The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-05 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT;

HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 4.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY, in the absence of the Lord
Chancellor, took his seat on the Woolsack, at Half-past
Three o'Clock.

The Bishop of Worcester read prayers.
The Duke of Argyll and Lord Coinbermere were then
sworn in and took their seats.
EXCHEQUER BILLS FORGERY.
Lord MONTEAGLE gave notice that on Monday the
17th of February, he should move for the appointment
of a Select Committee to inqure into the late forgeries of
the Exchequer Bills; the mode in which the preparing,
making out, signing, and issuing of Exchequer Bills are,
and have been heretofore conducted ; and to report
whether there has been any neglect or violation of the
established usages of the Exchequer, which either pro-
duced or facilitated forgery or other frauds.
The House then adjourned during pleasure.
Their Lordships met again at a few minutes after
Five o'Clock.

THE ADDRESS.
The Lord High Steward, the Earl of LIVERPOOL,
said—My Lords, I have to inform your Lordships that
her Majesty has been waited on to know when she would
be please.il to receive the Address of the House, and that
she has been pleased to appoint to-morrow at one o'clock.
On the motion of the Earl of REDESDALE the
House adjourned at Ten Minutes past Five.

ROUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 4.
The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four
o'Clock.
Mr. HOPE took the oaths and his seat for Linlithgow.
Mr. BARNARD presented a petition from the London
and Greenwich Railway Company praying for leave to
bring in a Bill to increase the funds of the Company.
Mr. M. PHILIPS presented a petition from the
Royal Infirmary of Manchester, praying for leave to
bring in a Bill to improve that institution.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE presented a petition from the
merchants and tradesmen of Drogheda, praying for an
alteration in the laws with respect to duties on the
necessaries of life.•
Dr. BO WRING presented petitions from Kilmarnock,
and several other places praying for the total repeal of
the Corn-laws. The petitioners stated that nothing but
a total repeal of those laws would alleviate the
distresses of the people. [During the time the
Honourable Member was presenting his petitions
the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Dublin,
(Mr. O'Connell) entered the House, wearing his gold
chain of office, and was cheered from the Opposition side
of the House.]
1 Mr. M. PIIILIPS presented 34 petitions from differ-
ent parts of Lancashire, praying for a total repeal of the
Corn-laws.
Mr. BECKETT presented a petition from Leeds,
praying for the removal of all taxes on the necessaries
of life.
Mr. HAWES presented a petition in favour of the
public improvements in the borough of Southwark.
Mr. STRUT r presented a petition from the Mayor,
Aldermen, and Corporation of the borough of Derby,
stating that great distress existed in that town, and
praying for a repeal of the Corn-laws.
SESSIONAL ORDERS.

On the motion of Sir GEO. CLERK the Sessional
Orders were read and agreed to.
NOTICES OF MOTION.

Mr. BROTHERTON gave notice that on Thursday
next he should bring forward a motion to the effect that
no opposed motion should be brought on in the House
after 12 o'clock at night, unless 100 members were pre-
sent.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.)
PRESBYTERIAN MARRIAGES.

Mr. O'CONNELL rose and said, that he supposed the
Noble Lord, the Secretary for Ireland, was apprized of a
recent decision in Ireland upon the subject of marriages
by Presbyterian Clergymen, between Presbyterians and
members of the Established Church, which had invali-
dated these marriages, so that very great confusion had
arisen, and some persons had availed themselves of that
decision to leave their wives and families and marry
again. He wished to ask the Noble Lord, whether it
was the intention of the Government to bring in any
measure to remedy that evil ?
Sir ROBERT PEEL said that the subject to which
the Right Hon. Member had alluded was one which had
been already under the consideration of her Majesty's
Government. Her Majesty's Government wished to
apply an immediate remedy to the evil, and to
bring in a Bill, without delay, to establish the
validity of those marriages which had been con-
tracted, as it had been ruled in ignoranee of existing law.
He (Sir Robert Peel) thought it expedient to provide an
immediate remedy for the case of those persons who had
been born, as they naturally were led to believe, in per-
fectly legitimate wedlock. Her Majesty's Government
would consider what were the proper means to
dual with the subject, but the question was one of
such great and pressing importance, that they would
bring in a Bill for the purpose of determining the entire
subject. It was a matter which would require some
consideration. The attention of the Government had of
late been absorbed by many other important questions,
and all that they now proposed to do was to: apply an
immediate remedy for the immediate evil, and to take
time to consider what would be the best means of deal-
hick hereafter with the whole question.
Lord J. RUSSELL gave notice of an humble address
to her Majesty, praying that her Majc sty would be gra-
ciously pleased to lay before the House copies of certain
Correspondence between the late Lord President of the
Court of Session in Scotland and the Lord Chief Justice
of the Court of Queen's Bench in Ireland and the Govern-
ment, relative to the resignation of their judicial offices. '
(Such was the substance, as we understood it, of the notice
of the Noble Lord, who spoke in a very indistinct tone.)
Dlr. HAWES gave notice that ho should on Atonday
next move for certain returns relative to the quantity of
sugar consumed in the United Kingdom.
Mr. GODSON gave notice that he should on Tuesday
next move for leave to bring in a Bill for better securing
the property of copyright in books.
POLISH REFUGEES.

