The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-04 00:00:00

SECOND READINGS.

The following Bills were read a second time, and were
ordered to be committed, viz.:—Sunderland aterworks,
Great Grimsby and Sheffield Junction Railway and Grimsby
Docks Consolidation, Great Grim-by and Sheffield Junction
Railway ( Humber Ferries), Scottish Grand Junction Railway,
anti Ferguson's Naturalization.
Captain BERKELEY presented a petition from the port
of London, praying that inquiries be instituted into the ma-
nagement of the Seaman's Relief Fund.
Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition, signed by the dis-
trict Catholic clergymen of Liverpool, complaining that the
children of those of the Roman Catholic adults employed in
the fawories were compelled to attend the Protestant Sunday-
schools, and praying that the House would institute some in-
quiries into the matter.
MERCHANT SEAMAN'S FUND.

Mr. HUME presented a petition, praying the attention of
the House to the management of the Merchant Seaman's Fund,
with the view of providing a retreat for those deserving men,
after a period of active service, thus preventing them from
leaving the country, as many of them at the present were in
the habit of doing. He begged to give notice that he would
move that the petition be printed, with the view of calling the
attention of the House to this important subject.
ADULTERATION OF TOBACCO.

Mr. HUME presented a petition from the manufacturers and
dealers in tobacco in the city of Norwich. They recited that
various vexatious processes were instituted under the plea for
searching for adulterated tobacco ; that various prosecutions had
been entered upon which they had not the adequate means of
preventing, and, therefore, they prayed the House to take the
matter into consideration. They believed that an effectual
remedy would be to reduce the duty on tobacco to Is.
per pound, thus removing all temptation to smuggling or
adulteration.

EXCLUSIVE PRIVILEGES IN SCOTTISH
BOROUGHS.

Mr. HUME presented a petition from the magistrates, town
council, and civic authorities of Arbroath, Fraying e House to
give every facility to the passing of a measure introduced by
the Lord Advocate for the doing away of exclusive privileges in
boroughs.
REPORT OF STANDING ORDERS' COMMITTEE.

Mr. ESCOURT brought up the report of the decision of the
Standing Orders' Committee respecting the North Staffordshlire
and other railway Bills.
PROTECTION TO AGRICULTURE.
Mr. R. PALMER presented several petitions from Hants
and Berkshire against the measures of the Government relative
to the importation of foreign grain. He also presented one
complaining of the present mode
praying the House to take it into
with the view of devising a means
of abolishing the local rates, and meeting the expense out of
foirtf: :myna i
os?sntegsbet4rhri elpu
serious
consideration,
r ofraN t eesw,baunrily,
the public fends, er some other such mode.
THE WEST RIDI/40 UNION RAILWAY BILL.

Several petitions were presented from the inhabitants of dif-
ferent districts in Yorkshire, complaining of the injue: ice of
the decision of the Standing Orders' Committee against the
above named urnlertak!ng.
Captain BERKELEY said, that seeing that the Right Hon.
Baronet the President of the Board of Trade was in hit place
he wished to ask him what was the intention of Go-
vernment with regard to the merchant seamen's fund. Was it
the intention of Government to make any inquiry into it?
Petitiens of some consequence with regard to that suhject had
been that day presented, from a bogy of no less than 3,030
seamen of the port of London.
Sir GEORGE CLERK. said, it was desirable that some
alteration should be made in the system. The Government had
for some time been in communication with the Ship owners'
Society, and were in possession of every information, so that
an inquiry would not be necessary. . .
Mr. VILLIERS presented a petition from Bilstone for the
release of Frost, Williams, and Jones, and also a petition from
Chorlev, far the better regulation of factory labour.
Mr. 'F. DUNCOMBE gave notice that, on the 18th instant,
he should move for leave to bring in a Bill for the limitation
of labour in those factories where machinery was employed.
Mr. EWA RT gave notice that he should move for the aboli-
tion of duty on all foreign books.
OFFICIAL DESTRUCTION OF CORN.
Mr. VILLIERS, seeing the Right Hon. Gentleman the Vice-
President of the Board of 'trade in his place, wished to ask bins
if any report had been made to the Government or to the Cus-
tom-house authorities, of the amount of wheat destroyed in this
country in consequence
importer
the damage it had received at the
Custom-house, and the inability of the to pay the duty ?
He had understood that very recently a large quantity of wheat
had been destroyed, in consequence of the lan:age it received by
remaining in the Custom-house, the importer not being able,
in consequence of the high rate of duty, to clear it front the
Custom-house. A merchant of the name of 1- hilputts, at the
port of Gloucester, was not able to pay the high duty of 17s.
per quarter; it was, therefore, thrown into the River Severn,
under the care of a vigilant Custom-house officer, who watched
it in the Severn till it became either mixed with the mud or was
by other means rendered unfit for use. He wished, therefore,
to ask if any report had been mule to the Government of the
amount of wheat so destroyed in consequence of the inability
of the importer to pay the duty?
Sir GEORGE CLERK said he knew nothing of the case
to which the Hon. Member (Mr. Villieis) had referred. He
believed, however, that the statement had appeared in a news-
paper, but the periodical reports furnished by the board of
Customs to the Treasury and the Board of Trade contained
no mention of it. There could nut, however, be any difficulty
in ascertaining whether the report was true or false, and if
true, under what circumstances the alleged destruction of grain
took place.

