The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-18 00:00:00

ART-UNIONS.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition from
the Art-Union of London, praying that the Art-Unions of the
country might be legalised.
IRISH POOR-LAW.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE then rose, pursuant to
no•ice, to present a petition respecting the stable of the Eden-
derry Workhouse, in Ireland. The prayer of the petition was
merely for inquiry, in order to prevent a recurrence of such
conduct in future on the part of the Commissioners. This
was a matter of vast import, because the law, as
it now stood, was most unpopular amongst all par-
ties, with the exception, perhaps, of some few amongst the
higher classes. It was perfectly impossible, if they wanted to
maintain peace in Ireland, that this law could be continued.
In the newspapers of that day were detailed the circumstances
of an affray caused by the collection of poor•rates, when the
highest amount due was only Is. This measure had been car-
vied completely against the will of the greater number of the
Irish Members, and therefore must have been ill-suited to the

condition of the country.
The Duke of WELLINGTON agreed that this was a sub-
ject of great. importance. The report of the Commission ap-
pointed to inquire into the subject would be laid upon the
table in a very short time, when their Lordships would have
better inforrriation. Ile was ready to do every thing in his
power to insure the beneficial operation of the poor-law in
Ireland.
The Earl of POWIS presented petitions against the union
of the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor, and in favour of the
establishment of a bishopric in Manchester. The Noble Earl
Face notice that he should subasit a motion on the subject on
forsdav, 11th June.
The bishop of EXETER presenied a petition from certain
persons praying their Lordships to take into their consideration
the state of .ae common women of the metropolis. The peti-
tioners were the members of certain societies for the recla-
mation of unfortunate women. The petitioners stated that
seduction was carried on to an enormous extent in the metro-
polis, and many thousands of houses had been established
for the purpose of facilitating that vice ; and the petitioners
prayed the House to take some measures for putting a stop to
so horrible a system as that which at present prevailed in the
metropolis for the seduction of innocent young females. The
Right Rev. Prelate laid on the table of the house a Bill for the
purpose of the more effectual suppression of brothels, and the
suppression of trading in prostitution.
Ihe Bill, after a few words from the Earl of MOUNT-
CASIIEL, was read a first time.
NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.

Lord WHARNCLIFFE then rose to call the attention of
their Lordships to the present state of the new Houses of Par-
liament. He said it had become necessary to bring the sub-
ject under the consideration of the House, inasmuch as very
extensive alterations had been made by Mr. Barry in the plans
as originally laid down—these alterations having been made

without the concurrence of the Committee which had
been appointed to watch the progress of the new
buildings. The alterations he would shortly describe to
their Lordships. In the original plan it was proposed
that her Majesty when going to the House of Parliament
should enter the new Houses by the western door of what was
called the Victoria Tower, and she would then proceed along
a staircase into her robing-room immediately behind the throne
in the new House of Lords, and after robing she would pro-
aced at once into the House of Lords. The alteration which had
heen made by Mr. Barry was, that the Queen should enter the
Victoria Tower at the east door, proceed along a passage up a
staircase, and crossing a yard to the robing- room. From the
robing-room she would pass into the House of Lords by way of a
passage to be called the Victoria passage. Now, Mr. Barry
Lad no authority whatever for making those alterations, and
certainly was not justified according to his own account in
making them. Ile (Lord Wharncliffe) protested against its
being urged that these alterations were mere matters of taste.
They were no such thing, and he could not discover that they
were alterations of convenience, or that sufficient benefit would
be derived from them to justify the outlay of money, which
they would require. Ile moved that the matter be referred to
a Committee of the Board of Works.
Lord SUDELEY said he was one of the Commissioners
who were appointed to decide upon the plans which were ori-
ginally sent in for the construction of the new Houses of Par-
liament. There were ninety-seven competitors, and the num-
ber of plans submitted was upwards of 1,100. The task of
the Commissioners, therefore, was not a light one. The Com-
missioners came to the determination of deciding in favour of
the plan of Mr. Barry, and in coming bo that conclusion the
Commissioners fully understcod that, in carrying out the plan,
Mr. Barry would, from time to time, make various alterations
in the,details of his plans ; but they believed that ho would not
do so without the concurrence of the Government. He differed
very much from the opinion of the Noble Lord opposite that
these alterations were not matters of taste.
Lord %V II ARNCLIFFE—The Home of Lords is not the
proper place to discuss a question of taste ; but 1 have no taste
upon this subject at all.
Lord SUDELEY hoped then that their Lordships would
norattach much weight to the observations of the Noble
Lord upon this subject.—(Laugh ter. ) The Noble Lord then
proceeded to show that the alteration which had been made in
the Victoria Tower had arisen from the mode in which Dr.
Reid had determined upon carrying his apparatus for ventilat-
ing the new building into the rew Houses of Parliament. He
contended that the plans ought to have been definitively settled
eight years ago, and ought not, as in point of fact was the case,
to have been postponed until the present day, and they were
not settled yet. Although he had great confidence in Mr.
Barry, yet he never would have consented to allow him to
make any alteration he pleased without first consulting the Go-
vernment, and he trusted that in future the Government would
not allow any alteration to be made without their express ap-
proval.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE thought it would be most
inconvenient to go into a general discussion on the subject ; but
what he wished to say was, that he entirely concurred in the
observations which bad fallen from the Noble President of the
Council (Lord Wharncliffe). Ho had no doubt that the al
terations which had taken place in the Victoria Tower, had been
made at the instance of Dr. Reid, in order that he might the
more easily erect his apparatus for the ventilation of the new
Houses pf Parliainent.
Lord ' BROUGHAM expressed a hope that Mr. Barry
would, in future, make no changes without first consulting the
Government. He must protest against Mr. Barry's conti-
nually fighting with the Committee on the subject of delay.
No doubt Mr. Barry, like all other artists, wished to make a
display by having the whole of the new building opened at the
same time. He (Lord Brougham) however trusted that the
Government would not allow this, but compel Mr. Barry to
stick to hie implied bargain of opening the House of Lords
next session.
The Marquis of CL A N RIC A RDE expressed a similar hope.
Lord COLBORNE did not think it was politic to take the
rletslZsib_i)ity of any changes off the shoulders of Mr. Barry.
• Barry was to carry this great work to completion it
was absolutely necessary that they should place confidence
in him.
After a few words from the Earl of BESBOROUGH, and the
Marquis of NonstAN BY, the motion was agreed to.
The Courts of Common Law Bills, were read a third time
and passed.
Their Lordships then adjourned at Eight o'Clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS,
Bridge Bill was
iIIY 17.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
The Westminster and Lambeth Suspension
read a second time, and ordered to be committed.
Mr. BROTH ERTON presented a petition from Salford
against certain clauses of the Poor-law Amendment Bill ; also
a petition in favour of the Dissenters Chapels 13111.
Petitions in favour of the Dissenters' Chapels 13111 were pre-
sented by Dr. Bowring from Bolton; Mr. Pusey and Sir
George Grey from Devonshire ; Lord Robert Grosvenor from
Chester ; and the Solicitor-General from places in Ireland.
Petitions were presented against the Bill by Colonel Con-
nolly from Donegal, Mr. Plumptre from Durham, and Mr.
Heathcoat from Tiverton.
Mr. M. O'CONNELL presented a number of petitions
against the Irish Registration Bill.
Lord DUNCAN presented a petition from Bath, praying
that the practice of granting Post-office money orders on the
Lord's Day may be abolished.
Sir R. ft. INGLIS presented a petition against the union
of the secs of Asaph and Bangor, and in favour of the esta-
blishment of a Bishopric of Manchester.
Lord CHARLES MANNERS presented a petition from
several solicitors residing in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire,
against certain clauses in the Ecclesiastical Courts Bill.
Mr. FERRAND presented a petition from the Welsh Cal-
. 'liinisite Itellsodists resitlent in London, against the Dissenters'
4.,..k,,,,:wx Ctripels Bill.
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Captain PECHELL presented a petition from an Unitarian
congregation in Brighton, and from several other Dissenting
congregations of the town, in favour of the Dissenters' Chapels
Bill.
Mr. PATTISON presented two petitions to the same effect.
Lord POL LIN G TON presented a similar petition.
Mr. HUME presented a petition from a Dissenting congre-
gation in Warwickshire, against certain clauses in the Dissen-
ters' Chapels Bill.
Mr. C. BERKELEY presented a petition from Cheltenham,
in favour of the Bill.

