The Sun.
London, England, 1847-11-25 00:00:00

THURSDAY
_EVENING, NOVEMBER 25, 1847.

8,471

CRIMINAL INFORMATION.—BROCKMAN, M.P., V. RIODALE.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he applied for a rule
to show cause why a criminal information should not be
filed against a person of the name of John Rigdale for
the publication of a disgusting libel reflecting on
the character of plaintiff, who was a gentleman
of the highest respectability, and for many years had
held the office of Recorder for Hythe and Folkstone.
He also represented these boroughs in Parliament.
Up to the last election he had lived in respectability and
repute in the neighbourhood, when, being a candidate to
represent the borough, he was shocked and horrified to
hear that there was in current circulation among the
electors a report of the most disgusting and distressing
nature. The matters alleged to have been committed were
said to have taken place ten years ago. The prosecutor
commenced an active inquiry for the purpose of tracing
to their source these malicious slanders, and he was
enabled, by the affidavits of several gentlemen,
which he should produce, to trace them to a person
of tho-ame of Rigdale, who carried on the business of
a farrier, and was formerly a tenant of Mr. Brockman.
He, therefore, came to the Court on the present occasion,
solemnly pledging himself before their Lordships, upon
oath, against the correctness of the charges made against
him.—Rule granted.
BISHOP OF MANCHESTER THE QUEEN ON THE PROSE-

8,997

18,698

21,689
5,043

7,175

4,79

7,096
1,253
2,339
7,902

8,384

4, 1 7

,642

CUTION OF REV. JAMES LEE V. GUTTERIDGE.
Mr. Gutteridge, the defendant in this case, showed
cause in person why the rule for a criminal informa-
tion which had been made against him, for a libel on
the Rey. Dr. Lee, the Bishop elect of Manchester, should
not be made abolute.

Mr. Gutteridge adverted minutely to the affidavits
put in on behalf of the prosecutor, aid said ho avowed
the authorship of the various circulars which contained
the charges against the prosecutor, and was ready to
take all the responsibility which could morally and le
gaily belong to them.—Rule made absolute.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Nov. 24,
(Sittings in Banco.)
EX PARTE DUNN.

Mr. PAST-MET rose, on the part of Richard Dunn, now
a prisoner in the Queen's Prison, to apply on affidavits
for a writ of habeas corpus, in order that he might be
discharged out of custody, on the ground that the war-
rant of commitment which would be returned to the
writ was illegal. The prisoner was in custody under
two warrants; and on the s ffidavits sent to him by his
client, with only one of which should he think it neces-
sary to trouble their Lordships, it appeared that the first
warrant set out that " the defendant having been this
day convicted of wilful and corrupt perjury, ho be com-
mitted to the Quen's Prison, there to remain until dis-
charged by due course of law." That was clearly a bad
warrant, as the term of imprisonment was not distinctly
stated. lie would now proceed to the second warrant.
This warrant stated that at a sittcng at nisi prius held at
Guildhall, in London, on Saturday, the 10th of February,
1847, before Lord Denman, Chief Justice of the Queen's
Bench, the defendant "having this day been convicted
of wilful and corrupt perjury, it is considered and
ordered by me, the said Justice, that he, the
said Richard Dunn, for the said wilful and
corrupt perjury, be imprisoned for the space of 18
calendar months, to be computed from the day on which
he shall be first imprisoned ; and that he, the said
Richard Dunn, do give security to keep the peace, and
to be of good behaviour to all her Majesty's subjects,
and especially to Miss Angela Burdett Coutts, for the
space of two years, the said two years to commence and
be computed from the end and expiration of the said
18 calendar months, the said Richard Dunn to give
security himself in 100/, with two sureties of 501. each,
and that be be further imprisoned until such securities
be given, and that the said Richard Dunn bo committed
to the keeper of the Queen's Prison, to be kept in exe-
cution on this judgment." So that under this judgment,
t a free pardon were granted to him from the Crown,
and he could not get bail, he would still be compelled to
remain all the time in prison.
Mr. Justice Ma.cLE—ls the judgment erroneous ?
Mr. PASI[LEY submitted that it was more than that—
it was an unlawful sentence. He could not find any
authority in the books which gave power on a conviction
for perjury to sentence a man to find sureties to keep
the peace, any more than on a conviction for forgery.
He quoted the case "In re Henry Reynolds," and
another, 1 Dowling and Lowndes, Rep., p. 846, where
two persons were committed under the Night Poaching
Act, and ordered to find sureties " not to offend again
for the space of one year next following," which was
held a bad commitment, as too general, and the prisoners
were discharged.

