The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-13 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, March 12.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his scat upon the Wool-
sack, at Five o'clock.
BIRMINGHAM AND WORCESTER RAILWAY.
The Earl of RIPON presented a petition from the Bir-
mingham and Worcester Railway Company complaining
of the conduct of the London and North-Western Rail-
way Company, in purchasing up the Birmingham and
Oxford Railway, in order to defeat the policy of
an Act passed last session. He would accordingly move
that the petition should lie upon the table of the House.
Lord LYNDHURST said it was a matter of great
importance, and he considered that the House ought to
grant a Committee of Inquiry into the facts of the case.
The course they have adopted was this—out of the 50,000
shares, they had purchased 38,000 ; the remaining
shares were divided among the shareholders and the
dependents of the company. The object was plainly to
defeat the opposition of a rival company, and he would
suggest that his Noble and Learned Friend should move
for a Committee of Inquiry into the allegations of this
petition.
Lord BROUGHAM quite concurred in the opinion
that these allegations should be left to the inquisition of a
Committee, for the Bill alluded to was clearly a fraud
on Parliament. The only difficulty that struck him
was, that this matter was under a course of inquiry in a
court of law.

Lord LYNDHURST had made inquiry and was cer-
tain that tio such difficulty existed.
Lord BROUGHAM was sure that his Noble and
Learned Friend would perceive that he was in favour of
the Committee.

Lord LYNDHURST said that there were more in-
terests that' those of the Oxford and Birmingham
Company invested in this question. There was the
Great Western Company also, who were largely airect(d
by the conclusion to which they might come.
After a few words from the Duke of BUCKINGHAM
and the Earl of WICKLOW,

Lord BE AUMONT said that he was quite opposed
to this Committee, for a Bill was at the present moment
pending before the other House of Parliament to enable
the London and Birmingham Company to lower their
tolls, "and as that Bill would have to go through both
Houses there would be ample opportunity for inquiry.
Lord LYNDHURST' was of opinion, that as the Lon-
(lin and Birmingham Railway was already in the pos-
session of the Oxford and Birmingham Company, that
Bill could not affi et the matter at all.

Lord CAMPBELL professed himself wholly ignorant
of the facts of the case, and he would, therefore, refrain
from offering any opinion whatever ; but he must say
that he perfectly concurred with his Noble and Learned
Friend on the cross-benches (Lord Lyndhurst), and with
his Noble and Learned Friend opposite, that inquiry was
quite necessary, but he thought that object could be
obtained without a Committee.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE agreed with his
Noble and Learned Friend, that this was not a matter
with which they should proceed hastily. As the subject
divided itself into two parts, that very materially affected
the interests of the public ; he would suggest that they
should refer it to the Railway Board that had been
specially appointed to superintend the operation of
railways.
After a few words from Lord BROUGHAM,

Lord LYNDHURS r then said, that after what fell
from the Noble Marquis, he would suggest that the fur
ther consideration of the subject should be adjourned till
Tuesday next, and he should then move the appointment
of the Committee. He would now move that the petition
be printed, to which he presumed there would be no
objection.
Lord BROUGHAM thought they would be better
able to consider the question than the Railway Board,
and he would not give his reasons why he thought so.
The subject then dropped.
PAUPERS.

Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from Black-
burn, complaining of the influx of the Irish poor into
this country, and praying for a stringent law to compel
the landlords of Ireland to support them. The Noble
Lord proceeded to comment on the statements of the
petitioners, and stated that the poor were sent over at
2s. 6d. a head, at the expense of the landlords of Ireland.
The Earl of IJEVON said that there was one state-
ment made by his Noble and Learned Friend which
ought not to have been made without the best founda-
tion. That statement was, that the poor of Ireland
were sent over by the landlords of Ireland at 2s. 6d. a
head, to be fed by the people of England. This was a
reflection upon a large, and, as he believed, a highly
respectable body of men, on whom he believed it was a
reflection as unnecessary as it was unjust.
Lord BROUGHAM had the greatest confidence in
the sources of his information.
The Earl of DEVON wished to know whether his
Noble and Learned Friend spoke in explanation or reply ?
Lord BROUGHAM—Which I please.

