The Sun.
London, England, 1831-09-06 00:00:00

mcnt, and the facilities which the new system of regi.tra•
tion afforded for getting quickly through the poll, be 10.
satisfied that two days would be found quite sufficient.t-
hi,.
was known, in the instance of the Norwich election, that .
the poll could be taken in two days, and that being tht
case, it was desirable that the Bill should provide arrange'.
1 ments,for doing so in all cases, and for compell'ng it to
te
Mr. 11013INON thought the poll might be taken in
two days ; but that, should an unanticipated contest
arise, the intervening day, between the nomination and.
the commencement of the poll would not be sufficient for
giving notice at the different polling-places, so that the,
necessary arrangements for Liking the poll might be made
in time.
Colonel SIBTHORPE objected to the shortness of the
period allowed for the poll, as not allowing voters t me to
put questions to their cindidates.
Mr. WILKS thought, that should a contist arise, it
would he impossible to bring the out-vote:s in tim to the

Mr. HUNT recommended that the thne slabuld be e•
tended to three days.
Mr. WRANGH AM said the effect of the clanse would
b-! either to dispense altogether with the non-resident
voters in counties, or to cause them to be brought down
preinatur.ly, on the probability of a contes.. For if
coatest should arise, they not being on the spot, it would
be impossible to send for them.
Mr. STRICKLAND said it would require thirty booths
for Yorkshire, and each bomb, with the c!erks, would cost
701., making 2,1001. This was an anomaly which he
desired to see removed. He recommended that Yorkshire
should be allowe I to return a greater number of county
Members.
Mr. KEITH DOUGLAS thought it would not be ro-
sible to pill all ti e electors of populous place-, like the
'Tower Hamlets or Manchester, in two days.
The question was then put to fill up the blank with the
%lords two days, which was agreed to. The other blinks
were filled up, and the 44th clause was then agreed to as
whole, and ordered to stand part of the Bill.
The Cu.\ lamas then reported pr,gress, the House re•
snivel, and the Committee was ordered to sit again this day'
SUGAR REFINING BILL.
Mr. PAULETT THOMSON moved that the Com-
mittee on the Sugar Refining Bill be postponed till Wed-
nesday next.
Mr. R. GORDON and Mr. KEITH DOUGLAS objected to
the course pursued by the Government on this subject;
and the former proposed, as an amendment, that the rot'
ponement be for this day three weeks. The Hon. Member
said that he wished Hon. Members to do something ob-
noxious to the Government en this Bill. The Hon. Mow
ber subsequently altered his amendment to Friday week.
Mr. GEORGE ROBINSON condemned the Govern'
went in -trong terms for having intruduced any such MO'
sure into the House.
The G r•lery was ordered to be cleared for a division,
but Mr. Gordon withdrew his amendment, on its being
ettled that the question should come on on Monday nest.,
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, anu
;he House adjourned at Five Minutes to Two o'clock.

