The Sun.
London, England, 1831-07-09 00:00:00

PRICE 7D.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, JuLr S.
The Earl of SHAFTESiwRY, b the absence of the
cord Chancellor, took his seat on the Woolsack at Five

:The Marquis of DOWNSHIRE presented a petition
%m the wine-merchants of Dublin against the iraposi.
tihn of any ad,litional duties on wine. The Noble Mar-
Asia, while on his legs, wished to correct a mis-statement
dial had gone forth to the public in Ireland, relative
-1 what he had stated last wok on the presentation of a
oetition from the town of Newry, respecting the introduc-
tion of poor laws into Ireland. The mis-statement had
arisen from the supposition that he had introduced a Bill
t4at subject. He had done no such thing; he had
"sly ptesented a petition from the town of Newry on
that t,Ohleet, and then stated that he hail not formed
my opinion with respect to the measure, but he considered
it• one of such importance that it deterred the best at-
•ention of Parliament. He was quite satisfied that tht
more every subject connected with Ireland engaged thu
,ifilrlic attention, the more beneficial would it he, but at
the same time he should be extremely unwilling that any
important measure relative to Ireland should be introduced
ind passed through the House (to repeat the very words
he had made use of on presenting the petition) in a etude
state.

Mr. BERNAL and other Members of the Commons
brought up the Custom and Exci.e Oaths' Repealing Rill,
'he Duchy of Cornwall Bill, and several private Bills,
which, on the motion if Lord KKNYON, were severally read
first time.—Adjourned to Monday.

HOUSE OP COMMONS, JULY S.
At Four o'clock the SPEAKER took his seat. when
several private Bills (chiefly road Bills) were advanced a
►tage.

The SPEAKER stated that he had received a letter
from Mr. Shed, who had been returned for the borough
of Milborne Port and for the County Down, making his
election to sit for the latter place.—A new writ was then
ordered fur the borough of Milborne Port.
On the motion of Mr. O'CONNELL, a new writ wa.
ordered to issue for the county of Roscommon, in the
room of Mr. O'Connor, commonly called the O'Connor
Dun, dezeased.

A new writ was also ordered fur the borough of Oak-
Ilampton.

The General Steam Navigation Company's Bill was
read a second time; and a Bill for erecting a pier and
other works in the port and harbour of Southampton was
read a third time and passed.
Dr. LUSHINGTON said, that having been elected for
the boroughs of Winchilsea and llchester, he had made
his election to sit for Ilehester. He then moved for a new
writ for Winch ilsea. —Ordered.

