The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-08-12 00:00:00

Imptrial parltamtnt.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—NIONDAY.
The Newfoundland Bill was brought up from the House of
Commons, and read a first time.
The Ecclesiastical Preferments Bill was read a third time
and passed.
The Tobacco Regulations Bill passed through committee,
and was ordered to be read a third time this day.
The Bribery at Elections Bill also passed through com-
mittee, and was ordered to be read a third time this day.
Earl FORTESCUE moved for a return of the outrages re-
ported to the Irish constabulary in July last. He contended
that during his administration those outrages were rapidly
decreasing, but that recently they had been on the increase
most fearfully. From this he inferred that some change had
taken place in the manner in which justice had been ad-
ministered. The noble earl next referred to the recent trials
at Armagh, and said that the judge who presided had shown
in his charge to the jury the vehemence of an advocate rather
than the impartiality of a judge. The chief witness, he
said, was a spy, and even from his own evidence was not to
be believed upon his oath.
The Duke of WELLINGTON could see no objection to the
returns asked for, but remarked that the increased number
of committals might he owing to the increased activity of the
constabulary. With respect to the judge alluded to, he
would only say that there never was a man more respected
in his profession than that distinguished individual; and he
could not believe that he would fall into the error and in-
justice of acting more like a advocate than an impartial
judge. With respect to the witness who admitted that he
had induced men to join the riband conspiracy, and said he
had been employed to do so by the magistracy, he had to ob-
serve that the counsel for the prisoner who made the charge
had subsequently withdrawn it. Nothing could be more base
on the part of the magistracy than such a course ; but an in-
quiry had been directed into the subject, and if the charges
were found to he true, the parties would be visited with pun-
ishment.
After some further discussion, the returns were ordered.
The Dissenters' Marriage (Ireland) Bill was, after some
dsieussion, read a second time, and ordered to be committed
this day.
Some bills on the table were forwarded a stage, and their
lordships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—MoNDAY.
Lord STANLEY moved the third reading of the Newfound-
land Bill, upon which
Mr. HOWARD divided the house, when the third reading
was carried by a majority of 53 to 12.
The bill was then read a third time and passed.
Mr. WALTER took the oaths and his seat for Nottingham.
The house resolved itself into committee on the Bank-
ruptcy Bill, and various amendments were proposed, but the
clauses as proposed by government were adhered to, the
amendments being defeated by large majorities.
The remaining clauses having been agreed to, the house
resumed, and the report was ordered to be received this day.
Lord PALmEasToN asked Sir R. Peel whether the news
which had lately arrived from India was true. There were
conflicting accounts ; but one of them stated that the Go-
vernor-General of India had issued orders for the withdrawal
of British troops from the west bank of the Indus. He
wished to ascertain if this was correct, as it was a subject
very interesting to this country.
Sir R. PEEL said he had strong objections to make com-
munications upon the subject, hut he had every reason to
believe that the British troops at the present moment occu-
pied Candahar and Jellalabad, and he further believed that
they were in such a condition as to prevent their being
speedily removed.
Mr. LEFROY moved the issue of a new writ for the
borough of Ipswich, which was met by Mr. T. DUNCOMBE
by an amendment to the effect that leave be given to bring
in a bill to disfranchise certain electors of the borough of
Ipswich on the ground of bribery and corruption.
Mr. BLACKSTONE thought they ought not to legislate
without further evidence, and that it would be better to ap-
point a committee of inquiry early in the next session of
Parliament with a view to some general measure for the
disfranchisement of persons found guilty of bribery.
Mr. FITZROY contended that there was no case to justify
the amendment, and impugned the conduct of the Ipswich
election committee, who had, he said, prejudiced the case
before they had heard it, and had in consequence made an
unfair report.
Mr. P. M. STICWART said that the parties themselves had
admitted that bribery and corruption took place, and only
disputed the question of agency. The committee were una-
nimously of opinion that agency was proved, and he main-
tained that no honest and clear-headed person could have
come to any other conclusion. He had no hesitation in as-
serting that if the amentment were carried it would be the
most important step taken this session to prevent bribery
and to purify the constituencies.