The Earl of DEVON spoke to Order.
Lord BROUGHAM—So do I; and I put it to your
Lordships whether I am not entitled to a reply on a debate
upon a petition, and, if I am not in order in that motion,
whether I am not entitled to speak on a motion for a
Committee for the consideration of that petition? His
only object in the presentation of this petition was to
show the practical effects of the present proceedings of
Government. He had the beet possible authority for
the assertion that the poor of Ireland had been
sent over to this country at the expense
of others, to be sustained in this country.
His Noble Friend was a member of a committee before
whom he had summoned his informants, and they were
ready on oath to confirm the statements which they had
made to him of the faet which he had put before the
House.

The Earl of DESART would put it to their Lordships
whether they were to be wvaried night after night by
the attacks of the Noble and Learned Lord, who possessed
abilities and varied attainments to which many of those
who had to make their defence could not pretend?
Lord BROUGHAM had but one object in all these
attacks, and that was to impress on the minds of the
landlords of Ireland the truth that the poor of that
country were not to be supported by the people of Eng-
land, nor even at the expense orthe Irish people, but
that the landlords were themselves to bear their portion
of the burthen.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE only rose to refute
the absurdity that the sustentation of the Irish people
was to be at the expense of the English. They had
come to us in an extreme exigency, and it was our
duty to relieve them as a portion of the population of
Great Britain, for in truth Ireland was a portion of Great
Britain. He was prepared to prove to his Noble and
Learned Friend that if Government had not interfered
for the relief of the distress of Ireland, instead of thou-
sands hundreds of thousands would have fallen under
the influence of the angel of death that was spreading
destruction over that country. He did not regret the
part that Government had taken ; they came in not as
principals, but as auxiliaries, in the relief of the dis-
tress, and he was convinced that, in consequence of the
prudent course which they adopted, a stimulus was
given to the dormant energies of the people which would
be productive of the most beneficial results. At that
moment Parliament was engaged in framing a poor-law,
and when that Bill came up to that House it would be
his duty to invite the cooperation of his Noble and
Learned Friend and their Lordships to make that law
as effective as possible. In malting that Bill it was the
object of the Government to impose, as far as possible,
the support of the poverty of Ireland on the property of
Ireland, and he trusted that this, and the other mea-
sures for the improvement of that country, would meet
with the support of their Lordships.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY presented a petition
from the poor-law guardians of the County Down, praying for
an alteration of the law relating to the present mode of poor-
law assessment. The Noble Marquis again complained of the
animadversions of the Noble and Learned Lord (Brougham)
against the Irish landlords.
TIDAL HARBOURS.

Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from Ely, praying
heir Lordships to establish a board for the regulation of the
idal harbours of this country.
TRANSPORTATION.

Lord BROUGHAM moved that the report of the Select
Committee, that sat last August on the subject of the renewal
of transportation, should be laid on the table.—Agreed to.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid on the table a copy of
the committal of John Hockham to Tothill-fields prison.
POOR-LAW ASSESSMENTS.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented petitions from
several parishes against unequal assessments under the poor-
law.

RAILWAY S.

