The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-28 00:00:00

The LORD ADVOCATE presented a petition from
Lanarkshire to the same effect.
FROST, WILLIAAIS, AND JONES.
Mr. FERRAND presented two petitions from Keathley and
Knaresborough, praying for the liberation of Frost, Williams,
and Jones.
Mr. T. S. DUNCOMBE moved that the petition of William
Scott, chairman cf a public riveting of the inhabitants of
Dundee, complaining of the illegal treatment and imprison-
ment of six factory girls (presented last night), be printed
with the votes,—Agreed to.
THE CASE OF BRIAN SEERY.
Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL said he had been accused by a
morning paper of having given notice of a motion mid then
withdrawn it, because he was ashamed to persist in it. Now
the truth was, that he had never done anything in that House
of which he had reason to be ashamed. He did not withdraw
his motion for any such reason as had been imputed to him
by the paper in question. The facts of the case were these :
He had given notice of a motion to obtain the names of the
people who had composed that deputation. In the course of
that notice he had made use of a very strong expression, to which
his attention had been recently drawn, and he believed that in
the us.. of chat term he had, to a certain extent, com-
mitted a breach of the rules of the House. lit deeply
regrettel the use of the expression on that account, :ma 1,1-
thought that it was his duty to apologise to the House for this
breach of tl.e respect to which the House was entitled. But
yet at the same time he was bound o assert that he
had been wrongfully accused by the morning papers in question.
Sir R. H. INGLIS could not help thinking that the orders
of the House had been violated, and that this statement of
the Hon. Gentleman was anything but satisfactory, and that
something more was required of h.m than a mere
apology to the House—( Hear, and cheers)—when he limited
his regret to the House for the use of such an exprosion as
that of the blood hound deputation, he committed a violence
on the intelligence of society at large. The Hoe. Gen-
tleman had c xpressed regret for the use of this expres-
sion of the "blood- hound deputatien ;" and he felt it was
only consistent that some larger apology should be made. He
found with some surprise the expression contained in the votes
with w Lich he had been furnished; that the words were clearly
out of order was shown by the circumstance of the sheet having
been cancelled; and he thought, therefore, that there was
something duo to society at large, and he wished that the
Hon. Gentleman would only expross his regret with the same
frankness to society at large as he had done for Viis breach of
the orders of the Hou-e.
Mr. J. O'CONNELL—Sir, I have expressed my regret for
the use of that expression to the House; but I beg to inform
the Honourable Baronet that I used that expression in the
discharge of any duty to society at large, and the.ef.:re I feel it
unnecessary to suppress it.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir R. H. INGLIS—.I think,
The SPEAKER—TiIe - hon. Baronet is clearly out of
order.
Sir R. GLlS—Then there is no help for it.—
( Latutier. )
And thus the subject dropped.
PUBLIC WORKS (IRELAND) BILL.
This Bill passed through Committee, and was reported.
THE MILITIA.

On the question that the Hsuse at its rising do adjourn to
Monday nest,
Mr. R. YORKE wished to a-k the Right Hon. the Seeretary
at War when it was the intention of the Government to bring
forward any measure respecting the enrollment of the militia ?
Mr. S. HERBERT said it was impossible for him to give
an answer at present. He would, kowever, do so at as early a
period as possible.
THE VACANT SEATS ON THE TREASURY
BENCH.

Colonel SIBTHORP said that, seeing the First Lord
of the Treasury in his place, he would put a question to him.
Ha would not complain of any want of courtesy, for to
that he was perfectly indifferent. He, however, represented a
constituency who had sent him to discharge a duty, and on that
account he rose to put the question with which he should conclude.
He took the liberty last night, seeing the Treasury benches in
a situation which he had not seen for twenty years before, and
which he hoped he might never see again—(Laughter)—
that very important offices remained without their repre-
sentatives in that Howe, particularly the offices of
the Secretary for the Colonies (Mr. Gladstone), and
the Secreary for Ireland (the Earl of Lincoln), a most im-
portant office, when the present condition of Ireland was
considered. Not seeing those gentlemen filling any situation
in the present session of Parliament—( Great laughter)—he
thought it his duty to ask the bight Honourable Baronet
(Sir Robeat Peel), whether there was a fair and early
opportunity of seeing any of those Hon. Gentlemen,
or all of them in their respective situations, to which, how-
ever, (as we understood) he had received no reply. He now
wished to repeat the question—Was there a probability of an
opportunity being afforded to Members of that House of wit-
nessing an early appearance of these gentlemen or any of
them in their place in that House—( Continued laughter.)—
in order that Honourable Members might be
enabled to put important questions to them
which came within the province of their department ?
