The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-05 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS, April 4.

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

THE NEW SOLICITOR GENERAL.

Mr. PAGE WOOD, the new Solicitcr-General, took the
oaths and his seat on his re-election for the city cf
Oxford: The Don. and Learned Gentleman was intro•
duced by Lord Duncan and Sir James Duke. He was
very loudly cheered.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Halesworth, Ihccles, and Haddiscoe Railway Bill
was read a third time.
PETITIONS.

Mr. Alderman SIDNEY presented a petition from
ninety-oae deputy corn-meters, in the city of London,
against schedule 1) of the Income-tax Act.
Several petitions were presented against Papal ag-
gression.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER presented petitions from
cattle dealers, in Lincolnshire, against the continuance
of Smithfield-market ; also a petition from Peter-
borough against the paper duty.
Captain EGERTON presented petitions from Crewe
and other places to the same effect.
Mr. REYNOLDS presented two petitions from places
in Ireland against the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill.

Mr. C. BRUCE presented a petition from a place in
Elgin against the Bill for altering the parochial system
of education in Soetland.

Mr. COBI)EN presented a petition from Liverpool
against the excise and customs' duties, and in favour of
direct taxation.

Lord MAHON presented a petition from Hertford
in favour of the Bill for the removal of Smithfield-

market.

Mr. ADAIR presented a petition from Cambridge
against the paper duty.
Mr. BATESON presented a petition from London-
derry praying tor Parliamentary aid towards scriptural
schools in Ireland. _ _

Lord R. GROSVENOR presented a petition from
Clerkenwell, against the window duty.
Sir T. D. ACLAND presented' petitions from places
in Devonshire against the paper-duty.
HOLYHEAD HARBOUR.

Mr. REYNOLDS gave notice that, on an early day
after the Easter recess, he should move for a Select
Committee to inquire into the policy of continuing an
expenditure of public money in an attempt to ccnatruct
a harbour of refuge at Holyhead.
PUSEYISM IN THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH.
Sir B. HALL said he would take the opportunity of
putting a question to the Noble Lord at the head of the
Government. He (Sir B. Hall) understood that the
Right Rev. Prekte the Bishop of London had stated
in another place, that in consequence of the extreme
pressure of public business, it was not his intention to
bring in any measure fur the correction of " clerks"
in certain eves, but that he intended to bring in again
the Bill which was rejected last session. Before
he put the question he would ask the Noble Lord if ho
had seen a letter in the Timesnewspaper of this morning.
It appeared from that letter that a Noble Lord, who was
formerly a Member of this House, desired to have his
child baptised.—(Cries of " Oh," and order.) He took
it to be baptized, and the clergyman, the Rev. Mr.
Wagnel, of Brighton, requested it to be immersed—
(Order, order)—he was quite in order, and should insist
on putting the question.—(Hear.) What he stated was
that the Noble Lord desired to ,have the child baptized,
that the clergyman insisted on an immersion, and the
mother of the child said i; was in too delicate a state of
health. _ _

