The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-02 00:00:00

giving the* employment. They had some admirable
railway schemes before them, and if three-and-a-half per cent.
were guaranteed to the proprietors they would certainly be
carried out, and afford ample employment for the people.
Now, it was quite clear these railways would ultimately become
very remunerative undertakings, and, seeing the immense
good they would do to the country, he thought Government
could not do better than guarantee three-and.a-half per cent.
There was an opportunity now of granting a poor-law to Ire-
land, and he trusted that it would not be allowed to pass by.
Now was the time for the Government vigorously to act. A
poor-law was one of the modes of pacifying Ireland. Let the
Government not let slip the present opportunity of doing
good for Ireland Look at the protectionists now. Five years
ago they were offered an eight shilling duty on corn, and they
refused ►t. Would they not now be glad to get that eight
shilling duty. Let the Government take advantage of that
example. It was absolutely necessary that some steps should
be taken with respect to the tenant rights in Ireland. Let
the Government turn its attention to the cultivation of the
waste lands in Ireland. There were millions of acres in that
country that were not in a state of cultivation.
How could they talk of over population in Ireland
while so much land was out of cultivation? The
Hoa. and Gallant Officer had given a very strong argu-
ment for supporting the Bill, for he said that. as the people of
Ireland had even at present ♦ery little liberty, this Bill. which
would deprive them ot that liberty, should have his support.
He hoped that the Government would. instead of pressing this
measure. bring in some cone,liatory measures for the miserable
people of Ireland, and withdraw this mea-ure at once.
Major BERESFORD felt it his duty to supine t the Bill,
coenected as he was with Ireland and her people. al hough he
considered it as an inefficient and useless Bill. -( Great
laugher and cheers from the Opposition benches.) He asked
if the Bill met the present evils of Ireland. The great and
crying crimes of Ireland were not committed in the darkness
of night, but in the open day, in the presence of numerous
people, who laughed at the assassination of Irish landlords,
whom they felt to be obnoxious.—( Cries of " Hear, hear.")
The murderer who walked at noon-day, and having committed
the bloody deed. would not be detected by this Bill.—( Hear,
hear.) fhe Bill was one which would bring great irritation
to the minds of the Irish people, because it was rot acoom-
panted with a remedial measure. He hoped, however, that
atter it had passed, the Government would immedia'ely set
about the passing of the necessary remedial measures to which
the peasants ot Ireland were fairly entitled.—( Hear, hear. )
He had no hesitation in saying that this Bill confounded the
innocent with the guilty. The Honourable Member for
Cashel had said that a clergyman of the Church of England
had privately put seine gunpowder in a pee-ant's cottage in
Ireland, and aiterwarol sent a relic•-man to search that House.
Now, he happened to be particularly acquainted with the case,
and he could say that the statement was not hared on truth.—
( Hear, hear.) The Honourable Member concluded by hoping
that those Honourable Gentlemen who sat on the same side of
the House with him (the Ministerial side), would join with
him in voting for the first reading of the Bill.—(Cries of
" Hear, hear," and " Divide.")
Colo.iel RA WDON opposed the Bill. and proceeded to de-
fend the course ot conduct pursued by the Irish Members, in
opposing the first reading of the Bill, and hoped that they
would succeed upon a second reading. ( The Hon. Member
proceeded in his remarks, and was interrupted by the cries
of " Divide, divide," from all parts of the House. )
Now much of the Irish character has been misrepresented.
The people were kind and warm. You cannot judge of their
misery. How can you judge of it when you are net able to es-
timate it ? He thought that this Bill was at variance with
the present temper of Ireland. There has been a certain sti-
mulent administered to the people by a newspaper against the
spirit ot the Bill. That newspaper had found its way to the
fireside of every cottager in Ireland. He had said that the
framer ot the Bill was ignorant of the temper of Ireland—its
provisions proved it, and it would not be acceptable to any class.
Would the law irradicate the excited feelings of the Irish—
would it even soothe them ? He was confident then that it

