The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-20 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1846.

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

The Tariff Bill was brought up from the Commons, and on
the motion that the Bill be read a first time, the Duke of
RICHMOND protested against the principle of the measure,
which he contended was inconsistent with the Corn-law
Bill, inasmuch as it retained duties upon many articles of
manufacture while protection was altogether removed from
agricultural produce. A discussion followed, in the course
of which,

Lord BEAUMONT suggested that the Corn Bill should be
disposed of before the tariff was considered, and
Lord BROUGHAM reminded the Noble Lords who were in
favour of protection, that there was a vast difference between
duties imposed for the sake of revenue and duties imposed for
the sake of protection, and that the doctrine of free trade by
no means contemplated the removal of duties imposed for the
purposes of revenue.

- The Earl of DALHOUSIE, Earl GREY, Lord MOWTLIGLE,
and Lord ASHBURTON also addressed the House, after which
the Bill was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second
time on Thursday the 28th inst.
The Marquis of NORMANDY postponed his motion on the
subject of outrages in Ireland to Friday.
The Western Australia Bill was read a third time and
passed, and the Insolvent Debtors' Bill passed through Com-
mittee, after which their Lordships adjourned to Friday.

The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'clock.

Mr. CAMPBELL, from the East India House, presented papers
with respect to the pensions granted to Viscount HARDINGE
and Lord GOUGH.

Mr. FERRAND postponed the questions which he had
given notice of putting to the First Lord of the Treasury,
relative to the Bingley 'Union, to Thursday next.
Mr. Fox MAULE then moved, pursuant to notice, for leave to
bring in a Bill to enable Christian congregations in Scotland to
obtain sites for places of worship, manses, and school-houses.
He had intended to have gone at some length into the ob-
jects of the measure, but as he did not see the Lord Advocate of
Scotland, or the Home Secretary, in their places, he supposed
the proposition he had to bring forward was not objected to ;
he should content himself with making the motion of which
he had given notice.
The motion having been seconded,
After some observations from Sir R. Nous and Sir JAMES
GRAHAM, who came into the House in a few moments after
Mr. Fox MAULE had made his motion for leave to bring
in the Bill—leave was given to bring in the measure.

After some observations from Mr. Stafford O'Brien, Sir G.
Clerk, Sir R. Inglis, Lord G. Bentinck, Mr. Bright, and Mr.
W. Miles, the Customs' Duties Bill was read a third time and
passed.
Dr. BOIVRING then moved, pursuant to notice, that an
humble address be presented toher MAJESTY, that ehe would
be graciously pleased to direct such correspondence, or
extracts on the subject of the quarantine laws, as had taken
place with foreign Governments since the last returns to
Parliament, to be laid on the table of the House.
After some discussion the motion was agreed to.
Mr. CHRISTIE withdrew his motion relative to suliplying
clothes to new-born children in workhouses.
Mr. BANKES then moved that Wst. RocKarr have leave to
state his case at the bar of the House with reference to the
Bridport election.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the motion.
Mr. CHRISTIZ then moved his amendment, which was to
the effect that the petition of WILLIAM ROCK= should be
referred to a Select Committee.

Some considerable discussion took place, the original mo-
tion was withdrawn, Mr. CiinisnE's amendment was
put as a substantive- motion, to which an amend-
ment was moved by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL; and upon a
division the amendment was carried, the SPEAKER giving
his casting vote in its favour. The debate on the original
motion was then adjourned till Thursday.
The Railway Companies Dissolution Bill went through
Committee, and the report was ordered to be received to-
morrow.

The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the
House adjourned.

The attention of the House of Commons was last night
drawn to the quarantine laws by Dr. BOWRING, who moved
that an address should be presented to her MAJESTY, for the
production of the correspondence or extracts on the subject
of the quarantine laws, which had taken place with foreign
Governments since the last returns, to be laid on the table, and
that the House would see with pleasure such relaxations in
the existing system as right be compatible with a due re•
gard to the public health and the general interests of the
nation.