Mr. B. COCHRANE rose to order. He wished to
know whether the Hon. Baronet was at liberty to make
a statement.—(Hear.)
The SPEAKER—I understood the Hon. Baronet
began his question by stating a fact.—(Hear.)
Sir BENJAMIN HALL said he was merely stating
a fact on which ho founded his question.
The clergyman refused to baptize the child
without immersion, notwithstanding the statement
of the father, mother, and nurse, that it would be dan-
gerous to the existence of the child to do so if it were
so baptized. The clergyman refused to baptize the
child in any other way, and the Noble Lord to whom he
referred said the child was thus refused admission
into the Protestant Church, except at the risk of its
life, that risk having been declared by a competent per-
son. Now he wished to ask whether during the last six
months the Noble Lord had had any communication
with the archbishops or bishops with reference to the
continuance of certain forms which had been
introduced into the service of the Church by
certain clergymen, and whether it was their intention
to take any effectual steps for the purpose of suppressing
such practices, which the Bishop of London in his recent
charge had denounced as histrionic performances.—
(Hear, hear.) Could the Noble Lord, in other words,
tell' them whether they intended to take any steps to
suppri ss Pusey ism ?—(Laughter.)
Sir R. INGLIS moved that the House at its rising do
adjourn until Monday next, in order, by the motion, to
have the opportunity of protesting against this House
being made the arena of any religious dis-
cussion, because it contained in it men of all
denominations, who were not therefore fitted for legisla-
tion on any subject connected with the Church.
Sir B. HALL quite agreed with the Hon. Bart. that
this House was not the fittest place for a polemical dis-
cussion, but what other arena had they for making known
their sentiments on these subjects? There might be
times and circumstances under which these matters
might be brought under discussion, because there was
no other place for them. In his opinion the prelates of
the Church had been wanting in their duties in this mat-
ter, and they might depend upon it that when the mo-
tion of the Hon. Member for Cockermouth came on a full
inquiry would take place.
Lord J. RUSSELL was sorry that the Hon. Baronet
had thought it necessary to bring this question forward.
He regretted the statements which had been made with
than a statement in a newspaper, rsaeegraerdd
rittoe
ewthbaatpthisamd,
fur
kr ewnhepel atcheeyw ith respect to the
apehr,and no
os
ta
toetmh ee
nr au-
thoritytonthe other side ought to have been made as to any misun-
derstanding which might have taken place. His Hon.
Friend had given notice to him of a question, which,
considering the circumstances which had taken
place, would perhaps better have been deferred.
Now, with respect to the ether matter. He mentioned,
some
Canterburyt:me a geop,
eteh at th
ihses he
ba
jde
estr
akeedn s
eoeteh
thene r Archbishop ihadsho ph
aodf
no communication of any importance with his Grace.
He had thought it far better to leave the matter in the
hands of the archbishops and bishops rather then to
wbeascotnhsetannattlsyroinotfertfherelinrg,a skti
tinha
eebtralliwom:h,phaasto,bwowt
heuav!sye
rwhatihaaaidnd
proceedings,da
e
addodoreeossr,
signed intended
byt ot oe;
tytosuhrorotf
before the public, in which those bishops declared them-
selves against the introduction of usages that
were inconsistent with the former practices of 1
the Church. Besides that an ackirese had been
presented to the Crown by his Right Honourable
Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, signed by

320,000, including many Members of both Houses of
Parliament, and ber Majesty had commenced his Right
Honourable Friend to write to the archbishops,
communicating the substance of the address to them,
and directing them to discountenance practices that
were inconsistent with the ancient laws and
usages of the Church; adding, however, at the
same time that her Majesty placed full confidence in
their discretion and judgment. He had no doubt that,
in the course of two or three days, he should be able to
lay that letter before the House. He bad only to state
further, that ho thought it quite undesirable to bring
discussions of this nature before the House of Commons,
and, for his part, notwithstanding that ho enter-
tained strong opinions on the subject, he was convinced
it would be better to leave this matter in the hands in
which the Legislature had placed it.—(Hear, hear.)
And looking at the present state of affairs in the Church,
nothing should induce him to take any step that would 5
1
tend to produce a disruption amongst its clergy.
Mr. NE WDEGI ATE fully participated in the
course intimated by the Noble Lord opposite.
He wished, however, to know when the Noble
Lord proposed to bring on the second reading of
the Bill for the admission of Jews, as it was his inten-
tion to move that it be read a second time that day six
months.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he should bring it on
at the earliest possible period after the disposal of the
financial question.
Mr. FREWEN wished to know whether it was the
intention to bring in any Bill on the subject of seques-
trations or sinecures in the Church.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL was understood to reply in
the negative.
Mr. COWAN, in the absence of the Lord-Advocate
from circumstances which he was sure they all de-
plored, wished to ask the Right Hon. the Secretary at
War, whether Government intended to propose any
measure for the abolition of tests in the Scotch Univer-
sities?

