The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-20 00:00:00

BILL.

the House.—(Great laughter.) He would, however, give
his vote without reference to any party, as his object
always was, and would continue to be, the improve-
ment in the condition of all the lower and mid-
dle classes.— (Loud cheers and laughter.) But
"Man, proud man, dressed in a little brief authority,
Plays such fantastic tricks before high Heaven,
As make the angels weep."—(Great laughter.)
He asked the House, he asked the country, why were
they deprived of the presence of these Right Hon.
Gentlemen. Echo answered, why? and the voice of an
ttraged cot dry—(L )ud laughter)—demanded why Mr.
Gladstone did not come forward to represent Newark.
The answer was, 'because the Government, of which
the Right Honourable Gentleman was a member,
was in opposition to .the views of the patrons
of Newark. and they had ordered their country
agent to look out for some more tractable Member
—(Hear, hear.) Nearly the same circumstances had
taken place in the representation of Chichester and
Buckingham, because their Graces of Buckingham and
Richmond were not the same Ivey of thinking as the
Minister. They therefore returned two inexperienced
youths.—(Loud laughter)—and the country lost the
services of Sir Thomas Fremantle, whose loss
seemed irreparable—(Hear, hear, and cheers)—at the
present moment, as he was preparing a number of Bills
that would confer vast benefits on Ireland. He would
now call the attention of the House to the bo-
roughs of Buckingham, Chichester, and Woodstock,
and he would read a c' py of his charges in reference to
them, for the sake of making the case Vainer.
[The Hon. Member then read the standing orders of the
House on the interference of Peers in the election of
Members of Parliament down to the 14th of D, comber,
1699, and prooeeded to detail the precedents which
the records of Parliament presented on the subject.]
On the 18th of November, 1702, a case occurred,
when a charge was preferred by Sir John Yukon-
ham against Dr. Boyle, the Bishop of Worcester.
The consequence of this was that an inquiry was made
into the nature of the settlement into which the 'Go-
vernment had entered. On inquiry, and under the ;cir-
cumstances, it was decided that the Bishop of Wor-
cester had committed a breach of the privileges of
the House, and an address was presented to her
Majt sty, the Sovereigu of the time, Queen Anne,
to advise her to remove the Bishop of Worcester
fom the post of Lord Almoner to the Crown. The de-
cision had been confirmed by the Learned Attorney-
General of the period. Another circumstance had
occurred which had respect to the Bishop of Carlisle,
and in which Parliament had felt it a duty to interfere.
In that case the decision -of the House was shown
by a majority of 156 against a minority of 136. He
might refer to a fuller case, of the Duke of
Chaudos, w here; in consequence of an interference
with the town of Southampton, Sir James
Bridges had been deemed guilty of a breach of the privi•
leges of the House. This was allowed to be a breach of
the privileges of the House. He trusted, therefore, that
that House would come to the same opinion which he had
already formed, and which was quite in conformity with
the opinion of the Attorney-General on the question.
He then came to the boroughs against which he brought
the charge. Ile had in his hand a book called "Dodd's
Parliamentary Companion," in page 101 of which it was
openly and unreservedly stated that the borough of Chi-
cheater was under the influence of the Duke of Bucking-
ham. He found that the Members returned for this borough
were Arthur Lennox and John Abel Smith. With
John A. Smith he did not wish to have anything to do.
He believed that the election of Lord Arthur Lennox
for Chichester in 1841 was carried by the Conservative
interest. The next election for Chichester was in the
last year, when Lord Arthur Lennox, doubtless in
consequence of his talent and qualification, was
promoted to the office. of Clerk to the Ordnance.
He was again elected for Chichester without op-
position—at least he found on the notices of the House,
dated January 22d; 1845, an entry of the. fact
of Lord A. Lennox having taken his seat. One would
have supposed ti. at for that time the Noble Lord was
secure in his seat ; but no, he found in the returns that
he had accepted the Chiltern Hundreds on the 3d of Feb-
ruary, and the seat for Chichester was again vacant.
Now, with respect to the city of Chichester, he verily
believed that the rights, liberties, and privileges of the
Commons of England had been infringed by Charles
Gordon Lennox, Duke of Richmond, and Lord Lieu-
tenant of the county of Sussex ; for, in the first place,
that eoble.personsge had been Instrumental in procuring
the resignation of a seat in that House by the late
representative of Chichester, Lord Arthur Lennox, and
had been immediately concerned in procuring the return
of its present representative, Charles Henry .Gordon,
Lord Lennox. Ile now came to another ease, viz.,
that of Newark, and he found, in reference to that be
rough, " Dodd's Parliamentary Companion," page 17,
stated openly, unreservedly, and directly that the Dike of
Newcastle exercised considerable influence in the election
of its representatives. Now, the Members returned by thi:
influence in 1841 were Lord John Mariners and William
Gladstone, Esq., but the latter some short titno ago re-
signed his seat, and John Stuart, Esq., was returned
by the same influence to serve in his stead.
