The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-11 00:00:00

lost on a bet in the late Derby race.—(Hear, hear.) He
would further say that, had not the reverse been so
positively stated by an Hon. Member in that House, he
(Lord George Bentinck) would have firmly believed
that the object of these queries was to direct the
prosecution. However, the public would judge
whether the inquiries of the Hon. Gentleman
were not intended to prejudice the defendants.
He would not notice the observations of the
Hon. Member for Weymouth with respect to what
passed in the Court of Exchequer, but he would say
that he was willing that his conduct should stand the
test of a public scrutiny, which he knew he would come
out of blameless. It had been urged that this was a
piece of class legislation. In answer to that, he begged
leave to state, that if these qui tam actions did not
affect persons of high rank and station, there never
would have been a single objection to the present pro-
ceedings.—(Hear, hear.) If they looked back but for a
comparatively short period to the history of Parlia-
mentary proceedings, they would find there were
no less than twenty-three precedents, all relating
to persons of humble condition, in which these qui tam
actions had been suspended or discontinued by legis-
lative interference. He had assisted himself on behalf
of the printers and publishers of newspapers, stage-
players, and coal-whippers. Hon. Members opposite
did not object to the suspension or discontinuance of
these actions, although they now raised their voices so
high in the present instance, when actions had been
brought by persons of the very worst description.—
(Hear.) He charged the Hon. Member for Manchester
with associating with a person who had robbed his own
uncle's " hell"—(Laughter)---which he thought suf-
ficiently discreditable.
Mr. M. GIBSON—I deny it.

Lord G. BENTINCK—Yes, you deny it; but evidence
will be shortly taken, which will show that this person
constantly frequented the house of the 'lon. Member, in
Wilton-crescent.
Mr. M. GIBSON—It is not the case.

Lord G. BENTINCK—WeII, we shall see. The
Noble Lord, in a warm manner, and in severe language,
descanted upon the characters of persons not Members
of the House, and concluded by saying that an attempt
had been made to induce him to come to a compromise,
which he had indignantly rejected.
Mr. HUME denied in the strongest manner that his
Hon. Friend (Mr. M. Gibson) had done anything that
was not warranted by the strictest propriety. He did
not think the attack of the Noble Lord on his Hon.
Friend was just or becoming ; and with respect to the
informer, about whom so much had been said, he (Mr.
Hume) would have no hesitation in declaring that, for
anything he knew to the contrary, he would as soon
believe him as the Noble Lord.—(Laughter.) Before the
Noble Lord made such charges on his Hon. Friend he
should have looked nearer home. His Hon Friend had stated
his opinions temperately and firmly, and just as he (Mr.
Hume) would have done had he been placed in the same
position ; and it was rather too bad that for so doing
he should be so foully attacked. The Hon. Member had
done his best to elicit the truth—no easy matter—and it
did appear to him incomprehensible how Hon. Members
could cheer the Noble Lord in his attack upon the Hon.
Member for Manchester, who had only done his duty.--
(Cries of " Hear.") He understood the meaning of that
cry and of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's cheer, who
understood nothing whatever about the subject.—
(Laughter.) He must say that he had never heard so
much disclosed in that House about what passed in a
Committee up stairs, nor did he think it proper or de-
corous for Hon. Members to accuse one another of their
conduct in a Committee up stairs.—(hear, hear.) The
scene which had just taken place, as well as some others
of a similar character that occurred not long since, were
not calculated to elevate the character of that House in
the opinion of the people—(Hear, hear)—and ought to
be avoided as much as possible. He believed the pre-
sent Bill entirely resulted from class legislation, and
should therefore oppose it to the utmost of his ability.

Mr. ESCOT T defended the conduct of the Hon.
Member for Manchester (Mr. M. Gibson), which he
thought had been marked by extreme fairness on that
Committee of which he (Mr. Escott) was a Member.—
(Hear, hear.) The Hon Member was fair and impartial
throughout the whole inquiry, and his queries very much
assisted the Committee in arriving at the truth, and
coming to just conclusions.—(Hear.)
Mr. HAYTER, as a member of the Committee, like-
wise defended the conduct of the Hon. Member for
Manchester.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said it was perfect nonsense to
say the Bill was not the result of class legislation. He
thought the individual who felt himself aggrieved ought
to be heard by [counsel at the bar of the House, as he
believed that injury had been unjustly inflicted on him.
He would, however, as they had gone so far, vote for
going into Committee on the Bill.
Sir D. J. NORREYS rose, apparently labouring under
considerable excitement, and said that some very strong
and unwarrantable expressions had been cast upon him
by the Noble Lord.—(Cries of " Order," " Chair.")
The SPEAKER said the Noble Lord had retracted
the offensive expressions.
Sir. D. J. NORREYS—Sir, I consider I have been
most unjustfiably assailed.—(Order.) However, if—

The SPEAKER—I understood the Noble Lord to
have retracted those offensive words.----(Hear, hear.)
After the Noble Lord made that complete retractation the
House will consider the words not to have been spoken.
Sir DENHAM NORREYS—Then, Sir, I shall not
advert further to the expressions of the Noble Lord
than to say—(Order.)
The SPEAKER again interposed, upon which
Sir D. NORREYS, after in some measure expressing
his satisfaction at the retractation, said, if the Noble
Lord promised not to take advantage of the provisions of
the Bill he would not further oppose it.
Captain PECHELL deprecated the language which
had been used by the Noble Lord. He would oppose the
Bill.

