The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-02 00:00:00

NORTHAMPTON GAOL.

Lord LILFORD asked a question respecting certain
returns affecting this gaol.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE said that thi return was
made to ascertain some irregularities alleged to have
taken place in the gaol.
POST-OFFICE REGULATIONS—THE MAILS.
Earl FORTESCUE presented a petition from Tiver-
ton (of which be had given notice), complaining of the
conversion of stage-coaches into mail-coaches, whereby
the turnpike dues were evaded.
The Earl of LONSDALE said that the grievance
complained of had been occasioned by the inhabitants of
Tiverton requiring two deliveries daily instead of one.
OTAHEITE.

The Marquis of CLANRICAHDE said that after
what occurred in the other House last night on the sub-
ject of the late aggressions of the French Admiral in
Otaheite, it was almost superfluous for him to ask, whe-
ther her Majesty's Government were able to inform the
House that the statements which had recently
appeared in the public prints were true ?
Lord ABERDEEN said—lt is perfectly true that
an outrage has been committed upon the person of a
British subject—(Hear, hear)—but it •is also perfectly
true that it has taken place without the possible know=
ledge of the French Government, and under a state of
things which has been disavowed by that Government.
In September last the Queen was dethroned, and the
French Admiral, Dupetit Thouars, took possession of
the Island, and exercised sovereignty there. Immedi-
ately after that act was known in Europe, the French
Government disavowed it.--(Hear, hear.) But since that
time a state of things arose, which may account for
many acts, which could not be accounted for under

a mare regular and lawful state of affairs.—(Hear, hear.)
When the French Admiral took possession of the island,
the gentleman, who held the office of Consul of Great
Britain, hauled down his flag, and gave to the French
authorities an official announcement that he was no

longer Consul there, the Queen having been dethroned
—(Hear, hear)—so that in point of fact Mr. Prichard
was not regarded as having an official character. Ido
not mean to say, my Lords, that any such arbitrary pro-
ceedings as have been taken against that gentleman
could be justified.—(Hear, hear.) I have said before,
that all this must have taken place without the slightest
encouragement or even knowledge on the part of the
French Government. I believe this will be a godsend to
the enemies of peace between the countries; and it will
be turned by them to a good account.—(Hear, hear.)
But, my Lords, I have every reason to believe that by
the exercise of a spirit of justice and moderation, this
unfortunate affair will not lead to serious consequences.
—(Hear, hear.) He had reason to believe that the
French Government would take the same view of the
matter that he did.—(Hear, hear.)
Lord MINTO said that nothing could be more
satisfactory than the statement of the Noble Earl, and it
conld scarcely be supposed that these acts of aggression
had taken place with the cognisance of the French Go-
vernment. But he wished to ask what her Majesty's
Government had done, with respect to the means of pro-
tection to British subjects in the South Seas ?
Lord ABERDEEN said that )taheite had not
been without a ship of war since the first occupation of
the island, until everything appeared to be settled, and
the affairs of the island to be going on quietly. Other
ships had recently been sent out.
Lord KINNAIRD considered the English Govern-
ment very much to blame for allowing the French to
take possession of Otaheite. The island might very
reasonably have been placed under the protectorate of
England and America.

The Earl of ABERDEEN said that the protectorate
of the island had been repeatedly offered to England, and
refused. He believed that at this very moment Queen
Pornare was restored to full power.
_ . _

thILoWuAsTYE mSBo
IviaedL
The Earl of DARthe order for the
Committee on the Railways Bill, which had passed the
House of Commons, and was read a first and second
time in this House. The Noble Lord went at great
length into a review of the. details of the Bill, and of the
discussions which had taken place in the House of Com-
mons. The principal objection which he had heard
against the Bill was, that it was novel and unjust to fix
a maximum of profits to any commercial undertaking.
But there was nothing new in that enactment. In the
acts of incorporation of water companies and gas com-
panies a condition was introduced to limit the profit, by
which the public were protected against monopoly—the
publicwere in fact great gainers, and tho speculators lost
nothing. With respect to the travelling of the poorer
classes, it was provided that, at least once in every day, and
at reasonable times, a train should start, for the convey-
ance of the poorer classes, at a rate of not more than one
penny a mile, with suitable seats, and adequate covering
and protection from the weather.— (Hear hear.) The did not extend to existing railways, but it was pro-
vided that whenever the existing companies came before
Parliament for an alteration of their Acts, this clause
should be inserted.—(Hear, hear.)
The Bishop of LICHFIELD gave notice for the
Bishop of London, who was unavoidably absent, that the
Right Rev. Metropolitan would (on the third reading)
move an amendment to prevent the travelling by third-
class carriages, on railroads, on Sundays, Good Friday,
and Christmas-day.
The House then went into Committee on the Bill,
the clauses of which were read seriatim.
The House resumed, the report was received, and the
Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow.
METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS BILL.
The report of the Committee on the Metropolitan
Buildings Bill was received, after a short discussion, in
which the Duke of Buccleugh and Lord Cottenhyn
took part.
_ _

