The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-08 00:00:00

MORNING SUN

HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 7.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack shortly before Five o'Clock.
The Marquis of NORMANBY brought in two
Bills ; one for the regulation of buildings, and the
other for the improvement of boroughs.
THE ADDRESS.

The LORD CHANCELLOR informed their Lord-
ships that they had attended her Majesty with the
Address, and her Majesty had been pleased to return
the following most gracious answer
My Lords, this affectionate and loyal Address
gives me the fullest satisfaction. I thank you for it ;
and I can assure you, that vour congratulations on the
birth of the Prince of Wales are cordially received by
me. It is a proof of your attachment to my person
and Government. My wish is, and ever will be, to
promote the happiness of my people."
The Marquis of WINCHESTER brought up the
answer to their Lordship's Address to Prince Albert.
The Noble Lord, when reading the Address, was
quite inaudible in the gallery.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented a peti-
tion from a person in Hereford, praying for an
alteration in the Acts relating to weights and measures.
Viscount MELBOURNE presented a petition in
favour of an alteration in the Corn-laws.
THE EXCHEQUER BILL FRAUD.

The Duke of WELLINGTON observed that the
Noble Lord opposite (Lord MOnteagle), Wad given
notice of motion for this day on this subject.
He (the Duke of 'Wellington) would suggest to the
Noble Lord the expediency of postponing his motion
to a future day. On Friday, when the Noble Lord
gave notice of his motion, it was suggested to him
(Lord Monteagle) to postpone it until certain papers
connected with the subject could be laid on the table
of the House. Those papers were now, he (the Duke
of 'Wellington) understood, laid on the table of
their Lordships' House, but yet he would sug-
gest to the Noble Lord to defer his,. motion
at present, as the papers referred to were but
just now in the hands of their Lordships. It was de-
sirable, too, to ascertain what should be done on the
subject in another place.
Lord MONTEAGLE—NobIe Lords seemed to
labour under a mistake with regard to his motion.
His notice was given for the 17th, and on that dal
he proposed submitting his
.motion. He thought it
necessary to give that notice as early as possible,
even before the Report to - which the ...Toble Duke
had referred, was either in his (Lord Monteagle's)
hands or anybody's else. When the proper time
came on he should court the full inquiry of the
House on that motion ; but he had given notice for
this motion before he had seen the Report, for if
he had seen the report of .the Commission first
his motion might appear as an appeal against
their Report. He felt that the Commission had
conducted its inquiry in a manner highly satis-
factory to the public, and it was very far from his
(Lord Monteagle's) intention, to say anything
which might appear as detracting in any way
from the responsibility of those Commissioners.
There had been a great deal of personal vi-
tuperation relative to this matter ; but he felt
that it behoved him not to enter into personal
controversy on personal matters, but as soon as Parlia-
ment met to claim andientreat of their Lordships—to
whom, in common with the other House of Parlia-
ment, his acts made him responsible —to
" enter into the most minute investigation, to
find whether the late events had originated with
him, or through any neglect of his; and to ask their
Lordships to use that power vested in them by law,
if they should find that these circumstances had oc-
curred. through any neglect of his. Before he
sat down, he would say one more word regarding
the public securities. It had been stated
in one of the public papers of. Saturday last, that the
present Assistant-Comptroller held his office by a
mere appointment from Mr. Eden, the late Assistant-
Comptroller. If that statement were true, not one
of the Exchequer bills signed by Mr. Percival would
be worth the paper on which it was written ;
but SD far from that being true, the right opposite
was the fact. The resignation of Mr. Eden - took
place before the appointment of Mr. Percival; and
Mr. Percival's appointment was confirmed by
the usual warrant, signed by the Lords of the
Treasury. In the course 9f a short time
he should, with.the permission of the Noble Duke,
move for copies of the appointments.. of. Mr. Eden..
and Mr. Percival ; also as to the Mode' of proceed,-.
ing adopted at the examination, together :with the
instructions given, and the manner -in; which they
had been carried -out. .

