The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-25 00:00:00

LICHFIELD FREE SCHOOL,

Lerd INGESTRE then proceeded to bring under the con-
sideration of the House the petition of Thomas Wood, pro-
prietor of the Wolcerhamp!on Chronicle, in relation to Lichfield
ee School. He would wish to call attention. —( Oh, oh. ) He
hoped the House would hear him patiently, he would be very
brief ; but it would be better to let him go on; if they did not,
he would adjourn the House.—( Laughter.) The memo-
rial he alluded to had been signed by the Mayor and Cor-
poration of Lichfield; and if the House would inquire into
it, they would agree with him in saying that it would be too
bad if the editors of newspapers were to be treated in this way.
There bad been two actions brought, one against the pub-
lisher of the paper, and the other against the editor, and a
verdict of forty-eight shillings, with costs, was obtained.
He had thus briefly stated the case, which he did not wish to
dwell upon. it Ras a case of the greatest individual hardship,
and he had therefore deemed it his duty to bring it under the
consideration of the House. The Noble Lord then concluded
by moving that the memorial of the editor be taken into consi-
deration by the House.
Lord J. RUSSELL said he hail no intention whatever to
enter into the merits of this question at present. He believed
that there were many similar cases, and he thought it would be
unfair to decide exclusively upon the merits of this particular
case. But he merely wished at present to submit to the House
that, whatever might be their desire to deal with
the question, nothing should be brought forward
which would have the effect of delaying the settlement of the
important measure which had been brought forward by the
Right Hon. Baronet.—( Hear, hear.) He would ask whether
. .

it would he unreasonable if he moved that the orders of the
day be then read? Unless some good reasons were shown for
proceeding with the motion at present, he would certainly
insist that the consideration of the orders of the delay
ought not to be delayed, because the people of this country,
particularly those of the manufacturing districts, were in a
state of the greatest alarm lest the session should prematurely
close before the question of corn was settled.—( Hear, hear. )
The greater portion of the labouring classes of the
country were at present almost wholly without
employ went, owing to the doubts which existed
as to the settlemen of the present Ministerial measures. And
that being the case, he did think that it would be unfair further
to postpone that settlement, by entertaining such a motion as
was then before the House. He would, therefore, more that
the orders of the day be proceeded with.
Dr. BOW RING wished to ask, whether there would be any
compact between the Noble Lord and the Government if he
consented to postpone the motion?
Sir 11. PEEL said he would have no objection to promise
that, if the motion were postponed, the document alluded to
should be laid before the House on an early day.
Mr. WYSE hoped that the House would not delay the set-
tlement of the important question of the corn-laws by enter-
taining the motion at present.
Sir R. H. GLIS would prefer the postponement of the
corn law deb Ate, so that the motion might be fully discussed.
Lord INGEST RE said he merely moved for the memorial,
in order to get it brought under the notice of the House. He
would consent that the debate should be adjourned till to-
morrow week.
The debate was accordingly adjourned till to-morrow week.
ART UNIONS BILL.
Mr. WYSE would not detain the House by entering into the
merits of the Bill he was about to introduce. He would
simply move for leave to bring in a Bill to legalise art unions.
PROTECTION OF LIFE (IRELAND).
_ _

Mr. POULET SCROPE moved for leave to introduce a
Bill for the better protection of life in Ireland, by means of
the better relief of the destitute poor therein.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM would not offer the slightest oppo-
sition to the introduction of the Bill.

Leave was given to introduce the Bill.
HARBOUR DUES.

Mr. HUME moved—To discharge address March 3, rela-
tive to harbours, and insert the following :—Address for a re.
turn of the several dues and charges of every kind levied
as port harbour dues on shipping, and on goods im-
ported and landed at each port, harbour, and creek
in the United Kingdom ; stating the rates of the
several dues per ton, or other weight or measurement, er per
tally, and distinguiJiing, in each harbour, the amount levied
on shipping from the amount levied on goods, so as to ex-
hibit the entire amount of port and harbour charges of every
kind levied on the shipping, and on goods landed at each of the
ports, harbours, and creeks of the United Kingdom, the ag-
gregate levied on shipping and on goods in Scotland, England,
and Ireland, for each of the years 1644 and 1845. Also a
similar return from the several docks in London river, and
other rivers and hai hours in the United Kingdom, and not in-
cluded in the above order, fur the same period.—.Metion
agreed to.

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' BILL.

On the motion for resuming the adjourned debate,

Sir J. GRAHAM observed that it was the intention of the
Government to postpone till after Easter the amended Bill with
reference to Friendly Societies. and also the secant reading of
the Hon. Member for Oldham's Factory Bill.
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS (IRELAND) BILL.
Colonel RAWDON wished to ask the First Lord of the
Treasury whether, in the measure contemplated by Govern-
mt with respect to the Registration of Voters (Ireland), any
provision is to be made for the shortening of borough elections?
Sir R. PEEL said it was the intention of the Government
to limit them to one day.
Mr. ORSMBY GORE presented a petition from the county
of Nlongomery against the Government measures.
THE ADJOURNED DEBATE ON THE CORN