The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-04-13 00:00:00

SPAIN.

The Marquis of LONDONDERRY gave notice that after
the recess, he would call the attention of the house to the
unfortunate policy or her Majesty's government in respect to
Spain. • •

ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.

In answer to the Duke of WELLINGTON,
Lord MELBOURNE said, that on Wednesday he should move
that the house, on its rising, should adjourn to Friday, the '27th
qstan t.
The house then adjourned.

HOUSEOF COMMONS.—MONDAY.
Many petitions were presented ; among them was one from
New South Wales (by Mr. C. Buller,) fur representative go-
vern men t. _

7Lx)---rciWfANLEY declared his intention to withdraw his notice
regarding election committees.
MR.-TOULTER'S CASE.

Mr. BLACKSTONE afterwards moved the order of the day, that
Mr. Poulter, the ex-member for Shaltesbury, be called to the
bar on account of his letter, charging the committee which had
unseated him with personal corruption, &c.; a proposition, it
will be observed, that led to extended conversation, it being
proposed to defer it until minutes of evidence taken by the com-
mittee be before the house.

Mr. NIILDHAY proposed as an amendment, to postpone his
appearance until the evidence taken before the Shaftesbury com-
mittee should have been printed; to which,
Mr. BLAcksroNE objected on the ground that the question
turned not upon the inherit merits of the case, but upon the im-
putation of motives to the committee.
Mr. O'CONNELL supported the amendment.
Sir R. ING us wished to have it recollected, that Mr. Black-
stone, so far from seekiw, any concealment for the committee,
had been himself the mover of the resolution for printing the
evidence.
Mr. Huse contended that the attack was less culpable than
the daily censures which majorities of the entire house put up
with.
Colonel DAVIES referred to a letter from Mr. Pigot, the
member for Bridgenorth, published last week in the Times,
as in his judgement equally deserving of animadversion ;
and,
Lord Wonst.Ey afterward§ quoted from a legal magazine, a
most flagrant attack upon the committee on the Roxburgh elec-
tion.

Mr. C. W. WYNN urged that if committees were not protected
against insult by the house, the members composing them would
be apt, like the insulated individual, to take the law into their
own hands.

Lord J. RUSSELL said he objected to entertain these questions
at all where the charge was political and not personal. A po-
polar body like the house of Commons was not; he thought,
analogous to a court of justice; for a ,popular body was always
in danger of actiug upon its own passions, rather than upon the
necessity of the case, He could not vote for the amendment,
because, by such' a vote,. he might imply his intention of enter-
ing into the merits of the evidence wiser printed, which was a
principle he disapproved. The letter was an inexcusable one;
but he would rather that these matters were left to the judgment
of the public, without interference by the house.
Sir It. PEEL said that Lord John's argument amounted to
this—that every man may say what he pleases of any members
of the house in their judicial capacity; it was a notice that all
libellers may henceforth proceed with perfect impunity.. You
compel mernhers to attend ballots for committees on pain of
committinent to the serjeant's custody, and then you refuse to
protect them in the duty which you enjoin them to perform. If
this was to be the rule, he would advise some individual to try
the question—to say, when called in the ballot, " I will not
serve," and to see whether the house would commit him. The
`allegation here was not mere error of incompetency, but down-
right corruption. These personal questions were painful; but
le could not consent to establish a general rule of impunity.
. Mr.- 311 com ay withdrew his amendment; and the original
motion having been put and carried without opposition, Mr.
Poulter was
_called in. In answer to quistions from the
,6.peaker, be ay knewledged the letter. He was anxious that the
evidence should be printed and read by the principal members
of the tory party; and if they (his opponents) should, on such
peresal, think the decisions had been fair ones, he would him-
self admit them to be fair, and make any honourable concession
to the house ; but, until that should he done, he could not sur-
t,he high moral, ground on which his letter was founded.
His electors had required an explanation of the injustice done
to him, so that he was not a volunteer. He next made divers
comments on the decisions of the committee, and concliidedlay
praying that the house would direct him to attend on a future
day, wheuthe evidenc.l should have been printed. He then
withdrew, aid Mr. BLACKSTONE moved that the letter was a
false and scandalous imputation upon the honour and conduct of
members.
Lord
.SeasiLey suggested, that, from- the temperate tone of
Mr. Poulter's a'!dres.li, it was probable he would willingly re-
tract the offensive, passages of his letter, if it were explained to
him that he crintdclo so without relinquishing his opinions as to
the error of toe committee's decisions.
S-;..ral members concurred in this suggestion; and after a
sho; -eeech from Mr. tlliOt, a member of the committee, Mr.
Poulter was called in, and .desired by the speaker to take notice
that the house complained not at all of his assertion that the
decision against him as erroneous, but of his application of harsh
'expressions; expressions which Mr. Poulter must know he would
not have been suffered to use in his place as a member. There
was a clear distinction between retracting the assertion of erro-
neousdecisfons, and retracting the expressions which impute
corruptiori. Was Mr. Poulter' now disposed to retract the charge
of corruption, and the phrase that his seat had been filched from
him?

