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

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-THURSDAY

On the motion for the further consideration of the re-
port of the Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill,
Some conversation took place between Sir H. HALFonn
and Lord J. RUSSELL relative to the appointment of
a subordinate officer of the Post-office in the county of
Leicester, upon the recommendation of Mr. Gardner, the
rejected member for the borough of Leicester. In the
course of it his lordship remarked, that if Lord Clanri-
carde had known that the late election for that borough
had been made void in consequence of the bribery prac-
tised at it by the agents of Mr. R. Gardner, he ought not
to have listened to their recommendation. He therefore
regretted that through inadvertence Lord Clanricarde had
taken the recommendation of Mr. R. Gardner and his
agents, but he was convinced that his lordship had not
done so with any view of encouraging corrupt practices in
the borough of Leicester.

. -After a short speech from Colonel SIBTIIORP,
Sir C. BULLER, Mr. H. DRUMMOND, and Mr. MUL-
LiNas made some observations on the distribution of the
patronage of the Government in the Post-office and the
Stamp-office at Shoreham, at Cirencester, and at some
village in the county of Surrey, which induced Mr. TUF-
NELL to enter into a brief but very satisfactory vindication
of the proceedings of the Treasury in that respect.
The report was then brought up and agreed to ; after
which the bill was recommitted and several clauses added
to it. The bill, as amended, was reported and ordered to
be read a third time to-morrow.
Lord PALMERSTON, in moving the second reading of
the Diplomatic Relations with the Court of Rome Bill,
observed, that the grounds for this measure were so sim-
ple and so much upon the surface that it was not requisite
for him to enter into any abstruse or refined argument to
show its necessity. Doubts, and doubts only, existed,
whether, by the interposition of certain old acts of Parlia-
ment, it was lawful for the Government of this country to
• hold diplomatic intercourse with the Court of Rome.
Those doubts arose on the interposition of the word
" communion ;" but it appeared to him that the meaning
of the law prohibiting any " communion" of the Sove-
reign with the Court of Rome was simply this—that the
Sovereign of England must be a Protestant. The " com-
munion" prohibited was only spiritual communion, and
was not the interchange of political and diplomatical com-
munications. As doubts, however, were entertained on
that point, it was deemed necessary to introduce a bill
authorising diplomatic intercourse and communication
with the Court of Rome. He then proceeded to obviate
the objections raised against it, and to explain the advan-
tages which were likely to accrue from passing it. After
showing that the presence of an English Ambassador at
the Court of Rome and of a Roman Ambassador at the
Court of St. James's could not injure the faith of our So-
vereign, he proceeded to demonstrate that the want of in-
tercourse with the Court of Rome was injurious to our in-
terests ; for we could not now make any commercial treaty
with the Court of Rome to obtain for our merchants and
manufacturers those advantages which commercial treaties
afforded to them in every other part of the world. As no
constitutional danger could arise from the enactment of
this measure, and as great commercial advantages would
-arise from passing it into law, he had no hesitation in re-
commending it to the support of the house.
Mr. C. ANSTEY had expected to hear some explanation
of the bill itself and of the objects which it was to accom-
plish ; but not a word on either of those points had the
noble lord uttered. After analyzing the bill clause by
clause, and condemning them all one after another, the
hon. member cot.cluded by • moving, that it be read a
second time that day six months.
• Mr. URQ.UHART seconded the amendment.
Sir R. INGLIS complained, like Mr. Anstey, of the
insufficiency of the speech which Lord Palmerston had
made that evening for the introduction of so important a
change into the constitution of England, and almost pitied
his lordship for having been reduced to the painful neces-
sity of pleading as his reasons for this bill the importance
of consulting the commercial interests of England in Italy
and the increased facility which it would give to British
subjects to obtain the construction of a railroad over the
Pontine marshes for abridging their communications with
India. lie called on the house to relied at what time

ntil it s

resort to cannibal
bats by nature or 1

stood, when 1

inquiry
Mr. (

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spoke of the Indi

t not to be made- unti

be an inquiry

y Company exerci

apany, how-
nurious that

1 not unfrequently corn-
erve their lives, though

hile the company was

that he was not at

ranny of this irresi.

!(.1 observe that, although ti
the greater part of half a el
[ie times multihlied. they hal

for those
those who

plicit con-

S who had attempted ft) Propagate religion in their ter-
. In many instances threats were resorted to, with the
intimidating the natives from list

ho would not listen v

Government would not
een instituted.

missiona-
rhe right

ind expressed a
grant until an

ULLER, in deference to the course pursued by the
vernment, said that the grant was but a conditional one for
wen 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. Humilvent 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 divided, when Mr. Hume's motion was negatived by
a majority of 76 to 58. _ _

On Vote for salaries, &c., to professors of the universities
of Oxford and Cambridge being put, Mr. B OSBORNE 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. tioariax,an moved that it be read
a third time that day six months. After sonic
a division the third reading was carried by a majority of 67—
the numbers, 80 to 13; the bill passed.

CLERICAL INTELLIGENCE,
•

The Rev. W. H. 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 Cborley, 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 Shrewsbury,
forgetful of his oath, has coolly proposed to give half the pro-
perty of the Irish Church to the Romanists. 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 battle, 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 way of fighting.
The 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.