Ellis, W. tection which was given to the stockingers; | Ellice, E. The House divided on the Question Ha Hindley, C. Hobhouse, rt. hon. Sir J. Somerville, Sir W. M. Howard, P. H. James, Sir W. C. Jermyn, Earl Jervis, J. Jocelyn, Visct. Kelly, Sir F. Labouchere, rt. hon. H. Lascelles, hon. W. S. Corry, rt. hon. H. Crawford, W. S. Cripps, W. Marshall, W. Currie, R. Martin, J. Curteis, II. B. Dawson, hon. T. V. Dickinson, F. II. Duke, Sir J. Martin, C. W. Stewart, J. Stuart, Lord J. Strickland, Sir G. Strutt, E. Thesiger, Sir F. Thornely, T. Tollemache, hon. F. J. Tomline, G. Towneley, J. Trelawny, J. S. Tufnell, H. Villiers, hon. C. Vivian, J. H. Vivian, hon. Capt. Wakley, T. Walker, R. Warburton, II. Ward, H. G. Wawn, J. T. Wellesley, Lord C. White, S. Williams, W. Wilshere, W. Wood, C. Wortley, hon. J. S. Wyse, T. Mitchell, T. A. Moffatt, G. Yorke, H. R. Molesworth, Sir W. Duncan, Visct. Duncan, G. Duncannon, Visct. Mostyn, hon. E. M. L. Baring, H. Reported. Out Pensioners' Payment (Greenwich and Chelsea). PETITIONS PRESENTED. By several hon. Members, from an immense number of places, against Repeal of the Corn Laws; and also from a great many in favour of Repeal of the Corn Laws.-By Mr. French, from the Rev. Browning Drew, Curate of Ballycahane, complaining of the Distribution of Church Patronage (Ireland).-By Sir Robert Harry Inglis, from Inhabitants of Sydenham, and Members of the Committee of the Society for Promoting the Due Observance of the Lord's Day, for Better Observ. ance of the Sabbath.-By Mr. Goulburn, from Chancellor, Master, and Scholars of the University of Cambridge; by Sir Robert Harry Inglis, from Clergy of the Deanery of Chelke, and Inhabitants of the Parish of Llandrillo-ynrhos; and by Mr. Sotheron, from Clergy of the Deanery of Aubury, against Union of Saint Asaph and Bangor Dioceses. By Lord George Bentinck, from Grand Jurors of the County of Tipperary, against the Corn Importation Bill. From Electors of the Borough of Bridport, for Commercial Reform.-By Sir Robert Peel, from Merchants, Brokers, and Traders of the City of London, for a Speedy Adjustment of the proposed Measure respecting Customs and Corn Importation. By Sir Robert Peel, from Persons engaged in Linen Manufacture (Ireland), for Free Trade.-From Dealers in Tea and Inhabitants of Tooting, for Alteration in Duties on Tea.-By Sir Howard Douglas, from the Liverpool Shipowners' Association, against the proposed Measure respecting Timber.-By Mr. Hume, from Dealers in Tobacco, in Ryde, for Reduction of Duty on Tobacco.-By Lord John Manners, from Master, Wardens, and Commonalty of Watermen and Lightermen, in favour of the Bequests for Pious and Charitable Purposes Bill.-By Mr. Hume, from Inhabitants of the Parish of Marylebone, for Alteration of Law of Blasphemy. By Sir Benjamin Hall, from Vestrymen of the Parish of St. Pancras, against Union with other Parishes. -By Mr. Thomas Duncombe, from Millworkers in Dundee, for Inquiry into III Treatment of Girls in Factories. By Mr. Thomas Duncombe, from Inhabitants of the City of London, for Alteration of the Funding System.-By Mr. Thomas Duncombe, from Lazarus Jakes, for Inquiry into Proceedings against him as Overseer of the Parish of Swaffhamn.-By Mr. Hume, from Members of the Society of Master Carpenters, for Alteration or Repeal of the Metropolitan Buildings Act.-By Viscount Alford, from Protestant Dissenters of Ridgmount, against Enrolment of the Militia. By Viscount Alford, from William Cole, for a Superannuation Fund for Poor Law Offi cers.-By Mr. Ormsby Gore, from Grand Jury of Sligo, for Alteration of Law respecting Railways (Ireland).-By Mr. French, from Trustees of the Darlington Savings' Bank, for Alteration of the Savings' Banks Act. IRISH ARMS ACT. MR. BERNAL OSBORNE begged to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary for the Home Department whether the attention of the Government had been directed to the facilities which the Irish Arms Act afforded to the ill-disposed, to possess themselves unlawfully of arms; and if the Government had it in contemplation to bring in any measure to amend that Act, especially as regarded the provisions for registering arms. SIR J. GRAHAM was understood to observe, that the Irish Arms Act would expire in the course of the present Session, He certainly admitted that all the benefit anticipated from the passing of that Act had not been realized; nor was it, on the other hand, attended with the evils that some hon. Gentlemen apprehended. He was afraid that, in the present circumstances of Ireland, it would not be possible to leave that country