The Sun.
London, England, 1831-09-05 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Standard, alluding to our notice of Mr.
Bentley's letter, is pleased to observe that
" seem,, from the specimen we have seen of it, to he
ineffAbly stupid," and then, after quoting part of the
passage in our article, goes on to say :
" Now this would he an a very fair analogy, if hums of
land con►ld be multiplied as indefinitely as wine-houses can
he; and if, in consequence, there would be always mote
land to let than persons desirous of taking it. In such
Cise, if Squire A would not resign to his tenants all th,
advarrages of the abolition of tithe, Squire B would or
Squire C, or some other squire in the alphabet, whose
hod !song on /mod. Competition, in short, would do
what competition always does—compel the proprietor of
the commodity in excess to submit to the limited number
of demand►nte.
" Unfortunately, however, farms cannot be indefinitely
multiplied as wine-shops can; and, unfortunately too, the
excess in revert to farms is on the side of demand—and
therefore the squire have, and will have, the power of ap-
propriating t, tlietmelvert whatever shall be gained by tloe
plunder of the Church. The squires haven monopoly ;
and the road taken by any little profit let loose on the re-
duction of the duties payable by a monopolized commodity,
is pretty well hnown—it is always to the pocket of the
monopolist. But let farmers fairly consider the matter in
Its trae lieht. Toe lantilord holds the land on the condi-
tion that it shall pay for him one-tenth of its produce to
the Church. The landlord succeeds in discharging, hint-
self of the condition. Is any farmer fool enough to be-
lieve that, with the power to choose tenants everywhere,
the landlorl will not select the tenants who will leave to

him the undisputed enjoyment of the prizt?
" With resi-wct to the proposed relief to the farmer by
Cue introduction of foreign corn, we had thought, since
the last election, the firmer! of Kent stupid enough; but
really we should not have insulted them by such a propo-
sition as that. No doubt the introduction of foreign corn
would very much lower rents ; but how would it lower
them ? By lowering the price of corn—by ruining the
farmer—by banishing even brown bread from his table,
and driving him to the diet of his Pomeranian competitor,
who, happy man, pays no tithe, and but sixpence an acre
rent, and yet wears no shirt, and froM year's end to year's
end tastes no better food than fermented cabbage-leaves."
With respect, by the bye, to .foreign corn, Mr.
Bentley argues on the supposition that it may not
be in the power of the landlords to resist the intro-
duction of foreign corn. The weaver, who, in a
cold climate, in which the human body requires more
food than in milder regions, receives the same wages
with the weavers of France and Italy, is at a loss to
understand why he should pay so much for his food.
The other classes of labourers often ask themselves,
also, why exportation of manufactured goods should
he encouraged, while the return is kept as low as
possible by the obstacles thrown in the way of ob-
taining food for them. The farmers have not for-
gotten the past struggles, and they look forward to
euture struggles. As it is, the Corn Laws have not
afforded them the protection they were taught to
look for from them; white they have introduced the
greatest uncertainty into all his operations. There
can be no doubt that, while the demand for food in

this country exceeds the native supply, and foreign
corn is excluded under heavy duties, till the price
in the home market attains a great height, the
landlords would pocket all that is now paid to the
parsons. But the demand does not always ex-
ceed the native supply, and hence we have glutted
inarke.s and bankrupt farmers. No matter what
the number of farmers or number of farms; the far-
mer's payments must be regulated by his receipts.
The profits of capital embarked in farming cannot di
fer materially from the profits of capital employed in
other trades, for there is a tendency in capital always
to.find its level. Now in such a state of things,
with tithes abolieled, the landlord could not pocket
the burden iu addition to hie rent. The whole
question of tithes and rent is very much complicated
by the restrictions on the trade in food. Supposing,
however, the empire to be dependent entirely on
its own resources, it is clear that the tithe must
add to the price of food, for the price must not only
repay the expellee of labour, but a tenth of the pro-
duce given to the parson, before the cultivator can
venture on fresh land. The poorest land taken into
cultivation, if it pay only id. an acre of rent, must
pay the tenth of the produce, and the tenth of the
produce is added to the price of all food. With
respect to the ruin of our farmers by the importation
of corn, we wonder our contemporary did not also
observe, that it would take the potatoes from the
Irish farmers, and leave them nothing. The Irish
farmer lives far more meanly than the farmer of any
country in the world without exception, and yet we
do not find that the heavy importations from Ireland
have reduced the English farmer to the Irish level.
We repeat, however, that with a free trade in food
the landlord cannot pocket the tithe, and that tithe-
free lands must come down to the level of the others.
—Morning Chronicle.
The Reform Bill made some progress on Satur-
day, though we are afraid that its speed was scarcely
rapid enough to warrant the belief entertained by
Lord Althorp, that it would be able to leap the bar
of the Committee and spring into the House with
all its amendments on Wednesday. We can scarcely
say whether it carries less or more weight than when
it passed its second heat, but we are quite sure,
that, backed as it was by its friends in the country,
it might long ago have finished its course under a
bolder and less scrupulous jockeyship. To change
the figure, we shall be happy to see it again in pre-
sence of the Speaker and the Mace, instead of toil-
ing through that " Slough of Despond," the- Com-
mittee, resisted as it was at every step by a host of
interested enemies, and perpetually obliged to shake
, off the fresh burdens imposed upon it by its pre-
r tended friends. Its Parliamentary supporters will
• be equally delighted to be relieved from their nightly
E task, and to recover the enjoyment of their Satur-
day holiday. A long contest of words, or what the
late Lord Castlereagh would have called " a field:
' day," is threatened on the bringing up of the re-
port; but as the tenancy-at-will, the division of
county clauses, and some others which we are desi-
rous of seeing altered, have been already amply dis-
cussed, we are not aware of any grounds fora length-
ened debate. The 'greater part of Saturday's sit-
ting—the last Saturday, we hope, on which the
Committee will be required to sit—was most use-
' lessly employed in discussing the 31st clause, already
sufficiently discussed. The 32d clause was .agreed
' to without a division; and the remainder of the

