The Sun.
London, England, 1832-04-09 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS.

Long before the usual hour for commencing the busi-
ness in the House of Lords this evening Parliament-street
and the avenues leading to the House were crowded with
in immense number of persons. The Gallery set apart
fur the accomtrrdation of the Peeresses (and a very small
place it is) was crammed with fair occupiers at an eat!)
hour in the forenoon. At about half-past four o'clock the
Peers bean to take their pl ices :—the Duke of Bucking•
ham, Earl Penmuir, Earl Hood, the Duke of Cumberland,
Lord Tenterden, the Marquess of Sligo, the Marquess of
Cleveland, the Duke of Gordon, the Duke of Queens-
berry, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, Lord Fing.al, Lord
Lyndoch, the Duke of Devonshire, and Lord King, were
unongst the first who took their seats. Ram Muhun Roy
was below the throne.

At Five o'c'.9ck the Loan CHANCELLOR, the Duke co,
RICHMOND, and the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, took their seats
as Commissioners, when the Royal Assent was given to
the Malt Drawback Bill, the Scotch Cholera Bill, the Con-
solidated Fund Bill, the Indemnity Bill, the Belfast Railway
Bill, and several private Bills.
Immediately after the Royal assent had been given, the
rush of Members of the Lower House to the space in
front of the throne was wineadous, and in an instant it,
was packed in every corner.
. _

The Duke of SUSSEX took his seat at a quarter pate
fivr, on a cross-bench in front of the Woolsack.

Earl GREY entered the House at twenty-five minutes
past five o'clock.
'f he LORD CHANcELtoa immediately afterwards
peered on the woolsack, and several Bala were brought up
from the House of Gunmons.

The LORD CHANCELLOR presented ten petitions,
numerously signed, in favour of tbe second reading of the
Reform Bill, from various parts of England and Scotland.
His Lordship stated he had not read the whole of the
petitions through, but he believed them all to be respect-
fully worded, and such as ought to he presented to their
Lordships. It was from no want of respect to the peti-
tioners that be did not read them over, but he had every
confidence tb it they were such as ought to be received.
Lord ELDON made an observation, but in so low a
tone as to be inaudible.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said, that no doubt the
Noble and Learned Earl had a right to require
those who presented petitions to read them through;
and having done all he could to save the time of the House,
he would withdraw the petitions, that he might read
them over between this and to-morrow evening,
for the purpose of being able to say precisely what
they were. It was the first time that he had
ever heard, in either House of Parliament, the exi-
gency imposed—(Cries of " No, no")--of reading
over every word of every petition that was pre-
sented to Parliament.—(Hear.) Ile was anxious to
have presented them to-night, because he thought it pos-
sible that their Lordships ►night come to a division, though
❑ot very likely, before they adjourned.
Lord ELDON said he could assure the Noble and
Learned Lord the rule of the House was, that every Mem-
ber of the House presenting petitions should read them
through Instances had occaired in which petitions
bad been withdrawn from subsequent readings of
them, in consequence of not having been respect-
fully and properly worded, and there the Noble
Lord presenting them had not read them through.
Though, however, anxious to have the rule of
the House adhered to, yet he was very desirous
of saving the Noble ar,d Learned Lord unnecessary
trouble, and therefore if the Noble and Learned Lotd
would permit hint, he would take the petitions home with
Lim and read the whole of them over by to-morrow
morning.

The LORD CHANCELLOR could not think of im-
po4ing such trouble o❑ his Noble and Learned Friend. No
doubt those who presented petitions undertook to say
they believed the petitions to be respectably and properly
worded. He believed the whole of the petitions he had
ever presented to be so ; he could not say from his own
knowledge they were, hut he would take them home with
him, assuring the House that he would be enabled by to-
morrow morning to say whether they were or not.
He knew that scores and scorrs of petitions had been pre-
sented to both Houses without having been read all over.

OPPOSITION REFORM BILL.

The DUKE of BUCKINGHAM.—My Lords,

have to present a petition from

against

the Bill of Reform which has been sent up to
your Lordships' House from the Commons.
The whole of this petition is framed in language
so sensible, that 1 am greatly tempted to read it to
your Lordships, but shall content myself with these
few words. " The petitioners do not presume to
suggest what plan of representation would be safe,
nor are they opposed to any which the altered
situation of the country may require, but hope that
none will be attempted which can tend to impair the
safety of our existing institutions." In moving that
this petition be laid upon the table I will take the op-
portunity of giving a notice to your Lordships.
(The House, from being in a noisy state, was here
rendered, by the solemn and impressive tone in which
the Duke spoke, still as death.) My Lords, con-
tinued the Noble Duke, I rise to give your Lord-
ships notice, that it is my intention, in case it shall
please your Lordships, as I sincerely hope and
trust, and believe, that it will be to negative
the second reading of the Bill for Reforming
the representation of the people in the Commons
House of Parliament—it is my intention, I say,
in case that should be the result of your
Lordships' deliberation, to bring in a Bill
immediately after the Easter recess to give
the right of sending two members each to Par-

