The Sun.
London, England, 1838-01-18 00:00:00

Inora,
*it s an c e Government might set a memorable and useful ex-
ample by not shedding one drop of blood.
BORTHWICK begged to remind the Honourable
Yomber for Bridport that persons taken in war were not state

pi soners.
Lord J. RUSSELL did not wish to claim credit for the
CeNernment for carrying clemency to the extent to which
.erne Honourable Members supposed it would go. He did
1,(4 say that Goiernment had interposed or would interpose
tNith respect to any individual case, upon which judgment
Mould be pronounced in the colony. He had merely stated a
c neral opinion with regard to executions in those cases, but with
tegard to any case that might occur, the opinion must depend
upon the facts connected with that individual, and upon the
Mate of the province at the time.
Sir R. PEEL said that if anything could tend to diminish
j influence of the Crown in the exercise of mercy, it was
the House of Commons thus discussing the extent to which
that mercy should go, without any knowledge of the nature or
Marketer of the crimes committed. Did the Honourable and
L arned Member for Liskeard mean to say that for no crime
attending the insurrection in Canada should a single drop of
Mood be shed T.
Mr. C. BULLER said that his observations intended to
apply to political offences only.
The Bill was then read a first time, and was ordered to be

read it second time on Monday next.
THE PETITION OF MR. ROEBUCK.
Mr. GROTE presented a petition from J. A. Roebuck,
aying that he might be heard at the bar in defence of the
ilouse of Assembly of Lower Canada, and in opposition to
the measure of " impolicy and injustice" which Government
meant to introduce with regard to that country. The pe-
tition also contained resolutions of the House of Assembly,

appointing Mr. Roebuck agent. He was persuaded the
}louse would see the reason and justice of granting the
prayer of the petition. When the Act of 1791 was passed,
establishing the Constitution of Canada, he found an entry on
their Journals of the application of Mr. Adam Limburner, as
agent from Quebec, to be heird by himself or Counsel against
certain clauses of the Act. This application was agreed to, as -
cell as that contained in the petitions of Mr. James Finn and-
Metander. Ellis, merchants trading to Quebec, to the
same effect. He trusted that the House would see that the
precedent to which he bad referred was precisely in point, both
as to the character in which the individual claimed to be hoard,
and as to the subject to be discussed, which related to the
identical province. that was greeted by the Bill which was to
co intreduced by the present Government. He hoped, also,
the House would recollect, that in the arguments cf the Noble
Lord (J. Russell), the main stress of his allegations rested on
the demonstration, that the House of Assembly had been defi-
eient in the qualities requisite for performing ha duty, and
filled in its obligations both to the mother country and the
colony. That was one of the two points which the Noble
Lord undertook to establish in the course of his very long
eeeech. In the few remarks which he had addressed to the
}louse in answer to that speech, he stated his opinion that
ti c House of Assembly had been hardly dealt with in regard
to its defence, because there was no gentleman present who
ether understood the full details of their conduct, or was
eepable of meeting, without notice, any specific charges
a hieh-emight -be urged against them. The general im-
portance of the affairs of the colony, in a matter bearing
re) hardly and closely en a.large body of persons in these
Provinces, would, he- trusted, mile the House sensible that
there was the strongest necessity for giving the fullest op-
pertunity of hearing the case of the Assembly of Lower
t'anada as fully and fairly stated on the one side as it had
seen amply detailed on the other.—( Hear, hear.) He (lid
think that when there was a gentleman in this country
rmed with authority, as agent, by the house of Assembly,
end fully competent from his knowledge of all the details and
rcurnetances to answer the charges which lad been urged,
ti.e House would not be-acting in a spirit of fair and equitable
irsticee if 'they were to refuse to hear him at the bar; parti-
cularly when to hear the petitioner at the bar was as much in
eensoniance with the old estehlished custom of the !louse as
seith a Tigard is the strict dictates of justice.— ( Hear, hear. )
lie subinitted that if the House were to decline to hear their
agent, it would have ae appearance of rigour and injustice to •
yards theeflonse of Assembly, which it was not the wish of
ally Gentleman at either side to evince.—( Hear, hear.) With
the perrni,sion of the Speaker, he should bring up the peti-
teen, and then, if the House armed to its prayer, he should
:neve that a day be named on ehich Mr. RoAtlek should be
Leard. .

