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prospective, and implied that, if his Majesty's government should
think it tight to bring the laws t bear confidence the political unions,
they by doing so would have the of the house, and the
assurance that, if the existing laws were insufficient, the present
Parliament would grant them fresh powers,. He might urge the
adoption of the resolution up'on the principle of its being the im-
perative duty of the legislature to afford protection to the rights
and privileges of individuals, and therefore, if it should be found
that. in the neighbourhoods where the unions existed individuals
of wealth and influence, but differing iu sentiments from those
bodies, had suffered from the interierence of the unions, then
surely as a local nuisance they ought to be put down. It could
not be denied that these had been instances of individuals of
influence and wealth offering themselves for the representation
of towns in the neighbourhood of the unions, the whole strength
of which had been poured down upon them, and they had not
only by undue means been robbed of their influence, but were
left to contend against a public purse. He could assure the
house, on the authority of two respectable gentlemen, who had
entreated him to withhold the mention of their names, that there
now existed a system of intimidation new in this country, but
which formerly prevailed in a neighbouring land. There was
another point to which he might allude as an argument against
the continuance of the unions, namely, that they tended to give
rise to factions—some, indeed, were already forming. (Hear.)
It might be said that the subject was too insignificant to legis-
late upon, and that the unions were expiring. He admitted that
they were less powerful now than they were two years ago; but
still they were even now not so insignificant as to induce the
legislature, by its silence, ndirectly to sanction their existence.
The house having already inadvertently given a prescriptive
legality to the unions, in having received petitions emanating'
from them after the proclamation had declared them to be -sub-
versive of the Crown, unconstitutional, and illegal, the house
now ought to declare them to be so by the adoption of the reso-
lution, which in all respects was harmless. I'he existence of
these political unions, which were established under the pretence
of reform, was inconsistent with the well-being of the 100,001,0J0
who peopled the British empire. Entertaining this opinion, he
should therefore submit to the house a resolution to the effect
that it is the opinion of the house that certain voluntary associ-
ations, denominated political unions, at present existing, were
subversive of the authority of the Crown, inconsistent with good
government, and in their nature illegal, and that his Majesty's
ministers are fully justified in suppressing them, and all other
political unions, whatever be their denomination, which in their
nature or principles may be subversive of the just authority of
, government.
MI. PLUASTRE seconded the motion.
'The resolution having been put from the chair,
Lord Aurnone observed, that the hon. member ( Mr. Fnch)
had insisted on the illegality of political unions. He confessed
from all the information he had been able to collect respecting
those associations that he was not able to arrive at that conclu-
sion. The hon. member had in the course of his speech alluded
to the proclamation issued two years ago; but had he considered
the circumstances under which that proclamation was issued?
It was promulgated against political unions and associations
which assumed the right not only to orgauize their members,
but to organize them in a military manner, with the avowed pur-
pose of taking arms in their hands. Such was not the case at the
present time, fur on being warned by that
.proclamation of the
effect of their proceedings, those associations abandoned the
course they were pursuing, and had not since renewed it. If the
hon. member wished him (Lord Althorp) to state his opinion as
to whether a very e-reat prevalence of political unions, and their
spreading allover tic country, was not detrimental to the consti-
tution of the countty,. he would certainly admit that such would
not only be not a desirable but a very dangerous state of things.
The hon. member had described his resolution as being guile
innocent; but he had described the unions as being illegal, a
fact which he (Lord Althorp) could not admit, because he
considered them, in their present form, perfectly legal. Know-
ing, therefore, the feeling of the people of this country, he did
not think their existence dangerous at the present time. They
had arisen, not at the late period of excitement, but previous
to that period, under which they had certainly increased in power
and influence. But their power was now diminished, the coun-
try not being in an actual state of excitement. In making
these observations, he (Lord Althorp) could not, he trusted,
be suspected of entertaining feelings of any great partiality
towards political unions; for no bodies of men, he believed,
had displayed greater hostility to his Majesty's government
than they had done. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member had
also asserted that the members of these unions came forward
at elections for members of Parliament, and by their influence
prevented the return of gentlemen who ought to be elected ;
but had they not, he would ask, exerted that influence also in
favour of gentlemen who sat on the other side of the house ?
(Hear, hear.) He believed that though the direct opponents
of the political unions in opinion, they had not on seine occa-
sions scrupled to avail themselves of their assistance. (A laugh.)
In conclusion, the noble lord said, that as he did not think the
motion ought to be treated very seriously, he felt it to be his duty
to give it his direct negative.
Mr. Foasmi entreated the hon. member to withdraw his
resolution. He could assure him that the political unions were
of but little importance in a legislative point of view.
Mr. FINCH expressed his willingness to act upon the sugges-
tion of the hon. member who had spoken last. (Cries of "No,
no ! divide, divide !") If it were true that those bodies were
contemptible, there certainly would be no necessity for pressing
his motion. He could not help remarking, however, that a sin-
gular disunion of opinion existed in the cabinet on the subject,
for he had heard that a noble lord in another place (Lord Mel-
bourne) had described political unions as inconsistent with
good
.government. If so, then they certainly ought pot to be
permitted to exist in this country. But he would pursue this
argument no further, because he conceived he was out of order
in even making the allusion. He had been informed by his
friends that ministers would upon this occasion endeavour to
conciliate their opponents, and the result had proved that the
information which he had received was correct.
Lord ALTHORP felt it necessary not to explain, but to repeat
what he had stated. He stated that political unions as at pre-
sent managed were not illegal; but if they obtained great
power in the country, he thought they would be detrimental to
the constitution.
The SPEAKER then put the question, and declared that the
noes had it.
Mr. C. BULLER, and others, to force a division, said the aces
had it.
A division then took place, and the numbers were—
Noes
Ayes
Majority
POOR LAWS.
Mr. Ha LCOMB rose to call the attention of the house to the
present state of the poor laws, and to move for leave to bring in
a bid to amend them. The hon. member stated that his object
was, as far as possible, to revert to the statute of Elizabeth.
Mr. F. O'Coeison moved that the house be counted. The
subject was of far too great importance to be discussed in so
thin an assemblage.
The house was accordingly counted, and there being less than
40 members present, it adjourned till Friday.