i Kingdom,
receiptm
in
SHIPPING DUES.
INir.HpUor3tl,Ehamrboovcierd,
afonrdancraececk nouinttohfe the aggregate
fK
at everythe year 1845, of the harbour and shipping charges, stating
the the several heads of such income ; and also an account of the
aggregate expenditure for the same year, stating the same
under the several heads of expenditure in the year 1845 (in
continuation of Parliamentary Paper No. 571, of Session
1845), which was agreed to.
PETITION OF THE SHIPOWNERS OF LONDON
On the motion of Mr. W. BARING (in the absence of
Lord John Russell), the petition of the shipowners of the port
of London, favour of the proposed measure relative to the
timber duties, was ordered to be printed witls the rotes.
PETITIONING THE. 110 U: E.
Mr. NEWDEG ATE rose to amend the sit tice of motion
which he submitted to the House last night, respecting
an instruction to the Committee appointed to inquire into the
way in which the petition from Cheltenham in favour of the
repeal of the corn-laws had been got up. His amended
motion was to the following effect That it he an instruction
to the Select Committee on the petition from Cheltenham, that
they do inquire whether forged objections have not been served
upon certain electors for the northern division of the county of
Warwick against the claims of the ,aid electors late retained
upon the register of the said division of the said county."
He said he had been induced to alter his original motion, in
consequence of information which he had received imme-
diately subsequent to brieging forward his motion last night,
and which was to the effect, that the system of which he
complained prevailed to a great extent in North
Warwickshire, and North Staffordshire, as well as
in other districts. He thought it his duty to propose
this additional instruction to the Committee, because he felt
himself agrieved, in common with those who entertained similar
opinions to himself, and because he represented those who had
beenmost urjustly attacked en acc,urit of their being in favor
of the maintenance of protection.—( Hear. ) When it was con-
sidered that the Hon. Member -Fr -Cheltenham (Mr. C.
Berkeley) was totally opposed to him on the score of polities,
and that he had first brought the subject before
the House, they would acquit him of any intention to
east additional unnecessary labour on the Committee.
He could not divest himself of the statement which was made
by the Right Hon. Baronet the First Lord of the Treasury,
that it was not a question well worthy the consideration of the
House. The Right Hon. Baronet the other night, v hen a
questioe was raised with reference to the alleged interference
of Peers in Parliament, induced his Honourable Friend op.
polite (Mr. Collett) to withdraw that motion, because
he stated that if their influence was traced, it may he found
not more than was used by other parties. It had ever been the
practice of that House to consider, where grounds were sup_

as a question between the proteetionist, and those the other
side, but he considered it should be entertained by that House
as a question between the Government and the Anti-Corn-law
League. The Hon. Member concluded by moving theamend-
merit of which he had given notice.
Mr. REDHEAD YOI(KE was understood to inquire by
whose instructions the Honourable Member had moved his
amendmen. ?

