The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-08 00:00:00

CITY OF LONDON ELECTION.

Mr. LUSHINGTON said, in reference to a notice
which I gave yesterday to the /louse relative to
the representation of the city of London, I think
it right to explain that since I announced my
intention of putting a question to the Noble
Lord at the head of the Government on
the subject I have been reminded that there is a petition
bef)re this House against the election of Baron Roths-
child. Under these circumstances, if I put my question
in the manner I had intended, it would be not only pre-
mature, and unproductive of information, but I think
irregular and disrespectfsl to the House, and I therefore
beg to withdraw that notice.
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTORS.
Mr. HENRY BERKELEY gave notice that on Mon-
day he should move for a return or the number of Par-
liamentary e'ectors in Great Britain and Ireland in the
years 1848 and 1849.
POST-OFFICE.
Mr. STAFFORD presented three petions against
the (7.e,ecration of the Sabbath by Sunday labour in the
Post-JiEcc.

WINDOW-TAX.
Mr. WILLIAMS:seeing the Noble Lord the Mem' er
for Bath in his place, wished is ask him whether it was
his intention to renew his motion fur the repeal of the
window-tax this session?
Lord DUNCAN said that he should certainly take
the earliest opportunity of renewing this motion.
IN I'AAM URAL INTERMENTS.
In answer to a question from Mr. BERKELEY,
Sir GEORGE GREY said that the Board of Health
had it in charge to prepare a scheme for a Bill of this
nature; and as soon as this were forwarded to the Go-
vernment they would introduce a measure of this nature.
ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION.
Mr. HORSMAN gave notice that on Monday night
he should give notice of motion for a Committee to in-
quire into the allegations lately made against the First
Lord of the Treasury aed the Secretary of Slate.
He wished to know whether, as it would be inconvenient
for him to attend the House at a late. period ,in the
evening on 111unday next, the Noble Lord (Lord J. Bat-
son) would have any objtetion to take the motion at five
o'clock?
Lord J. RUSSELL said he would have no objection
to take it at that [Mac.
COLONIAL POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
The House then resolved itself into a Committee of
the whole House, tied
Lrd JOHN FUSSELL rose to move fur a
Bill for the, better government of the Austra-
lian Colonies, and to make a statement of
the colonial policy of the Government. He said
it was, perhaps, advisable, at that early period
of the session, that some statement should be made, on
the part t f the Government, of the general policy which
they meant to pursue with regard to our colonial
possessions. So many statements had been made
on the subject, and there was such a variety
of opinions entertained regarding it, that it seemed
right that the Government should declare what view
they took of the interests which were from time to time
committed to their care, and what would be the permanent
policy of this country. In undertaking this task he was
conscious how unable h was to fulfil the whole of the
requisitions which its assumption implied—he felt how
unable he was to discharge the task which he had un-
dertaken. Nevertheless he conceived the House would
need, and perhaps be glad to receive, whatever informa-
tion the Government possessed to assist them in their
deliberations. There were several Hon. Gentlemen,
Members of that House, who had eminently distin-
guished themselves by their knowledge of colonial
affairs, and among them he mid ht distinguish the Hon.
Member for Suffolk and the Hon. Member for Sheffield
for their min, nt: knowledge of colonial affairs, both in
their speeches in that House and in the printed
declarations which they had circulated throughout the
country. Ile was bound to say that what they proposed
was well worthy of consideration. From the time of
James I. to that of Charles I. several islands had been
discovered in the West Indies, and afterwards aban-
doned, but which were afterwards taken posses-
sion of by British navigators. Under the Pro-
tectorate certain restrictions were imposed on the inter-
course with those islands by Spain and other countries.
It was not to le expected that Cromwell, with his high
notions of British pow er and British wealth, would sub-
mit to these restrictions, and accordingly he sent out an
expedition to connect certain islands in the West Indies
with our own, which failed through an accident. After-
wards, in the reign of Charles the Second, other islands
in the West Indies were occupied by us. Such was the
commencement, then, of our colonial possessions. In
the beginning of the next century during the war we
added to them, and after the glorious war of 1736 many
additional places were added to our posessione. Be-
sides which we obtained possession of Canada,
which acquisition, the Marquis of Montalbert
d. a' ared, would be a great loss to France;
but as it would cause the separation of England from
her other American colonies, the loss would be more
than counterbalanced by that event In the unfortunate
war with the provinces of America our losses were
indeed great, but in the great revolutionary
war, which was begun in 1793, we made
further accessions of colonial territory through the in-
fluence of our naval and military forces, which were
confirmed to us by the treaties of 1814. The Noble
Lord then read a lit of the colonies which had come into
the possession of this country from 1617 down to 1814.
He would now state what were the general principles
upon which thosedependencies were colonized. In the first
place, it seemed to have been an object to send settlers
out from this country, and to enable them to colonize
distinct islands; but; in the next place,it was evidently the
system of this country, as it was then of all the
countries of Europe, to maintain a strict commercial
monopoly with respect to those colonies. Various Acts,
to which he need nut allude, and some a which had
been recently under the consideration of the House, took
care that the whole trade of those colonies should centre
is this country, and that their productions should be sent
to this country. It was conceived at a late period that we
ba I very great advantages in that monopoly. Mr. Dun-
des, so late as 1796, speaking of the colonies, said if we
were to permit them they would find a market for their
productions elsewhere. But there was another and most
remarkable character attending those colonies, and that
was whenever Englishmen were sent to those colo-
nies they carried with them the freedom and in-
stivutions of the mother country.—(Hear, hear.)
(Here the Noble Lord read some extracts from a pa-
tent, given to the Earl of Carlisle, who went out, as
Governor of Barbadoes, in 16t19, during the reign of
Charles 1., which showed that his Lordship and his
heirs were thereby empowered to make laws for
the colony, with: the consent of the inhabitants.)
The government of Jamaica,:setiled by Cromwell, was at
first entirely absolute; but in the reign of Charles H. it
was ordered that an Assembly should be called in Ja-
maica; that by it laws and statutes should be ordained
upon the model of English institutions. It so hap_
pened that not long af.erwarde in the reign of James
11, there was a question with regard to this very
colony of Barleadoes, and in fact affecting the inte-
rests of the whole of the British colonies. (Tee
Noble Lord then read a I aisage from Mr. Fez?,
history of the revolution, giving the opinion of Lord
Hedfix with respect to the constitutional rights of the
colonies. The Noble Lord considered that this was a
oircumataneo of great note, because no man was more
74#1,4 44
ad in dispensing with Parlia-
eriV-s Marquis of Halifax, and it
the sentiments implanted in
ishman ought to live under
under free institutions.

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