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, in a low tone of
voice, made a motion which was understood to refer to
the• state of the wool trade in the West of England. •
PRESBYTERIAN MARRIAGES.
The 'Marquis of CI ANRICARDE presented a
petition relative to the. Marriage Act in Ireland.
The Noble . Lord had called the attention
of the House to the state of the marriage law in Ire-
land. Their Lordships were pleased to reject the
Bill on many grounds. The only one which he thought
was just, was that it only touched upon a part of a
very- important point. He did expect now that age=
neral measure on the' subject would meet with. the
approval of. their Lordships:—(Hear, hear.) It was
supposed that the . state of the law in Ireland was
the same as that in- Scotland, and that a marriage
by a Presbyterian Clergyman, between a member of
his own congregation and another, though a
member of the Episcopal Church, - was valid,-
and was held to be so by the Courts
of Law in Ireland, as well as in -this
country before the recent decision. The question
had arisen in a trial for bigamy, and the course pursued
by the defendant's counsel was that the marriage was'
not legal. A point was referred to the Judges, and
they declared in favour of the accused person, and de-
clared that the marriage was not. valid. It
would be presumption in him if he were to attempt
•to say that judgment was not sound in point of law,
but this he might say, that it was directly the reverse
of what was ruled when the case was mooted. Only
five years ago a person was convicted at Carrickfergus,
where the same point of law was raised ; notwithstand-
ing which the prisoner was transported, and was
now undergoing that punishment for an offence
which it appeared was no offence at all. In cases
of civil rights of maintenance between husband and
wife, it had been ruled the marriage was good. It
had been ruled in this country, but the new doctrine
upset all these decisions, and had spread the greatest
dismay throughout Ireland. He could not doubt for
a moment that the Government were preparing a Bill
which would remedy the evils of that decision,
because it would be a case of the greatest iniquity to
allow innocent persons to be affected by such a de.)
cision.—(Hear, hear.) But they ought to be re-
lieved.by enactment, and not by interpretation of the
existing law, and he was sure the Noble Duke would
inform him whether, as it was the intention of the
Government- to introduce a Bill on the subject, it
was to be prospective, as well as retrospective, and
whether a general Marriage Act was in contemplation?
The Duke of WELLINGTON said that it was
the intention of Government to introduce a Bill to
remedy the inconveniences resulting from the
late decision alluded to by the Noble Marquis
opposite.—(Hear, hear.) Other measures were also
in contemplation for the purpose of applying
a remedy to the anomalous state of the law as it
existed in Ireland. But he could not say more at
present than that the subject was under the conside-
ration of Government, and would be • brought before
Parliament.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

110 USE OF COMMONS, .F:eb. 7.
The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four
o'Clock.

Sir R. BULKELEY took the oaths and his seat for
Flint.

Mr. TIIORNELY presented a petition from Li-
verpool, signed by upwards of 36,000 persons, praying
for the total and immediate repeal of the Corn-laws.
The lion. Member also presented petitions from Li-
verpool from the Society of Friends, and from Ha-
nover Chapel to the same effect.
Mr. BUSFIELD presented forty petitions from
Blackburn and its neighbourhood, praying for the total
repeal of the Corn-laws. -
Sir GEORGE STRICKLAND presented a peti-
tion from Queen's Head, in Halifax, praying for a
repeal of the Corn-laws. Also four other petitions
from Bradford and Halifax to the same effect.
Mr. JOHNSTONE presented thirteen petitions to
the same effect from various places.
Mr. T. M. GIBSON presented several petitions
from Drury-lane, St. Pancras, and various other
places in the metropolis, praying for a repeal of the
Corn-laws.

Mr. J. O'CONNELL presented a petition from
New Ross, praying for a repeal• of the Union.
Colonel CO.IN OLLY presented a petition from the
Dissenters of Donegal, praying the House to be re-
lieved from the late decision of the twelve Judges,
pronouncing the marriages solemnised between Pro-
testants and Dissenters by a Dissenting Minister to be
illegal, and that a law may be passed to legalise then.
Mr. WAKLEY presented a petition from various
operatives in Finsbury, praying for a reduction of
the import duties, the abolition of all sinecures and
useless offices, and for a total repeal of the Corn-laws.
Dr. BOWRING presented twenty-eight peti-
tions, signed by persons of all conditions, for a repeal
of the Corn-laws.
Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from a
place in the county of Lancaster, praying for a total
abolition of the Corn-laws, which the petition termed
an unjust and inhuman Act of Parliament.
Sir R. BATESON presented a petition from a
place in Ireland for a measure legalising Presbyterian
and Catholic marriacros.
(,I_ol,, To-v pre,antoci two lietitions praying for a total repeal- of the present Corn-
laws