(Laughter.) But if the Right Hon. Baronet refused to
answer these questions he (Colonel Sihthorp) could not help
it ; at any rate he would have the satisfaction of having dis-
charged his duty to his constituency.—(The Gallant Member
sat down amidst roars of laughter from both sides of the
House. )
Sir ROBERT PEEL hoped that neither the Gallant Officer
or any other Member of the House had any just ground for
blaming him for want of courtesy.—(Loud cheers from both
sides of the House.) Certain* in replying to any question
connected with the public service, he could not charge
himself with that want of courtesy which the Gal-
lant Member seemed to attribute to him.—( Hear. )
But he (Sir Robert Peel) appealed to the House whether the
Gallant Officer concluded his speech last night with putting
the question which he had just addressed to him—(Cheers and
laughter)—or by saying he should put it this evening? He
(Sir Robert Peel) protested against Hon. Members
snaking long speeches on the question of the adjourn-
ment of the debate.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") In this
he agreed with the Hon. Member for Northamptonshire (Mr.
S. O'Brien) who deprecated, as he did, the practice of occu-
pying the time of the House by irrelevent remarks in putting
questions to the Government ; however, it appearedto him (Sir
B. Peel) that it was natural to the Gallant Officer to use
vituperative language in addressing the House, possibly,
perhaps, because he believed his independence was in danger.—
(" Hear, hear," from Colonel Sihthorp, and loud laughter.)
The Honourable Gentleman said he would ask a question of
the Bight Honourable Baronet (Sir R. Peel)—When he ex-
pected that the vacancies which had ttken place in puliic
offices would be filled ut? asd I* was prepared to
say that the only office vacant was that of Com-
missioners of Woods and Forests. There were two
other gentlemen, Members of the Treasury, who had signified
to him their intention of tendering their resignations ; but
those offices were not actually vacant, because these Gentle-
s-nee in question eensented to hold them until
some opportunity offered of filling them up.—( Loud
laughter.) He confessed it was a very inconvenient thing
to have public officers, requiring seats in that House, withont
them.—(Laughter.) But he was sure the public service
would not sustain any injury in consequence. The Honourable
Gentleman asked him a very unusual question, to say when the
Secretary_ of the Lord-Lieutenant in Ireland would be in his
place. Nuw he ( Sir Robert Peel) with great respect begged to
say that he was not responsible for his absence, and that he
thought the Secretary could best answer that question himself.
The Gallant Officer complained that the Secretary for the Colo-
nies was not in the House, and he ( Sir R. Peel) should givehim
the same answer as he did respecting the other vacancies, that
that Gentleman could best answer why he eves not there.
(Renewed laughter.) But this he would say, that one of the
main reasons that they were not there was, that he had such a
confidence in the wisdom and policy of the measures submitted
by her Majesty's Government, and such a confidence in the
calm deliberation of that House, that be was content to forego
that advantage which in ordinary times the Crown possessed.
Mr. FERRAND begged that the kind indulgence of the
House would be afforded to him whilst he defended himself
from the personal attacks of no less than four Members upon
he opposite site of the House, made upon the last night of
debate. Had he received any intimation of their intention, he
should certaelly have been in his place, but unfortunately a
particular engagement had prevented him. He had to thank
the Hon. Baronet sitting under him fer his kindness in de-
defending him against those unmanly attae ks. And he con-
sidered that the Hon. Memher for Bath should have been the
last person in that House who ought to have made
use of the following expression —" I am quite
sure, if the House intends in any way to command
respect, it is not by permitting vulgar vituperation."
