The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-12 00:00:00

hot air by which the House is heated is disagree-
able to him. Lord DUNCANNON made a promise
to inquire into the matter, and their Lordships
adjourned.

In the Commons, the Earl of LISTOWEL and
Lord EA STNOR took their seats.

After the presentation of a considerable num-
ber of petitions, the SPEAKER called over the
list of Members liable to serve on Election Com-
mittees, excusing Lord PALMERSTON, Lord J.
RUSSELL, and other Members of the Govern-
ment, on account of their official dude!, and
excusing several Members on account of their
age.
Various notices were given, for which we refer

to our report.
In answer to Lord INGESTRIE, Lord Jon
RUSSELL said the sailing of the Niger expedition
had been delayed because it was not thought ad-
visable, on account of the deficiency of water, to
enter the river till June.
Sir E. KNATCRBULL obtained leave to bring in
a Bill to provide for the appointment and pay-
ment of parish constables.
Lord SANDON in moving for certain returns
to elucidate the progress which had been made
by the Commissioners for investigating and
determining the claims of British naval and
military officers on the Government of Portugal,
complained of the delay which had taken place
in settling this matter. It had made no progress
since he left town.

Viscount PALMERSTON said, on the contrary,
the Commissioners had made considerable pro-
gress. They had agreed to a code of rules for
their guidance, and they had taken into their
consideration the question of contracts of service,
aboutwhich they appear to have differed, and the
question was referred to the Belgian Minister,
as arbitrator, who had not yet given his decision.
After a few words from Sir DE LACEY EVANS,
expressing an opinion that the affair was making
progress, the returns were ordered.

Mr. H. BA ILLIE drew a somewhat lugubrious

picture of the distress of the people in the High-
lands, chiefly arising from the destruction of
the manufacture of kelp. Our readers know
that owing to the progress of chemical
knowledge, alkali is now manufactured in
such abundance and so cheaply from common
salt that it does not pay men to gather sea-weed
and make alkali out of that. The manufacture
of the Highlands has been destroyed by the pro-
gress of art and skill, and a host of laws
which prevent the nation froth cultivating,
though it be at peace, the arts of peace,
have prevented the Highlanders from finding
profitable employment in other branches of hu-
man industry. Mr. H. BAILLIE wants to employ
the public money in relieving the landlords of the
Highlands from the duty of providing for the
people, whom the Legislature will not allow to
provide for themselves. He moved for a Com-
mittee to consider how far the Highlanders may
be relieved by promoting emigration.
Lord TEIGNMOUTH seconded the motion.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL assented to the Com-
mittee, but did not assent to give any money to
remove the Highlanders. We agree with the
Noble Lord, and we wish he had never consented
to squander almost as large a sum as is asked for
the Highlanders on Sir FOWELL BUXTON'S quix-
otic and contemptible expedition.
Sir ROBERT INGLIS concurred in, the scheme
to tax the people to remove the Highland land-
owners' people out of their way.
Mr. WARBURTON opposed the motion, because
it would raise expectations which were not to be
gratified.
Sir R. PEEL approved of the inquiry, because
he thought it would result in showing that the
scheme of emigration., was not practicable. Ac-
cording to him, therefore, who will not allow the
people to have food, there is nothing for them
but to starve and die.
After a brief discussion the Committee was
appointed, nobody, we believe, expecting that
it will or can do the least good.
Sir H. VIVIAN obtained leave, with very ge-
neral approbation, to bring in a Bill to execute
the Ordnance Survey of England and Scotland,
on a scale of six inches to a mile.

The Committee to inquire into Banks of Issue,
which sat last Session, was re-appointed.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for Ireland obtained
leave to bring in a Bill to continue the Irish
Turnpike Acts. The Court of Exchequer (Ire-
land), and the Tithe Corporation (Ireland) Bills,
were read a second time.

The House adjourned at Quarter past Eight.

One of the objections made to the New Poor-
law, when the Bill was passing through the
House of Commons, was that it would concen-
trate on the Government, and so endanger it, all
the discontent of the poorer classes, previously
rendered harmless by being diffused and dis-
persed over the various local authorities, in
whose hands was placed the management of the
poor. We conceive this prediction to have been
verified to the letter. Since the Act was passed
the three Commissioners, and the Government—
using that word in its most extensive sense,
including both the legislative and executive
powers—have been the objects of incessant
vituperation on account of it ; and we have no re-
collection of any single law which has drawn on
the Government through successive years so much
contempt and hatred from the bulk of the poorer
classes. That circumstance has, in our opinion,
weakened the Government very much, and much
diminished its power to protect the peculiar spe-
cies of property, and all the great interests that
depend on it for their existence and protection.
We refer to that point to guard against com-
mitting similar errors in increasing the enormous
responsibility of the Government, and sinking it
by taking on board too heavy a cargo.
A few months ago unhappily several accidents
occurred on railways. A panic seized the pub-
lic, which was fostered by ignorant and inte-
rested writers. If the Government have any
duty on such occasions, it is to ascertain exactly
what ground there is for apprehension, and to
disabuse the public mind, if it be in error. To
take care of the public safety in relation to fo-
rAgn countries is: a part of its duty; to provide
institutions for the redress of wrongs done
to individuals is another part of its duty ;
to repress violence and punish crime is another
part of its duty ; but it seems to us an abuse of its
power to talk of its providing for the public safety,
in the sense of making it, like a mother, take
care of its, subjects as she takes care of her chil-
dren. For the Government to undertake that is
obviously beyond its means, and is to burden it-
self with the heavy responsibility of all the acci-
dents which carelessness, negligence, or folly
may cause.
When the above-named panic arose the Go-
vernment properly instituted an inquiry into the
accidents, and it came to the satisfactory conclu-
sion, which had previously been arrived at by se.
veral observers and engineers, that " THE IN-
HERENT DANGER OF RAILWAY TRAVELLING IS

VERY SMALL, AND, EVEN UNDER THE PRESENT SYS,

TEM, IS LESS THAN THAT OF OTHER MODES OF CON-
VEYANCE." And having ascertained this point,
did it come also to the conclusion; that the panic
was momentary and unfounded that the public
would take care of themselves; that the railway
companies have the strongest interest in carrying
theirpassengers safe; and that, nowpublicattention
has been directed to the subject, there is no rational
ground for alarm ? No. It came to the conclu-
sion, at least Messrs. PORTER, SMITH, and
LAING came to the conclusion, and the Govern-
ment adopted it, that a measure must be brought
fofward to provide for the public safety by en-
trusting certain Commissioners of Railways with
great discretionary powers, and a complete con-
trol over this novel and mechanical method of
public conveyance.
Now, that is a conclusion at variance, we
think, with the part of the Commissioners' Report
we have quoted, and it is contrary to the dictates
of experience, aild contrary to the duties and