The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-26 00:00:00

COUNTY CORONERS BILL.

The NOBLE MARQUIS also presented a petition from
the Coroner of Devon, in favour of that clause in the
County Coroners Bill which gave an increased allowance
for travelling expenses.
The Marquis of SALISBURY said that the clause
had been struck out, and the Bill had been read a third
time and passed.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY said, that the Bill
had been read a third time, but he (as Chairman of the
House at the time) had not put the question that the
" Bill do pass."
The Marquis of NORMANBY said, that he would
now move that the clause be restored. lie was by no
means of the same opinion as the Noble Duke (the
Duke of Richmond), who moved the omission of the
clause, that railroads rendered the travelling of coroners
cheaper.
Lord REDESDALE opposed the re-insertion of the
clause. It was quite evident that the office was one of
honour and emolument quite sufficient without any addi-
tional profits being conferred on it, for whenever there.
was a vacancy the competition was very earnest and ex-
pensive ; and there was, therefore, no reason for putting
an increased tax upon the country.
The Marquis of NORAIANBY said he would divide
the House. .

Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the
House divided. The numbers were—
For the re-insertion of the clause 6
Against it 25
Majority —l9
The Bill was then passed.
NEGRO PETITION—SUGAR DUTIES.
Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from a body
of his fellow-subjects, who, although lately admitted to
the rights of men, had not before this ventured to ap-
proach the Legislature as petitioners. The petition was
from the negro merchants, planters, and labourers of
Trelawney, in Jamaica, against the reduction of the duties
on foreign sugar, on the ground that such reduction
would encourage slave-holding States at the expense of
the British colonies, which would be exposed to a
ruinous competition.

UNLAWFUL OATHS (IRELAND) BILL.
A NOBLE MARQUIS hoped that the third reading of
the Unlawful Ouths 13i11 would be postponed till Monday,
in order that the House might be in possession of the
determination of the Government with respect to the
persons who had lately been tried in Ireland for con-
spiring to accuse others of administering unlawful oaths.
SUDBURY DISFRANCHISEMENT.

Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from the
Mayor and Corporation of Sudbury, praying to be allowed
the expenses incurred by them in opposing the Bill for
the disfranchisement of their borough. As the House had
no funds out of which the expenses could be paid, he
hoped the Noble Lord opposite (the Marquis of Salis-
bury), who had encouraged the petitioners, and whose
charity was well known, would pay the expenses.
The Marquis of SALISBURY—Out of what funds ?
Lord BROUGHAM—Out of your own pocket.—
(Great laughter.)
The petition was ultimately withdrawn.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.

Lord REDESDALE moved, according to notice, that
the standing order, which requires the attendance
of five Peers on Committees on private Bills,
should be suspended, that they might constitute a Com-
mittee for the remainder of the session. He made this
motion in consequence of the departure of so many Peers
from Parliament, that it was difficult to a get a full attend-
ance at all the Committees, before whom there was a great
arrear of business.

Lord WICKLOW did not approve of the motion.
It was the duty of the Peers to attend to the Commit-
tees, and they ought to be compelled to do so.—(Hear.)
Lord BROUGHAM said that a great cause of the
the arrear was the want of accommodation for the
Committees. Much more regard was had for the glory
of the architect than for the convenience of the House.
—(Hear, hear.) But he hoped that, if the accommoda-
was not sufficient next year, their Lordships would dim
that glory a little.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said, that every
architect in the country admitted that their Lordships
could have been provided with a suitable House, and
adequate accommodations within the seven years
that had already passed. He hoped their Lord-
ships would insist upon the works being proceeded with
in a more expeditious manner, and that they would
compel the architect to have proper apartments ready
by the next session.
Earl FORTESCUE hoped that it would not be ne-
cessary to act upon the resolution, which, however, he
would not oppose.
The Duke of WELLINGTON said that hitherto the
attendance of Peers had been as full as could be ex-
pected, but the object of the motion was to provide
against the possibility of a deficient attendance at the
close of the session, when so many Peers would be leav-
ing town.
After a few words from Lord COLBORNE,

Lord REDESDALE withdrew his motion, and gave
notice, that, if necessary, be would renew it on Monday.
ACTIONS FOR GAMING SUSPENSION BILL.

