The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-26 00:00:00

stTNit LoNrioN MONDAN, APR/L 24, 184

invariably adopted with respect to offences against the
revenue-laws, many of which, from their peculiar cha-
racter, not only involve frauds upon the revenue, but
greatly endanger, doubtless, in many instances, if
slowly, yet certainly, destroy life ? The adultera-
tion with deleterious drugs, and other poisonous
ingredients, of articles used in the preparation of
human food, which pay heavy duties to the G -
vernmeat, is known to be fearfully on the increase.
The practice, by the large gains it affords, holds out a
powerful temptation to the unprincipled trader, who,
if he escape detection hut for a short time, is well
satisfied to pay the penalty out of the immense pro-
fits he has made by the shameful and cruelly fraudu-
lent course he has pursued. Yet in such cases it is
by no means uncommon for the fine incurred to be
commuted by the Commissioners of Excise by a pri-
vate arrangement with the offender ; and thus a
trader who ought be held up to the public as a pub-
lic poisoner, spreading disease by vitiating human
food—fur which offence against the public tl.ere is
scarcely any punishment, ho never infamous, which
would ler too severe—is allowed to pass without any
other penalty upon detection th ao having to pay a small
portion of the profit derived from his infamous fraud,
after a correspondence with the Solicitor of the Excise,
or the Honourable Commissioners, who se-Jll to look
rather to a fine in aid of the revenue, than to a punish-
ment, which would bear some r oeortion to the heinous
guilt of the offender, and warn others against embarking
in similar transactions.
STANDARD. The division of this evening,
whether regarded in reference to the vital principle it
involves, or its effects upon the existence of her Ma-
jesty's Ministers, is, beyond all comparison, the most
important event of the year. Should this revo-
lutionary measure be carried,--should the Chartist
principle, that mere occupation of a certain nominal
portion of property, independent of all profit or in-
terest arising from its possession, be once affirmed
for Ireland ; what, we would confidently ask, is to im-
pede or even delay the introduction of the same de-
scription of franchise into England and Sco.lend ? On
the other hand, should this important proposition of
the Government be this night scouted by the House
of Commons, what we would demand is the con-
dition of her Majesty's Ministers ? Can a Govern-
ment which in February proposes a plan for the
settlement of a great question ; which alters that
plan in March ; and is defeated even in its
amended scheme is April—can such a Government be
said to possess the qualifications or the means of settling
any point or of carrying any dgubtful measure ? We
may be sanguine in ascribing an honest eonviction of
any kind to her Majesty's Minister;, but we do
declare our belief that if defeated this evening their
further continuance in office is utterly impracticable.
Now, let us look to the business which will this
evening come before the House. First, there is
the Government plait for a mere occupation franphise ;
..in other words, that a pauper who holds as much
land as is worth eight pounds, but who pays for it six-
teen, that is twice as much as it is worth, shall have
the franchise! and this is tho sober preposition of Lord
Morpeth. We all in this country know well the pro-
verbial anxiety of the Irish labourer to obtain possession
Qf a portion of land at any price. This is his
highest ambition, and to gratify this, to be the owner
of his field, he will give such 4 rent for it, es reduces his
actual condition below the daily labourer whom lie hires,
He will live in filth and misery to pay this risols-rent tp
his landlord ; and yet if such a human being pays a
sufficient amount of such rent—that is to say, eight
pounds a year---he is to be one of the constituency of
Inland, To this proposal iferd Howick says No !
You shall not depart from the principle of the gngliela
law and the nominal principle of the existing .f rash
one. You shall see that the man not only holds
and occupies a sufficient portion of land, hut that
he ' shall held it at such a rent as to leave him as
much ppyll, as great a e beneficial interest" as will en-
