The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-06-06 00:00:00

parliamentarp proretbingo.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-MONDAY.

Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL stated that the Committee ap-
pointed to try the petition against tae return of Sir Wil-
loughby Jones, for Cheltenham, had determined that Sir
Willoughby Jones was not duly returned at the late elec-
tion, and that he had been guilty of bribery through his
agents. That various parties (named) had -severally re-
ceived bribes of from £1 ins. to £2 10s. each, the said
sums having been paid in the -first case for services as
messengers, no such services having been performed by
such parties ; but that it had not been proved that these
acts had been committed with the knowledge of Sir Wil-
loughby Jones.
In reply to a question ,from Mr. Keogh, Lord JOHN
RUSSELL said he had no intimation from Ireland as to
whether the Catholics on Mr. Mitchel's panel had been
set aside, to the number of eighteen, in open Court by the
Attorney-General, and without cause assigned. He had
received letters respecting the former trials, denying that
any proceeding of that kind had been adopted.:
Mr. BRIGHT then drew attention to the mode in which
the jury was selected in the case of Mr. Mitchel, contend-
ing that great mischiefs were likely to be the result of the
striking off of all the Catholics from the panel. He was
sure the transportation of Mr. Mitchel would not tend to
pacify Ireland.
Mr. LAW rose to order, and Mr. BRIGHT concluded by
declaring that the people of England would now go with
the mass of the people of Ireland in overturning the Esta-
blished Church it that country.
Mr. GRATTAN strongly condemned the cowardly course
pursued towards Mitchel in packing his jury, a course cal-
culated to make repealers of the whole country.
On the motion for the House resolving itself into a
Committee of the whole House upon the Navigation Laws,
Mr. HERRIES moved as an amendment the-following
resolution, " That it is essential to the national interests
of this country to maintain the fundamental principles of
the existing Navigation Laws; subject to such modifica-
tions as may be best calculated to obviate any proved in-
convenience to the commerce of the United Kingdom and
its d e penden cies , wit hout danger to our maritime strength."

Mr. LABOUCHERE opposed the amendment.
After speeches from Nfr. Aid. Thompson. Dr. Bowring,
Mr. H. Baillie, Mr. J. Wilson, Mr. H. Drummond, and
Mr. F. Scott, the debate was adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TVESDAY.
In answer to a question from Mr. Roche, Sir G.-GREY
said that instructions had been given that the sentenceon
Mr. Mitchel should be carried into effect.
Dr. BOWRING then moved a series of resolutions, the
object of which was to bring under the supervison of Par-
liament the expenses of the collection of the revenue—in
other words, that these expenses should not be stopped
out of the gross receipts by the several departments where
they were deposited, but that these latter should be re-
turned to Parliament, to be dealt with by its authority
alone.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought the plan
of the hon. gentleman almost perfect in theory, but quite
impracticable.
After some discussion the House divided, when the
numbers were—for the previous question, 54; against it,
55 ; majority against Ministers, 1.
The House again divided on the resolution, when the
numbers were—for the resolution, 56; against it, 51; ma-
jority against Ministers, 5.
The announcement of these defeats of Ministers was
loudly cheered.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—WEDNESDAY.
On the order of the day for going into committee on the
Roman Catholic Relief Bill.
Mr. LAW moved that it be an instruction to the com-
mittee to divide the bill into two bills, omitting so much
in the first bill as related to the 10th George IV., c. 7, and
the provisions thereof. His object was, not to show any
favour wh2tever to the first portion of the bill, but at all
events to rescue the 10th George IV. from the operation
of the measure.
Mr. SPooNER seconded the amendment.

Mr. ANSTEY, after having been informed by Mr. Law
that he intended to press his amendment to a division,
stated that, if it were carried, he would still press that
part of his bill against which it was directed until tardy
justice was done to the Roman Catholics. He could not,
however, anticipate at the hands of the house such a slight
upon the immense majority of the people of Ireland as
would be involved in the adoption of this amendment.
The result of it would be to leave one-third of the clergy
of that kingdom still outlawed, and without any religious
Status.

Mr. NEWDEGATE thought the house ought to know that
Mr. Anstey, who proposed this bill, had been made, on
the 19th of February last, by the Pope, a Knight of the
Order of St. Gregory, as a reward for his great services in
the cause of the Roman Catholic church. This bill tended
to promote the interests of the Jesuits, but all history
showed that it was for the interests of liberty that the Je-
suits should not be permitted either to gain or retain
power. In proof of this position, he entered into many
details, and quoted an extract from a recent despatch of
Lord Palmerston to our Minister in Switzerland to show
that he considered the society of Jesuits to be a society
avowedly established to make war on the Protestant reli-
gion. He hoped that the house would not assent to this
bill, but would allow those laws which experience had
proved to be essential to the safety of the state to remain
on the statute-book.
The Earl of ARUNDEL contended that the Jesuits were
the most loyal subjects of every government under which
they lived.

at. fully.. via LUC Millie bale VVlllt Ma. 21VW••
degate, whom he thanked for his able and conclusive
speech. In reference to Lord Arundel's assertion that the
Jesuits were the most loyal subjects of all countries, he
reminded the house that in 35 instances these most loyal
subjects had been condemned under every form of go-
vernment in every country in the world during the last
two centuries.

