The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-26 00:00:00

POOR-LAW.

Mr. BAINES presented a petition in favour of rating
the owners instead of the occupiers of small tenements.
FINANCIAL REFORM.

galtir. COBDEN presented a 'petition from a place in
the county of Edinburgh, and also one from the West
Riding of Yorkshire, praying for a reduction in the na-
tional expenditure.
THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER.

Mr. REYNOLDS gave notice that, after Easter, he
should call the attention of the House to the manufac-
ture of paper in Great Britain and Ireland.
ARBITRATION.

Mr. M. MILNES gave notice that he intended
to propose the following amendment to the
motion of the Honourable Member for the West
Riding—that it is desirable that this country should
use its influence with foreign nations to prevent
war, or if that be not practicable, to endeavour to induce
the contending parties to take time for the consideration
of the evils they are likely to suffer if they proceed to war.
JUVENILE OFFENDERS.

Mr. MILNES also gave notice that after Easter he in-
tended to call the attention of the House to the state of
juvenile crime, and to the circumstances connected
therewith.

BUSINESS QF THE HOUSE.

Mr. F. FRENCH said the Rate in Aid Bill stood on
,he paper for to-night. Now, as Irish Members were
anxious to know the latest hour at which the Noble
Lord intended to proceed with the Bill, he should feel
obliged if he would state his intentions.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL replied that if the navigation-
laws lasted until ten o'clock he should not proceed with
the Rate in Aid Bill, but that if disposed of before that
hour he should proceed with the Rate in Aid Bill. He
proposed that the report on the navigation-laws should
be taken into consideration on Monday next. He should
propose on Friday a Committee of the whole House, for
the purpose of moving that 100,0001. be advanced,
upon the credit of the Rate in Aid Bill, for the re-
lief of the distressed poor in Ireland.—(Hear, hear.)
If a Committee of the whole House should agree
to that relief, he should propose afterwards that it be in-
serted in the Rate in Aid Bill as a clause in that Bill.
He likewise begged to state that he should propose, on
Monday next, that on Thursday, the 19th of April, and
on every alternate Thursday after that day, the orders of
the day should have precedence of notices of motion.
He also begged to give notice that, on Wednesday se'n-
night, he should propose that the House at its rising
should adjourn to Monday, the 16th of April.
MUTINY BILL.—MARINE MUTINY BILL.
These Bills severally went through Committee.
In answer to a question from Mr. HUME,
Mr. FOX MAULE said no alteration of any im-
portance had been made in the Marine Mutiny Bill ; it
was essentially the same as the Bill of last year.
NAVIGATION BILL.—COMMITTEE.
The House resolved itself into Committee on this Bill.
On clause 19,
Mr. GEORGE SANDARS said he should postpone
moving the following amendment, which he had on the
paper, until the bringing up of the report:—ln clause
19, line 29, the omission of all the words after the word
"And," and to add " whereas it is expedient that
inducements be held out to foreign states to place
British vessels in foreign ports on the same footing on
which the vessels of such foreign states are placed in the
ports of this country; be it enacted, that, in case it
shall, at the expiration of three years from the passing
of this Act, be made to appear to her Majesty that
British vessels are subject in any foreign country
to any prohibitions or restrictions as to the voyages in
which they may engage, or as to the articles which
they may import into or export from such country,
to which the ships of such foreign country are not
subject In this country, it shall then be lawful for her
Majesty in Council to impose such prohibitions or re-
strictions upon the ships of such foreign country as shall
place the ships of such country on as nearly as possible
the same footing in British ports as that on which British
ships are placed in the ports of such country."
Mr. RICARDO expressed himself in favour
of the principle of reciprocity involved in the
amendment, simply because he believed that it would