able him to live like a human being, and not like
an Indian or a beast of burthen. But, continue; his
Lordship, the pi event law demands too high an
amount. Ten pounds is too much, and I propose
to reduce it from ten pounds to PIM This
is Lord Howick's amendment for this even-
ing. But on what data does he ask the 1-louse of
Commons to entertain it ? What information is he
possessed of or has he given to show what the effect of
his proposal may be? Has he any access to facts by
which to show what constituency he expects to create
by the new Reform Bill? Will, it be the same in
amount as the present ? He cannot tell. Mr. C.
Wood declared on Thursday night that lie could not.
Wiil it give a greater constituency than the present ?
He does not know. Will it give a less Q He is equal-
ly ignorant ; and yet he comes down to the house to
ask it gravely, and seriously, and deliberately, to
commit itself to the hap hazard experiment, and up-
set the existing law without knowing either the ne-
cessity or the effect of the change. To both these
propositions, we should say the Conservative mem-
bers of the House must necessarily be opposed.
COURIER.—The extraordinary and increasing
number of Post-office robberies, that is, of abstractions
of money from, or the theft of, letters with inclosures, by
Post-office clerks kind letter-carriers, under the penny
system, is the, subject of common remark and general
discontent. It is scarcely possible to take up a news-
paper, in town or country, without encountering, ur.der
the heads of police or assize reports, a variety of aggra-
vated cases of post-office plunder, whilst detection, con-
viction, and punishment, far from leading to the de-
crease of this class of crime seem only to st;mulate to
its commission. The Solicitor of the Post-office, than
whom a more humate and meritorious functionary ee:el
not be desired, instead of the sinecure birth to which he
was to be condemned, according to the exaggerated fan-
cies of penny-post wisdom, must find his labours quad-
rupled or quintupled in the special and least grate'ul
department of criminal -prosecution. Ae, exclusive
the large economical benefits which were to result,
to say nothing of the fiscal profits for th
realization of which its advocates are now con-
tent to draw upon the next century, it was strenu-
ously contended that the morals and education of the
people at large were to be wondrously improved and
refiised by penny postage, this first beginning in the
demoralisation of the Post-office itself looks singularly
inauspicious, and not less suspicious for prospective per-
formance of the original contract set forth. For prima
facie it is difficult to imagine how the morals, say of
the industrious classes, can be materially amended by a
system under which they can be, and are, so readily de-
frauded of money, gifts, payments, or earnings, coming
to them by post. It should rather seem that, as ex-
ample is better than precept, finding themselves plun-
dered with impunity, and without the chance of re-
dress, they should betake themselves to retaliatory
practices in some other line, so as to adjust their
morals by the new Post-office stag. ard. This, to be sure,
would be an ungracious as insufferable retort for all
those strategic resources contrived by the Whigs for
reinforcing the outworks, at the same time as throwing
up so many inner defences, on which, in case of
need, national morality may fall back for support and re-
invigoration. If the penny post line of mortality
he forced, as it is, the poor, who are put to the
rout and ruined by the disaster, have only to re-
treat under cover of the new Poor-law, the eminent
merit of which consists in starving them first, as a pre-
paration for moralizing them alter ; a beautiful applica-
tion to morals of that operative process by which birds
or animals arc half slain and half mangled, in order to
establish by experiment some theory in physics. Then,
besides new Poor•laws, there are education laws, drain-
age bills, &c. all, if Mr. Evian may be believed,
contrived to improve the moral condition of the poor,
whilst the Chancellor of the Exchequer performs his
Sangrado operations for purifying their physical and
plc t boric habits by the drastic purgation of supplemen-
tary taxation.