without some enactment with regard to the possession of arms; and he saw no reason why the Government should not propose its renewal (so we understood) with proper amendments. the greatest inconvenience, was experienced from the measures of the Government not being decided upon. He was most anxious to proceed with those measures, though he was far from imputing any wish on the part of any hon. Member to occasion unnecessary delay. He had already stated that he was willing to postpone the consideration of the sugar duties, in order to give precedence to the Irish Bill. He did not know whether the House would conclude the debate on the Tariff to-night. He had cond reading of the Corn Bill for to-morrow (Tuesday). He would then name the earliest possible day for the first reading of the Irish Life Protection Bill, and he was determined to proceed with it as rapidly as he could. PROTECTION OF LIFE (IRELAND) BILL. MR. SHAW begged to ask the right hon. Baronet at the head of the Government a question in respect of the Bill for the pre-hoped they might. He had fixed the sevention of crime in Ireland. The right hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) had the other night, at the request of the hon. and learned Gentleman (Mr. O'Connell), and contrary to the usual course, agreed to follow the precedent set by Lord Althorp, with reference to a Bill of a similar nature; and instead of reading the Bill a first time, as a ERROR IN ENLISTING SOLDIERS. matter of course, on coming from the House MR. T. DUNCOMBE was desirous of of Lords, to have it printed, and then give asking a question of the right hon. Gentlenotice of the first reading. In that case, man the Secretary at War. He underthe Bill had been passed in the House of stood that a soldier of the 8th Regiment Lords on Friday the 22nd of February, had been brought to court-martial for de1833; and Lord Althorp at once moved sertion, and that he in his defence pleaded that it should be printed, and gave notice that, strictly speaking, he was not a solthat he would move the first reading on dier; that he had not been duly and lethe Wednesday following, the 27th, and gally enlisted; because by the Mutiny Act he moved it accordingly on that day. In it was provided that when a man was en1833, Parliament had not met till the listed he must be attested by a magistrate 29th of January. In the present year, acting in and for that district. In the case Parliament met on the 22nd of January. he was mentioning, it appeared that the The Bill passed not till Friday last, the soldier had been enlisted in one county, 13th of March; and the question he (Mr. and was attested in another. It was conShaw) would then ask the right hon. Ba-sidered that this enlistment was not legal, ronet (Sir R. Peel), was, whether in point of the time of proceeding with the Bill, he would follow the precedent of Lord Althorp; or at what time the right hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) would proceed with the Bill? SIR R. PEEL believed, that, on the occasion referred to by the right hon. and learned Gentleman, the Secretary of State for the Home Department introduced the Bill, and immediately moved that it should be printed. It was true that in answer to a question put by the hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Cork, the other evening, he stated that he thought it desirable that the precedent which had been so recently established should in the present case be followed. He also stated that it was his earnest wish to name the earliest day for the consideration of this measure. But the right hon. Gentleman must have heard the prayer of the petition which he presented this very evening, stating that and the consequence was that he was immediately discharged. It appeared that there were no less than 5,000 or 6,000 men in the same position. No less than 400 out of 1,500 of the Grenadier Guards had been liberated on that ground. Other soldiers had also left their regiments-for he could not call it desertion-on the same ground-namely, that they were not legally soldiers at all. Now he wished to ask the right hon. Gentleman the Secretary at War, what was the course of conduct which the Horse Guards meant to pursue? and to submit the question to him whether it would not be desirable to bring in a short Bill to confirm these enlistments? He understood that another course had been suggested, which was to compel the men who had thus been brought into the army to refund the money they had received, and to make them pay for their accoutrements. But that was a course which he believed