After some discussion,

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL maintained that the propriety
or impropriety of disfranchising the persons referred to by
the amendment could have nothing to do with the issuing of
a new writ for the borough, which could not be witheld either
by the custom of the house or in accordance with the spirit
of the constitution, except under very extraordinary circum-
stances. He had examined the evidence taken before the
Ipswich committee, and he confessed he did not think that
bribery had been sufficiently proved to justify the disfran-
chisement of the several persons named in the amendment.
Mr. C. BULLER supported the amendment.
After some observations from Mr. WYSE and Mr. DARBY,
Sir R. PEED said that even admitting that all the decisions
of the committee were just, that bribery had taken place,
and that the members had been properly unseated, he still
saw no reason for withholding the issue of the writ. It was
impossible to pass a bill this session for the disfranchisement
of those individuals. Legal evidence of the guilt of each
person should be produced to justify such a proceeding, and
if the writ was not to be issued until the bill passed, Ipswich
would remain for a considerable time unrepresented. Had
a proposition been made to direct the Attorney-General to
prosecute the parties, he should have assented to it, but he
would give his decided opposition to suspending the writ,
believing such a proceeding would not be sanctioned by the
public.
After a few observations the house divided, and Mr. Dun-
combe's motion was negatived by a majority of 86 to 32.
The writ was then ordered to be issued.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the
house adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—TUESDAY.
Some additions were made to the Bankruptcy Bill on the
report; after which, on the order of the day for the Com-
mittee on the County Courts Bill, Sir JAMES GRAHAM
announced that the government had resolved to postpone
this measure to a future session. It was, therefore, com-
mitted merely pro forma, for the purpose of introducing
some amendments ; a nd the bill so amended will be printed
and circulated during the recess.
At the afternoon sitting Mr. Hume requested from Sir J.
Graham an explanation of the circumstances under which
the Home-office had commuted, for a fine, the sentence of
imprisonment on a Mr. Johnston, convicted of an assault
upon a housemaid
Sir J. GRAHAM answered, that the case had been brought
before him by Mr. Under-Secretary Phiilipps, in consequence
of a representation from Mr. Serjeant Adams, who had pre-
sided at the trial. The Home-office had at first hesitated to
relax the sentence, but had referred for further information
to Mr. Serjeant Adams, who had made a report in reply, de-
claring his impression, from evidence laid before him since
the trial, that the assault was not made with intent to take
irdecent liberties with the girl, but simply to force her out
otthe room. The offence had been committed under irrita-
tioi at her neglect to clean the room in time ; but the master
hac behaved very violently, and had even struck her; and
Ser,eant Adams thought, that though it would be proper to
release him from further imprisonment, the remission ought
not :o take place without the infliction of a fine.
Ile House having resolved itself into committee, to con-
sider of an address for the erection of monuments to the
memory of Sir Sidney Smith, of Lord De Saumarez, and of
Lord Exmouth, Sir R. PEEL rose to move that address.
His only difficulty was in selecting the fittest, among.so
many fit names for such an honour. These tributes, so in-
fluential on the minds of brave men, were the cheap defence
of nations. He recapitulated successively the brilliant ser-
vices of these three officers. It was not necessary to make
the grant a large one ; for an unexpensive monument would
be as signal a mark of public esteem as one of more elaborate
workmanship. He hoped Mr. Hawes would not press his
motion for adding the names of Herschell, Watt, and Davy.
If scientific men were to be honoured with like distinctions,
trig ought to be substantively and distinctly done, and not
acu!ssorily to a proposal of naval commemoration.
Mr. HAwes, thus appealed to, gave way, not without the
intimation of a hope that Sir Robert Peel would himself
undertake the subject.
Sir R. INGLis objected to the location in any ecclesiastical
edifice of monuments to any persona not buried there. He
would prefer the erection of such memorials in the approaches
to the new Horses of Parliament.

Sir R. PEEL proposed that the selection of the site should
be left to the discretion of the Crown.
Sir G. COCKBURN expressed the gratitude of the navy for
this mark of respect to three of its most distinguished com-
manders, and gave several interesting details of their re-
spective services.
Mr. HumE did not object to the proposed testimonial, but
thought it incumbent on him to plead the corresponding
claims of science, and to express his anxiety that all such
monuments should be made the means of advancing the arts.
