The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-02-22 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY.

After a number of petitions had been presented on the
subject of the corn laws, •
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from the lessee,
manager, performers, and operatives of Drury-lane Theatre,
complaining of the interdiction of the Lord Chamberlain
against performances on Wednesdays and Fridays during
Lent. The hon. member contended that the petition should
be immediately received, and that the house should humbly
address her Majesty, that she would be graciously pleased to
give directions to the Lord Chamberlain to sanction, on
Wednesdays and Fridays, in Westminster, those entertain-
ments which were enjoyed by her Majesty's loyal subjects in
every other part of the metropolis. After a brief discussion,
the house divided, when the numbers were—for the motion,
''; against it, 160. Majority, 90.
The SPEAKER intimated that he should on Tuesday take
the chair at three o'clock, in order to allow the presentation
of petitions on the corn laws, previous to the commencement
of the debate on that subject.
Sir J. HOBROUSE brought up certain papers on the affairs
oI .Ixxdia, which were laid on the table, and ordered to be
printed.
Viscount MORPETH, in reply to a question from Mr.
Hume, said that he should shortly propose a bill for facilitat-
ing the arrangements made for the distribution of the grants
votr.d to the Irish clergy last year ; that it was not the inten-
b__tin of government to apply to the clergy to reimburse the
4 00,000 advanced to the commissioners from the public
rase, relative to the payment of arrears ; and that he had
tcceived a communication, with respect to the demand made
4, :for the clergy for arrears of quit-rent and ground-rent, which
1, tie should take the earliest opportunity of laying before the
commissioners, who must determine upon the point.
The highways' bill was read a second time, and ordered to
he committed on Wednesday, the 6th of March.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER obtained leave to bring in a bill to al-
, ter and amend the laws relating to sewers in England.
• On the motion of Mr. POULETT THOMSON, the select corn-
witL-ee to consider whether any and what improvement can
be adopted in the mode of conducting the business of the
house, was re-appointed. _

The LORD ADVOCATE brought up the report of the com-
mittre on the judges' salaries (Scotland).
The house adjourned at a quarter past six o'clock.

HOUSE OF LORDS—TUESDAY.
Petitions were presented for and against alterations in the
corn-laws, against the beer bill, in favour of church exten-
sion, and against the poor-law amendment act.
_ On Lord HATHERTON handing in six petitions for the
repeal of the corn-laws,
Earl STANHOPE asked by what description of persons the
petitions were signed ?
Lord HATHERTON.—By manufactl,.,
~r .
Earl STANHOPE.—nut ,
Lord HATHEATON.—By a 3reat .nany.
Lord MELBOURNE quoted the declaration of Mr. Poulett
Thomson. ia a debate in the House of Commons, in 1833, io
prove that, :iider Earl Grey's government, the question of
the corn-law s was an open one.
The Earl of RIPON must assert that he had no recollection
Of anythinif that had passed which could induce him to sup-
s' e that Lord Grey's cabinet had ever considered it as an
open question. The Vice-President of the Board of Trade
' eould not be considered as speaking the sentir,..ents of the
labinet in 1833, and the cabinet could not be bound by his
opinion. He (the Earl of Ripon) referred to facts, which if
they could be gainsayed were capable of proof. ith respect
to this vote of the Vice-President of the Board of Trade, he
(Lord Ripon) had never heard of it until after it was given.
Lord BROUGHAM said he had never heard of that vote

until the present moment. (Hear, hear.) But let it be
borne in mind that the right hon. gentleman was not a mem-
ber of the government, strictly speaking, any more than an
under secretary to the secretary of state was, the right hon.
gentleman not being a member of the cabinet. There was
an instance in point of a lord of the treasury last session being
in favour of the vote by ballot, and yet the members of the
government did not split, whatever they might do hereafter
if placed under similar circumstances. (A laugh.)
The Duke of RICIIMOND.—My lords, as I was a member
of that cabinet at the time alluded to by the noble earl (the
/Sari of Ripon), and by the noble and learned lord, I beg to
say that I entirely agree with both in declaring that I under-
stood the corn-law question was a cabinet question. (Hear.)
If I had not so understood it, I should not have continued a
member of the government. (Hear, hear.) My lords, I
cannot forbear remarking that I think it indiscreet in gentle-
men re-opening the doors of a cabinet which have been so
long closed. ( Hear.)
IRscount IBOURNE.-It is not the votes of one or two
members, but several, that were given, upon which that ques-
tion may be said to rest, for I find that no-fewer than ten or
eleven votes were so given. I find that besides Mr. Poulett
Thomson, Vicount Duncannon so voted. Mr. Littleton the
secretary for Ireland
Lord Bftou GII A M - BUt they were not members of the
cabinet.

Viscount ME LIMURN E.—l find also Sir Harry Parnell,
Mr. A. Murray, Mr. Vernon Smith.
The Duke ofRICHMOND.-It is only proof that the under-
lings of Lord Grey's government were in very bad order.
(Laughing.)

OUTRAGE ON THE BRITISH FLAG.
Lord CoLvILLF. inquired whether there was any truth in
the report that the lieutenant of her Majesty's packet, in the
Gulf of Mexico, was called upon by a French officer to give
up a native pilot whom he had on board.
Earl MINTON' admitted that the pilot had been most im-
properly taken out of the packet, but the French Admiral
had in the most candid manlier acknowledged the impro-
priety of the act of his officers.
Lord Cotfaux considered that he was justified in direct..
g the attention of the note earl to the suhject. It would

be a shocking thing that a pilot should be compelled to quit a
neutral vessel, and his services to be called into action against
his native land.

PRIVATE BILLS.

On the motion of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, it was ordered
that no petition for a private bill be received after Tuesday,
the 26th of March next, and that no report from the judges
relative to private bills be received after the 30th of April.