The Sun.
London, England, 1840-04-03 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS, APRIL, 2.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at a few Minutes beforo
Four o'Clock.

On the motion of Mr. Alderman THOMPSON, the
River Wear Watch Bill was read a second time.

On the motion of Mr. LYSTER, the Allerton (York)
Inclosure Bill was read a third time and passed.
The Scottish Widows' Fund Bill was read a third lime
and passed.

CORN-LAWS. •
Sir JOHN MORDAUNT presented a petition from a
place in Warwickshire against the repeal of the Corn-laws.
Sir J. Y. BULLER presented petitions from Durham
against the repeal of the Corn-laws, and the grant to May-
nooth College.
Mr. HALFORD presented a petition from the mer-
chants, manufacturers, and other inhabitants of Leicester,
signed by 3,528 persons, condemning the conduct of the
itinerant agitators, who were going about the country in-
flaming the minds of the manufacturers by false represen-
tations, instead of enlightening them with truth and reason.
The petitioners stated that they were engaged forty-four
weeks of the year in manufacturing goods (princi-
pally woollen stockings) for the home market, and the
remaining eight weeks only for exportation, chiefly
to America ; so that they entirely depended on the
home trade, and therefore their interests were inseparably
bound up with the cultivators of the sail. It would be
impolitic to place the country in a state of dependence
upon other nations for the supply of corn ; and they would
consider it as unjust to admit the cheap corn of other
countries to compete with the home produce, as to admit
the cheap stockings of Saxony into competition with their
(the petitioners) productions.
Mr. THORNELY presented petitions from different
parts of Liverpool, praying for the repeal of the Corn-laws.
Mr. GREG presented similar petitions from different
parts of Manchester.
Mr. P AL ME R presented a petition from the attorneys of
Reading, praying for the removal of the Courts of Law from
Westminster to a more convenient situation.
Mr. HA WKES presented a petition from Stafford
against the repeal of the Corn-laws.
Sir CHARLES KNIGHTIEY presented a petition
from Northamptonshire praying for the liberation of Mr
Howard.
Mr. FRE airIFI ELD presented a petition from fifty-five
attorneys at Dean, praying, that no measure might be
adopted that would interfere with the discharge of the duties
of solicitors.
Captain PE CHEL L presented petitions from Sussex
praying for an inquiry into the Corn-laws.
Sir R. INGLIS presented a petition from Durham pray-
ing the House to adopt some regulations as to the trade
in opium.
Mr. A. WHITE presented a petition from Sunderland
against any further grant of public money for the building
Churches.
Mr. M. PHILLIPS presented petitions from different
places in Manchester in favour of the total repeal of the
Corn-laws.
Mr. RAIKE S CURRIE presented a petition from
agricultural labourers of a parish in Northampton for a
repeal of the Corn-laws.
Mr. W. MILES presented two petitions from Somerset
in favour of Church Extension ; also a petition which he
was requested to present in the absence of an Hon. Relative
of his, from William Lewes of Bristol, who stated that
he presided at a public meeting of the inhabitants at which
resolutions were passed, strongly deprecating any altera-
tion in the Corn-laws, and that next day petitions for a
repeal of the Corn-laws, purporting to have emanated
from that meeting, had been hawked about the
streets of Bristol for signatures. The petitioner
also deprecated the manner in which the workmen had
been compelled by their employers to sign petitions in
favour of a repeal of these laws, and added that three-
fourths of the operatives of Bristol were decidedly opposed
to their repeal.
Petitions against the repeal of the Corn-laws were also
presented by Sir Charles Burrell from places in Sussex;
by Mr. Bingham Baring, from four places in Staffordshire ;
by Mr. Pendarves, from Sussex; by Sir Charles Brooke
Vere, from four places in Suffolk ; and by Lord Hotham,
from Leominster.
Petitions for a repeal of the Corn-laws were presented
by Mr. Brotherton from 1190 teachers of schools at Man-
chester and Salford ; by Mr. E. White, from Sunder-
land; by Sir Benjamin Hall, from Marylebone and other
places in the Metropolis; and by Mr. Benjamin Wood
from 5013 inhabitants of Southwark.
Mr. SO WE RB Y PARKER presented a petition from
the Isle of Wight, in favour of Church Extension.
Mr. BAINES presented two petition; from Yorkshire,
against Church Extension.
On the motion of Mr. W. ATTWO OD the General
Steam Navigation Company's Bill was read a third time
and passed.
On the motion of Mr. FRE SHFIELD Perry's Di-
vorce Bill and Lloyd's Divorce Bill were read a third
time and passed.
Mr. RE D INGTON presented a petition from Galway
against any alteration in the Corn-laws.
Mr. BRUGES presented a petition from Bath, praying
the House to provide some remedy for the Corn-laws.
Sir G. STRICKL AND presented petitions from the
West riding of York, praying for the repeal of the Corn-
laws.
Mr. C. LU S HING TON presented similar petitions
from Surrey ; also several petitions praying for the aboli-
tion of Church-rates and the release of John Thorogood.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, in order as he said,
that every man might express his wish to the Legislature,
presented a petition from a cotton-spinner at Glasgow,
praying for Uuniversal Suffrage and Vote by Ballot.
Sir HENRY PARNELL presented a petition from
the Medical Association of Scotland, praying for medical
reform.
Sir G. CLERK presented a petition from Stamford,
praying for Church Extension ; also a petition from Seot-
land, praying for an alteration in the law of Church
Patronage.
Mr. HORSMAN presented several petitions for the
repeal of the Corn-laws.
On the motion of Mr. LOCKHART, the Glasgow
Bridewcll Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-
morrow.
Lord FITZROY presented a petition from Bury St.
Edmund's praying for a repeal of the Corn-laws.
Lord J. RUSSELL presented a petition from Salford,
signed by 1,500 persons, whose united property amounted
to 30,000,0001., praying for a repeal of the Corn-laws.
Lord MORPETH presented similar petitions from
landholders, inhabitants, and labourers in the oounty of
York.
Mr. WALLACE presented fifteen petitions against the
Corn-laws.

