The Sun.
London, England, 1851-02-05 00:00:00

fir:toxb -;51)iftt000

SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock.

(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr THORNELY present,,d a petition from Wolver-
hampton and West Bromwich against the Papal ag-
greesit,n.
Sir R. H. INGLIS presented petitions from several
places itt Dorset-hire to the same effi,ct.
WINDOW DUTY.
Mr. HODGES presented a petition from Tunbridge
Wells praying for a repeal of the window duty; also a
petition from the same place praying for the establish-
ment of county fiscal boards ; and a petitioa against the
Papal aggression.
COUNTY FINANCIAL BOARDS.
Mr. E. ELLICE presented a petition from Leicester
praying for the establishment of county financial boards.
Similar petitions were presented from Bradford by
Colonel THOMPSON, and from Ashton-under-Lyne by
Mr. HENRY.
ADMISSION' OF JEWS INTO PARLIAMENT.
Lord C. MANNERS presented petitions from several
places in Leicestershire against any Bill to legalize the
introduction of Jews into Parliament.
PAPAL AGGRESSION.
Petitions were presented against Pa?al aggression by
Mr. Macgregor, from the several ministers and elders of
the dill-r. nt con gregacions in Glasgow; by,Sir E. Filmer,
from several places; by Sir William Duncombe, Lord
Burleigh, Mr. R. Spooner, Mr. Mowatt, Mr. Newdegate,
and sevt,ral other Members from Warwick and various
other places in England.
WINDOW DUTIES.
Lord DUNCAN and several other Members pre-
sented petitions from Bath and other places in favour of
a repeal of the window duties.
COUNTY FINANCIAL BOARDS.
Mr. NEWDEGATE, Mr. M. GIBSON, and several other
Members presented petitions for the formation of county
financial boards.

BIBLE MONOPOLY.
Mr. HUME presented petitions from a parish in
Hampshire, from Lewes, in Sussex, and from Suffolk,
signed by teach, rs, against the monopoly of the Bible.
ADULTERATION OF COFFEE.
Mr. CARD WELL presented a petition from Ceylon
agaiist the adulteration oFeoffee.
SUNDAY TRADING IN LONDON.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS gave notice that on the 11th of
this month he should move for leave to bring in a Bill
to prevent Sunday trading in London and the suburbs.
SUGAR DUTIES.
Mr. G. BERKELEY gave notice that he would move
for a Select Committee on the sugar duties.
ABOLITION OF THE LORD-LIEUTENANCY
OF IRELAND.
Mr. REYNOLDS, pursuant to notice, begged to ask
the Noble Lord the First Minister of the Crown whether
it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to
introduce any Bill during the present session of Par-
liament for the purpose of abolishing the office of Lord-
Lieutenant of Ireland?
Lord J. RUSSELL, in reply, stated that it was the
intention of her Majesty'a Government to introduce such
a measure.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. REYNOLDS said that such being the intention
of the Government he should deem it his duty, when the
B:11 was introduced, to move for a call of the House.
FISHERY AND NAVIGATION OF THE BLACK-
Mr. ANSTEY pursuant to notice, wished to ask the
First Lord of the Admiralty, whether it was the intention
of the Government to order any and what prosecutions,
or proceedings for carrying into effect the recommenda-
tions contained is the late report of Commander Fraser,
RiNo on the illegal obstruction to the fishery and na-
vigation of the Biackwater; and whether he would lay the
said report, with plans, &c., before the House.
Sir FRANCIS BARING said, that the surveyor
had been engaged in forwarding,' This plans, but they
Set were net quite completed, and further plans were
required. Until those plans were sent in, no decision
could be come to.
Mr. ANSTEY wished to know whether there would
be any objection to lay on the table of the House the
reports and plans?
Sir F. BARING said as one report was imperfect, he
could hardly lay it before the House, and until he had
seen the other he would be unable to answer the Hon.
Gentleman ~ question.
THE NEW FOREST.
Mr. G. BERKELEY wished to know whether it
was the intention of the Government to introduce a
Bill for the enclosure of the New Forest; and if so
whether they intended to destroy the deer, and to
compensate parties for the injury they would sustain by
the enclosure of the forest?
Lord SEYMOUR said he intended to move for
leave to bring in three Bills with reference to three
different iores(s, and ho thought it would be much more
convenient to defer entering into details until then,
ADULTERATION OF COFFEE.
Mr. G. BERKELEY said it appeared the great adul-
teration of coffee with chicory had caused a great falling
off in the revenue, arising from the importation of coffee,
and he was des,rous of knowing when the Chancellor of
the Exchequer intended to introduce any measure to
afford greater protection to those who send home coffee
03311.. t. "aT44l6°-tikIIiVLLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied
1.
.7,;.,itt74liatit .tOss not his intention to introduce any measure
Z,
~ vf.:ofe .4 atlurpose.
41
kill ~-.1 3/ - WBERKELEY then gave notice that he should
f,...,, rici,, 0 , -,, "stimetion to the El to prevent the dul,era-
Ouse,
..,, 3; ,•• . 2.1.
i 1 .•\.,,, :. IL: %Haw, and to punish the fraud when detected, fur
''...,7' li; 1444 0 of giving to the
`', . o. io • • 6 market.
British colonies a fair arid
Lil<S.r. ''A . s
atrlf Vilk°