ISO USE OF LORDS, SEPTEMBER J.
Lord COWLEY Was introduced by Lord, Mmtvisoaocokt
and STUART DE ROTUSAY, when his Lordship took the
oaths and his seat.
Mr. BENETT and others from the Commons broogbt
up Turton'a Divorce Bill, which had been agreed to with-
out amendments
Two private Bills wore a'so brought up by Sir F. VII".
CENT and Mr. BERNAL.
Lord KING presented a petition in favour of Reform,
fro:n the Isle of Wight. his Lordship also presented an
other from Ireland, agiiinst the Subletting Act.
Earl HADDINGTON presented a petition from Had.
dington, against the use of molasses in distilleries.
Lard TENTEIIDEN gave notic., that on the loth be
would move the second reading of the Bill for the lunit'v
tion of time of prescriptions.
The Marquis of DOWNSHIRE presented a petitiee
from a district in the county of Meath, in favour of the
grant to the Kildare-street Societ .
COMMERCE WITH PORTUGAL. to
The Earl of ABERDEEN rose, pursuant to notice, -4
present a retition from the merchants, manufacturers, 10
sliip-owners concerned in the commerce of this countri
with Portugal, praying for a renewal of the ancient eoar
inertial relations between the two countries. The Pet''
tioners complained that the commercial relations whie
had so long prevailed between the two countries, so artiehj
to the advantage of both, had been of late interrupted ae
suspended. From the extraordinary advantages eniq'i
by the subjects of this country in their commercial inter;
course with Portugal, that intercourse was expo'ed inter;
many difficulties and dangers, but these difficulties a%
dangers had been much increased by the conduct whit,
his Majesty's Ministers had lately pursued in regard d
Portugal. The difficulties at present did not prorre
:nerdy front commercial causes, but a feeling wai l
(lured in Portugal which exposed the subjects of teeo
country residing there for the purpeses of commerce eebe
to personal danger. But a future opportunity would ,
afforded of discussing the commercial policy of this count?
in regard to Portugal when the pope's on that
which the Ministers had promised to produce, should
c"
laid on the table ; and when those papers should be Pr'r
deiced, he would give a frank and sincere opinion on tlij
contents. But it was obvious that the commerce eclu,
not be carried on to advantage unless the commercial -for
lations between the two countries, which had beendl,'
some time suspende I should be again renewed. it
carrying on of that commerce was more difficult than
would be if no other relations had existed than tnere,a'
those of peace, or the absence of a state of war ; for, fr°,,
the nature of our commerce will Portugal, it was liec;,
nary that the two countries should stand'on the most !co
tin to and friendly terms with each other. The relatio
in which this country and Portugal had stood bet
each other had often Been compared to the relation beteo
a mother country and its colonies; and the French, a1°,1,1
tealtius of that relation and intimacy, had frequently Pods
out that Portugal was the colony or factory of Englaeol
The present state of our connection with Portugal, le,
the suspension of the friendly and intimate relation' cl)
tween the two countries, was most injurious to our
subjects trading with Portugal, and also most injuriolls
the Portuguese, and also exceedingly endangered the Plit
of the Peninsula, and even the peace of all Europe. 44
was aware of the misrepresentations to which he ell)°,b,t
himself in treating of this subject. He was aware 'lr
the Ministers would say, as they had before said, that
301
was always disposed to prop up a despotic power•
he must say that charge was not well founded. It s'sf
trite that he did not bawl out liberty on all occasioo*w
the Ministry did ; but he certainly had no partieubo
liking to despotic government in the abstract, .14
looked to o bat was a good government. In look,
at Foreign States, his attention was directed to other 'l°i'
lities besid,a the nature of their government. He col j
dered whether they were actuated by a love of England, eof
of peace, instead of looking to what was their f°1111,00.,
government. The Government of Portugal was absof
and very imperfect; but so it had been for many yea to'
it had existed for ages, during the time when the in°'ool
timate and the most friendly relations bad been maitit'leoe
between the two countries ; and although the Goverill t
was absolute, yet all i.s obligations towards us bid', r
most honourably. and fairly performed. It might, perPed to
he said that his notions of what was due front Boglenere
Portugal were erroneous. He thought that they of,
correct ; but he was sure, at ail events, that this wa'' bid
during a long tract of years, that the French deft
domineered without controul in the Tagus.—(Hear, bejt
Whatever changes might take place in the GovernnOlott
Portugal, or whether any change took place in it or ore
our duty was the same; for we were bound to fulfil the coo
ditions of our treaties with that country. It was cleat 1,0
the Portuguese did not desire a free Government, but Ivor
was no reason why any change should take place toads,
ft iendly relations with that people. Mr. Canning I's rlio'
claret!, in almost the lairt speech which he made 1)466e;
ment, that the people of Spain were adverse to a free ,j o'
vernment and Constitution ; and the same might be 631,er
the people of Portugal. We might rail at them for a eefililt
stii huts and ignorant race, but the fact was indisru.ce.6
Anti when they saw what had been the consequent p°
those countri s in which revolutions had of late cot
place, it was not to be wondered at that they were tar
to change. They saw what had been the effect 01° 1
glorious days at Paris and at Brussels. They 6'!„b10,
baakruptcies that had followed, and the miseries Whi
keen produced by these revolutions, and having sea, the,
coasequences the Portuguese might well hesitate bef br,o
followed the example of France and Belgium. fr
,(10,1
ought to consider whether our own attempts to tit 4t
free Consiltutions into other States had been so sue „s'
as to induce us to attempt the same experiment in regotit(
Portugal. The Portuguese did not want a flee Co '010:1
tion, and the attempt to impose such a Constitutioor
the would be like that of the father who as dete iv
m w
or
to make his daughter happy by compelling her CO etf
the loan whom she of all others detested. " aUier 1,0,‘
mined (said he) to make her happy, if I break 11 rei,
fur it." This appeared to be the mode in wbieb tbe Pt,„tr
Ministers were desii ous of dealing with Portugal ;06e
would be better in these matters to leave the Porieg"eg
manage their own affairs in their own way. He We