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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. THURSDAY, JULY 11.—The House met before one o'clock to-day, in order to proceed in procession to Buck- ingham Palace, to present the Address adopted regarding the Committee and Minute of Council, &c., on the subject of General Education. HER MAJESTY'S ANSWER.—Their Lordships resumed at five o'clock, when the Lord Chancellor said, My Lords. I have to inform jour Lordships that we have waited on her Mi.j-i.-ty with the Address voted by this House, to which her Majesty has been pleased to return this most gra- cious Auswer:- I (\:1: appreciate vonr zeal for the interests of religion, and jourcare lor the Established Church. I am ever ready to receive the ad vine ir-1 assistance of the House of Lords, and to give 10 their recommendations the attention which their authority jusl), deserves At the same time I cannot help expressing my regrei that von should have thought it necessary to take such a step on the prese nt occasion. You may he assured that, deeply sensible ot the dal.es imposed upon me, and more especially of that which hinds me Ie) the snpport of the Established Church, I shall alwajs use the powers vested in me ov the Constitution for the fulfilment ot tint s '.cred obligation. It is with a deep sense of that duty that I hIve thought it right to appoint a Committee of my Privv Councii !o superintend the distribution of the grants voted by the House of Commons for Public Education. Of the proceedings ol this Committee annual reports will be laid before Parliament, So that the House of Lords willlw enabled to exercise its judgment upon them and r trust that the funds placed at my disposal will be fousid to have been strictly applied lo the objects for which they were granted, with due respect to the rights of conscience, and with a faithful attention to the security of the Established Church." On the motion of the Marquis af Lansdowne, the answer was ordered to he entered on tttejournats. NEW POOR LAWS.—The Earl of Stanhope presented pe- ti iiiiis fioui John Berry, an aged and infirm pauper, and from Ann Wilden, an inmate of an union workhouse, cotn- plainin-r of great hardship and oppression tinder the opera- tion of the Sew Poor Law. After some discussion, in which the Noble Earl made use of some very unparliamen- tary laii^itaiie, and for which he afterwards expressed him- self sorry, the petitions were laid on the table. PRISONS BILL.—The Lord Chancellor, in moving the second reading of this bill, alluded to the late mitigation of the criminal code, and observed that it was now necessary to supply an effectual punishment for those offences in which death ha.1 been remitted. There were two means by which ciioie could be prevented one was by an effective police, of which, he was sorry to say,there was in most parts of the country a lamentable deficiency—(hear) -and the other was, by a wholesome system of prison discipline. If, as far as might be, thev were determined to improve prison discipline, they ought to enable the different counties, at their option, ro impose sufficient punishment under sentences for c; i HPS. The great object of this bill was to enable the magistrates of any county, if they should deem it expedient, to a lop; the system of separate confinement, and so to deal with persons under sentence as that, on leaving prison, these parties might become better subjects, and, as far as could be done, he brought to that state of mind which would pre- vent the repetition of offences.—The Marquis of Salisbury doubted whether it was desirable to allow the magistrates to h ive the power of making rules and regulations. In his opinion tiiey ought to be laid down by Act ot Parliament, and no person, however talented, ought to have the power of altrrin- rules. He trusted that a pledge would be given on !!ie part of her Majesty's Government, that they wOllld commence the new system by the erection of such a priso.) as might be regarded as a model for all others.— Lord Duncannon, replying to the last observation of the Noble M trtj is, stated that there was a motion before the other H0'1se of Parliament for a grant for that purpose; and tint he was himself in treaty for a piece of ground on which it was th" inten ion of her Majesty's Government to proceed with the least possible delay to erect a model prison. ( Hear, hear. )—The Duke of Richmond and Lord Chichester bore testimony to the beneficial working of the separate system whereever it ha I been tried. Their ex- perience wn chiefly confined to the county of Sussex.— The Duke of Wellington only objected to the bid because it did not jo r enough.—The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Thursday.— Adj. FKID.lV, JULY 12.—A message from the Commons brought up certain bills. Lord Lyndhurst, at the request of Lord Brougham, de- ferred the second reading of Election Petitions Trial Bill from Tuesday to Friday next. PENNY POSTAGE.