The Earl of AUCKLAND laid on the table several returns
respecting the railways leading to the several Government out!
ports.
HANOVERIAN JEWELS.
Viscount STRANGFORD said that through the courtesy of
the Noble Marquis he was permitted to make a communication
in private with respect to the relation between this country and
Hanover. The object which Le had in view was one which
nearly affected the present Sovereign of Hanover, and one
which had excited much notice among the public. The ques-
tion which he wished to put was as to whether her Majesty's
Government would have any disinclination to state what was
the position of the present negotiation between this country
and Hanover with respect to the jewels claimed by the Sove-
reign of that country as heirlooms.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE had no objection to give
all the information which he possessed, although he
decidedly refused to produce any papers connected
with the subject. The dispute had originally arisen
with respect to certain jewels which had been brought over to
this country by. George 1., and which had been successively the
property of George 11., George 111., and of the late King,
and part of which had been in the possession of Queen Char-
lotte. The illustrious persons who were particularly interested
in this affair had, alike with sense of their position and the
claims of justice, agreed not to appeal to law, by which they
could not be bound, but to a decision by;which they would be
hound in honour. They had agreed to submit the decision of
this dispute to three of the most eminent lawyers of this coun-
try. Those three were the late Chief Justice of the Court of
Common Pleas, Lord Lyndhurst, and Lord Langdale. Un-
happily the final settlement of the question had been postponed
through the sudden death of Sir Nicholas Tindal ; but thus
much he (the Marquis of Lansdowne) might state, that before
the decease of that eminent person, all the three Commissioners
were unanimous in agreeing that Queen Charlotte had not a
right to dispose of the jewels by will which she had been pos-
sessed of during life ; but on the other portion of property
they had not decided. At their last meeting they had had con-
siderable discussion, but before the next time appointed for
their meeting, one of the Commissioners had died. This,
however, did not materially interfere with the settlement
of the question, for it was known that they had been unanimous
in the belief that as far as the first proposition was concerned
these jewels could not be retained by her Majesty
otherwise
de-
than as heir-looms. With respect to the other jewelg' no
cision had been arrived at; yet, seeing the state of.t he case,
and knowing that the Commissioners had been unanimous,
proposition proposition had been made on the part of her M init°oust'hae
King of Hanover to take the decision of the two remaining
Commissioners, rather than reopen the whole question, and
thereby oblige the reconsideration of all the arguments which
bad been adduced upon the subject.
Lord BROUGHAM said if the House of Hanover had not
succeeded in this case they need not abide by the decision. He
believed this country had nothing whatever to do with the
matter, and he thought it better if they abstained from ex-
pressing anyti
cotphinoizilitnittiv House the arbitrators decided
OttlO be better to leave the matter to

- 4
three judges, another being appointed in lieu of Chief Justice
Tindal.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said there was no need to
use the expression that possession was nine points of the
law. There should be no improper use of the fact of pos-
ses•ion in this case, for there was no intention of making a
profit by the possession of the property.
The subject then dropped.
Their Lordships then adjourned.
-now
HOUSE 01, COMMONS. March 12.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
The following Bills were read a second time and
ordered to be committed :
Axholme Railway (from the Leeds and Selby Railway
to Gains borough, with branches).
Bingley Gas.
Edinburgh and Northern Railway (improvement of the
ferry between Ferry Port on Craig and the North
Shore:of the river Tay).
Enfield and Edmonton Railway Extension.
Leominster Canal Navigation Sale.
Liverpool Corporation Waterworks.
Manchester and Birmingham and North Staffordshire
Junction Railway.
Newhaven Harbour, Ouse Lower Navigation, and Lewes
and Laughton Drainage.
Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway (No. 1
--EN t( nsion and Amenultn• nt).
Portland Harbour of Refuge Lnd Breakwater.
Rochdale Improvement.

ArAcrifirF HARBOUR.
On the motion of Sir A. L. 1-TAY, the second reading
of the Macduff Harbour Bill was Postponed till this day
week.

STOCKTON AND HULL RAILWAY.
Mr. BRfaiIERTON presented a petition from Lord
Brougham and others against the Stockton and Bun
Railway Bill.

It was ordered to be referred to the Committee upon
the Bill.

POOR-LAW FOR IRELAND.
The O'CONOR DON presented a petition from the,
High Sheriff and Magistrates of the county of Ros-
common, in favour of a general assessment for the relief
of the poor ; and praying that an extensive system of
emigration might be introduced as a means of relief to
the distressed.