Mr. 'l'. DUNCOMBE admitted that it was no light case—
a ease consisting of perjury, and a very vexatious system of
serving notices by some agent of the Anti Corn-law League.
Admitting the whole facts of the case, he could not conceive
what the House had to do with the question. A Committee
had been appointed to inquire into the tit each of privilege, with
reference to the forgery of certain names to a petition, by
means of which the House had been misled, and was,
therefore, a breach of its privileges. But he did
not see that the present charges were breaches of
privileges. With reference to the charge of perjury,
that is a case for another tribunal. The system of giving
notices was not a breach of the privileges. He did not know
what offence it was, it was a ♦ery vexatious and harassing
system to the electors that was the fault however of the system
of registration. That system he had found fault with over arid
over again. But Hon. Members opposite were always so proud of
their registration. They now began to feel that
inconvenience which had so long been felt by
the electors of boroughs. Now they began
to feel it in the counties. Hon. Members came down to this
House to complain of the system. If the Hon. Member had
moved for a Committee to inquire into the whole system of
registration, and into the operation of the Reform Bill, with its
fina;ity clauses, he should have been happy to have
assisted them to the utmost of his power.—(Hear, hear. )
He hoped, therefore, that the Government would not give
their support to the motion of the Hon. Member. He had
consented to be one of the members of the Committee to
which the petition from Cheltenham had been referred; butt
he should decline to serve, if the additional duty proposed by
the Hon. Member should be referred to them.—( Cheers. )
Mr. NEWDEGATE said the Hon. Member for Finsbury
had asked him why they did not proceed at common law
against the parties whom he (Mr. Newdegate) stated had
outraged the privileges of that House ? because none
of them had any wish to prosecute the unhappy tools of the
organised system of annoyance to which he had referred.
He did not seek for a Committee to inquire into the effects of
the Reform Bill or into the registration of the country, but he
wished for a Committee to inquire into the way in which sig-
natures were attached to these petitions, and who the parties
were who thus interfered with the registration.
Mr. ADDELEY thought that the subject brought forward
by the Honourable Member should be:referred to the Com-
mittee on the Cheltenham petition, because there was an
analogy between them. It was right that the Com-
mittee appointed to inquire into the manufacture
in Manchester of Cheltenham petitions should inquire into this
subject also.—(Hear, hear.) He was prepared to prove that
the privileges of electors bad been interfered
with in North Staffordshire, and that discussion on
the subject was german to the mat ter referred
to the Committee, and that they ought to investigate it. A
Bill had been drawn up by an Hon. Friend on the subject,
which he believed would shortly be introduced into that House.
The Hon. Member then read extracts from a petition to the
House from North Staffordshire, which were to the effect, that
although the petitioners had been registered for several years,
and although their qualification to vote was well known in the
locality, that 20,000 trivolous objections to their votes had been
served upon them and others; that they were signed by an in-
habitant of the county, but that they had been posted at Man-
chester—(Loud protectionist cheers. ) They further stated
that they were thus subjected to considerable expense and
annoyance on account of being compelled to attend from year
to year at the Registration Courts, in order to prove that they
were entitled to be on the register. Having read the extracts,
the lion. Gentleman concluded by saying that lie should not
then present the petition, hut that he should do so on a future
occasion, when he had a better opportunity.
Mr. WAKL EY said that he did not consider it right or
just that the petition should be referred to a Committee, which
