The Sun.
London, England, 1838-03-24 00:00:00

HULL.

The Committee then struck otlti;evote of Robert Wright, and re-
tained that of William Watson, jun.
Thomas Wasson, cooper, was next objected to. The voter was called
and examined by Mr. Austin. He depo4ed that on the day of polling, a
person named M` A clerk to Mr. Gleadon, brewer, came to the shop
where he was working, and offered him 10s. to vote for Messrs. Wilberforce
and James. He refused to vote for that sum, and required 11. 10s., which
M'Allum agreed to give him. They went to the poll together, and on
their return M'A Hum placed a card in his hand, under which was IL
10s. They then drove to the Shakspeare, when the voter was treated
with roast beef, and had five or six glasses of brandy, for which he did
not pay.
The witness was cross-examined at considerable length by Mr. MES-
SMER, but nothing material was elicited to shake his testimony.
The Committee adjourned before the re-examination had been con-
el ,aled.

PRIVATE BUSINESS OF PARLIA-

MENT.-(YESTERDAY.)

(From our Second Edition of last night.)
SUB-COMMITTEE ON PETITIONS (No. III.)

Mr. AGLIONBY in the Chair.

Herne Gas.---Petition for Bill read—to light the town of
Herne Bay with gas. Notices proved, unopposed, Standing
Orders complied with.
West Durham Railway.—Adjourned by leave sine die.
Linton (Cambridgeshire) Inclosure—Petition from Land-
owners for Bill, to enclose commonable meadow and other
lands.
It appeared that a Bill is now pending in the House for the
inclosure of lands in the parish of Linton ; but there are other
lands in the parish of Hadstock, which it is now sought to
include in that Bill. But as no notices had been given in the
parish of Hadstock, the Committee decided that the Standing
Orders had not been complied with.
Lough Swilly Embankment.—Adjourned by leave, until
Tuesday next.
Saltash Floating Bride.—This case being called on, the
puties for the petition did not appear, it was therefore ad-
ourned sine die.

Belfast Waterworks, (No. 2. )--( By adjournment from yes-
terday. )—Petition for Bill read, from the Marquis of Donegal,
claiming the rights of Lord of the Manor of Belfast. This
petition was to the same effect as the petition of the Belfast
Waterwork Company, or the Belfast Charitable Company,
(for they were styled both) for a Bill, in the case of the Belfast
Waterworks (No. 1), of which we gave a report the other day.
Petition in opposition to the Bill read, from the Belfast
Charitable Company, containing not less than 20 objections.
Petition also, i❑ opposition, read from occupiers of land
and houses in the immediate neighbourhood of the waterworks.
Petition also in opposition read from occupiers of bleach
grounds in the same neighbourhood.
The agent for the petition in favour of the Bill contended
that the petitions of the Marquis of Donegal, and of the
other petitioners against the Bill, could not be entertained,
as they were not presented three clear days before the first
day appointed for the sitting of this Committee, according to
the Standing Order, No. 4, Page 8.
The room was then cleared, after which the Chairman
announced the decision of the Committee was that the peti-
tioners in opposition were at liberty to pro.xed with such oppo-
sition, as their petitions must be considered as having been pre-
sented three clear days before the Committee met on the 20th
of February by adjournment (owing to the *failure of the agent
for the Bill in having left his Notice at the Private Bill Office)
although three clear days Notice had not been given before the
13th of February, the day when the petition for the Bill first
stood in the paper for hearing.
The question of Notices was then gone into.
It was objected that Notices were not affixed on the doors
of the parish Church upon three successive Sundays, inas-
much as it was alleged by a parishioner who was examined,
but whose name we could not learn, that no notice was on
the Church door on one of the Sundays, although
it was distinctly averred by affidavit, sworn in Ireland
before the Assistant-Barrister, of another parishioner,
that he had so affixed such notices in the regular way.
On cross-examination the witness admitted that the Clergy-
man of the parish threatened to tear down, and did, witness
believed, tear down the Notices on the particular Sundays
referred to The Notices were allowed to remain on the
door of the carriage entrance to the Church, but not upon
the door of the Church itself.

Decided that the Standing Orders had been complied with,
as the Notices had been affixed to th,3 Church doors, which was
all that the Standing Order relative to them required.
The list of assents, dissents, and neuters was then objected
to, as not complete, and as stating them to be so, merely
" according to the best of deponent's knowledge and belief."
Upon this, a long argument ensued.
It being announced that the Speaker was at prayers, the
Committee adjourned until Tuesday next, at twelve o'clock.

COMMITTEE ON BILL--(SURREY LIST).
Ms. KEMPLE in the Chair.
This Committee was occupied to-day in altering and agree-
ing to various clauses, in which nothing of importance was in-
cluded, several of the disputed points having been adjusted.
Adjourned until Monday.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT,

HOUSE OF LORDS, ALuteu 23.

Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition agreed to at
one of the largest public meetings ever assembled, held at
Exeter Hall, and though it was only signed by two indivi-
duals, yet it expressed the sentiments of every person
who had entered that meeting, praying for the im-
mediate abolition of Negro-apprenticeship. The Noble
and Learned Lord then presented petitions from
Dunfermline, Pennycuick, Lanark, West Calder, and two or
three other places, against any further endowment to the Church
Scotland. The Noble and Learned Lord presented petitions
from Totness and Bridgeton, Warmington, Cardigan, Bilston,
Northampton, Nottingham, Liverpool, Stockton-upon-Tees,
Southampton, Whitchurch, Lancaster, Dudley, Ecclesficld,
Haverfordwest, Chelt?nham, Northallerton, Frome, Somerset,
Halifax, Bath, the Hibernian Anti-Slavery Society meeting
in Dublin, and a great number of other places praying for the
immediate abolition of Negro-apprenticeship. The Noble
and Learned Lord stated that he had on this occasion pre-
sented nearly 100 petitions praying for the immediate termina-
tion of Negro-apprenticeship; and that it was from no want
of consideration for the subject, as little from want of great re-
spect to those who had entrusted him with the presentation of
the petitions, that he merely, in presenting them, named the
places from whence they came, as time would admit of
nothing more.
Lord RADNOR presented petitions to the like effect.
Lord RE DE SD ALE presented a petition from the Wes-
leyan Methodist meeting at Coleraine to the same effect.
The Archbishop of CANTERBURY had also to present
a number of petitions on the same subject ; though there was
a difference in the expressions used by the petitioners, they all
concurred in one prayer, that the apprenticeship system might
cease on the Ist of August next. The petitions came from
the inhabitants of North Walsharn, he believed most respect-
ably, and he knew that it was numerously, signed by 11,000
persons; another was from the Wesleyan Methodists of Hud-
dersfield ; another from a place near Bradford ; another from
the Wesleyan Methodists of Bradford ; and five other peti-
tions, the names of which did not reach us. . .

The Bishop of LONDON stated that he had a petition to
present, which he should now lay on their Lordships' table,
very numerously and respectably signed by persons of two or
three different religious persuasions, and which had been
entrusted to him that he might express his concurrence
in its prayer, if he could. The petition was from the
inhabitants of Tottenham, and praying that an end might
be put to Negro-apprenticeship on or before the first
of August next, upon the ground that one of the
part:es to the contract had violated his engagement. Now, if
he could be fully persuaded that that was the case, he, for
one, should have no hesitation in expressing his opinion that
it was just as well as expedient to put an end to that appren-
ticeship. He thought that that was the only point of impor-
tance and of difficulty in the case, because he had no doubt,
that as far as the safety of the Colony and the interests of the
country at large were concerned, it would be very desirable to
put an end as soon as possible to the apprenticeship.—( Hear. )
He was not prepared, however, at present to say that the
planters had violated their engagement. Even if a consider-
able number of them had violated it, and a minority of
them had observed good faith, he was not prepared to assent
to the proposition that the few should be made to suffer for
the conduct of the majority ; yet he was not quite sure that
the interests of humanity ought not to prevail against the in-
terests of the planters. If the safety of the Colonies were to be
considered as dependent upon the frame of mind of the popula-
tion at the end of the apprenticeship system, and if any
danger were likely to result front the exasperated feelings of
the population, when that termination should arrive, he thought
there was less danger likely to result now than if they waited
for a few years longer before they put an end to the system. I
As to compensation he (the Lord Bishop of London)
was aware that the compensation was agreed to be paid
to the planters on the calculation of their rataiLing six
years services of the negroes,—and for a deferred emancipa-
tion.---( Hear, hear.) But this country appeared n,„,
fully convinced that the same sum, if paid for immediate eman-
cipation, wouldha.ve been quite cookkail ; on pecuniary grounds,
therefore, a planter had no very; great reason to com-
plain. He was convinced that immediate emancipation would
be beneficial to the country and to the colonies.__( Hear, hear. )
Still he felt bound to adhere to the compact which had been
entered into, unless a strong oase had been made out of
a breach of that cornvaet on the part of the planters.--( Ilea.r.)
But if it were pos4blo to accomplish the iottnediate eman-
cipation of the negroes, ho was sure it would have a
great tendency to render the coloured population of the
West tidies an industrious, moral, and happy community—
sensible of the advantages they enjoyed as the subjects of a
free country.—( Hear, hear.)
Lord BROUGHAM said he had been amply recompensed
for all his anxiety on this subject by the declarations—first of his
Noble Friend the late Governor of Jamaica ( Lord Sligo:
then of his Noble Friend opposite ( Lord Wharecliffd)
and
thirdly, by the Right Rev. Prelate, in the temperate,
In,,
but weighty observations be had just -..eae —( • • hear.)
.