crises,, though numerous, being of a regulamen-
tary, or executive, rather than of an essential kind,
need not occasion any protracted deliberation.—
Times.

0

While the borough-system has been slowly sur-
rendered by its advocates, in so far only as it. was
brought to the test of any of those theories of -re-
presentation by virtue of which alone representation
i•self could be vindicated on grounds of common
sense or reasoning, the same gentlemen have stickled
for the good and useful " working of the system,"
and have referred to our history, domestic and fo-
reign, in justification of this singular mode of de-
fence. With regard to our home politics, the bo-
rough-system is termed " conservative"—conserva-
tive—rottenness 7. preservative of the Throne and
the Peers : as if a money-cemented borough-faction
might not be on one occasion as ready to conspire for
factious purposes against King and Peers, as on
others in their favour. The reference to our foreign
history is usually an appeal to the late war, to the
triumphs of our arms, and to the grand position
attained by England in connection with the Holy
Alliance. We have just received a little pam-
phlet, which takes up the Reform questiou in
relation to the ramie two principles, and in our
opinion makes considerable havoc of the " work-
well" attributes of rotten boroughs. The author
begins wAt the days of Marlborough, and the
ito.r.ble conspiracies of mercenary borough-Pa-
trons the success of that great man'ef
by which at last the natie was
dr robbedon2 them. Next
ad-
vantages it ought to have derived
__rre.pd
es,
of Which
he proceeds- to the period ofttei.
bel summed up
the whole• spirt and F
Cd4lbotougb faction." lie
in one compound
r.be'llion of 1745, dad die all
next takes we 0.1 tb--;.. rtreu re
but
trotorouit:vhile anr,„_";gmk..tiol:fd the Ministry ryo:fotfhC:eiioinrgge.
enemy %NS- !rn lirart
If.,

om. Then to the American war, in which thi
kitigliorn was disgraced, that our colonies might be
oppressed, and a Minister, who deserved impeach-
ment, was supported by the baseness of the borough
representation. He finishes, by a sketch of the
mangement to which the last war with 'evolutionary
and imperial France was subjected, and of the dread-
ful waste of life, treasure, and reputation incurred
through the miscarriages of a borough-fed and ineffi-
cient Cabinet. Some passages from Lord Coiling-
wood upon the borough-blight of the Thitish navy,
under Lords Barham and Mu!grave, will amuse and
edify our readers. We recommend them to the es.
pecial attention of all your " work-well" not ;omen,
who will soon be called upon, we trty.t, to declare
their sentiments on the Bill about to be seat up to
them from the House of Commo•,s.

" I am now, he it remembered, fighting the Anti-re-
formers on their own ground ; t am trying the question at
issue between us by the tffects of the present system of re-
presentation; I have brought forward as my evidence the
state of parties during the life of Marlborough,—during
the reign of George IL, as narrated by Walpole,—the ma-
nagement of the American war,—the management of the
Peninsular war,—and the Walcheren expedition ; I now
proceed to consider the manner in which the naval affairs
were managed, and this point I will try on the evidence of
Cullingwood,—an authority that no man, I presume, will
venture to challenge ; and I wish to direct particular at
tention to his evidence, because it so strongly and decidedly•
shows the pernicious working of the borough system, and
proves how little the recommendation of the ablest men, or
the most important interests of the country, are of avail,
when opposed to the influence of the borough proprietors.
His interesting memoirs are replete with instances how
often the Ministry were obliged to confide power to un-
worthy hands,—how often the claims of merit were post-
poned to these of interest, and how lamentably the best
interests of the country suffered in consequence. Writing
from Cadis, in October, 1798, to Captain Ball, he says,
But for the consciousness that I did not deserve degrada-
tion from, any hand, and that my good estimation would
not be depreciated in the minds of honourable men by the
caprice of power, I should have died with indignation. I
am tired of it.'•

