The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-15 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 14.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the
Woolsack at Five o'clock.

The Esrl of HARROWBY presented a petition
against Sunday trading.
The Earl of CLARE presented a petition from some
union in Ireland, praying for aid to discharge their
liabilities.

The Marquis of LONDONDERRY presented a pe-
tition from s ,me place in Durham, praying for a better
observance of the Sabbath.

ABUSES ON BOARD EMIGRANT SHIPS.
The Earl of MOUNTCASHEL gave notice that to-
morrow he would put a question to the Government re-
lative to the statements which had appeared in the morn-
ing papers as to certain gross abuses alleged to have
occurred on board the barque Indian, an emigrant ship,
on her voyage to South Australia.
DOLLY'S BRAE.
_ _ _

The Marquis of LONDONDERRY also wished to
put a question to the Noble Lord on the subject
of the motion of which he had given no-
tice re3peet'ng the Dolly's Brae affair. No dis-
cussion in the House would be productive of good, it
would only be calculated to keep up a feelinz of hitter
hostility in Ireland, more especially when brought forward
by a great party leader in that House. If the Noble
Lord had any practical object in view, such as
moving a vote of censure on the Govern-
ment, it might be feasible to bring it forward.
but if he had no practical object in view, ho
(the Marquis of Londonderry) deprecated the
discussion of the subject. The thing had
gone by, and the proposed discussion could
only produce bad feeling, more especially as there had
been an agitation set on foot in that country for the
reduction of rent. He thought it would be better that
the Noble Lord should withdraw his motion.
Lord STANLEY had understood that the Noble
Marquis had intendel to put a question, but he was at a
loss to discover what the question was which the Noble
Marquis intendei to put. He should in his speech con-
fine himself to the consideration of a great constitutional
question, without at all alluding to the Noble Marquis,
or to his tenants on the subject of rent.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY explained.
IRISH POOR-LAW UNION.
The Earl of LUCAN rose to move for a nominal re-
turn of the poor-law unions in Ireland, where the affairs
have been administered by paid guardians, and stating
the periods of such administration; also, return of the
amount of the debts, claims, and liabilities against
each of these unions, when the administration
by paid guardians commenced and terminated.
Unless some arrangement were made for the payment of
the debts contracted by paid guardians in the distressed
parishes in Ireland, the relief cf the poor would become
impossible. It would be most unfair to impose upon the
elected guardians the payment of the debts contracted
by paid guardians, and he hoped the Noble Marquis
would give him an assurance that such should not be the
case. He hoped that he might be enabled to induce her
Majesty's Government to give their nttention to the
system of vice-guardians in Ireland. No system could
have worked in a worse monier; it enabled three com-
missioners to:send out two vice guardians to any union to
levy rates, without the consent of any elected guardians,
to any amoust. It was a system of tyranny, and of
profusion, and of abuse. There was more extravagance
and jobbing under it than under that of the elective
guardians, while in four instances that he was acquainted
with the destitution had not decreased to the same ex-
tent as under the other. The Noble Earl then com-
plaineu that Parliament had now been sitting fourteen
days without any discussion having taken place upon the
estreme destitution of Ireland, and as yet he perceived
nu reason whatever for thinking that the Government
had any measure in contemplation upon the subjest.—
(Hear, bear.) He said, and he would defy contradic-
tion, that there never was a period in the history of Ire-
land—he might almost say in the history of any coun-
try in the world—in which more misery, more universal
poverty, more destitution, or more suffering had been
experienced than was endured in that unhappy pro-
vince with which he was connected.—(Hear.) There
was scarcely a magistrate upon the bench who mignt
be said to be in independent circumstances. In point
of property there were few persons who were compe-.
tent to servo as jurors. And he knew consider-
