The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON. WEDNESD,IY, APRIL 28, 1841.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, Amer, '27.
The Loan CHANCELLOR took his se it on the Woolsack
at five o'clock.
A message from the Commons brought up several
private Bills.
STATE OF IRELAND.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH said, that. he had this
day read, in the usual channels of public information, what
was stated to be a letter from the Noble Marquis at the
head of the Home Department. But he could not beli ye
it to be genuine until he heard the Noble Marquis himself
say so. In that letter Of genuine) the Noble Marquis had
styled a Roman Catholic priest the " Catholic Rector" of
a parish within the dominions of the Protestant Sovereign
of these realms, contrary to the constitution and the re-
cent laws of the land.
The Marquis of NORMANBY said that he had
seen the publication to which the Noble Marquis
opposite referred. He had written a letter, to the
effect reported, to the Earl of Ross, but in that letter he
had intended to speak of a Roman Catholic priest, and if
he used the words " Catholic rector," objected to by the
Noble Marquis, he did so only through a mistake.—
(" Hear, hear," and a laugh.) He was not aware
that he had done so. Indeed, he belloved he
had not. But he could only say that if he did,
it was through a mistake, for which he was very
sorry.—( Ile •r.) He would take that opportunity of
making an explanation as to what had fallen on a former
night from the Noble Earl Opposite, oho was connected
with the King's County. He (the Marquis of Normanby)
had stated that Mr. Biddulph had approved of the panel
chosen for the Jury to try the persons accused of an
attempt to murder hire. Now he (the Noble Mar-
quis) would read the statements of the gentle-
man from whom he had derived his information.
The Noble Marquis then read a letter from the Solicitor-
General of Ireland, affirming that the statement relating
to Mr. Beldulph was entirely correct, not only to his own
recollection, but to that of all the Counsel engaged in the
cause. The Learned Gentleman enclosed letters con-
firmatory of his statement from those. Counsel and others,
to the number of five, named Messrs. Berrick, Black,
Gale, and Corbaris. They stated that Mr. Biddulph did
actually approve of the Jury sworn at Tullamore, and in
such express terms as to say there were only two men upon
the Jury whom he would wish not to be on it; yet he was
satisfied if a case was made out before them they would find
ajust verdict--his only objection to teem was that they were
violent politicians. After he had re ad these letters, he
did not think it was necessary for him to say one word
more in defencs of the Law Officers of the Crown. He
would only remind their Lordships that all these incon-
veniences and waste of time arose out of a motion relative
to proceedings in a Court of Justice yet pending.
Earl CH ARLE VILL E complained of the want
of courtesy on the part of the Noble Marquis
( Normanby) in not having given him notice of
his intention to brirg forward the case, however, unpre-
pared as he war, he trusted their Lordships would allow
him to defend himself as best he could. All they wanted
was to have the same privileges as the next of kin had in
this country, vie., to prosecute the murderers of their rela-
tion. He had not brought forward the matter on the single
case of Mr. Biddulph, but upon general principles, and he
illustrated his view by that case, but he bad taken care not to
alprOas any opinion of the conduct of the Jury in that case.
The Noble Marquis had not been able to contradict his
formern g a
highevening,.
officethat a tthhraete
illegalß i bbo nm
body,en
statementcewha(ar' rheacuotpfeor tnho
eft oill
ntahs
eihsoel pane;:dmil ;Mr Biddulph was ignorant of the
s j perhaps was every. Magistrate
of the county,'except himself(toro ' formation if they
Charleville), from whom
had received what was offered to them.e men w
the Government might have had the 1.2
aenrelei
membees of the Committee of Ribbonme,.,
they might have been the persons who issue,
the order to murder Mr. Biddulph. The Noble
Lord then read a letter from that gentleman to himself,
impugning the general accuracy of Lord Normanby's
statements in this House in reply to the Noble Earl.
The Noble Earl said that he had yesterday received
a letter from the County of Limerick, which would
show their Lordships the peaceful state of that county.
The letter stated that a murder bad just been com-
mitted, and that there had been within a few days two
attacks upon the police, wlnse lives were endangered
by the violence of the mob who assailed them. He thought
it was no more than what was due to the Lord Lieutenant
of Ireland to state, that he had received a letter from his
Excellency, assuring him that in the whole of the mine-
spondence which had passed lei-taeen them he would find
no letter marked " private" or " confidential," and that if
he (the Lord Lieutenant) had receive] such a letter no-
thing could have induced him to make public reference to it.
The Earl of WICKLOW wished to bring the House
back to the question, which was the exculpation of the
law-officers of the Crown. After the letters which had been
read, he felt bound to say the Noble Marquis (Normanby)
was fully justified in the statements with respect to the
case of Mr. Biddulph, with which he bad favoured the
House.