—(Some impatience was here manifested by several
Hon. Members, whilst others cried "Go on.") The
Hon. Member then proceeded to complain of a
similar unconstitutemal interference being continually
made by the Duke of Marlberough with respect
to the election of the member for Woodstock. In proof
ofhis assertion he quoted theinstance of Sir F. Thr siger
return previously to his appointment to the Attorney Ge-
neralship of England. All this, he verily believed,he should
be able to prove ; and, in addition, that the Duke o
Marlborough's og, nt, whose name was Hewitt (as w.
understood) hail been appointed by that nobleman to tilt
the effiee of a Magistrate and Deputy-Lieutenant of the
county, as a reward for a ding and obtaining Mr.
Thesiger's return for that borough. He had therefore to state
in his place in Parliament that the privileges of the Commons
of the United Kingdom had been infringed by George Spencer
Churchill, Lord-Lieutenant of the county of Oxford, and Duke
of alai-thorough, in the election of a representative far the,
borough, in 1844, when his son, the Marquis of Blandford, was
returned; in 1845, when Viscount Loftus was returned; and
at the election of its present representative, Lord Alfieri
Chutcbill ; which, as he said, he should be able to establish
before a Committee of the House. Then, with respect to the
borough of Buckingham— but he ( Mr. Collett) hEd so many in-
stances in which the privileges of that House had been in-
fringed by Peers of the realm that he had some hesitation in
calling attention to the whole of them fur fear of wearying the
House.—( Cries of "Go on.") Well, then, the same remarks
applied with equal truth to the election of Sir Thomas
Fremantle and the Marquis of Chandos in the present-month,
without opposition, to represent that borough in Parliament.
With respect to that borough, he had to state in Parliament—
( Signs of impatience on the part of the House, and laughter.)
Gentlemen might think it a laughing matter, but he did not
think it was. The subject was of the highest importance—it
affected their privileges, which they ought to protect; as before
he had to state in his place in Parliament that the privileges of
that House had been infringed by the Duke of Buckingham
and Chandos with respect to the elect ons of Sir Thomas Fre-
mantle and its present representative, the Marquis of Chandos.
Having made these charges, which he had reduced to writing,
he begged to tender them to Mr. Speaker, and concluded by
moving for a Committee of Privileges, to inquire into the
causes that led to the vacation of their seats in this House by
the Members lately representing in Parliament the city of Chi-
chester and the boroughs of Newark, Woodstock, and Buck-
ingham ; also to make inquiries as to the elections of the Mem-
bers now representing in Parliament the said city and the said
three boroughs, and to report whether or not in any, and if so
in what cases, either as to vacation or election, the resolution of
this House had been infringed.
The charges and motions of the Hon. Member having been
read,
Mr. WILLIAMS rose and said he did not expect to have
been called upon to second the motion of his Hon. Fr lend. He
expected that the Noble Lord the Member for Buckingham
(the Marquis of Chandos) or the Noble Lord the Member for
Chichester (Lord H. Lennox) would have been anxious to
have come forward to second this motion —( Hear, hear) —in
order that an inquiry might be instituted into those grave
charges which had been made against those two Noble Lords,
and the still more serious charges against their Noble fathers.
He expected that some Member of her Majesty's Govertiment
would have made some answer to a motion of so much importance
involving so deep a stain upon the character of this House, if
the chages contained in that motion could be proved. When
a similar motion was brought forward, some years, since, by
an Hon. Member (Mr. Manners) charging a' member of the
then Noble House of Holland, who had to a great extent been
elected by the corrupt influence of certain Peers. Upon that
occasion the Prime Minister of the country ( Lord Castlereagh)
stood up in his place, and said that such a Committee was to-
tally unnecessary, from the notoriety of the fact, that Members of
that House were viewed by such influences under the borough-
mongering system of that day. The fact was as notorious
as the sun shining at noon day. ( Hear, lie sr. )
Wes the Hume to understand that peers of the realm were to
trample on the most important sessional order of that [louse,
and also to stain the character of their proceedings by si riding
parties to represent and maintain their position at the expense
of the country at large. Those were charges that the
House of Commons ought not permit to rest without inquiry.
Two or three years ago an Hon. Member had stated that he
believed certain members 'were returned to the House by
the grossest bribery acid corruption. He (Mr. Wil lams)
believed that a committee then appointed stated that the tact,,
were fully proved, but that no imputation coull be cast on
the parties charged with using improper influence. The Hon.