CANADA.
Lord J. RUSSELL having brought up the Bill re-
specting Canada, which was read a first time, on moving
that it be read a second time, said that he wished to cor-
rect a misapprehension whichl had taken place of some-
thing that had fallen from him with regard to Clergy Re-
serves, and which, perhaps, if not corrected, might lead to
serious misunderstanding in Canada. It had been stated
that he expressed himself unfavourably to the general
nature of the measure which the Legislature of Upper
Canada bad passed, and that the Governor-General had
proposed a measure totally opposed to the views of the Go-
vernment. This was far from being the meaning of what
he had said. What he had said was, that it was a diffi-
cult thing to have a measure with regard to the subject
which would entirely coincide with one's own abstract no-
tions, or with what might nave been feasible forty years
ago, but which was not practicable now. He went no fur-
ther in his observations, which applied generally to the opi-
nions held about Church establishments. It had first been
thought expedient to direct the Governor-General what
measure to propose, but considering the difficulties of the
question it was subsequently thought advisable to
leave it to the Governor-General's discretion.—( Hear.)

The Governor-General, in conformity with the views of
Government, had made inquiries on the subject, and had
addressed a letter to him (Lord J. Russell), in which
he told him that it would be hopeless to attempt to carry
any measure on the subject, so extreme were the feel-
ings of parties and so adverse were they to each
other. He added that no compromise could be entered
into in the matter. But he afterwards stated that there
were some hopes of Members coming to an accom-
modation, and that those who had declared they would not
snake any provision for ministers of religion, had shown
themselves willing to consent to a measure which would
provide for ministers of all denominations. Such a measure
met with the ready concurrence of the Legislative Council,
and especially of those members of it who belonged
to the Church of England. After a long debate the
measure was carried. The Bill had been transmitted with
despatches to this country, and he (Lord J. Russell)
should add that he thought the Governor-General
of Canada had most ably and wisely conformed
himself to his instructions. They had not wished
to place any obstacles in his way, or to desire the Gover-
nor-General peremptorily to propose anything which
might lead to disunion. So far, therefore, from an-
nulling what the Governor .General had done,
they enirely approved of the course, thinking it would
be a means of restoring peace to Upper Canada.
He should now state, that considering all that had passed
on the subject—considering the declarations of Mr. Fox,
and the opinions advocated by Lord Stanley, as well as
his evidence gives before the House of Lords—consider-
ing, too, the opinions of the Earl of Harrowby, and the
message of the Earl of Ripon, sent to Upper Canada—
considering all these circumstances, he hoped they now
had a prospect of soon seeing the question terminated.
He thought it better to introduce a measure with a view of
settling a question to which all these debates had reference ;
and be would put it to those who were adverse to this Bill,
seriously to consider all the particulars he had mentioned,
and also all that had taken place in reference to this sub-
ject, and whether they really thought it advisable
to counteract the desires of those loyal subjects
of her Majesty resident in those Colonies who
had repeatedly expressed their wishes for a satisfac-
tory settlement of this subject.—( Towards the conclu-
sion of his speech the Noble Lord dropped his voice in
such a manner as to be frequently inaudible.)
The Bill was then ordered to be read a second time on
Monday se'nnight.
HILL COOLIES.

Mr. MACKINNON gave notice of his intention of
moving for a Committee to investigate the subject and
provide Legislative enactments for the regulation of the
emigration of labourers from India to British Guiana.
Mr. WILLIAMS moved for a return of the number
of days the Judge of the Admiralty Court attended and
presided at that Court, in each of the years 1836, 1837,
1838, and 1839 ; also a return of the amount of salary,
fees, or other emoluments received by the Judge of the
said Court in each of those years; also a return of the
amount of salary, fees, and other emoluments received by
the present Judge of the Admiralty Court as Judge of the
Consistory Courts of London and Rochester, in
each of
the years 1830 to 1839 inclusive.
Mr. ABEL SMITH proposed, for Mr. Crawford, that
the following Members should constitute the C2mmrtte
e
on the Surrender of Opium in China :—Mr. Crawford, .
Lord Viscount Palmerston, Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Charles
Buller, Mr. Herbert, Sir George Staunton, Mr. Cowper,