The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-09 00:00:00

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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS DA Y.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKEIL took the Chair shortly afar Twelve
o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords' amendments to the Bolton, Blackburn,
Clitheroe, and West Yorkshire Railway Bill were consi-

den- d and agreed to.
The Caledonian Railway (Gla?gow, Garnkirk, and
Coatbridge, Police and Govan, &c., hallways) (Amend-
ment and Continuation, &c.), Bill was read a second

time.
The Sheffield and Glossop Turnpike-road Bill was

read a scci:nd tice. - •
Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from a place in
Yorkshire in favour of the Pharmacy Bill.
The Attorneys' Certificate Bill was brought in and

read a first time.
THE BISHOP OF GLOUCESTER.
Mr. HORS lAN gave notice that on Friday next he
should move fisr returns of all correspondence connected
with the subject of the leasing of florstield by the Bishop
of Gloucester, on which occasion he should he ready to
hear and meet the explanation which the recently pub-
lished letters of the Hon. Member for Bristol, and of
the Bishop himself, might seem to promise.
Mr. P. MILES said that on that occasion he should
be ready to give every explanation on the subject of the
ehaq.tcs made by the lion. Gentleman opposite.
COLONIAL PROPERTY QUALIFICATION BILL.
On the motion for going into Committee on this Bill,
Mr. TUFNELL moved that it be an instruction to
the Committee to provide for the abolition of any pro-
perty qualification for the election of Members to serve
in Parliament. The Hon. Gentleman dwelt strongly
on the recent case of Mr. Prinsep, elected for the borough
of Harwich, who, though no doubts were entertained as
to his respectability and wealth, was deprived of his
seat by the default of some technical qualification. No
property qualification was required for Scotch Members,
and he could not see any reason why any difference
should be made between the two countries.
Mr. EVART seconded the motion, as being a Scotch
Member, and therefore not called on for a property
qualification. He also reminded the House that the
Members for the Universities had no qualifications.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL thought the present pro-
posal came rather in a singular shape, being an amend-
ment to destroy all qualification whatever on a Bill, the
object of which was to admit colonial property as V.
qualification. Since the time when qdalifications were
first insisted on the times were much changed, and
those things which were then realities were
now mere fortes. At present there was no
security in the state of the qualification, and
therefore he thought the whoie subject ought to bo
taken into the consideration of the House; and for his
own part he should b© ready to give it ali the attention
in his power. The subject, however, would be better
introduced in tho shape of a separate Bill than as a
mere amendment on another Bill. If hie lion. Friend,
therefore, proposed his amendment to the Bill, he should
feel it his duty to vote against it.
Mr. NEWDEGATE said he would fully admit that
the law was defective, but the remedy was exceedingly
simple. The effect of the amendment would be to get
rid of the Bill while it raised a discussion on a very
large question at a time when the House was not pre-
pared to discuss it,
Mr. HENLEY thought this motion had been brought
forward at a very inconvenient period. He denied the
proposition of the mover of the amendment, that it ever
was the privilege of electors to return representatives to
the House without any restraint whatever. As to their
character it was desirable that Members of Parliament
should be able to attend to their duties in the House
without inconvenience or pecuniary loss, and inde-
pendently of possessing the confidence of constituents,
that they should always be persons who were likely to
become good legislators.
Mr. E. DENISON opposed the Bill, which only pro-
fessed to alter a slight defect in the law where quali-
fication ought to be abolished altogether. He recom-
mended that, under the circumstances, Mr. Tufnell should
withdraw his motion, and leave the question in the hands
of the Ne.ble Lord at the head of the Government.
Mr. TUFNELL said, after the statement of Lord
John Russell he would not press his amendment, and
would suggest that the Hon. Member who had charge
of the Bill should :Wept a similar course.
Mr. HUTT replied to acme of the observations made
during the discussion, and concluded by Niithdravving
his motion.
The order of the day was then discharged.
HOME MADE SPIRITS IN BOND BILL.