Member for Bath stopped very short of what he then ought to
have done. The charge against these Noble Dukes—a charge
brought by Mr. Bathurst—was, that they had used their in-
fluence and power, and demanded certain members of that
House to resign their seats, because those members felt it their
duty to support measures introduced by Government, because
those measures we re opposed to the influence and interests
of those Noble Dukes, and ordered those Members to resign in
consequence. These were charges which placed the House of
Commons in the deepest state of degradation, and involved
such serious charges as should not be slightly passed over. He
(Mr. Williams) asserted- that the House of Commons were
bound to inquire, not because those Peers had any influence in
their personal character—(Cries of " Oh, oh ")—but oecause
their property gave them an influence which was exercised un-
fairly by those Noble Lords. He spoke of them as men, but it
was well known their great property had a vast influence in
procuring Members sears in that house. The question was
one of great importance to the country, because her Majesty's
Government had brought forward measures of great impor-
tance to the nation, and the country felt that those Peers seat
persons to represent places in that House for the purpose of
thwarting those measures. When such grave charges were
brought against the character of the House, it behoved them to
inquire whether such influence was exerted, and when particular
cases were brought under their notice, he did not know how
they could refu.e to grant such inquiry without surrendering
their characters. The greatest indignity had been cast upon
her Majesty's Government by those very Dukes. They
charged the Right Hon. Baronet with the most unworthy
conduct.--(Cries of " No, no.") He said, that charges most
gross and calumnious had been made. But he would tell
them, that the Right Hon. Baronet was quite as much in-
terested in land as any of them.—( Cheers.) And the differ-
ence that exists between them and him was simply this—he,
(Sir R. Peel) made his private interests give way to the public
good, while they exclaimed that they cared not for the public
interest if it interfered with theirs. They cared not whether
the public good was to be sacrificed, provided their own private
interests were attended to. This selfish and mercenary feeling
ought not, in his opinion, to be entertained by those who as-
sumed to themselves a title of Gentlemen of England. Such
a manifestation of feeling on the part of the Noble Dukes
and their supporters would not be endured by the people of this
country, and he considered that it ought not to be endured.
Was it to be supposed that after that chkrge had been proved
against them the country would suffer this House to be tainted
with the inputation which such proceedings would necessarily

On the motion of Sir JAMES GRAHAM., this Bill
was read a third time and passed.
DRAINAGE (IRELAND) BILL.

This Bia was read a th)rd time and passed.
Sir J. GRAIIAM explAued that under the former
Act the assent of two-thirds of the parties interested in
the drainage of c:-rtain districts was necessary before a
plan of that purpose could be adopted. The Bill
ip its original state provided that the onus
probandi should fall on the dissensients. :The
Honourable Gentleman, the Member for Kildare,
had, howeVer, suggested that the old plan should be
adlpted, which had been agreed to, and a provision
to that effect was introduced into the Bill.
INTERFERENCE AT ELECTIONS.

Mr. COLLETT stated that before he brought forward
his motion, of which he had given notice, he wished to
have the standing orders upon the subject read. This
request having been complied with, the lion. Member pro-
ceeded to state that he had always been an advocate for
short speeches,and upon the present occasion he would not
act in opposition to his conviction, but as no other Hon.
Member had given any notice upon the present subject
he considered the occasion opportune for trespassing a
short time on the attention of the House.—(Considera-
ble laughter was caused in the House in consequence of
the Ilon. Member reading his speech.) The Commons
(continued the Hon. Member, glancing at his paper) had
suffered by the interference of Lords of Parliament, Peers
and Prelates, at their elections. He (Mr. Collett) assured
the House, that in default of a better man, he considered
it his public duty to call the attention of the House to this
infringement of the Lords on the liberties, the
privileges, and the standing orders of this House.
—(Laughter and cries of "Order.") He did not
himself propose any fresh remedy ; he considered
the law, as it stood sufficient for the purpose. He
had commenced by getting their clerk to read to them
the standing (alders of the House upon the subjecs.—
(Considerable laughter, in consequence of the Hon.
Member's continued glances at his paper.) He. should,
upon this occasion move for a Committee of Privileges
to inquire into this point, and report the result of their
inquiry to this House. He would then have an oppor-
tunity of showing the country the defects of the Reform
Bill, and also how the country was mocked by this Bill
in not obtaining those benefits, which had been
presented to them by the Noble Lord the
Member for the City of Lcnd.m. Numerous
instances were well known where improper use was
made by parties to influence others in pr;curing seats
in that House.—(Cries of " Order, order.")
The SPEAKER said he hoped the Hon. Gentleman
was not readily?: his speech.—(Shouts of laughter.)
Mr. COLLETT said he always endeavoured to check
wr( ng by doing right. He was sorry to see a Member of
Parliament not returned to that House after vacating
his seat, while others more inefficient succeeed to that
honour.—(Laughter.) Her Majesty was pleased to ap-
point a certain Hon. Gentleman to an office of
high trust and honour—he meant the Secretary
to the Colonies. He was a gentleman of much
distinguished ability and talent, and one who would be
very useful to the Right Honourable Baronet on the
present occasion in forwarding the measure now befoi e

throw upon them? He (Mr. Williams) thought that, instead the political honour and consistency, which were not to be
of the Noble Dukes pursuing such a line of conduct as that found_ in any of the writines of political economists. If De
charged against them by the Hon. Member for Athlone, they had delayed from taking a part in the debate, he was not pee.:
ought much rather to follow the example of the Right Hon. vented by any doubts on the expediency of their repeal. es
Baronet opposite, who, seeing the foreign competion to which was his fortune to go down into Warwickshire some days eget '.