The Marquis of NORMANBY defended himself from
the charge of a want of courtesy, for he had that morning
written to the Noble Earl giving him notice of his
intention to make the statemcnt.—(Cries of " Hear,
hear.") He would not follow the Noble Lord
through the various topics introduced by him in his
speech, but he appeared to be well prepared
with every document necessary for this long
speech. Ho would only say that he could not acquiesce
in the statement, that there were three Ribbon-
men on the Jury in Mr. Biddulple's ease. He
complained of the publication of the letter to
Lord Rosser but it was moved fur and ordered to be pro-
duced on a motion made at the request of the Noble Earl
biros elf:
Earl CHA RLE VILLE said what Lord Rosso
complained of was that the Government had not
communicated with him when his letter war ordered to
be returned to that House. With respect to the note of
the Noble Marquis, it gave him no information—" Road,
read," from the Marquis of Normanby)—it was very
short.—" The Marquis of Normanby presents his compli-
ments to Earl Charleville, and begs to inform him that
he intends to make a statement at the sitting of the
House, which Lord Charleville would probably like to
be present at." Now had it been " that he would like
to hear," he would have thought it was some announcement
in consequence of what had taken place in another place.
—( Loud laughter.)
The Marquis of WESTMEATH thought the letters
read by the Noble Marquis fully bore out the statement of
Mr. Biddulph.
WEST INDIA PACKET STATIONS.
The Earl of FALMOUTH. presented several peti-
tions from places in Cornwall, complaining of the removal
of the West India packet from Falmouth to Dartmouth,
The Noble Earl spoke at some lcrgth in fa-
vour of Falmouth as a packet station. There was
not in reality the saving of time that had been
supposed in the alteration of the lines; for it had not been
taken into account in the report of the Commissioners of
the Admiralty that there were sixteen miles between
Dartmouth and Exeter, which usually occupied an hour
and a half in traversing. The Commissioners alleged
they had other reasons for the change, but they refrained
from stating them. He wished these reasons should be
made public. He was persuaded that they would not be
found sufficient to justify a removal of the packet station
from a port at which it had been established for upwards
of two hundred years, to a port which had never before
been thought of. He had no personal intetest in the mat-
ter, as he had no property within eight or tea miles of
Falmouth, but he wished to consult the public benefit ; he
wished for a fair inquiry into the merits of the whole sub-
ject. The case was of the utmost importance to the com-
mercial interest at lsrge. The Noble Eerl then pre-
sented a petition from Truro, praying for an inquiry into
the reasons for removirg the mail-packet from Falmouth.
Viscount MELBOURNE said that on the mere pre-
sentarion cf a petition he believed it would be •unncces-
sat y for him to enter into any lengthened observations on
the subject introduced by the Noble Earl opposite. No
doubt considerable interest was felt on the matter in De-
von ; but after the inquiries of a competent Commissioner,
he thought it was the duty of the Government to abide
by their decision. Three gentlemen had been appointed
to melee a report on the subject, and the Admiralty bad
merely acted on their recommendation. It should also be
remembered that the packets of the Compa ry were es-
tablished at Southampton ; and all that the Government did
was to order that the mails should be take in at Dartmouth.
The Noble Earl had found fault with the Commissioners
because they had not reported on the several ports which
they had examine) ; but he ( Lord Melbourne) was of
opinion they had fully discharged the duty imposed on
then by reporting the eteticu they had thought proper to
recommend. But, even though Dartmouth were not the
best port, he thought their Lordships would not he pre-
pared to sanctioc airy alteration in are arrangement which
had been come to after due inquiry.
The Earl of MINTO observed that the arrangement
would not effect the packets st,tioned at Falmouth, which
would be continued there ; it merely effected an alteration
in the place at which the mails should be taken ie.
Lord ASHBURTON expressed an opir,ion that
Southampton was, on the whole, the most advateageous
station.
Viscount MELVILLE was surprised that Dartmouth
had been selected; he thought it would have been etsy to
find some more advantageous station.
The Earl of FALMOUTH, after a fe.v words in ex-
planation, moved for a copy of the Report of the Com-
missioners appointed to inquire into the port to be selected
for the departure and arrival of the West India mails, and
a copy of the papers referred to in the Report. —Agreed to.
Ou the motion of the Marquis of NOIt,NIANBY the fur..
tter consideration cf the Borough Improvements Bill, and
the Drainage Bill, was postpored till Fiitlay.
The Eastern Counties Railway Bill was read a third
time.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

ROUSE OF COMMONS, Amt
The SPEAKER took the Chair at the usual heur„
The Slough and Colnbrook Road Bill, the Accrington
Gas Bill, and the Birkenhead Gas Bills, were read a third
time and passed.
Mr. TANCRED presented numerous petitions from
Congregations of Dissenters, praying for the abolition of
Church Rates.
Mr. R. HILL presented several petitions, praying for
Church Extension.
Colonel. CONOLLY presented a petition from the
Grand Juryof DJ g
negal against the Government Reis.
tration Bill, and in favour of that introduced by Lord
Stanley. Also six petitions from Presbyterian Congre-
gations in the north of Ireland, praying fir the abolition of
lay patronage in the Church of 6cotland.
The O'CONNOR DON presented a petition from Ros-
common against Lord Stanle)'a Bill, and in favour of the
Government Registration Bill.
M. Sergeant- JACKSON presented a petition from
Bandon ag'ains't the repeal of the Corn-taws ; also two
Lpectiosustanalmeayi,isisßt
ilua.y patronage in the Church of Scot-
landUommiss ; andiolO;enre, plrnrygihntg
be
thataboltilsihe
abolished
aenrdofontehein Pfaovooru_rlaowf