The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-24 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

ROUSE OF COMMONS, Friday, Jan. 23.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
EDINBURGH AND PEEBLES RAILWAY.
Mx. ISIACKENZIE presented a petition in favour of
a railway from Edinburgh to Peebles.
MANCHESTER AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY.

Mr. ENTWISLE presented petitions in favour of the
Blanchester and Birmingham Railway.
AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION.

Mr. LAWSON presented petitions from Borough-
bridge, Skelton, and twelve other towns in the West and
North Ridings of Yorkshire, in favour of protection to
agriculture.

CORN-LAWS.
Mr. VILLIERS presented a petition praying for the I
immediate and total repeal of the corn-laws.
THE CONVICT SYSTEM IN VAN DIEM.F:e;'S
LAND.
Mr. EWART presented a petition-from Var., Diemen's
Land, praying for the total abolition of the, present sys-
tem of making that colony a general reeeptacle of the
transported convicts of this teentri. 'The petitioners
stated, that this system 117.1 been found to
be attended With many evils, and the co-
lony, from beingin the flourishing condi
tion it was in before 184 a, had considerably altered
for the worse. In 1844 a change had taken place in the
mode of transporta.ion, for the Noble Lord, the la'e Se-
cretary, had issued an order confining transported con-
victs to the single colony of Van Diemen's Land. In
the last Tour years it appeared that not less than 14,000
convicts had been sent there, and the consequence was
that vice had increased, and the morals of
the colony generally been greatly deteriorated.
The colonists said that they lived in a constant state of
dread, and were apprehensive both for themselves and
their families, and that looking forward to the probable
state of the island, they could not wish to leave their
children in the midst of so much vice. There was also
another circumstance of a fearful character, and which
called for the utmost indignation of the country. It
was believed that it was the intention of the Govern.•
went to send convicts from Norfolk Island to that
colony; and if those were added to the number already
there, it would make the place a scene of vice of the
most intolerable character. They therefore prayed that
the number of convicts sent to that island might
be reduced, and the practice gradually discontinued.
THE NELSON MONUMENT.
Mr. COLLETT wished to ask the Noble Lord, who
was at the head of the Commissioners of Woods and
Forests, why the Nelson Monument, in Trafalgar-
square, was not finished, and why its completion had
been delayed so long, and whether it was the intention
of Government to complete it at all ?
The Earl of LINCOLN said that the monument had
originally been projected by private individuals, and
subscriptions had been raised for its erection. It had
remained unfinished so long in consequenoe of a defi•
cieney in the subscriptions, and the Government, finding
that no more money was likely to be subscribe-I,
had undertaken its completion. The Honourable
Member would remember that at the close of last session
a sum of money was voted for the purpose of finishing
the monument. The reason of its delay at present was
in consequence of the great difficulty of obtaining granite
of the large size required. With regard to the orna-
ments roand the base, the Government had decided upon
employing three or four first-rate artists, and there could
be little doubt *fiat the work would be finished in the
course of a few months.
CORN-LAWS.
Mr. ESCOTT presented a petition from a place in
the county of Somerset., praying that the House would
adopt such measures as would relieve the wants of the
country.
Mr. MILNES was sorry. that the Hon. Member—
(Cries of " Order, order," in the midst of which the
Hon. Gentleman resumed his seat).
Mr. COLVILE presented a petition from the county
of Derby in favour of agricultural protection.
Mr. E. WODEHOUSE moved that all papers con-
nected with the appointment of Mr. Chapman (late as-
sistant commissioner for the purpose of inquiring into
hand-loom weaving ), to the ChiefJusticeship of Welling-
ton, in New Zealand, be laid upon the table.
Dr. BOWRING moved for the correspondence, or
extracts of correspondence, on the subject of the Eclair,
and of the epidemy which broke out in the said vessel ;
with copies of any orders issued from the public depart-
ments regarding the same.
COLLEGES IN IRELAND.
Mr. ROSS, seeing the Right Hon. Gentleman, the
Secretory for Ireland, in his place, wished to put a ques-
tion to him on a subject of very great interest in Ireland.
The House would be aware that there was in or near
Belfast a college being erected by the Government,
and he wished to know whether the Government in-
tended erecting it in the very inconvenient situation an-
ticipated by the public ?
Sir THOMAS FREMANTLE said, that in answer
to the Hon. Gentleman, he might say that the subject
would meet with the most careful consideration of the
Government.
Mr. ROSS—Am I to understand that the building
will be raised within the precincts of the towers ?
Sir T. FREMANTLE—The actual site has not been
finally fixed upon.
SESSIONAL ORDERS.
Mr. CARDWELL moved the usual Sessional Orders.
The SPEAKER then read the orders from the chair.
Mr. WILLIAMS thought it was of no use to pass
such sessional orders, in as far as they related to the
election of the Members of that House, as it was noto •
rious they could not carry them out. Before these or-
ders were allowed to pass as a matter of course, they ought
to ascertain how far they possessed the power of enforc-
ing them. It was well known that in a great number of
