The Sun.
London, England, 1835-02-27 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 27, 1835.

His Noble Friend, he knew, was not one of those bigoted anti-
reformers, like some of those with whom he was acting—he
was a sort of moderate man—a kind of milk and water
character. It seemed that the Government were now most
willing to give to the people all that they wished. He trusted
that the people of England would not fail to piit them to the test.
His Noble Friend said the discussion had been got up for the
mere purpose of, damaging the character of the Ministry.
Now what were the facts of the case ? He (Lord 13.) moved
for papers, and did not say one word upon the subject till he
was attacked by the Noble and Learned Lord on the wool-
sack. He had nothing to do with it, and was most unwil-
lingly dragged into it.
The /notion was then put, and the returns ordered.
Lord BROUG HA M again rose, and said that in redemp-
tion of a pledge given last Session, he presented a Bill
for the purpose of putting an end to bribery at elections.
He was certain the Bill would meet with no opposition in that
House, and he trusted but little in the other. It had been
rejected last Session, not upon the merits, but because it had
gone down in so altered a shape as to make it a new Bill, and
at too late a period of the Session to allow it to receive proper
consideration.—• The Bill was read a first time.

Lord ELLENBOROUGH thought that no person could
deny that the Bill when it left that House was much better
than when it was sent up from the House •of Commons ;
but in the present instance he would suggest for the
consideration of the Noble and Learned Lord, whether it
would not be expedient, as the opportunity now presented it-
self, that such a measure should originate in the other House.
His opinion was decidedly against its being brought forward in
that House.

Lord BROUGHAM had not the slightest Objection_to the
measure originating in the other House. His only object in
presenting it now to the House was the redemption of his pledge.
He admitted that it certainly contained matter more for the
consideration of the House "of Commons than that House.
His understanding, however, last Session was, that the Com-
mons had no objection to the introduction of the Bill in that
House. Ile would inquire into the subject, and would therefore
withdraw the Bill for the present. He had two other Bills to
lay on the table which last session had been read a first time :
the first was for the prevention of pluralities, and the other
for the purpose of enforcing the residence of the clergy,.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH observed, that the two bills
referred to by the Noble Lord related to most im-
portant subjects, and it was certainly competent for
the Noble and Learned Lord to bring them for-
ward, and to discuss their merits ; but the Noble
Lord must be aware that a Commission had been issued to the
heads of the Church, for the purpose of enquiring into its re-
venues, with a view to the introduction of measures for the
better appropriation and distribution of them. It would,
therefore, perhaps be more convenient for the Noble Lord to
delay proceedings with the Bill, until the Commissioners had
made their report.
Lord BROUGHAM had no objection to delay the further
proceedings with the Bill for a short period, but he must
confess at the same, time that he had but very little hcpe or
trust that the report of the Commissioners would lead to en
effectual or efficient reform.—(A laugh.)
The Duke of CUMBERLAND wished to ask the Noble
and Learned Lord, whether the two Church Bills he
had introduced, were exactly the same as those
he brought forward in the last session ?
Lord BROUGHAM said that they were. He hsd
intended to have made some alterations in the Bill
with respect to the residence of the clergy, but upon
his mentioning those alterations to the Archbishop of
Canterbury his Grace objected to them, and he had, there-
fore, presented the Bill in exactly the same form as he had
last year.
Both Bills were then read a first tine, and the House
adjourned at half-past six.

tage to the country.--( Hear.) He thought it was rathr
too bad, that because some of their professional delegates
would by such an arrangement be deprived of attending to
their practice, that the House should be put to so much ia-
conirenience. He knew of no subject on which the public was
more deeply interested, more especially as it was a notorious
fact that many of the estimates were passed after twelve o'clock
at night. He therefore hoped that this question would spee-
dily be brought before the notice of the House; and that
the Right Honourable Baronet would take it into his mi-
sideration.

An HON. MEMBER thought that the greater part of the in-
conveniences to which the Hon. Baronet had alluded might be
done awa' with if the House met at an earlier hour.

Mr. 4111`60N2sELE said he hoped that some effort
would be made to induce the House to commence busi-
ness at an earlier than which was at the present time done:-
This was the only public assembly in the world in which
business was done at such late hours. There was no
place in which business of so much importance, considering
what a nation it was, had to be deliberated ; at the same
time that the interests of so many others are involved in
its considerations.—( Hear, hear.) Al her nations finish
their business by day—and why ? becatlr hey commenced it
by day and not by night. He should vote that the public
business of the House might commence at eight or nine
o'clock in the morning, and then he was quite convinced
that by making the three days to commence at this early how,
they would dispatch much more than they did in the time they
now occupied. Something he was sure must be done. The
House ought not to submit to the present system ; and he was
sure that the,,country at large was interested in it. Persons
arrived at the age of fifty or sixty felt its inconvenience the
most acutely ; and it was only the youthful part of the assem-
bly which could endure its fatigues. He did not know whe-
ther it was intended to persevere to a division at the present
time, but he hoped that they would persevere in bringing thi,,
forward until some effectual arrangement was made.
Mr. HUME thought it could not be maintained that the
business of the public was properly transacted under the pre-
sent arrangement. He would not then go into a discussion cif
the subject, but he would propose the adjournment of the
debate.

Mr. EWA RT thought that there was not much value
in the Right lion. Baronet's observations. They pos-
sessed mare ingenuity than solidity. There would be more
real economy of the public time, under the plan he proposed,
than there was at present. Hon. Gentlemen who were engaged
throughout the day required, morn than others, some repose,
and therefore they should give over their deliberations at
so seasonable an -hour as would give them time for natural rest.
It had been said by the Right Hon. Baronet, that it they be-
gan to reform in this particular, they should revise the whole
system ; but he would say, that if they once commenced, the
other reforms would soon follow. He thought the best way
to induce gentlemen to attend early to business would be to al-
low them to depart at seasonable hours, and it would tend much to
the furtherance of legislation upon any subject. It had been said
by the Member for Dublin that this was the only assembly in
the world which transacted business at such late hours, and he
would add, reverting to the ancient principles of the constitution,
for which the Right Hon. Baronet had such a reverence, the
practice of sitting late was not the custom of their ancestors.
He would, however, consent to postpone his motion to the 1 ith
of March,

The motion was accordingly adjourned.
Mr. JERVIS asked leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the
practice of Criminal Courts in the county palatine of Chester.
Leave given. _ _