BILL.
On the orderCOURTS of the day for the IRELAND
third reading of
this Bill,
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that he still
held the objection which he had before avowed to
the transferring of the appointment of the officers
of the courts of common law, from the judges of the
courts to the Lord Lieutenant. The appointment of
these officers, prothonotaries, and registrars and clerks,
was in this country vested in the chief justices and
the barons of the courts,- and he did not see why it
should not be so in Ireland. He did not know why Ire-
land should be put upon a different footing from Eng-
land.--(Very remarkable cheering.) " For my part,"
said the Noble and Learned Lord, " I cannot conceive
anything more unwise—anything more mischievous—
than a law which would place the people of Ireland in a
more disadvantageous position, as regards the adminis-
tration of the law, than the people of England.—(Hear,
hear.) I shall oppose this clause. I shall support the
amendment of my Nt ble and Learned Friend that it be
omitted."—(Hear, hear.)
Lord CAMPBELL entirely concurred with the Lord
Chancellor, and was much gratified to hear his Noble
Friend (Earl Forteseue), who had been Lord Lieutenant

of Ireland, cheer that excellent speech.—(Hear, hear.)
He (Lord Campbell) would more, according to notice,
that the appointment should be in 'the Chief Justices of
the courts of law.

After a few words from Lord Wharnciiffe (who ac-
ceded to the amendment), the Marquis of Normanby,
and Lord Cottenham,
The debate was adjourned till to-morrow, in order to
afford time for obtaining the consent of the Crown to the
surrender of patronage.
POOR-LAWS.

The Poor-law Amendment Act was read a second time
and ordered to be committed on Monday.
The Joint-stock Companies Regulation Bill-was read
a second time.

Several Bills were advance] a stage, and the Houie
adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, August 1.
MARRIAGES (IRELAND) BILL.

(Continuedfrom our Afternoon EditiOn of yesterday.)
Clauses 5 i:: 10 inclusive were agreed to.
Clauses from is to 82 were agreed to, with some
verbal amendments.
.. .

The remaining clatiaes were then agreed to.
The schedules were agreed to, ,:nd the House resumed.
It was ordered to be reported to.-.morrow, and to be
read a third time on Saturday. [Althogh the Howe
did not formally adjourn, there was a cessatlG:► of bthi-
ness for half an hour after the Marriages (Irelah.:l) Bill
had been disposed of. The Speaker resumed the
at a quarter before five o'clock.]
ARTS-UNION BILL.

The report of the Arts-Unio❑ Bill was brought up,
and the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-
morrow.

CHARITABLE DONATIONS (IRELAND) BILL.
On the motion of Sir JAMES GRAHAM, the House
resolved into Committee on the Charitable Donations
and Bequests (Ireland) Bill, for the purpose of intro-
ducing the money clauses. The clauses were intro-
duced, and the House resumed.
POOR-LAW RETURNS.

.
Captam PECHELL asked when certain returns, for
which he had moved, on the subject of out-door relief,
would be ready, and also when certain returns as to
the number of unions would be laid on the table.

Mr. M. SUTTON replied that the Poor-law Com-
missioners had issued circulars to the diffeient unions
for the returns of out-door relief, but that not more than
one-half of those returns had as yet been completed.
With regard to the other returns he believed the same
difficulty existed, and he could not state when he should
be enabled to lay them on the table.
Captain PECHELL could not understand how there
could be any difficulty in preparing the returns relative
to the number of unions.
PETITIONS.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from Mr.
Young, Mr. Landseer, and other artists, praying for an
alteration in the Art-Unions Bill ; also a petition from
the prisoners for debt in the Queen's Prison in favour of
the Insolvent Debtors Bill.

Captain PECHELL presented a petition from Lieute-
nant Green, complaining that he had not received any
remuneration from Government for cert lin improve-
ments, which he had introduced into naval architecture.