Mr. FOX MAULE regretted that he could not give
a direct answer to the Hon. Member, but yet he was at
the same time anxious that no step should be taken
which had not reference to the general prosperity of the
country. For this reason he believed that the compact
entered into by the Scottish Church, although a true test,
was fallacious. By the resolution which appeared upon the
books of the House, it was evident that this was telt to be
a momentous question.
KILRUSH UNION.

Mr. SCULLY rose to ask the following questions re-
specting the condition of the Kilrush union:—Whether
the workhouse in that union had accommodation for
4,654 inmates, or thereabouts, from the Bth of March
last ? Whether there were not upwards of 5,000 within
the house at that date? Whether the deaths within the
house for the 21 days ending the 22d March did not
exceed 200? Whether paupers to the number of be-
tween 100 and 200 were not in the habit of seeking for
relief within the house upon the admission days? Whe-
ther many of such were not in a most destitute and nearly
starving state, and after having walked some twelve
Irish miles were refused admittance? Whether any
steps were taken to afford them, so refused, any assist-
ance whatever? Whether the Poor-law Commissioners
are aware of this state of things; and if so, what mea-
sures have they taken, or intend to take, in order to cor-
rect them? _ _

Sir W. SOMERVILLE said that he could give no
answer to the question of the Ron. Member, for the re-
turns of the last five months had not been made
up ; but as soon as he could get them
they should be laid on the table of the House.
The guardians had done everything in their power to
increase the accommodation, but they had found it very
difficult to do so. The sanitary condition of the work-
house was exceedingly bad, but the Poor-law Commis-
sioners had directed their attention to the subject with
the view of inducing the guardians to find a remedy.
Mr. REYNOLDS rose amidst loud cries of Oh, oh,"
and "Time." When the noise had subsided, lie went on to
say, that when the Hon. Baronet (Sir B. Hall) was
speaking on a comparatively insignificant subject a few
minutes ago, the House heard him in perfect
silence.—(" Oh !") In consequence of the noise
in the House, scarcely any of the statements of the
Right Hon. Gentlemen (Sir W. Somerville) were heard
on that side of the House. It was not his intention to
address the House at any considerable length—(Re-
pealed cries of '• Oh, oh")—but he respectfully claimed
the right to speak ou a question which iuvelved the
life and death of his fellow-countrymen and country-
women. In Kilrush Union eighty persons were allowed
to die per week for want of food, and they were indebted
to the really benevolent and charitable clergyman of the
Established Church, the Rev. Mr. Osborne, for bringing
to light the cruel carnage which was permitted to go on
day by day in that workhouse. What was the tact?
That a workhouse which was built to accommodate
4.465 persons was now filled to suffocation, and to
overflowing, there being 5.005 inmates within its walls;
and what did the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary for
Ireland say? That there were 214 more persons in the
building than it could hold.—(Loud laughter.) He was
happy to perceive that on a grave and melancholy sub-
ject like this Hon. Gentlemen could be merry.— (Oh!)
Let him net be understood as meaning that HOD.
Members really wished to treat lightly such a subject.
He considered if these deaths were caused by the neglect
of Government they were accessories to the crime of
murder, and as such accountable before God, he wished
he could say before man also. In his opinion the
Secretary for Irele.nd had too many irons in the fire, it
would be much better if he were to resign his post of
Commissioner of the Poor-law Board to some man who
would take coach or railroad, and have a personal in-
spection of the stare or affairs himself.
Sir LUCIUS O'BRIEN bore testimony that the
facts stated by the Honourable
_Member were perfectly
true. The board of guardians of Kilrush were sub-
jected to an enormous pressure each day, and as the Go-
vernment advances had been stopped, the union was
thrown on its own resources, which were totally unable
to support the burden.
Sir DE LACY EVANS expressed a hope that the
Metropolitan Buildings Act would not be brought on at
a late hour of the night.
Sir G. GREY stud it certainly would not.
The motion for the adjournment of the House until
Monday was then agreed to.
The House then went into Committee of Ways and
Means, Mr. BERNAL in the chair.