" After the victory of Trafalgar, he than writes to Lord

Barham, the then First Lord of the Admiralty I beg
to express my earnest hope that your Lordship will take
into consideration the peculiar circumstances of the late
action, in which as much gallantry was displayed by the

fleet, and a powerful armament of the enemy ruined, in
as short a time as in any action ; but what distinguished
it from all others is, that the usual reward to the Captain.,
ari.ing from the sale of prizes, is almost all lost by the
wreck and destruction of the ships. What Government
may please to do in this respect for the fleet, I cannot say,
but none was ever more worthy of its regard. To the
officers—among whom are many young men who are
qualified for Lieutenants--the most grateful reward would
be promotion ; and if your Lordship would enable me to
dispense it to them, by commissioning the four ships, and
• appointing the officers serving in this fleet, I should feel
exceedingly gratified in having it in my power to reward
so much merit as is now before me.'-
" Now, if ever there could be a case made out to com-
mand the attention of the Admiralty, this was one ; the
victory had been the most signal ever achieved by the
British navy ; the usual reward, arising from sale of
prizes, had been lost to the Captains, and the commandine
officer strongly expressed the propriety of rewarding the
officers by promotion.
" On the Sth of November, Lord Barham t informed
Admiral Collingwood that he had sent him a commission
of the same extent as Lord Nelson's and then he observes,
On the subject of promotion, I will endeavour to comply
with your request, though, in one instance, not regular ;
and in order to prevent disappointment to individuals, 1
must beg that you will strictly conform to the rules laid
down by the Admiralty, by which they leave deaths and
Court-martial vacancies to the commanding officer, and re-

serve all others to themselves. lam the more particular
on these subjects, because the neglect of them has created
much disappointment to individuals, as well as to their
friends here. I shall trouble you, through my Secretary.
with a list of such persons as I wish to fill the Admiralty
vacancies.'

" It should be observed, as the date shows, that this
letter of Lord Batham's is not the reply to that of Lord
Collingwood given above, 'but there can be little doubt
that the substance of Collingwood's first communication
was the same as that contained in his letter of November
15 ; and the point to which I wish to direct attention is
this—that the Admiralty could not comply with Lord
Collingwood's wishes, even on such an ortasion as this,
because they felt it necessary to reserve vacancies to be
filled up by themselves ; its other words, because the
claims of Parliamentary influence were greater than those
of the heroes of Trafalgar. So much for the way in which
naval merit was rewarded under the present system.
" In 1806, Collingwood thus complains of the negli-
gence of the Admiralty, and their neglect of himself :
" I never hear from England; the Admiralty seem to
have so much busine-s on their quarters that they cannot
attend tome Every body seems to rejoice at our
battle, and my good fortune, snore than the Ministers;
they were very tardy in proposing the thanks to the fleet,
and nothing can be more neglectful than the Admiralty
have been. I have not made an officer, except in the
death vacancies; nor, indeed, have they written to me
these three months, except one short one, desiring me to
account for all my prisoners. They ought to be content;
for I defy any one to devote himself snore to the service
than I do, for I spare neither body nor mind.' Again,
be writes to Lord Radstock It is a very odd practice.
that of giving vessels which are fitting tither to inexpe-
rienced boys, or to old creatures who have almost for-
gotten what a ship is . . I see the names of some
very ind;fferent young men in the promotion, who never
go to sea without meeting some mischief, for want of
common knowledge and care; every three brigs that
come here, commanded by these boys, require a dock-yard;
In 1808 he writes to Lord Mulgrave....' It is certain your
Lordship cannot know many of tho-e gentlemen who are
recommended by their friends ; one of them is turned off
the quarter-deck for some unofficerlike behaviour.'
" Such was the wretched system pursued by the Ad-
miralty--a system for which individuals were not EO much
to blame; because, as long as the representation conti-
nues in its present state, it is impossible that any Ministry
could remain in office that acted on other principles. It
was long ago said by Mr. Pitt, that, without a reformed
Parliament, no honest man could he Minister of England.
" When, then, the Anti-Reformers talk of the rffi-
tiency and vigour of our councils with Parliaments as at
present constituted, I must dissent from their conclusions,
because I find them at variance with historical facts. Our
commerce bas flourished, owing to the spirit of our mer-
chants ; our arms have been crowned with victory, owing
to the bravery of oar troops and sailors, and the skill of
our commanders; but this flourishing state of trade, and
their glorious deeds, have certainly not been the result of
our close borough system.

" If, during the Peninsular waft, Ministers of abilities,
commensurate to the crisis, had filled the offices of State—
if those Ministers hall been unshackled by Parliamentary
cabals, and had been free to pursue whwever measures
they deemed most conducive to the public weal—can any
one doubt that the Duke of Wellington would have been
enabled to take much more decided steps for the expulsion
of the French from the Peninsula, and that the contest
might have been brought to a touch eatlier termination ?
The object of this Reform Bill is to remove this incubus
of Parliamentry influence which now oppresses the nation
and paralyzes the free action of the executive Government;
it is to liberate the Crown and the aristocracy, as well as
the people, from the shackles of Parliamentary influence,
and to restore the state to health and vigour.
" If we turn to the domestic polities of this country for
the last sixteen years, how little reason shall we perceive
to admire the workings of the present system ! and cer-
tainly we shall to where find proofs of that vigour on the
part of the Ministers we are taught to expect. Have nut
the financial measures of that period been one tissue of
compromises between different interests? Ever since the
end of the war there have been projects on poor laws—
projects for paying off the national debt—projects for im-
proving our financial system—projects for ameliorating
Ireland ; but, beyond projects, we have had nothing.
Why, but because the Ministry had not that energy and
power, without which no Ministry can hops to carry any
plans into execution? Why, but because the Minis•er has
be en placed in art unnatural position between the interests
of borough proprietors on the one hand, and the increased
knowledge and intelligence of the age on the other? They
have the system that succe,deyd
have been attempting to adapt
under Queen Anne and the two first Georges to the altered
state of affairs at the present day, and their failure has been
no less signal than might have been expected." —Times.
The Governments of the principal States on the
Continent have, by, their criminal obsequiousness to
the inso'ent and ferocious spirit of Russian ambition,
incurred a heavy responsibility to the subjects, who
ace visited y the dreadful pestilence which has
tracked the barbarians of the north in their desoi at-

