The Sun.
London, England, 1831-09-02 00:00:00

noeoorate with any city er borough any parish adjacent to
suet) city or borough, within the distance of one mile."
I 'lr. KNIGHT slid that the effect of this clause would
• he to give a very dangerous power to the Commissioners.
!For example, it would he in their power, if they thought
fit, under this clause, to add to tlie•horough of Marylebone,
I which was to be rerfalltuted by this Act (and which aeas
large enough), the parishes of 'Kensington and
cahessea. Such a power vested those Commissioners
might be attended with -the most alarming consequences.
It would inveet them with an authority to alter the eehe*.e
ci2nstiteerey of the country. He wished to !snow from the
Lord opposite if it WRS intetemd'e'il that the commission
should possess such poreees
Lord ALTWII* answered in a tone of voice which was
gaite it-mandible in the gallery.
Mr. TENNYSON said that after the view nalmith hit
Hen. Frieod hail taken of the duties of these Commis-
slonars, namely, that they were in seentral to add neigh-
bouring sliatricts of towns to old boroughs, not now in-
chided them, he tbringlit himself hound to express his
hope that the Comm',asioners would, in coneider!'eg the ex-
pediency of oath additions, take under their view all the
circumatancei affecting time reiculAr borough. Ile was
aware of the diffiettlty nl'impoaing any restrictions upon the
Cummisaionere hi the Bill which might not counteract the
generd benefit:id effect which that power was intended to
ponluce ; but if they did not in fact contider local
cir-
cumstances. they might n many easnets contravene the real
obiccts of the Bill instead of promoting them. Some
districts of town adjacent to old boroughs were ender
pmrticular int/die:ices, and it was his duty as Member
for Stamford to deprecate the potts9;l-e addition of an
adj trent parish, the parish of St. Martin's, Stamford Baron,
which, although in se 'different county, was so connected
with the borough by continuity, that it would appear to
the Commissioners a very obvious subject for addition un-
lese they inquired into the facts. Tie (Mr. Tennyson) had
hoped this borough was effectually rescued from the do-
mination of a Nehle fano], hut if the parish of St. Martin
were now to Ire added, it would restore it iiracoverably to
thc eentrwal and dictation of that Noble individual.
Stamford contained more than the 300 houses requisite
for the new constituency, and such addition would there-
fore he merely voluntary on the part of the Commissioners.
He trusted, therefint, that following the words of the
chose which gave the power, they would only make
such additions where necessary " for the purposes of this
Art," which were according to its title to amend
the representation of the people ; but such an addition as
he objected to in the case of Stamford would have a pre-
cisely opposite tendency. Where additions could he made
of independent districts of towns it would promote tiie
purposes of time Bill, but lie thought time Commissioners
were bound carefully to abstain from adding districts
under particular influence, eapecial•y where, as in this
case, it would again subject the borough to an Ass,
lute nomination. With these observations, he should
leave the matter to the Government, trusting that they
nemuld not feel it inconsistent with time delicacy they wished
te observe, to intimate to the Commissioners the propriety
of acting upon the principle which he had stated, where-
es er it might appear that additions would have an effect
opposed to the real object. He should have felt great
difficulty in assenting to tie power which this clause
gave to the Cammissioneis of arbitrarily adding to
mill boroughs where the ancient limit supplied a suffi-
cient constituency, if the amendment now introduced had
net brought their report under the consideration of Parlia-
MCFIr ; but if, in the ease of his own constituents, the
C immissioners added the parish of St. Martin's:, he sheuld,
as the clause now stood, he able to take his exception here-
after, and bring the matter under the review of the House-
Lord ALTHORP could not agree in the opinion ex-
pressed by his Hon. Friend.
Sir R. VYVYAN said, that no speech Lad been deli-
vered in that House which made more against time Bill then
diet which had just been deliVered by the Hon. Member
opposite. It was, however, well that the Noble Lord had
aislented from the Hon. Member', suggestion. Theme
Commissioners would, in fact, be similar to those Com-
missioners who were appointed under the celebrated India
Bill of Mr. Fox. and almost as objectionable.
Lord ALTHORP said, that tie Commissioners in the
present instance would not be at all similar to those to
whom the Hon. Baronet had alluded. Time Commis-
sioners under Mr. Fox's Bill were Commissioners for
manaeing the whole affairs of India; they were to he per-
tnanent and independent of the Crown. Now the present
Commissioners would he merely appointed to discharge the
duties assigned to them in this Bill, and after they had
perfoimed those duties their office would cease.—(Hear. )
Colonel SIBTHORPE begged to take this opportunity
to give notice, that on the bringing up of the report, he
would move, that no Member of the House, or Member's
son, should he appointed to fill the situation of a Commie-
Shiner for the purpose of deciding the divisiors of counties.
or fixing the boundaries of cities or boroughs which it was
determined by the Bill should be divided.
Sir C. WETHERELL said that the line of conduct
which the Hon. Member for Stamford (Mr. Tennyson)
had suggested to time Commissioners would, if adopted by
them, be a gross perversion of their peldic duty.
Mr. STANLEY was sure that that matter would be
completely set at rest, both as regarded the Commissioners
and the public, by time unanimous expression of opinion
which had now been given from both sides of the Home,
as to the line of conduct which those Commissioners ought
to pursue.
Mr. TENNYSON said, that in what he had suggested
Le had not been influenced by private or personal motives
or considerations. He had urged what he had stated, on be-
half of his constituents and time people of England generally.
Sir J. GRA HAM diffared altogether from the view
which his Hon. Friend (Mr. Tennyson) had taken of time
line of conduct to be pursued by the Commissioners, and
he quite coincided in the vmew which had been taken on
that point by his Noble Friend the Chanceller of the Ex-
cliequar.
Lord J. RUSSELL was quite sure that in what he had
stated his Hon Friend, the Member for Stamford, had not
been influences] by any personal feelings or considerations,
lett that he was merely anxiety' to express the sentiments
of Lis constituents.—(licar, from Mr. Tennyson.)
The verbal amendmente were agreed to, and the ques-
tion that " clause 24, as amended, stand part of the Bill,"
was then put and agreed to.
Lord ALTHORP moved that the Chairmen do report
regress, and ash leave to sit again.
3lr. Alderman WOOD thought that they should pro-
ceed with time two next clauses now, for as they formed
only a porthn; of the clause to which they had jest agreed,
it was not likely tln.t they would provoke any discussion.
—(Cries of " adjouin" and "goon ") The fact was,
that people out of doors were quite dissatisfied with the
slow progress of the Bill, and tt ey should endeavour to
proceed at a somewhat more rapid pace if possible.
Sir C. WETIIERELL said, that it was now more than
half-past one o'clock, and though the worthy Alderman
and his friends might remain, he (Sir C. Wetherell) would
certainly go out of time House, end the worthy Alderman
and his friends; out of doors might express what dissatis-
faction they liked with his personal conduct. (The
Learned Gentleman forthwith walked out of the MIM.,
amidst some cheers and much laughter.)
Lord ALTHORP felt bound, iu pursuance of the con-
tr met originaily made en the subject, to stop at that hour
of the morning.—(Hear, hear.)
The House then resumed, and the Coal t% MA N reported
progress, and obtained leave to sit again this day.