The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-25 00:00:00

TURNPIKES (IRELAND).

In answer to Mr. BRIGHT,
Sir W. SOMERVILLE replied that Fe could give no
definite answer to the question as to whether he would
postpone his Bill for requiring the transmission of
annual abstracts and statements of trustees or commis-
sioners of turnpike roads and bridges in Ireland to the
Lord-Lieutenant to be laid before Parliament.
ARMY AND NAVY ESTIMATES.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that he had arranged to take
the navy estimates on Monday night next, and the
army estimates on Monday week next, and that the
Chancellor of the Exchequer would on an early day
make his financial statement for the year.
AUSTRALIAN COLONIES BILL.
In answer to a question from Mr. GLADSTONE,
Lord J. RUSSELL said that he should proceed with
the Australian Colonies Bill on the day fir which he
had:given notice, unless the navy estimates prolonged
the discussion too far.
PARLIAMENTARY VOTERS (IRELAND) BILL.
Oa the motion for going into Committee on this Bill,
Mr. DISRAELI complained that the Bill had been
pressed on tee rapidly, considering that it was a measure
of such importance, tending to ere a'e an artificial suf-
frage; and also that the Irish assizes were beginning to-
morrow. At no time was the presence of Irish
Members more needed than at the presf at time.
He trusted the Government would not proceed with this
Bill to-night, and he did so on broad and valid grounds—
on the same grounds of validity which had been fully
acknowledged by the Right HOD. Geitleman the Seer()
tary for Iretand in reference to another Irish measure, in-
troduced a few years ago, and which applied on the present
occasion with tenfold force.—((rear.) app4 a•el to him
very preposterous that the Government should purpose
going into a Committee on a Bill of such great interest
and importance, when it was notorious that nearly
every gentleman connected with Ireland was absent.
He hoped, therefore, the Government would postpone the
measure until the termination of the Irish sss;z-s.

Mr. HUME said a large portion of the Members at-
tended the House at great inconvenience to tl:e.nselvc s,
and he did not think it would be a good practice to es-
tablish to postpone a measure of such impor awe simply
to suit the convenience of a f,w Irish Member 3.
Lord CASTLEREAGH observed that the considera•

lion of Bills was often postponed in order to suit the
convenience cf. English Members when they had to
attend their county sessions, and be could not see why
the recommendation of the Hon. Gentleman could not
be acceded to.
Colonel RAWDON said the Bi'l was precisely the
auie as the one of last year, and, cf.insidering the
rapidity with which the Habeas Corpus Suspension
Bill, which suspended the entire cons'itution of Ireland,
wa passe3 he thought the House ought rot to d. lay
this Bill, which Ireland had boon waiting fir at 1 aA,
nine years.
Lord CLAUD HAMILTON said if the Bill were
exsetly the same as that of last year, of course there
would be no objection to going on with it at once, but
he very much doubted whether Government would give
an assurance of that sort. Ile Bill, in fact, was al•
most new from beginning to end, and he
could net consei,t to the proposal of Government until
he had had an opporiun:ty of consulting his constituents

Mr. REYNOLDS was glad to hear the Hon. Member
fir Buckinghamshire ray that he was disposed to look
upon any propo3ition rega7ding the Irish franchise with
some libel aLty-, but he used a phrase which he (Mr.
Reynolds) should wish to have tran,lated, and no one was
better able to do so than the Honourable Member
himself. Ho should be glad to know whee the
Honourable Member meant by artificial franchise."
The Meral;er fir Tyrone asked the House to postpone
this question until the Irish assizes had terminate&
Why, my Lord.—(This novel mode of addressing the
Speaker elicited shouts I f laughter.) I almost regret,
Sir, that you are not a lord.—(ltenewed laughter.)
The Noble Lord the Member for Tyrone (oentinued
Mr. Reynolds) asked the House to put off this
question until tf,er the Irish assizes were over.
He (Mr. Reynolds) wondered the Noble Lord did
not ask the Speaker to adjourn the House for his accom-
rnodatioe.—(Laughter.) The Noble Lord appeared to
forget that on the recent division on the motion of the
Hon. Member f ,r Buckinghamshire, seventy Irish Mem-
bers recorded their votes. Now he (Mr. Re) nolds)
would like to:know at what period cf their Parliamentary
existence, unless there was some great job t, be
carried, there was a greater muster of Irish Members.
—(Rears of laughter.) This Bill, or a; least something
like it, had now been three years be fore the House; and he
hoped his Right Hon. Friend (Sir William Somerville)
would havethe firmness to:_resist.the present application
for postponement.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE would be sorry to do any-
thing to inconvenience Hon. Gentlemen ; but this Bill
had now been before the House for three years—
(Hear, hear)—and he wanted to know what portion of
the Irish Members he was to consult with reference to
this Bill.
Mr. lIERRIES said that there could be no comparison
institute' between this Bill and the Suspension of the
Habeas Corpus Act. Then there was an urgent nem-
sity, bet now there was no such thin,. He thought the
Noble Lord would be misadrited if he attempted to per-
severe in this Bill at present.
Sir G. GREY thought the opinion of the majority f

