The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-19 00:00:00

funds, could go across the Channel, and whatever
might he the amount of his just debts, could not be
in any way made amenable, except through
the futile process of outlawry. And the
great evil was, that by this nefarious practice
the statute of limitations was running on, and if the
debtor remained there for six years the debt was
satisfied. His object, therefore, was to put an end to
this robbery, and he proposed, with the concurrence of
the Courts of Westminster Hall, that process might be
served in a foreign country, ample time being given
for him to make his appearance and his defence, and
if he failed to do so the action should proceed as if
the process had been served in his own country.
Great numbers of British. subjects lived abroad to
, escape in this manner the payment of their debts.
The number of English residents in France alone
amounted to 60,000, independent of 50,000 who were
there for temporary purposes, and they spent at a
fair calculation 5,000,0001. a year. Ile did not mean
I to say that all these were fraudulent creditors, but
he believed a great number belonged to that class.
The Bill was read a first time, and the House ad-
journed at a Quarter to Six o'Clock.
In the Commons, on the motion for bringing up
the report on the North British Railway Bill, .Mr.
LOCKHART moved that it be read that day six months.
Mr. P. M. STEWART opposed the amendment, and
after some discussion it was withdrawn, and the re-
port was received.
Lord ASHLEY gave notice that, on the third read-
ing of the Factories Bill, he would move the addition
of clauses limiting the number of hours of work to
eleven until the Ist of October, 1847, and after that
period he should propose a further reduction.
In answer to a question from Mr. P. M. STEWART,
' Sir ROBERT PEEL said the budget would be brought
forward on Monday, the 29th; and on the Monday
following he proposed to make a motion on the Bank
Charter, in case he should f,il of securing precedence
for that question on the Tuesday.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM, in answer to questions, said
he proposed that the Factory Bill should he read a
second time on Monday next, and that the Committee
on the Bill should be fixed for Friday, the 26th, and
the third reading for the 3d of May. He should
poitpone the Poor-law Bill till the Factories Bill had
gone through all its stages.
Sir ROBERT PEEL said an erroneous inference had,
been drawn from some remarks he had made on a
former evening relative to the Irish Registration
Bill. The Government had no wish to shrink from
it, and he would fix an early day for the second read
ing of that Bill.
Mr. M. GIBSON moved for an address to the Crown
for the purpose of obtaining authentic information
upon all subjects connected with the agriculture of
the country.
Mr. GLADSTONE said he was fully alive to the im-
portance of the subject, but he did not see by what
means it could be carried out, and unless the motion
were withdrawn, he should move the previous ques-
tion.

The motion was withdrawn, and the House ad.
journed at Seven o'Clock.

Sir ROBERT PEEL, in the House of Commons last
night, made a sort of shuffling announcement that at
so-fie future day he would name a time to proceed
with the Irish Registration Bill. Now, the wily
Baronet in so doing, pledged himself to just nothing
at all; he did not say that he would proceed with the
Bill ; he did not state that he would carry the mea-
sure through ; no such thing ; he contended himself
by saying, that at some future time he would an-
nounce when he would give notice of his intention to
go on with the Bill. He may give that notice, he
may declare his intention ; but we believe, and nothing
but proof to the contrary will remove that belief,
that the Irish Registration Bill is abandoned. We
stated this two days ago, and we adhere to it. No
promised notice of Sir ROBERT PEEL, nor any notice
even when given, will alter this impression. We
know that the Bill cannot be carried ; but we do
not think that the Premier intends to try to carry it.

He had quite enough of the Irish Arms Bill last
session ; he will not venture his chance again upon an
Irish Registration Bill, when he has neither an Irish
nor an English law officer in the House able to explain
its enactments.