—Lord Brougham having presented sever. petitions in favour of Mr. R. Hill's plan of penny postage, :-oaid he wished to know whether the plan was only to be hi'Uight forward in the event of the revenue permit- ting if. or whether the plan was to be brought forward at all events.— Viscount Melbourne: The plan is to be brought forward at all events, care being taken to make good any deficiency v hich may be the consequence.— Lord Brougham: That is quite satisfactory.—Lord EUenborougk wished to know how a deficiency of 1,000,0001. could be made good without the imposition of a tax which would press heavily on the labouring classes?—Viscount Melbourne suvl that was matter fo consideration.—After a few words from Lord Ashhurton, Lord Brougham said he for one always thought there would be a defalcation, but not to the amount imagined by the Noble Lord opposite. If the people wished for this boon, of course they must pay tha price for it.—The Earl of Wickla w ih uglit it would be a farce to come to a resolution, pledging Parliament to make good any deficiency, unless it were expressly stated what tax it was intended to impose to make good such deficiency. THE BièER BILL —Lord Brougham, instead of pressing his Iicur Act in part Repeal Bill at present, moved a re- solution, declarator y that it was the opinion of their Lord- ships, that, with the view to the imp-ovement and happiness of the people, and the good order of the community, it was expe lient as speedily as possible, to place all beer houses on the same footing as were the houses of licensed victuallers in all respects whatsoever." He thought such a resolution would facilitate agreement between the two Houses as to a I measure.—The Marquis of Westminster was against the re- solution, as specious and unfair.—Lord Melbourne opposed it, because they nmst be perfectly well convinced that the Commons would not concur in it, and that it tended to bring back the old licensing system. He, therefore, moved the previous question.—After a few remarks from the Marquis of Salisbury, Lords Po tman an I De Lawarr, and the Duke of Richmond, their Lordships divided. The resolution was cariied by II to 3-t.-Lord Brougham afterwards stated (in answer to the Duke of Wellington) that he should embody the resolution in his bill, and move the third reading of the measure itself on Thursday next.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. WEDNESDAY, JULY 10.—Numerous petitions were presented in favour of a penny postage. CANADA.—Mr. Labouchere, in laying some papers on the table relative to Canada, said that he had been in error yesterday in saying that Sir John Colborne had not ex- pressed any opinion respecting the continuation of the powers of the Council of Lower Can ida. In looking over the despatches, he found the Gallant Officer had expressed averysnong opinion on the point. He had jnst laid it on the table, and he hoped it would be in a printed shape in the hands of Members to morrow. GERMANIC COMMERCIAL LEAGUE.—Mr. P. Thompson, in answer to Mr. Baines, said the approaching meeting of the nations, comprising the Commercial League, had been most anxiously considered by the Government. It was not their intention to send an officer of the rank of an envoy, but a gentleman would be there from this conntry of commercial abilities, who would watch over and infotm the Government of what was necessary to be done. PORTUGUESE SLAVE TRADE.— Lord Pahnerston obtained leave to bring in a Bill for the suppiession of the Slave Trade under the Portuguese flag. METROPOLIS POLICE BILL.—The House then went into Committee on this bill, and the discussion of the various clauses occupied the remainder of the evening. Many of the clauses were strongly objected to, and many divisions toook place upon them but in every instance, the majoiity of the House supported the views of the Government; and the House adjourned at a quarter past two o'clock. THURSDAY, JULY 11.—J/r. Grote reported from the Select Committee appoin ed to try the merits of the petition against the return of F. Bruen, Esq. forCartow that the said F. Bruen w (s not duly elected, and ought not to have been returned, and that Thomas Gisborne, Esq. wasduh elected, and ought to have been retnrned, alld that neither the pe- tition nor the opposition there to was frivolous or vexatious. NEW EQUITY JUDGE.—Lord J. Russell (in answer to Sir E. Sug ton) said that it was not the intention to originate a bill in that House for an additional Judge in equi y. CHURCH BILL.—Sir R. Inglis, on the motion for the se- cond readingof the Cathedral and Ecclesiastical Preferments Suspension Bill (continuing last year's act on the like subject, for suspending certain preferments), asked if it was not calculated, being thus continued from year to year, to effect the object contemplated by the target-bin on "ecclesiastical duties and revenues," regarding which bill the Parliament had expressly reserved its opinion?