Irish Members had been already taken on this question.
It had been clearly understood that the Bill should be
brought before the House as on this evening.—(bear
hear.) The Noble Lord and the Hon. Member fur Mon-
surely would not with to postpone it for six weeks, when
it could not possibly be carried up to the House of
Lords.—(Hear, hear.) In this House the principle had
received full consideration, but it had never been before
the Piers, and trusted theref ,re that no further objection
to the discussion would be interposed.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. NAPIER said there were two points in the Bill,
one directing the registration, the other the qualification,
and as the latter part might greatly affect the sects
of Member=, he should have felt it to be his duty to have
moved a postponement of the debate if no other Member
did. This Bill was certainly read during the last year; but
believing that the Government had no serious intention
of then passing it, few Members considered its details;
and he did think it strange that a Bill which was only
read a second time on Friday, should go through Com-
mittee to-night, and thus preclude any Member giving
notice of amendments which might have thcught
necessary. If they went into Committee he should feel
it his duty to propose amendments to nearly every
clause, but ha had had no opportunity of giving the neces-
sary notices.—(Hear.) Ile trusted, as it mattered not
whether the Bill passed now or a month hence, that the
Government would consent to postpone it,—(Cheers.)
Mr. SADLEIR denied that the majority of the Iri:rh
Members were anxious fur delay, and unhesitatingly de-
clared that the vast majority of the Irish people were de-
sirous that there should be no unnecessary delay in re-
ference to the consideration and passing of the measure.
The constituency of Tipperary, although the inhabitants
number, d 500,000, consisted of only 400, and any
attempt at a general election in that county, before the
passing of some measure of this sort, would be attended
with the most disastrous consequences. He hoped,
therefore, Government would push on this Bill without
delay.
Lord JOHN MANNERS con'ended that Ireland
ought to have an opportunity f knowing what the de-
tails of the measure were; and he, for one, must object
to going on with the Bill now. The Noble Lord con-
cluded by moving that the Bill be committed this day
three weeks.
Mr. FOX (Longford) said this Bill was not se new
to the people of Ireland, for all the workhouses in Ireland
had' been ransacked for materials on which to settle the
amount ef the franchise.—(A laugh.) He had no fear
that any injury could be inflicted on the landlord class
in Ireland by the Bill being discussed at once.
Colonel DUNNE objected to the Bill being carried
forward at a time when Irish Members would be absent.
After a few words from Mr. SCULLY and Mr. NAPIER,
Mr. 11. GRATTAN referred to the long list of
Irish legislation for this night, and said it was not
to be expected that they would get through it.
The last, as he said, was the Pa)ment (Ireland) in
_Cur-
rent Coin of the Realm Bill. Lord Morpeth had intro-
duced a Bill for this purpose in 1841, and it had been
all this time under discussion, so that there was no pro-
bability of a speedy conclusion.—(Cries of " Divide,
divide.")
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For the motion

Against it ll5
Majority
Mr. DISRAELI, on our entering the gallery, was ad•
dressing the House. He said he thought the division
which had taken place completely justified the course
which they (the Opposition) had adopted, and he hoped
the Noble Lord would yet consider what appeared
to him to be the propriety of their suggestions. The
Ministers well knew that the great majority of the
Irish Members must :be absent.—("No," and " Hear.")
He nnderstood toat the House was not to go into Com-
mittee on the Bill till after the Circuits.
Lord J. RUSSELL had stated on a previous night
what his intentions were.
Mr. DISRAELI—Yes, in a House that did not cm-
tain eighty Members. He deprecated such a course, and
trusted that the Government would think a little before
they passed this Bill.— (He a 1..)
Lord J. RUSSELL said that this Bill had been before
the House for two sessions, and he did not see
why they should not go into Committee upon it imme-
diately. He was sorry that the Hon. Member should
have state d that it was his intention to obstruct the further
proceeding of the Bill. He had no doubt received his
instructions elsewhere to do so, but let his obstructions
be whatever they might he was determined to proceed
with this Bill, which would have the effect of extending
the fl anchise in Ireland.—(llear, hear.)
After some observations from Mr. Reynolds, Viscount
CaWereagh, and Mr. Golburne, the House then di-
vided upon the motion that the Speaker do now leave
the chair, when there appeared—
For the motion „.
Against it ...
Mbjority...

•••
• ell •• • 193
... ... 93

... - 100

On our admission lo the gallery we found the Souse
in Committee on the Bill, Mr. Berral in the chair.
On the question that the preamble be postponed,
Mr. DISRAELI rose, and was
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

YARMOUTH, FEB. 23.—The Alkmaar, of London, get
on the Scroby Sand to-day, but was assisted off, making
no water.