The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-23 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1845.

The House of Lords met at Five o'clock.
The report of the Irish Land Commission on the sub-
ject of the occupation of land was laid on the table.
On tho motion for the third reading of the Railway
Clauses Consolidation Bill,

Lord BROUGHAM, in the course of a long speech,
stated his objections to the present course of railway
legislation. He denounced the constitution of the Rail-
way Committee of the. Board as absurd and mischievous,
and considered that the measure under discussion was
calculated to increase the mania for rails ay speculation
—a mania which it was their duty to check, and which,
if not checked, would produce a monetary panic more
awful than the panic of 1825. He then eulogised the
system adopted by the Government of France with re-
gard to railways, and thought it might be advantageously
pursued in this country. He condemned the Bill as cal-
culated to add to the enormous powers already possessed
by railway companies, of depriving landowners of their
property without their consent, and thus protesting
against the railway system, he felt he was doing his duty.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE replied that the speech of his
Noble and Learned Friend had relation to everything
but the business now before the House. His Honoura-
ble and Learned Friend devoted three-quarters of an
hour to censure the Railway Board, and a quarter of an
hour to a lecture upon the evils of railway speculation.
Rally, he never saw a smaller pennyworth of bread to
so huge a quantity of sack. The Noble Earl then pro-
ceeded to vindicate the course pursued by the Board of
Trade, and defend its members from the imputation
which had been cast on them. In conclusion, he begged
their Lordships to suspend their judgment a; to the con-
duct of the Board until the conclusion of the Session.

Lord ASHBURTON thought that many of the provi-
sions of the measure ought to be extended to existing

railways.

The Duke of BEILLIFORT considered that the existence
of the Railway Committee of the Board of Trade had in
The Earl of WINCHILSEA approved of the conduct of
the Board.

Lord CAMPBELL supported the Bill, but agreed in opi-
nion with Lord ASHBURTON, that some legislative mea-
sure for the regulation of existing railway companies

was necessary.

Lord BROUGHAM, in reply, contended that the proceed-
ings of the Railway Department of the Board of Trade
should be conducted in public.
The Bill was then read a third time and passed, as
were the Lands Clauses Consolidation Bill, and the
Lands Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Bill, after whieh
their Lordships adjourned.
Tho House of Commons met at a quarter before Four.
Mr. BAINE took the oaths and his seat for Greenock.
The Hon. Member was introduced by Mr. /Rum and
Mr. BRIGHT.

Various private Bills were forwarded a stage, and
several petitions were presented.
Mr. MIME gave notice that, on Tuesday week, ho
would bring fors► and his motion on the subject of re-
warding the services of Sir H. POTTINGER.

Mr. WYSE gave notice for Tuesday next of his motion
on the subject of Dublin University.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD gave notice that in the Committee
on the Maynooth Bill he should move that the expenses
of endowment be taken from the revenue arising from
Irish Crown lands.

Various returns were ordered ; and after the CHAN-
CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had stated, in reply to Mr.
RICARDO, that the auction duty was intended to cease
from the time the resolution had been reported, the
House adjourned at half-past five o'clock.

The accounts from Dublin are of the most gratifying
description. The new policy of the Government has
already been productive of beneficial results, and leads
to the conviction that when fully carried into operation
Ireland will be restored to peace, and form the
strongest bulwark of the British empire. Hitherto she
has only been a thorn in the side of England.
In times even of profound peace, when no external
wars or jealousies harassed the Government, when Scot-
land and England remained in contented tranquillity,
and the industrious inhabitants directed all their ener-
gies to trade and commerce, and great national
undertakings, Ireland has generally only exhibited
scenes of confusion and the bitterest animosity against
her nearest neighbour. English capital, English improve-
ments—everything English, in fact, except what was
forced upon the Irish in the shape of guns and swords,
and armies and coercion Bills—was driven from the
country, as if England was not only aforeign nation, but
a determined and implacable enemy. Such a bitter and
universal feeling could not spring up without a cause,
and least of all among an open-hearted, generous, and
grateful people like the Irish. Even these qualities
are now conceded to them by men who had long opposed
their claims, who rarely had tempted their kindness,
and who were known rather as their oppressors than
their humane and just rulers. Sir R. PEEL, who had so
long tried their patience, alluded in his speech
on the Maynooth grant to the gratitude displayed in
the sister country for even such a small favour, and at
the meeting held in Conciliation-hall on Monday, the
walls of the building resounded with the praises of
the Prime Minister and of his colleague who
had, in an unguarded moment, roused the in-
dignation of many millions by announcing that
concession had reached its utmost limits. The
remarks of Mr. O'CONNELL on this subject,
in perfect keeping with the forgiving disposition of his
countrymen, are to this effect :-1° For the first time in
his life, he had an opportunity of praising Sir JAMES
GRAHAM, and he did so most cordially, on account of
the manliness by which his speech was characterised.
There was nothing more foolish than the cry of 'incon-
sistency.' When a man was in the wrong a change in his
conduct merely amounted to a declaration that he was
wiser to-day than he was yesterday. Who shall presume to
say that because a man was once wrong he was never to
emerge from the precincts of error ? No, he held out
both his hands to Sir JAMES GRAHAM with forgiveness
for the past, and he should be placed on a pedestal hav-
.inginscribed on its base Justice to Ireland.' He had
expressed his sorrow for having used the expression that,
concession had reached its limits, and no man was either
a Christian or a gentleman who did not forgive after
the symptoms of repentance manifested by He
held similar language towards Sir ROBERT with
highest pitch. Buell a TictOy
PEEL,
the universal approbation of the fullest meeting that bad
'ever assembled;'even Whbrir the rage for repeal was at its
worth contending for.