able breadths of land in that province which would
not support a four-footed animal, and which lay quite
barren and waste. Was there any cause for congratula-
tion in this? Was there any cause for hope? In such
a state of things, could they see any encouragement to
persons to embark their capital in the improvement of
the lands of Ireland? He did not wish to enter into a
free-trade debate upon that occasion; but he could not
help saying it was clear to him that, so far as the west
of Ireland was concerned, with free-trade there could be
no prospect of improvement.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble
Earl then alluded to the administration of the poor-law
in Ireland. He assured the House that where there had
been a disposition evinced to obstruct the carrying out
of the law, it was not by the magistrates; and he was
understood to suggest that where a board of guardians
showed any inclination to rebel —that was, not to conform
to the law—they should be superseded by two vice-
guardiaas, and two magistrates elected by their brother
magistrates. It was also necessary that the area of
taxation should be altered. At present it was in most
instances too large, and had been so admitted by the
Commissioners, but they had never acted upon their own
reports. The Noble Earl then proposed his motion.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said be had paid
considerable attention to what the Noble Earl had said,,
and had no objection to the production of the papers he
had moved for, but the rapers which would elucidate the
whole state of the poor-law as it was now administered
in Ireland would in a few (lays be laid before the House,
a id the Noble Earl would therefore agree with him, that
this was not the moment, in the absence of the details, to
give consideration to the subject. He should, therefore,
content himself by saying that he was far from disagree-
ing with the Noble Earl in some of the observations he
had made; but he could not concur with him in what
he considered so unusual and exceptional a course as
that of administering the law in the manner he had
suggested. He would not go the length of saying
that the returns would be perfectly satisfactory to
their Lordships, but this he would say, that they
would bo satisfactory as exhibiting throughout
Ireland an immense diminution of out-door relief. They
were sufficient to enable him to form a conclusion by
which it appeared that the expense of administering the
poor-law in Ireland, brought down to the month of Ja-
nuary, had diminished considerably more than one-third
—he believed in the proportion of 170,000 L to 100,0001.
That this was the case was very mainly owing. so far as
concerned the district with which the Noble Earl was
connected, to the great, persevering, and most laudable
exertions of the Noble Earl himself. He would now
suggest to the Noble Earl that he should alter the terms
of his motion so as to include the papers which he pro-
posed to lay before the House.
The motion having been altered accordingly was then
put and agreed to.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid upon the table a
copy of the Commission to inquire into the state of
Smithfield-market, and other papers, by command of her
Majesty, and
Their Lordships a3journed.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 14.
The SPEAKER took the Chair a few minutes before
Four o'clock.
BRIGHTON PAVILION BILL.
a petition from the
inhabitants
tanß.
ts of Brighton,
npurmeseernotuesdly
signed,
in favour of
the Brighton Pavilion Bill.
ABERDEEN RAILWAY BILL.
Captain FORDYCE moved that it be an instruction
to the Committee t 9 which the Aberdeen Railway Bill
dividing the Bill into
may be referred, that they have leave to divide the said
Bill into two Bills, if they shall think fit.
Mr. EDWARD
eE objfeocrtedi to the motion on
the ground
two Bills would entail unnecessary and grievous expense
t that
the proposition
on the inhabitants.
Captain FORDYCE agreed to withdraw.his motion,
not having anticipated any opposition to it.
Eri Li
PRIVATE BILLS.

o
The following Bills were read a second time and or-
dered to be committed:—
ImprovementßraignhdtGonrounds,and Amendment
(Purchase
of
existing Acts) Bill. Royal Pavillion
Liverpool Docks Bill.
On the motion of Mr. COWAN the second reading of
the Glasgow, Airdrie, and Monklands Junction Railway
and Glasgow College Lands Bill was postponed until
after Easter.