Mr. Justice MAI:ILE—There was a case " O'Connell
v. the Queen," in which the plaintiff in error was sen-
tenced to be imprisoned for a further term to keep the
peace, be having been convicted of conspiracy, and no
one advanced this point at all, It seemed remarkable
that it was not taken if it could have been. The pri
sonar was not entitled to make this application under the
statute of Charles, for he was imprisoned for an offence
which was not bailable. He had also another clear
remedy, which was, that if he was under the sentence
of a Court which had done anything erroneous, he
might remove it by writ of error. The case quoted was
one of a summary conviction of justices, where the re-
medy by writ of error did not lie ; it was therefore not
in point.

PASULEY —His Lordship's view would take away
the remedy of a writ habeas corpus wherever there was
not a summary conviction.
Mr. Justice MAux.E—Yes.
Mr. PABULEY submitted that the Court of Queen's
Bench had passed a judgment unknown to the law.
Mr_ Justice MAULS—Then it is an erroneous .
habeas corpus. tiow can a single judge review the
judgment of the Court of Queen's Bench?
Mr. PASTILEY would not further press the application
after that intimation.
Mr. Justice MAULS—On this view Mr. O'Connell, and
the gentlemen convicted with him might hare appealed
to a judge at chambers in Ireland, who might differ
with the other judges as to his conviction (and there
were one or two who did), and he would then upset the
judgment.
Mr. PASHLEY—It was, however, satisfactory for his
client to know that he could review this erroneous judg-
ment in error, and sinco the case of " O'Connell v. the
Queen," he could have bail in error whilst that ji.dgment
was being reviewed.
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE said, it was perfectly
clear that the applicant's remedy was by writ of error.
There was nothing in this case to show that that re-
in(dy was not open to him. Any other course would
lead to consequences which could not be anticipated.

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS,

NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN
THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, NOV. 20, 1847.
Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagions Diseases
Diseases of Uncertain Seat ... •••
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses... ... Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration •••
••• ..• ...
Diseases of the Heart and 8100d-vessels
... 293
30
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs ,
of Digestion... - ..•86
Diseases of the Kidn'e)s, &c.
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. 13
"• 13
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles
••. 13
Diseases of the Skin, &c.
Old Age, or Natural Decay ...
•.. ... 40 Deaths b "' 2
y Violence, Privation, or Intemperance ... 24
Causes not specified ...
... 4
DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES

ronulatlon
Enumerated,
1841,
West Districts... 301,326
North Districts.. 376,396
Central Districts 374,759
East Districts ... 393,247
South Districts .. 502,483

_---.
Totals... ..... 1,9 48,211
Males . ...
Females ... ---

... 344
89
32

Average weekly Deaths
Deaths, 1842-6. in the
Five Autumns. Week.
146 ..• 180
184 ... 167
195 ... 305
232 •••• 262
288 ... 279