.......
Mr. Pou!ter, answered, that his scat had been taken from him
ba political motives; that he imputed no pecuniary or base cor-
rpption; but he would say, that he had lost his seat by party
causes, and not by justice.
This apology Mr. BLACKSTONE said he did not feel that he
could accept on the part of the committee.
Mr. Small o'BatEN moved the adjournment of the debate
for a month, that they might have the minutes of evidence be-
fore them. _ _ _

After further proceedings, Lord J. IlussELL moved. as an
amendment, that the house proceed to the third reading of the
Slavery Abolition Act Amendment Bill.
The amendment was negatived by 121 to 120.
r. O'CosisELL then moved that the debate on the resolution
be deferred for a week, which was carried by 121. against 117.
The house proceeded to the consideration of the Slave Aboli-
tion Act Athendraent Bill, which was read the third time.
After some discussion the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER,
in committee of supply, moved a grant to pay the pensions due
for the quarter ending April 5. agreeably to the recommenda-
tion of the pension list committee. Agreed to.
Mr. Got- tut:.lo inquired when the "financial statement"
Would be brOdglit'forward ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER answered that he could
rmt rame-tlie- 6y, Lift that it would be7'befOre the end of the
month. • .
_ _ _

.....
The lintse then iu,zain resumed the consideration of the Poor
Relief (Ireland rßill.—Adjourneil.

. ,
HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY.
The Duke of I.l"Cciimotin p.reseiated'a petition from merchants
eni,,a!zed.in the trade to New Zealand, for protection to their
commerce.
The Slavery. Abolition Act Amendment Bill was brought
ft.;;M, the. commons with amendments ; and it was understood,
aft r What fell Irma the Duke of WELLINGTON, that the demand
for a conference regarding the amendments, was abandoned.
Lord LowroN, o,q pre:.3enting some petitions, inquired whether
the Irish governMent had adopted any steps regarding one of
the Roman Catholie_priesthood signing himself " John Timm,"
or Archbishop of Tiiiinphe Roman Catholic Emancipation
Act subjecting suelka iirpceeding. to a penalty ?
Lord Njt,-.l,ll..ivititir. yais.no- explicit answer, but said that
sliould'be inslitutei
Lord DavoN brought in a bill regarding trials at petty ses-
sions, &c.
Their lordships then adjourned. •

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY.
In the Cornmor s there was " no house,"36 only could assem-
ble, they, of course, were counted out.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—WEDNESDAY
goyAL ASSENT.

The honga met to-day at a quarter to four o'clock, when the
Royal Assent was !Tiven by courrnission to the Slavery Abolition
Act Amenflthent Bill; the Mutiny Bill; the Marine Mutiny
Bill, and several private bills.
The 'Lords Commissioners were—The Lord. Chancellor, Earl
Shaftesbnry;and Lord Glenelg.
l-leyteSbufy College Bill was reported, and ordered to be
TOad' a third time after the recess: