The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-07-01 00:00:00

with, fur they never

_eping charge
that his experience con-
community which
He recommended that the
committee.

ich a swe

.t of the

means to charge the

he said they never gave a

most advisable that the
a select committee ; in

iesced. He then said his whole ex-
the reverse of that of Lord Abinger
s. He had never experienced any
Quaker witnesses, though he had seen
g entrapped by counsel into stating
n to state, and this, perhaps, might

LI.OII. supported the propriety of re-
ter to a select committee. The bill
subiect, and the committee should

....,..,
)priety of the administration of
•

where.
the bill, on this understand-

OF COMMONS.—MoNDAy.
the bar of the house with a
m compromises committee, the
ummons had been issued to
raL oefore the committee, which he
and that it was presided over by
tsion to an article which appeared
td said in his place in parliament,
were attacked by the Times, and
)e repeated, he would advise them
or, Mr. Walter." Such undis-
of Mr. Roebuck he contended
to appear before the committee,
7y as his agent might be examined,
it had occurred at the Notting-

IEBUCK, seconded by Mr. WAL-
qr. Walter should attend before

Ireland, but he did not thinlg it yet advisable to communicate
what those measures were.

In reply to a question from Lord BARNARD, respecting an
attack made on a party who went to dine on the sea-shore in

the county of Coik,
Lord ELIOT said that from the report of the stipendiary I
magistrate it appeared that the assault was most wanton and
unprovoked, and he was quite at a loss to discover the mo-
tives which led to it. He hoped, however, that ere long some
of the ringleaders would be apprehended.
Mr. HaME asked if the report that a coinage of half
farthings was about to take place was not a hoax ?
Mr. GLADSTONE said the report was not a hoax. They
were about to be coined, but not for the exclusive use of this
kingdom. It was supposed that such a coinage might be use-
ful here, but if not it was of little consequence, as the de-
mand for such a coin in the colonies was very great.
The Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Bill was, on the
motion of Lord ELIOT, read a third time and passed.
Mr. Walter was then ordered to appear at the bar of the
house, and the report of the election compromises commit-
tee being read by the clerk as the table, that gentleman pro-
ceeded to address the house. In refusing to appear before
the committee to be examined as a witness he had no in-
tention to show the slightest disrespect to the house, nor had
be the slightest disinclination to give the fullest explanation
of everything of which he was personally cognisant respect-
ing the recent election for Nottingham. He thought, how-
ever, that as he was upon his trial, be had the constitutional
right enjoyed by every British subject, to demand a trial by
an impartial tribunal. Having stated his reasons for the
course he had pursued, he professed himself ready to submit
to any order the house might make, and he placed himself
entirely in its hands.
Having been directed to withdraw,
Mr. ROEBUCK moved that Mr. Walter be directed to at-
tend the committee at eleven o'clock this day.
Sir R. INGLIS thought the course pursued towards Mr.
Walter was not correct, for he was thereby deprived of an
impartial tribunal. He was of opinion, however, that Mr.
Walter was wrong in the first instance in writing to the com-
mittee, and in then abandoning the high ground he had chosen
by offering to submit. He would not have advised such a
course of proceeding.
Colonel SIBTHORP said, to whatever gaol Mr. Walter might
have been sent, be would have been amongst the first to pay
his respects to him.
Sir G. GREY suggested the propriety of admonishing Mr.
Walter.
Sir R. PEEL thought it would be quite sufficient if the
Speaker intimated to Mr. Walter that it was his duty to
attend before the committee.
A division took place, and Mr. Roebuck's motion was
carried by a majority of 223 to 77.
A discussion then took place as to the propriety of these
election inquiries, in the course of which
Mr. WAKLEY and others condemned the appointment of
Mr. Roebuck's committee as a tyrannical exercise of power
to inquire into private transactions.
Lord STANLEY intimated that Mr. Walter was called to
appear, not as a•criminal but as a witness, before the com-
mittee.
Mr. Walter was then called in, and informed by the
SPEAKER of the resolution the house had come to.
Mr. ROEBUCK then presented a report from the election
compromises committee, to the effect that Mr. A. B. Coch-
rane, one of the members for Bridport, had refused to attend
and give evidence before the committea ; and gave notice
that he would this day move that Mr. Cochrane be ordered
to attend.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then moved the
third reading of the new Tariff Bill.
