The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-27 00:00:00

INCOME-TAX.

Mr. WALKER presented a petition from the attor-
neys of Londonderry, praying to be exempt from the
operation of the Income-tax.
CAPT. MANBY'S INVENTION.
Sir C. NAPIER presented a petition from Captain
Manby, who stated that he had invented a machine for
the purpose of removing sand banks from the mouths of
rivers and harbours. The petitioner wished for a Select
Committee to inquire into. the merits of the invention. He
(Sir C. Napier) would give notice at the proper time, of
his intention to move that the petition be printed.
SUNDAY TRAVELLING.

Mr. PLUMPTRE presented a petition from Glasgow,
praying that a clause be introduced into the Railways Bill,
for the purpose of preventing Sunday travelling ; also
a petition against any further grant to the College of
Maynooth ; also a petition for the exclusion of Roman
Catholics from Parliament.

POOR-LAW BILL.
Mr. GRIMSDITCH presented a petition from the
Poor-law Guardians of the Chorley Union, Lancashire,
praying for an alteration in the Poor-law Amendment
Bill.

Mr. LITTON presented a petition from the Irish
Society against the Irish Drainage Bill, and praying
that the petitioners might be heard at the bar of the
House by their counsel against the Bill ; also a petition
from Longford against the National System of Education
in Ireland.
Mr. FERRAND presented a petition from the Poor-
law Guardians of the parish of Keithley, in the West
Riding of the county of York, agreed to by a majority of
10 to 3 against the Poor-law Amendment Act, as being
wholly unfitted for the purposes for which it was passed ;
the petitioners prayed the House, therefore, that that
Act might be repealed, or so far altered as that relief to
the poor might be administered under the sanction of
the rate-payers ; and that the Poor-law Com Missioners
might be relieved from the further administration of
their functions.

COMMUNICATION WITH BELGIUM.
Mr. MACKINNON presented a petition from the
English residents of Bruges, complaining that the com-
munication between this country and Belgium was not
sufficient for the purposes of trade. Vessels only went
four times a week from London to Bruges, and great in-
convenience arose from not having a daily communica-
tion, as there was with France.
• CATHOLIC GRIEVANCES.
Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition from the Ca-
tholics of Stafford, complaining of the religious grievances
under which they laboured, especially in the Army and
Navy, the poor-houses, and the prisons.
REPEAL OF THE UNION.
The RIGHT HoN. MEMBER also presented several pe-
titions for the repeal of the Legislative Union.
CORN LAWS.
The RIGHT HoN. MEMBER also presented a petition
from Dublin, praying for a total and immediate repeal of
the Corn-laws.

REFORM IN PARLIAMENT.
The RIGHT HON. MEMBER also presented a petition
from five leaseholders, praying fur a further reform in
Parliament.

FISHERIES "(IRELAND) BILL.
Lord BERNARD presented a petition from some
place in Cork, in favour of this Bill.
SUDBURY ELECTION.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from cer-
tain electors of Sudbury, signed by three Dissenting
Ministers, one Magistrate, and 152 electors, highly ap-
proving of the decision of the Commissioners appointed
by the House, whereby they found that bribery had
existed in the borough of Sudbury to a great ex-
tent. The petitioners stated that they regarded the
suffrage as the right of every Englishman, and they
prayed for Universal Suffrage and the Vote by
The Hon. Member also presented-a petition from an in-
dividual at Birmingham, praying for the dissolution of
the present Parliament, and that one might be elected
according to the ancient custom of the realm.
THE TARIFF.

Mr. GILL presented a petition from the rope spinners
of Devonport, praying for an adequate protection against
the introduction of foreign cordage.

BRIBERY

Lord DUNCAN presented a petition from Bath, pray-
ing the House to adopt measures for the prevention of
bribery at elections.

POOR-LAWS.

Mr. STUART WORTLEY presented a petition
from the Guardians of the Dewsbury Union, praying for
an alteration in the law relating to Bastardy.
LIVERPOOL. AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY.
Lord SANDON moved that the Select Committee
on petitions for private Bills, to whom the petition of the
Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company (presented
on the 24th of May) was referred, have leave to sit and
proceed on Friday next.
After a few words from Mr. Estcourt, Sir G. Strick-
land, Mr. Greene, and Mr. Labouchere, the motion was
agreed to.
__

CATHOLIC GRIEVANCES.
Mr. WILLIAMS presented a petition from the Roman
Catholics of the City of Coventry, complaining of the
grievances to which they are subjected.
NOTICES OF MOTION,
Sir C. NAPIER save notice that to-morrow he wou'd
move that the petition of Captain Manby be printed
with the Votes.
CORK ELECTION PETITION.
Mr. O'CONNELL gave notice, that on the motion
being made for printing the proceedings in the Cork
Election Petition, he should move in addition, that the
petition itself be printed.
POOR-LAW COMMISSION.
Mr. FERRAND gave notice that on Tuesday next lie
should move that an humble address from the House be
presented to the Poor-law Commissioners, praying that
they might be graciously pleased to rescind an order
issued by them to the guardians of a union in the West
Riding of Yorkshire.

