The Sun.
London, England, 1835-05-27 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS. MAY 26.

The SPEAKER took the chair at a Quarter to Four o'clock,
but there being two Ballots for Committees to try the validity
of the returns for the Borough of Horsham and the County of
Cork, the gallery was not opened till half-past four.
BREACH OF PRIVILEGE.

Mr. O'CONNELL gate notice that to-morrow he would
bring before the notice of the House a case of a breach of pri-
vilege in relation to Garrett Standish Barry, Esq., M.P. for the
county of Cork. The order for entering into recognizances
to proceed with the petition against his ( Mr. B.'s) return was
this day discharged, and one of the petitioners has distinctly
stated that his object was in signing that petition to prevent
that Hon. Member from sitting on Eleetion Committees.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.
Mr. MILES, in further considering the report on this Bill,
begged to state that he intended to introduce a clause to pre-
vent travelling on the rail-road on the Sabbath. He was the
more induced to do this, because he had a petition in his
possession containing a prayer to that effect, signed by the
Lord Bishop of the diocese to which he (Mr. M.) belonged,
and by many of the most respectable and influential inhabitants
of that district. Whatever opinions might be entertained by
Hon. Gentlemen within the walls of this House, he begged to
assure them that there was a growing desire in the country to
prevent the desecration of the Sabbath by strict and stringent
legislation. He was desirous to introduce a clause to pre-
vent travelling on the railroad between the hours of eleven and
one o'clock on the Sabbath day, but he now thought it
would be better to introduce one general legislative enactment
for that purpose. The clause which the Hon. Gentlemen
proposed to introduce was to the following effect :—" Pro-
vided also, and be it enacted that no engine or carriage shall
be permitted to travel on the Lord's Day, and that should
the Company or its successors be guilty of a violation of this
provision, they shall be liable to a penalty of 201. for each
offence."
On the question being put that this clause stand part of the
Bill, there was a general cry of " No, no, no."
Mr. POTTER regretted the absence of the Right Hon.
Baronet, the Member for Tamworth, who he (Mr. Potter)
had hoped would have been in attendance this evening.
The Honourable Gentleman had candidly declared that
his object in proposing this clause was to prevent tra-
velling altogether on the Sunday. He (Mr. Potter)
was of opinion, that by confining people to the large towns on
the Sabbath, he would injure, rather than promote, the true
interests of religion.—(Hear.) It was well known that the
road between Manchester and Liverpool, since the opening of
the railway had been almost deserted. The population of
Manchester amounted to 300,000, while that of Liverpool was
200,000. It was well known that a great connection subsisted
between the inhabitants of these two places. The effect,
therefore, of the Hon. Gentleman's Bill would be to prevent
the working classes from visiting their friends, or taking any
recreation on the only day permitted to them.—( Hear, hear.)
It was well known that this road passed through Bath, and, of
course, if this clause passed, there could be no intercourse be-
tween lath and Bristol on the Sunday. He hoped that the
decision of the House upon this question would put an end to
such attempts at legislation.--( Cheers.) How would it be
possible that this great city could obtain provisions upon Mon-
days, unless they were put in motion on the railways on the
Sundays? He called upon the gentlemen connected with the
landed interest, and who were anxious to support that interest,
to come forward and vote against this clause.--( Cheers.) He
would give his most decided opposition to it.
HORSHAM ELECTION COMMITTEE.

The discussion was here interrupted by the appearance of
Mr. Dyson, the Committee Clerk, at the bar of the House,
with the reduced list of this Committee, consisting of the fol-
lowing members, who being sworn, withdrew to elect a Chair-
man
Ragshaw, John Jones, Wilson Miles, W.
Baillie, H. D. Knox, Hon. J• Pelham, John C.
D'Albiac, Sir C. Law, Hon. G. Russell, Charles
Fremantle, Sir T. Turner, 'l'. F.
WESTERN RAILWAY RESUMED.
Mr. CURTEIS was not very fond of intruding upon the
House_. but on the present occasion he must call the attention
of the House to this (as we understood) most vexatious clause,
proposed bx_the Hon^ blemhar. If they inserted this clause
in the Bill, the House would be under the necessity of
never hereafter allowing any Turnpike Act to pass with-
out prohibiting traffic on the Sabbath.—(Hear, hear.)
The Hon. Member himself admitted that some persons con-
sidered this clause preposterous; undoubtedly he would not
hesitate to say that he considered it one of the most
preposterous clauses that had ever been attempted to be in-
serted in a Bill. If the House were determined to carry for-
ward any Bill before Parliament for the purpose of restricting
the enjoyments of the humbler classes of society on the
Sabbath, let them do so by a regular Bill, and not in this
manner by a side wind. He believed that he would on this
occasion have the support of many who had never committed
themselves deeply in legislating on this subject ; but if he were
the only person who'opposed it he would divide the House.—
(Cheers.) He wished especially to call the attention of
the country gentlemen to this subject—he put it to them
whether the Sabbath, and more particularly in the rural
districts, was not better observed at this moment than
ever they recollected it before.—( Hear, hear.) He there-
fore called upon the country gentlemen and those who
resided in the country, to oppose this measure, the
result of which would be that the House would be
forced, upon the introduction of every road bill, to in-
sert clauses of a like nature. He had stated his opinion, and
he hoped and trusted that the House would show what their
opinion was upon this attempt to insert such a clause in an Act
of Parliament, which established a most essential principle in
all future legislation.
Mr. ROBINSON--Whatever difference of opinion there
might be in the House upon the subject of Sabbath legisla-
tion, he was sure there could be no difference of opinion
as to the impropriety of the present course of proceeding.
He thought the admission of a clause like the one proposed by
the Hon. Member for Somersetshire would be the height of
absurdity, as at present there was no Railway Bill containing
such a clause. He trusted, therefore, the House would wait
till some general measure was brought forward on the subject,
before it ventured to allow the introduction of such -a clause
into any Railway Bill.
Sir ROBERT INGLIS supported the motion, believing
that it would have the effect of furthering the progress of re-
ligion.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the clause, feel-
ing confident that instead of furthering the interests of religion,
it would be detrimental to them, as it would prevent many
from attending religious worship who were anxious, and would
be enabled to do so by means of the Railway.