Mr. WYSE put in a claim for men of literature.
Sir F. BURDETT delivered a long eulogium on Sir Sydney
Smith.
Mr. BROTHERTON was unfavourable to such grants. The
Heglory of a country was to cultivate the arts of lives,
not wished to see honours bestowed on those who saved lives,
norton those who destroyed them ; he wished to see medals
Further
° knighthoods given to men who distinguished themseves in
upon the
itithree officers,
peaceful deed
Pasn.egyries were pronounced by other members
strenuousi
The and the address was carried.
resisted
the limitation of actions in Ireland was
defeated 9 esisted by the opposition, who divided, and were
day three
, neon
a .
moue_ question that it should be reported on that
the house do now Mr. Hawes thereupon moved, " that
ministers infinitelw..g,diourn ;" not doubting to embarrass
ther governmeao repetitions of that motion. But as the
and the only matters orders a the day had all been disposed of,
tions of Mr. Cobden remaina
ng for discussion were the trio-
corn duties, two subjects Ord Ebrington about distress and
which it was very desirable to avoid
debating for the 50th time,u
setbe ministers took Mr. Hawes
at his word, allowed the ho
Corn Law League in the 104,43 adjourn, and left the Anti-
Marplot. 7 abusing the metropolitan

HOUSE OF COMMONS.---NVEnNEsT
The BnsolvenankruptD tcy
ebtors Bill was
after
Bill read a third time and passed.. The Issed.
, some discussion, was
read a third time and passed.
Lord PALMERSTON moved
for returns of the number of
bills brought into Parliament during the present session, with
the dates at which the said bills passed through their several
stages. The noble lord said. there occurred, from time to time,
epochs in which it was good to pause and sur
in public affairs, as well as that which was be:
take the present opportu-
vey the course we had pursued,
fore us, and he should, therefore,.
nity of offering some remarlxts on the general state of affairs
was very manifest at the close
both at home and abroad.
contestd
of the last continental war that the principles which had
)r
especially
pl s , muan
twos t
been so long in agitation would survive the,
that changes in accordance
take place in our institutions.
ithThethreoswe were
irould
questions arising out of the agitation of those principles
which it was evident the safety of the nation requ
of the sett lement
he brought to a speedy settlement—those of Catholic eman-
cipation and parliamentay reform. The merit
of the first was due solely to the Duke of Wellig
tn
Robert Peel, and Mr. O'Connell, whose prudence and wisdom
Sir
on that occasion alone saved the country from civil war. The
other was immediately abandoned by the Governmet of the
day their opponents, who introduced a measure which struck
dismay into the ranks of gentlemen opposite, though the
futility of their fears of political annilhation was sufficiently
manifested by the present position cf their party. The pro-
gress of political reform had engendered the necessity of
commercial reform also, and the late Government attempted
to carry measures for that purpose but were defeated. The
power of the whig party, whether from the activity of their
opponents or from some other cause, gradually declined, until
at the last election, he confessed they were defeated and almost
pot to route. The present goverment then came into office,
but their policy had created unusual disappointment among
their supporters, and was universally deprecated by them.
not in that house, indeed, but in every other house in the
country. This, however, was not the fault of the govern-
ment, hut their own ; they deceived themselves, or if they

were deceived it was by the silence of the government when
in opposition, and not by their professions. It would appear
that while they were in opposition they had acquired a sounder
system of political economy, and had acquired, at least, the
principles of free trade, as if their successors had impreg-
nated them with the air of Downing-street. In the speech,
which, at the opening of the session, the government deli-
vered by her Majesty, they called the attention of the house
to our financial embarrassments, to a reformation in the law,
to the laws regulating the trade in corn, and the existing
distress of the country. With respect to the first, however,
their first step had been to increase our financial embarrass-
ments by the unnecessary reduction of duty on timber.