SOUTHAMPTON ELECTION.
Mr. 0. STANLEY gave notice that to-morrow, on the

motion being made for issuing a new writ for the borough
of Southampton, he should move the suspension of the writ
undl the House had instituted further inquiries into the
proceedings at the election, which the Select Committee
hadbeen unable fully to investigate, in consequence of the
rekal of W. Wrenn, one of the witnesses, to produce
certain documents.

Mr. PARKER gave notice, that on Thursday, next he
should move for leave to bring in a Bill to repeal the
clause which prevented the Judge of the High Court of
Admiralty from sitting in the House.
Mr. FLEMING said that he wished to call the atten-
tion of the House to a subject deeply affecting its-privi-
leges. A petition had been presented to that House re-
specting the election for the borough of Southampton,
purporting to be signed by 171. electors, inhabitants of
that borough. Out of that number of persons from 30 tol4o
were not on the registry of the borough. He now gave
notice that on Monday next he would present a petition
to the House on the subject, and that he would move
that those persons who, not being electors, had
so signed the petition referred to, be brought
before that House, and subjected to such punishment as
the House should inflict.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.

Lord STANLEY said, that an understanding had been
entered into, that although the matters connected
with the Ipswich Election, and also the Bridport
case, were not strictly cases of privilege, yet
as far as the Government were concerned, they would
not bring forward any business which would interfere
with the subject. In making that statement he did not
mean that those cases should interfere with the Bills for
making further provision for the Government of
Newfoundland and New South Wales, of which
he had given notice.

Mr. O'CONNELL said it was hard to make an objec-
tion to the introduction of any Bill, without the particu-
lars being communicated to those who were interested in
it. He certainly should apprehend that the Noble Lord
would show that the people of Newfoundland and New
South Wales, who were to be affected by these Bills,
should have some intimation of the Noble Lord's inten-
tion to bring theircases before the House.
Lord STANLEY said that he was unwilling to enter
into a discussion of that question, but the real
fact was, that at the present moment, in accord-
ance with the instructions given by the Noble
Lord who had preceded him (Lord Stanley)
in his present office, the functions of the Legislature of
Newfoundland were suspended.
Mr. O'CONNELL said, that the Noble Lord had
stated nothing which would make it less interesting to
the people( connected with those Bills to watch their
progress.

BOWRING said, that the Right Hon. Baronet
had intimated his intention to bring on the tariff this
evening at a period which might suit the convenience of
the House. He (Dr. Bowring) would be glad to know
at what precise hour the subject would be brought be-
fore the House.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that it was the intention of his Right Hon. Friend to
move, in the event of there being a period during the
evening when no business was immediately before the
House, that the Committee on the Customs Act should
resume. He, therefore, could not mention any particular
hour. However, he might state that it was the inten-
tion of Government to bring on the subject each evening
when opportunity presented, and thus to go on with it,
de die in diem.

ELECTION PETITIONS.
Mr. O'CONNELL begged to ask the Right Hon.
Baronet, at the head of the Government, whether it was
in the contemplation of her Majesty's Government to
bring in any Bill in the course of the present session,
with respect to the trial of controverted election petitions?
Sir R. PEEL said, it certainly was his intention to
bring in a Bill to continue for a certain time longer the
present tribunals for the trial of controverted elections.
When he saw the different compromises that were
alleged to have taken place, he could not but
entertain a conviction that more searching inquiries
had been instituted by the Committees, as now consti;
tuted, than had ever taken place under the old system ;
and he earnestly hoped the House would never consent to
part with its right of adjudicating upon these matters.
He could not say at present what modifications he should
propose to make in the present law.
Mr. O'CONNELL said, that whatever change might
be made in the law, he did not think the trial of contro-
verted elections could be in worse hands than it was at
present.

IPSWICH ELECTION.
Mr. C. W. WYNN then moved that the Attorney-
General be directed to prosecute such persons as should
appear to him to be guilty of bribery, in respect of the
last election for the borough of Ipswich, and
for the town of Southampton. The Honourable
Member said, what he proposed was not in the
slightest degree connected with any Committee, nor
bad he any wish to give one party an advantage above
the other. Both sides being parties, all parties in the
country were equally concerned. It was equally their
interest as well as their duty, to use every means in their
power to enforce the laws already enacted ; or, if
those were found deficient, to make such regulations
as would prevent bribery at elections. He had made it
his business to look over the evidence taken before the
Ipswich Committee, and he was of opinion that
it afforded no grounds to take steps to destroy,
or suspend, or alter the elective franchise in that borough.
There was not sufficient to justify the House in bring-
ing in a Bill to take away the rights of those who
were not mingled with the bribery that took place,
though he was ready to support extreme measures, if it
was proved that the practice of bribery was so extensive
as to deprive the honest voters of all efficient power.
ORMSBY ENCLOSURE BILL CONFERENCE.
A Message from the House of Lords informed the
House that their Lordships had agreed to a Conference
on the amendments made by the House of Commons
on the Ormeby Inclosure Bill.
Sir G. CLERK. Mr. HUME, and other Members, were
appointed to manage the Conference, and withdrew for
that purpose.
On the return of the Members of the Conference, Mr.
HUME informed the House that the Managers of the
Conference, on the part of the House of Commons, had
stated their reasons to the Managers of the House of
Lords for differine, with their Lordships, and had left
the Bill and amendments with them.
IPS WICII ELECTION.
_

