The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-07 00:00:00

ell-Jelling ,--Ativ.

LONDON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1845.

Both Houses of Parliament met yesterday morn-
ing, and proceeded to the Palace with the address.
The Lords adjourned to Monday, but the Commons
re-assembled at Half-past Four o'clock.
The SPEAKER read the reply to the address; after
which, various petitions were presented, and notices
of motions given. Among the last was one by Sir J.
GRAHAM, announcing his intention of bringing in a
Bill to amend the law of settlement on Tuesday.

Sir R. PEEL, although closely pressed by some of
the Opposition Members, refused to give any idea of
the outline of the measure which he intended to in-
troduce on the subject of the Scotch and Irish systems
of banking.
Sir G. GREY asked for the production of the cor-
respondence with the French Government on the
subject of Otaheite.
Sir R. PEEL consented to lay before the House the
results of the correspondence, but refused to produce

the correspondence itself in extenso.
Sir J. GRAHAM announced that it was not his in-
tention to introduce any measure for the regulation
of the Ecclesiastical Courts.

Sir R. PEEL stated that the Governments of Eng.

land, France, and Brazil were mediating between the
Governments of Buenos Ayres and Monte Video, with
a view to bring about a cessation of hostilities be-
tween those two Powers.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in answer
to Lord CLEMENTS, explained the grounds on which
an increased allowance was made to the Judges of
Assize in Ireland.

Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET then moved for leave

to bring in six Bills for the consolidation of the laws
relating to railways, and said in reference to the ob-
servations of Lord Howicx on the preceding evening,
that he could see no objection to fourteen days being
allowed, after the reports of the Board of Trade had
been made, for parties to determine whether they
would proceed with the Bills or not.
Lord HOWICK did not think fourteen days suffi-
cient, and he also thought that where there were two
competing lines reported, both reports ought to be
submitted to a committee, and those which had been
unfavourably reported should have precedence of the
others. _ _

After a few words from Mr. HODGSON and Sir G.
GREY, Sir R. PEEL explained that the proposal he
should make was, that parties might present their peti-
tions whenever they pleased, but they should not be
obliged to do so until fourteen days after the making
the report. It was the intention of the Board of
Trade to present the reports in classes, and next
week he would propose to take the Kentish lines. It
was never contemplated that the board should fetter
the control of Parliament.
Colonel SIBTHORP asked whether any of the gen-
tlemen composing the Commission were connected
with railways.
Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSHT was unable to answer

the question.
Mr. WAHLET complained of the delays caused by
the conduct of barristers before Committees, and
urged on the Government the necessity of providing
some remedy. He also suggested the propriety of
the discussion before the Board of Trade being con-
ducted with open doors.
Mr. W. E. GLADST ONE defended the conduct of
the Board of Trade, and contended that practically
the experiment had worked well.
After a few words from some other Hon. Mem-
bers, leave was given to bring in the Bills.
Mr. WALLACE postponed his motion on the sub-
ject of the Scotch Sheriffs' Court Small Debt Act.
Various returns were then ordered to be made on
the motions of different Hon. Members.
On the motion that the answer of her Most Gracious
MAJESTY, to the address of the House of Commons,
be read,

Mr. COBDEN called the attention of the House to
the omission of all allusion to the subject of agricul-
tural distress in the speech from the Throne, and
urged the agricultural Members to join him in calling
for a Select Committee on the subject.
Mr. MILES did not think the farmers were much
inclined to trouble the House with a recital of their
grievances. He was sorry to say that, generally
speaking, the farmers did not trust much to the
House of Commons for an alleviation of their con- ,

dition.
Mr. M. GIBSON urged the necessity of inquiry,
and asked Sir R. PEEL if he had given any assurance
that he would not meddle with the existing corn-law.
Mr. BANKER thought some allusion ought to have
been made to the subject in the speech, but would
not vote for a Committee.

Mr. BRIGHT accused the landlords of being hollow
in the professions which they made of commiseration
for the distress existing in the country, inasmuch as
that distress was attributable to their own legislative
• measures. •
Mr. S. O'BRIEN defended the conduct of the land-
lords, and said that, so far from opposing the motion
for a Committee, he would himself be willing to serve
upon it.
Mr. VILLIERS denied that any of the charges
brought against the landlords by Mr. BRIGHT bad
been answered.
Sir R. PEEL deprecated the discussion of such a
subject without notice. He had been asked by the
Hon. Member for Manchester whether he had given
any assurance to any one that .no further alteration
should be made in the corn-laws. He did not think
the Right Honourable Gentleman had any right to
put such a question to him without giving
}lm notice. He had given no assurance incon-
sistent with the declarations which he had already
made in the House. As to what had been said of
agricultural distress, he regretted it must be admitted
there was considerable distress in some parts of the
country, and he felt sincere sympathy with the suf-
ferers. But he did not believe that it could be as-
serted that there was general agricultural distress.
He thought that the restoration of protection (as it
had been) would be impossible ; and he thought that
if it were possible, it would not be a remedy for
agricultural distress, which arose from causes which
the Legislature could not control.
After a few words from Mr. BRIGZIT, Lord J.
MANNERS, and Mr. BROTHERTON, the motion was
agreed to, and the House adjourned at a Quarter be-
fore Nine.

relative to railway schemes, IT j'-ected by
The decision of the Government on
f--ethleueCsotimon-
mittee of Investigation -appointed by the Board of
Trade, appears to 'Dave been last night universally
acquiesced
:n by the House. We cannot say that
the detoste, which was thus elicited by the speech
;
0! Lord nowicx of Wednesday evening, at all
satisfies the misgivings we have so often expressed as
to the beneficial working of the Committee. On the
contrary, It has gone far to confirm them ; and we
perceive that Mr. WAxLuv and other Hon. Members
Concur in similar apprehensions. It is very true that
Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET, who is a shrewd and
' earnest public functionary, and an excellent man
of business, declared " that it never was the intention
of the Government, nor, as far as he under-
stood their sentiments, of the House, to render
the decisions of the Railway Committee of the
Board of Trade final or conclusive." His.
Lordship added, too, tbat although he would be
disposed to receive the reports of these five gentle-
men with a certain degree of respect and deference,
evereffceocntsiodfersuhcimh serlefpotritesd,
tdoown,
concurby thein
theermsbaoujord never
or of a Government department, or a
them, either as (the representative of
sa
acnoninstditiu?iednucyai,