..-6O

HOUSE OF LORDS, FRIDAY, JUNE 28.
The Boval assent, by commission, was given to the Dwelling-
house Robbery Bill, the Militia Ballot Suspension Bill, the
Gravesend Pier Bill, the Edinburgh Improvement Bill, and
to 14 local and private bills. The commissioners were, the
Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Richmond, and the Earl of
Ripon. CONFERENCE WITH THE COMMONS.
On the motion of Earl Grey, the following were appointed
managers_ of the conference on the part of their lordships:—
The Lord Privy Seal, the Duke of Richmond, the Marquis of
Ailsa, the Marquis Conyngham, the Earl of Errol, the Bishop
of Chichester, and Lord Amherst.
On their return from the conference, the Lord Privy Seal
(the Earl of Ripon) informed their lordships that they had met
the managers for the Commons, and had stated to them that
their lordships had taken into consideration the resolutions
relative to his Majesty's colonial dominions, which had been
communicated to them by the Commons on Thursday, the 20th
instant, to which they hail agreed without amendment.

SCOTCH LAW COMMISSION.
The Earl of ABERDEEN said the noble and learned lord on
the woolsack had more than once stated in that house that it
was the intention of his Majesty's government to institute a
commission to inquire into the la«vs of Scotland, similar to that
which had been appointed in this country. He was not dis-
posed to deny that such a commission might be productive of
very great advantage to that part of the country; but, of course,
its efficacy would rest mainly on the manner in which that com-
mission was formed and sent forward. It was a perfectly na-
tural conclusion that, unless it possessed the confidence of the
country and of the profession, its suggestions would be of little
avail. It ought to be composed of men of learning and ability,
not only capable of discharging their important clinics satisfac-
torily, but well understanding the present state of the profes-
sion in Scotland, which, he believed, was perfectly well known
to the noble and learned lord. Perhaps the noble and learned
lord would now state, generally, what the nature and the object
of the commission were.
The Loan CHANCELLOR said he had no objection to state, so
far as his recollection served, the general nature of this com-
mission. In the first place, it was to inquire into the best and
' most judicious means for diminishing the expenses of law pro-
ceedings, especially
.with respect to fees of court. Next, it was
to inquire into certain arrangements which had been made with
respect to the subordinate officers of the superior courts. Ano-
ther object of the commission, and it was a very important one,
both to the noble earl and to the landed interest generally—

would be an inquiry into the best mode of simplifying the iys-
tern, and diminishing the expenses of conveyancing,. Men of
peat knowledge and of extensive practice—men who_had_spent
their whole lives in the study of law, and particularly in those
branches of it which it was deemed particularly necessary to in-
quire into, would be selected. There was another branch of
the profession, namely, conveyancers,—individuals who had
not been called to the bar, but whose assistance would be most
valuable, and from that class also selections would be made.
The Earl of ABERDEEN observed, that a measure was in pro-
gress in the other House of Parliament, which related to the
sheriff's courts, one part of the subject into which the commis-
sioners would have to inquire. He thought that that measure
ought to he deferred until the commissioners had finished that
portion of their inquiry.
The Lorin CI-lA:v.:v.:Lima said, the measure alluded to would
not interfere with the labours of the commissioners. It only
went to enable the sheriffs to take a certain circuit for the trial
of cases of debt to the amount of LIU.

PROTEST AGAINST THE COLONIAL RESOLUTIONS.

On the motion of the Earl of Shaftesbury, the time granted
to the Duke of 'Wellington to enter his protest against the re
solutions for the abos4ion of colonial slavery was extended to
the rising of the house this day to enable other noble lords
also to enter their protests.