Mr. DUNCOMBE gave notice that he intended 'to
renew his motion of last Session, relative to Polish re-
fugees in this country.
THE CASE OF Mk ELTON.
An How. MExima on the Opposition benches inquired
if any Gentleman especially connected with the Admi-
ralty was present on the other side of the House, as it
was his intention, on Wednesday next, to ask a question
relative to the case of Mr. Elton, a Midshipman in her
Majesty's service ; and, according to the answer hq.
might receive to that question, he should con Odor whe-
ther it would be expedient to move an address to •!-
Majesty, either on the whole or part of the "'-
against that officer,

raoceedings

CHURCH-7' "A
Sir JOHN EAST^" - " 21:
P" "."'
had been observing that an intention
- —pressed of proposing a measure relative-to
..e Ecclesiastical Courts, begged to ask the Right
Honourable Baronet opposite, whether that intention
pointed to any measure for the fulfilment of the question of
compulsory Church-rates, or whether any measure was
contemplated by her Majesty's Government for taking
that question into consideration ?

Sir‘R. PEEL begged to state: that any Bill intended
to be introduced on the subject would exclusively refer
to the jurisdiction of Ecclesiastical Courts. The sub-
ject was. noticed agreeably to a recommendation of
Commissioners appointed some years since to investi-
gate the matter, and it was not meant to .include any
measure respecting Church-rates in the present instance.
Sir J. EASTHOPE wished to ask the Right Hon.
Baronet whether it was in the contemplation of Govern-
ment to propose any measure respecting Church-rates to
Parliament this Session ?
Sir R. PEEL—It is not in the contemplation of Go-
vernment to propose such a measure...
In reply to a question, similar to the preceding, from
Mr. HAWES,
Sir R. PEEL said that he had already given an an-
swer on the subject, and •he trusted the. Hon. Member
111,1
would see that any discussion. on the matter would not
be attended with convenience.
BRIBERY AT. ELECTIONS. A. 4..,„
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE wished to knowl!i*tfter it'w"
the intention of Government to introduceauy measure' to
put an end to that wholesale system of bribery :to
which he believed the vast majority of that House at
present, were indebted for their seats?--(Laughter.)
During the last Session the Right Hon. Baronet had in-
timated an intention of bringing in a measure of that na-
tnre unless the Noble Lord (Lord John Russell), who
was then in office, should follow up his expressed
intention .of introducing a Bill to that effect. He
(Mr. T. Duncombe), had now ascertained that it
was not the intention of the Noble Lord to introduce any
measure of that sort, and he wishedtoknow, as thebribery
was admitted, whether it was the intention of the Go,
vernment to bring
.in a Bill such as the Right Hon.
Bart. had adverted to on the occasion alluded to?

Sir R. PEEL said that he had not the opportunities
of communicating with the Noble Lord so as to learn his
(the Noble Lord's) intentions, as the Hon. Member had;
and he (Sir It. Peel) was accordingly taken by surprise
when the Hon. Member intimated that it was the Noble
Lord's intention to abandon that subject. He (Sir H.
Peel) thought that it would be more convenient
that those measures connected with the financial
and commercial policy of the country should be
first brought under the, consideration of the
House. There could be no utility in bringing
forward a measure which would be postponed from
night to night, as would be the case with a Bill on the
subject referred to by the Hon. Member, while measures
of such importance as referred to the financial and com-
mercial affairs were absorbing the attention of the pub-
lic, and therefore demanding the immediate considera-
tion of the House. He trusted, therefore, that the House
would excuse him in directing its attention, in the first
place, to those measures which were of such immense
importance.

- THE MINISTERIAL STATEMENT.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL had also to ask a question of
the Right Hon. Baronet on the same subject. He (the
Noble Lord) understood that on Wednesday the Right
Hon. Baronet intended to move a Committee of the
whole House, to consider the duty on foreign
corn. It had been the usual course for several
years, in bringing forward a question of magnitude like
the present, for the Member introducing it to state his
plan, perhaps to bring forward some resolutions, and
move, that they be printed, and then to name a day
when the House, having considered them, should de-
liberate and decide on the subject. Now, did the
Right Hon. Baronet intend to pursue this course ? And
if he did, had he fixed a day on which he proposed, after
having made his motion on Wednesday, to proceed with
the actual discussion of the question?—(Hear, ha
Sir ROBERT PEEL said that so far as he
was concerned, and so far as concerned the con-
venience of the Government, he should IA per-
fectly - prepared to proceed with the discussion
of the question on Wednesday. He thought it very
probable that if he asked for a vote on resolutions pro-
posed for the first time it would be objected to, and