Mr. JARVIS moved a clause to the effect that a drawback
of the duty on exported coal should be allowed when such
coal was re-shipped on foreign or colonial stations for the
use of British steam-vessels for their own consumption. This
was a concession which, he contended, should be granted
out of regard to the steam navy of this coutry, the interests
of which are in a struggling and almost unprofitable condition.
Mr. WALLACE seconded the motion.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that he was
anxious to concede this point ; but he was informed by ex-
perienced officers of the customs, that it would be imprac-
ticable to do so. The most extensive frauds would arise
from any drawback which was to be allowed out of our own
dominions.
The clause was supported by Mr- Hume, Sir C. Napier,
Mr. M. Attwood, and Mr. P. M. Stewart, and was objected
to by Mr. Gladstone, who repeated the grounds upon which
the Government refused to concede the drawback.
After some further discussion, the house divided, and the
clause was negatived by a majority of 80 to 42.
Mr. DUNCOMBE then moved an amendment to the duty
on onion seed. The existing duty is eight guineas per cwt.,
which the tariff, in its first edition, proposed to reduce to ss.
The suggestions of parties interested, however, seemed to
have produced their effect, for the Government subsequent-
ly proposed to increase it—first to 10s. and then to 20s ; and,
in addition to this, it was arranged that the 20s. duty should
not commence until 1843. He concluded by moving, that
the words postponing the period when the duty should be
come into operation should be struck out; which was the
more necessary, as the reduced duty on leek seed whould
come into immediate operation, and the similarity of both
seeds would lead to extensive frauds.
Mr. GLADSTONE said that in postponing the period when
the reduced duty should come into operation, the government
was entirely actuated by a desire to save the home grower,
who seas exposed to a more sweeping change than any other
class of persons affected by the tariff. The custom-house
would take precautions against fraud.
On a division the amendment of Mr. Duncombe was nega-
tived by a majority of 93 to 63.
Mr. DUNCOMBE then moved that the duty on corks
squared for rounding should be reduced from sixteen shil-
lings to four shillings per cwt.
Mr. GLADSTONE opposed the motion, which on a division
was negatived by a majority of 110 to 74.
The bill was then read a third time.
On the question that the bill do pass,
Lord J. RUSSELL was rejoiced at the success of any mea-
sure based on sound commercial principles ; but he must
say that the government had not, in the case of corn, cheese,
butter, and sugar, acted upon the principles which they had
themselves broadly laid down.
Sir R. PEEL said that in dealing legislatively with several
conflicting interests, it was not always possible to adhere
strictly to the principle laid down. The measure, however,
would be judged of by the country ; and, in his opinion, it
would benefit most essentially the commerce and trade of
the kingdom.
The bill was then passed amidst general cheering.
The third reading of the British Possessions Abroad Bill
was then moved by the Government, on which
Mr. LABOUCHERE moved to continue the exemption from
duty on wheat-flour imported from Canada.
Mr. GLADSTONE opposed the motion, which, after some
observations from Mr. Hutt, was negatived by a majority of
IGO to 83.
Mr. M. GIBSON objected to the increased duty of ten per
cent. on refined sugars imported into the colonies for colo-

nial consumption.
Mr. GLADSTONE said, that the colonies had the remedy
in their own hands as far as regarded their own consumption,
for as both the imperial and colonial duties went to the co-
lonial revenue, they had only to take ten per cent. from their
own fiscal regulations on the importation.
On a division, Mr. GIBSON'S motion was defeated by a
majority of 105 to 36.
The further proceediug in committee upon the Poor Law
Amendment Bill was postponed till Thursday next. The
District Courts and Prisons Bill passed through committee.
The other orders of the day having been disposed of, the
house adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.---WEDNESDAY.
Sir R. PEEL, in reply to Dr. Bowring, said, that the five
great powers were unanimous in their view of the course
which ought to be pursued by the Turkish government with
respect to Syria, and were doing their utmost to induce the
Porte to adopt the policy they recommended.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE drew the attention of the government
to the fact that the guardians of the poor in the city of
Norwich were issuing tickets of ls. and Is. 6d. each to the
poor, in consequence of the scarcity of silver. Those tickets
they were told to take to tradespeople, from whom the
guardians would redeem them if brought in amounts of not
less than 10s. value. _ _ _ _