" • Dlernons and Correspondence of Lord Collingwood,'
- letitth edition, p. 73.
"t' Lord Collingwood fourth edition p. '

ing progress, and which now lays waste so many
parts of Europe, and threatens so many more. We
do not wonder that this scourge is considered by the
people of various countries to be, like the plagues of
Egypt, a judicial visitation from Heaven for the at-
tempted extermination of a whole people, whose
only crime is the defence of those rights which they
had from God and nature, but Vvhich imperial rob-
bery had long fixed unqn as its prey. It is likely that
the disease called etiolertz morbus—because it resem-
hies the Indian disease of that rrsktne in some res-
pect.;--would have worn itte:erf otit in Russia, (where
after all that his ben said, there is great reason to
believe it was generated,) if it not had been for the
aq-ocious invasion of Poland—a country whose inde-
pendence all the great Powers of Europe had gua-
ranteed by treaty, and then abandoned it to the
wanton and unprincipled violence or that despot
who, having received the troWn of this unhappy
country as a constitutional Ring, endeavoured to
plunder it of every national right, and to reduce it to
the most degrading subjection to his arbitrary will.
But the barbarian powers which the nations that pre-
tend to be in love with the principles of order, and to
pay a great regard to the faith of treaties, allowed to
direct its whole collected force againtit the existence
of Poland, has let loose aft.r.:9 in Europe that seems
armed indeed with a 'commission to destroy. If the
rulers and their minions who have brought this ta-
lamity upon the nations were only to suffer it would
be well; but, alas I the peeplt who are not par-
takers of their crime ere involved in their punish-
ment. In this world the innocent frequently suffer
for the misdeeds of the guilty. The infatuation of
rulers is the destruction of their people
Quicquid delirant regex ult.:101,1211r Achivi.7

It is not very hotiourehly 'characteristic of our pre-
sent House of Commons that, while the merited
chastisement which the cruel and dastardly usurper
of the throne of Portugal has provoled at the hands
of France excites sympathy in the breasts of many
of our representatives; and is made the subject of
frequent wailitg, remonstrance, and complaint in
Parliament, not a voice is raised to expreas the lan-
guage of honest indignation at the tefartous conduct
of the Autocrat of Russia end his Allies towards the
Poles. With the exception of the motion of Colo-
nel de Lacy Evans—which did him great credit, but
which met with no support or sympathy—three has
been nothing said in Parliament, that we recollect, on
the most licentious and inhinatan violation of the
rights of an independent nation of which modern
Europe, since: the previous partition of Poland,
affords ally example. Yet it is not a generous re-
:peer for the rights of humanity alone whith should
have prompted England and France rather to have
coerced the destructive ambition of Russia than to
have mischiercu* meddled in the quarrels of Bel-
gium and Holland ; it would have been for the
intePest of both nations to have protected the inde-
pendence of that kingdom of Poland to whose esta-
blishment they were contraetiag parties. Poland
free, and detached altogether from the sovereignty
of the individual who occupies the throne of Russia,
would be a strong protection to France against in-
vasion from that quarter; and to England she would
afford those facilities of disposing of her merchandize
which a great agricultural and Warlike country pre-
sents to a manufacturing one. Left within the grasp
of Russia, the resources of Poland would facilita'e
the invasion of the former, while her territory would,
with jealous care, be interdicted "to the mercantile
industry of the other. Thus both countries, in
abandoning great principles, have abandoned the'r
own particular interests.—Morning gerald,
It is now decided that England shall be squared
and parcelled like a Harlequin's jacket ; the Com-
missioners are appointed for this important patch-
work, and must soon throw off the character of pri-
vate gentlemen, scholars, or engineer% to appear,
for three months, in the capacity of tailors. Now,
if there were wanting a proof of the childishness of
Bill and the dotage of the Ministry, it would be
found in that clause which suspends, during this
o,riod, and perhaps for more, the prerogative of
Royalty ; raises a fourth estate independent of the
Executive, and commits the whole realm of Eng-
land to the taste and scissors of thirty-one tailors.
They are to do their work by the piece, and then
stitch the whole together as a counterpane to cover
the nakedness of the kingdom; every man has his
portion con sftted to him, and thus, as said old John
of Gaunt—
This blessed plot, this earth; this realm, this England,
This nurse, this tetrning Womb of royal kings,
Fear'd by their breed and famous by their birth,
RenowlAeil for their deeds as far from home,
(for Christian service and true chivalry),
As is the sepulchre in stubborn Jewry
Of the world's ransom, blessed Mary's Son :
This land of suck dear souls, this dear, dear land,
Dear for her reputation through the world,
Is now leas'd out (I die pronouncing its
Like to a tenement, or pelting farm.—Recce. 11. Act. 2, S. 1.
We do not pretend to make any objection to the
personal character of these selected officers; those
whom we know are teally estimable, those whom
we do not know we presume to be such ; but a man
may be a most excellent citizen, and yet a bad
tailor, bad as a snip in general and bad as a snip in
particular; and just so these Commissioners may en-
joy all the moral virtues, and some especially the at-
tainments of literature or /science, and yet be wholly
unfit to strike the balance between contending inte-
rests, and practically decide the fundamentals of a
Constitution. But let us not be understood as ob-
jecting to the men whilst olljecting to the office; if
Solon and Lycurgus had been nominated in the list
they would have become ludicrous ; just so we
should laugh at Cato if he were dressed as Panta-
loon. " From the sublime to the ridiculous there is
but a step," and his Majesty's Ministers have suf-
ficiently proved it, for in one stride they have passed
from the rights of the people, the dignity of freedom,
and the mite of millions, to sending out their func-
tionaries in couples, or riding singly as bagmen,
with a change of linen behind them. We
are at a less to understand why Lord
Althorp urged so vehemently their attainments in
science. What in the world has science to do
here ? Is the division to be geological, according to
minerals or strata ? or is it to be astronomical, by
latitudes and transits ? If not, we had rather trust
to the fattest Justice of the Peace, who had grown
old upon his district, than to the thinnest geome-
trician who ever measured the habitable globe. We
are inclined to think that Lord Althorp's absence
for two days was falsely ascribed to illness ; he was
then, we feel sure, on a visit to Laputa, studying the
udiments of mathematical policy, and learning how
to rule the kingdoms by compasses and the quadrant.
We are confirmed in this by the knowledge that the
tailors of Laputa took measures by trigonometry,
and'it may have succeeded well in that island ; but
the question is, whether it will be applicable here ?
We think not, unless the Opposition be furnished
with flappers, as the courtiers in Laputa, to rouse
our abstruse and contemplative Ministers to a right
apprehension and performance of duty and govern-
ment. Now when these Commissioners arrive •in
any town, whom will they consult ? (for consult
they must), because though the tailor-bird has in-
stinct the jailorman has none.

