The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-03 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, .July 2.
The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly bAbre Four
o'clock.
On the motion of Mr. GREENE, Sir William Somer-
ville, Mr. More O'Ferrall, Mr. Archbold, Captain Gore,
Mr. Hans Hamilton, Mr. Alexander Murray, Mr. C.
Goring, Captain Layarl, and Captain Taylor, were added
to the Committee on the Dublin Pipe Water Bill.
SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY.
On the motion of Mr. DARBY, it was order that it
be an instruction to the Committee on group A of Rail-
way Bills to entertain the petition of James Thorpe,
praying to be heard by himself, his counsel, or agents,
against certain parts of the South-Eastern Railway
(Hastings to Ashford) Bill.
LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.
Captain MANGLES moved that the report on the
London and South-Western Railway (No. 1) Metro-
politan Extension Bill be received. The Hon. Member
stated, in r&erence to the observations made by the
Noble Lord opposite (Lord G. Somerset), that the charge
made by the Company of 3d. a ton on coals was reduced
fur 15 miles to 21d., and fur 25 miles to 2d. ; the Com-
pany had also reduced the fares of passengers.
Lord G. SOMERSET would not offer any further op-
position to the Bill, as it appeared to be one that would
afford great accommodation to the public.
The report was received after a few observations from
Mr. HAWES.

STANDING ORDERS.
On the motion of Mr. ESTCOURT, it was ordered
that during the remainder of the session the Select
Committee on Standing Orders have leave to sit and to
proceed to business with a quorum of three Members.
'The [lox. MesinEn also moved that during the re-
maim'er of the session the Committee of Selection
should have leave to sit and to proceed to business with
a quorum of two Members.
Lord G. SOMERSET considered that two Members
were not sufficient fur a quorum.
Mr. WILSON PATTEN believed that nothing but
routine business would have to come before the Com-
mittee, and such being the case he did not see why
the motion should not be agreed to. He should there-
fore support the motion.
Sir G. CLERK thought that two members were tco
small a quorum.
The motion was ultimately withdrawn.
Toe Lords' amendments to the Exeter and Creditcn
Railway Bill were agreed to.
Mr. SIIARMAN CRAWFORD presented a petition
from 1,100 landowners of Roscard, in the county of
Down, against the Landlords and Tenants Bill, and in
favoUr of compensation for improvements. The Hen.
Member also presented a similar petition from Cork.
Mr. 11. BERKELEY presented a petition from Bristol
praying for the abolition of the punishment of death.
The Lords'amendtnents to the Wolverhampton Water-
works Bill were agreed to.
LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.
r The London and South-Western Railway (No. 2)
Bill was read a third time and passed.
SHEFFIELD AND ROTHERHAM RAILWAY.
The Lords' amendments to the Sheffield and Rother-
ham Railway Bill were agreed to.
NOTICES OF MOTION—DISTRESS IN THE
SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD gave notice that, before going
into Committee on the Scotch Poor-law Bill, he should
call the attention of the House to the distressed condi-
tion, and the relief at present administered to the inha-
bitants of Sutherlandshire and other counties in Scotland;
and also, on the motion that the Speaker leave the Chair
on the Commons Inclosure Bill, he should move that the
measure should be considered that day six months.
TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN.
Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL said, that on Friday next
he should move the resolution, of which he had given
notice, relative to the valuation of land belonging to
Trinity College, Dublin.
Captain BERKELEY said, that on the motion th"A't the
Speaker leave the chair in Committee of P,upply
he
should bring forward the resolution
which he ;had
already given notice.
LUNA
On the order of "-ICS BILL.
fte day for bringing np the report of
the Lunatics and Pauper Lunatics Bills,
DUNCOMBE said that he was de-
cl'7,edly 1 opposed to the second reading of this
Bill. He wished the measure under consideration,
and the other measure on the paper also introduced by
the Noble Lord, to be postponed, because they were
much too important to be brought on by a private
Member. He did not see why the House should saddle
the country with additional expenses. He did not think
that six Commissioners, each receiving a salary of 1,5001.
a year, with a retiring pension, were necessary. His
Hon. Friend the Member for Weymouth had moved for a
certain return relative to these expenses, and he thought it
would be necessary that the House should be in posses-
sion of that return before they voted away any more
money. He wished to know whether this was to be con-
sidered a Government Bill, or a Bill brought in by a
private individual. If the latter, he thought it of too
great importance to be left to the care of an Honourable
Member.—(Hear, hear.) The Bill, as it stood,
was liable to objection, because it did not
give that protection to unfortunate persons confined in
private asylums which it ought to do. The Under-
%cie:;retary of State for the Home Department said the
other evening that the Bill must be passed during that
session of Parliament, or the Commission would expire,
but that was not the case. The Commission would not
expire till next session, and where, therefore, he asked,
was the necessity for the hurry of this proceeding? He
said that these expenses ought not to be saddled on the
Consolidated Fund until the return ordered by his Hon.
