. Peel),
he did conceive that some greater security for the wel-
fare of the tenant was required than they had at present
possessed or were likely to obtain by this Bill.
After a few words in explanation from Mr. CIERISTO-
PLIER and Mr. PINEY,
Mr. ROEBUCK said that one object appeared to have
been lost sight of in the Bill. Hon. Members bad talked
of the interest of the tenant, but they had altogether
overlooked the interest of another, that was the owner
of the land.—(Hear, hear.) A man might by a course
of white crops completely take the heart of the ground,
but no remedy was left for his landlord.
Mr. PUSEY pointed out the clause which he con-
ceived protected the landlord.

Mr. iIENLEY thought that this amendment provided
the best possible means of getting rid of a great diffi-
culty.
After a few observations from Mr. S. k WORD and
Sir W. JOLLIFFE,
the Hcuse divided, when there apr
For Mr. Christopher's amendme 27
Against it
Majority -75
Mr. CIIRISTOPHEIZ moved, as a❑ amendment, a
line five, after the word "fences," to insert the words,
" or by the erection of substantial farm buildings."
Mr. BUSBY said, in the first Bill that was introduced
compensation for farm buildings was recognised. He
thought it better they should adhere to the report of the
Committee.

.~ -
~---i

Mr. MILES expressed his approval of the amend.
meat.

Mr. HENLEY thought the true reason for this
amendment was to make the law uniform ; and he
never knew any reason why a tenant of land should not

be put on the same footing as tradesmen with respect
to the buildings for carrying on their trade.
Mr. DENISON concurred in the remark which had
fallen from the Hon. Member (Mr. Henley).
The amendment was negatived without a division.

Mr. CHRISTOPHER next moved, after the words
"not exceeding," to strike out the word "twelve," and
instead thereof to insert the word "nine," (restricting
compensation to tenants for improvements to that
period).
After some discussion, it was agreed that the blank
should be filled up with twelve, and the amendment was
negatived without a division.

The discussion of the clause was continued by Mr.
EvelyniDenison, Sir Charles Burrell, Mr. Newdegate,
Mr. Pusey, Sir W. and several other IMQM-
hers, but it is impossible to make it understood
without citing and commenting on the whole of the Bill,
the amendments moved being only verbal in character.
Mr. BERNAL then put the question that clause 3,
as amended, should stand part of the Bill.
Sir H. VERNEY moved an amendment that the
clause be struck out of the Bill.
Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and on our re-
admission into the gallery there appeared—
For the clause
Against it
Majority in favour of the clause —lO9
On the proposition that the sth clause be adopted,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL suggested that the
fifth and sixth clauses should be embodied in one.
After some observations from 111 r. Pusey, Mr. W.
Miles, Mr. Evelyn Denison, Mr. Christopher, the Earl of
March, Sir G. Strickland, Mr. Henley, Mr. Philip
Howard, and Mr. Newdegate in explanation,
Mr. PUSEY said he would adopt the suggestion, and
withdraw the two clauses.
The two clauses were then accordingly struck out.
Clause 7, with some slight amendment, was agreed to,
as were also clauses 8,9, and 10.
Mr. NEWDEGATE moved the following addition
to clause 11:—" Provided always, that no owner of any
farm, of which he is not possessed in fee simple, shall
have power, under this Act, by agreement with the
tenant of such farm, to render any future owner of such
farm liable for any principal sum by way of compensation
for improvements which shall exceed two years' rent of
such farm, according to the annual value thereof at the
time of making such agreement : provided also, that
no tenant of such farm shall have power, under
this Act, to recover, by virtue of any such agreement,
from any future owner, any such principal sum by way
of compensation fcr improvements, except by seven
equal annual instalments; and at the time of the pay-
ment of each annual instalment, interest at the rate of
54 per cent. per annum upon the whole amount then due
shall likewise be paid; and the first of the above instal-
ments and payments of interest shall not be due until
one year's rent of such farm shall have been paid to such
future owner."

