would be to put an end to one of the | he received it. In presenting it to the most valuable rights of the subject. He House, he had stated its contents, scarcely was much surprised to hear his hon. and offering any opinion of his own on the learned friend who opposed the Petition, measure it alluded to, till other Members state opinions so contrary to those which had made their remarks on it, and on him. he had at other times advanced in the Adverting to what had fallen from the House. He hoped the amendment would hon. Member for Dover, he begged to be withdrawn. He was astonished at the observe to him, that even if that event expressions of reprobation which the right which the hon. Member seemed to conhon. Gentleman had used towards his hon. sider so impossible-a repeal of the Union and learned friend, the Member for Clare. with Ireland-were to take place, it would So he understood them. He perfectly give to Ireland a House of Peers 156 in agreed with the right hon. Gentleman, that number, not six of whom would be Roman to promote the separation of the two Catholics. He repeated, therefore, that countries would be most injurious; but the the Petition was not a sectarian one. One right of the people to tender their opinions of the signatures was that of a Protestant. to the House upon the subject was quite a As to the question respecting the repeal of distinct question. the Union, he was not aware that any expressions had fallen from him on the subject which could be construed into a disposition that he sought illegally to effect that object. It would, indeed, be unbecoming in him to use any other than constitutional language on such a subject; but nothing under Heaven should deter him from looking forward to what would be at once highly useful and beneficial to Ireland, and not at all injurious to this country. Mr. Secretary Peel, in explanation, denied that he had ever contended against the right of the people to express their opinions on that or any other subject. On the contrary, he had contended for that right. But while he had admitted the right, he had also declared that he could not find language strong enough to express his reprobation of the doctrines which the petitioners maintained. With respect to what the hon. and learned Gentleman had said of the separate legislatures of Jamaica, Halifax, and Canada, it must be remembered that, although they had sepa- | rate legislatures, they were still parts of the United Kingdom. He wished to ask the hon. and learned Member for Clare, if he knew anything of the names that were affixed to the Petition? They appeared to have been signed in a moment of conviviality rather than at a serious meeting of freeholders. For instance, there was the name of "Paddy Bray," followed by that of "Billy Powder Bray." Mr. O'Connell said, that those were the names of two of the registered freeholders of the town in which the meeting was held. Mr. Lockhart, yielding to what appeared to be the general feeling of the House, withdrew his amendment. Mr. Trant said, he considered that the repeal of the Union would bestow the government of Ireland on the Roman Catholics. IRISH TOBACCO.] The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in answer to a question from Sir John Newport, as to the intentions of his Majesty's Government to impose a duty on Tobacco in Ireland, said, that he had, on a former evening, stated that it was the intention of Government to place a duty on Tobacco grown in Ireland; and he had hoped that the bill on the subject would have been before the House at the present time; but delay had been occasioned in arranging the necessary details. He could assure the hon. Member that the parties interested The Petition brought up and read. were perfectly aware of the intention of Mr. O'Connell, in moving that the Peti- Government to lay a duty on Irish Totion should lie on the Table, took the oppor-bacco; for it had been expressed in a tunity of refuting the charge that it was a Petition of a sectarian character, or concealed anything, or sought to attain by covert means, an object which the petitioners did not dare avow. He had not had anything to do with the formation of the Petition; it had been sent him by post, and he knew nothing of its existence till previous Session, when a bill for that purpose before the House was withdrawn. Since then, several applications had been made to Government to ascertain what it intended to do on the subject, and they had received for answer that it was the intention of Government to impose a duty on Irish Tobacco. DECCAN PRIZE MONEY.] Mr. Hume, adverting to the question of the Deccan Prize Money, begged to ask the right hon. the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, one of the trustees for its distribution, in what state that property now was, as great anxiety existed on the part of many of the claimants to know when it was probable they would receive the remainder of their dividends. Mr. Arbuthnot said, that after the appointment of the trustees, they were anxious to begin the payments at as early a period as possible. Not being able, however, to get the prize lists without a reference to India, the consequence was, that their progress was impeded; and the first payment was not made until September, 1826. The sum of 230,000l. was then drawn for and distributed to the actual captors, both in the army and navy; except about 8,000l., which was paid over to