was appointed for entirely a different purpose, and he hoped
that the Hon. Gentleman would not press it, as he was sure the
Government would feel the propriety of lending its aid to the
correction of the system, which could not be done by the very
clumsy way which was then proposed. It was altogether a bad
way of proceeding, anti nothing could be more objectionable The
Hon. Gentleman made a motion, and in dot: g so, he (Mr.
Wakley ) felt that he hail dealt very hardly with the Anti-Corn-
law League. He stated that a man in their pay had been
proved to be a forger.and a perjurer, and yet the Hon. Gentle-
man adopted the statements of that man in laving his case before
the House.—(Cries of " No, no 1") He (Nir. Wakley) would
observe that if what was stated of that man was
correct, instead of bringing the case before the House,
he ought to have been prosecuted; but he has not been
punished at all. It was their duty to have punished
him, but instead of doing so, they hold out encouragement to
men of a similar description to commit a repetition of such of-
fences.--(Cries of " No, no.") lie considered that that
man's evidence altogether ought to be repudiated; but that
the subject ought to be investigated, as really deserving the
attention of the Government.
Sir ROBERT PEEL—Sir, I have before expressed my
opinion on this subject, in reference to the appointment of a
committee. I stated, yesterday, that a committee. would be
appointed on the point of privilege ; and I further stated that
I thought it would be better if it directed its attention solely to
that point, as regarded the Cheltenham petition. Sir, the
opinion I yesterday pronounced I now adhere to.--( Hear,
hear.) It is very easy for Hon. Gentleman to make insinu-
ations about the connexion of Ministers with the Anti-Corn
Law-league, without having the slightest foundation for making
such—( Hear, hear)—and, perhaps, unless an answer be given
there may be many who would feel inclined to draw injurious
inferences from our silence. Therefore, rather th ,n such
inferences should be drawn, I beg to tell the Hon. Gentlemen
that I cannot recall to my recollection that, on the subject of
the corn-laws, or any other public or private matter, I have
ever, directly or indirectly, communicated with the Anti-
Corn-law League, or any member of that body.—( Loud cries
of " Hear.' ) With regard to the Anti-Corn-law League, or any
other society employing persons to get up vexatious objections
to the right of certain individuals to enjoy the franchise, I
can only say if that be so, as it is stated, it is. highly improper.
I understand my Honourable Friend, the Member for Somer-
setshire, to say that he formed his allegation upon a petition,
and certainly, if the HonOurable Gentleman moves for a Com-
mittee to inquire into these allegations, I shall certainly give it
my support.
Air. SPOONER thought the Honourable Member for
Finsbury had made an unnecessary attack upon his Hon.
Friend, the Member for Warwickshire, for the Marl
whose name his Honourable Friend had mentioned, and
of whose conduct he complained, was employed by the
Anti-Corn-law League. He thought the question before the
House was one of considerable importance. The law said
the fact of pasting a notice of objection to a voter was sufficient
testimony of its delivery, and the consequence was that notices
were posted ton late to reach the parties in time to enable
them to meet the threatened opposition. He, himself, re-
ceived an objection to his vote two days after the time, and it
was only by accident that it reached him in time to forward it
to h:s solicitor.
Sir GEORGE GREY thought that the matter ought not
to be reduced to the facts to which the Hon. Gentleman had
referred. It must not be confined to the allegations of the
parties who had come before the House in this petition.
He story well remembered when the Registration Act was
under discussion, that considerable difficulty had been felt by
the parties on his side of the House respecting the difficulties
which might arise on a future period. The parties with whom
he acted were at that time

