The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-01 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Lord CAMPBELL presented petitions from various
lodipes of Odd Fellows praying for the legalisation of the
11470100 y.
bort STAITLEY presented several other petitions
with a eissilar player. The Neale Lord also presented
several petitiela ageinst say alteration In the naviga-
tion-laws.

iIIPURANNUATIOIT (BOROUGHS) FUND BILL.
Bill passed through Committee.
rRELAND—THE CATHOLIC CLERGY.

Lord BEAUMONT, in allusion to the returns laid on
the asblo yesterday, asked the Noble Marquis (Lans-
downe) to make some statement as to the operation of
the law riceatly passed, and as to the conduct of the
Catholic clergy in Ireland.

The Ilaripirs of LANSDOWNE said that the effect
•f that Act had been to put an almost complete stoppage
ontrageo. In one of the counties which had been
moat disturbed a degree of peace now prevailed equal to
that in the most peaceful county of this country. In
every case brought before the Special Commission both
juries and witnesses had done their duty in a
manner which did them honour. The Roman
Catholic clergy had, he was happy to state,
with few exceptions, lent their aid to enforc-
ing the observation of the law. He was also
happy to state that a large portion of the Catholic
clergy had actively exerted themselves, in opposition to
those who sought to bring about insurrection, in pre-
ventirrg disturbances ; and he felt bound to say that these
Bacot praiseworthy exertions of the Catholic clergy had
ztaterially aided in preserving the public peace.
There had:been endeavours made to create disturbances,
which efforts had induced the well disposed persons
to come forward to express their confidence in the Go-
vernment, and a declaration to the effect had in the
•ourse of a few hours received the signatures of 160,000
persona of all denominations in religion. In Manchester,
where attempts had been made by agitators to create a
ilteturbance, sixteen Roman Catholic priests had come
foxward to urge their congregations to maintain the
pulse peace, and he felt bound to say that the Govern-
ment had the utmost reliance on that body to assist the
Government in their endeavours to uphold the law in
Ireland, which the Government were determined to up-
held and enforce under all circumstances.—(Hear.)
Lord STANLEY confessed that he had been mis-
taktn in the view which he had taken as to what would
be the probable conduct of the Catholic clergy. He
bad heard with great satisfaction the statement
of the Noble Marquis as to the conduct of
the Catholic clergy, and he had read with great satisfac-
tion the declaration of the Catholic clergy of Manches-
ter. It was a matter of congratulation and pride that
while the whole of Europe was convulsed, in this coun-
try those disturbances had evoked such an expression of
opinion from the higher, the middle, and the lower
elasses, of faith in our institutions, sufficient
to overawe the small minority which would fain
SAC' disturbances.—(Hear, hear.) He also believed
that, although in Ireland the disturbance-loving minority
might be large, yet still that the great majority bad that
faith in the laws, that the tranquillity of the country
would not be disturbed.—(Hear.) Yet, considering the
sets done and the expressions used in Ireland during the
last few weeks, it struck him that the law had not pro-
vided an adequate punishment for a class of offenses which
could not be dignified by the name of treason, and which
yet went beyond sedition. There was a body in Ireland
stimulating the people to treason, and yet not them-
Naves open to an indictment for treason, while their acts
wire calculated to lead to bloodshed, and to render them
morally liable to punishment more severe and more
streiraary than that which the law awarded to sedition.
He thought the law required amendment in this respect.
Lord MONTEAGLE thought this conversation had
been most important, because it had elicited from the
Noble Iflrquis the declaration that the Catholic
clergy had in general exerted themselves in main-
taining the law, end that the G vernment had
the greatest trust in their assistance. There was another
class to which he also wished to do justice, and that was
the people themselves, who had shown a determination,
even in the county of Tipperary, to bring murderers to
justice. Throughout the whole of the Munster circuit
the people had exhibted the greatest desire to bring
criminals to justice. They were now aware that acts of
insubostdination only tended to prevent the employment
of labour, and consequently to injure themselves.
The converuttion then dropped, and their Lordships
adjourned.

ROUSE OF COMMONS, March 31.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
NEW MEMBER.
Mr. gunrrtm Ikea, who was introduced by Lord G.
Bentinck and Mr. Disraeli, took the oaths and his seat
for the borough of Aylesbury.
Mr. CARDWELL presented a petition from Lirtr-
pool, praying for an alteration in the Poor Remora!
Act.

Dr. BOWRING presented four petitions against any
increase in the ❑aval and military establishments of the
uountry.
Mr. BOUVIMUE presented a petition in favour of the
ruhlic Health Bill; also a petition praying the House to
adoyit some inquiry into the management of turnpike
roe& in Scotland.

Mr. EWART presented several petitions in favour f
tills abolition of the punishment of death.
Petitions to a similar effect were also presented by Mr.
Tismiarr and another HON. ME.MIitER.
Mr. LIROTEIERTON presented a petition from Cap-
tain Shrapnell and others, praying for an amendment in
ties law relating to letters patent.
Mr. MATHESON presented petitions from the pro-
vost, magistrates, and town council of Nairn—one pray-
ing for legislative measures for the relief of congrega-
tions in consequence of the refusal of church sites; one
praying qop relief in the case of levying duties on the
inventories of personal or moveable estates; and one for
a more equal mode of levying prison assessments in
Sbotland.

LAMBETH WATERWORKS.
Mr. HERRIES moved that it be as instruction to the
Committee on the Lambeth Waterworks Bill to enter
M►in the petition of Sir Edward Burtenshaw Sugden
against the Bill, although the same was not presented
within seven clear days after the second reading of the
Bill.