I MPERIAL PARLIAMENT,

(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
Ti.c LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack at FIVO &Clock.
Tie Indemnity Bill was read a second time.
S. veral private Biils were advanced a stage.
L.rd STRAFFORD presented petitions from the
Coui.ty of Tyrone against lay patronage in the Church
of S..oiland.

CORN-LA WS.
The Earl of R ADNOR presented a great number
of pe itions for the repeal of the Corn-laws, from Barn-
staple, St. Alban's, Hatford, Bilston, Taunton, several
places in Somersetshire and Cornwall, and from various
other places, of which we could not catch the names.
The Earl of CARLISLE presented petitions from
Morptth, and other places, in favour of the Drainage
of Towns' Bill ; also a petition from a place in Middle-
sex for the abolition of Church Rates ; and a petition
from inhabitants of Hackney, for the abolition of tolls
on the Metropolitan Bridges.
The Duke of WELLINGTON presented a peti•
tion from the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of
Hastings, in favour of the Jews' Declaration B:11; also
a petition from B ith against the County Courts' Bill.
The Earl of FALMOUTH presented a petition
from medical practitioners in Cornwall, atainat the
Medical Reform B:11.
The Archbishop of CAN TERURY presented a pe-
titiot. from Bath-Easter, in the county of Somerset, for the
exclusion of Roman Catholics from Parliament. He
thought, under present circumstances, it would be im-
possible for any reasonable man to concur in the prayer
of the petitiop.
SUBMARINE MINES, CORNWALL.

Lord DUNCANNON said, that in consequence
of what hal fallen from the Noble Earl opposite
(the. Earl of Falmouth), respecting the claims ot
the Duchy of Cornwall to the produce of mines
which were worked under the sea, be had in-
quired into the subject, and the correspondence thereon
was too voluminous for him to read through, but he
would sae that the 1 iw.officers of the Crown and the
Duchy had been consulted, and by their advice it was
intended to try the right of the Duchy to the produce
in question.

The Earl of FALMOUTH said that the proprie-
tors of those mines had engaged their property
in the submarine produce from time immetnoria'.
The present claim was a rcv:val of an absolute
right which had never existed but in theory, and had
never been enforced. The NulLanz Tempos Act shut
out the Crown from receiving claims to rights which a
subject had exercised for 61 yi ars, and it was supposed
that the Duchy of Cornwall was included in that Act.
It now appeared that through some technical error the
Duchy was omitted. If an advantage were now taken
of the oversight to interfere with the rights of individuals,
the wholo of the county would ;rise as one man against
the injunction.
Lord DUNCANNON said that -none,of the mines
proceeded against or to be proceeded against it, including
the miacs of the Noble Earl himself—( Laughter)—
had been worked under the sea to the invasion of the
rights of the Crown more than 40 years.—(Hear, hear.)
After a few words from Lord ABIN GER and the
Earl of CAW DOR the conversation dropped.
The Earl of NV INCH ELSEA presented several
petitions from places in Suffolk and Essex against any
further grant to the College of Maynooth ; also a pe-
tition ;from a place in Suffolk against a repeal of the
Corn-laws ; also a petition from the Archdeacon of
Sudbury against the Tithe Commutation Act ; also a
petition praying for certain alt rations in the new
Poor-law, for a limitation of the power of the Commis-
sioners, and for authorizing the guardians to grant
outdoor relief in certain cases only.
METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENT BILL.
Viscount DUNCANNON having moved the se-
cond reading of the Metropolitan Improvement Bill,
The Earl of WINCHELSEA wished to ask the
Noble Viscount whether it was the intention of the
Government to take measures for opening as much
as possible the Regent's Park to the public,
and whether they were resolved on forming a park at
the eastern end of the metropolis ?
Viscount DUNCANNON said that he hal great
pleasure in stating that her Majesty's Government were
prepared to open the whole of the grass part
of Regent's Park, as far as it could be done with a
due regard to the rights of those who had laid out
large sums in the purchase of vial is in the neighbour-
hood. The whole of the park would be thrown open
to the public except the prlygte enclosures, Ifts
.vas most anxious to throw the Park open as quickly as

