one of their lordships, he sat down. The question was then put, and the house divided- For the motion, including 15 proxies, 29-Against it, including 8 proxies, 22Majority for vacating the Order, 7.-Adjourned.

those advanced by his noble friend were, he | something in the way of amendment, when, thought, well founded. It could not, how-being apprised of its being in some degree ever, be considered as a standing order. It informal, in that state of the proceeding, by was, to speak strictly, a remembrance; from the time of its being enacted, which was in 1626, to the present, it had, he believed, been but twice acted upon. This in some degree shewed its inutility; its possible injurious effects were obvious. He agreed that questions must be ultimately decided by the house; but still the order or memento should not be suffered to stand, at least without some material alteration or amendment, as the very circumstance of resolving the house into a committee through it, may be productive of mischievous consequences, as therein the sense of a decided and great majority of the house (proxies not being ad-deceased.—Mr. Foster gave notice that tomissible) may be counteracted.

Lord Grenville was for retaining an order from which no practical inconvenience had resulted since its adoption in the year 1626. It appeared that it had only been enforced three times; 1st, when an attempt was made to deprive some members of that house of their seats by introducing a bill, requiring certain qualifications; 2dly, when it was thought fit to propose that certain words introduced into a protest should be expunged; and, lastly, when certain questions were moved to be submitted to the judges, in the case of Mr. Justice Fox. In all these cases the enforcement of the order appeared to his lordship highly proper.

Lord Harrowby argued generally in favour of the leading observations of the noble secretary of state.

He was answered by

The Earl of Radnor, who maintained a contrary opinion.

Lord Hawkesbury argued briefly against the continuance of the order. His grounds were the more prominent positions of his noble colleague.

Earl Spencer, who was not inclined to speak even once upon the present question, were it not for some points he heard advanced that evening, observed, that the order existed an interval, not greatly short of 200 years, and no inconvenience had been proved to result from it With respect to the appellation of "remembrance," such was the general head given to all the orders in the book, and he denied that it clashed with the order No. 19, as peers were usually suffered to speak in explanation of any point they had before advanced, which could not be considered as speaking twice.

The Lord Chancellor quitted the wool sack, and was apparently about to propose

HOUSE OF COMMONS,

Tuesday, May 7.
[MINUTES.]-On the motion of Mr.
Calcraft, a new writ was ordered to be is-
sued for the election of a representative to
serve in parliament for the city of Coventry,
in the room of Francis William Barlow, esq.

morrow he would move for a committee to
consider of the consumption of beer in Ire-
land, and of making an allowance to the re-
tailers of spirits in the cities of Dublin, Cork,
Waterford, and Limerick, for the losses
which they may incur in consequence of the
new regulations. He should also move for
a committee to inquire into the Stamp Duties
Act for that part of the United Kingdom.—
The Irish Post Road bill was committed, and
ordered to be reported to-morrow. -The
Irish Promissory Note bill, and the Irish
Bank Tokens bill were reported, and order-
ed to be read a third time to-morrow.-The
Irish Loan bill was read a third time, and
passed.-The Paymaster General's Office
Regulation bill was read a second time, and
ordered to be referred to a committee on
Monday next.-Mr, George Ponsonby rose
to make the motion, of which he gave no-
tice yesterday, relative to the Country Road
act. He said, by the present law, the grand
jury at the spring assizes were empowered
to make improvements, and the money is
to be raised at the summer assizes.
there was no power in any one to retain any
sum for particular purposes, so that if a road
was made of bad materials, and grew bad,
there was no sum at disposal to make it bet-
ter, but it must remain so till next year.
One of the objects he had in view was, that
the overseers or road makers should retain
such a sum as might be deemed necessary to
fill up such chasms as might be made in
roads. Another, that in several parts the
roads must be made with stones, and they
who make the roads have not proper wea-
pons to break them. The jury should,
therefore, provide those. He hoped the
gentlemen from Ireland would not think him
an enemy to the present system; on the con-

But

.