The following; petition was then seed at length by the
Clerk s-t-• • '-
The Petition-of John Arthur Roebuck, Agent of the House of Assem.
• 'bly of Lower Canada.
" Shevieth—That your-petitioner-was appointed Agent to the House
rf Asiesobly of Lower Canada on the 18th of February, 1835, as ap.
rears by the following extract from the attested copy of the Resolutions.
s.f the House of AssemlYy:—
." Reso:ved--That in the event of the Bill passel by this House yes...
terday, appointing John Arthur Roebuck, Esq., Agent for this Province,
sot becoming a law, the said John Arthur Roebuck, E,q., be requested,
as Agent of this House, to represent to his Majesty's Government the:
I.SsiterrstS and sentiments of the inhabitants of this Province, and to sup.
port the'lletitions of this House to his Majesty and both Houses of Par.
Varnent
" On the lAth•November, 1835, the following Ileso'ution was passe&
trf the Assembl'y, as by the attested copy in possession of your petitioner
'dully appears:-
- ` Resolved—That this House has the greatest confidence in the ta-
lents and seal of the said John Arthur Roebuck, Esq., and in the recti.
tude of his proceedings; and that this House request him to continue
to the people of tills country, and their representatives, those services
which have deservedly insured to him the warm gratitude of _the inha.
I•itants of this Province.'
" On May 30, 1835, your petitioner addressed the following letter to
o Right'llen. the Lord Glenelg, Secretary for the Colonies:—
My Lord--=lnclesed are copies of Resolutions forwarded to me by
(le speaker of the House of Assembly of Lower Canada, appointing me
vs ear ,Agent in this country,.
• " Asi I out intrusted to make certain communications to the Impe...
rat Government on behalf of the House of Assembly, may I request',
3-sir Lordship to appoint some day when I may see you in the eapacityi
ct Agent to the House of Assembly.
" I remain, my Lord, your obedient servant,
"' The Right Hon. the Lord Gienelg, etc. " J. A. ROEUCK."
"That in consequence'of this communication, your petitioner, actin
as Agent, had an interview with the Secretary of State for the Colonies,.
ard has since in the same capacity been received by and has been in fre.
rn.ent communication with various members of her Majesty's Govern
anent.
" That your petitioner has heard that a Bill is now pending in you
:Honourable House. by which it is proposed to suspend the powers o
the House of Assembly of Lower Canada.
" Your petitioner, therefore' prays that he may, in accordance wi
she established usage of your Honourable House in similar cases,
exard at your Bar, In order to lay before your Honourable House suc
reasons as he believes wilt prove the impolicy and injustice of allowi
she aforesaid Bill to pass into a law.
" And your petitioner will ever pray."
Mr. W A KLE Y said that as it appeared to hiin that there
svould not be the slightest objection to hear a detail of the
grievances of which the Assembly complained, he thought
they should now at once determine when Mr. Roebuck should
be heard. The principle of the Bill would be decided on the
second reading ; and it was therefore important that the
agent of the Assembly should be heard on Monday, for which
:bat stage was fixed.
Mr. WA RBURTONhegged to remind the House that in
the precedent which had been quoted the complaint was
ic,ainst certain clauses of the Act, and counsel might therefore,
ithout unfairness, be heard, as it was intended in that case
the should be on bringing up the report. But here he ap-
prehended that. the opposition to be given wag intended
a,sainst the principle of the proposed measure, and the proper
4.,:urse, therefore, was to have the petitioner heard at the bar
isefore the second reading, in accordance with the all established
precedent,
Lord J. RUSSELL observed that without wishing to give
any decisive opinion as to the prayer of the petition, he thought
it ought to be printed and taken into consideration on another
clay. Ms Honourable Friend had introduced this subject, no
doubt, from necessity at the end of the evening. He thought
ilowever, that the House should be allowed time to consider
tho precedents on the case, and both whether the petitioner
stould be heard, and if so in what character. As to whether
112 is to be considered agent for the Colonies—
Mr. GROTE—He has been appointed by the Assembly.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL resumed—he did not then wish
to give an opinion' on that point. There were instructions
sent by the Secretary of State in this country for the intro.
dvetion of a Bill by which the House of Assembly, with the
agent of the Legislative Council and the Governor, might
sespoint an agent. No such Bill, however, was passed.
if the House should be of opinion that Mr. Roebuck
anould be heard, he had of course no objection that he should
make hii statement before the second reading of the Bill ; but
they ought not now to determine either the question whether
lit' should be heard, or ia what capacity he should be allowed
to appear.
Mr. GR.OTE stated that all he desired was, that the Bill
should net be advanced to the stage of the second reading be-
fore the question as to the admission of Mr. Roebuck to be
)r: and was decided. He should, therefore, give notice that he
rucant to 011 the attention of the House on Monday to that
subject, before the second reading of the Bill was discussed.
Mr. WARBURTON—Mr. Roebuck had been acknow.
lodged as agent by Lord Gosford, and was paid by the House
of Assembly. •
Lord J. RUSSELL bad not the least objection to the in.
tended motion.
Sir R. PEEL thought the capacity in which Mr. Roebuck
should by heard was quite a subordinate question compared
to this, as to whether he should be heard on the part of the
Assembly of the province. His own impression was, con-
sidering the extraordinary nature of the suspension proposed,
woich was justified, he thought, by necessity, that they ought
snot to debai the parties who were to suffer this penalty from
making any representations they might think essential.—
I Near, hear.) Therefore, reserving his opinion as to the
subjects of the defence, he was persuaded that while they
proceeded with asmiieh deliberation as was necessary for the
ceforoemeet of the proposed measures, they ought not to shut
out any statements on the part of the colonists which they
might deem necessary tob* submitted.—( Hear, hear )
Lord JOHN RUSSELL hoped that the Hon. Gentle.
man (Mr. Grote) would inform Mr. Roebuck of his inten-
tion, so that he might be in readiness to proceed with his ad-
dress, if such were the wish of the House.
Mr. GROTE—I undertake to do so.
The petition was ordered to be printed.
The House then rose at a Quarter-past One o'Cock.

The thermometer, on Monday morning, was at 24
degrees. The corresponding day (Jan. 14), last year it was
48i degrees. On Tuesday it was 23 degrees below the
point.
Mr. Kean's attraction during the last week, on the
tlr.!o evenings on which he has performed Haa.let, has pro-
eireed an average nightly receipt of boot.
The juvenile night at Drury-lane, this evening,
LoAs out great attraction for our young holiday folk.