possible.
Lord ASHBURTON thought it was a great mils-

take to suppose that throwing open every part of the
Parks was the best way to consult the pleasure of the
public, for the preservation of the ornamental gardens
was as neeessary to their enjoyment as was the access
to the open parts surrounding those necessarily inclosed
spots.
The Bishop of LONDON, in connection with this
subject of the imprisonment of the metropolis, wished
to bring the attention of the House to the state of the
churchyards of the city of London. It was such, that
he was most doiirous to see a general law passed
for the purpose of preventing any future interment in
that city,— (Hear, hear.) He thought that it.
would be possible to frame an Act for the general
establishment rif cemeteries in the neighbourhood of the
metropolis, without injuring the pecuniary interests of
the metropolitan clergy, one of whom had suffered rt
diminution of 4001. a year in ha 4ipcA,44e, in Conse-
(pence Af the interment'of his parishioners in the ce-
metery at Mensal-green. The Reverend Prelate was
most desirous also that those of the east part of
the rinetrcolis 04)941 paiticipate the proposed im-
provements. lie wished to know from the Nob!e
L Ord, as the head of the Woods and Forests, whether
it was intenderl to provide a Royal Park for the East
@ud9
Lord DUNCANNON said that he was Ivor.

. .
anNioug to do the I most to improo tho neglected and
unls; Lhy localities in that piArt of the metropolis to
which the Rev. Pre:ate alluded and, in fact, in the Me•

tropolis Improvement Nil, and in the Drainage Bill that
obj.2ct was to some extent provided for. But with re-
spect to the proposed purchase and planting of the
Royal Pdrk, he thought it better not to state at present
what his intentions were, but by doing so he should
render it impossible to carry them into effect.—(Hear.)
Tie Marquis of NORMANBY said that he
was desirous to frame such a measure as the
Right Reverend Prelate had alluded to, for the
promotion of interment in the metropolis, and for
providing cemeteries. But he had found the sabject so
beset with difficulties, that he had as yet made no pro-
greis with it. However, he did not despair, and he
would be very happy to assist the Right Rev. Prelate,
if the latter would take the question into his own hands.
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

110 USE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four
o'Clock.

Mr. BERNAL brought up the Report of the Corn-
mitten on the Coventry and Warwick Roads Bill, and
the Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be en-
grossed.
Mr. BERNAL, in moving that the Lords' Amend.
mentt to the Dovnby and Papeastle Improvement
8.11 be agreed to, expressed a hope that the House
would take into consideration the difficulty in which
Committees on private Bits were placed, in conse-
quence of the det,:runication of the Lords to throw from
private Bills all clauses for exempting towns or iudivi-
dull% from tolls on any part of turnpike roads.
After a few words from Mr. ESTCOTT and other
lion. Members, who thought that something should be
done to relieve the Committees on private bills from the
difficulty in which they were placed by the resolution of
the Lords referred to, the amendments were agreed to.
The Kidderminster Small Tenements Rating Bill
was read a second time, and ordered to be engrossed.
Mr. THESIGER presented a petition from St.
Ancu's, Westminster, for the abolition of tolls on the

Metropolitan Bridges.
The Roxburgh and Dumfries Read Bill was read a
second time.
M•. BROTHERTON presented a petition fr3m

tl:e inhabitants of Broadway, Westminster, praying for
the abolition of the tolls on the Vauxhall and Waterloo
Bridges.
Mr. CRAWFORD presented a petition from the
Commercial Committee of the Island of Bombay, pray-