After a few words from Sir Wm. Heathcote, Mr.
Disraeli, and Sir R. Inglis,
Mr. GREENE said that the House had upon many
°sessions refused to entertain the petitions of persons
against private Bills, on tho ground that they were pre-
sented too late, and he did not think that any sufficient
ground why the indulgence should be awarded in the
present case to Sir E. Sugden. He should, therefore,
giro his decidad opposition to it.
Sir JOHN DUCKWORTH thought that the Corn-
mittos on the Bill ought to have all the facts before it,
and he should therefore support the motion.
Mr. BANKES thought this was a case on whi, 11 the
standing orders ought to be dispensed with, and that
justice would riot be done it they wero not.
After some observations from Mr. Raw:4Am) anti Sir
W. littAtutoTE the House divided, when there ap-
peared—

For the motion 33
Against it
46
Majority against the motion 13
Mr. LOCKE presented a petition from the L m(l4 n
and South-Western Railway Company against the
Direct Portsmouth Railway Bill.
Lord G. BENTINCK presented a petition agait•ett
railway companies becoming sl=um picket companies.
NOTICES OF MOTION.
Lord GEORGE BENTINCK gave notice that on an
early day he should move for certain returns reltting to
articles of import.
Mr. SPOONER said he had a notice of motion to
give, but before doing so he wished to ask the Noble
Lord the Member for Bath whether the Noble Lord the
Member for Falkirk had positively declined to serve on
the Committee of which the Noble Lord the Member for
Bath had been nominated Chairman ?
Lord DUNCAN said be had communicated with the
Noble Lord, the Member for Falkirk, and the Noble
Lord declined to serve on the Committee.
STATE OF IRELAND.
_ _

Lord JOCELYN gave notice that on Monday he
should put a question to the Noble Lord at the head of 1
the Government relative to the present state of Ireland.
ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION.
Mr. E. DENISON moved the appointment of a Select
Committee to inquire into the composition and manage
ment of the Ecclesiastical Commission of England and
Wales.
Sir R. INGLIS objected to the motion being tiken
out of its turn, and
The motion was thereupon postponed.
THE FACTORY BILL.
Ur. WILSON said he wished to put a question to the
peTßilithuntelinotn.iilltnuet the Secretary for the Home De-
' matter of consequence to all the
rarn:rniae.rituarrnine/ districts. He had received a letter from
relating to a, clause
relating to
" in the Factory Act, and a decision
and White, of Loughborough,
of a magistrate
tion was of the
it did an error, which.' utmost this clause. The ques-
in accordance with the intenatuill3tnaoafi
importance, involving as
recently discovered to exist the
ee nti on
house,al I yh,
aadndbenetnd
parties to whom he alluded wearethch Factory Bill. The
trawl of Loughborough with thwe:ingferdinbgn:tiehreitrnolfgaisn
important part of this Act. They
Spector of factories with having emploeyfehd. 7ngid.4yyagtnh,atemainentd-I
s woman in violation of the statute.
White represented that this womanmessir ,
A6ctl,
hours, commencing work at half-past t,rruo4odcloe he the
day; but the inspector insisted that
commencing work at half-past two o'clock was Qr
Y'
worked
mount to commencing at five o'clock in thewls tanta-
morn
hag; aid, therefore, in law, instead of werkins• g
the woman had worked 13 hours. The 'malgihs(t'raartse'
stated that he thought the case so hard a
Messrs. Paget and White that he would not have one
uponh
be kriciwn it was coming on, and the question he wished
ad
to ask the Right Hon. Bart. was, whether an p
ap-
plication had been made to the Home Office fi 4-
-
remission of the fines, whether it was the intention a
Government to remit these fines, and whether it was the
intention of Government to introduce any Bill for the
purpose of explaining and amending the discrepenu
in the Ast?
aJI.:Ws p \ ...: • e 'OIiGE GREY said he had received no direct
„,..-...„ ell. , ".n upon the :abject, and in consequence of a
~" de-``"" • w ..eh had been received by the Member for the
.?...: j_.,. ,
rep;2., ,-,.wilr.:,:t iing, and placed. in his hands by his Hon.
- -Z;:pl:4QYArrtien4\ e Vice-President of the Board of Trade,
iic!Tl":10, ,4,,'-11,131114 tten to the inspector at _Loughborough for a
0!4:-'C'" ' :.raver e subject. That report he had not yet re-
(...
---_-_, ,17,rairisdi when he did receive it the matter should have
.Z.-. 1 1)104 igpsideration, with a view of seeing whether
.N. ri asysaeralton is tie law was necessary.
. - ,

ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.

On the motion of Mr. PARKER, the House at its
rising Was ordered to adjourn until Monday.
PUBLIC HEALTH BILL
...

Captain PECHELL inquired what was the intention
of the Government with respect to this Bill? He asked
the question, because the authorities of various towns
in the country were standing still in consequence of not
knowing when the Bill would be proceeded with.
Sir GEORGE GREY replied, in the absence of his
Noble Friend, that the Bili was in the press, and that it
would be in the hands of Hon. Members in the course of
a few days.
THE OFFICE OF SERGEANT-AT-ARMS.
Mr. HUME hoped the Noble Lord (Lord J. Russell)
would not appoint any one to the office of Sergeant-at-
Arms until an inquiry had taken place into the expe-
diency of making some alteration in the office.
Lord J. RUSSEEL replied that the appointment
could not be made until the House had expressed its
opinion upon the proposed alterations; it would, of
course, be made subject to any alteration the House
might think proper to adopt.
THE COLONIES.

Mr. FORSTER gave notice that he should ask, on
Monday, the following question of the Under-Secretary
of the Colonial Office— When the promised measure fs.r
givicg self-government to the Crown Colonies, and other
British possessions not having legislative and represen-
tave assemblies, will be brought under the consideratio❑
of the House ?