e in a minority, and two persons had
,iresentecl a petition with a vie,v to establish their claims to vote.
That petition had experienced great apposition, but the
minority had been desirous of obviating the difficulty which was
likely to arise from the mooting of the question ; and he had
then, as a member of that party, been exceedingly desirous of
settling the whole j rinciple. The same diffieuhy had arisen
nom, but the lion. Gentlemen opposite, because it affected
themselves, were desirous of limiting the inquiry to the facts
now before the House. But he could not assent to the pro-
position, because he still conceived that legislation should be
extended to the whole subject.
Lord SANDON and Air. DISRAELI rose at the same mo-
ment, and after calls from several parts of the House for

posed to exist, whether any undue influence had been used each, the Speaker decided upen giving the preference to Mr.
in the election of Members, and he thought it right that
*cit iltetae' lie eantitonni by the present tribunal appointed. air. DISR AELI said, that. his name bad been intro.
It was con idered that the real contest took plane in the regis- duaed into the discussion as an interested reviver of 0
tration courts which decided the laert te' rue el.taio"s , and gree,aeces. The allege it re. in the deeei. were
he considered it was the duty of that House to inquire into I similar kind to that which had been preferred against
the conduct and practices of such Courts. he Right him by the aonourable Member for Bath. In the course of
Honourable Baronet thought right to say, that his (Mr. Disraeli's) observations the other night,
*e battle of the elections were fought in the he he tl made some remarks which it was not worth
Registration Courts, and this induced him to introduce while for him now to refer to. These remarks had
some instructions to the Committee. Ile trusted that his con- induced a reply from the Hon. Member for Durham (Mr.
duct on that occasion could be fully justified, for he thought Bright) which went to show that the difference which had
he could be able to prove to them that no light ground or previously txisted between the Right lion. Gentleman at the
doubtful evidence had induced him to make the preeeet motion. heed of the Got -eminent and the lion. Member for St, cki.ort
He stated that a great number of objections had been served (Mr. Cobden) had been perfectly m cis sap. But he would
on voters of the north division of Wallington, meet of se hich beg to remind the Hou e, that immediately before the meeting
failed on the merits, and he had also stated that the most re- of Perliament, that Hon. Member bad stared that no commu.
markable of these transactions occurred in the Registration nication could itossibly take place between him arid the Right
Court at Birmingham. He could then assure the Homo? that HMI. Gentleman at the head of the Ministry. Now he must
no lesss than 700 electors had been served with notice of ob- still further let gto remind the House that when these ailega-
jection in two parishes of that district, arid in Birmingham the tions tit' reviving old grievances had been alleged against him,
number was so great—over 30,0',)0—that the Post-office that he only used the terms applied to him in the legitimate
could not be cleared of them for several days Now course of the debate. and he would beg to say that he had re-
these had all been served at the instance mnded the Right Hon. Gentleman in a very crowded House
of the Anti-Corn-law League, and on behalf of that b ,de. laet session, that no explanation, at !east sufficiently satisfactory,
There were three names which he *Quid mention as avowedly bad been given to the Hon. Member for Stockport.
connected with that body; and if he could prove, as he b.lieved Sir R. PEEL read the words which he used three years
he could, their connexion with the present prat ices come ago, anti he repeated, that if on that oecasion any one had inti-
plained of, no doubt could remain on the minds of lion. Gen- mated that the reparation he then made was not sufficient, he
tlemen that it was through the agency of the Anti- would have at once taken the opportunity of making a fuller
Corn-law League, that such objections were served. explanation.
The objections were served indiscriminately, and upon persons Mr. W. ELLIS loped that a Committee would be appointed
of property to a large amount. But those objected to were to inquire into the existing system of objecting to voters. He had
selected ,from those voters who resided or were at be time himself last year been ohj. cetl try, although he had enjoyed the
at the greatest distance from the northern division of War- vote since the passing of the Reform Bill.
wickshire. This system was adopted in order that the greatest I Lord SAND( IN thought it was absurd that a man should
inconvenience might result to the parties in attempting to be c impel!ed to be at his house at a certain time every year to
maintain their votes in the registration courts. The person protret his franchise. lie had no (it übt that the result of an
who signed those objections was a man named Worthington. investieation on the subject would lead to the greatest benefits
who was possessed of no property, and was almost labouring in the laws regulating the registration of voters.—( Hear. )
for his daily meal and subsistence. In proof of this he might Mr. LAWSON said he rose to congratulate the Frst Lor4ti