kg the House to take into its consideration the state
of our relations with China, with a view to urging the
Government to adopt such measures as should seem to
them best calculated to promote the speedy renewal of
the trade. The Hon. Memuer said he would move to-
morrow that the petition should be printed, with a view
to calling the attention of the House to the subject.
Mr. M. O'CONNELL presented a petition from
Tralse, in favour of Lord Morpeth's Irish Registration
Bill, and against that of Lord Stanley.
Mr. HINDLEY presented two petitions from Ash-
ton-under-Lyne against the Corn-laws.
Sir G. STRICKLAND presented a petition signed
by 6,500 inhabitants of Saddleworth, in the West
Riding of Yorkshire, praying the attention of the
House to the evidence taken before the Import Duties
Committee in such a manner as should lead to some
satisfactory Parliamentary enactment. Alio from the
Poor-law guardians of the union of Todmor
den, praying that the guardians may be relieved
from the burden and responsibility of the present
system of vaccination.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER presented a petition from
the board of guardians of the city of Lincoln, praying
the House to enable the guardians to grant out-door
relief, and complaining of the bastardy clauses ;
also from Sleaford, complaining of the uncon-
stitutional powers of the Poor-law Commissioners,
and praying the Home entirely to do away
with AssistLnf-Commissioners, and to give to the guar-
dians power to grant out door relief.
Mr. DI LLON BRO WNE presented petitions from
the counties of Londonderry. Cavan, Ross, and
in favour of Lord Morpeth's Registration Bill, and
against that of Lord Stanley.
Mr. G. EVANS presented a petition from the
county of Dublin to the same effect.
Mr, BAILEY presented a petition from the city of
Bristol, pri,ying for a revision of the commercial tariff;
also a petition from the san.e thee in favour of Church

Extension.
Mr. MUNTZ presented a petition from the Mayor,
Aldermen, and Burgesses of the borough of Birming-
ham, praying that the. Borough Court in that town may
not be abolished by the County Courts' Bill, but that
provision may be made for extending the new regula
twits to the existing Court ; also two petitions from
public meetings held in London, praying for a repeal of
the Corn-laws.
Sir C. BURRELL presented a petition from a
place in Sussex, praying that Unions under the Gilbert
Act might not be abolished without the consent of
the Guardians ; also a petition from Ashurst, praying
for Church Extension.
Sir G. CLERK presented two petitions from South-
wark in favour of Church Extension.
Mr. C. VILLIERS' presented a petition from the
Universal Rational Religionists of Finsbury, praying
for an inquiry into grievances of the labouring classes.
Petitions for the Repeal of the Corn-laws were 'pet-
served by Lord Duncannon from Warrington, by Mr.
Muntz, Mr. Hayter, Colonel Salway, from the ope-
r.,ti‘ es and intrabitanv of different parts of London, Mr..
Hindicy, Mr. Baines, and Mr. Villiers from Cheshire.'
Mr. MACKIN NON presented a petition from two
lades, Mrs. and Miss Chambers, the wife and daughter
of Mr. Chambers, formerly a banker, in Bond-street,
complaining of the severity of the treatment of Mr.
Chambers, who had been now sixteen years in gaol, and
praying that the law under which it was inflicted might
be ate
Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition from a
place in Ireland; in favour of a repeal of the. Legi-
slative Union. Also petitions from placer in the counties
of Antrim, Mayo, Fermanagh, and Tyrone, in favoui
of Lord Morpeth's Irish Registration Bill, and against.
Lord Stanley's.
Mr. INGHAM presented a petition in favour of
Church Extension.
' Mr. PALMER presented a petition i t favour of
t Church Reform.

The Glasgow House of Refuge Bill was read a se-
tend time..
Ca I'ECHELL pre_ented a petition from
Arundel praying the House to pass a law for the bet-
ter Observance of the Lord's Day, so as to prevent in
future a similar exhibition being made by commanding
ordc,!rs of regiments to that which was lately made by
the flogging of a soldier on the Sabbath in Hounslow
Barracke.

Mr. LITTON presented petitions from Colerain,
Port Stewart, Ballywillan, and other places in the
North of Ireland, on the subject of lay patronage.
Also petitions from Dublin and another place, against
any further grant to the College of Maynooth, and
two petitions in favour of Lord. Stanley's Registration
8.11.

Lord MORPETH presented a petition in pursuance
of a meeting of freeholders, held-,in Dublin, in favour
of the Bill 'brought in by the Government for the
R-gistrat;on of' Parliamentary Voters in Ireland—it
made in addition to the petition
_already presented by
him, on that subject the number of signatures nearly
'200,000. Also a petition from Saddleworth in York-
shire, to the same effect.

