The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-02 00:00:00

ribirbf Nbition

SUN-OFFICE, Seven o'Clech.

IMPEUIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The •Speaker took his seat shortly before Four
o'Clock, and there being only 15 Members present at
Four, the House adjourned.

HOUSE. OF LORDS.
Their Lordships sat at Five o'Clock.
INCOME-TAX BILL.

Mr. 61 REI brought up from the Commons the
Income-tax Bill. The Bill was read a first time, and
was ordered to be prioted.
At the suggestion of the Low, CHANCELLOR, Lord
CAMPBBLL postponed his .motion relative to the pro-
ceedings against a witness in a Scottish Court of
Justice. _

ANSWER TO THE. ADDRESS

The LORD CHANCELLOR read her ,INesty's
most gracious answer to the address of the twohouses
presented yestgrday. The answer was as follows :--
" My LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
" I receive with heartfelt gratification this loyal and
dutiful address from the two Houses of Parliament.
" I am thankful to the Almighty for his merciful
care, protecting me, and the Prince, my beloved con-
sort, from this danger. I humbly rely on the good
providence of God, in preserving me from every
danger.
" Firm in this trust, and sincere in the desire to
• 3siornote the happiness of my people, lam comforted
and supported by this renewed assurance of your at-
tachment to my Government and person."
The answer was ordered to be inserted in the re-
cork.ls of the House.
CRIME IN IRELAND.
Lord EBRINGTON moved that the returns of
crimes in Ireland should be continued to a later pe-
riod than had been moved by a Noble Earl (the Earl
of Glengall) on a former evening. He thought those
returns might be brought down to the month of March
last.
The Marquis of NORMANBY, remarked, with
regard to the case of Mr. Biddulph, which had already
come before their Lordships, that it might appear at
j.lrst sight as if the blame of the delay which had
oc -mitred in that case rested between the Lord Chan-
cellor of Ireland and the Lord Chief Justice. He was
anxi'ous that the public should know where the blame
really( did rest; and he would most unhesitatingly
state that it must rest either with the Crown
Prosecutor or the Crown Solicitor for not
having furnished the reports of the trial to
the "Government, and thus keeping them in
ignorance of an important fact. He did not wisl
to stir any further in this matter, hut he thought it
dew to the Government to say that the matter could
noe have originated with the Lox d Chancellor, or the
Lord Chief Justice.
The motion betre the House was then agreed to.
INCUMBENT'S LEASING BILL.
On the motion of Lord WHARNCLIFFE, this
1111 went through Committee.
NATIONAL EDUCATION (IRELAND.)
Viscount LORTON presented a petition from Ca-
en against the system of National Education.
INCOME TAX AND TARIFF.
Earl STANHOPE presented a petition from some
ace in Norfolk against the Income-tax and the
ariff,

