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

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

IKOEN Sp
HOUSE OF LORDS, May 15.
*resented several The Earl of STRAPDEBTIII.
peti-
tions complaining of agricultural distrev:.
The Bishop of CASHEL presented several petitions
against the Rate in Aid Bill.
Lord STANLEY presented several petitions com-
plaining of agricultural distress.
RUSSIA ANt) AUSTRIA.
Lord BROUGHAM wished to draw attention to the
extraordinary step taken by Russia of marching a
largo force into Hungary. Russia had no interest
whatever in Hungary, yet there was co doubt that
a Russian army had marched in Hungary and Gallicia.
He asked if any communication had been made to this
Government as to the intentions of Russia in thus inter-
fering in the affairs of Austria? He had no doubt
that Austria bad consented, but we had a right
to cqmp!ain, and to protest against it. At
the same time no one entertained a stronger
desire than he did to see our faithful ally Austria in
full enjoyment of all her rights, and he thought no Go-
vernment acted wrongly which sought to maintain the ex-
isting distribution of power in Europe, and of putting
down those reckless agitators, with their folly and their
crimes.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, who was very in-
audible, was understood to say that there had been con-
siderable movements of Russian troops towards the
Austrian frontier, but he did not think that the fact of
the interference of foreign troops in another country,
with the consint of the Government of that country,
formed a case fur interference.
Lord BROUGHAM did not object to Russian inter-
ference to preserve to Austria her dominions.

AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.
The Duke of RICHMOND then rose, for the purpose
of calling the attention of the House to the existence of
distress in the agricultural districts. He, for one, did
not wish to be an alarmist, but when large bodies of cur
fellow-countrymen are suffering from severe pressure,
and when larger numbers of agricultural labourers are
being thrown out of employment than at any period since
the Passing of the Poor-law Amendment Act, when hun-
dreds and thousands of agriculturists are looking to Par-
Lament for relief under their heavy pressure, which if
not given they will
be compelled to discharge many of
their labourers, because, from low prices, their produce
does not pay their expenses; at such a time their case
required
imperative consideration.—(Hear.) Those
farmers had not been in the habit of combining, they
were loyal to their Sovereign, and had done their utmost
to carry out the law at all times, and they now say, and
he said it in that House, that they ought not to suffer
because a knot of tree-trade Manchester cotton-spinners
chose to excite and agitate and raise large sums of
money. He was not sure whether they got large sums
from many Members of that House, though, if he re-
membered well, they did from some, and be believed a
Noble Friend opposite, now one of the Ministers of the
Crown, did send the munificent donation of S,COOL—
(Hear and laughter.) He even recollected that a Noble
Lord 'lad given a munificent donation to those free-
traders at Manchester, at the time they were agitating
every town in this country for that purpose, while on the
other hand the agricultural interest of the British empire
was allowed to droop and sink beneath the influence of
those Manchester alarmists.—(Hear, hear.) And he aho
recollected that they admitted no persons to their meet-
ings who did not exhibit his ticket of admission. They
deluded the people of the country by promising that the
result of their free trade mission would be an abundance
of bread and clothes, that their wages would not be re-
duced, and that it would not be compulsory for them
to work more than ten hours each day; but when the
corn-laws ,were repealed by the desertion of some
and the treachery of others, they turned about on those
people whom they had beguiled, and opposed the Ten
Hours' 13111—(11ear, hear)—but he (the Duke of Bich-