That Hon. Member threw the Times newspaper upon the
floor, and recommended Hon. Members to horses, hip a gentle-
marfi-who was his superior in every respect. The Hon. Mem-
ber also asked whether that gentleman was worthy of regard.
when he expressed an opinion? He should measure that re-
mark by the ordinary test applied to the Hon. Member's own
profession. Weeiri any person give a guinea, a half guinea,
half a crown, or evert half a farthing for the Hon. Member's
opinion on a gentleman's conduct ? The public had that value
for the opinion of the Hon. and Learned Member, that they
would not give the half of a hail-farthing for his opinion, and
that was one of the sore points that rankled in his breast. He
(Mr. Ferreted) would not continue to allude any further to the
Hon. Member, hut would pass on to an attack made upon him
by the Hen. Member for Durham, who had spoken to the rffec'
that "he would take the liberty of saying that almost every
portion of the speech of the Hon. Member for Knaresbereugh,
with respect to the meeting of starch manufacturers,was incorrect,
as Mr. Wilson never called a mseting of the starch manuf icturers.
Mr. Wilson never presided at such a meeting, and such
a deputation as he described never waited on Sir Robert Peel."
The Hon. Member had put words into his (Mr. Ferrand's)
mouth which he never used. He never said that a part of
the meeting was formed into a deputation to wait upon' th,
Government. What he said was, that the chairman of the
Anti-G,En-law League called a meeting of all the starch manu-
facturers at Manchester, and a resolution was passed at that
meeting that a deputation should wait upon the Right lion.
Baronet on the subject of the duty on starch. The deputation
did go, and now lobsters and starch were the only two
things that ha.i the slightest mercy in the tariff. He never
said that Mr. Wilson was one of the deputation
that waited on the Right Honourable Baron, t, and
be would now proceed to justify the statement he made to the
House. On the 9th of February, 1843, he received a letter to
the following effect :—" I take the liberty of troubling you
with a few particulars which will show the sort of disinterested
reformers some of the members of the Anti-Corn.law League
are; You will, perhaps, take the trouble of satisfying yourself
of the correctness of the staternentbefo you makeypublic use
of it." He (Mr. Ferrand) did satisfy"7-himself as to the
correctness of the statements, and the first he made
of the letter was on Tuesday last. writer went on to say
that when Sir R. Peel in his new tariff put starch‘rilo took the at Si. per
n
cwt. after it had been at 91. per cwt., Mr.
chair at a meeting of the starch manufacturers, forthe purpose
of taking off the duty on native starch and putting a prohibi-
tory duty of 2 T
5 per cent. on foreign starch. h succeeded
in doubling the duty, as a deputation from the meeting waite
on the Board of Trade. The writer concluded by stating that
it might be inferred from his letter that he was not a free-
trader, but the inference would be erroneous—he was a free..
trader, but he did not wish in obtaining his object to associate
himself with such free-traders as those he had mentioned. The
Samuel Burlington," and dated hi.
writer subscribed himself e
Feb. 19,, 1845. In the month of
letter from Manche,ter,
cember he (Mr. Ferrand) was in tine town of Man-
chester, :q-id he saw several, gentlemen, whom i.e asked
They informed him that
if that statement was e.orare.
it was entirely ses dete'd that they believed Mr.
and d
the borough of Stock-
Wilson formed part of the ci4c utetion. On the day fol-
lowing he atten.led a largd Mee g
port, where he read this commiftlfeafien, and stated that he
bad understood Mr. George Wilson for erred part of the depu-
tation which went to the Government. The Ma zchester
Guardian (the paper of the Anti-Corn•law League) attacked,
him in a leading article for having made this statdineui, and
denied positively that Mr. G. Wilson had formed tart of the
deputation. It, however, admitted that the deputation had
waited upon the Government, and did not deny in the slightest
degree that Mr. G. Wilson convened the meeting, or that the
resolution for sending up the deputation was passed whiie he
presided over it. He had that day seen three gentlemen, all
of whom were perfectly well acquainted with the circum-
stances of this matter; they bad seen the statement he made
on 'f uesday night, an they assured him it was perfecny cor-
rect. To that statement, therefore, he was prepared to ad-
here, and he should not retract one particle of it until the Hon.
Member for Durham could convince that House that Mr. G.
Wilson did not convene and preside at the meeting
which passed the reselutioa appointing the glepttptog.