The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-18 00:00:00

THE EXCHEQUER RECORDS.

Lord MONTEAGLE said that, in answer to a
question which had been put to him on a former
night, by a Noble Lord opposite, he was able to state
that none of the Exchequer records which had been
destroyed by order of the late Comptroller of the Ex-
chequer were of the least importance. They were
papers of a class which, having been used as temporary
records, had usually been sold as waste paper. That
practice was put an end to, and it was considered pre-
ferable to destroy the documents when they were no
longer useful.
Lord REDESD ALE regretted that the papers were
destroyed, because, although they might be of little
Ivalue to the Comptroller of the Exchequer, many
people would be desirous of possessing them even at a
' higher price than waste paper.
Lord MONTEAGLE replied, and the House ad-
journed at Ten Minutes before Six.

HOUSE OF COMMONS 1114 Rem 17.
The SPEAYER took the Chair shortly before Four
o'Clock.
The Protestant Dissenters' Assurance Company Bill,
and the Freethorpe Enclosure Bill, were severally read
third time and passed.

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The South Eastern Railway Company Deviation
Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be com-
mitted. _ _

Lord G. SOMERSET presented a petition from
Monmouth against the Taff Railway Bill.
Mr. LOCKHART presented several petitions from
places in the county of Lanark in favour of the prin-
ciple of Non-intrusion ; and one from an individual in
Strathaveu, prayinc, for Universal Suffrage, Annual
Parliaments, and Vote' by Ballot. It was almost un-
necessary for him to say that he could not support the
prayer of the petition.
Mr. FRESH FIELD presented a petition signed
by 757 solicitors, expressing great regret at the pro-
ceedings of the House in the late case of Stockdale v.
Hansard, and praying that attorneys might be protected
while acting legally under the direction of the Courts.
Also one from a parish in the diocese of Oxford, pray-
ing for Church Extension.
On the motion of Sir E. KNATCHBULL the
South Eastern Railway Bill was read a second time.
Mr. CODRINGTON presented four petitions in
favour of Church Extension, and one from the solicitors
of Stroud, praying for the enlargement of Mr. Howard.
Captain ALS A.GER presented a petition from Rich-
mond, in Surrey, in favour of Church Extension, and
one from Sawley, in Derbyshire, against the Ecclesias-
tical Duties' and Revenues' Bill.
Mr. CARTWRIGHT presented petitions from
Towcester, and 14 other parishes in Northampton-
shire, in favour of Church Extension, and one petition
against any grant to the College of Maynooth.
An HoN. MEMBER presented a petition from Bever-
ley in favour of Church Extension, and two petitions
from the county of York, against any alteration in the
Corn-laws.

Mr. CHICHESTER presented a petition from
Norfolk, against the Corn-laws.

Mr. PLUNIPTRE presented several petitions from
various places against any further grant to the College
of Maynooth ; also a petition from Suffolk, against the
Irish Municipal Corporation Bill.

Mr. W. DU NCOM BE presented forty-five petitions
from the county of York against any alteration or repeal
of the Corn-laws. Also two petitions against further
grants to the College of Maynooth and in favour of
Church Extension.

Mr. M. PHILLIPS presented a petition, signed by
5,144 hand-loom weavers of Manchester, praying for
the repeal of the Corn-laws. The 'Hon. Member said
he was specially requested by the petitioners to have
the petition read by the Clerk, which was accordingly
done.

The HoN. MEMBER. also presented a petition
signed by the President of the Chamber of Commerce
of Manchester, on behalf of that body, praying for a
total and immediate repeal of the Corn-laws. The
petition directed the attention of the House to the
great increase which had taken place in the cotton
manufacture, and more particularly to the fact
that only one quarter of the quantity of cotton
manufactured was consumed in this country, and
they drew from that fact an inference, that the time
was past when it could be said that the home customer
was the best one. The petition also exposed the fallacy
of the arguments for the Corn-laws, which were
based on the assumption that it was detrimental to the
interests of the country to be dependent upon foreign
countries for a supply of food, and prayed for a total
and immediate repeal of the Corn-laws. Also a peti-
tion with a similar prayer, from the agricultural la-
bourers of some parish in the county of Warwick.
PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.

Sir R. INGLIS held in his hand a petition, to which
lie was desirous of drawing the attention of the House.
It was from the Times and the Morning Post, and
stated that the petitioners had notice of a bill, which
was progressing through that House for the protection
of the printers of that House. The petitioners stated
that it was indispensably necessary that they
should report and republish the reports pub-
lished by order of the House ; and that the
utility of such reports was derived in a great measure
from the circulation which they received through the
medium of the daily press—that they would be unable
to publish these reports henceforth, and to give them
such useful circulation, without subjecting themselves
not only to indictments for but to actions for
damages from individuals, who might think them-
selves aggrieved by such publication, if pro-
tection were exclusively granted to persons
printing such reports by order of the House. They
therefore prayed that no Bill might be permitted to
pass into a law granting exclusive protection to the
printers of the House, and which did not also grant
similar protection to persons republishing those reports.
He did not intend moving to have this petition printed,
but if some Hon. Member did not, before the third
reading of the Bill alluded to, take up this question, he
should certainly direct the attention of the House to
the subject.
Mr. WADDINGTON presented a petition from
some parish in Suffolk against any alteration in the
Corn-laws.

Mr. ELLIOT presented several petitions from dif-
ferent places in Scotland in favour of a repeal of the
Corn-laws.