On the order of the day for the second reading o
this Bill, several petitions were presented in its favour.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER pre.
seated a petition from the spirit dealers of London
against the Bill.
Lord NAAS then moved the second reading.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER op-
posed the motion.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER opposed
the motion. To carry this Bill would be an act of gross
injustice to a large branch of trade. There was a wide
difference between the mode of levying the Excise and
the Customs duties; the one was levied in the first in-
stance, while the other was not collected until the
latt,st possible moment prior to the period of consump-
tion. Unless Government pursued that course a con-
siderable addition of labour, and of course of expense,
would be thrown upon the Excise Department, owing to
the extended supervision that would be necessary to
protect the revenue. This Bill was introluced on the
plea that colonial spirits, by the present system, en-
joyed an undue advantage over home-made spirits ; but
so far from that being the case, the fact was that during
the last four years, while the consumption of home-
made spirits had greatly increased, that of
colonial spirits had very selieusly fallen off.—
(Hear.) Well, then, the ground of injustice being
swept away, what other argument could be urged in
favour of this Bill? None whatever; but on the con•
trary, innumerable objections besides that of diminishing
the revenue could be urged against it. If this Bill were
carried, it would be inflicting a great practical injustice
on the English distiller, in so far as by the existing law
the mode of levyini, the duties in Ireland was very
l
different to the mode of collecting it in England, and it
the law were changed in the manner proposed by this
Bill, the Irish distiller would p)sseas an undue advan.
tage over his competitor in this country. On all consi-
derations, therefore, it was his duty to oppose the second
reading. and he hoped the House would concur with him
in desiring to throw the Bill out.
Lord NAAS denied that the home-made spirit trade
was on the increase. The injustice which he complained
of was that the foreign and colonial producers could ex-
port without paying duty, but the home-made spirit
dealer could not, and virtually the present restrictions upon
his trade altogether prohibited him from engaging in the
export trade. He disputed the position of the Chancellor,
that if the law were changed on this Bill it would lead
to great loss in the revenue. On the contrary, he firmly
believed that it would increase the returns from the
spirit duties, but admitting that it would diminish the
revenue the home made spirit dealers were quite ready
to submit to a slight additional increase in the duty
they paid for the sake of obtaining this advantage of
bonding their goods.—(Hear, hear.) He agreed with
the Government, that the duties imposed on
spirits ought to be the last the House should
think of touching in any scheme for reducing the taxa-
tion ot the country, but it was not for the sake of ob-
taining any remission of duty that the home-made spirit
dealers promoted this Bill. It was because the present
law interfered with their trade upon an unfair principle,
and he could only account for the opposition of the
English distillers to an unnecessary alarm that
their exportations were likely to be diminished by the
Bill, or to a desire to play the part of the dog in the
manger. They did not want the change themselves,
though it would do them no harm, and they were deter-
mined that nobody else should obtain it.
Mr. BRAMSTON opposed the Bill, and moved that
it be read a second time this day six months.
Mr. BASS wanted to know where the supporters of
this Bill could hope to find an export trade for British
spirits ? It, was impossible for the home-made spirit
dealer to compete with the foreigner abroad, and really
he for one was quite at a loss to understand why they
of the Bill. The
should be so anxious for the passing
fact, however, was, that they did not want to compete
with the foreign or colonial producer, but to secure an
unjust advantage over the English distiller, and he hoped
the House would not sanction such a modest
proposal. The whole body of English distillers were
not enacting the character attributed to them by the
Noble Lord who had moved the second reading, but they
regarded this Bill as a direct attack upon themselves,
and they were therefore justified in resisting it.
M rh.erse REYNOLDS should be willing to take the Hon.
Member's
e6,,r—tan if this Bill related to ale instead of
spirits, but he help feeling that
the Honourable _honld no
had been poaching
upon another maws tientleman
and what he said should; be
received with great manor,an Note he would take the
g Ounteion
liberty of mentioning
House, and particularly the to whom he
b r
had just referred, to fact, which should induce the
thispeullon. Member
Bill. Scotland there
were 156 distilleries, in
there were only I I 4 England
ataand 56, but .11
of the
latter were to be consulted the wishes
the former. Those who oppesehdptzference to _
to continue the monopoly ot the Englishßill were anxious
question for the House to decide, distillers. The
more
evneosted of statistics
tose of
and technicalities, was nothing
shall the Irish and Scotch distillers be placed
lessl than this,
same footing as the English distillers? uPe tted on the
thought.. they
ought, and, therefore, he should continue
until full justice was done. o complain
Mr. GOULBURN could not consider the question
before the House one of minor or small importance, be
cause if the Bill were agreed to it would give an ad-.
vantage to one class of distillers over another, and
lead to great dissatisfaction. It was no light
matter to effect partial changes in a duty which
yielded between eight and nine millions of revenue,
and was readily and willingly paid into the Exchequer.
Besides there was no other tax levied that was so little
inhl principle 89 the one placed upon
s°pbljrcietsti.anae iii-e- H. it'rember had said that the present law
cramped the enterprise of Scotch end Irish distillers,
and prevented their spirits bein c_onthsuemy.ehdolion
cEorngs
alamnpd_,
o
but the fact was, that one-third f
tion in the latter country was furnished.. from the etillsof
Ireland and Scotland. His conviction was, tatat the mea-
sure would be dangerous Hot only to. revenue and the
dealers, but not
interests of the general body of -
promote the interests of the distillers in whose favour it
was said to be proposed.
Mr. J. A. considered that it Iva] irapos;ible