General, the house went into a committee on the Stipendiary Curates bill, which after being reported, was recommitted for tomorrow. On the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the house went into a committee on the Property Duty bill. Previously to its commitment the chancellor of the exchequer stated, that the clauses he proposed to introduce into this bill were merely of a verbal nature, or such as related to regulation only, and not such as would produce any alteration in the rates or quantum of the duty. A number of clauses were then severally read, and, after a good deal of conversation, agreed to. The report was ordered to be received on Friday next. -Mr. Alexander brought up the report of the committee on the deficiencies of the civil list, when the resolution granting to his

trary, he wished the grand jury to have tion of the Trinity House of Deptford Strond, more power if necessary. He concluded in each year during the last thirty years with moving," that leave be given to for an account of the quantity of ballast taken bring in a bill to amend the laws now exist- by the corporation of the Trinity House of ing relative to making roads in Ireland, pur- Deptford Strond, in their lighters, out of vessuant to presentiments of grand juries."sels which have entered the port of London, Granted. A petition of the master, war- in each year, for the last thirty years, whedens, freemen and commonalty, of the mys-ther such vessels were partly laden, or in tery of vintners of the city of London, un- ballast."-On the motion of the Attorney der their common seal, being offered to be presented to the house; the chancellor of the exchequer, by his majesty's command, acquainted the house, that his majesty, having been informed of the contents of the said petition, recommended it to the consideration of the house. Then the said petition was brought up, and read; taking notice of the bill to alter and amend an act, passed in the 40th year of his present majesty, for making wet docks, basons, cuts, and other works, for the greater accommodation and security of shipping, commerce, and revenue, within the port of London, and for extending the powers and provisions of the said act; and setting forth, that the petitioners apprehend they may suffer loss or damage by reason of the works mentioned in the said act, and submit that they are entitled to compensation in respect thereof; and therefore pray-majesty the sum of 10,4587. Is. 6d. for the ing, that provision may be made in the said purpose herein mentioned, was read and bill for that purpose. Ordered, That the agreed to.-The committee on the Irish said petition be referred to the consideration Land Partition bill was postponed till toof a committee; and that they do examine morrow.-Mr. Loveden, on Monday, gave the matter thereof, and report the same, as notice of a motion to be brought on Thursit shall appear to them, to the house. And day the 16th inst. He said he did not apa committee was appointed accordingly; prehend it could occasion much discussion, and the said committee have power to send as it would be similar to what he had forfor persons, papers, and records. Mr. merly proposed; for fresh lists of unpaid or Calcraft moved for the following papers, unclaimed dividends at the bank, &c.-but which were ordered ;- -a copy of the grant he meant to push the enquiry further than or charter of her majesty queen Elizabeth, he had before done, and to call for an ac to the corporation of the Trinity House of count of the suitors money locked up by Deptford Strond, dated 11th June, in the the court of chancery... 36th year of her reign: a copy of the grant or charter of his late majesty king Charles II. to the corporation of the Trinity House of Deptford Strond, dated 24th June, in the 17th year of his reign: an account of the quantity of all the ballast on the river Thames, which has been shipped from the several wharfs within the jurisdiction of the corporation of the Trinity House of Deptford Strond, for the last 30 years, particularizing the quantity shipped in each year, and for which the said corporation received one penny per ton, and distinguishing the kind or quality of the ballast shipped: an account of the quantity of ballast taken from the bottom of the river Thames by the corpora

[IRISH ELECTION BILL.-On the question that the Irish Election bill be read a second time,

Colonel Bagwell said, he had no objection to the principles of the bill, and hoped, therefore, it would then be read a second time.

Mr. Lee said, that although he should accede to the second reading, he did not mean to exclude himself from objecting to some particular parts of it.