SUNDAY LABOUR IN THE POST-OFFICE.
Sir JAMES DUKE presented a petition from a place
in Kincardineshire praying for a cessation of Sunday
labour in the Post-office; also a petition from a person
named James, employed in the Post-office, to the same
effect, and suggesting some improvements in that estab-
lishment; also a petition from a person named Samuel
Gordon, of Dublin, praying that the House would invest
a portion of the national capital in the Irish Encumbered
Estates Commission.
ATTORNEYS' CERTIFICATE DUTY.
An HON. MEMBER presented a petition from Arundel
praying for a remission of the stamp duty on attorneys'
certificates.

SUNDAY LABOUR IN THE POST-OFFICE.
Mr. EWART presented; petitions from Lichfield,
Reading, Yarmouth, and other
places, praying for a
cessation of Sunday labour in the Post-office.
Mr. COWAN presented similar petitions from Perth
and several places in Edinburghshire.
Mr. PLUMPTRE presented a similar petition from
Ramsgate.

Mr. E. B. DENISON presented several petitions from
places in the West Riding of Yorkshire to the same effect.

COUNTY COURTS.
Colonel SIBTHORP presented a petition from Lin-
coln praying for an extension of the jurisdiction of
Comity Courts.

ADVERTISEMENT DUTY.
Mr. MILNER GIBSON presented a petition from
Mr. Joseph Alfred Novell°, the publisher of the Musical
Times, complaining of the advertisement duty.

COUNTY FINANCIAL BOARDS.
Mr. BROTHERTON presented petitions from places
in Lancashire praying for the establishment of county
financial boards.

Colonel THOMPSON also presented petitions to the
same effect from certain other places in Lancashire.
SUNDAY LABOUR IN THE POST-OFPICE.
Sir EDWARD BUXTON presented a petition from
a place in Suffolk, praying for a cessation. of Sunday
labour in the Post-office.
Mr. HENLEY presented a petition from a place in
Oxfordshire to the same effect.
NATIONAL LAND SOCIETY.
Mr. HENLEY presented a petition from a place in
Oxfordshire, praying the Hottie to institute inquiries
int) a society called the National Land Society, and to i
adjust the affairs of that society in the best manner
which the "ben might thick fit.

FRIDAY EVENING,

SUNDAY LABOUR.
Mr. PORTAL and Mr. FORBES presented petitions
agaiust the trans•nission of letters on Sunday.
ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION.

Mr. lIORSMAN gave notice that on—Wl; day fort-
night he should move fJr a Committee to inquire into
the circumstances relating to the dismissal of the late
Secretary to the Ecclesiastical Commission.

TENURE OF LAND (IRELAND) BILL.
Mr. SADLEIR gave notice that on this day fort-
night he should move for a Committee to inquire into
the grievances connected with the present tenure of land
in Ireland.

Mr. HUME gave notice that he should postpone the
motion which staod in his name on the paper until this
day fortnight.

COPYHOLDS.
Mr. AGLIONBY gave notice that on this day fort-
night he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to effect
the compulsory enfranchisement of copyholds.
EVICTIONS IN IRELAND.
Mr. P. SCROPE gave notice that to-morrow he
would put a question to the Secretary for Ireland relative
to the inquests which had been held in the poor-law
unions in the west of Ireland, and in which verdicts of
dealt from want had been recorded.
THE OFFICE OF LORD-LIEUTENANT IN
IRELAND.

Mr. HUME postponed his motion for an ad-
dress to her Majesty, praying her Ma-
jesty to inquire into the expediency of maintaining
the office of Lord-Lieutenant in Ireland.
SEWERS.

Mr. lIITME moved for a return showing the financial
state of each district of sewers within the present juris-
diction; the amount of rates that were uncollected; the
amount of balance in hand (if any), also debts and lia-
bilities (if sny) on each district, at the time they were
superseded by the Act 11 and 12 Vic., c. 112, intituled the
" Metropolitan Sewers Act:" and, account of all rates
made since that period; showing the rental, the amount
of rate, and at what rate; also, the amount received from
rates, contributions, and other sources, and how the
same has been expended, under distinct and separate
heads of works, establishment, contingent expenses, &c.,
up to the 31st day of December 1849, stating the titles
of the several Acts of Parliament under which the Com.
missioners act.—A creed to.
GUARDS OF HONOUR AND ESCORTS.

