The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-20 00:00:00

ST. SULPICE.

Tile Bishop of LONDON, on behalf of the Bishop of
Exeter, gave notice that that Right Rev. Prelate would
on Tuesday next present a petition from the proprietors
of real ( states, merchants, and other inhabitants of
Montreal, praying the House to address her Majesty
not to give her consent to the ordinance of the Gover-
nor incorporating the Seminary of St. Sulpice to
Montreal.

Lord ELLENBOROUGH presented a petitien
rrom the Chamber of Commerce in Glasgow, praying
,;:or the equalisation of Colonial duties.

PRIVY COUNCIL.

Lord BROUGHAM said on the table a return,
showing the number of days the Judicial Committee of
the Privy Council had sat in each year since its forma-
tion, and the number of causes nuw pending, from which
the Noble and Learned Lord observed it appeared
that instead of sitting for 18 days in 1840, as had been
stated, the Court had sat 36 days. In one year it had
sat 48 days. With respect to the state of the business,
lie found that since the Court was formed from 310 to
320 causes, some of them of great length, had been
disposed of. The arrear, if it could be called such,
was, that exclusive of the appeals from the native Courts
of India, there were just six appeals standing ready for
hearing from all the other colonies of the empire. The
Indian appeals from native Courts were six, and the
Admiralty and other Courts were six also, making 18
causes which were ready for hearing, and no more.—
(Hear, and a laugh.) It was not necessary to detain
their Lordships by referring to the causes which were
ready in November or December ; but before the
month of November there were only four or five ex-
clusive of the Indiaa appeals ready for hearing, and of
these five every one had been disposed of. He should
make a distinction of course between these causes and
the Indian appeals generally, in which no instructions
had been sent to the English agents to bring them for-
ward. He thought it right to state these circumstances
which were borne out by the returns be now moved to
have printed ; and in justice to the Leareel Judges who
attended that Court, and who devoted so large a por-
tion of their time to the pullic service without the
slightest remuneration.—Agreed to.

THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. •
Tie Earl of DEVON rose to lay on the tab'e
a Bill for the Better Administration of Justice.

He did so in pursuance of the recommendation of her
Majesty's Speech. He perceived by the Votes of the
other Ilouse that two measures of considerable import-
ance in relation to the subject had been bi-ought for-
ward there, but there were other matters, connected
with the trial and conviction of minor offences through-
out the country which required and demanded serious
consideration. He would not now enter into the kils
of the measure, but would merely lay on the taidc
a Bi'l founded on the Reports made to that House by
persons very competent, and whose opinions must carry
the greatest weight.—Leave given.
The Bill was accordingly laid on the table and read a
first time, and ordered to be read a second time on
Thursday next.
The Marquis of NORMANBY proFented a petition
_ .

tfroin the Mayor and Aldermen of the borouzli of. D..n-
eaq.tr in favour of the Drainage Bill. The Nob!e Mar-
quis postponed the Committee en that Bill till Tee:-
day next.

POOR LAWS (IRELAND).
The Earl of GLENGALL moved for a return of the

cerre.ipoudence between Mr. Nichols, the Poor-kw
Commissioner, and the Irish Government, on the sub-
ject of the valuation of unions under the Poor kw Act.

It appeared Vint directions had been given to two bar-
risters by the Irish Government to inspect the valua-
tion of the union!, in order to ascertain the number of
rate-payers cnt'!red on the valuation list, and to com-
pare them with the number of persons registered in ere
country, and who were entitled to vote at elections.—
His reason for moving for this letter was that if calcu-
lations were to be founded on such inspe;:fons they

must be fall Icious, inasmuch as few of the inspections
were comrl,ted. In the south of Ireland he believed
there was great objection to the valuations. There
was another part in the letter he thought deserving of
some notice. Tt:at was the great anxiety which ap-
pearel to exist on the part of the Government that
these inspections, and all matters'connected with them,
should be carried into effect with the greatest possible
secrecy. He did not mean to say that any
thing incorrect was intended, but he thought
that these injunctions to secrecy gave rise
to suspicions which he needed not to say he thought
were unfounded. It gave rise to suspicions that the
Poor-law Commissioners were used is some respect for
political purposes. The Noble Earl then gave some
explanations relative to a change which he had made in
the terms of the motion, and said the point be wished
to arrive at was the letters written by the Irish Govern-
ment to Mr. Nichols, and by Mr. Nichols to these
barristers.

