The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-04-04 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-THURSDAY

Mr. HUME moved that a new writ should be issued for
Nottingham in the room of Mr. Walter, who had been un-
seated by a committee on the ground of bribery by his agents.
Sir It. . INGI Is seconded the motion.

The Earl of LINCOLN disclaimed any intention of oppo-
sing the issue of the writ, although as the seat had been de-
clared vacant on the ground of bribery, he felt it right that
the writ should not issue until the evidence received by the
committee was placed before the house, more particularly as
he had himself seen most demoralizing scenes at former elec-
tions. The noble lord added that the last election was an
improvement upon former ones, and he had since heard cir-
cumstances which exculpated Mr. Walter from improper
practices which had taken place, and for which he had lost
his seat.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said that the Duke of Newcastle, in
a recent correspondence, had attributed the suspension of the
writ for Nottingham to the democratic section or the house,
whereas the issue of the writ was opposed by the noble
duke's nearest relative (the Earl of Lincoln) and by the go-
vernment.

Mr. B. COCHRANE expressed a wish that it were in his
power to move that Mr. Walter should be allowed to become
a candidate at the ensuing election.
Mr. HOGG, as chairman of the election committee which
had unseated Mr. Walter, said that the evidence disclosed
not merely a few isolated cases of bribery, but went to esta-
blish the tact that there was an organised system in the town
of Nottingham. Mr. Walter had unfortunately mixed him-
self up with those whose practices had led to the loss of his

Lord J. RUSSELL contended that the house had done right
to suspend its judgment, although he was not going to op-
pose the issue of the writ. If committees of that house did
their duty, they would give a severe check to bribery.
Mr. BERNAL said that Mr. Hogg, holding the opinions
he had expressed, should have caused a special report to be
made to the house. It was a disputed point whether a per-
son in Mr. Walter's position could become a candidate
again, and the house should set the question at rest by a de-
claratory act.

Sir G. GREY referred to the case of Newcastle-under-
Lyme, in which it was decided that a member unseated for
bribery, either by himself or his agents, could not again be-

lat after consideration he was prepared
to vote for the issue of the writ, and he had since heard
nothing to alter that determination. According to the statute
of George the Second, the member unseated on the ground
of bribery, whether by himself or his agents, could not again

7,77.u5uk. VISILIIIg upon toe men,
ber the penalty of the misdeeds of the constituency might
have a salutary effect in checking bribery,
After some further discussion, the new writ was issued.
Air. PERRAND then moved for leave to bring in a bill to
compel the allotment r' F

of waste land in _ngland. The hon.
member contended that the people in the manufacturing dis-
tricts were in a state of absolute starvation, and the evil was
rapidly extending itself to the agricultural districts, and yet
in this state of things nearly half the session had been already
suffered to elapse without the introduction of one practical
measure for the relief or benefit of the industrious classes.
A remedy might in his opinion be found in the allotment
system, in support of which he argued at considerable length,
asserting that no time was to be lost, for the country was on
the brink of a volcano which might explode before the con-
clusion of those Easter festivities, to enjoy which they were
soon about to separate. The hon. member detailed his
scheme, which was that out of every 100 acres of waste land
belonging to a parish five acres should be reserved for the
poor ; and that another five acres should be reserved for dry-
ing-round, and another five acres for recreation. He pro-
posed that a rate of three-pence in the pound should be levied
to defray the expenses of enclosing these allotments, and
that cottages should be erected, the rents of which should be
applied to the repayment of the expenses, until a surplus
should accrue, which should be paid to the poor fund. He
further proposed the act should be carried into execution by
the tithe commissioners.

Sir J. GRAHAM could see nothing in the proposed Scheme
but a plan for supporting the poor at the expense of the pub-
lic. It was to be remembered that in general lands were left
waste because of their sterility. He would not, however,
oppose the introduction of the bill, though he wished to
guard himself against the supposition that he thought it
likely to benefit the poor.
Lord J. MANNERS thought that public opinion was ra-
pidly advancing towards supporting some such measure as
the one proposed, and he also thought that the present time,
when there was an absence of anything like party excitement
afloat, was favourable for a trial of the scheme of allot-
ment.

Mr. HIJME was of opinion that the capital embarked in a
scheme such as this would be found out of all proportion
great as compared with the probable chance of a return in
the shape of profit. It was bad economy to waste money on
barren soils when we might with more advantage exchange
our• labour for the corn of other countries.