After a singular speech from Mr. HENRY DRUMMOND,
in which he insisted that there was a most essential diffe-
rence between the dead Papists of books and live Roman
Catholics, and in which he expressed his willingness to
vote for every practical object to which Mr. Shiel had al-
luded ; and after a declaration from Sir H. WILLot GHBY
that he should vote for the amendment, the house divided,
when Mr. Law's instruction to the committee was carried
by a majority of 129 over 42 voices.
The house then went into committee ; but the proceed-
ings were so very confused and irregular that when six
o'clock came no progress had been made in the consider-
ation of the bill. The Chairman then quitted the chair,
and the house broke up.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—THURSDAY.
Lord J. RUSSELL gave notice of two important mo-
tions, one for leave to bring in a bill on Friday week to
repeal the rate-paying clauses of the Reform Bill ; and
another for leave to bring in a bill to alter the form of
oath to be taken at the table by members of that house,
on taking their seats at it.
Mr. COLVILLE moved and Mr. STAFFORD seconded a
motion for the issue of a new writ for the borough of
Derby. Mr. HUIME and Sir J. HANMER opposed the
motion. After considerable discussion, in which Sir G.
Grey, Col. Sihthorp, and other members joined, the mo-
tion was carried by a majority of 153 over 136 voices.
In reply to a question from Mr. Baillie, Lord PALMER-
SToN observed, that he had been informed by the Spanish
Ambassador that Count Mirasol had come over to this
country on a special mission from the Government of
Spain to afford explanation on certain recent transactions
at Madrid. His reply had been, that whatever communi-
cations the Spanish Government wished to make to the
British Government on those transactions he would be
ready to receive from its official and accredited agent at
our Court. He had thought it right to decline receiving
any communications from Count Mirasol ; and he had
further stated, that considering the nature of the transac-
tions at Madrid it would be advisable that any communi-
cations made respecting them should be made in writing.
He had since received some communications on the sub-
ject. He did not however feel it to be his duty to state
the nature of them at present. When they were brought
to a close, he should probably feel it to be his duty to lay
them on the table, but it was not in his power to say at
what time he should be able to do so.
In reply to a question from Mr. Hume, Lord J. Rus-
SELL stated, that on the 15th or 16th of June some mem-
ber of her Majesty's Government would explain to the
house the course which the Government intended to take
on the West India question.
The adjourned debate on the Navigation and Regulation
of Ships and Seamen, after some explanations between
Rlr T 111.. C. R01:4=600.. doo to o okotoorsoot of
the former on Monday night, was then resumed by Mr.
Moffatt, who argued against the laws. Mr. G. Robinson,
the Marquis of Granby, and Mr. Henley spoke in favour
of them ; and Mr. Mitchell and Mr. M. Gibson against
them. The debate was then adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAY.
Lord BROUGHAM called the attention of the house to
the riotous proceedings which had been going on in the
metropolis for two or three nights past. Nothing could
be more irrational and nonsensical than such disturbances,
which, without coming to an actual outbreak, had the
effect of interrupting trade, and of harassing the civil and
military force.
The Duke of WELLINGTON trusted that some means
would be found to stop these riotous assemblies. Perhaps
the best way would be to make the persons who called
them together responsible for all the evil consequences
attending them. If this were done, the orators who
advocated assassination would not be so ready to convene
meetings for the sake of enunciating their peculiar
doctrines.
After some further discussion, in which the Marquis of
Lansdowne, the Duke of Richmond, and Lord Denman
took part, the matter dropped.
Lord STANLEY complained of the incompleteness of
the papers concerning the diplomatic quarrel with
Spain which had been laid before the house, and inquired
whether any additional correspondence on the matter
would be published.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE replied that the moment
the additional documents were complete they should be
laid before the house without any reservation.
The Parliamentary Proceedings Adjournment Bill was
read a third time and passed.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY.
Mr. GLADSTONE opened the discussion upon the
Navigation Laws. The question, he observed, was not
whether the plan of the government was the best that
could be devised, but whether the house was prepared, at
this time, to make a change in the principles of the
Navigation Laws. He was ready to give a, deliberate
answer in the affirmative. He thought that these laws
ought to be altered, and that this was the most reasonable
time for making the change, He justified the reference
made to the " menace" of Prussia ; she was a fult-chwe

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