would not. There was but one opinion of it in Ireland, and
that was not in its favour. He implored them then •o record
their votes in favour of the amendment of the Member for
Cork. If they travelled through Ireland—if they went into
the huts and cottages of the peasantry—and if they were aware
•f the misery which existed there—many of their dens of
misery, if he might be allowed to use the expression, most of
them only ten feet square—the abode of animals—they would
hesitate to shut them up from sun-set to sun-rise.—( Hear. )
Colonel SIBTHOR OE said, he would not oppose the Hill,
hut at the same time he could not support it. The present
Government had shown itself so weak, so vaccinated with po-
litical cowardice, that he (mold not repose any trus. in them, for
he chi believe that they were men who would truckle to any-
thing, provided they by so doing were able to maintain their
own seats —( Loud laughter. )
Lord INGEST RE rose, amid cries of "Divide, divide."
He denied there was ever anything like coaliticn between Lord
lientinek and Mr. S O'Brien.—(Loud cries. of " Divide,
divide." A state of crime and destitution unparalleled in any
country prevailed in Ireland. The murderer walked abroad
in noon day, and no one attempted to arrest him. lie e,caped
fact wit!t impunity It was incumbent, therefore, that the
Government should Interfere to put an end to such a di-graceful
state of things He would conclude by again denying that
there was any thing like coalition referred to between the Hon.
Member for Limerick and the Hon. Member for Lynn.—
(Loud cries of " Divide, divide.")
Lord GEORGE BENTINCK moved for the adjournment
of the debate to enable him to have an opportunity of denying
the statement made by—
The SPEAKER Interrupted the Noble Lord, and said that
it was not competent for any Member of the House, after he
had spoken on ant question, either to propose the adjournment
of the debate afterwards, or to make any observations a second
time.—( Loud cries of '• Divide, divide.")
Mr. P. BORTH WICK, amid loud cries of divide, then
proposed the adjournment of the debate.
Lord G. BENTINCK seconded the motion, and embraced
the opportunity which his doing so afforded him to deny the
charge which had been made, and he hoped the House would,
though at that late period of the evening, permit him to
occupy its attention for a few minutes while he did se. To
enable him the more effectually to meet 'he case, he had sent
home for the letters which hail passed relative to that state-.
merit— (Laughter)—and he hoped they would arrive to enable
him to refute the charge the more effectually.—(Cries of
" Divid •, divide. ") If that correspondence were read
to the House, it would at once be shown that the statement was
unfounded in fact—that there were not the slightest grounds for
it whatever. It had been stated by a Cabinet Minister, the
Secretary for Ireland, that the coalition was a fact. He
( Lord G. Fientinck ) had not had flue to consult hi= H n.
Friends upon the matter, for Han. Members would bear him
out that it wanted but twenty minutes to five o'clock
when his attention was drawn to the subject. Where then
was the coalition which was tried to be made such a handle
of —which was made a point of at a public hustings, by a
Cabinet Ali, ister of the Crown ?---( Cries of " Divide.")
Strangers were then ordered to w►thdraw, The House then
divided. when there appeared--
For the first reading
............ 274
Against it ... 125
Majority in favour of first reading —149
On our return to the gallery, we found
Sir R. PEEL stating that he would take the second reading
of this Bill on Monday, the 25th of May.
Mr. O'CONNELL gave twice that, on that occasion, he
should move for a Select Committee to inquire into agrarian
offences in Ireland, with a view to provide some means for
their prevention—(as we understood the Hon. and Learned
Member, but he spoke in so 1 ow a tone of voice, as to be
scarcely audible in the gallery.)
POLLING PLACES (IRELAND) BILL.
The adjourned debate upon the first reading of this Bill was
resumed by
Mr. APCARTHY, who contended that its provisions were
very necessary. He should not press the matter further, but
leave the Bill in the hands of the House.
Mr. GROGAN opposed the Bill, and declared that no in-
convenience was experienced from the present polling system
in Ireland. It worked well, and he for one could see no reason
why it should be altered. It was true, in Ireland, there
was only one polling booth, but it must be remembered that the
poll was not like it was in this country. It was kept open for
five days. This measure was a partial partisan Bill, sail he
hoped the House would throw it out.
Sir W. SOAIERVILLE said the opposition of the lion.
Member to this Bill was most extraordinary, It was quite im-
possible under the present system that all bona fide voters
could record their votes for the want of sufficient accommdation,
and he for one cordially approved of this Bill.

Mr. ROSS said that he knew an instance which occurred in
Belfast, in which 305 of the best men of that town were ex -
eluded from the polling-booth at an election because they
happened to be a few minutes late. He would give his vote in
support of the Bitt —( Cheers. )
Mr. ROEBUCK replied to some observations which had
fallen from ail Hon. Member for Dublin ( Mr. Grogan).
He thought the Bill a necessary one, and he would therefore

upport it.
Mr. PIGt)T said that in the year 18-11 he had introduced a
measure similar to the present. The present law relating to
policy in Ireland was in a most detective state. The Hon.
Member entered into some particulars for the purpose of show-
ing the defic envy in the existing law. The proposition now
before the House would not, however, effect much more than
the present law. There were many scandalous practices at
election., in Ireland against which the measure would not pro-
vide.—(H ar, hear.) If voters presented themselves at the
booths, who it was known would vote in favour of that candi-
date who was the favourite of the poll clerks, the oath was
administered to them very rapiAy, and every facility was
given to th reception of their votes; if, on the contrary, the
voters were on the opposite side, the oath was administered
very lazily; and the effect, in one instance with which he was
acquainted, was that one hundred votes were left unpolled is
consequence of the conduct of the poll clerics.—Cries of
" Divide, divide.")
The SOLICITOR-GENF.R AL considered that the duty
of the Government was to afford facilities, and to allow per-
sons to exercise their elective franchise.
Mr. O'CONNELL thought that some alterations propsed
ortdhe Ari IrishßPE towns by the Solicitor-General would meet all objections to the Bill.o
should have the opportunity afforded
them returning the representative of their cl-.oice.
tToli thoughts
and that the constituency of Dublin
wordsAfterafee.wGoßywithdrew fromi Mr.rew M'CA Y.
Atr. GREGORY
his amendment, and tke debate
on the Bill was adjourned till Monday next.
Atter a few u. ords from Messrs. Sroosita and HAWES, the
Friendly Societies Bill was read a third time.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the
House adjourned at a Quarter past Two o'clock.

ENGLAND.
41! t's Gazette.)
7th and Bth of Victoria, cap. 32, for
is t'sth day of April, 18 IV.
'ARTMENT.

Government debt .. 11 Sll5 ,100
Other securities •• • • 2,981,900
Gold coin and bullion 11,256,880
Silver bullion •... • . 1,792,030

.£ 27,04E1,510
MARSHALL, Chief Cushies,

.ARTMENT.

Government securi-
ties (including Dead
Weight Annuity).• 13,528,065
Other securities •• • • 17,884,532
Notes • . ..... 6,488,140
Gold and silver coin— 656,317

£ 38,557,054
6f. MARSHALL; Chief Cashier.