NEW POOR-LAW,
The NOBLE EARL then presented a petition from
tipping Wycombe against the New Poor-law, and
sp ,eral similar petitions from Bradford and
its neighb3urhood. He had now to present a petition
m au individual named Butler, who had been em-
yed under the old Poor-law, and who in his peti.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
GLOBE.—The perturbation of the public mind,
caused by the dastardly and atrodious attempt on the
life of her Majesty, having subsided, and the assas-
sin in design having been safely lodged in Newgate,
there to abide the judicial investigation, and its conse-
quences, prescribed by the law, the attention ofthepubli c
naturally turns to the circumstances which preceeded
and accompanied the act. Among these, the chief topic of
remark is the unaccountable disregard shown by the
Government to the premonition of approaching danger,
supplied by the information which was given to Sir
J. Graham in the course of Monday, as to an attempt
to discharge a pistol at the royal carriage having been
made on the preceding day, on her Majesty's return
from attending divine service at the Chapel Royal.
,Sir Robert Peel, on Tuesday night, in the speech
with which he prefaced his motion for an Address of
Congratulation from the House of Commons to her
3lajesty on her providential escape, admitted the infor-
mation communicated to Ministers of an attempt
laving been made on the preceding day. As a matter
of course, they apprised their Royal Mistress of the
circumstance. Her Majesty's noble disregard of
personal danger, coupled with kind solicitude for
the safety of her female attendants the one
leading her to take her accustomed airing, as
though no such information had been communi-
cated; the latter shown in her declining the
customary attendance of the Lady in Waiting—
these were referred to in both Houses as indubit-
able, ascertained facts ; and yet it does not appear
that a single precaution was taken either to avert the
consequence of another attempt, or to seize the in -
dividual who might, with more cautious and deter-
mined aim, again seek to execute his horrible design.
Not an extra policeman, nor any other person, with
special instructions to keep a watchful eye on the move-
ments of individuals whose manner was marked by
anything peculiar, was planted along the line of road
they must have been well aware, or might easily have
ascertained, her Majesty would take l The beautiful
and characteristic trait in her Majesty's disposition,
in not allowing her female attendants to be exposed
Ito any danger, if such were to be apprehended, be-
comes yet more impressive when contrasted with this
apathy, to use the mildest term, displayed by her Mi-
nisters under such circumstances.
STANDARD.—Nothing more than we have al-
ready stated has transpired to throw light upon the
late attempt upon the life of the Queen. This would
disappoint our readers, if curiosity was the prevailing
feeling ; but a much higher sentiment is gra-
tified by the proof thus afforded, that this atro-
cious attempt was the act of an individual
villain without accomplices ; for had any par-
ticipated in his crime, it is scarcely possible
but that before this suspicion at least must have
lighted upon some of them. The fact is, that all the
man's acquaintances have been ascertained—almost
every moment of his time for several months has
been accounted for, and from, all the knowledge thus
obtained the conviction has been arrived at that there
was no confidant of his guilty purpose, not even one.
Such considerations are important, as proving that
tl e.e is no villain still at large from whom danger
can be apprehended ; and they are gratifying, as
fixing the proportion of loyalty in the British
. .
people--many millions opposed to a unit. If it
were not forbidden to rejoice in the existence of
evil, in however small a circle, we might almost
rejoice in the foul attempt that has been
made, from the opportunity it has afforded
of testing the loyalty of the universal British
Nation, arid the devoted love of which the Sovereign
is the object. We adduce not, as the proof of this
loyaly, the Addresses of the Houses of Parliament,
warm as these Addresses came from the hearts of
Lords and Commons ' • nor even such displays as
that of yesterday's levee, though splendid and
sincere beyond example. It is of the sentiment
of the universal people we speak--of that sen-
timent thus eloquently but most truly described
by the Tithes of this morning—" East and west,
Parliament and ' working men's classes,'hthe levee
and the theatres, we are happy to see vie with each
other in the display of enthusiasm towards the per-
son of the Queen, and in indignation at the atrocious
and deliberate attempt which has been so providentially
frustrated." It is the opportunity of earning such a
feeling of enthusiastic love, and that only, which
renders rank and power desirable—this is the com-
pensation for danger and for a thousand toils and
vexations. Long may Queen Victoria enjoy it, as
she well deserves—exempt from the attendant perils
and alloyed as little as possible with whatever else may
disturb her quiet.
COURlER.—Matters of' more immediate tem-
porary interest precluded us from noticing yesterday
the subjects discussed in the House of Lords on Tues-
day evening—subjects which, though not of direct
bearing upon any great interest in the State, we
nevertheless deem to be of considerable importance.
With regard to the first question, we mean that re-
lating to the conduct of the Bishop of Quebec in re-
fusing permission for the erection of a tablet, in the
cathedral of that diocese, to the memory of a British
officer who died there, it is sufficient to remark that the
sole power of granting or refusing vested in the
Bishop; and whether he acted with sound discre-
tion or not on the occasion was a matter upon which
the Parliament of England is not in a condition to
pronounce judgment. We therefore think Lord
Howden might have entirely overlooked the matter;
or at least brought to its discussion greater equani-
mity and less bitterness of tone than he seems to have
done. The Right Reveresd the Lord Bishop of Lon-
don rested the justification of the denial on the regu-
lations issued by the Bishop of Quebec on the subject
of monumental tablets in churches, subject to his
episCopal authority ; and upon being rather sharply
assailed by Lord Brougham, his Lordship took higher
ground, and boldly declared his approval of the act in ,
question.

