The Sun.
London, England, 1842-08-01 00:00:00

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SUN-OFFICE, ,S'eren o'Cioch.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOUi.NALS.

FROM THE INENINI3 PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
GLOBE—This evening is appointed for the com-
mittal of the Bankruptcy Amendment Bill, which is a
part of the small instalment of Legal Reform oared
in payment of those large promises that the Minis-
ters, in the commencement of the Rssien, held out to
us. The trifling aittedtions in the law which this
Bill proposes to effect are, it must be allowed, in the
rigid direction; but the fable of the mountain de-

livered of a-mouse is more than realised if we regard
the measure in question as the offspring of the long-
continued labour that has preceded it. Two Qom-
missions have contributed their 'Reports and the-two
houses of it-i.viitahent have, in turn, devoted them-
'Eaves during the greater part of the two sessions to
the subject of Bankruptcy Reform; while two Lord
Chancellors have come tbrwnrd with Bills to re-
medy the evils which all parties seem to con-
cur in complaining of. It might reasonably
have been expected, after all the pains and
time that have been expended on the considera-
tion of Bankruptcy Reform, that when a Bill was
at last introduced it would prove -a tolerably satis•
factory one. On looking, however, at the measure
before us, we are struck with the meagreness of its
amendments. We are, moreover, much surprised
to find that even its promoters consider it rather
in the light of a concession to general opinion that
"something must be done," than as a measure ade-
quate to provide for the defects of the existing law
of bankruptcy. The Bill has its good points ; and
on that account we hope it may pass ; but as a final
measure we would reject it as contemptible. Lord
Lyndhurst having disclahned the idea of finality in
bringing forward his very moderate plan of Legal
Reform, there can be no harm done by support-
ing him in his present scheme ; which though
it goes a very little way, will not preclude the
taking of bolder steps in the ensuing session. It is
urged by some that the Bill has been brought into
the House of Commons at so late a period, that
Members have not had time to give proper consideration
to the subject. This is an argument that might be
allowed to prevail, if the matter in question were one
that had for the first time been submitted to the

notice of the Legislature. i3ut Bankruptcy Re-
form has been discussed in the House and
out of the House over and over again, until
it is almost impossible that any man of business
should not have made up his mind upon the points
embraced by the new measure. The Bill is not so
long, or so complicated, that much time or trouble
need be devoted to the task of comprehending its
provisions ; and there is not a clause which relates to
any branch of the subject that has not been frequently
brought under consideration in reports wand debates,
or at meetings held by those who are most interested
in the matter.

STANDARD.— In the House of Lords on Satur-
day a great number of Bills received the Royal assent ;.
among others, the New Poor-law Bill, which comes
into operation this day. Upon this subject it may be
proper to remark, that the thus ratified is
not the , New Poor-law-not the • measure which
has excited so much just disgust and indigna-
tion throughout the country, but a Measure of a
different and almost' opposite character. When the
session shall have been concluded, the fit time will
come for reviewing the course, taken by her Ma-
jesty's 'Ministers- and by the Parliament :under their
guidanee and as
,friends of a 'Cabinet 'which has
restored t' 1e,,. the...cow) trity;' Jiault.S4o4lefilhe'
nn-laW question- (for, •finally settled it has been.
as far as such a question :admits of finality), and
greatly ameliorated the Poor-laws, we need not have
any fears in entering upon the account. To repair
in a single session so many of the evils pro-
duced by eleven years, of \Vbig-Radical Admi-
nistration is a great triumph; and it is a tri-
umph more •Unequivocal because even the enemies
of the Government do rot charge that Ministers
have done anything wrong, but limit com-
plaint to this, that enough has not been done ; in
other words, the Whig-Radicals complain only that
Ministers have not been sufficiently active in un-
doing all the evil that they, the Whig-Radicals,
have done. However, even where the good work
of repair has not been completed, it has been well
begun ; and this is eminently the case in the
matter of the Poor-law. The present law is a great
improvement upon the law which it supersedes.
The prevision of an honest form of inquiry—
the provision for the appointment of local guar-
dian boards—above all, the adoption by the Mi-
nistry itself of all responsibility, for the .special
as well as general orders issued from Somerset-
house—these alterations go to effect a change
in the whole character of the law; while the lan-
guage of the Duke of Wellington and of Sir James
Graham hold out a satisfactory promise that the
bastiles will be dismantled of their terrors, that the
overgrown unions will be dissolved, and that the tone
and temper of the Commissioners will be rendered
less inhuman than they have been.

TATTERSALL'S-THIS EVENING.

Six O'CLOCK.

ST. LEGER.
7 to 4 on the field,

10 to 1 agst Cabrera.
11 to 1 agst Policy.

11 to 1 agst Fireaway.
20 to 1 agst Cattonite.
20 to 1 agst any other.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS DAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.

Their Lordships assembled at Five o'Clock.
The Assessed Taxes Bill was read a third time and
passed.
The Colonial Passengers Bill and the Stamp Duties
As,,imilation Bill, were each read a second time.
Tho Stamp Duties Bill was read a third time and
pa.sed.
The Earl of RIPON moved the second reading of the
Bonded Corn Bill, and briefly explained the objects of
the Bill

Lord BEAUNIONT felt it is his duty to °TT a few
remarks upon this Bill, although he did not mean to
ose the second reading. The ground on which he
objected to the Bill was, that he believed it would afford
means of evading the duties imposed by the, present
Corn-laws' and would offer an inducement to the com-
mission of fraud. _ _ _

The Earl of RIPON said that this Bill would do
much good generally, without prejudicing any class
hatever; and as to the objection respecting the alleged
facility it afforded for frauds, all the Customs officers
had, n hen examined on the matter, shown that no such
danger n as to be apprehended on the subject.
Lord MONTEAGLE said that what bad just been
stated by the Noble Earl would induce a person to draw
a contrast between what was now said of this very
measure, and what was said of it last session.
The measure would must certainly have a bene-
ficial effect, inasmuch it would have a tendency
to make the trade in corn more steady, and the
sliding
-scale.
fluctuatingle. than under the sole operation of the
The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to
be committed to-morrow.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY seeing
the First
Lord of the Admiralty, wished to ask whether it was the
intention of the Government to make any alteration in
the packet station at Donaghadee and Port Patrick.
The Earl of HADDINGTON said that the Com-
mittee of the House of Commons had made a Report on
the subject, which was not yet printed; but he under-
stood that there was no recommendation in that Report
to make the change alluded to, nor had the engineer, Sir
J. Rennie, made • any such recommendation. His own
(the Earl of Haddingtou's) opinion was against any
change being made in the station. •
The Earl of ABERDEEN laid papers on the table
respecting the traffic in slaves.
The NOBLE EARL also laid on the table a Bill to sus-
pend the operations of a Bill which had been passed for
the auppres;ion of slavery as regarded Portuguese vessels.
The pill was read a first time ; second reading to-
morrow.
Lord BROUGHAM postponed till to-morrow. on ac •
count of the illness of the Lord Chancellor, his proposi-
tion on the subject of slavery.
The Eali. (4. GLENGALL Presented a petition from
for au amendment of:the Irish Poor-
. law 13411-

(LEFT SITTING.