The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-24 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY.

The house met at one o'clock for the purpose of conveying
to her Majesty the address on the royal speech, but till 20
minutes to two o'clock there was no honse, i. e. forty mem-
bers could not be collected. The house being at last ob-
tained, the Right Um, G. flvvp cored that her Maiectv
Id receive the address at two o cCocK. ine house rortn-
-711, tai 4.,..'e10ck, and proceeded with rip arch-
nary alacrity, and the thin atttndance of members presented
no impediment to present the address.

ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS.

At five o'clock, on the resumption of the house, the
SPEAKER read her Majesty's answer, thanking the house for
its address.

Sir E. KNATCHBULL complained that no adequate notice
had been given of the time when the address would be
presented, so that the members on his side of the house had
not had the opportunity of accompanying the presentation to
her Majesty.

Lord J. RUSSELL observed that he had pursued the usual
course, and that he had mentioned, on Friday night, that he
expected the address would be received on Monday at two

o'clock

Sir E. KNATCHBULL replied that if any such communi-
cation had been made it was in A very thin house ; he had
heard nothing of it. . .

Mr. WAKI:EY reminded the right hon. baronet that it was
mentioned in the votes that the house would meet at one
o'clock : that he considered was ample intimation. He ex-
pressed astonishment that there were only four members
from the opposite side in the royal chamber, although up-
wards of 100 members were present. "We radicals," ex-
claimed the hon. member, " used to be denounced as dis-
loyal, but now disloyalty does not belong to us."
Mr. BRADSHAW said that he was one of the four.
Mr. BLACKSTONE remarked on the sort ofloyalty evinced,
for, in the royal chamber, at the time when the Queen's aunt
was lying dead, and after mourning had been ordered, he saw
members attired in cut green coats, with brass buttons : the
brother of a cabinet minister was so dressed.

PETITION FROM STOCRDALE

Capt. BOLDERO presented a petition from Stockdale pray-
ing to be further heard at the bar, as he had never contem-
plated any breach of the privileges of the house. Capt. B.
moved that Stockdale be called to the bar accordingly ; but
the house ordered the petition to be printed and circulated
with the votes.

Mr. CHRISTOPHER gave notice of his intention to intro-
duce a bill to authorise the sale of the printed parliamentary
papers.

BEER-HOUSES.

Mr. PAKIATON inquired whether it was the intention of
the Chancellor of the Exchequer to introduce any bill re-
garding the pernicious beer-shop system ?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER answered that if he
saw there were any prospect of carrying a bill on the subject
through the house, so that the law regarding the beer-shops
might be amended, he would immediately bring in• a bill ;
but at present he did not see that he should have any chance
of proceeding with such a bill. At the same time, though
he gave this answer, he should reserve to himself the power
of initiating such a bill, if he saw any change of feeling on
the question.
Mr. PARINGTON thereupon gave notice that on Tuesday,
Feb. 6, he should move for leave to bring in a bill " to im-
prove the present system of licensing houses for the sale of
beer."

Lord GRENVILLE SOMERSET said, that the disturbances
in South Wales had chiefly arisen from the present system of
licensinc, beer-houses.—(Cries of " Order, order.")
Lord JOAN RUSSELL said, that he had given it as his
opinion last year, that, although the law with regard to beer.
shops had been much improved, it was still a most essential
thing with regard to the preservation of order, that a consta-
bulary force should be established.—(" Hear, hear, hear,"
from the ministerial side.)

IMPORTATION OF FLOUR INTO IRELAND.
Mr. HEATRCOTE inquired whether the proposed bill to
amend the clause regarding the importation of flour into Ire-
land would be limited to that part of the kingdom, or ex-
tended to the whole country ?
Mr. LABOUCtIE,RE answered that the bill would be limited
to Ireland.

SLAVE TRADE.

Lord PALMERSTON, in answer to Sergeant Jackson's in-
quiry, gave the date, May, 1839, of the note of Lord Howard
de Walden to the Portuguese minister, marked " confiden-
tial," regarding the signature to a treaty for suppressing the
slave trade, and making the conveyance of negroes for such

purpose piracy.
Sergeant JACKSON observed that the explanations did not
satisfy him. He thought that the conduct of Lord Howard
de Walden had affixed a stain on the diplomacy of this coun-
try which it had not before sustained.

PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE.