state that the man, upon being threatended with prosecution of the Treasury for his maintaining the same opinion that ev-
for his conduct, declared that he was not worth 51. Now he ening. whir-h he had maintained on the evening previous. Anti
wished to know if the House intended to allow such objections he hoped that on other occasions he would pursue the same
as these to be continued, or would they not rather intet-pose their course—( Cries of " Question, question.") He was very glad
authority and protect the franchise from this vexatious system? to hear that the Right Hon. Baronet had no connexion with
On Willharn Worthington being subsequently asked whether the Anti-Cr rn-law League. But, from what thee had seen,
he had told the witness staiford to write like him, he replied during' the course of the session it was quite excusable that the
not ; but he admitted, after some hesitation, that he had handed Hon. Member for Warwick should have believed that he had
him a written notice, signed by his own hand, and desired that some connexion with that holy, for, when they saw him
all the rest should be :signed in the same manner. He bringing f irwerd measures proposed by the League. it was
He would now explain to the House why a large portion of very difficult to arrive at any other conclusion—(Cries of
these objections were forged. He held in his hand evidence to "question"). But when the Right. Hon. Baronet stated that he
prove that the objections were generally these of the keeper of had no connexion whatsoever with the League. why, they
a " pop" shop. 'This man had grossly perjured himself. Ile were bound to believe him. At the same time, he considered
was over and over again asked if the sigeeture Wm. Worthing- it would have been more satisfactory to the House that these
ton was his, anti he as many times, upon his oath, objections shoeld not have been servetl in the wholesale manner
declared that it was not ; and yet suhseque..tly a witness which had been detailed to the House. If the Government
was produced who stated that the writing was his. had introduced some nea ure for ea e tine down the Anti-Corn-
This evidence applied to five or six hundred notices. Now law Leaeue—( Hear, t ear)—and if they had not given way to
after such evidence, he (Mr. Newdegate) considered that it—'or he believed Riving- way was the only method to in-
there could be little doubt as to the character of the objector, crease its strength—thee weir d have been more likely to have
but he wished to show the House that it was still more neces • gained hit support—(Laughter)—and that of the body with
sary that they should enter into an investigation ; for after the which he acted—( Hear, hear• anti cheering)—than they were
ohjector had foresworn himself—and his evidence in cootie- by pursuing their preteens course.
quence ought not to have been received—the barrister Mfr. BROTHERTON thought that the Anti-Corn-law
decided on admitting his evidence in oilier cases League ought to be very much obliged to the Hon. Members
where objections had been taken. He would now take °eels- opposite for the great notice they had taken of their exertions.
sion to trace this system to the Anti-Corn-law League, a for there was a period when they were thought nothing ef by
leading member of wham publicly boasted that they extended these gentlemen —( Laughter. ) In hi• own borough there heti
the franchise—a noble object were it net carried oat tor a party been at one time 700 votes objected to. and he was of opinion
spirit, and for party purpote4—in favour of a body e bleb was that it had been done in many other places for the purpose of
as much a commercial prosiest as a political association, getting in the county mernb we. He thought the Anti-Corn-
If such inroads were to be made upon the claims of those who law League had done much good, and if that League was not
were fully entitled to the franchise—if such a system was to put down by an immediate repeal of the corn-laws—(cries of
he carried on, the electors of any part of the country might 't Oh, oh") they would still go on and cause much more annoy-
be disfranchised. lie called upon the Right Hon. Baronet to ance to the Hon. Gentlemen who now opposed them. He
assist this inquiry, and by so doing put a stop to such optima- thoueht that ti e Right Hon. Baronet had shown great fore-
sions. He told the Hon. Member for Stockport, thst though sight, for he saw how it was that the Anti-Corn-law League
he might treat the present question as a light one, still was to be put down, anti he adopted a liberal policy in accord-
such practices as he had detailed to the house had ance with his views. He could assure the House that mane
had their weight with the Government.—( Hear, hear.) persons in the country were purchasing houses to enable them-
He hoped the Bight. Hon. Baronet would pause before he selves to vote for those candidates who would represent their
allowed such practises to be passed over unnoticed. He wished interests. It was quite a mistake of th Hon. Gentleman 'to
to have this a fair Committee; he was himself a protectionist. suppose that the quarter-of-a-million fund raised by the Anti-
and he did not wish to have any gentleman of that body on Corn-law League was spent for the purpose of purchasing votes.
it, nor would he allow any Member of the Anti •Corn-law The people themselves were fast qualifying far the elections, and
League to be on t,.e inquiry. He would net have it trettted he thought it unfair to think of interfering with those votes, for

