The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-08-29 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS-MONDAY.

Among the bills brought down from the Lords, and
agreed to by them, was the theatres' regulation bill, their
lordships not insisting on the amendments proposed by
them therein. The house havinggone into committee for
further consideration or the report of the slave trade sup-
pression bill, Sir T. WILDE propnced certain amendments
to meet the objections of the Attorney and Solicitor-
General as to certain clauses of the bill on Friday last.
After some conversation they were agreed to. The re-
mainder of the business transacted was not of public in-
terest.

HOUSE OF LORDS-TUESDAY.

The royal assent was given by commission to a multitude
of bills.

Lord CAMPBELL, in moving the consideration of the
Commons' amendments to his defamation and libel bill,
lamented the mutilation it had suffered, and cited a num-
ber of instances to show the injustice of adhering, as the
lower house had done, to the old rule of common law,
which denied redress for any spoken scandal, unless it
imputed an indictable offence or tended to injure a man in
Die profession. The chastest matron or the purest maid
anight_be accused of incontinency; the bravest soldier
might be publicly proclaimed as a coward or a scoundrel ;
yet the law, although punishing the impu'ation that one
person had lifted his hand against another, afforded no
redtess. He contended that in such cases as these the
treatment of spoken should be assimilated with that of
written slander, and thought that the fear of costs would
be a sufficient restriction upon frivolous actions. He com-
plained also of the omission of the clauses which prevented
the mere truth of a charge from being a sufficient answer
in a civil action without proof that the publication was for
the public benefit, but generally approved the other alte-
rations.

The Loan CHANCELLOR vindicated the discretion of
the House of Commons in the changes they had made,
and the amendments were then agreed to.
Lord TEYNFIAM afterwards moved for certain returns
ffecting the administration of the poor law, with the view
principally of procuring for the poor an extension of out
door relief, but partly also that he might procure the ap-
poictment of a committee to inquire into the operation of
the act. He entreated that regard might be had not only
to the wants but to the feelings of the poor. and established
by several instances the impolicy as well as the cruelty of
offering relief on condition of entering the workhouse, and
thus forcing the honest and able-bodied labourer to eke
out his-existence by theft, which, when discovered, would
render his family a burden upon the parish, and ruin his
future prospects of employment. In districts, where
wages were so low as to be insufficient to support more
than two or three members of a family, relief either in
food or money should be given, and neither in this case,
or when work failed from the circumstances of the times,
should the workhouse test .he annlied.
La. dzl.tps ninicteci upon the poor not so much to the act
itself as to the orders of the commissioners, which had
induced many who had originally co-operated in carrying
out the system to withdraw themselves from a participation
in its cruelties. The expectations of decreased expense
that they had been taught to entertain were miserably dis-
appointed—a necessary result of the practice of driving
whole families into th workhouse, whom a little tempo-
rary assistance would have enabled to maintain themselves
in independence. He pressed for a general inquiry into
the system—into the regulation of the workhouses, the
classification of their inmates, and other topics connected
with the operation of the act. but more especially into the
proceedings of the commissioners themselves. He did
not regret that the law bad been so little discussed this
session, as enough was not known of its working to enable
their lordships to introduce satisfactory amendments.
Lord STANHOPE complained that some returns which
which had been ordered by the house last session had not
been produced, and expressed his surprise that Lord Teyn-
barn should have contented himself with asking for only
a more merciful administration of the law. He objected
not only to its cruelty and injustice, but to its penciple
and on behalf of the oppressed poor demanded its repeal:
That result would one day be obtained ; and if it was not
conceded by parliament, it would be achieved by the
people.