Chelsea Hospital. The whole question was subsequently again brought under the consideration of the proper authorities, and it was decided that the Marquis of Hastings and the grand army were entitled to share in the Deccan prize money. There being no lists in this country, a Committee of Officers was appointed to give the necessary information, and to verify it. It was understood that the whole of the sums amounted to about 800,000l., and the whole would have been paid, but for a communication from certain native bankers at Bombay, stating that a portion of the property belonged, not to the Peishwa, but to natives, subjects of this country. The Supreme Court of Judicature decided in favour of the natives. It was impossible, therefore, to draw the whole sum; 448,000l. however, was drawn, and distributed to the Marquis of Hastings and the grand army, with the exception of 20,000l., which was paid over to Chelsea Hospital. The disposition of the remainder was referred to the consideration of the Privy Council, and the question would probably be determined in i two or three months. Should it be decided in favour of the army of India, the trustees would immediately proceed to the distribution of it. The exact amount could not be exactly stated at the present moment; for there were sums arising in India to be added to it; but he believed he might state, that before the termination of the summer the whole would be put in a train of payment. The money was in the Treasury at Calcutta, bearing an inte rest of 5 per cent. Originally it was at an interest of 6 per cent, and so it remained until an order came from this country for the distribution of a portion of it, when the interest of the remainder was fixed at 5 per cent. It would be doing great injustice to the East India Company if he were not to add, that they had evinced the greatest liberality throughout the whole transaction. FORGERY.] Mr.Sec. Peel, in presenting a Petition from the Society of Friends in Ireland, praying for a mitigation of the severity of the Criminal Code, and especially for the abolition of the punishment of Death for Forgery, said, although he could not himself consent to go the whole length of the prayer of the petitioners, he felt much pleased and flattered by their intrusting the petition to his care. He did not know any class of his Majesty's subjects in Ireland who were so exemplary in the discharge of all the duties and relations of life as those who were known by the name of Friends. There were none who exerted themselves more in the encouragement of local improvement, or who devoted themselves more earnestly to the relief of the distress by which they were surrounded. Mr. Lennard expressed his regret at hearing the right hon. Gentleman say that he was not prepared to go the whole length prayed for by the petitioners with respect to the punishment of forgery. He (Mr. Lennard) had last Session introduced a bill on the subject; and he now gave notice, that early after the Easter holidays he would again call the attention of the House to it. Mr. Peel, in explanation, said, that on Wednesday he would move for leave to bring in a bill to alter and amend the laws respecting Forgery. By that bill it would be proposed to abolish the punishment of death for forgery, in many cases. Mr. Lennard replied, that he had then misconceived the right hon. Gentleman. Mr. Peel rejoined, that all that he had meant to state was, that he was not prepared to acquiesce in the total abolition of the punishment of death for the crime of forgery. The Petition read, and printed. LAW REFORM.] Mr. Peel presented a message from his Majesty, which was read by the Speaker. It was to the following effect:-" His Majesty having taken into consideration the Report made to his On the motion of Mr. Peel, an Address was ordered to be presented to his Majesty, thanking him for his most gracious Message, and assuring him that that House would take it into their most serious consideration. Mr. Peel moved for a Committee of the House to consider the Message on Friday next. He did not intend, by considering the Address, to commit hon. Members to any approbation of the provisions of the Bill. Nor should he call on hon. Members to pledge themselves to anything till after Easter. INDIA.] Mr. Stuart Wortley moved that there be laid before the House three letters, addressed by the Court of Directors of the East-India Company to the Governors and Councils of the three Presidencies, dated March 10th, 1830, and relating to the territorial finances of the East-India Company. Mr. Hume wished to take that opportunity to ask a question, to which he trusted some hon. Member present connected with the Board of Control would give a satisfactory answer. It had been stated in the public prints, that considerable alarm had been excited in India in consequence of orders which had been sent out by the Government here, forbidding Lord William Bentinck to give those facilities for settling and taking land which his Lordship had been so willing to afford, with a view to encourage and facilitate the settlement of Europeans in India. He (Mr. Hume) wished to know whether that statement was correct, and whether such orders had been transmitted to Lord Wm. Bentinck? Mr. Stuart Wortley said, he supposed the hon. Member referred to the statement which had appeared in the papers that morning, and in that case he could assure the hon. Member that great misconception