Mr. PUSEY hoped the Hon. Gentleman would not
press his amendment.
Mr. NEWDEGATE thought that the Bill would
be liable to great malversation unless there was some
stringent provision to limit the power of the tenant in

possession with respect to his dealing with the suc-
ceeding tenant.

Mr. PALMER considered, that in a clause of the
kind, some alteration was desirable, p.ltheug.,,h he did
not agree in the proposed addition of his Hon. Friend.
After a few observations from the Attorney. General,
Mr. Henley, and some other lion. Members, strangers
were ordered to withdraw, but no division took place.
Sir JAMES GRAIIAM said this was not the moment
for discussing the principle of the Bill. The doubt
thrown out by the Honourable Member for Warwick-
shire was a doubt with respect to the principle of the Bill
itself. He (Sir James Graham) wished to see this Bill
perfected by a Committee, and ho should reserve his
opinion on the principle of the Bill until the third read-
ing.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. NEWDEGATE felt there was a grave doubt on
the principle of the Bill. What he aimed at in this Bill
was a safe power of charging estates with incumbrances
to persons of limited incomes.

The House then divided, when there appeared—
For the proviso
Against it

Majority 2B
The clause was then agreed to.
Mr. PACKE suggested a verbal amendment to clause
12:—"After the consent of the landlord has been
obtained in writing;" upon which some discussion en-
sued, in which Mr. Christopher, the Attorney-General,
and Mr. Bouverie took part.
Mr. HEADLAM said he should persist in his amend-
ment, and strangers were ordered to withdraw, but
no division took place, and the clause, with some slight
amendments, was agreed to.
This being the last clause, the Chairman was instructed
to report the Bill to the House, and the House having re-
sumed, he did so accordingly, and the report was ordered
to be brought up on Monday.
BANKRUPTCY (IRELAND) BILL.
This Bill went through Committee pro forma, and was
ordered to be recommitted on the 13th June.

GRAND JURY CESS (IRELAND) BILL.
The amendments to this Bill wero considered and or-
dered to be reconsidered to-morrow.
SMITH O'BRIEN.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL gave notice that on Friday
he should move that Mr. Smith O'Brien be expelled
from the House.

The other orders of the day were then disposed of;
and the House adjourned at a Quarter to Six o'clock.

TATTERSALL'S—THIS EVENING.
Six o'cLocK.

DERBY.
9 to 4 agst Flying Dutchman—taken
9 to 2 agst Nunnykirk
11 to 2 agst Tadmor
9 to 1 agst Elthiron
16 to 1 agst Chatterer
25 to 1 agst The Knout
30 to 1 agst Honeycomb
40 to 1 agst Montague
50 to 1 agst The Old Fox
66 to 1 agst Drakelow

OAKS.
6 to 1 agst Glauca
7 to 1 agst Clarissa
16 to 1 agst Caricature

READING, GUILDFORD, AND REI-

GATE RAILWAY.-(THIS DAY.)

.
A special general meeting of the proprietors of the
Reading, Guildford, and Reigate Railway was held this
morning, at the offices in Exchange-buildings, for the
purpose of approving of a Bill authorising the construc-
tion of a branch to connect this line with the London
and South-Western; Mr. D. Salomons in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN stated that the branch had already
been made by consent, but, for security's sake, tha
directors thought it better to have it sanctioned by Act
of Parliament.

After a short discussion the Bill was approved of, and
the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the
Chairman.

DREADFUL OCCURRENCE.—This afternoon, about
three o'clock, a dreadful occurrence took place at a house
in Shire-lane. near Temple-bar. It appears a young
female took a lodging there last night, stating she had
left her situation in Golden-square. This afternoon
she went out fur a short time, and when she returned
was watched in by two women, who shortly after-
wards, accompanied by a City policeman, en-
tered the house, and proceeded upstairs to the
room of this unfortunate girl. No sooner had they en-
tered the room than she sprang from the window, and
fell a distance of forty feet into a back yard, fracturing
the back part of her skull in a dreadful manner. She
was conveyed to King's College Hospital, but there is
no hope of her recovery. She is said to have a great
quantity of property in her possession.

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