Is it the clerk, or parson of the parish,
Or the attorney ?"
Doubtless the attorney, who will endeavour (and it
is pardonable) to secure himself a little job, like the
lion-tailor in the ,Spectator, who ripped up the flesh-
coloured doublet of Hydaspes in his private cha-
racter of Snip, although such violence was unneces-
sary for dramatic effect. What a droll sight to
witness the officers of Parliament trudging through
the dirt, or sitting at the Goat and Boots, and ad-
ministering oaths by the score, while the attorney
•tands by, hoping a job anti longing for six and
eightpence. But suppose the attorney should be
adverse, and in the Corporation interest, imagine
their look of despair—
.' 0 qualis facies,et quali digna tabella!"

Ile would lead them like a will-o'-the wisp
through
bog and briar,, up and down, in the night of inquiry,
till, at the end of three months, the period fixed for
the day-spring of the Constitution, they would find
themselves at sunrise with no other result than a few
scratches and abundant ridicule, while the attorney
would enjoy his fees, and secretly resolve to urge the
Corporation to celebrate its triumph in a dinner.
The Bill is an attorney's bill, but this clause is more

especially theattorney's clause ; and nevertheless we
predict that it will be found in operation threatening
and yet impotitA, promising, without completion,
and mischievous without advantage.—Morn. Post.

SECOND EDITION.
OFFICE, Seven o'clock.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

THIS EVENING.

HO USE OF COMMONS.

Colonel EVANS presented a petition frdm the inhabi-
tants of the four districts of the toWn of Manchester, rela-
tive to the consequences of certain clauses of the Re`orm
Bill, and praying that such alterations might be made as
would extend thn franchise. The petition was signed by
John Whittle, as chairman of the meeting at which it was
adopted. The Hon. Member mooed that it be printed.

Mr. HUNT said the Chal:man of this meeting was the
proprietor of a Newspaper, who had before cried out for
" the Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill," but
it appeared now that lie was dissati,fied with the Bill.
After a few words from the SEiti.ER, and one or two
other Members, relatiye tb the printing of the petition,
which could ~:nry to taken as that of the person who signed
it, f2olohel Evans withdrew the motion for printing it.
The petition was then read, and ordered to lie on the table.
The same HON. MEMBER then presented anuthet peti-
tion to the same effect. _ _ _

Mr. BRISCOE prtsented a petition signed by the Se.
cretary en lizthalf of the Labourers' Benefit Society, No. 51,
relative to the Bill now in Parliament, by which parishes
were to be empowered to hire land to the extent of 50
acres, for the purpose of IP.lting it out in small aVotments
to the poor. they prayed that instead of limiting the
quantity of land to 50 acres, every parish might be em-
powered to hire as much land for allotting to the poor as
the wants of the poor of the parish might require; and
that also every parish in the m,..tropcilis might have the
power to rent 19na. f-it a similar purpose within ten miles
of the patbh. The Hon. Member said he concurred in
the prayer of the petitioners, and he would reserve his ob-
servations upon the subject until the Bill should be in
Committee.