The Marquis of NORM AN BY said there would be
no objection to produce the papers moved for by the Noble
Earl, either by the original or amended motion. He
trusted he need not detain their Lordships long in re-
ply to the two objections of the Noble Earl. He
(the Marquis of Normanby) thought the N0b1,3 Earl's
objections, as to the complete accuracy of their calcula-
tions, would apply better to any Bill which might ar-
rive there, as he trusted it would, in an unmu-
tilated shape. The Government had, for their own in-
formation, given these directions to tho Poor-law Corn-
missionerF, and he (the Marquis of Normanby) could
not conceive any course more fair and open than that
adopted by the Government. The Government wished
to lr.ve correct data on which to form their calculations,

and to found a legislative measure on the basis of the
Poor-law valuation, a plan which had met with the ge-
neral concurrence of all parties. The Noble Earl did
not do more than allude to the uncertainty of any calcu-
lation derived from such a source. The other objection
wa-, that the inquiry had been made as quietly as pos-
sible. What coup be more natural than that the Go-
vernment should wish to obtain information without ex-
citing expectations, which the result might render them
unable to fulfil ? And surely it was on every account

undesirabh that expectations should be excited, or that
those valuations which the Nobl3 Lord had stated to
be incomplete, should be the basis of any such expec-
tations.

Lorsi FITZGERALD hoped there would be no
objection to give also a copy of the Report.
The Marquis of NORMANBY had not seen the
Report yct, end therefore could not say whether it
would be proper to lay it on the table or net.
The motion was then agreed to.
The Marquis of NORMANBY said, in answer to
the communication made by his Noble Friend (the Earl
of Devon) respecting some very extralrdinary proceed-
ings which hail taken place in a union in Ireland, he
had to say that on the very day he had brought the
matter under his notice, a communication was made to
the Poor-law Commissioners stating how the interpola-
tions had been made in the valuation papers. The
Board of Guardians acquitted the valuators of all fault
in the proceedings. They had trusted the making out
of the schedules to a clerk who had committed the
offence and had been reprimanded for it. The Poor-
law Commissioners were not quite satisfied and had
ordered the Assist ant-Commissioner, Mr. O'Donoghue,
to niche further inquiries into the matter.
The Earl of DEVON would not upon such a state-
ment form any opinion upon the subject. lie trusted
the inquiry would be pursued so that such improper
conduct should not acain be committed.
The Earl of GLENGALL said he vvslied to say a
few words upon this queiton. The offence was com-
mitt d in the union of Clogheen. In the valuation
papers, five of his tenants who were 10/. frechollers had
attached to their names the appellations of Tory and
disturber." The reason of this was that they had oted
for a Conservative candidate at the late election. Each
party was now registering their friends as fast as possible
preparing for another struggle, which there certainly
woull be soon, and this course was taken for the pur-
pose of intimidation and in order to point out those 101.
freeholders who had voted against the Repeal party.
He considered the act as a most diabolical one, and
tended to put the life and property of the five individuals
The Marquis of NORMANBY considered the
valuators had cortaialy.4o glo),,,Aisome negligence,

but that was not t 3 be charged upon either the Board
of Guardians or the Poor-law Commissioners. The
latter were still engnged in inquiring into the circum-
stances.

The House then Adjourned till Monday.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, FEB. 19.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at Five Minutes to
Four o'Clock.

Colonel CLEMENTS was again introduced by Sir R.
Inglis and Mr. Young, and took the oaths and his seat
for Cavan.

PRIVATE BILLS.
On the motion of Mr. LOWTHER the York and
North Midland Railway Bill was read a second time.
On the motion of Mr. PEASE, the Britannia Life
Assurance Company's Bill was read a second time.
On the motion of Mr. T. PARKER, the Preston
and Longridge Railway Bill was read a second time.
On the motion of Mr. REDDINGTON, the Birken-
head Church Bill was read a first time.