—Lord J. Uussell ad- mitted that, if continued from year to year, such would be its operation but this bill was only required for the peculiar, special, and t jmporary reason, that the church commissioners, trho sought to effect a general plan by the larger measure, saw no likelihood of carrying that measure this session.— The bill was then read the second time, Sir R. Inglis ob. serving that he reserved his objections to details of the bill for the committee. FRIDA Y, JULY 12.—The Clerk of the Crown having amended the return for the Borough of Carlow, Mr. Gisborne, jun., took the oaths and his seat. Numerous petitions were presented in favour of Mr. R. Hill's plan of penny postage; among which was one from the bankers, merchants, and inhabitants of the city of London, signed by upwards of 6000 persons. Lord J. Russell, in answer to Colonel Wood, said that he proposed to proceed with the Collection of Rates Bill, to introduce some alterations, and to afford full opportunity for fair discussion.—With respect to the Town Councils Bill the Noble Lord added (in reply to Sir. J. Graham), that lie did not intend to press it this Session.—He also said, in answer to Mr. Packington, that he could not fix a day for the further proceeding on the Sale of Beer B H. THE NATIONAL PETITION.—Mr. T. Attwood then rose to bring forward his motion, that the House resolve itself into Committee of the whole House for the purpose ot taking into consideration the National Petition, praying for Annual Parliaments, Universal Suffrage, and Vote by Ballot. The Hon. Member dwelt at great length on the sufferings of the industrious workmen, and the embarrassment of the masters, which he attributed to the neglect of the Legisla- tore of the petitions of the labouring classes, but more par- ticularly to the unhealthy currency of the country. The petition which he had presented was signed by twelve hun- dred and eighty-five thousand individuals, who considered that the only remedy for their distress was in the adoption of the prayer of that petition, which, if granted, would make the poor man happy at his fire-side. The Honourable Member then proceeded to shew in what manner the grant- ing of the prayer of the petitioners would give to the work- ing classes that uninterrupted prosperity to which tbey were entitled. The petitioners said they had a right to live by honest labour, but that this was denied them; that the fluctuations which had taken place had given them short seasons of doubtful prosperity, and long seasons of leal idversity. They said that when their hopes were broken Ipvvn by disappointment, after inquiring into the pauses of If the national misery, they could find no cause in natu e nor Providence; they said that I he Almighty bad been kind and beneficient to England above all olher nation., of the earth —that He had given it a heroic people, the most in- tellectual and talented people on the earth—that He had .liven it a fine soil and good climate, and every blessing of ivers and harbours; and yet they said they endmedevery misery, at'rer twenty-two years of profound peace. They therefore asked the light of living bv their labour, and, if that should he refused, th»v demanded their ancient rights and lioerties in the Constitution, that they might see whether they could not make it work well, and answer the purposes for which it was devised, in the same manner thai their forefathers did" Mr. Fielden, in seconding the motion, declared that a pro- Dertv tax furnished the most effective means of removiug the existing distress expressing at the same time his op nion that universal suffrage must precede the imposition of a pro- perty tax. Lord J. Russell denied the existence of distress amongst the working people to the extent insisted on by the Mem- bers for Birmingham and Oldham. He could not conceive any form of political government, or mode of legislation, by which they could ensure to the whole community of a country a pc petual and lasting state of prosperity, or by which, in a country depending very much upon commerce and manufactures, they could prevent that state of low wages and consequent dshess which at all times affected those who were at the bottom of the scaHe, or prevent those alternate fluctuations from prospcriiy to distress which oc- curred in every community of the kind. With respect It) the currency of America, which had been eulogised by the Hon. Member for Birmingham, the Noble Lord said that there were six hundred kinds offoraed money afloat in (he United States; so that not much could be said in favour of a cnrrency which admitted of such temptations to evil. The Noble Lord was of opinion that the majority of the people of England did not ask what was sought for in the petition; nay, even the leaders of the Chartists were directly opposed to the panacea of flooding the country with paper money. Chartism, he maintained, was not the political faith of the