The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-07 00:00:00

CHUltdi EXTENSION.

Lord ASHLEY presented a petition from West
Bromwich, praying for an extension of the means of
relio,:ious education, as an antidote to the irreligioc,
principles propagated by the persona who a_saumetl, the
name of Socialists.

CORPORATION REFORM (IRELAND.)
Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN presented a petition from
Limerick, praying for an extension of the elective fran-
chise in Ireland, and for the reform of municipal insti-
tutions in that country.
Lord GR.ANVILLE SOMERSET presented a
petition from some place in 'Monmouthshire, praying fur
Church extension.
Sir G. SINCLAIR presented a petition from the
town of Bower, in favour of Church extension in
Scotland.
PRIVILEGES OF PARLIAMENT.

Sir JOHN WA LS II gave notice that on Thursday,
the 20th of February, he should more a resolution that
in the opinion of that House it was expedient thet
the differences existing between the House of Commons
and the Courts of Law respecting the privileges of.
that House, authorising the publication and sale of
papers by its servants without any action or proceeding
at law being instituted against them, be determined by
legislative enactment.
CASE OF FROST AND WILLIAMS.
Mr. GODSON postponed the motion of which he
had given notice for copies of papers presented to the
Home Office, on behalf of Frost and others till Tues-
day next.

Mr. HUME gave notice that next week he
should move for copies of all correspondence between
the British authorities and the Porte, relative to the
continuance of certain monopolies which had been abo-
lished by the late treaty of commerce with the Porte.
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS (IRELAND).
Sir J. GRAHAM, on behalf of his Noble Friend

the Member for Lancashire, postponed the motion of
which he had given notice, for leave to bring in a Bill
for the better Registration of Voters in Ireland, till
Thursday the 20th inst.
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.

Sir E. SUGDEN gave notice that he should take an
early opportunity of drawing the attention of the House
to the present administration of justice in the Courts of
Equity, the Privy Council, and the Court of Bankruptcy.
IRISH EDUCATION.

Mr. Sergeant JACKSON not seeing the Noble
Lord the Secretary for Ireland in his place, begged to
give notice that it was his intention to-morrow to put a
question to him relative to the mode in which the
grant for education in Ireland was administered.
ANATOMICAL INSPECTORS.

Mr. FITZSTEPHEN FRENCH wished to ask
the Under Secretary of State for the Home
Department, whether it was the intention of
the Government to appoint two more Anatomical In-
spectors. By the Act which was passed in the last
Session, the Government were empowered to appoint
three Anatomical Inspectors, and up to the present mo-
ment they had appointed only one.
Mr. F. MAULE said that the Act was at the pm-
sent moment under the consideration of the Government.
INDIAN MAILS.

Mr. HUME wished to ask the Chancellor of the
Exchequer whether he could give any informatio❑ to
the House, relative to the contract for the payment of
the Mails to the West Indies.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said that returns upon that subject were moved for last
Session, but through some inadvertance, they had not
been made. If, however, the Hon. Gentleman would
renew the order that evening, there could be no objec-
tion to it.

HILL COOLIES.
Sit JAMES GRAHAM wished to put a question
to the Noble Lord the Secretary for the Colonies, re-
lative to the Hill Coolies. Her Majesty's Go-
vernment, last Session, had come to a decision
with respect to the emigration of the Hill Coolies
After that decision was made known, some objections
were made, and the Noble Lord had thrown out a sug-
gestion that probably Government might reverse their
decision upon the subject ; but before that reversal
took place, he wished the subject to be discussed in that
House. Now what he (Sir J. Graham) wished to
know was, whether it was the intention of the Govern-
ment to bring in any measure on the subject ? and if
it was, he begged to suggest that on the introduction of
that Bill would be the best time for discussing the po-
licy of the mode adopted far the emigration of-the Hill
Coolies.
Lord J. RUSSELL said he hoped the Government
would not be under the necessity of asking for the as-
sistance of Parliament ; at tho same time be was dis-
posed to agree with the Right Honourable Gen-
tleman that the best mode would be to introduce
some Bill on which the sense of Parliament might
be taken ; it certainly was a very material change, and
he should be very glad to know the opinion of Parlia-
ment on the subject. He would therefore consider the
proposition to introduce a Bill, and in the meantime
was ready to say that no final steps would be taken by
the Government until he had decided. What he stated
had reference to the Mauritius only.
CHINA.