The Marquis of NORMANBY, in the absence of the
Duke of Richmond, moved the third reading of the Ac-
tions for Gaming at Horse Races Bill.
The Earl of RADNOR opposed the motion. He
contended that the defendants in these actions had no
claim for the protection or the interference of Par-
liament. When they incurred these penalties,
they knew they were acting unlawfully.—(Hear.)
That was proved by the evidence of Mr. Tat-
tersall and other witnesses. Same parts of the
evidence were exceedingly, painful. One gentleman, a
fellow of one of the universities, stated that he had been
" victimised" by two of his friends—gentlemen—(A
laugh)—and fellows of the same university.—(A laugh.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR—Cambridge ? Give
us the right name.—(A laugh.)
The Earl of RADNOR said this was a Bill to prevent
a man from obtaining a pecuniary advantage, which
the law, as it stood, gave him and encouraged
him to seek. There was no doubt that the
act which the actions were directed against,
was illegal, and the evidence before the Committee
showed that it had been ruinous to many, very
many. The only means which the law provided for
checking so great an evil was by these qui tam actions.
In passingthis
_Bill the House would do a great injustice.
The Earl of STRADBROEE and Lord FOLEY supported
the Bill.
After a few words from the Marquis of NORMANBY,
in reply, the Bill was read a third time and passed.
SLAVE TRADE.
The Earl of ABERDEEN, pursuant to notice, laid
on the table the latest instructions given to the naval
officers engaged in the suppression of the slave trade.
As there was nothing to conceal the greatest publicity
,
was desirable, which would give the best refutation to
the calumnious accusations against this country, that
under the pretence of a regard for the interests of hu-
manity, werefo u increasend only seeking to extend our own coin-
merce, our naval power. When he came
intoa the instructions to those officers ex-
tremely vague and imperfect. He had applied himself to
bring them into a more perfect state. He had found that
was the practice when new treaties were entered into
n office, andc
e he e to
with foreign nations on the subject of the slave trade, to
send out to each of the officers in command a copy of
the treaty without any explanation or instruction what-
ever. Now, as there were thirty of these treaties, the
House would understand hew difficult it was for
the officers to know in what way they were
to act. On this account he employed a num-
ber of gentlemen well acquainted with the subject
to revise the instructions. These were Dr. Lushington,
Mr. Bandinell, Captain Denman, and Mr. Rotherheath,
of Doctors Commons. These four gentleman revised
the instructions, which were afterwards submitted to the
law officers of the Crown, who reduced them to the
form in which he now placed them on the table. In
examining this subject he was astonished at the discre-
tion and prudence which had been displayed by our
officers in this service, although occasionally there
might have been some errors of a slight nature from
zeal rather in excess. It was, however, as he had said,
surprising to observe the prudence, discretion, forbear-
ance, and consideration, which those officers had shown.
—(Hear, hear.) It was to be borne in mind that Eng-
land could not alone put down the slave-trade. She must
have the co-operation of other nations, and to obtain that
she must convince those nations that she has no selfish
objects, and that she regards their rights and privileges.
Much had been done towards the suppression of the
trade, but yet very much remained to be done. For
several years, down to a very recent period, from 90,000
to 100,000 slaves had been imported into the American
and Spanish slave-holding States. From the year 1768
down to 1830, the number of persons torn from Africa
fluctuated from ninety to one hundred thousand ; from
1830 to 1835, the number fell to an average of 58,000;
but, in the four following years, from 1835 to 1840, the
average rose to 99,000. But, in the last three years,
1841, 1842, and 1843, notwithstanding the reproaches
cast upon the present Government for remissness in this
matter, the average had fallen to 25,000.
Lord BROUGHAM—Under the present Government?
The Earl of ABERDEEN—PartIy so. In the course
of last year, the number of slaves imported from Africa
had been larger than in the preceding years, partly owing
to the necessary withdrawal of a part of the squa-
dron from the coast of Brazil to protect British
persons and property, during the senseless war which
was going on between Buenos Ayres and Monte Video,
and partly to the change which had taken place in the
office of Captain-General of Cuba, General Valdez hav-
ing been removed, and another officer appointed, who
was less inclined than his predecessor to discourage the
trade. Spain and Brazil were the only countries that
now benefited by that trade, for Portugal had shown
every disposi • •tion to fulfil the treaties. He had no hesi-
tation in saying that if Spain and Brazil faithfully and
honestly executed their treaties with this country, the
slave-trade would be at an end ; and he would assure
the House that no efforts would be 'spared to enforce
those treaties, to which England had as undoubted a
right as to the possession of a ceded province or town.
There was, however, some promise on the part
of Spain. The excellent person who .held lately
the post of Captain-General, had obtained an
order from the Government in Spain, founded upon
the arrangements which were agreed upon
with this country in 1835.—(Hear, hear.) There was
also much encouragement in the fact that the most
cordial understanding prevailed between her Majesty's
squadron off the coast of Africa, and the fleet of the
United States. France also had lately shown a dispo-
sition to co-operate more earnestly than heretofore.