... 1,046

... 1,086
... 544
... 542

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. lat the present moment due to him." The Gallant Admiral.
ROUSE OF COMMONS, Nov. 24. is thus placed in the same position as every other person
who has claims for pensions upon the Portuguese The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
A number of Members were sworn in, amongst Government; he has not, therefore, abused the in-
whom were Sir Denham Norreys and Sir William fluence which his present position has given him. I
Clay. do not hesitate to say that I should regret as a public
ADMISSION OF JEWS INTO PARLIAMENT. calamity the occurrence of anything upon the part
Sir R. H. INGLIS presented a petition signed by of the Gallant Admiral which should interrupt the
a large number of the clergy of Yorkshire, against great service which he is now rendering to the
the admissibility of Jews into Parliament. Also country by the performance of his duties at the post
similar petitions from Llandaff, Liverpool, and to which he has been sent by the Government
Rochester. of this country.—(Hear, hear.) The services
Mr. GOULBURN presented a petition from the which he is there rendering are of great value, and
Vice-Chancellor, Masters, and scholars of Cambridge will, I doubt not, he of great serviee to the country.
against the admission of Jews into Parliament. SUPPRESSION OF THE SLAVE TRADE.
Mr. HUME gave notice that he would to-morrow
Petitions to the same effect were presented from
[n Leicester by Lord C. MANNERS and from Congleton eve for returns of the number of her Majesty's
by Mr. JACKSON. ships employed by this country on the coast of
Lord J. RUSSELL presented a petition from the Africa for the suppression of the slave trade ;
English Presbyterians, of Chester, agreed to at a meet- also the number of ships employed by France and
ing recently held at Stockport, which stated that the the United States for the same purpose, in conformity
petitioners objected to the laws which prevented with the treaties entered into with this country for
Jews from taking their seats in this House, and the suppression of the slave trade.
praying them to remove this last barrier of intolerance, NE W ZEAL AND.
and admit those members of the Jewish persuasion Mr. GLADSTONE wished to know whether it
with the Christian, when they were elected by Was the intention of the Government to lay on the
the free choice of the people.—(Loud cheers) table of the House the answer of the Governor of
New Zealand to the dispatch with reference to waste
Mr. CARDWELL presented a petition from Liver-
pool, against, and Dr. BOWRING one in favour of lands in that country ?
their admission. • ,
• Sir GEORGE GREY said that the correspondence
TRANSPORTATION TO NEW SOUTH which had taken place upon that subject would be
• WALES shortly laid upon the table, and he believed it would
Mr. EWART presented a petition from places in
comprise the answer to the dispatch alluded to by the
New South Wales, praying that transports might Right Hon. Gentleman.
not be sent out to the colony, and in lieu thereof LIBRARY COMMITTEE.
to submit such offenders to secondary punishment. On the motion of ,Sir R. INGLIS, the Library
THE BANK OF ENGLAND. Committee was re-appointed.
The CHANCELLOR X
of the ECHEQU Qeveral of the sessional orders having been ER""
dis-
posed of,e
Presented copies of the correspondence with the Bank The SPEAKER EAKER called upon Mr. Heywood, who
relative to the recommendation of the Government to sat at the bar, to bring up the report on the Address.
enlarge its discount. BANK CHARTER.
Mr. HUME wished to know from the Right HOD, Lord G. BENTINCK wished to know whether
Gentleman, whether the papers showed the state of thek
was the intention of the Government to give a
fit
till circumstances
which to the House of the
Ban on the day on which the letter of the Government induced her Majesty to authorise her Ministers
was issued, namely, the amount of notes, bullion, to advise the Governors of the Bank of England to
balances, and deposits ? infringe the Bank Charter Act of 1844.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER re- The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
plied that the papers simply
that had been put to him, that he was ready and
Lord, himself, and the Governor and the Deputy-
passedcon ta
ibneetdw betweencopiese of
th the
said that he stated last night, in answer to a question
correspondence which had Noble
prepared to make that statement then ; but, in ac-
Governor of the Bank of England on the sub-
cordance with the apparent wish of the House, he
ject. The letter of the Government was stated that he would do so on Tuesday. Having
issued on the morning of the 25th of made that statement, although he was prepared now
October. A statement of the condition of the Bank to state the intentions of the Government, he thought