!lament to large towns therein to be specified, which,
from their commercial and trading situation, may ap-
pear to be entitled to be represented in Parlia-
ment, and which are not now represented, and
also to consolidate certain of the boroughs,
now sending Members to Parliament, so as to make
room, without altering the numbers of the
present House of Commons, for the Members
proposed to be added as representatives of large towns
as aforesaid ; and also to extend the right of voting
in all boroughs to be specified (query represented) in
such a manner as without depriving any person of
a franchise who now possesses one, may pre-
vent any individual from unduly influencing the
election of Members of Parliament within the said
borough. This is the notice I give, and that I may
prove my sincerity to your Lordships, I request that
it may be entered upon your Lordships' journals.

The House remained in perfect silence during the whole
of this announcement, and only one or two faint cheers
fell from the Duke of CUMBERLAND, and some other Peers
of the Opposition. Lord GREY smiled and the LORD CHAN..
cello'. almost laughed outright, particularly when the
No' le Duke spoke of the prevention of undue influence
being exercised in elections.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE presented a petition from
the town of Kingston-upon-Hull, against the Reform
Bill. The petitioners began by stating that they highly
approved of the course which their Lordships
had followed in the vote they had given last session
on the Bill then introduced by his Majesty's Ministers.
They stated also their lull confidence in their Lord-
ships, that a similar decision would be given to that
measure now under the consideration of the House,
and hoped that, while some Reform was necessary, in any
Bill which should hereafter be introduced, due respect

.(PRICE 7D )

might be paid to tT integrity of the institutions of the
country, the only safeguard of the empire.
The Earl of WINCHILSEA was anxious to give th •
Learned and Noble Lord opposite, and another Noble
Lord at the head of the department in Ireland, an op-
aortunity of vindicating themselves from the charge.
,aitich were made against theni, and he hoped that a,,
early day would be appointed for that purpose.
The Earl of WICKLOW said that in bringing th,
4ubj•-ct forward, he felt great satisfaction in think-
ing the Noble Lord at the head of the Irish Go-
vernment, would in a few days be, in all probability, in his
place, and therefore he would give notice that, on Mon-
day next, he would bring a subject under their Bordships'
consideration.
Lord PLUNKET was anxious to give every oppor-
tunity of furnishing every explanation of his conduct in
having exercised that most pa'nful part of his duty__
the not continuing an individual in the situ ,tion of
uf a magistrate, but he In gged leave to state that his cha-
racter was not at all involved in it.
Lord KING presented a petition from the parish of
Clerkenwell, praying the House to reconsider their vote
of list session, and to pass the present Reform Biil.
The Duke of RI CHAIOND presented a petition from
Dalkeith, in favour of the Reform Bill.

Lord DURHAM presented a petition from the Politi.
cal Union of Greenwich and Deptford, in favour of the
Reform Bill.

Lord GREY said the petition could not be received as
that of the Political Unions of Greenwich and Deptford,
as that was a body not recognised by the House. It could,
therethre, only be received as the petition of the indivi-
duals who had signed it.
Lord DURHAM said it should be received as the petition
of the individual members of that body, whose riehts as
members of society the Bill would materially improve.—
(G (G-neral cries of "Read.") The petition was v:en read.
It set forth that a petition to the same purport had been
presented to the House of Commons in 1793, by Mr.
Charles Grey. In consequence of that petition not beinz
attended to, and the corrupt state of the representation being

persevered in, the capital, trade and manufactures of the
country h3d been crippled, wages reduced, and labourers
thrown out of employ. The labouring poor had been reduced
to great distress, and the whole of the people of the United
Kingdom reduced to one mass of discontent and angry feel-
ing, which could only be removed by the present Bill being
passed into a law. The petitioners begged to call the
attention of the House to the petit in which it would
place itself, if they again rejected the united wish e
of the monarch and the people. They trusted
their Lordships would not withhold from the people
those rights which a long series of political changes
rendered necessary. The petitioners prayed that the
House of Lords would pass the whole Bill, for if not, they
would produce a frightful disorganization and revolution
throughout the country.
Lord DURHAM moved that the petition do lie on
the table.

The Marquess of CLEVELAND said, that there was
not one word in that petition which he did not think
perfectly proper, and in which he did not agree.
A cry of " Divide" on the question of receiving the
petition was raised on the Opposition benches, and was
met with laughter from the Ministerial side of the house.