Friend had been laid on the table. The public had a
right to know how the money had been expended on
former occasions, and were it but produced the House
would find that the Commissioners were not the
extraordinary fine persons they were represented
to be. What did Mr. Perceval say, and he had
ample experience of the system, eleven years ago ?
He was a victim to the private asylum system. He
stated that this Bill would not remedy the evils from
which he and others had suffered. He (Mr. T. Dun-
combe) gave every credit to the Noble Lord the Member
for Dorsetshire for his knowledge of this subject, but he
would rather trust the statements made by individuals like
Mr. Percival, who had had their knowledge founded '‘on
experience. He protested against the indecent haste with
which the measure had been urged forward ; and, under
all the circumstances, he should move that it be read that
day six months.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD seconded the motion.
Lord ASHLEY complained that the Honourable
Member for Finsbury had not reserved the discussion
on the part of the salaries to the Commissioners until
the Bill was in Committee. He could then state to the
Honourable Member for 'Weymouth every de-
tail whioh he might require. The discussion might in
Committee be taken on the clause, but surely it was
most inconvenient then to open up the whole question
when so much time had already been consumed
in its consideration. Should the honourable
Member for Finsbury consent to this course,
he believed he should be able to satisfy the House and
the lion. Member for Finsbury that what he was asking
was no more than what was just—was no more than what
was economical—and no more than what was absolutely
necessary for the exigencies of the case. The provisions
of the Bill he stated so far back as last session, and, on
that occasion, his Right Hon. Friend the Secretary for
the Home Department had prevailed upon him to under-
take the preparation and bringing in of the Bill. The
Right Hon. Gentleman stated that Government would
render him every assistance, if they approved of the
Bill. The measure had now been before Govern-
ment for some time, before the Poor.law Commissioners,
and various other parties, named by the Government,
who had all sanctioned it, and he was now only acting
for and as the mouth-peace of the Government, in pro-
pounding their Bills. He, therefore, entreated the Hon
Member to allow him to go into Committee, when he
had no doubt he should be able to dispel all his objec-
tions to the measure ; also out of kindness to the unfor-
tunate individuals for whose accommodation the pro-
visions of the Bill were intended.
Mr. F. BARING hoped that his Noble Friend would
allow the report to be brought up. That did not bind
the House to enter into any discussion on tho subject.
All that would be required would be to bring up the
resolution and have it read, and then the House could
enter upon the consideration of the whole Bill. He
hoped his Noble Frilnd would not stand on a point of
form.

Mr. MILNER GIBSON briefly supported the motion
of the Hon. Member for Finsbury (Mr. Duncombe).
He could not see any difficulty that would arise from
taking such a course.
r. MANNERS SUTTON suggested that they
should be allowed to proceed with the Bill as far as the
Committee, and that any objections might as well be
made in Committee. He begged that the Hon. Member
would not press his motion.
Mr. V. SMITH was of opinion that any objections
might be urged in Committee.
After a few words from Mr. CARDWELL,
Mr. CHRISTIE said he hoped that, under all the cir-
cumstances, his Honourable Friend would withdraw his
opposition to the further progress of the Bill.
Mr. DUNCOMBE said he would not withdraw his
opposition. He wished the Bill postponed till next ses-
sion, and if this were not done he would divide the
House on every clause. He had a duty to perform to the
unfortunate creatures who were the objects of this Bill,
and he was determined to persevere in his motion of
postponement.
Strangers were ordered to withdraw.
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For Mr. Duncombe's motion
Against it
Majority
—lO2
The report was then received.
PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE.
On the question, that the other orders of the day be
proceeded with,
Mr. DIVETT rose, and said he had to present a pe-
tition of the most important kind as respected the pri-
vileges of that House. It was from a gentleman
named Barrett, formerly a Member of the House,
who stated that last session he was summoned
as witness on the Committee of Inquiry into the Medical
Bill, at which the Hon. and Noble Member for borset-
shire presided. In consequence of the evidence which
he had then given, he was subsequently served with
notice that an action would be brought against him,
and a declaration filed on the 26th of June stated that
was
s for giving false evidence and
the plaintiff. This Mr. Barrett
affirming that he had stated nothing but what
denied,ltihb e e
cause
lin g
character action
of
was in strict conformity with the truth, and
to that avowal he (Mr. Divett), after the most careful
examination into the case, believed was strictly correct.
The petitioner, after complaining of the expense and
inconvenience to which this action would subject him,
prayed the protection of the House against it. He (Mr.
Divett) thought that if they were not prepared to accede
to the prayer of the petition, they would be abrogating