Mr. HUME said he wished to know whether Cspt.
Elliot had been recalled or not. If so, whether his suc-
cessor was sent out.
Lord PALMERSTON said that Capt. Elliot had
not been recalled, and that there was no intention to
recall him.
CLAIMS ON PORTUGAL.
Mr. HERRIES said he wished to call the atten-
tion of Lcrd Palmerston, to a correspondence between
her Majesty's Ambassador at Lisbon, relating to the
payment of the sums of money to Sir John M, Doyle,
and others, and wished to know whether that money

was paid in part of the sum due from Portugal to
Great Britain.

_._
Lord PALMERSTON said, that by the treaty of
1817 the produce of vessels condemned and sold was
divided equally between the two Governments, and
there was a balance on that account of 3,0001. or 4,0001.
due from Portugal, and that among the claims recently
made on the Portuguese Government were certain
small sums, which the Portuguese were informed
should be paid out of that balance, which was done.
That payment therefore would leave an undiminished
balance claimed from, and due by, Portugal, arising out
of the Convention (as we caught it) of 1826.
POST-OFFICE.

Sir C. KNIGHTLEY then rose and said, he wished
to know if it were true, as he had heard that a person
having a large claim on the Post-Office, had been ob-
liged to receive Stamp-Office instead of Post-Office
warrants for payment in consequence of the Post-Office
Department not being able to pay its own expenses.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
he had never heard of such a fact, and he must have
heard of it had it taken place.—(Hear, hear,)
Sir C. KNIGHTLEY then proceeded to say, I
wish also to ask if there has been any alteration in
the receiving hours at the Post-office, because on
18th of January last—(A laugh)—the porter of the
Carlton Club—(Roars of laughter)—went to the Post-
office in St. Martin's-le-Grand with letters to put into
the post; he arrived there at 25 minutes to six,but he could
not get to the window, so he went to the door of the
office, and they told him they could not receive the
letters. He saw the porter of the Athenaeum Club—
(Laughter)—who also had letters—(Cries of " Ques-
tion," " Order," and laughter)—and he was treated
with abuse by the party at the office. The man swore
at him—(Laughter)—and on Tuesday last, as well as
Monday, I put letters into the post-box here—(Laugh-
ter)—and I am sure they were put in in time, and I
find that neither have reached their destination.
(Laughter, and cries of " Question.")
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
I can assure the Hon. Member that if, instead of put-
ting a long string of questions here, he would reduce
his complaints to writing, and allow me to make in-
quiries—(Hear, hear)—if any officer in the Post-office,
or any other department, has behaved in the manner he
states, he will receive no encouragement from those in
power.—( Hear, hear.) But I don't think it is quite fair
to make such accusations, without any opportunity of
making explanations.—( Hear, hear.)
DR. BO WRING'S REPORT.

Mr. BAINES wished to ask the Noble Lord the
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, how long it
would be before the Report of Dr. Bowring, on the
subject of the German Commercial League, would be
laid before the House ?
Lord PALMERSTON said the Report was printed,
and would be laid upon the table in a few days.
Mr. HUME wished to ask the Right Hon. Member
for Harwich whether, as he had given notice of a mo-
tion calling for certain accounts, he would have any
objection to lay upon the table the nature of that motion
a few days before it was brought forward, in order to
give Members an opportunity of making themselves ac-
quainted with the subject.
Mr. HEItRIES would do so.
An HoN. MEMBER on the Opposition benches had
received a letter from one of his constituents, stating
that he had transmitted the sum of 751. in a letter
through the Post-office some short time since, and that
the letter and money were both lost. A person at
Dudley als‘) had lost 501. in a similar manner.
He had had a communication with the Post-
office on the subject and he believed the
matter was under investigation there. He wished to
inquire whether it was the intention of her Majesty's
Government to check, as much as possible, the trans-
mission of money through the Post-office.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
thought it advisable that persons should not transmit
large sums of money through the Post-office. In so
large a department it was impossible to guarantee entire
security for the transmission of large sums, but small
sums might be carefully transmitted by an order horn
one Post-office on another.
Mr. GOULBURN thought it would be of great
advantage if the Post-office were empowered to grant
orders for larger sums of money than they did at present.
The Hon. Member who introduced the subject under-
stood
then, that it was not the intention of the Govern-
ment to continue the system of registration of money-
letters established tinder the old system.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, under the old system there had been no system of
registration of money-letters. Letters supposed to
contain sovereigns had been placed apart, but there had
Leen no regular system on the subject, and consi-
dering, the multitude of letters passing through
the post-office, it would be impossible to establish one.