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

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

Mr. MONSELL, the Member for Limerick, who has be-
come a convert to the Roman Catholic faith, took the
oaths prescribed by the statute for Roman Catholic
Members.

PETITIONS.
Mr. F. FRENCH presented a petition praying for an
extension of the leasing powers of Trinity College, Dub-
lin; also a petition with regard to the repairs and main-
tenance of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
NEW WRITS.

Mr. HAYTER moved for a new writ for Pontefract,
in the place of Sir Samuel Martin, who is now one of
the Barons of her Majesty's Court of Exchequer.
THE NEW WRIT FOR DLINGARVAN.
Mr. HAYTER said a new writ was moved for yester•
day, for the Borough of Dangarvan, on the assumption
that the Right Hon. Richard Lalor Shell had vacated
his seat by the acceptance of the office of her Majesty's
Plenipotentiary to the Duke of Tuscany. He (Mr.
Hay ter) believed he was in error in supposing that
the acceptance of that office made it compulsory on a
Member to vacate his seat; therefore the course which
he now proposed to adopt was to move that the order of
the House for issuing the new writ should be now read.
The Clerk at the table then read the order.
Mr. HAYTER moved that a supercedeas should be
issued to annul the writ.
Mr. ROEBUCK said he should like to knew whether
this was the ordinary mode of' proceeding. If so he had
no objection to it, but he saw great danger in such a
precedent. If they established a precedent of this
nature, it might become extremely injurious to the
proceedings, liberties, and privileges of the House, and
he should like to know from the Attorney-General
whether any harm was likely to result from such a
practice hereafter?
kr. HAYTER said he apprehended the Hon. Mem-
ber wished to know whether the present course
was the usual course of proceeding. Now if
if any error were committed he supposed the usual
course was to put it right as soon as they could. There-
fore the question depended upon whether an error had
been committed. He found severai instances in the books
of the House in which it appeared that the mere accept-
ance of the office of one of her Majesty's plenipotentiaries
did not divest a Member of the right of sitting in the
House. All he could do, therefore, was to move the
motion which he had already done.
Mr. F. FRENCH thought some further explanation
ought to 1, be given on the subject, as this pro-
ceeding was contrary to common sense. The rule
was, that if a Member accepted any office of emolument
under the Crown his seat became forfeited.
Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL observed that great incon-
venience would arise if a supercedeas was issued, as the
writ for a new election had probably reached the hands
of the sheriff for the borough.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought the Hon.
Gentleman would at once see the necessity,of this course
if he would consider for a moment. The question of
whether the acceptance of the office of envoy from the
Sovereign of these realms to a foreign state came withi❑
the provisions of the statute of Anne had once or twice
been discussed in the:House, and there were distinct
precedents in the journals to show that it did
not come within the Act of Parliament. Ac-
cordingly gentlemen had repeatedly been elected
Members of Parliament while filling the situation of
envoy, and it was quite clear that the acceptance of the
office by an existing Member did not vacate the seat.
Now yesterday an order was made for the issue of a
writ to elect a new burgess to serve is Parliament for
the borough of Dunvargan; but the borough of Dun-
garvan was not vacant, aed consequently by
law no person could be elected to fits the 'lace.
At least, any gentleman who might be apparently
elected under the writ would not be entitled to take his
seat in the House, since the Right Hon. Richard Lalor
Sheil was at this moment legally Member for Dungar-
yen, and the seat was therefore at present full. Now
what course ought to be adopted in this state of things
was obvious. It was to stop the proceedings that
were irrgular, and at once obtain a supersedeas to du so.
No doubt some inconvenience would result from the is-
suing of the writ, but no incovenience could be so great
as that which must necessarily follow a step which was
• ,ntrary to law, and he had no hesitation in recommend-
lug the House to adopt the motion before it. All the
first inconvenience of the writ issued yesterday might be
remedied within twenty-four hours.
Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL wished to know if it was
intended that the Right Hon. Gentleman should retain
his seat, or was another writ to be moved for ?
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said undoubtedly a
new writ would be moved for as soon as the seat be-
came vacant. He had no doubt that when his Right
Honourable Friend the present Member became aware
that his acceptance o' the office of envoy bad not
vacated his seat, and that his holding the office
wes incompatible with his attendance in Parliamen't, he
would forthwith comply with the requisites necessary for
vaczating his scat.—(llear, hear.)
The motion was tnen agreed to.
PAPAL AGGRESSION.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE SERVICES OF
MR. LEY, THE LATE CHIEF CLERK OF THE
HOUSE.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he rose to move a reso-
lution acknowledging the services of a public offi-
cer, whose labours had been of the greatest
value to this House and the country. Every one who
had been acqueinted with the business of the House for