the manufactures of this country were subjected, and seeing the and he met a gentleman who was a large grazier in that pa
necessity of putting the country in such a position as to be able of' the country. He met him galloping along the road aha,
to meet—(Cries of question, question). He believed that he fearful pace. He (Lord Duncan) said te him, "My VI
was speaking to the question, and he was surprised that Hon. friend, where are you going ?" " O
Gentlemen opposite were so dull and senseless as not to be able Sir Robert Peel have beenah'
-ruining he,
of" "you
and
to see that he was speaking to the question —( Hear; hear, and I read the speech of Mr. Miles—he is the ghat ,
laughter:) lie thought this was a subject decidedly requiring oracle of us agriculturists.—( Laughter. ) He never
the decishm of the House of Commons,, and he hoped that exaggerates, and he has been a-telling of us that in America
that House would give its support to a motion the object of there are no less than 5,500,000 men employed in building an
which was to rectify its own positionevith he country. He con- ark, ha which they will bring over immense quantitieso
ceived that itwas only due tb the characters of innoeent men that cows and cattle, in order to sell them in the Bristel market
be
they should be placed in a position of which they were worthy. —( Laughter)—and he says that American pork will eee
He had expressed his opinion, and he trusted that the House three-halfpence a pound, while prime pork will be only two
would bear him out in the belief that it was necessary that the pence. Get out of the way, and let me rush into the teareette
country should be put in full possession of the circumstances. And he did go into the market, and he sold his cattle, which le
Sir ROBERT PEEL was somewhat surprised at the matter him was a serious loss. He (Lord Duncan) met the sled
that had been introduced by the Hon. Gentleman who had agriculturist the other day, and he said to him, " Well, ,
just sat down. He did not understand what relation the matter you sell all your corn in the market ?" He replied." ele,o, V.
in hand had to do with the main subject of the debate. He Lord, I did not." " Why, i thought (contit ued the Pe t •,
was desirous of putting the motion on its proper bearing, and Lord) that you would have followed the advice of yourftel
he could not see what necessary relation there was between oracle, the Member for Somersetshire." To thishereplied, 'eti
the motion of the Hon. Member and the main discussion of I've been gammoned by him before, and I'll never begamte°
the evening, via. the corn-laws. He believed the Hon. again."—(Laughter.) When the Hoe. Gentleman
tiiib:
Gentleman had entirely mistaken the position which he had Member for Somerset made his prophecies formerly en on :
taken up, and he must tell the Hon. Gentleman he was Most subject, they had not been realised; and for his ( Lord D-
completely
completely mistaken, if he supposed himself liable to any alle can's) part he would prefer giving credence to the proithee,;
Rations of censure on account of the course which he had of the Right Hon. Baronet opposite to those of the Hon. Gen es
thought it his duty to pursue. He was not aware that any man. The Hon. Member for Sunderland proposed to in tea.
such imputation had been thrown out against him—he was not the public calamity by a public subscription. He arg'neri:sti
aware that any corrupt or selfish motives had dictated his line surprised him more than any other Hon. Gentleman
who lire
t•
of conduct. He could distinctly say, no such feeling had ever addressed the House. He (Lord Duncan) was accustemf the ..-
actuated him. He was not aware that any such motives had look upon the Hon. Gentleman rather as an enemy e
to
ever been imputed to him. Certain he was that they could agricultural interest—( Hear)—and if he expected atty great
not influence his conduct at the present moment, Now it b", a free-trader it was the Right Hon. Gentlemate—
.)
tfrof
was far from his desire that the Peers should ever be deprived laughter.) He meant the Hon. Gentleman.—( Laugh '
of their roper influence in the election of Members of the House The Hon. Gentleman had said that about the year 1841t0g
of Commons, He hoped the day would never come in which 1842 there was a great commercial depression, and that durno
that portion of the Constitution would be deprived the last year a new change had come over them. ;hit ,
of its legitimate influence, and he was unable to refrain from Honourable Member for Sunderland contended that. tit,
expressing his feelings on a subject of so much interest and change had not been owing te the recent alteration ie
~.
importance. The Lord Lieutenant of a county might have tariff•but to an over-production of corn in their own on°t rtea -
devoted his life to the performance of his duty, and might have ! Now, he was not aware that the price of foreign corn` rod
obtained respect and esteem by its performance. He might . have any great influence on the English market. He
bought
la
have set an example of improvement to his labourers, and have , upon inquiry that whenever foreign corn could be boug" , -
been at the head of the local society, not by his affluence but 1255, a quarter, that it•ct,uld not be sold in this country let r 1
by his worth, and nothing could extinguish the legitimate in.. i less price than the corn which was daily sold to the Oa," rt,
fluence of such a man as that, and God forbid the day should i markets. He might take the instance of Prussia or Polanr
arrive when real worth and virtue should not have their proper and yet what were the results? Why no difficulty schatev't;
influence.—( Hear, hear.) They knew that such an influence I notwithstanding the outcry had been experienced by the
~,i
did exist, and they might also think it unparliamentary, but a nufacturing population. And what was the thing orderttc7u
tenantry out of respect for the feeling, or inclination, of their , under the name of pretection? Why that the consumer sli
.001
landlord, will adopt a particular course, and the less the at- i pay high prices for the neccessaries of life; and high Pilo
tempt at exercising an undue influence was made, the more , and high rents were accompanied by expensive outlays p 0 es
they were ready to support the feelings of a virtuous landlord. I part of the people. Such a system might do very well in teedif.