Major BLACKALL moved for returns of the names
of all officers serving in Ireland during the late visit of
her Majesty to that country, who were employed either
in tiring salut-s or upon guards of honour and escorts
in attendance upen her Majesty, their rank, period of ser-
vice in each rank respectively; distinguishing the number
of years employed on home or foreign service, awl the
number of years upon full or half-pay; and of the names
of all officers who received promotion by brevet on the
occasion of her Majesty's late visit to Ireland, their
rank, period of rervice in each rank respectively, dis-
tinguishing the number of years employed on home or
foreign service, and the number of years upon full and
half-pay.—Agreed to.
ARMY PENSIONERS.
Lord DUNCAN presented a petition from out-pen-
sioners of Chelsea Hospital, residing at Bath, praying
that the deductions which hal been made in their pay,
owing to the Bill passel by the Secretary at War in
1847, might be returned to them.
COURTS OF LAW AND EQUITY.
Mr. HENLEY asked the Hon. Memner for Kilmar-
nock whether it was his intention to move this session
for a renewal of the Committee on courts of law and
equity.
Mr. BOUVERIE said it was not his present intention
to more for that Committee, but he thought it desirable
that it should be re-appointed.
ECCLESIASTICAL REVENUES.
Mr. SPOONER asked the Secretary for the Home
Department when the evidence taken on ecclesiatical
revenues would be laid on the table of the House.
Sir G. GREY said he had only just got the report,
which had been laid upon the table, and he would make
inquiry about the evidence.
KILRUSH UNION.
Mr: MONSELL begged to ask the Secretary for
Ireland a question respecting the Kilrush Union.
He had received accounts from Kilrush, stating
that the number of deaths in November, 1849, was
fifteen, and in the month of February the
number had increased to 150. He begged to ask whe-
ther out-door relief was stopped at two separate Farts of
the union, and whether the accounts of the deaths iu the
union to which he had referred were correct?
Sir WM. SOMERVILLE thought his Honourable
Friend could best obtain the information he wanted
by asking for papers. He (Sir William Somerville)
thought it best to give no srecific answers to his
Honourable Friend's questions, lest those answers
might not prove correct. The situation of the unfor-
tunate union of Kilrush was notorious. It was un-
doubtedly true, that the mortality in the union had
greatly increased within the last few weeks ; but such
an occurrence was not an unusual one, and it would be
impossible fur him to say to what that increase in the
deaths was owing.
POOR-LAW RETURNS.
Mr. DISRAELI gave notice that to-morrow he should
ask a question of the President of the Poor-law Board as
to when the returns would be made.
WALTHAM FOREST.
In answer to a question from Lord DUNCAN,
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he had just received a
letter by which he was informed that the report of
the Commissioners of the Waltham Forest would be in
the hands of the Lords of the Treasury.
MEDICAL OFFICERS—ORDER OF THE BATH.
Sir DE LACY EVANS rose to ask the First Lord
of the Treasury the result of the consideration of Go-
vornmer,t, promised during last session, respecting the
conferring of the Military class of the Order of the Bath
on medical officers, who may have been present, and
proved deserving in important naval and military ac-
tions ?
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that the question had
been for some time under the consideration of the Com-
mander-in-Chief, and he had made up his mind on the
subject ; but it was necessary that his recommendations
should be reconsidered by the Governmeat Wore they
were published.