The debate on the Ipswich case was then resumed, and
Mr. WYNN said that he had already stated to the
House the reasons which had induced him to
come to the conclusion, that in instances where
the existence of extensive bribery had been
proved they ought not to allow it to be passed
over in silence. Ought those persons, either the bribers
or the bribed, to be suffered to go to another election?
Ought such disclosures to be attended with no conse-
quences to those who had been guilty of bribery ?
On reading the evidence in the Ipswich case, it must be
clear to every one that an extensive system of bri-
bery had been carried on at the last election.
There might, perhaps, in the event of a prosecution
being instituted, be some difficulty in bringing home the
offence to particular individuals, but no one could rise
from a perusal of that evidence without being convinced
that an extensive system of bribery had been carried on
both by one side and the other. The Commit-
tee had, by its very constitution, been precluded
from going into the evidence of the bribery, as
it affected the unsuccessful candidates. They must,
therefore, further inquire and further inves-
tigate : he was quite aware of the difficulties that must
attend a further investigation. The parties must consider
what would be the probable result ; if they established it
on both sides, they might establish it to such an extent
that each party would equally suffer by it. The
punishment ought not to fall entirely on the
constituents, but on those who were guilty of the crime
of bribery. During the last 150 years the House had
passed repeated acts against bribery ; and, by the act of
1829, penalties were inflicted on th e voters who took bribes.
The House of Lords were now, for the first time, ready
to co-operate with them ; and he did think they
ought not to allow to pass unnoticed the pro-
ceedings which had been lately disclosed before the
Election Committees. He did not wish to point out any
particular course to the Attorney-General, but, it ap-
peared to him, that the House should not refrain
altogether from interfering in the subject. With
respect to Ipswich, he did not think that the evi-
dence was of a nature to connect the alleged bribery
with the late sitting Members ; and formed sufficient rea-
son why ulterior proceedings ought not to be taken in this
case. The Right Hon. Gentleman went through diffe-
rent portions of the evidence, and said that as there was not
sufficient in it to induce the House to adopt ulterior
measures, he thought either that a supplemental inquiry
ought to be instituted, or that the Attorney-General, who
in this case ought to be looked upon as the servant of the
House, should be directed to prosecute such persons as
appeared to be concerned in the bribery practised at the
late election for the borough of Ipswich. The motion
having been put,
Sir THOMAS WILDE said that he found great
difficulty in addressing the "'Ouse in opposition
to the proposition of so distinguished a person
as the Right Honourable Gentleman, but so
strongly did he feel the difficulties in the way of the
motion he had proposed, that, notwithstanding the hesi-
tation he had expressed, he should beg leave to obtrude
upon the House. The House stood before the coun-
try in a peculiar position, and it would be expedient
for the House not to forget the circumstances
in which it was placed in adopting any course which
was proposed to it. He was not aware that directions
were ever given to an Attorney-General in the
general terms now proposed ; and the Right Hon.
Gentleman himself, whose experience was so extensive,
allowed that the present form varied from that
generally adopted. He had heard it said in
the House, and he agreed in opinion, that it
ought only to b on very strong occasions, that
the House directed a pros9cution, and, generally
speaking, it operated to the prejudice of the
defendant. But so far from that being the case
in the present instance, he believed, on the con-
trary, that if the prosecution. were ordered by
the House, it would rather be advantageous
Some experience occurred, even before these decisions
took place, during the present session. The House, in a
former session, had directed a prosecution in the case
of Hertford and St. Alban's. Whoever read the
evidence in those cases—the speeches of Coun-
sel, and the summing up of the Learned Judge—
would be satisfied that some peculiar circumstances, not
arising out of the evidence, must have led to the conclu-
sion in those cases. There was no doubt that, at the
present moment, there was a strong impression regarding
bribery, and that any prosecution unattended by some
general measure directed to the suppression of the evil
would be considered as a prosecution. not for the pur-
poses of justice, but to boast of the existing system. In
saying that, he could assure the House that no one felt

more decidedly than he did, that nothing but the desire
to maintain the honour of the House, had induced the

Right Honourable Gentleman to adopt the course he
had done ; but while be made that statement he felt