many years knew that Mr. Ley, the chief clerk of the
House, had a mind well stored with information relating
to every subject connected with the orders and proceed-
ings of the House, and knew likewise that no one could
equal the readiness and courtesy with which ho
communicated that information.—(Hear.) To the
Committees of the House his services were of the
greatest value, in preparing and putting in order and
proper form those matters which were of the utmost
public importance. Every Member must be aware
how useful regularity of proceeding was, and how
often their deliberations had been aided by the know-
ledge which Mr. Ley had communicated to the House.
—(Hear.) He thought, therefore, that the House
would only do itself credit by placing on record an ac-
knowledgment of the services which Mr. Ley had ren-
dered. The Noble Lord concluded by moving a resolu-
tion to that effect.
Sir ROBERT H. INGLIS said he trusted the
House would not consider it presumptuous on his part,
but rather a duty imposed on the older elembers of the
House, who had longer experience of the services ren-
dered by Mr. Ley, to support the resolution of the Noble
Lord to record the great endeavours which that officer
had shown to discharge the duties of his situation.—
(Hear, hear.) Mr. Ley, as his Noble Friend bad stated,
had rendered the most valuable services to the House
and the public with the strictest impartiality, and bad
evinced great business habits, great knowledge, great
punctuality, and great assiduity, and for the services he
had so rendered every Member, both young and old,
were under great obligations to him. Every
petition, every Bill in a certain sense came under
his cognizance. When Mr. Ley entered into the service
of the House nearly half a century ago, the number of
petitions which came annually before the House was
measured by periods of five years, and the first five
years the result was only 1,026; petitions. He would
not trouble the House with any other details then that
the number of petitions in the five years ending 1542
were 70,072, while in the five years ending 1847, they
were 81,985. These facts, independent of any
consideration of personal favour or personal ser-
vices rendered by the lamented individual whose merits
they were now recognising would give the House and the
community at large some idea of the extent of labour
which attached to the office of chief clerk. No cheaper
reward could be conferred, if cheapness could be made
an ingredient in this question, than that which they were
now making, for nothing could stimulate the zeal and
exertions of public officers more than the knowledge that
their merits would be recorded in the journhle of a great
deliberative assembly like the House of Commons. He
had much pleasure in seconding the motion.
Mr. HUME, having had frequent opportunities of
observing the admirable manner in which Mr. Ley had
performed his duties, cordially and entirely agreed
with this vote. His attention to the duties of the office
rendered him acquainted_with the forms and manner of
their proceedings, and often thr Speaker had had the
tecefit of his great experience in matters connected with
the business of the House. He (Mr. Hume) had there-
fore much pleasure in expaessing his approbation that
the great services of Mr. Ley were to be formally ac-
knowledged in their journals; but it was with extreme
pain that he felt called upon to complain on the part of
the public of the manner in which the Prime
Minister had filled up the vacancy. He consi-
dered that every word which the Noble Lord
used, such as large experience, extensive knowledge,
long servitude, told sadly against himself, for they
found that the person who occupied Mr. Ley's situation
was a gentleman who had not had a single day's ex-
perience in a similar office. He did not wish to say
anything against that gentleman as an individual, but
a knowledge of his office would only be obtained by
the continued practice and long experience which the
Noble Lord had adverted to, and therefore he did
complain of th'e manner in which the Noble Lord
had exercised his patronage.—(Hear, hear.) Offices
of this nature should always be filled up with a view to
the public benefit, and when a vacancy occurred, duo at-
tention should be paid to the merits and capabilities of
the party appointed to it. That rule applied with dou-
ble torce to the office in question, for young Members,
iensrant of the forms of the House. could only make
themselves acquainted with them thaough the assist-
ance of the clerk at the table.—(Hear, hear.)
It was, therefore, cf the utmost importance that he
should be able to apply to an officer of such large ex-
perience as Mr. Ley. For his part he (Mr. Hume)
never applied to that gentleman for information with-
out obtaining it, or without being put in the way to
find it. But what did Sir Denis Le Merchant know of
the rules and practice of this House? What
qualifications had he for a situation embracing so
many important duties as those which the Noble
Lord had pointed out.—(Hear, hear.) It was a painful
duty for him to make these observations, but it was a
duty which he owed to the House of Commons and the
country to state unhesitatingly to the Noble Lord what
he had heard remarked out of doors.—(Hear, hear.)
Other appointments connected with this House of
a less onerous character than this had often
been found fault with for the very same
reasons that he was now urging upon the
House ; but they applied with far greater
force to tee present instance, because this ap-
pointment affected the every day business of the House.
Sir Denis le Merchant might be a very talented man—