of England on the 23d, the preceding Saturday, had it would be hardly fair towards the House to make it
now.--(Hear, hear.) It was not usual to introduce
already appeared in the Gazette, and a copy of it
might be moved for by any Hon. Gentleman. subjects of such importance upon the bringing
Mr. HUME said the Right Hon. Gentleman must up of the report on the address. He thought
be aware that the Gazette could not be looked upon as it would be more consistent with the general
giving official information to the House. What the intentions of the House that he should not
make the statement now, but reserve it till Tuesday.
House required was a statement of the operations of
the Bill for two or three months previous to the letter He had laid on the table of the House that day the
of the Noble Lord and the Right Hon. Gentleman, correspondence that had taken place; that would be
THE CRISIS—RAILWAYS. printed and ready for Members before he made his
Mr. J. MACGREGOR presented two petitions statement.
from the Chamber of Commerce and merchants of REPORT ON THE ADDRESS.
Glasgow. The first related to the monetary crisis, On the motion that the report on the address be
the other prayed that the time for completing the brought up,
railways already authorised might be extended. Mr. OSBORNE, before that report was brought
THE POOR-LAW COMMISSION. up, wished to make a few observations upon several
Mr. BANKES wished to know from the Noble parts of her Majesty's Speech. When he considered
Lord who had been appointed to the office of Presis the paralysed state of the commerce of the country,
dent of the Poor-law Commission, and who was re- the state of Ireland, and the relations of the country
sponsible for the operations of the Commission up to abroad, he felt bound to call the attention of the
House to some of the topics in her Majesty's speech.
the time of such appointment.
Lord J. RUSSELL replied that no appoint- Although the Chancellor of the Exchequer
ment had yet been made to the office of had stated that he would bring the subject
President of the Poer law Commission. When it of the currency before the House on Tuesday, he
was made, he would state the fact to the House. An must be permitted to say that he did not think the
order of Council was issued making the Commis- embarrassments in trade were of a merely local cha-
sioners under the former Act responsible for the ad- racter. He could not feel satisfied until the basis of
ministration of the laws. trade was put upon a more sure foundation than it
THE MURDERS IN IRELAND AND THE was at present. He would give no opinion with
PRIESTS. respect to the Bank charter, but this he would say,
that he thought the Government had acted wisely
Mr. HARRISON wished to know from the Right sending this matter before a Committee.—(Hear,
Hon. Gentleman the. Secretary for Ireland if any hear.) He thought the Act of 1844 had
steps had been taken by the Government to bring undergone unnecessary odium. Only three banks of
to trial two priests, mentioned in the debate of last issue had failed during the late monetary pressure.
With reference to that part of her Majesty's speech night, as having denounced Major Mahon from
relative to the civil war in Switzerland, he deprecated
the altar, and who had, therefore participated in
any interference on the part of this country, thinking
his murder ; and whether similar steps had that the example they had had with respect to Portu-
been taken against a priest who gave evidence at gal was quite sufficient to induce them not to inter-
an inquest that he had denounced the man on whom fere. But if any interference did take place, he trusted
be
it was held, and who was shot a few hours after ? the rights and liberties of the people would not
sacrificed for the sake even of the blessings of peace.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE—I have to state that
no steps have yet been taken by the Government on lie came next to the paragraph which stated that
the subject.
her Majesty looks with confidence to the conti-
nuance of peace on the continent of Europe. Now
Mr. P. O'CONNOR wished to know whether any
steps had been taken to bring to justice the three there was only one man in that House who
thoroughly understood foreign affairs, and that was
persons, against whom a verdict of wilful murder
had been returned for having been concerned in a the Noble Lord the Foreign Secretary himself, but he
murder, in I.B34—(Laughter)—viz., Major Forrest, must be blessed with a superabundance of nerve who
Archdeacon Ryder, and Mr. Bagnell I'
could look with confidence to the continuance of
Sir W. SOMERVILLE—Perhaps the Hon, peace in Europe, when it was remembered that Spain,
Member will have the kindness to give notice of the Switzerland, and France were in a very excited state