Lion entered into a detail of the grievances' under
which he laboured; in consequence of the alieration of
the Poor-law, and expressing a hope that the state-
ments of the petition would attract the attention of
the law officers of the Crown to the subject.
Lord BROUGHAM doubted whether it would not
be contrary to the rules of their Lordships' House to
receive the last-mentioned petition. The petitioner
stated that ever since the amendment of the Poor-
laws had taken place, the different authorities had
managed to shift the responsibility of their actions
from one to the other, and the prayer of the petition
was not addressed to their Lordships at all; it stated
that he confidently trusted that having laid his hard
case before their Lordships, the attention of the law-
officers of the Crown would be attracted to the sub-
ject, and that they would take measures to amend the
law, and to have the petitioner's grievances addressed.
—(A laugh.) Under these circumstances he thought
the petition could not be received.
Earl STANHOPE admitted that the petition was
not in the usual form—(A laugh)—possibly the peti-
tioner had framed the prayer in the way he had done
for the sake of variety.—(Loud laughter.)
Lord CAMPBELL apprehended that no petition
could be received unless it prayed their Lordships to
do something. This was a petition, not to their Lord-
ships, but to the Attorney and Solicitor-General.—
(A laugh.) It had been misdirected.—(Laughter.)
The petition was then withdrawn.
The Earl of FALMOUTH presented a petition
against the new Poor-law.
INCOME-TAX.

The Earl of RIPON fixed to-morrow week for the
second reading of the Property-tax Bill.
THE DISTRESS OF ME COUNTRY.
Lord KINNAIRD rose to call the attention of the
House to the motion, of which he had given notice, on
the distress of the country . He wished that some other
Noble Lord on his side of the House had been found
to bring forward the subject, as he felt that he was
not competent to undertake a question which he con-
sidered of the greatest importance. It was the causes
of this distress which he thought it was necessary to
enquire into., There had been so many contradictory
statements on all sides, that he was satisfied many
Noble Lords were ignorant of the full extent to which
the distress exists. While they lived at the west
end of the town, they could see but little of
the misery which existed even in other parts of this
city. And when they returned to their country
seats, in the cottages to which their own particular
attention was directed, they saw nothing of the
misery which existed only within a few miles 01
them. He felt he should not be doing his duty, if
he did not state to their Lordships some few, and
but a few facts, which had come to his knowledge,
facts of the very deepest importance, as showing the
distress of the country, which had been gradually
advancing ever since 1820, and which had now
reached not only the working, but the middle and
trading classes. He was satisfied that her Majesty's
Government were fully aware of the distress. The
proof of it was, that they had advised her Majesty to
write a letter, for the purpose of raising funds for its
relief. He must own that he could not altogether
approve of that letter. The distress might call for it,
but he doubted its policy. He also disapproved of it
entirely in one sense, inasmuch as it was addressed
exclusively to the members of the Established Church.
For what object he knew not—no communication
had been made on the subject to the dissenting minis-
ters—what could be the object he knew not, whether
it was for the purpose of setting forward the Esta-
blishment as a pattern of charity. However, he thought
it was necessary that the communication should be
general. There was another fact that convinced
him that her Majesty's Government was fully aware
of the existence of this distress. It was this ; and
was a very important one, and one to which he might
perhaps feel it his duty on another occasion to call
the especial attention of the House—he meant the
unconstitutional use (and he asserted it boldly) of the
public money to suppress—to strangle the public ex..
hibition of the distres. He asserted that boldly—he
could prove it. From what fund the money came, he
knew not, but that money was so applied, Govern-
ment could not deny. There was another proof that
Government was well acquainted with this distress, and
the danger attendant on it. It was this, an order had
been sent down from the Horse Guards to the
troops in the distressed districts desiring them to
consider themselves as on active service. It was
known throughout the country that those districts
were in a dangerous state. He would do the Go-
vernment the justice to believe that they could
not have been aware nine or ten months ago,
of the then distress, because .if they were, nothing
could justify them for having let so much time
pass without doing anything towards an inquiry
or towards alleviating the distress. Hundreds of
petitions, signed by thousands of persons, had
been presented to their Lordships, praying for
cheap food, and their Lordships had turned a deaf ear
to their prayer. They had asked for bread, and their
Lordships had offered them stones.—(" Oh, oh.")
The effect of the Com-law Bill lately passed was to
raise the price of corn 3s. per quarter, and that, too,
without a prospect of anything but a further increase,.
He supposed that one reason for that was, that grant-
ing a Committee would be holding out to the peo-
ple they could do something that would alleviate their
distress. He thought such a reason very insufficient.
Another ground was, that no advantage would
be derived from the Committee. He thought their
Lordships would remember they had heard from Noble
Lords that the Import Committee was of no use now.
What was the result ? Why, that the Members of
the Government in the other House, when they wanted
an argument against their own friends, they referred
to that very Committee, and the publication of
the evidence before that Committee had been
of the greatest importance. And the excuse
might be, that it was not necessary, because the
prospects of reviving trade were much better than
they had hitherto been. He believed that such was
the opinion of the Noble Earl, the President of the
Board of Trade. Certainly the accounts that had
been received from Maechester were better, but it was
not to be supposed that that would be permanent.
The Noble Lord, the President of the Council, had
stated the other night that, when the funds collected
through the country were exhausted, it would then le
time enough to take other steps. In his opinion, they
ought not to wait for the result of that appeal. The
majority of the working classes had been existing, for
the last eight or nine months, almost entirely on
charity. The Noble Lord then went into
a statement of the produce of the customs and
excise since 1836, for the purpose of shewing that as
compared with the increase of population, there has been
a decrease in the consumption of articles of subsistence.
Although the population was increasing at a rate of
400,000,1 a-year, the quality of articles they consumed
was diminshecl. The returns from the workhouses
showed the same fact. It was proved by Returns
laid before the House of Commons, that the num-
ber of persons who sought application into the
workhouses, varied with the price of food.
but in the last year the poor-rate had increased,
though the average was not so high as in the
preceding year. He would take the parish
of Marylebone as an example. In the year
1886, the rate was ls. 2d. in the pound,
and the sum raised was 44,5731. Last year the rate
was Is. 11d. in the pound, and the sum raised
was 76,355/., shewing a difference of 31,7821. This
difference in the parochial expenditure was to
be attributed to the increased expense of main-
taining a greater number of paupers. When
provisions were dear, the applications for ad

