The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-21 00:00:00

MAJORITY-NOES, 32.

Baines, M. T Dundas, Admiral Homilly, Colonel
Baring, Sir Francis Dundas, George Scobell, Captain
Barrow, W. 11. Glyn, G. C. Seymour, Lord
Bellew, R. Id. Gordon, Admiral S inollett, A.
Bowles, Admiral Graham, Sir J. Somerville, Sir W.
Boyle, Colonel Grenfell, C. P. Thompson, Colonel
Campbell, Sir A. Grogan, Edward Willoughby, Sir 11,
Chatterton, Colonel Hatchell, John Wood, Sir C.
Cockburn, Sir A. Hawes, B.
Cowper, W. F. Labouchere, Henry
Crowder, R. B. Parker, John
Denison, E. Power, Dr.
T

TELLERS.
Ilayter, W. G.
Grey, R. W.

'0 THE SECRETARY OF THE BRADFORD
REFORM ASSOCIATION.
(EVERY MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY.)
Sir,—On Wednesday the 16th, debate in Committee
on the County Courts Further Extension Bill. Much
of it turned on the question of receiving the evidence of
husband or wife where the other was concerned. It was
powerfully argued that the law in these Courts must not
be made better, because the law in a higher Court was
worse; and in consequence only half of the projected
improvements was carried. As a man whose feet aro
pinched, is principally anxious that both feet should be
pinched alike, so in law the uniformity of the law is the
beauty of the law, and must carry the day against im-
provements which would leave us with a lop-sided legis-
lation.
In these discussions the Attorney-General stood out
as a new-light man. He has manifestly conceived the
idea, that the inquiries of the last half-century on the
Greatest Happiness principle in legislation and politics,
might by possibility be turned to use. Think of an
Attorney-General talking of " entering the thin edge of
the wedge" into the defects of the law. It is clearly the
sprouting of more of the good seed. He shall be called
angelus regis and not diabolus, as was the rude title our
forefathers assigned to the office from their experience
of its holders. I take credit for having in these letters
been among the first to name him to you as a man that
must rise.
On Thursday what is called a conversation was
brought on, in defence of the Bishops against the
accusations made against them on the subject of their
revenues. There is a want of distinctness in the charge
advanced; or at all events it is so overlaid with other
matter, as to have the effect of obscurity. The laws
relating to property mustebe in a bad state, when there
is any wide difference between a man's legal right and
his moral. If the laws relating to ecclesiastical pro-
perty are in a state which leaves an opening for doing
injustice to successors, it is surely with the laws rather
than with the present actors, that the responsibility lies.
If the law, for instance, decreed that every man to whom
a life interest was nominally left, had the right of sell-
ing that interest for three of the longest lives he could
hit upon, it would be nearly as unreasonable to expect
that those who found themselves possessed of this power
should do other than act upon it, as it would be to ex-
pect every legatee to decline to enter upon his legacy
till he had settled to his satisfaction that the testator
could not by possibility have made a better disposition.
And there is a further circumstance in the case of the
Church which is immortal; and that ie, that if the
whole succession of Bishops take advantage of the law to
the utmost, the result must go far to right itself, for
there must be the same total value to be divided from
century to century, though the division may not be to all
intents the same.
This was followed by a debate of an odd complexion,
on the question of an inquiry into Harwich, followed by
a division of 82 to 80 in favour of the inquiry, the Go-
vernment and the Conservatives making the majority.
The explanation is, that the inquiry was viewed by the
other side as only intended to stave of; the case of
Harwich having long been considered as rest inquiry.
On the same evening there was a division with very
few names in the minority, for appointing a Select Corn -
mittee " to inquire into the want of accommodation for
the repair of steam-vessels at Haulbowline;"
being
virtually to promote the improvement of :he Irish ports.
Upon which may be reasoned as follows. Fifty years
hence, America and affairs connected with it, will
occupy as much of the attention of our posterity, as
ever the balance of power on the European continent did
of our forefathers, unless posterity should be inclined to
allow the shifting of the flag on Windsor Castle with-
out a struggle. Calculate then, when teat time comes,