It was, therefore, impossible to prevent some influence being ' of plenty, but in years of scarcity matters assumed a very 0.
exerted; but was there any proof before the Haute that an , ferent aspect; and an evidence had been given in the !t,
unduelinfluence had been exercised ? What were the grounds i stance of the potato crop, of which so much had been 511,,
on which the Honourable Alember went? "That the House I High prices were no benefit to the labourer, The labeertesrcl
should take the matter into their consideration ?" If the House ' wages depended on the great cause efisupply and -demand. .--.8
was prepared to go upon grounds like that, there would always if the demand for labour was to increase in this country,
.'IS
be a demand for similar investigation. When he (Sir Robert need not be apprehensive- that the proposed measure 01; a ,
Peel) came into the House the Honourable Member was materially interfere with them. The rate of wages in Eelt_isne
reading a copy 7of a petition presented by the inhabitants of was lower than the rate in America, but in order to have Pita •
Newark to the Duke of Newcastle, with regard to their repre- wages there must be high profits. The efflux of teaPbra
sentation by a distinguished gentleman. On such foundations caused a competition and a decreased rate of wages, and %el,
all of their time would be occupied in these discussions. The that was the case the labourer gradually reduced his food user'
Hon. Gentleman, as he (Sir R. Peel) verily believed, had not at length he was brought to the lowest ebb of subsitheef,
adduced one single proof of any kind—plausible or actsal en and when such a state of things occurred same interfere';
which such a motion could be founded. He produced no was necessary. During the last century the landed ereeteetbs
letter proving any act of interference ; he produced no proof tor 3 had k. pt up the price of corn by attificial means• ii" by
suggesting that any person in power had desired any con- years 1670 and 1690 the price was attempted to he kept lels
stituency to vote in favour of any individual. He had heard passing an Act to cause the exportation of corn. The Pressets '•
the Hon. Gentleman was unable to produce any one fact, but of the Act stated that it was expedient to export the 0 0, ,
had made some extracts from a weekly paper. If they were corn, as it kept up the price to the benefit of the landowettio
prepared such authority, there would be no end to That ws and
,one on the pretence of encouraging agricultur tell
their laboun Now, with respect to Buckinghamshire, his it was eality to increase the price of corn. For
ri,,
Right Honourable Friend, the late Secretary for Ireland, felt this country, in the year 1790, became an importing On el er
it as a point of honour due to his constituents, that it was in- anti the object of the Act was partially defeated. Th? roe ,
cnnsbent upon him to resign his seat. heiher rightly or hibitory Act of 1815 had been frequently referred to ro
tes,
wrongly, he (Sir R. Peel) would not take upon himself to course of the debate. It was in order to afford con •
say, but he thought it was diffieult to blame Honourable tion to the farmers. He would, with their perisibiest.
Gentlemen for entertaining feelings of this nature. quote the words of Mr. Robinson on the su 'eat
In a technical or constitutional point of view, how- Were they the aristocracy of the land, when the countrgel
ever, he admitted that they were sent there as free agents, and asking to be led on against foreign competition, to heldac
tirs
it was incumbent upon them to be, in general, actuated by Such might be the opinion of the landlords of Buckingham
that principle.—(flear, hear.) But they could not blame and Sussex, such might be the opinion of Hon. 31%110.0
some Gentlemen if a sense of private honour and personal teel-e opposite; but he was proud and happy to say that the I ors
ing induced them to overcome these strictly constitutional in that part of the country with which he was connectedbest.
rules. Now, with regard to his Hon. Friend the late Member ready and willing to assist the people in this laudable e Joys
for Nottingham, he believed he was sent there by his coneti- He stood there as an independent Member, net to esphlinesese
tuents to maintain the existing corn-laws, not at the suggestion thing he might have said in or out of that House, tott to
of any Peer, hut acting upon their own feelings and wishes ; dicate a pledge which he had given on the hustings, etetan net
and they certainly, called upon him to resign his seat when• he which he hoped had been given by other Hon. elenaur''esisl
evinced a disposition to support a charge in the corn-laws. It support those measures which he believed would oe beerf Os
could not be urced that the Noble Lord ought to have disre- to the country. Believing that this would be the effect 0...,be
garded this request, because his constituents would turn round measure brought forward by her Majesty's Government elm
and say he had no right to have given any pledges, but should lieving that it would tend to promote and advance the nienelti
have left himself open to take what course he thought proper, after factures of the country—believing, too, that that interests ees
hearing the disscussions upon particular measures ; but having not be promoted without benefiting agricultute, be
,f"rtt.'
