The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-02 00:00:00

eltenin! I,llt.

LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 2 1114 S.

Notwithstanding the various suggestions for faci-
litating the dispatch of public business, and the all
but unanimous feeling exhibited against the vexatious
system that heretofore prevailed, the same " Fabian"
policy appears to be resorted to in the House of Com-
mons on every possible occasion ; the same dilatory
proceedings are adopted, and whole sittings are again
wasted in discussing the question, " That the Speaker
do now leave the chair." It would really appear as
if Honourable Gentlemen thought they had at-
tained a great political triumph when they succeeded
in consuming uselessly one of the days especially
devoted to the consideration of Ministerial schemes,
and averting the progress of the most urgent mea-
sures, and yet those very gentlemen will, towards
the close of the session, give utterance to querulous
complaints respecting the quantity of business re-
maining undisposed of, and censure the Government
for not having exhibited greater activity.
An additional illustration was last night afforded
of this mischievous and impolitic practice. The chief
business of the evening related to the report of the
Committee on Irish Poor•laws. An appeal was made
to different Members who had notices on the paper
to postpone them, in order that the House might go
into Committee. It was an important question,
perhaps the most urgent that could be brought under
the consideration of Parliament. In many districts
the people are literally starving. The want is such,
that, as stated by the Premier, " they were mere ske-
letons of men—the fever was prevalent, and the desti-
tution was indescribable." No means are available
for supplying the necessary assistance. The grant of
10,0001., so recently sanctioned, and a considerable
portion of which had been previously anticipated,
must be nearly, if not altogether consumed.
Every hour's delay must be productive of
the most fearful consequences ; and yet, under
such circumstances, a whole evening is frit-
tered away in debating whether the Speaker
shall leave the chair, whether the report of the special
Committee shall be received, or the recommendations
contained therein be even taken into consideration-
-recommendations which could only be guessed at, as
no opportunity was afforded of laying them before
the House. It appeared, however, to some Honour-
able Members, that they were "in as good a position
for resisting the propositions" to be submitted as if
they bad heard all the reasons that could be ad-
duced, and consequently the evening was wasted in
the preliminary discussion, until at a late hour
the amendment was rejected by a majority
of 99 in a house of 291 Members—the numbers
being for going into Committee 115, against it 96.
Owing, however, to the protracted discussion, Lord
JOHN RVIISELL was compelled to postpone his state-
ment until this evening. The miseries of the starving
poor are thus necessarily protracted for an addi-
tional day.
The proposed rate in aid it is that has so
'strongly excited the ire and provoked the indignation
of the dissentient Members, that they appear to
think any means justifiable by which it may be re-
tarded. Ten millions will be unhesitatingly ac-
cepted from English tax-payers; the only complaints
preferred are at the stinginess of England for not
giving more, or for not applying the advances to
triEW,,re cultivating the estates of apathetic landlords, or
-t...1777-7 putting in crops for idle farmers. The moment,
• however, it is suggested that the more fortunate
'districts shall contribute to the relief of their desti-
seighbara—altimgh that contribution i 5 limited

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