the poor men who had a right to vot., ought not to be objected
to t,v the Gentlemen on the other side of the House. —( Hear. )
He hoped the people would go on and strengthen themselves
for the elections.
Mr. FERRAND said it was a mistake to suppose 'hat the
lion. Member for I%arwichshire was objecting to the inter-
ference with the bad votes What his Hon. Friend nom-
plsined of was the sv3fem of ehjecting to good votes. He

could assure the House that his ( Mr. Ferrand's) vote bad been
objected to for four years successively. The only means by
which he could put a stop to this system of annoyance was by
giving notice to the parties that he would bring an action
against them to recover the costs. He believed that if the
League were allowed to go on they would soon he able to
swamp all the bonh fide voters of England, and thus return
Members who would not, duly represent the interests of their
constituencies, for the majority of voters would be destroyed
by his wholesale system of forgery and perjury.
Mr. FOX MAULE said that the question seemed to he a
simple one—it was that of the endeavour of a powerful body
to destroy good votes. It would be found that this had been
the system of tactics pursued in the registration courts
for a number of years. Honourable Members, however, on
the opposite side, had never supported an inquiry into this
grievance—but so long as they found that the shoe did not
pinch their feet they made no efforts to support that inquiry
into the subject •, but now the League having brought the
matter home to their own doors they complained very loudly.
He rejoiced that the inquiry was about to be established, and he
hoped that the inquiries would be extended, not only to Eng-
land, but also to Ireland and Scotland ; and that the Govern-
ment would, in consequence of that inquiry, bring in a Bill to
remedy this grievance.
Mr. PACKE stated, that in the county which he re-
presented, there had been no less that 1,500 objections made,
including himself, but in nonsequenoe of the determined re-
sistance of his constituents, no more than five names had been
struck off the list.
Mr. C. BULLER did not see the necessity of any inquiry.
It was clear that they had arrived at a stage beyond that of inquiry.
They had arrived at a state in which the evil was confessed, and
a desire expressed to adopt any practicable remedy.—( Hear,
hear.) He did not know whether it would be proper to move
an amendment to the motion of the Right Hon. Member
for 'Warwickshire; but he confessed that he should be inclined
to propose that leave be given to the Nohle Member to bring in
the Bill which he stated he had in his pocket.—( Cheers. )
Slr. NEWDEGATE was understood to say that he had not
the Bill in his possession.
Mr. C. BULLER said there were no doubt instances in
which inquiries by Committees of that House were necessary
for the purposes of Legislatiou, but it was equally true that
instances had occurred of inquiries having been instituted for
the purpose of preventing Legislation.—( Cheers. ) On that
occasion, however, the evil complained of was stated to exist by
both sides of the House.—( Cheers.) The extent to which
they had been curried had often been referred to in that House
from. year to year, and Bills had been brought in by Noble
Members on that (the opposition) side of the House, in order to
put a stop to those practices, but they had been invariably
opposed by Hon. Members on the other side of the House as
much above the gangway as below it.—( Hear and laughter. )
But he was now glad to find that those above and below the
gangway, as well as the Government, took a diffarent course,
and-adopted the argument' which they had made use of.—
( Cheers.) Now he advised them to have no more recrimina-
tion. The practice hail been much in vogue from the lime of
the Charles-street League down to the origin of the Ar.ti-
Corn-law League. Now, as they were convinced of the ex-
istence of the bad practices referred to, let them emulate
each other, and endeavour to put an end to them—(Cheers )
because they were reprehensible to parties in that House and
.to the Government of the country. He believed that they
would, find in a Bill, which had been introduced by the Noble
Lord the Member for the City of London, various means for
rectifying all these evils, which however did not meet with the
approbation of the House; but as it was now the practice to
adopt the-e measures, he trusted the House would reconsider
its d ei•ion. and pass it.—( Cheers. )
Lord INGESTRE perfectly agreed with the Hon. Mem•
ber that the question before the House was above party c0.,-
sideration, as it affected their honour as well as the interest of
the country at large. He agreed with the Noble Member for
North Staff°, dshire that the way in which the votes of quali-
