The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-09-01 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS-WEDNESDAY

Lord PaLssEasTolv., in reply to Sir Howard Douglas,
said that the late government had eropktied Mr. 'Hood,
the Consu'-General at Rio, who was instruc ed, on the
part of England, in conjunction with France, to endeavour
to effect a termination of the hostilities between Monte
Video and Buenos Ayres. Sufficient,time had not elapsed
to allow of Mortnation on the sulj et. but he entertained
a hope that the desired object would be accomplished.
Mr. WA KLEY brought' under consideration the case of
Haydock Lodge Lunatic Asylum, in Lancashire, to which
public attention was attracted some time ego, by a petition
to parliament. from Mr. Owen Roberts, a surgeon, of
Bangor, who complained of the treatment of lunatics in
that institution. From the offizial inquiries which had
been instituted, it appeared that Mr. Cootie, while he ivas
assistant-secretary to the poor-law commissioners, had a
beneficial interest in Havdock Lodge, which was under
the management of Mr. Mott, formerly an assistant poor-
law commissioner. Owing to the undue influence pos-
sessed by Mr. Conde and Mr. Mott, pauper lunatics were
sent to Haydock Lodge from no less than twenty cliff-rent
counties in England, some from the Lie of Man, and some
from the island of Anglesea ; and there they were sub-
jected to treatment which rendered the management of the
asylum one of the most frightful and horrible cases of
heartless cruelty which had ever fallen under his notice.
In that " human slaught r-bouse," so great cas the mor-
tality that in the second year 112 had diets out of 450; and
in the year preceding the Ist of October, 1845, it was
sixty. On inspection by the visiting magistrates, they
were of opinion that the house could mils, accommodate
367 persons, while 500 had been compelled to live in it.
Mr. Wakley, who spoke at great length, went into much
detail on the subject, describing the dietary and treatment
of the inmates, contrasting the management of the insti-
tution with that of Hanwell, and contending that the
sole object of the owners of Haydock Lodge was pecuniary
gain. The subject demanded a complete investigation,
not by tl,e poor-law commissioners, w:lo were inte-
rested parties, but by an independent and competent
tribunal. If this were not done during the recess he
would on the very first day of the meeting of parlia-
ment, if he had a seat in the house, move for a committee
of inquiry. But he suggested that a commission should
be appointed, and moved an address to the crown to that
effect. _ _ _

Mr. FIELDeN seconded the motion.
Sir G. GREY would not say a word in defence of the
manage-mint of Haydock Lodge, and admitted that it was
most discreditable to any person in connexion with the
Poor-law Commission to have had any interest in such an
Institution. The disclosures which had been made ren-
deted it necessary thai. the case should undergo a search-
ing investigation by the Commissioners of Lunacy ; but
the remedy for the evils of private asylums, which he
feared were generally in a most deplorable state, lay in
the hands of the magistracy, by the erection of county
asylums. At the present late period, and in the absence
of Lord Seymour, who could have given them informati-
on as to the course which the Commissioners of Lunacy
might pursue, he urged the withdrawal of the motion.
After some remarks from Mr. R. Yorke and Mr.
Borthwick,

Mr. WAr.mor withdrew his mot!on, but renewed his
pledge to r,vive the question, if a searching investigation
did not take place during the recess.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.-FitIDAY

Parliament was prorogued this day by commission,
when the following speech was read, by command of her
maj,stv, by the Lord Chancellor, sitting on the woolsack
in front of the throne in the House of Lords :
"My Lords wad- Gentlemen,

" We ;re commanded. by her Majesty to express to you
-the warm acknowledgments of her Majesty for the public
spirit you have evinced in the discharge of your laborious
duties daring an anxious and protracted seision.
" Her Majesty trusts that. you will be rewarded by wit-
nessing the beneficial results of the measures which have
been sanctioned by her Majesty, for the present relaxa-
tion and ultimate repeal ut protective duties on corn and
sugar.

:" Her Majesty entertains a. confident hope, that the
more -free admission of the produce of foreign countries in
the home market will increase.the.comforts and better the
condition of the great body of the people.
• " Her Majesty feels the greatest satisfaction in reflect-
ing that her Majesty's r fforts to• settle, in a manner con-
sistent with pational honour, the conflicting claims of
Great Britain and the United States, with respect to the
territc•ry.on the north-west coast of America, have been
completely successful.

. .
" Her--:ll.3esty continues to receive-from all foreign
posers the stropgert assurances of theirdesire to cultivate
friendly relations with this country.
" Her Mtjesty commands us to congratuirte you on the

- -
•victorious coure.artd happy conclu-ion of the war in In-
dia; and her .Majesty-has much gratification in announc-
ing to you tha: perfecttranquillity prevails throughout the
whole of the British,posseksicns in that,quartkr of the
world,

"-Gentlemen of the-flouee of Commons.
" fief M.jesty has observed with ,atisfaction, the care

and to maintain the public faith.
Her M ±jesty has commanded us to acknowledge the
zeal and unanimity with which you aysented to the in-
creave in the-naval and military estimate:, which a "regard
to the exigencies of the I:abbe...der vice itiduc,d her Majesty
to propose for ycur consideration.
My. Lord,. and Gent.;egnels.
" Flee Majesty as to lament that the recurrence of_a
failure in the pottroe crop, in an aggravated degree. will
cause a serious deficiency in the quantity of a material ar-
ticle of foci.
. . .

Her M.jesty has given her cordiel assent to measures
•by which this calamity may he mitigated in that part,of
the United Kingdom where the cultivation of the poratoe
bas hitherto tiffordeil the chief supply tor the subsistence
of the people. _ .

"1-1.4 r Ninjesty has seen with pleasure -that a considera-
ble dirnioution of crime and nutrage hars taken place in
tbose,courefies of Ireland Neb4ch had been most, disturbed.

" Her Majesty is confident that. on your return to your
several counties, you will find a spirit of loyalty generally
prevalent. The extension of vvolks of improvement has
Jooreased the demand for labour, and the tranquillity of
thecountry bas fpvoured the pursuits of industry in alike
branches.
" Her Majesty trusts that, by a combination of pru-
dence with _enterprise. and of a willing obedience to law
with a desire for social progress, her people will, through
-the D.vine blessing. enjoy the Lull advantages of peace."

HOUSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAY.
.The royal anent waq given by cumuli:bier) to various
.19111., aver which ber Mak sty's .tpet eh was read by the
Lord
_Cb.nctibr, anti Pcaliauteut prorogued until Wed-
,nebdaY, the 4th of Noveuibt-r.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—_
A new wit! was Ordered for Derby, in the room of Mr,
St ruit, appointed a commissioner of the Railway Board.
In answer to a q.nestion from Mr. ProtherOe, Sir GEo.
GREY stated, on authority, that pros. mint, iii the police
force was not cansr9trent the hurt ber of convictions
obtained, but on en. ir. ly ri nt !mond. ; and in answer
to IA Mr. altiey, as to the inalttr:a of a witness exa-
mino before the Andover Union Committee on his rt-
turn to that place by the POor.lBw Authorities, the right
bon hAronet stilted that the subject, should recetre bis se-
fipUS consideration,

FRIDAY