given a distinct pledge that he would maintain, or do his best to should give to the measure his honest and humbie suPret peel
maintain, the existing corn-laws. there was no other course Mr. G. HUDSON said he wished in the strongest ; the •
open to him but to accede to the request of the majority of his the rules of the House would allow him to use to contradict; ads
•constituents.—( Hear, hear.) On the grounds, therefore, as ertion of the Noble Lord, that in the observation he OeV
which he had stated, he would expose the present motion. the other evening he meant to treat lightly with the distree,, be
They lived in the atmosphere of freedom. Peers had a per. Ireland.—( Hear, hear.) Having 'explained thus ree bt
feet right in a public meeting to express their opinions on the wished to state that what he did say was, that he thou 4 t
conduct which Government might think proper to pursue, was the duty of Government immediately to provide fore hie
and if their tenantry looked up to them as proper guides, distress of Ireland, and that he should be ready to P tb,l
they had a perfect right to do so—there could be nothing support to any measure that might be brought forwardioe
wrong in that. —( Hear, hear. ) He would therefore dsprecate purpose.—( Cheers. ) the'.
that e
the institution of any imposition on the free conduct of any Lord DUNCAN said be was delighted to hear elle
man, whether he belonged to aristocracy or not.--(Cheers.) Hon. Gentleman was ready to support any measeret bear
If they could bring home to the noble personages whose names might be brought forward by her Majesty's Governmene ii, tits
had that night been mentioned, the charge of any improper ficial to Ireland. But—(Loud cries of "Order, order,
influence in the election of a Member of that House, he would midst of which the Noble Lord resumed his seat).
that this.
be quite prepared to enter into the case ; but if it was a vain Ale. THOMPSON said he was ready to coefese tfee!,rse
• fishing inquiry, because of the belief of Hon. Gentlemen, which debate had been sufficiently lengthened by Hon. itt,'"; the
in his (Sir R. Peel's) opinion it was, and which was without- but he hoped that the House would permit him to staitesse
any proper foundation, then he for one, as he had before said, grounds on which he would vote upon this question. ft,to tie'
regardless of those questions which the Hon. Gentleman had hear.) He claimed that indulgence particularly fee WI '
raised, should pursue, precisely the same course now-as he circumstance of his having held a seat in that. Ho he had ea':
tiad previously pursued. He believed that the course desired than 26 years-,—(Hear, hear)—daring which period net. a beev
te be adopted by the House would be a most objectionable aid been an indifferent observer of these changes which a„eatr'
dangerous one, and he should therefore give it his most deter- made from time to time in reference to the cause of toe 'e
time-
mined opposition.—( Loud cheers.) He
tion of duties upon foreign produce.—( Hear, hear.) intro';
•
Mr. HUME said the House would place itself in a most ex- his support to the extensive measure which had be:2 i.sty's
sraordinary position, by the standing order which it had passed duced by the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of her eta(esose.,
with respect to the interference of Peers at elections, and the Government, in the year 1842, for the reduction .el did
refusal to the present motion. The Right Hon. Baronet had duties. To a portion of that measure he certainly
said that it was perfectly notorious that Peers had interfered in object, but as a whole he gave it his au'. Ith
elections. Then why did they ewinta n the standing orders? The reason why he objected to a portion efos I/
The Right Hon. Baronet lied said that ho would have been measure was because he believed that, whilst there ote',
ready to vote in support of the motion, had the Hon.. Member large sacrifice made, there was no corresponding ad:
netts'
(Mr. Collett) introduced proofs of Pee, s' interference. He —( Hear.) But since that period another veryrlrsekli
( Mr. Hume) would therefore request his Hon. Friend (Mr. change had taken place—he meant in reference to toe.soes le.
Collett) to postpone his motion until he was prepared with system in England. That House had limited the ' ro-aterr
those proofs. When he was prepared with those proofs, he the Bank of England as well as the circulation of,
roost
would give the motion his most cordial support. The public notes.—( Hear, hear.) It was true that hitherto ne, Int t"'
would feel that there did exist, at the present moment, a num. nience had been felt., but it must be borne in min",t4, etc!:
ber of small constituencies, which were subject to certain hie times had been peculiarly favourable.—( Hear.) If ',lthy
fluences—( Hear, hear)—which were a direct violation of the sures now proposed should be adopted, and if their we iejal
principles winch it was expected the Reform Bill would have did not exceed their exports, he believed that grea `bat Pt
removed.—( Hear, hear.) One of the first objects proposed to would result- to the country—in fact, he believed Los 0.
he effected by the Reform Bill was the removal of all impro- greater injury could befal it. And was there no es te este/
per interference in the election of Members of the House of that being the case ? The Right Hen. Baronet "-xeestrl;
Commons. That Bill had failed in that respect; he would didly and fairly stated that he could not hold out any eeestet! '
challenge any honourable man to deny that Peers yet exercised tem tosehe countrytthat the foreign importers would is": to lbti
a most extraordinary influence in the election of Members of adopt a more liberal commercial system with respect .1.5 0,
that H'tuse. There were many instances in which Members ceuntry.— (Hear, hear.) Those reasons amongst othieeh ma.