great majority of the people of this country. On the contrary, Chaitism appeared to him to lie the result of agitation on the part of active and in many cases unprin- cipled men. As to the numbers, again, who had signed the petition, the Noble Lord professed himseif somewhat puzzled to understand why a million of petitioners should be described as representing the national will, when a million of electors- the number of the present possessors of the elective fran- chise—should be treated by the Chartist with contempt so unmeasured. The Noble Lord declared that if he did be- lieve in the existence of distress amongst the working people, as deep as the Hon. Member assumed it to be-still be should deny that universal suffrage supplied the appropriate remedy. How," exclaimed the Noble Lord, may uni- versal suffrage give the workman bread ? How may any change in the electoral franchise remove those evils that we see around lis-evils inseparable from every form of so- ciety?" In conclusion the Noble Lord said he should op- pose the motion. A Committee, he was persuaded, would only cause alarm and distrust, not in the minds of the Aris- tocracy, but amongst the temperate of the middle and working classes. He denied that the workhouses were crowded and the factories deserted, as had been alleged and in proof of the increased comfo t of the working popula- tion, there was at that moment a larger amount of money in the Savings Bauks than had been the case at any previous period. JJJr. D israeli observed, that the present movement was one of no ordinary character--one, of which the inflllpnces were not likely soon to die away. The discontent which prevailed had been ascribed to causes pueiy economical, or tocausesexciusiveiypohiicat. He doubted the accnracy ofboth theories. Heascribedtheexisiingdiscontenttoa widely-spread apprehension that the civil libe< ties of English- men were in danger. These liberties have been most grievously trenched upon since the passing of the Reform Bill. The error of that measure consisted in its having transferred political power to classes of men, who were not charged at the same time with weighty social re- sponsibilities. Under the old Constitution, the depositaries of political power administered the taw throughout the parishes of England-huilt bridges —repaired roads-I elieved the poor. These duties operated more or less as a check on the abuse of political power. But the Reform Bill trans- ferred political power from this class to a chssof men IIn- burdened with social doties of the same important character. The new constituencies thus unchecked naturally desired to savetbeirtimeandtheirmoney. In order to secure their money, they passed the new Poor Law; in order to save their time, they clamoured for cheap" and centralized government. After a long discuss'on, in which a great variety of opinions were broached as to the causes of the discontent and the remedies to be applied, the House divided; when the numbers were—for the motion 4G; against it 235—ma- joiity 189. CANADA.—On the Order of the Day for going into Committee on this Bill, Sir W. Moleswovth moved a reso- lution declaratory "That it is the opinion of this House that every consideration of humanity, justice, and policy demands that Parliament should serionsly apply itself, without delay, to legislating for the permanent Govern- ment of her Majes y's Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada." As he considered her Majesty's Government totally incapahle of dealing with the subject, he addressed the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir n. Peel) as the only power capable of satisfying the exigency of the time. He antici- pated, indeed, that the lateness of the season would be nrred as an answer to his request, and professed himself fllilyalive to the approach of the 12th of August, the sta- tutory commencement of grouse shooting; but he ventured to think that a subject of so much importance as the settle- ment of our North American Colonies might be allowed to supersede even the attraction of the moors.— Mr. Leader seconded the amendment. — Sir Charles Grey spoke at some length, enlarging upon the ditneuttiesof the current Session, and shewed that at least some ground had been laid on which future arrangements might be based.—Sir U. Peel reminded the Honse that the esponsibility for the repro- bated delay in no degree rested on him. He had repeatedly inquired whether Ministers intended to proceed with any practicaNegistation. He hall warned them of the necessity of producing their plan for consideration before Easter; and if he could have foreseen this abandonment, he would him- self have prepared a measure. He thought, however, that the Honse would be blameable indeed if they did notiusist, at the commencement of the next Session, on learning ex- plicitly the intentions of Ministers. The Government must dlelllHingforward a measure founded on its own information, or else the House must examine into the whole subject by evidence at its bar. TheCanadians having bytheitbravery and loyalty shewn their wish aod their title to retain the character of Englishmen, it was the duty of Parliament to meet that feeling, and to give them a Constitution which would work for their benefit.