Mr. W. PATTEN moved the second reading of the
Winwick Rectors' Bill.
Mr. HINDLEY said he should be sorry to oppose
the 13d1, and had no intention of doing so, but he hoped
the Committee would be instructed to frame the cliuse
relating to Church-rates, in such a way as should be
least objectionable to the parishioners.
After a few words from Sir R. H. INGLIS,
Mr. WILSON PATTEN said he would undertake
to direct the attention of the Committee to that point.
The Bill was then read a second time.
On the motion of Alderman THOMPSON, the
Durham and Sunderland Railway Company's Rill was
read a first time.

On the motion of Mr. G. KNIGHT, the Notting-
ham Gds Bill was read a second time.

Mr. PEASE presented a patition from the Stockton
and Darlington Railway Company, praying for a more
equitable tax on railway passengers.

.
POOR-LAWS.
Sir J. Y. BULLER presented a petition from the
county of Devon, praying for a Committ,:.e of Inquiry
into the operation of the Poor-laws in thk.t county.
Also a pct tion from the Guardians of the Kingsbridge
Union, praying that the Guardians might be allowed
some discretion in giving relief to ablc-bndied men with
large families.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. TROTTER presented a petition from Gui!d-
ford, in Surrey, against the 9th and other clauses of
the Poor-law Amendment Act.

Mr. BOLLING presented a petition against the
Poor•law Amendment Bil!.

Sir R. FERGUSON presented petitions from Lor-
donderry pra3ing for an extension of the elective fran-
chise, and in favour of Lord Morpeth's Registration Bill.
Colonel RAWDON presented a petition from the
county of Armagh against Lord Stanley's Irish Regis-
tration Bill.

Sir DE LACY EVANS presented a petiti3n from
tlie Westminster Reform Society against the Windon-
tax.

Mr. W. PATTEN presented a petition from a
p'ace in Lancashire for the extension of the Copyright
in Designs.
Sir R. INGLIS presented petitions from Suss' x
and Norfolk praying for Church Extension.
Sir F. POLLOCK presented a petition from the
Royal Coll-ge of Physicians, praying that a Bill migt t
be introduced, by which one test might be applied to
all medical practitioners.
Mr. BAINES presented a petition from the Cor-
poration of Leeds, complaining of Registration of
voters, and praying the House would adopt some means
for the amendment of the exiting law.
Sir R. BATESON presented a petition from the
Presbytery of Antrim, praying that the system of Church
patronage in Scotland might be abolished. The Hon.
Member also presented a petition from Fermanagh in
favour of Lord Stanley's Registration Bill.
Sir R. JENKINS presented a
.petition from Mont-
gomery against the separation of the dioceses of Ban
gor and St. Asaph.
Mr. WAKLEY presented a petition from St.
Luke's, Middlesex, against the Bill fcr the Amend-
ment of the Poor-law Act. The Hop. Member pre-
sented a petition on the same subject from cer-
tain rate-payers of the parish of Shadwell, in Mid-
dlesex. The petitioners complaine I of the man-
ner in which paupers were removed in the work-
houses in their union. They stated that the system
had been changed in that respect, and that the
change had increased the rates by 50 per cent. The
Hen. Member was proceeding to enter into other de-
tails when

The SPEAKER asked whether he was then read-
ing the petition?
Mr. WAKLEY said he was really at a loss what to
do. He was only stating the substance of the petition ;
and it would be well the people should know that it was
of no use for them to send petitions to that House.—
(Cries of " Order, order.")
The SPEAKER again eal!ed the Hon. Member to
order. Tne Hon. Member must surely see that the
observations he was making had no connection with the
petition. If the Hon. Member wished to have the pe-
tition rend, it would
_be the duty of the Clerk to read
it from the table.
Mr. WAKLEY said that he was not reading the
petition, he was only submitting the substance of it to
the House. The petitionerspraycd that tho House would
not passit.to a law the Bill then before them, :.s they con-
sidered it would prove in the highest degree detrimental
to the interests of the ratepayers and the poor. They
also prayed the House t 3 introduce a clause into the
Bill, which would have the effect of protecting those
parishes which were under local acts from the operation
of the new Bill. The Hon. Member presented a petition
with a similar prayer, from St. Leonard's, Shoreditch ;
also a petition from the industrious classes of West
borough-common, near Barnsbury, against the Bill,
which the petitioners regarded as a robbery of the
poor, for the benefit of the rich, an opinion in which
he (Mr. Wakley) entirely concurred. The petitioners
prayed that the House do abstain from Xll I.rgislation on
the subject until the people were fairly represented in
Parliament.