Mr. NIUNTZ presented a petition against the Se-
vern Navigation B P.

Lord J:RUSSELL presented several petitions from
places in Ireland, in favour of the Bill introduced by
the Government for the amendment of the laws of Re-
gistration in Ireland.
Lord STANLEY presented a petition from a Grand
Jury in Ireland, and one from Finsbury in favour of
his Parliamentary Voters (Ireland) Bill, and against
that of the Government.
Mr. HUME presented a petition from the Provost,
Magistrates, and Council of Musselburgh, and ono
from the inhabitants of the same place, praying for a
modification of our tariff, according to the plan proposed
by the Import Duties' Committee.

Sir M. WOOD gave notice that on an early day he
would move for a Select Committee to consider the
various plans for the improvement of the metropolis,
and the best manner in which the tolls and bridges over
the Thames might be abolished.
Sir G. GREY gave notioo that on the 11th May
he would move fp.r a Select Committee to consider
wilethe7 is might not be expedient to convert Labra-
dor into a Penal Settlement.

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS..
Mr. C. LUSHINGTON gave native that he should
to-morrow present a petision from the Society of
Friend; in Ureat Britain, remonstrating against the
galevances to which they were subject, and espechily
against the imposition of Chneeh-rates.
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT IN THE NAVY.
Qatpt, PViCHELL moved for a return of the number
of instances of corporal punishments inflicted in the
navy of Great Britain. The Hon. Member said he
wished this return as an.addition to that moved for by
the Hon. Member fur Lambeth respecting the army.
PENSIONS.
Mr, HUME moved for a return of pensions granted
by letters patent by the Crown since the accession of
Queen Victoria; also for a return of the amount, of money
levied by the Commissioners of Sewers, from 1832 to the
present period.
Sir C, GAvy-, said he wished to put a question to
the liohle Lord the Member for North Lancashire,
with reference to one of the Orders of the Day, namely,
whether it was the intention of the Cabinet,
of which the Noble Lord formed a part, on
the of June, 1832, to give the right
of voting at elections of Members of Parliament
for counties in Ireland to all persons occupying tene-
ments for which they paid an annual rent of 101. The
Hon. Gentleman said it would explain the meaning of
his question if he stated to the House, that having re-
ferre'd to the Noble Lord on the subject, the Noble
Lord bad referred him to the Bill. That Bill, however,
did not afford the means of deciding the question.
The question referred to June, 1825, and the Bill of
May, 1830, was evidently not in the state in which it
stood before the House at a subsequently period.
Lord STANLEY said the Hon. Gentleman had
been kind enough to put into his hands a copy of the
Mirror of Parliament of 1832, and at the same time he
had asked him to give an explanation of a speech of his
which he there found reported.—(Laughter.) That
speech was made by him (Lord S.) in explanation of the
Bill as it stood at the time for consideration by the
House, and as it was intended to stand by Earl Grey's
Government. In explanation of his speech he had taken
the liberty of referring the Hon. Gentleman to the Bill
as he would find it upstairs, considering that a more
authentic explanation than any which he could furnish.
However, he well recollected the passage, because he
had often looked at it since, and he had noticed on
various occasions that that speech contained a
fundamental error throughout, arising out of
a misprint he had no doubt, which made the whole
statement perfectly unintelligible. The only explanation
he could give was this, he was made to speak through-
out of a rent of 101. He had little doubt the mistake had
arisen from substituting the word "rent" for " interest,"
whereas he had been speaking as the Bill spoke of an
annual interest of 101. It never was the intention of
Earl Grey's Government to introduce the words in the
report as part of the Reform Bill. He had no doubt
that the errar had arisen from the shorthand
writer having, in copying out his notes after-
wards, mistaken the murk, so that the word interest
had been mistaken for the word rent or rental.
It certainly never was intended in the time of Earl
Grey's Government to take such a course, and there
were many Hon. Members present who could corro-
borate that statement.—(Hear, hear.)
Colonel SIBTHORP begged to ask the Noble
Lord opposite when it was intended to bring forward
the Miscellaneous estimates ?
Lord J. RUSSELL could not fix the precise day,
but be should give due notice to the House.
Col. SIBTHORPE gave notice that to-morrow
se'nnight he should call the attention of the House to
the appointment of Mr. Vizard as Solicitor to the Home
Department.
Mr. GODSON inquired whether the Committee
which had been appointed to inquire into the opera-
tion of Joint Stock Companies (except Banking Com-
panies) was intended to include Insurance Companies?
Mr. LABOUCHERE said there was no doubt
that Insurance Companies would be included in the
inquiries of the Committee.
Sir E. KNACHBULL complained that several
returns c mnected with the Pool-laws, which had been
moved for some time since, had not been laid in shq
table. He should next week move that tl-iey lie fur..
nished forwith.
PARLIAMENTARY VOTVHS' BILL