Mr. C 0 LQU 110 U N presented nineteen petitions
from different places in Scotland against the non-intru-
sion of ministers in the Church of Scotland. Also a
petition from Kilmarnock against any alteration in the
Corn-laws. Also a petition from the Commercial As-
sociation of Glasgow in favour of an equalization of the
duties on East India produce. The Hon. Member
moved that the latter petition be referred to a Select
Committee on East India Affairs.—Ordered.

Lord DALMENY presented several petitions from
various places in Scotland in favour of a total and imme-
diate repeal of the Corn-laws.
Sir J. GRAHAM presented a petition from the pa-
rish of St. Thomas, Glasgow, against the intrusion of
ministers into the Church of Scotland.

Mr. CRAWFORD presented a petition from per-
sons engaged in the trade with China, praying for an
inquiry on the part of the House on the subject of the
seizure of opium in that country in March last. The pe.
tition was ordered to be printed and circulated with the
votes, and the Hon. Member stated that it was his in-
tention to found a motion presently on the petition.
Mr. ELLIOT presented a petition from Kelso,
against Church Intrus'on in Scotland.

- Lord JOHN RUSSELL presented a petition from
certain inhabitants of Prince Edward's Island, in favour
of Church Extension in the British Colonies.

Mr. lIU ME presented various petitions from parishes
in Devonshire in favour of the repeal of the Corn-laws,
also five petitions from Glasgow, praying for Universal
Suffrage and Vote ►,y

Sir G. STRICKLAND presented two petitions
from parishes in the West Riding of Yorkshire, pray-
ing for a total abolition of the Corn-laws ; also a peti-
tion to the same effect, from a parish in the East
Wding of Yorkshire, signed by 278 individuals, all
agriculturists.

Mr. STANLEY presented a petition from a parish
in Cheshire, again3t the Beer Bill.

Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT presented petitions,
we think from Shropshire, in favour of Church Ex.
tension.

PRACTICE OF SURGERY.

Mr HUME presented a petition complaining of the
absence of effective regulations to prevent the practice
of unqualified persons in surgery.

CORN-LAWS.

Mr. GROTE presented petitions for a repeal of the
Corn-laws.

Lord MORPETH presented a number of petitions
to the same effect, from various parts of the counties of
York and Lancaster, also (we believe) from a parish i❑
Ireland, which, the Noble Lord said, had one peculiarity,
that it was written, not in plain prose, but in verse.—
( Hear, hear, and cries of " Read.') And the petitioners
had doubtless adopted that novel mode in order,
the more surely to attract notice to their painful
statement (which unfortunately was too well borne out
by letters he had received) as to the distress prevailing
in their part of the country. Thy Noble Lord also
presented petitions from Presbyterians of Ulster against
intrusion in Scotland. Also petitions from Yorkshire,
for alteration in the bastardy clauses of the New Poor
Law.

Mr. J. LOWTHER presented a petition from
York, praying for measures to settle the disputes with
China.
INDIA.
Mr. GOULBURN presented a petition praying (we
believe) that no further alteration might take place in
the relation of the duties between East and West Indian
produce.
S. O'BRIEN presented a petition from Ireland
against the repeal of the Corn-laws, and against the Bill
for the importation of foreign flour into Ireland.
Mr.,e9UNTY CONSTABULARY.
MAIJLE presented the Bill for County
Constabulary, which was ordered to be printed.

NEW WRIT.
On the motion of Sir THOMAS FREMANTLE
a new writ was issued for the County of Inverness, in
the room of Francis William Grant, Esq., younger, of
Grant, deceased.

CORN LAWS.
Mr. THORNELY, in the absence of his
Honourable Colleague, Mr. Villiers, which was
occasioned by a domestic loss, gave notice that
on Tuesday, the 31st of March, Mr. Villiers
would move that the House resolve itself into a Com-
mittee of the whole House, to take into consideration
the 9th of George IV. regulating the importation of
foreign corn.
BANKS.

Mr. WODEHOL:SE said that in the dropt notices
of yesterday, there was a notice of the Chancellor
o
the Exchequer for the nomination of the Banking
Committee, and another in his (Mr. W.'s) name on the
same subject. He trusted it would not appear pre-
sumptuous in him to state that it was his intention to
move an amendment to the notice of the Chancellor of
the Exchequer fbr nominating the Committee, which
the House was aware had reference only to those
banking establishments issuing notes payable on
demand. The amendment he should move would
he, that the Committee " should also inquire

in what manner the industry and the productions of the
people were connected with and influenced by the cir-
culation of internal bills of exchange."
Lord JOHN RUSSELL rose to order. The no-
tice was irregular, inasmuch as the Committee had
been appointed for certain purposes. He begged to
ask the Speaker whether these words could be now
added to that resolution.

The SPEAKER apprehended it was not competent
for the Hon. Member to move that amendment, the
House having already sqtled the question upon which
that Committee was to be appointed. All the House
had to do was to name the Members who were to form
that Committee.

CHINA.
Mr. CRAWFORD gave notice that on the `34th of
March he should move that the petition of the proprie-
tors of opium delivered up to Captain Elliot, her Ma-
jesty's Superintendent, for the service of her Majesty's
Government, be referred to a Select Committee.

Mr. HUME gave notice that he should move the
names of Sir Henry Parnell and Mr. Thornely be added
to the Banking Committee.
Mr. RAIKES CURRIE gave notice that he should
move Mr. Warburton's name be added to the same
Committee.