The How. MEMBER nett presented a petition signed by
256 inhabitants of the metropolis, praying for the abo-
lition or punishment for religious opinions, and praying
also, that the House would address his M,jesty to remit
the remainder of the sentence upon the Rev. Robert
Taylor, as an act of grace at the approaching Coron 'don.
Deprecating as he (Mr. Briscoe) did the opinions of that
individual, and lamenting their influence on the minds of
the people, he must still say that he highly disapproved
that an individual should be subjected to a punishment
disproportionate to the character of the off nee, and he
thonght that Mr. Taylor had a very just cause of com-
plaint, when be found a very different sentence passed
upon Richard Carlile, in an adjoining county, for a simi-
lar offence,

Mr. HUNT concurred in the prayer of the petitioners,
and expressed his hope that the Hon. M• mher, who was
a Magistrate for Surrey, would exert that influence which
he possessed to procure a remission of the remainder of
Mr. Taylor's sentence.
Mr. BRISCOE said the Hon. Member greatly over-
rated his supposed influence.
The petition was read and ordered to be printed.
Mr. FOLEY presented a petition from the maltsters of
Dudley, in Worcestershire, against the use of molasses in
distilleries.

Mr. M. O'FARRALL presented four petitions from as
many parishes in the county of Kildare, against the grant
to the Kildare-street Society; also, a" petition from the
Patriotic Insurance Company in Ireland, praying for a
repeal of the duty on marine insurance.—They were read
and ordered to be printed.
Mr. STEWART presented a petition from the diocese of
Kilmore in favour of the grant to the Kildare-street So-
ciety.—Ordered to be printed,
Mr. HUME presented petitions from the Catholic
Clergy and Laity of Myross, in the county of Cork; and
also from Eden, against the grant to the Kildare •street
Society. The petitioners prayed, that as the Kildare-
street Society had not answered the expectations of his
Majesty's Government, no more money might be granted
for its support, and that whatever sums might be in future
granted for education in Ireland, might be so appropriated
as to be properly applied to each creed, the objection of the
, petitioners being that the children in these schools were
educated by persons of a different persuasion. 'I he Hon.
Member then presented a petition from the parish of
Marylebone, agreed to at a public meeting, complaining of
the heavy rates levied in that parish, and their mismanage-
ment by a self-elected vestry. They prayed for the abolition
of the iteifseleeteil Vestry system. The Hon. Member said that
parish was kept in a state of irritation by the proceedings of
this self elected and irresponsible body, by whom the parish
funds were illegally and unconsitutionally appropriated. lie
therefore hoped that his Majesty's Government would
speedily put an end to a system which caused so much ilk
will and dissatisfaction.
The petition was read and ordered to be printed.
Mr. HUME then presented three petitions, one from
the inhabitants of Dudley, the second from certain inha-
bitants of the metropolis, and the third signed by 5,000
inhabitants of Manchester and Salford, complaining of the
prosecutions for religious opinions, and praying the inter-
position of the House with his Majesty for a remission of
the sentence upon the Rev. Robert Taylor. 'the lion.
Member said that he understood the signatures were those
of respectable persons, but he was bound to add, that the
first name on that from the metropolis was that of Mr.
Taylor himself.—(A laugh.) The petitioners especially
deprecated the prosecutions being conducted by a self-
constituted body, calling itself the " ta'eatiety for
the Suppression of Vice." presenting these petitions
the Honourable Member (Mr. Hume) wished to he
understood as not in the least identifying himself
.with the
opinions of Mr. Taylor, and he regretted that individual
had forced those opinions on the public ; but still he was
the decided enemy of all prosecutions for religious opi-
nions, and he considered the protecutien of Mr. Taylor L.
disgrace to any country, in which the inquisition was not
established. So many petitions, signed by such numbers
of persons, upon this subject, had been presented to this
House, that he entertained a hope that the attention of his
Majesty's Government would shortly be called to it.
The petition was read, and ordered to be printed,
[At this stage Mr, SitAta", the Recorder of Dublin, and
lately returned for that city, was introduced, and took the
oaths and his seat.]
Captain GORDON was anxious to embrace the oppor-
tunity furnished by the reference that had been made to
the Society for the Suppression of Vice, to state
shortly front an official prospectus its constitutiOn anal
principles, Their first object was to check the trade in
licentious pictures ; and since the institution of the So-
ciety 69 prosecutions had been instituted, of which only one
or two had failed of success. The second head of the Society's
plan was to repress blasphemous publications, and thirty-
three places formerly notorious for the sale Of such pio.
ductions, h2d beep diteohtinued in consequence of the so-
cietys4 exertions. This alone, the Gallant Officer submited
was an advantage of no ordinary value to the welfare of so-
ciety. The third object was to enforce, as far as pos-
sible, obedience to the laws for the preservatidu of the
Sabbath. Their prosecutions cattier this head aitiounted
to ho leas than two thousand, many of which had been
undertaken at the solicitation of magistrates and ministers
of religion. The Hon. Member considered it a duty
which he owed to the House to make this statements
he was willing that the Society shoh!d ite Uatiliasteu,
but if it was impeached, the impeachment should
lie based in a knowledge of the real objects and operations
of the Society. He would only say it had been found worthy
of the advocacy of a Porteus and a Bishop Watson.
Mr. HUME said it was the duty of his Majesty's Attor-
ney-General to undertake all such proseeutiona, and he could
not see why any private individuals, whose nunes were
unknown to the public, ought to institute and carry on
such prosecutions.
Colonel GORDON was quite ready to furnish the lion.
Member with a list of the members of the Society.
tMr. PRINGLE bore testimony to the good character,
objects, and successful operation of the Society.
Mr. HUME presented a petition from a number of per-
sons in the metropolis, stating their regret that a great
many individuals had been arrested and confined under the
16th George 11. chap. 23, usually called the hawkers and
pedlars' Act, for selling publications in the street. As
ten individuals were nowt snpriaoned they prayed for com-
pensation for loss of time, and that the House would pass