And if anything could increase his (Lord B.'s) desire to acce-
lerate the progress of the Bill which he had introduced on
this subject, it would be what had fallen from the Right
Rev. Prelate; and he trusted that the doubts of the Right
Rev. Prelate would be speedily allayed by a further consideration
of the question.—(Hear, hear.) He (Lord Brougham) re-
gretted that he was not present yesterday in their Lordships'
House, when his Noble Friend ( Lord Sligo) ncquired
an increased title to the gratitude and praise of his fel-
low-citizens, by the declaration which lie had made,
that, whatever was the conduct of the Imperial or the Colc-
nial Legislatures, he would set free his indentured apprentices
on the Ist of August. Conduct like this was honourable to
him, and would not be without its effect on those who had ap-
plied their minds to the practical consideration of the subject ;
it also bore the strongest testimony to what had been stated by
the Rev. Prelate, that there was no longer any doubt of the
safety of the measure, and that it was for the advantage of the
colonies and the slave, and creditable and profitable as regarded
the mother country ; for when his Hon. Friend came forward
and stated that he thought he could safely, and without sacri-
fice, take this step, then they might safely say it would be
still more safe if it were made a general measure. He hoped
to convince the Right Rev. Prelate that there was nothing in
the nature of this compact, which would prevent the Rev.
Prelate's scruples being got over.
Lord WHARNC LUTE said, that unless some regula-
tions were made to satisfy his mind, he should be ready to
go the whole length of emancipating the slaves in August next.
He doubted whether it were possible to emancipate the slaves
in these Islands without some preparation in the way
of legislation, otherwise the blacks might claim to have a vote
for the House of Assembly ; then came the questions of police
and poor laws. Those persons who had hitherto been sup-
ported by their masters would require support, and it
would be necessary that some legal provision should be made
for them. Another strong point was, when the proposition
was first brought forward, that the planters should have a
loan of fifteen millions and the services of these persons for
twelve years—that period was shortened to six years
on condition of their receiving a gift of twenty
million. There could not be the slightest doubt, therefore,
that the services of these people were secured for six
years. These were the doubts on his mind; but the
atrocities committed in that country had been so great—
the refusal to pass the laws which were necesary for the
protection of the slaves—these circumstances were such
that he was convinced unless some regulations were made
to insure the proper treatment of the slaves dining the re-
maining two years, he was prepared to emancipate them at
once.

The Marquis of SLIGO said the qualification for voting
was 161. 10s. (10/. sterling); he objected to that as too much,
thinking 101. currency sufficient. If the blacks obtained property
and influence they ought to be represented, and he was sure the
Noble Lord would not object to it. With respect to the
militia, he wished it were altogether black. He wished
to sec the police increased. With respect to the
Poor laws, he considered they were necessary for the
slaves and the planters. If a meeting of this Assembly
was called on the information of this Bill being passed, he was
confident that a Poor-law would be passed immediately, and be
was confident that measures of greater liberality would be
adopted when they saw the determination of this country that
these measures should be carried into effect. The Noble Lord
then presented petitions from Stapleford, Kimberley, and a
great number of other places in the county of Nottingham,
praying for the abolition of the system of negro apprenticeship.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE having offered a few words i❑
explanation, which were inaudible in the gallery,
Lord BROUGHAM said that the case of the island of
Antigua might be mentioned, where there were 35,000 free
negroes without any Poor-law.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE said that that was an island, the
whole of which was well cultivated.
Lord BROUGHAM—And that would render a Poor-law
even more necessary.

The Marquis of SLIGO then presented petitions in favour
of the abolition of the apprenticeship system from Sutton
Ashley, from Sttplcford, from Eastwood and Kimberley, from
Beeston, from New Bisford, from Baslord, and from Brenton.

The Earl of ALBEMARLE also presented a petition to
.he same effect from Ipsoich.
CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

Lord BROUGHAM presented petitions signed by 2,239
persons residing in Dunfermline, from the United Secession
Congregations of Lanark, West Calder, and two other
places in Scotland, praying that no further grants might be
made to the Scottish Church.

BEER SHOPS.

Lord BROUGHAM also presented a petition from the
licensed victuallers and other persons resident at Beverley,
in Yorkshire, against beer-shops being licensed for the sale
of beer on the premises.

The Earl of iVINC HIL SE A presented a similar petition
from the guardians of the poor and other respectable in-
habitants of a parish in Lincolnshire, and begged to ex-
press his entire concurrence in the prayer of the petitioners,
which was, that the Act permitting the general sale of beer
might be repealed. He was convinced that the present
system had tended much to demoralise the people of this
country. _ _