Mr. HOBHOUSE moved for returns stating the sums
of money received by the parish of St. James, Westmin-
ster (we believe), from the Commissioners of Woods and
Forests, for land, &c., taken by them under the Act fur
carrying into effect the public improvements.—Ordered.
Mr. HUNT rose to present a petition from the work-
ing classes of Manchester, signed by upwards of 19,400
persons, which he should have presented before, but for a
request to delay it until one of the Hon. Members for
the county of Lancaster (Mr. Haywood) was present.—
The petitioners had an impression—(Here Lord Stanley
said something across the table which we could not hear
owing to the cries of " go on ')—the delegates who
brought the petition to London had waited on the Hon.
Member (Mr. Haywood) to request him to support the
prayer of the petition, which was for annual Parliaments
and universal suffrage, they being impressed with an idea
that when he was returned he was pledged to those mea-
sures, for, after his election, he entered .Manchester, ac-
companied by a procession, in which were flags with " No
Corn Laws," " Annual Parliaments," " Universal Suffrage,"
and " Vote by Ballot" on them ; those flags being used in
the Hon. Meinber's procession, the people imagined he would
support those measures. He (Mr. Hunt) had heard
during the last few evenings very able arguments on his
side of the House in favour of the Aristocracy, and what
was called " Corporation robbery,"—and on the other
side very talented speeches had been made in favour of the
Reform Bill with the ten-pounders ; but he had listened in
vain to heartme word in favour of the working classes—the
seven millions of male adults who were excluded from the
franchise by the Reform Bill. The 500,000 101. house-
holders were ably defended by one side, and the borough
mongers by the other side, but not one Member had raised
his voice for the working classes.—(Heir, hear, hear.)
It had been industriously propagated that he was hostile
to the class of 101. freeholders, but he always contended
for the right of every Englishman to have a vote, and of
course including that class. But the prayer of the work-
ing classes was a subject which obtained but little atten•
tion in that House, and he was now quite prepated
to expect to hear lion. Members continually tall6e,g,—.
(Murmurs.) Whenever he advocited the riehes of the
working classes be was always met in a similar manner,
either by disregard of the subject or by constant interrup-
tions.—(Cries of " No, no.") He repeated that he was.
The petitioners declared that their exclusion had a ten-
dency to prolong that dissatisfaction that now prevailed in
the country, and they prayed to have a share in the
representation. They did not mean to ask it us a boon,
but they demanded ;t as a right—(Hear, hear, hear)--
and he (Mr. Hunt) contended that what they aseed they
were entitled to by right. From Edward the First till,
Henry the Sixth, a period of 150 years, every free
man in England exercised the right of voting At ;be elec-
tion of Members of Parliament. But in the latter King's
reign the first disfranchisement law was passed. by which
three-quarters of the people of the country were deprived
oftlie right of voting, ender ehe plea, that from such a
great number of people attending at the elections dis-
turbances were apprehended, In the reign of Edward I.
Parliaments were iinnual, and the prayer now for annual
Parliaments and universal suffrage was not that wild and
visionary scheme which it was stated to be. The Hon.
Member for Kerry had stated that he (Mr. Bunt) stood
alone for annual Parliaments and universal suffrage,
but he begged to remind the Hon. Member theet he sided
with seven millions, while the Hon. Mem:eer sided with
only five hundred thousand. The icon. Member then
lead the petition, which he ?..;14, WAS not instigated by Lim.
He referred to the icon. Member for Middleeex (Mr.
Hume), rhe, had written into various parts of the country
in favour of the Reform Bill. He ttid not complain of
that, but he merely begged to state that he lied abstained
from such a course, and 41o,frorie instigeting petitions.
Mr. tiAxwo,op; said, it was painful to him as a new
Membee to, be thus celled oh, and he regretted much to
see this petition. He had had some intercourse with the
working classes, whose welfare was the dearest ob •
ject of his heart. He had teen the delegates, who had
brought up this petition, and he had told them thee they
were petitioning for their own destructioe.-,(cheers.)
Universal suffrage, in his opinion, woutlti tend to the utter
ruin of the working classes—Jleare hear, hear)--and
having some influence with ehem, when, lie Nye;;; back,
notwithstanding the presentation 94 thia petition, he
hoped to he, able to undeceive thew npun this subject.
Me. HUME said drat lie had seen the delegates,
and he heti told them of the injury they would
do to Ow :.s se of Reform and good government by
preseirsg such opinions upon the House. In giving thew. I,
his opinion, he thought he acted the part of a wile: and
prudent adviser in requesting them not to enel_euter the
cause of Reform, but to make exery exertion in carry-
ing the measure into effect. He ha ;before told them that
the Reform Bill now before the 7e-isouse would benefit every
individual in the country, The question now befere the
House was whetleer it Was prudent to do nee thin more
than Minieters were doing. The petition, was calculated
to do mischief, and if he believed the, eepreseatations that
had been made to him, it, d l eat state the opinions of the
working classes. Ne bad a letter from Stockport, stating
that deieutiva were to be sent with a petition to London,
' but on making a subscription to defray the expences of the
deputies, they could only raise helfea-crown.—(Laugheer.)
Mr. WARRE rose to protest against the doctrine that
had been broached by the Hon. Member for Freston, and
which on a former night bad been broached by the Hon.
Member for Boroughbridge, that a Parliamentary candi-
date was to be held responsible for any inscription that might
appear upon a placard or flag exhibited at an election. He
had never heard any thing so unjust as the present at-
tempt on the part of the Hon. Member. Considering also
the value of 40s. in the reign of King Edward the Sixth,
and the present value of the same, his opinion was
that the qualificatiop to vote had never been raised or