—Lord J. Russell repudiated the authority of the Hon. Baronet (Sir W. Molesworth), whose advice, if followed, would have dissolved the con- nexion of these Colonies with the Mother Country. As to the questions put by the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir Robert Peel) in the earlier part of the Session. Ministers had not gathered from them whether he did or not think it necessary that the legislation should be immediate. It had been mainly retarded by the state of parties. Government had now arrived at the opinion that the best scheme of settle- ment was the nnion of the two Provinces—not because that course was one of unmixed good. but by reason of the still greater difficulties attendant on every other plan. The object was to attain a representation in which British feelings should ultimately preponderate. — Mr. Labouchere defended the powers of taxation conferred by the bill, shewing that (chiefly from the substitution of Colonial for British manu- factures, and the consequent diminution of import duties) the revenue in Canada had fallen from 153,000l. to 90,000l. a-year, so as to starve almost every object of public im- portance, even the police itself. He assured the House that Ministers had been most solicitous to effect a settlement, but that the fillll balance, in their best judgment, had been for dehy rather than for incomplete legislation. Sir E. Sugden said, the object of Ministers was, that under this bill the Governor and Council should be preparing the ground for the proposed nnion; but he objected thus to pave the way for a measure which the House had neither sanctioned nor seen.—The House then divided, when the numbers were—for the amendment, 23; against it, 223; majority, 195.—The House then went into Committee, and the different clauses were agreed to.—Adj. PENNY POSTAGE.—On the order of the day for bringing up this report on the Post-office Acts, Mr. Goulbourn moved a series of resolutions to the effect, that it was the opinion of this House, that with a deficiency of revenue, it was not expedient to adopt a penny postage system at the present peiiod of the Session, when it could not command the de- liberate attention it should receive from Parliament.—The rhancellor of tlte Exchequer opposed the resolutions, and re- peated what he had previously stated, that he should not think himself justified in pressing the penny postage resolu- tions, if he did not receive a pledge from the Honse that any deficiency arising from the adoption of the measure would be made good. — Sir R. Peelohjected to any such pledge. He would rather pass the plan without than with the pledge. He had heard with much satisfaction, at a previous part of of the evening, when they weie discussing another subject, that it was the determination of all Hon. Gentlemen, of whatever party, and whatever measures of national repre- sentation were adopted, whether universal suffrage, triennial parliaments, or annnal parliaments, &c., to maintain the public credit. Let them not, then, leave as an example and as a legacy to their successors the course of conduct now pursued by the Government.—Mr. P. Thompson urged the necessity of trying an experiment which was one of the most beneficial trials of reduction of taxation that had ever been attempted.—Mr. Warburton was satisfied there would be no deficiency of revenue, but on the contrary, the accu- mulation of correspondence would biing a large increase to the revenue of the country.—Lord Sandim said, that the postage of letters should not be regarded as a source of revenue, but as a means of stimulating the revenue. He approved of the course adopted by the Right Hon. Baronet, looking to the position which he held in the House, and he thought that he was entitled to throw the whole responsi- bility of the measure upon her Majesty's Ministers.—The House divided, when there appeared for the original motion 213, against it 113; majority in favour of the motion 100.— Sir R. Peel then proposed to leave out of the resolution all words pledging the House to make good any deficiency that might result from the adoption of the plan.—The Chancellot of the Exchequer said, that if the House agreed to the Right Hon. Baronet's amendment, he should proceed no further in the measure.—The House again divided, when the num- bers were—for the original motion 184, for the amendment 125; majority in favour of Ministers 59.—The report was then agreed to. On the motion of Sir C. Knightley, seconded by Mr. Grote, it was ordered that the report and evidence of the Carlow Election Committee be printed.—Adj.

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