The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-08-08 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS.-FRIDAY.

A debate arose upon the second reading of the Irish
Public Works (No. 2) Bill, which was chiefly remarkable
for a speech of very unexpected character from Lord
ELLENBOROUGH. His lordship generally approved the
measure, and having entered upon a short review of tie
state of Ireland, attributed the continued dissensions
which had distinguished it from every other European
kingdom to the fact that the church of the great majority
of the people was repudiated by the State. He denounced
the spoliation of the Established Church for the endow-
ment of the Romish clergy, but suggested that the clergy
should become stipendiaries of the State without any
change in the right of patronage, and concluded by sug-
gesting that the large fund now at the disposal of Parlia-
ment for Irish purposes should be applied to the building
of glebe houses and the purchase of glebes for the Romish
clergy.
Lord MONTEAGLE expressed his gratification at the
proposal which Lord Ellenborough had made, and cited
George 111., who, though a most zealous Protestant, had
ceen favourable to the endowment of the Romish priest-
hood.

Lord STANLEY declined to enter into so important a
subject upon a mere incidental discussion, but expressed
no adverse opinion. It was, however, one of the greatest
questions of civil polity, and should be raised in a distinct
shape, and on the responsibility of the Government.
Lord BEAUMONT generally supported Lord Ellen-
borough's views, and the bill, which had scarcely been
mentioned during the discussion, was then read a second
time.

Lord STANLEY then opposed the.motion for going into
committee upon the Charity Trusts Bill, principally upon
the ground that the changes which the bill would intro-
duce were too important to be properly considered at so
late a period of the session.
The LORD CiIANCELLOR replied, and though Lord
Redesdale and the Bishop of Oxford concurred in Lord
Stanley's objections, the House, upon a division, decided
to go into committee.

• HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY.
A conversation of some interest, which originated from
some comments made by Sir toe L. Evans on the report
of the election committee for North Cheshire, relative to
the general system of treating adopted by both candi-
(Tates for that county, then took place, in which Lord J.
RUSSELL and Mr. S. WORTLEY laid it down that giving
refreshments to county electors on their coming to the
poll was not treating, unless refreshment was given for
the purpose of influencing the vote.
Mr. V. SMITH, on the other hand, contended, that so
long as the customs of England remained as hospitable as
they now were, some refreshment must and ought to be
given to county electors who came from a distance to
tender their votes.
This doctrine was controverted by Mr. BRIGHT, who
declared himself an absolute purist both in county and,
borough elections, and pronounced the giving of any kind
of refreshment as an act of corruption.
Colonel SIBTHORP fired up against this doctrine, and
stood up as usual for the extension of hospitality and
Christian charity to the poorer portion of the constitu=
envy by the more wealthy representative.
Sir R. PEEL took the same view of the lawlis had been
taken by Lord John Russell and Mr. S. Wortley, in
which he was corroborated by Mr. HENLEY, who never-
theless thought it advisable that some clear and distinct
rule ought to be laid down, distinguishing the treating
which is legal from that which is illegal.
At the close of the conversation, the House resolved
itself into committee.

Considerable discussion and several divisions on amend-
ments proposed to various clauses of the bill then took
place, but no essential change was made in it, although
several amendments were agreed to. The schedules,
however, were not passed, with the exception of that part
of the first schedule which includes the boroughs of Derby,
Great Yarmouth, and Carlisle.
The house then resumed, and shortly afterwards re-
solved itself into a committee of supply on the Museum
Estimates, which were moved by Sir R. Peel, and agreed
to after some slight discussion.