The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-10 00:00:00

being until last year. Any application to inspect papers '
would have been refused by the eld corporation. Then
it was said that the charter in question was worse than
nothing. Why, then, in the name of God, what harm
could there have been in any one seeing it ?
Why was there such ingenuity employed in putting it
out of the way ? If it was mere waste parchment, what
harm could have been done by its production ? But
the fact was, that the corporation of Kilkenny at its
convenience sometimes acted on one charter and some-
times on the other. Where the charter of James 11.
bound the people the corporators acted upon it, and
where the people got an immunity by the former char-
ter, the latter was brought into play. Thus they had a
double-handed blow at them. What could be thought
of the character of-the man who could deliberately ad-
vise that a person should search the public records in
the Auditor-General's office, in the Birmingham Tower,
where the records of Ireland were kept, for the purpose
of directly falsifying the public records of the country?
Was not that the fact ? Let them imagine a similar
case with regard to wills, and that a barrister had ad-
vised the suppression of a second will in order that a
party might inherit under a former one. The Hon. and
Learned Gentleman said he had consulted the Irish bar,
and that their opinion was that it was a mere customary
. matter to give such advice. For his (Mr. O'C.'s) part
he had a considerable acquaintance among the Irish
bar, and the general feeling amongst them seemed to be
one of astonishment and surprise that such a man could
have given such advice. There was a disposition to pass
it over, and to attribute it to one of those moments of
weakness to which every man was liable. But surprise
it certainly did occasion. He was also assured
that a legal gentleman was at that time asked
to give his opinion on the case, and he abso-
lutely refused to give such advice as that which was
given by Chief Justice Pennefather, on the ground that
it would be derogatory to his professional character.
Still he would not press his Hon. Friend to go to a division,
because in the first place they were sure to be beaten,
and, in the next, because the sense of the House seemed

to be against it.
Mr. ESC()TT said the Hon. Gentleman did not un-
derstand the question. Nothing was more common
than for counsel to object to the admission of evidence
that they thought irrelevant. Nothing could be more
improper than for a counsel, under pretence of searching
for evidence, to come forward with a witness to prove
that they had made a search for that which they wished
to keep out of sight. But was that the case here? The
whole matter turned on the word "anterior." He did
not instruct theta to keep out of sight any evidence that
was anterior to the charter of James the First, but ad-
vised them not to embarrass their case with anything
subsequent to that charter.
Mr. DILLON BROWNE denied that they were
actuated by factious motives ; but advised his Hon.
Friend to withdraw his motion.
Mr. BLEWITT said the opinion was the most dis-
graceful and the- most disgusting that had ever come
within his knowledge.
After a few words in explanation from Mr. M.
O'CONNELL and Mr. SHAW,
The motion was negatived without a division.
TURNPIKE ACTS (IRELAND).
Lord ELIOT moved for leave to bring in a Bill to
continue, until the 31st day of July, 1845, and to the
end of the then session of Parliament, expiring Turn-
pike Acts (Ireland).—Granted.
MEDICAL CHARITIES (IRELAND).
_ .

Mr. FRENCH moved for a return of the sums sup-
plied by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners to the dis-
pensaries and other medical charities in Ireland.
Lord ELIOT did not see what object could be attained
by such a return.—Motion refused.
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PETITIONS.
Mr. HUME moved that it be an instruction to the
Committee on public petitions that they do not record
any petition on which the name of the Member present-
ing it is not written.
Mr. THORNELY seconded the motion.
Mr. GREENE thought it would be very desirable
that some such resolution should be come to.
Motion agreed to.
SAVINGS' BANKS BILL.
On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EX-
CHEQUER, the Savings' Banks Bill was read a second
time.

EDINBURGH AGREEMENT BILL.
This Bill passed through Committee.
STAMP DUTIES BILL..
On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EX-
CHEQUER the Stamp Duties Bill was read a second
time.
The House then adjourned, at Half-past Nine o'Clock.