were nominated ant! returned to that House, under a system induced him not to vote for any further measures tea ) 0:1,
•
similar to that which prevailed at the time when borough- as their object the freedom of trade. —( Hear, b,erti; bat
mongering was in vogue.—( Hear, hear.). It was true the voted with the Rieht Hon. Baronet in the year s to 'rte
system might not be carried to as great an extent as under the the House would remember that the years anterior of the
rid system, but, nevertheless, it prevailed to a certain extent. were marked by great distress. Such was the staleetoosoll
Money might not be able to purchase a seat in that House as country in 1842. There bad been immense sums as,,:i
formerly, when a certain sum might insure election, but still spent in the construction of railways. The Right Holt arts
it prevailed to a certain extent ; and it was only by bringing claimed the support of the Meuse in consequence of worst re
the subject under their attention that they could induce the failure of the potato crop, and the bad quality of those 0.0(0
Government te take the steps to bring about the reform. He mained. There could be no question that the ponlinaiii Ott -
should conclude as he had commenced, by recommending his Ireland had failed to a great extent, but be was etlt, pOeet
1 Hon Friend not to press his motion, and to obtain additional that every relief would be afforded that it was. in t—eofts
. particulars, and bring the subject before the House on another of the House to give. Could there be any strongerlie°°, to t't
f occasion. than that even in the short'
time that House had sat BO snies
Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD said he had repeatedly amount of half a million had been passed to give eutPla'prie,
. called the attention of the House to the absolute necessity of to the people:? Wheat and flour were now falling 'u re 1
the Executive taking steps to remodel the laws relating to tee and he, therefore, did not think the Me3s -;
bit
! election of Members of Parliament, but he did not think that the Government was required. But, suppose. the :00,1,
any case had ever occurred in that House which showed this been good grounds of alarm, why the Onle,, Pe
i necessity so strongly. Here were charges brought by an Hon. ought to have taken the responsibility on thernseleelace !,1
• Gentleman against certain Members of that House, which were Right Hon. Baronet had alluded to what had take" %toilet':
. of such a nature as to demand inquiry by a Committee. He the last century about the opening of the ports, but het, iti'e",
(Mr. Sharman Crawford) naturally thought that when such to mention the ease of 1826. At that time the Plif,. article
charges were made that those implicated an them would have opened for the importation of oats, barley, and othebeto..s,
, got up and disavowed them, but not one so implicated had got of consumption, and no difficulty was found in the
toe ro ,
up to refute them. What was the House and country to .kink ment of that day getting an Act of' indemnity, althe ;oat's, -,
of this silence on the part of Hon. Gentlemen? The impres- tection was much higher than at present ; but the ire' se
shin on his mind, and on the-mind of the country, would be. differed between 1826 and the present time---iitotisoi
• that The charges were true, because if they had been untrue then no Anti-fern-law League, that uneen's al bed;
those interested in them %oriel, have felt it incumbent to deny body which was seeking to do away with the agricultarterlisr ,
them if it had been in their power to do so. The. Right Mon, but which, he believed, did not represent popularitne bgs
Baronet (Sir R. Peel) had talked about the legitimate right of It was said that now there was a perfect understar,,,,,. els
Peers to make whatever statements they liked and to act as tween the manufacturers and the labouring e's-perstit`e
they thought proper. He for one had no right to abolish the would on that point remind the House of the greet
0.20 Set
right they possessed. One distinguished Nobleman had said in tone and manner evinced by the League since Its ago l;,.
that "he had a right to do what he liked with his own;" and established. He recollected that three or four year erq tor
he (Mr. Sharman Crawford) was of the same opinion; great argument used by Anti-Corn-law manultelng, ifn„f
but what he objected to was, that this right that it wasquite impossible to compete with Switeerlacee °nano()
fad been held up in terror to those who de- paid the present rate of wages. 'They then made $ soite leo
perided for their subsistence on those who held the great differeece between the wages paid in Lancee, 000.
the rod over them, in order that they might act according to Switzerland, and maintained that unless '':tetniorl to
their will. In short, he wished a legitimate right to be main- reduced they would be conspelled to remove their capi eistitteer
tained, and what was illegitimate abolished. However the state • chinery to foreign countries. He, therefore, contended
ewe rei ,
metes which had been made by the Hon. Member, would sink a delusion to the people to maintain wages at the pre belie to
deep into the public mind, and induce them to seek reform, if a reduction took place in the price of food. 7countrigo,
That House did not represent the people, but be trusted the that there never was a period iu the history of thi'ae prc'iot
day was not far distant when it would fairly represent them, which the master manufacturers had made such 'lto Merida
and when such disgraceful practices as those enumerated were and in which the labourers were better paid. w't elr. 'lO, -
unknown. few years wages bad increased full 30 per cent. ~ veva
Mr. COLLETT said he should adopt the suggestions of his Pratt had lately pin t
üblished an account of the sSi`'ingee o,tall of
Hon. Friend, and withdraw his motion. from which it appeared, in 1841, there were rapi
.eoo, ,
The motion was then withdraws accordingly. . Kingdom 811,205 depositors, representing a of n ref
PARLIAMENTARY RETURNS. 24,475,085/. Three years after, in 1844, the nuletropitetto.,
Mr. HUME moved for a copy of the rules and regulations times had increased to 1,012,000, representinghaeeitors fog
of the Calcutta Mint, and an abstract of the operations of the 31,275,6351., and the average sum for each °?l's—jo ,wi, 0(
Mint in each year since its reform ; stating the expense under 271. 18s. This amount proved that the country.n! depoo. tbr
each head, and the amount of coin, and the number of each prosperous state. In the agricultural districts
.7,ittectbs eel ,
kind coined in each year ; also for a return of the number of
persons charged with or committed to prison on a charge of average was 301. With such a state of thlegetnet e It
;et,
each person averaged 28/. ; in the manufacturing
%,".by , O!3,
adulterating manufactured tobacco,' or having adulterated there be so great a change in the Right Hon.
