The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-08-22 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-FRIDAY,

Lord D. STEWART, in reply to a question from Dr. BOWRING,
announced that it was not his intention to proceed with the
Odd Fellows Societies Bill during the present session.
In reply to a question from Mr. TURNER,
Lord J. RUSSELL announced that he would postpone the
Charity Trusts Regulation Bill for the present session, and
would also withdraw the Chancery Proceeding's Regulation
Bill.

On the motion for going into committee of supply.
Mr. CHRISTIE drew attention to the proposed grant of Van-
couver's Island to the Hudson's Bay Company, a proceeding
which re strongly teprecated.
Mr. GLADSTONE said the grant ought not to be made until
an inquiry was instituted into the manner in which the Hud-
son's Bay Company had acted under their own charter, and
until it should be ascertained if they had taken into their own
hands the power of inflicting capital punishments. The com-
pany were charged with having laid it down as a principle,
that when the Indians killed any of the servants of the com-
pany they would have blood for blood, and that, too, without a
trial, and it was said that one individual had actually been put
to death without trial, in accordance with this principle. This
power was exercised in direct contravaition to the 12th section
of the act of Parliament which particularly prohibited the ex-
ercise of any such power. There should also be an inquiry
into the manner in which the Hudson's Bay Company exerci-
sed their monopoly. He could not see why the Indians should
be obliged to bring their commodities to one purchaser only,
who was to fix the price of their goods. The company, how-
ever, conducted the business on a principle so penurious that
the savages were sometimes starved, and not unfrequently com-
pelled to resort to cannibalism to preserve their lives, though
not cannibals by nature or by practice, while the company was
receiving £2OOO per cent. in the British markets for the furs
they purchased from the Indians for a trifle. He wished to be
understood, when he spoke of the Indians, that he was not al-
luding to those on the borders of the United States, for those
Indians received a fair price for their skins ; but those who
were entirely under the tyranny of this irresponsible body, in
which the Government seemed to place the most implicit con-
fidence. With respect to the moral character of the company,
he would observe that, although they had divided 70 per cent.
during the greater part of half a century on a capital that had
been nine times multiplied, they had never erected a single place
of worship, and had discouraged, as far as possible? those mis-
sionaries who had attempted to propagate religion in their ter-
ritories. In many instances threats were resorted to, with the
view of intimidating the natives from listening to the missiona-
ries, and those who would not listen were rewarded. The right
hon. gentleman stated several other objections, and expressed a
hope that the Government would not make this grant until an
inquiry had been instituted. .

Mr. C. BULLER, in deference to the course pursued by the
government, said that the grant was but a conditional one for
eleven years, during which there would be a representative go-
vernment in Vancouver's Island. If, therefore, the company
should be tempted to exercise any arbitrary power, the legisla-
ture would very soon transfer their privileges to the local go-
vernment, to be exercised for the benefit of the colony. At the
expiration of eleven years, the British government would be at
liberty to resume possession of the island, on paying to the
company the expenses incurred for building and improving the
colony, or allow the company to continue in possession under
further arrangements.
Mr. HUME went at some length into the question, deprecat-
ing in the strongest terms the proposed grant, and concluded
by moving a resolution to the effect that a petition be presented
to her Majesty, praying that the government of Vancouver's
Island should not be handed over to the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany until the complaint of the Red River Indians should be
heard and considered. _ _ .

Mr. CHRISTIE replied, and after some further discussion, in
which Mr. Wyld, Lord J. Russell, and Mr. Goulburn took part,
the house divvied, when Mr. Hume's motion was negatived by
a majority of 76 to 58.
On the vote for salaries, &c., to professors of the universities
of Oxford and Cambridge being put, Mr. B OSBO RNE opposed
the motion : the committee dividing—for the grant, 96 ; against,
20 ; majority, 76 ;—when the Chairman reported progress, and
the house resumed.

On the question that the Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill
be read a third time, Mr. T. HOBIIOUSE moved that it be read
a third time that day six months. After some. discussion, on
a division the third reading was carried by a majority of 67—
the number., ao w ia; the um pab...d.

CLERICAL INTELLIGENCE.

The Rev. W. 11. Self, 8.A., curate of St. James's Church,
Preston, has been appointed incumbent of the new church at
Lytham.
The Rev. J. S. Master, M.A., rector of Chorley, has been
appointed rural dean of the hundred of Leyland, by the Lord
Bishop of Manchester.
ROBBERY OF THE IRISH CHURCH.—Sundry hints have been
thrown out in the House of Lords about the propriety of en-
dowing the Romish Church in Ireland; and Lord Bhrewsbury,
forgetful of his oath, has coolly proposed to give half the pro-
perty of the Irish Church to the Itomauists. If rebels are to
be treated so well, who would not take up arms against the
Queen? If this theory is to be acted upon, the only way for
the members of the Irish Church to save their ecclesiastical
property will he to turn rebels themselves.

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL.

AMERICA.
ARRIVAL OF THE HIBERNIA.

By the arrival of the royal mail steam-ship Hibernia,
Captain Shannon, in the Mersey, on Tuesday, we received
papers from the United States and Mexico. The Hibernia
left New York on the 2d, and Halifax on the sth instant.
She brings the usual mails, and forty passengers, and has
about £5,000 specie on freight. The America, which
sailed from Liverpool on the 22d ult., reached Halifax on
the 2d instant.

In Congress the attempt to pass a sort of Compromise
Bill for the government of the new territories has been
defeated, the House of Representatives refusing even to
entertain or discuss the bill which had passed the Senate,
and of which the tendency was to permit the establishment
of slavery in New Mexico and California. It seems pretty
well settled now that no bill looking to such a result can
obtain the assent of the House of Representatives.

General Taylor's acceptance of the Whig nomination to
the presidency has at length appeared.
The only other news of political interest is the state-
ment now received in an authentic shape of a bittle, or
rather succession of skirmishes near Guanajato in Mexico,
between Bustamente commanding the Government forces,
and Parades with Jarante at the head of the revolters.
The victory is claimed for both sides, but neither appear
to have done so much in the n•ay of fighting.
Tile dates from the city of Mexico are to the 14th ult.,
where the Government of Herrera seemed to be pursuing
its course without interruption or disturbance.
The American troops have now all left Mexico, and
that country is again delivered up to its own laws and
rulers. Among other effects of this is the re-enactment
of the old Mexican tariff.
Dulness pervades all branches of trade and commerce.