a bill of indemnity to those liable to prosecutions.
Colonel SIBTHORPE thought this subject very im-
portant; and as a new species of article hid now bee❑ got
up in the shape of a political handkerchief, printed on
cotton, measures should be taken to suppress it. He con-
sidered it a fraud upon the public, on the revenue, and on
those Editors of Papers who were obliged to pay for stamps.
Mr. Alderman WOOD had had a person before him to-
day, who had been in the Compter since Saturday, for
selling these tracts; and after hearing the whole case, he
had 'elt bound to discharge him, being confident that what
lie had done was only to save himself from starvation.
Mr. HUME bad no hesitation in saying that many of

these publications contained a good deal of dangerous mat-
t, r, but he thought the best way to put an end to such
publications was to abolish the Statute altogether.
He had not the least dohbt, unless that was done, every kind
of article would be made use of for the purpose of enabling
parties to put forth these sort of publications. The Hon.
Member presented petitions from Stockport, the Brunswick
Brewery, in Kent, from Golden-lane Brewery, and from
Stepney, against any alteration being made in the
Beer Laws as they at presented existed. In doing so,
the Hon. Member hoped the present session would
not pass by without a Bill being brought forward, giving
leave to the retailers of beer to keep open their houses
as late as the gill shops.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT thetight the tame indulgence
ought to he giveh t) the beet•-Shops at %vat ektended to
the public houses. He amid(' much rather encourage the
sale of beer than that of ardeht Spirits.
Sir RICHARD VYVYAN thought the Hon. Baronet
who had jest spoken had forgot that pitblic houses were
licensed by Magistrates, and that the Hon. Member for
Middlesex had made the great mistake of confounding
the public houses in the country with those in town. The
great object of the Magistrates in Wishing to put down the
beer-shops was, that they might be placed under the con-
trout of the police, and he was sure, if these places were
allowed to be increased, the peace of the country would re-
quire an increase of the police. ,
Mr. WILKS observed that it must be apparent that
the police, at the present moment, had an authority to enter
any beer house that was not properly conducted, and no one
could keep one of these houses without entering into a bond
for the preservation of the pe ice.
Mr. WEYLAND was not aware of the right of a con-
stable to enter these beer houses when they pleased,
and he had no hesitation in saying, that these houses
often sold much more intoxicating liquor than the regular
publicans. He believed that great distinctions ought to be
made between the houses in town and those in the country,
in which latter place many of these houses operated great
mischief, and were the means of corrupting the lower
classes of society.
Mr. HUME saw no reason for putting these houses under
any regulation; he did not see why beer should not be sold
in the same manner as tea and sugar, he considered the
beer-shops had great ground of complaint, and he hoped
all these discussions would end in the sale of beer being
thrown completely open. . .

Mr. ESTCOURT would tell the Hon. Member for Mid-

dlesex that the reason why beer should not be sold in the
same manner as tea and sugar was, the one made a man
drunk, and the other did not.—(Laughter.)
Mr. D. W. HARVEY suggested that the better way
of suppressing the gin-shops would be to enable the poorer
classes to brew for themselves—(Hear, hear)—and that
would be most effectually done by taking the duty
of malt.—(Hear, hear.) If an other tax was required in
its place let apr Tarty tax be so astituted. He would also
suggest that in t very pari , were should be implements for
brewing to lend to ‘oe sour, as perhaps it was not generally
known that a gentleman lending his brewing utensils was
subject to the penalty of 501.
STEAM PACKETS.

Colonel SIBTHORPE begged to call the attention of the
Secretary at War, who he now saw in his place, to
what he had stated on a previous occasion with respect to
steam packets, denominating themselves war packets. The
Right Hon. Secretary was doubtless aware of the many
accidents that had lately occurred on board these pp►ckets,
and he (Colonel Sibthorpe) trusted he would do something
to deprive them of thus imposing on the public.

. _
Sir H. PARNELL observed, that the owners of the
vessels, referred to by the gallant Colonel, had made use of
the names on account of the conditions of their contracts,
and until those contracts ceased he could not very well see
what alteration he could make.

Colonel SHIT HORPE then gave notice of his intention
to move to-morrow, for the appointment of a select Com-
mittee, to take into consideratios the many calamitous ac-
cidents that had taken place on board steam packets.
Mr. HUNT prevented a petition from the industrious
classes of the metropolis, complaining of the imprison-
ment of persons for selling the Poor Man's Guardian.
The HUN. AIEMBEK, however, also gave notice of
his intention to move to-morrow that an humble address
be presented to his Majesty, praying his Majesty to exer-
cise an act of grace to all Crown debtors on the approach-
ing Coronation, and also for the grant of a sum, not ex-
ceeding 24,0001., to be appropriated for the discharge of
debtors imprisoned for small sums throughout the United
Kingdom.
Mr. Alderman WOOD presented two petitions from
merchants, ship-owners, and others interested in the
navigation of the river Thames, in favour of the Bill
for the Regulation of Steam-boats in the Port of
Llndon. The 11,nourable Alderman then stated, that
from what had passed on former occasions, he
Wag ihdlited to proceed no further with that sill, and
that he should therefore withdraw it—at the same time
giving notice that he would on a future day move for a
Select Committee to investigate the best mode of prevent-
ing accidents by steam-vessels.
The order of the day for the second reading of the
Steam-boats Bill was then discharged.
LIVERPOOL ELECTION.