Mr. HINDLEY presented a petition against it.
Sir G. STRICKLAND presented a petition from members
of the Established Church at Preston, in favour of the Dis-
senters' Chapels Bill: also a petition from the Roman Catholics
of the same place to the same effect.
Mr. BARNARD presented a petition from the Vauxhall
Bridge Company, against the Lambeth Suspension Bridge Bill.
PULTENEY TOWN HARBOUR BILL.
On the motion of Mr. GREENE, the Pulteney Town
Harbour and Improvement Bill was ordered to be re-com-
mitted to the former Committee.
Mr. ESCOURT brought up the report of the Standing
Orders Committee on the Great Southern and Western Rail-
way (Ireland) Bill.
Mr. WYSE presented a petition from Kilkenny, praying for
the suspension of the Standing Orders in reference to the
Great Southern and Western Railway (Ireland) Bill.
Petitions in favour of the Dissenters' Chapels Bill were pre-
sented by Mr. Ward f►om Sheffield, Lord A. Lennox from
Chichester, Mr. V. Smith from Northampton, Mr. Labou-
chere from Taunton, and Mr. C. Wood from Halifax.
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented petitions in favour of the
Disenters' Chapels Bill, from the Protestant Dissenters of the
New Meeting-house at Birmingham ; from the Protestant Dis-
senters of the Old Meeting-house ; from the officers and
teachers of the Dissenters' Sunday-school, and of the adult
pupils of the same at the Old Meeting-house ; also one from
the descendants, relatives, and friends of persons who have
been interred in the burial-ground attached to the Old Meet-
ing-house.
Lord JOHN RUSSFLL presented a petition from Devon-
shire in favour of the Dissenters' Chapels Bill.
Lord WORSLEY presented several petitions from Lincoln,.
shire in favour of the Dissenters' Chapels Bill.
Mr. RUSHBROOKE presented a petition from Suffolk in
favour of severer punishment for the crime of arson.
Sir J. HANDER presented two petitions in favour of the
Dissenters' Chapels Bill.
NOTICES OF MOTION.

Mr. HUME gave notice that, when the Savings' Banks
Bill should be brought before the House, he should move a
clause, repealing the section of the 9th George IV., cap. 19,
which allowed the Minister el the day to deal with moneys de-
posited in Savings' Banks in the purchase of Government
securities.

Mr. 11. BERKELEY gave notice that, when the Inclosure
Bill should be in Committee, he would move to expunge
clause 86.

IMPORTATION OF BOOTS AND SHOES.

Mr. H. BERKELEY moved for a return of the number of
boots and shoes imported during the years ending Jan. 5,1840,
to Jan. 5, 1844, stating the amount of duty paid thereon.—
Agreed to.