The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-13 00:00:00

MILITIA RIOTS AT RINSALE.

Mr. TORRENS asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland
whether there was any objection to lay on the table copies
of the official reports made by the civil and military autho-
rities who held investigations regarding the recent rioting
at Kinsale, between some of the soldiers of the Regiment
of Antrim Militia Artillery and some of the inhabitants of
that town ?

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND said
there was no objection to produce the documents alluded to.
LABOUR OF CHILDREN IN MINES.
Mr. AYRTON asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department, whether it was the intention of the Go-
vernment to issue a commission to inquire into the effect
of prolonged labour of children in mines of coal and iron-
stone, as the act for the inspection of mines expired next
year.

Mr. CLIVE said the subject was under consideration,
and his right hon. friend the Home Secretary would give
an answer at the earliest possible period next session.

MILITIA DESERTERS.
Colonel DUNNE called the attention of the house to the
practice of orders being sent from the War Department to
officers commanding militia regiments to release deserters
from their corps who have enlisted into the lino • and asked
the Secretary of State for War if such a practice was not
contrary to the articles of war.
Mr. S. HERBERT said that the orders in question were
strictly regular.

THE BALLOT.
Mr. H. BERKELEY gave notice that next session he
would bring forward the subject of the ballot.
KINGSTON-UPON-HULL.
Mr. MALINS moved that the Speaker should issue
his writ for the election of a member in the place of Mr.
Hoare, who was declared not to be duly elected. The
port of the committee did not say that Mr. Hoare had been
aware that bribery had been committed, or that his agents
had bean guilty of such bribery, and he trusted that the
sessional order by which this election would be postponed
till next session would not be enforced to the inconvenience
of the electors of the borough.
Sir G. GREY said that he thought the report was
not as explicit as it might have been, but the clear inference
was that Mr. Hoare had been returned by bribery, and
therefore he could not see any ground for acceding to the
request of the hon. and learned member.
After some discussion,

Mr. MALINS withdrew the motion, but gave-notice that
he would move to-morrow that the sessional order should
be suspended, and the Speaker do issue his writ forthwith
for the election of a member for the borough.

LAW ASCERTAINMENT FACILITIES BILL.
The Lords' amendments to this bill were considered and
agreed to.

GLOUCESTER CITY ELECTION.
Mr. EDWIN.JAMES moved an address to her Majesty,
to cause inquiry to be made into the corrupt practices and
bribery, which took place at the late Gloucester election.
He had carefully read the evidence, and it appeared that

this was not a case in which there had been a few isolated
instances of bribery, but that a deep system of organised
corruption prevailed at the election in question.
Mr. HADFIELD inquired what would be the expense
of the commission ? He considered that no practical benefit
resulted from such commissions. He believed what was
required to do away with bribery was some stringent legis-
lative act.
Some discussion ensued, in the course of which it was
contended that such commissions as then proposed were
utterly useless.
Mr. MALINS said there had 'been a number of blue-
books containing evidencein reference to these commissions
published, none of which were read by the public:
He contended that they should not prosecute the poor and
tempted voter whose necessities induced him to accept a
bribe, but the agents who had been guilty of bribery.
Sir G. GREY said that this commission would not, in
its results, lead only to a prosecution of the poor, but to
the punishment of the rich, if it was proved that
they had been guilty of bribery. In making this
motion the hon. and learned member (Mr. E. James)
was only acting in copformity with the terms of the Act of
Parliament. Some members might object to that act, and
it was perfectly competent for them to move for its repeal;
but so long as it was on the statute-book they were bound
by its provisions.
Col. SYKES said that in a few years no less than
£67,000 had been spent on these commissions, without any
benefit; and to that amount £33,000 was to be added for
commissions last year. He felt bound to oppose the motion.
Mr. V. SCULLY said that he would go higher than the
agents, and punish those members who had directly, or
indirectly, been guilty of bribery. Ile remembered
when it was \ proposed to a former house that
every member should pledge his honour that he
had not been guilty of bribery and that he had
not paid any unnecessary expenses ; but this propo-
sition was rejected. Until the house determined to act with
independence and uprightness in this matter they could not
put an end. to bribery. -.He was opposed to the motion.
Mr. VANCE considered that the proposition to prose-
cute the briber and the bribed would be perfectly futile in
its operation, because when such a threat was held forth, it
would be impossible for them to procure evidence to esta
blish a case of bribery.
The house divided, and the numbers were--
For the motion
Against
Majority
THE CONVICTS YATES AND LAGDEN.
Mr. MELLOR moved for an address for copy of the con
viction of Yates and Lagden at the last Rutlandshire Quarter
Sessions, held on the 30th day of June last ; and of the sen-
tences passed upon them respectively. He said the convicts
were poachers, and were convicted upon the evidence
of an accomplice of stealing some oilcake. One of these
men was 64 years of age and was sentenced to 25 years
penal servitude, and the other who was 65 was sentenced
to 15 years penal servitude.