THE BUDGET.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then

rose and said—Sia several weeks have now elapsed
since I first put int) your hands the resolution to which
I am about to call the attention of the Committee.—
(Hear, hear.) Since that time I believe the attention of
Hon. Gentlemen has been directed to topics perhaps Of
a more interestirg or exciting, but certainly not
of a more important character, than that on which I am
about to call for the opinion of the House. Time has
been afforded me to reconsider the.proposals I then made,
and also the observations and censures which, with no
sparing hand, have been bestowed upon them. I have
also had the advantage of hearing from the Noble Lord,
the chief of the agricultural party, the course of finan-
cial policy which he proposed to pursue. That Noble
Lord is at once prepared to reduce, as far as possible,
the income-tax, to extinguish it altogether as soon as
circumstances will allow, and to aid such an operation is
prepared to propose a fixed duty on the importation of
foreign corn into this country.—(Hear.) The proposale
which I submitted, and which I shall submit, are intended
to promote the health and comfort of the labouring por-
tions of the community, by further reducing the duty on
important articles of consumption and on raw material.
—(Hear, hear.) That is the policy which I feel it is
now my duty to pursue. The two plans are now
fairly before the House and the country, and it is for
the House and the eountry to decide on which side the
preponderance exists, and which of them, on
the whole, is likely to be most beneficial for
the welfare of this treat empire.—(Bear, hoar.) With
regard to my own proposal, I can assure those Hon.
Gentlemen who have been impatient for this night's ex-
position, that it has keen from no wish of mine that it
has been so long delayed.—(Hear, hear.) They will
readily believe that I have been most anxious to correct
some of the misapprehensions which have prevailed on
the subject of my proposals, believing, as I do, that the
principles on which those proposals are founded is sound,
and that the proposals themselves are fair, honest, and
just.—(Hear, hear.) In such a belief, I have been most
anxious for the opportunity which this night affords me
of explaining those proposals, and of vindicating the
course which I felt it my duty to pursue. I know
I shall not ask iu vain for that indulgence which
has never been refused to any one who has been so much
the object of attack as I have been.—(Hear, hear.) I
know I may ask for and trust to the kind indulgence of
the House while I vineicate my proposals, and justify
the course which I have pursued.—(Hear.) I admit at
once that these proposals were not received with satis-
faction by the House. I am not surprised that they
should not have boos received with satisfaction by
Hon. Gentlemen, representatives of the agricultural
interest—an interest suffering, I am sorry to
say, under the preisure which always attends
the removal of protective duties.—(Hear, hear.)
Those Hon. Members has asked for relief either by the
imposition of a protectve duty on foreign corn, or by a
transfer to the Consolilated Fund of a large portion of
the local burdens. Beieving as I do that neither of
those proposals is for the interest of the country, and
therefore not for the ,nterest even of the agricultural
class in the long run, it was not in my power, consis-
tent with duty, to inchde them in any scheme which I
had to propose. I have so often been called upon to
state my opinion on that subject to the House, that I
need not now more fully refer to it. I believe that the
agriculturists must look to their own exertions, and not
to legislation, for any relief to the suffering which at
present exists.—(Hear.) With regard to other parties
in this House, I confer: I was astonishel at the recep-
tion which they gave ny proposals.—(Hear.) In the
various censures and cr:icisms of those proposals I find
that the pervading demind has been for a remission of
taxes beyond what it is possible to grant consistently
with the due maintenance of the national credit, and of
those public institution: which I believe necessary for
the public welfare, and which I have no reason to sup-
pose the great majority in this House is not inclined to
support. It is therefere less matter of surprise than of
regret that my proposals should have been received in
the way they have been by the party I allude to.—
(Hear.) No doubt there was an expectation of a larger
surplus than that whin existed in January, or than that
which would exist in April or at the end of the financial
year; and no doubt Hen. Members were unwilling to
believe that they could be disappointed in their senguine
expectations. If they lave been so disappointed, it is
no fault of mine. I nether sanctioned such expecta-
tions nor gave any warrint fur the aosertions made; and
much as I may regret thn di,uppointment which exists, I
cannot see that in proposing what I believe wag a fair
and honest Budget I coud ire any way. have gratified the
expectations so unwarrantably eutertained, I might, to