would not be so effectual FEVER (IRELAND)-GOVERNMENT MR. W. SMITH O'BRIEN wished to ask the right hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who had brought in a Bill with reference to the fever prevailing in Ireland, whether he had any objection to state when the discussion on that Bill would be taken, and whether the second reading, which was fixed for this evening, would come on. as the passing a short Bill to make the attestations legal. By the present law a man who had served in the army twentyone years was entitled to a pension; and some of these men who had been improperly attested, but having served a considerable term of years, were alarmed, lest they should lose their pensions. He did not believe the Government would take any such advantage; but the fear existed, because what was good for one was good for the other, and it might be urged against the men that they, not having been legally enlisted, were not entitled to any pension. Many of these men had already served ten, and in some cases fifteen years, and they were afraid that all that period of service would be lost, in consequence of their having been enlisted in one county, and attested in another. He was quite sure that the Government were prepared to set these things square on the best plan possible, which he believed would be by bringing in a short Bill. It was quite clear that something should be done for the sake of those men who had already faithfully served a great number of years in the service of their country. MR. S. HERBERT said, it was perfectly true that within the last few days a great number of applications from soldiers in the Horse Guards had been received, which had been correctly described by the hon. Gentleman opposite. But it was not the case that any soldier had, upon such application as stated, been informed that the parties alluded to would be deprived, after years of hard service, of their future pensions. On the contrary, every soldier, notwithstanding his enlistment might be illegal, by continuing in the service, would have the full benefit of his past services, and would receive his pension under the regulations that now existed. With respect to the request which had been made, that a claim should be advanced against soldiers who were about to leave the army, he thought that nothing could possibly be more unjust to the soldiers. Whether there were or were not in the army so great a number of persons as the hon. Gentleman thought could claim their discharge on the ground of this technical flaw, he was not prepared to say. subject was one of very great importance; it was under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government; and, at a future period, he should be able to state what their decision was. Subject at an end. The SIR J. GRAHAM was understood to say that he really hoped the second reading of this Bill would come on to-night, even if it were after twelve o'clock. He hoped the hon. Member would allow the second reading of the Bill to proceed. It was his earnest desire to give the House the fullest opportunity of discussing the Bill. MR.W.SMITH O'BRIEN said, his object was not so much to discuss the Bill, as to call the attention of the House to the measures which were required on other grounds than the representations of Government. The obvious course to be adopted was that recommended by the hon. Member for Finsbury, to send the starving people supplies of food, and thereby avert the necessity of sending them physic. MR. P. SCROPE said, he had read the Papers which had been laid on the Table by the right hon. Baronet (Sir J. Graham), and since printed; and the inference he drew from them certainly was, first, that what the Irish people wanted was not physic, but food, to prevent the impending famine, and what arose as a consequence; and, in the next place, that no time was to be lost. If they were to go through the debate on corn, and the Tariff, before they had an opportunity of discussing the question whether any further measures besides fever hospitals were required, the delay would be a most unfortunate one. He must ask the right hon. Baronet to give the House the opportunity, when the Bill went into Committee, of discussing whether any ulterior measures, with the view of giving food rather than physic, were not desirable. He should then move, either as an Amendment, or an additional clause to the Bill— to proved to demonstration that no time | if a number of the labouring people were should be lost in providing a suitable re- destitute, the law provided them a maintemedy to prevent the