Sir J. HANMER said that instead of there being an ab-
sence of political feeling in the public mind, there was
arising a spirit of discontent to be done with only by passing
practical measures for the relief of the people. This mea-
sure he conceived to be one of that character. Free trade,
he was convinced, must come at last, and as to taxing or
stopping machinery, they might as well endeavour to alter
the course of satellites of Jupiter.
Mr. BROTIIERTON was opposed to the enclosure of com-
mon lands, which was generally done for the benefit of the
rich and not for the benefit of the poor. Even in this bill
there was but a small portion of the enclosed lands to be ap-
propriated to the poor, and he presumed that the great bulk
of them, as in all enclosure bills, was to go to the landed
proprietors, who were appropriating to themselves every
available common in the country.

Mr. S. CRAWYORD was of opinion that the waste lands
could be profitably cultivated. They might not yield a return
to the capitalist, but they might be made to give a comforta-
ble maintenance to the labouring man.
Leave was then given to bring in the bill.

Sir V. BLAKE moved for leave to bring in a bill to repeal
and abolish all the oaths now taken by members of parlia-
ment on taking their seats, except the oath of allegiance.
Sir J. GRAHAM opposed the motion, on the ground that
the law as it now stood was the result of an amicable under-
standing amongst the various religions of the empire which
it would be very unadyisable rashly to disturb.

Mr. Ross supported the motion, on the ground that all
oaths ought to be abolished that could by possibility be got
rid of.

Mr. fIUME thought it was'absUrd to keep up these oaths,
after all that this country had done to re-establish the Pope
in his dominions.

Sir R. PEEL said it was impossible for him to accede to
the motion. When the Catholic Relief Bill passed, one of
the securities offered by the Catholics was the oath which it
was now proposed to do away with, and which oath, together
with the others referred to, was framed with the view of ren-
dering them as unobjectionable as possible.
After a few words from Dr. STOCK, Sir V. BLAKE replied,
and on a division his motion was negatived by a majority of
10-1 to 17.

Mr. ELPHINSTONE moved for leave to bring in a bill for
establishing a Court of Marriage and Divorce.

Sir R. INoLts opposed the motion on the ground that
such a proposition should not be made at so late an hour
when it could not be discussed.

Mr. ELPIIINSTONE said his object was to have the bill
printed in order that full consideration might be given to it
before he proposed the second reading. • • •
After a short discussion the'house divided, and the num-
bers were 47 on each side. The speaker gave his casting
vote for bringing in the bi 4..
The orders of the day being disposed of, the house ad-
journed.

•
HOUSE OF LORDS.-FRIDAY

Lord CAMPBELL moved the series of resolutions of which
he had given notice, relative to the disputes in the Church
of Scotland, with the view of bringing them to a close by
endeavouring to place the question of patronage upon a foot-
ing less disagreeable to the people of that country. The noble
lord professed the strongest attachment to that church,
having been reared at the feet of one of its professors; but
he hoped, nevertheless, they would not persevere in the
ey were pursuing. It WaS said that they would
partition between the church and state in that
but this he was convinced they would not attempt,
" ' pproach treason, for it would be
y did not possess. They might
but he hoped that upon calm consideration
so detrimental to the best interests of Scotland

course th

a usurpation of power the

would not by
The Earl

XISERDEEN felt himself called upon to oppos
)lutions of the noble lord. The church was about a

ey were told to petition, and if so, would it not have grew
anon to complain if their lordships decided its case by these
petition. He believed the

lutions, if adopted, would aggravate the difficulties under

_.,,,. Luau there -••-. canvass or 011 CU-son, ..u,..c.-
sary for buoying up the machine, is stated to be equal to one
____ ......3c ,i no were not prepared to oppose the square foot -for each half pound weight, the whole apparatus
preposterous pretensions put forward by the church. He being about 3,000 lbs., and the area of surface spread out to
admitted its value—he believed it had done the most good at
the least expense of any establishment of the kind in the
world. It was admitted that patronage had been for a long
time exercised without reproach and without complaint ; but
for his own part, he saw no necessity for expressing any
opinion as to patronage. For his own part, he would prefer
the abolition of patronage to the existence of the veto. In- support it„ 4,500 square feet, in the two wings, and 1,500 in
the tail,—making altogether 6,000 square feet. The engine
is proposed to he of from 25 to 30 horse power. It is stated
in the specification, that on launching the machine into the
air, an elevated situation must be selected, and the machine
allowed to run some distance down an inclined plane, for
which purpose vertical wheels are attached to the bottom of
deed, he did not think the abolition of patronage the worst the car or boat. When the machine has thus acquired a mo-
thing that could happen. He hoped the ministers of the mentum, the rotary fan-wheels are put in action to raise it
Church of Scotland would pause before resorting to the des- into the air and propel it ; the rudder, appeaded to the car,
perate step alluded to. He did not think the people took is then used for regulating its course.
much interest in the matter except where they were urged

parlia►r