have the effect of carrying out the principle of the Bill.
The clause as it stood was likely to create some impedi-
ment, and as it was a merely formal portion of the Bid,
he thought that the alteration would be of advantage.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that this question was one
hich had been fully inquired into and answered during the
discussions on this subject last session, and he thought
therefore that it was quite unnecessary for him to enter
into it. He entirely disagreed with his Hon. Friend in
the belief that this was merely a formal part of the Bill;
on the contrary, he believed it to be a most essential
part. It vested the power in this country of retaliating
at any time upon foreign states should they
seek to take an undue advantage of our liberality.
He objected altogether also to the principle of
reciprocity, for tha3 entered only into small things—it
only dealt with minutiae, and rather impaired than ad-
vanced the power of' a Government to protect the rights
Of the subjects of its own country. So far from this being
an immaterial portion of the Bill, he must repeat that he
thought it to be a most substantial and important part,
and certainly should give his most strenuous opposition
to any proceeding which was calculated to impair the
Ministry in their effectual power to rightly protect
the shipping interests of this country.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. SANDARS thought that this clause ought to be
more explicit. It was evident that the Government
were shirking the matter, and the Right Hoe. Gentle-
man who had been desirous of altering this clause had
done so in a very cloudy way. The Hon. Member for
Westbury, Mr. Wilson, was still more careful not to be
explicit. For his own part, he thought that this clause,
as it stood, would put a very useful leverage into the
hands of the Government, so that they might
hold the power of protection for the home
interests in any case where foreign powers
either refused to respond to the liberal
declarations of this country or where those powers in-
flicted, prohibitory duties in return to our generosity.
It might seem strange in him who had always from
that (the Opposition) side of ::the House
voted against the Government—(Hear, hear)—but
on this measure, he felt it his duty to vote with them.
They had virtually, and de facto, adopted the princi-
ple of free trade. He thought that they ought to carry
it out in every department of the State.—(Cries
of " Hear, hear," from the Ministerial benches.)
He would not detain the Committee longer, but he
trusted when he revived his amendment on the bringing
up of the report, he should have the support of the Right
Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth and his
trig nds.
Mr. HERRIES said, this clause, taken in conjunction
with the first, was, in fact, the Bill, and while he still re-
tained his objection to the whole of this measure
he thought nothing could show more the necessity for
an amendment like that proposed by the Hon. Gentle-
man who had just sat down than the number of propo-
sals which had been made on this very subject of reci-
procity.—(Hear, hear.) First there was the Hon.
Member for Kilmarnock, who made an effort
to introduce a clause to that effect, and although
his Right Honourable Friend the Member for
the University of Oxford had suggested, though
he had not prepared a reciprocity clause.
His Right Hon. Friend (the President of the Board of
Trade) had abstained from proposing that which, coming
from him, would have been entitled to every considera-
tion, simply because be was in doubt as to the course
which might be adopted by those with whom he (Mr.
Herries) had the honour of being connected.
But if his Right Hon. Friend supposed that they would
adopt the least stratagem for the sake of obtaining some
momentary advantage, or for placing the Government
in a dilemma upon the third reading of the Bill, he
could assure him that Le was greatly and grievously mis-
taken.—(Hear.) He had never lent himself to any plan,
nor, indeed, had any one of the party with whom
he was connected, for the purpose of obstructing or im-
peding the legitimate progress of the Bill. With respect
to the particular clause before the House, he was bound