T E

justify the ineq— ualities which now existed in the clut.',es
on spirits in this country.
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading 166
Against ... ..• ... 194
Majority against the 13i11... —2B
ARREST OF ABSCONDING DEBTORS.
The Arrest of Absconding Debtors' Bill was read a
second time.

LAW OF EVIDENCE.
The Law of Evidence Amendment Bill was also road
a second time.
IRISH ECCLESIASTICAL RESIDENCES.
The Ecclesiastical Residences (Ireland) Bill went
through Committee.
CHURCHES AND CHAPELS (IRIU,AND) BILL.
The Churches and Chapels (Ireland) Bill also went
through Committee.
'UNITED CHURCH OF ENGLA.-ND AND
IRELAND BILL.
This Bill also went through Committee.
PHARMACY BILL.
This Bill went, pro forma, through Committee.
The remaining orders of the day were then disposed
of, and the House adjourned.

THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO THE
CITY.—(THIS DAY.)
The preparations for the reception of :her Majesty in
the City, to-night, were continued this morning with
great vigour, and in all the principal thoroughfares from
Temple-bar to the Exchange, workmen were actively
engaged from an early hour in laying down gas
pipes from the main, to supply the hundreds of
illuminations which are to decorate the different public
buildings and houses in honour of royalty. The illumi
nations. indeed, promise to ha more numerous and bril-
liant than on any previous occasion, though, be-
fore yesterday, there was scarcely a sign that
such a demonstration of civic feeling would take
place. The internal decorations of the Guildhall
are now nearly completed, and give to the ancient edi-
fice a degree of splendour and magnificence quite beside
its usually naked and sombre appearance. All that
now remains to be done are the arrangement of some
draperies, and the placing around the hall, passages,
galleries, supper, and ante-rooms various kinds
of plants and exotics, which are to bo supplied
in very large quantities. A new entrance, in the gothic
style, surmounted by a royal star, has been erected for
her Majesty, and awnings have been put up along both
sides of the court-yard, in order to enable the cc mpany
to alight under cover. Most of the public buildings in
the City will be brilliantly illuminated. The beau-
tiful facade of the Exchange will be covered
with coloured lamps, end the motto, " The
earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof," will be in-
scribed in large letters of glittering light from one end
of it to the other, and will be seen from a considerable
distance eff. The Bank of England will be sur-
rounded with gas stars, elevated on each lamp post,
wreaths of jets being suspended between post and
post. The black and dingy portico of the
Mansion-house will be lighted up by a very extensive
illumination, consisting of a star, a crown, and floral
wreaths, which occupy the whole front of the building.
This central spot will be a perfect blaze of light, such,
perhaps, as was never befcre seen. Along the
whole of the Poultry, Cheapside, Sc. Paul's
Churchyard, and Fleet-street, illuminations of various
kinds, and on a greater or less extensive scale, are in
wave preparation, many of them bearing mottoes very
appropriate for the occasion. At the shop of Messrs.
Dakin, in St. Paul's Churchyard, a large trans-
parency, representing the union of nations, has
been fitted up, and will, no doubt, form an
object of considerable attraction to-night. Temple-
bar will be completely covered with lamps of various
hues, and will scarcely be known in its new and gay
attire. Each side will be ornamented with a huge
V. A.," a crown, and a scroll. During the whole morning
the above thoroughfares have been densely thronged by
persons anxious to witness the preparations, and in many
places both vehicles and pedestrians found it a matter of
the greatest difficulty to push their way. As early as
twelve o'clock people began to take their seats on the
platforms erected along the route to be travelled by her
Majesty, and at the time of going to press the crowds
in the streets wero beginning to take up their places.