instances the Members of that House were elected under
the influence of the Peers. In any county wherever
there were three or four Peers possessing large estates,
persons acquainted with election matters well know how
matters would turn. They could tell that no other per-
son would be returned, unless he had the sanction of
these Peers. Last night, gentlemen who had spoken
against the proposition of her Majesty's Govern-
ment, threw out a challenge to the Ministry to
test their measures by a general election. In
that case, how did they hope it would turn out ?
They .knew. that they would not be able
to carry their views without the influence of the Peers;
and to that influence they trusted in the event of such an
election taking place. They were aware that without
the Peers and the other country gentlemen they could
not hope to defeat the Ministry; for they knew the
measures proposed by the Cabinet would meet with the
support of the great mass of the people. For the sake
of the character of the House, if they passed such reso-
lutions, they should be accompanied by proper means
to enforce them ; or if they could not give effect to
them, they ought not to be passed.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir R. INGLIS said the House bad from time to
time passed the rules to which the Hon. Gentleman had
referred, to prevent a Peer from interfering with the
election of Members of Parliament, but the Hon.
Gentleman was not content with objecting
to the proposition as voted, bet wished to
prevent, by more stringent means, the still further inter-
ference of great men with the election of Members of
Parliament. Was he prepared to disfranchise a Peer of
that hereditary right which he eajoyed in common with
his fellow-subjects, of voting for the election of Members
of Parliament? Was he prepared to establish a maximum
scale and to say that a large landowner ought not to inter-
fere with elections, and that this privilege should be left to
the 40s. freeholder created by the Reform Bill? He
ought te recollect that the privilege which he
desired to neutralise, so far as one part of the com-
munity was concerned, was conferred by that very Act
to which the Members of that House owed their seats.
He should have sought the abrogation of the principle
when the Reform Bill was under discussion. He (Mr.
Williams) wished to go much further than the
sessional orders, and prevent every landowner from in-
terfering in any way with elections, a rule which, consi-
dering their great stake, would be both arbitrary and
unjust. He (Sir R. H. Inglis) might not see sufficient
reason for retaining the order, but he saw no reason at
all why it should now be either abrogated or rendered
- more stringent.
This, as well as tile other orders, was agreed to.
Mr. WILLIAMS again rose to express a hope that
the House would take into their consideration the neces-
sity of making some arrangement respecting Wednesday
sittings ; and complained of having been obliged to
wait frequently in that House to see if a I order would
come on, aid said that if he happened to leave for a
few minutes it might come on. He was of opinion
that orders should come on regularly, and such incon-
veniences would be avoided. He took that opportunity
of making an observation which he deemed of much
importance to the Members of that House.
•15ir ROBERT PEEL replied, and said, her Majesty's
Government would be most happy to afford every facility
en their power consistent with the arrangements of
public business, and he did think some better arrange-
ment could be made than at present.—(Hear, hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL observed that it would be more
convenient, with respect to Wednesday, to select twelve
o'clock, for the commencement of business such as was
alluded to.
Sir ROBERT PEEL remarked that the House was
very frequently counted out on Wednesday, and on the
whole there was nottmthogresatmhitentitwo or three hours
ide-
voted to business; a
the evening of Wednesday, he wouldm f
have they could have
but he trusted the Hon. Gentleman wouldnonootbjection,
put the
Government to any inconvenience.
Mr. BROTHERTON said that an order with respect
to Wednesday would be a very useful one, but he was
not disposed to interfere with the arrangements
of the House, or with i:s business ; it was never
his will to do so, and he would not on this occasion.
Mr. HUME said that at the end of the lsstotsession he
suggested to the Government the propriety of making a
rule that the House should only sit on Wednesdays
between the hours of twelve and one, during the pres-
sure of private business ; and he trusted his suggestion
would be now carried out.
Lord .JOHN MANNERS said in all probability there
would be an immense number of railway and other
Committees sitting, and the proposed arrangement was,
therefore, in his opinion highly objectionable.
Mr. WAKLEY must say that he thought the arrange •
'Dent most objectionable, and nothing could be more
pnwise, or more likely to be detrimental to the public
Interest. If he understood the arrangement correctly,
titelaervlindosenwt
hMicebmwbersof the House, who had measures
Goevere not supported by the Government,
or in which thewere not interested, were
to assemble on a Wednesday twelve o'clock, and pur-
sue their labours until six
t.:ll;3eveaning ; and after this
.
period the Government vrere
tio,
ric. liberty to bring on
. ') Then be was to
their measures.—(Cries Of ""
wereatix. ties of
telishat the House would
,SEW sv" ', And the usual dinnerrisse
~_._,-* ter: tit hottr,—(Hear, bear, and laughtert.3 bee kloyed
Ic,f-k...r-i--i SrI G. GREY said, as the order was but imperfectly
I'cr.- .understo6d, Perhaps the Right Honourable Bar on
F.
_,..