ELECTORAL DIVISIONS (IRELAND).
In answer to a question from Mr. HERBERT,
Sir WM. SONIERVILLE said that there certainly
were causes which rendered it necessary that there
should be some delay in the formation of some of the
electoral divisions in Ireland.
PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS.
Mr. E WART then moved for leave to bring in a Bill
fir enabling town-councils to establish public libraries
and museums. No country, he said, was so inadequately
provided with public libraries as our own, and in this
assertion he was supported by the unanimous resolution of
the Select Committee which was appointed last year, every
Member cf which agreed in the propriety of the
motion he was about to submit to fee House. London
was the only groat capital in Europe which had not the
advantage cf public libraries, and this eircurns'aece had
been complained of as long ago as the days of Gibbon.
Since then the British Museum had been established,
which certainly had conferred great advantages upon
the people, both in the metropolis and the country, but
still London was deficient in those sources of informa-
tion and instruction which were given to the people by
means of public libraries in the capitals of Pais,
Dresden, and Florence. On the continent the rule
of aecessibility to these institutions was universal,
and all who had travelled through continental cities
knew that they could resort to them unquestioned and
with perfect ease. Our chief manufacturing towns, such
as Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Sheffield, were
in the same unfortunate condition, and for the want of
the luxury of public libraries, to which all could
resort, the literature of this country bad greatly suffered.
If the people were supplied with public libraries they
might depend upon the people educating themselveo.
He was ashamed, and yet happy, to say that America
had made far greater progress than we had done, for
every state had a public library which was sup-
ported by the state, and was easily accessible.
His Hon. Friend, the Member for Manchester, when
he brought forward his motion on the subject, woald
enunciate the advantages which resulted to the United
States from their liberation of the taxes upon knowledge,
and the immense advantages which the Americans
enjoyed through having a ready access to public
libraries. For these reasons he was instructed
by the Committee to take the liberty of introducing this
Bill to the consideration of the House, and the House
had a right, therefore, to expect feom him an explicit
statement of its provisions. A few years ago he and.
his Honourable Friend tho Member fur Pon-
tefract, at the request of a considerable num-
ber of persons, introduced a Bill enabling town
councils to establish museums, which was carried
under Sir Robert Peel's Administration, and hal since
given considerable satisfaction. Now he thought it better
that that Bill should be consolidated with this (the lis
braries) Bill, thus enabling town councils to establish
libraries and museums together. In point of fact, he
proposed to begin, as it were, de novo. The Museum
Bill empowered town councils to raise a rate not exceed,

ing a halfpenny in the pound, which should be ipplied
to establishing museums, and in this Bill he adopted that
provision. In the next place, it enabled town councils
to purchase land for libraries and museums, and vested
tho property of such buildings in themselves. The kfu-
seums Bill restricted the power of establishing
museums to towns and boroughs whose in-
habitants exceeded 10,000, but the committee thought
it better to throw the power open to all towns; and ac
cordingly the Bill did so. In the next place the
Museums Bill enabled torn Councils to levy Id. upon
each person who was admitted to the museum; but as
that provision acted as an impediment to the carrying out
of the plan, it was proposed by this Bill to repeal it; and
and allow the public to be admitted gratuitously both to
the museum and the library, The,. was strictly the
nature of the Bill he had ncre the honour of laying be-
fore the House. It did not give town councils any
power of purchasing books, because it was thought bet-
ter to leave the books to be supplied by donations
and such like means. He might be asked who the
people were the Bill professed to benefit? Well, and a
very r.eoper question that would be. His answer to it
wa.; simply this, namely, the 13i11 has been anticipated
by many towns. In some places they had anticipated
the law, and established libraries as well as mu-
seums. In Warrington a public library bad been
established for some time, and he was told
that it had succeded exceedingly well. He held in his
hand the last report of the managing conimiCe^, which
represented it to be in a very fliurishing condition.
Then, again, last year a similar institution was
established in Salford, and although it had not
-neon in operation six months it contained
upwards cf 5,000 volumes, which had been
presented to it,while from Birmingham and Sheffield de-
pwations had ben sent up to r sit uport Govarnwnt.
and urge them to lupp:nt th, IT, Ireland it was
also desire;', and if he had time he could multiply in-
stances where attempts had been made to anticipate this
measure, but he felt he bad Adjd enough to la% -