Lord J. RUSSELL stated, that it now became his duty to
state to the house the precise course which he considered, in
conjunction with his honourable and learned friend the At-
torney-general, should be taken in the present stage of the
proceedings. He would state what he conceived to.be mate-
rial to be considered, that the House of Commons was placed,
in respect of cases o 1 this description, in a situation of disad-
vantage, as compared with other courts, which had likewise
to vindicate their own proceedings, to maintain their own
Privileges, and to exercise the functions which were allotted
to them by the law and the constitution. The noble lord
showed that the Court of Chancery would not permit, in a
case which was before it, that the parties should be brought
into a court of law. The Court of Exchequer had, on cer-
tain subjects which they conceived to belong to their pecu-
liar jurisdiction, prevented actions from being brought, and
protected their officers when persons had attempted to bring
against them actions for false imprisonment for acts done in
the execution of their duty. The general rule of the House
of Lords had also been to stop the plaintiff at once from pro-
ceeding. His lordship said they must throw out of view the
peculiar degree and amount of blame of the sheriffs. The
question was, in what manner their privileges were to be pre-
served, if they did not proceed against the sheriffs. Who
were the next great culprits ? The judges. He did not mean
to impute moral blame to either sheriffs or judges. Ile would
conclude by moving, that it appeared to the house, that au
execution in the case of Stockdale v. Hansard had been le-
vied, to the amount of £640, by the sale of the property of
Messrs. Hansard, in contempt of the privileges of that house,
and that such money then remained in the hands of the she-
riff of Middlesex ; and if that resolution should be carried,
he would move further, that the said sheriff be ordered to
refund the said amount forthwith to Messrs. Hansard.
Mr. KELLY opposed this motion, and moved, as amend-
ment, the following resolutions :
" 1. That it appearing to this house that an action has
been brought against James Hansard and others, for the
publication by them, under an order of this house, of certain
papers containing libellous matter upon John Joseph Stock-
dale, and that judgment has been obtained and execution
issued by due course of law against the said James Hansard
and others in such action, it is expedient that the said James
Hansard and others. be indemnified against all costs and
damages by them sustained in respect of such action.
" 2. That in case of any action or actions being hereafter
brought for the publication of any papers-under the order of '
this house, the Attorney-General he instructed to defend
such action, and to report thereupon to the house.
The ArroßslnT-GENERAr. supported Lord J. Russell's
motion, and contended for the right of the house to " privi-
lege" the sale of its papers
Sir E. SUGDEN, with great energy, denounced the Attor-
ney-General's speech, as wholly consisting of unsupported
assertions, and as against all law and every principle of the
constitution ; for it held neither more nor less than that
whatever the House of Commons chose to call its privilege
was to ride over all law, and deprive the subject of all remedy.
Sir R. Nous, Lord Howtcx, and Sir R. PEEL (who
strongly supported the right of the house to be.the judge of
its own Privileges,) afterwards took part in the debate.
The house then divided, and the numbers were—For the
motion, 205; against it 90—majority 115.
Lord J. Russell's resolution, it was understood, was then
put, as to the money being refunded by the sheriffs forthwith.
Captain BOLDER() proposed, as an amendment, that Stock-
dale be called to the bar, agreeably to the prayer' of his peti-
tion ; but he eventually withdrew it.
The house then divided on the original motion, and the
numbers were—for it, 127 ; against it, 85—majority, 112.
On motion of Lord J. RUSSELL, the sheriffs were. called
to the bar and informed of the resolution regarding the re-
funding, to, which the house had just come ; and on being
asked whether they had anything to say to the house, both
bowed, but made no observation. They were then ordered
to retire, a result that was greeted with loud cheering.
Lord J. RUSSELL moved that the sheriffs, having been
guilty of a breach of privilege, be committed to the custody
of the sergeant-at-arms.
Mr. LAW and Sir R. INGLzs condemned the proceedings
as requiring them, in ordering them to refund the money,
to forswear themselves—to be guilty of direct perjury.
Mr. Sergeant JACKSON moved the adjournment of the
hour , that there might be time for temperate reflection, for
he considered the proposition to be a most harsh one.
After some discussion the house divided,—Ayes, 86 ; noes,
189—majority against the adjournment, 103.
After some further discussion the gallery was cleared for a
division on the question of adjournment, but none took place,
and it was agreed that the sheriffs should be ordered to attend
the lipase on Tuesday.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY.
.2-N. Bill for " Exhibiting a Bill for the Naturalisation of
Prince Albert" went through all its stages ; and it was after-
wards conveyed. to the Commons by Mr. Justices Erskine
and :Mule (the judges examining all Naturalisation Bills,)
where it was read the first and second time.
The Bishop of LONDON presented petitions against further
public grants to Maynooth College, and for church extension.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from persons
belonging to the Church of Scotland, complaining of the sus.
pension of seven ministers of their church without any ap-
parent cause, and contrary to the wishes of the parishioners,
among whom they for a long time had resided, and by whom
they were universally esteemed.
Lord BROUGHAM alluded with pain to.:the transactions
that had lately taken place, and which were so discreditable
to one part of the empire. He thought that measures should
be taken for the quiet of that part of the United Kingdom,
•
and as promptly as possible.

Lord STRANGFORD asked Lord Melbdurne whether there
were any prospect of a termination of the unfortunate state of
hostility in the river La Plata. The noble viscount had given
reason last year to hope that it would be brought to a con-
clusion by the amicable arrangements of her Majesty's go-
vernment. _ _ _

Lord MELBOURNE stated that he could not hold out any
hope of a cessation of hostilities.
Lord BROUGHAM moved the second reading of the En-
franchisement of Copyholds bill. He said that there had
been 300 or 400 divisions of territory, in every one of which
property was held by a different law ; and that it was certainly
a most anomalous thing, and the wonder was that such a
system had been allowed to exist so long. He intended to pro-
pose to refer his important bill to a select committee, as best
calculated to examine, its details. ,
The LORD" CHANCELLOR concurred in the bill, which was
then read a second time, Lord Brougham deferring the nam-
ing of the committee till Thursday, in order to get the names
of the noble lords who would attend ; and to which day their
lordships then adjourned.