The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-07-10 00:00:00

CORPORATION OF TANWORTII.

Sir R. PEEL said he had been desired by the corporation of
Taniwerth; the borough which he had the honour to represent,
and holding as he did the situation of high steward in that cor-
poration, to present a petition to the house, praying that the
provisions of the bill which the noble lord (Russell) had brought
in might not be extended to that corporation. If it had been
charged with any abuse, or if there had been a general desire
expressed on behalf of the inhabitants to have a change made
in the constitution of that corpuiation, he should have felt more
hesitation in presenting the petition. But the most honourable
testimony having been borne by the commissioners who con-
ducted the examination into the affairs of that corporation, with
respect to the conduct of the corporate body, he hoped the noble
lord would not object to except the town of Tamworth from the
provisions of the bill. The corporation of the town was not so
considerable as to justify the application of the bill to it; and
there were other towns which also sent representatives to par-
liament, having corporations, to which the bill did not apply.
He begged leave to call the attention of the house to a short
extract from the report of the commissioners with respect to the
corporation of Tamworth, and then he would appeal with con-
fidence to any man whether it was possible to have received,
more honourable testimouv as to their complete integrity of
character and. conduct. The right honourable barouet then
read the following extract:—" From the description which
has been given of the constitution, it is obvious that the
,roverning body is wholly self-elected. It does not appear,
however, that the power thiisvested in the body has been in any
respect abused. The vacancies which 'have occurred from time
to time have been filled pp from among the most respectable
inhabitants without reference to party or to political opinions.
Neither dues it appear that the corporation, either as regards
the appointment of members of the body corporate, or the exer-
cise of the elective franchise, have been subject to the operation
of any undue local influence. It appears that the magisterial
duties have been discharged with intelligence and integrity.
The circumstance of the town-clerk, a gentleman of intelligence