to say that he did not attach much importance to it,
because it could do no good, but might possibly
do a great deal of mischief.—(Hear.) Upon
looking at it they could not but ask themselves
what its effect would be with respect to the United
States. His Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Labouchere) had
withdrawn, when the Navigation Bill was last under dis-

cussion, that part of the Bill which was the least ob-
jectionable.—(Hear, hear.) If they could have succeeded
in getting sumo return from the United States for that
portion of our coasting trade which it was proposed
to give to them, he must confess that the arrangement
introduced into the Bill, was an advantageous one.
The restrictions of America were manifold; yet, not-
withstanding all the advantages we gave her, we got
little in return, whereas they ought to get from foreign
countries, and from America in particular, something

like an equivalent. In support of this Niew the Hon.
Gentleman referred to a dispatch of Mr. Clay, who
wrote fin faLour of the argument of equivalents.
Mr. MACGREGOR said it would be well to leave out the
clause altogether; but he could not support that view,
as he believed its insertion in the Bill absolutely neces-
sary. If there was one argument more than another in
favour of placing the parts of any two countries in the
same position, the case of the United States was an apt
illustration, for when he looked back to the capture of
Quebec, 90 years ago, ho found that there was not a
single man of British parentage resident, or who spoke
the English language, in the whole district, nor one who
possessed an acre of land west of the Allegany mountains.
to the shores of the Pacific. Later the number of in-
habitants who spoke the British language in the loca•
lity amounted, to 2,000,000; now those who spoke our
language, adopted our habits and our forms of adminis-
tration amounted to no less a number than 20,000,000.
Washington and Franklin proposed to the then
Government of this country that the trade of the
two countries should be placed in the same posi-
tion in regard to their coasting trade. Pitt adopted
their view, and introduced a Bill for that purpose, but
before it could be carried out the existing administration
resigned. Ever since 1816 the whole mode of inter-
course had been altered ; and he maintained that the best
guarantee for the peace of England,America,and the whole
world would be to abolish the navigation laws altogether
with regard to the United States of America. It had
been stated that we were giving every thing to the Ameri-
cans, and they were giving very little to us. He denied that
altogether. He looked to that indomitable spirit of per-
severance which existed in the United States, and which
would make navigation with America of much
greater importance than with any other country in
the world. He believed the spirit of the America❑
Government would be to meet us if we ex•
tended to them freedom of trade and of
navigation. With regard to Canada and the United
States he believed if we maintained the
restrictions which now existed between the Canadians
and the people of the United States, that would cause
the greatest possible discontent in that part of the
world. He would vote most heartily in support of the
clause.
Mr. ROBINSON denounced the ;system of giving
everything to foreign countries, without demanding any-
thing from them in return, as one-sided legislation,
likely to lead to great mischief. He should move as an
amendment the omission of the words " if she should
think fit," in line 32 of the clause.
Mr. LABOUCHERE did not at all object to the Hon.
Gentleman's amendment, the words "if she should think
fit" having been only introduced as respectful to her
Majesty.
Mr. GLADSTONE did not mean to say he was in
favour of the amendment; but he believed that for Par-
liament to say that it should be lawful for her Majesty to
do so and so, in that case, would have no binding force.
In that case ha thought the amendment would be nugatory
for the purpose for which it was introduced With
respect to the objection of the Hon. Member for Stamford,
to his (Mr. Gladstone's) proposal ; all that he (Mr.
Gladstone) said was, that his plan was the plan for the
purpose of promoting a settlement of the question, but
that it was impossible to be made available unless it was
supparted by her Majesty's Ministers and the House.
His only object was to render the discussion of that
clause more clear. He intended nothing else; and he
thought that what he had meant he had, made perfectly
clear.

Mr. ROBINSON had the greatest respect for the
judgment of his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Gladstone),
but on this question he was no professional authority.
Now he himself was engaged in the profession, and
therefore thought himself entitled to some consideration.
At any rate before deciding he should like to have the
opinion of the Attorney-General upon it. Should that
not be in accordance with what had just been stated he
should devide the House.
The ATTORNEY-GANERAL said that the clause
contained an insertion in the 31st line of the words, "It
the Queen shall think fit," which gave her officers a
discretionary powcr to act in certain matters, and which
discretion would certainly be much more useful than any
restricted authority.
Sir F. THESIGER said that it was his decided opi-
nion that in any case there was a discretionary power
clearly invested by the Act in the authorities of the
Crown, and if that was not sufficient, why it could very
easily be extended.—(A laugh.)
Mr. J. STEWART trusted that his Hon. Friend
would not press this motion to a division, for it was
perfectly immaterial how the power was conferred. It'
the words " the Queen shall think fit" in the 31st line in
any way limited the power or increased it, the same power
was clearly conferred by another portion of the clause
where the same words occurred. He, therefore, trusted
that his Hon. Friend would not press his motion.
The amendment was then withdrawn, and clauses 20
and 21 having bee❑ agreed to, on the proposition of
clause 22, which enables her Majesty in Council to make
certain arrangements with foreign countries for the pur-
pose of giving reciprocal advantages to the shipping of
other states in our harbours and to our shipping in the
harbours of other countries, so far as port and light dues
were concerned.

Mr. LABOUCHERE said, in reply to Mr. Wawn,
that this clause was necessary, for a considerable diffi •
culty had been experienced in inducing other countries
to enter into reciprocal treaties. With regard to Spain,
for instance, there was every disposition to enter into
amicable arrangements so far as the practicable business
was concerned, but a great indisposition to a political
arrangement.

lAfter a further remark from Mr. WAWN,
Mr. LABOUBHERE said that dock dues and light
dues were on a very different footing.
Mr. WAWN said the Hull Dock Company had re-
ceived very large sums of money as compensation for
dock dues, which they had surrendered under reciprocity
treaties, and he should therefore propose that the words
" dock dues" be added to the thirty-third line of the
clause.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said if the Honour-
able Gentleman would read the clause:, little further on,
he would find the words, " and other dues," which would
embrace the dues the Hon. Gentleman had mentioned.
Mr. WASON said in that case there ought to be no
objection to adopting his proposal.
Mr. HENLEY said, now that they proposed to deal
with private rights so extensively, and to compensate
dock companies for the loss of their dues out of the con-
solidated Lund, some general Act ought to be introduced
on the subject.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said, the present Bill
followed the words of the 46th Geo. 3, authorising the
making of treaties with foreign nations relative to the
navigation-laws, and he thought it was highly desirable
that those words should not be departed from.
Mr. HENLEY was perfectly aware of that, but now
they were going very much to extend this principle of
law which sanctioned the paying of dock dues out of the
Consolidated Fund; and he thought some care ought to
be taken to see how it would act upon private interests.
Mr. GLADSTONE said he entertained some doubts
as to whether the clause, as it stood, was sufficient to
enable her Majesty to direct payments to be made out of
the Consolidated Fund.