Major MACNAMARA presented a petition from
a parish in the county of Clare, praying for an extension
of the elective franchise, and against Lord Stanley's Bill.
Mr. WILLIAM DUNCOMBE presented a peti-
tion from a place in Yorkshire in favour of Church
Ex onsion.

Mr. THOMAS DUNCOMBE prezentel a pefi-

tion from a body called the %Board of Science of Bir-
mingham, consisting of about 800 persons, praying
that the House would inquire into the treatment of
Mr. Feargus O'Connor in York Castle. The peti-
tioners stated that if the death of Mr. O'Connor
were to ensue from the severity with which he
was treated, it would justly be held as a judi-
e'al murder. The Hon. Member also present?d
a petition from the Chartist Association of Bloomsbury,
praying for the liberation of Frost, Williams, and Jones ;
and a petition from an individual residing in Hatton-
garden to the same effect.
Sir GEO. STAUNTON presented a petition from
the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh against the
Bill on the subject of Medical Reform, which stood for
a second reading that evening. The petitioners stated
that the Bill, so far from amending, would only injure the
condition of the medical profession.
Mr. LITTON presented a Petition from certain in-
habitants of Wicklow, praying that the B 11 for the Re-
gistration of Voters may be rejected, and that that
brought in by Lord Stanley may be passed ; also peti-
tions from the King's County, one from the county of
Meath, from the county of Louth, from the county of
Cork, and from the county of Waterford, to the same
effect.

Lord STANLEY presented a petition from certain
rate-payers of Lancaster, stating that they were subject
to very great expense under the New Peor-law and Ru-
ral Police Acts, and praying for relief.
M. GROTE presented a petition from certain in-
habitants of Bury, preying for the release of Heery
Hetherington from gaol.
Sir R. INGLIS presented a petition from Youghal,
complaining of abuses under 'the present system of re-
gistration, and praying that a remedy may be applied.
Lord STANLEY presented a petition from the
China Association at Liverpool, praying for the equali-
zation of all duties on East and West India produce.
Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition from the
comity of Down, praying that Lard Morpeth's Regis-
tration Bill for Ireland might pass into a law ; also a
petition from the inhabitants of the province of Munster,
praying that Lord Stanley's Bill might be rejected ;
and another, numerously signed, from the same place,
praying for the repeal of the Legi,l itiv.‘ Union.
Mr. HUME presented a petition from three indivi-
duals praying for an extension of the suffrage to all per-
sons who paid taxes. In the prayer of the petition he
entirely concurred.
Sir W. W. FOLLETT presented a petition from
Heavitrce, in the county of Devon, praying that the
House would agree to some general measure for the
establishment of Local Courts.
Mr. S. O'BRIEN presented a petition from the
Medical Practitioners of Limerick praying for the re-
peal of so much of the Vaccination Act as gave addi-
tional powers to the Poor-law Commissioners.
Sir R. H. ING I,IS, seeing the Hon. Member for
Lambeth in his place, he begged to ask him to what
day he proposed to postpone the second reading of
a Bill for reforming the Medical profession, which was
indorsed with his name. As it stood he could assure
him it was impossible that it could be read a snot-id
time that night.
Mr. HAWES said he had stated to the parties con-
cerned in the Bill that it was his intention to postpone
the second reading of the 8.11. He would take that
opportunity of stating that he had made up his mind to
strike out all those clauses of the 13i11 which related to
chemists and druggists.
Mr. WAKIEY—If the Hon. Member had already
brought his mind to strike out those clauses, he would
earnestly entreat him to give up the other portion also
--(A laugh)—for he could assure him that it would not
in such a sh spe give satisfaction to any portion of the
medical profession.
The SPEAKER said the clauses relating to the