. •
a aa
mittance were most numerous,- and when
they were cheap, the applications were fewer,
and better wages were given for labour.
There was another document to which he wished to

call the attention of the Noble Duke and the re-
presentatives of the agricultural interests, and he
thought it was a very important one. The actual
consumption of wheat in England was falling off.
During the last three years the consumption
had fallen off nearly one and a half million
quarters. There were numerous ways of
getting at the consumption, but it had been
found that the best way to arrive at the general con-
sumption was by multiplying the quantity re-
turned by the 150 towns, where the averages were
taken by five, and adding the amount imported from
abroad from the Ist of October, 1839, the quantity
returned by the 150 towns was 2,620,753 quarters ;
which multiplied by five, gave 13,103,765 quarters ;
add to that 2,620,753 quarters imported from.
abroad, that will give 14,242,257 as the general con-
sumption during those six months. In 1841
the quantity returned by the 150 towns was
2,467,783 quarters, which multiplied by 5, gave
12,338,915, and adding to that 1,311,642,
quarters imported from abroad, and the total con-
sumption would be found to be 13,650,557 quarters,
beinc, a diminution of nearly 800,000 quarters
as compared with the preceding years. Then
from the Ist of Octoberr, 1841, to the Ist
of May, 1842, 2,216,201 quarters was the
quantity returned by the 150 towns, that multiplied
by:s gave 11,081,005, to which being added 2,200,000
quarters,
the quantity impor3e,2dBl,fooroms
quarters. abroad,
the total consumption would be
But out of the 2,200,000 quarters of corn imported
from abroad, he had reason to know that 400,000
quarters, upon which the duty had been paid,
were still lying in warehouses.
(LEFT SPEAKING.)

TATTERSALLS-(THIS EVENING)
Six O'CLOCK.

ASCOT CUP.
Even on Lanercost
2 to 1 agst Beeswing
4 to 1 agst any other
ST. LEGER.
20 to 1 agst Meteor—taken
The rest as before.