THE KING OF THE BELGIANS.
Captain POLHILL having proposed a question
last night, which the Chancellor of the Exchequer at
that time was unable to answer, would now ask at what
period a return of the money paid to the King of the
Belgians would be laid on the table of that House, and
also whether it would be laid on the table before the
Royal Marriage ?—(A laugh.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had
been unable to answer the question last night, because
the Gallant Member had given him no notice of it. The
only reason why the returns had not been made out be-
fore now was that the Hon. Member had called for
certain accounts from the War-office to be included in
the returns ; he hoped they would be laid on the table
to-night.
PRINCE ALBERT'S ANNUITY BILL.
Mr. Justice EASY] \E and Mr. Justice 11IAULE
brought Prince Albert's Annuity Bill from the House
of Lords, where it had been agreed to without any
amendment.
THOMAS BURTON HOWARD.
The Sergeant-at-Arms announced that Thomas
Burton Howard was in -.ustody.
The SPEAKER ordered him to he brought to the
Bar.
Mr. Howard then appeared at the Bar in the custody
of the Sergeant-at-Arms.
The SPEAKER—Thomas Burton Howard, the
House has been informed that on the 24th of Januuary
a writ of summons was served on the Messrs. Hansard,
commanding theta to enter an appearance within eight
days of the receipt of the writ in the Court of Queen's
Bench in an action at the suit of John Joseph Stock-
dale. They were also informed that your name was
endorsed o❑ the writ. Arc you the attorney in the
action ?—I am.
The SPEAKER.—What is the cause of action ?
A subsequent publication of a libel.
The SPEAKER.—Was that libel contained in a
report published by the authority of this House ?—lt
was.

The SPEAKER,—Did you receive instructions
from Mr. Stockdale to commence that action against

:he Messrs. Hansard ?—I did.

Mr. HUNIE.—In what publication of this House
was the libel contained ?—lt was a report of the In-
spectors of Prisons.
Mr. HUME.—The same as before ?—The same as
before.

Mr. Howard was then ordered to withdraw, and

Lord J. RUSSELL moved that the short-hand
writer do read over his notes of the examination, which
was accordingly done.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL then rose, and said, that

the motion he had to make arose directly from the ex-
amination of Mr. Howard at the bar. The motion be
had to propose to the House was to the following effect :
that Thomas Burton Howard, having served a writ of
summons upon Messrs. Hansard, the printers of
that House, for the purpose of causing them
to appear to an action in the Court o: Queen's
Bench, which he had brought at the instance of Joh❑
Joseph Stockdale, against them for a libel which they
had published in the papers printed for the House, had
been guilty of a high contempt of the privileges of that
House.

Mr. HUME did not wish to offer any objection to
the motion of the Noble Lord, but he begged to suggest
whether it would not be proper to send for Mr. Stock-
(ye for the purpose of asking him whether he had
given the instructions to Mr. Howard.
Sir R. INGLIS did not believe that a single instance
existed of a prisoner being brought up to the bar for the
purpose of convicting another person and himself too. He
objected to the motion of the Noble Lord, looking
at the course which the House had pursued, when the
second action was brought, namely, that of instructing
a
the Attorney-General to appear. He stated yesterdy
that, he did not question the right of the House to
summon Mr. Howard to the bar, because it would he
impossible to carry on any private Bill without
they had that power, but he did deny the
right of the House to exercise the power of
summoning parties to their bar for the purpose
of inflicting punishment upon them.—(Hear, hear.)
This was another step in which the House could with
propriety desist from any further involving itself, and he
hoped Mr. Howard would be discharged.
Lord J. RUSSELL moved that the Admonition of
the Speaker to Mr. Howard, on the former occasion,
be read,riwhich was accordingly done by the Clerk.
This admonition reprimanded Mr. Howard for having
in deliberately issuing a writ of inquiry, and levying
damages on the printer of the House for publishing
proceedings by order of that House, by which he had been
guilty ut a high contempt of the privileges of the
House, which ought to be severely visited ; that the
House, in its clemency, would be contented with thus
reprinianding him.
Sir E. :;UG DEN would move. as an amendment,
that Mr. Howard be brought to the liar to-morrow.
He did so for this reason, that the adjourned debate on
the case of the Sherlffs would come on to-morrow, and
the decision on their case might influence that of Mr.
Howard.
The SPEAKER wished it to be understood that
Mr. Howard was now in the custody of the Sergeant-
at-Arms.—( Hear, hear.)
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said it was not
for him at all to anticipate what might be the decision of
the House on the case of the Sheriffs. The House might