i3uestiete indeed, and any spark in one of those countries might
"Mr. ANSTEY wished to know whether Mr. peace ortlie ;serf& tie would not dwell long upon
Stephen had resigned the Under-Secretaryship of the this branch of his subject, because, in the course of
Colonial-office, and if so, who was his successor ? the session, it would be his duty to call the attention
Lord J. RUSSELL said Mr. Stephen was at pre- of the House to the incomplete and disgraceful state
sent the Under-Secretary for the Colonies. He had of our national defences, and then he should have
claimed leave of absence for a stated period on ac-
another opportunity of reverting to this part of the
pe count of ill health, which had been granted to him. s Bch. He did not know that the pare-
Mr. Merivale was the Under-Assistant Secretary of graph relating to the treaty with the Equador
State to the Colonies during his absence. was of very great importance, but of all the serious
PUNISHMENT OF DEATH. humbugs that had ever been perpetrated in this
Mr. EWART gave notice that on Thursday he
country the attempt to put down the slave trade was
should bring forward his motion recommending the the greatest. These attempts, instead of suppressing
repeal of the punishment of death ; and that on Friday
he the traffic in slaves, had added to its horrors, and he
should ask the Government a question, with respect
hoped some Honourable Gentleman better
to the Bank Charter Act, whether he intended to give acquainted with the matter than himself
the Bank the power of increasing its issues beyond would take an early opportunity of placing this
the prescribed basis in the Bank Charter Act. queition before the House in a way that would put
PUBLIC DEPARTMENTS—IRELAND. it upon its true merits.—(Hear, hear.) lie now came
Mr. Jr. O'CONNELL gave notice that it was his
to the most difficult portion of the speech, namely, the
intention to more for a return of various
üblic de-
partments p and offices which had been transferred portions which related to Ireland; and here he must
express his regret that the debate last night had not
from Ireland to England since the Union, and the been conducted with more calmness. He hoped, how-
expenditure of these several departments and offices
ever, that the warning of the Right Hon. Gentleman
for the last three years. He also gave notice that on the Secretary for Ireland would not be lost sight of,
Friday he would present a petition from the Roman
COURTS. for every indiscreet word uttered in that House
Catholic archbishops and bishops in Ireland.
with regard to Ireland was productive of the
most direful consequences in the sister king-
The CHTAHNECECLOLUONRTY
of the EXCHEQUER
dom. The Catholic clergy of Ireland was a great
stated, in reply to Mr. Bankes, that the judges of body, and, like all great bodies, it was composed:
these courts were at .presents paid- byfee% but that of two classes./ Me majority of them, no 'doubt;
their salaries were fixed. , _ . . were good-men, while there might be wicked and
FEES IN COURTS OF LAW AND EQUITY. designing men amongst them; but still the body, as
Mr. ROMILLY gave notice of his intention to a w hole, ought not to be denounced for the errors
move upon an early day for the appointment of a of the minority. He deeply regretted that an
Select Committee to inquire into the fees of the Honourable Member last night had felt it necessary
Courts of Law and Equity. to animadvert with some degree of severity upon
THE CASE OF CAPTAIN NORRIS. a recent speech of a venerable Archdeacon of the Ca-
Mr. N. MAHER gave notice that he would, to-
tholic Church. Far be it from him to defend that
morrow, move for copies of the correspondence which speech, but they might take into consideration that
had taken place between the Lord Lieutenant of Ire-
the reverend gentleman who delivered it was of a
land and the Roman Catholic clergy with respect to most excitable temperament. (Hear, bear, and
certain attacks made by Captain Norris, of the Board laughter.) He (Mr. Osborne) knew him well,
of Works, upon the character of the Roman Catholic and he could assure the House that he was
a very good man. For some time past the
clergy of that country.
STATE OF THE REVENUE. reverend gentleman had been suffering from ill
Mr. HUME gave notice of his intention to move, health, and that, no doubt, rendered him the more upon an early day,, for the appointment of a Select excitable. The Sunday, however, previous to thedelivery of the speech, he preached a sermon,
Committee to inquire into the present state of the
denouncing in the strongest terms the crimes and
revenue, with a view of ascertaining how far the
outrages which were occurring in the district. He system of taxation might be altered, and the present
establishments reduced. Also,
reverend gentleman to mention this circumstance, had thought it nothing but common justice to the