existed on the subject. The facts of the case were simply these. There appeared in an unofficial periodical publication in the summer of last year, an article which purported to be an order from Lord Wm. Bentinck, holding out encouragement to Europeans to settle in India, to take lease of lands, &c. The Board of Directors never received an official copy of any such order; but seeing this article, they transmitted a letter to Lord Wm. Bentinck, apprising him of the publication of such document. The Board of Directors took that opportunity to refer his Lordship to the resolution which had been adopted by the Board on the subject, and which had been issued to Lord Amherst in 1824, and they at the same time intimated to his Lordship that he must abide by the terms of that Resolution. The Directors, in their communication to his Lordship, in no other respect altered the regulations which were in existence as to the settlement of Europeans in India; they merely intimated to him that he must abide by the terms of the Resolution of 1824. It appeared that this order, attributed to Lord Wm. Bentinck, was entirely unknown to the department of the Government of this country especially connected with India, and that circumstance was sufficient to create a suspicion that it had never been issued by his Lordship, and in confirmation of that suspicion he (Mr. Stuart Wortley) might state, that though this order had been published in this country so long ago as last July, no official copy of it had been received by the Board of Directors up to the present moment. The letter of the Directors, to which he had already referred, merely intimated to Lord Wm. Bentinck that he must abide by the terms of the Resolution issued to Lord Amherst, and there would be no objection whatever to laying a copy of that letter before the House. Returns ordered. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.-GREECE.] The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the Order of the Day for the House going into a Committee of Supply. Lord John Russell would take that opportunity to inquire whether the House might shortly expect to have laid before it the papers relative to the affairs of Greece, mentioned in the Speech from the Throne at the opening of the Session. Mr. Peel was not prepared at the mo ment to give an answer to the question; but if the noble Lord supposed that these papers were in preparation at the time that the communication was made from the Throne, he laboured under an erroneous impression. His Majesty merely stated in the Speech from the Throne that he " hoped at an early period to be enabled to lay before Parliament the particulars of the arrangement" in question. Lord John Russell could not understand why these papers had not been in preparation before that time. NUMBER OF ELECTORS.] The Marquis of Blandford inquired why certain returns for which he had formerly moved, to show the number of persons entitled to vote in the several cities, boroughs, and towns in the United Kingdom, had not been made out? The Mr. Peel said, the case was simply this. An Address was moved to his Majesty last Session, at an early period in the evening, shortly before the House adjourned, that there should be laid before the House a return of the number of persons entitled to vote in the several Cities and Boroughs in Great Britain. return called for was of the number of persons entitled to vote, and it was im possible to make such a return, for it would be a most dangerous practice to allow the returning officer to decide upon the number of persons entitled to vote in any particular borough or city. A return could be furnished certainly of the number of persons who had actually voted at the Jast election. Mr. Hume could not see what difficulty there was in the way of the returning officer making a return of the numbers that had actually voted, taken from the poll-books at the last election in each particular case. Mr. Peel wished to know what inference could be drawn from the number that had voted at the last election? Many instances might occur where there had been no contest at all, and where, therefore, no such return could be made out. Mr. O'Connell suggested that a distinction should be made between the returns as to counties and as to cities and boroughs. In the latter places the number of voters could be easily ascertained, as the persons qualified to vote possessed that right in consequence of being freemen or free burgesses, &c. Mr. Secretary Peel said, it would be impossible to ascertain the number of scot and lot voters; and no return in that case, corresponding to the motion of the noble Lord could be made. Lord Nugent observed, that the return. contemplated by the hon. Member for Aberdeen could not be made out correctly; for instance, as regarded the borough which he (Lord Nugent) represented. In 1818, 1,400 persons voted at the election in that borough; and since that period many who possessed the right to vote there had lost it, while the right to vote had been acquired since by others, who did not vote on that occasion. The Marquis of Blandford wished to know whether he was to understand that the motion which he had made upon a former occasion, and to which no opposition was then offered, could not be complied with? Mr. Peel observed, that it would be more convenient if the noble Lord would give notice in future when he introduced motions of that description. No opposition had then been offered to his motion, because no person was aware that he intended to bring it on. Mr. Hume was desirous to know what was the purpose for which it was proposed to go into committee on this evening? was it intended to vote the Ordnance Estimates, upon this occasion, in a Committee upon the Navy Estimates, and before the House was prepared to go into the Ordnance Estimates? He should certainly object to such a course of proceeding, though he should have no objection that a certain sum, which might be necessary to meet the present expenses of this department should be now taken upon account. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, that a certain sum was necessary at present for the public service in this department. His hon. friend intended to take a vote upon account for 200,000l. to meet the existing exigencies, and the Ordnance Estimates would be left open for discussion by the House on a future occasion. He wa anxious to know how far that in quiry would go, and whether the inquiries of the commissioners would be confined merely to the colonial expenditure, or would extend to the constitutions under which the Colonies were governed. Such an inquiry he thought would be very useful. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, it was not intended that the Commission in question should at all meddle with the constitutions of the Colonies. The object of the commission was to make a thorough review in detail of the colonial expenditure, for the purpose of effecting as much saving in that way as would be consistent with the public service. The proceedings of the commissioners would be submitted afterwards to the consideration of the House, and it would be for the House then to determine how far their recommendations might be acted upon. Mr. Hume wished to know who were to be the commissioners, how they were to be paid, and where they were to sit, and how long they were to continue their investigations. It appeared by a return for which he had moved, that commissioners had already cost the country upwards of 1,000,000l. in the space of twenty years, without producing any public benefit; and he therefore hoped that this, like other commissions, would not be followed by an useless expense without any public advantage. Fearing that it might, he should be disposed to object to the commission, unless he first knew who the commissioners were to be, and unless he obtained answers to his other questions. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, he had already stated that this commission would be advantageous to the public, without imposing any new expense upon the country. It was to be composed of persons connected with the Government, and practically acquainted with the Colonies. No new expense whatever would attend the appointment of such a commission. Sir R. Wilson wished to know whether the inquiries of the commissioners would be extended to the Canadas? The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied in the affirmative. Mr. Maberly conceived that some reasons for the measure should have been laid before the House, before the commission had been appointed. He should also like to know if the materials on which the commissioners would have to work were all ready. Mr. Bright was of opinion, that some new light should have been thrown upon the subject, before the appointment of the commission had taken place. The Chancellor of the Exchequer observed, that the mode which had been chosen had been selected as most advantageous and convenient. When the report of the commissioners should be presented, it would be in the power of the House to pronounce its opinion on the subject. The Order of the Day was read and the House went into a Committee of Supply. ORDNANCE.] Mr. Perceval moved that the sum of 200,000l. be granted to his Majesty towards defraying the expenses of the Royal Regiments of Artillery in Great Britain, Ireland, and the Colonies, for the year 1830. He wished to state that this vote was asked on account, and passing it would not preclude discussion on the Ordnance Estimates. Vote agreed to. NAVY ESTIMATES.] Sir George Clerk, in proceeding with the remaining Navy Estimates, said, that the first vote he had to propose regarded the civil departments connected with the Navy, comprising the Admiralty, Navy-pay Office, Victualling Office, &c. In this Estimate a reduction to the amount of 1,7101. had been made this year. It would have been greater but for the large establishment connected with the office of the Treasurer of the Navy; but when the out-prize, and other parts connected with that office, should be better arranged, he was sure that his right hon. friend, the Treasurer of the Navy, would be able to effect considerable reductions in that establishment. The hon. Baronet moved that the sum of 180,0171. 11s. 7d. be granted for defraying the salaries of the officers and other contingent expenses of the Admiralty, of the Navy Pay Office, and the Victualling Office. Mr. Hume objected to the taking of all these votes together. They should be taken separately. He submitted that the first vote, that of 52,2167. 5s. 1d. for the Admiralty, should be first put. Lord Howick agreed with the hon. Member for Aberdeen, and could not but censure the practice of voting in one lump the expense of five different departments. Different Members might object to different portions of these expenses; for example, |