-----

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.—
EdiM.
nburgh.fl‘.olAr
neAmUncLuAfieYatipLesennftetdhea
present
tlra7s:
affecting the importation of corn:
Sir CHARLES NAPIER presented a
praying for the removal of the gunpowder stored, 1!.1
the Tower.
Petitions, praying for a repeal of the Coln-
were presented by Sir John C. Hobhouse an'
Craven Berkeley. ,L4-.931
Mr. EMERSON TENNENT presented l?! alb
from Mayo, in Ireland, praying fora measure,
perspective and retrospective, for legalising rf,e
terian and Catholic marriages:
Mr. EWART presented five petitions froni3Orio
fries, Berwick, and other places in Scotland,l'o *
1
ing for the abolition of the Corn-laws.
Mr. GROGAN presented two petitions from
11
in the City of Dublin, praying for a vo°'.`,.
sure to legalise Presbyterian and Catholic marring
Mr. T. DU.NCOMBE presented a petition il:t°!_!
Knaresborough, signed by the majority of the elec
ti;
of the borough, praying for the total abolition of
t.
Corn-laws.
Mr. HASTIE presented a petition to the samecota•'
Mr. DIVETT presented a petition from De
against the Corn and Provision-laws.'
QUAANTINE. „
Dr. BOWRING gave notice, that on 'Tuesday, the
tivt.
17th inst., Le would move a resolution to the effeet
an humble Address be presented to her MajestY,PrOlet.
that she will be pleased to continue her inquiries resPreo
ing the quarantine system, and that she would earr)bi'ie
such regulations as may be consistent with the 1)141, the
safety ; and also he should move for the return °' her
correspondence which had taken place betweeil the
Majesty's Government and Foreign Powers slue°
last return.
Mr.XsHTEARNASTIAONN
cORFAITvIi
on an earlyr' day after the recess he would O
for leave to bring
,EORsD SUFFRAGE. „t
1
in a Bill for an extengsiovne
liamentary suffrage to a larger portion of the worlll
people. nofottihee