morrow ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether
and he hoped in future he would be dealt with more
it was his intention to bring in any measure to modify
or alter the Excise laws. leniently. The next sentence in the Speech related to
DISTRICT CORONERS' BILL. the poor-law, and he could state from his
Mr. G. BERKELEY gave notice that he would, own knowledge that it had proved highly
successful; but he regretted, nevertheless, to
upon an early day, move for leave to bring in a Bill
state that its success had been tl'
to amend the District Coroners' Bill. read
y perilled by
PRIVATE BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. a circular which had latterly been issued by the
Mr. LABOUCHERE gave notice that he would Secretary of State, requiring the funds in the hands
to-morrow, at the time of private business, move for of the guardians to be paid into the hands of
a Select Committee to consider whether any and the civil paymaster in Dublin. It had not
what improvements could be made in the mode of only perilled the law, but the peace of
conducting the private business of the House. many parts of the country, and he trusted in
ARREARS OF ADMIRAL NAPIER'S PEN- future such proceedings would not be resorted to.—
SION-. (Hear, hear.) Her Majesty
then went on to state
Lord INGESTRE wished to know whether there that she had heard with satisfaction that the landed
was any foundation for the report that Admiral Na- proprietors of Ireland had taken advantage of the
pier had used the influence of his position for the means placed at their disposal for improvin their
purpose of obtaining the arrears of salary due to him estates. He could answer for it the landed
g •
epropne-
b y the Portuguese Government. tors had been prepared to avail themselves of the
Mr. WARD, in answer to the Noble Lord, said, I means alluded to, but he regretted to say Government
am much indebted to the Noble Lord for putting had shown a tardiness in giving them the means.
that question to me at this early period of the meeting The Speech of the Queen went on to say that " in-
of Parliament. I am happy to say that lam in asubordination had led to an organized resistance to
condition to lay before the House the most convincing legal rights." He would, in speaking on this part,
proof of the utter groundlessness of such report. forget that he was an Irish landlord, and that he had
That proof shall consist in papers above all suspicion, received much annoyance in fulfilling its functions.
from the character of the gentleman from whom they He should approach the discussion of the -subject in
came, and the means which be possessed of ascertain. a large spirit, overlooking these temporary inton-
ing the real facts of the case. Sir Hamilton Seymour veniences. The Hon. Member for Kilkenny rather
has addressed a letter upon the subject to the First taunted him with having gone over to Ireland with
Lord of the Treasury, with permission to make use of good intentions, but that he had abused them.
the document. The letter is as follows : He would not say how much of his income
"My Lord,--As reports to the prejudice of the he had forgone, and now he would also have to forgo
Gallant Admiral Sir C. Napier have been inserted in his rents for years to come. In Ireland the state of
some of the English newspapers, I am induced to society was based upon the potato crop; it
trouble your Lordship with the following statement. was the money as well as the food of
Upon the arrival of the Gallant Admiral at Lisbon, the country; but had the Government proved
the Finance Minister expressed his regret that he was equal to the occasion—had they come forward with
unable to pay him the arrears of his pension due to great measures and not tinkered, the country might
ave been placed on a better footing; but now it ap-
efforthim, adding at the same time that he should make an n
Peered to him that little was to be done save recon-
to do so as soon as possible. The answer of
strutting society in Ireland de novo. The Government
Sir C. Napier was to this effect : ' That he had
that 111,,p° of Ireland was in safe hands, and therefore it appeared to
wish to be paid before his cornolnions and th
.;ir c. Napier • - I Lin) that it was urigenerous to taunt Lordelarenili, %it},
~._._.'3 take Li, ..: ~,(.., v, ith tht. 4,.-2.t.'
instituting the delivery of leetura upon Rgriculture,
iJo,. ..lua?s nit' that four montin' ',n-'on oui°lce)fr 1
, 11,1),d it; Idin, and Although lectore,; might not do much good in the
/,,, ! .u:,': - . hiql duf• h%, .
present state ut _Leland, still theee were counties hi
this amount only has been received.' He further i
acquaints me that two months havin
which the delivery of lectures and the em-
pa d since that
g_ re - _ - h
c
przt payment was made, thirteen months payments are ployment of agriculturists would do mu