fi •ri persons ware objected to wss execedingly reprehensible,
and subjected the parties to considerable an ,of abet.. In that
part of the country watch he (Lord Ing stre) represented the
practice was carried to a wholesale extent. They were there-
fore justified in calling the Government to take steps to put a
stop to the evil, by intredueing, a measure to protect the con-
stituency, that those who had a right to have their cam aon
the register might not be wantonly objected to.
Mr. C. WOOD rose anti said he had but a few remarks to
make on the subject. It, struck him that he had a good deal
to do with the West Riding of Yorkshire far many years, and
he remembered perfectly well a notice being delivered to a gen-
tleman new a Member of that House, requesting that he would be
so good as to vote for a certain candidate. An Hon. Gentleman
on the protectionist side of the House said, " wnen ?" He
could not say " when"— but he thought it did not signify when,
it was sufficient to say so. All he could say was, that the gen-
tleman to whom he alluded, who had received that notice was
in the House, and he thought the lion. Gentlemen opposite
had better be a little cautious how they made statements.
With regard to the West Riding of Yorkshire, it was not proved
that any improper interference took place. but there were on
each side of the question practices adopted which had better be
avoided by both rarties. lie thought it was a consideration
well worthy the consideration of the House, that it was perfectly
impossible fur an elector to use the franchise in an inde-
pendent manner. A voter, unless he was connected
with one of the two parties, was utterly at a loss to
know how he should proceed; which was a practical grievance,
which should be, as soon as poasible, abolished, by securing
his independence in voting. Unless that system were adopted,
all they could say would be of no avail, and he was glad to find
that many of those who opposed an amendment in the regis-
tration of voters, were new alive to the real state of the facts,
and he hoped that what had happened at Warrington would in
future be prevented.
Mr. FERII AND said that he would claim the indulgence
of the House for a short time. When that Hon. Member
opposite said he remembered many years ago that a notice
was oven to a gentleman, requesting him to vote for a certain
candidate, he ought to say that he was prompted to say so, and
not that he had remembered it. fie (Mr. Ferrand) was
sure that the Hon. Gentleman u ould not say that he was not
prompted? L"Yes, I do," said Mr. Wood, who sat down amidst
cheers and laughter. ] It was true that he (Mr. Ferrand)
in the division in which he resided was called upon, as chair-
man of the district committee to sign his name to papers of
ohjection—( Hear, hear) - but he had even declared, when
called upon to do so, that he would not offer obstruction to
any man seeking the franchise unless on fair and legitimate
greunds. lie did object to the vote of an Hon: Gentleman,
but why did he do so? because that sums gentleman
objected to him (Sir. Ferrand) for three years in
succession.--( Hear, and a laugh.)—and received for
his services a beautiful silver teapot—Great laughter)—for
which his ( Mr. Ferranti's) relative had subscribed. On that.
occasion he (Mr. Fernald) i!eclared that if the Hen. Gentle-
man again objected to his vote, he Mould object to the yore of
his relative.— ( Renewed laughter. ) Now on these grounds,
and these only, did he object to the lion. Gentleman; and in
Meng so he thought he was pat Pertly justified.—( Laughter. )
Mr. STUART WORTLEY thought the House should not
lose sight of another branch of the subject, namely, the menu.
facture of voters. In Manchester (as we understood) no less
than 2 500 voters wore ad 'ed to the roil, the prevailing opinion
of which in Yorkshire was that. they were fraudulent.
Mr. BRIGHT could assure the Hon and Learned Member l
'hat he was entirely mistaken when he supposed that slr.
et' is in the West Ridini

Ashton had any part in signing obieetiom
of Yorkshire ; and with regard to freeholds, he could assure
the Hon. and Learned Member with no less confidence, that
the Anti-Corn-law League did not only not recommend the
creation of votes by this means, but through its lecturers and
delegates, the League bad constantly informed the public that
such votes were not just, and were really in defiance of every
lair principle of representation. The Anti-Corn-law League
had in no degree sanctioned the creation of such votes, but they
had recommended the poor man to save his money and to qualify
Innis-elf' 'for a voter in a bona fide manner, namely, by
purchasing a sufficient amount 'of property, and he defied any
Member of that House—even the warmest supporter of the
misting institutions of the country—to say that such a princi—