(IRELAND).
On the motion of Lord MOItPETH the House
then went into Committee on the Parliamentary Voters'
Mil (Ireland).
The preamble was postponed,
On clause 1 being read, Lord Howrcx rose to move
the following amendment, at pale 2, line 11, after the
words "no person " to omit all the words to the
end of the clause, and to insert " claiming under
any Act er Acts now in force, to be entitled
to be registered, and to vote as a Parliamentary ,elcctor
for any county, in respect of any freehold or leasehold
property in his actual occupation, shall be designed
to have a beneficial interest therein of the clear
yearly %aluc required by such Act or Acts, ex-
cept as herein after provided." The Noble
Lord said that in moving the amendments of
which he had, given notice, he feared it might
seem to the 'louse that be had taken upon
himself the responsihihity which did not properly
belong to them, It might be thought, that to bring
with advantage before the House a proposition of so
much importance to the county franchise in Ire
land, the person submitting it ought to possess
either that intimate and minute local knowledge
of Ireland to which he (Lord Howick) had no pre-
tension, or else that ho should have a claim to the con-
fidence and support of a powerful party in the House. He
( Lord H.) was fully sensible of his own inadequacy to do
justice to the cause he had undertaken ; but if he had
not a minute local knowledge of Ireland, so, on the
other hand, having no personal connection w,th that
country, he had not been much mixed up with
those political and religious animosities which
there unfortunately preva led to so great an extent, and
if he had no right to expect the support of the or-
ganized party of her Majesty's Government on the one
side, or of gentlemen on the opposite benches on the
other, if he had no right or title to expect the support of
any great party in that House ; he did trust this very
circumstance would convince the House that he was
only speaking the simple truth, when he declared most
sincerely that in bringing forward this proposition he
sought co party interest or advantage, and that his only
object was, if possible, to assist in promoting the adjust-
ment of a question which he was convinced could not
continue unsettled without imminent detriment to the in-
terests of the country, perhaps not without danger to
the safety of the empire, subjected as it had
hitherto been to fierce party contests both
in that House and in Ireland.—(Hear, hear.)
The importance of settling the question must be
obvious to all ; but it must be equally obvious that if
both sides of the House insisted upon their own views
such a settlement was impracticable. In the course
he was taking he was not actuated by any
hostility to her Majesty's Government. His
Noble Friend who so ably conducted the business
of the Government in that House knew that nothing
could be farther from his mind ; but he had thought
't better to move some substitute, than to con-
fine himself simply to giving a negative to their
proposition. He could not support the measure
in its present shape. The clauses for the regu,
lation of the franchise in Ireland seemed to him
to be liable to very great and serious objections. He
felt the extreme importance of giving to Ireland a
simple and easily-ascertained right of voting ; he felt the
very great importance of giving to Ireland a constituency
of a wide and popular character. But the more
closely he had looked into that, measure—the more pains
ire had taken to make himself master of the question,
the stronger had become his objections. In the first place
he felt that the great change proposed was unnecessary,