good.—(Hear, hear.) The outrages which had taken
place in the five counties were not, in his opinion, of
agrarianan character. When men, and women, and
children, were driven from their homes into bogs and
drains, he was justified in this expression of opinion.
They were the result of the proceedings adopted
by parties who were determined at all hazards to
obtain possession of the land. Before he could agree
to a Coercion Bill—to the suspending of the ordi-
nary laws—he must first see what measures
the Government intended to adopt to improve
the order of things.—(Hear, hear.) Though not
disposed to strengthen the hands: of the Govern-
ment, and he admitted he had a high opinion of the
abilities of the Lord Lieutenant; yet, looking at the
present state of society in Ireland, he could not rush
to a conclusion that coercion would do well for Ireland.
It might, however, be a matter of grave doubt whether
or not a more stringent law should not be carried
out in the counties referred to. Coercion would be
but a palliative measure, and he believed that a
Bill repecting tenant right would not go to the
root of the evil, for its seat was deep.---(Hear,
hear.) As long, however, as men were
ill-housed, ill-clothed, and worse paid for their labour,
they might depend upon it that there would be no
safety for life or property. They must devise means
to raise the condition of the agricultural labourer;
he did not, however, object to such a Bill, whether for
England or Ireland. lie would support any well-
devised measure which would put the relations of
landlords and tenants upon a more satisfactory foot-
ing. Looking over the programme of her Majesty's
beech, he regretted to find that a Bill which
would eventually do great service was unnoticed
—namely, a measure to facilitate the sale
of encumbered estates.—(Hear, hear.) Unless they
could free land from the shackles which now op-
pressed it, they would do little benefit to Ireland. He
therefore besought the Government to propose a large
and comprehensive measure of this kind. The land
must be improved by such means, per figs ant nefas.
Though he did net desire to increase the power of
the Irish Church, he thought that the arrange-
ment of the land in congregational, instead of
territorial portions, would pave the way to an
improved state of? things in Ireland. He urged
them at once to put the legislation for Ireland on
a sound footing, or they would have to go on
in the same vicious circle from year to year. With
reference to what had fallen from the Hon. Member
for Kilkenny, he thought it was unworthy of him to
listen to vague reports; and he trusted that he (Mr.
Osborne) would not long bear the character of an
absentee landlord.
Lord G. BENTINCK protested against the doc-
trine laid down by the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
that no debate should take place on the report to the
address. He considered it as most remarkable,
that neither the Noble Lord nor the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer should have thought
it worth their while to state the reasons which
had induced them to give permission to the
Bank to break the law, and to propose a new
usury-law, raising the rate of interest and levying
new taxes on the trading community of the most
odious nature. Why did they fix on the 25th
of October, neither sooner nor later, to give
this relief to the community ? He did not
regret that last ,night the subject of Irish
distress took precedence of the not less distress
with which England was now inflicted, and im-
patient as the nation was to know the inten-
tion of the Ministers with respect to banking
measures, he was sure they would not regret
that the first attention had been paid to Irish
distress. But both would be disappointed if this de-
bate should be brought to a conclusion without
eliciting from the Ministry a declaration of their inten-
tions with regard to the Bank Charter Act. Last year
his Right Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer had been urged by deputations from the mer-
chants of England and Scotland, and also by himself
and his friends in that House, to relax the restrictions
under which the Bank was placed by that Act ;
but his Right Honourable Friend had re-
plied that the worst was passed.—(Cheers.)
The House would recollect that at a later period in
September a deputation waited upon the Chancellor
of the Exchequer from Newcastle, who foresaw that
increased difficulties would come upon the commerce
of the country, and they applied to the Right Hon.
Gentleman to remove the Bank restrictions. What
was the answer of that Right Hon. Gentleman ?
He said that he could not be expected to guard
against the emergencies of over-trading, and
ever-speculation; and that there was no
undue pressure in the money market as
regarded houses of good credit. Why, good God !
this was at a time when Exchequer-bills were at 255.
discount—when there were doubts as to whether the
Bank would be able to continue its payments, and
when, at all events, among the houses of bad credit
was to be reckoned the Treasury, whose Exchequer-
bills went down to 40s. discount. On the 22d of Oc-
tober another deputation waited upon the Right Hon.
