The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-04-02 00:00:00

Empatat 3darliamtnt.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said the goyernme,t
fully considered the course which it ought to
Factories Bill, and found that it had three mode- of pi
ceeding ; the first acceding: to the compromise of el:ven
hours ; the second, to adopt the present bill and Lave the
law as it now stood ; and the third, to drop th, present
and introduce a new bill, embodying those provisions a!-
ready agreed to in committee, and which might theret:.re
be presumed to be likely to meet with general concur-
rence. He did not think that the adoption of the eleven
hours system would be either a safe or an expedient com-
promise, because the limitation of the operations of ma-
chinery would be productive of the most serious
.conse-
quences. It would be better at once to fix the minuntun
of wages rather then the maximum of labour. The right
honourable baronet argued at considerable length against
the ten hours' proposition, which he designated a Jack
Cade system of legislation ; and adverting to the second
mode of proceeding—that of dropping the bill altogether
—said he could not bring himself to forego the provisions
which appeared to meet with general assent. He would
therefore adopt the third course, intimating, however, the
intention of the Government, with respect to the declared
opinion of the house, to oppose all limitation of the hours
of labour to less than twelve hours. He, therefore,
moved the postponement of the committee until Friday,
when he would move to rescind the order for resuming
the committee, and ask for leave to bring in a new bill.
A somewhat spirited debate followed, in which Lord
Howick, Captain Rous, Mr. Brotherton, and Mr. Ver-
non Smith took part.
After some further discussion the committee was post-
poned until Friday.

1:2,..1 can

HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY.
On the motion of the LORD CHANCELLOR. the house
resolved itself into a committee on the Ecclesiastical
Courts Bill.

On the first clause, which repeals several statutes, and
abolishes the jurisdiction of ecclesiastical courts in matters
of tithes and defamation, a conversation took place between
Lord COTTEN H AM, the LORD CHANCELLOR, and the
Bishop of EXETER. No amendment was proposed, and
the clause was agreed to.
On clause 5, (enacting that " all donative rectories and
vicarages shall become benefices presentative, and all do-
native stipendiary preacherships or curacies shall become
perpetual cures and benefices,")
Lord COTTEN HAM objected to what appeared an inter-
ference with private rights of patrons, as donatives to
which they presented without the intervention of the
bishop were more valuable than presentatives.

The. LORD CHANCELLOR said, the clause but carried
out the recommendation of the commissioners ; and it
seemed very reasonable that all those who had the right of
appointing preachers or curates should be subject to the
salutary control of the ordinary, and to the provisions
respecting lapse, which applied to other cases of church
patronage. The right of the patron surely was not pre-
cisely in the nature of absolute private title, utterly un-
connected with any public trust.
Ultimately the clause was passed, the LORD CHANCEL-
LOR undertaking to reconsider (before the report) the
propriety of its precise phraseology.
Clauses 82 to 90, inclusive, were struck out.

The remaining clauses of the bill were then agreed to.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-TUESDAY.

The first business was the motion of Colonel kv oon
(Brecon) for a bill to exempt from toll all lime conveyed
on any turnpike-road in Wales. He explained the general
purport of the acts of parliament that regulate this subject
in Wales, and the great hardship with which this toll, an
impost on manure, is found to bear upon the small agri-
culturists in Wales ; indeed, he believed it to have been
really the primary cause of all the late disturbances there.
While lime bore the heavy toll he thus complained of, the
artificial manures in general, such as guano and bone dust,
paid no duty at all.
After some conversation, in the course of which Mr.
DARBY objected to the bill, as tending to diminish the
security of creditors having made advances upon tolls, the
house divided :—For the introduction of the bill, 68 ;
against it, 42. Majority for it, 26.
Mr. HUTT then moved for a committee of the whole
house upon the expediency of allowing corn to be imported
from the British possessions in South Africa, India, and
.Australasia, at the same duty as from Canada. Those
possessions had a stronger claim to this relief than
Canada, because, being at a greater distance, they were
more exposed to the disadvantages of the sliding scale.
They were all of them corn-producing and corn-exporting
countries : Van Diemen's Land, in particular, produced
wheat of most excellent quality, and there was a proba-
bility that freights would not, in future, be too high to
leave a profit upon corn brought hither from those coun-
tries. He called upon the government to carry out their
own principles, and deal equally with all these posses-
sions.