the dears inarefee
tobacco ie their possession, in each of the years ended the sth said that to buy in the cheapest and sell in Ir% that c eve
day of January, 1844, the sth day of January, 1845,.and the was the policy to be pursued ; but he was of opine the 00
sth day of January, 1846, stating the number of persons con- tee' ion was necessary to the agricultural i
victed, the number who paid the penalties, the number who try to enable them to supply any market.
___eieation e; '
compromsed, and the number confined in prison for adultera- were to be repealed, why not repeal th_ereete Dien' crater -
thin ; stating also the number of persons in prison on the Ist Why should not the farmers be allowed to b. hgetteapest_a of
day of January, 1844, on the Ist day of January, 1845, and marketinthose ships which would bring. it Is
mind to vote in ill'ither
nteirtesttbs
ee
corecl:o ?
on the Ist day of January, 184 e, for the offence of adultera- He, therefore, could not bring his tn")
stateseasp ite...,..,_,
tion of tobacco. this question. He would like to know what , free .r,_ of --
ARGENTINE CONFEDERATION. Europe or America, had ever advocated
in what c°?!!„, sce°
Lord JOHN RUSSELL rose to put a question to the Hon. ( Hear, hear.) He would like to know e
_or)
.te „ear,
Baronet at the head of her Majesty's Government. He wished Europe or America free trade existed.—(
artso,...--(so .
to know if the Government was prepared to lay on the table of ready to admit that he signed the petition
the House any satisfactory information as to the state of affairs hear, and laughter.) But still he
Mr.
dblsitkeer aid not 7
0. If;
for the Argentine Confederation ? wer to his question. Certainly M •
ctmeeteens 0
Sir ROBERT PEEL stated that he was not prepared at the and he was as clever a statesman and talented
rashden extra, co
present time, with any information on the subject. There was had ever heard of. He would now ea
Boston
thatls 'erica 14,
Arrodl 3° de. ..
also great difficulty in receiving communications from that speech delivered by Mr. Websterhaet
Houseßos
country, in ecnsequence of its present situation—so great fore he did so, let him remind. t_
was the difficulty indeed, that up to the present time been going on increasing its tariff fort saenvdernalo leeuearatry irs,adbettaar
the Government had not received any official information of 40, and 50, and even 100 per cens.,
er"4llo"re4tl the
,
the action in the Rio de la Pla.a. They were, therefore, quite such rapid strides to prosperity
as
uncertain as to the position of affairs. In conclusion, he begged j [The Honoursble Member thenwbieb
eontaiamto tegaeresej
to state he was not prepared to give any information on the sub- I extra, t from the speech, t reignedrotleetion ils,
proceeded] ,k,, arg„,u ,
merit to show that prosperi y
ject. the dliltbot
readi a__
000,
Lord PALMERSTON begged leave to ask the Right Hon. and that this result was attributable to the P
Baronet opposite whether any convention had been entered The Hon. Gentleman having concluded
the
Id not trouble The e reclie•mi'e;
into between France and England resecting the La Plata? observed that he would
subject. s cesina' on 7
Sir ROBERT PEEL said that he could not give any infor- remarks on that part of the
on a recent sn' Thorne' ee
• at the head of the Government, . (itlr. Aid' eetli re'ea
motion on the subject.
ADJOURNED DEBATE—CORN-LAWS. Hon. Gentlemen who sat about birn
to retrace intendedthee e
ta oil,
e sing '
Lord DUNCAN rose, and said he had been always a sup- whether they were preparedr
whether limy .i n,, a a
either
porter of the present Government, and of free trade principles to our commercial policy,? Aos far as his own oPin, Leesedr
__„a.
in that House ; and if he had not before made any remarks on I still or to go forwards
he certainly was o_°_,‘ to ,;) fo
thehtht
the subject of the corn-laws, it was not because he had heard individual were concerned,
was incline" etten nth el,
He House with
hn.Yijor _ .
any arguments which deterred him. The question was, to go hack or to remain still.
net
able to go alot?g; High, poi,
triumphant in the Cabinet, and it was also triumphant out of . but at the same time he was
th t
he had chosen. in
tile land 11106
that House. He ( Lord Duncan) had heard much since those Hon. Baronet in the pa ,
retina of . .
.to
1
VI
debates commenced of party prejudices, somethin of personal Baronet had stated that_at.n:ienated iti owl
attacks, and certainly new fangled doctrines with regard to ountry in )815 was vs"
'

of to be

.ar thathtib;
a.uret be,
Dracut • the
rder,"