The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-18 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Their Lordships met at Five o'clock.
CORN-LAWS.

The Earl of STRADBROKE presented 20 petitions ;mom
various places in ESFCX against any alteration in the corn-laws.
lip
The Duke RICEIMOND presented petitions from
parishes in Devo the same effret.
AR ISII-CLERKS.

Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from the Rev.
W. A. Len', incumbent of a parish in Cork, stating
that he had been for many years incumbent of the
parish • that recently the parish had refused a
church-ra+e, and in consequence of there being no
funds available for the payment of the parish-clerk, that
personage had refused to perform his duties, and since the 31st
of August there has been no person to make the responses
during the time of worship. The petitioner prayed that their
Lordships would adopt some measure to obviate their present
difficulties.
Lord BEAUMONT read over the names of the Committee
which was appointed last night to consider the peculiar burdens
on land.

...
Lord BROUGHAM had no sanguine hope of the Commit-
tee being able to come to any instructive result on the sub-
ject. It was rather a question fir discussion than of fact.
The LORD CHANCELLOR—Can you persuade the Com-
mittee that no good result will come of their labours 7
( Laughter.)
The Duke of RICHMOND said that the object of the Com-
mittee was to call farmers, manufacturers, and tradesmen be-
fore them to investigate the subject in all its bearings, and he
considered that the result would prove whether money would
be more profitable if invented in lands or in the funds.
After a few words from the Earl of MALMESIIURY,
Lord GREY said that in the other House of Parliament a
great number of individuals were sometimes appointed upon
Committees, but very frequently only a very small number of
those attended. To prevent that, a regular minute was
kept of the attendance of the Committee, and to the report
was annexed the names of those who sanctioned and those
who objected to it. He considered that the same course
should be adopted with the report of the present Com-
mittee, in nrtier that when it is laid on the table it may
be ascertained what degree of value is to be attached to it.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said it would be necessary
to have it recorded how lung the Members remained in the
Committee.
Lord CAMPBELL said that another practice existed in the
other House of Parliament, which had proved a salutary one,
and that was to place the name of each person who put a ques-
tion at the commencement of the question in the report.
The Duke of WELLINGTON suggested to the Noble
Earl (Grey) the prop iety of proposing a new standing order
on the subject.
Earl GREY would 'dont the suggestion, and give notice of
a motion sub'-et for next vkeek.
Lord BROUGHAM said the names were taken of every
member who attended in a Committee.
The LORD CHANCELLOR—But the names of those who
put questions are not given.
Earl GREY suggested that it would be better to defer their
discussion until the matter came formally before their
Lordships.

The subject then dropped.
CORN-LAWS.
- - -- --

Lord REDESDALE presented a petition from Darsetshire,
praying for a continuance of the corn-laws.
THE CASE OF AIR. GUN STONE.