and professional experience, instead of being merely the legal
adviser of the magistrates, being himself a magistrate, and
thereby sharing the responsibility of the magisterial acts, ap-
pears to have been attended with beneficial effects. The corpo-
ration afforded every facility to this investigation; they gave
notice to the inhabitants of the holding of the inquiry, but no
complaints were preferred, or matters suggested for investiga-
tion. The absence of all complaint, together with the evidence
laid before toe, leads me to couclude that the objects of munici-
pal government have been satisfactorily attained in. this bo-
rough ; that the governing body have been judiciously selected,
well administered, and the revenues carefully applied to public
purposes." (Cheers.) Ile submitted that, if every other cor-
poration had received the saute well-merited eulogiutn, there
would have been no need for the introduction of the noble bird's
bill. (Hear, hear.) This was a matter in which he had no
personal interest whatever; but he could not help stating, that
he did not believe either the cause of good government or the
satisfaction of the inhabitants generally would be promoted by
any change in that corporation, if unfortunately it should be
applied to it. Had the corporation been possessed of lane re-
venues, there might have been a reason for change, which would
countervail any disinclination on the part of the inhabitants,
but he really did not see, as the matter was, that any public
object would be answered by it. The corporation was free from
all imaginary imputation. Party feeling undoubtedly hail run
high, and there had been "several'severe contests, but they never
had allowed themselves to be influenced by electioneering or
party considerations. (Hear.) Ile was afraid they were now
about to introduce a new element into the constitution of the
governing body, which was not likely to work so satisfactorily
as the noble lord seemed to anticipate. (Hear, hear.) With
respect to the festivities of this corporation, he might also state,
although it had revenues, and was not less hospitable than
others, yet the members themselves bad always paid their own
expenses, without at all interfering with the borough. funds.
Under these circumstances he did hope that the noble lord
would exclude Tainworth from the operation of the bill. At
the same dine, if its provisions were to be extended to towns
similarly situated, it was not probable that his motion for a par-
ticular exception in favour of the borough of 'ramworth would
be attended with success.
Lord J. RUSSELL was quite ready to admit the remarkable
and botiourable testimony which had bean borne to the corpora-
tion of Taniworth by the commissioners in their report; and, if
it had been general in faVour of the corporations, there would
have been no necessity at all for introducing the present bill;
but as the measure was general in its nature, while there was
no re4sou to apprehend any evil to result from its introduction
in the particular instance alluded to, it would be iucousistent
with its leading policy to make individual exceptions.
HUSH CH CRCII.
Lord Moiteerit brought upend laid on the table of the house
a bill for the better regulation of ecclesiastical-revenues, and
for the moral and religious education of the people of Ireland,
which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second
time on Monday next.
Sir R. Peer. then rose and said, I wish to take this public op-
portunity of stating the course which I intend to pursue with
respect' to this bill. It comprehends some enactments in the
general policy of which i concur; it comprehends others to
which I feel the most decided objection, iu point of principle.
(Cheers.). I concur in the policy of making some new arrange-
meta with respect to the collection of tithe in Ireland; I con-
cur in the policy of substituting for the payment of tithe in
kind, and also for composition for tithe, a rent charge, as pro-
vided in one part of the noble lord's bill. I disagree as to wak-
ing that rent perpetual. I disagree as to the omission of con-
version and redemption of the rent charge, and its conversion
into land. (Hear, hear.) But at the same time, in the present
state of Ireland, and with my strong feeling of the policy of
making some immediate arrangement in respect to the collec-
tion of tithe, I have, notwithstanding the decided objection
which I feel to other parts of the bill, a difficulty in giving a
vote on the second reading, the effect of which, if successful,
would probably be to preclude that arrangement with respect to
the substitution of a rent charge in lieu of tithe, in the general
policy of which I concur. (hear, hear.) But I have no hesi-
tation in saying that my objections to other parts of the bill,
particularly the appropriation of ecclesiastical property to other
than ecclesiastical purposes (hear) immediately in connexion
with the interests of the established church, (renewed cheers,)
and my objections to the wholesale suppression of the cure of
souls in so many parishes in Ireland, are so strong that I can-
not consent to purchase the benefit of a substitution for tithes
oh those conditions which have been affixed to it by the noble
lord. (Loud cheers.) The course therefore which I mean to
pursue will be, on the motion for the speaker leaving the chair,
in order that ie bill may go into committee, to move an instruc-
tion to that committee todivide it into two bills. (bear, bear.)
I do that for the express purpose of enabling me, with the views
I entertain, to concur in that part of the bill to which I am
ready to give my consent. (Cheers.) Ide i: also with the ex-
press and avowed purpose of enabling me, if I can, to reject
altogether those portions of it from which I entirely dissent.
By taking that course I free myself from the difficulties which,
by rejecting this bill, or appearing to reject it altogether on the
second reading, would arise in contemplating the present con-
dition of the Irish clergy, from the mauifestation of any con,
structive indisposition to consider fayouraley some arrangement
that might afford them some share of that relief to which they
are fairly and justly entitled. (Cheers.) If I should succeed
in my motion—if the instruction to the committee to divide the
bill should be carried, I shall then have the opportunity of giv-
ing my consent, with any modifications which may be proposed,
to that of the bill which I am prepared to support, and at the
same time of manifesting my decided objections to those two
enactments to which I have referred, namely, another appropri-
ation of the ecclesiastical revenues and the suppression of the
cure of souls in &kJ parishes in Ireland. (Cheers.) The noble
lord will therefore see from the course I. intend to adopt, that to
the second reading of the bill I shall' offer no opposition, as I
shall have an opportunity of fully explaining my views when I
bring forward my proposition, 'and because I have no wish to
trouble the house with a double exposition of them. Reserving
myself, therefore, till I propose the instruction which 1 now give
notice of, I shall not occupy the time of the house with any ob-
servations on the second reading, but ptubably it will be fur the
convenience of the house if the noble lord will now state oh
what day he means to propose that the house shall resolve into
committee on the bill, in order that all parties may have due
notice of the course he intends to pursue. I believe the bill
stands for a second reading on Monday next; and although I
cannot answer for the course likely to he' taken by.any other
member, I should think it extremely improbable that any
lengthened debate should arise on that occasion. The noble
lord will, I hope, give due public notice, either now or to-morrow,
when the debate, on going into committee, is likely to take
place. (Hear, hear.)
. Lord JOHN RUSSELL expressed his intention of opposing this
course, and of insisting that the clauses relative to appropria-
tion should accompany those relative to tithes.
MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS RILL.
Lord JOHN Russiat said, that in consequence of some al-
. terationa which had been made in this bill, and the time re-
quired for altering the schedules, he could not proceed with
them, that evening. He therefore moved that the further con-
. sideration should tie postponed until Tuesday next.
•
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.
In answer to a question by Mr. Freshtield, the Attorney-ge-
neral said that he would, if possible, proceed with this bill on
Thursday.
•

MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS AND PROPERTY.. •
Mr. C. BULLER wished to draw the attention of the noble
lord (Lord John Russell) to the circumstance that several cor-
porations had lately proceeded to dispose of their property, with
a view to defeat the operation of this measure.
Mr. CAYLEY had, on a previous occasion, called the noble
lord's attention to the subject just mentioned by the hon. mem-.
her for Liskeard, and he wished now to ask his noble friend if
any of the new clauses would contain provisions with respect
to this matter. In corroboration of the disposition of the old
corporations to alienate property, he had that morning teceived
a letter from Yeovil, in Somersetshire, staling that the corpo-
ration had lately advertised the whole of the lauded property
for sale (hear, hear) property estimated at £25,000; a practice
they had never been used to, although they had been in the
habit of letting out land on long leases. The letter also stated
that parties lately returned from Weymouth to Yeovil had
brought tidings of the corporation of that borough haVing al-
ready sold part of the corporate property there. Surely these
cases demanded immediate interference; and he hoped the no-
ble lord would provide a clause to meet the case, and to render
nugatory all bargains of this suspicious character. (Hear.)
Lord Jon N RUSSELL.— The accounts I have lately received
of this nature have been so numerous, that it will be quite ne-
cessary to introduce some clause with provisions such as have
been suggested by my hon. friend. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CHARLTON then rose to call the attention of the house to
something in the shape of a protest which had been tendered to
the noble lord opposite, the Secretary of State fur the Home
Department, by Mr. Hogg, one of the corporation commis-
sioners. This document, be understood, had been forwarded
.by the learned cominis-sioner, when he found that he differed
from his brother commissioners as to the general tenor of their.
report. The noble lord opposite admitted that he had received
such a protest, but he declined laying it before parliament, on
the ground that it was not fit to be laid on the table of that
house. To him (Mr. Charlton) that reason was by no means
satisfactory, and he could not help regretting that the house was
not allowed an opportunity of judging for themselves of the con-
tents of that document, whatever they were. It was well known
that the conclusions drawn by Mr. Hogg,,were completely at-va-
riance with those arrived at by the other commissioners, and
the house were, therefore, left without the evidence taken upon
his ciisruit. e must, then, say it was rather hard, when eii-
-siesresserisielsloi unglits.pees.utne to be favourable had been taken
that it was to be suppressed, atitra-ety thing tending to crtmin-
ate corporations most readily published and given at full length.
Ought not the house to have before it the opinions of every one
of the commissioners engaged in that momentous inquiry
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL interposed to say, that there was
no question before the house to which the remarks of the hon.
gentleman could be made to apply.
The order of the day was then read and postponed to Thurs-
day. MEETING AT DUNGANNON.
Colonel VERNER rose, pursuant to notice, to call the attention
of the house to the case of Mr. Harpurand others, against whom
informations had been sworn for attending a meeting called by
the Lieutenant of the county of Tyrone, at Dungannon, in
December last, and for which they had been bound over to take
their trial at- the next assizes. In liringing.forward this subject,
the hon. member contended that the meeting in question was,
if ut all a violation of the processions act, much less so than the
procession which attended the present Lord-Lieutenant of Ire-
land, when he made his public entry into Dublin. He had re-
ceived a letter on the subject, which, with the permission of the
house, he should read, for it put the case in a clear and, as he
conceived, an unanswerable point of view:—
"As Grand Master of Tyrone, I feel called upon, in conse-
quence of the interpretation which Lord Melbourne gave to
the debate upon Lord Mulgrave's processional entry into Dub-
!in, to request on behalf of Mr. Harpur, one of your cousti-
tueuts, and others, members of the Orange Institution, that you
will, in your place in parliament, ascertain firms the Home
Secretary, (Lord John Russell, 1 believe,) ur from the Attoruesr
General for Ireland, whether their interpretation of the act
agrees with that of the Prime Minister.
"This is of ne slight importance to us, whose- personal liberty
and property, to a certain extent, are involved in the ,reply.
The late administration, though we were known to be amongst
its most zealoui supporters, felt it to be their duty to institute
prosecutions against some of us for a breach of the procession
act, in attending the call of the Lord-Lieutenant of the county
of Tyrone, (of which county, as well as of Armagh, Mr. liar-
par is a freeholder,) to address the King in support of his pre-
rogative. The meeting took place upon no anniversary, and
was connected with no political event. This prosecution still
hangs over them, and they are bound over to stand their trials
at the next assizes. You will perceive how strong our case is.
We were regularly convened by a lawful authority, while the
Dublin assemblage originated with the processionists them-
selves, without any legal sanction, sinless the letter of the Lord-
Lieutenant's State Steward, (I think he styles himselr,) stating
the hunt-
.at which his excellency would join them, can be
reckoned such'.
" I beg further to add, that I witnessed the procession, headed"-
by Lord ,Mulgrave, into Dublin, which was called a procession
of the Trades Union, but which I assert-was one of revolutien,
for, independent of standards with the harp without the crown,
and Erin go bragh," Repeal of the union,' the cap Of liberty'
upon a pole, with the- word 'Liberty ' placed over it, each
member carried a long white rod, with the tri-colour floating
from its end—cis,, red, white, and green ribauds ; and although

,WHE LIVERPOOL SANDARD.