The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-08-09 00:00:00

Intptriai Variiament.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—MONDAY.
The Public Works (Ireland) Bill was read a second time
and ordered to be committed on Thursday.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER.
Lord LYNDHURST inquired of the Chancellor of the
Duchy of Lancaster, in reference to a commission which
had been appointed three or four years since, to inquire into
the practice (as connected with equity jurisdiction) of the
Court of the Duchy of Lancaster, whether any report had
been made in pursuance of that appointment.
Lord HOLLAND replied Mit there were three persons ap-
pointed at some distance of time, to inquire into this subject,
and that they had already reported.
Lord LYNDHURST said he was aware of that. His ques-
tion had reference to the appointment, as sole commissioner,
of Mr. Duckworth, now Master in Chancery. Mr. Duck-
worth went down to take the evidence three years ago.
Lord HOLLAND was understood to say, that the report
would be speedily completed, and laid upon their lordships'
table.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHARTISTS AT BOLTON.

The Earl of WILTON- was desirous of directing the atten-
tion of the noble viscount at the head of her Majesty's go-
vernment to the state of a large portion of the manufacturing
districts of this country. He had presented an important
petition some time since, connected with this subject ; and
the allegations which it contained were quite confirmed by
the recent proceedings at Bolton. Thousands of persons
had, he was informed, been assembling night after night in
the immediate vicinity of that town; and at their meetings
the most violent and seditious speeches were delivered.
Some time since the church was entirely taken possession of
by the chartists during the period of regular divine service ;
and yesterday, as he (the Earl of Wilton) was informed by
letter, the very same circumstance occurred. At the time
when his correspondent's letter was despatched, the chartists
had not quitted the church. He held in his hand a placard,
to which he wished to call their lordships' serious attention.
This placard had been posted up for a great many days on
the walls of Bolton, yet no notice had been taken of it by the
government, although it was signed by the chairman and
secretary, with their names in full. The placard was as
follows :

" Resolution unanimously agreed to by the General Conven-
tion, Wednesday, July 10, 1839.
" That this convention has read with feelings of inex-
pressible indignation the statements said to have been last
night made in the House of Commons by the Secretary of
State for the Home Department, relative to the necessity
and propriety of employing the metropolitan police force in
various parts of the country, for the suppression of public
meetings of the people peaceably conducted; and, further,
the approbatory remarks of the same minister of the bloody-
minded and atrocious assault made upon the people of Bir-
mingham by a portion of that unconstitutional and obnoxious
force ; and this convention is of opinion, that wherever and
whenever persons assembled for just and legal purposes, and
conducting themselves without riot or tumult, are so assailed
by the police or others, they are justified, upon every prin-
ciple of law and self-preservation, in meeting force by force,
'CCU to the slaying of the persons guilty of such atrocious
and ferocious assaults upon their rights and persons.
" By order of the convention,
" JANfES TAYLOR, Chairman.
" ROBERT HEAR7'WELL, Secretary, P.M.
" Reprinted from the convention circular by J. Hargreaves,
No. 3, Folds-street, Bolton."
Now, no steps had been taken by the government to counter-
act the effects of this dangerous document. The only thing
done was a letter written by the noble lord the Secretary for
the Home Department, which, after reciting the circum-
stances which gave rise to his transmitting the letter, advised
the magistrates "to proceed against the persons who were
guilty of such illegal practises." He would impress on the
noble viscount at the head of her majesty's government the
necessity of taking some more active and energetic steps for
the preservation of the public peace in this importantdistrict.
He assured the noble viscount, that he did not mention this
matter in any feeling of hostility towards either himself or his
government. He (the Earl of Wilton) was about to proceed
to Lancashire in the course of that evening ; and if he could
assist the government in any way, he would be most happy
to do so. He trusted that this feeling would be reciprocated
in the same spirit. (" Hear, hear," from Lord Melbourne.)
Whatever course might be taken by the government, they
might depend upon the active support of the great bulk of
the well-disposed portion of the community; for he was far
from believing, that Lancashire was about to forfeit the high
character which it had long maintained.
Viscount MELBOURNE said that the subject which the
noble earl had so properly introduced to their lordships'
notice was already under the serious consideration of her ma-
jesty's government, which, in repressing disturbances in
Lancashire, would gladly avail itself of the active support of
the noble lord. (Hear.) He was aware that proceedings of
the dangerous and alarming character described by the noble
lord had taken place for some time past in many parts of the
country. He was perfectly aware of proceedings such aS
those described by the noble earl opposite : that mode of pro-
ceeding had been resorted to in many parts of the country.
With respect to the placard, part of which the noble earl had
read, he (Viscount Melbourne) must say it was not new to
him ; he had read it before, and he was sure their lordships
would be of opinion with him that it was artfully worded.
(Hear, hear.) It stated, that if any "unprovoked" attack
was made on the people assembled in the exercise of their
constitutional rights without riot or tumult, it was right in
them to resist such an attack by force. Now he (Viscount
Melbourne) did not exactly know what was to be said in op-
position to that proposition, though he admitted its object
was to urge resistance and a violation of the peace. He, how-
ever, also begged leave to observe, that with the legal powers
which exist, and which belong to every individual in the coun-
try, with the right of free speech and free discussion which
belonged to every man, in order to excite to the utmost vio-
lence it was by no means necessary to break the law—that
was to say, that the internal breach and violation of the law
to be dreaded was the use, or rather the abuse and pushing
to the utmost those powers and privileges which in fact the
people legally possessed.
The Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Bill was read a third
time and passed; the Marquis of LANSDOWNE observing.
that one of the amendments made by their lordships was
such as rendered it impossible for the other house, con-
sistently with their privileges, to pass the bill in its present
state.