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he had not
heard of any scarcity at Norwich ; but the Mint was actively
at work in coining silver to remedy the inconvenience com-
plained of by the public.
Mr. ROEBUCK presented a special report from the Election
Proceedings Committee, stating that it was the opinion of
the committee, that they could but discharge their duty by
conducting their inquiry with closed doors. To accomplish
this, they desired the sanction of the house to exclude not
only strangers, but members of the house, whose presence
was an obstruction to proceedings necessarily delicate and
invidious in their character.
Major BERESFORD condemned the system of secret in-
quiry which the committee were adopting, and said he wished
the tribunal which was to try him should be as open as the
charges against him had been public.
Colonel SIBTHORP moved, as an amendment, that the order
for the appointment of the committee be discharged.
Lord J. RUSSELL could not support a motion for prohibit-
ing the attendance of members of the house.
Sir R. PEEL took the same view of the subject as Lord J.
Russel, and stated that be never repented giving his vote in
favour of the appointment of this committee, feeling con-
vinced that if inquiry had been stifled the credit of the house
would have suffered. He could not, however, consent to
confer upon them any additional powers, and hoped they
would not press for that which would at once convert them
into a secret committee. It would be far better to trust to
the good taste and forbearance of individual members, that
they would refrain from attending the committee.
Mr. ROEBUCK, after bearing the opinions which had been
expressed from both sides of the house, would press his
motion no further.
Colonel SIBTHORP, however, pressed his amendment,
which was on a division negatived by a majority of 177 to 45.
Mr. ROEBUCK then moved that Mr. A. B. Cochrane. one
of the members for Bridport, should be ordered to attend
the committee on Monday next.
Mr. COCHRANE said that ever since the last election in-
dictments had 'been pending against him, and it would be
unjust to subject him to an examination which might be
made to furnish evidence against him. He also objected to
give evidence, because the committee intended to examine
him and his agent before they examined Mr. Warburton,
which course would leave him no power to reply to any
evidence given by Mr. Warburton. If the house desired
him to do so he would bow to its decision, and appear before
the committee, but he would give no evidence which could
bring in question the reputation of any one of his con-
stituents.
Mr. ROEBUCK said the committee had called upon Mr.
Cochrane to attend in the first instance as a matter of cour-
tesy to him as a member of the house. If it would be more
pleasing to him, however, to have Mr. 'Warburton examined
first, he should not only be examined first, but he should be
examined in the presence of the hon. member.
Mr. MITCHELL would attend the committee, but would
state nothing to implicate others.
Sir R. PEEL believed that there was no precedent for or-
deringt a nsember of the house, who was unwilling to do so,
i toioli.voeenetvhiedesnucbejebcetfforroema
tchoemsmpietatkeee,r.and requested informa-
-1 unTLthicIrdSPJAKER had not been able to find such a precedent.
Under these circumstances, Sir R. PEEL suggested the
appointment_ of a committee to search for precedents ; and
RussELL moved an adjournment of the debate
en Monday, l order to give time to the committee to do

Mr. E. Yotu said the delicacy with which Mr. Roebuck
had conducted the proceedings of the committee was most
praiseworthy.
Sir R. PEEL said he had hoped that the voluntary offer of
the hon. member to submit to be examined might have ren-
dered the appointment of the committee unnecessary, but as
he had not done so he would move for the committee.
The committee, after some further discussion, was ap-
pointed.

she motion for the third reading of the Sudbury dis-
franchisement bill,
Mr. BLALIPTONE moved an amendment for the purpose
of ; but while the hon.
was''' athdedrejicnssinitgs tolifethhoeusb°e,ranghhon. member observed
tilh.ieaemtxtbtrheeenrdel were not 40 members present. This proved to be
the case, and the house accordingly adjourned.

ATTENTION TO BUSINESs.--At the seige of Acre, a can-
non-ball, from one of the Turkish batteries, passed very near
Sir Charles Felix Smith, whose ear is particularly accustomed
to that kind of fun. "Do you hear that music ?" said he
to a Scotch sub in the Artillery. " Hoot toot," was the re-
ply, " I care neathing about the balls which come, by busi-
ness is wi' the balls which go."