Lord WHARNCLIFFE had no objection to the returns,
and the motion was, therefore, agreed to.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY.
On the motion for the third reading of the Slavery Sup-
pression Bill, Mr. HAWES repeated his disapprobation of
the measure. But since it had now been so modified by
Ministers as to be really in its present state a Government
bill, he felt that he bad not the power to defeat or to de-
lay it ' • and therefore, though he could have wished it post-
poned, he would not oppose it.
Mr. MiLntirior was surprised that Mr. HAWES, who
bad so many good reasons to give against the bill, should
have concluded by expressing his intention to forbear from
opposing -it. He therefore would himself move 'that it
should be read a third time on that day three months.
Sir J. R. REID seconded this amendment.
Sir T. WILDE said, that this bill was opposed by two
sections of members, one of which objected to it because
it would repress this kind of commerce, and the other be-
cause it would not. It was no new measure ; there had
been long and ample notice that it was to be brought for-
ward. Unless it were fitting that British subjects resident
abroad should be permitted to employ their capital in en-
couraging the slave trade, the opposition to this measure
could not be sustained. It affected slave-trading only,
and not slave-holding. It prevented the importation of
fresh slaves, but not the transfer of slaves in the country
where they already existed as such.
The Arronivey-Gsrizam. (by whom the modifications
of the bill had been introduced) would yield to no man in
his zeal for the suppression of the slave trade. The bill
was beneficial in this, among other respects, that it would
evince to foreign nations the sincerity of the British desire
to extinguish that traffic. He vindicated the necessity of
the clauses which he had introduced
wceda;s
prettyindeed nearly right,itmightbe
collected that what had been
done
enltt
from the disapprobation of extremebothtehecalleda
Gpoavretirensm.
was not, however, properly to be
bill.
It was then read a third time, without a division.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-THURSDAY.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.
Her Majesty prorogued Parliament this day, with the
usual formalities. She looked remarkably well, and was
loudly cheered as she passed along. The following is a
copy of

HER MAJESTY'S SPEECH.
" MT LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
" The state of public business enables me to close this
protracted session. and to release you from further at-
tendance on your Parliamentary duties.
" I thank you for the measures you have adopted for
enabling me to give full effect to the several treaties which
I have concluded with Foreign Powers.
" I have given my cordial assent to the bill which you
presented to me for increasing the means of spiritual in-
struction in populous parishes, by making a portion of the
revenues of the Church available for the endowment of
additional ministers.
" I confidently trust that the wise and benevolent in-
tentions of the legislature will be aided by the zeal and
liberality cf my subjects, and that better provision will
thus be made for public worship and for pastoral
superintendance in many districts of the country.
I view with satisfaction the passing of the Act for re-
moving doubts respecting the jurisdiction of the Church
of Scotland in the admission of ministers, and for securing
to the people and to the Courts of the Church the full
exercise of their respective rights.
" It is my earrest hope that this measure will tend to
restore religious peace in Scotland, and to avert the dan-
gers which have threatened a sacred institution, of the ut-
most importance to the happiness and welfare of that port
of rol dominions.
4 1 continue to receive from all Foreign Powers assur-
I

anc of th -ibnslly disposition, and of their earnest
deli or teNrige peace.
N)4 OF TIM tISE OF COM. s,
yo he readm ss nd liberality w which
von have voted the supplies for the current year. It will
he my constant obj ct to combine a strict regard to eco-
nomy with the consideration which is due to the exigen-
cies of the public service.
" MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN

" In some districts of Wales the public peace has been
interrupted by lawless combinations and disturbances un-
connected with political causes. I have adopted the
measures which I deemed best calculated for the repres-
sion of outrage, and for the detection and punishment of
the offenders.

" I have at the same time directed an inquiry to be
made into the circumstances which have led to insubordi-
nation and violence in a part of the country usually dis-
tinguished for good order and willing obedience to the law.
" I have observed with the deepest concern the perse-
vering efforts which are made to stir up discontent and
disaffection among my subjects in Ireland, and to excite
them to demand a repeal of the Legislative Union.
" It has been and ever will be my earnest desire to ad-
minister the government of that country in a spirit of
strict justice and impartiality, and to co-operate with Par-
liament in effecting such amendments in the existing laws
as may tend to improve the social condition and to dere!•
ope the natural resources of Ireland.
" From the deep conviction that the Legislative Union
is not less essential to the attainment of these objects than
to the strength and stability of the empire, it is my firm
determination, with your support, afid under the blessing
of Divine Providence, to maintain inviolate that great bond
of connexion between the two countries.

..-
" I have forborne from requiring any additional powers
for the counteraction of designs hostile to the concord and
welfare of my dominions, as well from my unwillingness
to distrust the efficacy of the ordinary law, as from my re-
liance on the good sense and patriotism of my people, and
on the solemn declarations of Parliament in support of the
Legislative Union.
" I feel assured that those of my faithful subjects who
have influence and authority in Ireland, will discourage to
the utmost of their power a system of pernicious agitation
which disturbs the industry and retards the improvement
of that country, and excites feelings of mutual distrust and
animosity between different classes of my people."