The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-07 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1846.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack at
Five o'clock.

After the presentation of petitions,
The Earl ST. GERMANS moved the Committee on the

Irish Pacification Bill, and explained the nature of
various amendments which it was intended to pro-
pose in Committee ; among these was one limit-
ing the duration of the Act to five years.
With regard to the amendment proposed by Earl GREY, he
could not consent to it. The punishment of all others most
dreaded by the Irish was transportation, and one example
of summary transportation would produce more effect than
many examples of imprisonment; and it should be remem-
bered that they wera now about to apply an extrarordinary
remedy to on extraordinary state of things. They could not
detect criminals, and, therefore, they were bound to prevent
crime by preventing persons being abroad after nightfall. The
Noble Earl then quoted the 'pinion of Mr. O'CONNELL in
1834, as to the necessity of some law to prevent persons
being out after nightfall. The object was, to get at those
concerning whose guilt there could be no moral doubt,
but against whom persons refused to give evidence.
Besides, the power of awarding punishment was left to the
Judge, and it was impossible to doubt that he would exer-
cise a proper discretion. He believed that nothing short of
the proposed measure would meet the exigencies of the case,
and he knew that several persons connected with Ireland
considered that it did not go far enough.

Lord BROUGHAM considered it was degrading to think that
any of their fellow-creatures should be living under such a
delusion as to imagine that they had a right to massacre
their landlords for the exercise of the undoubted and proper
rights of property. With regard to the amendment of Lord
DENMAN, he would postpone it, and make it part of a more
general measure. lie considered the amendment, enabling
magistrates to discharge persons found abroad at night, if
they were satisfied as to the truth of their account as to the
reason for their being abroad, was a great improvement.
With regard to transportation, he considered it would be
advisable in all cases at once to transfer the criminal from
the dock to the ship, so that the commencement of the punish-
ment might take place immediately, due time being given,
while they were at the hulks, to inquire into the case. He
also thought that when a murderer was convicted, the exe-
cution of the malefactor should take place on the spot where
his crime was committed.

The House then resolved itself into Committee on the Bill.
The Bill was passed through Committee, and the various
amendments were made in it. •

Earl GREY'S amendment, to do away with the punishment
of transportation in cases where persons in proclaimed coun-
ties were folind out of their houses after nightfall, was rejected
by a majority of 31.
The numbers being for the amendment 7, against it 38.
One of the amendments agreed to was for limiting the Bill
to three years.
The other Bills on the table were forwarded a stage, and
their Lordships adjourned.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
Several railway Bills were read a second time, and ordered
to be committed.
Colonel THOMAS WOOD presented a petition from Chelsea,
for the total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws.
Several petitions of a similar nsture were also presented,
-as were petitions against the embodiment of the militia.
A new writ was ordered for Stafford, in the room of the
Hon. SWYNPEN THOMAS CARNEGIE, who, since his election,
had accepted the office of one of the Lords of the Treasury.
In answer to a question from Mr. WILSON PATTEN, rela-
tive to the amalgamation of railways,
Sir G. CLERK said it was considered expedient by the
Government, that all propo.itions for amalgamation should
be referred to the same Committee.
The Right Hon. Baronet, in answer to a question from
Sir G. GREY, said the evidence taken before the Gauge Com-
mission would be laid on the table during the course of next
week.

The Railway Deposit B:11 was brought in, read a first, and
ordered to be read a second time.
The second reading of the Turnpike Roads (Scotland)
Bill was adjourned for a fortnight, in consequence of the
absence of the Lord Advocate.
On motion made for that purpose, it was agreed that the
House at its rising should adjourn to Monday.
In answer to a question from Lord INGESTEE,
Sir R. PEEL stated that at the conclusion of the discussion
this evening, he would state when it was his intention to pro-
ceed with the Committee of Supply.
The House then resolved itself into a Committee of Supply
on the Corn and Customs Importation measures, and
Mr. W. O. STANLEY, pursuant to Lotice moved as an
amendment to Sir R. PEEL'S plan, that in lieu of the duty
now payable on the importation of corn, grain, meal, or
flour, the product of foreign countries, there shall be paid a
fixed duty of ss. per quarter upon wheat, 23. 6d. on barley,
2s. on oats, and meal and flour in proportion.
Captain WOOD deprecated the delay mhich had taken
p'ace with respect to this subject, believing it to be in-
jurious to the tenant-farmer, and also to the poor, as
it prevented some decision being come to with respect to
the law of settlement. He would vote against the amend-
ment, and against any proposition that was calculated to
protract the carrying of the measures proposed by the Right
Hon. Baronet at the head of the Government.

Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN would nit vote upon the propo-
sition of the Hon. Member for Anglesea.
After some observations from Lord George Bentinck, Lord
John Russell, Mr. Collett, Sir John Tyrrell, Lord Worsley,
Mr. Curteis, and Mr. Hudson, the amendment was withdrawn.
Mr. M. MtisEs then rose to move the omission of all
words in the resolution respecting the importation of corn,
referring to the cessation or alteration of duties to be paid in
the year 1849. believed it was an idle thing to throw
away altogether the idea of raising a fiscal revenue from corn.
He considered that if the adoption of a low fixed duty was
determined upon, all the difficulties surrounding this question
might be got over.
Mr..AGLIONEY pressed on the Government the necessity
of enfranchising copyholds in the north of England. He
was sure if they did so, they would ensure the support of
hundreds Wes would otherwise oppose them.
Sir R. PEEL trusted the Hon. Member for Pontefract
would withdraw his amendment. As to the proposition of
the Hon. Member for Cockermouth, he thought it could not
be entertained on the present discussion. He thought it
was well worthy of .consideration irrespective of the corn-
laws. Ha thought the expense of transferring landed pro-
perty was a great evil.
Mr. WiLmut MILES dissented to the whole of the amend-
ments proposed. He intended, upon the discussion of
the Bill, to maintain the corn-law of 1812. At present, he
should offer no further opposition to the measure, but ho
wished it to be understood, that in doing so, he did not abate
one iota of his opposition to the resolutions, which he looked
upon merely as the foundation of the Bill, to which he
should give his most determined opposition before it left that
House.

After some discussion, in which Sir Arthur Brooke, Mr.
Acland, Mr. Stafford O'Brien, Mr. Charles Buller, Mr. P.
Borthwick, Mr. 'Ward, Mr. Lawson, Mr. Hume, Mr. Fitz-
gerald, and Lord George Bentinek joined,
Mr. M. Mu.Nes withdrew his amendment.

Mr. P. HOWARD withdrew the motion of which he had
periodlBsj. of protection
upongiT.ehne cornnr eo:.
oiel untiluet i
resolutions
for
nt hs e
wilt
vlhsi the extension
hde axiet,
seopnfes
eFi otentboor February, r2l;
were, as originally proposed by the Government, agreed to
'e'importation of corn
after a short dis,:ussion, in the course of which
Sir R. PEEL stated that it was his intention to bring in the
Bill founded on the resolutions on Monday; that on that day
it should be read a first time, and he should suggest that
the second reading should take place en MondaT week.
Colonel Surrnonr renewed his attack against the Go-
vernment for not having several of its members in that
'louse, especially the Secretary for the Colonies, and the
Secretary for Ireland, and begged to know when the Right
Hon.Paronet expected to see them on the Treasury benches?
Sir R. PEEL could not say, but, he would undertake, if
the Gallant Colonel would accept the Chiltern Hundreds,
that the Noble Lord, the Secretary for Ireland, should op-
pose him for Lincoln.
Colonel SIBTHORP said he should consider himself dis-
Governinent for the Chiltern
graced by applying to the