After a few words from the SOLICITOR•GENERAL and
the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER,
Mr. LABOUCHERE said he would agree to the
clause being withdrawn for the present.
The clause was accordingly withdrawn.
Clauses 23 to 28 inclusive were then agreed to without
any discussion.

After some discussion, the remaining clauses, as also
the preamble, were agreed to, Mr. Sandars having with-
drawn his amendment; the Speaker resumed the chair,
and Mr. Bernal reported the Bill to the House.
(LEFT SITTING.)

PRESENTATION OF THE FREE-
DOM OF GLASGOW TO THE RIGHT HON. T.
B. MACAULAY.

(From the Daily Mail of Friday.)
To-day, at noon, the freedom of the city of Glasgow
was presented to the Eight Hon. T. B. Macaulay, in the
City Hall, Candleriggs street. A large and brilliant
assemblage of the wealth and intelligence of the city was
present, and appeared to take a deep interest in the pro
ceedings. The arrangements were admirable. Although
there could not have been less than four thousands
spectators, there was no confusion, but, on the contrary,
everything was done decently and in order. There was
a large number of ladies present.
At twelve o'clock, the hour appointed for the com-
mencement of the interesting ceremony, the members of
the Town Council entered the hall amid loud cheers, and
took the seats set apart for them. After the lapse of a
few minutes the Lord Provost, the Eight Hon. T. B.
Macaulay, Lord Belhaven, and the magistrates entered,
when the reception given was entusiastic in the highest
degree.
The Lord Provost occupied the chair.
On the right of the chairman were Mr. Macaulay,
Bailie Stewart, Sheriff Alison, Bailie Smith, Lord Dean
of Guild, and Convener of Guild; and on the left, Lord
Beleaven, Bailies Orr, Broan, Dreghorn, and Gilmour.
We also observed on the platform, Professors Fleming
and Thompson, ex-Provost Mills, Alex. Graham, Esq.,
of Landsfield, the Lord Advocate, &c., &c.
The Lord Provost then directed the town-clerk to read
the minutes of council agreeing to confer the freedom of
the city on Mr. Macaulay. This having been done, the
Lord Provost then presented the box containing the
freedom, in a very excellent speech, recounting Mr.
Macaulay's claims, political and literary, on the citizens
of Glasgow and the country in general. After which,
Mr. MACAULAY rose, and was received with tremen-
dous cheering. This having subsided, he said—l thank
you, my Lord and Gentlemen—l thank you from my
heart, for this great honour. I may, I hope, extend
my thanks further. I may extend them to that
constituent body of which, I believe, you are on this
occasion the expositor, and which has relieved me
here in a manner which has made an impression novo-
to be effaced from my mind.—(Applause.) This box,
my Lord, I shall prize as long as I and it will, when
I am gone (the Hon. Gentleman here appeared greatly
agitated)—be prized by those who are dearest to me, as
a prof that in an active and chequered life, political
and literary, I succeeded in gaining the esteem
and goodwill of one of the greatest and most
enlightened cites in the British empire.—(Loud
cheers.) My political life, my Lord, has closed. The
feelings which contention and rivalry naturally call
forth, and from which I do not pretend to have been
eventseem pti, hnwaivieiehbald timebore toa cpoaorl down.
t as calmly,
I look
aimly, now on
tbiek,a thestone
ntheewevteentbseonfeatrhable
epaosptpecnenentutzw.
bilebc,anpedrboatphsa,ti jaustice
mo-
ments of conflict, I might sometimes have refused to
grant.
as
of the
I
careercanof another
fmyown
career acknowledge
great errors and deficiencies, but I have nothing to ac-
knowledge which is inconsistent with rectitude of inten-
tion and with independence of spirit.—(Great applause.)
My conscience bears me this testimony, that I honestly
desire the happiness and greatness of my country;