59

Mr: CLIVE said that he supposed there must be some
peculiarity in the cases alluded to, but there could be no
objection to the production of the document.

The motion was azreed to.
PONTEFRACT ELECTION.

Mr. WALPOLE brought up the report of the committee
appointed to try the merits of the petition against the
return of the sitting member, Mr. Overend. The hon. and
learned member said it would be desirable in consequence
of vatious alterations that had been made in the report which
would occupy a half an hour in reading, that it should
be printed and the reading be postponed until to-morrow.
The motion was agreed to.
SLAVE TRADE.
_ _ .

Mr. CAMPBELL moved that this house feels bound,
before the session closes, to express the deep respect it en-
tertains for the firm and honourable mariner in which t,he
Government of Portugal has acted on its treaties with GrOat
Britain, in restraining negro exportation from the eastern
coast of Africa, in 1857 and 1858; that this house fully
re-
cognises the zeal with which the Emperor of the French
has resolved to check the slave trade in all its forms through
his dominions.
Mr, BUXTON seconded the motion.

Mr. CAVE objected to,that portion of the motion which
recognised the zeal of the Emperor of the French for the
suppression of the slave trade. From letters which he had
received from Martinique he was led to believe that the im-
portation of slaves into that island and Guadaloupe Was
going on as briskly as ever under the delusive cloak of free
labour immigration.
Sir G. GREY regretted that this motion should hive
been brought forward so late in the session, and in so thin a
house, and especially in the absence of his noble friend at
the head of the Government. There was no doubt that ihe
King of Portugal had exhibited great zeal in the suppes-
sion of the slave trade, and that the Emperor of the Fretch
had also expressed a great desire to further that objkt.
Negotiations were now in progress between her Majes-y's
Ministers and both Governments, and under all the circum-
stances he trusted the hon. member would consent to with-
draw the motion.

Mr. CAMPBELL consented, and the motion was with-
drawn.

GLOUCESTER ELECTION.

A committee was nominated to confer with the Lords
" upon the subject of an address to be presented to her Ma-
jesty" relative to the late Gloucester election.
On the return of the committee from conference,
Mr. E. JAMES stated that the conference had been ma-
naged on the part of the Lords by the Duke of Somerset,
and that the address had been left with their lordships.
A messenger from the House of Lords brought up i 4 re-
port stating that their lordships agreed with the Commons
in their address to the Crown praying for the appointment
of a com mission to inquire into the corrupt practices repdrted
by the election committee to have taken place at the Ilato
election for the city of Gloucester.
Mr. BRADY was proceeding to address the housil in
support of his motion, having been interrupted by the read-
ing of the report, when
An HoN MEMBER moved that the house bo counted.
Two previous motions to the same effect had been made,
but were unnoticed by the Speaker ; and it being proved
that only 29 members were preeent,
The house adjourned at a quarter to seven o'clock.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

TRAFFIC RETURNS FOR'TIIE 'WEER.