if it had pleased Heaven the Irish Channel should in the
interval have filled up and the two islands have become
one, how great would be the importance of the splendid
" water privileges" on the most Western boundary. It
needs no nick-nackery of ostentatious statesmanship to
know, that the position of such a port and river as the
Shannon, would be as imposing as ever was that of Con-
stantinople and the Golden Horn. The filling-up of the
Irish Channel has taken place, or is taking place daily,
through the agency of steam. We shall see how long it
will be before our statesmen and militarists discover, that
the point which is to be the advanced post when the
siege begins, is one it is better to look to before that
event than after. But nobody moves in this world till
well frightened; and we have not genius enough to be
frightened yet.
On Friday the Member for Greenwich presented him-
self to take his seat. On the book being offered to him,
he requested to be sworn on the Old Testament. The
Speaker asked his reason; to which ho replied " Because
is is binding on my conscience." The Old Testament
was produced, and put into his hand. Ile then pro-
ceeded to go through the Oaths of Fidelity, Supremacy,
and Abjuration, but with this difference from the form
observed on the occasion of Mr. Rothschild, that instead
of the Clerk reading the Oaths to him sentence by sen-
tence, schedules of them were put into his hands, and
he read them by himself. At the conclusion of each ho
made the movement of covering his head, and repeated
"So help me God." When ho had done, ho attempted
to utter some words to the House; which was resisted
loudly, whether by friends or enemies it was impossible
to distinguish. Persevering in his intention, he was un-
derstood to say, that he had omitted one word. By
whose advice he said this, and why he should not have
left the burden of discovering and proving it on his op-
ponents, it is not easy to say. He then went and sat
down on the bench below the gangway, on the Minis-
terial side. It may therefore safely be averred, that he
has taken his seat. The Speaker then said he must
direct him to withdraw. Which is what the Speaker
can do to any Member when a personal question is
raised in which his presence would be manifestly incon-
venient. Ho ought therefore to have been taken up to
the library, with a number of other Members to keep
him company. Instead of which, he made an attempt
to remain behind the bar, which place he was finally com-
pelled to leave, I believe by the Sergeant. There was
throughout a considerable absence of preparation and
counsel; all leaders and no followers, which is not the
way to win. It remains to be seen whether what is to
come next will be improved by meditation on the past.
The point to be stuck to, is that the Member for Green-
wich has taken his seat, and that it is for judge and jury to
determine under authority of an Act of Parliament whe-
ther he is punishable or not for doing this and voting
afterwards.
On Saturday the House met to receive the report on
Supply; which was attended with the partial re-appear-
ance of many of the questions previously agitated in
Committee. It afterwards went into Committee on the
Merchant Seamen's Bill; in which one of the most im-
portant points carried, was the preservation of the mer-
chant seaman's right to his wages when he volunteers
into a Queen's ship. It is a thing be does not do with-
out cause; and tho right to do it and be paid for his work
done, is one of the few protections the most unprotected
class in the country, or as it would be more correct to
say out of it, possesses. It is this very fact, that his
trade and business lie not in the country but out of it,
which points to the sources of his weakness. Plough..
men could never have been subjected to the usage that
sailors have. There are one or two ports where
the sailors will say I ought to understand the thing, and
will ask which way I voted.
I am, Sir, yours very sincerely,
AN OLD REFORMER.

London, 21st July, 1851.

REPRESENTATION of SCARBOROUGH.
SATURDAY EvRNING.--Today the contest at Scar-
borough, between Lord Mulgrave and Mr. G. F. Young,
has been a very animated one, and has resulted in the
return of the latter ,getlGman. Up to twelve o'clock
Lord Mulgrave took the lead. At half-past eleven his
Lordship was twenty-six a head of his opponent, but
half an hour later found him only seventeen in advance.
Mr. Young at three o'cicck was nineteen in advance, and
at four the numbers stood thus:—
Mr. G. F. Young ...
Lord Mulgrave ...

••• 314
••• 281

Majority for Mr Young ~.

••. 33