The'legality or the illegality of Art-Unions is a
matter which will very deeply interest a large body
of the English people. Established now for nearly
eight years, these unions have gone on increasing in
amount, in number, and in consequent utility. A
taste for the arts has been fostered, and cultivated—
to the benefit of the people and the encouragement of
artists. The legality of the societies has sometimes
been denied, but the first lawyers of the day have as-
serted them to be legal. Cabinet Ministers, Chan-
cellors, and the highest legal functiOnarieS, have sub-
scribed to them, and all doubts had been dissipated
either of their propriety or their strict legality. The
drawing of the London Art-Union had been fixed for
Tuesday next, and every preparation made, when all
at once a Government edict is issued, and Art-Unions
are declared to be Contrary to law. The societies
which in. their infancy were unnoticed, and were not
subjects for suppression, are, when full-grown and in
free exercise of power and strength, declared objects
of the law's hate. The conduct of the Irish Govern-
ment over again—meetings allowed to grew for the
purpose of putting them down, at full maturity. The
Clontarf proclamation brought to bear upon Art-
Unions . Why,- what ridiculous conduct is here
displayed. The law is unaltered. No change has
b?en made in that. No new enactment has been
placed on the statute-book. Art-Unions, illegal now,
were alwayi illegal. But Tory legislation is al-
ways the same. No grievance is ever deemed
worthy of redress until it is
i unbearable—
no nuisance abated, until impossible, longer
to be tolerated—no privilege conceded, until inca-
pable longer to withhold it. And now it seems that
even good is not allowed to be done, when its effects
become apparent, felt, and appreciated by all, save the
would-be monopolists. The same class of gentry,
who attempted to put down the School of Design in
Somerset-house, because it would ruin the monopoly
of artists, now seek to stop the unions because they
give cheap prints to the public. Monopoly is the
curse of this country, whether in the print-sellers, who

would mak., the people pay dear for prints ; or in
landlordi who would make people pay dear for corn.
The one is a new exercise of an old principle—the
1 other a retention of an old abuse. But of this, let

the Tories-he- well convinced—that all such struggles
to retain monopolies are in vain. Art-Unions have
I pened the trade in their wayAnti-Corn-law Unions
will open it in theirs. Will Government declare
them, illegal ? We dare them to do it,
and we would advise the Art-Unions to disregard
altogether, the opinions of any legal officers of the
Crown . who.. deClare them contrary to law,
and .to try the question with their would-be pro-
secutors. Let them remember that the cipi-
nion of the Attorney and Solicitor-General is only
the `opinion of two men, which is opposed by men
equally great- and eminent in their profession. We
assert the perfect legality of Art-Unions, such as the
London. Let Mr. TIIESIGER, as his first act and
'opinion, if the fact be so, deny it. Let Mr. FITZROY
KELLY, as he has done, affirm the contrary. Which
is the opinion most to be relied upon ? We know
upon which the odds would be laid, and what they
are. It is Lombard-street to a China orange.

Lord Asuzart has egregiously • disappointed the
hipes of all those who placed faith in his justice—his
consistency—his benevolence—by the course he hus
thought it to pursue on the important question of the
Factory Bill. There is no use in mincing matters—
the
siloij;tesebt,eehrtneradyteered,he
ultalri:amust be told—lie has abandoned, if
himselfcause
to b
o f which,e
an uncompromisingno t three
weeks
advocate, and let it slip through his fingers like
so much water. Ile is now just as lifeless and in-
different, as he once was energetic, in his advocacy of
the Ten Hours' measure. "The flaming patriot,''
Says JuNins, alluding to HORNE TOOKE, " who so
lately scorched us in the east, now sinks temperately
in the. west, and is hardly felt as he descends."
And wherefore this vacillation this langour
WI the 'part of his Lordship—this unworthy aban-
donment of the vantage-ground on ,which he stood ?
Because, forsooth, the question is surrounded by
difficulties—is beset. by complications and perplexi-
CeS to such a degree, that he, cannot see his way
through them ! Should he not have known this be-
fore ? Should not past experience have taught him
that the Ten. Hours' Bill' was one which would task