No doubt they would retrieve it by the income tax, but
they would receive a large revenue of public odium, as well
as of public money, from that measure. With respect
to measures for the reformation of the law, the Chancery
Bill originated with the late Lord Chancellor, and the
Bankruptcy Bill, though introduced into the other house
at an early period of the session, had been so retarded by
the lethargic genius loci of the place that it had only com
down to the House of Commons just in time to pass into a
law, and would not have passed at all but for the ability and
disinterested exertions of the late Attorney-General. With
respect to the corn-laws, they had altered but not improved
them—they commercial measures were a delusion, and with
respect to the distress of the country, they were about to
prorogue parliament, leaving that distress far more severe
than when parliament met. With respect to foreign affairs,
he found fault both with their language and their conduct.
The noble lord, the Secretary for the Colonies, had accused
the late government of having bequeathed to their successors
nothing but difficulties and embarrassments. Now, on the
contrary, he declared, that both with regard to home and
foreign affairs, the late government had bequeathed nothing
but facilities to their successors. They had, in fact, been
living on the means of their predecessors and banquetting on
the refuse of their table or larder. The noble lord then ad-
verted to that part of her Majesty's speech in which her
Majesty congratulated parliament on the friendly relations
subsisting between Great Britain and foreign countries, and
particularly to the uniform success of our forces in China,
the probability of an early termination of the war, and of
our commercial relations with that country being placed on
a satisfactory basis. He then proceeded to review the foreign
policy of the present government, which he said was actuated
by a spirit of submission fatal to the interests of this country,
and asserted that the chief exercise enjoyed during the
session by the present cabinet had been that of walking from
the bar to the table with the treaties he had negociated with
foreign countries.
Sir R. PEEL did not know whether the motion of the
noble lord was seconded or not, but if not he had much plea-
sure in seconding it ; and he sincerely thanked the noble
lord for a motion which would enable the country to draw a
contrast between the progress made by the present Govern-
ment and that of their predecessors. He was surprised,
however, that the noble lord should have deprived his hon.
and gallant friend Col. Sibthorp of much of the credit which
was due to him, for the gallant colonel had upon a former
occasion made a motion precisely similar, and now the noble
lord followed in his footsteps without acknowledging the
source from which his proposition emanated. The noble
lord had argued that the commercial policy lately adopted
was the result of the Reform Bill ; but if such were the
case, how was it that the noble lord never, during the
time he was in office, brought forward any commercial
measure ? His colleagues and himself were silent upon
the subject during the years they were in office, and it
was only when about to expire as a ministry that they at
last brought forward a partial proposition of commercial re-
form. The right hon. baronet then denied that the com-
mercial measures of the present Government were borrowed
from the policy of the late Government, and he also refused
to allow that the late Administration had any right to arro-
gate to themselves the credit of being the originators of the
doctrine of free trade. In fact it was Mr. Hume that the
credit was due upon that head, for he it was who had first
moved for the appointment of a committee on the import
duties ; and if the late Government honestly believed in
those principles, why didl they not bring them forward ?
It was no excuse to say that they could not have carried
them, for if they believed them to be beneficial they should
have risked their places upon success. The right hon. bart.
adverted to the absence from town of most of the members
of the late Administration, which he conceived to be an ad-
, mission that the policy pursued by the present Government
was correct, and that they had unbounded confidence in that
Government. The noble lord was left

" Blooming alone,
All his lovely companions were faded and gone."
But before they had departed, and left him " to waste his
sweetness on the desert air," they had said to the noble lord,
" Our absence is no doubt unfortunate, but we must go ;
perhaps you will make some remarks at the close of the ses-
sion? Do bottle up a speech, no matter how thin the house,
and explode it at the end of the session." (Great laughter.)
" But," said the noble lord, " should I not in that case move
a vote of want of confidence, or something of that sort ? "
" No, no," was the reply ; " follow the example of the illus-
trious Colonel Sibthorp, and make a motion such as cannot
be resisted by the most sensitive and generous minister.
(Laughter.) It is not prudent to risk a division ; talk about
Affghanistan and America, and everything else, but for God's
sake do not make a motion, or you will exhibit yourself in a
minority of three to one."
After some observations from Mr. Cobden, Mr. Hume,
and Mr. Ewart, the motion of Lord Palmerston was agreed
to.
Sir J. GRAHAM moved the first reading of a bill for the
better registration of the parliamentary electors of England
and Wales. His object was to have the bill printed, with a
view to its consideration in the next session of parliament.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the
house adjourned.