(Hear, hear)—judging from the number of situations be
had filled—(Laughter)—from time to time, it was quite
evident that he had a pretty extensive general
knowledge of political matters—bet what oppor-
tunities had he heel of becoming familiar with the
routine of the House of Commons, except that
of being a memeer for a short time.—(Hear, hear.)
Whilst, therefore, he cordially concurred in the vote
that was about to be made he could no: but express his
disapprobation at the manner in which the Noble Lord
had exercised his patronage. To-morrow the Noble
Lord's speech would go forth to the public, and
he was at a loss to known with what feelings
it would be read, for a sarcasm more severe
or a reflection more condemnatory which it conveyed on
this appointment could hardly be conceived.—(Hcar,
hear.) Sir Denis Le Merchant filled the office.
Where was his eighty years' experience? Where was
his experience? Where was the time which he bad de-
voted to the business of the House—(Hear, bear, and
laughter)—and let Hon. Members remember that
_the business of their House was not to be
learned in a day. Even in the simplest
duty of presenting petitions, Members of long standing
often found a difficulty in observing the forms, and it
was of importance that the clerk at the table
should be well versed in these matters, to
place them right when necessary.—Hear, hear.)
The Clerk at the table ought to be a man bred to the
office. He should rise by gradations, and it should be
open to the junior clerk to obtain the office in progress
of time, if his zeal and ability deserved it.—(llear.)
Mr. GOULBUHN said that he was particularly quali-
fied to bear testimony to the merits of Air. Ley; having
taken office at an early period of his career, and for that
reason being obliged to take more than an usual share
in the business of the House; and it was entirely owing
to tee kindness of Mr. Ley that he was It( pt from falling
into more errors into which his want of experience must
otherwise have led him. It gave him the greatest grati-
fication to support the resolution.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL wished to say a few words
in answer to the atteck made upon the appointment to
the vacancy caused by Mr. Lee's death. Of course it
was the duty of the Prime Minister to consider the
qualifications of the persons whom he recommended to
any particular office, but he would do wrong if he al-
lowed the opinion of those who had no responsibility in
the matter to prevail against his own conviction.
In this instance his own firm conviction was,
that ho could not have male a better selection
for the office than Sir Denis lo Merchant. To say that
he had not experience of the business of the House was
what must be said of every gentleman who was elected
to fill the office of Speaker. With respect to the ap-
pointment in question, there were the circumstance
when Mr. Booth was appointed to the office of Council
to the Speaker, an office created on the recom-
mendation of a Committee of that House, he re-
linquished a fair and promising prospect at the bar
for a salary of 1„500/. per annum. Since that time
another Committee had recommended that Mr
Booth's office should be abolished on the first vacancy
and Mr. Booth was thereby placed iu a situation of
great delicacy, knowing that he stood in the way of the
reduction of the expenditure of the country.
Therefore by appointing Sir Dennis Le Merchant
to this present vacancy and removing Mr. Booth
to the Board of Trade be had been enabled
to abolish the office of counsel to the Speaker,
and save 1,5001. per annum which would not otherwise
be saved.
After a few words from Mr. G. BERKELEY,
The resolution was carried with an unanimous " aye."
Con the o
by Mr. STAFFORD, that a Standing
mmi be appointed, to control the arrangements of
the kitchen and refreshment rooms in the deparment of
the Sergeant•at-Arms attending this Hous:—Mr. Staf-
Lfoordad, Mmra.rAculsdeHrmilia,nmllr.umTpehseryeyD,
atwh es
OEn
,arhil
ro.f
AMruclhgirbeavled,
Thistle, and Admiral Berkeley; three to be the quorum.
Mr. HUME said he wished to say a few words on
.
another matter. Those who had, yesterday, accom-
panied the Speaker to the House of Lords,
would recollect the disordereloylopmelalendner in
fwohlliocwh
what danger the Speaker himself had
hthime Members had been
to find his way there. He thought that this
was highly derogatory to the dignity of the
House. Even when they did arrive at the House of
Lords there was not room enough below the bar
to contain one quarter of the Members.
110 felt assured that both bides of the House would
agree with his suggestion, for it was notorious that
whenever there was a call of the House, the degrees in
which they were to be esteemed would be duly taken
into account, and they would feel that the pretensions of
the several members—s,uhordinatcs as well as principals
—would be duly esteemed, eseeeally- if they "
perly examined by the right authorities. And.cirf7 theypro
were duly examined, he was quite sure that in the
present case an adequate compensation would be awarded.
He would beg to suggest that they should adopt some
other system than that which had been commonly used
whenever they went to the House of Peers —(Hear,
hear.) He remembered that when they went to the
House of Peers last session it was stated by the
Ministry that they would be better when they got
into the New House.—(Hear, hear.) But was this the
case.—(Hear, hear.) He should say q4ite the reverse.
_—(Hear, hsar, and laughter.) He remembered that the
last time they went to the House of Lords he was very
near having his bead thrust against one of the pillars—

