The Sun.
London, England, 1834-02-12 00:00:00

1111111,

( PRICE ID.)

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, FEB. 11.

The Duke of RICHMOND presented several petitions
from the eastern parts of the county of Sussex against th
tithe system.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH, in pursuance of the notice
he had given on: a previous evening, rose to move
for the appointment of a Select Committee to
consider of the means of extending the enclosure
of lands lying in common fields, meadows, and pastures,
and to report to the House on the subject. The words of
the motion were so precise that he hardly thought it pos-
sible that its object could be misunderstood.—(Hear, hear.)
His object in proposing, the Committee was not that any
Bill should proceed from it for the enclosure of waste
lands, as he did not think the adoption of such a course
would be productive of great advantages at the present
price of corn, or the price that it would probably bear
under the existing corn laws. In addition to that,
where a right-of common exis.ed, it frequently happened
that persons who had, through industry anti perseverance,
say,d up 40/. or 50/., could lay that out in land where
such a right existed. That, he thought no man would hesi-
tate to say would he productive of great good, and he
should he extremely sorry if any measure adopted by
Parliament should pA.vent it. He begged therefore their
Lordships to understand that should the Committee
recommend the adoption of any proceeding that
would have that effect, it did not proceed from him.
The Committee, perhaps, might find it necessary to
recommend, that in some parts where extensive
waste lands existed there should take place partial
enclosures, but the exclusive object of his mo-
tion was for the improvement of waste lands, mea-
dows, and pastures, as he felt convinced that facilities
to the improvement of lands that had been cultivated
from time- immemorial would be productive of great
advantage. If at any time it was desirable that their
Lordships should pass a Bill upon the subject, the present
certainly was the most fitting opportunity, it being the in-
tention of Government to propose a measure for the commu-
tation of tithes anti to make alterations in the poor laws, and
it being clear from the report of the Committee on agricul-
ture, anti the declaration of Ministers, that no alteration
was intended to be proposed in the existing corn laws.
His (Lord E.'s) only object in the present measure was to
(fleet the greatest possible good at the least possible expense.
The Noble Lord concluded by moving for the appoiutmeut
of a Select Committee, which was agreed to.

Among the Noble Lords appointed to constitute the
Committee were—The Lord President, the Lord Privy
Seal, the Duke of Richmond, Duke oi Wellington, Marquis
of Salisbury, Viscount Melbourne, Lord Dacre, and Lord
Wynfot d.

COMMERCIAL INTERCOURSE BETWEEN THIS
COUNTRY AND FRANCE.

Viscount STRANGFORD wished to ask the NoLle E irl
opposite (Grey) whether any progress was made, or whether
there was any reasonable hope of success in the commercial
negotiations that bad
,been going on between this country
and France? For his own justification he begged to state,
that he was not actuated by any secret wish to gain
information on the question that he had put. He did
so in consequence of two remarkable, and, be thought,
according to his interpretation, very satisfactory passages
in his Majesty's speech from the throne. In the fiist
place, his Majesty spoke of the good understanding
established between this country and France. Now, he
thought that a good understanding could not exist, or
:hat his Majesty could not have adverted to it with so
much satisfaction, unless France had shown herself dis-
posed to relinquish her hostilities to the manufactures
of this country, and, above all, to the nsvigation of this
country. From the passage to which had adverted, it
would be supposed that the good understanding was com-
plete and perfect, and extended to commercial as .01 as
political matters. He heartily trusted that such was
the case. In another passage of his speech, his Majesty
spoke of the progressing improvement of all the foreign
relations of this country. He (Lord Strangfurd) would
certainly not trouble their Lordships n stating his doubts
as to the general accuracy of that statement, but he for one
must say that he disbelieved that the stare of prosperity
Whirled to could be progressing, if the Powers of the
Continent, both great and ama 1, should continue to con-
federate for the purpose of making a mockery of the best
interests of this country, and if France still continued that
system of repulsion towards the prosperity of its manufac-
tures.

Eirl GREY, who spoke in so low a tone that at
times it was almost impossible to catch a single sentence,
was understood to say, that he did not rise for the pur-
pose of going through the statements of the Noble
Viscount, but simply to answer the questions that
had been put, which he understood to be whether or not
the negotiations, as the Noble Viscount had chosen to call
them, that had been going on between this country and
France, with respect to commercial matters, were likely to
be brought to a speedy conclusion. He (Earl Grey) was not
aNare that what had been going on desei veil precisely the
name of negotiation. It was true that Commissioners
had been appointed, b ith by this country and by
France, to inquire into what arrangements were ne-
cessary for the commercial interests of both coun-
tries. Those Commissioners had made a most vulumi
nous report, which had been laid before his Majesty's Miiiis-
tars and the French Assembly, and from that report, in the
proceedings of that assem .Iy, he was not authorised to
say, or hold out a sanguine hope, that any measure that
might be adopted, would go so far as, connected with
the interest of France, might have been expected. With
regard to the observations of the Noble Viscount on the
speech, he (Earl Grey) certainly considered the statements
made in it as only applicable to political considerations.
With respect to the observations of the Noble Viscount,
as it regarded the repulsive system kept up by France,
it would be matter of consideration what steps should
be talc n upon that subject.—(Hear, hear.) He would
give, however, no opinion at present on the subject,
but this lie would say, and be thought that the Nobli
Viscount would agree with him, that difficulties might ex-
ist with reference to a Government having the most
friendly dispositions over which it might not have it in
its. power to place any control. With referenc.
.0 the second part of the speech adverted to, he would
give the same answer as he had done to the other,
that it had the same reference in view. In that
statement he thought he was borne out by the facts, foi
looking at the general state of the country with foreign
powers, lie had the most sanguine hopes that its com-
merce with them would he increased and improved.
Lord EUENBOROUGH wished to know from the
Noble Duke opposite (Rientnond) whether it was his in-
tention in the tour-e of the present session to propose any
measure with respect to the improvement of turiip ke trus a

The Duke of RICHMOND said that it was the inten-
tion of the Unrier Secrets:), of State (Lord Howick) to
introduce a Bill upon the subject in the course of the pre
sent session, which would he printed and placed in th.-
hands of Noble Lords and Hon. Members, and the Noble
Lord (Howick) would then propose that it be taken into
further consideration in the course of the next session.
Their Lordships then adjourned.