The House then divided, when there appeared—
For going into Committee 45
Against it .

Majority
On entering the gallery we found
Mr. CHRISTIE expressing his regret for having ex-
pressed himself in so hasty a manner. He was in nowise
inclined to be factious, and would not persist in his in-
tention to obstruct the progress of the Bill. He believed
that the penalties were extremely high, and he would
support a Bill for the suppression of those actions upon
thepayment of costs ? If the costs were given to the in-
former he would withdraw his opposition to the Bill.
Mr. M. GIBSON said that there had been an indirect
attack made upon him by a Noble Lord which was per-
fectly unjustifiable.
Mr. HUME wished to have words inserted in the
first clause, by which costs should be given to the in-
former.
Lord PALMERSTON had no objection to the Bill
being made a discontinuing Bill instead of a suspending
one.
Captain PECHELL also thought that it would be
better to make the Bill one of discontinuance.
The amendment was withdrawn, and the clause
agreed to.
The other clauses were also agreed to. The House re-
sumed, and the report was ordered to be received to
morrow.

-36

BOROUGH OF SUDBURY.
Upon the motion that the House go into Committee
on the Sudbury Disfranchisement Bill,
Mr. BLACKSTONE said that much as he depre-
cated the sytem of bribery which had been followed at
Sudbury, he did not think a case was made for the dis-
franchisement of the borough. He concluded by
moving, " That it be an instruction to the Committee to
extend the right of voting for the future election of
Members to serve in Parliament for the borough of
Sudbury, to all persons residing within the hundred of
Baberg, within the county of Suffolk, and the hamlet of
Ballingdon cum Brundon, in the county of Essex,
having the qualification required as electors for cities and
boroughs, under the Act of 2 Will. IV., c. 45 ; and that
the following persons, viz. Peter Alston, James Berry,
Thomas Brown, William Barnard, William Cross, Joseph
Cook, George Dawson, Thomas Erith, James Johnson,
Charles King, Thomas Making, George Parsonson,
William Rolfe, Richard Steed, William Tolliday, and
Joseph Wheeler, being guilty of receiving bribes at the
last election ; and Joseph Barker, Samuel Berry, Wil-
liam Cook, Thomas Ginn, Thomas Goody, Golding
Herbert, Samuel Hale, James Herbert, John Jones, and
William Warner, being concerned in the distribution of
money among the voters before or during the election, be
hereafter disqualified from voting at any election for
Members to serve in Parliament for the borough of
Sudbury."
Captain BERESFORD seconded the motion, and
denied that the majority of the constituents of Harwich
were corrupt.
Mr. B. COCHRANE denied that cases of bribery
were brought against Sudbury sufficient to justify the
disfranchisement of the whole constituency.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL supported the Bill,
and contended that there was an ample body of evidence
to justify the disfranchisement of the borough. The
majority of the constituency were tainted with cor-
ruption.
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For going into Committee 37
For Mr. Blackstone's amendment I

Majority
. .

The Bill then went through Committee, and was or-
dered to be reported to-morrow.
The LORD ADVOCATE was about to ask leave to
bring in a Bill to diminish the expense of completing
feudal investitures in Scotland, when,

Mr. HUME moved that the House be counted, and
there being only twonty-one Members present, the
House adjourned.

MISS STRICKLAND'S " LIVES OF THE QUEENS OF
ENGLAND,VoLVII."—The last four chapters of the Life
of Elizabeth, and the whole of the interesting Life of
Anne of Denmark, occupy this volume. The Life of
Elizabeth is written with great care and impartiality.
It is the most difficult, as it is the most conspicuous, bio-
graphy of the whole, and certainly the most successful.
Our author is not satisfied with even an elaborate detail
of the incidents of the reign and the personal his-
tory of the Sovereign ; she supplies a complete review of
the social and political characteristics of the period.
England, as it was in that reign, is brought distinctly
before us—the manners and customs of the people—the
men of mark and eminence—the costume and literature,
and so to speak, gossip of the day. The art of royal
biography has never been more felicitously exemplified
than in this instance. Anne of Denmark, inferior to
Elizabeth in intellectual capacity, held a position which
surrounds her with great historical interest. Miss
Strickland makes the most of it. Of the two, this bio-
graphy is likely to fascinate the greater number of
readers ;it is more stirring and dramatic. But they are
both excellent.— Court Journal.
WORCESTER AND BIRMINGHAM CANAL.—The half-
yearly meeting of the proprietors of the Worcester and Bir-
mingham Canal Company was held at_Worcester on Tues-
day. -The report gave 4.eaeral Afit4fttctiO, aua dividend Of
Al. 10a. 6d. was cleclancl. t • .