Mr. George Ponsonby said, that if the principle of the bill was to ascertain accurately those persons who had a right to vote at elections, and to make that right known to those who were candidates, he approved of the

Mr. Richard Martin objected to the bil going into a committee. By one clause in it, any person has a right to enter a traverse against the title of every 40s. freeholder, and it would take fifteen years value of it to pay the expences of defending his right. Besides, the bill vilified the country; for says that all vice was attributable to the poor. and all virtue to the rich; he therefore obituents, who, during a long, a difficult, and jected to it, on the ground of unseemliness. trying period of war, in times of severe He thought the election law of the two cour hardships and scarcity, have chearfully subtries should be assimilated as nearly as posmitted to the heaviest burthens; that what sible, and this subject should not be taken they granted liberally should be applied houp on such light and flippant grounds as inestly was the least the petitioners could had been. He thought a committee should be appointed to take the matter into consi| deration.

tem of vigilance and jealousy in preference to one of blind and implicit confidence in ministers."

ING THE 10th NAVAL REPORT.-A. petition of the gentlemen, clergy, and freehold ers of the county of Norfolk, convened by the high sheriff of the said county, at the [PETITION FROM SOUTHAMPTON REcastle of Norwich, in the shirehouse there, SPECTING THE 10th NAVAL REPORT.]→ on Tuesday the 14th day of May 1895, was A petition of the inhabitants of the town presented to the house and read, setting and county of the town of Southampton was forth," that the petitioners beg leave to ex- presented to the house and read; setting press their gratitude to the house for the forth," that the petitioners would feel steps which they have already taken towards themselves criminally indifferent were they the detection and punishment of those ser- not to express their gratitude for the votes vants of the crown who have defied the laws, of the house on the 8th and 10th days of broken their trust, and applied enormous April last, which declared lord viscount sums of the public money to their own cor- Melville guilty of a gross violation of the rupt purposes of emolument and power; law and a high breach of duty, votes which and that in the name of a loyal and suffering have diffused joy and confidence throughpeople, the petitioners implore the house out every part of the united kingdom; and not to relax in their exertions; they intreat that, among the various irregularities and them to consider how patiently the petition- abuses which have been detected and exers have seen millions added to millions of posed by the commissioners of naval enthe national debt, the rapid advance in every quiry, none has created more jealousy and article of consumption, their burthens in- alarm in the breasts of the petitioners than creasing, and their means of bearing them the application of monies, appropriated by diminishing, in the just hope that while en- the legislature for the uses of the navy, to gaged in extensive wars what they contri- other purposes, a practice replete with danbuted with cheerfulness would be applied ger to the constitution and to the liberty of with fidelity, and as the law expressly di- this country; and that the detection of such rected; and that faithful to their first duties, malversations in one department of the state the house have recorded, by the resolutions induces apprehensions that others may not of the 8th and 10th of April, that the peo-be more faithfully and honestly administered; ple of England have been grossly wronged and the petitioners therefore think it their by lord Melville; and the petitioners cum-du y to implore the national representatives bly represent to the house, the necessity of that their intention, already manifested, of effectually protecting the nation against fu-instituting enquiries into every branch of ture depredations; and therefore praying the public expenditure, may be speedily carthe house, first, to investigate and sift to the ried into effect, a measure calculated to bottom the remaining charges of abuse in compose the public mind, to confirm the the application of the public money, con-co::fidence, and to secure the unanimity and tained in the tenth report of the commis- energy of the people."-Ordered to lie upon sioners of naval enquiry: secondly, to exa- the table. mine minutely into the nature of those irre- PETITION FROM NORTHUMBERLAND gularities brought to light in the eleventh re- RESPECTING THE 10TH NAVAL REPORT.] port of the said commissioners, and likewise A petition of the gentlemen, clergy, whatever may appear culpable or suspicious and freeholders of the county of Northumin any of their future reports: thirdly, to berland, held at Morpeth on the 24th of institute immediate and rigorous enquiries May 1805, was presented to the house, and into the expenditure of every other depart-read; setting forth, "that the petitioners ment of executive government; and that in beg leave to congratulate the house on the performing these acts of necessary and ex-result of the discussions that have taken pected justice, the petitioners are persuaded place in the house respecting the gross that the house will take no other guides than peculation and misapplication of the public its own wisdom and resolution; and that, money, in open defiance of the law, that warned by the example of detected guilt, have been detected by the commissioners and awake to the frauds which have been of naval enquiry; and they pray the practised upon their own facility, as well as house to persevere in that virtuous line of upon the public purse, the house will per- conduct, which on that important occasion ceive the necessity of resorting to those prin- diffused such general satisfaction throughout ciples which prevailed in the better days of the country; and they intreat the house our constitution, and of acting upon a sys-not only to continue their enquiries into the

abuses in the department of the navy, but to extend the same into every branch of the public expenditure, and to adopt a solid and permanent system of economy, well convinced that rigid frugality alone can enable this country to support the present enormous weight of public burthens, and sustain the awful contest in which we are engaged and the petitioners implore the house to punish guilt, however protected or exalted, and to rescue from peculation and plunder a loyal people, who have ever willingly contributed to the real exigencies of the state, and who never complain but when their generous temper is imposed upon, and thus will the commons of the united kingdom confirm the confidence of the people, and instil into the hearts of all good men a warm and steady attachment to the British constitution."-Ordered to lie upon the table.

address the lords commissioners of the admiralty in vindication of their honour and the proceedings of their board; and being anxious to remove any impression which may have been made in parliament to their disadvantage by Mr. Tucker's letter and petition, they pray that the house will be pleased to give directions that a copy of the petitioners' two letters to the secretary of the admiralty of the 4th instant may be laid before the house."

Sir A. S. Hamond then moved, that copies of the letters from the commissioners of the navy to the board of admiralty, of the 4th instant, be laid on the table.

Mr. Kinnaird rose, not, he said, to oppose the motion, but to call the attention of the house to the time and manner in which it was brought forward by the hon. member. Six weeks had now elapsed since he (Mr. Kinnaird) had given notice of his intention [PETITION FROM THE NAVY BOARD to bring forward a motion of enquiry reRESPECTING MR. TUCKER'S PETITION.] Specting the conduct of an hon. officer (sir Sir A. S. Hamond presented a petition from Home Popham) on the ground of which the commissioners of the navy; the object motion he was certainly fortified, and very of which was, he said, to obtain from the considerably, by the letter alluded to. Durhouse permission for the navy board to ex-ing the whole of that time, the navy board culpate themselves from the charges made against them, in a letter of Mr. Tucker, formerly a commissioner, addressed to the board of admiralty, on the 24th of April: a copy of which letter had been ordered to be laid before the house. The object of the commissioners in this petition was, to have laid before the house two letters, with their inclosures, addressed by them to the admiralty, on the 4th instant, which they deemed indispensable to the vindication of their own honour, from the charges made in the letter first mentioned, and in which they pledge themselves to refute the statement made by Mr. Tucker.-The petition was received, and is as follows: "A petition of the there undersigned principal officer's and commissioners of his majesty's navy was presented to the house, and read; setting forth that the petitioners have learnt from the votes, that Benj. Tucker, esq. late a commissioner of his majesty's navy, did, on the 25th of April, present a petition to the house, praying that a copy of his letter to the secretary of the admiralty of the 24th of April might be called for, and which letter has been since laid before the house, and printed; and that the petitioners deeming Mr. Tucker's petition and letter of a most libellous and slanderous nature against them, they have felt themselves bound to

seemed to betray no anxiety for the character of that hon. officer; but now, on the very eve of the day fixed for bringing forward the motion, the hon. member had come forward with a petition from the navy board, and without any previous notice had moved for the production of letters, written but three days since, which, before the house knew any thing of their contents, were professedly calculated to overturn all imputation upon the navy board, with respect to the hon. officer. How was it that the navy board, who seemed so much alive to injurious imputations, had not written those letters of vindication sooner, or why was the production of them deferred to so late a moment, as to render it almost impossible for them to be printed in time for the due consideration of members? He hoped the house would be gratified with some explanation on this ground from the hon. member. He (Mr. K.) had given notice to bring forward his question to-morrow, and by that notice it was his intention strictly to have adhered; but he begged to remind the house, that this was the very first intimation received of any document intended to be brought forward in contradiction to those documents already before the house, and upon which solely members were left to form their opinions: he would there