The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-09 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS, Augtmt 8.

_
The House met at Three o'clock.
Mr. MACAULAY presented a petition from Leeda„
very numerously and respectably signed, stating that
Christianity and civilisation were introduced into Ota-
heite by English missionaries, and praying the House
to adopt measures to prevent French aggression there.
Mr. B. COCHRANE presented a petition from Loll
Dundonald, stating that he had a few years ago disco-
•ered a method for assailing and destroying hostile fleets,
and praying that if any premium were allowed for the
best method of effecting that result he might be allowed
to compete for it.
Mr. VYSE presented petitions from various places
in Ireland,. praying for an inquiry into the State trials.
Dr. BOWRING gave notice that he would, next ses-
sion, move for an inquiry into the Colonial accounts,
with a view of making an improvement in them. •
LORD ELIOT AND THE PROTESTANT

CLERGY.
Mr. SHELL said he would take that opportunity of
correcting a mis-statement which he had fallen into the
other night in speaking upon the motion made by his
Hon. Friend, with regard to the Education Board in
Ireland. He had stated that the Noble Lord, the Secre-
tary for Ireland, hnd a few years ago imputed the con-
duct of the Protestant clergy in reference to the system
of national education to factious motives. On looking
to the report of the Noble Lord's speech in the various
newspapers, he found that he was incorrect. He
thought it right, of his own accord, to correct the
error he had fallen into, and he felt much pleasure in
making this reparation to the Noble Lord for the error,
which he regretted he had made.—(Hear, hear.)
Lord ELIOT thanked the Right Hon. Gentleman for
the explanation he had given. He would take that op-
portunity of reading to the House a letter which he had
received in reference to an individual whose conduct was
canvassed in the same debate. (The Noble Lord
then read the letter, which stated that the writer
saw with surprise, in the Morning Chronicle, the report
of a speech made by Mr. M. J. O'Connel relative to the
Bishop of Cashel, who was stated to have told a Protes-
tant gentleman not to employ Roman Catholics.) Such a
statement was wholly without foundation.
MERCHANT SEAMEN'S BILL.
i ttil w l
a )
str a NmD moat
unfair
nf wasair opposed
Mr. SYDNEY HERBERT moved that the Lords'
thing amendments to the Merchant Seamen's Bill be agreed to.
otsoepdretsos
forward
aßrdilal alto
getAhderm. Admiral
mea-
sure of this nature at this late period of the session, whi n
the seaman had had no opportunity of expressing their
opinions on the subject. They would, in the course of
next
session, have the table covered with petitions pray-
ing for a repeal of the measure.
Mr. SYDNEY HERBERT said that the Bill had
been well considered, and so far from the mi relents or
seamen being displeased with the measure, he had re-
ceived several letters expressing their approval of it, and
thanking the Government for having introduced it.
Captain PECHELL, although he admitted that much
misapprehension existed regarding this measure, thought
it was most unreasonable to press it forward at the pre-
sent time. It was impossible to discuss it properly, or
to ascertain the opinions of seamen and shipowners
respecting it. It was very well for lion. Gentlemen op-
posite to say that the interests of landlords and that of
agricultural labourers were identical—that fallacy had
been pretty well exposed by his Hon. Friend below him;
but the agricultural labourers were now beginning to be
awake to their own interests, and to discover that their
interests were concerned in having bread cheap,—(Hear,
hear.) So the seamen were well aware that their in-
terests were not identical with the interests of the ship-
owners. The House of Lords, by one of their amend-
ments, had reduced the amount of remuneration to be
awarded to seamen for loss of their provisions from one
shilling to eightpence, thus depriving the seamen of
fourpence. This he apprehended was interfering with
a money clause, and was an amendment which the Lords
had no right to introduce. He should wish the. Speaker
to settle that point. The hasty manner in which
this measuro was pressed forward waq calculated