progress of fever in nance at once; and if a poor man died Ireland; and he hoped the hon. Member from starvation, after his application for would concur in thinking that this mea- relief was refused, the officers refusing sure was most pressing, however important were, in the eyes of the law, guilty of murand necessary other measures might be to der. But in Ireland it appeared that hunwhich he had referred. The alteration of dreds and thousands of destitute people the Irish Poor Law was certainly a very might die from starvation, and no law was important question; and if the hon. Mem- violated. He was astonished that the Irish ber wished it to be discussed, it might be Members could be quiet under such circummade the subject of a future and substan- stances; if he were an Irish Member, the tive Motion. But he hoped the hon. Mem- English Parliament should have no rest ber would not allow it to interfere with this so long as such a state of things existed. question of providing the means of arrest- So far from condemning the hon. Meming the progress of fever-a measure in ber for Limerick (Mr. W. S. O'Brien) which there ought to be no delay whatever. who gave vent the other night to his feelHe might state, in reference to what had ings in terms which the occasion demanded, fallen from the hon. Member for Finsbury he admired him for the spirit he had diswith respect to the supply of food, that in played. He wished it to be explained why cases of urgent necessity, very ample ar- a different course of policy should be rangements had been made by the Govern- adopted with regard to the two countries. ment to meet that necessity; and when the He agreed with his hon. Friend the Memproper time arrived, Government would ber for Montrose as to the desirableness of ask for the sanction of Parliament to the giving the people work, and he would supsteps which had been taken, availing them- port any measure having that object. But selves of their responsibility to make such it was now apparent, from the official returns provision. which Government had received, that throughout Ireland the most frightful distress prevailed; and from whom did this information come? From the medical officers of the poor-law districts in Ireland, who had opportunities not only of obtaining information from the infirmaries and dispensaries in the country, but were well acquainted with the state of the poor in the various districts in which they practised. Now the right hon. Baronet at the head of Her Majesty's Government stood better with the people of England in respect of this subject than any other Member of the House. In the first week of November, foreseeing what was likely to arise, the right hon. Baronet had proposed that the ports of the country should be opened; and because he could not carry such a proposal, he resigned his office in the Government. Such conduct was in the highest degree commendable; and he for one envied the feelings the right hon. Baronet must experience at that moment. The public expected that when the noble Lord the Member for the city of London had an opportunity of forming an Administration, he would have done so, and would have acted upon the principles which he propounded in his letter to his constituents. Instead, however, of doing so, after some petty squabble, the noble Lord abandoned the prospect of forming an Administration, and MR. HUME hoped the Government would not think of distributing food: what the Irish people wanted was employment. He hoped that no gratuitous distribution would be made, except in cases of very urgent necessity; and the line might be drawn pretty accurately. He wished strongly to protest against the idea of making the whole populace of Ireland a nation of paupers. Let employment be given them: that was what was wanted. SIR J. GRAHAM: What the Government proposes to do is to give them labour whereby an opportunity will be afforded them of obtaining wages; and in addition to that, facilities will also be given them for obtaining food for the wages so earned, at a very reasonable price. MR. O'CONNELL: That is just what the Irish Members desire; but I must also remind the right hon. Baronet, that not a shilling of the sums voted for public works, or of the money subscribed for the construction of railways, has as yet been laid out. MR. WAKLEY said, it appeared from all the Reports that the fever owed its origin to want of food. To provide labour must be a work of time; and he wanted to know why the poor Irish and the poor English should receive different treatment under the same Government? In England, |