The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1849-02-27 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY

Aftertbepresentation of a large number of petitions,
Sir J. PA KINGTON moved the second reading of the
Bribery at Elections Bill, which he contended was more

necessary attei
1841 and 1846.

le occurrences ai

Colonel SIBTHORP would oppose all bribery bills

transactions,

)r every man had a rig

The bill was absurd, oppressive, and full of equivocation,
and he should therefore, object to it, though he would not
prevent its going to the committee up stairs.
Sir G. GREY objected to the declaration proposed to be
taken by the members at the table, as well as to many of
the provisions of the measure, but if it was the general
wish of the house that the bill should go to a select com-
mittee, he would not stand in the way of that wish, how-
ever strong might be his objections to the bill in its pre-

sent shape.
Mr. F. O'CoNwon stated, as an instance of the extent
to which bribery is carried, the fact, that at the last elec-
tion for Nottingham he was waited upon by a deputation
of publicans, who asked him, if they gave him their sup-
port, if he would pay the expenses incurred by Sir J. C.
Hobhouse at the previous election.
After some further discussion the bill was read a second
time by a majority of 30.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-THURSDAT

The Bishop of OXFORD moved for a select committee to
consider the best means which could be adopted by the
Government of Great Britain for providing for the final
extinction of the slave trade. He was sorry to perceive
there was an apathy in the public mind on the subject ;
but that was the stronger reason for their lordships to en-
ter upon the inquiry, the result of which, he believed,
would be to establish the opinion that without a squadron
on the African coast it would not be possible to effect the

object in view.
Lord STANLEY hoped that. inquiry would be specially
instituted into the alleged fact, that since the year 1846,
when slave-grown sugar was first admitted into this coun-
try, not only had the African slave trade increased, but
the horrors and suffering attending it had been grievously
increased also. If this were so, it would be proof that
the efforts of our squadron on the African coast were pa-
ralysed by a measure founded upon wretched notions of

mistaken economy.
Earl GREY defended the Sugar Act of 1846 as a wise
one, even in reference to the slave trade. The noble earl
adverted to what had fallen from Lord Brougham respect-
ing the Governor of Ceylon, which he protested against
as most unjust, and said if the noble lord:had any charge
zovernor, he should have brought it forward
h would give him m) opportunity of an-

again s

in 'a shape w
swering it.

Lord BROUGHAM promised the noble earl that he
should have the opportunity he was desirous of.
After some further conversation, the select committee

was appointed

HOUSE OF COMMON S .—T iirn v r ky.

Mr. S. WORTLEY moved for leave to bring in a bill to
amend and alter the Act of sth and 6th Wm. IV., c. 54,
so far as relates to marriage within certain degrees of af-
finity. The object of his bill was to legalise marriages be-
tween widowers and the sisters and nieces of their de-
ceased wives. He proposed that the bill should be merely
permissive, and that there should be no compulsion on
clergymen of the Church of England to celebrate such
marriages, nor should they be subjected to legal proceed-
ings if they refused to do so. The bill should not be con-
fined in its operation to England alone.
Mr. HOPE would not oppose the bill in its first stage,
as there would be ample opportunities in its subsequerit
progress through the house ; but he felt it necessary to
state his dissent from the measure, lest it should be as-
sumed by the country that the house was unanimous in
its support, because they suffered the bill to be brought
in without a division. He then, however, gave notice
that on the second reading of the bill he would move that
it be read a second time that day six months.
Mr. R. PALMER believed the existing law to be a true
exposition of the moralities of Christianity and of the will
of God ; and he should therefore, on future occasions,
discuss the tendencies of the proposed measure more
narrowly.
Leave was given to bring in the bill.
Mr. BouvEntE moved that the house should resolve
itself into a committee of the whole house, to consider
what relief could be granted to persons in holy orders, in
connexion with the United Churches of England and Ire-
land, declaring their dissent therefrom. It appeared, by
a decision of the Court of Queen's Bench, that clergymen
of the Church of England becoming dissenters were, al-
though exempt from statutory penalties, nevertheless lia-
ble to be proceeded against in the ecclesiastical courts for
breach of discipline. There could be no reason why cler-
gymen in such a position should be exposed to penalties
on account of their religious opinions, and he, therefore,

should propose that a clergyman dissenting should make
a declaration of his dissent from the Church, which decla-
ration should be registered in accordance with the Art of
ineaeTiOre%fan 9gtsPart4°,,tkkish9Xeytll2.Slic.':.
give full effect to any steps which might be taken for the
deposition of the party dissenting. He proposed that this
being done, the party dissenting should cease to be liable
to all penalties for such dissent, and should, at the same
time, be deprived of all privileges and exemptions to which
clergymen of the Established Church were entitled.
Mr. GLADSTONE quite agreed in the propriety of the

proposed measure.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD moved that the laws relating to
landed property in Ireland, as affecting the rights and
powers both of landlords and tenants, required the imme-
diate consideration of this house, with a view to such al-
teration of these laws as would remove the obstacles at
present existing to the improvement of the soil, and the
employment of the people. The hon. gentleman stated
his views upon the state of the land question in Ireland,
and suggested a variety of measures, in order to place it
upon its proper footing.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE expressed his surprise that the
hon. gentleman should have proposed an abstract resolu-
tion, the truth of which no one could deny, instead of
bringing forward some practical measure upon a subject
to which he had devoted so much attention, and followed
up with so much zeal and perseverance. He hoped, not-
withstanding the difficulties in the way, to introduce some
measure during the present session to secure to improving
tenants in Ireland the benefit of their outlay. He also
proposed to bring in a bill to amend the grand jury laws,
and another bill for the conversion of renewable leases
into a tenure in fee. He hoped the house would not as-
sent to a resolution aiming at nothing, and not calculated
to lead to any practical result.
After some observations from Mr. O'Flaherty, Mr. J.
O'Connell, Lord Bernard, Mr. Reynolds, and Mr. Mon-

sell,
Air. S. CRAWFORD withdrew his motion.
Mr. TAELAWNY moved for a select committee, to in-
quire to what extent the public are entitled to claim an
interest, present or prospective, in the management of
the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, respecting which
returns are annually presented to the house, and whether
there is not reason to hope, from those returns, as well as
other circumstances, that an improvement in the manage-
ment of those estates, in partitular by the suppression of
antiquated and superfluous offices, and the diminution of
the salaries of officers, would greatly increase the joint net
income of the two duchies.
Lord J. RUSSELL opposed the motion, which would b.
A direct violation of the compact made with the Crow; at

the commencement of the present reign, if the object
which the hon. gentleman had in view should be carried
out.
The 'motion was supported by Mr. Carew, Mr. Hume,
Mr. Ricardo, and Mr. M. Gibson, and opposed by Sir G.
Grey and the Earl of Lincoln.
After some observations from Mr. BASS and Mr.
HEYWORTH,
Mr. TRELAWNY replied, and the motion was negatived
on a division by a majority of 74 to 27.