THE ELECTION FOR SOUTH
LANCASHIRE.
On Tuesday the Anti-Corn-law League met at Man-
chester, and, after some discussion, agreed to the fol-
lowing address to the electors and other persons in-
terested :
" Gentlemen—A vacancy has most unexpectedly
occurred in the representation of this important division,
We feel it incumbent to address you on this deeply
momentous occasion, when your voice is to be given
either for or against the great commercial and manufac-
turing interests of this county, and of our country at
large:
" For several years the attention of the public has
been turned to the consideration of the question of
free trade, with an extending belief that on its solu-
tion depend the security and prosperity of our national
interests. In this county especially has the principle
of monopoly been repudiated, and that of per'ect free-
dom of industry recognised as the only safe basis of
legislation. It is to the electors of the most important
division of this county that we now appeal. The
monopolists ask your support, to enable them
by law to make certain articles of common and
extensive consumption dearer than they would be if not
interfered with by the law ; for example, they would
maintain a corn-law, so that, when we- have deficient
harvests in this country, we are shut out from supplying
ourselves from abroad, except at most extravagant
prices, under which vast multitudes of the poorest of our
population suffer grievous privations ; they would main-
tain monopolies• also in the articles of sugar and coffee,
by which prices are raised about one-third, and a large
portion of the people are cut off from their fair and natu-
ral supply. It is not, however, in the increase of price
that the most destructive features of these monopolies
are seen, but in their operation upon trade ; in their
limiting trade ; in their shutting • some foreign markets
against us, and injuring all ; in their direct results in di-
minishing the demand for labour, and reducing at once
the profits of capital and the wages of the workmen.
Lancashire is the great home of the manufacturing
industry of Great Britain ; it is in this county that its
greatest triumphs have been gained ; it is here that the
ased. Free
by
struggles for its emancipation must,be manfully carried
principle and a policy the very op-
opt
rnoa.sii
tee%il rtsoe offerrecthoa recommended
on which
n d a
ed
monopolies
to
you,
not a
systemarewhich
particular interests will prosper at the expense of other
based.
interests, bat as a system by which all industry, and
skill, and capital are left free to find their own channels
of employment and reward, without the
melmeddling
all th
inter-
vention of laws passed to keep down one class that an-
other may rise upon its ruin. Free trade in ings,
revenue,
and especially in article; of food, would be to us more
trade, more employment,. more wages, more
without increase of taxation; less of poor-rates, without
hardship to the poor; more of social harmony, and more
of security to all than are even possible under a policy
of restriction, which all experience condemns as absurd
in principle, and most unjust and mischievous in practice.
" But we do not deem it needful, in this brief address,
to enter at length into the arguments on behalf. of free
trade. We are convinced that a very large majority of
you agree with us in the opinion we have formed on that
question and -that could the voice of each individual
elector be taken, uninfluenced by other motives, there
would be a decision all but unanimous in its favour.
What are these other motives ? Among these, perhaps,
the strongest is the adherence to party ties and party
leaders. We have long ago abandoned party names and
party warfare ; they are, for the most part, a delusion,
and serve only to lead the people away from the sub-
stantial, to pursue, at the best, an imaginary good. Free
trade is strictly of no party, and yet of all parties ; it is
a benificent and just principle offered to all, promising
good to all, without the sacrifice of any, and may be
espoused by the intelligent and the honest of every
party, without inconsistency, and without the abandon-
ment of other duties.
" This election has come upon us wholly without warn-
ing ; it does not, however, find us unprepared. The seed
has been sown widely, almost universally, in this county ;
it has sprung up, and gives promise of fruit in minds
which heretofore have viewed each other with hostile
feelings. The past is gone—let us avoid its jealousies—
let us forget its errors, except to shun them. A season
of terrible distress has visited us since our last exercise
of the electoral franchise. We have seen trade pros-
trated, capitalists ruined, farmers and shopkeepers sink-
ing, multitudes of honest artisans of every kind beg-
gared, the hives of industry a scene of threatened tumult
and danger, and every man asking of his neighbour—
" What is the cause of these calamities ?" and the future
is before us less clouded for the moment, but promising
greater perils, if our course be marked by no greater
wisdom than the past.
"Electors! we ask you to think on these things. Go-
vernment can only be what you make it. It is a being
of your own creation. Send honest and enlightened
men to Parliament, and you will have a Parliament that
will pursue an honest and enlightened policy. Be no
longer the sport of party names; they never can save
you. Be united, as a great commercial, and industrious,
and intelligent community, and your free voices, given
at this election, shall go far to determine the duration of
that system under which your country has suffered, and
is still suffering, so heavy misfortunes.
"In conclusion, we implore you at this election to
weigh well the principles of the candidates who offer
themselves for your suffrages, and to vote only for the
man whose votes in Parliament will be given in favour
of the abolition of all monopolies, and for the full adop-
tion of the great and just principle of ' free trade with
all the world.
"By order of the Council,
." GEORGE WILSON, Chairman.
"Manchester, 7th May, 1844."

WHOLESALE MARRIAGES.---DUring. the whole of
Tuesday, Duke's-place, Aldgate, and its vicinity presented
a gay and animated appearance, in consequence of the nu-
merous weddings which had taken place amongst the
" ancient people." In the Roman Catholic Church mar-
riages are prohibited, except under peculiar circumstances,
during Lent, so that it is a very common custom in Ireland,
especially the humbler classes, for a number of couples to
get married on the Shrove Tuesday. Amongst the Hebrew
community a similar prohibition for twenty-eight days
exists, and yesterday being the day preceding the commence-
ment of the prohibition, no fewer than twenty-eight mar-
riages were said to lmve.been solemnised-at the three eastern
Synagogues—namely, Dukes's-place, Great Saint ibletee,.;
and Dada:dull-street. ' '