MUNICIPAL. CORPORATIONS. to
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL gave notice -nil
he would to-morrow move for' leave to bring in tiai
to explain and amend the Municipal Corper3 de. •
Act. This was rendered necessary by a recei,;llll
cision of the Court of Queen's Bench, from ww.ceivit
appeared that persons holding land under a MI 0.!/)..
Corporation were disqualified from acting as (ii.,(;)ot
councillors. This decision rendered it necessary titaa
remedy should be immediately applied,
opportunity for instituting 5,000 actions and enforq'b
penalties, if the House did not inteifere. of
Mr. EWART moved for returns of the norn'Tetts,
persons executed in the several periods of three 3'
soris
from 1827 to 1839 ; and also of the number of POthers
committed upon the charges of murder, arid °
ri
capital offences within the Metropolis.
THE QUEEN'S ANSWER TO THE
The SPEAKER said, I have to report to the ""ber.
that the House has been to present the Address to
Majesty, and that her Majesty has been please'
giv the following gracious reply : 101'5
"Gent emen, I return you my most hearty t ote
as there
for your dutiful and affectionate Address. Your c. are
gratulations upon the birth of the Prince of Wale; at-
cordially received by me, as a proof of yonr 101 s,, of
tachment to my person and house. The hapPineinay
my people is the first object of my care, and yon
rely on my cc-operation in every measure for tiler
motion of their welfare."
PRLNCE ALBERT'S. ANSWER. , sold,
Lord ELIOT then appeared at the bar, and
iiica
the Members who were appointed -to wait upon Pr ad
Albert with the Address of this House had attene'
his Royal Highness, and received the following '°oo
cious answer : 101°-
" Gentlemen—l return you my wannest t
for this gratifying instance of your attention t°
and of your duty to the Queen. o°l'
" I thank you for your cordial congratulation 0, tio:
birth of our son, and I beg to' assure you Our tiii
prosperity of my country is the first object 01
wishes."
THE POOR-LAW. 10?
Mr. STUART WORTLEY' hoped the 1
ilt a
would indulge him for a few moments while he P",
question to the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary or,
•
State on two very important subjects—sobJewctsects
paramount and general interest. These snenlic
were - the Poor-law, and the regulations °'
the Factory Bill. His reason's for putting tlicT,e'bre',.
quiries to the Right lion. Baronet were, that wiL 01,5
spect to the Poor-law there had been no WeniA!
_made in the Queen's Speech.—(Hear, hear, and tbo,
of " Order.") He only wished to ask what iv'd to
general course 'which the Government intenaF
pursue with respect to the revision of the e%15(1 to
Poor-law; and also what course' it was propose ,
take with regard to the factory question ?—(liellx:t) lio
Sir J. GRAHAM said, that with regard t"ber•
questions'on the Poor-law put by the Hon. INfe'llob"
he had to state, that though it was .true that the
ject had not been introduced into the
~Tllaf-
rom the Throne, it was the intention of 10 the
jesty's Government to introduce a Bill tbr.:oo'
purpose of continuing the Poor-law Coinni;„;eilt.
As to the second question, whether the Goverliciirs
meant to introduce a measure to regulate the (I la
of factory labour' he had to answer that he fon ,t,O
his office a Bill prepared by the lionollfP
Member for Perth, which was intended to be (sir
before the late Parliament, and . which he „re'
J. G. meant to introduce in the course of the itaq
sent Session, but with some alterations rnatefrehil'
affecting infant labour, that was, the labour 0 and
dren between the ages of nine and thirteen re'
also in some respects altering the clauses 05'
gulating the hours of labour of young Pej:,,,-lx°
but (as we understood the Right Hon. Baronet/
was almost inaudible) it was not his intention 1° •
,iceil
troduce a Bill which embraced the regulations
in certain quarters, Where they were particular,,V
sirous to diminish the period of labour to ten 11,0
Lord ASHLEY begged to ask the Right, the
. Baronet -whether' in introducing regulations ri"r iiPe
hours of labour of children between the ages o'k . 151.4 A
.and thirteen, the Government would adopt the
,8150,1
gestions of the Committee which sat in 1840 ?
Pe
sons he intended to diminish the hours of labour 0"
sons between 'the. ages of 13 and 18 ?
Se
Sir J. GRAHAM was not at present able tt)ess
into the details of the measure the Government
to introduce; but at the proper time he would exceor
At present he did not mean to introduce a B:111 b
rally altering the hours of labour.
ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS. the
Captain PECHELL begged to ask whether to,
measure the Government meant to introduce on..
subject,. would embody the prOvisions submitted t"
House last Session. hinE'
Sir R. PEEL begged the lion. Gentleman t°oo4
patience until he .saw the measure the Goveqwea'
meant to introduce. It would be exceedinglY
venient to state now what were the. details °
measure they would bring forward. Bar
Capt. PECHELL.—WouId the Right Hon.
then say when he would bring his measure for«'ard ore
Sir R. PEEL would communicate the' intelligi
privately to the lion. Gentleman, who might the" 4
his own discretion.
GOVERNMENT INFORMERS- 4,Lion
Mr. O'CONNELL begged to draw the atteoftbe,
of the Secretary for Ireland to the confession and
too
murderer Delahunt, lately executed in Dulli°l',liing
whO stated that his sole motive for s'ice4avitil
away the 'lives of innocent people, charged 1,00
the most atrocious crimes, was, that he„,..„5 11,e
be paid and supported by Government. -Ili"'
(Mr. O'Connell), wished to ask whether !too e,
the intention of Government, to alter this sP,retcli
patronage, which had,especially since the late nand
disclosure; excited, a very strong feeling Ist
Lord ELIOT admitted that some crates steilfr
attributed to the temptations held out bythis
to depraved persons ; but he feared that la
ing state of Ireland, and having due reel. cot
-
'administration of justice, the practice tool
not be altogether discontinued. Witness,3cli
be procured ,to convict persons guilty (".
crimes, and unless those witnesses Were 19
' with support, and assured of personal safety/ it 441","
be very difficult to get them. However, he (14°1c 907'
should not hesitate to say that this subject
under the careful consideration of Golfo *°t
and if any alteration or step towards the ab% la
the system could be effected, he should " con
willing to undertake it, though, at present, he
4 not hold out much hope. I,tjV
JUDICIAL COMMITTEE -OF THE
COUNCIL., Right
Mr. C. BULLER begged to ask the ow en
r clover Jo-
Baronet whether it was the intention 0A f the .
to introduce a Bill to alter the jurisdiction °.-gcll-1:1•:,:l
dicial Committee of the Privy Council ; jodicij
whether it was intended to append al De'
office to it ?
Sir R. PEEL assured the Hon. Gent,le,nlatilof
the reports he might have seen referrtiunalti a,
latter point. -" were entirely without „ilter,,
He (Sir Robert Peel) thought,
theY t 4 11.1
tion was attempted in this Coml., (woveno
wait to see the effects of the recent inij:r judiery,
before an
olour
the Court of Chancery, to which two nt
officers had been added. It should also
ec , of Tts
bered that last year the
,Judicial Commit
_edoce. eon
Privy Council made great attempts to butt t
of
arrears of appeals, and that there Were
cases ready for hearing in it. Tiite_e'ciatirsi,cda,lol.°;l:
the two new officers and the
Court would tend also to keep these arr „
c.
The appointment of the two new Vice-Chant redi
the Court of Chancery had prodnced a grer co, 0
tion in the arrears of business in the Chancel_Y 500 te
Those arrears had already been reduced fro hat t!
about 200, and as it was probable
Vice-Chancellors might hereafter have, trn 1,, ,- 0. 'l
titno at thisdisposal, sc, its to•6laible tiltfjudie!
more active part in the proceedings ?f"l:dip,llll4,'
Committee of the Privy Council awl Inur