Gentleman, from Liverpool, and as they were leaving
his room, it was said that he gave them no hope.
Time went on, and suddenly, upon the 23d of October,
a deputation of bankers and others of the city of
rn n •
the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tam-
worth also came to town. He did not
know whether he acted as amicuB curie
in the matter—suddenly the Government began to
relent; at the same time Mr. Pease, late a Member of
this House, came up from Northumberland and paid
a visit to the Noble Lord at the head of the Colonial
Department, and the Right Hon. Gentleman the
Member for Northumberland.
Sir G. GREY—Not to me.
Lord G. BENTINCK—That showed how neces-
sary it was that the House should be made acquainted
with the whole facts of the case. Such, however,
was the nature of the reports prevalent at the time.
The Government at length listened to the cry which
came in an appropriate moment from Northumber-
land and Durham. They were informed that the
Northumberland and Durham Bank was upon the
point of stoppage, and unless the restrictions were
taken off from the Bank of England there would not
be a collier in these counties who, upon the following
Saturday, would receive his weekly wages, and a
significant hint was given of the value of keeping the
colliers in full employment. (Hear, hear) It
was quite unnecessary for the House to know the
reasons which had induced the Government to post
pone the removal of the restrictions to the late period
they did.—(Hear, hear.) Precedence had been allowed
to the discussion of thelrish question, in order to allow
of the question of the-currency being brought forward
upon a subsequent occasion. No compromise had
been made upon the subject. There never
was so gloomy a speech made by any Sovereign
as that which they were called upon to consider
now.—(Hear, hear.) It had been stated by Honour-
able Members that 161,000,000/. had been expended
in railways since 1841. Where Hon. Members
got their information from he could not tell ; but were
they to be told after such statements that the country
would be brought to ruin by the expenditure of
12,000,0001. a year? It was not the high price of corn,
but the effects of free trade that took the gold out
of this country. In former times they could pay
upwards of 300,000 soldiers and marines, but now
they were told they could not pay a few thousand
railway labourers without bringing England to
bankruptcy.---(Hear, hear.) They had lately
heard the speeches of the Kings of Belgium and
Holland, both of whom congratulated their
countries on their recovery from all their difficulties.
The French Minister, it was true, dwelt upon the
large sums which had been expended in the country,
but he did not talk of the country being reduced to
a state of bankruptcy by that depression. On the
contrary, he congratulated his hearers upon the ge-
neral prosperity of the country. Look where they
would, they found nothing but increasing prosperity
on the continent. Prussia was gradually progress-
ing, so was Bavaria. In both places trade had
increased to a great extent. The same might be said
of Russia, and thither the famine extended itself too.
It was supposed, indeed, that it had so affected the
country that the Emperor would never be able to go
to war again, and yet within the last few months he
had been able to make large exportations of bul-
lion. What was it then that had prevented this
country from recovering from the effects of the
famine ? But it had recovered from the famine, and
now it was suffering from causes that did not exist
in the countries he had named, and he would tell
the House what those causes were. The countries
he had named protectrd their own manufactories—
their own agriculturists—their own shipping—and
gave them a decided preference over foreigners,
Here, however, they had pursued a different po-
licy, and the misery they were now suffer-
ing was the result of free trade.—(Hear, hear.)
For eight years the stock of cotton had never been
so low as it was in Manchester and Liverpool at
the present moment. As many starved for cotton
as for corn. What a spectacle this city presented
from this ! The great importing city—the seat
of staple trade was now in a deplorable state. The
reason of all this was our restricted monetary system
—the Bank Charter Act. It caused cotton to be
sold 41. less per bag than formerly—sugar
six shillings or eight shillings less per cwt,,
in Cuba or Brazil, and tea less than it cost the ex-
porters in Canton. These were the results of free-
trade doctrines.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") In
the presence of cotton merchants and millowners,
he said that the prepared fabrics they manufactured
were sold by them at less than their original cost.
Would this bring back the golden image worshipped
by the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) ? Surely
lhe countries he had mention- ieszead of
throwing away their revenves, as v.fs had done,
turned than' to el-eat advantage. A —erica, for iin-
etence, had not followed vur ruieee3 example.
More than two-thirds of the revenue of the United
States is raised out of the rroduce of British in-