Mr. GRANVILLE VERNON rose to move that a
new writ be issued for the borough of Liverpool. He

was aware how precious the time of the House was at
the present period, but he was induced to make his motion
on the broad and solid grounds Gf Parliamentary usage
and common right. He was aware of the difficulties he
had to encounter from the opposition of the Honourable
Member for Wiltshire (Mr. Benett), as well as of the
Hon. Member for Ipswich, and he could not•but conceive
that those difficulties were somewhat in the nature of a
pettifogging Reform, at a time when the House was en-
gaged in carrying into effect a large and general measure of
Reform. He thought,while such a general measure of Ref...l-m
was under discussion, it would be much better to allow
this Writ to Issue Without entering into any discussion on
it Those Honourable Members would not be compro-
mised as to any ulterior measures they might think proper
to adopt by agreeing to his proposition. His attention
bad been called to this subject on the presentation of a
petition ssgned by 14 000 merchants, bankers, and others
of Liverpool) praying to be al!owed a full representation,
and the only Hon. Member for Liverpool bad stated
in the House, that the great and varied interests of
that large commercial town, could not be properly at.
tended to by one representative. He brought forward this
motion on the ground of public expediency, for he
conceived that a population of two hundred thousand
inhabitants, and reducing a million of revenue, were en-
titled to the benefit of a full representation. Ile did
not attempt to deny that gross bribery and corruption had
prevailed at the elections in that town, for it was in evidence
that the returns of Mr. Roscoe, Mr. Canning, and Mr.
Huskisson were obtained by that corrupt system ; but
there was no precedent to juttify the suspension of a writ
for so long a period. At this particular period, While the
Reform Bill was being discussed, it was unjust to leave a
large borough like Liverpool without a representative,
unless some Parliamentary precedents could be produced
to justify it. The Hon. Member, after citing the cases of
Gratnpound, Penrhyn, East Retford, and Barnstable, none
of which, he contended) applied to this Case, concluded by
moving that a new writ be issued for Liverpool.
Mr. HUME (as we understood) seconded the motion.
Mr. BENETT expressed his regret that the course be
adopted should interfere in any degree with the progress of
the fteform Bill; but he was obliged by consistency to
adopt it. Hs should detail a few of the corrupt practices
of the Liverpool electors, and would then move, by way
of amendment to the motion that had been made, a series
of resolutions, pledging the House to take the subject into
its immediate eonsiderationt

____,......
(LIFT SPEAKiNG.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.

Lord CowLEy was introduced by Lords MA KY BOROUG tt
and STEWART nx ROTIISAY, when his Lordship took the
oaths find his neat,
Mr. BENETT and others from the Commons bronght
up Turton's Divorce Bill, which had been agreed to with-
out amendments.
Two Private Bills were also brought up by Sir F. VIN-
CENT and Mr. BERNAL.
Lord KING presented a petition in favour of Morin,
from the Isle of Wight. His Lordship also presented an-
other from Ireland, against the subletting Act.
Earl HADDINGTON presented a petition from Had-
dington, against the use of Molasses in distilleries,
Lord TENTERDEN gave notice, that o❑ the 15th he
would move the second reading of the Bill for the limita-
tion of time of Prescriptions.
The Marquis of DOWNSHIRE presented a petition
from a district in the county of Meath, in favour of the
grant to the Kildare-street Society.
PORTUGAL.

The Earl of ABERDEEN, in rising to present a petition
from the chip-owners and oth,rs, connected with the trade to
Portugal complained their property was put in great jeo-
pardy by the present state of the relations with that
country. He stated that the immunities which En;:lishmen
enjoyed there and their former perfect freedom demanded:that
these relations should be placed upon a more secure and
permanent footing. Our relations with that country till
lately had always been more like tlawe of a mother country
and a colony than two independent states, and the continued

existence of our present estrangement would not only b
the ruin of the petitioners, and most unjust towards Por-
tugal, but would seriously affect peace in the Peninsula—
that the Government of Portugal was perfectly despotic
he would not deny ; but that despotism had existed for
centuries, and our relations had commenced and had
been strengthened under such a Government. It had
been seen for the first time in -the history of the
two countries that a French fleet had been dominant in the
Tagus, and he hoped this country would renew their rela-
tions, that such a state of things might never be witnessed
The late Mr. Canning bad stated, that, two thirds of the
people of Spin where attatched a a despotic Govern-
ment, and could not bear a free one. What
had been tints Said with with respect to Spain,
might With perfect consistency and truth tat, affirmed
of Portugal ; and after the events which had followed
the glorious days of Pat is and Brussels, it might well be
permitted to the Portuguese to pause b, fore committing
themselves to the same hazardous course. He wished to
know from the Noble Earl (Grey) how long the present
suspension of friendly relations with that Government
was to continue.