The Marquis of LONDONDERRY, in rising to ask a
question with reference to the causes which led to the
dismissal of Mr. Gunstone from the situation of
Assistant Poor-law Commissioner in Ireland, said that since he
had come into that House he had received a letter, which
would considerably shorten the observations he intended to
make. He might premise by stating, that he had had no com-
munication with Mr. Gunstone as to the causes which had led
to his dismissal from the situation he filled as Assistant
Poor-law Commissioner. It was entirely unknown
to that gentleman that he brought the matter
before their Lordships' House. It was, indeed,
true that some six weeks ago he had communicated with
him complaining of the hardship of
.losing his situation, and
suffering in reputation. He (Lord Londonderry) did not intend
to animadvert on the conduct of those who had caused this dis-
missal ; it might have been just, but all he meant to say WM,
that it was a hard case for the unfortunate gentleman himself.
It was admitted by every one that he was one of the most able
public officers in Ireland, and had it not been for his inde-
fatigable zeal and ability, the poor-law would never have been
established to the same extent or so Perfectly carried out in
all its arrangements. He (Lord Londonderry) had with many
others opposed this law when first established, but when
he observed the manner in which its details were carried out,
he had become a convert, and now believed that it was one of
the best boons that had ever been granted to Ireland. On these
grounds it was that he brought this subject before the House.
He was sure that no gentleman unconnected with Ireland could
discharge so efficiently his ditties us 'that country as Mr.
Gunstone, who was intimately acquainted with the habits
and condi•ions of the people of that country. He
was ignorant as to whether his dismissal had been
at the instigation of the Poor-law Commissioners or whether
it had originated with the Right Honourable Baronet the
Secretary for the Home Department. He did not consider it
likely that he (Sir. J., Graham) would act in this man-
ner towards a public servant, whose duties had been
performed to the general satisfaction of all parties. The
Noble Marquis concluded by stating that if he had
erred in thus bringing, the matter under their Lordships' notice,
Ice had erred in a ,good cause.
Earl ST. GERMANS rose and said, that ►he individual
alluded to had expressed a desire that the matter
should not be brought under their Lordships' notice
He must remind their Lordships that the only complaint
which Mr. Gunstone had to make was that he had not been
promoted. He was under the direction of the Commissioners
of Somerset House, and in consequence of some arrangements
which they had made, for the more efficient execution of the
powers entrusted to them, Mr. Gunstone, conjointly with Mr.
Powers, became affected by them, and Mr. Gunstone's position,
was rather inferior to what it had been before. That, how-
ever, was a ditty of the Poor. law Commissioners, and if they
had not, considered it conducive to the public advantage that
such art arrangement should take place, he would not have
proposed it. The only thing, therefore, that- Mr. Gunstone
had to complain of was that he was net promoted. He thought
that no iniusti.., whatever had been done to him.
Atter a few words from the Marquis of LONDONDERRY,
the subject dropped.
CUBA AND PORTO RICO.

The Earl of ABERDEEN laid on the table further cor-
respondence with the Spanish Government relating to the
admission of sugar from Cuba and Porto Rico.
THE RIO DE LA PLATA.

Lord BEAUMONT gave notice that, on Thursday neat, he
should move for further papers respecting the armed inter-
ference of England and France with reference to the affairs of
Rio de Is Plata.
THE GAUGE COMMISSION.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE laid on the table the report
of the Gauge Commission.
PIER AND HARBOURS.(IRELAND) BILL.

This Bill was read a first time.
Their Lordships then adjourned, at a Quarter to Six o'clock,
until Thursday next.

HOUSE OF COMMONS. Tuesday, Feb. 17.

The Serkc ER -took the Chair at a few minutes before Four.
• *. RAILWAY BUSINESS.
The York and Carlisle Railway and the Syston and Peter-
boiough Junction Railway Bills were read a first time.
Petitions were presented against the Hampton Court Branch
of the South-We,tern Railway and against the North Kent
Railway, from landowners, praying to be heard by counsel
against those railways.
Mr. M UNT Z presented two petitions to withdraw a petition
against the Macclesfield and Lichfield Railway on the standing
orders.
The following Railway. Bills were read a second time, and
ordered to be committed, viz. : —Newcastle and Darlington Junc-
tion (Thirk and Maltnn Branches) Railway ; Grand Juncti n
Railway (Huyton and Aston, and other Branches); Leeds,
Dewsbury, and Manchester Railway Deviations and Branches;
North Union Railway ; Newcastle and Berwick Railway ;
Lar.caster and Carlisle Railway ( Extension to Caledonian Rail-
way ) ; and Lancaster and Preston Junction Railways Amalga-
mation,
THE MILITIA.
Mr. TRELAWNY presented a petition against the calling
out of the militia.
Others petitions agairst this-LAWS measu were also presented.
CORN
_ _

Lord HOTHAM presented three petitions from places in the
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Mr. THORNEL Y presented a petition, signed by 3,745 of
the inhabitants of Cheshire, expressing their approbation of the
measure proposed by her Majesty's Ministry with respect to
foreign produce, a-ridpraying for the immediate repeal of the
corn-laws.

PEACE BETWEEN NATIONS.
Sir JOHN EASTHOPE presented a petition from the
members of a Peace Society at Leicester, praying that all dis-
putes with foreign nations should (instead of appealing to arms)
be referred to arbitration.