The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-27 00:00:00

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

Hems worth's Estate, Newgate and Metropolitan Meat
and Poultry Market, outh Yorkshire Railway (Keadby
Extension) bills were read a second time.
The Huddersfield Gas, Berwick, Norham, and Island-
shire Roads, and Midland Railway (New Lines) bills were
read a third time and passed.
OFFENCES IN SIERRA LEONE BILL.

On the motion for going into committee on this till,
Lord BROUGHAM said he did not rise to oppose this
bill, which was one that would work a great improvement,
but to complain of the atrocious conduct of Spain in increas-
ing the slave trade, notwithstanding the large sums of
money that had been paid to her as compensation. It
had been said that the Spanish Government did not
intend to re-introduce slavery into St. Domin-
go, because the fertility of the country rendered
it unnecessary. St. Domingo was not more fertile than
Cuba, and he must say he did not knew what was intended
by the Spanish Government. Perhaps they intended to put
down the slave trade when they received a sum of money to
do so. The new acquisitions of Spain were such as not to
give him any very great confidence in her intentions.
The house then went into committee on this bill, and the
whole of the clauses were agreed to without amendment.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(Tms EVENING.)
The SPEAXER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords' amendments to the following bills were con-
sidered and agreed to :—Baggymoor Drainage, Kilkenny
Market, Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (Branches to
Shawforth, &c ), Llantrissant and Taff Vale Junction
Railway, and Ryde Water Bill.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Airedale Drainage; Darlington Local Board of Health;
Dartmouth and Torbay Railway (Queen's consent, on be-
half of the Crown, to be signified) ; East India Irrigation
and Canal Company (No. '2) ; Galashiels and Peebles
Railway; London and North Western, Lancaster and
Carlisle, and Caledonian Railways ; Northampton Water ;
North Eastern Railway (Castleton and Grosmont Branch,
&c.) ; Thames Haven Dock (Abandonment) and Uxbridge
and Rickmansworth Railway.
The following bills were considered and ordered for third
reading :—Clifton Suspension Bridge, Dublin Corporation
Water, Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, New Ross Port
and Harbour, South-Eastern Railway (Folkestone Har-
bour, &c.), Uxbridge Gas, and Stockport District Water.
The Blackburn Water Bill and the Dunblane, Doune,
and Callander Railway Bill were read a second time.

PETITIONS.
Several petitions were presented against the repeal of the
paper duty, in favour of the abolition of the duty on tea and
sugar, agam,t the appointment of Roman Catholic chap-
lains in workhouses, in favour of legalising marriage with
a deceased wife's sister, in favour of adopting means for pro-
moting the growth of cotton in India, &c.

JERSEY COURT BILL.
On the motion of Mr. Sergeant PIGOTT, this bill was
read a first time.

INLAND AND CUSTOMS REVENUE BILL.—THE
REPEAL OF THE PAPER DUTY.
On the motion that the house do resolve itself into com-
mittee on this bill,
Mr. NE WDEGATE said he begged to draw the atten-
tion of the house to the following motion, of which he had
given notice, and which was on the paper :—" That
whereas the embodiment of the principal financial pro-
posals of the Government in one bill unduly increases the
power •f the Government over the taxation of this
country and the interests affected thereby, limits inconve-
niently the action of this house, and would annul the well
ascertained function and privilege of the House of Lords,
it be an instruction to the committee to divide the Customs
and Inland Revenue Bill, so that each of the taxes to
which it relates may be separately treated." As an
independent member of the house, he felt bound to
put forward his motion in the terms which he used in order
to express fully the opinions he entertained on the ques-
tion. He did not, however, propose to pledge the house to
the adoption of the abstract proposition which his motion
enunciated, but at the same time he adhered in conviction
to the opinion which he expressed in the proposition. Ho
trusted he would not be considered as presumptuous in
being actuated by a desire to dictate to the house the course
to be adopted, and his only object was to secure to the
country what he regarded as a considerable benefit in refe-
rence to the retention of the impost, which it was so in-
judiciously proposed to abolish. (Hear.) The- specified
proposition he would submit to the house was, " That it be
an instruction to the committee to divide the Customs and
Inland Revenue Bill, so that each of the taxes to which it
relates may be separately treated." He contended that the
mode of proceeding adopted by the Chancellor of the Exch-
equer in regard to this bill was a dangerous innovation, and
Policy pursued by the house
d he
teo
violated the spirit of the constitution by curtailing the t'unc-
rshefoewrrg atto
tions and privileges of the other house, which the the reso-
lution to which hon. members of the house of Commons
agreed last session fully recognished. He denied that there
was any precedent for the course which had been pursued
inrespecting
i rr. epspi et tc t
Iv to
st
the
Primehe i bill,
financial
Ministeran
which had been relied on in reference to what then occurred
of Commons was not applicable to the present emergency.
the
the period
circumstances
He called on the house in the most impressive: terms
not to lay down a precedent which conferred on the repre-
sentatives of the Crown a power in regard to taxation which
might be used in the most dangerous way to the liberties
of the country. He argued that no such privileges as were
claimed by the Government in respect to this bill were
ever conceded to the Executive, and he warned the
house of the perilous course that was being followed
by the Government. The form in which this bill was pre-
sented to the house was a mere stratagem, and if persisted
in it might be found that the Lords would also have re •
course to stratagem to preserve their rights without raising
the extreme issue that it was endeavoured to force on them.
He contended also that the practice to which the Govern-
ment proposed to resort would have the effect of abridging
the time for the consideration of financial measures, and
that the repeal of the paper duty was not popular in the
country. (Hear, hear.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
manner in which the house had acted in regard to the mo-
tion of the hon. member, as shown by its silence, was a
proof that hon. members considered this question had
already been fully discussed. He denied that by the plan
of procedure which the Government had adopted there
would be any curtailment of the due consideration of finan-
cial
measures, for by tne forms of the house ample oppor-
tunities were afforded for discussing every detail of finance
at the different stages through which the budget had to
pass. The right hon. gentleman argued that the hon.
member (Mr. Newdegate) had adduced no argument to
make the Government alter the course upon which they
had entered, and was calling on members to adopt a mode
of proceeding that was at variance with the principles of
the constitution and the practice of Parliament.
Mr. SPOONER, in seconding the amendment of Mr.
Mr. Newdegate, urged upon the house the necessity of
acting with the greatest caution
raised with regard to this subject.
It called on to oppose the amendment
j in respect to the issue
Mr. HORSMA N felt
of the hon. member, although he appro.% ed of much of
the issue contained in the amendment, and the form
what he said, be thought the time had passed for raising
of the amendment would not effect the object contemplated
by the hon. member (Mr. Newdegate). He did not think,
therefore, that any benefit would result from further dis-
cussion on the amendment.
Mr. NEWDEGATE replied.
Mr. KNIGHTLEY made some statements explanatory
of the course be pursued in reference to the subject.
The house then divided—
For the amendment 3l
Against
Majority against
(LEFT SITTING.)