Mr. MANGLES seconded the motion, with a view espe-
cially to Indian interests. Having ruined the manufac-
tures of India, we were bound to make some compensation
to her in her agriculture.
Mr. GLADSTONE reminded the house, that in the debates
respecting the admission of Canadian corn, it was dis-
tinctly announced by the government that it was not their
intention lightly to extend the relaxation to other colo-
nies. The colonies specified in this motion were not
properly and habitually corn-exporting countries to n.u-
ropean markets, though they might occasionally bring
over a little corn. There were peculiar circumstances in
the Canadian case, which distinguished it from the case of
the other colonies ; in particular, the Canadian measure
was accompanied with a condition that the Legislature of
the Canadas should impose a duty on corn imported into
them. He would not consent to entertain a motion of
which the tendency was to produce, whether with more or
with less reason, a panic among the agriculturists of
England.
Lord STANLEY, though he confessed that he did not
himself apprehend any real danger to English agriculture
from such an alteration as this ; yet, being persuaded that
great alarm, rightly or wrongly, would be sure to arise
from it among the agricultural interests, he would resist a
proposal which would produce so great an uneasiness, and
disturb the whole arrangement of the corn-laws, and for
no substantial purpose.
The house divided—Against the motion, 117 ; for it,
47. Majority against it, 70.
Sir G. STAUNTON moved for a committee of the whole
louse, to consider of an address to the crown in favour of
the widow and family of the late Dr. Morrison, on the
ground of his eminent public services in China, eulogised
in a proclamation of Sir Henry Pottinger.
Sir J. C. H onfro USE seconded the motion.
Sir R. PEEL, while be praised in the highest terms the
services of Dr. and Mr. Morrison, lamented the difficulty
of acceding to a proposal which would constitute a pre-
cedent of the most embarrassing description. As com-
pared with the surviving families of other eminent public
servants, this family had been fairly dealt with ; but still,
if he had not been restrained by his sense of public duty,
he would have had great personal gratification in acceding
to a further provision.
Sir G. STAUNTON withdrew the motion.
-.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.—WEDNESDAY.

The Birmingham Corporation Bill was rejected on the
second reading by the majority of ten.
The Bolton and Preston Railway Bill was read a third
time, and passed.
Sir R. PEEL stated that the commission on the subject
of Harbours of Refuge would be issued in three or four
days.
In reply to a question from Lord Sandon to Lord Ash-
ley as to the course which his Lordship would pursue on
the Factories Bill, Lord Ashley said that his first impres-
sion, which had since been confirmed by the opinions of
several of his friends on both sides of the House, was not
to offer any oposition to the Government proposition to
withdraw the Bill. (Hear, and oh, oh.) It was, there-
fore, not his intention to oppose the Government on Fri-
day, in their motion for the withdrawal of the Bill. He
was aware that he surrendered many advantages which he
now possessed by adopting that course, but he thought it
his duty on all occasions, when he could do so without
conceding principle, to consult the wishes and conveni-
ence of the House and the Government. I take this
course (said the Noble Lord) on the understanding that
the Government will immediately introduce another Bill,
and will take the discussion upon it on an early day after
Easter.
Sir J, GRAHAM.—Perhaps I may be permitted to say
—having given a notice which now stands for Friday
evening with respect to the Bill lately discussed—that if
such a proposal meets with the general assent of the House,
I shall on Friday move to bring in a Bill to alter the exist-
ing law as to labour in factories. if the present Bill
should be withdrawn, and leave to introduce a new Bill
should be obtained, I shall move that it be read a first
time on Friday, and printed, and shall fix the secondread-
ing for an early day after Easter.
The house soon after adjourned.
HOUSE OF LORDS.—THURSDAY.
The Mutiny Bill, the Marine Mutiny Bill, and several
other Bills, were brought up from the Commons, and read
a first time.
The Duke of WELLINGTON gave notice that, on Tues-
day next, he should move that the house do adjourn till
Tuesday, the 16th of April.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY moved the bringing up of
the report of the Ecclesiastical Courts Bill.
Lord BROUGHAM asked if his Noble and Learned
Friend on the woolsack had any objection to make the
term of years five years' standing at the bar instead of
seven?
The LORD CHANCELLOR had no objection.
Lord BROUGHAM took notice of a statement which had
been made, to the effect that he took a large sum of money
out of the taxes for doing nothing. He did a great deal ;
be worked very hard ; and he would willingly give up
what he received from the country if he were permitted to
go back, and practise at the bar. (Hear.)
The report was then received.—Bill to be read a third
time on 'Monday.
Adjourned at six o'clock._

HOUSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAY.
On the motion of the LORD CHANCELLOR, the com-
mittee of last session on Presbyterian marriages in Ireland
was re-appointed.
A discussion was raised by the Marquis of NORMANDY
on the appointment of Mr. Thomas O'Brien as a stipen-
diary magistrate in Ireland, which be contended to be
improper, as did also the Marquis of CLANRICARDE, who
asserted that he would, if the appointcnent were perse-
vered in, bring the matter before their lordships in a
tangible shape.
The Duke of WELLINGTON and Lord WHARNCLIFFE
strongly complained of such an attack, not only on the
government, but on the character of Mr. O'Brien, with-
out any notice whatever on the part of the noble marquis
that he intended to impugn Mr. O'Brien's eligibility for
the station to which lie had been appointed.

vapers moved for by the :\.iariluis of LANSDOWNE,
challeni;es in common jury cases in Ireland,
granted.
Tire Marquis of NORMANBV intimated his intention of
cabin: to their lordships' attention the recent occurrences
Gwalior soon after Easter.
Some bills on the table were forwarded a stage, and
their lordships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY.
On toe motion for discharging the order of the day for
the committee on the Factories Bill,
Mr. B. COCHRANE regretted that Lord Ashley should
give the government an advantage over him, by allowing
the bill to be withdrawn—an advantage not only as re-
garded success, but also as to apparent sincerity and ear-
nestness. The object of bringing in a new bill was to
gain time, for there could be little chance after Easter of
carrying a ten hours' bill. Assenting to such a course
was " keeping the word of promise to the ear, but break-
ing it to the hope;" but he believed it was not the result
of any insincerity on the part of the noble lord, being
rather attributable to want of decision.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE, in order, as he said, to prevent the
house from stultifying itself, moved an amendment to the
effect of pledging it to adhere to the ten hours principle.
Lord ASHLEY said that he had acted upon the advice
received from hon. members on both sides of the houee.
The alterations in the bill had rendered it such a mass of
confusion that it must have been ultimately defeated upon
mere technicalities, and the defeat would have been liable
to misinterpretation. The noble lord declared his de-
termination to maintain the ten hours principle, without
the slightest reference to the feelings or fate of any go-
vernment whatever. _ _ .

.....
Lord HOWICK said the course pursued by government
was most extraordinary, but was of opinion that it was
not advisable to oppose the withdrawal of the bill, in
order to bring in a new one.
Sir R. INGLis hoped that the postponement of the ten
hours proposition would not abate the earnestness and
determination of its supporters.
Mr. ACKLAND was not ready to support the ten hours
\principle, if such support implied the loss of the present
government without the prespect of putting in its place a
government which could carry it.
Lord J. RUSSELL thought Lord Ashley was right in
the course he adopted, as by any other course he would
have prejudiced his cause.
Sir R. PEEL defended the course pursued by the go-
; veruznent, and said that if they had adopted the um"-
promise of "eleven hours" they would most likely
have had a majority ; but it was not a safe policy to
j escape from present difficulties by adopting a principle
I which they believed to be injurious to the country. Lord
Ashley had sacrificed office because the government would
not assent to the ten hours principle; a proof, not only
of the sincerity of the noble lord, but that the question
had been maturely considered by the government. He
hoped that further consideration would convince' the
house that the alteration to ten hours would fling all the
loss upon the labouring population.
Mr, C. Woon was convinced that such would be the
case.
Lord PALMERSTON supported the amendment.
After some observations from Mr. WILLIAMS and Mr.
FIELDEN, the amendment was negatived without a
division, and the order of the day for proceeding with the
bill was discharged.
On the motion for the house resolving itself into a com-
mittee of supply,
Mr. EWART moved a resolution to the effect that it was
indispansable to the trade of this country that those duties
be repealed which press on the raw materials of manufac-
ture, especially on woollens and cotton ; also that it was
expedient to reduce those duties which press on articles of
interchange in return for our manufactures, such as tea,
sugar, coffee, bacon. butter, and cheese : and that any
temporary deficiency in the revenue arising from these re-
ductions ought to be sustained by the property and not
by the trade and labour of the country.
Mr. HUME seconded the motion.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER contended that
the increased imports of raw sotton proved that the duties
did not operate injuriously. The proposition of the hon.
member professed to deal with nearly 30,000,001) of re-
venue, and would throw our whole financial arrangements
into confusion, and therefore, on the ground of expediency,
he must oppose the motion.
After a short discussion, in which Mr. Williams, Mr.
Baring, and Mr. P. Howard took part, the motion was
negatived by 88 to 24.
The house then went into committee on the British
Museum and commissariat estimates, and several votes
were taken.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM moved for leave to bring in a bill
to amend the laws for regulating labour in factories,
which, after a few observations from Mr. T. Duncombe,
Mr. Hume, and Sir C. Napier, was agreed to, and the
house adjourned.