Nothing but the protection and welfare of the country at
large could for one moment justify the continuance of a sys-
tem which has been truly described as impeding science, pro-
ducing immorality, obstructing travelling, and restricting
commerce, navigation, and manufactures, besides being in
many other respects hurtful. Our Legislature have happily
seen the necessity of affording the greatest possible faci-
lities to trade and freedom of intercourse with all nations.
Any delay or difficulty has been found to be productive of the
most injurious effects, to be a national evil of the greatest
magnitude. Amongst the many regulations by which our
commerce has been fettered, none have been found more
vexatious or costly in their maintenance than the quarantine
laws. Commerce has been taxed for their support to the
extent of from 1,000,0001. to 2,000,0001. sterling per annum.
The delay was frequently ruinous in its results ; and we have
the authority of Mr. HUME—and there cannot be a higher
one on any question of calculation—that no leas a sum than
120,0001. was annually expended by this country in keeping
up the system. But this is not all. Many valuable lives
have been sacrificed, which might have been preserved had
proper assistance and aid been afforded them—had they been
removed from the confined and pestilential air which
they were compelled to breathe, to a purer and
more salubrious atmosphere. Englishmen have ever
been ready to incur a danger—to risk their own
lives in the cause of humanity—to afford assistance
to him requiring it, to mitigate the sufferings and soothe the
pangs of the afflicted; but, by these oppressive and heartless
laws, we are prevented, as a nation, from doing that which
no one with a benevolent heart would hesitate about for one
moment. The sufferer is cut off from communication with
his kind—like the leper of old he is banished from society, is
unable to procure the comforts, the attentions so necessary
to him in his illness. Many who arrive in perfect health
perish from the operation of the sanatory laws. Had they
even the supposed efficacy formerly ascribed to them, it is
doubtful if it would not be purchased at too high
a price, if the remedy be not worse than the disease. But it
has ever been found that the countries in which those laws
have been most rigorous, most strictly acted up to, have
suffered the most from the diseases which they attempted
to keep out. A better opinion now seems to prevail on the
subject of contagion. The Royal Academy of Medicine in
Paris, after having instituted the strictest inquiries, under
the direction of the French Government, with a view to
their giving an opinion on the quarantine laws, have
trt
l' the conclusion that the plague is endemic
gTht, earls, sad Turkey, and that its
breaking out 5, to
attributed to the spontaneous
action of local and atmosphede cau
tation from distant quarters, that it is an apt t°'ita
and that it is propagated by atmospherical influences, and
not by contagion, and that it is not conveyed by good, or
merchandise. Surely such an opinion, deliberately arrived at by
men of the highest medical authority, who have taken the
utmost pains to procure the most authentic information from
which they . might draw their deductions, should
be considered perfectly conclusive on the subject,
and should lead to the total abolition of those
laws all over the world. Comparatively little will be effected
unless the prejudices of other nations can be removed. We
trust that this is possible, as the Governments of tie different
countries now seem to be quite alive to the great importance
of the question and most anxioas to adopt any measures for
the improvement of the sythsteemp.erfecT ht efr
egeldo
or imo us
of mt
roavdeemwe tl
of those laws and
be aptly o
which hasf
lltoawkeedn
opulatcbeyfotrhe
the abolition of all restrictions.
amelioration

The split which has taken place in the Repeal party in
Ireland, which is widening every day, is not calculated to
raise our respect for the consistency, gratitude, and prudence
of the Irish character. One of the most violent Repeal
journals published in Dublin, which is supposed to represent
a new generation, has for some time cast off Mr. O'CoNNELL
as a leader, and now almost declares open war against him.
What the objects of "Young Ireland" are it would be diffi-
cult to say, but, judging from their organ, they consider the
Liberator too lukewarm in the cause. They would not only
go for a repeal, perfect and unadulterated, shackled neither
by the claims of royalty, nor the guardianship, however
nominal of a British Parliament, but would at once esta-
blish a pure republic, independent as much of England as
the rest of the world. So determined is their hostility to
this country that they indulge in the highest raptures of
enthusiasm on anticipating her defeat in India or Canada, or
the wide ocean, and would willingly join the Americans or
the Frencb, or any other nation called our national enemy,
for the sake of humbling, and even destroying, their nearest
neighbours. This is all very foolish, and very extravagant.
Most people are of opinion that Mr. O'Cowmr. has gone as
far in the cause of repeal as any leafier can prudently go with-
out.exciting a civil war. Judges and juries have admitted by
theft deW19135) that ho haq rin pato flu macl94ccoded the A