PER QUARTER. PER QUARTER.
Wheat, red 36s to 41s13eans 26s to 296
Do., new oos to 00s I Peas 26s to 28s
Do., white 42s to 49s Oats.
Do., now oos to 00s Rye... . 00s to 00s
Barley, malting 233 to 28s Malt .. 00s to 00s
Do., grinding... 20s to 22s Flour, per sack.. 005 to 00s
AVERAGES FOR THE WEEK ENDING FEB. I.
Wheat 1,099 quarters at 40s 2d.
Barley
~ 22s Bd.
Beans 34 „ 27s Od.
Oats
Peas — „ 00s Od.
HULL, FEB. 4.
Messrs. Taylor and Bright's circular states:—The
weather has been unseasonably mild, with occasional
rain, until last evening, when a severe frost set in and
still continues. It is to be hoped that this will have
some beneficial effect on the trade, which has been
lamentably dull of late. Our farmers brought a fair
supply of wheat to market this day; the condition was
much as last week, and we must write the market for
dry samples fully as dear. -Very little foreign wheat
offering from shipboard, and granared parcels being
generally too high limited, the business doing is of the
merest retail. Barley is dull of sale, the present sup-
ply being beyond the demand; the change of tempera-
ture will however probably affect this article. Very
little business passing in any description of spring corn
and we do not alter our quotations. The linseed mar-
ket remains firm, without however any extent of trans-
actions; an improved demand for cakes. Rapeseed is
offering at 271; very few rape cakes on the market.
The following are the present prices of grain:-
8.
Wheat, English, red 36 to 46 Peas, white and yel. 27 30
Do. white 4O 44 Do. grey
Dantzic and Ko- Linseed, Black Sea 4B 50
nigsberg 42 46 Do. Petersburgh ... 42 48
Pomeranian and Do. Riga&Archngl. 38 —42
Hamburgh 3B 40 Do. Konigsberg .... 38 42
Danish, Holstein, & Per ton.
Friesland ........ 36 —3B Lins. ;Hull 712 s 6d to 7! 5s
Russian and Odessa 35 —4O Do. fine foreign ... 6l 10s
Oats, English
Do. Danish— ....... 14 16 Rapeseed
BDDvanoor...lliegr'tyrticsum::.taains,lnt:in......
0de55a.......... 16 18 Rape cakes...B7s 6d t2o
:11 44, _ _
_—_ 1
t 8261
Do. Tares, ,or .
fore
iF.
..l 36t,0,9370_171
_00es:3000060,,
,dBsl
Beans ............... .. 26 30 Boles, do ..... .95s 01 to 00s Od•
DoL.
ifNerzenigprol
c.,.L.:
FEB.
54.:-A2Bt R
thisy e l‘rcleoarining's market salts
3of wheat and flour proceeded slowly, at a decline on the
former of Id, and in some instances 2d per bushel on the
price of last Tuesday, and also 6d par sack and barrel
on flour. Indian corn was 6d per quarter lower, and the
demand not so good as of late. Oats, barley, beans, and
peas were each alike neglected, and tne quotations are
unvaried.

Intelligence from Port-au-Prince reaches to the
29th of December. The coffee crop is alleged to have failed
to such an extent that there will probably not be more than
half the uival quantity. The Emperor bad just finished the
distribution of the crosses of nobility and of the order of
EAnitbal.